《Never Judge》


 Chapter 1 - 1

    It was pouring as a ck sedan drove along the drenched streets of the Capital. Inside the car was Cedric Reyes, the fifteen year old heir to the Reyes Group.

    He had just left his home in a tearful goodbye with his younger sister Ayanna, his mother Prisci, and his father Emilio as his poverty training was set to begin.??

    Every heir of the Reyes family knew that at the age of fifteen, they would have to give up everyfort they had known and move to a distant province with nothing more than the bare minimum that their family provided for them to survive the first few years.

    The car came to a stop outside of a worn down apartmentplex. Cedric took out the keys from his pocket, four years of apartment 5-E''s rent had been paid for. Cedric ced his backpack on and sent the car and driver away.

    Due to the rain, the stairs up to the fifth floor were slippery, Cedric took extra care as he climbed up. Apartment 5-E was a small room, it could only fit a small bed, an area for a stove, and a table. The room didn''t even have its own bathroom, there was just a shared one on the same floor.

    Cedric sighed as he took a look at his new home. Aside from this room, his family also provided him with a bank card that had just enough money to get him through two years. After that Cedric would be all on his own.

    The Reyes family began this tradition to ensure that the next generation would value the empire they had built, so that the next heir wouldn''t take the money that would someday be handed down to them for granted.

    Cedric''s new identity would no longer be Cedric Reyes, eldest son and heir of the Reyes n, rather it would now be Cedric Reyes, orphan that lived alone in apartment 5-E, a public school student with an older sister that had to work abroad just to make ends meet.

    His family and friends were forbidden from helping him, they were not to extend any form of help until his poverty training was over.

    He was alone against the world; for now.

    Thirteen yearster, Cedric Reyes was now married to Adrianna Hernandez and living in his inws'' home.

    "Cedric you idiot! I told you to prepare pancakes and bacon for breakfast!" Gracia Hernandez, Adrianna''s mother, scolded Cedric.

    Adrianna''s family never fully epted Cedric, as a result Cedric cooked and cleaned for them in order to receive some form of approval.

    Cedric''s wife worked in the marketing department of Ind''s Inc, the Hernandez'' family business. Ind''s Inc. was a bigpany, but the Hernandez family was even bigger.

    Adrianna''s father had five other siblings and he was the third son. Although thepany earned a lot, maintaining the lifestyle of such a big family was quite heavy and expansion was slow for Ind''s Inc.

    Adrianna''s parents and the couple relied mainly on her sry to pay for their everyday expenses.

    "I''m sorry mom, but we ran out of bacon so I cooked this instead." Cedric apologized.

    Gracia Hernandez looked away and ate the food on the table clearly unhappy.

    After having his breakfast Cedric headed up to their room to change and get ready for work. He worked as an assistant at Mor Co., a hidden subsidiary of the Reyes Group, his family''s business.

    After five years of marriage, Adrianna still had no idea that he was the mysterious heir to the Reyes Group.

    Compared to the Reyes Group, Ind''s Inc. was considered small fry. In the past years Reyes Group had been hinting that it''s young heir would be returning soon, and many families have been trying to set up their daughters with this mysterious man.

    The families didn''t care if he was ugly, fat, or stupid, all that mattered to them was that he was rich, and marrying their daughters to him would immediately increase their family''s wealth.

    "Was mom difficult today?" Adrianna asked Cedric as he finished dressing up.

    "It''s fine." Cedric shrugged.

    "I told you to stop doing the chores. We have maids to do the cooking." Adrianna said with a sigh.

    Cedric smiled and looked at Adrianna. She was the greatest treasure of the Hernandez family, the prettiest among eight female cousins, but their marriage was not epted by the Hernandez family.

    "Adrianna, I do this so that your family will ept me a little bit more." He gave her a light peck on the lips before heading out.

    Adrianna could do nothing but shake her head.

    Cedric drove Adrianna to work at Ind''s Inc. then walked to Mor Co., while on the way his phone began to ring. It was Marco, his father''s personal assistant. Cedric grinned, he already knew what this call was about.

    "Hey Marco." Cedric greeted in a cheerful tone.

    "Sir Cedric, your father is asking if you would have lunch with him today. You''re turning 28 in a week." Marco said in a more serious tone.

    "Sure. Where should I go?" Cedric asked as he approached Mor Co.''s office.

    "We''ll send a car a block away from Mor Co." Cedric smiled at the instructions, his father knew he wanted to keep a low profile.

    Cedric agreed and dropped the call.

    The rest of the morning was uneventful and quickly passed by, when lunch time arrived Cedric waited for the car to pick him up. The driver took him to his father''s favorite country club in the city. This ce was so exclusive that only a hundred families at a time were allowed to be members.

    Upon entering the restaurant his father immediately saw him and waved with a smile. In the past thirteen years he had only seen his father once a year, on Christmas day.

    "Hello dad." Cedric greeted with a smile.

    Emilio Reyes III, was in histe fifties.He was a man with an imposing aura and was one of the top businessmen in the country. Today however, he looked very different as he wore a cheery smile and was quite reddish from ying golf the whole morning with his friends.

    "Cedric, it''s finally time." Emilio greeted. "I can finally y golf everyday and travel with your mom!"

    Cedric chuckled. "Dad, how is mom?"

    "Hmmmm, she misses you, and your sister. She was very much against sending your sister away for additional studies abroad, but I told her it''s for the best." the older Reyes said with a sad smile.

    "Sir, here are the files that you asked for." Marco suddenly appeared, handing Emilio Reyes aptop.

    "Ah, yes." Emilio took theptop from Marco and handed it over to Cedric. "In here are all of the relevant files and information on the Reyes Group. Of course we won''t suddenly hand the whole business to you. We''ll start small, you''ll handle Mor Co. first."

    "Will you be introducing me to everyone?" Cedric asked.

    "I think you would prefer that we didn''t." Emilio grinned at his son. "Let''s just hold a small wee back party for you at home, family and close friends only. We can announce to the public the Mor Co. will officially be in your hands. On paper, Cedric Reyes will be moved as the assistant to Mor Co.''s president."

    "I like the idea, dad." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Great. Marco, call Cami and Ian over." Cedric''s dad ordered.

    Soon a young man and woman approached. Seeing Cedric came as a surprise to them, as fellow assistants at Mor Co. they already knew each other, as a matter of fact Ian was Cedric''s best friend at Mor Co.

    "I''m sure you know each other. Assistant Cami and Assistant Ian, this is my son, Cedric Reyes, heir to Reyes Group and your new boss." Emilio said.

    "Cami, Ian, I would like to keep my identity a secret. I will continue to just be Cedric to the public and to everyone in thepany." Cedric said with much authority.

    "I''ll see you on your birthday then, son." Emilio said as he got up to leave followed by Marco.

    Cedric was now left alone with Cami and Ian.

 Chapter 2 - 2

    "Please, sit." Cedricmanded.

    Cami and Ian obeyed. At that Cedric grinned.??

    "I''m still the same person."

    "Y-y-you''re the heir of Reyes Group?" Ian managed to stutter out.

    "Yes. And I would prefer no one in Mor Co. figured it out. If I know Marco''s efficiency by the time we get back to the office my appointment as an assistant to the President of Mor Co. will be announced. At the same time, all business registrations of Mor Co. will be moved to my name. All the directors will be informed of this but no one else."

    Cami and Ian nodded in understanding.

    "For now Ian, please set a meeting for tomorrow morning with all of the directors. Ask them to prepare a report on the current status of their department as well as how far they are from hitting their targets this year. I expect this meeting tost the whole morning." Ian quickly jotted down notes.

    "Cami, I want the sales and marketing departments to create a detailed report on our standing vs. ourpetitors as well as details on our biggestpetitors. Ask them to suggest other opportunities as well in order for us to expand. I n to make Mor Co. thergest phone manufacturer in the country in the future."

    Cedric''s instructions were clear and easy to follow. Cami and Ian were recognized as top talents even among other employees at Reyes Group, it came to a surprise to everyone when three years ago both were moved from the mainpany to a subsidiary.

    From the start, Cami and Ian knew they were being groomed to be assistants to the future President of the Reyes Group.

    "Let''s head back." Cedric said as he stood.

    "Ced- I mean Sir Cedric, we arranged for a car to take us back," Ian said.

    "Alright. Tell the driver to drop us off a block away from the office so no one sees us."

    "Should we arrive together sir?" Cami asked.

    "Yeah. We could say that we were bonding as new teammates." Cedric suggested.

    "Sir, we weren''t sure about your taste in decorations or set up so we still need to discuss your office''syout." Cami exined.

    "Let''s discuss it tomorrow afternoon after the morning meeting. For now the current setup will do."

    While Cedric and his assistants were meeting, Marco had alreadypleted transferring Mor Co.''s majority shares to Cedric.

    80% were in his name while the bnce was distributed within the Reyes family. At the same time all the directors had been informed that Cedric was the heir to Reyes Group and that they were to keep their mouth sealed on the matter.

    On the ride back to Mor Co. Cedric''s phone began to ring, it was his mother.

    "Mom?" Cedric asked.

    "You had lunch with your father and didn''t tell me?" Cedric''s mom was furious.

    "Mom, I missed you." Cedric said in the sweetest voice he could.

    "That won''t work. Anyway, your father said you''ll celebrate your birthday with us this year! That''s great. Will you be bringing your wife?" Prisci Reyes always went straight to the point with her questions never minding to sugar coat anything with her children.

    "Not yet mom. I''m not yet ready." Cedric confessed.

    "Alright. I was looking forward to meeting her." Prisci said in a sad tone.

    "Let''s talk next time, mom. I''m almost at the office." Cedric said bidding his mother goodbye.

    At Mor Co. news spread fast. His co-employees were quick to congratte Cedric on his promotion to Assistant to the President.

    Ian helped him tidy up his desk and bring his things to his fake desk at the president''s office at the top floor.

    Upon arriving he was greeted by the directors and the former president of Mor Co., Mattias Gram.

    "Mr. Reyes, it''s an honor to work for you. Who knew that such an excellent young man was working in our ranks for the past five years." Mattias greeted him, Mattias was actually slightly worried that he might have mistreated Cedric Reyes in the past.

    "Mattias, I know you''ve been doing your best for thepany all these years, where has my father decided to move you?" Cedric asked.

    "Your father has offered me a generous position in the motherpany. Sir please feel free to contact me if you need any help with Mor Co."

    The rest of the directors proceeded to greet him. By the time their small reception was over Cedric realized he had ended up stayingte, Adrianna''s mom would be furious.

 Chapter 3 - 3

    Adrianna had been waiting for Cedric for an hour, she couldn''t reach him on his phone. Although she didn''t mind him workingte she knew he would get an earful from her mother when they got home.

    Soon she saw the car approaching, she sighed in relief. ??

    "I''m sorry Adrianna, I got held up at work and didn''t notice the time." Cedric apologized.

    "Don''t apologize to me, apologize to momter. You know how she gets." Adrianna sighed.

    "Why don''t we eat out today? I got promoted, so it''s my treat!" Getting promoted was an understatement for what happened to him today, but he had no ns of telling his wife or her family just yet.

    As if on cue, Adrianna''s phone began to ring, it was her mother.

    "Let''s hold off celebrating your promotion, my cousin got engaged and her father invited us all out." Adrianna told Cedric. He drove them home to pick up Adrianna''s mother Gracia, and her father Charles.

    "Who is Asia''s fiance, mom?" Adrianna would soon regret asking her mom.

    "His name is Mark Chu, he is the son of a very wealthy businessman. They own a chain of drugstores that already has branches in other countries!" Gracia said proudly, as if Asia was her daughter. "Why couldn''t you marry a man as capable as Mark, Adrianna?"

    "Mom!" Adrianna scolded.

    "And you! Myzy husband, you could at least contribute more to your family. Instead here you are just a professor! I thought you were going to be a doctor when I married you!" Gracia scolded her husband.

    The rest of the ride was spent with Gracia praising Asia''s fiance. ording to Gracia, Mark Chu was young and rich, he had booked the whole restaurant to celebrate their engagement and had given Asia a ring worth hundreds of thousands. He was set to inherit his father''s business in a few years.

    Cedric couldn''t help but grin, if only his inws knew who he really was, they wouldn''t be so impressed with Mark Chu.

    At a traffic light, Cedric asked Ian to get all the information about Mark Chu, Cedric had met a handful of rich heirs and he knew they liked to brag. Before they even arrived, Ian sent him an email with all the information he needed on Mark Chu.

    After dropping Adrianna and his inws off at the lobby, he parked the car. He quickly skimmed through Mark''s dossier and realized that Mark''s father didn''t even want this engagement to happen.

    He chuckled to himself, the snobby Hernandez family was going to get snubbed by someone else soon.

    When Cedric entered the lobby of the restaurant he heard a familiar voice calling his name.

    "Cedric! Cedric!"

    Cedric turned to find Raymund Laurence waving at him. Raymund was the eldest son and heir of the notorious Laurence family, who were involved in both legal and illegal businesses.

    Raymund and Cedric grew up side by side, and Raymund was very much aware of the poverty training Cedric had to go through.

    "Hey Ray! I thought that Chu kid booked the whole restaurant?" Cedric asked.

    "Ha! He only booked a function room. Hey I heard you''reing back?" Ray asked.

    "Yeah. But I''m not going public about it yet." Cedric exined.

    "Well if you need any help, you know you can ask us." The "us" Raymund was talking about were the notorious "5 princes." They were all sons of rich influential families who were groomed to take over someday. Unlike their counterparts, they took their studies and businesses seriously and had all been given significant roles in their own families.

    Everyone knew who 4 were, but no one seems to have met the 5th prince, the extremely low profile son of the Reyes n.

    "Swing by the function room Mark Chu booked a little bitter. I think his dad wille by." Cedric said with a grin.

    Raymund simply nodded and went on his way.

    In the function room, Cedric took his seat beside Adrianna. It seemed the whole Hernandez n came out to meet this soon to be inw of the family.

    Adrianna''s cousin, Asia Hernandez was the youngest daughter of her father''s eldest brother, she was tall and pretty. Although Asia was only 22, she wore makeup that made her look more mature than she actually was. Like most of the Hernandez''s she had fair skin and ck hair.

    Upon seeing Cedric arrive, she dragged her fianc�� to brag to Adrianna and her family.

 Chapter 4 - 4

    "Adrianna! I''m so d you could make it!" Asia greeted while hugging her fiance''s arm.

    "Of course we are here, Asia!" Gracia replied before Adrianna could say anything.??

    "I''d like to introduce all of you to my fianc��, Mark Chu. His family owns a nationwide chain of drugstores!" Asia announced quite smugly.

    "Such a sessful young man." Adrianna''s fatherplimented.

    "Darling, Adrianna''s husband, Cedric, has been stuck working as an assistant for the past five years! He went to the same university as us but it seems he can''t find a decent job! Why don''t you help him?" Asia said in a sweet tone to her fianc��.

    "Anything for my Asia." Mark replied. To Cedric he said "Cedric, what is your field of interest? I''m sure I can talk to my father about giving you a job!"

    "I''m fine, thank you." Cedric said in a meek tone.

    "You have too much pride, Cedric!" Asia scolded.

    "I''m fine with my job now, Asia." Cedric said once again.

    "How about with anotherpany? I''m friends with 4 of the 5 princes! I can ask them to give you a job in theirpanies." Mark suggested.

    Cedric grinned to himself, if only this kid knew who he really was.

    "I like my job at Mor Co." Cedric replied.

    "Suit yourself then." Mark simply shrugged.

    "Adrianna! Scold your husband, Mark was already offering him so much and yet he has the guts to refuse!" Gracia whispered to her daughter.

    "Mom, if Cedric is happy with his job then let him be." Adrianna said in defense of Cedric. Although Adrianna did not agree with Cedric refusing the offer, she was not about to contradict her husband in front of everyone else.

    "I''ll go say hi to grandpa. Cedric, why don''t youe with me." Adrianna offered.

    "Sure." The couple then stood and went over to the family patriarch.

    Adrianna''s grandfather was an old man in his eighties. He had inherited the Hernandez family business from his father before him and built it into the size it was today.

    After working for years he eventually handed the reins to his eldest son, Asia''s father.

    "Grandpa! We''re here!" Adrianna greeted her grandfather.

    "Ah my sweet Adri! I hear you are doing well at work!" Adrianna was her grandfather''s favorite, she was the smartest and prettiest among all his grandchildren.

    He had initially nned on matching her with the eldest son of the Reyes n, unfortunately she ended up getting married right out of university. Although the old man was disappointed at this, he still chose not to interfere with his granddaughter''s choice.

    "Grandpa, Cedric is here with me." Adrianna said sweetly. She truly loved Cedric, despite their misunderstandings.

    "Nice of you toe." Grandpa Hernandez said in a t tone. He was not too happy to see Cedric.

    "Grandpa! You should scold Adrianna and Cedric! Mark was offering Cedric a much better job and he refused! What kind of apany is this Mor Co. anyway! It''s so small it''s not even among the toppanies in the country!" Asiained as she saw her grandfather speaking to the couple. Beside her, Mark simply grinned.

    "Asia, I''m sure Cedric has his reasons for refusing." Her grandfather exined. He himself however, did not agree on Cedric''s refusal on a much better job.

    Most people remained unaware that Mor Co. was a subsidiary of the muchrger Reyes Group, the family had kept a low profile on some of their subsidiaries including Mor Co.

    "Mark, what time are your rtives arriving? It would be rude for us to have already eaten by the time they arrive." Grandpa Hernandez asked.

    "My father, mother, and siblings are on their way. Unfortunately the rest of the family can''t make it."

    Mark''s father had not informed the rest of the family about the engagement. He was still hoping that his son would call it off after meeting the rest of the Hernandez family.

    "Did you invite your friends? I heard from Asia that you are quite close to the 5 princes." Grandpa Hernandez asked.

    "Ah yes. Ray said he would definitelye over. The others said they had prior engagements." Mark was d that "the" Raymund Laurence said he would go. His father was supported by the Laurence family and sending over their heir was already a big deal for him.

    "Ray? Raymund Laurence?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yeah, my Mark and he are friends. Are you shocked to be in the same room as a bigshot, cousin?" Asia mocked Adrianna.

    "No. It''s not that." Adrianna was actually wondering if the Raymund Laurence that she was ssmates with in university was the same Raymund Laurence that Mark was talking about.

    All of the 5 princes were quite low profile. They never bragged when they were in university nor did they cause any trouble. It was only after graduating from university did each of them be as notorious as they were now.

    "Let''s go back to our seats." Cedric whispered to Adrianna.

    "Grandpa, Cedric and I will return to mom and dad now. Don''t forget to stay healthy alright!" Adrianna bid her grandfather goodbye with a smile.

    "Grandfather, Asia and I will go and fetch my family. They just sent me a message that they are already at the lobby." Mark said.

    "I heard that the Chu family was not too happy with this engagement!" Cedric heard a guest tell theirpanion.

    "Is it true that Asia Hernandez is pregnant that''s why this engagement needs to happen?" Another guest asked.

    Cedric looked at Adrianna to get an idea of her reaction, but Adrianna kept a straight face the whole time.

    It seemed that Asia Hernandez managed to scheme her way into marrying up into society.

 Chapter 5 - 5

    Edward Chu, Mark Chu''s father, was not happy with his future daughter-inw. None the less the rumors were true, Mark had gotten Asia pregnant and he wanted to take responsibility.

    Edward initially wanted Mark to marry one of the daughters of a more powerful and influential family, unfortunately that chance was now gone. His only hope for a political marriage was for his daughter, Katrina, to marry into a better family. ??

    As the Chus walked into the room, Mark felt proud, his family was better in almost all aspects than the Hernandez''s. Their business was much better, and they even had the backing of one of the top families, the Laurence family.

    "Katrina, you look lovely today!" Asia praised her soon to be sister-inw.

    "I know, thanks." Katrina replied quite coldly. She never really approved of Asia and her brother dating from the start. To Katrina, Asia was too tacky and tried too hard.

    "Sister-inw, will youe with me to choose my wedding gown?" Asia asked Katrina.

    "I might be busy." Katrina said, turning down Asia''s offer.

    "Grandpa! I''d like to introduce to you Mark''s family. This is his father, Edward, his mother, Vivian, and his sister, Katrina." The old man stood to wee the guests that had newly arrived.

    "It is an honor to have our dear Asia marry your son, Mr. Chu." Grandpa Hernandez said as he shook Edward Chu''s hand.

    "You have a lively granddaughter, Mr. Hernandez."

    "Father, I invited Mr. Raymund Laurence to join us today as well. He said he woulde over for a while." Mark said quietly to his father. He knew his father would not approve, but he would never scold his son in public.

    "Ah, the Chu family is truly great being able to invite someone as important as Mr. Laurence to join us tonight." A man in his fifties said in a loud voice. "I am Fredrik Hernandez, Asia''s father, and this is my wife, Cecilia."

    "Of course, Mr. Raymund Laurence is a friend of Mark''s. They grew up together." Edward Chu was wise and knew not to turn downpliments even if he did not like this family.

    The truth was Edward Chu was always trying to get his son and Raymund Laurence to hangout but their group of friends were so closed off that aside from the 5 princes and their families, no one else was wee to join.

    "Come, sit with us. We will have the food served when Mr. Laurence arrives." Fredrik Hernandez invited the Chu family to sit at his table.

    At the back of the room, Cedric was staring at his phone. He just asked Raymund if it were true that he would be joining the party. His phone soon buzzed when Raymund replied.

    Yeah. I was initially going to turn down the invite, the Chu''s are not really that important but when I saw you I decided to have some fun tonight. Leave me a seat at your table bro! We''re gonna make them panic.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh at Ray''s reply.

    "You look like a crazy manughing at your phone!" Gracia scolded.

    "Mom! Stop it. Please." Adrianna saiding in defense of her husband.

    "You had every chance to marry a better man Adrianna! You are a thousand times prettier than Asia and yet you settled for someone like this boy! How shameless of him to live off you! His sry isn''t even half of what you make at Ind''s!" Gracia continued her scolding as if there weren''t any people around them.

    "Mom. Other people will hear you." Adrianna said in an attempt to calm down her mother.

    "There is no one else on our table, no one wants to sit with us!" Gracia said in a lowered but furious tone.

    It was true, during any gathering before Adrianna and Cedric were married many people chose to sit with them, most were young men hoping to court Adrianna. Even when she was already dating Cedric, many of their family and friends believed that Cedric and Adrianna would break up eventually. However, everyone was disappointed when the couple got married. Their wedding was ridiculed even more by the Hernandez''s since no one from Cedric''s family had gone to the wedding. Since they were so ashamed of the union, the family only allowed for a civil wedding and not a church wedding.

    "Looks like a special guest has arrived." Adrianna''s father suddenly said as he watched Edward Chu and Mark Chu exit the function room.

 Chapter 6 - 6

    A few momentster, the father and son pair returned with a young man. It was Raymund Laurence. They brought him over to meet the Hernandez family patriarch and Asia.

    "Grandpa, this is my friend, Mr. Raymund Laurence." Mark proudly made the introductions.??

    The Hernandez family patriarch once again stood up to wee the important guest.

    "Mr. Laurence, it''s an honor to have you as our guest tonight." Grandpa Hernandez greeted in a humble tone.

    "The Laurence family has been backing the Chu family for a long time now and I simply found it appropriate to attend." Raymund said in a cold tone.

    "Mr. Laurence, this is my fianc��, Asia Hernandez." Mark said introducing Asia.

    Raymund simply nodded and did not say anything else. Behind him Edward Chu was already worried. They had told everyone that his son and Raymund were good friends and yet Mr. Laurence was treating the Hernandez family quite coldly.

    "Mr. Laurence, I''d like to introduce a few other people to you." Edward said, waiting for Raymund to give his permission.

    Raymund simply nodded and Edward called Asia''s and his family over.

    "Sir, this is my wife, Vivian, and my daughter, Katrina." To the women of the Chu family Raymund wore a much lighter expression, although still cold.

    "Vivian, Katrina." Raymund said, shaking their hands. Raymund knew Katrina to be different from her older brother, he was hoping that Edward would see that he was better off letting his daughter inherit the family business rather than his son.

    Seeing that Raymund had a lighter expression, Edward continued to introduce his son''s future inws.

    "These are Asia''s parents, Fredrik Hernandez and his wife Cecilia, and Asia''s elder brothers Henry and John." Edward said, gesturing to the family.

    Raymund returned to being cold once again and simply nodded at the Hernandez family. At this point, Edward was already worried, why was Mr. Laurence being so cold to the Hernandez''s? Had they insulted him in the past?

    "Mr. Laurence, Edward told us you and Mark grew up together! We would love to hear stories about Mark as a little boy!" Fredrik Hernandez asked.

    "Mr. Hernandez, I have known the Chus all my life if that is what you are asking." Raymund wanted to scold the Chus for what they told the Hernandez family, but his family backed the Chus and he was not yet going to embarrass them publicly.

    Anyway, many people always imed to know one of the 5 princes so he was used to people he wasn''t close to, or didn''t even know, iming to be such.

    "Ah, my future son-inw is truly amazing!" Fredrik said in a loud voice so that his family and guests could overhear.

    "Fredrik, why don''t we ask the food to be served? I''m sure your guests are quite hungry by now." Edward urged, trying to avoid getting into a more awkward situation with Raymund Laurence. He already knew that after tonight he and his son would have to suffer from the consequences of their bragging.

    "Yes, yes. Mr. Laurence we ordered the most expensive food and drinks tonight in honor of Asia and Mark''s engagement. We even ordered some off the menu items that the waiters guarantee to be a rollercoaster ride for your taste buds." Fredrik Hernandez bragged.

    "Please sit with us, Mr. Laurence." Mark gestured towards their table.

    The group then moved to take their seats at the front of the function room. They were however unaware of their guest moving towards a different direction. This action did not go unnoticed to their guests with many whispering among themselves.

    "Didn''t Mark Chu just invite Mr. Laurence to sit with them?"

    "Yeah, why is he leaving?"

    "Did they say something wrong?"

    "Maybe he''s getting something from his bodyguards. I saw them standing outside when I went to the men''s room."

    "They haven''t even noticed that Mr. Laurence isn''t with them."

    Asia was the first to notice that their guest of honor was no longer with them. "Mark, Mark, what is Mr. Laurence doing over there?"

    Mark Chu immediately ran over to Raymund Laurence.

    "Sir, our table is over there." Mark said when he finally caught up.

    Raymund ignored him and proceeded to take a seat next to Cedric.

    The whole room suddenly stood still.

 Chapter 7 - 7

    "Mister, I think you''re on the wrong table." Adrianna said, peeking from Cedric''s side.

    "What a shame, Miss Hernandez no longer recognizes me." Raymund said with a grin. "Or should I say Mrs. Reyes? I never managed to congratte you guys, Cedric."??

    The whole function room was shocked. Mr. Raymund Laurence, one of the 5 princes was talking casually to the good for nothing Cedric Reyes.

    "Mr. Laurence, you know them?" Mark Chu said in shock.

    "Yes." Raymund said not wanting to waste his breath with an exnation.

    "Sir, why don''t you sit with us at the honorary table. I''m sure my father and future father inw would like to talk to you a little bit more." Mark said, still trying to get Raymund to sit with them.

    "Were we ssmates at university?" Adrianna suddenly asked.

    "Yes we were! But Cedric and I here go way back." Raymund replied with a warm smile.

    "Ray, what are you doing?" Cedric asked with a t expression.

    "I''m a guest at this party sitting next to the only person I know here. Do you expect me to sit with strangers?" Ray said with a chuckle.

    "You''ll offend the host." Cedric said, still not showing any emotion.

    Mark Chu who was still standing couldn''t help but wonder how did this useless son-inw of the Hernandez family know someone like Mr. Raymund Laurence. On top of knowing the man, they seemed to be quite close, since they were talking so casually to one another. It even seemed like Cedric was annoyed with Raymund.

    "But old friend, they wouldn''t dare offend me." Raymund grinned. He was enjoying messing with Cedric and embarrassing both the Hernandez and Chu families at the same time.

    "Shouldn''t you be on a date today? If I''m not mistaken, uncle was going to introduce you to someone tonight. I''m sure he is wondering where you are right about now." Cedric said tapping on his phone.

    "I''m not even surprised that you know that. Fine, you win. I''ll go back to my ce." Ray said while doing air quotes as he said the word ce.

    Raymund stood up, much to Mark Chu''s relief, he took a step forward before stopping and turning to face Cedric and Adrianna once again. Cedric looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

    Raymund signaled for his assistant toe over. The assistant then handed him a box.

    "I wasn''t able to attend your wedding, old friend, so let me present this gift to your wife. I''m sorry I gave it quitete." Ray said with a wink handing the box over to Cedric who in turn handed it to Adrianna.

    At that, Raymund turned and went towards where Edward Chu was seated, leaving all the guests whispering and wondering.

    "Quick open it!" Gracia urged her daughter.

    "Mom, not here. Maybe at home." Adrianna said, in an attempt to hush her mother.

    "Ray gave it to you, you should open it." Cedric said to his wife.

    "How do you know Mr. Raymund Laurence?" Adrianna asked.

    "I saved him a long time ago." It was technically true, he did save Raymund many times when they were children in the past.

    "Oh, alright. I''ll open it then." Adrianna opened the box to find aplete jewelry set made of diamond and gold. There were also two rings. Inside each ring, engraved were their names.

    "I guess Ray assumed we never got decent wedding rings." Cedric said as he picked up the ring with his name on it. He then held Adrianna''s hand and slipped the ring on her finger.

    Adrianna was still in shock at howvish the gift was when Cedric handed her the ring with her name. "I think you should put it on my ring finger."

    Adrianna quickly snapped back into reality and slipped the ring on his finger.

    Ray was right, when Cedric and Adarianna got married the Hernandez family refused to pay for anything aside from Adrianna''s wedding dress. Cedric managed to buy two bands that were simply gold ted, he told Adrianna that someday he would give her a better ring and a proper wedding.

    "You never mentioned that you had such influential friends, Cedric." Gracia said, staring at the jewelry Raymund had just given Adrianna.

    "We hadn''t seen each other in a long time." Cedric replied simply.

    Fredrik stood in front of all the guests and raised his ss ready to make a speech.

    "Family and friends, thank you for celebrating with both the Hernandez and Chu families! We are proud and happy that both of our children have found each other��" Fredrik continued his speech for 10 minutes thanking everyone and praising his future inws. When he handed over the stage to Edward Chu, he simply rejected the opportunity to speak.

    When the food was served Gracia couldn''t help but throw jabs at Cedric.

    "This is what an engagement party should be! Cedric never even had one for you!" Gracia said to Adrianna.

    "Mom. Stop. Just stop." Adrianna was already furious at this point. She understood that her family did not ept Cedric, but they had been married for five years now, and the whole Hernandez family never stopped makingments against Cedric.

    "I''m just telling you Adrianna, had you just married better you would be living a better life! Look at your cousin Asia. She won''t even need to work, her husband can provide for her." Gracia continued to berate.

    "Look, mom, I like working, I like that I don''t need to rely on a man to get by. That also does not make Cedric any less of a man. I love him and I love the fact that he is trying." Adrianna was fed up with her mother''s nagging and had to put her foot down. "Mom, Cedric and I will leave now. You and dad could take a taxi going home."

    Adrianna stood up and dragged Cedric out.

    When Raymund saw this he saw no point in staying any longer and chose to leave as well. Both the Chu''s and Hernandez''s were surprised when their guest just stood up and left. No one would dare call him out on it, after all with just one word Raymund Laurence could end them.

 Chapter 8 - 8

    The next day Adrianna still refused to speak to her parents. Her mother for what she said and her father for not saying anything.

    Although Adrianna worked at Ind''s Inc. she still got the same sry as an ordinary employee. She didn''t expect her father to inherit any shares, nor did she herself expect to inherit any shares. Most would probably go to her oldest uncle, Fredrik and his children. ??

    In the past, the Hernandez family had hoped that she would meet a man from a powerful family and marry him, to them her greatest asset was her beauty.

    She had always been favored by her grandfather hoping she would marry up, but a part of Adrianna refused to do this and this was exactly why she started dating Cedric. He was a poor kid who graduated from a local public school, he was a nobody in the eyes of the Hernandez family.

    She never really expected to fall in love with him at first, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

    "Honey, we''re here." Cedric announced pulling her out from her daydream.

    "You know I''m not embarrassed by you, right?" Adrianna asked as she held Cedric''s hand tightly.

    "I know. I''ll do better for you." He said as he kissed her hand. "Go, have fun at work today."

    Adrianna nodded as she got out of the car.

    At Mor Co. all the department heads assembled at the President''s Boardroom. They had seen Cedric Reyes around in the past and none of them had ever assumed that this simple man would end up being the president of theirpany. Most of them had tossed and turned that night not knowing if they had ever looked down on him or offended him in any way.

    Cedric entered the room with Ian and Cami trailing behind him. He sat at the head of the table and announced to begin the meeting.

    Cedric mostly listened to the reports and gave his input on what to improve. During his stay at Mor Co., he was already taking notes on things they needed to improve as well as people he knew were cheating thepany.

    Many of the department directors were shocked at how much insight Cedric had into their operations as well as to the market of Mor Co. he was after all just an assistant.

    The morning droned on, with Cedric giving each department things they needed to work on. The department directors were relieved that this new president hadn''t grilled or fired anyone during his first meeting. They were initially worried that most of them would be reced with younger, fresher talents.

    After the meeting ended, the directors found all of their subordinates waiting for them.News had traveled fast, that there was a new president at Mor Co. and that he was young and handsome.

    The directors all refused to disclose any other information on who the new president was, but they did all agree, the new president was definitely young and had good looks.

    "Cami, do I have any meetings in the afternoon?" Cedric asked.

    "The interior designer wille by this afternoon to discuss your office''s new look, which will be at 2pm. After that, the HR department''s director wanted to talk to you about some adjustments with employee policies at 4pm. At 5pm, the sales director wants to present their ns to you." Cami replied with his full schedule for the afternoon.

    "Can you make a reservation for me at Nouveau for lunch?" Cedric asked.

    "Reyes Group should have a room perpetually booked for the family there sir. I''ll check if anyone is using it today." Cami said as she began to dial a number on her phone.

    "Get back to me on that as soon as possible." Cedric said as Cami could only nod in reply.

    "Ian, could you get me some coffee and bring it to my office." Ian nodded and left to do as he was told.

    Cedric headed into his office and looked around.The design of the president''s office was definitely out of date. It needed a big facelift in order to represent the future of Mor Co.

    "Sir, I''ve booked the room for you at Nouveau." Cami said as she entered. "Also sir, Marco sent these over, ording to him these are from Mr. Reyes."

    "Cami, there are many Mr. Reyes''es in my family. I''m assuming they are from my father, correct?" Cedric asked in a jesting tone.

    "Yes sir. The first card is a credit card with virtually no limit. The second card contains the ie from Mor Co. for the past thirteen years. The third card he said was a gift for your wife, he didn''t specify how much should be in it. The fourth card contains all the ie from your properties." Cami exined. Marco had been very specific on what each card was when he dropped them off.

    "Alright. Please ask the Marketing Department to be ready with that report I asked for by Monday." Cedric reminded.

    "Yes sir." Cami then turned to leave.

    Cedric quickly picked up his phone and called his wife.

    "Aren''t you busy at work today?" Adrianna asked as she picked up his call.

    "Honey, I still owe you lunch." Cedric said, refusing to answer her question.

    "I''m free to have lunch with you today. Where will we meet?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Meet me at your office lobby. It''s a surprise." Cedric said.

    "Fine. I''ll see you at noon." Adrianna said, surrendering to his n.

    "Bye honey." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

 Chapter 9 - 9

    Cedric waited outside Ind''s Inc.''s building. Most employees knew who Cedric was, Adrianna was considered the goddess of Ind''s Inc. and many couldn''t believe that she had settled for someone like Cedric.

    "Isn''t he Miss Adrianna Hernandez''s husband?" A girl asked as a group of employees passed by him.??

    "Yeah. I heard he works at that small phone manufacturingpany, Mor Co." Another said.

    "What a waste that Miss Adrianna married him. She could have done much better."

    "You have to admit it though, he cleans up pretty well. If I didn''t know who he was I would assume he was some actor or a son of a rich family. What a waste." The first girl said again.

    "I guess that''s why Miss Adrianna isn''t exactly on good terms with her family, she disappointed them when she married him."

    Cedric was used to this kind of talk. Many people thought he couldn''t hear them when they were clearly talking about him.

    "I don''t think it''s proper for you to be gossiping right outside the office." The employees were suddenly surprised to find Adrianna standing right behind them.

    "Miss Adrianna, we were justplimenting you." One employee tried to say in defense of the group.

    "Don''t let me catch you gossiping about my husband again!" Adrianna scolded and marched off.

    "Hey Adri, honey." Cedric said, putting an arm around her waist.

    "Let''s go. Before these people ruin my appetite." Adrianna motioned to Cedric.

    They took a taxi to Reyes Group''s building, R tower, it was here that the head office of the Reyes Group was located. Adiranna was surprised at their destination.

    "Why are we here Cedric?" Adrianna asked.

    "To have lunch." Cedric continued to pull Adrianna towards the building.

    "Cedric there is only one restaurant in there, and it''s Nouveau."

    "That''s where we are eating today." A grinning Cedric said.

    "That''s a nice joke Cedric.Not only is it too expensive, but just getting a reservation takes months." Adriannaughed.

    "We have a reservation. Come on."

    Adrianna could do nothing but shake her head in disbelief.

    At the 15th floor of R tower.

    "Mr. Cedric, wee, we have your table ready." the maitre d''hotel said as they arrived.

    All major staff at R Tower had to be familiar with every member of the Reyes family, so it was only natural that he knew who Cedric was and how important this young man was.

    "See, I wasn''t lying." Cedric whispered to his wife.

    "Why does the head waiter know you?" Adrianna asked, still suspicious of how her husband got a reservation or how he was nning on paying for their meal.

    "They make it a point to know their customers. I mean you do pay a lot to eat at this ce." Cedric shrugged, hoping his wife would buy his lie.

    "Sir, your table." The waiter opened a secret door. The room had arge window that overlooked the whole city. From there you could see Ind''s Inc''s and Mor Co.''s building, you could see the parks and even the residential areas outside of the business center.

    Adrianna''s jaw dropped. How was Cedric able to book the most exclusive room in the most exclusive restaurant in the whole city.

    Cedric thanked the man and helped Adrianna to her seat. She was still clearly in shock as to how they had ended up at this ce.

    "Don''t ask, just enjoy." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Are you sure you can afford this? Cedric you know none of these things ever mattered to me. What''s always important is that we are together." Adrianna said, nervous that Cedric was burning a hole in his pocket just to make her happy.

    "I just told you, no need to worry about it." Cedric continued to avoid answering her question on how he managed to n a lunch at this ce.

    Soon waiters came in with their steak. Cedric had asked Cami to ce the order in advance so that once they arrived they would just have to eat.

    A middle aged man entered after the waiters and introduced himself as the manager at Nouveau.

    "Mr. Cedric, I was asked to give you this bottle of wine, on the house.We hope that you and your wife have a pleasant meal." The manager said, signaling the waiters to prepare the wine sses.

    "This is too extravagant." Adrianna shook her head, she felt as if this was some odd dream.

    Adrianna and Cedric ate their meal as Adrianna told Cedric about her morning. She had a stressful first half of the day and their lunch date was more than wee to her. She was just wondering if this lunch made her feel better or just stressed her out more.

    Once done, Adrianna excused herself to go to the washroom. The manager took this opportunity to speak to Cedric.

    "Mr. Cedric, your father said that this meal will be his treat. We at Nouveau look forward to your return sir." Cedric guessed that his father had given strict instructions not to let Adrianna hear about it. He was d that his father understood his intentions.

    Outside Adrianna touched up her makeup in the women''s room. As she turned to leave she bumped into someone she had not seen since their university days, Lorisa De Jesus.

 Chapter 10 - 10

    "Why, if it isn''t Mrs. Reyes, what is it like marrying a man that earns less than you?" Lorisa asked, mocking Adrianna.

    "It''s been a while, Lorisa." Adrianna said, refusing to engage.??

    "What are you doing here Adrianna? Your husband can''t afford to take you out to eat here. I''m pretty sure your family wouldn''t approve of you spending so much on a meal here." Lorisa continued to try to get a reaction out of Adrianna. Adrianna however refused to entertain her childish tactics.

    "If you have nothing good to say Lorisa, I''ll be on my way. Have a good day." Adrianna immediately left the women''s room and returned to their room.

    "There is an annoying fly here today." Adriannamented to Cedric. He raised his eyebrow in response.

    "I saw Lorisa De Jesus in the women''s room just now." Adriannained.

    "You''re a thousand times prettier and smarter than her." Cedric said, pinching her chin and giving her a light peck on the lips. He found Adrianna adorable when she was mad or jealous.

    "It''s almost time to get back to work, shouldn''t you get the bill?" Adrianna asked.

    "It''s already been paid for." Cedric confessed.

    "Please tell me you didn''t have to borrow money for us to eat here?" Adrianna asked suspiciously.

    "No, definitely not. We just have to sneak out the bathroom window." Cedric joked.

    "I''m serious Cedric. Where did you get the money to pay for this?" Adrianna was worried about how they could afford to eat lunch there so casually.

    "I told you, I got a promotion. Plus I saved up for us to have a good meal." Cedric did get the biggest promotion you could possibly get. He suffered for thirteen years for him to get here and he wasn''t going to waste any time pampering his wife.

    "Alright I guess that makes sense." Adrianna tried to convince herself to believe Cedric''s exnation.

    "Before I forget, I got part of my inheritance today. Here, my parents put this aside for my future wife." Cedric handed Adrianna the bank card his father had prepared for her.

    "Cedric, you need this more than I do." Adrianna refused to take the bank card.

    "Adri, my parents wanted you to have this. Please take it. I''m sure they would feel bad if you didn''t." Cedric wasn''t lying, his mother would feel sad if Adrianna refused the money, they had a lot of it.

    "Alright. Let''s go back to the office." Adrianna said, hooking her arm on Cedric''s. Before they exited the restaurant, Cedric called the manager over and whispered something to him. The manager simply nodded and the couple left.

    In the elevator, Adrianna couldn''t help it and asked Cedric what he told the manager.

    "I told them they had a cockroach problem." Cedric simply said. Leaving Adrianna more confused than before she asked him.

    At the 15th floor, the manager of Nouveau approached an exquisitely dressed couple.

    "Miss, are you Lorisa De Jesus?" he asked.

    "Darling, someone must have been in awe of your beauty that they decided to give us a treat!" Lorisa''s self absorbed husband, Anton Cruz said.

    "Oh, I''m ttered, Mr. Manager." Lorisa said, pretending to be humble.

    "No miss. I''m here to inform you that ording to our owner you are banned from ever eating at Nouveau again. Please settle your bill and leave the premises immediately!" The manager said, handing the couple their bill.

    "This is nonsense! We''ve beening here for a year now and you are banning us!" Anton said, furiously.

    "It''s instructions directly from the owner sir." The manager calmly answered.

    "Where is this owner of Nouveau? He must be some new rich chef!" Anton continued to shout.

    "I''m sorry sir but Mr. Reyes is a busy man."

    "M-m-mr. Reyes the owner of R Tower?" Anton stuttered.

    "No sir, Mr. Reyes his son, heir to the Reyes Group. Sir, if you refuse to leave I will have you thrown out. You would of course first need to pay for what you ordered." The manager exined.

    "The food here isn''t good anyway!" Lorisained as she handed her card to the manager.

    The manager swiped the card and told them to leave. Of course other socialites were eating at Nouveau and witnessed the scene Lorisa and Anton had caused. News quickly spread that the Cruz couple was thrown out of Nouveau.

    "That Adrianna, I saw her today and she brought me nothing but bad luck!" Lorisained as they were escorted out of the tower.

    At the ground floor of R Tower, Adrianna and Cedric happened to witness as Lorisa and Anton were being escorted out by security.

    Adrianna couldn''t help but wonder what had happened.

 Chapter 11 - 11

    Back at Mor Co. Ian brought in some papers for Cedric to sign, his hand was already hurting from the amount of paperwork that needed his signature.

    "Do I really need to sign all of these? Isn''t there a cheat?" Cedric asked.??

    Ian justughed and told him there was none.

    Cami entered and announced that the interior designer had arrived.

    "Sir, your father also told me to tell you that she''s a childhood friend." Cami said before leaving.

    Cedric suddenly began searching if any of his friends had made it big in the interior design industry but he came up nk.

    "Sir, your 2 o''clock." Cami announced letting in a petite woman.

    "Anna?" Cedric said as he recognized the woman that entered.

    "Ugh, I hate that name. You clearly haven''t changed Cedric." Anna said as she sat on his couch and ced her things on the coffee table at the center.

    "I never heard about you going into design." Cedric said, taking a seat across her.

    "That''s because I go by Veronica now. Ray warned me that you stalked all of us." Anna, or now Veronica corrected him.

    "Anna Abad, you still have such a big personality in such a tiny person''s body." Cedricughed.

    "Ram said you would being back so I asked uncle Emilio if you needed any help. You got lucky I don''t have any high profile clients right now." Veronica said.

    "How is your brother Ramon? Still being forced by your dad to spend less time in the office?" Ramon Abad was another of the 5 princes, he was heir to the Abad n, a family that not only owned a lot of enterprises but had also gone down in history as heroes and politicians.

    "No. Dad is now trying to convince him to get into politics. You know Ram doesn''t want any of that. He just wants the money." Veronica said as she opened up herptop.

    "So what do you think about this office?" Cedric asked.

    "Do you have the budget to redo the whole building?" Veronica said, raising an eyebrow. She didn''t doubt that Mor Co. had the budget, the question was if Cedric was willing.

    "Is it that bad?" Cedric asked.

    "If you want topete with the Google''s of this world, yes it''s that bad." Veronicaughed.

    "Fine, redo the whole thing." Cedric decided.

    "Won''t you even ask me what I n to do?"

    "Anna Abad, I''ve known you since you were a child. If I didn''t listen to you, you would bully me into listening to you just like when we were kids." Cedric said whileughing.

    Growing up, despite being three years younger than the boys Anna had always gotten what she wanted. It didn''t matter if she was right or wrong, the boys spoiled her and were also bullied by her.

    "You''re right. Anyway, I think the person that designed this building just copied it off R Tower in the 70''s." Veronica said,menting on the style of the office.

    "Ask Cami to get you whatever you need." Cedric said.

    "I''d like to take a tour of the building, if you don''t mind." Veronica asked.

    "Sure. My next meeting isn''t tillter, I can take you around." Cedric stood up to give Veronica a tour of the building.

    "Can''t you just have an assistant show me around? I''m sure you''re really busy." Veronica said.

    "Sure, I''ll ask Cami."

    "No, not Cami, the other one."

    "Ian?" Cedric saidughing. "You know you aren''t allowed to like guys like that."

    "Not for me you idiot! For a friend." Veronica blushed.

    "I''m warning you Veronica, your family isn''t like mine." Cedric said in a low voice and called Ian over.

    "It''s really not for me! You know my parents already have someone in mind, and he''s alright. I really just want to set him up with someone." Veronica whispered as Ian entered the office.

    Cedric gave Ian strict instructions on where to take Veronica. He also assigned Ian to help Veronica with anything she needed to redo the building''s interior.

    "Veronica, I want the designs in 2 weeks. I know you have a team to do it so don''tin." Cedric said as Veronica left. He knew that even if he gave a deadline he couldn''t really dictate on someone like Veronica.

    He quickly did a google search on her new name and discovered that Veronica had set up her own design firm since graduating. Thanks to her family''s vast connections and her own skill, she had designed the homes and offices of the who''s who in society.

    Even the sisters of the 5 princes were at a whole different level. His own sister was now at Harvard taking upw.

    At the end of the day Cedric got up and prepared to leave. He usually took the ordinary elevatoring into work and leaving. A couple of young girls from the HR department happen to ride on the same one he was on. Since some of them knew him they couldn''t help but ask about the new and mysterious president.

    "Cedric,e on! Tell us more about the president. The directors said he is young and good looking." one girl nagged him. Cedric wanted tough when she said he was good looking.

    "Is he single? Or is he dating someone? I hope he isn''t married though." Another girl said.

    "I''m sorry girls, but I can''t tell you." Cedric said, lifting his arms.

    "Fine. I guess we''ll see him eventually. He can''t hide in his office forever." The first girl said, hopeful that she could snag this rich man''s heart.

 Chapter 12 - 12

    Adrianna looked at the card in her hand. She assumed that it only had a few thousand in it as Cedric''s family was not well off. She smiled at the thought that her inws had thought about her before their passing.

    She had nned to check the amount inside the card while waiting for Cedric to pick her up, unfortunately she got busy with work and ended up doing overtime. ??

    She noticed a message from Cedric on her phone

    Are you almost done?

    Not yet. Why don''t you go home first? She replied.

    Do you mind if I meet with some friends tonight? Cedric texted back.

    Sure. I''ll see you at home. Adrianna replied.

    She made a mental note to pass by an ATM to check the card''s bnce after leaving work.

    Cedric immediately sent a message to his friends to meet him at his father''s country club. He then asked Ian to get a driver to pick him up with the car his father assigned to him.

    All 5 men were members of the country club as well since it catered to the cr��me de cr��me of society.

    "Ah the prince has returned." Ray teased as he saw Cedric approaching.

    "Wee back, Cedric. I heard you had a run in with my sister today." Ram Abad said, chuckling as he knew his sister was quite a handful.

    Ram was somehow the opposite of his sister, he was tall and well built, but oftentimes he was quiet and shy. Most girls thought he was the serious and mysterious type, when in truth he was just shy and awkward around girls.

    "I didn''t know Anna had changed her name to Veronica." Cedric said as he took his seat.

    "Amazing! Something even your spies and sources couldn''t find out!" Ray mocked.

    "Ray''s just jealous that your parents aren''t setting you up with anyone." Alexander Sebastian, or Alexi as his friends called him, said. Alexi was the most serious of the five. His family was a political powerhouse in the country and he wasn''t afraid of getting his hands dirty. At the age of 24, he was elected mayor and at 28 he already had a seat in congress. Aside from politics, his family also had some local businesses in various provinces.

    "Our parents would be happiest if we married each other''s siblings." Ray teased, although there was much truth in his jest. Their parents had initially hoped to bring together the 5 families but not all 5 agreed to arranging marriages.

    The Reyes'' followed a strict training for their heirs and wanted their children to find love on their own. While Ray was too busy growing his family''s empire to care about finding a wife.

    "I would dly give Miguel my sister!" Ram teased. Miguel Chan had the hardest time with Veronica. Miguel is a neurosurgeon who is highly in demand across the globe, he is undoubtedly the smartest in the group.

    However, growing up he had been quiet and preferred to study rather than y with the other kids. Veronica hated that, so she always dragged Miguel out to spend some time with kids his age. By the time Cedric took his poverty training, Miguel was already finishing up his university degree in America.

    "I went to America to escape that she-devil! You wouldn''t dare give my parents the idea!" Miguel said with a slight panic.

    "None of us will ever manage to melt the ice queen''s heart." Alexi said while looking at Cedric.

    "If my sister ever heard you call her the ice queen you''ll lose all your chances Alexi." Cedric knew that Alexi had been in love with his sister Ayanna since they were twelve. He always gave her whatever she wanted, however Ayanna never reciprocated.

    "You''re lucky to have found love Cedric." Miguel sighed.

    "I found love, but I''ve been lying to her since the day we met. I''m not even sure how she will take the news." Cedric looked down. He knew the moment Adrianna checked that bank card she would have a thousand and one questions. He had a lie ready, he hated that he had to lie to her, but he had to.

    "I heard Reyes Group was developing a new high ss neighborhood. Do we get first dibs?" Ray asked.

    "I think our dads get first dibs." Ram replied. It was true that the family heads usually got the first chance to snatch the prime lots. However, this time they were hoping Cedric could help them get the best properties before their fathers.

    "Don''t you still need your dad''s permission to use your money?" Alexi teased Ray. The Laurence family gave each member an allowance based on their contribution to the family businesses. Ray managed most of it at this point and was getting most of the shares, his father however always questioned Ray''s purchases.

    "Yeah. I''m still stuck using a Civic. My dad won''t even let me buy a better car." Rayined. Unlike other children of rich families the 5 princes never owned any shy cars, mostly due to Ray''s inability to get his father''s approval for him to buy a more expensive one.

    Between Ray''s car dilemma and Cedric''s poverty training the need for an expensive imported car was lost among the 5 men.

    "You can tell your dad that it''s an investment. I think he''ll let you purchase one then." Miguel said, as he once again took the jest too seriously.

    "I''ll handle the property issue." Cedric grinned. Among the 5 of them Cedric was their unofficial leader. He was the most practical and his family was also the most powerful.

    "Cheers to Cedric and his return." Alexi said, raising a ss of wine.

    On the other hand, Adrianna had just finished work. She was about to head to her car when she remembered the bank card Cedric had given her. There was an ATM at the lobby of Ind''s Inc. she decided to check the bnce.

    When the machine asked for a PIN she realized she didn''t know it, so she texted Cedric.

    It''s our anniversary.

    Came his reply.

    Suddenly Adrianna was shocked awake at the bnce of the card 500 million.

 Chapter 13 - 13

    Adrianna waited for Cedric toe home, but she was too tired and fell asleep.

    The next day when she woke up Cedric was already done preparing breakfast for the family and was waiting for her downstairs.??

    Before Adrianna could say anything Cedric suddenly spoke.

    "Honey, I hope you don''t mind but on my birthday let''s celebrate at lunch. My friends decided to go out that night." Cedric said hoping Adrianna would be fine with it.

    "Do you even have money to spend on your birthday?" Gracia ridiculed.

    "Mom! Cedric has a job. Stop thinking he is some bum that just lives off us. You don''t even have a job mom!" Adrianna was furious. She had woken up to her mom criticizing her husband.

    "Adrianna, it''s alright." Cedric said, trying to calm his wife down. "Why don''t you sit while I get dressed then let''s head to the office together."

    "Alright. I''m not too hungry." Adrianna said, taking her seat. She ced a little food on her te and began to eat.

    On their way to work Adrianna suddenly remembered that she wanted to ask Cedric about the money.

    "Cedric?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yes Adri?" Cedric replied.

    "Where did your family get the 500 million in the bank card?" Adrianna finally asked.

    "I think before my parents sold off some property in the past and invested it in apany. What you got are the proceeds." It was technically true.

    "So does that mean you are rich now?" Adrianna asked.

    "I''m still the same as before Adrianna. My parents left that money for you." The 500 million was nothingpared to the other cards Cedric''s father had sent over.

    "Did you get anything from them?" Adrianna asked.

    "I did, but I invested it." Cedric didn''t want to exin any further.

    The rest of the week went by as it did normally in the past. The only new part was that instead of working as an assistant Cedric was now sitting in Mor Co.''s presidential office.

    Finally, Cedric''s 28th birthday arrived.

    Cedric had asked Ian to book him a table for 4 at the Bamboo Room for lunch. He had invited his wife and his inws out to lunch. Ian had also arranged for apany driver to pick up Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez.

    Charles Hernandez would be fetched at the university while Gracia Hernandez would be picked up at home. Cedric would be driven by his driver in his personal car, he wouldter fetch Adrianna at Ind''s Inc.

    Cedric chose to walk to Ind''s Inc and have his driver pick him up and Adrianna up at the front of the building. Adrianna had requested an additional hour off for lunch as it was her husband''s birthday.

    As Cedric waited outside for Adrianna, he once again encountered the same group of employees from Ind''s Inc. that had ridiculed him in the past.

    When they saw Cedric one of them called out. "Hey, aren''t you Miss Adrianna''s husband?"

    Cedric was perplexed by their actions and simply nodded.

    "Look man, you are good looking and all and I think you love Miss Adrianna, but don''t get offended when we say she could do better." An employee said. Others also joined him to ridicule Cedric.

    "Yeah! One of the Directors actually likes Miss Adrianna. He might be a little bit older but he has the means to support a beauty like her."

    "You know you should just separate from her, or annul. I''m sure the Hernanez family willpensate you for letting Miss Adrianna go."

    "Miss Adrianna is so pretty I think she could even snag one of the 5 princes!" At that Cedric couldn''t help but grin. Adrianna had, in reality, snagged one of the 5 princes.

    "Guys, let''s go. I think Miss Adrianna is approaching."

    True enough Adrianna arrived.

    She gave Cedric a hug and greeted him a happy birthday.

    Cedric then approached a nearby BMW 6 series and opened the door. Adrianna and the employees that were mocking him gasped.

    "Cedric! That''s someone else''s car, what are you doing?" Adrianna scolded. Behind her the employees were alreadyughing at the embarrassing position Cedric had managed to get himself into.

    "Adri, this is our ride. Come on." Cedric said, calling her over.

    "Cedric this is not a nice joke. When the owneres back he will scold you." Adrianna still refused to get in the car.

    Cedric bent in and asked his driver to be the one to call Adrianna over, instructing him to say that it was part of their lunch reservation. The driver followed his boss'' orders and told Adrianna. Adrianna found that this made more sense and got into the car, leaving the employees that were mocking Cedric a moment ago, stunned.

    Bamboo Room was a very exclusive restaurant located right outside the city. It was at the top of a hill. It''s walls were made of durable ss giving diners a view of the whole city from their tables.

    It was difficult to get a reservation in Bamboo Room, luckily Raymund was the owner. It was one of Raymund''s businesses outside of the Laurence family.

    When Adrianna stepped out of the car she was surprised to see where Cedric had brought them.First Nouveau and now this, she was worried Cedric was trying too hard to impress her parents for her. However when she voiced her concerns to Cedric, he simply told her not to worry.

    Inside the restaurant there were no other customers, Cedric suddenly realized that Ian had booked the whole restaurant rather than just one table.

    "Adrianna! What is this? Why are you spending so much just for this man''s birthday!" Adrianna''s motherined.

    "Mom, I didn''t spend a cent." Adrianna said with a smile. She was still proud that Cedric had managed to arrange such an expensive treat for his own birthday.

    "Gracia, get off the boy''s case. Weren''t you just fawning over the BMW that picked us up." Adriana''s father reprimanded his wife.

    Gracia had no choice but to simply take her seat and keep quiet.

    "Happy Birthday Cedric." Charles Hernandez greeted with a genuine smile.

    "Thank you, sir." Cedric and Charles got along decently. Charles never said anything against Cedric, but he never defended him either.

    Lunch went on peacefully, something that Cedric had never experienced since marrying Adrianna and moving into her parent''s home.

    Gracia had always had something toin about or some w she chose to point out, but today at Bamboo Room, she remained silent and simply enjoyed her food.

    "Do you think Cedric is hiding something from us?" Gracia asked when Cedric excused himself to go to the washroom.

    "He recently got a promotion." Adrianna said proudly.

    "But Adri, that isn''t enough to book the whole Bamboo Room." Gracia said, still doubting her son-inw. "I hope he didn''t borrow money from any loan sharks? If he fails to pay they wille after us! And for what? A meal at Bamboo Room?"

    "Mom, I''m sure Cedric has his ways of paying for our lunch." Adrianna said, defending her husband.

    While Cedric went to the washroom he settled the bill, the manager however told him that their boss had given instructions not to let him pay.

    Cedric quickly called Ray.

    "Happy Birthday Ced!" Ray greeted as he answered the call.

    "This is too much Ray. You know I can afford to pay." Cedric said, reprimanding his friend.

    "Hey this is something I''m giving you out of my own pocket without any influence from my family what-so-ever. Take it. It''s part one of my two part gift!" Ray said proudly.

    "Two part gift?" Cedric was curious by what Ray meant.

    "Yes, this is a personal one. The one tonight is a more formal one from the Laurence family. Wee back, Cedric."

    "Thanks, Ray. I''ll see you tonight then. Bye" Cedric dropped the call and returned to his wife and inws.

    When they finished eating they simply got up and left.

    "Mr. Cedric, our boss says he hopes you enjoyed your meal at Bamboo Room. He will see you tonight." The manager said as he escorted them out.

    "Cedric, how did you manage to close out Bamboo Room? Not only is it ultra exclusive, but it also has an extremely long waiting list." Gracia asked.

    "My friend owns it. He gave me a free meal as a gift. I didn''t think he would close out the ce." Cedric replied.

    "Which friend?" Adrianna asked.

    "Ray! You met him during Asia''s engagement!" Cedric was proud that Ray had started his own business outside of his family''s.

    "Please don''t tell me you exchanged saving his life for a free lunch?" Gracia was furious at the thought that her stupid son-inw could have asked for more and only got a free lunch.

    "Mom, weren''t you just admiring the ce and taking selfies and photos to show all of your friends?" Adrianna rolled her eyes at her mother''sment.

    Gracia immediately kept quiet after her daughter spoke up.

    While Adrianna, Cedric, and Charles were dropped off at the exact same locations where they were fetched, Gracia had the driver drop her off at the salon she frequented. She nned to show off to her friends.

    Not thinking her n through, Gracia''s friends simply assumed that she was bragging and that she booked the BMW for the trip to the salon just to show off.

 Chapter 14 - 14

    At 3pm all the employees of Mor Co. were allowed to go home. ording to the announcement of HR it was their President''s birthday so everyone was given a special treat and allowed to leave work early.

    All the employees also received an additional 5,000 for the day as a treat from their new president. ??

    Many of Mor Co.''s employees knew it was also Cedric''s birthday and they teased him that he was so lucky to celebrate his birthday on the same day as their new president. Of course unknown to them, Cedric was actually their new president.

    Many of the department directors and business partners sent gifts to Cedric''s office; he now faced a new dilemma of where to put all of these things.

    Some he could keep in his office such as the liquor and choctes, but the bigger items he didn''t think were appropriate to keep in his office. He called his dad with the intention of asking if he could leave the gifts in his childhood home.

    "Why don''t you just bring them home?" Emilio asked his son.

    "Dad, my wife and inws have no idea who I am, remember? It''s hard enough keeping the secret as it is." Cedricined.

    "I mean the house we got you." Emilo exined.

    "What house?" Cedric asked, he had no idea he had a house.

    "It''s tradition that when you get married we buy you and your wife a house." Emilo told his son.

    "You got me a house without me knowing." Cedric sighed.

    "Well we did build the Mountain View Vige with every intention of setting up amunity for you and your friends to have home there. I didn''t even let their dads purchase property there." Emilio said casually. To people like him building a whole exclusivemunity was just everyday business, it just so happened that this one was perfect for his son and his friends.

    "Well at least now I can tell the guys that they can purchase properties somewhere their dads can''t." Cedric sighed.

    When he was younger he was used to this kind of high spending lifestyle. As a matter of fact he vividly remembers his dad hopping on a ne to London in the morning for a meeting and being back the next afternoon for his football game.

    However, after he went through the hardships of being poor he couldn''t help but shake his head at the excessive lifestyle of the upper ss.

    "Your driver and Ian should know the address, why don''t you ask them to take you to our house first then take your gifts to your house at Mountain View." Emilio suggested. He was hoping his son would agree so that he could spend more time with him before the party.

    "I just need to finish some things here at the office then I''ll go home." Home, it was a word he used everyday when talking to Adrianna but he never truly felt at home at the Hernandezpound.

    He missed his childhood home, his parents, the feeling of belonging and being epted. Finally after all those years he would be going home.

    "Cedric, are you still there?" Cedric was pulled back into reality upon hearing his dad call his name.

    "Yeah, sorry, I wasn''t paying attention dad."

    "I was saying that the house is still bare. So when Ian and the driver get there you need to give them instructions on where exactly to bring your things. The master''s suite is quite obvious and the study, so you might prefer them to put your gifts in either of the two rooms." Emilio exined.

    "Alright dad. I''ll tell them. See you in a while, alright?" Cedric said, dropping the call.

    Cedric thought about the house, he wasn''t going to tell Adrianna about it just yet, he wanted her toe home to a ce that was already prepared for her. It would beplete with all the appliances and staff that they would need. He called for Ian and Cami toe into his office.

    "Ian, talk to Veronica. I want her to do the Mountain View house as well. This time tell her not to rush. I want this ce to be perfect, I n to show it to my wife when it''s done and ready to live in." Ian nodded as he took down notes.

    "Cami, estimate how many people I need to staff the house with. For now, I will not be living there full time so I will just need people to clean and maintain the facilities and grounds. Also please get me a copy of all the avable lots in Mountain View."

    Cedric would send the 4 other princes which lots were still avable and offer it to them.

    "After the driver takes me home I will ask him toe back. Please bring the gifts that are not food and those that are inappropriate for the office to the Mountain View house. Put them all in the study for the meantime."

    After giving his instructions, Cedric allowed Ian and Cami to get on with their work. At 5pm he asked Ian to call his driver to take him home.

 Chapter 15 - 15

    At the Reyes house everyone was excited, including the help. Many of them had been with the family for a long time and had seen a young Cedric say a teary goodbye to his parents and sister. Those that were new on the other hand were curious to meet the young master of the Reyes n.

    "Is he here yet?" Ayanna asked as she ran down the stairs.??

    "Miss Ayanna, please, you might trip and fall again." A maid called out after her.

    In public Ayanna was known as the graceful and quick witted daughter of the Reyes n. She could hold a candle against any of the rich sons that were attempting to inherit their father''s businesses.

    Ayanna was currently home from her studies abroad. She was poised to work in Reyes Group and had taken a business degree at University. Last year her father sent her to America to further her studies.

    "He isn''t here yet, Ayanna." Her dad called from the ground floor study.

    "Dad! You''re home early!" Ayanna greeted happily. She knew her father was a workaholic. Growing up, he spent most of his time working or going to business rted events. Aside from missing her brother, she also wanted him toe back in order to let their father take a break.

    "Your dad and I are in here Ayanna,e in." Prisci Reyes called her daughter.

    Emilio sat at his desk while his wife massaged his shoulders. As a couple, Cedric and Ayanna''s parents were not ashamed to show that they loved and cared about one another.

    At first nce, people would think that Emilio and Prisci''s marriage was arranged from the very beginning.

    Prici was born to the rin n. An old and powerful political n that owned a lot of properties in the southern parts of the country. Prici was the only child of her generation, the rin n was rich but it had no one left to inherit everything they owned.

    She grew up with Emilio since both families often did business together, however when Emilio went through his poverty training they were separated. Years after he returned to the Reyes n, Emilio and Prisci reconnected and fell in love.

    Their match was something both families celebrated since it was a marriage that was both beneficial and at the same time founded on love.

    "Mom, ugh! Can you and dad stop being so affectionate in front of me." Ayannained. She loved that her parents never let the me between them die, but sometimes they went too far.

    "Alright, Ayanna." Prisci said, taking a seat on the couch.

    A maid entered and announced that Cedric had arrived. The couple stood up slowly while Ayanna dashed out of the study and into the doorway to wee her brother back.

    When she saw her brother she ran up to him and hugged him.

    "I missed you too, Ayanna." Cedricughed. "Mom, dad" He greeted each with a hug.

    "Come, you must be tired from work. I''ll have some coffee and a sandwich prepared for you." Prisci said, guiding her son back into the house.

    "Mom, I''d like to take a bath first." Cedric said.

    "Sure. Your room has clothes'' your size so you don''t need to worry." Prisci said with a smile on her face. Her son was home.

    "Mom shopped up a storm yesterday, Ced! You should have seen how many bags each of the attendants had to carry. I kept telling mom you wouldn''t be living here anyway." Ayanna said as she walked up the stairs with her brother.

    "I''m sure I''ll still be spending some time here at home, Ayanna. Besides, my wife doesn''t know who I really am yet."

    "I was really looking forward to meeting her, you know." Ayannained. "I''m flying back to America tomorrow. I just really took today off to see youe home."

    "Well I''m here. I promise to find time to visit you, alright?" Cedric promised his sister.

    "Alright, remember brother, family first, always." Ayanna winked and headed into her own room.

    The Reyes'' had kept the event very private. They only invited people who knew who Cedric was.

    Despite this, news still poread that the heir to Reyes Group was returning today, although they knew they wouldn''t get invited, many still tried their luck at getting in, including the members of the Hernandez Family.

    "Are you really not invited, Mark?" Asia asked her fiance over the phone.

    "Sorry love, but it''s so exclusive that I heard no more than 30 people aside from the family were invited." Mark said, apologizing to Asia.

    "What is so special about this heir to the Reyes Group anyway? My dad and brothers keep nagging me to ask you if you know him or if you''re invited to his homing party." Asia whined.

    "Asia, Mr. Reyes has not been seen in the past 13 years. ording to rumors, he was abroad undergoing special education in order to prepare him to inherit Reyes Group. I''m sure you know exactly how powerful thatpany is." Mark exined.

    "Won''t your friend Mr. Raymund be there? Can''t he just bring you along?" Asia asked.

    "Even if Raymund Laurence wanted to bring someone along, this isn''t the type of party that you can invite just anybody. Mr. Reyes is keeping a low profile so he isn''t really letting people know who he is." Mark said to Asia.

    "Fine, I''ll just talk to youter." Asia said, dropping the call without even waiting for Mark to say goodbye on the other line.

 Chapter 16 - 16

    At the Reyes'' Home, people were starting to arrive. Among those invited were Cedric''s cousins and his childhood friends. Aside from these people, no one else knew Cedric''s real identity.

    "I guess Cedric is still choosing to keep a low profile." Raphael Chan, Miguel''s father, mentioned to his son.??

    "Yeah. Even his wife doesn''t know yet. We haven''t even formally met her." Miguelughed.

    Miguel was the least recognized among the 4 other princes. He had once bumped into Cedric and Adrianna in the mall one day, Cedric simply introduced him as Miguel, his childhood friend who was studying to be a doctor.

    At that time Miguel was already a doctor and had already started making a name for himself in his field.

    Miguel hade to the party with his parents, older brother, Eric, and younger sister, Nicole. Out of the three of them Miguel''s father had chosen to change tradition and groom his daughter to run their chain of hospitals.

    Initially, he had wanted Miguel to do it but he was more focused on saving lives rather than making money. As for his older brother he had no interest at all in the business and had chosen to be an actor.

    The next to arrive was Ramon, with his sister Veronica and their parents. As they entered, Veronica wasining to her older brother about how much work she suddenly had because of Cedric''s return, but when she saw Ayanna and Miguel''s sister she quickly dropped the conversation and headed over to speak to the 2 other girls.

    Alexander arrived with his parents and two younger sisters, Katerina and Natalia. The two girls just as quickly ditched their parents to hang out with people their age.

    Thest to arrive was Raymund with his father and mother. Raymund was an only child and as a kid he had often bugged his parents to give him siblings, but as he grew older he was d his parents never did have any more children.

    The atmosphere of the party was very rxed and very happy. It wasn''t at all formal since everyone in the room had known each other for decades.

    The sisters of the group all chose to sit at one table chatting away. Despite their rxed demeanor, all 5 of them had heavy expectations on their shoulders. To the outside world they were sophisticated, elegant, and geniuses in their own right.

    Take Veronica for example; She is a well known interior designer and architect that managed to rise despite changing her name and choosing not to use her family name.

    However at that party at the Reyes house, they were scrolling through their phones looking at boys and shopping.

    "Look at this top Nicole, they are hitting the stores in Mn this week!" Ayanna showed her friend.

    "Oh my! I need to have that. Do you think we need to fly to Mn to get it or can you ask someone in the branch office to buy one for you?" Nicole asked.

    Nicole Chan was the youngest child of the Chan family that simply defied traditions, she was the youngest daughter of the medical family and yet she was leading the charge in innovating the business end of the medical field. She was well regarded both in the business and medical field.

    "I asked my designer friend to ship 5 out, one for each of us." Ayanna giggled. Listening to Ayanna right now you wouldn''t think that she was known as a business genius, despite not being the heir to Reyes Group she had given so much contribution to thepany that people thought she had the Midas touch when it came to business.

    "Nicole! I think I met a guy for you!" Veronica announced. "His name is Ian-"

    "And he''s my brother''s assistant." Ayanna interrupted Veronica "If you let Veronica drag you to meet this guy he won''t have time for you ''cause he will be chasing my brother around all the time. He''ll be a Marco 2.0."

    "Ohe on guys, we all know Nicole has a type." Katerina Sebastian teased. Katerina looked harmless at first nce, but in reality she graduated from Harvard Law and topped the bar exam. She was also the most sought afterwyer and had never lost a case.

    "Yeah but nothing ever happens." Ayanna teased.

    "Ayanna, stop bullying Nicole." The usually quiet Natalia scolded. Natalia Sebastian, was one of the leading bioengineers in the world, her work was so secret that people didn''t even know where herb was.

    "Hey girls, don''t you do anything aside from shop? Stop wasting our hard earned money!" Ram teased from their table.

    "It''s my brother that wastes my hard earned money!" Nicole said, sticking out a tongue at Ram.

    "And I make my own!" Veronica told her brother.

    "Nice one, Ram. Now both of us got roasted." Miguel grumbled.

    The group suddenly quieted down as Emilio Reyes stood up to make a speech.

    "Family and friends, thank you all foring. As you all know today marks the end of Cedric''s poverty training and his return home. Wee home, my son." Emilio said, raising a ss with a smile.

    "Cedric, however, has requested that we do not reveal to the public his identity just yet. As a matter of fact, I am sure you have noticed that someone we were all eager to meet is not here, his wife. So I ask everyone to respect Cedric''s wishes and help him keep his identity a secret. Wee back Cedric, and thank you because I can now y golf more often!"

    Everyoneughed at Emilio''s joke. Among the 5 fathers present Emilio was the only one left that was managing the bulk of his family business, the other 4 had their children helping out already.

    The night continued with muchughter and warmth. That night Cedric felt he had trulye home.

 Chapter 17 - 17

    The next day Cedric woke up with a smile on his face. He had wanted to spend the night on his old bed in the Reyes house but his mind kept thinking of his wife Adrianna, alone in bed.

    Despite an exhausting night he still got up early and prepared breakfast. Oddly enough that morning Gracia was silent, although she kept sending nasty looks towards Cedric''s way. ??

    When Adrianna came down, she told Cedric that she would be going shopping with some friends in the afternoon so there was no need for him to pick her up. Cedric simply nodded, he was expecting to work long nights for the next few weeks, since he was nning on having Mor Co.''s runch soon.

    At the office Cedric arrived with a tray of coffees. He had decided to give it to Ian and Cami as a treat for their hard work.

    As he walked in the building he identally bumped into someone, spilling the coffee both on him and on the person.

    "You idiot!" He heard a familiar voice say. The person who he bumped into was Chris Garin, a logistics manager who he went to highschool with.

    "I''m sorry Chris, it was an ident." Cedric said, apologizing to Chris.

    "Do you know how much this shirt is worth?" Chris was furious at the stain on his shirt.

    "What if I just reced it?" Cedric offered.

    "Can you even afford it? Or will you ask your wife for money? What kind of a man relies on his wife for money?" In Chris'' mind Cedric was still just an assistant who had little money and relied on his wife to get by.

    "I really can. I''ll give it to you by the end of the day." Cedric insisted, a shirt like what Chris was wearing was like loose change to Cedric.

    "Fine." Chris said and turned away.

    Cedric went back to get new coffees for his assistants. When he got to their floor he gave them the coffee and to his surprise Ayanna was talking to Cami and Ian.

    "Brother." Ayanna greeted him with a smile.

    "Ayanna. Hold on a moment." He turned to Ian and Cami and gave them each a cup of coffee. "This is to thank you guys for the past few days."

    In Cedric''s office Ayanna made herselffortable on the couch.

    "Shouldn''t you be on a ne by now?" Cedric asked as he took his seat.

    "I asked dad to push my flight back to tomorrow." Ayanna said, ying with her phone. "You know if you wanted to treat Ian and Cami, you could have just given them money. They would appreciate that more."

    "Sister, sometimes it''s the small things that count." Cedric said.

    "You aren''t poor anymore brother." Ayanna answered back, rolling her eyes. "But I do admit you might be right."

    "So why are you here?" Cedric said as he looked through the files on his desk.

    "Well I was gonna ask you if you wanted to go shopping with me and the others?" Ayanna asked.

    "By others, you mean the girls?" Cedric asked without lifting his head.

    "Well, Ram is going with Veronica, and the Sebastian siblings are all going. Honestly it''s just you that''s going to be left behind." Ayana told Cedric.

    "If people see me with you guys they will specte. So I''ll pass this time, maybe next time, alright?"

    "Alright. Do you need us to get you anything?" Ayanna asked before leaving.

    "Maybe some clothes that I can leave here in the office? You have much better taste than me."

    Ayanna held out her hand in front of Cedric who looked at her with a puzzled expression.

    "Your card." She said.

    "Don''t tell me youck money." Cedric replied.

    "I don''t, but you have much more. Also, I n to put my shopping on your tab. You owe me 13 years worth of shopping." Ayanna told her brother.

    "Fine." Cedric gave Ayanna the card that held Mor Co.''s earnings.

    "Thanks bro!" Ayanna giggled and left the room.

    Cedric then asked Ian to go out and buy the shirt he had promised Chris, it was after all partially his fault.

    Later that day, Cedric went down to the logistics department to look for Chris. Ian apanied him since he had to bring some documents to the Logistics Director as well.

    "Here." Cedric handed Chris the shirt.

    "Do you think I''m a fool like you Cedric? This is obviously a fake." Chris said loudly. Many people were at the Logistics Department at that time, so naturally many people heard Chris using Cedric of passing off a fake.

    Ian wanted tough at Chris, his boss was the owner of thepany, why would he even need to buy a fake. On top of that, Ian had personally gone to the store to buy this shirt.

    "Do you need the receipt as proof?" Cedric asked.

    "Sure, show it to me." Chris dared him.

    Cedric fished out a receipt from his pocket and gave it to Chris.

    "Ha! You poor guy! You even asked assistant Ian to buy this shirt for you. How desperate are you?" Since Ian had gone to the store and used hispany issued card to purchase the shirt, Ian''s name was naturally reflected on the receipt.

    "I had to go to the mall today so I offered to buy it while I was there. Cedric paid for it." Ian said, in defense of his boss.

    "Really Cedric, using your new co-workers to defend you?" Chris questioned Cedric.

    "What is going on out here?" The director of the logistics department suddenly came out of his office. He noticed that there was amotion outside.

    Today was a peak day for the department and he couldn''t suffer any more dys. On top of that, the President''s assistant was going to visit him today. If the President heard his people were cking off at such an important time he could expect to be scolded.

    "Director! Here are the documents." Ian suddenly greeted him.

    "Assistant Ian, you''re here. What''s this mess going on out here?" the director asked.

    "Director, one of your employees is trying to bully my teammate, assistant Cedric." Ian told the director.

    "Assistant Cedric?" The director paused for a bit before realizing that the person one of his managers was bullying was actually the president.

    "Who is it?" He said, quite furious at the fact that someone chose to offend someone that powerful.

    "A manager named Chris? He''s been at it since this morning when the president spilled coffee on him." Ian whispered to the director. The director soon paled at the thought.

    "Manager Chris!" The director shouted.

    All eyes were suddenly on the director.

    "Come to my office now." He said with a dark expression.

    Chris was forced to drop the matter with Cedric. The logistics director was so mad at Chris that he demoted him. Chris assumed that it was because he was causing a fight in front of assistant Ian and that the director didn''t want the news to reach the president.

    The rumor in thepany was that to get into the president''s good graces you needed to go through assistant Ian and assistant Cami. Cedric being a new guy on the president''s team was often ignored by these rumors.

    That afternoon at Marques Mall, Adrianna was shopping with her friends. Adrianna had known Natasha, Sofia, and Julia since their high school days. They had all gone to the same private school and the same university after, despite being rich and spoiled they never looked down at Adrianna for marrying Cedric. They did, however, feel disappointed at how Cedric turned out in the end.

    As they entered an expensive watch shop they were surprised to see Lorisa, her husband Anton, and her best friend Mary.

    "Ugh, babe can we hurry up. I think someone just brought the trash into this shop." Lorisa told Anton.

    Anton saw that Adrianna and her friends had entered, he knew from his wife''s stories that this woman had married a man that depended on her.

    "Can you even afford to buy anything here Adrianna?" Mary suddenly asked.

    "Hey! Don''t talk to Adrianna like that." Julia said in defense of Adrianna.

    "Aren''t you tired of working to provide for both your parents and your husband?" Lorisa mocked.

    "Look Lorisa, we are only here to look. You don''t need to attack us for it. It''s not like you own the ce." Adrianna said, calmly.

    "You guys are too poor to be in here." Mary said.

    "Hi miss, how can I help you?" A shopping assistant said as she approached the group.

    "We aren''t together." Lorisa said in a disgusted tone. "You don''t even need to attend to them, they can''t afford anything here."

    Adrianna had initially nned on buying a watch for Cedric with the 500 million his parents had given her. Hearing Lorisa''sments, the shopping assistant proceeded to ignore Adrianna and her friends.

    "Adrianna, how about this one! It looks really simple but it''s quite elegant." Natasha said looking at a watch in the disy case.

    "Miss this watch is very popr to business executives, it costs around 150,000 each." another shopping assistant said.

    "How about couples'' watches Adrianna?" Sofia said, looking at another disy.

    "Miss, I really suggest you ignore them. The girl they are trying to convince can''t afford anything in this store." Lorisamented.

    The shopping assistant couldn''t help herself and she had to ask Adrianna.

    "Miss, are you nning to buy anything? Can you afford any of our products?"

    "Of course she can. I''m sure she ns on buying the most expensive watch here." A group suddenly entered the shop.

    Ayanna had been nning on buying a watch for her brother in the shop right next to where Adrianna and Lorisa were, the watches in that shop were much more expensive. But when she saw Adrianna, she decided to lead the group in. Unfortunately for Lorisa and the shop assistant, Ayanna had heard them talking down to her sister inw.

    Lorisa''s jaw fell to the floor. She was shocked that the 4 princes and their sisters were in the same shop as them.

    "Ah we meet again Mrs. Reyes." Raymundmented from behind.

    "Do you know these people?" Natasha asked Adrianna.

    "I just know Mr. Laurence here is acquainted with my husband, I don''t know the others." Adrianna whispered back.

    Unlike Adrianna, Natasha was updated with thetest upper ss news, she knew that the true cr��me de cr��me of society were standing in the same shop as them.

    "Sirs, Misses, you know this woman?" Anton asked. He had once met with Alexander to discuss a business deal so he was familiar with who they were.

    "And you are?" Alexander asked, looking at Anton with disgust.

    "Mr. Sebastian we met before regarding a business deal." Anton exined.

    "I meet a lot of people." Alexander answered quite tly.

    "What''s your most expensive watch here?" Ayanna asked the store assistant.

    "Miss, it''s this one." The assistant said pointing to a pair of watches at the center of the disy.

    "Do you have ten of these?" Ayanna asked.

    "Yes miss. Only 13 sets were released in the country." The assistant answered.

    "Good get me 13. Pack the two for this youngdy and I''ll have the other 12." Ayanna ordered.

    Lorisa and herpanions were floored at Ayanna''s request.

    Soon the manager came out to assist in preparing the 13 watches. Ayanna simply handed her card without even asking how much it was.

    Soon her phone started to buzz, it was Cedric.

    "What did you buy?" Cedric said with a t tone.

    "I was saving a friend in distress, brother. I think you''ll be quite proud of what I did." Ayanna had forgotten that after she made a purchase with Cedric''s card he would immediately receive a text message notifying him of the purchase.

    Meanwhile, everyone else was shocked when Ayanna said that Adrianna was her friend.

    "Why are you being so mysterious?" Cedric asked. Ayanna was normally very straightforward with him.

    "I''ll talk to youter brother. Don''t forget to send me off at the airport tonight! See ya!" Ayanna dropped the call without waiting for Cedric''s reply.

    "Who is the manager here?" Ayanna asked.

    The man who hade out to process her payment stepped forward.

    "I''d like you to ban these 3 from all your stores worldwide. They upset me. I''m sure the sight of them would upset my brother too." Everyone was shocked at Ayanna''s deration.

    "Your brother would definitely approve." Nicole said from behind.

    "Yes miss." The managerplied, and sent Lorisa and herpanions out.

    "Here you go, miss." The manager said as he handed Adrianna the two watches.

    "Miss, I can''t ept this." Adrianna refused Ayanna''s gift.

    "Miss Adrianna, you don''t need to worry. My brother has so much money that to him spending this much is like buying coffee. Please take it. I would be very offended if you didn''t." Ayanna told her.

    Natasha urged Adrianna to take the gift as it would be rude to refuse the offer. In the end no matter how hesitant Adrianna was she had to ept the gift.

    "I don''t even know your names." Adrianna told the group.

    "Well I''m Ayanna Reyes. Nice to meet you." Ayanna said, extending her hand to shake Adrianna''s.

 Chapter 18 - 18

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    That afternoon at the airport, a small group of well wishers gathered at the VIP lounge.

    "I can''t believe you''re flying coach!" Nicole told Ayanna.

    "Well, I thought to myself, if my brother could go through poverty training maybe I could learn a thing or two from mingling with people different from us. Think of it as research." Ayana told her friend.

    "Ayanna, it''s time for you to board!" her father called out.

    "Dad, Cedric said he would be here. Can''t you talk to Ray to dy it a while longer?" Ayanna asked. The Laurence family owned one of 4 airlines that flew out of the country and Ray managed this part of the family business.

    A figure in the distance suddenly appeared, it was Cedric. He waved from afar. Behind him was Ray. It seemed he had gone to fetch Cedric at the entrance.

    "Sorry I''mte. Traffic was really bad." Cedric gave his sister a hug.

    "It''s alright, at least you''re here to send me off." Ayanna smiled. In front of everyone she was a tough business woman, a leader in the industry, but in front of her family she turned into a spoiled little girl.

    "By the way, care to exin what that charge to my card was?" Cedric asked, remembering the events earlier.

    "We met your wife earlier." Alexi said from behind. "And she was being bullied by someone named Lorisa De Jesus. Ayanna simply dealt with it."

    "Thanks Ayanna. And my card back please." Cedric said, holding his hand out.

    "I thought you would forget." Ayanna giggled. "I had my driver send the stuff I bought for you to your office. As for what that big purchase was, well I bought watches for all of us! Look, we all match now!"

    Their friends raised their wrist to show the matching watches.

    "And where is mine?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s with your wife. She''ll probably give it to youter when you get home." Ayanna told him.

    "Alright. Anyway it''s time for you to leave. Soe here and give me a hug goodbye." Cedric said, stretching his arms to hug his sister.

    "I''ll miss all of you! At least I got to meet my sister-inw before I''m gone for a whole year!" Ayanna said as she began to tear up.

    "You don''t fool us Ayanna. I''m pretty sure in a week you''ll be calling me asking me to cancel a flight so that you can go home." Ray teased her. Ayanna did have a tendency to ask him to secure her a chartered flight home with one of their nes.

    "Hey I''m not as bad as Nicole! She actually flew to Italy on one of your nes to meet a guy that Veronica set her up with!" Ayanna teased.

    "But, but, he was cute!" Was Nicole''s only answer. Veronica, who had set her up with the guy, justughed behind her.

    "Stop dying the flight Ayanna! I''m gonna lose profits because of you!" Ray said, pushing Ayanna towards the gate.

    Ayanna waved goodbye to everyone and boarded the ne.

    "I looked up the people that bullied your wife earlier. Do you want me to do anything?" Alexi asked Cedric.

    "Not yet. I know who they are, I have bigger ns for them, don''t worry." Cedric replied.

    Adrianna suddenly gave Cedric a call inviting him out to have dinner with her and her friends. Cedric immediately agreed and asked for his driver to fetch him.

    At the restaurant Cedric spotted Adrianna and her friends at a table near the ss wall that separated the restaurant from the mall. He greeted the girls and took a seat next to Adrianna.

    "How was your shopping trip?" He asked, knowing full well what had happened earlier that day.

    "Adrianna made a new friend!" Natasha was unable to hide her excitement.

    "Yeah, the wildest thing happened. We bumped into that bitch Lorisa in a shop and we got saved by THE Ayanna Reyes who was apanied by the 4 princes and their sisters." Julia told him.

    "I still can''t believe that we met the 4 princes. If only we could meet the mysterious Reyes heir. I hear he is extremely handsome. I haven''t even met him and I''m already in love!" Sofia giggled at the thought.

    "Wow. You guys seem to have been lucky today. So how did Miss Reyes save you exactly?" Cedric tried to change the topic since what Sofia just said made him feel awkward.

    Adrianna recounted how Ayanna had purchased the watches and banned Lorisa from the shop.

    "Here is the watch by the way. I couldn''t refuse her offer. She told the sales assistants and the manager that I couldn''t return the watch, so I''m giving the other one to you." Adrianna said as she handed Cedric a box.

    Cedric immediately ced on the watch and grinned. Technically, he bought this watch.

    At a table across the restaurant Julia spotted a group of guys that looked very familiar.

    "Oh my gosh! Isn''t that Jerome Sev?" Julia pointed out. The girls all turned at the same time to spot the familiar face.

    "Remember when we were in high school and he filled his trunk with red roses and asked Adrianna to be his girlfriend?" Natasha said.

    "Yeah. He even got into a fight with his best friend Jim over Adrianna. I remember catching that fight." Julia recounted.

    "I think he''s with AR Fines, the half british football yer. Didn''t he court you too Adrianna?" Sofia asked.

    "Guys, that''s ancient history, don''t bring it up." Adrianna was worried that hearing about the men in her past would hurt Cedric.

    "Don''t worry Adri, I still won in the end." Cedric winked at her.

    "Look Jerome ising over!" Julia squealed like a teenage girl.

    "Hey girls." Jerome greeted.

    "Oh hey Jerome. This is my husband by the way, Cedric. Cedric, Jerome was a friend in highschool." Adrianna introduced them to each other.

    "I think we were more than friends Adrianna." Jerome winked.

    "That''s very inappropriate." Adrianna said tly.

    "I''m sure Cedric here doesn''t mind. It''s all in the past anyway." Jerome said.

    "Look, look, look!" Natasha suddenly said in a panic pointing out of the window.

    There was a crowd of girls screaming and some bodyguards clearing the way. Cedric saw a familiar figure, it was Eric Chan, Miguel''s older brother.

    "I just checked his IG stories! He was at the airport a few hours ago. What is he doing here at the mall!" Adrianna and her friends were huge fans of Eric. Cedric had to endure awkward moments of them crushing on someone he saw as an older brother.

    "He is so mysterious!" Julia sighed.

    Eric kept his private life aplete secret, no one even knew that he was rted to Miguel or if he had any siblings. Of course, he had the power to keep all his private information a secret since his agency and the country''s biggest newswork was owned by the Abad family.

    His extremely clean image led to more women falling in love with him. He was tall, with sun baked skin, ck hair, and eyes that seemed to pierce into your soul.

    Suddenly, Eric spotted Cedric who had been at the airport with him moments ago. He grinned and made his way into the restaurant where Cedric was eating.

    "I think he is here to say hi to AR! You guys know that they are both represented by Lights Entertainment, right?" Jerome boasted.

    "I heard that the president of Lights Entertainment, Ramon Abad, has the looks of an actor as well." This was thetest gossip that Julia had heard and she was excited to share it with herpanions.

    "Hey AR,e over here." Jerome called hispanion over. AR Fines obliged and came over to their table.

 Chapter 19 - 19

    "Hey guys. Oh look, it''s Eric Chan." AR waved towards the actor.

    At this point Adrianna and her friends were already blushing. Despite being married Adrianna still has a huge crush on Eric Chan, and Cedric knew about it. ??

    Cedric quickly sent Eric a message on his phone: Older brother, do you have any idea how awkward it is to have my wife giggling like a teenage girl just because you are in the same restaurant as her?

    Eric felt his phone vibrate, when he saw who sent him the message he stopped walking and grinned. He looked directly at Cedric and walked over to their table.

    The group assumed that he wasing over to talk to AR Fines.

    "Hey Eric." AR greeted, but Eric just ignored him and looked at Cedric.

    "You didn''t tell me you''d be here Cedric." Eric said with a grin. "I would have given you a lift earlier."

    Everyone gasped when they realized that Eric Chan was talking to Cedric.

    "I had my own ride." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Mr. Eric, it''s me AR Fines, we''re both signed to Lights Entertainment." the football yer said, trying to get Eric''s attention.

    Eric looked at his assistant who whispered something in return. Clearly he was exining to Eric who AR Fines was.

    "Ah yes. The new kid. Wee, have we met?" Eric asked.

    Cedric wanted tough at what Eric had just done. Clearly Eric had no idea who AR Fines was.

    Eric loved his job and he loved his fans, however he never paid too much attention to other artists and famous personalities. He didn''t have to, after all, one of the 5 princes was his younger brother.

    "Mr. Eric we met atst year''s Christmas party." AR exined.

    "Oh right." Eric nodded.

    "Cedric, I was thinking of doing a project with yourpany. I don''t think Ram would mind." Eric said, taking a seat next to Cedric.

    Everyone simply assumed that by yourpany Eric meant thepany where Cedric worked, when in reality it was thepany Cedric owned.

    Cedric rolled his eyes at what Eric said. Of course Ram wouldn''t mind, Eric almost hadplete control of his career and he managed it well. He chose his own project and endorsements, he even managed his own social media ounts.

    "Alright." Cedric replied calmly. Everyone was in shock at how Cedric was treating Eric, and it seemed Eric didn''t mind the treatment he was getting from Cedric either.

    "Cedric." Adrianna whispered to her husband. She wanted Cedric to introduce her to Eric.

    Cedric really didn''t want to. He treated this guy like his older brother and yet his wife and her friends had a huge crush on him. However, Cedric always gave Adrianna what she wanted, that''s how much he loved her.

    "Eric, my wife Adrianna. Adrianna, this is Eric he''s��" Cedric suddenly realized he didn''t know how to introduce Eric.

    "I''m an acquaintance of Cedric''s." Eric said,pleting Cedric''s introduction.

    "Mr. Chan, I''m a huge fan!" Adrianna said with a huge grin. She saw her friends looking at her and proceeded to introduce them.

    "Well I guess I''ll see you around Cedric." Eric said as he stood up to leave. "Mrs. Reyes, it was a delight to meet you."

    Adrianna blushed as Eric mentioned her.

    As he was leaving Eric turned around and shouted back.

    "By the way Cedric, nice watch." He said with a wink and waved. If you looked closely enough Eric was wearing the exact same watch as Cedric and Adrianna.

    Ayanna had purchased 13 watches, one for each child of the Reyes, Laurence, Sebastian, Abad, and Chan families, and the 13th watch was Adrianna''s.

    Cedric quickly sent a message to Eric after he left: I hope you had fun.

    Eric quickly replied: I was the only one that didn''t get to meet your wife earlier, I thought it was unfair. So I asked your assistant where you would be.

    Cedric replied: If they figure out you have one of those watches they will find out more about you.

    Eric''s reply came soon after: What''s life without risks?

    Cedric grinned and put away his phone. The moment he looked up Adrianna and her friends were looking at him ready to ask the question that was on all of their minds.

    "How do you know Eric fucking Chan?" Julia was the first to ask.

    "He''s an acquaintance." Cedric replied.

    "Not good enough. Why were you at the airport with him earlier?" Sofia probed.

    "I was there for work." It was true that all the assistants were there. Cedric just wasn''t there as an assistant.

    "Cedric, don''t you love me?" Adrianna asked.

    "Huh?" Cedric was puzzled by his wife''s reaction.

    "This whole time you knew that I was Eric Chan''s fan and you never mentioned that you knew him!" Adrianna used.

    "It didn''t seem important, and you wouldn''t have believed me." Cedric shrugged. Adrianna and the girls bought his answer.

    The two other guys who had been standing by their table wanted to melt away in embarrassment. They were boasting about knowing Eric Chan moments ago and it seemed that Adrianna''s husband knew the actor personally.

    The girls even didn''t notice when they quietly headed back to their table.

    A few fans managed to snap photos of Eric talking to Cedric, they immediately posted it on social media and the topic quickly trended.

 Chapter 20 - 20

    The next morning Adrianna still refused to speak to Cedric, even on their way to work she didn''t say a word. Last night Cedric ended up sleeping on the couch since Adrianna was mad at him.

    The photo of him and Eric was still one of the hottest topics on social media. When Asia Hernandez saw this she was furious. She was one of the moderators of Eric Chan''s Fan Club and she hadn''t even had the chance to meet the actor. She could only worship him from afar. ??

    She threw her phone across her father''s office and screamed.

    Fredrik and John who were in the same room jumped in surprise.

    "What''s wrong?" Her eldest brother, John Hernandez, asked.

    "That good for nothing Cedric Reyes and our selfish cousin Adrianna!" Asia shouted.

    "What did they do this time?" John asked.

    "They stole my idol away from me!" Asia was spoiled by her family, no matter how shallow her problem was they would do anything to help.

    "Hey dad, why don''t we give Adrianna the Elisia Mall project? Didn''t you say we were having issues there? The Passion branches there are doing extremely bad and we even have rental issues." John suggested.

    "Please dad? Not only will she be too busy to meet up with famous actors but she''ll also be ruined in our family''s eyes!" Asia jumped at her brother''s suggestion.

    "Well since she isn''t handling a project right now and no one is handling the Elisia Mall project, it does make sense to put a member of the family in charge of it. Elisia is thergest mall chain in the country, no one has ever been able to beat them in a deal." Fredrik said, giving his approval.

    "I''ll call her up dad!" Asia said. She was very excited to see Adrianna fail.

    "We won''t tell her yet. Tonight we have a family meeting at your grandfather''s house. We''ll announce it there." Fredrik knew his daughter''s grudge against her cousin. He also wanted to secure his children''s ce as heir''s to Ind''s Inc.

    Ind''s Inc. was the motherpany to multiple clothing and shoe brands. It was a legacy brand that had been around for three generations. It was founded by Fredrik''s grandfather in their provincial hometown, they would bring in thetest fashion from the capital and sell it at a marked up price. As time went by Ind''s Inc. evolved from reselling to manufacturing their own clothes and shoes.

    Asia belonged to the design department, despite holding a degree in fashion she had no contribution to the designs Ind''s Inc. released. Her designs were often thrown out at the early approval stages, as a result her brother and father decided not to let her participate in this year''s design process.

    Adrianna on the other hand who was working in the business nning and marketing department was a rising star in thepany. She had developed new ways to attract customers and she had even managed to increase their spending in their stores. John, at his sister''s request, had thrown as many problems as possible along her way. He even asked Henry, his younger brother to give Adrianna a clearly unfashionable design to pitch. Adrianna however, had managed to jump even that hurdle.

    At Mor Co. Cedric was holding a meeting with the different department directors.

    "I would like to announce that if we can continue to improve the performance of every department we will be runching Mor Phones. The product development team has guaranteed to me that in a month''s time they will have perfected 3 new phones, each for every tier of the market." Cedric said, applying some pressure on the directors.

    Soon the room was buzzing with the director''s discussing among themselves.

    "At the same time we will also be unveiling the new look of Mor Co.''s head office. It will be younger and more modern. As you might have heard by now the famous designer, Veronica, is working on this new image of Mor Co. Not only will our employees be in a fresher environment our building will also be a tourist location. It will be the first office building that Veronica designs. I''m sure you all understand how many offices she has refused to do this for."

    The directors were in awe, they had seen Veronica in the office, they assumed that she would only be redesigning the President''s office and not the whole building.

    "I won''t keep any of you. I''m sure you are all busy, you may go." After dismissing the directors he noticed that the Logistics Director remained.

    "Did you want to speak to me?" Cedric asked in a cold voice.

    "Sir, I apologize for my manager''s actions yesterday. I demoted him right after I found out what happened." The director''s voice was shaking. He was worried that the president would be mad at him for what Chris had done.

    "He''s been like that for quite a while already, it isn''t your fault." Cedric said, leaning back on his seat.

    "Should I fire him sir?" The director asked, eager to please.

    "No, I have other ns for him. Put him in a role that demands for manualbor." Cedric ordered.

    The director nodded and excused himself.

    Cedric returned to the office to find a message from Adrianna: Don''t forget the family meeting tonight. Don''t bete. Mom and Dad will meet us there.

    She was clearly still mad at him.

    That night Cedric and Adrianna drove to the Hernandez patriarch''s home in silence. Adrianna was still giving Cedric the silent treatment. Cedric could just imagine how furious she would be when she eventually finds out who he actually is.

    As they entered the dining room, Adrianna held Cedric''s hand. Despite their fight Adrianna wanted to show everyone that she and Cedric were still very much in love and that she stood by her decision to marry him despite their disapproval.

    When everyone wasplete, Fredrik proceeded to give a report to the family while everyone ate their diner. After Fredrik, members of the family that headed a division also gave a report and mentioned any requests that they had.

    Usually this would go for 30 minutes, today after everyone had said their parts Fredrik stood up again.

    "As you all know one of the biggest projects we have this year is the Elisia Mall project." Everyone knew that the Elisia Mall project was an extremely difficult project. No one wanted to take this project on due to the nature of the people they had to work with as well as the impact it had on thepany.

    "Due to the size of the project I would like to have a member of the family directly handle this. I am going to ce Adrianna as the project lead on this." Fredrik announced. The room was filled with mixed reactions. Most of the family had no issues with Adrianna, they just didn''t approve of her husband, however the others did not like Adrianna at all since Grandpa Hernandez always favored her, that group was happy to see Adrianna take on the doomed project.

    "I approve." Grandpa Hernandez said from the head of the table. "I believe that my Adrianna is capable ofpleting this project."

    With her grandfather''s approval Adrianna had no choice but to ept and thank her uncle for the opportunity.

    When they arrived at home Gracia wanted toin about what Fredrik just did but Adrianna beat her to it and told everyone that she was tired and didn''t want to talk about it.

    Cedric chased after her as she ran to their room. He found Adrianna, crying in bed. Hey down beside her and hugged her. She faced him and ced her head on his chest and started to cry.

    "They''re doing it on purpose Cedric. They want me to fail." Adrianna said between sobs.

    "It just seems impossible now honey but I''m sure you''ll be able to manage this." He said, trying tofort his wife.

    "You should rest. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow." Cedric kissed the top of her head as Adrianna continued to cry.

    Eventually Adrianna had managed to cry herself to sleep. With his sleeping wife in his arms he sent a message to his father to meet him at the country club for lunch the next day.

 Chapter 21 - 21

    After calming Adrianna down the night before Cedric had to leave home earlier than usual in order to make all of his meeting the next day.

    The product development director was scheduled to show him the 3 new products they were going to use to runch the brand. This meeting wouldst the whole morning due to theplexity of their ns. After that he would meet with his father at lunch. He knew that meeting would be long as well since the topic of the Elisia Mall project with Ind''s Inc had its own set of problems. ??

    Since the presentation required all of the development and marketing team to be present Ian and Cami had set up a camera, microphones, and a speaker from which Cedric could be heard. Cami would stay in the boardroom with the team members while Ian and Cedric would be at the President''s office watching the presentation from hisptop.

    Prototypes of the product had been sent to Cedric''s office for his inspection and trial.

    Due to his desire to remain unknown to the public Cedric and his assistants had to go through impractical and difficult steps just to set up one meeting.

    At 10 o''clock sharp the whole team arrived at the boardroom. They had expected to finally meet their president. They were however, disappointed to see Cami and the set up in ce.

    "If you are ready you may begin." Cami told the team.

    Cedric was happy with the overall ns and presentation. He particrly liked the prototype they had given him.

    "I understand it''s a tight schedule but I want this all done in a month." Cedric knew that he should have given his team longer, but the runch couldn''t wait.

    "Sir, we would like to get your approval for a list of endorsers we n to negotiate with." The marketing director said.

    "No need. We will be working with Eric Chan on this." Eric had caused him so much trouble thest time he decided to maximize it.

    The girls in the other room all suddenly got excited. They had seen the viral photos of the actor with their co-worker and had nned to ask him how he knew the actor after this morning''s meeting. It seemed to them that assistant Cedric was talking to the actor on behalf of Mor Co.

    "Sir, based on our budget we can''t afford Mr. Chan." The director said with much hesitation.

    "Don''t worry about the budget, this will be outside of that. Just make sure to have everything prepared in one month. I''ll have Eric''s assistant contact you directly. You may go now." Cedric said, dismissing everyone.

    At Lights Entertainment''s CEO''s office Ram Abad sat at his desk while Eric lounged on the couch.

    "That''s odd, Cedric hasn''t asked for the news about you two meeting to be taken down." Ram said as he checked his phone. As the owners of the top news and entertainmentpany Ram had full control over what entertainment news was considered just rumors and what was reported as facts. It was very unlike Cedric, who was usually very low profile, to let something this big stay in cirction.

    Eric''s phone suddenly buzzed and he sat up from the couch. Cedric was calling him. He showed Ram before eventually picking up.

    "Hey little bro!" Eric called all of his younger brother Miguel''s friends little bro.

    "You''re with Ram? Put me on speaker." Cedric said.

    "Hey Cedric." Ram greeted over the phone.

    "Since Eric decided to have his fun with me at the mall yesterday, he will be the new endorser of Mor Phones when we runch in a month." Cedric said.

    "That''s great Cedric! I''ll ask our legal and finance department to draft a contract. I''ll give you a big discount." Ram said with a grin.

    "No discount, Eric you''ll do it for free." Cedric said coldly.

    "Ohe on Cedric! Mypany still needs to turn a profit." Ramined.

    "Just think of it as an exchange. I''m giving your sister Veronica so many projects and paying her so much money, I should get something back in return." Cedric said.

    "But that''s Veronica''s money! She won''t even buy me a cup of coffee from Starbucks!" Ram whined.

    "Well that''s the deal." Cedric said definitively.

    "I''ll do it." Eric said without even consulting Ram.

    "Great. I''ll give my assistant your number." Cedric then dropped the call.

    When the employees of Lights Entertainment heard that their top actor, Eric Chan, had decided to do an endorsement for free the whole office went into a frenzy. What kind of person could convince someone like him to do something for free?

    At Mor Co. Cedric decided to give Cami a treat and put her in charge of coordinating with Eric Chan. She was beyond ecstatic, she, like every other woman in Mor Co., was a big fan of Eric Chan and now she had his personal number.

 Chapter 22 - 22

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    At lunch, Ian apanied Cedric to the country club to meet with his father.

    Emilio Reyes had just finished 9-holes with the Laurence, Sebastian, Abad, and Chan family patriarchs and was once again tanned from ying golf the whole morning.

    "Hey dad. You haven''t even retired and you''re already spending your mornings in the golf course." Cedric teased as he took a seat across his father.

    "Give me a grandchild and I''ll be here less often." His dad teased.

    "Adrianna and I are not in a hurry dad." Cedricughed.

    "So what''s this issue with Elisia Mall you messaged me aboutst night?" Emilio asked his son.

    "Dad, have you been giving the Hernandez family a hard time on this project?" Cedric confronted his father.

    Emilio smiled.

    "Well there is very little I could do for you from afar. Those Hernanandez''s refuse to ept you. What right do they have to look down at the heir of the Reyes Group?" Emilio said with a twinkle of anger in his eyes. He did not fully agree with poverty training, but he did understand the need for it. He himself went through it as a young man and he became a better person and businessman because of it.

    "They''re giving the project to my wife." Cedric said with a grin.

    "I thought they were family, do they dislike her that much?" Emilio asked his son.

    "Mostly Fredrik and his kids. I think they are threatened." Cedric admitted to his father.

    "This makes me d that your mom is the only child of her generation. No scheming cousins." His dad teased. Prisci rin-Reyes, Cedric''s mother continued to run her family business despite having married into one of the richest families in the country. As a matter of fact she sometimes seemed busier than her husband. When Ayanna had grown up she had helped in managing both the rin and Reyes businesses giving her vast knowledge in different industries. As thest rin their businesses would eventually be merged with the Reyes group making it muchrger than it already was.

    "Not all her cousins are bad dad." Cedric said.

    "They all don''t like you right?" Emilio asked his son. Cedric could only nod in reply.

    "Dad, I don''t want to just hand it to Adrianna. Her family will get suspicious." Cedric told his father.

    "Don''t worry, I know what to do. You do know that you could have just told me all of this over a phone call, right?" Emilio asked his son.

    "I missed you dad." Cedric smiled.

    "Well, while you are here, let''s sign some transfer documents. Your sister got hers at 20 so you should get your shares by now." Emilio called Marco So, his assistant over.

    "For the first batch, 25% of Krisanta Land, 10% of Elisia Corp., 15% of Man Bank. Sign them." Emilio said as Marco handed Cedric a pen and the documents.

    "For the rin Holdings your mom still owns 100% of all of it, but of course she ns to eventually pass it down to you and Ayanna." Emilio exined.

    "If you want anything done with Elisia Malls you just need to tell me and your sister over the phone. I know the Hernandez family has been eyeing expansion through our malls for a long time now. If it''s something as small as this partnership just ask Ian or Cami to give the Vice President a call." Emilio told his son.

    Elisia Malls was thergest mall chain in the country. They had over 50 malls spread out in thergest cities and provinces. It was a business under Elisia Corp that was owned by Reyes Group. At Ayanna''s request she had given up shares in Krisanta Land and Mor Co., in exchange for more shares in Elisia Corp.

    At Ind''s Inc, Adrianna was holding a meeting with the team that was initially handling the Elisia Mall project. They were telling her how the management of Elisia Corp. had been blocking them at every turn.

    "Miss Adrianna, there is really nothing we could do. Elisia Corp. is owned by the Reyes Group. For some reason they seem to be blocking any improvement we make. They have raised our rent 2 times this year. Honestly, we have more to lose in this than they do." One of the team members confessed.

    "I got one of the assistants to speak once, and ording to her the order to block any project from Ind''s Inc came from the very top." Another member told her.

    "Why would the president of Reyes Group want to suppress Ind''s Inc. We are just a smallpanypared to them." Adrianna wondered out loud.

    "Miss we actually wanted to ask if anyone from the Hernandez family has managed to offend anyone from Reyes Group." A shy girl asked.

    "I''ll look into that, for now could you set up a meeting with me and the management of Elisia Malls?" Adrianna asked.

    "Miss Adrianna, I don''t think I need to call them." The girl said slowly.

    "Why?" Adrianna wondered at this girl''s odd behavior.

    "I just got a message from the manager''s assistant. They want to meet with youter today to hear your pitch." The girl said, showing the message on her phone.

    Everyone in the room was shocked. They had been working on this project for years, and yet the exact same day that Adrianna is ced as the project head it seems that the ban on Ind''s Inc. was just lifted.

    "Quick, prepare the documents. Tell them we''ll be there by 4pm." Adrianna told the team.

 Chapter 23 - 23

    By the afternoon Cedric was exhausted by all his meetings. He had barely sat on his desk when Ian informed him that his father asked him to go to R Tower to join a meeting. He quickly changed to something more fashionable, he could already hear Ayanna scolding him for going to R Tower in ordinary work attire.

    "Sir your father asked me to prepare this facemask and sses for you. He said you should wear it to the meeting." Ian said, handing a bag over to Cedric. ??

    "I guess I''ll be attending this meeting as the heir to Reyes Group." Cedric sighed. "What floor will our meeting be at?"

    "At the 9th floor sir, Elisia Corp." Ian told him.

    "It''s the Ind''s Inc meeting isn''t it?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "Yes sir." Ian confirmed.

    "I''m guessing my wife will pitch the project and I''m there to approve it. My dad is a horrible person." Cedric saidughing and shaking his head.

    "Sir your father also said that we shoulde in through the main entrance rather than through the basement. He wants to use this to announce that you are back." Ian told Cedric.

    "I really don''t have a choice in this matter." Cedricughed.

    He took out his phone and quickly sent a message to Ram Abad: Are your reporters and photographers at the entrance of R Tower?

    Ram replied: We''re all gonna arrive together ;) this is gonna be fun.

    Cedric''s suddenly noticed that his car along with 4 others had formed a caravan, not far away from the 4 cars were 2 lead vans and 2 tail vans, they were probably filled with bodyguards. Due to his low profile Cedric never used bodyguards, however his friends and sister always needed some.

    Cedric guessed that the 2 cars in front of him were Miguel Chan and Ramon Abad, this was done on purpose to represent business partnerships that the families had formed. The 2 cars behind him were probably Raymund Laurence and Alexander Sebastian, showing the underground and political influence that the Reyes family had.

    Cedric opened their group chat and sent a message: The old men were doing more than just ying golf this morning.

    Ray Laurence: They even managed to put symbolism into how we arrive. Hahaha.

    Ram Abad: Dad contacted all the major news outletsst night. We''re gonna show this city how to make a real entrance.

    Miguel Chan: Dad pulled me out of an operation for this! I hate you Cedric! You owe me dinner!

    Alexi Sebastian: And yet no one will see Cedric''s face.

    Cedric Reyes: Are we wearing matching watches today?

    Ray Laurence: Matchy!

    Alexi Sebastian: Grow up Ray.

    Miguel Chan: Of course we are! I wear mine all the time hoping the paparazzi catch it and reveal your identity by ident.

    Cedric Reyes: I''m sure there are more of these watches.

    Ram Abad: Nope! Ayanna bought them all out.

    Cedric grinned, it seemed what would reveal him to the public was his watch.

    When they arrived at the driveway of R Tower the press was already there with their cameras up.

    Cedric wore the facemask and sses. He took a deep breath and nodded to Ian.

    Ian got out of the car and opened the door. As soon as the door opened camera shes started to go off.

    The press were disappointed to see that the Heir of the Reyes Group had hidden his face, but from his aura you could immediately guess that he was a powerful man.

    A little bit ahead of them in the lobby Adrianna and her team were wondering what themotion outside was about.

    "Oh my! Guys look. I think that''s the Reyes heir. And look behind him, it''s the 4 other princes." One of the team members said pointing to the driveway outside.

    "Miss Adrianna, I think you''re our lucky charm. Not only did we manage to get a meeting with the management of Elisia Malls but we even got the chance to see the 5 princes today." A girl said excitedly.

    After that day, everyone in Ind''s Inc started to believe that Adrianna was Ind''s Inc.''s lucky charm.

    Outside Ray ran up to Cedric and whispered. "Isn''t that your wife?"

    Cedric looked up and saw Adrianna standing in the lobby of R Tower.

    The paparazzi managed to capture a photo of the way Cedric looked after Ray pointed Adrianna out. His eyes were full of love.

    "Sir, sir. Are you back for good?" A reporter asked Cedric.

    "Mr. Reyes many women want to know, are you dating anyone? Are you engaged? Are you married?"

    "Mr. Reyes, will you be taking over Reyes Group now?"

    "5 princes please tell us how you all became friends!"

    "Mr. Reyes what role will your sister, Ayana Reyes, y in Reyes Group?"

    The reporters flooded Cedric and the others with questions. Not even Ram Abad could have expected that Cedric''s return would excite people this much.

    "Please let Mr. Reyes pass through. The family will hold a press conferenceter on." Ian said quickly, helping Cedric into the building.

    The security guards and bodyguards blocked the paparazzi from entering R Tower.

    "That was crazy!" Miguel shouted whileughing. He looked at Cedric who still hadn''t said a word.

    He suddenly realized that Adrianna and her team were still standing at the empty lobby.

 Chapter 24 - 24

    Adrianna stared at the man standing in front of her. Something about him seemed very familiar, but at the same time it felt very different.

    "Mrs. Reyes, we meet again!" Raymund Laurence called from behind Cedric. ??

    "Mr. Laurence, I didn''t expect to see you here." Adrianna said, shaking Ray''s hand.

    "We''re just here to apany our friend back. Right old friend?" He asked Cedric.

    Cedric simply nodded in reply.

    "Mrs. Reyes what brings you here?" Ray asked.

    "Oh I have a meeting with the management of Elisia Mall to pitch a partnership." Adrianna told Ray.

    "Oh that''s perfect, we are going there too! Join us." Ray could feel Cedric''s piercing stare behind him.

    "Could my teame along?" Adrianna asked.

    "If we left the bodyguards and just brought Assistant Ian along we could all fit." Ray said counting the number of people that would be on the lift.

    "Oh hey Ian." Adrianna waved. She knew Ian to be one of Cedric''s few friends from the office.

    Ian suddenly froze. If Cedric hadn''t sent an elbow to his side he wouldn''t have said hi back. They all got on the lift and went up.

    "Since when have you been working at Reyes Group?" Adrianna asked.

    Ian looked at Cedric to ask for permission. Cedric gave a slight nod.

    "Mor Co. is a subsidiary of Reyes Group. Mr. Reyes is the president of Mor Co." Ian exined.

    "So Mr. Reyes knows my husband?" Adrianna said, directing the question to the businessman that remained silent the whole time.

    Cedric gave a slight nod again.

    "Oh we''re here!" Miguel announced, a bit too enthusiastically.

    Alexi gave Miguel a look that made his friend cower behind Cedric.

    "We''ll see youter then Mrs. Reyes." Ray said, bidding goodbye to Adrianna.

    When the princes left their earshot Adrianna''s team started to talk excitedly. Who knew they would get to the the 5 princes and even ride the elevator with them.

    "Miss Adrianna, how do you know them?" One of her team members asked.

    "Well Miguel is a friend of my husband, but when I met him he was still studying. Ian is my husband''s best friend at work, and Mr. Laurence is also my husband''s friend. But I met the other two when I was shopping." Adrianna confessed.

    "Miss Adrianna, isn''t your husband just an assistant? How can he have so many powerful friends?" Someone asked.

    "I honestly have no idea." Adrianna shrugged as they approached the Elisia Corp.''s receptionist.

    Soon they were brought to a room where they would pitch their idea.

    "Good morning Miss Adrianna, I''m the VP for Elisia Corp. you''ll be presenting today to me and Mr. Reyes, the heir of Reyes Group. He is also one of thergest shareholders in Elisia Corp. I think he brought some friends along, but don''t worry I''m sure you will do well." The vice president said with a smile.

    The employees of Ind???s Inc. were shocked. In the past not only was it hard for them just to get a meeting but most employees of Elisia Corp. were cold to them and yet now, Adrianna was simply put in charge of the project and it seems their fortune hadpletely changed.

    Cedric and the boys soon entered and took their seat. Ray leaned back and winked at Adrianna. When Cedric saw that he threw a re at Ray who justughed it off.

    Cedric gave a slight nod again and Ian announced that Adrianna could begin her presentation.

    Adrianna and her team found it odd the Mr. Reyes kept his facemask on throughout the presentation. Nheless she continued showing her ns for the partnership. She expected that in the middle of he presentation Mr. Reyes or the VP of Elisia Corp. would ask questions, but there were none. They simply listened intently and nodded at what she said.

    When she was done she saw Mr. Reyes writes something in his notebook and shows it to Ian.

    "Miss Adrianna, Mr. Reyes is happy with your ns. We won''t change anything. Elisia Corp. would be more than happy to pursue this partnership." Ian announced happily.

    The other 4 princes wanted to bust outughing. Of course Mr. Reyes would agree 100% with her ns, he gave his wife everything!

    The employees of Ind''s Inc and Adrianna were in shock. They had never heard of anypany getting what they wanted from Reyes Group. They alway drove hard negotiations where they often came out on top.

    "What are the next steps?" Adrianna managed to ask.

    Mr. Reyes wrote again and showed it to Ian.

    "Mr. Reyes said that you will be working with the VP on this directly. He hopes that this will be a fruitful partnership for both parties. Please send us the contract as soon as possible so that the VP can sign." Cedric had thought things through, he would not sign the contract, if he did Adrianna would immediately find out.

    "Thank you Mr. Reyes." Adrianna said right before she and her team left.

    When they got back to Ind''s Inc they were ecstatic. The first thing Adrianna did was call Cedric. Her team wanted to go for dinner and drinks.

    "So, how''d it go?" Cedric asked.

    "You knew! And you didn''t tell me!" Adrianna used.

    "I''m not allowed to tell anyone who I work for. But I saw his schedule and Ian told me." Cedric at that time was at Nouveau where his friends were eating and drinking at his expense.

    "Well I got it. The team wants to have dinner and drinks." Adrianna told him.

    "Oh alright. I have to work overtime too. I''ll see you at home?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah. I''ll see you." Adrianna said, dropping the call.

    "Miss Adrianna could we eat at Nouveau? This is a really big deal and we need to celebrate properly." One of the team members suggested.

    "Good luck on getting a reservation!" Someonemented.

    "I''ll give it a try." Adrianna said, calling the number for Nouveau.

    When the manager realized who was booking a table he immediately told one group that they had overbooked in order to amodate Mr. Reyes'' wife.

    When Adrianna''s team heard that she got them a table they quickly returned to R Tower to eat.

 Chapter 25 - 25

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    "Hahaha! I enjoyed torturing Cedric so much!" Ray said loudly as they ate their meal.

    "I thought he was going to kill you!" Miguel said.

    "If he hit on my wife, I would definitely have punched him." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "You guys are children." Aleximented about his friends.

    "Hey look guys! We are the #1 topic on social media! I mean it''s across tforms and so many hashtags." Ram said scrolling through the iPad his assistant just handed him.

    "Who wants to break the inte again?" Ram asked, holding out his phone.

    "What are you nning?" Cedric asked.

    "Well we could just post a selfie. I think people will eat that up." Ram suggested.

    "We should make Cedric an official page. We could just put Mr. Reyes as the name." Miguel said.

    "That''s a stupid idea." Cedric said.

    "No, it''s brilliant!" Ram, besides being a rich heir, was a PR genius. He could make anyone popr. It was under his management that Lights Entertainment reached new heights. Of course, having Eric Chan helped too.

    Ram quickly made ounts for Cedric on various social media tforms. He then nagged the boys to take a selfie that they would all post. Of course, Cedric was wearing his mask and sses.

    The moment the photo hit social media everyone was thrown into a frenzy. The boys had tagged the Mr. Reyes ount Ram had just created and in a few moments the ount had a million followers already.

    "Thesements are hrious." Miguel said reading through them.

    "This one on IG says, please tell me the 5 princes are all single, Mr. Reyes I think I''ve fallen in love with your eyes." Miguel burst outughing.

    "I think the mystery made everyone want to see more of Cedric." Ray said while looking through thements on his post.

    "Are the sistersing over?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah. Eric too. I''m pretty sure Ayanna is fuming now. She isn''t here to join the fun." Ray said, still scrolling through thements.

    "Mr. Cedric, I just spoke to the manager. It seems Mrs. Reyes and her team reserved a table here for tonight as well." Ian told Cedric.

    "Did they give her a private room?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, sir." Ian confirmed.

    "That''s fine. We can manage to avoid her. I''ll just sleep at the old house tonight. It would be awkward if I arrived in my car." Cedric said.

    "Do you think we''ll bump into the 5 princes again?" One of the Ind''s Inc. employees asked.

    "Let''s not push our luck." Another told her.

    The elevator door opened and their jaws dropped. Inside was Eric Chan and 4 girls, he even had his arm on the shoulder of one of them.

    "Ah Mrs. Reyes, please join us." Eric said with a wink. The girls on the elevator giggled.

    Adrianna''s co-workers pushed him in. They weren''t going to pass on the opportunity to ride the same elevator as Eric Chan.

    "Mr. Eric, can we take a photo with you?" The employees asked.

    The girl who had Eric''s arm on her shoulder took it off and said "Why don''t I take the photo for you?"

    "Sure." The employee said.

    "Let''s take the photo when we get off the elevator." Eric suggested.

    At the floor of Nouveau they stopped at the entrance to take photos.

    "Miss, would you like us to take photos of you with Mr. Eric?" An employee asked the girls who had arrived with Eric.

    They giggled.

    "We''ll pass. Bye Mrs. Reyes, I don''t know if you remember us but we were with Ayanna that day." The girls waved as they left with Eric Chan.

    Adrianna suddenly realized why they looked familiar.

    Adrianna saw them enter the room where she and Cedric had lunchst time.

    Adrianna and her group were led to a room at the other end of the restaurant. This room was not as beautiful or elegant as the room where she and Cedric had their meal but it was still amazing. The team members began taking photos as Adrianna ordered food and drinks.

    She felt her phone buzzing, it was a message from Cedric saying he couldn''te home tonight due to work.

    After having so much fun that night most of the team members were happy and quite tipsy. When Adrianna went over to settle the bill the manager told her that it was on the house. A gift from Elisia Corp. Adrianna didn''t think much about it and thanked the manager.

    Adrianna herself was quite tipsy, when she was leaving the restaurant she thought she saw Cedric enter a private room. She followed the man, but before she could enter she was pulled back by Ian.

    "Adrianna, are you alright?" He asked her.

    "Yeah, I just thought I saw Cedric. What are you doing here?" She asked Ian.

    "I''m apanying Mr. Reyes. Cedric is still in the office. Mr. Reyes and I are going back there, he lent us a ce to stay for the night since we are swamped with work." Ian exined, hoping that it would help his boss.

    "Oh alright I''ll leave now." Adrianna said, bidding him goodbye.

    Ian entered the room and told Cedric that his wife was leaving and that Adrianna had almost seen him.

    Cedric nodded, he was concerned about his wife who seemed to have drank quite a lot.

 Chapter 26 - 26

    Adrianna woke up in her room, and she couldn''t remember how she got home.

    When she came down for breakfast she was surprised to see Cedric home. ??

    She gave him a hug for some reason.

    "I thought you weren''ting homest night." Adrianna said. She clearly remembered Cedric telling her that he was so swamped with work and that he wouldn''t be able toe home.

    "I was worried about you. You''re such a lightweight when ites to drinking." Cedric said kissing the top of her head.

    "For once I agree with Cedric. If it hadn''t been for him you wouldn''t have made it home." Gracia said.

    Last night after Ian had told him that Adrianna seemed quite intoxicated he had the bodyguards at the lobby keep an eye on her. When they reported that Adrianna was sending off all of her employees first Cedric headed down. It was a good thing he hade down. As he approached her, she suddenly passed out. Since he didn''t know if Adrianna had brought her car he had no choice but to bring her home in the Maserati he used earlier. Luckily everyone at home was asleep by the time they got back and no one caught a glimpse of the car he had used.

    "Adri, I didn''t know when your car was so we took a cab going home." Cedric told her.

    "I left it at the office since I was worried I would get drunk." Adrianna told him.

    "Alright then. You should eat or we''ll bete." Cedric said, pulling her to the table.

    At Mor Co. Cedric was having an extremely busy week. With the runch and the Elisia Mall project in his hands he didn''t even have time to go out for lunch. Ian and Cami just bought food and they all ate together. At first Ian and Cami refused to eat with Cedric in his office, but Cedric insisted. He thought it would be lonely to eat on his own.

    Within the week Ram Abad had released a statement from Lights Entertainment announcing that Eric Chan would be endorsing Mor Phones. With this piece of news more eyes turned towards Mor Co. The employees of Mor Co. on the other hand were stressed beyond belief. With the high standards their president had set most of them had ended up doing overtime everyday for the past week. They didn''t feel bad though, as everyday when they would leave the office they could still see the lights on in the president''s office. At least they knew that the president wasn''t just goofing off.

    Before they knew it had been a week since the Hernandez family meeting, Cedric and Adrianna who had been seeing each other less due to their work loads took this opportunity to spend some time together. They both got some time off after work and had lunch together.

    "Are you presenting the Elisia Mall projectter?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    "Yeah. Would you know if your boss has anyments on thest proposal we sent?" Adrianna had hoped that instead of Ian she would be working with Cedric, but Mr. Reyes had already assigned it to Ian and she had no right to ask otherwise.

    "I think he''s alright with it. Ian should have given you a call by now." Cedric had told Ian to finish the Elisia Mall project within the day.

    As if on que Adrianna''s phone began to ring, it was Ian with the final ns and approval.

    After lunch they took a walk in the park and went shopping in the mall. Cedric bought Adrianna a bunch of new clothes, when she asked if he had money to pay for it he simply reminded her that he had gotten promoted.

    At the end of the day the couple headed to the Hernandez patriarch''s home in good spirits.

    As usual Fredrik updated the family on thepany status and other family members gave their reports. What surprised Adrianna was that there was no mention of the Elisia Mall project.

    "Uncle, aren''t you forgetting to update everyone on the Elisia Mall project?" Adrianna asked.

    "I was hoping to spare you the embarrassment Adrianna, but since you are insisting." Fredrik paused to take a deep breath. "Adrianna spent tens of thousands throwing a party at Nouveau. This is despite not yet securing the contract to the Elisia Mall project!" Fredrik used.

    "Is this true Adrianna?" Grandpa Hernandez asked with disappointment painted all over his face.

    "I did not usepany money in Nouveau. Also the contract has been signed with Elisia Corp. They agreed to everything we asked for." Adrianna said contradicting everything Fredrik used her of.

    "That''s a lie! Elisia Corp. never agrees 100% to anotherpany''s terms." Fredrik said in disbelief. It seemed no one had thought of telling him about their victory at R Tower.

    "Adrianna, do you have proof?" Grandpa Hernandez asked his granddaughter.

    Adrianna looked at Cedric, she didn''t want to bother Ian but getting that contract was the only proof they could get.

    "I''ll call Ian." Cedric whispered to her.

    "I can prove it!" Adrianna dered as Cedric gave Ian a call.

    Luckily, Ian was still at the office when Cedric called. The only problem was that the VP of Elisia Corp. had not signed the contract yet. Although Cedric could sign it, Adrianna knew his signature. So Ian had to pass by the VPs house and have him sign the documents before bringing it to the Hernandez family.

    When Ian entered he was treated with respect by everyone in the Hernandez family, he was after all the assistant to the heir of Reyes Group.

    "Miss Adrianna, my boss apologizes for the dy. Here is the signed contract. If everything is in order we will begin the partnership immediately." Ian said as he gave Adrianna the contract.

    The rest of the family was in shock. It was like the Reyes Group apologizing to Adrianna.

    "See uncle, I did get the contract. You can check it. Cedric and I are leaving." With that Adrianna stomped out.

 Chapter 27 - 27

    After the incident at the Hernandez''s old house many people in Ind''s Inc. began to treat Adrianna very differently. In the past she wasn''t even treated as if she was a member of the Hernandez family, many saw her as an inconsequential employee. However, after news of the Elisia Mall project was released almost all the employees started treating Adrianna differently.

    Only the employees that were loyal to Fredrik and his children still looked down at Adrianna. With the contract signed Adrianna became even busier giving her less chances of spending time with Cedric. ??

    With both Adrianna and Cedric extremely busy the weeks flew by. They had so much overtime that they woulde home, exhausted. At one point Cedric was tempted to use his driver to take them home, but he eventually decided against it since it was one of the few times he and Adrianna spent alone.

    Finally both his and Adrianna''s hard work would soon pay off. Today Veronica was presenting the final design and model for Mor Co.''s office. It was also today that Eric''s photoshoot andmercial would be approved by Cedric, they had already begun to release teasers on Mor Phone''s runch and an event and press conference was already scheduled.

    "Mr. Cedric, Miss Veronica is here to present the final design for your approval." Cami announced.

    Veronica strutted in. She dropped herptop on Cedric''s desk and opened it.

    "You''re my only client that I need to get approval from. Did you know that?" Veronica said with her hand on her waist and her eyebrow raised. As an internationally renowned designer her clients trusted her taste and never questioned her. On top of that everyone was desperate to have a Veronica designed anything that they were willing to take whatever she dished out.

    Cedricughed at Veronica''s sass. She hadn''t changed a bit since they were kids. She stood at only 152cm and did not even reach his chest. Cedric was not too tall, he stood at 180 cm and had broad shoulders he got from ying sports. Next to him Veronica looked like a child.

    "Thank you, Veronica." Cedric said, grinning ear to ear. He had no ns of questioning Veronica''s design, he trusted that she would give him the best office building in the country.

    "Yeah, yeah, I''m the best. I''ve heard it a thousand times. My awards are enough to prove that." Veronica said, shaking her head as she opened the file she wanted to show Cedric.

    "We''re going with a raw but modern industrial look for your office. Something simple yet timeless. Most offices, especially the tech ones tend to go for that sleek futuristic look but something about those just screams spaceship. We want to exude innovation and cutting edge without making it seem so literal." Veronica exined as they went through the designs. "Although the theme will be industrial, we''ll go with ck and white colors to make it more sophisticated. We''ll incorporate some of the existing structural elements this building already had. And most of the colors would be from the furniture."

    Cedric nodded in agreement. He had no qualms about Veronica''s design, he had intended for this building to be 100% designed by the great Veronica. They went through more details such as the feel of the lobby when people entered, how the meeting rooms and desks would look. The final thing they went through was the president''s floor and office. It carried the same theme of the building but this floor mostly had white walls with ck ents to it. A connecting door was going to be added between Cedric''s office and the board room. There would also be a lounge, which was more like a one bedroom apartment, where Cedric could rest.

    "Can you make me a model for this that we can show on our runch?" Cedric asked leaning back on his seat.

    "I could do it better and faster if you would lend me some designers that can work with myputer programs." Veronica leaned on the wall and crossed her arms.

    "Talk to Ian about it. Tell him what you need. It needs to be done in 3 days so that we can incorporate it into our presentation." Cedric said, taking a sip of his coffee.

    "Do you want to see the design for your house?" Veronica asked.

    Cedric checked the time, he had another meeting but he didn''t want to waste Veronica''s time so he told Cami to move his next meeting by an hour.

    "Sure, let''s look at it." Veronica said, opening another file. Based on her files Cedric could see from the amount of emails and files in Veronica''sptop that she had dyed many clients to work on his project.

    Suddenly a chat box popped out. It was called "Princesses"

    Princess Nicole: BITCHES! I WANNA GO SHOPPING!

    "Ugh, Nicole again. Let me reply." Veronica shook her head as she tried to reply to the group chat.

    Suddenly Nicole sent another message.

    Princess Nicole: @Princess Veronica ARE YOU STILL IN A MEETING WITH CEDRIC? TELL HIM HE''S TOO SLOW.

    Cedric suddenly startedughing.

    "Is your group name supposed to be a y on the 5 princes title people keep referring to us with?" He asked, stillughing.

    "It started out as a joke, but Nicole took it too seriously and it stuck." Veronica, who was alsoughing managed to say.

    "Look Veronica. I trust your design for the house. No need to show me, just tell me how much you need and I''ll transfer it to you." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    Suddenly the chat popped up again.

    Princess Ayanna: It''s a guy again isn''t it @Princess Nicole?

    Cedricughed again as he took out his phone to take a photo of the chat.

    "Nicole is going to hate you." Veronica teased.

    "Don''t introduce her to Ian. Eric and Miguel will never let me hear the end of it if you do." Cedric jokingly threatened.

    Veronicaughed and quickly closed herptop and said her goodbyes to Cedric.

    That afternoon it was Eric that came by his office to do a photoshoot of them signing a contract. Cedric once again wore a facemask and sses. The female employees of their marketing department couldn''t help but sigh at the two men in front of them.

    Eric was taller and fairer than Cedric. He stood at 184cm and simply oozed charm.

    "I think Mr. President might be as handsome as Eric Chan." A female employee told herpanion.

    "The mystery just makes him seem more handsome!" Her friend said.

    The girls sneaked photos of their president and posted it all over. Once again Cedric and Eric managed to top the charts on social media.

 Chapter 28 - 28

    A week had gone by and Mor Phone''s runch day arrived. As a business partner of Elisia Corp. Adrianna had been invited to attend. The event would be held at night and all the employees were invited to join. Most were attending since it was their chance to finally meet their mysterious president and to see Eric Chan live and in person.

    Adrianna had asked Cedric if they would see each other during theunch. Cedric told her that he might be too busy, but he would definitely find time for her. ??

    Cedric had arranged with Ian and Cami to find a way to get Mor Co.''s president to leave right after his speech so that Cedric could watch the rest of the program with his wife. Unfortunately, there were parts where he would be needed so they had to settle with Cedric joining Adrianna after the program.

    When Adrianna got to the lobby of Ind''s Inc. there were two Maseratis waiting at the driveway. She was wondering which bigshot was meeting with her uncle Fredrik that day when all of a sudden the door to one opened and an elegantdy came out. She was dressed for business without sacrificing being fashionable. She wore simple jewelry and had the same aura as a CEO of a big corporation.

    "Adrianna!" The woman waved while walking towards her. Four bodyguards followed right behind. Adrianna suddenly realized that the woman she was so in awe of was Ayanna Reyes, the lively girl that saved her in the watch shop, and she was wearing the watch they bought that day.

    "Miss Reyes, do you have a meeting with my uncle?" Adrianna asked quite respectfully.

    "No, I''m here to pick you up!" She said shing her perfect white teeth. Looking at her Adrianna thought that Ayanna could be an actress and still stand out.

    "Hey Ayanna, Carlos is waiting for us! Will you hurry up!" A young looking girl shouted from the other car.

    "Sorry, that''s my friend Nicole, she''s a bit impatient. Come on." Ayanna held Adrianna by the wrist and pulled her into the car.

    In the Maserati there was another girl inside who looked younger than both Ayanna and Arianna. She was slim and looked very mature, her brown hair was tied in a bun and she leaned against the other door.

    "Adrianna this is Natalia Sebastian, she likes science." Adrianna smiled at the girl next to Ayanna.

    Saying that Natalia liked science was like saying that Veronica liked to doodle on her notebook. Ayanna had dragged Natalia out of herb despite thetter being in the middle of an experiment that could help eradicate some gic illnesses at birth. Natalia did not just like science, she led many innovations in it.

    "Don''t mind Natalia, she doesn''t talk much. Plus she''s mad at me from dragging her from her experiments." Adrianna said as she typed away on her phone.

    "Where exactly are we going?" Adrianna asked.

    "Well, we are going to Carlos'' studio. He''s a friend of Veronica. We''re gonna pick our dresses and have our hair and make up done for tonight." Ayanna told Adrianna.

    Adrianna just sighed, it seemed she was kidnapped by the shopping maniac.

    At Mor Co.''s head office Cedric was choosing what to wear for the runch when the phone on his desk began to ring, it was Ray Laurence.

    "Yeah?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "I thought I should tell you that your sister called the other day and used my ne toe home." Ray told Cedric.

    "And you are just telling me this just now?" Cedric sighed over the phone.

    "Your sister has be quite bossy over the years alright. She made me promise not to tell." Rayined.

    "When is she arriving?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, she arrived this morning." Ray Laurence admitted.

    "I''m sure she won''t stir up trouble. Do my parents know?" Cedric asked. He had full confidence that despite her sometimes odd and careless behavior, Ayanna was mature enough to know what she should and shouldn''t do.

    "I''m not sure. She usually doesn''t tell them if she''s just here for a day or two." Ray admitted to his friend.

    "Alright. I''ll give her a call." Cedric said, dropping the call.

    Cedric quickly dialed Ayanna''s number. It took a while before she eventually picked up.

    "Brother!" Ayanna gleefully greeted.

    "You need to stop harassing Ray for a ne ride. We have our own." The Reyes family owned several personal nes and even apany ne for Reyes Group.

    "But brother, it''s cheaper to hop on a ne that''s already there." Ayanna exined.

    "Not when you unload the whole flight. Don''t be selfish Ayanna, next time just book a seat and not the whole ne." Cedric scolded.

    "It''s Ray that emptied the flight this time. I just wanted a seat. I promise." Ayannained.

    "Alright. So does this mean you''ll be there tonight?" Cedric asked his sister. He heard her giggle on the other line.

    "Yes! Of course. You made such a scenest time and I wasn''t even in the country. I''m not going to miss this. The girls and I are at Carlos'' already!" She told her brother.

    "I''ll see youter then Ayanna." Cedric said, bidding his sister goodbye over the phone.

    At Carlos'' studio.

    "Was that Ce-, your brother I mean?" Nicole asked, almost saying Cedric''s name.

    "Haha. Nicole you are the worst! Yes, it was my older brother." Ayannaughed.

    "Miss Ayanna, I think this is too much." Adrianna said as an assistant showed her some pieces of jewelry to wear.

    "Nah. Those are quite simple. Trust us, we won''t make you look like some cheap social climber." Veronica said quite tly. The sisters often made fun of social climbers that tried to snag one of their brothers. Sometimes women and men would approach them trying to get on their good side in order to climb higher in the food chain, they felt very annoyed by these people.

    "I hate those so much. I''m lucky that my elder brother is so low profile that people don''t know who to suck up to." Ayannaughed. She wanted to say that even if people tried to get close to him, her brother would just push them away since he was already married.

    "Are you guys almost done?" Katerina called from the other room. She had a sudden call with a client and had to work. As one of the bestwyers in the world she often had to fly across different countries just to work.

    "Yeah. We''re just picking jewelry. Want me to pick for you?" Nicole asked.

    "No pink!" Katerina shouted as Nicole was about to pick up a pink set.

    "But you''re so serious all the time! You need to be more feminate." Nicole said, still looking at the pink set before her.

    "Then you wear it. Veronica can you please choose for me. I don''t trust Nicole on this at all." Katerina said before going back to her call.

    "Why don''t you guys ever trust me with these things?" Nicole said, crossing her arms across her chest and leaning against a wall.

    "I would trust you to pick a doctor for me if my life was on the line." Ayanna said, putting her arm around her friend''s shoulder. "But, I would never trust you to pick jewelry for me. You''ll just make me wear that hideous pink!"

    Everyone, except Adrianna, burst intoughter. Adrianna wondered what happened to theposed and powerful women that had picked her up in the office. She was also more curious on why they had dragged her along, after all she had only met Ayanna once.

    Adrianna''s phone started to ring as Cedric gave her a call. She quickly picked it up.

    "Hey honey." As Adrianna said this the sisters all looked at each other and started to giggle. What an odd group of girls, Adrianna thought to herself.

    "Hey, how are you getting to the runch tonight?" Cedric asked.

    "Oh, ummm��" Adrianna paused as she thought of a way to exin to Cedric the predicament she was in.

    "What''s wrong Adri?" Cedri asked, curious as to his wife''s odd behavior.

    "Well, remember the girl that bought our watches?" Adrianna asked, tentatively.

    "Yeah?" Cedric already knew that his sister had kidnapped his wife.

    "So, she showed up at the entrance of my office and dragged me along. We''re at some fashion designer''s showroom and they got me all dressed up for tonight." Adrianna admitted.

    "Alright. I guess I''ll see youter." Cedric said in surrender.

 Chapter 29 - 29

    Mor Co. had booked thergest and most luxurious hall in the Maharlika Hotel. Aside from the employees Mor Co. management also invited many famous personalities as well as the press. As an unknown subsidiary of Reyes Group the highest ranking employees of the group were also invited.

    The employees of Mor Co. were very excited, this was their chance to see their mysterious president. ? ?

    "I can''t believe that we will see the president today, I spoke to my cousin from the marketing department and she said he was as handsome as Eric Chan! They did a photoshoot for the contract signing and they managed to sneak a photo and it trended all over social media!" An employee said, as they waited for the event to start.

    "Do you think he is single? I hope he is! I want to get a chance to be like my favorite heroines." Another girl told herpanion.

    Soon all the employees and press had arrived. They were surprised when the executives of the Reyes and rin Groups arrived.

    "Sir, sir, why are you here?" A member of the press asked as the executives passed.

    "We''re here to support our boss." One replied.

    Suddenly everyone within earshot was shocked, since when was Mor Co. purchased by the Reyes Group, was this the reason for the runch and the change in president. Little did they know that in a few moments they would be even more shocked.

    The executives, instead of seating in the ce of honor, sat with the directors of Mor Co. Who were the bigshots that would sit there?

    Suddenly a group of good looking men and women arrived. It was the 4 princes, their siblings and parents. With them as well were the members of the Reyes family. Ayanna entered with her arm locked with Adrianna.

    "What are they doing there!" Everyone started to snap photos, phone and camera shes illuminated the room.

    "Wait, does this mean that the president of Mor Co. is actually the heir of Reyes Group?" A journalist assumed.

    Only someone as powerful as the heir of Reyes Group could bring these people to the same venue.

    "I need to call my boss, this needs to be the headline for tomorrow''s paper!" Another reporter told hispanion.

    The employees of Mor Co. on the other hand were shocked. Did this mean that they were actually working for the Reyes Group? Apany known to have high demands and high expectations of its employees?

    Everyone was confused at what was happening. No one expected news like this at the runch of a smallpany. Many people who had second thoughts on going were suddenly d that they hade. Imagine missing out on news as big as this!

    "Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats as we will begin momentarily." The host announced in an attempt to calm down the audience.

    The photos snapped had already begun to circte on social media. People were suddenly aware that all the 4 princes and their families had shown up to the event.

    In the Hernandez family house.

    "Dad! Dad! Look!" John said, handing his phone over to his father. Fredrik had immediately noticed Adrianna entering the event alongside Ayanna Reyes.

    "How does she know the Reyes family?" Fredrik asked.

    "Maybe they met when she went to R Tower?" John suggested.

    "No, the employees never mentioned meeting Ayanna Reyes. Could it be? That useless husband of hers is a member of the Reyes n?" Fredrik asked himself.

    "Dad that''s impossible! Cedric Reyes is a useless man that only relies on his wife! How could he be a member of such a powerful family?" John refused to believe his father''s theory.

    "You''re right. Maybe she met her somewhere else. Didn''t Adrianna say she received an invitation to the event since Cedric works there? Maybe she''s there as apanion for Miss Reyes." Fredrik said,ing up with a theory that was closer to what they believed to be more probable.

    "Asia is going to throw a fit when she sees this!" John said, shaking his head.

    Sure enough Asia came stomping into her father''s home office.

    "Why is she there?" She asked angrily.

    "Rx Asia, her husband works at Mor Co. It''s only natural that she''s there. Also she got an invite to attend, she''s actually there on behalf of Ind''s Inc." Fredrik tried to calm his fuming daughter down.

    "I''m supposed to be the most celebrated daughter of this family! Why is Adrianna getting all the attention! I will marry a better man! My position in thepany is higher! My father is the president! Then why is Adrianna there with Ayanna Reyes of Reyes Group!" Asia shouted. Her anger was loud enough to wake up the whole household.

    At Maharlika Hotel.

    Cedric stood at the center of the stage, he had a mask covering his face, sses that he didn''t normally wear outside the office, and he was wearing clothes way too fashionable of the ordinary version of himself. If you knew Cedric, you would say that it was definitely not him.

    "Today, marks a new beginning for Mor Co. with a stronger partnership with Mr. Eric Chan, we will also be changing the image of our office building. This building will be redesigned by the famous architect & interior designer Veronica." Cedric invited Veronica to stand from her seat. She did as asked and smiled at the audience. She was aware that tomorrow her new building would be the talk of the design and business world.

    Adrianna sat at her seat, staring at the man on the stage. His built was the same as Cedric''s, his hair the same color and length, his voice was exactly the same, but this man was still different from her husband. Cedric would never wear such a fancy suit, he would never have such a powerful aura, and most of all Cedric was not the heir to Reyes Group.

 Chapter 30 - 30

    The heir of the Reyes Group remained on stage unmoving and staring at the audience. It was the first time Cedric had noticed Adrianna in the crowd. She was seated in between Ayanna and his mother, she seemed like she was truly a part of the Reyes family. She was dressed in a form fitting navy gown that had iid diamonds that sparkled as the light hit her with every movement. He wanted to jump off the stage and carry his wife home.

    Cedric was drawn back to reality when he noticed Ayannaughing in the audience. He cleared his throat and continued his speech. ??

    "Our dearest guests, employees, and members of the press, I would like to invite you all to try thetest phones in Mor Phones'' product line. Our goal is to bring you a product that you can take to other countries and be proud of. We at Mor Co. thank you for your support."

    At that the crowd burst into apuse. Adrianna could see Ayanna Reyes and her parents who were seated next to her beaming with pride. Adrianna couldn''t help feeling proud too, her husband worked for thispany, and their months of hard work was finally paying off.

    "We will now allow for members of the press to ask questions. We would like to request that the press avoid personal questions." The host announced. Cedric, Eric Chan, and some directors from Mor Co. took their seats in an area set up on the stage.

    "Mr. Eric, is it true that you are endorsing this product free of charge?" A reporter asked.

    Instead of Eric being able to answer Ram, who was seated near the stage burst out inughter. Cedric motioned for Ian to hand Ram a mic.

    "Yes, his endorsement of Mor Phones is free. It''s a gift from me to an old friend." Ram grinned handing the mic back.

    On stage Cedric wanted tough as well, this was not the first question he had expected the press to ask.

    "Mr. Reyes, does this mean that Reyes Group has purchased Mor Co.?" Another member of the press asked.

    "No, Mor Co. has always been a subsidiary of the Reyes Group." That answer from Cedric shocked the audience. All along they thought that the Reyes Group had purchased Mor Co. when in fact Mor Co. had been owned by the Reyes Group from the very beginning.

    "Mr. Reyes, why do you refuse to show your face?" Someone asked.

    "I prefer to keep a low profile." Cedric immediately answered.

    "Mr. Reyes, what are your future ns for Mor Co.?" Another asked.

    "I n to build Mor Co. into one of the top device manufacturers in the world. With our runch and new products we n to introduce ourselves to a global market."

    "Mr. Reyes, you have been gone for thirteen years, are you in a rtionship with anyone?"At this question all the women in the room held their breath. Most of them, even those that were married were hoping deep down that they could have shot at this mysterious man.

    "I don''t mind questions about me, but if the question may potentially involve another person I refuse to answer." It was the first question he refused to answer. The women in the room started to whisper among themselves, trying to figure out what he meant.

    "My brother is amazing, isn''t he?" Ayanna asked Adrianna.

    "I guess he is." Ayanna said, tentatively. In her heart there was only one person, and that was Cedric.

    "You don''t seem impressed by my brother, Adrianna?" Ayanna asked, she knew how much her brother loved this woman, she could also sense that Adrianna had an undying loyalty to her brother. She longed for a love like that.

    "Mr. Reyes is very impressive. He has achieved a lot of things at such a young age." Adrianna admitted.

    "All these women are hoping to have a chance with him, but my brother''s heart belongs to only one woman. Even if the most beautiful woman here were to strip naked in front of him he would never cheat." Ayanna told her sister-inw.

    "If you really love someone, no one else canpare." Adrianna said in a daze.

    "I envy people like you and my brother. You both have found true love and you both have the chance to be with the one you love." The elegant young woman said with a smile.

    As Adrianna and Ayanna spoke, the press couldn''t help but take photos of the beautiful Adrianna as she sat next to Ayanna. From what they knew, Ayanna was closed off to people, she didn''t make friends outside her own circle, she never brought people from the outside in. So this arrival of a new person at her side made everyone extremely curious.

    After the Q&A portion of the event ended Cedric changed back to his normal clothes and messed up his hair. As nned Mr. Reyes would no longer have any appearances on stage after the Q&A, this was to give Cedric a chance to be with his wife.

    Ian approached Adrianna and told her that they were going to be allowed time off already and that Cedric had asked him to fetch her. Adrianna nodded and followed Ian to the back of the audience.

    Ayanna pulled out her phone and messaged her brother.

    Ayanna: You are no fun! Mom and dad love Adrianna. Why did you have to take her away?

    Cedric: She''s my wife, stop stealing her.

    Ayanna: I love her more than you now!

    Cedric: Are you really my sister?

    At that Ayanna refused to reply and just decided to let her brother enjoy the night with his wife.

    Cedric stood with Cami at the back. Everyone else''s attention was on the stage as the marketing team presented thetestmercial and endorsement shots done by Eric Chan.

    Cedric, Adrianna, Cami, and Ian sat on the seats that had been set aside for the president''s secretaries. When Adrianna sat next to Cedric the press started to whisper and take photos of the couple. It was odd that this woman who was seated next to Ayanna Reyes just moments ago was now seated next to Mr. Reyes'' two assistants and a man.

 Chapter 31 - 31

    The journalists quickly posted photos of Adrianna and Ayanna Reyes side by side with photos of Adrianna and Cedric during the event. Due to these photos people online began to specte who Cedric and Adrianna were.

    People began pointing out that the two individuals next to Adrianna and Cedric were Mr. Reyes'' assistants. They even posted photos and screenshots of the event where Cami and Ian were preparing things or helping Mr. Reyes. ??

    This began a rumor that Cedric may be the heir to the Reyes Group.

    Ram Abad, who was seated at the front row was immediately informed by his digital team that such a rumor was circting. One part of his team was focused on monitoring any posts or content circting about the 5 princes and their families.

    He knew that Cedric wanted to keep a low profile so he sent a message to their group chat.

    Ram Abad: Hey Ced, there are a ton of conspiracy theories going around about you now.

    Cedric Reyes: Well I still wore the mask tonight, so it''s only natural that people would talk about me.

    Ram Abad: I''m not talking about the Heir to the Reyes Group. Well I kinda am. People think you''re you.

    Alexi Sebastian: Ram you''re being confusing.

    Ray Laurance: Yeah Ram!

    Ram Abad: Just look at this.

    Ram sent a screenshot of the post as well as thements section from the forum.

    Lovestheprinces: Is he the real heir of the Reyes Group?

    Girlonfire: He looks so ordinary. It can''t be him.

    Personwholoves: But look at the girl with him. She was seated next to Ayanna Reyes and when he arrived she sat next to him.

    FutureMrsEric: The two next to them are Mr. Reyes'' assistants. I clearly saw them in the photos with My Eric

    Ram Abad: Luckily the post isn''t on mainstream social media yet. I can release a statement saying that you are an assistant to the president of Mor Co.

    Cedric Reyes: Yes. I''d like that Ram.

    Ram Abad: Done!

    Miguel Chan: Who the hell uses the username FutureMrsEric? I''m clearly the better choice.

    Everyone chose to just ignore Miguel''s rant.

    Some employees had also noticed the photo circting social media. Since many of them knew Cedric they immediately rified that Cedric was actually an assistant to the president and not the president himself. As to the matter of who Adrianna was it was simple, she was his wife who also had business with the Reyes Group.

    With people rifying who Cedric and Adrianna were, many people online became disappointed, they still didn''t have a face to a name. The heir to Reyes Group remained a mystery, even after his speech and the Q&A portion he suddenly just disappeared without a trace.

    The event all in all was a sess. Mor Co. had managed to sessfully reinvent itself and on top of that the appearance of such important business personalities had also caused people to talk about Mor Co.

    It also helped that Ram Abad was stirring more talk about thepany with their family''s news outlet. For days all people could talk about was Mor Co. and how this nobodypany was actually headed by the heir of Reyes Group.

    Despite the event happening almost a week ago, Mor Co. and the Reyes Heir remained the hottest topic, both online and in person. Even among the employees of Mor Co. they were trying to catch a glimpse of their president. The odd thing was, they didn''t even know how he got to the office. None of the security guards could confirm what car he drove or what time he would arrive in the office. Even more tightly sealed were the lips of his assistants, it even reached the point where Ian, Cami, and Cedric were rarely seen by their co-employees.

    It actually just so happened, that the runch was just the start of a heavier workload for Cedric. With all the news surrounding Mor Phones, the demand and workload for everyone increased. Despite having prepared for a surge in demand no one was able to predict the amount of traction that the brand had gotten in the market.

    Cedric had to meet constantly with his directors on how to produce and distribute enough stocks just to meet the first week''s demand. As a result of their busy schedule, Cedric often asked Ian and Cami to simply order in.

    One day while Cedric was heading out, he noticed that the members of the logistics team were just clocking out as well. He took a quick mental note to make sure to treat all his employees in celebration of their sess and to reward their hardwork.

    It just so happened that among the employees that were leaving was Chris Garin. When he saw Cedric leaving as well he realized that this was his chance. His one-sided argument with Cedric was the reason for his demotion.

    "Hey Cedric." Chris said, cing his arm around Cedric''s shoulder. "You owe me. You got me into troublest time."

    "That was your fault Chris not mine." Cedric said, taking Chris'' arm off his shoulder.

    "Look I got demoted because of you-?? Right before Chris could say anything else he noticed the Logistics Director walking towards them with Cami and Ian. "Buddy, don''t forget about our high school reunion tomorrow alright? I''m sure everyone is excited to see you."

    "That''s tomorrow?" Cedric asked. He hadpletely forgotten about the date of their highschool''s batch reunion.

    Chris sneered at him. If he couldn''t get back at Cedric now, he would do it during their reunion. He was more sessful than Cedric anyway. Cedric might be the president''s assistant, but he was just that, an assistant.

    "Mr. Garin! Do you have so much free time that you would just stand there and chat with your friend." The logistics director called out.

    When the logistics department''s director saw Chris talking to Cedric, he paled. He knew what had happenedst time and was worried that he would have to face the consequences this time. He immediately spoke to send Chris away.

 Chapter 32 - 32

    That night at Adrianna''s home, she was still busy working on documents needed for the Elisia Mall project. In the past few days she would often go to work early and go homete, it was actually quite convenient since Cedric also had a heavy workload and more or less maintained the same schedule.

    "Honey, aren''t you going to eat yet?" Cedric said as he peaked into their room. As soon as they had arrived Adrianna said she still had work to do and told him to just call her when it was time to eat. Cedric and his inws had finished a silent dinner over an hour ago. ??

    "I just need to finish this. We''re so close topleting the project Ced." Adrianna continued to type while answering her husband''s question.

    Cedric went up behind her and gave her a hug.

    "You work too hard Adri." He said, cing a kiss on her cheek. Adrianna blushed at his actions.

    While he had her distracted, Cedric saved the file she was working on and closed herptop. Adrianna was about to fly into a rage when Cedric picked her up and kissed her on the lips.

    His actions shocked her. Cedric had never been a physically demanding person when it came to showing his affections. He had always been the timid and rxed one in their rtionship. His actions made Adrianna forget that she was mad and she kissed him back.

    "Alright. Stop working. You need to eat." Cedric had already taken her out of their room and as already at the top of the flight of stairs going to the dining room.

    "Fine! Put me down. I can walk." Adriannained.

    "You''re cute when you''re like that. Reminds me of our beach date." Cedric winked.

    When Adrianna saw the food on the table she was surprised. It was everything she liked. It seems Cedric had prepared dinner tonight with her in mind.

    "Adri, there is something I forgot to tell you." Cedric said as he massaged her shoulders.

    "I knew it! You''re being extra sweet because you did something. Come on, spill!" Adrianna turned to face him.

    "Well, tomorrow is our highschool reunion. I n on going with you." Cedric confessed.

    "Oh, it''s just that?" She felt that she had over reacted. Adrianna quickly turned back around and continued eating.

    "So can you go?" Cedric asked.

    "I''ve got work." Came Adrianna''s answer.

    "You need to stop working for a bit Adri. I''m sure the project will not fall apart just because you took some time off. Plus you''ve already got the deal signed, all these should be done by someone else." Cedric tried to reason with his wife.

    "Uncle Fredrik cut my team into half, on top of that they decided to move the start date of the partnership sooner. I haven''t even informed the management of Elisia Malls, I''m sure you know how much of a stickler for time the VP of Elisia Malls is. Not only will it be difficult to get the change of dates approved, my team and I will need to get moving on our end as well." Adrianna told her husband.

    "I''ll talk to them for you. Don''t worry." Cedric said in an attempt tofort her.

    "You''re only an assistant, honey. I don''t want you to put your job at risk just for something like this. But I can only agree to go with you if all my work gets pushed back or unloaded by tomorrow." Arianna told Cedric.

    "Just eat your food. I''ll handle it, ok?" Cedric said while giving her a spoonful of rice.

    The next day at Mor Co., Cedric had asked the VP of Elisia Malls to meet him at his office. It was going to be the first time a member of one of the biggerpanies wasing over to Mor Co., a subsidiary.

    When the VP arrived at Mor Co. the employees were a buzz with rumors. Although it had already been confirmed that their president was the heir to the Reyes group from what everyone knew, he wasn''t involved in any other businesses.

    Later on when Ian recounted this to Cedric, Cedric simply said, "Anything involving my wife is my business."

    Ian knew that if any of their female, and some male, employees had heard what his boss had said they would be green with envy.

    At his office Cedric arranged with the VP for Elisia Malls to give Adrianna''s team a hand. Usually Elisia Malls would not have any hand in arranging for the partnership or executing it. They would just provide thepanies with the stage to set it in. But since the partner this time was his boss'' wife, the VP of course offered everything Elisia Malls could give in order to make things easier on Adrianna.

    As soon as they had settled the matter Ian called Adrianna to tell her about the new arrangements. Adrianna was shocked that her husband was able to help her out. All throughout their married lives they had worked separately, rarely interfering in each other''s businesses. Her worries fromst night that this favor would put Cedric''s job at risk was put to ease when she asked Ian about how the president treated Cedric. Of course Ian said Cedric like Cedric, it was a logical answer that they wouldugh about after.

    Cedric was really happy to receive a call from his wife right after lunch telling him that she could go with him to his highschool reunion. Although Cedric went to a school under the public school system he had a ssmate by the name of Gabriel Fortun who had eventually be the driver of a high ranking government official. Gabriel had offered to pay for tonight''s dinner at Constetions Resort.

    Due to his highschool reunion Cedric left the office earlier than usual and picked up Adrianna before going to Constetions Resort. Although the hotel''srgest location was in the capital where most of Cedric''s ssmates, including himself, now lived and worked, the reunion was going to be held in the province of Quirino.

    Quirino was just an hour''s drive away from the capital, without traffic. It was also the province where Cedric had been sent to for his poverty training. Initially when he had arrived in Quirino it was a sleepy suburb town,ter on when Constetions Resort opened it evolved into a favorite tourist destination by people in the capital. Many of the residents had either built businesses or sold their properties making many people much richer.

    The lobby of Constetions had a bamboo and natural material theme to it with locally crafted woodwork everywhere. The whole ce was designed to give off a pre-spanish colonial feel giving rise to the cultural heritage of the area.

    Gabriel had booked a function room that could fit his whole batch. When Cedric and Adrianna arrived most of Cedric''s batchmates were already there. Peoples'' attention was immediately drawn to Adrianna. She was beautiful and sophisticated, she was someone that clearly did not belong with them, she was above them.

    Cedric quickly spotted the table where his friends Thomas Vrdino or Tom and Joseph Merenes or Jo were seated. He waved at them and brought Adrianna over. Tom and Jo knew that Cedric was married, they had however not had the chance to meet her yet.

    "Cedric, is this your wife?" Tom was shocked by the sight of Adrianna.

    "Yes, Adrianna, these are my friends from highschool. Tom and Jo. Tom works here in Constetions as part of their security team, while Jo has been working in the middle east as a nurse." Cedric said, introducing Adrianna to his friends.

    "Cedric, your wife clearly does not belong among usmoners." Jo teased. Despite there being no kind of nobility or caste in their country, people from wealthier backgrounds did not mingle with those often perceived as beneath them.

    "How about our old friend, Gabriel Fortun, do you think he will still mingle with us?" Tom asked. Back in high school the 4 of them had been inseparable. All were initially from very poor families and understood each other''s struggles. Sadly as time went by and Gabriel did better for himself he began to speak to his high school friends less, eventually reaching the point where hepletely stopped talking to them.

 Chapter 33 - 33

    "I''m sure he''ll start noticing your existence again, Jo. You work in a different country. In his eyes you''ve got a lot of money." Tom teased. Although his words were meant to be a joke there was much truth to them. Gabriel would only speak to or notice people he believed were on the same financial and social level as him.

    "He might notice Cedric here. Ced is the assistant to the president of Mor Co. I''m sure you meet as many bigshots as Gabriel does!" Jo said. ??

    Cedricughed.

    "My boss doesn''t meet a lot of people outside the office. Plus I don''t really handle discussions with those bigshots." Cedric exined to his friends.

    "Who is Gabriel?" Adrianna asked the boys.

    "Well Gabriel used to be like us, one of us. Then he got a good paying job and suddenly started acting like he was better than us." Tom was mad at Gabriel for how he treated them, after all it was Cedric that had initially helped him get the job.

    "It just reached the point where he was ashamed to even associate with us." Jo said,pleting what Tom was exining.

    "Adrianna I think you''ll find it quite funny to know that Gabriel is the driver of Mr. Joshua Sebastian, cousin to the president, uncle of one of the 5 princes. That''s why he thinks so highly of himself now." Tom told Adrianna.

    "So he''s just a driver?" Adrianna''s face was painted with confusion. To people like her a driver was just a driver. Just as Cedric was just an assistant in her rtives'' eyes.

    "See Ced! I told you your wife is from apletely different worldpared to ours!" Tom teased.

    "And where is your wife?" He asked Tom. Tom had married his highschool sweetheart and had three children.

    "At home, with the kids. It''s her turn to miss a ss affair. I''m d I went this time. The two of you have never attended before." Tom was smiling at how well his timing was.

    "It''s my first timeing home after 5 years. Prior to that I was busy studying. You can''t me me." Jo exined.

    "Hey look guys! It''s Gabriel!" A girl from the next table said quite loudly.

    If it had been back in highschool, no one would even notice if Gabriel did backflips into the room, but since he was working for a well known person everyone wanted to be his friend now. As Gabriel passed their table Jo whispered to Adrianna.

    "See what I mean now?"

    Adrianna frowned. In her eyes there was nothing spectacr about him, and Cedric''s ssmates were acting as if one of the 5 princes had walked into the room.

    Cedric excused himself to go to the men''s room right before Gabriel was about to give a speech.

    When Gabriel stood up to speak, his eyes were quickly drawn to Adrianna. Just as everyone had noticed, Adrianna was not one of them. She belonged to the kind of people they dreamed of being, or the people they dreamed of working for. Gabriel wondered who had brought such a person to their gathering.

    As Gabriel weed everyone in the room, Cedric had the misfortune of encountering Chris in the men''s room.

    "You!" Chris dragged Cedric to a corner with the help of his friends.

    Chris quickly punched Cedric in the stomach. Cedric winced in pain.

    "Guess what loser! I got demoted because of you. So now I''m gonna take out my anger on you." Chris sent a knee flying at Cedric.

    Cedric however managed to catch the knee before it hit him and he pushed Chris back. Chris'' friends were in shock. Cedric had always been the wimpy kid in ss. He was always bullied and pushed around, how was it possible that he was now fighting back.

    However before any of Chris'' friends could do anything they were knocked out cold by a man who had just entered the men''s room. Seeing this Chris tried to run, but the man incapacitated him as well.

    "Mister Reyes are you alright?" The man asked as he checked if his victims were truly unconscious.

    "Yes. Thank you. Who are you?" Cedric asked the stranger.

    The man suddenly pulled out his phone and made a call.

    "I''ve got 3 men, I managed to subdue them, but the boss is hurt. I need a clean up team and a paramedic here." He said quickly before dropping the call.

    "Do you work for me?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes sir. Your parents hired me five years ago to protect you. Thankfully the past five years have been quiet. My name is Leon." The man said as he inspected Cedric for any injuries. "Luckily you took those self defense lessons a few years back. I don''t think I would have gotten here in time if you couldn''t defend yourself."

    "I realized needed to at least be able to defend myself if I was going back. The Reyes family might be powerful, but we are not short of enemies." Cedric exined.

    Soon a few more bodyguards arrived together with a doctor and a nurse.

    The bodyguards took Chris and his friends away while Leon stayed as the doctors checked Cedric.

    "Sir there is some bruising, but I''m confident that nothing is broken. I''d prefer if you would go with us to the hospital for a check up, but knowing you, you''d probably decline." Cedric was puzzled by the doctor''s insight into his preference. It wasn''t that the doctor was wrong, but rather that the doctor was right. Cedric wanted to stay and go home with his wife. If he suddenly disappeared it would be suspicious.

    "We''ve all been following you for five years sir." When Leon saw Cedric''s puzzled expression he immediately knew what his boss was thinking.

    "You don''t need to explicitly hide from me anymore Leon. I feel safer knowing my parents sent a bodyguard to protect me. Is there one for my wife as well?" Cedric asked.

    "No sir."

    "Alright. I''m sure you know other well trained people. Give a list to Ian. I''ll make sure he knows who you are." Cedric offered before heading back out towards the reunion.

    While Cedric was dealing with Chris and his friends Gabriel decided to make a pass on Adrianna. After weing everyone he went to her table.

    "Hi Miss. I think you might be lost." Gabriel said as he took a seat next to her.

    Adrianna couldn''t help but have both a puzzled and disgusted expression.

    "This isn''t heaven, my dear angel."

    Suddenly he was pped in the face by Adrianna.

    "Who the hell do you think you are? Do you think you could just go around pping men?" Gabriel was furious at Adrianna''s actions. Instead of replying to his question Adrianna took a ss of wine and threw the liquid at his face.

    Gabriel was much angrier now.

    "Look woman, you might think you''re such a hot shot, but you aren''t. Don''t you know who I work for?" Gabriel asked as he grabbed Adrianna''s hand.

    Everyone''s attention had already turned to Adrianna and Gabriel the moment Adrianna threw that p.

    "Which of you brought this whore here?" Gabriel shouted furiously.

    "Don''t you dare call me a whore." Adrianna shouted.

    "You''re just a social climber, whore is more appropriate for people like you." Gabriel hissed as he shoved Adrianna away.

    Adrianna was in high heels at the time and was about to fall down when right on cue Cedric arrived and caught her.

    "Don''t call my wife a whore." Cedric said as he checked if Adrianna was hurt.

 Chapter 34 - 34

    "Cedric Reyes, long time no see. I didn''t expect you to marry a social climber, but then good for you. You''ll be able to get out of whichever hovel you work in." Gabriel was already furious at this point and didn''t remember that he had seen photos of Cedric and Adrianna circting on social media.

    "It''s none of your business." Cedic said as he picked Adrianna up and carried her bridal style. ??

    "Ced, I''m ok. You don''t need to carry me." Adriannained.

    "Hey Cedric, I was talking to you." Gabriel shouted.

    He tried to pull Cedric back but as he took a step forward Tom and Jo blocked him.

    "You know, you''ve be a grade A Ass." Jo said pushing his former friend to the ground.

    "Yeah, in the past you just ignored us, but this time you''re actually physically assaulting a woman." Tom said.

    "Guys, let''s go. This party is boring." Cedric was still carrying Adrianna and his injuries from the fight earlier were beginning to hurt.

    Tom and Jo followed Cedric out. He asked them to apany Adrianna to the hotel''s nurse to be checked out.

    Adrianna tried to refuse but Cedric wouldn''t take no for an answer. Once they had left Leon made himself visible and stood behind Cedric.

    Cedric took out his phone and sent a message to the 5 princes'' chat.

    Cedric Reyes: Tell the manager of the Constetion Resort in Quirino that I''m on my way to his office.

    Ray Laurence: Alright. I''ll give him a call.

    Alexi Sebastian: Why didn''t you tell us you were there?

    Cedric Reyes: I was just supposed to attend a gathering, but things escted.

    Alexi Sebastian: Next time give us a heads up.

    Cedric Reyes: I will. Oh by the way, remember your uncle''s driver?

    Alexi Sebastian: Yeah, the one you rmended?

    Cedric Reyes: Give him hell.

    Miguel Chan: Woah! Did he attack our sister-inw or something?

    Alexi Sebastian: @Cedric Reyes got it. @Miguel Chan grow up. He probably did.

    Cedric Reyes: Thanks guys.

    "Get me a face mask." Cedric told Leon. The bodyguard asked a member of the team to send one to the lobby. Once Cedric wore the mask he took out the sses he kept in his pocket.

    Cedric and Leon took the elevator to the manager''s office in the basement.

    When the manager received the call that the owner of Constetions Resort was on his way to meet him he threw everyone into a cleaning frenzy, by the time Cedric arrived in the administrative offices of the hotel the offices were in a much better state than it initially was.

    "Mr. Reyes, wee. How can we help you?" The manager was a tall young man. He was theplete opposite of what Cedric had expected.

    "You''re the manager here?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes sir. I was personally hired by Mr. Laurence and Mr. Sebastian." The man replied.

    If Ray and Alexi had approved of this guy it must mean that he was good. In the past 5 years Cedric together with his friends built the Invest Export Group. It was a mixture of different businesses under one name, one of which was Constetions Resort. While his friends were busy in university, Cedric was taking part time jobs and using that money he built thepany from the ground up.

    "My name is David, sir. Sir, please, take a seat in your office. As per your instructions you have an office in all Constetions Resorts." The young man led him to the office that we already cleaned.

    An assistant offered him coffee as he inspected the room. The office was in the same style as the whole hotel, reflective of the local pre-spanish colonial culture of the country. Since no one used this office it was quite bare and had no personal items in it.

    "I came from a function here today." Cedric took his seat and crossed his arms.

    "I hope everything matched your standards sir." David said quite calmly.

    "Yes. The service was good, but the guests were unsavory. Can you deal with them?" Cedric stood up to take his leave.

    "Which room sir?" David took out his phone to quickly take note.

    "Aries." Cedric said as he left.

    Back at the Aries function room, many of their ssmates were trying to calm Gabriel down.

    "Gabriel, those three are good for nothing. They are nobodies to you." A woman said as she stroked his arm in an attempt tofort him.

    "Yeah man. That Tom just works here." A male ssmate said.

    "Plus you know so many bigshots. I''m sure they don''t know any." Another chimed in.

    "Plus that wife of Cedric''s, she''s such a bitch. She''s not even that good looking." Everyone nodded in agreement to boost Gabriel''s mood.

    "Let''s not let people like that ruin the night, Gabriel." Gabriel nodded at his ssmate and smiled once again.

    "Waiter! Please give every table a bottle of whisky." Gabriel announced. He had received a very generous sry and bonus the past few years so he could afford to treat his guests.

    While they were drinking Gabriel''s phone rang. It was his boss, Mr. Joshua Sebastian.

    "Mr. Joshua." Gabriel answered the call.

    "You son of a bitch!" Joshua shouted at the other end of the call.

    "Sir, is something the matter?" Gabriel asked.

    "My nephew just discovered that you have been taking bribes!" Joshua was furious when Alexi had told him that his driver was taking bribes from people to give a good word to his boss about them. Joshua was surprised at his nephew''s discovery, since it was Alexi that had rmended Gabriel in the first ce.

    Gabriel could not deny it. Denying it would seem like he was using one of the country''s most trusted congressmen of lying.

    "You''re fired Gabriel."

    Gabriel took a deep breath. He could manage. He had a lot of money saved up from all the bribes, on top of that he often took some of Joshua''s smaller gifts and sold them. To the Sebastian??s, those gifts were small tokens, but to people like Gabriel each item was in the thousands so it was quite a significant amount.

    As the merriment continued in the Aries room the manager suddenly entered with the security team.

    "I received a call that you would be unable to pay for your bill tonight." David said as he stood in front of Gabriel. He had found out that this man was the one that would pay for everything and that he had caused quite a scene earlier on.

    "I''ll be able to pay. Here, take my card." Gabriel handed the manager his card.

    David asked someone to swipe the card. To Gabriel''s shock it was denied.

    "It seems you won''t be able to settle your bill." David said as he threw the card on the ground.

    Gabriel''s face paled. He was embarrassed in front of his whole high school batch. When they had heard that Gabriel''s card was denied they slowly began leaving the room.

    "The police will be here soon. On top of not being able to settle the bill we heard that you assaulted a guest earlier today, you will also be charged for that."

    Gabriel felt like the world had suddenly abandoned him.

 Chapter 35 - 35

    At the police station Gabriel was cuffed and left in a room. They had already processed him and it seemed he would be spending a long time in jail.

    "Someone is here to see you." A police officer said. ??

    Gabriel was surprised when Cedric entered. He was followed by a strongly built man behind him.

    "You know, if you hadn''t hurt my wife I would have let you go." Cedric had a dark aura about him as he spoke.

    Gabriel began tough hysterically.

    "Are you trying to say that I''m here because of you?" Gabriel mocked.

    "Yes." Cedric said coldly.

    "You are a nobody Cedric."

    Cedric simply grinned at Gabriel''s words.

    The door opened again, and to Gabriel''s surprise it was someone familiar to him.

    "Mr. Alexander, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to take bribes. You see my mom is sick." Gabriel pleaded at the sight of the man.

    "I thought he was your friend." Alexipletely ignored the pleading man.

    "He changed. Plus he hurt my wife." Cedric told Alexi.

    Gabriel was shocked at the conversation. How did a poor man like Cedric know such an important government official such as Alexander Sebastian.

    "Such an unfortunate man. Don''t you know that it was Cedric that got you your job?" Alexi said with a grin.

    Gabriel knew that, but he thought it was just because Cedic had known a member of staff, he didn''t expect that Cedric knew Alexander Sebastian himself!

    "I didn''t think you would turn out like this Gabriel." Cedric''s disappointment in his former friend was quite clear based on the look he wore.

    "Who are you?" A clearly confused Gabriel finally asked.

    Alexi grinned and lit a cigarette for himself before offering one to Cedric who refused.

    "You hid it too well Ced. Gabriel can''t even figure out who you actually are." Alexi teased. "If I were you Gabriel, I would think long and hard."

    Suddenly the realization hit Gabriel like a wave. Only one person was so powerful and so low profile.

    "Impossible! I''ve known you my whole life!" Gabriel said in shock.

    Alexi suddenlyughed.

    "You haven''t known me your whole life, Gabriel." Cedric rified.

    Gabriel started to count.

    "I transferred to Quirino Public School in high school. Prior to that I was someone else." Cedric finally said.

    "Y-y-you can''t be the Reyes Heir! What kind of family sends their heir to a public school?" Gabriel said in disbelief.

    "You can''t even begin to understand our world." Alexi said with a puff of smoke.

    "Leon, let''s go. Ray will deal with him right Alexi?" Cedric said as he turned to leave.

    "Gabriel you''re gonna wish you were just dead." Alexi put out his cigarette and left.

    Gabriel had worked for the Sebastians long enough to understand that the Rey they were referring to was Raymund Laurence. Business tycoon to the public, king of the underground to those that belonged there.

    "Thanks for the help today Alexi." Cedric said as they exited the room.

    "You could have managed it on your own if you weren''t so low profile." Alexi admitted.

    "Let''s go." Cedric said.

    "What about the other three?" Alexi asked.

    "I''m going to make Chris Garin lose everything he loves and cares about." At that Cedric and Alexi left the police station.

    "You seem alright Miss Adrianna. You just need to avoid putting too much weight on your left foot. Also avoid wearing heels for at least two weeks." The nurse told Adrianna as she did some final checks on her left ankle.

    It seemed Cedric was right to over react and send his wife to the hospital nurse. Adrianna had twisted her left ankle and it needed some attention.

    "Did Cedric tell you where we would meet him?" Adrianna asked Tom and Jo.

    "He said to wait for him in the lobby. Guess what I heard Adrianna!" Tom boasted.

    "It seems that after we left, Gabriel''s life took a turn for the worst. The manager demanded that he pay for everything, but his card bounced. Then he got sent to jail, and if rumors are to be believed it seems that he also lost his job." Tom excitedly announced.

    "What a stroke of luck!" Jo said happily.

    "Are you ready to go to the lobby, Adrianna? Or do you still want to rest?" Tom asked.

    "Let''s go and wait for Cedric." Tom and Jo helped Adrianna get up and walk.

    Alexi gave Cedric a ride back to the hotel. He was lucky that Alexi had just so happened to be a guest in an event in Quirino that day.

    "What are your ns for the other two? You invested in them just the same." Alexi asked his friend.

    "I just gave them the opportunity, what they achieved depended on them. I''ll put Tom in a better position at Constetions, he''ll eventually take a management role. As for Jo, I''ve been talking to Miguel, he thinks Nicole can give Jo a good position in one of their hospitals. I was surprised to see Miguel impressed with someone, I take that as a good sign." Cedric had helped each of the three get in the door. Some people, like Gabriel, let that fortune cloud their judgement, there were others that despite their achievements, remained humble, like Jo. However, there were some like Tom, who were just happy to have a job and chose not to rock the boat.

    Alexi simply nodded and they rode in silence back to the hotel.

    "Hey Adrianna, does Cedric have any bigshot friends?" Tom asked as he saw Cedric getting out of an expensive car.

    "He knows some. I think people he met at work. Why?" Adrianna replied.

    On cue Cedric entered the lobby with Alexi.

    "Thank you for your testimony Cedric." Alexi said in a rtively loud voice. Cedric wanted to scold him for being too loud and too obvious.

    "I hope he goes away for a long time sir." Alexi wanted tough at Cedric calling him sir.

    Cedric went toward his stunned wife and friends.

    "What was that?" Jo was shocked.

 Chapter 36 - 36

    "Gabriel was arrested and they asked me to testify. The owner of the hotel is my boss and a friend of Mr. Sebastian. So I was also asked to handle it." Cedric exined. "I''m sorry for tonight Adrianna."

    Adrianna just smiled and gave Cedric a hug. ??

    "Let''s go home." Adrianna said.

    Cedric and Adrianna bid his friends goodbye, unknown to Tom and Jo, tomorrow their lives would suddenly change for the better.

    The next day, after an eventful night Adrianna braised herself for another encounter with her family at grandpa Hernandez'' home.

    She knew that she would get scolded for her behavior the previous week, even if she had managed to secure the deal and her uncle had used her of lying to the whole n, as the younger member she was expected to apologize. This was one of the things Adrianna hated so much about her traditional family, their attitude to women and the younger generation were so old fashioned.

    Growing up Adrianna had followed everything her elders asked of her. She took all the lessons and sses they thought a properdy should take. She dressed the way they expected her to dress. She made friends with the people they wanted, she even chose her university degree and school based on what her family wanted. There was one thing however, that she was not able to give up, the man she loved.

    When Adrianna was in university, her family had already been setting her up to date the young rich heir of a political and business n. Should they get married it would have brought the Hernandez family to new heights. They had pushed her to date the son of the Ching family, a boy that was notorious for having a new girlfriend every month.

    Luckily Adrianna met Cedric. He was someone who was not from her world, someone different. She didn''t have to act a certain way, or know certain people, in front of Cedric she was her genuine self.

    "Hey, are you feeling alright?" Cedric''s voice drew Adrianna back into reality. He was driving them to her grandfather''s house.

    "Yeah, I was just thinking about what''s going to happen when we get there." She sighed.

    "Just know, that no matter what, I believe in you, and I will always back you up." Cedric said in a soft and tender voice. Cedric had spent the whole day in meetings with his directors working on the expansion ns for Mor Co. He often held a strong and cold facade in the office, a total opposite to how gentle he tended to be around his wife.

    When they finally arrived at her grandfather''s home, everyone was silent. On a normal day her rtives would be quite noisy, talking to one another and sharing thetest gossip about their friends. Today however, an eerie silence fell as people began to arrive. Adrianna felt that it could somehow be rted to them, but she decided to just shake off the feeling.

    When everyone had taken their seats Adrianna''s grandfather stood up. Her uncle, Fredrik, was about to stop him but no one could tell him what to do.

    "Before anything, I would like to acknowledge Adrianna. She has always worked hard for this family and has always put our family first, and I feel that we do not thank her enough for that." Some of Adrianna''s rtives pped and nodded, agreeing with what grandpa Hernandez had to say.

    "I would like to announce that starting tomorrow, I am giving Adrianna the task of handling all of our new partnerships." Everyone was surprised. This role was held by John Hernandez, Fredrik''s eldest son whom everyone had been expecting to lead the family in the future.

    "Grandpa! You can''t!" John stood upining.

    "Adrianna was able to close the biggest deal we''ve had in years. On top of that she''s shown her ability in making the right connections that will help us expand in the future. My decision is final." Grandpa Hernandez said.

    "The right connections grandpa?" Adrianna was curious as to what her grandfather meant. For years her rtives had attacked her for not making the right friends or marrying the right man for the sake of the family. Why was it that all of a sudden grandpa Hernandez was saying that she was making the right connections.

    "You''ve been all over the news recently Adrianna. You never told us you knew Miss Ayanna Reyes." Her grandfather said as he sat back down.

    "I met her by ident. Also Cedric works for her brother so we met at theunch." Adrianna intentionally left out the part where Ayanna had kidnapped her outside of her office to go y dress up for that night. She still hadn''t even returned the jewelry or dress that she used. She had asked Cedric to return it but he told her that she was supposed to keep it.

    "None the less it seems that the daughter of the Reyes family is quite fond of you. I hope you can maintain that good rtionship with her." What grandpa Hernandez said was apliment and a task at the same time. He expected her to use her friendship with Ayanna to benefit Ind''s Inc.

    "I won''t do anything to offend her grandpa. I promise." Adrianna finally said. "But grandpa, I think it''s about time that everyone here acknowledge that Cedric yed a big part in me getting the Ind''s Inc. deal, he is after all Mr. Reyes'' assistant." Adrianna had always hoped that her family would ept Cedric. They didn''t need to love him the way they loved Mark Chu, but at least they should give credit where credit is due.

    "About time he finally did something for this family." Her grandfather said. He was clearly still unhappy with Cedric.

    "Cousin, stop insisting that Cedric belongs with us, or that he can contribute to this family. We''ve all already tolerated your choice." Asia spoke as if Cedric was not there at that time. She was lucky that she was rted to Adrianna, if she weren''t Cedric would already have asked Leon to drag her out.

    "It''s okay Adrianna, I really don''t mind. Let''s just eat and celebrate your new position." Cedric whispered to Adrianna while massaging her hand.

 Chapter 37 - 37

    Adrianna eventually calmed down and kept quiet the whole meal. Cedric could see Gracia stealing nces to check if her daughter was alright. Despite their differences Cedric knew that Gracia would always have Adrianna''s best interest at heart, she just showed it differently.

    "Father, I have news as well." Charles was a silent man. He rarely spoke at these things and often avoided getting involved in the family business. ??

    "Yes?" His father asked.

    "My inws, the Lobo family will being for a visit next month." Gracia had been born to the Lobo family in the northern part of the country. Her marriage to Charles was strategic to both families. Both the factories and raw materials used by Ind''s Inc. were located in the province where the Lobo family basically ruled. They held almost all the power in that province, from the high ranking officials to the police chief. The only part of their province that was out of their control was the industry, one of thergest contributors of which was Ind''s Inc.

    "Of course we will wee the Lobo family with open arms! Have you booked them a hotel yet?" Grandpa Hernandez asked.

    "I was going to ask if you prefer we book them at the Archipgo or at Constetions? Of course Archipgo is the more traditional and high end hotel for them to stay, but a lot of young people in the provinces are moring to stay in the main hotel of Constetions." Charles told his father.

    "Father, why don''t I ask my rtives where they prefer to stay?" Gracia injected.

    "Yes, it''s best if we ask them, we don''t want to assume that since they are from the province they would immediately prefer to stay at Constetions." Grandpa Hernandez said in agreement.

    As soon as the matter for her rtives had been settled Adrianna wanted to leave, but due to the Elisia Mall project she had to give an update to the rest of the family. Adrianna held Cedric''s hand the whole time.

    Cedric knew his wife wanted to walk out, or to scream at her rtives, but this was the life he had been living the past 13 years, with people looking down at him. Initially he wanted to tell them who he was on his 28th birthday, but he realized that if he did that all anyone would think is that Adrianna simply got lucky and that she didn''t have any abilities of her own, that she was simply a pretty face that chose right.

    After the dinner Cedric and Adrianna immediately left. Since the incident at Quirino, Leon and his team had been following Cedric more explicitly. Cedric saw their ck car tailing after them, he remembered to ask Leon if he had found a suitable bodyguard for Adrianna. With how heated things got in the Hernandez home that night he wanted to make sure that his wife was safe at all costs.

    The next day at Mor Co., Ian and Leon presented to Cedric a list of suitable candidates, all of whom were women. Cedric quickly eliminated the women who looked too foreign, then those that were too bulky to look like people who would be in areas Adrianna went to.

    Cedric finally settled with a woman named Mai. She looked ordinary enough to blend in the crowd, but she was experienced enough to protect Adrianna should she need it. Mai was equipped with a team simr to Leon''s, Mai would start following Adrianna that same day.

    In the afternoon Ian suddenly interrupted one of Cedric''s meetings, ording to him it was urgent, so Cedric went with Ian into his office.

    "Sir, the assistant of Mr. Ray just called. ording to him John Hernandez is running a smear campaign on your wife."

    "How did Ray find out about this before us?" Cedric asked.

    "It seems John Hernandez wanted you, as Mr. Reyes, and the Elisia Mall team to hear about the rumors from one of the 4 princes. Due to Mr. Ray''s involvement in business John Hernandez used a friend that was cooperating with Mr. Ray''spany." Ian read the details that Ray''s assistant had sent him.

    "Get the VP of Elisia Mall here. I''ll talk to him after my meeting." Cedric directed. "Set a meeting between my wife and the VP for Elisia Mall and my wife for lunch tomorrow. The Bamboo Room should be a suitable ce, book just a table not the whole restaurant this time."

    "Sir, don''t you want to know what John Hernandez is saying?" Ian asked his boss.

    "It doesn''t matter, I know my wife. I don''t need to hear it." Cedric would never listen to rumors about his wife, he knew her the best and he trusted her.

    "Sir, you''ll find it quite funny." Ian tried not tough as he remembered the rumor.

    "Alright, out with it." Cedric said in surrender.

    "ording to him, Mrs. Reyes is trying to get into your bed with the help of her husband." Ian was grinning as he told his boss.

    "Why would my wife try to sleep with me, we sleep together every day?" Cedric had been so hung up on his presidential persona that he didn''t realize the joke. It took him a full 30 seconds to realize what Ian meant. After which he burst outughing.

    "Okay, now that is funny." Cedric admitted.

    "Sir, that''s why Mr. Ray had his assistant call me, he thought you wouldn''t take him seriously." Ian said.

    "I wouldn''t have. Let''s get back to work and settle this matter after. No one defames my wife." Cedric suddenly returned to his cold personality.

    Ian was incredibly efficient. By the time Cedric was done with his meeting the VP of Elisia Mall was already waiting in his office. Ian also reported that Adrianna had already epted the meeting for lunch the next day.

    "Tomorrow, you''ll meet my wife and make sure that people stop defaming her."

 Chapter 38 - 38

    At the Bamboo Room, Adrianna was led to one of the tables with a view. The VP of Elisia Mall was already there when she arrived.

    When he saw her, he immediately stood up and weed her. ??

    Adrianna was a bit surprised as only important persons were greeted that way.

    "Sir, why did you call for a meeting?" Adrianna asked once they were done ordering.

    "Madam, I''m here on behalf of my boss." The VP said standing up. He knelt on his knees and said in a loud voice. "My boss, the president of Mor Co. and the heir to the Reyes Group would like to seek your forgiveness."

    His actions quickly drew the attention of everyone in the restaurant, there were socialites, actors, politicians, and businessmen. They were surprised to see an executive of the Reyes Group, on his knees, asking the forgiveness of this woman on behalf of the heir to the wholepany.

    "Isn''t that Adrianna Hernandez? Did you hear the recent rumor about her?" Someone in the crowd whispered to theirpanion.

    "What''s going on? I''ve never heard of the Reyes Group asking for anyone''s forgiveness, surely someone as powerful as they would have no need to apologize to anyone." A businessman whispered. Aside from curiosity they were also envious that the Reyes Group was apologizing to someone.

    "Miss Adrianna, my boss is truly sorry that rumors have tarnished your name because of people that want to create issues about him." The VP exined, still on his knees.

    "Please, sir, get up. There is no need for this." Adrianna said as she tried to help the VP get back up on his feet. "Sir, I don''t even know what rumors you are talking about."

    "Miss, you really don''t know?" The VP asked as he fixed his suit.

    "I really don''t, sir."

    The pair took their seats. Everyone around them remained silent, eavesdropping on their conversation.

    The VP of Elisia Malls took a deep breath and proceeded to tell Adrianna about the rumors the way Cedric had instructed him.

    "Miss, it seems that someone who may be very jealous of my boss, has decided to say that you were chasing after my boss. Mr. Reyes apologizes for dragging your name in the mud."

    Everyone around them gasped. Shouldn''t this scene have yed the other way around? Shouldn''t Adrianna be the one apologizing to the Reyes family for the rumors going around about her?

    "There is no need for your boss to apologize, I''m sure it was just a misunderstanding. In fact it should be I that should apologize. My actions seemed to have been taken the wrong way by people." Adrianna said.

    "I''m sorry miss, but I have strict instructions from my boss not to ept your apology." The VP''s statement once again shocked the evesdroppers.

    "Miss as a token, my boss wants to give you this car." The VP tried handing Adrianna a key to what seemed like a Porsche.

    "I cannot ept this sir. I really don''t want my husband to misunderstand." Adrianna refused the gift.

    "The boss said you might refuse. So here''s what we will do instead, you can ask for any favor from him, at any time and he will grant it." In the back of his mind the VP was thinking that Mr. Reyes would grant his wife a million wishes if she wanted. His boss truly loved his wife.

    The people who had witnessed what was going on quickly messaged their friends, and before Adrianna or Cedric could realize there was a new rumor going around.

    By the time Ian had found out about the new rumor Cedric was already packing up to leave the office.

    "Sir! It seems we managed to kill the old rumor, but it created a new one." Ian said.

    "What is it?" Cedric ced down his things and sat back down on his desk.

    "Well sir, I recently joined a couple of forums that talk about you and the other princes." Ian began.

    "Ian, please get to the point, I still need to pick up my wife." Cedric groaned.

    "Well sir, people are now saying you have a crush on your wife." Ian said hesitantly as he showed Cedric the trail in the forum.

    Cedric took the phone from Ian and scrolled through the forum.

    Zigzager: My uncle was in bamboo room earlier and he heard that the Reyes Heir was offering Miss Adriana a new car

    Axw201: I heard she''s a married woman!

    Darkiedo: Yes! She actually refused the car because of her husband!

    Justagirl22: I don''t know if she is loyal or stupid.

    IndigoSun: So does this mean the Reyes Heir has a thing for a married woman?

    Sherly001: Of course he does! And I''m sure her husband is going to lose.

    Cedric shook his head after reading just a fewments.

    "Think of something to clear this up, I''ll alsoe up with my own ideas. This is just crazy, how can I steal my wife from me!" Cedric ended upughing at the thought that he was justpeting against himself and no one knew about it.

    After picking Adrianna up she told Cedric about the crazy lunch she had with the VP of Elisia Malls. She told him how embarrassed she was at the scene the VP had caused.

    "You know, there is another rumor going around about you." Cedric said with a snicker.

    "What is it this time?" Adrianna sighed.

    "ording to rumors, the heir to the Reyes Group has a crush on you!" Cedricughed when he finally told her.

    "That''s crazy!" Adrianna said.

    "I think you''re beautiful enough to attract a CEO!" Cedric said quite lovingly.

    "Stop teasing Cedric! I''m being serious here." Adrianna scolded her husband.

    "Adrianna, to me, you are the most beautiful woman in the world." Cedric quickly stole a kiss on her cheek.

    Cedric couldn''t see it but Adrianna blushed at his words and actions.

    "Besides, I don''t trust those rumors. I only trust you." Cedric said as they continued their drive home.

 Chapter 39 - 39

    The rumors about the Reyes Heir having a crush on Adrianna never really died down. People continued to talk about how she had managed to capture the heart of the most eligible bachelor and yet chose to remain loyal to her husband.

    I wasn''t just online that people were talking about Adrianna, even in the office rumors had spread. Some of those that were with Adrianna at R Tower recalled how Mr. Reyes just stared at Adrianna the whole time they were in the lobby or on the elevator. ??

    First hand witnesses like these helped fuel the already burning rumors about her.

    "Do you think she only got the project because he has a crush on her?" Adrianna heard a female employee ask herpanion. Adrianna was in one of the washroom cubicles when she heard the new arrivals talking about her.

    "It''s possible, but I saw the paperwork, it wasn''t the Reyes heir that signed the contract. It was the VP for Elisia Mall. Also what role does he have there?" As a subsidiary of the Reyes Group, Cedric owned 10% of the total shares in Elisia Mall, his father owned 50% and Ayanna owned 25%, together their word wasw in Elisia Corp.

    "Do you think she''ll leave her husband for him?" the female employee asked.

    "I doubt. Even when her family was pressuring her not to marry him she refused to do as they asked." It seemed that the 2nd employee had been an older one since not many knew that Adrianna had refused to follow what her family wanted.

    Adrianna was extremely frustrated with what the employees were saying. Although from the start she wanted to step out of the cubicle and tell them off, she was also very curious about what people were saying about her. She eventually just chose to stay quiet and listen.

    "You know, if she had chosen a guy like Mark Chu, I would think that Miss Adrianna was just a pretty face with a rich background. The fact that she married a poor man really shaped my opinion of her." Adrianna''s interest was caught again by what the female employee had said.

    "Yeah, we all know that Asia kid is a bitch and a social climber, I don''t even know how she got her diploma!" said the younger employee.

    "Sadly, she''ll probably inherit arger chunk than Miss Adrianna. I like Miss Adrianna more." The voices started to fade as the employees left.

    Adrianna exited the washroom with a small smile on her face.

    After that she invited her friends out to go shopping and to have dinner and coffee. Despite the good things she heard in the washroom there were still more people talking badly about her. She also invited Cedric toe along.

    Cedric, who was scheduled to have multiple meetings that night, asked Cami to clear out his schedule and move all of them to the next day.

    During hisst meeting of the day his father called.

    "Your sister made Ray give her a ride home again." Emilio Reyes was ecstatic at the thought that his daughter wasing home for the long weekend.

    "Did she make Ray cancel a flight again?" Cedric asked with a sigh.

    "I sent the ne, don''t worry." His father told him.

    While he was on the call with his father the 5 princes chat was buzzing with conversation.

    Ram Abad: Cedric! My sister said Ayanna is back for the weekend.

    Ray Laurence: What?! She didn''t ask me to empty out a flight?

    Alexi Sebastian: It seems Cedric''s scolding got to her.

    Ram Abad: She probably asked uncle to send the ne.

    Alexi Sebastian: Something she should have been doing this whole time.

    Ray Laurence: Hey all your sisters keep hijacking my flights. There was a time that they took so many trips that people wereining about dyed and cancelled flights.

    Ram Abad: Was this the shopping trip?

    Ray Laurence: Yes it was the shopping trip!

    Alexi Sebastian: My sister''s are responsible women! They would never do that. It was probably Ayanna''s idea.

    Cedric Reyes: It most definitely was Ayanna''s idea.

    Miguel Chan: Nicole just called. They''re inviting us to the mall tonight.

    Alexi Sebastian: There goes my credit limit.

    Ray Laurence: Your card has a limit?

    Alexi Sebastian: A limit on them. Do you know how much two girls can shop? It''s not like they don''t earn their own money, they just like spending mine!

    Cedric Reyes: So that''s where Ayanna picked that up!

    Alexi Sebastian: My sisters would not be shopping as much if it weren''t for your sister!

    Cedric Reyes: I don''t know where she picked that up, probably from Veronica!

    Ram Abad: Most likely.

    Miguel Chan: Are youing with uster @Cedric Reyes?

    Cedric Reyes: It''s so tempting, but I can''t. Adrianna made ns.

    Ray Laurence: Can''t you just ditch her? Just apologizeter on. It won''t do much harm.

    Ran Abad: Yes, listen to the perpetually single Ray Laurence, his advice should be the best.

    Ray Laurence: Who should he listen to then, Alexi who has a new girlfriend every month?

    Alexi Sebastian: Collect, collect, then select.

    Miguel Chan: You make me sick Alexi. Ced, even Eric is going with us!

    Cedric Reyes: And how will you exin that to his fans, especially when they realize that he has the samest name as you and Nicole?

    Miguel Chan: He works for Ram, and we''re the 4 princes, who wouldn''t want to hang out with us!

    Cedric Reyes: Enjoy your shopping trip, Ayanna should arrive at any moment to steal my card again.

    Right on cue Ayanna came bursting in the door.

    "Why am I always thest one to know that you areing home?" Cedric said as she jumped to give him a hug.

    "Cause you wouldn''t be happy with me spending so much. But brother you and dad make so much money that I couldn''t spend all of it in one lifetime." Ayanna giggled. Although Emilio and Cedric Reyes had made a lot of money, the women of the Reyes family were not idle either. Elisia Mall was at the level it currently was due to Ayanna''s business smarts, it also helped that she loved to shop.

    "Here, I know you came for this." Cedric handed her his card.

    "Will you really note big brother?" Ayanna asked.

    "I''m apanying your sister-inw. So, no." Cedric said, chasing his sister away.

    Not long after Ayanna left, Cedric went to fetch Adrianna to go to the mall. Adrianna had been texting him about how sad she felt due to the rumors. Cedric felt really guilty since it seemed that he managed to make things worse with his ns. He began to consider telling her about who he really was so that they could both have a goodugh at the rumors.

    Adrianna had decided to go to Pris, it was a mall under Elisia Corp. that was built to target a higher end market. It was also thergest mall that they had built to date and if rumors were to be believed, Ayanna Reyes named this mall after her mom, Prisci.

 Chapter 40 - 40

    Adrianna and her friends were stopping at almost every store in the mall, she bought clothes, shoes, and bags. She was even insisting for Cedric to buy clothes that were more fashionable, but Cedric preferred his ordinary work attire over the coats and ties Adrianna wanted to buy him. On top of that he had a closet full of new clothes both at his parent''s house and at the office, he rarely even wore any of them since it wasn''t his style.

    The girls were trying on some clothes when they heard Natasha scream from outside the dressing room. Julia, Sofia, Adrianna, and Cedric rushed to check on her, luckily she was still fully dressed and seemed to be alright. ??

    "We were so worried Natasha, why did you scream?" Adrianna asked with a sigh.

    "The 4 princes and their sisters are here in the mall too!" Natasha blushed, ashamed at her excitement.

    "We''ve already met them before, why are you so excited?" Adrianna asked.

    Cedric hadn''t realized that his sister and their friends would be going to the exact same mall. He thought it was such an interesting coincidence since Ayanna''s favorite shop wasn''t even in this branch. In reality Ayanna had asked Cami and Ian where Cedric was going so that they could "identally" bump into him.

    "Cause, Eric Chan is also with them." When Natasha said this Adrianna''s eyes suddenly lit up.

    "Where in the mall are they?" Julia asked, unable to hide her excitement.

    "Well, based on the photos posted 5 minutes ago, they are at the Men''s section. Cedric this is all your fault! If you agreed to let Adrianna buy clothes for you we would have bumped into them!" Natasha scolded Cedric.

    "Natasha, you didn''t want us to go to the Men''s section either." Adrianna said, rolling her eyes.

    "Look even if you guys tried to run after them based on the location in posts, this mall is so big. The odds of you bumping into them is really low." Cedric knew that even if they didn''t chase them the group they were dreaming about would find them.

    Cedric already had his suspicions that Ayanna even knew where they were nning to have their dinner. It wouldn''t be too difficult for her to get someone to ask every restaurant in the mall to figure out where Cedric and Adrianna were having dinner after shopping.

    "As much as I don''t want to admit it, Cedric is right." Julia sighed, she too wanted to get a chance to meet the 4 princes and Eric Chan, but the odds weren''t in their favor.

    "Julia, which of the 5 princes is your favorite?" Natasha asked.

    "I think Raymund Laurence is the most charming!" Julia said with a blush.

    "What? Haven''t you heard the rumor that he''s gay?" Natasha giggled.

    Behind them Cedric wanted tough, he hadn''t heard this rumor yet.

    "He isn''t gay!" Julia defended her hopes to meet and fall in love with Raymund Laurence.

    "Julia, think about it, he''s really good looking, he''s really rich, and from what I''ve heard he''s really smart. And he has never had a girlfriend. He doesn''t even have paparazzi photos with any girls!" Natasha recounted all the points that were enumerated in the forum that was trying to point out that Raymund Laurence was gay.

    "Cedric knows him, is he gay?" Adrianna quickly asked Cedric.

    "I don''t know him that well." Cedric was sure Ray wasn''t gay. But he wasn''t going to save Ray from rumors like this.

    "How about you Adrianna, Cedric aside, which of the 5 princes would you choose?" Julia said in an attempt to shift the attention.

    "I''d still choose Cedric." Adriannaughed.

    "Not one of the choices, please say you''ll choose the Reyes Heir!" Sofia nagged.

    "Definitely not him. It''s his fault my husband has to workte nights all the time. Plus he''s too cold!" Adrianna said. When Cedric heard this he wanted tough, if only Adrianna knew she was describing the same person.

    ??What do you mean he is too cold?" Natasha was curious with what Adrianna had just said.

    "Remember, I met him for the Elisia Mall project?" The girls nodded in reply, their full attention now on Adrianna.

    "Well he just gave off this cold aura. He didn''t talk at all andpared to his friends he just seemed stiff the whole time. Who would want to be with a guy like that? Cedric don''t you ever dare turn into someone like your boss." Adriannamanded Cedric.

    At that time Cedric was just so worried about seeing her in person as his persona as the Reyes Heir that he couldn''t speak. All he could do was just stare at her and when she was presenting their ns he was just so proud and in awe of his wife that he didn''t know how to react anymore. He knew that day, if he revealed to Adrianna who he really was she would feel like she didn''t get the project because of her skills, but rather because she had fallen into the kind of person her family wanted, someone whose connections could be maximized to their benefit.

    From their early days together Cedric knew that Adrianna was more capable than people believed, whenever they saw her beautiful face they began to assume that she was not capable of anything other than looking pretty. Cedric witnessed how professors in university dismissed her ideas because they only saw her for her beauty and not for her intelligence. He wanted Adrianna to show the world that she was more than just a pretty face.

    "Earth to Cedric, are you there?" Adrianna''s voice drew Cedric out of his thoughts. He just smiled at her and nodded.

    "Come on, I''m exhausted. Let''s go eat!" Adrianna interlocked her fingers with his as they walked to The Hangout.

    The Hangout was one of Adrianna''s favorite restaurants, it had a more rxed ambiance and the restaurant was designed with school memorabilia from the top 4 universities in their country. It was really targeted to attract alumni of those schools, but soon enough people who also dreamed of going to any of those schools began to frequent the ce as well.

    When they got to The Hangout, there was arge crowd of people snapping photos and trying to take a look inside.

    "I wonder why people are trying to take photos, do you think something happened inside?" Sofia said as she tried to take a look inside.

    "I hope not. I was really looking forward to eating here today." Julia frowned.

    "Maybe there is a famous artist inside. These people look like fans." Sofia guessed based on how the people were acting.

    "Hey Julia, isn''t that man over there your dad''s assistant?" Adrianna pointed to a man in his 50s.

    "Yeah! Hey Mr. Anthony?" Julia waved and walked towards the man.

    "Miss Julia, so nice to see you." Mr. Anthony was still trying to get a look inside The Hangout as he spoke to her.

    "What''s going on here?" Julia asked.

    "Well, The Hangout cancelled all their reservations today for a private party, ording to business rumors the Reyes Heir might be in there. Your dad wants me to get a meeting with him." Cedric raised an eyebrow at what Mr. Anthony said.

    "What? They didn''t even send a message." Adrianna was mad. She was already having such a bad day and this Reyes Heir makes it worse by booking the whole restaurant.

    "That''s impossible. We all got cancetion messages and a free dinner." A girl in the crowd said. "I''m just here to see the 5 princes. They walked in not too long ago."

    "Adrianna, why don''t you try talking to the manager." Cedric already knew what stunt his sister was trying to pull. He was pissed since it could end up exposing him to his wife and her friends.

    The manager came out and asked for Adrianna''s name and reservation number. She went back in and after a while came out with six bodyguards.

 Chapter 41 - 41

    The six bodyguards scared Adrianna and her friends.

    "Look, sirs, we just wanted to check our reservation." Julia said as she took a step back. ??

    "Miss, don''t worry, they are here to escort you in."

    Everyone outside was shocked, many began snapping photos of the group that was going in. A random social media user noticed that one of the girls was Adrianna Hernandez, whom ording to rumors, had managed to steal the Reyes Heir''s heart. What was odd though was that she was there with her husband.

    Earlier while Adrianna was talking to the manager Cedric sent a message to his sister.

    He quickly sent her a message.

    Ced: We''re outside. Don''t expose me.

    Ayanna: Awesome! I''ll ask the bodyguards to let you in.

    Ced: Again, if anyone finds out I''ll make sure dad forces you to marry someone from another country.

    Ayanna: Dad would never do that.

    Ced: Fine, I''ll make you marry Ray.

    Ayanna: You''re gross. I''ll behave.

    Ced: Tell the others too.

    Ayanna: Yes boss!

    Sofia, Natasha, and Julia went first following the bodyguards. Cedric held Adrianna''s hand and lifted it to his lips to give it a kiss.

    "Why are you being sweet?" Adrianna was suspicious of Cedric''s motives.

    Cedric just smiled at her and they walked in after the bodyguards.

    As usual the 4 princes had managed to group together at one end of the table and the girls were at the other. When Ayanna saw Adrianna walk in she waved.

    "Hey Adrianna. When I heard you reserved a table here too I knew we were always meant to be friends!" Ayanna got up and took Adrianna away from Cedric.

    "Cedric, you can sit with the boys." Ayanna said in a cold tone. She was mad at her brother for reprimanding her.

    Cedric shook his head and took a seat next to Ray.

    "This is crazy." Miguel sighed. It was loud enough for Ayanna''s friends to hear, in their minds they thought Miguel thought it was crazy for him to sit next to an assistant, when in fact Miguel wasmenting on the fact that Ayanna booked a whole restaurant just to talk.

    "Miss Ayanna, I really don''t think this is appropriate." Adrianna said in a quiet voice.

    "Why? Cause of the rumors? Let me tell you this Adrianna, my brother has loved one and only one woman for the past eight years." Ayanna looked at her brother and winked.

    Cedric simply sighed at his sister.

    "Older brother really fell hard, didn''t he?" Nicole teased. Although she was talking to Ayanna she was actually teasing Cedric in the other table.

    Meantime Sofia, Julia, and Natasha were busy staring at the 4 princes and Eric Chan. Even if this was their second time meeting these men they were still in awe and very shy. What would you say or do when all of your idols somehow ended up in a private gathering with you? Their mind was mush.

    Natasha was the first to regain her footing, she immediately whispered to Adrianna if they could take a photo with the boys.

    "You ask them yourself." Adrianna too was too shy to ask.

    "But Adri, you''re the one Miss Ayanna invited out." Natasha reasoned.

    Adrianna knew she wouldn''t win this discussion with Natasha.

    "Miss Ayanna -"

    "Adri, don''t call me miss. Just call me Ayanna please." Ayanna interrupted.

    "Well, Ayanna, my friends were wondering if they could have their photo taken with, well, ummm��, the 4 princes and Mr. Eric Chan." Adrianna had no idea how she should refer to the 4 princes, so she took a while thinking on how to refer to them.

    "Hey, boys!" Ayanna called.

    The boys, except Cedric looked up.

    "Adrianna''s friends are asking if they could take a photo with you. You don''t mind right?" Ayanna was already pulling Natasha towards the boys.

    Since the girls didn''t know who he was, Cedric was forced to talk to his friends and their sisters via messages.

    Cedric Reyes: I am so lucky I don''t have any fans. By the way, Natasha is part of every forum that talks about you.

    Miguel Chan: I wonder how much of a shock it would be if they found out Eric was our older brother.

    Nicole Chan: They''ll say Eric is better looking than you.

    Ray Laurence: Eric is better looking than you.

    Cedric Reyes: This is why they think you are gay, Ray.

    Ray Laurence: What! They think I''m what?

    Ayanna Reyes: Come to think about it, isn''t he?

    Ayanna locked her phone and positioned Natasha, Sofia, and Julia in front of the boys. Cedric docked and avoided being part of the photo.

    "Adrianna, don''t you want to be in this photo too?" Julia called.

    "No, I''ll pass." Adrianna said with augh.

    After taking a photo with their idols the girls rxed a little bit.

    "How about this guy?" Veronica said, passing her phone to Nicole.

    "He''s cute!" Nicole giggled.

    "Anna, stop showing my sister photos of guys!" Miguel called from the other table.

    "We''re just looking." Katerina told Miguel.

    "You''re too much like your brother Katerina." Eric joked.

    "Hey, Adrianna, aren''t you a fan of Eric?" Ayanna asked.

    Adrianna meekly nodded.

    "Eric,e here and take a photo with Adrianna." Ayanna called him over.

    Adrianna began to blush. Cedric was already ring at Ayanna and Eric. Eric couldn''t help butugh out loud.

    "Why don''t I take a photo and post it?" Eric said with a wink.

    "Don''t- you''ll get dragged into the rumors about me!" Adrianna shook her head violently.

    "Are you referring to the rumors that Mr. Reyes has a crush on you?" Eric asked.

    "Eric-" Cedric hissed. Eric suddenly burst outughing. It seemed none of the girls had heard Cedric.

    Eric quickly took a selfie with Adrianna and posted it on his social media ounts. There was no caption, so Eric''s fans began to specte what the rtionship was between him and Adrianna.

    While they were eating Adrianna''s friends became a bit morefortable socializing with the sisters.

    "Nicole here, she''s always clueless, but don''t let the stockholders find out about that. They think she''s some terror female CEO from a novel." Katerina teased.

    "Hey, I am not clueless. I just sometimes say stupid things." Nicole said in an attempt to save her name.

    "Mark, Caleb, Fernando, David, who was thest one?" Katerina began to enumerate names.

    "A- a- armando! The Italian!" Veronica teased.

    "Boys?" Julia asked.

    "Not just boys, Nicole''s boys." Ayannaughed.

    "Wow. I didn''t think Miss Nicole had dated so many boys. Why haven''t we heard of this?" Natasha asked, as one of the biggest fans of this group she was surprised that she didn''t know this detail.

    "She never dated any of them." Katerina teased.

    "Oh." Natalia was surprised.

    "Why me?" Nicole said, shaking her head.

    "Brother! I want his house. Please get it for me. Dad developed it!" Suddenly Ayanna who was scrolling on her phone shouted.

    Everyone gave her an odd look and she blushed.

 Chapter 42 - 42

    "Riiiiiight my brother is busy apanying the love of his life." Ayanna said, embarrassed.

    "Ayanna, isn''t it too much for you to ask your brother to buy you a house?" Adrianna asked. Had she known that Ayanna was her sister inw she would have definitely scolded her. ??

    "I don''t think so. Dad gave him a house there already. Oh I think you''d love it! It''s got the most beautiful view and -" Ayanna stopped talking as she saw the message on her phone.

    Ced Reyes: STOP IT!

    "Anyway, I think any girl would love it." Ayanna said emphasising the word girl.

    "Adrianna, thank you so much for dinner, but I think we should go home now. Both Cedric and I still have work. Your brother has been making Cedric work so hard this past month that I''ve barely got to spend time with him." Adrianna said as she got up.

    Hearing her attempt to leave her friendsined but there was nothing that they could do.

    "Alright, let''s all leave together." Ayanna suggested.

    "I''ll just go to the women''s room." Adrianna went with her friends. Ayanna was about to follow when Cedric pulled her back.

    "What was that about Ayanna?" Cedric asked in a cold tone. He was never cold towards Ayanna.

    "I''m sorry big brother. I guess I got too excited that we were all hanging out in public." Ayanna said with a frown.

    "Ced, you should calm down. Ayanna didn''t mean it. We were all excited to be here with you and Adrianna." Ram said as he ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder.

    Cedric took a deep breath.

    "Alright. I know it was an ident. Ayanna be careful next time." Cedric sighed.

    In the women''s room.

    "Adrianna, why is Ayanna being so nice to you? How exactly do you know her?" Julia asked Adrianna.

    "I honestly have no idea. My first time meeting her was when she bought the watches." Adrianna said.

    "Do you think it''s true that her brother has a thing for you?" Natasha asked.

    "No. Didn''t you hear Ayanna say that her brother has someone he''s loved for the past eight years." Adrianna was relieved that the Reyes Heir didn''t really like her.

    "Adrianna, for real, if you weren''t married to Cedric and the Reyes Heir really liked you, would you go for him?" Julia asked.

    "I don''t like the Reyes Heir. He''s everything Cedric is not, at least when I got to meet him. He''s cold and so stiff. He also seemed so mean to his employees. Plus he spends money so frivolously. You saw how Ayanna wanted him to get her a house!" Adrianna exined to her friends.

    "So you would always choose Cedric, no matter what?" Natasha asked.

    "I know he isn''t who everyone wanted me to marry. He''s the opposite, but Cedric is the only person who sees me for who I really am. Everyone always highlights that I''m pretty, with Cedric it''s much more than that." Adrianna was speaking with so much passion and love that she didn''t notice the sisters enter the women''s room.

    When she and her friends saw them an awkward silence enveloped the room. Adrianna was worried that they might take what she said about the Reyes Heir the wrong way.

    "Adrianna, you''re lucky to have found Cedric." Veronica said, breaking the awkward silence.

    "I didn''t mean to say anything bad about Mr. Reyes." Adrianna said apologetically.

    Ayannaughed.

    "It''s ok. My brother has always been cold to other people, but he''s a nice person. And he actually hates that I spend so much. He keeps scolding me for my trips!" Ayannained.

    "Ayanna is taking further studies in the US. She keeps making Ray empty out whole flights just for her toe home." Nicole said, rolling her eyes.

    "What?!?" Adrianna, Julia, Sofia, and Natasha all shouted in surprise.

    "And Ce- I mean my brother keeps scolding me about it." Ayannained.

    "Well, why not just get one seat and fly with everyone else?" Adrianna asked.

    "It''s Ray that keeps emptying it out. I even flew economy a month ago." Ayanna shrugged.

    Outside Cedric settled the bill while waiting for the girls.

    "Why do they always have to go in groups?" Miguelined.

    "Why little brother? Are you targeting anyone?" Eric teased.

    "Haha, not yet. But since you''re busy being mysterious I always get stuck shopping with them. Cedric''s the same, and Ray and Alexi are too busy toe out most of the time." Miguel continued to rant.

    Soon all the girls came out together, all smiles and as if they had a secret together.

    Eric ced his arm around Nicole and winked.

    "Did you guys talk about us while you were in there?" He asked.

    "Don''t be so full of yourself Eric." Nicole pushed his arm off her shoulder. "Not everyone is your fan."

    "You''ll eventually be a fan. I''m sure of it." Eric teased his little sister.

    "Will we actually leave through the main door?" Nicole asked, among all of them Nicole was the one that didn''t like the attention.

    "Yup, so use your big girl attitude." Katerina said as she lifted her chin and somehow transformed herself to a more refined version.

    "Nicole, be refined? She sleeps in bunny pajamas!" Miguel teased.

    "I swear Miguel if you don''t stop it I''ll tell dad you want to head the neurology department!" Nicole threatened. Eric justughed at his squabbling siblings.

    As they left the restaurant girls began screaming, it seemed that Eric''s fan club had found out he was there. To add to that a lot of girls also had a crush on the 4 princes so they waited outside the restaurant as well.

    Luckily they had enough bodyguards to clear the way, Cedric nodded to Leon and Mia to help with crowd control as well since it seemed quite a crowd had gathered.

    People quickly snapped photos of the group and Adrianna and her friends instantly became online sensations.

    Back at home Gracia waited for Cedric and Adrianna toe home. Her friends had sent her the photos they had found online of Adrianna and Cedric with the 4 princes and their sisters as well as Eric Chan.

    As soon as they entered the door Gracia bombarded them with questions. Adrianna just shrugged her mother off and said that she was too tired to talk. So she and Cedric went straight to their room.

    "Cedric, does Mr. Eric Chan like Nicole?" Adrianna recalled the events earlier where it looked like Eric Chan was flirting with Nicole.

    Cedric burst outughing.

    "Honey, do you want to know a secret?" Cedric whispered.

    "What?" Adrianna asked.

    "Eric Chan, is the eldest brother of Miguel and Nicole Chan." Cedric told her. How he wished it was this easy to tell her his own secret.

    "What?!" Adrianna jumped in surprise.

    "Yup! Eric Chan is actually the 6th prince, if you think about it. Didn''t you see his watch?" Cedric asked.

    "I thought they just looked alike!" Adrianna still couldn''t process what Cedric had told her.

    "Nope, that''s one of ten watches. Let''s go to sleep." Cedric said, holding his wife in his arms.

 Chapter 43 - 43

    The next day Adrianna''s phone was full of calls from her rtives when she woke up.

    "I bet they are calling to ask aboutst night." Cedric teased. He had already prepared breakfast and Gracia had already attempted to nag him about their dinner with the 4 princes and the sisters. Cedric told her to just ask Adrianna. ??

    "I don''t want to go to work today!" Adrianna screamed into her pillow.

    "You could always call in sick." Cedric suggested, but he knew his wife was a workaholic and would never do that.

    "Cedric, Adrianna?" Charles Hernandez called from outside.

    "Yes dad?" Adrianna opened the door for her father.

    "Your grandfather asked us to go home right now." Charles Hernandez had gotten a call a few minutes ago.

    "Dad, Cedric has to go to work." Adrianna said.

    "It''s alright, I can go." Cedric knew Adrianna would need him there today.

    "Are you sure? Isn''t Mor Co. busy right now?" Adrianna was worried that she would get her husband into trouble at work.

    "Ian and Cami will be there." Cedric said to put his wife at ease.

    "Alright I''ll get ready." Adrianna said going back into their room.

    Cedric took this chance to go to the home office to give Ian and Cami instructions.

    When Adrianna was ready the whole family left together to go to her grandfather''s house. Cedric was already expecting that the Hernandez family wouldn''t take the rumors of the Reyes Heir''s crush on Adrianna lightly, to add to that his sister had caused quite a scene the day before with what she did in the mall.

    Initially Adrianna and her family only expected a few members to be present, they were surprised to find out that everyone was called home.

    "My favorite niece, you''re here!" Fredrik greeted Adrianna.

    "I''ve never been your favorite niece, uncle." Adrianna said quite coldly.

    "Adrianna,e here." Grandpa Hernandez called her over when he noticed that she had arrived.

    As usual everyone simply ignored Cedric and left him to sit next to Adrianna''s now empty seat.

    "Why did you call us over grandfather?" Adrianna asked.

    "Adrianna, many members of the family have been asking questions about you" Her grandfather asked, holding her hand in his palm.

    "Why grandfather? I''m alright." Adrianna pretended not to understand what he was referring to.

    "Are the rumors true? Is the Reyes Heir pursuing my beautiful granddaughter?" Grandpa Hernandez asked.

    Everyone seemed to move closer to listen to what Adrianna was going to say, but Cedric sat back, confident with what his wife would answer.

    "Grandpa, you shouldn''t listen to such rumors!" Adrianna scolded in a yful way.

    "Adri, if it''s true then you must annul your marriage to Cedric!" Grandpa Hernandez demanded.

    The rest of the family nodded and spoke in agreement, some looked at Cedric and were surprised to see that Cedric was just calmly seated, not bothered by what grandpa Hernandez had just asked Adrianna to do.

    "Grandpa stop it! Cedric is right here, show him at least some respect!" Adrianna was furious that her grandfather could say such things in front of her husband, she didn''t expect them to think so lowly of him.

    If she were to annul out marriage and marry the Reyes heir she would still end up with me, Cedric thought to himself. He would not be parted from Adrianna, not in this lifetime.

    "Adrianna, your husband is of no use to this family. A much better man clearly likes you, so stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about this family." Fredrik scolded his niece.

    "My daughter said no, brother inw." Everyone was shocked with Gracia suddenly standing up for Adrianna and Cedric. "I may not like Cedric, but you cannot force my daughter to do something she doesn''t want."

    "I do not love the Reyes heir, I am a married woman and I will not, ever, cheat on my husband. Also the Reyes heir already has someone in his heart. Ayanna said he has loved that woman for the past eight years." Adrianna said.

    "Very well, if you refuse to marry the Reyes heir, then I want you to use your new friendship with Ayanna Reyes to expand Ind''s Inc." Grandpa Hernandez demanded.

    "We aren''t that close." Adrainna said.

    "Don''t lie to us bitch!" John suddenly said.

    "I am not lying, John. I don''t even have her number." Adrianna was telling the truth Ayanna never gave Adrianna her number. They had just met by coincidence everytime. Well it was more of Ayanna was stalking her sister-inw everytime.

    "You just want to keep all those connections for yourself, you are so selfish Adrianna." Asia said stepping closed to Adrianna.

    "Your cousin is telling the truth Asia, Miss Ayanna never gives her number to people." Cedric literally and figuratively stepped forward in an attempt to defend his wife.

    "What do you know? You''re just an assistant! You may be the Reyes heir''s assistant but you are inconsequential." John always looked down on Cedric. To him Cedric would achieve nothing in life and his cousin was just wasting her life with this man.

    "Adrianna, I hate you." Asia suddenly pped Adrianna in front of the whole family.

    Cedric ran to Adrianna''s side and touched the mark that Asia''s p left on his wife''s face. He saw that Adrianna was starting to tear up, he wiped the tears from her eyes, and turned to confront Asia.

    However before he could say anything Adrianna pulled her husband back, signaling for him not to act so rashly. She was worried about what the Hernandez family would do to him. There were more than twenty of them and just one Cedric.

    Cedric was not worried about taking on the Hernandez n, aside from the fact that he could defend himself in a fight if needed, Leon and Mia were waiting outside the gate. They had their own teams and if needed be they could easily force their way in to save their boss.

    But the Hernandez''s were still Adrianna''s family, and even if they mistreated her or had misunderstandings with her Adrianna still loved them and wouldn''t hurt them.

    "Let''s go Cedric. This isn''t worth it." Adrianna whispered to him.

    Cedric just nodded and put his arm around Adrianna to escort her out.

    "Are youing?" Cedric asked Gracia and Charles as they passed.

    Charles who was always so quiet and never spoke up suddenly looked angrily at his father and brother and spoke.

    "I''m disappointed in you father, and you too Fredrik, Adrianna might not have married the type of person we all wanted her to marry, but you have no right to treat my daughter the way you just did."

    At that both him and Gracia left with Cedric and Adrianna.

 Chapter 44 - 44

    "Thanks dad." Adrianna told her father when they got into the car.

    "You''re my daughter Adri. Of course I''m on your side." Her father said with a smile. ??

    "Cedric, I meant what I said and I will always mean it. I will never leave you." Adrianna said as she gave her husband a kiss on the cheek.

    "I know." Cedric said with a grin.

    Back at the Hernandez house grandpa Hernandez was furious, not only did Adrianna refuse to entertain the Reyes heir she even denied that she was friends with Ayanna Reyes, The whole world had already seen their photos together fromst night.

    "Dad, I''m sure we can find a way to trick Adrianna into cooperating." Fredrik said.

    "I have a friend, whose friend''s mom''s sister has lunch with Mrs. Reyes every week at a local country club while waiting for their husbands to finish a round of golf." John suggested to his grandfather.

    "And what will we do with that John?" Grandpa Hernandez asked, he was quite pissed off with this grandson of his. He felt like Johncked the ability to run Ind''s Inc. in the future.

    "Well, I''m sure the Reyes family is looking for a suitable wife for their son. If I can get that auntie to tell Mrs. Reyes that the woman her son likes will join them for lunch, then maybe Mrs. Reyes will push for Adrianna to marry the Reyes heir." John exined hisplicated and far fetched idea.

    "It doesn''t sound too smart." His younger brother Henrymented on the side. Henry, unlike his siblings, actually liked Cedric and Adrianna. Cedric even helped him out once when he was stuck in a bar fight.

    "Henry, don''t contradict your brother. His n sounds good." Fredrik scolded his second son.

    Henry just shrugged and left. He didn''t want to be part of this plot.

    "Auntie Janine, can you apany Adrianna to make sure she behaves?" John asked one of his father''s cousins. Janine Hernandez was a member of the Hernandez n as was ten years older than John who was turning thirty three that year.

    "I would prefer it if Asia and Celine apanied me." Aunt Janine suggested.

    "I''d love toe along Aunt Janine!" Asia said quite gleefully.

    "It''s settled then, John will arrange for this meet-up, while Janine, Asia, and Celine, will apany Adrianna to make sure she behaves. What will you tell her to get her to go?" Grandpa Hernandez asked.

    "I''ll think of something Grandpa. It shouldn''t be hard since as the new head of new partnerships Adrianna should be meeting people like this more often." Fredrik told his father.

    After dropping off the family at home Cedric asked Ian to send him a car to pick him up at home. Despite the events in the morning Cedric had a lot of work left at Mor Co. that he needed to deal with.

    "Sir, Marco called, your father is asking if you could have dinner at the old house, Miss Veronica also called and she wanted to show you the designs for the house." Ian said as they drove to Mor Co.

    "Okay, I''ll tell dad I''ll be there. For Veronica, how about scheduling her next week." Cedric gave instructions as the driver brought them to Mor Co.

    It was the first time that the president of Mor Co. was arriving in full sight of thepany. In the past it had been a mystery how the president even got to the office. By the time Cedric arrived in the office a rumor had spread that the president would be walking into the office without hiding his face.

    When Cedric''s Maserati arrived Ian stopped him from going down.

    "Sir, there is a crowd waiting. I know you want to keep your identity a secret. I''ll have the driver take us to the basement." Ian also handed Cedric a facemask just to be safe that no one would see what he looked like.

    They finally managed to make it to the office and things managed to calm down. Cedric busied himself with work, before he knew it the day was almost at its end and he had forgotten to tell his wife that he wouldn''t be having dinner at home.

    He tried calling her multiple times but she didn''t pick up. Cedric was already feeling a bit worried so he called Mia, who was keeping watch over Adrianna. Mia informed him that some members of the Hernandez family had arrived to speak with Adrianna and were still inside. Mia assured him that Adrianna was safe and was in no harm.

    Cedric nodded and simply texted Adrianna that he would be doing overtime so she didn''t have to stay up to wait for him.

    At 6pm sharp, Ayanna stomped into his office.

    "Big brother, time toe home for dinner. Put on your stupid disguise and change clothes." Ayanna said, throwing a mask and a cap on his table.

    Cedric justughed and went to his private washroom to change.

    Of course Ayanna picking her brother up caused quite themotion. The employees were once again waiting in the lobby as if there was a celebrity guest. Since the employees'' fear that they would lose their job if they offended the president was still stronger than their curiosity, they gave Ayanna and Cedric space to pass. They were, however, very much disappointed to see that the president still covered his face.

    At the Reyes house, for the first time in thirteen years the family had a quiet dinner where they were allplete.

    Ayanna told everyone about how much fun she was having in the USA and how she was learning so many things. Everyone also bugged Cedric to tell them about his poverty training and about Adrianna. To them the most interesting thing about Cedric''s life was his meeting and marrying Adrianna.

    "Hey Ced, your aunties and I will be having lunch again on wednesday, why don''t youe join us? They''ve missed you, you know." Prisci Reyes said.

    "Mom, won''t it be too dangerous?" Ayanna knew that her brother wanted to keep a low profile so it wasn''t exactly ideal to have him walking around with their mom without a disguise.

    "I can wear a disguise, and besides it in Nationalia Golf right? Everyone there more or less saw me as a child." Cedric said, confirming that he would go.

    "Well the new wives of course didn''t know you back then." His mom said deep in thought.

    "I''ll just wear the face mask as usual and just dress differently." Cedric said, lifting the face mask he used to cover the lower half of his face.

    "Alright so next Wednesday." His mom confirmed.

    "Wait, I''m not free, how about the Wednesday after that mom? I can invite Veronica over since she wants to show me the designs she made of the house." Cedric had realized that he was swamped with meetings that week.

    Once they had settled on their lunch ns, Cedric bid his parents and sister goodbye. Ayanna would be returning to school the next day so they wouldn''t see each other for a while. Before he left he reminded Ayanna not to make Ray empty out a whole flight for her again.

    Cedric''s driver and Ian picked him up at the Reyes home and drove him back. Ian had toe along since there were some papers from the office that still needed Cedric''s signature.

    "Ian, don''t you have a life outside of work?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "Of course I do, sir. I just have my goals." Ian told Cedric as he checked the documents on hisp.

    "Hmmm, I have my goals too. I heard about your family history from dad." Cedric said, waiting for Ian to tell him about it.

 Chapter 45 - 45

    "Your dad saved me." Ian confessed.

    "My family has always been well off. As a matter of fact my dad and your dad were really good friends growing up, they still are." Ian recounted. ??

    "And where are your parents now?" Cedric asked.

    "I still live with them." Ian said, Cedric simply nodded in reply.

    "Long ago the Lims were on the same level as the Reyes'', the Sebasians, and the Laurences, growing up my dad had everything he wanted. He never wanted for anything, if he did he got it. My mom was the same, she and your mom went to the same school, traveled the world together. Even when I was a child we had everything. Our business was doing great, but then things aren''t always meant to run smoothly and tragedy just struck one after the other." Cedric could feel the pain in Ian''s voice. He did remember Ian from his childhood, they had gone to the same school but they were never close. Ian always seemed to have a world of his own. Although Ian had friends it seemed he was still different, he seemed smarter and better than those that were around him in school.

    "Do you think we could have been friends back in school?" Cedric suddenly asked.

    "You and the other four were inseparable. You wouldn''t have let me hangout with you guys. Plus I was at a difficult point of my life back then. Back in elementary, my family''s fall had already begun." Ian teased.

    "What happened to your family?" Cedric probed.

    "I remember when I was a child, my grandparents had a schedule, Monday''s grandma would be in the casino, after meeting with her friends there they would pick me up from school and we would go to the golf course to watch grandpa, dad, and my uncle y golf, I would get bored and they would send me to my golf lessons. On Tuesdays, those were boring days, mom and my aunt would take me to piano and voice lessons with this national artist, I can''t even remember his name anymore but we studied him in ss. Wednesdays we would book a cinema to watch a movie, dad didn''t like using the home cinema and preferred to watch in the mall, once someone attempted to kidnap me so they would book the whole cinema after that. Thursdays were French and Chinese lessons, I hated those. And every friday we would go to Maharlika hotel to have dinner and ice cream, I remember a man I would call Lolo Agur, I thought he was just some bum in the hotel who yed his harmonica in the dining area, apparently he was a national artist for visual arts, he liked me so much that he would often sketch me while I yed with this charcoal pencils, I still have those sketches you know, they are his unpublished work. Everything was going well, the business was booming and ourpany was set to expand. One day my grandpa made a bad business decision, that decision umted and umted till that one loss became hundreds of losses. My father was already telling him that he could help, that my grandfather needed to trust my father with the family business at one point." Ian had a sad face as he told Cedric his story.

    "At the time, we thought that was the worst, but it wasn''t. My grandfather trusted a cousin of his to run a part of his business, my father was already against it from the start, he told my grandfather that this cousin of his was already stealing money, my grandfather refused to listen. In two years, all of the money for that part was gone, and to add to that we discovered that my grandfather''s cousin had taken out so many loans from banks in my grandfather''s name that the banks were already knocking on our door. And one day they just took everything." Ian took a deep breath as he remembered that day. He remembered his father was on the floor crying, he had always seen his father as a strong man, but that day his father just gave into it all.

    "It must have been hard." Cedric understood what Ian had to go through to an extent.

    "It wasn''t even the end. Soon after my father''s younger brother got sick, it was cancer, stage 4. We pulled what we could. I spent most of those days in the hospital, watching my family go through the fear of losing a loved one. My uncle was strong and he made it. We thought, for sure things would get better, but it didn''t. My grandfather and grandmother both got sick at the same time next. My mom and aunt gathered all the jewelry they had left, including my parent''s wedding rings. They sold it and used it to pay for my grandparents'' treatments. My grandparents married for love, but my grandfather still looked towards other women. He had four other families outside of his marriage with my grandmother, each family with at least two children. He gave them houses, properties, and sent them to the best schools. When my grandfather''s other families heard about our fall and about my grandfather''s sickness they all came knocking. At first I thought it was to help or at least to visit my grandfather. I was wrong of course, they came to collect." Ian again paused to take a deep breath. He hadn''t told this story to anyone in a while and it was quite difficult for him. He was good at keeping these emotions at bay, hiding his problems and soldiering on, that was after all how he had been raised.

    "They were afraid my grandfather would die and they would not be able to get what they wanted from him. My father and his siblings eventually managed to chase them off, they threatened to let the public know, my family, at this point, didn''t care anymore. When they saw that they realized to just wait in silence. We got lucky, I guess, my grandfather and grandmother got better, but they were different, my grandmother was demanding and distrusting, while my grandfather who had once stood at the pinnacle of the business world not couldn''t even stand on his own two feet." As Ian told his story tears began to gather in his eyes.

    "We lost our business, our cars, and we almost lost our home. My mom and dad tried to find whatever work they could, but people kept saying they were over qualified. And for the jobs they were qualified for, well people rejected them since they had been working in the family business and had no jobs outside of that. There were days that we didn''t know where we would find our next meal, back in school I would go days with just eating one meal. Despite everything I got lucky. I got a sports schrship and was able to study at a good university. I was always focused on reaching my goals, to get back what we lost." Ian exined.

    "What about your mother''s family?" Cedric couldn''t help but ask.

    "They are the worst of all. When we had nothing and were barely eating they turned their backs on us. When they saw me walking over fifty kilometers just to get to school they just drove away. To them my vengeance will be different. We were family. You never turn your back on family." Ian exined. Cedric could feel Ian''s anger and his pain, no wonder his father had taken Ian under his wing and given him the tools to seed.

    "Are your grandparents doing better now?" Cedric asked.

    Ian frowned and said, "My grandmother passed away six years ago, my grandfather died a week ago."

    Cedric suddenly felt guilty for not knowing about Ian''s grandfather. "I''m sorry Ian, I didn''t know."

    "It''s okay sir. At least now he is in peace. I just feel sad that they won''t see how sessful I will be." Ian said.

    "Call me Cedric. You used to just call me Cedric, so no need to change in private."

    "Alright Cedric. Oh we are here." Ian stepped out of the car and opened the door for Cedric.

    "Have a good night, Cedric."

    Cedric nodded and headed in. Unbeknownst to him, Adrianna, who was still awake on the second floor of the house, saw Cedric arrive in a brand new White Rolls Royce Ghost.

 Chapter 46 - 46

    "Why were you riding that car?" Adrianna asked, popping out of nowhere.

    Cedric sighed. He was tired of keeping secrets. ??

    "Hey honey, wanna know a secret?" Cedric teased.

    "What is it?" Adrianna asked as they went into their room together.

    "I''m actually the Reyes heir and Ian is my assistant." Cedric expected Adrianna to be shocked. Instead Adrianna startedughing and rolling on the floor.

    "I''m serious." Cedric said as he picked her up and ced her on the bed.

    "You''re just his assistant Cedric. Don''t let all the new connections you have got to your head." Adrianna said kissing him on the lips.

    "Honey, I''m telling you the truth." Cedric insisted.

    "Cedric Reyes, I love you. You don''t need to be someone you are not. I don''t want some rich heir to a fortune worth billions. I just need you." Adrianna said in a more serious tone.

    "Plus I hate that he makes you workte nights, I hate that he is so cold, I hate that he would let his sister just waste so much money. He has too much money, he needs toe down and see how other people live." Adrianna continued.

    "You would have it easier if I were the Reyes heir." Cedric said with a sigh. It seemed that despite him admitting who he truly was, his wife didn''t want him to be that person.

    "When have I wanted what was easy Cedric?" Adrianna asked.

    The next day everything went back to normal. Gracia was back to hating Cedric and Charles was quiet once more. Cedric prepared breakfast and drove himself and Adrianna to work.

    "Are you alright? Can you manage today?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "Yeah." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "I heard that your rtives came over after I left, I doubt it was to apologize." Cedric said recounting Mia''s report.

    "Of course not. But they didn''t make things worse either, it was work. They want me to meet some high profile clients in a couple of weeks. Auntie Janine, Auntie Cecilia, and Asia will be with me. I think it''s some sort of girl''s gathering." Adrianna exined.

    Cedric simply nodded and kept silent the rest of the way.

    Cedric and Adrianna quickly sunk back into routine, they would wake up early, head to work, and go homete. The Elisia Mall project had already begun and during the next Hernandez family meeting Adrianna was highly praised by everyone.

    Adrianna felt that something was off, it was very much unlike her rtives to just drop the whole Reyes heir issue. Nheless she took this moment as a win since no one wasining or going against her.

    Cedric on the other hand was already gearing up for an expansion project for Mor Co. After the sessful runch of Mor Phones he nned to expand their business to other countries and to other products as well. This would require a muchrger factory and stronger technical abilities. Cedric was already assessing different candidates when he realized that he had one right next to him, he decided to make Ian head of the Mor Co. expansion project.

    Since it wouldn''t start for quite a while, Ian was to stay by Cedric''s side before theunch of the Mor Co. expansion.

    Before Cedric had noticed it was already Wednesday and he had promised his mom to have lunch with her. He asked Ian to prepare the Rolls Royce Ghost for him to use to meet his mom. He quickly changed into a ck suit and tie. He had decided to begin wearing a ck cloth face mask that would match his clothes whenever he went out as the Reyes heir. He wore his usual gold rimmed sses and stepped out of his office.

    As he passed by the lobby, the female employees began snapping photos of him. Many were gushing about how good looking their president was, or how they would want to be the future Mrs. Reyes.

    Since his return, Cedric had already gained quite a following including his own fan''s club, some of the members were actually employees of Mor Co. So Cedric''s photo walking out of the office would quickly be uploaded on their group chats and forums where women would swoon over him. He''d even earned the nickname of "the president" among his fans.

    In the car Ian scrolled through the forum and was suppressing augh.

    "What is it Ian?" Cedric asked.

    "Sir, it''s nothing. I was just looking through the forums." Ian said, showing his phone.

    Ian was surprised when Cedric took his phone and began scrolling through the messages.

    Aiene_20: Employees of Mor Co. are so lucky, they have a chance of seeing the president.

    MistressofDeep: Mr. President are you single? He looks so hot and mysterious like that!

    Reader411: Does anyone know if there are job openings at Mor Co.? I''d like to submit my application.

    Rabbit_room: Look at the way Mr. President walks. Just his walk melts my heart!

    Cedricughed at thements and gave Ian back his phone.

    At the Nationalia, Cedric''s mom was sitting with her friends and talking about thetest gossip.

    "Pris, did you know that our ssmate from university, Came, just got her third divorce in the United States? That''s what you get for marrying too many foreigners!" Lucy Ang-Chan told her friend, Lucy was the mother of Eric, Miguel, and Nicole, she along with the other moms had known each other for a long time. They had gone to the same university back in the day.

    "She should have just married Savi, look he''s a senator now!" Rebekah Torres-Sebastian.

    "And your husband is the president." Victoria Bernasconi-Abad teased her friend.

    "Well Came has always had an odd taste. Remember back in university when she was dating that fake rich guy?" Prisciughed.

    "Ah, look it''s Marivic, and she has guests?" Lucy Chan said, casting doubt on their friend''spanions.

    Every Wednesday, their little group would gather to wait for their husbands to finish a round of golf. It was practically an exclusive group of wealthy wives, the main members being Prisci Reyes, Lucy Chan, Rebekah Sebastian, Victoria Abad, and Amy Laurence. They allowed others to join them and many people that wanted to gain favor in their businesses often did. It was like the queens holding court every Wednesday at the ultra exclusive Nationalia Golf and Country Club.

    "Isn''t that your daughter inw?" Lucy Chan asked Prisci Reyes.

    "It is! Cedric didn''t mention she wasing here today. Why did she arrive with Marivic and those over dressed social climbers?" Prisci Reyes asked her friends.

 Chapter 47 - 47

    "Madams, I brought some friends, I hope you don''t mind." Marivic De Dios said, referring to herpanions. Marivic was the ultimate social climber. She had started as the assistant to a CEO who at the time was married. When the CEO''s wife eventually died she became his shoulder to cry on, soon he began giving her gifts and spending more time with her. However in an interesting twist the CEO passed away in a car ident and Marivic ended up marrying the CEO''s son. Now she was Mrs. De Dios, and everyone knew how she got the name.

    Marivic often tried to spend as much time with the Madams to help her young husband. He was new in business but she wasn''t. She had been by his father''s side for years and knew how important a role wives yed when it came to business partnerships. ??

    "Where is Amy? Is shete again?" Rebekah Sebastian asked her friends as she tantly ignored Marivic De Dios.

    "Please introduce your guests to us Marivic." Prisci Reyes said, ignoring her friend.

    "Oh." Marivic was quite surprised that Mrs. Reyes had noticed her after Mrs. Sebastian had just ignored her.

    "This is my friend, Janine Hernandez and her cousin inw Celine Heron-Hernandez, Celine''s husband is the president of Ind''s Inc. If I''m not mistaken Mrs. Reyes, Elisia Malls has just started a project with Inds Inc." Marivic introduced the older women first making sure to say what Celine''s husband did for a living.

    "I don''t meddle with Elisia Corp., that''s my husband''s and my children''s business." Prisci Reyes said with a smile, making sure that Marivic and her friends understood that if that was their reason for being here then their trip was in vain.

    "Oh it''s actually not my husband that handles that partnership." Celine Hernandez immediately said. Prisci just nodded back in reply.

    "And this is Asia Hernandez, Celine''s only daughter. She recently got engaged to Mark Chu." Marivic De Dios paused waiting for one of the Madams to recognize the name. When she just got nk stares she just decided to continue.

    "And this is her niece, Adrianna Hernandez, she works at Ind''s Inc." Marivic announced quickly. Even if Adrianna was the reason the Hernandez''s hade over to Nationalia, Marivic wasn''t too fond of the quiet girl. She saw more of herself in Asia rather than Adrianna.

    "Hello Adrianna." Prisci Reyes said with a big smile.

    "It seems Mrs. Reyes likes my niece." Janine Hernandez said.

    "She looks like a strong and pretty young woman, she reminds me of my Ayanna. And I met her once, at the Mor Co.unch. It was just a quick introduction though." Prisci said.

    "Ladies look who I bumped into at the entrance!" A Chinese looking woman in her fifties appeared dragging a well dressed young man in a face mask and sses.

    "Mother, aunties." Cedric said in a cold demeanor.

    "Don''t tell me you''re not happy to see all your aunties. Come, sit." His mothermanded.

    When Cedric took his seat he suddenly froze, what was Adrianna doing here.

    Their eyes locked and Cedric didn''t know what to do. Adrianna suddenly looked elsewhere, but it was toote. Janine Hernandez had already noticed the tension between them.

    "Mr. Reyes, is it true that you find my niece pretty?" Janine Hernandez asked.

    "Ummm�� yes. Pretty." Cedric managed to say.

    Adrianna wanted to p the man the moment he called her pretty. In her head only her husband had the right to call her that.

    "Then, Mr. Reyes, could the rumors be true that you have a crush on our Adri?" Janine Hernandez said as she patted her niece on the back.

    "Miss Hernandez, I don''t think my friend''s personal life should be any interest of yours." Ram Abad and Veronica had just arrived when he noticed the awkward conversation.

    "I didn''t mean to pry, sir." Janine Hernandez was afraid of insulting anyone from this group.

    "Adrianna, you seem ufortable." Veronica said as she approached Adrianna.

    "I''m fine." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "I know what will make you feel better, why don''t youe with me and Ram, I''m going to show Mr. Reyes the designs for his house. He''s gonna move in there with his eight year love." Veronica said with a giggle.

    Adrianna just nodded and followed Veronica to another table.

    "Are Mr. Ram Abad and the designer Veronica dating?" Asia asked, she had always dreamed of having a home designed by Veronica but just getting a meeting seemed impossible for her.

    Cedric suddenly burst outughing. The Madams as well had an awkward look on their faces and Ram himself had a disgusted look.

    "Miss, Veronica is my sister. That''s disgusting. Come on,Ced. She''s got something good prepared." Ram said, dragging his friend to the other table.

    "Is Mr. Reyes'' real name Ced?" Janine Hernandez asked, quickly picking up on what everyone else missed.

    "No, it''s just a pet name." Prisci said.

    In the other table Ram made Cedric sit next to his wife as Veronica opened the files she needed to present to Cedric.

    "Now Adrianna, I want you to voice your opinion as well. You see, my client here has no taste and this whole house is supposed to be a give to the love of his life!" Veronica used.

    Cedric only grunted.

    "What, my sister said is true. I think my friend here will lose his wife if he doesn''t let a woman judge this house first." Ram said, liberally taking a jab at Cedric who couldn''t fight back.

    "But, Miss Veronica, I think whatever you make is beautiful." Adrianna had heard of Veronica in the past. When she first met Veronica she was shocked to find out that the legendary designer was from her country and was actually the sister of one of the 5 princes.

    "Did you have her in mind?" Cedric asked, making his voice a bit rough and cold. Because of that Ram identally spit out his drink.

    Veronica just nodded. Luckily she had met Adrianna a couple of times and more or less had an idea on what she would want.

    "I didn''t want this house to be another "Veronica" creation. I wanted it to be Anna. I wanted it to be as someone who knew you and her, even if I barely know her." Veronica began.

    "So knowing you I did a light design with traditional local materials. You''ll have a main room for entertaining guests, I''m looking at this to be one of the bigger areas. To the left you''ll have your public study and to the right your dining room. Behind you''ll have a hallway that will lead to any ce in the house that''s more public, two guestrooms with their own bathrooms, the cinema will be behind that on the same floor you will have the game room and a meeting room, in case you need it. And then it opens out to a patio that runs the almost width of the mansion, as requested some showers on the side if you have guests that swim in the pool but would like to just dress up out there. In the basement we have the wine cer, the bowling alley, and a gym. On the second floor, you''ll have rooms for all members of the family, your parents, inws, and your sister, should they choose to stay over. Each room is a suite, so it has its own entertainment area, bed room, walk-in closet, bathroom, and balcony. I made each room design to fit into the whole but still match their personalities, don''t worry Ayanna''s has her own office to the side, we know that girl tends to be a workaholic. On the third floor, we have the master bedroom that takes up half the whole floor, same with all the other rooms, it has its own entertainment area, arge main room for sleeping, of course. Then there are his and hers walk in closets, I ced a make up studio for her and a hidden jewelry closet. On the same floor I ced two offices that are connected by a secret door, and five other rooms, in case, you know." Veronicaughed at thestment.

    "Wow this looks amazing!" Adrianna said as she studied the ns Veronica had just shown her. For some reason she felt like this house was built for her.

 Chapter 48 - 48

    "How about the guest house and the other amenities?" Cedric asked in his disguised voice.

    "I''m not touching the extra building and the guest house for the meantime. I want to discuss it further with her. You''ll have an infinity pool, a putting green for uncle, and a tennis court for Ayanna. The garage will be able to hold fifty cars, I know you won''t have more than that, you aren''t Ram." Veronica teased looking at her brother. ??

    "What! I like cars!" Ram shrugged.

    "For the staff house, each room is spacious, has it''s own kitchen and bathroom. There is also a training facility for your body guards." Veronica exined further.

    "Your woman is very lucky Mr. Reyes." Adrianna was amazed by the house Mr. Reyes had built for the woman he loved.

    "I think she''ll like it." Ram told Cedric with a wink. Cedric simply nodded back.

    "If that''s all we should go back to the aunties. They''re the reason you came here right?" Veronica said as she packed up her things.

    The group went back to join the Madams'' table. When they got there Cedric''s mom, Prisic, had the food served.

    "Did Veronica wow you?" Veronica''s mom, Victoria asked Cedric.

    "Yes auntie. Even Miss Adrianna liked it." Cedric said in an odd voice that got him confused looks from the Madams.

    "Wow, Adrianna you got to see the designs of Miss Veronica for Mr. Reyes." Janine Hernandez said in an attempt to push her niece back into the spotlight.

    "Yes. The house was very beautiful!" Adrianna said with a smile. Cedric stared at her and smiled as well, he loved it when she smiled, his goal was to keep her smiling for the rest of their lives.

    "See Adrianna, that''s what a real man can do. My Mark already bought us a house!" Asia couldn''t help but boast about her fiance and put down her cousin''s husband.

    "Mr. Reyes, our Adrianna is quite a capable woman. Aside from being very pretty she also has a good brain in that head." Janine Hernandez boasted.

    "Miss Adrianna, seems to be quite an amazing girl." Prisci said, of course she knew that the woman they were praising was her daughter inw, so she had nothing against that.

    "Sadly Madam she is married to azy man!" Janineined not knowing that Cedric was sitting on the same table.

    "Oh?" Amy So-Laurence asked, she had known Cedric since he was in diapers andzy was thest word anyone would use to describe him.

    "My husband is notzy!" Adrianna said with her fists balled on the side. Cedric wanted to hold her hand to calm her down, but doing so would only make things worse.

    "You earn more than your husband Adrianna. You should really end your marriage." Asia suggested.

    "Madams please excuse my niece, she doesn''t realize what she is saying." Janine Hernandez said apologetically.

    "She''s defending the man she loves, I see nothing wrong with that." Prisci said,ing to her daughter-inw''s defense.

    "You are the one that is wrong." Lucy Chan scolded the guests.

    "Madams I''m sorry if my guests offended you. I''ll take them away now." Marivic De Dios apologized.

    "It was an honor meeting you Madams." Adrianna smiled as she and her group moved to leave.

    "We would love for you to stay, Adrianna." Prisci invited.

    "I''m sorry, Madam, but they rode with me and they won''t be able to leave." Adrianna refused politely.

    "Then make them wait." Cedric said in a cold manner.

    "They are my family sir. If family might not mean the same to you, but I will never abandon my family." Adrianna answered back.

    "I like her!" Victoria teased.

    "I hope to see you around Adrianna." Prisci waved goodbye to the only guest she liked.

    When Adrianna and her rtives got to the lobby, Janine Hernandez suddenly pped Adrianna.

    "Janine!" Marivic De Dios shouted in surprise.

    "We were here to get the Reyes heir''s mother to want you and you wasted all our efforts!" Janine pped her niece again on the other cheek.

    "I''m a married woman, do you expect me to cheat!" Adrianna answered her back.

    "The world already knows that the Reyes heir likes you! You are the only woman that refused to ept this." Janine raised her hand again to p her niece when a man''s hand stopped her.

    Janine was surprised to see the Reyes heir standing behind her. With him were Ram and Veronica Abad.

    "Not even my mom ps me, and yet you p your niece?" Ram asked from behind.

    Cedric pushed Janine Hernandez away and picked Adrianna up bridal style.

    "Let go of me! You pervert!" Adrianna tried to jump out of Cedric''s arms.

    Cedric held her tightly and refused to let her go.

    "Throw them out, and ban them from ever stepping foot in Nationalia again!" Cedric ordered Leon.

    Leon nodded and called security, he also gave Ian a call to ask for his help in banning the Hernandez''s.

    Cedric took Adrianna to his car and sat next to her.

    "Drive." Cedric ordered.

    The driver nodded and drove them home, Ian who was in the front seat remained silent.

    "Let me down! This is kidnapping! I''m going to jump out of this car if you don''t let me go!" Adrianna kicked and shouted.

    "No." Cedric said coldly.

    "People will talk! I''m a married woman! Where are you taking me?" Adrianna asked.

    "Miss Adrianna we are taking you home." Ian spoke from the front seat.

    "My car." Adrianna remembered.

    "I''ll have someone take care of it." Ian said looking back with a smile.

    Cedric turned to face Adrianna. He gently touched her cheek, but Adrianna pped his hand away.

    "Don''t you dare touch me!" She shouted angrily.

    Cedricughed.

    "Pass by a convenience store for ice." Ian instructed the driver. He already knew what his boss wanted.

 Chapter 49 - 49

    Cedric''s driver was very much familiar with Adrianna''s home, he had driven and even picked up his boss from there in the past. When he stopped outside the house Gracia Hernandez was shocked to see a white Rolls Royce pull up.

    Adrianna got down, mmed the door, and kicked the car. ??

    Gracia was shocked by the scene.

    "Adri, why were you in that car?" Gracia called after her daughter.

    "Some asshole tried to y hero." Adrianna shouted and mmed the door to their room. She felt the need to wash every inch of her body. Mr. Reyes only picked her up and helped her, most women would be swooning at the thought, but Adrianna was disgusted.

    Back in the Rolls Royce Ghost, Cedric watched Adrianna stomp away with Gracia chasing after her.

    "Sir, Mia is on the phone for you." Ian handed his phone to Cedric.

    "Sir I apologize for my inaction." Mia said on the other line.

    "You did the right thing calling me. I wouldn''t have wanted it to y any other way. There was nothing you could have done. What''s important is that your mistress is safe." Cedric knew that if Mia had saved Adrianna it would have raised more questions.

    Cedric dropped the call and handed it back to Ian.

    Soon the five princes'' chat was buzzing with life again.

    Miguel Chan: Hi Mr. Hero Cedric Reyes! You''ve managed to light up social media again.

    Ram Abad: We saw the socialites taking photos. I think they got some pretty good angles.

    Alexi Sebastian: Is she more in love with you now?

    Cedric Reyes: Well she''s painfully loyal to Cedric Reyes and hates the Reyes Heir with a passion

    Ray Laurence: Sucks to be you!

    Cedric closed his phone and ignored his friend''s messages.

    That night, when Cedric got home, he didn''t ask Adrianna about what had happened. As a result Adrianna felt too ashamed to even talk to Cedric. Mr. Reyes was his boss and he carried her in a way someone other than Cedric shouldn''t. Adrianna also felt guilty because when Mr. Reyes carried her, she felt safe and secure in his arms, the same way she felt when Cedric had carried her during his ss reunion.

    Adrianna slept with her back to Cedric that night. Cedric wanted so badly to reach out and hug her, he thought she was crying because of what the Hernandez''s did to her. He knew Adrianna always ced family first. She never stood up against them because she was afraid of hurting their feelings or going too far. Cedric knew Adrianna''s heart and family was always at the center of that.

    The next day Adrianna was still quiet. At the table Gracia tried to ask her about the previous day, but she snapped at her mother and refused to talk about it. In their car as well the only answer Adrianna would give was a yes or a no.

    After dropping Adrianna off at Ind''s Inc. and parking the car Cedric began walking to Mor Co.''s building. On the way Cedric''s phone buzzed as he got a message.

    Alexi Sebastian: The girls and I are gonna drop by your office today.

    Cedric just ignored his friend''s message and ced his phone back in his pocket. He just sighed at the thought of having to entertain the Sebastian siblings, he wasn''t in an entertaining mood.

    When Cedric arrived at the office he was faced with a person he did not want to see, Fredrik and Asia Hernandez.

    "Cedric!" Asia waved. As much as Cedric wanted to ignore them, he knew that things would just get worse if he did.

    "Uncle Fredrik, Asia." Cedric greeted.

    "We''re here to see your boss." Fredrik demanded.

    "You don''t have an appointment, goodbye" Cedric said tly and walked off.

    "Don''t you dare walk away from us!" Asia shouted.

    "Ma''am, sir, is this lowlife giving you any trouble?" It was Chris Garin. He grabbed Cedric by the cor and threw him at Fredrik''s feet.

    "Don''t you know who they are, Assistant?" Chris Garin asked loudly. People had begun to gather around the scene.

    "Don''t you know our boss is smitten with their niece!" Chris shouted, spitting at Cedric.

    "They don''t have an appointment with him." Cedric repeated slowly.

    "Adrianna will eventually leave you Cedric. You are nothingpared to the Reyes heir." Asia taunted.

    "Asia, Adrianna and I are married, how can she marry someone else?" Cedric asked with no intention of answering Asia''s question.

    "You''re insane. We will just say that during your annulment. Can you even afford awyer when that happens? You know the Hernandez family can afford the bestwyers." Asia called out.

    "Adrianna will never agree." Cedric said.

    "Adrianna always puts family first, she''s just rebelling now, but Adrianna always does what the family wants." Fredrik said.

    "Cedric, we will meet your boss, now." Fredrik demanded in a loud voice.

    "You don''t have an appointment." Cedric repeated.

    "Pathetic." Chris picked Cedric up by the cor and was about to punch him when he was interrupted by a new arrival.

    "What is going on here?" A young man and two girls strode in with what looked like a fleet of bodyguards.

    "C-c-congressman Sebastian." Fredrik Hernandez managed to say.

 Chapter 50 - 50

    __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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    "What are you doing?" Alexander Sebastian asked in a cold voice.

    "We''re here to see Mr. Reyes. This man insulted us!" Asia used.

    "Do you have an appointment with Mr. Reyes?" Katerina asked. Katerina had juste from a court hearing and was wearing a white business suit and four inch heels. She walked a little bit closer to Asia and with every step the sound of her heels echoed in the lobby.

    "N-n-no. But I''m sure he wille and see us! He likes my cousin and we are the way for him to get there. All my cousin needs to do is leave this worthless loser. It won''t be a problem, he can''t even afford awyer and we have the best. Adrianna will be the Reyes heir''s I guarantee it!" Asia said, still quite proudly.

    "What''s your name girl?" Katerina asked, crossing her arms.

    "Asia Hernandez." Asia replied.

    "Ma''am, she''s the cousin of Miss Adrianna Hernandez, the woman that Mr. Reyes likes. And this scum is Adrianna''s good for nothing husband. He refuses to leave her for Mr. Reyes." Chris said in an attempt to exin to Katerina who Asia was and why she had a right to talk down at Cedric.

    "Miss, this worthless scum of a person isn''t worth your time." Asia said, still referring to Cedric. "He is just Mr. Reyes'' assistant, and he just got promoted recently, so he is of no consequence, his wife makes more money than him and he just depends on her."

    Katerina looked at Asia from head to toe, she was wearing a white top and a pink pencil skirt and tform heels, she was dripping with jewelry, just like any social climber, it disgusted Katerina. More than anything what Katerina hated was Asia''s gall to talk down at Cedric. She had also heard about what happened at Nationalia the other day, not only did the Hernandez''s attempt to peddle an unsuspecting married woman like a whore, they even hurt her in front of everyone, were these people even family?

    "Little girl, my name is Katerina Sebastian. My father is the President, and my older brother is a congressman. I''m just a lowlywyerpared to them." Katerina was no low rankingwyer as she made it appear, graduated from Harvard Law, topped the bar exam in five states before finally returning home and topping the bar at home as well. She had hundreds of international clients and had never lost a case. She was arguably the bestwyer around.

    "Miss Katerina, has my daughter offended you in any way?" Fredrik managed to ask.

    Behind them Cedric had already stood up and fixed his clothes.

    "Uncle Fredrik, Asia, Chris, I think Miss Katerina would know Mr. Reyes better than any of you." Cedric said from behind. Everyone was shocked that despite being embarrassed Cedric still managed to get up and was confident in speaking in front of the Sebastian siblings. Even the silent Natalia could render any business tycoon speechless.

    "I heard about the incident at Nationalia yesterday." Katerina suddenly pped Asia hard on the face. She then proceeded to p Fredrik as well.

    "We consider Adrianna a friend. You don''t even deserve to call her family." Katerina said moving to p them again, on the other cheek this time.

    Behind her Alexiughed. "My sisters and I have known Mr. Reyes our whole lives. Who are you to im to know him?"

    "Juan, get me some tissues and alcohol." Katerina called out. A bodyguard did as she asked. Katerina cleaned her hands in front of everyone and threw the tissues at Asia''s feet.

    "Pick them up." Katerinamanded.

    Asia bent down to pick the tissues up when Katerina stepped on her hand with a high heel. Asia screamed and cried in pain. Fredrik immediately bent to help his daughter, but he was stopped by Katerina''s bodyguard.

    "People like you disgust me." Katerina said.

    "You see Asia, unlike my friends I''m not kind, or gentle." Katerina continued as a crying Asia nursed her hand. "In fact I am ruthless, and don''t even think of calling awyer, just saying my name will make any one backout."

    Katerina grabbed Asia by the cor of her shirt and dragged her out. Due to Katerina''s heels and the marble floor at Mor Co. every step she took echoed throughout the lobby, andbined with Asia''s screams and Fredrik''s begging everyone was in shock.

    When Katerina reached the door, she threw Asia out and turned to the guards.

    "Stop letting the trash in. Mr. Reyes hates the smell of trash, especially the desperate kind." Katerina told the guards before turning away and walking back to her brother and sister.

    Katerina nodded at Alexi and they continued to walk towards the elevator as if nothing had happened. Alexi suddenly stopped in front of Chris and Cedric.

    He grabbed Chris by the cor and gave him a knee to the gut.

    "You better learn your ce." He told Chris as the man dropped to the ground.

    "Aren''t youing?" Natalia, who had remained silent the whole time, asked Cedric.

    Cedric simply nodded and took the elevator with them up.

    At the lobby the employees of Mor Co. were stunned. The bodyguards of the Sebastian siblings began collecting everyone''s phones and devices and deleted any evidence of the events that had just happened.

    As public figures the Sebastians still took care of their image, even if they often went about things by force just like today. Since this was nothing new they already had a team ready to secure any evidence from the witnesses.

    As for Chris, Alexi''s assistant had already thrown money his way for his medical expenses and for him to keep quiet. Chris might have been proud but he knew not to go against a power like the Sebastian siblings.

    The security staff at Mor Co., of course cooperated with the Sebastian security detail and destroyed any evidence.

    In the elevator of Mor Co.

    If anyone in the lobby witnessed the scene now they would be shocked. Katerina and Natalia were giggling like little girls and Alexi wasughing.

    "You guys didn''t have to go that far." Cedric shook his head. He always had disagreed with both the Sebastian''s and the Laurence''s method of dealing with problems.

    "At least they will remember this lesson." Alexi said pping his friend on the back.

    "You and Ray really are cousins. Why do you always have to settle things with fists?" Cedric sighed. Ray was second cousins with Alexi, Katerina, and Natalia, as the Sebastian family patriarch, Alexi''s grandfather, was the older brother of Rey''s grandmother on his mother''s side.

    "Don''t be such a party pooper Cedric. It''s not like it''s the first time we did that!" Katerina teased.

    "Plus from what I hear she always mistreats Adrianna, I want revenge for Adrianna. I hate that Asia girl!" Natalia was turning red with anger.

    "Um�� Natalia, you''re turning into a tomato again." Her older sister teased.

    Everyone in the elevatorughed at Natalia''s odd color change.

    When the elevator finally arrived at the president''s floor they were surprised to see Nicole spinning around in an office chair talking to Ian.

    "Ian, why did I not know that the Sebastians and Nicole Chan were going to visit me today?" When Nicole heard Cedric''s voice she suddenly fell off the chair but was flimsily caught by Ian.

    "Sir, none of them were on your schedule for today." Ian struggled to help Nicole back up.

    Cedric simply sighed and went into his office followed by his friends.

 Chapter 51 - 51

    Nicole had actually arrived earlier than Cedric. She knew he was a busy person, but she needed an investor in her project so she was determined to ambush him into investing.

    When she got to Cedric''s office she was surprised to see that only Ian and Cami were there. The two assistants offered her coffee and snacks while she waited. ??

    At first Nicole was inside Cedric''s office. She had finished her snacks and was bored. She went around and explored all of Cedric''s things.

    "No wonder he wants this whole building renovated. This carpet looks like it''s from the 80s!" Nicolemented to herself while looking at the floor.

    Nicole eventually became bored and stepped back outside.

    "Hey Cami, what time does your boss usually arrive?" Nicole asked in a loud voice.

    "Cami left to deal with something downstairs Miss Nicole. The president is on his way to the office as well. Is there anything I can do for you?" Ian asked.

    "Do you really have to call me miss Nicole? Just Nicole will do. And I find it hard to believe that you call Cedric "The President". Uncle Emilio is "The President" of Reyes Group, and uncle Jose is "The President" of the country. From what I''ve heard you''re Cedric''s non-prince friend. Well, fine I''m wrong, you''re the fallen prince!" Nicole asked without even giving Ian a chance to reply to any of her questions.

    "I have to call you Miss Nicole, because we are in the office, and you haven''t given me permission to just call you Nicole. Now I can call you Just Nicole." Ian said with a grin.

    "I see you''re trying to be funny. Hahaha. I''m the funny one around here!" Nicole said proudly.

    Ian simply smiled at what she said and turned his attention back to his work.

    "You didn''t answer my other question, or make ament on your new nickname." Nicole demanded.

    Ian let out a sigh.

    "I don''t call Cedric "The President" only in front of people I''m not familiar with. Within the bounds of my work I call him sir or Mr. Reyes. In private I call him Cedric. And yes, I guess you can call me a fallen prince." Ian continued to work as he answered Nicole.

    "You know it''s rude not to look at people when you''re talking to them." Nicole teased.

    Ian turned, smiled at Nicole, and turned back to his work.

    "Not funny." Nicole said in a serious tone.

    "Can I get you anything Nicole?" Ian turned to face her as he asked.

    "Nope, I''m fine." Nicole said, crossing her arms.

    Ian turned back to work.

    "Hey! You look familiar!" Nicole pulled a chair and sat closer to Ian.

    "I have that kind of face." Ian said without looking at her.

    "Hey!" Ian shouted as Nicole forced him to face her and took a closer look at him.

    "No, I''ve met you before. I just can''t figure out where." Nicole said with a puzzled look on her face.

    Nicole continued to stare at Ian until Ian got annoyed and turned back to his work.

    "I know how I know you!" Nicole suddenly shouted at her eureka moment.

    "Back when I was in university I got so drunk over a guy rejecting me! I went to a ce where no one would know me and where my family couldn''t find me. I was so drunk that I couldn''t walk on my own. A group of boys wanted to take advantage of me. I tried to fight them but I was too drunk." Nicole stopped to catch Ian''s reaction, his face remained unchanged and he was still focused on his work.

    "It seems my knight in shining armor is actually a fallen prince." Nicole said with a grin.

    "I''ve helped a lot of drunk girls." Ian said, still focused on his work.

    "Slept at your ce, and nothing happened. Do you do that for all girls?" Nicole asked.

    Ian said nothing and just continued to work.

    "You know, I''ll take your refusal to answer as a support to my theory." Nicole said spinning in the chair.

    "That''s not what I meant." Ian said, stopping her from spinning in her chair. "You''ll get into an ident doing that. The chair is sometimes broken."

    "Really? A week after that I went to the same bar and got drunk all over again and you saved me again! Deny that." Nicole told Ian quite loudly.

    "Fine, I helped you. But isn''t that what any ordinary human being should do? Help others?" Ian said rubbing his temples. This girl was giving him a headache.

    "I knew it!" Nicole said.

    Ian ignored her again as she spun around in the chair.

    "Haha! The white knight is actually a fallen prince, what a nice story that would make!"

    Nicole was busy talking to Ian that she didn''t hear the elevator arrive.

    "Ian, why did I not know that the Sebastians and Nicole Chan were going to visit me today?" When Nicole heard Cedric''s voice she suddenly fell off the chair but was flimsily caught by Ian.

    "Sir, none of them were on your schedule for today." Ian struggled to help Nicole back up.

    Cedric simply sighed and went into his office followed by his friends.

    As he helped Nicole up he whispered, "I told you that chair is sometimes broken."

    Nicole shrugged him off and fixed herself before chasing after Cedric and the Sebastians.

 Chapter 52 - 52

    Cedric took a seat on his desk and checked the documents his assistants had left on his desk.

    "Why are you here Nicole?" Cedric asked without looking up. ? ?

    "I came to ask for money!" Nicole said cheerfully.

    "And why aren''t you asking Miguel?." Cedric said tly.

    "You''re richer than my brother and this is a business thing, Miguel sucks at business things." Nicole said, crossing her arms.

    "What is it?" Even if Nicole acted like a child around him he knew that a business proposition from Nicole would have a 90% chance of sess, 10% was when Miguel meddled with the n and turned it into a charity.

    "I''m building a mental health clinic, well a chain of clinics and I need an investor. It''s innovative, it''s modern, and it will earn. I''ve already proposed this to the board at the hospital and they rejected my ns, they will only back it if I have a significant and reputable name backing the project, and even then what they want to give me is very limited. The old men in office think this is a fool''s errand, I think people need this." Nicole said with a serious face.

    "Why do you want to build clinics for crazy people?" Katerina asked.

    "You of all people should know they aren''t crazy people! Mental health is important. You, Katerina, suffer from depression, anxiety, and bipr personality. You visit one of my old clinics every week." Nicole said, contradicting Katerina.

    "H-h-how did you know that?" Katerina was furious.

    "I know everything about everyone''s medical records!" Nicole boasted.

    "Whatever happened to patient-doctor confidentiality?" Alexi teased.

    "I own the hospital. Plus if you get sick you''ll stille crawling to my hospital. Cedric did you know that we''ve patched Alexi up more times than a poor man''s t tire!" Nicole proudly said.

    "Hey! I told Miguel not to tell anyone." Alexiined.

    "How could I not know! Cedric did you know, right after you left no one was there to reign Alexi and Ray in. They got into street fights, and bar fights, and all kinds of fights! They were in the hospital so often my dad reserved a room specifically for them, even the doctors were on standby. You''re lucky your hood days didn''t affect your dad when he ran for office!" Nicoleined.

    "Hood days?" Cedric asked, he had an idea about the fights Alexi had gotten himself into, and he wasn''t surprised about Ray. Alexi''s fights were well talked about among kids their age and Ray was going through his own training. His family might have controlled the underground for years, but the leader was always selected, a Laurence just so happened to be selected every time. That''s why Ray had to work his way up from the bottom, it also helped that their businesses could fund the gangs and their connections could make the authorities look the other way.

    "It''s Nicole''s term for Ray''s other world. Just ask him next time." Alexi said with augh.

    "Now aside from Cedric I want you all to invest in my mental health clinics, or I won''t let my brother operate on you." Nicole demanded.

    "That''s illegal Nicole." Katerina threatened.

    "Can you prove it?" Nicole teased.

    "I''m me." Katerina boasted back.

    "You guys won''t do anything to each other." Cedric said with augh.

    "Fine, I''ll invest." Alexi said in surrender.

    "Of course, I''ll invest, Nicole." Cedric smiled.

    "Katerina and Natalia will too." Alexi volunteered for his two sisters.

    "I earn less than both of you." Natalia grumbled.

    "Why are you going to me with this and not the others?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, my Miguel is useless, I''ll just get him to give me money. Ayanna agreed before leaving, Ayanna always agrees with me. Ram and Eric are actually at a movie shoot right now so I can''t really bother them. Ray brought Ayanna back to America, and Veronica is off somewhere buying some stuff for your new house." Nicole exined.

    "I have so many questions!" Cedric teased.

    "Why would you have questions, I exined everything." Nicole cluelessly answered.

    "What''s Veronica buying?" Cedric asked.

    "I don''t know, she''s going crazy with your limitless budget and shopping up a storm. She did mention buying you a car to disy since you don''t have time to buy cars on your own. Oh and I think she might be flying to Italy soon to buy some special material for your house." Nicole shrugged.

    "What movie is Ram and Eric filming?" Cedric asked Nicole.

    "A book by the author The Wanderer." Nicole answered easily.

    "Why did Ray bring Ayanna back to America? She has a ne and her staff?" Cedric asked.

    "Ray said he had business there anyway so might as well go with her, plus he always goes with, it''s nothing new." Nicole shrugged. Cedric stared at Nicole to see if she was hiding something.

    "Fine." Cedric said, surrendering to Nicole''s exnation.

    "And what are you three doing here?" Cedric looked at the three siblings who were lounging on his couch.

    "We were bored. Katerina just finished defending a case, she won of course. We heard about what happened yesterday from Mom and decided to hear it from you." Alexi admitted.

    "It seems it was a good thing we went here." Katerina giggled.

    "Why? What happened?" Nicole asked.

    "You were too busy flirting with Cedric''s assistant." Katerina teased Nicole.

    "I was not!" Nicole suddenly became over defensive.

    "Ohe on! Ever since Veronica mentioned him to you, you''ve been looking for a reason to meet him!" Natalia said exposing Nicole.

    "It won''t be good for you Nicole, Ian will be extremely busy in the future." Cedric was serious about his warning.

    "I wasn''t flirting with him!" Nicole shouted.

    "Cedric was just warning you. No need to get all riled up about it." Alexi teased.

    The Sebastian siblings and Nicole spent the whole morning in Cedric''s office, they spent it mostly teasing Nicole.

    Cedric finally managed to drive them out after they had lunch at Nouveau. Luckily no one else in the family had reserved the private room so Cedric and his friends managed to eat in peace. Despite an attempt to get his friends to pay for their lunch Cedric still ended up paying.

    "We saved you today. Plus you own the ce and you don''t need money." Was all Alexi said to get Cedric to pay for the bill.

    After lunch they went their own separate ways, Nicole back to the hospital and the Sebastian siblings back home. Cedric went back to Mor Co. to deal with all the dyed work due to his friends dropping by.

    When Ian brought in some documents for Cedric to sign at the end of the day Cedric stopped him and asked Ian to take a seat.

    "You''ll be very busy soon." Cedric said.

    "I know." Ian nodded in agreement.

    "I''m helping you get what you want because I believe in you. When I was no one, you were my only friend here at Mor Co. You didn''t even remember who I was." Cedric told Ian.

    "Well a person changes a lot in thirteen years, I didn''t expect to see you around as anything less than the president of a big corporation." Ian admitted that he never considered the Cedric Reyes he met at Mor Co. could be the same Cedric Reyes that he went to school with.

    "Nicole is a good girl. Don''t hurt her." Cedric warned. He saw Nicole the same way he saw Ayanna and the other girls, as his little sisters, and he would always be on their side.

    "I don''t have time for love." Ian said before excusing himself to leave.

    At the end of the day Cedric walked out of the office like every other employee, his bag slung over his shoulder, listening to music as he walked towards Ind''s Inc.

    Suddenly someone tapped his shoulder. Cedric turned around and saw a chubby man smiling behind him.

    "Can I help you?" Cedric asked.

    "Yep you can. You''re Cedric Reyes, assistant to the president of Mor Co. correct?" The chubby man asked.

 Chapter 53 - 53

    "Yes, why are you asking?" Cedric scratched his head.

    "I''m a reporter from Three Stars, the newspaper. My name is Jon." Jon shook Cedric''s hand by force. ??

    "If you want to know anything about Mor Co. we have a PR department I think you should talk to them." Cedric turned to continue walking.

    "The people from the PR department have never seen the Reyes heir, but you have." Jon said as he chased Cedric.

    "I work for Mr. Reyes, and as per Mr. Reyes'' instructions, you should talk to the PR department." Cedric said, trying to drive the reporter away.

    "You''ll get paid a lot if you give me this scoop!" Jon called out as Cedric continued to walk away ignoring him.

    When Cedric and Adrinna were finally together in the car again, Adrianna still didn''t say a thing.

    "Adri, I know what your family did to you at Nationalia. Ian and Mr. Reyes told me about it." Cedric said, reaching for her hand.

    Adriana continued to look out the window, she was still ashamed about what had happened.

    "I know you love your family Adri. But they shouldn''t do things like that to you." Cedric told her out of concern.

    "That''s not what''s bothering me." Adrianna confessed.

    "Hmmm��" Cedric began to wonder what Adrianna meant.

    "Cedric, aren''t you mad about me with what happened between me and your boss?" Adrianna asked, worried about what Cedric would have to say.

    "We were lucky that Mr. Reyes was there. If he weren''t what would Aunt Janine and Aunt Celine have done to you?" Cedric disliked Adrianna''s family very much. He even hated them more for how they treated

    "Aren''t you mad that he touched me?" Adrianna asked.

    "He saved you Adri. Why would I be mad? It''s not like he had any ill intentions towards you." Cedric exined.

    Adrianna didn''t say anything.

    "Is that why you haven''t been speaking to me Adri?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Adrianna admitted.

    "Adri, I trust you. You would never do anything to hurt me. I love you." Cedric said kissing her on the forehead gently.

    "About what aunt Janine did, they didn''t know better. They were brought up that way and it''s notpletely their fault." Adrianna always found an excuse for her family no matter what they did to her.

    "Adrianna, you have to admit that sometimes your family goes too far. I don''t care what they say about me. I''m just worried about you." Cedric was not afraid of the Hernandez family, he was the Reyes heir after all. Very few people could oppose him and still survive after.

    "They are family." Adrianna always said this, no matter how badly the Hernandez''s had treated her this was always her answer, they are family. Cedric knew that the moment Adrianna said this line there was no more arguing. She was choosing to turn a blind eye towards family.

    "I''ll always protect you Adri." Cedric said as the red light turned green and they sped home.

    When Cedric arrived at work the next day, he was surprised to see Jon the reporter waiting for him outside the building.

    "Don''t you ever give up?" Cedric asked as Jon ran towards him.

    "Why is it that no one ever sees the president arrive?" Jon asked.

    "Because the president likes his privacy." Cedric refused to slow his step for the reporter.

    "And how does hee to the office?" Jon continued to pester.

    "Probably by car, like any other president of apany Mr. Jon." Cedric sighed.

    "But no one ever sees him arrive or leave." Jon argued back.

    "They do and they don''t." Cedric left a cryptic answer as the guards blocked Jon from entering.

    At the president''s office Ian and Cami followed as Cedric entered his office.

    Ian ced the coffee on this table and Cami began exining his schedule for the next few days. Both Ian and Cami noticed that their boss was not as focused as usual, so Cami elbowed Ian to ask.

    "Cedric, is something wrong?" Ian asked.

    Cedric shook his head as ifing from a daydream and looked at his two assistants. Clearly his head was in the clouds.

    "No, I mean, yes, well has a reporter been tailing either of you?" Cedric asked.

    "No sir." Ian looked at Cami to see if one was tailing her. Cami shook her head.

    "Can you call Leon toe in here." Cami stepped out and came back in with the bodyguard behind her.

    "Leon, did you notice a man trailing me?" Cedric asked.

    "The reporter that approached you yesterday sir?" Leon had seen the encounter but he didn''t see the chubby man as a threat.

    "Yes." Cedric confirmed.

    "He''s been spotted outside the office sir, but he doesn''t seem like a threat." Leon said recalling the report the head of security had given him.

    "Why is he approaching me and neither of you?" Cedric asked his two assistants.

    "Maybe because you''re new? And the rumors about Adrianna and the Reyes heir could also y a role in it." Cami suggested.

    Cedric decided that Cami''s theory was probably right and just ignored the reporter.

    Over the next week Jon approached him everyday, both when he was arriving and when he was leaving.

    Finally one day when Cedric was walking to Adrianna Jon approached him.

    "That watch you wear, there''s only ten of those." Jon said.

    "Miss Ayanna gave my wife two, one for Adrianna and one for me." Cedric said.

    "Ayanna Reyes has one, that''s three, I saw the actor Eric Chan has one too, that makes four, the Abad siblings have one each, yes I know Veronica is actually Anna Abad, so that makes six, three are with the Sebastian siblings, so nine, and one with Raymund Laurence." Jon counted.

    "What are you trying to say?" Cedric asked.

    "My reports have always been focused on the five princes and their families, so I watch them a lot." Jon said walking closer to Cedric.

    "I don''t understand what you are saying Jon." Cedric stood still.

    "Ayanna Reyes purchased ten of those watches. Everytime the Reyes Heir appears in public, he has that exact same watch. So either Eric Chan is the Reyes Heir, or you are." Jon concluded.

    "Or my watch could be a fake." Cedric told Jon.

    "I doubt." Jon told Cedric. "I won''t report this."

    "Why?" Cedric asked.

    "I''ve been around Mr. Reyes. I''ve seen the bodyguard that secretly follows you, he looks just as scary as the ones that follow your sister. Also it doesn''t hurt to have an ally on the inside, for both of us." Jon said sticking out his hand.

    "Allies for now." Cedric says as he shakes Jon''s hand.

    "As a sign of good faith, I''d like to warn you that more and more paparazzi will be waiting outside your office. There is too much news around this Reyes Heir." Jon said.

    Cedric simply nodded and left.

 Chapter 54 - 54

    As Jon had warned, the next day there were much more people loitering around the entrance of both the Mor Co. lobby and the basement parking entrance. It seemed they were taking note of every employee and every car that came in.

    Thanks to Jon''s warning Cedric had already tightened security, so those that had initially attempted to get in were kept out. ??

    "What have you got there?" Cedric heard a paparazzi call out to hispanion.

    "Nothing. Just ordinary employees. Does this president evene to work?" The other paparazzi said.

    "We''re sure he goes to work. Remember what the employees were saying on their forum? The president only meets with the directors of each department, and they have constantly been meeting, so that means he goes to the office and leaves." The first one said.

    "Yeah, plus the office lights. They always go off at different times, so it isn''t some move to deceive people." The second answered while checking their notes.

    The paparazzi were putting so much research into trying to find out who the Reyes Heir was and it surprised Cedric. He had expected his return would make the news but he didn''t think it would reach this level.

    "Ah look! It''s Mr. Raymund Laurence''s car. If he''sing here then the Reyes Heir has to be here." A paparazzi closer to the entrance pointed.

    Cedric looked back and sure enough he saw Ray getting off a new BMW, Cedric assumed it was new since he had never seen it before, and he had been to Ray''s garage.

    The paparazzi flocked around Ray trying to get an interview, it was a good thing both Mor Co. and Ray were ready with extra guards for crowd control.

    By the time Ray had reached the lobby Cedric was already in his office signing documents.

    When Ray finally got up he was surprised to hear from Cami that Cedric was expecting him.

    "Are you psychic now?" Ray asked, making himselffortable on Cedric''s couch.

    "Pleasee in, take a seat, do you need coffee?" Cedric said sarcastically while reading through some documents.

    "Seriously, how did you know?" Ray bugged.

    "I was at the entrance when you arrived. You were dyed by so many paparazzi that I was actually able to get some work done while waiting for you toe up." Cedric said without even looking at Ray.

    "Well I''m here to drag you out!" Ray announced.

    "Nope! Not with all the paparazzi out there." Cedric said.

    "We haven''t had lunch in such a long time!" Rayined.

    "That''s because you so kindly escorted my sister to America." Cedric looked up with a raised eyebrow daring Ray to answer.

    "There was a contract that needed to be signed." Ray exined.

    "Documents can be sent here." Cedric said.

    "Fine, yeah, I made sure your sister made it back safe. Sue me." Ray looked Cedric in the eye.

    "I never said it was bad." Cedric teased.

    "What are you working on anyway? You''re even busier than Miguel, and Miguel flies around to operate on people." Ray said snatching the documents from Cedric''s hand.

    "You''re expanding Mor Co.?" Ray asked.

    "Yes I''m expanding it. I''m adding aptop arm and we''ve begun setting up deals for the international market." Cedric answered as Ray looked through the documents.

    "And where do you n to create a big enough facility for this?" Ray was surprised at the scale Cedric wanted to expand Mor Co.

    "I purchasednd in a province not far from the capital. I n to build a tech city there, I''m also bringing home some local talents that had to leave for better opportunities." Cedic exined.

    "Let me ask this, can I build an airport nearby?" Ray had immediately seen the business opportunities in this project.

    "Of course, I n to put up a Constetions Resort there as well as an Elisia Mall. The housing will be handled by rin Homes for the cheaper housing, and for the executives I''ll have Krisanta Land build it. I alreadymitted to have a hospital there run by the Chu''s as well as a mental free facility for employees run by Nicole. I was going to offer Ram to build a mini hollywood there too." Cedric exined.

    "This is in Alexi''s province isn''t it?" Alexi was indeed a congressman representing the province where Cedric would be building his new tech city.

    "He''ll get new voters and his current voters will see an increase in employment and an increase in property value, so it''s a win win." Cedric shrugged.

    "You''re too good at this." Ray teased. "Lunch?"

    "I need to finish some things, but yes. What ce did you have in mind?" Cedric asked.

    "Bamboo room? I can empty the ce out." Ray suggested.

    "No need. We can go to the restaurant in Constetions, we have a private room there right?" Cedric thought Bamboo room was too far.

    "I''ll ask Ian to make the arrangements." Cedric said.

    "Will you go there as you or as you?" Ray asked. Cedric raised an eyebrow at him again.

    "I mean will I be having lunch with Cedric or the Reyes Heir?" Ray rified.

    "Just Cedric. So make sure to pass the VIP entrance so no one sees you." Cedric called out as Ray moved to leave.

    "Ian!" Cedric called.

    "Boss?" Ian came in closing the door behind him.

    "What''s our most discreet car?" Cedric asked.

    "We don''t have anything discreet sir." Ian exined.

    "I''ll take a taxi then. Call Constetions tell them that Cedric Reyes will be having lunch with Ray Laurence in my private room at La Independencia." Ian nodded and went out to make the call.

    By the time Cedric came out for lunch he saw the paparazzi interviewing all employees that wereing out of Mor Co.

    "Hey, you kid!" A paparazzi called out.

    "Look sir, I''m busy." Cedric ignored the paparazzi and ran to an avable cab nearby.

 Chapter 55 - 55

    At La Independencia, Cedric grilled Ray.

    "So what''s the real score between you and Ayanna?" Ray almost spit out his food at Cedric''s question. ??

    "Her older brother shouldn''t be asking me this." Ray said in an attempt to brush off his question.

    "She doesn''t know, does she?" Cedric said with a grin.

    "Can we please talk about something else?" Rayined.

    "Fine." Cedricughed. He got the answer he was looking for.

    Cedric and Ray had a peaceful lunch. Ray attempted to give Cedric a ride going back to Mor Co. but with the number of paparazzi loitering around the building agreed with Cedric that it was best for him to just get a cab.

    The paparazzi from earlier spotted Cedric and approached him again.

    "Do you have time now?" he asked Cedric.

    "I''ve got work." Cedric replied.

    "Just a few questions, your officemates answered earlier." The paparazzi continued to chase him.

    "Fine, I''m Cedric. I''m an Assistant at Mor Co., now will you let me continue my work." Cedric said, answering the paparazzi''s question.

    "Which department do you work in?" The paparazzi continued to pester.

    It just so happened that Chris Garin and the other employees from the logistics department were returning from lunch.

    "Hey reporter guy!" Chris called the paparazzi talking to Cedric.

    "Hey Mr. Logistics Manager!" the reporter called back.

    "Don''t you know who that guy is? He''s the husband of the woman the Reyes Heir likes!" Chris said with a grin.

    His voice was loud enough for other paparazzi to hear, suddenly they all ran over to Cedric shouting questions.

    "Sir, sir, what do you think about the Reyes Heir having a crush on your wife?"

    "Are the rumors true that you will be separating from your wife?"

    "Miss Adrianna has been seen with Miss Ayanna in the past, is Miss Ayanna arranging for your wife to marry her brother?"

    "Is it true that you are the Reyes Heir''s personal assistant?"

    The paparazzi began snapping photos of Cedric and pulling him for ament.

    "Cedric, did you use your wife to get your role?" When Cedric heard the paparazzi ask this question his face suddenly darkened. He grabbed the reporter by the cor.

    "You can say anything about me, but never smear my wife!" Cedric said as he threw the paparazzi to the floor.

    As soon as this happened the security of Mor Co. came out to calm the crowd. Along with them was Ian and Cami. The guards escorted Cedric into the building and Cami and Ian attempted to calm the audience.

    When Cedric got to his office he called the director for PR and for Security up. Cami went up to help Cedric and Ian stayed downstairs to help both the security team and the PR team handle the paparazzi.

    "What is the situation downstairs?" Cedric asked looking out the window.

    "Sir, we tried to defuse them but they refused to leave. They are waiting for ament from you." Ian reported.

    "They can sling dirt at me but never at my wife!" Cedric was angry. He never wanted Adrianna to get dragged into all of this.

    In front of the PR and Security director Cedric called Ram Abad and ced the call on speaker mode.

    "Yeah Ced?" Ram asked from the other line.

    "Who sent the paparazzi and reporters to my building?" Cedric asked, furious.

    "Good afternoon to you too. Well it''s not me, let me ask around. Give me a sec I''ll add Ray to this call." Ram said, mocking Cedric''s angry tone.

    "Hey Ced, I just told Ram that when I got there a lot of paparazzi were waiting outside your building. I''ll look into it as well though my channels." Ray said in a much calmer tone.

    "Can your people get a list of the reporters and paparazzi that are there?" Ram asked.

    Cedric looked at the Security director who nodded and proceeded to send a message to the guards to do just that.

    "They''re on it." Cedric replied. "Ram ban all of them! No one talks about my wife that way and gets away with it!"

    "Don''t worry I got it." Ram said dropping the call.

    "Ian, send the list to Ram. No one smears Adrianna''s name and gets away with it!" Cedric ordered.

    Later that day the news spread that many of the paparazzi and reporters that had camped outside of Mor Co. were banned. Many people online were talking about how the Reyes Heir was beginning to flex his muscles and that this moment was quite unique since he did it to protect an employee.

    The rumors about the Reyes Heir liking Adrianna did not die out however. If anything, many people thought that the Reyes Heir must be defending Adrianna''s husband as an attempt to get on her good side.

    At Mor Co. life quickly returned to normal, with expansion ns underway Cedric was buried under paperwork and presentations from his subordinates. There was so much to do that Cedric didn''t notice the missed calls from Adrianna.

    By the time he had noticed his phone it was already 5pm. He quickly called her back.

    Adrianna had been watching her phone the whole day, worried about Cedric. When he finally rang her back she picked up instantly.

    "Hey, it''s been really busy here, I''m sorry I missed your calls." Cedric said.

    "Are you alright? I saw they harassed you at the entrance of Mor Co." Adrianna was very worried about her husband.

    "Don''t worry. The president of Mor Co. took care of it already." Cedric said giving himself a pat on the back.

    "Honey, I''m so sorry. You''re getting dragged into all these rumors because of me." Adrianna began to tear up.

    "Adri, it''s not your fault." Cedric tried tofort his wife from the otherside of the call.

    "Cedric, those rumors about the Reyes Heir, even if he likes me. Even if he does the greatest gesture I will never like him back. I love only you." Adrianna knew what kind of rumors were going around about her and that her husband was one of the greatest victims of those rumors.

    Cedric smiled on the other side of the line, she already chose the Reyes Heir, she chose him eight years ago. She chose to go on a date with a poor university student over a rich heir.

    "Adri, I trust you. You''re my wife. Don''t worry. I''ll pick you upter alright? I know we have to go back to the Hernandez home again tonight." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "Are you sure you want to go with me? I''m sure they will just talk about trying to use me to get to the Reyes Heir." Adrianna was worried that because of her family Cedric might actually leave her.

    "I will always be there for you. I''lle and get you now. Bye." Cedric dropped the call and walked out of his office.

    On the way out Cedric received a message from Ray.

    Ray Laurence: It was John and Fredrik Hernandez, they are behind the rumors. I''ll call you when I have more details.

    Cedric grinned, it was probably time he made a few moves against Fredrik and his son.

 Chapter 56 - 56

    Adrianna was not sure on what to expect from her family. She was pped by Aunt Janine, which resulted in the whole Hernandez n being banned from the Nationalia. For most members of the Hernandez family, just stepping foot into the Nationalia was a dream, and now it would be impossible because of Janine and Adrianna.

    She knew though that her family would be ecstatic that the Reyes Heir hade to save her, he even picked her up in his arms and sent her home. Adrianna felt extremely lucky that her husband never misunderstood what had happened. Cedric never med her nor did he use her of leading another man on. He believed her when she told him that she was innocent. ??

    It seemed Adrianna and Cedric had arrived quite early in the Hernandez House. Adrianna took advantage of the peace to check on her grandfather.

    Knowing that the older Hernandez did not like Cedric she left him in the hallway to wait for her.

    As she entered her grandfather''s home office she saw him reclined on the couch reading a book.

    "Hi grandpa." Adrianna greeted.

    "Ah! Adrianna, you''re early today." Grandpa Hernandez said with a big smile. Adrianna noticed that he was looking to see if someone else hade in with her.

    "I left Cedric to wait for me outside grandpa. It''s just me." Adrianna smiled.

    "Good, good. Come take a seat next to grandpa." The old man called over.

    When Adrianna hadfortably sat next to her grandfather he held her hand and asked what she knew he would.

    "Adrianna, do you really feel nothing for the Reyes Heir?"

    "Grandpa, I really don''t like him." Adrianna shook her head.

    "But he was so heroic in saving you in Nationaliast time. ording to your Aunt Janine he scooped you in his arms and held you tight. It''s practically a love story written in the stars!" Grandpa Hernandez eximed.

    "Grandpa I think you watch too much TV now. Nothing is going on between me and the Reyes Heir." Adrianna said.

    "I can always hope." Grandpa Hernandez sighed.

    Meanwhile outside Cedric got a call from Ray Laurence. Ray had been using his underground and social connections to figure out who had been making and spreading rumors about Adrianna and the Reyes Heir.

    "You have something for me?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "Why does your wife have such a rotten family!" Rayined.

    "Cause she is too nice to them. I''m assuming you know who is behind all of this?" Cedric asked.

    "Yup. So there are several things going on at that same time. The press is genuinely interested in who you really are, so many reporters had already nned to camp outside Mor Co., but most of them wanted to do it peacefully." Ray exined.

    "Yeah, we didn''t have everyone banned, just those that instigated the whole mess." Cedric exined. Cedric was angry at the reporters, but he was still fair, he knew most of them were just doing their jobs and he had only targeted the instigators.

    "The rumors about the Reyes Heir, aka you, liking Adrianna has been a rumor online for at least a month now. It actually died down a bit, until someone released a photo of you saving her at the Nationalia." Ray paused waiting for Cedric''s reply.

    "There weren''t a lot of people at the Nationalia that would release a photo without my permission." Cedric said.

    "I had people trace the ount, illegally with my hackers of course, and I found out that it was actually her aunt Celine that posted the photo in a forum that only uses usernames rather than real names. Then we found a couple of ounts hyping it up, all of which can be traced to the Hernandez family." Ray exined.

    "How about the cheating allegations?" Cedric was not surprised that members of the Hernandez family were actually involved.

    "It was John Hernandez. I found out that he has been spreading the cheating rumors in certain socialite circles. On top of that, he also paid some of the paparazzi that day to harass you, the one that approached you was one. I also found out that he actually paid Chris Garin to get the reporters to notice you so that the allegations and rumors can be brought up." Ray said over the phone.

    "Have they stopped?" Cedric asked in a serious tone.

    "From what we can see? Nope. They are adding more wood to the fire. It looks like they have more troll ounts pushing that Adrianna should leave her husband that only uses her and ept the advances of the Reyes Heir. This is so funny Ced! They want her to leave you for you." Ray couldn''t help butugh at his friend''s predicament.

    "I''m d you find this funny. Do you have the files on John and Fredrik?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah." Came Ray''s response.

    "I''ll send Ian over to give Ram and Alexi a copy." Cedric told his friend before dropping the call.

    He quickly gave Ian instructions on what to do.

    When Cedric returned to the hallway where Adrianna had left him, he saw his wife with a puzzled look. She looked really pretty in her ck office suit and high heels, she looked like she was a woman out to conquer the world.

    "Is something wrong Adri?" Cedric asked as he hugged her from behind.

    "No. I was just wondering where you were." Adrianna mumbled as Cedric kissed her cheek.

    "Hey! Behave!" Adrianna scolded.

    "Alright, alright." Cedric raised his hands in surrender.

    "The others should be in the dining hall now. Come on, let''s join them." Adrianna interlocked her fingers with Cedric''s and pulled him towards the direction of the dining hall.

    As Adrianna had expected everyone except her grandfather was already there.

    One of Adrianna''s older cousins, Margaret Hernandez, approached her and Cedric.

    "Hey Adri, I heard about what Aunt Janine did to you at Nationalia. Serves her right that she was banned for life!" Margaret Hernandez was the eldest child of grandpa Hernandez''s second eldest son, Matthew Hernandez. Like her cousins she too worked at Ind''s Inc. in the finance department.

    "Thanks Margaret. I''m d someone in this family thinks Aunt Janine was wrong." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "I still think you should consider the Reyes Heir though, sorry Cedric, you''re nice and all but Adrianna deserves much better." Margaret was always nice to Adrianna, but she never fully supported her decision to marry Cedric. Margaret also never sugar coated her opinions so she would often sound inconsiderate and mean, Cedric however knew at least Margaret had Adrianna''s best interests in mind.

    "I''m not leaving Cedric." Adrianna said as she wrapped her arms around Cedric''s waist in a protective manner. She suddenly jumped when something felt different.

    "Have you been working out?" Adrianna asked looking up at her husband.

    "Ughhh, yeah. There is an executive''s gym in the office that we are allowed to use. The boss asks us to work out in the morning when we arrive." Cedric said, scratching his head. The truth was every morning, if he didn''t have meetings he trained a bit with Leon in order to improve his self defense skills.

    "See Margaret! My husband is even better than before. Let''s take our seats, grandpa should being down at any moment now." Adrianna said.

    When the family was finallyplete things went as usual with Fredrik reporting on the status of thepany. Most members of the Hernandez family listened intently at this part as thepany''s performance would reflect both on their stock price and their profits. Those that were against Fredrik on the other hand used this time to question if he should remain as president of Ind''s Inc.

    Despite the fact that Fredrik had managed to take the role of CEO from his younger brothers and sisters, many of his cousins and uncles thought that Fredrik should not have been made President. Even more were the people who were opposed to his grooming his eldest son John Hernandez to eventually take his ce. In a family like the Hernandez''s no one knew who they could really trust.

 Chapter 57 - 57

    When all the reports were done grandpa Hernandez asked Janine Hernandez for an exnation on what had happened at Nationalia. The woman was still so proud despite getting the whole family banned.

    Janine stood up and cleared her throat before finally speaking. ??

    "I hope everyone here will understand that getting banned from the Nationalia was important for the task our family had assigned to me." Janine exined.

    "We are banned aunt Janine, not just you! All of us. Every single Hernandez, whether or not we were involved!" One of the nephews argued.

    "Let Janine finish." Fredrik scolded.

    "As I was saying, that ban will be nothing since our trip was a sess." Janine dered.

    "Aunt Janine, with all due respect the Madams sent us away, how was that a sess?" Adrianna asked. "We went there to see if we could have future partnerships with their family''spanies."

    At what Adrianna said the whole room was silent, everyone except her family knew the real goal was to get Adrianna noticed by Mrs. Reyes.

    "Adri, dear, that wasn''t the reason for our visit." Aunt Janine began to exin.

    "What?! Then what did we go there for?" Adrianna felt like she wouldn''t want to know the answer.

    "Well, we went there so that Mrs. Reyes could be charmed by you. And we seeded, the Madam loved you!" Aunt Janine praised.

    Adrianna''s jaw dropped in disbelief. She never thought her family would stoop this low.

    "You are all crazy!" Adrianna dered.

    "Adri, the Reyes Heir even carried you away in his arms. That moment was so sweet." Aunt Janine said full of delight. "The moment you marry into that family the ban on our family will be lifted and I''m sure our application to be members will be swiftly approved."

    "When I marry? I am already married!" Adrianna shouted.

    "Adrianna, the family believes that annulling your marriage to Cedric is for the best." Fredrik exined.

    "I will not let you do this to me. I am leaving." Adrianna stood up and left. Cedric simply followed behind her.

    "Charles, Gracia, talk to your daughter��." As they left Cedric could hear grandpa Hernandez reprimanding Adrianna''s parents.

    When they got in the car Cedric received a message from Ian telling him that he had given the documents to Ram Abad and Alexi Sebastian.

    Adrianna cried on the way home. She held Cedric''s hand tightly as he drove.

    "You''re lucky your family is dead." Adrianna cried.

    "It''s the ones we love the most that can hurt us the most." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "I don''t understand them Cedric! They say they have my best interest at heart and yet they do things like this to me!" Adriannained.

    "Well, I think it''s because in their world, you being with a better man is the best option." Cedric exined.

    "But you are the better man, you will always be the better man for me.?? Adrianna kissed Cedric on the cheek as they drove off.

    When Cedric was sure that Adrianna was fast asleep in their room, he stepped out on the balcony and dialed Ram''s number.

    "It''s past midnight Ced. This better be important." Ram said in a groggy voice, he was clearly woken by Cedric''s call.

    "Ian sent you the files on Fredrik and John Hernandez. I want their names ruined, I want them to lose control over Ind''s Inc." Cedric went straight to the point and told his friend what he wanted.

    "Alright. I''ll have it in the morning release. I''ll make sure the reporters hound their office as well. Now let me sleep!" Ram shouted, dropping the call.

    Cedric grinned. He knew Ram wouldn''t directly go to bed. He would organize everything for tomorrow first. He then dialed a second number, it was Alexi.

    It took Alexi a while to pick up, but when he did Cedric heard a woman''s voice.

    "Is Alexi there?" Cedric asked.

    "He''s in the shower. Are you willing to wait?" The woman said in a seductive tone.

    "Tell him to call me back. Say Cedric called, he''ll know what to do." Cedric dropped the call after that not wanting to hear what else the woman might say.

    Cedric wasn''t surprised that Alexi was with a woman, Alexi was a notorious womanizer dating almost every actress, singer, and model out there. He just didn''t touch people he did business with. What surprised Cedric was that Alexi had left his personal phone with the woman. Alexi was very protective of his privacy.

    Within five minutes Alexi was calling him back.

    "Stupid girl, she took my phone and answered your call. Sorry bro." Alexi exined.

    Cedric repeated to Alexi what he had told Ram. "Ian sent you the files on Fredrik and John Hernandez. I want their names ruined, I want them to lose control over Ind''s Inc."

    "I''ll hand them over to Katerina. She should be able to find charges against them that the government can file. If not the government then we''ll make the victims file them. I''ll go wake her up now." Alexi promised.

    "You bring those girls home? To the Presidential Pce?" Cedric asked.

    "It was�� er.... a maid, ok?" Alexi was embarrassed that he had to exin it to Cedric.

    "I still wonder how you still managed to win an election." Cedricughed. It was probably because despite Alexi''s womanizing habits he still showed up to do his job and looked good doing it, as a result his constituents were willing to look the other way.

    "Yeah, yeh. Bye." Alexi clearly was not willing to extend the conversation.

    Cedric went back in after his conversation with Alexi. Although Adrianna''s parents had arrived an hour ago Adrianna refused to go out to speak to her parents, she was mad at the whole family.

    Cedric had his fair share of disagreements with Gracia in the past, even Charles, initially did not want him to marry Adrianna. But despite all that they still allowed the wedding to continue and they only objected to the marriage because they didn''t want Adrianna to suffer.

    It was true that most of the time Gracia belittled Cedric, that was because in her eyes Cedric did nothing but rely on his wife''s ie. Cedric didn''t like it when Adrianna and her parents fought. It was because Cedric knew that they were just both looking out for each other.

 Chapter 58 - 58

    Adrianna was feeling much better the next day, although she hadn''t forgotten what her rtives had done the day before she wasn''t mad at her parents anymore, just at everyone else. She always ced the Hernandez family first and the only time she thought about herself was when she married for love over profit.

    She was looking out the window, deep in thought when she heard Cedric call her name. ??

    "What is it?" Adrianna didn''t hear what he had said exactly.

    "I was asking if Ind''s Inc. was having a press event today." Cedric pointed at the building they were approaching.

    "No, nothing is on schedule. And they wouldn''t be waiting outside if this was a nned press event." Adrianna was equally curious about the reporters waiting outside the building.

    "Why don''t I drop you off at the basement and park the car at Mor Co. That crowd doesn''t look too friendly." Of course Cedric already knew what was going on, he made the news. Since Adrianna was a member of the Hernandez family and was a senior member of the management the reporters would definitely try to get answers from her.

    "That''s a good idea." Adrianna said as she scrolled through her phone to find out what was happening.

    "Oh my gosh, Cedric." Adrianna gasped in shock. "Uncle Fredrik and John are all over the news and social media."

    Of course Cedric already knew this. Ram and Alexi both called while he was waiting for Adrianna. Katerina even took a step further and attached her name as thewyer to make sure that no one in their right mind would take the case.

    "I guess it''s gonna be a busy day for you at work today." Cedric said. As a member of the Hernandez family and a member of the senior managers Adrianna would most probably be given some of Fredrik''s or John''s work while the issues were being settled.

    After dropping Adrianna off at the basement Cedric asked Ian to reserve him an additional parking spot at Mor Co. Currently all of his cars were parked at the office while Veronica was working on his new house.

    At his office Cedric turned on the news to see the damage Ram and Alexi had managed to cause.

    Female Reporter: "I am here now outside of Ind''s Inc. and we are still waiting for the official statement of Mr. Fredrik and Mr. John Hernandez. Everyone was shocked when International Lawyer Katerina Sebastian filed both sexual harassment and bribery cases agains the father and son duo this morning."

    Male Anchor: "Do we know if other members of the Hernandez family were involved?"

    Female Reporter: "The report was very clear, only Mr. Fredrik and Mr. John was part of this case."

    Male Anchor "And are there any signs of a change in management in Ind''s Inc.? Who are the rtives there that are most likely to take the reins?"

    Female Reporter: "Based on our inside intel, right now there are quite a few immediate rtives working in major roles. Of course we have Mr. Fredrik''s two other children, but I think the shareholders will most likely rule them out. Mr. Fredrik''s younger brother, Mr. Matthew Hernandez is currently the Senior Vice President for Operations. His daughter Miss Margaret is a Senior Manager in the finance department. We also have Miss Adrianna Hernandez-Reyes who was recently appointed as the Head for Partnerships at Ind''s Inc., if you will recall Miss Adrianna has recently been linked with the heir to the Reyes Group, although we have gathered reports that it''s not true. Mr. Fredrik''s younger sister, Cathy, is the Head of the PR department, but she has in the past expressed that she had no intention of taking on a bigger role at Ind''s Inc. We are still waiting on more news if any of these family members will be potential recements for Mr. Fredrik and his son."

    Male Anchor: "We''ll wait for an update from you."

    Cedric grinned at the news, there were still mentions of the rumors surrounding Adrianna but it was only as a side note. He knew if he couldn''t change the narrative he could at least drown it out.

    "Mr. Cedric, I just got a call from Mr. Ray Laurence''s assistant. He is on his way with Mr. Ram Abad, Mr. Alexi Sebastian, and Miss Katerina Sebastian." Cami said as she brought over the document''s they needed Cedric to sign.

    Behind her was Ian ready to give his report.

    "Sir, the news about Mr. Fredrik and Mr. John has created waves on social media. We''ve also seeded the information that Mr. John has been spreading fake rumors on your wife. Many people are already cursing him online. I expect the Hernandez family won''t let this issuest. They will probably change the President tonight." Ian reported.

    "Good. Make sure they don''t get out of this easily. If we need to issue a statement Adrianna as the Reyes Group, make sure to inform me. Maybe we can use Ayanna to make a statement." Cedric instructed.

    After a while Ray, Ram, Alexi, and Katerina arrived.

    "I bet, the Hernandez family is trying to figure out how they managed to offend Katerina." Rayughed as they entered Cedric''s office.

    "Well we did have the incident at the lobby." Katerina giggled remembering how she threw Asia out the door.

    "I doubt Fredrik Hernandez told anyone about that. It''s too embarrassing." Alexi told his friends.

    "Will you be using your power now Cedric?" Ray asked.

    "I need to give the Hernandez family as many chances as they can get. They are Adrianna''s family after all, but I am not a saint. If they go too far I will just apologize to Adrianna." Cedric exined.

    Cedric''s phone suddenly rang and he picked it up. From the tone of his voice his friends immediately knew he was talking to Adrianna.

    "Ian, Cami." Cedric called and his two assistants came in.

    "I''ll be out the rest of the day. Keep an eye on the news and make sure nothing dys the expansion. Move all my meetings to tomorrow. I???ll try toe in earlier." The two assistants nodded and left.

    "What happened?" Katerina asked.

    "The Hernandez family just called for an emergency meeting. I want to be there for Adrianna." Cedric told them.

    "Okay, we''ll go then." Alexi said bidding Cedric goodby and dragging his sister who was stillfortably sipping her coffee.

    "Hey Ram!" Cedric called out. "There is a reporter from three stars news named Jon, he''s assigned to all news about us. You might want to hire him, he figured out the watches, plus he warned me that people were getting extra curious about the Reyes Heir. I just underestimated his warning."

    "Interesting. Alright I think I have the perfect job for him." Ram nodded as he went out.

    Ray also said goodbye and left with his friends.

    Cedric packed up and went to pick Adrianna up. When he got to Ind''s Inc.''s building the crowd outside seemed to have doubled. Some activists were also protesting asking Ind''s Inc. to remove it''s boss that harassed women. Cedric grinned, it seemed the issue had taken a life of its own.

    He went over to the basement to pick Adrianna up. When Adrianna jumped in she was in a jacket and a baseball cap.

    "Are you sure you won''t get into trouble for this?" Adrianna asked.

    "I''m sure. What''s with the get up?" Cedric looked at her from head to toe.

    "There were some paparazzi found camping behind some cars here in the basement earlier. I just wanted to y it safe." Adrianna exined.

    As Cedric and Adrianna rode off, one of Ram''s well positioned online reporters posted a photo of Adrianna leaving the office in the middle of the day with an article specting that the Hernandez family just called for an emergency meeting to change the management.

 Chapter 59 - 59

    When Cedric and Adrianna arrived at the old Hernandez house it was chaos. Everyone was speaking at the same time, it seemed everyone except Fredrik and his family had already arrived. Even grandpa Hernandez was already in his ce at the head of the table.

    "If we do not address this, not only will it affect our stock prices but people will start boycotting our products as well!" One of Adrianna''s uncles said. ??

    "Fredrik has managed thispany for years! We should trust him." Adrianna''s Aunt Cathy said in an attempt to defend her brother.

    "How did Fredrik manage to offend someone as powerful as Miss Katerina Sebastian?" Another uncle asked.

    "I''m sure Fredrik has an exnation." Grandpa Hernandez said calmly as he looked up to check the time. It wasn''t even lunch and he was already trying to save hispany from his own son.

    Meanwhile Cedric and Adrianna quietly took their seats. Despite the problems at hand Adrianna was d that she wasn??t the center of attention.

    "Hey Adri, look at this." Cedric said passing his phone over to her. He intentionally looked for the posts that were defending Adrianna''s reputation as well as the articles saying that John had made up rumors and encouraged the spread of rumors against Adrianna.

    "Wow." Adrianna was surprised that people were rooting for her and defending her on social media.

    "The Reyes Group hasn''t released a statement yet, but at this rate I don''t think they have to. I guess your name cleared itself." Cedric said with a smile. He knew the rumors had been bothering Adrianna for days now and he was willing to do anything to help her out.

    "I''m sure grandpa will be furious about this though. This doesn''t help the case." Adrianna said with a frown. "They might ask me to release a statement about this."

    "I think it will be drowned out by other issues." Cedric shrugged.

    A whileter Fredrik and his family arrived. They were downcast and you could clearly see the distress in John''s eyes, even Asia''s eyes were red from crying. The only person in the family who didn''t seem too bothered about what had happened was Henry Hernandez. He seemed rather calm and collected.

    When they finally took their seats everyone quieted down. Grandpa Hernandez stood up and began to speak.

    "As you are all probably aware by now we all woke up to the news that Atty. Katerina Sebastian has filed multiple sexual harassment cases and bribery cases against Fredrik and John. Most of you went straight here after hearing the news. As a matter of fact only one member of the Hernandez family actually went to the office today, and that was Adrianna." Everyone''s eyes turned to Adrianna, who just nodded.

    "Adrianna, granddaughter, why don''t you tell us the scene outside Ind''s Inc." Grandpa Hernandez invited Adrianna to speak.

    "When I arrived this morning, there were already many reporters waiting outside the lobby. Although they were not violent they were asking all the employees that wereing in if they knew anything about the issue. Luckily we saw the news before I could get out of the car, so I passed the basement entrance to get into work. By the time Cedric and I left the office some members of the media had managed to sneak into the basement, they were however caught before they could try to get in. Outside the office however, there were more than just the reporters, there were protesters as well." Adrianna recounted both what she and Cedric had seen as well as what the employees had told her.

    "Fredrik and John, we need to know. Does Atty. Katerina Sebastian have any basis for her case?" One of Fredrik''s cousins asked.

    "How dare you doubt my dad!" Asia shouted.

    "Asia, it''s a simple question. Let your dad answer it." Matthew Hernandez, Fredrik''s younger brother asked. Matthew was quite different in terms of build and disposition from his older brother. He was tall, quite muscr for his age and quite good looking, his attitude was closer to his younger brother Charles, who was calm inparison to Fredrik who had a temper. Many people teased Fredrik in their younger years that he must have been adopted since he looked and acted nothing like his younger siblings.

    "Shouldn''t we be focusing on how to sessfully defend against this case?" John asked.

    "Is it true or not John. That''s all the family needs to know." Another uncle asked.

    "Dad. Don''t you trust me?'' Fredrik asked, looking for help from his father.

    "Fredrik, answer their question." Grandpa Hernandez ordered his son.

    "It''s all true." Henry answered for his father and brother. "Dad and John paid off some people to get projects and clearances. There were also a couple of female employees from my department that were supposed to file harassment cases but backed out after dad and John threatened them."

    "You disloyal dog!" Fredrik hit his son for telling the truth.

    "It''s not your son''s fault! It''s yours!" Grandpa Hernandez scolded Fredrik. "I want you and your family out of this meeting, except Henry."

    "Uncle, before you send John out, there is another usation circting the inte." One of Fredrik''s cousins said.

    "What is it?" Grandpa Hernandez asked.

    "ording to a reliable source, John is behind the rumors of Adrianna''s infidelity. Apparently he is even paying people to keep talking about Adrianna and the Reyes heir." He looked at Adrianna who wore a frown and was holding on Cedric''s hand.

    "John, Fredrik, not only did you do illegal things but you also had the gall to ruin your rtive''s name?" Grandpa Hernandez asked.

    "Everyone in this room wanted for Adrianna to end up with the Reyes Heir!" John used.

    "We did. But we never spread rumors that Adrianna was cheating on Cedric with the Reyes heir. Don''t you know how that could impact our rtionship with the Reyes Group?" Aunt Janine said. She was one of the people encouraging the rumors that the Reyes Heir liked Adrianna, but she never went as far as saying there was a rtionship between them already.

    "Out! The four of you!" Grandpa Hernandezmanded.

    Fredrik, Celine, John, and Asia had no choice but to leave the room.

    "Uncle, I think you need to find a recement for Fredrik. John should be removed from his position as well." One of Grandpa Hernandez''s nephews suggested.

    "Matthew." Grandpa Hernandez called his second son.

    "Yes dad?" Matthew asked.

    "You''ve been working in Ind''s Inc. for almost as long as Fredrik. You will take his ce." When grandpa Hernandez said this no one argued with him. Matthew seemed to be a logical choice.

    "I won''t let you down dad. How about John''s role?" Matthew asked the old man.

    "Study the job and see who would best fit the role. I would prefer a member of the family take on his job. So prioritize family first." Grandpa Hernandez said.

    "Cathy, could you help me schedule a press conference forter this afternoon?" Matthew asked his sister. Cathy nodded and stepped out to make arrangements.

    "That''s it, for now. You can all leave." Grandpa Hernadez dismissed everyone.

    When Cedric and Adrianna got to the car Adrianna received a call from Margaret asking her and Cedric toe back to the dining hall.

 Chapter 60 - 60

    "Adrianna, Cedric, how is your marriage?" Matthew Hernandez asked.

    In the dining hall, Adrianna and Cedric were surprised to see Matthew, Margaret, and Grandpa Hernandez waiting for them.??

    "Stronger than ever uncle." Adrianna answered, cautious now of what her family would do or say when it came to their marriage.

    "That''s good, that''s good." Matthew Hernandez smiled. "Adrianna, issues aside, I think you''ve been an incredible asset to Ind''s Inc."

    "Thank you uncle." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "I want you to take John''s ce as the VP for Marketing and Sales at Ind''s Inc." Matthew calmly announced.

    "I- I- are you sure uncle?" Adrianna stuttered.

    "Yes. I think, out of everyone you are the most qualified." Matthew told his niece.

    "Thank you Uncle Matthew." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "This afternoon I will be having a press conference, I want you to be there, Cedric as well. Aside from announcing that you are the new VP for Marketing and Sales I also want to issue both a visual and verbal statement that your marriage is going strong." Matthew exined.

    "Why do we need to issue a statement on our marriage?" Adrianna asked.

    "With all the rumors going around we want to clear your name. Not only will it help you be epted by the staff but it will also improve the prices of our shares." Matthew exined.

    "Uncle Matthew, our marriage isn''t even public knowledge." Cedric suddenly spoke up.

    "Consider this press conference as us publicly acknowledging you." Matthew said in a less warmer tone. Despite his disapproval of Cedric this was what they needed at the moment.

    "We''ll do it uncle." Adrianna said.

    After they left the old Hernandez house Adrianna needed to finish things in the office. Cedric dropped her off and decided to just wait in Mor Co.

    After arriving in his office he was surprised to see Ram and Jon the reporter.

    "You don''t have a schedule Ram." Cedricined.

    "I can''t see my friend when I want to? Besides I have a n I think you will like." Ram teased.

    "Is that why Jon is here with you?" Cedric said pointing at the reporter.

    "Yes! And you might like it. What if we released an exclusive interview with the Reyes Heir. You could deny your rtionship to Adrianna there." Ram said.

    "I''m not going to deny that Adrianna is my wife or that I love her. That''s lying Ram." Cedric said.

    "Why? It''s the quickest way to clear her name." Ram exined.

    "Because, when I do announce who I am, people will find out that I really am married to Adrianna. And when Adrianna finds out before the public she will be mad at me for denying that we are married or that I love her. Are you married, Jon?" Cedric asked the unsuspecting reporter.

    "Yes, sir." Jon replied.

    "How much trouble would you get into if you told the public that you didn''t love your wife and that you weren''t actually married to her?" Cedric asked.

    "I''d probably sleep in the garden, sir." Jon said with a nervousugh.

    "You aren''t married Ram so don''t assume to know what you''re trying to get me to say." Cedric said, ending the conversation.

    "Alright I won''t. Oh and what''s up with this press conference the Hernandez family is having?" Ram asked.

    "Ind''s Inc. is changing it''s President and CEO to Matthew Hernandez, he''s the second son of Adrianna''s grandfather. They will also be recing John as VP for Marketing and Sales with Adrianna. They want us to issue a statement that our marriage is as strong as ever." Cedric exined to Ram.

    "Can we get ament from the Reyes Heir on that?" Ram grinned, it looked to Cedric that he had a n.

    "I guess as me, I am happy that I am happily married to my wife." Cedricughed at his statement.

    "Sir?" Jon more or less had an idea on what to write but he was waiting for Ram''s approval that he could say it out loud. Ram nodded in approval.

    "We can say, we got the statement of the Reyes Heir and he said he is happy that Cedric Reyes and Adrianna Hernandez found their soulmates and he wishes them many good years toe." Jon looked at the two men before him to see if thisment would be eptable.

    "Run it! It won''t get Ced into trouble and when Adrianna looks back at it she will think of it as a loving and sweet gesture." Ram said, giving his approval. "Before I forget Ced, Ayanna and Veronica had an idea."

    Cedric sighed and leaned back. "What is it?"

    "They want to spread a rumor that you are like Alexi." Ramughed after telling Cedric about the girls'' idea.

    "They''ve already spread it, haven''t they." Cedric massaged his temples, his sister was going to be the death of him.

    "Yeah. They kind of spread it this morning." Ram said slowly.

    "If my wife believes this in the future I''m gonna cut my sister''s shopping allowance." Cedric was mad but he could do nothing about the rumors the girls decided to spread.

    Knowing Cedric was no longer in a good mood Ram made an exit with Jon.

    "Sir?" Ian knocked. When Cedric told him toe in Ian came in with an invitation.

    "Sir, this is from Ind''s Inc. It''s an invitation for you to attend the press conter." Ian ced the invite on his desk.

    "Who do these Hernandez''s want? Me or me?" Cedricughed. "Tell them I have meetings the whole day but I will release a statement based on what happens during the press conference."

    When Adrianna sent Cedric a message that she was free to go, Cedric asked Ian to give him the keys to the cheapest car he owned, it was an Audi R8. He also changed into one of his more formal suits that Ayanna had bought for him.

    When Cedric arrived at the basement of Ind''s Inc. he had to go down to pull Adrianna into the car since she didn''t know the car he was using.

    "Where did you get this? And what are you wearing?" Adrianna asked.

    "It''s my congrattory gift to you on your promotion!" Cedric announced. "It''s also part of my promotion package. As for my suit, I have one provided by the office for special events. "

    The car had been in the basement parking of Mor Co. for over a month now and Cedric never used it so it still looked brand new.

    "This might be better than Asia''s car. You know she got it as a gift from Mark on her birthday. And you look much more handsome than that manchild Mark Chu." Adrianna said as they drove to the hotel.

    Ind''s Inc. had booked a function room in Constetions Resort.

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 Chapter 61 - 61

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    Ind''s Inc. had decided that aside from the traditional media they would invite bloggers as well, so there were over a hundred members of the press and bloggers in the venue by the time Adrianna and Cedric arrived.

    Uncle Matthew was already there when they got to the waiting room.

    "Are you nervous?" Matthew asked Adrianna.

    "Just a little uncle Matthew." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Adri did you see this? It''s thetest rumor about the Reyes Heir!" Margaret said, waving her phone.

    "Not yet? What is it?" Adrianna asked.

    "Well it says that ording to a source close to the Reyes Heir, the young man has quite an appetite, not unlike his good friend the young congressman Alexander Sebastian. Someone who knows the Reyes Heir says he likes to rotate women. What a shock Adri!" Margaret gasped as she read the news.

    When Cedric heard what Margaret said he wanted to give Ayanna and Veronica a call and scold them.

    "That''s why I''m d I have Cedric." Adrianna boasted. With what Adrianna said he had half the mind to forgive Ayanna and Veronica.

    "Do you think the press will ask about this?" Margaret asked her cousin.

    "They probably will." Adrianna answered.

    "What will you answer?" Margaret was worried that the cheating rumors would be brought up because of this.

    "I''ll say that every day and every moment I choose Cedric. He can be poor and ugly but I will always choose my Cedric." Adrianna answered as she stared into Cedric''s eyes.

    "You better say it that way! It gave me goosebumps just watching you two! Also Cedric nice get up, you actually look passable today." Margaret interrupted the moment as Adrianna giggled at what she had just said.

    "Matthew, Adrianna, Cedric, it''s time." Cathy Hernandez came in and called them.

    The host weed everyone and called Cathy Hernandez up to the stage, Adrianna''s aunt Cathy then spoke about how the family will be investigating the cases filed against Fredrik and John Hernandez and how the father and son duo will be taking some personal time off.

    "Due to this sudden change, the family has decided to put Matthew Hernandez as the new President and CEO of Ind''s Inc." At that the crowd apuded. Many of the employees that hade to the press conference were people who had in the past worked with Matthew Hernandez and were loyal to him.

    Matthew stood on the podium and thanked everyone for their support. He gave a quick speech before finally getting to the part where he announced Adrianna''s promotion.

    Adrianna was very nervous with the announcement. She was worried that people would think she was too young or too inexperienced for her role. She held Cedric''s hand tightly.

    Cedric could sense his wife was nervous. He knew she had nothing to be worried about. Aside from her being more than capable of her new role, she also had him. He would move mountains just to see her seed, and he wanted the world to see how incredible a woman his wife actually was. To increase her credibility Cedric had nned a little surprise with the sisters. It was also a way for him and his friends to show that Ind''s Inc. was not the problem, rather it was Fredrik Hernandez and his son.

    When they heard Matthew Hernandez announce Adrianna as the new VP for Marketing and Sales Adrianna and Cedric slowly climbed up the steps smiling.

    "Who''s that, he''s so good looking!" Some of the female employees eximed as they saw Cedric go up on stage. For the first time in quite a while Cedric had dressed up and fixed himself up.

    "That can''t be Miss Adrianna''s husband. When did he be so good looking?"

    "He looks like some rich heir, that can''t be him!"

    "It is him. Look, same smile and same look when he looks at Miss Adrianna."

    The press were enjoying thements of the employees as they took photos of Cedric and Adrianna up on stage together. Adrianna gave a quick speech thanking her family and promising the employees that she will work hard with them.

    After Adrianna''s speech they were led to some seats on the stage for the question and answer portion of the press conference.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, I am sure all of you are excited to ask your questions. So we will be opening the floor to them. We would also like to request that everyone avoid any personal questions."

    The first person came up to the mic, Adrianna couldn''t see who it was clearly due to the lights on stage, but she could hear the members of the audience gasping and whispering among themselves.

    "First of all Adrianna, congrattions!" Adrianna adjusted her position and was surprised to see four extremely well dressed youngdies. It was the sisters, less Ayanna who couldn''te home in time. No wonder the audience was confused, just this morning Katerina Sebastian had practically dered Fredrik and John Sebastian as persona non grata and now she was holding a microphone congratting Adrianna.

    "Thanks Katerina." Adrianna was inclined to say.

    Nicole suddenly grabbed the mic from Katerina and spoke "We just wanted to say that whatever Katerina did does not involve you or Ind''s Inc. We just believe that women should have a safe andfortable workce and that men who put women in harm''s way at work should be responsible for their actions. Also Saints Hospitals will be ordering all of our uniforms and patient gowns from Ind''s Inc. I hope for a fruitful partnership in the future."

    Nicole looked proudly to the stage, everyone thought she was looking at Adrianna, in reality it was like her telling Cedric "see I can do it". Nicole then handed the mic to Veronica who wanted tough at her friend.

    "As a gift to my good friend Adrianna, I''d like to offer a coboration with Ind''s Inc, I will design all of its gship stores, and although I am not a fashion designer I am also open to houseware coboration." The audience was shocked. Adrianna had not only secured a partnership worth millions with Saints Hospitals, thergest private hospital chain in the country, but a coboration with Veronica. And anything you ced Veronica''s name on was sure to make a fortune.

    After Nicole and Veronica said their part the four sisters just left and everyone was silent. Cedric noticed Jon in the crowd and nodded to him, the reporter quickly understood what Cedric meant and took the mic.

    "Mr. Matthew, what are your ns for Ind''s Inc. in the future?"

    Jon''s question seemed to wake the audience up from their daze and the reporters finally began to ask questions about the ns for Ind''s Inc in the future. Until one reporter suddenly asked about the rumors.

    "Miss Adrianna, please enlighten us on the status of your marriage."

    "As you can see, I''ve brought my husband with me, we would actually like to issue a joint statement." Adrianna said looking at Cedric.

    "Adrianna Hernandez and I have been happily married for the past five years. Our marriage was not initially published as we did not see the need to. What mattered and what still matters is that we love each other. I haveplete faith and trust in my wife." Cedric had prepared his speech in advance and it was even checked by the Reyes Group''s PR head.

    The reporters however continued to probe. "What is your reaction to the rumors regarding the Reyes Heir having a lot of women?"

    Adrianna smiled, it was a question Margaret asked earlier. She looked at her husband and answered.

    "There has always been only one man that has mattered to me. Every day and every moment I choose Cedric. He can be poor and ugly but I will always choose my Cedric. As for the man you are asking me about, he is nothing but a business partner and I wish him the best."

    When everyone saw the way Adrianna and Cedric looked at each other, they knew that there was no point in questioning Adrianna''s loyalty to her husband.

 Chapter 62 - 62

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    After the press conference Cedric drove Adrianna home in their "new" car. When they got home Gracia was ecstatic talking about how Adrianna stole the press conference and how all of her friends were now sucking up to her.

    "Mom, it''s been a long day, and I''m quite tired. Cedric and I will go rest first. Alright?" Adrianna said with a smile as she led Cedric up to their room.

    Right after Cedric closed the door behind him Adrianna hugged him tightly.

    "Are you alright?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, I just want to be like this for a while." Adrianna buried her head in Cedric''s chest.

    "Adri, I am so proud of you. I''ve always known that you were capable of so much greatness." Cedric kissed Adrianna''s forehead and smiled.

    Suddenly Adrianna''s phone kept ringing. It was Ayanna Reyes, she never saved Ayanna''s phone number so she was wondering how the name reflected.

    "Ayanna?" Adrianna asked tentatively.

    "Adrianna! Congrattions. Are you happy about the girl''s appearance today?" Ayanna giggled on the other end.

    "It seems you have a well wisher. I''ll take a bath first." Cedric said, leaving his wife victim to his sister''s call.

    "Yes. I was surprised. Ayanna how -" Adrianna was about to ask a question when she was cut off by an excited Ayanna.

    "I didn''t want to announce it, but Elisia Malls will be working with Ind''s Inc. as well, as long as you are VP for Marketing and Sales and they don''t do anything to harm you." Ayanna proudly announced.

    "Thank you Ayanna, but do you have the power to decide that?" Adrianna asked.

    "Hey, I''m not just some spoiled child you know! I actually own 25% of Elisia Corp. and that''s 15% more than my older brother!" Ayanna said in her own defense.

    "I didn''t mean you were a spoiled child Ayanna." Adriannaughed nervously.

    "I know. But I can only be like this around people like you. People I really consider to be my friends. Around most people I have to be this strong and independent business woman, sometimes I just want to be a 25 year old girl." Ayanna exined.

    "I guess, ites with the pressure of yourst name. I''m sure it wasn''t easy to make friends." Adrianna understood that there were certain expectations of people like Ayanna and her friends.

    "Yeah. It doesn''t help that my brother keeps my sister-inw away." Ayannained to the very sister-inw she was talking about.

    "He''s married?" Adrianna asked, purely out of curiosity.

    "Well it''splicated, but yes. The public just can''t know yet." Ayanna was shaking her head on the other end of the line. She didn''t understand why her brother refused to tell Adrianna who he was.

    "I''m lucky I married a simple man." Adrianna giggled.

    "I doubt your husband is a simple man, he managed to get you." Ayanna teased. "Congrattions again Adrianna. I have to go now, I still have ss. Bye."

    After the call Adrianna just stared at her phone, she was still wondering how Ayanna Reyes'' number managed to get saved in her phone.

    When they were about to sleep Adrianna ced her head on Cedric''s strong chest.

    "Something''s on your mind?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    Adrianna took a deep breath and sighed.

    "I''m just d that it''s you that I love." Adrianna said.

    "Where is thising from?" Cedric was confused.

    "Well, I was speaking to Ayanna and she told me that her older brother is actually married and he can''t even announce it. Even if we didn''t have a Church wedding and just said our vows before a judge at least we never had to hide that we were married. It just wasn''t announced." Adrianna exined.

    "I''m sure he is happily married." Cedric was telling the truth.

    "I doubt. Didn''t you hear thetest rumors? ording to them he has such an appetite for women that he always has a new one by his side. Whether or not those are true, could you imagine how his wife must feel right now. All of those rumors and all of those women chasing after her husband." Adrianna frowned at the thought.

    "He''s a loyal guy." Cedric exined.

    "Cedric I never want to be the wife of some rich or popr guy who people keep talking about. I like things like they are now. I''m happy that you are just a simple guy and even if my family is extremelyplicated I don''t need to worry about rumors like that, or about girls trying to seduce you at work. I don''t want a husband like that. I''m happy with the man I''ve loved for the past eight years." Adrianna said hugging Cedric tightly.

    "Adri, honey, I will always be me. No matter what." Cedric knew he couldn''t promise her that he wouldn''t be the man she had just described, the man she didn''t want was the reality they would have to face someday. And the longer she didn''t know who he was, the better it was.

    "Cedric, I hate your boss. He makes you work so much. We both wanted to try for a child this year, but look at us we are so busy with work!" Adriannained.

    "Adri, this promotion was good for us." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Well I really don''t like that boss of yours. He''s so cold and arrogant. Even when talking to Ian he was so cold. And he dresses so extravagantly! Such a waste! Even the house he is building is such a waste! It''s too big! And I''m sure he''s paying Veronica a fortune to design it." Arianna continued to rant.

    Cedric wanted tough, he was cold when they met because he was nervous and there were members of the press around. He dressed extravagantly because Ayanna and his mother had bought all those clothes for him. And he was sure that Adrianna loved the design Veronica hade up with, because he saw the look in her eyes.

    "He''s not as bad as you think." Cedric said in a pathetic attempt to defend himself.

    "I''m just happy that you are you." Adrianna said kissing him on the lips.

    "What if I weren''t me? What if I told you that I am secretly the Reyes heir?" Cedric asked.

    "That''s impossible." Adriannaughed at Cedric''s idea.

    "Honey, think about it. We have the samest name. He appeared when I got promoted. I also suddenly got all that money from my parents. We have never been seen together. We also have the same build and hair color." Cedric was half hoping his wife wouldn''t believe him.

    "You''re being stupid." Adrianna who just a moment ago was being sweet turned her back on her husband. "I''ve met the Reyes Heir in person before Cedric. Stop trying to make jokes."

    "Why? How are we different?" Cedric asked out of curiosity.

    "You are kind and sweet and caring, he is cold and quiet, and he had this extremely scary aura wherever he went. Also his voice is different and he carries himself differently. Remember when he helped me at Nationalia? I would have known if you were him." Adrianna exined. "Why am I even answering your stupid question. You are you. You are my Cedric. I am happy with you and not him. My family will not think better of you if you were him. You don''t need to impress them, you just need to know that I love you and not even my family can separate us."

    "Alright. I''ll drop it." Cedric gave in and just slept beside his wife.

 Chapter 63 - 63

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    Over the next few days Cedric and Adrianna had to go to the office and back in separate cars due to how busy they both were.

    Cedric had already approved all of the expansion ns for Mor Co. he had even moved Ian to head the expansion team, so Cami had quite the workload on her hands. One day Cedric had to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the new factory for Mor Co. He didn''t attend alone, as a project that involved all five families, his friends and Nicole Chan went along.

    Interestingly Ray Laurence had brought along the Chu father and son duo, Edward and Mark, who in turn brought Katrina Chu and Asia Hernandez. When Cedric had spotted them he raised his eyebrow to question Ray why they had been invited.

    "We still back them you know. And they are quite loyal. I think Mark would throw Asia off a cliff if I asked him to." Ray teased, although he had no doubt that Mark would probably do so if he asked.

    "That Asia bitch is still going around as if she owns the ce." Nicolemented as she arrived together with her older brother Miguel.

    "Language little girl." Alexi teased.

    "She disgusts me! Especially the way she treated Adrianna. Doesn''t she know her dad and brother are about to go away for a very very long time." Nicole was furious.

    "Calm down Nicole. At this rate I feel like you''ll get my revenge for me." Cedric teased as he patted Nicole on the head.

    They were quite far away from other people so they could speak freely, people however could still see them and whispered among themselves about how sweet the Reyes Heir seemed to be treating Nicole Chan.

    "There are many people here who would like to see you both seed and fail Cedric." Alexi warned.

    "Let them talk." Cedric said with augh. "There are a hundred and one rumors going around about me now. It''s odd that you are alone now Alexi."

    "First of all I wouldn''t bring some random girl to your event Cedric. I was supposed to bring my sisters but Natalia got invited to some nerd conference and Katerina had to flyst minute to America for some prince client of hers who just managed to get himself tangled in tax charges." Alexi said in an attempt to defend himself.

    "Hey! Natalia isn''t going to some nerd conference! It''s the International Conference on Environment and Bio-Engineering. I''m actually going to follow tomorrow. It''s being held in Dubai. Speaking of which, Ray, can I use your ne?" Miguel said.

    "No. Use your own." Ray tly rejected.

    "But Ayanna always uses one of your nes!" Miguelined.

    "That''s different." Ray replied.

    "Can I have a seat in first ss?" Miguel tried his luck again.

    "You need more than one seat Miguel. I''m sure you need one for your assistant, and at least two for your bodyguards. Are you bringing an intern along? You usually do. So you actually need six seats!" Rayined.

    "But you empty out whole nes for Ayanna! You''ve known me longer!" Miguel continued to nag his friend.

    "Fine. Six seats. Nothing more. And don''t dy the flight cause someone asked you to perform an operation!" Ray said giving in to his friend''s request.

    Cami approached them and led them to the groundbreaking ceremony. During the event Cedric couldn''t help but feel that something bad was about to happen, especially since Asia Hernandez and Mark Chu were there. But this was Cedric''s territory, if they tried anything it would only backfire on them.

    Multiple photos were taken of the five princes holding gold shovels doing the symbolic ground breaking, this was the first project where these five famous personalities were all involved and in coboration. The event managed to draw all news outlets and even online bloggers, and of course Ram''swork managed to snag an exclusive interview with the five princes.

    The interview was going to be conducted by Jon in an on site office away from the crowd, which meant that Cedric could remove his disguise and give his answersfortably.

    Nicole, who was slightly annoyed by the fact that the photo op involved her brother rather than her, joined the boys for the interview.

    "Sirs, I promise to make this interview as short as possible." Jon said as the group took their seats.

    "No worries Jon. If you forget anything, Ram can just send us a message." Alexi teased.

    "Hey, I''m a busy man too!" Ramined. His friends justughed at him.

    "Let''s begin." Cedric calmly said.

    "Mr. Reyes, what made you decide to build a project that involved all of your friends?" Jon asked.

    "I wanted to create something more than just a factory, I wanted to truly build amunity, and Congressman Alexander Sebastian offered me the perfect location to build that." Cedric went on to exin how to build themunity each of his friends offered to chip in and help.

    The questions that Jon asked were mostly on how Cedric nned to expand Mor Co. as well as who was going to be leading the expansion. Nothing too sensational, but enough to get people curious.

    "Sir, there are some questions that I''d like to ask that are a bit personal in nature. Please tell me if it''s too much and I will remove them from the article." Jon said as he approached the final questions.

    Cedric just nodded giving him permission.

    "Sir, what do you think of Miss Adrianna Hernandez-Reyes?" Jon asked the first sensational question.

    "She''s a very capable and promising woman." Cedric answered with a smile.

    "What can you say about the rumors that you are a yboy?" Jon asked.

    "I''m a loyal type of guy." Cedricughed at thest question.

    "Why did you disappear for thirteen years?" Jon continued to ask seeing as none of his questions had bothered Cedric yet.

    "I was training to inherit the family business. I still am. Mor Co. is the first challenge I have to face." Cedric exined.

    "That''s all sir." Jon said double checking his notes.

    Cedric ced his facemask and sses back on and the group went back to rejoin the party.

 Chapter 64 - 64

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    "Mr. Laurence! Mr. Laurence!" Cedric spotted Edward Chu calling Ray as he and hispanions approached.

    "Mr. Chu." Ray said with a cold nod. In front of his family and friends Ray had a naughty and charming personality, but when he was in public Ray turned into a scary gang boss.

    "Mr. Laurence, we would like to congratte you on a very sessful ground breaking." Edward Chu said as he offered a gift to his benefactor.

    "Thank you, Mr. Chu. But it''s not my project. It''s Mr. Reyes'' here." Ray said as he epted the gift.

    "Congrattions Mr. Reyes. And to you all as well Mr. Sebastian, Mr. Abad, and Mr. Chan." Edward Chu said happily.

    "Is this your man, Ray?" Alexi asked.

    "Yes. The Chu''s own a chain of drugstores I invested in." Ray said.

    "Yes, congressman. Mr. Laurence has supported us a lot throughout the years. He is a very generous investor." Edward said in an attempt to further tter Ray.

    "If I may introduce mypanions, this is my son Mark. He works at the family business, and my daughter Katrina, she will be working with us in thepany after she finishes her masters degree, she was very much inspired by your sister Ayanna Reyes, Mr. Reyes. She sees her as the ultimate model of her generation." Edward paused waiting for Mr. Reyes to speak, but he only nodded when his sister was mentioned.

    "And this is my soon to be daughter-inw, Asia Hernandez." Edward continued pointing at Asia who was standing next to Mark.

    "Aren''t your dad and brother the ones Katerina just filed a case against?" Nicole suddenly asked in a very bitchy tone.

    "Miss, my father and brother are innocent." Asia calmly said. She didn''t know who Nicole was but she was with the five princes making her assume that Nicole was an important person.

    "Are you saying Katerina is representing a liar? Cause Katerina never represents people like that!" Nicole said in defense of Katerina. Cedric already knew that Nicole was also trying to get Asia to embarrass herself.

    "I- I didn''t mean that." Asia stuttered.

    "Nicole, dear, I''m sure Katerina can manage on her own. Besides I filed those bribery charges, so you can believe me when I say they are 100% true." Alexi pretended that he was attempting to calm Nicole down.

    "Mr. Sebastian, my father and brother are innocent!" Asia insisted.

    "Mr. Chu, I think you should bring Miss Asia elsewhere before she offends my friends." Ray warned Edward Chu.

    "I am not going anywhere!" Asia screamed. At this people turned their attention towards themotion.

    "Miss Hernandez, are you saying that I am a liar? That the evidence we have collected against both your father and brother are false?" At this point Alexi seemed extremely scary to Asia, but she never backed down and always got what she wanted.

    "Mr. Sebastian, my fianc��e didn''t mean that." Mark said in an attempt to avoid the conflict his fianc�� was starting.

    "Mr. Sebastian, my father and brother are being framed! They are good men. It''s someone who wants to take power in Ind''s Inc." Asia still insisted.

    "Asia!" Edward Chu scolded.

    "Sir, she''s just going through something right now." Mark said, this time to Ray Laurence.

    "Alexi isn''t a forgiving man. She''s using both him and his younger sister Katerina. Katerina and Natalia are the most important people to Alexi." Ray said in his continued distant tone.

    "Cami." Mr. Reyes suddenly spoke out and everyone was silent.

    Cami appeared beside her boss.

    "Get security to take Miss Asia Hernandez out. I don''t like people like her ruining my event." At his instructions Cami nodded and called over some guards.

    "Mr. Chu, you may stay, since Ray can vouch for you. But your future daughter inw must leave. I also rmend that Mark Chu breaks off their engagement." Mr. Reyes said to Edward Chu. It was the most that Mr. Reyes had spoken sinceing out, and it was to advise Mark Chu to break off his engagement to Asia.

    "Dad, you and Katrina stay. I''ll apany Asia. We''ll wait for you outside." Mark said to his father, keeping his head down in embarrassment.

    After that the group went on to talk to other guests. As a result of Asia''s outburst many guests were keen to show their trust in the congressman and his sister. Cedric wanted tough at thements and praises many guests were throwing their way.

    Outside at the parking lot.

    "Why? Why did you have to run your mouth in front of them!" Mark Chu shouted at Asia.

    "It''s that bitches fault!" Asia screamed back.

    "That bitch? That bitch? Do you even know who you''re calling a bitch?" Mark was furious, clearly Asia had no idea who she was going up against.

    "She''s probably just some slut that Congressman Alexander Sebastian is dating." Asia said, brushing off Mark???s warning.

    "That woman you are calling a slut is the heir to the Chan fortune. She''s built more hospitals and clinics than you have shoes! And you have a ton of shoes! That''s right. She''s Nicole Chan, the sister to world famous doctor Miguel Chan, one of the five princes. She has more power in her little finger than you have ever had!" Mark had begun to wonder what he did wrong, why he had ended up with such a useless fianc��.

    Asia gasped. She never expected that such a young looking girl could be Nicole Chan.

    "My dad wasn''t happy with our engagement from the start! He didn''t even tell any of our rtives. He epted it when your father was in charge of Ind''s Inc. He was hoping that could bring some sort of coboration, and at least you were still the daughter of the president of Ind''s Inc. Now you''re just the daughter of some criminal!" Mark was furious with what Asia had done.

    "My dad and brother have not been convicted yet! Don''t call them criminals!" Asia said in an attempt to protect her father''s and brother''s name.

 Chapter 65 - 65

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    "Do you even know who you are up against?" Mark asked.

    "Yes, and the truth will prevail." Asia said optimistically.

    "The person that filed the charges is Katerina Sebastian. She never loses and she never takes on cases that can lose. The person that is using your father and brother of bribery is congressman Alexander Sebastian, he''s the president''s son! Are you stupid? Even if your father and brother were innocent you can''t win!" Mark argued.

    Asia stayed silent. For the first time there was nothing she could say to answer back.

    "Wasn''t it enough that you managed to anger the Sebastians when you visited Mor Co.? Did you have to get all five princes mad, including Mr. Ray Laurance who is my family''s benefactor? If it weren''t for that child in you I would never have agreed to marry you!" Mark shouted at Asia.

    "I didn''t choose to get pregnant!" Asia said in an attempt to defend herself.

    "You didn''t? You didn''t? You drugged me at a party, took me to a room I didn''t book. You insisted we get married as soon as you found out you were pregnant! You tricked me Asia!" Mark said, throwing the woman into the car.

    "Be gentle! I''m pregnant!" Asia shouted after hitting the seat.

    "I''ll be d if you have a miscarriage!" Mark shouted, mming the door behind her.

    The parking lot was quite an open space with many cars parked. Mark had parked his car in a location that was not only near a driver''s shed that had been set up but it was also quite close to where many uninvited and invited reporters had gathered to discuss the story they were going to write about the groundbreaking event.

    They didn''t expect that aside from the business news they would also catch Mark Chu and his fianc��e Asia Hernandez arguing. Any news about Asia''s family was currently high value, and news about her tricking Mark Chu to get pregnant was gold! It wasn''t just the newspapers and news channels that would be enjoying this, even gossip bloggers would celebrate such a big scoop.

    As soon as they saw Mark Chu drive away they began calling all of their bosses. One of which was Ram Abad, Jon had gone over to join the other reporters once his interview with the princes were done. He had gone from second tier news reporter to one of Ram Abad''s best.

    After getting the details from Jon, Ram called Cedric and the others to the side.

    He told them about the conversation the reporters and drivers had just heard.

    "What do you want me to do about this?" Ram asked Cedric.

    "It''s news, so report it." Cedric shrugged.

    "Won''t you suppress it since she''s Adrianna''s family?" Ram asked.

    "I gave you the proof about her father and brother. I don''t care about that branch of the family. They''ve done too much to Adrianna." Cedric said in a stern tone.

    "Alright. Oh, and Nicole she called you a bitch and some slut Alexi is probably dating. What do you want to do about her?" Ram asked.

    "That whore! Ram, she''s pregnant right? Do you want exclusive proof?" Nicole asked with a grin.

    "Nicole, that''s illegal." Miguel warned his sister. He already knew what she was nning.

    "Well, she won''t be able to file a case because Ray will stop Mark. She can''t go to the Hernandez family because her daddy isn''t in charge any more. And I won''t release it explicitly. It''ll go online and within five second''s Ram''s news outlet will pick it up." Nicole had already built a n in her head, she wasn''t just some rich man''s daughter. She was Nicole Chan, she ran Saints Hospital with her father, she was no pushover.

    Nicole quickly dialed a number and asked the other person to look for Asia''s medical records.

    "How sure are you that she even went to a Saints Hospital?" Ram asked.

    "Cause everyone goes to a Saints Hospital, especially a social climbing bitch like Asia!" Nicole said with a grin. Within five minutes of the call Nicole received the documents and sent it to Ram.

    Nicole had someone leak the images when Ram said his reporters had made a fully approved story for posting on social media. Since it was a gossip news it wouldn''t make that night''s telecast but it would be all over social media.

    "No one calls me a slut and Alexi, seriously, that''s disgusting!" Nicole grinned ear to ear.

    "I am not disgusting!" Alexi attempted to argue but they all knew that arguing with any of the sisters was useless.

    Cedric sent a message to Adrianna.

    Cedric: I just heard that Asia is actually pregnant.

    Adrianna: Yeah! It seems she had a fight with Mark Chu in the parking lot and there were reporters nearby.

    Cedric: Do you need to go to the old house?

    Adrianna: No need. Uncle Fredrik isn''t in charge anymore so it won''t have a big impact.

    Cedric: Isn''t Asia still part of the management team?

    Adrianna: Yes, this will probably give uncle Matthew the perfect reason to fire her.

    Cedric: I can''t say I''m not happy.

    Adrianna: Honestly, I''m happy to get her out. She''s been trying to take credit for my work.

    Cedric: Be careful.

    Cedric put away his phone and looked back at the group.

    "Well Adrianna just told me that Asia won''t have the Hernandez''s backing. They are still trying to recover from the change in management." Cedric told Nicole.

    "The Chus wouldn''t dare do anything right?" Nicole asked Ray just to be sure.

    "I''ll warn them about who they will be up against." Ray said.

    "Good!" Nicole chirped.

    Cami appeared and told Cedric that it was time for them to return to the city since Cedric still had a lot of meetings.

    "Ian, handle things here." Cedric instructed his former assistant who was with Cami.

 Chapter 66 - 66

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    On the trip back Cedric went through a couple of reportsing from the directors at Mor Co. He wanted everything to run smoothly.

    "Cami, n a celebratory party for the employees at the end of the year. Make sure that all our partners are invited as well." Cedric ordered.

    "Will the four princes and the sisters be attending sir?" Cami asked to rify the guest list.

    "Yes." Cedic agreed. Aside from being his friends, having famous people at a party didn''t hurt.

    "Sir, we just got a proposal for Constetions Resorts for a partnership." Cami said as she looked through her emails.

    "Huh? Constetions? The management there should be more than capable of handling a simple partnership." Cedric was puzzled as to why Cami brought it up.

    "Sir, it''s from Ind''s Inc. and the one that sent the proposal to us was your wife." Cami exined.

    "You should have led with that. Tell the management to give more and never less if they are dealing with Adrianna." Cedric said.

    "We also found out that Adrianna is working on a partnership with City Malls." Cami reported. City Malls were the biggestpetitor to Elisia Malls, they were half the size but their locations were quite prime.

    "Monitor it closely. I just want to keep the Elisia Malls partnership bigger than the one she is working on with City Malls. Otherwise let it be. Anything else?" Cedric asked.

    "She''s also working on partnerships with Mr. Ray''s rival airlinepanies." Cami said.

    "Tell Ray''s assistant about it. They should be able to decide if they will work with Ind''s Inc. I can''t really force them." Cedric would never directly order Ray to do anything that affected his business, even the sisters had volunteered all the partnerships they gave during the press conference of Ind''s Inc.

    In Ind''s Inc.''s VP for Marketing and Sales office, Adrianna had just moved to this room. It was on the top floor, the same floor as the president''s office and it faced Mor Co.''s building.

    Adrianna couldn''t help but look out the window and wonder what her husband was currently doing in the not so far away building. She remembered John Hernandez''s constantints that he had the worst view of all. At that time Mor Co. was just considered to be a small startup and everyone expected it to fold quickly.

    It came as a surprise to everyone when the news came out that Mor Co. was actually a subsidiary of the Reyes Group and was currently being run by the heir to the Reyes group. In a few years her view would be the most sought after view since the Mor Co. building was going to be redesigned by Veronica.

    Adrianna leaned back in her seat looking out the window, in her head she was imagining that her husband was also staring out one of thoserge windows, looking at her.

    She was pulled back into reality when several emails began popping up on herptop.

    Subject: Re: Partnership with Constetions Resort

    Dear Miss Adrianna,

    We are honored to partner with Ind''s Inc. please give us your soonest avable date

    so that we can sit down and discuss our partnership further.

    Thanks,

    Marketing Director of Constetions Resort

    Subject: Re: Partnership with City Malls

    Dear Miss Adrianna,

    Our boss has approved your proposal and would like to meet with you in person.

    Thanks,

    Assistant to the President

    Subject: Improved Partnership between Ind''s Inc. And Elisia Malls

    Dear Miss Adrianna,

    Our management would like to firm up the partnership between Elisia Malls and Ind''s

    Inc. Our VP and Miss Ayanna Reyes would like to set up a meeting with you next week

    at your own convenience.

    Thanks,

    Cami Montero

    Assistant to the President

    Subject: Partnership with Breeze Air

    Dear Miss Adrianna Hernandez-Reyes,

    I would like to partner with Ind''s Inc. on various projects.

    Thanks,

    Ray Laurence

    Subject: Re: Partnership with Above Air

    Dear Miss Adrianna,

    We would like to further meet on your proposal. Please give us your soonest avability.

    Thanks,

    Head of Marketing - Above Air

    Adrianna was most surprised with the emailsing from Elisia Malls and Breeze Air. She already had an existing partnership with Elisia Malls, she didn''t see the reason why she would need to meet up with the VP for Operations as well as Ayanna Reyes. As for Breeze Air, it was thergest airline in the country, she had been afraid to approach such a bigpany with her proposal, so she approached the smaller Above Air first.

    With the amount of potential partnerships and sales that had justnded in herp Adrianna had to get her whole team involved. She asked for her newly appointed assistant to get all the marketing and sales team heads and supervisors into an emergency meeting in five minutes.

    The assistant and the teams were quite efficient and they arrived at the meeting room prior to the time Adrianna had said.

    When she walked in it seemed everyone was nervous.

    "You can all calm down. No one is getting fired." With what Adrianna said the employees started to breathe and act normally. They seemed to have been worried that with a change in management many people would be reced as well.

    "Before anything, I''ll reintroduce myself. For those that don''t know me I''m Adrianna Hernandez-Reyes, and yes I''m married. I won''t fire anyone just because you used to work for my cousin. My husband is also an ordinary worker so I understand the struggle. Okay. Now down to business." Adrianna gave a quick introduction and asked her assistant to pass around folders, each with apany inside.

    "Today we got over ten written agreements that theirpanies would like to partner with us. The hardest will probably be the Elisia Mall partnership, followed by Saints Hospital, then Breeze Air, and fourth will be Constetions Resorts. The others will be rtively easypared to those four." Adrianna exined. Everyone was surprised at what she had just said. Adrianna had been in the position of VP for Marketing and Sales for less than a week and alreadypanies that had rejected them in the past were lining up to work with them.

    "You all have a week to polish and finish presentations and proposals for thesepanies. Surprisingly for most of them we won''t be meeting with just the Marketing Director or Sales Director, we will actually be meeting with presidents and CEOs." Adrianna gave a very tight timeline to her team before dismissing them.

 Chapter 67 - 67

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    As soon as the meeting was done the whole Ind''s Inc. was a buzz with gossip. Many of the employees had just found out that Adrianna had managed to get all of their difficult clients on the table, something that John Hernandez had been trying for years.

    When news reached Matthew Hernandez''s office he quickly called Adrianna to congratte her.

    "When were you going to tell me you hadnded such big ounts!" Adrianna''s uncle Matthew asked proudly.

    "I was going to tell you when the deals were closed. They are mostly in the proposal process." Adrianna tried to calm his excitement.

    "All of thesepanies have snubbed us in the past Adrianna. Especially the Reyes Group. They always ignored John and Fredrik for some reason." Matthew had always been puzzled on why the Reyes Group never even seemed to open their proposals when it came to Ind''s Inc. Many of their contemporaries have had less favorable deals, but deals nheless.

    "I''m just hoping that we can close deals with them. And get an even better deal with Elisia Malls. They invited me to meet for a bigger deal." Adrianna said.

    "Still, congrattions Adrianna. You seem to be Ind''s Inc.''s lucky charm. I''m sure you''re busy today, with your Lobo family side arriving." Matthew said escorting Adrianna out of his office.

    "Yes, mom''s family ising over for Amanda''s graduation. Cedric and I are picking them up at the airportter, then having dinner at Bamboo Room. Grandpa was kind enough to lend a driver." Adrianna said.

    "Will you fit in your car?" Matthew asked.

    "Yeah. Cedric got a new car so we just need a driver for the second one." Adrianna exined.

    "Wow, Cedric has a new car? Is it a toyota? Or a Mitsubishi?" Matthew asked.

    "It''s an Audi R8. It seems that Mor Co. is very generous to its employees." Adrianna was proud of the new nice things Cedric got due to his new job. No one could say that he didn''t work for it.

    "Wow. Good for Cedric. I hope our Assistants don''t hear about that. They mighte asking for cars." Matthew teased before finally letting Adrianna go.

    After work Adrianna and Cedric picked the Lobo Family up. Cedric drove his Audi while his driver took Adrianna''s Toyota Innova. The Hernandez family driver had to back outst minute because he had the stomach flu.

    The Lobo family had flown in from the northern part of the country. Gracia''s marriage to Charles was strategic to both families. Both the factories and raw materials used by Ind''s Inc. were located in the province where the Lobo family basically ruled. They held almost all the power in that province, from the high ranking officials to the police chief. The only part of their province that was out of their control was the industry, one of thergest contributors of which was Ind''s Inc.

    Among those that were scheduled to arrive were Adrianna''s maternal grandparents, her mother''s older brother, Ivan Lobo, his wife, May Lobo, and their son Jam Lobo. Unlike the Hernandez''s, her immediate rtives on the Lobo side were quite few. Aside from those arriving she just had a cousin, Amanda Lobo, who was quite different from the rest of the family.

    When they arrived to pick up the Lobo''s they were surprised to find an additional guest.

    "Adrianna!" Adrianna''s uncle Ivan waved at her.

    "Uncle Ivan, I''m so happy to see you." Adrianna hugged her uncle as Cedric helped load their luggage into the two cars.

    "Wow. The Hernandez''s must be doing well. Did they give you this new Audi?" May Lobo asked her niece.

    "Auntie, this isn''t mine. It''s Cedric''s." Adrianna said proudly.

    "Ah before I forget, Adri, this is Tony Tamano. We ran into him in the airport! He''s from the same province as us. Tony and his family run thergest miningpany there. They are so big that they supply gold to Lau Jewelry." Ivan said ignoring Adrianna''s boast about Cedric''s new car.

    "Yes. Ray Laurence and I go way back. He''s actually my junior in university." Tony Tamano boasted. Lau Jewelry was a chain of jewelry shops owned by the Laurence family.

    "Wow. That''s impressive. I went to the same university as Ray Laurence. I think we were ssmates." Adrianna said, recalling the events during Asia''s engagement party.

    "I see you have an imitation of the North Star Set that Lau Jewelry hadmissioned." Tony Tamano said looking at the ring on Adrianna''s finger.

    "The North Star Jewelry set?" Adrianna asked. She didn''t think that her ring and Cedric''s together with the matching jewelry that hade with it was fake. After all Raymund Laurence had given them that set.

    "Yes. From the gold to the jewels on it, we mined all of them. The gold is the highest quality we ever mined and the diamonds and sapphires are also the highest quality ever found in the country. Ray said he was going to use it to make a gift for a special friend. We all assumed he would use it to propose someday." Tony exined. He took Adrianna''s hand and examined the ring closely. "It''s such a good replica that if I didn''t know where the original one was, I would think that this was the original ring."

    Adrianna just nodded, not wanting to offend the guest.

    "Where are we having dinner Adrianna?" Jam Lobo asked. Jam was a recent university graduate, he had taken up a business course in university at the capital.

    "Well we booked a table at the Bamboo Room. Amanda and my parents will meet us there." Adrianna said.

    "Can we add one more? I want Tony to join us." Grandpa Lobo asked.

    "Ced, do you think?" Adrianna asked Cedric tentatively, she knew how difficult it was to make changes to a reservation at the Bamboo Room.

    "I''ll make a call." Cedric said as he took out his phone and walked away.

    "Hey Ced! What''s up?" Ray asked as he picked up Cedric''s call.

    "I have a reservation at the Bamboo Room and we have an extra guest." Cedric exined.

    "I''ll fix it. And it''s perfect the boys and I went straight here from the groundbreaking. I can see you be poor, sad, Cedric." Ray teased.

    "I''m not sad." Cedricughed.

    "Fine you aren''t sad." Ray alsoughed.

    "Oh before I forget, there is a Tony Tamano here that is iming to be good friends with you. He said the rings you gave me and Adrianna are fake." Cedric teased.

    "Tony, Tony, Tony, the name is familiar. Ah! He''s the kind you and Eric tricked us to go to! Remember you said you and Eric were having a drink in a bar and Alexi and I ended up going into that kid''s birthday party!" Ray recalled.

    "He said the gold and jewels on the rings are from their mining sites." Cedric exined.

    "It could be. I just asked for the best of the best to make those rings. I had missed your wedding, because you didn''t invite us, and wanted to give you something special. I named the set the North Star. We were working on Constetion back then so I was inspired." Ray teased.

    "Well I''ll see and not know you that wellter." Cedric said, dropping the call.

 Chapter 68 - 68

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    At Bamboo Room, Ray dropped the call and grinned.

    "What is it this time?" A slightly annoyed Alexi asked.

    "Someone is pretending to know again and he''s iming that the set I gave Cedric and Adrianna is fake." Ray said with a dark smile.

    "Ooooh fun! Too bad the girls aren''t here." Nicole said.

    "He''s with Cedric now?" Ram who was calmly sipping wine asked.

    "Yeah. We''ll get the full story from Cedricter, I''m sure. They areing here for dinner." Ray said.

    When Cedric arrived with Adrianna and their guests Cedric could clearly see that his friends were seated at the most expensive table in the room. It was considered the most expensive table because to get a reservation for that table you would need to reserve months in advance and there was a minimum order required. That table had the best view of the city from the Bamboo Room. When Ray had found out that Cedric was going there as well, he made sure to put Cedric and his group on the table next to theirs.

    When Cedric approached Ray stood up and waved at him. The Hernandez family already knew that Cedric was acquaintances with Raymund Laurence and was not surprised, the Lobo family however did not expect Cedric to know the owner of the Bamboo Room. As a matter of fact they had just been boasting on how Tony Tamano knew Raymund Laurence.

    "Mr. Tamano, won''t you be saying hi to Mr. Laurence! He''s right there." Adrianna''s Aunt Patricia nudged.

    "Ah, yes, my good friend Ray. I just don''t want to bother him. He''s having dinner with the four princes." Tony Tamano said in what looked to Cedric as a way for him to avoid going up to Ray.

    "Mr. Tamano, the other princes aren''t that bad." Cedric said trying to egg Tony into speaking with them.

    "I guess it wouldn''t hurt to make new friends." Tony replied, scratching his head.

    Tony went up and approached Raymund Laurence.

    "Mr. Laurence, it''s me Tony Tamano, we do business for Lau Jewelry. I provided the gold and stones for the North Star collection." Tony said as he approached the table.

    "Hey, can''t you see we''re eating?" Nicole, who was seated between Ray and Miguel said.

    "Miss I''m sorry. Are you Mr. Laurence''s girlfriend?" Tony Tamano asked.

    Nicole and the others burst outughing when Tony Tamano asked if Nicole was Ray''s girlfriend.

    "I think my personal life isn''t important to you Mr. Tamano. If you would like to talk about business please, set an appointment with my assistant. If you are here to chit chat, you should know, I don''t do chit chat." Ray said quite coldly, an opposite to how his friends wereughing just now.

    "Ray, I''ve lost my appetite because of this man. Let''s go." Nicoleined.

    Ray nodded and stood up. The whole group followed him and left.

    Tony Tamano was left dumbfounded. He didn''t even know who that girl was and one word from her already managed to make all four princes leave. Luckily no one from the Lobo or Hernandez family overheard the conversation and his pride was still in ce.

    "What did Mr. Laurence say?" Adrianna''s Uncle Ivan asked.

    "Ah Ray said to enjoy our meal. We just did a little chit chat. He had to go cause that girl with them was acting a little bitchy." Tony lied.

    "Nicole was acting bitchy?" Ardianna asked.

    "You know her Miss Adrianna?" Tony was surprised that Adrianna knew the woman with the four princes.

    "Yeah. That''s Nicole Chan. I''ve met her a couple of times and I have a partnership with their hospital. Oh and the other guy next to her is her older brother, Miguel Chan." Adrianna exined.

    "Nicole Chan, the current VP of Saints Hospital?" Tony said in shock.

    "Who did you think she was?" Adrianna asked.

    "I thought she was Ray''s girlfriend." Tony admitted.

    ''I''m sure she found that hrious." Cedric wasn''t able to stop himself frommenting.

    "Don''t pretend to know them, you''re just an assistant." Adrianna''s Aunt Patricia said.

    "Aunt Patricia, Cedric actually knows Mr. Raymund Laurence and Mr. Miguel Chan. Also Cedric''s boss is the Reyes Heir. So he has met the four princes and their sisters in the past." Adrianna didn''t bring up the odd events of their dinner with them in Pris Mall. That story was just too far fetched. The Lobos would never believe that.

    "Adrianna darling, why couldn''t you have married someone like Tony Tamano here." Grandma Lobo suddenly said. Just like the Hernandez''s they did not approve of Adrianna''s choice in her husband.

    "Grandma, it''s been five years since Cedric and I have been married. Can you stop putting him down already? I''m happy with him." Adrianna sighed. It seemed that she would never get a break from her family''sments against Cedric.

    "This is all your fault Charles! Why couldn''t you have stepped up like your brothers. You don''t even have a role in Ind''s Inc." Grandpa Lobo scolded. He had alwaysined about how his son-inw was the least of the Hernandez siblings. Even his sister Cathy was the Head of PR for Ind''s Inc. it was only Charles that didn''t join the family business.

    "Dad, that''s such an old issue. And we have a guest." Gracia scolded her father.

    "That''s right we are here to celebrate Amanda''s graduation!" Adrianna''s Aunt Patricia said quite happily.

 Chapter 69 - 69

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    Amanda who was seated quietly next to Adrianna smiled back at her mother. Unlike the rest of the Lobo family Amanada actually liked Cedric. She had always seen Adrianna as her older sister, and when she first went to the capital it was Adrianna and Cedric that took care of her and brought her around.

    "Why don''t I order the finest wine here, and toast to Amanda''s graduation." Tony Tamano boasted.

    Cedric thought to himself that Tony couldn''t afford the most expensive wine in the Bamboo Room because this is also where Ray and Alexi kept their stash, and both of them were avid collectors of different wines.

    "Miss Adrianna, why don''t you pick a bottle for us?" Tony said calling a waiter over for the menu.

    "I''m not that knowledgeable when ites to wines." Adrianna admitted.

    "Very well. Waiter, I''ll have your most expensive wine!" Tony announced.

    "Sir, for that we will need to get Mr. Laurence''s approval. The most expensive wine here belongs to his private collection, and we are under strict instructions to call him if anyone asks for the most expensive bottle." The waiter exined to Tony.

    Tony almost choked when he heard it was part of Mr. Raymund Laurence''s private collection. He wouldn''t dare assume he could afford anything that belonged to the private collection.

    "No, no, no need to bother Mr. Laurence. I''ll take the most expensive one on the menu." Tony said proudly.

    The waiter took his order and brought a bottle back to them.

    "Adrianna, help me take your grandmother to the bathroom."Arianna''s Aunt Patricia said.

    The trip to the bathroom was a cover for Grandma Lobo and Aunt Patricia to talk to Adrianna about Tony Tamano.

    "Adrianna, isn''t Tony amazing?" Aunt Patricia asked Adrianna.

    "He''s alright." Adrianna gave an unimpressed response.

    "You know when he first saw your picture in the old house he immediately asked us about you!" Grandma Lobo said, clearly excited about something.

    "He thinks you''re really pretty Adrianna." Aunt Patricia further said.

    "I''m ttered he finds me pretty." Adrianna tly said.

    "Adrianna, don''t you see how good it is to have a financially capable man? One that can treat you the way you deserve?" Aunt Patricia asked Adrianna.

    "Cedric treats me the way I deserve. Much better than those rich boys. I won''t be with a man like Alexander Sebastian, that changes women every week, or someone like that Reyes Heir, who can''t even announce his rtionship status to the world. Tony Tamano is no different from them. He probably has a family that will look too lowly on any woman he marries, or maybe he is a yboy like Mr. Alexander. Those men that inherited their money and power are the worst. They don''t know how to work for anything." Adrianna already knew what her grandmother and aunt wanted, it was the same thing many of her Hernandez rtives wanted as well.

    "But Adrianna, you could be much much more with a man like Tony Tamano." Grandma Lobo said.

    "With a man like Cedric, I know I earned everything myself. I know that it isn''t him pulling strings in the shadows. I know I''m seeding because of my skills and not some man''sst name." Adrianna hated the thought that if she had married someone from a powerful family everything she would ever get was because she was married to that man. She always wanted to prove to the work what she was capable of as Adrianna and not as some man''s wife.

    "That''s the problem with you women today! You all think that what a man can do, a woman can do too! There are some heights you will never be able to reach Adrianna, no matter how hard you try." Grandma Lobo scolded her granddaughter.

    "I am not leaving my husband grandma!" Adrianna said before storming out.

    When she exited the bathroom she bumped into Tony Tamano.

    "Woah there Miss Adrianna. Are you alright?" Tony asked in a caring tone.

    "Yes." Adrianna said as she tried to leave.

    "Miss Adrianna. I was actually trying to get the chance to talk to you in person. I have two extra tickets to a yacht tour around the bay. I was wondering if you, a local, could apany me." Tony asked politely. Honestly if it hadn''t been for her grandma or Aunt Patricia speaking to her in the bathroom just now she might have agreed to apany Tony on the boat tour. But because of what they had said Adrianna couldn''t help but feel a hostility towards the man.

    "Mr. Tamano, I think you are fully aware that I am a married woman." Adrianna said, showing her ring finger. "It''s not appropriate to ask a married woman to go out alone!"

    Adrianna tried to turn and leave again when Tony grabbed her arm.

    "Miss Adrianna, I have no malicious intentions. I simply am looking for a friend from the capital to apany me." Tony exined.

    Adrianna jerked her arm away from Tony and red at him. ??You better make that clear to my family." She warned before finally storming off.

 Chapter 70 - 70

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    The rest of the night with the Lobo family was uneventful. Charles and Gracia had booked for the Lobo''s to stay at Constetions Resort, and it just so happened that Tony Tamano was also booked to stay there, so Cedric and Adrianna took all of them to the hotel.

    "I wonder why they call Constetions Resort, a resort when it''s really more of a hotel?" Tony Tamano thought out loud. He was in the same vehicle as Cedric, Adrianna, and Adrianna''s grandparents on the Lobo side.

    "Well, ording to rumors the owner hates the city and wants to live in a beach resort for the rest of his life. So he called his hotels, resorts." Adrianna recounted a rumor Natasha once told her.

    Cedric who was driving wanted tough. The only reason the hotels were called resorts were because they were never meant to be built in the city. He had nned for them to stay in the vacation hotspots of the country. One day he was given the opportunity to buy a good lot at the center of the city for an eptable price. He bought it and built the first Constetion Resort in a non beach area. There was no deep, hidden story, just a coincidence.

    When they got to Constetions, Adrianna helped her grandparents to their rooms. Cedric was left at the lobby with Tony Tamano.

    "Do you smoke?" Tony asked Cedric.

    "Rarely. Only when I''m stressed." Cedric told Tony.

    "Neither do I. Do you wanna grab a bottle at the bar while waiting for Adrianna?" Tony offered.

    "Sure, why not." Cedric nodded.

    They were sitting silently and awkwardly at the bar, Tony was the first to break the silence.

    "Look, I think, I may have gotten off on the wrong foot with both you and Adrianna." Tony said.

    "Hmmm?" Was all Cedric could say in response. People like Tony never said things like that to people like him.

    "It seems the Lobo family wants me to have an affair with Adrianna." Tony shyly said.

    Cedricughed and said. "Everyone in her family wants her to have a rtionship with what they call a better man. You don''t need to exin."

    "I had tickets, two extra tickets to a yacht tour of the city, I wanted to ask you and her to apany me, but Adrianna thought I was asking her out on a date." Tonyughed.

    "You''re not a bad guy Tony." Cedricughed.

    "Can you keep a secret Cedric?" Tony asked.

    "We just met, and you are going to tell me a secret?" Cedric looked at him.

    Tony just shrugged.

    "Alright. What is it?" Cedric asked.

    "I didn''t want to go to the capital with the Lobo family. My dad forced me." Tony said with a sigh. "I got lucky that Mr. Raymund didn''t call me out earlier in front of everyone. I panicked and almost ruined our whole working rtionship with him." Tonyughed.

    "Then why do you spend time with the Lobo family?" Cedric asked.

    "Their family and mine go way back. My family needs them for permits and other things rted to the government back in our province, they need us to keep the economy afloat. Even with Ind''s Inc. in our province mining is still one of the biggest economic contributors in the province. You don''t cut ties like those that easily." Tony exined.

    "Well even here in the capital those kinds of rtionships exist." Cedric thought about him and his friends. Their families depended on each other, luckily they were real friends.

    "You mean the five princes right?" Tony asked. Cedric simply nodded in reply.

    "I depend on the Laurence''s. So I guess you could say I''m part of that ecosystem of power. So are the Lobo''s and the Hernandez''s. They just don''t see it as clearly as we do I guess. The Lobo''s need me and the Herndandez'' need the Lobo''s and vice versa. But we all depend on one of the five families. Ind''s Inc. needs the malls and bulk orders of Reyes Group, I need the orders of Lau Jewelry. If the Laurence''s tell me to jump, I have to jump. Without them I won''t have any profit, without me they can just go to a new supplier." Tony said, analyzing the importance of the five princes to their lives.

    "You''re a lucky man Cedric, you have an incredibly beautiful and loyal wife. I''m just sad that she''s already married." Tony teased.

    "You''re eight years toote." Cedricughed.

    "What are you guysughing about? Since when did you start getting along?" Adrianna who had juste down was puzzled with the two men getting along well. Usually people from her social status looked down on Cedric. It seemed Tony Tamano was actually different.

    "I was just telling Tony how we would be happy to apany him on his yacht tour." Cedric said as he interlocked his fingers with Adrianna''s and lifted them to his lips to kiss.

    "He told you about that?" Adrianna was even more surprised that Cedric had agreed to go.

    "Of course. It''s the three of us. So no harm there." Cedric exined to his wife.

    "We''ll go ahead Tony. Just tell us when the yacht tour will be and we''ll meet you there." Cedric and Adrianna bid Tony goodbye and left the hotel.

    Tony smiled at the retreating couple. All he could think about was how pretty Adrianna was, it was such a shame that she was married.

 Chapter 71 - 71

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    The next day Adrianna got a message from Tony telling her that the yacht tour was tonight. He was hoping that both she and Cedric were not too busy and could join him. Cedric''s workload was significantly lightened with Ian taking on the lead for the expansion project, so he could easily move his meetings around.

    Adrianna got lucky because for some reason the managers of Constetions, Elisia, and Breeze Air had all of their meetings moved, so it gave her and her team more time to prepare, meaning less overtime for Adrianna since she didn''t need to see all the proposals in one day.

    The tour was scheduled to be a sunset and night time tour with guests catching the famed bay sunset and having dinner as the yacht cruised along the shoreline. There were only fifteen guests per trip so the tour was highly coveted even among locals.

    Cedric and Adrianna were waiting at the boarding area five minutes before the agreed upon time with Tony. When Tony arrived all three of them got on the deck of the yacht.

    "Didn''t you study university in the capital?" Adrianna asked Tony.

    "I did. I studied in the capital when I was in high school and university. But I stayed at home or in school most of the time, I really didn''t get to enjoy being here. After graduating from university I stayed at the province most of the time and only came over for important meetings." Tony said looking into the distance.

    As the tour continued Adrianna looked out into the city she grew up in, Cedric gave her a hug from behind.

    "What are you thinking about?" Cedric asked Adrianna as the yacht cruised along the bay.

    "There are fourteen million people in the capital, and still I managed to find you." Adrianna looked up at Cedric and smiled sweetly. Cedric looked at her and smiled back.

    "I''ll always be here for you Adrianna, always remember that." Cedric said in reply.

    "I''m just d that you aren''t like all those rich boys." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked.

    "With you I feel like, everything I am is genuinely me. I achieved everything on my own, and people around me didn''t have to give me everything because I married a powerful man. I never felt like I needed to take a step back in my career because I might hurt your ego. I''m d you''re not some rich heir." Adrianna hugged him tight.

    "Adri, just remember, I''ll always be me." Cedric ced a light kiss on Adrianna''s lips.

    Adrianna''s phone suddenly began to ring.

    "I''ll go hangout with Tony." Cedric said leaving Adrianna alone.

    "Your wife is beautiful." Tony said as Cedric stood next to him.

    "Yeah, I''m really lucky she was happy to settle with a guy like me." Cedric grinned.

    "I won''t lie. When I saw her picture in the Lobo home I had every intention of pursuing her, and all her rtives pushed me to do so." Tony admitted to Cedric.

    "What changed your mind?" Cedric asked.

    "I saw her in the news a couple of times. She''s always referred to as Mrs. Adrianna Hernandez-Reyes. At first I actually thought she was married to the Reyes heir. The gossip that gets to us in the province isn''t exactly urate." Tonyughed.

    "Her family doesn''t seem to care that we are married." Cedric said with a sigh, he knew that the moment his identity was revealed to the public both the Hernandez and Lobo families would be jumping up and down to recognize him as their son-inw.

    "You better keep her happy. A lot of men want to make her happy. And I won''t lie, if you break her heart I won''t wait for you to fix things." Tony threatened with a smile. He had fallen in love with Adrianna''s photo and had been waiting to meet her when he found out she was actually married. He was heartbroken to find out that the girl of his dreams was already someone else''s.

    Meanwhile Adrianna''s phone call had just ended and she went over to Cedric and Tony with amazing news.

    "Cedric! Cedric!" Adrianna hugged her husband tight.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked,ughing at her childlike behavior.

    "That was one of the reporters from Abad TV Network. They are making a piece called 30 women under 30 and they want me to be in it!" Adrianna proudly announced.

    Even Cedric was surprised because Ram hadn''t called him to tell Cedric about this.

    "I''m so proud of you honey!" Cedric lifted her in a hug and spun her around.

    "Congrattions Miss Adrianna! Wow, that''s amazing. The Abad TV Network''s top list is known to be unbiased. Even the daughter of the owner has never been on that list." Tony congratted Adrianna on her achievement. Of course it wasn''t true that the owner''s daughter had never been on the list, people just didn''t know that Veronica was actually Anna Abad. Even the reporters who wrote the news didn''t know about the rtionship between Ram Abad and Veronica.

    "Did they give you any details?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    "Well they said the shoot can only be done in a weeks time, they are still waiting for one of the girls toe back from the USA and another toe back from a seminar in Dubai, so we''ll be doing a photoshoot, a video shoot, and an interview that day." Adrianna exined.

    "Well, why don''t I treat us to dinner at Nouveau?" Tony asked.

    "It''s not easy to get a reservation there." Adrianna exined.

    "Well we could try." Tony said with a wink.

    Of course when they got there the manager escorted them to a miraculously vacant table. Cedric had sent a message to Cami before the end of the yacht tour.

    As the night came to an end Adrianna felt morefortable being around Tony, he didn''t seem to be a threat like all the other guys.

    A weekter the reporter called Adrianna to tell her that all of thedies participating in the shoot were already there.

 Chapter 72 - 72

    Cedric was in a meeting when Ayanna began calling him non-stop. He ignored her calls, but it seemed Ayanna had something important to say so she didn''t stop calling until Cedric finally picked up her call after his meeting.

    "I have a job to do, you know." Cedric scolded his sister. ??

    "Ced I just arrived!" Ayanna excitedly announced.

    "Isn''t it the middle of your term?" Cedric asked.

    "It is, but I said I had to take a couple of days off to do something. I won''t fail, you know." Ayannaughed at her brother''s worry.

    "Please tell me you didn''t empty out one of Ray''s flights." Cedric sighed.

    "Nope. Veronica was on the way home from Italy, so she passed by me. Although Ray did offer to get me on the first flight home, I had to decline since Veronica was gonna pick me up." Ayanna made it sound like getting on the ne was just like getting on a taxi.

    "So why are you home?" Cedric asked, taking a seat behind his desk.

    "I''m gonna be on shoot with my sister-inw!" Ayanna giggled.

    "Is this the 30 under 30 thing for Abad TV?" Cedric asked, recalling Adrianna''s shoot the next day.

    "Yup, but not everyone gets to be part of the shoot. Only the top ten. Can I take Adrianna shopping for the shoot?" Ayanna asked.

    "If she agrees, I don''t see why not." Cedric said.

    "Big brother, will you pay for it?" Ayanna asked sweetly on the other end.

    "Do I have a choice?" Cedric asked.

    "Of course not. I have a lunch meeting with Adrianna for Elisia Malls, we can go shopping after that." Ayanna said, dropping the call.

    When Ayanna arrived at R Tower she was informed that Adrianna was already waiting at the lobby of Elisia Corp.''s floor. She passed by to invite Adrianna and her team to join her for lunch at Nouveau.

    Ayanna sat at the head of the table and wore a straight face rather than her usual smile when she was around Adrianna. She wore a ck business suit and ts. Despite not wearing high heels and not being exceptionally tall, she was only 162cm tall, Ayanna''s presence felt like there was a giant in the room.

    The Ind''s Inc. team consisted of a marketing manager, a sales director, the head of design, Adrianna, and her assistant. Everyone except Adrianna was nervous, they had heard horror stories of whole teams leaving in shame after presenting an unimpressive idea to Ayanna. At such a young age Ayanna had already made waves in Elisia Corp. and in the various rin businesses owned by her mother.

    "We can begin." Ayanna said.

    The team went through their presentation and proposal just as they had practiced. Prior to meeting with Ayanna they had practiced presenting the proposal for almost three days, getting every detail perfect and preparing a list of questions Ayanna might ask. When they were done they waited for Ayanna to ask questions about their proposal.

    "James, can we work with this?" Ayanna asked the VP for Elisia Malls.

    "Yes, Miss Ayanna." James, the VP for Elisia Malls confirmed.

    "Call up Lights Entertainment, I want some celebrity endorsements and TV time for this. I''ll tell Ram or Anna when I see them. They should give us what we need." Ayanna instructed.

    Everyone was shocked. Ayanna Reyes never fully agreed with a project proposal, this was what made it difficult to deal with Elisia Corp. they always got more out of a deal and everyone agreed since securing a partnership with them opened many doors.

    "You may all go. I''d like to speak to Adrianna alone." Ayanna said. At that everyone left the private room.

    Ayanna suddenly transformed into the sweet girl Adrianna had seen before. She smiled at Adrianna and spoke.

    "You''re part of the 30 under 30 feature tooter right?" Ayanna asked.

    Adrianna simply nodded.

    "Great. Let''s go shopping after this. I just need to pass by my brother to get his card." Ayanna said.

    ??I still have work in the office." Adrianna said in an attempt to refuse.

    "It''ll be a quick trip, then I can drop you off at Ind''s Inc. We''ll just see each other tonight at the shoot." Ayanna smiled sweetly.

    "Alright, I guess." Adrianna agreed reluctantly.

    When Adrianna and Ayanna left together the employees of Ind''s Inc. were left in awe of their female boss. Not only was she brilliant, but she had equally brilliant friends as well.

    When Ayanna dropped by Cedric''s office she left Adrianna in the car to wait for her.

    Cedric already knew she was on her way up and had already ced his card on the table.

    "My brother is the best!" Ayanna said as she took the card.

    "Make sure she looks respectable." Cedric instructed.

    "Are you worried I''ll over dress her?" Ayannaughed.

    "You know what I mean." Cedric knew that Ayanna wanted to dress his wife in such a way that he would be the envy of all men.

    "Fine, a boring business suit like mine then. Will I see you when you pick her up?" Ayanna asked.

    "I''ll pick her up, but just as Cedric not as your over the top brother." Cedric said.

    "One, you are never over the top, two, that''s the same person, dum dum." Ayanna leftughing.

    What Ayanna had promised to be a quick trip to the mall turned out to be a full on girl''s day out with the sisters. Since Cedric was very over protective with regards to the rumors about his wife, Ayanna had arranged for specific wings of Pris Mall to be closed to give them privacy. All the employees were also asked to sign non-disclosure agreements for that day as well.

    Adrianna was shocked to see the whole luxury section of Pris Mall empty of customers.

    "Is it a bad day today?" Adrianna asked the girls.

    "Nope. Ayanna went over the top and closed off the whole section." Veronica said, rolling her eyes.

    "Hey! It''s better than people following us trying to take photos. Look I can run and no one cares!" Nicole said as she ran and slid along the empty hallways.

    "That''s so mature Nicole." Katerina said sarcastically.

    "I really hate these press events. I have lots of work to do in theb. Plus I''m still tired from my trip to Dubai." Nataliained. Natalia Sebastian had arrived from Dubai on the same flight as Miguel Chan the night before. Their seminar had finished the night before and they had been having a mixer with other scientists when Miguel got a call for an important operation back at home. He decided to drag Natalia along, and Natalia couldn''tin.

    "If Miguel hadn''t dragged you along you would bete for the shoot!" Katerina scolded her younger sister. Despite being twenty three Natalia already had two PHDs under her belt. She skipped several years in school and was a member of MENSA. She had gone to various countries to take her degrees and PHDs.

    "Adrianna, let''s shop for your outfitter!" Ayanna said as she pulled Adrianna to one of the high end luxury brand shops.

    "I was just going to wear what I''m wearing now." Adrianna was wearing a white dress with a ck zer on top.

    "No, no, no, no. That''s not good enough." Nicole said, shaking her head. "You have the infamous Veronica here and you won''t maximize her? Tsk, tsk, tsk."

    "Hey Nicole, I''m an interior designer not a fashion designer!" Veronica scolded Nicole.

    "You still have a better eye for it than us!" Nicole said, sticking out her tongue.

    "I swear if the board members of Saints Hotel saw you now, they would insist that Migel should be named heir instead of you." Katerina teased Nicole.

 Chapter 73 - 73

    Adrianna came out of the mall with ten new outfits, five new shoes, and three new bags. She kept telling Ayanna to stop buying her things but Ayanna refused and wouldn''t take no for an answer. It was clear that the girl had too much money in her hands.

    Adrianna took a taxiter that day to the studios of Abad TV Network. When she got to the studio there were already five other women dressed in white outfits. She had expected to see more people. ??

    When the producer approached her Adrianna asked if she was too early.

    "Miss, this shoot is only for the top ten. We don''t like mixing the sisters with other people. Plus we treat the top ten with a unique level of prestige." The producer exined to Adrianna.

    "Eww Carmen, isn''t that the cousin of that Asia girl! The one that got pregnant on purpose!" A tall foreign looking womanmented not so silently as Adrianna passed.

    "Shhh, Francesca! Didn''t you hear she hangs out with the sisters." A woman, Adrianna assumed to be Carmen, told herpanion.

    "I don''t really care, didn''t you hear the rumors that the Reyes heir likes her? And she''s married. What a shame." Francesca said, shaking her head.

    "Let''s just get our hair done, we won''t be seeing her around anyway." Carmen pulled her friend away.

    These women were not exactly strangers to Adrianna, she had seen them on magazine covers and interviews on TV in the past. Francesca Ri was an Italian - Filipino model that had been on the rise the past five years. She had been on the 30 under 30 list for the past three. She was a favorite model at the Mn and New York fashion weeks and had even acted in some Hollywood films. Herpanion was Carmen Evangelista, she was famous for establishing her own cake shop franchise across the country at the age of 20. She was also a sought after pastry chef that has cooked for a lot of individuals, including the families of the five princes.

    Adrianna was led to a changing room and assigned a make up artist. The theme of the shoot was ck and white, a theme Adrianna felt was used so often in shoots like these. She took out the white suit and pants and ck top that she had bought with Ayanna and the other girls.

    When she sat to have her makeup done a middle aged woman smiled at her.

    "First time?" The woman asked.

    "Yeah." Adrianna nervously answered.

    "Ignore thements you heard earlier. Those girls were brought up to live a very difficult life, and they have. So they aren''t too nice." The woman advised.

    "They were talking about my cousin, I don''t really like her that much, so it''s alright." Adrianna exined.

    "They''ll shut up when the sisters get here. Plus they be nicer. Who wouldn''t want to get a chance to get a little bit closer to the five princes." The makeup artist exined.

    "I don''t. I mean, businesswise I wouldn''t mind working with them, but the other kind, I don''t want that." Adrianna said.

    "You''re one in a million miss. Maybe even rarer." The makeup artistughed.

    Someone came in to check if Adrianna was ready to do some test shots. Adrianna quickly changed and followed the staff member to take some test shots. When she arrived the five other girls were already there and were talking like they knew each other quite well.

    "Francesca, I heard you have a new suitor." A woman who looked extremely fit said to Francesca. This woman was Beatrice Cruz, national team captain for the women''s volleyball team that had just made history by winning in the Asian Games.

    "Oh, it''s nothing serious." Francesca blushed.

    "I heard that you''re going to have dinner with a certain Mr. Alexander Sebastian tomorrow night." Beatrice teased Francesca.

    "It''s just dinner, it''s not a big deal." Franceca said.

    "It''s your chance to get cozy with his sister, Katerina." Carmen suggested to her friend.

    "Miss Katerina has always been cold and aloof during these shoots. Trying to get close to her might just get me embarrassed, Carmen." Francesca said with a grin. Of course Carmen was trying to get her to embarrass herself, taking down one threat and bringing her closer to getting to know the sisters.

    "Oh look Veronica is here, wanna guess which prince she might be dating now?" Beatrice said, nudging Carmen.

    Veronica came into the studio and smiled at Adrianna then left to go to her dressing room. When Veronica was out of earshot Beatrice resumed her gossip.

    "She was seen arriving at Nationalia several Wednesdays in a row with Ram Abad. And we all know what those Wednesdays are." Beatrice told the other girls.

    "She''s so lucky the sisters like her. I bet she''s even met the mysterious Anna Abad!" Carmen said. Most people were unaware that Anna and Veronica were the same person. The Abad family had long told everyone that Anna was studying abroad.

    After Adrianna was done with her test shoot Ayanna, Nicole, and Katerina all arrived together, all dressed and ready for the shoot. The other women had mostly ignored Adrianna and only spoke about her to gossip about her sudden rise to the top at Ind''s Inc. and to talk about how Asia had tricked Mark Chu into getting her pregnant and marrying her.

    "Hidies, I''m the new reporter for this segment. My name is Jon Santos and I was a reporter for three stars until Mr. Abad hired me. We will be taking some shots and videos for the report and the magazine, then we will have a group interview then my assistant will schedule a one on one interview with you." Jon the reporter announced when he saw all the girls were ready.

    They were asked to sit and stand in various ces with Ayanna in the center and Adrianna to her left. All of the other girls were jealous, to stand next to Ayanna Reyes meant you were one of the most sessful women that were influencing how society and business worked. They wouldn''t ept the fact that this new neer to the list was getting such an honor. On top of that most of them wanted that chance to see if they could meet the Reyes heir.

    "Ignore them." Ayanna whispered to Adrianna.

    "That''s easy for you Adrianna. They would all kiss your feet just for the opportunity to work with yourpany. I on the other hand need to build rtionships just to get to work with them." Adrianna sighed.

    "Something tells me that soon they will be chasing after you." Ayanna grinned and returned her attention to the shoot.

 Chapter 74 - 74

    When the shoot was almost over Ram Abad and Ray Laurence made a rare appearance at the shoot.

    "Ram! Ray! What are you guys doing here?" Ayanna greeted. ??

    "It''s my studio." Ram said. In front of everyone all the five princes were quite cold and domineering. Ram was the tallest among all the four princes, he had been a football yer in university so he was quite tanned and had a well toned body.

    The eyes of all the girls in the room were quickly glued on the two men. Despite rumors that Ram was dating Veronica the girls always said that there was never any harm in just looking, and Ray was notoriously single. Although they weren''t sure if he was just picky or if he was gay.

    "Ram''s here to apany me. I''m inviting you all to a little Christmas bash that I''ll be hosting at Kashmere." Ray said as his assistant gave each of the women invitations. Kashmere was an extremely private beach resort that Ray Laurence owned. You could only book a room by invite and the price of a room was very expensive. It was located on a private ind quite far from the city and had white sand beaches all around. All sorts of famous international personalities, politicians, and even royalty hade to stay at Kashmere in the past.

    "Is my brother going?" At Ayanna''s question all the women suddenly stopped what they were doing and listened.

    "Of course. When has your brother said no to me?" Ray saidughing.

    As soon as the shoot ended Ray''s party became the talk of the town. He had not only invited the ten girls but a lot of important business and political leaders as well, and because of his conversation with Ayanna, everyone knew that the Reyes Heir was going to be there.

    "A Christmas Party? On Kashmere?" Cedric asked as he leaned back on his seat.

    "I gave your wife an invitation. She said yes." Ray exined.

    "If my wife says yes then of course I''ll go. Are you inviting the parents?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. Our parents will be there, so Alexi and I have to be on our best behavior." Ray said sarcastically.

    "Alright. Have you looked into getting proof about Asia''s trick?" Cedric asked Ray.

    "Yeah. I actually found a CCTV video of Asia putting some sort of drug in Mark''s drink. I really have to me Mark here too. He made himself such an easy target, but Asia should have known that the louder he was about his wealth the less he really had." Ray said.

    "The Hernandez''s are a rtively new family. They don''t know anything about being low profile." Cedric exined. Even Adrianna who was the most low profile member of the family was considered loudpared to girls like Veronica and Ayanna who would never allow people to talk about their private lives. Most people knew Ayanna''s name and only saw her through photos that the Reyes family allowed to get out, if there was any gossip that too was allowed by them.

    "What do you want me to do about this video?" Ray asked Cedric.

    "Will it hurt you if the Chus get dragged down with Asia?" Cedric asked Ray.

    "No. It might help the Chus too." Ray told Cedric.

    "Give it to Ram. He''ll know what to do." Cedric gave his instructions.

    "Alright. See you at my party." Ray said as he was about to hang up the call.

    "Wait. I need your help with something. Can you meet me at Bamboo Room? I''ll actually be needing everyone''s help." Cedric told Ray.

    "Everyone? Including the parents and sisters?" Ray asked.

    "Yes. Can we do dinner tonight?" Cedric asked.

    "I''ll have the ce closed. But you need to check with uncle Jose. He''s the one that''s incredibly busy, he''s doing something called the presidency." Ray joked.

    "Uncle Jose will drop a meeting for this, I''m sure." Cedric said with augh. Jose Sebastian was the father of Alexi, Katerina, and Natalia, he was the current president of the country and was a lifetime politician.

    Ray was actually thest person Cedric had called to arrange for the dinner tonight. He was sure Ray wasn''t busy, Rey never set meetings when Ayanna was back in the country and apanied her almost everywhere.

    Later that day Asia''s video was released by an anonymous person on the inte. Cedric was on a phone call with Adrianna when it came out.

    "Ced, check the inte!" Adrianna gasped.

    Cedric logged in and found that Asia''s video was trending. People were using #socialclimbing101 and #tricksterwhore on the video. People were clearly shocked and appalled with what Asia had done.

    "I can''t believe Asia actually did that!" Adrianna said as she watched the video.

    "It''s evidence Adrianna." Cedric told her as he signed some documents.

    "I never thought she should do this." Adrianna said. Cedric inparison believed that this was very much in Asia''s nature to do. The Hernadez''s put value on the marriages their children made. It also helped them secure their positions within the family if they married well.

    "You have always thought too well of your family." Cedric said.

    "First John''s and Uncle Fredrik''s case and now this. I''m surprised Ind''s Inc.''s stock prices haven''t taken a hit yet."Adrianna had been wondering for awhile now why the events surrounding her uncle and cousins hadn''t affected the business at all.

    "It''s because despite the actions of some members, the change in management turned out for the better. I hear both Elisia Malls and Breeze Air just released statements that they are partnering with Ind''s Inc. due to its amazing VP of Marketing and Sales." Cedric said, praising his wife.

    "I just happened to be at the right ce, at the right time, and opportunity just fell on myp." Adrianna giggled. The truth was that the Reyes Group had ced a silent ban on Ind''s Inc. and not because of the quality of their products, it was because the Hernandez family had been treating Cedric quite badly, of course the four princes and their families followed suit. They didn''t announce the ban but everyone noticed that these bigpanies were making it difficult to work with them. With Elisia Malls suddenly working with Ind''s Inc. otherpanies took notice and realized that the silent ban was lifted. Those on the inside who knew why immediately approached Adrianna to work with Ind''s Inc.

    "Oh Ced, before I forget we got invited to join Ray Laurence''s party on Kashmere in a week." Adrianna told her husband remembering the invite they were given the day before.

    "Alright, we''ll go." Cedric told his wife. "Won''t your rtives try to insist that you bring them?" Cedric asked remembering that the Lobo family was still in town and that the Hernandez''s were not one to miss such a party.

    "I won''t tell them. It''s not like I could bring them. The invite specifically said that it was just for me and my plus one." Adrianna said.

 Chapter 75 - 75

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    As expected, both the Lobo and Hernadez families were moring to find invites to Raymund Laurence''s party. Tony Tamano and Matthew Hernandez had managed to get invites, Cedric had told Ray that Tony was harmless and that since Ray did business with Tony''s family it was only proper that one member of the family should be invited. As for Matthew, he had been treating Adrianna well so Ray decided that he should at least allow one member of the Hernandez family to go.

    Just getting on to Kashmere Ind was quite a feat on it''s own. Private nes and helicopters were not allowed near the ind, only those belonging to the five princes and their families were allowed, other guests had to fly in to the nearestmercial airport and from there take the Kashmere ne or helicopter to get on the ind.

    Adrianna was unaware of this, so Cedric had arranged for one of the Reyes family nes to take them to Kashmere. From what Adrianna understood, they were going to hitch a ride with Ayanna and her family, when in fact they would have the ne all to themselves.

    When she saw this she was shocked by the extravagance. The Reyes Family were actually taking two separate nes to Kashmere. One had Adrianna and Cedric on board, Leon and Mia as well as their teams had boarded ahead and were in a different area of the ne, they would arrive ahead, the second ne would have Ayanna, Emilio, and Prisci, as well as some members of the staff.

    Kashmere Ind was around 516 hectares, it had its ownnding strip for airnes and 3 helipads. There was a public area where guests could freely roam and a private one that was exclusively for Ray Laurence''s use, which of course meant the four princes and their families as well. All the structures and even the indyout was designed by Veronica, and that helped draw the appeal for people to want to go to Kashmere.

    There was a golf course, pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, bowling alley, football field, and a polo field on the ind. There were also multiple vis all with seaside views and it''s own private beach front. There were four restaurants on the ind all catering to different delicacies. There was also a country club with a 360 degree view of the ind, there were several function rooms, a salon, a shop where thetest fashions were avable, a fine dining restaurant, as well as a cinema, and a yground for children. By themon beach area there was a coffee shop and bar that was very famous to guests, a trip to Kashmere would not beplete if you didn''t go there.

    The ind boasted it''s green energy as it ran on sr and wind energy, rain water was also recycled. Kashmere ind rarely had too many guests since just getting invited to make a reservation was already close to impossible and the price of staying there for one night was what most people made in a year. And yet the rich, the famous, and the powerful all tried to find a way to get a reservation at Kashmere.

    When Adrianna and Cedric arrived on the ind there were very few guests. They were taken in a car to Ray''s privatepound on the ind. The vis here were more opulently made, each had its own private pool, entertainment center, a kitchen and a chef, it was fully staffed, and had a separate house for staff that the guests would bring. Each vi also had its own security detail, but despite this Cedric preferred to have Leon and Mia with their teams around.

    Adrianna was in awe of Kashmere, Cedric who had been here once or twice smiled at his wife''s surprise. Ray had intentionally set up vis, one for each of his friends and their families, all catered to their own tastes.

    "Wow. This ce is beyond my wildest imagination!" Adrianna said looking around the vi.

    "Do you want to go around the indter?" Cedric asked her.

    "Sure! I think they provide each vi with a golf cart to take us around. I''ll call the girls! I''m sure they would love to see this ce." Adrianna said as she took out her phone and ced her friends on video call.

    Cedric told Adrianna he was going to take a look around, when in reality he had gone over to the mini airport on the ind to meet his parents and siblings.

    When Ayanna saw her brother alone on the runway she ran over to give him a hug.

    "Brother!" Ayanna shouted.

    "Ayanna, you''ll trip!" Cedric saidughing.

    Ayanna hugged her brother tightly. She couldn''t wait for when he would drop his stupid disguise and announce who he was.

    Cedric greeted his parents and they walked to the car together.

    "Is everything set for tonight?" Emilio Reyes asked his son.

    "Yes dad. I just need your help with the other parts." Cedric said with a wink.

    "I''m so excited Cedric." Prisci Reyes told her son.

    "I''m more nervous than excited mom." Cedricughed.

    "Christmas has always been your favorite season brother." Ayanna said looking out at the scenery they passed.

    "Well, Christmas was the only time I got to see everyone for thirteen years. Of course I love Christmas." Cedric said with a smile.

    They first dropped Ayanna off in her own vi. Each of the sisters had their own as well, and all five made sure to use it as often as possible.

    Ayanna''s vi had an office, since she was such a workaholic. It also housed thergest library in the ind since she loved to read. Everyone had made it a point to bring a book every time they came over to the ind and ce it in Ayanna''s library.

    Veronica''s vi had a studio where she could create designs, she had created her best designs when working on the ind. She also had a room that was filled with cameras and a dark room for developing photos. The cameras here were just part of Veronica''s collection, she had different cameras and lenses at home. She also had a gallery with photographs she took as well as those the six brothers had bought for her in different auctions.

    Katerina''s had an office and a library full ofw books. Katerina often used the office on Kashmere ind to meet most of her international clients. It allowed her to meet them in secret since the ind had its own airport. Her vi also had a dance studio and a music room. Katerina spent thirteen years dancing ballet, ying the piano, violin, and the flute. It helped her focus and calm down. She would often y for the group when they had family gatherings, and it was a stark contrast to her usual strong and aggressive personality.

    Nicole''s vi was possibly one of the cleanest. Coming from a family of doctors she made sure every surface was sterile. Just like Katerina, Nicole often had her international clients and investors meet her on Kashmere, many were looking to get her older brother Miguel to operate on them. She used to have a music studio in the vi, but the boys all agreed to have it removed since Nicole wouldn''t stop singing because of the studio. To make her feel better they built her a state of the art kitchen. Nicole loved to cook and bake, but rarely had the time because of her work.

    Natalia''s vi had ab underneath. Ray had made sure to put all kinds of protection around it so that people couldn''t figure out what Natalia was doing in herb. It was also to protect everyone in case her experiments failed. Natalia also had a gaming room inside her vi. She was actually a professional gamer that always refused to show her face. She was the top in around ten online games worldwide. Many gamingpanies and techpanies had already tried to convince her to be their spokesperson, Natalia declined every time.

    When Cedric dropped his parents off at the vi he warned them to expect that many of the guests will be looking for the Reyes Heir since Ayanna and Ray had so bravely "let it slip" that he would be there.

    By the time Cedric had returned to the vi he found Adrianna done with her video call and dressing up to look around the ind.

    "What do you want to see first?" Cedric asked.

    "I heard that there is a nice coffee shop overlooking the beach. I want to go there first, then maybe we can take a dip in the sea?" Adrianna suggested.

 Chapter 76 - 76

    Cedric nodded and quickly changed. Adrianna was surprised that instead of a golf cart there was an actual BMW waiting for them at the driveway of the vi.

    When they got to the coffee shop by the beach there were already several guests roaming around. Adrianna spotted Tony Tamano, her uncle Matthew, and Carmen Evangelista among a group of guests that seemed to be gossiping. ??

    When Uncle Matthew saw Adrianna and Cedric he was surprised and called them over.

    "Adrianna, Cedric. I didn''t expect to see you here." Uncle Matthew greeted them.

    "Oh, I got an invite during the 30 women under 30 shoot for Abad TV." Adrianna exined.

    "You''re in the 30 women under 30 feature?" Uncle Matthew didn''t know that Adrianna had gotten an invite to be part of the elite group.

    "Yeah." Adrianna nodded.

    "Adrianna! So this is the mysterious husband." Carmen Evangelista said as she approached the couple.

    "Oh, hi Carmen. Carmen, my husband Cedric and my Uncle Matthew Hernandez, he''s currently president of Ind''s Inc.I was with Carmen during the shoot." Adrianna said introducing Carmen to herpanions.

    "You were in the same batch as chef Carmen?" Uncle Matthew asked. Unlike Adrianna, Matthew Hernandez knew that the 30 under 30 segment was always shot in batches with the top ten being shotst.

    "Yeah." Adrianna nodded.

    Before Uncle Matthew could exin what he was saying Tony Tamano hade over to say hi to them as well. Cedric and Adrianna had no choice but to join the group that was seated together.

    "I saw his ne arrive earlier today." One of the guests gossiped.

    "They cleared the airport when he arrived so no one really saw him." Another guestmented.

    "I''m sure he is here. He wouldn''t miss an event like this. I heard the whole Reyes family is actually already on the ind." Carmen said.

    "I heard he''s already taken." A young girl said with a frown.

    "Even marriages can end, kid." Uncle Matthew saidughing.

    "Cedric, you''ve seen him, haven''t you?" Tony Tamano asked Cedric. All eyes suddenly turned to look at him.

    "How could this poorly dressed man have seen him?" The young girl said snobbishly. Her name was Vanessa Tan, she was the younger sister of Christian Tan, the meat king as he was often teased. They were thergest suppliers of meat in the country.

    "He''s the Reyes Heir''s assistant." Tony said quite proudly.

    "E, what''s an assistant doing here?" A girl whispered to Carmen Evangelista. It was loud enough for Cedric and Adrianna to hear.

    "Shhh. He''s married to Adrianna Hernandez, she made the 30 under 30 list this year for the first time and was in the shoot with us. And you never know with these assistants, look at Marco So, he''s been Emilio Reyes'' assistant for years and he owns 5% of Man Bank and 2% of Krisanta Land, bothpanies are part of the Reyes Group and are valued in the billions." Carmen said to herpanion. From the looks of it Cedric assumed that they were cousins.

    "Well, yes. I''ve seen him without his disguise." Cedric admitted.

    "Tell me, is he really handsome?" Vanessa asked, suddenly changing her tone.

    "That''s a bit awkward for me to answer. He''s not ugly if that''s what you want to know." Cedric didn''t feelfortable saying if he was handsome or not.

    "I guess it is. Is he single?" Vanessa asked aggressively.

    "Ummm�� I can''t answer that." Cedric had no intention of letting women know details of his private life. Only his family had the right.

    "I guess you signed some papers on confidentiality. Such a loyal dog." Vanessamented. Adrianna wanted to p that woman for looking down at her husband, but she restrained herself.

    "Let''s just go Cedric." Adrianna said, pulling her husband away from the group.

    Cedric and Adrianna explored the beach and they swam for a bit. One of the staff noticed they were new to Kashmere and offered to take them on a tour. Cedric and Adrianna agreed.

    The employee took them around the various amenities, Adrianna was surprised to see everything on the ind. It seemed that you could live and survive on this ind without depending on the outside world.

    "Miss, do you want to hear a fun fact and rumor about Kashmere?" The staff asked.

    "Sure." Adrianna nodded.

    "When Miss Katerina or Miss Nicole has an international client, they often meet up here. There is also an ultra high end and ultra advanced hospital here built by Saints Hospitals so that Mr. Miguel Chan can operate on clients that don''t want news of their operation to get out!" The staff told Adrianna and Cedric.

    Cedric had actually been worried that the staff would tell Adrianna about the private vis or the nonding or flying rule. It wasn''t time for Adrianna to find out yet.

    When they were at the club house Adrianna and Cedric decided to take a stroll on it''s long balcony.

    "I''ll never understand the world of the filthy rich." Adrianna sighed.

    "Why?" Cedric asked.

    "They spend so much on privacy and exclusivity, such a contrast from my family. My family would pay to be on the newspapers, they would pay to have people talk about their market value, they would even pay to have the most eligible bachelors chase after their daughters. Families like the Reyeses, the Laurences, the Sebastians, the Chus, and the Abads pay so much to remain hidden, to keep their lives outside of the public eye." Adrianna said.

    "I guess at a certain level, fame is no longer important." Cedric told Adrianna as he hugged her from behind. Cedric had grown up in a low profile family, he couldn''t find the words to exin to Adrianna why he didn''t want the public dipping into every moment of their private lives, but he understood the allure of being famous, he also grew up with people desperate to have their names known.

 Chapter 77 - 77

    Despite being on a tropical ind surrounded by beaches, the party''s theme was a Christmas masquerade, they were all in red, green, white, and yellow outfits with masks that were quite representative of the asion. Cedric''s outfit had been chosen by Adrianna, he wore a maroon suit with a green tie, while Adrianna wore a floor length maroon gown with a green sash. Their masks were green as well.

    At eight o''clock in the evening a car picked them up and drove them to the club house. The party was going to be held at the ballroom there. ??

    In the car Adrianna felt nervous, she didn''t understand why. It wasn''t the first time Adrianna was attending an event like this. As the beauty of the Hernandez family, she was always invited to various parties, charities, and debuts. For some reason this particr party made her feel nervous.

    Cedric could sense that Adrianna was nervous. He reached out and held the hand on herp.

    "What''s wrong?" Cedric asked.

    "I think I''m nervous because all the people at this party are way beyond and above me." Adrianna confessed.

    "I bet, you''ll be the most beautiful woman in the room. And all the men will be jealous of me." Cedric grinned and kissed Adrianna on the lips.

    Adrianna giggled and pushed him away.

    "You''ll ruin my makeup!" Adriannained as she checked the face in her phone.

    When Adrianna and Cedric arrived at the party there was amotion at the entrance.

    "Let me in you useless paupers!" A female voice shouted.

    "Miss you aren''t on the guest list." A man in a suit that seemed to be the manager said.

    "I''m on this fucking ind! Let me in!" The woman shouted again. Cedric felt that the voice was somewhat familiar.

    "Miss you were allowed on the ind in consideration to a guest, but you are not allowed into the party." The manager exined.

    "Don''t you know who I am!" As Adrianna and Cedric approached they were surprised to see Asia Hernandez creating a scene. "I''m Asia Hernandez. My fianc�� is inside!"

    "Asia?" Adrianna asked as they got closer.

    Asia was surprised and fell silent for a moment.

    "What are you and that leech doing here?!" Asia screamed, clearly mad.

    "Miss, please don''t speak to our guests that way." The manager had recognized Cedric and Adrianna based on a photo Ray had given, he knew these two guests were extremely important.

    "Manager, call Mark Chu from inside." Ray, who suddenly appeared behind Cedric with his parents said.

    The manager quickly went in and called Mark Chu, who came out apanied by his father.

    When Mark saw Asia he rushed over and grabbed her by the wrist.

    "What are you doing here?" Mark asked his fianc�� quietly.

    "I''m your fianc��! You left me in the vi!" Asia shouted.

    "Mr. Laurence, Madam, Sir, I''m so sorry about my future daughter-inw she''s a problematic child." Edward said, apologizing for Asia''s behavior.

    "I did you and your son a favor by allowing Asia on the ind. If I would have my way I wouldn''t have even allowed her on this ind." Ray said.

    "Sir, this won''t happen again." Mark Chu promised.

    Cedric went up to Ray, to everyone''s surprise.

    "Have the Chus throw her out and ce her on a boat home." Cedric said in a low voice.

    Ray simply nodded and looked at Mark Chu.

    "You have the perfect opportunity to prove your loyalty and determination to me, Mark." Ray said with a grin.

    "I''ll do anything, sir." Mark said, still struggling to keep his fianc�� quiet.

    "Take this woman and send her off the ind on the worst boat we have." Ray said with a cold re.

    Mark paused and thought about Asia''s pregnancy.

    "Please don''t." Adrianna suddenly said.

    "Adri." Cedric said. He knew his wife had a soft spot for her family and despite everything wouldn''t want a member of her family to be hurt.

    "What do you suggest Mrs. Reyes?" Ray said with a grin.

    Cedric red at him, daring him to let Asia Hernandez go so lightly.

    "Sir, my cousin isn''t a nice person. She''s mean to everyone, including me. But she''s pregnant, and I''m asking on behalf of my unborn niece or nephew that you take it easier on her." Adrianna asked.

    Ray looked at Cedric who simply sighed and nodded his head. Ray wanted tough and tease Cedric on how he was a bullied husband.

    "Fine. Mark, throw her on a ne tonight. She should be off this ind in an hour." Ray ordered relenting on his first orders.

    "You''re too nice to her." Cedric told his wife.

    "Could you live with yourself if the child died?" Adrianna asked her husband with a frown.

    "She would have pushed you down the stairs if you were pregnant." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "I don''t need to stoop to her level." Adrianna said.

    Cedric simply nodded and gave into his wife''s reasoning.

    Mark Chu and Edward Chu did as Ray asked and dragged a kicking and screaming Asia away from the venue. Within an hour Mark had packed Asia''s things and ced her alone on a ne back to the capital. Mark and Edward were both willing to do anything to get on Ray''s good side, especially since his father Benedicto Laurence was also there. Benedicto was not just the head of the Laurence family, he was also first cousins to the President''s wife, Rebecka Torres-Sebastian.

    After themotion outside Cedric and Adrianna entered the ballroom. The design inside was exquisite, it felt like a winter wondend inside, if Adrianna hadn''t known she would think they were in Europe rather than in a tropical country with a beach right outside.

    "Do you like it?" Adrianna was surprised as Veronica popped by her side.

    "It''s beautiful!" Adrianna said.

    "Thanks! I designed it." Veronica said with a wink.

    "You are amazing Veronica!" Adrianna said looking around.

    "Something special is happening today, and Ray wanted everything to exceed expectations." Veronica giggled and left.

    Adrianna and Cedric found their seats, it was on the same table as the four princes, their sisters, and Eric Chan.

    "I think there was a mistake with the table assignment." Adrianna said looking at the people at the table.

    "Nope. No mistake." Ray said with his arms crossed on his chest.

 Chapter 78 - 78

    Adrianna and Cedric had no choice but to sit at the assigned table. Cedric knew that Ray was going to do this so he wasn''t surprised at all. Ayanna sat next to Adrianna while Ray sat next to Cedric.

    "It would be awfully boring if you were at another table." Ray said. ??

    "And you didn''t think people would talk about this?" Cedric asked him.

    "Who cares about them? You only care about Adrianna''s opinion anyway." Ray shrugged.

    Cedric grinned. His friend knew him too well.

    When all the guests had arrived, Ray took to the stage and weed everyone. There were roughly two hundred guests, and at that rate each guest had been carefully selected. Ray did not want to invite just anyone to this party. Getting invited meant that you had the opportunity to interact with the most powerful and most famous people in the country. Members of the media would pay just to get photos of this event, and there were always people willing to sell photos.

    The night was filled with food and performances. Ray had brought in several famous international singers and dancers to entertain his guests. When the program was done the older guests headed to the viewing deck for some drinks, while the younger guests took to the dance floor as Ray also brought in several famous international DJs.

    Just as the younger members took to the dance floor Cedric pulled Adrianna out of the ballroom and invited her to take a walk. Adrianna''s face was red and she leaned on her husband as they walked the hall to the rooftop.

    Cedric didn''t show it, but he was quite nervous about what he was going to do. He had asked Ray to clear the roof deck and make sure no one else was there.

    "Cedric, are we allowed to go to the rooftop?" Adrianna asked her husband as they continued to climb.

    "No one has stopped us yet Adri." Cedric said kissing his wife on the forehead.

    "It''s just odd that the halls are so empty and we''re going to the spot with the best view.?? Adrianna said voicing her doubts.

    Cedric however continued to climb while holding her hand.

    When Adrianna and Cedric got to the roof deck Adrianna was surprised. The Reyes, Laurence, Sebastian, Abad, and Chan families were all there.

    "Cedric, I think we shouldn''t be here." Adrianna said, pulling on his sleeve.

    "No honey, we are meant to be here." Cedric told his wife, holding her hand.

    "Cedric, these people look like they are having a private after party." Adrianna told her husband.

    "Adri, there is something I need to confess." Cedric began as they walked closer to the group.

    "Cedric we can talk about it downstairs or in the vi." Adrianna said in an attempt to get Cedric to leave.

    "Adri, listen to me. I''ve been lying to you for eight years about who I really am." Cedric said, holding onto his wife''s shoulders.

    "What?" Adrianna was shocked.

    Cedric held Adrianna''s hand and brought her to his parents.

    "Adri, honey, these are my parents, Emilio and Prisci Reyes." Cedric said, introducing his parents to Adrianna.

    "Cedric, stop joking!" Adrianna shouted.

    "Adrianna, I''m not joking. I know I lied to you for eight years, but there was nothing I could do. It''s part of a family tradition." Cedric exined.

    "I don''t want to be the wife of some CEO that gets everything she wants. You know that that''s not me! That''s what I''ve been avoiding." Adrianna said as tears rolled out of her eyes.

    "Adri, this is my family. This is the world I was born into. I didn''t get to choose who my parents are." Cedric exined.

    "Cedric, I know the Hernandezs and Lobos don''t like you. I know you want them to ept you, but this isn''t the way. You can''t be him. You just can''t." Adrianna continued to insist. She never wanted the CEO husband or the well connected inw. She chose Cedric for the very reason that he wasn''t any of those. With Cedric she was herself. She wasn''t some daughter of a rich family. People wouldn''t say that she seeded because of who she had married.She didn''t want people to think that she was just a pretty face. She wanted to be more, to shine by her own right and not by someone else''s.

    "Adri, this is who I am." Cedric said.

    "Cedric, my family''s approval shouldn''t be something you need to chase. You don''t need to be a sessful man. Drop this act please." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "Adri, this isn''t a lie. I''m begging you. Please believe me." Cedric was on his knees begging Adrianna to listen to him. He was trying to confess to her who he really was and to introduce her to his family.

    "Adrianna, dear, it''s true." Prisci said.

    "Adrianna, Cedric is my brother." Ayanna said in an attempt to convince Adrianna.

    "Ayanna?" Adrianna asked as she heard Ayanna''s voice.

    "Yes. I''m so sorry I had to lie to you too. I always wanted to tell you that you''re my sister inw. I understand if you''re mad at me." Ayanna told Adrianna.

    "No. I''m not mad. I just don''t think this is true. How can Cedric, my Cedric, my husband of four years be your brother. I met your brother and he''s a cold and heartless man." Adrianna reasoned.

    "Adri, honey-" Cedric started to speak when Adrianna cut him off.

    "You have no right to speak. I don''t believe you. You can''t be him. You just can''t." Adrianna turned hostile when Cedric tried to talk to her.

    "Brother, let me introduce her to everyone." Ayanna said when she noticed that Adrianna only got agitated when Cedric tried to exin himself.

 Chapter 79 - 79

    "Come Adri." Ayanna pulled Adrianna to her parents.

    "So these are our parents. Emilio and Prisci Reyes." Ayanna introduced. ??

    Prisci pulled Adrianna into a hug and apologized to her. "We are so sorry Adrianna. Cedric had to lie to you because of us. Because of a family tradition."

    "That''s true Adrianna. The Reyes n has an odd tradition of making it''s heirs go through poverty training at the age of fifteen. We only got to see Cedric once a year, and we didn''t even get to go to your wedding. We really really regret it." Emilio said, holding his daughter inw''s hand.

    "Adri, it''s not my brother''s fault. It''s our whole family''s fault. It''s that stupid tradition. I missed my brother too." Ayanna told Adrianna.

    Adrianna didn''t say a thing so Ayanna brought her to the next group of people.

    "So these are the Laurences. We all grew up together so we call all our friend''s parents auntie and uncle, we''re all like family already. So you know Ray Laurence, he''s Cedric''s best friend in the whole world, and these are his parents, Benedicto Laurence and Amy So-Laurence." Ayanna said as she introduced them to Adrianna.

    "You are so beautiful Adrianna, no wonder our Cedric is so in love with you." Auntie Amy Laurence told Adrianna.

    "Thank you." Adrianna managed to say.

    Ayanna then took Adrianna to the next group.

    "These are the Sebastians. I''m sure you know Uncle Jose Sebastian, he''s the president, if you need anything he''s the guy to call, and this is his wife, Aunt Rebecka Torres - Sebastian. She and Uncle Benedicto are cousins. Of course you have met Alexander, Katerina, and Natalia Sebastian." Adrianna said. The siblings all just smiled at Adrianna.

    "Ayanna is right, if you need anything Adrianna, don''t hesitate to call me. Don''t be a stranger, I treat Cedric as if he were my own son. Sometimes I still think he is better than Alexi, he married such a strong woman." Uncle Jose said, praising Cedric and Adrianna.

    "Thank you sir. It''s an honor to meet you." Adrianna said politely.

    "And these are the Abads. Of course you''ve met Ram and Veronica. These are their parents James Abad and Victoria Brenasconi-Abad, Uncle James is responsible for establishing Lights Entertainment and bringing it into the international scene. If anyone wants to get famous, they ask him." Ayanna said with a wink.

    Before the Abads could say anything Nicole dragged Adrianna to meet her family.

    "And this is my family! I bet you didn''t know that the great and famous Eric Chan is actually my eldest brother! And of course you''ve met Miguel, everyone calls him the miracle doctor but he really doesn''t do any miracles! He also does a lot of free operations that actually costs more since we have to shoulder all of the hospital fees! So that means I need to work harder! My brothers are annoying! Anyway this is my dad Raphael Chan and my mom Lucy Ang-Chan, they are both doctors, or at least were. My dad was a heart surgeon and my mom was a gynecologist, but when dad inherited Saints Hospitals they stopped practicing. Although sometimes when there are really difficult operations or problems mom and dad step in." Nicole said in full volume speaking quite fast.

    "You need to excuse my sister, she doesn''t know how to control her mouth sometimes." Eric said ring at Nicole.

    "Yes our daughter can be quite childish sometimes. Just as Jose said, if there is anything you need Adrianna, you can talk to us. Cedric is really a lucky guy to have married a woman like you." Raphael Chan said with a smile.

    "Thank you Uncle. Nicole is really kind." Adrianna said.

    "Adrianna, will you believe my brother now. He asked us all to be here because when he tried to tell you in the past you didn''t take him seriously, he thought that with more proof you might actually believe him." Ayanna exined.

    "I just don''t know Ayanna. You keep saying he is your brother, but I''ve met your brother. He''s nothing like Cedric. And Cedric can''t be him. He just can''t." Adrianna said, shaking her head.

    "Adri, do you want to go back to the vi to talk?" Cedric asked his wife, hugging her from behind.

    Adrianna took his hands off her.

    "I don''t want to talk to you, I don''t want to see you. I want to be as far away from you as possible!" Adrianna shouted.

    "Adri, please I''m sorry." Cedric begged.

    "Either way you''re a lying ass! You should''ve told me when we got married! I never wanted a man like the Reyes Heir. I always wanted to achieve everything on my own. I''m not going back to the vi with you!" Adrianna stomped away.

    Cedric chased her again and pulled her towards him.

    "Adri, I never interfered with your career. All thosepanies they chose to work with you because you are an amazing woman. People don''t even need to know who I am. I don''t like being in the public eye anyway." Cedric exined.

    "Cedric I don''t know if you''re an amazing liar or an amazing conman! At this rate I think you are good at both." Adrianna shouted trying to shake Cedric''s hand off.

    "Adri, I didn''t have a choice. I had to lie. I wasn''t allowed to tell you who I was." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "You always have a choice. You just chose your family''s wealth over being honest with me. I would have still loved you if you told me the truth. I would still have stayed with you if you lost your inheritance. I''ve been married to you thinking you were poor, of course I would have stayed with you!" Adrianna was furious at Cedric for lying to her for eight years.

    Cedric attempted to go after her but Ayanna stopped him.

    "I''ll take her to my vi and calm her down." Ayanna said, chasing after her sister inw.

 Chapter 80 - 80

    The boys all went back to Cedric''s vi to apany him and have some drinks.

    "She would have called off the wedding if she knew who I was." Cedric said with a sigh. ??

    "You weren''t allowed to tell anyone anyway, you would have lost the inheritance." Miguel said, he was already drunk and was sitting on the floor.

    "Bring up more bottles!" Ram shouted to the staff who brought up bottles of scotch and cognac.

    "She doesn''t even believe that I''m me! She took the news about Eric better than finding out who I am!" Cedric shouted.

    "You told her my secret before yours!" Eric said.

    "Technically I told her about mine first but she thought it was a joke." Cedric sighed.

    "Let''s just drink! Cheers!" Ray said, pouring more drinks into everyone''s sses.

    "Would you have given up your inheritance for her?" Miguel asked.

    "For Adri? If she asked me to give it all up now I would, for her." Cedric said.

    ??That''s stupid." Ray spat as he gave Cedric another drink.

    "I can make money, we have made money, our littlepany Invest Export Group is doing well, it''srger than even Ind''s Inc., but the person you love and you want to spend the rest of your life with, that''s harder to find. Look at the five of you! None of you are married!" Cedric told his friends.

    "Marriage is over rated. Why settle for one when you can have many?" Alexi teased.

    "I''ll never understand your yboy ways, cousin." Ray sighed.

    "What would happen if you gave up your inheritance?" Ram asked Cedric in a more serious tone.

    "Well, Ayanna will have to go through a harder but shorter poverty training. It''s happened before, and well she would basically have to give up everything for eight years. Her diploma and her identity will also be stripped away. She won''t have a ce to stay and she''ll be thrown onto the streets with just the clothes on her back. She won''t be allowed to take anything." Cedric exined with a frown.

    "Ayanna is a strong woman, she would survive it." Ray said, thinking about Ayanna.

    "It''s not a question of if she could, it''s if we are willing to let her go through that. Ayanna wille back apletely different person. I don''t want my sister to have to go through that." Cedric exined.

    "If you could go back in time, would you have told Adrianna?" Eric asked Cedric.

    "Would it have made a difference? If I had told her, she would have broken up with me because of who I was from the start." Cedric exined.

    "I don''t understand Adrianna. Who doesn''t want to marry a guy like us?" Ray asked.

    "A girl that was brought up to be a trophy wife. Her family always expected her to just make a good match and not do well on her own. She was always referred to as the treasure of the Hernandez family." Cedric exined to his friends.

    The boys ended up passing out in Cedric''s vi. The next day when they woke up Cedric noticed a message from Adrianna on his phone.

    Adrianna Reyes: Cedric, a big part of me still doesn''t believe that you really are the Reyes Heir. I need time to process all of this. Either way you lied to me! You should have told me when we got married. It hurts me so much that you''ve been pulling strings behind the curtain! I thought I was actually good at what I was doing, but it was just you! I still love you, but I don''t know if you are still the you I fell in love with in the first ce. I can''t be some rich man''s trophy wife, I can''t be in some politically arranged marriage, I don''t want to be a woman who only achieved everything she has because of the man she married. Don''t try toe home. I''m returning to the capital. Ayanna is helping me get back.

    When Cedric saw Adrianna''s message he felt his whole world crumbling around him. He ran out of his vi to Ayanna''s and knocked on the door.

    Ayanna opened the door after a while.

    "She''s already left. She leftst night." A sleepy Ayanna told her brother.

    "And you let her go!" Cedric shouted.

    "What do you want me to do Cedric? Keep her prisoner here? You have no right to do that!" Ayanna scolded her older brother.

    Cedric turned and punched a wall.

    "Ced, go home. Sober up and take a bath. Adrianna needs her space. She loves you for you, don''t worry, she''lle back." Ayanna told her brother helping him walk back to his vi.

    When she and Cedric got there, the first sight she saw was a naked Alexi walking in the hallway.

    "Alexi you asshole! Put some pants on!" Ayanna shouted, throwing a shoe at Alexi who ran away.

    Later that day when Cedric had calmed down he left the ind with his parents and sister. Veronica hadn''t finished his house yet so Cedric went home to his parents'' home.

    He tried calling Adrianna again when he was in his room, but she refused to pick up. So he sent her a message instead.

    Cedric Reyes (17:24.34): Adrianna, honey, I''m sorry I lied to you, but this is the family I was born into and I love them very much. I am not like how all the rumors say or how all those novels you have read say a young CEO should be. I''m nothing like Alexi or Ray. I have no one else except you. I love you for you and I am the same person.

    Cedric Reyes (20:03.10): Honey, I''m still me. Please forgive me.

    Adrianna ignored Cedric for a week, and Cedric had been living at the Reyes House the whole time. Since his Audi was at the Hernandez house he was forced to take his Rolls Royce Ghost to work, he came in and out in his disguise and he managed to trend different social media tforms again. Everyone was wondering why they were seeing so much of the Reyes heir all of a sudden. There were many theories around, one was that he was getting ready to reveal his true face. Another was that he was chasing after an international model and wanted to prove that he was popr too. The most logical theory was that he was just getting tired of sneaking around and just decided to show up in his car and wear a disguise going into the office.

    Of course all of these theories and rumors were far from the truth. He was just fighting with his wife and was kicked out of the house. With no car or clothes from home Cedric just decided to walk around as the Reyes heir.

    Cedric spent hours staring out of his office window towards the Ind''s Inc. building. When he first took over Mor Co., in order to make sure that no structures would be built and block his view of his wife''s office Cedric had bought all the properties that could block his view. He made sure that the building heights remained low and his view was unhindered.

 Chapter 81 - 81

    When Adrianna arrived at the airport on Kashmere Ind, she ran into Tony Tamano. Initially Adrianna was supposed to take the Reyes ne back to the capital, but when she saw Tony she decided to take the same trip as him.

    Tony didn''t ask where Cedric was. He was just a silentpanion to Adrianna the whole ride back to the capital. ??

    "Tony, thanks for not asking." Adrianna said as they were about to dene.

    "Well, you don''t want to talk about it. But if you do and you don''t have anyone, you can just give me a call." Tony shrugged.

    "I''ll take you up on that." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Do you need a ride?" Tony asked.

    "No. Someone is picking me up." Adrianna said with a smile. Aside from it being inappropriate for her to ept a ride from Tony, Ayanna had already sent her a message that she had arranged for Cedric''s driver to pick Adrianna up and take her home. She might be fighting with Cedric, but he was still her husband.

    When Adrianna arrived home without Cedric, Gracia began to pester her with questions. Adrianna only told her that they had fought and that Cedric wouldn''t being home for a while and that she wouldn''t be annulling their marriage.

    Adrianna actually waited everyday if Cedric woulde home. He sent her messages daily, but he never showed up at the Hernandez home. Adrianna already had dinner twice in the week with Ayanna. She ranted to her sister inw on how daft her husband was for not doing anything.

    On Thursday Adrianna was in Elisia Mall buying Christmas presents, when she bumped into Tony Tamano.

    "Hey Adrianna." Tony said with a smile.

    "Oh hey. I thought you would have gone home by now." Adrianna assumed Tony would be spending Christmas and New Year''s with his family in their province.

    "My family decided to spend the holidays in the capital, so we''re all checked into Constetions Resort. I''m nning to buy a ce here too since my dad wants me to be closer to Ray Laurence. Is your ummm�� problem fixed?" Tony asked Adrianna.

    "My problem is in the process of getting fixed, but it''s not quite there yet." Adrianna admitted.

    "Would it be inappropriate for us to have dinner?" Tony asked.

    "I don''t think so. I mean we did just bump into each other, and eating alone is awkward." Adrianna said.

    "Hey, I actually enjoy eating alone at restaurants. I can order whatever I want without being judged." Tonyughed.

    "Come on. I know a ce." Adrianna said walking towards the direction of a famous Japanese restaurant in Elisia Mall.

    When they were seated Tony and Adrianna began to chat awkwardly.

    "I''m sorry I can''t exactly tell you what''s bothering me." Adrianna said.

    "It''s okay. They''re private matters so I shouldn''t meddle." Tony exined.

    "Well let''s just say that I might not have earned everything I thought I had aplished." Adrianna told Tony.

    "I''m pretty sure you are quite the capable woman Adrianna." Tony said as he looked through the menu.

    "Well, you see, I''ve always been the type that didn''t want to depend on my family name or my family connections to achieve things. I also refused to enter into a traditional marriage so that I would earn my achievements." Adrianna said opening up to Tony.

    "I''m pretty sure you made the 30 women under 30 all on your own Adri. The Hernandez family and the Lobo family don''t have the power to put you in that list." Tony said with a nervousugh.

    "Oh, no. It''s not them. They could never do what I''m referring to." Adriannaughed.

    "Is it the Reyes Heir? I mean I heard the rumors, but didn''t the Reyes Group deny those rumors?" Tony asked.

    "Well it''s kind of that and also not that. Sorry I''m being so cryptic." Adrianna apologized.

    "If it has anything to do with the Reyes Heir I would expect it to be a secret." Tony teased.

    "That''s kind of the thing. Someone may have been pulling strings and lying about it. I really thought I was bing someone in my own right." Adrianna sighed.

    "How sure are you that someone was pulling the strings?" Tony asked.

    "They are all connected to him, and it''s in his power to do it." Adrianna shrugged. She was feeling more and morefortable around Tony.

    "Shouldn''t you be ttered that a guy is willing to use his power to help you?" Tony asked.

    "I lived my life trying to escape that." Adrianna hissed.

    "Why? Aren''t all women drawn to powerful men?" Tony asked Adrianna.

    "I want to seed in my own right. Not because I''m some CEOs wife!" Adrianna was already quite mad at this point. She was mad at Cedric for making her think that she had gotten everything because of her own skills when he had made things go her way.

    "But you aren''t some CEO''s wife." Tony pointed out.

    "Yeah, I??m not. Look I''ve lost my appetite. I''ll just see you around. Thanks for being a listening ear." Adrianna smiled and left some money to pay for what she had ordered and not eaten.

    Tony was left alone at the restaurant, confused at what happened.

    Adrianna drove home with mixed feelings, she was mad at Cedric and she also missed him at the same time.

    She had fallen in love with him because he was different, because he didn''t see her based on herst name. She chose him because with Cedric she felt that she was her own woman and she was free of all the expectations for her to marry rich.

    She married Cedric because he looked beyond her pretty face and shyst name. She married him because she didn''t need to achieve less to make him feel more aplished. Everything she thought was the reason why she married him changed.

    Now even every reason she thought was the reason she had seeded changed as well. As the Reyes heir, Cedric had the power to movepanies, he could have easily told Elisia Corp. to cooperate with her no matter what the n was. He must have asked Ray to get Breeze Air to approach Adrianna, the same went with Nicole offering a partnership with Saints Hospitals and Veronica doing all the designs for Ind''s Inc. Arranging for all of these were in Cedric''s power as the Reyes heir, and he let her think she did it on her own.

    Adrianna thought back to the timing of the 30 women under 30 shoot. She had barely taken her new role in Ind''s Inc. when Abad TV approached her. Anotherpany clearly owned by one of Cedric''s friends, and apany he clearly had influence over as well.

    Cedric knew how important creating her own identity was to Adrianna, and hepletely disregarded that by throwing everything to the wind, including her trust.

 Chapter 82 - 82

    Adrianna loved white roses, so Cedric sent white roses to her house and office everyday, he had personally gone to the shop and arranged for the deliveries. He also wanted to make sure she was eating well, so everyday at thirty minutes to noon Cedric would order Adrianna''s favorite food and have it delivered to her office.

    Day in and day out, Cedric stared at his phone, hoping Adrianna would send him a message, thanking him, or maybe forgiving him, or just anything, but Adrianna continued to ignore him. ??

    Before anyone had realized it was Christmas eve. Cedric normally didn''t spend Christmas with the Hernandez''s, in fact it was the one time of the year he got to spend with his family. In the past he simply told Adrianna that he was going to visit his older sister in the town he grew up in. He would then be picked up by the family driver and be reunited with his parents, sister, and friends.

    This year he was hoping he could celebrate Christmas with them and his wife. Of course events on Kashmere ind proved that it was impossible for them to spend Christmas together. Adrianna still refused to speak to Cedric, so Cedric stayed away and gave her some space.

    Christmas eve had a big role in the holiday festivities. Traditionally the Reyes, Laurence, Sebastian, Abad, and Chan families would all gather in one house and would exchange gifts as the clock struck midnight. It was also with them around that President Jose Sebastian would greet the nation with a live Christmas message.

    This Christmas was going to be truly different for Cedric. Ayanna had, in the past week, managed to drag him to go Christmas shopping. Sheined the whole time about how she should just have taken Cedric''s card and left him at home since he was busy sulking and that you could see his sad face through his disguise.

    Cedric had no intentions of revealing his identity to the public just yet, and he wanted to know if Adrianna would befortable with the public knowing who he really was. So Cedric went out with his family and friends still in disguise.

    At 6pm on Christmas Eve the guests began to arrive at the Reyes home, it was their turn to host it this year. Each family brought food and gifts, and soon enough the whole house had be lively.

    "It''s been really sad and cold here the past few days Nicole!" Ayannained.

    "How could it be sad, you live here!" Nicole teased.

    "It''s because my brother walks around like there is a rain cloud over his head. I''m so annoyed with him." Ayanna said, taking a seat on the couch.

    "Now Ayanna, be more considerate towards your brother." Prisci Reyes scolded her daughter. She understood Adrianna to some extent. She too married someone that had to go through poverty training, although she knew Emilio Reyes was the whole time they were together.

    "Mom! He drove my sister inw away!" Ayannained.

    "Ayanna, you''ll understand when you fall in love." Her aunt Amy Laurence teased.

    "I won''t fall for a guy that can bully me." Ayanna dered.

    "I think the only guy you''ll end up with is one that could tame you!" Ray Laurence teased.

    Ayanna threw a pillow at his direction.

    "Why don''t you boys go get Cedric, he''s probably on the balcony of his room again." Prisci Reyes told them.

    "He''s still moping, auntie?" Alexi Sebasitan asked.

    "He''s been smoking and drinking a lot, and my brother only does that when something is bothering him." Ayanna exined.

    "We''ll drag him out." Ray said with a wink, leading the boys up to Cedric''s room. Of course all of them were very much familiar with each other''s houses. They grew up visiting each other and ying. Even after Cedric had begun his poverty training they would all still visit the Reyes house.

    After five minutes the boys came down with Cedric flung over Ray''s shoulder looking extremely pissed off.

    "He was being difficult, so we decided to just bring him down." Miguelughed.

    "Auntie Prisci, he''s really light. I don''t think the Hernandez family fed him well." Ray teased.

    "Oh shut up!" Cedric said as Ray dumped him on the couch next to Ayanna.

    "Don''t worry. I''m sure your uncle Jose brought the sashimi Cedric loves. You really do find the highest grade tuna this time of year Jose!" Prisci said, praising Jose Sebastian as the fathers came back from Emilio''s office.

    "Just some perks of being president Prisci." Jose Sebastian said.

    "Come, let''s eat! Maybe you boys can convince Cedric to both eat and smile a little more." Emillio Reyes said leading the group into the dining room.

    The boys had to drag Cedric to his seat and pinned him between Ray and Ram who were the most fit.

    "Cedric, stop being a party pooper! It''s Christmas and you know how much I love Christmas so stop ruining it!" Nicole scolded.

    "Nicole is right Cedric. We don''t get to all sit on the same table all the time." Katerina said in a rare moment of agreement with Nicole.

    "Wow, Nicole and Katerina both teaming up to bully Cedric. It''s a Christmas miracle!" Miguel teased and everyoneughed with him, even Cedric.

    Emilio cleared his throat to get everyone''s attention and raised his ss.

    "Before anything, I am thankful that once again we are all here. As Cedric''s first Christmas truly being home, I hope next year there will be more of us at this table." Emilio said, winking at Cedric. "To family and friends."

    Everyone raised their sses with a smile. Even if they had beenplete in the past it was still very different from today. Back then Cedric could only tell them stories about what he was going through and they couldn''t do anything to help. It was also because of Cedric''s stories that the other boys became grounded and chose not to unt their wealth.

    That night the families exchanged gifts, sang songs, and drank together. Cedric stared at the small pile of gifts his family and friends had prepared for Adrianna. He was touched that they had taken the time and made the effort to buy her something, even if there was a very small chance of her showing up that night.

    "You know it will melt if you keep staring at it." Katerina teased.

    "Hey Katerina. I just wish she could celebrate Christmas with us." Cedric sighed.

    "She just needs time to process things Ced. You did lie to her, you lied a lot. And I''m sure she''s questioning everything now. She''s asking herself which things were her, and which were you just pulling strings." Katerina exined.

 Chapter 83 - 83

    "We need to get you in a better mood!" Miguel dered.

    "Miguel, the only thing that can get my brother to stop being so down is if Adrianna speaks to him again, and don''t you dare tell me that you n to force Adrianna to forgive him!" Ayanna said. ??

    "That''s not what I was going to suggest!" Miguel said in his defense.

    "What do you have in mind?" Ray asked his friend.

    "Let''s go do what the girls do when they''re down." Miguel looked at Alexi and Ram.

    "Shopping!" Miguel, Alexi, and Ram all said together. The parents and the other boys burst intoughter when they heard it.

    "We do not!" Nicole insisted.

    "What did you do when that guy from school ghosted you?" Miguel asked Nicole.

    "I spoke to Veronica and Ayanna." Nicole said.

    "Then my sisters took my card because you had all decided you wanted to go shopping!" Alexiined.

    "You make more money than Natalia and Ibined." Katerina said with a shrug.

    "It was Veronica''s idea!" Nicole said pointing at Veronica.

    "Nicole!" Veronicained.

    "So, on the 26th?" Ray asked.

    "What about the 26th?" Cedric looked up at his friend.

    "We''ll take a page out of the girl''s books and go shopping." Ray reminded.

    "You should buy him new clothes!" Prisci said.

    "Mom! I have a lot of clothes." Cedricined.

    "Ray! Get him some cars too! He''s too stingy with those!" Emilio Reyes told Ray.

    "Sure uncle. I''ve got a guy that can help us." Ray said before Cedric couldin.

    "Cedric needs watches too!" Ayanna suggested.

    "I have a watch!" Cedricined.

    "Cedric, you seem to need a lot of new things." His aunt Lucy Ang-Chan said.

    "I swear Emilio, this poverty training that you guys go through makes you need to adjust back." Raphael Chan teased his friend.

    "It took me a while to get used to the money again too. I was still eating at hole in the wall restaurants and food stalls ten years after my poverty training. At least Cedric has these guys, they can''t eat at ces like those if they wanted to. Too many people are their fans now." Emilio Reyes said.

    "I know! Justst week when Miguel was with me in the hospital, several nurses and patients ran up to have their photos taken! It was as if I was with a celebrity!" Raphael Chanined.

    "But your other son is a celebrity Raphael." James Abad, Ram''s and Veronica''s father teased.

    "That''s different. Doesn''t that happen to you?" Raphael asked.

    "It does. Especially when it''s a fan event of one of our talents. It seems the fans have all heard of Ram for some reason." James Abad said, shaking his head.

    Two dayster Ayanna was dragging Cedric out of the Reyes home to go shopping. With no valid excuse Cedric gave in and went with his friends.

    Their first stop was Pris Mall, they were going to buy him new clothes. Ayanna had the whole luxury wing closed down again so that they could shop in private.

    "Ooooh! Ayanna look! The new shoes are in!" Nicole said pointing at a shop.

    "Nicole, we''re shopping for Cedric, not for you!" Eric said, scolding his sister.

    When they entered a european Men''s clothing shop the boys started to disperse and look at clothes. Unfortunately everything they picked for Cedric got a thumbs down from the girls.

    "You guys don''t dress poorly, so why do you shop so badly!" Veronicained.

    "I have a stylist." Eric told them

    "Same." Ram, Alexi, and Ray all said at the same time.

    "Nicole shops for me." Miguel saidughing.

    "Sit down. We got this." Katerina told the boys as the sisters went through all the clothes in the shop.

    By the time they were done there were so many bags that they needed their security team to bring everything in another car.

    "Where am I supposed to keep all of these?" Cedric asked.

    "There is more than enough space in the Mountain View house. The problem is, now it will look like Adrianna''s closet is quite empty." Veronica said as she imagined the house she was designing for Cedric. She had already finished it and it was just waiting for Cedric and Adrianna to move in.

    "We can''t shop for Adrianna. Let''s just do that when we see her next time." Nicole said. Veronica just shrugged and agreed with her friend.

    "My car guy is waiting for us at the dealership." Ray said, waving his phone.

    "Guys I have enough cars." Cedric said.

    "You have the Ghost, the R8, the BMW X6, Maserati Levante. Did I forget anything?" Ram asked, recalling the cars he had seen at the Mor Co. parking lot.

    "That''s already too much!" Cedricined.

    "You have a fifty car garage at home Cedric. It will look empty with just those four." Eric said, trying to drag Cedric to buy.

    "Fine, but just three more." Cedric said.

    "Yeah, yeah. Come on." Ray said, dragging Cedric into the car to go to the dealership.

    "I honestly never understood what it was with guys and cars." Natalia sighed.

    "It''s like you with shoes." Alexi teased his sister.

    At the car dealer, Ray had managed to convince Cedric to purchase a Porsche sports car when Cedric got an urgent call.

    "Sir, sorry to bother you, but we have an urgent situation." Ian said over the phone.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s our expansion to Thand sir. The CEO of our partner distributor here is being difficult." Ind exined.

    "Difficult how?" Cedric asked.

    "He wants you to personally negotiate with him. If it isn''t you then he said he would call off the deal." Ian exined.

    "Alright. I can fly out tonight." Cedric said dropping the call.

    "Sorry guys, I have to work." Cedric told his friend.

    "You seem happier leaving us than when we were shopping." Ayanna said with a frown.

    "Of course I am. You know I hate spending. Take the cars home." Cedric told the boys.

    He immediately asked Cami to have the ne ready for him to leave.

 Chapter 84 - 84

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    That same night Ayanna invited Adrianna out for dinner and drinks. Ayanna was hoping that she could figure out what her brother needed to do to get his wife back.

    They were at Hype Bar in a VIP room. Hype was the most popr bar in the country and Adrianna was not surprised to find out that Hype was actually owned by Ray Laurence.

    Ayanna was pouring drinks for them when she suddenly spoke

    "My brother wasn''t exactly brought up in the traditional way." Ayanna said as she drank her wine.

    "I get that, but shouldn''t he at least try toe home?" Adrianna asked.

    "Aren''t you still mad at him? I''m sure you won''t even let him in if he came by." Ayanna teased.

    "I wouldn''t but I''d like to see him show up. He''s sent flowers and food everyday both to the house and to my office but he could have easily asked Cami or Ian to do that." Adriannained.

    "He''lle around I''m sure. Well he''s out for a while. Some big business issue in Thand. Ian had initially been there but the CEO they are talking to wants to speak to brother directly." Ayanna exined.

    "And he didn''t think to fix things with me first?" Adrianna crossed her arms in frustration.

    "He thinks differently Adri." Ayanna said in an attempt to defend her brother.

    "We''ve been together for eight years, and married for four of those. He should know by now what I like and what I don''t like." Adriannained.

    "Have you ever fought like this?" Ayanna asked her sister inw.

    Adrianna paused to think back.

    "Actually, we''ve never fought. Cedric always did what I wanted, and I always extended my patience with him because he had to deal with my family looking down at him because he wasn''t some rich man." Adrianna came to the realization.

    "I guess that''s why my brother is kind of at a loss at this." Ayanna shrugged.

    "To be honest Ayanna, I realized that I''m not mad at him for lying anymore." Adrianna confessed.

    "You''ve forgiven my older brother?" Ayanna asked.

    "Not exactly. I understand why he lied, but now I''m mad at him for everything else." Adrianna exined.

    "What do you mean?" Ayanna took another gulp of her wine.

    "Cedric knew that I wanted to achieve things on my own, and yet he pulled strings behind the scenes. He gave me the Elisia Corp. project and he was right there in front of me, during that meeting. Then with my uncle Fredrik and cousin John, Cedric asked Alexi and Ram to deal with them. Then he did it again, with all thepanies lining up to partner with Ind''s Inc. since I became VP for Marketing and Sales, he set them all up. Now I feel like I owe my sess to him. That I would not have achieved anything if not for my husband. I became the very thing I thought I had avoided by marrying Cedric. I don''t even know if I''m even good at what I do or if I am just married to an extremely well connected guy!" Adrianna spoke full of frustration.

    "And you think Cedric did all of that for you?" Ayanna asked.

    "Of course! How else would I be able to close a deal with Elisia Corp. without any negotiations? Breeze Air is owned by Ray and Saints Hospital is owned by the Chus. Veronica only promised to work with me because Cedric told her to do so." Adrianna exined. "At the moment I still don''t know how to feel about Uncle Fredrik and John''s case!"

    "My brother didn''t force Elisia Corp. to suddenly work with you. It was my dad. He ced a ban on all Ind''s Inc. partnerships because of how they treated you and my brother. Cedric only asked for it to be lifted. Cedric only owns 10% of Elisia Corp., dad owns 50% and I own 25%. The staff at Elisia were the ones that decided that your proposal was good. As for Breeze Air, Cedric just told Ray that you were the new VP, Ray was the one that decided to work with you. The same goes for Nicole and Veronica, no one can order those two around. You''ve met them haven''t you? Nicole even forced my brother to invest in her side project, Cedric can''t make them do anything. He might have arranged for them to show that there was no bad blood between the families and Ind''s Inc. but they could have done that by just showing up to the press conference, Katerina''s word was enough. The girls did that cause they like you, and because they think you are an amazing person." Ayanna said in an attempt to boost Adrianna''s confidence in herself.

    "What about my uncle''s case?" Adrianna asked.

    "Oh that was 100% the boys. Ced made Ray dig up all the dirt and he gave the information to Ram and Alexi. It was because your uncle and cousins were behind all those rumors about you. It''s kind of sweet in their own messed up way." Ayanna shrugged.

    "Cedric did that to them for me? He knows I don''t like my family getting hurt." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "If Cedric didn''t do it they would have pushed you over the edge and dragged your name through the mud. Seriously Adrianna, your love for your family is quite toxic at some point." Ayanna t out said.

    "And what about the 30 women under 30 thing? Ram and Veronica own Abad TV. Don''t tell me Cedric had nothing to do with that!" Adrianna used.

    Ayannaughed.

    "Ram doesn''t control that list. They don''t even know that Veronica is Anna Abad. The reporter in charge gave a list to a panel, which does not include any of us, if you were wondering, and they approve the people on the list, including their ranking. Do you know what your ranking was Adrianna?" Ayanna said as if daring Adrianna to ask.

    "What?" Adrianna did ask.

    "You were 8th. Just before Beatrice, Francesca, and Carmen, that''s why they kept targeting you." Ayanna exined.

    "I didn''t get a copy of the ranking." Adrianna said, confused.

    "If you''ve been on the list or had a manager you would have found a way to get the rankings, but it was your first time and you don''t have a manager, so you couldn''t have gotten a list." Ayanna exined.

    "Adrianna, you are better than you think." Ayanna said with a smile offering Adrianna a toast.

    Ayanna practically jumped from her seat when someone knocked on the door of their private room. She wasn''t expecting anyone else toe.

 Chapter 85 - 85

    Cedric just finished his meeting with the difficult CEO when Ray began calling him frantically.

    "What?" Cedric asked, clearly in a foul mood. ??

    "Nicole just called me! Adrianna and Ayanna are drinking in Hype Bar with Tony Tamano!" Ray said in a rush.

    "Send him away!" Cedric said, furious.

    "I can''t just throw someone out of Hype Bar. And what will I tell your wife?" Ray asked Cedric.

    "Fine. Apany them. I''ll get on a ne at once! Adrianna has an extremely low alcohol tolerance. I don''t trust any man around her when she''s drunk." Cedric said.

    "Not even me?" Ray teased, Cedric knew he liked Ayanna.

    "Not even you Ray. Just stay with them till I get back." Cedric said, dropping the call.

    "Cami, tell the pilot to prepare the ne. We''re heading back to the capital. Tell my driver to pick me up at the airport and take us directly to Hype Bar." Cedric said in a stern tone.

    Cami nodded and started dialing a number.

    "Do you have any business left here?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "No sir." Ian said in reply.

    "You''reing back with me. I need you to work on the new factory. The matter here is settled and we already have a branch office." Cedric ordered.

    Ian simply nodded and left to collect his things from the hotel.

    Less than three hourster Cedric, Ian, and Cami were back in the capital.

    "Sir I just got off the phone with Mia, Miss Adrianna is still at Hype bar." Leon, who had been with them in Thand reported.

    Cedric nodded and quickly transferred from the ne to his car. Ian and Leon followed Cedric, while Cami stayed behind to arrange the necessary documents that Cedric skipped by leaving.

    In the car, on the way to Hype Bar, Cedric kept trying to call Ray who wasn''t picking up his calls. He had also tried calling Ayanna but to no avail.

    "Drive faster!" Cedric shouted at his driver. The driver was surprised, his boss was usually calm and cold. He never showed emotion like this before, nheless he drove faster as his boss ordered.

    Luckily it waste enough at night that there was no traffic. The usually congested streets flowed easily and within thirty minutes Cedric was at Hype Bar, getting out of his car.

    Cedric assumed that Adrianna and Ayanna were in Ray''s private room. Having gone there himself with the boys several times he knew exactly where to go. The staff also recognized him as one of Ray''s friends, so no one stopped him.

    When he got to the door it was locked. He banged on it, but it wouldn''t budge, so Cedric called Leon over who in turn tried to break the door, but to Ray''s credit the door seemed it wouldn''t break so easily.

    Cedric tried one more time and as he was about to make contact with the door it suddenly swung open.

    "I told you Cedric would fly back for her!" Cedric heard Ray''s triumphant jest.

    "Fine I lose!" Ayanna, who was clearly drunk, giggled.

    "What is going on Ray!" Cedric was furious.

    "The girls tricked me!" Ray said in an attempt to defend himself.

    Cedric was about to punch Ray when he saw Adrianna passed out on the couch.

    "Brother, why''d youe back. I told you to give her space!" Ayanna said as she struggled to sit up.

    "Why didn''t you send me a message?" Cedric asked Ray.

    "Well, your sister took my phone and ced it somewhere I can''t exactly get it from." Ray said, scratching his head.

    "It tickles." Ayanna giggled as she took Ray''s phone out of her shirt.

    Cedric took the phone from Ayanna''s hand and gave it to Ray.

    "Ced! Ced! Ced! Adrianna and I had so much fun!" Ayanna said standing up and falling back down on the couch. Ray ran to catch her as soon as he saw her lose her bnce.

    Cedric just shook his head and smiled. He couldn''t help but feel relieved that his sister had yed a prank and that there was no one else aside from them in that room. He was afraid that if Tony Tamano was in that room with a drunk Adrianna he wouldn''t be able to resist.

    Cedric went and picked Adrianna up from the couch and tried to wake her up.

    "Honey, you need to wake up." He whispered gently.

    "Go away Ced. I''m sleeping!" Adriannained.

    Cedric justughed at her reaction.

    "Ray, bring Ayanna to my car please." Cedric told Ray, who followed and helped Ayanna walk.

    "Damnit Ayanna walk straight!" Cedric heard Ray scolding his sister behind them.

    "I''m dizzy." Ayannained.

    "Then you shouldn''t have drank so much!" Ray scolded again.

    "But my sister inw was sad. And she said drink, so I drank!" Ayanna said proudly as she struggled to walk.

    "If you don''t walk properly I''m gonna throw you over my shoulders or drag you! Take your pick!" Rayined.

    "I''ll walk properly!" Ayanna dered before finally tripping and falling face first on the floor.

    Ray sighed and picked Ayanna up and carried her on his shoulder as if he were kidnapping her.

    At the parking lot Cedric saw Ian leaning on Cedric''s car talking to an ashamed Nicole.

    When Nicole saw Cedric she ran up to him shouting.

    "Ced, I''m so sorry! Ayanna forced me. Well she can''t force me! She ckmailed me. She said she would tell mom and dad about my crush and I already know that my parents won''t like my crush because he isn''t like us. Tony Tamano was never here, no other guy was ever here. She knew that if I told Ray about Tony drinking with them you woulde home immediately." Nicole was talking non-stop and was beginning to annoy Cedric.

    "Nicole, you''re going off again." Cedric sighed.

    "Oh sorry." Nicole said quietly.

    "Ian, will you please make sure that Nicole makes it home safely. She probably shook off her security detail again, go and call Miguel, tell him you''ll take her home." Cedric ordered.

    Ian simply nodded and asked Nicole for her car keys. Nicole apologized again before getting into the passenger''s seat and letting Ian drive her home.

    "Put Ayanna in the car. I''ll take them both home to the Reyes house. I can''t just show up with a drunk Adrianna in this car at her house." Cedric told Ray.

    They ced the two girls in the back seat while Cedric sat in front.

    When they finally got home, Cedric asked one of the guards to help bring Ayanna to her room. The staff weren''t exactly surprised to see a passed out Ayanna since this had happened many times. The maids were ready and had prepared a bucket next to her bed. They also gave Ayanna a bath and changed her clothes.

    Cedric had taken Adrianna to his room. He gave her a bath and changed her clothes. Luckily both his mother and sister had already bought clothes for Adrianna in case she had to stay over. Cedric then ced Adrianna on his bed and looked at his sleeping wife.

    "Adri, I''m sorry for everything. I love you very much." He ced a gentle kiss on her lips and went to sleep beside her.

 Chapter 86 - 86

    Cedric woke up when he felt someone kick him.

    He opened his eyes to see Adrianna struggling to get out of his embrace. ??

    "Adri, it''s too early. There''s no work today. Let''s sleep in." Cedricined, pretending that they weren''t still in a fight.

    "You bastard! You kidnapped me and forced me to sleep on your bed!" Adrianna shouted.

    "Don''t call me a bastard. A lot of people will ask for a DNA test if you do." Cedric grumbled.

    "Stop trying to be funny! This isn''t funny!" Adriannained.

    "I didn''t kidnap you Adri. You were passed out drunk at Hype Bar with my sister. If I hadn''te to take both of you home, you would have probably woken up on the cold hard floor rather than in this soft and warm bed with me." Cedric said, still hugging Adrianna with his eyes closed.

    "Don''t you dare pretend that I''m not mad at you! I''m still mad at you!" Adriannained but at this point she had stopped trying to get out of Cedric''s embrace.

    "I promise to make it all up to you Adri. So please go back to sleep." Cedric said.

    When Cedric woke up again Adrianna was still sleeping, so he took a bath and got dressed. Despite it being a weekend Cedric still had some work he needed to go through, so he sat at a desk by his window and worked while waiting for Adrianna to wake up.

    He was in a video conference when he noticed his wife waking up. He quickly dismissed everyone from the meeting and ended the call.

    "Did you rest well?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    "Where are we? And what time is it?" Adrianna asked.

    "It''s ten in the morning and we are at the Reyes house. Don''t panic about your clothes, Ayanna and mom went shopping for you. They were kind of hoping we would move in here eventually." Cedric exined.

    "I''m still mad at you." Adrianna told her husband.

    Cedric climbed into bed and hugged his wife from behind.

    "I''d rather have you mad at me and safe." Cedric kissed his wife on the lips and pinned her on the bed.

    Suddenly Adrianna''s stomach grumbled and Cedric burst outughing.

    "Let''s get some food in you first!" Cedric said, helping Adrianna up.

    By the time she had taken a bath and was dressed up Cedric was already waiting to apany her down.

    "Should I give you a quick tour of my room first?" Cedric teased.

    "Well I think this room is five times the size of the room you rented out when we were in University. How did you ever adjust?" Adrianna wondered.

    "The room I stayed in high school was even smaller. It just had a bed and a stove. It was either too hot or too cold." Cedric exined.

    "Why did your family make you go through that? I remember back in University there were days that you couldn''t even eat! And you had tomute or walk everywhere." Adrianna asked.

    "It''s tradition. It''s so that whoever inherits the Reyes Group understands what it is like to have nothing." Cedric exined.

    Cedric gave Adrianna a quick tour of his room, he pointed out the balcony, the bathroom, walk-in closet, the separate entertaining area, and the adjoining office.

    Cedric''s room was on the second floor of the house, and so was Ayanna''s. When they stepped out of the room they were immediately greeted by Veronica leaving Ayanna''s room.

    "So you guys are all made up now?" Veronica asked.

    "No. I''m still mad at him." Adrianna didn''t give Cedric a chance to answer.

    Veronica justughed.

    "Auntie had the best hangover food prepared,e on. Ayanna just needed these." Veronica said, waiving some pills.

    At the dining room, Cedric wasn''t surprised to see that Katerina and Nicole had alsoe over.

    "Ohe on Ayanna, it was your stupid idea. I told you your brother would be pissed." Nicole said, trying to coax her friend.

    "You''re just happy because Ian got you home safely." Katerina teased.

    "Ian? He''s a good kid. Your father would approve." Emilio Reyes said, looking up from his iPad.

    "Uncle!" Nicoleined.

    "Morning." Cedric greeted.

    "You''re up! Adrianna! Wee to our humble home!" Prisci rin-Reyes said, greeting her daughter inw with a hug.

    "I think humble would be an understatement, mom." Cedric said, rolling his eyes.

    "Ignore him Adrianna, I''m just happy we are eating a meal together at home." Prisci said.

    "Nicole, don''t distract Ian. I still have a lot of work I need him to do." Cedric told Nicole as he led Adrianna to her seat.

    "Cedric!" Nicoleined.

    "Nicole you are too noisy!" A hungover Ayanna scolded the girl beside her.

    "So Adrianna, how do you like the Reyes House?" Katerina asked, ignoring Nicole.

    "Well it''s big." Adrianna managed to say.

    "Are you ready to see your house?" Veronica asked.

    "Our house?" Adrianna said with a confused look.

    "The house Veronica was designing, the one she showed you in Nationalia." Cedric exined.

    "Oh yeah, I remember now. I was thinking how odd it was that it felt like the house was designed for me!" Adrianna said recalling the design Veronica showed them. "But Cedric, isn''t it too big just for the two of us?" Adrianna asked.

    "You can make little Cedrics and Adriannas so that it won''t be too lonely!" Ayanna said excitedly.

    "We could live here first if you want." Cedric said, ignoring Ayanna.

    "What about my parents? Are we just gonna leave them in their house?" Adrianna asked.

    "They could live with us at Mountain View if you want." Cedric said. He had provisioned for space if any of their parents wanted to live with them or stay the night.

    "That will mean we have to tell them who you are." Adrianna said thinking of the implications.

    "I leave telling your parents up to you, but I want to reveal myself to the rest of your family when the time is right." Cedric told his wife.

    "Brother is brewing his own revenge." Ayanna told Adrianna from across the table.

    "Cedric, Alexi has a message for you. Can I speak to you in private?" Katerina asked.

    Cedric raised his eyebrow and nodded.

 Chapter 87 - 87

    Katerina and Cedric went to Emilio''s office to talk.

    "Fredrik and John Hernandez have been arrested." Katerina told Cedric. ??

    "Was this you and Alexi?" Cedric asked. Katerina simply nodded in reply.

    "Will you see them?" Katerina asked Cedric.

    "I will. I need you guys to distract Adrianna for the day." Cedric told Katerina.

    "That should be easy. We''ll just take her to Mountain View and maybe do some shopping." Katerina said, thinking of ways to distract Adrianna.

    "Thanks Katerina. Tell Alexi to meet me at the police station where they are being held." Cedric told Katerina who in turn quickly gave her brother a call.

    At the dining area Cedric decided to tell Adrianna about her uncle and cousin.

    "Adrianna, Fredrik and John have just been arrested." Cedric exined to Adrianna.

    "Was this you?" Adrianna asked her husband. She was somewhat torn about her uncle and cousin''s arrest.

    "Yes. It was because of the charges filed against them." Cedric admitted. He was actually afraid that Adrianna would be mad at him for this or ask him to drop the charges, but he didn''t want to. Aside from the way they had treated him, the defendants in this case were real people that Fredrick and John had hurt.

    "So what they did was true?" Adrianna asked.

    "I wouldn''t back false charges Adrianna. You need to know that about me." Katerina said as she joined them.

    "If they hurt people then I won''t ask for you to do anything. Uncle Fredrick and John have never been nice to me, nor has Asia. I guess I have to draw the line somewhere." Adrianna sighed.

    "I''m going over with Alexi to speak to them. The girls have agreed to take you to Mountain View to see the new house. If you think we need to add anything tell Veronica, she''ll buy it for us. The closets there are still empty so go shopping with them after too." Cedric took out his wallet and fished a card with Adrianna''s name on it. "I had this ount opened for you, buy whatever you want. You can''t drive me bankrupt. Trust me Ayanna has tried."

    Everyoneughed at what Cedric said, because it was true, Ayanna had spent so much on one shopping trip in the past that you would have thought she would have emptied out that ount.

    "Mom, why don''t you and the aunties join us!" Ayanna suggested.

    "I wish I could go with you, but I need to fly to the rin Agri Inc. headquarters today. Maybe next time we could go shopping." Prisci rin-Reyes said.

    "Mom, you didn''t tell me you had to work today. I would have gone with you!" Ayannained. Most of the time Ayanna helped Prisci manage the two rin businesses, rin Agri Inc. and rin Homes. The head offices of bothpanies were not located in the capital, so at least twice a week Prisci would fly over to the head offices to do the work she couldn''t from the capital.

    "I''ll head off now. Alexi will meet me at the station. Katerina, take care of my wife!" Cedric said.

    "Why are you telling Katerina to take care of her! I''m your sister." Ayannained.

    "Because Katerina is the eldest and most responsible between the four of you." Cedric tly exined.

    "He has a point Ayanna." Veronica teased.

    As Cedric moved to leave Adrianna grabbed his sleeve stopping him.

    "You aren''t forgiven yet." Adrianna said.

    "I know." Cedric nodded. He gave his wife a quick kiss on the lips and left.

    "Shopping or house?" Ayanna asked Adrianna.

    "House." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Ooooh! Quick, I bought you some really nice clothes that would be perfect for a housewarming!" Ayanna said jumping out of her seat and pulling Adrianna up the stairs.

    "Thank you for breakfast Mr. and Mrs. Reyes." Adrianna called out as Ayanna dragged her.

    "Just call us mom and dad." Emilio Reyes said as the two girls disappeared up the stairs.

    Veronica, Nicole, and Katerina quickly followed behind them.

    "You know this isn''t a housewarming yet Ayanna." Adrianna told her sister inw.

    "Fine, house tour! Come look what I bought for you!" Ayanna said opening the doors to the walk in closet.

    "Mom and I were kind of hoping that you and Cedric would live here for a while. The walls are thick so we won''t be disturbed." Ayanna giggled as Adrianna blushed.

    "Plus mom and dad''s room is on a different floor. It''s just mine and Cedric''s here on this floor." Ayanna exined.

    "Maybe we can stay here while you''re in the country. I don''t even know how to tell my parents about Cedric yet. They might justugh at me when I tell them." Adrianna exined.

    "That would be perfect. And you could always just bring your parents here in one of Cedric''s cars. I''m sure that will convince them." Ayanna giggled.

    When they were ready to go the girls all headed over together to Mountain View Residences to check out the house Cedric had built for him and Adrianna.

 Chapter 88 - 88

    Cedric waited in his car for Alexi to arrive, this was the problem of hiding his identity, people didn''t know who he was and he couldn''t enforce the same authority as the other boys. He had to patiently wait for his friend toe over and fetch him.

    Alexi''s assistant knocked on this car door to fetch Cedric. Cedric followed him inside to an observation room where Alexi was waiting. ??

    Behind the one sided mirror he could see Fredrik and John pacing in the room, looking extremely worried and bothered.

    "What do you want to do with them?" Alexi asked, taking a puff of his cigarette.

    "Make them pay for their crimes." Cedric said.

    "Will you talk to them?" Alexi knew there was much bad blood between Cedric and the two men in the other room. This opportunity was too good to pass off. "They need to learn to be careful of who they offend." Alexi added.

    "You go in first. Make them think a bit." Cedric told his friend.

    Alexi grinned and went into the next room. Cedric turned on the speakers so that he could hear the conversation.

    When Fredrik and John saw Alexi they got down on their knees and begged.

    "Congressman Alexander, please please don''t do this to us." Fredrik begged.

    Alexi chuckled at their attempts.

    "You offended someone, but it wasn''t me. I''m just the helper." Alexi told them.

    "Sir, we haven''t offended anyone else." John said with a puzzled look. He was aware of what his father and sister had done at the Mor Co. office and the only people they managed to offend was Alexi and his sisters.

    "Really?" Alexi asked.

    "Sir, please let us go. We promise not to repeat what we did." John begged.

    "You see, you managed to offend someone worse than me. If it were up to me I would just have you beaten and thrown into the streets, the person you offended is much much worse. You can recover from a beating, that''s easy, but from the shame you''re about to endure? Nope. You had every chance to be nice to that person, but you failed." Alexiughed.

    "Alexi I think that''s enough." Cedric said, leaning on the door.

    "Mr. Reyes, how have we offended you?" Fredrik asked.

    Alexi suddenlyughed.

    "Are you sure you really want to know Fredrik?" Alexi nodded.

    "Yes sir. So that we could right this wrong." Fredrik said.

    "First of all there is no righting this wrong. You did wrong by those people, by offending me and my wife you just gave me a reason to look into your activities. Your wrong can only be righted by you answering to thew." Cedric said.

    Fredrik and John had nothing to say back. They both knew that the charges against them were not made up. They had harassed, molested, and even raped some female employees in exchange for promotions.

    "Leon wanna bet! I bet Fredrik Hernandez has a heart attack finding out who your boss is!" Alexi shouted to Leon who was standing behind Cedric.

    "Sir, I don''t gamble." Leon answered. Cedricughed at Alexi''s pissed off face.

    Cedric took a seat in front of Fredrik and John.

    "You really don''t recognize me?" Cedric asked.

    John and Fredrik both shook their heads.

    "I pity you guys! You had a very important person in front of you this whole time and you chose to treat him like trash rather than as a fellow human being!" Alexi saidughing.

    While Alexi said this Cedric was taking off the sses and mask that he used as a disguise. When Fredrik and John saw his face they were in shock.

    "Hello Uncle, John." Cedric said with a grin.

    "This is impossible." John said with a sudden burst of courage. "You can''t be him! This is a trick."

    Cedricughed at them.

    "Do you think, someone you thought of as a nobody would have the ability to call in a favor from Alexander Sebastian and Katerina Sebastian?" Cedric asked.

    "You''ve been married to Adrianna for four years! How could you be the Reyes Heir? He only came back to the country this year." John said, still in denial.

    "My friend never left the country." Alexi said as he lit another cigarette. "The Reyes family has an odd tradition called poverty training where they send their heir to live as a poor boy at the age of fifteen only to return at twenty eight. But why am I even telling you this, you are immaterial."

    "Alexi, don''t be too harsh, they are still Adrianna''s family." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Cedric, please go easy on us, we are family after all. What would Adrianna think if she found out about this?" Fredric suddenly changed the tone of his voice to one that was practically begging Cedric to let them go.

    "See Ced, this is the kind of respect and fear you are missing with your stupid desire to stay secret." Alexi teased.

    "There is always a bigger picture Alexi, uncle told me you kept missing that." Cedricughed.

    "Cedric, we promise to be nicer to you and Adrianna, see our public shame already put Adrianna in the spotlight. I never meant to hurt Adrianna." Fredrik begged again.

    Cedric stood up and punched John Hernandez on the face.

    "Wow Ced, you can really throw a punch. Have you been teaching him Leon?" Alexi asked the bodyguard,pletely ignoring the fact that John Hernandez was now bleeding in the police station with a broken nose.

    "I''ve been training with Leon. I can''t be some helpless CEO all the time. What would my wife think of me then." Cedric shrugged as he wiped John''s blood off on Fredrik''s shirt.

    Fredrik was so scared that Cedric would punch him as well, he sat still and held his breath.

    "Uncle Fredrik, you''ve been everything but kind to me and Adrianna. You spread rumors about Adrianna, you pulled my wife down, you even let your daughter and cousin physically hurt Adrianna. What kind of a family is that? You are all messed up." Cedric said.

    "I will teach my daughter better and I will reprimand Janine. Please Cedric, drop the charges." Fredrik begged.

    "You Hernandez''s are all fools, all you had to do was be a family and not hurt your own family. Instead you chose to pull each other down, to hurt one another." Alexiughed.

    "Fredrik, being kind to me or even just Adrianna would have been the perfect way for you to rise to power. Regardless of how you treated me, if you treated my wife well I would have given the Hernandez family the opportunity to be one of the richest in the country. Instead you got the opposite, Alexi here will make sure you go to the worst prison in the country where the gangs inside are controlled by the Laurence family. Your daughter will not be spared either, I have a n for her." Cedric said with a cold smile. Fredrik had never seen Cedric like this, he was confident and full of power, aplete opposite from the man they often saw simply following Adrianna around with a tender look on his eyes. This man looked like a monster of a man, everything about him felt powerful now and everything about him scared Fredrik and John.

    Soon several policemen came to drang Fredrik and John away.

 Chapter 89 - 89

    "Keep them in there for a year or two, they are still Adrianna''s family." Cedric told Alexi.

    "Cedric you are too kind." Alexi said, shaking his head. ??

    "Not all of us can be as heartless as you and Ray." Cedric teased.

    "They wille after you again if you let them go." Alexi warned.

    "They will never be able to get back up. They might be out of prison but their names will be forever ruined, their businesses will never rise, and everyone will look at them like the scum they are. That is a far worse torture than prison." Cedric exined.

    With that Cedric left.

    When the convoy of cars arrived at the Mountain View project Adrianna was surprised by the amount of security outside themunity''s gates. There was a highwall blocking the view of outsiders and the gate required a special tag to let the cars in.

    "Only cars of residents are allowed in, and well our family, since we own the ce." Ayanna exined.

    "The wholemunity is walled in on one side and there is a cliff on the other side. The fence is electrically charged so intruder''s can''t climb over. There are also cameras every five meters and roving security teams." Ayanna recalled the security details of themunity. She was part of the project initially when it was being set up, this was right before her father decided to send her abroad for further studies.

    "Wow, that security is quite tight." Adriannamented.

    "Well, that''s only for the main gate. Each house can have it''s own security team, like your house, which is actually called the Pearl house. My brother has hired a team of guards to protect the entrance as well as roving guards to make sure unwanted guests can''te in. The outside is also full of cameras with no blind spots. This is, of course, on top of your personal security team." Ayanna exined.

    "We have a personal security team?" Adrianna asked, confused.

    "Cedric didn''t tell you yet?" By the look on Adrianna''s face Ayanna assumed Cedric hadn''t exined about Mia to his wife.

    "After what happened in Constetions Resort in Quirino, Cedric hired Mia. She''s your personal bodyguard. Mia follows you everywhere, even inside Ind''s Inc. She has her own team that consists of several other guards for back up as well as a medical team in case you have a medical emergency, like if you are injured. Cedric has his own, it''s led by Leon. You''ve seen him around, a big scary guy that''s always smiling." Ayanna exined.

    "Why haven''t I noticed that they were following us around? I mean, I would have noticed someone stalking me." Adrianna asked.

    "Leon and Mia are that good. See that''s Mia''s team behind Katerina''s car." Ayanna said pointing at a van following them.

    "Do you have your own security team?" Adrianna had to ask.

    "Yup. Unlike yours they are always visible. And they are good at crowd control. I have fans, but I don''t like people being in my personal life. It''s really my life so I don''t see the point why they need to know about everything I do." Ayanna sighed.

    "Wow!" Adrianna was surprised at the size of the house they had just passed.

    "Oh that''s Ray''s. Cedric kind of gave each of the boys a chunk of property here when he came back. They all had Veronica design their houses from top to bottom. If you think that''s impressive, wait till you see yours." Ayanna giggled.

    "You don''t have one here?" Adrianna asked.

    "I do. It''s just not in my name yet. The girls probably have one each too, their brothers most likely bought it for them." Ayanna exined.

    Adrianna noticed that they were now slightly climbing upward until they were met by tall gates.

    "Wee home Adrianna!" Ayanna said as the cars entered the driveway. There were trees that lined the side of the road covering what looked to be gardens. The driveway opened up to the front of the house, it was much bigger than what Adrianna had imagined.

    A woman opened the door and held an umbre to shield her from the sun.

    "Miss, my name is Mia. Mister Cedric assigned me to protect you. I hope you won''t be offended that I didn''t show myself earlier." Mia said introducing herself.

    "Wow, you don''t look like a bodyguard!" Adrianna said in surprise. Mia looked familiar but she couldn''t figure out if she had seen her before.

    "The boss wanted someone that didn''t stand out from the crowd but was strong enough to protect you." Mia exined.

    "Adrianna, let me give you a tour." Veronica said as she approached.

    "Wow Veronica, you really outdid yourself this time!" Nicole said, praising the exterior look of the house.

    "Too bad very few people will get to see it though." Veronica sighed.

    "Why?" Adrianna asked.

    "Your husband is the most private and secretive person in the country. Plus thismunity is so exclusive that even if you knew someone inside you still wouldn''t be able to see this house." Veronica exined.

    "I wouldn''t mind people seeing the house, well if it''s just like a magazine feature or a blog." Adrianna shrugged.

    "If Adri says so, Cedric can''t say no." Ayanna told her friends.

    "So Adri, this is the main house and to the right is the garage, it can have up to fifty cars with some disy areas if Cedric or you want to have vintage cars or disy cars. To the left are the gardens, tennis courts, and a basketball court. Shall we go in?" Veronica asked.

    When they entered they were greeted by a grand interior.

    "This is amazing Veronica! It''s so ssy and yet it feels like home." Adrianna said looking around.

    "I was actually afraid of losing that feel of home when I was doing the design. I didn''t want to over do it. So you''ve seen the n at Nationalia, why don''t we go around and you can tell me what you think." Veronica said, leading them around the house.

    Adrianna couldn''t help but pinch herself when looking around the house. It was everything she ever dreamed of and more.

    When they were just dating Adrianna would often sit down and sketch what her dream house would look like.

    She remembered one day, when they were at a coffee shop studying.

    "What''s that Adri?" Cedric was around twenty one at this time. His clothes looked like they had been washed too many times.

    "Just imagining my dream house." Adrianna said as she sketched something on her iPad.

    "Can I see?" Cedric said while hugging her.

    "It''s embarrassing!" Sheined.

    "Oh,e on. I think everything you do is amazing." Cedric flirted.

    "Stop it!" Adrianna tried to p Cedric yfully but he caught her hand and kissed her on the lips.

    Cedric took advantage of her distraction and got her iPad and sat across her.

    "You''re too smooth." Adriannained.

    Cedric looked up and winked at her.

    "Wow, this is amazing. I wish I could give you something like this someday Adri." Cedric said looking at the designs. He was actually already secretly sending them to his own email for future use.

    "Ced, I don''t need a house as extravagant as that. As long as you are with me, I''ll be happy." Adrianna said with a smile.

    Back in the present, Adrinna felt like she was walking around in her own sketch. She was wondering how Cedric was able to remember all the details that she had drawn that day.

 Chapter 90 - 90

    Thest stop of their house tour was the master bedroom.

    "How many kids do you expect us to have? Why are there so many rooms?" Adrianna asked as they walked into the master.??

    "I just wanted to be prepared. You can always transform them into a different purpose." Veronica shrugged.

    "This is big!" Adrianna gasped.

    "You like it?" Veronica asked.

    "It''s amazing Veronica!" Adrianna said as she looked around the room.

    "Adri,e look at the closet. Cedric''s side already has his clothes. All we need to do is buy new stuff for you to fill the closet." Ayanna said, showing Adrianna the walk in closet.

    "This is even bigger than our room!" Adrianna said. "I don''t think I have enough clothes to fill this room!"

    "Well that''s why Cedric gave us his card. We need to fill this room with proper brands!" Nicole said.

    "Hey, my clothes are proper brands." Adriannained.

    "They''re frommon brands." Nicole said, rolling her eyes.

    "I already ordered some clothes from Mn, Paris, and New York." Ayanna said.

    "But what about my clothes at the Hernandez house?" Adrianna asked.

    "You''re the wife of the Reyes Heir, I''m sure we can find better than those." Nicole said.

    The girls soon piled back into the convoy of cars.This time they decided to just ride a Lincoln Navigator that the Reyes family had purchased a while back.

    "Ayanna, will you have the section closed again?" Nicole asked.

    "I don''t want to. We''d lose too much profits if we did. We have enough security to keep the crowds away." Ayanna said.

    "Why did you have it closedst time?" Adrianna asked.

    "Cause Cedric was being touchy about people harassing you." Veronica teased.

    "Well he had a reason to be worried." Katerina exined.

    "I''m curious about something." Adrianna managed to say.

    "Go, ask." Katerina said with a smile.

    "Why are you guys so obsessed with keeping a low profile?" Adrianna asked, recalling her conversation with Cedric on Kashmere.

    "I think Veronica can answer that best." Ayanna smiled.

    "The problem with being from families like ours is that people always want something, and sometimes they praise you just because of who your family is, rather than based on what skills you actually have. I think you understand this to an extent." Veronica exined.

    "Yeah. I felt that way about my family trying to get me into a beneficial marriage." Adrianna nodded.

    "With us, it''s different. Back in Uni, I had ssmates and teachers who knew who I was. I never hid the fact that my father was James Abad, or that my brother was Ramon Abad. People always tried to please me. They always tried to get on my better side. Those that didn''t choose to suck up said bad things about me. They would often say I bought my way into the school, or that my work was done by a hired professional. I honestly just became sick of it." Veronica exined.

    "The worst was when one of my best friends, or at least someone I thought was my best friend, decided that I was just an impostor. He told people that all my work was done by her and that I was just passing them off and to think I even helped that guy with most of the things he submitted in school." Veronica sighed.

    "Some one really did that?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yeah. That''s why Veronica left the country. As a matter of fact that person is still quite popr and continues to pass of others work as his." Nicole injected.

    "People said it was because she got pregnant or some other vile rumor." Katerina said bitterly.

    "People can be very mean when you''re born into families like ours too." Ayanna sighed.

    "So I left. I went to Paris to study, I used my mother''s maiden name. I went by Veronica Bernasconi. I never liked being called Anna anyway. I chose to pave my own path. It''s trueter on I had projects from our family friends or some artists under Lights Entertainment, but I really worked my way up. Up to this day my mentor doesn''t know that Ie from quite an influential family here." Veronica exined.

    "But you still hide who you are now." Adrianna said.

    "I don''t see the point of using my family name and connections to get ahead in my career. I want my skills to speak for itself. I love my family, and I''m thankful for the opportunities I got because of the family I was born into. I also don''t want to feel like I owe people for who I am. I''m me and my skills are my own." Veronica exined.

    "I think Nicole is actually the most low profile among us." Ayanna said.

    "Oh, look, we''re here!" Nicole said excitedly as they pulled into the driveway.

    A group of guards immediately assembled to clear the way for them.

    "Here we go again." Ayanna sighed and opened the door.

    The girls went out of the car. Many socially conscious people recognized the girls and started pointing and whispering amongst themselves. Some took out their phones and stole photos of them.

    "Is it always like this for you guys?" Adrianna asked.

    "For Ayanna and Veronica, yes. For me, Katerina, and Natalia, not always. I can actually go to the mall with no visible guards. I''m not as public a figure as them. And if you aren''t involved in business you wouldn''t know who I was. It''s worse when we''re with the boys. Girls can get pretty crazy around them." Nicole exined as they casually walked into Pris Mall.

    "Where is Natalia by the way?" Adrianna asked.

    "Working. Her work is unique. We can''t really talk about it." Ayanna exined.

    "Let''s go to the VIP section, the shops said they would just bring theirtest products to us." Ayanna said, dragging the group to the top floor.

    Inside there was a cream colored room with plush and luxurious seats. There were several dressing rooms with mirrors on all walls. The girls took a seat giggling.

    They were given champagne, Ayanna told them to give Adrianna coffee instead of champagne. The first group of shop managers came in with some shoes for the girls to try on.

    "I want a little niece or nephew!" Ayanna said quite seriously.

    As they tried on shoes Adrianna recalled their conversation in the car.

    "What did you mean when you said you were the most low profile Nicole?" Adrianna asked the girl next to her.

 Chapter 91 - 91

    "Well, I think a big part is because our business isn''t as loud as everyone else''s. Plus I was never born to inherit the role I am in." Nicole said.

    "What do you mean?" Adrianna said as she picked up a new pair being handed to her. ??

    "No heels! Brother said no heels for you." Ayanna said, grabbing the pair. Adrianna frowned.

    "Your brother doesn''t know anything about fashion. Let me get it Ayanna. Please." Adrianna told her sister inw.

    Ayanna smiled and let Adrianna buy the pair.

    "My family wanted Eric to run and inherit the family business. They are very traditional in the sense that the eldest male should be the head. But Eric hates business, but he loves to act. He honestly doesn''t care about having fans, he just wants to act. So that left them hoping that Miguel would be a doctor and run the hospital someday. The funny thing is that Miguel is too good. Did you know he was a doctor at twenty? Well he was. People call him the "Miracle Doctor" and he''s in such a high demand worldwide. People fly to our country just to get an operation done by him." Nicole exined.

    "He seems perfect for the medical field." Adrianna said.

    "Yes, but he also has too much heart. For every high profile and high paying client he operates on he will do five or six free cases. I am proud of him for it, I think my parents are too, but there are other costs during an operation and Miguel is very specific about how things are done so he needs the best of everything during an operation. If he were in charge of Saints, he would drive us into bankruptcy. So dad decided to go the different route, he chose me. I''m actually a doctor too, you know. I''m an anesthesiologist, I''m always present in Miguel''s operations, we''re like a tandem. But I also join in on board meetings and I''m the Vice President at Saints Hospitals. It''s hard being in a family that prefers boys over girls, even the board acts that way. So I need to be stronger and more persistent. The downside is that I don''t have much of a life outside." Nicole said with a sigh.

    "I didn''t know you were a doctor too! I''ve barely seen anything about you online. Even Miguel is quite low profilepared to the other boys." Adrianna said, trying to recall the gossip page Natasha would share with her.

    "People aren''t interested in a medical family. Although, if they ever found out that Eric was actually my older brother then they would find us very interesting." Nicoleughed.

    "Miguel and Eric actually look alike. People just don''t expect Eric toe from a rich family so they never associated them with each other." Katerina said.

    "It''s like with Cedric. The clues are alreadyid out in front of them but people choose to ignore it." Veronica said tly.

    "Cedric tried to tell me." Adrianna said in a sad tone.

    "It''s ok. No one would have believed that he is the Reyes Heir. He changes when he''s the powerful CEO. I don''t know how my brother does it!" Ayanna said.

    "Ayanna, you change too. Like during our meeting with my team. You were suddenly this girl boss." Adrianna said.

    "Really?" Ayanna asked with a puzzled look on her face.

    "Ayanna can be quite clueless sometimes." Katerina teasedughing at her friend.

    "We''ve all had to put on a tough facade in public. If we were too childish, we were called spoiled. If we were improper, it would look bad on the family. Nicole here suddenly bes serious when she goes into work mode!" Katerina continued.

    "The board would never respect me if they knew I was really like this. They would think I was just some silly girl that lucked out because my brothers reject the idea of running the business." Nicole exined. "Having a strong personality sometimes is our only way of surviving in the world of men."

    "Did you know Nicole can''t date freely as any of us?" Ayanna asked Adrianna.

    "Your families don''t seem the type to arrange marriages." Adrianna assumed that since the Reyes family had weed her with open arms that they were not picky on who their children married.

    "Oh it''s not my parents. It''s everyone else. If I dated someone they didn''t consider inappropriate the board members or even just our customers would react." Nicole exined.

    "Nicole is currently eyeing a certain former assistant." Veronica said with a wink.

    "Who?" Adrianna asked, genuinely curious about who Veronica was talking about.

    "Who else! Tall, chinky eyed, and kind of a hunk. Your husband''s former assistant, Ian Lim!" Ayanna teased.

    "Won''t he be inappropriate?" Adrianna asked.

    "Right now, he is. In maybe five to seven years, when he gets his family name back on top he''ll be appropriate. Nicole just has to convince everyone that Ian is headed that way." Katerina said.

    "Hey! There isn''t anything between us!" Nicoleined, almost spilling her drink on the clothes she was trying on.

    "Nicole! You almost spilled! Why are you even trying on clothes? We''re supposed to be shopping for Adrianna." Katerina scolded.

    "We''re already here, might as well shop, right?" Nicole said with a wink.

    "Anyway, she really likes Ian. We even caught her flirting with him." Katerina teased.

    "He''s nice, and he really is hard working. He alsoes from a good family, so people won''t object too much." Nicole blushed.

    "See. Told you." Veronica said with a wink.

    "Fine. I like him, but he doesn''t like me." Nicole said with a frown.

    "Ian''s a very focused guy Nicole. He''s focused right now on fixing all the wrongs done to him, and brother is helping him out." Ayanna exined in an attempt to make Nicole feel better.

    "I think we should look at jewelry now. That should cheer up Nicole." Veronica said getting up.

    "I think you guys have bought me too much clothes." An embarrassed Adrianna said.

    "First of all, we aren''t the ones paying. It''s Cedric. Second, you don''t need to be embarrassed, we are family. Don''t lie, I''m pretty sure you''re enjoying this." Ayanna teased.

    Adrianna just smiled back and stood up to follow Veronica.

 Chapter 92 - 92

    On their way down Ayanna called Ray.

    "Hey Ray. We''re buying Adrianna some stuff, we''re gonna pass by Lau Jewelry." Ayanna said. ??

    Adrianna of course didn''t hear what Ray said on the other end but Ayanna had a pissed off look on her face.

    "That''s not fair Ray. You''d do it without anything in exchange for Ced!" Ayannained.

    As Ray spoke Ayanna just sighed in surrender.

    "Fine. I''ll tell you when I''m free." Ayanna said, dropping the call.

    "What was that about?" Adrianna asked.

    "Ray wants me to treat him to dinner in exchange for showing us the best pieces in Lau Jewelry." Ayannained.

    "He just wants to have dinner with Ayanna." Katerina exined.

    "Don''t believe her Adrianna!" Ayanna said.

    "Ray knows that if he actually asks you out then you could say no. This way he can go on a date with you without it being too awkward." Nicole teased.

    "It''s not a date." Ayanna dered.

    "Whatever you say Adrianna, but we all know Ray has liked you for a really long time. I''m sure he even has Cedric''s approval." Veronica teased.

    "Just drop it. Come on." Ayanna said dragging everyone into the jewelry shop.

    At another part of the city, Cedric sat in his car with Ian seated next to him and Cami seated in front with the driver.

    "How is the situation with our expansion?" Cedric asked Ian as he read through some reports on a tablet Cami had given him.

    "Sir, we haven''t encountered any issues. So far everything is going as nned." Ian reported.

    "Good, maybe now you can go on a date." Cedric teased. Despite his new position Cedric still recognized that during his time as an ordinary employee he had only one friend, and that was Ian.

    Ian had always been the quiet type, he kept things to himself and didn''t like to talk about himself. At the time this was perfect for Cedric since he didn''t want to share anything about himself either. He was hiding half of who he was and he was neverfortable with lying.

    "It''s not one of my priorities now Cedric." Ian said shifting to a more casual tone.

    "Oh, before I forget, did you settle the matter with Tom and Jo?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. Tom is slowly being promoted to the position of Manager of the Quirino branch of Constetions. The current manager is actually on track to be transferred to the head office so there shouldn''t be an issue. As for Jo, he passed all of Miguel''s tests and has joined his team at Saints Hospital." Cami reported.

    "I think after this we all deserve a break. How about taking the whole Mor Co. to Kashmere? Do you think they will like that?" Cedric asked.

    "Sir, of course. Kashmere is like a dream most people can nevery eyes on." Cami said. Prior to working for Cedric she too felt like Kashmere was a ce she would only ever see in pictures.

    "I''ll talk to Ray and n when we can have apany trip there." Cedric said.

    Suddenly Cedric saw a bright light at his peripheral, before he or anyone could react he felt like he had just hit a cement wall and everything went ck.

    At Pris Mall, Mia suddenly approached Adrianna who was looking at a pair of earrings.

    "Madam, Mr. Cedric has been in an ident. We need to get you to a secure location now." Mia said.

    Adrianna was shocked and just nodded. At the same time she saw Ayanna''s security inform her as well. When their eyes met Adrianna wanted to cry. She might have been mad at Cedric but all of that was thrown out of the window now, all that was left was that she was worried about her husband.

    The girls all calmly walked into the car, which with it''s convoy sped to the Reyes home. As a precautionary measure, Emilio Reyes had sent an additional team to Pris Mall to protect the girls.

    In the car Adrianna was quiet.

    "Adri, I''m sure my brother is fine. Leon was with him and Leon is one of the best out there. Plus Cedric also knows how to defend himself." Ayanna tried tofort her sister inw.

    "Do we know what happened?" Adrianna asked.

    "I don''t yet. But I''m sure dad has all the details and he can exin it to us." Ayanna said, hoping that Adrianna would findfort in her words.

    "My brother said he is on his way to your house Ayanna, so are Ram and Ray." Katerina told Adrianna and Ayanna as she dropped her call.

    "Eric said Miguel is in the hospital. We can''t get through, but for some reason security around Miguel''s hospital has been increased. My dad isn''t saying anything about it." Nicole said with a worried look.

    "That means they are probably taking Cedric there. Adri, it''s probably nothing. Dad must just want to make sure that my brother is fine, just a check up." Ayanna said in an attempt to make Adrianna and herself feel less worried.

    The roads in the capital had been cleared to allow the convoy to get to the Reyes Mansion uninterrupted, upon their arrival they found Prisci Reyes in the living room together with Alexi, Ray, and Ram.

    "Mom, what happened?" Ayanna asked as they arrived.

    "Cedric was on his way home when a truck hit his car." Prisci said within sobs.

    Adrianna began to cry and fell into a seat. Ayanna came over and hugged her sister inw.

    "He''s in Saints Hospital now. Miguel is checking up on him." Alexi said as he approached Ayanna and Adrianna.

    "I''ll go over to Saints now to make sure that everything is in order." Nicole said in a serious tone.

    "Are you looking into this?" Katerina asked Alexi.

    "Yes. We were on a convoy back from the police station. It feels nned." Alexi exined.

    "How is he?" Adrianna managed to ask.

    "We haven''t heard from Miguel or anyone in the hospital." Prisci told her daughter inw.

 Chapter 93 - 93

    Adrianna had to wait over an hour before Ayanna''s phone began to ring. It was Nicole.

    Ayanna ced the phone on speaker mode right after picking it up. ??

    "Cedric is here. So are his driver, Cami, and Ian." Nicole said.

    "How is Cedric?" Adrianna suddenly said. Adrianna had remained silent for the whole hour that they were waiting.

    "Miguel managed to stabilize his condition, but he is still unconscious. If it''s safe for you toe over we''ve ced Cedric in the VIP room." Nicole told Adrianna.

    "How about the others?" Adianna asked.

    "Cedric was the one with the worst injuries. From what we could tell, the truck had hit specifically at the back seat behind the driver, where Cedric usually stays. Cami and the driver stayed conscious the whole time but they have some broken bones. As for Ian, we think he might have tried to pull Cedric away, Miguel also had to operate on him and we had to keep him under anesthesia for him to recover quicker." Nicole exined.

    "Thanks Nicole." Ayanna said, dropping the call.

    "Mom can we go?" Ayanna asked.

    Prisci looked at Alexi and Ray. The two boys had beening in and out of the house after pooling together their resources to figure out what had happened.

    "We''ll check with uncle Emilio." Alexi said as they both went to Emilio''s office.

    "Ram?" Ayanna asked.

    "Don''t worry Ayanna. I''ve suppressed the news on this. No one will know about what happened to Cedric. I''ve also spoken to the social mediapanies to delete all traces of what happened." Ram said as he understood immediately what Ayanna wanted to ask.

    Alexi and Ram came out of Emilio''s office and told everyone that they needed to wait a while before leaving.

    "The police and the security teams are securing the roads we will go through. Since we don''t want people picking up on this we need to keep all the preparations quiet. As it is the employees at Saints are wondering why there is heightened security." Alexi exined.

    "Do you mind if I rest for a bit, I''m feeling a bit dizzy?" Adrianna asked.

    "Sure, I''ll apany you up since you aren''t familiar with the house yet." Ayanna offered.

    As Adriannay on the bed she couldn''t help but cry. She was worried about Cedric. She was also regretting the words she had told them that morning. It was true that she was mad at him, but she would always love him and would never leave him. She was ovee with fright.

    After another hour Ayanna woke Adrianna up and helped her pick out something to wear.

    Together the whole family drove to Saints Hospital. In order to divert the attention of the media, Ray had arranged for Eric to make a surprise appearance at the other end of the city, after which Eric would follow to Saints Hospital to visit his friend.

    In the car Adrianna was still quiet. She yed with her hair mindlessly.

    She was surprised when a soft hand held hers. It was Prisci''s. Her mother inw''s actions had somehow managed to calm her a little bit as she was reminded that she was not in this alone, and that Cedric''s family and friends were with her.

    "He''s a strong man Adrianna." Prisci told her.

    "I know Mrs. Reyes. I''m just worried about him." Adrianna confessed.

    "Please Adrianna, we are family. I won''t remind you again, please call me mom." Prisci said with a warm smile.

    "Alright mom." Something about calling her mom warmed Adrianna''s heart.

    "Cedric is in the best care possible, Miguel operated on him and he is at Saints. They have the best health care. So don''t worry Adrianna." Emilio said.

    "Stay with us while Cedric recovers, Adrianna." Ayanna invited.

    Adrianna simply nodded.

    At Saints Hospital, the family entered through the basement in order to avoid being spotted by other people.

    When they arrived at the VIP room, Miguel and Jo stood over Cedric checking on him.

    "Jo?" Adrianna asked seeing Cedric''s highschool friend.

    "Adrianna! I swear I was shocked to find out that our VIP patient was Cedric. I still can''t understand why." Jo Meneses said as he approached Adrianna.

    "How is he?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "He''s stable now uncle. I needed to operate on him and it was sessful, but I don''t know how long before he regains consciousness." Miguel exined to Emilio.

    "Mom, Dad, Ayanna. This is Cedric''s friend from high school, Joseph Meneses." Adrianna said, introducing Jo to her inws.

    "You must be the nurse. Congrattions on making it into Miguel''s team." Emilio said, offering his hand for Jo to shake.

    Jo panicked and almost tripped on his own feet.

    Ayannaughed at the man''s panicked expression.

    "Don''t worry, that happens all the time with dad." Ayanna said with a wink.

    "If you haven''t realized yet, Cedric is the Reyes heir. For now that''s all we will tell you. I''m not sure what else my son is willing to share, and we have always respected his ns." Emilio exined.

    Adrianna moved to take a seat next to the unconscious Cedric and she held his hand.

    "He was lucky that Ian tried to save him. If it weren''t for Ian, I don''t know if Cedric could have made it here in time. He was also lucky that he had Leon and his team. They managed to give him first aid and get him here in record time." Miguel said, trying to exin what he knew had happened after the ident.

    "We''ll go and check on the other patients." Emilio said as he signaled everyone to leave the room.

    When they were alone Adrianna fixed the stray hair on Cedric''s face and began to tear up.

    "Honey, I''m here. Honey, please wake up. Cedric I''m sorry I got mad. I''m sorry I didn''t believe you. I need you to wake up now. I miss you." Adrianna said as she kissed her unconscious husband.

    Adrianna was hoping that this would somehow wake him up like in all the movies she had watched, but Cedric stayed unconscious.

 Chapter 94 - 94

    "I think you should definitely reward them uncle, they risked their lives for Cedric." Miguel said as they walked to Ian''s room.

    "I''ll let Cedric decide what is appropriate." Emilio Reyes said, considering his son''s intentions. ??

    "Hey, Jo. So how do you know my brother?" Ayanna asked.

    "Oh, I was ssmates with him in high school." Jo said quite shyly. He had never met a woman as pretty or as impressive as Ayanna.

    "Then you must be a good guy if you were friends with my brother." Ayanna said.

    "Well we also had a friend that turned out quite mean. He just suddenly disappeared one night." Jo said, recalling Gabriel''s sudden disappearance.

    "My brother might be involved with that. I remember Alexi telling me Ced sent someone to jail." Ayanna said recalling a past conversation with Alexi.

    "Ah, here we are, Ian''s room." Jo said as they got to one of the private rooms.

    As they entered they saw Nicole sitting next to the patient''s bed looking quite smitten at a sleeping Ian.

    When Nicole realized that there were other people in the room she suddenly stood up and cleared her throat.

    "Brother, Uncle Emilio, Auntie Prisci, Ayanna, I was just visiting Ian. He did after all save Cedric''s life, and I consider Cedric to be like an older brother to me. So I only thought it would be appropriate for me to visit and thank him. Unfortunately he was sleeping when I arrived." Nicole spoke non-stop in an attempt to cover her embarrassment.

    "What''s that noise?" Ian, who was woken by Nicole''s bbering, groaned.

    "Ian you''re awake." Emilio Reyes said as he approached Ian''s bedside.

    "Mr. Reyes. I tried to save Cedric. Is he alright?" Ian asked.

    "Ian don''t be so formal. You can call me uncle!" Emilio scolded.

    "I''m sorry uncle, I would rather not assume." Ian said apologetically.

    "It seems Nicole has been watching over you." Ayanna teased Nicole who in turn blushed.

    "Thank you for saving Cedric, Ian. We were told that If you hadn''t made an attempt to pull him away Cedric might not have survived." Prisci Reyes said.

    "It was my job auntie." Ian said as he tried to sit up.

    "Don''t sit up, it might open your wounds. Plus I''m sure that hurts." Miguel said.

    "We''ll go ahead and check on Cami and Cedric''s driver." Ayanna said, pulling her parents, Miguel, and Jo out of the room.

    Nicole attempted to follow but Ayanna pushed her back into Ian''s room.

    "How are you feeling?" Nicole shyly asked Ian.

    "I feel like I was hit by a truck." Ian said with an awkward smile.

    "Oh. Hahaha. Yeah." Nicole blushed.

    "Thank you for saving Cedric. I got you some food. I wasn''t sure what you wanted so I had the kitchens bring you up some soup." Nicole said, pulling the table closer to Ian.

    "Thank you. I can''t exactly feed myself right now." Ian said, referring to both his arms that were in casts.

    "Oh let me help you." Nicole said as she got a spoon and sat next to Ian.

    Nicole started to clumsily feed Ian.

    An older couple suddenly walked in and Ian suddenly sat up causing Nicole to spill the soup. Nicole panicked and grabbed tissues to clean up.

    "Mom, dad, how did you find out?" Ian asked them.

    "Oh, we didn''t know you were dating someone." Ian''s mom said without answering her son''s question.

    "We aren''t mom." Ian said.

    "But she''s taking care of you, what else could that mean?" Ian''s mom said.

    "Hi Mrs. Lim, Mr. Lim. I''m Nicole Chan. I work at the hospital. Ian''s just a friend. I''ll leave you alone now." Nicole said as she stood up to leave.

    "Nicole stay." Ian said in a stern tone.

    "Ian, your parents are here. I should really go." Nicole argued back.

    "My parents have seen that I''m fine. They will leave now." Ian said.

    "Ian, we were just worried about you." Ian''s mom said.

    "I can manage on my own mom. You and dad should just go home." Ian told his parents.

    "Let''s go hun." Ian''s father said, pulling his wife out.

    "Why are you sending your parents away?" Nicole asked Ian.

    "They don''t need to be worried about me. Aren''t you gonna feed me some more?" Ian asked, opening his mouth.

    Nicole was puzzled by Ian''s request but sat back down and fed him.

    "You should be nicer to your parents." Nicole scolded Ian.

    "It''s none of your business." Ian said coldly.

    "Nicole, you don''t really need to do this." Ian told her in a kinder tone.

    "Ian, I want to do this for you. You saved Cedric, and I''m worried about you." Nicole confessed.

    Suddenly a nurse entered the room.

    "Miss Nicole! Your father is looking for you. I''ll help out in feeding this patient." The nurse said.

    "I''m full. Just clean this up." Ian told the nurse.

    "I''ll try to drop by againter tonight." Nicole said goodbye to Ian.

    At the conference room Nicole was surprised to see her father and brother together with the Reyes family.

    "What''s going on?" Nicole asked.

    "How''s Ian?" Miguel asked with a wink.

    "Shut up Miguel." Nicole said coldly.

    "It''s Cedric. It seems like we need to do an emergency operation on him." Raphael Chan told his daughter.

    "What are the risks?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "Uncle, it''s a very dangerous procedure. I''ll need to operate near a main artery. But I know I can save Cedric''s life." Miguel exined. Miguel had gotten his name as the miracle doctor for difficult surgeries such as this. Although he was a neurosurgeon he had operated in different illnesses in the past.

    "Adrianna?" Emilio asked his daughter inw.

    "Cedric would have trusted you, so I trust you too." Adrianna said, agreeing to the operation.

    "I''ll have my team prep. We will operate in an hour." Miguel told Adrianna and left.

    "Don''t worry Adri, Miguel seems young but he is the best. Leaders from all over the world havee to him and he has never failed. He won''t fail." Nicole told Adrianna.

    "Let''s go get some food and tea. That should calm your nerves." Ayanna said as they walked out of the conference room.

 Chapter 95 - 95

    Adrianna sat next to Cedric''s bed and held his hand. She had been like this since she and Ayanna had returned from buying their dinner.

    "I''m sure he''ll be fine Adrianna." Ayanna said in an attempt tofort her sister inw. ??

    "Ayanna, I think I''m suddenly d that Cedric never told me who he really was." Adrianna suddenly said.

    "Why?" A genuinely curious Ayanna asked.

    "If I had known that he was some rich heir, I would have seen him differently. I think I would have let my bias against rich heirs cloud my judgement." Adrianna admitted.

    "They aren''t all bad. The four, well technically five, aren''t like everyone says." Ayanna said in an attempt to defend her friends.

    "How so?" Adrianna asked.

    "Well, fine, Alexi is a yboy and Ray loves cars, like he buys cars like I buy shoes, but other than that they are still very different. They actually value the money they have and they treasure the opportunities they have. They don''t just go around wasting their family money, they actually make it grow. Did you know that they built apany with my brother from scratch?" Ayanna asked.

    Adrianna shook her head.

    "They built Invest Export Group. It''s such a generic name, I hate it. Anyway, that''s thepany that owns and operates Constetion Resorts, initially it was a recruitment agency that connected local talents to international clients, they expanded it after a year or two," Ayanna exined.

    "So aside from the Reyes Group your brother also owns Invest Export Group?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yup!" Ayanna said proudly.

    "I would have never expected someone like him to be so good at business." Adrianna said smiling at her husband.

    "They don''t just inherit Adrianna, they improve and build the businesses that they get their hands on. Cedric built Invest Export Group with the money he had earned as a working student. Ray and Alexi did the same, they were actually paid sries to work as ordinary employees in the past." Ayanna exined. "I''m curious Adrianna. What was my brother like?" Ayanna asked.

    "He was always the quiet type, but he was always very good looking and smart. We met in University, on orientation day. For some reason I just couldn''t keep my eyes off him. He wasn''t like the rich boys that were chasing after me." Adrianna said recalling how she first saw Cedric.

    "We didn''t really talk till a few months after. We ended up being partners on a project. We worked really well and I liked talking to him, he actually listened to me. Most guys just stare at me with nk expressions, I felt that Cedric understood me on a whole different level. Even after that ss we would spend time together, eventually Cedric told me he liked me and asked if he could court me. Everyone was shocked when I agreed." Adrianna giggled.

    "Wow my brother sure had guts." Ayannaughed as well.

    "Everyone thought I was just ying with him, but I was serious." Adrianna recalled. "Your brother always ced me first and he was always so sweet. My family never really approved of him, so sometimes we would sneak out to this coffee shop near our university, there was a table there that was quite hidden from other people and we would make out -"

    "Too much information!!! I don''t need to know that!" Ayanna teased.

    Adriannaughed at Ayanna''s expression and looked back at her husband.

    "Do you know how he proposed?" Adrianna asked.

    Ayanna shook her head to say that she didn''t.

    "Well, we had already graduated and he said he had to get some documents from our university. While we were there he invited me to go around to take a tour of the school we had spent years in. When we got to the very spot where I first saw him, he got down on one knee and proposed. I still remember it like it was yesterday. He said, ''I can''t promise you the world, I can''t even promise you to be the man that you deserve. Your family might never ept me, but I promise I will always love you and only you.'' I cried when he proposed." Adrianna said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

    "I never knew Ced was so romantic." Ayanna said looking at her unconscious brother.

    "Ayanna, I feel a bit tired. I guess it''s because so many things happened today. Do you mind waking me up when the doctorse to pick him up for the operation?" Adrianna asked.

    "Sure. I''ll keep an eye on my brother. You can rest on the guest bed over there." Ayanna said pointing at the spare bed in the room.

    After an hour Ayanna woke Adrianna up. Emilio and Prisci Reyes were in the room as well waiting for Miguel and his team to pick Cedric up.

    "We can either wait here or outside the operating room. Miguel and Raphael told me that it will take at least five hours to operate on Cedric." Emilio told the other members of the family.

    "I''d like to wait outside the operating room dad." Adrianna said.

    "I''ll stay with Adrianna. You and mom can wait here. You guys need to rest too." Ayanna told her parents.

    "We''ll stay with you dear." Prisci Reyes said, holding her daughter inw''s hand.

    Soon Miguel and his team arrived and wheeled Cedric out. The Reyeses and Adrianna followed them until the waiting room right outside the operating room.

    Nicole was already there waiting for them.

    "How are you feeling Adrianna?" Nicole asked.

    "Tired. It''s been a long day." Adrianna confessed.

    "My brother is the best, even his team and equipment are the best, so don''t worry." Nicole told Adrianna.

    "Nicole is right. Miguel never fails. So don''t be worried." Ayanna said with a smile.

    Two hours into the operation the family got news that everything was going well, it was actually going better than expected. Adrianna felt the weight on her chest lift a little as she heard the news. Ayanna pointed out that the frown she had been wearing all day was slowly starting to fade.

    "Please get better Ced. Please." Adrianna thought to herself.

    Finally after four hours Miguel came out of the operating room and announced that the operation was a sess. They were going to move Cedric to the ICU to be monitored until he wakes up.

    Adrianna burst into tears and hugged Ayanna. She was crying out of relief that everything was now fine with Cedric.

 Chapter 96 - 96

    When they got back to the VIP room they found Ray waiting for them.

    "I got a lead." Ray proudly announced. ??

    "Let''s go outside and talk about it." Emilio Reyes said.

    "Dad, I''d like to hear it, and help if I could." Adrianna said.

    Emilio looked at Ayanna who just nodded back. Ray saw this and took out some photos and documents from a brown envelope.

    "What did you find?" Emilio asked.

    "The driver of the truck died upon impact with Cedric''s car, which we found to be highly suspicious, so we sent his body for an autopsy. He was dead for at least an hour when the truck crashed into Cedric''s car." Ray exined showing photos of the truck driver.

    "The driver wasn''t reported missing since he had gone to work like normal that morning. The driver was hired by Triple Line Shipping, the samepany that owned the truck." Ray continued.

    "Let me guess, Triple Line Shipping filed for bankruptcy." Ayanna said.

    "Correct. ording to Triple Line Shipping they filed for bankruptcy a week ago and that this truck was sold in cash to the driver." Ray said, confirming Ayanna''s suspicions.

    "How could a truck driver afford the truck?" Adrianna asked.

    "He couldn''t. He took a suspicious loan from Southern Bank, wanna guess who else is linked to Southern Bank?" Ray said.

    "I''m sure you''re gonna say Triple Line Shipping." Adrianna answered.

    Ray nodded.

    "Interestingly 75% of Triple Line Shipping''s retrenched employees got hired by a sisterpany of Southern Bank. To add to that, the driver''s family received an anonymous check of three million. The bank, Southern Bank." Ray said.

    "How did you find that out?" Emilio asked.

    "Oh easy, the truck driver''s neighbor is such a gossip. One of my men''s mother just pretended to buy from her shop and she told her what the widow told her." Ray shrugged.

    "Let''s look into Southern Bank." Adrianna said.

    "I will look into it. You stay here with Cedric. He would never forgive me if you got into harm''s way." Ray told Adrianna.

    "Ray''s right Adrianna. Cedric would want you here when he woke up. I''ll help Ray." Ayanna said.

    "No you are not. You aren''t getting in harm''s way either!" Ray told Ayanna.

    "Look, I can go to Southern Bank, meet with their bosses without raising suspicion. You and Alexi are both too suspicious. And don''t tell me you can send Katerina, the moment she walks into their lobby they will lock up all their records and think she''s there to file a case against them! At least I can phrase it as a proposal to work with M Bank." Ayanna exined. M Bank was thergest bank in the country which was owned by the Reyes Family. As a member of the family, Adrianna held shares and could also act on behalf of M Bank.

    "She''s right." Emilio said. As much as possible he did not want to risk putting Ayanna in a position where she could potentiallye face to face with someone that wanted to hurt Cedric.

    "Fine. But make sure to have more body guards than usual. And use the Phantom, Alexi had that built like a tank, so any attempt on you should be worthless." Ray said.

    "I''ll be careful Ray." Ayanna said touching his hand before getting up to make calls to set up the meeting.

    "Who would want to hurt us? And how did they know that Cedric was the Reyes Heir?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "Alexi thinks they were following the car. Cedric tends to use the Ghost when he travels as the Reyes Heir. When they saw that it left Mor Co.''s parking they must have followed it." Ray exined. "They probably saw it going to the police station and set the trap up along the way."

    Ayanna came back and announced that she had a meeting that afternoon with the president of Southern Bank.

    "Did you talk to Alexi?" Ray asked.

    "Yes. He''s sending a security team and the car to pick me up in an hour. You''re worse than my dad." Ayanna said rolling her eyes.

    "I don''t need to worry about you if Ray is there." Emilio Reyes teased.

    After an hour, Cedric was still in the ICU recovering and Ayanna had to leave. She hugged her parents and opened the door. As she went out she tripped. Luckily she was caught by Jo, who was leading the team in as they rolled Cedric back to the room.

    "You should be more careful, miss." Jo said as he helped Ayanna up.

    "Oh, sorry. I''m such a klutz." Ayannaughed awkwardly.

    "I''ll walk you downstairs myself." Ray, who was suddenly in a bad mood, held Ayanna by the arm and walked out with her.

    "Is something going on between Ayanna and Ray?" Adrianna asked despite knowing that the girls already suspected that Ray liked Ayanna.

    "I hope so." Emilioughed.

    Cedric was still unconscious when Jo had returned him to the room. Adrianna looked at her husband and sat next to him again.

    "When will he wake up?" Emilio asked Jo.

    "Either tonight or tomorrow morning." Jo replied.

    "Cedric will be hungry. Get Marco to buy food for him." Prisci told her husband.

    "Auntie, no need. I asked my chef toe over to cook for Cedric." Eric said as he entered with Nicole and Miguel.

    "Eric, so good that you could visit." Emilio said with a smile.

    "Eric finally managed to shake off the paparazzi ande over." Nicole teased.

    "How is he?" Nicole said as she looked over Cedric.

    "He should wake up tonight or tomorrow morning." Miguel said, confirming what Jo had told the family.

    "Thank you Miguel." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "He''s one of my best friends. I''d do everything to save him." Miguel smiled.

    "Come sit. You all must be tired." Emilio said to the Chan siblings.

    Everyone just smiled and took their seats.

    "I remember when I first met you with Cedric, Adrianna." Miguel saidughing as he recounted the memory.

    Adrianna and Cedric were a newly married couple and they had decided to have dinner at nearby Elisia Mall.

    As they took a look around a tall figure began waving at Cedric.

    "Ced, Ced! I''m back!" The stranger greeted Cedric.

    "Oh hey Miguel." Cedric said with an indifferent smile.

    "Honey, who is this?" Adrianna asked.

    "An old friend. Adrianna this is Miguel, he''s studying to be a doctor." Cedric quickly introduced.

    Miguel ended upughing.

    "Yes, I guess you could say I''m studying to be a doctor. And who is this gorgeous woman?" Miguel asked, winking at Adrianna.

    "My wife. Don''t you need to go home to study some more?" Cedric asked, shooing away his friend.

    "Yes, yes. I need to study. Bye Adrianna. We''ll meet again." Miguel said as he ran away.

    Adriannaughed at the memory.

    "When we met I was already a doctor and I had juste back from operating on the president of an African nation." Miguel saidughing.

    "I think Cedric was worried you might spill!" Nicole teased her brother.

    "I probably would have!" Miguelughed.

    Eric''s Chef had prepared dinner for the group and when it was brought up they continued to tell stories about how Cedric was growing up. Adrianna walked over to her husband and stroked his hair.

    "Hey Ced. You need to wake up. At this rate Miguel and Eric will have told me all of your embarrassing stories." Adrianna whispered.

 Chapter 97 - 97

    Ayanna finally returned with Ray in tow. Ray decided to apany Ayanna all the way to Southern Bank and wait for her in the car, something Ayanna was not happy about.

    "Stop treating me like a child! I''m not a child!" Ayanna shouted as she entered the room. ??

    "Maybe Ayanna''s shouting will wake Cedric up." Eric teased.

    "How was your trip?" Emilio asked his daughter.

    "Well I found out who owns Southern Bank, but I''m not sure how it helps." Ayanna said as she took a seat and grabbed a te of whatever food was left.

    "And?" Nicole asked.

    "It''s someone named Carlos De Dios. He''s some self made businessman. He''s about dad''s age." Ayanna exined.

    "Why would he want to hurt your brother?" Prisci asked.

    "Dad, did you ever encounter him?" Ayanna asked, looking at her father.

    "Not that I remember." Emilio said as he tried to recall everyone he could have possibly offended.

    "Isn''t he the husband of Marivic De Dios?" Prisci said, recalling the woman who had brought the Hernandez''s over to Nationalia.

    "I think so, yes." Emilio said.

    "Is she mad because Cedric had her banned from the Nationalia?" Ayanna asked.

    "It''s just the Nationalia. I don''t think it''s that important." Eric shrugged.

    "It''s not just the Nationalia to her. Marivic is the ultimate social climber, lunch with us every wednesday is the highlight of her week." Prisci exined.

    "I will not ept that my son almost lost his life because some woman does not want to miss your lunch." Emilio said.

    "That''s the best lead we have, uncle." Ray said.

    "What if I push through with this partnership and get to know more about Carlos De Dios?" Ayanna suggested.

    "No. I forbid you to!" Ray scolded.

    "You can''t forbid me Ray! You are not my dad or my older brother and both of them would never stop me from doing something." Ayanna answered back.

    "I swear Ayanna, you''re loud enough to drive someone out of ama." Cedric groaned.

    "Ced! You''re awake!" Adrianna said hugging her husband as tears flowed from her eyes.

    "Ouch. Does this mean I''m forgiven?" Cedric teased.

    "Of course, of course. I was so worried Ced." Adrianna said as she continued to cry.

    "Honey, stop crying, I''m fine, see?" Cedric said, raising his arms.

    "Well you weren''t fine when you came in. I saved you!" Miguel proudly said.

    "You told us it was nothing serious!" Ayanna shouted as she threw a pillow at Miguel.

    "I had to say that. If I told you the truth you would have cried all day!" Miguel said as he caught the pillow. For someone often called a nerd Miguel had extremely good reflexes and was very fit.

    "I''ll call the others." Nicole said, rushing out of the hospital room.

    "How bad was it, Doc?" Cedric said teasing Miguel. It was an inside joke for them to call Miguel Doc since they would often pretend he was a doctor when they were children.

    "When you got here your injuries were so bad. You were saved by Ian pulling you, but even then I had to take out some ss and metal fragments that managed to lodge themselves in critical areas. After operating on you I had to open you up again, you had vascr trauma from the ident." Miguel exined.

    "How long was I out?" Cedric asked.

    "Not long. Almost a whole day. I''m an awesome doctor like that." Miguel boasted.

    "I''m a bit hungry." Cedric said.

    "Oh I had my chef cook food." Eric said, but when he turned around he saw that the tes were already empty.

    "Ayanna did you finish everything?" Eric asked.

    "I was hungry!" Ayanna shouted as she blushed in embarrassment.

    "You''re such a pig." Raymented.

    "Don''t listen to Ray. I''ll just have more food cooked." Eric said.

    "See Eric cares more about me than you do Ray!" Ayanna said, sticking out her tongue like a child.

    "Hey I''m not getting between the two of you." Eric said, pushing Ayanna towards Ray.

    "I hate to ruin the fun, but Cedric needs his rest. So if you aren''t married to him, out." Miguel said pointing at the door.

    "Is that how you speak to your elders Miguel?" Prisci asked, teasing the young doctor.

    "Sorry auntie. But I''m serious. Cedric needs his rest, and having everyone talking so loudly won''t help." Miguel said.

    "He slept for a whole day!" Ayannained.

    "And he still needs to rest. So out!" Miguel said, pulling Ayanna out.

    "I''ll bring you breakfast tomorrow brother!" Ayanna said as she was dragged out. Miguel knew that she would be the hardest to convince to leave.

    "We''ll be back tomorrow morning." Emilio Reyes told Cedric before leaving with his wife.

    "Ray." Cedric called out before his friend could leave.

    "What''s up?" Ray asked.

    "Thank you for making sure Ayanna was safe." Cedric told his friend.

    "How did you know?" Ray asked, he had assumed that Cedric didn''t hear any of the earlier conversations.

    "There was a point where I couldn''t move or open my eyes but I could hear everything going on." Cedric exined.

    "I just want her to be safe." Ray said.

    "I know, now go." Cedric said, telling Ray to leave.

    "Finally, silence." Cedric sighed as he smiled at Adrianna who was sitting next to him.

    "How are you feeling?" Adrianna asked shyly.

    "Well it still hurts. Are we okay now?" Cedric asked.

    "Of course we are!" Adrianna said, hugging her husband.

    "When I was out all I could think about was how I had to wake up and get back to you." Cedric told his wife.

    "After what happened to you I felt like it was shallow to get mad at you for everything." Adrianna exined.

    Suddenly Adrianna''s phone was ringing.

    "It''s mom." Adrianna said showing Cedric.

    "Go on, they must be looking for you." Cedric told his wife.

    "Mom?" Adrianna asked.

    Cedric couldn''t hear what his mother inw was asking over the phone.

    "Mom. I stayed with a friend. I think I might be staying over for a while. Yes, don''t worry I''ll be at the family meeting. Cedric? Well I''ll ask him if he''lle along. Bye." Adrianna quickly answered her mom''s questions before dropping the call.

    "When do you n on telling them?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    "I''m afraid of what they''ll think and do when they find out." Adrianna told her husband.

    "I have faith that you will tell them when the time is right. Nowe here beside me and sleep with me." Cedric said, holding her hand.

    "But your injuries." Adrianna pointed out.

    "I won''t be able to sleep well without you next to me. The past week has been torture without you." Cedric said as he grabbed her by the waist.

    "Fine." Adrianna giggled as she got into bed with her husband.

 Chapter 98 - 98

    By the time Cedric woke up Adrianna had already changed her clothes and was talking to his parents.

    "Since when have you guys been so close?" Cedric asked. ??

    "You''re up!" Prisci Reyes said happily.

    "You must be hungry." Adrianna saiding over with breakfast for Cedric. "I''ll help you eat."

    "I hope you didn''t make any injuries worsest night." Ayanna teased as she entered the room with Ray.

    "Ayanna!" Adrianna scolded.

    "What? I''m just concerned my brother slept in the wrong positionst night." Ayanna said with a giggle.

    "I wouldn''t be that irresponsible." Cedric told his sister.

    "Cedric!" Adrianna scolded, blushing.

    Cedricughed and hugged his wife from the bed. She tripped and fell backnding almost on Cedric''s injuries.

    "Woah, woah. Not so rough Ced!" Miguel scolded as he entered with his team. "Take it easy. Your injuries still need to heal. You broke three ribs right there. If Adriannanded wrong I''d need to rush you to the OR."

    "Got it, Doc." Cedric winked, still holding Adrianna in his arms.

    "Where''s Nicole?" Ayanna asked.

    "She said she would check up on my other patient and follow." Miguel said with an evil grin.

    "That girl, ditching me for a man!" Ayanna said,ughing.

    "Veronica and Ram should arriveter. Veronica said something about arranging the stuff you guys bought yesterday. She''s an interior designer for crying out loud, she doesn''t have to fix closets too." Miguel said, shaking his head.

    "You know that girl, she''s a perfectionist. She was probably up all night thinking about all those clothes left unorganized." Ayanna giggled.

    "A perfectionist and a bully. She made me pick everything up at the Reyes House!" Miguelined.

    "I think you graduated early just to get away from Veronica." Cedric teased.

    "I''ll never understand why she just loves to pick on me!" Miguelined as he checked Cedric.

    "You were the youngest and the nerdiest. And thus the easiest to pick on." Ray said.

    "Ced, you seem fine. You just need to rest. So Adrianna, control yourself." Miguel said with a wink, making Adrianna blush and the rest of the room burst out inughter.

    "The rest of you can go. I''ll stay here." Miguel told the doctors and nurses that had followed him.

    "Hey Jo!" Cedric called out to his old friend.

    "Hey Ced. Should I stay or should I go?" Jo said with a nervousugh.

    "Of course you should stay!" Ayanna said, answering for her brother.

    "I''m sure you''re confused." Cedric smiled at his old friend.

    Jo just nodded awkwardly.

    "Well for one, I only gave your credentials to Miguel for his team. He wouldn''t have hired you if you weren''t good enough." Cedric exined to Jo.

    "Oh. To be honest since I found out who you were I was worried that I only got the job because of you." Jo confessed.

    "I don''t work that way." Cedric said with a smile, he was hoping that Adrianna would realize that he did the same thing for her. He didn''t force people to work with her, he just opened a door, it was up to her whether or not they chose to work with her.

    Jo and Cedric spoke for a while as Cedric exined his real identity and why he had to hide it. The whole time Adrianna just sat next to Cedric and Cedric refused to let go of her hand.

    Cedric''s room began to get noisier as Ray and Veronica arrived. After a while the whole Sebastian family also visited so soon enough the initially spacious room had be cramped, and with the amount of security patrolling the area, even the hallway was full of people.

    Jo eventually had to leave to work, but he was soon reced by Nicole who arrived with a blush on her face.

    "I think Nicole took too much care of your other patient, Miguel!" Veronica teased as Nicole walked in.

    "Veronica, it''s just hot." Nicole reasoned out.

    "Nicole, we''ve known you long enough to know when you are blushing!" Katerina teased.

    Suddenly Emilio Reyes'' phone began to ring.

    "That''s odd, the only people who know this number are more or less in this room." Emilio said looking at the unknown number calling. "You guys continue, I''ll answer this outside." Emilio stepped out.

    Cedric looked at Alexi and nodded. Alexi quickly followed Emilio out.

    Less than a few secondster Alexi and Emilio came back in and Alexi signaled for everyone to keep quiet. Emilio ced his phone on speaker and the voice on the other side of the line boomed in the silence.

    "...didn''t expect that someone could hurt your precious heir. Yes, I know who he is." The voice said.

    "What do you want and why are you saying this?" Emilio asked the caller.

    "Aren''t you curious about who I am?" The person asked.

    "You are insignificant to me.??? Emilio said.

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, you were already like that thirty five years ago, and you still act with so much pride." The person said.

    "You knew me before?" Emilio asked the caller.

    "We were in University, you liked a girl, you were actually dating that girl. Sadly for you she liked me more and ended up cheating on you and leaving you for me. When you revealed your real identity you went after us." The voice recounted events from almost thirty years in the past.

    "Damnit." Emilio Reyes suddenly cursed remembering those events.

    "Ah, so now you remember me." The voice said in a slightly disappointed tone.

    "Look, Carlos, that''s all in the past. Why are you going after my son?" Emilio asked.

    "Because I lost a son because of you. When you made me lose everything Hannah left me! She left with my unborn child!" A furious Carlos said on the other line.

    "I swear Carlos Gn, if you do anything else to hurt my family I wille after you!" Emilio said angrily.

    "But you came after my family first Emilio, and don''t you dare do anything to my new wife. Your son has done enough, and for a nobody at that!" Carlos De Dios said dropping the call.

    "You knew him?" Prisci asked.

    Emilio sat down and simply nodded his head.

 Chapter 99 - 99

    "Was the Hannah he was talking about, that Hannah?" Jose Sebastian asked Emilio.

    Emilio just nodded. ??

    "Oh Hannah G. you''re still haunting us till this day." Jose Sebastian sighed.

    "Who is Hannah G.?" Ayanna asked.

    "Someone from your father''s past. It was a very long time ago." Prisci Reyes told her daughter, she too clearly knew who Emilio and Jose were referring to.

    "I guess the kids need to know. It will help." Jose Sebastian told his friend.

    Emilio sighed and rubbed his temples it seemed that just the mention of the name already gave him a headache.

    "Hannah G. was a ssmate in high school and University. I was doing my poverty training when we met, and I fell for her. I fell for her hard." Emilio said with a sigh.

    Prisci sat next to her husband and held his hand. She smiled and nodded for him to continue.

    "Her name sounds like she could be a singer." Nicole giggled.

    "Nicole! Stop being so inappropriate." Miguel scolded his sister. "Uncle, please continue."

    "At first she rejected me. It was only natural. I was a poor boy, I had no family, and no one expected me to seed in the future. But I kept trying to woo her, and as they say perseverance can melt even the coldest hearts. Eventually Hannah agreed to be my girlfriend, we were in ourst year of high school at that time." Emilio said recounting the events that had transpired way before any of the children were born.

    "Anyway, she wanted to go to the best university in the country. Back then her family was not poor, they were actually quite rich but there was only one school in the province we were at, so everyone studied in the same ce. I of course wanted to go to the same school as her, I was a foolish boy, I didn''t care about my inheritance anymore or my position as the Reyes Heir. All I wanted was to be wherever Hannah G. was at." Emilio said as Jose Sebastian tried to stop himself atughing at his friend''s irresponsible thoughts in the past.

    "We both got into that school. I took the same course as her, which was a business course. During our first year we were inseparable, we went everywhere together, did everything together, spent every waking moment together. We even lived together at some point." As Emilio said this he could see his children''s confused and embarrassed faces.

    "All of you are grown ups now! Don''t pretend you don''t know or think these things." Jose Sebastian said,ughing at their reactions.

    "We don''t need to hear it from you guys dad!" Katerina said, rolling her eyes.

    "Katerina Amalia Sebastian! Don''t you dare roll your eyes at your father!" Katerina''s mom, Rebecka Torres-Sebastian, warned her daughter who justughed.

    "Stop derailing the story!" Ramined.

    Emilioughed at them and continued what he was saying.

    "I really loved Hannah G. at the time, Prisci knows that." Emilio said, smiling at his wife.

    "During our second year in university we met a young man named Carlos Gn. He was smart, nice, and a member for the university''s football team. He was every girl''s dream. Carlos had almost all of his sses with us, so we became quite close. After a few months Hannah told me that her parents wanted her to move back home, I believed her. Soon enough we saw less and less of each other. Hannah told me it was because of her parents wanted to spend more time with her, or that she was joining a new org in the university, or that the new org had a lot of demands from it''s new members, well you get the idea. I trusted her so much that I believed every single word that came out of her mouth. Towards the end of our second year Hannah broke up with me. When I asked her why, she told me that she had fallen out of love and that it would never happen between us because her parents would never approve of a poor kid like me." Emilio exined with downcast eyes.

    "Sounds familiar." Cedric teased Adrianna as he hugged her tightly on the bed.

    "Behave Cedric!" Adrianna said, pretending to elbow him on the chest.

    "We broke up and I moved on. A yearter, I found out from amon friend that even before she moved out she was already sleeping around with Carlos Gn, and that people had seen them together at the movies or going into a motel. When she eventually moved out she didn''t move back home, she moved in with Carlos Gn. The thing about Carlos is that everyone knew that he was the illegitimate son of Martin De Dios, he was the fourth son of a rich businessman and had managed to make his own business flourish. Martin De Dios had no legitimate children, so eventually he legitimized Carlos and left all his fortune for Carlos to inherit. When I found out that Hannah and Carlos had been cheating, I swore that the first person I woulde after when I took my ce would be them." Emilio said.

    "And you went after them?" Cedric asked.

    Emilio nodded.

    "I did, eventually. When I turned twenty eight the first thing I did was to make the De Dios family lose everything. I also found a way to separate Carlos and Hannah. You can thank your uncle Jose for that." Emilio said pointing at Jose Sebastian who sat regally on a couch.

    "I was more like Alexi and Ray when we were young." Jose Sebastian shrugged. No one expected the now president of a country to have yed a part in separating a couple.

    "I didn''t know that Hannah was pregnant at the time. They weren''t married either. When the De Dios family lost everything Hannah left Carlos, she was a gold digger from the very start and only stuck with me because I followed her everywhere and she loved the attention." Emilo exined.

    "What do you know about this child Carlos was talking about?" Cedric asked his father.

    "I honestly don''t know what happened to Hannah after that. I just got rid of them. If it weren''t for your mom I would have gone down a war path destroying everyone who ever looked down on me." Emilio exined.

    "As it is there are so many people that want to see us fall, I never imagined someone would actually dare to act like this." Ayanna sighed.

    "At least there is one constion." Miguel said with a grin.

    Everyone looked at him with a puzzled look.

    "Really? I''m the only one that sees it?" He asked.

    "They don''t know who Cedric actually is, if he knew that Cedric was the Reyes Heir he would have said Cedric''s name. On top of that he called Adrianna by an insulting term, if he knew who Cedric was he would have said that Adrianna was the wife. So we can conclude that Carlos only figured out who Cedric was based on the car he used frequently." Natalia sighed.

    "Thank you. I''m so d there is another MENSA member in the room!" Miguel said with a wink.

    "Are you saying we''re all stupid?" Veronica said ready to throw her phone at Miguel.

    "Ram save me from your sister!" Miguel said hiding behind Ram.

    "Nope. You dug your own grave! Deal with it!" Ram said, pushing Miguel away.

    Everyone broke intoughter.

    Cedric smiled at the somewhatplete family in his room. These people were more than just friends to him, they were his family. They all cared for him and loved him no matter what.

    "What are you thinking about?" Adrianna asked as she hugged her husband.

    "If I weren''t at the hospital right now this would be the perfect day. Plus a few people." Cedric told his wife as he stroked her hair.

    "We''ll make it to that perfect day." Adrianna said with a smile as she kissed her husband on the lips.

 Chapter 100 - 100

    After two weeks Miguel gave the go signal to discharge Cedric, his injuries hadn''t healedpletely but it was safe enough for him to go home. In order to give him the best care Cedric and Adrianna went home to the Reyes House.

    Adrianna had been brought to work by Mia and her team in Cedric''s Audi. Over the holidays Emilio Reyes had all of the cars refurbished in order to avoid an incident like Cedric''s. She had also gone to the Hernandez family meeting twice without Cedric, as a result her rtives began asking questions. Some were hoping that the couple had a big disagreement and that they would be on the verge of separating. They each had their own eligible bachelor in mind to pair with Adrianna. Whenever her rtives would ask where Cedric was she said that he was visiting his sister abroad, at that they wouldment on how disrespectful the Reyes family was for snubbing them for so long, especially since they were the richer family. ??

    When Adrianna came home and told her inws about this Ayannaughed so hard that she fell off her chair. If the Hernandezs found out that Cedric belonged to that Reyes n and was that Reyes Heir they would all be changing their tune.

    "It''s just so funny that we have amonst name, so people never suspected that I belonged to a rich family." Cedric said as Ayanna got back up on the seat.

    "That''s true. If you had a lessmonst name like Ray or that stupid Chris guy I think I would have assumed the moment we met." Adrianna exined.

    "I think that''s why the poverty training has worked so well all these years." Cedric said as he brought a piece of steak to his mouth.

    "Will youe with me to the next family meeting?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Miguel gave me the go signal, so yes." Cedric said with a smile.

    Suddenly Adrianna''s phone began to ring.

    "Uncle Matthew?" Adrianna asked as she picked up the call.

    Cedric could hear a frantic voice on the other end of the line.

    "Where is he now?" Adrianna asked with a worried tone. Adrianna''s tone suddenly alerted the whole family.

    "Okay. We''lle over now." Adrianna''s voice began to shake as tears formed in her eyes.

    Cedric came up behind Adrianna and held her. Adrianna turned to Cedric and began to cry.

    "What''s wrong Adri?" Prisci Reyes asked, worried about her daughter inw.

    "Grandpa suddenly had a seizure. He''s beenining about headaches and how he couldn''t taste or hear sometimes. Uncle Matthew brought him to the hospital the other day for a check up but he hasn''t heard from the doctors. Suddenly an hour ago grandpa copsed." Adrianna exined between sobs.

    "Where is he now?" Cedric asked.

    "He''s at Saints." Adrianna told her husband.

    Ayanna quickly picked up her phone and called Nicole.

    "Hey Nicole, Adrianna''s grandpa is there. Could you give the Hernandezs the VIP treatment?" Ayanna asked.

    "Yep, Ced and Adri should be headed there in a while. Make sure to give him the best doctors." Ayanna reminded.

    "We''ll see if he needs Miguel, I know you guys have the best doctors in the country even without Miguel. Thanks girl!" Ayanna said as she dropped the call.

    "Nicole said she''ll deal with it without them finding out about Cedric." Ayanna told Adrianna.

    "Adrianna, I''ll have a driver ready the Audi. You can go upstairs to change." Cedric said in an attempt to calm his wife down.

    Adrianna nodded and went ahead upstairs.

    "Nicole said she would call with an update. I''ll text you when I have it." Ayanna told her brother.

    Cedric and Adrianna drove to the hospital as fast as possible. Since Cedric couldn''t drive yet due to his injuries he had a driver take them. Since Cedric''s ident they had made it a point to shuffle cars when they went out and to make sure that all possible directions were blocked by a security vehicle in order to deter Carlos De Dios.

    When they got to Saints Hospital, Cedric helped an exhausted looking Adrianna out of the car. Ayanna had sent him a message that Grandpa Hernandez was now in a stable condition and that he was in a private room on the second to the highest floor of Saints Hospital. On that floor people believed it to be the VIP ward, it was the VIP ward avable to the public. The top most floor was reserved to the five families.

    When Adrianna and Cedric arrived in Grandpa Hernandez''s room Matthew Hernandez, Margaret Hernandez, Henry Hernandez, Asia Hernandez and her mother Celine Hernandez, Gracia and Charles Hernandez, and Cathy Hernandez were already there.

    "What happened to grandpa?" Adrianna asked.

    "We are waiting for the doctors." Matthew exined.

    Right on cue two doctors entered the room. Cedric recognized them as members of Miguel''s team. It seemed they had expected to see Cedric in the room as there was no hint of surprise in their eyes.

    "Mr. Hernandez it seems your father has a Meningioma, and it has already developed to a significant size." One doctor exined.

    "What are your rmendations, doctor?" Matthew Hernandez asked.

    "It should be removed. But the operation will be quite dangerous due to the location of the tumor as well as due to the patient''s age." The doctor said.

    "Is an operation the best option?" Charles Hernandez asked, looking at his father.

    "Yes, but as I said it has its risks. The tumor is located in the petroclival region and doctors normally avoid operating on these. If you can find a willing doctor, then we can proceed. We will also check among our colleagues who is willing to operate." The doctor exined.

    "Thank you doctor." Matthew said.

    When the doctors left the family discussed among themselves.

    "Doesn''t that Miracle Doctor work here? What''s his name again?" Celine Hernandez suggested.

    "Miguel Chan." Adrianna said looking at Cedric. Cedric already knew that Miguel would need to operate on grandpa Hernandez.

    "I''ll see if Mark can get his contact details. He''s one of the five princes together with Ray Laurence." Asia Hernandez boasted.

    No one was in the mood to call Asia out on her prideful ways so they all simply agreed.

    "I''ll try to see with my connections as well if they can contact Miguel Chan." Matthew told everyone. "For tonight, go home and get some rest."

    "I''ll stay with dad." Cathay Hernandez volunteered.

    At that the rest of the family said their goodbyes and left the room.

    In the hallway Gracia stopped Adrianna and Cedric.

    "What is going on between the two of you?" Gracia asked her daughter and son inw.

    "We are fine mom. We''re staying somewhere else for the meantime." Adrianna said not wanting to expose Cedric''s secret.

    "Fine. I''ll let you be for now. But you better give me an exnation. Your dad and I will go ahead." Gracia said, dragging her husband away who just waved at his daughter and son inw.

    "Your mom really is quite the woman." Cedric teased.

    "I really don''t understand why you let her push you around for years." Adrianna said, shaking her head.

    "Come on. Miguel is waiting for us. He already agreed to do the operation." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "When?" Adrianna asked, confused especially since Cedric hadn''t spoken to Miguel the whole time.

    "He sent his doctors, so that means he''ll do it." Cedric shrugged. "Plus he sent me a message." Cedric said, waving his phone.

 Chapter 101 - 101

    Miguel''s office wasrger than most doctors, it was mainly because his family owned the hospital and also because he was the top doctor in the country.

    When Cedric and Adrianna came in Miguel was looking at a patient''s file. Cedric sat on the couch and made himselffortable. When Adrianna saw this she followed suit and sat next to Cedric. ??

    Cedric then pulled Adrianna closer to him and kissed her.

    "Hey!" Adrianna said, pushing Cedric away.

    "He won''tin." Cedric said, kissing Adrianna again.

    "Please, spare my single heart. Don''t you guys have a whole house to do that?" Miguelined as he continued to read the file.

    "I told you!" Adrianna said, freeing herself from Cedric''s grasp.

    "You''ll do it?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "Do I have a choice? No other doctor in the country could do it." Miguel said as he continued to look at the file.

    "What''s so interesting about that file?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "It''s your grandfather inw''s file. I''m studying it." Miguel exined. "Now leave. I''m sure you have work to do. I''ll operate on him in two days, I need to prep."

    Cedric shrugged and left the room with Adrianna.

    "Thanks Miguel!" Adrianna shouted as they left.

    Miguel looked up and smiled, then looked back down at the file.

    "He''s always like that when he''s got an operationing up." Cedric exined.

    "Wanna bet Asia will take credit for this?" Cedric teased.

    "Will you let her?" Adrianna asked.

    "Of course. It''s fun." Cedricughed.

    When they got back to the Reyes home Adrianna felt exhausted and excused herself to go to sleep, it was after all already two in the morning.

    The next day Adrianna stayed in, she wasn''t feeling well. It was probably because of the tiring days she had recently. Cedric had to go to Mor Co. for work after noting in for two weeks. Despite his best attempts to work from his home office he had a pile of work waiting for him at Mor Co.

    Ian and Cami had already returned to work a week prior and had kept the ship afloat while Cedric was recovering.

    That morning he called Ian, Cami, and his driver to his office and handed them an envelope each.

    "Without the three of you I wouldn''t be here today. In those envelopes are 5% each of Mor Co. and Elisia Corp., all taken from my personal shares. It''s a small token for what you had to go through because of me. I hope you can continue to work for me with the same dedication." Cedric said.

    The three were left speechless. Never in their lives did they expect to be given a part of thepany they worked for and of another subsidiary of the Reyes group.

    "We''ll continue to do our best sir. Thank you." Ian said.

    Cedric nodded and told them to get back to work. He was lucky to have such excellent members of his staff.

    Later that afternoon Ray and Alexi dropped by to update Cedric on thetest developments with the investigation.

    "We couldn''t find this Hannah G. anywhere. I checked all the records, none." Alexiined.

    "Same here. I checked with your dad''s old school and the surrounding area. It''s like she vanished." Ray said.

    "People don''t just vanish. We need to find Hannah G. and see if that child was ever born." Cedric said.

    "I''ll talk to uncle Emilio and see if he remembers herst name, I really can''t believe that he can''t remember. Even my dad doesn''t remember." Alexiined again.

    "I''ll look into Carlos De Dios'' assets and see what we''re up against. I don''t like us going around in the dark." Cedric said.

    "I''ll keep an ear out on the streets. If he so much as offers someone to make a move I''ll know about it." Ray said.

    "When''s Miguel operating on your grandfather inw?" Alexi asked Cedric.

    "Tomorrow." Cedric said in reply.

    "I really don''t understand how you can stomach to save any of them after everything." Ray said, shaking his head.

    "He''s Adrianna''s family. He might not approve of me but he loves Adrianna." Cedric told Ray and Alexi.

    "We''lle over if we discover anything new." Alexi said bidding Cedric goodbye.

    The next day Adrianna and Cedric went to Saints Hospital together. Adrianna was too tired the previous day and was unable to visit grandpa Hernandez. Her uncle Matthew had informed her that Miguel had agreed to do the operation and that she didn''t have toe into work and could wait at Saints with the rest of the family.

    Prior to the operation Miguel met with them to exin the procedure. He warned them that it could take as long as twelve hours to operate on the patient. The family prepared for a long day at the hospital.

    "Your grandpa will be fine." Cedric told Adrianna in an attempt to reassure her.

    "Miguel is the best. He saved you, he''ll save my grandpa too." Adrianna said confidently.

    "We''re lucky Doctor Miguel Chan agreed to operate." Uncle Matthew said thinking out loud.

    "I heard that he is the personal doctor to the president!" Gracia said, excited to share the gossip she had heard.

    "We are truly lucky then." Charles said with a smile.

 Chapter 102 - 102

    Three hours had passed and Adrianna wasn''t feeling well. Cedric had asked Nicole if Adrianna could rest in her office. Nicole met them half way and let Adrianna rest in the lounge.

    "Do you want me to call a doctor?" Nicole asked Adrianna. ??

    "No. I''m just over worked. I''ve been stressed because of Cedric, then work, then now my grandfather. I never really handled stress well." Adrianna said with a nervousugh.

    "Well if you need anything just tell me." Nicole took Adrianna''s phone, typed something, then handed it back. "Here''s my number. Cedric is outside, working I assume. I swear he''s such a workaholic I think he neglects you sometimes." Nicole said with a sigh.

    "I think we are both workaholics." Adrianna giggled.

    "Well I should get back, my brother will be looking for me." Nicole said.

    "Eric?" Adrianna asked.

    "No, Miguel. I''m part of your grandfather''s operation. So I''ll be heading back now." Nicole said as she left the room.

    It slipped Adrianna''s mind that Nicole was a doctor too and that she was part of Miguel''s team. There was truly more to those sisters than what the public saw. Ayanna was a business genius, Veronica a design queen, Katerina ruled the courtroom, and Nicole bnced both being a doctor and running a hospital. Natalia on the other hand was the most mysterious but Adrianna was sure she heard Miguel say that Natalia was a member of MENSA, meaning Natalia was probably the smartest in the group.

    Cedric was working when Nicole came out of the lounge.

    "How is she?" Cedric asked.

    "I think she''s just tired. It''s been a difficult past few weeks for her." Nicole exined.

    "Alright." Cedric said.

    "You should pay more attention to your wife Cedric." Nicole said as she left. Cedric just nodded.

    After two hours Adrianna came out of the lounge. Cedric was in the middle of a meeting and looked up at his wife and smiled. Since his camera wasn''t on he pulled her on hisp and muted his microphone and kissed her passionately. Adrianna was surprised and slightly embarrassed by Cedric''s actions. She thought the camera was on, so she blushed and pushed him away. Cedric justughed and pointed at theptop to show her that the camera was off. Adrianna just grinned and sat opposite Cedric.

    With his meeting done Cedric hugged Adrianna and kissed her neck.

    "Why are you being so aggressive? What if Nicole walks in?" Adrianna asked.

    "We should have eight to ten hours. She''s in the operating room with Miguel." Cedric said as he ced kisses on Adrianna''s neck, then her lips.

    "Stop. This isn''t appropriate." Adrianna said.

    Cedric stopped and ced Adrianna down on the couch.

    "Fine." Cedricughed. "Let''s go buy some food for your family. They might be looking for us." Cedric said as he packed up his things and left them on the table.

    "Your things?" Adrianna asked.

    "Cami wille over to collect themter. Come on." Cedric said, pulling his wife out.

    The couple walked to a nearby restaurant and bought food for the Hernandez family, who were waiting outside of the operating room.

    When Adrianna arrived Mark Chu was there with Asia.

    "Adrianna, we were just discussing your cousin''s wedding." Uncle Matthew said.

    "Oh, have you set a date?" Adrianna asked.

    Asia who was already beginning to show signs of her pregnancy was seated down.

    "Yes. We were thinking of getting married in a month. We can''t wait for my dad and brother''s issue to get settled." Asia said.

    "We''re lucky that Mark managed to pull some strings to get Miguel Chan to operate on grandpa." Asia boasted.

    "What did you say?" Adrianna asked. She suddenly felt furious at Asia for taking credit of what her husband had done. Mark Chu had no power to get Miguel to operate on Grandpa Hernandez.

    Cedric suddenly held Adrianna''s hand. He felt like Adrianna was about to do something she might regret.

    "Yes. We are lucky that Miguel Chan could operate on Grandpa." Cedric said.

    "I thought Adrianna had left you." Asia said.

    "Really Asia? After your fiance kicked you off Kashmere during the party?" Adrianna spat.

    "You were on Kashmere?" Uncle Matthew asked. He had not seen Asia on the ind or at the party. It was because the whole time she was there Asia had been confined to their vi and waster on sent away by Ray Laurence through the actions of Mark Chan.

    "That stupid Raymund Laurence probably has crush on my Mark and wanted him for himself." Asia used.

    "Are you using Raymund Laurence of being gay?" Cathy Hernandez asked her niece.

    "You''ve heard the rumors auntie! He''s never been seen dating a girl. Who is that rich that doesn''t date?" Asia asked.

    "Asia that''s enough." Mark scolded Asia.

    "Mr. Laurence is our benefactor. Do not spread rumors about him." Mark said in a much lower voice.

    The group sat back down and waited out the rest of the operation in silence.

    After a long wait the doors to the operating room opened and Miguel walked out followed by Nicole and Jo.

    "The operation was a sess. We will keep the patient under an induceda for a couple of days so that his body can recover properly." Miguel told the family.

    "Thank you Doctor Miguel. We are truly lucky that you operated on my father." Uncle Matthew said. "I promise to donate to any charity you ask."

    "In that case." Miguel said with a grin, looking at Cedric.

    Cedric shook his head. Miguel was known for epting donations to charity as a form of gratuity from his wealthier patients. Cedric didn''tpletely approve, but it helped other people, so Cedric couldn''t be against it either.

    "I''ll have my assistant reach out to you for the details Mr. Hernandez." Miguel said.

    "Thank you Doctor Miguel. We are very lucky that Mark was able to reach out to you!" Uncle Matthew said, full of praise for Mark Chu.

    At Uncle Matthew''s words, Mark and Asia paled. They both knew that Miguel Chan had taken the operation without their intervention.

    "You think they convinced my brother to do the operation?" Nicole said as sheughed behind Miguel.

 Chapter 103 - 103

    "Nicole, why don''t you go with Nurse Jo and check on our patient." Miguel told his sister. He sent Nicole away because he was worried that her temper would get the better of her and that she would reveal to the Hernandez family who Cedric really was.

    "Alright. Come on Jo. Let''s do our job." Nicole said as she and Jo left the group. ??

    When Nicole and Jo were out of earshot, Miguel smiled at the Hernandez family.

    "Mr. Hernandez, let me make it clear to you and your family, that I took on your father''s case at someone else''s request. I do not know Mr. Chu or Ms. Hernandez. The person who asked me to do this is more powerful and more influential than you can ever imagine." Miguel grinned.

    Adrianna was in awe. She never thought that the sweet and always smiling Miguel Hernandez could be so brutal and cold. She was also shocked by the things Miguel said, it was however true that Cedric was more powerful and more influential than any member of the Hernandez n could imagine.

    "My apologies Doctor Chan. Mark Chu is our only connection to you that''s why I assumed that it was through him that you heard of our situation." Uncle Matthew exined.

    "If not Mark then who?" Margaret said, speaking her mind.

    "A guardian angel for your family." Miguel said as he turned and left.

    When Miguel was far enough Cathy Hernandez turned red with anger.

    "How dare you embarrass us like that! How dare you take credit for something you didn''t do!" Cathy Hernandez scolded her niece.

    "I thought it was Mark that spoke to Doctor Miguel." Asia said in an attempt to sound innocent.

    "After all your embarrassments, you still choose to do this!" Cathy Hernandez continued to shout.

    "Don''t shout at my daughter!" Celine Hernandez said, speaking up in defense of her daughter.

    "Aunties, this is a hospital. Maybe it would be best if we discussed this at home or in grandpa''s room?" Adrianna suggested.

    "Fine." Cathy said walking away.

    "Good job." Cedric said as he ced his arm around Adrianna''s waist and followed the rest of the family to the hospital room.

    In another province, Ray''s car stopped outside a middle ss home in a poor neighborhood not far from the capital.

    "That''s odd." Ray said to himself. "Is the address correct?" Ray asked his driver.

    "Yes sir. This is the address the men sent." his driver said as he double checked the map on his phone. There was no mistaking he got the right ce.

    "Very well." Ray said as he fixed his hair and got out of the car.

    At the gate, Ray rang the doorbell.

    A little girl came out and looked up at him.

    "Who are you looking for?" The little girl asked.

    "Hey little girl. I''m looking for an old friend. Does anyone named Hannah live in this house?" Ray asked the kid.

    "I''ll ask my mom." The little girl ran back in. After a few minutes a woman came out.

    "Why are you looking for Hannah?" The woman asked.

    "A rtive is an old friend." Ray said as if it were nothing.

    "My mother inw is not in the best of health. Sometimes she remembers people, sometimes she doesn''t." The woman told Ray.

    "I''d like to ask you about her. Do you mind?" Ray said with his most charming smile.

    The woman blushed and let Ray into the house.

    Back at Saints Hospital the Hernandez family finally got to the hospital room.

    "You have done nothing but shame this family!" Cathy shouted at her niece, Asia.

    "Won''t you defend her?" Celine Hernandez asked Mark Chu.

    "This isn''t the first time I lost almost everything because of her." Mark said coldly. Since that day that Asia ran her mouth in front of the four princes and the Reyes heir Mark had begun to like her less and less. It didn''t help that when they were in Kashmere she had managed to embarrass him in front of Raymund Laurence, his parents, and Adrianna and her husband.

    "I assumed auntie." Asia said.

    "Asia, you need to drop this habit. Not everything revolves around you." The normally quiet Adrianna suddenly said. Even Cedric was surprised with the sudden surge of confidence from his wife.

    "It''s not like you helped." Asia used Adrianna. Adrianna just smiled andughed.

    "What''s so funny?" A pissed off Asia asked.

    "At least I''m not making it worse. What if Miguel Chan suddenly decided that you had offended him? He could have thrown all of us out of the hospital, including grandfather. And the only hospital that can give this quality of care is Saints Hospital, which his family owns." Adrianna exined.

    Asia was so mad that she just walked out of the room. Celine Hernandez and Mark Chu had no choice but to chase after her.

    "Since when did you start standing up to my spoiled little sister, Asia?" Henry Hernandez asked.

    Adrianna just shrugged and sat down next to Cedric.

    "Adrianna, Cedric, do you mind waiting here while the rest of us go out?" Uncle Matthew asked. The whole family had been stuck inside the hospital the whole day waiting outside of the operating room.

    "Sure Uncle Matthew." Adrianna said.

    With that the rest of the family left Cedric and Adrianna alone in the room.

    Adrianna leaned on Cedric''s shoulders and rested her eyes.

    "Ced, I think I want to tell my parents." Adrianna told her husband.

    "Do you think they will believe you?" Cedric said with a chuckle.

    "I guess if we just say it the way you did a couple of times they would think it''s a joke." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "What about dinner, with my parents? It would be perfect before Ayanna leaves." Cedric suggested.

    "That would be best. But they don''t know that your parents are alive." Adrianna said.

    "We can say that I lied and that they are actually alive and that I ran away before and that they want to meet your parents." Cedric said as he kissed the top of his wife''s head.

    "Well that''s easier to believe than the truth." Adrianna sighed.

 Chapter 104 - 104

    The Hernandez family ended up waiting throughout the night and until afternoon the next day for grandpa Hernandez to be taken out of the recovery room and back to his room. He was faintly conscious and seemed to be doing better.

    "Dad. How are you feeling?" Matthew Hernandez asked. ??

    "Better." Grandpa Hernandez said weakly.

    "Based on the results of our tests he should make a full recovery within a week. He''ll be feeling a bit faint for the next few days, so the hospital prepared a nutritious meal to help him recover." Jo exined to the Hernandez family.

    "Thanks Jo." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Adri, you know the nurse?" Gracia Hernandez asked her daughter.

    "Jo''s a good friend of Cedric. They went to high school together. Right Jo?" Adrianna asked.

    Jo simply nodded in reply.

    When they were sure that grandpa Hernandez was doing well Adrianna''s family said goodbye to everyone and left. While they were in the lobby of Saints Hospital Adrianna stopped her parents and pulled them to the side.

    "Mom, Dad. Cedric and I have a confession to make." Adrianna said.

    "Are you pregnant?" Charles asked his daughter.

    "No dad." Adriannaughed.

    "Mom, Dad. I''ve lied to you all these years. The truth is, back when I was fifteen I ran away from home. That''s why you''ve never met my family. They found out that I''m married and they would like to meet you." Cedric said with his fingers crossed. Hoping that his inws would believe him.

    "I knew you were keeping something from us!" A pissed off Gracia Hernandez said.

    "When will we meet them?" Charles Hernandez asked, ignoring his wife.

    "What about tomorrow for dinner?" Cedric asked.

    "Sure." Charles said in agreement.

    "Is that where you guys have been staying?" Gracia Hernandez asked.

    "Yes mom. So stop worrying. Cedric and I will pick you up tomorrow night." Adrianna said.

    "Alright." Gracia nodded.

    The older couple then left the hospital while Cedric and Adrianna waited for their car and driver.

    When they got home and told the Reyeses about the n, Prisci and Emilio were excited, Ayanna on the other hand was not too pleased.

    "I''m sorry sister inw, but your parents never treated my brother kindly." Ayanna said.

    "It''s my fault Ayanna. I should have stopped them." Adrianna said.

    Ayanna simply nodded and headed up to bed.

    The elder couple together with Cedric and Adrianna sat down to discuss the n to meet with Adrianna''s parents the next day.

    "I hope you don''t hate my parents too." Adrianna shyly told her inws.

    "They weren''t ideal and of course we aren''t happy with them, but how you deal with the way they treated Cedric in the past should be enough. I''m sure you''ve seen by now that Cedric doesn''t take offenses against him lightly." Emilio Reyes said.

    Emilio understood Cedric''s desire for revenge as well as the confusion on what to do when it came to the Hernandez family. On one hand they had treated him horribly, on the other they were Adrianna''s family. It was a difficult position to be in.

    "Adrianna, no matter what, I know Cedric will put you first." Prisci told Adrianna with a smile.

    "I trust him mom. And it also isn''t fair what he had to go through because of his love for me. He could have left at anytime and juste back after his 28th birthday. I love Cedric and Cedric alone." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "You''re so sappy and emotional today." Cedric said hugging and kissing his wife on the lips.

    "Ced, not in front of mom and dad!" Adriannained.

    "We are husband and wife. Why can''t I show my affection for you in front of my parents?" Cedric teased.

    "The more affectionate the two of you are, the sooner we can have grandkids!" Emilioughed.

    Adrianna blushed. Her family never teased her about having children in the past, so this was something new to her.

    After a long day Cedric and Adrianna finally climbed into bed.

    Cedric kissed Adrianna passionately and Adrianna kissed him back.

    "Why don''t we work on those grandkids my parents were asking for?" Cedric teased, kissing her neck.

    "You''re still injured." Adrianna said as she brushed a stray strand of hair on Cedric''s face.

    "Well if you do all the work then my injuries won''t get any worse." Cedric reasoned with a grin.

    "It still might get worse. Let''s wait for Miguel''s clearance that you are better." Adrianna told her husband.

    "Adri, if we ask Miguel if we can make love he will tease us." Cedricughed.

    "Go to sleep honey. We have a long day tomorrow." Adrianna said turning her back and going to sleep.

    Cedric hugged his wife from behind.

    The next day for the first time in almost a month Adrianna and Cedric left home together to go to work. Due to his injuries Cedric couldn''t drive, so a driver took them to work that day in one of the Reyes'' least expensive cars.

    Cedric spent the whole morning in meetings catching up to what he had missed due to recent events. With the help of Ram Abad they had managed to keep both the car ident and grandpa Hernandez''s illness under wraps. This helped protect the stability and stock prices for both the Reyes Group and Ind''s Inc.

    At lunch Adrianna called Cedric.

    "I''m nervous." Adrianna said over the phone.

    "About tonight?" Cedric asked.

    "I''m worried about how my parents will react." Adrianna confessed.

    "It will be alright, honey." Cedric said in an attempt tofort his wife.

    Due to their busy schedule the next time the couple got to talk was when Cedric came to pick Adrianna up.

    "Here we go." Adrianna said, taking a deep breath.

    Cedric and Adrianna picked her parents up at home. Charles and Gracia were surprised to see that Cedric had a driver and that he was so well dressed.

    "You really pulled all the stops for tonight, didn''t you." Charles teased his son inw.

    Adrianna justughed nervously.

    As they got closer to the Reyes House, Cedric held Adrianna''s hand tofort her. He could feel that his wife was worried.

    When the car reached the gates of the Reyes House, Gracia Hernandez looked out confused.

    "Where are we?" She asked.

    "At my parent''s house." Cedric calmly answered.

    "Mom, Dad. Cedric''s parent''s names are Emilio and Prisci Reyes. They own Reyes Group." Adrianna said as they drove up the luxurious driveway.

    Charles and Gracia Hernandez were stunned. They had no time to question what Adrianna had just said as the car had just pulled up at the entrance.

    Leon came over and opened the door for his boss while the driver opened the other door.

    "Wee!" Prisci Reyes greeted.

    Charles and Gracia were speechless.

 Chapter 105 - 105

    Prisci Reyes led their guests inside the Reyes House.

    Gracia and Charles couldn''t help but stare at the opulent and extravagant surroundings. They had never been inside a house this big, nor had they ever mingled with families that belonged to the top of the social and financial pyramid. ??

    "Do you need a second to ept who Cedric is?" Adrianna asked her parents.

    "How is it possible?" Charles asked his daughter.

    "Well, mom gave birth to my brother then to me." Ayanna said coldly.

    "Mom, Dad. This is Ayanna. My younger sister." Cedric said, introducing the clearly upset Ayanna.

    "And these are my parents. Emilio Reyes III and Prisci rin-Reyes." Cedric said as Emilio stuck out his hand to shake Charles''

    "I''m confused." Gracia said.

    "Why don''t we go to the dining room and eat while we exin things?" Prisci said.

    Gracia could only nod and follow.

    "Be nice." Cedric told his sister.

    "Ced, she doesn''t have to." Adrianna argued back.

    "No Adri. Cedric is right. I wasn''t raised to be like that. I''m sorry." Ayanna said,ing back to her senses.

    At the dining room, Prisci was trying to coax the couple into a normal conversation, but the Hernandezes were in too much shock to continue a decent conversation.

    "Mom, Dad. Mr. and Mrs. Reyes are just like normal people. I actually think they are nicer. And they have been extremely kind to me these past few weeks." Adrianna said in an attempt to pull her parents back to the real world.

    "Why don''t I exin why we are only meeting now?" Emilio asked.

    "Sure dad. I''m sure they have a lot of questions." Cedric said.

    "It''s tradition in the Reyes Family that the heir has to undergo poverty training. At the age of fifteen, we are stripped of all our luxuries and sent to the world to survive on our own. We are allowed toe home once a year, but our rtives cannot help us in any way. We onlye back to the family on our 28th birthday." Emilio exined.

    "Why would you do this?" Gracia asked.

    "For the future head of the Reyes family to understand people. Our businesses thrive because we know what the ordinary person wants. It is also to give the heir an appreciation of the money and all theforts he or she has in life. We believe that it will make for a better leader." Emilio said.

    "What if the heir refuses the poverty training?" Charles asked.

    "Simple, the next eldest has to go. That''s what happened to me. I was not born the heir, my elder sister, Aurora Reyes, was supposed to be the heir. But she couldn''t stand the training. She quit in the middle and I was sent to learn in her ce." Emilio exined. "The Reyes family is bigger than what people know. Most of our rtives prefer to stay behind the scenes. Living in luxury out of the public eye."

    "Are you mad at us?" Charles asked.

    "I''m not happy. But it''s not my ce to be mad or to punish you. My children are my greatest treasure, and I will do anything and everything to protect them." Prisci Reyes said with a smile.

    "Mom, Dad. I know you didn''t want me for Adrianna, but you never stopped us either. And to me that is already a big deal." Cedric said.

    "Cedric, we owe you an apology. And I am not apologizing just because you are suddenly rich. We should have treated you better." Charles said.

    "Dad, you thought I was pulling Adrianna down. I understand you weren''t happy with me, but I promise you, from this day onwards I will do everything to make sure that Adrianna is the happiest and luckiest woman alive. I will give her everything I have, and I will protect her with my life." Cedric said.

    "Cedric, we''ve never questioned if you loved Adrianna. All we wanted is for her to live her best life." Gracia exined. She was clearly embarrassed by the way she had treated Cedric in the past.

    "I''ll be honest, mom. I wasn''t happy the past few years." Cedric said.

    "We will make it up to you I promise!" Charles said.

    "When the rest of the family hears this they will change their behavior towards you, towards all of us!" Gracia said excitedly.

    "We are not telling them mom." Adrianna suddenly said.

    "But Adri, Cedric, this will change everything." Graciained.

    "It''s not your decision to make!" Adrianna argued.

    "They will stop looking down at you if they find out who Cedric actually is." Gracia said.

    "They will not stop, they will only think I got to where I am because I married a rich and powerful man." Adrianna told her mom.

    "We are not telling them." Cedric said in a frigid tone.

    Emilio suddenly chuckled.

    "Ah, my son is being more like a true leader more and more each day." Emilio said, praising his son.

    "Adrianna decides when we tell people." Cedric said. The only person''s opinion that mattered to Cedric was Adrianna''s

    "I need time." Adrianna said. "For now, we would like to invite you to live with us in our new home." Adrianna continued.

    "Here? We couldn''t impose Adrianna!" Charles said.

    "Not here. Cedric had a house made in the Mountain Viewmunity. It''s too big for just me and Cedric to live there. So I want to invite you to move in with us." Adrianna exined.

    "You''ll have a whole floor for yourselves, my parents and sister will also have their own rooms. But as you can imagine they won''t be staying that often." Cedric exined.

    "What about our current house?" Gracia asked.

    "That''s up to you." Adrianna said.

    "Then I don''t see why not." Charles said, agreeing to move in with Cedric and Adrianna.

    "Why don''t we all go over to take a tour of the house?" Emilio suggested.

    Emilio had the drivers fetch cars for them and the group headed to Mountain View to see Cedric and Adrianna''s new house.

 Chapter 106 - 106

    The convoy of cars immediately turned heads. Emilio Reyes never liked his family traveling in the same vehicle or the same ne. This was in order to ensure that should something bad happen at least one of them would survive.

    In the first car Emilio and Prisci Reyes were riding with Marco So, Emilio''s longtime assistant. Their car was followed by Ayanna''s, then Charles and Gracia Hernandez, and finally Cedric And Adrianna. ??

    In their car, Cedric held Adrianna and kissed the top of her head softly.

    "Why are you so sweet recently?" Adrianna teased her husband.

    "I almost died! Almost dying made me appreciate you even more." Cedric told his wife gently.

    "Cedric I was thinking about something." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked.

    "I know you left it up to me when you could tell people about your identity, and I''ve made a decision." Adrianna announced.

    "Hmmmm?" Cedric asked.

    "I want to be able to stand at the same level as you. I want to be able to stand next to you and be more than just your wife. I want to be someone that people look up to, someone people know built a name for themselves." Adrianna said.

    "Don''t you think it will be easier for you if people knew who I actually was?" Cedric was asking to be sure that Adrianna understood what benefits she would get if Cedric revealed himself to the world.

    "People wille to me, hand me projects, partnerships, I''ll be able to work with the best of the best, but I wouldn''t have earned it on my own." Adrianna exined.

    "I''m d you know what you''re giving up. But don''t think for one second that I would let you suffer. If there is anything too difficult, or a partner that chooses to harass or take advantage of you, I will step in. There is only so much I can take while watching you from the sidelines." Cedric said.

    "I don''t think the Reyes Group is ever just on the sidelines. And you are never on the sidelines of my life." Adrianna giggled and kissed her husband.

    "Alright. I promise not to interfere, that much, into your career. But at least keep Mia around. You''ve seen how dangerous it is now. The Reyes family has always had its share of people that hate us." Cedric exined.

    "I''ll assign her as my assistant. What do you mean by that much?" Adrianna asked.

    "Well there are some things that I will naturally have to have a hand in. Like if you deal with the Reyes Group. I can''t have some young, handsome, budding manager make a deal with you!" Cedric said with a grin.

    "You''ve never been the jealous type." Adrianna said sitting back up.

    "I just never showed you. I trust you, but I don''t trust all the men that hover around you." Cedric exined.

    "I will always love you and only you." Adrianna said nting a kiss on Cedric''s lips.

    When they arrived Charles and Gracia were shocked by the size of the new house.

    "We wanted Cedric to build a bigger one, but he told us a house that was too big was bad." Prisciined.

    "Mom, Dad. Why don''t you give them a tour. We''ll wait for you here with Ayanna." Cedric said as he approached the older couple.

    "Great! Marco, get the golf cart. We''ll tour the grounds first then we can go inside." Emilio said.

    As they watched the older couples leave Ayanna, Cedric, and Adrianna went in the house.

    "Big brother, I''m going back to America tomorrow." Ayanna said excitedly.

    "Why so sudden?" Cedric asked.

    "Well the term starts in a week, but I need to talk to some international endorsers for Elisia Mall while I''m there." Ayanna exined.

    "Do you want us to apany you back?" Cedric asked.

    "We can do that? Isn''t that a waste?" Adrianna who wasn''t used to this level of extravagance asked.

    "Of course we can. There are very few things my brother will be willing to splurge on. But Ced, you don''t need to. Ray already offered." Ayanna said.

    "Tell me little sister, is there anything going on between you and Ray?" Cedric teased.

    Ayanna in turn blushed and rolled her eyes.

    "No. He''s like an older brother to be." Ayanna said.

    "Just so you know Ayanna, as long as you like a guy and he is a decent one. I will always approve." Cedric said, hugging his sister.

    "I''m just d not to be like Veronica. No wonder the guy always gets picked on. But it''s not his fault either, their parents arranged it." Ayanna sighed.

    "He''s not bad you know." Cedric said.

    "Wait, Veronica is in an arranged marriage?" Adrianna asked in shock. "I thought your families didn''t care about who you married?"

    "The Reyeses don''t. The Abads do and so do the Chans. For the Abads they just don''t want their kids marrying the wrong kind of people, people who have no appreciation for money. As for the Chans it''s a bit crazier. Nicole has to marry someone the board of Saints will approve. And they will probably ask her to marry someone with a Chinesest name." Ayanna said, shaking her head.

    "So do you like Ray or not?" Adrianna asked in an attempt to catch Ayanna off guard.

    "I don''t know. I don''t see him that way. But he''s nice. So I don''t know." Ayanna finally confessed.

    Cedric justughed at his sister.

 Chapter 107 - 107

    When the parents finally got back Cedric and Adrianna toured the Hernandezes around the house. Cedric showed them where they would be staying and where Cedric and Adrianna''s rooms were.

    "When you move in Mom and Dad, I was thinking you could just use one of my cars. My family and friends honestly bought me too many cars." Cedric suggested. ??

    "That would be great! Will you also assign us a driver?" Gracia said, jumping at Cedric''s offer.

    "Mom!" Adriannained.

    "It''s fine Adrianna, of course I will get you a driver mom." Cedric said.

    "And how do you n to maintain this whole house? You will need a fleet of househelp. Why not bring our two maids along?" Gracia asked.

    These two maids that she was referring to never treated Cedric as if he was married to Adrianna. They treated him as if he were just a random person leaching off the Hernandez family. They would often mock and make fun of him. Cedric had no intention of bringing them over.

    "The Reyes family hires the best staff. They all need to meet a certain qualification to be allowed to work in any of our homes. I''m sorry mom, but you will need to let them go." Cedric told Gracia.

    "But they have been with me for years." Graciained.

    "Mom, this is mine and Cedric''s house. Cedric already said no. Don''t insist." Adrianna said standing up to her mom.

    "Fine. But make sure that the people you hire are reliable." Gracia said.

    "The Reyes family never hires anyone unreliable." Prisci said from behind. She had gone up to tell them that coffee and tea were already ready in the ground floor study.

    "Prisci, I didn''t mean that. What I meant was that Cedric should be sure of the people he hires." A flustered Gracia said as she tried to salvage her image in front of Prisci.

    "Mmmm. I came to call you all to say that the drinks are ready in the study." Prisci said as she turned to leave.

    In the study Ayanna and Emilio were each reading a book when everyone else came in. When they saw this they ced their books down.

    "Ced, when do you n to move in?" Ayanna asked.

    "When Miguel says I don''t need as much care anymore." Cedric exined.

    "Does this mean that it was you that asked Doctor Miguel to operate on my father inw?" Gracia asked.

    "I never asked him to. He offered." Cedric said nonchntly.

    "Why would you let Asia and Mark take credit for it?" Charles asked.

    "Because their lie will eventually catch up to them. It already has." Cedric said as he took a sip of his coffee.

    "Why don''t we just move here temporarily as well? So that we could take care of you?" Prisci Reyes suggested.

    Cedric looked at Adrianna to get her opinion.

    "I wouldn''t mind." Adrianna said.

    "Alright mom. You and dad can stay over. We can actually move in already. Adrianna and I have nothing to move." Cedric said.

    "What about your clothes at home Adri?" Gracia asked.

    "Cedric bought me new ones." Adrianna said with a blush. She didn''t know why, but she was embarrassed by the extravagance of having a full wardrobe in each house.

    "Then your mom and I will go home to set things in order." Charles said.

    "We''lle with you. I''m sure there are some things that we might want to bring, for sentimental value." Cedric said.

    When Cedric and the Hernandezes got home they packed everything they needed and wanted to keep. Cedric took a look at the room he and Adrianna had lived in for years, it was roughly the same size as his closet in Mountain View.

    Gracia came in and saw Cedric looking around.

    "Cedric, thank you for making things better for us." Gracia said.

    "Mom, I''m doing this because of Adrianna. But don''t think for a second that the way you treated me all those years were fine. You treated me more like a ve than as a son inw. You repeatedly attempted to get me and Adrianna to separate. You''re just lucky you didn''t go to the same lengths as the rest of the Hernandez family." Cedric said choosing not to sugarcoat his feelings.

    "You''re right. My treatment of you changed when I found out that you were rich, and that''s wrong of me." Gracia Hernandez admitted. "I''ve always only ever wanted what was best for my daughter, and being with a poor man was not what was best. She could have achieved much more if she had married someone rich rather than someone poor." Gracia said in an attempt to defend her actions.

    Unknown to both Gracia and Cedric, Adrianna could hear them from the hallway.

    "Mrs. Hernandez, do you know so little of your daughter? Even having married a rich man she would still choose to rise on her own rather than to depend on someone. Have you never listened to her? Adrianna is the smartest and most capable woman I know, she doesn''t need a man to seed. She is capable on her own." Cedric said, lecturing his mother inw.

    "My daughter deserves to be treated like a princess. I can see now that you are very much capable of that. Do not let her struggle." Gracia said, ignoring Cedric''s words.

    "Mom, I''m not some fragile figurine that needs to be protected all the time. Cedric knows me best, which is a shame since you''ve known me longest. I do not want to be known as some rich man''s wife. I want to be known as me and to achieve things because of who I am." Adiranna told her mom.

    The next day the Reyeses were all at a private lounge at the airport to send Ayanna off.

    "Make sure to call as often as you can. And you don''t need to work while you''re there Ayanna, just enjoy being a student again, and make friends! People don''t know who you are there." Prisci said as she fussed over Ayanna.

    "Mom, I''ve been going to school in America for a year. You tell me the same things right before I leave." Ayanna teased her mom. "Hey Ced, Adrianna, could you hurry up and give mom some grandkids so that she could stop fussing over me." Ayanna teased her brother and his wife.

    Cedric justughed and held Adrianna tightly beside him.

    "Ray, make sure my sister makes it back safe!" Cedric said to his friend who had just arrived.

    "I''m not her babysitter!" Rayined and rolled his eyes.

    "But you''d like to take care of her." Cedric whispered and teased Ray.

    "Ray let''s go." Ayanna called out.

    "Let''s have dinner when I get back. Alexi and I found something." Ray told Cedric who only nodded in response.

 Chapter 108 - 108

    After a week, when Ray had returned to the capital the boys got together to have dinner at Nouveau.

    "Did my sister get back well?" Cedric asked. ??

    "Yeah. I went with her to some meetings. That international endorser you wanted asked if I was her gay bestfriend! What the hell was that? You should drop this person!" Rayined.

    At that all of the boys burst intoughter.

    "I can''t believe an international star thought you were gay! I thought they were just rumors here." Miguel said bursting intoughter.

    "What do you mean by rumors? There are gay rumors about me here?" Ray said, demanding an answer from his friends.

    "Don''t you know, that due to your ultra over the top dedication to Ayanna people have assumed that you were gay. I mean Ray, there is nothing wrong with that, it''s just I think you aren''t." Ram told Ray.

    "But you guys know that I''m not. Why didn''t you ever speak up?" Rayined.

    "Well, you never said you weren''t we didn''t want to assume." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "Don''t worry Ray. Ayanna knows you aren''t. I think." Cedric said patting his friend on the back.

    "What do you mean you think? Of course I like girls. Well a girl. One girl. Singr!" Ray said, trying to figure out a way through his situation.

    "Calm down Ray. So what if people think you are gay. It''s not like it''s a bad thing. The world is more open now." Alexi said in a more serious tone.

    "Come to think of it, I recently got asked if there was anything between us. I said we were acquaintances." Eric said thinking back to his recent interview.

    "They must have been trying to figure out if Ray was keeping a boy toy!" Ram said bursting out inughter.

    "Ramon Abad! You will kill this rumor!" Ray demanded.

    "I don''t control rumors Ray." Ram said with a shrug.

    "We all know one word from you could reverse it." Ray said.

    "You of all people know it doesn''t work like that. You need a full n. A n to disprove everything, just like what we did for the rumors around Adrianna." Ram exined.

    "We both know that you can get people to change their opinions in social media. You''re like the media king!" Rayined.

    "Ray, enough games. You said that you and Alexi found something out?" Cedric asked, finally ending the banter. As much as Cedric enjoyed seeing the usually powerful and serious Ray being teased he still needed to get to the bottom of what happened to him.

    "Oh right. The psycho revenge Carlos De Dios guy." Ray said remembering why they had dragged everyone to dinner that night.

    Alexi sighed and shook his head. "Ray is clearly still too happy from his alone time with Ayanna."

    Alexi had always been the most serious in person among the boys, he did enjoy some of their banter but he was not as easy going as the rest of them.

    "We managed to track Hannah G.''s best friend from university. Luckily they stayed in contact up to a few years back. This was before Hannah decided topletely cut the friend off because she thought Carlos De Dios was looking for her to get revenge." Alexi exined to his friend.

    "Right, yes. So I got to speak to her and she gave me thest address she knew Hannah G. lived in. From there we traced her steps and we saw she moved to Quirino Province." Ray said with a surprised tone.

    "Quirino Province is big Ray. The odds of me meeting Hannah G. while I was there is very low." Cedric said.

    "Around a 2% chance." Miguel said.

    "Stop boasting nerd." Eric teased his brother.

    "Wow Eric, that''s such an ironic insulting from the man who has a doctorate in psychology." Miguel said, rolling his eyes.

    "I don''t go around boasting about it." Eric teased his brother.

    "The world really ys nasty tricks." Ray said, shaking his head.

    "Enough with thementary Ray. Tell us." Miguelined.

    "Ray met Hannah G.''s granddaughter and daughter inw. They are through her son with Carlos De Dios." Alexi revealed.

    "So the child Carlos thought he lost was actually born?" Cedric asked.

    "That''s not the most interesting part. We found out what the G in Hannah G. is." Ray proudly announced.

    "And?" Cedric asked.

    "Garin. Hannah G.''sst name is Garin. She has a son that happens to have been your ssmate in high school." Alexi revealed to the shock of everyone.

    "You''ve got to be kidding me!" Cedric said in surprise.

    "I kid you not. Carlos De Dios has no idea that his illegitimate son works for the person he hates the most." Alexi said with an evil grin.

    "Does Chris Garin know?" Cedric asked.

    "I actually got to speak to Hannah G. She said her son has no idea who his father is. I have to assume that she was being honest. From what you''ve told us and what we''ve seen of this Chris Garin, if he knew who his father was you would have had a much harder time during your poverty training. Uncle Emilio might have had to step in if Chris Garin knew." Ray said.

    "You said you had ns for Chris. Is he part of your revenge plot?" Alexi asked.

    "He is. But I''ll need to change it. If Carlos De Dios finds out that Chris Garin is his son and that he works at Mor Co., I think Carlos will do something worse." Cedric said as he looked to the distance, deep in thought. "Did you find anything more about Carlos De Dios'' assets? How did he manage to get back up after dad did away with him?"

    "That''s the thing that''s bugging me. Both dad and I have been pooling our resources on this, nothing illegal of course, but we can''t find anything. Cedric I think someone powerful is backing him." Alexi told his friend.

    "It''s a good thing then that we didn''te after him immediately, or that we didn''t ask Katerina to take action right after we got the call." Ram said.

    "Katerina wouldn''t have been able to build a strong enough case. She told me during lunch that we didn''t have concrete enough evidence to send him to jail." Eric said.

    "So are you guys a thing again?" Alexi asked Eric in a serious tone.

    "For the hundredth time Alexi, she''s mywyer and we''re just friends." Eric said, shaking his head.

    "I don''t see what would be wrong with Eric and Katerina getting together. Their kids would be geniuses." Ram initially intended it to be a joke, but when he saw Alexi''s reaction he suddenly backed off. "Or not. I guess not. I mean Veronica hates the whole she has to marry as nned."

    "We all know it''s not his fault." Eric said.

    "Alexi, Ray, keep an ear and an eye out for Carlos De Dios. I''m worried our finding Hannah G. will lead him straight to her. I''ll have Ian and Cami keep an eye on Chris Garin, just in case Carlos tries to contact him." Cedric said, returning to their original topic.

    "And what will we do when he does contact his son?" Ray asked.

    "We need to be ready. He''ll attack at Mor Co., if he could. It''s good that we are at least a step ahead." Cedric said.

    "Great. So shall we drink?" Ray asked.

    "Not quite. I have another favor to ask." Cedric said with a grin that made Ray drink a whole ss of wine.

 Chapter 109 - 109

    "I''m worried about Ayanna." Cedric said.

    "Send her some bodyguards." Alexi had always believed that a show of force was the best form of protection. ??

    "We''re up against someone that doesn''t care about the number of armed guards that we have." Cedric exined.

    "Why do I have a feeling that I''m involved with what you have in mind?" Ray said worriedly.

    "I just want to advance an announcement that I think will happen several years down the line." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Nope! Not doing it! Are you crazy? Ayanna will hate the both of us. It will be alright for you! You''re her brother, she had no choice in that. I on the other hand will lose every opportunity I have!" Rayined. He already knew what Cedric wanted to do. He wanted to create a deterrent . He wanted Carlos De Dios to feel like hurting Ayanna wouldn''t just put him in the bad books of the Reyeses but with those of the Laurences as well.

    "We''ll tell Ayanna it''s for her sake!" Cedric reasoned.

    "You''ve been gone a long time my friend, your sister is an extremely willful girl. She gets what she wants and if she doesn''t want it no one can force her, not even your parents." Rayined.

    "I''m not my parents. Ayanna will listen to me. Plus it isn''t real!" Cedric said.

    "We will know it isn''t real but the whole freaking world will think it''s real." Ray said.

    "Wait? What?" Ram asked.

    "Cedric Reyes wants me to either be fake engaged or fake married to his sister!" Ray used.

    "Fake married would be ideal. It''s fake Ray. You''ll both know it''s fake. Plus it will give you more time with her and the gay rumors will stop." Cedric exined.

    "Yeah, I don''t think that will kill the gay rumors. People will just say arranged marriage." Ram said with a shrug.

    "Really Ram? You''ve got the guts to mention arranged marriages when your sister is trying to escape one?" Ray said, throwing his anger at Ram.

    "Hey, I''m trying to help Veronica out." Ram said, raising his hands.

    "It''s actually a smart idea." Alexi said, supporting Cedric''s n.

    "If he isn''t afraid of getting on the Reyeses bad side he might be afraid of the Laurences. You guys do control the underworld and that''s scarier. Plus your uncle is Jose Sebastian, making you a muchrger threat than just the Reyeses." Miguel said supporting the n as well.

    "Ayanna is going to kill me!" Rayined.

    "I''ll ask Adrianna to call her then." Cedric said.

    "Your wife is in on this?" Ray asked.

    "Yeah. It was her idea." Cedicughed.

    "Fine! But keep it to fake dating. I don''t want people thinking that we got hitched cause I''m gay!" Ray said finally giving into Cedric''s n.

    "Great. You get to tell her." Cedric teased.

    "I thought Adrianna was gonna tell her." Rayined.

    "My wife is too busy." Cedric said tly.

    "Then you tell her!" Ray said.

    "I''ll call, you tell her." Cedric suggested.

    Ray paused to think and looked around the room. His friends were clearly way too eager to hear this conversation unfold. "Now?" he asked.

    Cedric just nodded and took out his phone.

    Ray grabbed Cedric''s phone and dialed Ayanna''s number.

    "Her number is saved there." Cedricughed.

    Ray ignored Cedric''s jest and ced the call on speaker. It took a while for Ayanna to pick up, and when she finally did, she was not happy.

    "Cedric, you woke me up. What is it?" Ayanna said grumpily.

    "Hey Ayanna, it''s actually Ray." Ray said.

    "Why are you using my brother''s phone? Did something happen to Cedric? I told you to look out for him!" Ayanna frantically said.

    "Rx little sister I''m right here. Ray just has something to tell you." Cedric said.

    Ayanna calmed down and spoke. "Oh hey Ced. Why is he using your phone?" Ayanna asked.

    "It''s because your brother and sister inw have a crazy idea to protect you." Ray said in a dejected tone.

    "And?" Ayanna asked.

    Ray took a deep breath before speaking, he already knew Ayanna would be furious. Beside him Cedric was already struggling to stop himself fromughing. "Ayanna, Cedric wants us to pretend that we''re dating. Don''t fly off the handle just yet. Let me exin." Ray said as he paused to see if Ayanna wouldin. When the other end was silent he continued.

    "Carlos De Dios might not be worried about offending the Reyes family, but if we were together or at least made a facade that we were together he would have to think twice about offending more than just the Reyes family. He would be opposing Laurence and Sebastian families as well." Ray exined.

    "Okay." Ayanna said calmly.

    "Okay? You won''tin?" Ray asked, questioning Ayanna''s calm demeanor.

    "It''s a smart n. But I think it would be more effective if we pretended to be engaged." Ayanna suggested.

    "Ray doesn''t want cause it won''t stop the gay rumors." Cedricughed.

    "Then say we''ve been dating for a while. You could fly here and we could take fake engagement photos. I don''t think a ring will be an issue." Ayanna suggested.

    "You''re being too calm about this." Ray said.

    "Would you rather I acted like a child?" Ayanna asked over the phone.

    "Ray, Ayanna just owned you!" Miguel teased.

    "Hey Miguel. Wait are you all there?" Ayanna asked.

    "Yup!" Alexi answered.

    "And Ray has been saying I was going to over react?" Ayanna asked.

    "Basically." Eric said.

    "You are so dead when you get here Raymund Laurence! Ram I''ll send you some photos of us that you could leak to the public." Ayanna said as she quickly changed her tone between talking to the two men.

    "Thanks Ayanna. I need to get back to my wife now. Can you handle working with Ram and Ray on this?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah. Bye brother." Ayanna said as she dropped the call.

    "Woah. These photos are enough to cause an outrage!" Ram said as he looked at the photos Ayanna had sent him. Ray quickly grabbed his phone and checked what Ayanna had sent.

    "When did she even have someone take these photos!" Ray said in surprise.

    The series of photos were of them, seemingly hugging, holding hands, and even kissing in America.

    "Are they real?" Cedric asked.

    "Well�� ummm�� do I need to answer that?" Ray said hesitantly.

    "You know that I don''t mind if you guys are dating." Cedric told Ray.

    "We aren''t. Ayanna doesn''t want something like that right now. She said she wanted to focus on her career." Ray finally admitted.

    "So she rejected you." Miguel teased.

    "Says the guy who has never been in a romantic rtionship!" Ray used Miguel.

    Cedric just shook his head at his friends who had seemingly reverted back into being children.

    "Can you deal with them?" Cedric asked Alexi.

    "Yeah. They aren''t drunk." Alexi shrugged.

    "I need to get home. Tonight is the first night my inws are at Mountain View. I don''t want my mom to overwhelm them." Cedric said with a chuckle.

    Alexi grinned and spoke. "Auntie Prisci does have her over the top ways. And if they aren''t used to how people like her speak and act they are in for a shock."

    "That''s why I need to get home." Cedric said as he ced on his disguise.

    The boys said goodbye to him and Cedric left for home.

 Chapter 110 - 110

    "I missed my trip homest time because of Cedric''s ident. I have to fly at least once a week to the province to join in board meetings. I honestly can do it virtually, but those old men need a kick in the ass once in a while." Cedric heard his mom say as he entered the living room.

    "Ced! You''re back." Adrianna said as she saw her husband. She stood up and pulled him to sit next to her on the couch. ??

    "What are you guys talking about?" Cedric asked as he threw a worried nce at his mom.

    "Oh nothing much. I was just telling your inw about the scare you caused usst week!" Prisci told Cedric.

    "Don''t worry son. You mom hasn''t regaled us with stories of her shopping trips yet." Emilio Reyes said with augh.

    "Gracia you muste with us! The girls are nning a trip to Mn, don''t worry about the expenses, I''ll foot the bill." Prisci said excitedly.

    "I think, for once, my mom is speechless." Adrianna teased and the whole group burst intoughter.

    Cedric hugged his wife from behind and kissed her. Adrianna was slowly getting used to Cedric''s public disy of affection in front of his family and friends. In the past Adrianna and Cedric would be affectionate in private, but in public Cedric avoided even touching her due to her family''s dislike of him.

    "Adrianna, you might forget, but it''s Asia''s wedding on friday." Gracia reminded her daughter in an attempt to change the topic.

    "Is this that brat that got pregnant with the Chu kid?" Prisci asked.

    Cedricughed at his mom''s straightforwardness. "Yes mom. The one that tricked Mark Chu into getting her pregnant." Cedric told Prisci. "Have you ever met the Chus?" Cedric asked.

    "Aside from the party on Kashmere? I think Benedicto invited them to a handful of parties. ording to him they are indebted to them." Emilio said.

    "How is the wedding going to work with uncle Fredrick and John in jail?" Adrianna asked.

    "I think your uncle asked to be allowed to attend the wedding. If he isn''t allowed then your uncle Matthew will walk her down the aisle." Charles told his daughter.

    "Will they be let out?" Adrianna asked Cedric.

    Charles and Gracia suddenly had a puzzled look on their faces.

    "Do you want them to be let out?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "They are family, so I should want them to be let out." Adrianna said as she thought out loud.

    "Honey, if that''s what you want I can just call Alexi." Cedric said to his wife.

    "I think they should stay where they are. It''s only fair, after what you said they did." Adrianna said looking up at her husband.

    "Family can be quite toxic and disappointing sometimes." Emiliomented on the side.

    "Did you have anything to do with your uncle being in jail Adrianna?" Charles asked his daughter.

    Before Adrianna could say anything, Cedric answered for her. "No. I sent them there. They went too far against Adrianna." Cedric said in a stern voice. "Aside from that, the crimes Alexi and Ray discovered were so disgusting that Katerina ced more effort into the case."

    "What crimes?" Charles, who normally distanced himself from his older siblings'' scheming, was unaware of the charges against his eldest brother.

    "****, sexual harassment, bribery, extortion." Cedric said without any attempt to soften the blow on his father inw.

    Charles simply frowned and nodded.

    "I''m tired. Let''s go to bed." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "Sure. Do you have anything to wear to the wedding?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    "No. But I don''t want to outshine the bride." Adrianna told her husband.

    "I''ll ask the girls to help you find something. Maybe Nicole can pick something less ring. I just hope she doesn''t go crazy over pink this time." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Will you be wearing one of yours? Or one of those tasteless ones you used to wear?" Prisci asked her son.

    "I''ll buy a new one, something less eye catching. Everything that you and Ayanna bought are too much." Cedricined.

    "I guess you need to dress that way to pretend to be poor still. At least wear the watch Ayanna bought you and the wedding ring Ray gave." Prisci instructed her son.

    "Mom, I only take the ring off when I''m posing as the Reyes Heir." Cedric exined.

    "You never pose to be the Reyes Heir, you are the Reyes Heir, you''re actually pretending to be a poor man when you have all the power and the riches you could need." Emilio scolded his son.

    "Dad, we both know it''s safer to be low profile, especially now." Cedric told Emilio.

    "We''ll head to bed then." Gracia said, feeling a bit awkward to have witnessed the exchange.

    "Let''s all call it a night." Prisci said.

    "Dad, I need to talk to you about something. Can we speak in the study?" Cedric asked.

    Emilio nodded. Everyone else headed to their bedrooms while the father and son went into the study.

    "Dad, we found Hannah G." Cedric revealed.

    Cedric continued to tell Emilio about how Hannah''s son was actually his bully in highschool as well as in Mor Co.

    "I can''t believe you ended up meeting her son. What a small world!" Emilio eximed.

    "For now, I want to keep an eye on him. If I do anything it could alert Carlos that something is wrong, especially since Ray visited Hannah G." Cedric told his father.

    "I think that''s the smart thing to do. I''m sorry you have to suffer for the trouble I caused." Emilio said, apologizing to his son.

    "It''s alright dad. I too have people I want to seek revenge on. Chris Garin just so happens to be one of them." Cedric told his father.

 Chapter 111 - 111

    The next day the Reyes household woke up to Ayanna and Ray''s photos posted everywhere. News about their "longtime" rtionship was everywhere. It was on social media, in the newspapers, and on TV.

    "Cedric, what do you know about this?" Emilio asked his son as they had breakfast. ??

    "Rx dad. It''s just a facade. Do you think Ram would let Ray and Ayanna be the center of any scandal without their permission?" Cedric asked his dad.

    "So they aren''t dating?" Gracia asked.

    Adrianna burst out intoughter. "They aren''t mom. It''s just Cedric''s and Ray''s weird way of making sure people don''t try to hurt Ayanna."

    "Too bad. I wouldn''t mind having Raymund as my son inw." Prsci said with a sigh.

    "They will announce their fake engagement soon." Cedric said as he ate his breakfast.

    "Did you force your sister to do this?" Emilio asked his son.

    "The engagement was all her idea. She''s making Ray fly over to do a whole romantic scene. So I need to prepare an official statementing from the family." Cedric exined to his father.

    "I''m surprised she didn''tin about this idea." Adrianna told her husband.

    "She was surprisingly cooperative." Cedric said. "Come on Adrianna, the girls will arrive anytime. I need to finish some things in the office so they said they would get you the perfect dress."

    "Alright. Do you think we could have green mangoes? I''m kind of craving for them." Adrianna said.

    Cedric called a maid over who brought out the green mangoes Adrianna asked for.

    "Is there anything you don''t have in this house?" She asked as she savored the food Cedric gave her.

    "Adrianna, just tell us anything you want, and we''ll find a way to give it to you." Prisci said before Cedric could answer his wife.

    Cedric just nodded in agreement.

    Cedric left for work in one of the low profile Audis he had purchased, leaving Adrianna at home waiting for Nicole to pick her up.

    After half an hour a pink sports car rolled into the driveway.

    "Wow." Adrianna said as she saw the eye-catching car that was followed by two ck vans.

    Nicole stepped out of the car and smiled at Adrianna. "I''m so happy I get to take you dress shopping. We won''t go to the mall. We''re going to a designer friend of ours so no need to be low key." Nicole said with a wink.

    "I thought the others wereing along?" Adrianna asked.

    "They''ll meet us there. Hop in!" Nicole said.

    Adrianna climbed into the car and the initial two ck vans following them were joined by two more in the front and one behind.

    After Cedric''s ident he had be more worried about Adrianna''s safety and had instructed for more visible and undercover security around her.

    Nicole pulled up next to an unassuming building in an upscale part of the city. It was a gray building with no windows and a simple ss door at the front.

    "Where are we?" Adrianna asked.

    "We''re meeting with Maureen Cordova. She''s actually our favorite designer. Carlos, the one we visitedst time, is her apprentice. So we''re going to the master now. Oh and she''s Veronica''s and Ram''s cousin." Nicole said as she handed the keys to her car to one of her bodyguards.

    Adrianna was familiar with Maureen Cordova, everyone knew the designer to the rich and famous, even her friends were crazy about the designs she made, Adrianna knew for a fact that Asia dreamed of wearing a Maureen Cordova gown down the aisle. Unfortunately for Asia, you couldn''t just buy a Maureen Cordova wedding gown. Maureen Cordova didn''t make wedding gowns.

    When the receptionist saw Nicole she immediately led them to the VIP room. And as a designer to the stars, being among Maureen''s VIP clientele was quite the feat. There were only around twenty guests allowed to use the VIP room and most of them were family and friends.

    Maureen Cordova was a tall girl who loved wearing high heeled shoes. Despite her thin model like frame she had quite puffy cheeks since she was a chubby child as a kid. She was very lively and almost rivaled Nicole in her energy level.

    "Is this the infamous Mrs. Reyes?" Maureen asked.

    "Yup, Mau this is Adrianna." Veronica said, introducing Adrianna to her cousin.

    "I know a hundred girls that want to go after your husband right now." Maureen teased Adrianna.

    "Nice to meet you Maureen." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Please call me Mau. We''re practically family. The girls go here all the time and they drive up my value by quite a lot." Maureen said.

    "Alright then Mau." Adrianna nodded.

    "Now let''s see, from Ayanna''s message she said you needed a dress that was stunning, simple, and low profile." Mau said as she walked around Adrianna studying her body.

    "How about the swan gown?" Katerina asked.

    "Nah. That???s too girl boss. That''s your style. Plus that''s white, you never wear white to another person''s wedding. It''s just not proper." Maureen said, shaking her head.

    "It''s alright if this person is a social climbing slut. Sorry Adrianna." Nicole said. She had heard a lot about Asia. And not just from Ayanna, who kept a close watch on Adrianna''s family, but also from business partners and other socialites.

    "I can''t control the way people see her." Adrianna said with a shrug. Since the incident on Kashmere, Adrianna had been working on slowly changing her attitude towards Asia. Cedric was right, even if Asia was her family, Asia would never have hesitated to harm her.

    Adrianna had no intention of slipping into Asia''s level, but she was going to stop letting Asia push her around like she used to. And she owed it to the Reyes family to hold her own, when people would eventually find out that she was the wife of the Reyes Heir she had no intention of letting them know that they could treat her like trash.

    "How about that ck dress? The one that won you that award in New York? I mean it''s simple, you never put tags, and I think it would fit Adrianna quite nicely!" Nicole said after thinking for a while.

    "You know what Nicole! I think that might just work. The only way people will recognize that I made it is if they are a fashion aficionado." Maureen said as she opened the door to ask one of her assistants to bring the dress over.

    Adrianna tried on the dress. When Maureen had the dress brought over Adrianna was actually worried that it wouldn''t fit her or wouldn''t look nice on her. She was also worried that the dress would be very ufortable.

    Adrianna was pleasantly surprised to see that the dress not only fit her well, but it was extremelyfortable. When she came out of the dressing room, the girls gasped.

    "Are you sure you didn''t make this for her, Mau?" Natalia asked as she looked Adrianna over.

    "What are the odds that even the sizing is perfect? I intentionally made the proportions a little bit more humane than that of a model''s." Maureen said.

    "Adrianna look!" Nicole said as she came over and shoved her hands to the side of Adrianna''s dress. "It has pockets!" Nicole said proudly.

    "It''s a practical dress. I had these girls in mind when I made it." Maureen told her.

    "I think it looks perfect with the watch and the wedding ring." Katerinamented. "Wouldn''t it be perfect with the Suzumi earrings and ne Ayanna has. Do you think she brought them with her to America?"

    "Nah. She never wears them. I''m sure they are in her closet back at home." Nicole said.

    "Wow Adrianna. I think you''ll look prettier than the bride. Well you look prettier than the bride." Veronica teased.

    "Cedric will not be able to resist you." Katerina teased with a wink. "Are you prepared to permanently lose this dress, Mau? I think Cedric will rip it right off her." Katerinaughed.

    "I can always make a new one. And it''s yours now Adrianna." Maureen told Adrianna.

    While waiting for the dress to be packed. Adrianna had coffee with the sisters.

    "What do you think about Nicole''s car?" Veronica asked with a giggle.

    "It''s very, umm�� Nicole." Adrianna didn''t know what to say. It was a nice car, it was just that the color was very over the top.

    "That''s why we never ride it!" Katerina said bursting intoughter.

    "I thought you guys were busy!" Nicoleined.

    "Nope! I just don''t even wanna go near that car." Veronica told her friend.

    "Natalia said it was pretty." Nicole said looking at the youngest girl in the group.

    "Nicole, Natalia is nice, too nice and she''s also afraid of you. Of course she will say it''s pretty." Katerina said, rolling her eyes.

    "Is that true Natalia?" Nicole asked with a shocked expression.

    "I''m sorry big sister. But my older sister is right. You are a bit scary." Natalia told Nicole who was two years older than her.

    "What? What? No!" Nicole said in shock.

    Maureen''s staff suddenly appeared and said that the dress was ready to be delivered.

    "We won''t bring it in the car?" Adrianna asked.

    "No silly, Maureen has to take it personally to Mountain View to make sure that it is properly stored before the event. On friday she and her staff wille over to Mountain View as well to help you get ready. She''s a full service kind of girl." Nicole exined.

    "Ayanna replied. She said she actually ced them in Adrianna''s closet in Mountain View, she thought it would look better on Adrianna than on her." Veronica told her friend.

    "Let''s look for it when we get there. Are you still riding with Nicole, Adrianna? I could give you a ride." Katerina offered.

    "Yes please." Adrianna said following Katerina out. Everyoneughed as Nicole pouted.

 Chapter 112 - 112

    Asia''s wedding was nned to be grand. It seemed that despite the rumors of Asia plotting her way into the family both the Hernandezes and the Chus still wanted to make a show of force during the wedding.

    The list of guests included several political and business personalities that the family was notoriously close to or that they associated with, most famous of which was Raymund Laurence. With the dating rumors about him and Ayanna Reyes going around, everyone wanted to get a chance to talk to him and get close. If it were true that the Laurence and Reyes families were going to be bound through marriage it would make both families rise higher than they already were. ??

    Maureen arrived early in the morning at Mountain View. She was quite familiar with Emilio and Prisci Reyes so she greeted them warmly. She met Cedric a couple of times when she was younger so she wasparatively quiet when she met him.

    "Maureen, dear, this is Cedric''s mother inw. Do you mind having your team do her makeup and hair too?" Prisci asked Maureen.

    "Of course Auntie! You and Ayanna are one of my top clients. Just think of this as a freebie." Maureen said with a wink.

    Cedric was somewhat relieved that his mom and Adrianna''s got along quite well. At first he was worried that his mom would treat them poorly after they had treated him in the past. He personally just wanted to move on from those days.

    It also came as a delight to Cedric that since moving into Mountain View, Gracia seemed to have been pacified by both the wealth and power there as well as through her interaction with Cedric''s mother.

    The ceremony was set for 4pm that afternoon with the reception to follow at 6pm in a venue not far from the Church. As part of the bride''s family, Adrianna''s family had to attend the ceremony, they left in two separate cars. Since Cedric was still keeping his identity a secret he took the Audi instead of his favorite Rolls Royce.

    When Cedric saw Adrianna in the dress she was wearing he regretted sending her over to Maureen''s. She was so beautiful that he knew all eyes would be on Adrianna rather than on the bride. And Cedric was right, the moment they entered the church for the ceremony everyone couldn''t keep their eyes off Adrianna.

    Cedric, feeling quite jealous, held Adrianna by the waist and pulled her closer to him.

    "I think you''re more beautiful than the bride." Cedric whispered.

    "The bride isn''t even here yet Cedric." Adrianna told her husband.

    "Nope. Look, everyone''s eyes are on you. I''m starting to regret letting Maureen dress you." Cedric told her.

    "Hey, behave. Uncle Matthew ising over."

    "Adrianna you look amazing!" Matthew said, greeting his niece.

    "Thanks Uncle Matthew." Adrianna said politely.

    "Adrianna, is that a Maureen Cordova gown!" Margaret said with a gasp as she approached. Margaret always had a loud voice and upon hearing this some rtives of the Hernandez and Chu families turned to look at Adrianna, this included Katrina Chu, the groom''s sister.

    "Oh, no, no, cousin. It probably just looks the same." Adrianna said in an attempt to avoid attracting people''s attention.

    "It''s original." Katrina Chu said as she approached.

    "Katrina Chu, I think I would know if what I was wearing was a Maureen Cordova original." Adrianna said, still trying to avert people''s attention.

    "I saw that gown win in New Yorkst month. It''s never been seen in public so it can''t be copied." Katrina told Adrianna. "Why are you trying so hard to deny that you wore a Maureen Cordova gown to my brother''s wedding? There''s nothing wrong with it." Katrina said with a shrug as she left.

    "Adrianna, how could you get a Maureen Cordova award winning gown? And you know that Asia has always dreamt of wearing a Maureen Cordova." Margaret told her cousin.

    "Margaret, hush, it''s starting." Henry Hernandez told his cousin as the groom entered.

    Henry was initially asked to walk his sister down the aisle, but he refused. Asia and Henry didn''t get along so well and recent events drove them farther apart.

    During the ceremony, Cedric noticed that Mark Chu kept stealing nces at his wife. This led Cedric to act more intimately with Adrianna. He would whisper sweet things into her ear making her smile or giggle or kiss her. Cedric didn''t like that other men were looking at his wife.

    During the wedding Asia noticed Mark sneaking nces in a different direction. She would pinch him or pull his sleeve to get him to focus. When she got the chance she saw her cousin, Adrianna, wearing a dress that looked very familiar.

    When the ceremony was over, Asia managed to get a better look at Adrianna, and Adrianna could feel her cousin''s burning re. Asia had suddenly realized why the dress was so familiar, she had seen the dress in a fashion article, it was the very same one that won awards in New York for Maureen Cordova.

    When Asia and her new husband Mark walked down the aisle out of the church Asia was already fuming inside and Adrianna could see it.

    "I was disturbed when Mark was sneaking nces at you, now I''m worried that Asia seems to be unable to keep her eyes off you." Cedric whispered to his wife and took advantage to kiss the side of her head.

    "You heard what Margaret said right?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    Cedric just nodded in reply.

    "It''s your fault. You asked the sisters to take me to Mau and now I''m pretty sure my cousin wants to rip my dress right off me." Adrianna told him.

    "Then I guess I should keep you next to me at all times now." Cedric teased.

 Chapter 113 - 113

    After the ceremony, the guests from the church headed to the reception in Maharlika Hotel. Most of those who weren''t rted by blood to the couple went straight to the reception instead of joining the ceremony earlier that day.

    Before entering the function room, Cedric led Adrianna and her parents to a separate room where Maureen Cordova and her team were waiting again. ??

    "Retouch." Maureen greeted them with a smile. It was the first time she had to sneak into an event just to give her client a retouch, but she wasn''tining. If she had gone through the front door people would have mobbed her either for an autograph or to get a design out of her, so Cedric''s low profile ways suited her just fine.

    After a few minutes fixing the makeup and hair of the mother and daughter pair, she ran some checks on Adrianna''s dress just to make sure that there were no issues. With her nod of approval Cedric thanked her and led the family out and into the reception.

    As they arrived they were led to their table, as Cedric expected, despite being part of the Hernandez family, Adrianna''s family was relegated to a spot where the least important people would be ced.

    When they entered the function room, a lot of heads turned. Women began to whisper among themselves, and men seem to be smitten. It was all because of Adrianna. Not only was she gorgeous and dignified, but the gown she wore was clearly recognized by the women in the room.

    "I thought you said you wanted me to wear something low profile?" Adrianna whispered to her husband.

    Cedric, who hated the fact that men were now daydreaming about his wife, pulled her into his arms and kissed her, as if to say that she was his. He then leaned over to whisper to her. "I me the girls for this."

    Cedric then led the family to their seats on the side. Despite being away from the main group everyone still observed Adrianna and her simply dressed husband. Of course, unknown to the other people in the room, Cedric''s clothes were all custom made in Italy. He just chose to wear a simpler cut and color.

    As the room filled, everyone was excited to meet some of the more famous and powerful guests that the Chu and Hernandez families had invited. Among the guests were Mark''s friends who were well known second generation heirs that splurged like there was no tomorrow. They had all arrived in shy suits, with men''s jewelry that were in the hundreds of thousands. But they were nothing next to the most awaited guest, Raymund Laurence.

    He was a man they could only meet by chance, in events such as these where they were lucky to be invited. Many of the young women, and some men, were dejected to hear that he was dating Ayanna Reyes, the daughter of the rich and powerful Reyes n. But there were some that were truly thick faced and found this as an opportunity to try to be his mistress. ording to gossip Ayanna was barely in the country as she was taking further studies in America.

    The guests waited for quite a while, since both families agreed that they had to wait for Raymund Laurence to arrive before starting the event. Cedric was talking with his wife when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket.

    Ray Laurence: Has it started yet?

    Cedric Reyes: Nope. I think they''re waiting for you.

    Ray Laurence: Hahahahaha. Such suck ups. I had to pick something up, are there seats left on your table?

    Cedric Reyes: Of course, we aren''t exactly the favorites here.

    Ray Laurence: Great. Save me two.

    Cedric Reyes: You didn''t!

    Ray Laurence: I''m going to this event and we''re having fun.

    Cedric Reyes: You stir things up too much!

    Ray Laurence: We just arrived. See you in a bit.

    A few minutes after Ray told Cedric that they had arrived there was amotion at the back of the function room and people stood and turned their heads to look.

    While this was happening Cedric told Adrianna to make sure no one sat in the two seats next to her. Adrianna was puzzled by his reaction but nodded and did as Cedric asked.

    Cedric could see the guests taking out their phones to take photos of the people at the back. Cedric simply assumed that this was Ray, who had fetched Ayanna from America just to stir up some trouble during the wedding.

    "What''s going on?" Gracia said as she tried to see what everyone was looking at.

    Suddenly Cedric''s phone began to ring.

    "Yeah?" Cedric asked.

    "We''re on the left most table, around four tables from the stage." Cedric told the other person on the phone.

    The crowd''s stares started to shift towards the left of the room, after a while Cedric, who was still on the phone with Ray spotted his sister holding hands with his best friend who waved to him with the hand holding the phone.

    Cedric grinned and dropped the call as he sat calmly.

    Upon seeing the pair Adrianna leaned over to Cedric and whispered. "What happened to being low profile?"

    "Ray nned this, not me. He''ll get an earfulter, don''t worry. For now, enjoy the looks of envy." Cedric teased.

    Ayanna quickly sat on the empty seat next to Adrianna and Ray sat next to her. He simply nodded greeting Cedric.

    "I knew this dress would look amazing on you!" Ayanna greeted her sister inw.

    "Behave Ayanna. All eyes are on us right now. Do you want to blow your brother''s cover?" Ray whispered loud enough for Cedric to hear.

    When everyone had managed to settle down from the excitement of Ray and Ayanna being in the room and sitting away from their prepared seats, the host announced that the reception was about to begin.

 Chapter 114 - 114

    When the newly married couple entered, everyone stood up to p for them. The interesting thing was that instead of seeing a happy couple they saw a distracted bride and groom. Both seemed to be upied with something other than their wedding, and by the looks of it, they might have just fought before entering.

    "You really can''t have a rtionship based purely on gains." Ayanna said, loud enough for her brother to hear. ??

    "Ayanna." Ray scolded.

    Ayanna just smiled sweetly and hugged Ray''s arm pretending to be a loving girlfriend.

    When the couple reached the stage they sat in their seats, but their eyes seemed to be scanning the crowd rather than looking at each other.

    Just as the program began Edward Chu and Vivian Chu approached Cedric''s table.

    "Mr. Laurence, Miss Reyes, we have prepared a seat of honor for you at the front. Why don''t you sit with us?" Edward Chu invited Ray and Ayanna.

    "Are we taking these seats from anyone?" Ray asked.

    "No sir. It''s just, you will have a much better view at the front." Edward Chu said.

    "I don''t like staying in front." Ayanna said in a cold and domineering tone.

    "You guys sound so simr." Adrianna whispered to Cedric. Of course Ayanna and Cedric had both picked up this public persona from their father who was very different outside their home.

    Edward Chu could do nothing but walk back and forth from the front of the event hall to the side where Ray was, he was after all their guest of honor.

    On the stage, despite being mad at her cousin for wearing the designer of her dreams to her wedding, Asia was quite content. Raymund Laurence and Ayanna Reyes were at her wedding, they were miles above them in social standing and none of her rtives had ever had any guests to their weddings that came even close to those two.

    "Mr. Chu, do you have anything to say to your new wife?" The host asked Mark Chu.

    With the host''s question everyone focused their attention to the stage as if suddenly remembering that they were there for the wedding of these two people.

    Mark was still looking out at the audience and suddenly said "You are the most stunning woman here tonight Adrianna."

    Everyone gasped. When Mark realized what he said he tried to correct himself but it was toote, everyone had heard what he said and it was even caught on camera.

    Ray and Ayanna both burst out inughter, Cedric was furious, and Adrianna blushed in embarrassment.

    "Do I have to deal with him?" Cedric asked Ray.

    Ray, who wasughing so hard, shook his head and called the host over asking for the mic. All eyes were suddenly on him.

    "I''m sure Mark was just admiring my friend''s wife as have most men here tonight. But I''m sorry Mark, Adrianna is painfully loyal to Cedric over here." Ray said with augh. Cedric red at him while the rest of the audience justughed with him.

    Asia stood up and pped her husband before stomping away in anger.

    Edward Chu went up on stage in an attempt to save the night.

    "Please, let''s eat and drink. We''ll get back to the program after." Edward said.

    Despite his attempts to salvage the wedding some people had caught the confession on their phones and began posting it online.

    Soon everyone found out that Mark Chu was in love with his cousin inw. Cedric shook his head and quickly called Ram.

    "I saw the video! Ray sent it to me." Ram saidughing.

    "Get rid of the name." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    Ray on the other hand had left to discuss with the Chus the embarrassment they had just caused Adrianna.

    Within ten minutes Ray had managed to get the Chus to apologize to Adrianna and Ram had managed to miraculously have any mention of Adrianna''s name removed from the videos and thements.

    "Adrianna, dad called for you." Margaret said as she approached Cedric''s and Adrianna''s table.

    "I''ll go with you." Cedric said as he stood up to apany her.

    "Dad said family only." Margaret hissed.

    "He''s my husband." Adrianna said, defending Cedric.

    Margaret didn''t want to argue anymore since there were important guests on the same table.

    In a smaller function room the Hernandez family gathered, with Asia sitting at the center sobbing.

    "Uncle, you called for me?" Adrianna asked as she approached.

    "We need to resolve this. Adrianna, I''m sorry to ask this of you, but can you apologize to everyone?" Adrianna''s Uncle Matthew asked.

    "You bitch! You couldn''t handle me marrying better than you!" Asia screamed as she lunged to hit Adrianna.

    Luckily Cedric was there and he quickly caught Asia and pushed her away.

    "What right do you have to push me! You worthless man!" Asia shouted.

    "Asia, calm down." Asia''s mom, Celine Hernandez, said as she tried to get her daughter to sit back down. ??Adrianna will go up on the stage and apologize for this."

    Everyone looked at her, waiting for her to nod and agree with what they wanted.

    "If you hadn''t tried to attack me I would have done it." Adrianna said, holding on to Cedric''s hand. She was taking strength from the fact that her husband stood next to her and would support her no matter what. "It''s not my fault that your husband finds me pretty. Should I make myself ugly for him to be honest or to control himself? It''s not my job to make him love you."

    Cedric grinned at his wife''s words. With Adrianna standing up to her family it allowed Cedric more room to act in response to all the bad things they had done to his wife and to him.

    "Adrianna, please, think of the family." Her Uncle Matthew said.

    Cedric didn''t want Adrianna to make it sound like she had seduced a man that had just gotten married that day. It wasn''t her fault, all Adrianna did that day was to stay by Cedric''s side.

    ??I said no. If you insist any further, my husband and I will leave." Adrianna said, putting her foot down.

    "There is no need for that." Uncle Matthew said with a sigh.

    "I can''t believe you''re taking her side in this uncle! It''s my wedding day. I managed to unite the Hernandez family with the Chus, who are much richer and much more powerful than us! Because of me both Raymund Laurence and Ayanna Reyes have noticed the Hernandez family!" Asia said proudly.

    Cedric wanted to p her. He resisted since he was sure his wife wouldn''t approve and on the ount that Asia was pregnant.

    "Asia, did you forget that it was your cousin that managed to bring Elisia Corp. into the fold. And don''t get me started on the foul way you managed to get pregnant with Mark Chu''s child. We are lucky he is marrying you rather than asking you to abort the child." Uncle Matthew scolded Asia.

    Out of the blue Edward Chu knocked on the door to the smaller function room.

    ??Ah, Matthew and Adrianna, just the people I was looking for. Could I discuss something with you?" Edward asked.

    "My husbandes with me." Adrianna insisted.

    Everyone was puzzled with Adrianna''s sudden clinginess to her husband. It seemed that she wanted him with her at every moment.

    Edward Chu paid no mind and agreed.

    They went to the hallway and Edward made sure that it was empty.

    "What happened earlier was Mark''s fault. He will take the stage and apologize in public. As a symbol of our apology we will also offer one of our projects with Mr. Laurence to Inds Inc. under Miss Adrianna''s department." Edward said with downcast eyes. To Cedric he looked like a child that had just been scolded by his parents for not ying nice.

    Of course Edward Chu had been scolded by Ray for embarrassing Adrianna. He didn''t question why Ray defended Adrianna, he knew that for some reason this couple was quite close to the Laurence family. He had seen some of their interaction while they were at Kashmere. They were even present when Ray had Asia thrown off the ind.

 Chapter 115 - 115

    Things seemed to calm down what Adrianna and Cedric returned to the main room for the reception. People were still whispering about Mark''s shocking confession but they weren''t talking in front of her anymore.

    "Did he talk to you?" Ray asked Cedric. ??

    "He spoke to Adrianna. We should see an apology in a while. I have no idea how they will bend this." Cedric said.

    "I feel bad that he isn''t apologizing to Asia." Adrianna sighed.

    "She tricked him first." Ayanna said coldly.

    True to their word, the Chu family took to the stage and apologized to Adrianna for dragging her name through a scandal. They also announced that as a symbol of their sincere apology they would be giving Ind''s Inc. a piece of their most cherished projects with the Laurence family.

    "You''re just finding a way to help Adrianna without directly helping her." Cedric used his friend. He had told them about his deal with Adrianna, wherein he would avoid doing anything as the Reyes Heir to help her out. In turn he had also told his friends to cut back a little on the support they had been extending.

    "She''s my soon to be sister inw. Of course I''ll help her." Ray teased.

    Ayanna was not amused by his joke and elbowed him on the chest. Ray anticipated this and caught the elbow.

    "Now darling, don''t be so rough" Ray teased with a wink.

    Ayanna rolled her eyes and ced down her arm.

    After embarrassing himself and his new wife, Mark Chu made sure to be careful of all of his actions the rest of the night.

    Before the program had even ended Adrianna told Cedric that she was feeling tired and wanted to go home. Cedric obliged and asked his inws if they wanted to leave as well. Gracia and Charles decided to stay.

    With Cedric and Adrianna leaving the party, Ray and Ayanna also saw no reason for them to stay, so they left as well.

    With no one at the Reyes House, Ayanna chose to sleep at Mountain View that night.

    When they got back home Cedric was surprised to see Alexi waiting for him in the living room.

    "Don''t you have some girl to do tonight?" Cedric teased as Adrianna smacked him gently.

    "What? Alexi is actually a yboy!" Cedricined.

    "I''ll head up." Adrianna said, kissing Cedric on the cheek.

    "Ray and I found out more. He said he was on his way here, so I was supposed to wait for the two of you. And yes, a girl is waiting for me in my bed right now." Alexi said with a wink.

    "You''re disgusting. Let''s wait for him in my office. I''m pretty sure he left after we did." Cedric said as he led Alexi into his home office.

    Within five minutes Ray arrived and joined them.

    "What did you find out?" Cedric asked.

    "Our suspicions were right. Carlos De Dios had been looking for Hannah G. and we led him right to her." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "So Carlos now knows that his son survived and that he is working inside Mor Co." Cedric was furious. They led Carlos De Dios to the very person he was looking for and they had lost their advantage.

    "It was only a matter of time. We got lucky that we found her first." Ray said.

    "There''s another thing." Alexi started. "We found out that Carlos isn''t being backed by just one person, rather he is being backed by a group of people. We haven''t figured out the connection yet, but they all seem to be people who have recentlye to money and power." Alexi exined.

    "Let''s keep an eye and an ear out for them. For now let''s all go home and rest." Cedric said, leading his friends out.

    When Cedric came back in, Ayanna was sitting in the living room waiting for him.

    "Brother I want to talk." Ayanna said.

    "Then talk. Nothing ever stops you." Cedric teased.

    "I''m serious Ced!" Ayannained.

    "How long do I have to pretend to be Ray''s girlfriend?" Ayanna asked.

    "Till we know what we''re up against and how to protect against it." Cedric didn''t need to sugar coat things or tone things down with his sister. He knew that despite her childish attitude around him and those familiar to her she was quite a mature woman. "Is something wrong Ayanna?" Cedric asked as he took a seat next to her.

    "I''m confused. About my feelings." Ayanna sighed.

    "About Ray?" Cedric asked. Ayanna nodded vigorously in reply.

    "Well, out with it." Cedric teased.

    "He''s always been around. He''s always taken care of me, he always goes out of his way for me, and I know that I''m the only person he empties a ne for. But I''m afraid that all of this is because I''ve been around his whole life and he''s never had a chance to like a different girl before." Ayanna exined.

    "Ayanna, you''re not the only woman around him. Haven''t you seen the number of girls that attempt to seduce him? Just earlier in the party, the waitress tried to rub against him. He immediately asked her to be changed to a guy." Cedric exined.

    "I guess." Ayanna said, unconvinced.

    "Look, why not use this chance to get closer to each other. I mean you like him and he likes you. This is the perfect opportunity for both of you to try." Cedric said

    "I''ll talk to Ray about it. Thanks Ced. Good night." Ayanna said, hugging her brother and heading up stairs to her room.

    When Cedric finally made it to his and Adrianna''s room his wife was still seated in bed ying with her phone.

    "I thought you were tired?" Cedric asked as he began to undress.

    "I am. See I''m resting in bed." Adrianna told her husband with a smile.

    Cedric smiled back and took a quick shower before joining her in bed.

    Adrianna ced her head on Cedric''s chest and sighed.

    "Do you think things would be better if you told the public who you really were?" Adrianna asked.

    "Well people would stop looking down at you and me. They would probably be afraid of us, and we would get VIP treatment wherever we went." Cedric told his wife as he pulled her closer to him.

    "That sounds so peaceful." Adrianna said as she considered the option.

    "But it woulde at a cost. Men and women would try to break us apart. Scandals and issues would pop up non-stop. The people around us would always have an agenda and we would never know who we could trust. Then there is the matter of safety. Yes, Carlos De Dios managed to figure out my pattern, but he is not the only enemy the Reyes family has." Cedric exined with a sigh.

    "There is a reason why Ayanna has a fleet of bodyguards following her at all times. It''s the same reason why Ray makes sure to empty any ne she rides. Our family did not get to the level it''s at by ying nice. We''ve ruined lives, careers, dreams, and Adrianna, it won''t stop with me. Sometimes in the defense of what is good and what we see as right we end up ruining more than just one person." Cedric exined.

    "Don''t worry Cedric. I understand." Adrianna said kissing her husband passionately.

    "How long has it been?" Cedric said as he pressed himself on his wife.

    "Almost two months." Adrianna giggled.

    "Well I''m sure you''re only shy in public." Cedric said as he began to leave a trail of kisses on Adrianna as he reached under her shirt.

 Chapter 116 - 116

    It was already two in the morning by the time Cedric and Adrianna finished. Despite being exhausted Cedric woke up before 7 am the next day. He still had to go to Mor Co. and deal with some matters.

    When he got down to eat breakfast his parents and Adrianna''s parents were already having breakfast. Gracia was recounting Mark Chu''s embarrassing episode to Prisci and Emilio when Cedric joined them. ??

    "I''m assuming you dealt with it?" Emilio asked his son.

    "Yeah. Ray and Ram helped me out. You know how it is dad." Cedric said as he ate a spoonful of rice.

    "Where''s Adri?" Gracia asked.

    "Exhausted. None of you are to wake her up." Cedric said with a grin.

    Emilio suddenly burst out inughter at what Cedric said. He understood what his son meant while the other elders took a while to process why Adrianna was so tired. When it hit them Gracia was at a loss on how to react.

    "Hurry up and give me grandkids Cedric. You''ve been married for years already. Gracia, do you want toe with me? Why don''t we visit the traditional doctor to see if there is anything Adrianna can take to speed up the process." Prisci said excitedly.

    Gracia who had be Prisci''s constantpanion nodded and agreed, still wearing her lost look.

    "Mmmmm. Breakfast smells good!" Ayanna said as she came down the stairs.

    "Ayanna, do you have any ns for the day?" Prisci said in an attempt to bring her daughter along on their odd shopping spree.

    "Yes mom. Ray is picking me up. We need to make a few public appearances." Ayanna said, picking up a piece of bread on the table.

    "Too bad. I guess it''s just us Gracia." Prisci said with a smile.

    After breakfast Cedric went up to their bedroom to check on Adrianna, just as he had expected his wife was still fast asleep, clearly exhausted. After everything they had gone through Cedric was quite determined to have a child.

    After changing to his office clothes he left a note at Adrianna''s bedside telling her that he went ahead to the office and that he had hired a driver just for her.

    Due to the continued threat to his life, Cedric arrived in Mor Co. using his Maserati Levante which he had reinforced with a heavier body and bullet proof windows. Cedric had all the Reyes cars altered including those that his inws now used.

    Cedric had even assigned a secret security detail for Charles and Gracia whenever they went out. However, recently Gracia was always with his mom so it was easier to ensure their safety.

    At Mor Co. Cedric began work with multiple meetings, mostly on the expansion of Mor Co. into a bigger market and a new industry. Ian was always at the head of these meetings and Cedric took a back seat letting his friend and former secretary take the lead.

    Ian excelled at the new responsibility Cedric had given him, based on their initial timelines it would take another year for Mor Co. to expand to the size Cedric wanted, but with Ian at the helm that time was cut in half. Cedric reviewed the ns repeatedly and found no ws or major risks.

    "Ian, at this rate dad will move me to the main office and I''d have to leave you here." Cedric teased as they ate lunch.

    "Ced, I have no intention of letting you leave me behind at Mor Co. Your dad told me that wherever you were assigned I had to follow." Ian told Cedric.

    "Be careful with your words Ian, people might start saying I''m gay, like Ray." At that the two men burst intoughter. They both knew it irritated Ray that people thought he was gay, not that they thought there was something wrong with it. Ray just felt that it weakened his chances with Ayanna.

    While they were having their lunch Adrianna called Cedric up.

    "Hey honey. Did you just wake up?" Cedric asked sweetly.

    "Why didn''t you wake me up? I''m supposed to have a meeting with Ray and the Chuster at 3pm. It''s 12:30pm and I haven''t even gone to the office yet." Adrianna was mad at Cedric for letting her sleep in.

    "I tried. You were too tired. Maybe we shouldn''t have done it so many timesst night." Cedric teased over the phone.

    "Then let''s not do it on weeknights!" Adrianna said sternly.

    "No, no. I promise to be gentler and kinder." Cedric said.

    "I''ve got to go. I''ll see you tonight. I love you." Adrianna said, dropping the call.

    "You should bully your wife less." Ian said, shaking his head.

    "Like you just give Nicole the cold version of you?" Cedric asked, teasing his friend.

    "I don''t have the luxury of dating. Women are only a distraction at this point." Ian said as he continued to focus on his food.

    "Or is it because you''re afraid of getting hurt?" Cedric asked. "You''re twenty seven! Don''t tell me you''ve never dated, because I know you have."

    "They weren''t serious. All just casual, and Nicole is serious material." Ian admitted.

    "Do you like her or not?" Cedric asked.

    Ian ignored Cedric''s question and continued to eat.

    Back at the office, just as Cedric sat at his desk Cami came in with several papers for him to sign as well as a report on how badly Mark''s wedding scandal affected Ind''s Inc.

    "Sir, based on what we managed to gather, the wedding is still the talk of the town." Cami said.

    "Even among the employees, it''s quite a hot topic." Ian added.

    "What are they saying?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, two things sir. They are talking about how even if Asia managed to worm her way into the Chu family with a pregnancy it''s clear that Mark Chu won''t be faithful. Then there is how Adrianna must have a powerful backer to get the Chus to apologize to her rather than to the bride." Ian said as he flipped through the report. Despite already heading the expansion team, it was in work like this that Ian excelled.

    "I wouldn''t want to be Asia right now." Cami said, shaking her head.

    "At least the bacsh on Adrianna wasn''t too much. Keep an eye on the news and on social media. I want my wife protected. If there is something you can''t handle, call Ram''s assistant. They already know the situation." Cedric instructed.

    After signing all the documents Cami had left, Cedric stood up and looked out the window. He could clearly see Ind Inc.''s office. He smiled at the thought that his wife could also be looking out the window at the same time, looking back at him.

 Chapter 117 - 117

    Cedric''s guess was right. Adrianna was also standing by her window looking directly at Mor Co., hoping the same things as him. She was interrupted with Mia knocked on the door to remind her about her 3pm meeting with the Chus and Ray.

    Ray had set the meeting to be held at Bamboo Room. Due to the recent news that he and Ayanna were now dating, paparazzi followed them everywhere, and this was done on purpose. Cedric wanted everyone to know that going after Ayanna meant offending more than just one powerful family, so aside from Mark Chu''s wedding blunder, social media was also filled with sightings of the new "it" couple. ??

    When news spread that Ray, Ayanna, Mark, and Adrianna were meeting at Bamboo Room for a project, the press flocked the streets leading to the restaurant.

    The first car they spotted arriving was Mark Chu''s, true to being a second generation heir he rode a yellow sports car to the meeting. Since the Bamboo Room had its ownpound and was surrounded on one side by high walls and a gate, the paparazzi were only able to capture photos of the car and the driver as he zoomed by.

    When the paparazzi saw Raymund Laurence''s Rolls Royce surrounded by security vehicles arrive they quickly snapped photos. They knew that he had arrived with Ayanna Reyes, since theirpanions also camped out in the mall where Ayanna and Ray were seen shopping like a happy couple. What surprised the paparazzi was the amount of security that surrounded the couple. Normally there would only be one vehicle trailing behind, the press were simply forced to assume that the additional security was for crowd control.

    The paparazzi were just waiting for one guest to arrive, Adrianna Hernandez-Reyes. They had stalked Adrianna in the past and knew that she drove a mid-priced ck SUV. From the information they gathered Bamboo Room was on a limited ess booking for the day since Ray would be having a meeting there, so there were barely any cars passing by.

    They saw one or two more sports cars and high end cars zooming by. They ignore those since they were probably some VIP guests or other business partners that were insignificant to the press. After a few minutes they were surprised to see a ck Rolls Royce surrounded by five security vans. Clearly whoever was the passenger was important, and that list was a very short list, so the paparazzi shot photos as well.

    Inside Adrianna insinctively ducked, Mia who was seated next to her quickly took a look outside and realized that Adrianna was ducking to the shes of the cameras.

    "Miss, the windows are heavily tinted, they wouldn''t be able to see you." Mia told Adrianna.

    Adrianna visibly rxed as they entered the gates of Bamboo Room''spound. Cedric had been worried about this meeting since he expected that there would be a lot of people wanting to take a photo of either Mark Chu or of Ray and Ayanna. He decided to send his car and a security detail to make sure that Ayanna was safe. It also worked as a brilliant disguise since people didn''t expect her to arrive in an expensive car.

    When Adrianna''s car never passed by the paparazzi were disappointed. It seemed Adrianna had given up the chance to work with the Laurence family.

    Inside thepound Adrianna got out of the car and headed inside with Mia in tow. The whole restaurant was empty except for the scenic and famous window table. Aside from Mark, Ray, and Ayanna there were two more men sitting at the table.

    When Mark Chu saw Adrianna he quickly got up to escort her to her seat.

    "Cousin inw, so d you could make it!" Mark greeted cheerfully as he attempted to hook her arm.

    Adrianna quickly to a side step to avoid Mark from touching her. Ayanna, who had been watching the scene unfold giggled in her seat. Mark looked like the love of his life had just broken up with him, but he didn''t give up and pulled her seat back.

    Adrianna didn''t say anything and chose to just sit down.

    "Great. We''re all here." Ray said as he signaled the waiters over to bring them some drinks.

    "Mr. Laurence it''s an honor to meet you. The Chu family did us a great favor by involving us in this project." One of the men said in a clear attempt to suck up to Ray.

    Ray simply nodded and waited for his drink to be served.

    "Mr. Lauence, if I may introduce you to the other partners I''ve invited, these are Franco Alvez and Anton Cruz." Mark said, introducing the other two men.

    Again Ray simply nodded.

    Something about Anton Cruz felt familiar to Adrianna, she felt like she had met him before and that he had left a bad impression on her, she just couldn''t ce what it was.

    The group moved on to discuss the partnership, during the whole meeting Ray and Ayanna remained quiet and kept their imposing aura. It was like the king and queen were holding court while the subjects all spoke among themselves.

    Since the main proprietor of the project was the Chu family it was Mark Chu that led the meeting, he quickly settled any questions that Adrianna or the other two men had. At the end of the day when the terms and the work were agreed on Mark said that he would have his assistant send over the contracts to their respectivepanies.

    Since the meeting had gone smoothly the group all went out together. Since their security detail took a while to assemble Adrianna, Ray, and Ayanna would have to wait a while.

    When Anton Cruz''s car came up Adrianna was quietly messaging her husband that their meeting was over.

    "What''s that bitch doing here?" A shrill annoying voice said from inside the car.

    Anton Cruz who didn''t expect his wife to react so harshly tried to calm her down.

 Chapter 118 - 118

    When Adrianna looked up from her phone she saw Lorisa De Jesus inside Anton''s car.

    "Lorisa, babe, calm down. Let''s just go." Anton said in an attempt to avoid his wife from embarrassing him any further, but it was toote. Lorisa had gotten down from the car and walked up to Adrianna. ??

    "What the hell are you doing here? Don''t you know this is an exclusive meeting? Are you someone''s assistant?" Lorisa said pushing Adrianna.

    Adrianna almost fell if it weren''t for Mia being behind her. Mia was about to do something when Adrianna stopped her.

    Before Adrianna could even say a word, Anton Cruz pulled his wife back and shoved her in the car.

    "Mr. Laurence, I''m sorry about my wife. She just doesn''t know how to control herself." Anton Cruz said apologetically to Ray.

    "Hmph. She should know who she can afford to offend." Ayanna scoffed.

    Thinking that Ayanna was warning about offending Ray or herself Anton continued to apologize until Ray told him to leave.

    Due to therge security detail they had to bring along Adrianna, Ray, and Ayanna were left at the entrance after Mark Chu left.

    "I didn''t realize that he was Lorisa''s husband." Adrianna said with a sigh.

    "Who is that slut anyway? She looks like a social climber, did you see her clothes dripping with logos and that god awful jewelry!" Ayanained.

    Adriannaughed. "Her name is Lorisa De Dios. She went to university with me and your brother. Her family isn''t from money, they just recently stumbled upon a significant amount and she managed to go to our school. She''s always been a social climber. You know she could have ended up as your sister inw." Adrianna exined with a tease.

    "My brother has better taste than that!" Ayanna said with a disgusted look.

    "She had a crush on him and was bitter when we started dating." Adrianna exined as her car pulled up.

    "I''ll be going straight home. I''ll just see you there." Adrianna said with a smile as she got into her car and left.

    Cedric was already home by the time Adrianna arrived.

    "No overtime?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Nope." Cedric said as he came up behind her and hugged her.

    "Cedric, I just came from outside. I need to take a bath." Adriannained.

    "I can give you a bath." Cedric teased as he kissed her neck.

    "I woke upte this morning because of you!" Adriannained.

    "You don''t really need to work." Cedric told his wife.

    "You can''t be serious!" Adrianna scolded him.

    "It''s been two months." Cedricined as he continued to kiss her from behind.

    "No. It''s been a little over twelve hours!" Adrianna said, correcting him.

    "But I''m hungry." Cedricined like a child.

    "Then go to the kitchen and have the maid cook something. And don''t eat too much, it''ll ruin your appetite." Adrianna said feigning innocence

    "That''s not what I want to eat!" Cedric said as he lifted his wife and carried her into their bathroom.

    What Adrianna had intended to be a quick bath ended up being a passionate moment between husband and wife. By the time they finished the parents were already at the dining table wondering what was taking the couple so long to go down.

    When Adrianna and Cedric came down Ayanna and Ray also just arrived.

    "Ah, how good it is to be young and so full of energy!" Emilio eximed seeing the two couples.

    "Dad! Ray and I aren''t really dating!" Ayannained. Unfortunately for her no one believed her since they all knew that she and Ray liked each other.

    "Adrianna dear, your mom and I bought some tonics that should help you and Cedric conceive!" Prisci said handing Adrianna a paper bag of bottles. "Although seeing as how often you guys do it, I''m not sure you need this."

    Adrianna was at a loss for words and could do nothing but blush.

    "Hurry up you two, I want to have a little niece or nephew to y with and to spoil!" Ayanna teased.

    "Why don''t you make one yourself?" Cedric teased back as he helped his wife to her seat.

    "I''m- We''re not married!" Ayanna finally managed to answer.

    "Many couples have kids out of wedlock now. And if marriage is an issue, you and Ray could head off to a government office anytime and have your marriage done. The church wedding can just follow." Cedric said with a grin. Check and mate! He said in his head as he backed his sister into an imaginary corner.

    "You''re annoying and I''m hungry. Come on Ray. Let''s eat." Ayanna said as she sat at the dining table.

    During the whole exchange the normally lively Ray did not manage to get a word in, something Cedric would tease him aboutter on in the night.

    "Guess who I saw today?" Adrianna told Cedric as they ate.

    "Mmmm?" Cedric mumbled.

    "Lorisa De Dios. Apparently her husband''spany will be working on Ray''s project with the Chus as well." Adrianna said.

    "Ray, deal with it." Cedric said without lifting his head.

    "No. I can do this. You promised not to interfere!" Adrianna said, scolding her husband.

    "Don''t worry Adrianna, Cedric will stick to his promise." Prisci said as she gave a warning look at her son.

    "Okay, I won''t." Cedric said, raising his hands in surrender. "Had I known you would gang up on me like this I wouldn''t have invited you all to live here!"

    Everyoneughed at Cedric''sint.

    The next day Adrianna woke up refreshed. She had been so exhausted because of Cedric that once dinner was done she immediately fell asleep.

    She checked her schedule and saw that the next few weeks would mostly be meeting with Anton Cruz''spany. She let out a sigh, things would be so much easier if she would let Cedric interfere.

 Chapter 119 - 119

    Cedric had a big event for Mor Co. that would be attended by his friends. It was part of the expansion that he had let Ian lead. As the endorser of Mor Co. Eric was going to be there, and wherever Eric went there was sure to be a big crowd.

    "Will you attend the event?" Cedric asked Adrianna as he helped her zip up her dress. ??

    "As what? There is no reason for me to attend." Adrianna exined.

    "As the wife of an employee and a fan of Eric''s. Or have you forgotten that people still think I''m my own assistant." Cedic said with augh.

    "I honestly forgot that. Now I rememberining at Nationalia when you saved me!" Adrianna said with a blush.

    "Hahaha! That was funny. But I''m d to see that my wife is painfully loyal." Cedric said as he lifted her gaze with her chin and kissed her passionately.

    "Mmm. My makeup, you''ll ruin it. Then we will both bete for work." Adriannained.

    "I own thepany. I can''t bete for work." Cedric said as he deepened the kiss.

    "You''re being irresponsible." Adrianna said pushing him away and leaving him alone in their room. Cedric simplyughed and followed after her.

    The event was at 7pm in the evening, this was to allow Eric''s working fans to go to the mall where the event was going to be held and catch a glimpse of their idol.

    When Eric arrived his fans went wild. Women were screaming and waving, and there was a furry of shes and clicking sounds as they took photos of him.

    While Cedric drew their attention, Cedric and Adrianna arrived separately from different directions. Cedric was wearing his disguise as his bodyguards guided him to the backstage dressing room where his friends and wife were waiting.

    "My older brother really knows how to draw a crowd!" Miguelmented as Cedric came in.

    "They aren''t here just to see him. Ray''s and Ayanna''s rtionship also has a lot of people curious about them. And let''s not forget the five princes are in this mall in full force today." Veronica teased.

    "I do have my own set of fans." Miguel boasted.

    "Please, I think Cedric is the current vor of the five princes fans." Veronicaughed.

    "Do you think they''ll give up when they find out that he is married?" Ram asked.

    "Nope. The forbidden fruit is always the best." Alexi said with a grin.

    "Hey Alexi, my wife is here!" Cedric said, rolling his eyes.

    Suddenly the noiseing from outside got louder, this meant that Eric was close to the backstage dressing room.

    "Adrianna, you might want to stay out of view from the crowd." Ayanna said as she pulled her sister inw further into the room.

    The door suddenly burst open and the screaming of the fans got louder. Eric went in and immediately closed the door.

    "I''m not sure if I still enjoy this." Eric said with a sigh as he scanned the room.

    "Nicole, Natalia, and Katerina are not here. They have work." Cedric said, knowing who Eric was looking for.

    "Are the six of us really going out there?" Eric asked.

    "You and Cedric are. We''re just gonna be in the crowd." Alexi said as he and the others began to walk out.

    "Adrianna is staying in here with me. We''ll just watch things on the TV." Veronica said.

    After ten minutes, the host finally got the crowd to calm down and began the event. In the backstage Cedric did some final checks to make sure that his face was well hidden and that his clothes were pristine.

    Adrianna came over to help him straighten his cor and fix his suit.

    "Good luck." Adrianna said as she gave him a hug.

    Cedric nodded. "Make sure to leave with Veronica before we go. She''s not supposed to be here. Ram just forced her."

    "Alright." Adrianna said with a nod.

    After a while Cami came in and told Cedric and Eric it was time to go up on the stage.

    The event today was purely promotional, so all they had to do was go up, give a few speeches, and encourage people to support Mor Co.

    As usual Cedric was his distant cold self as the Reyes Heir, while Eric was the warm star that all the girls had a crush on.

    "Thank you for having me Mr. Reyes!" Eric said politely.

    "I''m just d that you epted our invitation." The Reyes Heir said in a rare jest. With his light hearted joke the girls in the audience all swooned at the Reyes Heir.

    Most had their phones up, constantly snapping photos or taking videos. They were switching between the VIP guests at the front and the two handsome men on the stage.

    Right before Cedric''s and Eric''s appearance ended, Veronica and Adrianna left the dressing room and decided to hang out at a coffee shop nearby.

    Adrianna worked on herptop while Veronica was drawing on a tablet and sipping tea. They had been there for about 10 minutes when Adrianna''s phone began to ring. At first she thought it was Cedric looking for her, but she was wrong. It was her friend Julia.

    Before Adrianna could even say hi over the phone, Julia began screaming.

    "HE''S MARRIED!" Julia said.

    "Who''s married? Do you have a new crush?" Adrianna asked. The loud noise didn''t seem to bother Veronica who continued to work across Adrianna.

    "The Reyes Heir is married!" Julia said over the phone. Adrianna suddenly turned pale.

    "W- w- what did you say?" Adrianna managed to say. Veronica noticed the change in Adrianna''s behavior and ced her tablet down to ask what was wrong.

    Adrianna ced her phone on the table and ced it on loud speaker.

    "The Reyes Heir is married. He had an event today at Elisia Mall Downtown and he was wearing a wedding ring! The photos are all over the inte." Julia said. Adrianna subconsciously slipped her left hand into her pocket to hide her wedding ring.

    "Are you sure it''s a wedding ring?" Adrianna asked.

    "It was on the finger it should be on!" Julia said.

    "Wait, why are you telling me this?" Adrianna asked.

    "Don''t you know Ayanna Reyes? Could you ask her who it is? I''m so jealous of that woman!" Julia said over the phone.

    "It''s not like you had a chance." Adrianna said with a nervousugh. Adrianna felt awkward, the woman her friend was jealous of was herself.

    "You''re useless. I''m sure the forums have an idea who it is. I''ll just look there." Julia said as she dropped the call.

 Chapter 120 - 120

    After changing out of his disguise, Cedric joined Adrianna and Veronica at the cafe with Cami in tow.

    "Won''t people find this suspicious?" Adrianna asked as Cedric took his seat. ??

    "Right. Cami you should sit too. So that we just look like office mates having coffee after a tiring event." Cedric said, pointing at the seat next to him.

    "Sir, there are rumors again." Cami said, handing Cedric a phone.

    "Oh shoot." Cedric said lifting his left hand.

    "You forgot to take off your wedding ring. You even used your left hand to hold the mic." Adrianna told him.

    "I bet women are now iming to be the young Mrs. Reyes." Veronica teased.

    "Shouldn''t you be going home with your brother?" Cedric hissed at Veronica. He didn''t want another issue about his marriage.

    "Don''t drive Veronica away." Adrianna warned.

    "I can get around on my own. Plus I''m mad at men right now." Veronica said as she went back to work.

    "I don''t think he did anything wrong this time Veronica. He''s just as trapped in this arrangement as you." Cedric told Veronica in a calm voice.

    "What do you n on doing about the marriage issue?" Adrianna asked her husband in an attempt to change the topic.

    "Do I have to do something about it?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    "What if some random woman ims to be your wife?" Adrianna asked.

    "And who would she be trying to sway? Those that matter know the truth. They have met you and you have met them. I don''t see the point." Cedric said.

    "Really, just that?" Adrianna said, clearly unhappy with Cedric''s answer.

    "What do you want me to do? Release a statement saying that you''re the Reyes Heir''s wife?" Cedric said in a hushed tone. "That''s theplete opposite of what you want."

    "Figure it out." Adrianna said as she returned to focus on her work.

    "I''m going back to the office." Cedric said as he stood up and stomped away.

    "You know he is right." Veronica said without looking up. "It''s pointless to say anything since we all know who you are."

    Adrianna ignored Veronica''s advice and continued to work quietly.

    A group of noisy girls soon came into the cafe, this annoyed Veronica, who was trying to focus on her work.

    "What''s so interesting anyway that they need to talk so loudly?" Veronica grumbled.

    "I didn''t even notice the ring! Did you see what it looked like?" One of the girls asked her friend.

    "I have some photos. Maybe we can look at them." Another girl giggled.

    Adrianna normally didn''t listen to other people''s conversations, but the girls were talking so loudly that she couldn''t help it.

    "Oh my. It is there!" One of the girls said with a gasp.

    "Who do you think it is?" Another girl asked.

    "I heard he had an eight year love." Veronica said, unable to hold it in.

    "An eight year love?" One of the girls slowly said.

    "Yeah. He''s so head over heels with that woman that he would do anything for her." Veronica said as she continued to work. At Veronica''s words Adrianna began to blush.

    "Wow, the young Mrs. Reyes must be truly amazing." A girl eximed.

    "Maybe they were childhood sweethearts?" Someone asked.

    "Hey wait. Aren''t you Veronica? The famous designer? Aren''t you friends with Ayanna Reyes?" One of the girls finally managed to recognize Veronica.

    "Maybe we should leave, they''ve recognized you." Adrianna said as she began to close herptop.

    "Yup. That''s me." Veronica said as she began to pack up her things.

    "So you''ve met her?" The girl asked.

    "Yup." Veronica said. "Adri, did you call your ride?" Veronica asked.

    Adrianna just nodded. Despite everything she had been involved in the past in a rumor with the Reyes Heir. Of course that rumor was true, she was after all young Mrs. Reyes, and it was only appropriate for her husband to love her.

    "And aren''t you Adrianna Hernandez-Reyes? Isn''t your husband the Reyes Heir''s assistant? Wasn''t there rumors that the Reyes Heir actually liked you?" The girl asked in a barrage of questions. Adrianna didn''t know how to answer them, denying thest one would make it a lie.

    When the other patrons at the cafe heard this they began to flock asking questions.

    Luckily Mia was nearby and she managed to arrange for the bodyguards to escort Adrianna and Veronica out of the cafe and safely to Adrianna''s car.

    "Adri, look at what some sites are posting!" Veronica said as she showed Adrianna her phone.

    Women everywhere im to the the young Mrs. Reyes

    ording to a young woman from an illustrious family, she and the Reyes Heir were married over the Christmas holidays. However, she isn''t the only one. Since an event earlier today fans spotted the mysterious Reyes Heir wearing a wedding ring, however no confirmation yet from the Reyes Group.

    There was another post, but this time it was from a gossip forum.

    Spotted! V confirms that the Reyes Heir is married to his long time lover.

    Question? Why was V with a married Miss A at Elisia Malls?

    It was a forum talking about how Veronica confirmed that the Reyes Heir was married and how she was seen hanging out in the same mall with Adrianna, who in the past was linked to the Reyes Heir.

    Suddenly a notification popped up in Veronica''s phone.

    Press Conference of the Reyes Group: LIVE NOW

    Adrianna tapped it and watched with Veronica.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, Mr. Emilio Reyes and his wife Mrs. Prisci Reyes is with us now. Please allow them to finish their statements before asking any questions." The host said as the voices in the background quieted down.

    From what Adrianna could make out, the press conference was being held outside of R Tower. She slowly saw her inwse up to the microphone. Emilio Reyes III did not look his age, he actually looked younger than he actually was. He had a bright smile on and yet you could feel that this man could end your life with a word. Next to him was her mother inw, Adrianna knew how sweet and gentle the elder Mrs. Reyes was. In front of such a crowd however, she looked every bit the business woman she actually was.

 Chapter 121 - 121

    "Our eldest child is indeed married." At that a flurry of whispers could be hearding from the crowd.

    "They do live together as husband and wife in their own home, where we are keeping thempany for the time being. They are in a very harmonious marriage and are very much in love." Emilio Reyes III announced. ??

    "You may ask questions now." The host announced.

    "Sir! When did they get married?" A reporter asked.

    "Five years ago." Emilio Reyes answered without hesitation. The crowd was shocked. All this while they thought that the couple had been married recently.

    "Sir, is it an arranged marriage?" Another reporter asked.

    "The Reyes family never engages in such things. We believe our children have the right to marry for love." Emilio answered.

    "Does that apply for Miss Ayanna as well?" The reporter asked.

    "Yes." Emilio answered.

    "Sir, is the young Mrs. Reyes from a reputable family?" A reporter asked.

    This time Prisci Reyes grabbed the mic and answered instead.

    "My daughter inw is reputable. My son loves her and that''s what matters. I never even looked into her family background." Prisci said as if daring the reporters to question Adrianna''s integrity.

    "Sir, Madam, then what can you say about the rtionship between your son and a Mrs. Adrianna Hernandez-Reyes? There were rumors in the past that your son had fallen for her." A reporter finally asked.

    "Those questions have been answered before. We have a business partnership with Ind''s Inc. and Adrianna is a good friend of Ayanna." Emilio Reyes said clearly.

    "That''s all the time we have. Mr. and Mrs. Reyes are incredibly busy so we will end the press con here." The host said as Adrianna closed the video on her phone.

    At Mor Co. Cedric had been trying to call Adrianna after he heard about the incident at the cafe. If it weren''t for Mia having already told him Adrianna was safe he would have driven to the mall himself to pick her up.

    Finally Adrianna picked up his call.

    "Honey, I''m on my way home with Veronica. She said she asked to be picked up there." Adrianna told Cedric over the phone.

    Cedric was a bit surprised by her tender tone, when they had just fought at the cafe.

    "Alright. Mom and Dad released a statement to the press. They didn''t say who we are, they just confirmed that we were married." Cedric said.

    "I know, Veronica and I saw the whole thing in the car." Adrianna said.

    Cedric could sense that his wife was happy at the other end of the line. So he said goodbye and dropped the call.

    The next day Adrianna had a meeting with Anton Cruz and his team. Unfortunately this meant that Lorisa wasing along, she met Anton while working at hispany as an intern, Anton was already thirty at the time and there was an eight year age gap between them. Lorisa continued to work at Anton''spany even after they got married.

    The meeting was held in Anton''s office in the business district of the capital. Mia drove Adrianna in the least ring of their cars, an older Audi. This car however, like all of Cedric''s cars had been upgraded to withstand bullets and a crash, of course Mia''s team followed undercover as they drove to the meeting ce.

    Adrianna brought over a marketing, sales, and operations manager who would be working on the project. She was quite confident with the team she had assembled as they seemed to be the most capable ones in Ind''s Inc. based on Adrianna''s observations.

    They were escorted into the meeting room to wait after a while Lorisa and Anton arrived. Lorisa looked at Adrianna from head to toe, but didn''t say anything. It seemed her husband had warned her to behave.

    "Miss Adrianna, it seems you have quite the close rtionship with Miss Reyes." Anton Cruz said in an attempt to suck up to Adrianna.

    "She''s a friend." Adrianna tly answered. ??Shall we get on to business?" Adrianna said shifting the discussion to work.

    The meeting ended on a peaceful note with Lorisa being very professional about their meeting, however when the meeting ended and Adrianna excused herself to go to thedies'' room, Lorisa followed.

    While she was washing her hands Lorisa approached her.

    "Do you think you''re so high and mighty now that the Reyeses even mentioned your name in a press conference?" Lorisa asked as she pushed Adrianna.

    "I''m here for work Lorisa, not to fight." Adrianna said in an attempt to keep the peace.

    "You''re still a poor man''s wife, you''re still the daughter of a third son. You are still nothing." Lorisa said pushing her again.

    "If I wasn''t mistaken, back in university you were chasing after Cedric. You were the one head over heels with him." Adrianna scoffed.

    "I saw him for the pupper he truly is." Lorisa said, crossing her arms.

    "Someday, I''ll be powerful enough to pay you ten fold the ridicule you have thrown my way." Adrianna said as she marched out of thedies'' room.

    After their encounter Adrianna did not expect to see Lorisa after this since her team would be handling the project and she would only interact with the Cruz couple towards the end. It came to a surprise to Adrianna when her sales manager came over to her office after a week saying that the Cruz camp imed that they weren''t sticking to the contract and that they had to pay damages.

 Chapter 122 - 122

    "Who in thepany is iming we did not stick to the contract?" Adrianna asked.

    "It''s their legal department. They said that we did not provide services that were up to the standards of the contract." The sales manager reported. ??

    "Impossible. We are still at the start of the deal. Everything we have sent over are just samples that can be fixed. How is this a breach in the contract?" Adrianna asked.

    "Miss Adrianna, maybe you could talk to the Cruz family to straighten things out." The sales manager asked.

    "I''ll call for a meeting. If they refuse to acknowledge I might have to bring the issue up to Mark Chu." Adrianna did not want to involve Mark. If she was going to ask for help from anyone she would ask it from her husband, not some manchild that had a crush on her.

    Adrianna dialed Anton Cruz''s number as the manager left.

    "Miss Adrianna, how can I help you?" Anton asked over the phone.

    "I will go straight to the point Mr. Cruz. I was just informed that your legal department is iming that we breached our contract. We''re not even one week into this partnership Mr. Cruz." Adrianna said.

    "I was informed of no such breach!" Anton said in surprise. "Miss Adrianna I will get to the bottom of this. As you know this partnership is crucial to mypany. I will call you with an update."

    After ending the call Adrianna leaned back on her seat. She was feeling more and more tiredtely. She suspected it was probably because Cedric was bing more active in bed. The rooms in Mountain View were all soundproof so there was no need for them to be conscious of disturbing the other residents.

    Adrianna took out her phone and called Cedric.

    Cedric was in the middle of a meeting with the directors of Mor Co. when Adrianna called. He stopped the meeting and dismissed everyone.

    As they exited they gossiped among themselves how Mr. Reyes would drop everything just to pick up a call from his wife.

    "Adri?" Cedirc said as he answered her call.

    "I just wanted to hear your voice." Adrianna hummed as she rested her eyes.

    "Tiring day?" Cedric asked. He knew his wife quite well at this point and knew when she was having a difficult time.

    "Yeah. The Cruzes are being difficult." Adrianna said with a sigh.

    "You know I can deal with them right? You just need to say the word." Cedric told his wife in a serious tone.

    "No, no, no. We had a deal, remember? I can handle this." Adrianna said.

    "Alright. I''ll see you at home tonight? Ayana is flying back tomorrow." Cedric told his wife.

    "Yes. I''ll see you. I''ll have Mia drive. I''ve been so exhaustedtely. It''s our fault." Adriannained.

    "Okay, okay. We can rest for tonight." Cedric said with augh before bidding his wife goodbye.

    After dropping the call Cedric called Cami and asked her to investigate the matter. As long as he didn''t intervene it should be alright.

    Back at Adrianna''s office she waited thirty minutes before Anton Cruz came calling back again.

    "Miss Adrianna, I would like to apologize for the confusion. Someone fed my legal department the wrong information. There is no issue with our partnership." Anton said over the phone.

    "Who was it Mr. Cruz?" Adrianna asked.

    "Ah, no one important. It was a mistake." Anton Cruz said as he tried to hide the culprit.

    "Alright Mr. Cruz. I hope this doesn''t happen again." Adrianna said as she dropped the call.

    On the other end Anton was with his wife Lorisa De Dios-Cruz. He was furious, he never thought his wife would attempt to sabotage his ns.

    He threw a p on her face.

    "Don''t you know how important this project is for us?! Why are you trying to sabotage it for a bitch like her! Don''t risk my hard work in getting close to the Chus." Anton Cruz scolded his wife Lorisa.

    "Then when will I have my chance?" Lorisa asked as she wept.

    "Once this project is done you may do with her as you see fit. We''ll be more powerful and stable then." Anton told his wife as he pinched her chin and kissed her aggressively. Their rtionship had always been like this, Anton spoiled her on the outside, but in private she needed to be his submissive wife.

    Cedric was reviewing some documents when Cami knocked with some news.

    "Sir, we found out who was behind the false information with Mrs. Reyes'' project. It was Lorisa Cruz." Cami told him.

    "Mmm. Thank you. You may go home Cami. I''ll be heading out as well. Please ask my driver and Leon to wait for me in the basement parking." Cedric said as he looked at some final details.

    "Very well sir." Cami said as she left.

    On his way home Cedric checked with Mia if Adrianna had already made it home. Mia confirmed that Adrianna was already in their room resting.

    When he arrived, Cedric found her resting, but not asleep. He gently massaged her shoulders and heard her moan.

    "I did something you won''t like." Cedric admitted.

    "Did you cheat?" Adrianna teased.

    "Nothing like that. I had your problem with Anton Cruz investigated, but I didn''t do anything." Cedric told his wife as he hugged her.

    "What did you find out?" Adrianna asked. She was genuinely curious and didn''t believe Anton''s excuse.

    "It was a set up. Lorisa fed false information to the legal department as well as to various teams in order to sabotage the project. Anton won''t let that happen. The Chus and the Laurences are way too valuable to him." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "I guessed he was hiding something. I just didn''t think his own wife would try to sabotage our project." Adrianna said lost in thought.

    "Can you handle them?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "Yeah. I''m sure I can." Adrianna answered with much confidence.

    "You seem to be glowing now. I''m so proud of you. Now, let''s take a shower then join the rest of the family for dinner." Cedric said as he lifted Adrianna to the bathroom.

 Chapter 123 - 123

    The next day the Reyes and Laurence families sent Ayanna off at the airport. Just likest time Ray apanied Ayanna and would fly back once she was settled in.

    "Will you take it to the next step?" Cedric asked Ray when they were alone at the side. ??

    "Yeah. Will you let me?" Ray asked Cedric.

    Cedric nodded. "In the end it''s Ayanna''s choice. Even my parents won''t object."

    "She''ll think it''s still part of the n." Ray said with a sigh.

    "It still is. Just think of it as a long term engagement. Get to know each other more in this time." Cedric told his best friend.

    "At least it will keep her safe." Ray said with a smile.

    After saying their goodbyes Ayanna and Ray boarded the ne to leave.

    "Two weeks." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "I think she can go a month this time." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "What are you talking about this time?" Prisci Reyes asked her son.

    "Oh, we''re betting on how long Ayanna will stay in America this time." Cedric told his mom.

    "If I''m right he won''t buy me apany, if I''m wrong he''ll buy me a design firm." Adrianna exined rolling her eyes.

    "I''m pretty sure my sister can stay away for longer than a month." Cedric said with a nervousugh.

    Cedric and Adrianna decided to take the rest of the day off from work. Both of them had been incredibly busy recently and they weren''t spending as much time together as they wanted.

    After sending Ayanna and Ray off in the morning they decided to have lunch at the private room in Nouveau.

    They were pleasantly eating their meal when Adrianna''s phone began ringing. When she checked to see who was calling she saw that it was Veronica.

    "What could Veronica want?" Adrianna asked Cedric as she showed him who was calling.

    "Maybe she wants to go shopping?" Cedric said with a shrug.

    "We both know that those girls do things other than shopping." Adrianna said, shaking her head at Cedric as she picked up the call.

    "Adri, where are you?" a sobbing Veronica asked over the phone.

    "I''m with Cedric. We took the day off and we''re now having lunch at Nouveau." Adrianna told the crying woman.

    "Do you think you could send Cedric away? You know what nevermind, he isn''t like them so he''ll understand things better. Please wait for me." Veronica said as she dropped the call.

    Adrianna was puzzled by the call and told Cedric what Veronica had said.

    "I find it weird that she called me instead of one of the sisters." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "It''s probably about something the five of them don''t exactly agree on." Cedric said as he took a bite of his food.

    It seemed that Veronica was in the area, because after five minutes she came in and quickly asked for wine.

    "Don''tin. You can afford what I just ordered." Veronica said before Cedric could evenin.

    Cedric simply sighed and went back to his meal.

    "What''s wrong Veronica? Why did you look for me?" Adrianna asked.

    "It''s something I can''t talk to the other girls about cause they don''t really understand." Veronica said with a sigh.

    "And only my wife can?" Cedric grumbled, clearly unhappy that Veronica had crashed their date.

    "My parents and all our family elders think I''ve spent too much time ying around and it''s time for me to do my filial duty and get married." Veronicained.

    "What does Ram think?" Adrianna asked.

    "Of course Ram is fine with it. He was brought up to be fine with it." Veronica said as she let out a frustrated scream.

    "Here throw this." Cedric said, handing her a te.

    Veronica did as he said and threw the te at the other end of the room.

    "Isn''t that too much?" A surprised Adrianna asked.

    "They are making me marry a man I don''t love! I''m not even allowed to be seen with a guy that people could think I was dating!" Veronicained.

    "He is actually decent, you know. At least you''re engaged to someone you''re familiar with." Cedric said.

    "Don''t you dare take their side on this Cedric Reyes! We both know you''d throw a fit too if this happened too." Veronica threatened.

    "Why can''t you say no?" Adrianna asked.

    "Ah, the bliss of being an outsider." Veronica sighed, shaking her head.

    "With families like ours, you can''t just refuse them. There will always be consequences and they usually turn out bad. For Veronica, they would disown her, so zero inheritance, zero benefits. That would result in her losing around 80% of her clientele and it wouldn''t end there, anyone that she chooses who is weaker than the Abad family will fall and will be forced to leave." Cedric exined grimly.

    "Some are luckier, the Sebastians, the Reyeses, and the Laurences all have a more progessive view on the world. It''s because adapting is what has helped them survive, unlike my family. My family has always relied on the traditions of the past, including arranged marriages." Veronica said.

    "The Laurences only adapted recently. Two generations ago they were still doing arranged marriages, that''s why Ray and Alexi are cousins." Cedric exined.

    "Who do they want you to marry?" Adrianna asked.

    Veronica bust outughing. "He isn''t bad. I just don''t feel anything romantic towards him. He''s smart and good looking, and he''s kind -"

    "It''s Miguel, Miguel Chan." Cedric said cutting Veronica off mid sentence.

    "What? Miguel?" Adrianna was shocked. This whole time she thought it was some stranger she had never met.

    "The upside is, Nicole and I will be sister inws." Veronica said with a sadugh.

    "Are you and Miguel the only ones on this kind of arrangement?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yup. But that hasn''t stopped our families from hoping that we would date amongst ourselves. That''s why Nicole is so careful with not being in a rtionship with Ian. They constantly try to set us up with one another as well." Veronica exined.

    "That''s one of the reasons why both Ayanna and Ray are so hesitant to act on their feelings. They don''t want to fall for each other because it''s what''s expected of them. Much like how you felt Adrianna." Cedric exined to Adrianna.

    "So will they announce your engagement?" Adrianna asked.

    "It all depends on Miguel. If he refuses then we wait, but the Abads will continue to pressure the Chans to make the announcement, so sooner orter we''ll have to announce it." Veronica exined. "I thought I escaped that fate when I became Veronica, but I''m still an Abad, and it''s my duty."

    For a while the room fell silent. Adrianna had no idea on what to say, Veronica was stuck in a dilemma that no one could get her out of.

    "Adri and I are lucky we managed to marry for love." Cedric said as he held his wife''s hand.

    "Thanks for listening to my rant. I can''t exactly take this to the others." Veronica said to the couple.

    "Veronica, give Miguel a chance. You treat him so badly because of this arranged marriage, but he''s just a victim too." Cedric told Veronica.

    Veronica just nodded and left.

    "Will she be alright?" Adrianna asked Cedric.

    Cedric just nodded and escorted his wife out of the restaurant

 Chapter 124 - 124

    After lunch Cedric and Adrianna went to Pris Mall to go shopping. This was the first time they would be going around a mall since Adrianna found out that Cedric was actually the Reyes Heir.

    Unfortunately, old habits die hard, as Adrianna marched into a cheaper store rather than one of the luxury shops that the rich favored. Cedric justughed as he held her hand and leaned in to whisper. ??

    "I think you''ve forgotten that we actually own this mall." Cedric teased.

    Adrianna justughed as she realized how foolish it was that she marched into the shop because she was used to buying cheaper things with Cedric.

    As she and Cedric left the shop they were greeted by a smiling Tony Tamano. The couple smiled back and invited him over for coffee. Tony agreed saying he didn''t have anything better to do the rest of the day anyway.

    "I heard you were supposed to be part of this big project with the Chus." Tony told Adrianna.

    "I am. We''re already in the first week of the partnership." Adriann said with a nod.

    "That''s odd. All the forums said you didn''t show up for the meeting in the Bamboo Room. There were even paparazzi photos, I didn''t see your car." Tony said as he tried to find the post on his phone.

    "Oh, I arrived earlier so the paparazzi didn''t get to take photos." Adrianna said as she quickly came up with an excuse. The paparazzi had actually managed to snap photos of her car, it was just that no one knew that she was in the highly guarded vehicle.

    "So how is the project?" Tony asked.

    "I''ve encountered some issues with the Cruz couple, and we still need to source a supplier for some precious metals and some fabrics." Adrianna said.

    "You know, I might know someone who could help." Cedric teased his wife, of course the someone he was referring to was himself.

    "We don''t have too much work now. We could supply you with those things. And I could give you the family friend price!" Tony boasted.

    "Really Tony? That would be amazing. But you don''t need to give me a discount, Ind''s Inc. can afford to pay." Adrianna said.

    "Give us a moment Tony." Cedric said, pulling his wife to a corner where Tony wouldn''t be able to hear their conversation.

    "You refuse my help, but are willing to take Tony''s help?" Cedric asked.

    "Tony is our friend. He offered to help. Why would I reject it?" To Adrianna there were no issues in having Tony be the supplier for the project.

    "Why can''t you just ept my help?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    "If you were to help me out, what would you do?" Adrianna asked as she crossed her arms.

    "I would get some suppliers from the Reyes Group of course." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "First of all, we had a deal, I am going to do things my way, on my own, without your support until I can stand on the same stage as you. Second, there is still a chance you would end up getting Tony as your supplier, he already works with Ray, I''m sure the quality of his materials meet Ray''s standards." Adrianna exined to her husband.

    Cedric wasn''t happy with the arrangement or her answers, he honestly didn''t like other men helping his wife, she was his wife after all. But Cedric made a promise, he said he wouldn''t interfere unless absolutely necessary. So he let the issue go and returned back to their table with Adrianna.

    "I''ll take your deal Tony." Adrianna said as she extended her hand to shake his.

    Tony smiled and took Adrianna''s hand and shook it. "Thanks Mrs. Reyes."

    Adrianna suddenly froze. "What did you say?" Adrianna asked.

    "Mrs. Reyes. Isn''t Cedric''sst name Reyes?" Tony said innocently.

    "Ah, yes." Adrianna was taken by surprise since very few people referred to her as Mrs. Reyes. Most of those that did were either part of the Reyes family staff or their friends and rtives that knew Cedric''s real identity. Outside people still called her Miss Adrianna or Miss Hernandez, it was their way of saying that her husband was born lower than her and that his family name meant little to them.

    "I can give you the discount Adrianna. I earned quite a lot when I made the Northstar Set for Mr. Laurence." Tony said looking at the ring on Adrianna''s finger.

    "Oh, you did. That''s great." Adrianna couldn''t help feel like something was off with Tony''sment.

    "I thought you said the rings were fake or an imitation Tony?" Cedric said, quick to remind Tony not to think too much into the ring Adrianna was wearing.

    "I''ve seen your wedding rings a couple of times already Cedric." Tony said, offering no other exnation.

    "What are you trying to say Tony?" Adrianna nervously asked.

    "Don''t you think that conversation should be held somewhere more private?" Tony asked Cedric.

    "Out with it." Cedric said in amanding voice, however this didn''t startle Tony at all.

    "There is only one set of your wedding rings Cedric. I should have known that Mr. Laurence wouldn''t just give it to anyone. When I saw the photos online I thought at first they just looked simr, but I personally provided the stones and the metal for those rings. I could never be mistaken." Tony told Cedric.

    Adrianna was surprised that Tony had seemed to have figured out who Cedric was with just the ring he wore.

    "Why don''t youe home with us Tony? We moved to a new house, we can continue our chat there." Cedric said with a bitter grin.

    Tony simply nodded and followed Cedric and Adrianna as they drove to Mountain View.

 Chapter 125 - 125

    Since it was the middle of the day, all of their parents were not at home. Emilio Reyes was at R Tower, Charles Hernadez was at the University for a lecture, while Prisci Reyes had dragged Gracia Hernandez to apany her on a work trip. So the Mountain View mansion was empty, Cedric invited Tony to the study as Tony looked around in awe of the house.

    "I figured either you posed as the Reyes Heir''s body double or you were him." Tony said as he took a seat. ??

    Adrianna came in after them as she had given instructions to the help to send in tea, coffee, and some snacks.

    "So our wedding rings gave it away?" Adrianna asked.

    "To the untrained eye, those rings look asmon as any other wedding ring, but to me, I clearly know what makes them different." Tony exined.

    "Now that you know who I am, I expect you want something." Cedric said without beating around the bush. The moment they stepped into the study Cedric had taken on his frigid

    persona as the Reyes Heir.

    "Just a project or two. I know you as Cedric, not the Reyes Heir. I honestly prefer Cedric over this cold and scary guy you are now." Tony said, as he had no reason to hide that he wanted something in return for knowing the truth and being a friend to the couple. "Is Cedric really like this? How can you stand it?" Tony asked Adrianna.

    "Nah. His real personality is as Cedric, not this one." Adrianna said with a smile as she went over to hug her husband. She wasn''t ashamed to show affection in front of Tony, the man had after all shown them kindness in the past and was somewhat familiar with the couple.

    Adrianna''s hug seemed to thaw Cedric''s frosty persona as his straight face turned into a happier one.

    "The two projects will not be a problem. I''ll see if I can get you anymore. I think there is something with Mor Co. that we can set up, since Mor Co. may need some of the metals your family mines." Cedric told Tony.

    "I guess knowing the Reyes Heir has its perks." Tony said with a nervousugh. Despite being the one that asked for the projects he still didn''t know if Cedric would actuallye after him since he knew who he actually was.

    "Rx, as long as you don''t tell people who I actually am, I won''t do anything to you. And as long as we are on good terms, if you need anything, you cane to me." Cedric said in a friendlier tone. At that Tony visibly rxed.

    A maid knocked and announced that Ram had just arrived.

    Cedric told the maid to bring Ram into the study.

    When Ram came in he was surprised to see Tony Tamano sitting with the couple.

    "You''re familiar." He quickly told Tony.

    "Yes. I embarrassed myself in the Bamboo Room before Christmas. I think you were having dinner with Mr. Laurence. I even assumed that Miss Nicole Chan was some low born woman trying to get in with you guys." Tony said, admitting to his blunder.

    "Ah yes." Ram said with a thoughtful nod. "How''d he find out?" Ram asked Cedric as he pointed at the innocent Tony.

    "He supplies the rings to Lau Jewelries. Ray gave me and Adrianna a pair of one of a kind rings, he saw the photos online and put two and two together." Cedric briefly exined.

    "See I''m the better friend. I do things to keep your secret, a secret." Ram said, praising himself.

    Adrianna felt awkward since only a few hours ago she was with a crying Veronica who was furious at her family.

    "Tony, this is Ramon Abad, he currently manages his family''s businesses Abad TV Network and Lights Entertainment, among others." Cedric said as he introduced Ram to Tony.

    "Ram this is Tony Tamano, he''s from one of the northern provinces, I think they run a mine and some raw material sourcing." Cedric said, he was honestly not so sure what kind of businesses the Taman family was involved in.

    Ram nodded to acknowledge Tony and Tony could only nod in return, among giants like this he was like a fly on the wall.

    "What did youe over for? Doesn''t Eric keep Lights busy enough?" Cedric asked Ram.

    "I''vee to personally deliver the 30 women under 30 article to Adrianna and you. I have both the printed magazine and the recording that will air in a while. Do you want to watch?" Ram asked as he waved a shdrive at them.

    "I''ll take the magazine and we can watch it on TVter tonight with the parents. What do you think, Adrianna?" Cedric said as he pulled his wife on hisp

    "Seriously Cedric? Get a hold of yourself." Ram teased as he rolled his eyes at the couple.

    Cedric justughed at Ram as his friend handed over the magazine.

    "Cedric, behave!" Adrianna scolded as she struggled to get up.

    "I hope when I do get married I fall as hard as Cedric did for you." Ram told Adrianna with a wink. "Adri did well. She''s actually ranked number eight. That''s amazing for a neer." Ramplemented.

    "Oh, who''s ranked one?" Adrianna asked as she grabbed the magazine from Cedric.

    "I swear I did not make that list." Ram said, raising his hands.

    "Wow. Veronica is ranked number one! That''s amazing." Adrianna said as she skimmed through the pages.

    "Ayanna actually ranked lower this year." Cedric said as he caught a peak at the pages.

    "Yeah. I think it''s the whole going off to study part. Of course this is all prior to the dating Ray part, I''d expect that after that she might overtake Katerina again." Ram said with a shrug.

    Adrianna took the magazine and sat next to Tony Tamano, something Cedric wasn''t too happy about but he chose not to react.

    "Tony, look. I made it! I think it''s only proper to show you since you were with us when I got the call." Adrianna said as she handed over the magazine to Tony.

    After chatting for a little, Tony said his goodbyes to the couple and to Ram. Cedric told Tony to contact Cami so that they could talk about which projects Tony would be able to take part of.

    "I''ll rest for a while. Call me when it''s time for dinner." Adrianna said goodbye to Cedric and Ram.

 Chapter 126 - 126

    "Veronica went looking for us today. Why do you keep letting yourself be a viin in her eyes?" Cedric asked Ram who was ying with one of Cedric''s books.

    "You know I''m even more powerless than her. I''m not of the blood. My very appointment in Lights and Abad TV is already a big issue among the elders." Ram told Cedric. ??

    "Veronica doesn''t know you''re adopted?" Cedric asked Ram.

    Ram grimly nodded.

    "I''ve done what I can by dying her marriage and making sure it''s to someone she might like. She''s had her whole childhood to try and like Miguel. He''s honestly a better option than the man our parents wanted." Ram told Cedric.

    "When will they be transferring full shares to you?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "Probably when Veronica marries and I am married. It''s their only way of making me cooperate." Ram told his friend.

    "And if you leave?" Cedric asked.

    "Then they pile it all up on Veronica. They know that if I leave, Eric leaves, and so do most of our partnerships. You know I wouldn''t do this for just money." Ram exined.

    "I know. You can ask Miguel to dy it on his end, but I know the Chan elders are also getting fidgety about this union as well." Cedric advised Ram.

    "We all have our problems I guess." Ram said with a shrug. "I need to leave. I have to be at the live airing of the episode. They want me more in the eye of the public."

    As Ram left Cedric recalled the day he found out Ram was adopted.

    They were 12 at the time and for some reason their drivers had arrivedte to fetch them. They sat quietly on a bench as if deep in thought, they looked too serious for their age.

    "Ram, I''m going to leave in a couple of years." Cedric started.

    "Like studying abroad?" Ram asked.

    "Nah. My family has this thing called poverty training, I''m basically gonna be forgotten. I cane back every year on Christmas though." Cerdic told Ram.

    "I guess we all have our own problems. I''m not really my parent''s child. They said I was adopted. Anna is though." Ram told Cedric.

    The two boys then sat in silence and waited for their drivers to fetch them.

    After Ram left Cedric decided to open up theptop containing all information on the Reyes Group, it was updated weekly, so whatever he read today would have thetest information. He was eventually going to run the whole thing, so it was best that he kept track of it starting now.

    When the maid called him for dinner he ced aside theptop and went to call Adrianna. She was sleeping soundly on the bed, Cedric sat next to her andbed away the stray hair covering her face. He smiled and kissed her gently, waking her up.

    "Is it dinner time?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yeah. Our parents are downstairs and I already told them about the feature tonight. We can all watch it together." Cedric said as Adrianna got up.

    At the dining room the family all watched the feature together. Charles and Gracia were beaming with pride when Adrianna came up.

    "I hope my brother is watching this." Gracia said with a grin.

    "Mom, it''s no big deal. Look, even Ayanna is part of that list." Adrianna pointed out.

    "Adrianna, your mom is just proud. We''re proud of you too! Now there are two women in the family that are in the list. Even if people don''t know it, at least we do." Prisci said with a gentle smile.

    "Adrianna, your mother inw and I got you a gift. Cedric told us you didn''t like anything shy. Here you go son, why not put it on Adrianna." Emilio said as he handed Cedric a blue velvet box.

    Cedric took it and went behind Adrianna to put a simple gold chain with a blue gem as a pendant.

    "This is a blue diamond we asked the Laurence family to find for us. It was mined here in this very country and is over a century old. We hope you like it." Prisci exined with a smile.

    Adrianna and the rest of the Hernandez family were shocked, the Reyeses extended so much kindness to them even if they were not of the same blood.

    The next day, Adrianna went to the office as usual, as she arrived the employees were quick to congratte her. Not only was the 30 women under 30 feature seen on TV, but it was also on social media so it was quite difficult to not be informed about Adrianna making it on that list.

    Before lunch Matthew Hernandez called Adrianna to his office.

    "Adrianna you are amazing! You made it on the top ten during your first time on the list. Congrattions." Her uncle Matthew praised.

    "Thanks uncle, it''s really a credit to everyone in Ind''s Inc. not just me." Adrianna said.

    "Ah, if only you were married to someone more powerful. I bet you would ce higher. Imagine how the Reyes Heir''s wife would ce!" Her uncle eximed.

    "Uncle, all the women on that list are there because of their own skills! Not because of whom they married." Adrianna scolded her elder.

    "Adrianna, you aren''t a child anymore. Didn''t you notice that the top women on that list alle from extremely influential families? If you aren''t born lucky then you must marry well. You of course are an exception. Despite marrying poor you''ve still managed to make the list!" Uncle Matthew said further infuriating Adrianna.

    "Uncle, I thought you were better than them. My worth isn''t determined by the family I''m born into or the man I marry." Adrianna said walking out.

    As she left she got a call from her friend Julia Tiu.

    "Congrattions Adrianna! I saw the feature. Why don''t we go out to shop and celebrate?" Julia asked over the phone.

    "Sure. Let me just finish things up here in the office. Where do you want to go?" Adrianna asked.

    "We can go shopping at Pris Mall, then let''s party at Hype Bar!" Julia suggested.

    "Okay." Adrianna said excitedly.

    Adrianna sent a quick message to Cedric telling him about her ns before finishing up and going out with Julia, Sofia, and Natasha.

 Chapter 127 - 127

    Cedric had just finished a meeting when he realized that Adrianna had sent him a message saying she was going shopping and drinking with her friends to celebrate.

    Cedric quickly opened the princes chat and sent a message to his friends. ? ?

    Cedric Reyes: Who''s in the country tonight?

    Ram Abad: I am

    Miguel Chan: Me

    Eric Chan: Me

    Ray Laurence: Not me. Prepping for a proposal.

    Alexi Sebastian: I''m here. What mess are you gonna drag us into this time?

    Cedric Reyes: Adri''s drinking at Hype Bar tonight. Who wants toe with me to make sure she''s safe?

    Ram Abad: I need a drink, badly.

    Miguel Chan: Can I bring your sister Ram?

    Ram Abad: Up to you. Your funeral.

    Eric Chan: Are we using Ray''s room?

    Ray Laurence: Yeah, sure. I''ll have it prepared.

    Alexi Sebastian: I guess I''m going too. Oh Katerina is asking if she could go too. I think Veronica sent her a message.

    Cedric Reyes: Yes. But she has to arrive discreetly.

    Miguel Chan: Now Nicole wants toe. I can''t deal with her and Veronica drunk.

    Cedric Reyes: I''ll invite Ian along. If you and Eric don''t mind.

    Eric Chan: I''m more than happy to drag Ian out. He''s always so serious. I never thought my sister would like the serious type! Hahaha.

    Cedric Reyes: We can have dinner at Nouveau the head over for drinks. See you guys at 7:30 tonight.

    Later that evening Cedric and his friends had dinner at Nouveau. It was quite awkward since it was the first time Ian was joining the group, Ian being the silent type kept to himself and only spoke when he was spoken to. Quite the contrast to Miguel and Eric who didn''t seem to know when to keep quiet.

    Nicole was also quite reserved that night since Ian was there.

    "I think I finally found a way to keep Nicole quiet." Katerina teased.

    "How?" Eric asked.

    "Simple, bring Ian. She''s so shy around him, it''s so different from her normal personality." Katerina giggled.

    "I''m not quiet today." Nicole said, crossing her arms on her chest with a blush.

    Katerina ignored Nicole and justughed at her reaction.

    At Hype Bar Adrianna arrived with her friends after a long afternoon at the mall. By the time they got to the bar there was already a crowd, luckily they had a reserved table.

    "This is amazing Adrianna! You managed to book us a table near the dance floor." Julia said excitedly. Adrianna had remembered how Ayanna managed to get them a VIP roomst time, so she gave Ayanna a call to get a table her friends would enjoy.

    "Do you know who owns this ce? Raymund Laurence owns this ce. Who knows, we might get to see him or one of his friends." Natasha said over the music.

    "Don''t tell me you''re gonna try to snatch Raymund Laurence, you''re nothingpared to Ayanna Reyes." Julia giggled.

    "Then, one of the other princes. Miguel Chan is quite dreamy, Ramon Abad too, and don''t forget Alexander Sebastian, now that guy oozes bad boy vibes." Natasha said as she fantasizes about the boys.

    "Too bad the Reyes Heir is married." Julia said with a frown.

    "I''m sure being his wife isn''t easy. The Reyeses look really scary and intimidating, and can you imagine the number of women that chase after him and fantasize about him? I''m pretty sure some social climbers are trying to figure out how to be his mistress already!" Sofia said.

    "That''s true! Imagine being the mistress to the Reyes Heir! The Reyes family is truly powerful and truly rich, you could have almost everything. It also doesn''t hurt that the Reyes Heir seems to be quite good looking." Natasha gossiped with her friends.

    "Adrianna are you alright? You seem bothered." Julia asked Adrianna who was looking quite sad.

    "I''m just tired from today. With my workload plus my Uncle Matthew''sments on women earlier today, I just feel drained." Adrianna told her friend.

    "Take a shot." Julia said, passing a shot ss.

    "I can''t. Cedric and I are trying to have a kid, alcohol would make it a bit difficult." Adrianna said, refusing the drink.

    "What happened to the whole, no kids till I''m 30 n?" Sofia asked Adrianna.

    "It''s just a few years away. I don''t mind." Adrianna shrugged.

    On the third floor of Hype Bar, Cedric looked out the one way mirror that allowed him to see the partygoers on the ground floor.

    "You''re so paranoid Ced." A slightly drunk Nicole shouted.

    "Ian, make sure Nicole doesn''t fall on the floor." Cedric said as he continued to watch the crowd.

    "I''m not gonna fall!" Nicole said as she began to slide to the ground. Ian quickly held her in his arms and pulled her back up. Unfortunately Nicole kept moving andnded on hisp.

    Ian gave a helpless look at the Chan brothers, both of whom simplyughed at what their sister had done.

    "Don??t you care that Nicole is in some stranger''sp?" Veronica scolded Miguel.

    "She''s old enough to make her own choices, plus I trust Ian." Miguel carelessly said.

    "Well I care. I swear you''re the most irresponsible man child!" Veronica said as she stood up and moved to Nicole''s side.

    "I swear I don''t know what I did this time!" Miguelined as he sat next to Alexi who was doing shots with Eric, Katerina, and Ram.

    "It''s the whole arranged marriage situation. No matter what you do it will always be your fault." Ram teased Miguel.

    Ram excused himself from the group to head to the men''s room. While there, he heard the sounds of a struggle.

    "Don''t touch me you bastard!" A girl said and soon after Ram heard someone being pped.

    He decided it would be best to help the woman, since the space was dimly lit so it would be quite hard to recognize him. As he approached, he saw the man attempting to kiss the woman once more.

    "Bitch, you want this. You came onto me earlier." The man said audibly.

    "You know, no means no." Ram said as he pulled the man off the woman.

    "Don''t meddle with my business. Don''t you know who I am? I can send your poor ass out of here." The drunk man boasted. Ram could smell the alcohol off of him.

    Ram pushed the man who stumbled to the ground.

    "You truly have a death wish." The drunk man said as he turned to leave.

    "You should go, miss. He''sing back with reinforcement, it won''t be safe if you got stuck in the middle." Ram told the girl.

    "Thank you. Who are you?" The girl said. Something about her felt familiar to Ram as if they had met before.

    "Julia! What''s taking you so long?" Ram heard a neer ask, this time he definitely knew whose voice that was, it was Adrianna.

    "Ram, why are you here?" Adrianna asked as she saw her husband''s friend.

    "You''re Ramon Abad?" Julia asked in shock.

    "No time to exin. That guys gonna be back here in awhile. You should both leave." Ram said as he tried to send the two women away.

    "Is he here?" Adrianna asked sternly.

    Ram could only nod and hope Cedric wouldn''t get mad at him for letting Adrianna know.

    "Fine, let''s go back Julia." Adrianna said as she tried to pull her friend back to the main floor.

    Unfortunately before they could leave the man from earlier arrived with his friends.

    "That''s the asshole that cockblocked me." The man said pointing at Ram.

    "You know what,e with me." Ram said as he held Julia by the wrist and began to run toward the VIP room.

    When Adrianna saw this she ran after them as well.

 Chapter 128 - 128

    The man and his friends were quick to follow, luckily the VIP room was not far and they were immediately stopped by a group of bodyguards.

    Ram, without thinking, pulled Julia and Adrianna into the room with him, where they were met with awkward stares. ??

    "Adri! Adri! You''re here too!" An already drunk Nicole said as she ran over to hug Adrianna.

    "What''s going on?" Julia hesitantly asked.

    "You followed me!" Adrianna angrily said to the man who had his back turned on them.

    "Adrianna, let''s leave." Julia said as she tried to pull Adrianna out of the room.

    "The boys wanted to go out." A voice familiar to Julia said.

    "Yep, we wanted to drink. So we dragged everyone out. Cedric said that you were out with friends so you couldn''te." Miguel said things so quickly, that by the time Veronica could cover his mouth he had already mentioned Cedric''s name.

    "W- w- what?" Julia stuttered.

    "I have no idea how you are a genius Miguel." Ram said with a sigh.

    Cedric shook his head and turned around.

    "Julia, you see, Cedric is actually the Reyes Heir." Adrianna finally admitted.

    "Why did you bring them here Ram?" Cedric asked.

    "A guy attempted to **** Julia. He said I would regret things, then your wife came, then he came back with friends and chased me. I don''t make it a habit to bring bodyguards to the bathroom so I had to run back to get help. I couldn''t leave them." Ram said with a shrug as he drank a ss of alcohol.

    "This is a joke right?" Julia managed to ask.

    "Hey I know you! We had dinner once at Pris Mall." Nicole happily said.

    "Do you think someone could pay us to y a prank?" Alexi said with augh.

    "We have enough guards watching over me Cedric, you don''t need to follow me around." Adrianna said in a softer tone as she walked over to her husband.

    "Come take a shot with me." Ram told Julia, pulling her away from the couple.

    When Julia realized that Eric Chan was also with them she squealed.

    "Can I have your autograph and your picture again please?" Julia excitedly asked. This was the third time she was meeting the man and she was just as excited as the first time.

    "What is it that you see in Eric? I''m better looking and younger than my older brother." Miguel carelesslymented again.

    "I thought Nicole was the drunk one?" Eric asked his brother with a sigh.

    "Since when were you good looking?" Veronica asked Miguel in a pissed off tone.

    "I''ve always been good looking Veronica." Miguel said as he attempted to hold her by the waist. His attempt was met with a ping from Veronica.

    "We aren''t married yet. You can''t touch me! Get me another bottle." Veronica quickly said.

    "As the madam wishes." Miguel said with a flirtatiousugh as he got up.

    "Wait, Cedric is the Reyes Heir, Eric Chan and Miguel Chan are brothers, and you''re dating Miguel Chan?" Julia asked Veronica.

    "I''m not dating Miguel." Veronica tly answered.

    "Excuse my sister. She''s in a foul mood today." Ram told Julia as he handed her another drink.

    "Wait, Veronica is your sister?" Julia asked, she was more confused now than ever.

    "They have so many secrets right?" Adrianna asked as she approached holding Cedric''s hand.

    "Oh gosh. Everything we''ve been saying about the Reyes Heir!" Julia suddenly realized how stupid she had sounded in front of Adrianna in the past.

    "I only just found out too. Around Christmas." Adrianna told Julia.

    Adrianna suddenly looked pensive and spoke. "We should tell Sofia and Natasha too." Adrianna said to Cedric.

    "I''ll have Leon and Mia invite them up." Cedric said.

    "What about that rich kid that wanted to **** Julia?" Adrianna asked.

    "I''ll deal with him." Ram proudly said as he stood up and marched towards the door.

    Before Ram could return, Sofia and Natasha were escorted into the VIP room.

    "Adrianna, Julia, what''s going on? Two bodyguards brought us up here and wouldn''t exin why. As we wereing in we saw Ram Abad watching over a group of men being beaten up and begging for his forgiveness." Sofia cried as they entered.

    Adrianna started by telling them who Cedric actually was then telling them about the whole incident in the bathroom earlier.

    Natasha and Sofia were in shock. It was only after Adrianna had told them about Cedric that they realized who the people in the room were.

    "Julia you bitch! You took away my chance of being saved by a prince!" Natasha jokingly shaked her friend. Everyoneughed as they were actually listening in on the conversation.

    "Here, take some shots with us." Veronica said as she gave the girls some shot sses.

    "We aren''t as refined as you think." Miguel said with a flirtatious wink that drove Natasha and Sofia to hyperventte.

    "Behave!" Veronica scolded as she sat closer to him.

    Eventually Ram got back and told the girls that everything had been settled and that those men had found out the hard way who they shouldn''t mess with.

    The group continued to drink with almost everyone getting drunk. Adrianna avoided alcohol the whole night while Cedric had a couple of sses.

    Nicole was already passed out by the time they finished and Veronica was drunkenly leaning on Miguel, if people saw them they would have easily assumed that Veronica and Miguel were a couple.

    "You better send me home!" Veronica ordered Miguel.

    "Your brother is here!" Miguel, who was slightly drunk,ined.

    "I don''t want to see his stupid face right now." Veronica told Miguel.

    "And you''d rather see mine?" Miguel asked the drunk woman. "Ian, please send my sister home. I have to bring Veronica home first and I can''t deal with the two of them drunk."

    Ian simply nodded and carried Nicole.

    The other girls were also quite drunk after partying. The only ones left sober were Adrianna and Katerina.

    "Weren''t you drinking with the boys earlier? How are you sober?" Adrianna asked Katerina who was fixing herself.

    "Katerina drinks a lot for work. So she''s built up quite the tolerance." Alexi said as he came up to them.

    "Not all girls are weak drinkers." Eric said, cing an arm on Katerina''s shoulders.

    Katerina gave him a re and he simplyughed it off.

    "Natasha should be able to go home on her own, but Natasha and Julia are, well quite drunk." Adrianna said with a frown as she looked at her friends that couldn''t even manage to walk straight.

    "Why don''t we send Natasha home, Ram can take Julia home. The Sebastians won''t have space in their car and Eric needs to sneak away just to get to his and Miguel''s ce." Cedric suggested.

    "Sure. The brothers live together?" Adrianna asked. She had expected each of the boys to have their own home since they were all so sessful.

    "Yeah, and it''s not just them, Nicole lives with them too. They don''t see each other at home much since they are all extremely busy. As for the others they have their own homes, but they still go home to their family homes." Cedric exined.

    As agreed the group left to take each of their drunkenpanions home. When Cedric and Adrianna dropped off Natasha at her home. Her parents were so confused when they saw the expensive vehicle and the convoy of bodyguards. When they questioned Natasha she simply refused to answer.

    As for Ram, he had taken one of his sports cars for a spin that night, so when Julia''s father saw her getting off such an eye-catching car he wasn''t sure whether or not to scold his daughter.

    "Was it one of those spoiled second generation heirs?" Her father asked her as she struggled to get in the door.

    "No. Older." Julia said as she ran to the bathroom to puke.

    By the time Cedric and Adrianna got home the sun had begun to rise and Cedric''s phone was ringing non-stop.

    When he took a look at who the caller was he realized it was Ray.

    "Why are you calling so early?" Cedric sleepily asked.

    "You''re usually up by this time already. It must have been one hell of a night!" Ray teased over the phone.

    "Get to the point." Cedric said as he was too tired to deal with Ray''s antics.

    "I proposed. It should be all over the news. I''ming home, I''ve left some security detail for Ayanna. She should be safe." Ray quickly reported.

    "Alright. Good night." Cedric said, dropping the call.

 Chapter 129 - 129

    Cedric had barely slept when he heard a vicious knocking on the door. Luckily Adrianna was still sound asleep next to him. He knew that in their home only one person would dare wake him up.

    Cedric peeked out the door and true enough he found his mom waiting outside. ??

    "Mom, Adrianna is still sleeping. Let me get dressed then we can talk." Cedric calmly told his mom in a low voice.

    "You don''t need to change, I''ve seen all of that anyway. I gave birth to you and I changed your diapers. I even washed your bum till you were seven, such a stubborn boy." Prisci Reyes ranted.

    "I need to brush my teeth mom. Give me a minute." Cedric said closing the door on his mom.

    After a minute Cedric dide out and saw his mom sitting on a couch outside his and Adrianna''s room.

    "Mom, what is it?" Cedric asked as he sat across his mother.

    "Ayanna''s engaged?" Prisci asked her son.

    "You know it''s a front." Cedric told his mom.

    "I thought they would only pretend to date?" Prisci asked her son.

    "It was Ayanna''s idea." Cedric said with a yawn.

    "Should I fake n for a wedding too?" Prisci grumpily asked her son.

    "Mom." Cedric said as he moved next to his mom to coax her.

    "What?" Prisci replied with a pissed off tone. She knew when her children were trying to coax her.

    "I think Ayanna might actually really like Ray. So it might not be a fake wedding." Cedric teased. Although what he was saying was actually true.

    "Ced!" Adrianna shouted from their door.

    "Adrianna, what''s wrong?" Prisci was the first to react and quickly came to her daughter inw''s side.

    "Mom, I woke up bleeding. It doesn''t look like my period blood." Adrianna told Prisci.

    "I''ll get a driver to bring you and our moms to the hospital. I''ll give Nicole a heads up as well. Go on and get dressed." Cedric said as he quickly sent a message to his driver. Unfortunately he couldn''t apany Adrianna since he had a morning meeting with Alexi.

    "I''ll go get Gracia and have breakfast packed." Prisci told Adrianna who in turn nodded and went in to change and take a shower.

    When Adrianna and the moms arrived at Saints Hospital they entered through a backdoor in order not to create suspicion. They were greeted by a smiling Nicole who took them to the OB-GYN department.

    "You have nothing to worry about, Doctor Santos is one ofthe best OB-GYN in the country, she''s even worked with Mom and Miguel." Nicole said, leading them to a clinic.

    Doctor Santos was a middle aged woman who looked like she could have been a model in her younger years.

    "Mrs. Reyes, when was it since yourst period?" Doctor Santos asked.

    "I think three months." Adrianna said thinking back.

    The mom''s gasped at the same time.

    "Doc, could she be pregnant?" Prisci excitedly asked.

    "Mom, I''ve always had an irregr flow. Sometimes I wouldn''t get my period for months." Adrianna exined, she did not want to get her elder''s hopes up.

    "Have you been experiencing any morning sicknesses? Cravings? Fatigue?" Doctor Santos continued to ask, ignoring the excited moms that sat beside Adrianna.

    "No morning sicknesses, cravings a bit, yes I''ve been quite tired recently. I think it could be because I''ve been working a lot as well." Adrianna said, answering the doctor''s questions.

    "We can''t be too sure until you take the tests. But it is highly possible that you are pregnant." Doctor Santos said.

    After a while a nurse took Adrianna to the extraction room where they took some blood for a blood test. Nicole had also asked for the doctors to run further tests on Adrianna in case she was pregnant as the moms were hoping.

    They chose to wait in Nicole''s office since it would be much morefortable than waiting outside in the hall. After a while Nicole came in with the test results and Doctor Santos in tow.

    "Will you tell them or will I?" Nicole asked the doctor, handing the results to Doctor Santos.

    "Mrs. Reyes, you''re 3 months pregnant." Doctor Santos announced.

    The mothers couldn''t hold their excitement and jumped up and down with glee hugging Adrianna.

    Adrianna was stunned, she unconsciously ced her hand on her belly and realized that there was now another life growing in her.

    "What about the bleeding?" Adrianna asked.

    "It was good that you came here Adri. You could have lost the baby if you didn''te. Anyway, tell Cedric to abstain for the meantime and you need to rest. I''ll tell Ced to put you on house arrest for at least a month." Nicole said as she wrote things down. "Tell me when Cedric knows so that I can give him more specific instructions."

    "Oh Adri! You''re gonna be a mom!" Prisci said, hugging her daughter inw.

    "You should eat healthier food now. Do you think we could hire a nutritionist for her?" Gracia asked Prisci.

    "Of course. Nicole please send one to Mountain View. And oh, we need to get a nanny to help Adrianna out with things." Prisci said as the thought of what other things needed to be done.

    "From now on you aren''t allowed to use the stairs! Use the elevator. Cedric had that thing installed but neither of you use it." Gracia told her daughter.

    "Moms please calm down. I still don''t know how to tell Cedric." Adrianna said.

    "Oh that''s right. Nicole dear, please give Adri a copy of the results." Prisci told Nicole who in turn gave Adrianna a copy.

    "Right. Let''s have lunch first then you can figure out if you''ll tell Cedric in his office or when he gets home, or whichever." Prisci excitedly said. "I''ve called the driver. You guys go ahead. I just need to talk to Nicole for a bit."

    Adrianna and Gracia nodded and left the room for the back entrance they came in.

    In Nicole''s office Prisci sat back down and her face became more serious.

    "Auntie, I''m d you''re having a grand kid." Nicole said with a half smile. "Shouldn''t we push through with your treatment now?"

    "Miguel said it''s quite risky." Prisci told Nicole.

    "No matter how risky the operation I''m sure Miguel can do it." Nicole said proudly.

    "Your brother isn''t God, Nicole." Prisci said with a sad smile.

    "Auntie, if you don''t get treatment it could get worse." Nicole said with a concerned look.

    "I''ll do it when things are more stable. For the meantime don''t let our children know." Prisci instructed as she left.

 Chapter 130 - 130

    As usual Adrianna and the moms had lunch at Nouveau, Prisci had the chef cook up nutritious food that was perfect for pregnant women.

    "Have you decided when to tell Cedric?" Gracia asked her daughter. ??

    "I was thinking of dropping by his office after this. I hope he isn''t too busy." Adrianna said.

    "Cedric is never too busy for you my dear, but to be safe, I''ll give assistant Cami a call. She should be able to move things around so that he could see you." Prisci told her daughter inw.

    "You should probably tell your Uncle Matthew that you need to work from home for a while. Or maybe take a leavepletely. You don''t need Ind''s Inc. anymore anyway." Gracia advised Adrianna.

    "Mom, I''m not one to leave my work half done. I can work from home. Mia can send me my things and I can join via video call in meetings. Technology is more advanced now." Adrianna exined.

    "Ah, the luxury of being young and having so much energy. I used to be like that when I first inherited the rin businesses, now I need Ayanna to help me out." Prisci said with a smile.

    After lunch the moms dropped Adrianna off at the basement of Mor Co. so that she could take Cedric''s personal elevator up to his office.

    When she arrived she was greeted by Cami who informed her that Cedric was still in a meeting but it would be over soon.

    "Can I get you anything Mrs. Reyes?" Cami asked Adrianna.

    "I''ll have a ss of milk please." Adrianna said with a smile.

    Cami nodded and let Adrianna sit in Cedric''s office. Adrianna walked across and noticed that Cedric''s window looked directly at Ind''s Inc at the side of her office.

    "Mr. Reyes always stands there ma''am. I think sometimes he thinks he''s looking directly at you. I wish someday I''ll find someone that loves me as much as he loves you." Cami said as she brought Adrianna''s milk.

    "Just call me Adrianna, Cami. It''s not like we are strangers." Adrianna told Cami. In truth Adrianna and Cami had gone to the same highschool and the same university. Although they were not friends they had seen and spoken to each other in the past. It just so happened that the went around different circles.

    "I''m sorry Mrs. Reyes, but Mr. Reyes gave strict instructions that we were to call you Mrs. Reyes as long as we were in the office or on a work trip." Cami exined.

    "Thank you Cami." Adrianna said with a warm smile.

    "I owe everything to the Reyes family Mrs. Reyes, it''s my pleasure to be of service." Cami said with a genuine smile as she left the office.

    Adrianna waited for another ten minutes before Cedric returned to his office. When he saw Adrianna on the couch he quickly hugged her from behind and kissed her on the cheek.

    "What a surprise? How was the doctor''s visit? And did you ditch our moms?" Cedric asked as he sat next to his wife.

    "You know what, I don''t need the answer to that." Cedric said as he kissed her more passionately and his hands began to explore her body.

    Adrianna responded by kissing back for a while, before she remembered what Nicole said.

    "Wait Ced, we can''t." Adrianna said as she pushed on his chest.

    "If you''re worried Cami or Ian wille in I told them they can''t. As long as you''re in here they can''te in unless I call for them or it''s an extreme emergency." Cedric exined.

    "It''s not that." Adrianna told him with a soft smile.

    "Oh Mrs. Reyes I never thought you were so wild." Cedric said as he kissed her again.

    "Cedric, I''m serious. We can''t do this. There is something I need to tell you." Adrianna said.

    "Okay, fine. What is it?" Cedric asked as he sat up and fixed his clothes.

    Adrianna was about to speak when Cedric''s phone began to ring.

    "Sorry it''s Ayanna. Give me one moment." Cedric said as he picked up the call.

    "Brother!" Ayanna happily greeted.

    "I was expecting you to be less excited with the engagement." Cedric teased his sister.

    "Oh yeah, right. I''m sure mom already gave you an earful for that. But I called for your good news. Congrattions!" Ayanna said on the other line.

    "What are you congratting me for?" Cedric said with augh.

    "Stop teasing me Ced. Nicole told me I''m finally gonna be an aunt!" Ayanna said with augh on the other end.

    "What?" Cedric asked as he looked at Adrianna who was paying no attention to Cedric''s conversation.

    "Adrianna, is it true?" Cedric asked without dropping the call.

    "Wait, what, Adrianna hasn''t told you?" Ayanna said in a panic on the other end of the line.

    "Is what true?" Adrianna asked Cedric.

    "Are you? Are we having a baby?" Cedric nervously asked.

    "Ayanna told you?" Adrianna asked in reply.

    "Ayanna you''re a bitch." Cedric said yfully as he dropped the call on his sister.

    "How many months?" Cedric asked Adrianna as he pulled her into his embrace.

    "Yes I''m pregnant. The doctor said three months." Adrianna told her husband as she hugged him back.

    "Oh Adri. Wait should you even be here? You should be resting. Come on I''ll take you home." Cedric said in a rush.

    As they exited his office Cedric gave Cami instructions to cancel all of his meetings for the rest of the day.

    However, before they could leave Alexi arrived with disturbing news.

 Chapter 131 - 131

    "Is Chris Garin still employed here?" Alexi asked Cedric.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. ??

    "Carlos De Dios contacted him and is going to legitimize him." Alexi told Cedric. "Oh and congrattions."

    "Did Nicole tell everyone?" Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Nah. It was my mom. They''re holding court at Nationalia today and your mom wasn''t there. When she called to ask, your mom couldn''t resist and told my mom." Alexi told Cedric.

    "The De Dios family can wait for a while. They won''t do anything until the news about Ayanna and Ray settles. If we make enough noise I think we can postpone Carlos De Dios from announcing his long lost son. Get all the dirt you can on Chris for the meantime." Cedric told Alexi.

    "Wow a kid and a brother inw in one day, man your family is growing fast." Alexi teased.

    "But Ayanna likes Ray, right?" Adrianna asked quite shyly. Among Cedric''s friends she found Alexi to be the most intimidating.

    "She does. But those two are rebels at heart. They won''t let their families or social standing decide what they do. It''s just funny how they ended up like Uncle Emilio and Aunt Prisci. An unarranged arranged marriage." Alexi said with augh.

    "You should hurry up Alexi, soon enough you''ll be the only single one in the group." Cedric teased.

    "We both know married life isn''t for me. I like to have a taste of all the world''s wonders." Alexi grinned.

    "Those women, most of them think they will be the one to thaw your frozen heart." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Hey, when they meet me they all know that it''s just a casual physical thing. I don''t do serious. It''s their choice and I respect them for that." Alexi said in defence of his womanizing ways.

    "Or you just haven''t met the woman that will make you take things seriously." Cedirc teased.

    "Like you have Adrianna and Ray has always been serious about your sister?" Alexi asked his friend.

    "I doubt your parents will let you go unmarried. You are after all their only son." Cedric teased.

    "Hey Adrianna, what gender do you think your baby will be?" Alexi asked Adrianna in an attempt to shift the topic from himself.

    "I don''t really care what the gender will be, as long as my baby is safe and healthy." Adrianna said as she touched her still t belly.

    "Why don''t we celebrate tonight? Dinner at Mountain View." Cedric suggested as he pulled his wife into his arms.

    "I''m game. Just tell everyone." Alexi said.

    Both the couple and Alexi left soon after. Adrianna fell asleep while they were on the drive home.

    Cedric took out his phone to invite his friends and their sisters.

    Cedric Reyes: As you all probably know, Adrianna is pregnant. Let''s have a small gathering at home to celebrate.

    Ayanna Reyes: Not fair, I won''t make it back in time.

    Ray Laurence: Congrattions you guys! See you in a couple of days.

    Nicole Chan: No alcohol please. I hate alcohol now.

    Veronica Abad: Same. I''m still hungover.

    Miguel Chan: I''ll tell my parents.

    Katerina Sebastian: Weak. But yes we''ll be there. Except Natalia, she''s locked up at some research facility doing some probably earth shattering things.

    Nicole Chan: CONGRATULATIONS @CEDRIC AND ADRIANNA!!!!! I''M GONNA BE AN AUNT.

    Nicole Chan: Why isn''t Adrianna part of this chat?

    Eric Chan: You''re too loud. But I''ll be there.

    Nicole Chan: You better be nice to me or I''ll tell everyone what you say when you''re drunk!

    Ram Abad: Please tell me!

    Eric Chan: You better behave Nicole or our parents will find out about Ian!

    When Cedric told his parents that he had invited their friends over the busied themselves with preparations. Adrianna had also invited Julia, Sofia, and Natasha, the three girls were very excited to see Adrianna''s new home.

    Adrianna had asked Julia, Sofia, and Natasha toe earlier since she wanted to give them a tour.

    "Adri, the doctor said you needed to rest." Cedric said as Adrianna stood up to meet the girls.

    "I promise to take the elevator and lie down after giving them a tour." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "Fine. Go meet them." Cedric said, finally letting Adrianna go.

    At 7:30pm the rest of their guests began to arrive. Gracia Hernandez was so in awe of the guests that when Prisci introduced her to the other parents she stuttered and struggled to say hi.

    "It''s good that Adri''s parents haven''t caused you any trouble." Alexi said as he drank a ss of wine next to Cedric.

    "I think her mom is too in awe of my mom." Cedric said.

    "Auntie Prisci is, quite a lot." Alexi said with augh.

    "I wish everyday would be like this. Full of smiles and surrounded by family." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Regardless of gender, that kid in Adrianna will have to go through the same thing as you." Alexi reminded Cedric.

    "It wasn''t all bad. I never starved, I went to a great university, and I met the love of my life. It''s so much more than other people. Look at Miguel and Veronica, they''re forced to be with each other when they don''t have a choice." Cedric said as he looked at his friends.

    "At least Miguel and Veronica are promised to someone they know and like. I''m amazed at the sacrifice Ram is willing to make for his sister. Even if he was adopted he sees Veronica as his sister by blood. The Abads initially wanted to engage Veronica to him, but he gave quite a fight." Alexi told Cedric.

    "Ram never told me that." Cedric said as he looked at Ram who was talking to Adrianna''s friends.

    "The deal was simple. Stay loyal to the Abad family and marry whomever they choose, and it''s still up in the air if his children will inherit anything from the Abad family. I guess it depends on whom he marries." Alexi told Cedric.

    "So that''s why he''s never brought a girl home." Cedric realized.

    "Yup. And Veronica has no idea what her brother has done for her. What a pity." Alexi said, shaking his head.

    "Are you boys doing alright here?" Emilio Reyes said as he approached Cedric and Alexi.

    "Yes dad. I''m just admiring the view." Cedric said with a smile.

    "I agree, Veronica did an amazing job with the house." Emilio said as hemented on the interior work Veronica had done.

    "Not the material one dad. The view of having all my family and friends around, happy." Cedric said.

    "I guess you could say that''s the best view." Emilio said as he toasted to the boys and left to mingle with the other parents once more.

 Chapter 132 - 132

    On ount of Adrianna''s pregnancy the guests of the Reyes family all decided to leave before 10pm that night. It was to give Adrianna ample time to rest.

    Adrianna had already informed Uncle Matthew that for the next few weeks she would be working from home due to her sensitive pregnancy. Uncle Matthew congratted her and assured her that it would be fine for her to work from home. The Hernandez family wanted toe over to congratte her, but Adrianna hade up with an excuse to discourage them. ??

    Of course she and her parents hadn''t told them yet that they had moved houses, so the Hernandez family members sent flowers and gifts to her old house which wereter on picked up by Mia for Adrianna.

    Before leaving Cedric had given strict instructions that at least for the next few days Adrianna was supposed to stay in bed most of the day and would only go down for meals and to walk around a bit in their garden.

    Being stuck at Mountain View was far from boring, with her parents and her inws to keep herpany Adrianna was barely alone. Add to it that Ayanna made sure to call Adrianna every day, Ayanna''s days at home would be as lively as could be.

    News of Ayanna''s and Ray''s engagement had managed to be the talk of the whole country. Especially since it was only recently that the couple had announced that they were dating. Many people were quick to assume that it was an arranged marriage between the Laurence and Reyes families, but Ayanna posted on her social media that there was nothing arranged in their rtionship.

    When Cedric saw this post he was in his office at Mor Co. waiting for Ray and Alexi to arrive. He was surprised that Ayanna was actually taking the initiative to clear things up rather than waiting for the boys to take action.

    "Mr. Reyes, Mr. Laurence and Mr. Alexi are here." Cami announced. Cedric nodded in reply to let them in.

    "I think Ram went way over the top with the media coverage on the engagement!" Rayined as he entered the room.

    "Nah. We need that noise. If you''re too loud Carlos De Dios can''t announce Chris as his son, people would be too busy trying to get into your good graces." Alexi exined.

    "You have all the information on Chris Garin?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah. But what do you n to do? ckmail him?" Ray asked.

    "Yup. It should keep him quiet enough for us to find out who is backing his father." Cedric exined.

    "And you n to threaten him as what? The Reyes Heir? Don''t you think he will recognize your voice?" Alexi said, doubting his friend''s n.

    "I won''t do the talking. You will." Cedric said with a dangerous grin.

    "Do I look scary to you?" Ray said as he pointed at himself.

    "The king of the underground? Not scary? What a joke." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "Alexi''s the more intimidating one! He actually uses legal means to bring people down!" Rayined.

    ???Most people in the country are afraid of the two of you. Plus Chris Garin saw what Katerina publicly did to Asia Hernandez. He will take both of you seriously." Cedric said.

    "We just need to make sure he doesn''t have any evidence of our ckmail." Aleximented as he satfortably on the couch.

    "Your guards know what to look for right?" Cedric asked Alexi.

    "Yup. And when we got the information, I did it in such a way that no one could trace it back to us. As a matter of fact I left a little crumb trail towards his father instead." Alexi said.

    "I made sure no one would talk." Ray said proudly.

    "Call your bodyguards up. I''ll have Cami bring Chris Garin here." Cedric said.

    The other two men nodded and did as he asked. After asking Cami to call Chris Garin over, Cedric changed into his disguise, changing not only his clothes, but his hair as well, he swept it up in a more fashionable and serious way.

    After a while Cami announced that Chris Garin had arrived.

    Outside the door the bodyguards frisked Chris, making sure that he had no recording devices on him. His phone was also confiscated and left outside with the guards.

    Inside Ray let out a childish chuckle.

    "Can you be more serious?" Alexi asked him.

    "I have to let it out now. I don''t want tough in front of this Chis guy." Ray exined.

    "You guards know not to touch Chris Garin''s phone right?" Cedric asked Alexi.

    "Of course. They are trained for these things." Alexi told Cedric.

    Soon enough Chris Garin came in with a smirk on his face, clearly he already knew the identity of his father.

    "So the great Reyes Heir decided to call me up?" Chris said sarcastically.

    "I assume Mr. Garin, that you know of your parentage now?" Alexi asked in a cold tone.

    "Of course. It was thanks to you that my father found me." Chris said with augh.

    "We''ll go straight to the point Mr. Garin. We have enough on you to send you away for a really long time." Ray said referring to the stack of envelopes on Cedric''s desk.

    "Those can easily be dealt with. A fire can burn those away." Chris suggested.

    "Are you making threats?" Alexi asked.

    "Ha! Don''t sound so high and mighty congressman Sebastian. You Mr. Reyes here is trying to ckmail me with a gangster on one side and a dirty politician on the other. Plus you have that filthy assistant of yours, Cedric." Chris Garin pointed out.

    "We never said we were clean, we are simply telling you to think long and hard about what your next steps will be." Alexi said.

    "It''s a bluff. You have nothing on me. Raymund Laurence is notorious for his poker face and underhanded deals!" Chris imed nervously as he raised his voice.

    "Ray might bluff, but I never." Alexi told Chris.

    "Hah! What do you have on me?" Chris boasted.

    "Mr. Garin, you of all people should know the things you have done. You were simply too foolish to leave behind evidence." Ray told him.

    Chris ran to the table and quickly opened the files. When he saw the contents he began ripping the paper apart.

    "There! You have no evidence. Gone." Chris said as he continued to rip the content of the folders.

    Alexi let out augh that echoed through the room.

    "Do you really think we''re that naive? Those are copies of copies. As for the real thing, you''ll never find out where we''ve kept them." Alexi told Chris.

    "Will you agree to our terms now?" Ray asked Chris.

    Chris Garin grew pale at Alexi''s words. He didn''t think that they could have gotten a hold of all of these information. When his father contacted him he told the old man about the crimes he hadmitted in the past and his father had promised to erase them for him.

    "This isn''t the end." Chris said as he walked out of the office.

    "Check him!" Alexi shouted before the doors could close,

    The bodyguards quickly searched Chris, and true enough they found some of the paper stashed in areas of his clothing and body.

    "Mr. Garin, don''t try that again." Alexi threatened before letting the guards give Chris back his phone and run away.

    After Chris left Cedric let out augh.

    "I told you, you guys are scary." Cedric told his friends.

 Chapter 133 - 133

    Due to her sensitive condition Adrianna chose to stay home for a month, all her meetings were conducted virtually and luckily no other mishaps happened with their project. Before her bed rest was over Prisic Reyes and Gracia Hernandez decided to shop up a storm for Adrianna.

    They filled her closet with maternity clothes and loose fitting clothing. Adrianna could do nothing but sigh when the maids took out her never worn clothes and moved them to a storage room. ??

    With Doctor Santos'' clearance Adrianna finally went to the office a month after finding out that she was pregnant. When she arrived at Ind''s Inc. she was greeted by Henry and Margaret Hernandez who were both excited for her return.

    "Cousin! Why wouldn''t you let us visit?" Margaret asked with a pout.

    "The doctor said I should not receive guests. I''m sorry Margaret." Adrianna said to her younger cousin.

    "Why don''t we all go out for lunch instead? I have a friend who can pull some strings for us at Bamboo Room. This is something we should be celebrating." Henry told Adrianna.

    "Sure! But won''t Uncle Matthew mind? I''ve juste back and we''ll be going out of the city for lunch." Adrianna asked.

    "Nope. Dad''s so happy with the partnership that the Chus gave us that he would more than happily let us go." Margaret said with a smile.

    "Alright. Hey Henry, how are you holding up?" Adrianna asked her cousin. It had also been a month since his father and older brother were sent to prison. Luckily due to his own skill, Ind''s Inc. needed a designer of his caliber to stay, unlike Asia who had been sent away.

    "It''s odd at home without Asia around. Mom''s always sad, but I''m doing great. I don''t know why, but it doesn''t bother me that my brother and father were sent to jail for being bad people." Henry confessed to Adrianna.

    "If you need anything, tell me." Adrianna told Henry with a gentle smile.

    With that the cousins went back to their own offices to deal with work.

    On her first day back Uncle Matthew visited Adrianna in her office.

    "Adrianna! Wee back. Don''t stand, you''re pregnant." Uncle Matthew greeted. "Congrattions."

    "Thank you Uncle Matthew. What can I do for you?" Adrianna asked.

    "I know you just got back, but there is a party tonight. It''s going to be hosted by Edward Chu to celebrate thepletion of the project and he will be inviting Raymund Laurence." Uncle Matthew told Adrianna.

    "It''s okay. I can go. Can Cedric apany me?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yes, of course." Uncle Matthew said.

    With that he left Adrianna to her work. Adrianna sent Cedric a quick message telling him about the party that night then focused on her work. Despite working from home, there were many things that still needed Adrianna''s attention, her morning was filled with meetings and peopleing in and out of her office.

    Before she knew it, it was lunch and Margaret was already calling for her toe down.

    "Mia, I''m having lunch with my cousins. Can you make sure I have no meetings till 4pm this afternoon?" Adrianna asked Mia who quickly jotted down notes.

    "Yes Madam. Mr. Reyes said not to leave you without a security detail. I''ll have my team follow you. Where will you be having lunch madam?" Mia asked.

    "Oh, at the Bamboo Room." Adrianna said.

    "Very well madam. I''ll speak to the Laurence family security to ensure there are enough guards inside that remain undercover." Mia informed Adrianna.

    "Isn''t that too much Mia?" Adrianna asked.

    "Your husband was very specific with his instructions madam." Mia told Adrianna.

    "I guess it''s for the best." Adrianna sighed as she left.

    When Adrianna, Henry, and Margaret arrived at Bamboo Room, a handsome young man dressed as a waiter approached them.

    "Hey Henry. Sorry, I couldn''t get you a better table, it''s this way." The man said as he led them to a table next to a wall but quite far away from the famous ss windows at Bamboo Room.

    "It''s okay Daniel, we''re here for the food not the view." Henry said with a smile.

    Daniel smiled back and left to get back to work.

    "Is he? Are you?" Margaret asked, surprised.

    "We''ve been dating. But as you know, I''m not even sure if I like guys or girls." Henry exined.

    "Twenty nine and still unsure. Tsk, tsk, tsk." Margaret said, shaking her head.

    "Stop teasing Henry about it. It''s his choice." Adrianna scolded Margaret.

    "Fine. It''s amazing though that you could get us a table here! I heard that Bamboo Room has a two month wait period to get a table." Margaret said as she looked around.

    "It''s your first time here?" Adrianna asked Margaret.

    "Yup. I never really got too many fancy things growing up. Even my friends are just normal. Dad was never supposed to be in the position he''s in." Margaret said.

    "My spoiled sister would never get used to being an ordinary person." Henry said as he rolled his eyes. He never truly liked his younger sister Asia.

    "The only way Asia''s appetite for power, fame, and riches would be satisfied is if she married into the Reyes family or became a mistress." Margaret said with a giggle.

    "Adrianna has a higher chance of being the Reyes Heir''s mistress than she does!" Henry teased.

    "But Adri, did you really not consider being with the Reyes Heir?" Margaret probed.

    Adrianna wanted tough at how silly the thought was, Cedric and the Reyes Heir were the same person. They wanted her to be with Cedric.

    "You know what I had to go through just to be with Cedric, do you really think I would cheat?" Adrianna asked her cousin.

    "Oh, yeah. That''s true. But Adri, I really think you deserve someone like the Reyes Heir. Cedric isn''t bad, but you were born for luxury, not for a man that depends on you." Margaretined.

    "Margaret! Don''t push it. Adri is happy and expecting a baby. We should just be happy for her too." Henry said with a gentle smile.

    "Well if i ever had the chance to be with the Reyes Heir, I would take it!" Margaret said proudly.

    "Margaret, he''s already married!" Adrianna scolded. She found it weird that her cousin was lusting after her husband.

    "It''s normal for men like him to have mistresses." Margaret casually said.

    "Even if he had a mistress I don''t think it would be you." Henry teased.

    "Speaking of marrying rich, how''s Asia? Has Mark even spoken to her since they got married?" Adrianna asked in an attempt to change the topic.

    "They sleep in separate rooms and she barely sees him. Obviously the Chus are only putting up with her because of the child. Add to that Mark''s blunder, now Asia thinks that Mark has another woman on the side." Henry told his cousins.

    "He probably does. Rich second generation heir, he has throngs of women chasing after him. Asia was just a business move at best, her value has gone down since, you know, Uncle Fredrik and John." Margaret said.

    "How are they, have you visited them?" Adrianna asked Henry.

    "Dad and my older brother? Nope. We aren''t allowed to, there are stronger forces ying with their incarceration. I mean, it was Katerina Sebastian that filed a case against them, I think it''s rted to the time they went over to Mor Co." Henry exined.

    "What happened?" Adrianna asked.

 Chapter 134 - 134

    "You didn''t know? But your husband was there! They caused trouble because he said his boss wouldn''t see them without an appointment. Cedric didn''t tell you? That''s odd. Well, one day, dad, John, and Asia marched over in order to speak to the Reyes Heir. They assume that since there are rumors flying around about how he liked you they could march right in and speak to him. In the lobby however, they meet your husband, when they tell him they are there to meet with his boss, Cedric asks if they have an appointment, of course they don''t. That''s when all hell breaks loose!" Henry said as he proceeded to recount what happened with Katerin throwing his sister out of the building and calling her trash.

    "Well Miss Katerina isn''t wrong there. Asia is trash." Margaret said. ??

    "She got lucky that her pregnancy wasn''t aborted, but since that day things have been difficult for us. The only part of Ind''s Inc. that was running well for a time was whatever project you were handling Adrianna. It was as if the higher powers were blocking our every move." Henry exined.

    Adrianna wondered why Cedric never told her about the incident at Mor Co. Adrianna simply assumed that since it would be quite difficult to exin that''s why he never told her.

    The group finished their lunch and Henry said goodbye to Daniel. By the time they got back at Ind''s Inc. it was already 3pm and Adrianna had a few meetings before leaving to get dressed for the party.

    Cedric had once again arranged for Adrianna to be dressed by Maureen, he told her that he would pick her up at the studio at 7 in the evening.

    When Adrianna entered Maureen''s studio she was greeted like an old friend. She was surprised that the ce was quite deserted when she arrived.

    "Your husband wanted to make sure no one bothered you, so I closed the shop early today. Oh and congrattions! Veronica told me. I made sure to pick out something loose yet ttering for you." Maureen said with a wink.

    At 7pm sharp Cedric arrived in their Audi, since he was attending the event as Adrianna''s wife he chose a moreid back outfit, something a poor assistant would wear.

    "I don''t understand why you insist on dressing so simply Cedric! Your assistants, Ian and Cami, dress up well. Even old Marco dresses better than you." Maureenined as she saw Cedric waiting in the lobby.

    "It''s for me to stay invisible Maureen. How''s my wife? Is she almost done?" Cedric asked.

    "Now, now, don''t rush. Thirty minutes, and don''t worry she''s already eating inside, I had one of my apprentices buy us some food, your''s is over there on the counter." Maureen pointed out.

    Cedric ate the food Maureen had prepared and after half an hour Adrianna came out in a loose flowing dress.

    "I hope I don''t look too pregnant." Adrianna said as she looked at herself in the mirror.

    Cedric approached her and gave her a hug. "You don''t." Cedric said nting a kiss on her head.

    "Thanks Maureen. We''ll get going now." Adrianna said as she waved goodbye to the designer.

    By the time Cedric and Adrianna had arrived, most of the guests were already there, toasting to the sess of the project. Aside from thepany owners and the top executives, some of the smaller employees that were part of the project were invited as well.

    "Adrianna, we heard the news!" Anton Cruz said as he approached with Lorisa hooked on his arm. "Congrattions! And this must be your husband?" Anton asked as he looked at Cedric from head to toe.

    "Yes. This is my husband, Cedric Reyes. Cedric, this is our partner in the project, Anton Cruz." Adrianna said as she introduced Cedric.

    "Mr. Cruz, a pleasure." Cedric said, offering his hand.

    Anton ignored Cedric''s outstretched hand.

    "Lorisa mentioned that you went to university together." Anton said with a nod.

    "Cousin inw!" Mark greeted when he spotted Adrianna and Cedric arrive.

    Cedric red at the man that approached who seemed way too enthusiastic in greeting a pregnant woman.

    "Oh, hi Mark. Is Asia with you?" Adrianna asked Mark as she took a step back to avoid Mark being too close to her.

    "No. My parents want her to rest while she''s pregnant." Mark said with a grim look.

    "Mr. Chu, will Mr. Laurence be joining us today?" Lorisa asked in a flirtatious way.

    "Ummm, yes. He said he would drop by if his schedule allowed." Mark told Lorisa as he looked at her body.

    "I think Mr. Laurence won''t miss this opportunity." Anton said.

    "This isn''t an opportunity for him." Cedric chuckled.

    "What do you know about the great Mr. Laurence!" Lorisa questioned.

    "Just that you are lower than them." Cedric said as he pulled Adrianna leaving the group shocked at his words.

    Adrianna and Cedric spent some time talking to the team from Ind''s Inc., the employees still didn''t look at Cedric highly, he was also just an employee of anotherpany just like them.

    After a while Edward and Mark Chu excitedly walked to the entrance of the function room.

    "I guess Ray just arrived." Cerdic whispered to Adrianna as he pointed towards the father and son duo.

    When Ray did eventually arrive, everyone stretched their necks in order to see him. He was dressed fashionably in a pinstriped ck and white suit. He didn''t smile, but his eyes scanned looking for someone.

    When he saw Ceric and Adrianna approaching he gave a subtle nod and Cedric simply grinned back.

    "Mr. Laurence, thank you for giving us this opportunity." Anton Cruz said as he approached Ray.

    Ray simply red at him, usually people did not approach Ray first, Ray had to speak to them first before they spoke. Plus Ray had heard from Ayanna what Anton''s wife had attempted to do to Adrianna.

    "Mr. Laurence, I''m sorry, Mr. Anton spoke out of ce." Edward Chu said as he tried to salvage the situation.

    Ray merely grunted and greeted Adrianna who had just approached.

    "Mrs. Reyes, a pleasure to meet you again." Ray said with a warmer tone.

    "Congrattions on your engagement Ray." Adrianna greeted. Some of the guests were quite surprised with Adrianna''s familiarity towards Raymund Laurence. Very few people were allowed to call Ray by his nickname. Not even the Chu''s would dare call him that way.

    "Are you silly Adrianna!" Lorisa scolded her former ssmate in an attempt to embarrass her in public. "How could you address Mr. Laurence in such an informal manner? Are you friends? Don''t bring shame on the Chus and on us because you''re toofortable in speaking with such powerful people."

    "Yes, Mrs. Reyes and I are friends. Who are you?" Ray asked Lorisa with a look of disgust in his face.

    Beside Adrianna, Cedric wanted tough at how Lorisa had just managed to embarrass herself when she was initially trying to embarrass his wife.

    "Mr. Laurence, you know my husband. He greeted you just now." Lorisa exined.

    Ray looked at her with disgust before a sh of recognition crossed his face. "Ah, I know who you are now. You''re that whining social climber that Ayanna banned in that watch shop!"

    Ray had spoken so loudly that everyone within earshot had clearly heard that Raymund Laurence had just called Lorisa a social climber and that Ayanna Reyes had had her banned from a shop.

    The crowd began to whisper among themselves, wondering what Lorisa had done to offend Ayanna Reyes at such a level that she had been banned.

    "Mr. Cruz, I suggest you get a hold of your wife!" Edward Chu warned Anton Cruz who in turn dragged his wife away.

    "Mr. Laurence, we are sorry for this. When we were at Bamboo Room Miss Reyes didn''t have any negative reactions to Mr. Cruz participating in this partnership. Had we known that Lorisa had offended Miss Reyes in the past we wouldn''t have invited them over to join the project." Mark Chu said as he begged for forgiveness from the younger man.

    However, at his words Raymund Laurence''s face darkened and Mark Chu began to panic, he had no idea what he had said that had offended the man.

    "Are you saying my future wife is so petty that she cannot separate personal affairs from work?" Ray asked.

 Chapter 135 - 135

    "Sir, no, please forgive me. I miss spoked." Mark Chu said as he fell on his knees. It was bad enough that he couldn''t afford to offend the Laurence family, but offending the Reyes family was much worse.

    "You''re a kid. You make foolish choices. Learn." Ray said, forgiving Mark Chu. ??

    Ray hade over to give a short speech then leave. He had thanked everyone for working hard andpleting the project ahead of schedule. He had even thrown in a joke or two about how busy he was about to get with wedding nning and how he was hoping his bride to be wasn''t a bridezi.

    The women in the crowd wither sighed at how sad it was that he was getting married or plotted on how to climb into Raymund Laurence''s bed and be his mistress.

    Adrianna who was listening quietly couldn''t help but wonder if many women said the same thing about her husband.

    "What are you thinking about?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    "Just wondering if women whisper about you the same way they do about Ray." Adrianna confessed. "My own friends wanted to be your mistress! How much more other women?" Adrianna said with a light chuckle that made Cedric nervous.

    "If you want, I can make sure that all women stay at least six feet away from me at all times." Cedric boldly suggested.

    "No need. I trust you." Adrianna said as she leaned on Cedric''s shoulder.

    After his speech Ray immediately left, Adrianna and Cedric stayed for a while before finally using Adrianna''s pregnancy as an excuse to leave early.

    Outside one of Ray''s guards approached Leon with a message, Leon in turn told Cedric that Ray needed to discuss something with Cedric.

    "Mia, apany Adrianna to the car and make sure no one approaches. I''m still worried that someone might try to hurt her." Cedric said as he left to meet Ray in his car.

    When Cedric sat in Ray''s car his friend was grinning from ear to ear.

    "Did you enjoy my little show?" Ray asked.

    "I have to admit, embarrassing Lorisa was fun. But I''m sure you didn''t call me over just to boast about how well you bully women." Cedric said.

    "Bad women." Ray corrected Cedric. "And you''re right, I have news. Carlos De Dios has backed down. All the preparations he was making to announce Chris as his son has stopped."

    "Good. Our tactic worked." Cedric said with a relieved sigh. At least now he could rx a little bit.

    "This doesn''t mean he won''t stop trying to hurt the Reyes family." Ray said.

    "I know, but at least for now we have suppressed him. We need to find out who his backers are." Cedric reminded Ray.

    "Alright. Alexi and I are on it. Oh and I have a business deal that needs some Reyes Group help." Ray told Cedric.

    "Send the details over. I''ll deal with it." Cedric said as he left.

    The next day when Cedric woke up to his phone ringing non-stop. It was Miguel Chan.

    Cedric looked to his side to make sure Adrianna was still sleeping before heading to the next room so that she wouldn''t be bothered by him.

    "What''s up?" Cedric asked as he picked up the phone.

    "Is Veronica there?" Miguel asked in a panicked tone.

    "Of course not. Why would she be here? Why don''t you call Ram, she''s probably still asleep at home." Cedric said sheepishly.

    "You don''t understand." Miguel shouted.

    "Calm down. It''s too early for this. Why are you so panicked?" Cedric asked.

    "The Abads have announced our engagement! It''s all over TV and on Social Media!" Miguel said.

    "Aren''t you supposed to be the one making the announcement?" Cedric asked.

    "I am. I mean we are. The Chans are supposed to be the ones to announce this but the Abads are now saying that they need to do this because of my hesitation tomit. When have you heard me hesitating tomit? I was dying things for Veronica!" Miguel sounded stressed on the other end, Cedric knew that Veronica was the one that desperately wanted to break the engagement.

    "So are you saying that as soon as the Abad''s announced this Veronica ran away?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. And of course she isn''t with Nicole. I''ve also called Katerina and Natalia as well, she isn''t with them either." Miguel told Cedric.

    "Maybe she went to her ce, or maybe she flew out to Ayanna." Cedric suggested.

    "I doubt. The Abads have already sent people to those ces. She would avoid them at all costs." Miguel told Cedric.

    "Sir." A maid knocked from outside.

    "I think she might be here. Let me check. I''ll call you if I have an update." Cedric said, dropping the call and putting on a bathrobe.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked as he opened the door.

    "Sir, Miss Veronica arrived and insisted that she is staying in one of the guest rooms." The maid informed Cedric.

    "Have my parents seen her?" Cedric asked.

    "No sir." The maid said.

    "Let her stay at the guest house by the pool. I''ll go down in a while. Prepare her breakfast as well and send it to the guest house." Cedric instructed as he massaged his temples.

    The maid nodded and left.

    Cedric got dressed as Adrianna woke up. She checked her phone to see that she had multiple missed calls from Veronica.

    "Veronica is at the guest house." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "Why?" Adrianna asked.

    "She ran away from home and thought that this was thest ce people would look for her, it was the third ce. Miguel called right before she arrived." Cedric said as he worked on putting on his tie.

    "Mmmm. Let me do that." Adrianna said as she went up to fix his tie.

    "Will you send her away?" Adrianna asked.

    "I don''t know yet. I''ll talk to her and Miguel first." Cedric said.

    "Okay. I''ll pass by Veronica before going to work." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "You''re supposed to have a check up today. Have Mia drive you. I''ll meet you at the hospital." Cedric told Adrianna.

    When Cedric got to the ground floor of the house his father was sitting on the couch having coffee.

 Chapter 136 - 136

    "You know, it''s an issue between the Abads, the Chans, and their children. I know they are your friends but don''t get thrown into the fray too much." Emilio Reyes advised his son without even looking.

    "I''m only doing as you did dad." Cedric teased. He knew from stories that his father had tried but failed, in the past to help his friends in stopping arranged marriages. ??

    When Cedric got to the guest house he saw Veronica organizing the maids to help her unpack.

    "How long did you think you were going to stay?" Cedric asked.

    "As long as it takes!" Veronica stubbornly said.

    "Cedric Reyes, you will not send my friend away." Ayanna''s mad voice said as she barged into the guest house.

    "Rx Ayanna, I''m not sending Veronica away." Cedric said in a calm voice.

    "Ayanna! You came." Veronica said as she hugged her friend.

    "Of course. I told Ray to get me a ne back home as soon as you called yesterday." Ayanna told Veronica.

    "Adrianna will pass byter, don''t you dare stress her out, she''s pregnant. I''m going with Miguelter when he meets your parents for lunch." Cedric said as he left the girls to talk.

    By the time Cedric got to his office at Mor Co. Miguel was already pacing around.

    "You need to calm down." Cedric said as he opened hisptop and sat down.

    "How can I calm down? My future inws announced my engagement ahead of schedule and they all think my fianc�� ran away!" Miguel said as he finally sat on the couch.

    "First of all, you''ll try to talk to them calmly. Ask them to move the wedding date, at least until you can maybe court Veronica. Second, just tell them you know where she is and that you will keep her safe. We have all known each other for a long time. There is no need to panic. The Abads are more understanding than you think, I hope." Cedric said as he reviewed the documents on this desk.

    "And if they aren''t?" Miguel asked.

    "Then give Veronica the life you''ve always nned for her. It''s not like you haven''t been nning this since we were young." Cedric told Miguel.

    "They weren''t even supposed to tell her about the arranged marriage!" Miguel was frustrated with Victoria and Benedicto Abad for failing to abide by the conditions Miguel had initially agreed to.

    "I can''t me them. No one was sure if Veronica would fall for you." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I was getting there, then they told her. Now she hates me as much as she hates them." Miguelined.

    "At least she can''t say you lied to her. You never had the chance to lie." Cedric told Miguel.

    "Has Ram contacted you?" Miguel asked.

    "Nope." Cedric said as he continued to work.

    "I don''t even know which side he''s gonna take." Miguel said worriedly.

    "Ram has his own battles to fight within that family. Don''t let this change your perception of him." Cedric said.

    "I know, I know. Ah speaking of Ram, here he is calling." Miguel said, waving his phone. Miguel stepped out to take Ram''s call.

    After several minutes Miguel stepped back in with a smile.

    "I''m guessing Ram decided to side with you and Veronica?" Cedric asked upon seeing Miguel''s reaction.

    "Yup. I''ve told him toe over. Ray, Alexi, and Eric, will also be joining us." Miguel said.

    Cedric let out a sigh and looked up at his friend. "I guess I''m not going to get any work done today." Cedricined.

    "We won''t be a bother." Miguel said.

    "I doubt that. Just having you here already has my attention split in half." Cedricined.

    Miguel could only shrug as he sat back down on the couch and yed with his phone.

    Cedric got an additional hour of peace before his friends began to arrive.

    "So we''re going in full force?" Ray said with augh.

    "I doubt my parents will listen." Ram said with a deep frown.

    "At least we tried." Eric said.

    "What have the Chan family been saying about this?" Alexi asked Miguel.

    "That the Abads were right to force the issue." Miguel said, shaking his head.

    "They are so traditional." Ray said with a sigh.

    The boys let Cedric finish his work, at 11:30 AM, wearing his Reyes Heir disguise, Cedric and the other princes marched out of Mor Co. and drove to Maharlika Hotel. The Abads had reserved a private room there to speak to Miguel.

    Victoria and Benedicto Abad were surprised to see that Ram had arrived together with Miguel and the others.

    "What is the meaning of this Ram?" Benedicto questioned his son.

    "I''m just apanying my friend." Ram calmly answered.

    "Uncle Benedicto, why don''t we take a seat and talk calmly." Miguel suggested.

    The elder couple nodded and sat down, the boys followed suit and took their seats as well. Since the Abads had not expected all of them, additional chairs had to be brought in.

    "Uncle Benedicto, Auntie Victoria, I''d like to ask for the chance to dy my marriage to Veronica for a little while longer." Miguel asked in a calm and charming tone. Among the five princes, Miguel had the most charming and alluring personality. Most elders could never refuse him when he asked for something.

    "You''ve asked for too many extensions Miguel. Most arranged marriages would have beenpleted by now! You and Veronica are not getting any younger. This marriage must happen soon." Benedicto Abad told Miguel.

    "Dad, you can''t force them. Plus Veronica is missing right now. You can''t have a marriage without a bride." Ramined.

    "Of course we can. We can arrange for a marriage certificate without Veronica being there." Benedicto said, crossing his arms.

    "Uncle, that would be unfair to both Veronica and myself. It is still our wedding." Miguel said calmly.

    "I may not know where my daughter is right now. But I''m sure one of you six would know. She probably sought refuge with a friend. I''ve also spoken to your family Miguel, they too are all for this wedding to happen, and soon." Benedicto told Miguel.

 Chapter 137 - 137

    Miguel remained silent for a while, he knew that since the Abads had spoken to his family and there was very little that he could do to stop this wedding from happening. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to marry Veronica, he just wanted Veronica to be the one to choose the when and if the marriage would actually happen.

    "Uncle James." Cedric suddenly said. "I know this is a family matter, but may I suggest that since you are so determined for this union to happen that you let Miguel and Veronica marry when Miguel manages to convince Veronica. As Ram said, you don''t even know where Veronica is." Cedric suggested.??

    "Veronica will probably never be convinced. That girl has a mind of her own. She even changed her name and had the guts be embarrassed to use the Abad name!" James Abad said.

    "Give us three months." Miguel said. "I know you and my parents want this marriage to happen in a month, so extend it to three months." Miguel suggested.

    "Fine. But you need to find Veronica first." James Abad told Miguel.

    Ramughed. "Dad, Miguel has known where Veronica is this whole time."

    "What?" Victoria Abad said in surprise.

    "Miguel knows Veronica better than Veronica knows herself, how could he not? He''s been watching over her since we were kids." Ram said with augh.

    "Well, where is she?" James asked.

    "She is safe, that''s all you need to know uncle. And if you must know, Veronica did not leave and change her name because she refused to be an Abad, she did that to prove that she was more than just her name. You have no idea what she had to go through just because she was an Abad." Miguel responded. As he stood up to leave.

    The other boys followed suit including Ram. They all returned to Cedric''s home instead of going to work.

    When they arrived back at the Mountain View mansion they found Emilio Reyes having coffee with Veronica and Ayanna at the living room.

    "Dad, didn''t you go to work today?" Cedric asked Emilio before Ayanna or Veronica could react to the boys all being together. Everyone knew that if all of them were together the had clearly done something that would affect everyone.

    "Nope. If I don''t go to work neither Raphael nor James can find me. If they can''t find me, they can''t ask me if I knew where Veronica is. So as long as I''m not in R Tower, your secret is safe." Emilio said as he took as sip of his coffee.

    "Makes sense." Cedric said with a shrug. "The boys and I will be in the back." Cedric said as they all went to the back patio.

    Veronica had designed the space to be an outdoor bar with couches overlooking the pool. The space ran the whole length of the mansion and could host a small party of thirty people at a time.

    "She really did a good job with your house." Miguel said as he looked around.

    "Ah, the love sick puppy has returned." Eric chuckled as he teased his younger brother.

    Miguel got a pillow and threw it at his brother. "You''re one to talk! You were worse with your first love. You were dreaming about her every night!"

    "His first love would throw him off a cliff if she found out." Alexi teased as he and Cedric brought some drinks over.

    "Eric wouldn''t survive a day with his first love." Ayanna said from behind.

    "Oh, you guys have decided to join us?" Cedric asked.

    "Yup. I need a drink." Veronica said as she took Miguel''s drink and sat beside him. Miguel suddenly froze and didn''t know what to do.

    "Rx Miguel, Veronica heard everything." Ayanna teased, making Veronica blush.

    "Did you just leave dad alone, inside?" Cedric asked.

    "He said he had to do something in the office and left." Ayanna said.

    "Did you speak to my parents?" Veronica asked Miguel.

    "I did. The boys were all with me." Miguel said.

    "And? Get straight to the point, Miguel." Veronica said crossing her arms.

    "They wanted us to get married in a month. I negotiated three." Miguel said proudly.

    "Three? Three?! Three! That''s too soon, we''re getting married even before Ayanna and Ray!" Veronica shouted at Miguel.

    "So you won''t reject?" Miguel asked as he held Veronica''s hand.

    "Do I have choice at all?" Veronica asked.

    "I don''t think so." Miguel said with a sigh. This was not how he had wanted things to turn out.

    "Fine. But I''m not moving into your parent''s house, nor am I going back to my parent''s ce." Veronica said, crossing her arms.

    "You can stay at our ce." Miguel suggested.

    "Nope, I''m staying here till the wedding." Veronica dered.

    "Wait a moment, this is my house." Cedric suddenly reacted.

    "I said she could stay big bother." Ayanna said in a childish tone.

    "Then let her stay at your ce, you have a lot of houses." Cedric told Ayanna.

    "They aren''t as safe as here." Ayanna argued.

    "No one is going to kidnap her." Cedric grumbled.

    "I''ll just ask my sister inw then." Ayanna said as she dialed Adrianna''s number and ced the call on speaker.

    "Hello, Ayanna?" Adrianna asked on the end of the line.

    "Sister inw! My older brother is fighting me!" Ayannained.

    "Don''t listen to her Adrianna." Cedric called out.

    "I told you he would say no Adri!" Ayanna continued toin.

    "Cedric, Veronica is staying at the guest house until her wedding." Adrianna said in a firm tone.

    "Fine, but after that she has to live with Miguel!" Cedric said.

    "Of course, husband and wife should live together." Adrianna said, agreeing to what Cedric had just said. "I''ll see you tonight. I love you." Adrianna said as she dropped her call.

    Alexiughed at Cedric. "Man, you''re one whipped husband."

    "Someday Alexi, you too will meet your match!" Cedric teased his friend.

 Chapter 138 - 138

    "We need to prepare for the wedding!" Ayanna giggled excitedly.

    "Don''t you have to prepare for yours too?" Miguel asked Ayanna. ??

    "The two of you are getting married first so we have to prepare for that! Plus the whole world knows Anna as Veronica, there are going to be a whole lot of shocked people when they see your wedding photos." Ayanna giggled.

    "Not as much as when they find out that Adrianna has been married to the Reyes Heir this whole time." Eric teased.

    "I think Veronica might be more famous." Miguel said with a serious tone.

    "So defensive." Eric teased his brother again.

    "Brother, can Adriannae with us?" Ayanna asked.

    "It all depends on what the doctor says. I have to leave in a while. I''ll catch you guyster." Cedric said as he left.

    When Cedric arrived at Saints Hospital, Adrianna wasn''t there yet. So he worked while waiting in the car. When she finally arrived the couple walked into the hospital.

    Doctor Santos did a routine check on Adrianna and the baby, the baby was healthy and now over four months old.

    "Do you want to know the gender?" Doctor Santos asked the couple.

    "No need Doc." Cedric said. The doctor nodded and proceeded to remind the couple on what they could and couldn''t do as well as what kind of food Adrianna should eat and avoid.

    After their appointment they found Nicole waiting for them outside Doctor Santos'' office.

    "Nicole, it doesn''t look dignified for the VP to be waiting like a little girl outside an office." Cedric teased.

    "Oh, Ced. Ummmm. Can I ride with you? Ayanna said we could have dinner at your ce." Nicole asked.

    "Sure. What''s up with the shy tone?" Cedric asked when he realized that Ian was walking towards them.

    "Nicole, I think it will be too tight in the car." Cedric said, loud enough for Ian to hear.

    "Ian, please give Nicole a ride to my house, and please join us for dinner as well." Cedric told Ian who simply nodded in reply.

    "But there are only two of them in the car?" Nicole said as Adrianna and Cedric left.

    "She could have ridden with us." Adrianna told Cedric as they walked away.

    "Yes, but why take away the opportunity from Ian?" Cedric asked with a wink.

    "So the Chans aren''t all in arranged marriages?" Adrianna asked Cedric.

    "Only Miguel. Eric is like the ck sheep that refuses to follow. It''s a miracle they haven''t disowned him. But of course there are expectations on the people they should marry. Like must marry like, that''s what they always tell us." Cedric exined to Adrianna as they got into the car.

    It was dinner by the time Cedric and Adrianna got back to Mountain View. Ayanna had the help set up the back patio for dinner and it seemed like it was a mini celebration as the back was filled with young peopleughing.

    The only elders among the group were Emilo, Prisci, Charles, and Gracia. They stayed at a separate table, chatting and rxing among themselves.

    "How''s the little one?" Prisci asked when she saw the couple arrive.

    "Healthy." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Did you find out the gender today?" Gracia asked.

    "No mom. We decided to wait." Cedric said in a kind tone. Over the past month Gracia''s attitude had changed tremendously, Cedric knew that it was, of course, due to her learning about his true identity.

    "It doesn''t matter if it''s a boy or a girl. We''ll love it equally." Emilio Reyes said with a warm smile. "Go, join the others. You two should spend less time working and more time with your friends."

    "So what did the doctor say? Can Adri n a wedding with us?" Ayanna excitedly asked as she moved over to let her brother and sister inw sit.

    Adrianna looked at Cedric with a questioning look.

    "Veronica and Miguel need to get married in three months, Ayanna and Ray, well they need to n a wedding. Is that even pushing through? Are you just gonna spend my money to call it off?" Cedric asked Ayanna.

    "Can I give you an answerter on?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "No spending on yours till you know you''re actually getting married. You can help with Veronica''s." Cedric told his sister.

    The group was already eating by the time Ian and Nicole arrived.

    "What took you so long?" Cedric teased the couple.

    "It wasn''t like that!" Nicole shouted. She was blushing and looked very shy when they arrived.

    "Ha! Anyone that can get my sister to keep quiet is good in my books!" Eric proudly said.

    "Brother!" Nicoleined.

    "What? Don''t you want us to approve of your new beau?" Miguel teased his sister.

    "Stop it, Miguel." Veronica scolded.

    "Fine." Miguel said, rolling his eyes.

    Everyoneughed at his expression.

    The girls ended up sitting together, nning Veronica''s wedding. Katerina and Natalia had arrived earlier while Cedric and Adrianna were in the hospital. Katerina seemed to be the most excited among the girls which seemedpletely out of character for her.

    "Hey Eric. Katerina seems eager to n a wedding." Alexi teased.

    "Stop it Alexi, that was a long time ago." Eric said with a sigh.

    "I''m just saying. Katerina seems too eager." Alexi said with augh.

    "Do you think Veronica will go with this wedding peacefully?" Ray asked Miguel.

    "No. I''m still thinking of a way for her not topletely give in to her parents demands." Miguel said with a sigh.

    "How about you Ray, are you serious about my sister?" Cedric asked in a serious tone.

    "Don''t use that tone on us Cedric, it''s scary." Ray said with a nervousugh. "But yes. All I need is for her to take this engagement seriously."

    "You''re paying." Cedric said.

    "What? You''re richer than me!" Rayined.

    "A wedding won''t make you poor. Plus I still owe Adrianna a wedding. It will be better than any of yours!" Cedric dered with a grin.

 Chapter 139 - 139

    The girls had agreed to begin nning Veronica''s wedding over the weekend, which was two days away. The rest of the week went by rtively peacefully for Cedric. He had given strict instructions to Mia that Adrianna was not allowed to have meetings past 4pm and that she had to leave the office at 5pm everyday. Despite the curfew Cedric had given Adrianna was still very busy, the partnership with the Chu family was so sessful that morepanies wanted to work with them.

    Adrianna''s efforts did not go unnoticed. Uncle Matthew had repeatedly congratted Adrianna on the work she was doing and had hoped that she would continue to do a good job. Inside Ind''s Inc. as well the employees started to realize that Adrianna was more than just a pretty face, that she could stand on her own and even go up against the giants of the industry.??

    Adrianna had gotten up early for the weekend and joined the girls at the guest house as they nned which items they would need for the wedding. Veronica was set on having Maureen design her wedding gown.

    "Do you think you''ll have a grand wedding?" Nicole asked Veronica as she yed with her hair.

    ''Do I have a choice? There is very little I can control about this situation. I''m sure our parents want to turn the wedding into an ultraworking event. Build even stronger connections, it''s not as if we need it anyway." Veronicained.

    "Then why not, go against their wishes and have a small one?" Natalia suggested.

    "How? I''m pretty sure they reserved a venue years in advance." Veronica told Natalia as she slumped on the couch.

    "So what can you n?" Adrianna asked Veronica.

    "My dress, probably my bride''s maids, I''m already picking the most important girls around anyway." Veronica said with a shrug.

    "That''s unfair." Adrianna said.

    "At least I get the big wedding every girl dreams about." Veronica said with a sarcasticugh.

    "You might as well elope!" Nicole teased.

    "And disappoint my parents even more?" Veronica said, shaking her head.

    "So you''ll just do as they say?" Katerina asked. "That''s not the Veronica I know."

    "I don''t know Katerina, don''t you get tired of fighting all the time?" Veronica asked Katerina.

    "I wouldn''t have gotten roped into this in the first ce anyway." Katernia proudly said as she crossed her arms and sat on the couch.

    "This is frustrating. I''ll go get some drinks inside." Veronica said as she marched away.

    Inside the house, Cedric was looking forward to the fact that he could finally rest after a busy week. Unfortunately, it seemed that the world had other ns, when Cedric got down for breakfast he found Miguel pacing across his living room while Eric satfortably on the couch.

    "We didn''t have anything nned." Cedric said as he looked at the brothers with surprise.

    "No we didn''t. I had an idea." Miguel said with some hesitation.

    "Do you think it''s a smart idea?" Cedric asked Eric.

    "No. Of course not." Eric said.

    "And you let hime here?" Cedric asked the older brother.

    "The more no''s he gets the more he will realize it''s not a smart idea." Eric exined with a shrug.

    "You know him best I guess. Come, have breakfast. Miguel looks like he just came from an operation." Cedric said leading the brothers into the dining room.

    "He did. He hasn''t slept." Eric told Cedric as they walked.

    "Look, I can''t change the fact that we''re getting married right?" Miguel asked his friend and his brother.

    "Wait, I want the others to hear this." Eric said as he took out his phone and dragged everyone into a conference call.

    "Miguel repeat what you just said." Eric instructed his brother.

    Miguel took a deep breath and spoke.

    "I have a crazy idea. I can''t change the fact that we are getting married right?" Miguel asked again.

    "Nope. Get to your point. I want to enjoy the weekend." Cedric said.

    "What if we took away the wedding from the elders?" Miguel suggested.

    "That''s stupid. But get to your point." Alexi said over the phone.

    "Think about it. What if we didn''t tell them we got married, we didn''t invite them, then moved as far away as possible from them." Miguel suggested.

    "Veronica would never agree." Ram said over the phone.

    "I would never agree to what?" Veronica asked as she approached.

    "Veronica, I was suggesting that we uninvite the parents from the wedding." Miguel slowly said.

    "I''m listening." Veronica said.

    "We can tell them a fake date, get married sooner in a small ceremony, just with people we want to be there. Then move as far away from them as possible." Miguel said.

    "We have to stay in the country, and not too far from our friends." Veronica told Miguel.

    "I have property here in Mountain View. We can build a house here. It''s near Cedric and our siblings cane over. You can design it as you want." Miguel told Veronica.

    "And where will you live while this house is being built?" Cedric asked.

    "In your guest house, of course." Miguel said proudly.

    "What if I say no?" Cedric warned his friend.

    "But you won''t." Miguel told Cedric with a grin.

    Cedric just shook his head and sighed.

    "When do you n on having this wedding?" Veronica asked.

    "Two months." Miguel said with full confidence.

    Veronica stood by quietly for a while, thinking about Miguel''s suggestion.

    "Okay." Veronica finally said. "I''ll be at the back nning it with the girls. Message me when you find a church." Veronica said leaving the boys stunned in the dining room.

    "Quick! Eat your breakfast Cedric. We need to find a discreet location for the wedding." Miguel said, as he shook Cedric on the shoulder, almost making him spill his drink.

    "Don''t rush me! It''s the weekend. I want to enjoy the cooking of the chefs I pay for." Cedricined as he took a casual sip of his coffee.

 Chapter 140 - 140

    By the time Cedric had finished his breakfast the other boys had already arrived at Mountain View. They were nagging him to hurry up since they wanted to get the church hunting over with.

    "What''s the rush? Do you even know which area you want to have the wedding?" Cedric asked.??

    "Somewhere far from my parents, right Miguel?" Ram asked.

    "Yes, and somewhere secluded. A ce they can''t find easily or the press can''t see easily." Miguel told the other boys.

    "I have an idea. It''s not too far from here. It''s a monastery with a small church. If we ask nicely they will agree to having a wedding. It also has an amazing view." Cedric said as he asked a driver to bring around some cars.

    "That should be good. Won''t we bring the girls?" Miguel asked as he followed Cedric out.

    "I guarantee, they''ll like this ce." Cedric said as he got into one of the cars.

    By the time the convoy got to apound at the top of a mountain Ram was busily on the phone. The other boys waited for him to end the call so they could see the visible distress in Ram''s face.

    "What''s wrong?" Miguel asked when Ram finally approached them.

    "It''s out. Someone leaked information on the inte that Veronica and Anna are the same person. Now news of your engagement has hit new heights. My people couldn''t chase the volume of discussions on social media to kill it." Ram told Miguel.

    "How did they find out?" Alexi asked.

    "We never really hid it. So when people asked we admitted that Veronica and Anna were the same person." Ram said with a shrug.

    "Let''s hurry up here. Veronica won''t be happy when we get back." Miguel said as they went further into thepound.

    They were greeted by two monks who looked like they had just recently joined the order due to their age. They smiled warmly at the group of young men led by Cedric.

    "Brothers." Cedric greeted the monks.

    "Mr. Reyes, it''s been a while." the monks greeted, shaking his hand.

    "I''ve been donating to this monastery for quite a while." Cedric exined to his friends. "Brothers, may I show them the chapel?" Cedric asked.

    The brothers then led the men on a tour of the convent.

    Back at Mountain View, on Cedric''s instructions, Mia informed the girls about thetest news. When Veronica saw that people were talking about her she walked over to the bar and took a big gulp of wine.

    "What are they saying?" Veronica asked.

    "Are you sure you want to know?" Adrianna said as she scrolled through thements.

    Veronica nodded hesitantly.

    "Well they aren''t that bad. So many are supporting your rtionship with Miguel, oh here''s one. No wonder they''ve been seen together often, although they are out as a group most of the time. I support. Hmmm. That one sounds good." Adrianna read out.

    "Let me see." Nicole said, taking the tablet away from Adrianna.

    "Read the bad ones." Veronica said in a sad one.

    "Okay. Are you sure?" Nicole asked.

    Veronica nodded and Nicole scrolled through.

    "No wonder she''s always in the 30 under 30 list, her family owns thework. I thought they were fair." After Nicole read it she looked up at Veronica.

    "Keep going." Veronica instructed.

    "I bet she just got her clients through her parent''s connections. She even dared to lie. What a fake." Nicole said in a fading voice.

    "What else?" Veronica asked.

    "Are you sure I should keep going?" Nicole was worried that thements were too much for Veronica.

    "I''d rather hear thements now with you guys rather thanter when I''m alone." Veronica said, insisting that Nicole keep reading thements.

    "Girl, don''t you dare steal my Miracle Doctor away from us. She isn''t worthy of Miguel Chan. Now that''s foul! There isn''t anyone I''d rather have than Veronica to be my sister inw." Nicole couldn??t help butment on thestment she read.

    "Veronica, stop being a wuss." Katerina suddenly said. "I know it hurts, but you''re stronger than this."

    "I''m not you Katerina, I''m a coward, I''m weak! I didn''t brave the stupid rumors or expectations, I hid, remember? I ran away and changed my name! Everyone keeps saying I did it to separate myself, but no, truth is I fucking ran away because my best friend used me and I couldn''t take the pressures of being an Abad." Veronica shouted in a sudden outburst.

    "I don''t think you''re weak." Miguel said as he stood by the door of the guest house.

    "You! You! You get away. This is all your fault. If you didn''t agree I wouldn''t be in this arranged marriage." Veronica said as she turned to leave.

    Miguel tookrge strides and quickly grabbed Veronica by the arm pulling her back to him. The force of Miguel''s pull made Veronica bump into his chest and into his arms.

    "You''ll hurt your hands.?? Veronica said, pushing him away.

    "I don''t care about my hands. All I care about is you." Miguel told Veronica.

    Veronica was at a loss for words, Miguel had always joked about these things so she had never taken him seriously.

    "Miguel stop it, you don''t have to say things like that everyone here knows the truth." Veronica scolded Miguel.

    "You''re the only one that''s clueless Veronica." Miguel said with a serious expression.

    "Miguel!" Veronica shouted as she tried to escape his hold.

    "Veronica Abad, I have loved you since we were children, everyone here knows it. Will you please give me a chance?" Miguel asked.

    "What are you saying Miguel? Are you fucking proposing?" Veronica said in a loud voice, in part she was still scolding Miguel.

    "I don''t care if you boss me around for the rest of our lives, as long as I get to spend the rest of my life with you." Miguel said as he slowly got down on one knee.

    "This is crazy, you don''t need to do this, you don''t need to lie. Guys, tell Miguel to stop." Veronica said to her friends in a panic.

    "Veronica, my older brother isn''t lying." Nicole said.

    "Veronica, I asked Ray to get me this ring a long time ago. As long as you say yes, this ring and my heart will forever be yours." Miguel said in a loving tone.

 Chapter 141 - 141

    Veronica stared at Miguel, after what felt like ages Veronica just took the ring and ran to her room. Instead of being depressed or stunned Miguel just burst outughing.

    "You''re crazy." Alexi said, pulling out a cigarette. "Rx Ced, I''m just cing it in my mouth. I would never smoke around a pregnant woman."??

    "I didn''t say anything." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "You don''t have to. We all know how much you spoil Adri. Seriously, you''ll suffocate her." Alexi teased.

    "Hmmm, that''s odd." Ayanna said as her phone began to ring.

    "Ayanna, you''re supposed to answer when it rings like that." Katerina teased.

    "It''s Cthea." Ayanna said, showing everyone her phone.

    "Well, answer it and put it on speaker." Eric said in an anxious tone.

    "An ex?" Adrianna teased Eric.

    "Ha! You could say that." Katerina said bitterly.

    "I never liked her back." Eric said in defense of himself.

    Ayanna rolled her eyes and ced the call on speaker.

    "Ayannaaaaa!!!!" A voice shouted over the phone.

    "Hi Cthea, it''s been a while." Ayanna said in a straight tone.

    "Papa said we areing home for Anna and Miguel''s wedding! I can''t wait to see everyone. How is everyone? I saw Eric on the news recently and it seems he''s doing well." Cthea said.

    When Cthea mentioned Eric, Katerina looked at him, clearly unhappy, Alexi on the other hand struggled to suppress hisughter.

    "Everyone is fine Cthea. How is Madrid?" Ayanna asked.

    "Oh, same old, same old. I heard Cedric is home, is he really married? Is your sister inw some social climbing bitch?" Cthea asked with a giggle.

    "Cthea, it''s not good to talk about people that way." Ayanna scolded.

    "You''re so boring! Anyway, when are you and Ray getting married? Is that real? Was it arranged, or do you really like him? I heard he was gay though, so how does that work?" Cthea asked one question after the other, not letting Ayanna give an answer.

    "When are you arriving?" Ayanna asked.

    "Oh, I''m already in the Capital. Actually I passed by the Reyes Mansion and the guards said you guys weren''t there. Did you move? Did the Reyeses get poorer? The Carpios can help you know, if you have any issues. We''ve gotten richer, you know, papa just bought us a new mansion in LA, you should visit sometime." Cthea asked.

    "The Reyeses are not your problem Cthea, we''re doing great. Let''s have coffee sometime. Bye." Ayanna said, dropping the call.

    "Ugh, Cthea Carpio. I hate her." Katerina said.

    "You just hate her cause she likes Eric." Natalia teased her sister.

    "Eric and Katerina?" Adrianna whispered to Cedric.

    "An old and long story. I''ll tell you next time." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "Who is Cthea Carpio?" Adrianna asked.

    "Eric''s stalker!" Nicole teased.

    Eric rolled his eyes at his sister''s childish attitude.

    "Cthea Carpio is the only child of the Carpio family. And the Carpio family, I guess you could say, they are the second or third richest family in the country." Eric exined.

    "The debate is if you count illegal assets. If you count those, Ray''s family beats them." Cedric whispered to Adrianna.

    "Cthea isn''t bad." Ayanna exined. "She''s just annoying."

    "Annoying is an understatement." Katerina spat.

    "There was a time that the Carpio family was in talks with the Chan family to engage Eric to Cthea, but Eric chose to leave and be an actor." Ram exined to Adrianna.

    "She drugged Eric and tried to sleep with him!" Katerina used.

    "We couldn''t prove it." Ray said with a shrug.

    "Katerina, it didn''t happen. You got there in time. Rx." Eric said, rubbing Katerina''s shoulders. Adrianna could see that there was tension between the two.

    "Anyway, the Carpio''s own almost as muchnd as the Reyeses, they just don''t develop their resources as well. Add to that that Cthea would rather marry a rich man than learn to keep riches within the family and grow it." Kateria exined.

    "You know what I find odd, Katerina, the Carpio businesses have been doing better and better the past three years." Ray said. "When did they leave again?"

    "Four years ago. Cthea finished her degree abroad." Katernia recalled.

    "I wonder what happened." Ray said thinking back to the past three years.

    "Can''t you just investigate them?" Adrianna asked.

    "The Carpios are different Adrianna. They aren''t as easy as the Hernandezes or the De Dioses to investigate. Just like us, they take precautions and we are all familiar with each other''s tricks." Ray exined.

    Veronica stayed in her room for the rest of the day, when everyone decided to leave Miguel told Eric and Nicole that he would be staying over.

    "Idiot, you don''t even have clothes." Nicolemented.

    "Bring me some." Miguel ordered his sister.

    "And what about your operations?" Nicole reminded him.

    "I''ll still do them. I took an oath." Miguel said.

    "Let him be Nicole. If you were Veronica, this would move you." Eric told Nicole.

    "Veronica and I are very different." Nicole said as she walked out.

    "I''ll bring your clothes overter." Eric told Miguel.

    "Have dinner here then." Cedric said, inviting Eric.

    "Alright." Eric said with a nod as he left.

    Thest to leave were the Sebastian siblings, unfortunately as they were about to go Emilio Reyes caught sight of Katerina and wanted to discuss a case she was working on for the Reyes Group.

    At dinner, Veronica and Miguel joined the Reyes family, Veronica had clearly calmed down and was wearing the engagement ring Miguel had used to propose. She was still acting coldly towards Miguel, but she wasn''t saying anything bad to him either.

    Eric had arrived a few minutes to dinner and sat next to Katerina who was still in conversation with Emilio Reyes about the case she had just reviewed.

    "Oh, Veronica, did Miguel propose to you? That is a beautiful ring!" Gracia eximed.

    "Thank you Mrs. Hernandez, but it''s nothingpared to Adrianna''s and Cedric''s rings." Veronica said with a gentle smile.

    "If you aren''t satisfied, I can get you a better ring." Miguel said nervously.

    Veronica just shook her head to say that there was no need.

    "Where is Ayanna?" Prisci asked Cedric.

    "I saw her go to the door a while ago." Cedric said with a shrug.

 Chapter 142 - 142

    "Auntie Prisci! Uncle Emilio!" A loud voice that made Cedric jump a bit, suddenly said.

    A tall tanned girl wearing five inch jewel studded heels greeted as she entered the dining room behind Ayanna.??

    "Cthea, you''re here." Prisci greeted warmly. "Set an additional spot for Cthea please." Prisci said to the help who did as she asked and ced an extra table setting next to Eric.

    "Oh, Miguel, Veronica, and Eric are here too." Cthea said happily, she had clearly ignored Katerina''s presence on purpose as she greeted everyone else.

    "Cthea, you might not remember how he looks, but this is my older brother, Cedric and his wife Adrianna." Ayanna said as she brought Cthea over to Cedric and Adrianna.

    "Of course, of course, Cedric. My, my, puberty hit you well. I would never have recognized you. You look amazing." Ctheamented as she looked at Cedric hungrily. Cedric cringed at the look on her eyes. Not only was he in love with only one person, but Cthea Carpio did not look appealing to Cedric. She always wore shy outfits and thick make up, something most girls from old rich families usually did not do.

    Cedric paused for a bit before simply nodding his head and holding his wife''s hand as if to show Cthea that he was off limits.

    "Such a quiet couple, the total opposite of you and Ray, am I right Ayanna?" Cthea said.

    "Cedric doesn''t like wasting his time on irrelevant people." Adrianna suddenly said. Adrianna''sment drew out a grin on Cedric''s face. Adrianna rarely spoke up that way she did, which meant something about Cthea was getting on her nerves.

    "Oh, I''m sorry Miss Hernandez, are you saying I''m irrelevant?" Cthea said, clearly offended. Cedric did no miss out that Cthea chose to call Adrianna, Miss Hernandez rather than Adrianna or Mrs. Reyes. It was clearly to let Adrianna feel that she didn''t belong with the Reyes family.

    "Nope. Just an observation." Adrianna said with a smile. Across her Katerina was smiling as well.

    Since there was no other space, Cthea sat next to Eric. As she sat she moved her chair a little bit closer to the eldest Chan, who in response moved closer to Katerina instead.

    "So Veronica, Miguel I heard you''re getting married soon. That''s amazing, we would have been sisters inw if my marriage with Eric had pushed through." Cthea casually said.

    "You weren''t even engaged to Eric." Katerina suddenly said.

    "At least for me there were ns." Ctheaanswered back.

    "Eric wouldn''t have followed." Miguel coldly replied. He never liked Cthea Carpio, a lot of things about her felt off to Miguel and he was d that the ns for her and Eric to marry never pushed through.

    "Oh, I''m sure Eric would have. You followed your parents. You''re marrying her." Cthea replied.

    "Hmph, Miguel actually loves me. Unlike your desires to enter in a loveless marriage." Veronica told Cthea as she held Miguel''s hand and looked at him sweetly. Miguel who was probably surprised by this, chose to enjoy the moment.

    "Please, Eric was supposed to join me in Maharlika Hotel, but someone came in between." Cthea said as she red at Katerina.

    "Enough." Cedric suddenly said in an imposing manner. "Serve the food. I do not like your topic, change it or leave my house."

    Cthea was shocked. Everyone always tolerated her, no one ever told her to keep quiet or leave like that. She was getting more and more interested in Cedric Reyes.

    "How is your father, Cthea?" Emilio asked.

    "Oh, papa is well. He arrived with me but he had a business dinner. So I looked for Ayanna, I went to the Reyes Mansion but no one was home. It was quite difficult for me to find this ce uncle." Cthea said with a sweet smile.

    "Ah yes. We''ve decided to stay at Cedric''s for the meantime. You see Adrianna is pregnant with our first grandchild!" Emilio said proudly.

    "Wow. Congrattions Adrianna! My friend in Spain, she''s a princess, did yoga to keep her in shape. They say after you give birth and lose your form, men stop finding you as appealing." Cthea said full of malice.

    "No matter what, Adrianna will be the only one for me." Cedric cut in.

    "You must truly love her, Cedric." Cthea simply said. She didn''t expect Cedric to answer that way.

    "How about you Eric, have you met someone since I left?" Cthea said, suggesting that there had been something between them since she moved to Spain.

    "I''ve been acting. You can google everything about me." Eric replied coldly.

    "You''re so boring." Cthea said, rolling her eyes.

    "So Katerina, how many cases have you won cause the judge was sucking up to daddy?" Cthea suddenly asked, turning her attention to Katerina.

    Before Katerina could even answer back Cthea''s phone began to ring and she excused herself from the table.

    "I hate her." Katerina said when Cthea was out of earshot.

    "Then why put up with her?" Adrianna asked.

    "Because we shouldn''t directly offend each other." Ayanna said with a sigh.

    "Don''t let her push you around." Emilio Reyes said.

    "But dad, we still have partnerships with them. We could end up losing all of those." Ayanna said.

    "They can''t afford to lose us either Ayanna." Cedric told his sister.

    Before Ayanna could respond Cthea came back in and announced that she had to leave. Everyone was more than happy to see her go.

    "Please get rid of the things she used." Eric told the maid.

    "Why?" Katerina asked Eric. "It''s not your home, why would you say that. What if Cedric was fond of these tes. It''s a waste."

    "Because Cthea Carpio is disgusting, and so is everything she touches." Eric said.

    "Wow, when did you grow a pair? Why didn''t you say that when she was here?" Katerina asked Eric.

    "Katerina, I don''t like her. I''ve never liked her." Eric exined.

    "Eric, I don''t want to talk about this in front of Uncle Emilio and Auntie Prisci." Katerina said.

    "Fine. Later." Eric said as he stood up to take a smoke.

    "I''ll talk to him." Cedric said following Eric out.

 Chapter 143 - 143

    Cedric found Eric by the Koi Pond outside. He had already finished a cigarette and was lighting a new one.

    "You normally don''t smoke." Cedric said as he approached Eric.??

    "Katerina, she tests me." Eric grinned and shook his head.

    "I, of all people have the least right toment, I wasn''t around for all that." Cedric told Eric.

    "Back then, Katerina and I were getting close. It''s odd how from seeing her as my little sister she was all of a sudden someone I wanted, and she was the only one I wanted." Eric said with a sigh.

    "She liked you too, didn''t she." Cedric said as he pushed a rock into the pond.

    "I guess, but she never said anything." Eric said with a sadugh.

    "When did Ctheae into the picture?" Cedric asked.

    "I was twenty four, my parents told me that they wanted me to marry Cthea Carpio. At that time Cthea was only seventeen, so it would be an arrangement where we could get to know each other over a few years. It was then that I decided I wanted to keep acting and that I didn''t want to y a role at Saints." Eric exined.

    "Eric, if you still like Katerina you should just tell her." Cedric said as he turned to leave. "Cthea is someone in your past, you need to turn to your future now."

    After dinner Eric drove Katerina home.

    "Do you think they''ll talk things out?" Adrianna asked Cedric as they watched Eric drive away.

    "Katerina will probably try to avoid talking about it." Cedricughed.

    "I don''t like Cthea." Adrianna said.

    "Then I''ll do my best to make sure she doesn''te near either of us." Cedric said as he hugged his wife.

    "You did see that she tried to say I''ll be fat after giving birth right?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I did. I don''t care, do you?" Cedric asked.

    "I kind of do. But not because you''ll lose interest in me. It''s for my own vanity." Arianna told her husband.

    "Whichever you choose, you''ll always be perfect to me Adrianna." Cedric told Adrianna.

    The next day, despite it being a weekend Cedric was busy on hisptop studying something.

    "You''re working too hard Cedric." Emilio said as he came in from a round of golf.

    "Your meeting with Katerina yesterday got me thinking about something dad." Cedric said.

    "What is it?" Emilio asked, intrigued by what Cedric said.

    "There have been a number of projects within Reyes Group that have not fallen through, and it seems like they eventually go to anotherpany with the profits exceeding what the people at the Reyes Group Project." Cedric exined.

    "Maybe the otherpanies just got lucky." Emilio said as he looked at the data Cedric was studying on hisptop.

    "I don''t think so dad. It''s too consistent." Cedric said as he looked at the information in front of him.

    "Do you think it needs investigation?" Emilio asked his son.

    "I do. But I''m not sure if this is something Marco can just dig up." Cedric said as he leaned back on his seat.

    "Why don''t youe over to investigate it? Hand Mor Co. temporarily to someone else." Emilio suggested.

    "I can ask Ian and Cami to look after Mor Co. and just work here at night." Cedric said agreeing with his father.

    "You''ll need to enter thepany in the traditional way, I think you can manage." Emilio told Cedric.

    "Alright dad." Cedric said as he continued to stare at the information in front of him.

    "Cedric." Miguel said as he strolled in the house.

    "Yeah?" Cedric didn''t pay that much attention to his friend that came in. He was too busy studying the data.

    "Ced." Veronica said a bit louder.

    "Oh both of you. Why?" Cedric asked.

    "Can you move the reservation for the church?" Miguel asked.

    "Of course. To when?" Cedric asked.

    "Um�� Well��" Miguel said inaudibly.

    "Speak louder Miguel." Cedric scolded.

    "Tomorrow." Miguel said.

    "What?!" Cedric looked at his friend with surprise.

    "Yup, to tomorrow." Veronica said, confirming that she agreed to the rush wedding.

    "Why? What''s the rush?" Cedric asked.

    "Miguel promised me that I can be as independent as I want, as long as I don''t cheat on him, when we are married." Veronica exined.

    "Aren''t you worried that you''ll be moving from the Abads to the Chans? They''re also quite traditional, in case you''ve forgotten." Cedric was still curious about why the two would rush their marriage. He was sure Veronica didn''t want to be married just yet.

    "I''ve considered it, and as long as we stay in your house they won''t interfere." Veronica exined to Cedric.

    "Fine, I''ll move it. But the two of you better start building you house. You can''t live in mine forever." Cedric said.

    "Great! Thanks Ced. We''ll tell the others. Can you still cancel work tomorrow?" Miguel asked.

    "Yeah. I''ll be moving from Mor Co. to the Reyes Group so I just need to give Ian and Cami instructions." Cedric said waving his friends away.

    That night Cedric had asked Ian and Cami toe over so he could give them instructions about his move. Five minutes after he sent them a message Nicole began to call him.

    "How dare you ruin my date night!" Nicole shouted over the phone.

    "It''s a work night Nicole." Cedric told Nicole.

    "Ian is yours from 9am to 6pm, after that he is his own man." Nicole lectured Cedric.

    "Nicole, I''m not a ve owner, I don''t own people. Don''t you have some urgent meeting for an operation tonight or something." Cedric told Nicole.

    "You watch too many Medica shows. That''s not how it works." Nicole said.

    "Look, it''s urgent. And didn''t Ayanna warn you at the start? You saw how Marco''s life was growing up, he can''t even date the girl he likes. He follows dad every day. He picks dad up in the morning and sends him home at night. He''s worse than a wife." Cedric teased.

    "I know what kind of rtionship I''m getting into Cedric! I''m not a little girl anymore." Nicoleined.

    "So it''s official?" Cedric asked.

    "Shut up." Nicole said, dropping the call.

    An hourter Cami and Ian arrived at Mountain View. They were led by a maid to Cedric''s office on the third floor. Since Cedric''s move to the Reyes Group would be a secret he nned to tell only them, aside from his family and friends of course.

    "Ian, your girlfriend called. Apparently, I ruined date night." Cedric teased.

    Ian blushed and Cami burst out intoughter.

    "I swear Ian, she''s only quiet around you. It''s like she wants to shout all of our ears off sometimes." Cedric said as he rubbed his ears pretending that they hurt.

    "I''ll make it up to her." Ian said with a grin.

    "Well she can''t be sleepy tomorrow, we have a wedding to attend, after that, well up to you. It''s not my business." Cedric said with augh.

    "Sir, you called us here?" Ian said in an attempt to change the topic.

 Chapter 144 - 144

    "I won''t being to Mor Co. for a while." Cedric began. "I studied the trends and movements within Reyes Group and something feels suspicious. I''ll be moving there as an ordinary employee to figure out what is going on."

    "Sir, what will happen to Mor Co.?" Ian asked.??

    "You and Cami will run it in my absence." Cedric instructed. "I will have to take away your Saturdays from you. I want both of you to report to me every saturday what is happening in Mor Co. If there is anything you can''t handle, call me or ask me."

    "Nicole will hate this." Ian quietly sighed.

    "She cane over while we work. Miguel and Veronica are staying at the guest house anyway. Just please don''t stay the night." Cedric said, catching Ian''sment.

    Camiughed at Ian again.

    "Cami, if you have any special requests, just say it." Cedric told Cami.

    "I don''t have a life like Ian." Cami joked.

    The next day when Cedric woke up Adrianna was no longer by his side. He assumed that she had gone to the guest house to help Veronica.

    "Cedric! Wake up!" Miguel shouted from the other side of the door.

    "I''ming, I''ming." Cedric sleepisly said.

    Cedric opened the door and the boys came in.

    "I never said you could use my room!" Cedric scolded.

    "Then where should we go?" Miguel asked.

    Cedric stopped for a bit to think until he finally gave in. There wasn''t exactly any other ce ready that they could use.

    "What time did the girls start preparing?" Cedric yawned.

    "5am. I got kicked out and had to sleep in your office." Miguelined.

    "It was so funny, when we arrived Nicole was so mad at Miguel for not getting ready." Eric told Cedric.

    "I told Nicole that I can get ready in five minutes." Miguel proudly said.

    "I''m assuming the girls didn''t take it that well." Cedric said with augh.

    "Why do you think we''re here! Nicole chased us up here and told us to wake you up." Miguelined.

    "I can''t wait for Ian to take my sister away." Eric joked.

    It took the boys more than five minutes to get dressed and ready. Miguel wore a blue suit, while the others were in matching ck suits. Miguel and Veronica didn''t tell their parents about the wedding so their guests were just the Reyes siblings, the Chan siblings, the Sebastian siblings, Ram, Ray, Ian, Maureen and Cedric''s and Adrianna''s parents.

    The boys left for the Church first, the girls followed in two separate cars, with Veronica in Cedric''s brand new white Rolls Royce Ghost as the bridal car.

    When the girls arrived they looked around in awe at how peaceful the monastery was. It was quiet and the only sounds you could hear were nature and the monk''s singing.

    "Wow, this ce is beautiful. Who chose it?" Nicole asked as they got out of the car.

    "Cedric did." Ram was the only boy left waiting for them when they arrived. All of the others had gone to the chapel. The only reason Ram was left behind was because he was going to walk the bride down the aisle.

    "I never knew such a peaceful ce existed." Natalia said as they took a look around.

    "Well girls, it''s time. Follow that path, it leads straight to the chapel." Ram said, pointing at a cobblestone path with flower arches. The girls nodded and walked to the chapel.

    Ram opened the door and helped his sister out.

    Even if the wedding was quite short notice, Veronica had contacted Maureen to ask if she had something that would be suitable as a wedding gown. Maureen had actually designed a wedding gown that would fit Veronica.

    Veronica came out of the car in a white A-line dress with an empire waist and and off shoulder neckline.

    "Wow, you don''t look too short." Ram teased his sister.

    Veronica rolled her eyes and smiled.

    "I have no idea how it is possible that you are so tall and I am so short, was I adopted or something." Veronica said with augh.

    Ram just smiled and offered his arm for her to hold.

    "How mad do you think our parents will be?" Veronica asked her brother as they slowly walked to the chapel.

    "Furious. Your wedding was an event they could sell. We took that away from them." Ram told his sister.

    "I guess it''s a good thing that I won''t be living anywhere near them." Veronica said with a sigh.

    "Only Cedric isn''t too happy about it." Ram teased. "The articles are ready as well. I just need to send whatever photos we get from today for the media to release."

    The siblings had nned to make a lot of noise about Miguel and Veronica getting married ahead of schedule. Veronica wanted to tell her parents that they couldn''t control every aspect of her life, she was her own woman and this was her life.

    When the pair reached the chapel door, Nicole who was the maid of honor was waiting.

    "Are you ready?" Ram asked.

    Veronica nodded nervously.

    Nicole giggled and pushed the chapel doors open and walked in ahead of the brother and sister.

    The whole chapel was filled with light, it was small but had a high ceiling and there were marvelous paintings and sculptures everywhere.

    As Veronica walked to the altar she looked up and saw Miguel, he was shining in the morning light which emphasized his handsome features.

    The altar was two steps higher than the ground and as Veronica climbed she noticed that where there should be a wall there was arge window with a view of the forests and farms behind the mountain.

    Ram gently handed her over to Miguel.

    "I think this is so archaic, no man has any right to hand over a woman to another man. We both know my sister has always been her own woman." Ram said with a smile.

    Miguel smiled back and said, "No woman canpare to my V."

    Veronica blushed. She wanted to scold Miguel that she wasn''t his but no words came out of her mouth. She heard Ram stifle augh behind her as he left to take his seat.

 Chapter 145 - 145

    The wedding went on without any interruption. Ram was actually quite worried the whole time that his parents would burst in at any moment and demand that the wedding be moved back to the original date, but it seemed that even the elder Reyeses had kept the wedding to themselves.

    Ram was more than happy to see his little sister get married to one of his best friends. He had witnessed how Miguel followed Veronica around like a lost puppy ever since they were children. He had also seen how much Miguel was willing to sacrifice for Veronica.??

    When the priest announced that Miguel could now kiss his bride, Ram was worried that his sister would either duck and run or p Miguel. To Ram''s delight neither happened as the couple kissed and looked at each other. What pleased Ram even more was the way that Miguel and Veronica stared into each other''s eyes were as if they were truly deeply in love.

    As the couple walked back down the aisle all their friends celebrated and pped. Ram sent over the wedding photos to his reporters and some paparazzi to publish. He was sure that after a few minutes his phone would be ringing.

    As they all walked out of the chapel his phone did just that and it was his dad, James Abad.

    "Hey dad." Ram answered.

    "Your sister is married and you had it announced everywhere!" James Abad was clearly furious.

    "Dad, didn''t you expect Anna to do something like this? She has never liked following other people''s orders." Ram reminded his father.

    "Your foolish, immature move lost us a great opportunity! Do you know how many people were begging to be invited to the wedding? There was so much leverage and you wasted it! This was not how I brought you up." James scolded.

    "Dad, she still married Miguel Chan, one of the most eligible bachelors in the country. She still did what you wanted." Ram reminded James.

    "Where is the reception? We areing over." James dered.

    "Sorry dad. Can''t tell you. I promised Anna. Bye dad." Ram said as he dropped the call.

    Miguel held Veronica''s hand from the chapel to the bridal car.

    "Miguel, loosen your grip. It''s not like I can run away." Veronica scolded her new husband.

    "What do you mean? Of course you can run away, you still have legs!" Miguel teased.

    "Ugh, I don''t know why I agreed to marry you." Veronica said out of frustration.

    "Because V," Miguel said as he lifted her chin and stared into her eyes. "With me, you are truly free."

    "You''re stupid." Veronica said as she pped his hand away as she slid into the car.

    The wedding reception was held at Mountain View, there were no additional guests and everyone enjoyed the afternoon teasing each other.

    "Hey Eric. How does it feel to be the only single one in the family?" Miguel teased his brother as he winked.

    "I don''t force the girl I like to marry me." Eric teased back.

    "Ha, I never forced Veronica." Miguel said sticking his tongue out.

    "Nicole, what''s wrong, why are you so quiet?" Katerina asked Nicole who was usually lively and full of energy.

    "What are you saying? I''m always like this." Nicole argued back.

    "Prim and proper? You''re never prim and proper in private." Katerina said.

    "Whenever Ian is around, Nicole behaves." Veronica joined in the jest.

    "Hey, you''re supposed to be on my side. We''re sisters now!" Nicoleined.

    "Silly girl. We''ve all always been sisters." Veronica told Nicole.

    "Oh, yeah, but I meanwfully we are sisters now." Nicole said.

    Everyone stayed till night time, until Cedric was forced to drive everyone away so that Adrianna could rest.

    Since they hadn''t begun construction of their house Miguel and Veronica would be living in Cedric''s guest house till the home wasplete. When everyone had left and the Reyeses had bid them goodnight Miguel carried Veronica over to the house.

    "Hey, put me down, what are you doing?" Veronicained.

    "I''m carrying you over the threshold." Miguel said as he opened the door.

    "You''re being silly." Veronica reprimanded.

    "It''s a good thing you''re so tiny. It''s so easy to carry you." Miguel teased.

    "Ugh, another heightjoke. Don''t you get tired of them." Veronica said as she rolled her eyes at her husband.

    "Hey, my jokes are funny. Plus now I get to make those jokes for the rest of our lives." Miguel said as he continued to carry Veronica in the house.

    "You can put me down now." Veronica reminded her now husband.

    "Mmmm, nope. I''m carrying you all the way to bed." Miguel said kissing her on the forehead. He actually waited for her to p him but when it did note Miguel was pleasantly surprised.

    Veronica on the other hand was shocked by Miguel''s tenderness. Never in the years that she had known him was he this kind or sweet towards her. When she realized that Miguel had gently ced her on the bed she began toin.

    "Wait, no. What? We can''t do this. I''m not ready." Veronica said as she blushed and got off the bed.

    "Rx V. I won''t touch you if you don''t want me to." Miguel said as he turned to change clothes.

    "Go to the room you were sleeping inst time." Veronica shouted.

    "Veronica, we''re man and wife now. We have to at least sleep on the same bed." Miguel said with a wink.

    "No. Out!" Veronica said pointing at the door.

    "Fine. But when we move into our new home, we sleep in the same bed." Miguel said, taking some clothes with him.

    When she was finally alone in the room, Veronica stared at the ring on her finger. Most people would say that marriage chained them down, but to her it was the ticket to her freedom, plus it wasn''t like she had any other guys in her life. She had always known she would have to marry Miguel, so she chose to close her heart to other people, earning her the nickname the ice queen. It wasn''t that she didn''t love, she couldn''t, how could she when she had been promised to someone else already.

    Miguel had juste out of the shower and was only wearing a towel on his waist when Veronica knocked on the door.

    "Had a change of heart, V?" Miguel teased as he opened the door.

    When Veronica saw that he had only a towel on she turned away and blushed. She''d never been this close to an undressed man in the past. One wrong move and everything could be exposed.

    "Don''t be so shy Veronica. We are husband and wife, everything you see is yours." Miguel teased.

    "Could you help me with my dress?" Veronica said in a shy voice. She was ashamed that after sending him away she needed his help to undress.

    "Okay, but it will cost you." Miguel whispered seductively into her ear.

    "Stop it Miguel." Veronica scolded.

    "I''ll help you, if you kiss me, not a peck. A real kiss." Miguel said.

    Veronica paused to think for a bit before finally agreeing.

    Miguel did as he promised and helped her unzip before Veronica dashed away, leaving a puzzled Miguel to change into his pajamas.

    An hourter, Miguel was reviewing some files for his next operation when Veronica knocked again. This time she stood outside his door in pajamas.

    "What is it this time?" Miguelined.

    "I''m here to keep my end of the deal." Veronica said as she blushed.

    "I thought you ran away." Miguel said, pulling her closer by the waist.

    Veronica tiptoed and kissed Miguel deeply.

 Chapter 146 - 146

    The next day Cedric woke up earlier than usual. It would be his first day working undercover in the Reyes Group. Cedric dressed in one of his old clothes and came down for breakfast. Cedric was surprised to see that Miguel was already at the dining table so early in the morning.

    "Don''t say anything, just don''t." Miguel said as he continued to eat the food in front of him.??

    "Ha. Did you really expect she would give in that easily?" Cedric teased Miguel.

    "Well, I was hoping that since we are married she would think to fulfill her marital duties." Miguel sighed.

    "You''re so naive Miguel. Anyway, why are you up so early?" Cedric asked.

    "I''ve got an operation today. I need to prep the team in the morning." Miguel told Cedric.

    "Perfect. You can give me a ride. Drop me off at the bus station." Cedric said as he ate with Miguel.

    "Don''t you have a driver take you to work?" Miguel asked.

    "Nope. I''m starting at Reyes Group today and low level people don''t have drivers." Cedric exined.

    After eating Cedric and Miguel left for work together. Miguel dropped Cedric off at the nearest bus stop before finally driving off to Saints.

    From where Miguel dropped Cedric off it was another 30 minutes to R Tower by bus. As he got on the bus Cedric noticed Leon following him, this of course made him feel safer, at least if anything happened Leon was there.

    At R Tower, Cedric approached the woman at the reception area.

    "Hi. I''m a new employee, where should I go?" Cedric asked.

    "Name?" The woman said as she typed on theputer in front of her.

    "Cedric Reyes." Cedric said.

    "Okay, give me an ID and I''ll give you a pass to get in. Oh, hi." The girl suddenly blushed when she looked at Cedric.

    "Ah, yeah, hi. Here." Cedric said, handing his ID.

    "Well Cedric. Here is your pass and if you need anything, here is my number." The receptionist said with a wink.

    Cedric gave a confused look and left. He suddenly realized that he didn''t know where to go so he sighed and went back to the receptionist.

    "I think you forgot to tell me where to go." Cedic told the woman.

    "3rd floor, go to HR." The girl said with a warm smile.

    Cedric thanked her and went to the third floor. When Cedric got there he was directed to go to the orientation room where ten other young men and women were also seated and waiting.

    Cedric sat next to a young man who looked like he was fresh out of college. When he sat down the man smiled at him.

    "Hi, I''m Adolfo Luna. I''ll be in the R&D department." The man said enthusiastically. Alfonso wore thick sses and had his ck hair in a military cut.

    "Cedric Reyes. I''m gonna be in the business development team. Are you a fresh grad?" Cedric asked.

    "Not really. But I get that a lot. I graduated early then worked in the military for some time, confidential stuff, then I got recruited by the Reyes Group." Adolfo exined.

    Not long after Adolfo finished speaking a group of employees entered the orientation room.

    "Good morning. I''m the head of HR here at the Reyes Group, I''d like to wee all of you on your first day." The head of HR was a middle ageddy named Beth Ching, she knew that the Reyes Heir would be here today, so she decided to wee the new employees herself.

    As she scanned the room she saw Cedric in his simple attire listening attentively to her. She was surprised, he was nothing like the cold CEO all the rumors were saying, instead he wore a warm smile and an eager look.

    After weing everyone she left them to her staff.

    As the staff discussed the basic rules and regtions of the Reyes Group ater confidently arrived.

    "And you are?" The HR staff asked as the man walked in and sat.

    "Jason Evangelista. I''m the new manager at the design department for Krisanta Land. Yes, I''m the famous designer J." Jason said as he sat behind Cedric.

    "Never heard of you." Cedric said, making Adolfough.

    "Regardless of who you are sir, the Reyes Group is strict with time. Since you are new you will be left off with a warning." The HR staff said.

    Jason rolled his eyes but said nothing else.

    During their lunch break, Cedric decided to eat with Adolfo who had quickly be his friend. As they walked to a nearby restaurant someone pulled Cedric back by the shoulder.

    "You think you''re so smart with yourment? You might not know who I am but I''m a very important person. Don''t you dare cross me again." Jason warned.

    Cedric just shrugged his hand off and continued to walk with Adolfo. Of course Cedric knew who Jason Evangelista was, he knew everything about the man, Miguel had a whole portfolio and revenge n drawn up.

    Jason Evangelista had been best friends with Anna Abad during their university days, this was before Anna left for Paris and changed her name. Back then the Evangelista''s book business was thriving, but Jason had no skill. The truth was that most of the work he had submitted in the past was mostly done by Anna or Veronica. Eventually he decided that he didn''t want Anna being the best in their batch so he decided to spread rumors about her buying her work or paying a professional to do her projects. People of course chose to believe him, everyone liked to think that you couldn''t be that rich and that talented.

    Eventually the pressure and the rumors broke Anna, sending her to Paris to change her name. Jason continued to study design, this time he bought off designs and passed them as his own, until he became a multi awarded talent as well.

    Cedric had offered Miguel in the past to deal with Jason, but Miguel refused. He wanted to deal with the man himself.

    "Do you really not know the designer J?" Adolfo asked Cedric.

    "Nope. Couldn''t care about him." Cedric said.

 Chapter 147 - 147

    Back at the office, the rest of the orientation went on peacefully. The new employees were taken on a tour of R Tower. As they walked around Cedric made a mental note to ask Veronica to redesign the whole building. It wasn''t that the design was bad, it was just that apany like the Reyes Group needed to update it''s look once in a while.

    "I would have designed this ce better." Jason said as they walked around one of the floors.??

    "Then why don''t you go up to Emilio Reyes and tell him." Adolfo said.

    "Maybe I will. My older sister was on the 30 under 30 with his daughter. I''m from an influential family, you know." Jason boasted.

    "If the Reyes Group would have this ce re-designed it would be by the designer Veronica, not you." Cedric suddenly said.

    "Hmph. I''m much better than that wanna be." Jason said, crossing his arms.

    While they were taking a tour of Nouveau, Miguel gave Cedric a call.

    "Hey Ced. Do you think we could do a double date tonight, you know to help ease things with me and Veronica?" Miguel asked.

    "Okay, Nouveau, 7pm. Invite Ray and Ayanna too." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    It just so happened that the manager of Nouveau was passing by Cedric and was shocked to see the Reyes Heir with the new hires being toured.

    Cedric quickly pulled him aside and gave instructions to reserve the private room.

    Later that night instead of leaving Cedric went straight up to Nouveau to wait for everyone else. When he arrived he was surprised to see Jason and his older sister Carmen Evangelista at one of the tables.

    With them there Cedric already knew that this was going to be an interesting dinner.

    By the time Miguel, Veronica, Adrianna, Ray, and Ayanna arrived Cedric was focused on the work he was doing on hisptop that he almost pushed Adrianna away when she hugged him.

    "You all came together?" Cedric asked as he ced hisptop away.

    "Nah. We just happened to bump into each other in the parking lot." Ray said.

    The manager quickly came in to take their orders. Before they could order anything, Cedric gave some instructions that shocked everyone.

    "Have the customers in table 10 ordered yet?" Cedric asked.

    "No sir." The manager replied remembering the brother and sister pair that said they were waiting for their parents before they ordered. The young man had been part of the new employee tour earlier and the manager thought he might be friends with Cedric.

    "Good. Make sure that all our specialties that they order are out of stock to them. Also move them to the worst table. Make up whatever excuse you can think of." Cedric ordered.

    "Woah, who got you pissed?" Miguel asked.

    "Jason Evangelista." Cedric inly answered.

    "That asshole is here?" A furious Veronica asked.

    "I saw him with Carmen outside. Plus he just got hired to work for Elisia Malls." Cedric exined.

    "I''ll have him fired immediately." Ayanna said.

    "Don''t. Let him be. Set up a partnership with Veronica to showcase her work and make him work for her. He''ll try to sabotage things so make sure his boss is there too." Cedric instructed his sister.

    "And they say I''m the violent one." Ray said with augh.

    "How is that violent?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s not, it''s petty." Ray teased Cedric.

    "Don''t worry Veronica. I won''t let him off so easily." Miguel said, holding Veronica''s hand.

    "You''re a doctor. What could you do to a designer? You can''t break your oath Miguel. More people need you as a doctor rather than as a crazy man trying to get revenge for his wife." Veronica said.

    "I''d be willing to lose my license for you." Miguel said kissing her.

    "Ugh. Newly weds." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes.

    "You''re so stupid Miguel." Veronica said as she blushed.

    "Don''t worry I won''t lose my license for a roach like him." Miguel said with augh.

    "Do you guys want to hear themin?" Ray said with a grin.

    Veronica stood up and walked to the door. Miguel chased after her and held her hand.

    "He''ll be jealous knowing you''ve done better than him." Miguel whispered into Veronica''s ear.

    "Will we watch?" Adrianna asked Cedric.

    "Let''s watch from a distance. Let them leave first. They all attract too much attention." Cedric exined as the two other couples left ahead of them.

    Cedric waited five minutes before heading out with Adrianna. True to what Cedric had said, all attention was now turned towards the two famous couples that had made waves on the inte recently.

    Ayanna had made it look like she wanted to boast about the view from R Tower to her friends. They were standing near the window to where Jason and Carmen were sitting.

    As if by fate, Jason''s and Carmen''s parents arrived. They were chatting happily when the manager came up to them and informed them of the mistake in their table, that in fact thor reserved table was not by the window.

    "Do you not know who we are?" Jason suddenly said in a burst of anger.

    The manager proceeded to exin how at Nouveau, regardless of who you are, they treat everyone fairly with the first reservation being the priority.

    "I reserved this table two weeks ago!" Jason imed angrily.

    "Is there a problem here?" Ayanna asked as she approached with Ray, Miguel, and Veronica.

    "Miss Reyes, we made a mistake in sitting them on the wrong table and now that we are asking them to move they refuse." The manager exined.

    "Ayanna, maybe you can make an exception for us. We have worked together in the past." Carmen asked Ayana. To be honest Ayanna actually liked Carmen, she was a sweet girl that had also managed to make a name for herself outside of the family business.

    "Carmen, don''t you agree that we should be fair? This wasn''t your reserved table and still your brother insists on staying because of who you are." Ayanna asked.

    "Oh. You''re right Ayanna." Carmen suddenly said. "Jason this isn''t our table, we should move."

    "What! What are you saying sister?" Jason said in shock, his sister was never one to back down so easily. That was when he suddenly realized Anna Abad was with Ayanna Reyes.

    "It''s because of her isn''t it!" Jason shouted as he pointed at Veronica. "She told you to do this to us. Still not over the past Anna, or should I call you by your stage name, Veronica."

    "Are you really saying that to my wife?" Miguel asked.

    "So you really did manage to snag the famous miracle doctor, but at the end of the day Anna he is really still just a doctor." Jason said. "Come on sister let''s move to the other table. This person disgusts me." Jason said as he turned to move to another empty table.

    "Sir, that isn''t your table." The manager said, chasing after him.

    "Then where?" Jason said in a calmer tone. He still worked in this building and had no intention of embarrassing himself any further.

    The manager led Jason and his family to a table near the kitchen where people kept passing that it began to irritate him.

    Cedricughed at Jason''s frustrated look and called over the manager.

    "That will do." Cedric told the manager. "Don''t push through with saying everything he orders is unavable, but make the staff so loud when they pass by him that he gets irritated. Also give everyone a month''s bonus for doing that." Cedric instructed before going back to their private room with Adrianna.

    "That was actually fun. What did that guy do to Veronica?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    Cedric told her how Jason had been Veronica''s best friend that betrayed her.

    "Why did you change your instructions?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I just thought it would be more fun." Cedric said with augh as they entered the room.

    "Thanks Cedric!" Veronica said, hugging Cedric.

    "Hey! Don''t hug some other guy." Miguel said, pulling his wife off Cedric.

    "Stop it! Cedric is like my older brother. Stop being like a jealous child Miguel." Veronica scolded.

    The rest of the night was less eventful, with the couples peacefully eating their dinner and all going home to Mountain View.

    Cedric had arranged for a guest room on the ground floor for Ray. Despite being engaged to Ayanna they were still unmarried and the Reyes parents were quite conservative on that matter.

 Chapter 148 - 148

    Cedric had been working at the Reyes Group for a week as an assistant manager at the business development team, part of his job was looking through all the ns for the Reyes Group and evaluating them.

    Everyday, Cedric would wake up earlier than the rest and be dropped off at a bus station quite far from R Tower. He would thenmute to work, clock in, and have a cup of coffee with his officemates, many of whom had started their career in the Reyes Group and had nned to work there till the day they retired.??

    "You know Cedric, you''re lucky. You got into the Reyes Group. Everyone wants to work here, and it''s not just because we pay the best, it also because of the prestige of working for the Reyes Group in R Tower." A manager told him.

    "I remember during my interview there were hundreds of us and only ten open positions. I was so nervous that I puked in the washroom." A female employeeughed as she recounted what she went through to get into the Reyes Group.

    "But was it all worth it?" Cedirc asked.

    "Yes, of course it was. The Reyes family takes care of all of their employees. You know Mark on the 5th floor? Yeah, his son got into an ident once, really bad, the bills were humongous, after a day he was shocked, the bills were all paid for by the Reyes family. They go beyond what an employer should do." The manager recounted. Cedric felt proud to hear that his family had taken care of all of their employees, it seemed that everyone in his department was more than happy to work for the Reyes group.

    "I''m actually quite excited for the Reyes Heir to take control of the group. I heard he has made miracles happen over at Mor Co." A young male employee said.

    "But they said he is quite strict and demanding." The female employee said.

    "Too bad he''s married. ording to all the rumors he''s quite good looking." A female manager said.

    "But you can''t see his face, ever." The young male employee told his manager.

    "The Directors have all seen him, plus his assistants." The female employee whispered.

    "What do you think Cedric, would we have it harder with the Reyes Heir here?" The young male employee asked Cedric.

    "Oh, it''s not like we would have a choice." Cedric said with a nervousugh. In all honesty he found the whole conversation awkward since it was about himself.

    The rest of the day was filled with Cedric assessing the different projects and ns within the Reyes Group. Day in and day out it was like this, his department was incredibly busy since the Reyes Group was constantly expanding and absorbing smallerpanies.

    Cedric had formed quite a close friendship with Adolfo Luna, they had lunch everyday at the cafeteria.

    Today was no different, after a tiring morning Cedric went down to the fourth floor to meet up with Adolfo and have lunch.

    He saw the young man waving at him from their usual table and walked over.

    "Busy day?" Adolfo asked Cedric.

    "Yeah, you guys?" Cedric asked Adolfo.

    "Yeah, I was supposed to skip lunch. There is this whole new confidential project that the group is working on. I think your department is reviewing it." Adolfo told Cedric.

    "We probably did." Cedric said as he ate.

    "The president passed by this morning." Adolfo said.

    "Emilio Reyes?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah. He''s a bit old, but man is he scary. He spoke to our department head and I swear, the old man almost shit himself. ording to my teammates the president rarely visits our team." Adolfo told Cedric.

    After lunch Cedric went back to work and spent the rest of the day behind his desk. His job at the Reyes Group gave him the unique opportunity to see everything that was going on within thepany.

    He had seen most of the projects that were ted for the rest of the year and had noticed that some had simrities with the projects that didn''t push through in the past. Cedric felt that it was odd that these projects had been forwarded to their department when others that were very simr had been rejected. He added them to his investigation notes and continued to work. He also asked around his team about these projects and the projects simr to them that had been rejected in the past.

    Cedric went home the same way he had arrived. Many of his officemates offered to give him a lift, but of course it would be very suspicious if he had asked them to take him to Mountain View.

    When Cedric got home every one had already arrived and were all hanging out in the living room.

    "How was work?" Adrianna said as she hugged her husband.

    "Good. I thought you didn''t like public disys of affection?" Cedric told his wife as he yed with her hair.

    "It''s just family. Plus I missed you." Adrianna then ced a kiss on her husband''s cheek.

    "Son, a word." Emilio said pointing at the office.

    Cedric nodded and followed his father.

    When they were alone Emilio took a ss of whisky and handed it to his son.

    "Did you find out anything new?" Emilio asked.

    "Just more clues. It''s odd how the projects I found were simr to the projects we are studying now." Cedric told his father.

    "Could they have been overlooked?" Emilio asked his son. He knew that it was unlikely but he didn''t want to jump into conclusions.

    "I doubt. The ns were actually good, even the partners that were chosen were well known. There was no reason to reject those ns." Cedric exined. "I asked around, the ns for the projects never made it to the business development team, so it was blocked prior to that stage."

    "That''s odd. Okay, keep working on it. And good job son." Emilio said as they went out to join the others.

 Chapter 149 - 149

    Ayanna woke up early the next day, she had promised her father that she woulde to R Tower to help with some work in Elisia Malls and Krisanta Land. With her elder brother back she knew that her workload would definitely decrease and she weed the peace.

    At R Tower, as she marched in everyone greeted her, when walking around as Ayanna Reyes she maintained a personality that was in total contrast to who she was at home. Here in the Reyes Group she was respected and feared. She was known for her business acumen and in her intolerance for ipetence. Employees knew that getting on her bad side was like signing your death certificate in thepany.??

    Her morning was filled with meetings that required her full attention and it drained her. She was sitting in her office at the top floor of R Tower when she remembered Cedric''s instructions on how to deal with Jason Evangelista. Ayanna put down the stack of documents and called her assistant to instruct that Jason should be moved to Elisia Malls. He would be ced under the director that was in charge of mall operations which included the mall design.

    Ayanna was looking forward to lunch, Ray had promised to take her to a new restaurant that a chef friend had just opened down the street. Ray was already waiting for her at the lobby by the time she came down, the female employees of the Reyes Group couldn''t help but stare at the handsome man sitting in the lobby.

    "I hope you didn''t wait long." Ayanna said as she tucked a hair behind her ear. She had always been a little bit shyer with Ray around.

    "Not at all. I''ve waited this long for you anyway, what''s a few minutes." Ray teased as he held her hand. Ray was very much aware of how other women looked at him, but he wasn''t interested in any of them. Everyone was borningpared to Ayanna Reyes.

    "You''re sweet today. Have you been taking tips from my brother?" Ayanna teased. She had always looked up at Cedric''s and Adrianna''s rtionship, despite the challenges they had faced so far the couple had managed to stay together and even keep the fire in their rtionship going.

    "Not Cedric, Miguel." Ray said with augh.

    "Ha. Miguel is useless. Veronica didn''t even notice he was in love with her until he said it in front of all of us." Ayannaughed.

    "Veronica was quite thick too! Miguel was so obvious. Remember when she went to Paris and he came up with thatme excuse that he was offered a position there? He even had Veronica living in the same house as him and nothing happened." Ray said recalling the lengths his friend had gone just to be with the girl he liked.

    "And you think you''re better? Just admit it Ray, you were afraid at first that Cedric wouldn''t approve of us." Ayanna said as she got into Ray''s car.

    "He gave his approval the moment he got back." Ray said kissing her on the cheek and running to the driver''s seat.

    Ray drove them to the restaurant where he was allowed to park at the front. Since they were quite famous people began taking their photos discreetly when they arrived. They were led to a table a little bit further away from most of the crowd allowing them some privacy.

    They had a pleasant meal and the chef-owner came out to check on them. He was very much concerned about what the couple thought since businesses rose and fell at their word. When Ayanna gave her overall approval the chef breathed a sigh of relief.

    Ayanna excused herself to go to the washroom when she noticed Adrianna with some employees on a table. Ayanna was about toe over to greet her when a familiar figure showed herself, it was Cthea Carpio.

    Ayanna had assumed that with the initial wedding called off Cthea would fly back to Spain, after all there was nothing for her here.

    "Well, if it isn''t miss 30 under 30." Cthea cockily greeted Adrianna.

    "Miss Carpio, how can I help you?" Adrianna greeted formally.

    "A word please." Cthea said, asking Adrianna to step outside with her.

    Adrianna didn''t want to cause a scene and stepped outside. Ayanna sneakily followed them, she hid behind other people so that she couldn''t be seen or recognized,

    "Miss Adrianna, do you really think you''re good enough for the Reyeses?" Cthea asked Adrianna.

    "Why would you ask me that?" Adrianna told Cthea.

    "Miss Adrianna, you are way below them. Plus I don''t like it that you encourage Katerina Sebastian." Cthea used.

    "Katerina is my friend. She''s like a sister to my husband. I don''t see how this is any of your business Miss Carpio." Adrianna said.

    "Poor little girls like you shouldn''t aim so high." Cthea threatened.

    "I don''t know what you are trying to say Miss Carpio." Adrianna said ring at Cthea.

    "I''ve always hated women like you and Katerina. Do you really think that you have a ce in the world of men? Men don''t like strong women. Men like submissive women. You and Katerina bring a bad name for proper women." Cthea went on, ignoring Adrianna''s statement.

    "Miss Carpio if you are here to talk to me about how jealous you are of me or Katerina, then you are so petty. I''m already married to my husband, nothing will change that. As for Katerina, she''s not the one that''s making the moves, it''s the other way around." Adrianna said implying that Eric was chasing Katerina and not Katerina chasing Eric.

    "Your day wille." Cthea threatened as she walked away.

    Ayanna who was hiding in the crowd quickly called Katerina.

    "Ayanna?" Katerina asked as she picked up the call.

    "Your best friend Cthea Carpio was just threatening my sister inw." Ayanna told Katerina in a rush.

    "I think she wants to either marry Eric or be Cedric''s mistress." Katerina said calmly.

    "Aren''t you going to do anything about it?" Ayanna asked.

    "Why should I? It''s Eric''s choice. As for Cedric, she wouldn''t be able to tempt him in a million years." Katerina knew that Cedric only had one woman in his heart and his greatest w was that he was a painfully loyal man that did anything for his wife.

    "Don''t lie, you like Eric." Ayanna said as she sat back down on her seat across Ray.

    "What''s going on?" Ray asked.

    "Cthea was outside threatening Adrianna and saying things about Katerina. I''m talking to Katerina now. Shhhh." Ayanna quickly told Ray.

    Ray shrugged and quickly told Cedric what Cthea had just done to his wife.

 Chapter 150 - 150

    Katerina was in her office when Ayanna called, she had just finished a difficult case and didn''t want to deal with an issue like Cthea Carpio. Katerina had thought that their issue had long been buried in the past since Cthea had moved to Spain years ago.

    "Ayanna it''s been years since I thought I liked Eric, remember. He''s an older brother, I''m just too ashamed for liking my friend''s older brother." Katerina told Ayanna over the phone.??

    "Wow Kateriana, are you calling me and Veronica shameful? She''s married to our friend''s older brother and I''m engaged to my older brother''s best friend." Ayanna pretended to be mad at her friend over the phone, she knew that although Katerina never showed it she was incredibly conscious about how her friends felt and how they perceived things she said to them or about them.

    Katerina sighed and shook her head, it was very much like Ayanna to turn her statements against her. This like these were the reason that she was such an amazingwyer, her friends and family were never easy to deal with.

    "Ayanna, I know what you''re trying to do, and no, I don''t think of you guys that way. My case was different. Fine I admit, I genuinely liked Eric and I''m not sure if I still do." Katerina told her friend over the phone.

    "I can''t believe you finally admitted it! It took five boyfriends and many other flings but you have finally admitted that you aren''t over your first!" Ayanna eximed.

    "Don''t rub it in Ayanna, plus there was never anything between us." Katerina said with a sigh. She was eighteen when they almost got together, but Cthea Carpio almost got engaged to Eric. After that Katerina began dating non-stop. She always knew that at the beginning to was a way for her to cover up the heart ache she felt for not getting the chance to be with Eric.

    "But you still won''t do anything?" Ayanna asked.

    "I won''t but I know someone else who won''t stand for this." Katerina said with a grin as she said goodbye to Ayanna over the phone.

    Katerina dialed another number and waited for the person she was calling to pick up.

    "Katerina?" Cedric answered over the phone.

    "I''m guessing Ray told you what Cthea did?" Katerina asked Cedric. Katerina knew that she might have had no right to feel jealous about Eric and Cthea, but Cedric definitely had every right to be mad at Cthea for threatening his wife.

    "I do. What about it?" Cedric asked as if what Cthea did was nothing.

    "Are you really treating this as just a bothersome topic?" Katerina was surprised at the normally overprotective Cedric Reyese being rxed about what Cthea did.

    "Katerina, I''ve done what I need to do to make sure Cthea stays away from my wife. But I''m sure that''s not the reason why you called." Cedric told Katerina.

    Katerina paused for a while and pondered if what Cedric had done was enough for her. She quickly came to the conclusion that she wanted to drag Cthea away from all of them.

    "Can you grab a beer with me?" Katerina asked.

    "Katerina." Cedric sighed. "I''m not like the rest of you who can just leave work at any time. I''m a normal employee with regr work hours. I get out of the office at 6pm. I can meet you at 7pm, I can''t take a car to wherever we n to meet." Cedirc exined.

    "Sorry Ced, I forgot. How about the bar at Maharlika Hotel at 7pm then?" Katerina asked.

    Cedric agreed and dropped the call.

    Katerina arrived at the bar at Maharlika Hotel before Cedric, she was having a tough day so she ordered herself a ss of wine while waiting.

    A few minutester she was Cedric approaching, he was wearing normal work clothes that made him look like he didn''t belong in a high ss establishment. Katerina was surprised when she realized that he wasn''t alone. Not far behind him was a heavily disguised man whose built, features, and posture Katerina would know anywhere.

    Before Cedric could even greet her Katerina stood up from her seat and spoke.

    "Let''s go to the rooftop, too many people here." Katerina said as she waved at the server to prepare the private rooftop bar.

    Maharlika Hotel had a rooftop bar for private events which had a marvelous view of the capital.On one side you could see the buildings of the business district with R Tower shining brightly at the center, taller than any structure in the area. On the other side was the historic part of the city, where the buildings did not exceed eight stories and there were vast parks and spaces, you could see the four story presidential pce surrounded by lush greens and a gated wall quite far from it''s entrance.

    Normally the rooftop would host parties of up to 200 filled with the who''s who of society ring out loud party music or the soft sophisticated ssical music that the elders would much prefer. Today it was eerily quiet as Maharlika hosted a party of three that sat on one of the couches that had a 180 degree view of the capital.

    "Why did you bring him along?" Katerina asked as she drank a beer.

    Cedric smiled at Katerina, most people would be judged for drinking a local beer in one of the most luxurious ces in the city, but Katerina would never care, she was Katerina Sebastian, the first daughter, the bestwyer in the country, plus probably one of the richest women at the moment.

    "Because it''s an issue between the two of you. Plus Eric was looking for you the whole day." Cedric said.

    "Katerina, I heard what Cthea did." Eric said as he sat next to Katerina.

    "Eric, it just bothered me alright. You''re like family. I don''t like people like her hurting my family." Katerina said quickly, raising her defenses against Eric.

    "I hope you don''t mind me asking, but what happened between you and Cthea, Katerina?" Cedric said as he drank a ss of alcohol, unlike Katerina he never liked beer.

    "Do I have to tell you in front of him?" Katerina asked, pointing at Eric.

    "Katerina, I want, no, I need to know your side too. You''ve been so hostile since then." Eric told her.

 Chapter 151 - 151

    "Fine." Katerina said as she chuged her remaining drink and asked for more. "It was five years ago. Remember dad''s celebration party on the yacht? He invited many of his friends and supporters, mainly businessmen and their families. Among the guests were the Carpio family, Cthea, her father, and her mother."

    Katerina leaned back to make herself morefortable, this story was something she had buried deep down, something that was way too painful to her so she chose to forget.??

    "Cthea Carpio was still hell bent on getting Eric to marry her. The ns for the marriage weren''tpletely called off at this point and the Chans were still hoping that Eric would give up his career as an actor toe and join the family business." Katerina exined. "I had just returned from America and passed the bar exams so my father was very much excited and began introducing me to everyone, when I was introduced to the Carpio family Cthea suddenly says, I don''t want to interact with husband stealers. My dad was shocked and offended, the Carpios begin to beg my dad for his forgiveness and tells us that Cthea didn''t mean me."

    "I remember this party. I went as an actor. I endorsed your dad for election that year." Eric said recounting the party.

    "Of course no one dared talk about what Cthea had said to my face, but behind my back people began gossiping. Those that knew who Cthea desired said I had slept with the eldest Chan and was pregnant. Those that didn''t assumed that the president''s daughter was a mistress. They made me sick, but I continued to pretend like I didn''t care. I continued working and became well known as awyer." Katerina said, finishing another bottle.

    "Slow down, you''ll get drunk." Cedric said, concerned about the woman he considered to be like a sister.

    "Katerina doesn''t do drunk." Eric said as he stared at Katerina.

    "Don''t pretend to know me that well Eric, we aren''t Miguel and Veronica." Katerina said with a cockyugh.

    Ericughed and shook his head. "I don''t have any ns on being a love sick puppy like my younger brother."

    "As I was saying, the problem with Cthea Carpio is that the more I ignored her, the more she wanted to bother me and pull me down. That''s when she began the rumors the I was only winning cases because my dad was the president. Alexi was furious, he wanted to go after the Carpios. I told him to ignore Cthea, people even suggested that I lose some cases just to show that I wasn''t winning because of dad. I couldn''t do that, I can''t do that. I''m not that kind of person." Katerina said, drinking even more.

    "So you fought on." Cedric said to which Katerina responded with a nod.

    "That incident where Cthea tried to sleep with Eric, that was her most desperate move. For some reason Cthea saw me aspetition when I never fought her for what she wanted. I just lived my life, and built my name. When it was sure that Eric would not return to the Chan family three years ago Cthea took advantage of a ssmate''s wedding." Katerina leaned forward and sighed. "Eric was a groom''s man, he and the groom were ssmates in highschool, while the bride was my ssmate in highschool as well. They had invited the most famous and most popr people around."

    "I wasn''t even close to the guy, but of course I couldn''t refuse." Eric said.

    "Our parents didn''t go so we were their representatives. Cthea was friends with most of the other groomsmen and I saw her asking them to slip something into Eric''s drink. I quickly told my brother, Ray, Nicole, and Ayanna. While the boys looked for evidence, the girls and I looked for Eric." Katerina exined.

    "I remember drinking a toast to the couple, then very little after." Eric said, shaking his head.

    "When I found you Cthea was trying to get you into her room. Honestly, if I hadn''t been so worried I would haveughed at her. She was trying to pull you when you kept saying you had to get to someone. I even found the hidden paparazzi she had nted in order to make her attempt look like you had willingly slept with her." Katerina said with augh.

    "I guess Eric should be thankful for whatever was pulling him away." Cedric told Katerina.

    "Well, I couldn''t understand what he was saying." Katerina said looking away. Cedric looked at Katerina who was blushing, it was clear that she had understood what Eric had said and it was something that involved her. "Anyway, when it was clear Cthea was not going to let him go, I punched her and Eric and I ran away. I drove him home, but I didn''t know where to take him so I took him to my apartment where Alexi and Ray made sure he was fine." Katerina said, rushing the rest of the story.

    "I know what I said, and I meant it." Eric said in a low voice.

    "So what do you want Katerina?" Cedric asked.

    "I want Cthea Caprio to understand that I''m not a pushover, I might not have what she desperately wants, but I''m not afraid to face her." Katerina said as she continued to drink.

    "Just that?" Eric asked. "You can manage that on your own."

    "Stop talking as if we are close Eric. We stopped being close a long time ago. I don''t want to be in the middle of your issue with Cthea." Katerina said as she moved away from Eric.

    "Katerina, I''ll help you." Eric said.

    "You? You can''t help. Cedric can, Miguel can, Ram can, you can''t. You''ll only make it worse." Katerina ranted. "When you started dating those celebrities and socialites Cthea got worse, she assumed you were doing it for me. So she fabricated evidence, spread rumors, and I couldn''t go after her. I''m awyer and I couldn''t take her to court because my dad refused and because of the image it presented." Katerina continued toin.

    "I''ll do something to the Carpios. I''ll make sure to tell them that it''s from you and me Katerina." Cedric looked at the pair, it seemed that their issues were deeper than what they showed everyone. Katerina had always seemed strong, but when it came to Eric, Cedric couldn''t get a read on her.

    "Thank you Cedric. I''ll drink a little bit more. Go home to your wife." Katerina said with a nod. "And you, go home." Katerina said to Eric.

    "It''s been a while since we spoke. I won''t go yet, I don''t n on wasting the view." Eric said, ordering another bottle.

    "Just don''t drink and drive." Cedric said bidding goodbye to his friends.

    When Cedric got home that night he found Adrianna already in bed. He climbed in next to her and hugged her tightly.

    "You''re homete tonight." Adrianna said with a lightin. She was slightly irritated with the scene earlier in the restaurant.

    "Katerina asked for my help with an annoyance." Cedric told his wife.

    "Cthea?" Adrianna assumed since Cthea had mentioned Katerina in their confrontation earlier.

    "Mmmm. Yeah. I heard she tried to fight with you earlier. I''ve sent them a warning." Cedric told Adrianna.

    Adrianna took a deep breath beside Cedric and lightened up. "I can manage Cthea." Adrianna said before falling asleep in Cedric''s arms.

 Chapter 152 - 152

    The issue with Cthea Carpio was quickly dealt with by Cedric. He sent a warning to the Carpios, he was not as kind or as understanding as his father and he wouldn''t hesitate to lessen their cooperation, should Cthea continue to threaten his wife or his friends. His threat was received and the Carpios didn''t fight back. By that weekend Cthea flew back to Spain and began to behave, the rumors towards Katerina also quieted down.

    Early on Saturday morning, Cedric was drinking his coffee in the ground floor study when Nicole suddenly came charging in. She was wearing casual clothes but she was all dolled up. Instead of getting scared of the furious woman Cedric burst out inughter.??

    "Don''tugh!" Nicole was not happy with Cedric dragging Ian to work on a Saturday. Both Nicole and Ian were very much career driven and as a result were workaholics. It was a fact Nicole was aware of when she got into a rtionship with him, however she didn''t expect that their Saturdays together would also be taken away.

    "How can I not? You''re dressed so casually and yet you''re made up as if you were going on a runway." Cedric said as he tried to stop hisughter.

    "Cedric rin Reyes! I hate you. My boyfriend and I only have our Saturdays and you took it away." Nicole said, crossing her arms and taking a seat.

    "You''re so loud I could hear you from the parking. Do you want to wake everyone in Mountain View?" Katerina said as she entered followed by an assistant.

    "Don''t you have a case to deal with Katerina?" Nicole asked, rolling her eyes clearly irritated by her friend''s sudden arrival.

    "I do. The Reyes Group''s, but I''m just here to do a quick consultation." Katerina said as she waved for the assistant to ce the documents on Cedric''s table then leave right after.

    "To think I wanted you to be my sister inw! You''re breaking my heart Katerina." Nicole said as she pretended to sooth her broken heart.

    "Such a drama queen. And you''re crazy to think I would want to be your sister inw. Isn''t it enough that you have Veronica?" Katerina said as she rolled her eyes. "This will be quick. I''ll follow you to the guest house. Now go, the adults need to talk." Katerina said, sending Nicole away.

    "I''m not doneining, Cedric Reyes. You better give Ian his Saturdays back or I swear!" Nicole said as she marched out of the study.

    "What''s with the tantrum?" Katerina asked as she opened a file.

    "Ian has to work Saturdays. He''ll be here in thirty minutes." Cedric quickly exined.

    "Poor child. So serious in her first real rtionship." Katerina said as she shook her head.

    "Ian is her first boyfriend?" Cedric was surprised that Nicole had never had a boyfriend. The youngest Chan was very pretty and a lot of men had a crush on her, so Cedric didn''t expect that Ian was her first.

    "Yup. She''s had a ton of almost rtionships though." Katerina said with a giggle. "And she dated a lot."

    "I''m pretty sure she won''t reach your count." Cedric teased. Alexi had told him in the past how Katerina was as close to a female version of himself, dating and having casual rtionships when it suited her.

    "Alexi told you? I fall quickly, then I tire quickly." Katerina said, looking up from the file.

    "Don''t you find this awkward at all?" Most women in their society wouldn''t want to talk about having dated other guys, let alone having slept with them.

    "Nope. If you guys can do it, why can''t I?" Katerina said, raising an eyebrow at him.

    "Not afraid of society judging you?" Cedric asked.

    "You aren''t society, and there isn''t anything that hasn''t been said about me yet." Katerina shrugged. "I''m a woman in a man''s world, doing a job people see more suited for men. If I''m nice, I am weak, too womanly. If I''m tough, I''m a bitch, I get painted as a viin. There is no in between for me, so why try to satisfy a world where I can''t be happy."

    Cedric was surprised at what Katerina had said. It was true that the world was harsher to them, and Katerina had a tougher battle than Adrianna or Ayanna in her industry.

    "Shall we move on?" Katerina asked, waving the documents.

    Cedric nodded and leaned forward to listen.

    "My team and I have looked through the files you sent. There is a potential case here, if you can get me people to file the case against I can win it with these, but I still need more." Katerina had ced her whole team on Cedric''s case, studying every document and applying every possible charge to them.

    "I''m working on getting into the syndicate in the Reyes Group. When I''m in I should be able to find you a list of people and more evidence." Cedric told Katerina.

    "Remember Cedric, the higher up this runs, the harder it will be." Katerina warned Cedric.

    "I''m just hoping it doesn''t. I don''t know where we went wrong. My family has studied how to avoid things like this.We distribute the earnings quite fairly, we give raises, bonuses, and we even help out when needed." Cedric said recounting the measures the Reyes Group took to avoid disloyal employees.

    "Who knows, you might get lucky and find that this is just a ring of five employees." Katerina said with a shrug.

    Cedric nodded and stood up to lead Katerina out. "I''ll contact you when I know more. For now, go enjoy the rest of the day with the girls, you work too much."

    "It''s not like I have anything else to do." Katerina said with a shrug as she left the study.

    After a few minutes Cami and Ian arrived. Both of them came in ready to talk business with Cedric, the past week had been incredibly hectic at Mor Co.

    "Ian, your girlfriend arrived here before you did and she gave me a massive headache. How can you stand her?" Cedric teased his assistant.

    Ian was stunned and couldn''te up with a reply fast enough.

    "Cami, promise me when you finally decide that you can be in a rtionship, he won''t be anything like Nicole." Cedric saidughing.

    "Don''t worry sir. The bubbly kind isn''t my type." Cami said with a grin.

    "She would gut you if she heard you call her the bubbly type." Ian said, finally managing tough.

    "I don''t think Miss Nicole would do something like that, probably Miss Katerina would be more likely." Cami saidughing at Ian.

 Chapter 153 - 153

    At the guest house Nicole sat on the floor with her arms crossed wearing a pout on her face. She was still annoyed that the only time she had with Ian was taken away by Cedric.

    "Are you really gonna be that petty over this?" Veronica said as she gave Nicole a cup of tea. Everyone always avoided giving Nicole coffee since she had the tendency to either palpitate or have as much energy as a child on a sugar rush when she had coffee in her system.??

    "Yes I am." Nicole insisted.

    "What''s the childining about now?" Katerina asked as she arrived with Adrianna and Ayanna.

    "Natalia isn''t here again?" Nicole intentionally ignored Katerina''s question. Katerina assumed that Nicole was not happy with how Cedric had tossed her out of the study and Katerina''s hand in it.

    "She has work. She''s worse than me." Katerina said with augh.

    "So Veronica, have youpleted your marital duties?" Ayanna asked with a wink.

    "Ayanna! I don??t think that''s something you should ask." Adrianna told her sister inw.

    "I bet they haven''t." Katerina said grabbing a bottle of wine and a ss then sitting on the couch.

    "What makes you so sure?" Veronica asked Katerina with a blush.

    "Cause you walk normally and you haven''t been bitching about it." Katerina said as she poured herself a ss.

    "Isn''t it too early for that?" Adrianna was surprised that Katerina was already drinking so early in the morning.

    "Well this topic needs alcohol. You can''t have cause you''re pregnant, Nicole can''t cause she''s a lightweight and I''m not taking care of her." Katerina said.

    "Why do we have to talk about this?" Veronica groaned.

    "You''re disturbing Katerina." Nicole shouted.

    Katerina justughed at her friends and offered them a ss. Veronica sighed and shook her head but took the ss of wine that Katerina had offered.

    "Look, it''s all natural. It''s a normal part of life that all married couples take part in. I mean we wouldn''t be here if our parents hadn''t done their marital duties." Katerina casually exined. "Adrianna, you''re the only real married one here. Care to help me exin?"

    Adrianna was shy on the topic, talking about this in front of her sister inw was extremely awkward.

    "I don''t want to talk about this, so Katerina, drop it." Veronica said in a sudden outburst. It seemed like she was having a really bad day.

    "Fine. So what do you want to rant about?" Katerina asked her friend.

    "How Cedric took my boyfriend away." Everyone was surprised when Nicole suddenly said this, not because of her speaking when not being spoken to, but rather about her admitting that Ian was actually her boyfriend.

    "Ha! You admit it!" Ayanna said, pointing a finger at Nicole.

    "No, I mean yes. Okay, fine yes. Ian is my boyfriend, but my family can''t know about Ian. You know how they will get. He''s not the right kind of guy yet." Nicole finally admitted that she and Ian were in a rtionship.

    "I win!" Katerina suddenly shouted. She, Ayanna, and Veronica had ced a bet on how long it would take for Nicole to admit that Ian was her boyfriend.

    "What? You guys bet on when I would get a boyfriend?" Nicole had a look of shock and betrayal on her face.

    "No. We bet on when you would admit Ian was your boyfriend. Katerina said she could pressure you into admitting it." Ayanna said with a shrug as she handed a card to Katerina.

    "Why are you handing her a card?" Adrianna was puzzled by Ayanna''s actions. She had expected her to give Katerina cash or maybe a bag.

    "I bet a year''s worth of free meals at Nouveau and Bamboo Room. Ray and my brother willpensate me for it. We got Nicole to admit she has a boyfriend, that''s so worth it." Ayanna said with the biggest grin.

    "Nicole, be careful with love and men." Katerina said in a more serious tone. Among all the sisters Katerina was the one with most experience in these kinds of things. Unlike her friends she defied convention and explored her feelings for other people, she didn''t hesitate to love and be loved. As a sad result she had also been hurt more times than most of them. At first the girls thought that she was dating to forget Eric, or to get Eric jealous, but as time went on Katerina didn''t seem to be waiting for Eric.

    "I know, and Ian is different. He broke his rule for me." Nicole said with a pure smile on her lips.

    "What rule?" Veronica asked, suspicious of this rule Nicole had mentioned.

    "Well, he''s very dedicated to his goal to return his family to its former glory. One of the rules he set for himself is that he wouldn''t love since that would distract him from achieving his goal." Nicole exined.

    "Do you think he could be using you for his goal?" Veronica pessimistically asked.

    "Ian''s not like that!" Nicole said, defending her boyfriend.

    "She''s telling the truth Veronica." Adrianna suddenly said. "Even before he found out who Cedric actually was, Ian has always been like this. He has always been dedicated to something, Cedric and I didn''t understand it at first butter on it was Ian himself that told Cedric. Ian has had every opportunity to date one of you girls but he''s never taken it."

    "How I wish I were as lucky as you guys in love." Katerina said with a sadugh.

    "You''ll be lucky if you be my sister inw!" Nicole excitedly told her friend. She had always supported the idea of Eric and Katerina dating and eventually getting married.

    "No thanks. I don''t think I could stand too much of you." Katerina said, rolling her eyes.

    "You still didn''t say no about my brother!" Nicole shouted.

    Nicole''s timing couldn''t have been any better, as she said that Eric, Miguel, and Ray stepped into the guest house and heard what Nicole had said.

    "Is Katerina finally saying yes to dating Eric?" Miguel teased.

    Katerina jumped when she heard a man''s voice. When she noticed the boys had arrived she red at Nicole.

    "Nicole is just being a child. Don''t listen to her." Katerina said as she poured herself another ss. Before she could drink the wine the ss was suddenly snatched from her hand.

    "It''s not healthy to drink so early in the day Katerina." Eric said as he finished the ss of wine for her.

    "Oooh, tension." Ray teased as he sat on the couch next to Ayanna. "Isn''t Cedric going to join us?"

    "NO BECAUSE HE STOLE MY BOYFRIEND!" Nicole shouted at the top of her lungs.

    "Why? Why did you have to bring it up Ray." Ayannained.

    "Nicole I''m pretty sure Cedric isn''t gay. How can he steal your boyfriend." Eric teased his younger sister. "And congrattions you finally admitted that Ian is your boyfriend."

    "At least I have a real rtionship.??? Nicole said, crossing her arms and ring at Eric.

    The group continued to pick on each other until lunch time when Cedric finally appeared with Ian and Cami to join them. When they arrived Cedric nudged Ian towards Nicole who had suddenly be quiet.

    Ian walked over and gave Nicole a hug, resulting in thetter turning as red as a tomato.

    "So she admits it?" Cedric asked in jest.

    "Yes. We owe Katerina lunch for a whole year now." Ayanna told her brother proudly.

    "By we, do you mean all of us?" Cedric asked.

    "Nope, you and Ray. You guys have more money than me so you''ll be covering the costs." Ayanna said with a grin.

    With Ian in the room Nicole was suddenly calmer and to everyone''s entertainment she was also suddenly quiet.

    "Ian, when do you n to propose to my sister? I could get used to this quiet version of her." Eric teased.

    Before Ian could say anything Nicole red at Ian and for his own benefit Ian decided not to answer Eric''s question.

    Having finished all of their work in the morning, Cami was the first to leave, followed by Ian and Nicole. The rest of the group decided to stay and hangout at Cedric''s ce.

    "How did you deal with Cthea?" Katerina finally asked Cedric when she caught him alone.

    "A threat." Cedric casually said. "Do you think she will stay away for good?"

    "I doubt it. She''lly low for a while till she thinks we''ve forgotten what she''s done. Then she''lle back." Katerina said.

    "Did you and Eric settle your issues fromst time?" Cedric asked.

    "Eric and I will never settle our issues. It''s tooplicated. It''s easier to just bury them." Katerina said with a frown.

    "It wille back to bite you if Ctheaes back." Cedric warned as he left to rejoin the group, leaving Katerina to think on her own.

 Chapter 154 - 154

    Cedric had slowly built a habit in the Reyes Group, and before he could realize it he had already been working there for a month. He had made sure to let people know that he was a husband who needed to earn more since his wife''s family looked down on him.

    He wanted to attract whoever was behind the anomalies in the Reyes Group by being an easily corruptible target. Soon enough his hard work had paid off. He had managed to make friends with a member of the finance team that hethought was involved in the scheme.??

    It was lucky that Adolfo had to work during lunch that day so Cedric had lunch with Martin, the employee from the finance team.

    "It''s such a pain." Cedric fakeined as they sat on their table. "My inws are so difficult to satisfy. I already work at the Reyes Group, which is a thousand timesrger than their family business, and they still aren''t satisfied. They keep saying I should be earning more than my wife."

    "So money is the main issue with your inws?" Martin asked.

    "Mostly. They would ignore my low born status if I could earn enough to wow them." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes.

    "Why did you leave Mor Co., Cedric?" Martin asked him, clearly their group did their own set of background checks.

    "Ha. The truth? The Reyes Heir doesn''t like me. Probably cause of all the rumors my wife caused. I got demoted and sent here so that they could keep me around and to avoid the noise." Cedric fakeined once again.

    "Well then, I have a way for you to earn extra money and sort of get back at the Reyes Heir at the same time." Martin said in a low voice.

    "Sounds too good to be true." Cedric said as he stared into Martin''s eyes.

    "Meet me after work at the fastfood chain across the office." Martin said as they continued to eat.

    After lunch, Cedric told Adrianna that he had something to do then he told his father that he had already found a way into the group within thepany that was causing them the lost opportunities. He gave the details and told his dad not to have him followed, the group was very careful.

    At the end of the work day, Cedric did as Martin asked and met him at the nearby fastfood chain.

    "Do you see that sleek ck BMW parked at the front?" Martin said pointing at Ayanna''s car.

    Cedric nodded and didn''t say a word.

    "That car belongs to Ayanna Reyes, the daughter of the Reyes family who at a whim can empty out a ne and hop on to any part of the world. Families like the Reyeses would never notice the few hundred thousand that we take from them." Martin exined before getting up from his seat.

    Cedric followed him and they got into Martin''s car that was parked outside. It wasn''t some shy car as Cedric would have expected someone that was earning hundreds of thousands on the side, rather it was a midrange car that most first time car buyers purchased.

    When they got in Cedric was quiet.

    "I''m taking you to a meeting with one of our partners. They are one of thepanies who have been benefiting from the projects we reject at the Reyes Group and hand over." Martin said while he drove Cedric to the outskirts of the city. "Since what we are doing needs to remain a secret we usually meet at our clients'' homes."

    When Cedric and Martin arrived at the location they entered a mansion that Cedric had never been to before. Inside was a young man who looked to be around thirty to thirty five years of age.

    "Ah Martin! Do you have any new projects for me today?" the young man asked.

    "Mr. Ramos, yes. Here are the documents you''ll need. The projected profits on these will be in the millions." Martin said as he passed a sh drive to the young Mr. Ramos.

    "Good, good. New guy?" Mr. Ramos asked Martin.

    "Yes. This is Cedric. Don''t worry he''s clean. We''ve done a thorough background check on him, you can trust him." Martin told Mr. Ramos.

    Mr. Ramos nodded and proceeded to ask Martin some questions.

    After they had finished Mr. Ramos handed Martin a thick envelope right before they left. When they got into the car Martin counted the cash and handed Cedric ten thousand.

    "For every project we give them they pay us a hundred thousand, if the project makes over a million we get a portion of the profits." Martin exined.

    "Is Mr. Ramos our only client?" Cedric asked.

    "No, we would be caught if it were only him. We have about thirty clients in different industries. Mr. Ramos is just our biggest one since he has the scale to take most of the projects we pass on." Martin exined to Cedric.

    "Are there a lot of us in the group?" Cedric asked.

    "Around thirty across different departments. The profits are split almost equally, arger cut goes to whoever found the project." Martin exined.

    "Why are you trusting me with all this?" Cedric asked, he still doubted that Martin fully trusted him.

    "You need this, I know a man with a true driving force." Martin simply said.

    Cedric chose not to prod any further to avoid raising suspicions, he was in no rush. Martin was right, the losses they were getting from what Martin and his crew were doing was just like loose change to the Reyes Family.

    Martin offered to drop Cedric off at home, Cedric declined and said that it was quite out of Martin''s way. Martin instead dropped him off at the bus stop where Cedric found Leon waiting.

    When they got on the bus Cedric took an empty window seat as Leon took the outer one. Cedric pretended to sleep in the bus looking down so that people couldn''t see them talking.

    "Are we being followed?" Cedric asked Leon.

    Leon''s phone began to ring, instead of talking to whomever was on the other line Leon answered Cedric. "Yes sir."

    "I''ll get off at the normal bus stop. Ask the driver to pick me up with Adrianna''s car. They should let go after that." Cedric suggested.

    Leon gave a slight nod and got down two stops after Cedric.

    It seemed that the syndicate within the Reyes Group did notpletely trust Cedric yet and were waiting for him to let his guard down.

    When Cedric got to his stop he found Adrianna''s car waiting for him and in the driver''s seat was his wife. He made a mental note to scold Leon and Mia for letting his wife pick him up when she was pregnant and the situation could get dangerous.

    "I''ll drive." Cedric said as he opened the door to the driver''s side.

    "Sure." Adrianna had actually just overheard Leon giving the driver instructions and decided that it would be less suspicious if she drove the car that picked Cedric up. Adrianna got off the driver''s seat and moved to the front passenger''s seat.

    Cedric kissed his wife as he observed a man that he knew to work at Reyes Group get off and snap some photos and make a call. He was clearly reporting that Cedric was not faking anything so far.

    Cedric dialed Leon''s number and drove to the direction of their old home. After one ring Leon picked up his boss'' call.

    "Are we still being followed?" Cedric asked Leon.

    "No sir. It seems the man from earlier was the only tail they ced on you." Leon confirmed. At that Cedric took a few more detours before finally heading back to Mountain View.

 Chapter 155 - 155

    "Adrianna, why did youe?" Cedric asked in a dark tone. When he had seen Adrianna in the car he was incredibly worried that she and their unborn child would get hurt. If it weren''t for the tail he would have turned directly towards Mountain View for safety.

    "Cedric I know you''re mad, but it would be more genuine if I were the one that came to pick you up. If it was Mia or anyone else the tail would have figured something out." Adrianna had a point. If the syndicate had realized that something was off about Cedric they would stop trusting him and he would lose the chance to find out who was taking away profits from the Reyes Group.??

    Cedric kept quiet for the rest of the ride. He was mad at Adrianna for risking her life and the baby''s life, he was mad at his staff for letting Adrianna get into the car and allowing her to do something dangerous.

    When the car finally stopped at Mountain View, Adrianna held Cedric''s hand before he could get off the car.

    "Don''t be mad at the staff or at our security team. I insisted on going, none of them would dare cross me." Adrianna exined.

    Cedric''s cold look softened and he hugged Adrianna, he kissed the top of her forehead and got out of the car. He then opened the door and helped her out.

    "I just don''t want you to get hurt." Cedric said as they entered Mountain View hand in hand.

    The next day Cedric was busy working when he got a message from Martin. They were instructions for Cedric to reject a project number and to make copies to give to Martin after work. Cedric was quite surprised since that particr project was among the files recently given to him for evaluation.

    Cedric did as Martin asked and made copies of the documents before rejecting them. He then confirmed it to Martin who scheduled for them to meet in a private room quite far away from the office.

    Since Cedric didn''t have a car he had to take the bus to get to the restaurant. By the time he had arrived he was already fifteen minuteste for their appointment due to the traffic in the city. As he entered the room he uttered a quick apology to Martin.

    "It''s okay. We haven''t been waiting long." Martin said as he offered Cedric the seat next to him. To Cedric''s surprise it was not just him and Martin having dinner, rather there were ten other people in the room.

    "Let me introduce you to everyone." Martin began as he introduced Cedric. Everyone in the room was an employee at the Reyes group. Most of them belonged to departments that worked on project partnerships or departments that approved these partnerships. Cedric took a quick mental note of who was there, and remembered to include them on his list. Cedric had no intention of catching everyone he found out to be in the syndicate yet. He wanted to find everyone and weed out every single employee that had a hand in the matter.

    "I kind of expected there would be more directors and VPs in the group." Cedric said with a nervousugh.

    "We never included any of the top honchos." Martin exined to Cedric. "Those people would die for the Reyes Group, and that''s not an exaggeration. Their loyalty to the Reyes Family is at a very scary and concerning level. It''s really toxic if you think about it."

    "So how is it that no one has noticed what you''ve been doing?" Cedric was trying to figure out the pattern and the logic they had used to avoid even the best auditors and investigators at the Reyes Group.

    "Simple, no pattern. We spread the rejection among us and we keep them to new ideas and partnerships so that no one could me us for rejecting them." A female employee exined to Cedric.

    "The Reyes Group gets the big fish and extremely profitable projects, and we sell to other parties those that would have worked but were never worth noticing for the Reyes Group." Martin further exined.

    "Aren''t you worried that they would figure it out?" Cedric asked.

    "We???ve been doing this for eight years. No one has ever asked a question. The projects are all way too small for them to care." Martin exined.

    "I guess amounts like these really don''t matter to the Reyes Group." Cedric said with a thoughtful look. To the members of the syndicate it seemed like he was analyzing if the risks were worth it, but in reality Cedric was thinking of how things got to this level in the past eight years. From what he knew all the employees were fairlypensated and their sries and raises were proportional to how much thepany made. "Am I the only one in my department that''s a part of this?" Cedric asked.

    "Yah." The female employee said. "For some reason the employees in your team are painfully loyal to the Reyes Group. They''re crazy."

    "Cedric, just think of us as modern day Robin Hoods, we take from the extremely wealthy Reyes Group, and give to the smallerpanies that wouldn''t survive without those projects." Martin told Cedric.

    Of course things were moreplicated than how Martin had exined. Although it was true that the Reyes Family themselves didn''t need more money and were incredibly wealthy, the employees of the Reyes Group as well as the charities that the Reyes Family supported needed the money.

    For every new project that an employee would bring in, thepany usually gave that employee a bonus and many employees in some departments depended heavily on this. The bonuses and sry increases of the everyday employee were also affected by the profit that the Reyes Group managed to bring in. In reality the syndicate was not just stealing from the Reyes Family, but from every employee as well. Since all the members of the group belonged to the lower ranks they didn''t understand this logic and all they could see was that they were taking from the Reyes Family.

 Chapter 156 - 156

    While Cedric was meeting with the members of the syndicate, Adrianna was resting at home. Since she found out that she was pregnant she noticed that every member of the Reyes family and her own parents treated her as if she were made of ss. She once had the thought that if Cedric could have her carried around everywhere he would do that.

    Mia had admitted to Adrianna that Cedric had asked to cut her work time and refuse meetings that ran toote so that Adrianna could go home and rest. In public, she was always secretly apanied by Mia with some bodyguards not too far away. She also had an assigned driver and the car she rode was specially made to keep her safe.??

    Adrianna was now five months pregnant and was already showing. Cedric had arranged for her to have her check up every two weeks, he woulde home early then they would drive together to the hospital to talk to Dr. Santos. Everytime they would visit they would be greeted by an angry Nicole who scolded Cedric non-stop for being the reason why her boyfriend had little time for her.

    Adrianna was lying on her bed when her Uncle Matthew gave her a call.

    "Uncle?" Adrianna asked as she picked up the phone.

    "Adrianna, your grandfather was looking for you during thest family meeting. Will you be joining us this week?" Uncle Matthew asked. Normally as the new head of the family he didn''t need to ask, he just needed to inform her that she had to attend, but Matthew Hernandez had decided to go through a different route. It wasn''t just Adrianna that he treated this way, but most of the members of the Hernandez family.

    "I think it should be alright uncle. We''ve missed too many family meetings already." Adrianna was sure Cedric would say no, but she was also sure she could convince him that they should go.

    "Great, don''t forget to prepare your report. Also I have a new partnership nned that will bring in a lot of profit for thepany. We can discuss it tomorrow in the office, the others don''t need to know about it yet." Matthew Hernandez told his niece. Another change that Uncle Matthew brought along was that he didn''t boast about his sess before he was sure about it, new projects and partnerships were only announced to the rest of the family when they had already been guaranteed.

    Adrianna sent a quick message to Cedric tellinghim about her ns to go to the old Hernandez House for the family meeting. She was surprised to see that Cedric replied almost immediately. He wanted to go with her, Adrianna was surprised that he didn''t outright reject her ns of going to the Hernandez home.

    Adrianna went to her parent''s room and knocked before going in.

    "Mom, Dad, we''re going to the family meeting. Will youe along?" Adrianna asked her parents.

    "Sure. I wanna show your aunties my new bag. Prisci bought it for mest time." Gracia excitedly said as she went into her closet to find the bag.

    ???Mom, Cedric is still trying to keep his identity a secret. I don''t think you should go around boasting about a bag his mother bought for you." Adrianna said as she rolled her eyes at her mom.

    "I''ll just say you bought it for me. It''s not one of the ultra expensive ones she bought anyway." Gracia seemed to be on a mission to fill up her closet at Mountain View, everytime she and Prisci would arrive home from a shopping trip, it looked like they had emptied out the whole shop they visited.

    Adrianna and her family had to wait for an hour before Cedric arrived. When Adrianna saw him she felt bad, she could see from his face that he was visibly exhausted. In the day Cedric would work at the Reyes Group and upon arriving home he would still have some work from Mor Co. to deal with. No special consideration was made for him at the Reyes Group so he would work the full load of an ordinary employee.

    "Let''s take the Audi." Cedric told Adrianna as he kissed her on the lips and held her hand. No matter how tired or busy Cedric was he made it a point to remain affectionate to his wife.

    Even if he was tired Cedric drove them to the Hernandez house, they wereter than most of the members so by the time they got there everyone had already eaten. Luckily Adrianna and her parents had also already eaten while they were at Mountain View.

    What came as a surprise to Adrianna was that Asia Hernandez was there seated next to her mother. Asia was already eight months pregnant and she looked like she was ready to pop.

    Adrianna went up to her grandfather and gave him a tight hug.

    "My Adrianna. I''m so happy you''re here." Grandpa Hernandez said with a smile.

    "Grandpa, did you hear, I''m five months pregnant." Adrianna happily told him.

    Grandpa Hernandez simply nodded and did not congratte her. Adrianna knew what this meant, it meant he was still not happy with Cedric and this baby wouldplicate things on getting her to separate from Cedric.

    Cedric who was standing behind Adrianna didn''t care about her grandfather''s reaction. What mattered to him was Adrianna, as long as she was happy he was happy as well. Plus he could just imagine the reaction the whole Hernandez n would have when they found out who he truly was.

    When Adrianna and Cedric finally took their seats the family meeting began. Like always Uncle Matthew reported thepany conditions as well as their future ns, Adrianna exined further on the things that were under her department.

    After matters about Ind''s Inc. were discussed Asia suddenly stood up.

    "Grandpa, my inws are treating me horribly!" Asiained.

    "Asia, it was your choice to marry into the Chu family in such a disgraceful way." Uncle Matthew said, reprimanding his niece. The Chu family was not a family they could easily offend and Asia''s allegations were like having a deathwish.

    "You''re saying that when my husband wants to make my cousin his mistress! How can I live like this? My husband wants my married cousin when he is already married to me!" Asia shouted.

    "Asia, what are you saying?" Henry Hernandez asked his younger sister.

 Chapter 157 - 157

    "Uncle Matthew didn''t tell you? Mark Chu said that the only way the Hernandez family can continue to benefit from the prosperity he has given us is if we hand Adrianna over to him." Asia shouted as she pointed at Adrianna.

    Cedric was shocked, the Chu family was getting out of hand. How dare they demand a married woman be the mistress of her cousin''s husband. Cedric looked at his wife, she too was clearly stunned at their demands. Cedric reached out to hold her hand, as if to say that he would be with her no matter what and he would defend her no matter what.??

    "Uncle, was this the business partnership you wanted to talk to me about?" Adrianna slowly stood up with a stunned expression.

    "The Chu family is one we cannot offend. Without their support the Hernandez family will crumble." Uncle Matthew calmly exined. "I tried to find a way out of it Adrianna. I haven''t said yes yet."

    Cedric was disappointed. He had expected Matthew Hernandez to be different from the rest of the Hernandez family, he thought the man had more sense than his older brother. However, it seemed that they were still quite alike.

    (AN: Yes, Cedric is an ass for jumping into conclusions. No one is perfect.)

    "I''m a married pregnant woman. How could you even consider this!" Adrianna said as she let her emotions take over.

    "Adrianna, it''s for the survival of the family." One uncle said.

    "Adrianna you need to put family first." A cousin told her, he was clearly scared of losing hisfortable life.

    "I haven''t agreed to anything with the Chus, Adrianna." Uncle Matthew tried to exin, but it seemed Adrianna felt that this was an incredible betrayal by her family and wouldn''t hear him out.

    "I don''t want my whore of a cousin sharing my husband!" Asia shouted as she mmed the table. "You already cheated on your husband with the Reyes heir and now you want to take my husband too! How greedy of you." Asia used.

    "Asia, the world doesn''t revolve around your deluded mind of yours. I don''t want you husband!" Adrianna shouted at her cousin.

    "This wouldn''t be an issue if you could keep your husband satisfied." Margaret used Asia.

    "Hah! At least I have a husband. How about you Margaret? You can''t even get a decent man to look your way!" Asia said with a grin.

    Margaret ran over to p Asia, but was held back by Henry Hernandez.

    "Let go of me Henry. Let me p your sister!" Margaret shouted.

    "If she loses her child then we really won''t be able to escape the Chus." Henry said as he continued to stop Margaret.

    "That''s enough!" Grandpa Hernandez shouted. Everyone turned to him and calmed down.

    "Shame on all of you!" Grandpa Hernandez scolded the members of his family. "My eldest son is in jail and his daughter cannot keep her husband in her bed!"

    Cedric could see Margaret grinning at Grandpa Hernandez''s words as he scolded Asia in her failure to keep her husband loyal.

    "And you Margaret! Don''t you dare grin. How could you think of harming your cousin when she is carrying the heir to the Chu family." Cedric could see Margaret''s smile turn upside down as Grandpa Hernandez scolded her as well. "Not only will you bring our doom, but you are also hurting your cousin. I will not have that in my home."

    "Yes Grandpa. I am sorry." Margaret was quick to apologize to her elder.

    "You are young, you have much to learn." Grandpa Hernandez said in a much calmer tone. He then looked at Matthew Hernandez with a cold re.

    "Why are you hesitating? You already know what the Chus want and still you are looking for a way out of it!" Grandpa Hernandez used his son.

    Cedric could see from Adrianna''s face that the old man was breaking her heart. It seemed he would rather sell her off than think of what was best for his granddaughter.

    "Father, Adrianna is still a human being. She should not be sold like that." Uncle Matthew said in an attempt to save his decision.

    "Family shoulde first, always. Adrianna, be ready to be sent to the Chu residence." Grandpa Hernandez ordered.

    "No!" Cedric suddenly said. He never spoke in meetings of the Hernandez n so everyone was surprised when he spoke up. "Adrianna is my wife. She is a human being, not some bargaining chip you can use."

    "Shut up! You have no right to speak here, you leech." Grandpa Hernandez shouted at Cedric.

    Cedric could see Gracia and Charles flinch as grandpa Hernandez threw an insult his way. They knew who he really was and they knew that the Hernandez family would never survive if they got on Cedric''s bad side.

    Cedric red at the old man, everyone was stunned when they suddenly felt a change in Cedric. He suddenly seemed more confident and as if he oozed power, however grandpa Hernandez didn''t back down. He continued to fling insults at Cedric, saying that Adrianna''s fate was as such because he was such a weak and poor man.

    Cedric had heard enough. The old man had gone too far.

    "Adrianna and I don''t need you or your family. We''re leaving." Cedric said as he held his wife''s hand and turned to leave. "Mom, dad, it''s up to you if you will stay or follow." Cedric said as he kept his back turned at everyone else and began to walk away.

    "Cedric, Adrianna, wait I''m sure something else can be arranged. My dad is very traditional and doesn''t understand things properly." Uncle Matthew said as he tried to chase the couple. He always had a feeling that there was something off about Cedric, that he was hiding something. Not just anyone could get Raymund Laurence to sit next to you, he had witnessed it first hand how Raymund Laurence had turned down the seat of honor, twice, to sit next to Cedric.

    He also found it odd that Cedric and Adrianna had been invited to Kashmere, but he didn''t see them arrive or go into any of the guest vis. He had also seen Cedric and Adrianna sit on the same table as the princes and their sisters. Something was suspicious about Cedric Reyes, and Matthew Hernandez was not willing to risk offending someone who could potentially be so well connected.

    "Take one more step Matthew and the President of Ind''s Inc. will change." Grandpa Hernandez threatened his son. Uncle Matthew looked at his daughter, Margaret, who was shaking her head, telling him to listen to the old man.

    Cedric looked back and saw Uncle Matthew stop going after them as Gracia and Charles stood up to follow.

    Cedric drove everyone back home. The car ride was quiet since no one knew what to say. Everyone was at a loss over what had just happened.

    Cedric took Adrianna''s hand and held it tightly.

    "Adri, don''t worry. No matter what, I will protect you. You don''t need to return to Ind''s Inc." Cedric told his wife. He would honestly be much happier if she just spent her days apanying him at the Reyes Group.

    "No. I''lle into work tomorrow." Adrianna stubbornly said.

    "Adri, what if your grandfather sends you away?" Gracia said with a worried look on her face. She knew that they shouldn''t underestimate the Hernandez family especially since their survival was on the line.

    "I have Mia with me mom. Plus she has her fleet of bodyguards as back up right outside Ind''s Inc. I''ll be fine." Adrianna said with a smile.

 Chapter 158 - 158

    When they got back to Mountain View, Prisci, Emilio, Ayanna, Miguel, and Veronica were happily chatting in the living room. The group was surprised when Cedric and hispanions got home looking like they had gone through hell and back.

    "Did the Hernandezes chew you out or something?" Miguel teased. Cedric responded to him with an icy re that made the usually chatty Miguel shut his mouth.??

    "It''s nothing I can''t handle." Cedric said as he pulled Adrianna to go up to their room to rest.

    When they got to their room Cedric hugged his wife tightly, unwilling to let her go.

    "Cedric, I''m not going anywhere. You will protect me." Adrianna said as she hugged him back. She was disgusted with her family for even thinking that they could send her off to be some man''s mistress.

    "I will do anything and everything to protect you and our little one." Cedric said as he kissed his wife.

    "I can''t believe my own family would do that." Adrianna sat and suddenly burst into tears. Cedric pulled her into his arms again as she cried against his chest.

    "Adrianna, I''m your family now. Me, my parents, my sister, our friends. We will make sure nothing bad ever happens to you, and should you want it, we will also make sure you get revenge on those that hurt you." Cedric told his wife as he caressed her hair.

    Adrianna had managed to cry herself to sleep on the couch. Cedric carried his pregnant wife, gave her a bath, dressed her, and ced her on their bed.

    "I heard that talking to you will make you a smarter child." Cedric whispered as he touched his wife''s baby bump. "Your mom and I can''t wait to meet you, little one. I want to hold you in my arms and spoil you." Cedric leaned down and kissed the bump gently before cleaning up and going to sleep himself. In the past, he had never thought of kids, he had always been focused on his poverty training or in building Mor Co., having a child was not something he and Adrianna had spoken about before. Now that they had one on the way, Cedric was excited, he was honestly hoping for a girl, so that she could be as pretty as her mother, but he didn''t have an issue with a boy either since the life of a Reyes Heir was difficult and he didn''t want to see his daughter go through what he had to. Despite everything, life was still tougher for girls.

    The next day, Cedric was surprised to see Adrianna up so early and getting ready for work.

    "Shouldn''t you be asleep?" Cedric asked as he kissed Adrianna.

    "Mmm. I slept so soundlyst night that I woke up early." Adrianna exined.

    "Don''t tire yourself too much today. If there are any issues at Ind''s Inc. call me or any of the boys, or even Ayanna. We can all deal with it for you." Cedric reminded Adrianna. He was genuinely worried that the Hernandez family would try to pull a dangerous stunt just to get Adrainna to do what they wanted.

    "I''m sure Mia will tell you if something is wrong. Now go to work." Adrianna said as she pushed her husband out of the door.

    Cedric had every reason to be worried, and he was rightfully so. When Adrianna arrived at Ind''s Inc. she noticed that none of the employees greeted her or looked her in the eye. She already had a gut feeling that the Hernandez family had pulled a terrible stunt.

    When Adrianna got to her office she found Mia arguing with security as one of her elder male cousins stood by as the security team threw out Adrianna''s things into the hallway.

    "What''s the meaning of this?" Adrianna demanded.

    "Ah cousin. After your little scenest night you no longer work for Ind''s Inc." Her older cousin said with a grin.

    "I''ll speak to Uncle Matthew about this." Adrianna said as she turned to head to the President''s office.

    "Uncle Matthew isn''t in charge anymore." Her older cousin said with a chuckle. "Poor Margaret, losing everything because her father decided to stand up for you. You should have done as grandpa had asked Adrianna. Now even Uncle Matthew and Margaret will have to suffer because of you." Her cousin mocked.

    "Who''s in charge now?" Adrianna asked as she ignored his sidements.

    "Grandpa is back, and trust me, you can''t convince him. You and your good for nothing husband turned your back on him and walked out. Grandpa won''t be forgiving you at all. How will you survive without the Hernandez family." Her cousin mocked.

    "You guys can have this stupidpany." Adrianna was furious, she thought that their cruelty would end with her, she was mistaken. They had made Uncle Matthew and Margaret suffer as well. "Mia, have someone bring my things home." Adrianna ordered.

    Mia nodded and quickly dialed a number. Two men soon came up and carried Adrianna''s things to the car.

    "Wow Adrianna. You really are some rich man''s mistress. Don''t pretend to be so high and mighty." Her cousin used.

    "Miss Adrianna is no man''s mistress." Mia told the man.

    "Thank you Mia. Let''s go." Adrianna said as she turned to leave.

    In the car she quickly dialed Cedric''s number. It took a while before he could pick the call up since he was in a meeting. By the time he answered her call Adrianna was sobbing.

    "Hun, what''s wrong?" Cedric said in a tender voice.

    "They kicked me out, and on top of that they kicked Uncle Matthew and Margaret out too. I''m not sure if Henry is still there either. I didn''t see him, but Henry is a survivor." Adrianna managed to say in between sobs.

    "Adri, go home first. You don''t need to work anyway. I''ll give the girls a call and ask them to keep youpany." Cedric said over the phone in an attempt to calm his wife down.

    "No need. I''ll call Julia, Sofia, and Natasha over." Adrianna said as her sobbing eased.

    "I''ll have someone find Uncle Matthew, Margaret, and Henry." Cedric told her over the phone.

    "I hate my emotions. I hate being emotional." Adrianna said.

    "Honey, you''re pregnant. It''s normal. Now go home to Mountain View and we''ll talk when I get home. I love you." Cedric told his wife.

    "I love you too, Cedric. I''ll see you tonight." Adrianna said as she dropped the call.

    "Mrs. Reyes, I''ll have the security cars surround us now." Mia said as she radioed the other vehicles in their convoy to appear. Cedric had given them instructions that if anything bad were to happen while they were at Ind''s Inc. they would heighten security.

    When Adrianna got to Mountain View she took a warm bath to rx. When she was done a maid told her that Julia, Sofia, and Natasha had all arrived and were waiting for her at the living room. Adrianna thanked the maid and picked up a few gifts she had bought for her friends in the past before finally going down.

    When she joined them in the living room she found her friends staring at various points of the house in awe as a smug Veronica sat among them.

 Chapter 159 - 159

    "I think they like what I did with the ce." Veronica said with a smile.

    "This ce is amazing!" Julia eximed.??

    "Thanks." Adrianna said with a weak smile. The girls quickly noticed this and asked her what was wrong. Adrianna proceeded to tell them about how the Hernandez family wanted to sell her off to Mark Chu as his mistress. When she and Cedric refused they threw her out of Ind''s Inc. and even sent Uncle Matthew, Margaret, and possibly Henry away as well.

    "Well, you can''t drink your sorrows away." Sofia said as she pointed at Adrianna''s baby bump.

    "She can''t be too sad either. Pregnant women shouldn''t be sad." Veronica said as she lounged on the couch.

    "Why don''t we go out for some fresh air?" Julia suggested.

    "Cedric might not let us. He''s really worried." Adrianna was also hesitant to leave Mountain View, she had no idea what the Hernandez or Chu families would do.

    "You''re being silly Adrianna." Veronica said with augh. "You have a tighter security detail than Ayanna. Even if the Hernandez and Chu families wanted to hurt you they couldn''t."

    "I guess you''re right. I''ll just tell Cedric." Adrianna said as she sent Cedric a message saying that she and the girls plus Veronica would be going out. Cedric quickly replied reminding her to bring the security team assigned to her.

    "Why don''t we shop for baby things? That should make you happy." Natasha suggested.

    "That would be perfect." Adrianna said with a smile.

    Veronica asked a maid to fetch both her and Adrianna''s bags and wallets before finally heading out in two separate cars.

    "Why do we need two cars?" Adrianna asked as they stepped outside.

    As if on cue, a gray sports car drove into the driveway. Adrianna knew that among the girls only Katerina would drive a car like that, and true enough Katerina stepped out and handed the keys to a driver.

    "Katerina wanted to tag along, but she couldn''t bring her car cause it''s too high profile." Veronica said with a shrug.

    "Katerina herself is high profile." Adrianna said with augh.

    "I''m nothingpared to Ayanna and Veronica." Katerina said as she approached. "Wait let me change my shoes." Katerina said as she pulled out a pair of block heeled shoes from her bag and tossed the stilettos she was wearing into the car.

    Julia, Sofia, and Natasha were in awe. They never expected Katerina Sebastian to be thisid back.

    When they arrived at the mall they couldn''t go down immediately since Mia and the other bodyguards had to discreetly position themselves, another issue came up when Veronica stepped out of the car.

    Since Veronica had been cooped up at Mountain View since their wedding and hadn''t made any public appearances, no one realized how popr she had gotten. She was not only the daughter of the Abad family, but she also managed to marry one of the most eligible bachelors in the country. All of these were in addition to her already existing fame and fanbase as a designer.

    "I told you Veronica was more popr." Katerina whispered to Adrianna when she managed to leave Veronica with the bodyguards and the crowd.

    When Veronica followed their group into the infant''s section, people started to snap photos and whisper among themselves.

    "Now I''ll be all over the news tonight." Veronica said rolling her eyes as she approached Katerina.

    "I can see it now, are Mr. and Mrs. Chan expecting after a month of marital bliss?" Katerina saidughing at the idea. "You guys haven''t even." Katerinaughed harder.

    "Not so loud! We''re in public." Veronica scolded.

    Katerina was about to say something when her phone began to ring. It was her older brother Alexi Sebastian.

    "Who are we filing a case against this time?" Katerina teased her brother.

    "Haha, very funny. Are you with Adrianna now?" Alexi asked.

    "Yup. What''s up?" Katerina told her brother.

    "Tell her we found her Uncle Matthew, and her cousins Margaret and Henry. They were chased away by the Hernandez and Chu families to a dangerous part of town. Luckily the danger there is controlled by Ray. Cedric has already bought a ce for them to hide out for the time being." Alexi told Katerina.

    "Alright I''ll tell her that. Send me the address. I''m sure she''ll want to visit after this. We''ll meet you there." Katerina said as she dropped the call.

    "Adrianna, Adrianna." Katerina called out. "Your Uncle Matthew, Margaret, and Henry have been found. Cedric''s arranged a ce for them to stay and they are safe." Katerina decided to leave out the part where their own family had sent them to a dangerous ce because they didn''t agree with what grandpa Hernandez wanted.

    "That''s great. Can we visit them?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yup. Alexi will send me the address and meet us there." Katerina told Adrianna. Katerina noticed Adrianna breath a sigh of relief and continue to look around.

    When they were done shopping, Mia arranged for all the items to be delivered by a separate vehicle to Mountain View, while everyone went to the location Alexi had given Katerina.

    The Reyes group owned an upscale condominium in the center of the city called Raja. Cedric owned a few units in the building but only one had been furnished, it was a five bedroom bi-level unit that took up two floors of the building, it was there that Uncle Matthew, Margaret, and Henry had been taken after being rescued.

    In the elevator, Katerina hesitated to warn Adrianna about something. When Veronica noticed this she nudged her friend to talk.

    "Adrianna, there is something you should be prepared for." Katerina warned.

    Adrianna was quite anxious and watching the floor numbers in the elevator change.

    "Your uncle and cousins might not be happy to see you. Even if we were the ones that saved them, they could still me you for being thrown out on the streets. That''s why it''s important for you to stay a little bit further away." Katerina said.

    Adrianna looked down and took a deep breath. She had been feeling bad that because of her, others had to suffer. "Even I me myself." Adrianna admitted to the other girls in the elevator.

    "It''s not your fault. It''s the Hernandez and Chu families fault." Katerina told Adrianna in the hopes that she would findfort in that.

    When the elevator door opened, they were greeted by Ray and Alexi at the lobby of the unit.

    Alexi greeted the girls before typing the passcode to the unit, Adrianna noticed that it was her and Cedric''s wedding anniversary. She couldn''t help but smile that it was set at that despite them never having lived in this ce.

    When they entered the luxurious unit Alexi called out. "Mr. Hernandez? Margaret? Henry? We''re back."

    Henry was the first to show up as he had been in the kitchen near the entrance. When he saw Adrianna he smiled and ran over to hug her. Unfortunately, he was stopped by a bodyguard.

    "It''s alright." Adrianna said as the bodyguard let Henry through to hug his cousin.

    "We were so worried, Adrianna. Uncle and I were thinking that if they could do this to us how much worse would you be going through." Henry exined to his cousin.

    Soon enough Uncle Matthew came down the stairs and smiled at his niece. "It''s good to see that you are safe Adrianna. We owe it to your friends that we got out of that ce they drove us to."

    "What ce?" Adrianna asked. Katerina had left out this part when she told her about what had happened to the rtives that supported her.

    "Mr. Hernandez, why don''t we sit down and have some tea and coffee?" Ray said in an attempt to change the topic.

    "Ray, what are you hiding?" Adrianna asked.

    "Cedric will kill me." Ray said with a sigh. "The Hernandezes and the Chus sent your uncle and cousins to a very dangerous part of the Capital. Luckily we found them in time and my men controlled that part of the Capital." Ray exined.

    "Why are you so scared of my niece''s husband? He''s just an assistant?" Uncle Matthew asked as he was confused by what Ray had just said.

    "Margaret!" Adrianna happily shouted.

    "This is your fault!" Margaret used Adrianna. "If my dad hadn''t sided with you we wouldn''t have gone through what we did." Margaret suddenly burst out in tears.

    "Margaret had it tough." Henry exined. "We were actually afraid that we might die on the streets. Mr. Laurence got to us in time as a group of gangsters were about to harm her."

    "I never want to see you!" Margaret said as she ran upstairs to the room she had taken.

    "She''lle around. She''s just in shock." Uncle Matthew exined.

    "I''m d you''re safe. We can''t stay long today, but I''lle back tomorrow." Adrianna told her cousin and uncle.

    "Adrianna, we were told that it was the Reyes Heir that saved us. What are you to him really?" Uncle Matthew suddenly asked.

 Chapter 160 - 160

    Adrianna was taken by surprise by Uncle Matthew''s question. She never thought that she would have to answer something like this again. With everything that was going on and everything that they had been through how could she lie to her uncle. He had to suffer because he took her side.

    "Uncle, Cedric is the Reyes Heir. So I guess you could say, he''s my husband." Adrianna said with a gentle smile.??

    "Impossible." Uncle Matthew was at a loss for words. How could someone that the whole world believed to be worthless actually be the heir to one of thergest business empires in their country.

    "Mr. Hernandez, we wouldn''t be here for just anyone." Ray said, pointing out the obvious.

    "Uncle, I''lle back with Cedric. I guess he would be able to exin things the best." Adrianna said as she bid goodbye to her uncle and cousin.

    At another part of the city, Cedric got on his usual bus taking a seat by the window, he was exhausted so he decided to take a nap on the bus, he was sure he would be safe since Leon was on the bus with him too.

    When Cedric woke up he was surprised to see a familiar person next to him, it was one of the female employees that were part of the syndicate. From what Cedric could recall her name was ire Francisco. Cedric was surprised since most employees of the Reyes Group had their own cars due to the high sry that thepany provided and on top of that, ire was part of the syndicate making her even richer than her colleagues.

    "Rx, I won''t do anything to you." ire said when she noticed that Cedric had woken up.

    "Don''t you have a car? I''ve never seen you on the bus." Cedric told her.

    "Mmm. It''s nice to take the bus sometimes." ire said as she took a look outside to see where they were. "Oh, this is my stop. See you at the office." ire said as she stood up to get off.

    Cedric was left on the bus scratching his head. He couldn''t figure out what had happened. He was still three stops away so it was impossible that she was tail. Plus everyone the syndicate had assigned to tail him were never employees of the Reyes Group. They were often random strangers that just reported back to the syndicate.

    As an extra precaution Cedric checked himself if a tracker had been ced or a bug, when he found that he was clean he calmed down a little bit. He then chose to take a cab to Adrianna''s parent''s old home then it was from there that his driver picked him up.

    Leon rode at the front while Cedric sat at the back alone.

    "Did you notice that woman in the bus doing anything odd?" Cedric asked Leon who had taken a seat across him.

    "No sir. That''s why I didn''t do anything. She just sat there and stared at you." Leon exined.

    "And you didn''t find the staring a little odd?" Cedric asked.

    "There was no immediate danger sir." Leon said in a straight tone.

    Cedric sighed and shook his head. Leon was right, it didn''t seem like a danger to him, but it was still creepy that she would get on a bus just to sit next to him and stare.

    "Should we have her tailed, sir?" Leon asked.

    "No need." Cedric said as he restested on the ride home. His day was already long and tiring as it was. Add to it Adrianna''s family problems, he was exhausted.

    When Cedric got to Mountain View Adrianna ran up to him and hugged him. This came as a surprise to Cedric, but it also worried him. A pregnant woman shouldn''t be running.

    "What happened?" Cedric asked as he hugged his wife back.

    "Thank you. I wouldn''t be able to forgive myself if something happened to them because of me." Adrianna told her husband. "Oh and I had to tell Uncle Matthew and Henry about who you truly are."

    "It''s fine I guess. You didn''t tell Margaret?" Cedric wondered why Adrianna had only chosen to tell her uncle and her cousin.

    "Margaret mes me." Adrianna said with a frown as she let go of her husband.

    "Adrianna, it''s isn''t your fault." Cedric said as he tried tofort his wife. "It''s the Hernandez Family. They don''t know what family should truly be."

    "I hate them so much Cedric." Adrianna said with a sad look on her face.

    "We''ll deal with them. Don''t worry." Cedric said as he kissed his wife on the forehead.

    "Cedric, I promised Uncle Matthew an exnation of who you really are. I can''t exactly exin it the way you would. Could we visit them tomorrow?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I don''t see why not. I''ll cancel my meeting with Ian and Cami." Cedric said as he pulled out his phone and sent them a message. "Haha. Nicole will be so happy about this." Cedric grinned at the thought of Nicole being excited to have her boyfriend for a whole day.

    "You guys bully Nicole too much." Adrianna scolded her husband.

    "Not me, talk to the girls." Cedricughed.

    The next day Cedric and Adrianna were driven to Raja Tower.

    "How many units do you have here?" Yesterday Adrianna was not able to admire the luxurious building because she was so worried about her cousins and uncle. When Alexi told her that Cedric had lent one of his units she began to wonder how vast the Reyes fortune actually was.

    "Three. The penthouse is mine. I n to just put it up for rent since we already have Mountain View." Cedric told her.

    When they got to the unit where the Hernandezes were staying Cedric did something that waspletely different from Ray and Alexi, he rang the doorbell. The ce was his but he chose to ring the doorbell instead of just entering.

    It was Henry that got the door and when he saw who had arrived he smiled and invited them in. He then called his uncle and cousin before disappearing into the kitchen.

    Uncle Matthew soon arrived and greeted the couple warmly.

    "Cedric, thank you for everything." Adrianna''s uncle said.

    "It''s nothing. You''re Adrianna''s family." Cedric said with a smile. "I understand you have questions?" Cedric asked as he rxed on the couch.

    Henry came out with drinks and snacks and joined them.

    "How?" Was all Matthew Hernandez could say. This made Cedricugh, it seemed the older man was suddenly tongue tied around him.

    "Simple. I was born to Emilio Reyes and his wife Prisci rin-Reyes." Cedric teased. Uncle Matthew and Henry were quite unsure on how to react so theyughed nervously.

    "You don''t need to try to please him uncle." Adrianna said as she elbowed her husband. Cedric simplyughed at his wife and pulled her closer to him.

    "Every Reyes Heir must undergo poverty training. My dad did it, my grandfather did it, and many others in my family." Cedric then proceeded to exin how he had been sent to a distant province at fifteen and was eventually left to fend for himself.

    "I''m sorry if I have ever mistreated you Cedric." Henry said as he got on his knees to apologize to Cedric.

    Cedric shook his head and helped Henry get back up on his feet. "Honestly, you guys treated me the best in the Hernandez family. I understood that you felt Adrianna was marrying beneath her, so I really won''t take that against you. None of you forced her to be Mark Chu''s mistress, so for that I am thankful. That''s why I saved you when you were driven off." Cedric exined to them.

    The whole time Cedric and Adrianna were there Margaret refused toe out of her room, even when lunch arrived Henry had to go up and bring her lunch over to her. When she was done she simply ced her te in the kitchen and walked out of the apartment.

    "She hates me." Adrianna said with a sigh.

    "She''s just processing things, It will take time." Cedric told his wife as he caressed her hand.

 Chapter 161 - 161

    Adrianna had settled into a new habit after losing her job at Ind''s Inc., Cedric was right, she didn''t need to work. The Reyes Group made so much money that it could support generations toe. Every morning, Adrianna would go over to Raja Tower to apany her uncle and cousin, after which she would take a walk in a nearby park then meet up with one of her friends to hangout at the mall.

    At every moment she was apanied by Mia and several other bodyguards, all of whom remained hidden allowing Adrianna to walk around like a normal person rather than some VIP who was constantly surrounded by bodyguards.??

    One day, as Adrianna strolled in the park, an unmarked van stopped by the curb and a group of men rushed at Adrianna. They were all wearing caps and masks in order to hide their identity from any witnesses or CCTV cameras nearby. They were prepared to kidnap Adrianna.

    Unfortunately for them there was one crucial detail they didn''t know, Adrianna''s bodyguards. As soon as Mia and the others spotted the suspicious men, they jumped into action. One group subdued the men, another made sure that the getaway vehicle couldn''t leave, while Mia led another group to secure Adrianna and take her to the car.

    Everything happened so fast that by the time Adrianna had realized what had happened, Mia was cing her in the car and telling the driver to take them back to Mountain View.

    "Who was that?" Adrianna asked as she tried to catch her breath.

    "We don''t know ma''am, but we are taking them to a secure location. We have also notified your husband already as well. Unfortunately, he is still at work so he asked us to keep them till he gets off." Mia exined to Adrianna as they drove away in full speed.

    At the Reyes Group, Cedric was in the men''s room when he punched a wall. Why was it possible that someone had managed to n a kidnapping for Adrianna. He had been so careful in hiding the fact that she was married to the Reyes Heir.

    He wanted to rush off and deal with the people that tried to take Adrianna, but their investigation was entering a crucial phase and he couldn''t just leave the office. He was already getting to learn how far up the syndicate went and how many people were actually part of it. He also managed to acquire a list ofpanies to whom the partnerships were being sold.

    Cedric took out his phone and quickly dialed a number.

    "Someone tried to kidnap Adrianna." Cedric said in a hushed voice, he didn''t want anyone to hear.

    "Want me to deal with it while you''re at work?" Ayanna asked her older brother. She had taken a leave of absence from her school to help out in running the Reyes Group and the rin Group of Companies, and was currently in her office at R Tower.

    "Work with Ray, Alexi, and Katerina on this. Have Ram suppress any media attention it might get. Check with Miguel and Nicole if they have a way of getting the truth out of the culprits." Cedric said as he gave his younger sister instructions.

    "Alright, I got it. We''ll be at the bunker." Ayanna said as she dropped the call.

    Despite giving his sister instructions on how to deal with the matter, Cedric couldn''t sit still. He had already made a quick call to Adrianna and even asked Dr. Santos to go to Mountain View to do a quick check up on his wife. Dr. Santos had told them that Adrianna and the baby were fine and that there was no need for Cedric to worry.

    That day, every minute felt like torture to Cedric. He kept looking at his watch or checking his phone to see if there were any updates. What worried him even more was Ayanna had not sent him any updates yet on who was behind the kidnapping attempt.

    When it was finally time for him to leave the office, Cedric ignored his normal practice and hopped on a cab. He made the cab driver take him first to the old house before transferring to his car where Leon had already told the driver where to go.

    When they arrived, Cedric found Katerina and Ayanna sitting with their legs crossed and staring down at several men who looked like they had been beaten to a pulp. Alexi and Ray on the other hand stood closer to the men giving outmands on how to torture them.

    "Anything?" Cedric asked in a tired voice.

    "None yet. But we are just waiting for Miguel, Nicole, and Natalia to arrive." Ayanna told her older brother.

    "Why?" Cedric asked his sister as he approached.

    "Natalia was working on a serum for the government that makes spies sing their deepest darkest secrets. The only problem is, she doesn''t know how much to safely administer, that''s where Nicolees in. As an anesthesiologist she could estimate how much should be given." Katerina exined as she watched her brother and his friends torture the kidnappers.

    "What about Miguel?" Cedric asked.

    "In case one of them almost dies." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    After a few minutes Miguel, Nicole, and Natalia finally arrived with some equipment.

    "Are you nning on operating on them?" Ayanna teased as the equipment was rolled in.

    "These serums are highly sensitive and need to be administered a proper way." Nicole said as she prepared them.

    "I want the truth by tonight." Cedric said.

    "Let''s go out. You need a smoke or a drink or maybe fresh air." Ray said as he ced an arm on his friend''s shoulder and dragged him out.

    "Will it be alright to leave them?" Cedric asked Ray as they climbed the stairs out.

    "I''m more worried about you. Those men tried to harm your wife, I''m pretty sure you want to kill them." Ray said in a serious tone.

    "I''d rather kill the person who ordered the kidnapping." Cedric said as Ray handed him a cigarette. Cedric rarely smoked, thest time he did so was right before proposing to Adrianna. He was so nervous that day that he had to take a puff just to calm down.

    "Give it a few minutes. From what I heard, Natalia??s serum is so potent that it only takes five minutes to take effect. Then the real work begins, someone needs to get the truth out of them. Ideally we would have called Eric, his Psych doctorate would have made things easier, but he''s abroad doing a shoot." Ray exined to his friend.

    As Cedric was finishing off his cigarette, an excited Nicole came out of the bunker.

    "We know who it is. Come back in." Nicole told them as she turned around and went back down.

    Back in the bunker, Cedric could see Miguel checking the vitals of each kidnapper. "It''s too strong Natalia, we got lucky Nicole is that good or else they would have died." Miguelined as he attended to the unconscious men.

    "Well if I make it any weaker they won''t talk." Natalia exined.

    "Ah, Cedric you''re back." Alexi said as he spotted his friends'' return.

    "Nicole said they spoke." Cedric didn''t beat around the bush, he went straight to the question he needed to ask.

    "They were hired by the Hernandez and Chu family to kidnap Adrianna and take her to one of Mark Chu''s vis." Katerina said before Alexi could exin what the kidnappers had said.

 Chapter 162 - 162

    Cedric was furious when he heard who was behind the attempted kidnapping. He never thought that the Hernandezes or the Chus would do something as absurd as attempt to kidnap a member of their family just to have her be a man''s mistress.

    "I''ll deal with the Chus." Ray said as he began to take out his phone.??

    "No. They need to realize who they are dealing with." Cedric said with a dark expression on his face.

    The next day at Ind''s Inc., Grandpa Hernandez sat behind his desk, going about work as usual when hiswyer burst in.

    "Mr. Hernandez, Mr. Hernandez, we just got a demand letter. The case is being handled by Katerina Sebastian." Thewyer was in a panic. Katerina Sebastian never took any cases she could lose, nor did she take cases from just anyone.

    Before Grandpa Hernandez could respond to hiswyer, his grandson from his youngest son burst in. The young man had been at brunch entertaining some very important clients.

    "Grandpa, mypany card and all my credit cards have been rejected. After brunch, mypany car was also taken away. The bank said we owed them." The young man said frantically.

    "What?" Grandpa Hernandez said in surprise.

    Soon another member of the family came in telling Grandpa Hernandez how most of their investors had pulled out and their stocks were dropping steeply. This sent everyone into a panic. The Hernandez family wouldn''t survive without those investors.

    "Is it the doing of the Chu family?" Grandpa Hernandez said in a furious tone. "They can''t me us that the men they sent to kidnap Adrianna suddenly disappeared. They were their men!"

    "It''s not them." A female voice suddenly said from the door. Everyone was shocked to see Katerina and Alexi Sebastian at the door with at least fifty bodyguards.

    "Miss Sebastian, I''m sure we can settle this amicably." Grandpa Hernandez said as he eyed the young woman.

    Katerina red at him and looked at him in disgust.

    "Old man, you have no right to talk to my sister. We''re here to bring your whole family with us. Either you cooperate or we take you by force. Either way, you''reing with us." Alexi paused for a few seconds after his statement. When there was no movement from the other party he gave the signal and the body guards roughly took Grandpa Hernandez and the other members of the Hernandez family with them.

    There were fifteen members of the Hernandez family that were at Ind''s Inc. at that time, Alexi and Katerina did not leave a single one of them at the building. They were all piled up into three vans together with bodyguards to ensure that they did not try to run away.

    Ayanna on the other hand went to the Hernandez residences together with Ian and Cami to make sure every single member of the Hernandez family was picked up and brought to Mountain View.

    When Grandpa Hernandez and the rest of the Hernandez family arrived, they were roughly dragged to the living room. What shocked Grandpa Hernandez the most was when he saw Edward and Mark Chu on their knees while Vivian and Katrina Chu trembled on the side.

    "Mr. Chu, Mr. Chu, what''s going on?" Grandpa Hernandez cried out as he saw his benefactor.

    "You stupid old man!" Edward Chu cursed at him before turning back around.

    After a while, Alexi Sebastian, Raymund Laurence, Ayanna Reyes, and Katerina Sebastian all walked into the living room without even ncing at the Hernandez or Chu families. They took their seats on the couch and sat regally like modern day emperors and empresses, but the seat at the center remained empty. The empty seat worried Grandpa Hernandez the most, when they entered thepound he already knew that no ordinary person lived there. It was huge and intricately decorated, just to have a ce like this staffed would cost almost the same as running a mall, how rich was the person that actually lived there.

    "I''m disappointed cousin, you couldn???t even control your own men." Katerina told Ray as she shook her head.

    "Pawns like them often forget their ce. You can''t judge a person just by what you see." Ray said in a cruel tone.

    "Where is your brother, Ayanna?" Alexi asked.

    "He''ll be down in a while." Ayanna said with a grin that sent chills down everyone''s spines.

    At the third floor of Mountain View, Cedric was still arguing with his wife.

    "It''s not safe, plus you can''t have your emotions at extreme highs." Cedric was trying to reason out while coaxing his furious wife.

    "If you keep me locked up and away from what is actually happening, I will be extremely furious." Adrianna told her husband as she shrugged off his hand.

    "Can you handle facing your grandfather, your cousins, your uncles, and aunts, when you know that we are about to make them pay for what they did?" Cedric asked his wife in a raised tone.

    "I''m mad too. I''m the victim, remember?" Adrianna asked her husband. She didn''t know if her heightened emotions were because of what they tried to do to her, or if it was because of her pregnancy.

    "I don''t want you to get hurt." Cedric told his wife as he looked into her eyes.

    "How can I get hurt? You''ll be there." Adrianna knew her husband and she knew that if she spoke sweetly and smiled sweetly at him he couldn''t refuse her.

    Cedric sighed in surrender. There was nothing he wouldn''t do for his wife. "Fine. But don''t say I didn''t warn you."

    Grandpa Hernandez and the other members of the Hernandez family were made to stand and wait for the owner of the house. From what Alexander Sebastian had said, he had quickly assumed that they were in the home of the Reyes Heir and from the sheer size of the ce it made sense that someone like him called it home.

    They had been waiting for half an hour when the doors behind them opened and they heard a set of footsteps enter the living room. The guards and the househelp all greeted the new people with a quick ''sir and madam''. Everyone wanted to turn around and look but they were too afraid of offending the Reyes Heir.

    When the couple was finally in front of them they still had their backs turned to their guests, something felt extremely familiar about the couple. When the man turned his face sideways to kiss the women, Grandpa Hernandez felt like he was going to have a heart attack.

    When the woman finally turned and took her seat next to Ayanna everyone from the Hernandez family was in shock, they watched as Adrianna chatted happily with Ayanna Reyes. And when Cedric turned and took his seat at the head, there were audible gasps in the room.

    "Why do you have such a disgusting family, sister-inw?" Ayanna suddenly asked Adrianna.

    As if they were suddenly knocked back from shock Grandpa Hernandez began to beg. "Mr. Reyes, please, pity us. It was all the Chu''s ns to kidnap your wife."

    "Shut up old man, you are in as much to me for this as us." Edward Chu spat.

    "If it weren''t for your son''s perverted desires none of this would have happened." Grandpa Hernadez argued back.

    "You are the girl''s family. How can you be so cruel!" Edward Chu used the old man.

    "Ugh. These people are giving me a headache." Katerina Sebastianined as the two parties continued to me each other.

    "Quiet." Alexi suddenlymanded in a harsh tone. Both Grandpa Hernandez and Edward Chu quickly followed.

    A pair of bodyguards each picked up Grandpa Hernandez and Edward Chu and dragged them in front of Cedric. Cedric nced at his wife to catch a reaction, but she remained straight faced as she watched her grandfather dragged across the room.

    "I bet you didn''t expect this." Cedric grinned as he looked down at the two men. "It''s funny, both of you had the perfect opportunity tounch your families into a whole new level of power and wealth, but instead you chose to go down to the bottom of the pit."

    "Please, Cedric, Mr. Reyes. Spare us. We are your wife''s family." Grandpa Hernandez begged as he crawled closer to Cedric.

    "The reason why you are still standing now is because you are her family." Cedric said coldly to the old man.

    "Shut up old man. Don''t you know who you are talking to." Edward Chu said to Grandpa Hernandez. "Mr. Reyes, I have been loyal to your friend Mr. Laurence. My family will work for yours as long as you desire." Edward Chu said, shifting his attention to Cedric.

    "Both of you are the worst kind of people." Cedric stood up and looked down at the two family heads. "You will watch as both of your families and businesses crumble and your name is dragged through the mud. I gave you both too many chances to redeem yourselves, you are lucky that I''m nothing like Alexi or Ray, if I were anything like them you would have fallen long ago."

 Chapter 163 - 163

    Grandpa Hernandez ran towards Adrianna and fell to her feet.

    "Adrianna, my granddaughter, don''t let your husband do this." Grandpa Hernandez begged Adrianna.??

    Adrianna didn''t say a word, she just stared at her grandfather with an angry look.

    "Adrianna, you''ve always put family first." One of her aunts shouted to remind her.

    "If you hadn''t tried to literally sell me to Mark Chu I would have let this slide." Adrianna''s voice shook as she spoke. Cedric looked at her full of concern, he didn''t want her to have to go through this.

    "Adrianna, I''m sorry, I was only thinking of our family''s survival." Grandpa Hernandez tried to exin.

    "And what of Uncle Matthew, Margaret, and Henry? You sent them to the most dangerous part of the city, you had no intention of letting them survive!" Adrianna used. "Cedric has had too much patience with you."

    Adrianna sat back down as Ayanna held her hand tofort her and to show her that she wasn''t standing alone against the Hernandezes.

    "I only brought you here to show you who I am." Cedric told Grandpa Hernandez. "You will go back out there and watch as you and your family lose everything, your business and your name, and none of you will speak of me to anyone else, because I will know. And if you dare try to tell anyone, you will suffer a fate worse than death."

    "Adrianna, you bitch!" Asia, who had been surprisingly quiet out of fear the whole time, shouted. "You tricked us! All of us! You knew your husband was powerful and yet you lied! What kind of family are you!"

    "Shut up!" Mark Chu shouted at his wife.

    "Do I have to discipline your wife or will you?" Ray asked Mark. Mark stood up, walked over to the pregnant woman and pped her on the cheek.

    "This is why you are nothingpared to Mrs. Reyes." Mark then turned and returned to kneel in front of Cedric.

    "How could you p your pregnant wife?!" Grandpa Hernanez shouted at Mark.

    Markughed and looked at the old man. "You have the guts to ask me that, when you willingly sold your granddaughter. You even conspired to have her kidnapped!" Mark used.

    "There may be hope for this one." Ray said as he looked at Mark Chu.

    "Leon, send them back." Cedric said in amanding voice as Leon directed the bodyguards to take the Hernandez family back to their homes.

    With the Hernandezes gone, Edward and Mark Chu were left on their knees. They didn''t dare move, they knew their master, Raymund Laurence, could be a cruel man and they feared his anger above everything.

    "Should I deal with them or should you?" Ray asked Cedric as he looked at the father and son on the ground. They disgusted him, he hadid out the rules and one of them was not to touch women who had already refused them.

    "They are your men, do with them as you see fit, but I will take their business and drive it to the ground." Cedric said in a tone full of anger.

    Out of nowhere, Katerina suddenly stood up and kicked Mark Chu in the face, her sudden movement made everyone stare in shock.

    "You know what I hate the most, Mr. Chu?" Katerina asked as her heels clicked on the ground as she walked. "I hate men that think women are their property, that we aremodities that can be sold or traded. You are the worst of them all." At that Katerina walked out of the room.

    "I guess Katerina did for me what I couldn''t." A shocked Adrianna said as she stared at the bleeding man on the ground.

    "Ha. That''s nothingpared to what Ray will do." Ayanna boasted. "Why don''t we go to Veronica and have some drinks? I''ll try to drag Katerina back." Ayanna said in a cheery tone as if nothing had happened.

    Because of what Cedric had done Adrianna was in a much better mood, so she nodded and let Ayanna drag her out.

    With the women gone, Ray stood up and lifted Mark Chu by the hair to see his face, it was bleeding and clearly swollen due to Katerina''s kick.

    "I don''t think I need to tell you the consequences of lusting over my brother''s wife." Ray told Mark Chu.

    Mark remained silent, unlike the Hernandez family he knew what punishment he would receive for offending someone like Cedric Reyes. His family''s hard work would be worthless because he went after the wrong man''s wife.

    "You have nothing to say?" Cedric asked as he sat back down.

    "Sir, it was my fault. My father had nothing to do with what I did." Mark knew that he didn''t need to exin what he was asking for to these men.

    "Cedric?'' Ray asked his friend.

    "I say, teach all of the Chus not to offend us." Alexi said as he crossed his arms.

    "Please sir." Mark Chu begged.

    "It''s good that you know when to take ountability for your actions." Cedric praised. "Maybe after you recover you could still be of use to us. I''ll give you what you are asking for, but Edward Chu must take away all support from you and hand over thepany to your sister, Katrina."

    "Yes. We''ll do it sir." Mark Chu agreed immediately.

    "This however, doesn''t exempt you from Ray''s own punishment." Cedric reminded the Chu family. Mark and Edward vigorously nodded in response.

    "Take them." Raymanded his bodyguards. The father and son pair stood and walked side by side with the guards more than happy to take their reduced punishment.

    Vivian and Katrina were about to follow when Cedric spoke. "I expect all of you to keep my identity to yourselves."

    They turned and promised to do so before finally leaving.

    "The Hernandezes will disappear overnight." Cedric told his friends when they were left alone.

    "You''ve already acquired Ind''s Inc. what are your ns for it?" Alexi asked.

    "To give it back to the Hernandezes that actually deserve it." Cedric exined.

 Chapter 164 - 164

    The next day, Cedric was at R Tower when Adolfo suddenly came up to him in a rush. He was holding his phone and it was on a news page.

    "Cedric! Cedric! Did you see the news?" Adolfo said a bit too loudly.??

    "What is it?" Of course Cedric already knew what Adolfo had been shouting about. Last night, Ram had released a slew of news about the Hernandez n.

    "The Hernandez n. Is the news true? Also did your wife leave along with the others, they said that there were six members that walked out and reported everything." Adolfo quickly asked.

    "Yeah. Adrianna couldn''t put up with them anymore. My inws left as well." Cedric told Adolfo as he went back to his work.

    "Oh my gosh! Look at this! Look!" Adolfo shoved his phone in front of Cedric. In other areas of the office as well there was an audible gasp as thetest piece of news became public, Adrianna Hernandez-Reyes had just acquired Ind''s Inc.

    Cedric hadn''t yet informed Adrianna that he had purchased Ind''s Inc. and had transferred it to her name. He had also installed some well known consultants in key positions, it was actually the Reyes Group that was secretly managing Ind''s Inc. while it was being transferred to Adrianna.

    "You can leave and rx now!" Adolfo teased his friend.

    "I like making my own money and not depending on my wife." Cedric said with a grin, technically, Ind''s Inc. was now a subsidiary of the Reyes Group.

    At the old Hernandez house, representatives from various banks knocked on the door as they came to collect. Due to the scandal and the transfer that happened after, the banks felt like all the loans that the Hernandez family had taken out would not be paid.

    Their solution was to go after all of their remaining assets, this included the old Hernandez house as well as all the cars that the family members owned.

    Inside Asia was crying like a child as everyone else panicked.

    "Oh shut up Asia!" One of her cousins shouted. "This wouldn''t have happened to us if it weren''t for you! You insisted on tricking Mark Chu, then you married him and couldn''t satisfy him!"

    "Don''t me my daughter!" Celine Hernandez answered back. "You were part of the n to kidnap Adrianna and give her to the Chus. You are as much to me for this as Asia."

    "This is the police, we are here to arrest members of the Hernandez family for attempts at very and prostitution." When the Hernandez family heard the police outside they could do nothing but give in, they were nothing against them.

    When the door swung open, Grandpa Hernandez, Aunt Celine, Asia, Aunt Janine, and several uncles, aunt, and cousins of Adrianna came out. They all looked like they hadn''t slept the whole night, there were dark circles under their eyes and they all had an exhausted look on their faces.

    Not everyone from the Hernandez family was arrested, Only Grandpa Hernandez, Aunt Celine, Aunt Janine, and five others were arrested. As for the others, they were left without their homes and without any properties.

    At R Tower, Cedric was about to go home when Martin approached him.

    "We need to talk." Martin said as he led Cedric to a stairwell.

    Martin checked to make sure that there was no one else around, upon seeing that the coast was clear he spoke.

    "I saw the news, we need to know if you are still with us." Martin told Cedric.

    "Even if the rest of the family is gone, I won''t be happy earning less than my wife. Plus I have a score to settle with the Reyes Heir." Cedric exined.

    "Remember, if one of us falls, we all fall." Martin warned as he left.

    Cedric made a mental note to speed up his investigations since people would probably find it suspicious that he was still at the Reyes Group despite Adrianna owning Ind''s Inc.

    When he got home he was hungry and exhausted, luckily the maids had already set the table for dinner and everyone was already on their way to the dining room.

    "How''s Adrianna?" Miguel asked as he came up behind his friend.

    "She was finest night, I''m not sure about today, I had to go to work and haven''t seen her." Cedric was full of regret that he couldn''t apany his wife during the aftermath of the Hernandez family incident.

    "You should be more attentive." Miguel scolded his friend.

    "You''re one to talk. Can you even sleep in the same room as your wife yet?" Cedric teased Miguel, he knew that the newly weds were still sleeping in separate rooms.

    "Don''t worry, your wife was with my wife the whole day. She cried a bit." When Miguel told Cedric this he frowned. He never liked it when Adrianna cried, it felt like he had failed her somehow. "Oh and your mom took her parents to Kashmere this morning, they just got back."

    Cedric hadpletely forgotten about his inws, they may not have been perfect but they were still Adrianna''s parents and they had always ced Adrianna first. He was d that his parents had quickly picked up on what they could be feeling and whisked them away for a day of rxation.

    When Adrianna and Veronica arrived at the dining room, Adrianna quickly hugged him and cried in his arms. No matter how badly they had treated her they were still all family. She was happy that they got what they deserved, but she was also sad to see the family falling as they had.

    Soon after the parents also arrived and everyone took their seats as dinner was served. While everyone ate there was an ufortable silence that loomed over the group.

    "Cedric, we don''t me you." Charles Hernandez said, breaking the silence. "My family was cruel in many ways, I knew that in time they would mess with someone they shouldn''t."

    "Dad, you don''t need to pretend to be okay with this. I sent you father, brother, sister-inw, cousins, nephews, and nieces to prison. I would understand if you feel like I hurt you." Cedric said as he ced down his cutlery.

    "Son, listen first." Prisci Reyes gently reminded her son.

    "Thank you, Prisci." Charles Hernandez said with a nod. "Cedric, they aren''t good people. They got what they deserved. I''m just d we didn''t get roped in." Charles Hernandez said with a genuinely sad smile.

    "Cedric, we treated you wrongly over the years. We thought that when we moved in that your parents would have us thrown out." Gracia Hernandez said as she suddenly spoke up. "It was your parents that showed us truepassion and understanding. We are learning from them, what you did may have been difficult for us, but we understand, because what they did was wrong and because they had hurt us too."

    Cedric was surprised at his mother-inw''s words, it seemed that spending so much time with his parents was changing them too.

    "Mom, you''re spending too much time with my mom." Cedric said with a lightugh.

    "Well I need to start saving people somewhere." Prisci Reyes teased as that whole table burst intoughter.

    "We are genuinely sorry, Cedric." Gracia Hernandez said as theughter faded. "We were not the best inws, but we will try to be better in the future."

    Charles Hernandez who sat beside his wife simply nodded in agreement.

    "All is forgiven, mom, dad." Cedric said as he smiled back at them.

    "So what happened to the Hernandezes?" Miguel suddenly asked. His question got him a quick and hard elbow from his wife.

    "You''re being insensitive." Veronica scolded.

    "It''s okay Veronica. We want to know too." Charles Hernandez said with augh.

    Cedric nced at his wife to check if hearing about what had happened would be alright with her. Adrianna just smiled and nodded, Cedric reached out and squeezed her hand tofort her in advance, he knew that there was no good or light way of telling them what had happened.

    "I bought Ind''s Inc. and transferred it to Adrianna''s name. Because of that, all the people that the Hernandez family owed money to or took out loans from began knocking at their door looking to collect. From what I know, the old Hernandez House and all properties under all members of the Hernandes family that stayed with Grandpa Hernandez were seized by the banks. On top of that, Katerina filed multiple cases against multiple family members including Grandpa Hernandez, Aunt Celine, and Aunt Janine. No one wanted to take their case so the trial was swift and they are now at Cavern Prison." When Cedric said where the members of the Hernandez family were sent Charles, Gracia, and Adrianna gasped.

    "Isn''t that too harsh?" Charles said, feeling a little guilty about the fate his family had suffered. Cavern Prison was known to be the toughest prison in the country that had very bad living conditions. The government had allowed for the gangs to run Cavern Prison and if you weren''t one of them you were treated extremely harshly. The worst and most dangerous criminals had been sent to the maximum security facility there where guards were barely needed due to the difficulty of just getting to the cells in the prison.

    "The Laurences run the gangs there and the Sebastians have control of the guards." Cedric said with a shrug. "It is the safest and most controlled ce to have them, but honestly dad, I won''t lie, they have just entered a ce worse than hell."

    Adrianna shivered at Cedric''s cold words. "What about those that didn''t go to prison? Did you let them walk free?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Of course not." Cedric said with a grin. "They will find all their properties gone and all their bank ounts drained. Despite their shining degrees and illustrious backgrounds, no one will hire them. They won''t find a job in the formal sector and they won''t be able to borrow money from anyone. If anyone takes pity on them they too will suffer the consequences for crossing the Reyes Family. On top of that, their names will forever be in the mud and if they try to even boast about who they once were they will only end up dragging themselves further down. The whole country knows the repercussions of going against the Reyes m, and no one has ever seeded." Cedric said, ending with the grim warning.

    "Is Asia one of them, the ones you threw out on the streets?" Adrianna asked.

    "Of course, but she came crawling back to the Chus. They asked permission to take her in, I agreed. She is a pregnant woman after all, but of course it was all under certain conditions." Cedric told Adrianna.

    The only condition Cedric had set was that Asia was to be kept away from Adrianna and that her child would be brought up by her sister-inw, Katrina Chu and that the child''s Hernandez heritage was to bepletely forgotten.

    In theing months, the Chus proved that they feared Cedric more than they cared for Asia. As soon as she had given birth to a son, the child was taken from her and she was locked away in a small room in a distant province with only a maid to feed her. The people of that province woulde to think that the particr room in that house was haunted as they would often hear cries and screams, and when the residents were asked they would always say that they heard nothing and that the room was empty.When police officers would inspect the room, they moved Asia and showed the police the empty room instead.

 Chapter 165 - 165

    After dinner, Cedric and Miguel sat by the pool to have a drink. Cedric looked up at the peaceful skies and wished things would be this peaceful everyday for the rest of their lives, but Cedric knew that that was impossible. Life never truly stays peaceful.

    "You settled one grudge, what about the others?" Miguel asked as he took a sip of his drink.??

    "I was supposed to start working on them as soon as the Mor Co. expansion got on its feet. But with the issues at the Reyes Group and Adrianna''s pregnancy, l I haven''t had time to work on them." Throughout Cedric''s poverty training he had not only experienced many ups and downs but many people had also pushed him down. But back then he was too poor and too weak to stand up and fight them.

    "Why not just ask Ian and Cami to deal with them? Surely that''s easier. Why do you have to go through the hassle of doing it yourself?" Miguel knew that Cedric didn''t have to settle every score and every grudge on his own. He could ask Ian and Cami to take down apany for him and the Reyes Group will spring into action.

    "Miguel, there are just some things that you need to deal with on your own." Cedricughed at how naive his friend could be to the real world. Unlike most of them, Miguel had very littlepetition in his field.

    "It''s just such a hassle to do the dirty work yourself." Miguel said with a sigh. "Won''t your wife be mad at you?" Miguel vaguely asked.

    "About the Hernandezes?" Cedric rified.

    "No. About buying her apany." Miguelughed at his friend since it seemed he didn''t think about his initial deal with his wife. "Did you really forget?" Miguel asked.

    "I guess I did. I was just thinking about her and her career." Cedric said with a slightly worried look on his face.

    "I''m sure the two of you can figure it out. You''re like the perfect couple." Miguel nudged his friend.

    "It hasn''t always been perfect." Cedric thought about how people would often look down at Adrianna for marrying a man like him instead of someone they considered better. She still had to go through that now, but at least she knew who he really was.

    "Well, I''ll call it a night. I''m gonna try melting the ice queen''s heart." Miguel said as a tease.

    "I didn''t think Veronica would be this cold to you. I thought she was just cold because she couldn''t love because of you." Cedric said as he looked at the guest house across the pool.

    "You didn''t read my full dossier on Jason Evangelista, did you?" Miguel asked his friend.

    "I skimmed." Cedric said with a guilty smile.

    "Read it and you''ll see." Miguel said as he waved goodbye and left.

    Cedric went up to their bedroom expecting to see Adrianna already fast asleep. Due to her pregnancy and the recent events she was easily tired and was feeling emotionally unstable. To Cedric''s surprise, Adrianna was standing at the balcony that overlooked the scenery people paid for to live in the Mountain Viewmunity.

    "Is something wrong?" Cedric asked as he hugged her from behind.

    "I was just thinking." Adrianna said with a sigh.

    Cedric began trailing kisses along her neck when he was swatted away by his wife.

    "I''m not in the mood." Adrianna coldly told him.

    "You''re mad." Cedric slowly said as he pulled his wife back into the room and sat her on the bed.

    "I''m not mad about what you did to my grandpa." Adrianna told him.

    Cedric knelt in front of her and caressed her hand. "Tell me, what did I do wrong?" Cedric asked.

    "You ced Ind''s Inc. in my name. You bought me my family''spany and made me president. To add to that, you ced key Reyes Group employees into the management. Cedric, I told you I wanted to achieve things on my own." Adriannained.

    "I know I did wrong Adri. Let me fix it. I won''t take Ind''s Inc. out of your name, but I''ll remove my people and let you run it. I promise not to interfere anymore." Cedric said.

    "You didn''t say sorry." Adrianna said letting go of his hand.

    Cedricughed and got up to sit next to her. He hugged her tightly and kissed her passionately on the lips.

    "I''m sorry honey. I''m really sorry." Cedric didn''t give Adrianna the chance to respond. He kissed her deeply again until she gave in.

    When their lips finally parted Adrianna let out augh. "Do you have to say sorry so physically?"

    "Do you forgive me?" Cedric asked back.

    "Don''t interfere again." Adrianna said in a strict tone.

    "I promise. I won''t." Cedric said kissing his wife on the lips again.

    At the guest house of Cedric''s Mountain View home, Miguel was once more standing vigil outside of Veronica''s room.

    "V,e on, we''re husband and wife. At least let me in your room." Miguel said as he leaned against her closed door.

    "No." Came Veronica''s quick response from the other side.

    "Please?" Miguel asked in a tentative tone.

    "No." Veronica said again.

    "What will it take to get to sleep in the same room as you?" Miguel was already losing patience, he and Veronica had been married for more than a month now but nothing had happened in private. In public at least,she would let him hold her hand or kiss her, but in private she kept him at a distance.

    "Time. Just time." Veronica said.

    "This is annoying." Miguel said with a sigh as he left. He went to the study in the guest house and pulled out his documents on Jason Evangelista.

    Miguel had nned to wait a little longer before acting on his ns against Veronica''s ex-best friend, but maybe this was something he could do now to get Veronica to let him into her heart, even if it was just a little bit.

 Chapter 166 - 166

    Miguel sat at a secluded nook in a coffee shop across R Tower, he wore a cap and shades to avoid being recognized. He also took a cab instead of his shy new car in order to stay low profile.

    When Miguel spotted Cedricing out of R Tower, he quickickly rang up his friend.??

    "Hey Miguel? What''s up?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "I''m at the cafe across R Tower, table to the right,behind the nt. I''m wearing a cap and sunsses. Come over." Miguel said as he quickly dropped the call.

    From inside he could see Cedric''s confused look as he shook his head and looked at the coffee shop across the street. Cedric quickly crossed and entered the coffee shop.

    "Can''t this wait till we''re at home?" Cedricined as he sat down across the ridiculously disguised Miguel.

    "It can''t. Have you read the full dossier on Jason?" Miguel asked in a rush.

    "Nope. I haven''t had the time. You''re eating up from my lunch break." Cedric told his friend.

    "Read it. I n to make a move." Miguel said as he took a peek outside.

    "Miguel, you have to admit, there isn''t much you personally can do to him." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Why do you think I''m here?" Miguel said, shaking his head. "I need your help."

    "Again, this could have waited for when we were at home." Cedricined.

    "Will you help me or not?" Miguel asked.

    "I will. Of course, I will. Do you know what you want to do yet?" Cedric asked.

    "I want to expose him for the fraud that he is." Miguel had a look on him that could kill, Cedric wasn''t used to this side of Miguel and ended upughing at his friend.

    "Do you have proof?" Cedric asked.

    "Some." Miguel said with a shrug. "But I want him to suffer first before being called a fraud."

    "Fine. Go to R Tower, look for Ayanna, she should have some ideas." Cedric said as he began to get up.

    "Alright." Miguel said with a nod.

    "Oh and Miguel, when do you n to start building your house? You''ve been living at my ce for a month now. It''s gonna get crowded with the baby soon." Cedric asked Miguel who nervouslyughed.

    "I''ll ask Veronica." Was all Miguel could answer.

    "What a whipped husband." Cedricughed as he left Miguel at the coffee shop.

    Miguel went backter that afternoon with the dossier he had on Jason Evangelista. Despite being one of the more low profile of the princes, when the female employees of the Reyes Group saw him in the elevator they couldn''t help but take photos of the dashing young doctor. Unlike the others, Miguel always wore a smile and never said no when someone asked for a photo with him. He didn''t have the same cold and intimidating aura as Ray and Alexi.

    "Doctor Chan." Ayanna''s assistant greeted when he saw Miguel arrive. "Is Mrs.Chan with you to see Ms. Reyes?"

    "No. Is Ayanna in a meeting?" Miguel asked. The secretary was clearly confused since they all knew that Miguel Chan was Mr. Reyes'' friend. It was his wife that visited Ms. Reyes often.

    "No sir. I''ll announce you." The assistant said as he quickly walked up to Ayanna''s office.

    When Miguel entered the office, he saw Ayanna focused on reading some papers that were on her desk.

    "My brother is not on this floor." Ayanna said as she looked up.

    "I''m actually here for your help." Miguel said as he sat on the couch.

    "What''s up?" Ayanna ced down the documents to listen to what Miguel was going to ask.

    "I want to make Jason Evangelista suffer." Miguel said in a dark tone.

    "Woah, too dark for you Miguel. But, I can help you there." Ayanna said with a grin. She knew exactly what Jason had done to her friend and Veronica had always prohibited her from doing anything. Luckily, this time, it was Veronica''s husband that came to her to help make the man suffer.

    "Remember Cedric''s suggestion?" Miguel asked, recalling the night they had seen Jason and his family.

    "Yup. I haven''t started on it yet, but we can do that now." Ayanna said as she buzzed for her assistant.

    "Call Veronica''s assistant. Set up a meeting for Veronica and Elisia Malls for a partnership." Ayanna told her assistant, who nodded as he jotted down her instructions. "Has Jason Evangelista been moved from Krisanta Land to Elisia Malls?"

    "Yes Miss Ayanna. Mr. Reyes had him transferred." The assistant confirmed.

    "Good. That''ll be all." Ayanna said, dismissing him.

    "Thanks Ayanna." Miguel said as he left Ayanna''s office.

    Miguel was notpletely incapable of getting back at Jason Evangelista. Over the years, he had spent a hefty sum to get private investigators to dig up all the dirt and evidence on Jason. He also had Jason constantly tailed, so he knew every dirty deed that the man was up to.

    As he got to the lobby of R Tower, he took out his phone and gave Ram a call.

    "Hey bro." He greeted Ram.

    "Is someone sick or do the girls want to go shopping, again?" Ram asked over the phone.

    "Haha. Neither. I need your help with a Ced kind of thing." Miguel told his friend as he passed a group of giggling girls that were taking photos of him.

    "A Ced kind of thing? Since when have you been involved in underhanded tactics?" Ram knew that Miguel never bumped heads with other people, and other people preferred to avoid offending someone that could possibly save their lives.

    "For a score that needs to be settled." Miguel said as a bodyguard opened the passenger seat for him.

    "Wait your brother just rushed into my office." Ram said on the other line.

    "She''s f---ing back!" Miguel could hear his older brother''sint over the phone.

    "Who?" Ram asked.

    "Cthea. I thought Cedric dealt with her." Miguel could hear what his brother was saying over the undropped call.

 Chapter 167 - 167

    "Hey Eric, I''m talking to Miguel over the phone right now. I''ll settle this first then we can talk." Ram said as he turned his attention back to the call.

    "Just send me the things you want out there. I''ll have someone deal with it. We good?" Ram asked Miguel.??

    "Yeah, yeah. I''ming over. It seems this Cthea issue just got bigger." Miguel said as he gave his driver instructions to head to Lights Entertainment.

    "Perfect. You can calm your brother down while I get some work done." Ram said as he dropped the call.

    The office of Lights Entertainment was inside apound that housed various studios used when they shot movies and TV shows as well as studios for rehearsal and a theater for live shows. At the entrance there was always a crowd waiting to see which celebrity would being in, so Ram had tents and seats ced as well as outdoor bathrooms for the fans.

    When the fans saw Miguel''s expensive car approaching they began to stand up and snap pictures. They knew that whoever was in this car was some bigshot, and they were hoping that it was a bigshot actor rather than some old businessman.

    Miguel rarely visited Ram so people weren''t familiar with his car, he quickly rolled down his window and winked at some of the fans. They began to scream, they didn''t expect to see any of the five princes visiting thepound.

    His photos quickly made their way onto the inte where fans werementing how his handsome face was wasted in an operating room.

    Before Miguel could get down, Veronica suddenly called.

    "You''re at Lights?" Veronica''s question puzzled Miguel, she was never concerned about where he went or what he did. Her concern made his heart flutter a little.

    "Yeah. How''d you know? I''m here to see your brother and my brother. There''s a little issue." Miguel exined to his wife, hoping she would show more concern about him in the future.

    "You have fans posting all over the inte. Some of them are already cursing at me for keeping you locked up." Veronica told Miguel.

    "I wish you would keep me locked up." Miguel said in an attempt to flirt.

    "Disgusting." Veronica told her husband over the phone. To Miguel, any response from her was a good response. "I''m on my way there too. I took a cab. Let''s head back to Mountain View together."

    "I got you a car, why are you taking a cab?" Miguel asked.

    "I can''t drive remember? What use is a car if I can''t drive?" Veronica said as she scolded Miguel.

    "We have a driver." Miguel said tly. It seemed his wife only listened to half the things he said.

    "Well I''m already on my way there. It''s a waste to make the cab go back." Veronica clearly refused to let Miguel win the discussion.

    "Just stay safe. When people see you they''ll say I''m a bad husband." Miguel said sweetly.

    "But you are." Veronica responded as she suddenly dropped the call.

    Miguel stared at his phone as he was in shock with his wife''s answer. Surely he wasn''t a bad husband, he let Veronica do as Veronica pleased. Aside from letting her be herself, he also funded all of her expenses. In fact, he had been funding her expenses since she left University and went to Paris. Of course, Veronica had no idea since he had asked Ram to keep it a secret from her, something he still wasn''t sure if it was the right thing to do.

    At Ram''s office, Eric was pacing across the room when Miguel arrived.

    "Ah! Miguel perfect timing. You can calm your brother down while I get some work done." Ram said happily as he sat by his desk and powered on hisptop.

    "Did you get the information I sent you?" Miguel asked Ram, ignoring his pacing elder brother.

    "Yes. You''re such a dedicated husband. I bet Veronica''s heart is gonna melt when she finds out about this." Ram teased Miguel.

    "Don''t tell your sister. I promised she could live her life. Plus you know how she doesn''t want connections used for her." Miguel told Ram.

    "Fine, fine. Just distract him, I need to take this call." Ram said pointing at Eric as he went to the lounge behind his office to take the call.

    "What''s going on?" Miguel asked Eric.

    "For some reason the Carpios ignored Cedric''s threats and let Ctheae back to the country.

    "And this is an issue why?" Miguel asked.

    "I''m 100% sure she''lle after me and Katerina again." Eric exined.

    "Katerina can take care of herself. We''re the ones that go to her for help, remember? You''re making her seem like a helpless woman." Miguel was pretty sure that Eric had forgotten how capable Katerina Sebastian was. Cthea had created rumor after rumor about Katerina, but Katerina never gave in.

    Eric sighed and calmly took a seat. "Things are doing good now. Katerina and I are at least on private speaking terms again."

    "Seriously older brother, you''re acting like a girl. I think it''s being in this industry too long, you''ve gotten overly dramatic." Miguel teased.

    "Has he calmed down?" Ram asked as he returned.

    "Yeah. He''s just over reacting." Miguel exined with a shrug.

    "Veronica said she''s on her way here. She has a meeting with a client that''s a talent under Lights Entertainment. She told me to remind you to wait for her Miguel." Ram told his brother-inw.

    "I know. She called when I arrived." Miguel said as he took a seat.

    A female assistant knocked and was called in by Ram. "Mr. Abad, the Carpio family called to discuss getting a few actors and singers as their endorsers. They wanted to know when you''re free."

    "They''ll want me for sure." Eric said with a frown.

    "Just take it. It''s still money." Ram told his friend.

    "Do I look like I need money?" Eric rolled his eyes as he slouched back onto the couch.

    "Tell them I can meet tomorrow in the afternoon. I don''t want to spend too much time with them and a meal takes up too much time." Ram instructed his assistant who nodded then left to do as Ram asked.

    After a few minutes Veronica arrived at Ram''s office.

    "I''m hungry. Let''s have dinner." She suddenly dered as she ced herptop on her brother''s desk.

    "I have ns." Ram said, rejecting his sister''s invitation.

    "Why don''t we go out on a date?" Miguel said as he attempted to ce an arm around her. Veronica pped his hand which he quickly retracted.

    "If you care about your hands, don''t touch." Veronica coldly said.

    "I already told you V, next to you, my hands don''t matter." Miguel said in a sweet tone. Luckily, Veronica had her back turned on Miguel and was facing her brother, Ram could clearly see his sister blushing, Veronica did not blush easily.

    "Business dinner?" Veronica asked Ram in an attempt to change the topic.

    "No. Personal and none of your business." Ram told his sister.

    "Now I wanna crash it." Veronica said with a grin. She quickly turned and got on her tiptoes and whispered to Miguel. "Get us invited to Ram''s dinner and you can sleep in the same room as me tonight." Veronica said with a giggle.

 Chapter 168 - 168

    Miguel had eventually managed to wear Ram down and invited himself and his wife to Ram''s dinner. As Veronica expected, Ram was going on a date, this news surprised everyone since it had been three years since Ram stopped seeing girls to focus on work.

    "I wonder what kind of woman managed to pull my brother away from work?" Veronica asked as she sat in the car between her husband and brother-inw.??

    "Maybe it''s some famous international actress. They''re really pretty." Miguel joked.

    "And really tall. Are you trying to make a joke about my height again?" Veronica asked as she crossed her arms and red at her husband.

    "I like that you''re bite sized." Miguel said with augh.

    "Please, you guys are too sweet. Stop it." Eric said as he leaned on the car door and rolled his eyes at his brother and sister-inw.

    "Stop it Miguel." Veronica scolded.

    When they finally arrived at an expensive restaurant, Miguel helped his wife down. When Eric stepped out of Miguel''s car some bystanders spotted him and quickly ran over for a picture, luckily Eric''s and Miguel''s security detail were used to incidents like this and quickly surrounded Eric in order for him to get into the restaurant.

    Miguel and Veronica quickly followed behind since some fans spotted them as well and were eager to take photos of the newly married couple who had not yet been seen in public together.

    Inside the restaurant, Miguel let out a sigh. "Why did I agree on entering through the front door with Eric in our car?" Miguel had initially wanted to pass the backdoor through the kitchen, but his brother insisted on being seen in public.

    "Ah there''s Ram. Oh and a girl is sitting across him. Can you guess who it is Miguel?" Eric said pointing at the couple.

    "She seems familiar, but I can''t figure out who. Maybe she was a patient?" Miguel asked as he tried to figure out who was seated across his brother-inw.

    "Why don''t we just go over and take our seats?" Veronica said as she tried to drag the boys towards Ram''s direction.

    "Wait." Miguel grabbed Veronica''s hand and stopped her from taking a step further. "Don''t ruin his moment."

    "I wanna know who it is." Veronicained.

    "Five minutes." Eric said as he looked at Ram and his date.

    Veronica had no choice but to listen to herpanions. After a while, Miguel held Veronica''s hand and started to make their way to the table.

    "Eric!" A shrill voice that made Miguel''s hair stand suddenly shouted.

    "Shouldn''t you be in Spain?" Veronica coldly said as she turned to see Cthea attempting to hug Eric''s arm.

    "I was, but I missed our country so I flew back." Cthea said as if Cedric did not pose a threat to her family.

    "I --" Miguel suddenly nudged Veronica before she could say anything and wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered.

    "Don''t make a scene Veronica. This ce is too public. Plus remember Eric needs to maintain his image." Miguel whispered to his wife.

    Veronica calmed down and smiled at Cthea.

    "Why don''t I join you guys, it''s awfully lonely to eat alone." Cthea suggested to the group. Miguel looked at his brother waiting for a response. They were in public so Eric had to behave differently.

    "You can''t we''re having dinner with my brother. It''s business rted." Miguel was surprised when his wife suddenly spoke back.

    "Oh, but isn''t Ram over there on a date?" Cthea pointed out.

    "Nope. It''s a business dinner. Sorry you can''t join." Veronica said as she pulled Miguel towards the direction of Ram''s table. Miguel was caught by surprise and stumbled a little.

    "Can''t you walk properly?" Veronica, who was already in a foul mood, scolded.

    Eric on the other hand just shrugged at Cthea and followed the couple.

    Veronica took a seat next to the girl who was on a date with Ram while Miguel and Eric sat on each side of Ram.

    When Miguel sat and saw who Ram''s date was he had a very confused look on his face, he looked at Ram and raised an eyebrow. Ram closed his eyes and sighed as he watched Miguel''s reaction.

    "So ying hero did it?" Miguel teased.

    "Julia!" Veronica eximed as she realized who her brother''s date was. "Oh I''m suddenly so happy."

    "You have so many mood swings sister-inw, could you be pregnant?" Eric teased.

    "Shut it." Miguel warned his older brother. Eric simplyughed at Miguel as he took a menu from a waiter.

    "I need to tell the girls!" Veronica said as she took out her phone.

    "Wait, please don''t." Julia asked, clearly ufortable with the situation.

    Veronica paused for a bit to think before finally cing her phone back in her bag.

    "So, how did this happen?" Veronica said looking at her older brother. "Ram, spill." She continued to tease.

    "I''m just paying Mr. Abad back for saving me that time at the bar." Julia shyly said. Veronica knew that Julia was not the shy type, she had seen her interact with the other girls before as well as when they were at the bar, but today it seemed like she was a different person.

    "I''m disappointed." Veronica said with a pout.

    "I''m sure Mr. Abad has gone on dates with women from much more powerful families than mine." Ji humbly told Veronica. Julia''s family owned an instant noodle manufacturingpany. It was far from how big the Abad family businesses were, it was even smaller than Ind''s Inc. As a matter of fact her father didn''t graduate from a prestigious University, he went to a small provincial college and moved to the city where he eventually found work and began investing in a small business.

    Over the years Pika Noodles, thepany''s gship brand, grew and so did their family''s wealth, but no matter how much her family earned they couldn''t erase the fact that they were new rich and that their roots were still very provincial.

    Veronica didn''t press Julia any further and the group ate in peace.

    While they were eating Ram suddenly got an urgent call. Since he was familiar with everyone on the table he took it in front of them.

    "When was this posted?" Ram asked the person on the other line.

    "I''m with him now. Deal with it." Ram said as he dropped the call.

    "Miguel or Eric? Which Chan is causing problems?" Veronica asked her brother.

    "Eric." Ram said with a sigh.

 Chapter 169 - 169

    "I''ve been next to you this whole time? How could I have caused any problems?" Eric asked.

    "It''s not you. Someone managed to get a list of all the people you have dated in the past and published it online." Ram told Eric.??

    "I''m a human being, of course I date." Eric said as he treated the news like it was not a bother to him.

    "Thest person on the list is Cthea Carpio, and ording to the post you guys are dating. Someone managed to snap photos of you and her today." Ram said, shaking his head.

    "Easily deniable, what else is out there." Eric refused to give into the gossip.

    "Well, another post came out saying that you were in love with Cthea when Katerina Sebastian got in between the two of you. It also said that you and Cthea are currently trying to rekindle your love but Katerina is stopping it." Ram told Eric as he passed his phone over to show his friend the news.

    "Sh---. I need to call Katerina. I have to warn her." Eric quickly took out his phone to call Katerina.

    "Toote. She was at an event with her father when the post became public. The media at the event swarmed her, luckily her security detail acted fast enough and she was able to leave without a scratch. People are now cursing her online, calling her a homewrecker." Ram exined and he recounted what his assistant said over the phone.

    "I''ll go to her now. She''s probably at her house and not at the presidential pce." Eric stood up and left.

    "Mr. Eric and Miss Katerina?" Julia slowly asked.

    "It''splicated. I can''t even exin." Veronica said with a sigh as she typed on her phone to check up on Katerina.

    Eric was right, Katerina didn''t go to her parent''s home, instead she went to her own house in the ins Vi Community. She found the house toorge to live alone in so she would onlye to stay here once a week or when she needed some privacy. The ins Vi Community was an exclusivemunity where the rich and famous lived, the security was quite tight as only a limited number of vehicles could enter. Aside from Kateria, this was also where the Chan siblings had built their shared home, in fact Katerina and the Chans were next door neighbors. They had all decided to buy properties here because it was developed by the Reyes Group and it was Ayanna''s firs project for Krisanta Land when she had joined thepany.

    "Is she here?" Eric asked the maid that had opened the door for him.

    "She''s in her room Mr. Chan." The maid was quite familiar with Eric Chan, aside from living next door he had often visited Katerina when she stayed at the ins Vi Community.

    Eric nodded at the maid and ran up to Katerina''s room. He knocked and Katerina let him in.

    "Are you alright?" Eric asked as he entered her room.

    "Yes. I''m used to things like this. I''m not as sensitive as Nicole." Katerina said in a cold tone.

    "I''m going to straighten things out tomorrow. I promise." Eric said as he stood behind her.

    "I''m not your girlfriend. You don''t need to exin things to me." Katerina told Eric.

    "No, but your opinions matter very much." Eric said in a calm and sweet voice.

    "I don''t understand why you had toe over, you could have just called. Now go home. I need to call Cedric, it seems his threat to the Carpios didn''t work." Katerina lightly pushed Eric out of her room.

    When Eric had finally left Katerina called Cedric. He was also puzzled on why his threat didn''t work on the Carpios. He promised Katerina that he would have the issue investigated the next day.

    With Cedric''s assurance there was nothing else that Katerina could do. So she simply prepared for work the next day and went to bed, she was quite excited about her client tomorrow, it was Adrianna.

    When Katerina got to Ind''s Inc. early in the morning, people who saw her walking in quickly snapped photos. She was the president''s daughter and yet she chased after an actor, people whispered about how shameful she was for trying to steal another woman''s man.

    It also just so happened that while Katerina was making her way up to Adrianna''s office another piece of rumor about her was released on the inte, it was a list of all of her ex-boyfriends and how Katerina Sebastain had had multiple casual rtionships in the past. Of course no decent journalist was willing to pick up the news, so everything remained as hearsay and as gossip on the inte, but people didn''t care, they still talked about her and judged her.

    When she finally got to Adrianna''s office she was greeted by a smiling very pregnant Adrianna.

    "How many months are you already?" Katerina asked.

    "Don''t you guys have a countdown till my due date?" Adrianna teased as she was pretty sure the girls had a countdown on how long before she gave birth.

    "We actually do. Two months to go." Katerina said with a smile.

    "How are you holding up Katerina?" Adrianna asked. She had seen all the rumors online and Cedric had told her that Ram and Eric were doing their best to get rid of the rumors.

    "It''s really nothing new." Katerina said with a shrug. "The only difference is that there is a bigger audience."

    "Oh Cedric said to watch Eric''s press conference. Let''s watch before going to work." Adrianna said as she turned on the TV in her room.

    It seemed like they had just tuned in right on time as the news anchor announced that they would be broadcasting Eric''s statement live.

    The press conference was held in front of the Lights Entertainmentpound. There was a tform for Eric to speak and as he came out from thepound with Ram, Adrianna and Katerina could hear the screams of his fans.

    "Weren''t you one of those before?" Katerina teased Adrianna, who blushed in embarrassment.

    When Eric finally stood on the podium the crowd silenced.

    "I''m standing before you to rify a few things. First of all, most of that released list is true. During my time as an actor I have dated several women, but I failed to find the right one. It is normal for a human being to want to be loved and to want to love, I hope my fans can respect this. Second, I have never been involved with Cthea Carpio in any way in the past, we have simply met a few times. And finally, the rumors about me and Miss Katerina Sebastian are not true. I know Miss Katerina to be an outstanding woman and she would never do what the rumors are using her of. I ask everyone to please stop judging an excellentwyer based on the rumors you''ve read online." Eric said as he stood in front of the crowd.

    "You may ask your questions now." The head of Lights Entertainment''s PR department announced.

    "What do you have to say about thetest rumors on Miss Katerina''s dating and S-- life?" A reporter boldly asked.

    "I think that''s a matter for Miss Katerina toment on. But to me Miss Katerina will always be an outstanding woman." Eric replied. He had always been good at answering the press'' questions.

    "Is there any chance for Miss Cthea and you? Some fans have remarked that you could be quite the couple." Another reporter asked.

    Katerina who was sitting in Adrianna''s office wanted to barf at the idea.

    "I am not attracted to Miss Cthea Carpio in any way." Eric tly answered.

    After this no one else dared ask Eric any questions rted to his love life. They simply stuck to asking him about his next movie and his next show.

    "This got boring, I think we heard what we needed to." Adrianna said as she turned off the TV.

    Katerina and Adrianna quickly settled on work, Adrianna wanted Katerina''s legal advice on several issues that Ind''s Inc. was now involved with. Cedric had initially set up a capable legal department when he purchased Ind''s Inc. for her but she sent them back to the Reyes Group.

    When Katerina and Adrianna were almost done an assistant knocked on the door.

    "Mrs. Reyes, a Mr. Tony Tamano is here. He doesn''t have an appointment but he said you would be willing to see him." The assistant said.

    "Let him in." Adrianna called out.

 Chapter 170 - 170

    When Tony came in he was all smiles. He was excited to be able to pitch a new partnership with Adrianna for Ind''s Inc.

    "Tony, have you met Katerina Sebastian?" Adrianna asked as she greeted her friend.??

    "No, I''ve never had the honor." Tony had heard about Katerina Sebastian, but the stories did not do her justice. He walked over to shake her hand, Katerina shook his hand back but her mind seemed to be quite distant.

    "Katerina, are you alright?" Adrianna asked, pulling her back into reality.

    "Yes, yes. I think we are done here. I''lle back next week for consultation, if there is anything that''s urgent just give me a call." Katerina told Adrianna.

    Adrianna nodded and they said their goodbyes.

    Katerina went back to her office after visiting Adrianna. She was surprised to see that there were a flock of reporters waiting outside. She knew they all wanted her opinion on Eric''s statement, as well as on thetest rumors that had surfaced on social media about her.

    She took a deep breath and got out of her car. Her security team quickly surrounded her and gave her space to get to the office. She could hear the crowd of reporters asking her for a statement, and she chose to ignore them. She was surprised when a raw egg suddenly hit her head.

    Katerina looked up to see where it hade from, it was from a young girl who looked like she was still in highschool. Her security team wanted to grab the girl but Katerina stopped them. She walked towards the girl as the crowd parted. The girl was visibly shaking as Katerina Sebastian approached her.

    "Why did you do that?" Katerina asked in a cold tone.

    "Our Eric got a bad name because of you. My darling Eric is the most perfect man and you''re trying to ruin him." The girl bravely used.

    To everyone''s surprise Katerinaughed at what the girl had said.

    "Don''t you know how old Eric is kid?" Katerina asked as she looked down at the girl.

    "Age is just a number. And I know I don''t have a chance with Eric, but you, you ruined him. You dragged his name through the mud with your scandalous actions." The girl used again.

    "Kid, Eric Chan and I have never been in a rtionship. We are more like brother and sister. Didn''t you hear what he said, he denied all the usations on social media." Katerina was surprised that this girl refused to back down.

    "You''re a f---ing bitch and whore Katerina Sebastian." The girl cursed at her.

    Katerina took out her phone and called Eric.

    "One of your fans is causing me trouble right now." Katerina said in front of the girl.

    She heard Ericugh at the other end of the line, he was happy that she took the initiative to give him a call. "Hand the phone over to her." Eric said.

    Katerina handed the girl the phone and as she listened to Eric her face turned pale. Katerina had no idea what Eric had just said but the girl suddenly became shy and returned the phone to Katerina.

    "I''m sorry Miss Katerina." The girl said as she quickly ran away.

    "What did you say?" Katerina asked Eric.

    "I told her not to bully you." Eric casually told Katerina. Katerina rolled her eyes and dropped the call.

    Katerina knew that her encounter with the girl would soon trend on social media. She sighed as she walked back towards the office as the members of the media followed at an arm''s length due to her bodyguards.

    As Katerina walked into her office she heard some paralegals talking about Eric.

    "Is it time? Is Eric Chan on?" One of the girls asked her friend.

    "Shhhh, the show''s starting." Her friend said as she waved for her to keep quiet.

    "Do you think he willment on thetest rumors again?" Another girl asked.

    "It''s sad that a lot of fans are mad at him for keeping his dating life a secret, then there are those speaking against our boss. If they knew her��" Katerina no longer heard the rest of the conversation as she walked away from them.

    She didn''t know that Eric was getting some bacsh from the rumors, she thought his fans would still love him no matter what. She pulled out her phone and opened her dummy ount on Facebook, she checked an article and read through thements.

    ''How could you deceive us Eric? How?'' one fan said.

    ''I thought he was different, he''s such a yboy, he dated so many girls from different fields.''

    ''He''s like an actor version of the president''s son and daughter, at least theye from notable families, he''s just an actor. I''m disappointed.'' Katerinaughed at thement, if only they knew who Eric really was.

    ''Eric Chan, my idol, you broke my heart, how could you? I hate you now.''

    ''Liars like him shouldn''t be idolized.''

    ''He''s only human, he can love. It''s ok Eric, we still love you.''

    ''Are you dating Miss Cthea Carpio? Are you trying to be a trophy husband?''

    ''If he''s trying to be a trophy husband he is so greedy.''

    ''That Katerina Sebastian is a grade A bi---. Trying to steal another man''s woman.''

    ''Eric denied it. He has nothing to do with Miss Cthea Carpio. We support you Eric.''

    ''How can he let himself be linked to so many women, including that slut Katerina Sebastian?''

    ''The president will alle down on you for cursing at his daughter. Shhhh.''

    Katerina was surprised at the number of fans that were scolding Eric. He was the country''s top star, how could he have so many haters.

    "Beth, call dad''s office, tell them I''m willing to make a statement on the recent rumors, I need them to check what I''ll say." Katerina told her assistant who was following her.

    As she scrolled further in thements she found one that made her roll her eyes. It was from Eric''s dummy ount.

    ''I think Miss Katerina and Eric Chan would make the perfect couple.''

    There were manyments bashing the idea saying how dare thementer link Eric to Katerina. Many were fans that didn''t want Eric to be in a rtionship at all.

    Katerina typed ament. ''I don''t think they would get along.''

    Suddenly there was a reply to herment, it was Eric''s dummy ount again. ''I think they would, never say never, baby.''

    Katerina rolled her eyes and ced her phone back in her bag.

    At the Lights Entertainmentpound, Eric grinned as he read Katerina''s replies. Since she began speaking to him again he''s been attempting at flirting with her.

    "Sir, all the feedback has been bad, the PR team has been working non-stop to change people''s opinions but it hasn''t worked out as nned." His manager reported.

    Eric leaned back and sighed. "Why is it so important to them if I''ve had ten or fifty or a hundred girlfriends in the past?" Eric asked his manager in rhetoric.

    "Sir, it''s their image of you, they want to preserve you in their ideal way. They just can''t ept any ws." The manager answered, clearly not realizing that his boss didn''t exactly need an answer.

    "Everyone is noticing the number of girls I dated except for the one I want to notice it." Ericughed as he realized it didn''t bother Katerina that he had dated so many girls.

    "Sir?" Asked the now confused manager.

    "It''s nothing. We can keep ignoring all of the rumors and news, it''s the acting that matters to me." Eric never cared for the fame or the money he earned, he didn''t need the money and honestly he could have gotten the fame without entering the acting industry.

    "Sir, but severalpanies and directors have threatened to pull you off of the cast if this issue wasn''t settled soon." The manager was full of worry. Of course the money and fame didn''t matter to Eric, but it mattered to everyone else.

    "Fine, let''s see what the PR team rmends and I will assess if we will do as they ask. Have we found out who was behind the rumors?" Eric asked.

    "Not yet sir." The manager said with his head down. They had employed the best team but they couldn''t find who was behind the rumors that spread on social media.

    "I guess I''ll need to handle this." Eric said with a grin as took out his phone and dialed a number.

 Chapter 171 - 171

    "What?" Came the answer from the other end of the line.

    "I helped you out earlier, can''t you be kinder?" Eric said in a flirtatious tone that shocked his manager and assistant that were in the same room as him.??

    "How may I be of service Mr. Famous Actor sir?" Katerina said in a sarcastic tone.

    "So much sarcasm. You should lighten up a bit." Eric teased.

    "You should be more serious. The fanments are very much against you as much as they are against me." Katerina scolded Eric as he continued to make jokes.

    "Well I am calling for a serious matter. I need to find out who is behind the rumors and why." Eric said in a much more serious tone. He wasn''t sure who the person who spread the rumors were after, their motivation was key to getting them to back down.

    "You should have called Alexi or Ray. I''m not the one that''s got the connections." Katerina was already quite angry at him for wasting her time.

    "But I want you." Eric whined. Again hispanions were at a shock, was Eric Chan seriously chasing after a woman. All the women he had dated in the past chased him, not the other way around. Had the world flipped right after the rumors had spread? Who was so great that the famous Eric Chan would chase them.

    "Stop it Eric. You already know the answer to that." Katerina tly told him.

    "Help me?" Eric asked in a sweet tone again.

    "Fine. I''ll see what I can do. I''ll also be releasing a statementter. The presidential staff has already approved it." Katerina said, finally giving into his request.

    "Have I ever told you you''re the most amazing woman in the world?" Eric flirted again.

    "Almost everyday." Katerina said, Eric could practically see her rolling her eyes as she spoke to him. "Do you want me to gut you?" Katerina threatened.

    "So brutal. I like." Eric teased, shocking everyone once more.

    "Shut up." Katerina said as she finally dropped the call.

    Ericughed as he looked at his phone, he never saved Katerina''s number, but if you checked his phone it had a string of sweet messages he sent to her daily for years. Katerina may not have wanted to speak to him, but he wasn''t going to give up. He knew that in the past few years she had even gone as far as blocking his number, but he was a client so that didn''tst long.

    He looked at his manager and assistant whose jaws seem to have dropped to the floor. They had never seen Eric like this.

    "Let''s just say she''s someone I''ve been pursuing for years. You know what to do right?" Eric asked them.

    They nodded vigorously, no one was to find out about this until Eric or the woman at the other end of the line was prepared to let people find out. Eric continued to scan through social media while they waited for his next shoot. They were filming a new movie where Eric yed the role of the male lead, he found the movie quite interesting as it was about a dashing young miracle doctor and his unrequited long time love. He thought it mirrored his younger brother very well so he took the job. The director and all the investors were rather shocked to hear that Eric was very much familiar with the medical terms as well as small details in the medical field.

    "Ah, before I forget. My source tells me that Katerina Sebastian will be releasing a statement today on the rumors. We might want to ride on that." Eric said looking up from his phone.

    His manager and assistant nodded before making some calls to Lights Entertainment''s PR department in order for them to prepare.

    When Eric was finally called out for his turn to film, he did really well earning praise from the director and all the crew members. Most of his scenes were done in just one take and they really felt that he had embodied the sweet lovesick doctor.

    "Wow, Mr. Eric is truly a professional. Despite all the rumors around him hees to work and acts so well, as if none of the rumors affect him." A crew member praised.

    "It''s too bad that an actor''s opportunity is very much tied to the public''s opinion." Another member said with a sigh.

    When his scenes were done, an assistant stumbled into the studio.

    "Director, Katerina Sebastian is releasing a statement now." The assistant said as he tried to catch his breath.

    "Bring out a TV, let''s all watch together." The director ordered.

    Eric took a seat next to the director in front of therge TV that the crew had brought out. After a few minutes,the words sh Report appeared on the screen and Eric could see the front of the presidential pce where the Sebastians would hold most of their press conferences and release official statements.

    "We are here in front of the presidential pce waiting for Miss Katerina Sebastian to issue an official statement on two new rumors that have circted about her. One involving the famous actor Eric Chan and another regarding her personal life." A reporter said as Katerina came up behind the podium to a series of camera shes from the audience. Unlike when Eric released his statement, the guests who were there to witness it were specifically curated by the president''s team, no matter what Katerina was still the first daughter.

    "Good afternoon." Katerina greeted with a gentle smile. Eric almost spat out his drink because Katerina suddenly looked like a gentle young woman, almost angelic in nature. The Sebastians were truly amazing when they faced the public.

    "I understand that there have been many rumors going around on the inte about me. I defer to Mr. Eric Chan''s statement regarding his involvement with Miss Cthea Carpio, they aren''t in a rtionship and never have been. Neither have I ever attempted toe between Mr. Chan and another woman." Katerina paused for dramatic effect as the reporters and everyone watching listened intently to what she would say next.

    "On the rumors about my multiple rtionships in the past, it is not realistic to expect people to get it right on the first try. This is why people break up and fall in love again, I have notmitted a crime, and my personal life is honestly not your business." Katerina said in a colder tone as if threatening the person who had released the rumors. Eric grinned, now that is the real Katerina, tough.

    "I know all of you havee here waiting for a statement on Mr. Eric Chan." Katerina took a deep breath, as all the viewers held theirs. "Eric Chan is an outstanding man and a client of mine. I can guarantee to his fans that he has never yed with any woman''s heart, he is a genuine person and who loves genuinely. If he has a crime, it is loving too much."

    Eric wanted to speed off to Katerina and hold her in his arms, hearing her defend him on national television made his heart beat faster. He has been chasing her for years. They were once close to being together, but circumstance ruined it.

    "Eric, Miss Katerina just made a statement defending you." The director said in shock. No one expected Katerina Sebastian to say something like that about him.

    "Miss Katerina, is there a romantic rtionship between you and Mr. Eric Chan?" When Eric heard the question he turned his attention to the TV again.

    "That''s all for today. No further questions." Katerina said with a smile as she turned around.

    Eric felt his heart doing backflips in his chest. She didn''t say no, what did that mean? Why were women so hard to read? Why couldn''t she just say yes or no to him and to everyone else, Why did she have to dodge questions like that?

    "Mr. Eric?" His puzzled manager asked as Eric wore a confusing look on his face.

    "I''m leaving." Eric said as he went off to the parking lot to go to Katerina.

 Chapter 172 - 172

    Cedric was at R Tower when Katerina made her statement. He grinned at her choice not to deny any involvement with Eric, this meant that Eric still had a chance with Katerina. He smiled as he ced his phone away, it seemed the Chans'' romantic drama was fueling the news for the past few months.

    Cedric was working when Martin suddenly gave him a call. He left his desk to take it.??

    "What''s up Martin?" Cedric asked.

    "Cedric, there is a very crucial project that''sing up to your department. We couldn''t stop it but it could potentially earn millions and everypany we sell to is hungry to get their hands on it. We need to find a way to reject it without raising any suspicions." Martin said in a shushed voice.

    "Why is this project so important?" Cedric asked so that he could get a better understanding of what the syndicate and it''s partnerpanies were after.

    "It''s a project for precious metals. It''s meant to supply the expansion of Mor Co. Now that Mor Co. keeps on growing some of its project requirements are being handed to the mainpany. This project is really small to both the Reyes Group and to Mor Co., but to our partners this project will be enough to send them to new heights." Martin exined to Cedric. Of course Cedric knew about this project, it was an innovation requirement that he had asked Ian to explore. He intentionally asked Ian to keep the whole thing quiet while undergoing development so that theirpetitors wouldn''t pick up on it. Fortunately, the members of the syndicate didn''t know that the development of the technology with the supplier could only be achieved with the resources of Mor Co. as well as with metals that only one supplier in the country could provide, Tony Tamano.

    "I''ll see what I can do. I don''t handle the Mor Co. projects." Cedric exined as he tried to recall who would be handed the project for assessment.

    "Do what you can Cedric. They really want this. From what I??ve heard the Reyes Heir isn''t too eager about the project so if we get our hands on it no one would really care." Martin told Cedric.

    "I''ll update you when it''s done." Cedric said.

    After dropping the call with Martin he called Ian. At the moment, Ian was standing in for Cedric at a meeting with all the directors of Mor Co. They were updating him on all the progress they were making. Cami on the other hand was out meeting with clients on behalf of Cedric. The past few months have been really hectic for the duo and they began to question how their boss had handled all of it.

    Ian immediately paused the meeting when he saw his boss calling.

    "Sir?" Ian asked.

    "You''re being formal. In a meeting?" Cedric teased. He had a more rxed rtionship with his two assistants now. They were more than just subordinates to Cedric, they were his friends.

    "Yes sir." Ian said, giving his short reply.

    "I''ll be quick then. Remember the project between Tony Tamano and Mor Co.?" Cedric asked but continued not waiting for Ian''s reply. "Have it retracted today and thrown out. Draft a new one in two weeks with a higher investment and a faster timeline. Report back to me when the retraction is done. Also send me a copy with some minor changes that will make the project fail no matter what is done to fix it."

    "Yes sir." Came Ian''s quick reply. The current proposal was drafted in such a way that Tony and Mor Co. could finish at least a month earlier than the proposed projectpletion.

    After giving instructions, Cedric returned to his desk and waited for Ian to update him that the retraction of the project had beenpleted. Once done Ian called Cedric and sent him a copy of the project ns. Cedric then printed everything out and prepared to bargain with the rest of the syndicate.

    After work, Cedric met with Martin at the fast food joint across R Tower.

    "Were you able to reject the project?" Martin asked as he took a sip from his drink. Martin was nervous, one of their partnerpanies had given them an additional incentive to get the project proposal and to stop Mor Co. from pushing through with it. They had promised an additional thirty million in exchange for the project. It was a number that could make every member of the syndicatefortable for the rest of their lives.

    "I did." Cedric said with a grin. He knew that by the time the clientpany would have figured out the ws in the document, Mor Co. would have by then managed tounch the new product they were nning on building with the metal infused tech.

    "I could hug you right now Cedric! Quick, let''s go!" Martin said as he stood up.

    "To the client?" Cedric asked.

    "No. We will meet with the leaders among us then give the project to the tech team to ce it up for bidding. I''m pretty sure you''ll be raised among our ranks today." Martin said proudly. How could he not be proud, he was the one that brought Cedric into the syndicate. He had just provided them with theirrgest project sale to date. People didn''t approve of his decision at first, it was too much of a risk to bring in the Reyes Heir''s former assistant.

    Cedric followed Martin to his car as they drove to an upscale part of town. They parked in one of the few buildings not developed by the Reyes Group.

    "This building is owned by the De Dios family. They''ve been one of our clients from the very start so we made a deal for a secure unit here in exchange for a project. It was easy enough to get them to agree." Martin said as they rode the elevator to the fifteenth floor.

    Each floor only had five units, the syndicate''s unit was at the end of the hall. When Martin and Cedric entered there were only five other people inside the unit.

    "Ah! Martin! Do you have good news? Why did you bring the new kid over?" A man whom Cedric recognized as one of the receptionists at the lobby asked Martin.

    ???Rx, he''s the reason we got the project." Martin said as he waved the envelope containing the documents.

    "Awesome! Wee to the high rollers club Cedric. I think you deserve to be one us now." Another man who Cedric recognized to be part of the Reyes Group''s IT department said with a grin as he invited Cedric to sit next to him.

    "Now all we need is someone in the design department of Elisia Malls." A woman joked. Cedric did not recognize her. She was probably from one of the departments Cedric didn''t work with. "We''ve never met. Name''s Carissa, I''m an assistant to the assistant of Emilio Reyes III." Carissa said with a wink.

    Cedric knew that even his father''s assistants had assistants of their own in order to help with the workload, he was just surprised to meet one of them there. He expected them to understand how important each project was to all the employees of the Reyes Group. It seemed that this assistant was just in greedy.

    "Marco So is your boss?" Cedric asked as he nodded at Carissa.

    "Nah. Those nerds are way too loyal. I work for the assistant in charge of his schedules. So I know when there is a big dealing up." Carissa exined to Cedric.

    "We have a winning bid!" the guy from the IT department proudly announced.

 Chapter 173 - 173

    "Who won?" Carissa asked excitedly.

    "The new techpany W Tech." Martin said.??

    "I just got a call from one of our top clients. They want a project taken from Elisia Malls." The male receptionist told the group.

    "That''s one ce we don''t have anyone yet." Carissa pouted.

    "Hey Cedric, didn''t youe in with that designer guy?" Martin asked.

    "Yep. What about him?" Cedric said with a nod.

    "I heard he got moved from Krisanta Land to Elisia Malls and demoted. He''s gotta hate the Reyes Group right now." Martin said thoughtfully.

    "Why doesn''t he just leave?" Carissa asked.

    "He signed a three year contract with the Reyes Group. He can''t leave even if he wanted to." Cedric casually said. During their orientation, Jason had boasted about signing the contract with the Reyes Group.

    "Why did he get demoted?" Carissa asked Cedric.

    "No idea." Of course Cedric knew why, it was his idea. "Maybe he offended someone important?"

    "Can you bring him into the fold?" Martin asked Cedric.

    "I''ll see what I can do." Cedric knew it wouldn''t be easy. He and Jason were not close, but this could be the quickest way to gaining the syndicate''s trust.

    When Cedric got home he was greeted by a grinning Miguel.

    "Why are you so happy Miguel?" Cedric asked his friend as he handed his bag to a maid for her to put away.

    "Aside from the fact that Veronica has let me into her room." Miguel said with a grin. Although Veronica had let him sleep in the same room as her, he still slept on the couch. But at this point Miguel was willing to take every small victory. "It''s Jason''s show on Saturday. Ram already has all the articles ready."

    "I need to ask you to put your ns against him on hold Miguel." Cedric told his friend as they made their way to the dining room. Cedric had thought about what he needed to do to Jason to get him on his side. He couldn''t afford Miguel pushing the man over the edge just yet. Jason still had a role to y for Cedric.

    "What?!" Miguel contested.

    "I need to use Jason for something. I can''t have you pushing him over the edge just yet. He needs to cooperate with me so that I can take down the syndicate." Cedric calmly exined as Miguel''s temper began to rise.

    "Cedric, I need this. My marriage needs this." Miguelined.

    "Unless you can give me a stronger argument than that,I can''t let you go after Jason just yet." Cedric knew Miguel would eventually understand his reasons, his friend was a genius, he should be able to understand the situation.

    "But -" Miguel was about to argue back when Veronica, Ayanna, and Adrianna came into the dining room.

    "Hey dear, how was work?" Cedric asked his wife as he pulled her to him.

    "Katerina came by the office today. We watched Eric''s press con together. Then Tony came by, he had a proposal for a project. I think it''s something that could be worked out." Adrianna told her husband as she leaned her head on his chest.

    "How was she? The rumors about her and Eric are quite intense." Cedric said as he hugged his wife.

    "She didn''t seem bothered at all." Adrianna shrugged.

    "Katerina has always been like that. She pretends not to care but deep down she''s really worried." Veronica exined to Adrianna.

    "We should check on her." Ayanna suggested as they moved to take their seats at the dining table.

    "No need. Eric''s with her." Miguel said in a distant tone. Everyone was surprised it seemed like something was bothering him.

    Soon the parents joined them and they all had dinner. After eating, Cedric asked Miguel to join him in his study. He had no intentions of letting Miguel and him end the night without fully discussing the Jason issue.

    "Look, I know you aren''t happy about what I chose to do, but Jason is crucial in my investigation." Cedric told Miguel as he handed him a ss of whisky.

    "Don''t you understand why getting back at Jason is so crucial to me for Veronica?" Miguel asked his friend.

    "No, honestly I don''t. It''s not like he''ll be able to slip through your fingers." Cedric was confident that no matter what, they would still be able to pay Jason back for everything he had done to Veronica. He didn''t understand why Miguel thought it was so crucial for Miguel to have his revenge now.

    "You didn''t read the whole dossier?" Miguel asked. Cedric just nodded in reply.

    "Fine. Let me tell you everything he did to my wife." Miguel said as he took a seat. "You know that Jason was Veronica''s best friend right?" Miguel asked.

    "Yup." Cedric said in reply.

    "Didn''t you find it odd that Veronica went as far as doing his schoolwork for him? Or that she tolerated him passing off her work as his? Don''t you think that''s very uncharacteristic of her?" Miguel asked, hoping Cedric would realize what Jason did years ago.

    "She could have been different when she was in university." Cedric said as he took a drink. He didn''t know what Miguel was trying to get at.

    "Veronica doesn''t go that far for just anyone, Cedric. Veronica had feelings for Jason." Miguel said with a dark look on his face. He knew Veronica tried to deny herself of any romantic rtionships, but sometimes even if your brain says no, your heart won''t listen. "Veronica would never admit that she had feelings for Jason in the past, but her actions say otherwise. She had gone above and beyond for the guy, something she wouldn''t have done if they were just friends." Miguel exined to Cedric.

    "Miguel, you don''t know that for certain." Cedric said.

    "She was heartbroken after he hurt her. I know the look, Cedric. I''ve seen it with my brother, then I saw it with her." Miguel had seen how Eric was after his would be rtionship with Katerina was disrupted by Cthea and the Carpio family.

    "Why can''t you wait?" Cedric asked, still confused with why Miguel insisted on rushing his revenge.

    "Because he slipped from my grasp once before, and because I don''t know how much further Veronica can stand watching him seed on other''s works." Miguel exined.

    "Not a good enough reason for me Miguel. Do not go after him yet, and I promise you I won''t let him go. I won''t take him down with the syndicate." Cedric promised Miguel.

    Miguel didn''t respond. He just stood up and walked away.

 Chapter 174 - 174

    Miguel woke up the next day feeling horrible. He was hoping to at least embarrass Jason Evangelista prior to his show, but Cedric had forbidden him. Last night, due to his frustration he had walked out on his friend and drank a lot in the guesthouse. He managed to climb into Veronica''s room and onto the couch.

    He noticed that Veronica was still sound asleep, he knew his wife wasn''t a morning person so he didn''t bother waking her up. He went over to her and kissed her on the forehead before going down to cook breakfast. Whenever Miguel was frustrated he went to the kitchen and cooked, and today was no different. He ordered the maids away and cooked for everyone in the Mountain View house.??

    "Something smells amazing!" Ayanna said as she got to the kitchen.

    "I''m cooking breakfast." Miguel said without turning around.

    "Nicole said you cook when you''re bothered about something, let me guess, Veronica on your mind?" Ayanna asked.

    "Nope, Cedric pissed me off." Miguel said as he continued to cook.

    "Ha, my brother. Well nothing we can do there. I''ll wake Veronica up." Ayanna said as she leftughing.

    "Still pissed at me?" Cedric asked as he rubbed his eyes. The smell of Miguel''s cooking had managed to catch his attention as he came down. Everyone said Miguel was an excellent chef and Cedric couldn''t wait to taste his cooking.

    "You! You! Out! You don''t get breakfast." Miguel shouted at Cedric.

    "It''s my house, and I paid for the stuff you cooked. Plus you''re still living in my guest house. You can''t send me away Miguel." Cedric said with a chuckle.

    Miguel couldn''t really say anything in response so he gave up and served everyone breakfast. Cedric was surprised that Miguel''s cooking was actually amazing. He thought everyone was just overselling the miracle doctor''s cooking, but Miguel truly had a gift in cooking.

    After getting treated to an amazing breakfast, Cedric went to the office. Today he would attempt to get Jason Evangelista to help him out. His first problem was getting close to the man. Their past interactions had not been the best so Cedric knew that he had quite the challenge ahead.

    By some stroke of chance a project involving Elisia Malls justnded on Cedric''s desk that day, and as part of his study on it he would need to speak with one of the designers. He took advantage of this opportunity and went to Elisia Mall''s floor.

    At the design department he approached the department secretary.

    "Hi, I''m looking for Mr. Jason Evangelista." Cedric greeted with a smile that made the secretary blush. Ever since he discovered he had that effect on women he wasn''t afraid to use his charm to get what he needed.

    The assistant led him to Jason''s desk. When Jason saw Cedric visiting him he had a puzzled look on his face. Cedric expected this reaction from Jason since they didn''t get along so wellst time.

    "Thanks." Cedric said with a wink to the secretary who smiled back.

    "Aren''t you married? Why are you flirting with our team secretary?" Jason asked as he leaned back in his seat.

    "I was just being nice." Cedric said with a shrug. It didn''t hurt if Jason thought he had something on Cedric that he could use. So Cedric let Jason think he was flirting with the secretary.

    "What do you want? We didn''t get alongst time, so we aren''t friends." Jason said as he went back to his work.

    "Well, there is a project that I''m assessing for Elisia Malls." Cedric said as he ced the file on Jason''s desk. Jason picked up the file and scanned through it, Cedric knew it was something that would interest Jason since it was on the redesign of some areas in the Elisia Malls. Any designer would want to have that project since it included a showcase of the designer''s work as well as a que in each mall with their name on it.

    "Interesting." Jason said as he tried to hide that he wanted the project.

    "I have a list of designers that I''m supposed to look through and approve." Cedric teased as he showed Jason the list. "Of course I could just rmend one." Cedric said with a grin.

    "What do you want?" Jason asked.

    "I do you a favor now, you do me a favorter on." Cedric told Jason. "Plus I really think we got off on the wrong foot." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "You''re very suspicious Cedric." Jason said as he assessed the man in front of him. "Why are you still working here when your wife has already bought Ind''s Inc.? And how could she afford to buy such apany?"

    Cedric pretended that the question annoyed him. "My career is not determined by my wife." Cedric said coldly.

    "I''m guessing she has a wealthy patron. Let me tell you this, I knew that Veronica when she was still a student. Those girls use their name and their sugar daddies to get things, that''s why Veronica married that miracle doctor, cause he''s loaded. I''m sure your wife picked something up from them." Jason was clearly trying to imply that Adrianna had be a mistress to a richman. Cedric wanted to punch Jason for the things he was saying about the girls, but he had to use this man first and then let Miguel deal with him.

    "Look, we both have our own reasons for being here and I know we both aren''t happy. So why not make the best out of it at those rich people''s cost." Cedric was trying to imply that his position at the Reyes Group was forced, the more Jason felt that Cedric was trapped like him the more Jason was likely to trust him.

    "Alright. I owe you for this one." Jason finally agreed after considering Cedric''s offer.

    "Why don''t we grab lunchter? I know a ce." Cedric said with a grin.

    Jason nodded and just like that Cedric had managed to gain Jason''s trust and move a step closer to truly being at the core of the syndicate. Cedric wouldter tell Martin and the others and they were thoroughly impressed. Martin boasted about how everyone but him was hesitant in bringing Cedric in when Cedric had be a crucial member of their group.

 Chapter 175 - 175

    At another part of the Capital, Miguel was busy as always. After breakfast he went to work at Saints Hospital, he might not have had an operation to do, but he had to attend to a few patients today. While doing his rounds Jo Meneses, Cedric''s highschool friend that now worked as a nurse in Miguel''s team noticed something off about his boss.

    "Doctor Chan, you seem distracted today." Jo pointed out.??

    "me your damn friend." Jo was shocked by Miguel''s sudden outburst. Everyone knew Doctor Chan had the best temperament among all the doctors and rarely snapped. It just so happened that Nicole was passing by as well and ended upughing at her brother as he walked away.

    "Don''t mind him Nurse Jo. I don''t know what Cedric did this time, but I''ll talk to my brother. Has he finished his rounds?" Nicole asked the nurse.

    "Yes Doctor Chan. He''s seen all of his patients already." Jo said with a nod.

    "Please do the paperwork for him." Nicole asked as she chased after her brother.

    "What''s up with you?" Nicole said as she pulled Miguel aside.

    "I didn''t act out in front of patients so you have nothing toin about." Miguel groaned.

    "That doesn''t excuse your attitude." Nicole scolded. She was also surprised to see her brother like this. She was the moody one in the family, Miguel was always the stable one.

    "Scolded here, scolded at home. Why am I always getting scolded by women." Miguel said, shaking his head.

    Nicole dragged her older brother to her office and sat him down.

    "What''s going on?" Nicole asked with a serious look. "Is it Veronica? I thought things were getting better." Nicole asked as she prepared her brother a cup of tea.

    "Don''t meddle in my love life when you have problems in yours." Miguel coldly said to his sister still refusing to tell her about his argument with Cedric.

    "For your information, Ian and I are getting along really well, so you don''t need to be bothered by my rtionship. Meanwhile, you''re already married but you still haven''t slept with your wife." Nicole said, passing her brother the cup of tea. "I want a niece or nephew to y with." Nicole said with a pout.

    "I''m not talking about between the two of you. I''m talking about the family, do you n on being a repeat of uncle Miguel?" He asked his sister.

    "Who is uncle Miguel?" Nicole was surprised to hear Veronica as she arrived with Katerina and Eric who were standing by the door of her office. Her assistant didn''t announce their arrival nor did any of them knock.

    "He''s our uncle whom Miguel is named after, he was the second son of the Chan family." Eric said without exposing any emotions.

    "You nevere here Eric. Why are you here today?" Miguel asked his brother.

    "Can''t I see my brother and sister when I want to?" Eric asked, still not answering Miguel''s question.

    "So who is uncle Miguel?" Veronica continued to ask, not wanting to drop the topic. She knew what the brothers were trying to do.

    "Someone who loved the wrong person." Eric said with a sigh. The truth about their uncle Miguel was something the Chan family had tried very hard to hide.

    "I don''t think I remember ever meeting your uncle Miguel. I remember auntie Gabrie, didn''t she move away when we were ten?" Veronica asked Nicole.

    "Uncle Miguel died before we were born Veronica." Nicole told her sister-inw.

    "What happened to him?" Veronica asked the Chan siblings.

    "We aren''t allowed to talk about it." Miguel told his wife.

    "Since when did any of you listen to the rules your family set?" Veronica sat on the couch and crossed her arms. She hade over to the hospital to invite Miguel to have lunch with her. She needed to at least make an effort in their marriage, she never expected that a Chan secret would be brought up.

    "It''s not an easy topic to talk about V." Miguel said as he sat next to his wife and pulled her closer to him. "Now tell me why you''re here." Miguel said in a flirtatious voice as he tried to nibble on her ear. His attempt was, however met with a p as Veronica was not amused by his attempts.

    "Ew, disgusting Miguel." Katerina said as she saw Miguel attempting to woo his wife.

    "We''re man and woman. Husband and wife, while you''re going around with my brother with an undefined rtionship that the public is just craving to find out." Miguel saw Eric look tentatively at Katerina. It seemed that he hit a sore spot that made his older brother look nervously at the woman.

    "So what''s this secret?" Veronica continued to pester her husband.

    "Wait, what date is it today? Isn''t it Uncle Miguel''s death anniversary?" Nicole said as she jumped out of her seat.

    "It is." Miguel said with a sad nod.

    "Let''s go." Nicole signaled to her brothers as she marched out of her office.

    "You didn''t want to talk about him and now we''re going somewhere rted to him. Make up your minds." An annoyed Veronica said as her husband helped her up.

    "Do you want toe along?" Eric asked Katerina in a sweet tone making everyone stop in their tracks.

    "I have nowhere else to be anyway, so I might as well." Katerina said with a shrug. "Will you tell us about uncle Miguel?"

    "We better, or Veronica''s gonna give Miguel a hard time. We''re actually going to the cemetery." Eric said with a sadugh.

    The group left all together in multiple cars through the underground parking of Saints Hospital. Eric always used this entrance since as a famous actor he had to be discrete when visiting his siblings at the hospital.

    Like all other rich families the Chan''s owned a giant mausoleum for their dead in a cemetery not far from the capital. Not many people visited the cemetery in the middle of the day so the group was able to go in without any fuss.

    "If today is his death anniversary, why isn''t anyone here?" Katerina asked as she looked around at the empty mausoleum.

 Chapter 176 - 176

    "Because the whole family would rather forget about Uncle Miguel." Nicole said sadly as they walked towards a grave at the corner of the marble mausoleum.

    It was cold and eerie inside, it made Katerina shiver as their footsteps echoed across the room.??

    "What happened to him?" Veronica tentatively asked. She had tried to pry the story out of the siblings in the hospital but they refused to tell her.

    "Uncle Miguel loved. That''s his biggest mistake." Eric said with a sigh.

    "I''m sure your parents love each other, what makes Uncle Miguel so different?" Veronica asked.

    "Uncle Miguel and dad were born two years apart, Uncle Migueling after dad. Without the pressure of having to inherit or lead the family he thought that he was free of all the pressures of belonging to the Chan family, this included the person he chose to love." Miguel said as he looked over to Nicole who was in a trance as she looked at her Uncle''s grave.

    "Uncle Miguel and Nicole may not have ever met, but their stories have a lot of parallels. ording to the older employees at the Chan home Uncle Miguel was quite the free spirit and he was very friendly with women." Miguel continued to exin.

    "Friendly like Alexi is friendly?" Katerina asked.

    "No, friendly like Nicole. He wasn''t afraid to get to know people and to date around, but he never really had a girlfriend among them and nothing physical would happen." Ericughed as he rified what Miguel meant.

    "Anyway, the elders and the board members ignored him going on dates. They were dates, nothing serious, some were with women they approved, others were with women they did not. I guess you could say our uncle had a big heart." Miguel took out a candle and passed it to Eric for him to light at the grave. "One day, Uncle Migueles home with a woman. She was a rising star in the business field and worked at the Reyes Group. He had met her on one of his visits with dad to Uncle Emilio, the woman stole his heart."

    Veronica sighed, it did sound simr to what Nicole was going through.

    "Uncle Miguel insisted that he loved the woman, that he wanted to marry her. Everyone objected." Miguel said as his voice faded.

    "She isn''t of our people, she isn''t like us, she isn''t from a family like ours." Nicole said as she continued her brother''s story. "Uncle Miguel had loved someone our family saw as beneath them. They all objected and forced Uncle Miguel to break up with the woman."

    "Unfortunately, Uncle Miguel was as hard headed as Nicole over here." Eric teased as he pointed at his sister.

    "I''m smarter than him. I have to be." Nicole said in a serious tone.

    "Anyway, Uncle Miguel argued that he wasn''t the heir so who he married didn''t matter. Who he loved was not a family affair. The elders objected." Miguel said with a sigh. "They did everything to break them up. They threatened to cut him off, Uncle Miguel didn''t care. They then said they would block him from every hospital in the country so that he couldn''t work, again, Uncle Miguel didn''t care, he insisted that he loved the woman."

    "Then?" Katerina asked as she held her breath.

    "Then they went too far. When I was six and Miguel was one, Uncle Miguel and the woman eloped. They thought they would be safe enough abroad, they were wrong. In an attempt to separate them our grandfather caused the woman''s death, she was with their one year old daughter. A few monthster Uncle Miguel returned home, his heart was broken beyond repair. I remember seeing him walk around the old house like a ghost, like he had no will to live. A month after Miguel''s second birthday, a maid found Uncle Miguel in his room, he was already dead." As Eric said this he whipped a tear from his eye. Katerina came up to him and hugged him gently. Among the three siblings it was Eric that had the most vivid memory of their uncle. He was old enough to remember and to understand what had happened.

    "A few years back we found out that the only reason he had continued to hold on to his life for a year was because he thought his daughter might have survived. Grandpa made him think she survived, but in an argument grandpa revealed that she too had died with her mother." Nicole exined. "It ruined him. He felt like he was the reason his wife and daughter had died, he couldn''t go on without them."

    "That''s why Nicole can''t tell the family about Ian yet." Miguel exined.

    "But Ianes from a rich family, they just fell from grace but they are an old rich family." Veronica said.

    "He is of no importance in the eyes of the Chan elders. He will only be someone of worth when he gets the Lim name back to its former glory." Nicole exined shaking her head. "Until then, to them he is nothing more than an ordinary employee at the Reyes Group, no matter how much Cedric favors him."

    "How could they so easily get rid of a mother and her child?" Veronica was in shock. She always thought that the Chans were more open and more understanding than the Abad family. It sounded like they were just as bad.

    "They are worried that people of what they consider lower birth, would only be after our money. That it isn''t love or even lust, but the financial gain that motivates them." Eric exined in a sad tone.

    "So the mother and the baby girl, are they buried here too?" Katerina asked, hoping that at least in death man and woman could at least be next to each other.

    "Uncle buried his wife, but they never found the baby''s body. The ident was out at sea, so we assumed that the baby drowned and the body sank to the bottom." Nicole said as her voice cracked. She couldn''t imagine having to go through what her uncle went through. They were from a family of murderers and yet they said they saved lives as doctors. It ashamed all three siblings.

    "I refuse to suffer the same fate as my uncle." Nicole said as they watched the candle burn in their uncle''s grave.

 Chapter 177 - 177

    Over the next few days Miguel continued to ignore Cedric.He still wasn''t happy about his friend''s opposition to his ns against Jason. He was still itching to go after the man but Cedric continued to say no.

    Cedric on the other hand treated Miguel like a child throwing a tantrum. It wasn''t like Cedric had stopped Miguel from acting out his n, he just dyed it, it wasn''t like Jason would be able to escape, even Cedric was itching to get revenge for someone he considered to be his sister.??

    Jason had proved quite important to the syndicate. He managed to stop several projects in Elisia Malls for them since many employees actually looked up to Jason as a designer, he was quite famous and well noted after all.

    It was almost time to go home when Martin called for an emergency meeting of the syndicate''s core group. Cedric sighed and packed his things to join them. He honestly wanted to just go home, have dinner, and spend time with his extremely pregnant wife.

    As always Cedric rode with Martin to the headquarters of the syndicate. Cedric found it odd that it was only a core members meeting, he expected it to be a celebration with all of the syndicate members since they were doing so well.

    At the headquarters, Cedric noticed that there were only five of them. Some core members were not even invited, it seemed that they hade to trust Cedric more than he had initially thought.

    "Is this all of us?" Carissa didn''t seem too surprised that not everyone in the core group was invited.

    Martin nodded as they took their seats.

    "We only invited a select few of the core group. We only need people we can trust." Carissa exined to the group.

    "What''s with the secrecy?" Cedric asked in a cocky tone.

    "We have an opportunity that can set us up for the rest of our lives." Martin said with a grin.

    "Someone has offered big money for us to sabotage a major project in the Reyes Group." Carissa said with a grin.

    "Won''t it be dangerous? I noticed that Miss Katerina Sebastian has been visiting Miss Ayanna more often. Something is up." The man that worked at the lobby reception said.

    "It could just be romantic woes, don''t you pay any attention to the news? Katerina Sebastian has been having it rough with the press recently. See even the powerful daughter of the president isn''t immune to these things." Carissa said brushing off the man''s warning.

    "I''m with Carissa on this. It''s an opportunity of a lifetime." Martin said in an attempt to convince hispanions. "You trust us, and we can all retire early and live like kings and queens."

    "We can''t risk our identities." Cedric suddenly said. Martin was surprised by Cedric''s concern, but it made sense for him to be worried about something like that. "If things don''t go as nned we should still be able to operate as normal and we should still be able to work normally."

    "Don''t worry, the things we will need to do are small but the impact will be great." Carissa said with a grin.

    "How will it affect the Reyes Group?" One of the core members asked.

    "If I understand our partner it should set them back a while but not so much for people to lose their jobs." Martin exined in order to calm the other''s doubts.

    "Will you give us the details?" Cedric asked.

    "Of course. We are trusting you to make your own groups within thepany to move. We have to do this in a secretive way so that it cannot be traced back and so that there is no evidence against us." Carissa exined.

    "We understand." The male receptionist nodded in agreement.

    The group soon dispersed but Martin and Carissa held Cedric back. They said there was something they needed to exin to Cedric.

    "Cedric, there is something we want to exin to you." Martin said as he offered Cedric a drink.

    "What''s up?" Cedric asked.

    "This n goes beyond just crippling a part of the Reyes Group." Martin exined to Cedric. "This n will cut them off from their closest rtions and allies and make them an ind."

    "Why are you telling me this?" Cedric was confused as to why Martin and Carissa would tell him something so important. He was new to the group and was not yet as proven as the other members.

    "Cedric, unlike everyone else you have a deeper hatred of the Reyes Group." Carissa said as she leaned back.

    "The people we are working for have an even deeper hatred of the Reyes n, and this project should alienate them and cause their fall." Martin exined to Cedric. Cedric knew that their family did notck enemies and many people have been after them over the years.

    "Why do you two hate them so much?" Cedric asked Martin and Carissa. He never noticed a hatred in them, as a matter of fact they seem quite satisfied with their jobs at the Reyes Group.

    "Carissa and I are cousins, my dad is the mom''s older brother." Martin exined. Cedric took a good look at them but failed to see the resemnce. "I know we look nothing alike." Martin said with augh.

    "That still doesn''t exin anything." Cedric said with a puzzled look.

    "We have a rtive that disappeared and eventually died after working at the Reyes Group." Carissa exined. "Our parents and grandparents begged thepany for a proper exnation, all they said was that it was a heart attack. Our rtive was quite young and in good health so it was impossible. They just sent us a body one day with hush money."

    "Isn''t that still possible?" Cedric asked, he didn''t believe that his father would be able to do something like that.

    "Not with the injuries on the body." Martin said, shaking his head. "We think our parents'' sister might have gotten on the wrong side of the CEO''s wife and she had her killed."

    "Do you really think the Reyes family is capable of that?" Cedric asked the cousins.

    "You tell us. Don''t pretend that they haven''t done anything to you. It''s quite obvious that your wife is being backed by the Reyes Heir and has be his mistress." Carissa said to Cedric with a thoughtful look. Cedric wanted tough at their face, so that was what they thought was going on.

    "We are nothingpared to them." Cedric decided to show hesitation in order for them to trust him further. Being too eager would make him suspicious.

    "No, but our backer can guarantee both revenge and support for us." Martin told Cedric.

    "Don''t be so afraid of the Reyes n, Cedric. They bleed just like us." Carissa said in an attempt to convince him.

    Cedric paused, he wanted them to think he was truly weighing the risks of joining their n. Of course he would agree to do so, but he needed to pace things properly. He was already where he wanted them to trust him.

    "I''m in." Cedric finally said quite definitively.

 Chapter 178 - 178

    "Perfect. You''ll get to meet our backer soon enough. For you should go home and rest." Martin said as he escorted Cedric out of their headquarters.

    As usual, Cedric spotted Leon outside waiting for him. He continued to walk until he finally reached the bus stop and hopped on the bus. Leon vigntly followed his boss until he was sure that no one had followed Cedric.??

    While on the bus Cedric was thinking about how he would confront his parents about the death that Martin and Carissa had told him about. He didn''t deny that there was blood in their hands, even he had sent his inws to a ce where they couldn''t survive. But they always covered their tracks. They never left loose ends, things like these would have a lot of negative impact on the family name and thepany.

    Cedric was so deep in thought that he almost missed his stop. It was a good thing that he noticed Leon passby him. He rushed off the bus as it began to move.

    When Cedric got home to Mountain View it was alreadyte and all the elders had gone to bed, he expected to have dinner alone but was quite surprised to see Miguel and Ray waiting for him in the dining room.

    "Cedric! You''re back!" Miguel happily greeted his friend.

    "You''re acting like a love sick housewife. Stay away." Cedric said as he threw Miguel a suspicious nce.

    "He''s trying to say sorry." Rayughed at Miguel''s suspicious action.

    Cedricughed at his friend and ate the food at the table. "What''s with the sudden change of heart?" Cedric asked.

    "Well it''s not like I won''t ever get revenge for Veronica. I just need to wait." Miguel said nonchntly with a shrug.

    "Ha, you just realized that getting this done doesn''t mean Veronica will agree to be with youpletely." Ray teased.

    "Why? Have you beenpletely with Ayanna?" Miguel suddenly said.

    "Why would you ask that? Her older brother is here! I don''t have a deathwish like you!" Miguel said as he threw a piece of bread that he was eating at Miguel.

    "You''re so old fashioned Ray, a man and a woman can be together even if they aren''t married." Miguel said as he shook his head. "Look at Alexi, he epts his sister, Katerina, she doesn''t hide it."

    "And yet look at how the public and the media have gone after her. Ayanna will never suffer the same fate. I''ll protect her." Ray said proudly.

    "Such a suck up." Miguel teased.

    "It''s ok Miguel, don''t worry, you''ll get your chance soon." Cedric said in between bites.

    "So you''re getting to the bottom of the issue?" Ray was quite intrigued with the syndicate within the Reyes Group, none of them ever expected for a group like this to show up within thepany. The Reyeses always took care of their employees.

    "Yeah, but things are getting worse. At first I thought it was just a group of greedy employees, but it looks like some members in the syndicate have a deeper strife with the group." Cedric exined.

    "How so?" Ray could never resist a big mystery like this. Maybe in another life, if he were born to a different family he would have been a detective.

    "Martin, the one that recruited me, is apparently cousins with another member. They''re mad at the Reyes Group because a rtive of theirs died while working at the Reyes Group. We said it was a heart attack but they don''t believe that it''s the cause of death." Cedric exined. "Right now they were working on a n that will alienate the Reyes Group."

    "The only way you could alienate the Reyes Group if all our families fought." Miguel said.

    "Since when did you be business savvy?" Ray teased his friend. "It''s true though, as long as the Reyes Group has our support people won''t just leave."

    "I need to find out the details soon, they are nning something big." Cedric said.

    "If you need anything, just say the word." Ray said with a nod.

    The next day Cedric went about work as usual, going through documents when Martin sent him a message inviting him over for lunch. Martin told him that they would be meeting with their backer. Cedric was eager to find out who was willing to fund the group to take down his family''spany.

    In order to avoid suspicion he, Martin, and Carissa all arrived at the restaurant separately. They were lead to a private room and made to wait so that customers that were there when they arrived would have left by the time their backers arrived.

    "Isn''t it a risk that the staff could rat us out?" Cedric asked while they waited.

    "Our backers own this restaurant and everyone in here is loyal to them. It''s a front for their underground activities." Martin exined. It seemed to Cedric that Martin hade to learn a lot about their backers over the years. "Here are the tasks that need to be carried out. You are the only one that has managed to see this list aside from me and my cousin." Martin said as he handed Cedric a piece of paper.

    "I can''t memorize this. I''ll copy it out and give it back to you." Cedric analyzed the list, they were all small actions but when you analyzed their overall effect it should be able to topple any business, unfortunately for Martin and his cousin the Reyes Group was not that simple. Martin, Carissa, and their backers did not take into consideration how deep the bond between the Reyes Family and the other families were.

    However, even if the n would not topple the Reyes Group it was still enough to do a significant amount of damage, and Cedric was not about to let that happen. He would need to end things before the n began to take ce.

    "Sure, just give it to me tomorrow. We''ll start by giving everyone their assignments tomorrow, after that we''ll know how long it takes to do everything. Then soon after we will see the Reyes Group crumble." Martin said with a grin.

    Before Cedric could respond the door to the private room slowly opened as a secretary came in to check who was inside. Upon confirming that Martin, Carissa, and Cedric were the only ones there she left and led in her boss.

    Cedric was quite surprised to see Chris Garin and an older man enter. He assumed that the older man was Carlos De Dios, Chris'' biological father. When Chris noticed Cedric in the room his expression was difficult to read, he had bullied Cedric since high school and now they needed each other toplete their ns.

 Chapter 179 - 179

    "You''ve chosen an interesting ally here, Martin." Chris Garin said as he took a seat. Cedric noticed how confident Chris had be, he had always been confident, but now it was a different kind. It was like Chris was so sure of himself because of the riches and power that now backed him.

    Cedric red at Chris, not saying a word. He was actually worried that the father and son duo were getting close to learning his identity and that this meeting would make them realize somehow that he was actually the Reyes Heir.??

    "Young master De Dios knows Cedric?" Martin asked with a grin, he was unaware of the hatred between the two so he thought that the familiarity was a benefit for them.

    "Ha, the irony of that. No Martin. I hate him almost as much as I hate the Reyes Heir." With Chris'' statement everyone grew quiet.

    "Don''t be so harsh Chris. I think Cedric here has seen the errors of trusting the Reyes Family." Carlos De Dios'' voice sent chills down Cedric''s spine. This man was responsible for the attempt on his life, he also wanted to end the Reyes family. If this man somehow found out that it was actually the Reyes Heir sitting on the same table as him Cedric knew Carlos De Dios would not hesitate to kill.

    "I did." Cedric said quietly, not wanting to say more words to the father and son duo.

    "Are you sure he isn''t spying for the Reyes Heir?" Chris asked Martin.

    "No sir. We''ve done a thorough check on him. Nothing unusual. I actually pity him." Martin said as he looked at Cedric with sad eyes. Cedric was confused by Martin''s statement, did they find something out that even he didn''t know? Cedric doubted it but remained silent.

    "How so?" Carlos De Dios asked.

    "May I tell them?" Martin asked Cedric. Cedric who remained clueless to what Martin was referring to simply nodded.

    "His wife has been cheating on him with the Reyes Heir." Martin confidently said. Cedric almost spat his drink when he heard Martin''s conclusion. Now he was curious as to why Martin assumed this. It was of course impossible for his wife to cheat on him with himself.

    "How did you know?" Cedric said as he struggled not tough.

    "Cedric, you don''t need to pretend to be strong. We know that your wife hasn''t beening home to your house for quite a while now. And the baby in her is the Reyes Heir''s right?" Martin asked. Cedric was shocked by the conclusion, it meant that they had also ced a tail to follow Adrianna. Cedric wanted to curse at himself for not thinking that they could tail Adrianna. Cedric was just lucky that they didn''t harm her or that nothing that led to his true identity had been revealed.

    "Yes." Cedric said grimly as he looked down.

    "I assumed as much, you guys have been married for so long and yet you had no child, then suddenly, now she is pregnant. Not only has his wife left him and bore another man''s child, but Cedric is also being forced by the Reyes Heir to stay in the Reyes Group in order to keep an eye on him. Plus the Reyes Heir has done something for Adrianna that Cedric could never, he got revenge on her family." Obviously everything Martin had just said was wrong, but it worked to Cedric''s advantage. The more pitiful he sounded the more Carlos and Chris would trust that he was on the same side as them. The truth was, Adrianna had been taking the pill since they weren''t ready to have a child just yet. They both wanted to wait, Adrianna wanted her career and Cedric wanted the child raised in the Reyes Household.

    "I guess a mutual enemy makes us allies." Chris said to Cedric.

    "See son, if I had killed him like you wanted we would have missed out on such an opportunity!" Carlos De Dios eximed, exposing Chris'' desire to get rid of Cedric.

    "Isn''t killing me going a bit too far Chris. It''s not like I hurt you in any way." Cedric said as if to plead his case.

    "You annoy me, people have died for less." Chris said as he crossed his arms. "If you stay out of my way in the future I will let you live." Chris Garin warned Cedric. Cedric wanted tough at him and say that it was Chris that needed to stay out of his way.

    "Don''t worry Chris, like you, I have a motive for being here." Cedric said with a grin. Things had just gotten moreplicated with Carlos and Chris getting involved, now Cedric knew that the backer was not someone he could just bully away. He may have wanted to take a sit and wait to n his next moves, unfortunately Martin had nned to start executing in the next few days.

    "Are we sure our n will work?" Chris asked Martin, ignoring Cedric''s response.

    "Of course sir. All families like the Reyes n are still very much dependent on those that they are allied with." Martin said, ensuring Chris about their n.

    "You need to keep in mind that the bond between the Reyes n and the others go deeper than just business." Carlos De Dios said as he swirled the wine in his ss. "They will soon be bound by marriage with the Laurences. As for the others I''m not sure on the extent of how close they truly are. The young mistress of the Reyes n is always with the daughters of the others, now as for the Reyes Heir and the four princes I''m not so sure if they are truly friends or simply associates."

    "Even friendships wouldn''t be able to survive our n sir."Carissa spoke up for the first time. "The n will not only show that the Reyes Group is after their own benefit alone, but also that others cannot trust them."

    "Do you have enough people to execute your n?" Carlos asked the three.

    "Yes." This time it was Cedric that answered, he had a good grasp of the people that would be involved in the n as well as the number of people the n required.

    "What will each of you do after the Reyes Group falls?" Carlos De Dios asked Martin, Carissa, and Cedric.

    "My cousin and I will move far away. We want to put the Reyes Group behind us and move on." Martin said with a nod. It seemed like they had nned to leave a long time ago.

    Carlos looked at Cedric, who hadn''t said his ns yet. Cedric considered what to say. He wanted to make sure that he still had an emergency exit should things go bad.

    "I don''t have any ns of leaving the country. But I guarantee you that you will never see or hear of me again." Cedric said, hoping that Carlos De Dios would be satisfied by this answer.

    "Good." I''ll transfer the funds you need right after this." Carlos De Dios said as he moved to stand up.

    "Cedric, won''t you thank me? Maybe get on your knees?" Chris Garin said in a mocking tone.

    "Chris, this isn''t the time for this. The two of you can have your words once this issue is done and settled." Carlos said reprimanding his son.

    The father and son duo left, with Chris looking back and ring at Cedric.

 Chapter 180 - 180

    "So you have bad blood with our backer''s son." Martin said when they were left alone.

    "I didn''t exactly know he had a powerful father. This is actually the first time I''m hearing about this." Cedric said as he shook his head. He quickly recalled that Carlos and Chris hadn''t made their identity public due to Cedric''s treats.??

    "From what I know they are mad at the Reyes family too. Mr. De Dios even attempted to have the Reyes Heir killed in an ident but they failed. After that, the whole family has been followed by the tightest security detail. As a matter of fact we think that the whole Ayanna-Raymund couple had to be announced because of the threat they posed." Martin exined to Cedric. It seemed that Carlos De Dios trusted him enough to let him know about his attempts on Cedric''s and his family''s lives.

    "I''ll head home. I asked for a half day leave." Cedric told hispanions. He needed to talk to his dad.

    "Are you sure you want to go home to an empty house Cedric?" Carissa asked as she stepped a little too close for Cedric.

    "Yeah." Cedric said with a nod as he slowly took a step back.

    "Haha. It seems Carissa is into you." Martin teased. Cedric was shocked at how open the cousins were. Carissa was trying to flirt with Cedric right in front of Martin.

    "Cedric, she''s already cheating on you." Carissa said as she took a step closer. "She''s probably with that man right now. I heard he even bought her Ind''s Inc. How can you be with a woman like that?" Carissa asked as she ced her hand on Cedric''s chest,

    Cedric wanted to shove the woman away and have her dragged out by his security team, if the circumstances were any different he would never allow anyone to speak ill of his wife. But since he needed to keep up the charade, he simply took note of the insult and promised to pay it back a hundredfold when the issue was over.

    "I really have to go. I have someone err- waiting for me." Cedric said as he quickly turned and exited the room. As he left, he heard Martinughing at his cousin and telling her to try harder if she wanted to catch Cedric.

    When Cedric got home he asked the maids if his father had arrived. They told him that the elder Mr. Reyes was in his study on the second floor. Cedric quickly went up and found his father reading a book.

    "Dad, I need to ask you something." Cedric said as he entered the study.

    "What is it?" Emilio Reyes asked as he ced down his book and looked at his son.

    "The syndicate is nning something that they think will tear ourpany apart. On top of that, the backers are Carlos De Dios and his son, Chris." Cedric exined as he stood in front of his father''s desk. "The two leaders that are in contact with Carlos De Dios have an issue with the Reyes Group. Dad, they are saying that we had an employee that died and they want revenge for that."

    "Cedric, many people die everyday, some while at work. We haven''t been immune to these things. It''s a fact of life. Plus we''ve always taken care of those that died while in our service." Emilio Reyes told his son as he leaned back on his seat.

    "They say we imed that the cause of death was a heart attack, but when they looked closer it wasn''t. They say we lied to them about their rtive''s death. Has anyone evere up to us about this?" Cedric asked as he ced a hand on his father''s desk and leaned forward.

    "It can''t be." Emilio said as the color on his face suddenly drained.

    "So we have a hand in this?" Cedric asked his father. He was hoping and praying his father would say no, but from Emilio''s reaction the answer was clear.

    "We do and we don''t." Emilio said as he looked down, he clearly felt bad about this issue. "Is Miguel at the guest house?" Emilio asked Cedric.

    "I think so. Why are you asking for Miguel?" Cedric was now even more puzzled with his father???s odd request.

    "Because I don''t have the right to tell this story, Miguel should." Emilio told Cedric, as his son dialed Miguel''s number.

    Miguel arrived after a few minutes still wearing his white coat. It was clear that he had just arrived from the hospital when Cedric gave him a call.

    "Cedric, Uncle Emilio, what did you need to speak to me about? Please don''t send me and V away." At Miguel''s second statement Cedric and his father burst out inughter, they would never send the young couple away.

    "Don''t worry Miguel, as long as you need it, you can stay." Cedric said, shaking his head. "It was actually dad that called for you." He added.

    "Miguel, please tell Cedric about the man you were named after." Emilio Reyes asked Miguel.

    Miguel was surprised. "Uncle, you knew about Uncle Miguel?"

    Emilio Reyes gave a slow nod and sighed.

    Miguel sat and took a deep breath before finally telling Cedric the story he and his siblings had just told Katerina and Veronica. He told the story without looking anyone in the eye, he always got emotional when remembering his uncle, the man''s story reminded him about how cruel his family could be.

    After Miguel told the story, Cedric was speechless.

    "My uncle Miguel was supposed to be an example for all of us. Tow the line or regret it. The funny thing is all three of us have rebelled in our own way. Eric with his acting, me with my charity work and my refusal to take over Saints, and Nicole with her choice to be with Ian. But it still scares me how far my family is willing to go just to get their way." Miguel said with a sigh.

    "They were supposed to go even further." Emilio Reyes said as he stood up and walked towards the window, he looked out and took a deep breath. "Cora Manalo was a bright and promising employee at the Reyes Group. When she ran away with your uncle she asked for my permission. I''ve always been a sucker for love and I made your uncle Miguel promise to keep her safe. I reminded him about how cruel your family can be. One day, I was surprised to hear that Cora had drowned. Your father came to my office and begged me to find a way to find Cora''s and the baby''s bodies and have them returned to the Manalo family. We only found Cora''s. The Chan family were already looking for a way to dispose of the body and they were nning on telling her family horrible things about her. It was their way of burying the secret."

    "You took the fall." Cedric said as he ced a hand on his father''s shoulder.

    "I had my men steal the body and return it to the Manalo family. We told them she died of a heart attack at work. We sealed the coffin so that they couldn''t see the sad state of her body." Emilio said with a sigh.

    "Was the child really dead?" Miguel asked.

    "There was no body, but a one year old child couldn''t swim. Cora and her child drowned when their boat was sunk." Emilio Reyes exined.

    "Martin''sst name is Manalo. I''m assuming that Cora was their aunt." Cedric said slowly.

    "Cedric, I''m so sorry. All of your troubles are because of my family and their inability to ept people." Miguel said as he looked down and shook his head. "Let me talk to them, let me exin that they are angry at the wrong people."

    "We can''t. The syndicate is backed by Carlos De Dios. This will be used against us." Cedric exined to Miguel. "But, we can use something like this to turn one of the cousins into the fall guy, the one that leaks all the information and ends the syndicate."

    "I''ll do whatever you need Cedric." Miguel said with a determined look.

 Chapter 181 - 181

    Cedric had provided a list of the steps the syndicate was going to take to his father, sister, and their friends. They would allow for some of the actions to take ce but block the others, they made sure that everything that rted back to Cedric would be done, luckily the business link it was targeting to sever was the one with the Laurence family, and Cedric was quite confident with Ray''s acting skills.

    When Cedric met up with Martin over lunch to hand the list back, Martin decided to have a talk with Cedric about Carissa. Martin was still hoping that Cedric could give his cousin a chance since to Martin''s knowledge, Cedric''s rtionship was already on bad terms.??

    "My cousin really likes you." Martin told Cedric as he took the list back.

    "I''m married, Martin." Cedric said as he shook his head and sighed. He would never cheat on his wife, even if Adrianna cheated on him in real life he could never do that.

    "She''s already with someone else Cedric. Stop being a martyr for a woman who clearly loves someone that isn''t you." Martin told Cedric. Cedric was so tempted to punch Martin in the face for saying that his wife was unfaithful and that he should just cheat on her with Carissa. "She''s even carrying another man''s child. Don''t tell me it doesn''t hurt you. It''s too much Cedric."

    "I''m not going to stoop to that level Martin. I''m not like that." Cedric said as he took his te and put it away in the cafeteria. They chose to meet here since Cedric was just handing a list back to Martin, nothing suspicious with what he was doing.

    "Are you ready on your end?" Martin asked Cedric in a low voice.

    "Almost. I just need to speak with Jason, then I should be ready." Cedric told Martin.

    "Good, good. Everything is in ce then." Martin said with a nod. "I''ll see you when things are done." Martin then turned and left Cedric.

    The next day the syndicate''s n began. The first to make a move was Cedric and those he was coordinating with.

    By afternoon the Reyes Group was in the headlines, numerous projects that were in partnership with variouspanies owned by the Laurence and Carpio families were suddenly cancelled after the internal team found issues with the projects.

    Cedric, of course, had no clear hand in the matter, it was only the others around him. Cedric made sure that the evidence couldn''t be traced back, and by the time these people began to say who was involved, the police would know that Cedric was actually undercover for the Reyes Group.

    Later in the afternoon, Carissa''s team was supposed to mess up all of the press and PR releases that woulde out of the Reyes Group. To their surprise the upper management decided to make a change in the process. In the past after things were finalized a junior member would release the statements, this time however the head of the PR department wanted to see everything himself first and personally send the statements out.

    Carissa broke their rule of not contacting each other when she gave Cedric a call. Cedric was surprised that Carissa had called him instead of her cousin. This was the perfect moment to put his n into action.

    "Cedric! Something happened." A frantic Carissa said over the phone.

    "With our ns?" Of course Cedric knew that he had blocked a major issue that the syndicate wanted to use.

    "Yes. I was wondering if you had an idea on what we could do to fix it. We don''t have much time." Carissa was quite worried about how they could get the press releases they had faked out to the public. This part was crucial in driving away investors and partners from the Reyes Group.

    "Meet me tonight. I''ll send you an address." Cedric said. He knew Carissa wouldn''t refuse, he was ying on the fact that she liked him and wanted to get him alone.

    "Alright. Why don''t we have dinner together as well?" Carissa asked in an attempt to push her luck.

    "Sure. Don???t forget the wine." Cedric said as seductively as he could without throwing up.

    After dropping the call, Cedric quickly sent Carissa a message and informed the Chan siblings that the n was on.

    A littleter he heard from the other members that some parts of Martin''s n had gone on well. The government had found malicious documents in the finance department during a random check. The head of finance was now being called in to the police station while members of the Reyes family were now being investigated. What they hadn''t expected however was when they moved to the government projects all the evidence that pointed to bribery and corruption had just disappeared. It was as if a ghost had spirited the documents away.

    This of course was Cedric''s doing. He made Ayanna cause a stir at the department after the evidence was nted. While everyone was distracted, Leon and his men searched the office and disposed of them. Of course everything was a hoax that Martin and the others were hoping could bring division between the Sebastian run government and the Reyes Group.

    The members of the syndicate just shrugged it off since what they saw as the more crucial part of the n had been sessfully implemented. Martin and his team finally were able to breath a little bit better as the first day of their n went on without issue.

    Martin however, tried to contact his cousin. He was worried since Carissa''s part failed. Both he and Cedric had managed to sessfully execute most of their parts while Carissa''s did not take off at all. When Martin finally managed to get through to Carissa she simply told him that she had a back up n and he didn''t need to worry.

    "Cousin, don''t forget that we are doing this for aunt Cora." Martin reminded her.

    "Yes, yes. Don''t worry." As Carissa said this she looked up at the residential building where Cedric said they should meet. "I gotta go. Talk to you tomorrow cousin."

 Chapter 182 - 182

    Martin was sitting at his desk waiting for the media to report the press releases that his cousin had promised woulde out. He trusted her when she told himst night that she was going to find a way for her part of the n to go through.

    At exactly ten in the morning a swarm of police vehicles arrived at R Tower and the cops went to the different floors and departments to arrest the members of the syndicate. As one of the ring leaders, Martin was their first priority. He was doing his work when the police burst into his department''s area and ced him in cuffs.??

    Martin was so shocked with what had just happened that he couldn''t even respond. As they dragged him out of the office, he saw them arresting other members of the syndicate.

    How could they have failed? They had made sure that there were no rats or spies among them. They made sure to check everyone''s background and motivation before bringing them into the fold, how were they caught?

    Martin and the members of the syndicate were brought to the main police station. They sat on the floor as they waited for the charges against them to be brought up.

    Some members shouted for their right to an attorney, but Martin knew who they were up against. They had gone against the Reyes n, people who practically ran the country. With their alliance with the Sebastian family intact, it was clear that the Reyes n would have no issues in disposing of them. How they would be disposed of was a different matter.

    Martin scanned the group looking for Cedric and Carissa, both of whom were missing. At first his doubts went to Cedric being the leak, but with Carissa missing as well it was possible that it was neither of the two. He thought back to it possibly being their backer, Carlos De Dios, but Mr. De Dios had nothing to gain from ratting them out.

    After a few moments, the same police that had arrested him dragged in Chris Garin and Carlos De Dios. The father and son seemed beaten up badly as there was dry blood on them, Martin could even see Chris Garin''s broken nose.

    Martin didn''t dare speak up, if any of them had hope of escaping this it was best if they pretend not to know each other. They were of course not left alone in the room, there were multiple policemen and what seemed to be members of a private security group. It was clear that the Reyes n was afraid that they would try something.

    As Martin looked around the doors opened again, but this time it wasn''t more arrested individuals being dragged in. Martin could clearly see Alexander and Katerina Sebastian walking in with the chief of police.

    "Thank you for your quick response chief." Martin heard Alexander Sebastian say to the chief of police.

    "We were only doing our job congressman Alexander. These men are criminals so of course we should arrest them." The chief of police was clearly sucking up to the president''s son.

    "Will you allow me to say things to them off the record?" Katerina Sebastian asked.

    "Of course, you are the first daughter, we can give you some space." The chief of police said.

    "Please don''t let your men leave. They might try to hurt us." Katerina said with a frown.

    "Yes, yes, Miss Sebastian, we will keep youpany and my men will protect you." To Martin who was just listening, it seemed that the chief of police was acting like a teenager trying to please his crush.

    Katerina and Alexi walked up to the front and looked at the people who had just been arrested. Those that were taken from R Tower were shaken but not hurt. It was a different case for Carlos De Dios and Chris Garin who were taken from their home in the city.

    "You have all offended someone you shouldn''t." Katerina started. "However, if it was just a simple offense we would have let it go. But you all went as far as viting thew and you will all pay for your crimes." Katerina said this in a cold tone.

    "It''s interesting how one of your ring leaders ratted you out while another escaped." Alexi said with a menacingugh. "Who knew that the one to rat you out would be the one rted to your other boss."

    Alexi watched as all the color in Martin''s face drained. He had a look of disbelief, it was impossible that his cousin, Carissa had been the one to turn them in.

    "Whoever can tell us who else was part of this syndicate within the Reyes Group will get a lighter punishment." Alexi dered in a loud voice.

    "There was no one else. It''s just us." Martin shouted. He had already checked the people that were arrested. With the exception of around five or six persons plus Cedric and Carissa, everyone else seemed to have been arrested.

    "Ha! Are you trying to save the others?" Alexi asked as he took a step closer to Martin. He grabbed the man by the chin and lifted his face to look at him in the eyes. Alexi had such a scary look that Martin wet himself from staring at the man. "I will hunt every single one of them down. The Reyeses are like family to me, and you all went after my family." At that Alexi threw Martin to the ground.

    "Take them to prison. Leave these two." Aleximanded pointing at Carlos De Dios and Chris Garin.

    When the members of the syndicate were all gone Carlos and his son were dragged by the police to Alexi''s and Katerina''s feet. When they were close enough Alexi kicked Chris on the face and the man fell back due to the force.

    "I''ve been wanting to do that for months." Alexi said as he called a bodyguard to wipe the blood off his shoe.

    "I never did anything to you." Carlos De Dios said to Alexi.

    "Not to us you idiot." Katerina said in a cold tone. "You tried to kill someone I consider to be my older brother and you made an attempt on someone I see as my sister. You will not be forgiven."

    Alexi ced a cigarette to his mouth and lit it. After a few puffs he squatted down and ced out the cigarette on Chris Garin. Chris who was already in immense pain shouted.

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You are such a horrible person." Alexi said.

    "Alexi, you don''t need to be so harsh." A voice said from the door. Chris'' eyes widened, he knew that voice, and yet it was still different. There was an air of confidence and authority in the tone that caused Chris to shiver involuntarily.

 Chapter 183 - 183

    When Cedric walked into the room he was apanied by his father, Emilio Reyes III. Carlos De Dios and Chris Garin were both on their knees and quite beaten and bloodied.

    "Hello Carlos." Emilio Reyes said in a cold tone that made even Alexi and Cedric shiver. "You''ve met my son right?" Emilio said pointing at Cedric.??

    "Uncle Carlos and Chirs had lunch with me dad. They were quite amodating to the people that wanted to make the Reyes Group fall." Cedric said with a grin.

    "I should let you deal with them Cedric. Carlos did, after all, try to kill you." Emilio said looking at the man on the ground.

    "This is impossible!" Chris shouted hysterically.

    "How? I''m standing before you aren''t I?" Cedric looked down at his former ssmate, someone that bullied and mocked him for years. "Alexi, Katerina, and my father have all acknowledged to your face who I truly am. Do you dare deny their words?"

    "How could you be the Reyes Heir? I??ve known you my whole life. You came from a poor family. Father this is a lie!" Chris said hysterically as he struggled to point at Cedric while keeping his body up. He had been beaten so badly by the police under Alexi and Katerina Sebastian''smand that he could barely stay upright.

    "You''ve known me since high school Chris. Didn''t you wonder where I came before that? I just suddenly appeared in our school with no family. Isn''t that suspicious?" Cedric asked as he looked mockingly at Chris Garin.

    "Shut up Chris." Carlos shouted at his son.

    "You know it''s funny Carlos. Despite growing up away from you your son not only managed to make an enemy of the same family but he also carried the same rotten attitude you had." Emilio said as he looked down on Carlos De Dios.

    "Alexi, get rid of them." Cedric said in a cold harsh tone.

    Alexi nodded at the police who in turn dragged the screaming father and son pair out of the room. They would be thrown into prison where they would not only spend the rest of their lives away from the world, they would also be tortured and beaten as their punishment for making an attempt on the Reyes Heir''s life.

    "I''ll go ahead. This was too much excitement for an old man." Emilio Reyes teased when they were left alone in the room.

    "Alright dad. I''ll see youter at home." Cedric said with a nod as his father left trailed by several guards.

    "You''ve got this syndicate issue settled, what next?" Alexi asked Cedric as he lit a cigarette.

    "I have a few grudges I need to settle." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "What do you need?" Alexi asked his friend. He was sure that Cedric wanted a more personal touch in this matter.

    "Katerina''s awesomewyering skills, Ray''s scary thugs, your political influence, and Ram''s media." Cedric was grinning when he told them that he would be needing their help.

    "Poor Miguel, he has no use." Katerina said with augh. "Just say the word Cedric, we''ll do what we can to help."

    "The Chans have their own issues to settle right now. Martin and Carissa were the nephew and niece of Cora Manalo, the woman their Uncle Miguel loved. It''s up to them if they want to ask for forgiveness or tie loose ends. Either way, their choice." Cedric shrugged as he recalled his discussion with Miguel a few nights ago.

    "Why don''t we discuss those grudges over dinner? I''m sure Ray would be more than happy to empty out the bamboo room for us." Alexi suggested as he took out his phone.

    "Sure, why not?" Cedric said as he moved to take his leave. "I''ll see you at 7pm tonight. I need to get back to R Tower to work."

    "You''re still going around as a regr employee?" Katerina asked, she had expected Cedric to drop the act and move back to managing Mor Co. after the issue with the syndicate was settled.

    Cedricughed and grinned. Of course to their friends the thrill of remaining ordinary eluded them, they were used to being the center of attention their whole lives. "This time I actually have to return as the Reyes Heir, there are some things that need to be fixed."

    Cami and Ian had apanied Cedric to the police station and had brought with them a change of clothes of their boss. Cedric dressed up and fixed his hair, as he looked at himself in the mirror he couldn''t help but grin, when he was all dressed up he really did look like the heir to the country''srgest conglomerate. It was funny how a person''s clothes could change how they looked, Cedric never ced much thought into what he wore, but as the Reyes Heir his sister had made sure to carefully curate every piece of clothing in his closet.

    "Why didn''t you go after the smallpanies that bought information and projects from the syndicate?" Ian asked his boss when they finally got into Cedric''s car.

    "Because I have a different n for them." Cedric said as he read through the tablet Cami had just handed over to him. "I have dinner tonight at the bamboo room with the others. Make sure my schedule is clear enough so that I can pick up my wife from Ind''s Inc." Cedric told Ian.

    "Yes sir." Ian said with a nod as he checked Cedric''s schedule.

    When they finally rolled up to the driveway of R Tower, people''s attention were quickly diverted to the expensive car that had arrived and it''s security convoy.

    Inside Cedric took a deep breath and nodded to his staff as he ced on his sses and face mask. Ian and Cami got off first as the driver ran over to Cedric''s door to open it for him. His security team also moved quickly into ce creating a clear path for him to enter the building.

    The crowd that wasposed of passers by and Reyes Group employees quickly snapped photos of the illusive heir. No matter how hard the girls shouted Cedric just kept looking forward and walked into R Tower.

    Inside he took his private elevator up to the top floor. There were only six offices on that floor, two of which were often empty since they were reserved for members of the Reyes family that managed their business interests abroad.

    When Cedric arrived on the top floor he took off his mask and sses and was greeted by a grinning Ayanna. Aside from the assistants and secretaries Ayanna was the only one in the office. Both Emilio and Prisci had decided to take the day off in order to celebrate getting rid of Carlos De Dios.

    "Mom was incredibly happy when she left earlier." Ayanna said as she greeted her older brother.

    "Carlos De Dios and Chris Garin will be locked up for a very long time." Cedric told his sister with a nod and a grin.

    "Ray told me he would deal with them while they were in prison. His men will make sure they don''t forget who they tried to offend." As Ayanna said this Cedric could see the anger burning in his sister''s eyes. Ayanna always had a temper, and getting engaged to Ray just gave her an even more powerful tool to execute her enemies. "Will you be picking up my sister inw for dinner?" Ayanna asked her older brother.

    "Yes. I''m guessing you wannae." Cedric told his sister who in reply nodded vigorously.

    "I swear, you act like a child when no one is around." Cedric said as he rubbed his sister''s head and walked to his office followed by Ian and Cami.

 Chapter 184 - 184

    Being away from the office for so long meant that the work had managed to pile up. Even if Ian and Cami were around, it didn''t mean that they could handle everything. There were still some things that required their CEO''s attention.

    By the time Cedric was done, it was already well past six and both Adrianna and Ayanna must have been waiting for him for a while.??

    Cedric quickly dialed his wife''s number and asked Ian and Cami to tell Ayanna to meet him at the basement parking.

    "Hello?" Adrianna said over the phone.

    "I''m sorry I took so long honey, Ayanna and I are on our way. How''s the little one?" Cedric asked in a loving tone.

    "It''s okay Ced. I know you''re really busy." Adrianna said over the phone. "Our baby is a little active today. It seems our little one will be quite a handful." Adrianna said with a giggle. Cedric loved everything about his wife, especially herugh, he knew that as long as she was happy he would be happy as well.

    "I''ll see you in a bit. We''ll pick you up at the basement so that people don''t see." Cedric told his wife.

    "See you." Adrianna said in a cheery tone as she dropped the call.

    Cedric didn''t have to wait long as his sister arrived right after he did. They drove to Ind''s Inc. and picked Adrianna up.

    Inside the car, Adrianna held Cedric''s hand and leaned on his shoulder. Cedric knew that being pregnant was tiring so he tried his best tofort his wife.

    "Sister inw, does it hurt to be pregnant?" Ayanna asked Adrianna.

    "Why Ayanna? Do you n on getting pregnant soon? I should warn Ray." Cedric teased. He had no issue with his sister and best friend getting married and having kids. He knew that his parents wanted them to give them grandkids since it took Cedric so long.

    "Oh shut up Cedric!" Ayanna said as she pretended to be pissed off with her older brother. Cedric justughed at her as he held his wife in his arms.

    "It''s not painful, just ufortable sometimes." Adrianna told Ayanna with a smile.

    Soon they arrived at Bamboo Room, everyone had already been waiting for them and they were greeted happily by their friends.

    "Did you see the amount of reporters camping out outside?" Nicole said with a giggle.

    Cedric did notice all of the shes as their car passed through the entrance. It seemed their dinner ns had been leaked.

    "Well I did cancel all the reservations, so people ended up getting suspicious." Ray said with a shrug.

    "I really don''t understand why they are so fascinated with you guys." Natalia sighed.

    "If you came out of yourb more, people would be fascinated with you too." Alexi teased his youngest sister. Cedric knew that Natalia worked in a secretboratory on the pce grounds. She did ssified work for the government that often required her to stay away for weeks and even months.

    "I don''t see what''s so interesting about you Alexi. You''re just a yboy!" Natalia said, sticking her tongue out.

    "It''s not my faultdies love me!" Alexi said, raising his hands. Everyone except Nataliaughed.

    "So Cedric, care to shed some light on who we need to deal with?" Alexi asked in a more serious tone as he leaned back on his seat.

    Cedric looked at everyone and grinned. Of course they were all eager to hear who his next target will be.

    "There are some people I want to pay back for their horrible treatment of me and my friends back when I was in poverty training." Cedric began to exin as everyone listened intently.

    "Do you have a list?" Nicole grinned and half teased. Ian who was seated next to her pinched her on the waist making her yelp in surprise.

    "Ian, Nicole, please save that for the bedroom." Katerina said as sheughed at the blushing Nicole. Her embarrassment made Nicole gulp a whole ss of wine.

    "I have a list and I want to start with the easiest." Cedric exined. He was slightly worried that his friends would think he was being petty, but he had every right to be. They did, after all, step on and look down at him.

    "I want to make these fivepanies suffer." Cedric said as he nodded to Ian to pass the list he had prepared.

    "Shouldn''t be too hard. I work with several of them, if I pull out a project it should cause a panic." Ram said with a shrug.

    "It would be easy to have them investigated as well. No one is clean, everyone has bribed an official or two. Maybe some tax issues." Alexi looked intently at the list as he tried to think if he had encountered any issues with thepanies on the list. He was nning on pinning it on some political rivals, hitting two birds with one stone.

    "Stop drinking! You don''t have a driver and you aren''t vomiting in my car!" Katerina scolded her older brother Alexi. She grabbed the list from him and grinned when she saw the names. "You''re in luck, Cedric. I''m about to file a few cases against one of thesepanies."

    "Why don''t you just ban them Ced?" Ayanna asked as she looked over Ray''s copy of the list. "If we cklist them then they can''t get any projects or any investors. They will close within the day of us doing that."

    "Simple. I want them to suffer. I want it to be a slow burn for all of them. They need to think about who they offended before I show myself to them." Cedric exined to his sister.

    "Ced, isn''t this too much? Isn''t this quite petty?" When Adrianna saw the list she immediately knew what they did to Cedric.

    "They should learn not to look down on people just because of their background. I didn''t put everyone that said no to me on that list Adrianna." Cedric said in a cold but tender tone to his wife. He had his reasons and he was hoping she would understand.

    "Why would Adri say it''s petty Cedric?" Veronica asked. "Clearly they did something to you that Adrianna thinks isn''t that big a deal."

    "They rejected my job applications." Cedric said with augh. It was true every singlepany on the list that Cedric ced werepanies that had rejected him when he was first looking for a job.

    "That''s petty, even for me Cedric." Alexi said, rolling his eyes.

    "It''s not that simple, is it?" Ray asked his friend.

    "No. Each and every one of them rejected me because the son or daughter of some rich or influential person decided they wanted the job I was after. Many of those that took the jobs took it intentionally." Cedric exined to everyone.

    "Not that petty but still petty." Veronica said, rolling her eyes.

    "Don''t tell me these are the only people you are after?" Ram said, raising the list full of suspicion.

    "Of course not. Those are the easy ones. I want to get back at all my bullies as well, then those people who looked down at my rtionship with Adrianna, then there are also all those men that tried to take her from me." Cedric said with a grin that made everyone uneasy.

    "We get it, we get it. You hate a lot of people." Miguel teased.

    "You''re actually the useless one here!" Veronica said, bullying her husband.

    "Woman, can''t you give me a break? But if you wanna y rough, I can y rough." Miguel said with a wink that was loaded with meaning.

    Veronica got annoyed and hit him.

    Everyone burst intoughter, they had never seen such a failed attempt at flirting as Miguel.

    "Cedric, I chose you. You don''t need to go after the people that tried to get in between us." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "Don''t worry Adri. I''m not the Cedric from before. I can stand my own against them." Cedric said with a wink.

 Chapter 185 - 185

    After talking about Cedric''s grudge list, the group turned their attention to lighter topics since the past few days have been heavy on all of them. Each person had their own little battles fought and won over the past week.

    "Katerina, you should bring Cami with you when you go boy hunting next time!" Alexi teased clearly having drank too much. Unlike everyone else''s assistants, Cedric''s had be extended members of the group, especially since both Ian and Cami were both from old rich families that had fallen out of grace in the past generation.??

    "I don''t go boy hunting!" Katerina said in an attempt to defend herself.

    "Don''t lie, Katerina. Justst month I saw you walking out of a bar with that rising star business man. What''s his name again? Miguel, do you remember his name? The one that tried to pay you to operate on his dad." Veronica had be a little more talkative since she had a little wine to drink.

    "Guys, stop it." Katerina said in a serious tone that made her brother shrink in his seat.

    "Katerina''s worse than me!" A drunk Nicole struggled to say as she snuggled in Ian''s arm.

    "You know what, I''m leaving. I''ll see you guys around." Eric said as he stood up and marched out.

    "Eric, wait!" Katerina shouted in an attempt to stop Eric but he refused to turn around. Katerina got out of her chair and red at Alexi and Veronica before chasing after Eric.

    When Katerina was out of sight, Alexi burst intoughter.

    "You''re mean." A drunk Nicole said.

    "What? I''m just helping things along." Alexi said as he reached out to drink another ss.

    "How long have those two been a thing?" Adrianna asked.

    "Ten years or so. Not as long as Miguel''s been chasing Veronica, but the Chan boys like a long chase." Ram teased.

    "Stop drinking already." Veronica scolded Nicole as she got another ss of wine.

    "It tastes good." Nicole mumbles as she hugged her ss.

    "You better take her home Ian. She''s pretty much out of it." Miguel told Ian as he watched his little sister finish her ss of wine.

    "We''ll go then. Thanks for the drink Cedric." Ian said as he helped a drunk Nicole up on her feet.

    "Adrianna and I will see Cami home. Just take care of Nicole." Cedric said with augh. Ian had always cared about his co-workers so Cedric was aware of his concern.

    Ian nodded and said goodbye to the group as he struggled to keep Nicole up.

    "Babe, where are your keys?" Ian asked Nicole as they approached the parking lot.

    "Mmmmm bag." Was all Nicole could mumble.

    Ian helped Nicole walk to the car, when he realized she didn''t take her awfully pink car, he breathed a sigh of relief. It had been incredibly awkward driving that car from the barst time. Ian couldn''t help but smile at the thought of that night. It was the first time Nicole wasn''t shy and was quite sweet with him.

    He noticed that Nicole purposely chose not to bring her bodyguards or assistant to this dinner, as no one approached him as he helped her out of the restaurant, Nicole was clearly being naughy by making sure that Ian was the one that had to take her home.

    Ian ced Nicole in the front passenger seat and made sure her seat belt was fastened tightly. As he lifted himself up to get out, Nicole''s arms suddenly held him and kissed him on the lips.

    Ian was quite surprised, but he wasn''t stupid and was not about to turn down a kiss from his girlfriend. Instead, he deepened the kiss until Nicole ended it, catching her breath.

    "Still drunk babe?" Ian teased.

    "A little." Nicole grumbled.

    "I''ll take you home." Ian told Nicole as he kissed her again.

    "How will you get home?" Nicole asked Ian in her drunken state.

    Ian was touched that his girlfriend would think about him even if she was drunk.

    "I''ll call a cab home." Ian said as he held her hand tight.

    "Mmmm, okay," Nicole said as she shifted in her seat.

    By the time they got to the Chan residence, Ian saw that Nicole was fast asleep, so he decided not to wake her. So he carried her out of the car in his arms, and as soon as he lifted her, Nicole hugged him by the neck and snuggled into him.

    Ian groaned as he felt more ufortable in certain areas due to Nicole''s actions. He was soon greeted by a maid who opened the door for him. It wasn''t the first time that Ian wasing over to the house so the help was quite familiar with their mistresses'' boyfriend. Ian also was familiar with the house so he carried Nicole to her room on the second floor.

    Each Chan sibling had a whole floor to themselves, Nicole took the 2nd, Miguel the 3rd, and Eric the 4th floor. Ian assumed that Eric hadn''t gone home since he didn''t see the actor''s car and none of the lights at the top floor were switched on.

    Contrary to what he had initially expected, Nicole''s room was not pink. It was white and minimalist, and since they hade from a family of doctors, every surface was extremely clean and sterile.

    Nicole''s bed was close to the floor, she had told Ian about how she couldn''t sleep on a bed that was higher than the ground by two feet because she always fell off. The thought of it made Ianugh as he ced his girlfriend down on the bed.

    As he got up to leave, Nicole suddenly hugged him and pulled him onto her bed.

    "Nicole, it''ste. I have to go home. I have work tomorrow." Ian told her as he gently pried her arms off him.

    "Sleep here tonight." Nicole mumbled.

    "Your brothers will catch us." Ian said. No matter what she said, Nicole still had two older brothers that were quite influential.

    "Miguel won''te home, he lives at Mountain View. Eric won''t either. I''m pretty sure he''ll end up in the house next door." Nicole said with a giggle.

    "You''re drunk and very tempting, but I can''t stay. It will end badly if I stay." Ian whispered into Nicole''s ear.

    This tickled Nicole so she ended up squirming underneath Ian, her simple action drove him crazy.

    "Nicole. Behave." Ian said in a stern voice. It was so difficult being around Nicole when she was drunk.

    Nicole bit her lower lip and stole a kiss on Ian''s lips. Ian caught her and deepened the kiss until Nicole was pressed onto the bed and Ian had kicked off his shoes to join her.

    "Why are you so tempting?" Ian groaned as he kissed her neck.

    "It tickles." Nicole said with augh.

    "You make it so hard, babe." Ian teased her.

    "So, you''ll stay?" Nicole asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

    Ian simply nodded in reply and kissed her again. It was going to be a long and tiring night.

    The next day, Nicole woke up to see Ian stepping out of the shower.

    "You just woke up?" Ian asked as he walked over to nt a kiss on her forehead.

    "I''m still tired." Nicoleined.

    "Well, we did exercise a lotst night." Ian whispered into her ear, making Nicole blush. "Anyway I need to go to the office now. Cedric''s left a lot of work during his undercover months, plus we have this whole grudge list to execute. I probably won''t be able to go on a date with you till this weekend."

    "It''s fine. Miguel and I have a few operations over the week that I think will be all nighters, plus the whole managing the hospital part. So I''ll be busy too." Nicole said.

    Ian came out of her walk-in closet all dressed, it seemed he had someone bring him some clothes earlier in the morning.

    "I miss you already." Ian said as he kissed Nicole on the lips and left.

 Chapter 186 - 186

    At R Tower, Cedric arrived to see Ian already hard at work on his desk.

    "How can you have so much energy after dealing with Nicole all night?" Cedric teased as he let out a yawn, he too had been busy with his pregnant wife.??

    "You should be more careful with your wife, sir." Ian said adding the sir as an afterthought.

    "Have the others sent in their ns for the take down?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. Cami and I can discuss it with you now." Ian said as he gathered his notebook andptop.

    "Alright. Then I want to see the expansion report. Construction should be done so make sure to bring Veronica over to start designing the new factories and offices in our new hub." Cedric said as he gave out instructions.

    The princes were all efficient in their work. As soon as the next day started the news was filled with reports about fivepanies people were calling the fatal five. They all woke up to hear that Lights Entertainment, a long-time business partner had decided to end years of cooperation with them.

    When people heard this, it became clear that the fatal five had just offended the Abad family. Companies didn''t get banned all together, it usually happened one at a time, so what they had done must have been something big to get a giant to move like that.

    The senior executives of the fatal five were either moring to fix things or finding a way to jump off the sinking ships.

    Ian reported to Cedric how some had even applied to the Reyes Group saying that they had long intended to leave thepanies they were in.

    The excuses of course made Cedricugh, it was clear to everyone that they were leaving because they didn''t think theirpanies could survive.

    "Make sure that those who are trying to jump ship have a harder time. You can''t escape that easily." Cedric told Cami, who nodded and jotted things down on her notebook.

    "Congressman Sebastian''s assistant called this morning. He''s already gathered evidence against thepanies on bribery, tax evasion, and multiple health andbor vitions. We should hear about all of these in the afternoon." Cam told Cedric.

    "Alexi sure is efficient." Cedric said with a grin. "Have any of thepanies approached us for funding or support?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes sir. Two out of five have already called the Reyes Group." Ian told Cedric.

    "Great. Set up a meeting with each of them. And make sure all five are begging us for support." Cedric ordered.

    Ian nodded and continued to note Cedric''s instructions.

    There was a knock at the door and Cami walked over to see who it was.

    "Miss Ayanna." Cami greeted.

    "Is my brother busy?" Ayanna asked.

    "Come in Ayanna, we were just discussing some things. What do you need?" Cerdic asked after hearing his sister''s question.

    Ayanna''s heels clicked against the hard floor as she entered Cedric''s office. She took a seat on the couch and rxed. Ian came over with a cup of coffee and Ayanna nodded her thanks.

    "If you were talking about your revenge n, no need to make Ian and Cami leave." Ayanna said as she gracefully sipped from her coffee.

    "You have something for me?" Cedric asked as he leaned forward in his seat.

    "I checked our files, we have some partnerships lined up with all five of thosepanies, all for Elisia Malls. It would be a perfect ending for you to cancel the partnerships then ban them." Ayanna said with a gentle smile.

    "You and Ray truly are a match made in heaven. Who else could deliver such news with an innocent smile." Cedric teased his sister who just rolled her eyes at him. "Have your assistant give the documents to Ian or Cami. You''re right, that would be perfect."

    "Why not use Ind''s Inc. too? You do have a stake in it." Ayanna suggested.

    "Are you crazy? Do you want your brother to sleep outside?" Cedric teased.

    ??I doubt Adrianna could resist you." Ayannaughed. "You were still yawning this morning when you stumbled out of the house. And Adrianna was still asleep when I left."

    "Ind''s Inc. ispletely separate. Just as how dad never interferes with the rin Holdings." Cedric warned his sister.

    "First of all dad always interfered, just like you, mom just doesn''t know about it." Ayanna told Cedric. "Second, sister-inw would be more than happy to help you out. Anyway, I''ve got a ton of work to deal with, so bye." Ayanna said as she left his office.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh at his sister, she was truly quite a character. A willful child one moment then a female boss next.

    In the afternoon, the news came in, Congressman Alexander Sebastian''s task force had just discovered that the fatal five had bribed some of his political rivals. As Cedric saw the news he couldn''t help but grin, it seemed Alexi had figured out a way to turn Cedric''s n to his benefit as well. Trust Alexi to be the most cunning and exploitative among them, of course those were skills he needed being in politics.

    "Sir, here''s what''s on social media." Ian said as he handed Cedric a tablet.

    Cedric scrolled over the different forums.

    ''What''s going on? Why are there so many bigpanies falling into traps today''

    ''Did they offend someone?''

    ''My cousin said, pull out all of your investments in them, they will all plummet by dinner time.''

    ''First they cross Lights Entertainment then the president''s son? They must have a death wish.''

    Multiple news outlets had also already picked up on the woes of the fatal five and were constantly reporting about the fivepanies and their going ons in recent years.

    "I didn''t even know some of these things." Cedric said with augh as he read an article.

    "The media is really good at digging dirt up, sir." Ian said as he stood by Cedric''s desk.

    "Has Ram released anything on them yet?" Cedric asked as he handed the tablet back.

    "Mr. Abad''s assistant sent over a schedule of the releases he ns to make." Ian said as he opened a file on the tablet and showed it to Cedric.

    "Any news on Katerina?" Cedric asked as he looked at the schedule Ram had nned.

    "Attorney Sebastian said she would be filing the cases soon. Mr. Abad promised to give her top slot in the news that night when she does file the case." Ian reported.

    "Alright. Keep an eye on how the public reacts." Cedric said as he dismissed Ian.

    The whole day all people could talk about were the fatal fivepanies and how they managed to irk two very powerful men.

    When Cedric got home, he found Adrianna resting on the couch, reading a book, and ying ssical music in the background.

    "Mmm. How''s our little one today?" Cedric said as he sat down beside Adrianna and pulled her into his arms.

    "Behaved. He isn''t giving mommy any issues." Adrianna said as she gently touched her baby bump.

    "How sure are you that it''s a boy?" Cedric asked his wife. "I think it''s going to be an adorable baby girl just like her mother." Cedric said as he kissed his wife on the lips.

    "Behave." Adrianna scolded. "I just have a feeling."

 Chapter 187 - 187

    "Breaking news on the fatal five, Attorney Katerina Sebastian has just filed multiple cases versus all of them on ounts ofbor malpractices as well as insider trading. We go to our reporter on the ground for details." Cedric grinned as he heard the news anchor''s voice ringing out in his office.

    A few moments ago, Ian and Cami came in and switched on the TV. Ram''s assistant had called them to say that Katerina had filed the charges and there was going to be a sh report for it.??

    "Have all fivee begging for our support yet?" Cedric asked as the news continued in the background.

    "We''re still waiting for one more. It seems they aren''t desperate enough to beg yet." Ian reported.

    "They shoulde calling with this new development." Cedric said as he pointed at the TV.

    "Sir will we still push through with the other ns?" Cami asked.

    Cedric thought for a while, would it be too much to truly drive thosepanies to the ground?

    "Yes, nothing changes. Even if they are all begging tomorrow, keep attacking them, but don''t let them go under. Let them suffer." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Very well, sir." Cami said, leaving Ian alone with Cedric.

    "I know you''ll say this is petty." Cedric sighed.

    "No, not really. I understand." Ian said with augh. "I''ve been through a lot too so I know where you areing from."

    "How''s Cami these days? I heard things are getting worse for her family." Cedic asked as he turned his attention to the documents Ian was waiting for him to sign.

    "She''s soldiering on. I find it odd that she hasn''t asked for your help on this." Ian said, giving Cedric his opinion on Cami''s actions.

    "You should look at a mirror." Cedric said with augh. "Plus a lot of people want that satisfaction of being able to havepleted things on their own."

    At a famous restaurant, Adrianna sat waiting for her friends Julia, Natasha, and Sofia. They had nned to have lunch together today since they hadn''t hung out since Cedric dealt with the Hernandez family and handed Ind''s Inc. over to her.

    She was munching on some appetizers she ordered when the discussion of the table next to her caught her interest.

    "My dad is friends with one of the CEOs of the fatal fivepanies, he said they are going crazy over there." A woman told herpanion.

    "But this isn''t some grudge is it? I mean if it were, wouldn''t the vengeful CEO take thepanies down in a day?" Another woman with her asked.

    "You''ve been reading too many novels. The real world doesn''t work that way." A man, who seemed to be the first woman''s boyfriend, said.

    "So they just all happen to be unlucky together?" His girlfriend asked.

    "Of course not." The man said with augh. "I just said things don''t happen that fast, not that they don''t happen. They probably offended someone extremely powerful and influential."

    "Then what do you think they should do?" The other girl asked.

    "Go to someone more powerful. At this rate they should head to the top, see if the Reyes Group can help them. They all have dealings with them anyway." The man said in a confident tone.

    "Whoever did this must have been greatly offended. The fatal five must have done something so horrible to receive such vicious treatment." The girlfriend said.

    Adrianna wanted tough, the fatal five didn''t do something shockingly morbid, they just pissed off her incredibly petty husband.

    "Adri! We hope you didn''t have to wait long. Traffic was really bad." Julia said as they sat down.

    "Oh it''s alright." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Have you heard about what''s happening? This whole fatal five business? It''s all anyone can talk about." Natasha immediately asked.

    "Of course she would know Natasha, don''t be so daft." Sofia teased.

    "Is it true that the only way they will survive is if they go to you know who?" Julia asked in a low voice.

    Adrianna grinned. "That''s exactly what he wants. For them to go to him." Adriannaughed as she thought of the idea that everyone was floating around, that the only way for the fatal five to survive was to approach the very man who had organized their downfall.

    "He''s behind this?" Julia gasped.

    "What do you think those fivepanies all have inmon? This is all because of his pettiness." Adrianna said, shaking her head.

    "Wait, didn''t he apply for all of them?" Natasha suddenly realized. "If I remember correctly you told us that he already had job offers from them. I always wondered why he ended up in a smallpany like Mor Co. when he got offers from giants like those."

    "They all decided to hire children from rich families because thepanies needed the connections." Adrianna exined. "On top of that, each one of them were people who Cedric knew. I''m not sure if he was on friendly terms with them or not, but he and countless others lost opportunities like that because they chose to look at thest name over the skills."

    "If I didn''t know that part I''d say the Reyes Heir was petty." Juliaughed. "Come on, let''s eat!"

    A weekter.

    Cedric was waiting in his office when Ayanna entered followed by multiplewyers and assistants, all of whom were within the confidential circle that was entrusted with Cedric''s identity.

    "Do you really need to bring this many people?" Cedric asked as he stood and put on his coat.

    "A little show of force never hurt anyone." Ayanna said with a shrug. "Our guests are in Nouveau, ording to my sources they came inining about how all of their locations have suddenly had an influx of gang members and gang conflicts outside." As Ayanna said this, of course sheughed, it was all Ray''s doing after all.

    "Are the documents all in order?" Cedric asked their chief legal counsel as he ced on his facemask.

    "Yes sir. Everything is in order." The legal counsel said. "We even sent Attorney Katerina a copy."

    "Good. Go on ahead to the meeting. Ayanna and I will follow." Cedric instructed.

    When everyone had left Ayanna began toin. "I wanted to march in there with all of them behind us. It would be so bad ass, like in a movie!"

    "Sending them there first will make the CEOs of the fatal five nervous." Cedric said with a grin. He checked his reflection in the mirror and made sure to fix himself.

    Ayanna rolled her eyes as she saw Cedric practicing his posture in front of the mirror.

    "You look intimidating as it is. You don''t need to practice that." She scolded her brother. "Is dad even aware of your ns?"

    "Of course he is. He''s in the next room if you want to ask." Cedric said as he kept looking in the mirror.

    "Nevermind. I guess I trust you." Ayanna said.

    "If you''re bored you can call Ian in, he came inte today." Cedric said with augh.

    "No, it''s fine. I''ve teased Nicole enough." Ayanna said with a giggle. "She stops replying after a certain time."

    "I never thought that sweet innocent girl had it in her." Cedric joked.

    "Can we go now?" Ayannained.

    Cedric looked at his watch. It seemed enough time had passed and their guests should be nervous enough now. "Alright,e on." Cedric said as he walked out.

    When Ian and Cami noticed the door to their boss'' office opening they quickly took their tablets and went to the elevator to open it for him.

    When they got to Nouveau''s floor it was empty. Cedric had the whole floor emptied out in order to execute his n. The only upied table was the one near the window where the CEO''s of the fatal fivepanies were waiting anxiously.

    Cedric walked over with so much confidence that it made everyone else uneasy, especially Ayanna, Ian, and Cami. It was a wonder how Cedric could just switch on his CEO aura whenever it suited him.

    When Cedric arrived, everyone stood and tried to greet him. They were all met with a grunt as he passed. Cedric sat with the sun behind him, to their guests it seemed like the Reyes Heir was shining in the sunlight.

    "Sir, please we need your backing. We don''t know what we did wrong, why are your friends targeting us?" One of the CEO''s finally spoke up.

    "The documents." Cedric told the chief legal counsel.

    An assistant appeared behind each CEO and handed them a copy of the documents.

    "From today onwards, the Reyes Group is cancelling all of our contracts and partnerships with you. We are also pulling out any and all investments we have made. On top of that you are all cklisted." Ayanna said confidently.

    The five CEOs were in shock. They hade on the premise of getting help from the most powerfulpany in the country, instead they got handed their death sentence.

    "Why?" Was all one CEO could ask.

    Cedricughed. This made the CEOs all nervous.

    "Simple, you all cancelled your job offers to me because some rich man''s child wanted the job." Cedric said as he stood up to leave. "By midnight tonight, all yourpanies will be gone."

    "Sir, all these for one small problem?" A CEO managed to say as Cedric walked away.

    "To you it''s a small matter, but to others, it''s the difference between life and death. That''s all you will get." Cedric said as he walked out followed by his sister and two assistants.

    The legal counsel and Ayanna''s assistants and secretaries together with some bodyguards remained in order to escort the CEOs out of R Tower.

 Chapter 188 - 188

    News about the fall of the fatal five spread like wildfire. Everyone was shocked to hear that hours after meeting with the Reyes Group all fivepanies had closed down.

    At Mountain View, Cedric sat at the backyard bar with Miguel as he grinned ear to ear.??

    "Aren''t you d I live here? You have a drinking buddy." Miguel teased his friend.

    "When is Veronica going to finish your house?" Cedricined.

    "You''re the one that keeps giving her projects! First you gave her your tech hub project, then Ayanna gave her the Elisia Malls project, then yesterday some prince in Saudi Arabia called asking her to fly over and talk about his new pce. How can she build our house when she''s being called by a price! A freaking prince!" Miguel said, clearly venting his frustration that a prince had called his wife over to a different country. Veronica was set to leave in a week after she presented the Elisia Malls project design.

    "Just go with her. If you''re so insecure." Cedric said as he looked at the drink in his ss. Miguel had always been the type toin first and actter, the upside being he always acted.

    "I will. I made Ray threaten her that she couldn''t get on a ne if I weren''t there with her." Miguel proudly said.

    "Ram has his own ne." Cedric said, pointing out the loophole Miguel had missed.

    "She won''t go to him. That''s the Abad ne." Miguel said confidently.

    "If you say so." Cedric said with a shrug. "I never got to thank you for what you did with Carissa. So thanks."

    "It''s nothing. It''s my grandparent''s fault anyway, who knew that telling them the truth and taking care of her grandparents and parents would be enough to get her to turn on Martin." Miguel told Cedric. It came as a shock to Cedric that when Eric, Miguel, and Nicole apologized to Carissa, she ended up breaking down into tears. They had actually been prepared to force the information out of Carissa. It seemed he had misunderstood her from the start.

    "It feels great to finally settle the problem with the syndicate and move on with my grudges! Revenge is amazing!" Cedricughed as he emptied out his ss and poured a new one.

    "Speaking of revenge, will you let me have mine now?" Miguel asked.

    "Of course. Ayanna''s already working on one part, you go handle the rest." Cedric grinned at his friend. Miguel was truly willing to step outside of hisfort zone just for the woman he loved.

    "Great! I''ll start tomorrow. I don''t have any operations for at least a week. Well, at least until the next difficult emergency rolls into Saints." Miguel said as he got up and began to leave. "Night Ced! Good luck on your other grudges."

    "Good luck in getting into your wife''s bed!" Cedric teased.

    Miguel shook his head as he went back to the guest house. He had been chasing Veronica for over a decade now, but he still remembered the moment he realized he loved her.

    It was a sunny day, Miguel was sixteen and Veronica or Anna as she was called at that time was thirteen, he had juste back from America where he just started taking up medicine. As usual,Anna began to bully him the moment he arrived back in the country, forcing him to apany her everywhere and buy things for her. He, of course as always, did as she wanted, and that''s when he realized that the only thing he was after was to see her smile.

    "Why are you just standing there like an idiot?" Veronica''s question pulled Miguel back from his daydream. He hadn''t realized that she was in the kitchen getting a ss of water.

    "Nothing much." Miguel suddenly pulled Veronica into his arms. He was immediately met with a p on his face making him wrap his arms tighter around her.

    "Let go! We aren''t that intimate yet!" Veronica shouted.

    "Kiss me and I''ll let you go." Miguel teased.

    "Stop with your tricks." Veronica said, fighting back.

    "Just one kiss, V." Miguel winked.

    "Fine." Veronica said. Miguel noticed she seemed tired since she chose not to argue back.

    Miguel took advantage of her surrender and kissed her passionately on the lips. He then suddenly lifted her bridal style making Veronica wrap her arms around his neck.

    "Put me down!" Veronicained.

    "You''re tired, wifey. Let me carry you back to our room." Miguel whispered into Veronica''s ear.

    Miguel took her up to their room and gently ced Veronica on the bed. Afterwards, he turned around and went to take a bath.

    By the time he was done, his little woman was fast asleep and shivering. He got her an extra nket and ced it on her. As he looked at her, he noticed how peaceful and harmless she looked in her sleep, a vast difference from how feisty she was when awake.

    He recalled how much she had gone through and how little he could do to help when she was in trouble.

    Miguel had just passed the board exam and had gotten his license as a doctor, he decided to return home and continue his career through Saints Hospital. At neen, he had spent most of his life studying and trying to meet the expectations of both his parents and the board of Saints Hospitals. He didn''t even have time to date, what was the use, he only wanted one woman anyway, the woman he fell in love with from the very start.

    Miguel had made it a point toe home at least once every three months, he would stay for a week or two then fly back to America to continue his studies. One time, he was surprised to see Ram picking him up at the airport, he was already suspicious as his friend approached.

    "Did you send my car away?" Miguel asked as he greeted Ram.

    "Let''s get in the car first." Ram had a grim aura around him as he signaled for a bodyguard to pick up Miguel''s things. People around them were already craning their necks when they saw the fancy car and the bodyguards.

 Chapter 189 - 189

    Ram got in the driver''s seat and Miguel sat next to him. "What''s up? What''s with the shady actions?" Miguel asked Ram as he drove off in his sports car.

    "My parents want to arrange a marriage for Anna." Ram said, Miguel could feel his heart breaking at the idea of Anna being with someone else. "You love her, right?"??

    Ram''s question caught Miguel by surprise, he thought he hid it quite well. He never did anything that would explicitly show his feelings toward Anna.

    "Are you crazy Ram? She bullies me all the time. How can I love someone that can''t even treat me right." Miguel grumbled.

    "She''s been getting close with the Evangelista kid. They aren''t on the same level as us, but a marriage between them would still benefit us." Ram continued to exin as they sped through the highway.

    "That brat? He just uses her." Miguel''s voice came out louder than he had intended making Ramugh.

    "The parents are just talking, nothing is final, but I think they areing close to a deal." Ram said as he sped through the highway.

    "She won''t be happy with him." Miguel whispered.

    "She likes him enough to spend time with him. I heard he ns on taking the same major as her when they go to University, he even wants to go to the same school." The more Ram told Miguel about the Evangelista kid the more mad Miguel felt.

    "Why are you telling me this?" Miguel asked Ram.

    "You love my sister, right? I just thought you deserved a fighting chance." As Ram said this, they arrived at the Chan home and Miguel got out of the car and marched away.

    The entire two weeks he was home at that time, Miguel avoided Anna at all costs, what use was falling in love with someone that would be marrying a different person. He had no ns of suffering through that kind of pain.

    After two weeks, he couldn''t keep avoiding Anna anymore, especially since his younger sister Nicole was her best friend. On one of Miguel''s days off from the hospital, Nicole decided to drag him out to go shopping. He was so tired that he just agreed and was suddenly shoved into a car with Nicole and Anna.

    Anna had her usual annoyed look when she saw that Miguel would be joining them.

    "You''re here to help us." Anna said.

    "I know, you guys need a man to help you carry the things you buy." Miguel said with augh. Anna rolled her eyes at him and Miguel grinned. How could he resist not seeing her as soon as he came back.

    "Miguel, Anna is mad cause she thinks you''ve been avoiding her." Nicoleined to her brother.

    "I didn''t say that! Nicole shut your big mouth!" Anna said, as Nicoleughed at her flustered friend who was blushing in embarrassment.

    "Did you miss me, Veronica?" Miguel said with a wink, using the made up name he had given her when they were kids. Anna always hated her name and when they would y games she would use different names all the time. Eventually Miguel started calling her Veronica and she liked it, so as children he would call her by that name when they yed games. As they got older however, it became a running joke.

    "Who would miss an idiot like you?" Anna said, turning her back on Miguel. He loved how she reacted to every attempt to flirt that he made.

    When they got to the mall, Miguel was surprised to see Jason Evangelista and another girl waiting for them.

    "Who are they?" Miguel asked, pretending not to know.

    "Anna''s best friend. I think she secretly likes him." Nicole giggled.

    "I thought you guys were best friends?" Miguel asked in an indifferent tone.

    "She can have more than one best friend, but I don''t like him that much. He''s too confident." Nicole told her brother.

    "He must be something if you think he''s too confident, we''re friends with Alexi after all." Miguel said as he continued to re at Jason who had just hugged Anna.

    "Alexi is different. He can back up his confidence. Anyway, let''s shop." Nicole said as she dragged her brother into the mall.

    The whole time they were shopping Miguel kept his eye on Jason, he noticed the guy kept pointing things out and Veronica would buy it for him. She seemed to be doing everything he asked for.

    By the end of their trip, it looked like Jason had robbed a whole closet with the things Anna bought for him.

    They were about to leave when Miguel''s phone began to ring, it was Ram.

    "Hey, are you still at the mall?"Ram asked over the phone.

    "Yeah. What''s up?" Miguel asked.

    "Wait for me. There''s a car show at the parking lot. I wanna take a look." Ram said.

    Miguel agreed and sent the girls off ahead. He only had to wait five minutes before Ram finally arrived in a cab.

    "What happened to your car?" Miguel asked.

    "I''m here to check out what cars people are boasting about, I don''t want to steal their attention. Plus I didn''t want the security team following me." Ram said with a shrug.

    Ram and Miguel stayed behind the crowd and watched as people observed the cars on disy, Miguel grinned. Most of his friend''s cars were even better than these.

    "She buys me everything I want!" Miguel heard a familiar voice boast. He absolutely hated men who acted that way, he was probably using a richdy to buy the things he wanted.

    "You''re so lucky, man. That Abad chick sure is loaded." The other person''sment suddenly grabbed Miguel''s attention.

    "My parents are even talking about marriage with hers. I don''t want to spend my life with her, but rich husbands tend to have mistresses so I''ll probably take one of her family''s actresses." Miguel suddenly realized who it was. Jason Evangelista.

 Chapter 190 - 190

    Miguel continued to watch Veronica as she slept peacefully. He gently kissed her on the lips and walked over to the couch. He was d that it seemed that fate itself intervened when it came to his rtionship with Veronica.

    If it hadn''t been for his sister''s invitation he wouldn''t have been at the mall when Ram watched the car show. He recalled how he told Ram to put his name as a possible husband for Anna. Of course the Abad family jumped at the opportunity, the Chans were the Chans, and the Evangelista family was nothingpared to them.??

    Miguel remembered the day Uncle James told Anna about their engagement. She stormed out of the restaurant and Miguel chased after her. It waste at night and raining heavily, he was worried she would get into an ident or get sick because of the rain.

    He eventually found her in a park crying. When he finally approached, she seemed weak and couldn''t recognize him, she eventually fainted as he picked her up in his arms and brought her to the hospital. He stayed by her side till she eventually woke up. She was still feverish so she thought it was Ram that was with her.

    After their engagement, Anna started treating Miguel coldly. She often ordered him around or justpletely ignored him. It hurt him a bit, but it was better than her marrying someone like Jason.

    Eventually Miguel had to go back to America again for further studies. During the time he was studying, he didn''t return home as much anymore, so he was surprised to hear that Anna had a big fight with Jason and that she had even pulled out of school.

    It was her mother, Victoria Bernasconi-Abad, that called Miguel asking him to talk to Anna. The Abad family had already threatened to cut her off after she refused to be engaged, Victoria was afraid that the Abad n would actually disown Anna. Miguel called everyone and looked for a way to help her. It was Ayanna that eventually suggested in helping her start a new life elsewhere and creating a career out of her passion.

    Nicole, Ayanna, and Katerina pushed Anna to consider flying to Paris to study and to change her name. Ram promised Anna that the Abad family would pay for everything, when in truth it was Miguel that was paying for all of her expenses.

    When her mentors or the university needed a guardian''s signature, Ayanna had convinced Prisci rin-Reyes to pretend to be Mrs. Bernasconi. As Anna was about to leave for Paris, Miguel then decided to drop an opportunity in America and take up a post in one of France''s public hospitals instead; something the Chan family heavily opposed. It was this move of Miguel''s that convinced his father, Raphael Chan, to groom Nicole to take on the family business.

    Veronica, as she had already been styling herself at the time, lived at Miguel''s house. Ram visited once, and questioned Miguel while Veronica was attending her sses.

    "Why not tell her that it''s you? That you''re paying for everything." Ram asked Miguel.

    "Because if she knew, she would throw all of the opportunity away just to reject my help. She has a lot of pride." Miguelughed.

    "Fine. You know her best. But do I really need to give her this card? She''ll just go shopping with it. Won''t she make you poor?" Ram asked as he waved a ck card.

    "Do you really think I work for charity? One operation earns me in the hundreds of thousands, Veronica''s shopping sprees won''t hurt. Trust me." Miguel said with a grin.

    The thought of Veronica having relied on him this whole time made Miguel smile in the dark, as he looked over at her from the couch. The fact that he now slept in the same room as her at night made him extremely happy.

    Miguel woke up the next day recharged and ready to work on his n. He knew that Veronica had a meeting at the Reyes Group in an hour so he didn''t expect to find her still in bed. Heughed at first, but when he realized she would be furious for beingte he frowned.

    He called his wife''s secretary telling her to move her meeting with Elisia Malls by an hour. It wouldn''t be an issue anyway since Ayanna would be in that meeting too.

    He gently woke Veronica up.

    "Let me sleep some more." Veronicained.

    "If you sleep more, you''ll bete for your meeting with Ayanna. Look at the time." Miguel was gently shaking her when her eyes snapped open and she grabbed her phone.

    "Crap." Veronica said as she realized the time. She quickly jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom.

    "I had your meeting moved. No need to rush." Miguel called out. "I''ll bring you to R Tower myself and wait for you. I need to talk to Cedric anyway." He did not need to talk to Cedric.

    "Who told you to move my schedule! What if I had ns?" An irritated Veronica said.

    "Rx V." Miguel said hugging her from behind. Veronica squirmed in his arms. "I cleared it with your secretary, no conflict." Miguel stole a kiss on her cheek and released her.

    Miguel drove Veronica to R tower and when they got there he opened the door for her and helped her out. He passed his keys to a bodyguard and walked into R Tower hand in hand with his wife.

    "Wow, Miss Veronica is so lucky, Doctor Miguel Chan is so hot!" A girl said as they passed by. Miguel grinned at his wife who in turn pinched him.

    They hadn''t gone out much in public as a couple so as soon as people saw them several employees took out their phones to snap photos.

    Miguel was actually doing this on purpose, the more noise they made as a couple and the more the public made it seem that they had won in life, the more he was sure Jason would be annoyed by taking Veronica for granted.

    Since they were friends of the Reyes Family, the couple took the private elevator up to the top floor where the meeting would be held. Since the project involved Ayanna they could have the meeting in the executive boardroom that was only used when a member of the Reyes family was involved.

 Chapter 191 - 191

    Fate seemingly sent an interesting twist their way, as the elevator doors opened on the top floor they just so happened to bump into Jason Evangelista and his team.

    Miguel grinned at the opportunity. He suddenly grabbed Veronica by the waist and kissed her passionately.??

    "Ah Miss Veronica is so lucky to have such a loving husband, she''s truly a winner in life." A female member of Jason''s team said with a sigh.

    "She''s not that amazing." Jason said in a bitter tone as he started to walk away.

    He stopped in his tracks when he saw Ayanna and a man, who seemed to be the Reyes Heir, approaching.

    "Miss Ayanna, good morning." Jason greeted.

    Ayanna ignored him and continued to walk.

    "Really guys? We get it, you''re in love. Not in my office please." Ayanna teased her friends. When she and her brother stumbled into the scene, she knew exactly what Miguel was trying to do. He was showing Jason how much of a catch he missed.

    "Ayanna, Mr. Reyes, sorry about that. I guess I just couldn''t resist my amazing wife." Miguel said as he released Veronica.

    "Well I need to take your wife away for our meeting. Go and hangout with my brother." Ayanna said with a smile as she dragged Veronica to the meeting room.

    When everyone had left, Cedric shook his head and invited Miguel over to his office to wait.

    Once inside Cedric sat and continued to work while Miguel looked for a new opportunity to embarrass Jason since Cedric had stopped hisst attempt.

    "Is the art auction this weekend something big?" Miguel asked Cedric as he scrolled through the list of events that Jason was set to attend.

    "Should be, why?" Cedric asked.

    "Jason is going to be an appraiser for artworks. I''ll have Ram drop the expose about him a day before that." Miguel said as he dialed Ram''s number.

    After an hour, Veronica and Ayanna entered Cedric''s office. Miguel was lounging on the couch while Cedric was working at his desk.

    "Done?" Miguel asked as they came in.

    Veronica just nodded.

    "Bye." Miguel said as he pulled his wife out of Cedric''s office and walked to the elevator. Miguel was trying to catch Jason and his team while they waited for the elevator.

    "Darling, you''re amazing!" Miguel said in a loud voice as they approached the elevator. "First this partnership with Ayanna, then we''ll be flying out so you could design a prince''s pce."

    As Miguel said this, he looked over to Jason who seemed furious.

    "Miguel, don''t embarrass me." Veronica said as she blushed.

    "Everyone says you''re the top designer now. Look even the famous J will be working for you." Miguel said with a grin. As he said this, he looked again at Jason who was looking away, what Miguel had said clearly struck a chord.

    When the elevator door finally opened, Veronica dragged Miguel in.

    "Are you crazy?" Veronica gave Miguel a cold re as the elevator descended.

    "Crazy for you." Miguel whispered into her ear as he held her tight. Miguel was feeling lucky so he nted a passionate kiss on Veronica''s lips. He grinned when he realized that she wasn''t going to fight back. The little woman must have been moved by his attempt to embarrass Jason.

    When Miguel finally broke off the kiss, he was happy when he noticed Veronica smiling.

    "Did you enjoy embarrassing him?" Miguel asked.

    "Mmmm, yeah. Today was a good day." Veronica held Miguel''s hand as they walked out of the elevator and into the lobby.

    Miguel''s car was already waiting at the driveway. He first opened the door for his wife and helped her in before going to the driver''s side and speeding away.

    "Shall we bum around at Mountain View? Or do you want to go to the mall?" Miguel asked.

    "I need to go to the office. The months in hiding left a ton of paperwork, plus I need to work on the ns for both Elisia Malls and Cedric''s Tech Hub, add to it that the construction of Mor Co.''s new building is about to begin. I also have other clients to work with." Veronica exined.

    "Okay, okay. I''ll drop you off then go to the hospital. They might need some help." Miguel said as he changed directions.

    Veronica had built her own firm after returning to the country. Miguel had given her a piece of property in a high endmunity outside of the Capitol. He always told her to think of it as an engagement gift, and since she was already getting engaged against her will, Veronica decided to happily ept it.

    Over the years Miguel had seen the firm grow, from a group of five with Veronica handling most of the work there were now at least sixty employees. Miguel didn''t even count the construction workers that they hired for their builds, if he did then her employees would be in the hundreds.

    "Call me when you''re done." Miguel said with a wink as he drove off.

    The rest of the week was quite peaceful, Miguel had entered into a new routine, he would drive Veronica to wherever she needed to go before heading off to Saints Hospital to help out. Miguel was extremely happy because Veronica had done nothing to reject him recently. He even got as far as kissing Veronica in public.

    Soon enough it was Friday, there was going to be a very important auction the next day and as one of the most elite members of society Miguel and Veronica, as well as their friends were invited.

    At first, Veronica didn''t want to go since she knew that Jason would have an important role to y in the event. Nicole, however, managed to convince her that her being there as a member of both the Abad and Chan families would irk Jason even more.

    It was almost 10pm when Miguel got a call from Ram.

    "It''s out. The organizers for tomorrow will be in a panic now." Ram said over the phone.

    "Great. I think they''ll suddenly need to rece Jason. I told Veronica''s assistant to give me a call if that happens and not to tell Veronica." Miguel exined.

    "She''s gonna be pissed when she finds out. How did you get all of this information by the way?" Ram asked. Miguel knew that Ram had been trying to find some proof on Jason for years but failed to find any. Jason cleaned up well, Miguel was just better.

 Chapter 192 - 192

    "Three years ago, I was on a medical mission in one of the most difficult ces to reach in the country. That''s where I met a group of people who had been sent there because of Jason." Miguel said in a grim tone.

    "What do you mean?" Ram asked.??

    "After Jason stole their work, he promised to pay them, instead he shipped them off to that very same vige I went to. When I heard their story I took them with me, faked their death certificates, and moved them. Their health has been in such bad condition that they''ve been living in a Saints Hospital for the past five years." Miguel exined.

    "I never thought he could be that cruel." Ram was clearly surprised with the lengths the man would take. "But why wasn''t that part of the file you gave me? I''m sure that is much worse than any stealing and faking he has done."

    "The people I saved asked me not to. They asked that I keep the fact that they are alive hidden from people, they don''t want Jason to go after their families. I told them I could protect them but they refused. They all said they were content living together, they considered each other to be their new family now." Miguel told Ram.

    A few minutes after dropping the call with Ram, Veronica''s assistant called Miguel and informed him that the auction organizers wanted Veronica to rece Jason as the award recipient and guest of honor at the event.

    Miguel told her to tell the organizers that Veronica would be willing as long as Jason was left uninformed of the change. To entice the organizer to agree to what he wanted, he also promised that if they did that the Reyes Heir would attend together with Ayanna Reyes.

    Miguel didn''t have to wait long for the organizer''s response. Of course they would agree to what he wanted, just getting one of the Reyeses to attend would pull in droves of socialites toe as well. On top of that the spending limit did not exist for the Reyes family.

    After getting the organizers to agree Miguel faced his second problem, convincing Cedric.

    When Cedric and Adrianna came down for breakfast the next day, their senses were attacked by the delicious smell of breakfast. They were surprised to see everyone at the dining table, including Ray.

    "Miguel cooked." Ray greeted happily as he saw the couple.

    "Why are you here so early?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "I''m taking Ayanna shopping then to Maureen''s to prepare for the auction tonight." Ray exined. "Did you get an invite, Adri?" Ray asked looking over Cedric.

    "I did, but I don''t think Cedric would be fine with me going." Adri said as a maid ced food in front of her.

    Everyone got distracted when Miguel hummed while walking out of the kitchen carrying Cedric''s favorite breakfast food. He walked over and ced the te in front of Cedric.

    "This is very suspicious Miguel." Cedric said. "You should be cooking for your wife, not for me." Cedric teased.

    "Veronica had to go to work early." Miguel said with a shrug as he sat on the chair across Cedric.

    "Miguel you are an amazing chef!" Prisci praised.

    "Thanks Auntie, I can open up a restaurant if my medical career fails." Miguel joked.

    "What do you want?" Cedric red at Miguel.

    "A favor." Miguel grinned.

    Cedric sighed, of course he would say yes to his friends, that didn''t mean he wasn''t going to make them work for it.

    "What is it this time?" Cedric asked.

    "Go to the auction as the Reyes Heir." Miguel said.

    "And what about my very pregnant wife?" Cedric asked as he pointed at Adrianna.

    "She can go with Ayanna, and you can go with them. Bring uncle and auntie too and make it a family affair." Miguel proudly said.

    "What are you willing to trade for this?" Cedric asked with a grin.

    "Do it for the sake of our friendship, please." Miguel said.

    "You cook, once a week, for a month." Cedric offered.

    "Deal!" The fact that Miguel didn''t even haggle made Cedricugh.

    "What''s so important about this auction anyway?" Cedric asked as he ate a spoonful of the food Miguel had cooked.

    "Oh, we''ll be embarrassing Jason Evangelista. Haven''t you seen the news yet?" Miguel asked.

    Cedric took out his phone and searched for thetest news. Everything was about how Jason Evangelista was a fake. Abad News Network was the first to release the evidenceing from an anonymous source.

    As soon as Ram''spany released the article it blew up everywhere. People were checking his old work and realizing that they did seem simr to the work of other artists who all retired due to various reasons.

    "You got this information and released it?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    Miguel nodded and grinned. "Even the whole auction thing is for V." Miguel proceeded to tell everyone about his n.

    "Idiot, you should have said that from the start. I wouldn''t even have haggled if I knew it was for Veronica." Cedric told Miguel.

    "We''ll go too." Emilio Reyes told Miguel. "This might be fun to watch."

    "Of course Gracia and Charles will being with us too!" Prisci Reyes said excitedly.

    "Mom, people might ask questions." Ayanna warned.

    "Don''t worry. I could just say we took them under our wing since you and Adri are such good friends." Prisci told her daughter.

    "Adri, I''m sorry I can''t go with you as your husband." Cedric told his wife apologetically. "But here. Use this to buy whatever you want." Cedric said as he fished out his ck card from his wallet.

    "Don''t be silly. Of course it''s alright." Adrianna said as she nted a kiss on her husband''s cheek.

    "So it''s settled. We''re all going." Miguel said with a grin.

    Cedric just nodded back. He knew that this evening was going to be quite exciting to watch and Jason was soon going to find out that he messed with the wrong person.

 Chapter 193 - 193

    Cedric was dressed in a fancy suit while he sat in his car. Adrianna would ride with Ayanna and Ray to the event while he would arrive separately. Cedric was worried that something might go wrong during the auction that could harm Adrianna and the baby, and as a result he increased the security. They would pretend to be there for Ayanna, but in truth they were there for Adrianna''s protection.

    As the Reyes Heir, Cedric was not supposed to arrive early, as a matter of fact he was scheduled to arrive just a little bit before his parents and inws. He knew from Adrianna''s message that she, Ayanna, and Ray had arrived at the event ten minutes ago and they were socializing with people.??

    The others had already arrived as well. Before the official auction there was a party where businessmen and socialites, as well as some actors like Eric, could mingle with each other. Rtionship building was quite central to events such as these.

    Every so often Cedric would send a message to Ray or Ayanna checking on how Adrianna was doing, he knew that Adrianna wouldn''t tell him if something was wrong, she would probably just keep her tough girl act and soldier on.

    It seemed that from Ray and Ayanna''s messages, his wife was using the event to meet people who could help in making Ind''s Inc. even bigger.

    When Cedric''s car arrived at the venue, he saw that members of the press and some fans were lined up on one side of the red carpet where guests were supposed to pass. Normally, Cedric would have found a way to avoid all the attention, but as part of the deal Miguel had made, Cedric had to be seen publicly attending the event.

    As Cedric walked down the red carpet he acted quite indifferently, he decided to keep the whole cold, mysterious CEO persona. He could hear the photographers and some fans calling for the Reyes Heir to turn around. Some women were even shouting, asking to be his mistress. Cedric of course, ignored them. He could also hear the reporters shouting questions, he even heard one ask when he would show the world the mysterious Mrs. Reyes. Ever since the day it was announced that the Reyes Heir was married, various newspanies and gossip columnists searched far and wide to figure out who he had married, but they all failed. It seemed that the even better kept secret of the Reyes family was who Mrs. Reyes was, they didn''t even have a silhouette to go by.

    Cedric grinned at the question who Mrs. Reyes was, if only the reporters had known that she was always standing in in sight, they would think that they were stupid not to see. Of course they had been right all along, the look the Reyes Heir always gave Adrianna was really one of love, and of course Cedric loved his wife, he absolutely adored the woman.

    When Cedric entered the venue people began to greet him, some even bowed to him. The auction was a very public event in the sense that there were photographers everywhere and the media was allowed to wait outside, also some reporters were allowed to watch in during the auction, but the party before and after the auction was extremely exclusive. Even the right to bid was only by invitation, only the richest and most powerful members of society were allowed.

    Everyone wanted to get closer to the powerful Reyes Heir, not only was he in line to inherit the Reyes Group, but the rin Holdings were also part of his inheritance in the near future. Eventually, Cedric found his sister and their friends talking on one side of the venue.

    "Where is she?" Cedric asked Ayanna.

    Ayanna pointed at Adrianna''s direction, she was currently talking to several CEOs and their wives. Cedric smiled as he saw his wife controlling the conversation, he was proud that she was slowly bing a very important person in the business world by her own right.

    "Brother, do you mind doing some rounds?" Ayanna asked Cedric. Ayanna called speaking with business partners during social events doing the rounds since she found it very tedious and annoying.

    Cedric nodded, getting her brother''s agreement Ayanna held Ray''s hand and led Cedric to meet some important people. As they were speaking to some people Prisci, Emilio, Gracia, and Charles arrived. They nodded and smiled towards their children''s direction before eventually socializing as well.

    A lot of the business partners were eager to finally meet and speak with the Reyes Heir, he rarely went to social gatherings and it was usually Ayanna that they met. All the CEOs introduced their wife, daughter, or sister in the hopes of catching the Reyes Heir''s attention.

    Unfortunately for all of them, Cedric only had eyes for one woman and she was standing in the same room as them. From time to time Cedric would nce towards Adrianna''s direction, this simple act was not taken for granted by the other people in the room, especially the women.

    What the women didn''t know was that while they chatted amongst themselves in the bathroom, one of the sisters would asionally be there and overhear their conversions about Adrianna.

    When Ayanna returned to her brother''s side after a visit to thedies room, she whispered to him. "The other women are talking about my sister-inw. Stop staring too much. They think you''ve taken her as your mistress. It won''t look good."

    Cedric grinned under his mask and replied in a low voice. "They are being silly. She isn''t the mistress, she is my wife."

    "They don''t know that, idiot. You better do something about it." Ayanna scolded her brother.

    Cedric lifted his head to see Adrianna speaking to several wives and sisters of the CEOs.

    In terms of social standing to the public Adrianna barely had any left. She was from a disgraced family and her husband was a nobody. The fact that she was even invited to the event disgusted some of the wives and sisters. One wife looked down at Adrianna, and was intent on embarrassing her.

    "Miss Adrianna, do tell us, who really is the father of your child? Are you really that desperate? We hear you''ve been trying to ruin the Reyes heir''s marriage." She dared to use.

    "I''m sorry?" Adrianna said in surprise. She never expected such a refined and well bred woman to ask such a question.

 Chapter 194 - 194

    Emilio Reyes and his wife, Prisci, were chatting with their friends when they heard amotion. When they looked over, some CEO''s wife was trying to bully Adrianna.

    Emilio and Prisci both adored their daughter-inw, and now that she was pregnant with their first grandchild they cared for her even more. So when some nobody tried to embarrass her, the couple was furious.??

    "Can you deal with them?" Emilio whispered to his wife as he held her by the waist.

    "Easy." Prisci said as she shed her husband a grin and turned away.

    "How dare you fling mud at the Reyes family? Adrianna is no man''s mistress." Prisci said, full of authority. Everyone around them thought that she was defending her son who was being used of adultery, when in truth she was defending her daughter-inw who they had unknowingly offended.

    "Mrs. Reyes, Madam, I didn''t mean to offend your family." The woman whimpered. She only wanted to pick on Adrianna so that her own sister or daughter could have a chance to seduce the Reyes Heir.

    "Marco." Prisci called out. In a blink of an eye, Marco So, Emilio''s assistant appeared beside his boss'' wife. He followed Emilio Reyes even to private events such as this and was at the beck and call of the couple.

    "Madam, how can I help?" Marco asked.

    "Make sure her husband''spany closes down. I want it gone by tomorrow morning. No one has the right to talk s**t about the Reyes family." Prisci ordered. In the business world, their word wasw.

    "Yes madam." Marco said before finally disappearing.

    "Mrs. Reyes, please, don''t I beg you." The CEO''s wife said as she got on her knees.

    "Guards!" Prisci called out. Two bodyguards arrived at Prisci''smand. "Take her away."

    At that, the two guards dragged the CEO''s wife out.

    The scene had caught the attention of all of the guests and everyone was intently staring at Adrianna and Prisci. It was clear to everyone in the room, no one was supposed to mess with Adrianna Hernandez.

    At the other end of the venue Cedric, Ayanna, and Ray watched as Prisci defended her daughter-inw.

    "Lucky mom was there." Ayanna told her brother.

    "I would have done the same thing." Cedric said, approving of his mother''s drastic method.

    After Prisci defended Adrianna, various people began approaching Adrianna, offering business partnerships and endorsements. All of a sudden Ind''s Inc.''s standing rose when people saw that it''s new boss was backed by Prisci Reyes.

    Adrianna smiled at her mother-inw. No words were needed, Prisci knew she was thankful. Prisci Reyes loved Adrianna as much as any of her own children, and Adrianna was more than thankful to find the love that the Hernandez n couldn''t give from the Reyes family.

    After defending their daughter-inw Emilio watched as his wife confidently walked back to his side. He loved it when Prisci flexed their power like that, it made him feel empowered as well.

    "Those women are stupid for looking down at Adrianna like that." James Abad said, shaking his head.

    All of the parents had chosen to attend today''s auction, but they all preferred to take a more rxed role in tonight''s events letting their children do all theworking and socializing. James and Victoria Abad were actually seeing Veronica for the first time today since she got married.

    "We all know how cruel society can be." Emilio casuallymented.

    "You saw Veronica for the first time today right?" Prisci asked Victoria and James.

    "Yes. She seems extremely happy with Miguel." Victoria said with augh. "I just feel bad that she''s mad at us. You all know we had little choice in this. The Abad elders would have gone after her if she had refused to announce her engagement to Miguel."

    "You should have at least told her that you didn''t want to force her." Emilio said, gently reprimanding his friends.

    "You know Veronica, she wouldn''t have believed us. We''re just lucky someone as incredible as Miguel loves her and is willing to give her the world." James said as he watched his daughter and son-inw speaking to some socialites. Miguel was holding Veronica by the waist and she stared at him lovingly.

    "That''s a look you can''t fake." Lucy Ang - Chan said as she giggled at how her daughter-inw and son were being extremely showy of their affection.

    "Did Miguel tell you about his n for today?" Emilio asked his friends.

    "Of course. That kid couldn''t keep his mouth shut over the phone." Raphael Chanined.

    "I''m just d Veronica will finally get her revenge. It was painful seeing her heart break when Jason first betrayed her." James Abad said as he recalled how his daughter came home in tears and refused to speak to any of them. It was eventually his adopted son, Ram, that managed to calm his sister down and spoke to her.

    "It''s good we never truly pursued the engagement between them. Ram was right, that was the push Miguel needed." Victoria said with augh.

    "You guys are evil for tricking your children." Rebekah Torres - Sebastian said as she rolled her eyes at her friends. Unlike most of them, she rarely meddled in her childrens'' lives, but she was always there for Alexi, Katerina, and Natalia whenever they needed a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on.

    "Don''t worry, we''ll be inws soon." Victoria teased Rebekah. All of the parents were aware of how Eric and Katerina felt of each other and were hoping that the two would get together soon.

    "Don''t be shy Gracia, Charles. They won''t bite." Prisci told her inws as she noticed they had remained silent the whole time.

    "We just aren''t used to hanging around with you guys in front of so many people." Charles said. The Hernandezes had gone with the parents to multiple shopping trips, golf games, and vacations since finding out about Cedric''s real identity.

    Normally they all got on well, Charles and the dads would even go out for a night cap at Nationalia while Gracia had joined the moms during their wednesdayunches. No one dared question why such important people were hanging out with a couple whose family had been thrown into jail and had their properties ceased.

    "Don''t worry, they are far enough not to hear anything." Jose Sebastian said as he pointed at how far the bodyguards had kept other people from them. There would be the asional acquaintance that would say hi, but other than that no one dared approach. It was clear that the group wanted to spend a rxing evening with their friends.

    "Have Ayanna and Ray set a wedding date?" Charles asked.

    "Not yet. But I''m expecting them to give us one soon." Benedicto Laurence confidently said.

    "Those two are so funny." Prisci said with a warm smile. "They pretended for so long not to have feelings for one another. We all knew they were dating in private. Ray would empty out a whole ne for Ayanna, I mean it''s that obvious."

    "My son is not so smooth." Amy So - Laurence said as she made fun of Ray.

    "Imagine, it took Cedric almost dying to get them together. These children." Emilio said, shaking his head.

    "Sirs, Madams, the organizers are asking if you would like to take your seats in the auditorium first." Marco asked, interrupting their conversation.

 Chapter 195 - 195

    A host came out and announced to the guests that the auction would start soon and invited everyone into the auditorium in the next room.

    Cedric and his group were led to the area closest to the stage. The other guests were no longer surprised that Adrianna was walking beside Ayanna and chatting happily with her. Ahead of them were the five princes seemingly in deep conversation.??

    A hot topic during the event was the Reyes elders arriving with Gracia and Charles, at first people assumed that it meant that they approved of their son''s mistress, somethingpletely unheard of. But when Prisci defended Adrianna and said she was no mistress the other people were now confused as to how the remnants of the Hernandez family managed to get so close to the Reyeses.

    Miguel sat beside Veronica when he noticed Jason arrive with a woman. He walked in proudly as he took a seat at the front. He was grinning ear to ear despite the news articles that were circting about him.

    "He''s cocky." Ram told Miguel. Ram had chosen to sit next to Miguel in order to best enjoy the show that was about to unveil before them.

    "The longer he shows that proud look, the harder he will fallter." Miguel whispered back to his brother-inw.

    "What are the two of you talking about?" Veronica asked her husband and her brother.

    "We were just wondering about what things would be on the auctioning block today." Ram calmly told his sister.

    "Oh before I forget. Ram, where did you get that information about Jason? I know that you''ve been trying to find evidence for years." Veronica asked. Miguel looked at Ram, he hoped that his brother-inw would know not to tell Veronica about what he did.

    "Oh. I had an informant." Ram said in a pathetic attempt to lie.

    "Who are you protecting?" Veronica asked suspiciously.

    "Look it''s starting." Miguel knew Veronica would eventually be able to get the answer out of Ram. They just got lucky that the auction had begun.

    Among the items auctioned at the event, it seemed that the twenty most expensive were sold to the Reyes Heir''s group. It looked like the young men were bidding non-stop for everything expensive, the event organizer was more than happy to see this. It was exactly what they wanted, they knew these men had practically infinite bank ounts.

    "Don''t you want to buy anything?" Miguel asked Veronica with a frown.

    "I''m saving to invest in my nned expansion." Veronica said, shaking her head.

    "V, I got this. Just buy whatever you want." Miguel said in a loving tone.

    "Nope, no way. You''ll want something in return." Veronica said looking up a crystal piece she wanted.

    "No strings attached V." Miguel said as he nted a kiss on her forehead. "Watch."

    Miguel started bidding for the item Veronica was looking at intently.

    "Miguel, stop. It''s not worth it." Veronicained as she watched the price go beyond its true value.

    "As long as you want it, it will always be worth it." Miguel looked at his wife, as long as he could make her smile the price didn''t matter. To him, Veronica''s happiness was the most important thing in the world.

    In the end, Miguel ended up shelling out a few million for the pieces that he saw Veronica wanted. Everytime he raised a bid, sheined, but she couldn''t stop him.

    "Congrattions to all of our auction winners." The host finally said as the auction came to the end. "As you all know, annually we recognize a talented artist that has truly defined and reshaped the various industries where art is at its core."

    Miguel spotted Jason sitting up and fixing his hair. He leaned over to his femalepanion and whispered something to her. Judging from her reaction, Miguel figured that Jason did more than just whisper sweet nothings, for some reason it made Miguel want to puke.

    "I would like to call up a few very important guests and donors to give the award." The host said as he looked at the Reyes Heir and Emilio Reyes. "If Mr. Emilio Reyes and his son could join us up here on the stage?"

    Miguel saw Cedric and his father stand up, much to the delight of the organizers. They hadn''t asked the representatives from the Reyes Group prior if the father and son would be willing to give the award, the host simply took a gamble when he made the request.

    Miguel noticed people raising their phones to take photos, the whole secret identity made Cedric even more popr and it made people more interested both in the person as well as in thepany he was set to helm in the future.

    "Sirs, thank you for gracing our event." The host said as he handed Cedric and Emilio a microphone each.

    "It''s an honor to recognize such an outstanding individual." Cedric suddenly said.

    Miguel saw Jason looking even happier, he clearly had no idea about the embarrassment he was about to face. Veronica on the other hand was rolling her eyes as Cedric praised the awardee. She still thought that Jason would be the one receiving the recognition that night.

    "I don''t understand why they still n to honor him when Ram just released proof that he faked everything." Veronicained.

    "Don''t worry Veronica, I think Jason is about to get what he truly deserves." Katerina, who was seated in front of her, said with a knowing smile.

    Aside from releasing all the information, Miguel had also given the evidence to Katerina so that she could file a case in court against Jason. After tonight, he would lose everything.

    "Shall we recognize this inspiring individual?" The host asked Emilio and his son, who in turn simply nodded back.

    The audience saw Jason stand up and walk towards the side of the stage, he was fixing himself, preparing to receive the award.

    When people saw him preparing to receive the award they began talking among themselves. Everyone had seen the expose on Jason that the Abad News Network had released.

    "Are the Reyeses really going to give that fake the award?"A woman behind Veronica and Miguel asked.

    "It was their friends, the Abads, that released the expose. They seem to be in good standing, I don''t understand what''s going on either." Her malepanion said.

    "Shhhhh. Ram and Veronica Abad are in front of us. But I swear if they give him the award it would be a betrayal by the Reyeses." A woman behind the couple said upon noticing that Ram and Veronica were seated two rows below. The row between them was left empty for security purposes.

 Chapter 196 - 196

    The host began to read through the award recipients''credentials, everyone was surprised with the amount of awards and works credited to the recipient. They didn''t expect that Jason would have done so many relevant projects.

    "Our award recipient is not only a well respected designer but a phnthropist as well." The host said.??

    At that Veronica looked at Miguel, something was wrong.

    "It''s not his credentials." Miguel said with a grin. He could see Jason getting flustered at the side of the stage, he was trying to tell the organizer that those credentials were not his, it belonged to someone else. Someone he hated with a passion.

    "No, they aren''t. But that''s not possible." Veronica couldn''t understand what was going on, why was the host reading her credentials. She was just a guest at this event, they had announced that the artist J would be receiving the award this year.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, our award recipient this year changed her name in order to seed without her family''s influence, she finished her studies in Paris and has worked with the most famous names all over the world. She also has recently gotten married and is in an incredibly loving marriage with one of the most renowned doctors of our time." As the host said this, Miguel felt Veronica''s grip on his hand tighten. She was visibly nervous and confused.

    "V, this isn''t your first award. Why are you so nervous?" Miguel whispered.

    "It''s like I stole the award." Veronica told Miguel.

    "No dear, I took it back for you." As Miguel said this, Veronica looked at him with surprise and amazement. She never knew Miguel could do something like this, and he did it for her.

    "Look Veronica, Jason looks like he''s about to have a breakdown." Nicole said as sheughed at the man that was standing by the side of the stage. His sister, Carmen, hade up to him to get him to go back to his seat.

    "I pity her. I like her so much but she''s got such a rotten brother." Katerina said with a sigh.

    "He looks so stupid trying to talk to the organizers." Natalia, who as usual had remained silent the whole night, pointed out.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, guests, please put your hands together for Mrs. Veronica Abad - Chan." The host proudly said.

    "I would prefer if you dropped the Abad and just carried myst name." Miguel seductively whispered into Veronica''s ear. Seeing as his wife was still in shock, he helped her up and guided her up the stage.

    By the time Veronica noticed that Miguel was holding her hand, they were already at the center and Uncle Emilio was handing her the award.

    "Congrattions, Veronica. We''re really proud of you." Emilio said as he gave the young designer a tight hug.

    "I think my wife is a bit in shock." Miguel teased as he looked lovingly at Veronica.

    When the audience saw this, they couldn''t help but sigh and awe at the loving couple on stage. Miguel, despite being a superstar in his own right, was willing to y second fiddle and support his talented wife. Very few men would be willing to do what he did, he was very supportive. Many guests snapped photos of them on stage and Veronica became the envy of most women; who knew such a perfect man existed.

    "Miss Veronica, would you please say a few words." The host said. Cedric immediately handed his mic over to Veronica who finally managed topose herself.

    Miguel wanted Veronica to be the center of attention, so he began to take a step back and let go of his wife. But it seemed Veronica had other ns, as Miguel slowly let go, she grabbed his hand tight. Miguel ended up standing in ce while Veronica smiled at the audience.

    She gave a quick thank you speech before finally returning the mic to Cedric. In a very public disy of affection, Miguel hugged her from behind and kissed her on the cheek, this resulted in the press capturing their affection on camera, while the audience pped{.

    As they walked off the stage, Miguel nudged Veronica and pointed towards the back. You could clearly see four guards carrying Jason out as his date chased after them. It seemed he didn''t handle the disappointment so well.

    After the auction and the awards ceremony, there was a small party for select guests as well as those who had ced the winning bids. The organizers had done this intentionally so that people would bid higher in the hopes of being able to mingle more intimately with VVIPs that hade to the auction.

    "Did you see them dragging Jason out?" Nicole giggled as she walked to the after party with Veronica, Katerina, Ayanna, Natalia, and Adrianna.

    "That was so embarrassing!" Katerina said with augh.

    "He deserves it." Ayanna added.

    The after party was more rxed Adrianna was quickly offered a seat on the soft couch with Ayanna sitting on one side and Nicole on the other.

    "Cedric made you sit next to me, didn''t he?" Adrianna said as she red at Nicole.

    "Well��" Nicole said unable to properly answer Adrianna''s question.

    "Miss Veronica!" A young girl excitedly approached the group.

    "Yes? I''m sorry but do I know you?" Veronica asked in an intimidating tone.

    "Veronica, don''t be so scary, rx." Katerina said andughed.

    "I''m sorry Miss Veronica, but you don''t. I''m just such a big fan." The girl said almost squealing in excitement. She looked back at her friends who were giggling in the distance. It seemed they had encouraged her to approach the group.

    "Oh, I didn''t know I had fans. I''m sorry if I came off a bit cold." Veronica said in a much nicer tone, The girl visibly calmed down and smiled an even bigger smile.

    "Miss Veronica, could I, maybe, get a picture with you and your autograph?" The girl asked full of hesitation.

    "Oh, are you sure?" Nicole asked suddenly.

    Veronica''s jaw dropped at Nicole''sment and Katerinaughed loudly.

    "Nicole, that''s not a nice thing to say." Adrianna said, in a motherly tone.

    "I mean, I''m just surprised. I''m sure Veronica would be more than willing to let you take a photo with her and give you her autograph. I swear nothing is wrong with Veronica." Nicole said in an attempt to salvage the situation.

    "You''re making it worse." Katerina said in betweenughs.

    "Nicole, stop talking." Ayanna scolded.

    "Ignore my friend." Veronica said as she rolled her eyes at Nicole. "Of course I''ll take a photo with you and give you my autograph."

    The girl quickly took out her phone and snapped several photos with Veronica. She also took out her sketching pad and handed it to her idol to sign.

    "Hey kid. How did you get in here?" Katerina asked Veronica''s fan.

    "Oh, my dad and my friend''s dads all got the winning bid for some items. When we saw you guysing here, we quickly followed." The girl said with a blush.

    "I hope your dad didn''t out bid my fiance on anything." Ayanna said with a wink.

    "Oh no Miss Reyes. I''m sure no one beat Mr. Laurence on any bids." The girl said quite defensively. At a young age she knew that these women were people she should never cross.

    "Dear, don''t scare her." Ray said, as he hugged Ayanna from behind making her jump in surprise.

 Chapter 197 - 197

    "I thought you boys had some business to attend to?" Ayanna asked as she kissed Ray on the cheek.

    "Just on the cheek?" Rayined.??

    "Ummm�� I''ll go now." The young fan said as she ran away from the group.

    "You scared her." Katerina said with augh.

    "Since when were we the scary ones?" Nicoleined. "You''ve always been the scary one!" Nicole used Katerina.

    "You''re just cranky cause Ian couldn''te." Katerina teased her friend.

    "Shut up." Nicole said, ending the topic.

    The other boys soon joined them, Cedric made it a point to stay as far away from Adrianna, they were still, after all, in public. After the events earlier Cedric realized that the more he wanted to help her or even look at her the more trouble he got her into.

    "Adrianna, What do you think about that ne my brother bought?" Ayanna asked, bringing up one of the auction items Cedric had bid for.

    Cedric looked up at Adrianna, he knew it was something that wasn''t exactly her style, but he bid on it anyway. If she didn''t like it he was willing to sell it, the ne didn''te cheap.

    "It''s not my style." Adrianna admitted. "If it were me I would rather just sell it since I wouldn''t be able to use it."

    Cedric quickly picked up his phone and sent a message to Cami asking her to sell the ne he had just purchased. He wanted the sale to be as quiet and as discreet as possible. He didn''t want anyone who heard Adrianna''s suggestion to figure out that he just did exactly what she said.

    Later that night in Mountain View, Cedric held Adrianna in his arms as the maids brought in all of the items the Reyes family and Miguel had purchased.

    "I thought poverty training was supposed to make you thrifty?" Adrianna asked as she saw the number of items being brought in.

    "These aren''t just random things Adri." Cedric said with augh as he kissed her cheek. "Everything we purchased, except Miguel, are things that will increase in value. So in a way, they are investments."

    "Send my stuff to the guest house please." Miguel told the maids who nodded and did as he asked.

    "Don''t you want us to see what random things you decided to buy for Veronica?" Ayanna teased Miguel.

    "I didn''t ask him to buy them." Veronica crossed her arms.

    Cedricughed at the bickering couple. "Just admit it Veronica. You were very moved by what Miguel did."

    Veronica was not amused by what Cedric said, so she chose to ignore him.

    "So which of these don''t you like?" Cedric asked his wife as he pointed to a pile of jewelry on one side. He was hoping that the only thing she didn''t like was the ne from earlier.

    "I like all of them." Adrianna looked up at her husband with a smile.

    "It seems my son has a better eye for these things than my husband." Prisci said in jest as she looked at the items Emilio had won.

    "But darling, these are very expensive and we will have many people begging to buy it from us in the future." Emilio Reyes always had profit in mind.

    "We''ve been married for over thirty years!" Prisci socled her husband, making everyoneugh.

    "I had Cami sell the ne. She''ll do it discreetly." Cedric told his wife as he yed with her fingers that were interlocked with his. "Aren''t you tired? We''ve had a very long day." Cedric said, concerned about his wife''s well being.

    As if on cue Adrianna yawned and Cedricughed. "Let''s go to bed." He lifted his wife and went upstairs.

    When Monday rolled in Cedric dropped Adrianna off at Ind''s Inc.''s office building. He had to pack up his things at Mor Co. so that Veronica could begin the renovation.

    Adrianna sat by her desk as Mia and another assistant read her schedule to her.

    "Mrs. Reyes, your Uncle Matthew said he needed to talk to you about something important." The other assistant said.

    "Move my schedule. I can talk to him now." Adrianna said as she handed some papers she needed to sign.

    The assistant left to call Uncle Matthew.

    "Mrs. Reyes, your husband asked me to remind you to leave earlier today. You have a doctor''s appointment. He will just meet you at the hospital." Mia informed Adrianna.

    "Adri, how are you feeling today? And how is my little niece?" Matthew greeted when he came in.

    "I''m fine uncle. Why do you guys keep thinking it''s a little girl?" Adrianna said with augh. "Mia you can go."

    Mia nodded and left.

    "We have a problem Adri." Uncle Matthew said with a frown. "We lost several of our projects to M Designs."

    "How many?" Adrianna asked.

    "Five." Uncle Matthew felt ashamed to have lost so many.

    "It''s okay Uncle. We win some, we lose some. We still have our biggest projects like the ones with the Reyes Group and Saints. We also have that project with Breeze Air. Five projects won''t make us go bankrupt."Adrianna tried tofort her uncle.

    "I just don''t understand how five different partners just backed out without any warning. Usually there are signs, things they aren''t happy about, or connections within thepany to ourpetitors. This time they all just said they are going with a different brand all of a sudden." Uncle Matthew said as he scratched his head.

    "Uncle, why don''t you focus on the ns for Henry''s new designs. I''m sure we need to build rtionships for theunch of those designs." Adrianna suggested.

    "You''re right. Have you checked if Lights Entertainment is willing to let us use Eric Chan to endorse the new designs?" Uncle Matthew asked eagerly.

    "Uncle, we spoke about this. I''m not approaching Ram or any of Cedric''s friends for help. Plus we can''t afford Eric Chan." Adrianna exined.

    "Adri, you''re in a unique position to use your connections. I strongly advise using it. It''s only a logical business decision. Even the Reyes Group maximizes those connections." Uncle Matthew pushed.

    "Uncle, no." Adrianna said in a slightly raised voice. "I said I would never use the same strategies as everyone else. I want Ind''s Inc. to rise fairly this way." She exined in a calmer tone.

    "Very well." Uncle Mattew surrendered. "If you n to go that route, then I suggest using an agency to find an endorser. Ask them to keep thepany name a secret while looking for the endorser. You husband and his friends would definitely give you a huge discount if they found out that it was Ind''s Inc. looking for an endorser." Adrianna relied on Uncle Matthew''s experience since taking the helm. At first she offered him the CEO position but he refused, Adrianna assumed that he was afraid that Cedric wouldn''t appreciate it if he took the role away from her.

    "Alright Uncle. Just keep me posted on Henry''s project." Adrianna told her uncle with a smile.

 Chapter 198 - 198

    Adrianna had an extremely hectic day. The loss of several partners made a lot of departments worry and adjust their ns. At one point she lost her temper and shouted at her Finance head.

    "We didn''t lose out major projects! Why are you sounding rm bells as if those five partnerships would bring us big money! Don''t create mountains out of mole hills!" Adrianna said as the Finance head raised gs on the partnerships not pushing through.??

    The Finance head ended up leaving her office, worried that he wouldn''t have a job to return to the next day.

    "I don''t understand why you all keepining about those five deals! One deal with the Reyes Group is enough to cover for all five of those and you keep emphasizing those five." Adrianna scolded all of thepany heads in one meeting.

    She ended up dismissing all of them and telling them to focus on the bigger deals with the Reyes Group, Saints Hospital, and Breeze Air. She sighed at the thought of these partnerships, at first she considered scrapping them since she only got them because of Cedric, but when she got to talk to her mother-inw Prisci Reyes ended up reprimanding her.

    She recalled that they were having tea on the rooftop space one day when Adrianna had voiced her concerns to Prisci.

    "Adrianna that''s foolish." Prisci scolded her daughter-inw with a loving tone. "All thosepanies, even if they are owned by Cedric''s friends, have professional teams assessing each and every project and partnership. They don''t do things just cause they are friends."

    "Mom, I just want to achieve things because of my skills and not because of the people my husband knows." Adrianna tried to exin.

    "Adrianna, the reason the rich remain rich is because they are smart about things. Don''t listen to those foolish shows or novels that say CEOs throw thousands into a small coffee shop because their crush works there. We do not work that way." Prisci proudly exined.

    "But mom, you did that take down cause a wife offended me." Adrianna argued.

    "That too was a business y. Imagine if everyone thought they could just say rumors about us. Wouldn''t our stock prices drop?'' Prisci paused to let Adrianna think. "I just set an example, and now they won''t dare say things like that."

    "Alright mom, I won''t drop the deals." Adrianna sighed in surrender.

    Adrianna, who was sitting at her desk, smiled. Her mother-inw really was an amazing person, not only did she care about her family, but she was really smart too. She was now Adrianna''s idol and inspiration.

    "Olivia, Mia, pleasee in." Adrianna called for Mia and her other assistant, Olivia.

    The two women came in with notepads ready.

    "I want everyone focused on our bigger projects. Have all the department heads report to me on the status of all those partnerships." Adrianna ordered. "Then Mia, give Veronica''s assistant a call, we''re supposed to have a partnership, but I never really acted on it. Check if she has any free time to discuss that."

    Mia quickly noted what Adrianna had just said. Of course Adrianna could just talk to Veronica about it at home but she also wanted the opticsing from Veronica going to Ind''s Inc. then there was the matter of the work that needed to be done, she needed certain employees to help Veronica out and bringing them over to Mountain View was not an option.

    "Mrs. Reyes. It''s almost time for your doctor''s appointment. I''ll get the car ready." Mia said as she waited for Adrianna to dismiss them.

    "Alright. I''ll pack up and be down in a while." Adrianna said sending them out.

    In the hospital, Adrianna waited for Cedric in Nicole''s office. Cedric had be so worried about her safety andfort that he asked Nicole to let her stay there while she waited. Nicole on the other hand had no issues with it. She was more than willing to hangout with Adrianna.

    "Are you busy Nicole?" Adrianna asked.

    Nicole was at her desk reviewing some papers.

    "Not really. I''m just studying up on the operation my brother and I will be performing. It''s light reading." Nicole said with a shrug.

    "Really? That''s light reading?" Adrianna asked looking at theplicated scans and graphs on Nicole''s desk.

    "It''s an easy operation, we''ve done it many times. The patient is just a rich client that''s why he asked for Miguel." Nicole exined.

    "Distract me. Tell me, how are things going with Ian?" Adrianna asked.

    "Woah! Why me?" Nicole said with augh, she didn''t know if Adrianna was joking or she was serious.

    "There are a lot of things going on at work. I want to talk about non-work stuff." Adriannained.

    "Fine." Nicole got up and sat next to Adrianna on the couch. "It''s been amazing. Sure it''s a bit tough since we both spend so much time at work, but I really love him." Nicole said with a bright smile.

    "That''s great. He''s a good guy, I''m d you guys found each other." Adriannaplemented.

    "We talk everyday, even if we are tired from work we make it a point that we still video call at night. It''s funny cause sometimes I fall asleep while on the call and I wake up to see him watching me. Sure it sounds creepy, but I find it sweet." Nicole said with a giggle.

    Before Adrianna could say anything the door to Nicole''s office opened and Cedric arrived with Ian in tow.

    "Hey Nicole, thanks for taking care of my wife while she waited." Cedric said as he approached the two women. He hugged Adrianna and kissed her on the lips then ced a hand on her belly. "How are my two angels?" Cedric asked.

    "We''re fine. Shall we go see the good doctor now?" Adrianna smiled at her husband.

    "Sure." Cedric said, releasing his wife and walking out while holding her hand. "Ian you can stay. I think both you and Nicole deserve some alone time. We''ll be back in thirty minutes. Make it count." Cedric teased as they left the couple in the office.

    "You''re such a bully to them." Adrianna scolded.

    "Adri, they need to maximize the time they can spend together. I''m just creating opportunities for them." Cedric exined.

    "What if one of the elders or board members walks into Nicole''s office?" Adrianna asked.

    "They won''t. It''s golf day today. Dad''s at Nationalia so all the bigshot businessmen are there to suck up to him." Cedric told his wife as they walked to Dr. Santos'' clinic.

    "Isn''t that on Wednesdays?" Adrianna clearly remembered Wednesdays being the day her mother-inw and mom would go to Nationalia to wait for their husbands to finish a round of golf.

    "Today they y 18 holes, on wednesdays they only y 9 because the moms are waiting for them. Ah here we are." Cedric said as they entered Dr. Santos'' clinic.

    "You''re stressed, and stress is bad for the baby." Dr. Santos said as she read the results of Adrianna''s examinations.

    "Adri, just let Uncle Matthew handle Ind''s Inc. for the meantime and rest." Cedric told his wife sweetly.

    "Do I need to stop working doc?" Adrianna asked.

    "Not really. You just need to take it easy, delegate." Dr. Santos told the couple.

    "I''ll make sure of it Doc. Thanks." Adrianna said with a smile as they left.

    Over the next few weeks Adrianna did as she promised. She gave some of her work to Uncle Matthew or Henry. She woulde into the office an hourter and leave an hour earlier. She could feel her load lifting and her mood improving.

 Chapter 199 - 199

    Two weekster, Uncle Matthew called Adrianna on a Sunday at home.

    "Adrianna, it happened again." Adrianna could hear the panic in Uncle Matthew''s voice this time.??

    "What is it uncle?" Adrianna asked as she stepped into the office connected to their room.

    "M designs somehow managed to get all the partners we had lined up for the new design." Uncle Matthew reported.

    Adrianna opened up herptop and quickly checked an email.

    "There is a dinner for tonight, I got an invite but declined. I guess I should go so that I could meet the owners of M Designs in person." Adrianna told her uncle.

    "Will Cedric let you? You''re seven months pregnant Adrianna, you shouldn''t be going around like that so much." Uncle Matthew said, full of concern.

    "He isn''t home, uncle. He had to go with his dad and Ayanna to an event at the presidential pce. I''ll be back before they get home." Adrianna said as she walked over to her closet to pick out a formal gown.

    "No, no, no. You''ll be too tired. Let me and Henry go." Uncle Matthew argued back.

    "Uncle, I want to get a proper read on these people. I need to meet them in person." Adrianna said as she took out a flowy navy blue gown that hid her baby bump quite well.

    "If you insist, but I will apany you. I''ll go to Mountain View to pick you up." Uncle Matthew said. Adrianna knew there was no negotiating on this, at least if Uncle Matthew was with her she could tell Cedric.

    "We can take my car uncle. Just leave yours here at Mountain View. The party starts at 5pm." Adrianna looked up at the clock, it was 3pm, she would be a littlete.

    "I''ll be at Mountain View before 4pm." Uncle Matthew said before finally dropping the call.

    Adrianna dialed her husband''s number and waited a while for him to pick up.

    "Yes dear?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "I have an event I need to go to for Ind''s Inc. It''s a party. Don''t worry, Uncle Matthew will be with me and we''ll be taking my car. Mia will alsoe along too. I''ll be back before you get home." Adrianna quickly said, not allowing her husband to object.

    "Alright. Make sure not to over do yourself. And ask Uncle Matthew to stay the night, we still have a spare room." Cedric didn''t even attempt to change her mind, he just made sure that she didn''t work too hard, she was a pregnant woman after all.

    "Okay. I''ll tell him. Have fun at your event." Adrianna said cheerfully.

    "I love you and I love our little one." Cedric said in a much sweeter voice.

    "Love you too." Adrianna said as she dropped the call.

    She quickly jumped into the shower and got ready.

    At 4pm Uncle Matthew arrived with Henry, a maid informed Adrianna who was doing her makeup. They had to wait another thirty minutes before Adrianna finally came down.

    "Even pregnant you look amazing, cousin!" Henry praised. "You should wear those earrings Cedric got you at the auction! It was all over the news." Right after the auction all of the most expensive items that were sold were ced on the news, it included a pair of diamond and gold earrings, the ne Cedric had sold, some old scrolls from ancient China and Korea, as well as a couple of Japanese paintings that were hundreds of years old.

    "And have people think it''s fake? No thanks. These earrings are nice too. Ayanna bought them for me in Italy when she went a month ago." Adrianna said pointing at the ck teardrop earrings she had on. These too were antiques that were said to have been owned by the Medici family.

    "Oh to be so rich." Henry said, shaking his head.

    "Shut up. It''s not like you''re poor." Adrianna teased.

    The drive from Mountain View to the party venue was over an hour and thirty minutes. When Adrianna, Uncle Matthew, and Henry arrived most of the guests were already socializing. Today''s event was a social gathering for designers and designpanies.

    Adrianna had actually asked Veronica if she was attending, but it was a fashion design event so Veronica said it wasn''t her industry, although she was still given an invite. Everyone at the party was dressed fashionably and carried a proud aura to them, there were models present as well.

    "Adri, that''s them. Mr. Moyra and his daughter ine Moyra. They own M Designs." Henry said, pointing out the father and daughter duo that were talking to a group of designers.

    "Mr. Moyra, Miss Moyra." Henry said as they approached.

    "Oh Henry Hernandez right?" Mr. Moyra asked. "I''ve heard so much about you. And who is this gorgeousdy with you?" Mr. Moyra said as he looked at Adrianna from head to toe.

    "This is my cousin, Adrianna, she''s our new CEO. And our Uncle Matthew is with us too." Henry greeted energetically.

    "My dear Adrianna, you must have been a model at some point!" Mr. Moyra praised.

    "I''ve never modeled in my life sir, but thank you for thepliment." Adrianna said with a sweet smile.

    "I hope there aren''t any hard feelings between us Miss Adrianna." ine Moyra said, smiling beside her father. "It''s just business."

    "Of course Miss Moyra. It''s business, you win some, you lose some." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "That''s good. Well, dad and I need to say hi to other people." ine said waving with her left hand.

    When the Moyra''s had gone, a few of Henry''s designer friends joined them.

    "Miss Moyra is married?" Adrianna asked her cousin.

    "What? No. Of course not. There wasn''t a wedding and ine was my ssmate so I would have known if there was." Henry quickly responded.

    "Well she was wearing a wedding ring. Maybe her husband is the reason we keep losing partners to them." Adrianna said with a shrug.

    "Cousin, no one can beat - ouch what was that for?" Henryined as Adrianna pinched him hard.

    "I know you guys have the same backer, but her position might be stronger." One of Henry''s friends said.

    "Hmmm? Why?" Henry and Adrianna were quite puzzled with what the designer had just said.

    "The wedding ring and the ne. Didn''t you notice them?" The designer asked.

    "What? That extremely hideous ne that really doesn''t go with anything?" Henry asked as he ridiculed the ne ine was wearing.

    "I didn''t notice it at all. What''s with it?" Adrianna asked.

    "Cousin, has pregnancy made you blind too?" Henry teased. "It''s thatrge gold ne with random gems stuck on it. You have far better jewelry and far better taste."

    "I doubt you could tell that to the person who actually bought that ne." Another of Henry''s friends said with augh. "But yes, it is horrible."

    "Who bought it?" Adrianna asked.

    "Darling, it was in the news a few weeks back. The Reyes Heir bought that ne during the auction, it definitely wasn''t for himself." The first friend pointed out.

 Chapter 200 - 200

    Adrianna looked over at ine again, and sure enough she was wearing the ne that she told Cedric to sell because she didn''t like it.

    When Henry''s friend had pointed it out Henry gasped and covered his mouth, and for good reason. He almost asked Adrianna if that was the piece she asked Cedric to sell. He looked over to Adrianna but she kept a straight face, Henry couldn''t read his cousin at all.??

    "Miss Adrianna, you don''t need to hide it. We know you told Miss Ayanna that it wasn''t your type. Did Mr. Reyes decide to give it to his legal wife instead?" Another designer asked, clearly still believing that Adrianna was the Reyes Heir''s mistress.

    "The Reyes Heir doesn''t have a mistress, he only has his wife." Adrianna said in a serious tone.

    "And my cousin is no one''s mistress." Henry said, defending Adrianna. "Come on Adri. I see some ssmates of yours over there. Let''s say hi." Henry pulled his cousin away to the other end of the hall.

    After a while, Uncle Matthew came over and pulled his niece and nephew to the side.

    "I know why we lost all those partnerships." Uncle Matthew whispered.

    "We have an idea too." Adrianna said with a nod. "What did you find out uncle?"

    "People think that ine Moyra is Mrs. Reyes." Uncle Matthew told them. When he saw that, they weren''t surprised he lifted a questioning eyebrow.

    "Someone called Adri a mistress again." Henry said, rolling his eyes.

    "Why didn''t Cedric have it published that he had sold that ne?" Uncle Matthew asked.

    "He didn''t want people using myment at the after party as a way of assuming that I was the Reyes Heir''s wife. So he had Cami, his assistant, discreetly sell the piece." Adrianna shrugged. "Interestingly the same conversation now has people thinking that since his ''mistress'' didn''t take it he gave it to his wife. It was, after all, the most expensive piece of jewelry auctioned off that night." Adrianna recalled how she red at Cedric when he kept bidding for that ne. It''s value was so high because of all the gems in it as well as it''s age.

    "We should tell Cedric about this." Henry said as he pulled out his phone.

    "No. Don''t." Adrianna stopped him from doing what he had nned.

    "Adri, he has to know that someone is using his name to pull you down." Henry argued.

    "I can''t have Cedric fixing my problems all the time." Adrianna exined. "I told you, I want to be sessful enough to stand at the same level as him in my own right because of my own efforts and my own skill."

    "Cousin, this crazy desire of yours will make it harder for you." Henry argued back. He didn''t understand his cousin''s need to prove herself. "People will always say you got there because of him no matter what. Who are you trying to prove this to?"

    "They won''t know, but I will." Adrianna said with a re.

    Henry sighed and shook his head. He knew Adrianna had long made up her mind on this, he didn''t know why he even tried to convince her otherwise. Cedric himself had lost that battle. Then again, Cedric spoiled his wife.

    "Adrianna, we should go home." Uncle Matthew said, breaking the silence. "It''s gettingte and you did promise Cedric that you woulde home early."

    "Alright." Adrianna nodded.

    As Adrianna and herpanions were leaving they saw a lot of people walking over to ine Moyra and her father. Clearly word had gotten out that she was most probably the illusive Mrs. Reyes.

    "Aren''t you going to say goodbye to the Moyra''s?" One of their close business partners asked as they bumped into each other.

    "There is no need." Uncle Matthew calmly said.

    "Don''t you know who she could possibly be?" The business partner was clearly puzzled by Uncle Matthew''s refusal to give respect to someone that was possibly a member of the richest family in the country.

    "Those are just rumors. It''s not confirmed." Henry answered for his uncle. The real Mrs. Reyes was standing with them anyway.

    "Even if it''s just a rumor, don''t risk getting on the bad side of the Reyes Family. They are truly powerful." The business partner warned. Adrianna didn''t take it against him for being wary, he was looking out for Ind''s Inc.

    "We''ll just go. Thank you for your concern." Adrianna said with a smile as they left.

    Back at Mountain View it was past 11pm when Cedric finally climbed into bed with Adrianna. He noticed her shifting in bed and figured she was still awake.

    "Is something bothering you Adri?" Cedric asked as he hugged her.

    "No, not really. I''m just a little ufortable." Adrianna said.

    "Do you want me to call a doctor?" Cedric was worried that the difort could lead to something worse.

    "No need. My belly has just gotten bigger, that''s all." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "Alright. If anything is wrong just tell me." Cedric whispered to his wife as he kissed her on the cheek.

    "Ced, did Cami sessfully sell that ne?" Adrianna asked. She wanted to confirm if the ne ine was unting was the real deal or a fake.

    "Yeah, someone bought it as soon as the auction was over. We made quite a profit, a few hundred thousand." Cedric exined to his wife. "Why? Are you regretting selling it?" Cedric asked.

    "A bit. But it''s sold now." Adrianna regretted it for a different reason from what Cedric was thinking.

    "I can buy it back." Cedric told her.

    "No need. It has a new home now." Adrianna said, shaking her head.

    "Adri, you don''t need that ne to look pretty, you''re the prettiest woman in the world to me." Cedric told her.

    "No Cedric, I''m tired. Go to sleep. We aren''t doing it." Adrianna knew what Cedric was after.

    Cedric groaned and went to sleep with Adrianna cuddled in his arms.

 Chapter 201 - 201

    The weekend went by peacefully and Monday soon came around. Adrianna was still sleepy and was nning on skipping work that day when she realized that she had a lunch meeting. Uncle Matthew had worked hard to get a new partner for theunch of Henry''s new line of clothing.

    She quickly messaged Mia to cancel her other morning meetings and that they would go straight to lunch. The meeting was going to be held at Nouveau, Adrianna didn''t want to have it there at first, but since the timing was quite tight they couldn''t get a reservation at a decent ce in such a short time.??

    When Adrianna came down for breakfast she was still yawning. Cedric was already dressed and holding a tablet while Ian stood behind him.

    Cedric looked up and smiled at his wife. He had a very busy day ahead but when he saw how exhausted she seemed, he chose to stay and wait for her. He wanted to energize her by taking her to work. Knowing that it could take a while, he called Ian to bring the documents he needed to deal with, while Cami held down the fort at R Tower.

    "I won''t go to Ind''s Inc. in the morning. I''ll go straight to my lunch meeting." Adrianna said as a maid served her breakfast. Cedric looked at this wife and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. He was worried. Ian had told him about what had happened during the event Adrianna attended. Someone was taking all the benefit of being Mrs. Reyes.

    At first Cedric wanted to jump in and take down the Moyra family, but he eventually decided against it. Adrianna didn''t want him to interfere and he wanted her to realize how much help being Mrs. Reyes could bring. So far no harm hade to his wife, and he didn''t see a way for her to get hurt in the situation. Even if her name was ruined it was something he could easily fix if things got out of hand. So he was waiting for Adrianna to either ask him for help or for her to manage the problem on her own and fix it.

    "Why didn''t you go ahead to R Tower?" Adrianna asked as she took a bite of her breakfast.

    "I wanted to wait for you. I can do my work here and take you to workter." Cedric said as Ian handed him some documents to sign. "Since you need to go to R Tower for your meeting, this is very convenient." Cedric said with a smile. Spending more time with his wife was worth the additional work he would have to doter in the day.

    "I''ll need to go back to Ind''s Inc.ter after my meeting. I can''t take your car." Adrianna argued.

    Cedric already thought about this problem, as a matter of fact, he already expected all the excuses and issues Adrianna would bring up. He knew his wife quite well at this point. "Adri, I''ve already arranged for everything." Cedric exined as he ced down the documents. "When you''re ready, we''ll take my car to R Tower, no one else is allowed on the same elevator as us so we will head up to my office. I already checked, no one has meetings on our floor in the morning so you won''t bump into any Reyes Group employee. At lunch, Mia will take your car to R Tower and we will arrange for the elevator you will take to go to the basement and back up with Mia."

    Adrianna opened her mouth to point out an error in Cedric''s n, but she couldn''te up with any. Cedric smiled as his wife realized that he had already thought of everything and had already arranged for their day.

    "I know you cancelled everything, so there won''t be a need for you to work in the morning." Cedric said. "You can just rx in my office or in my lounge. I''ll make sure to tell you when Mia arrives."

    "Fine." Adrianna said in surrender as she shook her head.

    Just as Cedric had nned, he and Adrianna went to R Tower and Adrianna rested a little more in Cedric''s lounge. When Ayanna heard that her sister-inw was in her brother''s office she attempted to move her work to his room, but Cedric refused. He exined to Ayanna how his wife needed to rest. Ayanna being sensible and also having a lot of work to do, bowed her head in surrender and marched back to her office.

    Adrianna was already restless thirty minutes before her meeting and asked Cedric if she could stay with Ayanna. Cedric agreed and sent Cami to check if Ayanna was alone. When they confirmed that she had no meetings in the morning, Adrianna went over to her sister-inw''s office.

    "Adrianna." Ayanna greeted in a calm but happy tone. Adrianna could see that Ayanna was actually in the middle of working and was quite busy.

    "Maybe I shouldn''t havee over, you''re busy." Adrianna said as she hesitated from entering.

    "No, it''s no bother. I like talking while working. The silence is boring." Ayanna said looking up with a smile. "It''s so rare for you to be here sister-inw, how could I not be excited."

    Adrianna did as Ayanna said she came in and sat on the couch. Cami came in not long after with a cup of tea and some snacks for Adrianna.

    "My brother sure thinks of everything." Ayanna said with augh.

    "He spoils me too much." Adrianna said, rolling her eyes.

    "He just loves you. He wasn''t able to treat you the way he wanted in the past. Now is his chance and you''re being incredibly stubborn." Ayanna teased.

    "I just don''t want him to ever think that I''m with him because he is the Reyes Heir. I''m with him because he is Cedric, and he is the man that I love." Adrianna said as she looked out the window with a smile.

    "I''m sure my brother knows that. You know Adri, it breaks his heart when he can''t help you because you won''t let him." Ayanna exined in a sad tone.

    Adrianna took a sip of her tea when Ayanna''s assistant knocked and told her that several members of Elisia Mall''s design department were demanding to see her.

    "Sister-inw, do you mind staying in my lounge for a few minutes? I promise you won''t bete." Ayanna asked.

    Adrianna nodded and took her drink while the assistant carried her snacks and they went to Ayanna''s connecting lounge.

 Chapter 202 - 202

    Just like Cedric''s lounge, Ayanna''s had a bed, a TV, and a bathroom with a shower. It seemed that the Reyeses had expected the possibility of having to sleep in the office overnight due to their heavy work loads. Luckily Cedric had never had to use the lounge to sleep overnight yet, or at least he has always chosen toe home, no matter howte he finished.

    There was also a table and chair near the door where Adrianna chose to stay as she continued drinking her tea and checked her emails on her phone. But she could hear the conversation going on in Ayanna''s office and she couldn''t resist listening in.??

    "Miss Reyes you must fire him!" A person demanded.

    "Yes Miss, he brings shame to thepany and to all of us. His continued presence here will only drag us down further." Another employee argued.

    Adrianna noticed that despite being mad none of them dared raise their voices at Ayanna. They were speaking in forceful yet respecting tones. Clearly they feared Ayanna.

    "Miss Ayanna, it already came from your family friends the Abads, Jason is a fraud. What use is keeping him around especially when Veronica is willing to do a partnership with us on the design of Elisia Malls." Another employee tried to reason out. Adrianna understood what these employees wereining about, but she was left confused on why they needed to go up andin to Ayanna. Veronica is Ayanna''s friend, surely she wouldn''t let such a despicable person stay.

    "Enough." Ayanna suddenly said, clearly her patience had run out. "This matter will be dealt with ordingly. Jason has a contract with the Reyes Group and ourwyers are reviewing the terms. Unlike all of you, my family does not rush into decisions like this."

    Adrianna could hear as a sudden silence took over the room, the employees clearly realized that they had made a mistakeing to Ayanna and demanding for her to take action over the matter.

    "Jason Evangelista has been exposed as a fake. If it is proven, he will be fired." Ayanna said forcefully. "For the meantime we will push through with the partnership with Veronica. Patrick, as the manager on this, I do not want to hear anyints. Jason will remain under you in that team. He will continue to do his work and follow your orders. You are to do everything to keep Veronica happy and to stick with the design she has made. Do you understand?" Ayanna said thest sentence slowly in order to get her message across.

    "Yes Miss Reyes. We will keep working." The man Adrianna assumed to be Patrick said.

    "If Jasonins about his position, say it was my order. If he wants toin about me, tell him to go to my dad or brother. You may all leave." Ayanna said in an irritated tone.

    Adrianna could hear as the employees all scrambled to get out of Ayanna''s office, clearly a mad Ayanna was not something they wanted to witness any further.

    When the door closed behind them Ayanna''s assistant came in again.

    "You cane out now Adri." Ayanna said in a suddenly sweet and cheery tone.

    Adrianna stepped out to see Ayanna''s assistant handing her a cup of coffee and arranging the things on Ayanna''s desk.

    "Help my sister inw with the tea and snacks first." Ayanna said as she leaned back on her chair.

    "Yes, Miss Reyes." The assistant said as she went over to the lounge to pick up the snacks Adrianna had left inside.

    "Mrs. Reyes, where do you want these?" The assistant asked.

    "Oh, just on the table like earlier." Adrianna said.

    The assistant arranged everything before finally leaving the room.

    "I''m sure you heard everything. That room was designed for someone to listen in." Ayanna said as she took a sip of her coffee.

    "I''m surprised you haven''t fired Jason Evangelista." Ayanna admitted.

    "Miguel has bigger ns. Jason hurt Veronica, and that''s Miguel''s bottomline." Ayanna said with augh as she ced her drink down and opened up herptop.

    "I didn''t expect that ordinary employees could juste here andin to you." Adrianna admitted.

    "I''m more approachable than my dad or my brother. And this matter is quite sensational so I let theme up and voice theirints." Ayanna said as she continued to type something on herptop. "Plus it helps to listen to them. It gives me ideas on what else I can do to torture Jason. He was never a nice guy."

    "So why hire him in the first ce?" Adrianna asked.

    "It was a business decision I was not involved in. But it turned out for the better. At least this way we can trap him." Ayanna said with augh.

    "Miss Ayanna? Mrs. Reyes?" Cami said as she knocked.

    "Come in." Ayanna called out.

    "Mr. Reyes said to remind you that his wife still has a meeting. You might hold her up." Cami reminded.

    "Yes, yes. Tell my brother that I will be letting her go now." Ayanna said waving Cami away.

    Cami simply nodded and left the room.

    "I guess I need to let you go now." Ayanna said with a sigh as she closed herptop and got up. "I''ll walk you to the elevator."

    Adrianna slowly got up and walked with her sister-inw.

    "Adri, please reconsider letting my brother help you. He just wants to give you the best of everything." Ayanna said as they walked side by side in thevish hallway.

    "I just want to prove myself first Ayanna." Adrianna said.

    "Alright. But please promise me that if you need any help or if things get too difficult for you to handle you''ll ask my brother, or me, or any of our friends. We are all more than willing to help." Ayanna said, looking at her sister-inw. Adrianna could see that Ayanna was being genuine about her request and it was clear that Cedric had not put her up to this.

    "Alright, I promise." Adrianna said as the elevator door opened.

 Chapter 203 - 203

    Adrianna walked into the restaurant and was led to her reserved table. She saw the CEO of their partnerpany already there waiting for her with his assistant. Mia walked two steps behind Adrianna making sure that there was no threat. Of all ces, R Tower was possibly the safest for the Reyes family.

    The CEO was an older man, around the same age as her father-inw, Emilio Reyes. He was on the heavyside and wore a fair amount of jewelry on his fingers. His name was Paul Quinto and he ran Meta Industries, a group ofpanies that did business locally. Despite his unappealing look, Uncle Matthew assured Adrianna that the man was an experienced businessman and was quite respected in many circles.??

    "Ah Miss Adrianna, I just arrived." The Mr. Quinto said sticking out his hand to shake hers.

    "I''m d you didn''t have to wait long Mr. Quinto." Adrianna shook his hand and took her seat.

    "No worries, I know it''s difficult being pregnant. When my wife was as far along as you I had to hire a few extra maids to help her out in her day to day." Mr. Quinto said with a smile. "I''m actually amazed that you are able to keep working despite being so many months along. How many months are you pregnant Miss Adrianna?"

    "Eight. That''s why I would like to close this deal as soon as possible Mr. Quinto." Adrianna said with a little push behind the tone of her voice. Cedric wanted her to stay at home three weeks before her due date and she needed to close all the deals before turning them over to her Uncle Matthew to handle while she gave birth and recovered.

    "Yes, yes. On the deal however, I need to decline." Mr. Quinto said kindly.

    "Mr. Quinto, I don''t understand. The offer we gave you was quite attractive and the profit was quiterge." Adrianna asked with a visible look of confusion on her face.Both she and Uncle Matthew made sure that Meta Industries would get above what was normally practiced. There was nothing wrong with their offer.

    "Miss Adrianna, I honestly don''t know how to say this to you without you taking offense. The deal you offered was fine. We were ready to take it." Mr Quinto exined. "It''s just that there was a new factor that came up. And we simply cannot ignore it."

    Adrianna paused, she had an idea about what the new factor could be. But she didn''t dare assume.

    "Mr. Quinto, please, tell me. What caused you to turn down such a lucrative deal?" Adrianna asked.

    "Miss Adrianna, please don''t get offended. But I''m sure a mistress such as yourself would understand that there are certain heiranchies that we must follow." Mr. Quinto said in a coaxing tone. It seemed he believed the rumors that Adrianna was the mistress of the Reyes Heir.

    "Mr. Quinto, I am not a mistress, that I can assure you." Adrianna stood up and started down at the older man. The other dinners ended up looking at her, Adrianna didn''t care, she was not a mistress.

    "Madam, your temper. Your husband would be worried." Mia whispered to Adrianna. Cedric had given strict instructions that Adrianna was to be kept happy and rxed at all times.

    Adrianna took a deep breath and sat back down.

    "Miss Adrianna, if you aren''t his mistress that ces you even further down. The people who asked for our partnership aren''t those we can easily offend." Mr. Quinto''s voice began to slowly rise as he realized that Adrianna was not the Reyes Heir''s mistress. "The more you should know your ce and not use their name." Mr. Quinto used.

    "Mr. Quinto I was told you were a reasonable man. Do not tell me you were only amodating Ind''s Inc. because you thought I was some rich man''s mistress?" Adrianna asked, she could feel her temper beginning to rise. This was what she wanted to avoid when she refused to announce that she was the Reyes Heir''s wife. She didn''t want people handing her things just because of who her husband was.

    "As a business woman, you should know that ourpanies fall and rise because of what families like theirs want." Mr. Quinto lectured, of course Adrianna didn''t need to be told this. She had seen first hand how Cedric had taken down all thepanies that rejected his job application.

    "Mr. Quinto, I am well aware of what the Reyes family is capable of." Adrianna said.

    "Miss Adrianna, maybe if you made the proper connections then you would be half as good as Miss Moyra." Mr. Quinto finally dropped the name of the woman iming to be Mrs. Reyes.

    "So you really think Miss ine Moyra is actually Mrs. Reyes?" Adrianna asked the older businessman.

    "Mr. Reyes bought that ne for her." Mr. Quinto said.

    "And you don''t think it could be a fake?" Adrianna questioned. "Why would the real Mrs. Reyes suddenly reveal herself after years of remaining under the radar?"

    "I''m sure they have their own reasons Miss Adrianna. You of all people should not dare question it." Mr. Quinto said in a ridiculing tone. It seemed all of the respect he held towards Adrianna was now thrown out of the window due to the fact that he no longer believed her to be the Reyes Heir''s mistress. "Miss Moyra came to us asking for this deal and we will give it to her. It''s your own fault for having such a capablepetitor. Not only is she better than you in every way, but their products and designs are much better. You should have chosen a better partner Miss Adrianna. You should have thought like Miss Moyra."

    "I refuse to continue to deal with a man like you, someone who only looks at the surface. This is a business deal, not some new toy you are looking to buy, I expected more professionalism." Adrianna used.

    "Madam, your husband just called. He said if you do not calm down he will be forced toe down and make you take a leave of absence." Mia whispered to Adrianna.

    "You are not worth dealing with Mr. Quinto. Goodbye." Adrianna said as she marched out of the restaurant and headed to the basement. She had no ns of going up to meet Cedric, she was mad at him too.

    "Why did you tell him?" Adrianna asked Mia.

    "Mrs. Reyes it wasn''t me. It was the Manager of Nouveau. Please understand, the whole Reyes Group only wants to see you and the baby safe. They are concerned about you." Mia exined to her boss.

    Adrianna was still mad at Cedric. She couldn''t understand why but she was irrationally mad at him. He had done nothing, but look out for her and care for her and to put her and the baby first, but for some reason she wanted to get as far away from him as possible.

 Chapter 204 - 204

    When Adrianna got to the car, Mia drove them to Ind''s Inc. When the employees saw Adriannaing in clearly in a bad mood, they quickly greeted her and avoided eye contact.

    "Tell Henry and Uncle Matthew to meet me in my office." Adrianna ordered her other assistant as she passed by.??

    After five minutes, Uncle Matthew and Henry walked into Adrianna''s office. They were surprised to hear that she came back angry and called for them.

    "Did something happen?" Uncle Matthew asked.

    "Yes! That stupid old man called me a mistress and said that the only reason they are dealing with us is because they believed my connection to Cedric was as his mistress." Adrianna was unable to control her emotions, she was furious.

    "Cousin, calm down. It''s not good for the baby." Henry said in a calmer tone.

    "Uncle, don''t look for another partner. We can do all of these on our own." Adrianna bravely dered.

    "I''ll get to work on it." Uncle Matthew decided not to question Adrianna on what had happened. He knew his niece to be a logical and a level headed woman, she wouldn''t be this mad for no reason.

    Adrianna''s phone began to ring. When she saw who the caller was, she dropped it.

    "Henry, tell me what you know about ine Moyra." Adrianna said as she settled into her chair.

    "What exactly do you want to know, Adri? Does this have anything to do with what happened earlier?" Henry asked.

    "We lost the deal because people think she''s Mrs. Reyes." Adrianna said, shaking her head. "This is what I don''t want. I don''t want people to lose things just because I am married to Cedric. I want to win things because I deserve them."

    "Cousin, the world isn''t fair." Henry said, shaking his head. "Why not just admit who you really are and take advantage of all the benefits. Who do you need to prove yourself to anyway? All our rtives are either in prison or spread across the world, hiding from your husband."

    "Henry, I learned other things today." Adrianna said as she adjusted herself in her seat. "Beyond proving myself, I need to be able to stand on my own. That''s the only time that I can stand next to my husband, my inws, and even my children in the future. Today a man talked down to me, first because he thought I was a mistress who refused to give way to the legal wife, after that he talked down at me for being less than a mistress in his eyes."

    "Your point?" Henry asked his cousin.

    "I need to be worthy of standing next to them. I refuse to embarrass the Reyes family." Adrianna insisted.

    At R Tower, Cedric stood by his window looking out at the city. He was bothered by the fact that Adrianna chose to go straight to Ind''s Inc. and not up to him after the problem she had encountered at lunch.

    Cedric heard someone enter his office, very few people would do so without knocking.

    "Did you get him?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes sir. Leon has him held up in the basement." Ian reported to his boss.

    "Very well. Bring him up. I would like a word." Cedric said in a grim tone.

    Ian left to execute Cedric''s orders.

    After a few minutes, Cedric was still looking out the window with his back turned to the door when he heard a man screaming along the hallway.

    Cedric heard the door open as the man was thrown to the ground.

    "What''s going on? Why am I here? Who are you?" The man kept shouting.

    "Mr. Quinto, did you know that it''s bad for pregnant women to be sad or angry?" Cedric asked in the coldest and most serious tone he could.

    "A- a- are you him? Are you the Reyes Heir? She said she wasn''t your mistress, had I known I swear I wouldn''t have been so harsh." Mr. Quinto said as his voice shook and cracked.

    He could only see the silhouette of the man that spoke. No one had seen the Reyes Heir''s face, so even if Cedric faced him he would have no idea who he was speaking to.

    "People do call me by that title." Cedric said. "But Mr. Quinto, you hurt someone more important than a mistress."

    "Sir?" Mr. Quinto said in a puzzled tone. Very few women held a higher position in a man''s heart. His sisters and mother maybe, but the top most spot would always belong to his wife.

    "You''re lucky my wife doesn''t want my help in things or else your wholepany would go down in ashes tonight." Cedric said.

    When Mr. Quinto realized that the wife the Reyes Heir was referring to was Adrianna, he was in shock.

    "T- t- they said she was married to a good for nothing assistant who depended everything on her." Mr. Quinto immediately regretted his words after speaking them.

    Cedricughed. "Do I look like a good for nothing assistant to you?" Cedric said as he slowly turned to show his face.

    "Mr. Reyes, I didn''t know. Someone else was iming to be your wife and she had sufficient evidence. We thought that Miss Ayanna, no sorry, Mrs. Reyes was someone else. Sir, please forgive me. This won''t happen again." Mr. Quinto said as he began to beg for Cedric''s forgiveness.

    "Did the woman have a marriage certificate?" Cedric asked in a raised tone.

    "No sir." Mr. Quinto answered quickly.

    "The only proof that you can trust is that. What do I care for some sted ne." Cedric said as he crossed the room to get closer to the man. "You are fortunate that my wife doesn''t like my meddling in her business."

    "Sir, please. I''ll do anything." Mr. Quinto continued to beg.

    "This is what you will do. Continue to work with the pretender. Act as if you do not know who I am, but you are never to face my wife again." Cedric said. "Once she had thought of a way to deal with you or to prove that the other person is a fake you will support her if she has the evidence. Am I clear?"

    Mr. Quinto vigorously nodded his head.

    "I won''t deal with your business yet. I will leave that to my wife. You better hope she is much much more forgiving than me." At that Cedric signaled to Leon to drag the businessman out of the room.

    "Get Cami." Cedric ordered Ian as he went back behind his desk.

    Cami and Ian returned, one with a cup of coffee and another with a stack of files.

    Ian ced the coffee on Cedric''s desk before finally excusing himself.

    "Did she contact you?" Cedric asked as he sipped his coffee.

    "Yes sir. She asked about the ne." Cami said with a nod.

    "And you gave my wife all of the information she needs?" Cedric asked.

    "I personally brought the files to Ind''s Inc. earlier." Cami confirmed.

    "Cami, when you were there, did my wife seem different? Like odd or mad at me?" Cedric was hesitant to ask but he thought that since Cami was a woman as well, she would have a better understanding of his wife.

    "Sir, no. Well Mia did say something. She was oddly mad earlier. Like something more than the business deal was bothering her." Cami exined.

    "Buy me some flowers and tell Mia that I''ll be personally picking my wife up at 5pm." Cedric said as he dismissed Cami.

 Chapter 205 - 205

    Cedric waited at the basement parking of Ind''s Inc. he sent his driver home early and personally took his car to pick up his wife.

    When she saw that his car was there, Cedric saw a slight smile creep up before Adrianna frowned again. Before she got near the car, Cedric jumped out and opened the door for her, she was surprised to see that it was him driving.??

    Inside, Cedric ced her seatbelt on her before giving her a light peck on the lips. He reached behind and handed her the bouquet of flowers that he asked Cami to buy.

    "Did you do something wrong?" Adrianna asked him. Cedric smiled and shook his head.

    "Can''t I treat my wife like a teenage girl once in a while?" Cedric asked as he fixed a stray hair that had fallen to her face.

    "Something is off about you today." Adrianna pointed out.

    "I know you had a tough meeting and I just wanted to make you feel better." Cedric said with a shrug as he started the car.

    "Are you alright? I was worried when I heard someone was bullying you." Cedric continued to speak as they left the parking.

    "Yes. Mr. Quinto is someone I can handle. As expected, he thought I was your mistress." Adrianna said with a sigh.

    "What did you tell him?" Cedric asked.

    "That I was no one''s mistress." Adrianna said proudly.

    "Darling, why don''t we just tell people about us? That way they wouldn''t think you were a mistress and they would stop looking down on you." Cedric said in a sweet tone. He hated that she had to go through this. He wanted to give her afortable life and yet she was so stubborn in her desire to prove herself that she ended up getting bullied and suffering. But it was because he loved and respected her that''s why he couldn''t force her to do what he wanted.

    Cedric always knew that his wife was a career woman, that she was driven and independent, she refused to let society dictate who she was supposed to be.

    "Ced, you know my reasons." Adriannained. "Also, because of what happened today, I realized that I need to be stronger, I need to be better. I need to earn the right to be your wife and to belong to the Reyes Family. I need to be a better person so that I can stand next to you."

    Cedric didn''t say anything in reply. He didn''t know what to say anymore. He knew his wife, when she had made up her mind that was it and no one could change it.

    The next day Adrianna sat at a coffee shop with Henry. Aside from being mad at ine Moyra for iming to be Mrs. Reyes, she realized that she was also feeling an irrational jealousy. She wanted Cedric to be hers and hers alone, he was her husband anyway. What Adrianna didn''t understand about her feelings was that she had never felt this way.

    Over the years, many of their ssmates would have a crush on Cedric, especially when they still didn''t know that he was poor. Many women colleagues also found him easy to talk to and yet Adrianna never felt jealous of them, so what was it about ine Moyra that kept getting on her nerves?

    Today, ine Moyra had actually invited her and Henry to a little get together, from what Henry had gathered she held a little court with women and some men who truly believed that she was Mrs. Reyes. Many of them wanted to suck up to her in order to get some sort of benefit from the Reyes Group.

    Eventually when ine arrived she was once more wearing the ne Cedric had sold. The day before, Adrianna had gotten the document from Cami proving that ine''s father had actually bought the ne a hundred thousand above Cedric''s asking price. Adrianna was sure that the money needed to buy that piece was something that the Moyra''s worked hard to earn.

    "ine, your ne is fabulous." One of the women praised.

    "Of course, someone who loves me very much bought this for me." ine said as she acted as if she were in love.

    "Oh ine, how lucky you are to have someone that loves you so much. So what are the princes like?" An older woman asked.

    "Oh well, as you know Alexi has such a strong personality, but he is incredibly gentle once you get to know him. And Ray, he really spoils Ayanna, he even empties out nes for her!" ine gossiped.

    Adrianna found it odd that ine knew these intimate details about Cedric''s family and friends, most specifically the one about Ray emptying out nes for Ayanna. As far as Adrianna knew, not many people were privy to that information.

    "Miss ine, tell us is it true about the Mountain View Mansion?" A young businessman asked.

    "What about it?" Said ine.

    "That the Reyes Heir had Veronica design the ce and that he stays there now?" The businessman exined.

    "Of course it''s true." ine said with a grin. This again surprised Adrianna. Cedric had kept it a secret that they had moved into Mountain View, even Cthea Carpio who was from the Carpio family didn??t know that they had moved at first. How could this pretender find out where they lived?

    "Miss ine is truly lucky!" A young woman said as she praised ine Moyra.

    "Miss ine, what is she doing here? Isn''t she the mistress?" Someone whispered to ine. It seemed the person wanted Adrianna to hear it since despite acting as if she was whispering her voice was quite loud.

    Adrianna and Henry could see the hesitation on ine''s face. It was clear that ine wasn''t sure if Adrianna really did have any connections to the Reyes family, if she did, sending her away could spell horrors for ine and her family.

    "Don''t worry. We were about to leave." Adrianna said with a smile. "I just wanted to see if that really was the ne Ayanna and her brother asked me about after the auction. Seems real enough."

    Adrianna then stood up with Henry and left.

    "Why did you say it was real? You could have said it was a fake." Henry was puzzled about what Adrianna did. Saying that the ne was real would only make people believe ine''s lie even more.

    "Because it is real. That ne is not a fake." Adrianna exined as Mia drove them back to Ind''s Inc. "Plus the more people believe who she is, the more embarrassing it will be when they find out that she''s a fake."

 Chapter 206 - 206

    Cedric had offered to pick Adrianna up again at Ind''s Inc. today, but she refused his offer. She had been refusing his offer to pick her up everyday for a week and her actions confused Cedric. She seemed mad at him but he couldn''t figure out what he did wrong.

    "Ian, what do you do when Nicole is mad?" Cedric asked as Ian entered with a stack of documents.??

    "Whatever she wants." Ian said with augh.

    "Really? And that works with Nicole?" Cedric sat up to listen better.

    "Of course not." Ian said, rolling his eyes. In public it always seemed Nicole behaved because of him, but in private if he did anything wrong he would have to beg Nicole on bended knees and she still wouldn''t easily forgive him. "Shouldn''t you be a master of this already? You''ve been together for so long."

    "Well, she never had reason to be jealous. I was a poor guy. No one liked me that way." Cedric said with a shrug. "Our biggest fight was when I told her I was the Reyes Heir."

    "Hey, you''re good looking. I would go for you." As Ian said this Cami walked into the office and looked at both of them awkwardly.

    "Should I give the two of you some alone time? Or should I report this to Adrianna?" Cami teased.

    "Don''t misunderstand. I wouldn''t go for Ian." Cedric said with augh. "Plus Nicole would kill me."

    "Well before you and Ian do something nasty, some business groups would like you to meet some partners. I said no lunches and no instances where you would have to take off your disguise." Cami said in a more formal and serious tone.

    "What time?" Cedric asked.

    "Right now it''s penned in forter tonight, after dinner. Just some drinks you could easily avoid that sir." Cami told Cedric.

    "Alright. I''ll be there." Cedric said.

    "Won''t your wife get even more mad sir?" Ian asked, worried that his boss might get into bigger trouble.

    "It''s work. She''ll understand." Cedric said as he took out his phone and sent a message to Adrianna.

    Later that night the social event was held at Maharlika Hotel, the guests that the business heads had invited were all CEOs or owners of smallpanies that worked with the Reyes Group. Traditionally they would have this kind of gathering twice a year, but this year was special, they had a third gathering since Cedric had agreed to meet all of them for casual discussions.

    They had been waiting for a while when Cedric arrived in full CEO mode. Ian and Cami followed behind him and several bodyguards lined up on the side, they made sure that everyone was kept at an arm''s length away. Leon stayed in the shadows since he also protected Cedric when he was not the Reyes Heir.

    A business head approached and greeted Cedric. Cedric simply nodded as the man guided him through the business partners that they worked with. Some of them were people Cedric knew, including a few people who had bullied him back in university.

    Cedric grinned under his mask when they shook his hand and sung him praises. They were sucking up to someone they pushed down in the past. They would get what they deserved soon, Cedric was just preparing everything for them.

    "Mr. Reyes, an honor to meet you." One CEO greeted as Cedric extended his hand to shake. "If I might say sir, your wife is the most beautiful and most incredible woman I have ever met."

    Cedric raised an eyebrow at the man, it seemed he was one of the people that believed that ine Moyra was Mrs. Reyes.

    "I agree with you, my wife is truly amazing and the most beautiful in my eyes. But how do you know who my wife is?" Cedric asked the CEO.

    "Sir, you bought her something so amazing, she wears it all the time." The CEO praised.

    "What are you referring to?" Cedric said right before moving on to the next CEO, leaving thest one puzzled.

    Down the line of introductions he was faced with a familiar ne. The wearer was clearly hesitant if she should greet him or not.

    "Mr. Reyes, these are the Moyras. We have some business with them." The business head introduced.

    Cedric just nodded and refused to shake their hands.

    "Sir, my daughter loves the ne we purchased from you." Mr. Moyra proudly said, he however said it quietly enough that those nearby could not hear them.

    "She has bad taste then." Cedric said coldly.

    "Sir we purchased it from you at quite the high price, how could my daughter not have any taste?" Mr. Moyra was confused, how could he say the ne was tasteless when he sold it at such an expensive price.

    "She doesn''t like it, whoever likes it must be tasteless." Cedric said before finally moving on.

    As Cedric left he could hear people gossiping.

    "Mr. Reyes and Mrs. Reyes are so professional, he is even acting so cold around her." One man whispered to his wife.

    "They think we can''t see it but she looks so lovingly at him. That''s amazing." His wife replied.

    "Sir, would you like for me to deal with the gossipers?" Ian asked, he too heard what the couple were saying.

    "No. The only one that needs to learn a lesson is the one pretending to be someone else. I''m not that petty." Cedric told Ian.

    "I''m sure your wife would argue differently." Ian said with a grin.

    "Grow up Ian." Cedric rolled his eyes at Ian.

    The rest of the night went by peacefully with Cedric meeting all the business partners, many of whom had brought a femalepanion, be it their wife, daughter, or sister. These women in turn mostly gushed about being able to be so close to the Reyes Heir.

    When Cedric and his assistants got into the car, social media was filled with posts from women at the event.

    Some were posting about how handsome the Reyes Heir was, the posts were apanied by a blurred photo of his front or side profile. There were a few of Cedric speaking to ine Moyra, some had the caption ''Does that ne look familiar?'' or others asking if she was really Mrs. Reyes.

    "Cami, make sure my wife has more than enough evidence to take down the pretender." Cedric told his assistant.

    "Sir any more evidence and I would be handing her your marriage certificate." Cami teased. Of course even showing their marriage certificate wouldn''t prove anything, no one knew the Reyes Heir''s real name.

 Chapter 207 - 207

    When Cedric arrived home he was greeted by aughing Ayanna.

    "What''s so funny?" Cedric asked his sister as he went towards the stairs.??

    "Oh, nothing. You''ll find out soon enough." Ayanna said as she fought off a giggle. Cedric raised an eyebrow at her but decided not to probe any further.

    As he got up to his and Adrianna''s floor he was a stack full of pillows and several suitcases outside their room.

    "Adri, are you going on a trip? Why didn''t you tell me?" Cedric asked as he entered their room.

    "Out!" Adrianna shouted as she threw a pillow at him that he easily caught.

    "Why? This is our room." Cedric said as he moved closer to his wife.

    "Tonight you sleep somewhere else." Adrianna said.

    "Adri, calm down. Remember, being mad isn''t good for the baby." Cedric said in an attempt to get his wife to calm down.

    "Get out and I''ll calm down." Adrianna said pointing at the door.

    "Okay, okay. What did I do?" Cedric asked as he scratched the back of his head.

    "You cane back when you''ve figured out what you did wrong." Adrianna shouted as he closed the door behind him.

    Outside he saw Ayanna and Veronica giggling as they carried some pillows.

    "Shouldn''t you guys be in your rooms?" Cedric asked the two girls.

    "Don''t be stupid brother. It''s girl''s night. Adrianna is mad at you so we''re sleeping over to keep herpany and for her to rant. You can go over to either the guest room or your office." Ayanna teased Cedric.

    "Or you can keep Miguelpany. He''s pretty pissed at you right now cause Adrianna dragged me away." Veronica said as she and Ayanna slipped into the room.

    Cedric grinned at Veronica''s statement, so she was fully aware of Miguel''s feelings. He wondered what game Veronica was ying, making Miguel suffer like that. Cedric decided that it was something he shouldn''t think of especially since it was Miguel''s problem and not his. He had his own right now, he couldn''t even figure out why Adrianna was so mad. He quickly took out his phone and invited the boys out for drinks at Hype bar.

    They all agreed so Cedric got on one of his shier cars that he rarely drove and went to Hype bar. He made sure to cover his face as he entered through the back door, some bystanders however still managed to spot him and snap some photos. Many quickly assumed that it was the Reyes Heir, others just thought it was some rich heir that didn''t want to get caught partying.

    When Cedric got to Ray''s private room in Hype bar the other boys were already there. Cedric sat on the couch as Alexi handed him a drink.

    "No girls?" Cedric asked, usually the sisters were quick to tag along to gatherings like these.

    "I warned them that you and Adrianna were fighting and she managed to take away my wife and your sister." Miguel pointed out as he took a drink.

    "What mess did you stir up that made your wife so mad and take my fiance?" Ray asked as he rolled his eyes at Cedric. "I had a romantic evening nned with your sister, when she suddenly called and said her sister-inw needed her."

    "I don''t even know. I was suddenly thrown out of our room!" Cedricined. He had juste home after the social gathering with their business partners and all of a sudden he wasn''t even allowed in his own room. "Although, Adrianna''s been acting odd the past week." Cedric said as he recalled her behavior.

    "Amatures." Alexi said with augh.

    "What would you know? You never stay long enough to be in a rtionship with a woman." Miguel used his friend.

    "There is a reason why I don''t stay with them long term, to avoid things like this." Alexi scoffed.

    "Cedric, you''ve been the topic on social media a lot recently." Eric said as he scrolled through his phone. "Do you think that could be rted to why she is mad?" Eric was the eldest among them and possibly the most experienced when it came to women. Alexi''s multiple women didn''t count since they were all casual encounters.

    "Well there is one thing." Cedric said hesitantly as he remembered that someone was parading around letting people assume that she was his wife.

    "What?" Alexi impatiently asked.

    "Well someone has been iming to be the wife of the Reyes Heir." Cedric admitted to his friends.

    "And you haven''t done anything about it?" Ram asked as he sat up and listened closely.

    "What am I supposed to do? She''s mad when I meddle, and now she''s mad when I don''t!" Cedricined. It had taken all of his self control for him not to protect her or to release a statement denying the ims. He knew his wife wanted to deal with this in her own way.

    "You''re an idiot." Eric said, shaking his head as he showed everyone several posts on social media. "You can''t help her so you decided to make things worse for her? Really Cedric? You rarely go to these kinds of events and you had to go to one where the pretender was present. ording to some posts you even spent a longer time talking to her and her father."

    "It was a business event." Cedric said with a shrug. "Adrianna should understand."

    "Add to that you let these photos stay online. You didn''t ask Ram to get rid of them. We all know Ram can easily get rid of them." Eric said in a raised tone. His night too was ruined by Cedric''s foolishness.

    "Cedric, you a**hole! This is your faultpletely!" Ram shouted.

    "Even if Adrianna normally understands these things she''s pregnant and hormonal. Her emotions aren''t as stable as they usually are." Miguel said, giving a more scientific exnation.

    "What do you guys want me to do?" Cedric asked as he downed another drink. "Going home now won''t send the girls away. They''ll just stay longer."

    "Then go sleep in the guest room and apologize to her tomorrow." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "As much as I hate to admit it, Alexi has a point." Eric said.

    "Let''s just drink, and drown our sorrows away." Ram said in a sad tone.

    "What''s up with you?" Alexi asked as he moved closer to his friend.

    "Arranged marriage and all that. The usual. Things I can''t really avoid." Ram drank another ss, Alexi grinned and poured him another one.

    "You know I met this interesting pair of twins. They are amazing -" Alexi was going to go into detail when Miguel cut him off.

    "We don''t want to hear that. We aren''t like you." Miguel said, rolling his eyes.

    "Fine, be a whipped husband like Cedric." Alexi said as he left the room.

    "Let''s call it a night." Cedric said with a sigh.

    When Cedric got home he asked the maids to prepare the guest room on the ground floor. He was about to go to sleep when someone knocked on the door.

    "Mom?" Cedric was surprised to see his mom holding warm milk and some cookies.

    "You used to love eating these when you were a kid. I''d always give them to you when you had nightmares or you couldn''t sleep." Prisci Reyes said as she recalled things from over twenty years ago.

    "Come in mom." Cedric said as he helped her with the milk and cookies.

    "Did I think I was santa or something?" Cedric said with augh as he sat down and drank the milk.

    "You and Adri had a fight? I wanted to check on you." Prisci asked her son.

    "Yeah. It''s my fault and her fault, we''re adults mom. We''ll figure this out." Cedric said as he took a bite out of the cookie.

    "I know it''s tough. Adjusting back, especially for you. You have Adrianna and the baby to think about. I guess I just wanted to say that I know you''re all grown up now, but mom and dad will always be here if you need help or if you have any questions you want to ask. We will always be on your side." Prisci said with a smile as she got up to leave.

    "I''ll just take these outter." Cedric said pointing at the ss and te in front of him.

    Prisci nodded and was halfway out the door when she turned back and said. "Your dad and I are proud of you Cedric. Always remember that."

    Cedric was left alone in the guest room after his mom left. He felt sleepy all of a sudden, he didn''t know if it was the alcohol or the milk and cookies, but he slept his best sleep that night despite being at odds with his wife.

 Chapter 208 - 208

    When Adrianna woke up the other girls were no longer in her room. She felt better and thought she was being unfair to Cedric, after all it wasn''t his fault that women were attracted to his wealth.

    Adrianna was about to get out of bed when Cedric burst in the door with a bouquet of roses and a maid carrying in a breakfast table with Adrianna''s favorite food.??

    "Cedric." Adrianna groaned as Cedric ced the flowers in a vase and had the maid ce the table in front of her.

    "I''m sorry Adri. I should consider your feelings more." Cedric said in a calm and soothing tone. He hoped that she would be moved by his gesture.

    Cedric saw Adrianna frown and he was immediately worried. "Did I do something wrong again?" Cedric helplessly asked.

    "No, no. It''s me Cedric." Adrianna said with a sigh. "I don''t have any right to get mad at you about any of this. It''s kind of my fault anyway."

    "Adri, I should have been more proactive." Cedric began to say.

    "Cedric, no. You keep adjusting for me, and the only reason someone like ine Moyra has the chance to parade around pretending to be the wife of the Reyes Heir is because of my stubborn goals." Adrianna said cutting her husband off.

    "So does this mean, you''ll agree that I can reveal my identity?" Cedric asked with hope in his eyes.

    "No. Not yet. But I won''t me you for this and I promise I will fix things." Adrianna said, Cedricughed at the determination his wife had. He just wished she wasn''t so stubborn about not telling people about his true identity.

    Cedric joined her in bed and kissed her passionately. "You''re so gorgeous. I can''t wait to see our daughter who will just be as beautiful as you." He ced aside the breakfast and continued to kiss her, while still remembering to be gentle since he was pregnant.

    Cedric watched as Adrianna prepared herself for work. After having a little fun in bed she scolded him and prepared for work, unlike him she couldn''t bum around in the morning. She had several ns, and ine Moyra was on the agenda.

    "Do you really have to go? You should rest. You''re very pregnant." Cedric said as he hugged her from behind.

    "Stop it." Adrianna said as she marched out of the room. Cedric watched and grinned, of course he knew what she was up to, and he nned to witness it first hand.

    At lunch, Ian reminded Cedric about Adrianna''s n, so Cedric dropped everything and left his office.

    "Where''s my sister?" Cedric askd Ian and Cami as they walked across the hall.

    "She went ahead sir. They don''t know that you know." Cami reported.

    Cedric simply nodded and went down to the parking lot. Before going down Cedric had changed his clothes to what he would normally wear, before arriving at their destination, Cedric, Cami, and Ian were dropped off in an area where they could switch from the car to a cab.

    When they got to the coffee shop where ine and her friends would be. They sat in a secluded area of the shop, somewhere Adrianna wouldn''t be able to see when she arrived.

    After a few minutes ine and her group of followers entered the shop. She sat in the center wearing the ne purchased from Cedric by her father.She touched it every so often to remind people of who they thought she was. Cedric had to hand it to her, she was cunning.

    The Moyra''s never t out said that she was married to the Reyes Heir, they just let people believe who they thought she was and they never corrected them. It wasn''t a direct lie, but it was still an offense towards the Reyes n.

    ine was drinking her coffee when she turned pale, she spotted Cami from where she was seated. She knew that if it reached the Reyes Heir''s ears that she was acting this way, her whole family would disappear. Everyone had heard about how cruel and unforgiving the Reyes Heir actually was.

    She tried to get up and walk towards Cami, unfortunately for her Adrianna arrived, and she was not alone.

    "You should really stop pretending to be someone that you are not." Adrianna said as she arrived with the sisters.

    An audible gasp was heard as people reacted to the scene. Who was Adrianna Hernandez - Reyes to bring the sisters along.

    Cedric grinned as he watched the scene unfold, he was actually surprised that Adrianna had allowed the sisters to intervene. It seemed his wife was slowly epting the fact that she had very powerful friends that were more than willing to help her.

    "How dare you?" One girl who followed ine said as she red at Adrianna. It seemed she didn''t care that the daughters from powerful families were standing behind Adrianna. She must have assumed that with ine''s support and her supposed husband''s support she would be untouchable, she might even be rewarded. Unfortunately for her, she couldn''t be more mistaken.

    "Are you really that brave to protect someone who is pretending to be who she isn''t?" Adrianna asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

    "You''re just a jealous mistress!" The girl used.

    Adrianna walked up to ine as Mia stood between the girl and her. The girl was shocked at how strong the office assistant was and she couldn''t retaliate. Adrianna threw the documents on the table in front of ine and her followers.

    "That ne was sold by the Reyes Heir right after the auction. These documents are from his personal assistant, Cami. You are not his wife and you''re fooling all these people." Adrianna said as she ced a hand on her waist.

    Cedric who was watching from behind couldn''t help but grin. He was proud that Adrianna was finally learning to stand up to people, first her family, and now this pretender.

    "You don''t believe her?" Ayanna asked.

    The people in the restaurant were confused. They knew Ayanna Reyes, who didn''t, but what if they ended up offending the Reyes Heir''s wife. Wouldn''t that be more dangerous?

    "Wow, that''s the first time I saw people hesitate to believe you Ayanna." Katerina said with augh.

    "Fine, if you still think that pretender is telling the truth." Ayanna said before turning around and walking towards Cedric''s table.

    As Ayanna approached Cedric threw her a warning look, she wouldn''t dare reveal who he was, would she?

    "Cami, do you mind testifying for us?" Ayanna asked as she turned to face the assistant.

    Cedric breathed a sigh of relief, he didn''t think his sister could reveal who he was anyway. It was tooplicated at this point.

    "Of course Miss Reyes." Cami said as she stood up and fixed herself.

    Mostpany owners knew Cami, they had to know her and Ian, especially if they had any ns of doing business with the Reyes Group. The pair were the assistants to the Reyes Heir after all, and if rumors were to be believed they were quite close with their boss and he always listened to their opinions.

    "Tell us about that ne." Ayanna said as she pointed at ine''s ne.

    "Mr. Reyes told me to sell that ne after the auction." Cami gave a simple reply that shocked everyone.

    "Who bought it?" It was Adrianna that asked the question this time.

    Cami grinned before replying. "Miss ine Moyra''s father."

    With Cami and the sister''s backing everyone realized that ine had fooled them all. They would be lucky if they got away from this unharmed, but it seemed that by sending his sister and assistant the Reyes Heir was not happy at all.

 Chapter 209 - 209

    Cedricughed as he saw the reaction on the followers'' faces. It was clear that they would turn on ine and Cedric was prepared for this. Earlier that day he had arranged for some important people to be at the coffee shop. Some were bloggers, others news reporters, there were also several socialites that didn''t like ine whom Cedric had invited over.

    All they knew was that the Reyes Heir had promised them a show if they came to that coffee shop. Of course none of them were disappointed when the truth about in Moira finally came out. From the moment Adrianna came in with the sisters the bystanders knew that ine was done for. Also this meant that Adrianna was not as simple as they had intially thought, even mistresses woudln''t be able to get their man''s sister and her friends to back her up. So what really was the power behind Adrianna???

    As they watched ine''s supporters turn on her Ian handed Cedric a tablet to show him how social media was reacting, and it was exploding. The people he had invited to the coffeeshop wasted no time in posting about the incident, the fact that ine Moyra had pretended to be the Reyes Heir''s wife and how she was embarrassed by Adrianna and Ayanna was the most talked about news online, the whole scene hadn''t even ended at this point yet.

    "You bi*tch!" ine Moyra shouted as she tried to p Adrianna. Her had was quickly stopped by one of the young men who were initially hanging around her to get her favor.

    "How dare you hit a pregnant woman!" The young man shouted as he pushed ine to the ground.

    For some reason Cedric felt jealous that another man was defending his wife, he wanted to be the only one that could defend her.

    "Sir, one of the reporters sent a message, can they release who had invited them over to the coffee shop?" Ian asked as Cedric kept his eyes glued on the events that continued to unfold.

    "Make them wait till tomorrow. I want people talking about this for a long time. People should remember, if they pretend to be someone else and use my name to their advantage they will pay the price. Especially if it takes away from the people that matter." Cedric said with a serious voice.

    "Yes, sir." Ian said as he responded to the barrage of messages he received from the bystanders. He even informed those who had asked. He told them that the Reyes Heir wanted everyone to know that they weren''t to be messed with.

    "Am I still needed Madams?" Camellia asked Ayanna and Adrianna.

    "You can go back." Ayanna said with a nod. She looked at the table and grinned at her brother.

    "I''m sure Miss Ayanna was surprised to see you here." Ian said as they watched people who had followed ine scold her and shout at her.

    "We should go ahead. The show is over. Have the driver pick us up." Cedric didn''t answer Ian''s question as he didn''t know if Ayanna had any idea that he was aware of their ns from the very start.

    When they got in the car Cedric''s phone began to ring, when he checked it was Ayanna. She must have noticed that he had left the coffee shop already and nned to speak to him.

    "Don''t you have better things to do?" Cedric asked Ayanna.

    "We need a ride back to R tower." Ayanna said.

    "Why not take Adrianna''s car?" Cedric was already suspicious about Ayanna''s intentions.

    "We sent Mia back to Ind''s Inc. to do something." Ayanna told her older brother.

    "Fine." Cedric knew better than to argue with his sister who was backed by his wife. "Ian will meet you at the back." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    Since they wouldn''t all fit in the car Cedric let his driver ride with the security team while Ian would drive them.

    Adrianna and Ayanna soon arrived with Ian and they quickly slid into the car.

    "Did anyone follow you?" Cedric asked as his wife and sister made themselvesfortable.

    "Nope. We got out safe. Everyone was busy looking at that b**ch to notice us." Ayanna said with augh.

    Cedric nodded then took a risk. He ced his arm around Adrianna''s waist and pulled her to him. To his surprise she didn''t seem mad at him at all about the incident and she leaned on his chest.

    "You were amazing." Cedric whispered into her ear.

    "You still cheated." Adrianna answered back.

    "I didn''t, you still did everything. I just made sure that the right people were there to witness it." Cedric said with a grin.

    "You knew all along?" Adrianna asked.

    "From the very start. I even knew she stole partnerships from you." Cedric said proudly.

    "Cedric, can I invite the others over for dinner tonight?" Ayanna suddenly asked.

    "Sure. Just inform the maids what to prepare." Cedric told Ayanna.

    Adrianna had nothing left to do for the day so after dropping Ayanna off at R Tower, Cedric brought Adrianna home to Mountain View. Since he still had some documents to finish, Cedric stayed at the ground floor office while Ian and Cami worked as well.

    Ian was going through some documents when something caught his attention. He gathered everything and went up to Cedric.

    "Sir, look at this." Ian said as he showed Cedric some charts. "The value of our shares are constantly dropping, not only that but our sales and profits from almost allpanies are following the same trend. The only one that is growing is Mor Co."

    "Send me all of these, I''ll show it to my dad when he gets home." Cedric said as he took a closer look at the numbers.

    The rest of the day flew by quickly, before Cedric knew it a maid informed him that his father had arrived home. Cedric nodded and met his father by the stairs.

    "Dad, Ian found something. Do you still have some energy to talk about work?" Cedric asked. He knew that his dad was incredibly busy managing the Reyes Group even if Ayanna already helped out with Elisia Malls and he handled Mor Co.

    "Sure. Let''s go to your office." Emilio Reyes said as he started walking towards that direction.

 Chapter 210 - 210

    "This is odd." Emilio said as he looked at the charts. "We''ve been so busy trying to get things up we didn''t notice that there was a trend that cut across."

    "Do you want me to investigate it?" Cedric asked, him investigating it would entail him going undercover again and changing back his habits.??

    "No need. Ian, can you call Marco in please, I think he hasn''t left yet." Emilio Reyes told Ian. Cedric was aware of Marco''s habit, after dropping off his father, Marco would stay for an hour more in case Emilio Reyes needed anything. This was actually a habit that Cami and Ian had both picked up at this point. Cedric had tried telling them to go home as soon as he arrived home, but everytime they did so, something urgent would happen and they would need to return to Mountain View or Mor Co.

    When Ian returned with Marco, the older assistant greeted Cedric before approaching his boss.

    "Marco, discreetly investigate why there are drops in all of these." Emilio Reyes said pointing at the chart that showed a clear dip. "I want to know if it''s all internal or if there are external factors affecting them. Leave no stone unturned."

    Marco gave a quick nod as his response.

    "Ian, Cami, investigate why Mor Co. didn''t drop. That difference should help us find the reason for this." Emilio quickly gave instructions to the three assistants who were present.

    "For now, we can''t do much until we have more details." Emilio told his son. "You should get ready, our guests will be arriving soon." Emilio said as he left Cedric''s office.

    "Let''s finish up here then you guys can get changed as well. Join us for dinner." Cedric told the three assistants. Of course, they didn''t refuse.

    When Cedric and Adrianna came down for dinner, the maid said that Ayanna had the back patio prepared for tonight. When the couple joined everyone else they were surprised that it wasn''t just their friends that were there, all the parents were even present, including the Abads.

    "Adri,e sit with us!" Nicole said as she pulled the pregnant Adrianna towards their side of the table.

    Cedric watched as Adrianna just smiled and went with Nicole. Ian was right behind Cedric smiling as well.

    "At least you get to see her." Cedric told Ian.

    "Maybe, soon, I can actually stand next to her at a gathering like this." Ian shrugged.

    Cedric simply nodded, he didn''t know what to tell his assistant and friend. He knew Ian had been through a lot and not being able to be with Nicole publicly was another pain he had to suffer.

    "It''s Veronica''s first time seeing her parents at a private event since she ran away." Miguel suddenly appeared beside Cedric and Ian.

    "Have they spoken?" Cedric asked.

    "No, not yet. I''m worried she''ll burn the bridge between them." Miguel said in a sad tone. Cedric ced a hand on Miguel''s shoulder.

    "I don''t think so, she''s a smart person. She would never sever ties with her family." Cedric attempted tofort his friend.

    "Let''s sit. What''s up with Ayanna''s sudden urge to throw a party?" Miguel asked as they sat beside the other boys.

    "An announcement." Ray said as he smiled at his friends.

    "Ah! Now I know." Cedric said with augh as it became clear why Ayanna wanted to have a private dinner with family and friends.

    "What? What is it?" Miguel asked excitedly.

    "For a genius doctor you can be quite slow." Alexi said with augh as he brought over some drinks.

    "So why are you seated with us and not with my sister?" Cedric asked Ray.

    "Something about them continuing their sleepover bonding." Ray said as he rolled his eyes.

    "Did you fix things with Adrianna?" Alexi asked.

    "Yeah. The girls also helped her fix the problem with ine Moyra." Cedric told them as he recounted what the girls did that day.

    "Katerina is asking if you want to file charges against ine Moyra by the way." Alexi said, rying his sister''s question.

    "I''m afraid it will be too much." Cedric told his friends expressing his worries.

    "Really? Coming from the man that drove severalpanies into bankruptcy just because they rejected his job application." Ram teased as he heard Cedric''s hesitation.

    "I''ll ask Adrianna. She also doesn''t want me interfering." Cedric said as the maids started to serve dinner.

    When they finished eating and the tes were cleared, the maids began to serve drinks to the guests. Everyone was having a good time,ughing and telling stories, when Ray stood up from his ce and sped Cedric on the shoulder telling him that it was time.

    Cedric grinned at his friend, he knew Ray was quite nervous about what he and Ayanna were going to announce, after all, their engagement had initially been a plot to keep her safe.

    Cedric leaned back on his seat as he watched Ray approach Ayanna and whisper something to her. Ayanna smiled sweetly at Ray and stood as he helped her up.

    "Ray and Ayanna have an announcement to make." Cedric said loud enough for everyone to hear.

    Everyone stopped talking and the whole ce became silent.

    "Ayanna and I have decided to set a wedding date." Ray said proudly.

    The moms were visibly excited and began speaking amongst themselves.

    "We''re finally going to be inws!" Prisci excitedly told Ray''s mother, Amy So-Laurence.

    "I thought they would make us wait years before finally making this announcement!" Amy Laurence replied to Prisci.

    "I hope they don''t set the wedding years from now. The sooner, the better." Benedicto Laurence, Ray''s father told the two women.

    "Will you let us get to that announcement, dad?" Ray said with augh as the parents discussed the wedding.

    "Alright, go on." Benedicto said with a smile.

    "We want to get married six months after Adrianna gives birth." Ayanna said proudly.

    "What''s with the six months?" Adrianna asked her sister inw.

    "I want my little niece to be a flower girl at the wedding." Ayanna said with a grin.

    "Ayanna, babies don''t walk that soon." Katerina teased.

    "But she''ll be old enough for my brother to finally let her out of the house. Plus Adrianna will be well enough to attend the wedding and wear something stunning." Ayanna said, cing her hands on her waist.

    "I think my wife is stunning no matter what." Cedric proudly dered.

    Everyoneughed at Cedric''sment.

 Chapter 211 - 211

    Cedric woke up the next day to find Adrianna still fast asleep. Last night''s gatheringsted longer than they expected. The parents were extremely happy and on top of that, Veronica and her parents had finally made up.

    Cedric pulled his wife to him and held her, he watched her sleep peacefully as he yed with her hair. Unfortunately they had a busy day ahead, Cedric had a lot of work to do on the expansion project for Mor Co. He actually had to visit the site today as Ian and the other department heads in charge of the expansion were going to give him a tour, as well as updates on the build.??

    Aside from the main Mor Co. buildings, his friends had their own stakes in the area. The Mor Co. Tech Park was not just going to be the hub for scientific innovations it was also going to be themercial center of the whole province.

    "Ced?" Adrianna asked as she slowly woke up.

    "Did I wake you?" Cedric asked. As he kissed her on the cheek.

    "Nope. I need to get to the office. I''m handing over my work to Uncle Matthew and Henry. I''m also going to try patching things up with Margaret again." Adrianna said as she slowly got up from the bed.

    "Don''t tire yourself out too much." Cedric said as he pulled his wife into the shower.

    When Adrianna arrived at Ind''s Inc., she found Uncle Matthew and Henry waiting for her in her office. She greeted them with a smile before finally settling in her chair.

    "How long before you have to stay at home?" Henry asked his cousin.

    "If my husband had his way? A month ago." Adrianna said with augh. Cedric was extremely paranoid about his wife and child''s safety. Aside from the increased security, Cedric had scheduled for more frequent check ups. "Don''t worry I still have two weeks to turn things over to you."

    "Did our old partnerse back?" Henry asked Uncle Matthew and Adrianna.

    "After ine''s true identity came out, they were all begging for our forgiveness and to partner with us again." Uncle Matthewughed. Aside from ine''s deception, the fact that until now Adrianna and Ayanna Reyes were good friends and even Mrs. Prisci Reyes came out to defend Adrianna made everyone think that there was something more to Adrianna.

    There were currently two rumors going around, the first being that Adrianna might be the illegitimate daughter of a Reyes rtive, and the second was the long circting rumor that Adrianna was the mistress of the Reyes Heir.

    "We dropped them. We''re going with a few new ones, the sisters connected me with a couple ofpanies that are much bigger." Adrianna told Henry.

    "d to hear you''re slowly having a change of heart." Henry said with augh.

    "Don''t tease." Adrianna answered back. "I''m still your boss."

    "What''s Henry talking about?" Uncle Matthew asked.

    "Uncle, you know that all my life I''ve been told that my face will help me marry a sessful man." Adrianna exined. "I fell for Cedric because he wasn''t someone who simply looked at me as a pretty face, he looked at me as a woman capable of achieving my dreams, on top of that he wasn''t some rich man''s son so people wouldn''t say I achieved things because of him. Now that we know that he is beyond the kind of man everyone expected me to marry, I don''t want people saying in the future that I achieved my sess because I had a powerful man behind me. So I''ve been refusing his help."

    "Is that why he still remains mysterious and refuses to show his face in public?" Uncle Matthew asked.

    "It is, but the events with ine Moyra and my talks with my mother-inw and sister-inw helped me realize that maybe I can ept help from some of them." Adrianna admitted. "On top of that when I met Mr. Quinto he helped me realize that no matter how hard I try people will still act ording to how powerful they think the people behind me are."

    Henryughed at Adrianna. "So Cedric couldn''t knock any sense into you but Prisci and Ayanna Reyes managed to do so?"

    "It''s a woman thing. They understand me differently." Adrianna said with a shrug as she returned to focus on exining to Henry and Uncle Matthew the work she would be passing over to them.

    At lunch, Adrianna had arranged for the three of them, Margaret, and her parents to eat at the Bamboo Room. She asked for Ray''s help to get a table the night before during the small gathering Ayanna had organized.

    She thought that after everything that had happened recently they all deserved to sit down and have a nice meal together. Cedric couldn''t join them since he was visiting the Mor Co, expansion site today.

    Everyone was eating peacefully when Margaret suddenly ced her utensils down and murmured something.

    "Margaret, speak up. We didn''t hear you." Uncle Matthew told his daughter.

    "Adri, I''m still mad at you." Margaret managed to say.

    Adrianna looked at her cousin with a confused face, she never expected Margaret to have forgiven her. After all, they had never spoken about what had happened after the Hernandez family had thrown them away.

    "I understand and I don''t take it against you." Adrianna calmly told her cousin.

    "Aren''t you going to send me away, or shun me, or use your husband''s power, wealth, or influence to send me away? I haven''t forgiven you, aren''t I a threat to your safety?" Margaret said with a confused expression. Just like Adrianna, Margaret had grown up surrounded by people who used each other to further themselves and people who wouldn''t hesitate to get rid of the other if they posed any threat.

    "Margaret we aren''t with them anymore. I''m not like them. You know this." Adrianna said with a stern look.

    "Margaret, what are you doing?" Uncle Matthew asked his daughter.

    "Our world is different now Margaret. We aren''t part of the Hernandez family anymore." Adrianna told her cousin.

    "Ourst name is still Hernandez, we still carry that blood." Margaret said in a sad tone. They had been branded, and Margaret was not immune from the effect of the family''s fall. They may have had more, financially now, but socially, people avoided them like the gue. Most of her old friends abandoned her, very few remained.

    "Margaret, they aren''t our family anymore. We''ve moved on." Adrianna said in an attempt tofort her cousin.

    "Not we Adri, you." Margaret said with a frown. "You might have escaped the shadow of the Hernandez family, but we all still need to live with it."

    "Margaret, Cedric said the Reyes n is our family now." Adrianna tried to exin to her cousin.

    "Adri, don''t you see, that only applies to you. Because you prefer to keep your husband''s true identity a secret." Margaret cried out.

 Chapter 212 - 212

    Adrianna did not know what to say. Margaret was right. She might be able to escape the Hernandez name but everyone else in her family would not, at least not until Cedric, as the Reyes Heir, publicly recognized them as his.

    "Adrianna, this isn''t my point. What I really wanted to say is that I''m sorry, but I''m still mad at you and I can''t forgive you just yet. But I want to, I really do. It was your husband that saved us and our family really was wrong." Margaret said in a calmer tone.??

    The whole table was suddenly silent, everyone knew that there was nothing wrong with what Margaret had said, but they knew that they had no right to interfere with the couple. Especially since Cedric''s whole identity had already caused a rift in the past.

    "Margaret, you''re right." Adrianna said slowly.

    "Adri, you don''t need to say that." Margaret said in an embarrassed tone.

    "No, not. You''re right. But, I can''t let people know Cedric''s true identity yet. Please give me time, but I promise you, I''ll find a way to make things better. Why don''t you join me and the sisters this weekend? They want to hangout." Adrianna offered.

    "I''ll try." Margaret said with a smile. Adrianna suddenly realized that it had been such a long time since shest saw her cousin smile genuinely.

    Cedric on the other hand was sitting in a makeshift office at the site of the new Mor Co. Tech Hub. Several members of the management team were presenting the progress of the site on Mor Co.''s end.

    "Sir, at the rate we are going we can open in six months." Ian proudly announced.

    Cedric looked at the ns and the reports, Ian was right, that was the fastest they could do without sacrificing the quality of their work.

    "Very well. How about the employees? Have you begun hiring?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes sir." It was the Human Resources head that answered his question. "We''ve hired several industry leaders from Japan and America. As for local talents we are hunting down the top graduates from both the state run schools as well as from private institutions. As per your instructions, we are only looking for the best."

    Cedric smiled, he was proud at howpetent his management team was. He had promoted some of the younger employees that showed true potential and skill. Those that were older of course still had the experience and were not pushovers either, so Cedric had them moved to the main businesses of the Reyes Group.

    "This is good. You can all go now and take the rest of the day off." Cedric told his people happily. They all thanked him and left, when it was just Cedric, Ian, Cami, and Leon in the room Cedric took off his disguise and rxed a little. Cami came over with a cup of coffee while Leon brought over their lunch.

    "What do we have left on the agenda?" Cedric asked Cami.

    "The otherpanies that will be building in the Tech Hub will present their progress as well as their business ns. Then the other Reyes Grouppanies, and finally we will take a tour of the area. " Cami reported.

    Cedric sighed and ced down his utensils. "Did their bossese along?" Cedric asked.

    "We were told that Mr. Laurence, Mr. Abad, and Miss Chan would being over." Cami said as she stifled augh. She knew that if his friends wereing over her boss would be teased non-stop.

    "How about Alexi and his sisters?" Cedric asked, he knew that the Sebastian''s had both political and business interests in the area and would often be nearby.

    "They didn''t send any word." Cami said.

    "Keeping a straight face is much easier when they aren''t around." Cedric said with a sigh as he returned to eating his meal.

    After lunch, the first to arrive was Ram together with some of his staff. Unlike when they were normally together, Ram wore a serious face and sat on the seat to Cedric''s right.

    "I''m looking forward to Light''s Entertainment and Abad Networks'' presentation today, Ram." Cedric said as Ram''s employees stared as the mysterious Reyes Heir spoke casually to their boss. Of course they all knew that the two men were friends but seeing someone speak so casually to their CEO still shocked them. One employee even snuck a photo of the two dashing young men, even if they couldn''t see the Reyes Heir''s face they could already guess that he was good looking.

    "I''m sure you won''t be disappointed." Ram said with a grin as he signaled for one of his employees to begin their presentation.

    They showed Cedric their n to create a training center for their new talents, the center would have practice facilities and dormitories withplete amenities. They would also be building studios and sets where they could tape their shows. These studios will also host tours in order to boost the industry in the area.

    "I hope you don''t n on using the area for your lesser known artists or shows." Cedric told Ram.

    "Of course not." Ram said with augh. "Eric will be the first artist to record a movie in the facilities." Ram said to assure Cedric. Of course that assurance was not needed, Ram just wanted to say it in front of his employees.

    "Good." Cedric said expressionlessly. "You may go."

    "Go ahead. I''ll stay with my friend." Ram told the people who had just presented. They of course simply followed their bosses orders and left.

    The nextpany that was penciled in to present was Ray''s, unfortunately he was runningte because Ayanna wanted him to taste the cake she wanted for their wedding. Cami informed Cedric that Nicole and her team had already arrived and were prepared to present to him. Cedric nodded and told Cami to let them in.

    When Nicole entered dressed in a business attire and looking serious Cedric wanted tough. He knew that Nicole often took on a more serious personality when not in front of family and friends, but Cedric was surprised to see her looking more like Katerina.

    "Mr. Reyes, thank you for giving us your time." Nicole said quite formally. Cedric saw Ram smirk beside him and Nicole reacted with an annoyed look.

    "Proceed." Cedric said calmly.

    Nicole nodded to her team as she moved to sit on Cedric''s left. Nicole''s team presented how they were nning on building a hospital within the Tech Park. It would be one of the most advanced hospitals in the country despite not being within the capital.

    "We''re also nning on cing one of Miguel''s hubs here. As you know there is one in the capital in the main Saints Hospital and another on Kashmere, this would be the second. It will be staffed by one of his teams and it will have all the equipment Miguel might need to conduct an operation." Nicole exined.

    "That would draw a lot of VIPs to the area. Good." Cedric said, praising Nicole''s idea.

    "I have one more." Nicole said as she stood up and asked the employee to shift over to the next slide.

    "As you know, my mental facilities have been doing well. People are slowly epting that mental health is an important factor." Nicole began. "I want to build the main hospital and rehab center here."

    "Why?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s far enough from the capital to help patients detach but it''s also in an area that will be like a mini city that could help them reintegrate." Nicole exined.

    "Ian, help Nicole find a suitable location within the TechHub." Cedric instructed. Ian simply nodded in reply as he jotted down some notes.

    Cedric watched as Nicole looked lovingly at Ian. He wanted tough and tease her but there were people from the hospital still with them.

    "You can join me on the tour of the vicinity, for the meantime, sit down, Ian will get you some tea." Cedric said as Ian jumped into action and prepared Nicole''s favorite tea.

    Nicole sent her team away as well since there was nothing for them to do anyway.

 Chapter 213 - 213

    Cedric, Ram, and Nicole had been waiting for thirty minutes when Ray burst into the room.

    "Hey brother-inw, I''m so sorry, Ayanna just went on and on about the wedding details." Rayined as his team timidly walked in.??

    "You''ll scare your team." Rammented as an enthusiastic Ray directed where each person was to stand and to set up their presentation.

    After preparing everyone, Ray gave the go signal for all of them to present to Cedric. As his team spoke Ray pulled a chair and sat behind Cedric. His team noticed that their boss would every so often say something to the Reyes Heir who would give a slight nod.

    Ray''s team was full of young talents so many of them were either excited or nervous to meet the Reyes Heir. When they were done they waited for Ray to give them instructions.

    "Did you know that most of my team members were quite excited to meet you in person?" Ray asked Cedric.

    Cedric just threw him a funny look before Ray startedughing.

    "Of course you didn''t. Well many of them are fans. So what do you guys think, is my future brother inw good looking or what?" Ray asked.

    "This is exactly why people think you''re gay." Ram teased as Nicoleughed at the joke. Even Cedric who struggled to keep a straight face let a grin slip through.

    "I''m sure you''ve all stolen photos of him. You may go." Ray said dismissing his employees as well.

    When they were finally alone Cedric took off his mask and rxed in his seat.

    "Hey Ced, you''ll never guess who Ayanna and I bumped into." Ray said proudly.

    "One of your exes?" Cedric teased, Ray didn''t have any exes. He never really made things official with the girls he dated or liked.

    "No! I don''t have those." Ray said with augh. "Remember those guys that used to bully you in University?"

    Cedric nodded.

    "Well they saw me and Ayanna and they decided to start a conversation with us. Of course the first thing they do is to talk about their dad''s businesses and how they would inherit soon." Ray recounted what had happened.

    "I doubt their dads will let them inherit. They''re a bunch of bums that know only how to rely on their dad''s money." Cedricmented.

    "Aren''t they on your list?" Ram asked.

    "Of course they are." Cedric said.

    "Well I think I have the perfect intel." Ram said with a grin.

    "How do you have intel that neither Alexi nor I have?" Ray asked.

    "Because it''s my business to know these things." Ram said with augh. He took out his phone and handed it to Cedric.

    "I don''t know these people." Cedric said in response.

    "Let me see." Ray said as he extended his hand. Cedric handed him the phone and Ray looked at the list. "I''m clueless too." Ray said with a shrug.

    "Hey Nicole, are these names familiar?" Cedric asked as he slid the phone over to Nicole.

    "Of course they are. I know every single one of them, Ray you should too!" Nicole said as she shed a knowing smile at Ray.

    "Is Ayanna going to scold me about this?" Ray asked hesitantly.

    "Yes. Half of this list is on your wedding guest list!" Nicole scolded.

    "What? Why?" Ray wore a confused look on his face.

    "Ayanna and I went to university with them, the other names are their moms, and their moms were all famous celebrities that all suddenly stopped acting." Nicole pointed out. After a few seconds she suddenly gasped, she realized what Ram ment about having intel.

    "Did he Abads cover all of these up?" Nicole asked as she passed the phone back to Ram.

    "With the help of your mom." Ram shrugged.

    "Okay guys, enough with the suspense." Rayined.

    "As Cedric said, those bullies only depend on their fathers, if the family businesses fall into their hands they will file for bankruptcy within a month." Ram exined. "These kids here are all the half sisters or brothers of Cedric''s university bullies. Their dads all had mistresses that were actresses."

    "They aren''t set to inherit." Cedric smiled as he realized what Ram was building up to.

    "Do they know?" Nicole asked.

    "Nope. But their half siblings have been working in their father''spanies for some time now. All it will take is a little pressure." Ram said as he smiled at Cedric.

    "Cami, get the list from Ram. And call their father''s over." Cedric told Cami, who immediately started working.

    "Ced, I noticed something." Ray said hesitantly.

    "What''s up?" Cedric asked.

    "I was observing the market behavior when I saw that the Reyes Group''s stock prices have been on a decline recently. Shouldn''t you be rmed?" Ray asked.

    "We''re looking into it. I feel like there is more to the stock price drop but I can''t figure it out." Cedric felt he didn''t need to keep secrets from his friends, even important business ones such as these. They all trusted each other with their lives. "Anyway, Ian, Cami, and Marco are all investigating it. We should have some findings soon."

    "Sir, we''re ready to take you around." Ian respectfully said, Cedric nodded in reply and stood up.

    "Why are you so formal, Ian? It''s just us. You can be all sweet to Nicole if you wanted to." Ram teased.

    "Grow up, Ram." Nicole said, rolling her eyes.

    "I''m being professional." Ian exined to Ram.

    Ian and several members of the expansion team drove Cedric, Ram, Ray, and Nicole in golf carts around the Tech Hub property. Cedric would asionally go down and inspect some of the progress himself. If he had anyments he would tell Ian who diligently jotted things down.

    When they finally got to the location of Mor Co.''s office within the hub, Cedric stared at a rendition of the final output.

    "Veronica really is talented." Ram said with a smile. He had always been a proud brother, even if they weren''t biologically rted. Ram saw the Abad family as his true family. Despite their ws they loved him, cared for him, and treated him as their own.

    After the tour, Cami was on the phone when she approached Cedric.

    "Sir, everything is set. The fathers will meet you in a week." Cami told her boss.

    "Good. Prepare everything." Cedric ordered as he grinned. It seemed he would be getting his revenge much sooner than he expected.

 Chapter 214 - 214

    On the way home from the Mor Co. Tech Hub site, Cedric frowned as he recalled what those bullies had done to him in University.

    Carlo, Jun, Ben, Dennis, and Kevin were at the top of the food chain back in university. They were top athletesing from extremely wealthy families. They looked at everyone that was poor as less than them and not worth their time.??

    Usually the five of them never fought and got along on everything, there was however one thing that they all wanted, but only one person could have, Adrianna Hernandez. At the time they were all freshmen in university and Adrianna had not yet met Cedric, Adrianna was still single and religiously following her family''s wishes.

    When all five boys approached her, all asking her out on dates, the Hernandez family was extremely excited. Adrianna had managed to attract the eye of almost every single eligible bachelor aside from the five princes.

    Cedric on the other hand was a poor kid that worked part time as a busboy in a popr coffee chain. One day when he was cleaning tables a little dirt got on Kevin''s bag. When the young man saw this he began shouting at Cedric, threatening to have him fired. Cedric tried to reason at first but Kevin would not have it. Either Cedric paid for the bag or paid for it through forms of service.

    Since Cedric had no money at the time he chose to be their personal assistant while they were at university. The boys would ask him to do everything, from tying their shoces, to buying them condoms and delivering it to them in a hotel. Sometimes when they were mad they would turn Cedric into their human punching bag.

    Cedric had tried numerous times toin the five boys to the school and to the police, unfortunately they had extremely powerful backers so everytime Cedric wouldin he would just suffer even more. This is how he truly realized that your skills are not enough, sometimes a person''s standing in society was all that mattered.

    One day Ben discovered that Adrianna Hernandez was single, not wanting the others to get a head of him, he ordered Cedric to buy flowers and give it to Adrianna. Not wanting any trouble, Cedricplied.

    Cedric stood outside Adrianna''s ssroom holding the flowers Ben had asked him to buy.

    When Adrianna finally stepped out he handed Adrianna the flowers and read Ben''s message.

    Just as he was about to leave a hand pulled him back.

    "Are you alright?" Adrianna asked. Cedric was speechless. He was shocked that such a pretty woman spoke to him. He was poor and was used to being overlooked by people. He had struggled with this fact all throughout his poverty training, from being their heir of a rich family that was waited on hand and foot to someone that was practically invisible.

    "Yeah. Anyway that''s Ben''s message, you should go and date him, he''s a real big shot." Cedric told Adrianna as he turned to leave. A real big shot, hah! Wait till they find out who he really was, he was going to pay them a thousand fold for how they treated him.

    "Wait." Adrianna called out again. Cedric stopped and sighed. Talking to this girl was going to get him into more trouble.

    "What''s your name?" Adrianna asked. Cedric was surprised that she wanted to know his name, girls like her were supposed to avoid him. He was poor and they were rich.

    "Are you sure you should be talking to me?'' Cedric asked in a cold demeanor. "Trust me Adrianna, I''m not on the same level as you."

    "Why does that matter? I think you''re nice." Adrianna said with a sweet smile. "So now you need to tell me your name and give me your number." Adrianna approached him and handed him her phone.

    Cedric took it and typed his name and number. He didn''t know why he ced his real name and number, something told him that he should.

    "Oh great, look. All the girls are going crazy over them again." Adrianna said, rolling her eyes.

    Cedric turned to see his childhood friends Ray, Alexi, and Ram walking around not paying mind to the many eyes that followed them and the girls that tried to speak to them. He wanted tough at them but he knew it would look stupid.

    "I don''t see what girls see in them. They''re just rich." Adrianna said as she looked at her phone. Cedric saw her smile as she looked at his name.

    "Well I guess Cedric, I''ll call you." Adrianna said as she walked to the trashcan and threw away the flowers Ben had given.

    The next day, Cedric was eating his lunch when Ben came in and picked him up by the cor.

    "You useless, imbecile." Ben shouted. "I''m not theughing stock of the whole university. What the hell did you tell her?" Ben asked as everyone began to turn their attention to Cedric.

    "Nothing. Three of the four princes did pass by before she threw it away though." Cedric said as he came up with an excuse as to why Adrianna threw away the flowers Ben gave.

    "Ugh, those assholes, if they weren''t in the same school as us things would be so much easier." Ben slowly ced Cedric back down. "Make sure she gets my number." Ben ordered before leaving.

    Cedric''s phone immediately buzzed as soon as Ben left. It was a message from Ray, his best friend. ''Want me to have someone beat that a-hole up?'' Even if they were still in University, Ray was already part of the underground and he had even managed to drag their other friend, Alexi along.

    ''No help allowed, remember?'' Cedric quickly replied back before shoving his beaten up phone into his pocket and heading into ss.

    A few dayster Cedric saw an unknown number calling him, thinking it was one of the people who liked to order him around he dropped the call. After a few minutes a message came in.

    ''Hey Cedric, it''s me, Adrianna. I heard about what happened. Can youe out to have coffee?'' the message from Adrianna said.

    After that coffee date with Adrianna they hangout quite often, unfortunately this meant that the boys got even more mad at Cedric. Aside from ying pranks they would do things to him, such as make it seem like he cheated or vited the rules in school.

    After the first time they tried to get him expelled Cedric became extra careful ensuring that there was a reliable witness or that the professor was always around. At first he wanted to stop hanging out with Adrianna, it wasn''t just the bullies, it was her friends too, they didn''t like him.

    He would often send messages to Ray, Ram, and Alexi, telling them about how he wanted to stop being friends with Adrianna, but the boys discouraged him. Cedric too felt that something drew him to Adrianna, it''s why he never really let go. His friends often offered to do something to help, but he constantly reminded them that they weren''t allowed to help.

    At one point Ray, Ram, and Alexi were so frustrated that they decided to beat up the five boys. They made it seem like they had offended them so that there was a valid reason for beating up Cedric''s bullies.

    After their conflict with the three they began being quiet, too afraid to do anything that would offend them.

 Chapter 215 - 215

    By the time they arrived at Mountain View, everyone was already at home. Cedric was exhausted by the trip and all the work they had done. In the foyer he was greeted by Mia who seemed to have something to report.

    "Let''s discuss it in the office." Cedric said as he changed the direction he was walking towards.??

    Cedric settled on his seat as Mia closed the door behind her.

    "Speak." Cedric ordered.

    "Mrs. Reyes had a little conflict with Miss Margaret earlier." Mia told her boss.

    "Was it about the incident from before?" Cedric was sure that Margaret still carried some pain from when they were thrown out from the Hernandez Family. He knew Margaret had not spoken since then.

    "Yes, sir. But after getting mad Miss Margaret''s attitude suddenly changed. She said she wanted to try making up with Mrs. Reyes." Mia said reporting the odd swing in Margaret''s mood.

    "Very well. I''ll talk to Adri about it and maybe ask for Nicole or Eric''s help on this." Cedric said as he took out his phone pondering which Chan sibling to bother.

    Mia nodded and left the office. Cedric finally settled on consulting with Eric first on it. He gave the older man a call.

    "Cedric, what''s up?" Eric happily said over the phone.

    "I hope I''m not bothering you." Cedric said in a tired tone.

    "Nah, I''m just at a boring dinner Ram asked me to attend. Your call was the perfect excuse to get away from the business man''s daughter that kept trying to touch me." Eric said with augh.

    Cedric proceeded to tell Eric about his concerns when it came to Margaret, he knew that if anyone could understand or speak to her it would be Eric. The actor after all had a Phd in Psychology, a secret a lot of people were unaware of.

    Eric advised Cedric on what to do and what to watchout for, but essentially Eric warned Cedric not to push Margaret. It seemed that the trauma Margaret had gone through was quite a lot.

    After his chat with Eric, Cedric went up to bed. He slipped into bed and held Adrianna close to him.

    "You''re back quitete." Adrianna said as she felt Cedric''s arm wrap around her. "The girls invited me to go to Kashmere after I''ve handed everything over to Uncle Matthew and Henry. It was supposed to be a shopping trip but Katerina has to meet with a high value client" Katerina, Miguel, and Veronica often used Kashmere as a meet up point for clients that wanted to avoid the public eye.

    "It should be fine, Kashmere has the best facilities and if you have any health concerns Nicole will be there with you." Cedric said as he held his wife.

    "I''m bringing Margaret along. We''re trying to mend our rtionship." Adrianna proceeded to tell Cedric about the events that happened over lunch. Of course Cedric already knew about all of these.

    "I hope you and Margaret can fix your issues." Cedric said as he kissed his wife on the head.

    Before Cedric realized the week blew by. He was in his car heading over to Constetions Resort to meet up with the five fathers of his bullies. Cedric had asked Ian and Cam to gather all the information they could get about the fathers. Of course Cami and Ian had given it to him the day before giving him enough time to study them.

    At Constetions, the fathers were led to Cedric''s private room. They were surprised that the Reyes Heir wanted to speak to them. It was another surprise when they were told to meet him at Constetions Resort, the resort had no known connections to the Reyes group.

    The elder men had been waiting for thirty minutes when a well dressed young man wearing a facemask and gold rimmed sses entered the room. His aura exuded power, there was not doubt that this young man was the Reyes Heir.

    "No need to stand." Cedric said as he let them remain seated. "I''ll make this quick. I am doing this as a favor to my sister. It seems that your children are all quite close to her."

    "Sir, I think you might be mistaken my son is older than Miss Reyes. I''ve never heard him mention her." The person who spoke was Artemio Juan, the father of Carlo Juan.

    "Oh, it''s not your sons that know my sister." Cedric said as he motioned for Cami to give each man a folder. In it were details about their mistress and illegitimate child.

    Cedric saw the shock on their faces. He nodded at Ian who gave them another folder, each containing photos of their sons'' mboyant ways.

    "It''s interesting how all of you have so many things inmon." Cedric started. "You all took up mistresses who were rising stars at Light''s Entertainment, had children with them, and those children happen to be morepetent than your so called heirs."

    The men looked at each other with shock. They had known each other for quite a while since their sons were friends, and having mistresses was quite normal for men of their social standing since their marriages were often for business or political reasons.

    "My sister considers your children as her friends. I highly suggest that you do several things, first, give them more important roles in yourpanies, it''s the only way those businesses will survive. While they work hard to please you and find a ce in yourpanies your heirs are out there spending you money on cars and whores. None of them are faithful to their wives and they have most likely fathered multiple children with the women they have slept with. That will drain the family purses really quick, raising a child is not cheap." Cedric said, revealing his first condition as well as some information he had gathered on his bullies. It was true that they had all fathered at least three children outside their legal marriages and had been supporting those women and their children financially, sending them to the best schools.

    "Second, I want you to publicly acknowledge them when I tell you to. Fail to do both of these and I will be forced to take yourpanies and hand it to them." Cedric said in a threatening tone. The men knew they were older and more experienced that the Reyes Heir, but something about him intimidated them. They knew that crossing the Reyes family was no joke, it could spell the end of their family if they offended anyone from the Reyes n.

    The fathers quickly nodded and agreed to do as Cedric asked. Cedric dismissed them and told them that Ian, Cami, or his other assistant, Ceric aka himself, would contact them with further instructions.

 Chapter 216 - 216

    When they finally left, Ram entered from another door. He satfortably as a waiter came in and brought them some dumplings.

    "Really? You''re eating right now?" Cedric asked his friend.??

    "I missed lunch. It was a hectic day." Ram shrugged as he continued to eat.

    "You never told me why the Abads hid their affairs and their children." Cedric told Ram.

    "Business interests. The Juan family, Carlo''s family, owned some properties we wanted. The David family, Jun''s family, own thepany that supplies our lights. The Sanchez family, Ben''s family, owns a talent agency, we wanted to pirate some of their talents. The Von family, Dennis'' family, ran aw firm that was supposed to file a very damning case against the Abads, and finally the Garcia family, Kevin''s family, originally owned some of the equipment that Abad Network uses." Ram exined.

    "It''s funny how their sons all ended up bullying me. Such an odd coincidence." Cedric said with augh.

    "Yeah, and all the illegitimate kids ended up being friends with Ayanna. By the way does Ayanna know you''re doing this?" Ram asked.

    "Yeah, we spoke about it two nights ago. She was happy to see revenge for her friends. She couldn''t publicly be their friend since their fathers'' families threatened them to stay quiet." Cedric exined.

    "Those boys will never know what hit them." Ram said with augh as he ate another dumpling.

    Cedric''s n began to take shape as soon as the fathers left the room. They were more than happy to have an excuse to name someone other than their sons as the next CEOs and Presidents of theirpanies. They weren''t stupid or blind and knew how worthless their legitimate children actually were.

    One of the benefits to Cedric''s identity as the Reyes Heir being unknown to the public was that he could witness his ns unfolding himself. The fathers had been quite diligent in reporting to Cami and Ian, Cedric knew that the sons were now aware that their fathers had met with the Reyes Heir and that there were some movements internally in their ownpanies.

    Cedric chose to visit a bar that the boys would often go to. He knew that they preferred to be seen so they didn''t book a VIP room as most rich kids did. They sat at the center with their woman for the day.

    Cedric was apanied by Ian as they took the table behind the five boys so that they could hear their conversation.

    "Drinks are on me! Ourpany looks like it will be partnering with the Reyes Group soon." Cedric knew this voice to be Kevin. He was a slim man and he had arge breasted woman on hisp.

    "No way man! My dad too just got a partnership!" Ben shouted over the music.

    The other boys suddenly began saying that their fathers too had managed to snag partnerships with the Reyes Group. They allughed at the coincidence.

    "I was kind of hoping that dad would give me more work, but he ended up promoting this girl Krista." Dennis Vonined.

    "Dude, do you think your dad is tapping that?" Jun David asked his friend with augh. Cedric wanted to spit his drink at the thought. Krista was actually Krista Von, Dennis'' younger half-sister.

    "She''s pretty hot. I wouldn''t mind doing her." Dennis said with augh. "I''m notining though. I don''t like to work, so if dad can keep me as far away from business as possible, I don''t mind."

    "I feel you man." Carlo Juan nodded in agreement. "I''m d my dad decided to take this junior manager under his wing. I can just use that kid to manage the business when he finally hands the shares over to me."

    Cedric knew that the junior manager Carlos was referring to was Paolo Juan. All of the illegitimate children had been carrying their mother''s surname so none of the boys knew any better. They all thought that the employees their fathers were training were nothing more than just some employee that showed potential. They didn''t realize the threat that these people truly posed to them.

    Aside from Paolo Juan and Krista Von, the other illegitimate children were Matteo David, Jun David''s half brother, Tricia Sanchez, Ben Sanchez''s half sister, and Erik Garcia, Kevin Garcia''s half brother. All five of them had gone to the same university in the same year and they all took the same major. They had all ended up as ssmates together with Ayanna Reyes. Everyone knew who Ayanna Reyes was, they were all quite surprised to see the daughter of such a powerful and well known n making friends with their lesser ssmates.

    All five of them knew the circumstances of their births, none of them met their fathers until they started working in the family businesses. They, unlike their elder brothers, all knew that they could lose everything in an instant. So they strived to study hard and work hard while keeping a low profile, their mothers after all had been young actresses back in the day.

    "Make sure to record this." Cedric told Ian who simply nodded.

    Ian already anticipated what his boss would want and arranged for hidden cameras and recording devices to be installed in the bar earlier that day. He was sure that something was bound to happen that Cedric could use against his bullies.

    When Cedric and Ian went out of the bar they were greeted by an angry Nicole.

    "How dare you put work ahead of our date!" Nicole shouted as she pped Ian.

    "Nicole, don''t me Ian, this is my fault." Cedric said as he attempted to get Nicole to calm down.

    "No! This isn''t the first time he has ced work before our rtionship. We are going to talk about this now!" Nicole said as she pulled Ian into her car and drove off with her security attempting to catch up with her.

    They left an extremely puzzled Cedric standing at the parking lot. After a while, Cedric''s car drove up, before Cedric got in he heard a couple of familiar voices.

    ???Wow, there is only one of that car in the country." It was Jun David, gasping at the sight of Cedric''s car.

    Cedric was very tempted to turn around and show them that the person they used to bully is much more powerful than them, but he chose to remain rational and continued to get into his car.

    He felt a satisfaction in hearing his former bullies being shocked at the sight of his car.

 Chapter 217 - 217

    The timing of thepletion of the new Mor Co. office couldn''t be better. When Veronica invited Cedric to do a final inspection he was happy with the results. The exterior of the building had been redone and the interior had a fresh new look. He was sure that the employees would actually be eager toe into work.

    "Ian, make sure to send invitations to the five fathers and their illegitimate children." Cedricmanded as he looked through the documents Cami had handed him in the morning.??

    "How about the bullies sir?" Ian asked. They had picked up the habit of calling the five men that bullied Cedric in Universities as the bullies.

    "Invite them as well. I want them to see how much their fathers are depending on others and not them. Inform the fathers that they are to take both the legitimate and illegitimate child to the opening of Mor Co.''s new office." Cedric said as he gave out instructions. He wanted the five men to see how they weren''t of value to their fathers.

    He knew that all five would be more than willing to have someone under them doing all the work, so seeing their fathers rely on certain employees wouldn''t bother them just yet. Cedric was nning on ying the long game with these men. He wanted them to suddenly lose everything, but when they look back they will see how his revenge was a long timeing.

    Before the day was over, Ayanna slipped into Cedric''s office. She wore a huge smile and sat on his couch while she waited for him to finish what he was doing.

    When Cedric finally ced down the papers he was looking at, Ayanna spoke.

    "Am I invited to the inauguration of the new Mor Co. building?" Ayanna asked sweetly.

    "Are you seriously asking me that question?" Cedric was a little bit annoyed at how Ayanna was asking such an obvious question. She was Ayanna Reyes, the Reyeses owned Mor Co., of course she was supposed to be there.

    "Well I don''t know if you want your bullies finding out my connection to their half siblings. Sometimes I can''t tell how you''re gonna twist your n." Ayanna said with a shrug as she yed with some of the disys on Cedric''s desk.

    "You knowing the newly trusted employees will give the fathers the perfect excuse. It will put a veil over those bullies eyes and they won''t know what''s happening till it''s toote." Cedric said with a grin.

    The inauguration was to be held in two days, it wasn''t just Cedric and Ayanna that were attending, the whole Reyes family was expected to show up. Aside from them the Abad and Chan families were also expected to be there since Veronica had designed the building and it was already public knowledge that Veronica and Anna Abad were the same person.

    The two days before the inauguration were quite busy for Cedric, he spent everyday doing overtime at his office in R Tower. There were many things that the Mor Co. team needed his approval on. He also had to work on his speech for the event. Aside from him, his father, Emilio Reyes III would also be giving a speech. It was, after all, expected since Mor Co. was a subsidiary of the Reyes Group and the first business that the Reyes Heir was handlingpletely on his own.

    On the day of the inauguration Cedric wanted Adrianna to be there, unfortunately Ind''s Inc. and Mor Co. had no cooperation together and it would only fuel rumors if Adrianna was seen at the event. Cedric decided to let her focus on work since at the end of the week she would be staying at home until she gave birth.

    All of the employees were excited to enter the building, for the past few months they had actually been holding office at R Tower, there were only a few people allowed back into the Mor Co. building during the renovation process. Of course at first they were all very excited to be at the head office in R Tower, but they soon realized that they all missed the familiarity of the Mor Co. building.

    Most of the employees had found their seats and were excitedly waiting for the VIP guests. ording to office rumor, even Eric Chan, who was the endorser for thepany would be joining the inauguration.

    Cedric''s special guests were seated in the row behind where Ayanna would be seated. He wanted to make sure that their half siblings and fathers saw Ayanna acknowledge them. It would do two things first it would strengthen their biological father''s confidence in naming his illegitimate child as heir over the legitimate one, the other purpose it served was to justify their presence to the clueless bullies.

    When they arrived the bullies all greeted each other happily and were quite rowdy. They even checked out some of the female Mor Co. employees and tried to get some to join them for drinks after. Of course, some of the girls couldn''t resist the allure of the rich young men and agreed to go clubbing with them after the inauguration.

    Their fathers could not help but shake their heads in disappointment. This proved even more how their first born sons were not meant to inherit their family businesses. Under their control thepanies would close in less than a year. Their fathers did try to teach them, after graduating from university they were given key roles in thepanies, but as the sons of the owner people never challenged them or called them out. As a matter of fact, when they cked a manager would pick up whatever the owner''s son was dropping. They felt no responsibility whatsoever and spent the day wasting their family''s money.

    When the Reyes family finally arrived Ayanna took her seat next to her brother at the front. She turned and smiled at her friends.

    "Brother didn''t tell me that you wereing." Ayanna said happily.

    "It was thepany that was invited. The bosses just chose to bring us." Tricia Sanchez said as she greeted Ayanna.

    "I''m d my brother invited you guys. It would be incredibly boring if it was just us." Ayanna said with a grin.

    When Louie Sanchez noticed his daughter talking to Ayanna Reyes he took advantage of the moment and greeted the young woman.

    "Miss Reyes, it''s an honor for us to have received an invitation to this event." Despite being much older than Ayanna, Louie Sanchez regarded the woman with much respect. Aside from being a daughter of the Reyes family, Ayanna Reyes was well known for her business prowess despite her young age.

    "My brother seems to have taken an interest in yourpanies. When I heard about it I told him that a few of my good friends worked at thepanies he was looking at to work with." Ayanna was doing as Cedric wanted, she was showing the fathers of her friends how close they truly were.

    "Ah! It''s starting." Matteo David excitedly pointed as Eric came on the stage as the host.

 Chapter 218 - 218

    Everyone was surprised to see that the famous Eric Chan was the host for the inauguration. It wasmon knowledge that he always refused hosting gigs and preferred to do endorsements and acting roles.

    He stood handsomely on the stage, and how could he not host this event? It was the hard work of his sister-inw and someone he considered to be a younger brother, two people that were incredibly important to him.??

    When the girls saw him on stage they quickly whipped out their phones and started taking photos and videos, this was a rare urrence.

    "Wee Mor Co. employees!" Eric said as he shed a smile. "And of course our special guests." As he mentioned the special guests he looked towards his family and winked at his sister.

    Of course this did not escape the eyes of his observant fans who quickly followed his gaze and noticed that he was looking at the youngest member of the Chan family. The reaction was split in half, some fans were jealous of the adoring look that Eric had towards the woman, others were already creating the Chan-Chan ship.

    Backstage, Cedric was looking through the impact of the inauguration on social media when he stumbled on several posts about the Chan-Chan ship. He spit out the coffee he was drinking andughed hysterically.

    "If only those fans knew the truth." Cedric said out loud,prompting Veronica who was also backstage with him to throw a puzzled look.

    "Social media is exploding with the new Chan-Chan couple." Cedric said with augh.

    "Oh my gosh." Veronica said as she opened her phone. "Ha! Ian, who knew your strongestpetition is your future brother inw." Veronica teased, as Ian frowned.

    "Sir, Miss Veronica, it''s time." Cami said as she pointed to the stage. Eric was about to introduce them.

    When Cedric came up on stage several female employees and some members of the audience started screaming. It seemed that despite hiding half of his face the Reyes Heir had quite a number of fans.

    As Eric and Cedric shook hands Eric took the opportunity to tease the younger man. "No wonder Adrianna got jealous, you''ve got so many fans without even showing your face."

    "At least she married me. You''re still chasing the love you let slip through your fingers." Cedric teased back.

    "Soon soon. It''s all in the timing." Eric said with a wink before finally going back to hosting the event.

    When the inauguration was done Cedric sent Ian and Cami to invite Ayanna and her friends with their fathers to the backstage. He intentionally asked for them to leave the bullies in their seats as the parent and child duos went to meet the Reyes heir.

    Cedric was sitting backstage chatting with Eric and Miguel when Ayanna arrived with her friends.

    "Brother! Here are the people I wanted you to meet." Ayanna said as she approached.

    "This is Paolo Juan, Ian tells me you''ve met his dad, Mr. Artemio Juan." Ayanna said, pointing out her friend and his father. Ayanna''s friends gasped at her introduction. Of course they had told Ayanna in the past about their true parentage but they never expected her to say it to someone like the Reyes Heir.

    "Ohe on. He''s one of the most powerful people in the country. He''s bound to find out." Miguel said with a grin.

    "Then this Matteo David, and his father Juancho David Sr." Ayanna continued. Cedric simply nodded at the introduction. "Tricia Sanchez and her father Louie Sanchez, Krista Von and her father David Von, and Erik Garcia and his father Ernesto Garcia."

    The fathers already knew that Cedric was aware of their identities, so they were puzzled as to why Mr. Reyes still called them over despite knowing who they actually were already.

    "You''re much better looking than your brothers." Eric Chan teased. They already all knew that these five had actresses as their mothers so it was only natural that they took some of their good looks from their mothers'' side, their dads weren''t bad looking either.

    "Eric, don''t you have an interview to go to?" Cedric asked.

    "Ah, yes. Bye." Eric said as he winked at Ayanna''s friends.

    "This is why she thinks you''re a flirt." Miguel teased his brother as he apanied him out.

    "Now that you''ve met my friends, are you happy?" Ayanna asked with her arms crossed on her chest.

    Cedric nodded. "These are the ones you said that are quite capable?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes brother." Ayanna nodded proudly.

    Cedric looked at them intensely. He could see that they were nervous to meet him.

    "I''m concerned about our partnerships. I know your legitimate sons. They are nothingpared to them." Cedric''s statement was directed to the fathers. The fathers quickly understood what they needed to do, they needed to assure the Reyes Heir that theirpanies would not fall into the hands of their legitimate children.

    "Sir." It was Artemio Juan that was the first to speak. His son Carlo Juan bullied Cedric in university and was still a big bully to this day. He was twenty eight but he acted like a fifteen year old. He had many mistresses and many illegitimate children. He thought that by arranging a marriage between Carlo and a daughter of an equally prominent family, who was incredibly pretty,would keep his son loyal. His son further shamed his daughter-inw by bringing home some of the mistresses he had taken. Artemio pitied his daughter-inw and treated her like his own daughter, giving her more affection than his son. "I will not give mypany to my eldest son Carlo. I will also back my daughter-inw in filing an annulment on their marriage. I know she loves someone else and she truly deserves better." At that, Carlo looked at his son, Paolo, he knew Paolo and his daughter-inw liked each other before he made her marry Carlo. He wanted to see a wrong made right.

    "You can tell me this now, but what about your families and the public?" Cedric asked, raising an eyebrow. This was all part of his n. This was how he was going to take away everything from those that bullied him.

 Chapter 219 - 219

    Below the stage Emilio Reyes, Prisci Reyes, James Abad, Victoria Abad, Raphael Chan, and Lucy Chan were casually chatting and catching up as they waited for their children to finish their business.

    On the side Veronica, Nicole, and Ram were talking as well. The Mor Co. employees had already left to take a tour of their new office building, while Eric''s fans also left as soon as they saw their idol leave the stage. Many of them were actually waiting near the car parking, hoping that he would leave that way.??

    "Where''s your husband?" Nicole asked her sister-inw.

    "With Eric and Cedric. They''re probably plotting something." Veronica said, with an eyeroll. As the event finished she went out to go join Miguel and her family when she bumped into him as she entered the backstage.

    "Have you spoken to mom and dad since you got married?" Ram asked his younger sister as he looked up at their parents who were casually chatting with their friends.

    "We spoke during Ayanna and Ray''s announcement, but we didn''t really get to talk about anything serious. They just asked how I was doing and if Miguel was treating me well." Veronica replied. "They haven''t been pestering you to get married too have they? I mean isn''t it enough that one of us got married to their nned spouse recently."

    "Well��" Ram said, scratching his head.

    "Who?" Nicole asked in an innocent voice.

    "They haven''t exactly found a good match. But I know they have someone in mind. And Veronica, Miguel isn''t that bad, he actually loves you." Ram told the girls.

    "Don''t tell me it''s that b**ch Cthea!" Nicole said angrily, as Katerina''s friend and Eric''s sister she really hated the woman.

    "No, they haven''t reached the point where they want psycho in the family." Ramughed. "After what she tried to do to Eric she stopped bing an option."Even if the media and the public were unaware of what Cthea had tried to do, their parents at least knew.

    "Please don''t mention that woman, especially not around Katerina." Eric said as he approached his siblings and their friends.

    "I thought you were scheming with Cedric?" Veronica asked Miguel.

    "The siblings sent us away." Miguel said with a shrug as he stood beside his wife. He was aware that they were visible to bystanders and some employees who were still hanging around so Miguel moved to pull Veronica to him by the waist.

    "Stop it." Veronica said, not making any motion to send him away since the public could see.

    "V, we''re in public. Do you really want people to think there are problems with our marriage?" Miguel whispered in her ear.

    Veronica sighed in surrender and allowed Miguel to continue holding her in his arms. They were ying the role of a couple still in their honeymoon phase.

    "Ram, why don''t you say no to mom and dad?" Veronica asked. She knew that her brother hated the arranged marriage conditions and he, unlike her, was able to avoid it so far because he used his work at Lights as an excuse.

    "Veronica, even you weren''t able to escape it." Ram told his sister in a grim tone.

    "We should really say hi to our parents." Miguel told Veronica. Unlike his wife, Miguel knew why Ram would never have a say in the matter. He was an adopted child, he had to do as his adopted parents had said or risk losing everything. Not just the money or thepany, but people he considered to be his family and friends as well. On top of that, the Abads relied heavily on Ram''s business ability to run Lights Entertainment, he knew that Ram couldn''t bear to see his father lifting the burden of managing the twopanies on his own again.

    Although Veronica and Ram had many cousins that could take Ram''s ce, none of them were aspetent as Ram. It could even be said that Lights Entertainment had grown to the size it was today because of him. It also didn''t hurt that he was friends with Eric Chan and Eric would never sign with a differentpany.

    Veronica didn''t see anything wrong with Miguel''s suggestion, she simply sighed and nodded to her husband. Miguel pulled his wife toward the direction of the chatting parents.

    "Oh Veronica, your work is amazing!" Prisci Reyes greeted as she saw the young couple approaching.

    "Thanks auntie, I''m just d that Cedric didn''t have any demanding specifics for the build." Veronica said with a smile. Cedric was her easiest client, he didn''t have a spending limit and he told her clearly what he wanted.

    "Veronica, do you mind if we had a word with you?" James Abad asked his daughter. Veronica was surprised to hear her father call her Veronica. He had always called her Anna, her birth name.

    Veronica squeezed Miguel''s hand. She didn''t want to admit it, but she hade to depend a lot on him emotionally.

    "I''ll go with you if you want." Miguel whispered to her ear. Taking advantage of her dependency, he ced a gentle kiss on her ear making Veronica blush.

    "No. I''ll talk to mom and dad on my own. Stay with your parents." Veronica said as she let go of his hand.

    Veronica and her parents went to a secluded side of the venue to talk.

    "Anna, no Veronica, we''re sorry about forcing you into this marriage." James told his daughter.

    "Dad, it''s done. Let''s move on from it." Veronica didn''t want to push the issue anymore. Everyone was right after all, Miguel wasn''t bad. He loved her, she couldn''t say that she loved him just yet, but it wasn''t impossible.

    "Veronica, we need to tell you the truth." Her mother, Victoria Bernasconi - Abad said with a sad look. "We know it might be toote, but you deserve to know the whole truth."

    Veronica didn''t know what to say. She was confused and lost with what her parents were saying.

    She sighed and nodded.

    "You know that we don''t have full control of thepany. We still report to the elders when ites to transferring shares." James Abad began.

    "Dad, you know I wouldn''t have cared about those shares." Veronica said with a sigh. She had made it repeatedly clear that she wasn''t after her family''s money, she was already building a name for herself. "If it''s the family reputation you are worried about I wouldn''t have married someone bad either. And if I had married someone uneptable I could have kept my identity as Anna Abad a secret."

    "Veronica, it wasn''t you that we were worried about." Victoria gently said. Veronica noticed that her mom was looking behind her. She then turned to see Ram standing alone.

    "Mom, dad. You shouldn''t have. Veronica shouldn''t have to suffer because of me." Ram had heard what his parents and sister were talking about.

    "What? Why did mom and dad need to do it for you?" Veronica asked her older brother. His eyes were downcast and he wouldn''t look her in the eye.

    Veronica approached her brother and asked again. "Ram, what are you and mom and dad not telling me?"

    "Veronica, we didn''t mean to keep it a secret. It just felt like it didn''t matter." Victoria Abad told her daughter.

    "Veronica, I''m adopted." Ram said with a sigh. "You''re really the person meant to inherit Lights Entertainment and Abad Network. I never wanted to take it from you." Ram exined to Veronica.

 Chapter 220 - 220

    "Nice joke Ram." Veronica said with augh. "How can you be adopted? The elders would never let someone who''s adopted inherit Lights Entertainment. We both know that they are painfully traditional and very strict about someone of the blood always owning the family businesses." Veronica said with a scof, she knew how much their family valued an Abad always being at the helm of theirpanies.

    "They allowed it because of how good your brother is, and also because of the connections he brings with him." James exined to his daughter. Ram''s business prowess and friendship with the four other princes gave them the advantage to convince everyone that Ram should be allowed to be named as the heir of the Abad family in spite of being adopted. "Veronica, we never wanted to take anything away from you."??

    "Dear, we were married for so long and we couldn''t have a child for a while." Victoria Abad exined to her daughter. Victoria and James were married young, they were both still in university when they were married. At first Victoria wanted to dy their marriage till after she finished her studies, but their families wanted to be assured that the wedding, and the attached business partnership would fall through. So at neen, Victoria and James got married and started living together at the Abad family home. "You know that your father and I married early, and the elders pressured us for a child after being married for over three years. Science wasn''t as good back then, they said I wouldn''t be able to have a child. So your father and I decided to adopt."

    "How old was my older brother when you adopted him?" Veronica hesitantly asked.

    "He wasn''t even one yet. He was the most adorable little boy. When we met him, we were sure that we wanted to keep him in our lives forever." Victoria said as she smiled towards her son''s direction.

    "And the timing and his age was perfect, he would have friends to y with since our friends just had children of their own as well." James added to his wife''s story.

    "Didn''t the family object to your choice of adopting?" Veronica knew that in the Abad family you couldn''t do anything major without first seeking permission from the family elders. They often used money and influence to scare the younger generation into submission. This was the main reason Veronica felt the desire to leave. She didn''t care for the money, but it was the family''s influence that she feared, even if she could let someone into her heart, if her family didn''t approve of that person they would not stop trying to break them up.

    "After finding out that I couldn''t have a child we left the country for over a year to help me recover emotionally." Victoria Abad exined. "Of course our friends visited us, it was them that helped us decide to adopt your brother."

    "But when you came years after, we were so happy Veronica." James added. "We already loved your older brother so much and when we found out that we were going to have a little princess as well, we were over the moon with joy."

    "Veronica, are you mad that I took your birthright away?" Ram asked, his voice full of hesitation and worry.

    "Are you stupid? I''ve never wanted to run Lights Entertainment or Abad Network." Veronica scolded Ram. "And besides, no matter what you say, you are still my older brother. Adopted or not we are siblings and I''ll always love you."

    Ram looked up and smiled at his sister and hugged her tight. "I''m sorry you were forced into an arranged marriage to protect me."

    "Miguel isn''t that bad. He loves me." Veronica confessed to her brother and parents. "Maybe I can learn to love him too, eventually."

    "Miguel will wait for the rest of his life if he has to. And he will be more than happy to do so." Ram said with augh.

    "You''ve kept this secret for so long, why tell me now?" Veronica asked her parents.

    "We hoped that it wouldn''t matter that Ram was adopted since he brought so much to the Abad family, but it seems it''s not enough." James Abad said with a sigh. "Your grandparents want him engaged to Cthea Carpio. We''ve told them time and again that that woman is not in her right mind, but they refuse. The Carpios are still a very rich and powerful family."

    "Is there anything I can do to help?" Veronica asked her father.

    "Come home, or at least show people that you are really an Abad." Ram told his sister. He already knew what his dad wanted, and Veronica was more likely to say yes if he was the one who asked.

    "Ram, what does my being an Abad have anything to do with pleasing our grandparents and great uncles and aunts?" Veronica asked, sceptical if her return could do anything to make an impact.

    "Veronica, it will do so much for your brother. The more it seems that you made a great match, the less likely they will go after him. Also if people talk about you more, our influence will also be stronger." James exined.

    "Dad, I married Miguel Chan. The only way I could have married better is if I married Ray or Cedric. And that''s never going to happen." As Veronica said this sheughed a little.

    "Please, Veronica. Let''s take baby steps on this." Victoria Abad pleaded with her daughter.

    "If you think it will help Ram then I don''t mind." Veronica shrugged. "But I think, brother, you should start dating again. Maybe being spotted with a daughter of a powerful family will help."

    "I have someone in mind." Ram said with a nod. "For the meantime I''ve asked Katerina''s help. Eric is going to hate me but at least it will gain us some time."

    "Won''t they be bothered with all the rumors surrounding Katerina?" Veronica asked her parents, she knew that their rtives were incredibly sensitive when it came to the family image.

    "She''s the president''s daughter and an ace attorney. All those rumors won''t matter to them. Just being connected to the Sebastian family, and by extension the Laurence family who are their cousins, the elders wouldn''t be able toin." James told his daughter.

    Veronica thought and paused for a bit, with her making enough noise and the elders thinking that Ram was dating Katerina, it should help drive them away for a bit, at least till they start pressuring Ram to get married.

    "I think Katerina would agree to this n." Veronica knew that her friend was looking for a way to get people to forget about the rumors about her private life.

    "I''ll talk to her." Ram said with a nod.

 Chapter 221 - 221

    After meeting with the Reyes Heir, Ayanna''s friends were now regarded differently by their fathers. Not even Ayanna expected what Cedric had done.

    "Good. Wait for my order to announce it." Cedric said as soon as Artemio Juan promised to hand over thepany to his illegitimate child over his useless heir.??

    The other fathers were quick to follow and promised to do the same. Cedric had already nned for them to make a public acknowledgement of Ayanna''s friends, but everything was to be done on the Reyes Heir''s desired timing. He was going to build up Ayanna''s friends before finally using them for his revenge.

    The fathers were more than willing to do as the Reyes Heir asked. This was the excuse they needed to change tradition and name someone else as their heir. As thergest conglomerate in the country, missing out on a deal with them would reflect badly on thepany and on the family, thus opening the opportunity for smallerpanies to back out as well. If anypany wanted to grow, it was almost impossible without the support of a giant such as the Reyes Group. If it weren''t for this kind of pressure, they would be forced to keep thepany in the legitimate line and put their useless sons in charge.

    On top of everything, Cedric asked Ian to set a meeting with him, Ayanna''s friends, and Ayanna. Aside from his revenge Cedric had bigger ns, they were after all his sister''s friends, so it wouldn''t hurt to have a long term cooperation with them especially since they were going to inherit their family businesses.

    Cedric just needed to be sure that he could trust them.

    The meeting with Ayanna''s friends was set for the next day. It would be in Cedric''s office at R Tower. Ayanna didn''t have much to do before the meeting so she decided to wait in her brother''s office.

    She made herselffortable on the couch while she scrolled through social media and drank the coffee Cami had just brought in, while Cedric was busy at his desk.

    "Why do you need to test them, it''s not like they approached me because I''m Ayanna Reyes of the Reyes family?" Ayanna asked her older brother.

    "It''s not impossible." Cedric answered, as he continued to do his work.

    "Cedric, I didn''t go around university announcing who I was!" Ayannained, she had chosen to maintain a low profile while growing up, very few would have known who she really was. "Reyes is such amon surname I had four other ssmates with the samest name. I never arrived in a fancy car and I had my bodyguards keep their distance the whole time. You know that mom and dad didn''t let me join any public events until I was done with university."

    "You might not have been seen but it wasn''t exactly a secret. If anyone looked hard enough they would have figured out who you really were." Cedric told his sister as he kept a calm tone despite herints.

    "I trust them. Isn''t that enough?" Ayanna asked her older brother.

    "Ayanna, it''s just one test. Nothing too difficult." Cedric said in an attempt to calm Ayanna down.

    "I don''t wantto lose my friends because of this,brother." Ayanna said with a threatening tone. "How can you be so sweet and caring one moment then shift to your cold CEO persona once we talk about business? That isn''t healthy." Ayannamented.

    Cedric ignored his sister''sment. "If they were only after the benefit of you being a Reyes, were they even your friends to begin with?" Cedric questioned his sister.

    Before Ayanna could reply, Ian knocked on the door to announce that Ayanna''s friends had arrived. Cedric told Ian to wait one minute before letting them in.

    "This discussion is not over." Ayanna said as she stood from the couch and took her ce beside her elder brother. As Cedric ced on this mask and sses to hide his face from them.

    Ayanna''s friends entered with their heads downcast. They had heard about how cold and cruel the Reyes Heir could be, there were honestly so many rumors going around about how the Reyes Heir acted that one could no longer tell which were most likely to be true. He was just so mysterious that people kept talking and specting about him.

    Cedric looked at the five who seemed to have little confidence in themselves. He could feel Ayanna re at him from behind.

    "You don''t need to be worried or scared." Cedric said to their guests. "Take a seat." As Cedric said this he stood to walk to a couch.

    Ayanna mirrored her brother''s movements and followed closely behind. She smiled at her friends and nodded at them to take a seat. They remained silent, not uttering a word, clearly afraid of offending the Reyes Heir.

    "Before anything I want to thank you for being friends with my sister." Cedric said in a slightly lighter and happy tone.

    "Sir, it was Ayanna that took care of us. People weren''t always nice." It was Tricia Sanchez that said this. Tricia was beautiful, she had looks to be a model and the brains to run apany. Among all of Ayanna''s friends he had heard that she was the smartest, she graduated at the top of their ss and was immediately asked to start working at her father''spany. She quickly rose among the ranks prompting her father, Louie Sanchez, to give her a bigger role. On the other hand, her elder brother Benjamin or Ben Sanchez continued in his childish ways. Louie had given him the role of VP, but he would only go to the office once a week and arrive extremelyte and leave early. He was also frequently seen with different women as he paraded around in his sports car.

    "Don''t be silly Tricia, I wouldn''t have done half as well in school if it weren''t for you!" Ayanna said with augh. "Guys, don''t be so scared or so stiff. This is my older brother, you can treat him the way you treat me. I swear he isn''t as scary as most people say, he''s just guarded that''s all." Ayanna said in an attempt to make her friends rx and be morefortable.

    Her friends still remained rigid and guarded despite her words.

    Cedric sighed and leaned back. "Look, I''m not like what the rumors say." Cedric said in a kinder tone, the same he would use at home or when speaking to his friends. This change surprised Ayanna''s friends and made them look up.

 Chapter 222 - 222

    "Sir?" A stunned Matteo David asked.

    Matteo was the son of Juancho David Sr., he wasn''t smart like Tricia Sanchez and he grew up quite differently from his friends. After giving birth to him, his mother ced him up for adoption, no one wanted to take the young Matteo so he grew up in the orphanage where he met a lot of unpleasant people. A year before aging out, his mother had a change of heart and went looking for him. She found an incredibly difficult young boy. Juancho David Sr. tried as much as possible to push away his other family but he ended up looking for them when he realized that his only son, Juancho David Jr., was turning into a disappointment. Matteo might not have been book smart, he was however, streetsmart. On top of this, growing up in one of the worst slums in the country he had made friends with a lot of people from the gangs. He often used these connections especially when he started working in his father''spany.??

    "I''m sure, you''ve heard all the rumors about me being some cold, harsh CEO. I swear people watch too many dramas where the CEO is painted as some cruel unfeeling person." Cedric said with augh.

    With Cedric''s sudden change in behavior Ayanna''s friends finally rxed. They lifted their heads and looked Cedric in the eyes as he spoke.

    "I''ll make this simple." Cedric began. "You are all my sister''s friends, and because of that fact I am giving you all an opportunity to prove yourselves." Cedric looked at all of them as they leaned forward with interest.

    "You aren''t naive not to know thatpanies can rise and fall due to either our support or our withdrawal." Cedric exined. "But I need to know that you can be trusted and that your loyalty will be to the Reyes Group. I won''t be asking you to do anything drastic against yourpany, no that''s not how we work."

    Cedric could see that his promise of not harming their family businesses calmed a worry in them.

    "Sir we trust Ayanna, and by extension we trust you." Matteo David answered for the group.

    "Why don''t we start with you telling me how you met my sister?" Cedric asked.

    "Brother, this is not necessary." Ayanna argued. "Why do you need to know all of that? I could just tell you."

    "Ayanna." Cedric gently warned.

    "It''s no problem Ayanna. We can tell your brother how we met you." It was Krista Von that spoke up this time. Krista''s mother was a singer and actress, her mother was eighteen when she captured the eye of David Von, a businessman with mixed foreign blood. At the time David Von was already married and had an older son. His wife was incredibly demanding and even beat him, he was at an event when a young singer caught his attention. She had grown up living in a different home from her father but knowing that her parents actually loved each other.

    "Tell me." Cedric said.

    "It was our first year in university and the five of us quickly became friends, our mothers did after all know each other." Krista Von said with a smirk. "A lot of people actually wanted Ayanna to be in their group, not because they knew who she was, but because she was pretty. She didn''t talk to other people that much, the only one she spoke to was Nicole Chan, but Nicole was from another major so whenever we would have ss she would just leave. One time we had a group project. We thought everyone would jump at the opportunity to have Ayanna as their groupmate, but surprisingly they avoided her."

    "They thought I didn''t have the brains to help and that I would just rely on others." Ayanna said flipping her hair.

    "The groups that did want her were all full, they were mostly yboys who just wanted to date her. We were the only one that could take in another member. So we invited her to join us." Krista continued to exin. "Ayanna never really told us who she was. We just assumed that her family either owned some small business or held high positions in apany. We were surprised that when we did our project she wasn''t the typical rich kid who didn''t have much to contribute. She actually ended up carrying us through that project."

    "We had to make a business n about an assignedpany, thepany was Elisia Malls, so it was no issue." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes.

    "So from that day onwards we started hanging out." Krista said, finishing her story.

    "And you never one thought that she could be the daughter of the Reyes n?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s such amon surname, even a beggar on the street could have the surname Reyes." Tricia Sanchez exined. "Plus who would think that the child of the biggest conglomerate in the country would settle to study at a local University. You guys usually study abroad beforeing back to do a take over."

    "When did you find out who she was?" Cedric continued to question.

    "During graduation. It was Erik that first spotted it." Matteo David exined."We were all lining up to do that whole marching in of graduates when your parents arrived with Ayanna. I think she thought that everyone was too busy to notice but several of us saw her get off the ck Rolls Royce and kiss your parents before running up to us."

    "We exposed her as soon as she arrived." Erik Garcia teased.

    Erik was not the only illegitimate child of his father, as a matter of fact he had three other full siblings, one older and one younger. After his mother had given birth to his elder sister she quit modeling and started living as Ernesto Garcia''s mistress. While his older sister and younger brother were content to simply live leisurely and spend their father''s monthly allowances Erik wanted more. Ernesto didn''t want him interfering in the family business at first, but when Erik applied to work at theirpany in secret and was hired, Ernesto saw how much of an asset this illegitimate son actually was. So Erik was allowed to stay in thepany and work his way up. When Cedric mentioned that he knew about Erik, Ernesto Grarcia promoted him to a key role.

    "I swear brother, it was so fun seeing everyone else''s reaction when they realized who I was." Ayanna saidughing.

    "When they realized how big a mistake they made in underestimating Ayanna they all tried to befriend us. Many of the rich kids even offered us jobs in theirpanies, but of course we knew better." Matteo David said.

    Cedric nodded. At least they didn''t lie to him, they admitted that befriending Ayanna was a happy coincidence rather than lying.

    "That''s all." Cedric finally said. "But before you leave, there isa file that my assistants will hand each of you. In it are ns that I want you to execute in your ownpanies, you cannot tell anyone about them or where they came from. I expect to see progress in a month."

    "Of course sir." Paolo Juan was the first to respond to Cedric''s instructions.

    Cedric and Ayanna stood up and walked the group to the door. Ian and Cami were already waiting for them carrying five folders.

    When they left Ayanna gave her brother a puzzled look as he took off his disguise.

    "What?" Cedric asked his sister.

    "That was too easy." Ayanna told her brother.

    "It wasn''t the only test." Cedric said.

    "The files?" Ayanna asked as she made herselffortable on the couch.

    Cedric sat across her and leaned back. "Those projects aren''t just any projects. They are high value ones that theirpanies have no capability in executing. They have three options, first is to admit to me that they can''t do it, at which point I don''t see any use for them beyond taking revenge. The second is for them to sell the project to anotherpany and pass it off either as their own or to tell me that they passed it on. If they do that I''ll know that they aren''t loyal. Projects like that should not be shared." Cedric exined as he took a sip of his coffee.

    "And the third?" Ayanna asked.

    "Make it happen. If they do that then they are of use and can be trusted." Cedric finally said. "After today, we will know their worth."

 Chapter 223 - 223

    The next day was a weekend, and as nned the girls were off to Kashmere to rx while Katerina met with a client.

    Cedric walked into their room to find Adrianna packing her things to go on the trip. He hugged her from behind and kissed her on the lips.??

    "Cedric, stop it, I won''t be able to pack everything if you keep doing that." Adrianna scolded. It was the third time that night that Cedric had done something like that.

    "Just ask a maid to do it. You don''t need to do it yourself." Cedric said as he pulled his wife onto the couch and kissed her passionately.

    "Cedric!" Adrianna scolded again when their lips finally parted.

    "But Adri, I won''t see you for two days, I''ll miss you too much." Cedricined as he kissed her again. "I''ll miss you and our little bun." As Cedric said this he gently caressed Adrianna''s baby bump.

    "Cedric, go down and hang out with Miguel and Ray first." Adrianna said as she pushed her husband off her.

    "But I miss you." Cedricined.

    "Leave." Adrianna sent him out as sheughed at how childish he looked.

    When Cedric got down Miguel and Ray were already raiding his bar. It seemed that they too had been chased out.

    "Packing?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah. Ayanna''s up there dictating to a maid which clothes she wants to bring." Rayined. "I mean how much clothes do you need on an overnight trip?"

    "With women, if they could bring their whole closet they would." Miguel said with augh.

    "It''s my ind anyway, why are we getting chased out of this trip?" Ray continued to whine as Miguel found the drink they wanted.

    "You''re right, it''s your ind." Cedric said, as he got an idea. He quickly took out his phone and dialed a number.

    The next day, Cedric woke up before Adrianna. He held her in his arms and kissed her.

    "Adri, I need to go to the office early while you''re away. Don''t forget to update me. Tell me when you''re leaving the house, when you''re in the airport, and right before the ne takes off." Cedric whispered to his wife who was still half asleep.

    Adrianna was fully awake an hourter, when she got down she was fully dressed and a maid carried her bags down.

    "Why does it look like you''ve packed for a week?" Her father, Charles Hernandez teased.

    "You should see Ayanna''s." Prisci Reyes said, she had seen the maids bring down everything Ayanna had packed, it seemed like she would be staying in Kashmere for a month.

    "Mom, you know that we sometimes extend our stay." Ayanna reminded her mom. "I don''t have to physically be in the office to do my job. You''re so old fashioned that way."

    "It''s just nice for the employees to see us working dear." Emilio Reyes told his daughter. "But, technically your mom works away from her office." Emilio said with augh has he managed to side with both mother and daughter.

    "We''ll that''s quite hard to do with my job. Without going to school." Charles said as he got up and picked up his briefcase.

    "You should really let the maids do that for you Charles, that thing seems like they have bricks in them." Emilio told Charles Hernandez.

    "I can still manage." Charles said with augh. "I really hate Saturday sses. Anyway, Adri, I guess I''ll see you when you get back. I''m off to the university." Charles said, kissing his daughter on the side of her head before leaving.

    "What time will you go to Kashmere?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "We leave right after breakfast." Ayanna told her father. "We''re taking Ray''s ne."

    "Okay, take care." Emilio said with a nod.

    As soon as Ayanna and Adrianna finished their breakfast they left for the airport. They entered through the special VIP entrance to avoid all the people as well as being seen.

    When they arrived at the departure area Ayanna helped her sister-inw out of the car as several bodyguards carried their bags to the ne.

    "If we weren''t flying to Kashmere my brother would have told us to take amercial flight." Ayanna said with augh as they walked to the waiting lounge. "We need to wait for a bit. I''m pretty sure Katerina and Natalia are runningte."

    Inside the posh lounge Adrianna found Veronica and Nicole seatedfortably.

    "Why didn''t you just ride with us Veronica?" Adrianna asked.

    "I had to pick Nicole up. None of her brothers or Ian was free to bring her." Veronica said with a shrug. Nicole, expecting at least one of the boys to be willing to take her to the airport, decided to let her driver take the day off. Unfortunately everyone else was busy, so she asked Veronica if her driver could take her to the airport, that''s when Veronica decided to pick her sister-inw up.

    Adrianna made herselffortable on the couch as well. A waitress arrived with a ss of milk for her and some snacks as she messaged Cedric that she was already at the airport with Ayanna and the others.

    "Wow this ce is amazing!" Adrianna heard Margaret say with delight as she entered the lounge.

    "Cousin!" Adrianna greeted with a wave calling Margaret over. "You haven''t met them yet, but these are I guess you could say Cedric''s younger sisters, Ayanna Reyes, his biological sister. Veronica Abad - Chan and Nicole Chan are practically family to him since their elder brothers are his good friends." Adrianna exined.

    "I hope none of you are in love with Cedric, like in the dramas." Margaret said with augh. "Cause if you dare try to make my cousin sad you''ll have to go through me." Margaret threatened jokingly.

    "Cedric? No thanks!" Katerina said from the doorway as a waitress handed her a drink. Natalia was meekly following her older sister as they arrived.

    "Hey, don''t say that. You might drive my sister-inw away!" Ayannained as she pretended to cover Adrianna''s ears.

    "It''s toote Ayanna, she''s already pregnant." Nicole said with augh.

    "Are you drinking again?" Veronica asked Katerina as she looked at the drink Katerina was sipping.

    "Stress, and other stuff." Katerina said with a shrug as she emptied out the ss.

    "Other stuff, meaning my older brother?" Nicole said with a giggle.

    "Isn''t your older brother married to her?" A confused Margaret asked as she pointed at Veronica.

    "I have another brother. A more annoying one." Nicole said, rolling her eyes.

    "Aren''t we leaving yet?" Natalia asked her friends.

    "Of course, of course." Nicole said as she quickly checked her phone.

    "Ohhh, how cute it is to be in love. Ian not replying?" Katerina teased.

    "My older brother is probably making him work." Ayanna said as she rolled her eyes. "I swear both Cedric and Adrianna are work-a-holics."

    "Look in a mirror girl!" Natalia teased.

    "Enough. Let''s go." Nicole said as she was getting tired of their jokes.

 Chapter 224 - 224

    The ne ride to Kashmere was a quick one since the ind was not far from the Capital. As friends and soon to be rtives of the ind''s owner,their ne would be allowed tond directly on the tarmac.

    Most people would have to arrive in a nearby province and ride on one of Kashmere''s nes, boats, or helicopters to get to the ind resort. Ray had done this to support the local economy of the province. Most of Kashmere''s employees lived there and had family in that province, on top of that the Laurence family also traced its roots to the remote province nearby. This was actually the reason why Ray had initially purchased Kashmere Ind, he wanted to be closer to his roots. Before Kashmere opened the province was extremely poor and hard to reach, only those few brave travelers would go to the province in search of an adventure and of its pristine beaches.??

    To boost the local economy further most guests on Kashmere would first take a tour of the province including a visit to the Laurence Ancestral home as well as several archaeological sites nearby. Ray had used this ploy in order to get many of his obscenely wealthy guests to invest, building amercial center, so the old rural town''s center was now growing into a metropolis.

    From the air Adrianna was now seeing the province they were passing in a new light, back when she didn''t know Cedric''s real identity she thought that Kashmere was just some rich boy''s y thing and new business. When Cedric told her about all the other things Ray was doing for themunity, her impression quickly shifted.

    Kashmere and its nearby province was beautiful from the air, you could see the lush greens and the growing city as the ne passed. The province''s coastline were littered with white sand beaches that met the blue waters beautifully. As the ne drew closer tond Adrianna watched as they moved fromnd to water then tond again in the form of Kashmere''s beach.

    When Ray''s ne finally arrived on Kashmere it was sunny and there was a cool breeze. It was the perfect weather for them to lounge on the beach and rx. Before evening to Kashmere the girls decided to make this trip into Adrianna''s baby shower, Adrianna however argued that she didn''t need one, but the sisters were all very insistent. As soon as they arrived the manager of Kashmere boarded the ne and greeted them. He was used to doing this since Kashmere was a favorite destination of their group. He made sure that the women''s expectations were met as well as that their vis were prepared. As the girls alighted the ne and were happily chatting among themselves when several cars arrived.

    "We don''t need this much cars." Ayanna told the manager who didn''t dare exin what was going on. Five cars stopped in front of them making Ayanna throw a puzzled look at the manager. He couldn''t think of an excuse to tell Ayanna.

    "But where will the young masters ride?" As the manager said this a grinning Cedric got off one of the cars. He was dressed for the beach as he wore shorts and a white shirt, a far cry from his formal suits that he now wore often since taking his ce as the Reyes Heir.

    "What are you doing here?!" Ayanna scolded. Her brother said he was busy this weekend and let her take his wife out on a rxing trip.

    "Did you really think your brother could bear being separated from his very pregnant wife?" Ray suddenly appeared and hugged Ayanna from behind. "And do you think I could resist not being around you?" Ray''s actions were clearly an attempt to get Ayanna to calm down, but she knew him quite well and didn''t fall for his trick.

    "You''re ruining our girl''s trip!" Ayanna said as she pushed Ray''s hand off.

    "Damnit, don''t tell me." Veronica cursed when she realized the cars were still too many. "Cedric who else is here?" Veronica asked.

    "All of us of course." Miguel said as he and Eric got out of another car. "Well, Alexi and Ram are at the vis. They have work to do. So the four of us decided to pick you guys up." Miguel was grinning proudly as he motioned for the bodyguards and staff to ce the girls'' bags in the car.

    Cedric noticed Nicole looking around. Heughed at the sight of her clearly looking for Ian. He knew that the couple were desperate to spend more time together. As a matter of fact at first Nicole felt guilty about going on the trip to Kashmere on one of their very few free days. In order to make her feel better, Ian lied and said he had work on the same day.

    "Nicole, he''s here too." Cedric teased as he revealed that her boyfriend was also on the ind.

    "I''m not looking for him." Nicole said angrily as she marched off and rode a car.

    The boys suddenly burst intoughter when she mmed the door.

    "Ian''s driving that car, isn''t he." Katerina asked as the car suddenly sped off.

    "Let them have their alone time." Veronica teased.

    "I want some alone time." Miguel whispered into Veronica''s ear. Veronica simply rolled her eyes at him.

    "Margaret can stay in mine and Adrianna''s vi." Cedric announced.

    "No!" Ayanna suddenly said. "Adrianna and Margaret are staying with me. I''m disappointed in the two of you. I told you it was a girl''s trip and you boys all had to tag along." Ayannained.

    "Can you take care of your pregnant sister-inw?" Cedric asked his younger sister.

    "Nicole will be with me." Ayanna argued back.

    "Good luck getting her to leave Ian." Katerina said with augh. "I need to stay in my vi. I have work, remember." Katerina said with a shrug.

    "I''ll stay with you Ayanna." Natalia said sweetly.

    "Ayanna you and Natalia can''t take care of Adrianna. What if something happens?" Cedric said as he ced a protective arm on his wife''s shoulder.

    "Aren''t you gonna ask me for what I want?" Adrianna told Cedric with a warning look. Cedric immediately knew he was going to lose this conversation.

    "I''m sorry dear. I was just so worried about your safety. I love you." Cedric said as he kissed her cheek.

    "Not gonna work." Adrianna said, rolling her eyes. "I''m staying with Ayanna. Margaret will being with me of course." Adrianna told her husband.

    "We should get going Ayanna, your sister-inw has been standing for too long." Cedric said as he caressed Adrianna''s hand.

    Ayanna simply nodded in agreement and rode a random car. Seeing this Ray jumped into the same car as his fiance.

    "Where will you be sleeping?" Miguel asked his wife.

    "Not with you." Veronica said as she marched over and rode a different car from the one Miguel had gotten off earlier.

    Katerina and Nataliaughed at him. "Good luck with that Miguel." Natalia teased as she and her older sister got into the same car as Veronica.

    Cedric, Adrianna, and Margaret got in the biggest car. It had been specifically prepared so that Adrianna would have ample space.

    The group then drove off to Ray''s privatepound on the ind.

 Chapter 225 - 225

    Adrianna and Margaret got out of Cedric''s car. Cedric helped his wife and kissed her on the lips.

    "Don''t you want to sleep next to me? Won''t you feel cold?" Cedric tenderly asked his wife.??

    "Don''t be so clingy Cedric." Adrianna teased. "It''s not like we''ll be here long, and you''re right next door, I can even walk to your vi." Adrianna told her husband.

    "No, don''t walk. I''ll pick you up." Cedric said. "Also it''s not my vi, it''s our vi." As Cedric said this he ced a gentle kiss on his wife''s lips.

    "Why do the two of you always act like a newly married couple?" Ayanna asked as she got out of Ray''s car.

    "You''re just jealous." Cedric said with augh.

    "Of course she isn''t, she''s got me." Ray said with augh as he pulled Ayanna to him. Ayanna quickly reacted and pped his hand.

    "I think Ayanna feels awkward showing emotions in front of you." Katerina teased as she, Veronica, and Natalia got out of their car.

    "Well it is slightly awkward being with your friend''s older brother." Veronica said with a nervousugh.

    "Where''s Nicole and Ian?" Cedric asked as he saw Miguel and Eric''s car arrive.

    "They''ll probably show up in a while." Katerina teased with a grin. "You''ve been keeping him busy at work too much Cedric. So it''s your fault."

    "Anyway, you boys should leave. We''re gonna have our vacation without you now." Ayanna said, sending her brother and his friends away.

    "Won''t you miss me?" Ray said as he pulled Ayanna close to him.

    "I''m looking away!" Cedric said yfully as he turned his back on the couple.

    Adrianna, who was next to him,ughed and elbowed him in the ribs. He knew he deserved that, he teased his sister too much sometimes.

    After making sure that the girls were fine, Cedric and the other boys decided to hangout in Ray''s house on the ind. Ray''s ce had the best view on the ind, it was a three story ss house whose windows could be opaque at the click of a button. The whole top floor had one long balcony and the rooftop had an infinity pool.

    The house itself was right at the beach''s edge so it''s inhabitants could just run up to greet the waves. When Ray built the house he envisioned having arge family with the woman he loved, whoever it may be.

    As Ray, Cedric, Miguel, and Eric walked in, a maid informed them that Alexi and Ram were already at the rooftop rxing from a long day''s work.

    "Prepare the cabana by the beach, well have lunch there." Ray instructed the maid.

    As the boys climbed the stairs Ray sighed.

    "Do you guys think I need to change all my female staff?" Ray asked.

    "What kind of a stupid question is that?" Miguel said with a puzzled look.

    "Who''s being stupid?" Alexi had heard Miguel''s reaction as they entered the rooftop.

    "Ray''s thinking of recing all of his female help." Miguel said, rolling his eyes.

    "It''s not my fault if you''re clueless when ites to women." Ray told the younger Chan brother.

    "Why rece them? Some of them are hot!" Alexi said with augh.

    "I swear Alexi if you get any of them pregnant!" Rayined.

    "Wait, you want to change your help from female to male just because you think my sister will get jealous?" Cedric asked as he walked over to the rooftop bar to make them some drinks. He worked for a while as a bartender so he had some experience. It was one of his many part-time jobs in the past.

    "I think she''ll find it suspicious if you do that." Ram said as he joined Cedric at the bar.

    "Really?" Ray asked.

    After giving his friends the drinks they all walked over to the poolside lounge that overlooked the beach and the sea beyond it.

    "You''re getting married anyway. So she''ll be around 24/7." Eric added. "Plus why fire someone just because of their gender? If they do a good job and are professional with their work, it shouldn''t be an issue."

    "You''re right. You''re right." Ray said with a nod as they continued to drink.

    "So, ummm�� Veronica knows now." Ram told his friends.

    "Was I right?" Miguel asked.

    "Yeah. She took it well." Ram said with a nod. "I got a few wins for you." Ram smiled.

    "Like what?" Miguel took a sip of his drink as he listened intently to his friend.

    "She''ll be more public about your rtionship, she''s even willing to step into the spotlight a little bit more as Veronica Abad - Chan." Ram told his brother-inw.

    "She truly deserves to be in the spotlight." Miguel grinned as he looked into the distance.

    At Nicole''s Vi, Ian was passionately kissing his girlfriend on the lips as he held her tightly.

    "I''m really mad at Cedric for keeping you busy at work." Nicole said in between kisses.

    "Don''t be mad at my boss. There''s really a lot of work to be done." Ian said as he kissed Nicole on the neck. She made a funny moaning sound as he kissed her all over. "Ticklish babe?" Ian asked.

    "You know I hate that." Despite what she said she didn''t do anything to push Ian away.

    "Which, the ticklish kissing or the babe part?" Ian said with augh.

    "Both." Nicole said, rolling her eyes.

    "Mmmm, enough talk, I missed you too much." Ian said as he took off his shirt.

    The sun was already setting when Nicole woke up. She groaned as she remembered what she and Ian had just done. She never expected things to go so wildly with her first boyfriend. She sat up and grabbed a robe Ian had ced on a nearby chair.

    As she looked out therge bay windows of her room Ian entered with food and a cup of tea. She turned and smiled at him, he knew her so well.

    "I knew you''d be hungry, so I cooked." Ian said as he showed her the food on the tray. He ced it on the bedside table and picked up the cup of tea.

    Ian walked over to Nicole and gave the cup to her. She smiled gently and thanked him.

    "What''s bothering you?" Ian asked.

    "I was wondering why you had to cook. This cees with a chef and maids." Nicole said with augh.

    "I know that isn''t it, but I wanted to cook for you." Ian replied as he gently kissed the top of her head.

    "I was thinking about uncle Miguel, and how things ended for him." Nicole confessed with a sigh.

    "I promise, you won''t end up like him." Ian attempted tofort her as he wrapped her in his arms.

    "Careful, I might spill the tea." Nicole gasped as his movements made the liquid rock in her hands.

    "You''re deflecting." Ianined. "Nicole, whether or not you came into my life, this is still my goal. My family will reach the top again. I promise. And when that day arrives, I will be eptable to your family."

    "We should go join the others. They''re probably wondering where we are." Nicole said as she ced the tea down and walked to the bathroom to take a shower.

    "I''m pretty sure they know what we''re doing." Ian said with augh as he followed her in.

 Chapter 226 - 226

    Ian chose to drive him and Nicole to Ayanna''s vi on the ind. When they arrived Nicole quickly got out not waiting for Ian to open the door for her. Ianughed at her childlike actions, he knew that being perfect in front of everyone else took a toll on his girlfriend and moments like these helped her a lot. Despite everything they had done earlier, Nicole seemed to be full of energy, Ian was tempted to drag her back into the car and drive back to the vi to continue what they were doing earlier.

    They walked hand in hand towards the door and rang the doorbell, but instead of a maid greeting them they suddenly heard a scream from inside. Nicole quickly opened the door, they found Margaret holding a gun and pointing it towards a barely conscious Adrianna who was on the ground.??

    Without thinking, Ian quickly tackled the smaller woman and a gun shot was heard right before it fell onto the ground. Veronica acted quickly, kicking the gun away and checking up on Ian.

    "I''m fine, did anyone get hurt?" Ian asked.

    Veronica looked around and saw that everyone was fine, there was, however, a bullet mark through the roof. Nicole approached to check on Ian when Ayanna started shouting.

    "Nicole!" Ayanna frantically screamed. "I think Adrianna''s water broke!"

    "Call Mia. Have her tell Cedric what happened and get the driver to keep Margaret down." Ian shouted back.

    Veronica and Natalia nodded, quickly jumping into action. Nicole on the other hand quickly dialed a number and started barking orders. Ayanna was still beside Adrianna as she noticed her sister-inw struggling. She looked up helplessly at Nicole who knelt to check on Adrianna.

    "We need to get her to the hospital soon." Nicole shouted at Ian. Ian nodded in reply.

    When the driver and members of the security team arrived, Ian handed Margaret over to them.

    "Be careful. She''s not stable. She''s sick." Ian knew about Margaret''s condition from Cedric, he was aware that Margaret wasn''t in full control of herself so she may do thingspletely out of character.

    Ian picked Adrianna up and took her to the car, he felt Adrianna bing fainter and fainter as he looked at her with worry, he didn''t need to be a doctor to know that things weren''t looking good. Nicole and Ayanna were running right behind him as they went to the car. Ian ced Adrianna in the back seat, Nicole sat to her left and Ayanna to her right, while he drove. They didn''t have time to wait for a driver.

    "Mom said they''ll inform the Reyeses and the Hernadezes. They are leaving for Kashmere immediately." Lucy Ang - Chan was an OB Gynecologist in her youth, although she was no longer active in the medical field she was still considered to be one of the best. Nicole thought it was important to have her mother there to have a more specialized opinion and care. "Ian, do you know the way to the hospital?" Nicole asked as she held Adrianna''s hand in the back.

    "Yeah, Cami and I memorized Kashmere''syout." Ian answered.

    Ian''s phone began to ring. Nicole checked who it was and saw that it was Cedric.

    "Cedric, meet us at the hospital, we''ve already brought Adrianna." Nicole quickly said.

    "Alright. I also sent Eric to check on Margaret. Tell Adri." Cedric said over the phone.

    "Just get to the hospital." Nicole said as she dropped the call.

    "Adrianna, Adri, don''t sleep, don''t close your eyes." A desperate Ayanna called out.

    "Ian, drive faster!" Nicole told her boyfriend.

    Ian simply nodded and stepped on the gas. Part of his training was emergency driving techniques which included defensive driving in case of an attack, as well as emergency driving. Since there weren''t any other cars on Kashmere, Ian sped up going the curving streets up the mountain where the hospital was located.

    As Ian pulled up to the driveway of the hospital, a full team arrived with a wheelchair. It was Jo Meneses, Miugel''s head nurse and Cedric''s friend, that approached Nicole as she got off and gave her orders as other members of the elite team wheeled Adrianna away.

    Luckily since Miguel was on Kashmere for vacation his whole team also apanied him. They often did this in case an emergency patient was brought over. Since Miguel was regarded as the Miracle Doctor he would get calls to do difficult and almost impossible cases, his patients were often flown in for him to operate on. Kashmere was one of the locations where the hospital was equipped to Miguel''s specifications.

    After Adrianna was brought into the operating room Cedric, Miguel, and Alexi arrived at the hospital. Miguel nodded at Ayanna and Ian before finally rushing into the operating room. This worried Ayanna, for Miguel to rush in like that it meant that something difficult and dangerous was going on.

    "Thank you." Cedric said as he hugged Ian. "What happened?" Cedric asked his sister.

    "Everything was fine. I swear Cedric." Ayanna cried out.

    "Breathe, Ayanna." Cedric said as Ayanna began to hyperventte. "Calm down and tell us what happened."

    "We were just talking andughing when Margaret''s disposition suddenly changed. She changed from smiling and excited to doom and gloom. We were shocked when she suddenly pushed Adrianna and pulled out a gun. We were lucky that Nicole and Ian arrived when they did. None of us could move, not us or the staff. Ian was extremely brave." Ayanna said, praising Ian who was next to her.

    Cedric hugged his sister. "It''s okay Ayanna." Cedric said in an attempt tofort her.

    Nicole came out of the operating room and lowered her mask.

    "How is she?" Cedric asked with a worried look.

    "She''s experiencing someplications. Adri''s in and out of consciousness and we can''t get her to push so we have to operate on her." Nicole exined.

    "Will she be alright?" Cedric asked Nicole. Everyone could hear the worry in his voice.

    "Cedric, I''m not saying anything so don''t take this the wrong way." Nicole said slowly as she bit her lower lip. "If things go bad, who should we save? The mother or the child?" Nicole asked, full of hesitation.

    "Are you stupid Nicole?!" Cedric shouted. "Of course you save my wife. My life is nothing without her!"

 Chapter 227 - 227

    Nicole nodded without saying a word. She looked at Ian and he could see the pain and worry in her eyes. Even if Adrianna had only entered their lives recently Nicole cared about her a lot, she was like an older sister to all of the sisters.

    Cedric paced across the waiting room as Miguel and Nicole remained inside for over three hours. After a while the parents rushed in, Cedric knew better than to greet the rushing Chan parents who went straight to the operating room.??

    "Cedric!" Prisci Reyes called out as she hugged her son.

    "How is she?" Gracia Hernandez asked as she arrived with an extremely worried look.

    "Miguel is the best mom. You have nothing to worry about." Cedric said in an attempt to calm his parents and inw''s worries.

    "It was lucky that we were with the Chans when we got the call. Lucy had just invited us over for dinner." Prisci said as she continued to hug her son.

    "We flew over as soon as we heard." Gracia exined.

    "Mom." Cedric stretched out his hand and held his mother-inw''s hand and squeezed it tight. "She''ll be fine. She''s a fighter. Miguel is the best doctor around."

    "And Margaret?" Charles Hernandez asked, she was after all still his niece and he knew that it waspletely out of character to do something like this.

    "I had her ced in a ward." Eric said as he arrived in the hospital with Alexi. "She''s not stable."

    "What happened? Did you find out anything from her?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "Let''s sit. You''ve probably been pacing for the past three hours." Eric said as he motioned to the waiting area. Cedric nodded and sat as Eric told him.

    "It seems that Margaret has been suffering for a while now." Eric exined. "She''s been having intense mood swings since they were thrown out of the Hernandez family and she was almost raped. The impact on her resulted in a trauma that has left her unstable. By the time Alexi and I arrived in Ayanna''s vi she was calm and herself again. She was crying when she realized what she did. Apparently she brought the gun in a fit of depression, she was considering two things, either killing herself or harming Adrianna."

    "I didn''t know she was suffering so much." Charles said, full of regret. If he had only checked up a bit more on his brother and niece maybe they could have done something sooner.

    "Not even her father knows what she was going through." Eric said in an attempt to make Charles Hernandez feel better. "When Margaret arrived at the airport her mood changed again. She said something about seeing her cousin and the sisters made her feel happier, like things were back to normal. She smiled andughed and had fun, she forgot about the gun and spent the rest of the day happy. Sadly as night time arrived something seemed to have triggered her mood change. She became depressed again and slowly sunk into a hole until she didn''t even know what she was doing." Eric exined to the family.

    "Is there anything that can be done?" Cedric asked. He knew Adrianna cared very much for her cousin no matter what. Adrianna would probably me herself for what happened since it was because of her conflict with the Hernandez family.

    "As soon as she''s stable I''ll have her sent to one of Nicole''s facilities. I can rmend someone to you, she was a ssmate of mine. We were close while we were in university until we both got our phds. She''s one of the best doctors out there." Eric assured Cedric.

    "Thank you Eric." Cedric said with a nod.

    "It''s not her fault Cedric. Don''t me her." Eric exined to the younger man. "She loves Adrianna, she doesn''t want her to get hurt. She was so excited to meet your child that she already bought presents. Margaret was serious about fixing things with Adrianna. It''s just the trauma and its effects are too much and it will take time for her to get better."

    "I know Eric. I don''t me her, I''m sure Adrianna doesn''t either." Cedric said with a nod. "Do you need to get back to her?" Cedric asked, worried that he had kept Eric away from his patient for too long.

    "No. I''ll stay here with you guys." Eric said patting his friend on the back. "My family is doing everything to save her and your baby. Have faith." Eric said with a gentle smile.

    After another hour Katerina arrived. She was in a meeting with a client when everything happened, she only found out when she took her client to the airport and noticed that there were more nes.

    At first she rushed to Ayanna''s vi, where she saw Mia and the maids fixing the damages and the mess. Mia told her what happened and she had the driver take her straight to the hospital.

    "She isn''t out yet?" Katerina asked as she took a seat next to Ram.

    "No. My whole family is inside. Don''t worry." Eric said as he looked gently into her eyes.

    Katerina nodded and remained silent. She didn''t know what to say, there was nothing she could say. Everyone was clearly worried.

    After another thirty minutes Nicole came out again. She was looking more tired than when she first came out of the operating room.

    "Cedric?" Nicole called out as she looked for him.

    "I''m here." Cedric said standing up. "How are they?" Cedric asked as he walked over to Nicole.

    "Congrattions! It''s a baby boy!" Nicole said with a sad smile.

    "And Adrianna?" Cedric asked.

    Nicole looked at him tentatively, she hesitated before finally speaking. "There wereplications. When she fell earlier she hit her head and she now has a concussion. We took the baby out via cesarean section, but Adrianna, she''s still unconscious."

    "Nicole you have to save her." Cedric said, almost in tears, his voice shaking.

    "We will Cedric, we will. Miguel is the best. Miguel never fails. Remember that." Nicole told her friend.

    "Nicole''s right Cedric. Miguel is the best doctor in the world. He can perform miracles, remember." Veronica told him. She had faith that her husband would be able to save their friend.

    Before Nicole could return to the operating room Lucy Ang - Chan and her husband Raphael Chan walked out as well.

 Chapter 228 - 228

    "Cedric, don''t worry. Adrianna is unconscious, but stable. She just needs to recover." Lucy Chan announced the good news. "We didn''t see anything severe so we''re letting her rest and recover from the concussion."

    Cedric visibly calmed down when Aunt Lucy Chan told him that Adrianna was going to be alright. He didn''t know what he would do if he lost her, he loved her, she was his life.??

    "Can I see my son?" Cedric asked remembering that a new life was brought into the world sooner than they had expected.

    "Jo is just cleaning him up. They should be out in a bit." Lucy said with a gentle smile. She had seen the little baby and she was sure that everyone would love him.

    "We will keep Adrianna here while she recovers. It''s safer than taking her back to the vi." Raphael Chan told Cedric.

    Cedric simply nodded to acknowledge what Uncle Rephael had just said, who was he to argue with the best doctors. He was both worried and excited. Worried about his wife who was still unconscious, and excited to meet his son.

    After a few moments, Jo came out with a crying baby. Cedric smiled as his friend handed him the little boy. The baby quickly calmed down and fell asleep when he felt his father''s protective arms wrapped around him. Cedric looked down at his son and smiled. He nted a gentle kiss on the baby''s forehead.

    "Isn''t it cool that I''m handing you your first child." Jo said with a grin. "Thank you for getting me this job with Miguel." Jo believed that without Cedric''s influence Miguel would not have gotten him, even if his resume was handed to the miracle doctor, Jo was pretty sure he wouldn''t be considered.

    "All I did was give your name Jo." Cedric said with a smile as he held his child in his arms. "Miguel wouldn''t have hired you if you weren''t up to his standards. Jo being here is mostly you."

    Cedric carried his son over to his sister and his parents. The little one yawned as Ayanna took a look at the little bundle in her brother''s arms.

    "He''s beautiful." Ayanna gasped as she saw her nephew. The little boy looked like a carbon copy of Cedric, he had the same eyes, the same nose, and even the same ears. The little one was going to be extremely handsome when he grew up.

    "Have you and Adrianna thought of a name?" Emilio Reyes asked his son, as he watched his little grandson sleep in his son''s arms.

    "We have dad." Cedric said with a proud grin as he looked down at his little boy. He immediately knew that the name they had chosen would match their son perfectly.

    "What is it?" Nicole excitedly asked.

    "We decided to name him Emilio Reyes IV." Cedric said proudly as he looked up at his father. Cedric always saw his dad as his hero and Adrianna loved both Emilio and Prisci. They had epted her whole heartedly even if she came from a lesser family. They cared for her and showed her so much concern that she forgot she was rted to the rest of the Hernandezes. When Cedric suggested naming their son after his father and grandfather Adrianna was extremely happy about it.

    "Hello little one, I''m your auntie Ayanna." Ayanna gently said to little Emilio. Cedric smiled and attempted to hand the baby over to Ayanna, but at every attempt little Emilio would start crying. It seemed his son refused to go with his aunt or anyone other than his father at the moment.

    When a nurse announced that Adrianna had been moved to a room Cedric, his parents, and Adrianna''s parents went over to check up on her.

    At the hospital room, Cedric carried little Emilio to his mother''s side. Adrianna was still unconscious and sleeping peacefully. He looked down at his wife with a look full of love and worry, even in her current state Adrianna looked like an angel to Cedric.

    "Hey darling." He gently called out. "Look who is here to meet you. It''s our little Emilio. He''s so handsome, he looks like he will be a strong and brave man when he grows up. We''re waiting for you to wake up, darling. We can''t wait to see your radiant smile." Cedric ced the sleeping baby in a hospital crib next to Adrianna''s bed and pulled a chair to sit next to his wife.

    "Cedric, she''s gonna be fine." Miguel said as he entered the room.

    "I know she will be. You''re the best doctor and I have faith in you." Cedric told his friend. "You must be tired, go and rest for a bit."

    As Cedric spoke to Miguel, his eyes remained fixed on his sleeping wife as he caressed her hand and asionally kissed it. He hoped she would wake up soon.

    While Cedric and his immediate family went up to check on Adrianna, everyone else remained at the waiting area of the hospital. Veronica looked around and noticed that someone had note out of the operating room yet.

    "Where''s Miguel?" Veronica asked Nicole who was sitting on a waiting chair with her eyes closed.

    "Probably in his office. What he did was exhausting. That was not a normal c-section ." Nicole said as she confessed that the operation was far moreplicated than what they told the Reyes family. It was soplicated and so dangerous that if anyone other than Miguel had attempted the operation they would probably have lost the baby. The procedure was purely theoretical and this made it even riskier since Lucy Chan could only guide her son through the never before attempted operation while Nicole and Raphael Chan as well as the rest of the team could only offer their support.

    Veronica nodded. "I''ll go check on him, I''m sure he''s exhausted."

    "Are you finally beginning to care for my brother? Do you love him yet?" Nicole excitedly asked.

    "Rx, you''ll use up all of your energy." Veronica teased. "Let''s just say I won''t be as cold towards him anymore, it''s unfair to him." She said with a smile, she figured that if he loved her, she could be nice towards her husband and treat him as a friend at the very least.

    "I''m so happy for my older brother." Nicole said with a grin.

    Nicole told Veronica that Miguel''s office was on the same floor as hers but at the other end. Veronica nodded and left following Nicole''s instructions. Miguel''s office was at the fourth floor of the hospital.

    As soon as the elevator door opened she walked out into the hallway, she was mumbling to herself what she would tell Miguel when she got to his office. She figured he would probably be tired so she might as well offer to get him food or some drink or maybe even offer him a massage, that''s what wives did right?

    As Veronica turned the corner to Miguel''s office, she spotted a figureing out. It was a beautiful woman in a nurse''s attire. The woman adjusted her already short skirt that seemed to have ridden up and walked towards the other direction.

 Chapter 229 - 229

    Veronica felt her heart break. She didn''t understand why she was feeling this pain. She had closed off all emotions to Miguel when they were in Paris, but why was she hurting now. This man was only her husband on paper, what did she care if some slutty nurse walked out of his office adjusting her clothes as if the unspeakable had just happened.

    Despite not wanting to, she continued to walk down the hall till she reached the office door. She stopped before entering. She took a deep breath, she had no idea what she would find on the other side, she hoped and prayed that it would not be something that would hurt her even more. and pushed the door open, as she entered she saw Miguel buttoning up his shirt.??

    "Did you leave anything, Nurse Jen?" Miguel asked in a concerned tone without turning his back to see who had entered. When he heard no response, he moved to turn around.

    He was suddenly greeted with a p to the face making him turn around and face his attacker. When he realized that it was his wife that entered his office, the color on his face suddenly drained, he was puzzled as to why she had pped him on the face.

    "Why are you here V?" Miguel said with a smile in a loving tone, despite his confusion, as he pushed a stray hair behind her ear.

    Veronica attempted to p him on the other cheek this time but it was caught by his strong hand. Suddenly Miguel pulled Veronica to him and kissed her forehead, Veronica reacted and pushed him hard on the chest making him stumble a little.

    "Don''t, just..don''t Miguel." Veronica said as she turned to leave.

    Miguel refused to let her out of his office without an exnation, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him again, this time wrapping an arm around her waist. He took advantage of her shock and kissed her passionately on the lips.

    "Did youe over to check on me?" Miguel asked as their lips parted.

    "Miguel, I know we''re in an arranged marriage, you don''t have to do romantic things like this. But I swear, don''t fuc***g cheat on me in your office. It''spletely unprofessional. Not to mention your entire family is downstairs, it''s disgusting." Veronica said as she pushed her husband away.

    "What are you saying V?" Miguel asked as he continued to stop her from leaving. "I''ve never cheated on you. You''re my one and only."

    "I don''t want to hear it." Veronica said finally prying herself free from his hold and running out the door.

    "V!" Miguel shouted as he grabbed her by the arm.

    Veronica could feel the tears falling from her eyes as she turned and pped her husband hard on the face. Miguel was not surprised by the p, he could handle the pain it dealt, but he was shocked when he saw Veronica in tears.

    He ended up letting her go as she ran out of his office, wiping her eyes.

    As she ran to the elevator she bumped into Nicole and Katerina. When her friends saw her sobbing they pulled her towards Nicole''s office.

    "What happened? I thought you were going to my brother?" Nicole asked as she locked the door behind them. Nicole watched as Veronica sat on the couch and continued to cry, meanwhile Katerina walked around Nicole''s office looking for something. "What are you doing Katerina?" Nicole asked in an annoyed tone as Katerina continued to touch the shelves as if inspecting something.

    "Found it!" Katerina proudly said as she pulled out a bottle from behind one of the shelves.

    "What is that doing here?" Nicole asked as she ced her hands on her waist. It seemed her friends were hiding secret stashes in her office on Kashmere Ind''s hospital.

    "Well your operations are dreadfully long." Katernia began toin. "You always tell us two hours tops or five hours tops. Then when we arrive a nurse tells us to wait in your office and we have to wait for another two hours before you and Miguel are done. So we''ve been keeping a stash here. You know to keep uspany and what not." Katerina said with augh.

    Katerina walked over to the couch with the bottle and three mugs as she poured them all a drink.

    "So what happened to you?" Katerina asked the sobbing Veronica.

    "He cheated on me!" She shouted in anger. "My heart feels like it''s breaking because of him again. It hurts so much guys."

    "Wait, what? That''s not possible!" Nicole said in shock. She knew just how much her brother loved Veronica. She watched over the years as he did everything for her and loved her. Him cheating on Veronica was just impossible. There was never any other woman in her brother''s life, it had always been just Veronica.

    "And what do you mean by again?" Katerina added as she inched closer to Veronica.

    "I already fell for him before." Veronica confessed as she kept her head down.

    "Are you in love with him now?" Katerina continued to ask.

    "Yes, I mean no, you know what, honestly I don''t even know anymore." Veronica said as tears continued to stream from her eyes. "I just can''t understand what''s happening, I''m trying to think of an excuse for what I saw. I want to think that I saw the wrong things or that things looked and sounded differently from where I stood but there is no way I''m mistaken." Veronica continued to say, as tears streamed out of her eyes. She was hurt, and she was hurt really bad. Aside from the pain she was feeling, she was confused by why she was even hurting. She said she wouldn''t love him anymore, so why this time? Did she really still love him.

    "Why not tell us about what happened, then tell us why you said he hurt you again?" Katerina asked as she patted her friend''s back.

    Veronica recounted what had happened from the moment she arrived on the fourth floor until she entered Miguel''s room and saw him fixing his clothes as he called out another woman''s name.

    "You should talk to my brother." Nicole said.

    "Wait, I wanna know about the again part. What''s the again part? You loved him before?" Katerina pestered.

 Chapter 230 - 230

    Veronica took a deep breath and drank from the bottle Katerina had just ced on the table in front of her. She needed a drink for the story she was about to tell.

    "Remember when I found out that I was going to be engaged to Miguel?" Veronica asked.??

    "Yeah, you ran away in the rain that night and got hospitalized." Nicole said as she recalled events of that night. She was considered too young to attend meetings like that so her parents had left her behind at home while they took Miguel to meet his fiance and her family. It was supposed to be a formal introduction of the couple to one another.

    "Everyone said that it was my older brother that found me in the park. They said he found me unconscious and carried me to the hospital, but I knew it wasn''t Ram." Veronica confessed. When she was told this story by her parents, she was confused and she doubted her memory. But as the days and months went by, her memory of that night only became more vivid as she recalled the details.

    "So, who was it?" Katerina asked. "Don''t tell me it was some random guy that you think is your soulmate." Katerina teased.

    "No, it wasn''t." Veronica replied, maintaining her serious tone. "It was Miguel." When she mentioned his name she felt a stabbing pain in her heart. She decided to take a gulp once again from the drink on the table.

    "Why would everyone lie to you?" Nicole asked.

    "I think they assumed things about me again." Veronica said with a sigh. The members of the Abad family liked to think that they knew Veronica well enough to predict what she was going to do, but they couldn''t be more wrong. "They probably thought that I would have been more mad if I knew who had rescued me."

    "So he rescued you, and you fell in love with him?" Nicole asked.

    "I fell for him because when I ran away from the meeting he chased after me, he didn''t care about the rain and he didn''t care about getting sick. When I saw him approaching me in the park I wanted to hug him and ept him, but I guess the stress got to me and I fainted before I could." Veronica said with a sad look. "Even when I was unconscious, I felt safe in his arms. I knew Miguel would protect me. I was shocked when he left and just stopped contacting me. That''s when I thought, maybe if I let myself get close to other guys he might get jealous ande. I never imagined that my attempt to get him jealous would end up with me having feelings for Jason."

    "So you really liked Jason?" Katernia asked. She wasn''t sure at the time if Veronica really liked the guy or if she was simply attached to him since they were really good friends.

    "I liked him, but my feelings for him weren''t as strong or intense as how they were for Miguel." Veronica confessed. "When Jason hurt me and I finally agreed to leave and change my name, I wanted so desperately to run to Miguel in America."

    "That''s right, my older brother was about to return from America so he could work in Saints, then he suddenly epted a job in Paris instead. We never heard anything about it prior to Miguel deciding to work there, the job wasn''t even a good fit for him, it was way below his abilities." Nicole recalled.

    "Do you guys know why I chose the name Veronica?" She asked Katerina and Nicole.

    Although they had a pretty good guess, the two girls shook their heads. They both wanted to hear it directly from Veronica.

    "Growing up Miguel gave me that pet name, and hearing people call me Veronica, made me feel closer to him when he was halfway across the globe. It made me feel like it was him calling me." As Veronica said this Nicole and Katerina could see her blushing, they weren''t sure if it was because of the memory or if Veronica was simply turning red from the alcohol she had consumed.

    "When we were in Paris, I thought it was my chance to be with him, but I was a very awkward girl." Veronica said with augh as she remembered how she acted around Miguel when they first lived in the Paris mansion. "I couldn''t approach Miguel while we were there. Miguel decided to learn how to cook, so he would cook for the two of us every morning. It didn''t matter if he was busy or not, he would make it a point to cook every time."

    "Wow, I never realized that my older brother could be so sweet." Nicole said with augh.

    "I genuinely thought at that time that he might like me too." Veronica said as she took another sip from the alcoholic beverage in front of her.

    "You mean he didn''t?" Katerina asked. "That''s impossible. Miguel has loved you since we were teenagers."

    "Well, something happened." Veronica said in a sad tone. "Living with Miguel was amazing, he cooked for me, he would go shopping with me, and we would even take the asional trip when I was bored. One day, I was at school when I realized I wanted to tell Miguel how I felt and how I was willing to give our rtionship a chance. I was so excited to tell him, I couldn''t wait till after ss. So I decided to go to the hospital to meet him. I thought after confessing to him we could have dinner and go on a date."

    Katerina and Nicole looked intently at Veronica. This was a story she had never told the two of them and they were her closest friends in the world.

    "When I got to the hospital, I asked a nurse where I could find Miguel. She blushed at the mention of his name and pointed me towards his clinic." As Veronica said this her voice began to crack. The memory still hurt even if it had happened a long time ago. "When I approached his office, I heard funny sounds from outside. I may be a virgin but I know what sex sounds like." As she recalled this, tears fell from Veronica''s eyes once more.

    "Oh, my dear." Nicole said as she hugged Veronica. "I hate my brother! He''s an as***le!" Nicole cursed.

    "Are you sure it was him inside?" Katerina asked. She found it odd that after so much devotion Miguel would just give into some primal urge and sleep with another woman.

    Veronica nodded and spoke. "After running out of the hospital, I realized it might not be him. So I went back to check, and the scene that greeted me hurt me even more." Veronica said. "I saw him hugging another woman, and the woman''s hand was in a ce it shouldn''t have been in. After that I just ran. I ran home and cried and locked myself in my room. I saw him everyday until I finished my studies, I didn''t have a choice, my family said I had to live in that house while I was in Paris. It was so painful seeing his handsome smile everyday and knowing that that smile didn''t belong to me."

    "That''s why you froze your heart towards him." Katerina said slowly as she realized why Veronica had always seemed guarded when it came to Miguel.

 Chapter 231 - 231

    As Miguel entered Adrianna''s room, he found Cedric watching his wife sleep as he caressed her hand.

    "She should wake up soon." Miguel said, as he picked up the charts at the foot of the bed.??

    "What happened to your face?" Cedric asked, resisting the urge tough.

    "My wife happened, I honestly don''t understand what suddenly came over her. She just marches into my office and ps me." Miguelined.

    "I''m pretty sure you don''t mind." Cedric said, finallyughing at Miguel.

    "I wouldn''t mind if she pped me in bed." Miguel said this with such a serious look that Cedricughed even harder.

    "You are disturbing." Cedricughed. His attention suddenly shifted back to his wife when he felt a small movement.

    "Adri, are you up?" Cedric gently asked as she stroked the top of her head.

    "Cedric, she probably won''t wake up for the next 24-hours." Miguel said with a sigh as he took a seat.

    "I??m guessing you aren''t here to just check up on your patient?" Cedric asked as he looked at his friend''s sad face.

    "I''m confused." Miguel simply said. "I don''t understand why Veronica marched into my office, pped me, and used me of cheating. We both know I''ve never been with anyone else, I''ve never been with anyone, period!"

    "Do you even know which hole to put it in?" Cedric teased, he knew Miguel had never even kissed another girl, let alone slept with one.

    "Idiot, of course, I''m a doctor." Miguel responded, rolling his eyes.

    "Why not tell her she got it wrong?" Cedric asked, it was the obvious course of action to take.

    "I did, I tried." Miguel said with a frustrated look. "She ran off and by the time I got out of my office to chase after Veronica, she was gone. I can''t find her. I asked the maids in her vi and in mine. It''s like she just disappeared." Miguelined.

    "Did you try asking your sister?" Cedric suggested.

    "Who do you think was the first person I called? But Nicole isn''t picking up." Miguel said as he massaged his temples.

    "Maybe she''s just sneaking around with Ian." Cedric teased.

    "They had the whole morning together. I swear my sister gets more action than I do and I''m the married one." Miguelined.

    "Well, you did get married in a very unconventional way." Cedric pointed out.

    "Can''t Veronica see how I am willing to do everything just for her?" Miguel asked his friend. Cedric could see how much it bothered Miguel that despite all his efforts he had made very little improvements in his rtionship with his wife.

    Cedric sighed and took out his phone and dialed his sister''s number. Ayanna had left a while back when she suddenly got a phone call.

    "Brother? Is Adri alright? Did anything happen to little Emilio?" Ayanna quickly asked as she answered her brother''s call.

    "They''re fine, calm down." Cedric said with a sigh. It seemed his sister cared more about his wife and son than she did him. "Would you know where Nicole and Veronica are?" Cedric asked.

    "I''m with them." Ayanna inly said. Cedric knew from her answer that she must have been hiding something.

    "Ayanna, where are you and the other girls?" Cedric said in a coaxing tone.

    "Depends who''s asking." Ayanna told her brother. It seemed the girls were suspicious of him possibly helping Miguel, and they were right to be.

    "I''m with Miguel and he is looking for his wife and sister." Cedric confessed to Ayanna.

    "Well his wife and sister don''t want to see him." Ayanna said as she promptly dropped the phone.

    Cedric sighed and shook his head.

    "Where are they? What did Ayanna tell you?" Miguel asked.

    Before Cedri could answer his barrage of questions Ray and Eric entered the room trailed by several servers with food and drinks on serving carts.

    "Ah good. My little brother should be hungry after the operation. It''s a good thing we brought extra." Eric said as he motioned for the servers to bring everything in.

    Once the feast was all brought in the servers left.

    "Why does he look like he got into a fight?" Ray asked as he pointed at Miguel who just kept sighing.

    "Veronica pped him and used him of cheating." Cedric said as he picked up one of the dishes they had just been served.

    "Harsh. But I''m sure it''s your fault." Ray said, shaking his head.

    "I swear I''ve never even been with a woman." Miguel said, full of pride in his tone.

    "Men usually don''t boast that." Eric teased his brother.

    "In his case he needs to say that." Ray said with augh. He knew that aside from never having any intentions towards other women, Miguel was also too busy between school and initially learning how to run Saints hospital.

    "Where do you think they''re hiding? They aren''t in any of the vis." Miguel continued to ponderpletely ignoring Eric''s and Ray''s teasing.

    "You guys really should stop teasing Miguel. Imagine if I told Ayanna or Katerina that they aren''t your firsts." Cedric warned the two other men.

    "Katerina won''t care." Eric said as he rolled his eyes. Cedric knew that that was true. Katerina was more progrssive than the other girls, she would never mind how many other women Eric had been with, what mattered to Katerina was that she was hisst. "Besides, Katerina minding is the least of my problems right now. I don''t even know if she''ll even consider me again. She and Ram have been getting quite close, I need to talk to that guy, bros before hoes remember?"

    "I don''t think Alexi would appreciate you calling his sister a hoe." Cedric teased.

    "Brother-inw, I''m sure Ayanna wouldn''t mind." Ray said full of hesitation. He didn''t know how his fiance would take it. Although it was true that he had never been in a serious rtionship in the past, that didn''t mean he didn''t date or get attracted to other women.

    "Don''t tell me my sister has never asked." Cedric said with a raised eyebrow.

    "I''ve always avoided the topic." Ray said with a cough.

    "I think I know where the girls are!" Miguel suddenly said.

    "Where?" Cedric asked.

    "Nicole''s office!" Miguel jumped up and walked out the door.

    "Wow. He''s really a man on a mission." Rayughed as they continued to eat while watching over Adrianna and little Emilio.

    Adrianna''s room was on the third floor of the hospital so Miguel decided to take the stairs, a little exercise never hurt anyone anyway. As he approached the door to the stairwell, Alexi exited a nearby room with a grin and called out to Miguel.

    "Can''t you keep it in your pants?" Miguel asked as he watched Alexi fix his hair.

    "It''s not my fault they want me." Alexiughed. "Plus you''re the one that sent her to check on me."

    "Yeah, Nurse Jen has been asking for you sincest time." Miguel said, rolling his eyes. "That''s why I called her to my office and told her where to find you as soon as the operation was done."

    "It''s different with her. It''s much more satisfying." Alexi tried to exin to Miguel.

    "Enough Alexi, I don''t need to know about your sex life." Miguel said as he covered his ears in jest.

    "I don''t mean just sex, I mean the other stuff." Alexi exined.

    "What other stuff? Are you saying you''re nning on actually getting in a rtionship with a member of my staff?" Miguel asked.

    "Shut up!" Alexiughed, as they took the stairs.

 Chapter 232 - 232

    When Alexi and Miguel arrived outside Nicole''s office they were repeatedly denied entry. They knocked and shouted and they had been out there for at least ten minutes trying to convince the girls to open the door.

    "Nicole, let me talk to Veronica. I can exin." Miguel shouted in between knocks. He really needed to exin things to his wife.??

    "You aren''t my brother anymore!" Nicole shouted. She was mad and disappointed at Miguel, from Veronica''s story he had hurt her very much and could not be trusted. "I hate you."

    "Nicole, it''s a big misunderstanding. Why don''t you guys let me in so that Veronica and I could talk it out?" Miguel said in a sweet and calm tone. "Girls, talking is the adult thing to do. So open up, so that Veronica and I can talk."

    "Talk it out my ass." Miguel heard Katerina say. "You Chan boys are all the same."

    "Now Katerina, don''t vent your anger on my older brother. I''m not him, I am nothing like Eric.?? Miguel shouted.

    "Do you girls n on locking yourselves in there the whole night?" Alexi asked as he typed on his phone.

    "We could." It was Natalia that shouted a reply. It seemed all of the sisters were inside.

    "I don''t think they''re gonna open that door." Alexi told his friend. "We can always starve them out." Alexi shrugged.

    "I''m pretty sure Nicole has a stash of food in there. Plus all offices here have a secret exit, in case of emergencies. They''ll probably just pass there." Miguel exined.

    "What would make that door open?" Alexi mumbled to himself. "I got it!"

    Alexi moved to the door and gave it three loud knocks.

    "Ayanna, didn''t you promise Cedric that you would apany him to watch over Adrianna?" Alexi asked, he was sure Ayanna had promised that, they all knew that Ayanna loved her sister-inw and would definitely offer to look after her.

    The door opened and Ayanna ran out, she made sure to close the door firmly behind her, sadly Miguel''s hand got caught and was now bleeding due to the impact.

    "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, Nicole damnit get out here!" Ayanna shouted as she looked for a piece of cloth to stop the bleeding on Miguel''s hand.

    "Really Ayanna? You decided to injure the Miracle Doctor''s hands. Are you crazy?" Alexi asked an already panicked Ayanna.

    "I didn''t mean to." Ayanna said in a sad tone. Nicole had alreadye out and was checking on her brother''s injuries. "Why was your hand in the way anyway!" Ayanna scolded Miguel.

    "Really? You''re gonna me me Ayanna?" Miguel shouted back.

    Miguel was standing a little bit away from the door as Nicole asked Katerina to call a nurse over. Miguel looked up to see Veronica''s worried face peeking out of the door. To see her concern was enough for him, it was worth any injury.

    "Can you move them?" Nicole asked, but Miguel ignored her as he just stared at his wife.

    "Miguel, have you gone deaf too? Stop staring. Can you move your fingers?" Nicole asked again.

    "Ummm�� A bit, but they sting." Miguel lifted his bloody hand and moved his fingers a little. "Don''t worry, they aren''t broken."

    "You! Bandage my brother up." Nicole called to one of the nurses that had just arrived.

    When Alexi saw who it was he suddenly smiled, his reaction was noticed by all of the girls.

    "Hey Alexi, let her take care of Miguel first. Flirtter." Katerina called out to her older brother.

    "I''ll go with you to take care of my friend." Alexi said as he winked at the nurse. Everyone saw how she nodded and walked Miguel to the nurse''s station where the first aid kit was.

    "Th-th-that was her." Veronica managed to say when the boys were out of earshot.

    "What do you mean her?" Nicole asked.

    "Is that the b**ch Miguel was cheating on you with?" Katerina said as he pointed at the nurse.

    "You didn''t say it was Nurse Jen!" Nicole gasped when she realized who it was.

    "I''m gonna go over there and beat her ass!" Katerina said as she began to walk towards the nurse''s station. She was suddenly pulled back by Nicole making her fall on her ass.

    "What the h*** Nicole?" Katerina asked angrily as she rubbed her bottom.

    "Katerina, doesn''t she look familiar to you?" Nicole said as she gestured towards Nurse Jen.

    Katerina looked at the woman that was currently treating Miguel, despite applying first aid to the injured doctor she was busy talking to Alexi.

    "I don''t care who she is, she''s hurting my friend." Katerina said as she crossed her arms.

    "Katerina, I swear you''re blind." Natalia said with augh. As soon as Natalia pointed it out, Katerina figured out who Nurse Jen was. "Haven''t you seen our brother''s phone wallpaper?"

    Katerina gasped and took a second look at the woman. "Those boys are disgusting!" She eximed.

    "Natalia, Nicole, what are you saying?" Veronica asked.

    "Do you mean to say Miguel and Alexi are sharing a woman?" Ayanna asked as she covered her mouth in shock.

    Nicoleughed at everyone''s reaction. "No silly. That''s just gross."

    "So that''s the infamous nurse Jen." Ram said with augh as he came out of Nicole''s office. He didn''t dare show his face when Miguel and Alexi were outside. They would have beaten him up for siding against them.

    "Who is Nurse Jen?" Veronica asked her older brother.

    "The girl that might just stop Alexi from sleeping around." Ramughed.

    "You! You traitor!" Miguel shouted as he spotted Ram talking to the girls.

    "She''s my sister. Gotta side with her!" Ram shouted back.

    "Ram, no one can stop my brother from sleeping around." Katerina said in disbelief. Alexi didn''t want to be tied down to a woman, he didn''t see himself as the type tomit to anyone.

    "Nurse Jen is, how do I put it, ah someone he has been chasing around for some time now." Ram exined.

    "How long?" Natalia asked.

    "About a year. But that doesn''t mean he''s stopped sleeping with other women, he still does. He just constantly looks for her. I guess you could say he craves for her." Ram exined to the girls.

    "That''s just gross." Natalia said, shaking her head.

    "Plus I know Jen, she''s been on our team for years. I''m pretty sure Alexi is the only guy she''s been with physically." Nicole said with augh.

    "What makes you so sure?" Ayanna asked.

    "Because before Alexi, Nurse Jen liked girls." Nicole said with a giggle. "She was about to begin her transition when she met Alexi."

    "Wait, even so. That doesn''t make Miguel innocent." Veronica told everyone.

 Chapter 233 - 233

    "You''re right." Nicole said with a nod. "But I think I can exin the other details. Nurse Jen isn''t used to wearing more feminine outfits, and with Alexi here I can assume she decided to wear something a little bit more revealing. So that plus her unease, that''s probably why she was adjusting her clothes when she came out of my brother''s office." Nicole exined.

    "Then why was she there in the first ce?" Veronica asked.??

    "Because Miguel always tells her when Alexi is around." Nicole shrugged.

    "And Miguel fixing his clothes when I arrived?" Veronica asked.

    "Miguel has a lucky operating shirt." Nicole said with augh. "He probably just changed out of it when you walked in."

    "Actually, Miguel did juste from Adrianna''s room right before Katerina called me toe up." Ayanna said. "That wouldn''t have been enough time for Miguel to cheat on you."

    "So he didn''t cheat?" Veronica asked.

    "I told you, I didn''t." Veronica jumped at the sound of her husband as Miguel came up from behind her. He ced an arm around her waist and kissed her. "I swear I''ve never cheated on you."

    Veronica remained rigid in his arms, she refused to move and her pride stopped her from apologizing.

    "Shouldn''t you apologize to me?" Miguel whispered into her ear.

    Veronica paused and suddenly kissed Miguel on the lips, it wasn''t just a simple peck. Miguel was very much satisfied with her apology, but he still wanted more. He held her tighter by the waist, and Veronica gasped in reaction to his movements. Miguel took advantage of this and stuck his tongue in, deepening the kiss.

    "Seriously?" Ramined, as he turned and left. Miguel could hear Alexiughing behind him as he invited the girls to leave.

    When they separated they were alone in the hallway, it seemed everyone had decided to give them their privacy.

    "V, I''m exhausted. Do you mind if we go home to my vi and sleep?" Miguel asked, as he kept his arm around his wife''s waist.

    Veronica nodded as she blushed. Miguelughed, his wife was clearly embarrassed by their public make out session earlier. She buried her head on his chest and he kissed her on the top of her head.

    By the time they walked out of the hospital it was already past midnight. Miguel noticed that there were only two cars left at the parking lot, it seemed that only he and Cedric were left in the hospital. Everyone must have already gone to their own vi or to Ray''s for dinner.

    A driver brought Miguel''s and Veronica''s car over, Miguel helped Veronica in before climbing in after her. Even in the car he refused to let go of his wife, she squirmed constantly beside him making Miguel groan.

    When they arrived at Miguel''s vi, he picked her up and carried her bridal style over the threshold. His sudden movements made Veronica wrap her arms around his neck prompting a grin to emerge from Miguel''s lips.

    "Are you hungry?" Veronica asked, in an attempt to change the awkward moment.

    "A little." Miguel admitted as he walked her over to the bedroom. He gently ced her on the bed and kissed her on the lips.

    "I''ll ask a maid to cook something." Veronica said, as she jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen.

    Miguel felt anxious when after five minutes Veronica still hadn''t returned. He walked over to the kitchen to find her talking with his personal chef.

    "Doc Chan!" His personal chef greeted in a friendly tone. Miguel had hired this man over five years ago and brought him everywhere he went. The chef was quite familiar with his tastes and what he liked especially after a tiring operation. Miguel smiled and nodded back as he wrapped his arm around Veronica again. He was pleased that she no longer flinched at his touch unlike in the past.

    "I was worried when you were gone for so long." Miguel told his wife.

    "Oh." Was the only reply he got from Veronica.

    "When will dinner be ready?" Miguel asked the chef.

    "Two minutes sir. I started cooking as soon as Nurse Jo called to say the operation was over." His chef said.

    Miguel nodded and pulled Veronica to the dining room.

    "How''s your hand?" Veronica asked as she looked at his bandaged hand. She felt guilty about his injury, it wouldn''t have happened if she had just listened to him in the first ce.

    "Don''t worry about it." Miguel told her lovingly.

    "You could have lost your ability to help people because of me." Veronica said in a sad tone.

    "Don''t worry about it." Miguel said again.

    Soon the chef and several maids came in and served them dinner. Miguel watched as Veronica ate a little of every dish that was served. Since he too was hungry he turned his attention back to his food.

    After dinner they washed up separately, Miguel in the master bathroom and Veronica in the guest bathroom. Earlier, while they were eating a maid from Veronica''s vi had brought over some clothes and other necessities. Miguel smiled at the sight, it meant she would at least stay in his vi.

    When he came out of the shower, he found Veronica sitting on his bed. She was staring at him as he came out with only a towel wrapped around his waist hiding his manhood. It seemed when she realized she was staring, so she turned around to let him change.

    "I guess it''s the couch for me again tonight." Miguel said with augh trying to dispel the awkward situation.

    "Is sleeping on the couch ufortable?" Veronica shyly asked as Miguel dressed himself.

    "A little. My back hurts sometimes, but it''s alright. I don''t mind, as long as we sleep in the same room it''s fine with me." Miguel confessed.

    Miguel was still shirtless when Veronica turned back around to face him. He could see her look at his chest and abs, her gaze made him walk up to her and nt a gentle kiss on her lips.

    "Like what you see V?" Miguel asked with augh.

    "No." Veronica quickly answered as she turned her head in a different direction.

    Miguelughed and finally ced on his shirt.

    "I''ll ask the maids for an extra set of pillows and a nket." Miguel said as he walked towards the door.

    "Wait. No need." Veronica suddenly said.

    "V, don''t do this to me. Don''t give me hope." Miguel said, with his voice full of pain.

    "Sleep beside me on the bed tonight." Veronica weakly said. She was clearly unsure and quite shy about her decision.

    Miguel turned with arge smile on his face. He didn''t waste any time as he climbed into bed with Veronica and kissed her.

    "Sleep only." Veronica managed to say between the assault of kisses.

    "I know, I know. I just like kissing you." Miguel said as he gave her one passionate kiss andy back down.

    "Behave." Veronica warned.

    Miguel simplyughed as he wrapped an arm around his wife and slept.

 Chapter 234 - 234

    That morning Miguel woke up early, he smiled as he looked at the peacefully sleeping woman next to him. He gently ced a kiss on her cheek before moving to leave the bed.

    "Where are you going?'' Veronica asked, it seemed Miguel''s actions had woken her up.??

    "I need to get to the hospital, love." Miguel said as he leaned in to kiss her again. "I still have an unconscious, recovering patient."

    "Can''t Nicole do it?" Veronicained as her sleep was disturbed.

    "Do you really think Nicole has had more sleep than me?" Miguel said with augh. "And besides, I slept like a babyst night."

    "Fine." Veronica said as she got up from bed.

    "You know you don''t need toe." Miguel told her as she walked out to the guest room.

    "I''m worried about Adri too." Veronica told Miguel.

    "Alright. I''ll have the chef cook us some breakfast before checking up on Adrianna." Miguel said as he walked out the door right behind his wife.

    After a bath the couple sat down at the dining table to eat. Both Veronica and Miguel didn''t say a word so their meal was filled with an awkward silence. Miguel looked up at his wife and noticed that something still didn''t seem right.

    "Veronica, is there something else bothering you?" Miguel asked.

    "No." Veronica said, giving her quick reply.

    "V, you still look bothered." Miguel said tenderly.

    Veronica took a deep breath and debated in her mind if she should tell Miguel about the incident in Paris years ago. She was about to confess to Miguel when a maid suddenly announced that Ian, Nicole, and Eric had just arrived.

    "Why do you have to ruin our moment?" Miguelined as his older brother entered,ughing.

    "We''re family, it''s our job to be a pain in the ass." Eric said with a shrug.

    "Ian needs to go with us to the hospital to check on Cedric." Nicole said, changing the topic.

    "You''re just using Cedric as an excuse to spend more time together." Veronica saw right through Nicole''s excuse. It was a weekend, and thus no work needed to be done.

    "Work never stops for CEOs." Nicole said, crossing her arms.

    "Fine, fine." Miguel rolled his eyes at this sister. "Are you done, love?" Miguel asked Veronica who already started getting up.

    Veronica stood up and they all made their way to the cars outside.

    In the hospital room, the group found Cedric and Ayanna chatting while watching over Adrianna and little Emilio. Miguel greeted the siblings as they entered, when they arrived they were greeted by his team and they joined him to check up on Adrianna. All of them were aware that Cedric was the Reyes Heir so there was no need for Cedric to hide himself.

    Miguel stood at the foot of the bed examining her charts while Nicole and Veronica yed with little Emilio who was on a bed next to Adrianna.

    "Everything seems fine." Miguel said as he flipped through the pages. "She should wake up soon. She''s recovering better than I expected."

    "That''s great." Cedric said with a smile.

    Miguel proceeded to give instructions to his team before finally letting them leave.

    "Jo, why don''t you stay a bit?" Cedric asked his friend. It had been awhile since theyst got to talk. Jo had been busy working with Miguel, while he was busy working at the Reyes Group. Cedric felt bad that he, Tom, and Jo rarely got to talk these days.

    Jo paused and looked at Miguel. As Miguel''s head nurse there were a lot of things that Jo had to do. Miguel simply nodded prompting Jo to pass on the instructions Miguel initially gave him.

    "Feeling like a dad yet?" Jo asked in jest as he walked towards Cedric.

    Cedricughed. "If you mean I feel like this boy is going to be my whole world from now on? Definitely!" Cedric told Jo.

    The two men talked for a bit until a nurse came in and informed Jo that he was needed with a matter they couldn''t handle. Jo excused himself and Cedric promised to spend more time with him and Tom in the future.

    "How do you n to tell Tom?" Jo asked right before he left.

    "I still don''t know." Cedric admitted.

    "Good luck then." Jo said as he exited the room.

    "Have you even slept yet Cedric?" Nicole asked as she watched the little baby as he yawned and smiled. Everyone had noticed the fatigue in Cedric''s eyes the moment they walked in. It seemed he had spent the whole night watching his wife and son.

    "I slept a bit." Cedric said, as he joined Nicole who was looking at the baby. "I''m pretty sure I had more sleep than Nicole." Cedric teased.

    Nicole looked up and stuck out her tongue. Everyone justughed at her reaction.

    "Why don''t you go back to your vi and we''ll call you if anything happens? You need your rest brother." Ayanna said. She had arrived early this morning with breakfast for Cedric.

    "I''ll just take a nap on the couch." Cedric said, as he yawned and kissed his son before finally making himselffortable on the couch.

    As the first child in the group, everyone was eager to see more of little Emilio, as soon as Cedric rxed the Sebastian siblings arrived.

    "Oh he''s so cute!" Natalia eximed, as she joined Nicole watching the baby sleep.

    Katerina and Alexi on the other hand walked over to Adrianna and asked Miguel about her condition. They all chose not to bother Cedric since he looked extremely exhausted.

    Within the next hour everyone had arrived in Adrianna''s room, it was a good thing that the rooms in the hospital were quiterge and could aodate all of them. It seemed that everyone silently agreed that Cedric needed to rest, so no one even greeted him when they arrived. They let Cedric lie down in peace.

    Just as Cedric was dozing off he heard Miguel call his name. He suddenly sat up and saw that Adrianna was slowly waking up. Cedric moved quickly to his wife''s side and held her hand.

    "Adri? Adrianna?" Cedric called out.

    Adrianna''s eyes slowly opened, but she wore a confused look on her face. It seemed that she didn''t recognize where she was or who was around her.

 Chapter 235 - 235

    Adrianna was slowly helped up by Nicole and Ayanna who were standing on each side, she wore a confused look on her face and even looked a little scared.

    "Adrianna, look at me." Miguel said as he did a quick check on her.??

    "Adri, honey, do you know who I am?" Cedric asked. He had heard of people suffering from amnesia after traumatic experiences, and what happened to Adrianna definitely qualified as a traumatic experience.

    "No. I don''t know you." Adrianna suddenly said. Cedric could feel his heart drop, he wanted to hold his wife in his arms and to hug her tightly. He suddenly thought of their little Emilio, how would the little boy manage when his mother couldn''t remember him. A thousand thoughts passed through Cedric''s head as he realized his wife had forgotten him. "My husband doesn''t look so disheveled and his eyebags are not asrge as yours." Adrianna said with augh.

    Everyone collectively sighed a breath of relief as it looked like Adrianna''s memory was fine and she was simply ying a prank on her husband. Cedric was quick to pull his wife into his arms and kiss her passionately.

    When Cedric finally released her, Adrianna''s hand instinctively went to her now t belly. Cedric could see the questioning look in her eyes, she was clearly asking him what happened to the baby in her.

    Cedric turned to pick up little Emilio who was sleeping behind them, it seemed that he had slept through themotion and had not stirred at all. He brought the baby boy over to Adrianna who smiled brightly as he approached with the little bundle.

    "Adri, we have a son." Cedric said as he lowered little Emilio for his wife to see. Adrianna reached up, wanting to carry her son in her arms. "Are you well enough?" Cedric asked, he was worried that their son''s weight would tire his wife out.

    "I can carry him." Adrianna insisted. Cedric handed the little boy over and watched as his wife cuddled the little bundle. ???He is so handsome." Adrianna said as she looked at his tiny face.

    "He looks just like his father when he was a baby." Prisci Reyes happily told her daughter-inw. "They even have the same grumpy look when they poop." Prisci''sment made everyoneugh as they had seen the little boy do so.

    "When will we go home?" Adrianna asked her husband as she continued to watch the baby in her arms.

    "As soon as your doctor says you''re strong enough to fly." Cedric said as he affectionately brushed Adrianna''s hair.

    "I would prefer to keep you here for another day, then we can all fly back." Miguel said with a nod. "You can continue to recover in Mountain View. I''ll check up on you everyday and have a nurse take care of you."

    "Don''t you dare send Nurse Jen." Nicole threatened.

    "What''s wrong with Nurse Jen?" Alexi asked, clearly disappointed that the nurse who was usually at Kashmere wouldn''t be going to the capital with them.

    "Who is Nurse Jen?" Adrianna whispered to her husband.

    Cedricughed and whispered back. "I''ll tell you when they leave, it''splicated. You were almost Miguel''sst operation ever."

    With Adrianna''s health getting better, the whole group left Kashmere the next afternoon. When they arrived at the Capital a little before dinner time people at the airport were shocked to see the convoy of expensive vehicles and security that arrived.

    Cedric helped his wife, who was carrying their son, get into their car as the others rode on their own.

    Inside Cedric sighed as he watched the city speed past his window. One of the ces they passed was a hugepound where a phnthropist had recently set up a school and home for orphaned children.

    "Whoever built that ce truly has a golden heart." Adriannamented as they passed by.

    "Why do you say so?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "Well, he or she thought of everything. He built an orphanage with a school and all the children there are assessed and observed for where their strengths and passions are. The generous donor will then send them off to the University with the degree that will fit them." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Do you know the donor?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "No. I just heard it from Natasha. Her family was the one that built the school. The donor only had a representative talk to them." Adrianna exined as she rxed and closed her eyes.

    Cedric took little Emilio from her arms and smiled a knowing smile. The orphanage and school was called the AHR campus, Adrianna''s initials.

    A month quickly passed after Adrianna gave birth to little Emilio, during that time she remained at home and was constantly looked after by the infamous Nurse Jen.

    In the beginning Nicole was heavily against bringing Nurse Jen to the Capital due to Veronica''s misunderstanding as well as her confusing rtionship with Alexi. In the end Miguel and his mother, Lucy Chan, managed to convince Nicole to move Nurse Jen from Kashmere to the Capital temporarily as a private nurse to Adrianna. It was her skill as a private nurse that was the deciding factor to convince Nicole that it was Nurse Jen that Adrianna needed.

    Cedric had hired two additional nannies to look after little Emilio, he was worried that watching over their son would tire Adrianna and hinder her recovery. His son on the other hand was a very well behaved baby, he didn''t cry that much at night and his waking hours were mostly the same with his parents.

    As the first child of the group little Emilio was showered with gifts by his many grandparents, uncles, and aunts. Everyday one of them would suddenly arrive at Mountain View to y with the baby and give him a new gift.

    "Don''t you guys havepanies to run?" Cedric asked as he came home to find all of his friends in his living room attempting to bribe a confused baby.

    "We''re that good.?? Ray said with a smirk as he picked up little Emilio.

    "He''s barely a month old and yet he has more toys than most children at the age of twelve. Pick which toys you want him to keep! I''m donating the rest to the orphanage." Cedric threatened as he threw his friends out of his home.

    On little Emilio''s one month celebration Cedric banned everyone from giving him a gift since he already had too many things and Cedric felt that it was such a waste of money to buy his sonthings that he wouldn''t appreciate yet.

    The next day, after the one month celebration, Cedric was sitting in his office at Mor Co. when Ian informed him that his father, Emilio Reyes III, had asked for him to go to R Tower. Cedric assumed that his father must have wanted him there due to a sensitive issue so he quickly had Cami arrange for everything that needed his attention to be sent to Mountain View after work.

    Cedric quickly left wearing his disguise and within thirty minutes he was already walking into the doors of R Tower.

    "Dad?" Cedric called out as he entered Emilio Reyes'' room.

    Cedric was suddenly pulled into a woman''s warm embrace.

 Chapter 236 - 236

    "Marie!" Cedric happily said as he hugged the woman back.

    Marie Reyes - Mendi was the daughter of Emilio Reyes III''s elder sister, Aurora Reyes. At the beginning Aurora was supposed to enter poverty training as the eldest child of the Reyes family. This was at a time when naming a woman as the next family head was frowned upon, the opinion of the public didn''t matter to the Reyes family and they were set to send her to her training when Aurora chose to step down as the heir.??

    The job then fell on her younger brother, Emilio Reyes III. Luckily Emilio Reyes was more than ready to take on both the training and the job as the Reyes Heir. Despite giving up her ce as the Reyes Heir, Aurora Reyes yed a crucial part in thepany. While Emilio ran all the local interests and oversaw the Reyes Group as a whole Aurora led the international expansion of the Reyes Group. It was due to Aurora''s hard work that the Reyes Group had grown internationally, it was during her stint abroad that she met her husband Anastacio Mendi, he was from a poor farming family, but he managed to snag a schrship in a good school abroad. He was in New York, working when he and Aurora Reyes met.

    "You''ve grown so much, Cedric!" Marie said as she let go of her cousin.

    Marie was much older than Cedric, she was already fifteen when he was born. This was mostly because Emilio and Prisci had Cedricte due to Emilio''s poverty training.

    "I haven''t seen you in so long Marie!" Cedric said excitedly, seeing his older cousin made him somewhat feel like a child again.

    "Stop hogging Cedric, Marie!" An elder woman said.

    "Aunt Aurora, Uncle A!" Cedric said as he hugged his uncle and aunt. "Why did you all suddenlye home? We were nning to visit you when things stabilized here."

    "To see your son of course!" Aunt Aurora said with a smile. "Your grandpa and grandma should arriveter. They had dinner with some duke in Mn, they''re trying to close a business deal. It''s so hard dealing with nobility sometimes, they want to talk to the elders." Aurorained.

    "Grandpa and grandma areing home too?" Cedric said in surprise.

    "Marie! Auntie Aurora, Uncle A!" Ayanna squealed as she came running into their father''s office. She was filled in by a grinning Ray Laurence. It seemed he was aware that the other members of the Reyes family would be arriving.

    "You knew?" Cedric asked Ray.

    "Yeah. I lent my ne." Ray said proudly.

    "Such a suck up." Cedric teased.

    "Ayanna, Ray! When''s the wedding? I was so excited when I saw the photos of your engagement. I knew you liked each other." Marie said as she took a seat.

    "Cedric was my ultimate wingman." Ray said with augh. "Plus a few bad guys."

    "We heard about the whole Carlo issue." Aunt Aurora said. "We were so worried. We asked your dad if he needed us to mobilize the team, but he told us that you could manage. And you did!" Aunt Aurora was proudly smiling at her nephew.

    "I think Cedric will be better than Emilio." Uncle A teased. "I mean Emilio, you gotta hand it to the kid. He did much better than you in his training and he''s be a celebrity without ever showing his face."

    Emilio sighed and shook his head.

    "Where''s my sister-inw?" Aunt Aurora asked her brother.

    "She''s out on a business trip." Emilio said with a sigh. Cedric knew that his father hated it when his mother, Prisci rin - Reyes, had to go to her hometown to ensure that their business was running smoothly.

    "I thought you were set to manage rin Industries for your mom Ayanna?" Marie asked her cousin.

    "I can''t yet cause someone still has a few challenges to finish." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes. "Plus I''m trying to convince dad to let me stay on Elisia Malls while managing rin Industries."

    "Ayanna, isn''t that a bit too much?" Marie asked her cousin. "Elisia Malls is big enough on its own. You want to add rin Industries to your te as well? Your husband will beining that you''re barely home!" Marie teased.

    "Ha! At least I got together with my husband. You and your beau are too busy working." Ayanna teased back.

    "Ayanna!" Cedric scolded his sister.

    "It''s not a problem, Ced." Marie said with augh. "It''s true. Being a workaholic sucks."

    "At least you know he''s loyal." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "Are our other cousinsing as well?" Emilio said, quickly changing the topic.

    "A few of the ones in our foreign offices. The rest said that they wille visit on Christmas." Aurora told her younger brother.

    "Sir." Marco said as he knocked. "The offices are ready." The assistant announced.

    "Great, please show Marie, Aurora, and A to their respective offices here." Emilio told his assistant Marco. "Did you bring any staff?" Emilio asked.

    "Mom and dad brought their assistants uncle, but I didn''t. Don''t worry I can manage." Marie said proudly.

    "Nonsense. Cedric, let Ian work for me for a bit. Marco, see to it that everything Marie needs is provided. Work with her while they are here." Emilio instructed.

    "Sure dad." Cedric said with a grin. He knew exactly what his dad was up to.

    Later that evening, Cami informed Cedric that his dad wanted him to join them in picking up his grandparents. Cedric suddenly realized that he forgot to tell Adrianna that they would be having guests.

    Marie had a house in the Mountain Viewmunity, it was already built and fully staffed, that was where she and her parents would be staying. Cedric''s grandparents on the other hand would be staying at his house. Since Veronica and Miguel were living in the guest house Cedric needed some maids to prepare the ground floor guest rooms for them.

    He quickly dialed his wife''s number and waited for her to pick up.

    "Hey hon." Adrianna happily greeted.

    "Hey Adri, we have some surprise guests today." Cedric awkwardly informed her.

    "I thought you told the others to stop bringing gifts for Emilio?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "It''s not them." Cedric said slowly.

    "Who?" Adrianna asked.

    "Did I ever tell you about my cousin Marie and her parents, Aunt Aurora and Uncle Anastacio?" Cedric knew he had never mentioned them.

    "No. You have a cousin?" Adrianna asked.

    "Who do you think manages the other parts of the Reyes Group?" Cedric said with augh.

    "I''ll have the maids whip something up." Adrianna told her husband tenderly.

    "It''s not just them that''s here. My grandparents are arriving tonight too. And they''re staying at our house." Cedric knew his wife would get mad now.

    He heard Adrianna sigh at the other end of the line. "Couldn''t you have given me more time to prepare?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Sorry. I was busy at work." Cedric said with a nervousugh.

    "I''ll just finish feeding the little demon here." Adrianna said with a giggle.

    "Alright. I love you." Cedric said in a sweet tone.

    "I love you too. Drive safe." Adrianna said as she dropped the call.

 Chapter 237 - 237

    Cedric decided to let Ian, Cami, and his driver go home ahead. He knew that Ian would be exhausted after spending a whole day working for Emilio Reyes. As the CEO and President of the Reyes Group there was a lot of work that needed his attention. To be the assistant of someone like Emilio Reyes took a lot of training, experience and skill.

    Cedric decided to use his Phantom Rolls Royce to pick his grandparents up. His dad, uncle, and aunt were in a separate car, while Ray drove Ayanna. Cedric decided to go on ahead to avoid drawing too much attention with their convoy of vehicles, one luxury car was enough to draw people''s attention, having a convoy of three plus their security vehicles will surely make social media buzz again.??

    The security at the airport recognized Cedric''s te number, they knew that this was a VIP they shouldn''t dy so they let him through to the private waiting area, very few people were ever allowed ess here and even then only one group at a time was allowed inside.

    Since Cedric''s identity was a secret the whole ce was cleared of people who did not work for the Reyes Family or the Laurence Family. Those that did stay when Cedric arrived already knew who he was and had all signed NDAs. When Cedric arrived at the driveway a member of Leon''s team came up and took his car away.

    Cedric went into the waiting lounge and took out hisptop to get some additional work done. Soon Ayanna came up to him, shaking her head.

    "You''re such a workaholic." Ayanna used.

    "Mor Co. needs more attention than otherpanies. Plus I have the tech hub which feels like a whole differentpany." Cedric said as he continued to review the files sent to him.

    "Plus the investigation." Emilio Reyes said as he approached his son.

    "So you''re already looking into it, uncle?" Marie asked.

    "Yes. We''ve looked into it and Cedric is currently working with Alexi Sebastian''s team to analyze the trends." Emilio said with a nod.

    "What can a politician''s team do to help a business?" Aurora asked her brother.

    "Alexi''s team is unique. They can analyze any trend and any bit of data you throw at them. They are also masters at changing the public''s opinion and swaying them." Emilio exined.

    "Oh look! Grandma and grandpa''s ne justnded." Ayanna said as she watched through the ss window.

    The ne soon stopped in front of the waiting lounge and Cedric closed hisptop.

    An elderly couple soon disembarked from the airne followed by several maids, nurses, and doctors. When they entered the lounge the elderly woman looked around.

    "Where is my handsome grandson?" She asked.

    "Grandma." Cedric said as he went up and hugged his grandmother. Bonifacia Reyes was old but strong. Despite her old age she still stood tall and required no help in walking or getting off the airne. Back in her day Bonifacia was a well renowned singer and concert pianist, it shocked everyone when she suddenly dropped out of the entertainment industry and re-emerged five yearster as Mrs. Reyes with her young daughter.

    "You''re so handsome! I can''t wait to meet my granddaughter-inw. Your mom says she''s amazing." Bonifacia Reyes said as she pinched Cedric''s cheeks.

    "Dear, you''ll hurt Cedric." The old man said as heughed at his wife.

    "Grandpa." Cedric said as he smiled at the old man. Cedric''s grandpa was Emilio Reyes II, he was thest of the Reyes heirs to go into poverty training with nothing. He changed the tradition when he realized that there were some experiences that he missed out on because of his poverty training. He had to learn a lot morepared to his peers and was almost removed from his position due to his lower level of education.

    "Where is my great-grandson?" Emilio Reyes II asked.

    "He''s at home grandpa, he''s barely a month old." Cedric said.

    "Grandpa! Grandpa!" Ayanna happily came up. "I''d like to formally introduce you to my fiance." Ayanna said proudly as clutched onto Ray''s arm.

    "Grandpa." Ray greeted. He then went over and gave Bonifacia Reyes a hug. "Grandma you''re as beautiful as ever." Ray was veryfortable with the Reyes elders since he had grown up with Cedric and Ayanna. Their grandparents treated them like their own grandchildren, so when the news that the two childhood friends were engaged the grandparents were all happy to see their grandchildren marrying people they knew well.

    "I''m so happy that I can really call you my grandson now." Bonifacia told Ray.

    "But, grandma, you''ve always called me your grandson." Ray said with augh.

    "We should get going. I want to meet my great-grandson." Bonifacia told her son, Emilio Reyes III.

    "Where''s Marco?" Grandpa Emilio asked. "Won''t he be joining us for dinner?"

    "I can ask him toe over. I think Marie sent him home." Emilio told his father.

    "He''s practically family. Tell him to join us at the Reyes Mansion." Grandpa Emilio said.

    "Grandpa, we haven''t been living at the Reyes Mansion for a while." Ayanna exined. "We''ve been keeping Cedric and my sister-inwpany. We were supposed to move back home but Adrianna got pregnant and now we''re helping her take care of the baby."

    "Is this the mansion I heard little Anna designed?" Bonifacia Reyes asked.

    Cedricughed at what his grandma had just said. "Grandma, Anna goes by Veronica now, and I''m pretty sure she doesn''t like being called little."

    "She will always be the little girl that used toraid my jewelry closet." Grandma Bonifacia said.

    Cedric simply smiled. They eventually made their way to the cars, grandpa and grandma Reyes rode with Cedric since he had the most space.

    When they drove up to Mountain View his grandparents kept praising how beautifully the house had been made. They had always been partial to Cedric and his friends and in their eyes the children could do no wrong.

    When they finally arrived Adrianna was waiting outside with little Emilio in her arms. Cedric helped his grandparents out of the car first before walking up to his wife and kissing her sweetly on the lips. He then kissed his son on the forehead.

    Cedric held his wife''s hand tightly and brought her over to meet his rtives. He knew that even if Adrianna didn''t show it she was nervous to meet the rest of the Reyes family. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they approached.

    "You''re so beautiful!" Grandma Bonifacia said as she touched Adrianna''s face.

    "Thank you madam." Adrianna said as she blushed at thepliment.

    "Didn''t my grandson teach you''?" Cedric''s grandma asked. "You call me grandma, not madam, not Mrs. Reyes. We are both Mrs. Reyes and you are my gorgeous granddaughter."

    Cedricughed at how silly he thought his grandma sounded, but he was d because it seemed his grandparents liked his wife very much.

 Chapter 238 - 238

    After a round of introductions Ayanna carried little Emilio as she and Marie yed with him. This allowed grandma Reyes and Aurora to speak to Adrianna.

    "Cedric, I''m so happy you chose a smart woman!" Aunt Aurora praised. "Most women now just want to go back to the old ways, where they marry rich and live life like a rich man''s mistress."??

    "Not everyone is like that auntie." Ayanna said.

    "Of course not dear. But for example, what''s that girl''s name. The one that tried to sleep with Eric Chan and ended up moving to Madrid?" Aunt Aurora asked.

    "Ugh. Cthea Carpio." Ayanna said with a disgusted tone.

    "That''s her. I met her mom when we were in London once. She told me how Cthea didn''t contribute at all to the family business. I think they are also trying to keep her away so she can''t mess it up!" Aunt Aurora said in a scandalized tone.

    "Cthea Carpio hasn''t done any good for that family.??? Miguel said as he arrived hand in hand with Veronica. "Auntie Aurora, I think the air in Europe makes you younger."

    "Such a flirt! Your wife will get jealous." Aunt Aurora teased Miguel and Veronica.

    "Grandma, are you immortal or something?" Miguel asked Grandma Bonifacia.

    "You''re my doctor, you should know." Grandma Bonifacia said, making everyoneugh at her response.

    A maid soon announced that dinner was ready. While they were seated around the table Marco So arrived.

    "Ah! Marco, join us!" Grandpa Emilio, who sat at the head of the table, said as he pointed at the empty seat between Cedric and Marie.

    "Sir, I couldn''t." Marco hesitated.

    "I insist." Grandpa Emilio said in a stern but friendly tone.

    Marco had no choice but to sit next to Marie.

    "It''s amazing how Marco has worked so long for your dad that he is treated like family." Adrianna whispered to her husband.

    "Ha, there is another reason." Cedric said as he grinned at his wife. His grandpa was actually ying matchmaker at the moment.

    "Tell me." Adrianna said as she tugged on Cedric''s sleeve.

    "Later, upstairs." Cedric said as he winked at his wife.

    When dinner was done Grandpa Emilio told Marco to send Aurora, Anastacio, and Marie home. Their house was just a five minute drive within the samemunity so there really was no need, but Grandpa Emilio insisted and Marco could do nothing but follow.

    Cedric then brought his grandparents to their room, Veronica and Miguel walked with them since it was the same direction as the ess to the guest house.

    "Little Anna, you''ve really outdone yourself!" Grandma Bonifacia praised.

    "Grandma, I go by Veronica now, but thank you. I''m so happy you approve of what I''ve done with the ce." Veronica told the old woman.

    "It''s such a waste that people won''t get to see the work you''ve done here." Grandpa Emilio said, shaking his head.

    "Grandpa, what matters to me is that Cedric and Adrianna like their home. Other people don''t need to see it." Veronica told grandpa Emilio.

    "Did I tell you that we met a few arab businessmen that were boasting about how you had done their homes?" Grandpa Emilio asked Veronica.

    "No grandpa, but I''ve done a lot of homes for rich people." Veronica said with augh.

    "They said their home was your best work. I think Mountain View is your best work." Grandpa Emilio praised.

    "Well, here we are." Cedric announced as he opened the double door into the guest room.

    The elders bid Cedric, Miguel, and Veronica goodnight before finally closing the door and going to bed.

    "I''ve always liked your grandparents so much more than mine." Miguel said with augh.

    "Grandpa Emilio and Grandma Bonifacia are so warm and kind. Miguel''s and mine are so stiff and so formal sometimes. I think it''s because they''ve always been rich and the only thing they really worry about is getting richer and keeping the wealth in the family." Veronica said with a sigh.

    "Don''t be silly, my grandparents are normal grandparents." Cedric said with augh. "You guys should go to bed. If I''m not mistaken, the duke grandpa and grandma metst night is flying in tomorrow for an operation by Miguel."

    "You''re too well informed." Miguel said with augh as they said goodnight to Cedric before going their separate ways.

    On the way back to his room Cedric saw his father carrying a bag, walking across the living room, all dressed up.

    "Dad, where are you going? It''s quitete." Cedric asked.

    "Oh, there''s an emergency at R Tower." Emilio Reyes said as he walked towards the direction of the door.

    "Where''s Marco? Didn''t hee to pick you up?" Cedric asked.

    "He''s assigned to Marie for the duration of the trip remember? Anyway, Ian isn''t used to my habits yet and this is something I can manage. Good night son." Emilio said as he walked out of the door.

    "Good night dad." Cedric said slowly as he was sure Emilio couldn''t hear him anymore. His father seemed to be in quite a rush as he darted out the door as soon as he had the chance.

    Cedric found this extremely odd. Normally if there was a problem in thepany his father could just slip into the home office and work from there. There was no need to go to R Tower. If the emergency really was that bad, wouldn''t thepany have informed Marco? It only took five minutes to get from Cedric''s mansion to Marie''s so Marco would have already dropped them off by that time.

    Cedric mindlessly climbed up the stairs to his room as he wondered why his father was leaving in the middle of the night. When he got in he found Adrianna breastfeeding their son.

    "Something bothering you?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Yeah, dad just left in the middle of the night. He said something about an emergency in R Tower." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "That''s perfectly normal Cedric, and maybe he has a hard time sleeping without your mom." Adrianna said.

    "Well, that''s true. Mom rarely goes on business trips thatst longer than a day, and when it does dad often goes with her." Cedric said.

    "See that''s it." Adrianna nodded and smiled. "You still owe me an exnation."

    "About what?" Cedric asked his wife as he undressed.

    Adrianna just gave him a look and he remembered what he said during dinner.

    "Let me wash up and join you in bed. I''ll tell you after." Cedric said as he slipped into the bathroom.

    By the time Cedric was done, little Emilio was fast asleep in his crib and Adrianna was scrolling through her phone.

    "I guess I owe you a story." Cedric said as he climbed into bed.

    "Yup." Adrianna ced her phone away to give Cedric her full attention.

    "Grandpa wasn''t being too nice to Marco." Cedric exined. "Marco is in a way part of the Reyes family."

    Adrianna gasped. "Don''t tell me he''s someone''s illegitimate son?"

 Chapter 239 - 239

    "No, no, no. Nothing like that." Cedric said with augh.

    "Then what do you mean?" Adrianna wore a very confused look on her face.??

    "Marco and Maria have been dating sh engaged for the past fifteen years." Cedric said with augh.

    "What? How?" Adrianna was even more confused now.

    "Dad actually hired Marco as a favor to Marie. They were already friends when Marco started working for my dad." Cedric exined. "And Marco isn''t from some ordinary family, he''s actually a distant uncle of Ray. Auntie Amy Laurence was born a So, they''re quite rich and own a big chunk of the oldmercial district."

    "So why are they still engaged?" Adrianna asked.

    "Their story is incredibly confusing." Cedric said with augh.

    "More confusing than Miguel''s and Veronica''s? Or Eric''s and Katerina''s?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "It''s up there with them." Cedricughed again.

    "Tell me." Adrianna insisted.

    "You know how these old families work, they want a guarantee that their children dating each other won''t end up in wasted time. So when Marie and Marco had already been dating for two years the So family went up to grandpa and dad and demanded that an arrangement be made." Cedric said as he leaned back. "The Reyes family is anything but traditional, so at first they refused."

    "What did the So family do then?" Adrianna asked.

    "They tried to use Auntie Amy''s friendship with mom, but Auntie Amy was able to discourage them." Cedric said with a shrug. "At first everyone thought they would give up and let the young couple date in peace. I mean Marco and Marie really were in love with each other. I remember when I was young Marco woulde over with flowers and gifts for Marie, she rejected him at first, but his persistence paid off and she fell for him."

    "So what happened?" Adrianna said as she leaned on her husband''s shoulder.

    Cedric pulled his wife closer to him and kissed her on the forehead.

    "The So family told Marco that he was wasting his time chasing after someone from the Reyes family. They said that my father, grandfather, and aunt Aurora probably saw Marco as someone beneath Marie that''s why they had refused the arranged marriage." Cedric exined.

    Adriannaughed a little. "Didn''t they think that your family was just less traditional?" Adrianna asked.

    "No, not really. Mom and dad''s marriage looked like a politically motivated one, as for aunt Aurora and uncle A, well, uncle A was a business prodigy so they simply assumed aunt Aurora married him to keep the talent in the family." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "What did Marco do?" Adrianna asked.

    "He did what any lovesick man would, he refused. He moved out of the So family home and continued to work for my dad. Things, however, took a turn for the worst. The So family told Marie that they would never let Marco be with her if they didn''t get engaged soon. So Marie went up to dad and grandpa and begged them to arrange the engagement." Cedric said as he watched Adrianna''s expression change from sadness to surprise.

    "Grandpa and dad eventually gave into what Marie wanted, but thatpletely changed Marco''s rtionship with her." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Why?" Adrianna asked.

    "Marco was hurt that instead ofing to him Marie begged her family to arrange their marriage. Marco''s reason was that if she had approached him he would have married her in a heartbeat, but the fact that she didn''t trust him fully meant she felt she couldn''t rely on him." Cedric exined. "The engagement fell through but their rtionship was damaged. They were engaged and they loved each other but they continuously avoided each other."

    "Is that why they were so awkward next to one another?" Adrianna was curious about Marie''s and Marco''s rtionship. She never expected that Marco came from an important family, or that Marie was in love with him.

    "Yes. But I know they are still in love. The way Marco looks at Marie, you can just tell, and as for Marie, her phone background is still the same, it''s a photo of them together by ake." Cedric said.

    "Do you think they''ll ever heal their rtionship?" Adrianna asked Cedric.

    "I think they just need to spend time together. I don''t even think they''ve spoken about their issues yet. Dad and grandpa have been trying to make a way for them to talk but, they still haven''t." Cedric said with a sigh. "I hope Marie stays here longer. That will give them a chance."

    "What happened to Marco and the So family after?" Adrianna asked.

    "Marco is very much like you. He always ces family first, they eventually made up. Unfortunately their rtionship had changed. He was no longer the loyal son they thought they had. In public they all seem to get along, but behind closed doors Marco and Auntie Amy don''t talk to the rest of them." Cedric exined. "If Marco was any ordinary family member they would have probably found a way to drive him out by now, but Marco has a lot of influence, aside from being engaged to Marie, he is also my dad''s personal assistant. No matter what you say Marco''s opinions have weight, plus over the years Marco has be a rich man, he owns shares of several Reyes Grouppanies and dad pays him really well."

    Cedric noticed from the corner of his eye that Adrianna was yawning and clearly sleepy. He hugged her and gave her a kiss on the lips.

    "Sleep." Cedric said as he hugged her from behind.

    The next day, Miguel decided to cook breakfast for the Reyes Elders. He had gotten up early and prepared everything himself. As Cedric and Adrianna arrived at the dining room with little Emilio, Cedric could smell the delicious food his friend had just cooked. He could also hearughing and chattinging from the dining room.

    Everyone was already there except his father, it seemed whatever issue he had to resolve at the office took all night. Emilio Reyes III rarely overslept.

    "Adrianna! Cedric! Come have breakfast with us." Grandma Bonifacia called out.

    "I''ll hold my grandson first." Gracia offered as she stood up and reached out.

    Adrianna nodded and handed her son over to her mother.

    "We were just telling Charles and Gracia not to worry about how they treated you in the past Cedric." Grandpa Emilio said as Cedric took a seat next to him. "I told them that what matters is they realized they were wrong and that they changed their attitude towards people. Plus I cannot fault them for wanting the best for their daughter, what parent would not want the best for their child?"

    Cedric simply nodded in response.

    "Ah! Son, did you settle the problemst night?" Grandpa Emilio called out as his son, Emilio Reyes III, came down the stairs.

    "Yes dad. All fixed." A tired looking Emilio said in response.

    Cedric found it odd that his grandfather was concerned with the affairs of the Reyes Group, shortly after retiring and handing the business over to Cedric''s father, his grandfather took a step back from the business, choosing not to interfere. Although, there was still the asional partner that wanted Grandpa Emilio around when discussing the deal.

 Chapter 240 - 240

    Cedric was eating his breakfast when his phone began to ring. He excused himself and walked to his office to take the call.

    "Sir, we discovered some developments on the matter you wanted us to investigate." Cami said.??

    "I don''t trust calls on their security." Cedric reminded his assistant. "Let''s talk about it when I get to the office. From there we can figure out the next steps."

    "Very well, sir." Cami said in a respectful tone.

    Cedric was about to drop the call when he remembered something. "Cami, is Ian with you?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, sir. Do you want to speak to him?" Cam asked.

    "Yes." Cedric could hear as Cami handed the phone over to Ian.

    "Sir?" Ian asked.

    Cedric was sure that if Marco wasn''t the one that informed his father about the emergency the previous night it must have been Ian. He had lent his assistant to his father after all since Marco was busy helping Marie out.

    ??What was the emergencyst night that made my dad head over to R Tower?" Cedric asked.

    "Sir, there was no emergency. Everything went smoothlyst night." Ian confidently answered.

    "Alright. I''ll be in the office in an hour." Cedric said before dropping the call.

    When Cedric returned to the dining room, Ray had arrived to pick up Ayanna, it had be a habit that Ray would pick Ayanna up and take her to inspect their house that was currently being built before heading out to the office.

    "Miguel, don''t you have an operation?" Ray asked. They knew that a certain duke had arrived in the country to undergo a procedure with Miguel.

    "They''re still checking him in and running some tests." Miguel said with a shrug as he made himselffortable next to Veronica. He draped an arm around her shoulder and Veronica leaned her head on his arm.

    Their rtionship had improved a lot since returning from Kashmere. For one, Miguel no longer slept on the couch.

    "Dad, Cami and Ian found something out." Cedric said.

    "Is this the thing I saidst time?" Ray asked as he leaned forward.

    "You''re such a nosy boy!" Emilio Reyes III said with augh. "But I guess that''s why you''re good at what you do."

    "Yes, Ray." Cedric said in a more serious tone.

    "Tell me what I can do." Ray offered.

    "We''ll tell you when there is something to do." Cedric told his friend. "For now we are simply investigating."

    Cedric then turned to his father, returning to the main topic. "Dad, I''ll arrange for us to discuss it with you at the office. I haven''t even heard what they found out yet since I don''t trust our phone lines." Cedric exined.

    "Cedric, I''m pretty sure ours is quite secure." Emilio told his son.

    "I''d rather be on the safe side, dad." Cedric said as he returned to eating his food.

    When Cedric arrived at R Tower, Cami already prepared the things he had to look through. He had several meetings in the morning and lunch with his friends Tom and Jo. Tom didn''t know about who Cedric really was and he decided that it was best if he told Tom now while things weren''t as busy.

    "Sir, would you like to go through the information Ian and I found?" Cami asked as she ced Cedric''s coffee on his desk.

    "Yes. Tell me first then we''ll go to dad with this." Cedric instructed.

    Cami nodded and left. After a while she returned with Ian, she handed Cedric a tablet while Ian ced a stack of files on Cedric''s desk.

    "Sir we learned that a particrpany MT Sumit is behind all negative information circting about the Reyes Group. This resulted in a decline in our shares." Ian reported.

    "And why are we only learning about this negative information now? And what kind of rumors are they spreading?" Cedric asked as he scrolled through the general profile of MT Sumit.

    "They went about it smartly sir. They only approached those investors andpanies that aren''t closely linked with us. They knew that those that have been around us for a long time would have told us." Ian exined. "As for the rumors, one is that the reason why you haven''t shown yourself is because you are very ipetent, they say that the Reyes family is so embarassed of you and your abilities that they decided to hide you. With this the investors fear the the Reyes Group will fall as soon as you take over."

    "How stupid are these investors Ian?" Cedric asked. "They''ve seen Mor Co.''s performance. On top of that, if I were really incapable the group can just name Ayanna as it''s next head. She has proven herself time and again."

    "MT Sumit has also been purchasing shares sir, through a different name." Cami told Cedric as she pointed at the stack of files on his desk.

    Cedric massaged his temples, none of these made sense. Why ruin the Reyes Groups name then purchase shares? And why would the investors believe in what MT Sumit had to say, what sway did they have among these people.

    "Look deeper into the issue." Cedric ordered as he handed the tablet back to Cami. "Find out who is behind MT Sumit and why people turst what they say. ording to the profile you gave me they have been around for eight years already, and yet they didn''t even trigger any rms on our end. They may have been a lion in waiting."

    "Yes sir." Cami said with a nod. "Will we take this to the President?"

    "Yes. We should at least update my father on our findings." Cedric nodded. "Ian, does my dad have nay meetings this morning?" Cedric asked his assistant who was currently assigned to the elder Mr. Reyes.

    "He should be free now sir." Ian said with a nod as he gathered the documents from Cedric''s table.

    Cedric stood and fixed himself. He made sure to take his disguise with him in case someone had a meeting with his father right after.

    Ian and Cami followed their boss as Cedric made his way to the President''s office. He knocked and entered. He found Emilio Reyes III drinking his coffee and talking to Cedric''s grandfather, Emilio Reyes II.

 Chapter 241 - 241

    "Grandpa, I didn''t know you were here." Cedric said, he was surprised that his grandpa would enter R Tower at all. He knew that in recent years he didn''te to the office anymore.

    "It''s been a while since I wasst here. I wanted to take a look around. Do you have business to discuss with your father?" Grandpa Emilio asked as he moved to get up.??

    "I do. You can stay if you want grandpa." Cedric offered.

    The older man shook his head. "You know I don''t like getting involved in the business anymore. I''ll just go home to spend more time with my great-grandson." Grandpa Emilio said proudly as he walked out of the office.

    Cedric was confused. Just this morning his grandfather had asked about a problem his dad needed to solvest night and today it seemed he couldn''t care less about the issues faced by thepany.

    "You found something?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "Yes." Cedric said as he walked up to his father and proceeded to recount what Ian and Cami reported to him.

    "MT Sumit." Emilio Reyes repeated slowly as he tried to recall if he had ever heard of thepany.

    "We''re looking deeper into it, but at least there is progress." Cedric said.

    Emilio nodded at his son, his face unable to be read. Cedric thought his father looked a little tired and haggard today.

    "Okay, give me an update when you''ve found out more." Emilio Reyes said with a nod.

    With nothing left to do at R Tower, Cedric left for Mor Co. He told Cami that he missed being ordinary so instead of taking his car they took the bus. As Cedric no one took a second nce at him, he was invisible just like everyone else.

    The bus stop for Mor Co. was a little bit in front of Ind''s Inc.''s building. Cedric looked up the the much smaller office building and smiled, Adrianna wasn''t there but he knew that it was thepany his wife loved.

    "Soon, I won''t be able to walk around like this." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Surely sir there is nothing wrong with that." Cami said as they walked shoulder to shoulder.

    Cedric simplyughed and shook his head.

    As they walked into the Mor Co. office Cedric could hear people whispering. It had been a while since he walked into the office as himself.

    "I thought Cedric was fired because his wife refused the Reyes Heir." One woman whispered to herpanion.

    "I heard he got promoted to the mainpany because of his wife!" Another eximed.

    "I heard the same thing. They said he was in the business development team of the Reyes Group, then a couple of employees suddenly disappeared, he was one of them." One of the male employees said.

    Cedric realized he had not ironed out that portion of his original identity as well as he wanted. It suddenly seemed like Cedric Reyes had done some suspicious things when he had moved to the Reyes Group.

    "I guess the Reyes Heir is here today if Assistant Cami and Assistant Cedric are here." An employee said as Cedric and Cami entered the elevator.

    When they got to the CEO''s floor Cedric settled himself in his office.

    "Sir, would you like me to push through with your morning meetings?" Cami asked.

    Cedric nodded. "Are they all with department heads?" He asked.

    "Yes sir. No need to disguise yourself." Cami confirmed.

    All the staff had been hungry for their President''s attention, he had been incredibly busy recently. All those who knew Cedric was the Reyes Heir sent over congrattory gifts for the birth of little Emilio, and they all worked hard to prove to Cedric that they could function independently.

    Cedric was exhausted by the time lunch arrived. He was d that lunch today would involve going to a restaurant in Constetions resort. Cedric had heard that Tom was recently promoted to a management position in the Capital branch. His friend had naturally offered to treat him and Jo to lunch.

    Cedric again chose to take public transportation over his car. He arrived at the resort at same time as Jo.

    "Shouldn''t you be arriving in a fleet of vehicles or something." Jo teased.

    "Not everyone enjoys walking into ces with bodyguards." Cedric said with augh, shaking his head.

    As they entered the restaurant Cedric and Jo looked around trying to spot Tom. Cedric had asked for his private room to be reserved.

    As they walked around the restaurant a familiar face came into view.

    "I''d like to see the manager!" It was Dennis Von, he was looking directly at Cedric and he had a scowl on his face.

    He wasn''t alone, Krista Von was with him looking embarrassed.

    "Sir?" A manager asked as he came up.

    "I didn''t know that you let scum like him into this ce." Dennis Von was clearly after making a scene. He spoke so loudly that everyone was now staring at him.

    "Mister Von, I''m sure this man hasn''t offended you." Krista said in an attempt to calm her half brother.

    "Just the sight of him is very offensive." Dennis Von shouted. "He is scum, he peddles his wife to his own boss just for his own career advancement. Adrianna Hernandez is not somemodity you can trade! A beauty like her should be cherished." Dennis Von said again.

    Cedric had to hand it to him, he was right. No woman should be traded as amodity. He had seen it happen time and again with all the arranged marriages around him. Luckily he didn''t need to suffer the same fate, the Reyes Family had been more progressive than others, relying on ability rather than old traditions.

    Dennis'' usations were heard by everyone in the restaurant. People had begun watching them and even taking out their cameras, trying to take a video of the incident.

    "So silent, scum?" Dennis Von taunted. He wound up his arm to throw a punch, but Cedric was shocked when the fist did note.

    When Cedric looked to see what had happened he saw that Krista Von had grabbed her half brother''s arm and was pulling it with all the strength she had.

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a nod. Krista simply nodded back in response.

    Cedric fixed himself and red at his former bully, who it seemed until now had not learned to be a better person.

 Chapter 242 - 242

    "Mr. Von, you are right my wife is not amodity to be traded." Cedric said in his Reyes Heir tone. He wanted Dennis Von to feel like he messed with the wrong person, it was, after all, going toe tumbling down on him soon. "I have never sold my wife for any reason, both my wife and I have remained faithful to one another throughout our marriage. Is your first born even yours?"

    The people watching gasped as Cedric questioned the legitimacy of Dennis'' eldest son. This offended him greatly and he threw another punch, this time Cedric was ready and maneuvered to defend himself as Leon had taught him. This caught Dennis Von by surprise causing him to stumble and fall on his face, the Cedric he knew didn''t have such an aura, nor did he defend himself, he was now a far cry from the boy they used to bully in University.??

    "Mr. Von, this will reflect badly on thepany." Krista Von said as she tried to calm him down.

    "You should listen to your employee, Dennis." Cedric said in a harsh tone.

    Dennis looked around and noticed that they had gotten the attention of most of the patrons of the restaurant. He frowned, but he calmed down. It seemed he realized how important his image in public was to thepany.

    He ced an arm around his half sister''s waist and looked at Cedric.

    "Let''s go Krista. I''ve lost my appetite." Dennis said as he pulled Krista closer to him.

    The young woman swatted his arm away and made a slight frown.

    "Tell the owner the food isn''t good here." Dennis Von said as he left side by side with Krista.

    When they were out of earshot Jo looked at him and asked. "Shouldn''t have your bodyguard saved you earlier?"

    "I''m not as helpless as I seem." Cedric said with augh as he waved, they had finally found Tom.

    Tom rushed up to them with a smile, in the past six months he had been prompted and moved at least three times. He was very excited to tell his friends about it.

    "Cedric, Jo, let''s sit over there." Tom said in a cheery tone.

    "Tom. I reserved a different table." Cedric said with a grin. Cedric knew that the moment they stepped into his private dining area Tom would know something was wrong. As a manager at Constetions he would know that this room was for the exclusive use of the owners of Constetions. The public might be unaware of who really owned the chain of hotels, but as a higher ranked employee Tom would havee to learn that it was owned by the five princes. It was a hidden asset that they were keeping away from their parents, mainly because they weren''t sure if it would disqualify Cedric from being named the Reyes Heir or not.

    "But this is one of the best tables here!" Tomined as they walked away.

    "Who was that?" Jo asked Cedric. The three of them had gone to different universities after highschool so both Tom and Jo had little to no clue about what Cedric had to suffer with those bullies.

    "They bullied me in university. Some of them liked Adrianna and even courted her back then." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "He seemed like he was ready to hurt you!" Tom eximed.

    "They did, back in university. They would beat me up and treat me like their ve." Cedric exined. "They haven''t changed since then. Part of me hoped that they would, I mean I am not someone that wants to wish bad on others." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Sir" a well dressed man appeared and greeted Cedric with a bow. He spoke low enough so that others would not hear. Since Cedric took on his role as the Reyes Heir he had slowly been revealing his identity to key members of all of their businesses, including Constetions and its sisterpanies.

    "Boss?" Tom asked. The man who was bowing to Cedric was Tom''s boss'' boss'' boss. He was the general manager for Constetions Resort.

    The General Manager knew that Tom was the Reyes Heir''s friend, and Cedric had told him from the start not to give Tom any preferential treatment. Cedric knew that his friend was good at his job, he just had the unfortunate disadvantage of graduating from a lower tier university.

    The General Manager nodded at Tom and patiently waited for Cedric''s response. Cedric smiled and asked the General Manager to lead the way. They were then brought to a back room that had another door behind it.

    "We shouldn''t be here." Tom said hesitantly. He knew what was behind the door and it was clearly off limits to people like them.

    "Hmmm, is this ce special?" Jo asked. He already knew that there was a secret dining room there, Miguel had treated his whole team here once after a difficult operation. "I''m pretty sure we can be here Tom. Right Cedric?"

    Cedric didn''t say a word and simply nodded.

    "This way sir." The General Manager said as he opened the door to an exquisitely designed room.

    "Did you know that the interior for this room was designed by Veronica recently?" Cedric asked as they walked in.

    "Yeah. Every employee knows that, how did you?" Tom asked with a puzzled look.

    Cedricughed. "Cause I asked her to do it. She was really quick with it too. She finished it less than a month."

    "Impossible." Tom said with his sudden realization.

    "Tell us, what''s your theory." Jo said with augh as he took a seat.

    "I don''t even want to say it!" Tom said in embarrassment.

    "Can I tell him?" Jo asked Cedric as Cedric sat down. Cedric simply nodded in reply to Jo''s request.

    "Cedric is the Reyes Heir!" Jo proudly said.

    "Why did you find out before me!" Tom asked Jo.

    "You aren''t even going to ask if it''s true?" Cedric asked Tom.

    "It''s too ridiculous to be a lie." Tom said with a shrug. "And on top of that we''re in this room. Even us managers have never stepped foot into this room!" Tom eximed.

 Chapter 243 - 243

    Very few servers were allowed to wait on the owners of Constetions, often it would just be the head waiter and the head chef. When they served the food and saw Tom sitting on the same table as Cedric, they were surprised. He was their fellow employee, he was even a few ranks below them, why was he just a manager when he knew the owner?

    Cedric noticed the odd look on the server''s faces. He cleared his throat and they returned to serving the food.??

    "Don''t you have any questions?" Cedric asked Tom.

    Tom looked hesitant. He was looking back and forth between Cedric and the servers, Cedric immediately understood he found it odd to talk sofortably with Cedric in front of his co-employees.

    "You may go. Leave the food on the table. We''ll manage on our own." Cedric told the head waiter and head chef.

    They left the food on the table as instructed and left.

    "Why did you go to school with us if you were the Reyes Heir?" Tom asked "Your family is rich enough to buy any school!" He added.

    "Well��" Cedric then proceeded to exin to Tom his poverty training. How he was left with the bare minimum and was banned from getting help from his family.

    "So my position here is because of you?" Tom asked.

    Cedricughed. "When you started working here I was still under poverty training. You got hired with your own skill, your first promotion however, that was me. You''re a good employee, and people look purely on where you got your degree. I''ve asked Constetions to change its hiring and promotion policy because of you. I''m asking them to consider a person''s skill over their diploma." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Just the first?" Tom asked. He was clearly wondering if the promotions after were because of his skill or if it was because of his friend''s true identity.

    "Have some faith in yourself, Tom. I didn''t interfere after the first one." Cedric said, in an attempt tofort his friend.

    "So those rumors about Adrianna and the Reyes Heir were in a way true." Tom said with augh.

    "Yeah, when people find out they will definitely flip out." Jo added.

    Cedric''s phone began to ring, he saw it was Ram.

    "Hey." Cedric said, as he picked up the call.

    "Can youe out?" Ram asked.

    "I''m with some friends." Cedric exined.

    "You have friends other than us?" Ram said in a fake jealous tone.

    Cedricughed at how silly his friend was acting, if the public could see how the normally formal entertainment CEO was acting they would be shocked. On top of this, Ram was never the type to invite them out, so he was somewhat worried about the reason for the call.

    "Bring them along." Ram finally said.

    "So what happened?" Cedric asked.

    "You''ll see when you get here." Ram said in a grim tone.

    "Message me where, we''ll follow." Cedric said, as he dropped the call.

    "How do you feel about hanging out with my childhood friends?" Cedric asked with a shrug.

    Jo and Tom looked at each other, clearly it was a surprise to them that they would be casually hanging out with the five princes. The two agreed in the end and Cedric had a car sent over to Constetions.

    "Cedric, how do you n on keeping your son''s identity a secret?" Jo asked.

    "That''s right Cedric. With how aggressive social media is now, can you keep him a secret?" Tom added.

    "I''ve actually been thinking about that for quite a while." Cedric said with a sigh. "Back in the day my grandparents even had a child while grandpa was in poverty training, but with social media if I had a child with Adrianna before being revealed as the heir to her I''m pretty sure my son or daughter would have been exposed all over the inte."

    "Can''t you change tradition?" Tom asked.

    "I can and I have my father and grandfather''s approval to do so. It''s just I don''t know how." Cedric admitted that he was quite lost on how to best manage changing this part of the family. Poverty training had proven to be an effective way of preparing the next Reyes Heir, it hadunched the Reyes Group to new heights and given the family a unique insight and understanding to ordinary people.

    "Well, you still have time to figure it out." Jo said with a shrug. "You have at least fifteen years before little Emilio grows up."

    Lights Entertainment had an on ground bar, it was a ce where celebrities and some businessmen could socialize and drink without the worry of prying eyes. Ram had built the ce when he noticed that he and the boys could go to only one bar, and his celebrities couldn''t go to any.

    It was aptly named Hideout, and boasted an open floor n with a first and second floor. Even among these VIPs there were still bound to be some that were more important than others, among them were Ram and his friends, the famous five princes.

    Even if it was three in the afternoon the bar already had a lot of patrons. Usually they were actors and actresses who had finished their morning appointments, or hosts whose shows aired in the morning. As Cedric and his friends walked in, Jo and Tom couldn''t help but be surprised at the beautiful and famous people gathered.

    "Do you think I can get an autograph?" Jo asked as he pointed at an actress. "Or maybe a photo."

    Cedricughed. "You could probably get her number. The fact that you''re here means you aren''t just anyone."

    "I don''t want her to give me her number just cause she thinks I''m rich." Jo said with a hint of disgust in his tone.

    "Come on, Ram''s waiting for us upstairs." Cedric said, as they walked towards the stairs that were tucked away behind the bar.

 Chapter 244 - 244

    The ess to the 2nd floor was guarded by one of Ram''s bodyguards who immediately recognized Cedric and let him in. When they got up to the 2nd floor it was quite bright. Usually the top talents of Lights Entertainment would be drinking and partying here, but today it was practically empty.

    "Jo!" Miguel shouted and waved. He was technically Jo''s boss but their rtionship was quite different. Jo had been working for Miguel for almost a year now and they were a good tandem. They had grown to be friends outside of work as well, so Jo was quitefortable seeing Miguel in a casual setting.??

    "Alexi, Miguel, Ray, Ram, these are Tom and Jo. You guys know Jo, he works for Miguel. They are both my friends from when I was in high school. Jo and Tom, the four princes." Cedric said, introducing his friends.

    "Jo works with me, not for me. He works for my sister. She pays the sries." Miguel said with augh.

    All of the boys looked at Tom and Jo and nodded, all except for Ram who kept his back turned holding his face.

    "What happened?" Cedric asked, as he walked up to his friends.

    "Ram did a stupid." Alexi said with augh.

    "I agree! Ram did a stupid." Ray said, joining in the banter.

    "Can you trante?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "He dated Katerina, someone was not happy about it and fist hit face." Miguel said as he tried to control hisughter.

    "Who threw the punch? Eric or Katerina?" Cedric teased. He was pretty sure it was Eric.

    "We weren''t even dating for real! Your brother is too overprotective!" Ram shouted as he let the ice bag covering his face reveal a swollen cheek.

    "How did it happen?" Cedric said as he sat. Jo and Tom followed his actions.

    Alexi poured a ss for each of the three men and handed it to them.

    "I hope we don''t have a sudden operation." Jo teased Miguel as he took a sip out of his ss.

    "I was bringing Katerina home from a fake date. I hugged her to thank her for putting up with the facade and for lunch -" Ram was telling his story when Ray suddenly cut in.

    "You let Katerina pay for lunch?" Ray asked in a scandalized tone.

    "Do you think Katerina would have let me pay for lunch?" Ram asked Ray. It was a different time, women could pay for lunch. Plus knowing Katerina''s personality, Cedric was sure she wouldn''t have let Ram pay for it.

    "Yeah, probably not." Ray said with augh.

    "Anyway, we get out of my car and we start walking to the door. Remember this was at around one in the afternoon. We were chatting happily when I got punched by Eric!" Ram said waving his arms. "He then grabs Katerina by the wrist. Katerina starts shouting at him and she''s trying to exin to Eric that it was a fake date and she was getting mad at him for over reacting. Eric then turns around and looks at me and says that I should have known not to touch his woman."

    "And Katerina let Eric say that?" Alexi asked.

    "Of course not!" Ram said with a slightugh. "She ps him and knees him."

    "Ah, yeah, that sounds like my sister. She would never let anyone call her his woman." Alexiughed. He clearly knew his sister better than anyone.

    "Where''s Eric now?" Ray asked.

    "He went home." Ram said with a shrug. "But I''m pretty pissed at him for punching me. I''m not even trying to steal Katerina from him."

    "Why didn''t you tell him beforehand that you guys were going to fake date?" Miguel asked Ram.

    "She isn''t his girlfriend. She doesn''t need his permission." Ram said proudly.

    "That''s what Katerina told you, isn''t it?" Alexi said,ughing at Ram again.

    "Yup. I wanted to tell Eric but Katerina went on and on about her being independent and being single. So her decisions were hers alone and she didn''t need to ask permission from anyone." Ramined.

    "So will you and Katerina keep fake dating?" Cedric asked Ram.

    "Yep. I need to keep the elders distracted. If they see I''m dating someone like Katerina they won''t nag me for an arranged marriage." Ram said with a shrug.

    "And what if Katerina and Eric figure out their issues?" Cedric asked.

    "Then Katerina and I will fake break up." Ram said with another shrug.

    "Are you going public with this fake rtionship?" Alexi asked Ram.

    "I might have to." Ram said hesitantly. "I don''t want to, but it depends on the pressure the elders apply. Going public has its own set ofplications. I might control my end of the media and I have influence on the traditional forms but with social media my control is very limited. Some things just erupt and my team can''t catch up, no matter how good they are."

    "Do you think they''ll force an engagement?" Cedric asked, as he recalled the sad fate of his cousin Marie and Marco.

    "There is only so much that they can press for. If they push for an engagement, I''ll bargain with a more public rtionship. If that doesn''t satisfy them I''ll have to fake break it off with Katerina." Ram exined his n.

    The boys all nodded. It made sense to them, this way Katerina wouldn''t end up in a forced engagement.

    The rest of the night they apanied Ram as heined about Eric punching him. He wasn''t really mad at Eric, he understood where the actor wasing from, Katerina was someone he seemed to have no timing with. When she liked him, he had his own issues to deal with, and when he liked her, she wasn''t ready to be in a serious rtionship.

    "Love requires timing." Tom said with a sigh.

    "I second that!" Miguel proudly said.

    Ram''s mood had clearly gotten better after a few drinks. When they stepped out of the bar, it wasn''t even dinner time yet. Cedric called for a car to take Tom and Jo home, he promised to keep in touch with both of them and they set a date to visit little Emilio.

 Chapter 245 - 245

    When Cedric finally got home he was surprised to see his mom lounging in the living room.

    "Are you drunk?" Prisci Reyes asked her son.??

    "Mom! You''re home!" Cedric said excitedly like a little child as he ran up and hugged his mom.

    "Wow, you must have drank a lot. You haven''t been this excited to see me since I went to New York for Fashion Week with your aunts, and you were only ten back then!" Prisci Reyesmented with augh. "Ugh, Cedric you reek of alcohol."

    "Ram invited us out." Cedric said as he let go of his mom and sat on the chair.

    "What? It''s not even dinner time and you boys were already drinking? Should I call your aunties? Do you have a drinking problem now?" Prisci asked her son, who justughed at her questions.

    "No drinking problems mom, just problems. Don''t worry they are solved now." Cedric said as he shook his hand in the air. "You look tired mom, were there problems at rin Industries? You never stay more than a day, but this time you were gone for almost a week." Cedric said, as he looked at his mom''s tired eyes.

    "Yeah. We had some employee issues. I had to stay a bit." Prisci said with a smile.

    "Great mom! I''ll go up and take a bath, I''m pretty sure Miguel spilled some alcohol on me." Cedric said as he smelled his shirt and went up for a bath.

    Cedric smiled as he climbed up, it was good to have his mom back at home. He could now focus more on the ns he had set in motion and worry less about his parents'' suspicious actions.

    A weekter, Cedric was sitting in his office at Mor Co., he had the half siblings of his bullies called over. Their test was done and they had all passed with flying colors.

    Ayanna had decided to join Cedric in congratting her friends. She was currently scrolling through some files on her phone while eating some chips as she sat cross legged on the floor.

    "People would be shocked to see you like this." Cedric said with augh as he ced away his documents.

    "Well people should stop thinking I''m sody-like even when I''m rxing."Ayanna said, rolling her eyes.

    "Get ready, our guests should arrive soon." Cedric said as he fixed his hair and took out his disguise.

    Ayanna nodded and fixed herself. She moved to sit on the couch and took out herptop to do some work.

    After a few minutes Cami knocked and announced that their guests had arrived. Cedric ced on his face mask and sses and signaled for them to be let in.

    "Sir." They all respectfully greeted as they entered.

    "Sit guys." Ayanna said cheerfully.

    They all looked to Cedric for instructions, he simply nodded, signaling them to do as his sister asked.

    "You all passed the test." Cedric announced in a happier tone.

    He could see all five of them smiling.

    "You''ve shown me your loyalty and that you could all be trusted. To be honest, this disguise is very ufortable. I don''t like going around in a very public manner and I prefer having a private life." Cedric said as he walked from behind his desk to the front. He sighed and leaned on the desk. "Since I know I can trust you then I should show you who I really am."

    As Cedric removed his mask he heard a gasp, it was Krista Von.

    "You know my brother Cedric, Krista?" Ayanna asked. She was surprised as well that Krista recognized Cedric.

    "You were the man my brother almost punched at Constetions!" Krista said, as she covered her mouth in shock.

    "Yes. Thank you for helping me back there." Cedric said with a nod. "And that wasn''t the first time your brother picked on me." Cedric said with a grin.

    "What do you mean?" Krista asked.

    "All five of you have way more inmon than you thought." Cedric said as he settled himself on a couch. "You all know that back in university your brothers belonged to the same group of friends. As a matter of fact, all five of them are still pretty close now."

    They all nodded, acknowledging that they knew about this.

    "That group of friends were my main tormentors in university." As Cedric said this a dark look crossed his face. "We are lucky that having mistresses is quite amon thing for the rich. You all just so happened to be born at around the same time, and your fathers seemed to take a fancy towards actresses, models, and singers that worked for Lights Entertainment."

    Everyone was silent, they were all clearly thinking about the coincidences that caused this moment to happen. If anything had gone differently they wouldn''t be sitting in this room with Cedric or Ayanna, they would have probably fallen with the half brothers and their father''spanies would have disappeared at Cedric''smand.

    "If you weren''t Ayanna''s friends I wouldn''t have saved you from the consequences, but my sister vouched for you. Her word is what saved you and your fathers and theirpanies, but rest assured, your brothers will not be so lucky." Cedric exined to them.

    "I know that all of you don''t see eye to eye with them. Krista, I saw how your brother attempted to touch you at Constetions. Is that all he has done?" Cedric asked.

    Krista hesitated for a bit. She was unsure if she could say it out loud. Ayanna, who was seated next to her, held her hand and nodded. Ayanna was the person she hade crying to when it had happened, she trusted that Ayanna hadn''t told her brother, it was just that the Reyes Heir had the resources to find out.

    "Sir, I mean, Cedric, no it wasn''t. It''s far from the worst." As Krista said this, Cedric could see that she was on the verge of tears. It was not his intention to hurt her or make her cry.

    "You don''t need to tell us." Cedric said in a calmer tone.

    "But I want to. I want you to know why I am willing to do whatever it takes to see him fall." Krista''s sadness shifted to anger.

    Cedric simply nodded, telling her to go on.

    "I was newly promoted and we were celebrating. Not me and my brother, me and my officemates. We didn''t know that Dennis went there that night too, when he saw us he questioned why we had so much free time to party. As he said this he didn''t take his eyes off me."

    As Krista said this she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "We apologized to him, he then spoke to my boss and said something. After that, he left and we continued to drink, as time went on I didn''t realize that my drink was spiked and people began to leave. They left me with him. He touched me in ces he shouldn''t, whether or not he was my brother I didn''t like him, he was and is disgusting. He started telling me that I wanted him too. I kept saying no, but eventually the drugs and alcohol kicked in and he took me to a hotel room. I tried to kick and scream but he refused to let me go. He forced himself on me, and he didn''t even use protection. It was my first time, so aside from not wanting it, it hurt so much." As thest words left Krista''s lips she burst out crying. One of her friends, Paolo Juan, held her in his arms as she cried.

 Chapter 246 - 246

    "All of us have suffered something simr to what I did." Krista continued as she gathered herself. "Paolo was stabbed by his brother Carlo Juan, Jun David had Matteo beaten up for looking at the secretary for too long, Tricia was offered to several executives by her brother Benjamin Sanchez, and Erik''s wife died when his brother Kevin raped her, she was so depressed she took her life. They did this without knowing we were their half siblings. If they ever found out and we weren''t ready, we would all suffer much worse than we already have." As Krista spoke her voice was full of anger, Cedric couldn''t me her. Anyone in their position might have already done something much worse.

    "My brother and I will give you the power to seek out revenge." Ayanna suddenly said, stealing Cedric''s line.??

    "Thank you Ayanna, Thank you Cedric." Tricia Sanchez said in a shaky voice.

    "As part of my instructions to your fathers, they will name you their heirs." Cedric said. "But we are not in a rush. We shouldn''t rush this. For your brothers to feel the full impact of what we are doing we need to not only take from them everything they believed to be theirs, but we will also drag them and their names through the mud. Their wives will leave them, then their mistresses, then the world will abandon them."

    When everyone had calmed down Cedric told them to wait patiently for his instructions. He was going to make some moves soon, they should be ready for what he was going to do next.

    As Ian and Cami escorted them out, Cedric noticed Ayanna speaking on the phone with a puzzled look on her face.

    "But mom, didn''t you just go back there a week ago?" Ayanna asked. "Yeah, but can''t I go with you?"

    Cedric raised an eyebrow and Ayanna signaled for him to wait.

    "Mom, how about Cedric, he can join you." Ayanna said defiantly.

    "You don''t have to go back on your own." Ayanna argued again.

    "Fine, fine, fine.??? Ayanna said, as she dropped the call.

    "Mom''s going back to the headquarters of rin Industries. She said another issue came up." Ayanna told her brother.

    "Why can''t you go in her ce?" Cedric asked.

    "I said that, she said it had to be her. She just told me to look after things here since Elisia Malls is heading into a crucial stage." Ayanna frustratedly said.

    "It''s just one day." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "No, not one day, three days. And what''s worse is that she said she would have to go there every week now and stay for three days!" Ayanna was not happy with her mother''s decision.

    "That''s odd. Dad said that even back when mom was trying to learn how to manage rin Industries she would only fly back once a week." Cedric said as he recalled an old story his dad told him.

    "I don''t know what''s up with rin Industries these days. It was fine a month ago, then suddenly there are issues everywhere. Anyway I need to get back to R Tower, mom wasn''t lying when she said Elisia Malls was going through a major development soon. Veronica''s design is going to be implemented in our gship malls so I need to make sure that the designs are not leaked." Ayanna said as she gathered her things and left Cedric''s office.

    Cedric sat back down behind his table and thought about what Ayanna had said, a month ago rin Industries was running smoothly. What if it''s internal issues were linked to the issues the Reyes Group was facing? It would make sense to use rin Industries as a distraction for his father and sister, they were, after all, very much concerned about how their mother''s business fared.

    With that thought he called Ian and Cami in.

    "Something is going on at rin Inc., find out what it is. I think it might be rted to what is happening to the Reyes Group." Cedric said before dismissing Ian and Cami.

    The day was quite tiring for Cedric, he had back to back meetings and was given the bad news that the Tech Hub he was building would be dyed. On top of all that one of the key scientists they were hoping to hire had just backed out.

    It seemed the problems were piling up on top of one another. By the time he was done with work he dragged himself down to the basement parking and slept as he was driven home to Mountain View.

    When he arrived he was surprised to see his Aunt Aurora and Marie at the living room with his mother. Both his mom and Aunt Marie had suitcases next to them.

    "Cedric! We got to see you before we leave!" Prisci happily greeted her son as she gave him a hug.

    "I didn''t know Aunt Aurora was going with you?" Cedric asked as he looked at their bags.

    "Well I could use more help, and since she''s somewhat passed on most of her work to Marie and your Uncle A, she cane with me to help." Prisci exined. "I hope Ayanna doesn''t get mad at me for this." Prisci said as a look of worry came upon her face.

    "I''m sure Ayanna will understand." Cedric said with a nod. "Do you want me to take you to the airport?" He asked.

    "No need. You look tired." His Aunt Aurora said, Cedric didn''t even argue with what she said. He simply nodded and headed up to his room to take a bath before dinner.

    By the time Cedric came back down both his mom and Aunt Aurora had already left. Adrianna and Marie were happily chatting on the dinner table, while the grandparents were ying with the baby.

    Cedric came up and hugged his wife, he nted a gentle kiss on her forehead before finally taking his seat.

    "You guys are so sweet it''s making me jealous." Marie sighed.

    "Where''s Ayanna?" Cedric asked as he noticed that his sister was missing.

    "Out with the girls. Katerina dragged them for drinks." Adrianna said with a shrug as Cedric held her hand and kissed it.

    "I swear you guys are too sweet." Marie teased.

    "You wouldn''t be so jealous if you forgave him." Cedric said with a wink.

    "He has to earn it." Marie said, defending herself.

    "It''s been years Marie." Cedric said, rolling his eyes. He pitied Marco for being with a woman like Marie.

    The help soon served dinner and everyone ate happily. It was only the Reyes family at home that night since Miguel had gone home to visit his parents.

    Everyone greeted each other good night and went to their respective rooms while Cedric drove Marie and Uncle A home.

    "A driver could have taken us home Cedric." Uncle A told him. "We know you''re a busy person, plus the Reyes Group is facing some odd issues now."

    "I don''t mind Uncle A." Cedric said with a smile as they stopped at Marie''s house. "When will you settle back here Marie? Thismunity is too quiet." Cedricined.

    "Ha. You know that I need to run our international offices, meing back here permanently is very unlikely cousin." Marie said as she and Uncle A bid Cedric goodnight.

    As Cedric''s car arrived at the driveway of his Mountain View mansion he saw his father getting into the driver''s seat of one of the security vehicles and leaving.

 Chapter 247 - 247

    Ayanna leaned back as Katerina went over to the bar to get another bottle of alcohol.

    "Why did we have to go to some unknown bar?" Nicoleined. Instead of going to Hype Bar or Hideout, Katerina had dragged them to an underground bar and got them a corner seat.??

    "She didn''t want the boys interfering." Veronica said.

    Katerina swayed her hips to the music as she brought the bottle over to the other girls. She had a waiter behind her carrying some sses.

    "What mess did you get into now?" Veronica asked as the waiter poured them shots.

    "No questions, just drinks." Katerina said as she handed each of the girls a shot ss.

    "Katerina, you can''t solve your problems through drinking!" Natalia, her younger sister, said as she took the shot.

    "Who told you that? Alexi? Alexi solves everything with alcohol and girls, so don''t take any advice from him Natalia." Katerina said as she waved a finger at the younger woman.

    "More!" Katerina shouted over the music to the waiter.

    "What did my brother do to piss you off?" Nicole said as she dly too the shot the waiter offered.

    "I''d rather not talk about him." Katerina said, taking two shots simultaneously.

    "Hey, chill on the drinks." Veronica said. "We can''t carry you home if you get drunk."

    "Veronica, I don''t do drunk." Katerina said, rolling her eyes.

    "There''s always a first time." Ayanna said with a giggle.

    "So what did he do?" Nicole asked Katerina again, who simply groaned and took another shot.

    "I heard my brother came home with a swollen face recently." Veronica said with augh.

    The other girls gasped.

    "Did you punch Ram? Aren''t you just fake dating though?" Natalia asked her elder sister.

    "I didn''t punch Ram. Eric did." Katerina said in a pissed off tone.

    "What did Ram do?" Veronica asked.

    "Why do you think Eric reacted that way?" Katerina said as she rolled her eyes.

    Nicole suddenly burst outughing. "I think excessive jealousy is in our genes."

    Ayanna gasped. "No way. He punched his friend just because he went on a fake date with you? Didn''t Eric know? Didn''t Ram or you tell him?"

    "Why should I tell Eric? Why does Ram need to ask for his permission? He isn''t my husband, father, brother, or even just my boyfriend!" Katerinained as she took another shot.

    "But Katerina, you can''t deny that there is still something between you two." Natalia argued.

    "You''re too young to know about these things Natalia. If Alexi heard you speaking like that he would be shocked." Katerina teased in a harsh tone.

    "Ooooh! I love this song!" Nicole suddenly said as she began to dance in her seat.

    "Let''s dance!" Katerina said, dragging Nicole to the center of the room.

    The other girls looked at each other and shook their heads. They took a shot and stood up to join Nicole and Katerina on the dance floor.

    Katerina felt free, she didn''t need to worry about Eric Chan or her fake boyfriend. She simply danced with her friends and enjoyed the night. With every song she called a waiter over to hand them drinks. She had paid in advance for the waiters to keep them drinking, she didn''t want to drink. She just wanted to forget and to dance.

    As the girls continued to drink and dance more and more people began arriving at the bar, it was quite popr, and before they knew it the ce was packed. People were drinking and dancing everywhere. Katerina giggled as she watched a man attempt to flirt with a girl, the girl rejected him and continued to drink with her friends.

    "What''s so funny?" Nicole asked as she shouted over the music.

    "I just saw a guy get rejected." Katerina replied with augh.

    "Harsh." Nicole giggled.

    Katerina was dancing to the music when she felt a hand on her hips. She looked up and saw that Nicole hadn''t noticed that someone was trying to take advantage of her.

    Katerina turned to tell off the person behind her, she was shocked that as she turned around to give him a piece of her mind the man was pulled away. She saw several bodyguards dragging him away. An arm soon came around her waist and pulled her away from the dance floor.

    By the way the person held her she knew it could only be one guy, Eric Chan. Behind them she watched as the other boys took the girls out of the bar. She even saw Alexi scolding Natalia, she was sure he was telling her off for letting Katerina drag her to such a ce.

    "Why? Why did you go to a bar we didn''t control?" Eric asked as they walked out through the backdoor.

    "Because of this!" Katerina shouted as she pushed his hand away.

    "That man was clearly trying to feel you up!" Eric said as he pulled her back into his arms."I''m just trying to keep you safe!"

    "I don''t need you to keep me safe. I can handle myself. I could easily send that man packing." Katerina sighed as she continued to walk with Eric to a secluded part of the parking lot. "Why would you go here? Why would you risk being seen? Don''t you know how badly this will look to your fans?" Katerina asked.

    Eric finally released her and remained silent.

    "Ram! Tell Eric how stupid his actions are! If anyone snapped a photo of him it would have a bad impact on his career!" Katerina shouted as the others approached.

    "Katerina, you girls are easily recognized, what if someone wanted to kidnap you?" Alexi shouted at his sister. "You might be able to defend yourself but what about Natalia and Veronica?"

    "Alexi no one recognized us." Katerina said in a calmer tone.

    "What car did you bring?" Alexi asked as he red at his sister.

    Katerina was about to answer when she realized that she had brought her newest sports car.

    "How do you think we were able to find you so quickly?" Alexi asked her.

    "Alexi, calm down." Eric said in an attempt to defend Katerina. "She''s already realized her mistake."

    "You, you, you! Don''t defend me!" Katerina shouted at Eric.

    "I think this issue is between you guys, I''m gonna take Ayanna home. Cedric will be so mad if he finds out she was at a ce like this." Ray said as he pulled his drunk fiance to his car.

    "Wait for us Ray." Miguel called out as he lifted Veronica in his arms. She wasn''t walking straight anymore. "Wow, Ian and Nicole are fast." Miguelughed as he noticed that his sister and her boyfriend had disappeared as soon as they walked out of the bar.

    "I''ll take Natalia home. Do you need a ride Ram?" Alexi asked as he helped his sister walk to his car.

    "Yeah. My bodyguards are already checking all the phones inside. They''ll call if something bes an issue." Ram said as he followed Alexi to the car.

    "Keys." Eric said as he held out his hand.

    Katerina grumbled but handed her keys to him.

    Katerina noticed that his bodyguards that night were different, they were the ones provided by the Chan family to their children. They were much harsher and more dangerous than the one Eric used when he was out in public, those bodyguards were mostly for crowd control, and the ones that really protected him hid in the shadows.

    "Make sure he knows not to mess with her again." Eric said in a dark tone as he walked with Katerina to her car.

 Chapter 248 - 248

    Eric was furious at Katerina. She risked not only her safety but the other girls as well. He sped along the highway from the bar to Katerina''s house.

    "Eric, slow down!" Katerina shouted.??

    Eric refused to respond, he was mad at her. Too mad.

    "Eric, I need to vomit!" Katerina shouted again.

    Not wanting to endure the rest of the ride in a vomit scented car, Eric slowed the car and parked it in a dark area.

    He made sure no one was around and got out of the car to help Katerina vomit. He held her up by the waist as he patted her soothingly on the back.

    "Ugh you must find me so disgusting now." Katerina said as she finished vomiting.

    "It''s only normal." Eric said with a shrug.

    "Stop tolerating me, Eric." Katerina said coldly as she fetched a wet wipe and some alcohol from her bag. "I''ve endangered your sister and the other girls, and I''ve vomited in front of you. Stop pretending that you won''t be disgusted or hate me because of all of these."

    Eric was at a loss for words. Was that why she was acting like this? Because she wanted him to see her as he saw everyone else?

    When Eric didn''t give her a response Katerina marched back into the car.

    Eric shook his head andughed at her zero tolerance attitude and climbed back into the driver''s seat.

    "I don''t need you guys to protect me." Katerina said with a sigh as she leaned back on the car seat. "The girls were safe the whole time. I go to that bar often and no one has ever snapped photos of me there or posted it on the inte."

    Eric gripped the wheel tightly as they cruised along the highway.

    "It hasn''t made it there because your brother and I have been stopping it." Eric said in a frustrated tone.

    "Why would you do that?" Katerina said angrily. Her reaction was theplete opposite of what Eric had expected. Any ordinary girl would have been blushing and happy to hear that someone was watching over them, but not Katerina Sebastian.

    "You know, most girls would be gushing at the thought of me protecting them." Ericmented, as he took a quick nce at her.

    "Eyes on the road." Katerina scolded as she caught his attempt to see her reaction. Eric simplyughed at what she said and returned his focus to driving. "As if you didn''t know, but I''m not most girls."

    "No you aren''t, you''re better than them." Eric said in a sweet tone.

    "Save your sweetness for you Cthea." Katerina said in a cold tone.

    "Are you jealous Katerina?" Eric asked as they entered the gates of theirmunity.

    "Why would I be? You are like an elder brother to me." Katerina said casually, not worrying about how Eric would feel.

    "I''m pretty sure you are feeling the same way I felt when I saw Ram hugging you." Eric used. He could sense Katerina shifting in her seat, clearly ufortable that Eric had figured out her feelings. "And when will you realize that I don''t like Cthea. No one can convince me to date her or even consider her to be a decent person."

    "I don''t know what you are talking about." Katerina said, as they stopped in her driveway.

    Eric watched as Katerina tried to get out of the car, but due to the amount of alcohol she had consumed that night she struggled.

    Eric smiled and took advantage of the situation, he ran up to her and picked her up.

    "Let go of me Eric." Katerinained. Eric had carried her in such a way that she had to wrap her arms around his neck to keep herself from falling.

    "Katerina, stay put. If you keep moving I might drop you." Eric scolded, as he carried her closer to his chest. "You can''t even get out of the car, how do you expect to make it to your room without falling down the stairs."

    "I can manage." Katerina said as she hugged him tighter. She felt Eric''s lips on her neck. "Behave." Katerina scolded.

    "Did I ever tell you how good you smell?" Eric asked.

    "Eric that''s creepy!" Katerina shouted.

    "Katerina, why do you keep rejecting me?" Eric finally asked. He didn''t know why, but it felt like the right time to ask her. He felt Katerina tense up in his arms, his question had made her react. "Katerina, answer me." Eric said in a firm tone as he stopped inside, mming the door behind him.

    "I- I- I don''t know." Katerina admitted as she buried her head on his chest.

    "Katerina, why can''t you give me a chance? Our timing is so off. When I liked you, you didn''t like me. And when you liked me, my family was forcing me to be with someone else, I really just didn''t want to hurt you at the time Katerina." Eric admitted as he ced Katerina on the couch.

    "Eric, no. It''s tooplicated." Katerina said as she ced a hand on his chest. Eric could feel her cold hand as it was directly over his heart.

    "How is itplicated? I like you and I hope to god you like me too!" Eric said as he held her small hand that she ced on his chest.

    "Our families, and your fans. What if they find out about who you are? They''ll say things like how you only got famous because Ram is your brother''s friend. I could ruin your career Eric." Katerina said continuously as Eric pulled her into his arms. "Eric, my maids coulde in at any time. Mind your boundaries."

    "Then let''s continue our conversation in your room." Eric said as he picked her up and brought her up the stairs. Katerinained the whole way up to her room, but Eric ignored her.

    Eric kicked open the door to her room and shut it behind him. He ced her gently on the bed, sat next to her and held her hands in his.

    "Katerina, I don''t care about my fans leaving me, as long as you don''t." Eric said as he watched her expression thaw at his words.

    "You''re just stealing Miguel''s lines!" Katerina used as she pulled her hand from his.

    "I''m serious Katerina!"Eric said. "I''m not asking you to love me or give yourself to me. All I''m asking for is a chance." Eric begged as he moved closer to her.

    "Eric��" Katerina began to say when Eric held her face and kissed her.

    Eric kissed Katerina gently but passionately, he was surprised when she began to kiss him back. He smiled as he began to kiss her more passionately, he picked her up and ced her on hisp, making Katerina gasp. He took advantage of this and pushed his tongue in. He pulled her closer, he wanted to kiss her more, to feel more of her, but at the same time he didn''t want to rush her. This was his chance and he had no ns of wasting the opportunity.

    After a while their lips finally parted, Eric had to admit Katerina was a good kisser and he wanted more than just that kiss. He ced a gentle peck on her lips again making her smile, he loved her smile.

    "So I''m assuming this means you will give me a chance?" Eric teased.

    Katerinaughed and nodded.

 Chapter 249 - 249

    On little Emilio''s second month celebration Uncle Matthew and Henry managed to join. They had been focused on Margaret''s recovery and treatment so they hadn''t even met little Emilio yet.

    "Uncle, cousin!" Adrianna happily greeted as she walked up to her uncle and cousin. She was carrying her son in her arms as he slept soundly. Nurse Jen followed after her since she still needed extra care due to her delicate state.??

    "Is this the little prince?" Henry asked, as he looked at the baby in Adrianna''s arms.

    "He''s been such a good boy so far." Adrianna said, as she smiled at her son.

    "Note night tantrums?" Uncle Matthew asked, as he touched the little boy''s head.

    Adriannaughed. "No, he always sleeps through the night."

    "How about you cousin? How are you? Cedric told us that you had a difficultbor." Henry asked.

    "I''m feeling better. Nurse Jen is here to take care of me." Adrianna said pointing at the nurse behind her. "You can rest now Nurse Jen. A lot of people are here with me and they can take care of me. We''ll call for you when I need help." Adrianna told Nurse Jen.

    Nurse Jen bowed and left. She would probably head for her room to rest. Cedric had let her stay at one of the guestrooms, he even assigned a maid to assist her.

    "One month!" Someone said loudly from outside.

    "No, I''m not sharing!" Adrianna saw Eric say to hispanion.

    Eric arrived holding hands with none other than Katerina and the person he was arguing with was Ram.

    "Mr. Chan, Mr. Abad, Miss Sebastian." Uncle Matthew respectfully greeted.

    "Please uncle, we are practically family, just Eric will do." Eric said, Ram and Katerina simply nodded beside him agreeing that the elder should drop the formalities. "How is Margaret doing?" Eric asked.

    "She is recovering quite well. Dr. Sara is such a blessing." Uncle Matthew said happily, praising Eric''s friend.

    Adrianna watched as a hint of jealousy passed Katerina''s eyes. She didn''t even know that those two had started dating.

    "I told you Dr. Sara was the best." Eric said with a smile as he slipped his arm around Katerina''s waist. He knew she was getting jealous.

    Adrianna was surprised when someone suddenly hugged her from behind. She looked up to see Cedric as he kissed her on the forehead. "Hey beautiful." Cedric said with a wink.

    "Uncle Matthew, Henry. Thanks for finally joining us, I hope Margaret is doing well and will fully recover soon." Cedric said with a nod to them.

    Adrianna saw as he looked at Eric and Katerina and justughed.

    "Come on Eric. I need this." Ram suddenly begged Eric again.

    "Eric, just agree." Katerina said as she nted a kiss on his cheek.

    "Fine. But you can''t touch her!" Eric finally gave in.

    "What are those guys arguing about?" Adrianna asked Katerina.

    "Ram still needs a fake girlfriend. I said I didn''t mind, but Eric won''t agree. I was actually worried that he would punch Ram again." Katerina told Adrianna with augh. "Let go of me Eric. I wanna y with Emilio." Katerina said as she removed his hand from her waist.

    Eric suddenly pulled her to him and kissed her on the lips before finally releasing Katerina.

    "Since when?" Adrianna asked as she handed her son over to Katerina.

    "A week ago. Trust me it is not a story worth retelling." Katerina said as she looked at little Emilio who was waking up in her arms.

    "I heard differently. ording to my sources you got together in a very Chan like way." Cedric said with augh.

    "Chan like? Really? Coining your own terms now?" Katerina said as she red daggers at Cedric.

    Cedric justughed and ignored her question.

    "I''m pretty sure your so-called source was Ayanna." Katerina said when Cedric justughed.

    "Ian could have told me." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Ian wouldn''t call it Chan like, he wouldn''t dare." Katerina said with augh. She had guessed right.

    "Oooohhh, Katerina you look sodylike with a baby in your arms!" Her mother, Rebekah Torres-Sebastian, said as she and her husband arrived.

    "Mom!" Katerinained.

    "Auntie, no need to rush. It wille eventually." Eric said with augh as he greeted the Sebastian parents.

    "I trust the two of you have managed your issues?" Jose Sebastian asked Ram and Eric. The other parents were well aware of the issues that the Abad family and Ram faced, they even gave their suggestions on how to deal with it.

    "Yes uncle." Ram said with a nod.

    "Good. And Eric, stop calling us uncle and aunt. Just call us mom and dad." Jose Sebastian said with a wink.

    Uncle Matthew and Henry were surprised to see the country''s president act in such a casual way.

    ???I didn''t say I''d marry him yet!" Katerinained. "We just started dating."

    "Yet. You said yet." Ram teased. "Stop denying it Katerina, you like Eric more than you let on."

    "Shut up Ram, or I''m doing what Eric wants." Katerina threatened.

    "Katerina, can''t you be moredylike? You have little Emilio in your arms." Her mother scolded.

    "Yes mom." Katerina sighed as she looked down at the baby.

    "You know, if we had our own, you wouldn''t need to give the baby back." Eric whispered to her.

    She gave him a warning re and he justughed.

    "Matthew, Henry. I was thinking there was a government project that would be perfect for Ind''s Inc. do you mind if we discuss it?" Jose Sebastian asked Adrianna''s rtives. "Do you want to join us Adrianna?"

    "I think I''m well enough. I''ll just listen, the management of Ind''s Inc. still stays with Henry and Uncle Matthew." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "You can use my office." Cedric offered.

    Adrianna nodded and led everyone there.

    "Are you going to let her go back to work?" Eric asked as his eyes remained glued on Katerina.

    "She''ll melt if you keep staring at her like that." Ram teased.

    "Our deal was one year. She has to rest for a year before going back to work." Cedric told his friends.

    "Knowing you, she''ll probably be pregnant again by the time she goes back." Katerina teased.

    "Do you want me to encourage Eric to get you pregnant?" Cedric threatened and Katerina didn''t say a word.

 Chapter 250 - 250

    Everyone was already at the patio by the pool when Cedric, Katerina, Eric, and Ram joined them. Little Emilio wasughing in his father''s arms as they arrived.

    "How''s my great-grandson?" Grandpa Emilio said, as Cedric approached him.??

    A nanny came over with a stroller. Cedric had asked the nanny to be ready with one whenever any of the elders were around.

    "He''s definitely going to break a lot of hearts when he grows up." Cedric''s grandmother teased.

    Cedric simply smiled and left his son in the care of his grandparents and the nanny. He had hired several nannies to look after little Emilio, he wanted his son to be well taken care of and he wanted to take as much burden off Adrianna. She still had her goals in life and he wanted her to have the time and energy to achieve them.

    "Cedric!" His father said calling him over.

    Cedric moved to the seat next to Eric and left the seat next to him vacant for Adrianna, she was still in a discussion with Jose Sebastian.

    "How''s that matter?" Ray asked Cedric.

    "We have some very suspicious developments." Cedric said as he sat down.

    "Like what? Maybe we can help?" Ram asked. Cedric was sure that at least one of them had heard of MT Summit.

    "We discovered that apany called MT Summit is trying to destroy the Reyes Group''s integrity in the eyes of the investors." Cedric exined.

    "But your investors are painfully loyal. Plus you don''t have that many, most of the shares in the Reyes Grouppanies are owned by the family." Alexi said as he thought what it meant for someone to attempt to spread rumors about the Reyes Group.

    "They went about it quite intelligently." Cedric exined. "They approached the smaller investors instead of the big ones that have been with us for a long time. They were the ones we didn''t have a rtionship with."

    "That''s quite smart." Ram said as he rubbed his chin.

    "MT Summit." James Abad said slowly as he tried to recall where he heard that name.

    "MT Summit, isn''t that the bank that closed down twenty years ago?" Benedicto Laurence asked.

    "You''re right. MT Summit was once a big yer in the banking industry. Unfortunately it closed down due to bad management, wasn''t that the samepany that the Lims were secretly invested in?" Emilio Reyes recalled.

    "Why didn''t Ian remember it or bring it up?" Cedric asked. He didn''t want to doubt his friend and assistant.

    "Ian wouldn''t have known. Only that cousin knew, what was his name again?" Emilio said, rifying any doubt in Cedric''s head.

    "Noel Lim." James Abad said, recalling the name.

    "Yeah, he''s also the one that ran off with grandpa Lim''s money." Benedicto recalled.

    "What happened to MT Summit after they closed?" Cedric asked the elder men.

    "Would you know Rebeckah?" Benedicto asked his cousin. "Weren''t you thewyer for one of the families suing them?"

    "I was. Last I heard they were still closed. But if you are telling me that they are moving again it must mean one of two things. The original owners now have funds to revive thepany, or someone bought MT Summit." Rebekah Torres - Sebastian said as she thought of the possibilities.

    "I''ll have someone look into it." Alexi said as he rubbed his chin.

    "Thanks." Cedric said with a nod.

    "So Alexi, son, who were you talking to in the hallway earlier?" Rebeckah Sebastian asked her son in a teasing tone.

    "Mom." Alexiined. It was no secret to the parents that Alexi slept around with various women, changing almost every week. His parents knew that he had even slept with some of the help.

    "I just hope you don''t make a mess in your friend''s house, both figuratively and literally." Rebeckah warned her son in a more serious tone.

    "Don''t worry mom, I think he''s actually serious about this one." Katerina said with augh.

    "Yeah auntie! He actually went a second round with her after months!" Miguel added.

    The parents were shocked at this revtion. Alexi was notorious for never going back to any of his past flings after he was one with them.

    "Fine, I think I like her." Alexi hesitantly admitted.

    "If you like her, tell her." Emilio Reyes suggested.

    "I have." Alexiined.

    "And?" Amy So - Laurence, Ray''s mother asked.

    "She said no." Alexi said with a shrug. "She didn''t want to risk being in a rtionship with her boss''s friend."

    "Who is her boss?" Victoria Bernasconi - Abad, Ram and Veronica''s mom, asked.

    "Nicole." Alexi said as he rolled his eyes.

    "We aren''t friends." Nicole said with a giggle.

    "Yeah, you''re more like our older brother." Ayanna teased.

    "You''re making it worse!" Alexi used Ayanna.

    "Well it''s true. You''re like the older brother that defends us when we get into fights." Veronica added.

    "Yeah, you and Ray go after people who offend us." Natalia said with a proud smile.

    "So who is this woman who has managed to captivate Alexi?" Rebekah Sebastian asked, curious about what kind of girl could catch her notoriously impatient son''s attention.

    "Nurse Jen." Veronica said, rolling her eyes.

    "Wait, Nurse Jen doesn''t like men. How could Alexi have slept with her?" Amy So - Chan said as she recalled that Nurse Jen was a lesbian.

    "It''s my charm auntie." Alexi said with a wink.

    "What''s with the eye roll? I know Nurse Jen, she doesn''te off as a bad person" Amy So - Chan asked her daughter-inw.

    Katerinaughed. "She caused a misunderstanding between Veronica and Miguel."

    "I hope you guys spoke about it." Raphael Chan said as he threw a warning nce at his son.

    "Miguel almost broke his hand." Nicole said as she rolled her eyes.

    "I said I was sorry." Ayanna reacted, to all of the parents'' surprise.

    "Why are you so reckless Ayanna?" Prisci Reyes said, scolding her daughter.

    "But mom, it wasn''t my fault." Ayannained.

    "We are going off topic. We need to convince this Nurse Jen to consider Alexi!" Rebekah Sebastian said.

    "I can always just fire her." Nicole said with a shrug.

    "Maybe Nicole isn''t the issue." Eric said as he thought of why Nurse Jen would reject Alexi despite having slept with him multiple times already.

    "What do you mean?" Nicole asked.

    "Maybe Alexi is being too Alexi." Eric suggested.

    "I''m lost." Cedric said.

    Eric smiled and shook his head. "Alexies off as too strong sometimes, no oftentimes. Maybe she''s afraid of your yboy ways?"

    "Then what do I do?" Alexi wasn''t ashamed of discussing his love life in front of the parents, they were already aware of his habits anyway.

    "Court her!" Natalia suggested.

    "Be sweet!" Katerina said as she looked at Eric, who winked back at her.

    "Don''t be after sex." Ayanna said with augh.

    "Fine. I''ll try." Alexi said, surrendering to the girls'' suggestions.

 Chapter 251 - 251

    "How about roses? What if I send them to her?" Alexi asked as he paced across Cedric''s office at Mor Co.

    "Does she even like roses?" Cedric asked as he looked up from hisptop.??

    "All girls like roses!" Alexi said waving his hands in the air.

    "Katerina hates roses." Eric told Alexi.

    "Fine most girls like roses." Alexi adjusted his statement based on what Eric said.

    "Why not fly her to Japan for a date?" Ram asked.

    "That''s too much." Cedric said. "Don''t you guys have jobs?"

    "Nothing to film at the moment. I''m on a break." Eric said as he raided Cedric''s mini fridge.

    "No meetings." Ram exined.

    "Congress is at recess, so, yeah no work." Alexiughed.

    "Then why don''t you help me pick on some bullies?" Cedric asked with a grin as he closed hisptop. He wasn''t nning on doing anything to the bullies yet, but having some of the other boys around gave him an idea.

    ???But we''re thinking of ways for me to get Nurse Jen." Alexiined.

    "That can wait, and do you really think it''s such a good idea to ask these guys?" Cedric said as he pointed at his friends. "One had an on and off you can''t even figure out their status issue with your sister, the other just keeps dating to no end and will probably end up in an arranged marriage. You should go and ask the girls."

    "Hey!" Ericined. "Our timing was just bad, but I won her over in the end."

    "Yeah, you had to beg her and steal your brother''s lines." Cedric teased.

    "Miguel copies me! I''ve dated more women than him. He''s just crazy in love and obsessed with this one''s sister." Eric said pointing at Ram.

    "You''re right. I''ll ask Natalia and Katerina when everything doesn''t work." Alexi said with a smile. "So what''s your n?" He asked Cedric.

    Cedric grinned at Alexi''s question.

    It was a hot afternoon at Nationalia, Cedric sat at a table in the corner as he watched his friends chat. This was all part of his n to push his former bullies even further down.

    The first to arrive was Kevin Garcia. He was rushing as an assistant carrying his things followed him. Earlier today his father had given him a challenge, get Ram Abad to cooperate with theirpany. If he managed that his father would give him a portion of his promised shares, to make things more interesting he had allowed Kevin to choose one employee topete with, he chose Erik Garcia.

    In Kevin''s mind Erik would never do anything to oppose him. The man wouldn''t dare to try to steal his inheritance from him so he felt Erik as a safe choice.

    "Mr. Abad." Kevin Gacria called out happily.

    "And you are?" Ram asked as Kevin approached.

    "Mr. Abad we went to the same university, you were just a year below me." Kevin Garcia said excitedly.

    "Are you trying to say that my friend should respect you as his senior?" Alexi asked in a cold and harsh tone.

    "No sir, nothing like that." Kevin said in an attempt to salvage the situation.

    "Such disrespect." Eric Chan said, shaking his head.

    "Sir please, I didn''t mean any disrespect." Kevin Garcia begged.

    "What is it?" Ram asked.

    "Sir, I would like to offer you a partnership with my family''spany." Kevin said as he snapped his fingers for the assistant to hand him the documents.

    The assistant panicked as he searched for an envelope and handed it to Kevin.

    "Mr. Abad, please look through our proposal." Kevin said with a slight bow as he gave Ram the documents.

    Ram took them out and reviewed them, or at least pretended to review them. Kevin waited anxiously as Ram flipped through the pages.

    "Anything interesting?" Alexi asked as he leaned over.

    "Mmmmm. Yeah, very interesting." Ram said as he ced the documents back into the envelope.

    "You liked the proposal sir??? Kevin Garcia asked.

    "I do, it''s unique and quite smart." Ram praised.

    Kevin grinned. The idea was not his, he didn''t make that proposal, he had asked Erik to make the proposal and then he had someone find out where Ram Abad would be in the afternoon. Before lunch he already had a copy of the proposal and an assistant informed him that Ram Abad would be at Nationalia with some friends. Proud of his aplishments he dragged his friends to have lunch at Bamboo Room to celebrate his victory early.

    "I loved it when it was first presented to me." Ram said with a grin as he ripped the envelope in half. "What kind of man tries to pass off the work of another. You are so shameless that you didn''t even take out the watermark of the original creator." Ram said as he red at Kevin.

    "Sir, no, this is my idea. My hard work." Kevin begged.

    "The other guy already gave us this document." Alexi said as he pointed at another table.

    Kevin turned to see his father, Ernesto, looking at him with disappointment. Seated across him was Erik Gracia, the usually meek man was smiling as he drank his coffee.

    Ernesto Garcia stood up and walked towards his elder son, Kevin. Erik stood after him and walked towards Kevin''s direction.

    "I am ashamed to call you my son." Ernesto Garcia said as he threw a p across Kevin''s face.

    "Father, you can''t give shares to an outsider, you just can''t!" Kevin shouted hysterically.

    "You disgust me." Ernesto Garcia spat. "Of course I can give my shares to whomever I want. It''s mypany. You''ve done nothing but leech offpany funds to pay for your women and your gambling."

    "Sir, don''t be so harsh on him." Erik asked, but from his tone you could feel that the request was half hearted.

    "I am transferring 10% of my shares to Erik." Ernesto Garcia announced as he turned and walked away.

    Kevin was shocked. He had just lost part of his inheritance to a nobody employee, sure he knew that Erik was friends with Ayanna Reyes, but was that woman really that important? To Kevin women were just toys and tools to be used to further a family''s interest. His view was clearly far from how the Reyeses saw their women.

    Kevin tried to chase after his father and Erik who exited Nationalia, he was however, stopped by his father''s bodyguard.

    Kevin began shouting, people took out their phones and captured videos of the third generation heir throwing a public tantrum.

    When Kevin was out of sight, Cedric walked up to his friends and joined them.

    "You''re right. That was fun." Alexi said with augh.

    "I liked the envelope ripping part, it was a good touch." Cedricughed as heplemented Ram.

    "So who''s next?" Ram asked, he was excited to knock those boys off their high horses.

    That same day Carlo Juan, Jun David, Ben Sanchez, and Dennis Von also lost a part of their inheritances to their secret siblings. All five men were so depressed that they went to the nearest bar and took some prostitutes to a hotel.

    Prostitution was illegal in their country and Cedric was d that he had someone follow the bullies. He had just gotten confessions from the bar, the women, and the hotel staff. His people also managed to capture photo and video evidence. Cedric knew these woulde in handy in the future.

 Chapter 252 - 252

    Cedric was quietly working in his office when Ray suddenly burst inughing.

    "Don''t you have work?" Cedric asked as he signed some documents on his desk.??

    "Have I ever praised how much of a genius you are!" Ray eximed as he walked up to Cedric''s desk. He tapped something into his phone and showed the screen to Cedric.

    It was thetest business gossip through a new website that discussed thetest rumors in the business world. The first article was another guess as to why the Reyes Heir still hadn''t revealed his face to the public, as well as several snapshots of a disguised Cedric in a business meeting.

    The second article was what Ray was referring to. It read, five scions lose the rights topany shares. Cedric tapped to read the article, it talked about how five heritagepanies that had been purely family owned for generations suddenly had at least five percent of their shares awarded to an unknown outsider who had beaten the rightful heirs in a challenge posed to them by the current CEOs. The article went on to point out that the five heirs were known for their extravagant lifestyles.

    "What makes you so sure I did this?" Cedric asked Ray.

    "Who else wouldunch an attack on those five at almost the same time?" Ray said with a shrug as he took his phone back. "Plus, I just came from a business lunch where one of the attendees let it slip that he saw Alexi, Ram, and Ray bullying one of them at Nationalia. Ram even ripped a business proposal in half." Ray recounted the story as he held back hisughter.

    "The paper tearing was all Ram. I didn''t ask him to be dramatic." Cedric said with a grin. "I wouldn''t expect any less from the king of showbiz."

    "Is that what they are calling him now?" Rayughed.

    "They''ve been calling him that since he took over Lights. I think the more appropriate term would be the gossip king." Cedric joked.

    "I just have oneint.?? Ray said.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked as he returned to signing documents.

    "Why wasn''t I invited to all the fun?" Ray said with a pout.

    "That might work on my sister, but not on me." Cedric teased. "You were busy. I think Ayanna said something about a tasting."

    "The tasting wasn''t yesterday, it''s -" Ray paused suddenly and took a look at his watch. Just as he was about to speak Cedric''s phone began to ring.

    Cedric picked it up and showed Ray the name on the screen.

    "Crap. I forgot." Ray cursed.

    "Yes Ayanna?" Cedric asked as he picked up the call.

    "Older brother why did you steal my fiance!" Ayannained over the phone.

    "I didn''t steal him. He''s disturbing me." Cedricined.

    "Well, since you''re both together, can youe to the tasting?" Ayanna asked in a sweet tone. Cedric sighed, he would never turn down his sister''s request.

    "Fine. Where?" Cedric asked.

    "The Reyes Mansion. Dad and grandpa want us to have the reception there!" Ayanna said excitedly.

    "Alright, I''ll make sure the groom gets there." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    "Why did she call you and not me?" Ray asked.

    "Check your phone." Cedric said as he fixed his hair and took out his disguise.

    "Damnit." Ray cursed. "My phone was on airne mode."

    "She probably called your assistant who told her you were here. You''re lucky she was in a good mood today." Cedric teased.

    "Yeah, we aren''t married yet and I''m already afraid of her." Ray said with augh.

    "Sir, you''re leaving?" Cami said as she entered Cedric''s office.

    "Is it urgent?" Cedric asked the assistant.

    "It''s about the matter you had me and Ian investigate." Cami said in a nervous tone as she looked at Ray.

    "The shares issue?" Ray asked.

    Cedric looked at Cami, waiting for an answer.

    ??No sir, the other one." Cami said, unsure if her boss would be willing to let Ray hear what he was having investigated.

    "Ah. It''s alright Cami, you can tell me on the way. I don''t mind Ray hearing about it." Cedric said. He saw Cami visibly rx when Cedric said that it was okay for Ray to find out.

    Cami quickly exited the room to gather her things.

    "Did you drive here?" Cedric asked Ray.

    "Yeah. My car is parked out front." Ray said with a nod.

    "Let''s take mine." Cedric said not giving Ray the opportunity to reject.

    "Cami, have my car prepared, the phantom, we''ll take that to the Reyes Mansion." Cedric called out as he fixed himself.

    "Why are you still disguising yourself, we''re going straight to the underground parking anyway?" Ray asked.

    "It''s called being safe." Cedric said as he walked out of his office.

    In the car, Cami handed Cedric a tablet. It had all the information she and Ian had gathered.

    "Sir, ording to all the people Ian and I asked, the matters concerning rin Industries are sealed. They could only tell your parents." Cami began, as Cedric scrolled through the document. "We were however able to obtain some confirmatory information through Marco."

    "Marco willingly gave up the information?" Cedric asked.

    "No, Ian went to Miss Marie to get her to convince him." Cami admitted.

    "What did you find out?" Cedric asked.

    "That the rin Industries have been bombarded with issues for the past month. At first it was abor issue, the local management tried to deal with it the traditional way, but it grew, thus it required a more direct approach." Cami exined. "That smallbor issue gave birth to more issues, it also caused an internal investigation that led to the discovery of many malpractices within rin Industries."

    "I don''t understand why my parents would block this information from us." Cedric said as he thought out loud.

    "Are your parents hiding something?" Ray asked.

    "I''ve never doubted them, well at least not until recently." Cedric admitted.

    "Why? What happened?" Ray was curious.

    "Whenever mom leaves to handle internal issues in rin Industries I find my dad sneaking out to deal with emergency issues." Cedric told Ray.

    "Maybe he doesn''t want to disturb you." Ray guessed.

    "I asked Ian, on those nights there were no problems in the Reyes Group, and even in the past when there were issues my dad never had to go to the office, he often let management solve things or solved them from home." Cedric told Ray.

    "What do you n on doing?" Ray asked Cedric.

    "I''m nning on having my dad followed when he leaves next." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Won''t your father realize he''s being tailed?" Ray asked.

    "Do you have someone that won''t get caught?" Cedric asked with a grin.

    "I do, but are you sure about this?" Ray was hesitant on having his future father-inw spied on.

    "I''m sure." Cedric said with a nod as they pulled into the driveway.

    As they got off the car Ayanna came rushing out.

    "Change of ns. Get back in the car." Ayannamanded as a confused Cedric and Ray climbed back in. Ayanna came in after Ray and mmed the door.

    "Take us to Nicole''s house." Ayanna ordered the driver.

    The driver hesitated and looked at Cedric from the rear view mirror.

    "Do as she says." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Step on it." Ayanna said as she typed away on her phone.

    "Ayanna, what''s going on?" Cedric asked his sister.

 Chapter 253 - 253

    The previous night.

    Nicole waited patiently outside R Tower in her most lowkey car. It was a Porsche Cayenne who''s logos she had changed. Despite the logo of a moremon car brand any car enthusiast would know that the car in front of them was a luxury vehicle.??

    She was waiting for her boyfriend, Ian Lim, to get off work. They had agreed to go on a date today and promised to meet up at 8pm sharp. Nicole originally had an operation but she asked her brother to move it up so that she could make it to date night.

    She managed to cram two meetings prior to the operation and a board meeting after. She was so tired that her brother offered his driver to take her home, but she had other ns. What use was her cramming everything to an earlier time if she couldn''t meet up with her boyfriend.

    When she left Saints Hospital at 7:30pm Ian called her saying that he would need an extra thirty minutes. She didn''t mind the dy since she wanted to drive slowly and have enough time to fix herself in the car. She arrived at about 8:15pm and found a safe area to park at, that was an hour ago. It was already 9:15pm and Ian still hadn''te down. Nicole was rarely a patient woman, so she took out her phone and was about to tell him she was about to leave when he came running out of the office door.

    Nicole sighed as she drove up to him and he got in the car.

    "Hey Nic!" Ian happily greeted her as he ced a kiss on her lips. "Do you want me to drive?" Ian asked.

    "No. Let''s just get home. I''ll have the chef whip something up for us." Nicole said as she drove off.

    "Are you alright?" Ian asked in a tender tone.

    "I''m just tired." Nicole said with a sigh.

    "How was work today?" Ian''s voice was shaky and full of hesitation. He sensed that his girlfriend was not happy.

    "Well, since it was date night, I crammed two meetings in the morning, asked my brother to move up a politician''s operation, and had a board meeting." Nicole said in an angry tone.

    "Honey, you''re mad." Ian said as he stroked her hand.

    "No Ian, I''m not." Nicole was clearly mad.

    "Nic, you know I don''t control my work hours. Especially now that Cedric loaned me to his dad." Ian said in an attempt to exin the situation to Nicole.

    "I know it''s not your fault Ian." Nicole said, ending the conversation.

    They drove to Nicole''s home in silence. Out of the three Chan siblings it was only Nicole that went home here everyday. Miguel had moved to Cedric''s Mountain View Mansion guest house, while Eric often spent the night at Katerina''s despite the two houses being next to each other.

    When they arrived Ian ran up to open Nicole''s door and help her out. He took advantage of the situation and held her tightly. Ian was at least a head taller than Nicole so she rested her head on his shoulder.

    "I''m sorry, Nic. I really am trying." Ian whispered as he hugged her.

    Nicole sighed and didn''t say a word. She knew she should understand and not be mad at Ian, but she couldn''t help it, sometimes she felt like she was the only one making an effort to make their rtionship work.

    After a while, Ian finally released Nicole and they walked into the house. Nicole gave a maid some instructions, after which Ian lifted her and ced her on the couch.

    "Do you want to talk about it?" Ian asked.

    "No." Came Nicole''s reply.

    "You know when couples have issues they should talk about it." Ian said as he kissed her forehead.

    "Just drop it Ian." Nicole said not wanting to discuss her feelings any further.

    When the maid announced that dinner was served the couple ate in silence. Ian tried to get Nicole to talk multiple times but she just kept giving him one word replies.

    After eating Ian picked up Nicole and brought her up to her room.

    "Ian, put me down!" Nicole said furiously.

    "Nope." Ian said as he continued to cradle her.

    "Ian I''m not in the mood!" Nicole shouted.

    "Then tell me what''s bothering you." Ian said as he kicked open the door to Nicole''s room.

    "Do you really want to know?" Nicole asked in a raised tone.

    "Yes honey." Ian said tenderly as he ced her on the couch.

    He kissed her on the neck and left a trail of kisses till he ended up kissing her on the lips. Nicole reacted out of habit and kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck as they continued to make out.

    When their lips finally parted, Nicole found Ian grinning down at her.

    "This doesn''t make things better." Nicole said in an even more pissed off tone.

    "Then tell me what''s wrong." Ian said as he sat behind her and hugged her.

    "Not like this." Nicole said as she turned to face him.

    "Okay then talk." Ian said.

    "I''m frustrated." Nicole confessed.

    Ian raised an eyebrow at her. "But honey we do it so often -" Ian teased as he was cut off.

    "Not like that! You know what I mean!" Nicole shouted as she yfully pped his arm.

    "Ok, ok. I know what you mean." Ian said apologetically.

    "I feel like I''m the only one trying. I adjusted my schedule to meet yours. I waited for you for an hour. I keep making sacrifices for this rtionship to work." Nicole vented.

    "And you don''t think I''m making sacrifices too?" Ian was shocked with what Nicole just said.

    "No, I feel like I''m doing most of the work to make this rtionship, well, work!" Nicole said in a raised tone.

    "Well I''m sorry if I''m not some VP or some boss that has full control of their schedule! I actually work for someone who can fire me at any time!" Ian answered back.

    "Really? Really Ian? Do you think that it''s that easy for me to move my schedule around? You should know this better! I can''t tell a dying man to wait cause I have a date!" Nicole shouted.

    "I''m working my ass off for you Nicole! I''m doing all this so that someday your family can ept me!" Ian shouted back.

    "So it''s my fault now?!" Nicole asked. Ian refused to reply.

    "You know what? I never asked you to bring back your family''s former glory, that was all you Ian. That''s your greedy dream!" Nicole shouted. "I don''t have to deal with this!" Nicole said as she stormed out of the room.

    She walked down to the living room, picked up her bag and her keys to her pink sports car and drove away.

 Chapter 254 - 254

    Nicole drove to the bar Katerina had taken them to in the past. She parked her car at the entrance and changed from her rubber shoes to a pair of seductive stilettos. Before leaving the hospital that night she had changed to a ck dress for their date, it seemed she had actually dressed for a night at the club instead.

    When she walked up to the entrance the bouncer let her in and a manager greeted her. She waved him off and found a spot at the bar. She ordered a margarita and started drinking, at first some men tried to buy her a drink or get her to dance with them. Nicole was quite a beauty, she had light skin which contrasted perfectly with her jet ck hair. She had no intention of entertaining other men, she still loved Ian, she just wanted to clear her head.??

    "I never thought you were a bar kind of girl." A familiar voice said next to her. She sighed, she didn''t have any patience today to deal with people she knew. She just wanted to drink and get drunk in peace.

    Nicole looked at the man who had just spoken to her and she was surprised to see that it was Lucas, a former ssmate of hers whom she dated back in University then again in Med School, but nothing serious happened between them, he just asked her on a few dates that never turned out how Nicole had pictured them. He was one of the most popr boys in school, smart, rich, and good looking, to everyone he was theplete package. It was only natural that he dated the daughter of the most respected medical family around. During the time they dated people already assumed that the Chans would encourage Nicole to be with him, he fit their family perfectly. However, the thing with rtionships is that it goes beyond what others perceived.

    "I go out from time to time." Nicole said with a shrug, as she ordered another ss. The bartender eyed her suspiciously since it was her third ss of alcohol and he didn''t want to have to call a bouncer or the manager to figure out who to call for her.

    ???That''s odd, no bodyguards, no girl friends, and no overprotective brother. Are you out alone?" Lucas asked. He was quite familiar with the people who revolved around Nicole, she wasn''t showy about her wealth or her connections, but there was a bare minimum that had to be around her at all times.

    "It''s none of your business." Nicole said coldly. She didn''t want to talk to him, she wanted to be alone. She wanted to drink alone.

    "You can''t still be mad about before, Nicole." Lucas asked as he tilted his head. Nicole looked at his handsome face, there was no denying that Lucas was good looking, but she thought Ian still looked much better than him. She pushed away the thought of Ian, she was drinking so that she wouldn''t have to think of her boyfriend tonight. She didn''t want to say something identally that would hurt him or their rtionship. It was already on thin ice from the start because of her family, she couldn''t afford another blow to it.

    "That''s all in the past. I''m just not in the mood for one of your games." Nicole said, brushing him off.

    "But Nicole, you always liked my games." Lucas said with a grin.

    "Not tonight." Nicole said. "Leave." She warned.

    "Let me guess. Boy problems?" Lucas asked as he moved closer to Nicole, she reacted by moving away. Unfortunately the stool she was sitting on was unstable and it ended up tilting, she was sure she was going to fall when she was caught by Lucas'' strong arms. He helped her back up, but she moved the stool before sitting back on it.

    "I said it''s none of your business." Nicole hissed.

    "Oooohhh, I hit a sore spot. You always had really bad luck when it came to the opposite sex." Lucas said with a sexyugh. Nicole had to admit the way heughed was quite attractive. She saw several women in the bar checking him out as hisughter reached their ears. She wanted to shout at those women and tell them to take him away, she wasn''t in the mood to deal with him.

    "Why don''t you join me at my table over there. I promise to keep my hands to myself and behave." Lucas said as he raised his hands.

    Nicole hesitated and was about to reject his offer.

    "Look Nicole, it''s better than sitting here and having a hundred other guys try to buy you a drink or get you on the dance floor." Lucas said, grabbing her wrist. "You don''t know which of those men will insist and get physical. At least with me you''re safe." Lucas said as he stared into her eyes.

    Nicole sighed, Lucas had a point. "Fine." She finally said.

    Lucas smiled, picked up her drink, and walked her to the VIP couch.

    "So who''s the lucky guy?" Lucas asked.

    "No one you know." Nicole said.

    "So just a boy toy?" Lucas asked as he moved closer to Nicole.

    "No." Nicole answered.

    Lucas waved over a waiter who brought them some drinks, they were stronger than what Nicole was used to but she drank them anyway. She needed to rx, to destress. Her argument with Ian earlier was too heated.

    Nicole lost count of the number of sses she drank. She just sat on the couch with Lucas and swayed to the music.

    "Did I ever tell you how pretty you look when you''re dancing?" Lucas whispered.

    Nicole justughed at what he said, she just rolled her eyes and ignored his flirtatiousment.

    "I''m serious Nicole!" Lucas said.

    Nicole jumped as she felt Lucas wrap an arm around her waist. She squirmed to get out of his arms, but he pulled her closer. She felt his body press against hers, she knew she had made the wrong choice.

    "Lucas, N -" Before Nicole could tell him no, Lucas pressed his lips on hers.

    Nicole struggled to get out of his arms, but he was too strong for her. She felt him touch her as she continued to fight him off. His hand slipped under her skirt, Nicole gasped in shock and in disgust. She soon regretted her reaction as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, Nicole continued her struggle as he pressed his weight on her.

    No one came to her aid, in the midst of the loud music and shing lights Lucas made it seem like they were just a couple that couldn''t wait to get a room.

 Chapter 255 - 255

    After Nicole left Ian in her room he was confused for a while, he didn''t understand what he had done wrong. Why was she so mad? He was doing everything he could to make himself eptable to her family so that they could finally be together.

    He was in a trance for a good ten minutes before he finally realized that all his efforts didn''t matter if Nicole left him. He loved Nicole, he had never been with anyone before Nicole and he didn''t think he could be with anyone else. To him Nicole was it, Nicole was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, the woman he wanted to build a family with, the woman he wanted in his future, without her he had no future.??

    Ian rushed down in the hopes that she was just in the living room, when he found it empty he asked a maid where their mistress had gone. The maid told him that she had taken her pink sports car and driven away.

    Ian fetched his keys. His car was parked here since he had spent the previous night at Nicole''s as well. He drove around the Capital looking for the pink sports car. He hit his steering wheel out of frustration, how hard was it to find a pink sports car! It should have stuck out like a sore thumb.

    When he realized that it would take him all night to find the car he took out his phone and called someone. The person on the other end of the line got all the details and told him to wait five minutes. Ian parked his car at the side of the street and took out a cigarette. After a few puffs he threw it on the ground and stepped on it. He tried calling Nicole''s phone, but as expected she didn''t pick up.

    After exactly five minutes the person he had called earlier called him back.

    "She''s at an underground bar. The one where Katerina Sebastian caused quite a stir atst time." The person told Ian.

    "Thanks, I owe you another one man." Ian said, he was quite close to the person he was talking to.

    "No worries. Just don''t forget about me when you''re rich again." The person teased as he dropped the call.

    Ian quickly called Nicole''s head bodyguard. He was a young man and was aware of the rtionship between Ian and Nicole. Ian was worried that Nicole had gotten herself into trouble so he decided it was best to bring back up.

    By the time Ian got to the bar, the bodyguards had arrived as well. He spotted Nicole''s pink sports car parked at the entrance, he was now 100% sure that she was inside.

    "We''ll follow your lead." The head bodyguard said as they approached Ian.

    Ian simply nodded at them and marched into the bar. He looked around trying to find his girlfriend. His first instinct was to look at the people seated on stools by the bar, he scanned every face and was disappointed that she wasn''t among them. He signaled for the body guards to look at each of the private tables and couches.

    As he and the head bodyguard made their rounds he heard Nicole''s voice.

    "Lucas, N-" Ian immediately reacted when he heard that the voice was muffled, he searched in the general direction that he heard Nicole. It was quite dark and hard to figure out which table Nicole was in.

    Ian finally found the right one and he saw a man cing his hand up Nicole''s skirt. Ian immediately became furious and tore the other man off of Nicole and punched him multiple times until his nose bled.

    He handed the man over to Nicole''s bodyguards and went over to his sobbing girlfriend. He pulled Nicole into his arms in an attempt tofort her, Nicole cried and tried to push him away.

    "Nicole it''s me, you''re safe now. I''m sorry Nic. I''m so sorry. I love you." Ian whispered as he held her in his arms.

    "Take me away from here, please." Nicole cried.

    Ian nodded and carried her out of the bar.

    "Your keys?" Ian asked.

    "Bag." Came her short answer as she buried her head in his chest.

    Ian first ced Nicole in the passenger seat of his car and checked her, when he was sure that there were no injuries he hugged her again.

    "I''m sorry Nic. I''m here for you now." He said as he kissed her forehead. "Stay here. I''ll make sure everything is settled." Ian told her as he ced a gentle kiss on her hands.

    He got her bag and fished out her keys. He called a bodyguard over to keep Nicolepany and marched over to the head bodyguard to give instructions.

    "Take her car home. As for that man, ask Miguel or Eric. They have more right to decide what to do with him." Ian said.

    "Sir, I have Doctor Miguel on the phone, he wants to speak to you." The bodyguard said as he handed his phone over to Ian.

    "What the hell Ian!" Miguel shouted over the phone. "You''re supposed to be f**king taking care of my little sister! How did Lucas get to her?!" Miguel was furious.

    "We had a fight. She ran off to a bar. It''s not her fault, it''s mine. I''ll fix this." Ian said calmly.

    "You better. Give the phone back to the bodyguard, I''ll tell him how to deal with Lucas." Miguel said. Ian did as he asked and gave the phone back before leaving.

    By the time he got back to his car, Nicole was already asleep. Ian caressed her face and ced a kiss on her cheek before driving them home.

    He couldn''t bear to leave her that night, so he ced her on her bed and climbed in next to her, spooning her from behind.

    "Nicole, I''m so sorry, I shouldn''t have let you storm out." Ian whispered to his sleeping girlfriend.

    At first he couldn''t sleep so he kept apologizing to her, eventually sleep came and hugged Nicole tightly.

    Nicole was not only tired from the night before, she was also traumatized and drunk, so she spent the better part of the morning sleeping in Ian''s arms. She woke up for a bit but felt too tired to get up.

    After another hour she was finally well enough to get up. She suddenly remembered the previous night and pushed Ian off of her bed waking him.

    "Nicole, you''re up honey." Ian said with a smile on his face.

    "I''m mad at you!" Nicole shouted.

    "Nic, how are you feeling? I''m so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?" Ian asked as he approached her on bended knees.

    "No! Out of my room!" Nicole shouted.

    "Nic, don''t push me away please. I love you." Ian continued to beg.

 Chapter 256 - 256

    Despite all of Ian''s pleading he gave into Nicole''s request and left her room. He went down to ask the chef to prepare her breakfast, pancakes with chocte chips.

    As he waited for the food to be prepared, Ayanna came charging in with Ray and Cedric behind her. Ian could see the fury painted on her face as she walked up to him and pped him on the face.??

    Ian was stunned. Not even Nicole had pped him and yet here was Ayanna unafraid to hit him. Ian raised his hand and touched the sore spot where her hand hadnded, he was sure that it had turned red from the impact.

    "You f**king a**h*le!" Ayanna shouted at Ian.

    "Ayanna what''s going on?" Cedric asked as he pulled his sister off his assistant. Cedric was shocked at how his sister had reacted, she wasn''t the type of person to do anything violently to someone else.

    "Ask him. I''m going up to Nicole." Ayanna said as she ran up the stairs to Nicole''s room.

    "You''re lucky Veronica and Miguel left for Dubaist night, I swear a tongueshing from that one and you''ll wish Ayanna would just p you again." Ray said with augh. "What did you do?" Ray asked.

    Before Ian could answer however Katerina came marching in with Eric and Alexi trailing behind her. She looked at Ian and red at him.

    "She went to a bar again?" Katerina asked in calm demeanour.

    Ian just nodded and sighed.

    "Whatever happened it''s your fault." Katerina shook her head and went up to Nicole''s room. Thest to arrive was Natalia, shepletely ignored the boys and went up.

    "Woah, Natalia is that mad?" You could hear the shock in Alexi''s tone. "Do you know what happened?" Alexi asked Eric who was clearly struggling with his temper at the moment.

    "I do. Why do you think I haven''t said anything? I''m trying really hard not to punch Ian." Eric said with a shrug as he stayed as far away from Ian as possible. "I won''t hurt you just because my little sister loves you. If she didn''t I swear you wouldn''t be able to set foot in the Capital for hurting her."

    "Talk." Cedric said in a stern tone. He didn''t want to pick sides, Nicole was like a little sister to him, he had the urge to protect her just as he would Ayanna, but Ian was his best friend when he was undergoing poverty training, so he knew Ian wasn''t a bad person and he wouldn''t hurt Nicole willingly.

    "It''s my fault." Ian said with a sigh as he copsed on a chair. He recounted to the boys how they had gotten into a fight and Nicole stormed out and went to a bar. He told them about how he took his time in realizing his mistake before finally getting up and looking for her. When he realized she wasn''t at home he used his contacts to find her, luckily she had brought the pink sports car. He told them about how he had found Lucas forcing himself on Nicole and how Miguel had the bodyguards deal with Lucas.

    Just as Ian finished telling his story the chef brought over the pancakes Ian had asked for in a tray. Without waiting for the boys to react to his story, Ian carried the tray up and entered Nicole''s room.

    "Nic, have some breakfast." Ian said with a smile as he ced the tray on the bedside table.

    "Out!" Nicole shouted. "I don''t want to see you!"

    "Nic, I''m sorry. I really didn''t mean to fight you." Ian begged.

    "She said out Ian." Katerina said in a cold tone.

    "Yeah, and take your stuff with you." Natalia added.

    "You need to learn that our Nicole needs to be treasured." Ayanna said as she threw a bag at his direction. It was his clothes that Nicole insisted he leave behind since he spent a lot of nights at her house.

    "Nicole, can''t we talk about this?" Ian pleaded. "Nicole, I love you. And I''m sorry aboutst night. Please Nicole."

    "I need time away from you." Nicole said in a harsh very un-Nicole like tone.

    ???Nicole, it''s just a fight." Ian pleaded again.

    "Just a fight? Just a fight? Nicole almost got raped Ian!" Katerina shouted for Nicole. "Rape is not a joke, Ian. I expected so much more from you, the way both Cedric and Nicole spoke about you, I thought you were better than other men. We thought you were someone that actually deserved Nicole!"

    "Ian, leave." Nicole said, as she began to cry.

    "Nicole, honey, please." Ian begged again. "Nicole." Ian walked up and grabbed her hand and kissed it.

    Nicole simply shook her head and turned her back on him.

    "Please we have to talk this out Nicole. I can''t live without you." Ian begged.

    Nicole continued to ignore him as she pulled her hand away from him.

    "Ian, leave before I make you." Katerina threatened as she pointed towards the door.

    Ian left the room and descended the stairs a broken man. When Cedric saw this he was suddenly concerned.

    "What happened?" Cedric asked as Ian.

    "I don''t think Nicole wants to be with me anymore." Ian said, keeping his head down as he continued to walk towards the door.

    "Well if you can''t protect my sister, you don''t deserve her." Eric said in a cold and harsh tone.

    "Stay with the girls. I''ll talk to Ian." Cedric said as he went after his assistant and friend.

    As Ian reached for the doorknob his phone began to ring.

    "Yes?" Ian asked in a formal tone.

    "What!?" He shouted in shock, making the other boy jump in surprised.

    "Yes, I''m with the boss. Yes I''ll inform him." Ian responded quickly before dropping the call.

    At the same time Cami, who had been waiting in the car, ran in, looking as pale as Ian.

    "Did you hear?" She asked Ian.

    "Yes. I was about to tell Cedric." Ian said nervously.

    "Tell me what?" Cedric asked in a calm tone.

    "There was a major problem at the Tech Hub. A manmitted sucide on one of the buildings being built then the building across it had an explosion." Ian exined.

 Chapter 257 - 257

    "Do you need a moment?" Cedric asked Ian. He knew that it would be difficult for Ian to focus if he was distracted by his personal issues.

    "No sir. I can be professional about this." Ian said in a stern and cold manner.??

    "Cami, go get Ayanna, she won''t forgive me if I didn''t include her in this." Cedric said. Cami nodded and climbed the stairs.

    "What details do you have?" Cedric asked.

    "The employee thatmitted suicide shot himself on the roof top of the Saints psychiatric building, Nicole''s pet project." Ian recounted the information he was told over the phone. "The building that exploded right across it was an Elisia Mall."

    "Was anyone hurt?" Cedirc asked.

    "We have yet to confirm sir." Ian reported with a straight face. "Damien will be the lead on this sir."

    "Good. Make sure he keeps us in the loop." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I''ll have the underground keep their eyes and ears open as well." Ray said, injecting himself into the conversation.

    "Brother, I heard." Ayanna said as she ran down the stairs followed by Cami.

    "I knew you would want to be involved. I''m sorry Ayanna, but the building where the bomb went off was the Elisia Mall." Cedric exined to his sister as she ran up to hug him.

    "And the suicide?" Ayanna asked.

    "At the psych center." Cedric said somberly. Ayanna gasped at the news.

    "Poor Nicole, she''s worked so hard on this." Ayanna said sadly. "After everything that''s happened overnight, she doesn''t deserve this." Ayanna''sst statement was directed at Ian.

    "Let''s go to the office. I''ll need the Reyes Groups PR and legal team on this. Mor Co.''s team is too young to handle an issue like this one." Cedric said as he walked out followed by Ayanna, Ian, and Cami.

    "Watch over Nicole." Ayanna called out to the boys who were left behind.

    "I''ll call when I have news." Ray called out.

    In the car both Ian and Cami were on the phone with different people trying to organize Mor Co.''s reaction to the events.

    Cedric on the other hand called Ram and ced him on speaker.

    "Have you heard?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "I did. I couldn''t suppress it. It''s news Cedric." Ram said apologetically. There were still some things that the public had to know and they had no control over.

    "It''s fine, I understand. I just need the public to know that we are doing something." Cedric said.

    "Will you give out details?" Ram asked over the phone.

    "We''ll give what we can withoutpromising the investigation." Cedric assured his friend. "7pm tonight. We''ll have a press conference."

    "You''ll do it?" Ram asked.

    "I should." Cedric said with a stern tone.

    When Cedric and Ayanna arrived at Mor Co. everyone was in a panic. The employees were gossiping amongst themselves and the directors were pacing across their offices. They had all at one point seen their bosses temper, he was smart, cold, and calcting, a far cry from who he was in private.

    Cedric saw that his people were uneasy, so he asked Ian and Cami to call all the directors to his office and then set for a general assembly at Mor Co.''s lobby. The pair quickly sprang into action and did as Cedric asked.

    Before Cedrc could even take a seat, Ian announced that the PR and Legal team from the Reyes Group had already arrived. Cedric nodded and told Ian to take them to the meeting room.

    When Cedric and Ayanna arrived the PR and Legal team were ready, since they had brought along members who weren''t privy to Cedric''s real identity Cedric kept his disguise on. He sat at the head of the table while Ayanna sat to his right.

    "This is what we know so far." Cedric began. "A construction workermitted suicide on the top floor of the Saints Psychiatric Center in the Tech Hub by shooting himself on the head by the ledge, after which his body fell ten stories down to the ground, a few seconds after an explosive went off in the Elisia Mall across the street that was being constructed."

    "Sir, do we know if anyone else was harmed?" The chief legal officer asked.

    "Yes, there were a few injuries from the explosion, luckily the team that was supposed to work on the area arrivedte due to one of them celebrating his birthday." Cedric exined.

    "And the status of the Elisia Mall building?" The PR head asked.

    "The building copsed." Ayanna said. Cedric tried to read her emotion on what had happened, but Ayanna hid it well. Cedric knew that this particr mall meant a lot to her, not only would it be located at the Mor Co. Tech Hub, but it was designed by Veronica and would be ced across Nicole''s building, the girls had hand picked all of the retailers that would be allowed to put up shop inside, and at the center of the mall would be an Ind???s Inc. gship store, it was going to be Ayanna''s surprise to her sister-inw Adrianna.. Beyond the structure and the business implications, it had an emotional significance to the sisters.

    "The police have begun an investigation. They ced Capt. Damien Park in charge of the investigation." Cedric announced.

    "Do we have any information on the Captain?" The PR head asked.

    "Yes. Capt. Damien is the youngest graduate ever of the police academy, he took further studies in America, China, Japan, and Korea due to his multicultural lineage. He was given the choice to either pursue a career here or in his father''s home country, he felt he was needed here more so he decided to stay. He is a well respected serviceman and is rumored to be eyed as the future chief police." Cedric said as he recalled from memory Damien''s qualifications. "He is also a close friend of Ian Lim, my personal assistant."

    "Won''t the rtionship between them cause any conflict of interest?" The PR head asked. The question was directed more to the legal department rather than Cedric.

    "No. Mr. Lim is currently, on paper, Mr. Emilio Reyes III''s assistant and an employee of the Reyes Group not of Mor Co." The head Legal officer announced.

    "And I know Damien will be fair with this matter." Cedric said with a nod. "Prepare everything you need. I want the press to hear our side of things by 7pm tonight." Cedric announced.

    The legal and PR teams left soon after Cedric dismissed them. Cami came in with a cup of tea for each of the siblings. Both Ian and Cami knew that in stressful situations they prefered to take tea over coffee.

    "How are you holding up?" Cedric asked his sister as he took off his disguise. His next meeting would be with the department directors who all knew his real identity.

    "I want to cry, but I can''t." Ayanna said with a sad face.

    "We''ll figure this out." Cedric said as he gave Ayanna a reassuring nod.

 Chapter 258 - 258

    During the meeting with the department directors Cedric repeated the information he had just provided to the PR and Legal representatives from the Reyes Group. They all nodded as they took in more information about what had just happened.

    "Look, I know this is quite the blow." Cedric said calmly in a parent-like tone. He felt like he was a father telling his child to calm down and reassess the situation. "I need all of you to focus on what needs to be done. We can''t change anything, what''s done is done, all we can do now is get up and move forward. Talk to your teams and find out what is bothering them, if you have the answers, reassure them, if you don''t inform Cami or Ian. I will make sure that they are addressed as well as I can during the assemblyter." Cedric announced.??

    All of the department directors nodded in acknowledgement.

    "You have an hour to talk to them, at 5pm sharp we will have thepanywide assembly at the lobby." Cedric announced before finally dismissing everyone.

    After his meetings Cedric and Ayanna went to rest for a bit at his office. They had rested for barely five minutes when Cedric''s phone began to ring, it was their father, Emilio Reyes.

    "Yes dad." Cedric said as he picked up the phone and ced it on speaker.

    "How are you holding up? How is Ayanna? Do you need help?" Emilio Reyes asked quite frantically.

    "We''re fine dad." Ayanna said as she moved closer.

    "Dad, don''t worry. We can handle it. What use is cing me in a smallpany first if you won''t let me handle the problems." Cedric reminded his father over the phone.

    "Alright, alright. Call if you need anything." Emilio Reyes said before saying goodbye and dropping the call.

    As if on cue, Ian knocked to inform Cedric that Capt. Damien had arrived. Cedric fixed himself and ced on his disguise while Ayanna moved from the couch to stand behind her brother. Cedric nodded and Ian let the police officer in.

    "Captain." Cedric greeted as he extended his arm to shake the man''s hand.

    "It''s an honor to meet you Mr. Reyes. Ian has told me a lot about you." Capt. Damien said as he shook Cedric''s hand.

    "Miss Reyes, you seem to have be prettier than when Ist saw you." Capt. Damien saidplementing Ayanna.

    "Be careful Captain, she''s engaged." Cedric teased.

    "Ah yes. My congrattions to you and Mr. Laurence." Capt. Damien said with a nod.

    "Please sit. Let''s get down to business." Cedric said pointing to the couch as he transferred to the head with Ayanna on his right and the captain to his left.

    Ian soon came in with tea for the siblings and a cup of coffee for the guest.

    "We will assist in the investigation in any way possible." Cedric assured the policeman.

    "I''m pleased to hear that sir. I hope you will keep your lines open should we have any questions." Captain Damien said. He then proceeded to ask Cedric some questions about the property and the ongoing developments. He asked about the security on the site as well as about the working standards of the workers in the Tech Hub.

    Cedric confidently answered each and every question, by the time they were done, Cedric realized that it was already 4:30pm and almost time for the assembly. He and Ayanna walked the captain out the door handing him his and Ayanna''s business card.

    After the police officer left Cami and Ayanna''s assistant entered with food. Cedric hadpletely forgotten that they had missed lunch.

    "How do Ian and Capt. Damien know each other?" Ayanna asked.

    "They grew up as neighbors. Capt. Damien is from a family of military and police officials, so they were quite well off. He even went to the same school as us." Cedric replied as he ced a spoonful of food in his mouth.

    "How close are they?" Ayanna asked.

    "Who do you think found Nicolest night?" Cedric said with augh. He was sure that Damien had tapped even his father''s men to help Ian. They were childhood friends and helped each other whenever they could, just like Cedric and the other princes.

    At 4:55pm all the employees of Mor Co. had already gathered at the lobby, Cedric had chairs prepared so that the employees could sitfortably while he made his announcement.

    At 5pm Cedric and Ayanna climbed up the stage and Cedric stood behind the podium.

    "I know you have a lot of questions, and I know a lot of you are even scared." Cedric began. He heard the crowd murmur in agreement. "Transparency has been my policy from the very beginning, I tell you what''s going on and you give me your trust. So I will be transparent with the events at the Tech Hub." Cedric exined to the employees.

    "At 12:30pm today and unfortunate incident happened at the Tech Hub, a man working on the construction of the Mor Co. factories climbed to the top of the unfinished Saints Psychiatric Facility. He took his own life and fell ten stories to the street." Cedric paused in respect for the man that had passed away. "Almostsimultaneously a bomb went off at the Elisia Mall that was being constructed across the street. As of this moment we are unaware of any rtionship between the two incidents. There were a few minor injuries due to the explosion, luckily there was no one around at the time so there were no fatalities except for the man whomited suicide."

    As Cedric said thest word the employees began to speak among themselves discussing what Cedric had just told them.

    "As you have all been told we will take your questions and try to answer them as much as we can. We hope you will all understand that since this is still an ongoing investigation there are some details we cannot share as well as some questions we cannot answer." Cedric nodded to Cami who brought a mic to the center of the audience.

    At first people were hesitant to stand up and ask, after all, where had you heard of a CEO offering an exnation to his employees, opening himself up to be questioned.

 Chapter 259 - 259

    The general assembly ended at 5:30pm, aside from telling the employees what they knew Cedric also answered their questions and, to their surprise, even asked what they would want from thepany to feel assured.

    At first people were hesitant to speak out, but as the assembly progressed more and more employees found their voices. Some of the suggestions Cedric would do, most were quite smart and logical suggestions, the others made sense but Cedric felt that they might be too much.??

    After it all the employees left calmer than when they arrived.

    Ian sat at his desk, sighed and massaged his temples, he could feel a headacheing up.

    "You should tell boss that you aren''t feeling well." Cami said as she returned to her desk. They had been running around all day, talking to different people, and arranging meetings for Cedric.

    "No I need this. I need to keep my mind off things." Ian said as he turned hisptop back on.

    "Cut yourself some ck Ian. You came from one shit storm to be met by another shit storm. You can take a breather." Cami said as she took Ian''sptop away. "Our boss is understanding, he''ll let you take the rest of the day off."

    Ian smiled weakly at Cami. "Give me back myptop."

    Cami shook her head and ced theptop back on his desk.

    "As I said. I don''t want to think about the first problem, so I''ll focus on this one." Ian exined turning theptop back on.

    "The girls are right you know, it is your fault." Cami said.

    "I know." Ian sighed.

    "But I think Nicole''s reaction to your fight was a bit too much. I understand her fears and trauma afterst night, but she shouldn''t have stormed off like that and gone to a bar." Cami exined.

    "It''s been hard to gauge her emotionstely. I mean I''ve never had a girlfriend so I really can''t tell." Ian said as he typed away on hisptop.

    "You need to make her feel like she''s the most important thing in your life. Make an effort for her. Look atboss, even if he was extremely busy with the problem today he still found the time to call his wife and assure her that everything was fine." Cami advised. "Just take the junior boss offered. He did say to speak up if we needed help, he wouldn''t be against the idea of extra hands." Cami said with a shrug.

    Inside Cedric''s office Ayanna was on the phone with several important people from Elisia Malls. Even if the matter had happened in the Mor Co. Tech Hub and Mor Co. had taken the brunt of the me and rumors after the press conference tonight people would learn that the building that exploded was that of Elisia Malls.

    "I don''t understand why anyone would target Elisia Malls and Saints at the same time." Ayanna shouted in frustration.

    "We aren''t sure that you or Nicole were targeted." Cedric reminded his sister.

    "Cedric, it''s painfully obvious. The two projects were more than just business to us." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes at him. Sometimes her attitude annoyed Cedric and he would scold her, but today he decided not to, she was suffering a much bigger loss than him.

    "I know that the Psych Center was Nicole''s passion project and that all five of you ced your heart into the Elisia Mall, but Ayanna, you cannot go around making false usations. Even if it targeted you, you don''t even have a suspect." Cedric said calmly.

    "Many women want us gone. You know as well as I how many rich heiresses want Ray for themselves, and don''t rule out the fact the Cthea and the Carpio family defied your orders. They should know better." Ayanna spat, clearly pissed off with being in the dark as to who had attacked them.

    "I don''t think any of those heiresses would go as far as doing this." Cedric said with a serious look on his face. "As for Cthea and the Carpio family, if there was anyone they were targeting they should have gone after Katerina, she''s after Eric anyway, not Ray." Cedric shrugged.

    "Sir." Ian entered. "Damien said there was a development in the case."

    Ian ced a phone on the table and ced it on speaker mode.

    "Damien, I''m with Mr. Reyes and Miss Reyes." Ian informed the person at the other end of the line.

    "Sir, Ma''am." Capt. Damien Park greeted. "We have some findings we would like to discuss with you. We discovered that the man whomitted suicide was the same man that nted and detonated the bomb. He was employed under one of the external contractors hired to build the apartments for the Mor Co. employees. He hade into work at 5AM that day and his shift was already over when hemitted the act."

    "I don''t mean any disrespect, but Capt. Park, the bomb went off after he died. It''s not possible to time something that urately." Ayanna said.

    "You are right Miss Reyes, you cannot. But the perpetrator used a special trigger that only detonates the bomb when the pressure is lifted from the trigger. We think the bomb was supposed to go off moments after the man shot himself, but the pressure was only released after he fell to the ground." Capt. Damien exined.

    "Do you know why he did this?" Cedric asked.

    "Not yet Mr. Reyes, all we know is he possibly did not act alone. We are heading over to speak to his wife, he left a wife and a one year old son, he was also diagnosed with an incurable disease, he only had at most a year since he couldn''t afford the treatment. ording to our investigation he had a lot of debts and a lot of people had already threatened to use his wife and son to work them off. We think that someone may have bribed or ckmailed him into doing this." Capt. Damien said over the phone. "Sir, I am well aware that you are possibly connected to the King of the Underworld, we are asking that you hold off a personal investigation and let the authorities go after the perpetrators."

    Cedric looked up at Ayanna and gave her a warning look, his sister nodded in acknowledgement.

    "Rest assured Capt. Damien that only the police will be investigating this matter." Cedric said.

    "That''s good to hear sir. Oh before I forget, we would prefer that if you kept the press in the dark on the name of the man whomitted the sucide as well as on the fact that we are looking into him." Capt. Damien told Cedric.

    "Very well Capt., thank you." Cedric said, dropping the call.

    "Does he know it''s Ray?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "No." Came Ian''s quick reply. "Before this case they had built a special task force to identify who really was running the underworld, heined that witness descriptions of the King keep changing."

    "Good." Cedric said with a nod. "Tell Ray to do nothing. He will be too close to being identified if he investigates this." Cedric told his sister.

    "On it.??? Ayanna said as she called her fiance.

 Chapter 260 - 260

    When Mor Co. and the Reyes Group announced that they would be holding a press conference at the Mor Co. building many members of the press were surprised. They had expected the Reyes Group to keep the investigation a secret for a little while longer since it would definitely hit their stock prices as well as their sales.

    When the members of the media approached the building they were surprised to find many of the employees standing outside, they were holding a vigil. The reporters were puzzled, it was normal to light candles for the deceased but to have the employees still standing outside with candles in hand.??

    A reporter approached one employee and asked why they were still there.

    "Oh, well, we all just decided to pray for the man that died and for the Reyes family. It wasn''t their fault but people all over the inte have been ming them." The employee said.

    "Yeah. The president treats us really well and you can ask any Reyes Group employee, it''s great to work for them." Another employee who had been listening in said.

    "So this is for them and the employee that died." The reporter said slowly.

    "Yup. We even asked different spiritual leaders so that no matter what your faith was you could join the prayer." The employee said with a nod.

    "You must really trust the Reyes Family." The reporter said.

    "Yes, we do." The employees all said together.

    Inside the Mor Co. building Cedric and Ayanna had no idea that the employees had held a gathering outside, Cedric was currently sitting with the head of PR and the chief legal counsel of the Reyes Group as they reviewed the statement he was about to read.

    "I don''t agree with saying that part." Came Katerina''s voice over the phone. It was only logical that Cedric would tap the best legal mind in the world.

    "Miss Sebastian, with all due respect if you let Mr. Reyes say that it will sound better to the public." The PR head exined.

    Katerina sighed. "Look, you might be after what will look good, but I''m after making someone who is like an older brother to me doesn''t end up in jail. Doesn''t that look better?" Katerina said sarcastically.

    The PR head was stunned she had worked with Katerina Sebastian in the past but never received this attitude.

    "Do as Katerina says." Cedric said in a stern voice. "If that''s it you can leave."

    The PR head and chief legal counsel bowed and left.

    "Cedric." Katerina said over the phone.

    "Out with it Katerina." Cedric said, he could sense the hesitation in her tone.

    "Nicole doesn''t know what happened yet." Katerina exined. "She''s been in her room crying all day. Miguel and Eric are doing their best to prepare things but the work Eric can do is limited to things behind the scenes and Miguel still on a ne back."

    "What do you want me to do?" Cedric asked.

    "Represent Saints for a while, at least till Miguelnds and get caught up with everything, and please send Ian over. I think he''s the only one that can get to Nicole." Katerina pleaded.

    "Why didn''t Eric ask me this himself?" Cedric asked with a sigh. "But of course I''ll do it. And on Ian, you girls were the ones that sent him out, now you want me to send him back?"

    "We were wrong." Katerina admitted.

    "I''ll talk to Ian." Cedric promised as he dropped the call.

    Soon after he ended the call with Katerina his phone rang again, this time it was Ram.

    "I already asked Ian to send you the details haven''t you gotten it yet?" Cedric asked as he picked up the call.

    "I''m not calling about that. Please tell me this was staged? Because if not it''s too beautiful!" Ram asked his friend.

    "What are you talking about? A sucicide and a bombing is never beautiful." Cedricplined.

    "Not that. I guess you didn''t stage this. Turn on your TV." Ram said, rushing his friend.

    Cedric was greeted by an image of the employees holding vigil outside of the Mor Co. building, ording to the reporter they were there for two things, to pray for the employee that died and to pray for the well being of the Reyes family.

    Ayanna gasped as she saw the report, never in her years at the Reyes Group had she seen employees react this way.

    "Brother, this isn''t nned?" Ayanna asked.

    "No." Cedric said.

    "I''ve never seen people react to a scandal quite like this. Whatever you''re doing, keep at it." Ramplemented as he dropped the call.

    When 7pm finally rolled by Cedric was apanied by Ayanna to face the press. The first thing he did was to thank his employees who were standing outside. He then calmly and efficiently recounted to them everything as nned. He kept information he thought crucial to the investigation a secret. When he was done he opened the floor to questions, he knew this would be the more difficult part.

    "Sir." A reporter said as she stood by the microphone. "People are saying that the scene outside was staged by you and by yourpany. What do you have to say about this?"

    "The public can say what it wants and assume what it wants, in this matter I have only one thing to say, thank you." Cedric''s answer shocked everyone, they expected a defence or a denial, instead Cedric chose to thank his employees.

    "Sir, are the rumors true that the bombing and the suicide are rted?" Another reporter asked.

    "As of now we do not have proof that points to a concrete answer. The police are currently investigating this and we will give you an answer when we have one." Cedric confidently promised.

    "Mr. Reyes, aside from the Reyes Group, Saints Hospital was also involved in this issue, why are there no representatives from their end?" A male reporter asked.

    "I''m sure you all understand that saving lives is more important than attending a press conference, I am sure I can answer for both mypany and the Saints Group." Cedric answered, he was purposely insinuating that both Miguel and Nicole were in the middle of a life saving operation.

    "Is it true that the true target of the bombing and the suicide were Ayanna Reyes and Nicole Chan, and that you were only coteral damage?" A reporter asked.

    This time it wasn''t Cedric that answered, it was Ayanna that took the tform. "As my brother mentioned we do not have conclusive evidence to say who the target was or why, please do not jump into conclusions."

    "Miss Ayanna, ording to inte rumors this was done by a woman out of spite, do you have ament on that?" The reporter further asked.

    "Yes, yes I do have ament." Ayanna said. Cedric looked intently at his sister, he knew she would never say anything improper in front of the press, but that didn''t stop him from worrying. "I suggest that people focus more on what is in the facts rather than their guesses. I would rather, that people talk about the cause of suicide and it''s rming rates rather than which woman is jealous of my new shoes."

    Cedric breathed a sigh of relief, it wasn''t a scripted reply nor was it an emotional one, it was the perfect response to him. Anything else and people would have continued to specte that jealousy was the reason behind the events.

    "That''s all the time we have for questions. Thank you for attending." The PR head finally said as Cedric and Ayanna went back up to Cedric''s office.

 Chapter 261 - 261

    Cedric called Ian to his office as soon as they arrived back.

    "Ian, talk to her." Cedric said with a sigh.??

    "With all due respect sir, I''m needed here." Ian said refusing to do as Cedric asked.

    "Drop the sir. I''m talking to you about a very personal issue." Cedric scolded. "There is nothing left to do Ian. We''ve already handled the press and the police, the investigation is going smoothly, and we''ve already assured the employees. Go to your girlfriend."

    "Cedric, you ced me in charge of the Mor Co. Tech Hub, I have to see the next steps through." Ian exined.

    "Ian, by my estimates we won''t be able to continue construction or developments until this case is solved, that will take another month at least. We have time." Cedric said more sternly.

    "Ian, do as my brother says." Ayanna said, joining the conversation. "Nicole needs you. She doesn''t even know about what is happening." Ayanna said with a sigh.

    "You girls threw me out." Ian argued.

    "And we were wrong. Nicole needs you now more than ever. Go to her." Ayanna urged.

    "I can give you a few days off." Cedric told his assistant.

    "That''s too much, Cedric." Ian said with a frown.

    "I can''t have my right hand man distracted. No matter what you say or how professional you are, you cannot push an issue like this away." Cedric warned."Besides, Cami is there."

    From the look on Ian''s face Cedric knew that Ian would give into what he asked. Ian simply turned and left Cedric''s office.

    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Ayanna asked.

    "That means he''ll do as we asked." Cedric said as he sat behind his desk and rested his eyes.

    "Brother, there is something I need to talk to you about." Ayanna said hesitantly.

    Cedric wasn''t in the mood, but Ayanna seemed afraid so he nodded and let her speak.

    "I''ve analyzed peoples'' opinion on what happened at the Tech Hub, and I think, if this case doesn''t get solved in the next two months Ray and I will need to move our wedding back." Ayanna said as she fidgeted.

    "We''ll talk about this when we get to that point." Cedric said with a sigh. "I don''t want you and Ray to think that your wedding needs to be aligned with other people''s opinions. This wedding is about the two of you. It doesn''t matter if you have a big one or a small one, what matters is that it''s between you and Ray."

    Cedric and Ayanna went home that night clearly exhausted. When Adrianna saw her husband in the state that he was she became worried.

    "Maybe you should ask dad to help you out." Adrianna suggested. She had heard from their mother-inw that Emilio Reyes had offered to help their son and Cedric rejected.

    "It''s nothing I can''t handle dear." Cedric said as he pulled her into his arms.

    "I was worried about you today." Adrianna said as she looked up from his embrace. "I was worried they would try to target you again." Adrianna hugged Cedric tightly.

    "No one can take me away from you and little Emilio." Cedric said as he kissed his wife passionately.

    "I thought you were tired." Adrianna said with a giggle as Cedric picked her up bridal style and ced her on the bed.

    His answer came in the form of a kiss, it was hungry, passionate, and needy. He needed his wife, he needed to feel her, to kiss her, to hold her. His day had been long, it began with Ayanna needing another opinion on food and ended up with a bombing and a suicide.

    With every kiss he nted he felt like he was being energized, exciting him. After today he needed this, he needed his wife.

    Two dayster Nicole, apanied by Miguel, showed up at Mor Co. Ian had already returned to work today and ording to him he and Nicole had agreed to work things out. When he had broken the news to her about the events at the Tech Hub the woman broke down in tears.

    Ayanna excitedly hugged her friend as they entered Cedric''s office. Ever since the incident she had been spending her work hours here rather than at her office at R Tower. When Cedric told her that she should be at her office in R Tower she shrugged and said that if there were any problems in the Reyes Group there were more than enough Reyeses there to handle it. So Cedric gave in and let his sister stay.

    "Are there any developments?" A more confident Nicole asked.

    "Capt. Damien Park called me earlier today. They finally found the man''s family. His wife admitted that there were people after them, she said it was because of their debt. Both she and her husband had dropped out at the 4th grade and had very little education, as a result they struggled to find work. Her husband''s father was a gambler and a drunkard, when he diedst year all of his debts fell on them, on top of that their son got sick and they had to borrow money in order to pay for hospital fees." Cedric exined as he recalled the details.

    "How is their son now?" Miguel asked.

    "I knew you would ask this, the son has a rare disease, he''s barely surviving. I''ve already asked Capt. Damien to send you the details." Cedric told Miguel.

    "Have him send the boy and the mother to Saints. I''ll run them through some tests." Miguel had decided to offer any help needed to the man''s family. The man may have chosen his fate but his family did not. They were victims too.

    "They sent the man''s profile to a psychologist and they found evidence of depression, it is possible that he really had ns of taking his life." Cedric continued to tell Miguel and Nicole about the report.

    "Sir, you need to see this." Ian said as he entered with a tablet in hand.

    Cedric nodded and took the tablet, he scrolled through the article on the screen, his expression did not change. He handed it over to Nicole and Miguel for them to take a look.

    While Nicole and Miguel were reading through the article Ram called Cedric.

    "Have you seen it? I swear I can''t control this one." Ram said over the phone.

    "Wait, let me put you on speaker." Cedric said as he ced his phone on the desk. "I''m here with Ayanna, Miguel, and Nicole."

    "The article was released by a news outlet that we''ve beenpeting against for years. I don''t know how they got that information." Ram exined.

    "Bastards." Miguel cursed. "But this isn''t true, the man was not deranged and what are they saying about it being poetry that hemitted suicide on the Psych Center."

    "I''ll have a counter article released, Cedric can you give me capt. Damien''s contact, I''ll have a reporter interview him for the details." Ram was always the best at mitigating issues like this.

    "Make sure it doesn''t harm yourpany." Cedric warned, he knew his friends had the tendency to do too much.

    "Trust me on this bro." Ram said dropping the call.

 Chapter 262 - 262

    After Cedric had that conversation with Ram, Abad Network and several of its affiliates released an interview with Capt. Damien Park. In an interesting turn of events the article not only made it clear that the previous article was insensitive and in breach of an existing investigation, it made Capt. Damien Park, an overnight celebrity, women were swooning over the half foreign police officer.

    Two weeks passed and Cedric thought that the public would forget about the incident, but it remained a hot topic all over the inte. Capt. Damien continued to give Cedric updates on the investigation every other day.??

    "I don''t think they''ll be able to make any significant progress soon." Cedric told Ian and Cami as he ced the tablet gently on the table. "I suggest we return to normal operations."

    "How about the Tech Hub sir?" Ian asked. Cedric had ced him in charge of the project and it was something he had every intention of seeing through.

    "We can only n. We can''t begin to rebuild until this investigationes to a close." Cedric informed Ian. "Go back to R Tower to work for my dad, and take this time to straighten your personal affairs."

    "Sir, I suggest hiring a junior for Ian." Cami said. "I hope you do not see us as incapable but the workload is really too much for just the two of us. Aside from the regr Mor Co. affairs we also have the expansion to handle and several Reyes Group interests."

    "You should have told me sooner." Cedric said with a sigh. "But I assumed as much since Ian and Nicole had that fight. Inform the HR department to hire two new members. I will assign one for each of you. I expect that you will both hire only the best."

    The pair nodded and left. Cedric decided to let everyone rest early today so he asked Cami to send out a memo informing all employees that work today would only be half a day, but their pay would still remain.

    When the memo went out the employees celebrated, ever since the incident there had been an added pressure on all of them and this treat was weed break.

    Ian did as Cedric told him and drove to Saints Hospital, he knew that Nicole had an operation and would be done with work a little bit after lunch. He was sure she would be hungry after so he picked up take out from her favorite restaurant and went to her office.

    Nicole''s assistant knew who Ian was and happily greeted him when he arrived, he had the take out in one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other.

    "Is the operation done?" Ian asked.

    "Not yet Mr. Lim." The assistant said.

    "Does she have anything else on her te today?" Ian said as he tried to peak at Nicole''s schedule.

    "Nothing after her operation." The assistant answered as she checked Nicole''s schedule.

    "Great. I''ll wait for her inside. Don''t tell her I''m here." Ian said with a wink as he entered Nicole''s office.

    He went in and ced the food and flowers on a table. He noticed that her desk was a little bit messy so he decided to straighten it out a bit for her. Even after fixing the documents on the desk Nicole had not yet returned so Ian decided to sit on the couch and get some work done. He took out hisptop and started replying to some emails he received earlier that day.

    Five minutester Ian could hear Nicole''s voiceing from the otherside of the door. It sounded like she was giving instructions to her assistant. Ian quickly put aside hisptop and picked up the flowers.

    When Nicole entered she jumped in surprise.

    "Hey Nic." Ian said with a wink. Despite their recent fight he managed to convince Nicole not to push him away, but the couple had yet to talk about the issue that caused the fight.

    "You should have called." Nicole said as she closed the door behind her. "Doesn''t Cedric have any work for you today?''

    "Nope." Ian said, handing her the flowers and giving her a light peck on the lips. Nicole flinched a little but not as much as right after the incident at the bar. "Cedric gave everyone the rest of the day off. So I grabbed some take out and came here."

    "That''s sweet of you." Nicole said as she tried to hide her blush.

    "Nic, why don''t you eat your food then we can go to the park and talk." Ian suggested.

    "The park is too public, let''s just go home." Nicole said, shaking her head.

    "Alright, whatever you want." Ian said as he kissed her on the forehead.

    Ian watched as Nicole slowly ate her food. "Are you alright?" Ian asked. "Normally you would inhale this." He teased.

    "Just tired from the operation. Do you have any idea how unappetizing it is to see Miguel open up a person''s body." Nicole said as she made fake vomiting sounds.

    "I guess that isn''t the best sight." Ianughed.

    "I''ll just eat this at home." Nicole said as she returned the lid on the food. She picked up her keys and tossed it to Ian. "Ask my bodyguard to drive my car home. You can take me home tonight." Nicole said with a wink.

    Ianughed and kissed her. This time his kiss was a little bit more passionate but it was still slow, as if he was trying to savor every moment.

    "Aren''t you worried that someone might see us walking out together?" Ian asked.

    "The elders aren''t here. They are trying to suck up to Uncle Emilio and Uncle Benedicto for more funding." Nicole said with augh.

    "Alright. Meet me at the front in five minutes." Ian said as he picked up the food he had brought.

    "I''ll be there." Nicole said with a smile as Ian left.

    Ian found Nicole''s head bodyguard waiting at the entrance of the hospital. He handed him Nicole''s keys and gave him instructions, after which he walked over to the parking lot to get his car.

    When he arrived at the entrance he saw a smiling Nicole looking at the flowers he had brought her. He watched as several female passersby looked with envy at the bouquet in Nicole''s arms. Some women even nudged their malepanions as if telling them to get them one as well. He couldn''t help but smile, he wanted Nicole to be the envy of other women, he wanted to shower her with love and happiness.

    Unwillingly Ian honked his car''s horn to grab Nicole''s attention, when she saw his car she smiled and walked up to. Ian quickly got off and opened the car door for her and helped her in. He ced a hand over her head to make sure she didn''t hit her head on the car.

 Chapter 263 - 263

    On the drive home Nicole sang to the songs yed over Ian''s car speakers, when they started dating Ian took note of her favorite songs and built a ylist he would use whenever she was in his car. In between songs Nicole would smile up at him and tell him about her day, today was quite hectic for her, they had one scheduled operation and another emergency operation. On top of this Nicole had her duties as the VP of Saints Hospital so today she met with the finance and operations departments to see what they could improve.

    Ian listened patiently as he drove them home. When they arrived they were greeted by the maids the Chan siblings hired. He handed her the food and she quickly transferred it to a bowl and a te.??

    "Do you have your appetite back?" Ian asked as he nudged the food towards Nicole.

    "Yup!" Nicole happily said as she ate the food Ian brought.

    "Nicole, I was wondering if we could talk about us now?" Ian asked.

    "Sure." Nicole said with a nod. "Let me finish eating first."

    "Okay, I''ll have a maid put the flowers in a vase. Where do you want it?" Ian asked.

    "Hmmm, in my home office." Nicole said. Ian nodded and brought the bouquet over to the maid who prepared it as he asked and brought it up to Nicole''s office.

    By the time Ian got back Nicole was done with her lunch and smiling.

    "Where do you want to talk?" Ian asked.

    "Let''s talk in my room." Nicole said as she let him up the stairs into her room.

    "So what do you want to talk about?" Nicole asked, tilting her head to the side.

    "I want to talk about our fight." Ian said as he reached for her hand and held it tightly. "Nicole, I''m really sorry about what I said. This isn''t your fault, you''re right, this is a dream I''ve been chasing since my family lost everything and it was wrong of me to say I needed to do this for you."

    "Ian I''m at fault too." Nicole said with a sigh. "I should have understood that you don''t have control over your time the way I do. I should have been more understanding. I don''t know if it''s the stress or the pressure that got into me, I just snapped." Nicole said with a sad look in her eyes.

    Ian cupped Nicole''s face in his hands and looked into her eyes. He looked at his beautiful girlfriend''s face. He gently kissed her forehead, nose, then lips.

    "Nicole, I promise to put you first always." Ian said as he kissed her deeply. He felt Nicole kiss him back, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Ian ced his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Nicole was like a drug he would never get enough of, he was addicted to her for life.

    Nicole eventually broke off the kiss and looked nervous.

    "Nic, what''s wrong?" Ian asked as he pushed a stray hair behind her ear.

    "I''m not ready to do anything too intimate again yet." Nicole said. Ian could hear the hesitation in her voice. Was she worried that if she didn''t give him this he would be mad? Surely by now she knew that to Ian she was the priority, what she wanted and what she felt would alwayse first to him.

    "Nicole, I''m willing to do whatever you want and whatever it takes to make you happy andfortable." Ian said.

    "Let''s sit." Nicole held his hand and pulled him to the couch in her room.

    "Something is still bothering you?" Ian asked as he continued to hold her hand.

    Nicole nodded. "I''m sorry." Nicole said.

    "Sorry about what?" Ian was genuinely confused about what his girlfriend was apologizing about now.

    "I''m sorry I didn''t thank you right after you saved me, I''m sorry the girls got mad at you, I heard Ayanna even pped you in the face." Nicole said as she reached up to touch Ian on the cheek. Ian wanted tough, the spot she had touched was approximately the same spot Ayanna had pped.

    "Nicole, you don''t need to apologize about that." Ian said with augh. "I wronged you too."

    "I''m also sorry I threw you out. You were hurting too. I said things I regret." Nicole said with a sad look on her face. "It''s just after what happened to me at the bar I couldn''t think straight. I didn''t want any man near me, I didn''t want any man to touch me. I felt so dirty Ian, I felt so ashamed that another man kissed me and touched me and yet there you were, bringing me breakfast." Nicole burst into tears as she recalled what happened to her.

    Ian quickly pulled her into his arms. "Shhh. Don''t cry. You''ll never be dirty or tainted to me. You will always be perfect in my eyes Nicole. You will always be the woman I love and adore. I love you Nicole." Ian said as he hugged her tightly.

    "Ian, thank you. Thank you for saving me. I don''t know what would have happened to me if you didn''t arrive when you did. I was so afraid Ian. I wanted to call for you to shout for you to save me, and you did. You came." Nicole said as she cried into Ian''s chest. "I love you Ian."

    "I will always be there for you Nicole. I will always run after you when you storm out. I will always pick you up when you fall. I promise I''ll protect you and care for you always." Ian reassured her as she continued to cry in his arms. "You''re a strong and brave woman, you''re my woman, and I will always be yours."

    As Ian said this he ced a light peck on her lips and let her cry herself to sleep in his arms. When she was finally exhausted Ian carried her to bed and climbed in with her, he wrapped his arms around her and whispered reassuring words as he watched her facial expression rx.

 Chapter 264 - 264

    "Miss Reyes, Miss Reyes, are you pushing through with the wedding? ording to rumors you''re getting married in a month? Is this true?" A reporter asked as he followed Ayanna out of the mall. He wasn''t the only reporter chasing after her for ament. There were several others with him holding up microphones and recording devices while others snapped photos of the Ayanna as she left the mall. They had initially thought that this entrance was clear of all reporters, she was initially supposed to leave through the basement but reporters had crowded that exit as well.

    "Miss Reyes, do you think this is appropriate? Don''t you think this is insensitive?" Another reporter shouted above the other voices.??

    "Miss Reyes, people are saying it would be unlucky for you to push through with the wedding. Are you willing to risk it?" A female reporter asked as she pushed her mic towards Ayanna.

    Luckily, Ayanna had several bodyguards escorting her so her path was cleared and the reporters couldn''t get close. She was d Cedric had insisted on increasing her security detail, in the past weeks there had been an increasing number of reporters that had stalked her as well, as more and more were calling her office for ament.

    As she finally settled into the car she could still see the reporters trying to get ament from her. She was d that her car was heavily tinted making it almost impossible for the people outside to see her.

    Ayanna leaned her head back and sighed.

    "Your brother wants to see us." Ray said as he pulled her closer to him. The car had first fetched Ray in his office then he came by to pick her up. He had been waiting for quite a while since they still needed to figure out how to get out of the mall without the paparazzi mobbing her.

    "I thought this issue would be solved in a month or two. It''s been five months and the police still haven''t found out who was behind all of his." Ayanna said with a sigh. "My brother still won''t let you get involved?" Ayanna asked Ray.

    "Yeah. He said the police are too close. If I do anything it might lead them back to me and I''d risk being arrested." Ray said with a sigh. He hated not being able to do anything to help his fiance and best friend.

    At Mor Co. Ray and Ayanna find Cedric staring out of hisrge ss window.

    "Did Adrianna go back to work today?" Ayanna asked her brother. She knew that he was looking out to the building clearly in his line of sight, Ind''s Inc.

    "Yeah. I couldn''t convince her to wait any longer. She threatened to run away if I made her stay home." Cedric said with augh.

    "Why did you ask us toe over?" Ayanna asked. "You''re usually chasing us away from your office." She teased.

    "You need to postpone the wedding." Cedric said, his voice emotionless. He knew Ayanna would get mad, who wouldn''t. Business should not matter with love, he should let them get married.

    "I understand." Ayanna''s reply shocked everyone.

    "Darling, you can be mad." Ray said as he lifted her face to look at him. "Cedric and I would understand if you were mad. This isn''t fair and we both know it."

    Ayanna smiled and shook her head. "You know, in both of your heads I''m still a teenage girl that goes off at the smallest things. Well I''m not, and neither are the other girls." Ayanna said crossing her arms as augh yed on her lips. "If you think about it I''m running Elisia Malls with little supervision from Cedric or dad. Then we have Nicole, she acts like a kid but she isn''t, she not only runs most of Saints Hospital''s operations, but she is also Miguel''s lead anesthesiologist. Either or would be enough to wow others, and don''t get me started on Veronica, she''s like the best of the best in her industry."

    Cedricughed. "Ayanna, we never said that you guys were like children." Cedric turned to face his sister with a smile. "We are just surprised that you don''t feel bad about it. You''ve never held back on your emotions around us." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I''m sure the optics would be bad if we got married in the middle of a crisis." Ayanna said with a smile. "I feel bad about my wedding being postponed, but I wouldn''t want to get married with such a dark cloud hovering over us."

    "It''s not just that Ayanna." Cedric began to exin as he sat behind his desk. "I''m worried that whoever plotted this would use your wedding as a chance to target us. We don''t even know who was the real target of the attack or why they would choose to do so."

    "Brother -" Ayanna was about to speak when her phone began to ring. Cedric nodded and motioned for her to pick up the call.

    "Veronica?" Ayanna asked over the phone.

    "What? What? Slow down, what happened to Nicole?" Ayanna asked with worry painted all over her face.

    Cedric and Ray couldn''t help but pay attention to Ayanna''s call.

    "Alright, I''ll go there." Ayanna said nodding as if Veronica could see her. "I won''t tell them! Yes I''m with them. Okay okay I''m going." Ayanna said as she dropped the call.

    "Nicole has an, errrrr emergency." Ayanna said as she got her bag from Cedric''s couch.

    "Do you need me toe with you?" Ray asked as he followed Ayanna out the door.

    Ayanna turned and ced a hand on Ray''s chest. "No. Don''t. It''s a girl thing."

    Ray nodded understanding that he shouldn''t be pushy about it. "Alright, darling." Ray said as he wrapped an arm around Ayanna''s waist and nted a tender kiss on her lips.

    "Bye." Ayanna waved as she left.

    "What do you think that was about?" Ray asked as he took out his phone and made himselffortable on Cedric''s couch.

    "Ian." Cedric said simply with a shrug.

    "How sure are you?" Ray asked.

    "Ian is still at his desk. If it was anything unrted to him he would be the first one next to Nicole." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "You make a pretty good point." Ray said as he picked up his phone. "Send my things to Mor Co., I''ll be working from here."

    "What!?" Cedric said angrily as Ray dropped the call.

    "Your sister was my ride." Ray said with a shrug.

    "Then have a car pick you up." Cedricined.

    "And miss out on some much needed bonding time with my future brother-inw. No way." Ray said with augh.

    Cedric simply sighed and shook his head.

    "You didn''t ask me how I felt about our wedding getting postponed." Ray said with a pout.

    "That is exactly why there are still gay rumors about you." Cedric said with augh as he focused his attention on the documents in hand.

    "Well I feel bad." Ray said leaning back on the couch. "I wanted to live with your sister legally."

    "No one is stopping you Ray.?? Cedric said rolling his eyes as he read through the documents.

    "Can''t you be a little more overprotective?" Ray teased.

    "It''s you and my sister, heck just get your marriage license and stop bothering me." Cedric said with augh. "That''s what Adrianna and I did."

    "Maybe I can surprise her at Nicole''s." Ray said with a grin.

 Chapter 265 - 265

    Nicole knew her body better than anyone else, so when she started feeling off she quickly did an analysis of what was wrong with her.

    At first she thought it was the stressbined with her hyperacidity, but after a while she realized that it wasn''t that. She was no longer busy and she and Ian were currently in a very stable rtionship. She wasn''t feeling any trauma from the bar incident so it couldn''t be that.??

    It took her another week beforeing to the conclusion that turned out to be true. When she got the results she was shocked. The first person she called was Veronica, who charged into her room and held her while she cried. She and Veronica had been through a lot together and she was the person Nicole would run to whenever she had problems.

    "Nicole stop crying." Veronica said as she hugged her friend and rubbed her back tofort her.

    "I just- don''t know - how to- feel about this." Nicole said in between sobs.

    "Do you want me to call the other girls?" Veronica asked in a gentle voice.

    Nicole slowly nodded as she continued to cry.

    The first person Veronica called was Katerina. She picked up the call despite being in a meeting.

    "Hey V. What''s up?" Katerina asked.

    "Red alert. Come to Nicole''s." Veronica said in a rush.

    "Got it. I''ll just wrap this up." Katerina said as she dropped the call. Katerina had always been the easiest one to drag along, even if she had a court hearing if any of her friends told her it was an emergency she should drop everything and rush to their side.

    The next person Veronica called was Ayanna. When it came to Ayanna a little bit more of an exnation was needed. Veronica spoke so fast that Ayanna didn''t catch it the first time.

    "Damnit Ayanna, juste here!" Veronica shouted over the phone.

    She knew Natalia was on the ne going to some secret project for a year so she sent Natalia a message to call as soon as shended.

    The first to arrive surprisingly was Ayanna. When she got there she found Nicole crying and took her from Veronica''s arms.

    "Nicole, Nicole, shhhhh. You''re just really emotional right now." Ayanna said as she tried tofort Nicole.

    "I know I am and I hate that I can''t control it. I don''t know what to do Ayanna. I -" Nicole said but she was cut off when Katerina finally arrived.

    "Who are we beating up?" Katerina said as she entered.

    "No one. We aren''t beating anyone up!" Veronica scolded Katerina.

    "Oh, then I''ll just tell the boys to go home." Katerina said as she quickly sent a message.

    "What''s going on?" Katerina asked as she sat on the floor next to Ayanna.

    "You didn''t tell her?" Nicole said looking up at Veronica.

    "You know how Katerina is. If she was in a hearing and I told her she would probably be the next person on trial." Veronica exined.

    "So can anyone please tell me now what the red alert was all about?" Katerina asked.

    Nicole picked up a white stick and passed it to Katerina.

    "Oh my gosh Nicole! Congrattions!" Katerina shouted happily. "We''re gonna be aunties!"

    "Ugh Katerina. Be a little bit more sensitive!" Ayanna scolded.

    "What? Why? Isn''t this good news? Nicole is pregnant." Katerina said with a confused look. "Wait don''t tell me Ian isn''t the father, or that you don''t know who the father is?" Katerina said with hesitation in her tone.

    "Of course Ian''s the dad. I haven''t been with anyone except him." Nicole answered back as she rolled her eyes. For an ace attorney Katerina could be quite slow sometimes.

    "So why are you crying?" Katerina asked.

    "You know how my family is!" Nicole said as she cried harder.

    "Seriously Katerina?" Ayanna said, giving her an annoyed look.

    "Nicole, all problems can be solved." Katerina said as she ced a hand on Nicole''s knee.

    "What if my family makes me abort the child? I can''t." Nicole said as she aggressively shook her head.

    "Then don''t." Katerina said with a shrug.

    "We all know that''s not how it works, Katerina. The Chans and the Sebastians are very different." Veronica said, shaking her head. "The Chans are more like the Abads. Nicole has to keep this a secret."

    "And potentially end up like her Uncle Miguel?" Katerina asked. "No way. She needs to stand up to them."

    "Katerina, how would your family feel if Alexi got one of his girls pregnant?" Veronica asked Katerina.

    "First of all, this ispletely different. Secondly, Alexi is extra careful, he makes sure none of them get pregnant. You know as well as I that he is just like that because of Ilya." Katerina argued.

    "Wait!" Ayanna suddenly said in a raised voice. "Does Ian even know about this?" She asked Nicole.

    "No." Nicole said in a low voice. She hadn''t had the chance to tell him, she didn''t know how to tell him. She was afraid of how he would react. She loved him, what if he pushed her away because of this.

    "Nicole, Ian deserves to know. He is the child''s father." Katerina told Nicole.

    "I''m afraid." Nicole answered shyly.

    "Nicole, Ian loves you. He will love that child just as much." Veronica told Nicole with a glint of hope in her eyes.

    "It will ruin his ns. This baby isn''t part of the n. What if Ian leaves me because of this, what if he doesn''t love me anymore because I derailed his life!" Nicole said as she began to cry again.

    "Shhh. Nicole don''t cry." Ayanna said tenderly to her friend.

    "Nicole, Ian wouldn''t do that. He is a decent guy." Katerina said calmly.

    "I''m sure Ian will be shocked then happy to hear that you''re pregnant." Veronica added. "Nicole, he deserves to know."

    "How? Do I just call him? Do I go to him? How do I tell him? I don''t even know where to start, we take every precaution against this." Nicole said.

    "You can start by asking him over." Katerina said as she slowly handed Nicole the phone.

    Nicole shook as she dialed Ian''s number.

    "Hello?" Came Ian''s voice from the phone.

 Chapter 266 - 266

    Ian was at Cedric''s office when Ayanna stormed out.

    "Wow Miss Ayanna looks amazing." said his newly hired junior assistant.??

    "Don''t let Mr. Laurence catch you staring, you''ll probably lose an eye." Cami warned.

    "Mr. Ian is that true?" The junior assistant asked.

    "More or less. Mr. Laurence is very protective of Miss Reyes, remember that." Ian said in a cold tone.

    "So who is the boss'' best friend?" Cami''s junior assistant asked as she looked over from her desk.

    "I would say Ray and probably Ian." Camiughed.

    "You''re the boss'' best friend?" Ian''s junior assistant said with a gasp.

    Ian rolled his eyes at Cami. "Do you really need to tell the new kids that on their second week?" Ian asked as he focused on his work.

    "Well they''ll find out eventually." Cami said with a shrug. After a while, Ray marched out of Cedric''s office with a grin.

    "Ian, Ian." Ray said as he leaned over Ian''s desk.

    "What''s up?" Ian asked without looking up at Ray.

    "How do I arrange to get a marriage license?" Ray asked.

    "Get your assistant to do it, Ray. I''m Cedric''s assistant." Ian answered.

    Ray simply sighed, shook his head, and left.

    Ian looked at the clock, it was odd that Nicole hadn''t called or messaged the whole day. He was thinking of calling when Cedric suddenly called him into the office.

    "How''s the investigation into the other matter?" Cedric asked.

    Ian turned on his tablet and scrolled through the files.

    "We followed your dad to this remote house in the suburbs." Ian said as he passed the tablet to Cedric. "We couldn''t get a clear view of who was inside but it looks like a small and simple house on the outside, but when we took a closer look it has state of the art security. We''re trying to nt someone inside."

    "How long did he stay?" Cedric asked as a dark cloud seemed to hover over him.

    "The whole night. He only left at sunrise. We even saw him bringing in flowers." Ian reported as Cedric swiped through the photos and videos.

    "Did anyone keep an eye on who lives in the house?" Cedric asked.

    "A car arrives and leaves once a week, but it''s heavily tinted and the driver maneuvers well. We couldn''t keep up." Ian exined.

    "Keep looking into this and do not drop it. I need to know what my father is doing in that house." Cedric said with a straight face.

    "Cedric, do you think uncle is -." Ian was unable toplete his sentence when Cedric cut in.

    "I know what you''re thinking Ian. I''m thinking it too." Cedric said with a sad tone. "I desperately don''t want it to be true." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "I''ll go back out now Cedric, Dave still needs to be taught a lot of things." Ian told Cedric as he walked towards the door. Dave was Ian''s junior assistant.

    Cedric nodded and let Ian go back to work.

    As he settled down on his desk his phone began to ring. When he saw it was Nicole calling he excitedly picked up the call.

    "Hello?" Ian asked over the phone.

    "Ian. Can youe over?" Nicole said as she cried over the phone.

    "What''s wrong Nic?" Ian said in a hushed voice. "Please tell me."

    "Juste over please." Nicole said as she continued to cry.

    "Okay, let me tell Cedric then I''ll go. I love you Nic." Ian said tenderly over the phone.

    "I love you too Ian, so, so much." Nicole replied.

    Ian asked Cedric if he could take the rest of the day off. Cedric agreed and told him to inform Cami so that she could handle the rest of the workload.

    "What''s the rush?" Cami asked as she saw Ian packing up.

    "She called." Ian told Cami. Cami immediately understood who she was and simply nodded. "Drive safe."

    Ian said goodbye and left.

    "Who is she?" Dave, Ian''s junior assistant, asked Cami.

    "Ian''s girlfriend. Don''t ask anymore, go back to work." Cami quickly replied. Both Dave and Mae, Cami''s junior assistant, looked at each other in surprise. Neither of them expected Ian to have a girlfriend.

    When Ian arrived at Nicole''s house he was surprised to see Ray.

    "Didn''t you leave to get a marriage license or something?" Ian asked.

    Rayughed at him. "My fiance has been stolen by your girlfriend again."

    "Ian!" Katerina called from the stairs.

    "Katerina, where is Nicole?" Ian asked as he rushed to her.

    "In her room, follow me." Katerina said as she led Ian to Nicole''s room.

    "Nicole, Ian is here." Katerina said as she entered.

    Ian saw Nicole on her bed crying. He rushed up and hugged her.

    "Nic, don''t cry please." Ian said as he held his girlfriend in his arms.

    "We''ll give you a moment." Ayanna told the couple as she, Veronica, and Katerina left the room.

    "Nic, please tell me what''s wrong." Ian brushed her hair as he tried to coax her into speaking.

    "Ian, do you love me?" Nicole asked.

    "That''s a silly question Nicole, of course I love you. I just told you over the phone." Ian said as he kissed her cheeks.

    "Ian, promise you won''t leave me." Nicole said as she cried into his chest.

    "I''ve promised you that so many times Nicole, you are the only woman I n to spend the rest of my life with." Ian said as he hugged her tightly. "What''s wrong Nic?" Ian asked again.

    Nicole crawled to her bedside table and took out the pregnancy test she had taken earlier as well as the documents from the blood test at the hospital. She handed it over to Ian, nervous about what his reaction was going to be.

    When Ian saw the results he was speechless. He just stared at Nicole making Nicole even more nervous.

    "Is this true?" Ian asked. "This isn''t some sick joke is it?"

    Nicole just shook her head, she was afraid that if she spoke she would cry again.

    "Oh Nicole! I''m going to be a dad!" Ian said as he hugged her tightly and kissed her passionately on the lips.

    "You aren''t mad?" Nicole asked. "What about your ns?"

    "Why would I be mad? Our baby is growing in your belly right now. I''m probably the happiest man alive." Ian said as he kissed her on the lips again. "My ns are worthless without you, and now we have a little one to enjoy in the near future."

    "I''m so relieved." Nicole said as she hugged Ian.

    "I love you so much Nicole." Ian said kissing her.

 Chapter 267 - 267

    Ray had his ear pressed against the door when he heard Ian celebrating. He grinned against the solid wood, clearly everything was well inside.

    "He isn''t mad, he''s happy." Ray announced to the girls.??

    The girls all smiled and burst into the room to give the couple their congrattions.

    Ray stopped Ayanna from going in and pulled her away.

    "What''s wrong with you?" Ayanna asked Ray.

    "I want to get married." Ray said with a bossy tone.

    "We''re already engaged Ray." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes.

    "I don''t want to wait for everything to be alright." Ray said as he held Ayanna''s hand. "I don''t want to wait for the time that the world settles down for us. I want to marry you on my own terms, with only the people who matter."

    "Ray, are you saying��" Ayanna hesitated to say what she was thinking. Ray wasn''t the impulsive type he always nned things through.

    "I want to get our wedding license, either today, or tomorrow. I don''t want our future together to be dictated by the mood of the public." Ray told Ayanna. "Is this alright?" Ray asked, his voice full of hesitation. He didn''t know if Ayanna would agree to what he wanted or not.

    "Of course it is Ray." Ayanna said as she hugged Ray tightly. "I''m just surprised, you aren''t exactly the spontaneous type." Ayanna said with augh. It was true, Ray was the type that had to n every single detail, he double checked and triple checked everything. He never made decisions with emotions, he did it all through logic. This is what led him to survive as the King of the Underworld, it was his ability to make decisions logically.

    "I can be spontaneous if I want." Ray said with augh as he kissed Ayanna on the lips.

    "Let''s give today to Nicole and Ian, we can get married tomorrow." Ayanna said as sheughed against his kisses.

    "Anything you want." Ray said with a smile. "Shall we congratte the soon to be parents?" Ray asked as he offered his hand.

    Ayanna giggled and took it.

    Inside Katerina and Veronica were already excitedly talking to Ian and Nicole.

    "Congrattions!" Ray said as he gave Nicole a hug and shook Ian''s hand. "I guess you''ll be living together now?"

    "We still haven''t ironed out the details just yet." Ian said with a shrug. Suddenly Ian''s phone began to ring, it was Cedric.

    "The boss is calling. He''s just worried." Ian said with a shrug as he stepped away.

    "Nicole, you don''t seem as happy as you should be." Ayanna said as she hugged Nicole.

    "I''m worried." Nicole said with a slight frown. "I''m not sure if my family will ept this."

    "They can''t not." Ray said. "Your parents are far more progressive than the generation before them. Ian is a decent guy, he is from a family like ours, even if they have fallen from their pedestal."

    "They still set arranged marriages for my two brothers." Nicole argued back.

    Ray suddenlyughed making the girls look at him suspiciously.

    "No one forced Miguel." Ray said with a smirk. When he saw Veronica''s reaction his face suddenly changed into a frown. He just remembered that Veronica wasn''t supposed to find out.

    "Raymund Laurence, what are you saying!?" Veronica said angrily.

    "I''ve said too much." Ray said as he shook his head.

    "Eric was supposed to marry Cthea." Ayanna said returning the conversation on the right track. Ray smiled thankfully at his fiance, but he knew he would have to exin what he said to her after they left.

    "They were only talking about it." Katerina said. "It was just a n but the Chans backed out, it wasn''t the Carpios that changed their mind, well at least that''s what Eric says."

    "See Nicole, your parents aren''t as traditional as you think." Ray said with a shrug.

    "Well, Cedric said congrattions." Ian told Nicole as he pulled her to him and kissed her on the side of her head. "I''m the luckiest man alive." He proudly spoke as he looked lovingly at Nicole.

    "Don''t be so quick Ian." Ray said with augh. "I might hold that title."

    "I''m gonna be a dad. How can you beat that?" Ian said with a raised eyebrow.

    "Ayanna and I are getting our marriage license tomorrow." Ray boasted.

    "WHAT?!" Katerina, Nicole, and Veronica all asked at the same time.

    "Cedric said you can''t get married yet." Ian warned Ray.

    "He said, we can''t publicly get married or hold a big ceremony." Ray shrugged. "It was Cedric that told me to just go get a marriage license."

    "I swear my older brother doesn''t have a romantic bone in his body." Ayannaughed.

    Ray drove Ayanna home that night after they celebrated Nicole''s good news. Nicole chose not to tell her family just yet since by her estimates she was around two months along. When they got home only Cedric and Adrianna were there, the couple was ying with little Emilio in the living room.

    "Sister-inw, sister-inw! Did Cedric tell you the good news?" Ayanna excitedly asked. Rayughed as he watched her return to her childlike ways the moment she stepped back home. If you had met her on the street just a few minutes before you would think that she was apletely different person.

    Adriannaughed as she rocked her son in her arms. "Your brother told me." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "I''m so happy for Nicole and Ian! Now no one can separate them." Ayanna said proudly.

    "Cedric, could I speak with you?" Ray asked in a more serious tone. He felt that even if it had been Cedric''s idea for them to get married in secret he still needed to ask for Cedric''s permission, he was still Ayanna''s older brother and the future head of the Reyes n.

    Cedric nodded and led Ray to his office.

    "You sounded serious Ray, is this about work?" Cedric asked as he handed Ray a ss of whisky.

    "No, nothing like that." Ray said with augh.

    "Did you get Ayanna pregnant too?" Cedric asked as he sat down behind his desk.

    "What? No." Ray sounded a bit too defensive making Cedric lean forward.

    "Out with it." Cedric said with a straight face.

    "I''m going to do what you suggested, we''re getting our license tomorrow." Ray said proudly. He looked at Cedric who continued to have an emotionless look.

 Chapter 268 - 268

    "Are you telling me or asking for my permission?" Cedric asked as he took a sip of his drink.

    "Both." Ray said proudly.??

    "Why are you asking for my permission? The only person who''s permission you need is my sister." Cedric told Ray as a smile slowly crept up his face. Of course Ray didn''t need to ask him for his permission. As long as they weren''t too loud about registering their marriage it wouldn''t attract their enemies'' attention. That was what Cedric was protecting them against anyway, that the people that wished them harm wouldn''t get the chance to hurt them again.

    "Thank God you agreed." Ray said as he breathed a sigh of relief.

    "It''s not my ce to dictate my sister''s private life. I already told both of you why we needed to postpone your wedding, since you found a work around it''s perfect." Cedric said with a shrug. "Congrattions Ray." He said as he raised his ss.

    He and Ray clinked sses as Ray gave Cedric his thanks.

    "At least she doesn''t need a fancy dress to go to the government office." Cedricughed.

    "I think she might just whip something fancy up, she''ll keep saying how it''s her wedding day and she wants to feel special." Ray said with a shrug.

    "She has a lot of white designer dresses, she''ll probably wear one of those." As he finished speaking, Cedric looked at his ss and upon noticing that there was very little left he finished the whole ss.

    "We should go back and join the girls. Dad picked up mom from the airport with my inws. They should be back soon." Cedric suggested as he walked out of his office.

    When Ayanna and Cedric''s parents arrived Ray and Ayanna excitedly went up to them.

    "Mom, dad, Ray and I have something to tell you." Ayanna said with a big smile.

    "Are you pregnant?" Prisci Reyes said with a gasp.

    "No mom. How could I even be?" Ayanna asked.

    "Well you''re dad and I couldn''t resist each other and your older brother was probably conceived before our wedding." Prisci Reyes told her daughter.

    "Mom! Seriously?" Ayanna said as she rolled her eyes.

    Everyone justughed at her reaction. They were all adults in the room an it was normal for couples to have sex, it wasn''t exactly a topic that needed to be avoided.

    "Mom, dad, Ray and I are getting married tomorrow." Ayanna proudly said.

    "But everything isn''t ready yet. And you reserved both the church and the venue for a different date. Have you moved all of that? Have you informed your guests? Why wasn''t this all over the news?" Prisci Reyes bombarded them with questions as Cedric simplyughed behind his sister.

    "Cedric Reyes you knew about this and didn''t do anything!" Prisci Reyes used her son.

    "Mom, rx. Listen." Cedric said as he pointed as his sister.

    "Darling, you jump into conclusions too fast." Emilio Reyes told his wife as he gently kissed her on the head.

    Cedric watched their actions and remembered Ian''s report earlier that day. How could anything else be going on? His dad was extremely affectionate to his mom and they didn''t seem to be having any marital problems. His dad looked madly in love with his mom as Emilio Reyes held his wife tightly.

    "It''s not a big wedding." Ayannaughed. "We will just get our marriage license and maybe have dinner to celebrate." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "Why are you changing your ns?" Prisci Reyes asked.

    "I asked them too." Cedric said."The incident has not yet been resolved and we have so many enemies that I''m not even sure which ones have the capability to create what happened. I advised them not to hold a big public wedding, it won''t just be bad press for us but it will also put their marriage under undue scrutiny. This rtionship is between Ray and Ayanna, not them and the whole country." Cedric exined and defended his reason for not letting them have the big wedding that was already in the works.

    "Can you even get a marriage license tomorrow?" Gracia Hernandez asked, joining into the conversation.

    "Auntie, it''s not a problem." Ray said with a grin. "I already called Alexi and he said Uncle Jose asked them to open just for us tomorrow."

    "Ha. The perks of being the president I guess." Charles Hernandez said with augh. He had been getting close to Emilio''s friends since Emilio Reyes brought him along on their golf trips, he got along with the fathers quite well, despite the vast difference in their upbringing.

    "In that case, let''s have the reception at the old house. It''s more or less ready and the security there is much tighter. Who will you be inviting?" Prisci Reyes asked her daughter and son-inw to be.

    "Well, we were thinking of inviting just our family and close friends." Ray said. "So the Chans, the Sebastians, and the Abads. We also wanted to invite the Lims as well, you and my dad were good friends with them in the past, weren''t you uncle?" Ray asked.

    "Yes we were good friends with Ian''s father. I was quite surprised to hear about what happened to them." Emilio recalled his memories with his old friend. "We grew distant over time, but it would be nice to have the Lims around especially since Ian works closely with us and is Cedric''s other best friend."

    Upon obtaining Ayanna''s family''s approval, the couple quickly called the Laurence family who didn''t hesitate to let the couple push through with getting their wedding license.

    As soon as they got all of the elder''s approvals Ayanna dragged Adrianna up to her room to choose a wedding dress.

    Adriannaughed and handed little Emilio over to Cedric who yed with his son while waiting for dinner.

    The next day Cedric was woken up early by Adrianna getting out of bed.

    "Isn''t it too early? It''s the weekend." Cedric groaned as he pulled his wife back into bed. "Why don''t we give little Emilio a little sister." Cedric whispered into his wife''s ear.

    "Really? That''s your priority today Cedric? It''s your sister''s wedding day. I''m going to help the bride get ready." Adrianna said as she tried to pry Cedric''s hands off of her.

    "But honey��" Cedricined as he left a trail of kisses on his wife''s neck. "I really want you." As he said this he nudged himself towards his wife, making her feel how much he wanted her.

    "Seriously?" Adrianna asked.

    "Just one." Cedric whispered as he kissed her ear making Adrianna let out a silent moan.

    "I''ve been married to you for years, I know just once is not enough. I''ll bete if I give in to you." Adrianna teased as she managed to get out of Cedric''s embrace.

    She winked at him and went to the bathroom to shower.

 Chapter 269 - 269

    Ayanna had begged Cedric the night before to drive her to get the wedding license, Ray would meet them there and Ayanna would ride with Ray going to the old Reyes house. Cedric knew that Ayanna wanted to do this as a symbol that her family was wholeheartedly letting her marry Ray.

    Cedric chose to drive Ayanna in his white Rolls Royce Ghost, not only was it white making it very appropriate for the asion, but it was also the most secure and the mostfortable of his cars. He liked it so much that even after his ident he had a new one purchased and out fitted like a tank.??

    "Adrianna, stop fussing you''re even worse than mom!" Cedric heard Ayannain as the women walked out of the front door.

    Ayanna wore a simple off shoulder white dress that came to a halt a little below her knees with a godet cut. Her long hair was braided and the girls ced small flowers on her braids. It made Ayanna look like a young bride rather than her usual mature look in public. Cedric smiled, he felt this look fit his little sister the best.

    "Mom and Adrianna are just excited for you." Cedric said with a smile as he offered his sister his arm.

    "No disguise today Ced?" Ayanna asked as she looked at her older brother.

    "It''s in the car. Don''t get your hopes up." Cedric said with a wink. He knew his sister wanted him to show the public who he really was so that the rumors that often hovered around Adrianna would go away. "You look gorgeous Ayanna." Cedric said, cing a gentle kiss on his sister''s head.

    "We''ll see you at the old house?" Cedric''s grandfather, Emilio Reyes II, asked as the other members of the Reyes family came out of the Mountain View mansion.

    "Yes grandpa." Ayanna said happily.

    Cedric nodded and led his sister to the back seat.

    The ride was silent. Cedric knew that Ayanna must have felt nervous and excited at the same time, he recalled his own wedding day many years ago.

    Five years ago

    Cedric stood in his small apartment with his phone on speaker.

    "Can''t Ie?" Ray asked over the phone.

    "Hey if Ray is going I''m going too!" Alexiined.

    "No one is going guys." Cedric groaned as his friends insisted on attending his wedding.

    "What if I was just there because of work?" Alexi asked, trying to convince his friend to let him be there.

    "If you were there Adrianna''s family would insist that you officiated the wedding." Cedric said with augh. "I don''t want you officiating my wedding."

    "It''s just a piece of paper. It''s not like I''m going to dish out some romantic advice! That''s for the ceremony when you get back." Alexi wasughing over the call.

    "Look, not even my mom or my dad is going to be there. So the five of you, stay away." Cedric warned.

    "Fine." Came the synchronized reply.

    "Have you guys even seen this Adrianna Hernandez?" Eric asked over the call. He was much older than the other boys so he never got to see Adrianna in person back when they were at university.

    "She''s A-list level." Ram said with augh.

    "Now I feel bad for going to school abroad." Miguelined. He had only seen Adrianna once but only briefly and Cedric seemed to be in a rush that time.

    "I''m just surprised her family allowed this." Ray teased, they all knew that the Hernandez family were very snobbish and were practically rich social climbers.

    "Adrianna refused to marry anyone else, so as apromise they agreed to a civil wedding only. Which is good for me, when I''m back as the Reyes Heir I''m going to throw her avish wedding ceremony." Cedric said as he grinned.

    "It''s not like you can''t now. Constetions is doing really well, we''ve earned so much already!" Ray boasted.

    "I prefer to keep the ownership a secret." Cedric told his friends.

    "You Reyeses and your low key lifestyles. It''s so annoying." Alexiined. As the son of a political family he had always been exposed to the public, of course constant exposure didn''t mean he showed his lifestyle wasvish, Alexi still had to keep things at a bare minimum. The worst the press had on him was his womanizing ways, but that didn''t stop him from getting elected to congress.

    "Look I really should go. I can''t bete to my own wedding." Cedric said as he bid goodbye to his friend.

    Since Cedric had little money at the time he took a cab to the government office. On the cab ride he was nervous, he was worried that Adrianna wouldn''t show up, or that his identity would be exposed when Ayanna saw the names of his parents on his birth certificate. There were so many things that could go wrong.

    At the present.

    "I was nervous too." Cedric said as he continued to drive.

    "During your wedding?" Ayanna said as she looked up at her brother.

    "Yup. I was afraid Adrianna wouldn''t show up." Cedric confessed. "You know how much her family didn''t want her to marry me. I was convinced that them letting her marry me was too easy a victory."

    "She was there in the end." Ayanna said with a smile.

    "Did you know she ran away that day?" Cedric asked.

    "No, you never told me that." Ayannaughed.

    "She was also afraid that they wouldn''t let here to our wedding, so the night before, she snuck out and went to Julia Tiu''s house. When I got to the government office she pulled me inside as if in a rush not to be spotted." Cedric recalled.

    "Did they try to stop the wedding?" Ayanna asked.

    "The Hernandezes did. The funny thing was, they got the time wrong. Apparently Adrianna told them that our wedding would be at two in the afternoon, we got our licenses at 10 AM." Cedric exined.

    "I can''t imagine going through what you did brother." Ayanna said, shaking her head. "I''m d I''m not the Reyes Heir. I never want that pressure."

    "I think you would have done well in my ce." Cedric said with a smile. "Ayanna, love always finds a way."

    As they came to the government office Cedric, ced on his disguise and got out and opened the door for his sister. As he helped her out they saw Ray jogging towards them. Cedric nodded at his best friend and handed his sister''s hand over to Ray.

    "I have a gift for both of you." Cedric said as he pulled out a ck box from his pocket. "I don''t know if either of you remember, but uncle Benedicto used to take us along when he would visit different miningmunities for Lau Jewelry. One time, Ayanna got lost, we were all so worried, we eventually found her when an olddy came up to uncle Benedicto. Ayanna got separated because she saw something shiny on the ground."

    Cedric nodded, telling Ayanna to open the box, inside were two simple gold wedding bands. "Those two rings are made of the same gold nugget that Ayanna found. Uncle Benedicto gave it to me for safe keeping and I thought this would be the most appropriate use."

    Ayanna smiled and hugged her older brother tightly.

    "Thank you Cedric, thank you so much." Ayanna said as she began to tear up.

    "Don''t cry Ayanna, you''ll mess up your makeup, Ray might see what kind of a monster he''s actually marrying." Cedric said with augh.

    "Let''s go." Ray said as he held Ayanna''s hand and led her to get their marriage license.

    Cedric took out his phone and quickly typed a message.

    ''Congrattions bro, we''ll always be here for you.'' It was the exact same message Ray sent him on his wedding day.

 Chapter 270 - 270

    It only took Ray and Ayanna five minutes to get their wedding license, as soon as they were done Cedric saw them happily exiting the building, waving a piece of paper at him.

    Cedric smiled under his disguise.??

    "Now we''re really brothers." Ray teased Cedric. "You won''t be able to get rid of me that easily anymore."

    "Ray, you''ve always been my brother." Cedric said.

    "Cedric! Stop being so emotional!" Ayanna said as she began to tear up.

    "Oh honey, no, no, no don''t cry. I hate it when you cry." Ray said as he took out a handkerchief and gently dabbed it on Ayanna''s tears.

    "Come on, let''s get to the reception. Your guests are waiting." Cedric pointed out.

    The newly married couple nodded as they got into Ray''s car.

    The old Reyes house was quite far from the city so it took the couple and Cedric quite a while to arrive in thepound. The whole property was asrge as the Mountain Viewmunity that Cedric had built his mansion in. The security at the old Reyes house was even tighter than at Mountain View.

    The reception would be held at one of the gardens in the property, since they were a small and informal group there was no need for outside servers or chefs. The maids served the food and the Reyes family''s longtime cooks prepared the food at Prisci Reyes'' direction.

    Cedric arrived before Ayanna and Ray. He was greeted by his wife who held little Emilio in her arms.

    "I promise, I''ll give you an even grander wedding." Cedric said as he kissed her passionately while making sure not to wake the baby in his wife''s arms.

    "I''m confused. I thought it was Ray and Ayanna getting married today." Alexi teased, as he approached his friend.

    "What''s wrong with kissing my wife?" Cedric asked with augh. "Jealous?"

    "Hey Jen, why don''t you help me?" Alexi winked at the nurse that stood behind Adrianna. As part of their agreement, Adrianna had to keep Nurse Jen around to make sure that she was in good health. It was actually thest month that Nurse Jen would be with them, after this she would either be going back to the Kashmere hospital or she would be reassigned to the one of the two other Saints hospitals that Miguel operated out of.

    Nurse Jen ignored Alexi making Cedricugh.

    "You should learn about professionalism from Nurse Jen." Cedric teased. "Come on, stop flirting Alexi, the happy couple should be arriving soon."

    "Cedric!" Ian waved as he sat at a table with his family.

    Cedric nodded and walked over with his wife and son.

    "Cedric, these are my siblings and parents. My dad Richardo Lim, my mom Constance Lim, and my two sisters, Karina and Sam." Ian said as he introduced his sisters and his parents.

    "It''s an honor to finally meet you." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Rick!" Cedric''s father, Emilio, greeted happily.

    "Emils!" Ian''s father said as they shook each other''s hands.

    "It''s been long, too long." Emilio Reyes said, shaking his head. "I''m disappointed in you Rick, you didn''t contact me when you were having a hard time. I only found out what you went through because of your son."

    "I didn''t know who to trust." Rick Lim said with a shrug.

    "We will talk about this moreter. My daughter and son-inw just arrived." Emilio Reyes told his friend as he spotted Ayanna and Raye into the garden.

    "Ian, do you have your tablet?" Cedric asked Ian as his father walked away.

    "Yes. What do you need?" Ian asked.

    "The photos of the house. But the empty ones." As Cedric said this Ian nodded and took something out of his bag.

    After Ayanna and Ray went around to greet all of their guests, Cedric asked his father if he could show him something. Emilio Reyes nodded and followed his son to the side, Ian went with them.

    "Dad, we''ve been studying everything that our enemies could use against us and a certain property caught our attention." Cedric told Emilio Reyes.

    "Which one?" Emilio asked.

    Ian handed Cedric the tablet and Cedric showed the image to his father.

    "This one dad. It''s a simple house in a barely developed area in the outskirts of the Capital." Cedric exined.

    "I know this property. It''s in my name. What''s so suspicious about it? It''s just a normal house." Emilio Reyes told his son.

    "Dad, this property is only 300 sq/m." Cedric pointed out.

    "So?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "It stands out because our smallest property is at least 2,000 sq/m. It looks really suspicious, dad. What is this ce?" Cedric asked. A part of him was worried, would his dad lie or tell the truth? If he told the truth, would it hurt Cedric and the rest of the family? As much as possible Cedric didn''t want to confront his dad, but he needed to know the truth.

    "It was a small ce I bought when I was in poverty training." Emilio Reyes said with a shrug. "I didn''t have the time to have it disposed of, and it holds a lot of memories for me." His dad exined.

    "So we keep it?" Cedric asked.

    "Of course! It was my first purchase!" Emilio Reyes said in a raised voice.

    "Okay dad, rx." Cedric was surprised by his father''s reaction, it was very uncharacteristic of him to lose his temper on such a small thing.

    "I''ll go back to the guests." Emilio said as he ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder before going back.

    "Ian, when was the property purchased?" Cedric asked.

    "Ten years ago sir." Ian exined to Cedric.

    "The house itself looks like it was renovated in the past year. My dad is hiding something." Cedric said. "Have you figured out who is living there?"

    "All we know is that a woman lives there, she usually arrives before your father starts visiting every night." As Ian said this Cedric balled his hand into a fist. It was clear that his dad was visiting a woman whenever his mom was away.

    "Find out more about her." Cedric ordered as he walked back to the party.

 Chapter 271 - 271

    "Wine?" Alexi asked the girls as he held a bottle and several sses. All the brothers and sisters were all seated in one big round table.

    "You know I won''t say no." His sister, Katerina said with augh.??

    "Did you bring a driver today?" Veronica asked, as Alexi poured them a ss each.

    "Why would she need a driver when she has me?" Eric asked as he pulled Katerina to hisp. Katerinained and tried to get up.

    "Eric! The parents are here!" Katerinained as she blushed.

    "We both know they would be more than happy to see us getting along." Eric said with augh as he kissed Katerina.

    "Guys! Get a room!" Veronica grumbled.

    "Well you wouldn''t be so jealous if you let Miguel do what he wants sometimes." Ayanna teased as she and Ray approached their friends.

    "Congrattions!" Veronica happily greeted.

    "I can''t believe you guys got married before Ian and Nicole." Alexi said with augh. "I swear, I thought Ian would knock her up at some point and they would need to have a shotgun wedding."

    A silence suddenly creeped up on the table.

    "What? Did I say something wrong?" Alexi asked.

    "Yeah, it''s not exactly out of character for Alexi to say these kinds of jokes." Ram said with a shrug as he looked suspiciously at their friends.

    "You idiot." Katerian groaned as she got up from Eric''sp. She walked over to her older brother and Ram.

    "Nicole is pregnant, Ian is the dad, she found out yesterday." Katerina whispered to the two men.

    "What?!" Ram said loudly making the parents look at their direction.

    "Ram!" Veronica scolded her older brother.

    "Sorry. I just got surprising showbiz gossip." Ram said as he raised his phone. His exnation made the parents shake their heads and return to their respective conversations.

    "Why are we only finding out about this now?" Alexi demanded.

    ???We only found out yesterday too you know." Nicole said with a pout.

    "Then why is there a ss of wine in front of you?" Ram asked as she swiped the ss from her.

    "Give it back Ram. It''s for show. Katerina was drinking it for me." Nicoleined.

    "Errrr�� Congrattions?" Ram said as he returned the ss. "Wait do they even know you''re dating someone?" Ram was clearly referring to the Chan elders.

    "Of course not." Nicole said with a frown.

    "We all know you can''t keep this from them forever Nicole." Ayanna said as she ced a hand on Nicole''s back.

    "Where is my future brother-inw?" Eric looked around when he realized that Ian was nowhere to be seen.

    "I asked him to settle something for me." Cedric said with a shrug as he crossed his arms.

    "Seriously Ced? Can''t you give the man a break?" Alexi asked Cedric. "We''re all guests at your sister''s wedding. He shouldn''t be working. He should be apanying Nicole."

    "If he stays too close to Nicole the whole time the elders will find it suspicious." Cedric said simply.

    "Still, you shouldn''t make him work, Cedric." Miguel chimed in.

    "It''s just a phone call. He''ll be back here soon." Cedric said with a nod towards Nicole.

    "We''ll be careful." Nicole knew that Cedric was only looking after her and Ian as well as her rtionship with Ian.

    Cedric was concerned that the drama of the Chan family might push Ian beyond his boundaries. The man had already been through a lot growing up, he didn''t need a family like the Chans judging his upbringing and his family background. He was simply making sure that the Chan family didn''t find out about Ian''s and Nicole''s rtionship before the couple was ready to tell them.

    "Ah, the other man of the hour." Miguel greeted with a grin as Ian approached.

    "Miguel." Veronica said, as she elbowed her husband.

    "I''ll behave if you kiss me." Miguel said with a wink.

    "You try too hard." Cedric teased making everyoneugh.

    "V, at this rate everyone will have kids before us." Miguel grumbled. Veronica ignored him and rolled her eyes.

    "You told everyone already?" Ian asked Nicole as he sat beside Cedic.

    "You know you can sit next to her." Eric said motioning to the empty seat between him and his sister.

    "I''d rather be safe." Ian said with a smirk.

    "Suit yourself." Eric said with a shrug.

    "When do you n on telling them?" Miguel asked his sister and Ian.

    "Today." Nicole said, surprising everyone.

    Cedric who was ying with his son threw a puzzled look at Ian.

    "Both of our parents are already here, might as well say it in one go." Nicole said with a shrug.

    "You''re also going to admit to your rtionship with Ian?" Ayanna asked.

    "Yeah. I mean I need a guy to get pregnant." Nicoleughed. "Ie from a family of doctors, no way they would believe that there is no father."

    "Wow, you''re taking this telling the parents quite well." Veronica told Nicole.

    "She was panicking all night." Ian revealed.

    "You''re sleeping on the couch tonight." Nicole said, sticking out her tongue.

    "Really Nicole? You''re acting like a child right now." Katerina scolded.

    "Can this news at least wait till the end of the night? There are still toasts and dances to be had, plus I still have a bouquet to throw." Ayanna asked her friend.

    "Of course, of course. It''s your day, we won''t ruin it." Nicole said with a gentle smile.

    The rest of the afternoon went on with almost all of the parents giving a toast to the newly wedded couple, since all the guests were either family or good friends everyone was quite rxed and casual.

    When it was Cedric''s turn he came up to the mic and smiled at the couple.

    "If you told me that my best friend would be marrying my sister I would haveughed at you." Cedric began. "But here we are today, my best friend is now my brother, officially, and my sister has found the love of her life. As a wedding gift, I had Veronicaplete something for you."

    "No way!" Ayanna said in surprise.

    "Catch." Cedric said as he tossed them the keys to their new home. "You can move out of my house, and into your new one tonight." Cedric said with a grin.

    The rest of the night went on as a traditional wedding would, Ayanna and Ray cut the cake and had their first dance as a married couple.

    Cedric watched as his mother teared up in his father''s arms. He desperately wanted to believe that the image before him was the truth, but he had seen the house his father kept a secret. Ian and his people had reported that it was a woman that lived there and that she would only arrive whenever Cedric''s mother would return to rin Industries'' headquarters.

    When Ayanna said she was going to throw her bouquet the girls all giggled and stood behind her. As Ayanna tossed the flowers Cedric watched as it was seemingly drawn to Nicole''s hands.

    "Now you need to tell." Miguel said loudly, making the parents all look at Nicole.

    "Miguel you idiot." Veronica said, rolling her eyes. Her husband''s mouth was just too loud.

 Chapter 272 - 272

    "Nicole, what is your brother talking about?" Lucy Ang - Chan asked Nicole as she grabbed her daughter''s arm.

    "Miguel." Eric groaned as he red at his brother.??

    "Mom, dad, I''m pregnant." Nicole said slowly.

    Lucy Chan covered her mouth in shock.

    "WHAT!?" Raphael Chan said as he suddenly stood up from his seat.

    "Nicole this is not a funny joke." Lucy Chan said with a stern tone.

    Nicole fished something out from her pocket and handed it to her mother.

    Lucy Chan read through the results and covered her mouth as she read the results.

    "How did you get this test done without me finding out?" Lucy Chan asked her daughter, waving the results in the air.

    "Mom, I''m the VP of Saints, do you really think I can''t convince them to keep my test a secret from you?" Nicole asked as she ced her hand on her waist.

    "Who is the father?" Raphael Chan said as he approached his daughter.

    Miguel and Eric had moved forward as well just in case their parents did something drastic against their sister. The brothers knew how traditional their family was and how they would not take Nicole''s situation lightly.

    At a table, Cedric was pulling down on Ian''s arm.

    "Don''t interfere. Nicole wouldn''t want that." Cedric warned as he looked at his friend and assistant.

    "Shouldn''t he defend her?" Adrianna asked as she cradled her son who was waking up.

    "Nicole''s mind works differently. We''ll know when she needs Ian." Cedric exined.

    "I can''t just let the mother of my child stand alone." Ian said in a low voice.

    "She isn''t alone Ian, Miguel and Eric are with her." Cedric pointed out.

    "She wouldn''t be put on the spot if it weren''t for Miguel. And it should be me protecting her." Ian told Cedric.

    "Don''t tell me you got knocked up by some one night stand?" Lucy Chan asked her daughter as she threw a worried look.

    "Mom, dad, the man is reliable, that''s all you need to know." Miguel said quickly. "Sister, do you want to tell our parents about the father?" Miguel asked, he knew Nicole had nned on telling them it was Ian but he had messed up her ns.

    "Nicole, how could you? You know how important your reputation is, especially in business." Raphael Chan told his daughter. Ian, who was seated, saw the worry in Raphael Chan''s face. He had heard about how traditional the Chan family was, but it seemed that he was more worried about how Nicole would stand after. Despite the world being more progressive, a woman''s reputation was still important.

    "Dad, I''m happy and I love this man." Nicole''s emotions were all over the ce. Her pregnancy was messing around with her emotions, she was beginning to tear up.

    As Nicole said she loved him Ian wanted to jump up and hold her in his arms. It was the first time either of them publicly announced their love.

    "Nicole, what if this man is not good for you?" Lucy Chan asked. "We are only after what is best for you."

    "Mom, he is a good man." Eric said, defending Ian.

    "We need to confirm that for ourselves." Raphael Chan told his son.

    "Raphael, maybe you should trust your children on this." Prisci Reyes said, defending the Chan siblings. She had always been a supporter being more open to love.

    "And what if the man cannot take care of my daughter?" Raphael asked. "Nicole is not some ordinary woman! What if the man will not value her!"

    "I will value her! I love her!" Ian was not able to stop himself, he did not want Nicole''s parents thinking he would leave her just because she was pregnant.

    Cedric who had been trying to stop Ian from doing something stupid sighed and ced his head in his hands. Why did Ian have to act so impulsively? Nicole would be furious at this man once they were alone.

    "Not an issue then.?? Lucy Chan said with a shrug. "Just get married so that the child can have a proper family."

    "Yes and after the wedding we can announce to everyone that you are married and expecting." Raphael Chan said with a nod.

    "Uncle, Aunt, I am more than willing to marry Nicole." Ian said as he came up behind Nicole and held her by the waist. "I will do anything for her."

    "Then it''s settled, you can get your wedding license as soon as possible." Raphael Chan told the couple.

    "Wow this is amazing! Mom and dad are willing to ept Ian, Nicole!" Miguel said happily.

    "I am not getting married." Nicole said in a low voice.

    "What babe?" Ian asked Nicole as he kissed the side of her head.

    "I said I won''t get married!" Nicole said in a louder, more stern voice.

    "Nicole, why? I thought you loved Ian?" Lucy Chan asked her daughter. "Don''t you want to marry him?"

    "Of course I want to marry him! I love Ian." Nicole said as she leaned against him.

    "Then why won''t you get married?" Ian asked.

    "Nicole, isn''t this what you wanted?" Lucy Chan asked her daughter.

    "I won''t have you dictating my life." Nicole crossed her arms in protest. "I love Ian but we haven''t been together that long so I want to get to know him better."

    "Nic, this is our chance." Ian massaged her hand in an attempt to convince her to agree.

    "No Ian. I don''t want my life dictated, and I don''t want my family dictating yours." Nicole said with tearful eyes. She faced her parents and spoke. "Mom, Dad, I know what you and the rest of the elders will do. I know they won''t see Ian as worthy. I know how you all are, you''ll make him quit his job ande over to Saints. You''ll trap him within our ownpany so that you can dictate how he acts and how much he earns."

    "Nicole, mom and dad are just worried about you." Lucy Chan said in a tender voice.

    "No." Nicole said. She looked up at Ian and pulled him as they ran away.

    "Why does my sister have to be over dramatic?" Eric said, rolling his eyes.

 Chapter 273 - 273

    Cedric came up beside Miguel andughed.

    "It seems Nicole is choosing to be a rebel." Cedric said as he watched the couple storm away.??

    "Raphael, have the guards chase after our daughter!" Lucy Chan told her husband. She was worried that since Nicole''s emotions were at a high, Nicole might get into an ident.

    "Do you seriously think we can talk any sense into her? I''m more worried about how we will handle the board when they find out that she is pregnant and the father is an assistant." Raphael Chan said as he sighed and massaged his temples. "I don''t mean any offense old friend." Raphael said, turning to Richardo Lim.

    "In our state now, my family cannot stand next to yours." Richardo Lim told Raphael Chan. "I understand that you worry about how your board members will see my son."

    "Uncle Raphael, Ian is a good man. He is decent and hardworking." Cedric was quick to defend his friend. "He will take care of Nicole."

    "Yes Raphael." Emilio Reyes said supporting his son''s statement. "Ian has a bright future ahead of him. I am certain that with him at the helm, the Lims will rise to their former glory. You should let him follow his own path, do not try to press the young couple."

    Raphael Chan smiled and shook his head. "I have no issue with who Nicole loves, as long as he loves her and not her money. He could be an actor for all I care."

    "Dad, I''m an actor, it''s like you''re saying we actors have no dignity." Eric grumbled.

    Raphael Chanughed at how silly his son sounded. "You know I''ve never had anything against the career you''ve chosen. But the board has always looked down on the profession. All I am saying is that regardless of the man''s background, your mother and I will support whomever your sister loves, we are just protecting her from the people who''s outdated beliefs could drive someone to death." He exined to his son. Most of the guests were aware of what the elder Miguel Chan had suffered and none of them wanted their children to go through the same thing.

    "Cedric!" Adrianna shouted from her seat.

    Cedric immediately ran to her side when he heard the worry in her voice.

    "Honey what''s wrong?" Cedric asked with a worried look in his face. His eyes scanned her and his son''s body to see if either was hurt.

    "I''m not hurt, but look." Adrianna said as she handed him her phone.

    When Cedric saw what was on Adrianna''s phone he was surprised. It was a new gossip website that seemed to have just gone live today and the first post was a photo of Ray and Ayanna hand in hand, the image was taken right after they got their marriage license and you could see Cedric waiting for them outside.

    The headline read, ''Reyes-Laurence Nuptials push through, insensitive or romantic?''

    Cedric scrolled as he saw various readersmenting. Many were hating on Ayanna and Ray for pushing through with their wedding despite an employee havingmitted suicide recently, some were even warning them of the bad luck such an incident would bring to the couple. Several othermenters were asking if they had eloped because Emilio Reyes had refused to let them get married due to the recent incident.

    "Ram, look at this." Cedric said as Ram walked over to take a look.

    "This website is new." Ram said as he scrolled up and down to take a look at the contents of the website. "How could they have possibly gotten these photos, didn''t your people clear the area before you arrived?" Ram asked, he knew Cedric was currently very paranoid when it came to his family''s security.

    "They must have gotten through somehow. It''s either that or there is a mole." Cedric sighed as he refreshed the page to see more of thements.

    "How dare they curse Ray and Ayanna''s marriage." Ram spat as he read through thements.

    Right after Ram said this his phone began to ring. It seemed his people had discovered the site too and were asking Ram if he had any information that they could use as well. Ram wanted to shout at the head reporter over the phone, how dare he assume that Ram would abandon his friends for a quick story, they should know by now that he would never do that.

    "It''s on social media as well already." Ram said as he dropped the call.

    Cedric handed his wife back her phone and scrolled through his own. True enough people were already cursing the couple and telling them how insensitive they were. Cedric looked up and saw that his sister had already seen what people were talking about, he watched as a tear rolled down her cheek.

    To their surprise, when they refreshed the page again a new article appeared: ''Alexi Sebestian''s Woman?'' It came with a photo of Alexi clearly kissing a woman, everyone in the room knew that it was Nurse Jen, he had been trying to get her attention the whole time.

    "Alexi, I don''t know if this news will hurt you or if it will help you." Ram said as he showed Alexi the article.

    Nurse Jen who was also at the venue gasped when she saw the article. She looked up at Cedric to get his permission to take the rest of the day off.

    "Jen, don''t leave on your own." Alexi begged as he gripped her wrist. "It''s not safe."

    "How did this website get these photos? The kiss was clearly one from a few months ago." Cedric had also witnessed that incident, it was somewhere in the Mountain Viewmunity. "We need to investigate all of our staff, if there is a mole I feel like it would be among them." Cedric added. He wasn''t happy about suspecting his people, he never liked doubting them, but the situation they were in was quite unique and it called for a different approach.

 Chapter 274 - 274

    Alexi sat behind his desk with a serious look in his face. He was typing furiously on hisptop as he looked intently at the screen.

    Right after the article about him and Nurse Jen had been released he pulled her to the side and asked her to consider being with him, it was the best way he could protect her. Nurse Jen refused, she told him she wasn''t ready, she had just gotten used to liking men and wasn''t ready for a rtionship just yet.??

    He was heartbroken by her response, he excused himself and drove home. He had just recently moved into his new mansion in the Mountain Viewmunity, when Cedric gave them the opportunity to buy a piece of property in the area he took it and had his own mansion built there. The mansion was fully staffed but only one person lived in thevish property, Alexi.

    "Brother?" Alexi heard Katerina call out. He didn''t bother to respond since he was sure a maid would take her to where he was.

    "Brother." Katerina said as she entered his home office. "You suddenly left and everyone was worried about you."

    "I just have something to attend to." Alexi said as he continued to focus on the screen in front of him.

    "Alexi, I know you don''t have a lot of work." Katerina said as she walked over to see what her brother was so busy with.

    "Katerina don''t you dare go back here." Alexi said as he panicked to close hisputer, but he was too slow.

    When Katerina saw what he was so focused on sheughed.

    "Are you seriously googling how to court a woman?" Katerina asked as she supressed augh.

    "Where is that damn boyfriend of yours!?" Alexi shouted.

    "Outside in your living room. His manager called, I think he has a projecting up soon." Katerina said with a shrug.

    "Wait! Did you leave because of Nurse Jen?" His sister suddenly had a realization.

    "Think what you want Katerina." Alexi said as he rolled his eyes.

    "But brother, you''ve never had trouble with thedies before." Katerina said with a smile as she moved to sit on the couch.

    "No, I''ve never. So I refuse to think that this one would really reject me." Alexi said, shutting off hisputer. "I just need to change my tactics with her." Alexi poured a ss of alcohol for his sister, he needed a drink to discuss this topic with her.

    "Older brother, did it ever ur to you to ask me and Natalia?" Katerina asked as her brother handed her the ss.

    "What would you two know?" Alexiughed.

    "I''m in a happy rtionship, and you''re, well chasing." Katerina grinned as she took a sip of her drink.

    "Alright, what do you think I should do?" Alexi asked his sister.

    "Your problem, dear brother, is you have been using the same tactics for one night stands. You need to show Nurse Jen that she isn''t some temporary fling to you, that you are actually serious about her." Katerina said leaning back.

    "Hmmm, like the tactics Eric used to get you?" Alexi teased.

    Katerina rolled her eyes at her older brother in annoyance. "It worked didn''t it." Katerina said.

    Alexi remained silent for a time, he was considering if he should take his sister''s advice or go on about as usual with his own methods.

    "Fine, what should I do then?" Alexi asked, finally letting go of his pride and asking for his sister''s help.

    "Brother, you''re just too aggressive with women." Katerina said, shaking her head.

    "But if I take it slow, won''t they get bored?" Alexi asked his sister.

    "Of course not silly." Katerinaughed. "Start with bringing her flowers or small gifts, then take her out to dinner, but make sure your dates aren''t crazy ones like flying off to Bali, start it small, the Bamboo Room or Constetions should do."

    "And you''re sure this will work?" Alexi looked more like a child asking his parents if what they had said was true.

    "Don''t act naive Alexi, of course it''s not a guaranteed sess. You sound as if you''ve never chased women." Katerinained.

    "I never chase dear sister, theye to me." Alexi smirked. "Nurse Jen has been making me doubt my abilities since she is constantly refusing my advances."

    "She''s just, errrr�� different. She didn''t like men till recently and you''re being very aggressive. Take it slow." Katerina advised.

    Alexi nodded and smiled.

    "Alexi, big brother, do you really like her?" Katerina asked. Alexi knew that it was very uncharacteristic of him to be serious about a woman, especially after what happened to Ilya, he made a conscious decision not to open his heart again.

    "I do Katerina." Alexi said proudly.

    "Have you moved on from Ilya?" Katerina asked.

    "I honestly don''t know Katerina. After she passed I promised never to feel the same way about another person, but something about Jen draws me to her, I can''t point out what but I feel the need to make her happy all the time." Alexi exined to his sister.

    "Whatever your decision brother, I will support you." Katerina said with a smile.

    "Katerina?" Eric said as he knocked on the door.

    "Come in Eric." Alexi said, inviting his sister''s boyfriend in.

    "Hey Alexi, how are you holding up?" Eric asked, he had always been like an older brother to the other boys, he was four years older than them and in the past they would seek him out for advice.

    "Liking someone is hard." Alexiined.

    Ericughed as he sat next to Katerina and pulled her closer to him.

    "Eric!" Katerinained as she blushed.

    "Are you being shy, little sister?" Alexi teased. "I''ve seen you like this with other men, what difference does it make if it''s Eric."

    "You should tell me about the other guys Alexi." Eric said with augh as he pinched Katerina by the waist making her jump.

    "The right woman is always worth it." As Eric said this he was looking lovingly at Katerina who blushed in reaction to his words.

    "I never thought I would meet a man that could make Katerina blush." Alexi said with a smile. "Who knew that man has been in our lives the whole time, I can''t wait to call you brother-inw Eric."

    "Eric, don''t we need to leave? Don''t you have a shoot tonight?" Katerina asked, diverting the topic.

    "I do." Eric said with a nod as he kissed Katerina on the forehead. Alexi was used to seeing Katerina''s past boyfriends being affectionate to her, but it seemed that Katerina was ufortable with Eric showing affection in front of her brother. "We will go ahead Alexi, if you need help with the Nurse Jen issue, give me a call."

    Alexi nodded and walked the couple to the door. He was happy that Katerina and Eric finally decided to give their rtionship a try, it was very much long overdue.

 Chapter 275 - 275

    As Katerina and Eric walked out of Alexi''s study, Eric noticed that Katerina seemed to have something on her mind. He held her hand and massaged it in an attempt to sooth her, but it still seemed that her mind was miles away.

    "Katerina." Eric called out. Katerina was so deep in thought that she didn''t hear Eric call out to her. He decided to make sure she made it safely to his car before further questioning her.??

    When they got to the car Eric had to help her in as she bumped her head on the door, she was clearly very distracted by something. Eric couldn''t help but ask her. "Katerina, what''s wrong? Did Alexi say something that''s bothering you?"

    "No, it''s not Alexi." Katerina''s response still didn''t give Eric any leads making him worry even more. Katerina wasn''t the type to focus too much on one thing and lose sight of the world around her, so her current behavior made Eric feel like whatever was distracting his girlfriend was quite a heavy issue.

    "Pris Mall." Eric told his driver who was in the front seat. The driver nodded and pulled out of Alexi''s driveway.

    "Katerina, tell me, what''s bothering you?" Eric asked again in the hopes that his girlfriend would give him a better answer this time.

    "It''s Nurse Jen. I never liked her. My gut keeps telling me something is not right about her." Katerina said as she bit her lower lip.

    "Stop biting your lip, or else I''ll bite it for you." Eric threatened as he looked at Katerina hungrily.

    "You wouldn''t dare." Katerina said as she red at Eric.

    Ericughed and lowered his face to kiss Katerina, as promised he gently nibbled on her lips as they kissed. When they finally broke it off Katerina still seemed distracted, she seemed to be miles away in her head.

    "If Nurse Jen really worries you, have her investigated." Eric suggested. "But I''m sure Nicole and Miguel already looked into her background before hiring her.??

    "I hope they won''t get offended if I have her looked into again." Katerina said as she yed with the phone on herp.

    "Katerina, you''re only worried about your brother, it''s normal for you to want to have Nurse Jen''s background checked." Eric said in an attempt to calm Katerina.

    Katerina simply nodded and kissed him on the lips before dialing a number on her phone.

    "Look up a Jennifer Pez for me. She works as a nurse at Saints Hospital and is currently assigned to the Reyes Household." Katerina ordered. Eric smiled, Katerina''s sudden transformation from sweet and vulnerable to a female boss amused him, he found this aspect of Katerina very interesting.

    "Dig as far back. If she''s hiding anything, I want it found." Katerinamanaded. "You have a week." His girlfriend said as she put down the call.

    "Are you done being scary?" Eric teased as he lifted Katerina onto hisp. In private the couple was very intimate, it was as if they were making up for lost time.

    "Eric, we aren''t alone." Katerina scolded.

    Eric grinned and raised the divider between them and the front seats.

    "Now, shall we continue?" Eric asked as he traced kisses on Katerina''s neck, Katerina let out a moan that only encouraged Eric to continue what he was doing.

    "Eric, this isn''t appropriate behavior in a car." Katerina yfully scolded.

    "Mmmm, you make it very difficult to resist Katerina." Eric said as a hand slipped under her shirt. "I''m very sad that you refuse to wear a dress, it makes ess very difficult." Eric seductively whispered.

    "If I wore a skirt I don''t think you could stop yourself." Katerina flirted back. She wasn''t some shy little virgin, she could hold her own against Eric Chan, and Eric loved that about her.

    "I can''t wait to get home Katerina, I won''t need you to be in a skirt." Eric said hungrily as he massaged under her shirt making Katerina moan in delight.

    Eric quickly ced his lips over hers to keep her quiet. It excited him even more that she was on hisp enjoying every moment with him. It was truly a blessing to have a woman as open as Katerina Sebastian.

    When Eric''s car finally pulled up at the basement of Pris Mall several bodyguards approached to make sure that no fans would get too close.

    "I don''t want to go." Ericined as he took a break from passionately kissing Katerina.

    "You have to work, you need to make enough money to support me." Katerina teased as she ced an innocent kiss on his cheeks.

    "Hmph, you don''t even need me to support you." Eric responded.

    "Go on and get to work. Your driver will take me home." Katerina said as she bid Eric goodbye.

    As the car drove steadily on the highway Katerina''s phone began to ring. She took it out of her bag and was surprised to see that it was Cedric calling her.

    "Yes big brother?" Katerina asked, she had always seen the boys as her elder brothers and it had been a form of endearment from her to call them her big brothers.

    "Katerina, I have some legal matters that my team can''t handle. Can youe over on Monday to help out?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "I don''t think I have anything scheduled on Monday, so sure, I''ll be there first thing." Katerina said, confirming the appointment. "Does this have anything to do with the incident from six months ago?" Katerina asked. She needed to be ready for their meeting.

    "Yes, an issue with the family as well as other parties havee up. I want to settle it as quietly as possible but they are stubborn and want it done in court. I swear Katerina I feel like we are being attacked from all sides right now." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Cedric, maybe it''s not my help you need. You might need Alexi, Ram, and Ray on this. All I can do is help you with the legalities, this all feels like a big set up." Katerina didn''t hide her suspicions from Cedric, it would bring no good if she did that. The best choice was to be upfront and to share her suspicions in case it could help them.

    Katerina heard Cedric let out a sigh.

    "I have been suspecting that, yes." Cedric admitted. "But the attacks are so scattered I feel like we''ve been chasing the culprits everywhere. They are smart, I''ve already told everyone to stay alert, we still don''t know who the real target is."

    "I find the new gossip site very suspicious. It feels too dedicated to going after our group." Katerina said.

    "Ram is investigating them, I expect that he might ask for your legal advice soon. You''ll probably have your hands full with this issue." Cedric warned.

    "You are all like family to me, and I would do anything for family." Katerina said in a serious tone.

    "Thank you Katerina. I''ll see you on Monday." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

 Chapter 276 - 276

    Monday rolled in and Cedric arrived at his office earlier than usual. He was surprised to see Ian and Cami already chatting when he stepped in.

    "What time do the two of you actuallye to the office?" Cedric asked as he leaned over their desks.??

    "Usually three hours before you." Ian said with a shrug.

    "And your junior assistants?" Cedric asked as he was gaging how long he could stay out without having to wear his disguise.

    "They normallye in ten minutes to nine." Cami told Cedric.

    Cedric looked at his watch, it was currently seven in the morning, meaning he still had time to talk with Cami and Ian.

    "Do you mind if I work here before they arrive?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Ian said tly.

    "What? Why? We used to work together all the time." Cedricined.

    "You''re our boss. You''ve got a giant newly renovated office over there. Why would you want to stay out here?" Ian asked.

    "Change of scenery." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "And what if someone suddenlyes here?" Cami asked.

    "Then it would be perfect. People are already wondering where Cedric Reyes is. I''ve honestly been too busy with work to keep my assistant identity alive." Cedric exined.

    "The junior assistants think you''re at R Tower." Ian pointed out. "You should stay at your office."

    "I can say I brought some documents over. Then I can stay here for a while." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Katerina will arrive in an hour, and you have meetings the whole day, you can''t pull it off." Ian warned Cedric.

    "Why do you want me gone so badly?" Cedric grumbled. "Are you talking about me behind my back? Oh I know why, you don''t want me to ask!" Cedric said in sudden realization.

    "Ask what?" Cami moved closer to hear the conversation better.

    "What happened after him and Nicole left the party." Cedric said with augh.

    "We went home. That''s it." Ian said, rolling his eyes.

    "Ian, remember, this time is the most dangerous time for her and the baby. So behave." Cedric said with a wink.

    Ian rolled his eyes and ced his head in his hands.

    "I''m an awesome boss." Cedric said with augh as he walked away.

    He knew he had a lot of work to do, it was the reason why he came in early. After a minute Ian came in with a stack of papers, all of them needed Cedric''s signature.

    "Is this your way of getting back at me for all the teasing?" Cedric asked as he eyed the stack.

    "Hey, I don''t control these things. I just hand them to you." Ian said as he ced the papers down on Cedric''s desk.

    "Do I really need to approve everything?" Cedricined as he too a random document out of the stack.

    "I send back 80% of everything they think needs your signature. The managers also filter what needs your approval, so yes all of these things do." Ian exined.

    Cedric sighed and just began reviewing and reading all the documents on his desk.

    "Do you want to hear the morning reports sir?" Cami asked as she entered to collect whichever documents Cedric had already finished signing.

    Cedric nodded indicating that he would listen. He ced his pen down and leaned back to listen to the daily report. He was happy to hear that their sales had recovered from the impact of the incident at the Tech Hub. Some people had initially called for a strike saying that Mor Co. didn''t value it''s employee''s mental health, it wasn''t just their sales that suffered, their stock prices took a dip as well. Luckily majority of shares were in Cedric''s name so there was no significant impact, Cedric knew the value of hispany and shares were just an indicator of public opinion to him.

    "Has Ayanna''s wedding had an impact as well? Many people were quite negative about it." Cedric asked.

    "ording to our analysts there was little impact on Mor Co. It wasrger on Elisia Malls and the Reyes Group, but it''s not a big deal since most of the shares are within the family and the marriage was still seen as more beneficial over all." Cami reported.

    "That''s good. At least my sister won''t feel bad about impacting the business." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Sir, the employees are asking about when you will resume building the Tech Hub." Cami told Cedric.

    "We can''t start until the investigation is over. I''ve said this before." Cedric said with a sigh. He had no intentions of changing his ns. The mastermind must be found first before they could rebuild.

    "They are just wondering sir." Cami said in an attempt to defend the other employees.

    Cedric sighed and took a few deep breaths.

    "Anything else?" He asked Cami.

    "Nothing sir." Cami replied.

    Cami bowed and left letting Cedric focus his attention back to the papers that needed signing on his desk. Due to the heavy paperwork, he didn''t notice that an hour had passed and Ian was knocking on his door.

    "Come in." Cedric said without lifting his head as he continued to focus on the documents.

    "Sir, Miss Katerina Sebastian is here." Ian announced.

    Cedric didn''t need to tell Ian to let Katerina in, she just entered and made herselffortable on the seat nearest to Cedric''s desk.

    "One minute." Cedric said as he finished reading a document and wrote something on anot and stuck it on. He added a paper clip to make sure the note wouldn''t fall off. "Ian, don''t leave." Cedric said as he noticed the door closing.

    Ian stopped and went in closing the door behind him.

    "Sit." Cedric said pointing to the empty chair across Katerina.

    Ian obayed and sat down.

    "Before anything I have a question." Cedric said in the most serious tone. "What happened after you left the party?" Cedric grinned as he got to his point. Ian wouldn''t be able toe up with an excuse this time because Katerina was with them.

    "Do I have to answer this?" Ian asked.

    Katerina who was seated across him crossed her arms and gave him a look. "You better." Katerina said. "I know the two of you spent the whole day at home. I live next door."

    Ian sighed and shook his head, Cedric knew his n wouldn''t backfire.

    "We went home and talked." Ian exined. "I was confused, very confused. I didn''t understand why she wouldn''t marry me. We kind of had a shouting match then she broke down into tears, I forgot that pregnant women were sensitive." Ian said with a frown. Cedric could see he was guilty about this so Cedric didn''t add on anymore.

    "Did you talk about your ns?" Katerina asked.

    "Why can''t you ask Nicole this?" Ianined.

    "Well she isn''t here now." Katerina said with augh.

    "We spoke about our ns okay. That''s it." Ian said

    "Okay. You can go." Cedric said with augh.

    Ian stood up and bowed and left.

    "So what did you want me here for?" Katerina asked Cedric.

    "I have some potential legal issuesing from the incident." Cedric said as he pushed a stack of documents towards Katerina. "I''d like you to take a look at them and give your opinion. Our in house legal team has already gone through them but I wanted to hear what you would have to say."

    Katerina picked up a folder and looked through it.

    "Hmmmm, I see some unnecessary steps. I''ll read them and get back to you." Katerina said as she ced the folder back. "Is that all?" She asked.

    "I want to know what you think would be the best steps to take, legally, against whoever plotted this." Cedric told her.

    "Well it depends on who you''re up against. The more powerful they are the harder it will be to go after them legally." Katerina exined.

    "Have you considered -" Katerina was mid sentence when her phone began to ring. When she saw who it was she quickly excused herself.

    Just as Katerina got up, Ian came bursting in the door.

    "Nicole is facing the board and the Chan elders." Ian quickly said. "I need to go to her."

    Cedric looked at Katerina. "It''s Eric, he''s saying the same thing. I need to go to Saints too."

 Chapter 277 - 277

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    "The impact will be stronger if I''m there to vouch for you Ian." Cedric said as he opened his closet and changed his coat to something more formal. "Let''s take my car." Cedric said as he ced on his disguise.

    As they walked out Cedric gave instructions for Cami to send the documents over to Katerina''s office then take hisptop and any urgent files to Saints in case they took too long.

    When Cedric, Ian, and Katerina arrived at the underground parking they found Cedric''s Maseratti already waiting for them. They got in and sped off to Saints Hospital.

    Inside the car Ian was clearly in distress.

    "You normally handle stress better." Cedric told his friend.

    "That''s work, this is different." Ian said as he yed with his nails.

    "Your fidgeting is annoying me." Katerinained. "Nicole can handle herself Ian. I''m just here for legal support and you''reing along so that she can show you are a capable person, and as much as I hate to admit it, Cedric is here to give the board a nod towards the right direction."

    "The support of the Reyes Group has always been key to dominance." Cedric said with a grin. Everyone knew that it was almost impossible to seed without the backing of the richest and most influential family in the country. It was this very rtionship that kept the hungry shareholders of Saints at bay.

    "Companies can still seed without you." Katerina told Cedric.

    "They can, only to a point, if they don''t offend us." Cedric said with a shrug. "We''ve always supported startups and smallpanies. I just hate those that treat their people badly."

    "Learnings from your poverty training?" Katerina asked.

    "Yes. I worked at some pretty bad ces, both small and big." Cedric said with augh.

    They continued on in silence until Cedric''s car arrived at Saint''s Hospital''s main wing. There were ambnces everywhere. It was busier than normal.

    They were quickly greeted by Miguel who was waiting by the entrance.

    "It''s quite busy today, there was an ident on the highway. A ten car collision including a bus and a truck." Miguel said, exining the situation outside.

    "Shouldn''t you be helping?" Katerina asked.

    "They''ll call me if they need me, we make sure to hire the best doctors, this ident is no problem for them. Right now my sister is my priority." Miguel said as they briskly walked into the hospital.

    The Saints board room was at the top floor, when the group stood outside Miguel took a deep breath and faced them.

    "So this is what happened, there was a scheduled meeting today and one board member began ridiculing Nicole, pointing out that she was a woman in a man''s world, now as you know pregnant women are more emotional so Nicole decided to let it out. She gave the board member a tongueshing telling him that hecked the skill to do what she does everyday." Miguel exined. "Someone suddenly asked her why she was being so emotional and well, Nicole suddenly said that she was pregnant. We were all shocked, it was very uncharacteristic of her. The board members then said that she couldn''t possibly help dad run the hospital while pregnant or raising a child. They demanded that our uncle be installed as the VP in Nicole''s ce. Our uncle Diego Ong is the husband of dad''s youngest sister. Hees from an influential business family, but he isn''t quite as capable as Nicole. He was a younger son so he wasn''t trained in business or to lead. He''s alright as a person and would never fight to grab power from us, his rtives on the other hand are a different story."

    "What do I have to do with all this?" Ian asked, it seemed that the mess inside all depended on the Chan family''s capability to pacify their shareholders.

    "Well, Nicole insisted that she could still manage Saints. She boasted that even if she was incapacitated the baby''s husband was definitly capable." Miguel exined as he scratched his head.

    "But I''m working for Cedric. I can''t just drop everything and hop on over here." Ian exined.

    "Your wife, your problem." Miguel said with augh.

    "Ian, it''s not a problem if you need to step in for Nicole when she gives birth. Cami and I can handle things." Cedric said as he ced a hand on Ian''s shoulder.

    "She also boasted that the baby''s dad is a close friend of Cedric and someone the Reyes family wouldn''t hesitate to back. That''s what suddenly shifted the wind inside. At first they were ready to kick her out of her position, but when she mentioned you and your influence they suddenly calmed down." Miguel told Ian.

    "Do they know that I''m a Lim?" Ian asked. Cedric knew what Ian meant by his question. He was asking if the board knew that he was from a fallen family, one that had lost all it''s riches but not it''s name and influence.

    "Not yet. But I think this will work in yours and Nicole''s favor. To them this will mean that you do not have a family business that will rope you in at any time. You can focus on running Saints for Nicole." Miguel said.

    "I think they intend to have Ian run Saints in ce of Nicole permanently." Cedric said as he analyzed the direction that the board was taking.

    "I will not do that." Ian said. "Saints belongs to the Chan family and my true goal is to see our family business standing mightily again." As Ian said this the door to the board room opened and a woman in her 40s stepped out. She looked a little like Nicole.

    "Auntie Gabrie." Miguel greeted.

    "Oh, you''re back Miguel." His aunt said with a nod. "Which of these two men is he?" Aunt Gabrie asked.

    "The one not in a ridiculous outfit." Miguel said with augh. "The one trying to hide his face is Cedric, you remember, the Reyes heir? Uncle Emilio and Auntie Prisci''s son." Miguel exined.

    "Of course I know Cedirc! I changed his diapers as a kid!" Aunt Gabrie said as she looked at Cedric. "My you have grown, young man. We will catch upter." She told Cedric.

    She took a step closer to Ian who remained firmly nted in his spot.

    "Good, you don''t cower. And you have a dignified air about you, what family do youe from?" Aunt Gabrie asked.

    "The Lims, madam." Ian said respectfully.

    "The garment Lims? The ones that owned factories and vastnds long ago? Those Lims?" Aunt Gabrie said as she looked into Ian''s eyes.

    "Yes ma''am." Ian said with a nod.

    "Good, they won''t chew you out. We were nning on marrying our son to your younger sister, well that was before the fall. I sincerely hope you can climb back up again." Aunt Gabrie said.

    "We''ll go in now aunt." Miguel said as he led everyone into the meeting

 Chapter 278 - 278

    As they entered Cedric noticed that every seat in the room was filled, this meant that no board member was absent that day. He began to wonder what topic could have been so important for everyone to show up, even in the Reyes Group shareholder meetings not everyone attended.

    Cedric gave a meaningful look to Miguel who understood immediately what Cedric wanted to ask.??

    "It was supposed to be Nicole''s extension meeting today. She was only ced as VP on a probationary condition. If you ask me, no one can do a better job than Nicole." Miguel whispered to his friend.

    Their arrival attracted everyone''s attention and their eyes were darting between Cedric and Ian.

    "At least you''re taking half of the attention." Miguel teased.

    Cedric was not naive, he knew that most of them wanted something from the Reyes Group and would eventually use this opportunity to speak to him. Right now however, the star of the show was Ian. He was an unknown to them.

    Nicole who stood at the head of the table smiled when she saw the new arrivals. Ian arriving with Cedric would definitely help in convincing the board that Ian was not just some random guy she liked.

    "Ah, brother, you brought Ian over." Nicole calmly greeted.

    Cedric could see the surprise in Ian''s eyes, he clearly did not expect Nicole to have such a powerful presence when dealing with business matters.

    "Luckily Ian and the Reyes heir were not too busy, they even managed to drag Katerina Sebastian toe as well." Miguel boasted. Cedric knew they were dropping names to create an impact on those members that did not expect Ian to be truly familiar with the Reyes family. Katerina being around was a plus, even if she had trulye for Nicole as herwyer.

    "I hope you can make it quick Nicole, Ian and I have business to attend to." Cedric said in a cold tone. He wanted to convey to the board that Ian did not just work for the Reyes Group, he wanted to show that Ian was a valuable part.

    "Of course big brother." Nicole said informally. The four of them then walked up beside Nicole, Ian stood to her right and gripped her hand tightly. Nicole looked up at him and smiled.

    "Ladies and gentlemen of the board, this is the father of my child, and hopefully my husband in the future, Ian Lim." Nicole said in a powerful voice as she introduced the man beside her.

    "Miss Chan, we know your intention is sound and by the looks of it Mr. Lim is quite well connected, but the real question is, if he is capable." A board member asked, he was an elder man who clearly had other intentions in questioning both Nicole and Ian''s capabilities.

    "He is capable." Cedric answered from behind the couple. Everyone was surprised to hear the Reyes Heir speaking up for this man, the Reyes family was notorious for being cold and distant geniuses. Even Ayanna Reyes, who was a woman, was notoriously scary to non-employees of the group.

    Everyone had heard rumors about the Reyes Heir, some good, some bad, but there was one thing they all agreed on, the young man was capable. Since his return, Mor Co. had been constantly doubling their profits and thepany''s value had soared. So to hear this man vouch for Ian would naturally lead the board members to simply nod in agreement.

    "With all due respect Mr. Reyes, this man is a capable employee, but what guarantee do we have that he would be capable in managing Saints Hospital?" A female board member asked this time.

    Cedric threw Ian a look as if asking ''Should I or are you capable of answering?''. After working for Cedric for over a year Ian already knew what his boss was saying, it was as if their minds were already connected at this point.

    "I am not just Mr. Reyes'' assistant." Ian said in a firm tone. He would not back down, he would not let these people look down at him any further. "The expansion project of Mor Co. was managed by me, as a matter of fact I am still managing it together with my duties as Mr. Reyes'' assistant. The only reason for our dy is the unfortunate incident that happened at the Saints Hospital there. Despite all of this, we have managed to contain the situation and we are already working on furthering the expansion." Ian''s voice was clear and all the board members understood, he was a truly trusted employee.

    "Mr. Lim isn''t just any employee." Cedric added. "His father and mine are friends, the same goes for us, Ian is my friend. And as you all know our friends always benefit." Cedric was clearly giving Ian an unfair advantage over the poor board members.

    "If the Reyes Heir says he is capable then he is capable." A different board member added, clearly he was convinced by Cedric''s words.

    "Miss Nicole, will you be permanently handing over the reins to Mr. Lim? If he is truly capable, why not let him run thepany." The first board member asked.

    They all knew this was bait, if Nicole agreed then he would say she was selling thepany to a man that had no ties to the Chan family, someone who could turn on them and give everything to the Reyeses. If Nicole refused then they would be back at the beginning where they would be asking someone else to step in.

    "I cannot take over fully for Nicole." Ian suddenly said. "I am an employee of the Reyes Group and thus I can only help Saints temporarily while Nicole gives birth to our child." As Ian said this he looked lovingly at Nicole.

    "Saints will always be at the hands of a member of the Chan family." Nicole added. "Miguel will also help Ian while I give birth, I''m sure the Reyes Heir would be willing to loan him for a while."

    Cedric simply nodded in response to say that yes, Ian will work for Saints for as long as you need him.

 Chapter 279 - 279

    The backing of the Reyes Heir went a long way with the board of Saints Hospital, having someone that powerful on your side would definitely help and that was a piece of the pie that the board desperately wanted.

    As the meeting concluded several members of the board attempted to strike up a conversation with Cedric, but he quickly discouraged them by putting on a cold aura and simply giving one word answers or a simple nod. They quickly understood that he did not want to engage in small talk and scurried off in embarrassment. When all the board members finally left the room everyone let out a sigh of relief, the only people left were Nicole, Miguel, their parents Lucy and Raphael, Ian, Cedric, and Katerina.??

    Nicole quickly hugged Ian and buried her face in his chest. Cedric watched the touching scene and his mind was quickly drawn to think of what his wife would be doing now.

    "Pregnant women really are so emotional." Cedric said with augh.

    "You! Be nice if you want Ian toe back to working for you!" Nicole warned as she red at Cedric.

    "Do you still need my assistant? Or can we get back to work?" Cedric asked.

    "You can take Ian, but I need Katerina." Nicole said as she ced her hands on her hips.

    "Really Nic, you''re choosing a woman over the father of your child." Ian teased as he pinched Nicole''s cheeks.

    "Don''t y jealous. It doesn''t suit you." Nicole said, rolling her eyes.

    "Where''s Eric?" Katerina asked, it was her boyfriend that called her over so she expected to see him at the meeting as well.

    "Over here dear." Eric''s voice came out from a speaker on the table.

    "Do you really attend board meetings this way?" Cedric teased.

    "It''s not good for my image to be seen going in and out of the hospital so often." Eric exined.

    "Cedric, I just got an urgent call from the office." Ian whispered to Cedric.

    "What''s so urgent that needs me back?" Cedric asked, there was very little that Cami couldn''t handle on her own. Ian and Cami were highly effective and were Cedric''s left and right hands in all matters.

    "It''s the other thing." Ian told Cedric.

    "There are several other things Ian." Cedric scolded.

    "The one you asked me to investigate during the wedding." Ian exined.

    "Well dramatic Chans, Ian and I have to go. Thank you for the entertainment today." Cedric teased as he left with Ian walking behind him.

    "His real personality is so different from the one he projects." Katerina said with augh.

    "We aren''t dramatic!" Eric shouted over the phone making everyoneugh.

    The news that the Reyes Heir was at Saints Hospital spread quickly, many news agencies sent their photographers and gossip columnists over to hopefully catch a glimpse of the elusive man. In the recent months the Reyes Heir had be a hot topic and was practically a celebrity in his own right.

    As they walked out of the lobby Cedric was surprised by the shes of the cameras, his bodyguards were quick to jump into action helping Cedric get into his car.

    When they were finally settled Cedric took off his facemask.

    "What was so urgent that you had to drag me out? Don''t you want to spend more time with Nicole?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "There is movement in the house." Ian told Cedric.

    "My dad''s spare house? I didn''t hear about mom leaving today." Cedric said as he tried to recall if there were any issues at rin Industries.

    As if on cue Cedric''s phone began to ring, it was his mom, Prisci rin - Reyes.

    "Mom?" Cedric asked.

    "Hey hun, I just heard you were mobbed outside of Saints. Your Auntie Lucy called to tell me that you had helped Nicole and Ian earlier." Prisci Reyes told her son in a proud tone. Cedric simled, he had spent many years away from his parents and having a rtive speak to him so happily was something he often craved for.

    "It wasn''t a big deal mom, I''m more than willing to help my friends." Cedric said tenderly to his mother.

    "I''m happy you turned out to be such a good man. I was worried that you would be, well, severely affected by your poverty training and hate us for going through it." Prisci told her son. Cedric smiled, his poverty training was not pleasant, he had to endure a lot of hardships and adjusting after was quite difficult. He still wasn''t used to the power and responsibility he currently had, even the fame still made him very ufortable.

    "It wasn''t a walk in the park mom, but at the end of the day, I''m still your son, and any child of yours is a good one." Cedric praised.

    "Anyway, that''s not why I called. I have to go to the head office again, I''m leaving tomorrow. So I would very much appreciate it if we could have a family dinner tonight." Prisci Reyes said in a hopeful tone.

    "Of course I can make it mom." Cedric said in a livelier tone.

    "Great, I''ll have the chef cook all of your favorites and it''s the perfect time since Ray and Ayanna are leaving for their honeymoon at the end of the week." Prisci Reyes said excitedly.

    "I''ll see you at home mom." Cedric said tenderly as he dropped the call.

    "I guess that exins why the house is being prepared." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Cedric, I know you don''t want to ept it, but maybe you should confront your dad and let your mom know." Ian advised.

    Cedric remained quite for a while as they drove back to the office.

    "What if it''s not a mistress?" Cedric asked.

    "Cedric, uncle''s actions lead to that conclusion." Ian told Cedric. Cedric looked at him and sighed. Ian was right, all the evidence pointed to a mistress.

    "I just find it so hard to believe. My parents were not an arranged marriage, they weren''t married too young, and they had a long healthy rtionship before tying the knot. How could things end up like this?" Cedric asked.

    "Ced, you know as well as I do that sometimes people just fall out of love." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Still Ian, I don''t want to jump into conclusions." Cedric said with a sigh. "There is no evidence solid Ian."

    "What do you mean by no evidence Cedric? Your father is visiting a woman in secret in a house he kept a secret. Even the timing of his visits are very suspicious." Ian reminded Cedric.

    "Until I see him in the act or hear it from him, I will not believe that my dad is having an affair." Cedric said, shaking his head. "If it is true I don''t know what it will do to mom, she loves him so much, he is her world."

 Chapter 280 - 280

    Cedric made sure to finish his work early that day, he had quickly done away with his meetings and asked Ian and Cami to send the documents that needed his attention to Mountain View. He had promised his mom that he woulde home earlier for dinner.

    "Adri." Cedric said as he called his wife.??

    "Mmmm. Yes Cedric?" Adrianna asked over the phone.

    "Are you still at work?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah. I''m finishing some things up." Adrianna told him. Cedric could sense that she was somewhat distracted, he guessed that she was probably working on something while they spoke.

    "I''lle pick you up." Cedric said lovingly over the phone.

    "You aren''t working overtime tonight?" Adrianna asked, clearly surprised that her husband wasn''t too busy that night.

    "Yeah. Mom wants to have a family dinner." Cedric said gently.

    "Alright, I''ll be ready in five. See you." Adrianna said cheerfully as she dropped the call.

    Cedric smiled like a child as he dropped the call and gathered his things. He still needed to wear his disguise out since the junior assistants were at their desks.

    When Cedric walked out he looked at Ian and Cami.

    "You''ll send everything overter?" He asked in a more distant tone than usual.

    "Yes sir." Cami said with a nod.

    "Ian do you have an update on the matter?" Cedric asked.

    "I''ll tell you on the ride down." Ian said more casually as he stood up and walked with Cedric to the elevator.

    "Assistant Ian is really quite close to the boss." Cami''s junior assistant, Mae, said with a gasp.

    As they were walking away Cedric heard this and took note to tease Ian about it in the future. Since the elevator they were taking was for Cedric''s exclusive use it opened as soon as Ian pressed the button.

    "We''ve nted spies outside the house already, but it seems your dad and his people already know where their vulnerable spots are and there is heightened security in those areas." Ian reported as they rode the elevator down.

    "We''ll take what we can." Cedric said simply.

    "I''ll call when there is something to report." Ian told Cedric as the elevator doors opened to the underground parking lot.

    Cedric nodded and got into the white Rolls Royce that was waiting for him.

    "We''ll pick Adrianna up first." Cedric told his driver who nodded and drove towards the direction of Ind''s Inc.

    Cedric had told Adrianna beforehand that he was leaving so by the time the car drove by Ind''s Inc.''s office all Adrianna had to do was climb in.

    "I heard about what happened at Saints today." Adrianna said as she leaned back on her husband''s chest.

    "Yeah, but it''s settled." Cedric reported to his wife.

    "You were all over the gossip sites and on social media today." Adrianna said as she held up her phone. "People were wondering why you went to Saints, and their guesses are nothing close to reality." She said with a giggle.

    "What are they saying?" Cedric asked as he yed with Adrianna''s hair.

    "So one theory is that you were badly injured and that you needed to go to the hospital. A lot of your fans were worried and have been tagging the Mor Co. and Reyes Group ounts like crazy!" Adrianna said.

    "Well, it''s not impossible." Cedric said with augh.

    "Another theory is that your wife gave birth, ha! Little do they know our adorable son is six months old already and he''s already walking." Adrianna proudly said. They had all been shocked one day when little Emilio managed to lift himself and wobbly walk a few steps before falling on his butt.

    "Any mistresses in the rumors?" Cedric teased. He knew rumors of mistresses and affairs would always be present.

    "Yup. One said that you had a woman in the hospital that Miguel was keeping a secret for you. I mean how crazy are these fans of yours." Adriannained.

    Cedric looked at his wife and smiled. He turned her and gazed into her eyes lovingly.

    "You do know that you are the only woman for me." Cedric said as he caressed her cheek.

    "I know, and you''re the only man I will love, in this life or the next." Adrianna responded before leaning forward and kissing him passionately. Cedric grinned, it seemed Adrianna was moved by his words, he realized that he should pick up some lines from the Chans more often.

    When they arrived at home they were greeted by their son running over. Cedric knelt and stretched out his arms to catch his son, but little Emilio ran right past him and hugged his mother''s leg.

    Adriannaughed and bent over to pick her son up. When he was finally in his mother''s arms heughed and spoke "Mama!" little Emilio said with a giggle again.

    "This one is such a mama''s boy." Prisci said as she weed the couple home.

    "Just like his father." Emilio Reyes teased as he arrived right behind the couple.

    "That is true!" Prisci Reyes proudly said. "Did you know that when he was three he didn''t want to y with his friends and often just held on to my skirt and hid behind my legs?" Prisci told Gracia and Charles Hernandez who were in the living room with them.

    "Adrianna was closer to her dad." Gracia Hernandez said with a grin.

    "Mom has always been bitter about that." Adrianna said, rolling her eyes. "Dad has always been nicer to me anyway."

    "I think you even love your mother-inw more than me!" Gracia Hernandezined.

    "Well you did try to break her and Cedric up." Charles Hernandez said with a shrug.

    "I was an evil mother-inw for a while, wasn''t I?" Gracia Hernandez said with augh.

    "Don''t worry mom, all is forgiven." Cedric smiled at his mother-inw. "Plus I think my mom wouldn''t be as happy as she is now if you guys didn''te into her life." Cedric grinned.

    "Speaking of happiness, where is the happy couple?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "Upstairs, hopefully making another grandchild for us." Prisci Reyes said with augh.

    "Auntie!" Marieined as she walked in with her parents.

    "Don''t tell me you don''t want another niece or nephew! Youe over almost everyday just to y with Emilio." Prisci Reyes said rolling her eyes.

    "Just agree to marry Marco already." Marie''s mother, Aurora Reyes told her daughter. "It''s been years. Just go over to a church and get married."

    "Mom!" Marieined. "Grandma! Grandpa! Mom is bullying me!" Marie yfullyined as she saw the elderly couplee out to the living room.

    "Marie, seriously, stop acting like a child!" Grandma Reyes scolded as Marie ran over to hug her.

    "Don''t listen to your grandma Marie. You could be fifty and we wouldn''t mind youing to us when your parents bully you." Grandpa Emilio said as heughed at his granddaughter.

    "Grandpa I''m almost forty." Marieined.

    "All the more reason for you to just get married. You love him, he loves you. Not an issue." Her mother Aurorained.

    "Just drop it auntie. Marie is extremely stubborn and Marco is Marco." Ayanna said as she came down with Ray. "I''m hungry. Is dinner ready yet?" Ayanna asked.

    "Yes. I''ll ask the maids to serve it." Prisci Reyes said as she went to the kitchen.

    "Won''t we wait for Miguel and Veronica?" Ray asked.

    "Those leeches are at Nicole''s tonight. I''m hoping they move back there soon." Cedricined.

    "Veronica is worried about Nicole so they decided to have dinner there while Ian is busy at work." Ayanna exined.

    "Busy because of Cedric." Adrianna added.

    "I didn''t ask him to do overtime!" Cedric said, iming innocence.

    "Let''s just eat." Marie said as she walked to the dining room.

 Chapter 281 - 281

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    It had been awhile since thest time that the whole Reyes family actually sat down for a rxing dinner. They all had so much going on in their professional lives that dinner and breakfast was a quick hi, hello to them before someone had to rush off to the office.

    "Mom, why do you need to rush off to the province again." Ayannained with a pout.

    "Just some business issues." Prisci Reyes told her daughter vaguely.

    "But mom, I just got married and you''re leaving." Ayannained.

    "Oh don''t give me that line. You and Ray are jetting off to your honeymoon on that ind he bought as a wedding gift! You''ll be gone while I''m gone." Prisci Reyes told her daughter. "I better have a new grandkid by the time youe back."

    "Mom it doesn''t work that way!" Ayanna blushed.

    Ray justughed beside her and kissed her on the side of her head.

    "Ah, to be young and in love!" Grandma Reyes said as she watched her granddaughter and grandson-inw.

    "But your mom is right, go and have children. We want them to catch us alive!" Grandpa Emilio teased.

    "Grandpa! Don''t say that!" Marieined. "Of course you''ll get to see and y with your great grandchildren."

    "Well we would have had great grandchildren sooner if you married Marco." Grandma Reyes teased.

    Marie''s jaw just dropped as everyoneughed at the elder''sments.

    After dinner Cedric helped Adrianna put little Emilio to sleep. He rocked his son back and forth as they stood on the balcony.

    "I promise you my little baby, daddy will always be faithful to your mommy. I love her and I love you so very much. Just being apart the whole day breaks my heart." Cedric told his son as he kissed the child in his arms.

    "What''s with the sudden profession of love?" Adrianna said as she leaned against the door''s frame.

    "Hmmm, I just want to tell you both how much I love you every chance I get." Cedric told her as he leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips.

    "Well, just so you know, I''ll only love you too." Adrianna smiled back.

    The next day Cedric offered to take his mother to the airport but he was suddenly called to the office for an emergency.

    "Don''t worry, your Aunt Aurora and mother-inw are apanying me this time. We''ll make a girl''s trip out of it." Prisci Reyes said with a grin as she shooed off her son.

    Cedric nodded and gently kissed his mom on the cheek as he said goodbye.

    When Cedric got to Mor Co. it seemed like things had jumped back to normal and everyone was extremely busy. He had been missing his simpler life so he decided to ask his driver to drop him off in one of the more quiet bus stations and he took a bus to the office.

    When he entered the lobby he looked up and smiled, it was now a far cry from the outdated look that Mor Co. once had. As he entered many employees greeted him, in their eyes he was the former assistant that now worked at the Reyes Group''s head office. Some were nice, others he knew were jealous, if only they knew the truth, Cedric thought to himself andughed.

    When he got to the CEO''s floor hepletely forgot about the junior assistants. He was surprised when he bumped into Mae and Dave.

    "Mr. Cedric! We heard so much about you!" Dave greeted him respectfully.

    "Errr, I''m here to visit Ian and Cami." Cedric quickly said.

    "Ah, they are at the CEO''s office. Should we call them?" Mae asked.

    "No need. I''ll just go in. The boss shouldn''t be in yet." Cedric told them as he walked straight to his office.

    When he got in Cami and Ian greeted him. Cedric walked up and sat at his chair.

    "We need to figure out a way for me to leave as Cedric ande back as the Reyes Heir." Cedric groaned as he massaged his temples.

    "Why don''t you just take the day off?" Cami suggested. "You don''t have that many meetings today, nothing that can''t be moved around. You''ve beenining how much you''ve missed being Cedric, this is your chance."

    "And where am I to stay?" Cedric asked.

    "You can stay with us outside like you used to when you were, well, just you." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Okay. I guess I need a break. Move things around." Cedric told Ian.

    "Okay, let''s go out and you can help me with the trivial stuff you don''t do anymore." Ian teased.

    Cedric sighed, picked up hisptop and followed Ian out.

    "The boss isn''ting in today." Ian announced to the junior assistants. Cedric noticed a frown cross Mae''s face when Ian said this.

    "Why so down, miss?" Cedric asked.

    "Mae has a crush on the boss." Dave teased.

    Cedric elbowed Ian who was suppressing augh.

    "I do not!" Mae said defensively. "My name is Mae, by the way, I''m Miss Cami''s junior assistant and this is Dave, he''s Ian''s junior assistant. We didn''t get to introduce ourselves earlier."

    "Nice to meet you." Cedric said with a wink.

    "You''re married. Stop flirting, or I''ll tell your wife." Ian warned.

    "Mae, you so have a crush on the boss. You''re even part of his fan club!" Dave continued to tease.

    "Fine, so what if I''m a fan. The Reyes Heir is awesome." Mae said proudly.

    Cedricughed and took a seat at his old fake desk and rolled his seat closer to the two youths.

    "Why do you think the Reyes Heir is awesome? The boss is just a man." Ian said as he sat down and opened hisptop to work. He still had to send out an announcement to everyone that the Reyes Heir wouldn''t be in the office today.

    "He is so young and handsome, and he''s already managed to lead Mor Co. into so much sess." Mae swooned.

    "How do you know he is handsome? You''ve never seen him before." Cami said, joining the conversation.

    "Just something about his profile makes you feel like he is good looking." Mae exined. "He is tall and he has this air about him saying I am better than everyone. Too bad he is married though, a lot of single girls are sad about it too."

    Ian let out augh. "I''ll make sure he hears this."

    "Mr. Lim, don''t please. I''ll be so embarrassed if he heard what I was saying." Mae said, shaking her head.

    Cedric simled, if only Mae knew that the man she was talking about was seated across her.

    "Aren''t you going back to R Tower, Mr. Cedric?" Dave asked.

    "Nope. I got the day to hangout here." Cedric said as he popped out hisptop. "I''m helping Ian and Cami today since the boss is out."

    "Oooh, can we have a nice lunch out today?" Mae asked Cami and Ian.

    "Sure." It was Cedric that answered. "But you''re paying for yourselves. I''m too broke to pay for everyone."

    Cami''s and Ian''s jaw almost dropped. Ian red at Cedric as if to say ''You''re one of the richest men around, why do we have to pay for ourselves.''

 Chapter 282 - 282

    By the time lunch rolled by Cedric and everyone else was exhausted and were in much need to leave the office.

    "Let''s take two cabs, parking is difficult at that ce." Ian suggested. They were going to eat at a newly opened restaurant. One of the perks of working for the Reyes Heir was the fact that a lot of bosses wanted to suck up to them, so when Ian asked this particr business partner if they could get a table the man quickly agreed.??

    "Why does it feel like things are busier when the boss isn''t around?" Dave said with a sigh, as they entered the elevator.

    "That''s because we do some of the boss'' work when he isn''t around. But we''re lucky, the boss doesn''t miss out on work that much." Cami exined.

    When the elevator doors opened Dave and Mae walked out first. Cedric pulled Ian and Cami back making sure they were out of earshot.

    "Might I remind you that this was your idea." Cedric whispered.

    "We aren''t the onesining Ced." Ian told him as he rolled his eyes.

    "Good, let''s go." Cedric said as they walked out to hail a cab.

    When they arrived at the restaurant''s facade there was already a long line of people waiting to be seated. Many were happily chatting, people were clearly willing to wait for their turn just to eat at the new restaurant.

    "What is this ce?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s a budget Michelin restaurant." Cami said proudly.

    "It''s been a while since you descended to earth oh mighty god." Ian teased in a low voice so that only Cedric and Cami could hear him.

    "Well you should bring me food like this more." Cedric told Ian.

    "Your father forbids it." Ian said with augh. Emilio Reyes had given them strict instructions to stop letting Cedric eat ''junk''. Cedric used to love eating in small cafeterias and street food, his father was only worried that he would eventually get poisoned this way.

    "I wanna eat here so badly, but look at the line!" Mae said with a pout as she pointed at the line.

    "We have a cheat code kid." Camiughed as she and Ian walked to the head of the line.

    "Yes?" The woman at the reception asked.

    "I called earlier. Under Ian Lim." Ian told the receptionist.

    "One moment, sir." She said as she left and went inside.

    "Wow, do you have connections Ian?" Dave asked.

    "People want to suck up to the boss so sometimes you can nudge them in the right direction." Ian said with a wink.

    Cedric looked at Ian and raised an eyebrow. He knew Ian would never be so easily influenced by small favors, he was worried that these junior assistants might be swayed by such bribes.

    "Mr. Lim!" A man in a suit said as he came out. "I hope you are doing well. Is the boss doing well too? I''m surprised you have time to have lunch out! From what I''ve heard Mor Co. is back to being extremely busy."

    "The boss is out today so we decided to treat ourselves. I hope we aren''t a bother." Ian told the man.

    "No not at all, I know Miss Cami, who are the others with you?" The owner asked as he eyed Cedric, Dave, and Mae.

    "Oh, well, this is Cedric, he was a former assistant to the boss too, but he got promoted and now works at HQ. These two are our junior assistants, Dave and Mae." Ian said quickly introducing the three.

    "A pleasure." The man said as he went about shaking their hands. "Come in. I''ve reserved a table for you."

    The owner led Cedric and his group to a table that had a reserved sign on it.

    "See Mr. Lim, I made sure to reserve a good table for you." The owner boasted.

    "Thank you." Ian said with a smile as they all took their seats.

    "Ah, Mr. Ian, Miss Cami, will you put in a good word for my proposed partnership franchise now?" The owner asked as he leaned forward, eager to hear their response.

    "Sir, you know that Cami and I have no say in these things. We are just mere employees. Furthermore, our boss has a strict policy, the work must speak for itself, if your proposal is good then the boss will ept it, if it isn''t then it gets rejected." Ian calmly exined to the owner whose face had just gone pale when he realized that sucking up to the assistants would do him no good. "I''m sure you feel your work is good enough and that you have no need to bribe us." Ian added with a shrug.

    "Yes, yes Mr. Ian. Please enjoy your meal, and thank you for your advice." The owner said, as he called the waiter over to get everyone''s orders.

    When they had given them and the waiters left, Dave and Mae both had a confused look on their faces.

    "Out with it." Cami told the junior assistants.

    "Why would a restaurant seek favor from a techpany?" Dave asked.

    "Ah, well, it''s notmon knowledge but the Reyes Group moved all approvals for new businesses to the boss. Anything that pertains to the future of the Reyes Group is his responsibility now." Ian exined, as Cami and Cedric nodded in agreement.

    Emilio was slowly easing more work onto Cedric''s te recently, this was why he had to send Ian back to help Cedric, the workload was quite high.

    "So the boss will be taking over soon?" Mae frowned.

    "Why so down about that kid?" Cedric asked.

    "Well that means that our boss will be different since we will stay with Mor Co." Mae pouted.

    Cedricughed at the young woman''s worry, he knew from Ian and Cami that Mae and Dave were both extraordinary people. They both graduated from top universities and although they did not finish at the top of their ss, they were both extremely resourceful. Something Cedric needed his people to be.

    "You''re being silly." Cedricughed. "You''re Cami and Ian''s people, the boss will surely let youe along when they move. Since Cami and Ian are like his left and right hand, they are sure to follow him to HQ." Cedric said with a wink.

    "Really? But you got moved to HQ without the boss." Dave said.

    "I''m on a secret mission for the boss." Cedric teased.

    "Rx you two, the only way you''ll lose your positions under the Reyes Heir''s office is if you fail him. So no cking, no betraying, and no taking bribes. Got it?" Ian reminded the two.

    "Yes, sir." The two junior assistants said happily.

    When the food was served Cedric was surprised at the quality.

    "Wow. This tastes amazing." Cami eximed. "I see now why you were so confident about eating here." She praised Ian.

    "Yes, this will definitely be a hit and the Reyes Group should invest in it." Cedric said with a nod.

 Chapter 283 - 283

    Ian and Cami quickly caught on, the boss had just given his approval to push through with the partnership with this establishment. Cedric knew that Ian believed he would agree, that''s why he had decided to pull some strings to get in.

    Cedric truly enjoyed their food and was heavily considering having a branch at the Tech Hub oncepleted.??

    "How sure are you that the boss will approve this? Has he eaten here? Isn''t it beneath him to eat at ces like this?" Dave asked. His questions made sense, most scions of rich and powerful families would never dine at ces like these and they often had a poor understanding of whatmon folk would like.

    "You wanna know a secret?" Ian said with a grin.

    Cedric red at him, curious as to what Ian would say, it was thetter''s chance to say things about him without him fighting back.

    "What Mr. Ian?" Mae excitedly asked. As a fan, she treasured every bit of information she could gather about her idol.

    "The boss is actually very down to earth." Ian said with a wink. "He always wears a disguise so he could go around just like us. He is very different from his contemporaries, even his friends are unique. The five princes are never demanding and they rarely spend in excess. It''s true that the four other princes enjoy luxury, but it''s never excessive.

    "So, do you mean the boss could be in this very restaurant, inspecting it?" Dave asked wide eyed and curious. He quickly scanned the room for anyone that resembled the Reyes Heir, but everyone in the restaurant seemed ordinary.

    "You''d be surprised if you met him." Ian said with a chuckle as he looked at Cedric in the eye.

    "Have all three of you met the boss without his disguise?" Mae asked.

    "Yep." Cedric responded as he devoured his food. He liked being just him, he had no need to be proper or behaved, he could be as ordinary as he wanted.

    "Please tell us more about him." Mae begged Cedric.

    "Errr.. I''m not the best to describe him." Cedric awkwardly said, he didn''t know how to describe himself.

    "The boss, hmmmm��." Ian said as he rubbed his chin. "Well, he seems cold but he''s actually nice. Oh and he is obsessed with his wife." Ian said with augh. Cedricughed with him, what Ian said was true, he was crazy in love with his wife.

    Cedric excused himself so that Ian and Cami could freely talk about him with the junior assistants. As he walked over to the bathroom, he suddenly bumped into a waiter who identally spilled a cold drink on a customer.

    Cedric heard a shrill scream and jumped in surprise.

    "You ipetent idiot!" A female customer shouted at the waiter. "How hard is it to carry a drink!" The woman shouted.

    Cedric felt guilty about what had happened. If he had been paying more attention to where he was going he wouldn''t have bumped into the waiter who was currently being berated by the customer.

    "I''m sorry. I bumped into him." Cedric said respectfully, as he looked behind the waiter to apologize.

    "You! You!" The woman shouted.

    Cedric was surprised to see Lorisa De Jesus and her husband Anton seated at the table where the waiter had spilled the drink.

    "I can''t believe this ce lets in vermin like you!" Lorisa used in a loud tone. Her hysterics managed to attract the attention of almost all the restaurant''s patrons.

    Seeing that a scene was unfolding, the manager ran up to resolve the problem.

    "Madam, Sir, what happened? Can we resolve your issue peacefully?" The manager asked in a calm tone.

    "You shouldn''t let worthless people like him in!" Lorisa shouted as she pointed at Cedric and looked at him with disgust.

    "Still the same as always, Miss Lorisa, you can''t buy breeding." Cedric''s word cut through Lorisa like a knife cutting butter. Cedric knew herrgest insecurity, she was a social climber, she came from a poor family and managed to make the right friends and marry a man of worth, but in the eyes of the truly rich she was still nothing.

    "What do you know? You''re just a poor and dirty assistant." Lorisa shouted. "You''re so worthless that your wife had to crawl into your boss'' bed for you!" Lorisa used, causing many to gasp and quickly gossip.

    "I highly suggest that you do not tell lies Lorisa." Cedric said in a stern tone.

    "Or what? You''re just a lowly employee, Cedric." Lorisa mocked.

    "Is that the husband of that Hernandez girl?" A gossipydy behind Cedric asked herpanion. Cedric wasn''t surprised that the rumors about Adrianna had not died down, they continued to linger in society, popping up when most inconvenient.

    "Yes, he''s one of the Reyes Heir''s assistants, but I heard he recently got moved to the head office." Herpanion, whom Cedric assumed to be her husband, told thedy.

    "It''s probably cause his wife is truly the mistress. The Reyes Heir must have moved him to keep him away." At thedy''s words, Cedric wanted tough. If only they knew who they knew the truth, maybe they would cough out blood in shock.

    "Be careful of what you say dear. You never know what influence he holds. He is still close to the Reyes Heir and is possibly one of the very few who have seen his face."The husband warned his wife. At least the husband still had some sense in him, those that mocked Cedric didn''t expect him to be held in high regard by the Reyes Heir, but no matter how you looked at it he was close to the man, making those that were wise still respectful towards him.

    "Your threats are all empty." Lorisa said, crossing her arms as she stood proudly.

    Before Cedric could say anything further he noticed Anton grabbing Lorisa by the arm and throwing her a warning look.

    "Mr. Cruz, is there a problem here?" The owner asked as he rushed to de-escte themotion. His eyes were darting between Cedric and Lorisa, he knew that Cedric had arrived with Ian and Cami so he must have been someone important to the assistants.

    "This person made your waiter spill a drink on my dress! Do you know how much this costs?" Lorisa shouted, not caring about all the eyes that were watching them.

    "Is there a problem here?" Ian asked as he approached. He was apanied by Cami, Mae, and Dave.

    "Nothing I can''t handle." Cedric said with a grin.

 Chapter 284 - 284

    "You will pay for the damage!" Lorisa demanded.

    "Sure." Cedric said as he shoved his hands in his pocket, he suddenly realized he didn''t carry a wallet on him today.??

    "What? No money?" Lorisa mocked.

    Cedric wanted tough at his situation, he was one of the richest men in the country and yet he had just managed to make himself seem poor once again.

    He waved for Ian toe over, Ian was ready in case Cedric asked him to do something drastic to the couple. He had already taken his phone out and was ready to call for the security team waiting outside.

    "Ian, do you have a check with you?" Cedric whispered.

    Ian wanted tough when he realized that his boss seemed to have forgotten that he didn''t bring any money.

    "I do." Ian nodded as he struggled to control hisughter.

    "How much?" Cedric asked loudly.

    "Will you really borrow money to protect your pride?" Anton Cruz, Lorisa''s husband asked in a mocking tone.

    "I''m not borrowing." Cedric said tly.

    "Fine, pay me a hundred thousand." Lorisa quickly demanded.

    "Your dress isn''t worth that much." A spectator suddenly said as she stepped forward. She was young and beautiful wearing a ck pantsuit and high heels. When Cedric saw the woman he was suddenly reminded of Katerina, she bore the same aura as the eldest Sebastian daughter.

    "What are you talking about? Your fashion sense is clearly off!" Lorisa used the woman. "This is a limited edition Frank Dress. A hundred thousand is cheap for this dress." Lorisa boasted, Cedric knew that the designer Frank was a rising star in Italy and his work cost hundreds of thousands.

    "Simple, because your dress is a fake." Thedy used.

    Lorisa stepped forward to p the woman, but as her hand came down towards her face the woman caught Lorisa''s hand making her scream in pain.

    "You don''t believe me?" The woman asked. "My name is Selina Buan and mypany is the top fashion house in the country. There is only one version of that dress and it''s sitting in my showroom. So if you are trying to tell me that the dress on you is an original it means that you either stole it or that''s a fake." Selina said, as she crossed her arms across her chest and looked down at Lorisa.

    "Impossible, the woman in the store said this was an original!" Lorisa said with a gasp.

    "Social climbers like you always stink from a mile away." Selina said as she turned and walked away.

    "Thank her properly." Cedric ordered Cami who quickly jumped into action and chased after the woman.

    "You really have no shame." Cedric said at Lorisa before finally tuning to leave as well.

    Ian quickly spoke to the owner and apologized for the fiasco they had caused, the owner was kind and said that it wasn''t their fault so no apology was needed.

    "That was a close one." Ian said with augh as they walked out.

    "Get me more information on that woman. She has potential." Cedric told Ian who simply nodded in reply.

    Cami was soon walking back to join them. She simply nodded towards Cedric to say that she had done what he had asked her to do. Not wanting to cause a scene any further, the group returned to Mor Co. in silence.

    When they got back up to the office there were already a lot of people waiting for them. It seemed news that the boss wasn''t in had spread and people who were previously afraid toe up had gone up to the top floor to talk to Ian and Cami about things they needed the CEO to approve.

    While Ian and Cami dealt with the people that had gathered, Cedric sat at a table on the side to get a little work done.

    "Mr. Cedric, aren''t you going to help Mr. Ian and Miss Cami?" Dave asked Cedric.

    "Mmmm, they don''t exactly need my help." Cedric said distantly.

    "What are you working on?" Mae asked.

    "Aren''t you two a little bit too free?" Cedric asked, raising an eyebrow.

    Mae simply shrugged and looked at him as if she was waiting for something.

    Cedric sighed. "I''m reviewing some potential investments for the Reyes Group, they are extremely confidential so no, you can''t see." Cedric said as he continued to type on hisptop. Of course what he said was true, except for the fact that the information that he was looking at was a little bit more high level than what anyone else would manage to see.

    "Dave, Mae. Go down and pick up some documents from the head office." Cami called out, they had finally managed to send everyone away and the floor was silent again.

    Mae and Dave nodded and ran over to the elevator. When the door finally closed, Cami and Ian walked over to Cedric''s side.

    "You''re grooming them well." Cedric said as he continued to type on hisptop, replying to several emails.

    "Thanks." Ian said with a smile. "We have an update." Ian told Cedric in a more serious tone.

    Cedric simply leaned back and nodded.

    "The woman arrived at the house today." Ian reported. "As usual we weren''t able to see her face, but she came by car, it had no tes or any identifying marks."

    "It seems dad has been making an extra effort in hiding this woman." Cedric said as he scratched his chin. "Did you check with Damien if he could help in investigating who goes to this house?"

    "Yes. I spoke to Damien, but he couldn''t get much. Someone much higher up is helping your dad." Ian said with a sigh.

    Cedric closed his eyes and pinched between his eyes. "It seems dad has asked Uncle Jose for help." His uncle Jose Sebastian, Alexi, Katerina, and Natalia''s father was the sitting president so no one was higher than him in the government. "Has anyone elsee to the house?" Cedric asked, hoping to find out more about the woman.

    "She wasn''t alone. There were two others with her." Ian reported. "It''s the first time she brought others with her."

    "If this is a mistress she might be introducing my dad to her friends." Cedric didn''t want to say it out loud, but everyone was right, what else could it be other than a mistress.

 Chapter 285 - 285

    Cami and Ian were still chatting with Cedric when they heard the elevator arrive. They quickly changed the topic to something more casual.

    "Mr. Cedric! Mr. Cedric!" Mae said as she and Dave rushed up to the elder employees.??

    "Mae, rx, what''s up?" Cami asked her junior assistant.

    "New rumor, about your wife, and boss." Mae said, panting.

    Ian quickly opened his tablet and checked social media, and true enough there was a new article about the Reyes Heir and Adrianna.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked as he saw Ian let a smile slip.

    "Uhhhh, read it for yourself." Ian said as he passed the tablet over.

    [Nothing Going On? Miss Adrianna caught climbing into the Reyes Heir''s Car!]

    [Reyes Heir and Miss Hernandez back at it again?]

    [Who in the capital can afford this car?]

    [The Reyes Heir''s Illegitimate Son?]

    [The Reyes Heir Meets Up With His Mistress After Work!]

    There were multiple articles but they all had one image on them, it was a photo of Adrianna climbing into Cedric''s ck Rolls Royce. Cedric knew this image, this was him picking up his wife the night before. They had made sure to time it perfectly so that others would not see her getting into a different car. Whoever caught these images must have been waiting outside Ind''s Inc. for quite a while.

    "Mr. Cedric��" Mae said slowly.

    "Mae, Dave, go down to the PR Department, we''ll call the boss and see how he wants to deal with this." Ian quickly said in a serious tone.

    Cedric could see that Dave wanted to say something but he changed his mind and just nodded and left with Mae.

    "They''re smarter than I expected." Cedric said as he noticed that the two junior assistants had realized that something was off.

    "Well we needed to get rid of them to see what you want us to do." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Just get someone to say I lent my car to me." Cedric said. "That sound so stupid, but yes, just do that."

    Just as Cedric was trying to resolve the new rumors that were circting about him and his wife his phone began to ring.

    "Alexi?" Cedric asked as he picked up the call.

    "I need a drink." Alexi said in a grim tone. "Hype Bar, Ray''s room." After saying where he was Alexi dropped the call.

    "Can you deal with things here?" Cedric asked his assistants.

    "We''ll work on it. A statement will be out by today." Cami said with a nod. "You should inform your wife about your n. She might be taken by surprise." Cami advised.

    Cedric simply nodded and gathered his things. He went down straight to the underground parking of Mor Co. and got into one of his cars that were parked there.

    When Cedric got to Hype Bar he called his wife to warn her about thetest news.

    "Are you busy?" Cedric asked as he heard his wife''s sweet voicee from the phone.

    "No. Myst meeting just finished." Adrianna said, sounding exhausted.

    "There are new rumors about us." Cedric said with a light chuckle.

    "Us us or me and the Reyes Heir?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "You and the Reyes Heir. Don''t worry, I''ve already had the PR team release a statement that the Reyes Heir wasn''t the one in the car." Cedric quickly exined.

    "Yeah, it was my husband that was in the car." Adrianna teased.

    "Just don''t go out the main exit today. Pass through the basement parking and have our security team escort you." Cedric reminded his wife.

    "I''ll be careful." Adrianna promised.

    "I''m out right now. Alexi called, he asked me to meet him at Hype. I hope you don''t mind." Cedric told his wife, he avoided hiding things from her. Cedric was still worried that any small lie would trigger trust issues between them.

    "Of course I don''t Cedric. I had you for years. They''re only getting to spend more time with you now. Go and have fun." Adrianna told her husband in a happy tone.

    "I''ll ask Leon to drive me home if I drink too much." Cedric promised.

    "Go have fun. Don''t make Alexi wait." Adrianna said with a giggle as she dropped the call.

    Cedric made sure to wear his disguise as he got off his car, it was way too shy for people not to realize that only the richest of the rich could afford to drive it.

    Even if it was quite early Hype bar was very famous, so a lot of people were already inside. It wasn''t packed but the musing was already on full st and people were dancing.

    Cedric walked towards the stairs when he was suddenly pulled.

    "Dance with me!" A woman shouted as she began to grind her body on Cedric.

    Cedric remained stiff on the dance floor not responding to her. She suddenly turned and ced her arm around his neck and continued to maintain contact between their bodies. When Cedric saw who it was he suddenly took a step back, it was the girl from the restaurant earlier Selina Buan.

    "Sister! Sister!" A man that looked very much like Selina called out as he pulled her off Cedric. "I''m so sorry Mr. Reyes. My sister has been under a lot of pressuretely so she drank a lot and lost control of herself, I''m really sorry."

    Cedric saw that Selina''s brother was telling the truth so he simply nodded and turned to walk away.

    "Hey Mr. Reyes Heir! You look so much like a punk I saved earlier! You should meet him, he might be your long lost twin!" Selina said as she moved closer to Cedric.

    "Sis, stop, stop." Her brother said as he pulled her away.

    "Mr. Reyes. I''m sorry." The man apologized again as he finally managed to drag Selina away.

    Cedric was shocked with the coincidence but he just shook off the incident. When he finally climbed up to Ray''s private room hefound that all his friends were already there.

    "What made you call us all over?" Cedric asked as Miguel poured him a ss.

    "Hehe. It??s his turn to be heartbroken." Miguel teased.

    "I''m not heartbroken." Alexi responded defensively. "I simply failed to close a deal today."

    "Courting a woman isn''t like some political alliance Alexi." Ram told him, to which the other boys simply nodded.

    "I never fail." Alexi said as he downed another ss of his drink.

    "Nurse Jen rejected him?" Cedric asked as heughed at his friend.

    "Of course. The woman doesn''t want a rtionship. She''s still confused." Ram said with a shrug.

    "She''s an odd one that one." Raymented. He couldn''t drink that much since he and Ayanna were leaving for their honeymoon trip around the world the next day.

    "She just has some dignity." Miguel said, proud of his employee.

 Chapter 286 - 286

    "Did you follow the boy''s advice or did you finally listen to your sister?" Cedric teased. He knew that if Alexi followed any of the boy''s advice it would surely end in disaster.

    "I followed everything Katerina told me to do. I was the opposite of my usual self." Alexi said as he ced his head in his hands.??

    "Alexi it doesn''t work that fast. You need to wear her down." Miguel said as he refilled Alexi''s ss. "Look at me, I waited years for my chance. And -"

    "And you still haven''t gotten any!" Eric shouted andughed at his younger brother.

    "Love takes time." Miguel said, turning his back on Eric.

    "Just keep at it Alexi." Cedric told Alexi. "I think I might be the most qualified here to tell you about love." Cedric said with augh.

    "Let''s talk about something else." Alexi said waving his hand in the air, as if swiping the conversation away.

    "Cedric, you seemed bothered." Eric pointed out. "Is it the rumors?"

    "What rumors?" Miguel said, leaning forward to hear his friend better.

    "A photo was snapped of Adrianna getting into Cedric''s car." Ram exined.

    "How is that supposed to spark a rumor? You''re husband and wife, it''s only natural for you to take the same car!" Alexi said quite loudly.

    "Idiot! It wasn''t one of Cedric''s low key cars. It was the Rolls Royce Ghost. The one everyone knows to be the Reyes Heir''s car. Plus you gave them special identifiable tes, so people know not to mess with the people in the car." Ram exined to Alexi.

    "No, that''s a normal issue." Cedric said. For a moment he hesitated if he should tell his friends, it was a personal problem, not something he should normally share. "I think my dad has a mistress." Cedric finally said with a sigh. He might as well tell them, they were practically family to him.

    "WHAT!" The boys all shouted in surprise, they all sat up in shock to the news Cedric had just shared.

    "My dad has a house in the suburbs. It''s not the usual mansion or investment that he would normally purchase, rather it''s a simple home, a small one that is only upied whenever my mom is out of town and when my dad visits." Cedric exined.

    "How are you sure that it''s a mistress that lives there?" Miguel asked.

    "She doesn''t live there, she always arrives when mom leaves." Cedric exined with a frown.

    "Have you found out who it is and for who long their rtionship has been going on?" Alexi asked Cedric.

    "We can''t figure out who it is. I think your dad is helping him cover it up. I''ve already asked for Capt. Damien''s help and we still didn''t find any information out." Cedric recalled what Ian had told him. "As for how long there isn''t anyway for me to find out. Dad and Mom have always seemed so in love. I was very shocked when I discovered the house, he was acting very suspiciously when mom first stated to have troubles in rin Industries. I don''t know if there was any rtionship prior to that." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Have you told Ayanna?" Ray asked, clearly concerned about how his wife would react.

    "No. I don''t want to tell her until I know for sure." Cedric exined.

    "Auntie and Uncle have always seemed so in love. I''m so shocked." Eric said in a stunned state.

    "Do you need help?" Alexi asked. "I can mobilize my resources without dad finding out."

    "Would your resources beat your dad''s?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Well, no. Of course not. How could any of us beat our dads." Alexi said in a disheartened tone.

    "But Cedric, Auntie and Uncle, I cannot believe it." Ram said, shaking his head.

    Cedric took a deep breath and sighed. He didn''t even understand it himself.

    "Do you think auntie knows?" Ram asked as he took another gulp of his drink. Growing up, Ram and Veronica had always been left at the Reyes home to y with the siblings, he naturally thought of Prisci and Emilio Reyes as his second parents.

    "I don''t think so. She just left for the head office of rin Industries this morning. She didn''t seem bothered by anything aside from work." Cedric told his friends.

    The boys continued to drink in silence thinking of their own worries and problems with every ss they downed. Soon enough all of them were no longer able to walk straight, even Alexi who was considered the strongest drinker among them.

    Luckily Cedric still remembered to call for a driver and put on his disguise as they went down to leave.

    As they walked across the dance floor, a familiar woman jumped and hugged Cedric, shocking all of hispanions.

    Cedric''s first reaction was to shove the woman who was caught by Alexi.

    "Eeee. You''re that yboy politician!" The woman said as she pushed herself away from Alexi.

    "Cedric, who is this?" Alexi asked as he stared at the woman suspiciously. Something about her seemed extremely familiar to him.

    When Cedric realized who it was he grabbed Selina by the arm and began looking around for her brother.

    "What is your brother''s name?" Cedric asked in cold and intimidating tone.

    "Helios, his name is Helios. Such an odd name right. My mom and dad are such nerds!" Selinaughed.

    Just as Cedric was about to ask a waiter to look for Helios the young man ran up to them with a worried expression.

    "Mr. Reyes, I''m sorry about my sister. She kept going on and on about how you are the same person as the guy she helped earlier. She''s crazy. I told her you would never go to such a pce and if you did everyone would have known." Helios said as he tried to catch his breath.

    "What guy?" Alexi asked from behind Selina.

    "Ah, Congressman Sebastian. Errrr. My sister said she saved a man being bullied by a social climber at lunch today. She kept insisting that he and Mr. Reyes are the same person." Helios exined. "I swear sir, my sister is normally a level minded person. As a matter of fact she graduated at that top of her ss in Madrid and went on to establish her own business. She just returned from New York this year and is moving her headquarters locally. She''s just stressed."

    "It''s no worry." Cedric said in an attempt to calm the brother down. "No harm done. She''s just probably confused." Cedric said as he left.

    The other boys quickly followed him out. When they were finally outside Alexi decided to ask Cedric the question that had been nagging him since they met the girl.

    "What''s your rtionship with her?" Alexi asked in a serious tone.

    "None. She saved me as Cedric earlier. Lorisa and Anton were trying to get me to pay for a fake dress. She stepped in." Cedric exined. "Do you know her?" Cedric asked, he was wondering why his friend that was supposedly in love with another woman was asking about someone from the bar.

    "She''s Nurse Jen''s long time love." Alexi said bitterly. "Nurse Jen followed her around the world trying to convert her, but Selina rejected Jen again and again. She broke Jen''s heart which resulted in hering home and eventually working for Miguel."

    "Then you should thank her." Cedric said with a grin as he got into the passenger seat of his car.

 Chapter 287 - 287

    When Cedric woke up the next day he was nursing the worst hangover of his life. He couldn''t remember thest time he drank so much. He cursed and med Alexi for it, he wouldn''t have gone out to drink if it weren''t for the man and now he had to wake up earlier to see off his sister and brother-inw.

    When he finally rolled off the bed he found his wife rocking their son in her arms andughing at him.??

    "Did I do anything stupid when I got home?" He asked her.

    "Aside from fall t on your face on the bed? Nothing." Adrianna said with augh.

    "I swear I will never drink that much again." Cedric groaned as he got up and hugged his wife from behind.

    "Sounds like university Cedric all over again." Adrianna teased. "We''re seeing Ayanna and Ray off today. Go take a shower and get dressed."

    "Yes ma''am." Cedric said as he walked over to the bathroom to take a shower.

    Cedric and Adrianna would meet the newlyweds at the airport, they would be taking Ray''s private ne and would be jetting off on their honeymoon. Emilio Reyes and Reyes Grandparents would also be there as well as Ray''s parents. Cedric and Adrianna had decided to keep little Emilio at home in order to avoid the chance that he may be spotted by the media.

    Cedric and Adrianna arrived at the airport ahead of everyone else, they did this to avoid the prying eyes of the media who were informed that their favorite socialite couple would be leaving for their honeymoon.

    When Cedric and Adrianna arrived they spotted the media already lined up by the VIP entrance, they would pass by the employee entrance whose entrance would be at the other end of the airport. Normally they would pass this way, but since Ayanna''s and Ray''s wedding did well for the stocks of both the Reyes Group and the various Laurence familypanies they decided to make a show of the happy couple.

    Despite being low key, the two families still knew how to perform for the public to improve their sales and their stocks. Ayanna and Ray already had a followingrger than most celebrities, for some reason the public was very much interested in the lifestyle of the rich and famous.

    "I wish we could go on a trip like Ayanna and Ray." Adrianna said with a sigh as she leaned on her husband.

    "I''ll give you a proper wedding someday. I can''t wait for the day I announce to everyone that we have always been husband and wife and that you''ve given me a beautiful son." Cedric said as he gently kissed his wife on the lips.

    Cedric and Adrianna had to wait ten minutes for everyone else to arrive, there were so many fans and members of the media that the airport struggled to control the crowds. Eventually the VIPs managed to make it through and eventually join the couple in the lounge.

    "I can''t believe people would go that crazy over our honeymoon!" Ayannained as they arrived.

    "Cedric, Adrianna." Ray said with a nod as they entered the lounge.

    "How was it?" Cedirc asked his brother-inw.

    "Crazy!"Ayanna suddenly said. "A lot of them were actually looking for you!"

    Cedric looked wearily at his wife. Adrianna justughed at him. He was worried that Adrianna would get jealous of his fans.

    "I only want one person." Cedric said with a grin as he pulled his wife to him.

    "Well enough of your sappy disys of love." Emilio Reyes teased the two couples as he approachedughing.

    "Dad, I''ll miss you!" Ayanna said as she hugged her father.

    "Make sure toe back with our great-grandchild!" Grandpa Emilio said as they walked towards the airne.

    "Grandpa!" Ayanna said with a blush.

    "Dear, it''s only natural for a new couple to have a lot of sex." Ray''s mother, Amy So - Laurence said as she hugged her new daughter-inw.

    Soon the couple boarded the ne and waved goodbye to their wellwishers.

    By the time Cedric and the rest of the group left the airport the press and the fans had already left.

    "I can''t believe people are so obsessed with Ayanna and Ray''s wedding." Adrianna told her husband.

    "They want to get what they have a hard time to achieve." Cedric said with a shrug. "Let me drop you off at the office first." Cedric ced a gentle kiss on her head as the driver sped off Ind''s Inc.

    When Cedric finally arrived at the office, he wore his disguise and nodded at Ian and Cami who were waiting for him.

    The first Cedric had to deal with at the office was all the work that had umted during his ''day off''.

    It took Cedric the whole morning to go through all the backlog, when he finally finished it was already lunch time so Ian came in with some food.

    "How''s my afternoon schedule?" Cedric asked Ian as he ate his lunch.

    "Quite packed. You missed a lot of meetings yesterday so we need to catch up on them today." Ian told his boss. Ian and Cami often ate lunch with Cedric in his office and they usually took this time to catch up and be more casual.

    "Sir." Cami said as she came in. "Capt. Damien is here to report something to you."

    "But, lunch." Ianpalined making Cedricugh.

    Cedric ced away his lunch and ced on his disguise. He nodded at Cami to let Capt. Damien in.

    "Mr. Reyes." Capt. Damien said shaking Cedric''s hand.

    Cedric motioned to him to take a seat, Capt. Damien nodded and sat at the seat closest to Cedric''s desk.

    "To what pleasure do we owe your visit?" Cedric asked as he leaned back.

    "A development in the investigation." Capt. Damien announced. Cedric called out for Ian and Cami to join them.

    "We followed all the leads and we discovered that the man owed all his money to just one loan shark. A Mr. Cruz" Capt. Damien reported.

    "Cruz is an extremelymon surname. How can you figure out who this person is?" Ian asked his friend.

    Capt. Damien raised an eyebrow at Ian.

    "So professional." Ian said rolling his eyes.

    Cedricughed, he knew that Ian and Capt. Damien were close friends but he didn''t expect them to be this close.

    "Have you learned anything about this loan shark?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, Mr. Reyes. He belongs to awork of loan sharks. We''ve traced them to a legitimatepany." Capt. Damien exined. "MT Sumit, have you heard of them?"

 Chapter 288 - 288

    "You aren''t joking are you?" Ian asked his friend.

    "Why, does thepany mean something to you?" Capt. Damian asked his friend.??

    "MT Sumit has been involved in several attacks against the Reyes Group. We''ve been investigating some issues concerning them." Cedric exined.

    "We did a background check on thepany, but they came out clean. This is the first incident they are involved in." Capt. Damian exined to the group.

    "Do you think you can find out who is backing them?" Ian asked.

    "We can do some digging, but I''ll be honest with you. You might be able to find their backer faster than us. There are a lot of limitations when going about things the legal way." Capt. Damian said with all honesty.

    "Thank you, Capt. Damien. We''ll mobilize our people at the same time as well." Cedric said with a nod as he thought of how to go about the investigation.

    "Mr. Reyes we would also like to thank you for talking to the King of the Underground. He didn''t interfere at all in our investigation." Capt. Damien said with a smile. "As much as I hate to admit it however, I think things may have gone faster if he was involved."

    "He understands why you didn''t want him to interfere. This time I''ll be asking for his help. We cannot waste time in letting the real culprit escape. They were the reason someone lost their life, I cannot let that go easily." Cedric said with a cold re.

    "Even if we wanted to go after him we couldn''t. We don''t even know how he looks." Capt. Damien said with a shrug.

    "Thank you Captain." Cedric said as he stood up to lead the man out of his office.

    "Thank you for your cooperation as well Mr. Reyes." Capt. Damien said as he left.

    "Ray can''t help us on this yet." Cedric said. "He just left. Try to get into contact with his number two." Cedric ordered Ian.

    Ian nodded and left to make several calls.

    "Cami, while Ian is working on the other matters I need you to focus on all the Mor Co. and Reyes Group work. Hand Mae and Dave all of the Mor Co. work that needs to be done, I want you to work on the new businesses and partnerships for the Reyes Group. Make sure to have all of the newpanies and businesses lined up ready for a meeting. I want to close all of them by today. We need to be ahead of everyone that''s after us." Cedric ordered as Cami quickly jotted notes. "That''s all." When Cedric said this Cami nodded and left as well.

    Cami was very efficient, before the day was over she had managed to close all of the deals Cedric ced her on. Cedric was already packing up when his phone recieved and iing call from Ayanna.

    "Hey Ayanna, what''s up?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "Ced, there is an emergency. Well there isn''t anything we can do about it but I don''t know what to do. I''m worried." Ayanna said in a distressed tone over the phone.

    "What???s wrong sister?" Cedric asked, he was concerned about what was causing his sister to worry while she was on her honeymoon.

    "It''s Nicole, somehow news came out about her pregnancy!" Ayanna cried over the phone.

    "What? How?" Cedric asked as he suddenly sat up on his seat.

    "I don''t know. Some ssmate of ours just suddenly sent me a link to the article. It says a source close to the family reported that she was pregnant." Ayanna exined with a sad tone.

    "I don''t think Ian knows yet. Send me the link. I''ll work on it." Cedric told his sister as he dropped the call.

    He quickly called Ian into his office, hoping that his assistant hadn''t heard of the news yet.

    "Ian, sit." Cedric said as Ian arrived.

    Ian was visibly confused as he took a seat in Cedric''s office.

    "Ian, a gossip website just released news about Nicole''s pregnancy." Cedric told Ian.

    Ian just stared into the distance, Cedric was worried about Ian''s reaction.

    "Ian, are you alright?" Cedric asked as he tried to shake his friend back into reality.

    "Does Nicole know? How did you know before me?" Ian asked in a shaky voice.

    "I don''t know about Nicole''s situation, it was Ayanna that called and told me about the article. Some ssmate of theirs sent her a link." Cedric exined.

    "Can I have the rest of the day off? I need to see Nicole." Ian asked Cedric.

    "Of course." Cedric said with a nod.

    When Ian left Cedric''s office Miguel called. He told Cedric about the same gossip article.

    "It seems someone is targeting us." Miguel said with a sigh. "How does this person keep getting thetest news about us? Have you found the mole yet?" Miguel asked.

    "I''ve had a lot on my te recently. I can''t even investigate the mole issue." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Very few people know about Nicole''s pregnancy. The other thing I found odd is that there is no mention of the father. If I wanted to make an issue about this I would release that." Miguel said as he thought of their situation.

    "Have you spoken to Ram about this?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "Yes. He''s having his people take the article down and kill it." Miguel exined.

    "What about Saints? Are you going to release a statement?" Cedric asked.

    "Honestly, it''s Nicole''s personal matter, I don''t understand why everyone needs to be involved in this." Miguel said with a sigh.

    "People think we are public figures when we are still private ones." Cedric exined to Miguel.

    "My little sister deserves better than this." Miguel said. Cedric could sense the frustration in Miguel''s voice as he said this. Hepletely understood how his friend was feeling. He too felt the same way when people were trying to invade his sister''s personal life in terms of her marriage.

    "Is there anything we can do?" Cedric asked.

 Chapter 289 - 289

    At Saints Hospital, Miguel sat at the head of the table. He never expected that when Nicole''s news came out on the inte he would be thrown into the position he was in now. Initially Ian was supposed to take over for Nicole, but it would have meant that they would need to announce that he was the father of the child then leave the Reyes Group.

    When the board of Saints approached the Reyes Group however, Cedric rejected the idea. He told them to put faith in Nicole, she may be pregnant, but she was still capable. In order to keep Saints in their hands Miguel finally agreed to take the position of VP while they waited for the news of Nicole''s pregnancy to settle. Many members of the board believed that the fact that Nicole had gotten pregnant without being married would pull down their stock price.??

    "Sir, a Mr. Cedric Reyes in here to see you? He said he is from the Reyes Group." Miguel''s new assistant.

    "Let him in." Miguel said with a sigh. Since taking over, he and Cedric had not spoken in length about the issue.

    When Cedric walked in he was wearing ordinary office attire clothes and gave off a forgettable vibe. He turned to thank the assistant who blushed when Cedric smiled, even as someone ordinary Cedric still had his looks which was enough to make the young woman crush on him.

    When the door finally closed Cedric became more like his ordinary self. He walked over and lounged on Miguel''s couch.

    "Has the board reconsidered?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "No. I told you, this n won''t work. Soon enough they''ll either think the family is incapable or I am just incapable. They won''t call Nicole back." Miguel said as he stood and poured himself a ss of whiskey.

    "Ian is capable, but giving him the reins would just prove to them that they can be sexist about this." Cedric said with a sigh as he sat upright.

    "I know, I know. That''s why I came to you remember. Who would have known that after four months they still refuse to realize that Nicole is the better choice!" Miguelined as he took a drink. He walked over to Cedric and handed him his own ss.

    Cedric thanked his friend and looked out the window to a distance.

    "How are the books looking?" Cedric asked.

    "I''ve been giving out so much charity work that we''re almost in the red. I''ve also raised the sries of almost every employee. Still they refuse to let my sister take her ce back." Miguelined.

    "I guess it was a good thing that this happened. The first trimerster is always the most dangerous and Nicole got to rest it out. Ian said she''s doing well." Cedric was forced to mention the brigher side of things since it seemed like there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

    "We don''t have enough shares to overwrite the will of the entire board." Miguel sighed. "If we had as much as you had in the Reyes Group, then no one could oppose."

    Cedric suddenly blinked, an idea popped up in his head from Miguel''sints. Miguel was right, the reason why the other shareholders of the Reyes Group couldn''tin or do anything about the decisions of the Reyes family was because across all of thepanies the Reyes Family held most of the shares. Since there was no internal strife in his family it meant that their business decisions could not be challenged.

    "Miguel, how is your family? Do they all support Nicole being named as your father''s sessor?" Cedric asked as he rubbed his chin.

    "Some, but not all. My rtives are very traditional." Miguel exined.

    "And how much say do they have in Saints?" Cedric asked.

    "Dad holds most of the shares at 30%, but another 30% is spread out across cousins, uncles, aunts, and great aunts and uncles. The remaining 40% are among various stockholders." Miguel told Cedric as he tried to recall how the shares of Saints were divided up.

    "What if Saints suddenly had new shareholders that were on Nicole''s side?" Cedric asked as he waited for Miguel to realize what he was proposing.

    "Well that would be great, but we still need to convince the shareholders to want Nicole as the next head, and that''s quite a challenge." Miguel exined, still oblivious to what Cedric was trying to say.

    "Miguel, you''re so slow sometimes." Cedric said giving himself a facepalm.

    "What? It''s the truth! Those old fasioned men would never ept a pregnant woman. The only way you could change the opinion of those stocks was if you were to change the stockholders themselves." Miguel ranted. "Oh you mean -!" Miguel eximed as he realized what Cedric was trying to suggest.

    "Change the stockholder, change the vote." Cedric said with shrug.

    "But we can''t purchase those stocks. We need to keep them as publicly avable, and it won''t be easy convincing them to sell." Miguel told Cedric.

    "We aren''t rted." Cedric reminded Miguel. "I mean I see you as my brother but, I am not in any legal way your rtive." Cedric expounded further.

    "You would do that for us?" Miguel said with his eyes wide with shock.

    "Saints is profitable. It''s also the perfect investment for the Reyes Group." Cedric said with a shrug. "Alexi and Ray aren''t rted to you as well so he can purchase stocks. So many of those old men want to suck up to our families that they wouldn''t mind selling their Saints shares if it was to benefit their own businesses." Cedric said with a grin. He knew of at least three that were desperate to get a partnership with the Reyes Group.

    "We need to y it carefully. If we approach them we will seem desperate and it would drive up the price." Miguel said as he took another sip of his drink.

    "They wille to us, and when they do, we will set the condition as them selling us their shares." Cedric said with a nod. He liked the idea, it was his idea of course but it felt like a sound and solid n. "How many shares would we need to pruchase in order to take control?"

    "If you could purchase 20% of it, that should work fine." Miguel said with a nod. "I''ll have my assistant draft up a list of shareholders." Miguel told Cedric as they began to formte their n.

 Chapter 290 - 290

    A partnership and a government project, that''s what Mr. Ong''s family business desperately needed to survive. Cedric knew that he had approached both Jose Sebastian and Emilio Reyes several times for both. Mr. Ong was slowly handing over thepany to his eldest son when their sales began to dip, several customers began to abandon thepany and shift to apetitor.

    When Cedric investigated the incident it seemed that Mr. Ong''s daughter got into a fight with a more powerful Ri family, it wasn''t over anything light either. Mr. Ong''s daughter had married the man that Francesca Ri had been dating for over six years. Francesca was not just the daughter of the Ri family, she was also an international model and actress, she was so influential that she made it to the same list as the girlsst year.??

    "The Ongs did themselves in this time." Alexi said as he read through thebined report.

    "They are dropping like crazy, won''t they sell their Saints stocks?" Ray asked. Cedric had been using a representative to try and buy the shares but the Ongs still refused every offer, even if their ownpany was in dire need of financial support.

    "The Saints stocks are what''s keeping them among the top tier families, if they sell those they lose their standing." Cedric exined to Ray. "Their ownpany isn''t strong enough to pull them up. They only got those stocks because their grandfather was friends with uncle Raphael''s grandfather." Many oldpanies had stockholders like these, even the Reyes Group, most were from family friends who had supported the businesses when they were just beginning. These people benefited the most withpanies like Saints, the Reyes Group, and Abad Network growing were those family friends that supported them from the very beginning. Some remained close, others became distant as different generations took over.

    "So even if we offer to save their currentpany they still won''t sell." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "I have an idea." Cedric said hesitantly. "If they do not treasure theirpany, then they should at least treasure their daughter."

    "What could we give them that would benefit her?" Ray asked.

    "Freedom from the Ri family." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Even we can''t convince Francesca." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "Worried about speaking to one of your exes?" Ray said with augh.

    "She isn''t." Alexi snapped at Ray.

    "He doesn''t want Nurse Jen to see him speaking to another woman. The only thing he has managed to do is to convince her to stay in the Capital. Other than that he has been failing miserably." Cedric teased. Nurse Jen had left their service two months ago and was faced with the choice of either staying at the Capital or returning to Kashmere. At first she was inclined to return to her peaceful work on Kashmere where she tended to VIP clients that preferred the discrete location of Kashmere over the hospital in the Capital.

    "So how are we going to convince Francesca Ri to forgive them and how will be use this to bribe Mr. Ong?" Alexi asked Ram and Cedric as he tried to divert the topic of the conversation.

    "I will approach him as me and I will bepletely honest about what we want." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I thought the whole intention of this n is to buy stocks without attracting attention?" Ray asked Cedric. "Now you want to face the cranky old man and his gossipy family with the intention of buying stocks?"

    "They don''t need to know that we are gathering stocks to sway the vote." Cedric casually exined. "I''ll just say that I want to own a part of my friend''spany. All the other stocks were purchased through someone else so no one will suspect that we have already purchased at least 15% of the shares."

    "This is thest isn''t it?" Ray asked. "With Mr. Ong''s 5%, our 15%, and Uncle Raphael''s 30%, we can sway the vote."

    "The amount we purchased is a little overkill, but I want to be safe." Cedric said with a nod.

    That very afternoon the Ong family was thrown into a frenzy when Ian arrived at their doorstep. Mr. Ong knew who Ian was, he had seen the man multiple times at R Tower while trying to convince Emilio Reyes to speak to him, naturally he was shocked when the Reyes Heir''s personal assistant appeared.

    Their first instinct was to assume that they had done something wrong, that one of them had somehow managed to offend the powerful Reyes family. They still hadn''t recovered from the effects of the Ri family''s attack and here was an even more powerful one out to get them.

    When a maid let Ian in, he quickly exined that he was there to offer an invitation to Mr. Ong to speak to his boss about an opportunity. Mr. Ong and the rest of the family were shocked, the Reyes Heir wanted to speak to him and he had offered his personal car to fetch Mr. Ong.

    Cedric was waiting in his office with Alexi and Ray. He wanted to have the full impact when speaking with the Ong Patriarch, he wanted to remind the older man that refusing him had very dangerous consequences.

    "Mr. Reyes, it''s an honor." Mr. Ong said as he shyly walked into Cedric''s Mor Co office.

    Cedric could see the surprise in the man''s eyes when he saw Ray and Alexi calmly sitting on the couch.

    "Please take a seat." Cedric offered as he walked over.

    Ian brought in drinks for everyone except Cedric, his disguise made it difficult to drink. Taking a sip could risk exposing his whole identity, something Cedric wasn''t ready for.

    "I''ll be honest Mr. Ong. My friends and I want something you own." Cedric told the man.

    "Mr. Reyes, I can give you whatever you need, all for the right price." Mr. Ong said as he nodded vigorously.

    "Your shares in Saints Hospital. Sell all of them to me and I will give you three things, a partnership with the Reyes Group, a project from the government, and Francesca Ri''s forgiveness." Cedric said in a serious tone.

    The man suddenly broke down into tears and knelt at Cedric''s feet.

    "Mr. Reyes, please if you can do all that I will sell you my stocks. My daughter means everything to me and it pains me to see her like this. Miss Ri is truly being unfair. Please sir." The man said as he cried.

    "The first two I can provide today, the third is something that I will work on." Cedric exined. "My assistant will see to you." Cedric said dismissing Mr. Ong.

    When Mr. Ong left Ray was shaking his head.

    "How the hell do you n on convincing Francesca Ri?" Ray said cing his head in his hands.

 Chapter 291 - 291

    Ram and Cedric were rxing peacefully at Nationalia when a beautiful woman marched up to them, she wore a long skirt with a slit that went up until her waist. She stood almost as tall as Ram who was the shortest among the boys, she had a true model''s body, one that could make almost any man drool at the sight of her.

    "Mr. Abad, Mr. Reyes. You asked to speak to me?" Francesca Ri asked, as she sat down without even waiting for an invitation.??

    "What will it take for you to forgive the daughter of the Ong family?" Cedric asked her.

    Francesca Ri was stunned. Cedric knew that very few people would speak so inly to her, people would often tter her first before asking for something, such was the life of a socialite from the top families. His sister Ayanna hated that part the most.

    "Such a straightforward man. Very attractive." Francesca said as she looked Cedric in the eye.

    "Married." Cedric simply said as he raised his ring finger to show the wedding band on it. "For my wife and my wife alone."

    Francesca Ri nodded knowingly, she had been brought up to be proper and poised, she was proud of the fact that despite being in the entertainment industry she continued to carry that old rich charm.

    "Miss Ri, what can we do to convince you?" Ram asked Francesca Ri again.

    "Do you know why I''m so mad?" Francesca asked, she observed their clearly nk looks and saw that they had no idea. "You clearly don''t keep tabs on gossip, why would you? If it doesn''t involve you it shouldn''t bother you." Francesca said with a sigh.

    "Enlighten us." Cedric said with a nod. He did have a vague idea of what happened, but that was just everything on paper, if he knew what was motivating the woman then he would probably know what to do to convince her.

    "Well Mr. Reyes, I was with Miss Ong''s new husband for five years. He was my boyfriend and I was a gullible youngdy. He said he loved me and I gave him everything, and I really do mean everything. I almost gave up my career for him as well." Francesca Ri vaguely exined. "I was lucky that he managed to get the Ong girl pregnant, or else I wouldn''t have known he was cheating, you see his business depends very much on the Ong Family. So when they found out she was pregnant they forced them to get married, he agreed and broke up with me. She lost the child two months after their wedding, that''s when I made my move." Francesca Ri said with a shrug.

    "You loved him, and he betrayed you." Ram said slowly. "Surely he knew who he was up against?" Ram asked Francesca.

    "He wasn''t smart, he thought I was just some actress who happened to share the samest name as the powerful n. I''m sure Mr. Reyes gets that often, my surname isn''t even thatmon in our country." Francesca exined.

    Cedric simply nodded to acknowledge that she wasn''t alone, it was due to hismon surname that he was able to hide in in sight.

    "He''s tried to divorce the woman, but the Ongs refuse to let him go." Francesca said.

    "So you want him back?" Ram asked with a puzzled look on his face, who would want a cheater?

    "Of course not! I am happy that he is rotting in hell with his mistress. I enjoy seeing him in pain." Francesca said with augh.

    "You have what you want then?" Cedric asked.

    "No. I want more." Francesca said with a grin. "I want him to never leave that family, and I want him to see me not only seed but to see me happier without him."

    "Miss Ri, you''re already very sessful. Very few artists could hold a candle to you. Isn''t that sess enough?" Ram asked.

    "To be honest I already knew what you wanted when you called me over." Fancesca said with a smile. "I''m not blind to what''s happening at Saints, add to that the fact that Katerina and I were ssmates long ago. I know you want the Ong shares and I know you are wise enough to realize they won''t sell for money, but they might just sell to save their daughter and theirpany."

    "Miss Ri, who knew you had such a good head on your shoulders." Cedric said as he keenly observed the woman. He was quite surprised that she hade to this conclusion.

    "My parents and brother talk about business at the dinner table, so you get to pick up a thing or two." Francesca said with a shrug. "I want to shine as bright as Eric Chan, and I want to be with someone that will make that man regret leaving me. I want to show him I got someone better."

    "For the first one, we can give you the resources, but you would need to work hard for the resources to do their job. I cannot hide bad talent." Ram exined.

    "That''s not a problem." Francesca said with a nod.

    "As for the second, I''m sure you would not have trouble finding a capable man on your own. You could have asked your father or brother to set you up with some powerful heir, or used your own connections to find a man." Ram told Francesca Ri.

    "You aren''t wrong there Mr. Abad, but the kind of man I want should be at the top. Someone whom even my father or brother cannot speak to so easily." Francesca exined.

    "Miss Ri, my friend just told you he is married." Ram warned Francesca, he did not like women who went after married men.

    "Mr. Abad, I am not talking about Mr. Reyes. I''m talking about you." Francesca Ri said, as she looked him in the eyes.

    Cedric suddenly burst outughing. "What made youe to the conclusion that it''s Ramon Abad that you want?" He asked the woman.

    "The best option would have been you, but you''re married and being a mistress would not help my goal. I was going to approach Raymund Laurance, but he married your sister. The only one left single in your group is Ram, and Mr. Abad, you are not an easy man to approach." Francesca Ri exined.

    "Alexi, you''re forgetting Alexander Sebastian." Ram told her.

    "The yboy? I don''t want to be some man''s one night stand. I''m supposed to be doing better, not worse." Ramughed at Francesca Ri''sment, at least in some category he was better than Alexi.

    "A moment please." Ram said as he dragged Cedric to the side.

    "This could help with my family dilemma. Francesca Ri is beautiful and I get along with her. If I enter into a fake rtionship with her I wouldn''t have to suffer with my family nagging me." Ram told Cedric.

    "I was going to say go for it. Why did you have to drag me aside?" Cedric asked with augh.

    "Well I don''t want to seem too eager." Ram said slowly.

    "Do you actually like her?" Cedric asked with a sneaky look on his face.

    "No, I like someone else. Well she isn''t that bad so I don''t know. I thought she would be more like Cthea, she''s quite different." Ram said absentmindedly.

    The two men walked over to Francesca.

    "I agree.?? Ram said with a straight face.

    "Perfect. When will our first date be?" Francesca Ri said with a wink.

 Chapter 292 - 292

    "Francesca Ri is going to be your date to the auction?" Katerina asked Ram as she sat up from Eric''s arms.

    They were currently at Ram''s office in Lights Entertainment, it was one of the few safe spaces that she and Eric could be a couple.??

    "Yeah, she mentioned that you knew her." Ram said as he recalled the conversion.

    "Well she agreed to help." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "We were ssmates in highschool." Katerina said, rolling her eyes. "We weren''t that close, I really didn''t care for much at the time."

    "Oooohh, highschool Katerina. I think you were already in love with me at that time." Eric said as he winked at his girlfriend.

    "Ew, no." Katerina said as she yfully pushed him.

    As a reflex Eric grabbed on to her waist and ended up pulling her down on top of him on the couch.

    "Hey Katerina, it''s a bit too early for this." Eric teased as he stole a kiss on her lips.

    Katerina gave him an annoyed look and sat back up.

    "Fine, I did like you back then, but you had Cthea." Katerina said as she stood up and distanced herself from Eric.

    "Katerina, you know nothing happened between us." Eric said as he tried to grab her by the wrist, but he was too slow to catch her.

    "Can you guys flirt somewhere else?" Ram asked in an annoyed tone. "Please pity my single heart and protect the sanctity of my work space."

    "When you get a girlfriend again Ram, I swear this work space will lose all it''s sanctity." Katerina said as she walked out of the office.

    "Damn so hot. That''s my woman." Eric proudly said as he chased after her.

    Eric managed to chase Katerina''s elevator and squeezed himself in.

    "Why don''t we go on a date?" Eric asked Katerina. "You seem a bit high strung recently." Eric said in a soothing tone.

    "Sure. Why not? Where though? I can''t go anywhere with you Eric." Katerinained.

    "What if I book the presidential suite at Maharlika and we have dinner there?" Eric asked.

    "The staff will see us." Katerinained.

    "Maharlika is one of the most discreet ces." Eric exined. "The suite has its own elevator, so no one will see us arrive, and I''m sure we can pull some strings to enter the hotel through a different entrance." Eric suggested.

    "Fine. But we are arriving at different times and you have to fix everything." Katerina said, finally agreeing.

    "I''ll give you a call." Eric said with a wink just as the elevator doors opened and Katerina marched out.

    Katerina was exhausted from both work and helping Nicole, she knew her friend was going through a tough time and needed them, but she needed some time to herself too.

    She and Eric hadn''t had time alone in months due to work and she really just wanted to sleep in, when Eric suggested going out on a date she got really annoyed because he knew that they couldn''t be seen together in public and yet every time he insisted that he wanted to try making their rtionship public.

    She slid into her car, exhausted by the day.

    "Take me home first." She told her driver who nodded and drove her home.

    When she finally arrived she sent Eric a quick message telling him that she was exhausted before finally copsing on her bed and falling asleep.

    When Katerina woke up she was surprised to see Eric lying next to her, watching her.

    "What time is it?" Katerina asked as she yawned.

    "Well it''s already 7pm. You slept for four hours." Eric said as he gently kissed her forehead.

    "I''m sorry we couldn''t go out on a date." Katerina apologized.

    "No Katerina, it''s me that should apologize. I should have known that you were tired. You''ve been working non-stop and keeping my sisterpany in your free time." Eric said as he pulled her into his arms. "I don''t deserve someone like you." Eric said with a sigh as he buried his head in her hair.

    "Hey don''t say that. You aren''t a bad guy." Katerina said as she leaned back into him.

    "I''m just d that after everything I have you in my arms." Eric nted a kiss on Katerina''s cheek that made her blush. "I still owe you an exnation though." Eric whispered into her ear.

    "For what?" Katerina asked.

    "Cthea." Eric answered simply.

    "It was an arranged marriage and she drugged you. It''s that simple to me. You don''t need to exin." Katerina told Eric.

    "I still need to tell you. Knowing Cthea the moment our rtionship goes public she will try to create a misunderstanding between us, and I don''t want that." Eric told her as he held Katerina''s hands.

    "If you want to, then go." Katerina said with a nod. She really didn''t care about what happened between Eric and Cthea, that was all in the past, they were in the present.

    "I used to visit your school often, do you remember?" Eric asked.

    Katerina nodded in reply.

    "I would often insist that I pick Nicole up just to swing by your school, and my parents caught on to that." Eric said with a grin. "You see I was watching someone."

    "You stalker!" Katerina used.

    "I''ve only stalked one woman in my life Katerina, you." Eric said in a sweet voice.

    "If you weren''t hot I would say creepy." Katerina teased.

    "Well, my parents came along one time and Cthea just so happened to be hovering around Ayanna." Eric exined.

    "They thought it was Cthea you liked?" Katerina asked the obvious question.

    "Yup. They thought that it was very unlikely for me to like any of you girls." Eric said with augh. "But as you can see, I like liking you."

    Katerina was at a loss for words and blushed as she smiled. She was d that she had her back facing Eric or else things would have definitely escted.

    "Well they took off on that and were d that I liked someone from a powerful family. They didn''t ask me and jumped into assumptions. They spoke with the Carpios and a marriage was quickly ced on the table." Eric exined to his girlfriend. "One day, mom told me that they were arranging a match between me and the girl I kept visiting at school. I was shocked that they had found out, I thought they knew it was you so I got excited. Mom told me that she set a date for us, just to see if the girl liked me as much as I liked her. I quickly agreed."

    "Is that why Cthea thought you actually liked her?" Katerina asked.

    "Yeah, I agreed so quickly I didn''t even ask who they thought it was. Mom was delighted and quickly made the call, at the time I was already 22 years old and everyone assumed I would meet a woman soon." Eric said with a shrug.

    "Was the date the reason why the engagement didn''t push through?" Katerina asked assuming the events that followed.

    "When I stepped into the room and the woman inside wasn''t you I walked out." Eric exined. "Cthea was so embarrassed that I saw her run out of the room in tears, she had just been rejected in the most savage way, and I felt like I had been cheated."

    Eric sighed at the memory, it was clear that he had regretted the events that led up to that.

    "After I saw her crying I felt guilty. She was the same age as you, I ended up thinking about you Katerina, what if the man you were supposed to marry stormed out at the sight of you. I felt bad, I wouldn''t want a man treating you that way, so I bought her a bouquet of flowers and some choctes to apologize. Sadly, that too was misunderstood." Eric said with a frown.

    "That actually exins why she thinks you had feelings for her." Katerina said.

    "It''s also the reason why she drugged me. She thought I still loved her, but that night she heard me speaking to Miguel. I was telling Miguel how I was going to ask your parents if I could court you. At first Miguel was fiercely against it, he said the age gap would be a problem and me falling for a family friend would ruin everything if we broke up. I insisted that we would never break up because I knew you were the one for me from the very beginning." As Eric said this he lifted Katerina on hisp so he could see her face. "She couldn''t take the truth Katerina, so she decided to do whatever it would take to be with me."

    <strong>**I''ll be giving you guys a treat in the next chapter, we''re gonna go a lot more explicit just this once. It''ll be my first time writing something like that so tell me if you like it or not**</strong>

 Chapter 293 - 293

    WARNING: Sexual Content

    "So it really was you that sent that message?" Katerina asked.??

    "Yes. I wanted to talk to you, I wanted to hold you." Eric said as he brushed a stray hair over Katerina''s ear. He looked deeply into her eyes as he felt every curve of her body.

    "I''m so happy I saved you." Katerina said with a giggle.

    "Mmmmm, I''m so happy to be yours." Eric said as he began to trace kisses along Katerina''s neck.

    She let out a small moan as he continued to kiss her.

    "Doesn''t it bother you that I''m not pure?" Katerina asked.

    "Why would that bother me? That just means you''ve got more experience." Eric seductively whispered into Katerina''s ear as he gave it a slight nibble. He heard her moan, he loved that sound, it excited him even more.

    "But isn''t it, errr�� not as tight?" Katerina awkwardly asked.

    "Are you hesitating, love?" Eric asked as he continued to kiss every inch of her body.

    "No, it''s not that." she said as Eric felt Katerina''s body slowly rubbing against his, clearly she wanted him as much as he wanted her. "I just want to make sure that I satisfy you." Katerina said in a shy and seductive tone as she slowly licked his lower lip.

    "My, my, Katerina, since when have you been shy?" Eric asked. "You''ve never been this shy in bed." Eric grinned, the two of them had had wild nights in the past, Katerina always wanted to please so they often had wild and passionate times together, both at home and in other ces.

    "Just, worries." This was all Katerina could say as Eric kissed her on the lips, Katerina kissed him back hungrily as she wrapped her arm around his neck and gently tugged on his hair.

    Eric bit gently on her lips causing Katerina to moan into his mouth, he took advantage of her pleasure and stuck his tongue in.

    "Mmmm, you''re such a good kisser Katerina. No one canpare." Eric whispered as he slowly let his hand slip under her shirt and explore her body, he brushed against every curve and gave her breasts a gentle squeeze, he liked them the most.

    To him Katerina was perfect in whatever shape or form. Her beauty and strong personality attracted him, he loved how she was so strong to the outside world, but so gentle and submissive in bed.

    He found the sp of her bra and skillfully undid it, he didn''t hide the fact that she wasn''t his first, and Katerina never minded nor did he mind the number of men that had fallen victim to Katerina''s charms. As a matter of fact it appealed to him that in the end he beat all those guys and she chose him, he was always in her heart, they were only temporary fillers in her life.

    Eric let his desire take control, massaging and tugging Katerina''s breasts making her moan even louder.

    "Please." Katerina begged him, but Eric refused, he knew that the longer she waited the more pleasurable their experience would be.

    He took off his shirt and hers taking her bra away as well. He felt Katerina''s free hand explore his body. She started with his face and worked her way down to his abs.

    "I like." Katerina said with a wink as she returned to keeping his lips upied.

    Eric pushed her gently on the bed and began to trace kisses up her leg, her skirt was now gathered at her waist as Eric came closer to her opening.

    "I hate this piece of cloth." Eric said as he swiftly took off hercy panties making sure to touch her opening as he did, Katerina moaned in pleasure, he could see her eyes reflect the desire in his. He continued to kiss her legs at the closest point possible. He knew Katerina could feel his warm breath as he drew near her, she moaned and begged him to enter her.

    He gave her a quick lick in her most sensitive part before returning his attention to her breasts. He massaged and licked them, her skin tempted him to leave a mark, he wanted to mark her as his.

    He soon felt Katerina??s hand exploring him once more, he could feel her unbuckling his belt and undoing the button on his pants. He adjusted his body to give her better ess to which he felt his woman smirk under the assault of kisses.

    Eric felt her warm and slender hand wrap around his member, it was his turn to moan this time.

    "Please Eric." Katerina begged him again.

    Eric''s fingers gently passed her opening, she was ready.

    He took his pants off and entered herpletely. Herheel d legs wrapped around his waist as she moaned his name.

    "I want to hear my name on your lips, love." Eric whispered as he continued to pleasure her.

    "Eric!" Katerina screamed as he continued his assault.

    With every movement Katerina moaned Eric''s name encouraging him to go deeper and faster.

    After a long pleasurable night the couple copsed in pleasure, Katerinay naked with her head on Eric''s chest as her thin hand drew circles on his chest.

    "I wouldn''t be that satisfied with anyone else." Eric whispered to his girlfriend. "I''m not just satisfied, I want more. I wish we could stay in bed like this always." As Eric said this hebed through her hair with his hand.

    "Aren''t you tired? We did it so many times. It''s already four in the morning. I''ve got to be in court in an hour and you''ve got a shoot in the afternoon." Katerina asked as she rested her eyes.

    "As long as I''m with you I''ll have all the energy I need." Eric said as he kissed the top of her head.

    "Come, let''s do it in the tub." As Eric said this he picked her up bridal style and lifted her to the bathroom.

    By the time they stepped out an hour had already passed and Katerina was yawning in Eric''s arms. He took a towel and gently dried her, making sure to cover all part, but seeing her naked and vulnerable like this excited him, he cursed his desire for her. No other woman could make him want her this much, he knew that for sure. He had been with others and none of them made him react this way.

    He decided to suck it up and just sleep next to Katerina.

    When Eric woke up the sun was already peaking through the curtains. He watched as an already dressed Katerina walked back and forth in her room making sure that everything she needed for the hearing today was prepared.

    "I want to just strip all of that off you." Eric said, startling Katerina.

    "Behave. I still have work and you still need to go to your shoot." Katerina was back to her normal independent self. A far cry from the sweet girl he had pinned under himst night, he was happy that he could see that side of her almost every night.

    "I''ll quickly meet up with Ram before heading off to the set." He informed Katerina.

    "Alright. Will you be sleeping here tonight?" Katerina asked as she did somest minute touch ups.

    "Of course." Eric whispered into her ear. Katerina jumped in surprise, it seemed she didn''t notice that he had somehow made his way behind her.

    When Katerina left Eric took a bath and prepared himself, as an actor there were some things he did that normal guys didn''t. He had his skin care routine and even wore makeup. He also carefully curated his look for today. He decided to match Katerina''s power look and dress a little formally since he was going to the office to meet his new co-star.

    When he finally finished he got into his car and drove off to the Lights Entertainmentpound.

    As he approached the fans recognized his car, the girls began to scream and snap photos. Wanting to give his fans something, he lowered the window a little bit and winked at the screaming women and teenagers. As he did this the screams got even louder and he quickly drove his car into thepound.

    As one of the top artists, Eric had his own parking spot right next to Ram''s. When he arrived he was greeted by his assistant and manager. They greeted him and quickly told him his schedule for the day, they also told him about scripts that he could consider for his next movie. Eric nodded and asked his manager to email them to him. Eric noticed that the two kept looking at him, he was worried that he had a pimple or something, Eric made a mental note to check it out after talking to Ram.

    As he entered instead of a formal greeting he saw Ram''s jaw drop at the sight of him.

    "Wild night?" Ram asked.

    "What?" Eric threw the younger man a puzzled look as he took out his phone and opened the camera. That''s when he saw the clearly visible hickey on his neck.

    "Damn that woman." Eric cursed.

    "We can talk about your sex lifeter. Eric, I''d like you to meet Francesca Ri, she''ll be our top female artist from now on." As Ram said this Eric shook hands with Francesca.

    "I''ll also be his girlfriend." Francesca said, leaving Eric stunned and unable to react.

 Chapter 294 - 294

    With the deal set and Francesca gaining more resources to further her career and a powerful boyfriend in tow she called her connections to stop harassing the Ong family. At the same time Cedric called Mr. Ong to set up a meeting, he had asked Francesca toe along and announce that she would be stopping all of the attacks on their daughter.

    Mr. Ong, his son, and his daughter waited nervously at Nouveau. Cedric wanted this deal to be as public as possible so that the Ongs would not have a chance to back out when their business managed to bounce back.??

    The Ongs had to wait for ten minutes before Cedric arrived with Francesca and Alexi. Initially Ray and Ram were supposed to tag along, but both men suddenly had business to attend to.

    "Mr. Reyes. Thank you for seeing us." Mr. Ong said as he and his children quickly stood up to show their respect for the younger man.

    Mr. Ong''s daughter eyed Francesca Ri, Cedric could see both fear and pride in her eyes, the Ong girl did after all walk away with the man in the end even if she lost the child.

    "I am sure you all know my friend, Francesca Ri." Cedric said as he pulled out a seat for Francesca. Francesca thanked Cedric and took her seat.

    "Yes, we know her." Mr. Ong''s daughter said with her tone full of bitterness.

    "Alexi and I and prepared the documents needed to sign over your Saints stocks, I''ve taken the liberty of adding a use saying you cannot at any point im that these stocks were illegally obtained." Cedric said, as Ian, who was standing behind Cedric, ced the documents and a pen on the table.

    "This is unfair! That wasn''t part of the deal!" Mr. Ong''s son loudly said.

    "If you think it''s unfair I will walk away and tell my people to keep the ban on you and your family." Francesca said, not waiting for Cedric to react.

    "Heh, fine." Mr. Ong''s son said as he calmed down.

    After signing all of the documents Ian took the paper away and brought it up to the top floor of R Tower for safekeeping. He would also give Nicole a call to tell her the good news. Since people found out about her pregnancy, Nicole was feeling depressed and Ian took extra care keeping her happy, he had even moved in to look after her.

    Back at Nouveau, the Ongs still stared angrily at Cedric and his group.

    "Very well." Francesca said, breaking the silence. "I apologize for going after your daughter. I have moved on from that time of my life and I am even with someone else. I hope the best for you."

    "You probably crawled into the Reyes Heir''s bed and became his mistress." Mr. Ong''s daughter bravely used.

    Ceric red coldly at the girl. Beside him Alexi suddenlyughed, it wasn''t a regrugh, rather it was something sinister and cold.

    "You have guts saying that in front of people who are your superior. Have you not taught your daughter a lesson yet Mr. Ong?" Alexi questioned.

    "It''s the hormones congressman Sebastian, it makes her muddled in the head." Mr. Ong said, as he mored to find an excuse for his daughter''s words.

    "But she already lost the child." Alexi said without worrying that he would offend the other party.

    "Sir, yes, but -" Mr. Ong stammered as he tried to salvage the situation.

    "Just admit that she''s a bitch and a whore." Francesca said as she looked at the younger woman.

    "We''vepleted our business here." Cedric said as he calmly got up.

    He then signaled for the manager toe over. "Bring my food upstairs. I can''t eat here." Cedric ordered.

    He wanted to say that he was disgusted by the Ongs, but since he still had business with them he chose not to be so upfront.

    The manager nodded and ran over to the kitchen.

    Alexi and Francesca followed Cedric and got up from their seats and left with him.

    Inside the elevator, Francesca let out a sigh of relief.

    "Thank you." Francesca finally said as she looked up at Cedric.

    "Don''t thank me yet. This is only the beginning." Cedric replied coldly.

    "I''m the one benefiting from the rest. I should be the one warning you." Francesca said with augh. "If I''m dating Ram, will I see you boys more often?" She asked.

    "Unlikely." Alexi grunted as the door opened and they walked out.

    Ian and Cami greeted them at the elevator when they arrived as they walked towards Cedric''s office.

    They stopped by the assistants'' desks.

    "Cami, see Miss Ri out." Cedric ordered. To which Cami quickly stood and guided Francesca towards the elevator. "Have you told her?" Cedric asked Ian when Francesca and Cami were out of earshot.

    "Yes, I called as soon as I got the documents." Ian said with a nod.

    "Good. Come in, let''s n." Cedric said as he opened the door to his office.

    When the door finally shut behind them Cedric finally rxed and took off his disguise.

    "Have they called for a board meeting?" Cedric asked Ian, as he took out a bottle of water. Being in disguise meant he couldn''t drink anything so he was often quite thirsty after.

    "Yes, Miguel did." Ian said with a nod. "It''s set for early next week."

    "That''s enough time to transfer the stocks between the four of us." Alexi nodded. "For Francesca''s other matter, I don''t think the Ongs will be letting that man go easily. But I''ve already put word out that should he apply for divorce the courts will drag it out for years then rule it against him. Katerina also pitched in telling everyone that she will show no mercy to anywyer that takes his case."

    "Good." Cedric said as he rxed on his chair. "Now to the other matter. Did you discover anything Alexi?"

    "I didn''t, but Ray did. He asked me to pass this file over." Alexi handed a brown envelope over to Cedric. It was quite thick so it seemed Ray had found out a lot about the Mr. Cruz they were looking for. "The man works in the Underground so he is bound to have some form of connection to Ray." Alexi further exined.

    "Thanks." Cedric said as he ced the envelope on his table.

 Chapter 295 - 295

    After Alexi had left Cedric called Cami and Ian to join him in the office to study the contents of the envelope. The two quickly instructed Mae and Dave to ensure that they would be undisturbed, they knew the importance of this file to their boss.

    "Shouldn''t we have opened this with Alexi?" Ian asked his boss as he pulled over a chair and ced his pen and notebook on the desk. He already knew that after this there would be work to be done.??

    "Knowing Alexi, he already read the contents and will be waiting for our call on what he can do to help." Cedric said with a grin. That was one thing that the Sebastian siblings all had inmon, they could never resist a secret.

    Cedric leaned forward and took out the contents of the file. He began going through the information on the man. It seemed he was from a poor family but he worked his way to set a better future for his wife and children. He had started as a runner for drugs and worked his way up the chain ofmand, it was with the money he made from illegal sources that he sent his only son to University to chase a better life.

    "This guy knows how to hustle." Ian said as he finished the loan shark''s file.

    "ording to this, on paper he is currently employed by MT Summit as a messenger, his job description involves taking documents to various offices and running permits and approvals to government offices." Cami said as she read through the file.

    "Is there anything on his son?" Cedric asked. He had a nagging feeling that this man was more closely connected to him than expected.

    "Nothing in the files. It seems that it will need a little bit more digging." Ian said as he checked the papers on the table.

    Cedric took out his phone and called Alexi.

    "Yo bro." Alexi said as he picked up the call.

    "Who is the son?" Cedric asked in a stern tone.

    "What? How did you know I would know?" Alexi asked.

    "You would never be able to resist opening a secret file that Ray gave on something you couldn''t get information on." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes.

    "Woah, I can feel you rolling your eyes at me." Alexi teased his friend. "It''s a funny coincidence, the loan shark''s son is Anton Cruz, the man that''s been a pain in your ass for quite some time now."

    "He''s an annoyance." Cedric said as he pinched the space between his eyes. He had a feeling it would be Anton.

    "Well, at least you won''t be going into this blindly. You know what Anton wants." Alexi reminded his friend. "Hey do you have more questions? I have a hot date waiting for me. I can''t miss this opportunity."

    "Nurse Jen gave you a chance?" Cedric asked in surprise.

    "Yeah, Katerina''s advice worked. I just treated her differently." Alexi said with augh.

    "Well, good luck." Cedric said as he smiled, he was d Alexi was finally being serious about a girl. He knew that Ilya''s death had broken Alexi''s heart and his friend swore never to love again. "Hey Alexi, why didn''t you tell me earlier about Anton?" Cedric asked.

    "Cause if I waited for you I would bete for my date. Bye." With that Alexi dropped the call.

    "Alexi just confirmed that Anton is the loan shark''s son. Find out what project will best bait him to meet with me." Cedric instructed Ian.

    "You as Cedric? Or you as the Reyes Heir?" Ian asked to rify.

    "As Cedric. Meeting the Reyes Heir will be overkill." Cedric exined.

    Ian nodded and left with Cami to do as Cedric asked.

    When he was finally alone in his office, Cedric walked over to therge ss window in his office. R Tower was not the tallest building in the country, but it was strategically ced to overlook the most important ces in the city. Cedric marveled at the sight and smiled.

    They had been patient with the police when they were asked not to interfere, and if it weren''t for unexpected issues that arose they would have gotten to the bottom of the incident at the Tech Hub sooner. He could feel that they were getting closer, he needed to know who was behind MT Summit and why they were attacking the Reyes Group, it was never as simple as wanting to be the best or the richest. People didn''t take these measures for purely profit alone.

    After a few minutes Ian knocked on Cedric''s door.

    "You found it?" Cedric asked.

    "We can use one of the projects in the Tech Hub." Ian told him as he handed Cedric the tablet with the files.

    Cedric looked through the project and nodded.

    "Start work on the Tech Hub, don''t contact Anton yet. Wait for him. He wille to us." Cedric ordered as he handed the tablet back.

    When Ian announced that Mor Co. would be resuming the build at the Tech Hub the public was surprised. Not only were they resuming the build less than a year after the incident but it seemed the Reyes n was challenging fate as they chose a month known to be a time when people shouldn''t be building great structures.

    The news took some time before reaching the public, a week had already rolled by and it was only the employees of Mor Co. and the Reyes Group that knew the construction would begin again.

    Cedric''s car had just arrived at the driveway of Saints Hospital. Miguel told him to wait five minutes before entering.

    He was surprised when the other passenger door suddenly opened.

    "Hey." Alexi said as he climbed into Cedric''s car.

    "Don''t you have your own car to wait in?" Cedric asked.

    "Miguel said toe in when he gives the signal. I think he wants to be all dramatic with this." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "And where is ourwyer?" Cedric asked.

    "ck car over there." Alexi said pointing.

    "Ah it seems Miguel sent the signal." Cedric said as he pointed at Katerina, Ram, and Ray all getting off their cars and heading over to the Saints Hospital entrance.

 Chapter 296 - 296

    Ian held Nicole''s hand as they sat in the boardroom with the rest of the Chan family, it was the first time that Ian was appearing as the father of Nicole''s child in such a formal setting. By this time Nicole was already showing as she ced a hand on her belly.

    "What are we waiting for?" One of the board members demanded. "Everyone of relevance is here."??

    "Very well." Miguel said as he stood at the head of the table. Since taking over the VP role as a male heir he was given more voice and more power by the board, something he despised. He didn''t like the fact that his more capable sister was repressed by these people, while he who clearly spent thepany money on charities was given more leeway, all because he was born a man.

    Miguel stood tall and looked at everyone, today he had asked every board member toe over, including her elder brother and their rtives. He was going to make this as public as possible.

    "I''m stepping down as Vice President of Saints Hospital." Miguel said.

    "What? Who will take over now?" A board member asked. Naturally their eyes went towards either Eric or Ian. It was a rarity that either would be there. Both had already refused the position in the past.

    "My sister will take back her ce." Miguel said. "And when she gives birth Ian will temporarily step in." He said confidently.

    "Doctor Chan, this board had already voted against cing a pregnant woman as Vice President, why must you insist?" Another board member asked. Miguel knew they were quite confident since the vote had already been cast and they hade up on top.

    "Cousin, you shouldn''t be so rash. You''re a well renowned doctor. A lot of rich and powerful people from all over the world seek you out. Your name attached as our VP has been bringing good things to Saints." One of the Chan cousins insisted. Miguel knew him as one of the most sexist members of the family, he had been strongly opposed to Nicole''s first appointment.

    Miguel sighed. "Are you really going to make me take this to a vote?" He asked looking at the board members present.

    "Don''t be silly Miguel. We already ced this to a vote." An uncle scolded him.

    "The shareholders have changed." Eric, who had remained silent the whole time said. He was starting to get annoyed with his brother''s dramatics.

    "Since when? Who sold? All the major shareholders are here!" A board member asked as he looked around.

    "Let Miss Sebastian in." Eric said as he nodded at an assistant.

    The assistant quickly poked his head out and he was followed by Katerina and the four other princes inside.

    "What is the meaning of this? None of them are shareholders in Saints, they should not be allowed in this meeting." A board member furiously said.

    "As of 10AM of Fridayst week, Prince Group became the 2ndrgest shareholder of Saints Hospital." Katerina said.

    "We know that, but Prince Group has not sent any representative to today''s meeting." The board member said.

    Ray suddenlyughed. "We own Prince Group." Ray said as he stared at the board member.

    From his seat Eric could see the shock in everyone''s face, none of them had thought that the boys would ironically name apany they founded after what their fans called them.

    "As one of thergest shareholders we have the right to vote on who runs thepany." Alexi crossed his arms as he red at the shareholder. "And honestly, Miguel will only drive Saints to bankruptcy." He said with a grin.

    "It''s true." Miguel said agreeing with what his friend had just said.

    "ording to tradition, only the male members can be appointed seats of office with Saints!" A cousin desperately said. "Nicole''s pregnancy will also be bad for thepany. What will people say when we announce that we are cing an unmarried pregnant woman as our Vice President and making her next in line to run the hospital? People will be outraged, they will avoiding here because our morals are not in line with theirs."

    Eric knew they were running out of solutions, that tradition had long been considered obsolete since times had long changed. He was about to stand and speak when Cedric confronted the board.

    "It''s not in thepany''s bws." Cedric said in a cold tone. His voice made people listen. "Am I right Katerina?" Cedric said as he turned to look at her.

    "Yes. The bws are not bound by tradition and thus do not need to be followed." Katerina said with a nod.

    Eric smiled from his seat. No one would be able to speak up now, it would be better to beg for death than to offend the Reyes Heir. The members of the board would never risk their own interests for apany that they did not wholly own.

    "Does anyone dare challenge what Attorney Sebastian just said?" Miguel asked, cing emphasis on the fact that the woman in front of them was one of the topwyers in the world.

    Eric beamed with pride when he saw the board members shaking their heads, thebination had been too powerful for them to resist.

    "Good, let''s start the vote." Miguel said. He called over the assistant to hand the shareholders form where they would choose if they agreed to name Nicole as the Vice President once more, they would also have to ce their names so that the weight of their votes could be properly calcted.

    When the boys had entered Eric was already sure they won, with his father''s 30%, the 20% owned by the four princes, plus his 5% that his grandfather gifted him on his 18th birthday they already had a majority of shares. If it weren''t for transparency reasons the vote would not have been needed.

    The results were as they all expected, 70% of shares voted for Nicole to be reinstated as the Vice President of Saints Hospital.

 Chapter 297 - 297

    When the announcement was made Cedric nodded at Nicole and Ian who were holding hands on the side. Nicole mouthed a thank you to Cedric before kissing Ian gently on the lips.

    "Dinner''s on me." Ray proudly announced with augh.??

    The members of the Chan family that were heavily against Nicole''s appointment cursed under their breath. Cedric knew that they had done something no one had predicted, and he had to admit, Miguel''s dramatics helped catch them off guard.

    One by one the board members began to leave, those that voted for Nicole came up to congratte her. Most of them were people who had been saved by Miguel in the past and decided to invest into Saints Group, they were mostly progressives that didn''t care for tradition and cared more about how Saints would be able to help people at a profit.

    Eventually everyone except the Chans, the four princes, and Katerina were left in the room.

    "We''ll hear more from those rtives of ours." Eric said in a slightly gloomy tone.

    "Hey, cheer up a bit. Take the win." Katerina said as she held his hand.

    "Okay." Eric suddenly pulled Katerina and kissed her.

    "Asshole! Your parents are here!" Katerina said as she punched Eric on the chest. Eric simplyughed at her reaction. Cedric knew that the Chan parents were more than happy to see the couple being in a healthy rtionship.

    "So where are we having dinner?" Cedric asked Ray.

    "Where else, of course we''re eating at the Bamboo Room. I''ve already asked the manager to close it and just set up an outdoor dining space for everyone that had reservations, I call it al fresco nights!" Ray said proudly.

    "Can I bring someone?" Ram asked.

    "Yeah. But won''t it give Cedric and Adrianna a hard time?" Ray asked, clearly concerned about his brother-inw and sister-inw.

    "It''s alright. She signed an NDA." Cedric had made sure that Francesca Ri didn''t reveal what lengths they took to get the shares, he also covered all bases so that she wouldn''t exploit what she learned from Ram during their fake rtionship. Cedric made sure everything was covered. "Adrianna and I will enter through the staff entrance." Cedric said as he still wanted people to hide his wife from the public.

    "Will you bring little Emilio?" Katerina asked. "All the parents will be there anyway." She exined.

    Cedric simply nodded, agreeing to her request.

    The group soon dispersed and Cedric picked Adrianna up at their Mountain View home. Adrianna cradled their little bundle of joy who was soon turning one.

    "Ma! Pa!" Little Emilio called out with augh.

    "I can''t believe he has grown so much." Cedric said as he carried his son.

    "He''s a fast learner, just like his dad." Adrianna said as she kissed both father and son.

    As they drove to Bamboo Room, Cedric took over watching and ying with his son, while his wife rxed and scrolled through her phone. Cedric knew that between work and taking care of their son as well as the matters at home Adrianna rarely had time to just sit and rx.

    "Oh!" Adrinna said, as she saw thetest news on social media.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked, as he tried to take a look at the screen of his wife''s phone.

    "I didn''t know Ram was dating Francesca Ri." Adrianna said as she showed him her phone.

    It seemed that someone had snapped a photo of Ram and Francesca entering Bamboo Room while holding hands. The article further exined that it seemed to be a private dinner among the five princes and their families.

    "It''s fake." Cedric said as he bounced Emilio on hisp.

    "What do you mean it''s fake?" Adrianna asked with a confused look on her face. "How can this photo be a fake, it''s clearly not photoshopped." Adrianna said as she zoomed in on the photo.

    "Not the photo, the rtionship. It''s all part of a deal we worked on with her. It helped us get Nicole back as the Vice President of Saints Hospital." Cedric exined to his wife. "What are people saying?" Cedric asked.

    Adrianna quickly scrolled through thements to see people''s opinions on the match.

    "Well one says, they are like a match made in heaven, the powerful entertainment boss and the beautiful female lead. I ship! Oh and this one says, no wonder Francesca has been getting the best opportunities, her backing is just too strong. This one is funny, I was kinda rooting for Francesca and Eric Chan to cross paths, now that would be like a drama that came to life." Adrianna continued to read thements, clearly the feedback was more positive than negative. Ram had been a constant fixture in front and behind the camera due to their family''s business. He was handsome enough to rival some of the current artists who had risen to fame, it also helped that he dressed well, never shy about trying thetest trends that had just walked off the runway.

    "Ha! Looks like someone is about to steal the spotlight from Ram!" Adrianna said as she refreshed the app she was looking at.

    "Huh? No one was supposed to drop a bomb today." Cedric said with a confused look. The only news he expected to see was that of Ram and Francesca.

    "Nicole just dragged Ian out into the public''s line of sight." Adrianna said with augh as she showed Cedric thetest update.

    This time it was a photo of Nicole hugging Ian and looking up to him lovingly. Behind them were the Chan parents who smiled at the couple, it showed that they had approved of the father of Nicole''s child.

    "About time she admitted to their rtionship." Cedric smiled as he saw the image. At least the couple was no longer hiding.

    "It''s sad though, people are questioning why Ian won''t do right by Nicole and marry her, if only they knew the truth." Adrianna said with a sigh as she scrolled through thements that were mostly people hating on Ian. "Luckily they still don''t know who Ian is. Do you think it will have some bacsh on you if they realize he is your assistant?" Adrianna asked.

    "There might be, but I''ll protect Ian. He''s a friend after all." Cedric said with a gentle smile tofort his wife that he would be alright despite rumors, after all this wasn''t the worst.

    When they finally arrived at the Bamboo Room Cedric''s car drove up to the back entrance where the staff often passed. When people saw the infamous white Rolls Royce, they knew who had arrived. Many stood up and tried to see who had gotten out of the car, unfortunately the back entrance was blocked by a wall and some bamboo which allowed Cedric and Adrianna to alight the car without being seen.

    When they finally arrived in the dining area everyone excitedly greeted them, Katerina quickly took little Emilio from Cedric''s arms and yed with the baby, she even used little Emilio to tease Nicole that if she had a girl the child should marry the handsome baby in her arms.

    Cedric held Adrianna''s hand as they walked over to their seats.

    "Ah Francesca, this is the Reyes Heir and his wife. This is your first time seeing them as they really are." Ram said as Cedric and his wife approached.

    Francesca who had her back turned gasped when she saw who the Reyes Heir''s wife actually was.

    "Adrianna?" Francesca said in a surprised tone.

 Chapter 298 - 298

    "Oh, I forgot that you guys have probably met." Ram said, rubbing his chin.

    Cedric looked at his wife who simply nodded in response.??

    "Adrianna and I were in the same edition of the thirty under thirty." Francesca exined to Ram. "So the rumors��" Francesca hesitated on specting about what was happening.

    "The rumors aren''t true and are true at the same time." Cedric said with augh as he watch the visible confusion on the woman''s face. "Adrianna''s child is the son of the Reyes Heir, it just so happens that I''m also the Reyes Heir. Nice to meet you as me Francesca, you can call me Cedric." He said with a grin, he truly enjoyed people''s reaction when they found out that he and the Reyes Heir were the same person.

    "You knew the whole time?" Francesca asked Adrianna.

    "No. He kept the secret from me for four years." Arianna said as she rolled her eyes. "When I found out I didn''t believe him, I even got mad at him for lying to me for so long." Adrianna exined.

    "When you eventually go public with this everyone is going to go crazy!" Francesca said with a clearly amused look. "I bet those that have been using you of being a mistress will be extremely shocked."

    "Well, my dad''s family didn''t take it well." Adrianna said with a sigh. Cedric knew that despite all the wrong the Hernandez family had done to both him and Adrianna his wife couldn''t help but feel bad. "I was disappointed and ashamed of how they acted, but now they have been dealt with. I hope we don''t have to go through that route with everyone, it just hurts." She said with a sigh.

    "Those other girls at the shoot that looked down at you will regret it." Francesca said with a nod. "With that being said, I''d like to apologize as well Mrs. Reyes. I may not have said it but I did judge you based on the rumors." Francesca''s words surprised Cedric, she was someone that didn''t need to apologize and yet she admitted her mistake, maybe Ram and Francesca could have a genuine rtionship in the future.

    "Mrs. Reyes is my mother-inw." Adrianna said with augh. "It makes me feel old, please just call me Adrianna."

    "Alright Adrianna, I think we''re gonna be friends." Francesca said as she shed Adriana a smile.

    "Can you guys hurry up? I''m hungry!" Ray called out as he watched the two couples talking.

    Cedric watched as Ray turned to see Ayanna ring at him. Cedric wanted tough as his friend suddenly turned pale at the sight of his wife.

    "Didn''t you ever listen to your mom growing up? It''s rude to interrupt other people''s conversations!" Ayanna scolded her husband.

    "But it''s just Cedric!" Rayined as he pulled his wife to him.

    "No, no, no. Don''t think you can sweet talk your way out of this mister." Ayanna said as she pped his hand away.

    "Are mom and dading?" Cedric asked Ayanna as he pulled a chair out for his wife.

    "Yeah. Dad''s just finishing up something at the office then he''ll pick mom up at the airport. They should be on their way here now." Ayanna told her older brother.

    "We should hear about them arriving from social media." Raphael Chan teased. It amused the parents that every public appearance they made seemed to cause a stir on the inte.

    As the food was served Emilio and Prisci Reyes arrived. Cedric noticed that his mom seemed exhausted from her trip. ording to Ian''s source the issue at rin industries remained atrge causing his mother additional stress.

    When Cedric saw his father holding his mother gently he couldn''t help feel frustrated. How could his dad still look at his mom that way and treat her that way despite having a woman hidden in another home? But when he looked at how his father treated his mother, he couldn''t help but feel conflicted, the look Emilio Reyes gave his wife felt genuine, and yet he had someone on the side.

    "Mom, how was your trip?" Ayanna asked, quickly snapping Cedric back from his thoughts.

    "Busy." Prisci Reyes said with a weary smile. "Let''s not talk about work on the table Ayanna, we''re here to celebrate."

    "I''m so proud of my daughter." Lucy Chan said as she hugged her daughter tightly.

    "Mom, mom, not so rough, Nicole is pregnant." Miguel said in a slight panic.

    "Rx Miguel. Are you forgetting that your mother is a gynecologist?" Raphael Chan said as heughed at his son''s exaggerated reaction. "When ites to women and having babies she probably knows more than you." At that everyoneughed. They understood that Miguel was concerned about his sister and had over reacted, forgetting that his mother was a doctor too.

    Cedric noticed Francesca whispering something to Ram. She was probably asking him about Eric since she was looking at him with a puzzled look right before she spoke to Ram.

    "Eric, Eric." Ram called in betweenughs.

    "What?" Eric asked as he threw an annoyed look at Ram.

    "Francesca has something to ask." Ramughed as he told Eric. Cedric''s hunch had been right.

    "Ummmm, are you here because you''re dating Miss Katerina?" Francesca managed to ask.

    "Ha! I''m a more important person than you." Katerina said as sheughed at her boyfriend.

    Eric shook his head and ignored his girlfriend''s taunts.

    "Francesca, Miguel and Nicole are my siblings." Eric exined as he watched Francesca''s reaction go from curious to shocked. "It seems I hid it quite well if even Francesca Ri can''t figure that out."

    "Hmmm, to think you went to the same school as us." Miguel said. "Well it''s been years, Chan is amon surname, and you did look different at the time. You were like a nerd that could be bullied but they couldn''t touch since people were afraid of offending our family." Miguel exined.

    "Keep this a secret alright." Eric said with a wink. "Both my rtionship and my family. Or else my future wife will send you to the worst possible prison." Due to Eric''s handsome features and calm tone his threat was even scarier. He didn''t look like he was threatening you but the way he said it would definitely send chills up anyone''s spine.

    "Eric, don''t scare Francesca. I like her." Katerina scolded.

    "No." Eric said stubbornly.

    "What do you mean no?" Katerina asked.

    "No, you can only like me." Eric said like a child. As an actor he was a master at controlling his expressions, as he said this Katerinaughed so hard that she spit her drink at his face.

    "Wow, sodylike Katerina." Alexi teased his younger sister.

    "Grow up Eric." Katerina said as she rolled her eyes.

    "So hot." Eric pulled her and kissed her on the cheeks.

    "Get a room you two!" Veronica shouted from across the table.

    "Yes please. I want grandchildren." Rebekah Sebastian told her daughter.

    "Mom! Shouldn''t you be stopping this!" Katerinained.

    "At your age I was already married to your dad. You''re old enough." Rebekah Sebastian said, making everyoneugh.

 Chapter 299 - 299

    "Oh Cedric. I''ve already set up the partnerships you needed." Alexi Sebastian said as he recalled their little side project.

    "What is this one for this time?" Jose Sebastian asked his son and Cedric.??

    "Somepanies that we want to lift to the top." Cedric told the elder Sebastian.

    "You guys are evil." Adrianna scolded her husband.

    "Not as bad as those bullies." Ray quickly jumped into the conversation to defend his friends. "You don''t even know half of what they did to Cedric. You''re a girl so they were always super nice to you. Plus they all had a crush on you making things horribly difficult for Cedric." Ray went off telling Adrianna how she didn''t know what her husband actually went through with the bullies.

    "Ray, enough." Cedric didn''t want Adrianna to feel bad about what he had to go though. She didn''t have to know these things.

    Ray quickly listened to Cedric and stopped talking.

    "Why don''t you want me to know?" Adrianna asked as she gently held her husband''s hand.

    "It''s all in the past. It doesn''t matter." Cedric lovingly told her, he couldn''t bear to see her in pain or even just worried because of something that happened long ago.

    "Someone would dare bully someone from the Reyes n?" Francesca asked with a confused look.

    Cedric remembered that to the world the reason they hadn''t seen him for thirteen years was because he was extremely low profile and that he was studying elsewhere. It was a secret to everyone that for generations the Reyes Heir walked around as an ordinary person, focused on simply making ends meet.

    "May I?" Ram asked Cedric and Emilio Reyes.

    Cedric looked at his father for direction, it wasn''t just his secret to tell anyway.

    "You have this covered?" Emilio asked his son, to which Cedric simply nodded. "Go." Emilio told Ram who quickly exined to Francesca the logic of the Reyes n''s Poverty training.

    "Are you moving forward with the ns?" Ram asked Cedric. Cedric had given each of his friends an opportunity to help out, they were just as eager as him to get back at the five boys.

    Cedric simply nodded with a grin.

    "Don''t let revenge consume your life." Prisci warned her son. "I don''t want you boys living with anger in your hearts." As she said this she smiled tenderly at the boys.

    "Listen to your elders." Benedicto Laurence said in agreement.

    "Just a few more, mom." Cedric said with a reassuring nod.

    Just as Cedric said this the waiters served their food and everyone chatted happily. Ray had brought in a Michelin star chef from America to cook at the Bamboo Room for six months and they were his first customers.

    "This is delicious!" His mom, Amy So - Laurence praised. "How did you manage to convince Chef Francis toe to our country and work for you?"

    "I didn''t, he followed us till I agreed." Ray said with a sigh. "He has a crush on Ayanna and said he would like to see his muse longer."

    "My sister, his muse?" Cedric said as heughed.

    "Cedric, be nice." Adrianna warned her husband.

    "Ignore my brother, Adrianna." Ayanna said as she ced down her silverware. "I''m going to the washroom." She said as she excused herself.

    The other girls suddenly said that they needed to use the washroom too so they all left together.

    "There they go again with peeing together. What do they even do in there?" Alexiined, as he watched the girls leave.

    "They talk about how smelly you are at home." Eric teased the younger guy.

    "You''re just taking my sister''s side cause you''re sleeping with her." Alexi used Eric, making everyoneugh.

    When the girls arrived in the bathroom Ayanna let out a sigh.

    "Adrianna, I''m actually happy when my brother does things like make fun of me." Ayanna told her sister-inw. "For years I was worried that when he came back he might be someone else. I know everything he''s been through. Whenever he woulde home we would spend the whole day talking about how his and my year was like. I was always worried that if I told him how happy and easy I had it he would ditch the poverty training ande home." Ayanna said with a frown.

    "Don''t worry, I know he loves you." Adrianna said with a nod.

    "I know. He actually finished his poverty training for me." Ayanna said with a sigh as she fixed her hair. "If he had quit or surrendered at any point I would have to do it.And I really don''t want to be head of the family. I''m happy with my life. I''m happy to help my father and brother out in any way I can. I''m not built for the life Cedric is living."

    "So you know what he went through? Back when he was still poor? Like everything?" Adrianna asked. "Yeah. He told me most things in great detail. I even saw in his eyes how much he loved you and how worried he was that you would leave him because he was poor. He always hoped that you would stay despite your family."

    "Can you tell me about the bullies?" Adrianna asked.

    Ayanna looked at her sister-inw and hesitated. She knew her brother wanted to protect Adrianna from all the harsh treatment he had lived through, but as a woman Ayanna understood where Adrianna wasing from, so she hesitantly agreed.

    "How much do you know?" Ayanna asked.

    "Only that they picked on him, embarrassed him, and made him into their errand boy while we were at University." Adrianna was clearly worried as she said this, Ayanna could tell.

    "They did worse." Katerina said as she came out of the cubicle. "I saw some of it."

    "What Katerina is saying is true." Ayanna said with a nod. "They often beat my brother up when they were mad, most especially when he was with you."

    "Cedric never told me this." Adrianna said as tears dropped from her eye.

    "My brother was just protecting you." Ayanna said slowly. "Those that came before him had to go through much worse, and all his life he had been prepared to face things like this."

    "What else? I want to know everything." Adrianna asked.

    "Sister-inw, one night wouldn''t be enough to tell you the suffering my brother has endured. But understand that his ns for revenge are not unfounded, just like how your desire to rise by your own skills won''t make sense to everyone." Ayanna said with a nod.

    "The other boys found a way to lightly deal with the bullies in the past." Veronica said, as she washed her hands in the sink.

    "Yeah, Alexi and the other boys beat those bullies up back in university. They just said they were offended and beat them up. I hate that not helping rule." Katerina said with a sigh.

    "Cedric survived it and now he can do as he pleases." Nicole said after going back to the bathroom for the nth time. Her pregnancy gave her a weak dder.

    As they were talking, Adrianna''s phone suddenly rang. It was her cousin Amanda Lobo.

 Chapter 300 - 300

    When Adrianna came back Cedric knew something was wrong.

    "Did you tell her something?" Cedric asked his sister.??

    "I did, but it isn''t that." Ayanna told her brother.

    "Honey, what is it?" Cedric asked his wife tenderly.

    "Amanda just called. Her family ising over to the Capital to introduce her to her fiance." Adrianna exined.

    "Who is Amanda?" Ray asked.

    "Amanda is Adrianna''s favorite cousin on the mother''s side. The one that knows Tony Tamano." Cedric told Ray and the others.

    "Oh right, I forgot you had rtives aside from the Hernandezes." Miguel said, scratching his head. "Arranged marriage, bummer."

    "You''re in an arranged marriage, idiot." Nicole reminded her older brother.

    "But I''ve known V my whole life, and I love her." Miguel said as he winked at his wife who just rolled her eyes at him.

    "Don''t be so cold V. I promise to warm your bed tonight." Miguel said in an attempt to flirt with her.

    "Grow up Miguel." Veronica scolded her husband.

    "Does she even know who this person is?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "She only has a name. Amanda left that province early so she didn''t get to interact with the rich families there, she''s more familiar with the Capital." Adrianna exined.

    "Give me the name. I think I''ll be able to find out more about this person." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "Really? You can? How?" Adrianna asked.

    "Are you really questioning the Reyes Heir''s capabilities?" Ray asked his sister-inw. "It''s like questioning if the Reyes Group has money!" Ray teased.

    "Ray, don''t be a bully." Prisci Reyes scolded her son-inw.

    "Mom''s right Ray, don''t tease Adrianna!" Ayanna joined in to scold him.

    "Adrianna, don''t worry, if Cedric doesn''t have the resources, someone on this table will." Emilio Reyes said in an attempt to reassure his daughter-inw. "There is very little that can be hidden from the people here."

    Everyone agreed with Emilio Reyes'' statement and all of them simply nodded in agreement, there was nothing more that needed to be said.

    The next day Cedric decided to make a stop at the main Constetions Resort in the Capital, he had a friend to visit.

    Cedric stood outside room 2501 and rang the doorbell.

    "Wait a moment!" A voice from inside called out.

    "I don''t have all day." Cedric said in an annoyed tone.

    "Cedric?" The voice asked from the otherside. "Wait, wait. I''m dressing up. Why are you here?"

    "I really can''t say it in the hallway, hurry up." Cedric urged.

    After a minute Cedric heard the door unlock and it swung open. The man inside had clearly just woken up, his hair was a mess and he wore casual clothes.

    "Couldn''t you have called beforeing over? And how did you even know I was in the Capital?" The man inside asked as Cedric pushed the door and walked in.

    Outside Leon and another bodyguard stationed themselves on each side of the door, keeping watch for danger.

    "Nice to see you too Tony." Cedric said with a grin. The man he had visited was Tony Tamano, ording to records he had arrived at the Capital three days prior and Cedric had nned to give the man a visit. He wanted to enlist Tony into his inner circle. "I own Constetions Resort. Well I and a couple of friends." Cedric said with a shrug as he put the electric kettle on and boiled water for them.

    "I should be the one doing that." Tony said as he tried to shoo Cedric away. "Coffee or tea?" Tony asked as he took out two cups.

    "Coffee. I haven''t had cheap coffee in a while, I kinda miss it." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "So why are you here?" Tony asked as he prepared Cedric''s drink.

    "I need to know everything about someone in your province." Cedric told Tony.

    Tony brought two cups of coffee to the table and sat across Cedric. "Who? And don''t you have sources that can look for these things?" Tony asked as he blew on his cup.

    "I need to know about the person''s integrity and personality, no file can tell me that." Cedric said as he leaned back and looked out the window.

    "Who is it?" Tony asked.

    "Aiden Ortiz, Amanda Lobo will be engaged to him soon." Cedric exined. "I''m just looking out for my wife''s cousin."

    "Aiden is bad news. 100% rotten to the core." Tony said, shaking his head. "His family is rich in our province, they built almost every road, bridge, and building there. I guess it''s only natural that they would try to build a rtionship with the Lobo family. There are very few families richer or more powerful than them."

    "Like you, you mean?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Tonyughed and shook his head. "Yes Cedric, I guess you could say with your support the Tamano family is the most desirable in the province."

    "So why didn''t they arrange a marriage for Amanda with you?" Cedric asked.

    "Because they''ve been trying to set me up with Adrianna, and Amanda is much younger than me, add to that the fact that they are embarrassed that Adrianna rejected me." Tony exined. "Tell Adrianna to save her cousin from the Ortiz boy, he''s bad news."

    "Well then that takes me to the second reason why I''m here." Cedric said as he took a bunch of photos from his pocket and handed it over to Tony.

    When Tony picked them up and took a look he was stunned.

    "How- Where?" Tony couldn''t say full sentences. He was too shocked at the photos Cedric had given him.

    "I''m guessing you met when you were chasing my wife?" Cedric asked with augh. "There is nothing wrong with your rtionship Tony. Can you really stand idly and watch her marry someone else?"

    "Does Adrianna know?" Tony asked.

    "No, just me." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Her family won''t ept me." Tony said, shaking his head.

    "They tried to set you up with their married niece, and your position in your province is much higher than it was before." Cedric reminded the man.

    "It has nothing to do with my position. It''s my age and my personal history. Don''t pretend you didn''t know." Tony knew that there was almost nothing you could hide from someone like Cedric.

    "So what if you were married before, she left you, cheated on you, and passed away. You were even the bigger man when you adopted her daughter. In my books that''s a responsible man." Cedric said as he took a sip of his coffee.

    "Have you met the Lobo Family? Their gauge is way off. They were setting me up with a married woman who was happy in her marriage!" Tony said with a sigh.

    "Come to dinner tomorrow. It''ll be at Nouveau." Cedric said as he got up to leave.

    "I''ll think about it." Tony said as Cedric closed the door.

 Chapter 301 - 301

    "You got it?" Cedric asked Ian as the elevator descended.

    "Yup." Ian said as he passed something to Cedric. "It''s up front. I''ll take you to it." Ian exined as Cedric straightened himself. He had rushed to change since he had only a small window to leave the office in his ordinary clothes while Mae and Dave brought some documents over to a different department.??

    "Why do they have to have such a big family?" Cedric said with a sigh. He was d that the Lobos lived somewhere far and didn''t have the means to meddle in his marriage with Adrianna. Just like the rest of the world the Lobo family remained unaware of his identity as the Reyes Heir. "I should be used to this by now." Cedric said with a sigh.

    Ian had rented him a simple ck van that could fit the whole Lobo family, Adrianna''s Aunt, Uncle, cousin, and grandparents. Adrianna''s parents were with Cedric''s at Nationalia that day and would just meet them at R Tower with Little Emilio. Amanda on the other hand said that she had business to attend to that''s why she would simply follow.

    Cedric picked Adrianna up at Ind''s Inc.''s office. Thepany was now peaceful and working harmoniously, with Adrianna at the helm they had managed to finally turn a profit and work on expanding. Matthew Hernandez led the expansion, leaving the core of the business to Adrianna and Henry.

    When Adrianna hopped into the car, she smiled and kissed Cedric on the lips.

    "Thank you for doing this." She told her husband tenderly.

    "I already know their script." Cedric said with augh. "First they will insult my job, then my car, then they will tell you you should have married someone better. I''m sure they will bring Tony up again then eventually introduce us to Amanda''s fiance, who will surely have a different car waiting for him at the airport." Cedric recounted how every encounter with both the Lobo and Hernandez family had gone down since he and Adrianna got together.

    "Well your image doesn''t matter to me. Because I love you." Adrianna said as she kissed Cedric again.

    Cedric smiled and reluctantly ended the kiss. He leaned over to strap Adrianna''s seatbelt himself making sure it was safely buckled.

    Cedric and Adrianna talked about their day as they drove to the airport. When they arrived at the driveway, Adrianna spotted her Lobo rtives. Cedric stopped the car in front of them and got off to help them with their bags.

    "Ah Aiden! This is our beautiful niece, Adrianna. It''s just so unfortunate that she''s already married." Adrianna''s aunt Patricia Lobomented as she spoke to a young man.

    "Nice to meet you Aiden." Adrianna said with a smile as she shook the man''s hand. "This is my husband, Cedric." Adrianna introduced Cedric as he came out from around the van.

    Aiden was a tall young man, by the looks of it he was around 25 years old. He was wearing a casual outfit. He came forward and shook Cedric''s hand, Cedric tried to read the young man before him. ording to Tony, Aiden was a rotten egg and should be kept as far away from Amanda as possible. But looking at him now he seemed like an ordinary man going on a trip to the Capital, then again, Cedric knew not to judge people by their outer appearances, their true personality often lurked beneath the surface.

    "I''ll help you with your things." Cedric said as he opened the back of the van and started to load everyone''s things.

    "My grandfather sent a car." Aiden slowly said to the Lobo family. "Where should I meet you?" He asked.

    "Cedric got us a table at Nouveau in R Tower, we''ll meet you there." Adrianna told Aiden.

    "Wow, Cedric was able to get us a table there on such short notice?" Jam Lobo, Adrianna''s cousin and Amanda''s older brother asked her. Last time they had visited Cedric managed to get them a table at the Bamboo Room, but they simply assumed that since they had given more than a month''s notice he was able to snag one quite easily. "I heard it''s almost impossible to make a reservation there, you need to book your table weeks in advance! Did you know that we wereing over cousin?" Jam asked Adrianna like a child. Jam was quite naive, he had grown up in the province, gone to the Capital for University, then he went back to their province to help out in the family business.

    "Your cousin-inw is more capable than the elders say." Adrianna said with a wink as she opened the van door for them to get in.

    When Cedric finally got all the bags into the van they drove off.

    Jam leaned forward and began to ask questions non-stop.

    "So cousin-inw, have you met any of the five princes?" Jam asked.

    "Yes." Cedric''s reply was short.

    "Who? Did you meet all of them, or just some of them?" Jam asked.

    "All." Came Cedric''s reply.

    "Wow. Who''s the nicest? Are they cool?" Jam continued to pester.

    "The Reyes Heir is the best. They''re alright." Cedric said with a shrug.

    In the front seat next to him, Cedric could see his wife trying to notugh. Of course he would say the Reyes Heir was the best, he was the Reyes Heir,

    "You''re so lucky, cousin-inw. My dream in life is to be friends with them, then I can be the 6th prince!" Jam boasted.

    "You can''t be the 6th prince Jam." Adrianna said, shaking her head.

    "Why not? Is it cause we''re not rich enough?" Jam questioned his cousin.

    "Because there is a 6th prince and a fallen prince." Cedric said before Adrianna could reply.

    "What? Then why don''t people talk about them?" Jam asked.

    "Because they don''t want to be talked about." Cedric said.

    Jam kept silent, clearly confused with what Cedric had told him.

    "Jam, the princes are so powerful that if they want to keep something hidden they can keep it hidden." Adrianna exined. Cedric simply nodded in agreement, that was definitely true.

    "Why would you not want to be popr?" Jam asked.

    "Some people prefer to be low key." This time it was Cedric who answered, he of all people knew what to say when asked that question.

 Chapter 302 - 302

    Cedric parked the van at the basement parking of R Tower, the slots reserved for people eating at Nouveau was right next to the mini showroom where Cedric''s cars were kept, among them was one sports car and the Maseratti he sometimes drove.

    "Wow! Cousin, look at those cars." Jam pointed. "Those are my dream cars." Jam eximed.??

    "Tell you what Jam, if I be rich, I''ll get you one of those." Cedric said half jokingly.

    "Jokes like that are not funny." Patricia Lobo scolded. "You''re just an employee. To buy something like that you would have to actually own apany or be one of its higher ranked officials, don''t give my son false hope. Besides, we Lobos aren''t that poor that we can afford cars like that, we just choose to spend them on better things." Adrianna''s aunt huffed, as she walked ahead to the elevator.

    "Have patience with your aunt." Ivan Lobo, Adrianna''s uncle, told her and Cedric in a low voice. "She was heartbroken when you rejected Tony. She ced so much effort into getting him to like you and you just said no."

    "Uncle! I''m a married woman. I swear you and my Hernandez rtions are the worst." Adrianna said, as she turned and left Cedric, Jam, Uncle Ivan, and the grandparents speechless.

    Uncle Ivan just shook his head and looked at Cedric.

    "Whatever happened to those Hernandezes?" Ivan Lobo asked Cedric.

    "Gone." And with that he followed his wife to the elevator.

    The group went up in silence, luckily R Tower had high speed elevators so Cedric and Adrianna didn''t have to suffer the awkward air too long.

    When they entered the restaurant the manager rushed over to greet them, he knew of course that this was the boss and his inws so they had to be treated with care.

    The table Cedric had reserved for them was one near the window with a view of the Capital. Gracia and Charles were already there cradling little Emilio.

    "Mom, Dad." Adrianna greeted, as she took the baby from their arms.

    "Gracia! You look amazing!" Patricia Lobo happily said as she hugged her sister-inw.

    "How could she not look amazing, your mom and her went to the Nationalia Spa earlier while we yed a round of golf." Charles whispered to his son-inw, making Cedricugh at hisment.

    "Oh this dress, it''s beautiful!" Patricia Loboplimented as she noticed the limited edition dress that Gracia Lobo - Hernandez wore.

    "It was a gift." Gracia said, hanging out with the Reyeses had made her shy to praise, a trait she picked up for the other moms.

    Gracia wasn''t lying, the dress was a limited edition, made to order, Maureen Cordova design. Adrianna and Ayanna had given it to her for her birthday. She had honestly forgotten that the dress was a limited edition.

    "Do you think we''ll bump into one of the five princes?" Jam asked Cedric and Charles Hernandez.

    Charles was visibly panicked by Jam''s question, while Cedric remained calm.

    "He''s obsessed with the five princes." Cedric exined, as he ced a hand on his father-inw''s shoulder.

    "You never know, Jam." Charles Hernandez said when he finally collected himself.

    "Mom, Dad,e sit. Cedric booked the best table in the restaurant." Gracia Hernandez boasted to the two elders.

    "Since when have you been so nice to this kid?" Grandpa Lobo asked his daughter.

    "Since little Emilio here." Adrianna said, quickly saving her mom from answering the awkward question.

    Adrianna had ced Emilio in his stroller and brought him over to where the elder Lobo couple was seated. Little Emilio being a happy baby didn''tin when he saw the unfamiliar faces, as a matter of fact he evenughed.

    "Son, this is your grandpa and grandma." Cedric said as he knelt by the stroller.

    "Apa, Ama!" Little Emilio managed to say, melting the elder''s hearts.

    "He''s quite smart." Adrianna''s uncle Ivanmented as he watched on.

    As they were getting seated Aiden Ortiz arrived, Patricia Lobo waved him over. There was clear confusion on his face as he walked over to them.

    "Aiden, this is my sister Gracia, her husband Charles Hernandez, and the little one on the stroller is their grandson Emilio." Ivan Lobo proudly introduced.

    Aiden, however, did not respond and maintained his stunned look.

    "Is something wrong Aiden?" Ivan Lobo asked their guest.

    "Mr. Hernandez must know some very important people." Aiden said as he sat next to Jam Lobo.

    "Why do you say that?" Charles Hernandez asked as a waiter handed them a menu.

    "Do you really not know sir?" Aiden said, his tone full of respect and admiration.

    "No, not really." Charles Hernandez was now even more confused.

    "You can''t just reserve this table, it has to be given to you." Aiden exined, shocking the rest of the Lobo family.

    "Aiden, it wasn''t dad -" Adrianna had already began to exin that it wasn''t her father that reserved the table, but rather, her husband when she stopped mid sentence as Amanda arrived with none other than Tony Tamano.

    Next to her Cedric grinned, it seemed his visit earlier had managed to convince Tony to fight for his love.

    "Amanda? Tony?" Adrianna asked as the pair approached them.

    "Sorry we''rete. I had to pass by Amanda." Tony said quite smoothly as he pulled out a chair for Amanda and sat next to Aiden.

    Cedric wanted tough the moment he noticed what Tony was doing, it was so smooth than no one had the time to even process that he was keeping Amanda away from Aiden without offending the younger man.

    "Aiden why didn''t you tell me you would be in the Capital. Uncle said you should give me a call whenever you''re here. I have a lot of business associates in the city that can show you around, I do, afterall, know your taste." Tony said as he looked daringly at Aiden who sat next to him.

    "Ah, older brother Tony, I didn''t get the chance to call. I''m not staying long." Aiden said as soon as he recovered from Tony''s subtle threat.

    "Well after this I''m sure my business partner can arrange something for you. I''ll call Ray Laurence right now, he owns one of the most popr clubs in the country." Tony boasted. He of course had permission from Cedric to name drop as much as he wanted.

    "You know Raymund Laurence!" Jam Lobo suddenly said from Aiden''s other side.

    "Yes, I know the five princes. I do work with the Reyes Heir so I''ve met the others too." Tony said with a shrug.

    "You''ve seen him in person, like his face, his real face!" Jam was hyperventting at this point, it seemed he was really a super fan.

    "Calm down Jam, I''m not the only one on this table that''s close to the five princes." Tony teased, as he looked at Cedric who was already ring at him.

    "Mom, don''t you think Tony is amazing?" Amanda asked as she tried to divert the topic. "He''s in partnership with the Reyes Group, no wonder the Tamano''s are the richest and most powerful in our province." Amanda continued to praise.

    "Yes, unfortunately your cousin turned him down." Patricia Lobo said with her head held high.

    "How dare you!" Gracia Hernandez said in a raised tone, Gracia knew that she was quite like Patricia Lobo only a year ago. But after truly getting to know Cedric, she realized that whether rich or poor this man was the one for her daughter. So when Patricia Lobo openly pushed her daughter to another man she got mad.

 Chapter 303 - 303

    "Mom, calm down." Cedric said in a gentle tone, signifying that he had no bad blood and he refused to make a scene.

    "My daughter is happily married, Patricia, don''t try to put someone in between." Gracia warned her sister-inw.??

    "Tony is a much better man than Cedric." Patricia told Gracia.

    "Mom, let it go." Adrianna gently told her mom as she held her hand.

    Gracia closed her eyes and took several deep breaths before finally calming down.

    "Thanks mom." Cedric said with a smile. His thanks was meant for two things, he thanked her for not making a scene and he thanked her for finally defending him. He knew that things had changed since the days when Gracia hated him for marrying Adrianna, he knew that now his mother-inw truly cared.

    "Aiden, why don''t you tell Amanda about your adventures in Germany and Italy and Spain." Ivan Lobo happily encouraged the young man.

    "Oh, well, I graduated University in Germany then I traveled quite a bit. Taking in the culture, learning from people who were truly sessful. I like to think of myself as a student of the world." Aiden eloquently said.

    "Did you know that the top families traditionally do not send their children to study University abroad?" Tony injected. Cedric looked at the man seated across him, it seemed Tony wanted to out him tonight. He red at his former love rival turned friend who simply grinned at him.

    "That''s such a stupid logic. Are you sure about that Tony?" Patricia Lobo asked.

    "Mom, Tony is telling the truth." Jam quickly said before anyone could respond. "Of the five princes, only Miguel Chan and the Reyes Heir went to university abroad. I heard it was to help them understand the local market and to make the right connections locally first. They usually go to other countries for further studies." Even Cedric was surprised at the young man''s knowledge and understanding of their reasons. It seemed Jam Lobo was smarter that Cedric expected.

    "Then why does everyone else keep sending their sons and daughters to study abroad if our top families have chosen to study locally?" Ivan Lobo asked.

    "Simple, they want to be like them, but they can''t if they stay here." It was Charles Hernandez that spoke this time. "To be at the same caliber as the top families requires an innate talent, something most people do not possess."

    "I did learn a lot in Germany." Aiden said, quickly defending his education. "I know I''ll never be at par with the five princes, just meeting them would probably be the highlight of my life." Aiden eximed, much to Jam''s approval.

    "Seven." Tony suddenly said.

    "Pardon?" Aiden asked.

    "Seven, there are actually seven princes." Tony said with a shrug.

    "Tony, you must be listening to gossips again." Patricia Lobo said with augh. "Everyone knows there are only five princes."

    "Mom, Cedric already told us in the car��" Jam began toin but was cut off by his mother.

    "Cedric doesn''t know anything." Patricia said quite angrily.

    "The five princes, the sixth prince, and the fallen prince." Tony said as he lifted seven fingers. "Of course, you would only know this if you were relevant to them." Tony said as he red at Patricia Lobo. Normally Tony was an easy going guy, kind and respectful to his peers, elders, and even those others would see as beneath them. But it seemed tonight he was on a short fuse. It was abination of Aiden Ortiz being there with the intention of getting engaged to his girl, as well as Patricia Lobo''s continued praise on the worthless man.

    "Patricia, drop it." Ivan Lobo scolded his wife.

    It seemed to Cedric that Ivan Lobo had not lost all sense of reason, unlike his wife. Tony might not orbit in the same circle as them, but he was still very influential and powerful in his home province, the Lobos couldn''t afford to offend him.

    The awkward air was broken when a waiter approached with their food. It was elegantly served and extremely tasty. For the rest of dinner the elders spoke among themselves and the young men and women chatted peacefully. Unfortunately this made Aiden Ortiz feel extremely out of ce. Cedric observed how the man simply ate his food and checked his phone from time to time. Being a courteous man Cedric would asionally ask Aiden a question, but that topic would quickly die out when Jam found a way to divert the topic to the five princes, making Cedric feel extremely awkward.

    As they finished their meal, waiters brought over a selection of deserts and whiskey, the manager knew that whiskey was the boss'' drink of choice, so they always had his brand on hand.

    The waiter asked Cedric to choose and naturally Cedric chose the bottle that was specifically brought out for him.

    "Cedric, are you sure about that bottle? That drink is extremely rare and expensive." Aiden said when he noticed what the waiters were serving the men.

    For thedies it was a selection of cocktails and wine, Adrianna politely refused since she was still breastfeeding her son.

    "Don''t worry Aiden, Cedric can handle it." Tony said with a grin.

    "Aiden, you can do it now." Ivan Lobo said, nodding at the young man.

    Aiden stood up and ced his hand in his pocket. He walked over to Amanda and got down on one knee. As he did this Cedric began to regret choosing an outside room, he had initially nned on using the family room, but his mother, Prisci warned him that it might shock the Lobo family and their guest. It also risked him exposing his identity.

    "Amanda, I just met you, but I think you''re amazing." Aiden began.

    "Aiden." Amanda said as she attempted to make him stop.

    "Amanda, our parents agreed that we are a good match." Aiden continued to say as he took out a blue velvet box.

    "Aiden, don''t do this." Amanda warned.

    "Amanda Lobo, will you be my wife?" Aiden asked as he opened the box, inside was arge diamond ring.

    The other patrons in the restaurant noticed the proposal and were now keenly watching. A few women in the nearby table gasped as they saw the ring, many were jealous and wished their man would buy them something as extravagant.

    "No." Amanda said clearly. It was louder than she had intended so the other patrons identally heard her reject the proposal.

    "What do you mean no?" Her father, Ivan Lobo, demanded. "Aiden is a perfectly good match for you."

    "Because I love Tony." Amanda said as she held Tony''s hand.

    "He is too old for you, he even had a daughter that isn''t his! What will people say when they find out you''ve been dating him!" Ivan Lobo asked in a raised tone.

    "Uncle, calm down, you''re causing a scene." Adrianna said as she attempted to diffuse the situation.

 Chapter 304 - 304

    "Dad, I don''t love Aiden. I barely even know him." Amanda told her father.

    Cedric noticed that people were now truly turning their attention to the rejected proposal. He quickly took out his phone to ask for help to change the situation.??

    "Aiden is the right kind of guy for you." Ivan Lobo insisted.

    "Uncle Ivan, I don''t mean any disrespect, but it''s quite old fashioned to push your daughter to marry someone she doesn''t love." Cedric said in support of the other couple.

    "You have no voice here!" Ivan Lobo said in a raised voice.

    "What''s going on here?" Someone suddenly asked as the crowd parted. Cedric immediately knew who the person was when he heard the voice, it was Ray. He had arrived just in time.

    "Oh, it''s you Tony and Cedric. Oh hi Adrianna." Ray suddenly changed from his cold and intimidating tone to a much friendlier one. "What''s going on here?"

    "He tried proposing to her." Cedric pointed out. The Lobos were quite shocked that Cedric was talking so casually to someone that was many considered to be one of the top businessmen in the country. "But Amanda here, likes Tony." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "So why is he proposing to Amanda?" Ayanna asked, she stood beside her husband, holding his hand.

    "Cedric." Ivan Lobo scolded in a desperate attempt to keep him quiet.

    "Amanda deserves a voice too." Charles Hernandes said as he gave a warning look at Ivan Lobo. "Don''t let your fate be like my family''s." At that warning Ivan Lobo was taken aback. The public knew that the Hernandez family encountered one misfortune after another, sending even it''s elderly patriarch to one of the most dangerous and notorious prisons in the world.

    "Do you mean your family offended -" Ivan Lobo began to ask until he was cut off by a young man.

    "They offended someone they couldn''t afford to offend." Alexi said as he looked at Adrianna''s uncle.

    "I''d like to think the Lobos are more flexible than the Hernandezes." Gracia told her brother. "Listen to what Amanda is saying."

    "I will not let this child''s willful actions waste what could be a fruitful partnership for our families." Ivan Lobo said in a loud voice.

    "Really? You think this boy brings more to the table than Tony?" Ram asked as heughed. At the same time the people in the restaurant noticed that he was holding a woman''s hand and began to snap photos of them together.

    "He has a more reliable nature and he does not bring scandal." Patricia Lobo answered back.

    "Hey woman, are you really challenging the four princes right now?" A bystander asked. His question seemed to snap some sense into the Lobos. They suddenly realized that they weren''t speaking to some random friends of Cedric and Tony, but rather to some of the richest and most powerful people around.

    "I really don''t like it when people speak ill of my friends." Ray said with a mischievous grin. "Honey, do you think your brother would get mad if I banned this couple?" Ray said as he looked tenderly at Ayanna.

    Ayanna had already spotted Cedric nodding so she knew what to do.

    "Tony is a business partner and a friend of my brother, he won''t mind." Ayanna said with a nod.

    The whole time Cedric was trying to gauge his wife''s reaction. In the past he always practiced restraint when dealing with her rotten family members, he genuinely felt bad for his wife for being associated with these kinds of people. He was lucky this time that Adrianna did not stop him from punishing her uncle and aunt, he was doing this anyway for her cousin and Tony.

    "Manager, escort this couple out of the restaurant." Ayanna said as she pointed at Ivan and Patricia Lobo. Cedric could clearly see the fear in the couple''s eyes, they had forgotten who they had offended.

    "Cedric quick! Help us out." Ivan Lobo said to the man he had been ridiculing moments ago.

    "Sure uncle." Cedric said with a cold smile. "Adrianna, do you mind waiting here with mom, dad, Tony, Amanda, and our son? I''ll just take your rtives to the hotel they are staying at."

    Adrianna nodded, making her rtive''s jaws drop in shock. Their niece had just let them be thrown out and banned from one of the top establishments in the country.

    "Join us?" Ayanna asked Adrianna, who nodded and pulled Amanda with her towards the Reyes'' private room.

    Cedric on the other hand went down with Adrianna''s Lobo rtives. Upon their arrival they were greeted by a man, to whom Cedric tossed a set of keys to.

    "Get them a room at Constetions." Cedric ordered.

    "You cannot do this to us!" Ivan Lobo shouted. "We are your wife''s rtives."

    "Either you go with the man of your own free will or you will be forced out of R Tower. When the Reyes Family says something, they mean it." Cedric warned.

    "Grandma, Grandpa, Jam, I''m sorry you''re stuck in the middle of this. I suggest you go with Uncle Ivan and Aunt Patricia to the hotel. We will visit you tomorrow, I just want to avoid involving you in this trouble." Cedric knew that Adrianna''s Lobo Grandparents shared the same principles as the couple, but they were old and had not pushed Amanda earlier so he was much gentler to them. As for Jam he could clearly see that the young man was quite different from his elders, although Cedric did not understand his fascination with them, he still hadn''t done anything wrong.

    The elder couple simply nodded and climbed into the van, this surprised Cedric as he was expecting to have an argument with them.

    "Cousin, can I stay?" Jam Lobo asked. "The princes are there and you know I''m a fan. It''s my dream to meet them." Jam begged.

    Cedric paused for a while and considered letting the young mane along.

    "Can you promise to keep whatever you see a secret?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes!" Jam said excitedly.

    "They''ll make you sign documents, making you ountable if anything leaks from tonight." Cedric warned Adrianna''s cousin.

    "I can do that. I don''t care if I can''t tell anyone. I just want to meet them." Jam promised.

    "Fine. But, don''t forget they''ll make you sign things so you don''t b." Cedric warned again, to which Jam just vigorously nodded his head.

    "Alright." Cedric finally agreed.

    Ivan and Patricia Lobo looked like they still wanted to argue, but they eventually gave in and climbed into the car as well.

    Behind Cedric a confused Aiden still stood, watching as this so-called, good for nothing, nephew managed to send the elders away.

    "I haven''t forgotten about you." Cedric said without facing Aiden.

 Chapter 305 - 305

    When the van finally left, Cedric turned to speak to Aiden.

    "Did youe here because you wanted to or because you were forced?" Cedric asked.??

    "My grandfather arranged it." Aiden confessed.

    "And your parents didn''t stop the arranged marriage?" Cedric knew it wasn''t umon for parents to go along with what the elders wanted, but in recent years more and more were opposing arranged marriages among the rich families. They simply chose to encourage matches through different means.

    "My parents passed away when I was young. They died in a freak ident. My grandfather is all I have in this world now." Aiden told Cedric with a shrug.

    "As you saw Amanda has someone else." Cedric pointed out.

    "I like her." Aiden said. "The moment Iid my eyes on her I knew that I wanted her." The young man confessed.

    "Aiden, my younger sister doesn''t like you back. You can''t force her." Jam added.

    "Jam is right Aiden. You can pursue her, but you can''t force her." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I only went along with the arranged marriage because my grandpa said so." Aiden said with a sigh. "But, I didn''t expect Amanda to be so captivating. I will definitely pursue her." Aiden said with a renewed conviction.

    "I still need to ask you to leave, but I do wish you the best. Even if I''m Tony''s friend, I hope Amanda chooses the man she really loves." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Thanks." Aiden said as he shed a smile at Cedric and Jam. The young man took out his car keys and left.

    "Let''s go!" Jam excitedly said as he turned towards the elevator.

    "Not so fast kid." Cedric said with augh as he made a call.

    "Bring an NDA to the parking."Cedric ordered.

    Within five minutes Ian came out of the elevator holding an envelope. He was actually already in the private room when Cedric called and had to go up to the top floor and back down just to bring what Cedric wanted.

    "Sign." Cedric told Jam as Ian handed the boy the documents.

    "Is this what you were saying cousin?" Jam asked as he read through the documents.

    "Either you sign or I send you to the hotel." Cedric warned Jam.

    Jam quickly took the pen from Ian and signed the document.

    "Ask Constetions to reserve three rooms for Adrianna''s family. They''re already on the way." Cedric told Ian. Ian quickly did as he was ordered and made a call.

    "Wow. You can reserve a room that fast?" Jam asked as he gave Cedric back the documents.

    After making sure that all the documents were signed properly Cedric handed them to Ian and walked to the elevator.

    "Are we allowed to use this one? Isn''t this the CEO''s elevator or something?" Jam said in a panicked tone as he observed the much finer lift.

    "It''s fine." Cedric said.

    When they finally got back to Nouveau the manager was already waiting, he bowed and greeted Cedric as Mr. Reyes, and walked him to the private room. Cedric knew that the patrons wouldn''t find it odd to see him walking up to the private room, many of them witnessed how he was actually friends with the five princes, others had already run a search on him and the other guests who had caused amotion, they would probably have already stumbled upon the rumors between Adrianna and the Reyes Heir.

    "Will I send your drink sir?" The manager asked.

    Cedric simply nodded and pushed the door in and entered with Jam and Ian.

    "Brother you''re back!" Ayanna happily greeted as soon as the door closed behind him. She was seated next to Ram and Adrianna, taking a sip of wine.

    "You brought Jam with you?" Adrianna asked. "Isn''t that risky?"

    "He signed an NDA." Cedric said with a grin as he regained his normalposure.

    Jam who was standing behind him was stunned and confused.

    "Out with it Jam." Amanda said as she chuckled.

    "I''m confused, what''s going on? Who are you really?" The second question was clearly addressed towards Cedric.

    "I''m your cousin-inw." Cedric said with augh as he walked over to the seat at the head of the table, next to Adrianna.

    "Cedric��" Adrianna warned.

    "Fine. My name is Cedric Reyes, my sister is Ayanna Reyes, and my parents are Emilio and Prisci Reyes. I''m the Reyes Heir." As Cedric said this he winked at Jam andughed.

    Jam''s jaw just dropped and he couldn''t even say a single word.

    "You signed an NDA." Ian reminded him as he took his seat next to Nicole.

    "He made you work again?" Nicole said with a pout as Ian lowered his lips to kiss her.

    "I just brought down a document. Not work, a favor." Ian said with a smile.

    "Rx Jam, sit next to me. I just found out myself too." Amanda said with a gentle smile.

    "And you knew?" Jam asked Tony as he took his seat.

    "Tony figured it out." Cedric said from the other end of the table.

    "OH MY GOSH! Everything I said to you about the princes, I mean about you guys!" Jam was wide eyed with embarrassment as he covered his face.

    "You didn''t say anything bad, rx." Cedric said with augh.

    "Ooooh, what''s this about?" Ram asked grinning from ear to ear.

    "He''s our number one fan." Cedric said with augh. "I''m his favorite and you''re the least." Cedric teased.

    "No, Mr. Abad, that''s not true. I never said that." Jam said in a panic.

    Ram justughed at the younger man''s reaction. "He should be your favorite, he''s your cousin-inw." Ram reminded Jam.

    "We aren''t mean people you know." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "That''s a lie." Katerina said from the door as she walked in. "Oh, we have guests." She said as she eyed Jam and Amanda.

    "Where''s my brother?" Miguel asked as Katerina walked over.

    "Trying not to be seen." Katerinaughed as she took a seat.

    "You have a brother?" Jam asked, quickly picking up on what Miguel said.

    "Yup, he shoulde through the door soon. Anyway, what Alexi said was right, we aren''t mean people, but only to people we like." Miguel said with an innocent looking smile.

    "So many questions��." Jam finally said, making everyoneugh.

    "Don''t worry Jam, you''ll get used to it." His aunt Gracia said in an attempt tofort him.

    "We''ve already eaten, so you don''t need to wait for us." Cedric told his friends with a nod.

    As if on cue the food arrived and was served.

    "Hey Tony, you''ve got a littlepetitioning your way." Cedric warned the other man.

    "How so?" Tony asked.

    "The Aiden kid seems to be smitten with Amanda, so he ns to court her." Cedric said with augh.

    "It''s true Tony." Jam said, quickly backing his idol up.

    "Don''t worry, he won''t be able to steal me from you." Amanda said as she gently ced a kiss on Tony''s cheek.

    "Woah, who''s the new couple? Oh hey Tony." Eric said as he walked in.

    "You''re - you''re - you''re Eric Chan." A stunned Jam Lobo managed to day.

    "Yeah, I know who I am, but who are you?" Eric asked as he walked over to Katerina. "Miss me, love?" Eric said as he kissed her on the lips.

    "Is it bad that I find it awkward that someone I think of as my older brother is locking lips with my younger sister?" Alexi asked with a disgusted look.

    Eric justughed at him and focused his attention back on his girlfriend.

    "You asked me who my brother was, kid? This is him, my older brother Eric Chan. Eric, meet Adrianna''s cousins,Jam and Amanda." Miguel said with a nod.

    "Ah, the other hypocritical side. Nice to meet you guys, it''s great that you aren''t like your parents." Eric said with a wink making Amanda blush and Jam''s jaw drop.

    "Eric, be nice." Katerina warned, making Ericugh.

 Chapter 306 - 306

    "So if Eric Chan is the other prince who is the fallen prince?" Jam recalled what Cedric had said about there being seven princes in total.

    "The fallen prince is someone really brave and really strong." Nicole began to exin.??

    "Ugh, love sick women." Alexiined as he rolled his eyes.

    "So who is he?" Jam had a hopeful look in his eyes as he asked Nicole.

    "It''s the guy that''s seated next to Nicole." Cedric said, finally pitying the poor kid. What Cedric failed to realize is that there were two men seated next to Nicole.

    "But Miguel Chan is already counted in the-- oh oh oh, you!" Jam began to think that what Cedric said didn''t make sense until he realized that it was actually Ian, the assistant that hade down to fetch them and make him sign the NDA. "How?" Jam managed to say.

    "Are you asking how Ian became a fallen prince?" Cedric asked his wife''s cousin.

    Jam simply nodded vigorously.

    "Do you mind sharing?" Nicole asked Ian tenderly.

    "My family used to be at the same level as the Chans and the Abads, I guess you could say that everythingthat could go wrong went wrong. We lost almost everything and we went from being one of the richest to being so poor that we couldn''t even afford our next meal." Ian exined.

    Cedric watched his friend tell his story, he felt bad for Ian. The man was a victim and circumstance. He genuinely hoped that Ian would be able to bring his family back to its former glory and Cedric was willing to help no matter what the cost.

    "Wow Mr. Ian! You''re amazing! You managed to survive and thrive after all that!" Everyone, especially Ian, was shocked with Jam''s reaction. The first reaction of most people was to feel pity for him, that was of course only natural. His family had been at the top when they were pulled down to the bottom.

    "So is he your favorite now?" Cedric teased.

    Jam was visibly nervous, Cedric was sure he didn''t know what to answer, all the people on the table were important and he couldn''t offend them.

    "Rx Jam." Alexi said with augh. "You don''t need to pick one."

    "Yeah, don''t worry. Alexi is used to not being picked by now." Miguel teased. "Did you know that Mr. yboy over here has been rejected almost every day for almost a year by one of my nurses?" Miguel said with augh.

    "No way!" Jam said in disbelief.

    "Some women are just too difficult." Alexi said, shaking his head. "But, I''ve had some progress." He said proudly.

    "You managed to take her on dates. I don''t think that''s a sess story." Eric teased.

    "We''ve gone on dates, and I''ve kissed her in a non-sexual way." Alexi boasted.

    "Kissed her in a non-sexual way?" Tony asked.

    "Yeah. Nurse Jen used to like girls, till she met Alexi and, well, ended up in bed with him. Alexi on the other hand fell hard for her. But Nurse Jen doesn''t want anything emotional, something about being afraid ofmitment." Cedric exined.

    "Why? Who hurt her?" Jam asked.

    "A woman named Selina Ramirez." Alexi said the name as if it was a curse.

    "She didn''t seem like a bad person when I met her." Cedric recalled the two times he met Selina and she seemed to be an honest and genuine girl, a little strong willed and wild, but genuine nheless. As a matter of fact he saw some simrities between Selina and Katerina.

    "She hides it well." Alexi hissed. "Jen followed her everywhere, dedicated her best years to going wherever Selina went. She followed her to America when she studied at Julliard, then to Ennd, Paris, Mn, and Berlin where Selina learned about fashion and business. Jen would uproot her life to follow Selina. The bitch led her on. Letting her think that she had a chance, she really thought she and Selina would spend their lives together, but Selina, that snake tricked her. Do not be fooled by her outward appearance Cedric." Alexi warned.

    "So what happened?" Ram asked.

    "Eventually Selina broke Jen''s heart. Jen flew back home to her province where she applied to be a nurse. One of the ces was a private hospital on Kashmere, that''s how she ended up working for Miguel." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "Is it possible that Jen is exaggerating this story about Selina?" Cedric asked, he rarely judged people wrong, and he didn''t see anything wrong with Selina Ramirez.

    "I''ve known Jen for years." Nicole said. "She isn''t one to lie or exaggerate. She''s a really good person. Right brother?"

    "Yep. She''s also a good nurse. You saw it first hand when she was caring for Adrianna." Miguel added.

    Cedric simply nodded in reply.

    "She is really nice Cedric, I was actually sad to see her go, but she was only on loan from Saints till I recovered, and I did recover earlier." Adrianna said, agreeing that Nurse Jen really was a person of integrity.

    "Such as shame." Ayanna pouted. "Miss Ramirez brings in so much opportunity, I wanted to work on a partnership with her. She owns the rights to distribute some of the most famous fashion lines, add to that the fact that she would be an amazing endorser, imagine a former actress and model that ys in business. What a waste on a rotten character." Ayanna sighed.

    "You still have Maureen." Veronica said, mentioning her fashion designer cousin.

    "Mau is amazing on her own as a designer, but you have to admit she isn''t much of a business woman." Ayanna replied.

    "You can still work with Selina Ramirez, Ayanna." Alexi said. "Jen isn''t my wife, yet." Alexi made sure to put emphasis on saying the word yet. He clearly had every intention of making her Mrs. Sebastian in the future.

    The rest of the night went on peacefully, eventually Jam was able to adjust to his new acquaintances, he was no longer awkward and became more and morefortable talking to them.

    "Don''t worry Tony! I''ll convince my parents to let you marry my sister. You''re so much more sessful and powerful than Aiden." Jam boasted.

    "Jam, you don''t need to do that for Tony." Amanda told her younger brother. "I will only marry the man I love." Amanda promised.

    "Just be ready. That Aiden kid looked serious about courting you." Cedric said as he walked up to them.

    By the time the group walked out the restaurant was already devoid of customers, so they could casually andfortably walk out.

    "I won''t let Aiden steal my Amanda from me." Tony promised as he held Amanda''s hand tightly.

    "I''m rooting for you." Cedric said with a nod.

    Since he already had the van take the rest of the Lobo family to Constetions, Cedric let Jam pick out one of his cars that they would take to drop him off. The kid ended up picking out the Rolls Royce Phantom.

    "I''ve always wanted to ride one of those." Jam said with a grin.

    Soon a driver brought the car over and the three people hopped on. Adrianna''s parents had taken little Emilio with them and were fetched by another car so that they could go directly to Mountain View.

    "One of these days we''ll invite you and Amanda over to Mountain View." Adrianna promised her cousin. "I think you will love it." She happily told her cousin.

    "I can''t wait." Jam said with a smile.

    As they arrived at Constetions Adrianna and Cedric bid Jam a good night as he alighted the car. Cedric could see the twinkle in the kid''s eyes as he got off the fancy car after meeting his idols, he was d that he let the kid stay rather than sending him home with the elders.

    When they saw Jam about to enter the hotel doors Cedric told the driver that they could leave.

    As the car began to move, they suddenly heard a gunshot.

    Cedric turned, and saw Jam on the ground, bleeding.

 Chapter 307 - 307

    Before Cedric could even get off the car to run to the boy his driver sped up leave the scene.

    "Go back!" Cedric ordered.??

    "Sir, for your safety we can''t." His driver answered.

    "Drop me off at the corner and take your mistress home." Cedric said instead.

    At first he could see his driver hesitating, but he was the boss after all so his driver had no choice but to follow what he had said.

    "Cedric, he''s my cousin." Adrinna begged.

    "You''re recognizable. Go home." Cedric was already trying to call someone as he tried to convince his wife to stay in the car.

    "Did you stay? How is Jam?" Cedric asked Leon who was at the other end of the line.

    "He''s bleeding but alive." Leon reported.

    "Take him to a hospital damnit! Save his life." Cedric ordered as he dropped the call.

    "Change of ns, drive me to Saints." Cedric ordered as he dialed Miguel''s number.

    "Jam was shot, I''m having him taken to Saints now." Cedric said before Miguel could even say hi.

    "What? Where? How?" Miguel asked.

    "No time to exin now, just get your ass to Saints." Cedric said furiously.

    "Jam''s family, we need to tell them." Adrianna told Cedric in a panicked tone.

    "Tell Amanda first then your mom. Let your mom inform the Lobo family." Cedric told his wife in a gentle tone. He wanted her to calm down despite his own distress.

    Cedric watched as one of his security vehicles sped past them, it was probably the one that carried Jam and Leon. His driver knowingly let the vehicle pass them as they drove at a fast yet eptable speed.

    When the luxury car finally arrived at Saint Cedric entered through the backdoor. He made his way through the hospital until he found Miguel''s assistant who recognized him.

    "Doctor Miguel is in an operation." The assistant said to Cedric.

    "Good." Cedric said as he made his way to the operating theater Miguel usually used.

    He waited outside as the sign lit bright red. As he sat in the waiting area, he was vaguely aware of the bodyguards standing at every corner, and Leon standing right behind him.

    "Did you catch the man?" Cedric finally asked Leon."

    "Yes sir." Leon replied, Cedric noticed there was something off with his tone.

    "What is it?" Cedric demanded.

    "As soon as we caught him sir, he bit down hard and died. It seemed he had some sort of poison in his mouth. Whoever sent him knew there was a chance he would be caught." Leon reported, regret clearly in his voice.

    "Do we know anything about the man yet?" Cedric asked.

    "We are looking into it sir. What we know so far is that his name was Anderson, he worked as a busboy in a local fast food chain. He had a wife that left him recently. We are still trying to learn more." Leon said.

    Suddenly the doors burst open and the Lobo family, including Amanda who was still with Tony, charged right in.

    "What did you do to my son?" Ivan Lobo said as he attempted to punch Cedric in the face. He was immediately stopped by Leon who caught the punch in his hand and subdued Ivan Lobo.

    "Who the hell are you? Why are you protecting this imbecile!" Ivan Lobo shouted as he struggled to get out of Leon''s grip. "One moment I was with my son, and then the next he goes with this useless man and gets shot." Ivan Lobo shouted.

    Cedric noticed the other bodyguards inching closer to them, clearly wary of the other members of the Lobo family.

    Before Cedric could exin Gracia and Charles Hernandez arrived.

    "Adrianna?" Cedric asked his inws.

    "With your son, your father also heightened the security around thepound." Charles told his son-inw.

    Suddenly the light above the door went dark, the operation was done. Miguel walked out after a few minutes as an unconscious Jam was rolled out behind him.

    "How is he?" Cedric asked.

    "I got the bullet out, but the damage was too severe. I don''t think he''ll make the night." Miguel said, shaking his head.

    "You! You! Aren''t you that miracle doctor! Save my son! You can save my son!" Patricia Lobo cried.

    "Mom, mom, there is only so much Miguel can do." Amanda said as tears streamed from her eyes. She too was sad, but there were limits to what a mere man could do.

    "No! He''s never lost a patient! He can save my son! Save my son!" Particia Lobo cried again, her screams cutting through Cedric''s heart.

    Cedric knew Patricia Lobo''s words hurt Miguel even more, the man was called the Miracle Doctor due to his near impossible surgeries and out of the box thinking that often saved lives, however, there were some lives he truly couldn''t save.

    "Mrs. Lobo, we have done everything we could." Miguel managed to say as his voice cracked. "The fact that he is still breathing is a miracle on it''s own."

    "You have to save him doctor, please I''m begging you." Patricia Lobo said as she fell to her knees.

    "Madam, there is nothing else I can do." Miguel said with a frown. He then looked to Cedric and spoke. "I suggest the family stay the night. I don''t know how long the boy willst."

    "I''ll have security heightened around the hotel and the hospital." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I liked your son Mrs. Lobo. He was nice and eager and smart. He was a nice boy. Whoever did this to him will pay, my bro won''t let him go." Miguel said in an attempt tofort the grieving mother.

    "What can that poor man do? He is worthless!" Ivan Lobo used. He was still being held back by Leon who was worried that he would try to attack Cedric again.

    "Ivan, Patricia, Mom, Dad, there is something you need to know." Gracia said in a sad voice. "Can I tell them?" Gracia asked her son-inw.

    Cedric nodded. This family was going through so much now that they deserved to know that their son was getting the best treatment and that he had spent hisst night happy, with his greatest wish fulfilled.

 Chapter 308 - 308

    "Spit it out sister, my son is dying, I don''t have time for your dramatics." Ivan Lobo said coldly to his sister.

    "Cedric is actually the Reyes Heir, and tonight your son met and became friends with all the five princes and more." Gracia exined to her family.??

    "Then why did my son have a bullet in his head! Tell me! If he were really the Reyes Heir then my son wouldn''t have been ambushed like that!" Ivan Lobo shouted at his sister.

    "He got shot as he was entering the hotel. Someone was waiting for him." Cedric exined. "My security and I were watching till he entered the hotel, it was at the door that he was shot."

    "So you''re ming my son for his own death! How shameless!" Ivan Lobo told Cedric.

    "This discussion can wait for another time." Cedric said as he looked into Ivan Lobo''s eyes. "Your son is in the VIP ward, I had Nicole arrange the best room for him. I really liked Jam, uncle. He was nice and happy."

    The Lobo family said no more and went to the VIP ward leaving Cedric and Miguel with his bodyguards in the waiting room.

    "Be honest with me." Cedric began as he slumped on a chair. "What are the kid''s odds?"

    "He''ll be gone soon." Miguel said in an extremely sad tone. "Normally, I wouldn''t even go near a case like his. It''s impossible to survive it, I only tried because of you."

    "I''m sorry for ruining your perfect record. I didn''t think." Cedric just knew that at the moment he had to try everything, maybe if they had stayed a few more seconds they would have noticed the gunman. Maybe if he had asked someone to escort Jam to the door he would be safe right now. Maybe if Jam hadn''t gotten out of his car he would have survived. Maybe if he hadn''t let the kid stay with them he wouldn''t die. A lot of maybes ran through Cedric''s mind, there were so many things he could have done that would have resulted in a different end with Jam alive and well.

    "I don''t mind. I like the kid." Miguel said with a shrug. "Who knew spending a few hours with him would make us feel so connected."

    "He would have lived if I didn''t let him join us." Cedric said as he continued to look at the floor.

    "You don''t know that. The man could have been waiting for him from the very start. He didn''t die because of you Cedric. He died because of a man with a gun." Miguel said as he attempted tofort his friend.

    "They weren''t supposed to stay at Constetions. They were supposed to stay at Mountain View. Adrianna asked me to reveal my identity to them on this trip, but because of what happened at the restaurant I had to change my ns. If we didn''t, Jam wouldn''t have walked into that trap," Cedric was full of regret, he med himself for everything.

    "If you didn''t do that earlier, they would have pressured Amanda into marrying Aiden. I don''t think Jam would want that for his sister." Miguel reminded Cedric. "Adrianna should be here. We have ample security and Jam is in the VIP ward, it will be difficult for anyone toe in without your consent." Miguel advised Cedric.

    Cedric simply nodded in response and called his wife toe over with little Emilio.

    When Adrianna arrived she too passed the back entrance as the Reyes family now poured a big chunk of it''s security team to practically lock down Saints Hospital. People quickly caught wind of this and began to specte that someone incredibly important had been hurt, and they weren''t wrong. As Cedric''s cousin-inw Jam Lobo was definitely someone who could have influenced the business world, if he woke up.

    Cedric met Adrianna at the ground floor of the hospital and they took the lift to the VIP floor. By the elevator six bodyguards stood and bowed when their boss came in. Cedric was not taking any chances, whether or not the people behind this incident were after them or Jam or someone else entirely, Cedric wanted to ensure his family''s and his wife''s family''s safety.

    Inside the ward there was a sense of dread, Miguel had told them that the boy may not make the night. Patricia Lobo cried as she held her son''s hand.

    "Jam, Jam, it''s mommy, please wake up. Please don''t go." Patricia Lobo cried. The pain in her voice ripped Cedric''s heart into pieces. No matter what anyone said, Jam was in this condition because of him.

    "It''s not your fault." Adrianna said as she squeezed her husband''s hand.

    "Don''t absolve him of this, girl!" Ivan Lobo shouted.

    "It''s not Cedric''s fault. It''s the murderer''s fault." Adrianna shouted back.

    "You lied to us, to all of us. You had all of these resources and you failed to protect your cousin-inw!" Ivan Lobo used. "And where is the murderer? If you truly cared or were truly as powerful as you are showing now, find him!"

    "He is dead." Cedric said in a distant tone.

    "What?" Ivan Lobo asked.

    "The murderer is dead. Hemitted suicide when my men caught him. It was clearly premeditated." Just speaking was hard for Cedric. He felt the guilt, he felt the pain, he felt the anger. Jam was one of the few members of the Lobo family that Cedric liked, even when he didn''t know about Cedric''s identity Jam didn''t treat him badly.

    Suddenly the instruments connected to Jam began to blink and make loud noises making everyone in the room panic. Amanda quickly jumped to press the button to call a nurse.

    Nurses and doctors suddenly burst in with Miguel leading the way. Cedric and the rest of the family watched in horror as Miguel tried desperately to revive the boy.

    "Save him, please I''m begging you, save him." Patricia Lobo cried out.

    "Take your aunt out." Cedric told Adrianna. He knew that watching Miguel try to save her son would only drive the poor mother mad. He pleas and screams was not doing the doctors and nurses any good either.

    Adrianna nodded and gently convinced Patricia Lobo toe out with her and little Emilio, eventually with the help of her mother and her grandparents they managed to get Patricia Lobo out of the room.

    After thirty minutes of trying to revive Jam, Miguel suddenly stopped and cursed. Cedric saw him close his eyes and let out a sigh.

    "Time of death, 2:46 AM." Miguel said gravely.

 Chapter 309 - 309

    Cedric stood on the windy balcony as he took another drink from his ss, emptying it. It had been a week since Jam passed and a week since the Lobo family found out that he was the Reyes Heir.

    The Lobo family had chosen to hold five days of the wake at the Capital to let Jam''s friends from university toe and mourn him, today was the fifth day. The Lobo family would depart with Jam''s body to their province tonight. Cedric, his family, and his friends had decided toe with them for the remaining four days of the wake before the boy would finally beid to rest in the family tomb.??

    A pair of arms suddenly hugged him from behind, he turned to see his wife, whom he hugged back.

    "How are you holding up?" Adrianna asked Cedric. She knew he med himself, he had spent days trying to find out who was behind the murder and yet he still came up against false leads and dead ends.

    "I''m just trying to find who did this. Jam was innocent." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Yeah, I asked Amanda. Jam was never with the wrong type of people, yes he drank, but only socially, he didn''t do drugs, he didn''t gamble. He was a good kid." Adrianna said as she continued to hold her husband.

    "We leave in an hour. Are you packed?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "Yes. Are we taking your ne, or��" Adrianna was afraid of asking if they would be flyingmercial, she knew her husband had heightened security everywhere.

    "We''re pretending to flymercial on one of Ray''s nes. It''s all ours but the only people traveling in it will be our family, the Lobos, Uncle Matthew, and Henry." Cedric exined. The remaining members of the Hernandez family wanted to pay their respect and had decided toe along.

    The Reyeses and the others would fly in after them on their private nes, the official story was the Jam was a good friend to the five princes, so they had all flown over to pay their respects.

    It was a big deal for everyone, very few people could make these powerful families fly out and spend four days in a distant province.

    When Cedric and the rest arrived at the Lobo Family''s hometown Tony offered Cedric his office to temporarily work from. Cedric weed this and as soon as things were set for the wake, he went on over followed by Cami and Ian.

    "Have you found anything out?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "No not yet. All we know is that someone paid him, other than that, nothing." Ian gravely told Cedric.

    "How''s thepany?" Cedric asked Cami. In the days after Jam''s death he was waiting for someone tounch an attack on either the Reyes Group or on Mor Co.

    "Peaceful sir. It doesn''t seem like we were the target." Cami reported.

    "I don''t want to becent, make sure to keep an eye out for everything. Anything out of the ordinary happens you tell me. Understood?" Cedric asked, to which Cami nodded.

    "Sir, these are the documents you need to look through and sign." Cami said as she ced a few folders on the desk. "The department heads also send their condolences on your cousin-inw''s death." Cami informed him in a sad tone. The higher ups of both Mor Co. and the Reyes group had gotten to know Cedric more over time. They saw him as a stern and demanding boss, who in his own way asked them to put family first always. Despite his cold and distant personality to them they all admired and appreciated this boss, so their sadness in his loss was genuine.

    "Your wife asked me to remind you not to work too hard." Ian told Cedric as he served a cup of tea. "This should help, Nicole sent it over, it''s some traditional tea that''s supposed to calm you down. It''s a recipe that''s been with the Chans from the very beginning, even from back when they left the maind."

    Cedric thanked Ian and drank his tea while reading the files Cami had given him. Cedric went back and forth between working and entertaining guests at the ancestral Lobo home for three days.

    On the night prior to Jam''s burial the three of them were all engrossed with their work when Cedric''s phone rang, breaking the silence.

    "Honey?" Cedric asked as he answered. It was Adrianna.

    "Can youe over? Uncle Ivan and Amanda are having a shouting match. Mom and dad are trying to help but they''re not getting through to uncle Ivan. And to make things worse Tony''s daughter is here and she''s too young to witness these things. I sent her and little Emilio with the nanny to another room for the meantime." Adrianna said, not giving her husband a chance to reply.

    "I''lle over immediately." Cedric said right before he said goodbye and dropped the call.

    "Bring the car over. Let''s go to the Lobo home." Cedric instructed Ian, who left his documents to Cami.

    Cedric and Cami tidied up and brought all the documents down with them. No matter how much he trusted Tony, he couldn''t just leave Reyes Group confidential files on the table.

    He soon arrived at the grand ancestral Lobo home, the viewing of Jam''s remains was currently being held here and many people from the province visited to pay their respects. Oddly enough it seemed that they had all cleared out as soon as the tensions between family members rose.

    When Cedric entered he heard Ivan shouting at his daughter.

    "Your brother just died and yet you continue to defy my orders?" Ivan said furiously as he looked at Amanda.

    "I will not marry him!" Amanda shouted back.

    "And you have the gall to bring Tony and his disreputable daughter here!" Ivan shouted.

    "Brother, let the child choose who she will marry, don''t force her. There is no need." Gracia begged her brother. What Gracia said was true, as inws to the powerful Reyes family the Lobos had nothing to worry about, all the opportunities will be handed to them.

    "What are you talking about Gracia? Your son-inw is still good for nothing. He continues to hide from the public. When will we Lobos benefit from that?" Ivan used. He was still oblivious to the fact that Cedric had already joined them.

    "My husband is keeping his identity a secret because of me, because I asked him to do so." Adrianna told her uncle. "There are other ways to help the Lobos that doesn''t involve revealing his identity." She added.

    "Adrianna is telling the truth." Cedric suddenly said, drawing the attention to him. "I don''t need to be visible to back you up."

    "Nheless we Lobos should not be dependent on the Reyeses. What if you fall? Even the mightiest empires fall at some point." Ivan Lobo said as he looked at Cedric. He was unafraid to confront Cedric, he relied on the fact that Cedric felt guilty for his son''s death.

    "And you n to do thisby marrying your only child to Aiden Ortiz who is a well known yboy who does nothing but rely on his family''s wealth?" Cedric asked Ivan.

    "You''re one to speak, your friend Alexi is known to be a yboy as well, he often has a new woman on his arm every week." Ivan retorted. "Aiden Ortiz is notzy and he is capable of running a business. He is in the Capitol mostly working so that he can learn what he needs to run his family''s business. We need a man like him in the family now more than ever! And Tony will not do, his reputation would ruin us."

    With the way Ivan Lobo was speaking you would think that Tony was not in the same room as them, but the man stood next to Amanda, holding her hand and coaxing her, trying to get her to calm down.

 Chapter 310 - 310

    "I promise you uncle, my reputation will not harm your business." Tony assured Ivan Lobo.

    "And what of your promise to me?" An elderly man asked as he entered. Cedric assumed that this was Aiden Ortiz''s grandfather since the younger man followed behind him.??

    "Grandfather, there is no need to push Amanda into something she doesn''t want. I will convince my goddess that I''m the one for her." Aiden begged, it was clear that the young man was smitten with Amanda Lobo.

    "Shut up boy. You don''t even need to make an effort!" The old man scolded his grandson. He then turned to Adrianna''s grandfather, the patriarch of the Lobo family. "When my son and daughter-inw died and your son survived didn''t you swear to me that we would unite our families. Where is that union now?" The old man demanded.

    Cedric watched as Adrianna''s grandfather stood up and looked at the Ortiz elder. "I have no right to force my granddaughter to do something she doesn''t want, especially with matters of the heart."

    "Please, Mr. Ortiz, can we settle this peacefully." Cedric was shocked as Adrianna asked the old man as she approached him. "My cousin has another man in her heart, won''t it be a disadvantage to your grandson if there was a possibility of my cousin cheating on him?"

    "Who are you to speak of cheating, you whore!" Grandpa Ortiz said as a p descended on Adrianna. Luckily Mia was nearby and took the p for Adrianna.

    "Mia!" Adrianna gasped, she was ready to take the p.

    "I know you''re the mistress to the Reyes Heir. Your cousin clearly died from being involved with him. Why else would all those top families being to our distant province?" The old man used.

    "Take that back!" Gracia Hernandez shouted. "My daughter is no one''s mistress. How dare you fling false usations."

    "Everyone knows that her child is actually the Reyes Heirs!" Aiden''s grandfather used.

    "No."Cedric finally said. His tone and demeanor demanded respect, and with most people in the room knowing his identity they all listened. "I can prove he is my son. I will not have you calling my wife any man''s mistress. She is mine and mine alone."

    "Fine, where is this proof?" The old man demanded.

    Cedric stepped out for a while and asked Ian to fetch something from his files. Ian came back with an envelope that was once sealed. Cedric thanked him and walked back in.

    "I had this test done in order to shut people like you up." Cedric said as he handed the old man a piece of paper, it was a DNA test. He was nning on posting this on his social media ounts to prove little Emilio was his, but he changed his mind when he realized people might think he had the test done because he had suspected his wife of cheating.

    "Fine, the child is yours." The old man said tossing the documents back at Cedric. Suddenly one of the old man''spanion''s came running in and whispered something to him. His reaction became worse as he sent the messenger away. He looked back up at the Lobo family and red at them. "I still demand a union between our families!" The old man said as he marched out.

    "I will try to calm him down and change his mind, I''m sorry." Aiden Ortiz quickly told everyone as he followed after the old man.

    Just as they exited the room Cedric got a call from Ayanna.

    "Hey sis, I assume you justnded?" Cedric asked as he picked up the call.

    "Yup. We''re getting in the cars now. We should be there in an hour. The airport is apparently quite far." Ayanna said with a sigh.

    Cedricughed, he too was surprised the first time they came over, there was no traffic but the distance from the airport to the city was quite far.

    "I''ll see you all in a while." Cedric said happily as he dropped the call.

    "You see! You see! That''s why you need to ept Aiden''s proposal." Ivan Lobo pointed out to his daughter.

    "Enough." Grandpa Lobo suddenly said in amanding tone. "Stop forcing Amanda to marry someone else. I initially agreed to this engagement because I was unaware that she had someone."

    "But dad, you promised the Ortiz patriarch, we cannot go back on our word." Ivan reminded his father.

    "We do not owe the Ortiz family anything. You will drop this issue at once." The old man ordered.

    "Do you want to meet my daughter?" Tony asked Cedric.

    "Of course, she''s with my son right?" Cedric said. Tony nodded in reply and led Cedric to the nursery on the 2nd floor of the house.

    Inside was a beautiful little girl who wasughing as she spoke to little Emilio.

    "Look little brother, I''ll pour you a cup of tea!" She said proudly as she took the toy and pretended to pour a cup for his son.

    "Tea! Tea!" Little Emilio shouted.

    "Don''t spill alright." The little girl said as she winked at the younger boy.

    "Princess,e over here, there is someone I want you to meet." Tony said as he called the little girl over.

    "Yes daddy." She stood up and ran over to Tony''s side.

    "Princess, this is Uncle Cedric, he''s little Emilio''s father." Tony said, introducing Cedric to the child.

    "Hello Uncle Cedric, my name is Rose, I''m five years old." Rose said as she held out five fingers showing her age.

    Cedric smiled and patted the girl on the head. He and Tony joined the two little ones who were ying, before they knew it Adrianna and Amanda were looking for them because their guests had arrived.

    Cedric carried little Emilio out of the room and down to the living room. When the child saw his grandparents he began to giggle happily.

    "Ama! Ama!" It''s what he called his grandmothers since he couldn''t say the whole word yet.

    Prisci Reyes went up and took her grandson from her son''s arms.

    "You had a good flight?" Cedric asked his dad.

    "Yeah. It was quick, this ce isn''t too far. The car ride and the flight took the same time, and when wended the governor and mayor had prepared this whole wee ceremony with dancing and music. Alexi embarrassed them by saying that we here for a funeral." Emilio Reyes said with augh.

    "Mr. Emilio Reyes, might I have a word?" The Lobo elder asked as he greeted Emilio.

    Emilio Reyes nodded and followed the old man.

    "He''s probably going to apologize." Ray said as he appeared next to Cedric.

    "For what?" Cedric asked.

    "Don''t be oblivious." Alexi told Cedric.

    "They won''t fall the way the Hernandezes did." This time it was Ram that spoke. "They know how to adapt and recognize their mistakes. They were way ahead the moment they stopped pushing Tony to Adrianna."

    "I do think the Lobo''s have a better future, especially now that it seems Amanda is the only one left to take over." Cedric said, nodding in reply.

    "If Amanda is willing, if not, the Lobos will end up like the Hernandezes and rins in the end, their assets and holdings wille under the Reyes Group." Ray noted.

    "We aren''t hungry for more, at least not in that way." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "You may not be, but that''s how things are turning out." Ray reminded his brother-inw.

    The boys then dropped the topic and instead spent the night talking to the rest of the Lobo family about how happy Jam was when he met them.

 Chapter 311 - 311

    The next day everyone woke up early, they were going to take Jam''s body to his final resting ce, the Lobo family tomb.

    "I misjudged you. I''m sorry." Patricia Lobo said as she came up beside Cedric and Adrianna.??

    "It''s okay auntie, what''s important is how we pick ourselves up after." Cedric wasn''t just referring to how the Lobo family had treated him but about Jam''s death as well.

    When Miguel was trying to save Jam, Cedric saw how much the members of the Lobo family loved each other, it was a far cry from what he saw with the Hernandezes. Patricia''s pleas and cries drove daggers into his heart, he couldn''t be angry with people who loved their family this much.

    Everyone who was anyone from the province had turned up to join the funeral, some because they knew Jam, others because they had businesses with the Lobo family, and many more arrived because the top families arrived. All but the Reyes Heir was there, even the famous and mysterious Eric Chan arrived that morning with his manager to pay his respects. Everyone was shocked at the people Jam''s funeral managed to bring to their rather quiet part of the country.

    "I guess Jam got his wish." One of Jam''s childhood friends said in his eulogy. "He had always dreamt of meeting the five princes, and four out of five are here, not bad Jam, not bad." His friend said as hisugh turned into tears as he recalled his friend''s greatest dream.

    For the eulogy, the Lobo family invited Cedric to say some words, many of the attendees didn''t understand why this poor son-inw was invited to speak when he and Jam rarely even interacted. But the family knew, the people who mattered knew that Jam would be happy to have the Reyes Heir say some words at his funeral.

    Cedric stood at the podium, handsome in custom made all white clothes matching his son and wife. His hairbed back and not in it''s naturally messy form, manydies who attended sighed andmented the fact that he was poor, he was pleasing to look at.

    "People say that wakes and funerals are not for the dead, but rather for the living, I think they are right. Jam was taken so quickly from us that we didn''t even get to say a proper goodbye. Jam and I weren''t close for long, our friendship was short but I really got to know him. He was smart and eager and he would have grown up to be an amazing leader. Jam thank you for touching all of our lives." Cedric closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He folded the paper from which he was reading his speech and leaned forward towards the mic. "Parents should never have to bury their children, Auntie, Uncle, our hearts go out to you and the rest of the Lobo family. If you need anything, I swear we will be there." To everyone else Cedric''s promise sounded like something an ordinary rtive would say, like emotionally we will be there for you, of if you need to talk to someone we will listen, but to those that knew Cedric''s true identity they knew that this offer meant that all the resources of the Reyes Family would be put into motion should the Lobos need anything.

    From her seat Patricia Lobo cried at Cedric''s words, Ivan Lobo simply nodded, they may have argued heavily yesterday, but that was in the past. After the Lobo elder told his son to drop the matter Ivan immediately stopped pushing for a union between Amanda and Aiden.

    Jam was finally interred in the family tomb at two in the afternoon, the Lobos and their closer guests returned to the old mansion while everyone else went home.

    It was quite a struggle to get the top families from the burial to the Lobo home, everyone wanted to speak to them. For people like Emilio Reyes and Benedicto Laurence they could just walk away and their aloof attitude was epted and understood, but for the Sebastians, the Chans, and the Abads whose careers and businesses depended on the public''s perception they greeted every businessman and small politician that came up to shake their hand.

    Cedric was already at the Lobo home for an hour when Alexi suddenly slumped next to him on the couch.

    "I hate being from a political family." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "You don''t hate it." Cedric teased. "You just hate days like these." He pointed out.

    "Cedric, could we have a word?" Uncle Ivan asked as he approached.

    Cedric simply nodded and followed the older man. He was brought to the home office where Patricia Lobo, Amanda Lobo, Adrianna''s grandparents, Adrianna''s parents, and even Adrianna were already waiting.

    "We all wanted to apologize to you Cedric." Ivan Lobo told him.

    "Uncle, don''t worry, I''ve already forgiven you, for Jam." Cedric said in a solemn voice.

    "For Jam." Patricia Lobo said with a nod. "Did you find anything out?" She asked.

    "All we know is that this attack was premeditated. The killer knew that he could be caught, so he has ready with a suicide pill, which he took as soon as my men apprehended him." Cedric exined to the group. "The mastermind hid well. From what we can see it seemed that Jam really was the target, at first I thought it could have been a mistaken identity case, but with the help of the police we have already ruled that out."

    "Mistaken identity for whom?" Grandpa Lobo asked.

    "For the Reyes Heir." Cedric exined. "We thought that the killer saw him getting off the car and decided to assume he was the Reyes Heir, but it still didn''t add up since if it was premeditated how did the murderer assume I would be there? The Reyes Heir never goes there, to add to that there has been no attacks on our end."

    "But, who would want my older brother dead?" Amanda asked "He was not some rising business star, he was ordinary."

    "I don''t know Amanda, but I promise you, we will find whoever is behind this." Cedric swore to the Lobo family.

 Chapter 312 - 312

    That evening Cedric and his family all returned to the Capital along with their friends and families. It seemed odd that someone they had just met had such a big impact on all of them, in the case of Jam Lobo it was the quality of their friendship that beat out the quantity of time spent together.

    Cedric and Miguel sat in silence in Mountain View''s home bar, pouring each other a ss.??

    "Do you regret trying to save him?" Cedric asked Miguel. He knew his friend was being gued by his own thoughts on Jam''s death.

    "No, of course not. I just -" Miguel paused and took a deep breath. "It''s just that I feel like I could have done more."

    "Miguel you and I both know there was nothing you could have done." Cedric said as he ced a hand on his friend''s shoulder. He could rte to what Miguel was feeling, he too med himself at first for Jam''s death. He thought that the Reyes Heir was the real target or that the death could have been avoided, but over the past few days he had epted the fact that the murderer and the mastermind were the ones truly at fault. It didn''t mean he still didn''t feel guilt, he still felt that, but he understood more now.

    Miguel sighed and finished his drink. "I''ll go back now. V''s gonna kill me if Ie back reeking of alcohol sote." Miguel said, shaking his head as he stood up and bid his friend goodnight.

    The walk to Cedric''s guest house wasn''t long. It was just beyond the pool and down a gentle slope that provided ample privacy for those that stayed in the two story guest house.

    He entered the house and changed from his outdoor shoes to his indoor ones. When he got to their bedroom Veronica was still awake looking through some files.

    "Hey." Veronica greeted him with a rare smile.

    "Hey." Miguel said back in a distant, depressed tone.

    "Are you ok?" Veronica asked as she got out of the bed and walked over to her husband.

    "Mmmm�� No, not really." Miguel said with a sigh. He was taken by surprise when Veronica suddenly wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.

    "You''re always the stronger one, the braver one, the oneforting me when I''m down. This time let it be me." Veronica said as she buried her head on his chest.

    Miguel was stunned by her words, he hugged her back and hugged her tight.

    "I can''t help ming myself V." Miguel said as he let himself feel all of the emotions he was suppressing.

    "Miguel it isn''t your fault. No one could have done better." Veronica said as she tried tofort her husband.

    "How do you know V? I''m supposed to be the fucking miracle doctor and yet I couldn''t save Jam." Miguel said as he began to sob.

    Veronica held him, like he had held her so many times this past year when she was stressed or when she encountered a failure, it was her turn to support him now.

    "Because my husband is the best doctor around. If he can''t do it then no one can." Veronica said as she tiptoed to kiss him on the cheek. "Come." Veronica said as she led Miguel to the couch. She held his hand as they apanied each other in silence.

    "Why don''t we talk about something else?" Veronica asked.

    "I can''t think of anything right now." Miguel said as he shook his head. His mind was too deep into thought about his failure to save Jam.

    "Hmmmm, remember when we were both in Paris?" Veronica said as she tried to recall what memories they shared. "I never understood why you took that job. Everyone was so excited for you to return, most especially your dad. You were already the golden boy of the medical field and you were going to take over Saints after he showed you the ropes. We were all so shocked when we heard you took up a charitable position in Paris."

    "Well, I took it for you." Miguel shyly admitted.

    "What?!" Veronica said in shock as Miguel confessed he was there for her.

    "Nicole and Ram told me about what happened to you and Jason. V, I already loved you back then and it hurt me that you were hurt by some scum like him." Miguel said as he pulled his wife onto hisp. "Don''t me them. They just wanted to give me my chance." Miguel said as he held her tight, afraid that she would run away. His emotions were vulnerable at the moment, if she ran it would break his heart.

    "How long?" Veronica asked.

    "How long what?" Miguel asked her back.

    "Don''t be stupid, you know what I''m asking." Veronica said as she rolled her eyes.

    "I want to hear it from you V." Miguel said in a seductive tone.

    "Don''t flirt." Veronica told him.

    "Come on. Please." Miguel said as he nted a kiss on her cheek.

    "Ugh. Fine." Veronica said, finally surrendering. "How long have you known that you, ummm��"

    "You''ve got to speak up V." Miguel teased.

    "How long have you known that you loved me?" Veronica finally managed to say.

    "Since that year you brought Jason to mying home party." Miguelughed. "I wanted so badly to take you away from him. The next year when I saw the way he used you, I wanted to kill him. I heard him boasting to his friends about how he could get you to buy anything for him and I just snapped."

    "You hurt Jason?" Veronica asked.

    "Not physically, no. I''m not Alexi or Ray." Miguel said with augh. "I just made sure that he could never have you." Miguel said as he nted a gentle kiss on her lips.

    "Wait, so you weren''t forced to ept the engagement?" Veronica asked in shock.

    "No, I offered myself. It was either me or Jason, and I could never let that happen." Miguel told his wife.

    "Wait, what do you mean it was either you or Jason? Why am I only finding out about this now?" Veronica demanded. She tried to get out of Miguel''sp but he refused and held her down.

    "You didn''t know?" Miguel asked. He suddenly realized that this was probably why she was so cold to him. She must have thought that he was the first and only option.

    "No." Veronica said as she shook her head.

    "Well V. Remember that year I took you and Nicole to the mall?" Miguel asked.

    Veronica simply nodded in reply.

    "Well your family was already talking to Jason''s family. They were going to engage the two of you. At first I was willing to give you up since I saw how happy he made you." Miguel exined as he looked lovingly into his wife''s eyes. "But then, luckily Ram and I heard how he truly felt about you. How he told his friends that he was just using you. V, I could never let you be with someone that despicable, I swear I will always protect you, no matter what the cost. To me you alwayse first."

    "Miguel��" Veronica said as she kissed him. Miguel did notin and kissed her back. He pulled her closer to him, Miguel didn''t dare do anything else, he was afraid that she would get mad if he was too bold.

    "I need to know something." Veronica said as she breaks the kiss and pushes against his chest.

    "Ask anything and I will tell you the truth." Miguel promised as he kissed her gently on the lips.

    "Miguel, you said you''ve never been with a woman. Is that true?" Veronica asked.

    "Yes." Miguel nodded.

    "Be honest Miguel." Veronica said in a demanding tone as she got off hisp and walked towards the door.

    Miguel chased her and caught her by the wrist. "I''m telling you the truth Veronica! I''ve never been with a woman. I''m a virgin damnit!" Miguel shouted.

    "Then how do you exin the noises I heard in your office in Paris?! I heard you having sex with a woman. She was shouting ''Doctor, doctor, do me now!'' I wouldn''t mind if you''ve been with someone Miguel! But lying to my face! I won''t fall for that!" Veronica said as she shook Miguel''s hand off of her wrist and ran out.

    As she approached the stairs she suddenly tripped and fell down a flight.

 Chapter 313 - 313

    Luckily Veronica was not injured by her fall as she tried to stand back up, but Miguel panicked and ran down the stairs to pick her up.

    "Are you ok? V, please don''t scare me like that again. I can''t live without you, you''re my life Veronica." Miguel said as he did a visual check and lifted her in his arms.??

    "I''m fine Miguel!" Veronica said as she tried to get him to drop her. Miguel was worried she would get hurt so he had no choice but to give into her protests, if it were up to him they would rush to Saints and he would have a full body check up done just to be safe.

    "Ok, ok. But let me check you, I''ll take you back to our room." Miguel told her, as he walked back up the stairs.

    He gently ced her on the couch and checked the wound on her knee and elbow.

    Miguel left to get the first aid kit and got on his knees to apply ointment and bandage her injuries.

    "You''re lucky you didn''t break anything. Please be careful next time V." Miguel said tenderly to her. "Also you misunderstood that time in Paris."

    "How can I misunderstand that time?" Veronica asked him, he could tell from her tone that she was clearly angry.

    Miguel took out his phone and dialed a number and ced his phone on speaker mode. It rang for a while until it was finally picked up.

    "Yo!" It was Alexi.

    "Hey Alexi, remember that time you did something in Paris and all the doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital misunderstood me?" Miguel asked.

    "Ah yeah, you aren''t still mad about that right? I mean that doctor was hot and she wanted to role y. I can''t really deprive people of me." Alexi said with an awkwardugh.

    "I wasn''t mad, until now." Miguel said in a threatening tone.

    "Oh,e on Miguel. It doesn''t hurt your image if people think you''re as good as me at sex." Alexi said with augh.

    "That''s not what I''m mad about." Miguel told his friend.

    "Then what? I''ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you bro. Get rare flowers for V? Sure. Buy her the rarest diamond? No problem. Just say the word." Alexi confidently boasted to Miguel.

    "Veronica was outside the room, she heard the woman, and probably you." Miguel finally revealed.

    "Oh damn man, my bad. She must think you''re a liar now. You kept telling her you''ve never been with a woman when she thought it was you that had something with Jen. Look bro, what do you need?" Alexi asked Miguel, he was clearly sorry that Veronica had heard him.

    Veronica who was seated on the couch and listening on the other hand was in shock. Miguel had signaled for her to keep quiet, but she couldn''t even say anything due to the shock.

    "Remind me again why you were in Paris that time?" Miguel asked.

    "Oh I went with Ram. He wanted to visit V and he promised me that he would introduce me to some girls. Hot girls, and they were really hot." Alexiughed as he recounted his Paris trip with Ram. "So what do you want me to do to make it up?" Alexi asked.

    Veronica quickly took out her phone and typed something and passed it over to Miguel who grinned.

    "Well you technically hurt Veronica, so, you need to give her something." Miguel told Alexi with a grin.

    "Sure, anything." Alexi confidently said.

    "Have V re-model your office in the province. The whole building." Miguel told Alexi.

    "Are you crazy? Do you know how much it costs to hire your wife? My constituents will kill me!" Alexiined.

    "But you''ll pay for it out of your pocket." Miguel told Alexi.

    "Fine, fine." Alexi said, surrendering to what Miguel wanted.

    "Thank you, Alexi!" Veronica happily said as sheughed.

    "You! You! The two of you tricked me!" Alexi was furious.

    "Well I wouldn''t have believed Miguel if he had told you I was on the line too. You could have lied to me." Veronica told Alexi.

    "Fine. Good night." Alexi said as he angrily dropped the call.

    "Now do you believe me?" Miguel asked his wife.

    "Yes." Veronica said with a smile as she kissed him. At first it was gentle and sweet, but it soon became more passionate and urgent.

    Miguel quickly joined her on the couch and wrapped his arm around her waist. He didn''t want to lose this opportunity to have a passionate moment with his wife.

    "V, why were you at my office in Paris that day?" Miguel asked in between kisses.

    "I don''t wanna tell." Veronicained as his lips left hers.

    "Tell me." Miguel said as he began to trace a line of kisses along her neck, making her moan in desire. "Come on V. Tell me." Miguel whispered seductively into her ear.

    "I�� I��" Veronica stuttered as she struggled to confess the truth to her husband.

    "Please V, I''ve told you everything." Miguel asked as he continued to ravish her with kisses.

    "I went there to confess to you." Veronica suddenly blurted out making Miguel stop and sit up.

    "What? Wait, what?" Miguel wore a confused look on his face as he looked at Veronica who was blushing.

    "You heard me." Veronica said not wanting to repeat herself.

    "What were you going to confess? I don''t want to assume." Miguel asked her as he helped her sit back up.

    "I was going to tell you I love you." Veronica said as she avoided looking her husband in the eyes. "Miguel, I think I started to fall for you that night at the park. I don''t know if you remember, but when they announced our engagement I ran. I was so mad. I didn''t want to be in an arranged marriage, I wanted to love, to be loved, and you, you were someone that was there, someone that was just always there. I loved you, but not romantically, I cared for you, but I was young, I didn''t know what love was or if what I was feeling for you or for Jason was love. I saw you, before I fainted. I saw you and I felt you carry me. Later on I woke up for a bit and you were at my bedside, not my brother, not Nicole, you and your handsome face and you were so worried about me, I thought maybe you liked me. When I woke up and my memory was hazy at first everyone lied and said that my brother had saved me, I thought you didn''t want me, I thought you asked my brother to lie to me. But when we were in Paris, I realized that I loved you. You were so caring and so sweet and something about you just made me fall."

    Miguel was overjoyed with what Veronica had said and a part of him was pissed off at Alexi for causing the misunderstanding. He pulled her onto hisp and began to kiss her more passionately.

    His hand slowly made its way around her, exploring her body. Veronica was kissing him back, moaning at every touch.

    "V, I love you." Miguel whispered into her ear as he nibbled it gently. "V, I want you." Miguel said as his manhood rubbed against her gently.

    Veronica suddenly stiffened and pushed Miguel back.

    "Wait, Miguel, I can''t. I can''t do what you want. We can''t." Veronica muttered in panic as tears began to stream from her eyes.

 Chapter 314 - 314

    "V, what''s wrong? Did I hurt you?" Miguel asked as he began to worry about his wife. Just a moment ago she was fine and responding well to his actions, and now, all of a sudden she was behaving this way.

    "Miguel, I can''t do this. You''ll be disgusted with me." Veronica said as she began to cry.??

    Miguel didn''t say a word, he simply held her and let her cry. He hugged her gently as she sobbed for a few minutes, he knew she needed to let it out, she needed to feel whatever was bothering her.

    "V, no matter what it is I will always love you." Miguel said as he kissed her lips.

    "Why are you so perfect?" Veronica cried again.

    "I''m nothing without you." Miguel kissed her again, he wanted Veronica to know that he loved her, that she was loved, truly and deeply.

    "Miguel, I''m not��" Veronica had begun to speak but she was embarrassed to say what she had to. "Miguel, you won''t want me if I told you."

    "Veronica, don''t think I''m that shallow. I''ve waited to hear that you love me for years, my love isn''t fragile." Miguel told his wife as he continued to hold her tenderly in his arms, he would never let anything separate them again.

    "Miguel, I can''t tell you. I can''t lose you." Veronica said as she sobbed into his chest.

    "You won''t V. I''m kinda tied to you." Miguel teased as he lifted his ring finger to show off his wedding ring. "And if that''s not enough V, we''ll make a child, then you will never leave me and I will never leave you." Miguel said as he kissed his wife on the cheeks and wiped her tears away.

    "Miguel��" Veronica said as she continued to cry.

    "V, remember how you didn''t confront me about the Paris incident?" Miguel asked her as he lifted her chin so that she was looking directly into his eyes.

    "Yuh, that was just a moment ago idiot." Veronica replied, remembering to insert her usual insult, making Miguel smile. He loved this adorable wife of his, he could just eat her up, no he wanted to eat her up, to have her, to hold her, to be with her in every way possible.

    "Don''t you see how lies, secrets, and misunderstandings have managed to keep us apart?" Miguel asked his wife as he watched her lick her lips. He wanted to lick her lips too, but he couldn''t get distracted, not now at least, maybeter. "V, please tell me. Please trust me, please trust my love for you." Miguel begged.

    Veronica bit her lip and hesitated. Miguel responded by kissing her passionately.

    "Please." He asked gently.

    "Miguel, I''m not a virgin." Veronica finally said as she burst into tears.

    "V, is that just it?" Miguel asked. He was worried that she would say that she can''t have a child, but that didn''t matter, the only thing that mattered was their love.

    Veronica looked up at him in surprise.

    "V, we''re friends with Katerina, Eric, and Alexi, none of them are innocent. Why would you think I would reject you for something as shallow as that?" Miguel asked.

    "Eric and Alexi don''t count, they''re guys." Veronica exined to her husband. "Katerina is aw unto her own. She doesn''t care and she''s always been okay with not finding her happy ever after, and even then Eric doesn''t care about things like that, he has made it incredibly clear. So Katerina is not a goodparison either."

    "But V, I don''t care. You could line up all the virgins in the Capital and I wouldn''t pick any of them, because the only one I want to be with is you." Miguel said as he hugged her tighter.

    "Miguel, it was Jason." Veronica confessed.

    "Do you want me to take off his manhood? I''m pretty sure his doctor is at Saints." Miguel offered, he was serious about this. If Veronica wanted him to break his oath as a doctor for this, he would, and he would not hesitate.

    "No, he didn''t force me, Miguel." Veronica said in a panic as she saw how serious Miguel was with his offer. "I just regret it." Veronica said with a sigh.

    "Is this why you''re afraid of being together physically?" Miguel asked her. "You''re afraid I''ll reject you because you aren''t a virgin? V, I don''t care. I still want to be with you. I want us to start a family. I will always want you" As he asked this he tenderly stroked her hair.

    "It''s not just that Miguel. It wasn''t a good experience." Veronica confessed.

    "Do you want to talk about it V?" Miguel asked his wife. He was ready to do anything, listen, talk, make out, have sex, anything she wanted, just as long as she was happy.

    "I gave it to him and he betrayed me." Veronica finally said after a long pause. "I don''t regret exploring, but Jason was not nice to me. He used me, and in the end he was hurting me both emotionally and physically. Miguel, I lost sight of who I truly was and I''m afraid. I don''t know if you''ve heard about what we were like. I would go to him everyday at his most convenient time, I would pick him up with my driver, I would pay for our dates, I would buy him things, things he often gave away to his friends. Did you know he didn''t want our rtionship to be seen by the public because I was an Abad? So if people saw us the news would spread like wildfire, so he wanted to keep it a secret, he told me it would be more genuine that way. At school he always struggled, so I did all of his work. In the end my work suffered so everything I turned in was subpar and he became a rising star. I once caught him with another woman, when I asked him about it he said he needed a public rtionship as a front for his parents. Imagine, me Anna Abad, being made into a mistress for some worthless man! But I was stupid, I continued to stay because he made me feel special, because he wasn''t my fiance who I was forced to be with. It all broke down when I was used of giarizing his work and using myst name, the Abad name, to get good grades and bribing my professors. He betrayed me in every way possible and I ended up running away. He took everything from me! When I left for Paris I was no one, I didn''t know who I was, I didn''t know what I wanted, I just had to get away."

    "Don''t worry, I know. I''ve been working with the boys to get back at him. Don''t be afraid V." Miguel said as he tried tofort her.

    "I hate that I gave up my identity just for a man like him." Veronica said as she continued to cry.

    "V, are you afraid of losing yourself in our rtionship?" Miguel asked.

    "No. I trust you. I know you. I know you wouldn''t do something like that to me." Veronica said as she hugged Miguel.

    "It''s just whenever I try anything passionate, even on my own, I get shbacks to when I was with Jason." Veronica exined, Miguel could feel her sobbing a little as his shirt began to dampen.

    "So when we kiss?" Miguel asked tentatively.

    "Only at first, after a while it began to go away. I think I was recing those painful memories with new ones with you. Happier ones, with someone I love." As she said that she loved him, Miguel lifted her chin and ced a gentle peck on her lips.

    "V, why don''t we make happier memories of the other stuff." Miguel said with a wink as he kissed her.

 Chapter 315 - 315

    *WARNING: Sexual Content*

    "Miguel��" Veronicained as her husband finally released her from the passionate kiss.??

    "Shhh, don''t think V. Don''t think." Miguel said as he licked her lips.

    "Mmmm�� Okay." Veronica said, as she kissed him back. She changed her position to straddle him, she was kneeling on the sofa while Miguel sat, his arms holding her so that she wouldn''t fall, she lowered her head to kiss his neck as he pulled her closer to him.

    "I hate that you''re in pants." Miguel groaned as his member rubbed against her.

    "Do you want to take them off?" Veronica said seductively in his ear, taking him by surprise.

    Miguel did not hesitate, he immediately did as she asked and with one fluid motion left her in her redce underwear.

    "Hot, I like." Miguel hissed as he gently bit Veronica''s lip. He kissed her as one hand slipped under her shirt and the other explored her body until it reached her ass which he gave a gentle squeeze then a p.

    "Mmmm��" Veronica said, as she moaned into Miguel''s mouth.

    "Naughty." Miguel said with a grin as he continued to touch her.

    Miguel left her lips and took off her shirt, throwing it aside. He kissed her gently then nted a trail with his lips till he found her neck, he gave it a gentle suck and Veronica cried out in pleasure, he made sure to leave a mark, she was his and he wanted everyone to know. Her moans encouraged him, it aroused him even further, he kissed the mounds of her breasts licking and sucking on it.

    He looked up at his beautiful wife who was now wild with ecstasy. "Mine." He said with a grin.

    "Yours." Veronica managed to say in the most erotic voice as he undid her bra.

    He continued tovish her breasts with attention, licking and sucking them, as one hand supported her back and another found her already wet opening.

    He gently rubbed it making Veronica moan.

    "No need to keep your voice down V, it''s just us here." He reminded his wife, he wanted to hear her to call out his name in pleasure. Veronicaughed at his words, herughter was soon reced with pleasurable cries as he yed with her most sensitive part, he made sure not to enter her yet. He wanted Veronica to beg for him, to want him, to feel like life was nothing without him.

    "Miguel!" Veronica cried as juices began to flow from her.

    Miguel lifted his fingers and smelled her aroma before cing it in her mouth making her taste herself, as he continued tovish her body with his lips.

    "I want you." Veronica finally said.

    Miguel grinned and ced two fingers inside her making her cry out in pleasure.

    "Why don''t you return the favor V?" Miguel said as he guided her hand down towards his manhood.

    Veronica quickly undid his belt and took the stiff member out. Miguel noticed the hesitation in her face.

    "Anything wrong?" Miguel asked, he knew she was shocked at the size, as a doctor he knew he was above average.

    "Be gentle." Veronica said as she began to stroke him.

    "Don''t worry V, I''d never hurt you. Unless it''s to pleasure you." Miguel promised, as he added another finger inside her.

    "Miguel!" Veronica moaned as he reached deeper.

    Miguel suddenly took out his fingers making his wife whimper. Miguelughed at her reaction and ced a gentle kiss on her lips, he took off his pants and kicked it aside as he carried her off the couch.

    He felt his manhood rub against her opening as he carried her to the bed, she was so wet down there that he couldn''t wait to be in her, he threw her on the bed and took off the rest of his clothes, casting them aside.

    "Hubby." Veronica called out in a desperate voice.

    "I love it when you call me your husband." Miguel said as he climbed on top of her.

    "I thought you were a virgin?" Veronica asked as Miguel returned his attention to her breasts.

    "My little wife, I''m a doctor, I know human anatomy." Miguel said as he gave her a gentle bite making her moan in pleasure. "Plus, for all he''s worth, Alexi gives good advice." Miguel said with augh.

    Veronica was about to say something when Miguel flipped them over. She was now on top of him with his manhood gently brushing and arousing her.

    "Since I''m the virgin, why don''t you take my virginity." Miguel said with a wink. He knew she couldn''t resist his wink, everytime he winked at her she blushed, today was no different.

    Veronica grinned as her husband gave her control. She lowered herself and ced him in her mouth, sucking and licking.

    "Oh Veronica." Miguel cried out as his gentle hands grabbed her hair and helped her maintain her pace. He didn''t know that Veronica taking him in her mouth would be so pleasurable. He felt himself nearing release as she continued to take him in her mouth.

    "V, I want to be in you." Miguel said in a gentle butmanding tone.

    Veronica looked up at him with his member still in her mouth, she released him and ran her tongue over it.

    Miguel watched as she climbed on top of him and impaled herself on him. She was so tight and so warm that Miguel thought he would end up releasing himself inside of her the moment she ced him in.

    Miguel fondled her breasts as she rode him, moaning with every movement. Miguel couldn''t resist it anymore, he wanted to be deeper in her, with her in control she wasn''t putting him inpletely. He suddenly thrust up as she went down making Veronica scream in pleasure.

    "You''re too big." Veronica said, as she continued to let him push into her.

    After a few more thrusts Miguel lifted her off him and ced her on the bed facing up, sheined as she felt the emptiness, but she didn''t have to wait long. He climbed on her and entered her once more, this time he controlled the pace. He thrusted faster as he heard her cry out for more.

    "Miguel!" Veronica cried out as pleasure took over her body, her cries made Miguel move faster and more intensely until he finally found release as well.

    He rolled over and pulled his wife closer to him.

    "I love you." Miguel whispered into her ear.

    "I love you too." Veronica replied as she turned around to face him, she nted a kiss on his lips that seemingly energized him and woke his desire up once more.

    "You need to be responsible for this my wife." Miguel said as he nudged his erect member to touch her.

    "You should sleep." Veronica said, turning her back on her husband.

    "You know, I can do it from back here." Miguel told her as he kissed her arm up to her neck. He wrapped an arm around her and squeezed a breast. Seeing as Veronica didn''tin, he let his hand travel down in between her legs to find a wetness building.

    "You want me too, V." Miguel said, as he skillfully entered her once more.

 Chapter 316 - 316

    When Miguel woke up, he smiled as he recalled the previous night, he moved quietly off the bed so that he wouldn''t wake his wife up.

    "Miguel?" Veronica asked as she stirred.??

    Miguel walked towards her side of the bed and knelt beside her. He kissed her on the forehead and smiled.

    "I have to go V. The boys and I have a board meeting." Miguel said as he walked over to the bathroom to take a bath.

    Like every morning Miguel walked into the Reyes household''s dining room and sat across Cedric who was ying with his son while trying to get the child to eat.

    Cedic suddenly stopped and looked at Miguel suspiciously before showing a grin.

    "You gotid." Cedricughed.

    "What?" Miguel said guiltily, it was toote now, Cedric had caught him.

    "So all it took was a disheartened doctor." Cedric teased.

    "Cedric, don''t tease." Adrianna tenderly scolded her husband. "I''ll have a maid send breakfast to Veronica. I also just got this extremely calming tea, it''ll help her recover." Adrianna said with a giggle.

    "Don''t, she''ll be embarrassed." Miguel was still worried about doing something that would get his wife angry.

    "Don''t worry, let the girls have their fun." Cedric said, shaking his head. "We also have a busy day ahead."

    "Hmmm, what are you boys up to?" Adrianna asked.

    "The first official board meeting of Prince Group." Miguel said proudly.

    "Is that thepany you guys set up while Cedric was in poverty training?" Cedric''s father, Emilio Reyes asked as he took his seat at the dining table.

    "Yes dad." Cedric admitted. "All of my extra money back then was ced into building Prince Group. While I was working Ray and Ram built Constetions Resort, I couldn''t manage it but I gave the general direction while the two of them did the dirty work. I didn''t dip into the funds so I''m off the hook right?" Cedric asked with a naughty grin.

    "Of course you are!" Grandpa Emilio said as he arrived with his wife. "The rule only says they aren''t allowed to help you survive the poverty training, nothing about the events after." The elder said with a shrug.

    "I thought I was going to lose my inheritance." Cedric nervouslyughed.

    "Even if you lost your inheritance, none of us would ept it." Ayanna teased as she picked her nephew up from his high chair.

    "Where''s your husband?" Cedric asked, he hadn''t seen Ray the whole morning.

    "Oh, he left early to check on something in the office before heading off to Constetions." Ayanna exined.

    "Are we taking one car?" Miguel asked his friend.

    "Yeah, what''s the point of taking two?" Cedric was, of course, being practical. "If you have an emergency take my car, I''ll just have a driver pick me up."

    "Can I pick the car?" Miguel asked his friend.

    "Fine." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes.

    Miguel quickly ate his food and ran off to Cedric''s garage.

    By the time Cedric strolled out of the door Miguel was already leaning on a pimped out BMW X7. Despite the car''s sleek finish and luxurious interior the vehicle was built like a tank, after Cedric''s ident most of his cars had been equipped with thetest security features.

    "Really, this one?" Cedric asked in surprise.

    "What''s wrong with this one?" Miguel asked as he climbed into the driver''s seat.

    Cedric shook his head, kissed his wife goodbye, and got into the passenger''s seat.

    "I expected you to pick one of the sports cars." Cedric teased.

    "I''m not some good for nothing second generation heir! I''m Miguel Chan, Miracle Doctor." Miguel said with a grin as they sped off. "This car has the best security system with a 360 degree view from the inside, you couldunch a grande at this thing and the people inside wouldn''t feel a thing." Miguel gushed like a teenager talking about the security features Cedric had ced in the car.

    "Can you focus on driving?" Cedricined as Miguel zoomed across the city.

    "Fine, fine. Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road." Miguel said with augh.

    When Cedric'' car pulled up to the Constetion''s Resort driveway all eyes were on it, today it was the fourth extremely eye catching car to arrive, and a spot at the entrance had been reserved for it to pack.

    Miguel and Cedric came down drawing everyone''s attention. Cedric was wearing his usual Reyes Heir disguise, hair fixed in thetest style, face mask, and sses. He wore a blue suit that fit him handsomely. Next to him was Miguel who was wearing something far from his usualb coat and casual clothes, today he was dressed for business in a dark gray suit.

    As the two men passed by them several women couldn''t help but gush, they were extremely handsome and obviously really rich.

    "What''s happening today, why are there so many handsome men in Constetions? Have the gods descended upon us?" A female guest asked a bellboy as he helped her load her bags into a taxi.

    "Ah, it''s the first board meeting of Prince Group, the true owners just came out to the public. Apparently the Prince Group is owned and controlled by the actual five princes!" The bellhop told thedy.

    Other women quickly snapped photos of the handsome men, while the men snapped photos of the rare and expensive cars that were now parked outside Constetions resort.

    The main branch of Constetions held the offices of its highest ranking officials as well as the boardroom, these offices remained empty since the owners, who held these higher ranks never went to office here. Documents were simply sent to their main offices and if there were any issues one of them would join a meeting. When the five princes first took over the small resort they ran thepany through a representative, as thepany grew they hired professional managers to handle the day to day activities. With the Reyes Heir back and the five princes taking a more visible role in Constetions Resort the employees began to gossip about how big the hotel chain could get in the future.

    When Cedric and Miguel arrived in the boardroom the others were already there, happily chatting.

    "Took you guys long enough." Ray teased as he waved at them.

    "Oh, looks like someone finally made it to my sister''s bed." Ram teased as he noticed that Miguel no longer wore the depressed look he had been walking around with the past few days.

    "Why does everyone keep thinking that?" Miguelined as he walked over to the seat.

    "You were like gloom and doom the past few days." Alexi said with a shrug. "I mean the only thing that could pull you out of that hole was if Veronica finally let youplete your marriage. Plus the callst night." Alexi teased.

    "What call?" Cedric asked.

    "Apparently V was going to admit that she loved me back in Paris, but she heard Alexi being nasty in my office with another doctor and thought it was me." Miguelined.

    "No wonder she acted oddly back in Paris, one minute she was happy then she suddenly turned cold." Ram said as he recalled their time in Paris.

    "Don''t we have things to discuss?" Miguel grudgingly asked.

    The other boys simplyughed at him.

 Chapter 317 - 317

    Today was the first time they had all sat down and decided on the direction they wanted Prince Group to take. In the past it was just each of them had a particr industry orpany they wanted to enter or acquire and that was they did, there was no concrete n just smart investing.

    Constetions had been Cedric''s choice and it was the firstpany they had bought andter grown, it also became thergest of their assets. It was now the most popr hotel chain in the country.??

    Miguel had asked them to invest in a weapons and securitypany, while Ray purchased a carpany, Alexi bought a game developmentpany, while Ram chose to purchase a clothing line. All five of them had a contribution to the holdings of Prince Group.

    With the addition of the Saints Hospital stocks, Prince Group now ranked among thergestpanies in the country. The boys decided that it was time that they assigned someone to manage the group, all of them were busy running their own familypanies or careers, adding anotherpany to run would just be too heavy a load on them.

    After their meeting Cedric dragged all of them to Nationalia to meet up with their parents. It was Wednesday, so everyone was going to be there.

    "You caused quite a stir on the inte today." Ayanna said as she approached and tossed a phone to her brother, luckily he caught it, as she ran up to her husband and hugged him.

    "Ayanna! Be careful." Cedric scolded, shaking his head. No matter how rich they were he would always care about the little things and many habits would be hard to change.

    "Rx brother." Ayanna said as she leaned onto Ray''s chest.

    "Let''s have lunch." Alexiughed as he led the group into the dinning area of the gold club.

    "Make sure our friend here has his back turned on everyone." Miguel said, pointing at Cedric. Despite only the top 100 families being allowed membership in the exclusive club, they were still allowed to bring guests over. Unfortunately there were no private rooms here so they were forced to dine in public.

    "What hole are they at?" Cedric asked his sister.

    "Almost at the 9th. They should be joining us for lunch soon." Ayanna answered as she looked through the menu.

    "Where are the moms?" Ram looked around only to find the usual table empty.

    "They''re on the way. Auntie Lucy wanted to get these breads, I don''t even know what''s so special with those." Ayanna said with a sigh.

    "Shouldn''t you be in the office?" Alexi asked.

    "I''m out for lunch." Ayanna simply said with a shrug as if it was the most natural thing to be so far from the office just to have lunch. "So how''s your courting going? Katerina said she gave you tips." Ayanna said with a wink.

    "Not bad. We''ve gone on two dates and I haven''t slept with her." Alexi boasted.

    "Are you trying to boast about your self control?" Miguelughed. "Cause I beat you at that, I had to wait a year after getting married." He said proudly.

    "I don''t think you should be proud about that." Cedric pointed out, making everyone on the tableugh.

    "She''s really the most amazing girl." Alexi said with a smile. "She''s smart, considerate, and she''s so strong. She''s been through so much and yet she doesn''t give up."

    "Yeah, you mentioned something about her and Selina Ramirez before." Cedric said as he vaguely recalled the conversation.

    "Selina Ramirez is the worst and best person in the world." Alexi said with anger burning in his eyes.

    "Why?" Ayanna asked.

    "She is the reason Jen ended up working at the Kashmere branch of Saints. She was also the person that crushed Jen''s heart." Alexi said angrily.

    "So she was Jen''s girlfriend?" Cedirc asked. Selina Ramirez did not strike him as the type, then again it wasn''t exactly something that you could find out from just looking at the person.

    "Kind of. She and Jen went to highschool together. When Jen realized that she was in love with Selina, she confessed." Alexi exined. "ording to Jen, Selina never changed the way she treated Jen, they still hugged and kissed, you know normal girl stuff. So when they went to university and Selina said she nned to study in Juliard, Jen followed, uprooting her whole life here to be with that woman. Eventually when they were in Europe, Selina broke her heart sending her home. Now Selina is a sessful fashion icon and Jen sees her everywhere. It hurts my Jen."

    "Don''t you think Jen might still be in love with her?" Ayanna asked. "If she is still hurting at the sight of Selina, then maybe she needs to get over Selina first beforemitting herself wholly to your rtionship." She pointed out.

    "This! This is why I need advice from a girl! These boys have been giving me irrational ones." Alexiined.

    "Hey, Japan is a beautiful ce to have ramen and sushi." Ram said, rolling his eyes.

    "You guys are too over the top." Cedricughed. Having lived extravagantly their whole lives his friends sometimes lost sense for what most people would consider too much.

    "You''re right." Ram said with a sigh. "No wonder she won''t go out with me." Ram pouted.

    "I thought you and your mystery girl were already dating." Ray asked.

    "Nope. Anyway back to Alexi. So what do you n on doing to help Jen move on?" Ram asked his friend.

    "Revenge." Alexi said simply.

    "You can''t just get revenge like that." Cedric scolded.

    "Wow, that''s biging from you. You get revenge at people for just looking the wrong way!" Alexi used, clearly pissed off at Cedric.

    "Alexi, you know that''s not true. I''m sure there is a better way of helping Jen get over Selina." Miguel said in an attempt to calm his friend down.

    "If it''s revenge she needs, will you help me?" Alexi said, asking the boys.

    "Yes." Cedric said sternly.

    "I''ll hold you on that." Alexi said with a nod as he spotted their mother''s walking over.

 Chapter 318 - 318

    "Oh, you boys came over!" Prisci Reyes excitedly greeted as she approached their table.

    "Mother." Cedric said with a nod.??

    "It''s been a while since you guys went here to have lunch with us." Amy Laurence said.

    "Yes, I can''t even remember thest time you were all here!" Victoria Abad eximed. "Quick, call your sisters and your wives toe over, let''s make a lunch party of it."

    "Mom, Adrianna can''t just stroll in here and eat with us. It''ll make rumors worse. Plus it will be hard for Cedric to eat with a disguise if he could be easily seen." Ram exined to his mother.

    Prisci Reyes took a look around. There were very few patrons who were already there, most came at about 2pm when the mothers were done having lunch and were casually chatting.

    "Waiter, call over Mr. Thompson." Prisci told the staff.

    Mr. Thompson was the manager of Nationalia, and when he heard that the headdy of theReyes n called for him he quickly went. He was a tall, well built american who used to serve in the air force.

    "Madam, you called for me?" Mr. Thompson asked respectfully.

    "I want the whole dining area closed to our group." Prisci Reyes ordered.

    "Of course Madam." The manager said respectfully. At Nationalia no one would dare go against the Reyes family''s requests. They were like royalty here. A big chunk of the golf and country club''s earnings came from them, the people they brought to the club, and people who wanted to be like them who were willing to pay the steep fees just to be a member of the club. The esteem of Nationalia depended greatly on the five families and a handful of others, so Mr. Thompson always made it his priority to ensure that they were happy.

    "Did I tell you boys about that embarrassing incident with Mrs. Vinueva!" Prisci Reyes eximed as the boys got up from their seats to let the staff rearrange the tables.

    "No auntie. What happened?" Alexi asked, clearly curious about the incident.

    "Well we were here a month ago with Gracia, as we are every week. For some reason she was invited by her husband''s business partner. Anyway, as a new rich woman she kept bragging to us about some cheap limited edition mainstream brand. One of those tacky bags that has the brand all over." Prisci Reyes sounded absolutely disgusted by Mrs. Viueva''s taste. "I mean I don''t mind, her taste is her taste, what really set me off was when she saw Gracia in the bathroom. She looked at her and asked her if she was a member of the staff, of course Gracia is now a far cry from how she was before and was staring at Mrs. Vinueva in shock. Thedy then had the gall to throw a piece of used tissue at Gracia and tell her to pick it up!"

    "How did you know about this mom?" Cedric asked.

    "The washroom assistant told us. She tried to warn Mrs. Vinueva, but thedy didn''t listen. She even said Gracia''s clothes were cheap and disgusting, my gosh calling a Maureen original cheap?" Prisci Reyes was clearly appalled with this Mrs. Vinueva person. "So I had her thrown out and banned for life, not just here but in all of ourpanies as well. The woman who invited her was so embarrassed that she immediately called her husband to cancel all deals with them."

    "Mom, that''s petty." Ayanna scolded.

    "You haven''t even heard the other part of the story." Lucy Chan told the younger woman.

    "Gracia, why don''t you tell them?" Prisci Reyes said as she nudged Gracia.

    "Well, she was my childhood best friend until became the mistress of my first boyfriend and she tried to steal Charles from me after we were married." Gracia Hernandez said shyly.

    "Cedric she thought your mother-inw and father-inw had fallen along with the other Hernandezes and assumed that Gracia worked as a washroom attendant." Prisci Reyesined. "One, I love the staff here, they take such good care of us and do their work so well, so the gall of that woman to treat a member of the staff like trash! Second, how dare she do those things, she needed to learn her lesson."

    "Thank you mom." Cedric said with a nod.

    Cedric''s phone buzzed as Adrianna told him that she was already near.

    "It''s Adri, I''ll go meet her at the front." Cedric said as he excused himself.

    "I''lle with you." Alexi offered as he chased after Cedric.

    As they approached the lobby they began to hear shouting from the entrance, it seemed like a female guest was getting mad at the staff.

    "Miss, we really can''t let you in. An important client reserved the whole dining area." Cedric heard the staff exin.

    "I thought Nationalia bowed to no one?" The woman asked, furious at what the staff had just told her.

    "Miss, you aren''t even a member." The staff member exined.

    "But I am." Her femalepanion said in a stern tone.

    "Madam, we are sorry, but you really can''te into the dining area, why not try the cafe?" The staff member suggested.

    "And stay with the spotters?" The first woman spat in disgust. Spotters were people who sat near ces famous and important people frequented in the hopes of talking to them. The cafe of Nationalia had a separate entrance and although you needed a reservation or a membership to stay there many people still gambled at a long term reservation just for a chance to possibly strike up a conversation with someone important.

    At a distance Cedric saw three cars approaching, he recognized each of them. The first was Katerina''s white BMW, followed by Eric''s red Maseratti, and thest car in the convoy was Adrianna''s Audi.

    Katerina was the first to get off and when she saw themotion she looked suspiciously at the woman. Something suddenly caught Katerina''s attention making her smile and wave.

    "Adri! Adri!" Katerina said as she rushed over to Adrianna who had just gotten out of her car.

    "Katernia." Adrianna greeted with a gentle smile.

    "You! What the hell are you doing here?" The woman that was shouting at the staff earlier said as she approached Adrianna. It was Lorisa''s best friend Mary.

    "This is a free country, Mary. Do I need to report to you where I go?" Adrianna asked in a cold tone. Being with the Reyes family and the sisters had taught her how to deal with people like Lorisa and Mary.

    "Who is this Adri? A friend?" Katerina asked. Adrianna knew Katerina was baiting Mary. She had seen the sisters do this many times.

    Before Mary could respond to the fact that Katerina addressed Adrianna so casually, an extremely well dressed Eric came up and ced an arm around Katerina and Adrianna''s shoulders. As he did this both girls pushed his arms off them, shocking Mary and herpanion even more.

    "Aren''t you girls going in?" Eric asked as he walked past Mary and her friend.

    "We will." Katerina nodded as she pulled Adrianna along.

    "How dare you let that dirty woman in!" Mary shouted at the staff member.

    "She''s part of the list." The staff member simply said. "Miss, Madam, if you do not leave I will have security escort you out, and I will make sure that they pass in front of the cafe." The staff member threatened. Seeing that the group that had entered didn''t like the shouting woman, the staff member was no longer afraid of the two women.

    Mary and her friend had no choice but to stomp away.

 Chapter 319 - 319

    When they entered Eric was holding Katerina''s hand. As they passed the lobby Cedric quickly pulled his wife towards him and kissed her.

    "You really don''t need my help any more." Cedric told her lovingly.??

    "Don''t I get a thank you? And a kiss?" Eric teased the younger man.

    "Really older brother?" Cedric said, putting an emphasis on the word older, he knew Eric was very sensitive about his age.

    Eric rolled his eyes at Cedric and walked into the dinning area with Katerina while discussing something with Alexi.

    When they returned the fathers were already back and were in deep conversation.

    "We''re finallyplete." Prisci Reyes said happily as her son and daughter-inw sat down. "What took you guys so long?"

    "There was an annoying fly at the entrance." Katerinained. "Don''t worry, the staff dealt with them." She said with a grin.

    Everyone sat and chatted happily over lunch, recently everyone had been quite gloomy due to Jam''s death, but today things were different, things were lighter. The parents couldn''t help but notice that Veronica was no longer cold towards Miguel. As a matter of fact, when she arrived she went up to him and kissed him. Miguel held her tight as if she would suddenly disappear.

    "So are we getting any grandkids soon?" Victoria Abad teased her daughter.

    "Mom." Veronicained as she blushed.

    "I''ll try my best mom." Miguel said with augh as he kissed his wife on the head.

    "You guys are so adorable." Nicole said excitedly as she yed with Ian''s fingers that were inteced with hers.

    "Nicole! Don''t make things worse." Veronicained.

    "You guys sound like children." Katerinained as she rolled her eyes at them.

    "Do you want to go first or will we let Miguel and Veronica have one first?" Eric teased her as he lifted her chin and tried to kiss her. Katerina, who was annoyed by hisment, blocked his face with her hand and pushed him away.

    "I bet you''re a submissive." Miguel teased his elder brother.

    "Ask Katerina." Eric said with a grin. What he enjoyed the most was having her under him.

    Katerina, who seemed quite annoyed at Eric, ignored hisment and continued to eat.

    "Nicole, how are things at Saints? Have they calmed down?" Adrianna asked the pregnant woman.

    "More or less. The only issues I really had were those old fashioned stockholders, now that Prince Group has purchased a big chunk of the shares, that''s not an issue anymore." Nicole said with a shrug.

    "When do you n on going on Maternity?" Adrianna asked.

    "Two months before she gives birth." It was Ian that answered for Nicole.

    "We haven''t agreed on that yet! And I say two weeks!" Nicole insisted.

    "I agree with Ian. Two months." Miguel chimed in.

    "I''m the one that''s pregnant, you are neither father nor mother to this child so you don''t get a say Miguel." Nicole said, turning her back to her brother.

    "Nicole, do two months." Lucy Chan told her daughter sternly.

    "But mom." Nicoleined.

    "No buts. On this table I''m the most qualified to tell you, two months." Lucy Chan told her daughter again.

    "Fine. You guys are too much." Nicoleined as she began to pick at her food.

    "Nic, let me help you." Ian said lovingly as he took a te of what Nicole had been craving for for weeks and ced some on her te.

    "I''m not a child, Ian." Nicoleined. Ian simply smiled and went back to his meal.

    In the middle of lunch, Ian had to step out to take a call. When he returned he had a serious look on his face. Cedric could tell that something had happened, it was either with the office or with one of the side investigations they had running.

    "Cedric, I have an update." Ian said, making Cedric stand and move to the side with him.

    "They caught the mastermind behind the attack on Jam." Ian reported.

    "Great. Why do you seem bothered?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "I just don''t buy the motive." Ian told Cedric.

    "Tell me the details." Cedric said as they moved towards a table at the corner of the room. Cedric also waved the other boys over, he wanted to hear their opinions too.

    The parents and the girls were puzzled by their actions. Cedric paused and realized he needed to involve Katerina too, so he called her over as well.

    "They caught the mastermind! That''s good!" Katerina said happily as Cedric recounted Ian''s report.

    "It seems off." Ian said.

    "Tell us the details." Katerina said with a nod.

    "The mastermind was Mitch Colon. ording to his statement he was angry at the management of Constetion''s for not hiring him, Mitch was applying for the General Manager position for Constetions but was not chosen. So in his anger he hired someone to kill the owner. All he knew was the owner of Constetions owned a ck Rolls Royce, so he asked the killer to target someone that would get out of that car." Ian recounted the details.

    "You''re right, that doesn''t make sense at all." Katerina said as she analyzed the story. "For one, it''s too shallow a reason, and even if in his head it was reason enough, no one has seen the owners of Constetions until your board meeting earlier."

    Ian nodded in reply.

    "Did you inform the police about your doubts?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "I have. I told Damien and he said he would investigate it, but Cedric, the police have no other leads. They can''t even find the murderer''s real identity." Ian exined.

    "Let''s keep looking into this. Work closely with Damien to get the truth out of the man." Cedric ordered Ian, to which his assistant simply nodded.

    As they moved back towards the main table Ian''s phone rang again.

    "It''s Capt. Damien." Ian told them.

    "Put it on speaker, let''s go back." Cedric ordered.

    Ian ced the phone on the table and ced it on speaker as Cedric had said.

    "Capt. Damien." Ian greeted.

    "What''s with the formal tone?" The policeman asked.

    "I''m with Mr. Reyes and his friends, you''re on speaker." Ian informed him.

    "Ah, I see now." Capt. Damien said in reply. "Good afternoon young masters."

    "Why did you call?" Ian asked.

    "The mastermind just signed his confession." Capt. Damien told them.

    "We actually have some questions and concerns with his story captain." Katerina said.

    "Ah, attorney, you''re there too. Well, the thing is, we won''t have a way to confirm your concerns." Capt. Damien said quite awkwardly.

    "Why is that?" Katerina asked.

    "The suspect passed away right after signing his confession. It was a heart attack." Capt. Damien said.

    "That''s too good a coincidence. I hope you see that." Katerina told the captain.

    "We do, ma''am. We''re having an autopsy done. I''ll inform you and Ian of the results once I have it." Capt. Damien promised.

    "Thank you Captain." Cedric said as Ian dropped the call.

 Chapter 320 - 320

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    "If the police don''t think this is highly suspicious then I will have to either question their ability or credibility." Ram said, shaking his head.

    "Let''s wait and see what Damien will say after the autopsy." Ian told Ram. It was normal for Ian to think the best of Capt. Damien, they had been friends for a long time.

    "The mystery keeps getting deeper and deeper." Alexi said, shaking his head. "Do you want me to apply pressure on them?"

    "No need. Let''s trust Damien on this. He ispetent." Cedric said as he instructed his friend to stand down.

    When they returned to the table Adrianna gave Cedric a worried look.

    "The mastermind behind Jam''s death is dead." Cedric told his wife as he held her hand. "ording to the police it was a case of mistaken identity."

    "Who did they mistake him for?" Gracia asked her son-inw.

    "Me, or one of us. Apparently the mastermind was someone that we didn''t hire as the General Manager of Constetions. He was probably struggling with other things." Cedric said with a frown.

    "It''s not your fault Cedric. I''m sure you and the boys hire your people based on their skill and experience if he didn''t get the job then maybe he wasn''t good enough. " Charles Hernandez said in an attempt to console Cedric. "The world is full ofpetition."

    "It could have happened to anyone dad, if any person hade out of a fancy enough car they might have fallen victim." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "I thought you said it was unlikely that it was a case of mistaken identity." Adrianna pointed out. "There weren''t any other attacks on you or any of thepanies, and how was this man certain that his target really was the owner of Constetions."

    "ording to the police he guessed based on the car, he wasn''t wrong though. We were in that car, we brought your cousin back to the hotel that night." Cedric repeated what the man had written in his confession. "We''re trying to explore a new angle, but it''s going to be difficult." Cedric admitted.

    "Why? What happened?" Jose Sebastian asked, as the President of the country there were very few things that were difficult to investigate for him.

    "Well uncle, despite someone confessing to be the mastermind, his story doesn''t make sense. We wanted to interrogate him further and we were already nning to go to the police station when something unexpected happened. Unfortunately as we were walking back here Capt. Damien called to inform us that after issuing his statement the man died of a heart attack." Cedric recounted what had just happened.

    "That''s suspicious. The odds of that happening is really low. Was he an old man?" Emilio Reyes said.

    "No. Well, it doesn''t seem like it, he was actively looking for a job. So clearly he wasn''t of retirement age yet." Cedric exined to his father. He then turned to his wife and lifted her hand to his lips. "Don''t worry Adri, we''ll find whoever is behind this." Cedric promised.

    "Cedric." Ian suddenly interrupted the conversation.

    "Yeah?" Cedric asked, he noticed Ian had a concerned look on his face, he had a bad feeling about whatever Ian called his attention for.

    "Capt. Damien wants to meet up, but he said it has to be discrete." Ian reported to Cedric. "He suggested a get together with another friend of ours. We could pass it off as a reunion."

    "I''lle along. When is it?" Cedric asked.

    "Tonight. Hype Bar." Ian exined.

    "Really, a bar?" Nicole asked.

    "Don''t be so tough on him Nicole. It''s not like he''s just going out for fun." Cedric scolded the pregnant woman.

    "Alright, why a bar?" Nicole asked.

    "Loud enough so people won''t hear. It''s a normal ce for friends to go." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Nicole, go easy on Ian." Veronica told her friend. It was clear that Nicole was being quite emotional due to her pregnancy.

    "Don''t worry Veronica. I can handle my Nicole." Ian said as he kissed Nicole on the lips.

    "This doesn''t get you off the hook." Nicole said. "Who is going with you?" She asked.

    "I am." Cedric told Nicole.

    "I didn''t mean you!" Nicole scolded Cedric, her question was quite obvious. Who was the other friend?

    "I don''t know with Damien." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Can we trust whoever he is bringing along?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Ian said with a nod. Cedric trusted Ian and by extension he trusted Damien.

    "Alright, but you''ll need to pick me up. All my cars are too shy, I''ll probably buy a more discreet one." Cedric told Ian.

    That night Ian picked Cedric up from Mountain View and they headed off to Hype bar.

    "So who''s the other friend?" Cedric asked Ian. "You wouldn''t have agreed to meet up with Damien and another person if you didn''t trust the other party."

    Ian took a deep breath and sighed. "Jas Ortega, she''s a childhood friend. The three of us were neighbors growing up."

    "A girl?" Cedric asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you hiding something?"

    "You might recognize her." Ian said, rolling his eyes.

    Unlike their other visits they wouldn''t be staying at Ray''s private booth. They made their way across the dance floor to the other end of the bar. It was already in the middle of the night so the dance floor was already crowded and there were several drunk people. As Ian spotted Damien and waved at him, Damien waved back. Next to the young captain was a beautiful woman in a business suit, something about her felt familiar but Cedric couldn''t figure it out.

    "Hey Ian, who''s this?" Damien asked, pointing at Cedric.

    "This is Cedric. He''s another assistant of Mr. Reyes. Don''t worry, we can trust him." Ian exined over the loud music.

    Cedric and Damien shook hands as he sat down. He noticed Jas Ortega looking at him intensely.

    "I''m sorry, but do we know each other?" Cedric asked. "You''re very familiar."

    "Wow, he doesn''t remember me." Jas said with augh.

    "You really don''t?" Ian asked in shock, he was sure Cedric would recognize Jas the moment heid eyes on her.

    Cedric stared at the woman as he tried to remember where they had met, then it hit him, he realized now why Ian didn''t want Nicole finding out who the other friend was.

    "You''re Ian''s ex!" Cedric suddenly shouted.

 Chapter 321 - 321

    Jas grinned as Cedric realized why she was so familiar. Back when he was truly just an assistant, Ian had dragged him and Adrianna over to go on a double date with Jas. All he knew was that they ended up breaking up on good terms and Ian never looked back.

    "This is why you didn''t tell Nicole." Cedric said.??

    "Why I didn''t tell my wife." Ian corrected.

    "Ha! You haven''t gotten married yet! That''s a whole different challenge." Cedric said with augh as he recalled how Nicole said she wouldn''t marry Ian just yet, even if she was already pregnant with their child.

    "In my head she is my wife. She''s the one." Ian said sternly.

    "Wow, I''ve never seen him like this." Damien said as he scratched his head.

    "Don''t worry Cedric, what was between us is ancient history." Jas exined.

    "You said you had something to tell us?" Ian asked in an attempt to change the topic.

    Damien paused to think as if he had forgotten why they had alle out that night. "Ah yes. But wait! Drinks." Damien called over a waiter and ordered some liquor for them.

    "Damien, we didn''te here to drink." Ian reminded him.

    "It will look suspicious if we don''t drink." Jas said with a wink as the waiter returned with their orders.

    "Keep iting." Damien told the waiter as he handed a bill.

    "Now will you tell us?" Ianined as he drank from his ss.

    "Someone is pulling strings from behind." Damien told Ian and Cedric.

    "Is this the case about the man that died at Constetions?" Jas asked.

    "Yes, he was my cousin-inw." Cedric said in a sad tone. "Who would want to manipte his death? Jam wasn''t anyone important?" Cedric asked.

    "And yet his funeral managed to bring over the most powerful families." Damien exined. "The kid had connections."

    Cedric paused at Damien''s words. Jam had only made connections with the princes that night, prior to that he was only a fan. Of course the most important connection would have been that he was the Reyes Heir''s cousin-inw, but that part was a well guarded secret.

    "He only met the princes that night." Cedric exined. "They just enjoyed hispany so much that they were devastated when he passed."

    "Either way, there seems to be a deeper connection, some reason why he was targeted. And the effort that went into covering this all up, well let''s just say that no expense was spared." Damien was clearly unhappy with the corruption in the police force, he had sworn that if he ever became the national police chief he would fix this problem.

    "Do you think we could find out who is behind this if Congressman Alexi ced pressure?" Ian asked as he weighed their options.

    "I think it would drive the culprit deeper into hiding." Damien exined. "This so-called Mastermind that they sent our way, it was clear that he had some sort of toxins in him, the heart attack was unnatural."

    "I thought you had an autopsy reporting out?" Cedric asked Damien.

    "We do, but I think the forensic pathologist is already in their payroll." Damien said as he shook his head.

    "Is the corruption really that bad?" Jas asked as she ced down her drink.

    Damien nodded. "It goes pretty high up. Don''t ask the Sebastians to interfere, I''m worried it will put the president at risk. He''s actually a good one, there is just so much wrong with the government that he needs to go about things smartly." Damien exined.

    "Fu-k this!" Ian cursed.

    "Uh-oh." Jas said as she looked at Ian. "He is drunk."

    "What? Ian''s never been a lightweight. How can he be drunk?" Damien asked as he looked at Ian who was still drinking.

    "He isn''t, but I think he was drinking the alcohol as if it were juice." Jas pointed out.

    "Damnit Ian, we''ve been here less than an hour and he gets drunk." Damien said, shaking his head.

    "He''s under a lot of stress." Cedric exined. "There''s work, then all of the side investigations like this one, then he is still trying to buy enough shares in their family''s oldpanies. His personal life isn''t quiet either, Nicole just got her position in Saints back and a lot of the older generation in the Chan family are against him and Nicole getting married. I''m sure things aren''t easy at home either since pregnant women are not exactly easy to be around."

    "Poor Ian." Jas said with a pout. "But I''m d he found someone he loves." Cedric watched Jas'' smile turn into a frown, from her expression it was clear that she still harbored feelings for Ian and had not yetpletely gotten over him.

    "You''ll find someone for you Jas." Damien said as he patted his friend on the back.

    "I''ll probably have to drive him home and call in sick for him." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I guess we should call it a night." Damien said as he looked at the drunk Ian who was now swinging from side to side.

    "What should we do about the conspiracy in the government? I doubt our boss would be happy to hear that someone on the inside manipted our only witness." Cedric asked, he was definitely pissed that they couldn''t do anything and that there were people in the inside who were working to cover things up.

    "Tell him I''ll figure out who is paying them. Your boss should understand that." Damien said.

    Cedric simply nodded in response.

    "Wait, wasn''t Ian supposed to be your ride home?" Damien asked Jas.

    "He was, but I guess now he isn''t." Jas said with a shrug. "I''ll just take a cab."

    "No, it''s fine, it''s dangerous out there especially since you already have alcohol in your system. I''ll drop you off." Cedric offered. "Do you live near Ian?"

    "Yeah, I still live with my parents." Jas nodded. "Thanks." She smiled weakly.

    "Thanks Cedric." Damien said with a nod. "I''m joining the other cops in a different ce to drink, I hope one of them is under the mastermind''s payroll."

    "You don''t need to do this." Cedric said, he felt a little guilty because Damien was risking his job and his life just to find out who was behind everything.

    "It''s no problem. I''m doing this for the force too, I wanna know who is corrupting it." Damien said with a shrug.

    "Help me get this drunk guy out of here?" Cedric asked, pointing at Ian who was now asleep.

    Damienughed and stood up to help.

    "I''ll settle the bill then meet you in the car." Jas volunteered as she asked the waiter to bring them the bill.

    Damien and Cedric managed to get Ian into his car and in the back seat. Luckily Ian wasn''t heavy and didn''t give the other men a hard time.

    "About Jas." Damien said as they waited for the woman to arrive. "I know she might not be over Ian yet, but she means no harm. She''s just really friendly and helps out a lot, she''s that kind of girl. I know Ian is worried about Nicole finding out that they are still friends, but we''ve been friends since we were kids, and Jas would never cross that line."

    "It''s all up to Ian." Cedric said in response.

    Damien simply nodded in reply as he waved at Jas who was walking up to them.

 Chapter 322 - 322

    As Cedric drove them home he noticed that Jas felt a little awkward.

    "Do you feel ufortable around me?" Cedric asked.??

    "A little. Do you know her?" Jas asked.

    "Her? Miss Nicole Chan you mean?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah her." Jas said in a sad tone.

    "I know her." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Could you not tell her I was here? I don''t want her to think that there is still something between me and Ian. Ian made it clear when we broke up that he only saw me as a friend, something closer to a sister than a lover." Jas requested as her voice shoke. Clearly she was nervous about Nicole finding out that Ian went to a bar with her and Ian.

    "It''s not good to lie." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I lied to my wife a while back, it was a pretty big one. I almost lost her."

    "But Nicole might misunderstand." Jasined.

    "It''s better to tell Nicole than to keep it from her. If we don''t tell her then she''ll think that you and Ian are hiding something, then she will really be mad." Cedric exined.

    "But she is Nicole Chan, the Nicole Chan. Her family isn''t simple, she could have peoplee after me." Jas said worriedly.

    "She isn''t like that." Cedric said in Nicole''s defense. "Among the sisters, she''s the nicer one." Cedricughed as he thought of how bad it would get if Katerina was the one that got jealous. That one would definitely send hitmen.

    As they neared themunity where Nicole lived, silence engulfed the car. Jas was clearly worried about potentially running into Nicole as they dropped Ian off.

    Cedric parked Ian''s car outside of the Chan sibling''s home and dialed a number.

    "Hey." Cedric greeted.

    "What?" Eric groaned as he picked up the call. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

    "I''m outside your sister''s ce. I need help bringing Ian inside, he''s passed out drunk." Cedric said with a chuckle.

    "It''s not Nicole''s ce, it''s our ce!" Ericined.

    "It''s not your home anymore, you live at her ce like 90% of the time." Cedric said to the person.

    "Fine, fine, the things I do for my brother-inw." Ericined.

    "I''m with one of his friends. I''m dropping her off." He said in a more serious tone.

    "Alright. On my way." Eric said.

    "Who was that?" Jas asked Cedric.

    "His brother-inw." Cedric responded.

    "The miracle doctor?" Jas asked.

    "No. The older one." As Cedric said this he saw Eric jogging over with Katerina walking at a slower pace behind him.

    Cedric got out of the car and waved at Eric.

    "Hmmmm, who''s she?" Katerina asked as she approached.

    "Ian''s old friend and ex." Cedric confessed. It made no sense for him to hide who Jas was since in the end Katerina was sure to uncover who Jas was.

    "And Ian went drinking, with her?" Katerina asked as she ced her hands on her hips.

    "Damien was with us." Cedric exined.

    "Ok, let''s get Ian in the door before we wake Nicole." Eric said in an attempt to change the topic.

    The two men walked over to the back seat and carried Ian out, he was passed out drunk. When they finally reached the door they didn''t need to knock.

    "Oh, thanks." Cedric said, assuming it was a maid.

    "Hey sister." Eric greeted nervously.

    "He''s that drunk?" Cedric could hear Nicole ask.

    "Talk about it with him tomorrow Nicole." Cedricined. "He isn''t light! Let us ce him on the bed or couch."

    "Okay, okay." Nicole said as she led them in. "Put him on the couch."

    Cedric and Eric nodded and dropped Ian on the couch. He was so drunk that he didn''t even mind and continued to sleep peacefully as Nicole watched with a sour expression.

    "He has a lot on his te right now." Cedric exined, hoping Nicole would understand Ian''s predicament.

    "Who did you guys drink with?" Nicole asked.

    "Damien." Cedric answered inly.

    "Who else?" She asked again, daring Cedric to lie. "I saw her in the car."

    "Jas Ortega was with us too." Cedric confessed.

    "Why is she in Ian''s car? Do I need to ask you every question? Spill." Nicole demanded.

    "She lives nearby, I''m going to drop her off. Nothing happened. She was supposed to take a cab but I told her it''s dangerous so I offered to drop her off." Cedric admitted.

    "I''ll go talk to her." Nicole said as she marched out with her growing belly, she was now six months pregnant and despite being quite slim you could clearly see that she was further along her pregnancy.

    Cedric chased Nicole out.

    "Nicole, your emotions. You''re pregnant." Cedric said as he walked behind her.

    "I''m a doctor Cedric." Nicole reminded him. "I know what I should and shouldn''t do for my child."

    "She didn''t do anything wrong." Cedric said, defending Jas.

    "I just want to talk. I won''t eat her." Nicole argued back.

    When Nicole finally reached the car she knocked on the window, giving the already tipsy Jas a fright. She signaled for Jas toe out and talk. Jas nervously unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the door, and stepped out.

    "Doctor Chan, is there anything I can help you with?" Jas asked in a shy voice.

    She was suddenly pped in the face by Nicole.

    "Nicole! What the hell?!" Cedric asked as he pulled Nicole away.

    "You know he has someone! You know we''re having a child and yet you are trying to set a trap for him! Bitch!" Nicole used.

    "Nicole, she didn''t do anything. Why are you being like this?" Cedric asked.

    "Not doing anything? It''s clearly a trap. She didn''t bring a car? Do you know how rich the Ortegas are, she has a car and a driver. So don''t give me the drunk driving excuse." Nicole used.

    "Ian never minded dropping me off. Even after." Jas said in an attempt to defend herself. All of a sudden another p came on her.

    "Nicole!" This time it was Eric that scolded Nicole.

    "Women like you are always desperate." Nicole used before finally turning around and mming the door behind her.

    "I''m sorry about my sister." Eric said as he approached Jas who was pressing a hand against the area Nicole had pped.

    "I don''t me her." Jas confessed. "Ian has moved on. Even if Nicole were to leave him he would nevere back to me." Jas said as she turned and rode the car.

    "I''ll talk to Nicole." Eric said with a sigh as he ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder. "Make sure she gets home safe and doesn''t utter a word about what happened."

    Cedric nodded.

    "Wait." Katerina suddenly said as Cedric was walking towards the driver''s side of the car.

    "What is it Katerina?" Cedric asked. He was already tired and just wanted to go home.

    "I want to talk to you in private. It''s about Nurse Jen and Selina Ramirez." Katerina said as she walked towards the distance.

    "Go. I''ll make sure Nicole doesn''te back to attack Jas." Eric said with a nod.

    With that Cedric followed Katerina.

 Chapter 323 - 323

    "What did you want to tell me?" Cedric asked. It was not odd for Katerina to be so secretive, in her line of work and in her family''s line of work it was only normal and it came naturally to the youngwyer.

    "The issue between Jen and Selina might not be as simple as it sounds." Katerina said nervously.??

    "You had them investigated?" Cedric asked in surprise. "Why not tell your brother what you discovered?"

    "Because Alexi is madly in love with Jen, and it''s not something I gathered from intel, it''s something I personally know." Katerina told Cedric.

    "You know Jen and Selina?" Cedric was surprised with what Katerina had just said. He was under the impression that Alexi only met Nurse Jen in Miguel''s hospital.

    "No not Jen, but both Alexi and I know Selina." Katerina revealed. "As a matter of fact, our parents know her parents."

    Katerina''s revtion shocked Cedric, it made him suddenly wonder how this impacted everything between Alexi and Jen.

    Seeing as Cedric was processing the new information she had just fed, Katerina continued to say what she knew.

    "Selinaes from a decent family, we met her and the rest of the Ramirez family eight years ago." Katerina exined. "Her father and our dad were friends back in university, and at the time that we met her, mom and dad were trying to introduce her to Alexi in the hopes that he would be interested in her as more than just a fling."

    "What happened?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, mom and dad initially wanted to arrange a marriage between them, but while we were at their ce I noticed that she deserved better than my brother. You know how he was at that time, he was bad news. So I told Selina that he wasn''t a good man and that she should avoid him at all costs." Katerina exined.

    "So she and the Ramirez family rejected the proposal?" Cedric asked, to which Katerina simply nodded.

    "But from what Alexi told us it was Selina that yed with Jen''s heart." Cedric said as he tried to recall how Alexi had described Selina.

    "I''m afraid that my brother is too smitten with Nurse Jen to see clearly. I don''t believe that Selina liked girls at all." Katerina exined.

    "How do you know?" Cedric asked.

    "When we met them, the way she stared at Alexi, it was different." Katerina said with a little hesitation. "I''ve never seen anyone look at my brother that way, I think it was love at first sight."

    "Don''t be a child Katerina, you know that love at first sight isn''t real." Cedric said with augh.

    "Well no matter what it was, she doesn''t seem the type." Katerina said, shaking her head. "Also, I don''t trust Jen. Something about her is just off to me."

    "Maybe you''re being like this because all your life you''ve seen Alexi as a yboy, and the only woman you thought he would love was Ilya Carpio." Cedric said as he mentioned the name of Alexi''s first love.

    "No, this has nothing to do with Ilya." Katerina said, shaking her head. "I just don''t trust Nurse Jen."

    "Okay, okay, I''ll be careful when ites to Alexi''s woman." Cedric promised. He could see how serious Katerina was about defending Selina.

    "Thank you, and don''t tell Alexi I told you about our rtionship with the Ramirez family. He''s gonna be furious." Katerina said with a gentle smile as they walked back to the car.

    "You told him?" Eric asked as they approached.

    Katerina ran over and hugged her boyfriend. "Yup." Cedric heard her say as she held on to Eric.

    "Drive safe." Eric said with a nod as Cedric climbed into the car.

    "Eric Chan, is rted to Nicole and Miguel Chan?" Jas Ortega suddenly asked, making Cedric jump in surprise.

    "Yeah." Cedric answered as he started the car.

    "And the woman in his arms?" Jas asked, unsure of what to say.

    "His girlfriend." Cedric said inly.

    "Isn''t she Katerina Sebastian, thewyer and the President''s daughter?" Jas was clearly making sure that she saw the right person.

    "Yes, and you aren''t allowed to tell anyone." Cedric warned. "I don''t think I need to tell you how powerful those families are, if you make the wrong move, or say something, they could easily deal with you."

    "I do, I know." Jas said, shaking her head. "It''s just too shocking. Eric Chan, the national husband is rted to the medical family. And oh my, how will his fans react to the fact that he is already off the market, and it''s not just some simple woman, it''s someone who might just be even better than him." Jas'' voice was shaking in excitement and shock.

    "Is this where you live?" Cedric asked as he pulled up on a street filled withrge houses.

    "Yep." Jas said with a nod.

    "And that''s the Park house." Jas pointed towards a well lit modern style mansion that had clearly been renovated recently.

    "Damien''s parent''s home?" Cedric asked.

    "Yup, but he doesn''t go home there anymore." Jas exined.

    "And that one is the Lim family home. It''s thergest in the area." Jas exined as she pointed at a house that covered half the block and the corner.

    Cedric could only see the green roofs, there were high walls that surrounded the ce and the grass outside had grown beyond control, it looked like a haunted house next to all the manicuredwns and well lit houses in the area.

    "For a time we thought that they would have to sell their house." Jas said with a sigh. "I asked my parents to help out, but they refused. ording to them the Lims lost so much that it would take generations to recover. Anyway, I should get going. Thanks Cedric, I hope your boss appreciates the effort you and Ian put into working for him."

    Before Cedric could reply, Jas had already gotten out of the car and closed the door behind her.

    Cedric drove forward and stopped in front of the Lim house, he looked at it for a while and wondered what this ce had looked like when the Lims were at their peak. From the outside you could see remnants of the once majestic home.

    The whole stretch was dark, Cedric could see a light inside, but themps on the wall were all either switched off or broken. There was a guard house outside, whose windows were all broken in with the paint peeling off, and therge gate was now rusted and faded. He looked up to a tree that had gone wild with time and the vines were now climbing over the wall.

    Cedric sighed as he thought of what the Lim family had to go through these past years, it seemed Ian had suffered much more than he did even if he was in poverty training. Cedric felt sad that he and his father could do nothing at the time to help, since the Lims did not even reach out to them, and even now Ian preferred to reach his goal with his own skills rather than have Cedric hand thepany over to him.

    Cedric sighed as he looked at the old house, as he imagined it in it''s old glorious state he swore to help Ian in every way possible.

 Chapter 324 - 324

    "Good morning." Cedric suddenly greeted Cami who was busy at her desk.

    "What are you doing here?" She asked. It was eight in the morning and Cedric wasn''t wearing a disguise. The junior assistants would be arriving soon, so it was quite dangerous for Cedric to be going around as himself.??

    "I''m missing work." Cedric said with a shrug as he entered his office and brought out hisptop.

    "There is a lot of work that needs to be done." Cami reminded him.

    "I''ll do some Reyes Group stuff today, move everything for Mor Co. to tomorrow." Cedric told Cami as he made himselffortable on his old desk.

    "Yes sir." Cami said as she began sending emails and making calls.

    "What''s with the furious typing and calling?" Ian asked as he arrived.

    Cami simply pointed to Cedric who was focused on reading several reports on hisptop.

    "What are you doing here?" Ian asked Cedric as he dropped his things at his desk. He walked up to Cedric and spoke in a low voice. "The Mor Co. expansion needs your attention, you haven''t been in the office recently and the work has piled up, and now you''ve decided to y hookey?" Ian scolded.

    "Shouldn''t you thank me?" Cedric asked as he continued to look at the screen in front of him.

    "Thank you." Ian said as he recalled the tongueshing Nicole had given him when he woke up.

    "Was she hard on you?" Cedric was still concerned about the misunderstanding that they knew wasing afterst night.

    "At first." Ian sighed. "That''s why I''m sote today. I had to sit her down to exin, it also helped a lot that you were there the whole time. She also spoke to Damien who swore that things were over between me and Jas."

    "That''s good." Cedric nodded.

    "You need to deal with the Mor Co. work." Ian said, shaking his head. Cedric knew Ian''s attempt to convince him would be futile since he had made up his mind.

    "Oh Mr. Cedric!" Mae greeted as she arrived on the CEO''s floor. "You have business from the boss?" Mae asked as she walked over to her desk to set up.

    "The boss probably won''t being in today." Ian hissed.

    "Again?" Maeined. I''ve got several departments hounding me for updates. They keep saying things won''t be able to move forward without the boss." Mae exined as she recounted the past few days. Cedric had not gone to work since Jam''s death and Mor Co. was feeling their president''s absence.

    "A good friend of his passed away." Ian said in a sad tone as he looked at Cedric.

    "I guess even gods have feelings." Mae shook her head as she powered on herptop, furiously typing out emails.

    After a while Dave arrived with his hair a mess and sweat dripping.

    "The boss isn''t in yet?" Dave asked as he copsed on his seat.

    "He isn''ting in." Mae told Dave without lifting her head.

    "Again?" Dave asked.

    "Yup, again." Ian said loudly.

    "Man, I rushed for nothing." Dave said, shaking his head as he pulled out ab and an extra shirt to change the one that was now drenched in sweat.

    "I wonder how Mor Co. will function when we all move to the head office?" Dave pondered.

    "He will pass it to someone else." Cedric answered.

    "Oh, Mr. Cedric, I didn''t notice you there." Dave said as he scratched his head. "What do you mean pass it to someone else?"

    "Someone still needs to be at the helm of Mor Co., the Reyes Heir cannot oversee all thepanies on his own. That''s why some have their own CEOs while others have vice presidents that report directly to whoever is in charge of the Reyes Group." Cedric exined. "For example, Elisia Malls, it''s CEO is Miss Ayanna, whilepanies like M Bank and Krisanta Land both have VPs that report directly to Mr. Emilio Reyes."

    "So Mor Co. will fall under either of the two cases?" Mae asked as she moved closer to listen in on how the Reyes Group functioned.

    "Most probably." Cedric said with a nod. He had actually already decided which course to take, and he even had a potential candidate to be the VP of Mor Co. Cedric just couldn''t handlepletely letting go of thepany he had helped grow.

    "Maybe he''ll make you the CEO, Ian!" Dave suggested. It was no secret that among the assistants Ian was highly favored.

    Cedricughed. "No, Ian has his own dreams."

    Ian simply nodded to what Cedric said.

    "Besides, Ian''s going to be loaned somewhere for almost a year." Cami teased.

    "What?" Mae and Dave asked in surprise.

    "Yeah, my girlfriend is pregnant and her family wants me to run their family business till she''s ready to take back the helm." Ian said with a shrug. The way he told everyone about thepany it sounded like a small family business, when in reality it was one of the most prominent family businesses around. "The boss already agreed, so I guess this is me telling you."

    "Will we ever get to meet this mysterious girlfriend of your Mr. Ian?" Mae asked. She was genuinely curious, Ian was popr with thedies both in Mor Co. and the Reyes Group. He was handsome and sessful, something that would already rank him among the most desired men in thepany, the fact that he was one of two personal assistants to the Reyes Heir only added to his charm.

    "Maybe someday. It all depends on her." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Why the secrecy?" Dave asked.

    "Because her family doesn''t fully ept me." Ian exined.

    "Her parents and siblings do." Cedric corrected.

    Ian simplyughed at how silly Cedric was being. "Her family is big and very traditional. I''m not exactly their ideal type." Ian said with a grin.

    "Why? What do they want for her?" Mae asked.

    "Someone who''s family is in the same business as them." Ian said simply. He didn''t want to add that the rest of the Chan n wanted someone as rich as Cedric or the other princes.

    "We wish you and your girlfriend the best Mr. Ian." Mae happily greeted. "Don''t forget to invite us to your wedding." She further teased.

    They suddenly heard the elevator arrive and the doors open, followed by heavy rushed footsteps of several people.

    "Is he in?" Alexi asked as he stood by Ian''s desk.

 Chapter 325 - 325

    Cedric rolled his seat and grinned at Alexi who was clearly furious at the sight of Cedric casually sitting among the assistants.

    "No sir. Mr. Reyes called in sick today." Ian said with a shrug, he could already sense Alexi staring at Cedric who was behind him.??

    Cedric stood up and walked to stand behind Ian.

    "Mr. Sebastian, you can leave a message with me and I''ll pass it on." Cedric offered with a smirk.

    Cedric could see the worried faces on Dave and Mae, he knew they were worried that he was taunting the President''s son.

    "Tell him to meet me in my office." Alexi said before storming off.

    "Mr. Cedric, aren''t you worried that he will go after you?" Dave asked clearly referring to Alexi.

    "Don''t worry. He knows I''m just the messenger." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Let''s go." Cedric told Ian as he packed up his things. Ian nodded and did the same.

    Cedric and Ian went straight for the basement and rode Cedric''s car, since he was in his casual clothes Cedric was forced to change at the back.

    His car eventually drove up to a drab government building with people rushing in and out. His luxury car stood out as it pulled up to the entrance, he was followed by a security van from which several bodyguards alighted as they secured the perimeter.

    Ian was the first to go down as he fixed his suit and opened the backdoor for Cedric. Cedric who had rarely made an appearance as the Reyes Heir in public, was well dressed in ck suit with his face mostly covered.

    "I wonder what he wants." Cedric told Ian as they walked up the building steps.

    They were quickly greeted by several business officials who bowed deeply.

    "Mr. Reyes, to what do we owe this pleasure?" The official asked.

    "Congressman Alexander Sebastian invited Mr. Reyes over." Ian said, answering for Cedric.

    "Ah the congressman and and Mr. Reyes are friends, if I am not mistaken." The official said with a nod.

    "Will you take us to his office or do we have to wait?" Cedric asked impatiently, making the official nervous.

    "Of course not sir. This way." The official said as he quickly led Cedric inside and up a flight of stairs to where most of the congressmen''s offices were.

    Alexi''s office was at the end of the hall, as the President''s son he was given special treatment by some members who wanted to suck up. Alexi was never one to conform to pressures or bribes so he just let them do as they wanted while doing what Alexi thought was right. He had caused quite an issue politically when he refused to back a bill being passed that the majority party wanted, he chose to support the minority instead who were their rivals.

    "Mr. Reyes." Alexi''s assistant immediately greeted as she saw Cedric and Ian approaching. "Congressman Alexander is expecting you." The assistant said as she led Cedric into Alexi''s office.

    "You came." Alexi said as he leaned back on his seat.

    "Why wouldn''t I?" Cedric asked as he took off his mask as the door closed behind him.

    "You met with Capt. Damien?" Alexi asked, of course he already knew the answer to the question he had thrown.

    "Just ask what you want to ask." Cedric said as he made himselffortable on Alexi''s couch.

    "What did he have to say?" Alexi stood up and sat closer to his friend.

    "There is a conspiracy inside the police force. He said not to tell you or uncle Jose because you need to know the root before taking action." Cedric exined.

    "So someone is pulling the strings from behind." Alexi said slowly as he thought of the people who would have enough influence to do this.

    "You shouldn''t look into it." Cedric warned his friend.

    "I won''t, I just n on narrowing down who has enough power and influence to work within the government to do this." Alexi said. "You do know whoes to mind right?" Alexi asked Cedric in a grim tone.

    "They wouldn''t dare." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Their local businesses were already struggling for a long time. Why would they attract attention by doing something illegal."

    "Really? Haven''t you forgotten what Cthea was willing to do just to get Eric?" Alexi asked his friend.

    "I am hoping the Carpio family had better judgement than their spoiled heir." Cedric said with a sigh. He had not ruled out the Carpio family from his list of suspects, they were, after all, still hungry for the top spot.

    "I guess it''s unlikely, they know how you look anyway, they would have known that you aren''t Jam and that you aren''t on good terms with the Lobo family." Alexi said as he studied the facts closely.

    Cedric sighed as he felt like they had hit a wall again.

    "You know what, why don''t we distract ourselves?" Alexi suggested as he stood up and walked to his table to gather some files.

    "Do you have that much free time?" Cedric asked.

    "No, but I''ll do anything for the woman I love." Alexi said as he walked back. "Read this." He said as he passed Cedric the files.

    "Is this your whole revenge n on Selina Ramirez?" Cedric asked.

    "Yup. She hurt my woman so I''m going to hurt her back." Alexi said as he insisted Cedric take the files.

    Cedric sighed and surrendered as he took the stack from Alexi.

    "So she was adopted together with her twin brother." Cedric narrated as he read through the files. "She initially went to Julliard to take up acting, she lived in an apartment with Jen while Jen studied nursing. Wow, and nothing happened between them?" Cedric asked looking up to find a furious Alexi.

    "Of course something happened, how could you live with such an attractive woman that loves you and not do anything?" Alexi asked. He was jealous that Selina Ramirez had lived with Jen in the past.

    "Well if Selina didn''t like Jen then nothing probably happened. Not everyone is like you Alexi." Cedric said with augh.

    "Continue." Alexi urged.

    "Okay, it says here that most of their expenses were paid for by the Ramirez family or Selina''s modeling gigs. Bro, your woman is looking like a leech!" Cedric eximed.

    "No, it only proves that the Ramirez family knew that there was something special between the two of them, otherwise why would they tolerate Jen''s expenses and why would Selina work so hard to provide for the both of them if they weren''t in a special rtionship?" Alexi asked.

    Cedric paused to think, Alexi''s reasoning made sense, but he recalled the conversation he hadst night with Katerina, she was sure that Selina was not the viin in this story.

    "Don''t you think it''s a bit dangerous assuming something about a young woman like Selina Ramirez?" Cedric asked.

    "I''m Alexi Sebastian, who do I have to fear?" Alexi boasted proudly.

    "Your father for one, what if Jen is wrong and Selina is innocent in all this? You''ll be dragging the Sebastian name through the mud just for a woman." Cedric reprimanded Alexi. "We should learn more about her." Cedric suggested.

    "Learn more? This is all the intel I could get." Alexi said pointing at the documents on the couch.

    "There are some things that can''t be determined by what''s on paper." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Fine. But you''re doing all the work." Alexi told Cedric as they prepared to leave.

    "Why? You know her?" Cedric asked, pretending that his conversation with Katerinast night didn''t happen.

    "I did, a long time ago." Alexi said with a frown.

 Chapter 326 - 326

    "Did that woman really save you from embarrassment?" Alexi asked as he watched Cedrice back with flowers to thank Selina.

    Cedric nondded. "She did." They were currently in Ian''s car with Alexi in the back seat and their security teams at a distance.??

    They decided to get to know Selina Ramirez by having Cedric thank her and take her out to dinner. They were nning to trick her into showing her true colors while she was having dinner with Cedric.

    "Didn''t she ask how you got her contact details? I mean that''s creepy." Alexi pointed out.

    "I''m an assistant to the Reyes Heir. We have our ways." Cedric said with a wink as Ian drove them towards SR Designs.

    "Really? Do you think that exnation is enough?" Alexi asked.

    "It works every time." Ian said as he continued to drive. When they got to the building where SR Designs Cedric got off the car while Ian and Alexi drove off.

    When Cedric arrived at SR Design''s floor the receptionist led him to Selina''s office at the end of the hall.

    "Mr. Cedric, she''s waiting for you." The male secretary said as he led Cedric in.

    "Ah, Mr. Cedric Reyes." Selina greeted as she approached and extended her hand.

    Cedric took it and shook her hand. "Miss Selina, I hope you didn''t find it creepy that I could find your contact details." Cedric said with a grin.

    "I wouldn''t expect anything less from one of the Reyes Heir''s men." Selina said with a smile.

    "I wanted to treat you to lunch as a thank you for helping me outst time." Cedric nodded.

    "Yes, you did mention over the phone. I''ll happily ept." Selina agreed and walked over to her desk to grab her things.

    "Would you prefer to take a cab or your car? Unfortunately mine is at the shop, it broke down recently." Cedric exined.

    "Let''s just take my car." Selina said with a sweet smile. "Where are you nning to take us?"

    "Constetions just opened a new restaurant in one of it''s top floors. I made a reservation." Cedric said as he held the door for Selina as they walked out.

    When they arrived at the restaurant Cedric and Selina were led to a reserved table, unknown to Selina, Alexi and Ian were walking behind them. Ian was wearing casual clothes and sat with his back turned on Selina.

    "Mr. Cedric I was honestly embarrassed when I found out who you were." Selina admitted after they had finished ordering.

    "Why? I''m just an assistant." Cedric said nonchntly.

    Selina let out a gentleugh. "I''m not as foolish as that couple. I know that assistants of people like the Reyes Heir or his friends are more powerful than they seem."

    Cedric smiled. "Is that why you epted my invitation to have lunch?" Cedric asked, he was trying to trick Selina.

    "I''ll be honest Mr. Cedric, a part of it yes. I want SR Designs to partner with the Elisia Malls." Selina confessed.

    "Then you know what my new position in the group is?" Cedric asked.

    "I would be lying if I said I didn''t." Selina said as she leaned forward. Cedric was about to tell Selina how he would look into influencing the partnership when she said something he didn''t expect. "I''m not trying to bribe you Mr. Cedric. I just want a chance to present mypany to Miss Ayanna. I don''t want special treatment, I got this far without it and I don''t n on getting any."

    Cedric ced his hand on his chin and considered what to say for a minute. Behind Selina he could see Alexi ring at him, the man was clearly biased.

    "From what I know, your family is quite familiar with the Sebastians, why not ask Miss Katerina to speak to Miss Ayanna for you?" Cedric asked.

    Selina let out augh. "This is embarrassing, but I have a past with the Sebastian siblings. And I''ve only spoken to Miss Katerina a few times." Selina said with a shrug.

    Alexi continued to re at Cedric from his seat.

    "Alright, I''ll arrange for a meeting." Cedric finally said.

    "Thank you, Mr. Cedric!" Selina said excitedly, her frosty demeanour suddenly melting as she acted like an excited highschooler.

    "Might I ask, why not ask me to ce the partnership among those that I assess?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, for one, I don''t think you are that kind of person. You wouldn''t take bribes. The other being I don''t give bribes. I''ve gotten to where I am by ying fair, and I don''t n on ruining my reputation." Selina said with much determination.

    Cedric quickly took out his phone and sent a message to Ayanna, to which his sister quickly replied.

    "Miss Selina, if you aren''t too busy after this Miss Ayanna would like to see your presentation. She has asked me to take you to R Tower. She said her brother will be there too, so you''ll be hitting two birds with one stone." Cedric said with a smile.

    Selina gasped, she didn''t think that she would be able to get a meeting so soon.

    ''Seriously?????'' Cedric saw Alexi message him.

    ''You''re biased, she''s not a bad person.'' Cedric quickly replied.

    ''I trust my love.'' Alexi replied like a love sick teen. Cedric ignored his message and continued to eat.

    "Would you know if Miss Ayanna would look down on me for my past interactions with the Sebastian siblings?" Selina asked Cedric. It was clear she was worried that this stain would affect her opportunity.

    "Miss Ayanna is fair, and I''m sure whatever your past interactions with the Sebastians, it can''t be that bad." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "It''s tooplicated." Selina said, shaking her head.

    "Maybe some transparency will help?" Cedric suggested.

    Cedric could see that Selina was hesitating, she wasn''t sure if she should tell Cedric or tell Ayannater. Eventually she let out a sigh and spoke.

    "My family and the Sebastians go way back, our dads are friends. A long time ago, the Sebastians came over in the hopes of changing Alexander''s, ummmm�� ways." Selina said with much hesitation.

 Chapter 327 - 327

    "They wanted you to marry Mr. Alexander?" Cedric asked.

    "I was one of the people they were considering, but Miss Katerina warned me against it. So I asked my parents to reject the offer." Selina exined.??

    "You''re worried that Miss Ayanna won''t listen to you because of this?" Cedric said with augh.

    "Well, there is a second." Selina slowly said as she took a gulp of water and breathed in deep. "The woman the I think Mr. Alexander is currently dating, was my best friend, whom I rejected."

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked as he feigned ignorance.

    "When we were on our senior year, my best friend came out as lesbian, wait no she wasn''t lesbian, she''s bisexual, anyway she came out by confessing to me. And I rejected her, but despite the rejection she tried to get together with me, at first she just kissed me, but things got worseter on. She followed me wherever I went, she even sacrificed her dream school to follow me when I insisted she stay. So when we were in Germany my new best friend told me to push her away, and I did, and well, when I came back I ran into her and Mr. Alexander." Selina admitted.

    Cedric was surprised at her side of the story, and even Alexi who was listening in seemed to be frozen in shock.

    ''Don''t believe her'' Alexi suddenly messaged him.

    "I''ve heard differently. I didn''t know it was you, but the version I''ve heard is different." Cedric said as he acknowledged knowing Nurse Jen.

    "I don''t mean to defame her, it''s alright if she tells people I led her on. I owe her at least that." Selina said sadly.

    ''What is wrong with this woman?'' Alexi messaged,ining about Selina''s behavior.

    "Won''t you try to change the narrative?" Cedric asked.

    "No. She wasted her best years following me. I mean my brother has been telling me for years that it isn''t my fault, but I should have pushed her away sooner. She spent months roaming Europe trying to recover from what happened." Selina said with a sigh.

    ''Do you still want to ruin her?'' Cedric asked Alexi, but no response came.

    "We should get going Miss Selina, you still have a meeting with Miss Ayanna." Cedric said as he asked for the bill.

    "I should pay for this bill." Selina said as she fetched her wallet.

    "No, let me. This is me saying thank you." Cedric said as he pulled out his card and handed it to the waiter.

    When he looked back he saw Selina was in shock.

    "Are you alright Miss Selina?" Cedric asked.

    "That card." Selina said.

    "Yes?" Cedric asked as he tried to understand what Selina was trying to say.

    "it''s a ck diamond card from M bank." Selina said. "Only the richest people in the country have that card."

    Cedric wanted to p his own face when he realized that he didn''t think Selina would recognize the card.

    "It''s ummm�� given to all of us assistants as well. We need to have the funds to purchase what the boss needs." Cedric said with a shrug.

    ''Yeah right. Smart though.'' Ian teased in a message as he overheard Cedric''s excuse.

    "Oh." Selina said, believing Cedric''s excuse. "Will you be apanying me to R Tower?" Selina asked.

    "Unfortunately, lunch is my only free time. I don''t own thepany." Cedric said with augh, it wasn''t un-true. The shares weren''t officially in his name yet. Only the Mor Co. ones had been transferred. "You can go ahead Miss Selina." Cedric said.

    "Alright. I hope to see you again Mr. Cedric. Thank you." Selina said as she stood and left the restaurant.

    When Selina was gone Alexi and Ian quickly transferred to Cedric''s table.

    "She''s so, so, so, evil." Alexi managed to say.

    "Really Alexi? Evil? That''s all you coulde up with?" Cedric asked his friend with augh.

    "I''m so mad that there is no other word to describe her." Alexi said as he crossed his arms.

    "You''re blinded Alexi." Cedric said, shaking his head. "She''s even willing to take the fall for Jen because she thinks she owes Jen for all those years" Cedric exined.

    "Or she could be trying to win over your pity!" Alexi eximed.

    "Alexi, open your eyes." Cedric scolded. "Jen has you wrapped around her finger too well."

    "How can you side with that bitch?! You just met her." Alexi said in a raised voice.

    "Alexi, she could have used what happened to me as leverage. She could have asked me to grant the partnership, but she would rather present to my sister and get the partnership on her own merits." Cedric told Alexi.

    "It could be an act." Alexi said as he rolled his eyes.

    "Thene along to the presentation, let''s see if she''s any good. Ayanna would never let Elisia malls suffer based on personal rtionships so you''re sure that she will be fair." Cedric exined.

    "Fine." Alexi said getting up from his seat and walking out.

    "Alexi is quite scary when he is in love." Ianmented. "I hope he fell for a decent woman, he could easily be manipted this way."

    "Alexi isn''tpletely devoid of reason. He''lle to his senses." Cedric said as they stood to follow Alexi out.

    When they arrived at R Tower, they went up to Cedric''s office first so that he could change. As they were walking in the hallway they bumped into Marie and Marco, seemingly holding hands and letting go as soon as they realized that Cedric and the others were also there.

    "I thought you''d be at Mor Co. today, cousin?" Marie said, quickly changing the topic. "It was only supposed to be me here today."

    "Mmmm. Where''s dad?" Cedric asked.

    "He said he had an errand to run." Marie exined. "And Ayanna is at Elisia Mall''s floor the whole day."

    "I''m on my way to Ayanna, I just needed to grab something. Bye." Cedric said as he, Alexi, and Ian went over to the elevator.

    "Check on the house." Cedric told Ian as soon as the doors closed.

    Ian nodded and as soon as they arrived at Elisia Mall''s floor he made a call to the team watching the house.

    Not long after he, when they reached Ayanna''s office he whispered to Cedric.

    "It''s confirmed, your dad went there today, the mistress is there as well." Ian reported.

    "That''s odd, mom doesn''t have any trips nned. He''s gone as far as meeting her when mom''s around." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "What do you want us to do?" Ian asked.

    "Keep watching. I want to get more information before I start pointing fingers." Cedric told Ian.

 Chapter 328 - 328

    "Brother, Alexander." Ayanna greeted more formally. Cedric simply nodded as he noticed there were other people in the room.

    "I want the whole building re-done by the end of the month. Veronica made this design for us and I don''t want to sit on it for too long." Ayanna said in an intimidating tone.??

    "Miss, I don''t think one month is possible, especially with everything Miss Veronica has added." A manager informed Ayanna.

    Ayanna smirked and stood up.

    "Are you purposely embarrassing me in front of my older brother?" She asked in a cold tone. "I know exactly how long it will take if you don''t hire your cousin as the contractor." Ayanna used making the man sweat with worry.

    "Miss, I never��" The manager said as he attempted to defend himself.

    "I have nothing against you hiring your cousin if your cousin could do the job we need. This is still a business. If you hire your cousin I will cancel all projects the Reyes Group has awarded hispany and I will ban you from the industry." Ayanna threatened.

    "Yes ma''am." The man said as he let his head fall in surrender.

    "You may go." Ayanna said dismissing them all.

    When the door closed Alexi began to p andugh.

    "Who knew the little bunny had teeth?" he teased Ayanna as he patted her on the head. All the boys treated her like this, especially when Cedric began his poverty training and she would cry everyday because she missed her older brother.

    "You still call her that?" Cedric asked as heughed. Back when they were children Ayanna loved rabbits so much that she had turned the backyard of the Reyes Mansion into a habitat for rabbits. Their grandfather got so mad that he ordered all the rabbits to either be sold or released into the wild. Ayanna sold the rabbits and that was how she learned to make money.

    "Ignore him. Is she here yet?" Ayanna asked.

    "Not yet." Cedric said with augh.

    "Alexi, suspend your judgement." Ayanna scolded.

    "Did Cedric rat me out?" Alexiined.

    "No, we all know how you get." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes. "Do you really think she''s good? I''ve been meaning to contact her but I was thinking of Alexi''s feelings."

    "Haha." Cedricughed. "She wouldn''t be able to snap up all of those designers and brands if she wasn''t." Cedric said with a grin.

    "I told you I honestly didn''t mind if you ced her store in Elisia Malls." Alexiined.

    "Yeah, but deep down you were already mad at me for even considering her." Ayanna said as she rolled her eyes at Alexi. "You''re just too afraid of my brother, that''s why you need to follow." Ayanna grinned at her victory.

    "Who said I was afraid of Cedric Reyes?" Alexi boasted.

    All Cedric had to do was lift an eyebrow at his friend making Alexi smile.

    "I just respect Cedric''s judgment, that''s why I never go against him." Alexi said, raising his chin.

    "Mr. Reyes, Miss Ayanna, Mr. Sebastian." Ian said as he knocked on the door. "Miss Selina Ramirez is here."

    "Bring her to the boardroom. We''ll follow." Ayanna said in a loud voice.

    "Suspend your judgement." Cedric warned Alexi as he fixed himself.

    "Herpany is actually quite impressive, Alexi." Ayanna said with a shrug as she walked ahead to the boardroom.

    When Cedric walked in he noticed that Selina had brought a small team with her, probably her legal counsel and finance head. She looked confident, a far cry from the nervous woman who was seated across him earlier.

    Alexi entered behind Cedric, Selina visibly shifted when she noticed the notorious man but she didn''t let anything slip. Cedric grinned under his mask, finally a woman that remained truly unmovable in the face of Alexi Sebastian. He didn''t count Nurse Jen since she did give in to his physical advances.

    "Miss Selina, I''ve heard a lot of things about you." Ayanna said as she took a seat to the right of the table. Cedric knew she was leaving the most important seat for him.

    "Miss Ayanna, I hope all good." Selina said with a smile.

    "Might I introduce you, this is my brother, the Reyes Heir." Ayanna said as she pointed at Cedric who was settling down on his seat. Cedric nodded acknowledging Selina.

    "An honor Mr. Reyes." Selina said respectfully.

    "And this is my brother''s friend, Alexander Sebastian. He just so happened to be visiting and decided to tag along." Ayanna said as she pointed at Alexi who sat to Cedric''s left.

    "We are, acquainted." Alexi said in a cold tone.

    "Yes, we met a long time ago, I was in my senior year in high school when President Sebastian brought Congressman Alexander and Attorney Katerina over for a visit." Selina exined.

    "Then you should befortable with him being around." Ayanna said with a grin. "You may begin." Ayanna told Selina with a nod.

    Selina proceeded to present to them all of the brands and designers she had brought along to the country, she was the exclusive distributor for most of them and although herpany had started abroad she wanted to bring all of it home and establish her HQ in the Capital.

    Ayanna was very much interested in her presentation and was jotting down notes as Cedric listened attentively. He wasn''t too aware of the fashion industry since it was his sister and his wife that were more updated, but on the business end he had a better understanding of things over even Ayanna. Alexi on the other hand was barely paying attention, which had earned him a re from Ayanna, after that he paid better attention.

    At the end of Selina''s presentation, Ayanna was clearly impressed, and Cedric was d that he didn''t let Alexi railroad this opportunity. If any of theirpetitors had gotten a hold of Selina and SR Designs before them they would surely have felt the loss.

    "What do you think Alexi?" Ayanna asked as looked at her brother''s friend.

    "Good." Was all Alexi could say.

    "Brother?" Ayanna asked, as if asking Cedric to give the final say on the matter. Cedric had expected her to do this.

    "I agree with Alexi." Cedric began to say. "SR Designs will be good for Elisia Malls. Arrange the partnership, I''ll leave it up to you on how many malls you will offer her a store to open." Cedric told his sister.

    "Great!" Ayanna said with a smile. "Congrattions Miss Selina, The Reyes Group wees SR Designs as it''stest partner." Ayanna stood and shook Selina''s hand.

    Selina was visibly happy with the result and repeatedly thanked Ayanna.

    When Selina and her team finally left, Ayanna ced her hands on her hip and looked at Alexi with a raised eyebrow. "What do you have to say?" She asked.

 Chapter 329 - 329

    "Businesswise, she is good." Alexi said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

    "That''s all? She''s amazing Alexi!" Ayanna eximed.??

    "Her abilities don''t mean anything if she is a rotten person deep down." Alexi coldly answered. "Don''t let you business mind over cloud your judgement Ayanna." Alexi warned her.

    "You personally saw how she was today Alexi. She has given us no reason to doubt that she is a genuine person." Cedric exined to his friend.

    "I trust Jen." Alexi insisted.

    "Alexi, shouldn''t you consider that she is possibly letting her emotions get to her?" Ayanna asked. "There is nothing wrong with that, there is nothing wrong with her heartbreak, but you shouldn''t take it out on someone who just wants her freedom to love." Ayanna said in a more tender and understanding tone.

    Alexi sighed.

    "Fine, I won''t take it out on Selina, even if she clearly hurt Jen." Alexi said in surrender.

    Cedric smiled and nodded at his friend.

    "I''m going out for dinner with Jen tonight. Can I interest either of you in a double date?" Alexi asked.

    "I''ll go." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Can''t, a double date means my husband has to be there. Ray has a business dinner." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "Where?" Cedric asked Alexi.

    "There''s a new restaurant she wants to try." Alexi exined.

    "Alright. I''ll talk to Adrianna." Cedric said with a nod.

    Later that night, Cedric took a cab to pick Adrianna up at Inds Inc.''s office.

    "What''s with the double date?" Adrianna asked her husband as she leaned on his shoulder and held his hand.

    "Alexi wanted Jen to be morefortable with being a couple." Cedric exined.

    "Are they even a couple?" Adrianna asked with augh.

    "Nope. But you know how Alexi is with this." Cedric said with a sigh.

    In order to keep their rtionship a secret, Alexi had reserved a private room as Jen arrived through the front door and Alexi through the back door in the kitchen. Since Cedric and Adrianna were having dinner as just themselves there was no need for them to take extra precautions.

    When Cedric and Adrianna arrived Alexi and Jen were already inside, Jen happily greeted the couple, she looked relieved that someone else was in the room with them, while Alexi red at Cedric. Clearly he was trying to get intimate with Jen.

    "Cedric met someone interesting today Jen." Alexi said as he pulled Jen over to hisp.

    "Alexi." Jenined as she blushed.

    "It''s ok, Cedric and Adri are worse." Alexi teased. "He met Selina today."

    Jen suddenly froze when Selina''s name was mentioned, Alexi gently caressed her and helped her calm down.

    "I know she hurt you Jen." Alexi whispered as he held Jen by the hand.

    "She did, but it''s not her fault." Jen said as she began to cry. "I chose to be with her, to follow her, some rtionships really just end." Jen said with her voice shaking.

    "She let you follow her around for years, you sacrificed your career and your education because you loved her." Alexi said as he whipped the tears off of Jen''s eyes.

    "She led me to a better ce, to a better version of myself." Jen said as she lifted her chin.

    "I guess, if it weren''t for her I would never have met you." Alexi said as he gently ced a kiss on her cheek.

    "Jen, I think it''s unfair that I''ve heard the story from her side, but I haven''t heard it from you." Cedric said as he held Adrianna''s hand.

    "Do you really want to?" Jen said shyly. "I''m not of the same level as all of you."

    "Don''t worry Jen, you spent months with us. We trust you." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Alright." Jen said with a nod. "Let me sit properly." Jen scolded Alexi who lifted his hands to show that she could move to her own seat.

    Jen moved to the seat next to Alexi and let him hook an arm around her waist. She took a deep breath and began her story.

    "Selina and I were best friends. We''ve been friends since we were eight." Jen said with a sigh. "When we were in our junior year, I realized that I saw her as more than just a friend. At first I was so confused, so it took me over a year to gather up the courage to tell her how I felt. As a matter of fact I waited till ourst months in school before finally admitting to her my feelings."

    "And she epted it?" Cedric asked.

    "No, she didn''t ept or reject. She just continued to treat me the same way." Jen said with a frown. "I took that as a sign that she liked me back, so when she said she wanted to study in New York I happily followed, my dream school was there as well anyway. My family couldn''t afford to send me there so I saved up, worked several jobs and was eventually able to earn enough to study in New York with her. The first two years were great, we spent almost every moment together, we even lived in the same apartment. Eventually she let me get a little bit more intimate with her. I could hug her, hold her by the waist, and hold her hand. Whenever I would tell people that I loved her she never said anything, she never rejected me in public, which I took as a good sign. Suddenly one day she tells me that she wants to go to France to be a model and pursue a career in fashion. I was torn, but I chose to follow. I believed our love was stronger and that I could uproot my life for her, at first things were great, but Selina kept moving, one moment it was Paris, after a while London, then Mn, eventually Berlin. It was there that she told me she didn''t love me, she told me that she never thought of me that way, that to her all I was was a friend, but now she saw me as even less than that." At her words Jen broke down in tears.

    Alexi pulled her to him again, letting her sob onto her chest as he caressed the back of her head, trying tofort her. After a while Jen whipped the tears away and sat back up.

    "I''m sorry. It''s a painful memory." Jen told Cedric and Adrianna.

    "We understand." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Gave Selina the best years of my life. I sacrificed so much for her, then she tells me after five years of me chasing her that she doesn''t love me back." Jen said in a sad tone. "Luckily I finished my studies in Berlin that year. After a while I flew back home andnded a job at Saints Hospital on Kashmere. I tried to hide the damage Selina had caused me, but deep down it has always been painful. That''s why I can''t love anymore, I shouldn''t love."

    Alexi lifted Jen''s chin and looked her in the eyes. "You can love, I will teach you to love again. I will wait for your heart to heal and I will wait for you to open it up to me." Alexi''s voice was filled with a tenderness Cedric had never heard from the man.

    "Please don''t." Jen told Alexi. "I don''t want you to keep waiting for nothing."

    "I''d rather wait for you forever, than be with someone that''s not you." With that Alexi ced a gentle kiss on Jen''s lips.

    Adrianna nudged Cedric making him look at her.

    "What? I''m romantic too." Cedricined, making his wife and friendugh.

    "Thank you for trusting us with your story." Cedric told Jen as he pondered about the two sides he had heard.

 Chapter 330 - 330

    Cedric had a lot of work piled up after he took the day off yesterday. He had a lot of Mor Co. documents to sign and several Reyes Group proposals to review. He was reviewing documents in his office Ian knocked and went in with the door slightly ajar.

    "Cedric, Marco is here, your dad sent for you." Ian said in a hushed tone. He was avoiding being overheard by the junior assistants, they of course were yet to find out that their co-worker was actually their boss.??

    "Tell Marco I''ll head over on my own." Cedric said, he knew something was up. His father had chosen to send his most trusted man rather than to call, something was out of ce.

    After a while Ian came in again. "He said to bring us along. It''s important."

    "What could it be? Is there another issue we didn''t detect? I thought we managed to stabilize the stock prices?" Cedric asked Ian wondering about what had happened.

    "No, I didn''t notice anything suspicious happening. We''ve been monitoring everything closely since Jam''s death and everything has been stable." Ian pointed out as he gathered Cedric''s things for him.

    "Just bring theptop in case we have work that needs urgent attention, leave the documents behind." Cedric instructed as he put on his coat and his disguise.

    "Alright. I''ll tell Cami to pack up." Ian said.

    "Bring the two, if this is a big matter they need to be there, the workload might be too much for just you and Cami." Cedric said as Ian exited the room.

    When he was dressed and ready Cedric went out with Ian, Cami, Mae, and Dave following him.

    "Sir, we sent out a memo to all the department heads that we won''t be at Mor Co. for the rest of the day." Cami told Cedric as they rode the elevator.

    "Is there anything urgent?" Cedric asked in a cold and domineering tone.

    "No sir, things are calm at the moment." Cami reported to Cedric.

    "How about at the Reyes Group, did you find anything out?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "Nothing. Everything seems fine, sir." Ian said.

    "What could my father want?" Cedric asked himself as they descended to the underground parking.

    The familiar Rolls Royce Ghost and the Rolls Royce Phantom were already waiting for them when they arrived, Cami motioned for Mae and Dave to ride in the Phantom, while Cami, Ian, and Cedric would ride in the Ghost.

    Mae and Dave were shocked to see that the boss was willing to let them use one of his luxury cars to go to R Tower, Ian saw the hesitation in the two and signaled to Cedric.

    "I can''t let my people arrive in a cab. Get in." Cedric ordered as he got in the car.

    "Do as the boss says." Ian told the two junior assistants as they rushed in.

    Their convoy quickly caught people''s attention, two luxury cars that were known to be favored by the Reyes Heir and a fleet of vans for security quickly gave away the fact that he was heading to R Tower for something big.

    Usually it would only be the one Rolls Royce, with his security team hidden, but today it seemed like they were in too much of a rush to care.

    People began to specte online.

    ''Do you think it''s possible that today''s the day?'' One user posted.

    ''No way! It feels too soon! There wasn''t even an announcement!'' Another replied.

    ''I work at R Tower, I don''t see any press, it could be something else.''

    ''Maybe he''ll introduce his wife?''

    ''Nah, they protect her worse. I''m starting to think she just lives in his house and neveres out!''

    ''Do you think something has happened to the CEO?''

    ''Maybe, possibly.''

    ''But wouldn''t the other people be rushing in too? Like the Laurence family, they are inws after all.''

    ''Maybe his wife is pregnant?''

    ''If that was the case he would be rushing to the hospital not the office.''

    ''Oh oh, maybe it''s like a drama, an illegitimate son appeared!''

    ''No way, I''ve seen the Reyes parents they are super in love with one another''

    ''I vote for the drama! There has to be drama! Their lives can''t be this easy!''

    While the inte was going crazy with spections Cedric sat in his car, discussing with Cami and Ian.

    "Is it possible that my father found out about our people outside the house?" Cedric asked Ian.

    Ian quickly made a call, everyone was tense until the other person picked up.

    "They are fine." Ian said as soon as he ended the call."Nothing suspicious."

    "Then what is it?" Cedric asked as he continued to worry about the reason why his father would suddenly call for him. Even during emergencies his father didn''t send Marco over. Sending Marco over was like telling Cedric to get to R Tower as soon as possible because it was something urgent and confidential.

    By the time Cedric''s cars pulled over at the driveway of R Tower he was already tensed. He took a deep breath and nodded towards Ian to open the door.

    As they stepped out they were quickly joined by Mae and Dave, and a crowd had formed outside of R Tower, they were all eagerly waiting to hear why the Reyes Heir was rushing over.

    Cedrci''s guards directed the bystanders away, giving Cedric and his group a path to pass into the building. Inside every employee that crossed their path bowed and greeted, they all knew that this man would own everything in the Reyes Group someday, and they didn''t want to end up offending him.

    As they walked up to the elevator a voice suddenly spoke from behind them.

    "You too?" Cedric turned to see Ayanna.

    "Shouldn''t you be at home?" Cedric recalled how she had nned to take the day off so that she could pick her husband up at the airport and go on a date with him.

    "Dad sent Marco to get me this morning. He even called Ray to tell him to arrange for his own transportation. What do you think it is?" Ayanna asked her elder brother.

    "A problem." Cedric replied as the elevator doors swung open and they got in.

 Chapter 331 - 331

    When Cedric and Ayanna arrived at the executive floor they were greeted by Marco.

    "They''re in your father''s office." Marco said as he turned to lead the siblings to the office they were quite familiar with.??

    "Marco, what''s with the cloak and dagger, can''t you tell us what''s going on?" Ayannained as they walked across the hall.

    Emilio Reyes'' office was the furthest andrgest, it took up almost half of the executive floor and he had at least 4 junior assistants working under Marco, almost one for each subsidiary of the Reyes Group.

    As Cedric and Ayanna passed they stood and greeted the siblings respectfully, technically their careers would depend on the two siblings, Cedric who would inherit the majority of shares, and Ayanna who would still be key in running the Reyes Group.

    Inside Emilio''s office, Cedric and Ayanna were greeted by a surprising sight. Their grandfather, Emilio Reyes II was sitting at the head of the table with their father to his right and their aunt Aurora to his left. Aside from them their mother, Prisci, their cousin, Marie, and their Uncle A were also there.

    Cedric raised an eyebrow making his grandfatherugh.

    "Has being away for too long made you forget how to respect your elders, Cedric?" The old man teased. "Sit, both of you."

    Cedric and Ayanna did as the old man said, but Cedric refused to rx, he was wondering why everyone was present.

    "Don''t worry, we won''t throw you out because of Prince Group." His grandfather said with a chuckle. "I''ve got to hand it to you boys though, the fact that it has grown this big is proof of why each of you are considered your family''s next heads."

    "Why did you call us over father, grandfather?" Cedric asked respectfully.

    His father chuckled at his question. "You''re in such a rush all the time Cedric. No wonder things get done so quickly around you." Emilio Reyes III said proudly as he looked at his son.

    "Okay, enough beating around the bush." Grandpa Emilio said with a smile. "We called you here because we think it''s time to move up with your take over of thepany."

    Cedric was shocked, he didn''t expect for something like this to arrive so soon. He had only returned two years ago and his ns for session in Mor Co. were still unfinished.

    "Grandpa, dad, don''t you think it''s too soon?" Cedric was truly hesitating at the news. "I still want to spend more time with my wife and son."

    "No, it''s not. We think you are ready." Emilio Reyes told his son. "We''ve seen how you''ve managed to transform Mor Co. from a smallpany to an international brand, and this is despite all the setbacks."

    "Don''t worry Cedric. We won''t be dumping all thepanies on you at once." His grandfather said with a reassuring nod. "That''s why Ayanna needs to be here as well."

    "Me?" Ayanna asked.

    "Yes Ayanna, the Reyes family has always prided itself in being more progressivepared to other families. While they were still doing arranged marriages, we were marrying for love, when they inherited through only the male line, we opened it up to the female line. Someone just rejected." Grandpa Emilio said as he looked at his daughter.

    "What? Yoyo was always the better businessman." Aurora told her father with a shrug as she called her younger brother by his childhood nickname.

    "Yoyo?" Cedric said with augh.

    "Yeah, I called him Yoyo till he got to highschool. At that point he threatened to stop talking to me if I still called him that in public. I still did by the way, but of course the Reyes Heir needs some sort of dignity." Aurora said with augh.

    "You''re veering off topic again, Aurora." Emilio Reyes said, scolding his elder sister.

    "Oh right." Aurora said with a nod.

    "Ayanna, will continue to run Elisia Malls and she will start helping your mother with rin Industries. We''ve already processed the documents for the merger, as of today, rin Industries is now a subsidiary of the Reyes Group." Grandpa Emilio exined. "40% of the stocks will be in Cedric''s name while 20% will be in Ayanna''s and the rest will be open to the public. As for Elisia Malls, the stocks in your father''s name have been transferred to you, Cedric."

    "Grandpa, shouldn''t the stocks remain in dad''s name. I don''t see any reason for them to be moved to mine." Cedric told his elder.

    "It''s already been transferred, Cedric." Emilio Reyes III told his son.

    "As for M Bank, Krisanta Land, and Reyes Holdings, 80% of your father''s shares have been transferred to you, while 20% was transferred to Ayanna." Grandpa Emilio further exined.

    "I think Ayanna should get more." Cedric suddenly said. He wanted to be fair to his sister, this was his inheritance as much as it was hers.

    "No brother. It would be unjust for me to get more shares. Plus, haven''t you forgotten, I married rich." Ayanna said with a wink. There was no denying that if shebined hers and Ray''s ies and assets, she could rival even her brother''s. The only thing that set Cedric higher was hisrger share in Prince Group and the Hernandez''s Ind''s Inc. that was now rapidly growing under Adrianna''s care.

    "I''m not sure I''m ready." Cedric said with a frown.

    "You are, son." Prisci Reyes said with a smile as she reached out to hold her son''s hand andfort him.

    "I trust in you brother." Ayanna said happily.

    Cedric simply nodded, it wasn''t like he could refuse.

    "Great!" Grandpa Emilio said. "Is it prepared?" He asked his son.

    "The PR team just needs to call over the press." Emilio told his father.

    "Wait, we''re announcing this today?" Cedric asked in surprise.

    "Yes. If we don''t announce this now, people will discover it one way or the other." Emilio Reyes exined to his son.

    "At least let me tell my wife." Cedricined.

    "Do you want us to bring Adrianna over, or would you rather go to her?" Grandpa Emilio asked him.

    "If I leave it will cause a fanfare again. I''ll just ask Mia to bring her over." Cedric said as he took out his phone to call Adrianna.

    All he told her was that the family needed to speak to her and that he would have Mia drive her to R Tower. Ian would meet her up at the ground floor and take her to the Executive Floor at the top of the building.

    It would be Adrianna''s first time seeing the Reyes family''s offices so Cedric wanted to make sure that Ian gave her a proper tour.

    "I''ll be in my office. My old one." Cedric said as he ced his disguise back on and walked out. When Cami and the junior assistants noticed him leaving they were quick to follow.

    When they got to his office down the hall Cedric paused.

    "Let the twoe in." Cedric told Cami as he marched into his office.

 Chapter 332 - 332

    Inside Cedric sat on his table as Cami, Dave, and Mae stood across him.

    "Things are about to change." Cedric said as he leaned back on his seat. "Later today, the Reyes Group will be announcing me as the new President and CEO. This means that we will need to move out of Mor Co. and start working here."??

    His threepanions were surprised, especially Cami, who knew that Cedric wasn''t expecting this for at least five more years.

    "Even us, sir?" Mae asked.

    "Of course, why not?" Cedric asked back.

    "Sir, what about Mor Co. management?" Cami knew that Cedric was nning something for a handover but none of them knew who he would be installing as his VP in Mor Co.

    "I''ll announce that for when Ian arrives." Cedric told them. "For now, I need to make a different announcement." Cedric said as he watched their expressions.

    Cami was obviously puzzled, there was very little that she and Ian didn''t know, Cedric trusted them in almost all matters.

    "Dave and Mae will be ying a more important role now." Cedric began. "So I think it''s important that I can move around freely."

    "They''ve signed the proper documents." Cami said as she caught on to what Cedric was trying to say.

    "Good." Cedric said with a nod. "You see, Dave, Mae. I like my freedom, and my wife likes shining on her own." Cedric suddenly changed his tone to a kinder one, simr to how he would talk to Mae and Dave when he was just hanging around with them as Cedric Reyes and not the Reyes Heir.

    "No." Mae said with a gasp.

    Cedric smiled from behind his disguise and took it off.

    Mae and Dave were stunned. He could see that Mae was already blushing and Dave couldn''t even look him in the eyes.

    "How could we not tell? Oh my gosh, what did I say?" Mae said as she covered her mouth trying to recall all her conversations with Cedric.

    "So, you weren''t sick or absent all those times, you were just hanging out around us." Dave said much more calmly.

    "Oh my gosh Iined about you bumming around when it was your cousin-inw that died!" Mae said as she continued to panic.

    Cedricughed. "Calm down, both of you." Cedric said with a smile.

    "I took it better than these two." Cami boasted.

    "Have a seat." Cedric said as he got up and moved to the couch.

    Dave had to pull Mae towards the couch as she was too much in shock to register what was going on.

    "You can ask, whatever you want." Cedric told the two junior assistants.

    "Why did you hide who you were?" Dave said, asking the obvious question.

    "I told you, I enjoy my freedom and I respect my wife''s dreams. She wants to reach a point where she can stand next to me, without people saying I helped her out." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Your wife, is your rumored mistress?" Mae said as she slowly recovered.

    Cedricughed. "Yes. She isn''t my mistress, she''s my wife, and the mother to my son." Cedric said proudly.

    "Ha! All those stupid people online! They''ll be so embarrassed when the truthes out." Daveughed. "But I don''t understand, you''ve been in in sight this whole time. How, why?"

    "The Reyes Family calls it Poverty training. Only the Reyes Heir of each generation has to go through it. For thirteen years we live as ordinarily as we can, in the past the Reyes Heir would live as the poorest of the poor, sent out with nothing so that he could hone his skills. My grandfather thought that that was too much, so they simply sent me out to finish high school at a public school with just the basic necessities, as for university I had to find my own way to get in and to pay for it, the same with finding a job." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "So you''ll be revealing your identity to the worldter?" Mae asked.

    "No, not yet. I made a promise to my wife." Cedric said simply.

    "How did we not realize?" Dave asked himself.

    At the same time someone knocked on the door.

    "She''s with me." Ian called out from the otherside.

    "Come in." Cedric said as he stood up.

    Ian came in with Adrianna behind him.

    Cedric quickly pulled his wife into his arms and hugged her tightly cing a gentle kiss on her lips.

    "I''m so happy you''re here." Cedric said as Adrianna leaned on him.

    "They know?" Ian asked as he had visibly rxed. Cedric knew Ian was always on guard not to let things slip.

    Cami simply nodded and Ian grinned, he knew how stupid they were feeling right now. He felt the same, who knew his work best friend would turn out to be his boss.

    "I have something to tell you." Cedric told Adrianna as he gently stroked her head. "Let''s sit."

    Cedric led Adrianna to the couch and sat next to her.

    "The four of you should listen in as well." Cedric instructed his assistants as he signaled for them to sit.

    "All of you are affected by what I''m going to say." Cedric said as he took a deep breath. "As you all know my father caused quite amotion making us rush here, an announcement was made earlier." Cedric said with a sigh.

    He looked at each of them, the lives of his four assistants would be forever changed after today.

    "In a few hours, the Reyes Group ofpanies will be announcing a changing of the guard. My father will step down as President and CEO, while I will take his ce." Cedric said to everyone''s surprise.

    "Does this mean��" Adrianna said as her voice trailed away.

    "No, no. I won''t go back on my promise. I won''t reveal myself until you''re ready." Cedric said as he kissed her on the forehead.

    "So we''ll be moving?" Mae asked.

    "Yes. Your task tomorrow is to move everything over." Cedric told Mae and Dave.

    "Who will you be installing in Mor Co.?" Ian asked Cedric.

    Cedric was very much aware that Ian did not want the position, even if Cedric believed he was the best fit. So Cedric turned elsewhere to find his sessor for Mor Co.

    "Mor Co. is tricky business. I had hoped to have more time to build thepany, but with thetest development, I guess I need to hand it over." Cedric told them. "Don''t worry Ian, as promised, it''s not you." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Good, between my ns and standing in for my wife, I won''t be able to do the role justice." Ian said with augh.

    "You''re married?" Dave asked Ian.

    "He isn''t, he just likes to im that his girlfriend is his wife." Cami teased.

    "You never told us who it is." Maeined.

    "You''ll meet her. Knowing uncle Emilio there will be a little celebration soon." Ian grinned.

    "You call the CEO uncle?" Dave said with a gasp.

    "Cami could to if she wanted, but my dad and Cedric''s dad go way back." Ian said with a shrug.

    "He''s what you would call, a fallen prince." Cedric exined. "He has his own mission he wants to fulfill, that''s why it can''t be him."

    "The who?" Ian asked.

    "I''ve decided to treat Mor Co. the same way my father has arranged for M Bank and Krisanta Land, I will install a VP to manage everything but I will remain it''s president." Cedric said as Ian and the others nodded. "Cami, I want you to be that VP."

    Cami was shocked, she stared at Cedric and blinked.

 Chapter 333 - 333

    "Cami?" Cedric called out.

    "Sorry, but why me? I don''t have as much experience as the former president of Mor Co., why not put him back?" Cami asked.??

    "The former President of Mor Co. was clearly incapable of leading." Cedric said with a shrug. "You know thepany like the back of your hand. You weren''t ced as my assistant to do menial jobs, you were ced there because my father saw potential in you."

    "Congrattions Cami!" Mae said as she hugged the older woman. "I mean VP Cami." She said with a giggle.

    "You''ll do great." Adrianna said with a nod.

    "Mae, Dave, do you know what documents you''ll need to prepare for this?" Cedric asked.

    The two assistants nodded, from the very beginning this was one of the things Cedric had made sure to prepare.

    "Call the PR department, have them draft the announcement. I want it done in two hours. As for the documents, it should be executed quick enough." Cedric instructed.

    The two quickly lept into action, leaving Cedric''s office.

    "I don''t have that much to teach you." Cedric told Cami. "You and Ian have been with me in every step along the way. You are as familiar with the operations and strategies as either me or Ian, but if you need help, just reach out."

    "I''m still in shock." Cami said as she pinched herself.

    "As you know I can''t exactly give any of the junior assistants to you, but I''ll send Dave to help you out. He seems more serious and level headed than Mae. He can help you for at least three months." Cedric told Cami.

    Cedric proceeded to walk through Cami several of the ns that he had set in ce, as well as which projects he wanted to prioritize.

    The first to one to return was Dave, he had already managed to process all the documents for the assignment of Cami as the new VP of Mor Co.

    "It''s done?" Ian asked the younger man.

    Dave nodded.

    "You''ll help Cami for three months." Cedric told Dave. "Your first task will be to find an appropriate assistant for her. As a techpany I envision Mor Co. to be younger and more vibrant, but also people who will always think outside of the box." Cedric instructed.

    "I''ll inform HR, sir." Dave said respectfully.

    "Thirty minutes." Cedric said as he looked at his watch.

    "You pressure them too much." Adrianna scolded her husband. "What''s with the strict timelines?" She asked her husband.

    "In two hours people will leave their offices and check their phones, I want the first thing they see stered all over social media to be the appointment of Cami as the new VP of Mor Co., then at exactly 4pm, the press will begin to arrive at Constetions Hotel for the Reyes Group''s Press Conference. The timing of all this is crucial." Cedric exined patiently to his wife.

    With only five minutes to spare Mae walked back in with a smile.

    "It''s done sir." She proudly said.

    Ian took out his phone and scrolled through social media, Cami on the other hand turned on the TV to see what was on the news.

    The words ''FLASH REPORT'' suddenly appeared on the TV.

    "We bring you breaking news from Mor Co." The news anchor paused as images of Mor Co. shed across the screen, including a video of the Reyes Heir during an event. "We just received a statement from thepany that Mr. Reyes, the Reyes Heir, has appointed Miss Cami Montero as the new Vice President of Mor Co."

    The screen shed to someone on ground, outside the Mor Co. building, Cedric could see that there were already a lot of reporters waiting outside the lobby.

    "I am currently at Mor Co.''s main office where many reporters are now waiting for Mor Co. to entertain our questions. We are hoping that someone inside wille out to talk to us." The reporter said as he walked across the facade of Mor Co. "The appointment of Miss Montero as the new VPes as a surprise to most in the field since it is known that among this two assistant the Reyes Heir seems to be more dependent on Mr. Ian Lim."

    "Has Mor Co. said anything about this controversial statement?" The anchor in the studio asked.

    "No one has stepped out to say anything, we can only guess what this means. It could be as simple as she was more suited for the role, or as dramatic as a falling out between the two men. At this point we can only guess." The reporter told the anchor.

    "Of course, everyone would rather see more drama especially from a family that''s very low profile, but as we all know, with the Reyeses that''s very unlikely." The reporter said.

    "Well we hope to hear more from you soon." The anchor said as Cedric switched off the TV.

    Ianughed as he scrolled through thements on social media.

    "What''s so funny?" Cedric asked.

    "The theories are just too wild." Ian said.

    Dave and Mae also took out their phones to check what the people of the inte were saying.

    "Oh here''s one, Did Mr. Ian and the Reyes Heir have a falling out? Maybe they were a couple and they fought." Dave said as he read through thements.

    "Oh my gosh this one is gold." Cami said as sheughed. "Do you think that Mr. Ian and the Reyes Heir were actually a couple? And that the Reyes Heir isn''t actually married? This is gold!"

    Cami said with augh as she showed everyone thements.

    "Really? What''s up with people?" Ian asked as he rolled his eyes.

    "Well Cedric did put you in charge of the expansion project so it''s only natural for people to think that you would be ced at a higher position in the future." Cami said with a shrug.

    "Will I be needed at the press conference?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "Yeah. I just came from a meeting with the PR team. They were hoping you could go. They''ve also prepared questions for the press to ask." Ian said as he handed Cedric a tablet.

    "Mmmm." Cedric said as he reviewed the contents of the document.

    "If there is anything you want avoided I''m sure we can ask the press." Ian told Cedric.

    "It''s not that. There are just some questions that I don''t even know the answer to." Cedric said as he looked up from where he was seated. "Like this one, I don''t exactly know why my dad and grandfather wanted me to take over, I guess I''ll just wing it." Cedricughed.

    "Good luck with your press conference." Adrianna said as she kissed him gently on the cheek.

    Cedric grabbed her by the wrist, holding her back. "Won''t you stay?" He asked.

    Adrianna smiled and shook her head. "I have a lot of work to do. Ind''s Inc. doesn''t run as smoothly as the Reyes Group or Mor Co. without me around." She said with augh. "I''ll see you at home." Adrianna said as she left.

 Chapter 334 - 334

    Cedric sat inside his car with Ayanna as his driver took them to Constetions Resort. In the past few hours the Reyes Family had managed to capture the attention of everyone on social media. All people could talk about was Cami''s promotion and the press conference that the Reyes Group would be hosting.

    "Will you be showing your real face?" Ayanna asked her elder brother.??

    "No. Not yet." Cedric said with a weak smile.

    "Don''t you get tired of pretending? I mean your disguise might seem simple but I know there is a lot of effort in fixing your hair, changing your outfit, it''s not exactly convenient. To add to that your safety is always at risk, you walk around with only Leon, what if the mole knows who you really are and reveals it to the world? What will you do then? Or what if the mole is plotting to harm you?" Ayanna asked him.

    Cedric sighed, he understood where his sister wasing from, he was worried about the mole knowing that Cedric Reyes and the Reyes Heir were the same person.

    "I know you''re worried sister." Cedric told Ayanna as he patted her hand. "But maybe my anonymity is my best disguise. Without the shy car or the horde of bodyguards people think I''m not important, so they look past me."

    "I''m just worried." Ayanna said with a sigh.

    "Soon, I''m sure soon." Cedric said as heforted her.

    As soon as their car approached Cedric could see the press trying to get in, but when they caught sight of the car they quickly ran over in an attempt to get an exclusive scoop.

    The Reyes Group hade prepared, the car the media was swarming was a decoy. Cedric and Ayanna, were in fact riding a second, less eye catching car that the press managed to miss. The car drove to the VIP parking and the siblings alighted the car.

    It was Cedric''s friend Tomthat greeted them.

    "This way." Tom said with a smile. He couldn''t boast that he was friends with the Reyes Heir, but he was more than proud to escort him to the VIP holding area for the press conference.

    "He speaks highly of you." Ayanna said as they walked through the empty halls. It had been cleared prior to their arrival for their safety.

    "Thank you." Tom said as he was still quite starstruck to meet Ayanna in person.

    Tom left them in the VIP room with only a few minutes to spare to the actual event.

    "Nervous?" Ayanna asked Cedric.

    Cedric simply nodded.

    "I am too. Where''s dad?" She asked.

    Cedricughed. "He isn''ting. He said something about wanting us to be the new face and future of thepany so he didn''t want to be seen."

    "Ugh, he just wants to retire and y golf." Ayannained.

    "Ayanna, you''ve been running Elisia Malls mostly on your own the past few years. Don''t tell me you''re nervous about nothing changing." Cedric teased his sister.

    "It''s not that and you know it." Ayanna said quite sourly at him. "This changes everything, people will think we are vulnerable cause you are young or because you don''t have the proper connections. There is so much that could happen."

    "And you don''t think I can handle it?" Cedric asked his sister.

    "No, I trust you. I just hate it when people talk about you like that." Ayanna said, shaking her head.

    A knock soon came and Ian entered. "It''s time." he announced as they walked through the hallway and up the stage.

    As Cedric climbed up he was blinded momentarily by all of the shes in the room, the reporters wanted to get a photo of the elusive Reyes Heir.

    "Mr. Reyes, Mrs. Laurence!" Members of the press called out as they tried to get a photo of the siblings looking at their direction, but Cedric and Ayanna walked calmly to their seats.

    "Friends from the press, we would like to ask everyone to please calm down." The head of the Reyes Group''s PR department said over the microphone.

    The audience did as they were asked and calmed down.

    "Today the Reyes Group had an announcement to make." The PR head began. "As 10am this morning, Mr. Emilio Reyes III has stepped down as the President and CEO of the Reyes Group."

    All of the sudden the crowd erupted again as the reporters began to ask one question after another.

    "Please all your questions will be answered in time." The PR head said once more.

    "As of this moment, the man known publicly as the Reyes Heir will be appointed as President and CEO of the Reyes Group." The PR head announced. He paused in anticipation of everyone''s reaction.

    "Mor Co. will remain directly under Mr. Reyes with Ms. Montero as it''s VP, in addition to this, the Reyes Group would like to announce that there will be no changes in Elisia Mall''s management, Mrs. Ayanna Reyes - Laurence will remain at the helm of thepany reporting only to her elder brother." The PR head took a deep breath as he knew the next bit of information would stun the crowd. "We would also like to announce that rin Industries has been absorbed by the Reyes Group and will be led by Mrs. Ayanna Reyes - Laurence, all shares once belonging to Mr. Emilio Reyes III have been transferred to his son."

    Cedric eyes the audience, they were clearly surprised, no one expected that the Reyes Group would absorb rin Industries, they thought that it would go to the next most senior member of the rin family not the children of Prisci rin - Reyes.

    "You may ask your questions now." The PR Head said as a member of the staff ced a microphone at the center.

    The reporters quickly stood from their seats and grabbed the opportunity.

    "Sir, what is the reason for this turnover? Mr. Emilio Reyes III is still youngpared to all the other Presidents and CEOs out there? Is he sick?" One reporter asked.

    Ayanna looked to her brother to see if he wanted to answer the question, Cedric nodded and picked up the microphone on the table.

    "My father is well, thank you for asking. As for the reason behind the changing of the guard, all my father said was that he believes me to be ready." Cedric calmly answered.

    "Miss Ayanna, what will happen to Elisia Malls in the future? Will it be treated like rin Industries and be gobbled up by your husband''s family?"A male reporter asked.

    Ayanna grinned, Cedric knew she expected questions like this.

    "No, Elisia Malls will always be Elisia Malls. Do you even know who my husband is?" Ayanna asked, her simple question sounded more like a threat, and of course it was a threat. People were aware that the Laurence family was frightfully powerful and to offend them was like asking for death.

    "Mr. Reyes, will you show us your face?" A female reporter asked as she winked.

    "No." Cedric answered simply and waved at the PR Head. He was done with questions.

    At that the PR Head quickly wrapped things up as Cedric and Ayanna exited the stage.

 Chapter 335 - 335

    When they arrived home Cedric found his wife waiting for him with their son in her arms,ughing.

    "Have you eaten?" Adrianna asked Cedric and Ayanna as they walk in through the door, visibly exhausted.??

    "Not yet. We''re famished." Ayanna said as she marched into the kitchen and slumped on a chair.

    "When exactly are you and Ray moving out?" Cedic asked with a sigh as he followed after her. Ayanna and Ray had been working with Veronica to build their new home within the Mountain Viewmunity.

    "The house should be done in a month. I''m sure you''ll miss me." Ayanna said with a wink as she teased her brother and sister-inw.

    "Where are the elders?" Cedric asked Adrianna as he looked around searching for his parents, inws, and grandparents. They would usually be in the living room, ying with Emilio, but when Cedric and Ayanna arrived there was no such sight.

    "Out." Adrianna said with a shrug as she ced their son in a crib and sat next to him.

    "Something about all of this doesn''t seem right." Cedric confessed to his sister and wife.

    "Dad thinks you''re ready, what''s wrong with that?" Ayanna asked as a maid brought her food over.

    "It''s too soon. I know dad, he would have handed me onepany at a time, not all of it at one go." Cedric said as he took a spoon full of soup.

    "What are you being suspicious about? We should be celebrating, you''ve basically ascended to the throne." Ayanna told him.

    Cedric hesitated, he didn''t know if he should tell his wife and sister about his suspicions, but he also didn''t want to keep a secret from them any longer.

    "I had dad investigated." Cedric finally confessed.

    "You did what?" Ayanna practically shouted in surprise.

    "I noticed a piece of property, a small one, not an investment or a beach home, a small suburban home under his name." Cedric exined.

    "So? We have a lot of properties." Ayanna asked as she eyed her brother suspiciously.

    "It''s not normal Ayanna. Plus a woman and dad have been there whenever mom isn''t around." Cedric exined.

    "What if it''s an old friend? What if it''s someone mom and dad are helping? Don''t jump into conclusions Cedric." Ayanna said.

    "Ayanna, its only normal for rich men." Cedric said calmly.

    "For rich men what? Don''t tell me it''s normal for them to have mistresses or second families, our parents are not like that!" Ayanna shouted.

    "It''s not impossible." Cedric told her slowly as he tried to break his reasoning to her as gently as possible.

    "No Cedric, you have no right! None at all. You don''t know them like I do. You''ve been gone for thirteen years! In those years you didn''t get to spend time with them like I did, so don''t im to know them or their love." Ayanna shouted as she mmed her hand on the table.

    "Ayanna��" Cedric said with a sigh.

    "You''re a rich man, so does that mean you will cheat on Adrianna? Ray is a rich man do you want him to cheat on me? All of your friends are rich men and I don''t think any of them would cheat on any of their wives when they all get married. Even Alexi who as a new woman every week wouldn''t cheat!" Ayanna shouted. "You don''t know our parents like I do. You''ve been away!"

    "It''s not like I wanted to be away Ayanna, you forget that I didn''t have a choice in this." Cedric said, finally raising his voice.

    "You had a choice, we always have a choice. You could have convinced dad to change tradition! It''s antiquated anyway." Ayanna said leaning forward.

    "I was fifteen Ayanna! Fifteen, you don''t think about changing tradition or the world at that age, you do as you are told or you don''t!" Cedric said.

    "Children have spoken up about less than this." Ayanna said angrily at her brother.

    "Do not lecture me Ayanna. Don''t change the topic." Cedric said with a re.

    Suddenly little Emilio began to cry and the fighting siblings calmed down.

    "You''re right, I was away, so I don''t know our parents as well as you do." Cedric said, conceding as he sat down.

    "And I was wrong to use you of being away, I know you didn''t have a choice. It was for our sake." Ayanna said with a sigh. "Do you really think dad could be cheating on mom?" Ayanna asked with a frown. Cedric knew that his sister had so much faith in their love for one another that his suspicions would be difficult for her to ept.

    "I''m worried that the reason he turned thepany over to me is because he wants to have a family with that woman or that he already does and he wants to avoid an inheritance war." Cedric exined with a frown. Many families had fallen in the past due to fighting among siblings for their inheritance, the Reyes family had been fortunate that each sibling respected their ce and epted who would inherit the most.

    "I don''t want to specte Cedric." Ayanna told him. "I want to know the truth. I want to be sure."

    "I''m trying to find out Ayanna, but dad has considerably more resources than I do." Cedric told his younger sister.

    "Then think out of the box, no matter what they are still quite old fashioned so think of something they wouldn''t." Ayanna said desperately. "This cannot be true." Ayanna said, shaking her head on the verge of breaking down into tears.

    "I want to be proven wrong just as much as you want me to be wrong Ayanna, but the evidences are pilling up. I am trying my best to figure things out and solve this." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "I don''t understand how this could happen." Ayanna said as tears began to roll from her eyes. Adrianna moved next to her sister-inw and gave her a hug, holding her as she cried.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll put my best resources into it. Did you know I was worried dad found out that I knew so I had my men check the house earlier, it was empty today." Cedric told Ayanna.

    "Well duh Cedric, mom was here today." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes.

    "I promise. I''ll do my best." Cedric swore as he looked Ayanna in the eyes.

    "Do you think, Ray could do that to me?" Ayanna asked, her tone full of fear and hesitation.

    "Ayanna, we''ve known Ray our whole lives, he''s been waiting for the woman he will love from the very beginning. He is the loyal type." Cedric said as he reached out to hold his sister''s hand and squeeze it tightly tofort her.

    "But brother, most rich men��" Ayanna couldn''t bring herself toplete what she was going to say, it hurt way too much.

    "It''s different. He is different, we are different." Cedric told his sister. "Plus if he dares to do anything like that I swear I will ruin him for hurting you." Cedric said with a smile.

    "You wouldn''t. He is your best friend." Ayanna said, shaking her head.

    "He is, but you are my sister, and that is more important." Cedric smiled. "Family first, always." Cedric swore.

 Chapter 336 - 336

    With the announcement of Cedric being ced at the helm of the Reyes Group there were a lot of things that needed to be done, his office was moved, and he needed to be brought up to speed with everything happening within the Reyes Group.

    Thepany may have had five major holdings but they also had minor ones, small franchises, distributorships andrger shares inpanies that they controlled from behind the scenes.??

    On his first day as President of the Reyes Group Cedric had to address all of the employees, his father had decided to leave strict instructions that the turnover should be handled with as much ir as possible.

    All the employees that worked for the Reyes Group and its subsidiaries were given a day off and a free vacation to Kashmere.

    "You didn''t know?" Cedric asked as he interrogated his brother-inw in the ne.

    "Well uncle just said that he wanted to book the whole ind for a celebration with all of the employees of the Reyes Group, I thought it was because of how great the sales werest year." Ray said with a shrug as he sunk into his seat.

    "And you didn''t find it at all suspicious that my dad chose to rent out the most expensive ind in the country, just to celebrate the increase in revenues?" Cedric asked as he eyed Ray suspiciously.

    "Even I don''t believe you Ray, and I''m your wife!" Ayanna said as she flipped her hair at him.

    "Ayanna, I''m telling the truth." Ray said as he stood up and ced an arm around her waist and kissed her on the cheek. "Now please tell our older brother to go easy on me. I really didn''t know."

    "Older brother! We''re the same age!" Cedric said in a pissed off tone.

    "Well you''re my wife''s older brother, making you my older brother." Ray said with a grin. "Why are you so mad anyway, even if you were to spend the same amount on bonuses for them your employees wouldn''t be as happy as they will be when they spend a night and a day at Kashmere!" Ray boasted as Cedric signaled for the pilot to take off.

    Most of the employees were already on the ind. Cedric had arranged for him, Ayanna, and Ray to arrive a littleter in the day since he wanted to spend more time with his wife and son. He was already dreading the busy day ahead due to his new role.

    "So what''s the schedule gonna be?" Ayanna asked her older brother as she read through some files in her tablet. The employees might be on a vacation, but it was no vacation for the Reyes Siblings. There was so much work that needed to be covered.

    "Well the employees basically have the whole afternoon to themselves, then tonight, I asked Ram to bring over some artists from Lights Entertainment to perform, Eric and Francesca are among them. I''ll make a speech, we will celebrate, then call it a night." Cedric exined as he recalled the schedule he and Ian had arranged prior.

    "Why didn''t they just take the same flight as us?" Ray said with a pout.

    "Because they still had some events in the afternoon to attend to and the employees should at least see us interacting." Cedric exined.

    "How are you going to the beach in your disguise?" Ray said as he looked at Cedric scepticaly.

    "I''m not. Ian and I are going to hangout on the beach while you and Ayanna go around as the golden couple." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "That''s so unfair." Rayined.

    "Don''t worry, he has most of the work when we get back." Ayanna said with augh.

    "Did you look into the other matter?" Cedric asked Ray with a more serious tone this time.

    "Really, I thought you didn''t want Ayanna to find out about this?" Ray asked.

    "Find out about what? Raymund Laurence are you keeping a secret from me?" Ayanna asked as she red at her husband.

    Cedricughed and shook his head.

    "It''s alright Ray, she knows. We already fought about it." Cedric exined.

    "Oh, well. Wait! You didn''t tell me that you knew!" It was now Ray''s turn to throw an usation at his wife.

    "I didn''t get the chance to. You just climbed on me when you got home." Ayanna said as she rolled her eyes. "I was so tired the next day that by the time I got up, you already left to go to work."

    "Really Ayanna, are you going to talk about that in front of your older brother?" Ray said, a little bit ashamed about the topic.

    "We''re a married couple! My older brother should be worried if we didn''t do it!" Ayanna answered back.

    Cedric simplyughed at the bickering couple.

    "On your dad, I really couldn''t find anything that proves his innocence, Cedric. As far as anyone knows a woman, we don''t know whoes and goes to that house. After an hour or two your dad arrives and he spends most of the night there before returning to Mountain View." Ray said with a sigh. "I wanted to be wrong."

    "My dad is getting bolder and bolder too. He visits the woman, even on days that mom doesn''t go to the head office of rin Industries." Cedric said with a frown as he revealed the new information to his sister and brother-inw.

    "Enough." Ayanna suddenly said. "Enough, I don''t want to hear anything about this now. Let''s just take this time and take a break too. We need it. Things are only gonna get tougher, we inherited new responsibilities and we will need to step up soon."

    "You''re right. Let''s just take this time off to rx." Cedric said with a smile as he closed his eyes and slept for the rest of the flight.

    It wasn''t long before Ayanna was walking him up because they were nearing Kashmere, she knew that Cedric loved to watch the view as their ne would approach the ind resort.

    The calm waters and white sand that they could see from above brought a smile on his face, right now he wasn''t the President and CEO of thergest conglomerate in the country, he was just him, Cedric Reyes, enjoying the view.

 Chapter 337 - 337

    When they disembarked from the ne, they were greeted by Ian and Mae who had flown in ahead to help with the preparations.

    "Well, I guess we''ll see youter." Ray said as he pulled Ayanna closer to him.??

    "Go on, enjoy. Make sure to do the rounds though and say hi to the employees." Cedric reminded his sister and best friend.

    "We won''t let you down." Ayanna said with a wink as she and Ray got into a waiting BMW.

    "Have you picked your rooms?" Cedric asked Ian and Mae.

    "Well we haven''t gone to your vi yet." Ian said as he scratched his head.

    "And where are your things?" Cedric asked.

    "At Nicole''s." Ian answered truthfully. "It felt awkward going into your ce without you there."

    "Fine, fine." Cedric said, waving his hand. "Let''s pick your stuff up then the two of you can pick out a room at my vi."

    As they drove to Cedric''s Vi Mae couldn''t help but gasp at the sights on the ind. The route to the private area and the view from that area was much better than the rest of the ind. Ray had reserved the best for him and his friends.

    "Hey kid. Stop drooling." Cedric teased.

    "But Mr. Cedric, Kashmere is such a beautiful ind. I thought it couldn''t get better when we passed through the public areas but this, this is just breathtaking!" Mae eximed as she continued to look out the window.

    "You should have said that when Ray was around. He would love it!" Ian teased.

    "But, I can''t possibly talk in front of Mr. Laurence." Mae shyly said.

    "And yet she speaks so openly to me." Cedric said with augh.

    "Mr. Cedric, it''s not like that. I mean I know you, well I knew you, but I didn''t know you." Mae said as she struggled to exin why she was morefortable speaking to Cedric over Ray.

    "It''s okay Mae. I get it." Cedric said with augh as they pulled up to Nicole''s vi.

    "Ian and Mae quickly gathered their stuff before finally heading to Cedric''s vi.

    As soon as they enter Mae stops in her tracks.

    "Mae?" Ian asks as the young woman covers her mouth.

    "It''s just amazing, it''s better than Miss Nicole''s!" Mae said as she walks slowly to the ss wall that overlooks the sea.

    "Haha. That ss wall was a special request." Cedric said proudly. "You can look at the view a little bit moreter, go pick out a room." Cedric instructs.

    Mae nodded and carries her bag up the stairs to find the perfect room.

    "What reason did you give Mae?" Cedric asked.

    "I told her Nicole was the kindest among all of you so I was sure Nicole wouldn''t mind us putting our bags at her ce first." Ian said with a shrug.

    "You could stay at her vi you know. I wouldn''t mind." Cedric said.

    "It''s not the same if she isn''t there." Ian exined, shaking his head. "I''ll take the room next to yours."

    At that Ian left Cedric alone to stare out of therge window.

    When they were all settled, Cedric called for an ordinary golf cart to be brought over to his vi. He drove while Ian sat beside him and Mae sat at the back.

    Cedric was determined to rx during this trip and not think of work during the trip.

    They picked a beach with a bar nearby, several staff membersid out a nket and some chairs for them and brought out drink and food.

    "Wow, this is amazing!" Mae eximed as she took a drink and rxed on her seat. "Can we please never go home?" She said with a sigh.

    "If we didn''t go home the country''s economy would implode." Dave suddenly said from behind her making Mae jump in surprise.

    "Hey." Cami happily greeted as she sat on one of the empty chairs.

    "Overwhelmed yet?" Cedric asked Cami with a smirk.

    "A little. I didn''t know you had so much work before." Cami said with augh.

    "Now you do." Cedric grinned.

    "You should really thank uncle for this when you get home. Everyone seems really happy and motivated. I predict that productivity over the next month will increase." Ian said with augh.

    "I''m still pissed that he nned all of this without telling us." Cedric grumbled.

    "Cedric! Cedric!" A young man at a distance waved.

    "Who''s that?" Mae asked.

    Cedric squinted to see who was approaching.

    "Ah it''s a friend." Cedric said as he waved the young man over. "He doesn''t know that I''m the CEO." Cedric warned as the person approached.

    "Adolfo." Cedric happily greeted the young man. "Join us."

    "Oh, ummm��" Adolfo suddenly became awkward at the sight of Cedric''spany.

    "Don''t be awkward Adolfo. Cami used to be one of the boss'' assistants." Cedric said with augh as he realized that Adolfo was acting funny because of the VP that was with them.

    "Okay." Adolfo said awkwardly as he sat next to Dave.

    The two young men and Mae, quickly hit it off and began talking. Cedric smiled as he watched them enjoying themselves.

    "Things will be very different after this trip." Ian said with a sigh as he looked up at the clouds overhead.

    "It will, but I''m sure we can make it." Cedric said with a grin.

    "So will I see you allter at the event?" Adolfo asked his new found friends. "I don''t really have friends at the office. It was just Cedric then he got moved to a special assignment, then no one really spoke to me." Adolfo said shyly.

    "Well, I can''t stay. The boss has me on a special assignment again. I leave tonight." Cedric said with a shrug. "But, I''m sure Mae and Dave would be more than happy to hangout with you." Cedric told him with a smile.

    "Definitely." Dave responded with a smile. As a junior assistant to the CEO, Mae and Dave both had limited interaction with other employees. At first they had made many friends, but they soon came to realize that many were after maximizing the fact that they worked directly for the CEO. This resulted in the pair sticking by each other and Ian and Cami. So having a new friend like Adolfo excited them, especially since they would be moving to work at R Tower,

    "Make sure to do your work first." Ian teased as he pointed at his watch, reminding them that it was time to work.

 Chapter 338 - 338

    The main hall of Kashmere was extravagantly decorated when Cedric arrived with Ian, Mae, Dave, and Cami in tow. They had gone back to his vi and changed for the eventter that night. Cedric decided to arrive early to watch as Ram and his guest stars rehearsed prior to the show.

    The person on the stage currently was Eric Chan. Eric had an amazing singing voice that could easily rival his acting skills, Cedric remembered all the voice lessons that their mothers had made them endure growing up. Eric and Nicole had enjoyed them the most while Cedric and Alexi hated them.??

    Those lessons would eventually prove useful to Eric when he entered the entertainment industryter on.

    "Ram." Cedric called out as he walked the length of the hall.

    Ram turned and smiled to greet his friend. He was standing at the center with Francesca next to him as he observed the rehearsals.

    "I hope your employees don''t make him dance." Ram teased. "Thanks for inviting us. My artists needed a more rxed event."

    "Mr. Reyes." Francesca Ri greeted as she saw Cedric approach.

    "Miss Ri. How is your father?" Cedric asked,pletely ignoring Ram.

    "You just ignored my boyfriend." Francesca said with augh. "I''ve never seen anyone ignore Ram like that."

    "He''s been doing that to me since we were kids. I''m used to it." Ram said as he pulled Francesca close to him.

    Cedric eyed Ram suspiciously, his rtionship with Francesca Ri was supposed to be a front till he could convince the girl he actually liked to be with him.

    "Ram!" Francesca scolded. "There are too many people around."

    "Mmmm. Okay." Ram said as he released Francesca from his arms.

    "It''s my turn. I''m going to dance. I need to prep backstage." Francesca said as she bid the two men goodbye.

    "Are you falling for her?" Cedric asked when Francesca was finally out of earshot.

    "No." Ram said coldly. "But, I pity her. She''s been through so much. I didn''t know that the Ri''s didn''t want her entering the entertainment industry in the first ce." Ram said with a sigh.

    "With the way you were treating her earlier, it seemed like the two of you were a real couple." Cedric told Ram.

    "They''ve been like that for weeks." Ericined as he approached.

    "We''re just lucky you can''t parade your rtionship in public. You would be a thousand times worse." Ram said, rolling his eyes at Eric.

    "You still owe me for that hug." Eric red at Ram.

    "You punched me!" Ramined. "Ummm�� Cedric I think your assistants are broken." Ram suddenly said as he pointed at Mae and Dave who were in shock at the exchange they had just heard.

    "Are you his fan?" Cedric asked Mae.

    Mae slowly nodded.

    "You?" Cedric asked Dave.

    "A little, he''s a great actor." Dave confessed.

    "Eric Chan and Ram Abad, these are my two junior assistants, Mae and Dave. Mae and Dave, my friends." Cedric said as he tried to suppress hisughter.

    "Nice to meet you." Eric said as he shook their hands and winked at Mae.

    "Do you really want her toe here and drag you home?" Ian teased.

    "There is someone I can call to drag you home." Eric threatened back.

    "Ian is threatening Eric with his girlfriend, while Eric is threatening Ian with his girlfriend. They''re both being children right now." Ram casually exined.

    "Let''s stay backstage. The employees should be arriving soon." Cedric said as he led the group.

    As they walked by several famous artists from Ram''spany, several of them couldn''t help but run up and ask for a photo with the new CEO of the Reyes Group. Cedric was in a good mood and allowed for the opportunity, he didn''t smile, but rather kept a straight face in all of the photos.

    Ram and Eric joined them in order to prove that it was really the new CEO and not some random guy in a mask.

    After a few minutes Francesca joined them and sat next to Ram. There was a clear tension between them that Cedric could sense but decided to ignore.

    "I didn''t know that the Ri family was against you entering the entertainment industry." Cedric told Francesca as he recalled his conversation with Ram.

    "At the beginning, no. My father and brothers were heavily against it. They believed that it wasn''t a ce for a daughter of the Ri family. They were worried that no proper man would want me if I came from the entertainment industry." Francesca exined with a smile.

    "Interesting." Cedric said with a grin. "And they know that you''re now with the man that basically rules the entertainment industry?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, dad''s quite proud of it." Francesca said with a smile.

    Eric''s phone began to ring and he turned pale at the sight of who was calling.

    "Yes darling?" Eric asked as he picked up the call.

    "Well, it''s for work and I thought Ayanna or Adrianna would have told you." Eric tried to exin.

    "What? No way!" Eric said in a surprised tone.

    "Okay, okay. I''ll see you in a while." Eric said in surrender as he dropped the call.

    "Kat?" Francesca asked.

    "Yes, your friend Kat." Eric sighed. "I didn''t know she had a client on the ind. She said she told me, but I guess I was focused on other stuff to understand what she was saying."

    "What would you be focused on that could make you not listen to�� Oh." Ian wanted tough as he realized what Eric meant. "The two of you are nasty!" Ianined.

    "Says the man who got my sister pregnant." Eric teased as he rolled his eyes.

    "ERIC!" Ian shouted. Mae and Dave had been oblivious as to who Ian''s girlfriend was, all they knew was that she was pregnant.

    "Your girlfriend is Mr. Eric''s sister?" Mae managed to say.

    "Ha, just Eric''s sister, youngdy, haven''t you realized who Eric Chan''s sister actually is?" Ram asked.

    Mae shook her head as she tried to figure out what Ram was saying.

    "Nicole Chan." Cedric said as he couldn''t keep hisughter in any longer.

    "Then, then, the miracle doctor, Miguel Chan is his brother?" Dave asked.

    "He is my younger brother. And hey! I''m a doctor too." Eric proudly said.

    "You''re a doctor?" Dave asked.

    "He is. Don''t ask for details." Cedric said rolling his eyes at Eric.

    "So his girlfriend��." Mae said as she began to think of who could have possibly stolen her idol''s heart.

 Chapter 339 - 339

    "Me." Katerina suddenly said as she stood by the door. She was in a white business suit and high heels, she had obviously juste from a meeting.

    "Kat!" Francesca excitedly said as she saw the young woman by the door. She tried to get up to hug Katerina but Cedric noticed that Ram was holding her down with one arm.??

    "Be gentle Kat, she''s just a kid." Cedric warned as Katerina red at Mae who was still trying to understand what was going on.

    "It''s not her I''m mad at!" Katerina said as she marched over to her boyfriend. Despite being in heels Katerina still wasn''t as tall as Eric so she had to look up when standing in front of him.

    Eric grinned and quickly grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him. He ced a gentle kiss on her lips before pulling her even closer to him.

    "I missed you darling." Eric said as he tried to kiss her on the lips.

    "I don''t kiss guys with make up on." Katerina said as Eric ended up kissing her palm.

    "Ohe one Katerina, we''ve made out multiple times with me in make up." Eric said as his other hand trailed around her body.

    "Can the two of you please get a room?" Cedricined as he watched Eric attempt and fail to seduce Katerina.

    "You''re lucky you have a performanceter." Katerina threatened.

    "If I didn''t would you take me home and��" Eric leaned forward and whispered something to Katerina that clearly annoyed her.

    "Go sleep at your house tonight." Katerina said as she pushed him away and sat next to Francesca.

    "Oh Kat, I missed you so much!" Francesca said as she hugged the other woman.

    "I''m sorry I disappeared on you Francesca. I was in a bad ce." Katerina said with a frown.

    "It''s ok Kat. I understand." Francesca said.

    "Howe she can call you Kat and I can''t." Ericined as he ced Katerina on hisp.

    "Eric Chan you better put me down!" Katerina threatened. She was still mad at him.

    Cedric watched andughed as the couple bickered. He couldn''t help but miss his own wife and son.

    After a few minutes Cedric could hear the hall outside filling with people. The employees of the Reyes Group had arrived for their celebration.

    Ray and Ayanna were outside greeting everyone while Cedric rested before the event.

    "Cedric, Dave and I will head out first." Cami said as she moved to leave and join the rest of the party.

    Cedric nodded and let her go.

    "Has it sunk in yet?" Ram asked Cedric.

    "No, not yet. I still feel like any moment my dad is going to announce that his was some test he came up with to see if I am responsible enough." Cedric said with augh.

    "You do know that among the five of us you''re the best when ites to business?" Ram asked his friend.

    "Don''t underestimate yourself or Ray. I''m inheriting apany that was already built and thriving. You brought life back to Lights Entertainment while Ray built his ownpanies." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "That''s true. But Mor Co. was a small start up when it was handed to you, and don''t forget, Prince Group wouldn''t be sessful at all if you hadn''t purchased Constetions and developed it into what it is today." Ram said with augh. "To be honest, Light''s wouldn''t have thrived if Eric hadn''t entered show business."

    "You would have found someone as talented as Eric." Cedric said.

    "If Eric hadn''t arrived, Francesca''s oldpany, Ver Industries, would have been the top talent agency in the country because of her. Eric just has too much star power topete with." Ram said with augh. "Don''t sell yourself short Cedric. We all know how talented you are, you don''t need to be humble."

    "Cedric, the party will start soon." Ian said, interrupting his conversation with Ram.

    Cedric simply nodded and adjusted his disguise. Tonight he was just going to enjoy with his employees and push away any doubts he had about his position.

    When Cedric entered the hall with Ram and Katerina, the employees stood from their seats and pped for him.

    Cedric smiled behind his mask and nodded at them as he passed.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen, calm down." The host said as Cedric made his way up the stage. "I believe our new CEO has some words for us."

    The employees quickly became quiet as Cedric walked up to the podium and adjusted the mic.

    "Wow, just wow. Isn''t Kashmere amazing?" Cedric asked, to which the employees responded by cheering.

    "Well, you should all thank my brother-inw, Ray, for building such an amazing destination, and for letting the Reyes Groupe here." At that the employees pped for Ray who stood from his seat and thanked them.

    "We are the firstpany to take all of its employees on this ind. I don''t even know if anypany has ever been allowed here." Cedric said as he looked to Ray who was shaking his head. "I hope you are all enjoying your hard earned break."

    Cedric then proceeded to thank everyone for their hard work and the warm wee he had received as the Reyes Group''s new CEO. He promised to do good by them and to give rewards when thepany did well.

    His speech was short and simple. After which he told the employees he had brought several guests for them.

    The employees were shocked when Eric Chan, Fancesca Ri, and a popr boyband came out from backstage.

    "This is a celebration for you as much as it is for me. So please, enjoy the night." Cedric said as he climbed down from the stage and sat on the same table as his sister and friends.

    "You did well." Ayanna told him proudly.

    "They better enjoy themselves while we can, I''m sure that the moment we get back to the capital we will all be swamped with work and missing Kashmere." Cedric said with augh.

    "You wouldn''t be so tired if you didn''t have so many side plots." Ray teased. "Have you even finished getting back at those bullies?" Ray asked.

    "No. I''m building something, but soon." Cedric said with a grin as he watched Eric perform on stage.

 Chapter 340 - 340

    When the employees of the Reyes Group returned from their vacation in Kashmere, thepany productivity doubled, it seemed that a well earned vacation was just the thing that was needed to propel the Reyes Group to new heights.

    "Wow, even if he isn''t in thepany anymore it seems my dad has managed to affect it in a good way." Cedric said with augh as he looked at the numbers a few weeks after the trip.??

    "You have been nning on doing something like this for a while now." Ian reminded Cedric. "You''ve just been too busy to organize it."

    Cedric simply smiled at his friend''spliment and went back to reading several documents that Ian had handed over to him.

    "How''s my schedule today?" Cedric asked as he wrote on the document.

    "Busy as always." Ian said with augh. "Most of your meetings today will be for M Bank, they seem to be encountering some trouble that needs your attention." Ian exined as he looked over Cedric''s schedule.

    "Clear out my schedule from 4pm onwards." Cedric said.

    "Alright. Do you need anything for that time?" Ian asked.

    "Well you cane with me, drag Mae, Dave, and Cami along as well if they want. Ind''s Inc. is having an eventter today and Adrianna will be there." Cedric exined. "I want to support my wife." Cedric said proudly.

    "You want to use my car, don''t you?" Ian asked his friend.

    "Yup." Cedricughed. "Just going there. I can ride with my wife going home." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I better tell Nicole." Ian said with a grin. "She won''t let me off the hook if I knew about Adrianna''s event and didn''t tell her."

    "I''m sure my wife told the sisters. They''ve all be quite close to one another, too close." Cedric said, shaking his head as he thought of what they could be telling his wife.

    "Better safe than sorry." Ian said as he took out his phone and dialed Nicole''s number.

    "Why isn''t your girlfriend''s number saved on your phone?" Cedric asked as he eyed his assistant suspiciously.

    "No one''s number is saved." Ian said with a shrug as he pressed the call button. "It''s my mental exercise." He said with augh.

    "Hey Nic, guess what!" Ian said excitedly.

    "Oh how did you know?" Ian faked a disappointed tone as he winked at Cedric.

    "Of course I''ll be there, he husband is going and he needs my car again." Ian exined.

    "Well, we could be out together in public if you wanted." Ianined. Cedric recalled how Ian was ready to tell everyone about his rtionship with Nicole, but it was Nicole that was hesitating.

    "We can cuddle in the backstage, then continue at home." Ian said in a seductive tone that almost made Cedric spit out the coffee he was drinking. He shook his head and began to wonder if that''s how he sounded when he tried to flirt with his wife.

    "Alright Nic, I''ll see youter. I love you and our little dumpling." Ian said with augh as he dropped the call.

    "And that''s how you do it." Ian boasted.

    "You''ve still had worse fights with Nicole than I had with Adrianna." Cedric said, shaking his head and returning his attention to the documents in front of him.

    "At least my wife has never hopped on a ne with another man!" Ian taunted.

    "At least she''s my wife. Nicole can still run away from you." Cedric answered back leaving Ian speechless.

    "Don''t you have work to do?" Cedric asked as he looked at Ian who was just standing in front of his desk.

    "Soon! Nicole Chan will be Nicole Lim!" Ian boasted.

    "If she takes yourst name." Cedric teased.

    "Are you done signing those yet?" Ian asked, quickly changing the topic.

    "Yes. You can take them." Cedric said as he pushed the stack in front of him towards Ian.

    "Great, Ayanna is your next meeting. She said she''ll meet you with her staff in the boardroom." Ian told Cedric. Cedric simply nodded in reply and got up to put on his disguise.

    Among all of the Reyes Group''s subsidiaries, Elisia Mall was the one that needed the least supervision. Ayanna ran thepany so smoothly that it was rare for her to need her father''s help when he was still in charge.

    With Cedric leading the Reyes Group, Ayanna decided to let him have a more powerful say on how the malls were run as well as on their future projects. She had very ambitious ns for the chain of malls and she badly needed Cedric''s support for them.

    "Brother." Ayanna respectfully greeted when Cedric entered the room with Mae in tow.

    "You may begin." Cedric said. Ayanna nodded to a member of her nning team who began to present the proposal.

    Cedric was initially listening to the presentation, but Ayanna kept kicking him under the table to get his attention.

    "What?" He hissed quietly at her.

    "My sister-inw has an eventter. Am I allowed to go?" Ayanna asked.

    "Why wouldn''t I let you?" Cedric asked as he raised an eyebrow at her.

    "People will talk again." Ayanna reminded him.

    "It''s fine. I''ll be there too." Cedric told her, making Ayanna smile.

    In the end Cedric approved the proposal of Ayanna''s team with some minorments. He trusted his sister, but he was also quite happy that she wanted to run things as big as these by him first.

    The rtionship between siblings had always been the reason why the Reyes Group flourished. There were rarely any members of the family that tried to grab power, they all knew that whoever was at the helm had earned it and was capable of leading both thepany and the family.

    Those that became heads of the Reyes Family on the other hand had always treated everyone fairly. Each member had a role to y and they were ced where it best suited them.

    Cedric made sure to end all of his meetings that day quickly, he didn''t want to bete for Adrianna''s event.

    As the VP for M Bank finished his discussion with Cedric, he was quickly ushered out by Ian. Cedric went to the lounge to change from his business attire to something less formal.

    When Cedric stepped out Ianughed.

    "Are you trying to copy my fashion?" Ian teased as he looked at the clothes Cedric was wearing.

    "It''s still an event. I don''t want to show up in jeans and a hoodie." Cedric said with augh.

    Ian had always favored wearing cks and a long sleeve button down polo to work, and today Cedric had copied his friend''s style, matching is ck pants with a light blue top.

    "Let''s go. We''ll bete." Cedric said as he walked out of his office with Ian and Mae in tow.

 Chapter 341 - 341

    When Cedric, Ian, and Mae arrived at the event venue they quickly spotted Cami and Dave waving at them.

    "How''s Mor Co.?" Ian asked Cami.??

    "You should know! I sent the numbers in this morning!" Cami teased, all the VPs were required to send daily updates to Ian who then reported it to Cedric.

    As a CEO, Cedric was very hands on, he wanted to see all of the trends in case someone missed something. He believed that if more people saw the information, the more chances there was of someone spotting an oddity in the numbers.

    Ian simplyughed at Cami''sment as they walked over to purchase tickets for the event.

    "Five tickets. VIP." Cedric told the woman at the counter.

    The woman eyes Cedric suspiciously for a while, VIP tickets were not sold to just anyone, and by the looks of it Cedric and his group were simple office workers.

    "You do know that I can only sell VIP tickets to M Bank, ck tinum VIP cardholders." The woman at the counter said.

    Cedric heard Dave stifle augh behind him, of course Cedric had a ck tinum VIP card, he did own the bank.

    "Miss do you really think I would ask for those tickets if I weren''t eligible?" Cedric asked as he handed the woman his card.

    "This must be a fake." The woman used as she took the card from him.

    "How could it be a fake? Don''t you know that those cards have such high security that you can''t just copy one!" Dave suddenly said.

    "Know it all." The woman scoffed.

    "Of course we know that. We do work for the Reyes Group." The usually gentle and bubbly Mae said in a harsh tone.

    "Rx, fine. I''ll see if it swipes." The woman took out the terminal and swiped Cedric''s card. She was pretty confident that this card would be rejected, in the country there were only a handful of people that had a card like that, and they most definitely didn''t wear simple office clothes.

    The woman gasped when the transaction pushed through, the VIP Tickets were also worth a small fortune each, making her wonder why such an ordinary looking group of people had this card.

    "You treated us to the tickets?" Cami asked as she moved closer.

    The woman at the counter suddenly thought she understood what was happening, she had seen the news about Cami, she was aware that this woman was the VP for Mor Co., thus making it understandable that she could afford the tickets.

    "Yeah, I paid." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Miss, please sign." The woman at the counter said as she handed the receipt to Cami.

    Cami threw her a puzzled look thenughed. "Girl, that''s not my card." Cami said as she pointed at Cedric.

    "How hard is it for people to ept that that card is mine?" Cedric said with augh as he took the pen and paper from the woman and signed on it.

    The woman, who was still very much confused handed the card pack to Cedric as well as the VIP passes.

    "Where are the seats for these passes located?" Cedric asked, he wanted to be as close to his wife as possible.

    "At section D sir." The woman said.

    "Give me passes to section A." Cedric told her.

    "Section A is reserved for VVIPs." The woman said, there were really only ten purchasable tickets for that area, and she was told to reserve it for important people.

    "You''re too low profile, that''s why this is happened." Ian teased. "Watch." Ian said as he moved closer to the counter.

    "Look, miss. Do you know who I work for and who these tickets are for?" Ian asked in a threatening tone.

    The woman shook her head. She was afraid of offending the now intimidating Ian.

    "We work for the Reyes Group, as a matter of fact we alle from the office of the CEO. Now do you understand?" Ian asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

    The woman panicked. She should have figured out that they were somewhat important, a Vice President was with them. She had, of course, heard and read about the mysterious new CEO of the Reyes Group, everyone knew that he was not to be crossed.

    "Sorry sir. Let me change your passes." She frantically said as she took the passes from Cedric and reced them.

    When everything was set in order, Cedric and his group walked inside the hall.

    Today''s event was a fashion show for the biggest ready to wear clothing lines across the globe. Ind''s Inc., which was now booming under Adrianna, was invited to participate for the first time.

    The event would solidify Ind''s Inc.''s sess and take Adrianna to new heights, meaning she could stand next to Cedric on the same level soon, something Cedric was eagerly waiting for.

    Among the attendees were the who''s who of the fashion and businessworld. There were many CEOs, designers, models, actors, actresses, and socialites mingling in the VIP area.

    Many eyed Cedric''s group suspiciously, just as the woman in the counter had. They however did not say anything as they could be working for someone important.

    Cedric and his group settled into their seats when the heard amotion outside.

    "Wanna bet it''s Eric?" Ian asked Cedric.

    "I don''t need to bet. We both know that only Eric could get that kind of reaction from women." Cedric said with augh.

    "I know one more person who could." Cami teased.

    "Who?" Cedric asked feigning innocence.

    "You. The new hotshot CEO." Ian said with augh.

    "Well, I''m just Cedric today. I am just here to support my wife." Cedric said proudly.

    "Ha! I''m not surprised." Ian said as he elbowed Cedric.

    Cedric turned to see Eric arriving with Ram, Francesca Ri, Katerina, Ayanna, Ray, Nicole, and Katerina.

    "Alexi, Miguel, and Veronica must be busy today." Cedric said as he watched them walk over.

    "Cedric, have you really forgotten?" Ian asked.

    "What?" Cedric said as he threw a puzzled look at Ian.

    "The line for Ind''s Inc. today was a cooperation between Veronica and Henry Hernandez!" Ian reminded him. "Veronica and Miguel are probably backstage."

 Chapter 342 - 342

    "What are you doing here?" A disgusted tone suddenly said from behind Cedric.

    Behind Cedric stood Carlo Juan, one of his bullies from University. The man hadn''t changed from their university days. He was still as good looking and fit as he used to be, and his attitude was just as rotten. He continued to re at Cedric as he observed their group.??

    Carlo was known for being a womanizer, it was no secret that he had married as per his family''s arrangement and he wasn''t happy with his wife. So as a result he had a mistress or two on the side, even with his mistresses it didn''t stop him from sleeping with other women either. At the moment he had a young aspiring model clinging onto his arm, her clothes left very little to the imagination. The girl looked like she was barely out of high school and still a University student,she was probably a new employee or a young actress or model looking for a patron.

    "Isn''t this a public venue?" Cedric asked as he eyed his former bully.

    "Pests like you shouldn''t be allowed here. Who even let you in?" Carlo asked.

    "Be careful of what you say." Cedric threatened.

    "Or what? You''re just the assistant to the Reyes Heir. From what I hear you got that role by peddling Adrianna. Is her child even yours?" Carlo asked as he shoved Cedric backward making Cedric lose his bnce and almost fall over.

    Luckily, Ian was behind Cedric at the time and caught him. Ian red at Carlo, if people didn''t put too much value on Cedric, everyone knew that Ian was the new CEO''s most trusted employee. Ian could open or shut doors for people, add to that the fact that he was born into an old influential family, people did not easily cross him. Despite Ian''s presence Carlo ignored him and continued to belittle Cedric.

    "I never knew that Adrianna was such as whore." Carlo chuckled. "Had I known I would have slept with her back in university. Who knew that the once proud Arianna Hernandez would sleep with a man just for money and power."

    Cedric noticed Ian take a step forward, Adrianna had be a close friend to him as well and he couldn''t stand someone insulting Adrianna either. Cedric also spotted Leon in the crowd reacting to the incident, he didn''t want his identity getting revealed just because someone like Carlo Juan insulted his wife.

    "Calm down." Cedric instructed. Ian could do nothing but follow. Seeing Cedric and Ian calm down, Leon stood down and blended back into the crowd.

    "Ha, so weak." Carlo said as he passed by Cedric, pushing him again.This time Cedric was ready for it, taking Carlo by surprise. This time it was Carlo that lost his bnce and fell on his bottom.

    The woman with him panicked and tried to help him up.

    "Don''t f--king touch me." Carlo cursed at the woman as he stood up. It was already embarrassing that as he shoved Cedric it was he instead that fell, but this woman was making it worse by trying to help him stand, making it seem like he was too weak to get up on his own.

    Carlo''s reaction suddenly changed when he noticed a group of very important people approaching.

    He fixed himself and ran over to introduce himself to Ram and Ray. Carlo Juan ignored the women with them as he believed that only the men had a say in business. Despite all of Ayanna''s contributions people like Carlo still thought that Ayanna was simply a figure head and that she didn''t do anything in thepany at all.

    "Mr. Abad, Mr. Laurence, it''s an honor to meet you!" Carlo said as he walked over, raising his hand to shake thiers. In the past he was afraid to approach Ray and Alexi due to what they had done to him and his friends, but since there was now a mutual benefit he didn''t think that Ray would treat him badly.

    However, the group did not stop and continued to walk, ignoring Carlo Juan. As the group passed him Carlo was red with embarrassment, but he decided not to stop there.

    "Mr. Abad, Mr. Laurence, my family does business with your friend, Mr. Reyes." Carlo called out as he chased after the group.

    Ray suddenly stopped making everyone look at his direction. Cedric eyed him suspiciously as he looked at Carlo Juan.

    "You dare use my brother-inw and ignore my wife?" Ray said angrily, everyone knew that Raymund Laurence was extremely protective of his wife.

    "Sir, I didn''t mean to ignore her. I just meant that we have amon interest." Carlo said as he tried to save himself, he realized that he had made a misstep.

    "Then why not say your family does business with my wife? Do you think she is incapable of doing business?" Ray asked as he red at the man, he had beaten up Carlo and his friends back in university and he was not afraid to do it again.

    "Just apologize." The woman beside him said as she tried to avoid conflict.

    "Do you even do anything in your so-called family business? This woman next to you isn''t even your wife." Ray said, belittling the man.

    "Ray, stop wasting our time." Ayanna called out.

    "You''re lucky my wife is here." Ray said as he turned and left.

    Carlo was so worried about what had happened he quickly rushed to his seat, almost leaving his mistress behind. He was afraid he had offended the Reyes family through Ray, so he called his father to inform him about what had happened.

    At the other end of the hall, Cedric was chatting happily with hispanions when his phone began to ring, it was Paolo Juan, Carlo Juan''s illegitimate brother.

    "Yes Paolo?" Cedric asked as he answered the phone.

    "Sir, my brother just called. It seems that he had a run in with your brother-inw just now." Paolo exined.

    "Don''t worry." Cedric said with a sigh. "I can''t me you for your brother''s actions." Cedric said right before dropping the call.

    "I want to move up with the ns." Cedric told Ian.

    "Which one?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "The bullies." Cedric simply said.

    Ian nodded in reply and made a few calls.

    "Stop making him work." Nicole hissed.

    Cedric knew that Nicole''sment was directed at him. In the past, Ian''s workaholic nature and even her own had be a point of contention between the couple.

    "Calm down Nicole. In a few months he won''t be working for me." Cedric sighed.

    Mae and Dave, were quite surprised. They were having a hard time getting used to Cedric speaking so casually to the likes of Nicole Chan. Even if he was speaking to Nicole as the CEO of the Reyes Group, they wouldn''t have thought that he would talk so casually to the Vice President of Saints Hospital.

    "Could the two of you stop bickering." Ayannained."The show''s about to start." Ayanna pointed out as the lights had begun to dim.

    The show was ready to start over thirty minutes ago, but they were waiting for Eric and his guests to arrive. The organizers were surprised to see two of the five princes as well as some of the sisters in attendance with Eric.

    They had initially sent out an invite to Ayanna, but they had gotten no response from her end.

    "I''ve arranged for it." Ian told Cedric with a nod.

    At the same time the fashion show began.

 Chapter 343 - 343

    That night''s fashion show featured thetest and most popr ready to wear designs andpanies locally and abroad. Cedric watched as the different brands paraded their designs on stage. Many of the models paused as they passed by Ayanna who was sitting in front of Cedric next to Nicole.

    Cedric knew that aside from enjoying the show his sister was actually observing which brands and designs she could bring over to Elisia Malls. She was very hands on with her management style and often picked out the gship stores in each.??

    As the show dragged on it was eventually Ind''s Inc.''s turn. Cedric watched as the models began walking out on the stage, he had heard that Adrianna had chosen a more elegant and sophisticated theme, rather than the usual streetwear that everyone else had favored for this show.

    The models walked out in semi-formal and formal clothes that almost anyone could afford. The audience was surprised by this twist, they had expected more everyday clothes, not something that could be worn to an event or to a party.

    After all the models had walked out Cedric grinned as Henry, Veronica, and Adrianna walked out at the end of the show. Cedric was beaming with pride at his wife.

    "The madam is quite amazing." Mae said as she looked in awe at Adrianna who was walking the runway in one of the designs. She carried it even better than the model that had just walked the runway a few moments ago.

    "My sister is awesome too." Ram boasted when he heard Mae''sment.

    "Of course Veronica is awesome." Nicole said with augh. "She''s my sister-inw after all."

    Before the show ended, Cedric and his group left. He thought it would be best if he surprised his wife by going to Ind''s Inc.''s dressing room before the crowd left the hall.

    The dressing room for the owners and designers of the different brands were separate from the models and it was much more spacious.

    When Cedric and the assistants arrived he was surprised to see that it was only Miguel inside.

    "Is the show over?" Miguel asked Cedric as he looked up from the documents he was studying.

    "Oh wow, the miracle doctor." Mae said as she blushed at the sight of Miguel with his sleeves rolled up.

    "Who are you?" A cold voice asked from behind them.

    "You''re so hot when you''re jealous." Miguel said with a wink as he walked up to Veronica who had just entered the dressing room. He hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her to him.

    Cedric noticed Veronica blush, he simplyughed at the couple as he walked over to a vacant seat and sat.

    "Where''s my wife?" Cedric asked.

    "She''s just checking some of the designs out with Henry." Veronica said as she leaned into her husband''s chest.

    "I see things are much better between the two of you now." Cedric said as he looked at their intimate actions. "Will little Emilio have a ymate soon?" He teased.

    "Hey, my daughter ising soon, she''ll be his ymate first." Ian teased.

    "You don''t even know if your kid is a girl. You keep assuming." Miguel said in a frustrated tone. He had tried time and again to get Ian and Nicole to have the gender checked but the couple kept refusing. They said they wanted it to be a surprise, and it was not secret that Ian was hoping for a daughter.

    "Cedric, you''re here." Adrianna said as she entered the dressing room and ran over to her husband. Cedric had not told Adrianna that he would being to the show so she had simply assumed that he was too busy to attend.

    When she had walked out on stage earlier she almost tripped at the sight of him sitting behind their friends. She had initially wanted to go straight to him after walking on the runway, but she had to attend to some things backstage.

    She was about to go to him when she was pleasantly surprised by Cedric in the dressing room.

    "Let''s go home." Cedric told her as he ced a gentle kiss on her lips.

    Adrianna blushed and nodded.

    Cedric picked up her bags with one hand and held her in the other. They walked out followed by Cedric''s assistants.

    It seemed that Cedric wasn''t having the best luck that day. When they finally made it to the parking lot, Cedric once again bumped into Carlo Juan and his young mistress.

    Carlo grinned at the sight of Cedric and Adrianna. He had wanted to vent out his embarrassment on Cedric the whole time.

    "Adrianna Hernandez." Carlo greeted with a menacing grin as they approached.

    "Do I know you?" Adrianna said, pretending not to recall her husband''s bully and her former suitor.

    "Now, now, don''t be like that Adrianna. We did go to university together." Carlos said. "I used to think you were such a pure and beautiful woman. It seems that money can make you reveal your true colors." Carlo taunted as he blocked their way.

    "Get out of our way." Cedric said in a cold tone. He wasn''t in the mood to deal with the likes of Carlos twice in one day.

    "I''m not talking to you pest." Carlo said as he spat at Cedric''s shoe. "Now Adrianna, if you were so desperate for money, you should have juste to me. Isn''t it so shameful that your husband peddled you to his boss." Carlo said with augh. He genuinely believed that Adrianna was sleeping with the newly minted CEO of the Reyes Group. In his head, Adrianna couldn''t have taken control of Ind''s Inc. if she didn''t have a backer like him.

    "Go away." Adrianna told him coldly.

    "Ashamed of the truth Adrianna?" Carlo said, looking at her.

    "Don''t you dare insult my wife." Cedric threatened.

    Carlo simplyughed at Cedric''s threat. "This is getting boring. You don''t even have the means to be an obstacle to me." Carlo scoffed. "Let''s go to our love den." He told his femalepanion as they turned to leave.

    Cedric was pissed off at Carlo, initially he was willing to hold off his revenge, but that was twice today that Carlo offended him. And twice that Carlo had used Adrianna of being a loose woman.

    Cedric motioned for Ian toe closer.

    "Sir?" Ian asked in a more formal tone. He knew when his friend was mad, and this was one of those moments. Ian made sure to exercise the proper respect.

    "Dig up every dirty detail you can get about Carlo Juan. I want the worst ones all over the news and social media by dinner time." Cedric ordered.

    Ian simply nodded and pulled the other assistants away with him. Cami joined them and left as well. The task Cedric had given wasn''t that difficult, but the deadline he had set required an additional set of hands to help Ian.

 Chapter 344 - 344

    Adrianna was exhausted from her event, she fell asleep on Cedric''s shoulder while Mia drove them home. Cedric ran a finger on her cheek, brushing away a stray strand of hair, he ced a finger on her lips, he wanted so badly to capture it in his own and kiss her.

    "Has it been busy for her?" Cedric asked Mia as he looked at his wife.??

    "There have been some issues in thepany, particrly several members of the Hernandez family trying to get back in." Mia exined.

    "How long has that been going?" Cedric asked. His wife had never mentioned such a dilemma and he had avoided having his people look into her work, he knew his wife wouldn''t appreciate his spying on her.

    "A few months sir." Mia confessed.

    Cedric nodded and took out his phone. He quickly dialed Ray''s number.

    "Ced!" Ray greeted happily. Cedric could hear the shouting of several members of the media calling for his friends to turn around so that they could snap a photo of them.

    "You''re still there?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah. But we''re on our way back to Mountain View. Why''d you call?" Ray asked over the noise.

    "Some Hernandez family members have been bothering my wife. Find out who." Cedric told Ray.

    "Alright." Ray said with augh. "Don''t you want me to go staight to torture?" Ray asked as the background noise quieted, it seemed that he and Ayanna had finally gotten into his car.

    "Not yet. Depends who it is." Cedric was not happy at how the remaining members of the Hernandez family failed to get the message, they were not to approach Adrianna or Ind''s Inc. he thought he was clear on that.

    "I''ll have my men look into it. I''ll have them roughed up as well." Ray said with augh as he dropped the call.

    Cedric shook his head. Ray truly had his own and more brutal way of dealing with things, while Cedric prefered to work behind the scenes Ray preferred something more direct.

    "Have the security detail around Adrianna increased." Cedric told Mia who nodded in response. "I also want some of her personal guards stationed at the entrance of Ind''s Inc. don''t let any of them near her. Is there any other way that they have tried to approach?" Cedric asked.

    "They have tried to speak with Mr. Matthew and Mr. Henry in the past." Mia exined.

    "In public or did they go to Raja Tower?" Cedric had moved the title of the Raja Tower unit to his uncle''s name and provided a separate one to Henry.

    "They tried, but the guards at the building stopped them." Mia exined. "When that failed they cornered Mr. Henry on the street."

    "Provide a bodyguard each, also make sure that the facility that Margaret is in is secured. I don''t want them to use Margaret as leverage in this. She''s been through too much."Despite what Margaret had done, Cedric couldn''t fully me her. She had been so severely affected by her own family throwing her out that it broke her. He only hoped that she could recover soon and return to a normal life.

    When they arrived at Mountain View, Cedric gently nudged his wife. When he noticed that she was very much sound asleep, he picked her up in his arms and carried her inside.

    He was greeted by the sight of the elders all gathered in the living room, ying with little Emilio.

    "She''s tired." Cedric said, referring to his wife.

    "Alright. You guys go and rest. We''ll watch over your son tonight." Prisci Reyes told Cedric with a gentle smile. "I''ll have dinner brought up."

    "Thanks mom." Cedric nodded as he brought Adrianna up to their room.

    Cedric brought Adrianna to the bathroom, gave her a bath, and changed her clothes. The whole time it took all of his strength not to caress and make love with his wife. He knew that if he gave into temptation he would definitely make her so tired that she wouldn''t be able to get up for work the next day.

    Despite all his restraint he couldn''t help but nt a trail of kisses on her neck as he ced his fully dressed wife on the bed. It seemed that his actions had disturbed her sleep, she began to stir making Cedricugh.

    Out of all the things he had done since she fell asleep in the car, it was his kisses that woke her.

    "Are you awake?" Cedric asked to be sure.

    "Mmmm." Adrianna mumbled. "Why did you stop?" She asked as she kept her eyes closed.

    "Are you sure you want me to continue?" Cedricughed. "If I keep this up, one of us won''t be able to make it to work tomorrow." He said seductively into her ear.

    "Fine. I need rest." Adrianna said after thinking about his offer.

    "Adri, are you alright?" Cedric asked as he stroked her hair.

    "Yeah. Just over worked." Adrianna told him. "Hold me?" She asked as she reached out for his hand.

    Cedric obliged and climbed into bed with Adrianna. He pulled her to him as she buried her head in his chest.

    "I''m sorry Carlo insulted you earlier." Cedric said in a sweet tone as hebed his fingers through Adrianna''s hair.

    "We both know what he said isn''t true." Adrianna said with a giggle. "He will just look stupid in the end."

    "A lot of people heard his usations during the show. People that matter in your industry." Cedric said as he lifted Adrianna to face him.

    "Yeah, but the most important is you." Adrianna sat up and kissed him gently.

    Her words stirred something within Cedric. He returned her kiss, full of passion and wanting.

    "Are you in a rush to give Emilio a little sister?" Cedric asked as he nibbled her ear lightly.

    Adrianna moaned as she kissed his neck.

    "Woman, don''t tempt me." Cedric threatened.

    "I''m not doing anything." Adrianna replied in an erotic voice.

    "Remember, you brought this on yourself." Cedric said as his hand wandered around her body.

 Chapter 345 - 345

    WARNING: SEXUAL CONTENT

    "Cedric." Adrianna moaned as Cedric''s hand slipped under her shirt. He cupped a breast as he ced his lips on Adrianna''s own.??

    When their lips parted Cedric looked down and grinned at his wife who was now blushing from her own lust.

    "Don''t me me when you can''t get up tomorrow." Cedric said as he kissed her passionately.

    His hand worked its way to unbutton her top, his fingers, brushing against her skin gently, making Adrianna moan.

    "I miss you in me." Adrianna whispered to her husband.

    "You''ve been busy Adri." Cedric said as he stripped herpletely of her top. He hadn''t ced a bra on her when he dressed her up, her breasts were now in his view as he lowered his head to put a nipple in his mouth, biting it gently.

    "Ughhh�� Ced��" Adrianna called out as her body reacted to Cedric''s erotic actions.

    "Do you want something Adri?" Cedric asked as he slid his hand between her legs, he could feel her wetness through the fabric of her pants. It turned him even more, but he wanted her to ask for it, to beg for it.

    "No, nothing." Adrianna said, as she yed their game. Cedric kissed her t stomach making sure to leave a mark.

    "Are you sure Adri?" Cedric asked as he began to pull off her pants.

    "Ced��" Adrianna moaned, unable to find the proper words.

    "We haven''t done this in a while." Cedricined as Adrianna''s pants were thrown to the floor. "You smell so good Adri." Cedric said as he lowered himself between her legs.

    "Ced��." Adrianna called out again as she felt Cedric''s warm breath against her most treasured area.

    Cedric ran a finger by the insides of her high, making Adrianna cry out in pleasure. "Cedric!" She shouted.

    "I''m so happy our rooms are sound proof." Cedric said with augh as he kissed the inside of her thighs.

    "Mmmm�� more." Adrianna begged as Cedric stopped right before her panties.

    "All mine." Cedric said as he pulled the flimsy cloth off of his wife. He was greeted by her warm entrance that was wet with desire.

    Her licked it gently making Adrianna cry out in pleasure. They enjoyed this game, tempting each other till one of them gave in.

    Cedric focused on her bud licking it and nipping it gently.

    "Delicious." Cedric moaned as the vibrations from his mouth provided Adrianna with a different sensation.

    As he continued to taste her juices Cedric ced a finger into her opening, surprising Adrianna.

    "Ced!" Adrianna called out as she grabbed a handful of his hair, pulling it gently with pleasure.

    Cedric smiled and added another finger, causing his wife to moan in pleasure.

    "More." Adrianna begged.

    Cedric began thrusting his fingers faster as he continued to taste her juices as they spilled out. Soon a wave of pleasure overcame her making her spill more into her husband''s ready mouth.

    Cedric moved from in between her legs, he ced his fingers in her mouth, making her taste her own pleasure.

    "Taste yourself Adri." Cedric said as he moved to kiss her, pushing his tongue into her mouth, letting her taste her own saltiness.

    "Now, taste me." Cedric whispered as he made his wife kneel on the ground and pulled of his pants releasing his staff in its full glory.

    "Do you see what you do to me Adri?" Cedric asked as he brought her face closer to him.

    Adrianna began licking up and down his manhood, sucking at the tip. Cedric groaned in pleasure as he grabbed a fistful of her hair.

    "Put it in." Cedricmanded. Adrianna did as he asked and ced him in her mouth, sucking and licking.

    Cedric controlled the pace as he guided her head to move at the speed he wanted. He felt as he reached her throat. Adrianna moaned on him, sending Cedric into ecstasy.

    "Not yet." Cedric hissed as he felt himself nearing his climax. He helped her up and kissed her passionately, he pushed her against the wall and grabbed her breasts. He yed with one of her buds with his fingers, rolling it and pinching it.

    "I want everyone to know you''re mine and mine alone." Cedric hissed as he sucked on her neck, making sure to leave a mark.

    "Yes, yours." Adrianna responded in a seductive voice. Cedric could feel her wetness as he rubbed against her opening, she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

    Cedric lifted a leg on his hip, allowing him easier ess to Adrianna''s entrance.

    He rubbed himself against her.

    "Please�� Cedric please��" Adrianna begged as she felt him.

    "Maybe not yet." Cedric said as he continued to wet himself with her juices.

    "Cedric, honey. Please." Adrianna begged.

    Cedric continued to tease her as he kissed her passionately against the wall.

    "Cedric please, inside me." Adrianna cried out as she begged for him.

    Cedric smiled and entered her in one fast and aggressive motion. Adrianna cried out in pleasure as she felt her husband enter her.

    "So good." Cedric whispered into her ear. "So warm." He could feel her pulling him in, pulling him deeper inside her with every thrust.

    As he thrust inside her Adrianna''s breast bounced on him, turning Cedric on even more, making him desire to spill his seed in her even more.

    "Cedric!" Adrianna called out as Cedric quickened his pace. He lifted her, making Adrianna wrap her arms and legs around him as he continued to pleasure her with his manhood.

    "I''m so close Adri!" Cedric called out.

    "Faster!" Adrianna moaned in pleasure.

    Cedric threw her on the bed kissing her as he continued to thrust into her, he could feel himself hitting her womb. He knew she was near, he felt her fingers dig into his back, he knew it would leave a mark.

    "Cedric!" Adrianna called out as she mped down onto him spilling her juices.

    "That''s it Adri." Cedric whispered into her ear as he continued to move into her. He knew she was sensitive now so he picked up the pace, moving in and out of her faster as hevished her body with gentle kisses, leaving marks all over her.

    Soon he felt his pleasure building as he spilled his seed into her. He made sure that her opening took in every single drop of his seed before finally pulling it out of her.

    He gently kissed his wife on the cheek.

    "You''re amazing." He whispered to her. "Your body is amazing." Cedric said as a free hand explored her body once more.

    He lifted her andid her gently on the bed and continued to kiss her lips, biting it yfully.

    He felt Adrianna''s hand exploring his body, from his chest, to his now existent abs, eventually it found his manhood, stroking it gently.

    "Mmmm�� Someone wants more." Adrianna said as she felt him stiffening against her hold.

    Cedric suddenly brought his hand in between her legs, he was happy to find that she was ready for another round as well.

    "Don''t forget you wanted this Adrianna." Cedric said as he looked in her eyes, he was filled with lust for her.

    He didn''t bother with the forey this time as he climbed up on her and entered her quickly.

 Chapter 346 - 346

    Cedric woke up to his wife''s rm. He moved Adrianna off his chest as the naked woman pulled the nkets closer to her. Cedricughed and nted a kiss on her lips. He knew that Adrianna wouldn''t be able to get up anytime soon because of theirte night activities. So he switched off her phone and got off the bed to ready himself for work.

    When he joined the rest of the family for breakfast he told the maids not to bother Adrianna, he told them to let her rest.??

    As he told the maids this, Miguel was passing and grinned at his friend.

    "Don''t look at me like that." Cedric said, rolling his eyes. "How many times has your wife gone to workte just this month?"

    "A few." Miguel responded with a shrug.

    "You discover sex and now you have it all the time, don''t give me that look." Cedric said with augh as he picked his things up and walked to the car waiting outside.

    When Cedric arrived at the office he didn''t need to put on his disguise since he would be taking the CEO''s elevator to his office and everyone on that floor was aware of his identity.

    The assistants made it a point not to book any meetings on the executive''s floor in the morning so that Cedric coulde without a disguise.

    "What does today look like?" Cedric asked as he sat behind his desk and started up hisptop.

    Ian and Mae followed him inside. Since his father had retired, Cedric had given Marco a few weeks off and today was his first day back.

    "A few meetings in the morning. Then you have lunch with the siblings." Ian informed Cedric. The siblings Ian was referring to were the illegitimate siblings of Cedric''s bullies.

    "Where?" Cedric asked.

    "Constetions. I informed the general manager already and your private room has already been prepared." Ian said.

    "Good. And what about the thing I asked you to dost night?" Cedric asked. He had been too busy with Adrianna to check if Ian had sessfully executed his orders.

    Mae handed Cedric a tablet.

    Cedric saw that Carlo Juan''s scandal was now the top trending piece of news on social media. Ian and the other assistants not only posted about his many mistresses, but his drug addiction as well. It also seemed like Carlo had dug himself into arge amount of debt from drugs and gambling.

    "His father didn''t bail him out?" Cedric asked as he continued to read through the news and the variousments online.

    "No. Mr. Artemio Juan has remained silent on the matter. Theirpany also is yet to release a statement on this." Mae told Cedric.

    "Get Artemio and Paolo on the phone. I want them to do something." Cedric told Mae as he continued to read through the public''s opinion on thetest scandal.

    Mae stepped aside and dialed a number.

    "Any news from Damien?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "None yet." Ian said, shaking his head. Ian knew that Cedric wanted to get to the bottom of the corruption issue in the police. He needed to find out who was truly behind Jam''s killing and why they had done that.

    "Okay. Let''s just wait for him toe to us." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Sir." Mae said as she handed the phone over to Cedric.

    Cedric took it and ced it on his desk, turning it into speaker mode.

    "Mr. Juan and Mr. Juan." Cedric greeted in an intimidating tone.

    "Mr. Reyes." The father and son greeted together.

    "Have you read the newstely?" Cedric asked with a grin.

    "Sir, I did not know my son was involved with drugs or with gambling. We also don''t know who released that news." Artemio Juan quickly said as he attempted to defend himself.

    "I know you didn''t, and it was me." Cedric confessed. "Your son insulted my wife twicest night." Cedric told them

    "Sir, I apologize." Artemio said.

    "Release a statement informing the public that his issues have nothing to do with you and that you will not pay a cent of his debt." Cedric ordered.

    "Sir, but the loan sharks wille after him, and the police will arrest him." Artemio was clearly still concerned about his legitimate son.

    "Mr. Artemio, I don''t think you understand who you are talking to." Cedric said in a stern tone.

    "Sir, I didn''t mean to offend you." Aremio Juan said in a shaky tone. He knew there would be consequences for going against Cedric.

    "Release the statement by lunch today." Cedric ordered.

    "Yes sir." Artemio Juan said, changing his decision.

    "Paolo, I expect this to be in the news by the time I meet you for lunch." Cedric said, telling Paolo to keep an eye on his father''s action.

    "Yes sir." Paolo said respectfully.

    "If you fail to do as I ask, I will forcefully take yourpany from you and hand it over to someone more deserving." Cedric threatened.

    "We won''t fail you." Artemio said.

    "Good." Cedric said, dropping the call.

    "This will cause a stir." Ian told Cedric.

    "The louder, the better." Cedric grinned.

    After going through everything Cedric needed for the day Ian and Mae left his office.

    Cedric''s morning was incredibly busy, there were many things in the Reyes Group that needed his attention, as well as a lot of documents that required his signature. By the time lunch rolled by Cedric was exhausted.

    "The statement is out." Ian announced as he handed Cedric a tablet.

    As promised Artemio Juan had released both a personal and corporate statement saying that he wouldn''t be responsible for the mess his son had created. He added that if Carlo was unable to perform at the standard he required he would be passing thepany to someone other than his legitimate son.

    Cedric smiled as he scrolled through the statement and read thements. People were shocked at what Artemio had said. Carlo was his only child with his wife, people began to specte on who would be inheriting thepany.

    "Tell Ram to send photographers to Constetions. I want their arrival to be captured. Let the bullies begin to shake in fear." Cedric ordered.

    "Do you want them to capture an image of you arriving to meet them?" Ian asked.

    Cedric paused to think about the implications.

    "Do it." Cedric finally said with a nod.

 Chapter 347 - 347

    Ian sat at the front seat as he monitored the situation at Constetions. As Cedric had ordered, Ram sent several reporters to the area and they even spread the news to others that something important was going to happen at Constetionster that day at lunch.

    Due to the attention Cedric had intentionally drawn to the situation, a crowd had already gathered as Artemio and Paolo arrived. The security team of Constetions had set up a path for their guests to pass to avoid that press.??

    "The photographers have begun to post photos. Ram is overly efficient." Ian told Cedric who was resting in the back seat.

    "Anyments?" Cedric asked. He kept his eyes closed as he asked Ian for updates.

    "Of course people are specting. The top rumor is that Juan holdings will be inherited by someone who is not from the family." Ian said with augh. "Although a lot of people are saying that it''s a simple lunch, it could be any meeting."

    "The others?" Cedric asked.

    "It seems they arrived ahead of Artemio and Paolo, so they escaped spection." Ian exined as he reviewed the reports sent by their people at Constetions. Earlier on that day Cedric had installed people to watch over the

    "Is everything set for our arrival?" Cedric asked as he saw the Constetions building.

    "Yes." Ian said with a nod.

    As Cedric''s Rolls Royce Ghost approached the members of the media were thrown into a frenzy. This was the first time they would be seeing the new head of the Reyes family since the press conference announcing his appointment.

    "Ready?" Ian asked Cedric as the car slowed to a stop.

    Cedric simply nodded.

    Ian stepped out and opened the door.

    Cedric watched as the cameras shed. He stepped out to hear reporters shouting question at him.

    "Mr. Reyes, Mr. Reyes, how were your first days in office?" A reporter asked.

    "Mr. Reyes, is it true that all the employees of the Reyes Group were treated to a trip at Kashmere?" Another reporter shouted over the crowd.

    "Mr. Reyes, what are your ns for the Reyes group in the future?" To Cedric it seemed everyone was interested in what he was doing.

    "Mr. Reyes, why are you at Constetions? Are you here to meet Mr. Juan, we heard that you have an active business partnership with them." A reporter finally asked.

    Cedric grinned under his disguise. He stopped to face the reporter that had thrown the question at him.

    "Yes. I''m here to have lunch with Mr. Juan and several other business partners." Cedric confirmed as he turned and continued to walk towards the entrance of Constetions.

    Inside, Cedric''s bodyguards had cleared a path for him towards his private room at the second floor restaurant.

    "Brilliant." Ian said with augh as hemented on Cedric''s response to one reporter.

    Cedric had only answered one question in order to capture everyone''s attention. He wanted people to focus on the fact that Artemio Juan had brought someone other than his son to meet with the CEO of the Reyes Group.

    Inside the private room Cedric''s guests stood as he entered.

    Cedric waved at them telling them to sit.

    "Mr. Reyes, I did as you asked." Artemio Juan said as Cedric sat.

    "Good." Cedric said simply.

    "I called you all here for a different reason. What happened to the Juans is only the beginning." Cedric started to say as he observed everyone''s reaction. "I want you to slowly announce the shift in inheritance." Cedric announced.

    "Sir?" David Von asked, surprised with Cedric''s deration. They had expected that it would take years before Cedric asked for the shift in power.

    "I will give more projects to yourpany, but in return, you must all announce that your sons will no longer inherit thepany and that you have chosen a new and more deserving heir in their ce." Cedric exined.

    "Our sons will retaliate!" Ernesto Garcia said in surprise.

    "What can your son do to you?" Cedric asked.

    "He knows most of the dirt on me and mypany." Ernesto Garcia exined. His son Kevin, might not have been as active inpany matters, but he made it a point to know about all of the dirt.

    "I''ll deal with him." Cedric said, assuring the older man. "Any other doubts or fears?" Cedric asked.

    "Won''t the media look into my rtionship with my father?" Paolo Juan asked.

    "I will make sure that the media doesn''t find anything out. I just need you to stir things up." Cedric promised. "The fact that you are your father''s son will onlye out when I want to to be revealed to the public."

    "Thank you sir." Paolo said with a nod.

    "Now, on the projects, Ian is here with all the details you might need." Cedric said as he called Ian over.

    Ian handed a tablet to each of the children, who were shocked at the projects Cedric had given.

    Cedric had asked Ian to look for thergest and most profitable partnerships. He wanted these projects to be given, he wanted to send a message and this was the clearest way to send it.

    "I am giving you preference." Cedric exined. "These projects are highly sought after, even my friends have asked for these, but I have chosen to give these to you for the sake of my sister and of our ns."

    "Thank you sir." Tricia Sanchez said respectfully.

    "Do not waste this opportunity." Cedric said as he stood to take his leave.

    When Cedric exited Constetions again, the members of the press waiting were surprised, it was only moments ago that Cedric had entered the hotel, now he was walking out.

    They all rushed to take photos of him leaving. Unfortunately for them Cedric''s bodyguards were quick to usher the Reyes Group CEO into his car.

    "Have they released the photos?" Cedric asked as Ian''s door mmed shut.

    "Yes." Ian said as he scrolled through social media.

    "I want you to keep an eye on this." Cedric ordered as his car pulled away from the hotel.

 Chapter 348 - 348

    By the time Cedric and Ian had returned to R Tower the inte was already full of spection on why Mr. Juan and an employee met up with the head of the Reyes Group.

    "Have they released the statement?" Cedric asked Ian as he looked out of his office windows.??

    "Not yet. But, I think they will in a few minutes." Ian informed Cedric as he arranged several documents on Cedric''s desk.

    "Good." Cedric said with a nod. "Let''s go to my next meeting first." Cedric announced as they moved from his office to the boardroom. Today would be the first time Cami would present Mor Co.''s future ns.

    All of the department heads of Mor Co. were nervous, in the past Cedric guided them closely on what to do and what next steps to take. After he took on the role as the head of the Reyes Group they were let off their leash and allowed to do as they saw fit before presenting their ns and ideas to Cedric.

    Cedric drummed his fingers on the table as he listened to them present, he maintained his frost demeanor despite being proud of what they were presenting to him. It seemed that they had grown from the time Cedric had first arrived up to the time he left to take on a much bigger role.

    "Leave." Cedric said as they finished their presentation. "I want to speak to VP Montero."

    All the department heads suddenly became nervous as they did as Cedric said. When it was just Cedric, Cami, Ian, and Dave left in the room Cedric finally let out a smile.

    "I''m proud of where Mor Co. is headed." Cedric said with a grin. He was proud of his firstpany reaching such heights.

    "Well, no one would be at this level if it weren''t for you." Cami said with a grateful smile. She too had been nervous that Cedric didn''t like their proposals. The team had worked night and day for today''s presentation, and if Cedric didn''t like it, all of their efforts would simply go to waste.

    "All of Mor Co.''s employees were good from the start. My dad made sure to put some of the most difficult requirements in ce since thepany''s founding. We just didn''t base it on the traditional metrics like grades and the name of your university." Cedric said with a shrug. He had noticed the unique requirements for Mor Co. when he had first applied to be an assistant. The exams were different and questions seemed to dig deeper than he was used to.

    "So everything we presented is approved?" Cami asked.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "How is your hunt for an assistant? I need Dave here in R Tower soon. Mae will not be able to handle everything when Ian leaves." Cedric asked Cami.

    "We have some promising candidates, I n to choose one by next week and return Dave to you a month after that." Cami promised.

    "Good, now go back to Mor Co. and share the good news." Cedric said with a grin as he stood up and left, followed by Ian close behind.

    "The statements are out." Ian informed Cedric as they walked back to his office.

    "Any reactions yet?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "A lot." Ian said as he scrolled through the various social media tforms. "The market is reacting too. The stock prices for thosepanies are now rising and it seems it has had an indirect effect on the Reyes Group. Our prices are also going up due to a new found confidence of investors in your management style."

    "Help them sustain this. I want it kept up till the next phase." Cedric instructed as he entered his office.

    A week passed and the momentum stayed the same, it seemed that the less power his bullies were given in apany, the higher their father''spany value rose.

    Ian was reporting their progress to Cedric, when Mae knocked and announced the Capt. Damien had arrived and wanted to speak to the CEO.

    "I''ll see him. Give me a few minutes." Cedric told Mae as he moved to change into his disguise.

    "It''s been awhile since Damien approached us with news. I hope he found something good." Ian told Cedric as he gathered some documents from Cedric''s desk.

    "Let''s hear what he has to say. Bring him in when youe back from taking those documents out." Cedric ordered as he did somest adjustments to his disguise.

    Ian nodded and left. After a few minutes he returned with Capt. Damien in tow.

    "Capt. Damien." Cedric greeted as he shook the man''s hand.

    "Mr. Reyes. Thank you for seeing me, and congrattions." Capt. Damien said with a nod.

    "You have an update?" Cedric asked as he motioned for the officer to sit.

    "Yes. I''ve found out how far the conspiracy within the police force runs, as well as who has been sending them money." Capt. Damien announced.

    "Who?'' Cedric asked as he leaned forward.

    "From what I have discovered, it reaches even some high ranking officials but not all. And the man who has been sending them their monthly pay is a certain Mr. Cruz, I believe it is the same man that was running the loan shark operation." Capt. Damien said.

    At the mention of a Mr. Cruz, Cedric and Ian looked at each other, the coincidence was just too much.

    "Capt. Damien, are you sure about this?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. They seem to be the same Mr. Cruz. Unfortunately, beyond who he is and his involvement with MT Summit there is very little information that I can dig up." Capt. Damien said with a frown.

    "Luckily, we have more information." Ian told his friend as he crossed his arms.

    "I had someone more capable look into it." Cedric exined.

    "The King of the Underworld?" Capt. Damien asked. The police force had been trying for years to identify the man that led the underground business in the country, but they couldn''t even catch a glimpse of his true face, he was always at least five steps ahead of them.

    "The man''s son had a connection to me." Cedric exined. "Ian, set up the bait we nned. I want this investigated thoroughly."

 Chapter 349 - 349

    As Cedric had ordered, Ian and Cami began reaching out to Anton''spany for a partnership. Capt. Damien on the other hand decided to continue to listen in on what was happening in the police force.

    "It seems today is full of plots." Ianmented as he handed Cedric a copy of his schedule. He and Cami would have lunch with Anton and Lorisa, Mor Co. had chosen Anton''spany as one of their contractors and the businessman wanted to treat them to lunch.??

    Normally Cedric would not agree to this, but he needed to extract information from Anton, and he was hoping that Anton would say something he shouldn''t while trying to win the favor of the Reyes Group''s CEO.

    In the evening he had a dinner nned with the fathers of his bullies as well as their illegitimate children. Cedric wanted them to finally make a move and announce the change.

    "Make sure everything goes as nned." Cedric said as he handed Ian back the tablet with his schedule.

    The public hade to realize that Constetions Resort was a favorite of the new Reyes Group CEO. Many thought it was a metaphor, Maharlika Hotel, where his father had often set up meetings, symbolized the old men of the industry, while Constetions, the new and vibrant hotel symbolized the youths finally taking their ce in society.

    When Cedric first heard the theory he couldn''t help butugh. The only reason he preferred Constetions was because he owned a part of it and had his own room to conduct business meetings.

    When he and Cami arrived for lunch with Anton and Lorisa the couple greeted them respectfully, a far cry from how they treated Cedric when they encountered him unmasked.

    "Mr. Reyes seems like such an outstanding man." Lorisa praised, as they waited for their food.

    Cedric simply nodded acknowledging her statement. He didn''t want to seem too of character by socializing with them. People knew that the new CEO of the Reyes Group was cold and distant to others. It was this very characteristic that made so many women chase after him, they liked the frosty demeanour and the face shrouded in mystery.

    "Thank you for allowing us to treat you to lunch Mr. Reyes." Anton Cruz said, his tone full of respect and admiration.

    "I hope you understand that my boss is incredibly busy and rarely meets his business partners after a deal has been closed." Cami said, reminding Anton and Lorisa how important their meeting was.

    "Oh, yes, yes, we are very thankful and very fortunate." Anton Cruz said as he vigorously nodded his head, annoying Cedric.

    "Mr. Cruz, are there any otherpanies that you wish to rmend for us to partner with?" Cedric asked.

    "At the moment, none sir." Anton said as he thought of how he could use this opportunity to his advantage.

    "Anton, babe, why not dad''spany?" Lorisa asked.

    "My dad''s?" Anton asked as he tried to recall if there was anything his father needed.

    "Yes babe." Lorisa said as she urged her husband.

    "Whatpany is this, does your family own it?" Cami asked.

    "Well, my dad wasn''t born rich, as a matter of fact he was born poor, and until now he works as a messenger for apany. I keep asking him to resign but he refuses, I don''t know how a big partnership like this could help my dad''s position in his office." Anton exined. He was clearly unsatisfied with his wife bringing the matter up. In Cedric''s observation it seemed that he was ashamed of his father''s humble beginnings.

    "Anton, don''t you remember the conversation with dad? He said that he was being asked to work on a big project rted to the Reyes Group. If he manages to close that, they will let him retire in peace." Lorisa exined to Anton.

    "Lorisa, you must have misheard." Anton scolded his wife.

    "Whatpany is it? If there is a pending partnership, we can help speed it along." Cami told Anton. "I''m sure my boss won''t mind, he is very much satisfied in our partnership."

    "MT Summit. It''s a smallpany. You don''t need to look into it. I would need to speak to my father first." Anton said as their food began to arrive.

    Cedric eyed the couple suspiciously, it seemed that Lorisa wanted to push Anton to help his father, while Anton was trying to either hide something or use the opportunity to gain favor with the Reyes group in another way.

    "Very well, you know how to contact us if your father needs help with the matter." Cami finally said letting the topic go. "It won''t be a problem for us to push a project along."

    "Mr. Reyes, won''t you eat?" Lorisa asked as she noticed that the waiter had not served any food to Cedric.

    Cedric grinned under his disguise, it seemed that they were hoping to learn the Reyes Heir''s true identity over lunch. There was no chance of that happening, he still had many ns for them, and if Anton or his father was involved in any of the recent plots his identity as Cedric Reyes was what could keep him safe in the long run.

    "Miss Lorisa, eating would mean I would have to take off my mask. My privacy is more important than a meal." The CEO''s answer stunned Anton and Lorisa, they had assumed that since he had epted their invitation to lunch he would also eventually show his true face to them.

    "My boss is a very private man Miss Lorisa. I suggest you don''t push him." Cami said right before taking a sip of her soup.

    Lorisa was clearly embarrassed by the fact that she had assumed that they were of importance to the Reyes Group. They forgot that they were simply business partners, nothing more, and in one sentence the CEO of the Reyes Group managed to shame her.

    The rest of the meal was eaten in silence, with Ian asionally entering the room showing Cedric some files or asking him to sign some things.

    When everyone was done eating Lorisa and Anton didn''t know what to do next they just sat looking at each other as the CEO signed some documents Ian had just brought in. Cami on the other hand was responding to some messages on her phone.

    "Mr. Anton, my boss and I are serious about helping your father''spany." Cami suddenly said after a long awkward silence.

    "Yes, I will inform you as soon as I can." Anton Cruz said with a nod. "Shall I get the bill?" Anton asked. He had, after all, invited them over for lunch in order to thank them for the partnership.

    "No need. My boss has already settled the bill." Cami said as Cedric stood and left.

    "Till next time Mr. Cruz." Cedric told his guest as he left, leaving the couple and Cami in the private room alone.

    Anton and Lorisa were left stunned at what had just happened. They didn''t know whether to take it as a good thing or a bad thing.

    "My boss is odd." Cami suddenly said. "People don''t know this, but he is quite entric. Everyone thinks he''s some hot mysterious CEO, but in reality he''s just an oddball."

    "Miss Cami, I don''t think it''s appropriate for you to say these things." Lorisa said.

 Chapter 350 - 350

    "Miss Lorisa, I believe I can. I am sure that both you and your husband will be close allies of mine." Cami said cockily.

    "We aren''t sure we understand what''s happening." Anton Cruz said as he calmly eyed Cami. He knew to be wary, there was a chance that Cami was either tricking them or she was truly after her own gain.??

    "I didn''t be the VP of Mor Co. by ying nice." Cami said as she leaned back on her seat.

    A waiter soon came in with several wine sses and a bottle. He poured one for each of them and left.

    "This bottle is one of the most expensive in Constetion Resorts'' cer. I am sharing it with you." Cami said as she took a ss and drank.

    Anton and Lorisa looked at each other, Anton nodded to his wife and took a ss. Lorisa moved and did the same.

    "Miss Cami, please speak to us inly." Anton told the female VP.

    "I can guarantee you almost every major project of Mor Co." Cami said with a grin.

    Anton and Lorisa were quickly drawn in by Cami''s statement.

    After leaving his private room Cedric didn''t go back to R Tower, instead he headed up to the presidential suite of Constetions Resort to change. He was going from the cold and powerful Reyes Group CEO, to just Cedric Reyes.

    He was hoping that he could listen in on a conversation between Lorisa and Anton while they waited for their driver at the lobby. He needed to move fast since they would soon be heading down after Cami spoke to them.

    Cedric observed himself in the mirror, he was wearing ordinary office attire, a light blue long sleeved polo and a tie. When he was satisfied that his look was as ordinary as possible, he sent a message to Cami informing her that he was on the way down.

    By the time Cedric arrived at the lobby he had to wait a few minutes before he finally saw the couple arriving from the second floor restaurant.

    Cedric kept his head down as he approached the couple who was speaking to one another.

    "Do you think Miss Cami was serious?'' Lorisa asked her husband in a low voice.

    Cedric was now directly behind them, he kept his head down so that they wouldn''t notice him.

    "I think she is." Anton told Lorisa. "I also think she is being honest. To have someone like Miss Cami on our side will help us a lot." Anton added.

    "Yeah, imagine all of Mor Co.''s projects and potentially some from the Reyes Group? We would be one of thergest construction firms in the country at that rate!" Lorisa eximed.

    "I didn''t think that the Reyes Group would have so manyplicated issues inside. But then again, I think they just hide things well." Anton said. "I bet the siblings themselves don''t get along, and that happy image of Miss Ayanna and the CEO getting along with no inheritance issues, I''m sure there is some strife there."

    Cedric wanted tough at Anton''s theory, the Reyes Family rarely had inheritance issues, but at the same time he wanted to punch Anton for thinking that his sister and he didn''t get along.

    "That''s true." Lorisa said agreeing with her husband.

    "Lorisa, how dare you bring up my father without my consent." Anton''s tone suddenly turned dark as Cedric noticed him grabbing Lorisa by the wrist.

    "I only thought of your poor father. We can help him." Lorisa said in a helpless tone.

    "My father chose his path. Associating ourselves with him will only make things worse." Anton told his wife in a low voice. "Why can''t you learn to follow what I say Lorisa?"

    "He is still your father Anton, and we will benefit if his n works out." Lorisa cried out as Cedric noticed Anton''s grip tightening on her arm. As much as he disliked Lorisa, he couldn''t stand a man that would hurt a woman, especially someone he imed to love.

    "When we get home I will punish you for what you did." Anton told his wife.

    Cedric noticed as Anton looked up to see their driver approaching. He quickly walked up to them and bumped into Lorisa, making sure to drop the listening device into a small pocket in her bag.

    "What the-?!" Lorisa shouted as she almost lost her bnce.

    Anton quickly held his wife, keeping her upright.

    "Watch where you''re walking." Anton said coldly as he looked at the man that had bumped into him and Lorisa.

    When he noticed it was Cedric, he grinned.

    "It''s you." Lorisa suddenly said. "Why do you keep showing up in our life!?" Lorisained.

    "Do you own this ce? You can''t control whoes here." Cedric told Lorisa.

    "Anton, babe, maybe we could ask the CEO to get rid of him?" Lorisa asked her husband lovingly as she pressed her breast on to his arms.

    "What CEO?" Cedric asked, feigning ignorance. Of course he knew exactly who Lorisa was referring to.

    "You poor scum." Lorisa said with augh. "Aren''t you his assistant, don''t you know that we just came from a lunch meeting with your boss to thank him for giving us a project." Lorisa boasted.

    "That''s a lie." Cedric said with a re. "He never goes out with business partners, only those that he deems to be extremely important." Cedric wanted the couple to think that they ranked among those people, the cockier they got, the more likely they were to slip and make a mistake.

    "That''s how important we are to him." Anton said. "I''ll give him a call when we get home, I''m sure he would fire a measly employee for us."

    Anton pulled Lorisa away and they walked into their car. Cedric grinned happily as he sessfully aplished what he hade to do.

    He took out his phone and dialed Leon''s number.

    "Are you getting a clear audio?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, sir." Leon said as he listened in on the conversation.

    Cedric had initially nned for someone else to nt the bug on Lorisa or Anton, but he realized that they would be less suspicious if they bumped into him as they had in the past. Cedric was d with the sudden change, it even allowed Leon to make sure that all the features of the bug were working.

    "Record all their conversations, I''ve seen Lorisa use that bag often so I''m sure that it will capture some interesting pieces of information." Cedric told Leon as he dropped the call and made his way back up to the presidential suite to change.

 Chapter 351 - 351

    To avoid suspicion Cedric got off the elevator at a lower floor before finally taking the stairs. He had asked Leon to turn off all the cameras in the top five floors of Constetion Resorts in order to avoid any evidence of his identity from surfacing.

    As he entered the fire exit stairs he heard muffled voices. He wouldn''t normally listen in, but something caught his attention. A female voice calling out Ian''s name. He knew that it could be any other Ian, but he was curious and the voices wereing from the direction he was headed so he silently made his way up a few more flights of stairs until he could finally hear the people more clearly.??

    "Ian." A female voice called out.

    "Jas." Cedric heard Ian say.

    "Please, Ian." To Cedric it seemed that the woman''s voice he had heard was Ian''s childhood friend, Jasmine Ortega. She was not just a childhood friend, but an ex-girlfriend as well, so Cedric catching Jas and Ian in the stairwell talking in whispers and calling out each other''s names made Cedric suspicious.

    "No, Jas." Ian suddenly said in a stern tone.

    "But Ian, you need to help me with this, you promised. You promised to always be there for me." Jas begged.

    Cedric breathed a sigh of relief as it seemed that Jas and Ian were not doing what he had initially suspected.

    "Jas, what you want me to do is impossible." Ian told Jas as Cedric heard the woman sobbing.

    "Jas, don''t cry, you know Damien and I can''t stand it when you cry." Ian said with a sigh.

    "Ian, you know how important he is to me. He is my cousin. You have to save him." Jas begged.

    "Jas, he has hurt people, I can''t save him. Plus it''s not me you should beg, go beg my boss." Ian told Jas coldly.

    "My cousin will be ruined. His father isn''t a nice person either, nor is his wife. Why is the CEO targeting my cousin?" Jas asked in an angry tone.

    "Jas, you shouldn''t even know this. Do you have any idea how much trouble I will be in if my boss found out that you knew he was behind this?" Ian asked Jas.

    "I won''t tell anyone." Jas promised Ian. "Plus it''s not your fault that I went looking for you that night."

    "The fact that I met up with you that night is enough to get me into trouble. Jas, you need to stop doing this." Ian said with a sigh.

    Cedric became even more curious when Ian mentioned that he had met up with Jas. What was Ian doing? He had a child on the way and yet he was still fooling around with Jas.

    "I needed you. You''re the only one that understands what I am going through." Jas said.

    "Jas, just go." Ian finally said.

    "Promise me you will talk to your boss." Jas said sternly.

    "I will find a way to talk to him, but go. If anyone sees us here they will suspect something." Ian told her.

    "Fine." Jas said.

    Cedric could hear her heels walking away as a door finally mmed shut.

    When the stairwell was finally quiet Cedric heard Ian sigh and tap something on his phone. Cedric was waiting for Ian to leave when his phone began to ring.

    "Who''s there?" Ian called out as the ringing sound continued. Cedric cursed that he forgot to ce his phone on silent mode.

    "Calm down, it''s me." Cedric said as he climbed up thest flight of stairs.

    "You heard?" Ian asked Cedric nervously.

    "Yes, I did. At first I thought you were doing something nasty, luckily you weren''t." Cedric said as he walked ahead up another flight.

    "It''s not what you think it is." Ian said in an attempt to salvage his situation.

    From his reaction, Cedric could clearly see how he was struggling toe up with a valid exnation for everything he had said to Jas.

    "Wait till we''re in the room." Cedric said as he pushed the fire escape door open and walked down the VIP hallway.

    Two bodyguards were standing by the door, they simply nodded to Cedric and Ian as they passed and entered the Presidential Suite.

    "You''re my right hand man and one of my best friends." Cedric began to say as he walked over to pick out a suit to change into. "Even if you betray me, I will always allow you to save face. Anyone could have heard us in the stairwell or the hallway. Now you can exin."

    "Jas, she''s, well she''s��" Ian began as he struggled to exin the situation to Cedric.

    "Are you cheating on Nicole?" Cedric asked, unable to resist the burning question in his mind.

    "No, I wouldn''t cheat on Nicole, she is my everything." Ian immediately said as he heard Cedric''s question.

    "Then why are you having ndestine meetings with Jas, your ex-girlfriend and childhood sweetheart?" Cedric asked.

    "Give me a chance to start at the beginning." Ian requested.

    "Go." Cedric said as he walked into the bathroom to change.

    "Jasmine is cousins with Carlo Juan, by his father''s side." Ian finally confessed.

    "How did she find out that I was behind the attacks against him?" Cedric asked.

    "It was after the fashion show. I was arranging everything when Damien called, Jas was having one of her errrr... incidents." Ian exined as he hesitated to mention thest part.

    "What are these incidents?" Cedric asked, curious as to what could make Ian leave his work and go to a woman that was not his girlfriend.

    "When we were younger, Jasmine was forced to do something she didn''t want." Ian exined.

    "Something?" Cedric asked.

    "She had just turned eighteen, we weren''t together, she wanted to catch my attention so she dated this guy who was a known yboy." Ian exined.

    "It''s not Alexi is it?" Cedric asked as he came out of the bathroom, dressed in designer clothes from head to toe.

 Chapter 352 - 352

    "No, not Alexi. Some punk from university. He liked to collect girls, so Jas thought she could use him." Ian said with a sigh. "They were on their first month of dating and Jas didn''t want to put out. She refused to have sex with him, so one day, they were on a date, he brought her to his ce and had his way with her. Since then she''s had moments where she isn''t herself."

    "Ian, what she needs is professional help." Cedric advised his friend.??

    "She did, I mean she''s been talking to someone, but I''m the only person that knows what happened to her. Not even Damien knows why." Ian exined.

    "So how did you, going over to her end up with Jas finding out about my ns?" Cedric asked.

    "I was at her apartment, she was supposed to be taking a bath when one of our informants called. I was giving instructions when she stepped out and heard everything." Ian confessed. "Jas won''t tell anyone Cedric, she won''t say that you''re behind all of this. She''s a good girl."

    "Ian, she''s his family, you know how far people will go for family." Cedric said, reminding Ian of his own struggle to the top.

    "I will get her to understand." Ian promised.

    "Ian, make sure there are no loose ends." Cedric warned. As he moved to the office table in the room to get some work done before his evening meeting.

    "Cedric, I promise, this won''t leak." Ian said.

    "It better not." Cedric said in a cold tone he normally didn''t use when speaking to Ian. "We are only weeks away from finishing this. I don''t want it to fail because your ex-girlfriend is still in love with you."

    Ian nodded and left as he dialed a number, Cedric assumed that Ian was calling Jas to keep her quiet.

    Cedric was d to be working away from the office today. He didn''t have any meetings scheduled since he was away from R Tower, it allowed him to focus on studying the future investments of the Reyes Group that he was working on.

    His n was to expand further into different markets and call home some of his cousins that were managing satellite branches. He would only leave a member of the Reyes Family in major hubs across the world. Many had alreadyined about their desire toe home, they missed the country they grew up in.

    By the time Cedric finished reviewing the potential expansion of the Reyes Group the sun was already low in the sky giving the world an orange and pink hue. Cedric took out his phone and dialed his wife''s number.

    "Hey Ced, you aren''t busy?" Adrianna asked as she picked up his call. She always avoided disturbing him during work hours since she knew that as the new CEO of the Reyes Group there were many things that needed his attention.

    "I''m busy, but I''m never too busy for you." Cedric said sweetly.

    "I love you." Adrianna said as she heard her husband''s sweet words.

    "I love you too Adri. I''m at the Presidential Suite at Constetions and the sunset is magnificent, I suddenly wished that you were here with me." Cedric said as he continued to look out to the city''s skyline. "Why don''t we go on a trip when things settle down, just you, me, and Emilio." Cedric suggested.

    "That would be nice." Adrianna said with a sigh over the phone.

    "What''s wrong?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s nothing. it ''s just work." Cedric could tell that Adrianna was lying.

    "Adri, tell me. Please." He begged her sweetly. He knew better than to take ''It''s nothing'' as nothing, with women, nothing was always something.

    "It''s just you always promise alone time for us and our family, but things alwayse up at work, Cedric. I''ve learned not to keep my hopes up. I guess it''s the trade off, back when you were just Cedric we could have all the time we wanted, we could go anywhere as long as our budget allowed, but now, you aren''t just my husband. You''re also the head of the richest family in the country. You run thergest conglomerate and you have a lot of other people depending on you. We have all the money we could want, but our time together has be so much less." Adrianna confessed.

    "Adrianna, this time I promise. Our little family will go out on an ordinary trip. Nothing fancy like Kashmere, maybe go to a public beach, rx and mingle with ordinary people." Cedric promised.

    "Alright Cedric, I believe that you will try. I''m not mad or anything, it''s just difficult to get your hopes up." Adrianna exined.

    "It''s okay Adri, I understand." Cedric said tenderly. "I''ll see youter at home. I love you." Cedric said.

    "I love you too, bye." Adrianna said, dropping the call.

    Cedric was still looking out the window when Ian returned.

    "You spoke to her?" Cedric asked indifferently. To Cedric, Ian needed to understand how important their situation was.

    "I did. She said she would trust me for the next two months, but that''s all she is giving me, two months." Ian exined.

    "Luckily my n will be over by then and she will understand that she has another cousin to think about." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Your sister called, she said she would join the meetingter." Ian said nervously. He knew Ayanna did that in order to avoid telling her brother directly.

    "It''s alright." Cedric responded calmly. "Why would she think that I would be mad about that?" Cedric said with augh, he too knew that Ayanna only coursed things through Ian when she was afraid of the oue.

    When Ian got the call that everyone, including Ayanna had arrived at the private room he immediately informed Cedric.

    Cedric took his time in making sure he was presentable after a long day reviewing documents and files. When he was ready he stepped out followed by Ian and two new bodyguards who had arrived to escort him to dinner.

 Chapter 353 - 353

    "What a coincidence, Mr. Reyes." A familiar voice said as Ian and Cedric made their way down the hall to the elevator.

    "Miss Carpio." Cedric greeted as he saw Cthea approaching them from behind. "Shouldn''t you be in Spain?" Cedric asked.??

    "Dad did say that you didn''t want us around, but I have someone in the Capital that I just can''t stay away from." Cthea said with a shrug.

    Cedric raised an eyebrow at Cthea, he assumed that she was talking about Eric, but Eric was already with Katerina, so was this bold woman trying to separate the couple.

    "It''s not good to be the reason for a couple''s break up Miss Carpio." Cedric respectfully told her.

    "I''m not that kind of woman." Cthea scoffed.

    "I know the man you are here for." Cedric told Cthea. "He is already off the market." He warned.

    "Do not assume to know who is in my heart Mr. Reyes. You might just end up embarrassing yourself." Cthea said as she red at the masked man. Cedric could see her seething with anger at his words. He knew he had hit a sore topic. He wasn''t afraid that the Carpios would reveal his identity, it was part of their generations long deal, they couldpete in the field but there were things that neither of them would mess with. Cedric also knew that the Carpios feared him going against them publicly their situation was not as stable as they had been in the past.

    "You know my limits Miss Carpio, do not dare cross them." Cedric warned as he looked intently into her eyes. He was giving her a chance to escape and save her family from the consequences of her future actions. Cthea was saved from responding as the elevator doors opened.

    Cedric and his men got in while Cthea remained outside in the hallway.

    "Are you not going down Miss Carpio?" Cedric asked as he smiled under his mask.

    "I left something in my room. I will take the next elevator." Cthea said as she turned and left.

    At that a bodyguard closed the elevator doors.

    "I never really liked that girl." Ianined.

    "Too bad she is nothing like her elder sister Ilya." Cedric said with a sigh as he recalled the eldest Carpio daughter who Alexi had loved in his youth.

    "It''s sad what happened to her. Both the Carpios and Alexi never recovered after her death." Ian said as he recalled what had happened in the past.

    "It''s never toote, let''s hope Cthea sees the light and bes a better person." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Do you think she''s back to go after Eric?" Ian asked.

    "You heard it yourself, I''ve never heard Cthea Carpio love anyone aside from Eric." Cedric exined.

    "Well, she''s going to be eaten up alive by Katerina." Ian said with augh as he thought of Eric''s girlfriend going after Cthea.

    "Cthea is a weak point in their rtionship. I hope it will hold." Cedric said with a sigh as the elevator doors opened and they stepped out to meet their guests.

    Everyone''s head turned as Cedric and his group walked across the restaurant to his private room, none of the diners had expected to be so fortunate as to run into the newly minted CEO of the Reyes Group. Their eyes were all on him, he was young, rich, powerful, and clearly quite good looking even with most of his face covered by his sses and mask.

    Cedric ignored their stares, he had gotten used to it ever since he had returned. He was distinct because of his disguise, his actions to remain anonymous and silent were the very same that seemed to attract attention to him.

    As Cedric entered the room he was happily greeted by his sister.

    "Brother, I missed you at the office today." Ayanna said with a frown. The siblings had made it a habit to have lunch together whenever they didn''t have meetings.

    "It was only a day." Cedric groaned.

    "Mr. Reyes." Their guests greeted as Cedric made his way to the head of the table.

    "Why are you all so formal with my brother?" Ayanna asked with a pout. They were all her friends so her child-like attitude did not surprise them.

    The father''s however were stunned with the powerful Ayanna Reyes - Laurence, acting like a child in front of her older brother.

    "Ayanna, we''re here for business." Cedric reminded her as he took his seat.

    "Yes. I remember." Ayanna nodded as she sat up straight.

    "It''s time." Cedric told his guests. "I want you to announce that aside from your legitimate heirs, you have decided to consider your illegitimate children as well." Cedric instructed as he looked at each of the father''s in the eyes.

    They no longer doubted him, they all simply feared and respected the young CEO of the Reyes Group. They knew that their family''s survival was dependent on this man.

    "Will we announce who will inherit?" Louie Sanchez asked.

    "Not yet. I want that to be a public announcement in front of your sons." Cedric said. "You will release that statement tonight and the announcement wille a monthter."

    "A singr announcement?" Ayanna asked.

    "No, five separate ones happening just days after each other." Cedric confirmed.

    "Won''t people get suspicious?" Krista Von asked.

    "They will, but no one will respond. It will just be a happy coincidence." Cedric said with a grin.

    "What if people ask why we chose our illegitimate children?" Juancho David Sr. asked.

    "First of all they are just your children, second, I don''t think anyone will wonder what happened. Your sons are clearly the worst choice to inherit the business and if they do inherit, your whole family will suffer with them at the helm." Cedric wanted tough at the man''s question. It was clear that his bullies were not worthy to inherit. "On top of what is inly obvious to the public, the truth about each of your sons will surface soon, just as it did for Carlo Juan." Cedric decided to warn them. Ian and Mae had already gathered all the information and sent it out to Ram''s team, by the end of the week none of his bullies will be able to step out of their homes without the media moring for answers.

 Chapter 354 - 354

    "We are currently outside of the Von family''s building waiting for a statement from them." A reporter said as Cedric increased the volume of the TV in his office. "Just days ago the Von family patriarch, David Von, announced that he will not consider his son as his heir any longer and that he will potentially pass on thepany to one of his other children."

    "Does Mr. David Von have any other children?" The anchor asked. The news was filled with the odd behavior of five rich families suddenly announcing that thepany will not fall into the hands of the legitimate line, that it will instead go to other children, as far as the media was aware, the patriarchs of the five families didn''t have any other children by their legal wives.??

    "No, he and his wife have only one son, so this announcementes as a shock to all of us. We aren''t the only media outlet moring for answers, there are others here as well, including gossip columnists who want to hear the truth. It''s truly an interesting mix of people out here." The reporter said as the camera panned across the crowd of people waiting outside the building.

    "Keep this as the top topic." Cedric instructed Ian as he continued to watch the news.

    He was satisfied with how things were progressing. Cedric wanted to see the damage caused by this announcement himself. He had asked Ian to look into the location of his five bullies, he was sure that they would all be holed up in some bar tonight, angry at what was happening.

    "They''ll be at Hype tonight." Ian said with augh. It was ironic that they had chosen the very bar that was most essible to Cedric.

    "That''s odd. There aren''t any escorts there, they would never go to a ce like that." Cedric said as he wondered about their odd behavior.

    "Their usual bar has banned them, the others have photographers waiting for them. Hype boasts its confidentiality and since it''s not a ce they often go to, the media didn''t think of cing paparazzi in the area." Ian told Cedric with a shrug.

    "I want to witness it first hand." Cedric said with a grin. "Are they there already?"

    "Aren''t you afraid of them beating you up once they spot you?" Ian asked as he stared at Cedric as if he were a mad man.

    "It''s dark and I will have Leon with me. I''m hoping that they will be too drunk to recognize me." Cedric said with a grin.

    "They are there, there are already some people in the bar so it should be easy for us to go in unnoticed." Ian said as he shook his head. His friend and boss was too crazy.

    "Do I have any meetings left?" Cedric asked, making sure that he wouldn''t be leaving any unfinished work.

    "None. I intentionally moved them around today." Ian knew Cedric well, today would be the day that all of the dirt would finallye out and Cedric would definitely do something to push things further, Ian just didn''t expect that Cedric wanted to witness their dismay in person.

    "Let''s take your car." Cedric said as he matched out of the office.

    Hype bar was not far from R Tower, in fact the location was specifically selected by Ray due to it being of equal distance between all of their offices.

    When Ian and Cedric arrived there was a short line to enter Hype, theyplied instead of passing the back door as they usually did.

    Inside Cedric spotted his bullies immediately, they were clearly drunk, each had a woman in their arms.

    "Wow, even after all their scandals got loose they didn''t change their ways." Ian said in surprise as he watched them harass a partygoer.

    "Let''s save the poor girl." Cedric suddenly said as he walked towards the bullies.

    "Wait, Cedric I thought our goal was not to be seen. You''re practically running into a fist!" Ian cried out as he chased after Cedric who suddenly grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her away from the men harassing her.

    "Hey!" Kevin Garcia shouted as she was pulled from his grasp. "She''s mine."

    "She''s a human being, not your property." Cedric argued back.

    "Oh look, it''s Cedric Reyes." Ben Sanchez said as he spotted Cedric taking the woman away from Kevin. "Do you want a pounding like when we were in university? Cause I really really want to beat someone up right now." Ben threatened.

    "Sir, please, it''s not worth it." The girl Cedric had just saved begged. "Don''t get beaten up for me. I am used to it."

    "You guys are disgusting." Cedric told the bullies.

    "You''ve got guts Cedric." Dennis Von said as he took a step closer to Cedric. "I bet it''s because of those scandals about us popping up everywhere. Guess what, we are still richer and more powerful than you."

    "Ha! Everyone knows your dads have disowned you." Ian said with augh. He couldn''t help but join in, he had heard how they had treated their siblings and he had watched first hand how they had harassed the woman Cedric had saved. These men were worse than scum in Ian''s eyes, it was no wonder that Cedric wanted to make them suffer.

    "A, another poor assistant." Carlo Juan said as he pushed the woman on hisp off. By the looks of it, it seemed that they had drugged the women that had apanied them.

    "All of you belong in jail." Cedric suddenly said.

    "And who will put us there? You?" Carlo said with augh.

    "You really are full of yourselves." Ian said as he looked at the bullies.

    "You guys are nothing. Even if our families disown us we are still better than two poor assistants." Dennis Von spat.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh. He was so tempted to reveal to them who he really was, but it wasn''t the right time yet. He was willing to wait in order to make them suffer true embarrassment.

    "Call Damien." Cedric ordered as he walked away with the poor girl.

    Ianughed at the bullies.

    When they turned to walk away they suddenly heard a gun go off and a crashing sound soon followed. Behind them, Leon had just tackled Carlo Juan who was holding a gun, while Cedric''s leg began to bleed.

 Chapter 355 - 355

    The other guests of Hype bar were thrown in a panic, how was someone able to bring in a gun and why did he point it at another guest. As they got to safety most posted about the events on their social media tforms, drawing the press to drive over to Hype Bar. They didn''t know who the parties involved were but it was clear that this was going to be big news. Hype Bar was owned by Raymund Laurence, one of the five princes, husband to Ayanna Reyes, and brother-inw to the CEO of the Reyes Group. Anything attached to someone that big was sure to cause scandal.

    The members of the media were surprised when the police arrived just as they did, they thought that they could catch a glimpse before everything was cordoned off since the station was nowhere near Hype Bar. It seemed as if the police had predicted what was going to happen.??

    Inside Hype Bar, after Leon had tackled Carlo Juan to the ground, the rest of Cedric''s security team made sure to render the rest of his bullies unable to retaliate. Most of them were on the ground either unconscious or struggling to get out of the bodyguard''s hold.

    As soon as Leon had tackled Carlo, Ian gave Damien a call who quickly came over with his team, luckily he was nearby and had just finished a sting operation that had unfortunately failed to capture an informant who could point out the King of the Underworld to them.

    "We''ve arrested the men and there is enough here to send them to jail for a long time." Damien informed Ian and Cedric who were currently being checked by the medics for any injuries.

    "Thank you, Capt. Damien." Cedric said with a nod. He was lucky that Leon had spotted Carlo as he was taking out the gun, if Leon had moved any slower Cedric would surely have suffered more serious injuries.

    "You guys are lucky that that Leon guy was around." Damien said as he pointed at Leon who was giving a statement. "Did you know that he is ex-special forces? I mean I met the guy before and he''s my idol, now I walk into a crime scene and he''s here saving my friend." Damien said excitedly.

    "Yes, we were lucky." Ian said with augh.

    "Last I heard he was working as private security for someone extremely rich and extremely powerful. I guess it was his day off and he decided to hangout at a bar." Damien said with a shrug. "I''m gonna ask for a photo with himter."

    "You''re such a fan." Cedric teased the young captain.

    "I just find it odd that there were also other members from the personal security team of your CEO in the area. ording to Leon he was having a drink with them when this happened. Ian, does Leon work for your boss?" Damien quickly asked.

    "Ummm��" Ian was unable to answer Damien''s question as he looked towards Cedric.

    "Yeah, probably." Cedric answered casually. "I mean in the country only a handful of people can hire him, and our boss is definitely on the list."

    "Those boys, how do you know them?" Damien asked Cedric in a more serious tone.

    "They bullied me when I was at university." Cedric gave a simple and truthful reply.

    "How did the altercation start?" Damien asked as he scribbled in his notebook.

    "Well they were harassing a girl and we walked over to help out. I guess our past issues mixed with me trying to save the poor girl and they just got mad." Cedric exined.

    "Did you notice him pulling out a gun?" Capt. Damien asked.

    "No. We just heard the gunshot and a crashing noise. I actually felt the woundte." Cedric exined as he recounted what had happened.

    "What happened here?" A cold voice asked as the police that were blocking the entrance let the person enter.

    It was Ray. As soon as he heard something had happened in his bar he rushed over from the office. This bar was a pet project to him and he was very much hands on when it came to the operations of the ce.

    He was surprised to see Cedric and Ian being checked by the medics and being interviewed by Capt. Damien.

    "Capt. Damien, what happened here?" Ray asked the young police officer. He knew that it was Damien that kept looking around to expose who the King of the Underworld was, so Ray was quite cold towards him.

    "Mr. Laurence, these men attacked Cedric and Ian, I think you are familiar with them." Capt. Damien answered in a kinder tone.

    "Yes. I know of them." Ray said as he kept a straight face. Cedric knew that his best friend was itching to ask him questions. "Let me make sure that these men get home safe, I''ll personally take them to a hospital then have my driver take them home."

    "Thank you for the offer Mr. Laurence. I''m sure it will be appreciated." Damien said with a nod.

    "Those men you just arrested, they were involved with a few scandals a while back." Ray pointed out as he recognized Cedric''s bullies.

    "They were?" Capt. Damien was clearly not updated with thetest gossip.

    "Yes. I suggest you take them out through the front door." Ray suggested with a grin. The grin was for Cedric, it was as if Ray was saying, look I helped.

    "We will do that." Capt. Damine said as he signaled for his men to take the suspects out through the front door.

    "Damien, what about the girl we helped?" Cedric asked as he looked over to the poor girl that a female officer was speaking to.

    "She will probably undergo some psychological treatment, but physically she is fine." Damien informed Cedric. "Well, we will go ahead now, Mr. Laurence has offered to take you to the hospital for an additional check up."

    Cedric and Ian bid Damien goodbye as he and the other police exited Hype Bar through the main door. Cedric was sure that the moment the bullies left the building their faces would be stered all over social media and the news.

    When they were finally alone, Ray''s expression changed from frosty to warm as he began to ask Cedric questions about what had happened. Cedric patiently recounted everything from when they had arrived at Hype.

    When he was finally finished he noticed the young girl they had saved approaching.

    "Oh, hello." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Th- th- thank you." She said shyly. "My name is Ciara, thank you for saving me."

    "You''re wee. Any decent man would have done it." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "No, they all saw, but they were afraid of those men." Ciara said as she shook her head vigorously. "You''re my idol now!" Ciara said with a smile.

    "We should take Ciara to the hospital for a check as well." Cedric told Ray.

    "Sure,e on. Where are Leon and the others?" Ray asked as he noticed that Cedric''s bodyguards seemed to have disappeared.

    "They probably went ahead to Saints." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I have a few cars waiting at the back. Ciara I hope you don''t mind riding in a car alone?" Ray asked the somewhat frightened girl.

    "I don''t. I think I would like to be alone actually." Ciara admitted.

    Ray nodded and led them to the back door.

 Chapter 356 - 356

    Inside Ray''s car Cedric lifted his leg to let it rest. It still hurt a lot despite the first aid treatment he had received.

    "Are you injured?" Cedric asked Ian.??

    "No. You should think of yourself first Cedric." Ian said, pointing out the wound on his leg.

    "It''s nothing. At least we got out of there alive." Cedric said with a sigh. "We''ll need to move up our ns for the takedown. Make sure that everything is ready by tomorrow. Inform the siblings that the announcement must take ce this week."

    "You should call your wife." Ray told Cedric.

    "As for Nicole, she already knows that we''re on our way. Miguel is already at the ER waiting for us." Ray told Ian.

    "You know, we don''t have to rush to the ER. I''m fine, you guys are exaggerating." Cedric said, rolling his eyes at his friends.

    "Hmmm. . . this is interesting." Ian said as he scrolled through his phone.

    "What is it?'' Ray asked, curious as to what Ian was referring to.

    "News of what happened at Hype spread quite fast." Ian said as he showed Ray and Cedric his phone. "As soon as the bullies were escorted out of the bar photos and testimonies of what happened began to spread online. We didn''t even have to do anything to push it into viral status."

    "Oh look, this one guy almost got itpletely right!" Ray eximed as he looked through social media on his own phone. "I''ll read it out loud. I was at Hype bar earlier today after getting out of work early. My friends and I managed to get a table, but we quickly noticed a group of unruly and disgusting men harassing some women. We were afraid to approach them since they looked like thrugs. The women they were with seemed to be drugged and drunk, as more people arrived people continued to avoid them. Eventually a girl strayed too close and was harassed by one of the men. I was shocked to see a brave soule up and try to save the girl. We thought she managed to escape them when a gun shot rang out in the bar. We saw someone tackle the man with the gun as we panicked and ran out. ording to those that stayed, the bullet hit it''s target. I feel bad for the brave hero. Wow Cedric, they''re calling you a hero!" Ray eximed as he waved his phone at Cedric''s face.

    "Wow, thements are really ttering." Ian said as he continued to look through what the public was saying. "They are praising you and cursing the bullies, hey I was there too but there doesn''t seem to be any mention of me." Ian said with a pout.

    "They haven''t discovered who the assants were?" Cedric asked.

    "Give it a few minutes. They''ll realize before we arrive at Saints." Ray said with augh.

    "I''m sure Damien will have a press conference once those five have been charged." Ian exined.

    "Speaking of Capt. Damien, do you know where he came from before going to Hype?" Ray asked with a mischievous grin.

    "No. I was actually surprised that they arrived so fast." Ian told Ray.

    "He was trying to hunt down the King of the Underworld." Ray said with a grin.

    "Clearly he failed." Cedric said, rolling his eyes.

    "I don''t understand why they won''t just give up. They should actually thank me, because of me there are no gang wars and everyone sticks to their ce." Ray said with a shrug.

    "That''s not how it works." Cedric groaned.

    "Well I do a better job than the police." Ray said with augh. "It''s quite funny that I was right in front of him earlier and he didn''t have a clue that I am the person they keep searching for." Ray added.

    "Hmmm, it seems that the news really is spreading fast. People on social media have discovered that they are the five men whose scandals have erupted over the week." Ian said as he refreshed thements section.

    Cedric eventually took out his phone and read through thements and posts as well.

    ''Those men are disgusting! They should go to jail, if they don''t I swear they have a backer.''

    ''I agree with their dads disinheriting them, this is proof of how rotten they are. I hope their families don''te and save them. They don''t deserve it.''

    ''Justice for the man they shot, justice for the hero!''

    Cedric grinned at thestment, he wasn''t after recognition, he just wanted to save the girl. He thought of his wife and sister, who, if it weren''t for their own backgrounds would have suffered the same fate as her.

    "It seems that you have fans as both Cedric Reyes and the Reyes Group CEO." Ray teased his brother-inw.

    "I''m just happy that the world will see them for the scum they really are." Cedric said as he continued to read on his phone.

    "Sir. We''re here." The driver called out as they stopped in front of the emergency room driveway of Saints Hospital.

    Cedric could see Miguel and his team rushing up to the car. Cedric obliged and stepped out, he needed help walking and moving due to his injury. It was actually beginning to hurt a lot but Cedric didn''t want to bother his friends about it.

    As he was being wheeled away he stopped Miguel.

    "The girl in the other car, she''s traumatized." Cedric told Miguel. "Make sure her team is all female and send a psychologist. I''ll pay for everything." Cedric instructed in a low voice so that he wouldn''t be heard by other people.

    Miguel nodded and whispered Cedric''s instructions to Jo, his head nurse.

    Jo quickly did as Cedric and Miguel asked and organized a team to look after the girl.

    Cedric was brought to a secluded ward in the emergency room, Miguel inspected his wound and gave him some medicine for the pain. He also ran some tests on Cedric before finally transferring Cedric to the VIP ward at the top floor.

    "It''s a good thing Ray and Ian decided to bring you here." Miguel said as he looked at the results of all the tests they had run on Cedric. "Sometimes, even the best first aid responders can miss things out or do things wrong. Your wound almost got infected Cedric. I don''t think I need to exin how serious that would have be."

    Cedric could do nothing but no in reply.

    "Plus you kept walking on your injured side, don''t you care for your wellbeing at all?" Miguel scolded him.

    "I''ll be careful Doc." Cedric teased.

    Miguel was about to retaliate when a weak knock came from the door.

    "Come in." Cedric called out.

    It was Ciara, she looked much better and had already changed her clothes.

    "Doctor Chan lent me some clothes and looked after me." Ciara said as she walked in.

    "Doctor Nicole Chan?" Ian asked.

    "Yes, the nice pregnantdy." Ciara said with a nod.

    Ian shook his head as he left the room.

    "How are you feeling Ciara?" Cedric asked.

    "Sir, I should be the one asking you that. You saved me and now you''re injured." Ciara cried out. She looked at Ray and Miguel, clearly ufortable due to their presence.

    "Do you think you can give us a moment?" Cedric asked Miguel and Ray.

    His friends nodded and left the room.

 Chapter 357 - 357

    Ian marched angrily from the VIP ward to Nicole''s office. She was already seven months pregnant and she refused to take it easy. At first Ian wanted her to take her maternity leave, but Nicole was stubborn, she insisted on working, so they agreed that she wasn''t allowed to do anything strenuous.

    If she wasn''t worried about her well being she should at least think of the life growing inside her.??

    "Is she in?" Ian asked Nicole''s secretary.

    "She is sir." The assistant said as she looked up adoringly at Ian. Her look wasn''t something new to Ian, he was quite good looking, but when he stood next to Cedric or Eric, he fell a little short in terms of looks.

    Ian chose not to knock and simply barged into Nicole''s office.

    "Don''t you people know how to knock!" Nicole said angrily as she heard the door open.

    Ian suddenly burst outughing as he heard his girlfriend getting mad.

    "Ian?" Nicole asked as she turned to face him. "Shouldn''t you be in your room resting?" Nicole asked.

    "I came here to scold you and yet you shout at me the moment Ie in." Ian said as he looked at Nicole. "Well I heard some very concerning news. Do you have anything to confess?" Ian asked as he walked closer to her.

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Nicole said coldly as she turned back around and packed some documents on her desk. "I was packing up so that I could work in your room. You need to rest."

    Ian wrapped an arm around her waist and nted a kiss on her cheek. "I''m not the one that''s injured, it''s Cedric that''s injured."

    "Still, you need to rest, Miguel said he wanted to keep you under observation overnight, just in case something happened." Nicole argued back.

    "Nic, it''s not good for the baby if you''re angry, stressed, or worried." Ian reminded her as he helped her pack her things.

    "It''s like you''re telling me not to breath." Nicoleined.

    Ian simplyughed at herment as he picked up her bag from the desk.

    "I''m the doctor here, not you." Nicole told Ian as he pulled her into his arms.

    "You smell so good." Ian mumbled into her ears as he kissed her on the forehead.

    Nicole sighed at Ian. "What''s gotten into you?" She asked as she let him hold her.

    "I got worried today, that''s all." Ian said as he finally released her and walked towards the door with Nicole''s things. "I''ll stay for observation if it will make you feel better, but you have to stay with me too." Ian told Nicole.

    "Of course I''ll stay with you." Nicole said with a smile. "The house feels empty without you there." Nicole blushed as she said herst statement. Ian chuckled as they walked out of her office.

    As they made their way to the VIP room assigned to Ian they bumped into Ray, Ayanna, and Adrianna.

    "Ian, are you alright?" Adrianna asked as she looked him over to see if there were any visible injuries.

    "I''m fine." Ian said with a smile. "Nicole and I were just heading to my room, Miguel wants me to remain under observation for the next 24 hours."

    "What happened?"Ayanna asked. Ray had told her what he knew but she still wanted to hear it from either Ian or Cedric.

    "Well�� I''m not sure I''m allowed to say." Ian knew that if Adrianna and Ayanna found out from him that Cedric had gone to Hype bar for such a shallow reason, Cedric would not spare him.

    "Did Cedric tell you not to tell us?" Ayanna asked as she red at Ian.

    "No, I just value my life." Ian said with augh.

    "Where''s Cedric? Is he fine? I don''t believe what Ray told us, I trust you more." Adrianna asked, making Ray shake his head. He had told them over the phone that Cedric was fine and that he just needed some rest, but Adrianna was worried that the boys were downying things so she insisted oning over to the hospital herself.

    "He''s fine." Ian confirmed. "The bullet hit his leg and Miguel did something to prevent infection. He''s actually talking to the girl we saved right now."

    "What girl?" Adrianna asked.

    "Oh��" Ian said as he realized Adrianna didn''t know that they had saved someone.

    "You better start talking." Adrianna threatened.

    "Nic, save me." Ian begged as he looked lovingly at Nicole.

    "Tell them, that''ll save you." Nicole said with augh.

    "Maybe Cedric should just tell you." Ian said as he began walking towards Cedric''s room.

    Ian knocked and walked in,he was shocked to find Ciara crying as she reached for Cedric''s hand.

    "Cedric, your wife and sister are here." Ian said as he stopped the group from entering. He just realized that if Ciara saw Ayanna, she would be suspicious.

    Ian quickly turned and told Nicole to take everyone else to his room first while he got rid of Ciara. Nicoleughed at how Ian forgot something, but she did as he asked and brought them over to the other room.

    Ciara on the other hand was wiping her tears away. "You''re married?" She asked Cedric between sobs.

    "Yes. And I have a son. Now do you understand?" Cedric asked Ciara.

    "But I love you now." Ciara cried out. Ian was taken by surprise as the girl suddenly confessed her feelings.

    "Ian, please help Ciara out." Cedric said in a cold tone.

    Ian nodded and did as Cedric asked. When he approached Ciara she suddenly broke down into tears and started screaming at Ian.

    "Call a nurse." Ian said as he pointed at the button by Cedric''s bed.

    As soon as Cedric did that Nurse Jen and several others entered the room, Nicole whose attention had been caught by themotion followed after them.

    "What happened?" Nicole asked as several nurses tried to hold Ciara down.

 Chapter 358 - 358

    The Saints Hospital team eventually managed to calm Ciara down by injecting a sedative into her. She had already begun to get violent making Ian worry about Nicole who was directing everything and standing too close forfort.

    Ciara was taken to a separate ward for observation, Nicole had also called for a psychiatrist to help out in caring for the poor girl. It seemed that the events at Hype Bar had done quite some damage to her.??

    "What happened?" Adrianna asked as she entered Cedric''s room with Ray and Ayanna.

    "The patient they brought out got a little violent, so they needed to sedate her and take her to another room where the nurses and doctors can keep a closer eye on her." Cedric exined as he smiled at his wife.

    "Cedric Reyes, that is not what I am talking about." Adrianna said angrily as she walked towards her husband. "How did you end up in the hospital this time?" Adrianna asked with a sigh as she held her husband''s hand.

    Cedric looked up at her and saw the look of worry that she carried. He didn''t like it when she worried, if he could keep her happy all his life he would do that.

    "Are you ready to get even more mad at me?" Cedric asked.

    "Did you do something petty or stupid to end up here?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Yes." Ian answered for Cedric with augh.

    "You know how we released all the dirt on the bullies?" Cedric asked Adrianna slowly.

    "Don''t tell me you went there to gloat?!" Adrianna asked angrily.

    "No, no, I didn''t." Cedric said.

    "It''s worse." Ian said with a grin earning him an elbow to the gut from Nicole.

    "I wanted to see how they were doing, so I had Ian look for them and we went over to Hype. I had all my bodyguards with me in case they started a fight." Cedric exined.

    "Really, just for that? And how did you get shot? And who was that girl?" Adrianna asked one question after the other.

    "Well, I saw them taking advantage of a young girl and I stopped them. I mean, I can''t just leave them to harass an innocent person. That''s when Carlo got angry, took out a gun and tried to shoot me." Cedric quickly exined, hoping that Adrianna''s anger would not be as bad since he had saved a poor girl.

    "Why did you have to be the one to save the girl? Couldn''t you have asked one of your men to do it?" Adrianna asked.

    Cedric was shocked, his wife had managed to find something to question in every statement he made. He decided not to answer her questions and to just keep quiet.

    "That''s not going to work Cedric, answer me." Adrianna told him angrily.

    "I didn''t think Adri. I just thought, what if it were you, or Ayanna, or our future daughter that was being harassed at a bar. I just couldn''t let it pass." Cedric said as he looked into her eyes.

    Behind Adrianna, Cedric could see Ian giving him a thumbs up while Nicole smacked him on the head for being childish.

    "Cedric." Adrianna said with a sigh as she sat on the bed next to him. Cedric quickly took advantage and ced his arm around her waist. "Please don''t do anything that foolish again. You''re a very important person and you can change the world in a much more significant way. Don''t be so impulsive. I know you had good intentions, but think of me and Emilio as well when you risk your life like that."

    "I won''t honey." Cedric said as he ced a gentle kiss on her hand.

    Adrianna smiled and nted a kiss on his lips.

    "Where''s our son?" Cedric asked.

    "Well I wasn''t sure if you were really fine so I left him with the elders. They said they will visit in the morning." Adrianna told her husband.

    Ian suddenly stood up and turned on the TV in the hospital.

    "Mae called, I asked her to keep an eye on the situation outside as well as to move your schedule around." Ian told Cedric.

    "I can work and do virtual meetings." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "You''re too much of a workaholic." Ayannained.

    The words breaking news shed on the TV as Ian flipped through the channels.

    "Earlier today an incident in Hype Bar spread all over social media. Five men were taken into custody for harassment and assault. No other details have been released to the public, we will now go live to the 1st police district where Capt. Damien Park is holding a press conference." The news anchor said as the image cut to Damien standing behind a podium in his uniform.

    "At exactly 5:35pm today we arrested five men inside Hype Bar. These men were Carlo Juan, Juancho David Jr., Benjamin Sanchez, Dennis Von, and Kevin Garcia. ording to our investigation they were seen intaking illegal substances and forcing it on unsuspecting women. The said women have already been brought to a nearby hospital and are recovering quite well." Damien paused to allow viewers to absorb the first part of his statement. "On top of these charges they will also be charged with assult and attempted rape. They had harassed a young woman and would have had their way had a few brave men note over to save the woman. As a result Carlo Juan pulled out a gun and attempted to shoot the man that had pulled the young woman away from them. Luckily some brave patrons in the bar managed to tackle Mr. Carlo Juan, avoiding any serious injury due to the gunshot. Hispanions were also subdued by other patrons of the bar."

    When Capt. Damien stopped talking, the reporters began to shout their questions. Damien pointed at one reporter who quickly asked his question.

    "What happened to the man that Carlo Juan attempted to shoot? ording to rumors the injury was quite serious." The reporter asked.

    "Those involved have already been brought to the hospital and have received treatment. The injuries sustained were not as bad as rumors paint it out to be." Capt. Damien announced.

    "You''ve released the names of the men you arrested, will you also release the name of the heroes that saved the girl?" Another reporter asked as he was given the signal.

    "No, those men have requested to remain anonymous so we respect their decision." Damien quickly answered.

    "These men you arrested, are they the same whose scandals have painted every gossip website in the country?" A reporter asked.

    "Yes, the usations against them are also being investigated as we speak, so if they are proven true it may add up to their existing charges. Last question." Damien said as he called on thest reporter.

    "Have any of them posted bail?" The final reporter asked.

    "No." Damien answered simply as he ended the press conference.

    The screen shifted back to the anchor in the studio as soon as Damien answered the final question.

    "The five men reported in the incident have recently been disowned by their families due to their scandals, we were initially expecting them to have posted bail since they alle from affluent families. The fact that their families have not posted bail has created spection that their fathers will note to save them." The anchor said as he shed a little more light on the situation. "We have also scoured all the hospitals in the vicinity and we suspect that the hero who was shot is at Saints Hospital. We are still waiting for a statement from Saints." At that sh report cut off.

    Suddenly Ian''s and Nicole''s phones began to ring vigorously.

 Chapter 359 - 359

    Reporters began calling Nicole to ask if anyone with a gunshot had been admitted into the hospital, while Mae and Dave had both called Ian when they heard the news. They were aware that the man who was shot was their boss, the CEO of the Reyes Group. They wanted to see if they needed to delete all evidence that Cedric was in fact at Saints Hospital due to a gunshot wound.

    "You need to make a statement." Miguel said as he marched into Cedric''s room.??

    "I''ll get back to you. Please wait for us to make a statement." Nicole said as she dropped the call. She looked up at her brother and red at Miguel. "What do you think I''m trying to do? Somehow my number got leaked to the public and I''ve been trying to get reporters to wait for our statement." Nicoleined.

    "Ian, make sure there is no proof that it was me." Cedric calmly instructed. He already knew that his people had begun to work the moment he heard Ian taking a call from Mae and Dave. "Check all CCTVs and see to it that all witnesses are kept quiet. Bribe them if you have to."

    Ian simply nodded and continued to give instructions to Mae and Dave.

    "So we will just deny it?" Miguel asked.

    "No need. You can say that those injured from the incident are here, but you cannot disclose any information. They can try asking every patient that walks out of the hospital, but they won''t find out who." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Miguel, you''ll have to do the press con. I can''t exactly go out like this." Nicole said, pointing at her swollen belly.

    "Why not? You have a special glow." Ian said with a wink before returning to his call.

    Nicole rolled her eyes at hisment, it seemed Ian didn''t care who heard his sweet nothings.

    "Why can''t you be that sweet to me?" Ayannained as she elbowed Ray in the gut.

    "I''m sweet to you in bed." Ray said with augh.

    "Get a room guys, I''m still her older brother." Cedricined.

    Ray simplyughed at his friend as he gently kissed his wife on the cheek.

    "I''ll arrange for a press con and say what Cedric suggested." Miguel said with a nod as he brought the discussion back on topic. "How are you nning to leave though? And if people see Ayanna and Ray leaving the hospital they will specte."

    "Let them specte! They can think I''m pregnant for all I care." Ayanna said with augh.

    "We can use a smoke screen tactic." Cedric suggested as he thought of what would be the noisiest but most temporary way to direct people''s attention.

    "Eric!" Adrianna suddenly said.

    "Well we can''t say Eric is pregnant, that''s impossible." Miguel teased.

    "If he is spotteding out of the hospital his fans will drag the attention to him, then when he says he only went for a routine check up everything will already be settled here." Adrianna said, ignoring Miguel''s antics.

    "It could work. We just need to tell Ram in advance." Ray said as he thought of Adrianna''s suggestion.

    "Eric should be alright to do that." Nicole said with a nod.

    An announcement was quickly sent out that the Miracle Doctor himself, Miguel Chan, would be making a statement for Saints Hospital. Miguel was known for staying away from the business side of Saints so it came as a shock to all the reporters that Miguel would be making the statement.

    At the same time Cedric had called Eric and Ram to ask for a favor. Eric, of course, agreed to the n and made his way to Saints Hospital in the weakes disguise he could think of.

    Despite the press conference being held at midnight almost all of the reporters were present. They were all chatting, curious as to what Saints Hospital had to say and why they were sending out Miguel Chan to make the statement.

    They didn''t have to wait long, the Miracle Doctor soon appeared in a suit and tie.

    "I swear, if he wasn''t a doctor he could be a famous model or actor." A female reported whispered to herpanion as she snapped some photos with her phone.

    "Yeah, a face like his could give Eric a run for his money." Herpanion said with augh.

    "Good morning. Thank you foring here despite the press conference having been scheduled sote." Miguel said as he shed them all a smile. The women in the crowd blushed as he made eye contact with his audience. Miguel had learned a thing or two from his elder brother.

    "I''ll get straight to the point." Miguel said as his expression turned serious, making the women swoon again. "Saints Hospital would like to confirm that all those involved in the incident at Hype Bar were brought to our facility, all except for the suspects. Mr. Laurence has settled all of their bills and everyone is recovering will. As for the man dubbed as the Hero at Hype, I personally saw to his care upon his arrival. There were no major injuries and he will be discharged soon. You may ask your questions."

    The reporter''s hands all shot up, with Miguel calling one.

    "What injuries did he sustain?" The reporter asked.

    "A gunshot wound in the leg, luckily it missed any major veins or arteries." Miguel said.

    "Does he have any ns of giving an interview?" Another reporter asked as Miguel pointed at him.

    "No. As far as I am aware he would like to remain anonymous and he is hoping you would respect his wishes." Miguel said, repeating the answer Cedric had given him.

    "What about the women who were drugged?" The same reporter asked.

    "They said they wille out once they need to stand in court as witnesses, as of the moment they are still recovering." Miguel answered.

    "And the girl the hero saved?" The reporter asked.

    "She is also recovering, as for an interview, she hasn''t expressed any interest." Miguel responded, Ciara was currently in the psych ward due to the effects of the incident at Hype Bar.

    "That will be all for today. Please leave the grounds as we are still a hospital." Miguel said as he turned and entered the hospital once more.

    As the reporters began to leave they encountered a familiar figure, it was Eric Chan entering the hospital. Many managed to take out their cameras and snap several photos, while their attention was all turned to the arriving celebrity, a patient with a gunshot wound entered a luxurious Rolls Royce Ghost that hade and gone quickly.

 Chapter 360 - 360

    When Cedric woke up at home the next day Ian and Mae were already setting up his office at Mountain View. Miguel had initially insisted that Cedric rest for the day but Cedric had too much on his te to take a break. Miguel then decided to assign his friend Jo to serve as his personal nurse for the next few days.

    Miguel had also adjusted his morning and evening rounds in order to check up on Cedric.??

    The wound was healing nicely and Miguel reminded Cedric not to do anything strenuous until it waspletely healed. Cedric nodded as Jo brought in a wheelchair for him.

    "I have a hard time walking, it doesn''t mean I need a wheelchair!" Cedric grumbled as he saw what Jo had brought in.

    "You''re not allowed to put any weight on your leg. This will make things easier." Miguel scolded.

    "Fine." Cedric said as he moved from the bed to the wheelchair, he wasn''tpletely helpless.

    Jo wheeled Cedric to the dining room where the rest of the family was waiting for him.

    "Hero of Hype." Veronica said with augh as Miguel went over to her and nted a kiss on her lips.

    "When''s your house gettingpleted again?" Cedric teased. "You''ve been married a year and you''re still running from the Abads and living in my house."

    "Well if Ayanna and Ray hadn''t asked me to build their ce I would be done by now." Veronica said as she crossed her arms over her chest and red at Ayanna.

    "You promised." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "Dada!" Little Emilio called out as he struggled to run up to his father.

    Cedric smiled as his son looked curiously at the wheelchair.

    "Your dad saved someone yesterday, that''s why he is on that thing. He got hurt." Adrianna said as she picked her son up in her arms and ced him on herp so that he could reach out to Cedric. "But dad will be at home the whole day today, so you get to stay at his office."

    Little Emilio seemed to understand what his mom was saying, he pped and giggled making everyone on the table smile at the little boy.

    After breakfast Cedric went to his office with Jo''s help, as per Miguel''s instructions Jo wasn''t allowed to leave Cedric alone. Miguel was worried that Cedric would overdo it and end up making his injury worse.

    "Boss, your house is amazing!" Mae eximed as Cedric arrived in the office.

    "Thanks, Veronica designed it." Cedric said with a grin.

    "I couldn''t even say a word at that table, the people in this house are just too amazing." Jo said, shaking his head.

    "You work for Miguel, how can you be afraid of my family." Cedric asked his friend with a raised eyebrow.

    "Veronica doesn''te to the hospital often, and your parents alone are just amazing!" Jo eximed, making Cedricugh.

    "There''s a tablet on the table, you can use it, go watch your K-Drama or something." Cedric teased his friend who only grinned and picked up the tablet Cedric was pointing at.

    Their morning was quite peaceful, Cedric had some virtual meetings and he finalized the expansion n for the Reyes Group. Dave and Cami also dropped by to give an update on the Mor Co. ns Cedric had approved as well as to check up on him.

    During lunch Alexi dropped by with Katerina and Eric.

    "Didn''t Adrianna get mad at you for what you did?" Katerina asked as she crossed her arms and red at Cedric.

    "I saved someone." Cedric said with a shrug as they waited for the maids to serve the food.

    "I wasn''t talking about that." Katerina said, rolling her eyes at him. "You went to Hype because you were being petty. If you weren''t this petty, you wouldn''t have gotten hurt." She scolded.

    "Wow, you''re even more mad than my sister and wifebined." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Adrianna loves you too much and Ayanna is as petty as you. Of course neither of them would tell you off for this." Katerina groaned.

    "Katerina, if I hadn''t gone to the bar those girls and Ciara would have gotten hurt. So my pettines save lives." Cedric argued back.

    "Cedric, you aren''t some nobody anymore. You''re back here, as the CEO of the Reyes Group, more lives rely on you." Katerina tried to exin.

    "Katerina, that''s enough. You know you can''t reason with him on this." Eric said gently as he held his girlfriend''s hand.

    "Fine." Katerina said, rolling her eyes as she tried to calm down.

    As the food was being served Ian was suddenly startled by a message he read.

    "They''re going to announce it." Ian told Cedric.

    "Who''s going to announce what?" Alexi asked.

    Ian went over to the TV in the dining room and switched it on.

    It was a joint press conference by the fathers of Cedric''s bullies. It seemed they had contacted the media only a few minutes before the press conference, but since what happened to their sons was such a hot topic everyone did their best to make it on time.

    "Prior to the incidentst night we had announced that we were disowning our legitimate heirs and naming new ones." Louie Sanchez said. "We are moving up our ns to announce the new heirs of ourpanies in order to make things clear and so that in the future there will be no war between our children. We would also like to let the public know that we do not condone the acts of our sons. We will not be posting bail or paying for any of their legal fees, what they did was wrong and there is no excuse for it."

    Louie paused to make sure that everyone had caught what he had just said.

    "As the CEO of King''s Inc. I name my daughter, Tricia Sanchez as the next President of thepany. She will also inherit all of my shares." Louie announced. "Tricia has been a model employee at ourpany for years and has contributed much more than her elder brother."

 Chapter 361 - 361

    The announcement shook all the media outlets, no one had expected that the illegitimate children were already working inside their father''spanies.

    "We''re going on a trip." Cedric told Ian and Mae.??

    "Wait, you''re still not fully healed." Jo said as he tried to stop Cedric from leaving. "Doc Miguel said I needed to keep you at home and rested the whole day."

    "Mae, tell them to meet us at the police station, Ian tell Damien I want to talk to the men that assaulted me. Make sure to switch off the CCTVs in the police station and in the surrounding areas." Cedric continued to bark out orders, ignoring Jo.

    Katerinaughed at Cedric. "You are way too petty." Katerina teased.

    "Well at least I didn''t beat them up." Cedric said with a shrug as he looked at Alexi.

    "What? No one could help you and they were way out of line, Ray and I had no choice but to take things into our own hands." Alexi said with a shrug as he recalled the beating he and Ray had given Cedric''s bullies.

    "You can call Miguel if you want, but he can''t stop Cedric." Eric told Jo with a shrug.

    Jo simply sighed and let Cedric be.

    "It''s done." Ian said as he returned from making several calls.

    "Do you guys want toe?" Cedric asked his friends.

    "Of course" Katerina said excitedly as she got up. "I''m sorry Eric, let''s meet back at home." Katerina said with a wink as she kissed her boyfriend passionately on the lips.

    Eric smiled and nodded. "I''ll go ahead. I''ll see you tonight." He told Katerina with a wink as he got up and left.

    "Lend me a car?" Katerina asked, she had arrived in Eric''s car so she needed her own ride to get hometer.

    "Yeah, you can take the phantom while Alexi can just bring his car. You areing along right?" Cedric checked with his friend.

    "Of course I am." Alexi said with a devious grin.

    Cedric''s phone began to ring, he red at Jo, it seemed his friend had ratted him out. He looked at the screen of his phone, it was Adrianna calling. Cedric already knew what to expect, she wouldn''t be happy with what he was about to do.

    "Hey honey." Cedric said in the sweetest tone he could muster.

    "Cedric Reyes, don''t you dare do what I think you''re nning." Adrianna warned in a stern tone over the phone. She was having lunch with her uncle Matthew and cousin Henry, when Mia and her assistant came in informing her of thetest news. She already had a gut feeling that her husband would do something illogical again and her guess was only confirmed when Jo gave her a call.

    "I won''t ce myself in danger, I swear." Cedric said in a calm and loving tone as he tried to convince his wife not to worry.

    "How can I trust you? You''re still injured because of thest time you decided to be petty." Adrianna said in a raised tone. The event he was talking about was justst night.

    "I''lle in a wheelchair, Jo will apany me, Alexi and Katerina will also be there." Cedric said as he hoped that his friends'' presence would help convince Adrianna to trust that he would be alright. "This time all of my bodyguards can surround me, don''t worry Adri, I won''t be reckless this time."

    When Alexi heard Cedric''s promise he ended upughing, earning him a re from Cedric who was still trying to coax his wife.

    "I''ll be safe Adri. I promise." Cedric said in a final bid to convince his wife.

    "Fine, it''s not like I can stop you." Adrianna said with a sigh as she dropped the call.

    "Errrr�� Ian, can you get me a reservation at Deloca." Cedric said. "And a bouquet of red roses for tonight."

    "That bad?" Ian asked with augh. "What''s with Deloca?"

    "It''s where I proposed, and yes that bad." Cedric said with a sigh. His wife had said fine and she dropped the call, he knew he was in big trouble.

    "They are already on the way to the police station." Mae said as she finished arranging everything.

    Cedric nodded and led his group to leave the Mountain View Mansion.

    Alexi drove his own shy sports car while Katerina rode in Cedric''s Rolls Royce Phantom, Cedric asked Mae to apany her in case Katerina needed anything. Aside from being his friend''s sister Katerina was also Cedric''swyer so her presence was more business that casual.

    As Cedric''s car sped along the highway to the police station he looked out pensively, he thought of what those bullies had done to him in the past. How much he had to suffer because of them.

    Seven years ago

    "Worthless." Dennis Von said as he spat at Cedric''s face. "I told you to buy me a better condom and now that bitch says she''s pregnant. What if I made you pay for the child support!" He shouted at Cedric as he punched him in the gut.

    "Ha, Cedric is really good for nothing." Kevin Garcia said as he lit his cigarette.

    It waste at night, Kevin and Dennis had dragged Cedric out of his drom to a dark alley to beat him up. A few months ago Dennis had asked Cedric to run to a convenience store to buy him a condom, Cedric did as he asked and never thought about the incident again.

    "I always buy you the same brand, the one you keep saying is the best quality." Cedric answered back. He really did buy the best one, Cedric''s guess was that the girl poked holes in the condom to get pregnant. Dennis was always boasting about how wealthy his family was, so it was no wonder that a lot of gold diggers ended up in his bed.

    "Shut up!" Dennis shouted as he kicked Cedric, making his vision go dark.

    Cedric snapped out of his trance as he noticed his car pulling up to the police station. He wore his disguise as Jo prepared the wheelchair for him.

    Today he would be finally putting his bullies in their ce, he would be showing them that he was someone they could never afford to offend, not now, not ever.

 Chapter 362 - 362

    Paolo Juan, Matteo David, Tricia Sanchez, Krista Von, and Erik Garcia, were all lined up when the three luxury cars and their escorting security detail arrived at the police station. The convoy of cars also managed to attract the attention of the police officers in the vicinity.

    Everyone''s eyes quickly turned to themotion at the front of the police station. Paolo and his group moved closer to greet Cedric, however they still maintained their distance in fear of offending the new CEO of the Reyes Group. They acknowledged that despite being friends with his sister, their life in the business world depended heavily on his favor. They wouldn''t have gotten that far without him pulling strings in the background.??

    "You know that if you step out with the injury Damien will figure it out?" Ian asked as he stopped Cedric from opening the door. Damien had seen Cedric''s injuries after he was shot, he watched as the medics patched Cedric up and he knew that Ray had brought Cedric over to Saints Hospital for a more thorough check up.

    "I know." Cedric said with a nod. He wasn''t worried about Damien, he felt like the Captain was a good man, someone who was an asset to have on their side. "Damien is an ally to us. It''s about time he found out. As long as the public remains blissfully unaware of who I really am then it''s alright."

    Ian simply nodded as he stepped out of the car to open the door for Cedric. Jo helped him off of the car and onto the wheel chair. The bystanders were surprised to see the CEO of the Reyes Group injured and unable to walk on his own. Many began to wonder if his injury had any rtion to the bar fight the night before, but most of them brushed away their suspicions since someone like the CEO of the Reyes Group would not go to a bar or get into a fight, he would also have bodyguards and his car was not seen at the vicinity at the time.

    Tricia and the other siblings quickly ran up to Cedric, they didn''t know that the man Carlo Juan had shot was actually the CEO of the Reyes group. Everyone had been so tight lipped about the incident that no one had any idea as to the Hype Bar Hero''s identity. Even Hype Bar itself refused to cooperate with the media, they didn''t release any of the CCTV footage and they didn''t say anything about the incident, they did however cooperate closely with the police when it came to the investigation, making people think that the police had told them to stay quiet.

    "Sir, did my brother do this to you?" Paolo Juan asked as soon as he was within earshot. He was frantically checking out the CEO of the Reyes Group if the injuries that his brother had caused were anything major.

    "Yes. Don''t worry, it''s just a minor injury." Cedric said in a happier and calmer tone. He knew that these people were quite nervous whenever he was involved so he did his best to keep them calm and at ease around him.

    As Cedric and the rest of the group began to move towards the police station another luxury car, with its own security convoy arrived outside the police station. Cedric immediately recognized that car, it was after all one of theirs.

    Ayanna stepped out and walked quickly to her brother.

    "Sister-inw called." Ayanna said with a shrug as she waved excitedly at her friends.

    "Let''s go in. The media is starting to arrive." Katerina said in a low tone as she urged everyone to enter the police station. She had already spotted several photographers snapping photos as they arrived.

    "Ian." Capt. Damien happily greeted as he saw his friend arrive.

    "Damien." Ian said with a nod. "My boss wants to speak to the criminals you picked up at Hype Barst night." Ian said as he pointed at Cedric.

    When Damien saw the man in the wheelchair he was suddenly confused and suspicious. He threw a questioning look at Ian. Ian in turn looked at Cedric, as if he was asking for permission from Cedric to reveal the truth to Damien.

    Cedric simply nodded in response to Ian who turned to Damien.

    "He and my boss are the same person." Ian confirmed.

    Damien was clearly shocked, his face showed clearly how surprised he was at the revtion.

    "I hope I never said anything embarrassing in front of you." Damien said as he scratched his head. He was very much confused on how an assistant had be the big boss himself. Cedric was sure Damien was wondering how he had managed to keep his identity a secret for so long, it was amon question people asked when they found out who he truly was. "Let''s go," Damien said with a nod as he led the group into one of therger interrogation rooms.

    "How have they been?" Ayanna asked Capt. Damien.

    "Well, you''ll get to see for yourself Mrs. Laurence, but it seems that someone dangerous is looking out for your brother." Capt. Damien said as he opened the door to the interrogation room.

    The sight inside was somewhat expected by Cedric, it didn''t shock him, but it did shock the bullie''s siblings and their fathers who had joined them inside the police station.

    The bullies were already seated by a table and each was being watched by a police officer. They were clearly having a hard time in prison, they had visible bruises, potentially for criminals under Ray''s control.Ray always had his own way of dealing with things and he didn''t need Cedric''s approval to beat up criminals whom the public hated.

    "The security team can take over." Ian told Damien.

    Damien dismissed the police officers as Leon and his team entered the interrogation room, when the bullies saw Leon and his men clearly recognized him and the others from that night. Cedric could see the fear in their eyes.

 Chapter 363 - 363

    The bullies didn''t notice when Jo wheeled Cedric in, they were too focused on the members of the security team. They knew these were the very men that had captured them the night before, and Leon was the one that saved Cedric from the gunshot.

    "Recognize them?" The masked man on the wheelchair asked. They quickly realized that this person was the CEO of the Reyes Group, they had seen him multiple times and very few people would wear a disguise like him. His aura intimidated them, he may have been seated on the wheelchair, but he was just too powerful for them.??

    They were paralized by Cedric''s question, they didn''t know if they should respond, if they were even allowed to respond. They hadn''t seen the news so they were still unaware that the other people in the room were in fact their siblings. They looked at their fathers who stood a little distance away from Cedric.

    "Mr. Reyes, sir, we didn''t know that these men were your bodyguards, had we known we wouldn''t have tried to fight back. We just wanted to drink our sorrows away." Kevin Garcia begged as his eyes darted back and forth between the CEO of the Reyes Group and the bodyguards.

    "Dad, dad, please help us. We promise to change." Ben Sanchez said as he spoke to his father, Louie. "Dad, I promise I won''t be a problem anymore. I''ll take my role in thepany seriously. I''ll be loyal to my wife, I won''t cheat on her anymore. I won''t do anything illegal. Dad please save me."

    Louie Sanchez ignored his son''s pleas. It was toote, way toote. The moment they picked on the poor kid at school they dug their grave.

    "Your dad can''t help you." The CEO in front of them said in a cold tone.

    "Sir, please we will be better. We are sorry for your body guards." Carlo Juan said.

    Suddenly Katerina, who was in the room with them,ughed.

    "Miss, did I say something funny?" Carlo Juan asked.

    "You have no idea who you''re messing with." Katerina said with a grin as she walked over. "I''m here to represent my client. He has filed multiple cases against you and you will definitely go to jail for the rest of your lives, and I can guarantee, it will not be a pleasant stay."

    "Sorry, Miss, but who are you? Even without my father I can hire a betterwyer than a woman." Carlo Juan said as he eyed Katerina. He had seen her with Raymund Laurence during the show, but he wasn''t sure who she actually was.

    "Wow, someone who doesn''t know who you are sister." Alexi said with a menacingugh. Carlo Juan had just made his situation a whole lot worse.

    "My name is Katerina Sebastian. Remember that." Katerina said as she red at Carlo. "It will be I that will send you to jail. Go call all yourwyers and yourwyer friends, tell them that they will go up against me, they will all back out." Katerina had never been one to boast, but she was never humble either. She knew when she had the upper hand and when to use it. Locally, very fewwyers would dare stand against her in court, and those that did always lost.

    "Mr. Reyes, please tell us what we did wrong. We can fix things sir. We can make things right. We can pay for the damages at the bar and we can even pay for the hospital fees that your men incurred. Please sir, let us go." Jun David begged as he ignored Katerina and Carlo.

    "Do I seem like someone in need of money?" The CEO of the Reyes Group asked. Of course he didn''t need money, those hospital fees were nothin to him.

    "No sir. That''s not what I meant." Jun David began to panic, he didn''t think his offer would offend the CEO.

    "Your dues to me go way way back, but before that I have some people I want to introduce to you." Cedric said as he signaled for Jo to wheel him over. "In one night your lives have beenpletely overturned." Cedric said as he grinned under the mask.

    Jo brought him in front of Carlo Juan who couldn''t look him in the eye.

    "Carlo Juan." Cedric said with a sneer.

    "How do you know my name?" Carlo asked. The CEO of the Reyes Group knowing your name could only mean two things, either you were incredibly liked or incredibly hated, Carlo had a gut feeling it was thetter.

    "I''d like to introduce you to your brother, Paolo Juan." Cedric said as he waved for Paolo toe closer.

    "You! I treated you as my ally!" Carlo shouted as he realized Paolo had been the more reliable child.

    "You wouldn''t have survived a day in thepany if you weren''t father''s son!" Paolo said as he red at Carlo. It seemed he had gained some sort of courage since Cedric was there. He wouldn''t have been able to speak up if the situation was any different.

    "Your father just announced that all his assets and interests in thepany will be inherited by your brother Paolo." Cedric said as he watched Carlo''s expression get worse.

    "Why are you doing this to us? We don''t even know you!" Carlo shouted at Cedric.

    "Really Mr. Juan? You don''t know who I am?" Cedric asked as he leaned forward.

    "I''ve only met you at public events, why are you so hell bent on ruining my life!" Carlo shouted.

    "Are you really going to go through each one of them?" Alexi asked with a yawn. "Even to me this is way too harsh."

    "Hmmm�� You''re right. They aren''t worth the effort." Cedrc said in a cold tone.

    Carlo Juan reacted by retreating back a little, but Leon who was behind him pushed him closer to Cedric.

    "Carlo Juan, don''t you recognize my injury?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "How am I supposed to know, ask a doctor or something." Carlo said frantically, he had an idea but it was impossible, how could that person be the same as the powerful CEO in front of him. It was just impossible.

    "You ced me in this wheelchair Carlo, how dare you say you don''t recognize me!" Cedric said angrily.

    "You can''t be." Jun David managed to say when he too realized who the CEO could be.

    Cedricughed. "You beat me up, called my wife a whore, and shot me. Do you think I could ever forgive any of you?" Cedric asked as he took off his mask and revealed himself to them.

 Chapter 364 - 364

    The bullies were all in shock, it was as if the blood from their faces were drained as they turned pale from Cedric''s revtion. Cedric could see Dennis Von shaking, Cedric suspected that they were trying to recall all the horrible things they had done in the past.

    "I''m sure you know who my brother-inw is." Cedric said as he watched them. "It wouldn''t be too difficult for him to get to you, especially here."??

    "My husband is my brother''s best friend." Ayanna said with a grin. "He thought the beating back at university taught you a lesson on who not to mess with, but it seems it just made things worse. I guess you''ll now have to suffer all the real world consequences of your actions."

    "If you hadn''t figured out, all these people behind me are actually your siblings, and your fathers have officially made them their only heirs." Cedric said with a grin. "Krista, do you have anything to say to your brother?" Cedric asked as he called Krista over.

    Krista walked slowly, she was clearly unsure on what to do.

    Katerina noticed the hesitation in the young woman, so she walked over and ced a hand on Krista''s shoulder as she apanied Krista to confront her elder half brother.

    Krista wasn''t tall, she only stood until Dennis'' chest. When Dennis realized who she was he couldn''t look her in the eyes. He clearly remembered what he had done and he knew that Krista would not go lightly on him.

    "You are scum." Katerina, who was next to Krista suddenly said. She noticed that Krista still didn''t have the courage to speak up so she decided to lend her some. "I will represent Krista, and I will make sure that men like you never walk the face of this earth!" Katerina said in a cold and strong tone.

    "What you did to me, and what you''ve been doing to the other employees, you will rot for it." Krista finally managed to say. She raised a hand and punched him hard. She knew a p would do nothing, but punching his already bruised face made him howl in pain. "People like you deserve to rot in hell." Krista said coldly as Katerina''s courage seemed to infect her as well. She raised her knee and kicked him in between the legs, making Dennis fall to the ground due to the excruciating pain.

    "You guys really managed to offend people you shouldn''t." Cedric said with a chillingugh. "Do you want to know what I have nned for you?" Cedric asked.

    The bullies refused to answer, their heads were hung low, they couldn''t even look at Cedric, the man they had beaten up was now one of the richest and most powerful men in the country.

    "You may leave first." Cedric told the fathers. He decided to spare them the details of what horrors their sons would meet. "And don''t forget, my identity must remain a secret, if you do not keep it a secret, I will know." Cedric threatened.

    The fathers nodded and quickly left the interrogation room.

    "How does it feel to lose everything?" Cedric asked the bullies.

    Again they chose not to respond, Cedric expected this. He knew that they wouldn''t be able to respond out of shame and out of shock.

    "Don''t worry, this isn''t the end yet." Cedric said as he observed their reactions. "It''s actually quite far from it." Cedric said with a grin.

    "How? How could you hide who you were? This is impossible. This must be some trick! Did you trick the CEO to pretend to be him?" Kevin Garcia used. He couldn''t ept the fact that the poor boy they used to bully was now the CEO of thergest and most powerfulpany in the country.

    "Do you think I would let anyone pretend to be my brother?" Ayanna, who was normally bubbly and warm, asked in a menacing tone. "Only my brother can be my brother, no one is allowed to pretend to be him. If they did, they would have to face me."

    "Calm down sister, they are never getting out." Cedric said to Ayanna, he knew she was putting up an act, Ayanna couldn''t even kill a bug, let alone a person.

    "All five of you will be sent to the most miserable prison in the country, if you doubt my ability to do that then consider my friend Alexander Sebastian''s ability to do as I said." Cedric pointed to Alexi as he said this. "The whole prison is controlled by my brother-inw, he will make sure that you suffer, he will make every waking moment a living hell for you." Cedric said with a grin.

    "While you suffer you will think back to the wrongs you''ve done out here. All the people you hurt and all the people you have wronged will all be living better lives while you all take an advanced trip to hell." As Cedric said this he could see the bullies turning even paler.

    Cedric grinned as he motioned for Jo to take him out. "Make sure they feel pain before they are returned to their cells." Cedric instructed before exiting the room with his disguise back on.

    Outside Cedric and his group found Capt. Damien waiting for them.

    "Are you done?" Damien asked, he knew that Cedric would have something else nned aside from confronting the criminals.

    "Does it bother you that I am taking justice into my own hands?" Cedric asked as he looked at the good Captain in the eyes.

    "It would have, long ago when I still believed in the system." Damien said with a sigh. "Things are very different now. I discovered that most of the police bend to illegal men''s wills just for some pocket money. At least you are serving justice and not helping the criminals of this world."

    "Leon will finish things up. When he is done you can take them to their cells. They will be transported to prison tomorrow, tell your men to leave them unattended tonight. Don''t worry they won''t die. Death will be too easy for them." Cedric said in a sinister tone that shocked both Damien and Jo.

    "Come over to my ce at Mountain View tonight. I''ll be having a celebration." Cedric said in a much nicer tone.

 Chapter 365 - 365

    When Jo helped Cedric back in the car Cedric was finally able to calm down. The events in the police station may have seemed easy for him but remembering what he had to go through because of those bullies was not easy.

    "Are you alright?" Ian asked as he got into the car.??

    "I''m just d to shut that chapter of my life." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "I never knew you had it hard in University." Jo, who was seated in the front seat, told Cedric as the convoy pulled away from the police station.

    "I''m very unlucky." Cedric said with augh. "There were many more poor students but they targeted me for some reason." Cedric said with an awkwardugh.

    Cedric quickly took out his phone to give Adrianna a call, he wanted to tell her he was alright and that he was done with getting back at people from his past.

    "Hey Honey." Adrianna greeted as she picked up his call. She was in the middle of a meeting, but she had been so worried about Cedric that she didn''t wait for the meeting to end.

    "Hey Adri, are you busy?" Cedric asked her.

    "No. I was just worried about you." Adrianna said as she waved her department heads away so that she could speak to her husband.

    "Well, I''m calling to tell you that I am fine. No additional injuries, I only spoke to them." Cedric did not lie, he didn''t throw any punches, but he did order for them to be beaten up.

    "I''m happy to hear that you''re fine." Adrianna said.

    "I was thinking, maybe we could invite our friends over? A small celebration, you could invite Julia and the others, while I invite the usual suspects." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Sure, it''s been a while since we all just sat down for a peaceful meal." Adrianna said.

    "Great. I''ll pick you upter." Cedric said with a grin.

    "No, no. Miguel said you need to rest, you already went out today. I have Mia and the driver to take me home. Just focus on your recovery." Adrianna was quick to discourage her husband. She knew that Miguel wouldn''t be pleased that Cedric had left Mountain View against his instructions.

    "Alright." Cedric knew that it was best not to argue with his wife. "I''ll see you at home then." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    "Jo, you and Tom might want to join us." Cedric offered.

    "Like I have a choice?" Jo said with augh.

    "It won''t be work. I''ll call Tomter to invite him." Cedric said. "Ian could you invite Cami, Mae, and Dave?"

    "Mae and Dave might faint when they see how you guys really interact." Ian said with augh as he dialed Dave''s number. Despite having seen their group act like normal people in the past it was quite different to see everyone all together. It was as if all the gods turned out to be mortals.

    When they finally arrived at Mountain View, Cedric asked the maids to prepare the back patio for the party, luckily all of his friends and including the parents had agreed toe over for dinner.

    When little Emilio saw themotion he dragged his nanny to go up to his father. Cedric lifted his son to hisp and smiled at the little boy.

    "All of your grandpas and grandmas will be here tonight, your aunties and uncles too. Are you excited?" Cedric asked his son.

    Even though he was one year old little Emilio had developed quickly for his age and somewhat understood what his father was saying. He smiled sweetly and nodded at Cedric.

    "Why don''t we wear something matching tonight?" Cedric asked his son. Little Emilio nodded vigorously at his father. Cedricughed at how adorable his son was, he clearly got his looks from his mother.

    "Okay, be a good boy and apany dad to work then we can get ready together. Alright?" Cedric asked to which his son nodded again.

    "Jo can you take me back to the office please." Cedric said as his friend nodded and pushed him to the office.

    "Please bring his toys to my office as well." Cedric told the nanny as they entered his office.

    Mae and Ian were already busy at work when Cedric returned to the office. There was quite a lot of work that needed to be done so Cedric''s injury couldn''t have happened at a worse time, but they had to work around it making sure that the Reyes Group ran smoothly even when it''s CEO was incapable.

    "I should ce a contingency n." Cedric suddenly said as he paused from signing several documents.

    "What?" Ian asked, unsure what Cedric meant.

    "I mean, we can''t expect me to fine all the time. What if I get into an ident likest time? Or what if I get sick? There has to be a n on how the Reyes Group will continue to function without me." Cedric exined.

    "Don''t talk like that boss." Mae said, she was quite awkward with the topic.

    "People die, people get hurt, it''s only natural." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I''ll have the nning team draft something up." Ian said with a sigh, he knew Cedric was right, there had to be a contingency n in ce. In the past that contingency n was Cedric. Should something happen to Emilio Reyes his son was capable of taking over, but in this case Emilio had turned over the reins too soon so Cedric''s son was too young. For apany asrge as the Reyes Group it was surprising that there wasn''t a n for Cedric yet.

    Hourster Adrianna walked into Cedric''s office to find little Emilio asleep on Cedric''sp while he worked. She looked at the handsome father and son duo, even at a young age you could see that little Emilio would grow up to be quite good looking, he would be even more attractive since it seemed that the little boy was a genius.

    "Oh, you''re home." Cedric said as he looked up at his wife.

    "Yes, and everyone''s on their way." Adrianna said as she walked over to pick little Emilio up from her husband''sp.

    "Okay. I guess that''s it for work tonight. You guys can rest or freshen up, I''ve had a guest room prepared for each of you." Cedric told Ian, Mae, and Jo.

    "Don''t you need my help?" Jo asked Cedric.

    "I can wheel myself to the elevator and I''m not really disabled, Miguel just doesn''t want me to put too much weight on the injury." Cedric said with a shrug, he really could walk, it wasn''t an issue.

    "Alright." Jo said as a maid came over to lead them to the guest rooms.

    Cedric and his family went up to freshen up and change.

    Cedric decided to go with a casual maroon ensemble while Adrianna decided to match him and their son as well.

 Chapter 366 - 366

    When they finally made it down they were greeted by Prisci Reyes who had juste home from a spa weekend with Gracia, Aurora, and Lucy Chan.

    "You guys are so good looking!" His mother eximed as she walked over and pinched little Emilio''s cheeks. The little boy had been so spoiled by all of his grandparents that he knew to reach for them whenever they were near.??

    Prisci Reyes frowned as she decided not to pick the little one up. "I''m sorry baby, but grandma is tired from her trip, stay in your mom''s arms alright?" Prisci said as she patted the little boy on the head.

    "Is everyone here?" Cedric asked.

    "Almost everyone. Miguel and Ram are runningte from work, but everyone else is already in the backyard." Prisci said with a gentle smile.

    "Alright. Let''s join them." Cedric said as he rolled himself out to the back.

    "Let me help you." His mother-inw Gracia Hernandez said as she pushed Cedric''s wheelchair.

    "Mom, don''t." Cedricined.

    "Mom, here carry Emilio while I push Cedric." Adrianna quickly handed her son over to her mother as she took over.

    As they walked into the backyard they were greeted by the happy faces of their family and friends.

    It was the first time that all of their friends and almost all of their rtives had gathered with them, Cedric was hoping that this time there would be little drama unlike during Ayanna and Ray''s wedding.

    Cedric smiled when he saw Nicole in Ian''s arms as they spoke to Raphael and Eric Chan. The Chan parents had happily epted Ian and it was only Nicole that refused to marry him. If Ian and her parents were to have their way, the couple would have been married before Nicole began showing.

    "Cedric, it''s been a while." Adrianna''s friend, Julia Tiu said as she approached.

    "Hi Julia." Cedric said with a nod. "I''ve been swamped with work and haven''t been able to apany Adrianna on any of your trips."

    "It''s alright." Adrianna''s friend, Sofia said, injecting herself into the conversation. "None of us have husbands or boyfriends so it''s not a bother."

    "Although I expect Julia to get married soon." Natasha, another friend of Adrianna''s said with ugh.

    "Why? Is Julia dating someone?" Cedric asked.

    "No, her dad wants an arranged marriage. So old fashioned right?" Sofia said as she rolled her eyes.

    "Has he mentioned a name?" Cedric asked the girls.

    "No, none yet." Julia said with a frown. "I''m still trying to convince him that all the top families don''t practice that anymore, but he keeps using Miguel Chan and Veronica Abad as an example." Julia said with a sigh.

    "Well Miguel and Veronica are a unique case, Miguel actually convinced the families to do an arranged marriage to save Veronica from marrying someone who wanted to use her." Cedric said with a shrug. "You can ask Miguel or Veronica themselves, but I think Miguel isn''t here yet and Veronica probably went with the driver to pick her husband up. Miguel has been going through a rough time recently."

    "Thanks!" Julia said happily. "I''ll talk to them."

    "Cedric!" Alexi called out from the other end of the table, waving at him. Cedric waved back and Adrianna wheeled him over.

    "You know Adri, you can stay with your friends. I can manage on my own." Cedric was worried that she was too tired from work.

    "Ced, we barely get to spend time together, and now you want to send me away?" Adriannained.

    "Adri it''s not that, I''m just worried that you are too tired." Cedric said.

    "I''ll keep youpany. I miss you." Adrianna said as they approached Alexi and Jen whom he had brought along.

    "I''m surprised you agreed toe along." Cedric teased Nurse Jen.

    "Alexi was very, errrr persuasive." Jen said with augh.

    "Jen has agreed to give me a chance." Alexi said proudly as he ced a hand on her waist. Cedric could see that Jen wasn''tfortable with Alexi holding her, but she didn''t say anything so Cedric simply assumed that she was trying to get used to the physical disy of affection.

    "So Jen, how are you getting along with the rest of the Sebastians?" Adrianna asked as she sat next to Jen.

    "I honestly think Aunt Rebekah doesn''t like me." Jen said shyly.

    "Nonsense. Aunt Rebekah is just cold at the beginning probably because of the career she chose. She''s awyer like Katerina, and Katerina can be quite intimidating when you first meet her." Adrianna said with augh, she too was intimidated by the internationalwyer when she met Katerina,ter on she realized that Katerina was just tough because she had to be.

    "Katerina doesn''t seem to like me too much either." Jen said as she yed with her ss.

    "Katerina always chooses to keep her distance from Alexi''s girls, don''t take it personally." Cedric said "I guess she''s just gotten used to them notsting as long, I think you''re the longest and you and Alexi aren''t even together." Cedric exined.

    "Katerina has a mind of her own. Ignore her." Alexi said as she held Jen''s hand tightly.

    "Alexi, of course I want your family to like me." Jen said as she rolled her eyes. "I know we aren''t together, but if you really are serious about me I should consider your family as well."

    "But you aren''t eventually going to marry my family, all you need to consider is me." Alexi said with a cocky smile.

    "First of all I never said I would marry you." Jen groaned. "Second, you can''t just abandon your family like that!"

    "You will marry me, and I don''t care if my family disowns me." Alexi said proudly. "I''ll go against the world for you." Alexi said with a smile.

    Jen seemed to be embarrassed by what he said and decided to keep her head down.

    "Jen, I''m serious about you, about us." Alexi picked up her hand and held it tightly. "I''ve never been more sure about anything in my life." Alexi insisted.

    "He''s saying the truth you know." Katerina said as she approached with Eric holding her hand. "I''ve never seen my brother more serious or more dedicated to anything or anyone."

    "I thought you didn''t like me." Jen said as she looked up at Katerina who was standing next to Alexi''s seat.

    "I don''t like girls who date my brother in general, and I don''t like people in general, so don''t take it personally." Katerina said with a shrug.

 Chapter 367 - 367

    "Oh look Ram is here with Francesca!" Alexi said in an attempt to divert the topic. Cedric assumed that Katerina''s frankness made Jen feel ufortable.

    To Cedric''s surprise Ram entered with his fingers interlocked with Francesca''s, he knew that their rtionship was all a facade, so it made him wonder why Ram was acting like this when everyone present knew that the rtionship was fake.??

    Next to Ram, Francesca looked graceful but ufortable, as if she didn''t want to put on the act in front of people that knew the truth.

    "Ram!" James Abad said as he waved his son over. "You brought Francesca?" Even his own father was surprised with his actions.

    "Yeah. We came from an event so I invited her along." Ram said with a nod. "You don''t mind right, Cedric?" Ram called out to Cedric who was on a different table.

    "Of course not."Cedric said with augh. "Francesca is like an honorary member of our little family."

    "Thank you." Francesca said with a smile.

    Cedric watched as Ram''s eyes scanned the people present, he didn''t know who Ram was looking for.

    "Veronica picked Miguel up." Katerina said as she quickly caught on to who Ram was looking for.

    "Veronica can''t drive. How would she pick Miguel up?" Ram asked as he led Francesca to their table.

    "She asked the driver to take her, duh." Nicole said as she rolled her eyes at Ram. For a smart person he didn''t think sometimes.

    "Oh, right." Ram said as he scratched his head.

    "So what''s up with the act?" Ray asked as he looked at Ram and Francesca. "We all know the truth, so why are you acting like a couple in front of us?"

    Cedric was not surprised at his brother-inw''s straightforwardness, he had had just expected Ray to hold back in front of Francesca who wasn''t used to being around them yet.

    "We''re not faking." Ram suddenly said shocking everyone on the table.

    "This is a joke right?" Cedric asked Ram as he red at him. "If you''re trying to fool your parents don''t drag us into it."

    "Francesca, is it true?" Katerina asked.

    "Y- yeah." There was a little hesitation in Francesca''s tone, but she confirmed what Ram said.

    "Francesca, if Ram is threatening you with anything you can tell us." Eric said as he looked at his fellow actor. "Ram isn''t a dangerous one, he just likes to pretend."

    Ram rolled his eyes at Eric''sment. "What will it take for you to believe that Francesca and I are legitimately together?" Ram asked.

    "Kiss her. Passionately." Veronica said from behind her brother as she arrived with Miguel.

    "Sure." Ram said as he pulled Francesca to him and kissed her.

    "Oh my gosh." Nicole suddenly said with a gasp, none of them had expected Ram to do as they asked and kiss Francesca.

    "Now do you believe me?" Ram asked as he broke off the kiss, but continued to hold Francesca. The woman in his arms blushed and buried her head in his chest. "She isn''t one for physical disys of affection." Ram said with a shrug as he kissed the top of Francesca''s head.

    Cedric stood up from his wheelchair and pulled Ram to the side.

    "Hey! I told you not to stand!" Miguel shouted as he chased Cedric with the wheelchair, he didn''t want Cedric to over exert himself and cause a more serious injury.

    "What about her?" Cedric asked as he and Ram were out of earshot.

    "Sit!" Miguel shouted as he caught up to Cedric and Ram.

    "I can walk!" Cedric answered back.

    "I said sit Cedric, or god help me I will tie you to the chair!" Miguel threatened.

    "Seriously Miguel, shouldn''t you be saying that to my sister?" Ram said with augh as he saw Miguel turn red.

    Cedricughed as well and gave in and sat.

    "She and I don''t have a chance." Ram said with a sigh.

    "Why? Who would reject one of the five princes?" Miguel asked, with him, Cedric, and Ray happily married, Ram and Alexi were the most eligible bachelors in the country. Ram more than Alexi because everyone knew that Alexi was a yboy and his wife would probably have to suffer through multiple mistresses.

    "My family won''t ept hers, and we''ve drifted too far apart. I don''t think she likes me anymore anyway." Ram said with a shrug.

    "You are acting like a teenager." Miguel used. "Just ask her."

    "It''s not that simple Miguel." Ram exined. "You don''t even know who she is."

    "Oh I''m pretty sure I have an idea who she is." Cedric said with augh. Ram had never been discrete, neither was the woman he liked so Cedric quickly figured out who it was.

    "I genuinely like Feancesca." Ram said. "She is nice, mature, she is who I need. I don''t need someone that acts like a child and can''t figure out what she wants."

    "Be kind to Francesca. Don''t y with her, don''t break her heart, we both know she''s been through so much." Cedric said as he looked his friend in the eyes.

    "I know, and I genuinely like her Cedric, I could never hurt Francesca." Ram insisted.

    "So you and the other girl,you''repletely over her?" Miguel asked Ram. "You can''t be in a proper rtionship when your heart isn''t sure."

    "Since when have you been so knowledgeable in love. You''ve only loved one person ever." Ram said with augh as he teased Miguel.

    Miguel simplyughed with him and shook his head.

    "I''m sure, I''ve moved on." Ram said with a different determination in his eyes.

    "Let''s go back, they''re probably wondering what happened to us." Cedric told his friends. "You have to push me since you insist on making me sit in this damn thing." Cedric told Miguel who onlyughed and pushed him.

    "You know it''s only for a day, you don''t need this tomorrow." Miguel said as he rolled his eyes at Cedric.

 Chapter 368 - 368

    Alexi yed with Jen''s fingers under the table, he was so happy that Jen had agreed to attend Cedric''s get together with him. After the leak came out about them Jen had been avoiding him, she avoided his calls and when he would visit her in the hospital she would avoid him there as well.

    He even went up to her apartment, but she refused to go down and meet him. Things got worse when she found out that he had gone with Cedric to meet Selina. He, Jen, and Selina had aplicated past.??

    A few months ago

    "Jen, please,e down. I miss you. I want to talk to you. Jen I need you." Alexi said in a sad tone over the phone, it had been weeks

    "Alexi, I don''t want to be involved with you anymore." Jen said in a cold tone. Alexi felt as if someone was driving a knife through his heart.

    "Jen please, give me a chance. You are the only woman for me, the only one I can love," Alexi begged.

    "The moment the public learns about us they willbel me an easy woman. Everyone knows you''re the country''s biggest yboy. I can''t have that title if you will just throw me aside. No decent man will want me." Jen told him over the phone.

    "No man will be allowed to want you because you will only be mine. You are the one for me Jen. I would marry you in a heartbeat if you were willing." Alexi told her desperately over the phone.

    "Don''t say things like that. Don''t promise things like that Alexi. You don''t know everything about my past. You will leave me if you knew." Jen said in a sad tone. Alexi wished he could be next to her and pull her into his arms.

    "Jen, please, one chance. That''s all I''m asking for." Alexi pleased over the phone. "We can keep our rtionship a secret as long as you want. Please I need you."

    Something must have stirred Jen''s heart because sheter on reluctantly agreed making Alexi the happiest man alive.

    "Alexi?" Jen''s voice pulled Alexi back from his memory. He simply smiled and said nothing.

    "So Jen, are you and my brother officially together now?" Katerina asked as she leaned in closer. Alexi threw her a look warning her not to ruin things for him.

    Katerina simply rolled her eyes at him and ignored his threat.

    "Well not yet, but I did ask him for more time." Jen told Katerina.

    "Don''t make him wait too long Jen, my brother is anything but patient." Katerina said as she looked at Alexi. Alexi stood up and pulled Kateirna to the side.

    "What the hell are you doing Katerina?" Alexi asked.

    "What? I''m just preparing her." Katerina said quite frankly.

    "You said you would give her a fu*king chance!" Alexi said angrily.

    "I am, I did, and I''ve decided I don''t like her." Kateina said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

    "And what made you decide that?" Alexi asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "I just don''t like her. Something about her seems off Alexi." Katerina told Alexi.

    "And here I was thinking you were the more rational between the two of us." Alexi said as he red at her angrily. "Since when have you let your rationality desert you Katerina? Jen has not done anything for you to dislike her, she''s been nice and respectful to you. Something not all of the girls I''ve dated have done." Alexi said with a sigh. Some of the girls he had dated thought that they would be the one that could change Alexi from a yboy to a one woman man, they were all wrong. Some of them had even gone as far as offending Katerina, it would eventually be one of the biggest mistakes of their lives.

    "I prefer Selina." Katerina suddenly said out of nowhere.

    "Selina has nothing to do with me." Alexi told his sister. "She''s the woman that broke Jen''s heart. She''s the one that''s the reason why Jen has a hard time trusting other people''s feelings. She''s the reason why Jen is afraid to love again."

    "From what I remember you wanted to be with her. I saw the way you looked at her. It was different." Katerina said in a raised voice. "You were the one that asked dad to try to get her for you."

    "I was foolish and childish. I was still recovering from Ilya''s death!" Alexi shouted back.

    "You were so broken after she refused you." Katerina told him.

    "And who was responsible for that Katerina? Who told her to refuse, if I recall correctly that person was you." Alexi said. "Why must you drive away all the women I want?"

    "Don''t you dare go there Alexi!" Katerina threatened.

    "Really? Now you''re threatening me Katerina?" Alexi asked angrily.

    "You weren''t ready to be serious at the time!" Katerina shouted back.

    "How could you know it better than me Katerina? I was ready to open up again and you drove her away." Alexi shouted.

    "You would have ruined her Alexi. Now she is this amazing person and you''re a better person now too." Katerina told her brother.

    "I love someone else, Katerina. Can''t you see that." Alexi said.

    Alexi took a deep breath and rxed, he didn''t want to make a scene today and he didn''t want Jen to think that something was wrong. He needed Katerina to tone down.

    "Katerina." Alexi said in a sweet and coaxing tone. "Please just give her a chance. Be nice to her, don''t be too hostile. That''s all I''m asking."

    Katerina looked at her brother angrily. She didn''t say no and she didn''t argue back. She simply turned and left.

    Alexi knew he had won, Katerina not saying anything meant she should do as he asked, she just wasn''t happy about it.

    When Alexi returned to Jen''s side she smiled at him. Alexi couldn''t resist, he pulled her to him and kissed her.

 Chapter 369 - 369

    When the gathering ended Alexi was more than happy to go home, he enjoyed everyone''spany but he was excited to get Jen alone at his home.

    "Jen''s staying over?" Cedric asked Alexi as Cedric walked the couple out the door. Jen was currently out of earshot and chatting happily with Adrianna.??

    "I''m going to convince her." Alexi said with a shrug. Jen''s apartment was quite far away while Alexi''s mansion was just down the road.

    "That won''t be a problem for you." Cedric said with augh.

    "Trust me, it''s tougher than it seems." Alexi said as he shook his head. "I''m d she gets along well with Adrianna." Alexi told Cedric as he looked at the two women who wereughing.

    "Of course they get along well. She lived here for six months spending almost every moment looking after my wife. They became quite close after that." Cedric smiled as he looked at Adrianna and Jen.

    "You don''t need to pretend. I know you aren''t excited about the idea of me dating Jen." Alexi said as he shook his head.

    "I''m not against her, I just don''t fully trust her. Something doesn''t add up in her history with Selina Ramirez." Cedric told Alexi. "I had Selina investigated and nothing came up to indicate she''s a bad person, and yet the way you and Jen talk about her it''s as if she isn''t nice. Even your mom and dad sing praises about Selina when Jen isn''t around."

    "Cedric, I don''t see any reason for Jen to lie to me. You''re the most logical one in our group, I''m the one chasing after Jen, she doesn''t need to pretend to be immacte to get me to love her, I already do. I love her for all her imperfections, they''re what make her perfect to me." Alexi said as he tried to exin things to Cedric.

    "I know Alexi, but something just keeps nagging at me." Cedric said with a sigh, he wanted to be on Alexi''s side, his friend deserved love, he deserved happiness. "Well, at least you know she has Adrianna''s, Nicole''s, Miguel''s, and Eric''s vote. I think Ram and Ray are fine with her too. Katerina is probably just acting oddly because she''s being careful. Has Natalia said anything about this?"

    "Yeah. She likes Jen. As a matter of fact, when she came home for a visitst month Natalia took Jen shopping." Alexi said proudly, at least one sister liked the girl he loved.

    "Just work on Katerina and I''ll work on getting rid of this doubt." Cedric advised. "I want to see you move on in love Alexi, and I know Jen can help you."

    "Thanks Cedric." Alexi said as he ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder.

    "What are you two boys whispering about?" Adrianna said from a distance.

    Alexi smiled and pushed Cedric over to the two women. They were still happily talking and the two men didn''t want to interrupt.

    "It''s alright, I was just telling Jen where she can buy the most durable and affordable shoes in the city." Adrianna exined to Cedric and Alexi.

    "Jen, you don''t have to use cheap shoes, I gave you my card, use that to buy something expensive." Alexi suddenly said.

    "Alexi you know I don''t want to take advantage of you, I don''t want people to think that I''m only with you for the money." Jenined.

    "Why does their opinion have to matter Jen?" Alexi asked as he pulled her to him. "Isn''t it the only opinion that should matter are yours and mine? What''s in your heart and what''s in mine?"

    "Alexi." Jenined as she was embarrassed that he had done this infront of Cedric and Adrianna.

    "Jen you know that you are the only woman in my heart." Alexi said as he nted a kiss on Jen''s lips.

    "I never knew you could be this sweet." Cedric teased as heughed at his friend.

    "Grow up Cedric." His wife scolded as she rolled her eyes.

    "Have a good night guys." Cedric said with a wink as Adrianna turned him around to leave.

    Jen and Alexi were left alone in the driveway of Mountain View as Alexi continued to hold Jen in his arms.

    "Why do you have to be like that in front of them?" Jenined as she tried to push Alexi off of her.

    "I want to prove that I''m serious about you." Alexi said as he lowered his lips to capture hers once more. He kissed her passionately this time, he was happy that she didn''t stop him and even kissed him back.

    When Alexi finally released her lips he grinned at Jen and held her hand as they walked back to his car.

    "I''m happy you and Adrianna get along so well." Alexi said. "Adrianna is the key to winning Cedric over."

    "She''s alright." Jen said with a shrug. "It would be odd if we didn''t get along well, I took care of her, remember?"

    "How could I forget?" Alexi said as he ced an arm around Jen''s waist. "It''s the reason why you''re here in the capital now. If it weren''t for Adrianna, I wouldn''t be able to do this."

    As Alexi spoke he leaned Jen against his car and left a trail of kisses on her neck making Jen moan in pleasure. His arms wrapped around her as he pressed himself against her letting her feel his need. His lips eventually found hers once more and he kissed her passionately as his hands explored her body.

    "I hate clothes." Alexi whispered into her ear making Jen blush.

    "Alexi, seriously? We''re in public, stop that." Jen scolded.

    "It never bothered you before." Alexi said with a wink.

    "Alexi." Jenined, making Alexiugh as he stole a kiss on her lips. Alexi held her hand and walked her over to the passenger''s side. Like a real gentleman he opened the door for her and helped her in. He then ran to the driver''s seat and drove off.

    "Jen, am I really just for your physical satisfaction?" Alexiined as they exited the Mountain View grounds.

 Chapter 370 - 370

    WARNING: SEXUAL CONTENT

    "Alexi, I don''t want to talk about this." Jen groaned.??

    "No, I want to talk about this." Alexi told Jen sternly. "We''re going to my ce to talk. We will just talk." Alexi said as he slowed his car down to stop by his own mansion''s gate.

    A security guard quickly opened the gate as he realized his boss hade home.

    "Alexi you know I''m not ready for emotional attachments. I''m not even sure if I like men now." Jen said as Alexi drove his car into the garage.

    "That spot in between your legs says you like men." Alexi teased as he parked his car and got out. He quickly ran to the other side to open the door for Jen and help her out.

    As soon as she stepped out she was pressed against a wall and she and Alexi were making out again. Alexi let his hand explore her body running it under her skirt and up her thigh. Jen moaned into his mouth, proving how much she was enjoying the moment. Alexi wanted to prove a point to her and he knew exactly what excited her.

    Alexi gently bit her lower lip as his hands gently made its way up Jen''s leg. Alexi grinned as he felt that she wasn''t wearing anything underneath.

    "Naughty, you weren''t wearing anything the whole time?" Alexi asked as he felt the wetness dripping from her folds.

    "Yes." Jen managed to say in an erotic moan.

    "You feel how wet you are Jen? You''re this wet because a man is kissing you, is touching you, and will soon take you." Alexi told her as he continued to touch her.

    Jen couldn''t muster the words to reply and simply moaned as Alexi caressed her and prated her with his fingers.

    Suddenly Alexi stopped making Jen whimper. Alexi grinned, he knew she wanted more, but he wasn''t going to give her that satisfaction so easily. He wanted something from her, something more than the physical rtionship that they shared.

    He pulled her into the house and up to his bedroom, he could see the lust in Jen''s eyes. She clearly wanted him, and Alexi would only give her what she wanted when he got what he was after.

    "Will you still deny that you want me?" Alexi asked coldly as he made her sit on his bed.

    "Alexi, you know what happened to me. I can''t open up that easily." Jen said with a frown as she realized that getting Alexi to be with her in bed would be a difficult task tonight. Normally her responses to his actions were enough to get him to ravish her with his hands, lips, and staff.

    "Of course I understand what you''re going through Jen, I went through that too." Alexi said as he sat next to her and held her hand in his. "I made the mistake of seeking refuge in sex. I thought that with enough women I could distract myself from the heartbreak, and for a time it did. For a really long time it helped, I didn''t feel love, but I felt lust and lots of it, but at the end of the day I was still alone and I still had to face the pain and the sadness alone, but then you appeared Jen."

    Jen frowned at his words and tried to look away, Alexi caught what she was doing and ced a hand on her cheek making her look at him.

    "Jen I met you, I found you, I fell for you." Alexi said tenderly as he looked the woman directly in the eyes. "I thought you were just another fu*k. Just another woman to sleep with, but I was wrong. Youplete me Jen, you heal me. We can heal each other, if you let me in. If you follow what your heart is telling you."

    Alexi ced a gentle kiss on Jen''s lips, he was happy when she kissed him back.

    "Jen, baby, forget about what Selina did to you. She doesn''t deserve a woman as amazing as you. I promise I will always treasure you." Alexi said as he suddenly lifted her onto hisp. "Give me a chance Jen, love me back." He practically begged as he looked her in the eyes, trying to gauge her reaction to his words.

    Jen smiled, Alexi failed to figure out what was in her mind but he was happy to see her smiling again, she looked distressed the whole night. He knew his family and friends had a way of making people ufortable.

    "Will you give me a chance, baby?" Alexi asked as he began kissing her neck. "Will you love me?"

    "Alexi." Jen moaned as Alexi hit all of her pleasure spots.

    "Yes baby?" Alexi asked as his hands explored her body.

    "I''ll give you a chance, I''m not sure I love you but I''ll give you a chance." Jen struggled to say as Alexi continued to pleasure her. His fingers had once again found their way inside her and were rhythmically moving in and out.

    Alexi was a master at pleasuring women, he made sure that Jen wanted for no other man, he made sure that every time they shared a bed Jen was left begging for more.

    "Alexi I want it." Jen finally said as her arousal reached its peak.

    "Since you agreed to give our love a chance I''ll make sure that you won''t be able to walk tomorrow." Alexi whispered into her ear as he grinned. He won this round.

    He unzipped his pants and in one fluid motion he took off everything below the waist.

    "So big." Jen said as her hand gripped the hard member between his legs, she gently stroked it earning her a response from Alexi, he became bigger in her hand as he moaned into her ears.

    "You want that baby?" Alexi asked seductively.

    "Yes." Jen answered in a seductive voice.

    Alexi threw her on the bed and climbed on top, he didn''t need to wait, he aggressively thrust himself inside of her making her cry out as she felt her womb adjusting to his size.

    "I love it that I''m the only man that''s been in here." Alexi said as he continuously moved his hips to thrust himself in and out of her.

    Jen was in so much pleasure that she couldn''t respond, she simply moaned as he felt her warm opening embracing and sucking him in.

    "This tight little hole is mine, only mine." Alexi said as he began to move faster.

    "More! Please more! I need more!" Jen began to cry out turning Alexi on even more.

    "Oh baby, I love you!" Alexi shouted as he continued to speed up, he could feel himself hitting her deeper, he may have been her first but Jen''s drive was extremely high. Once they began making love she turned into apletely different person.

    "Oh Alexi! I love feeling you in me!" Jen shouted.

 Chapter 371 - 371

    Alexi pulled Jen closer to him as his rm went off, he didn''t want to get up just yet. He wanted to stay like this, with Jen in his arms and he could pretend that they were a real couple.

    "Mmmm�� You have work." Jen said as she stirred in his arms.??

    "I do, but give me a moment to enjoy this." Alexi said as he began to nt kisses all over her.

    "Alexi, if you''rete for work people won''t vote for you." Jenined as she tried to get him out of bed.

    "I''m neverte, baby. I''m always early." Alexi said with augh. He always made it a point to be there at least an hour before any hearing or meeting or event. Despite being brought up in a princely manner, he never liked making people wait for him, nor did he enjoy the special attention he was always given because of who his father was.

    "Alexi, aren''t you tired? You were a beastst night." Jen groaned as turned her back on him.

    Alexi moved closer to her as he rubbed himself against her. "Does this answer your question?" Alexi whispered seductively into her ear.

    "You pervert!" Jen shouted.

    "But aren''t you with me mainly for this?" Alexi teased. He knew it was a sore spot between them, but he couldn''t resist.

    "I agreed to give it a shotst night didn''t I?" Jenined as she felt Alexi''s hand roaming her body once more. "Alexi, we can''t do this now."

    "But, don''t you want it baby." Alexi said as he began to kiss and suck on her neck.

    "Don''t you dare leave a mark." Jen threatened as he could feel Alexi''s lust.

    "What if I leave it somewhere no one can see?" Alexi teased as he lowered his body to her chest.

    "Alexi!" Jenined.

    "You''re right. I need to take a bath." Alexi said as he sat up.

    Jen rxed as she felt him leaving the bed and leaving her alone. She yelled in surprise when Alexi suddenly picked her up and carried her to the bathroom with him.

    "Alexander Sebastian! Put me down!" Jen shouted.

    "You''re not escaping me that easily baby." Alexi said as he carried her into the bathroom. He had every intention of having fun with her in there as well.

    After their bath Jen was exhausted, Alexi smiled as he dried her and ced her back on his bed. He wished he could see this sight every night, his gorgeous woman on his bed as he leaves for work.

    "Sleep here tonight as well?" Alexi asked as he kissed her on the forehead after dressing up.

    "I have the night shift tonight." Jen told him.

    "Another VVIP client?" Alexi asked as Jen sat up and fixed his tie.

    "Yeah, it''s some senator or something. It was a minor surgery but he''s hitting on all the nurses." Jen said with a sigh.

    "I''m tempted to tell Miguel not to let you work while this patient is there." Alexi said as his eyes turned dark, one of the many things he discovered about himself while being with Jen was that he was an overprotective partner, and that he was extremely jealous.

    "You promised not to interfere likest time." Jenined.

    Alexi smiled as he recalled thest time Jen was referring to. She had a young male patient, he was roughly their age and he was quite good looking. Alexi didn''t like the way he smiled at Jen or the way she smiled back at him. He got so jealous that he asked Miguel to force Jen not toe to work until the man was well.

    Jen was so angry at him that she ran away from his home in the middle of sex and decided to give him the silent treatment for a month.

    "Fine, I''ll behave." Alexi said as he kissed her on the lips. "But stay here, stop going home to your apartment. I know you like it in my bed." Alexi teased as he continued to kiss her.

    "I need my space." Jen said with a sigh. "I''m not even your girlfriend, why should I live with you?"

    "We can easily change that." Alexi said with a grin.

    "Go leave, go to work." Jen said as she pushed Alexi away with one hand and held the nket up with the other.

    "You don''t need to hide your body, I''ve seen all of it." Alexi said with a wink as he stood up and walked out of his room.

    Today he didn''t have much work to do, so he was thinking of surprising Jen by taking her out to lunchter. He knew that she would head off to her apartment right after he left, she didn''t want to give him the chance to trap her there.

    Alexi was on his way to the office when Cedric called him up.

    "What''s up?" Alexi asked.

    "I need your help with something." Cedric said over the phone.

    "Go, shoot." Alexi said as he reviewed some documents in the back seat.

    "Look into the transactions of the Carpio family with the government. I have a gut feeling about something, it''s odd that Cthea is back while the rest of her family is still in Spain." Cedric said.

    "Alright. I''ll give you a call when I know more." Alexi said as he dropped the call.

    In another part of the city Cedric was about to do something dangerous. He stood outside of the Carpio Family''s office building, in clothed and looking like he was there for an interview.

    "Are you sure about this?" Leon, who was standing next to him, asked. Cedric had only just recovered and here he was already nning to infiltrate their greatest rival.

    "I am. I just feel like there is something odd about Cthea being back in the country." Cedric exined. "You have men ced inside?" Cedric asked. As a precaution Leon had managed to sneak in a few of his men in various temporary roles within the building.

    "They''re ready." Leon said.

    Cedric nodded andwalked into enemy territory.

 Chapter 372 - 372

    __________________________________________________________________

    Don''t forget to vote with your PS for Never Judge??

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    "Miss, I''m here for the interview." Cedric said as he approached the female receptionist in the lobby.

    "We have hundreds of interviews a day, which one?" The receptionist asked.

    "The one for the assistant role for the Vice President for Operations." Cedric said as he handed a printed copy of his schedule for an interview.

    "One moment." The receptionist said as she picked up the phone and dialed a number.

    "I have a Cedric Reyes here, yep for an interview." The receptionist told the person on the other end of the line. "Alright, I''ll send him up." With that she dropped the call and took out a visitors pass and quickly set it up.

    "This pass." The receptionist said as she raised it and showed it to Cedric. "It will only grant you ess to several floors, the 25th the executive floor, the 10th the Cafeteria, the 8th that''s where HR is, and the 2nd where the smoking area is. I spoke to the current assistant, the VP for Operations is expecting you, go straight to the 25th floor. When you get there turn right on the 2nd corner, you won''t miss the big sign that says VP for Operations. The current assistant is Daisy, she''s a nice woman, just introduce yourself and she''ll see to you."

    Cedric remembered her instructions and nodded. She handed him the pass and his print out and pointed him to the direction of the elevator.

    Cedric thanked the receptionist and went on his way.

    The Carpio family owned and ran Regis Inc., it was established four generations ago by Cthea''s great great grandfather and had always been handed down the family through the male line. Unfortunately for Cthea''s generation there were no sons. Cthea''s mother and father had a hard time conceiving, they had two daughters Ilya and Cthea.

    As a result the Carpio family was forced to abandon it''s tradition of only appointing sons as heirs and they began training Ilya Carpio at a young age, while Cthea was groomed to marry a son of an equally rich family. Their sights were first set on the Reyes Heir, Cedric, but the Reyes family quickly turned them down informing them that they didn''t engage in such practices. That''s why they were forced to turn to the Chan family.

    Cerdic watched as the employees of Regis Inc. walked around, busy with their work, rushing in and out of the office. They had no idea that just a few years ago the Carpio family was in dire need of support. Ilya and Cthea''s father was not the best businessman, he had made several bad deals along the way that resulted in huge losses for Regis Inc., they got lucky when Emilio Reyes III decided to help them out and stop them from sinking any further. He also suggested to his rivals that they hire apetent professional manager if they couldn''t do it.

    It seemed that two years ago they had managed to do just that and Regis Inc.''s decline stopped and they had begun to grow. They continued to be on good terms with the Reyes Group and there was a silent agreement between the twopanies that the Carpio family will do as the Reyes Family''s head asks, in the interest of mutual survival. They both knew that going after each other would not benefit either of them. It would just be a waste of resources.

    "Hi, I''m here for the interview." Cedric said as he shed the current assistant a smile.

    "Ah, Cedric Reyes, I''m Daisy." The assistant said as she smiled back.

    "Nice to meet you." Cedric said as he shook hands with her.

    "You aren''t rted to those Reyeses are you?" Daisy teased. "Don''t worry, we''ve got maybe fifteen employees with that surname. A Reyes would never need a job." Daisy said with augh.

    As the assistant to the Vice President for Operations Daisy was aware of many things, including how the Carpios and Reyeses were once rivals who were now business partners.

    "You can''t see it but I''m three months pregnant. I have to leave because the baby''s father and I are getting married, I can''t stay due to errrr, a conflict of interest." Daisy said with a wink. Cedric looked at her nkly, clearly he didn''t understand what she was saying.

    "Anyway, you''ll have an interview with HR then if you pass you''ll have an interview with me. If I think you are good enough I''ll let the boss interview you." Daisy continued to say. "Any questions?" She asked.

    "None." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "Alright. Follow me." Daisy said as she led Cedric to an empty meeting room. "Wait here." She said with a smile as she left.

    Cedric only had to wait a few minutes when a young man came in. "Hi, I''m from the HR department and I''ll be interviewing you today." The man said as he shook hands with Cedric.

    "Mmmmm, Reyes, please tell me you are in no way affiliated with the Reyes Group?" The man asked in a straight face.

    "Errrr, no?" Cedric said.

    "Is that a statement or a question?" The interviewer asked.

    "No, no, no, I''m not rted to them, it''s amon surname." Cedric said in a panic. He was worried that he had given himself away.

    The interviewer suddenly burst outughing. "I love it when you guys panic. Don''t worry, we''re aware that Reyes is amon surname, I just like messing with applicants."

    Cedricughed nervously as he was fooled by the interviewer, he had kept such a straight face Cedric thought it was part of their protocol.

    "Let''s proceed." The interviewer said as he began asking Cedric more traditional interview questions, like his background and experience. The fact that Cedric had worked at the Reyes Group as an assistant dide up, and when asked why he left Cedric said he didn''t like the rumors flying around about his wife and his former boss.

    The interviewer believed him and simply jotted it down as he focused on Cedric''s skills. In terms of assistants Cedric was just a little bit below Ian and Cami, he hadn''t done that kind of work in a while so he was a bit out of touch. The interviewer was none the less satisfied with him and said that he had passed.

    "I''ll call Daisy, she shoulde in to interview you shortly." The interviewer said as he stood up and left.

    While Cedric was waiting someone suddenly entered.

    "Cedric?" The man called out.

    Cedric lifted his head to find Aiden Ortiz staring at him.

 Chapter 373 - 373

    "Aiden, you work here?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah, I started recently." Aiden said with a shrug. "I thought you worked over at the Reyes Group. Why are you here?" Aiden asked.??

    "Oh, I''m here for an interview." Cedric exined.

    "Why?" Aiden asked.

    "Well I''m tired of all the rumors about Adrianna and the CEO of the Reyes Group. I thought that maybe if I left people would stop thinking that I sold her over to him." Cedric exined.

    "Ah, that''s a bummer. I hope you get the job though. Anyway. Good luck, I have to go." Aiden said as he waved goodbye and left.

    Cedric breathed a sigh of relief when Aiden bought his lie. He thought he was done for when Aiden walked into the room.

    Daisy returned a few moments after Aiden left, his interview with her went smoothly and it was much more casual since they had the chance to talk earlier. Overall it seemed that Daisy liked Cedric and was happy with his credentials.

    "I honestly thought you were slow earlier." Daisy said with augh as they walked down the hall back to the VP for Operations'' office. "Apparently you''re just respectful, which is a good asset. My hubby to be will be happy to have you on his team." Daisy said with augh.

    Cedric was surprised when she mentioned her pregnancy and who the father was, he really didn''t realize that her baby''s father was the VP for Operations, but rtionships like these were not unheard of, they just rarely happened in the Reyes Group.

    "So Philip isn''t your typical Vice President, actually the whole executive team of Regis Inc. is quite unique. A few years back the Carpio family brought in this new hot shot CEO, and when I say hot I mean hot. Like he''s a walking adonis!" Daisy said with a giggle. "He''s so handsome that he even has Miss Cthea wrapped around his finger. Anyway, Philip was one of his connections, young, smart, rich, innovative, there are three of them here now, the CEO, Philip, and a manager that they are training, he just came in. So don''t be so worried, Philip is a casual man."

    "I''ll keep that in mind." Cedric said, Aiden was probably that new manager they were talking about, from what Cedric had discovered about him he was a talented businessman so it came as no surprise that Regis Inc. would snap him up so quickly.

    "Philip, the applicant is here." Daisy happily greeted as she led Cedric in.

    "Ah,e, sit." Philip said with a smile as he gestured for Cedric to sit by his desk.

    "Thank you, Daisy." Philip said with a smile, to which Daisy simply nodded and left.

    "Did she tell you?" Philip''s tone suddenly turned dark as Daisy left the room.

    "Tell me what sir?" Cedric asked.

    "Look, if you passed her screening and the HR''s screening you''ve passed for the job, but I need someone who will be my man. So I will ask you again, did she tell you?" Philip asked in a stern tone.

    "She told me the child was yours and that you would be getting married." Cedric admitted.

    "If I give you this job, you will be my man, can you do that?" Philip asked.

    "Yes." Cedric answered quickly.

    "Good." Philip said with a nod. "I''ll hire you, but you''ll need to prove your loyalty."

    "I can do that, it won''t be the first time." Cedric said, insinuating that he had to do the same in his past work.

    "Daisy dear!" Philip shouted to call in his current assistant.

    "Yes Philip?" Daisy asked as she came in.

    "He''s hired, inform HR." Philip informed her.

    "Great!" Daisy said excitedly. "Come on Cedric, let''s get the paperwork done."

    Cedric stood up and thanked Philip who simply waved him away as he returned to his work.

    "You can actually go now. Someone from human resources will contact you. I''ll walk you out, I need to stretch my legs anyway." Daisy said as she walked with Cedric to the elevator.

    "But I want to go on a date tonight!" A familiar voice whined as Cedric and Daisy turned the corner, it was Cthea Carpio.

    Cedric kept his head low, he knew that if Cthea saw him his cover would be blown.

    "Can I go to the restroom first?" Cedric asked Daisy as he quickly thought of a way to avoid Cthea.

    "Sure go straight then turn right." Daisy said as she pointed straight ahead.

    Cedric looked at where he would have to pass. Aside from avoiding Cthea he wanted to catch a glimpse of the new CEO that the Carpio family had hired for Regis Group, and by the looks of it this man was the one Cthea hade home for and not Eric as Cedric had initially suspected.

    "You don''t love me anymore." Cedric heard Cthea say. "I''ll go back to Eric." Cedric wanted tough at what she had just said, it seemed that Cthea was lying to get the new CEO to go on a date with her.

    As Cedric passed, he caught Cthea marching in the opposite direction. He only managed a quick glimpse at the CEO before having to quickly duck behind a wall because Cthea changed her mind and turned around.

    Cedric sighed, it was a close call. He went over to the restroom and stayed for a few minutes. When he was sure Cthea was gone he went back out and found Daisy waiting for him outside the restroom.

    "You take as long as a girl." Daisy said with augh as they walked to the elevator.

    "The CEO and Miss Carpio are dating?" Cedric asked Daisy as they rode the elevator.

    Daisy looked at Cedric curiously then burst outughing.

    "I forgot you used to work as an assistant at the Reyes Group so you would know Miss Cthea, she prefers to be called Miss Cthea by the way. But yeah, they started dating two years ago. At first we thought Miss Cthea was just using him to get her long time love jealous, don''t tell anyone but Miss Cthea has been in love with Eric Chan for a really long time." Daisy said as she giggled at thest bit of gossip. "But they seem to be going steadily. The CEO even goes to Spain just to visit her, anyway you''ll learn more about it when you join." Daisy said with a shrug as the elevator doors opened.

    "Daisy, I have a question?" Cedric asked as they walked out.

    "Go, shoot." Daisy confidently said.

    "What''s the CEOs name?" Cedric asked, Daisy stopped in her tracks and looked at him.

    __________________________________________________________

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    __________________________________________________________

 Chapter 374 - 374

    Daisy didn''t say anything for a while as she stopped in the middle of the lobby. They were lucky that it was the middle of the day so there weren''t that many employeesing in or out of the building, or else Daisy would have caused a jam in the lobby.

    "I can''t say." Daisy finally said with a frown on her face. "We all don''t know his name, we just call him Mr. CEO. We know he is the CEO when we see him but his name was never announced and they are never on any documents, the final signatories are always members of the Carpio family." Daisy said with a sigh.??

    "That''s odd." Cedric said as they reached the reception area where Cedric would leave the badge. The receptionist smiled at him as she noticed that Daisy herself was walking him out.

    "Hey, Jan, this is Cedric, he just got hired. Be nice to him." Daisy teased. "Jan needs to be cold to visitors, many of them hit on the female receptionists so it''s like a barrier she had to put up."

    "Nice to meet you Cedric." Jan said as her expression turned from cold to warm.

    "Nice to meet you too Jan." Cedric said as he smiled back. "I can''t wait to start working here." Cedric said with a grin as he turned and walked towards the door with Daisy.

    "Odd should be a norm for you by now." Daisyughed as she said this. "You came from apany where the boss never shows his face and people don''t even know his name. You''ll fit right in."

    "I can''t wait to start." Cedric said with a grin as he waved goodbye.

    Cedric walked a few blocks past the bus stop and made sure he wasn''t being followed, he didn''t want to risk people finding out that he had gone undercover inside Regis Inc. He could just imagine what people would say if they found out that the CEO of the Reyes Group pretended to look for a job at itspetitor.

    After walking for a while, Cedric eventually spotted Leon standing outside his car. He nodded to Leon who went over to the security vehicle that would be trailing his own. Cedric got in and finally breathed a sigh of relief, he enjoyed being undercover but that moment with Cthea was a close call, if he had been any slower she would have spotted him.

    "I don''t know how long you can keep doing this." Ayanna, who had been waiting in the car said as the door closed. "We''ve got so much work to do and you''re out there ying spy. Did you at least get the job?" Ayanna said as she shook her head, she had been adamantly opposed to her brother''s idea of going undercover just to find out what the Carpios were nning. He and Ayanna had left their assistants to pretend that they had gone out for a meeting.

    "Of course I did. I also found several interesting things out though." Cedric said with a grin, he was proud that his trip was quite fruitful.

    "Will you tell me?" Ayanna asked as she picked up the tablet next to her and continued to work. The whole time while she was waiting for Cedric she was going over some developments being proposed for rin Industries. If they passed her standards she would then hand them over to her older brother for his approval. Their mother Prisci had slowly let go of any involvement in thepany, the only thing she had to do now was go over to the provincial head office twice a month to process the turnover of thepany to her children.

    "Well, I think Cthea is somewhat over Eric." Cedric said with augh.

    Ayanna eyed her brother suspiciously.

    "Really? You risked your identity being exposed and our peace with the Carpios just to pick up that Cthea is probably over Eric?" Ayanna said in a frustrated tone.

    Cedricughed at his little sister, if only people knew that this was how the prim and proper Ayanna Reyes really spoke in private, many would be in shock.

    "No, have some faith in my skills. I''ve been sneaking around for years, my spying skills are amazing." Cedric said proudly, to which Ayanna reacted by rolling her eyes at him.

    "Grow up." Ayanna groaned.

    "You know what else is interesting?" Cedric asked his sister.

    "Hmmmm?" Ayanna said as she only afforded him half of her attention.

    "She seems to be dating the new CEO of Regis group." Cedric said with a grin as he waited for his sister to react.

    "Wait, what? She''s dating an old man?" Ayanna said as she looked at her older brother.

    "No." Cedric said with augh. "The CEO is some young business genius. I tried to see his face but Cthea was there and if she saw me we would be in trouble."

    "Don''t you have a whole dossier on this man?" Ayanna asked. She was well aware that her brother liked to be prepared, he investigated everyone and made sure he came into every meeting knowing every tiny detail about the person he was talking to.

    Cedricughed. "I got a taste of my own medicine. There is nothing about this new CEO. The employees have seen him, spoken to him, they even know where he studied, but they don''t know his name. There aren''t any photos of him either. He only speaks to those that he needs to speak to." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "You said he is dating Cthea?" Ayanna said as she looked like she was forming a n.

    "Yeah. From what I heard they''ve been dating for a while now." Cedric said.

    "Have Leon put a tail on Cthea." Ayanna suggested. "They are a couple, so they will probably go on a date, or Cthea will ask him to apany her to buy things. Either way they will end up together in public." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "Have I ever told you how brilliant you are?!" Cedric said as he hugged his sister.

    "Ew, no, don''t hug me." Ayanna teased. "And yes I am amazing."

    Cedric quickly took out his phone and gave Leon instructions to have Cthea tailed.

    "Who knows we might end up finding some dirty secret on Cthea, Katerina will love that." Ayanna said with augh. She didn''t show it but Ayanna could be as petty as Cedric some times. She just hid it better.

 Chapter 375 - 375

    "It''s been a month, why haven''t they tripped up yet?" Ayanna asked in a frustrated tone as she sat on her brother''s couch.

    "You seem to be more invested in this than me." Cedric said with augh.??

    "I''m just thinking of Katerina." Ayanna said with a smile.

    "Sure Ayanna, use Katerina as an excuse." Cedric said with augh.

    "You know what." Ayanna said as she stood up and fixed herself. "Just call me if there are any developments today. I''m dragging the girls out for coffee or something." Ayanna said as she walked out of Cedric''s office and into her own.

    She quickly sent a message to all of the sisters and called her assistant in.

    "I''m going out. If there is anything urgent send it to my brother, he can deal with it, if it isn''t urgent tell them I''ll be back tomorrow to deal with it." Ayanna instructed.

    "Yes Miss Ayanna." Her assistant said as she opened the door for Ayanna who walked out of the office.

    "Woah, woah, woah, where are you going darling?" Ray, who for some reason was in R Tower asked as he spotted his wife heading towards the elevator.

    "I should ask you the same thing, why are you here?" Ayanna asked.

    "Your brother called us over." Ray said with a shrug. "I was going to ask you to dinner, but it seems like you have other ns." Ray said with a raised eyebrow.

    Ray and Ayanna were never really the jealous types, they trusted each other. They understood that they both had businesses to run so it was normal for them to be separated even for long periods of time. It wasn''t that they didn''t miss each other, they just had an understanding that some things just had to be that way.

    "I''m just having coffee with the girls Ray." Ayanna said as she walked over, wrapped her arms around Ray''s neck and nted a kiss on his lips. She missed the days when they both didn''t have to think about work and they could justze around in each other''s arms, but they had responsibilities that impacted more than just their families. Theirpanies fed a lot of people and it was their responsibility to do the best for their employees, who day in and day out worked hard for them.

    "Alright. Give me a call, I''lle and pick you up after." Ray said as he ced an arm around her waist and kissed her again.

    "Seriously, get a room." A voice groaned behind them. It was Alexi, he had just arrived with Ram and spotted the couple being all sweet in the middle of the hallway.

    "You''re just jealous because you can''t do this to Jen." Ayanna said, sticking her tongue out.

    "Grow up Ayanna." Alexi said, rolling his eyes. "If the employees saw you acting this way they would lose all respect for you."

    "Nah. They all love me." Ayanna said with a grin. "Bye Ray, I''ll see you tonight." Ayanna told her husband as he loosened his hold on her waist.

    "Where are you headed? Don''t you have work?" Ram asked Ayanna.

    "Coffee with the sisters." Ayanna told Ram.

    "Oh, I think Katerina is bringing Francesca. They''ve been trying to repair their friendship and I think it''s going really well." Ram told Ayanna proudly.

    "Great! The more the merrier." Ayanna said with a wink. "So who''s the other chick?" Ayanna asked Ram in a serious tone.

    "What? Ayanna, don''t make up rumors." Ram told her.

    "I saw you with someone, then that someone ran off in tears." Ayanna said with a grin.

    "Someone I thought I loved." Ram said with a sigh. "Don''t tell Francesca you saw me with someone. It''s still a touchy topic between us."

    "I won''t, I just wanted to know. Anyway, I''m off. I''ll see you guys around." Ayanna said as she finally managed to escape their conversation.

    By the time Ayanna arrived at the parking lot her driver had already brought the car over, if she hadn''t been so recognizable Ayanna would have preferred to take a cab. She knew that the moment her car arrived at the mall, the manager woulde up and try to discuss some business n or proposal with her. She really just wanted to grab a cup of coffee with her friends, chat a bit and rx.

    When she got in the car her phone began to ring, it was Katerina.

    "Hey Katerina, what''s up?" Ayanna asked.

    "The rooftop lounge at Maharlika is free. Well not free free but someone cancelled at thest minute and they called to ask me if I needed it." Katerina excitedly told her. "Do you mind if we move our little gathering there? Katerina asked.

    "Of course not. I was actually dreading going to the mall, but I''m tired of hanging out at home or at Nationalia, I just wanted a new ce." Ayanna exined over the phone.

    "Then perfect, the rooftop lounge is the perfect spot." Katerina told her happily. "We rarely get to stay there, so you aren''t tired of it, and it''s got such a gorgeous view of the Capital."

    "You don''t need to sell it on me. Go call the other girls, they might already be on the way." Ayanna said with augh.

    "Oh, yeah, bye bye." Katerina said as she dropped the call.

    "Take me to Maharlika." Ayanna told her driver.

    When her car pulled up to the driveway of Maharlika Hotel, Ayanna felt a lot more rxed. Maharlika was owned by an internationalpany and it was in no way connected to the Reyes Group or any of her friends and their families. It was just a ce that they all liked to go to, the fact that they had no stake in it whatsoever was what calmed her, she didn''t need to observe every tiny detail, she didn''t need to make sure everything was perfect. She was just a guest enjoying the atmosphere and the food.

 Chapter 376 - 376

    When Ayanna arrived at the rooftop she was greeted by Katerina and Francesca waiting for her.

    "Hey Katerina, Francesca." Ayanna said as she sat down and called over a waiter to take her order.??

    "You aren''t surprised that Francesca is here?" Katerina asked.

    "No. I bumped into Ram at R Tower. He told me you guys were, errrr�� bonding." Ayanna told them.

    "What are the boys up to now?" Veronica asked as she and Nicole arrived.

    "Well, I''m kind of involved in it cause it was my idea to begin with." Ayanna said with a sigh.

    "Ooooh, what is it?" Nicole asked as she sat down.

    "Well��" Ayanna hesitated, she wasn''t sure if she should tell Katerina, then again it would be good for Katerina to know that Cthea was no longer a threat to her rtionship with Eric.

    "Spill." Veronica said.

    "Cthea is dating the new CEO of Regis Inc. and we think she might be the key in finding out what the Carpio family is up to." Ayanna said quickly.

    "Cthe is dating someone?" Katerina said as a smile crept up her face.

    "Yeah." Ayanna said with a nod.

    "You are sure about this?" Katerina asked.

    "Yup, Cedric saw it himself when he went for an interview in Regis Inc." Ayanna told them.

    "Wait, what, is Cedric crazy?" Katerina asked. "If Cthea saw him it would make him and the wholepany look bad. Couldn''t he just have paid someone to do it?"

    "You know my brother." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "Anyway, so who is the CEO?" Veronica asked, eager to hear more.

    "That''s the thing, he is as mysterious as Cedric." Ayanna exined. "So we sent spies to trail Cthea, I mean, they are a couple, they are bound to go on a date, or meet up somewhere."

    "Well, not necessarily." Katerina said slowly. "Eric and I are a couple, but we would never be seen together. That''s why we always meet up where we would normally go and it wouldn''t be suspicious for both of us to be. Like at Lights, and there is of course our home. Themunity is gated, people know he lives in thatmunity, they just don''t know which house, and they can''t find out since it''s so exclusive that the public won''t be able to get inside."

    "So are you saying they could be having dates at the office or wherever Cthea is living at right now?" Ayanna asked.

    "Yeah, and even if they do go to a public ce I''m sure it''s set up in such a way that others cannot easily get in." Katerina said with a shrug.

    "Where does Cthea live at right now?" Nicole asked.

    "At a high end condominium owned by the Carpios." Ayanna said, Cedric had already investigated where she was living so that their people could trail her.

    "Then it''s possible that the CEO also lives in that building. I mean think about it, why isn''t Cthea living at the Carpio Mansion. It''s really beautiful and quite empty right now. She wouldn''t have to deal with a lot of people." Veronica said as she thought of the situation.

    "The only way to find out is to get a list of who owns the top floors. They are usually the best units in buildings like those. If my guess is right, she will own the top floor and the new CEO would probably own the unit below." Katerina told Ayanna.

    "I need to tell my brother." Ayanna said as she took out her phone and called Cedric.

    "We have a theory." Ayanna excitedly told her brother. She quickly recounted their theory about Cthea and the CEO living in the same building.

    "Wait let me put you on speaker." Ayanna said as she ced her phone on the table.

    "Okay. So I can get someone to investigate that building. It will be difficult since it''s one of the Carpio''s high end developments so security will be tight." Cedric exined. "But of course, it''s not impossible. Ian can probably hack into their records."

    "Ian?" Nicole asked suspiciously.

    "He didn''t tell you?" Cedric asked over the phone with augh.

    "No. Is he there?" Nicole asked.

    "Yep, he just heard that. He said he''s on the way to pick you up." Cedric wasughing even harder now, it seemed to be an issue between the couple.

    "Ayanna, darling, can I pick you up now?" Ray asked in a sweet tone over the phone.

    "I told you I wanted to spend time with my friends." Ayannained.

    "Please." Ray said sweetly over the phone.

    "You know you''re using my phone to flirt with my sister." Ayanna heard Cedric say making herugh.

    "Fine." Ayanna said in surrender.

    "Great I''ll call you when I get there." Ray said as he dropped the call.

    "Were we even done talking to Cedric?" Veronica asked with augh.

    "I guess we are." Katerina shrugged.

    "Crap, I''m going to bete." Veronica said as she jumped up in her seat.

    "What''s the rush?" Katerina asked with a frown. She was hoping that Veronica could stay with her and Francesca.

    "Well, this is embarrassing, but I guess I should tell you girls. Miguel and I are trying to have a kid, and well, we''re going to visit an OB-GYN to, you know, check." Veronica said with a blush.

    "Oh, I''m so excited! More babies!" Ayanna had always loved kids, as a matter of fact she spent most of her time at home ying with her nephew Emilio.

    After Veronica left, Nicole''s phone began to ring, it seemed Ian had sped on over as soon as he had gotten her mad. Maharlika Hotel wasn''t far from R Tower so it was no surprise that he got there quickly.

    "Ray should arrive soon too. I''ll head down with Nicole." Ayanna said as she waved goodbye to Katerina and Francesca.

    When all the other girls had left, Katerina sighed and leaned back on her seat.

    "Are you still mad?" Katerina asked Francesca who had been wearing a frown the whole time they were at Maharlika.

    "I needed you and you disappeared Katerina, but no, that was years ago and I have moved on." Francesca said with a smile.

    "Okay, then let me exin why I disappeared." Katerina said with a grim look in her eyes.

 Chapter 377 - 377

    "Why then?" Francesca asked as she confronted Katerina. "Why did the great Katerina Sebastian suddenly stop talking to me." She asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Katerina sighed and frowned, she had never told anyone the truth of what happened so many years ago. It was a memory she had buried so deep that just thinking about it hurt her so much.??

    "At the time, your career as an actress was doing great, and you were with Alvin already." Katerina said as she recalled the time she disappeared from her friend''s life.

    "Don''t even mention his name." Francesca said in a bitter tone. Katerina gave her a sad smile before returning to her story.

    "Your life was stable, the only problem was that you left the Ri''s and took up a different name, but other than that you were happy, you were doing great." Katerina exined.

    "That still isn''t an excuse Katerina. You were my best friend." Francesca cried out in disappointment.

    "I know, but please hear me out first." Katerina asked in a calm tone. Francesca simply kept quiet and let her continue.

    "Remember one night, you called me to tell me about your new career as an actress?" Katerina asked, to which Francesca simply nodded.

    "I was with a man, he was the first guy I dated in America." Katerina closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she recalled the memory, it had happened so long ago and yet the memory was still so fresh in her mind. "We were out on a date and he invited me to go to a bar and drink. Back then I was young and excited and more than eager to get over Eric. I was tipsy, almost drunk and he asked me if he could stay over. I agreed."

    Katerina stopped and hesitated, she wasn''t sure if she could tell Francesca, no one, not even her brother Alexi knew about what had happened to her.

    "I just wanted to be the perfect girlfriend, I wanted to please, I wanted him to ept me, to love me. I was young and naive and I had the wrong understanding of love and rtionships." Katerina cried out. "At the time I would have done anything to please him, to keep him." Katerina paused and took a deep breath.

    "Please understand that it''s not easy for me to talk about this." Katerina exined. "He said I had to give myself to him, he said that he would leave me if I didn''t let him." Katerina could feel a tear roll down her cheek as she remembered what happened to her.

    "I was speechless, then he began to touch me without my permission, it started out as just a kiss, then he became more aggressive, his hands touched ces that I didn''t want him to so I said no. I tried to push him away, but he was bigger, taller, stronger. I couldn''t fight back." Katerina said as she looked down at her feet. "When he was done with me I cried, I thought if I said anything or refused him any further I was being a bad girlfriend."

    "Katerina." Francesca said as she reached out to hold Katerina''s hand. "Why didn''t you tell me or your brother?"

    Katerinaughed. "Everyone already thought I was too casual with my rtionships, at the time I was still a virgin but I dated and people assumed I''d have lost my virginity to one of them."

    "But what that man did to you, Katerina it was wrong." Francesca said with a shaky voice, Katerina looked up and saw the guilt in her friend''s eyes.

    "Do you know what would have happened if people found out that Katerina Sebastian had been raped in america?" Katerina asked her friend.

    Francesca shook her head, she couldn''t imagine the implications it would have.

    "A scandal would break out, people will say my father did not raise me right, then if I can somehow prove it was rape then my name would be dragged through the mud. My father was gunning for a higher position at the time, it would have ruined his chances." Katerina exined.

    "Katerina, I''m sure your parents would rather have you safe at home." Francesca told her.

    "They would." Katerina said with a knowing smile. "They would have asked me toe home and stay where it was safe, where no one would dare go against me. Francesca if I came home, I would have be like every other socialite out there. I wouldn''t be me."

    "Katerina, I''m sorry, I didn''t know." Francesca said to Katerina.

    "Don''t be, it''s not your fault, you didn''t know." Katerina said, shaking her head. "I didn''t tell anyone, I thought I could handle things on my own, but I couldn''t." Katerina said with a sigh.

    "But still, I''m sorry." Francesca said.

    "Katerina." A handsome voice suddenly said, making Katerina look up in surprise.

    "Eric? What? Why are you here?" Katerina asked as she looked at Eric who had a sad look on his face, it was clear that he had heard everything. Next to him was Ram who looked equally as gloomy, they all saw Kateria as their younger sister so hearing that she went through what she did, it broke his heart.

    "Ayanna said you were here." Eric told her as he walked closer. "So I came. I missed you." Eric said as he pulled his girlfriend into his arms. The past few weeks Eric had been on set as he filmed histest movie. Since the public couldn''t know about their rtionship Katerina never visited him on set unless Ram was there as well.

    "Eric." Katerina began to sob into his chest. "I''m sorry I didn''t tell you. I couldn''t. I was so afraid Eric."

    "Shhhh." Eric caressed the top of her head as he let her cry. "It doesn''t matter, now I actually want to look for the guy and beat him up. How dare he touch my Katerina."

    "Katerina, no matter what it is, we''re here for you." Ram said as he sat next to Francesca.

    "I''m sorry I wasn''t there for you Kat. I''m sorry I didn''t look for the signs. It was wrong of me." Francesca told her. Katerina could see the sadness and the regret in Francesca''s eyes.

    "It''s alright, at least things are better now." Katerina said with a nod, she had always wanted to make up with Francesca but she never had the opportunity to do so. Now everything was out in the open and hopefully they could both move on.

    "Why don''t we go home, watch a movie in bed, and rest?" Eric asked as he kissed Katerina in the forehead.

    "That sounds nice." Katerina smiled up at Eric and allowed him to take her away.

 Chapter 378 - 378

    Eric leaned against the headboard as he looked at a sleeping Katerina. He smiled as he pushed away a stray strand of hair that had fallen on her beautiful face. Last night was a difficult one, he had heard her story by ident and he couldn''t help but feel guilty, she had gone through something horrible while she was in America because of him, because he wasn''t man enough to tell her how he truly felt.

    "Mmmmm." Katerina said as she slowly woke up. "Eric, why are you up so early?" Katerina asked as Eric took her hand in his and kissed it.??

    "I have a job to do today." Eric told her.

    "A new film? Commercial?" Katerina asked. She was too sleepy to think that it was so sudden, most would have to schedule things months and even years in advance with Eric, that''s how in demand his talents were.

    "No, Katerina this is something different." Eric said in a serious tone forcing Katerina to open her eyes and sit up.

    "What is it?" She asked her boyfriend.

    "It''s actually because of your idea." Eric said slowly, he knew Katerina would scold him for getting involved in Cedric''s plot. "I''m going to be a distraction so that Ian can hack into Regis Inc.''s customer files."

    "You volunteered to do this?" Katerina asked angrily. She suggested they send someone to investigate, not go themselves. All of the boys were too important to risk themselves on something so trivial.

    "Katerina, we need something big to distract the whole Regis Inc." Eric said as he gently stroked the top of her head. "I just need to be there, they won''t be able to connect me to a bigger plot. Cedric just needs enough time to get one of Leon''s men inside and close enough to a securityputer. Once Ian is in the system he can hack through it." Eric tried tofort her as best he could, he didn''t want her to worry, and it was true, all he had to do was be himself and go to Regis Inc.

    "And what will be your reason for dropping by Regis Inc.?" Katerina asked as she red at him, she had a bad feeling about their n.

    "Promise you won''t get mad." Eric said as he cupped her face in his hand.

    "You''re using Cthea." Katerina said in a cold tone. Eric might have said nothing ever happened between them but Katerina still felt some pain when people talked about Cthea and him.

    "I just need to say I''m visiting her, that''s all." Eric told Katerina as he pulled her onto hisp. "You know that I''ve never loved her, I only love you." Eric said as he nted a trail of kisses on her neck and pulled her closer to him.

    He heard Katerina moan as he let his hand wander around her body, touching her smooth skin.

    "Stop it." Katerina suddenly said as she ced some distance between them. "We won''t get out of bed if you keep doing that." Katerina got off and marched into the bathroom.

    Ericughed as he followed her in.

    "You''rete." Cedric said with a grin as Eric entered Ram''s office in Lights Entertainment.

    "I had an angry girlfriend to coax." Eric said with a shrug as he sat on the couch. "Did you resurrect the news?" He asked Ram who was signing some documents.

    "Yeah. The story about you and Cthea should be resurrected, then you can head on over to Regis Inc. to look for her." Ram had arranged for several trolls to rediscover the scandal between Cthea, Eric, and Katerina. The timing would be perfect since there had been recent rumors that Eric Chan was in love, of course all these rumors would eventually be proven true when the public found out about Katerina, but Eric had no ns of bringing their rtionship to light any time soon.

    "Won''t Katerina gut you for this?" Cedric asked.

    "Ah little brother, you have so much to learn in love." Eric said with a chuckle. The five princes had always looked to him as an older brother and he was often part of their group growing up.

    "Really Eric?" Ram asked with augh. "Cedric is the one that''s been happily married for years and you want to give him advice. You''reolder, but not wiser in this aspect."

    "I''m not the one that lied to his wife during our whole rtionship." Eric teased, he knew it was a sore spot for Cedric and he couldn''t help but poke at it.

    "So what''s your n to keep your girlfriend happy?" Cedric asked as he raised an eyebrow at the older man.

    "I waste today, wasn''t I?" Eric said with a wink. "Plus I''m taking her to Kashmere for a week. A romantic getaway should work like a charm."

    "Ha, she''s so busy, how can you clear her schedule?" Ram asked, he knew the between all her high profile clients and them Katerina was always jetting between cases.

    "Her assistant cleared everything, I told her to tell everyone that Katerina is busy." Eric proudly said.

    "She''ll kill you for that." Cedricughed at the thought of how angry Katerina was going to be when she found out about what Eric did. Katerina valued her work above all, and was even a worse work-a-holic than Cedric.

    "My darling could never hurt me. Plus she needs to take a break, did you see what happened at thest hearing?" Eric asked with a hint of worry on his face.

    "Yeah, the gunman." Ram said, shaking his head.

    "Luckily, Alexi still keeps some of his own guards to watch over her. It was a blind spot they didn''t anticipate." Eric exined.

    "Do you still keep secret bodyguards around her?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, but they are focused on image control, any unttering image or scandal they can get rid of it. Plus they are skilled at detecting paparazzi. Haven''t you noticed that she''s been out of the gossip newstely?" Eric proudly said.

    "I''m just d that the gunman didn''t get to Katerina. She really has a dangerous job." Ram said with a sigh.

    "Sir." Leon said as he knocked on the door.

    "Come in." Cedric called out.

    "Miss Cthea is in the Regis Inc. building." Leon announced.

    "Perfect, it''s my time to shine." Eric said as he shed a dangerous smile.

 Chapter 379 - 379

    The employees of Regis Inc. were peacefully minding their own business when a shy red car rolled into their driveway. The security team was quickly ced on full alert, it seemed that someone important had just arrived.

    "Who''s that?" A curious female employee asked a security guard as she walked in the door.??

    "We have no idea miss, the fancy car just rolled in and it''s been parked there for the past twenty minutes." The security guard told the employee as she stared at the car.

    "Must be some VIP guest of Miss Ri or the CEO, who else would have a car as fancy and shy as that?" The employee said as she walked into the building.

    "The driver hasn''te out?" The head of security asked as he walked across the lobby, followed by the head guard for the shift.

    "No sir." The head guard said as he briskly walked to catch up to his boss. "Isn''t he one of the young miss'' guests?"

    "Are you silly? Miss Cthea is dating the CEO, she wouldn''t have a male guest." The head of security told the guard.

    "OH MY GOSH, NO WAY!" A female employee nearby suddenly said with a gasp.

    "That''s HIS car!" Herpanion shouted as she showed her phone to the employee.

    "Miss, who''s car?" The head guard asked as he approached the employee.

    "His, him! Didn''t you know the rumors about him and Miss Cthea?" The employee asked. "That''s Eric Chan''s car!"

    "Do you think he is here to chase after his one true love?" Her friend asked. "I always thought they were a better fit than the President''s daughter, she justes off as too strong. She isn''t a good fit for him. Miss Cthea is better, so noble and elegant."

    "What are you talking about?" The head of security asked with a puzzled look.

    "Didn''t you hear, the rumor is that Eric Chan is still in love with Miss Cthea and has been thinking of winning her back. It seems to be true, I mean why else would his car be waiting outside of Regis Inc." The female employee said as she pointed at the fancy car out front.

    The longer the car stayed outside, more people came down. Many employees of Regis Inc. were fans of Eric Chan, so when the news broke out that his car was outside their building, they didn''t hesitate to drop their work and head down.

    Inside the car Eric tapped on his steering wheel. They needed a crowd for what he was about to do, so Cedric and Ram suggested that he park his car outside the building, Ram would have someone snap a photo and post it in various gossip sites online.

    Thirty minutes had already passed and Eric was getting impatient. He looked at his watch, in another thirty minutes Katerina''s hearing would end and she would check her phone and see histest scandal. He was more worried about his girlfriend''s reaction than getting caught for being part of Cedric''s plot.

    He had sent a message to Cthea earlier saying he was going to Regis Inc. to speak to her. As expected Cthea did not reply, it would create the perfect cover for his being there. He would pretend to be the love sick man that came over to chase his woman. The thought disgusted him, Cthea Carpio was thest woman he wanted to court.

    He looked out and saw that an ample enough crowd had gathered. He took a deep breath and took out his shades and picked up the bouquet of flowers that he would carry to create amotion. He didn''t bring any guards this time, the idea was for a crowd to gather and get ufortably close to him.

    Eric opened his door and stepped out. As soon as the girls saw him they began screaming, the head of security approached Eric as soon as he saw the actor step out.

    "Sir, might I ask what business you have at Regis Inc.?" The man asked.

    "I''m here for Cthea. Is she inside?" Eric asked as he walked from his car into the building.

    "Sir, you can''t be here." The head of security insisted, he knew that the CEO and Miss Cthea wouldn''t appreciate him being around.

    "If you won''t help me, I''ll find someone that will." Eric said coldly. He wanted tough, he was trying to copy Cedric''s tone whenever he would channel his CEO persona.

    Eric scanned the lobby, he tried to look over the crowd of women who were snapping photos and screaming his name. Eric shed them a smile making them shout even louder, the whole lobby was erupting with their screams, some passersby noticed themotion and even joined in. The guards couldn''t stop Eric''s fans from entering the lobby and trying to get a photo of him.

    Eric finally spotted what he was looking for, he walked up to the receptionist''s table and looked at the woman behind the desk. The woman looked up as she resisted acting like a fan, the other women, and some men closed in, some even standing beside her behind the table.

    "Hi Miss. Do you think you can tell me if Miss Cthea is in?" Eric asked as he shed the woman a smile.

    The receptionist looked up at the head of security, asking for what to do. Eric knew the protocol here, she wasn''t allowed to tell Eric.

    "Hey you!" A security guard shouted as he pointed at a janitor who was acting suspiciously and walked too close to the receptionist''sputer. Despite themotion Eric had caused the security team remained alert in case someone used this distraction to get confidential files or break into thepany.

    "I''m not doing anything!" The janitor said as he raised his hand to show his innocence.

    "Get him!" The head of security said as they grabbed the man and dragged him away.

    "I just wanted a photo! My daughter is a fan!" The man shouted as he was forcefully taken away.

 Chapter 380 - 380

    "So, will you tell me where she is?" Eric asked, ignoring the man that was just dragged away.

    "Sir,pany protocol says that I cannot." The receptionist nervously said as she looked up at the handsome face in front of her.??

    Eric leaned forward and smiled, the receptionist was nervous now, she never expected to be this close to a man like Eric Chan. She wanted to faint, he was too close, was this how Miss Cthea felt whenever he flirted with her, the receptionist couldn''t help but be jealous of their young miss.

    "Please sir, take a step back." The receptionist said as she gathered herposure.

    Eric smiled and raised his hands feigning innocence. As he took a step back his phone began to ring, he grinned as he took a look at the name, it was Cthea.

    "Cthea." Eric said in a soothing voice as he picked up the call.

    "Eric Chan what the hell are you doing?" Cthea said in a furious tone.

    "I''m visiting you." Eric said. "You didn''t tell me you were back in the country, why did I have to hear it from Mr. Reyes?"

    "You never looked at my direction, why are you Regis Inc. now?" Cthea asked.

    "Just a visit. I''ll leave the flowers at the lobby for you." Eric said as he grinned. He didn''t want to take those flowers home, he would never give Katerina flowers that were supposed to be for someone else.

    Eric dropped the call and ced the flowers on the receptionists'' table.

    "These are for Cthea, make sure she gets them." Eric said as he turned and left. His step was much faster as he looked at his watch, five minutes.

    He finally managed to make his way through the crowd of fans and into his car. He dialed the number for his bodyguard and asked him to clear the way. As his bodyguards were clearing a path for him he frantically dialed Katerina''s number, but she didn''t pick up.

    Unfortunately for Eric, right as he was going to call her again Cedric called.

    "Good job." Cedric said happily over the phone.

    "Don''t call me, I need to talk to Katerina, if she spots this rumor I''m not going to be allowed into her house!" Eric angrily said.

    "Don''t you want to know how it went?" Cedric asked with augh.

    "Right now I don''t care about the result, I''m more worried about my girlfriend''s reaction." Eric said as he quickly dropped the call.

    As he continued to try contacting Katerina a message came in, it was from Cedric.

    ''Haha, I''d be panicked too if I were you. Come to R Tower after changing cars.''

    Eric groaned as the ringing suddenly stopped and the most angelic voice came through.

    "What''s with all the missed calls Eric?" Katerina asked, her tone sounded worried.

    "Katerina have I ever told you how your voice is the most beautiful sound in the world?" Eric asked in a lovesick tone.

    "What did you do that needs forgiveness?" Katerina said, clearly annoyed.

    "Please avoid social media and all those gossip forums, and if Cthea calls you please ignore her." Eric said sweetly.

    "Eric what are you going on about?" Katerina asked, she was clearly not amused with his game.

    "I''ll pick you up in your office. I just need to change cars, please wait for me darling." Eric said as he dropped the call and sped off from the driveway of Regis Inc.

    In aw office across town Katerina was even more curious now about Eric''s ramblings, so she decided to open social media.

    The first article she found immediately hit her hard.

    ''Eric Chan and Cthea Carpio? Love Quarrel?'' The apanying image was a photo of Eric, walking out of his car with a bouquet of flowers looking more handsome than normal.

    "What the hell?" Katerina said out loud as she looked at her phone and read through thements section.

    ''Ha! You might be the president''s daughter but Cthea Carpio is the one Eric Chan loves. Best to put biches like that in their ce.'' The most likedment read, making Katerina feel sad.

    ''I wish my husband would do things like that. It''s so romantic. Cthea Carpio is the luckiest woman alive.'' Another usermented.

    ''Wow, Eric Chan is going after the most powerful women, first it''s the president''s daughter and now the daughter of one of the richestpanies in the country!'' Anotherment read.

    ''Whatever happened to his denial? Why is he chasing after Cthea now? I''m happy for Miss Cthea, don''t give him an easy time. Make him work for it.''

    ''They are such a beautiful couple, I wouldn''t mind my husband picking a woman like her.''

    ''Nothing happened between him and the President''s daughter anyway, I bet she just wanted to date a handsome guy.''

    ''Elegant! Cthea Carpio is perfect for our Eric Chan.''

    Katerina couldn''t read anymore, she was always a strong woman, except when it came to Eric. He was her Kryptonite, the smallest rumors about him with any woman hurt her, the thought of losing him would drive her crazy.

    "Miss Katerina?" Her assistant asked as he entered the room with some documents. He was shocked to see his boss in such a sad state, he even thought he saw her crying.

    "Please cancel all my meetings for the rest of the day." Katerina said as she quicklyposed herself.

    Thements online and the article might have hurt her, but she promised Eric that she would never jump into conclusions. She knew how well the media and the inte could manipte the truth and the only person she would believe was Eric. If he said he would pick her up then it must be a misunderstanding. She believed that Eric would never cheat on her, he was probablying over to exin things.

    As she thought that an painful idea crossed her mind, what if Eric wasing over to tell her that he no longer loved her? What if the scene at Regis Inc. wasn''t an act for Cedric''s n, what if Eric had gone over of his own free will and wanted Cthea over her?

 Chapter 381 - 381

    After a while Katerina calmed her doubts, she trusted Eric, but she couldn''t help but feel inadequate. She wasn''t as elegant and soft as Cthea or any of the other girls, her career didn''t leave her room to act as one of the finely groomeddies in the Capital, she had to be tough and even ruthless at times.

    She was finishing up some documents when her phone began to ring, even before she picked it up she knew who it was.??

    "Hey darling." Katerina said sweetly.

    "Mmmm, you''ve calmed down." Eric said over the phone. "I''m outside. Let''s go."

    "Five minutes and I''ll be down. I need to put away some files." Katerina said as she dropped the call.

    She quickly put everything away and picked up her bag.

    At the lobby one of her bodyguards was already waiting for her.

    "Miss Katerina, there might be paparazzi waiting for you outside. News about Mr. Eric and Miss Cthea are all over the inte, your name has been implicated several times already." The bodyguard informed her as she walked towards the door.

    Katerina stopped and let out a sigh.

    "They will always be there, hungry for news. I can''t live my life worried about what they will say or do." Katerina exined. "I''m sure they are camping out there, but should I put my life on pause for them?" Katerina asked with a smile as she marched out the door.

    Katerina spotted Eric''s simple ck SUV parked by the curb, it was heavily tinted so members of the media wouldn''t be able to see who was inside. Eric often used this car to go to personal gatherings especially when visiting his family.

    At first it was only Katerina and her bodyguard walking from the building to Eric''s car. Katerina almost thought that the paparazzi had decided to leave her alone, but she was quickly proven wrong. A minute after she stepped out of the building several people carrying cameras and voice recorders came rushing up to her.

    "Miss Katerina, Miss Katerina!" They called out as they tried to catch her attention.

    "How do you feel about Mr. Eric Chan and Miss Cthea Carpio rekindling their romance?" One reporter asked.

    "Did anything happen between you and Mr. Eric?" Another called out.

    "Is it true he dumped you for Miss Cthea?" Someone called out almost making Katerinaugh.

    "This matter is between Cthea and Eric. It has nothing to do with me." Katerina said with a calm smile as she held the door to the back seat of the car. She knew that if she opened the front door the paparazzi would catch a glimpse of Eric in the driver''s seat.

    "So there is no rtionship between you and Mr. Eric?" A reporter asked.

    Katerina was sure that Eric was listening through the slightly open window of the front seat, and she really did not want to deny her rtionship with Eric in front of the press.

    "Aren''t you here because of Eric''s visit to Regis Inc.? Shouldn''t that give you an answer to your own question?" Katerina asksed the reporter. "I have an appointment, please avoid blocking the building, this is a workce and people need to get to work." Katerina said with a smile as she quickly opened the door and got into the back seat. She was hoping that she moved fast enough that the reporters didn''t notice who was driving the car.

    "Smart answer." Eric said as soon as the door closed.

    "I will never deny you in public, Eric." Katerina confidently told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and nted a kiss on his cheek.

    "I want that kiss on my lips, Katerina." Eric said as he looked at her through the rear view mirror.

    "After you exin." Katerina told him.

    "Move to the front. I want to hold your hand." Eric told her.

    "I will be very ungraceful." Katerina said with an embarrassedugh.

    "I don''t love you because you''re graceful." Eric said sweetly.

    Katerina gave in and moved to the front seat. Before her butt couldnd Eric pulled her onto hisp and kissed her passionately. Katerina wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

    When their lips finally parted Katerina gave him a yful peck on the lips before finally moving to her seat.

    "I can already see the next headline, President''s Daughter hops into an unknown man''s car in front of the paparazzi." Eric teased.

    "Let''s go, they''re probably wondering why we hadn''t left." Katerina said as she pointed at the reporters outside her window who continued to take photos of the unknown car.

    "They will never figure this one out." Eric said with a grin. "I asked your dad for help to keep these tes hidden." Eric proudly told Katerina as he drove off leaving the crowd in the distance.

    "So will you exin things to me?" Katerina asked, shifting the topic back to the issue at hand.

    "You checked, didn''t you?" Eric asked her.

    "I did, but I trust you." Katerina told Eric as she squeezed his hand.

    "It was all part of Cedric and Ram''s n." Eric began to exin. "You know that there is talk about me being in love because I seem different during work, so Cedric and Ram decided to resurrect the old rumors about me and Cthea."

    He nced at Katerina who had remained silent and was simply listening to him. When he noticed she wasn''t going to say anything he continued his story.

    "I parked my car outside Regis Inc.and waited to build up a crowd. I went over in a suit and brought flowers. I pretended that Cthea and I had a fight, so people felt like we were a couple and it wasn''t odd for me to show up at the building. Other than that I have nothing to say." Eric said with a shrug.

    "So it''s all an act?" Katerina asked, making sure about what he had said.

    "Yes Katerina. I love you and only you, no other woman will upy my heart." Eric said with a smile as he lifted her hand to his lips and nted an innocent kiss.

    "Where are we going now?" Katerina asked as they stopped due to traffic.

    "Cedric wants to tell us if we were sessful and what we found. I decided to bring you along because I was disgusted by what I did in Regis Inc." Eric exined.

    "I love you." Katerina said as she looked up at Eric who simply smiled and continued to drive.

 Chapter 382 - 382

    Cedric sat impatiently in his office as Ian looked through the information they managed to get from the Regis Inc.work. He was anxious, he didn''t like not knowing anything about his opponent.

    "Stop watching me like that." Ian said in an annoyed tone without lifting his head. "I''m not your wife. If you keep staring at me I will call her and tell her you''re checking someone out!"??

    "Looking at you like what?" Cedric asked as he picked up his phone to see if any of the boys had sent him a message. He had told them over an hour ago toe over to R Tower but no one responded.

    "I will tell you if I find something." Ian told Cedric.

    "Is he being annoying again?" Alexi asked as he entered the office.

    "Don''t you know how to knock?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "Why? Would you have had a woman in here? Your wife is busy working, so unless you have a mistress then I wouldn''t be interrupting." Alexi said with a smile.

    "Unlike you I am satisfied with being with just one woman." Cedric said, throwing a jab at Alexi''s yboy ways.

    "I''m a one woman man now." Alexi countered.

    "Why has Nurse Jen decided to return your feelings?" Cedric teased, they all knew that Nurse Jen refused to take their rtionship to a more serious point, as of the moment everything was just casual.

    "Well she was very happy under mest night." Alexi said with a wink. "She''s the only one for me and no one can change that. She''s the only woman that matters."

    "It''s not what I heard. How did dinner with the Ramirezes go? I heard Uncle Jose insisted that you be present." Cedric said as he smiled like he had won, he knew Selina was a touchy topic to Alexi.

    "I love Jen and only Jen. Other women are nothing but nuances." Alexi confidently dered.

    "What? But Selina is such a nice girl, brother." Katerina asked as she entered the room, holding Eric''s hand. "If I remember correctly she was the first woman to make your heart stop after Ilya Carpio." Katerina teased.

    "Do you have to unt your love here?" Alexi asked as he red at the couple who were being extremely romantic.

    "Cedric used me so I''m using this meeting to exin things to Katerina. And on the Selina topic, I met her, she''s nice. I like her more than Jen." Eric said with a shrug.

    "Both of you stop it." Alexi said angrily. "This is my rtionship, I love Jen and soon Jen will love me back. Selina is just some woman, I don''t see her. How would you feel if people started to say Cthea was better for Eric?"

    The couple suddenly burst out inughter and Cedric couldn''t resist but join them.

    "Have you not seen social mediately?" Eric asked Alexi. "It''s all they are saying. Also don''t ever say that in front of your sister, she''s my one and only." Eric threatened with a smile.

    "Darling, calm down." Katerina said as she leaned her head on Eric''s chest.

    "Are they still at it?" Ramined as he arrived, spotting Katerina and Eric being sweet.

    "Yep. Ignore them." Cedric said, to which Ram simply shrugged and sat on the couch.

    Soon Miguel and Ray arrived as well,pleting the group.

    "So how did you manage to get into the system?" Eric asked Cedric and Ian. "I saw the security team of Regis Inc. take your guy out for questioning."

    "That wasn''t our guy." Cedric said with a confident smile. "We used him as a decoy. The person that nted the receiver was a woman." Cedric said proudly.

    "So that guy was just some random janitor that was picked up? You got lucky!" Eric said with augh.

    "He was, somewhat nted." Cedric exined. "Leon did a background check on all the utility staff of Regis Inc. we found a man whose daughter was a big fan of yours and we used it to our advantage. One of the men he had nted as a spy quickly told the janitor that you were downstairs, as expected the janitor did not want to leave his post, so the spy offered to cover for him. This gave the man the confidence to go and try to take a photo of you. Now our real spy helped push him to the right direction, which was directly behind the receptionist''s desk."

    "I was actually quite suspicious that a middle aged man joined the crowd and tried to snap photos of me." Eric said as he wrapped an arm around Katerina''s waist.

    "That''s what made him the perfect decoy." Cedric said with a nod. "Once he was taken away, the security team of Regis Inc. rxed, they thought they had caught someone who had been nted by a rivalpany that noticed the opportunity. With that our woman was free to insert the bug into theputer while you were busy distracting everyone." Cedric said proudly.

    "What happened to the man?" Katerina asked. "It seems unfair for him to suffer for your n."

    "Is thatpassion I''m hearing from your voice Katerina?" Ram teased.

    "Love can really change a person." Miguel said as he joined the jest.

    "Oh shut up." Katerina told the boys as she rolled her eyes at them. Eric simplyughed and kissed the top of her head.

    "I''m not cruel." Cedric said, responding to Katerina''s question. "Leon made sure that his innocence was proven. After a few hours of intensive questioning he was eventually released, Regis Inc. paid him a good sum in order to keep him quiet about the interrogation. It ended up better for him actually, he even managed to snap a handsome photo of Eric for his daughter." Cedric teased as he looked at Eric.

    "So the operation was an overall sess?" Ram asked.

    "Well��" Ian said with a hint of hesitation in his tone.

    "Well what?" Eric asked. "Don''t tell me that I risked my image and rtionship for nothing?"

 Chapter 383 - 383

    ________________________________________________________________

    Follow me on Instagram @wounded_warriorauthor to see updates and references for Never Judge??

    ________________________________________________________________

    "It''s not that we didn''t find anything." Cedric said slowly. "It''s just that we didn''t find what we were looking for."

    "What do you mean?" Alexi asked as he leaned forward.

    "There wasn''t a name listed in the files on the owner of the unit below the penthouse. The penthouse is owned by Cthea as we suspected, but the owner''s name of the unit below her''s is nk." Cedric exined.

    "So we did waste our time for nothing." Eric said in frustration. Katerina held his hand in an attempt to calm him down.

    "We found things in their files but it''s not exactly what we were looking for." Ian said as he typed away on theptop.

    "Stop speaking in riddles." Alexi said in frustration, Ian and Cedrc were both speaking nonsense again.

    "Why didn''t you guys just hack the employee records and look for the CEOs name?" Miguel asked.

    "Because it''s not that easy. I only had a few moments to gather the information I could. Hacking into their employee records will take time, and that''s time we don''t exactly have." Ian exined to the doctor.

    "Oh, isn''t it like the movies where you can type away and just get all the information?" Miguel asked with a puzzled look.

    "I''m not sure if he''s serious or not." Eric asked as he looked at his brother.

    "So what did you find out?" Ram, who had been quite silent, couldn''t help but ask.

    "Well we know for a fact that MT Summit was purchased by Regis Inc. four years ago." Cedric exined.

    "Well, that isn''t much of a shock." Alexi said as he shook his head, it didn''te to a surprise to them that the ones trying to create trouble for the Reyes was their biggest rival in the industry. "I just find it odd that the Carpios would turn to something like this. They are a well established family and I am sure they can pose a threat to the Reyes Group without underhanded tactics."

    "That''s the thing, they did purchase MT Summit, but it was sold off two years ago." Cedric said with a knowing smile as he watched his friends realize what he had just said.

    "Wait, so all the actions recently that were backed by MT Summit are not rted to them?" Eric asked, this was getting tooplicated.

    "Did the documents say who they sold it to?" Katerina asked.

    "No, which is odd because all other sales and purchases had clearly documented who they bought it from and who the property was sold to." Cedric said with a shrug. "I''m left with only one option."

    "Don''t be stupid. You can''t go undercover. My wife will kill you if you leave her more work and your wife is pissed off as it is that you keep risking your life." Rayined as he realized what Cedric was nning.

    "Well, that''s not what I was going to say." Cedric told his brother-inw with a sly grin. "I won''t get the information by going in, MT Summit was sold two years ago. The current management team started two years ago, so they won''t know anything about the sale. I need to go to the person who was in that position at the time."

    "Two years ago Cthea''s father Jonathan was the president and CEO." Ram said as he tried to recall who yed what role in Regis Inc. at the time. "He was one of five members of the family that chose to stay back when the whole Carpio family moved."

    "Is Jonathan Carpio in the Capital too?" Miguel curiously asked.

    "No, only Cthea went home." Eric told his brother. Eric always kept a close eye on the actions of the Carpio family. He wanted to avoid any interaction with them.

    "So I''ll fly to Spain. I promised Adrianna a trip, I guess we are getting one." Cedric grinned.

    "I''m flying to Spain with Veronica next week. Do you want to go together?" Miguel asked as he recalled his nned trip.

    "I need to check if Jonathan Carpio will be willing to speak to me. Why are you going to Spain?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "Some royal patient, I don''t need my equipment or team so I decided to fly over. Plus Veronica want to buy something for the house, I don''t know, I don''t really involve myself in the house she''s building for us." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "Will you need yourwyer with you?" Katerina asked.

    "You''re just looking for an excuse to travel." Eric groaned. "Don''t you want to stay home with me?"

    "If I go to Spain, you''re clearly tagging along. You could say you''re filming or something." Katerina said with a shrug.

    "I would feel much more confident if you were with us." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I''ll arrange for everything then." Ian said with a nod. "Do you want to travel high profile or low profile?" Ian asked.

    "I''d prefer if no one knew that the Reyes Group CEO met with Jonathan Carpio." Cedric informed Ian.

    "So you''ll travelmercial?" Ian asked his friend and boss.

    "Yeah, it''s better that way." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I hope you book a flight with mypany." Ray teased.

    It took Ian some time to get Jonathan Carpio to agree to meet with the CEO of the Reyes Group. At first the people from the Carpio family were hesitant, they knew that if news broke out about this meeting it would cause quite a scandal and it would affect them more than it would affect the Reyes Group.

    One afternoon Ian simply burst into Cedric''s office triumphantly. "They agreed!" Ian said as he raised his hand and did a victoryp around the office.

    "Damn this office is big." Ianined as he made it back to Cedric''s desk.

    "Any conditions?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, they asked if you could keep it as low profile as possible, I almostughed at the request. Don''t they know how low profile the CEO of the Reyes Group actually is?" Ian exined.

    "Okay good. Make the arrangements." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I actually have a request." Ian mumbled.

    "Speak louder. I don''t have super hearing." Cedricined as he struggled to understand what his friend and assistant had just said.

    "I have a request, bring Dave with you." Ian said more clearly this time.

    "Why Dave?" Cedric asked. The young man still had much to learn and a trip like this wasn''t one for learning.

    "Well, Nicole is one month away from giving birth and I don''t want to leave her alone here in the Capital, as for Cami, she''s stressed enough. If she apanied you she would have to bnce Mor Co. and seeing to your needs. So it''s either Mae or Dave, in all honesty I think Dave should go since he has more to learn on this trip." Ian exined to Cedric.

    "Does he know that we know?" Cedric asked as he ced down the files he was reading.

    "No, but his elder brother entrusted him to me before passing away, I want him to learn and you promised you''d help." Ian told Cedric.

    "Alright. Just make sure that he knows everything." Cedric said with a nod as he returned his focus back to his work.

    Dave seemed simple at first nce, on paper he was a mediocre student with a strong drive, he wasn''t mediocre because he wasn''t smart enough, as a matter of fact his IQ was that of a genius. Something bad had happened to Dave and his family as he entered University, he elder brother, the star of his family died in an ident.

    It just so happened that when his car crashed the first two people to run up were Ian and Cedric. Dave''s older brother, Arthur, begged the two men to watch over his brother, someone they had never met. Ian and Cedric agreed thinking that Arthur would make it out alive, they were shocked to hear that Arthur was already dead when he arrived at the hospital, it seemed that prior to his ident Arthur had been in a fight and he was already severely injured when his car crashed.

    Cedric sighed at the memory, it was painful, but it was also the moment that he swore to help people who had promising futures stolen from them, people like Ian, Dave, and even Cami.

 Chapter 384 - 384

    "Spain? For a week?" Adrianna asked as she rocked their son to sleep. She looked down at the little boy, Cedric knew that his wife couldn''t bear leaving their son at home for so long.

    "Adri, I know it''ll be hard leaving Emilio, but our parents are here, Ayanna and Ray are also here. He will be cared for." Cedric said as he touched his little son''s face. He would miss his son too, but what he was doing was for his son''s own future.??

    "Alright, I guess I could shift some work over to Uncle Matthew and Henry. Margarette is also doing better so Uncle Matthew doesn''t need to keep herpany as much anymore." Adrianna said, agreeing to Cedric''s request. "When do we leave?" Adiranna asked.

    "Monday." Cedric said confidently.

    "Monday!? That''s two days away!" Adrianna said in a loud voice waking her son up.

    "I''ll take care of him." Cedric said as he picked his son up in his arms.

    "I need to start doing preparations, why did you only tell me now?" Adrianna asked as she picked up her phone.

    "Well I only got confirmation this afternoon and I couldn''t tell you over the phone." Cedric feebly tried to exin.

    Adrianna rolled her eyes as she began arranging for a meeting the next day.

    The two days passed by swiftly as Cedric and Adrianna made sure that they didn''t leave any work behind. Cedric might have been traveling for the sake of the Reyes Group, but there were still some matters at home that needed to be settled before he left.

    Cedric and Adrianna hailed a cab to get to the airport, Cedric decided that driving there would cause too much of amotion and raise too many questions.

    "Is it odd that I miss taking a cab?" Adrianna said with augh as she leaned on her husband.

    "I think you just miss the simpler days." Cedric said with a smile.

    "I guess they were simpler, back then our only problem was that my family hated you." Adrianna said with augh. "Did I ever tell you about my n?"

    "Which n?" Cedric asked.

    "If my family continued to treat you badly I was going to ask you to leave the country with me." Adrianna exined as she looked up at Cedric''s smiling face.

    "I wouldn''t have agreed." Cedric said with a grin. "My parents and my sister are here." He teased.

    "Well your mom had totally hijacked mine. I rarely see our parents." Adrianna said with a sigh. Ever since they moved to Mountain View, Prisci Reyes had dragged Gracia Hernandez all over the country and all over the world. From someone who was furious at Gracia for the treatment she gave her son, the two mothers became best friends.

    "Mom was so mad at first, she wanted to ruin the whole Hernandez n." Cedric said with augh as he recounded his mother''s anger one time when he spent Christmas at home.

    "Who knew that I managed to snag the most desirable bachelor years ago?" Adrianna said with augh as she nted a kiss on Cedric''s lips. "Cedric, whether you are rich or poor I will always love you. I never loved you for your money, I always loved you for you."

    Cedric ced a hand on her cheek and smiled back. "I love you too."

    It took Cedric and Adrianna almost a whole 24 hours to get to Madrid from the Capital. When they arrived they took a cab to one of the Reyes Group''s offices where Dave was waiting for them. He had flown in two days ahead in order to arrange for everything.

    "Cousin!" A young man in a ck suit greeted Cedric with a hug as they arrived at the Reyes Group''s parking area.

    "Ace!" Cedric happily greeted. "Meet my wife, Adrianna." Cedric said with a smile as he wrapped an arm around Adrianna''s waist pulling her closer to him.

    "A pleasure to meet you Mrs. Reyes. I''m Ace Reyes, Cedric''s second cousin, we grew up together back in the Capital, when mama and papa decided to take a more active role in the family business we moved to Europe." Ace exined to Adrianna.

    "Ace is in charge of all the European offices. He''s quite the rising star in business." Cedric said proudly.

    "Of course my cousins are still my bosses." Ace teased. "I report to Marie on everything since she runs all of the international affairs, and of course Cedric just runs everything."

    "Don''t sell yourself short Ace, I''m sure you do quite well." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "I trust my cousin, so if he trusts me, then I trust myself." Ace said happily. "I still have a few meetings, Mama and Papa said we will have dinner with you tonight." Ace said with a nod as he left.

    "Your family is too peaceful." Adrianna told her husband as they got into the car.

    "I have too many external problems to deal with internal ones." Cedric said with augh as he closed the car door behind him. "But in all honesty, poverty training helps a lot. We all know that whoever inherits leadership of the family truly deserves it. On top of that everyone is aware of the dangers being the family head carries with it."

    "Dangers?" Adrianna asked.

    "Dad wouldn''t insist on so much security if we didn''t have enemies." Cedric said with a shrug. "Being low profile helps a lot, but it still has its own pitfalls. Don''t worry about the dangers part, we''ve got it covered, try to get some sleep." Cedric said as he pulled his wife to lean on him.

    The Reyes Family owned a mansion nearby, Cedric had offered for Miguel, Veronica, Katerina, and Eric to stay there as well since it was quite big and despite already housing some Reyes Family rtives there were still too many rooms.

    Thest time Cedric had been to the Reyes home in Madrid was when he was twelve years old. They had all flown over for Ace''s birthday, traditionally for important asions the family flew over to the Capital since that was where the family head lived, but on a few rare asions they did fly out to meet their rtives across the globe.

    As the car drove into thepound Cedric couldn''t help but look up in awe, the mansion was still as elegant as it had looked when he was a child. Cedric noticed that Adrianna was too tired from their trip, so he decided to carry her up.

    The servants were ready to greet them on their arrival, but when they saw their mistress fast asleep they simply bowed to wee them.

    Inside Cedric was greeted by a couple he had not seen in a long time, Ace''s parents. Despite his annual reunion with the family, Ace''s parents had not gone home for at least five years due to issues in some European branches.

    "I''ll ce her in our room first." Cedric told the elder couple as he walked up the stairs and into the master bedroom.

    By tradition the master suite was always reserved for the head of the Reyes Family, with Emilio Reyes stepping down from his post, Cedric took over the role, together with all the benefits and all the pressure that came with the title.

    "Mmmm��" Adrianna slightly stirred as Cedric ced the nket on her.

    "We''re home honey, get some sleep. I''ll wake you for dinner." Cedric said gently as he turned off the lights and headed down.

 Chapter 385 - 385

    When the maid announced the Ace had arrived home, Cedric was in the living room chatting happily with his aunt and uncle.

    "Have you hidden my gorgeous cousin-inw already?" Ace asked as he walked over and gave his mom a kiss on the cheek. Ace had always been sweet to his elders and to his female cousins and their friends, he was the youngest so they often spoiled him.??

    "My wife is exhausted from the flight here." Cedric exined. "But I do have good news for you, guess who ising to stay." Cedric said with a grin.

    "No, no, no, no way. You didn''t bring the devil herself!" Ace said as he turned pale.

    "Ace, that''s no way to talk about your cousin''s friend." His mother scolded. Everyone in the family knew that Ace was afraid of only one person, Katerina Sebastian. "She is honestly so nice and so charming, I don''t understand why you''re afraid of her."

    "Mom, that''s what she wants you to think." Ace said as he looked around.

    "She hasn''t arrived yet." Cedric said with augh. "And don''t worry, she''ll be too busy because her boyfriend decided to tag along." Cedric exined.

    "So is it true? She finally managed to trick Eric?" Ace said with augh. It was no secret to the other members of their generation that Katerina Sebastian and Eric Chancked timing. They loved each other, but not at the same time.

    "How dare you say I tricked Eric!" An angry voice came from the doorway.

    Ace suddenly stood stiff, he knew exactly who was standing at the door.

    "I have work to do, bye." Ace said as he quickly tried to run up the stairs and into his study. Unfortunately he was too slow and Katerina caught him by the cor.

    "You are still the same slimy, immature kid." Katerina said as she dragged Ace back into the living room. "Apologize." Katerina said as she made him sit on the couch.

    "No." Ace said stubbornly.

    "Ace, stop acting like a child." Eric said as he walked over and pulled Kateirna into his arms. "Auntie, Uncle, I''m so happy to see you again." Eric said as he shed one of his famous smiles.

    "Your girlfriend is acting like a bully." Aceined.

    "I can''t believe you have someone like him leading your European offices!" Katerina told Cedric as she pointed at Ace.

    "I''m not a child anymore. I graduated top of my ss and Marie personally trained me." Ace answered back.

    "Do you guys fight like this whenever I send you to talk to Kateirna for legal matters?" Cedic asked Ace as he rolled his eyes.

    "No, of course not. Katerina behaves in front of others." Ace said quickly, taking the opportunity to throw the first insult.

    "I won''t respond to a child." Katerina said as she crossed her arms and walked over to sit next to Ace''s mom. "Auntie, you don''t look like you''ve aged at all!" Katerina said as she praised the older woman.

    "Katerina, don''t lie. I''m an old woman already!" Ace''s mom said as she ced a hand on Katerina''sp.

    "Where''s your brother?" Cedric asked Eric who walked over to sit next to Katerina.

    "He said something about a romantic evening with my sister-inw." Eric said with a shrug. "You know how those two are, ever since they came clean about their feelings they''re just too sweet. I''m actually d to take a break from them."

    "You should have seen them on the ne!" Katerinained. "I wanted to throw them off! I even told them to get a room. Imagine, I, Katerina Sebastian, found a couple overly physical? We weren''t even in public."

    Ericughed at Katerina''s reaction. "Katerina, you actually have a low tolerance for public disys of affection."

    "That''s not true!" Katerina said in an attempt to defend herself.

    "Not true! I remember when you and Ayanna visited one year you made us pass the long route because a couple was making out!" Ace used.

    "I didn''t want to disturb them." Katerina said in an attempt to make an excuse. Everyone simplyughed at her.

    "So what are your ns for this meeting, cousin?" Ace asked, changing the topic.

    "Jonathan Carpio asked for the meeting to be as low key as possible. He doesn''t want anyone finding out about the meeting and I understand himpletely. I''ve arranged to meet him tomorrow afternoon at a small restaurant. We agreed to meet in the backroom, I''ll probably head over there from the office riding a cab." Cedric exined.

    "What exactly do you want to achieve with this meeting?" Ace''s father asked Cedric as he leaned forward.

    "Honestly, I hope he can tell me who they sold MT Summit to and why that person seems to keeping after us." Cedric said as he rested his chin on his hand. "I would at least like to know what we did to the person or people that would get them toe after us like this. They even killed an innocent person."

    "I heard about the Lobo kid. I''m sorry cousin, he was Adrianna''s rtive, was he not?" Ace said in a sad tone. Cedric looked up at Ace, Jam was the same age as his cousin, if Jam didn''t die the two of them could have be good friends.

    "Jam was one of Adrianna''s rtives that I really liked. He was good and genuine. You would have liked him." As Cedric told Ace he could feel his heart breaking again, he still med himself for Jam''s death and he knew what happened to Jam also left asting impact on Miguel.

    "I wish I could have met him, cousin, from your words it seems like he was a really good guy." Ace said with a frown.

    "He wasn''t like most rich born kids. I was wrong to think he was like them. If I hadn''t judged him too early I might have gotten to know the kid better earlier on in my rtionship with Adrianna, and maybe I would have had a better rtionship with her Lobo side of the family." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Now, now, no use crying over spilled milk." His uncle said. "What''s important is what you do with his death, honor him and give him justice."

    "Yes. Justice." Cedric said with a nod.

 Chapter 386 - 386

    Cedric had noticed that Adrianna was too tired from their flight so he decided to let her sleep through dinner. The next day Cedric was up quite early and decided to wake his wife up for a walk in the garden.

    "Adri, honey." Cedric said as he gently shook the woman next to him.??

    "Mmmm. What time is it?" Adrianna asked as she rolled over and cuddled with her husband.

    "You know that this will make things worse for you, right?" Cedric asked as he let his hand wander around her body. "It''s 7am." He gently told her.

    "I want to sleep in." Adriannained upon hearing what time it was.

    "You''ve been asleep for over twelve hours Adri." Cedric whispered into her ear, giving it a yful bite.

    "No, no, no sex. Too tired." Adrianna said as she pushed Cedric away.

    "Get up or I''ll make sure you stay in bed for the rest of our stay." Cedric threatened seductively.

    Adrianna quickly sat up not wanting to suffer from the nasty plot her husband was brewing in his mind.

    "I''m up. I''ll take a bath." Adrianna said as she quickly rushed into the bathroom leaving aughing Cedric in bed.

    After Adrianna was ready Cedric took her downstairs to meet Ace''s parents and to have breakfast. As usual his aunt fussed over Adrianna and even invited her to go shoppingter in the afternoon while Cedric was meeting with Jonathan Carpio.

    "Auntie, I''d prefer if everyone stayed inside thepound or in the office while I''m meeting with the Carpios." Cedric told his aunt as they ate breakfast. "I don''t want them attempting to harm any of you or using anyone as leverage in this deal. I don''t have the same control or power herepared to back home."

    "Of course Cedric. We''ll do as you ask." His aunt humbly said, respecting what Cedric asked them to do. "Tomorrow then, we can go shopping with Cedric." She said happily as Adrianna agreed.

    "I''lle along auntie." Katerina said with a smile. Katerina knew that Cedric would feel better if she tagged along, if things got bad Katerina could protect herself and herpanions. The Sebastinas had made sure to train their children in case of an attack.

    "I''ll take Adrianna for a walk before heading out." Cedric told his aunt and uncle as he stood up and offered his wife his hand.

    Adrianna smiled and took his hand and the couple walked out of the dining room.

    "Thispound was once owned by a Spanish duke, my grandfather bought it when he and grandma were on vacation here." Cedric said as he and Adrianna walked across the garden. "Dad told me that grandpa and grandma wanted to retire here at first, and well, they did, eventually." Cedric exined.

    "It''s beautiful here." Adrianna said as she looked around. "Our home is beautiful too, so is the Reyes mansion, but this ce just feels romantic."

    "It''s the foreign air." Cedric teased as he held his wife''s hand. "It''s rare for us to have such a quiet moment." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "I know. I''m sorry I''ve been very busy." Adrianna said apologetically.

    "Adri, it''s not entirely your fault. It''s my fault too." Cedric confessed. "And today I''ll be going into a dangerous situation again. I know you don''t like it when I do things like this, but I have to do this Adrianna." Cedric said as he ced a hand on his wife''s cheek.

    "I understand. Juste home safe." Adrianna said as she ced a hand on his.

    "I will, and Leon will be with me. When Ie back we''ll have dinner under the stars and tomorrow we''ll go shopping with auntie and Katerina." Cedric said with a gentle smile. "I love you Adrianna. I love you with all my heart."

    The couple spent the rest of the afternoon walking around thepound, Cedric pointed out some of his favorite ces as a child as well as areas where he nned to build some houses for the rest of the family so that everyone could have their own ce to call home in Spain.

    It was already 11 o''clock when the couple returned from their stroll. Cedric changed into something a little bit more formal before having a driver take him to the Reyes Group''s office.

    When he got to the basement parking, Ace was waiting for him with Dave and Leon.

    "You''re men are very effective, cousin." Ace greeted Cedric. "Are you nervous?" The young man asked.

    "It''s just a meeting. Not a big deal." Cedric said with a shrug as he fixed his coat.

    "I had extra men position themselves in and around the cafe where you will be meeting Jonathan Carpio." Ace told him with a straight face, gone was the usual bubbly smile, he looked like a real leader and businessman at the moment. "I''m sure the Carpio family has also set up their own precautions so I decided to help you, even if you didn''t ask." Ace said proudly.

    "Thanks Ace." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I have several vehicles on standby including a medical van, I asked Miguel to be there as well." Ace exined.

    "Veronica didn''t get mad at you about it?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "She wasn''t happy, but she''s upstairs right now with Katerina who is dealing with some work." Ace told his cousin. "Cedric, be careful." Ace said as he looked at Cedric worriedly.

    "Don''t worry Ace, this is just a discussion, all words no action." Cedric said in an attempt to reassure and calm the younger man. "I only have a few questions and I won''t be offensive, so don''t worry ok?"

    "The Caprios have not always been clean in their dealings with us." Ace said with a sigh. "We''ve already lost several rtives to them, why do you need to go there yourself?"

    "Because if I don''t we won''t get the answers we need. Have faith in me Ace." Cedric said with a stern look.

    Ace simply nodded.

    Cedric bid his younger cousin goodbye as he went up to the main lobby. The employees didn''t pay him any extra attention since they all assumed that he came with the head office delegation and was merely an office worker.

    Cedric and Dave hailed a cab while Leon took a different one. He was going to watch Cedric from a distance.

    "Dave, if things turn bad, I want you to run and leave." Cedric told Dave.

    "Sir, I can''t do that." Dave told Cedric.

    "The Carpios will not go after you, they will know by now that youe from an important family as well, they wouldn''t dare go against more than one family." Cedric exined.

    "You knew sir?" Dave asked.

    "Yes, it was Ian and I that first came to help your brother." Cedric confessed.

    "Thank you sir." Dave said as the cab drove away toward the meeting point.

 Chapter 387 - 387

    Cedric and Dave''s cab stopped on a busy street, it was lunch so a lot of people were walking around looking for a restaurant to eat at.

    "It should be down there." Dave said as he pointed at a row of restaurants.??

    Cedric simply nodded and walked ahead while Dave duitily followed. After walking for a few minutes Cedric looked up and saw the restaurant signage it read, Cocina Casera, this was the ce Jonathan Carpio had chosen for them to meet at. It was a small restaurant with all the tables upied. Cedric knew that none of these guests were actually patrons, they were either his men or Jonathan''s men.

    Cedric fixed his suit and walked into the restaurant.

    "H, mesa para? (Hello, table for?)" A waiter asked as he noticed Cedric and Dave enter.

    "Jonathan Carpio." Cedric simply said. His Spanish was quite rusty and he didn''t want to attempt to converse with the waiter.

    Luckily the man understood him and led him to a table by the window.

    At the table a man in histe fifties sat and smiled as Cedric approached. Cedric had met Jonathan Carpio in the past, but back then he remembered the man to be young and vibrant, today he looked worn with is ck hair now turned gray.

    "Cedric Reyes, you have grown up to be quite a handsome young man." Jonathan Carpio praised as he stood up and shook Cedric''s hand.

    "Uncle Jonathan." Cedric said respectfully, despite their family''s history the Carpios and Reyeses had been coexisting peacefully in the past few years and Jonathan was still Cedric''s elder.

    The two men sat and the waiter brought over their food.

    "I took the liberty of ordering for us." Jonathan said as the waiter left. "This ce is my favorite restaurant, I often spend lunch here when I want peace. As you can imagine it''s rarely peaceful with Cthea and her mother at home." Jonathan said with augh.

    "I saw Cthea in the Capital." Cedric said with a nod as he tasted the food served to him. "This food is really good uncle. No wonder you like it so much." Cedric praised as he savored the Jam��n that was served.

    "I know you''re a busy man, so I won''t bother you with small talk." Jonathan said as he took a sip from his wine. "Why did you want to talk to me in person?" Jonathan asked as he looked Cedric directly in the eyes.

    "There is someone or some people that I am looking for and I think you might be able to tell me who they are." Cedric said.

    "I shall help you in whatever way I can." Jonathan said with a nod. "The Carpios and the Reyeses have enjoyed peace this past few years and I have no intention of disrupting it. I will point you at the right direction if I can."

    "Two years ago, Regis Inc. sold off one of thepanies you purchased, MT Summit. I want to know who bought it." Cedric told the older man. He watched as Jonathan''s smile turned into a frown.

    "How did you know about MT Summit?" Jonathan asked nervously. It seemed to Cedric that Jonathan would not be giving up any information easily.

    "Many people talk, and many people listen." Cedric said with a shrug. He was not about to tell Jonathan Carpio that he had hacked into Regis Inc.''s system and gotten the information. "Will you tell me? Or will I need to convince you to tell me?" Cedric asked as he raised an eyebrow.

    Jonathan Carpio looked down and sighed.

    "I''ll tell you, but I can''t tell you much." Jonathan finally said.

    "I''ll take what I can." Cedric said with a nod. He didn''t think Jonathan Carpio would lie to him, especially since Cedric had already threatened him.

    "Do you know the history of MT Summit?" Jonathan asked.

    "It was a bank that closed." Cedric said simply, it was all he knew anyway.

    "Yes it was a bank, but it has a much moreplicated history." Jonathan said as he called a waiter over to refill his ss of wine. "MT Summit was a bank that was also being used as a front by a man named Rene Lim - Ty."

    Cedric suddenly looked up, he knew who Rene Lim - Ty was.

    "I see you are familiar with the name. Rene Lim - Ty was a distant cousin of your assistant, Ian Lim. He was also the man that defrauded the Lim Family and ran off with a huge sum of their wealth as well as framed them for many crimes." Jonathan Carpio exined.

    "What does the Lim Family have to do with your purchase and sale of MT Summit?" Cedric asked.

    "Rene Ty''s wife is my wife''s cousin." Jonathan Carpio exined. "The Lim family for a time was one of the most vengeful out there. Ian''s grandfather did not hesitate to have his cousin hunted down. So Rene and his wife turned to us. Rene was quite lucky, or unlucky, depends how you look at it. By the time the Lim''s found him their money and power had hit a steep decline, they couldn''t touch him, and by the time Ian started working for you, Rene died. During his time in hiding his wife asked me to purchase MT Summit and keep it under Regis Inc. I don''t know why she needed me to do that but I did as she asked."

    "Didn''t she ask you to transfer the property to her name?" Cedric asked Jonathan.

    "They couldn''t. By the time I had purchased MT Summit Rene and his wife managed to offend an even more dangerous family, the Sebastians. One thing led to another and they both passed away. I tried to find their son, but it seemed he had gone into the system and there was no trace of him." Jonathan said with a shrug. "Two years ago I handed the reins of Regis Inc. to the management team, and their one request was for me to dispose of MT Summit. They believed that it brought bad luck. I didn''t mind selling it since my wife''s cousin and her husband had passed away. I had them process the sale, I didn''t even know who purchased MT Summit, let alone the purpose of the purchase."

    "Alright, then if you can''t tell me who bought MT Summit, who can?" Cedric asked Jonathan.

    "The new CEO." Jonathan told Cedric.

    "And how can I get into contact with your new CEO?" Cedric asked the older man, he wished Jonathan would make it easier and just tell him who the CEO was and how to talk to him.

    "I only promised to answer one question, I''ve answered more than one." Jonathan said with a grim look in his eyes.

    "Uncle Jonathan, why can''t you tell me?" Cedric asked.

 Chapter 388 - 388

    Cedric looked at Jonathan Carpio with a cold re as he waited for the older man to give him his reasons. A part of him felt that Jonathan Carpio would refuse to tell him at least that.

    Jonathan leaned back on his seat and sighed.??

    "Because just like you he had one request from me, to keep his identity a secret. He would do everything to help us out as long as his name and face stayed out of public view. The employees know how he looks, but other than that they don''t know anything. No photos are snapped of him either. He''s very much like you." Jonathan Carpio said with a smile. "I know this is frustrating, but I''ve never revealed your identity to him, he has also asked on multiple asions."

    Cedric sighed and walked out of the restaurant in frustration. As he got up both his men and those ced by the Carpio family reacted.

    "I''m leaving, you all don''t have to over react." Cedric said in frustration as he mmed the door behind him.

    Dave followed him out and walked behind him in silence as Cedric walked to a nearby park. He sat on a bench in silence as he watched people and families walk by him. His mind was nk, he was frustrated and angry.

    "How are things back home?" Cedric suddenly asked Dave who was surprised by Cedric''s question.

    "Ian hasn''t called with any issues." Dave said as he tried to recall if Ian had sent him an update for Cedric.

    "Give him a call. Ask him to send over anything that needs my attention, and tell Ace I''ll be needing my office today." Cedric said as he continued to stare at a distance.

    Cedric sat in the park for another hour doing nothing in particr. Dave checked on him multiple times, Leon also asked Dave if the boss was alright. Dave simply said that it seemed like Cedric wanted some peaceful moments on his own.

    After an hour, Miguel who was in the medical van couldn''t take it anymore. He got off and walked over to Cedric. To Dave''s surprise Miguel simply sat next to Cedric and ced a hand on his shoulder. It seemed the two men couldmunicate without even speaking.

    "This isn''t the end of the road." Miguel suddenly said after a few minutes of silence.

    "I know." Cedric said with a nod. "I just felt like I needed some time to gather my thoughts."

    "We''ll figure out who is behind this. At least you have more information now." Miguel exined. "Do you think it''s possible that it''s Rene Ty'' s son that''s behind this?"

    "If it were, then whye after the Reyes Group?" Cedric asked. "Why not go after the Sebastians? They clearly won''t go after the Lims, Ian and his family have long fallen."

    "Maybe there is an even bigger motive behind everything." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "I just needed some time to digest what happened." Cedric sighed. "I can''t me Uncle Jonathan for keeping the CEOs identity a secret, he has done the same for me anyway, and I''m guessing so has Cthea. I''m just frustrated. We''re so near and yet I can''t get that piece of information."

    "Have you recovered?" Miguel asked his friend.

    "Yes." Cedric said as he stood up. "I''ll take a cab to the office with Dave." Cedric told Miguel.

    "I''ll take it with you. I''m not really that popr." Miguel said with augh as they walked towards the street.

    When they got back to the Reyes Group office, Dave handed Cedric and Miguel several passes that would let them go anywhere in the building. They headed to the CEO''s elevator which surprised a lot of the employees. Only members of the Reyes family and their staff ever used that elevator and Dave was quite new so people didn''t know who he was.

    "Hey, boys, you aren''t allowed to use that elevator." A man said with a concerned tone.

    Dave was taken by surprise by the man''s concern, he wanted to say that the CEO was right in front of him.

    "Sir, we work at the CEO''s office, we''re from the Capital." Cedric said with a smile. "This man here is Mr. Reyes'' friend, Miguel Chan."

    "Ah, Doctor. It''s an honor." The man suddenly said.

    "Oh, thank you." Miguel said awkwardly. Cedric wanted tough, he knew Miguel was always confused when people said it was an honor to meet him.

    When the elevator door finally opened Cedric walked in ahead of Dave and Miguel.

    "I''m sorry boss." Dave suddenly said as the doors closed.

    "Sorry about what?" Cedric asked.

    "I should have thought of an excuse faster." Dave said apologetically.

    Cedricughed. "It''s alright Dave. You''re new, I''m used to treatment like this so I more or less have a ready answer for different situations."

    "Cousin, you''re back." Ace greeted them as they walked into the CEO''s floor.

    "Where is your digression kid?" Miguel asked as he went over to his wife and kissed her.

    "I was worried." Veronica told Miguel as he held her in his arms.

    "Don''t worry, no onees to this floor unless they are called up and it''s a restricted floor." Ace said with a shrug. "I had your office prepared just as you asked. It''s been a while since it was used. Even Uncle Emilio rarely visited."

    "We''ll try toe around more often." Cedric promised as he walked over to his office. "Come with me, I have some things I want to ask you." Cedric told his cousin.

    The CEO''s office was simr to the one in the Capital, it had an office table, several TVs and a couch. It also had a lounge behind the CEO''s desk where Cedric could rest if needed.

    Cedric sat behind his desk as Daveid out hisptop and some documents that Ian had just sent over that needed Cedric''s attention.

    Cedric gestured for Ace to sit on a chair by the table across him.

    "Have you been keeping an eye on the Carpios?" Cedric asked his cousin.

    "Of course I have, but you know that they aren''t exactly easy to watch." Ace told Cedric.

    "Have you noticed anyone visiting them often in the past two years?" Cedric asked Ace.

    "No, well there is Cthea''s new boyfriend." Ace said with a shrug.

 Chapter 389 - 389

    "That''s him. Cthea''s new boyfriend is Regis Inc.''s new CEO." Cedric told Ace with a nod.

    "Well, I''ve seen him, but we can never get a good look at his face." Ace said with a shrug. "He always sees to it that his face is turned from the public, plus his cars are heavily tinted, we''ve tried following him to the airport, but he doesn''t use any of the public spaces so we have a hard time catching a glimpse of him. But by the looks of it, Cthea has fallen hard. I was quite shocked when I first saw them together, I thought this whole time that she was still in love with Eric, but I guess Katerina and Eric finally being together has discouraged her."??

    Cedric frowned, he thought that Ace and his people would have at least something on the man, unfortunately this new CEO was just as careful as him.

    "We''ll keep an eye out for him. I doubt hees here just for Cthea." Ace said as he began thinking of ways for them to find the identity out. "We''ve been suspecting that he leaves the Carpio home as an ordinary employee, so we''ll check that out first. The problem is that he hasn''t been back for a while, I think it''s because Cthea went back home. If we see anything, we''ll report back to you." Ace promised.

    "Thanks Ace." Cedric said with a nod. "You can go now. I know you have a lot of work to finish."

    "No problem cousin." Ace said as he left the office.

    Cedric decided to focus all his energy at the work at hand. Since he took over his father''s position there were many new projects he wanted to develop. He was working with the Japanese government to usher in technological advancements to the country through the Reyes Group. He also began entering several new industries, most of them were those that he had been studying prior to his father''s announcement.

    It was already dark outside when he heard someone knock at his door.

    "Yes?" Cedric asked without looking up.

    "It''s almost dinner time, are you really going to keep working?" Adrianna asked as she entered the room and walked over to him.

    "Why are you here?" Cedric asked. He wanted his wife to rx, not worry about him.

    "It''s alreadyte Cedric, we were worried about you." Adrianna told him as she yed with his hair.

    Cedric closed his eyes and sighed, he ran to work because he was stressed and worried about MT Summit.

    Adrianna was taken by surprise when Cedric pulled her to hisp and kissed her hungrily. Cedric felt Adrianna wrap her arms around his neck as she kissed him back, whenever he felt sad he knew that a kiss from his wife could drive the dark clouds away in an instant.

    "I had a rough day." Cedric confessed as their lips parted.

    "I guessed." Adrianna said with a smile as she kissed him on the lips. "Let''s go home, everyone is worried about you. Eric and Miguel tried to convince me not toe and get you, but I was too worried." Adrianna said as she caressed his cheek.

    "Alright, work can wait till tomorrow." Cedric said with a nod as he ced Adrianna back on her feet and called Dave in to gather his things.

    When they got down the family car was already waiting for Adrianna and Cedric.

    "How did you get here?" Cedric asked his wife as they got into the car.

    "I had your driver pick me up. It''s not like he was doing anything else." Adrianna said with augh.

    "Dave, let''s take tomorrow off." Cedric told Dave who had just climbed into the front seat. "Tell Ian he can take the day off too. We''ve been working non-stop since the turnover. I think we need to get out and have some fun."

    "Alright sir." Dave said as he quickly sent a message to Ian. "I''m sure Ian will be happy about this."

    "He will. He specifically asked to stay just to spend time with Nicole. This will be good for them." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Are you ready to let go of Ian?" Adrianna asked as she leaned on her husband''s chest.

    "No, but Ian has to help Nicole, and the Chans are like family to me." Cedric said with a sigh. "Besides I have Dave and Mae."

    "Don''t worry Dave, that''s apliment." Adrianna said with augh as she noticed the man in front stiffen. "Although it also means you''ll probably lose your personal life."

    "Don''t scare the kid, I''m not a ve driver." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes.

    "Just a work-a-holic." Dave mumbled making the driverugh.

    "You said something Dave?" Cedric called out from the back seat.

    "Nothing boss!" Dave said as he red at the driver.

    When they finally made it back to the Reyes Home, Miguel and Eric were anxiously waiting for Cedric, which Cedric found odd.

    "A word?" Eric said as he called Cedric to the side.

    "Go in ahead, I''ll follow." Cedric told Adrianna as he nted a kiss on the side of her head.

    "Don''t stress him out." Adrianna warned Miguel and Eric as she left.

    "I can make no promises." Miguel said as she shook his head and walked to the side of the house with Cedric.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked when they were finally out of everyone''s earshot.

    "Someone sent us a message today." Eric told Cedric as he showed him a piece of paper.

    "And you just took a piece of paper from aplete stranger?" Cedric said as he took it from Eric''s hands.

    "Don''t be silly, we had Leon check it." Eric exined. "It was sent to the hospital where Miguel saw a patient. It was clearly meant for him."

    "Leon said it was clean?" Cedric asked as he looked at the folded piece of paper.

    "Yes, we even asked for Leon''s help to look for the person who brought the document, but the person is good. No cameras caught sight of him and no one can remember how he looked. All we know is that it''s a man." Miguel exined.

    "Why did you use Leon and not your own team?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Cause Leon is better than our team. Plus we were waiting for you to get out of your trance." Miguel said with a shrug as he recalled the awkward situation of having to watch Cedric do nothing for an hour.

    "I was digesting things." Cedric groaned.

    "If you need any psychological help, I hope you don''t forget that I''m a doctor too." Eric said with a sincere look on his face. Cedric shook his head in response, he knew if he needed any help he could approach the man that he saw as an older brother.

    "You opened it?" Cedric asked the Chan brothers, to which Eric and Miguel simply nodded.

    "What does it say?" Cedric asked as he started to open the document.

    "Read it." Miguel told Cedric with a nod. "If I told you the message you wouldn''t believe me at all."

 Chapter 390 - 390

    Cedric was now fully intrigued by Miguel''s words, what could be so shocking that hearing about it wouldn''t be enough.

    ''Your Uncle Miguel''s child survived. This is all I can tell you, but know that your cousin is doing well and is loved.''??

    "That''s it?" Cedric asked as he flipped the paper. "How do you even know that this is true? It could be a hoax, the Chan family is quite well known and the story of your Uncle Miguel is no deep dark secret. People could have heard about it."

    "We feel it''s true because the person isn''t asking for anything." Miguel said as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    "And this is all this thing says?" Cedric asked as he handed the piece of paper back to Miguel.

    "Yes, we brought it to a forensicsb after you went back to the office, they tested it for any hidden messages, there weren''t any." Eric said with a shrug.

    "You want to look for this cousin, don''t you?" Cedric asked as he red at the brothers.

    "Yes." Miguel said with a nod. We''d be fools not to look for our cousin.

    "Did you ever think that this cousin of yours didn''t even want to be found?" Cedric asked. "What if she is happily living his life and all of a sudden the two of you appear out of nowhere and drag her into theplicated world of the Chan family?"

    "She deserves to at least have a choice. We thought she died Cedric, my parents and grandparents thought she died. They cannot reject their own flesh and blood." Eric told Cedric with a desperate tone.

    "You cousin is a woman, you both know how restrictive your family gets with its female members." Cedric reminded them.

    "Cedric, what if she needs us? What if she needs our help?" Miguel asked.

    "The note is clear Miguel, your cousin is loved. If she is happy why ruin it for her?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s not just for her." Miguel eventually admitted. "I want our family to realize that we almost lost this person and we need to do right by her. The Chans cannot remain stubborn and stick to tradition all the time. We almost lost Nicole because of how stubborn they are."

    "Nicole wouldn''t have run away." Cedric told Miguel. "She always puts family first."

    "Ian is worth running away to her." Eric suddenly said. "Even you can see how much our sister loves your friend. She''s more than willing to suffer the same fate as Uncle Miguel just to be with Ian. Miguel is right, the Chan family must change."

    "So why are you showing me this?" Cedric asked even if he already knew the answer to his question.

    "Aside from us wanting you to know, we need your help." Miguel admitted. "We don''t have the same resources as you, we want to find whomever sent this document and ask him about our cousin."

    "Leon already tried." Cedric told the brothers.

    "Leon''s contacts here are limited. Ace would probably be able to find the person." Eric told Cedric.

    "Fine, I''ll ask my cousin." Cedric said, surrendering to their request. "Can we go in for dinner now?" Cedric asked, he was quite hungry since he barely ate at lunch.

    When the boys arrived at the dining room Katerina red at Miguel and Eric.

    "What''s wrong darling?" Eric asked as he ced an arm around her waist.

    "What took you guys so long? I''m hungry." Katerinained as she pushed her boyfriend''s hand away.

    "You could have started without us." Eric said as he nted a kiss on Katerina''s cheek.

    "Don''t you dare try to sweet talk your way out of this, you know that it''s only proper to wait for the head of the family." Katerina said as she rolled her eyes at Eric.

    "Did the two of you really have to talk to Cedric before dinner?" Veronicained as Miguel ced a piece of steak on her te.

    "Yes. It couldn''t wait." Miguel said simply.

    "What''s so urgent that it can''t wait till after dinner?" Veronica asked her husband.

    "It''s a secret." Miguel said as he maintained hisposure.

    "Trust me on this V." Miguel said as he ced at piece of meat in her mouth.

    "That won''t work." Veronic grumbled after she swallowed. "By the way auntie, your chef is amazing!" Veronica said as she turned to speak to Ace''s mother.

    "Oh thank you Anna dear." Ace''s mother said with a smile. "We brought our chef with us here from the Capital. She was more than willing to move with us."

    "V,e on. Don''t tell me you''re taking Katerina''s side on this. She thinks with her stomach." Miguel said as he held Veronica''s hand under the table.

    "She''s gonna be your sister-inw someday, don''t be so mean to her." Veronica scolded as she continued to eat her food.

    "Yes, yes, anything my queen wants." Miguel said as he kissed his wife on the cheek.

    "I swear, you guys are all whipped husbands." Ace said as he looked at his cousin and his cousin''s friends.

    "When you find the right woman, I''m sure you''ll end up just the same." Katerina said with augh.

    "I''m not as silly as them." Ace said as he continued to eat.

    After dinner everyone said goodnight and prepared to retire to their rooms.

    "Ace, a word." Cedric said as his cousin began to stand from the table.

    "Cousin, I didn''t mean to make fun of you. I''m sorry." Ace said in a panic. He was worried that Cedric wanted to speak to him because of his teasing.

    "No, don''t worry. It has nothing to do with that." Cedric said with augh as he noticed how worried Ace was.

    "I''ll wait for you in our room." Adrianna told her husband as she went up with Katerina and Veronica.

    "Let''s talk in the office." Cedric told Ace as he walked to the home office. Miguel and Eric joined them as well.

    "What''s up?" Ace asked as soon as they entered the room.

    "We have a job for you." Cedric said. "Give it to him." Cedric instructed Miguel who handed Ace the piece of paper from earlier.

    "This was brought earlier today to the hospital where Miguel is affiliated. He saw a patient there yesterday." Cedric exined as Ace examined the document. "You can read it." Cedric said with a nod.

    "What do you want me to do with it?" Ace asked as he read the message, his face was cold and showed no expression as he read it.

    "Find the person who sent this." Cedric instructed his cousin.

    "I''m sure your men can do this." Ace said as he attempted to give the document back to Miguel.

    "Leon tried, but it seems like we are dealing with a professional here. I want you to see what you can do." Cedric instructed his cousin.

    "If Leon can''t find the person then this is going to be a challenge." As Ace spoke Cedric could practically see the gears turning in his head as he thought of a way to deal with Cedric''s dilemma. "Don''t worry, I''ll put my best men on the job." Ace said with a nod.

    "Another thing." Cedric said, stopping his cousin from leaving.

    "What is it?" Ace asked.

    "Tomorrow, take the day off. Show us around." Cedric said with a grin.

 Chapter 391 - 391

    When Cedric woke up the next day Adrianna was no longer in bed with him, he could hear the water in the shower running as he checked the time, it was already 9 o''clock in the morning. He was surprised that he had slept in and quickly sat up when he saw the time.

    "Honey, did you switch off my rm?" Cedric called out as he got out of bed.??

    "Yeah, I thought since it was your day off, you shouldn''t have to wake up so early." Adrianna said from the shower. Cedric heard the water being switched off, she must have gotten up much earlier than he thought.

    "But we''re going out today." Cedric said as he walked to the closest to pick out his clothes.

    "Well our trip isn''t one that needs to be on the dot. You''re on vacation, don''t stress yourself out." Adrianna said as she stepped out of the bathroom in a bathrobe. "I already prepared your clothes. I don''t want you to stress out about anything today. Go take a bath."

    "You should have woken me up, we could have taken a bath together." Cedric teased Adrianna as he entered the bathroom.

    By the time Cedric was done Adrianna had already gone down and said she would have breakfast. Cedric quickly ced on his clothes and joined everyone in the dining room.

    "I gave everyone the day off." Ace suddenly said as Cedric took a seat.

    "You did what?" Cedric asked in surprise.

    "Hey, if I canze around today I want my people to have the same benefit. We all work equally as hard, and they didn''t get that all expense paid trip to Kashmere like all the head office people did when you became CEO." Ace said with a shrug as he quickly defended his actions.

    "I guess that''s alright." Cedric said after listening to Ace''s reason. "People do need a break once in a while."

    "So what are we going to do today?" Ace asked as he ate his breakfast.

    "I was thinking we could take a tour of the city, then maybe some shopping. I''m sure the girls are dying to do that." Cedric teased as Adrianna red at him.

    "It was only a joke, honey." Cedric said as he kissed the top of her head.

    "Do you want to sleep on the couch?" Adrianna asked with a straight face.

    "I can''t sleep if you aren''t next to me Adrianna." Cedric said sweetly as he tried to coax his wife.

    "Cancel all the ns for today." Eric said frantically as he rushed into the dinning room followed by Miguel who seemed a whole lot calmer.

    "Why? What''s wrong?" Cedric asked as he looked at the brothers.

    "Nicole has gone intobor. We need to go back home." Miguel exined as he turned to leave. Cedric guessed that he was going back to the room to pack his bags.

    "I''ll have the cars and the ne readied while you pack." Ace told his cousin and his cousin''s friends as he stood up and walked out of the room to arrange for everything.

    "It''s not yet time." Katerina said as they walked up the stairs to their room.

    "I know, she''s a month too early." Adrianna added.

    "It might be the stress. We all know she hasn''t had a peaceful pregnancy." Veronica reminded them as they walked down the hallway.

    "It''s a good thing Ian asked to stay behind. Imagine if he hade along." Adrianna said, thinking out loud.

    "Let''s hurry up and packdies." Cedric said as he rushed the women to their rooms.

    When they got back down Ace already had the cars ready. Cedric said goodbye to his aunt and uncle and promised to visit as soon as he could.

    Ace rode with Cedric and Adrianna to the airport, taking advantage of the time to discuss some work items with him.

    "I thought I told you to take the day off." Cedric groaned as Ace asked for his opinion on a new venture he wanted to explore.

    "Well, I thought I had a few more days with you here." Aceined.

    "Come home, visit. Then we can discuss all of this." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes at his cousin.

    "Or I could just call." Ace said with a shrug.

    "No, mom and dad would appreciate a visit." Cedric said with augh. "Plus you can meet my son."

    "Alright. When I have something to report on the investigation I will fly over instead of calling or sending an email." Ace teased as their car drove up to the private ne. "I arranged for priority departure, I said it was a medical emergency. I mean it kind of is." Ace said with a shrug as he opened the door and stepped out.

    "We''ll see you in the Capital. Soon I hope." Cedric said as he said goodbye to Ace.

    "I wille. I promise." Ace said with a nod as he waved goodbye to his cousin, cousin-inw, and their friends.

    "How''s Nicole?" Adrianna asked Miguel as they boarded the ne.

    "As well as a woman going intobor could be." Miguel said with augh as his wife smacked him on the head.

    "Be more considerate." Veronica scolded.

    "Rx, Nicole is going to be fine. There are noplications despite it being too early. It''s not the same as when little Emilio was born." Miguel said with a shrug. "And besides, she has her husband with her and our mom is there. The only thing that would make it better is if I were there. But seriously, even if I were there I wouldn''t be needed, mom is the best person to be there right now." Miguel said in a more serious tone.

    The rest of the flight was quiet, it seemed that Miguel and Eric were more anxious about Nicole giving birth than they let show. Cedric was sure that the girls were worried too, especially since when Emilio was born there wereplications.

    "What do you think, will it be a boy or a girl?" Cedric asked in order to break the silence.

    "I actually know." Miguel confessed.

    "What? Nicole is going to kill you." Veronica said with augh. It seemed to delight her that her husband would be getting into trouble.

 Chapter 392 - 392

    When Cedric''s nended in the airport a fleet of vehicles were already waiting. They needed to get to the hospital as quickly as possible.

    "Hi mom, yeah we justnded." Miguel said over the phone as he walked down the ne stairs.??

    "Alright, we''re on our way." Miguel said as he dropped the call.

    "Well that was mom. She said Nicole safely delivered a baby boy a few hours ago."Miguel happily announced as they walked over to the cars.

    "Is the child alright?" Veronica asked.

    "Yes. Little Tristan Lim was born a month early so he has to be ced in an incubator for a while, otherwise he is as healthy as could be." Miguel announced with a smile.

    "How''s Nicole?" Eric asked.

    "She''s recovering, luckily it wasn''t a difficult delivery." Miguel said proudly, calming his elder brother''s worries.

    "We should get going then, I''m sure you guys are anxious to get to the hospital." Cedric said as he helped Adrianna into his car.

    Luckily they had arrived at a lean time of the day and they managed to avoid the evening rush hour. They got to Saints Hospital faster than they expected, Nicole was staying in the VIP room at the top floor and all of the parents and their other friends were already there.

    "How is she?" Miguel asked their mom as they walked up the hall.

    "She''s doing well, she might be resting though. Go in. Ian is there." Lucy Chan said as she pointed at the VIP room where Nicole was staying.

    They all quickly rushed in taking everyone inside by surprise.

    "Guys, seriously?" Alexi asked as his friends and sister entered the room.

    "Nicole is trying to rest." Ian said coldly as he red at everyone.

    "Was I this bad when Adrianna gave birth?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "Hahaha. No, you were worse. Ian is calm and collected, you were frantic and stressed." Miguel teased as he walked up to check his sister''s condition.

    "How is she Nurse Jen?" Miguel asked as someone entered the room.

    Cedric was surprised that Miguel was able to tell who hade in without even lifting his head.

    "She''s recovering quite well doctor, the team your mother used to assist in the delivery was your own." Nurse Jen reported as she walked over to check on Nicole. Nurse Jen then checked Nicole''s IV then injected something into it.

    "You don''t need to check on her. I''m back." Miguel said calmly as he ced the chart sheet back.

    "Sir, with all due respect, I can provide care to Miss Nicole." Nurse Jen insisted.

    "I said leave." Miguel said coldly.

    "Miguel, you don''t need to be so harsh, Jen is just trying to -" Alexi said in an attempt to defend Nurse Jen, unfortunately he was cut off with a re from Miguel.

    "I think you should leave babe." Alexi said as he walked Jen out.

    "Send Jo in." Miguel called out as Nurse Jen left the room.

    "Why do you have to be so harsh on her? She was just doing her job." Alexi asked Miguel.

    Just as Miguel asked, Jo arrived and greeted Cedric.

    "Who gave her permission to use that medication on Nicole?" Miguel coldly asked his head nurse, Jo.

    "What medication? We have only been using the one on the charts." Jo told Miguel as he pointed at the clipboard Miguel was reading earlier.

    "Nurse Jen walked in here and injected something into Nicole''s IV. It was one of Natalia''s experimental drugs." Miguel revealed.

    "That''s impossible." Alexi said as he took a step forward and approached Miguel. "Jen would never do anything to harm Nicole. And how did you know that it was an experimental drug that my sister just so happens to be working on?" Alexi asked.

    "The syringe. It''s different. As well as the color of the liquid." Miguel said calmly.

    "You''re using Jen just by that?" Alexi asked angrily. "Show at least some proof."

    "Jo, take a blood sample from my sister." Miguel ordered as he took out his phone and dialed a number. He quickly ced it on speaker and ced the phone on a table.

    "Mr. Miracle Doctor, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Natalia teased as she picked up the call.

    "Not a time for fun and games Natalia. I''m here in the hospital and you''re on speaker." Miguel said in a cold tone.

    "Other doctors?" Natalia asked in a panicked tone.

    "No, just your siblings." Katerina said with augh.

    "Oh, okay. I''m not embarrassed then." Natalia said calmly.

    "Natalia, focus." Miguel scolded. "You had a drug you were showing me a year ago. You said it was under development but it would be the perfect partner for the truth serum we used. Do you remember?"

    "Ah, yes. I call them, forget me nots." Natalia said with a giggle.

    "Trust Natalia to name a dangerous drug after flowers." Katerina said with a sigh as she continued to listen in on the conversation.

    "Can they be detected in blood tests?" Miguel asked.

    "Of course, but only after a prolonged exposure and only if the blood is drawn two minutes after the drug is administered. Why?" Natalia asked.

    "Miguel, it''s been ten minutes." Jo said as he looked at the wall clock hanging over Nicole''s bed.

    "Is there any other way to prove that the drug was administered to a patient?" Miguel asked as he massaged his temples.

    "Me, make something easily detectable?" Natalia scoffed. "You mock me."

    "Natalia, you won''t be happy about this." Katerina warned her younger sister.

    "Why?" Natalia asked over the phone.

    "I think someone injected Nicole with your drug." Miguel said.

    "It was Jen." Katerina quickly added.

    "It''s just a suspicion." Alexi said as he was quick to defend the woman he loved.

    "How could Jen��" Natalia''s voice trailed as she thought of how Jen could have possibly gotten her hands on the drug she developed. "It''s impossible for Jen to have gotten a vial of my drug. It''s in a safe, in myb at home."

    "See, Jen couldn''t have." Alexi said, quickly jumping onto what Natalia had just said.

    "Why are you guys so noisy?" Nicole suddenly said in a weak voice as she tried to get up. Ian quickly ran to her side.

    "How are you feeling little sister?" Eric asked as he walked up.

    "Like a woman who has just given birth" Nicole groaned.

    "See, she can remember she just gave birth, Jen couldn''t have administered the drug!" Alexi said proudly.

    "Alexi, the drug doesn''t erase immediate memories."Natalia said over the phone.

 Chapter 393 - 393

    "What kind of memories?" Alexi asked.

    "Well it depends on the dosage she was given. That''s what makes it hard to figure out if she actually had the drug injected in her." Natalia exined over the phone.??

    "Nicole, what do you recall happened over the past few days?" Ian asked Nicole as he held her hand.

    "I remember the past few days clearly. You stayed at home with me over going with Cedric to Spain, which was the sweetest thing ever. You apanied me to work because Cedric gave you the day off, then I felt a pain and gave birth." Nicole said as simply as she could.

    "Do you remember what you named our child?" Ian asked.

    "Yes. I named our son Tristan, our little Tristan Lim." Nicole said as she smiled sweetly at Ian.

    "I don''t think she forgot anything Miguel." Eric said as he looked at his brother.

    "It seems not. Which is good." Miguel said with a sigh.

    "So Jen is off the hook?" Alexi asked as he looked angrily at Miguel.

    "Yes, but I still think her actions were suspicious." Miguel told his friend. "I''m sorry Alexi."

    "Brother, we''ve known Nurse Jen for years, why would you doubt her?" Nicole asked Miguel. "You personally had her background investigated, there was nothing wrong there."

    "You''re right. I was probably just imagining things." Miguel said, shaking his head.

    "Alexi, it would be best if you didn''t mention this to Jen." Nicole said as she looked at Alexi with a solemn expression.

    "Of course I won''t, our rtionship is strained as it is." Alexi said, shaking his head. "I should get going. I''m happy to see that you are doing well Nicole." Alexi said as he hugged Nicole.

    Ian red at him when they separated, Alexi and all the other boys saw Nicole as a little sister, so it was only normal for them to act this way. Unfortunately, Ian was still not used to the act and got jealous.

    Alexi noticed his reaction andughed.

    "Don''t worry, to me Nicole is like Katerina or Natalia, an annoyance in my life that I will never get rid off but I love." Alexi said with augh as he walked out of the hospital room.

    As he stepped out he couldn''t help but watch as Jen moved gracefully as she chatted with the other nurses. He remembered the first time he met Jen at the very same hospital.

    Four years ago

    "Damnit Alexi! Why do you have to sleep with all of my nurses!" Miguel shouted as he watched Alexi drop off another nurse at the entrance of the building.

    "Just sleep with one of them! They are amazing." Alexi said with augh as he got off his car.

    "Ha, you know I love someone. Don''t try to drag me in your yboy ways." Miguel said as he turned to enter the hospital building.

    "So anyone new?" Alexi asked as he followed Miguel in.

    "No." Miguel quickly replied.

    "So that''s a yes." Alexi said with augh as he continued to walk with his friend.

    "Do you n on sleeping with this whole hospital?" Miguelined.

    "Woah, what did Alexi do this time?" Nicole asked as she approached from behind. She had juste from checking up on a patient.

    "He''s looking for fresh meat." Miguel said, rolling his eyes.

    "Then introduce him to Jen." Nicole said with a shrug.

    "Jen? Doctor Jen, the ountant Jen? I''ve slept with them already." Alexi said with augh. "Jen is such amon name."

    "No, Nurse Jen. The newest member of Miguel''s team. She was assigned to the Kashmere Hospital, but she''s visiting for a month. For training." Nicole said with an evil grin.

    "You''re not telling me something." Alexi eyed Nicole suspiciously.

    "She''s a woman you can''t get." Miguel said as they arrived at his office.

    "Really? A woman that would reject me?" Alexi asked,ughing at Miguel''s statement.

    "I would reject you." Nicole said.

    "You''re like my younger sister, I wouldn''t want you. That''s like incest!" Alexi dered.

    "Come, I''ll introduce you to Jen." Nicole said as she walked towards the elevator.

    Alexi was curious about this woman Miguel said he couldn''t get, so he quickly abandoned his n of harassing Miguel and followed Nicole.

    "She''s assigned at the VIP ward right now." Nicole exined as she keyed in the code for the top floor. "I''ll say you''re tailing me around then introduce you." Nicole said with a smile.

    "You''re nning something." Alexi said as he stared at Nicole.

    Nicole smiled and walked out of the elevator. Alexi was way too curious to resist what seemed to be a guaranteed failure.

    "How''s the patient?" Nicole asked as she approached the nurse''s station.

    "He''s recovered nicely." A nurse Alexi recognized said. He could see as the other nurses eyed him hungrily. Who wouldn''t want the famous Alexander Sebastian, everyone wanted to be the one to capture his heart, he was after all the President''s son and a very aplished politician in his own right.

    "Jen, go with Carmina. Observe her." Nicole instructed. Alexi looked up to see a pretty young woman nod at Nicole''s instructions, she was his type. She looked innocent and smart, he couldn''t wait to get to know her.

    Alexi watched as Nicole, Carmina, and Jen entered a VIP ward. It was probably the patient Miguel had operated on the previous day.

    "Mr. Aleix, how are you?" One of the nurses asked as she leaned forward against the counter. Alexi turned and noticed how the top two buttons of her uniform were not hooked into ce.

    "I''m fine." Alexi said. He was sure he had slept with that one. He really hated it when the women he had slept with tried toe back for more.

    "I wonder if Mr. Alexi remembers me?" The nurse asked.

    "Should I?" Alexi asked as he looked at the ward door. In his head he cursed at Nicole for leaving him out there. "I think you''re breaking Saints Hospital policy by wearing your uniform that way."

    The nurse was shocked and simply left him alone out of embarrassment. After a few moments, Nicole, Carmina, and Jen walked out of the ward.

    "Alexi, can you wait here? I need to check on another patient." Nicole said as she looked at the charts at the nurse''s station.

    "Sure." Alexi said with a nod.

    "Carmina and Lexi,e with me please." Nicole said as she called over the nurse that had tired to flirt with Alexi.

    When they had left Alexi noticed Jen reading some documents on the table.

    "You''re new?" Alexi asked as he moved closer to her.

    "Yes sir." Jen answered politely.

    "Jen right?" Alexi asked.

    "Yes sir." She responded politely again.

    "Do you know who I am?" Alexi asked the woman, it would be a rare urrence if she didn''t.

    "Of course, sir." Jen answered again.

    "You know, normally by now, most women would be happy to have my attention." Alexi said as he looked her in the eye.

    "Not interested." Jen said as she returned to her work.

 Chapter 394 - 394

    Alexi smiled as he remembered his first rejection. He had left the hospital that day puzzled about why Jen would so easily say no to him. Most times women would say they had no interest in a yboy or they would at least be respectful, but Jen was different. She just ignored him.

    "You look stupid." Katerina said as she popped up beside her brother.??

    "Shouldn''t you be inside watching over your future sister-inw?" Alexi asked as he continued to watch Jen at work.

    "If you weren''t rich and good looking most women would have filed a restraining order against you." Katerina said as she looked up at her brother, whose eyes had not left Jen.

    "It''s a good thing I''m rich and handsome then." Alexi said with augh. "Was your trip to Spain fruitful?"

    "Not exactly." Katerina confessed. "We did get to spend time with Ace. So that was fun." She said with a grin.

    "Katerina, I know you don''t like Jen." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "Wow, I guess I wasn''t as obvious as I thought I was being." Katerinamented as she rolled her eyes at Alexi.

    "Thank you." Alexi said with augh.

    "Why are you thanking me this time? Don''t get all sentimental on me brother." Katerina said with a grin.

    "I know you. You could have gotten rid of her if you really didn''t like her." Alexi said as he smiled at Katerina.

    "I really don''t like her Alexi." Katerina confessed with a sigh. "Something about her feels wrong, but since you love her, I will ept her."

    "You are much nicer than how the world perceives you." Alexi told Katerina.

    "I have to be tough Alexi. You know that." Katerina exined in a sad voice. "I should go back in now. Don''t tell Nurse Jen about Miguel''s usations. It won''t do you guys any good."

    Before Alexi could say anything in response Katerina had already gone back into the VIP room.

    Alexi smiled to himself and walked up Jen at the Nurse''s station.

    "What time do you get off?" Alexi asked Jen sweetly.

    "In a few minutes, why?" Jen asked Alexi. She was clearly trying to be a little bit distant towards him since she was at work.

    "I''ll wait for you." Alexi said as he walked away.

    "Sir, are we leaving?" Alexi''s head bodyguard asked as he got into the elevator with Alexi.

    "No, we''ll wait for Jen. Make sure there are no prying eyes at the back entrance." Alexi instructed as the elevator descended to the lobby.

    Alexi smile as he recalled how he chased Jen after that first rejection

    Four years ago

    "Hey beautiful." Alexi said as Jen suddenly jumped up in surprise as he was way too close to her.

    "Can you please give me some space?" Jen said angrily as she walked off.

    "It''s been a month Nurse Jen. When will you give into my charms?" Alexi asked. This was the longest a woman had gone refusing him. Usually after a month of his charms they gave into what he wanted, them.

    "Ugh, so annoying." Nurse Jen said as she quickened her pace.

    "Just give me a chance, one night out. Let me change your mind." Alexi pleased as he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to him.

    "Mr. Sebastian, have some decency." Nurse Jen scolded as she pushed him away.

    "You know I can have Miguel fire you if you annoy me." Alexi said with a grin. He would never do that of course, but he thought it would be fun to threaten the new nurse.

    "I would never do that." Miguel suddenly said,ing up from behind. "Let her go Alexi, she won''t give in to you." Miguel said with augh.

    Alexi was distracted by Miguel''s sudden appearance giving Jen the chance to escape Alexi.

    "Why do you have to ruin my chances Miguel?" Alexi groaned as he watched Jen run out of the building.

    "Because you finally met a woman you want but won''t let you have her." Miguel said as he too walked away. "Also, I''m not the one with the power to fire people, that''s Nicole." Miguel said with augh as he left Alexi alone in the hallway.

    Present Day

    Alexi sat in his car as he watched Jene out of the building. She had changed out of her nurse''s uniform and was now wearing a short red dress. Alexi could feel himself hardening as he watched her run over to his car.

    "You are stunning." Alexi said as he nted a chaste kiss on her lips. If it were up to him he would take things a little bit further, but he didn''t want to ruin the moment.

    "So what were you nning for us today?" Jen asked as she smiled at him.

    "It''s a surprise." Alexi said as he stepped on the gas and drove his car away from the hospital.

    The ce he had in mind was on the outskirts of the city. He had heard about it from a friend who had proposed there long ago. He wasn''t going to make such a big step in their rtionship, but he wanted to show Jen the beautiful hidden ce that had been left in neglect.

    He knew that Ram had recently purchased the property and had it restored to its original splendor.

    After over two hours of driving they finally reached the spot. It was up on a mountain at a curve in the road, the only marker was a dimly lit parking area. There were no signages indicating anything else.

    "We need to walk from here." Alexi announced as he helped Jen out of his car. As she stood before him, smiling, he felt like they were the only people in the world. Of course that was never true, from a young age Alexi had always been apanied by bodyguards, nannies, and drivers. He lived a privileged life and he knew it. He was thankful for it, he saw how most people struggle just to make ends meet, but his own life was not without its own pains.

    "Let''s go." Alexi said as he pulled Jen towards a well hidden path that was illuminated bynterns hanging from the trees.

    They walked in silence as Alexi held Jen''s hand, making sure that she didn''t slip. At the end of the path they were greeted by a small wooden cottage that overlooked the whole Capital.

    Jen gasped at the sight, it was beautiful.

    "I wanted to show you this ce. Isn''t it beautiful." Alexi said as he led Jen towards a table prepared for them.

    "How did you find this ce?" Jen asked.

    "Ram owns the property, Ray manages the restaurant. At the moment this ce only epts one group at a time, soon it will ept as much as ten. It''s really a small property." Alexi exined.

    "Alexi, why are we here?" Jen asked as she looked around at the romantic ambiance. "You know I''m not ready tomit." Jen said shyly.

    "I know. We''re actually here so that I could tell you about someone I once loved." Alexi said as he held Jen''s hand tightly. "I hope you won''t leave me because of this."

 Chapter 395 - 395

    Alexi watched as Jen''s expression remained calm, he was expecting a more violent reaction from her.

    "Aren''t you surprised?" Alexi asked as he ced a hand on her cheek.??

    "I heard rumors." Jen said with a shrug.

    "Rumors?" Alexi asked. His first love was a tightly kept secret, not everyone knew that he had held someone so closely to his heart in the past.

    "Selina told me." Jen exined.

    "She had no right." Alexi said angrily.

    "It''s not her fault. She needed a shoulder to cry on and we were kind of together at that time. It was back when we were living in New York." Jen said with a shrug.

    "Don''t listen to what that snake has to say." Alexi told Jen. "I''ll tell you the true story." Alexi said in a calmer tone.

    "Okay, I''ll always believe whatever you say." Jen said with a nod as she ced her hand on Alexi''s.

    "Do you know about the Carpio family?" Alexi asked.

    "Yes. They are the 2nd richest family in the country after the Reyeses. They own Regis Inc. and all of its subsidiaries." Jen said with a nod.

    "Everyone knows Cthea Carpio, the gem of the Carpio family, but she wasn''t always an only child." Alexi exined with a frown.

    "How could a secret as big as that be kept from the public?" Jen asked with a confused look.

    "The public doesn''t know about Cedric, so it''s only natural that there are a few other big secrets that have remained hidden." Alexis said with a shrug.

    "So who was this other child?" Jen asked.

    "I thought Selina told you?" Alexi asked. "Anyway, the eldest daughter of the Carpio family was Ilya Carpio.She was smart and beautiful, and she was my first love." Alexi paused and watched Jen''s reaction closely, he could tell she was thinking, but what she was thinking was a mystery to him.

    "What happened to her?" Jen asked after a few moments of silence.

    "She passed away when we were fifteen." Alexi said with a sigh. "We fell in love early and we promised each other that when we turned twenty we would get engaged."

    "Why did she die?" Jen asked with a shaky voice.

    "Leukemia." Alexi said with a frown. "At first we thought she would be able to defeat it, I mean her family was extremely wealthy and she had the best doctors. At the time the Carpios and the Reyeses had a good rtionship and Cthea hadn''t gone head on with my sister for Eric''s heart. Everything was peaceful and happy, we were hopeful for Ilya. I would head over everyday after school to spend time with her. I would only go home to sleep. One day, things suddenly changed, she became sick and her organs began to fail. I begged my parents to let me take a leave from school to be with her, mom and dad refused. Then I asked if we could get married, we weren''t minors anyway, but both her parents and my parents rejected the idea."

    Jen ced her hand on Alexi''s and held it tightly. Alexi looked up and smiled at Jen, he was thankful to have a woman that understood what he needed.

    "I had juste from school and I was telling her how my day went when she suddenly had a seizure." Alexi said as his voice trembled, the events had happened over a decade ago and yet they were still quite fresh in his memory. He remembered the stench of disinfectants and the beeping of the machines, he recalled how he frantically pressed the button that called the nurses. When they didn''te as fast as he needed he ran out and called for help, the nurses and doctors were already running towards him when he stepped out. "She died in my arms." Alexi finally said.

    "Is shy why -?" Jen said as she hesitated to ask.

    "I turned to rtionships and sex to forget, I thought that the physical sensation could help me get over what I was going through. I had so much pent up rage and pain that Ray brought me along to his gang to beat people up." Alexi exined as he recalled how useless his actions were, he couldn''t get over the heartbreak it took years before he could finally be himself again, even then he thought he met someone that could make his heart beat again, but she refused him. Although he wasn''t about to tell Jen that the person that managed to make his heart beat again was the woman she loved long ago. "It took awhile for me to realize that sex wasn''t going to heal me or get rid of the pain I felt after loosing Ilya. Eventually I figured it out and I recovered, but that physical sensation became a part of my life that I couldn''t just drop."

    "Alexi." Jen said as she slowly caressed his hand. For some reason Alexi wasn''t happy with her actions, they had been physical for years now and it seemed that Jen hadn''t known that he didn''t like being treated this way. But he pushed the thought away and ignored his doubts, he loved Jen. He was willing to go against his family for her, he even fought his friend for her,

    "I didn''t bring you here to propose." Alexi said with a smile as he withdrew his hand. "I brought you here to open up, to let you in on a part of myself that very few know about. I hope that you can do the same. I know your first love broke your heart, but I''m not her." Alexi said as he ced a hand on her cheek.

    Jen smiled at him, but didn''t say a word. Alexi was nervous, he had just told her his darkest secret in the hopes that she would open up to him.

    "I promised, I will try Alexi." Jen said as he carried a solemn look on her face. "You know how bad I''ve been hurt. I followed Selina for years, I left my dream school for her, I went wherever she did. She knew how I felt about her and yet she still yed with my feelings. It''s not easy to trust after that." Jen said as she looked down.

    "I am not Selina, Jen. I will never hurt you." Alexi promised as he pressed his lips on Jen''s and held her tightly against him.

 Chapter 396 - 396

    One yearter

    "Emilio, don''t run so fast." Cedric scolded as he tried to catch up to his son. Today was one of his rare days off so he decided to spend it with his three year old son. Work had been hectic, MT Summit was continuously attacking him and Cedric was continuously trying to grow the Reyes Group so he didn''t have that much free time in the past year.??

    "Did you really have to pick the mall of all ces to take him?" Adrianna asked as she chased after the father and son duo.

    "I wanted to buy him new toys." Cedric said as he picked his son up from the ground and ced him on his shoulders. He wasn''t worried about Emilio going too far, the whole ce was littered with bodyguards. A trip to the mall for them required a lot of preparation. Leon insisted on heightening the security around Cedric and his family since MT Summit ramped up their actions against the Reyes Group. They had seen how the people behind MT Summit were not afraid of breaking thew to the point that they would have an innocent person murdered.

    "He has a room full of toys already." Adriannained.

    Cedric smiled at his wife and pulled her closer to him, nting a yful kiss on her lips while keeping his son skillfully bnced on his shoulders.

    "E daddy and mommy." Emilio cried out as he watched his parents being affectionate.

    "These are one of the freedoms we need to cherish." Cedric said as he held his wife''s hand and walked through the mall with her. "One day, when you let me, everyone will know that you are the mistress of the Reyes family and I am the CEO of the Reyes group. When that dayes we won''t be able to casually walk in a mall like this anymore. When you want to go shopping it will be like when you go with my mom and my sister, the mall would either be closed for your use or there would be so many bodyguards around you that people will think of you as some aloof mistress."

    "Sometimes I want you to reveal your identity, sometimes I wish we could stay like this." Adrianna told Cedric as they entered a toy store. "Moments like this." Adrianna said as she spotted two women who annoyed her to no end.

    "Daddy, daddy, I want that!" Emilio said as he pulled Cedric towards a bounce house.

    "Emilio, let''s buy a smaller toy. Not everything big and shiny is the best, sometimes small toys will make you happier." Cedric said as he picked his son up once more. He didn''t want his son to be a spoiled kid like all the others he had seen in the past. He was nning on raising his son with an appreciation for money and the hard work it involved.

    "Just admit you can''t buy your son something that nice because you can''t afford it." Lorisa De Jesus said as she suddenly walked up to Cedric and Emilio while pushing a very posh baby stroller. Cedric has seen on social media that she had given birth to a baby boy a few months back, she boasted about how she gave Anton an heir on their first try.

    "Lorisa, my son and I are not bothering you." Cedric said as he walked past Lorisa.

    "Ugh, why would they let scum like you in here?" Lorisa''s friend, Mary asked as she looked at the father and son in disgust.

    "Do you own this mall Mary?" Cedric asked as he red at the two women.

    "Of course not, but I am friends with the one that does." Mary boasted.

    "Really? You know the Reyes Group CEO?" Adrianna asked as she approached carrying some items she bought. She decided to buy a few things for Nicole''s son, Tristan, while she apanied Cedric and Emilio.

    "No, but I had lunch with his sister the other day." Mary said proudly.

    "Really? You had lunch with Ayanna Laurence?" Adrianna asked as she raised an eyebrow at Mary.

    "See Adrianna, you aren''t the only one that can boast a friendship with them. As a matter of fact I haven''t seen you hanging out with the sisters recently, have they grown tired of you?" Lorisa asked as she eyed Adrianna.

    The only reason why Adrianna had not been seen in public with the sisters was because Cedric had gone into over protective mode again. He was afraid that she would be targeted by the people behind MT Summit because she associated with his sister and her friends.

    "So if I give Miss Ayanna a call now, she will confirm that you know each other?" Cedric asked as he stood up to defend his wife. It was moments like this that he wished he didn''t need to hide his identity.

    "You would dare bother her on her personal line?" Mary scoffed. She had been quite confident that neither Adrianna nor Cedric could confirm that Ayanna knew her, so when Cedric threatened to call Ayanna she was suddenly worried that he would.

    "I don''t see a reason not to." Cedric said with a shrug. "If someone is falsely iming to be her friend I''m sure she would be more than happy to know. If you truly are friends, then we will owe you an apology." Cedric said with a grin. He was of course confident that Mary was not friends with his younger sister.

    "We just had lunch." Mary said in a weak voice.

    "Mary don''t be afraid of him." Lorisa egged on. "He can''t just call someone that important."

    "You''re right." Mary said as she looked Cedric in the eyes. "Go, call her. I bet she won''t even pick the phone up."

    Cedric smiled as he dialed his sister''s number, he was hoping they would dare him to do so. While they were busy boasting he had sent Ayanna a message and she was already expecting his call.

    After two rings Ayanna picked up the call.

    "Hello? Cedric?" Ayanna''s distinct voice said over the phone''s speaker.

    "This is fake!" Mary used.

    "Hi Miss Ayanna, someone is iming to be your friend and wants to send us away from Elisia Mall." Cedric said in a professional tone.

    "Oh, I have very few friends. Who is it?" Ayanna asked. Cedric was sure that his sister was already smirking at the other end of the line.

    "Mary." Cedric said simply.

    "I don''t know a Mary." Ayanna said in an annoyed tone.

    "Mrs. Laurence we had lunch the other day." Mary said in a pitiful tone.

    "Lunch, lunch, lunch.Oh you mean that charity lunch I had to attend in my sister-inw''s ce?" Ayanna said as she recalled where she had lunch the previous day. There many functions where people attempted to invite the Mistress of the Reyes Family, they were often politely declined by Dave or Mae, but there were still some that Cedric felt he had to send a representative. He often asked either Ayanna or his cousin Marie to attend in Adrianna''s ce.

    "Yes Mrs. Laurence, that one." Mary said in a hopeful tone. "We were even on the same table." Mary''s husband had actually paid quite a sum just for her to sit in the same table as Ayanna, and Ayanna didn''t even utter a word to her.

    "I don''t know you." Ayanna finally said in a cold tone over the phone. "If you insist on driving away paying customers from my mall, I will have someone escort you out immediately."

    Cedric watched as Mary suddenly turned pale at Ayanna''s words.

 Chapter 397 - 397

    "Thank you Miss Ayanna." Cedric said respectfully to his sister.

    "If she causes you any trouble Cedric, feel free to call Dave. I''m sure my brother would be more than willing to help you." Ayanna said as she dropped the call.??

    "Do I need to make a call?" Cedric asked as he red at Mary and Lorisa.

    Mary''s face turned sour as she dealt with the embarrassing blow. "Is that child even yours Cedric?" Mary asked angrily.

    "I''m honestly tired of your usations of infidelity." Cedric groaned. "I do have Dave''s number." Cedric said as he waved his phone at the duo.

    "Someday those Reyeses will get tired of you." Lorisa said as she pulled Mary away and walked out of the store.

    "I''m sorry." Cedric said as he nted a light kiss on Adrianna''s head. "I didn''t think we would encounter people like them here. I forgot that Lorisa gave birth."

    "It''s okay." Adrianna said as she looked up at her husband with a smile.

    "Mommy, Daddy, Toy!" Emilio excitedly said as he proudly showed his parents a toy car that he wanted.

    "Okay little one, we''ll buy that." Cedric said with augh as he held his son''s hand and walked over to the cashier.

    After buying the toy car and a few gifts for Tristan, Cedric decided to walk around the mall. He wanted to see the improvements his sister had brought on. In the past year, Elisia Malls had expanded beyond anyone''s expectations.

    "Daddy, ice cream!" Emilio called out as he pointed to an ice cream shop.

    "Emilio, we''re having lunch with Auntie Nicole and Uncle Ian and Tristan, you''ll ruin your appetite." Cedric told his son as they walked by the ice cream cart.

    "Honey, it''s just ice cream." Adriann said in a sweet tone to Cedric.

    "Do you remember what happenedst time?" Cedric asked as he cocked his head to the side.

    "Fine." Adrianna said as she rolled her eyes.

    "You can have ice cream after lunch." Cedric said as they continued to walk through the mall. Every now and then Cedric would spot one of Leon''s men positioned to protect them.

    "It''s moments like earlier that I really wish people knew who I was." Cedric said with a sigh as he let Emilio run ahead of them. There were so many guards that it was unlikely anyone could pick Emilio up and kidnap him.

    "Just a little longer." Adrianna said with a guilty look in her eyes.

    "Adri, I don''t me you." Cedric said with a gentle smile. "We are safer this way. It''s clear that if the people behind MT Summit knew who I was they woulde after you and Emilio, and I can never let that happen." Cedric said with a determined look.

    "Daddy, daddy! I met a new friend." Little Emilio suddenly cried out as he ran back to Cedric and Adrianna with a man walking behind him.

    "Aiden!" Cedric said in surprise as he greeted the younger man.

    "Cedric, Adrianna, I didn''t expect this charming little boy to be your son." Aiden Ortiz said as he greeted Cedric quite warmly. "I heard the sad news, did the Reyes Group really not sign over your release?" In order to properly reject the job offer that Regis Inc. had given him, Cedric told them that the Reyes Group refused to allow him to work for apetitor. They weren''t in the same industries but the families that owned them were old rivals.

    "Yes, it was unfortunate." Cedric said with a frown.

    "So this is the little boy that all the rumors are crazy about." Aiden said as he ruffled Emilio''s hair. "One look at him and he is clearly yours." Aiden said with a grin.

    "Thanks." Cedric said, unsure of what to say. It sounded like an insult and apliment at the same time.

    "Adrianna, how is Amanda?" Aiden awkwardly asks.

    "She''s happy." Adrianna said with a smile. She honestly preferred Tony for Amanda because Amanda and Tony loved each other, but Adrianna couldn''t help but admit that Aiden wasn''t a bad guy.

    "Good to hear." Aiden said with a sad look. "Anyway, I should go. I have lunch ns with a friend. I hope we bump into each other again."

    Cedric nodded and looked at his watch, they too should be heading to Nicole''s and Ian''s home now.

    "Daddy, nice Uncle?" Emilio asked as he tugged on his father''s hand. He was three, but he seemed to understand more than the average three year old.

    "Yes, that was Uncle Aiden, he''s nice." Cedric said with a smile as he picked his son up in one arm and held Adrianna''s hand with another as he led his little family down to the parking lot.

    With little Emilio growing up and Cedric wanting to spend more father and son time with him, he decided to purchase a simple sedan that wasn''t as eye-catching as his other cars. Of course he had all of them fitted with the best security measures money could buy and Leon and his team still trailed them at a distance.

    Today Cedric decided to drive his wife and son himself to the mall, so when the unassuming car drove up to themunity that Nicole and Ian lived at the guard stopped them.

    "Hey, man, this isn''t somemunity you can just enter." The guard said as he approached Cedric''s car.

    Before Cedric could respond that he was a guest a shy red sports car stopped beside his. Cedric wanted tough when he realized whose car it was.

    The window slowly rolled down and a smiling Eric waved at Cedric.

    "Is Emilio with you?" Eric asked as he ignored the guard that was now shocked that one of their most prominent residents was casually speaking to the guy in an ordinary man''s car.

    "Yes, we''re having lunch with Nicole and Ian." Cedric said with a nod.

    "What? And my sister didn''t invite me?" Eric asked angrily. "Wait, why are you just stopped here?" Eric asked with a puzzled look.

    "Sir, are they guests?" The guard asked, he wasn''t used to seeing ordinary cars drive up to themunity. Even Eric''s manager had a fancy car, and he rarely went to visit Eric.

    "Yes. Let them in." Eric said, making the guard run up to the gate and open it for Cedric and his group.

    "He should have realized by the convoy." Eric said rolling his eyes. Anytime Cedric or his family went anywhere an eye catching convoy of security vehicles followed at a distance. So when they came to a stop by themunity gates the convoy piled up as well. Normally a car wouldn''t be able to get close to Cedric''s but his security team recognized Eric''s car based on it''s tes.

 Chapter 398 - 398

    "Auntie Nicole!" Emilio shouted as he ran inside Nicole and Ian''s house.

    "Woah little man." Ian said as he caught the running boy and threw him in the air.??

    "Ian, be careful!" Nicole scolded as she came down from the stairs carrying Tristan.

    "Hey Ian, Nicole." Cedric said as he entered the house, holding his wife''s hand.

    "Why wasn''t I invited to this?" Eric said grumpily as he went in after the couple. "I still own one third of this house."

    Ian rolled his eyes at Eric who darted straight for Tristan, taking the little boy out of his mother''s arms.

    "If you love babies so much just have one yourself." Nicoleined as she watched her older brother coddle his nephew.

    "Convince your friend." Eric said as he looked lovingly at Tristan. "It''s your friend that wants to wait. I mean we aren''t getting any younger."

    "Sounds very much like Katerina." Nicole said with augh as she asked a maid to serve their lunch.

    "How''s the takeover going?" Cedric asked Ian as Emilio squirmed in Ian''s arms and ran over to Eric to y with Tristan.

    "I''ve bought most of the shares, they still don''t know that it''s me though." Ian said with a shrug.

    In the past year, Ian had managed Saints Hospital for six months then moved on to slowly buy back his family''s oldpanies. Cedric had given whatever support he could, but Ian refused the financial support that he had repeatedly offered. So instead of supporting Ian financially he let Ian use Prince Group as a front before transferring all the share to his name, on top of the Cedric had also let Ian use his multiple connections in order to acquire the shares.

    "How long are you nning on keeping things like this?" Cedric asked Ian as they walked over to the dining table.

    "Hopefully I can establish the new management team by this year andplete the take over by next year." Ian exined. "I already have some people ready to take over key roles, my sister included."

    "I hope they don''t notice that a Lim is back in the management team." Cedric said, he was worried that Ian''s n was too aggressive and that it would backfire if Ian''s sister took a key role.

    "No need to be worried. She will be thest member to join the management team, by the time they realize that she is my sister it will be toote." Ian said with a smile. "How''s the investigation going?" Ian asked with a worried look.

    Cedric knew that Ian felt guilty for having to leave Cedric''s team at the height of the investigation, when he tried to return after Nicole recovered Cedric rejected his offer. Cedric knew that if Ian returned to work for him he would have a hard time leaving again and he may fail in pursuing his dream of seeing the Lim family back in their rightful ce.

    "Ace said he made some progress." Cedric exined. "And Damien came overst week, he''s slowly figuring out the chain ofmand between MT Summit and the police."

    "It sounds promising." Ian told his friend with a smile.

    "I''ve been worried recently that whoever is behind this wille after Adrianna." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Why?" Ian asked.

    "The mistress rumors are back." Cedric said with a frown.

    "I thought people dropped the issue?" Ian said with a puzzled look on his face.

    "You know how these things are, they die then theye to life again, it''s really annoying." Cedric sighed. "I guess it has something to do with the new ne I got her. She wore it to an event and some jeweler recognized it and knew it''s true price, then the rumors spread once more."

    "Is that why you increased security?" Eric asked as he listened in on the conversation.

    "How did you know?" Cedric thought he had been discrete in the increase of security personnel around Adrianna.

    "I went to Ind Inc. recently to sign a partnership deal, I was going to meet with Adrianna and I noticed several guards who seemed too good to be working at Ind''s Inc." Eric said with a shrug. "I notice things other people don''t, I doubt anyone else has noticed what you''ve done."

    "You meddled with mypany again?" Adrianna asked her husband. "You know I don''t mind, as long as you tell me." She said with a warning look at him.

    "I spoke with Uncle Matthew and he said it was a good idea." Cedric said with a shrug.

    Adrianna simply rolled her eyes at her husband, she knew that at times it was useless to argue with him, and it wasn''t like his actions did any harm. He was just worried.

    "Cedric, do you mind if Ayanna, Auntie, and I took Emilio to Nationalia with Tristan next week?" Nicole asked as she passed one of the dishes over.

    "If people see him they might suspect." Cedric said as he took the te over from Nicole.

    "It''s Nationalia, Cedric. No one there will spread news about him. And your mom will be there, do you think they would dare cross her?" Nicole asked.

    "Cedric, I don''t see the harm." Adrianna said as she ced a hand on her husband''s arm. "Plus Emilio is always cooped up at home. While most kids go to parks with their grandparents, our son stays at home. This will be good for him."

    "And I mean, the attention will be on Tristan, since everyone knows who his mom is." Nicole said with a shrug.

    "You can send as much security as you want Cedric." Adrianna said. "You can even borrow some of those specialized ones that Alexi uses against the paparazzi. I know how much you want to keep Emilio out of the public eye, but I don''t want it stopping him from living a normal life."

    "Daddy, I want to go!" Emilio said as he seemed to understand that the adults were talking about him going somewhere with his aunties and Tristan.

    Cedric moved Emilio to hisp and smiled at his son.

    "You need to promise me that you will behave." Cedric said as he wore a serious look on his face.

    "Yes daddy. Yoyo will be a good boy." Emilio, who struggled to say his own name, promised.

    "Do you really want to go out and y with your aunties and Tristan? You won''t be able to bring all your toys with you." Cedric said as he tried to convince his son.

    "Out! Out!" Emilio said with an adorable determined look on his face.

    "Alright. You can go." Cedric said, much to his son''s delight.

 Chapter 399 - 399

    Nicole sat casually in her office as she watched Katerina storm in angrily.

    "I can''t believe my brother is still into her." Katerina said angrily as she sat on Nicole''s couch.??

    "I assume we are still speaking about Jen?" Nicole asked without lifting her head. It wasn''t the first time that Katerina stormed into her home or office because she couldn''t stand her elder brother''s girlfriend.

    "Yes, of course Jen!" Katerina said angrily.

    "What is it this time? Didn''t you have her investigated already, didn''t ite out clean?" Nicole asked as she ced her documents aside, it was already the end of the day and she had little work left to do. It seemed Katerina hade straight from a court hearing based on the way she was dressed.

    "I did, yes it was clean, but I still don''t understand why Jen would lie about her history with Selina. The girl is freaking innocent!" Katerina asked angrily.

    "Maybe it was because of love. Maybe she misunderstood Selina''s actions?" Nicole asked as she collected her bag. "Dinner?" Nicole offered, she knew her friend needed to vent.

    "Okay. Drag the other girls along?" Katerina asked.

    "Sure. Let me just call Ian to tell him I''m having dinner with you guys tonight." Nicole said with a nod.

    "I''ll just repeat my story when they arrive. How does the rooftop of Maharlika sound?" Katerina asked.

    "How is it possible for you to book that ce so often?" Nicole asked.

    "Oh, tonight it was supposed to be booked for Alexi and Jen, but Jen bailed on him." Katerina said with a shrug. "I was going to invite Eric, but I can''t deal with him right now." Katerina said in a frustrated tone as she typed on her phone.

    "What did my brother do this time?" Nicole asked as she held her phone to her ear. "Oh wait. Hi Ian, I''m having dinner out with the girls tonight. Bye, love you." Nicole quickly said.

    "Wow that was fast." Katerina teased. "You''re really not gonna give him the opportunity to say no?"

    "He can handle Trisan tonight." Nicole said with a shrug as they walked out of her office. "So what''s your issue with you know who?"

    "The settling down and having kids issue again." Katerina groaned. "Did hee over to your house again?"

    "He did. Cedric brought Emilio over." Nicole said, making Katerina sigh.

    "I''m just not ready and I don''t think he is ready to give up his career either. I don''t know why he keeps pressing the issue." Katerinained. "He wants to get married but if we get married how will his fans react?"

    "I don''t think my brother has ever cared about his fans." Nicole exined. "I''ll see you at Maharlika?" Nicole asked as she spotted Katerina''s car parked at the side of the hospital entrance while her driver waited with her car out front.

    Katerina nodded and walked over to her parked car. On most days Katerina drove herself around even if she had a family assigned driver, she enjoyed driving, it made her feel like she was free from all the expectations people had ced on her shoulders.

    She sighed as she started the car, why was it that she could be nice to Selina Ramirez and not to Jen Pez. Jen was the one her brother loved, and Jen had never done anything to harm them, she was nice and respectful all the time.

    Katerina decided to push the thoughts away from her mind as she drove from Saints Hospital to Maharlika Hotel, when she arrived a valet quickly came up and took her keys. They knew her here, like they knew her in most of the high end establishments, it was their job to recognize the tes on her car, she was after all the president''s daughter and it couldn''t hurt to stay on her good side.

    "What''s up with your driving?" Nicole asked as she came up beside her friend.

    "I just have stuff on my mind." Katerina said with a sigh.

    "You gave my driver a fright, we weren''t in a rush and yet you were driving like your life depended on it! Be careful next time." Nicole scolded.

    "Wow, you guys got here fast." Veronica called out from behind them.

    "Katerina drove fast. Scold her." Nicole told Veronica.

    "She always drives fast, what''s wrong with that?" Veronica asked.

    "It''s dangerous!" Nicole said as she turned her back on her friends and walked into the hotel.

    "What''s wrong?" Veronica asked as she reached out and grabbed Katerina''s arm.

    "I''ll tell youter." Katerina said with a frown on her face.

    Saints Hospital was at the opposite end of the city from Maharlika Hotel, so it was no surprise to Katerina that she and Nicole were thest to arrive.

    She had invited her sister Natalia, Ayanna, Adrianna, Francesca, Veronica, and of course Nicole. Natalia was already having a lively discussion with Ayanna, while Adrianna and Francesa were speaking on the side.

    "So what''s up with the council meeting?" Ayanna teased as she saw the three girls arrive.

    "Jen." Natalia said with a sigh. She wasn''t too happy with the girl her brother was dating, but her feelings weren''t so intense as Katerina''s.

    "Jen again?" Francesca asked as she carried a worried look.

    "I just can''t seem to feel good or happy about her." Katerinained as she took a seat next to Francesca.

    "What is it this time?" Adrianna asked.

    "I just feel so uneasy about her. I don''t understand why she had to lie about how Selina Ramirez broke her heart when there was nothing between them." Katerinained. "She says Selina led her on, but I''ve asked everyone around them at the time and no one ever recalls Selina and Jen being a couple. As a matter of fact, one of Jen''s ssmates even recalls a drunk Jen asking Selina to be her girlfriend, do you know what Selina said?" Katerina asked.

    The other girls simply looked at her and waited for her response.

    "Selina said, Jen for the hundredth time I only love you as a friend. And yet based on Jen''s stories Selina made her feel like she had a chance. How could you have a chance when you''ve been rejected so many times like that?" Katerina asked, her frustration evident in her tone. "Plus there is around three years of Jen''s life I can''t seem to find. It was the three years between Selina sending her away and her meeting Alexi."

    "Sister, I don''t like her either, but what can we do? Alexi loves her. Would you let someone separate you and Eric?" Natalia asked with a concerned look on her face.

    "I don''t want to turn into those crazy sisters that you hear about online that can''t ept their sister-inws because of their background. I really don''t care if Jen was poor or from a family like ours, I just want to be sure that she has Alexi''s best interest at heart." Katerina said with a sigh.

    "Have you spoken to Selina?" Veronica suddenly asks.

    "No. Well I brought it up once, but Selina won''t talk about it." Katerina exined.

    "Then let''s call her over." Francesca said with a grin as she held her phone to her ear.

 Chapter 400 - 400

    Francesca was quite familiar with Selina Ramirez, she worked with Selina as one of Selina''s models for SR Designs. She had found the woman to be kind but tough, very much like her who had been brought up in a mafia family like a princess.

    "Hello?" Selina''s voice asked from the other end of the line.??

    "Hey Selina, I have the best business opportunity for you. But you have toe here now." Francesca said with her voice filled with urgency.

    "Alright. Where are you?" Selina asked.

    "Maharlika Hotel, rooftop." Francesca said right before dropping the call.

    "What''s with the dramatic cloak and dagger?" Katerina asked.

    "Selina would never go here if she knew she was meeting you guys." Francesca said with a shrug. "I didn''t lie. You guys are a walking business opportunity for her." Francesca teased.

    "How are we��" Nicole asked before realizing what Francesca meant. Of course the sisters were a business opportunity to Selina, anything they wore would automatically be the trend, and on top of that they were the children of the richest families in the country, they could set Selina up with the best projects.

    "She also wants to distribute Maureen Cordova''s work internationally, so she won''t be that mad at me." Francesca said with augh.

    It took a while for Selina to arrive, the girls were already done having dinner and were happily sipping wine when Selina walked up to them.

    "You lied, Francesca." Selina said with her arms crossed on her chest.

    "No I didn''t." Francesca said with augh.

    "Selina, please join us." Katerina said with a smile as she pointed to the vacant seat next to her.

    "Hi Adrianna." Selina said with a smile as she took a seat next to Katerina. "I heard you were close to the sisters, I didn''t think you were this close."

    "She''s like a sister to me." Ayanna said with a giggle, taking Selina by surprise. Her only interaction with Ayanna was when it came to business and Ayanna was always serious in their meetings.

    "Yes, we''re quite close." Adrianna said with a small smile. "Do you know everyone? Well let me introduce you, I''m sure you know Katerina, Natalia, Ayanna, and Francesca. That''s Veronica, she''s a designer sh architect, she''s from the Abad family, and next to her is Nicole, she runs Saints Hospital."

    Selina respectfully greeted the two women. She had met them once, ata party, but so much had happened back then that she wasn''t sure if they remembered her.

    "I''m sure you guessed that we invited you over for non-business rted reasons." Katerina said as she calmly took a sip of her wine. Katerina was always calm and collected around others, and Selina was no exception.

    "Yes, but I''m not exactly sure why." Selina said honestly.

    "My brother is dating your friend and former lover." Katerina said quite coldly.

    "Jen." Selina said with a sigh.

    "So you don''t deny it?" Katerina asked in a cold tone. "You were lovers."

    Selina remained silent.

    "Katerina, don''t be so harsh." Adrianna said in a kinder tone.

    "We weren''t." Selina confessed.

    "That''s not what she''s been telling everyone." Katerina told Selina in a nicer tone than earlier. "She told my brother that you led her on, that you made her think that she had a chance with you. ording to her she loved you, gave up everything for you, and you yed her." With every statement Kateirna could see Selina''s reaction change. She didn''t seem angry, she seemed sad.

    "That''s not true." Selina said, finally defending herself.

    "Why did you let her get away with those lies then?" Francesca asked, she was concerned about Selina.

    "I owe her." Selina confessed.

    "Why? Because she saved your life or something?" Nicole asked.

    "No." Selina said, shaking her head vigorously.

    "Selina, my sister just wants to hear the truth. I think it''s so that she, no, we could finally ept that my brother loves Jen and that he will eventually marry her." Natalia said in a tender and caring tone. She knew where her sister wasing from, but she didn''t agree with Katerina''s method.

    "I never led Jen on, but she wasted her best years on me. She gave up her dreams to follow me. So I owe her at least that." Selina said with a frown. "She confessed that she loved me romantically in ourst year in highschool. She even kissed me to prove how she felt, but I rejected her. I told her I only saw her as a friend and that I liked guys and not girls. People on the streets hissed at me for being too closed minded."

    "She wouldn''t have followed you for so long if she didn''t feel like she had a chance with you." Katerina used, she wanted to hear the full story and she wasn''t going to stop until she heard all of it.

    "I think it was because when I moved to New York and she followed my parents paid for almost everything. The only thing her family had to do was pay for her tuition." Selina exined. "She would say things and act sweet. Sometimes I didn''t correct her or stop her, but most times I would tell her. I would remind her that I only saw her as a friend and nothing more. I think it was that hesitation and that care by my parents that led her on. But I told her repeatedly that I didn''t love her that way. That I loved her as my best friend, she was more like a sister to me. There were days that she didn''t take it kindly, she would storm out of the room or shout or cry. It hurt me to think that I was causing her pain. She lost her best years chasing me, so not ruining her new found love is the least I can do."

    "Do you think Jen could truly be serious about my brother?" Katerina asked Selina.

    "Jen is a good person." Selina said with a determined look on her face.

    "How can you say that about someone who has been going around and spreading false rumors about you?" Katerina asked angrily. "How can you be so kind to someone who has told the whole of society that you use people, she is ruining your image Selina."

    Everyone was shocked with Katerina''s sudden outburst, they had heard the rumors but they didn''t know that Jen had spread them.

    "Katerina." Selina didn''t know what else to say, she was shocked to hear what Katerina had just said. "That''s not the only rumor out there, there are others that are much worse."

    "Which ones? The ones that say you sold your body to be a model? Or the ones that say you married some rich man in Europe to build your brand?" Katerina asked as she enumerated some of the rumors going around.

    "They are just jealouspetitors." Selina said, brushing away the rumors.

    "No Selina. They were maliciously spread by one person." Katerina exined. "On top of that I know she isn''t loyal to my brother." Katerina suddenly said making everyone on the table gasp in surprise.

 Chapter 401 - 401

    "I thought you said there were no red gs in the investigation?" Nicole asked her friend.

    "There weren''t. I only found out about these things by following Jen." Katerina said angrily.??

    "Then why don''t you tell our brother?" Natalia asked Selina.

    "Why do you think I''m so angry today?" Katerina snapped. "Alexi won''t believe me."

    "That''s very unlike our brother." Natalia said as she thought of what Katerina had just said.

    "What are you girls doing here?" Alexi asked as he suddenly appeared with the other boys. "Katerina, this was you wasn''t it?" Alexi asked angrily as he marched towards his sister and grabbed her arm.

    "Yeah, so what?" Katerina asked.

    "And what are you doing here?" Alexi asked as he noticed that Selina was in their group. "Will you keep trying to sabotage my rtionship Katerina?" He said as he returned his attention back to his sister.

    "It''s your choice whether or not you will listen to me Alexi! I just told you what I saw. You''re hurting me!" Katerina shouted as she tried to free her arm from Alexi''s grasp. "As for Selina she''s a family friend. I''m just doing the right thing by introducing her to business opportunities."

    "Alexi, let go of your sister." Eric calmly said as he ced a hand on Alexi''s shoulder. He didn''t want to seem too overprotective of Katerina since Selina was there and she didn''t know about his rtionship with the Chans or Katerina.

    Alexi blinked and suddenly realized what he was doing and let go of Katerina''s arm.

    "What is wrong with you?!" Katerina asked angrily. "I only told you what I saw, if you are angry with Jen then be angry at her, not at me!"

    "I trust herpletely." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "And you don''t trust me?" Katerina asked. "I''m your freaking sister Alexi! I didn''t say she was cheating, I just said I saw her with another man, they were in an intimate position. I gave you photos, you could have investigated the person yourself! I kept my assumption to myself Alexi!"

    "Katerina, Jen would never do that to me." Alexi said as he looked into his sister''s eyes.

    "Whatever, you guys aren''t even a couple anyway." Katerina said as she walked out. "You guys stay." She shouted back at the other girls as she marched off.

    "Go." Alexi said in a frustrated tone, he knew Eric wanted to chase after Katerina.

    "You know I can''t." Eric said with a sigh.

    "You should stay with us." Francesca said as she pulled Selina closer to her. "Have you met my boyfriend?" Francesca asked as Ram walked over and kissed Francesca on the cheek.

    "She can''t stay." Alexi said angrily.

    "Why not Alexi?" Ayanna asked.

    "Selina I think it''s best if you left." Cedric said, surprising Selina, she hadn''t noticed that two assistants of the Reyes Group CEO were there as well.

    "Errrr, yeah. The boss ising over too and he can be quite picky about the people he shows himself to." Ian said, backing Cedric up.

    "Right, yes." Selina said with a nod as she dashed out of the roof top and back into the hotel.

    "You guys didn''t have to be so harsh on her." Nicole scolded Cedric and Ian. "Francesca invited her over because of Katerina. She baited her with a business opportunity."

    "So Katerina didn''t invite her to spite me?" Alexi asked Nicole.

    "Of course not." Nicole said, defending her friend. "Katerina would never do something like that."

    "Alexi, my sister is right." Eric said with a sigh. "Katerina would never do anything like that to you, it just isn''t her. On top of that you physically hurt her, you should be the one protecting her from harm, not the one inflicting it."

    "She crossed the line Eric." Alexi said with a sigh as he took a seat. "She has no right to interfere with my rtionship."

    "She wasn''t interfering, Alexi." Natalia said. "Katerina is just worried about you. She doesn''t want to see you hurt again, our sister just loves you." Alexi could see the deep frown on Natalia''s face as she exined the situation.

    "Nicole, are you still takingthe kids to Nationalia this week?" Alexi asked.

    "Yeah. Why?" Nicole said with a puzzled look.

    "Invite Katerina to tag along, she loves kids. It''ll make her happy. I''ll make it up to her somehow after that." Alexi said without looking up.

    "Katerina hates kids, Alexi." Eric corrected as he gave Alexi a puzzled look.

    "No, she doesn''t want to have kids yet, but Katerina adores children." Alexi said with a grin as he knew he had just fed Eric some information that might get his sister off his case.

    "What do you n to do about Jen?" Cedirc asked.

    "Nothing. I trust herpletely." Alexi said, shaking his head. "Jen would never cheat on me. Katerina probably misinterpreted what she saw. She is already prejudiced against Jen so it would be easy for her to think that a friendly hug was actually a romantic one."

    "You confronted Jen about it, didn''t you?" Cedric asked with augh.

    "No." Alexi denied.

    "If you didn''t, why did you cancel your date with her?" Cedric asked as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    "Fine. I asked her." Alexi said, caving in.

    "And?" Francesca asked. She was unable to keep quiet since Kateirna and Selina were both her friends, and by the looks of it both women did not exactly like Jen Pez.

    "She said he was an old friend, nothing more." Alexi said with a sigh. "She got mad that I had to ask her and went on about how we weren''t a couple and how I was suffocating her."

    Veronica suddenlyughed at Alexi''s words.

    "If she thinks you''re suffocating, she should meet my husband!" Veronica said.

    "Hey, I''m right next to you!" Miguelined, he of course would never contradict his wife in public. He feared what punishment she would have for him at home if he ever contradicted her.

    "I just gave her some space tonight. It will be better tomorrow." Alexi said with a smile as he looked up at the stars.

 Chapter 402 - 402

    "He is as mischievous as his father!" Prisci Reyes eximed as she watched as a maid found some goo that little Emilio had ced in her pocket.

    "Emilio, do you want me to call your father?" Katerina threatened as Emilio ran up to her.??

    "Auntie, no!" Little Emilio cried out as he hugged Katerina''s leg.

    "Hi Auntie, Hi Nicole." Katerina said with a smile

    "How are you feeling?" Nicole asked as she walked over to Katerina who was holding Emilio''s hand.

    "I''m great! Work is great! I just won a case." Katerina said with a shrug as she pretended not to know about what Nicole was talking about.

    "Come now, let''s bring these kids to watch their grandpas." Prisci Reyes said as he led the two women into Nationalia.

    Since Nationalia was an extremely exclusive golf and country club, everyone respected the women''s privacy, but it didn''t stop them from looking at the two young boys and the women that carried them.

    "I bet they are wondering if Emilio is my kid." Katerina said with augh. She wasn''t a stranger to pregnancy and dating rumors, her sex life and dating life were not exactly as clean as everyone expected her to be.

    "It''s not like you care." Nicole said with augh.

    "I want a photo with them." Katerina said as she handed her phone to Nicole and took Tristan from his mother. Tristan had gotten used to seeing Katerina almost everyday, so he was more than happy to join his auntie and Emilio for a photo.

    "Okay, now one with just Tristan, since Emilio''s face can''t be seen by the public." Katerina told Nicole.

    "Emilio, can you go over to your auntie Nicole for a while?" Katerina asked Emilio, who nodded and ran over to Nicole.

    After a few photos, Katerina let Tristan wobble over to his mother while she opened her arms to let Emilio run over to her. Emilio quickly hugged Katerina who lifted him and threw him in the air, making Emiliough.

    "Daddy says that''s bad, again auntie!" Emilio said with augh. It was a game he and his Auntie Katerina yed that always ended up with her getting scolded by his overprotective father.

    Katerina did as the little boy asked and threw him in the air, when she caught him she hugged him tightly.

    "Katerina, don''t spoil him." Prisci Reyes scolded as she watched Katerina y with her grandson. "He''s three years old. He can walk on his own."

    "But Auntie, he''s so adorable." Katerina said as she hugged Emilio tightly.

    "If you love kids so much, just marry you know who and have kids." Prisci Reyes teased as they walked over to the viewing deck of the golf course.

    "Auntie, you know that I''m not ready for that yet." Katerina said with a sigh. "In due time." She said with a smile.

    "I understand, your career is important too." Prisci Reyes said with a knowing nod.

    "Grandpa! Grandpa!" Emilio shouted as he saw his grandfathers walking towards them. Emilio Reyes III and his friends had just finished half a round of golf and were walking back to the club house of Nationalia. Unlike Emilio Reyes, his other friends had not fully retired. Katerina''s own father was still the president, he still had two more years left in his term.

    "Emilio, you can''t shout like that at the golf course." Prisci yfully scolded her grandson.

    "Sorry Grandma." Emilio said as he gave the cutest frown.

    "Do you mind if I take him, Katerina?" Prisci asked. Katerina nodded and let Emilio run over to his grandmother.

    She quickly took out her phone and posted her photo with Tristan in her public social media ount, her caption read ''You will always be auntie''s little baby, don''t grow up to fast Tristan. Thanks for lending me your son today @DraNicChan''

    "Auntie, do you think Cedric will get mad if I post Emilio''s photo in my personal ount?" Katerina asked.

    "I don''t see the harm. Maybe you could just keep it vague in case anyone identally sees it." Prisci told Katerina. The Reyeses were quite adept with handling social media and the public, it probably came from the fact that they wanted to be as low key as possible. Even Ayanna who was the most public figure in the family limited her public exposure on social media.

    "Thanks Auntie." Katerina said as she quickly opened the social media app in her phone.

    She picked one of the photos Nicole had taken and posted it in her personal ount. She didn''t have that many followers in her personal ount, just around 50, most were her rtives and a couple of friends. Keeping Prisci''s advice in mind Katerina thought of a vague caption to post. She simply ced ''Day out with these babies'' and added several heart emojis to the post.

    "Katerina, what are you doing here?" Her father, Jose Sebastian asked as he arrived with Emilio Reyes III and her friends father''s.

    "Oh, Nicole invited me. She said she was taking Tristan and Little Emilio out for a y date. It''s so sad that Emilio can''t freely go out with his aunties and uncles, but it''s for his sake anyway." Katerina said with a shrug as she went over and kissed her father on the cheek.

    "It''s a price to pay for privacy, Katerina." Jose said with a shrug.

    "I know dad. It was just good that we all had each other as ymates while Emilio has none." Katerina said with a pout.

    "Maybe Alexi can give him a friend." Jose teased.

    "Ugh, with Jen." Katerina said, rolling her eyes.

    "It''s your brother''s personal matter. Don''t meddle." Jose warned his daughter with a stern look.

    "Jose, it''s only natural for siblings to be protective of each other." Raphael Chan said as he approached the father and daughter while carrying his grandson.

    "Miguel and Eric were never hostile towards Ian." Katerina said.

    "Ian and the boys are a different matter, they already knew Ian." Raphael Chan said with augh.

    "Kat, we know your heart is in the right ce. I''m sure your brother will eventually understand." Jose said as he ced a hand on his daughter''s shoulder.

    Katerina was taken by surprise when her phone suddenly began to ring. She specifically told her assistant not to let anyone bother her today, she had even left her work phone at home taking only her personal one.

    Katerina frowned as she saw the name that was calling, it was Cedric. She sighed and excused herself to take the call, Cedric wouldn''t have bothered her if it weren''t an urgent matter.

 Chapter 403 - 403

    Cedric was busy reviewing some documents that needed his attention when Dave and Mae suddenly entered.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked without lifting his head.??

    "Sir, we have a situation. A non-business one." Mae said as she handed Cedric her phone.

    Cedric looked up and raised an eyebrow at her, an non-business situation would mean one involving his family, and most of the time it was a rumor about Adrianna and the CEO of the Reyes Group, aka himself so he wasn''t too worried.

    "Guys, we''ve been through this if it''s another rumor about Adrianna, don''t worry." Cedric said as he reached out for the phone.

    "Sir, it''s not Mrs. Reyes." Mae said, surprising Cedric. "It''s about Emilio."

    "What?" Cedric asked in surprise as he took a look at the phone. He was shocked to find a photo of Katerina with Emilio and Tristan that had a vague caption ''Day out with these babies''. "How long has it been up?" Cedric asked.

    "A few minutes sir." Mae said.

    Cedric groaned and quickly dialed Katerina''s phone. When he first called Katerina didn''t pick up, he was getting frustrated, so he dialed her number again. After a few rings he finally got through.

    "Katerina!" Cedric shouted.

    "Woah, chill, what''s wrong?" Kateirna asked. It seemed like she waspletely oblivious to what had just happened.

    "Katerina, check your social media ounts then call me back. And no, don''t take it down!" Cedric yelled as he dropped the call.

    Everyone knew that the Reyes family ced a high importance on their privacy, their friends like Katerina knew this the most. So it puzzled Cedric that Katerina would carelessly post something like this, it was very unlike her.

    After a few seconds Cedric''s phone began to ring again, it was Katerina.

    "Cedric I''m so sorry I didn''t think, I didn''t know. I thought I posted my photo with Tristan and Emilio to my personal ount, not the public one." Katerina frantically said over the phone.

    "I hope you didn''t take it down, it will do more damage than good." Cedric reminded Katerina.

    "No, I did as you asked. It''s still up, but thements section has exploded. People are asking who he is." Katerina told Cedric in a sad tone. "Crap."

    "What is it Katerina?" Cedric said in a panic.

    "No, no, no, I didn''t mean to panic you. It''s just people think he is either my child or Alexi''s. I mean seriously, Emilio is adorable but we look nothing alike." Katerina said over the phone. "And clearly he looks nothing like, what the actual fuck? They think I''m Mrs. Reyes. They are crazy!" Katerina shouted over the phone.

    "You might need to make a statement over the photo." Cedric said. "Or post a new one saying he is the son of a friend."

    "Yeah, I''ll arrange for something." Katerina said in a distracted tone. She was probably reading through thements.

    "I''ll talk to Ram about Eric. I''m sure people are also floating the idea that Eric might be the father." Cedric told Katerina.

    "Thank you Cedric." Katerina said with a sigh. "Now I guess I need to tell Auntie Prisci and the Uncles about this. Dad''s gonna be so mad that I was so careless."

    "Just handle things on your end Katerina and I''ll deal with the rest." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    "Any other mention of Emilio being my son online?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, people who realize that Emilio can''t be Katerina''s son because she''s been in the view of the public all this time assume he belongs to one of her friends. Many are quick to point out that Emilio is the same age as Mrs. Reyes'' son." Dave reported before blinking and realizing what he had just said and how silly it sounded. "Well of course he is the same age cause he is that child. Sir, this is incredibly confusing." Dave confessed, making Cedricugh.

    "Don''t worry, you''ll get used to it." Cedric said with a nod. "And I don''t n on keeping my identity a secret for too long."

    "In line with that, they are suspecting that he could be either the son of Cedric Reyes or the CEO of the Reyes Group." Dave said as he struggled not to react to his own statement.

    "I know, I know." Cedric groaned as he saw his assistant struggle. "Have the public rtions team release a statement saying that I don''t have an illegitimate child and that I have never cheated on my wife, nor do I ever n on doing so. On the matter of the child with Katerina in the photo, Katerina will be the one to clear things up."

    Dave nodded as he quickly jotted Cedric''s instructions.

    "Mae, do I have a lot on my te for today?" Cedric asked.

    "No sir. A few meetings that could be moved but that''s it." Mae said as she double checked Cedric''s schedule.

    "Move them, then call Ram''s assistant. Check if he and Eric are at Lights Entertainment. If they are, tell them I''ming to see them, if they aren''t tell them toe over." Cedric quickly instructed.

    "Copy sir." Mae said with a nod.

    Both assistants soon left to do as Cedric asked. As he had expected after a few minutes his phone was ringing. It was his wife.

    "Adri." Cedric said in a tender tone. He was sure she would have seen the post by now.

    "Katerina''s post." Adrianna said, she probably had no idea how to react to what had happened.

    "Don''t worry Adri. Katerina is dealing with it on her end, as for the other matters I''m going to talk to Ram to figure out the best solution." Cedric told his wife.

    "Did you read thements?" Adrianna said with a giggle.

    "Some, why?" Cedric asked. He found his wife''s reaction quite odd.

    "They''re saying he''s your illegitimate child by me again." Adriannaughed. "I mean, that''s really impossible. They will be shocked when the truthes out."

    "Yes, they never get tired of that usation." Cedricined. "About the truth Adri, do you think we can talk about it when I get home tonight?" Cedric asked, he had been itching to reveal his identity to the world so that people would stop looking down at his wife. Unfortunately, it was his wife that was stopping him.

    "Alright. See you at home." Adrianna said as she dropped the call.

 Chapter 404 - 404

    After dropping the call with his wife Cedric sighed at the new challenge that faced him. He knew he couldn''t keep Emilio away from the public eye forever, things were very differentpared to during his time. However, he didn''t expect his son to be the content of gossip this early on, yes when Adrianna gave birth people questioned his son''s parentage but that died down quickly since Adrianna had not been seen with the Reyes Heir in public.

    A knock disrupted his thoughts, he called for whomever was on the other side to enter.??

    "Sir, Mr. Abad said he and Eric are at Lights. They suggested that you go over since Mr. Chan showing his face in public right now would cause amotion." Mae said, to which Cedric simply replied with a nod.

    Cedric closed his eyes for a few moments as he thought of how he was going to deal with his son''s training in the future. With the way things were going now, his son got everything he wanted and more. Cedric wanted to teach Emilio the values he had learned during his poverty training without subjecting his son to the same thing. It wouldn''t work anyway since Cedric was sure that by the time Emilio turned fifteen everyone would recognize him. Technology was a pain in the ass sometimes.

    Another knock came from the door, this time it was Dave.

    "Sir, the Public Rtions Department has already released a statement. They were wondering if you needed anything else?" Dave asked.

    "No. I''ll head over to Ram''s, if I need anything I''ll have them informed." Cedric told Dave.

    "Anything else sir?" Dave asked.

    "Have my driver ready the car. We''re going to Lights. Either you or Mae cane along." Cedric said.

    Dave nodded and left.

    After a few minutes Cedric walked out of his office wearing his disguise.

    "Let''s go." Cedric told the assistants.

    Dave picked up his things and quickly followed Cedric out of the office.

    "What''s being said on social media now?" Cedric asked Dave as the elevator quickly descended.

    "There are still a lot iming that it was a cover up, but most of the people on social media are either iming that Emilio is Alexi''s love child, Katerian''s son, or the new Reyes Heir. For some reason people don''t want to drop the suspicion that Emilio is from the Reyes family." Dave reported.

    Cedric nodded as they walked from the elevator and rode his car.

    "Take us to Lights." Cedric told his driver who simply nodded and drove them out of the parking lot.

    "Can I see the photo again?" Cedric asked.

    Dave obliged and handed his phone over to Cedric. At first nce Cedric didn''t notice anything out of the ordinary, but as he focused his attention on the background of the photo he suddenly realized why people were pushing the Reyes Heir angle.

    To confirm his suspicions Cedric took out his own phone and began scanning a particr forum dedicated to rumors about the elites of the city.He didn''t have to scroll far to find what he was looking for. When he spotted it, he let out a sigh, he didn''t expect Dave and Mae to have everything covered just yet so he wasn''t mad about this part being missed out.

    "Take a close look at the background of the photo." Cedric said as he handed Dave his phone back.

    "Oh." Dave suddenly said when he noticed the image.

    "It''s blurred, but you can clearly see Nicole and my mom from the reflection." Cedric pointed out.

    "So they are pushing this angle based on a hunch?" Dave asked.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Boss, I''m sorry." Dave said with a frown as he fidgeted next to Cedric.

    "It''s alright. You miss things that''s normal." Cedric said. "But I don''t want this happening again." He said in a stern voice. Dave was here to do more than work, he was here to learn so that he could be like Cedric in the future.

    When Cedric''s car pulled up to the driveway of Light''s Entertainment there were already a lot of reporters waiting outside. They knew they would never get first scoop when it came to the artists of Lights Entertainment, but it didn''t stop them from trying.

    When they spotted the fancy Rolls Royce Ghost arriving they quickly tried to rush up to get an interview. They knew that the CEO of the Reyes Group favored this car and they had already memorized the tes. Unfortunately for the reporters Cedric''s security team came prepared, they couldn''t even get close enough to the car since several bodyguards had created a perimeter around the vehicle.

    As Cedric watched themotion outside, he couldn''t help but sigh. He was dreading the day when everywhere he went all the eyes would be on him. Aside from the inconvenience it would also make him and his family a much easier target, this was another reason why he wanted to keep Emilio as far away from the public eye as possible. He wanted to protect his son from the people behind MT Summit.

    "Sir." Dave called out, pulling Cedric back from his thoughts.

    Cedric nodded and got out of the car. When he arrived, Ram''s assistant was already waiting for him at the office entrance.

    "Cedric." Ram greeted as Cedric entered his office.

    "Any help you can give me?" Cedric asked Ram as he took a seat.

    "Well, honestly, it all depends on what Katerina says. Plus we''re trying to handle all the rumors that Eric got Katerina pregnant." Ram said with a sigh.

    "It''s not a problem." Eric said in a calm tone as he checked his phone. "It''s not like it will impact my image. My fans know that I''m getting quite old so it''s only natural that I want to have a family."

    "Of course it''s impacting you negatively. You just don''t care." Ram said with a sigh. "Are you going to try to remove Emilio''s face from the inte?" Ram asked Cedric. If theybined their resources, Cedric and Ram would probably be able to do it based on Ram''s calctions.

    "No, it''s useless to do that." Cedric said with a sigh. "I knew this day woulde. I can''t hide my son from the public for too long."

    "Sir." Dave suddenly said. "There is a new rumor going around."

 Chapter 405 - 405

    "What is it this time?" Cedric asked in a frustrated tone.

    "An unknown source said that they can confirm that Emilio is Alexi''s son with his long-time partner. The same woman that was in a gossip site over a year ago." Dave said as he showed Cedric the article.??

    "Cedric, I think the public should know that he is your son. You can''t hide Emilio forever, at least this way it won''t be such a pain." Ram said with a frown. He knew how much Cedric didn''t want to do that. "I know it''s thest resort, but if you don''t do this things will get worse. You know how well we attract the rumor mongers and paparazzi. Emilio will be hounded. I''m sure they are already waiting outside of Nationalia."

    Cedric sighed and massaged his temples, he had to admit Ram was right, and when it came to matters like this, Ram had the most experience.

    "I''ll call Katerina." Cedric said with a sigh as he took out his phone.

    "She was devastated, by the way." Eric said from the couch, breaking his silence. "She was so distraught and worried that you would hate her for the ident. She isn''t exactly stable right now, she and Alexi are in the middle of a nasty fight."

    "I don''t me her." Cedric told Eric. "I promise, I''ll try my best to reassure her."

    "Do you mind if I go to her?" Eric asked Ram.

    "As if I could stop you." Ram said, shaking his head. Of all the artists under Lights Entertainment there was only one that he could never control, nor would he ever want to control, and that was Eric.

    "Thanks." Eric said with a smile as he got up and left the office.

    "Cedric." Katerina said in a clearly worried tone.

    "How are you guys holding up?" Cedric asked. He had actually been checking in with his mom every few minutes and had a vague idea of the situation inside Nationalia.

    "We''re finishing up dinner, little Emilio is happily eating his favorite sandwich. Auntie Prisci and Uncle Emilio said that they will bring him directly home after lunch." Katerina reported.

    "Change of ns." Cedric informed her. "Have you arranged for a press conference?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. But dad wants it der at the presidential pce. It would at least restrain the paparazzi and reporters. They are always more respectful when the press conferences are held there." Katerina informed Cedric.

    "Have it moved to Nationalia in two hours." Cedric told Katerina. "Ram and I will work on getting the press there. As for the statement I want you to admit that Emilio is mine and Adrianna''s son."

    "What?!" Katerina said in a shocked tone. "You want me to say that Emilio, is Emilio Reyes IV heir to the Reyes Fortune?" Katerina asked, she was unable to believe what she was hearing.

    "I thought you were smart Kateirna." Cedric said in a mocking tone as he rolled his eyes. "Of course you won''t say he is Emilio Reyes IV. You will say that he is the child of your friend, Adrianna Hernandez and her husband, me, Cedric Reyes, a humble employee of the Reyes Group."

    "People will question why I would bring an ordinary child to Nationalia, with auntie Prisci." Katerina told Cedric.

    "We will simply say that mom and dad are fond of Emilio. I think there is nothing wrong with saying they like a child. On the matter of his being at Nationalia, you can say that he came over for a y date with Tristan. It''s quite lonely being a rich kid with no friends." Cedric said, answering Katerina''s concerns.

    "That''s Emilio''s situation not long ago." Katerina said with an amused tone, it was clear that she had finally managed to control her emotions.

    "You worry too much." Cedric told Katerina, he was amused at how she had recovered.

    "I know that privacy is very important to you guys. I really didn''t mean to post that photo. It was supposed to be one with me and Tristan." Katerina said with a sigh.

    "Of course I know that Katerina. Now get your team to work, we''ll see youter." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    "How do you think Adrianna will take this?" Ram asked as he returned to his office. He had gone out to give his assistant instructions on how to deal with Katerina''s matter. Normally he wouldn''t need to do anything for the Sebastians; they had their own team, but this matter had implicated Eric and Cedric had asked for help so he stepped in.

    "She won''t be happy, but I trust your judgement." Cedric said as he called his wife.

    "Adrianna." Cedric said as he heard his wife pickup the phone.

    "Are you alright? Is Emilio alright?" Adrianna asked in a worried tone.

    "Everything is fine honey." Cedric said as he calmed his wife. "But there is something we need to do and I''m sure you will not like it."

    "What is it?" Adrianna asked.

    "We need to admit that Emilio is our son." Cedric told her.

    "And when you reveal your identity, what then?" Adrianna asked. "I thought you wanted him to live as normal a life as possible? If you say he is our son now when that timees people will know that he is the next Reyes Heir."

    Cedric had to admit that what Adrianna said made sense, but if they didn''t do this now the consequences could be worse, Ram had already warned him.

    "Adri, do you trust me?" Cedric asked.

    "Of course. I''m not doubting your decision, I''m just worried." Adrianna said sadly.

    "Don''t worry, I consulted with Ram on this. He has handled so many issues and gossips such as this, I am sure his advice is sound." Cedric told his wife over the phone.

    "I trust the both of you." Adrianna said.

    "Have Mia take you to Nationalia. The press con will be in an hour." Cedric informed her.

    "I''ll see you." Adrianna said as she dropped the call.

    ________________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Chapter 406 - 406

    When the president''s office announced that his daughter, acewyer Katerina Sebastian, was going to issue a statement on hertest social media post in an hour at Nationalia the members of the media who were not yet at the country club quickly rushed over.

    They were not only eager to hear from Katerina Sebatian, but also they wanted to catch a glimpse of the ultra exclusive golf and country club. ording to rumor Nationalia only allowed one hundred members at a time, and these one hundred members were thoroughly screened. Being rich was not enough to own a share at Nationalia, you had to be the right kind of rich. Many new rich families tried their best to be invited in, but the management of Nationalia was adamant about keeping it''s centuries old rules and traditions.??

    By the time Cedric drove up to the gates of Nationalia the members of the media were already waiting to be let in. Emilio Reyes had given strict instructions not to let anyone in until Cedric and Adrianna arrived. In order to keep up his ordinary facade Cedric switched cars from his favorite Rolls Royce Ghost to the ordinary looking white sedan he used when they went out as a family. Close by Leon and his men secured the area to ensure their employer''s safety.

    "Mommy!" Little Emilio called out as he saw his mother alight from the familiar car.

    Cedric got out from the driver''s side and handed the keys of his car to his father''s driver who parked it for him.

    "Daddy!" Little Emilio said when he realized his dad was there too.

    "Emilio, baby, did you have fun today?" Adrianna asked as she sat to look her son in the eyes.

    "Yes. Grandpa let me y putt putt." Emilio said in an extremely excited tone.

    "I let him y on the putting green. It seems like I''ll have a golfing buddy when he grows older." Emilio Reyes III said with augh. "My son does not enjoy the sport as much as I do."

    "I would apany you if you asked dad." Cedric said with a smile. His dad was right, he liked golf but he didn''t enjoy it as much.

    "Let''s head in. The press will be allowed to enter soon." Katerina said as she led the group to a private room that had been reserved for them.

    Inside, Cedric was not surprised to see Ericfortably seated.

    "Took you long enough." Eric teased. "Ram updated me that he settled things on his end."

    "Good, thanks." Cedric said with a smile.

    Cedric and Katerina quickly went over what she was going to say at the press conference. He wanted to make sure that they would not be caught off guard by any of the questions.

    "Nicole, do you mind if Tristan and Emilio made an appearance?" Cedric asked.

    "Of course not." Nicole said with a gentle smile. "Tristan will be exposed to the public sooner orter, so I don''t mind.

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I think we will need a distraction after this." James Abad said as he considered the situation.

    "Ram mentioned that too, but what could be big enough to make people drop this?" Cedric asked.

    "Ayanna and Ray." Prisc Reyes suddenly said. "Ayanna and Ray will have their official ceremony soon. I''m sure Ram could find a way to hype things up." Prisci suggested.

    "Yes!" Eric said as he nodded in agreement. "If you start talking about howvish it''s going to be people will quickly turn their attention to that."

    "Our only problem is that we don''t know if Ayanna will agree. I know she wanted to make the announcement as close to the wedding date as possible." Prisci Reyes said as she thought about her daughter. "I''ll talk to herter, but for now that''s a good n."

    "It''s time." Katerina''s assistant said as he entered the private room.

    "Thanks, we''ll be out in a bit." Katerina said as she did somest minute checks on herself.

    When Katerina walked out to meet the members of the press, she was surprised at the number of people that had shown up. It seemed like she had underestimated the reach of her post on her social media ount.

    The press and paparazzis quickly became silent when they noticed an extremely elegant Katerina approach the podium. Katerina was no stranger to making statements like these, she often handled many high profile cases and exuded confidence, but this time she had to seem humble and apologetic, something that was against her nature. She was a fighter, an alpha female, she usually needed to show the world that she could do things they expected her to fail at.

    Katerina looked at the members of the press with a soft expression, the photographers quickly snapped photos of the usual strong and stern woman.

    "Thank you all foring." Katerina said. "I understand that everyone is curious about a photo I posted earlier today."

    Katerina paused to hear the clicking of cameras.

    "Before anything I would like to rify some rumors, first the child is not mine, he is not my brother''s either. As of the moment my father, the president, does not have any grandchildren. Secondly, the child in the photo is not an illegitimate child, he is the son of two people that love each other." Katerina said, quickly dispelling the rumors. "Now on the child''s identity, I would like to introduce the two of them to you." Katerina said with an excited smile as she waved at Emilio and Nicole who was carrying Tristan.

    Nicole walked forward while holding Emilio''s hand. When they got to the side of the podium she let Tristan stand on his own while being supported by Emilio.

    "These are Tristan Lim and Emilio Reyes, they are the children of my friends." Katerina announced. "Emilio, can you call over you parents?" Katerina asked the little boy.

    "Sure auntie Katerina!" Emilio excitedly said as he waved at the couple obscured by a nt. "Mommy, daddy! Join me and Tristan!"

    At their son''s urging Cedric and Adrianna came out surprising the members of the media.

    "You see, Emilio is Adrianna and Cedric''s son. He came over with me for a y date with Tristan, I''m sure you all understand that physical interaction is important for a child. It would be quite sad if little Tristan over here had no friends growing up." Katerina said as she shed a knowing grin at the press.

    The two boys were so adorable that no one had it in their hearts to question what Katerina had just said.

 Chapter 407 - 407

    "Please feel free to ask your questions now." Katerina said in a kinder than normal tone.

    Several hands quickly shot up, they wouldn''t miss this opportunity to ask Katerina and Nicole questions about their private lives. At this point Cedric and his family became irrelevant to the reporters.??

    "Yes?" Katerina said as she pointed at one.

    "So the rumors about you and Eric Chan dating are false?" The reporter asked.

    "I am currently focused on my career, who would have time to date in that situation? Have you seen how many cases I have to deal with in a day?" Katerina asked as she avoided directly answering the question. She didn''t want to publicly deny her rtionship with Eric, but she also didn''t want them confirming their suspicions.

    The reporter suddenly seemed embarrassed by his question. Katerina was sure that his boss had insisted that he ask even if everyone knew that she would never admit to being in a rtionship. As he shrank back into his seat, Katerina called another reporter.

    "Miss Nicole, may I ask who the father of Tristan is?" Another reporter asked.

    Nicole was ready for the question, even before this press conference new agencies and gossip sites had called asking for answers as to who Tristan''s father was.

    "Yes, it''s Mr. Lim. My boyfriend." Nicole said with a mischievous grin. She wasn''t going to tell the public about her and Ian. Honestly if they looked hard enough they could figure it out, Tristan had inherited most of his features from Ian, and Ian had sat in as president of Saints Hospital for seven months while she recovered from her pregnancy and spent time with Tristan.

    Of course some reporters had already suspected this and it was one of the many rumors going around regarding Tristan''s parentage, the only problem was that there was no proof of Nicole and Ian being in a rtionship. As far as the public was aware, Ian was the CEO of the Reyes Group''s assistant, the CEO considered the Chan siblings to be family, this it was normal for the CEO of the Reyes Group to lend one of his most trusted employees to help out the people he considered to be family.

    "Do you have any ns of marrying Tristan''s father?" The reporter quickly asked his follow up question.

    "That''s a matter between us." Nicole said coldly. Of course she wanted to marry Ian, but she wanted him to achieve his goals first before they tied the knot.

    The reporter didn''t press his question and took his seat as well.

    "Miss Katerina, is there any truth to the rumor that your brother has found a woman to spend the rest of his life with?" A reporter asked. "His car was spotted at an apartmentplex, the photos of the woman were quite blurred but it was clear that she''s been with him for quite a while."

    "My brother''s personal life is none of my business, nor should it be yours." Katerina said coldly as she red at the man.

    "ording to rumors she is a disreputable woman, is this true?" The reporter continued to press.

    "I''m sorry, but if you want ament on this matter, ask Alexi." Katerina said.

    "What about the other woman?" Another reporter suddenly asked.

    "What?" Katerina asked, this was the first time Katerina was hearing about this new rumor, and things barely got past her.

    "ording to reports your brother has been seeing two women at the same time, something quite new for him. The woman who is suspected to be the third party is a Miss Selina Ramiez, the CEO of SR Designs. From what we''ve heard, your parents prefer her over the woman your brother loves." The reporter exined.

    "First of all, my parents would ept whomever we loved. They understand that in a rtionship love is needed, that''s why none of us are involved in an arranged marriage. Secondly, Alexi is not the cheating type, think back, have you ever heard of my brother two timing a woman he was with?" The reporter might have surprised her with thetest rumor but Katerina was quick on her feet, she could drive away almost any question they threw at her.

    The reporter was surprised by her answer and decided to just sit back down.

    After answering several other queries Katerina ended the press conference and returned back inside Nationalia where everyone was waiting for them.

    "How are you holding up?" Ian asked as he pulled Nicole into his arms and picked Tristan up. When he had heard that Nicole and Tristan would be facing the press he quickly drove to Nationalia and entered through one of the numerous back entrances.

    "Better than I expected." Nicole said with a smile as she kissed Ian on the lips.

    "Eeeeew!" Emilio suddenly said as he ran up to Ian so that he could y with Tristan.

    "You see your parents kiss all the time!" Ianined to the little boy as he ced Tristan back down on the ground.

    "Mommy and Daddy are married." Emilio said sticking out his tongue as he pulled Tristan away from his parents to y.

    "You kid''s got an attitude." Ianined as Cedric and Adrianna arrived.

    "It''s just you that he doesn''t like." Cedric said with augh as he wrapped an arm around Adrianna''s waist.

    "Your son should be more like my son, Emilio is too naughty." Ian teased.

    "Tristan is too quiet, too serious for his age. He''s turning one for crying out loud, he should be more active. I me you for making your son too serious." Cedric answered back.

    "My son is perfectly fine. He''s a behaved young man." Ian boasted.

    "Can you believe that it''s been a year already?" Nicole said with a sigh.

    "Yeah, Cedric and the rest had to rush home once your mom called them and said you had just gone intobor. I still don''t know what triggered you at the office." Ian said with a concerned look.

    "At the office" Nicole asked Ian curiously. "It started at home, not at the office."

    "Babe, are you getting affected by your mommy brain again?" Ian teased. "Remember, I dropped you off at Saints and headed to R Tower. You were in the office and had just finished a meeting when your water broke." Ian reminded Nicole.

    "What are you talking about Ian?" Nicole asked as she looked at Ian curiously. "My contractions began in the morning at home, not in the office."

    "Nicole dear, Ian is right." Raphael Chan told his daughter. "Your water broke in your office. You called for your assistant and she had someone take you to the ward. It was already night time when that happened."

    "Dad, how could I forget when I gave birth. Don''t talk to me like that." Nicole said in a foul mood.

    "Nicole, they are telling you the truth." Katerina told her friend. "How could you forget? We were even wondering what could have triggered you to give birth earlier."

    "That''s not possible." Nicole said as she looked nkly at Katerina. "How can I remember things differently from you?"

 Chapter 408 - 408

    "Ian, do you think. . .?" Katerina asked. She couldn''t evenplete her question, but everyone knew what she wanted to say.

    "It would just be ''momnesia''" Raphael Chan said as he observed his daughter.??

    "Is that even true, Raph?" Benedicto Laurence asked his friend.

    "What''s momnesia?" Katerina said with a puzzled look on her face.

    "Well, a lot of people believe that a woman tends to be more forgetful after giving birth. It''s possible that here hormones could have messed with her memory." Raphael Chan exined. "There isn''t any solid proof, but it''s a highly possible side effect to pregnancy and giving birth."

    "Mr. President, Miss Katerina." One of Jose Sebastian''s men said in a low tone.

    "What is it?" Katerina asked with a sigh.

    "Mr. Alexi just posted a statement of his own." The assistant said. It was clear from his demeanour that whatever Alexi had posted would not make Katerina happy.

    Cedric quickly took out his phone and went to Alexi''s social media ount.

    "What the fu*k!" Katerina eximed as Cedric waited for his phone to load.

    When it finally did, Cedric found a photo of Alexi and Jen in bed, clearly naked, and it had a very attention grabbing caption. ''She finally said yes, after two years it''s a yes!'' Cedric was sure that Alexi intentionally gave his caption two meanings.

    "Disgusting!" Katerina eximed as she shoved her phone back into her pocket

    "Is this what it''s supposed to mean?" Jose Sebastian asked as he shook his head at his phone.

    "I don''t know dad." Katerina said with an irritated shrug. "I wouldn''t put it beneath Alexi to suddenly propose to Jen the moment she agreed to be his girlfriend. I swear, I have no idea what my idiot of a brother sees in that woman." Katerina continued toin.

    "Katerina,nguage." Jose Sebastian scolded. "Your brother still loves her so it''s not your ce to say things like that."

    "Katerina, it''s not like you can stop him." Cedric said with a sigh. They might not like Jen, but they wouldn''t dare separate Alexi from someone he loved.

    "I''m worried that Jen is just using him." Katerinained. "Now more than ever, I have a feeling she has something to do with Nicole''s memory loss."

    "I find it suspicious as well that Nicole would forget that her water broke in her office." Adrianna added. "You don''t forget things like that."

    "I''ll talk to Ian and Miguel. We''ll look into it." Cedric promised the girls.

    "Thank you." Katerina said with a nod. Cedric knew that Katerina wanted to investigate the matter herself, but she wasn''t in the right ce mentally at the moment.

    "We''ll figure something out before it''s toote." Cedric promised.

    Katerina didn''t speak. She simply nodded with a weak smile and hugged Cedric.

    "Katerina, I''m going home to have a word with your brother. Will youe with me or are you going to your ce?" Jose Sebastian asked.

    Cedric watched as she looked at her father and at Eric for guidance on what to do.

    "Dad, I''m not sure I can face my older brother just yet. I''ll go home to my ce." Katerina said with a frown.

    "I''ll watch over her uncle Jose." Eric promised as he held Katerina''s hand. "I''ll see you at home." Eric said with a smile.

    Katerina nodded and left. She and Eric couldn''t be seen leaving one after the other and heading towards the same location.

    "Ian, a word." Cedric said as he gestured for Ian to step aside with him.

    Ian patted his wife''s hand and followed Cedric to a vacant room.

    "Please tell me you find it suspicious too?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "Nicole''s memory loss? Yeah, I don''t know how she could have mixed that one up." Ian admitted.

    "Is there anything from that day that you remember? Any reason she might have forgotten what happened? Or any reason someone would want her to forget something." Cedric asked.

    Ian stopped talking for a while as he thought back to the day Nicole had given birth to Tristan.

    "Well I remember that morning she already seemed ufortable. As if she was hiding something. I was going to confront her after work, then all of a sudden that day I got a call from her assistant saying that she had gone intobor." Ian exined.

    "And you didn''t think that was important?" Cedric asked as he raised an eyebrow.

    "After she gave birth I just assumed that Nicole wasn''t feeling like herself because she was about to give birth, maybe she already had a feeling that morning." Ian said with a shrug. "But with her forgetting when her water broke, it makes me very suspicious."

    "You mentioned earlier that she had juste from a meeting when her water broke. Could her memory loss be rted to that meeting?" Cedric asked, he wanted to explore every possible reason for Nicole to lose her memory.

    "Cedric, are you already assuming that what Miguel saw that day was really Jen injecting one of Natalia''s serums into Nicole?" Ian said in a nervous tone.

    "You''d be lying if you told me you aren''t considering it too." Cedric said with a frown.

    "Sadly, I am." Ian said with a sigh. "As far as I know that board meeting went smoothly. There were only a few small matters that needed to be settled and it was resolved quickly." Ian said with a shrug.

    "But, wasn''t Nicole working a little bitter than normal that night?" Cedric asked.

    "She was." Ian said with a nod. "From what I remember she said that she was going to talk to some employees."

    "Could Jen have been one of them?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "I don''t know, but we can always check with her assistant." Ian exined.

    "Alright do that. Now for the second matter. If that serum was really stolen from Natalia''sb, we need to see if Jen had ess to it." Cedric exined.

    "We can go over to ask her." Ian suggested.

    "Not now, I''ll ask her when she''s next free to talk." Ceric suggested. "Based on what Alexi posted, I have a feeling he and uncle Jose will be having a lot of words." Cedric said with a sigh.

 Chapter 409 - 409

    After an event filled day at Nationalia, Cedric and Adrianna decided to go straight home. At first they thought Cedric''s father and mother would also be itching to go home, unfortunately Emilio and Prisci had already promised to have dinner at Benedicto and Lucy''s ce. The couple now lived alone in their giant mansion since Ray and Ayanna moved into their own home within the Mountain Viewmunity.

    By the time the couple got home, little Emilio was fast asleep, clearly exhausted from his day of fun with his grandparents, his aunties, and Tristan. Cedric carried his son up to his own room and ced him gently on his bed.??

    "Cedric, I''m worried." Adrianna said as she hugged Cedric by the waist.

    "About what?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "About Nicole, about the Sebastians, about our own son and his identity." Adrianna said in a sad tone.

    "Adrianna, Nicole and the Sebastians will be fine. If Nicole was actually drugged with Natalia''s serum, then we know that it''s safe. Maybe Natalia can even work on an antidote for it. If anything bad happens her brother is Miguel Chan, he can cure it. As for Alexi and Katerina, they really do fight like that." Cedric said with augh. "Last year, Katerina told me about a fight I missed out on when I was in poverty training, interestingly it was about Selina Ramirez."

    "Selina? But I thought Alexi hated her." Adrianna asked.

    "Well, he came to hate her after he and Jen got together." Cedric exined. "After Alexi''s first love, Ilya died he actually fell for Selina, and guess what Katerina did." Cedric said with a mischievous grin.

    "What?" Adrianna asked.

    "Katerina told Selina to stay as far away from her brother as possible because she believed that Selina deserved better." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I guess that past between them also adds to why Alexi is so quick to believe Jen."

    "I don''t know if Alexi is blind, stupid, or just in too in love." Adrianna said with a sigh.

    "On yourst worry, our son will be fine. Even if his identity is revealed I promise you that he will always stay safe." Cedric said as he held her tightly in his arms. "I know that we have always valued our privacy, but in this day and age it''s quite difficult to keep our identities a secret. I was actually expecting for something like this to happen sooner orter." Cedric told his wife.

    "I guess you''re right." Adrianna said in a happier tone.

    "Don''t worry too much Adri. I''m here." Cedric said as he lifted her face to look him in the eyes. Cedric lowered his head and kissed his wife passionately, pulling her closer to him as he let his hand roam over her body. As he got to her butt he gave it a gentle squeeze making Adrianna giggle.

    "Let''s move this to our room." Cedric said with a smile as he picked his wife up from the floor and carried her bridal style out of their son''s room.

    After closing the door to Emilio''s room, Cedric leaned forward and kissed his wife with more passion and fervor than earlier.

    "You''re so beautiful." Cedric whispered into her ear as he gave it a gentle nibble.

    "Cedric gross!" Ayanna said as she suddenly interrupted the couple. "Are you already working on Emilio''s little sister?" Ayanna teased as she walked closer to the couple.

    "What do you want Ayanna?" Cedric asked angrily.

    Both he and Adrianna had been busy recently and they hadn''t had any alone time in quite a while, he was actually looking forward to being intimate with his wife that night but his sister had toe over and ruin their ns.

    "Well. I''m here to talk to Adrianna." Ayanna said with a smile.

    "I''ll go to the room after." Adrianna said as she nted a chaste kiss on her husband''s lips.

    "Don''t keep her for too long." Cedric warned his sister as he walked into their room.

    While waiting for Adrianna, Cedric decided to give Miguel a call and exin his and Ian''s suspicions.

    "What?" Miguel asked in a pissed off tone. "I was in bed, why do you have to ruin all the fun." Miguelined.

    "It''s about Nicole." Cedric told Miguel.

    "Is it urgent? Do you want me toe over?" Miguel asked.

    Miguel and Veronica had moved out of Cedric''s guest house just a little over a month ago. Veronica had finallypleted their home down the street from Cedric''s. At first Cedric was happy to have them leave. It was finally peaceful since the only people living in Mountain View were Cedric''s and Adrianna''s parents and them.

    Aunt Aurora, Uncle A, Marie, and Cedric''s grandparents had moved back to the Reyes Mansion. Initially Prisci and Emilio were also supposed to move, but the couple didn''t want to be separated from their grandson, so they decided to stay in Cedric''s home for a little bit longer.

    "No, I can exin it over the phone." Cedric said.

    "Okay, what is it?" Miguel asked.

    "I think you might have been right about Nurse Jen injecting Nicole with some experimental serum Natalia concocted." Cedric exined.

    "It''s been a year, how can you conclude that now?" Miguel asked. "And we did ask her questions when she woke up, her memory was intact."

    "We didn''t ask her everything in detail. The questions we asked were wrong." Cedric exined as he recalled what Ian had asked Nicole when she had woken up.

    "Did something happen?" Miguel asked.

    "No one told you?" Cedric was confused as to why Miguel didn''t know about the incident at Nationalia.

    "I haven''t spoken to my parents or siblings since yesterday, what happened?" Miguel asked again, this time Cedric could hear the frustration in his tone.

    "Nicole, doesn''t remember her water breaking in the office. It seems like she lost a whole day worth of memories." Cedric exined as he recalled that Ian mentioned that they left their home in the morning and the questions they had asked Nicole were closer to the evening.

    "I really don''t want to be right Cedric." Miguel said in a grim tone.

    "Unfortunately, you might just be." Cedric said as he frowned.

 Chapter 410 - 410

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    __________________________________________________________??

    "Miguel, I think something happened that day. I don''t know if it was something between Jen and your sister, or if Jen was simply a tool used to administer the serum to Nicole." Cedric told Miguel.

    "I may have a way of finding things out." Miguel said slowly. "I''lle over to your office tomorrow with Ian. There are a few things I need to exin."

    "Alright, tomorrow then." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    After Cedric finished getting ready for bed Adrianna finally made her way back to their room. She seemed to be in incredibly high spirits. She went up to her husband and kissed him passionately.

    "Mmmm, what did my sister want?" Cedric asked as he pulled his wife on to hisp.

    "She was just asking for help, don''t worry." Adrianna said as she kissed her husband again.

    "Help on what?" Cedric asked, he was curious as to why his wife was suddenly so excited.

    "Working on the final touches for her wedding." Adrianna said with a shrug. "It''s every woman''s dream to n a wedding."

    "I still owe you that." Cedric said as he nted a trail of kisses on his wife''s neck.

    "Well I would want that." Adrianna said slowly. "But our case is different. My family was horrible to you, and honestly I''m happy we didn''t have a formal ceremony. I would love to say our I dos in front of your family and our friends. We can even have little Emilio and Tristan act as our ring bearers and bible bearers. Maybe by the time we have our ceremony Veronica and Ayanna will have kids too. I hope they have girls, there are too many boys already!" Adrianna eximed.

    "I promise, soon the world will know that you are my wife and I adore you." Cedric said as he kissed Adrianna''s lips passionately.

    "Do you think you can handle taking care of our son tomorrow?" Adrianna asked.

    "Why?" Cedric said in surprise.

    "I was supposed to take care of Emilio since our moms will be out of town." Adrianna exined. "You forgot, didn''t you."

    "That''s why you''re being so tempting." Cedricughed. "I''ll take him with me to the office. I''m sure I can figure out a way to avoid any meetings."

    "You''re amazing." Adrianna said as she wrapped her arms around Cedric''s neck and kissed him. Cedric''s hand traveled under her shirt and caressed her soft skin.

    "Honey, it''s been a long day." Adrianna finally said as she pulled out of their kiss. "I''ll take a bath." She finally said as she got off of Cedric''sp and walked to the bathroom.

    "I''ll be right here." Cedric said with a mischievous grin.

    "Really honey?" Adrianna asked in a seductive tone. "I thought you would want to join me." She said with a wink as she walked into the bathroom.

    Cedric blinked in shock, his wife was being extremely seductive tonight. He quickly took off his clothes and followed her for a bath, and a little bit more.

    Cedric and Adrianna woke up earlier than normal the next day. Adrianna and Ayanna had an appointment with Selina and Mau for Ayanna''s wedding gown and Adrianna''s matron of honor gown. The other girls would also be there since they were all going to be bride''s maids for the wedding. Cedric on the other hand had to prepare Emilio to apany him to work.

    "Make him wear this." Adrianna said excitedly as she handed Cedric a cute little coat for Emilio. "You have one in the exact same color. It would be adorable to see both of you in a matching outfit." His wife said excitedly.

    "Adri, no one will see us." Cedric said, rolling his eyes.

    "I will see you. Now go make him put that on and wear your coat just like it." Adrianna said as she ced her hand on her waist.

    "Alright, alright." Cedric said with augh as he walked over and helped Emilio change into the outfit his wife had picked out for their son.

    "You guys look amazing!" Prisci Reyes eximed when she saw her son and grandson walking down from the stairs.

    "Cedric, I have to admit, Emilio looks like a miniature version of you!" Gracia Hernandez told her son-inw happily.

    "He''s gonna break a lot of hearts when he gets older." Prisci Reyes said with augh.

    "I''m sure, girls will line up just to date him! Our grandson is the best." Gracia Hernandez said, nodding in agreement.

    "You both obsess over your grandson too much." Charles Hernandez teased.

    "And who were the two men who went on a shopping spree for toy cars?" Prisci Reyes said with a raised eyebrow.

    "Emilio wanted them." Emilio Reyes III said with a shrug.

    "Dad, how many toy cars are we talking about?" Cedric said with a groan. He hadn''t gone to check Emilio''s y room in the past week since he was busy with work.

    "A few. Like 3 to 20." His father-inw, Charles, said with a grin.

    "Well, 20 toy cars aren''t that bad. They won''t take up much space in Emilio''s y room." Cedric said.

    "Son, they didn''t buy him matchbox cars." Prisci said with augh.

    "They got him 20 electric rideable toy cars. Clearly they don''t fit in his yroom so they are having a mini garage built in your garage." Gracia Hernandez said with augh.

    "What!?" Cedric shouted. "Dad!"

    "Well, Charles and I have to go now. We''ll bete for our meeting at the university." Emilio Reyes said as he and Charles Hernandez rushed out the front door and rode their cars that were already waiting.

    "Since when did dad have business in the University?" Cedric asked his mom.

    "Since he handed you the reins. He''s been quite active with charity work, especially those involving schrships to underprivileged students." Prisci Reyes exined. "It''s been something he has been working on for years, because of his poverty training experience. He just has more time to focus on it now."

    "That''s good to hear mom." Cedric said.

    "Well, your moms have to go now." Prisci said. "Adrianna, have fun with Ayanna. Remember to call me or Gracia if you need anything." Prisci said as she kissed her daughter-inw on the cheek and her grandson on the forehead.

    "Be a good boy for daddy today." Prisci Reyes told her grandson.

    "Behave little baby." Gracia Hernandez said as she pulled Emilio into a tight hug right before leaving.

    "Let''s have some breakfast Emilio." Adrianna said as she led her son to the dining table.

 Chapter 411 - 411

    While they were having breakfast Ayanna arrived and hugged her nephew.

    "He isn''ting with us." Adrianna told Ayanna who ended up pouting at the news.??

    "But he''s so adorable, why can''t hee?" Ayannained. "Plus mom and auntie Gracia are out, no one can take care of him here at Mountain View." Ayanna said.

    "I''ll be taking him to the office." Cedric announced as he finished eating his food.

    "Won''t that be a bother, Cedric?" Ayanna asked her older brother. "You have so many meetings in a day. You can''t possibly take care of Emilio while at the office."

    "Ayanna, what''s with the change? You used to tell me I didn''t bring my son over enough and that I could easily manage working while Emilio was around?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Well, that''s if I''m at the office. Of course if I''m not there, so you probably can''t handle it." Ayanna said as she crossed her arms on her chest.

    "Mae and Dave adore Emilio, they can help me out." Cedric said with a smile. "Plus I''ve had all my meetings canceled so I can spend the whole day working and ying with Emilio." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Why can''t we bring him sister-inw?" Ayannained.

    "We''ll be too busy to take care of him." Adrianna said with augh. "Emilio, give your auntie Ayanna a hug. You and your dad need to go."

    Emilio ran up to his Auntie Ayanna and gave her a wet kiss on the cheek.

    "Let''s go." Cedric said as he held out his hand for his son to hold.

    Emilio had always been a well disciplined child. He was well behaved on the way to R Tower, Cedric''s team had made sure that the basement was clear before Cedric and Emilio got out of the car.

    Emilio quickly ran into the CEO''s elevator, his bodyguard chased after him making Cedric and Leon burst intoughter.

    "Remember, dad has work, so I won''t be able to y with you the whole time." Cedric told his son as the elevator ascended.

    "It''s okay dad. Uncle Dave and Aunt Mae will be there." Emilio said with the sweetest smile.

    Today Cedric made sure that anyone who didn''t know about Emilio or his identity was moved from the CEO''s floor to another, or given the day off. So the only people who would be there today were Dave, Mae, Ayanna''s assistant, and several bodyguards.

    As soon as the elevator doors opened they were greeted by Mae and Dave who were waiting for them.

    "Emilio!" Mae shouted happily as she spotted the little boy exiting the elevator with his father and two bodyguards.

    "Auntie Mae!" Emilio said happily as he ran into Mae''s arms.

    "Hey little master." Mae said as she lifted him and spun the boy around.

    Mae and Dave were like uncles to little Emilio, he would often spend time with them when he would apany his father to the office or when Cedric would work from his Mountain View office. Emilio loved Mae like he did his other aunties, he even thought she was as pretty as them.

    As for Dave, he loved to prank and y with Dave. The young assistant was more like an older brother to him than an uncle. His uncles scolded him and were often too busy to y with him, but Dave would always make time when he was at Mountain View. Dave had even stocked one of their closets in the office with toys for Emilio to y with whenever he woulde over.

    "Hey buddy." Dave said as he ruffled Emilio''s hair.

    "Uncle Dave!" Emilio said happily.

    "Dave, Mae. Come to my office." Cedric said as he walked by past them.

    When Mae ced Emilio back down he quickly ran up to his father and held Cedric''s hand. Inside Cedric''s office Dave and Mae had already set up a small y area for Emilio, they did this every time he visited so he quickly ran up to the spot.

    "Have you cancelled all of my meetings for today?" Cedric asked his assistants as he settled himself on his desk.

    "All but two sir." Dave reported.

    "And why didn''t you cancel them?" Cedric asked. His assistants rarely failed to do as he asked, so he knew there was a valid reason for their actions.

    "Well sir, I thought it would be fine if you pushed through with Miss Cami''s meeting with you on Mor Co. She knows the little master anyway." Dave informed Cedric.

    "Alright, that should be fine. Emilio is usually behaved and I''m sure he won''t interrupt my meeting. What''s the other meeting?" Cedric asked.

    "Mr. Alexi''s assistant called to set up a meeting with you. At first we found it odd since Mr. Alexi often simply shows up here. But then the assistant insisted." Dave said with a shrug.

    "That should be fine. What time is the meeting with Alexi?" Cedric asked.

    "4pm sir." Dave informed him.

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod. "Miguel and Ian should be arriving shortly. I know you guys can''t resist chatting with Ian whenever you guys see each other, so please keep it short. We can all go out to lunch together if he doesn''t have any ns." Cedric said with a grin.

    The duo smiled and nodded. Ian and Cami were their mentors and friends, so the pair were excited to see the both of them today.

    "Ask Cami if she would like to join us for lunch." Cedric said as the two walked out of his office.

    "Hey buddy." Cedric said as he walked over to his son. "What are you working on?" Cedric asked Emilio.

    "I''m improving my car!" Emilio happily said he showed his dad. Little Emilio seemed cute and innocent in front of most people, but in private he was quite mature. His sentences were quite intelligent when he spoke to his father and mother.

    "Hmmm, I think I should get you a tutor." Cedric said as he watched Emilio skillfully remove parts from one car and transfer it to another.

    "You will dad?" Emilio asked excitedly.

    "Yeah. But you have to promise to behave and be willing to enroll in a regr school next month." Cedric told his son.

    "Yes dad! Yes!" Emilio said as he ran up and hugged Cedric by the neck.

    "Now I want a kid too!" Miguel said as he entered Cedric''s office.

    "Uncle Mig!" Emilio said as he ran up to his uncle and hugged his leg.

    "You''re lucky you are this cute. If anyone called me Mig I would -" Miguel began today.

    "Miguel." Cedric scolded. "Emilio is a child, don''t use thenguage you were about to in front of him."

    "Sorry Emilio." Miguel said as he picked the child up and hugged him tightly. "Wow, it looks like you''ve grown even taller. I miss seeing you everyday little one." Miguel said as he ced Emilio back down on the ground.

    "I miss you too Uncle Mig." Emilio said as he smiled happily at Miguel.

    "Hey Emilio." Ian said as he entered the office after a while.

    "Uncle Ian!" Emilio said excitedly as he looked behind Ian.

    "Sorry kid." Ian said with augh as he realized who Emilio was looking for. "He''s with uncle Eric and Auntie Katerina."

    "It''s okay uncle." Ian said with a smile as he walked back to y with his toys.

    "Are you sure it''s okay to discuss this with Emilio around?" Miguel asked as he looked at Emilio who was focused on ying with his toys in the corner.

    "Yeah, it should be fine." Cedric said with a smile as he sat behind his desk.

 Chapter 412 - 412

    "So what is this idea you mentioned that you can''t say over the phone?" Cedric asked.

    "Ian, I don''t know if you are aware of it, but I have a little hobby." Miguel said with a smile.??

    "I don''t think that counts as a hobby. More of an odd interest." Cedric said with augh.

    "I know more about you than you think Miguel. Working for Cedric forced me to learn everything about his friends." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Well this is something that probably was not in any of the files." Cedric exined. "Didn''t you find anything odd when you were looking through the businesses that Prince Group was involved in?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah. I thought they were extremely random industries, but for some reason all of the investments were doing better than anyone could predict." Ian said.

    "Do you have an idea why?" Miguel asked with a grin.

    "Errr, you guys are extremely skilled businessmen?" Ian was 90% sure of his answer, all five managed their family businesses except Miguel. But it didn''t seem like a far off idea to think that Miguel was also an astute businessman.

    "That''s partially true, but it''s mostly because Prince Group invests inpanies that are our interests. It has nothing to do with profitability, but I think our passion directed towards those industries helped as well." Cedric said with a smile.

    "So what was yours?" Ian asked Cedric.

    "Constetions." Cedric said with a shrug. "I wanted to expand into the hotel business, but I couldn''t do it since I wasn''t twenty eight yet. So we purchased a small hotel chain and grew it to the size it is now." Cedric exined.

    "And Miguel''s?" Ian asked.

    "Veritas Security Inc." Miguel said with a grin.

    "What? But isn''t that the security agency that the Reyes Group, Saints Hospital, Laurence Corp., Lights Entertainment, and the government use?" Ian asked in surprise.

    "Yup. I''ve always dabbled in security, self defense, and security equipment." Miguel exined. "Our families actually ended up hiring Veritas without knowing that it was owned by us."

    "Wait, so what does this have to do with Nicole''s incident?" Ian was now more confused.

    "I use a lot of experimental tech at Saints Hospital." Miguel said with a knowing smile.

    "Are you secretly spying on your sister?" Cedric asked, shaking his head. He observed the shocked and embarrassed expression on Ian''s face. It seemed that there was something that he didn''t want others to see.

    "Ian, did you do something nasty with Nicole in her office?" Cedric teased, he couldn''t resist but maximize Ian''s reaction.

    "Please tell me there are no cameras inside her office." Ian said as he turned pale with worry.

    "No, Nicole prefers to keep her office camera free." Miguel said with augh. "I guess now I know why."

    "Well we can''t have Ian and Nicole''s sex tape spreading through the inte." Cedric teased.

    Miguelughed at Cedric''s joke while Ian blushed in embarrassment.

    "On a more serious note, I ced an experimental camera outside of Nicole''s office. It has facial recognition, a microphone and it even detects if a person''s depression signifies a threat." Miguel exined.

    "That seems like pretty high end tech. Plus by the sound of it, it requires a higher storage than normal. Would the clips from that day still be saved?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. The camera is programmed to automatically save the data to an ultra secure cloud that only I have ess to." Miguel further exined.

    "And how sure are you that our perpetrator has not hacked into that camera or storage and deleted all the files?" Cedric asked.

    "Because it is seemingly pointed in a different direction." Miguel said with a grin.

    "Can you ess those files from here?" Cedric asked.

    "Yup. I brought myptop." Miguel said as he took it out of his bag and set it up on Cedric''s desk.

    "Ian, do you think you can check with Nicole''s assistant who met with her right before her water broke?" Cedric asked.

    "Sure, I''m on it." Ian said with a nod as he dialed a number.

    "Mr. Lim, how can I help you?" Nicole''s assistant asked. She had always been respectful to Ian, not because he was her boss'' husband, but because he was quite popr among the assistants of the toppanies. Being the assistant to the Reyes Group CEO meant that you were one of the best, if not the best in the field.

    "Do you keep a record of Nicole''s meetings?" Ian asked the assistant, he didn''t want to bat around the bush and went straight to the point. There was of course, another reason. He knew that this assistant as well as Miguel''s assistant had a crush on him. He didn''t want to give them hope. He was already a father and he hoped to be a husband soon.

    "Yes sir." The assistant excitedly said. Any time she could be of service to Mr, Lim made her happy.

    "The day she gave birth, do you have a record of who met with her?" Ian asked in a cold tone after witnessing her excitement.

    "Yes sir. I can send it to your email if you want." The assistant said.

    "I''ll text you an email address. Send it there." Ian said as he dropped the call. He quickly typed Cedric''s work email and sent it to the assistant.

    "You don''t have to be so cold towards her." Miguel told Ian as he typed on hisptop.

    "It''s best if she doesn''t get her hopes up." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Why?" Cedric asked.

    "My assistant and Nicole''s are both obsessed with Ian." Miguel said with augh. "Ian, Nicole knows you would never flirt with her."

    "I''d just rather avoid any misunderstandings." Ian told Miguel. "Have you essed the file?" Ian asked as he looked over Miguel''s shoulder.

    "Yeah." Miguel said as he turned theptop to face everyone.

    "Well, the assistant having a crush on Ian came in handy. She sent the files quite quickly." Cedric said as he scrolled through the document.

 Chapter 413 - 413

    "Wow, Nicole has an even busier schedule than me!" Cedric said as he scrolled through Nicole''s schedule on the day of Tristan''s birth. The only free time in her calendar was for lunch, and at this point Nicole was already eight months pregnant with Tristan.

    "Mom scolded her quite often because of that." Miguel said with augh. "She even helped on operations. I couldn''t send her away because she was the best, but whenever mom found her too close to the operating room she would send Nicole back to her office."??

    "Let''s see." Cedric said as he took a closer look at the schedule. "So, 3 pm to 5 pm board meeting, 5 pm to 5:30 pm, Dr. Santos OBGYN, 5:30 pm to 6 pm, Head Nurse Belinda, 6:30 pm Dr. Ashe. Wait, what time did her water break?" Cedirc asked as he looked at Ian.

    "Around 6:45 pm." Ian told Cedric.

    "So thest person to speak to Nicole was Dr. Ashe?" Miguel asked with a puzzled look.

    "Why, what''s with Dr. Ashe?" Cedric asked, intrigued by Miguel''s expression.

    "Well, because, errrr. . ." Miguel couldn''t seem to blurt out what he wanted to say. Even Ian was eying him suspiciously now.

    "Spill." Cedric said with a serious look.

    "Fu*k, Nicole will kill me." Miguel cursed under his breath. "You have to swear never to tell Nicole that you know about Dr. Ashe." Miguel said with a worried look on his face.

    "Yes we promise." Ian said with a frustrated tone, he didn''t like Miguel beating around the bush on this.

    "No you most specially have to promise. We all know you can''t keep a secret from my sister." Miguel said as he red at Ian. "At least if you slip you won''t say you found it out from me, or else I swear I won''t help you get the family elder''s approval when the timees." Miguel threatened Ian.

    "First of all, I won''t slip. I won''t let Nicole find out about whatever you''re about to tell me, secondly, your family already agreed to our marriage, it''s Nicole that keeps refusing, or have you forgotten?" Ian asked as he leaned back on his seat.

    "Ok, the two of you have to seriously calm down, as much as this fight amuses me we have more pressing matters at hand." Cedric told the duo. "Miguel just tell us who Dr. Ashe is."

    "Fine. If you slip Ian do not tell me that I did not warn you." Miguel said, rolling his eyes. "Dr. Daniel Ashe and my sister dated and for over three years." Miguel told Ian and Cedric as he watched Ian''s expression change.

    "No wonder you didn''t want to say who he was." Cedric said as heughed. "Three years, wow, that''s long."

    "I swear, Saints Hospital needs some sort of professionalism use!" Ian said angrily.

    "What? Did you think my sister didn''t date before she met you?" Miguel asked.

    "Of course I knew she dated!" Ian said angrily, he didn''t know why but he was feeling quite jealous for no reason. "I met her drunk at a bar, remember? Drunk and flirting with some nasty guy!"

    "What the fu*k?!" Cedric and Miguel asked as they started at Ian in shock.

    "Ugh,nguage." Cedric scolded Miguel and in a way himself, he forgot that Emilio was in the room with them. The little boy was now looking up at his father and uncle.

    "I''m sorry little one." Cedric said as he walked up to his son.

    "Daddy what does fu*k mean?" Emilio asked with a curious look in his eyes.

    Cedric began to panic, he knew that if his wife of mother heard Emilio cursing they would be furious with him.

    "Emilio, it''s a bad word. It''s a word only adults can say. Someday I will tell you what it means, but you will need to be old enough." Cedric told his son.

    "Okay, I will just search for it on the inte." Emilio said with a proud smile making Miguel and Ian burst outughing.

    "No, no, no. Don''t do that Emilio." Cedric said in a panic. "And the two of you! Don''tugh, mom and Adrianna will hear that it was because of you I ended up cussing in front of my son." Cedric threatened his friends.

    "Emilio, if you keep insisting on finding out what that word means I won''t let you y with Tristan for a month." Cedric threatened.

    "It''s okay dad, I lived two years without knowing Tristan. One month isn''t too long." Emilio countered with an innocent look.

    "Okay Emilio, I will tell you what it meanster, but you have to promise not to tell anyone else. Alright?" Cedric said, finally giving in to his son. Who knew a little kid could corner the CEO of the Reyes Group.

    "Okay dad." Emilio said as he returned his focus back to his toys.

    "Why did my son have to be too smart?" Cedricined as he sat back down. "I miss the days when he could only say dada or mama."

    "Well uncle Emilio has been teaching him how to negotiate since he was two, it doesn''t surprise me that he managed topletely blindside you on that one." Miguel said with augh.

    "Anyway, Ian, continue." Cedric said as he looked at his former assistant.

    "Wait, she never told either of you?" Ian asked as he quickly regretted what he had just said. "That''s a story for another time, can we please focus on Dr. Ashe and what happened?"

    "As much as I want to grill you on that story, you''re right." Miguel said with a sigh. "If Dr. Ashe was herst meeting of the day, then it''s entirely possible that whatever he told her made her go intobor."

    "Are there any issues between them? Anything from the past that remained unsettled?" Cedric asked, he felt that among the three of them he would be the most level headed. Ian was too fixated on the fact that Dr. Ashe was Nicole''s ex, while Miguel was busy thinking of a way to remain innocent of the mess he created.

    "Hah! Yeah. Nicole stopped dating Dr. Ashe because she met a handsome young assistant at your office." Miguel said with augh, shocking Ian and Cedric.

    _____________________________________________________________________

    As an added gift on Never Judge''s 6th month, I will be posting a little teaser for all of you. The first 5 chapters into a novel about the SISTERS. Yes a book on Ayanna, Veronica, Nicole, Katerina, and Natalia!

    It will be avable on my discord server. for those that want to read it, here is the link: https://discord.gg/VgShhK8Duu

    Thank you for supporting Never Judge, don''t forget to vote with your PS,ment, and give gifts!

    ________________________________________________________________________

 Chapter 414 - 414

    "That assistant is me right?" Ian asked with an unsure tone.

    "Did you leave your brains at home or something?" Miguel teased.??

    "Ian who else could it be." Cedric said, rolling his eyes. Ian never second guessed himself with anything, except when it came to Nicole. She seemed to make him insecure about himself.

    "Okay, okay, I was just making sure." Ian said as he watched the mocking expressions on the two men''s faces. "Go on."

    "Okay, now I see how there could be an issue." Cedricughed. "But do you think he would go to Nicole to talk about that? I mean Nicole was pregnant and there is no doubt on who the father is."

    "It''s possible that the topic may havee up. But from what I know about Nicole and how she manages the hospital, she has these weekly catch ups with the department heads. He runs the radiology department." Miguel casually exined.

    "I still doubt that an ex would make Nicole go intobor so soon." Ian said as he thought of how emotionally resilient Nicole was.

    "I doubt that too. Plus Dr. Ashe is extremely professional. Well except when Nicole broke up with him." Miguel exined.

    "Nicole broke up with him publicly?" Cedric asked. "That''s quite surprising for Nicole."

    "She didn''t have a choice." Miguel said with a shrug. "She''s been telling him that she didn''t have any romantic feelings for him but he kept chasing her. When she met Ian and wanted to date him she told Dr. Ashe that she liked someone else. Dr. Ashe is a nice guy, he just fell hard for Nicole. So when he continued to pursue her Nicole confronted him in front of almost all the department heads at Saints."

    "Do you think he would confront her when she was already pregnant?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, traditionally, if you truly love someone and that someone got pregnant you would marry the person right?" Miguel asked.

    "Our case is different." Ian scoffed.

    "Exactly, that''s why I said traditionally." Miguel said as he rolled his eyes at Ian. "My suspicion is that he thought the reason why Nicole remained unmarried is because the baby''s dad left her."

    "But I met Dr. Ash." Ian said. "He didn''t sound like he still loved Nicole or anything."

    "Then something must have happened when he confronted Nicole." Miguel said with a shrug. "And don''t forget. We never told any of the employees that you were Tristan''s dad, just like you asked. So they simply assumed you were on loan from the Reyes Family. He would have no reason to be antagonistic of you."

    "Miguel, why don''t we look at what the cameras recorded. Dr. Ashe might have been scheduled to meet with her but I don''t remember anyone mentioning him being around when her water broke." Cedric said as he recalled what people said about the day Nicole gave birth.

    "Done!" Miguel suddenly said. "I''ve set it to y thest hour before Nicole gave birth, but I ced it on fast forward so that we don''t need to sit here for an hour." Miguel said with augh as he pressed y.

    Cedric watched as the familiar hallway outside Nicole''s office came to life, it was normally busy with doctors and administrative staff walking back and forth. He saw the mahogany doors that led to Nicole''s office while her assistant sat at a desk outside.

    "This was at 2:25 pm. So in a while Nicole should be leaving to go to the board meeting." Miguel said as he looked at the timestamp and Nicole''s schedule.

    After a few seconds they spotted Nicole''s assistant enter her office and thene out carrying some documents. Nicole quickly came out after her and walked towards the direction of the boardroom.

    "Nothing seems off at this time, Nicole even seems happy." Ian said as he observed her expression. "So we can rule out anything before the board meeting."

    "Okay, let me speed it up." Miguel said as he clicked a button.

    The time stamp now read 5:25 pm. They still hadn''t seen Nicole return from the meeting so Miguel continued to speed the video.

    "That''s Dr. Santos waiting outside her office." Miguel pointed out as they saw the doctor arrive.

    "It seems that the board meeting actually went on longer than Nicole expected." Cedric said as he continued to watch the video.

    "Ah, there!" Ian said as he spotted Nicole arrive with her assistant in tow. Miguel yed it back and kept it at normal speed.

    "Zoom in on her facial expression." Cedric said. "We need to see if anything from the board meeting caused her any distress."

    Miguel nodded and did as asked and did a few things to the program, soon it showed a bubble with a percentage hovering above each person''s head.

    "If it''s green, the person is happy, yellow is for a neutral mood, and red for a negative mood. The program reads it based on facial expressions and lip reading based on what is said." Miguel informed them.

    "Do we have these in our building too?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "Nah, the tech is new so I was actually testing it out for a year before offering it to clients." Miguel said with a shrug. "I tried it on Nicole''s office because I thought nothing like this ever happens there, so it would be a controlled environment. I guess I was wrong. Although it seems like it may have been a good thing that I tested it outside my sister''s office."

    "So, it''s all green except for Dr. Santos." Ian said as he kept his attention focused on the screen. He had one priority, his main priority always, Nicole.

    "Yeah, based on her expression though it seems that she is just anxious because Nicole iste." Miguel pointed out. "See, as soon as my sisteres into the picture the mood shifts."

    "Wow, this is really impressive tech Miguel. Have some installed here as soon as you have the stocks." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Okay, let''s fast forward it again." Miguel said as he clicked on the screen.

 Chapter 415 - 415

    "So who developed this tech?" Cedric asked as they waited for the image on the screen to show a new arrival outside Nicole''s office.

    "It''s actually from the military. Some kid developed it." Miguel said with a shrug. "The Reyes Group actually pirated him out." Miguel said with augh, he found it funny that Cedric didn''t know that he had a top research and development personnel.??

    "We did?" Cedric asked. "What''s his name?" Cedric wanted to make sure that they didn''t lose this genius.

    "Adolfo, something." Miguel said as he tried to recall the person''s name. "It starts with an L, I just can''t remember right now."

    "Don''t tell me, Adolfo Luna?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah, that''s him. He was actually Lt. Adolfo Luna in the military. His family is all military, that''s why he was able to get out. His dad''s a high ranking general. How do you know him?" Miguel asked.

    "He and Cedric are actually friends." Ianughed as he continued to monitor the screen.

    "What? No way?" Miguel asked.

    "I''ll invite him to lunch." Cedric said with a grin. "If he is as important as you say then I need to make sure he stays with the Reyes Group."

    "How do you n on doing that?" Miguel asked.

    "Wait! Stop, slow down!" Ian shouted. He was the only one left focused on the screen since Miguel and Cedric were busy talking about Adolfo.

    "Oh shoot!" Miguel said as he quickly rewinded the video.

    "That''s the head nurse of Saints Hospital, Head Nurse Belinda." Ian pointed out. When he temporarily took over Nicole''s ce in Saints Hospital he had be quite familiar with the different department heads as well as several key members of their teams. His experience as Cedric''s personal assistant helped him understand their motives better, something he often used to his advantage. Head Nurse Belinda was a woman in her 50s with a passion for caring for the sick. Ian was shocked to find a person who was so selfless.

    "ording to Nicole''s schedule, she was supposed to meet with Nicole at 5:30 pm. What''s the timestamp?" Cedric asked Miguel who was controlling the screen.

    "It''s 6:15 pm." Miguel read. "It only makes sense that Nicole''s assistant informed her that their meeting was moved. She looks quite anxious though." Miguelmented as he observed the head nurse.

    "Pull up the mood indicator again." Ian told Miguel in a serious tone.

    "Wait, let me try something." Miguel said as he turned theptop to face him and typed something.

    "Here, it should be more specific." Miguel said as he turned theptop back to face them.

    "It reads anxious, wait, this thing can read more specific emotions based on what is recorded?" Cedric asked.

    "It can, only if the file has been stored for over six months, I doubted the tech, but it seems pretty urate. This Adolfo guy is pretty talented, no wonder they didn''t want to sell this tech or let him leave the military." Miguelmented.

    "Her anxiety should go down after she sees Nicole right?" Ian asked.

    "No, this is a different case. Dr. Santos was anxious because of the schedule being pushed back and having to wait for Nicole, Head Nurse Belinda on the other hand seems to be anxious about something entirely different." Cedric told Ian as he observed the clip closely. "Let''s see what happens next."

    They soon see Dr. Santos exiting Nicole''s office with a smile, it seemed that it really was just Nicole''s tardiness that was worrying her. Cedric, Miguel, and Ian, watched as Nicole''s assistant walked into Nicole''s office then stepped out again. She walked up to head nurse Belinda and walked her into Nicole''s office.

    "She''s still anxious." Cedricmented as he watched the scene unfold.

    "Maybe she''s anxious about the meeting, I mean talking to your boss can be nerve wracking." Miguel said.

    "No, not head nurse Belina." Ian said, shaking his head. "She loves Nicole and she''s the warmest person in Saints Hospital, how can you not know this? You ran the ce for a while." Ian added.

    "Well I never had those one on one meetings like you and Nicole. I was supposed to be the worst boss right? One that bankrupt thepany, I guessed that if I spoke to them, they would insist on prioritizing thepany''s profitability. I couldn''t have that, I needed to pretend that I didn''t know anything about business." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "Look!" Cedric said as he pointed at the screen.

    "What''s she doing there?" Ian asked. "She isn''t on Nicole''s schedule and she isn''t speaking with the assistant. It looks like she''s just waiting." Ian said as they watched the woman on the screen.

    This time it was Cedric that had kept his focus on the screen so he noticed when Nurse Jen came into the view of the camera. He thought she was just going to pass by but he was surprised when she sat down in the waiting area for Nicole''s office.

    Nicole''s assistant didn''t notice her at first, she was busy working on some files. It took her about ten minutes to realize that Nurse Jen was seated in the waiting area.

    She raised her head and said something, nurse Jen replied and the assistant nodded and returned to her work.

    "Oh wait." Miguel said as he changed something in the program again. Now there were subtitles converting what they were saying. Miguel reyed it to their conversation.

    ''Oh, Nurse Jen, I''m sorry I didn''t notice you. Can I help you with anything? You don''t seem to have an appointment with Dr. Chan.'' The assistant apparently said, based of the subtitles that appeared on the screen.

    ''It''s okay. Head Nurse Belinda asked me toe over and to wait for her to call me in. She said she wanted me to talk to Dr. Nicole about something. I''ll just wait for her.'' Nurse Jen said based on the subtitles.

    "How urate is this thing?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "Roughly 80%, that''s because it also records audio to confirm what is being said. But since it''s positioned quite high up it doesn''t capture a crisp enough audio file, add to that all the background noise that can confuse the interpretation." Miguel exined.

 Chapter 416 - 416

    Cedric, Ian, and Miguel didn''t have to wait long for the scene to change. Head Nurse Belinda soon stepped out and called nurse Jen in.

    "Time stamp?" Cedric asked. He was trying to figure out which incident could have been the source of Nicole being targeted for the use of the serum.??

    "6:35 pm." Miguel read.

    "Ten minutes to go." Cedric said as he pondered what could have happened in those ten minutes.

    "Look! Look! Look!" Ian started shouting as Cedric was pulled back from his thoughts. "Why is head nurse Belinda leaving?"

    True enough the head nurse stepped out of the room once more and spoke to the assistant. Luckily, Miguel had not turned off the lip reading function and they could clearly see what was being said.

    ''Head Nurse, you are not joining them?'' Nicole''s assistant asked as she looked up from her work.

    ''No, no. Nurse Jen wanted some time to speak to Dr. Nicole Chan on her own. I think it has something to do with her assignment in Dr. Miguel Chan''s team.'' Head Nurse Belinda said.

    "Something seems off about her." Cedric pointed out as he watched the mood meter shift from confident to anxious.

    "She probably knows something." Miguel said as they watched the conversation continue.

    ''Isn''t Nurse Jen happy with the assignment? I know a lot of nurses that would dly take the job in Dr. Miguel Chan''s team. It''s an opportunity of a lifetime!'' The assistant said to the head nurse.

    ''I doubt it''s a big problem.'' Head Nurse Belinda said with a shrug. ''I''ll go ahead. Will you tell Jen?''

    ''Sure!'' The assistant said with a smile.

    Cedric saw Head Nurse Belinda thank her and take her leave.

    "Time stamp?" Ian asked Miguel.

    "6:40 pm. How did we not know this?" Miguel asked as they watched nurse Jen step out of Nicole''s office.

    "She''s clearly not happy." Ian said as he read what the indicator on the screen said.

    Just as nurse Jen stepped out angrily her expression quickly changed into a happy one, something the scanners managed to detect.

    "Wow, she''s a good actress." Cedricmented as he watched the change.

    "Do you think she''s acting around Alexi?" Miguel asked.

    "Probably, but the whole liking Selina part is true, Selina herself admitted it." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I don''t understand why she''s going head on against Nicole?" Miguel asked. "Nicole is on her side. Nicole even went against Katerina because she knows nurse Jen from work."

    "Maybe Nic found something out, or maybe whatever happened in that room revealed something." Ian said as he watched nurse Jen smile politely at the assistant and leave.

    "Wait, but didn''t Nicole''s water break 5 minutes from this moment?" Cedric asked. "It could still have been caused by something else, a phone call or another person dropping by."

    As Cedric said this Nicole''s assistant entered her office and suddenly ran out calling for help.

    "That''s the moment then." Miguel said with a shrug. "Nicole is then rushed to my operating room to give birth." Miguel exined as several nurses and doctors came rushing in. Nicole''s assistant on the other hand was on the phone, she was calling Nicole''s mom and locking the door to Nicole''s office at the same time.

    "So Jen was thest person Nicole spoke to that day." Miguel said, shaking his head. "I trusted her too. At least until I saw her injecting that serum into Nicole. She''s worked for me for years, I was even hoping that she could help Alexi move on from his heartbreak." Miguel said with a sigh.

    "We need to know how she got that serum and why she needed it." Cedric said in a stern tone.

    "Now I wish Miguel had installed cameras in Nicole''s office." Ian said with a sigh.

    "And catch you guys making Tristan? No way." Miguel said, shaking his head.

    "We need to know everything about Jen." Cedric said as he leaned forward and ced his elbows on his desk. "We have to put a tail on her, someone that will follow her everywhere and will report every action to us."

    "That''s going to be difficult." Miguel said with a frown.

    "Why?" Cedric asked curiously.

    "Alexi has someone follow her to make sure that she is safe. If that person notices a second man observing her he will alert Alexi, and you know what kind of a fight wille from that." Miguel said, shaking his head.

    "What if we have our men cover all of the blind spots?" Ian suggested. "I''m sure if something were up Alexi''s man would have found it. So we cover the parts of her life where she could potentially slip away from Alexi''s man."

    "So we tap her phone or something?" Cedric asked as he gave his former assistant a puzzled look.

    "No, no, we make sure all the other entrances and exits are covered. She is possibly sneaking out to meet someone, I highly doubt she is acting alone on this." Ian exined. "The resources needed to trick the background check on Miguel''s team is immense, that just means someone big is backing her."

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod. "Dave, Mae,e in please." Cedric said over the inte connecting him to his assistants.

    Within a few seconds Dave and Mae entered his office, ready to do as he asked. Ever since Cami and Ian left, Dave and Mae had be extremely effective. They did their jobs really well and Cedric didn''t even notice the need to hire an additional assistant. The two did, however, inform him that they needed help so Cedric was already studying candidates.

    "You trained them well." Cedric said to Ian with a nod and a smile.

    "Thanks, but there was a good foundation to build on. The credit goes to them." Ian exined.

    "Alright. Dave, contact Leon. I want his best spy tracking nurse Jen. Tell him to focus on the aspects that Alexi''s shadow could miss. The obvious things can be ignored and he will have to focus on the details." Cedric ordered. Dave nodded as he jotted down Cedric''s instructions.

    "When do you need them, boss?" Dave asked.

    "As soon as possible." Cedric said.

    Dave nodded and left the room to do as Cedric asked.

    "Mae, talk to Nouveau, I''ll be using the private room. Tell them Adolfo Luna will be joining us. If he arrives there before us, tell them to bring him to the private room. You may go." Cedric told Mae.

    Mae quickly did as he asked and gave the restaurant a call.

 Chapter 417 - 417

    "Let me see if Adolfo is free for lunch." Cedric said as he took out his phone and called the younger man.

    It took awhile for Adolfo to get to the phone, but Cedric understood that being under the research and development department was quite hectic.??

    "Yo! Cedric. It''s been a while." Adolfo happily asked over the phone. He and Adolfo spoke from time to time. Cedric enjoyed talking to him and maintained the friendship he had made.

    "Wanna grab lunch? My treat?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "Yes! Who would say no to a free meal?" Adolfo asked excitedly.

    "Ummm. . . if it were poisoned?" Cedric said with augh.

    "Dammit you''ve outsmarted me." Adolfo said.

    "There is always a first for everything." Cedric said proudly. It had be a game to them to counter any expression that was false or had loopholes. Cedric quite enjoyed the banter between them.

    "So where is lunch?" Adolfo asked.

    "Nouveau." Cedrick simply said, shocking the man on the other end of the call.

    "You''re joking right? How can I let you pay for my food at such an expensive ce?" From what Adolfo knew, Cedric was still trying to prove to everyone that he wasn''t some free loading husband. It was the story Cedric had sold to the wholepany and it kind of stuck.

    "Trust me, after we meet up you won''t want to back out." Cedric said with a grin. He was nning on revealing his true identity to Adolfo. He trusted the young man and he had no doubts that Adolfo would keep his secret.

    "Alright, alright." Adolfo said with augh. "I''ll be there. I''m just packing up." Adolfo told Cedric over the phone.

    "Wow, great, perfect. I''ll see you in a bit then." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    "You''re gonna show him who you are?" Miguel asked curiously.

    "Yeah." Cedric said with a nod. "If he is as big an asset as you are telling me, then he must be kept as close as possible."

    "How close are you guys?" Miguel asked Cedric.

    "Well I guess you can say I''m one of his only friends in the Reyes Group." Cedric said with a sigh as he thought of the young awkward man who had turned out to be a genius. "He does have lunch with Mae and Dave when they are free. Sometimes I join them, but aside from us he rarely speaks to other people."

    "I think Adolfo actually prefers it that way." Ian said. "He would probably get bored talking to the other employees. Plus he looks so young, they would always underestimate him or talk down at him."

    "Poor kid." Miguel said, shaking his head.

    "Let me finish up with these documents then we can head down for lunch." Cedric said with a smile as he pointed at the documents on his desk.

    "I''ll y with Emilio then." Miguel said walking over to the child ying with several toy cars on the ground.

    "I''ll hang out with Mae and Dave for a while." Ian said with a shrug. "It''s odd going from seeing them every day to barely seeing them in a month."

    "Go, knock yourself out." Cedric said with augh as he continued to read one of the files on his desk.

    Ian nodded, he knew that once Cedric began to focus on the work in front of him he couldn''t be bothered.

    There were quite a lot of documents on Cedric''s desk, he had cancelled all of his meetings so everything that required his approval was sent up. It seemed there were so many things that were urgent in the Reyes Group.

    Cedric massaged his temples as he finished reviewing thest document. He checked the time, it was ten minutes past twelve. Adolfo was probably already waiting for them at the restaurant.

    "Are you ready for lunch?" Cedric asked Miguel as he approached Miguel and Emilio who were ying on the floor.

    "You''re done working dad?" Emilio asked as he stood up. The little boy lost bnce, but luckily Miguel was close enough to catch him.

    "Yoyo, be careful!" Miguel scolded. Miguel was the person to give Emilio the nickname Yoyo since the kid wouldn''t let go of the yoyo his uncle Ray had given him.

    "Sorry uncle Miguel." Emilio said as he regained his bnce.

    "Come on, let''s eat." Cedric said as he held his son''s hand.

    "Miguel, if you like kids so much, why don''t you and Veronica try having one?" Cedric asked as they walked out.

    "Trust me Cedric, we''re trying." Miguel said with a sigh.

    "Lunch?" Cedric asked as they stood in front of the assistant''s area. Since he didn''t have any important meetings for the day Cedric simply wore cks and a white long sleeved polo making him blend in quite nicely among his assistants.

    "Sure boss." Dave said excitedly as he stood up. He knew that as long as the boss invited them to lunch it would be his treat.

    "Adolfo is joining us." Cedric told his two assistants, much to their delight.

    "You''re paying right?" Ian teased. "We can''t afford to eat at the ces you want too, we''re too poor for that."

    "You are definitely not poor, I paid you a lot when you worked for me!" Cedric said as their group walked towards the elevator.

    "Yeah, and I don''t work for you anymore." Ian said with a shrug, making everyoneugh at his joke. Because of Cedric''s easy rtionship with his assistants they often performed extremely well at work since they trusted him and were familiar with many personal aspects of his life.

    Cedric had informed the manager of Nouveau earlier in the day to inform him that they would be having lunch there. He was sure that no one in his family would be using the private room since Ayanna was out with the girls dress shopping, his father was at the university with Charles Hernandez, and his mom together with the other moms went on a trip.

    The manager knew that if Cedric arrived undisguised he was to treat him like any other customer. So when their group arrived the manager simply asked one of the waiters to escort Cedric and his group to the private room.

    "What are you doing here? Can you even afford to eat here?" A voice asked from behind Cedric and his group.

    Cedric didn''t recognize the voice, but nheless he sighed and turned around. Events like these had be quitemon in his life.

 Chapter 418 - 418

    "Come Emilio." Miguel Chan said as he pulled Cedric''s son towards the private room. He knew all too well how incidents like these turned out.

    Cedric gave him a thankful nod as Miguel and Emilio walked away from them.??

    "How can a lowly employee such as yourself assume you can afford to eat here? Are you sellingpany secrets?" The voice asked in a condescending tone.

    Cedric was about to answer back when he realized that the person wasn''t speaking to him. He was surprised to see a man towering over Adolfo with a disgusted look on his face.

    "My lunch is none of your business." Adolfo suddenly answered back.

    Cedric was surprised to hear Adolfo challenge the man.

    "It is if you are spending beyond how much you earn." The man said. "As an employee of the Reyes Group it''s my obligation to report any suspected traitors and thieves."

    "I am neither. I''m here to have lunch with a friend." Adolfo told the man.

    "You don''t have any friends Adolfo." The man''s femalepanion said. "You are such a loner that no one wants to speak to you." She said.

    "You shouldn''t speak to your co-workers that way." Dave suddenly said as he approached Adolfo and his bullies.

    "Mr. Dave, it''s not what you think. Adolfo is our friend, we were only teasing him." The man said as he tried to salvage the situation. "Right Adolfo?" The man was now quite worried, Dave was the personal assistant to the CEO, they had seen how the assistants were actually capable people being groomed for higher positions in thepany and outside.

    "This isn''t highschool. I know it''s your lunch break but bullying is never right." Dave added before Adolfo could speak.

    "Sorry sir." The man said as he lowered his head. He didn''t want to offend Dave, his whole career coulde crashing down for offending the wrong man.

    "Adolfo, why are you still standing there?" Cedric asked as he joined in the fray, making the bully employees even more nervous. Everyone knew about Cedric Reyes, they didn''t know exactly what Cedric did at the Reyes Group, but they were aware that he was a crucial person in the CEO''s team.

    "You know them?" The woman with the bully asked, her eyes suddenly lit up with a new interest in Adolfo.

    "Yeah, they''re the friends I was telling you about." Adolfo said with a shrug as he walked towards Cedric, Mae, and Ian who were behind Dave.

    "I should probably inform the CEO that all employees need to be lectured on human decency." Dave said in a loud voice.

    "Sir, I''m sure our internal issues can be settled privately. There are people from outside thepany here." The man said in an attempt to salvage his dignity.

    "I think the CEO would appreciate it if we publicly corrected misdemeanour." Mae suddenly said, speaking up from behind Dave.

    "The boss values every single employee quite highly. If he heard about someone mistreating them, there will surely be consequences." Dave said as he red at the man. Cedric wanted tough, he had never seen his two young assistants with such a serious expression.

    "On top of that, Adolfo is our friend." Mae said in a cold tone, something she actually learned from observing Cedric. "Saying he has no friends makes us no one. Do you think the CEO will appreciate you calling us nobodies?"

    Cedric and Ian couldn''t resist and burst outughing as Mae threatened the man.

    "Mae, Dave. Enough. The man has already wet his pants in fear of you." Cedric said with a grin, the man was even more scared now that Cedric had spoken. "Don''t waste our time on him. The CEO still has meetings."

    Cedric then turned to walk to the private room.

    "Let''s go Adolfo." Ian said with a smile and a nod as they followed Cedric into the private room assigned to the Reyes Family.

    Behind them Mae and Dave gave one final re at the man and his femalepanion before tuning their backs on them as well and following into the room.

    "Wow this ce is amazing!" Adolfo eximed as he saw the view from the private room. It was a perfect panoramic image of the city, one way better than if you were seated outside.

    "Emilio,e here." Cedric said as he called his son over. Emilio ran up to his father and held his hand tightly. As much as he loved his uncle Miguel, it was his father''spany that he enjoyed the most.

    "Who is this Cedric?" Adolfo said as he knelt and looked at Emilio.

    "Emilio, say hi to your uncle Adolfo." Cedric said as he nudged his son to walk up to the stranger.

    "This is your son?" Adolfo asked as Emilio walked up quite slowly towards him.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Nice to meet you uncle." Emilio said with a shy smile.

    "Wow, you look so much like your dad!" Adolfo said as he smiled at the young boy. Emilio smiled back at him, the kid liked it when people said he looked like his dad. "Can I give you a hug?" Adolfo asked.

    Emilio nodded slowly, with his permission Adolfo hugged him and picked him up.

    "I didn''t think the child of a general could be such a softie." Miguel said as he smiled at Adolfo.

    "I know you." Adolfo said as he ced Emilio down on the ground.

    "You know uncle Miguel?" Emilio asked his new uncle.

    "Miguel?" Adolfo asked as he tried to piece together the name and the face. "The miracle doctor Miguel Chan?!" Adolfo asked in shock.

    "The one and only, kid." Miguel said with a wink. "I bought your techst year, and I must say it is amazing. Right brother-inw?" Miguel asked.

    Adolfo''s eyes widened as he looked at Cedric.

    "It is quite amazing." Ian said with augh as he caught Adolfo''s reaction. "If you''re reacting this way to Miguel and his words, I can''t wait for whates next." Ian teased as he walked over to the dining table.

    "Take as seat Adolfo." Cedric said as he gestured for the young man to sit down.

    "I''m sorry, but I''m very confused." Adolfo said as he slowly lowered himself on to the seat

 Chapter 419 - 419

    "Ian, is the father of my sister''s child, they should be married by now if my sister weren''t so stubborn." Miguelined as he sat to the right of the head of the table.

    "Are we waiting for someone?" Adolfo asked as he looked at the seat.??

    "Umm, no." Cedric said slowly as he moved the high chair from the corner to Miguel''s side. He knew that Miguel would be eager to help out in taking care of little Emilio. He lifted the little boy from the ground and ced him on the seat.

    "Then shouldn''t Dr. Chan sit at the head of the table?" Adolfo asked as he continued to look at the empty seat.

    "Well things like that don''t matter that much to us." Cedric said with a shrug as he sat at the seat Adolfo had been eyeing.

    "Plus Miguel isn''t the richest one here." Ian said with augh as he tried to get Adolfo to catch on to what he was trying to say.

    Adolfo''s jaw dropped, but before he could say anything a waiter came in with their food. Cedric had already ordered everything beforeing down. He knew everyone''s preferences including Adolfo''s.

    When the waiter finally left, Cedric could still see the shock on Adolfo''s face. He was curious as to how Adolfo would interpret Ian''s statement. He knew Adolfo was smart, but he wasn''t the type to jump into crazy spections, he calcted his every move.

    "No, that''s impossible!" Adolfo said as he stared at Cedric, who remained calmly seated. "How can the Reyes Group pay you more than what the Miracle Doctor makes from his operations and from his shares at Saints Hospital? It''s just not possible!"

    At that Miguel burst outughing and almost fell out of his seat.

    "Uncle Miguel looks stupid." Emilio said, making everyone on the tableugh, everyone except Cedric.

    "Where did you learn that word Emilio?" Cedric asked. "Which uncle taught it to you?" Cedric was sure that one of the boys taught Emilio to call people stupid.

    "Promise not to tell?" Emilio asked his father.

    "Of course Yoyo." Cedric said as he used his son''s nickname.

    "Okay." Emilio said with a smile, he trusted his dad. And even if his dad told whoever it was he would protect Emilio. "It was auntie Veronica. She said call uncle Miguel stupid." Emilio said proudly.

    "What?!" Miguel said in shock.

    "It seems your wife is toying with you again." Ian said with a grin.

    "I''m still very very confused." Adolfo said as he looked at the group.

    "Adolfo, promise not to overreact." Cedric said with a sincere look on his face.

    "Okay, but I doubt you can say anything that can shock me. As Dr. Chan said, my dad is a general in the military, I was trained to remain calm all the time." Adolfo said with a nod as he continued to give Cedric a puzzled look.

    "The Reyes Group doesn''t pay me, because I own the Reyes Group." Cedric said slowly, making sure that Adolfo understood every word he said.

    Adolfo simply stared at him and blinked. For a few minutes Adolfo didn''t say anything, while everyone else in the group waited for him to speak.

    "Dad is uncle broken?" Emilio asked, finally breaking the silence.

    "Is this a joke?" Adolfo said as he looked skeptically at Cedric. "It isn''t is it? I mean why would Dr. Miguel Chan let you im to be his friend. Unless he''s in on the prank. Then again, I have been wanting to ask what the great doctor is doing having lunch with us." Adolfo said as he looked at Miguel.

    "Ummm, I''m the father of his nephew, isn''t that enough reason?" Ian asked.

    "No, of course not." Adolfo said, shaking his head. "The five princes aren''t that easy to have lunch with."

    Cedricughed at Adolfo''sment, he could clearly see the pain in Ian''s eyes as Adolfo said he wasn''t enough to pull Miguel to have lunch in public.

    "Adolfo, people don''t know this, but Ian is the sixth prince. The fallen prince." Cedric said with a grin.

    "I thought he was the CEO - no- y- your assistant?" Adolfo asked as he struggled to figure out how to address the situation.

    "He was." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Was?" Adolfo asked with a puzzled look.

    "You clearly don''t read thepany e-malis." Mae teased. "They released an announcement a year ago that Ian Lim resigned as Cedric''s assistant."

    "I thought you simply lent him to Saints Hospital." Adolfo said, scratching his head.

    "The Vice President is my future wife and the mother of my son. I was not lent, I transferred to help her out." Ian said as he crossed his arms.

    "You are too calm." Cedric said as he eyed Adolfo suspiciously.

    "Too calm? I''m panicking under this facade!" Adolfo said as Cedric finally saw the confusion in his eyes. "How can the CEO of the Reyes Group be my friend, someone I met on orientation day and even have lunch with on a regr basis? How did I not notice from your voice, your look, your stature? I''m not some dimwit -"

    "Language." Cedric said sternly as he motioned towards his son.

    "I''m sorry little one, don''t repeat what uncle said." Adolfo told Emilio with a smile.

    "Okay uncle! As long as you teach me to make robots." Emilio said excitedly.

    Adolfoughed at his adorable words. "Alright little one, when you are old enough." Adolfo promised.

    "You can actually teach him already." Dave, who was seated next to Adolfo said. "The kid''s a genius. He might pick up the basics if you teach him already." Dave said with a shrug.

    "Oh, then next time." Adolfo said as he was stunned at what Dave said. "Anyway, as I was saying, I''m a smart guy, how have I never picked this up?"

    "If it makes you feel better his wife didn''t realize it until she was told." Ian said with a shrug.

    "The two of you knew?" Adolfo asked Mae and Dave.

    "Not at the start." Mae admitted. "We even made fun of the boss in front of the boss. So we''ve done worse things." Mae said with augh in an attempt to calm her friend.

    "But how did we not notice." Adolfo said as he continued to ponder how he missed something that was staring him in the face.

    "Simple, because you never expected it, and you never thought it was possible." Cedric said with a shrug as he smiled at the younger man.

 Chapter 420 - 420

    "Adolfo, we need something from you." Miguel said in a much more serious tone.

    "What is it?" Adolfo asked. "I don''t have a lot of friends, and I would do anything to help those that are." Adolfo said with a shrug.??

    "Now I need you to be honest." Miguel said as he looked at Adolfo with a serious expression.

    Adolfo nodded. "I give you my word." He said. Cedric could sense the sincerity in his tone.

    "I''m sure you had other features built into that camera that only you can ess. What are they?" Miguel asked as he looked Adolfo directly in the eyes.

    Adolfo hesitated for a bit, it seemed he wasn''t sure if he could tell Miguel and theirpanions.

    "Uncle Adolfo, you promised." Little Emilio said as he looked up at the man with his adorable eyes. The kid knew how to use his looks to his advantage, he always did it to his aunts and grandparents. Only his dad seemed immune to his cuteness.

    "Yes it does." Adolfo said in surrender.

    "Well, what?" Ian said in a demanding tone. He knew Adolfo and he was aware that the boy rarelypleted his statements.

    "He''s on edge. It''s about the mother of his son, so I''m sure you understand." Cedric said with a sigh. Even for Ian the tone was quite harsh. He didn''t want to drive Adolfo away so quickly.

    "I understand." Adolfo said with a weak smile. "Well, dad would be furious with me if he found out I told you, but that prototype I gave you is equipped with some ultra sensitive audio recording, heat sensors, and well night vision cameras."

    "That''s it! That''s perfect!" Miguel said excitedly. "Do you think it can hear what was being discussed in another room?" Miguel asked.

    "Yeah, probably. As long as the room wasn''t some bunker, yes it could." Adolfo said with a nod.

    "Nicole''s office isn''t sound proof, her assistant can even hear things outside if you spoke loud enough." Ian said with a nod. "I''m sure Adolfo''s tech managed to pick the conversation up."

    "I wouldn''t be too excited though." Adolfo said in a shy tone. Cedric could see he was worried about something.

    "Are you worried that your tech didn''t work?" Cedric asked Adolfo. "If that''s it then don''t be worried. We know it was highly experimental and there is no guarantee that it would work. We won''t me you."

    "Yeah Adolfo." Miguel said with a nod. "As much as I wish the tech you installed in the camera worked perfectly, I won''t me you if it didn''t."

    "It''s not that, I''m a hundred percent sure that my camera worked without any issue. That''s how confident I am in it" Adolfo said with a sigh. "The mic is so sensitive that it would have picked up most of the noises in the vicinity. Even if you said that the area it was installed in was an extremely quiet ce there are still some sounds that we don''t normally hear that the microphone could have picked up. So in order to get to whatever sounds or conversation you wanted to hear I still need to develop the program that will filter out all the ambient noises and lift each vocal signature." Adolfo quickly exined.

    "What do you mean by that?" Ian asked as he threw a worried look at Adolfo.

    "It simply means that it''s not magic." Adolfo said, shaking his head. "It will take me a while to develop the program, then I need to test it. After that when I do finally get the program to work I need to run the audio clip through it. I''m not sure as to how long it will take but I promise you it won''t be done in a day, especially with tech this experimental. Plus you guys will need to factor in the legal repercussions with what you are asking me to do. What if the person she was talking to files charges against you guys? So you really need to consider this."

    Everyone was silent for a while as they absorbed what Adolfo had just said.

    "It''s our best option." Cedric suddenly said. "A few hours ago we didn''t even think it would be possible to hear what went on in Nicole''s office, no we have a shot."

    "Cedric, if Nurse Jen is truly involved in all of this, Alexi will be heartbroken, again." Miguel said with a worried look on his face. "Alexi had gone through enough when Ilya Carpio died, and now knowing that he had taken a leap of faith for, yed him. Whatever her motive, maybe Alexi will be at the losing end of this. His heart will break."

    "It''s better than letting him suffer with a woman that does not love him and may possibly harm him." Cedric said with a sigh. "I still don''t understand how she could have gotten a vial of Natalia''s serum."

    "Maybe, Natalia can check the tapes in herb." Miguel suggested.

    "She did,st year." Cedric said with a sigh. "She found nothing."

    "Cedric, if I may?" Adolfo asked shyly.

    Cedric simply nodded at him in reply, urging him to continue speaking.

    "It''s possible that the tapes were tampered with, I can take a look." Adolfo suggested.

    "Someone already took a look at itst year." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Trust me Ian, I can catch a tampered video no matter how good the other party is." Adolfo said with a grin.

    "Let him give it a shot." Cedric said. He was liking this more confident version of Adolfo. "I''ll give Natalia a call, she''s also quite curious about the whole serum incident a year ago."

    "I have another problem." Adolfo said, reverting to his shy self.

    "What''s up?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, with work and what you need me to do, I don''t think I can do it that fast." Adolfo exined making Cedric, Ian, and Miguelugh.

    "Are you being serious?" Cedric said in betweenughs.

    Adolfo looked confused as to what Cedric and the other men wereughing about.

    "Move Adolfo under the CEO''s office. Give him an office there as well." Cedric told Mae who nodded and smiled.

    "If you need anything Adolfo, tell me or Dave. We''ll get you the equipment you need." Mae said with a wink.

    "Yeah, working for the boss means unlimited budget." Dave teased making everyoneugh.

 Chapter 421 - 421

    After having lunch with Adolfo, Cedric and his assistants bid goodbye to Ian and Miguel. At first Miguel wanted to stay and babysit Emilio, but Ian reminded him that he still had to visit several patients in the afternoon.

    Eventually, Miguel reluctantly ced Emilio down and returned him to his father.??

    As they were walking out Miguel suddenly gripped Adolfo by the arm, taking the young man by surprise.

    "Tell me if you have an update." Miguel said with a serious look in his eyes.

    "You''re lucky I didn''t try to defend myself." Adolfo said as he shook Miguel''s hand off his arm. "I''ll give you regr updates." Adolfo said with a nod.

    Miguel rxed and sighed. "Thanks." He said to Adolfo with a smile, it seemed like it was a different person speaking earlier.

    "We''ll see you around." Ian told Cedric as he pulled Miguel out of the private room.

    "He is normally not like that." Cedric told Adolfo with augh. "The thing is, this matter involves his younger sister, he is very protective of her."

    "I understand. I was protective of my sister too." Adolfo said with a sad look.

    Cedric didn''t know what to say, he had no intention of prying into Adolfo''s private life more than he should. He simply nodded and picked his son up from his seat cing him on the ground.

    "Dave, check with Adolfo what he needs. I want him on the CEO''s floor by the end of the day." Cedric ordered.

    "Got it boss." Dave said with a nod. "Let''s go Adolfo." Dave said as he led the other man out of the private room.

    "To where?" Adolfo asked as he looked back at Cedric.

    "To get everything you need." Dave said with augh as the door closed behind them.

    "Mae, I''ll have to leave early so I can go over to Natalia. Come with me and take the tapes back to Adolfo." Cedric instructed. "I don''t want anyone but you, Dave, and Adolfo near those tapes."

    "Sure Cedric." Mae said with a nod as they walked out of the private room.

    When they were finally back at Cedric''s office, Cedric let Emilio y with Mae while he gave Natalia a call. He watched as his sonughed like a normal child, he knew that Emilio wasn''t as normal as people thought. The boy was a genius, on top of that he was going to inherit one of the most powerful corporations in the county. It would be hard to train him when the day finally came.

    "Cedric? Why are you calling?" Natalia asked as she picked up the phone. Cedric rarely called her, he didn''t normally have a need for her skills. It was Katerina he called on more often.

    "Natalia, do you still have the CCTV footage fromst year?" Cedric asked in a serious tone.

    "The one from your suspected time frame?" Natalia asked. "Yeah. I kept them, I thought you might need them in the future."

    "Great. I need them." Cedric said as he smiled over the phone.

    "Cedric, they''ve been analyzed before. I don''t know what you are hoping to find." Natalia said with a sigh.

    "I found someone." Cedric told her. "I think he can truly find out if the footage was tampered."

    "Alright. I trust you." Natalia said.

    "Thanks, I''ll have Mae pick it up from your ceter." Cedric told Natalia.

    "No need." Natalia suddenly said. "I have business near R Tower. I''ll just take them to you. It''s not a hassle."

    "Alright. I''ll see youter then." Cedric finally said.

    "See ya!" Natalia said in an excited tone. She was the youngest among the sisters and the youngest in the group. Everyone treated her like their little sister, resulting in her acting like a child in private.

    As Cedric sat back down Mae checked the time and reminded him that he had meetings with Cami and Alexiter in the afternoon. Cedric simply nodded as she went out to fetch another stack of documents that needed his attention.

    "Sir, your sister left this with us yesterday." Mae said as she nervously handed Cedric a sealed envelope.

    Cedric eyed it suspiciously, it seemed that Mae knew what was inside and was afraid to show Cedric, she had even dyed giving it to him until now.

    "Tell me, why doesn''t my sister want to be around when you handed this to me?" Cedric asked as he took the envelope from Mae''s hand. "What did she do this time?" Cedric asked.

    "I''m not exactly sure, sir." Mae said as she watched Cedric open the envelope.

    When Cedric saw the header, he already knew it was bad news. It was a bill from his own hotel, Constetions Resort. He had promised Ray and Ayanna that he would pay for the venue and catering of their wedding reception.

    "She''s gonna do some damage, isn''t she." Cedric said with a sigh as he opened the bill. When he saw the amount he was shocked. He quickly picked up his phone and dialed his friend, Tom Vrdino''s number. He had made Tom the General Manager for Constetions Resort in the Capital.

    After a few rings his friend finally picked the phone up.

    "What did my sister ask for?" Cedric said as he massaged his temples, he could feel a massive headacheing on.

    "Well, the best of everything." Tom said with augh. "I warned her that you would be furious." Tom teased.

    "Is there any way to lower the costs? I know I''m rich, but this amount is just ridiculous!" Cedric''s voice was full of frustration.

    "That bill is cheaper than most of the high profile weddings we host." Tomughed. "Everything on there is at cost, you own the ce so it doesn''t incorporate the profit. And Cedric, do you really want to upset Ayanna?"

    Cedric sighed. "No, but she''s not getting off that easily." Cedric said angrily as he dropped the call.

    "Mae, take Emilio out of my office for a moment." Cedric said as he tried to keep himself calm.

    Mae nodded and quickly scooped the child up from the floor and took him outside.

    Cedric dialed his sister''s number and waited for her to pick up, he had to call her at least three times before she finally answered the phone.

    "Older brother, what can I do for you?" Ayanna said in the sweetest tone she could.

    "Ayanna Reyes - Laurence, what kind of a bill is this!?" Cedric asked angrily over the phone.

 Chapter 422 - 422

    Ayanna had already finished trying her wedding gown and was waiting for her friends and sister-inw to step out of the dressing room when her phone began ringing non-stop. When she saw it was Cedric she suddenly became nervous, she had asked Mae the previous night to give Cedric the bill. She didn''t even dare take a look, she knew what she asked for and she knew that the bill was going to be astronomical.

    "Aren''t you going to pick that up?" Her sister-inw, Adrianna, asked as she stepped out in a lc colored gown.??

    "Sister-inw you look gorgeous!" Ayanna gasped as she looked at Adrianna.

    "You''re in trouble, aren''t you?" Adrianna said with augh as she watched Ayanna''s face turn sour.

    "Yup, with my brother." Ayanna said as she showed Adrianna her phone''s screen, Cedric was still calling her.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll protect you." Adrianna said as she smiled sweetly.

    "Thank you sister-inw." Ayanna said excitedly as she picked up the call.

    "Older brother, what can I do for you?" Ayanna said in the sweetest tone she could.

    "Ayanna Reyes - Laurence, what kind of a bill is this!?" Cedric asked angrily over the phone.

    "I have no idea what you are talking about Cedric." Ayanna said innocently.

    "Ayanna, don''t y stupid. It doesn''t suit you." Cedric said in a cold tone that scared Ayanna a little bit.

    "You said you would foot the bill." Ayanna said confidently as Adrianna nodded at her.

    "Cedric saw the bill?" Veronica asked as she walked out of the dressing room.

    "Yup, he''s furious." Ayanna said with a giggle as she moved the phone away, she wasn''t listening to her brother, she knew he would lose this discussion. She had her sister-inw on her side, and her brother would never win against Adrianna.

    "Brother, you promised." Ayanna whined. "Don''t you want to see sister-inw in her matron of honor gown?" Ayanna threatened.

    "Ayanna, don''t you dare use your sister-inw to threaten me." Cedric said angrily.

    Ayanna looked up as she saw Adrianna stretch a hand out towards her, she was asking for the phone. Ayanna smiled and handed the phone over.

    "Cedric, why are you being so harsh on your sister?" Adrianna asked Cedric in a scolding tone.

    "Honey, darling, I''m just telling my sister to be more considerate about the costs." Cedric''s tone suddenly shifted, it sounded like he was begging for his wife to go easy on him.

    "Cedric Reyes, tell me, if we had a formal ceremony, wouldn''t you go overboard like this too?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I would but -" Cedric began to say when his wife quickly cut him off.

    "Ayanna also worked hard to make that money, don''t give me the whole value of money excuse!" Adrianna said quite harshly.

    "Yes honey, sorry honey." Cedric suddenly said, his ego clearly wounded by his wife.

    Ayanna grinned as she heard her brother apologize.

    "Now, speak nicely to Ayanna." Adrianna said as she handed the phone back to her sister-inw.

    "Ayanna, I know I promised to foot the bill, but next time be more conscious about your spending. I don''t want people thinking we are too over the top." Cedric told Ayanna calmly.

    "But, Cedric, you should see how the others spend. Mine isn''t even that bad. I kept it simple. I just want everything to be of the best quality." Ayanna exined. "I already saved a lot by having Selina and Mau do a cob for the gowns and tuxes. And I know you saved a lot on the venue since we''re having it at Constetions."

    "Alright, alright." Cedric said with a sigh, he would never win against the women in his family. "Send me photos of your sister-inw in her gown. I''ll see you both at dinner tonight." Cedric finally said.

    "Alright big brother. Bye." Ayanna said excitedly as she dropped the call.

    "Sister-inw you are the only one that can defeat the devil!" Ayanna said excitedly as she hugged Adrianna tightly.

    "Calm down, your brother isn''t as bad as you think! People will think he is truly evil!" Adriannaughed as she tried to pry Ayanna off of her.

    "You didn''t see him before Adrianna." Katerina said as she came out of the dressing room with Nicole and Natalia. "Back before he was allowed toe home. He was always nice, but he was also cold and constantly in pain."

    "Not only was he apart from his family, but he was also lying to you." Ayanna added. "He hated it. It was like he was constantly being tortured. He isn''t a monster, but he can still be very cold."

    "He went through a lot." Adrianna said with a sigh as she ced a hand on Ayanna''s.

    "We know." Ayanna said with a frown. "I was honestly so afraid that I would get married before he came back. Did you know that when he left I cried so hard that I refused to eat? Mom and dad were so worried about me that they were tempted to call him back. I wanted them to call him back, and they did eventually. But my older brother sat me down and exined to me why he had to leave. I didn''t like it, but as a kid I understood that we always did things differently."

    "I remember that time, auntie Prisci also cried a lot. She was so mad at their grandparents for the tradition. She was always worried and would have her driver take her as close as possible to Cedric''s school and apartment. She would watch him from afar." Katerina exined.

    "How did you know that?" Ayanna asked.

    "She would visit and talk to mom. At the time they thought I didn''t understand what they were talking about, but I did, and I still remember the pain and worry in her eyes." Katerina said with a sigh.

    "It''s a dangerous tradition." Nicole said. "I can''t imagine being separated from Tristan like that."

    "It used to be worse." Ayanna said. "Grandpa changed it. He thought that what his father and grandfather made him go through was too much."

    ""Why did the Reyeses even start that tradition? I mean it seems to work well, but it''s such a gamble." Veronica said.

    "Well, it was because there was once a son of the Reyes Family that almost drove us bankrupt." Ayanna said with a frown. "He spent his money, women, alcohol, and gambling. He was the eldest son, the only son, and they couldn''t do anything about him being the heir. The Reyeses are sticklers for tradition, they are very stubborn. So this heir almost spent everything. Luckily his sister stepped up and took over thepany and the family funds."

    "So the Reyes family''sst name isn''t Reyes?" Adrianna asked.

    "Oh it is." Ayanna said with augh. "That daughter couldn''t have children. So she took her elder brother''s children and trained them. She sent her nephew to live among the slums and sent his other children to be educated. When the eldest son came back after ten years she saw how much he valued hard work and how he understood what the family needed to grow, so she sent him to be educated in Europe. When he came back she taught him how to manage thepany and the family. Eventually his siblings began to help out, they appreciated what he went through and they saw how well he managed everything, so they didn''t fight for power."

    "I guess each family has its own pains." Nicole said with a frown.

    "Yep, no one is perfect." Veronica said with a nod. "Do you think Cedric will make Emilio go through poverty training?"

    "I''m not sure." Ayanna said, shaking her head. "Have you discussed it with my brother?" Ayanna asked Adrianna.

    "Not yet. I''m also afraid of the poverty training part. I don''t think I can be as strong as your mom." Adrianna said with a sigh.

    "Yeah, mom was my pir through that." Ayanna said. "I hope my brother makes the right choice." She said as she took out her phone and sent Adrianna''s photos to Cedric.

 Chapter 423 - 423

    Cedric smiled as he looked at the image of his wife that Ayanna had just sent. It was a photo of Adrianna looking at herself in the mirror. The lc gown made his wife look even younger, it was simple yet it exuded elegance. He had to hand it to Selina and Mau, they did a really good job.

    "Sir, Cami is here." Mae said as she knocked on the door.??

    "Let her in." Cedric said as he ced his phone away.

    "Boss." Cami said with a nod as she walked in.

    "You know you don''t have to call me boss. You usually just call me Cedric." He said, shaking his head. "Emilo,e over and say hi to auntie Cami." Cedric called out.

    Emilio turned around and smiled when he saw his auntie Cami. The little boy stood up and ran over to her, giving her a big hug.

    "Hello Yoyo." Cami ced a kiss on his cheek and picked him up.

    "Auntie, I missed you." Emilio said as he looked up at her with his handsome face and bright eyes.

    "I missed you too Yoyo. I''m sorry I couldn''t visit. I had a lot of work to do." Cami said with a frown. Mor Co. had been extremely busy recently with thepletion of the tech hub right around the corner.

    "Daddy it''s your fault!" Emilio said as he looked at his father who simplyughed at him. Cedric wasn''t surprised that his son understood that he was the one making Cami work.

    "It''s not your dad''s fault Yoyo." Cami said as she sat down and ced him on herp. "It''s work, it''s normal."

    "Daddy, I want auntie Cami, uncle Ian, uncle Dave, and auntie Mae to visit me." Emilio told his father.

    "Okay, okay. I''ll make them work less ande over more." Cedric said with a smile. "Now let me and auntie Cami work."

    Emilio simply nodded and hopped off Cami''sp before running back to his toys.

    "That kid is too smart." Cami said, shaking her head.

    "He''ll run thispany well someday." Cedric said proudly. "How has the Tech Hub''s development been going? No incidents?" Cedric asked.

    "None." Cami said with a relieved smile. "Things have been going well and we are ready to open in three weeks."

    "Wow, that''s faster than I expected." Cedric said with a smile. He was d that his first major project was finally going to bepleted. "Why did you want to speak to me?" Cedric asked.

    "I was hoping to go through the program with you." Cami said, handing him a piece of paper. "It''s just the normal stuff but I wanted to hand it over to you personally. I know how much this project means to you."

    "Thank you Cami." Cedric said with a genuine smile.

    Cedric reviewed the document and found everything to be in order, he signed it, approving the program proposal.

    "I look forward to the inauguration." Cedric said. "Is that all?"

    "Yes. Plus I wanted to y with Emilio." Cami said with a smile.

    "Knock yourself out. I have work to do and I feel bad that he has to y in the corner on his own." Cedric said with a frown as he watched his son.

    "From what Mae told me he was barely alone today." Cami said as she walked over to the little boy.

    Cedric smiled, he was happy about how much love his son was getting. Both his friends and family spoiled Emilio.

    With his son in good hands Cedric went back to work. Eventually, Cami had to leave making Emilio sad. Cedric decided to take some time off work and yed with his son, Emilio''sughter filled the office, making Cedric even happier.

    "Sir?" Mae said as she entered, she was surprised to find Cedric''s desk empty. She looked around and found him sitting on the ground, ying with his son.

    "Yes Mae?" Cedric asked.

    "Mr. Alexi is here." Mae announced.

    "Let him in." Cedric said without getting up.

    "You know if people saw you like this they would be shocked." Alexi said with augh as he sat on the ground with Cedric and Emilio.

    "Uncle Alex!" Emilio said, hugging Alexi.

    "Hello Emilio, how are you enjoying your dad''s office?" Alexi asked the little boy.

    "I like going to the office with dad." Emilio said with a wide smile.

    "Good, good." Alexi said with a nod. Cedric noticed that he was acting oddly, he seemed a little restrained in his movement.

    "Is something wrong?" Cedric asked as he looked at his friend.

    "Do you mind if we talk away from Emilio?" Alexi asked as he patted the boy on the head.

    "Sure." Cedric said with a nod as he got up and walked over to the inte in the office.

    "Mae, do you mind taking care of Emilio out there?" Cedric asked.

    "No problem boss!" Came Mae''s response almost immediately.

    Mae came in and helped Emilio pick up some toys. Emilio held Mae''s hand as they walked out of Cedric''s office.

    "We''re alone as you wanted." Cedric said, stretching his arms. "What do you want?" He asked.

    Cedric watched as Alexi hesitated to speak. He paced back and forth, he stopped and tried to speak several times, but to no avail. It seemed whatever was bothering Alexi weighed heavily on his shoulders.

    "Does it involve your engagement?" Cedric finally asked. He decided to start with the most obvious source of his dilemma.

    "Yes." Alexi said with a nod.

    "Are you doubting your actions?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Alexi answered again.

    "I thought you were sure about Jen?" Cedric said with a grin. He wasn''t Nurse Jen''s biggest fan either.

    "I am, well I''m not sure if I am." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "Alexi you proposed without being sure about it, why?" Cedric massaged his temples, he could feel a headache building as Alexi confessed that he wasn''t sure about the woman he had proposed to.

    "I was so angry." Alexi said. "Katerina keeps telling me how she didn''t trust Jen, or how she felt something was wrong about her. Then the whole incident where she saw Jen with another man came up, and I just lost it."

    "Dude, you were stupid." Cedric said bluntly. "Why would you propose to someone without being sure? Katerina was only looking out for you."

    "I know, I know. But my sister can be too much most of the time." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "So what do you n to do about it?" Cedric asked.

    "Wait and see I guess." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "Okay, I doubt you came here to talk about just this. So why did you reallye over?" Cedric said as he looked his friend in the eyes.

 Chapter 424 - 424

    "Selina." Aleix said in a tender tone.

    "Wow, I''ve never heard you say Jen''s name like that." Cedric said in surprise.??

    "I don''t know. I''m confused." Alexi said, shaking his head. "Long ago I thought I fell in love at first sight. Then she rejected me, so I became angry and broken again. Then I fall in love, but this time with her ex-best friend and ex-lover. What is wrong with me?"

    Cedric felt bad for Alexi, but then again he couldn''t help butugh at the man. If people knew that the yboy Alexander Sebastian was currentlymenting about the rejection he received from a woman he loved they would be shocked.

    "There isn''t anything wrong with you." Cedric said with a sigh as he took a seat on the couch.

    Alexi followed him and sat across.

    "Love is difficult." Cedric said. "If you ask me why I love Adrianna I don''t know how to answer you. I love her for her. I love everything about her. I know that''s how you felt about Selina, don''t even try denying it." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Who told you?" Alexi asked with a re.

    "I guessed. And Katerina let it slip." Cedric said with augh.

    "What do I do?" Alexi said, shaking his head.

    "You regret not having a shot with Selina?" Cedric asked.

    Alexi nodded with a frown. "I also regret how I''ve been treating her." He added. "The thing is, I believe Jen, I mean I should believe Jen.Right?"

    "Do you?" Cedric asked.

    "Not entirely." Alexi said looking down at his feet. "I can''t seem to trust her unconditionally."

    "Why not speak to Selina? You heard her truth, ask her about it." Cedric urged.

    "She hates me. And what will I tell my girl - no my fiance?" Alexi''s worry was clear in the tone of his voice.

    "The truth." Cedric said with a shrug. "If she loves you and trusts you, she will understand. You need this Alexi. You need to be sure. Marriage isn''t a simple matter."

    "And what if she leaves?" Alexi asked.

    "Then maybe, she isn''t the one for you." Cedric said.

    "I chased her for years Cedric. Can I just throw those years away?" Alexi asked.

    "If you don''t you''ll end up suffering for the rest of your life." Cedric reminded his friend.

    Alexi remained silent for a while, he just sat on the couch, looking at the ground, keeping his thoughts to himself.

    Cedric respected his need to think things through. Cedric sat on the couch across Alexi for at least five minutes before walking back to his desk and getting to work. He reviewed a few proposals and signed some documents.

    After a while Alexi suddenly sat up, catching Cedric''s attention.

    "Have you decided what to do?" Cedric asked as he ced his pen down and gave his full attention to his friend.

    "I have." Alexi said with a nod.

    "Good luck then, I wish you the best." Cedric said with a smile as he returned his attention back to his work.

    "Won''t you ask what I have decided to do?" Alexi asked as he walked over to Cedric''s desk.

    "I don''t need to. It doesn''t matter to me. It matters to you." Cedric said with a sigh. "I''m sure whichever action you chose to take is for the best. This way you won''t regret anything because you sat down and thought about it. You didn''t suddenly jump into it like your engagement."

    "We''re the same age and yet you seem wiser than me." Alexi said with augh.

    "Must be the poverty training." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Thank you." Alexi said with a smile.

    Cedric simply nodded at his friend.

    Alexi then walked out of his office, Cedric could feel Alexi''s new found confidence in himself and in his decision.

    Cedric gathered the documents on his desk and walked out to hand it over to Mae.

    He found his assistant handing his son a piece of candy. Emilio was so happy that he hugged his auntie Mae and kept thanking her. Cedric wished he could keep Emilio at that age, he knew that eventually his son would have to learn the ropes and his days of fun and games would be over.

    "Daddy! Daddy!" Emilio said as he spotted his father.

    "Sir, you should have just called me. No need to take the documents out yourself." Mae said as she walked over with Emilio, taking the documents out of Cedric''s arms.

    "It''s no bother Mae." Cedric said with augh. "I used to work as an assistant too. I understand how much work you guys actually have to do."

    "Thank you sir." Mae said as she brought the documents to her desk.

    "Yoyo!" A familiar voice suddenly called out from the elevator.

    "Auntie Nat!" Emilio said as he suddenly ran over to Natalia.

    "Oh Yoyo! Did you miss me?" Natalia asked as she caught the running boy.

    "Yes auntie! I missed you this much." Emilio said as he stretched his arms.

    "You''re here early." Cedric said as he walked over to Natalia.

    "I escaped the fitting as soon as I was done. I hate those things." Natalia grumbled.

    "And here I thought all girls loved fashion." Cedirc said with augh.

    "I would rather be in myb rather than in Maureen''s workshop." Natalia said, rolling her eyes at Cedric.

    "Your brother was here." Cedric told Natailia.

    "Let me guess. Jen issues?" Natalia asked rhetorically. "It''s always Jen. Either he is over the moon with her or he is confused by her. I have no idea what that woman slipped into his drink but my brother is obsessed with her. I''m not even surprised he proposed, I''m shocked she epted." Natalia said, shaking her head.

    "Partly her, partly someone else." Cedric said, shocking Natalia.

    "I hope that someone else is Selina." She said with a guilty giggle. "He looks at her differently."

    "You mean with anger?" Cedric asked.

    "No, he always looks lost and confused whenever she''s around." Natalia said with a sigh. "Anyway, here are the videos you asked for." Natalia said as she handed Cedric a paper bag.

    "Thanks, this is perfect." Cedric said with a smile.

    "No problem. I knew you would ask for it again. Now let me y with Yoyo!" Natalia said as she hugged the little boy. "By the way, who is this genius you found? Can he do better than my guy?"

    As if on cue the elevator opened behind Natalia.

    "What are you doing here?" Aldofo suddenly asked as he looked at Natalia in shock.

 Chapter 425 - 425

    Adolfo stood in the hallway with Dave, shocked by the person holding Emilio. When he saw her he froze in his tracks and couldn''t help but ask why she was there.

    Likewise Natalia was surprised to see someone like Adolfo in Cedric''s office. She knew he was of the government and his family would never let him mingle with dirty businessmen like the Reyes family.??

    "Cedric is my older brother." Natalia said as she turned her back on Adolfo.

    "That''s a lie." Adolfo said as he red at her.

    "You guys look adorable, you should date." Dave teased as walked back to his desk, greeting Cedric and Emilio with a nod as he passed. "Give me a moment, Adolfo. I need to get something."

    "This is the expert you were talking about?" Natalia asked Cedric in a disappointed tone.

    "Yes." Cedric nodded. "How do you know each other?" He was genuinely curious as to how Natalia and Adolfo met.

    "We went to genius camp together." Natalia grumbled.

    Genius camp wasn''t the real name for the bi-annual gathering that Natalia and Miguel often joined as kids. It was actually called the Academy for Advanced and Gifted Children, but Cedric and the other boys preferred to call it genius camp. It was a government initiative designed to push children that showed high intellectual abilities to test their limits and to grow. Cedric had initially been qualified to attend the academy, but as the Reyes Heir his father decided that it would onlyplicate things.

    "Why are you here?" Natalia asked as she red at Adolfo. "Doesn''t your family think the Reyeses are too dirty?"

    "Natalia!" Cedric scolded.

    "You know how those military families think, they assume that you guys get your money from dirty sources cause you are businessmen." Natalia said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

    "Natalia, Adolfo is my friend." Cedric said as he tried to convince Natalia that he and Adolfo were on good terms.

    "It''s my life, Natalia." Adolfo said sternly. "My parents and my family have no say in how I choose to live it. I refuse to continue living in secret camps and secludedbs."

    "Wait! Your family doesn''t know you''re here?" Cedric asked in surprise.

    "They do. But they aren''t happy about it." Adolfo said with a shrug. "Think of me as semi-disowned."

    "How can you be semi-disowned?" Dave said as he came back with an envelope and a key.

    "Well, I''m not allowed to ask for help until I''m ready toe back." Adolfo said with a shrug. "Cedric, you can''t scold me for hiding this from you. You lied about who you were to me."

    Cedricughed at Adolfo''s statement, the boy was not wrong.

    "I have no intention of scolding you." Cedric said as he grinned at Adolfo. "You''re right, I wasn''t upfront with you on my identity, nor were you, and we clearly had our reasons. So I understand where you areing from." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Ugh. You should be on my side with this." Nataliained.

    "What''s wrong with you Natalia? You usually act more mature?" Cedric said as he cocked his head at Natalia.

    "It''s him. He just, ughhhh, annoys me." Nataliained.

    Cedricughed as he watched Natalia get more and more frustrated with Adolfo.

    "Dave is right, the two of you do make a cute couple." Cedric teased, annoying both of them. "Why don''t we go and take a look at your new office Adolfo?" Cedric said as he started to walk away.

    "This way boss." Dave said with augh. His boss was really good at picking on his friends, Cedric seemed to hit the bullseye every time.

    Dave led them to a medium sized office at the end of the hall. There were a few tables and someputers had already been set up.

    "When did they fix this ce?" Cedric asked in surprise. He had asked Dave to set all of this up just five hours ago, and yet now it looked almostplete.

    "Mae helped me coordinate everything while Dave and I were procuring the things that weren''t avable in the office. It was while you were meeting with Cami but before Mr. Alexi arrived." Dave exined.

    "I hope this office is big enough for you." Cedric said with a grin as Adolfo explored the room.

    The young man was clearly impressed with the setup that Dave and Mae had pulled off for him. He didn''t expect his own office or a room this big.

    "I went ahead and asked Mae to set up a working desk, aputer chair, and a couch." Dave said as he pointed at the various items in the room. "I''ve also asked her to ce a mini pantry here, there is arger one outside. You can use ours, but honestly there aren''t that many employees on this floor. Mostly just people who report directly to Mr. Cedric and Miss Ayanna. When Miss Marie and Miss Aurora are here then their staff also works here, but at the moment it''s just us." Dave exined.

    "Adolfo, I don''t think I need to tell you that what I am asking you to work on is confidential." Cedic said as he ced a hand on the younger man''s shoulder.

    "I understand." Adolfo said with a nod.

    "You set him up quite nicely here Cedric." Natalia said as she looked around.

    "So will you consider working for the Reyes Group now?" Cedric said with augh. "You also have a friend working here." He teased.

    "Ugh, first of all, if you made me work with Adolfo we would just spend the whole day bickering. That''s what happened at the academy." Natalia said, rolling her eyes. "Secondly, my skills are best used for the advancement of the human race, not for lining your pocket." Natalia teased.

    "Alright, alright." Cedric said with a smile. He knew Natalia would never work for him, like Miguel she was a ''for the good of all mankind'' kind of person. "By the way, what happened to the project you were paired at?" Cedric couldn''t resist asking.

    "Oh, we won first ce. The tech we developed was patented and used in the military." Adolfoughed. "We actually make a good team." He said with a grin.

    "You are insufferable." Natalia said, rolling her eyes. "Cedric, why don''t you ask him to go over the tapes while I''m here?" Natalia asked.

    "Won''t that take long?" Cedric was puzzled as to why Natalia wanted Adolfo to analyze the tapes in front of her.

    "No, not with his eyes, or his program." Natalia said with a shrug as she walked over and sat on the couch.

    "Alright. Dave, please get the tapes." Cedric instructed.

    _________________________________________________________________________________

    As an added gift on Never Judge''s 6th month, I will be posting a little teaser for all of you. The first 5 chapters into a novel about the SISTERS. Yes a book on Ayanna, Veronica, Nicole, Katerina, and Natalia!

    It will be avable on my discord server. for those that want to read it, here is the link: https://discord.gg/VgShhK8Duu

    Thank you for supporting Never Judge, don''t forget to vote with your PS,ment, and give gifts!

    ___________________________________________________________________________________

 Chapter 426 - 426

    When Dave returned with the paper bag containing the tapes and all the other relevant equipment for Adolfo to analyze the video.

    "Who ran the test for youst time?" Adolfo asked Natalia as he plugged in the hard drive to theputer.??

    "It was Ken." Natalia said with a shrug.

    "Hah! Kendrick Chua? Seriously?" Adolfoughed as he began to type something on theputer.

    "He''s the best." Natalia said with a shrug.

    "Second best, he always came second." Adolfo said with a grin as he continued to work on the video.

    "Natalia, if you knew Adolfo was better than that Ken guy, why didn''t you take the video to Adolfo?" Cedric asked.

    "Because I thought Adolfo was still in the military. Plus Ken has always been nicer to me." Natalia exined.

    "He''s just nice cause he has a thing for you." Adolfo said with augh. It seemed that Adolfo turned to a whole different person when Natalia was around, he was more confident and he spoke more. Cedric was quite surprised by the change but chose not to say anything.

    "That''s stupid Adolfo." Natalia said, rolling her eyes.

    "Well it''s true." Adolfo said as he finally looked up at her. "Remember ourst year at the academy? He was going to confess, I have no idea what happened but he seemed to have backed out."

    "Thest year. . ." Natalia said as he voice trailed off.

    Adolfo''s typingpletely took over the silent room as Cedric watched the younger man at work.

    "Oh, shit, I told him I was in an arranged marriage." Natalia said with a gasp.

    "Really Natalia?" Adolfo asked as heughed at what she said. "Then again, it''spletely believable. He knew Miguel, and Miguel was alwaysining about how his family would probably set him up for an arranged marriage. The Sebastian''s aren''t exactly known for being progressive thinkers either. Well back then at least."

    "Shouldn''t you be focusing on that?" Natalia asked as she was embarrassed by Adolfo''s words.

    "This? You know that this is way too easy for me." Adolfo said, rolling his eyes. "Don''t pretend that you don''t know how good I am." He said quite confidently.

    "Wow Adolfo, I''ve never seen you this confident." Dave teased, taking the words right out of Cedric''s mouth. He too wanted to tease the younger man.

    "What are you talking about?" Adolfo asked as he continued to work. "I''m always like this."

    "Of course not. You''re usually the silent type." Cedric said.

    "Adolfo, silent? Are you pulling my leg Cedric?" Natalia said as she looked at Cedric curiously.

    "He barely speaks." Cedric told Natalia.

    "Done!" Adolfo said victoriously,

    "And?" Natalia asked, quickly dropping the topic.

    "It''s definitely been tampered." Adolfo said as he called everyone over. "I really don''t know how Ken could have missed this. I mean it''s a really badly done tamper."

    "He said it was clean." Natalia said as she pushed Adolfo''s seat and began typing on theputer.

    "You can do these things?" Cedric asked Natalia as he watched her type on theputer.

    "Natalia can do a lot of things Cedric. She''s multitalented. Plus this was one of the basic things we were taught at the academy." Adolfo exined. Cedric wasn''t surprised that there were a lot of things he didn''t know about Natalia, he wasn''t around for quite a while and he missed a lot of things.

    "How did he miss this?" Natalia asked as she looked at the video and repeatedly yed the scene.

    "Didn''t you check after he took a look at it?" Adolfo asked her.

    "No, I trust him. And he is much better at this than me." Natalia said as she stepped away from theputer. "How could Ken miss this?"

    "Natalia, don''t you think he could have lied to you?" Dave asked.

    "No, I don''t think so." Natalia said, shaking her head. "He doesn''t have a reason to lie."

    "Natalia, everyone can have a reason to lie." Adolfo said as he looked her in the eyes.

    "Cedric I''m so sorry." Natalia said with a frown.

    "Natalia, you don''t need to apologize. You trusted this Ken guy and he said nothing was wrong with the surveince tapes." Cedric exined to her.

    "Thank you Adolfo." Natalia said in barely audible volume.

    "Speak up, Natalia. I can''t quite hear you." Adolfo said with a grin.

    "I said thank you." Natalia said with a frown. "I don''t understand why Ken did this and I will get to the bottom of it." Natalia said with much conviction.

    "Don''t." Cedric suddenly said. "If it is something that can potentially ce you in harm''s way, don''t do it. Your brother will never forgive me and I don''t want you to risk your safety."

    "Cedric''s right." Adolfo said. "I should have told you this as soon as you mentioned Ken, butst I heard he and his family have been going through a tough financial situation. I think he has turned to the ck market and he may have even been the one that tampered with this video. He didn''t care to cover his tracks, he knew you would go to him so he kept his work sloppy. He knows you trust him, he knew you wouldn''t personally check the videos if he told you they were clean."

    "I need to know why he did it." Natalia said.

    "Natalia, he did it for money." Adolfo said as he tried to shake some sense into her. "Life isn''t asplicated as you think it is. Sometimes it''s as simple as he needs the money."

    Natalia frowned at Adolfo''s words but didn''t retaliate.

    Cedric breathed a sigh of relief when Natalia simply epted what Adolfo had said, in all honesty he didn''t want to see the pair fighting again.

    "So they are tampered." Cedric said as he looked at theputer screen, he too was frustrated. He could have asked Adolfo for help the first time they studied the video, but he also trusted Natalia''s guy.

    "Yes. The video itself was changed." Adolfo exined.

    "Can you somehow retrieve the missing clip?" Cedric asked nervously.

    "I can, but it will take time." Adolfo said with a frown. "As it is you are already asking me to do something else. I work on both at the same time." Adolfo said with a shrug. He would never lie to Cedric about his.

    "Which can be done faster?" Cedric asked.

    "The video, I should have it reconstructed by the end of the week." Adolfo said.

    "Alright. I''ll give you a week. Tell me if you get it done sooner." Cedric said with a nod. He was hoping his friend could finish it before his deadline.

 Chapter 427 - 427

    Cedric sat calmly at his office desk, it had been two days since Adolfo moved to the CEO''s floor and the investigation into the tapes. His mother and her friends were still on vacation, and today was golf day for the fathers at Nationalia, while Ayanna had once more whisked away his wife for some wedding nning. This meant that Emilio was once again under his care.

    Cedric couldn''t cancel any more meetings so he had decided to ask Mae to arrange for all his meetings to be held at the private room at Nouveau. This odd change in venue left a lot of employees confused, what was going on at the CEO''s floor that required all of his meetings to be moved to the restaurant.??

    As much as Cedric wanted to spend time with his son, he still had a job to do. Thousands of people depended on him actually working in order to keep thepany running like a well oiled machine.

    "Emilio." Cedric said as he crouched down, next to his son. Emilio was in a y pen ced behind Dave''s and Mae''s desks. It was hidden from view in case someone went up to the CEO''s floor in need of something. Cedric couldn''t leave his son inside of the office, he was worried that if an emergency happened no one would notice.

    "Daddy?" Emilio asked as he looked at his father with his bright and curious eyes.

    "I''ll leave you with uncle Dave and uncle Adolfo. I need to go to a few meetings." Cedric told his son. He was hoping Emilio would understand what he was trying to say. He was sure that Emilio picked up on things quite quickly and he understood many big words quite well.

    "Okay daddy. Have fun." Emilio said with a bright smile.

    Cedric nodded and gave his son a kiss before finally heading down with Mae in tow.

    When they got to the private room, the research and development team eagerly greeted him and Mae. They had just gotten word that Adolfo, one of their own teammates, and caught the eye of the CEO''s former assistants and was somehow promoted to a more important role in thepany. Some were nervous, they hadn''t exactly treated Adolfo well while he was in their team, while others were trying to grab the opportunity to be like Adolfo and possibly work on an important project directly under the CEO.

    "Before we begin the meeting there are some things I would like to address." Cedric said as she took a seat at the head of the table. His tone was cold and threatening, the employees of the research department were all suddenly nervous.

    "Recently, the skills and potential of one of your co-workers caught my team''s attention." Cedric said as he looked the employees in the eyes, many averted their gaze, while others would look back, but their eyes were filled with either curiosity or fear. "I find it disappointing that we had witnessed some of his co-workers bullying him. I don''t know if any of you were aware of it but, Mr. Luna does not have a simple background."

    "Sir?" The head of the research department couldn''t help but ask.

    "You should be aware of General Jaime Luna, and his father the retired General Armando Luna?" Cedric asked the research head.

    "Yes sir. We''ve worked with them multiple times." The research department head said with a nod as his eyes suddenly went wide, as he realized what Cedric was trying to imply. He then turned to the employees to exin. "Most of our military contracts and funding goes through them. They are a very old and very powerful military family, they rarely interact outside of the military or the government, as a matter of fact, ording to rumors they think quite lowly of business families. As a result they rarely interact outside the government."

    "Yes, the Luna family is even more secretive than my own." Cedric said with a nod. "You all know my sister, as for them, if you are outside of the government or the military you won''t know anything about their family. The interesting thing about them is that they are quite unforgiving." Cedric said in a cold tone.

    "And some of you have managed to offend them." The research department head said with a sigh.

    "Adolfo Luna is the eldest son of the said family and he was hired here against his family''s wishes." Cedric said sternly as he spotted the man that had been bullying Adolfo. The man had turned pale, hispanions also looked quite worried. It seemed they too had bullied Adolfo. "They will be out for blood when they find out. Adolfo is low profile, but no one steps on a Luna."

    Cedric watched as many employees began to look worried. It seemed more people had bullied Adolfo than he had expected.

    "Investigate the matter." Cedric told the research department head. "If they confess, give the appropriate punishment, if they don''t fire them." Cedric said coldly as he stood up and left the room. That was his only purpose for calling this meeting. He would have a few minutes to himself then he would have to go back down again for another set of discussions with other teams and departments within hispany.

    When he finally made it back up to the CEO''s floor he walked over to his son and brought him back into his office. He hugged the little boy, Cedric honestly didn''t like acting cold and harsh, but he had to. Hugging Emilio reminded him of his humanity and how he was not that cold person that he would transform into in public.

    "Daddy, are you alright?" Emilio asked as he ced a small hand on his father''s cheek.

    "Yes, little one, I''m fine." Cedric said with a smile.

    Before he could even ce Emilio back down on the ground Dave entered the office without knocking.

    "Sir, I have news." Dave said in a frantic tone.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked as he watched Emilio run back to his toys.

    "There was movement at the house. The woman is back." Dave said as he tried to catch a reaction from Cedric.

 Chapter 428 - 428

    Cedric frowned at Dave''s news. In the past year the frequency of visits his father and the woman had paid to the house had waned, at first there wasn''t a change, but eventually Cedric and his people realized that frome every week the visits had gone down to once a month. After a while there had been no activity at all. Cedric suspected that it was because his mom was at home all the time now since handing over rin industries to him and his sister.

    "How long has it been since thest visit?" Cedric asked as he sighed. He had hoped that after their retirement his parents would rekindle their love and his dad would drop the mistress. ??

    "It''s been six months, sir." Dave said as he walked over to show Cedric images of the woman arriving at the house. She was always careful, her face was fully covered and she always wore loose and baggy clothing, Cedric couldn''t even tell what her body type was, there was so little that they could use to investigate who she actually was.

    "My dad? Did he go there?" Cedric asked. His dad had told him earlier that day that he was going to go out to y golf with his friends the whole day at Nationalia. He knew that it was unlikely for his father to convince all of his friends to cover for his infidelity. On top of that many businessmen would be waiting at Nationalia to curry good favor with him, even if he had retired he was still the new CEO''s father, and Cedric rarely appeared in public, so there was little to no opportunity for them to get close to him. Emilio Reyes III''s absence would be noted by everyone and it would surely cause gossip, he never missed golfing at Nationalia with his friends.

    "No sir. At least not yet." Dave said as he ced the tablet on Cedric''s desk.

    "Keep an eye on the house. Do we have any idea who that woman could be?" Cedric asked as he picked up the tablet containing the image and zoomed in on the woman on the screen.

    "No sir. We''ve run all the images through the most sophisticated software and still nothing." Dave said with a frown, Cedric had given Ian and Cami that task at first, but there was nothing they could find. Later on they passed it on to Dave and Mae as they moved to their new positions.

    After a long silence, Cedric suddenly sat up and looked at Dave, he had just gotten an idea, something he should have thought of days ago.

    "Get Adolfo in here now." Cedric said in an urgent tone. Adolfo was a genius with these things, why didn''t he think of asking Adolfo when he first arrived at the CEO''s floor, then again Cedric had also thought that this matter had died months ago and he was even willing to let his father keep his dark secret.

    Dave simply nodded and left to call Adolfo Luna. Luckily he had been moved to the CEO''s floor, so it only took about five minutes to call him over.

    "Dave said you needed me boss?" Adolfo asked as he casually strolled into the office with Dave in tow.

    "Uncle Adolfo!" Emilio, who was on Cedric''sp, happily cried out as he saw Adolfo enter.

    "Hello little one." Adolfo greeted with a smile.

    "Yoyo, go over and y with uncle Dave while I have a word with your uncle Adolfo." Cedric said as he gently ced the boy back down on the ground.

    Emilio nodded and walked over to Dave and held his hand. Dave smiled at the little boy and walked out with him.

    When he heard the door close firmly behind Cedric spoke.

    "Any chance you have a program that can detect a person''s identity even if he or she is clothed with little to no leads to how they look or how their stature is?" Cedric asked.

    "What?" Adolfo asked as he blinked in confusion.

    "Here." Cedric said, handing over the photos of the woman to Adolfo. "I need to know who this person is." Cedric said.

    "Sorry Cedric, but I can''t." Adolfo said. "My biggest hurdle will be that I need a database of every individual''s features so that my tech can recognize them. Secondly, this woman is so well covered that there is no way for me to detect her real identity."

    "How did you do it for the cameras?" Cedric asked as he remembered the cameras that Adolfo had sold to Miguel.

    "Those cameras were developed for the government, they already have a database, and at the same time goes on it collects more and more data, updating itself." Adolfor exined. "Plus it has its own limitations, it wouldn''t be able to detect the identity of a person this covered up."

    Cedric sighed in defeat as he realized that there was nothing Adolfo could do to help with his problem.

    "Cedric, if there was anything I could do to help you with this I would have told you." Adolfo said as he saw the visible disappointment from Cedric''s expression.

    "I know you aren''t god." Cedric said, shaking his head. Even the best in their fields had their own limitations, Adolfo couldn''t magically find this woman''s identity and Miguel couldn''t possibly save a man that was barely there, like with what happened to Jam.

    Cedric frowned at the memory of the man. It had been over a year and he still couldn''t find the real mastermind behind Jam''s death, he had gotten frustrated many times, but still kept pushing his men and his friends to find the people behind MT Summit.

    "Cedric, I might not be able to help with this, but I can help with other things." Adolfo said quite confidently.

    "What are you talking about?" Cedric asked, confused by Adolfo''s words.

    "I finished reconstructing the videos from Natalia sooner than I expected." Adolfo exined. "I''ve gone through them and I think you need to call Natalia and her family over."

    "Adolfo, I can''t just summon the president to my office." Cedric said with a frown. "But I can, however, call her and her siblings toe." Cedric said with a nod.

    "You might also want to invite anyone who was involved in this incident." Adolfo told Cedric. "What I saw was quite interesting."

    "I''ll have theme over this afternoon." Cedric said with a nod.

 Chapter 429 - 429

    Cedric debated with himself for a while if he should invite Alexi toe over or not. Alexi had no idea that they had asked for a second opinion on the tapes from Natalia''sb. If a significant breach had been found then it was actually a matter of National importance, Natalia''sb was under the Sebastian family home. The president and his family still stayed there often, preferring the ancestral home over the one provided by the state.

    "Invite my brother." Katerina said sternly over the phone. Cedric had already informed Natalia and the other boys and he was now on the phone with Katerina who was actually helping out with Ayanna''s wedding preparations.??

    "I''m not sure what we will see." Cedric said in a grim tone. He was worried that they would see Jen stealing the serums as they had suspected.

    "And if we don''t see what you are expecting we will all apologize to my brother for thinking the worst of his fiance." Katerina said in a scolding tone.

    "Fine, I''ll invite your brother over." Cedric groaned. "Tell Eric toe as well. I know he is dying to find out too."

    Cedric knew that even if he didn''t tell Katerina that she would be dragging her boyfriend over the R Tower.

    "Aren''t you worried that he will cause a stir?" Katerina asked.

    "Hees here often enough." Cedric said calmly. "People know we are friends and that he is also an endorser for the Reyes Group, so it shouldn''t be suspicious. Just don''t arrive together." Cedric reminded her.

    "I won''t." Katerina said in an annoyed tone. Cedric knew that Katerina had the tendency to sometimes jump into things without fully considering the consequences. It was such a pr opposite to how she acted as awyer.

    "I''ll see you guys in a bit then." Cedric said, dropping the call.

    He looked at his phone for a while before finally letting out a sigh and calling Alexi.

    "Hey Ced, what''s up?" Alexi greeted in a chirpier than normal tone.

    "You sound happy, anyway, do you think you can be at my office in an hour?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "Sure, I''m just out right now. But I''ll go straight there." Alexi told Cedric.

    "Oh Alexi,e alone." Cedric said in a dark tone. He was worried that Alexi would drag Nurse Jen along, him bringing her would result in an extremely awkward incident.

    "Okay, I wasn''t nning on bringing anyone." Alexi said in an annoyed tone. "I''m not with Jen right now." He added.

    "Oh, did you talk to her?" Cedric asked.

    "By her do you mean Jen or Selina?" Alexi asked.

    "Selina." Cedric rified.

    "I did." As Alexi confirmed that he had spoken to Selina, his to changed slightly. "We spoke a bit, but I had to go pick Jen up. I n to have a longer conversation with herter on, but things are just really busy. I''ll probably get to speak to her after Ray and Ayanna''s ceremony."

    "Well, that''s not too long from now, just a week." Cedric said. Ray and Ayanna''s wedding ceremony was set to be held next sunday. That was why Ayanna and the girls had been running around the city making sure everything was ready.

    "By the way, when do they n to announce the wedding and send out the invites?" Alexi asked.

    "I think they''ll do it the day before the wedding. The important people have been notified already anyway." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "And how do you n on pulling off the whole mysterious CEO vibe at the wedding?" Alexi asked.

    "Same as always. I just can''t be too showy with my wife, or my son." Cedric exined.

    "And how will you exin Cedric''s absence in the event?" Alexi seemed to be more curious about Cedric''s n for the wedding over whatever news he was being invited over to R Tower for.

    "Cedric will be sick." He said simply.

    "People will suspect." Alexi warned.

    "It''s alright." Cedric said with a sigh. "Soon, things will be out in the open soon."

    "She''s finally letting you?" Alexi asked. They all knew that Adrianna was the reason why Cedric hadn''t revealed himself to the world yet. She wanted to be able to stand next to him in her own right and not as some trophy wife who had the world handed to her.

    "It''s more than that. I think we might be able to find the people behind MT Summit soon." Cedric said. Recently his cousin Ace had called telling him that they might have snapped a photo of the new CEO of Regis Inc. If they could find out who he sold MT Summit to, they could possibly find the people that had been going after Cedric and the ones responsible for Jam''s murder.

    "Tell me if you need anything." Alexi said in a sincere tone. Ever since he announced his engagement to Jen, Cedric had been careful about what he told Alexi. It wasn''t that he didn''t trust Alexi, he just wasn''t sure about Jen.

    "I will. I''ve got work. I''ll see you in an hour." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    Before his friends could arrive Cedric had to go through another mountain of documents. It seemed like all he did was go to meetings and sign things. A big part of him missed his more hands on approach at Mor Co.

    Cedric was so busy that he didn''t notice the time. An hour had already passed and his friends began to arrive. When they saw that Cedric was still busy working they brought Emilio in and yed with him.

    "I''m done." Cedric said as he ced down his pen.

    "Dave, get the documents and please ask Mae to bring Adolfo over." Cedric said over the inte.

    Soon enough Dave entered and took away the documents from Cedric''s desk.

    "Anywhere I can plug this in?" Adolfo asked as he entered Cedric''s office.

    "Plug it behind the TV." Cedric said pointing to one of the screens in his office.

    When Adolfo finished setting up, Cedric quickly introduced him to everyone. Cedric wasn''t surprised to see that Adolfo was not intimidated by his friends at all. As a matter of fact he seemed quitefortable. Cedric assumed that it was because Adolfo was used to meeting people for important military and political families.

    "I think after this, Alexi, Katerina, Natalia, you will need to significantly increase the security in the Sebastianpound." Alexi said as he pressed y.

 Chapter 430 - 430

    The scene that yed on Cedric''s screen started off quite normal. Natalia was in herb with a few assistants, they were going about their business analyzingpounds and several chemicals. Then he noticed that they began packing up their things, it was probablyte at night and they were going to head home.

    "This was at the end of the day." Natalia exined. "It was already around 12 mn."??

    "Wow, you guys workte." Ray said as he observed the video on the screen.

    "Yeah, Alexi alwaysins about how we are too noisy when we pass outside his room." Natalia said with augh.

    "This part was left untampered." Adolfo exined to the group. "A few momentster." Adolfo says as he presses fast forward and nothing changes. It remains an empty room.

    "We''ve seen this." Alexiined. "ording to Natalia''s friend, this was untampered and was clearly the correct film."

    "He was wrong." Adolfo said in a colder than normal tone.

    "Adolfo, you don''t have to be so harsh towards him." Nataliained. Clearly there was some kind of history between Natalia, Adolfo, and the Ken fellow that Natalia had initially gone to to study the tapes.

    "Wow, you call me harsh, you were way worse on him." Adolfo said with a grin.

    "Can the two of you please fightter?" Miguelined. "Your love hate rtionship is not helping, and Adolfo, seriously, shouldn''t you be nicer to Natalia while her brother is around?" Miguel said with a naughty grin as he gestured towards Alexi.

    Alexi simply smiled and raised an eyebrow at the younger man.

    "It''s not like that Miguel!" Nataliained. "Can we just get back to the matter at hand?"

    "I don''t hear Adolfoining." Alexi couldn''t resist but teased Adolfo and Natalia.

    "As much as I would like to continue this conversation, I think Natalia is right. We need to focus our attention on this." Katerina said with a nod.

    "So hot." Eric whispered, loud enough for Cedric, who was seated next to the couple to hear.

    He saw Katerina smack Eric on the head making himugh.

    "Continue." Cedric said with a nod as he looked towards Adolfo.

    "Natalia, I know you want to think the best of Ken, but he tampered with this tape. It''s his signature." Adolfo said with a sigh. "He told you it wasn''t tampered because it was his work. I already told you this."

    Natalia refused to look at Adolfo making him sigh.

    "This is the actual tape." Adolfo said as he pressed y again.

    It was the same room and it was still empty. Then the lights were switched on.

    "This happened at 3 am." Adolfo exined. "I''m guessing that at this time everyone in the house was already fast asleep."

    "That day, I was home." Alexi said tentatively.

    "I was too. I slept at home since we finishedte. Normally I would go back to the state house to be with mom and dad, but I didn''t want to bother the security team and cause a ruckus." Natalia exined.

    "Don''t look at me. I was at my house." Katerina said as Eric smiled slyly beside her.

    "Ugh, disgusting Eric." Miguel said as he noticed the look on his older brother''s face.

    "Trust me, you and Veronica are much worse." Eric teased back.

    "So this person is possibly an intruder?" Cedric asked.

    "The Sebastianpound is very secure, just to get in you have to go through both state and private security. How can some stranger waltz right in?" Natalia asked.

    "It could have been an inside job." Adolfo suggested.

    "Impossible, everyone who works on the property is fully vetted. We do extensive background checks on them." Katerna said, shaking her head.

    "Everyone has a price." Cedric said with a sigh. "All it takes is either a bribe or a threat."

    "Wait, we shouldn''t just jump into conclusions." Ray said as he quickly tried to pull everyone''s attention back.

    "Yes, we should watch the rest of it." Cedric said with a nod.

    Adolfo nodded and pressed y once more. He yed it at normal speed this time, at first the room was empty but slowly a figure walked in, it was a woman, but her back was turned on the cameras.

    "Who is that?" Natalia asked. "She looks so familiar."

    "She doesn''t look like any of the maids." Katerina added as she watched quite intensely. If there was a security breach at their home she needed to fix it together with her siblings.

    "She''s looking through my experimental serums." Natalia pointed out as the woman walked over to a chiller. "That''s it! There is the serum!" Natalia shouted, taking everyone by surprise.

    "Which serum?" Alexi asked.

    "The serum Miguel said he saw Jen injecting into Nicole! That''s it! I''m sure of it. But what is she doing?" Natalia asked as she saw the woman taking out a vial from her bag.

    "She''s swapping them." Miguel said as they observed the image.

    "That''s why I didn''t notice!" Natalia said as she looked at how simr the vials were. "Now I need to go back and check each of the vials. Who knows what she ced in there. It would sabotage all of my experiments!" Natalia eximed.

    "Natalia, you can do thatter." Katerina scolded her younger sister. "Right now, focus."

    Natalia simply nodded and returned her attention to the video that was ying on the TV.

    "Do you think she knows there is a camera? She isn''t turning around." Ram said, expressing his suspicions.

    "She probably did, and something must have gone wrong. Because if this was just the case then she wouldn''t have to tamper with the film. We can''t identify her this way." Cedric said as they watched the woman continue to move around Natalia''sb.

    "She took other things. Other serums." Natalia gasped. "Those aren''t safe."

    "Natalia, what are those?" Adolfo asked as he saw Natalia''s face pale.

    "Secret government research I was doing for your dad." Natalia said.

    "Look! Look!" Ray suddenly said, pointing at the screen. The woman was turning to face the camera.

    It was Jenifer Pez, Alexi''s fiance.

 Chapter 431 - 431

    "Alexi." Katerina said in a sad tone. Cedric knew that Katerina didn''t like Jen but she was willing to adjust for her brother, she knew her brother loved Jen and Katerina never wanted to see Alexi or Natalia hurt. The Sebastian siblings were very close and they never just stood by when one of them was in pain or in trouble.

    "Katerina, don''t, just don''t." Alexi hissed as he stared at the screen. "She slept over that night." Alexi confessed. Cedric could see that Alexi was already beating himself up inside.??

    "Alexi, it''s not your fault." Ian, who had remained silent the whole time, said as he looked at Alexi with a pitiful nce. "You love her. We can''t me you for thinking the best and for trusting her."

    "No, my sister said not to trust her." You could hear the anger and regret in Alexi''s tone. He was mad at himself. "If I hadn''t brought her home she wouldn''t have gotten the chance to steal that serum. She was probably observing Natalia''s and her team''s movements. I didn''t even notice her getting out of bed and sneaking into theb."

    "Brother, you couldn''t have known." Natalia walked over and ced a hand on Alexi''s shoulder. "She tricked you, you fell in love. We all want to trust the person we love."

    "I should end things with her now. Who knows how much damage she can cause." Alexi said as he started to stand up to leave.

    "Wait, no." Cedric suddenly said. "All we know is that Jen snuck into Natalia''sb, stole some serum, and possibly injected it into Nicole, resulting in Nicole forgetting her discussion with Jen. We need to know what she needed Nicole to forget about."

    "Cedric is right." Ray said with a nod. "We need to know why she did it. She took other serums as well, based on Natalia''s reaction it seems to be quite important."

    "Anything my father is involved with is important." Adolfo said with a nod. "Important and usually dangerous." He said with a sigh.

    "Natalia, we need to know what they were for?" Cedric asked Natalia.

    "I need to go to myb and check exactly which ones were taken, I need time." Natalia said, shaking her head.

    "I''ll help." Adolfo said as he ced a hand Natalia''s arm.

    "No." Natalia said, shaking her head. "I know it will go much faster if you help, but you need to work on finding out what Jen and Nicole were talking about. Even with your skills you can''t do both at the same time."

    "Wow, that''s the first time you acknowledged my skills in such a sincere manner." Adolfo said with augh.

    "Don''t get used to it." Natalia said with a grin, unbothered by Adolfo''s reaction. "I''ll go ahead, if she took the serums I think she did, we are in a lot of trouble." Natalia said walking out of the room.

    "Can I walk you out?" Adolfo asked, shocking everyone.

    "Seriously?" Natalia asked with a raised eyebrow. Adolfo simply nodded in reply.

    Natalia didn''t say anything and simply walked out.

    "She didn''t say no." Adolfo said with a shrug as he chased after Natalia.

    "As a precautionary measure I''ll have the security at all our houses increased." Katerina said as she called someone on the phone and gave out instructions.

    "How are you taking this?" Cedric asked as he turned to Alexi. He felt bad that for a third time Alexi had let himself feel for a person, only to have his feelings crushed.

    "Honestly, it hurts and I can''t believe I didn''t listen to any of you. Even my own sister was warning me about Jen." Alexi said, shaking his head.

    "Alexi, it''s not like we had concrete proof. The only suspicious part is how she lied about her past with Selina, but that could just be he being hurt and hoping that someone she loved for so long would reciprocate her feelings. We were all just going by our gut feel." Katerina exined to her older brother.

    "Don''t beat yourself about it." Ian said with a shrug as he approached. "You fell in love and you wanted to trust her, that''s how love works."

    "It''s not supposed to turn me stupid and blind." Alexi said in a frustrated tone.

    "Sometimes it does." Miguel said. "I did a lot of stupid things when I chased after V. I even forced her to marry me." Miguel said with augh.

    "In hindsight that was pretty stupid." Ram said, shaking his head. "Why did I even give you the idea?"

    "You saved her from a greater evil. Plus if she didn''t want me, I would have let her go. I''m not cruel." Miguel said in a serious tone.

    "Alexi, this isn''t your fault." Ray said, echoing what everyone else had told Alexi.

    "I don''t know how I''m going to face her. Plus there is someone I owe an apology to." Alexi said with a frown.

    "You do owe her an apology." Katerina said with a nod.

    "Selina?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah. I treated her like she was the worst person on earth because of Jen, it turns out her side is the truth and she was just feeling guilty." Alexi exined.

    "Yeah, we all knew that and we were telling you." Katerina said, rolling her eyes.

    "You just said it wasn''t my fault!" Alexiined.

    "I''m your sister, I just can''t resist." Katerina said with a grin.

    "What do you n to do now?" Ram asked Alexi.

    "I have a dinner date with her tonight, a very public dinner date." Alexi said with a sigh. "We''re supposed to choose a wedding date."

    "Wow, that fast?" Ian teased.

    "Well I thought I loved her. I was already on the fence a few days ago. You can ask Cedric." Alexi told his friends. Everyone turned to look at Cedric with a puzzled expression.

    "I told him to talk to Selina." Cedric said with a shrug. "He was confused about his feelings so I sent him to settle them and figure out what he wants."

    "And I did. I was with her earlier." Alexi confessed.

    "What?!" Everyone asked in shock.

 Chapter 432 - 432

    "Based on your mood over the phone I would never have thought you were with Selina." Cedric said with augh. "You seemed happy, happier than I have seen you in a while, like when we were younger, before Ilya."

    "I felt at ease around her." Alexi confessed. "I mean it was awkward at first, but eventually we started talking as if the whole thing with Jen never happened." ??

    "She was never an enemy Alexi." Katerina told her brother.

    "I know, it was my fault." Alexi said, shaking his head. "Look, I need time alone, I''ll go out for a drive." Alexi said with a sigh as he walked out of Cedric''s office.

    Alexi had driven himself over, as he had told Cedric he hade over from speaking with Selina. At first he drove around the city, taking in the sights and sounds, he tried not to think, he needed to clear his mind so that he could face Jen without revealing what they had learned.

    In all honesty he was furious at Jen. She had used him to get to his sister''sb, she tricked him. It made him wonder how long she had been ying him like a toy. Did she approach him just to get to Natalia''sb? What was her real intention with him?

    Eventually Alexi reached a cliff that faced the sea, he parked his car and took a seat on the hood as he watched the waves crash into the wall.

    He needed to talk to someone, he needed to apologize to Selina. He quickly pulled out his phone from his pocket and called Selina.

    "Mr. Sebastian?" Selina asked over the phone. "Can I help you with anything?" Selina''s tone was cold and formal, Alexi didn''t me her. He was horrible to her, then suddenly he asked her out to talk, then he left without an exnation. She would of course be wary of him.

    "Selina, I already told you, please just call me Alexi." He said with a frustrated sigh. "Technically we''ve known each other for years and our families are old friends. Please, drop the formality."

    "Alright, Alexi. How can I help you?" Selina''s tone was still cold, but at least she was calling him by his first name.

    "I''m sorry I had to leave all of a sudden. I wonder if I could make it up to you with coffee tonight?" Alexi asked, he was afraid she would say no, but he had to at least try.

    "Selina, are you still there?" Alexi asked as he noticed that she didn''t respond to his invitation.

    "Yes, sure, coffee will be fine." Selina said.

    "Great. I''ll see you then." Alexi said in a t tone as he dropped the call.

    He looked at the time and noticed that Jen would be getting out of work soon and he would have to pick her up and pretend to still be madly in love with her.

    He quickly got into his car and drove to Saints Hospital. While he was on the driveway waiting for Jen, Miguel just so happened to pass by. He knocked on Alexi''s window, starling Alexi who was deep in thought.

    "Hey." Miguel said with a frown as Alexi stepped out of his car. "How are you holding up?"

    "I took a drive, cleared my thoughts. Cedric is right, I can''t be impulsive with this. So I''m here to pick Jen up for our first public date." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "For all it''s worth Alexi, we don''t me you. Ian, Eric, and I understand that you couldn''t have known. Plus we know how blinding love can be, so we understand." Miguel said as he ced a hand on Alexi''s shoulder.

    "Thank you." Alexi said with a weak smile.

    "Anyway, I''ve got an operationter, so I need to prep. I guess I''ll see you at the wedding?" Miguel asked.

    "Yeah, I''ll see you." Alexi said with a nod as Miguel walked away.

    After a few minutes, Jen came out from the hospital. She was wearing a semi formal dress and had a huge smile on her face. In the past, whenever Jen smiled this way at him, his heart would race, now he just wanted to wipe that smile off her face.

    "Alexi, babe." Jen said as she walked over and nted a kiss on his lips. Alexi tried his best to kiss back, hoping that his acting was enough.

    "Is something wrong?" Jen asked as their lips parted. It seemed that he wasn''t convincing enough.

    "Nah, it was just a tiring day." Alexi said, shaking his head. He opened the door for Jen and helped her in before finally walking over to the driver''s side and getting in himself.

    "Alexi, if something is bothering you, please tell me." Jen said as she ced a hand on his. He desperately wanted to pull his hand away, but he remembered that he needed to keep up this facade so that they could investigate Jen''s motives.

    "I''m just tired." Alexi said, repeating himself. "I went to Cedric today and yed with Yoyo. So I''m quite tired. I hope you don''t mind that we end dinner quickly tonight?"

    "Sure babe." Jen said as she lifted herself and nted a kiss on his cheek.

    "Let''s go." Alexi said as he stepped on the gas.

    He took them to a famous restaurant in Pris Mall, and instead of choosing a secluded room, he and Jen sat openly in front of everyone. Initially this dinner was supposed to show everyone how much he loved and cared about Jen, but now, it was just a facade he was putting up so that Jen wouldn''t suspect anything.

    Alexi was silent throughout dinner, he barely answered any of Jen''s questions and when he did he kept them short.

    "So what about a date?" Jen asked, the whole reason for their dinner was to set a wedding date for them.

    "You know, I spoke to some people and I realized why are we rushing?" Alexi asked as he tried to push back the discussion. "I want to n the best wedding for you, so I don''t want to set the date in stone yet."

    "But babe, we need a date to make reservations." Jenined.

    "I''m the president''s son, they''ll adjust." Alexi said quite cokily. He didn''t want to prolong the discussion.

    Jen was surprised by his words and decided to drop the conversation.

    When dinner was finally done Jen expected that Alexi would let her stay over at his mansion at the Mountain Viewmunity. Much to her surprise, however, Alexi drove her back home to her apartment.

    "I need to rest. I can''t rest with you around." Alexi told her as he ced a kiss on her cheek and left.

    He was rushing to get to the coffee shop to meet Selina, he was alreadyte and he was afraid that she wouldn''t wait.

 Chapter 433 - 433

    LONG CHAPTER AHEAD!!!!

    When Alexi arrived at the coffee shop he had agreed to meet Selina, he parked at the first spot he found, he waste, ten minuteste. He had sent her a message that he would bete, but she hadn''t replied. Alexi was worried that Selina would have left after waiting a few minutes, she seemed like a person who didn''t wait for anyone.??

    Alexi entered the coffee shop and scanned the tables, he was relieved to find Selina sitting at a corner, typing away on herptop. She probably decided to work while waiting for him and got carried away.

    He quickly marched on over and sat on the seat in front of her.

    "You know, it''s not good for your health to work so much." Alexi said with a grin, inwardly he was cursing at himself, he was supposed to be apologetic, not flirty. Old ways die hard.

    "Alexi." Selina said with a cold look as she closed herptop and ced it away.

    "You weren''t this cold earlier." Aleximented as he crossed his arms across his chest.

    "I wasn''t ditched earlier, then of course, how could you not ditch me when your fiance called you up for a quickie and a dinner." Selina said, rolling her eyes. "It isn''t easy to make time to talk."

    "It wasn''t Jen that called me." Alexi said in a sad tone as he remembered why he had invited Selina out. He was enjoying their banter.

    "You don''t need to lie. I''m not your girlfriend or anything." Selina said with a shrug. "Well I''m here, what did you want to talk about?" Selina asked as he looked him directly in the eyes.

    "I''m not, and I''m here because the person who called opened my eyes to some things that I''ve been way too stubborn and stupid to see." Alexi said angrily as he felt his temper rising. For some reason he didn''t like it when Selina doubted him, maybe it was because once upon a time he had feelings for her, and he might still have.

    Selina gave him a confused look, he realized that to her it seemed like he was babbling nonsense.

    "Exin." Selina finally said.

    "First of all, Selina. I need to apologize to you." Alexi said in the most sincere tone possible, he reached out and tried to ce his hand on Selina''s but she quickly pulled her hand away.

    "What for? We don''t know each other, you don''t owe me an apology." Selina said. For some reason her words hurt Alexi a little bit.

    "Selina, I was unfair." Alexi said with a frown. "Our families go way back, we should be friends instead I listened to someone''s lies."

    "Shouldn''t you be defending said someone?" Selina said as she was surprised to hear what Alexi said. "She''s your fianc��, you should believe her."

    "The person that called me away was the CEO of the Reyes Group, he found proof that Jen has been using me all this time." Alexi said in a harsh and cold tone, he didn''t want Selina misunderstanding anymore. "I want to end things with her, but we need to find out why she is doing this."

    "That''s impossible." Selina said with a look of disbelief on her face. Her reaction shocked Alexi. "Jen is a nice person, she would never do that to you. She''s just hurt because of what I did to her."

    "Selina, how can you still defend her?" Alexi asked, it seemed like the roles were suddenly reversed. Alexi was puzzled as to why Selina would defend someone that constantly dragged her name through the mud. If it weren''t for Cedric, Alexi would have found a way to ruin Selina''s business.

    "Because it''s my fault she is like this!" Selina said in a raised tone making everyone turn their attention to them.

    "Maybe, we should take a walk." Alexi suggested. He didn''t want to draw any unnecessary attention to them. Both he and Selina were notable figures and could easily be recognized.

    Alexi led Selina to a nearby park by the river, very few people went to this area giving them some semnce of privacy. They walked around for a few minutes before Alexi finally spoke.

    "Why do you think it''s your fault?" Alexi asked as they walked slowly in the dimly lit park. Alexi wasn''t afraid of going to ces like these, he always had bodyguards around to make sure they were safe.

    "Jen used to be a sweet and innocent girl." Selina said with a sigh as they walked side by side. "One day, the day I met you and Katerina, she suddenly confessed her feelings for me and I rejected it. It''s a long story."

    "I have time." Alexi said with a shrug. For some reason he was itching to hear Selina''s side.

    "Alright. So years ago. . ." Selina began.

    Nine years ago

    "Selina, I love you." A beautiful young girl with long wavy hair and porcin skin said as she looked up to herpanion. They were walking out of school along the busy streets.

    "Haha. I love you too Jen, duh, you''re my best friend." Selina said as she nudged her friend with an elbow. Jen and Selina were always like this, affectionate to one another.

    Suddenly Jen stopped walking, Selina had taken a few steps a head by the time she had noticed her friend was no longer next to her.

    "What''s wrong Jennifer?" Selina said as she looked back. "You''re acting odd." Selina asked, cing her hands on her hips. Selina and Jen had been friends since they were eight years old, this year they would be graduating highschool and possibly heading off in different directions to pursue their careers. Jen wanted to be a doctor, while Selina wanted to act, she had already applied for several prestigious universities in America and across Europe.

    "I don''t mean it that way." Jen said in a small voice, her voice drowned out by all the noise on the street

    "Jen speak up. I can''t hear you." Selinained as she walked back to her friend.

    "I love you, like how your brother loves his girlfriend." Jen finally said in a loud voice. Her confession made Selina stop in her tracks.

    The people around them were now all watching, many were gushing at the sweet confession, but Selina stood still. Her face expressionless, she didn''t say a word as she processed what Jen had just said. The bystanders were watching, waiting for what Selina was going to say back.

    "Jen, no." Selina finally said breaking the sweet atmosphere Jen had made.

    The people around them began to whisper, the beautiful girl just confessed her feelings and her sexual orientation in such a sweet manner, but her friend was turning her down in the coldest way.

    "Selina, Selina, you don''t need to ept my love now. Give it time, please." Jen begged as she walked forward and touched Selina''s cheek.

    Selina gently took Jen''s hand and removed it from her cheek, letting it drop to Jen''s side. It was clear from Selina''s facial expression that she wasn''tfortable with what Jen had just done.

    "Oy, give her a chance." A bystander shouted.

    "Yeah, she confessed to you. Don''t turn her down." Another one said.

    "This girl, she''s just too much." An olderdy shouted. "It''s the modern times kid, you can love each other, give her a chance."

    "Don''t discriminate kid." Another person who was listening inmented.

    Theirments made Selina feel ufortable, what was wrong with her rejecting someone she didn''t see that way? Why were people forcing her to love someone she didn''t love in a romantic way. Wasn''t she free to love?

    "Let''s talk about this in private." Selina said, grabbing Jen by the wrist, pulling her away.

    Jen and Selina dressed like opposites, Jen liked to keep her long hair down, she wore skirts and make up, she also liked to unt her assets as she called them, while Selina always kept her hair tied in a ponytail, she always preferred pants and rubber shoes, and although she wore make up she wasn''t obsessed with it the way Jen was.

    At first sight you wouldn''t think that Jen liked girls, as a matter of fact you might be deceived to think that it was Selina that liked girls. You also wouldn''t notice that among the two it was Selina that liked acting and fashion, while Jen preferred to stay in, read a book and study.

    Selina finally found an empty alley. She looked around to see if anyone was nearby, when she noticed that the coast was clear she pulled Jen into the alley to speak.

    "Jen, I don''t like girls." Selina told her friend. She had never liked girls, as a matter of fact she was sure that she liked guys.

    "Selina, give me a chance, please." Jen begged as she held Selina''s hand in hers.

    "Jen��" Selina said as she hesitated hunting her friend, they had known each other for so long, she didn''t want something like this to ruin their friendship.

    All of a sudden Jen pressed her against the wall and kissed her. Selina''s first reaction was to push Jen away and run.

    She only saw Jen as a friend, nothing more.

    "Selina! Selina!" She heard a familiar male voice all her from behind. She stopped and turned, it was her twin brother, Helios.

    "Sister, what''s wrong?" Helios asked as he approached.

    "Brother!" Selina said as she ran up and hugged him.

    "Why are you crying Sel?" Helios asked his sister as he held her head. "Where''s Jen?" Helios knew that his sister and Jen were always together, if he and Selina didn''t look so much alike people would have thought that she and Jen were the actual twins.

    "Selina!" Jen called out, panting as she chased after Selina.

    "Jen, what''s going on?" Helios asked his sister''s friend.

    Selina lifted her head and looked at her friend.

    "Jen, I don''t want to lose you. You''re my best friend." Selina said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "But I don''t feel that way about you." She told Jen sternly.

    "Then don''t push me away." Jen begged in a desperate tone. "Don''t make me go. Let me stay by your side, don''t ruin our friendship. Give it time, maybe, someday you''ll feel the same way about me too." Jen said as she dared to walk closer to the twins.

    Selina looked up to her brother, asking for advice, but her brother just shrugged telling her that it was her decision to make.

    "As of right now, I don''t feel that way Jen. I like boys. I''ll forget about what happened earlier." Selina told Jen.

    "Thank you." Jen said with a smile.

    "We''ll take you home." Helios offered as he took out his keys and led the two girls to the car.

    Present Day

    Selina ended her story and looked up at Alexi. Alexi frowned as he listened to the what Selina had to say.

    "That wasn''t what she told me." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "I guess, I was too kind, I led her on." Selina was shaking as she spoke. "I lost my best friend because I wasn''t clear enough."

    "It''s not your fault." Alexi said as he ced a hand on hers. "Let me tell you what lies she''s been saying."

    Selina looked up and saw the anger in Alexi''s eyes.

 Chapter 434 - 434

    "Jen told me that she had confessed to you on yourst day of high school, just as you told me, but the story she narrated was vastly different." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "How?" Selina asked.??

    "She said that you had asked her for time, that you wanted to figure out if you wanted to be with her. She said that you asked her to wait for you." Alexi revealed to Selina. Selina tried to hide the disappointment and confusion from her reaction, but her eyes said it all.

    "That''s not -" Selina began to say.

    "I know now that that isn''t the truth, that what she told me is a lie." Alexi said, shaking his head.

    "No one told me this." Selina said with a frown.

    "Didn''t my sister?" Alexi asked.

    "She told me vaguely, but not the details, I don''t think she knew the exact story that Jen had been telling people." Selina said with a frown.

    "No, I don''t think my sister knew." Alexi said, shaking his head. "Jen was always cautious around Katerina, and rightfully so. Katerina doubted her. Even when all pieces of evidence pointed to Jen being innocent, Katerina still questioned her motives."

    "But still, Jen turned out like this because I broke her heart. Because I never gave her a chance." Alexi could see that Selina was on the verge of tears. He ced a hand on her back and patted it gently.

    "I''m not a child!" Selinained. Alexi grinned as she stayed still and allowed him tofort her.

    "Selina, it''s not your fault." Alexi said with a frown. "You don''t love her. You shouldn''t force love, love should be the easiest and most natural thing in the world."

    "But what if I gave her a chance?" Selina asked as she blinked up at him.

    Alexi sighed and shook his head. "Then it wouldn''t have felt right and you would have been making both her and yourself miserable."

    "She was fine when she left you know." Selina said as she calmed herself.

    "When she left?" Alexi asked.

    "We were in Mn, I think. I forced myself to forget, I was starting mypany when Jen barged into my makeshift office frantically." Selina exined. "She demanded to know why I was making out with some guy. That some guy was my boyfriend, I told her. She was so angry at me, she said I led her on. Then I told her to just leave. When I got home to our shared apartment she was there waiting for me. She apologized and told me that she wanted to leave and discover herself. I was so happy for her that she decided to move on."

    "Do you think she did?" Alexi asked.

    "Maybe, maybe not." Selina said as she rubbed her fingers together out of anxiety. "The next I hear is that she is dating you. A friend told me they saw you together."

    "That must have been awkward. Your ex-best friend and your ex-almost fiance." Alexi frowned as he thought of what Selina had to go through.

    "It wasn''t a big deal. I was happy she found someone, but I was surprised that that someone was a guy." Selina said with augh. "I thought she was just confused and that''s why she ended up in your bed."

    "Well, I don''t know if it''s still the truth, but Jen told me that the reason she slept with me was to rid herself of the pain and so that she could discover what she truly wanted." Alexi said with a shrug. "It was probably a lie though."

    "A part of me wishes it wasn''t." Selina frowned.

    "Selina, I hope this frees you of your guilt, as for me, I hope you''ll forgive me for my horrible treatment of you." Alexi said.

    Selina smirked and looked up at him.

    "Maybe, we can be friends?" Selina tentatively asked.

    "Of course!" Alexi said with a smile. "Our families go way back, and we were almost engaged. Of course we can be friends." He said as he winked at her.

    "I''m sad for Jen, but I''m happy you found out the truth about her." Selina said as she looked at the distance. "How are you holding up? From what I''ve heard and seen you were very in love with Jen."

    "In all honesty, at first I felt so broken. I couldn''t believe that she used me, I wanted revenge. I was out for blood. Then my friend, the CEO of the Reyes Group, talked some sense into me. We need to find out why she broke into my sister''sb, and me breaking up with her will only make her suspicious." Alexi exined.

    "What? She broke into Natalia''sb?" Selina asked in shock. "Doesn''t Natalia work on some sort of secret projects for the government?"

    "You are not supposed to know that." Alexi said with augh.

    "Well, your parents told me." Selina said with a shrug.

    "I''m so sorry for being so cold to you all those times. I should have been nicer." Alexi said as he felt a wave of regret pass through him.

    "It''s alright. I understand." Selina said with a smile. "If you need to talk about Jen, I know it''s not much, but you can always call me."

    "I will most definitely take you up on that offer." Alexi said with a nod as he looked into Selina''s eyes. A few moments of awkward silence passed as he continued to just look at Selina, he was seeing her in a new light today. He was happy he knew that Jen was tricking him, at least now he could see the world better.

    "It''s gettingte, we should head home." Selina was the first to speak, breaking their peaceful moment.

    Alexi nodded and they walked back together in silence, when the coffee shop was in sight Alexi realized that he didn''t want to go separate ways with Selina just yet.

    "I''ll walk you back to your car." Alexi offered.

    "I actually took a cab." Selina said with an embarrassed smile. "I didn''t want to think of where to park my car." She exined with a shrug.

    "Then let me drop you off at home." Alexi said as he pointed towards his car.

    "Are you sure? Won''t Jen get mad?" Selina asked.

    "I don''t care anymore, remember?" Alexi said with a grin. "Plus, you''re a friend. This is the safest way for you to get home."

    Alexi watched as Selina hesitated at first, but eventually she nodded and gave in.

 Chapter 435 - 435

    Alexi didn''t need directions from Selina on how to get to her ce, he had gone there several times over the years with his parents. He knew that every single time they brought him along they were hoping that Selina hade home and that they could re-introduce the two.

    Alexi found it quite funny since his parents didn''t like arranged marriages, but they wouldn''t hesitate setting him up with the daughters of their friends, despite his history. Some of the daughters ended up on his bed and gone a week after. ??

    "What''s with the evil grin?" Selina teased. Alexi was happy that she was no longer awkward around him, she seemed to have adjusted to the idea of them bing friends.

    "I was just thinking about how desperate my parents were in the past for something like this to happen." Alexi said with a chuckle.

    "Like this?" Selina asked in confusion. Alexi wasn''t sure if she really didn''t understand what he meant or she was simply pretending because she didn''t want to misinterpret his words.

    "My parents would go to your house often in the hopes that you hade home and we would be, um��. acquainted." Alexi exined. "Me dropping you off at home is like a dreame true to them."

    "But it''s not like that." Selina said shyly.

    "I know, I know. Don''t misinterpret." Alexi said quickly, although a part of him wanted her to misinterpret.

    "Well, here we are." Alexi''s car slowed to a halt as they stopped at the driveway of the Ramirez mansion.

    "Thank you." Selina said with a smile.

    "Hey, will you be at the wedding?" Alexi asked.

    "Of course. We are business partners with the Reyes Family." Selina said with a nod.

    "Great, I''ll see you then friend." Alexi said with a wink right before he drove off into the night.

    The week flew by very quickly, before anyone had realized it was the night before Ayanna and Ray''s wedding ceremony.

    Alexi had decided to hang out at Cedric''s office and y with Emilio who had recently be a permanentpanion of Cedric in the office.

    When Prisci hade home from her trip and Cedric tried to leave Emilio at home the boy cried and threw a tantrum for the first time ever. He wanted to spend the day with his dad again.

    Cedric had no choice but to bring his son to the office again. This went on for days until Cedric realized that Emilio wouldn''t give in and wanted to go with him to the office.

    "You know Emilio, one day you will have to go to an actual school and you can''t stay with your dad all day." Alexi told the little boy.

    "Then daddy will go to school with me." Emilio said proudly.

    "This child is just too much." Alexi shouted back at Cedric with augh.

    "You don''t think my wife already tried that?" Cedric asked as he continued to focus on his work. "I have no idea why he likesing over. All he does is sit in his corner." Cedric added.

    "He probably just wants to spend time with you." Alexi exined. "Remember when we were younger and we wished our parents would spend time with us? This is Emilio''s way of saying that to you."

    "So have you decided if you''re bringing Jen along to the wedding?" Cedric asked as he diverted the topic.

    "It''s not like I have a choice. If I don''t bring her along she will get suspicious and we don''t want that." Alexi said with a sigh. "I just feel like it will be awkward especially since Selina is there."

    "The Ramirez and Reyes families do business together, plus Selina''s SR Designs is one of the highlight shops at Pris Mall now. On top of that she helped design all of the gowns."Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I''ll have to pretend to still hate her." Alexi said with a frown.

    "Have you sorted out your feelings then?" Cedric asked his friend. He knew Alexi was conflicted, but then now that Jen''s true colors were showing he hoped Alexi would have a clearer image of how he felt.

    "I don''t dislike her." Alexi said. "I enjoy herpany. I had funst time we met up. It just felt right."

    Cedric grinned and nodded.

    That night Cedric, Adrianna, and Emilio stayed at the old Reyes Mansion together with the rest of the family. As per tradition, Ayanna and Ray would being from their family homes and not from their Mountain View one. It was Adrianna''s first time staying at the ancestral home so she was quite overwhelmed with the size of the ce.

    "It''s practically a pce Cedric!" Adrianna eximed as their car entered the gates.

    "Well, it''s basically the Reyes Family''s seat of power." Cedric said with augh. "If my parents had their way we would be living here as well. It''s tradition that the eldest son lives at home and when he bes the family head he will take on the master bedroom. I swear it''s such an old time tradition, it annoys me. Plus I don''t think you would befortable with it."

    "Thank you." Adrianna said as she looked up lovingly at her husband.

    "For what?" Cedric asked as their car pulled up in front of the grand doors.

    "For thinking about how I would feel." Adrianna said with a smile. "I know it''s not easy going up against our elders, but you still did so. Not just with this, but with revealing your identity. You''ve done so much for me, while I''ve done so little."

    "Adri." Cedric said as he ced a hand on her cheek. "You''ve done more for me than you can imagine. You are my love, my life, you are my reason for being. You have not only loved me for me, but you have given me the smartest and cutest child in the world." Cedric looked to his son who was sleeping on hisp and smiled.

    "Hiding my identity worked to our favor Adri. You are my lucky charm." Cedric said as he lowered his face and nted a passionate kiss on Adrianna''s lips. He wanted the world to stop at this moment while everything was peaceful and happy.

 Chapter 436 - 436

    "I''m already married, why am I nervous." Ray said as he paced back and forth inside his room.

    Cedric had left the Reyes Mansion early to fulfill his best man duties. When he woke up he was surprised to see that his wife was already out of bed and in Ayanna''s room getting her hair and make up done.??

    "Rx Ray." Cedric said with augh as he watched his friend stress out about the uing nuptials. "It''s not like my sister can change her mind." He teased the groom.

    "Well, she could always divorce him." Alexi teased as he entered the room. He was the first to arrive among the boys.

    "Don''t listen to him Ray." Cedric said with augh. "He''s in a worse spot than you."

    "Hah, I''ve figured things out. Don''t be so confident Cedric." Alexi said as he took a seat in the room.

    "It''s not like you have a choice, you still brought Jen, didn''t you?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah, she''ll meet me at the church." Alexi said with an annoyed look. He clearly didn''t like it that Jen would be his date to an important wedding.

    "You know, you wouldn''t have had to bring her if you didn''t make your engagement public." Eric teased as he entered the room. He arrived together with Ian and Miguel in tow.

    "We dropped the girls off at your house then we had to go to the Chan family home, mom and dad wanted us to bring the wedding gift." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "Are they still trying to convince the elders to ept Ian?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah, but it''s not like their opinion would stop me from marrying Nicole. The only one stopping me from marrying Nicole is Nicole." Ianined as he shook his head.

    "Ram''s not here yet?" Miguel asked as he looked around.

    "Nah. He is dropping Francesca off at Selina''s ce. She''ll go there with the Ramirez family." Ray exined. "I don''t understand why she doesn''t just go with her dad and brother. The Ri''s belong to the same world as the Laurences so it''s natural that they are invited."

    "I heard she wasn''t exactly on good terms with them." Eric said with a shrug.

    "If they weren''t on good terms then she wouldn''t have been able to go after that woman that offended her." Ray said, rolling his eyes.

    "She probably went to them out of desperation then chose to leave again." Cedric exined. "Anyway, why are we talking about another person''s family problems when it''s your big day."

    "You''re right. I should focus." Ray said with a nod.

    "And we should leave." Cedric said as he looked at his watch. "If we don''t leave now the bride will arrive before us and my sister will gut all of us." Cedric said as he led the group out.

    For this asion his sister would be riding in Cedric''s favorite Rolls Royce Ghost while Ray, the groom, and his groomsmen all piled up in one car each.

    Ray, Alexi, and Eric chose to go in shy sports cars while Ian and Miguel rode in Miguel''s Cadic. Cedric as always, chose to ride in his Rolls Royce Phantom.

    In order to avoid getting stuck in the city traffic, Alexi had arranged for an escort of police and military vehicles to clear the way for them to the church.

    As their convoy drove across the capital, people couldn''t help but turn their heads at the shy cars and the number of security vehicles escorting them.

    People considered this to be the wedding of the decade, with everyone who was anyone invited to the ceremony and the reception after. Ayanna and Ray decided to inform the public of the wedding just the night before, so the whole country woke up to the news of the wedding.

    When they arrived at the church Ray was thest to get out of his car. A driver took it away and drove it home for Ray. After the ceremony he and Ayanna would be taking Cedric''s Rolls Royce Ghost to the reception and a driver would take them home to their house in the Mountain Viewmunity after.

    "Well, this is it." Cedric said with a shrug, he was already wearing his disguise.

    "It''s not like we''re getting married for the first time." Ray said, shaking his head.

    The group of handsome men marched up the steps to the doors of the huge church. It was Ray who had chosen the church they would have their ceremony at, it was the same church where every head of the Laurence family had been married. It was one of the oldest in the capital and had survived both the damage of war and the effects of time.

    "Mom, Dad." Ray said as he was greeted by his parents who would walk with him into the church and up to the altar.

    "We are so proud of you Ray." His mother, Amy So- Laurence said as she hugged her son tight.

    "Mom, Ayanna and I have been married for a year." Ray said with augh as he hugged his mother back.

    "Well, this is different. This is where your dad and I got married, and where Ayanna''s parents were married too." Amy Laurence said as she began to tear up. "My little boy is now truly a man."

    "Auntie, he''s been a man for quite a while now." Alexi teased, earning him an elbow from Cedric.

    "Let''s go." Ray said as he noticed another convoy of cars approaching. He knew it was his bride and her bridesmaids.

    As the best man Cedric entered the church right after Ray and his parents, he didn''t even get the opportunity to see his wife or his son before they marched down the aisle as part of the entourage.

    Adrianna was the matron of honor and Emilio would be carrying the rings. He was excited to see his son and wife, but he knew he couldn''t show any physical affection for them. He was there as the head of the Reyes Family, and as of the moment, that person and Cedric Reyes were two different people.

 Chapter 437 - 437

    Cedric stood beside Ray as the groom fidgeted on the raised altar. For some reason the female members of the entourage had not entered yet which puzzled Cedric. He couldn''t help but worry about his wife and son who were on the other side of the door together with his sister and their parents.

    Cedric spotted Leon walking over to him, he excused himself and walked over to Leon.??

    "Sir, for some reason the members of the press and the paparazzi had managed to make it in time for the bridal entourage to enter the church." Leon reported, worrying Cedric. "Don''t worry boss, we managed to spot them in time and we are currently dealing with the matter, they have been relegated to a spot at a safe distance from the church. They can still take photos but they are too far off."

    "Good, thank you for organizing everything." Cedric said with a nod.

    "It wasn''t me sir. It was Dave and Mae." Leon informed Cedric.

    "They shouldn''t be working. They are both here as guests." Cedric said in surprise. He never thought that his two young assistants would step up to the challenge and help out despite being off the clock. "I''ll make sure to thank them properly at the reception."

    Leon nodded and left to return to his post. Cedric took a deep breath and looked at his friends who were clearly anxious. Their wives, sisters, girlfriends, and child were on the other side of the door too, they couldn''t help but be worried.

    "Leon told me that the paparazzi had caught wind of the wedding." Cedric told the other me. "Everything has been settled, the girls should being in soon."

    The boys simply nodded and rxed, it seemed the dy had really made them worry.

    It took a few minutes for the doors to finally open, the first to walk in were Emilio and Tristan. Emilo smiled as he spotted his father, he was about to break out into a run then Cedric held out a hand signaling him to slow down.

    Emilio did as his father asked and walked slowly, suddenly he stopped and turned. He saw Tristan getting distracted, the little boy was walking towards one of the pews, reaching out for a vase.

    Emilio ran up and held Tristan''s hand. He then led his wobbly little friend towards the right direction.

    Cedric beamed with pride as he son helped the younger boy walk up towards the right direction.

    "It seems your kid had to take care of mine." Ian said with augh.

    "Don''t worry, you guys have Saints so in the future it will be your son watching over mine." Cedric said with augh as they watched the two boys finally make it to the end of the aisle.

    Emilio and Tristan were both so handsome in their suits that people couldn''t help but take photos of them as they walked up. Many guests posted it as soon as they snapped the photos.

    Gracia Hernandez and Lucy Chan were already waiting for the boys when they reached the end of the aisle, they were there for two things, first was to make sure the boys behaved and went to their seats, the second being to make sure that they didn''t suddenly run up to their fathers.

    Emilio was less of a problem, he understood that if his daddy was wearing a mask he couldn''t be his daddy. But if Cedric had the mask off, Emilio could be as affectionate as he wanted towards Cedric.

    Tristan on the other hand began to cry as Lucy took him away. He wanted his daddy or mommy, but his mommy was behind the door so he wanted to be with his daddy. Tristan was too young to understand howplex their lives were. His tears make Ian frown as he called out for his dad.

    Cedric saw Ian frown as his crying son was taken away.

    The attention soon shifted from the two boys to the doors, it had opened once again and the rest of the bridal entourage entered.

    Among Ayanna''s entourage were several university friends including Tricia Sanchez and Krista Von. Of course the other sisters were also part of the entourage as bridesmaids, Nicole Chan, Veronica Abad - Chan, Natalia Sebastian, and Katerina Sebastian walked gracefully down the aisle. They gave Rey an encouraging smile as they passed.

    Thest two to enter the church were the two most important women in Cedric''s life, his wife and his sister. He had prepared mentally the whole day, reminding himself not to stare or show any emotion as his wife walked into the church. There were many eyes watching, and it was already quite dangerous that both Cedric and the CEO''s wife weren''t there.

    A part of him just wanted the rumors of Adrianna being his mistress to circte. It didn''t matter anyway, they knew the truth and those rumor mongers would only end up embarrassing themselves when the truth came out.

    Cedric knew that those rumors might not do him any damage, but they would most certainly hurt Adrianna and herpany. The world worked differently for men and women, it was alright for rich men to have mistresses, but for women it was frowned upon. In Cedric''s opinion it should always be frowned upon.

    He was drawn back from his thoughts as he saw a sole figure walking down the aisle, it was his wife, Adrianna. She might not have been the bride today but she captured everyone''s attention. She wore a silk lc gown that entuated her curves perfectly.

    Even after carrying his son, Adrianna looked as if she were a model in her early twenties. As Cedric watched her glide gracefully across the aisle he couldn''t help but think how she would look when it was her turn.

    He swore that someday he would give her the wedding she deserved, one fit for the new mistress of the Reyes Family. He knew he owed her that and he could only hope that it would happen soon.

    As Adrianna passed the altar and stood waiting for the bride, she shed her husband a loving smile and Cedric simply nodded.

    Soon the wedding march was yed and everyone was invited to stand as the bride and her parents would walk down the aisle.

    Emilio Reyes III would symbolically hand over his daughter to her new husband so that they could truly start a life together.

    As the grand doors swung open an immacte image in white walked in. Ayanna looked beautiful and elegant in her wedding gown.

    Ayanna wore a white A-line cut gown with a sweetheart neckline, the gown was made of frenchce and various crystals. It had a ten foot long train that trailed behind Ayanna and her parents. Cedric couldn''t help but feel proud of his sister, she looked every bit of a sessful woman as she walked down the aisle.

    Cedric watched as his father handed Ayanna over to Ray for the ceremony.

    "Cherish her." Emilio Reyes III said as he patted Ray on the shoulder.

    "I always have." Ray said with a smile as he held his wife''s hand.

 Chapter 438 - 438

    While the wedding went on peacefully inside the church, the outside world was thrown into a frenzy. When news broke out about Ray and Ayanna finally tying the knot in an unpublicized luxurious wedding social media came alive.

    The first photos that became avable online were those of some paparazzi who had managed to get a photo of the groom''s group traveling from the Laurence home to the church. At first it seemed to be purely spection, it was something big, but there were no telltale signs that they were headed to a wedding. They had done such a disy in the past when the Reyes Group CEO returned, so it wasn''t exactly the first time.??

    Things became clearer, however, when photos of the groom and his friends at the church were posted on the inte. At that point there was no doubt, the Reyes and Laurence families were trulybining their power and influence.

    The first articles andments to surface harped at how much more powerful the two families woulde out after the union.

    ''If we had a royal family and nobility it would be them, it''s like two noble families joining'' onementer said.

    ''I think the Reyeses and the Laurences are like dukes, the Kings would be the Sebastians.'' Some one added, sparking a debate online on who was truly the most powerful family in the country.

    Soon there were at least fifty families mentioned that all belonged to the so-called nobility that theizens were talking about. Among the families they mentioned were the Chans, Abads, Carpios, Ramirezes, Sos, Bernasconis, Ris, and many other families that people deemed to be part

    The tide of the topic soon shifted as a new set of photos from outside the church were posted, they weren''t as clear as the masses wanted but they were photos of the bridal entourage in beautiful dresses.

    The women began to search for who the designer was but it seemed like they wouldn''t be able to find out who it was.

    Inside Francesca nudged Selina and showed her her phone.

    "Wow, that was quick." Selina said with a grin.

    "You guys knew this was gonna happen. I''m sure you have a n." Francesca said, she knew that Selina was a smart business woman and she was sure that Selina would maximize this opportunity.

    "Of course." Selina said with a smile as she craned her neck to see if Maureen was paying any attention to her phone.

    Selina quickly typed something and smiled.

    "Done." Selina said with a grin as she showed Francesca a now booming post.

    "Okay, I shall share." Francesca said as she took out her phone and shared Selina''s post.

    Ayanna''s wedding gown and the entourage''s gowns were supposed to be an announcement of their partnership with Maureen Cordova.

    Selina''s SR designs would be manufacturing and distributing both Maureen''s couture line and ready to wear line.

    The announcement once again sent the inte into an uproar. Maureen Cordova was known to be an extremely picky designer. A lot of international fashion houses had approached her in the past for a partnership, but they often got turned down.

    Even when it came to her clients Maureen didn''t let just anyone purchase her designs. Only the true creme de creme of society was given the opportunity to purchase and wear her designs. So the news of her partnering with someone like Selina shocked a lot of people.

    This wave wouldn''tst long either, as two adorable faces began to dominate social media. Several guests at the wedding had snapped photos for Tristan and Emilio as the two little boys walked down the aisle. Photos of Emilio helping the younger Tristan captured the hearts of everyone who managed to see it.

    ''Wow, that Adrianna must be quite close to Ayanna Reyes. Ayanna even picked her son to be part of the entourage and with Nicole Chan''s son!'' Onementer said on a photo of Tristan and Emilio.

    ''Those two boys are way too adorable! No wonder Katerina Sebastian couldn''t resist posting about them.'' Another person on social media said on a photo of the two.

    ''It looks like Nicole Chan''s son found an older brother, and they are so adorable together!''

    It seemed that as soon as one topic hit social media another would appear, it was a photo of Tristan crying out and reaching towards the groom''s men.

    ''Oh my gosh, I can''t believe we didn''t realize this? Why would the assistant Reyes Group''s CEO be among the groomsmen?'' One quick wittedizen pointed out as photos of Tristan at the wedding began to surface.

    ''No way. Isn''t he a low born?'' A person replied.

    ''No, no, I just checked. Ian Lim is the eldest son of an old rich family that went bankrupt.'' Another personmented.

    ''So he was an assistant for nothing? Why would he stoop so low?'' Someone added.

    ''All the Reyes Group assistants are someone, all save for Cedric Reyes. Cami Montero is also from a rich family, the current assistants Dave is the heir to one of the biggest banks in the country, while Mae is also from a powerful family. The CEO''s assistants aren''t just anyone.'' Someone said revealing the secret behind the CEO''s people.

    ''My theory, Cedric Reyes is Emilio Reyes'' illegitimate son. Otherwise how else would you exin his position in thepany and his fortunate marriage.'' Someone added.

    ''Highly possible. He is also quite close to the other princes, but if he were an illegitimate son wouldn''t he be hated by the CEO and his friends?''

    ''Some illegitimate children are weed with open arms. I don''t see why Cedric Reyes and the Reyes Group CEO wouldn''t get along.''

    ''This must be investigated!'' Onementer demanded.

    The news almost eclipsed the photos of Ayanna entering the church. Both she and her gown became the talk of the town once the images hit the inte. As soon as the photos hit all else was forgotten and it seemed everyone''s attention turned to Ayanna.

    Women were jealous of both her beauty and that of the gown she wore, there was no question, this was Maureen''s best work. The wedding gown was clearly designed with Ayanna in mind. It fit both her look and the elegance she exuded.

    When people saw the way Ray looked at Ayanna as her father gave him her hand many women across the inte became jealous of how much Ray loved Ayanna.

    They thought it was a marriage of benefit, but the photos of the couple today proved otherwise. Ray''s and Ayanna''s eyes were filled with love and affection for one another.

 Chapter 439 - 439

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    "Congrattions Ayanna, Ray." Cedric said with a nod as the guests finally cleared out of the church. The only people left were their friends and the immediate family.

    "Thanks brother." Ayanna said as she hugged her brother tight.

    "Ayanna, your dress." Cedric said with augh as he hugged his sister back.

    "I hope you''re not mad that you have to act so cold and distant towards Adrianna and Emilio." Ayanna said with a frown.

    "Don''t worry Ayanna, it''s our choice to live this way. Plus it''s the best, it will keep your sister-inw and nephew safe." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Daddy!" Little Emilio shouted as he was finally allowed to run up to his father.

    "Emilio." Cedric said, catching his son in his arms.

    "Daddy, did you see me? Did you see me?" Emilio asked as he pointed towards himself.

    "Yes, you were such a good boy. You even looked after Tristan. Daddy is proud of you Emilio." Cedric said as heughed at how his son boasted about how well he walked down the aisle.

    "Yey, daddy is proud of me!" Emilio said as he hugged his dad by the neck.

    Everyoneughed at how silly and innocent the little boy was being at the moment.

    "Well Emilio might have acted well, but Tristan just exposed us." Nicole said, shaking her head as she approached with the other girls.

    "Why? What happened?" Ian asked as he wrapped an arm around Nicole''s waist and kissed her. "You look gorgeous by the way."

    "Our little boy crying and reaching out for his daddy made people suspect that you are his father." Nicole said as she leaned her head on Ian''s chest. "They looked into all of your assistant''s backgrounds, Cedric. They assumed that you were an illegitimate son."

    "Theye up with the wildest assumptions." Alexi said with augh as he approached with Jen by his side. It was evident to everyone that Alexi was being somewhat cold towards her. In the past his arms would already be wrapped around Jen at this point.

    "So they found out who Dave is?" Cedric asked.

    "Yup. They have already realized that he doesn''t have a simple background either." Alexi said with a nod.

    "It''s toote to have this covered up." Cedric said with a sigh as he looked towards Ram.

    "Way toote. Plus the moment people realized it the news exploded." Ram exined. He had let Francesca and Selina go ahead to the reception since Selina had no idea that Cedric and the Reyes Group CEO were one and the same.

    "The elders are not happy." Raphael Chan said, shaking his head as he approached the group of young people. "But they are not as angry as I expected. The fact that you were a groomsman in the wedding helped dissipate that anger Ian."

    "I guess you owe us." Ray teased with a grin.

    "Ian, don''t ever think that Raphael and I wouldn''t want you in our family." Lucy Chan said in a motherly tone. "You aren''t just Tristan''s father, you''re the man that my daughter loves. You''re a good kid."

    "Thank you auntie Lucy." Ian said with a smile.

    "How many times do I have to tell you, stop calling me auntie and just call me mom." Lucy Chan scolded. "It''s inevitable anyway."

    "And if Lucy won''t have you as a son, I don''t mind adding one more in the Reyes n." Prisci Reyes teased.

    "Thank you mom, auntie." Ian was overjoyed with the love and eptance that Nicole''s family had given him. None of them had expected that Raphael Chan and Lucy Chan would be open to having a son-inw whose family was no longer in power.

    "We should release a statement too, regarding my assistants'' background. While most of what people have uncovered is true, they had no business in digging into the personal lives of my employees." Cedric said sternly. He didn''t like people prying into his people''s lives.

    "Smart choice son." Emilio Reyes said with a nod. "Also, your cousin Ace asked me to tell you he needed to talk to you after the wedding. Something about a special project you ced him on." Emilio Reyes said with a shrug.

    "I''ll talk to himter then." Cedric said. He couldn''t help but notice Jen listening intently to their conversation. Was it possible that Jen was actually working for the Caprios? If so, then why would the Carpios ce someone in Alexi''s side and not closer to the Reyeses.

    Something about Jen still didn''t add up. He didn''t know who she was working for or what her motivation was. He didn''t like not knowing, he wanted to be able to study his opponent, and himing in blind was a disadvantage.

    "Let''s go. I''m sure the guests are already waiting at the reception." Prisci Reyes told the group.

    "I''ll see youter." Cedric said as he lowered his head and kissed his wife passionately in front of their family and friends. "You look amazing by the way." He whispered in a seductive tone into Adrianna''s ears.

    "Woah, I thought Ayanna and I were the ones that got married today." Ray teased. "Stop stealing the limelight."

    Everyoneughed at Ray''s grumblings. Cedric was too affectionate towards his wife.

    "You get to kiss my sister in public, I can''t kiss my wife in public, so let me have this win." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Cedric, let your wife and son go ahead." Prisci Reyes said scolding her son.

    "Fine mom." Cedric said as he finally released Adrianna from his arms and ced down his son.

    "Emilio, remember to behave." Cedric told his son sternly.

    "Yes daddy." Emilio said with a nod.

    "Watch over your mom and make sure Tristan doesn''t get into trouble." Cedric said.

    "I''ll be a big strong boy." Emilio said with a nod.

    "Good." Cedric said as he let his son and wife go ahead and leave the church with Nicole, Ian, and Tristan.

    "Nicole and Ian are about to face a barrage of reporters." Alexi said as he walked up beside Cedric.

    "The security team is keeping the paparazzi away. The worst they can do is to take photos." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Can I speak with you, alone?" Alexi asked Cedric.

    Cedric nodded and walked ahead to a secluded part of the church.

    "I need to speak to Cedric alone. Stay here." Cedric heard Alexi tell Jen quite coldly. Cedric couldn''t help but wonder if Jen was already suspicious of Alexi''s treatment of her.

    "Cedric -" Alexi quickly said as he joined Cedric in the secluded area.

    "Wait, before you say anything, you should treat Jen a little bit better. We can''t have her getting suspicious." Cedric warned Alexi.

    "I''m sorry. It''s just hard being around her." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "We won''t get what we need if she suspects you." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "She already does." Alexi groaned.

 Chapter 440 - 440

    "What?!" Cedric asked in surprise.

    "Shhh. This is still a church." Alexi scolded. "Plus she might hear you. She hasn''t gone out yet. She''s waiting for me."??

    "I thought I told you not to make her suspect?" Cedric asked Alexi in a hushed tone.

    "I did. I tried." Alexi said with a sigh. "She was suspicious the moment I said we should postpone the wedding."

    "You could have set a date." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "I have no intention ofmitting to her, but yes I could have set ater date." Alexi admitted. "But we never know how long these investigationsst. You still haven''t found out who is behind Jam''s killing and MT Summit. We think they could be the same person but what if they are not? It''s like we are back to square one."

    "They could also be rted to Jen." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "You should know how many enemies my family has Cedric. On top of that just the sheer number of people who would want to get their hands on Natalia''s serums are a lot." Alexi exined to Cedric.

    "Okay, fine, but we need to focus on the matter at hand. You need to stop acting cold towards Jen." Cedric told his friend. "You won''t even hold her hand."

    "How can I Cedric? Just the thought of her disgusts me. The fact that I have to take her to your sister''s wedding makes it even worse." Alexiined.

    "Is that really the only reason or are you afraid that someone else will misinterpret?" Cedric asked as he eyed his friend suspiciously.

    "No, no, not that. I know what you are thinking. Selina and I are just friends and she knows." Alexi said, vigorously shaking his head.

    "You told her about Jen? Did she believe you?" Cedric asked. He knew that Selina still saw the best in Jen and wouldn''t probably take Alexi''s word for it.

    "At first she didn''t." Alexi said with a sigh. "She''s known Jen her whole life and she still mes herself for Jen being a little bit broken."

    "I think Jen is a little bit more, no, a lot more than a little bit broken." Cedric said in a serious tone.

    "Selina''s words not mine." Alexi said, raising his hands in a show of innocence. "She told me the true story behind Jen''s confession. Cedric, if you heard the whole story you would feel bad. Selina told Jen from the start, Jen forced Selina, and Selina was the one standing by Jen not the other way around."

    "Alexi, rx. We know." Cedric said with a grin. "We''ve been waiting for you to realize the truth. Something was off with Jen''s story. Things didn''t add up."

    "How was I so blind and stupid Cedric?" Alexi asked in frustration. "I have only myself to me for the situation I''m in."

    "Well, you were in love." Cedric said with augh. "We do a lot of stupid things when we are in love. All you can do now is to pick yourself up and make up for those mistakes. Things will get better and that''s the first step."

    "You''re right. I''ll do better. Not just for me, but for Selina as well, she''s the victim in all of these." Alexi said with a sigh. "I''m just d I didn''t seek out revenge for Jen. I''m d I listened to you guys on that. I would have regretted it."

    "I''m d." Cedric said as he ced a hand on Alexi''s shoulder. "Let''s go. The reception won''t wait for us."

    The two men went back and joined the others and headed to Constetions where the reception was going to be held.

    The public was quite surprised that it would be held there. Most socialite wedding receptions were done at Maharlika or on the grounds of an ancestral home. Prior to that day people weren''t quite aware that Constetions was actually owned by the five princes. So it came as a shock to them that the boys had set up their own businesses outside of their family''s.

    When Cedric entered he found his way to their table, he was d that his seat was somewhat obscured from the rest of the guests, the only people that could see him if he took off his mask were the bride and groom and their families. He was sure that when people saw this they would be frustrated, many had hoped he would forget himself and take off his disguise while eating, but it seemed they had thought of everything.

    When he finally sat down he held his wife''s hand under the table. Emilio was seated on a high chair next to his wife and waspletely ignoring his father. Cedric was quite proud of his son''s maturity today.

    "Did you arrange for this?" Cedric asked without turning his head to face Adrianna.

    "I helped out." Adrianna said with a smile.

    Despite being blocked from view they both thought it best not to give the paparazzi and gossips any opportunity to create rumors or look at them any more than they already were.

    The more the guests looked towards them the higher the chance was of someone spotting a slip up.

    "It''s times like these that I hate hiding my identity." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "You were doing it for me, and now you are doing it for all of our protection. The less people know the better." Adrianna said in an attempt to calm her husband''s worries.

    "I know. I hope we find the people behind MT Summit soon." Cedric said as he squeezed her hand.

    "Looks like Nicole and Ian havee clean about their rtionship." Katerina said as she showed Cedric her phone. Katerina was seated on Cedric''s otherside but she was notpletely obscured from view. "They came out of the church together and the news exploded. I''m happy for them." Katerina said with a weak smile.

    "He has offered multiple times to juste clean about your rtionship." Cedric reminded Katerina. "It''s different. His career will actually get hurt. You know how it is with his fans. They want him single and avable."

    "Have the two of you even spoken about the future yet?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. I''m not ready to settle down, he is, but he said he will wait." Katerina said with a sullen look.

    "Now, don''t be so sad Katerina. He is going to wait and he is doing this because he loves you. You guys have waited years to be together. It''s not like a few more will ruin your rtionship." Cedric said with an encouraging nod.

    "You''re right." Katerina said as she pushed her worries to the back of her mind.

 Chapter 441 - 441

    Alexi arrived a little bitter than Cedric, he made sure to show more affection towards Jen this time, so when they got into the car he decided to make out a little bit with her. He tried his best but he felt disgusted with her lips as he felt her want more.

    "What''s wrong?" Jen asked as she broke off the kiss. "You''ve been really coldtely." ??

    "I''ve been stressed with work, that''s all." Alexi said in a tender as possible tone as he could muster. "I would never be cold to you."

    "That''s good to hear." Jen said as she looked up into his eyes. Alexi tried to see if she still had any doubts, but Jen was masking her emotions perfectly.

    "Jen, if you''re still bothered by me not setting a wedding date, please tell me." Alexi said in a pleading tone. He felt appalled by the way he was speaking, this woman broke into his sister''sb, stole from her, and hurt their friend. If he had his way she would be in the gutter somewhere by now.

    "I just don''t understand why you don''t want to set one." Jen said as a tear fell from her eyes. Alexi had to hand it to her, she was a great actress. If he hadn''t known the truth he would have definitely fallen for those tears. Unfortunately for Jen, he knew the truth now.

    "Jen, you know how my family is. This engagement and wedding need to work to my advantage politically." Alexi exined as he tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. How he wished he could reveal to the world what a horrible person she was.

    "Oh, is that why?" Jen asked with an embarrassed look on her face. Alexi still had no ns of putting his guard down, he wouldn''t be yed like a fool again.

    "Yes, why baby, were you worried it was something else?" Alexi asked as he gently caressed the side of her face.

    "You''llugh at me." Jen said with a blush. Alexi was surprised that she could blush onmand like that. A part of him wanted to believe her, but the evidence was just too much.

    "Tell me baby." Alexi said as he nted kisses on her neck.

    "Mmmm, Alexi." Jen moaned. "I thought you wanted me to tell you?"

    "Okay, I''ll behave." Alexi said with a fakeugh as he backed off and lifted his arms. He could act too.

    "I was worried that you fell in love with someone else." Jen said as she yed with her hair.

    "Baby, who would I fall in love with if not you?" Alexi asked as he lifted her chin. He might have hated his actions but he knew they were for a bigger cause.

    "Selina." Jen said in a weak voice, but it was loud enough for Alexi to hear.

    "Why would I fall for someone I hate?" Alexi hissed. He wasn''t happy about having to speak ill of Selina, but he had to. Selina would understand anyway, plus what were they but friends. "That bitch deserves to rot in hell for what she did to you."

    "Alexi, no. She was my best friend, and I truly loved her." Jen said in a sweet tone that now disgusted Alexi.

    "Once everything is better and we''re married, I''ll have someone deal with her." Alexi hesitated as he spoke the word married, he would never marry Jen. "Things areplicated right now, the Ramirez''s are old family friends and I can''t go after their daughter for a girlfriend."

    "Alexi, you don''t need to go that far. All that matters is how you see me, that you love me and believe me." Jen said as she ced a hand on his cheek and leaned forward to nt a chaste kiss on his lips.

    "I would love to do more damage to those lips of yours." Alexi said in a gruff tone. "But we have a wedding to go to." His tone was not like that due to desire, but rather because of the anger he felt for Jen.

    When they got to the venue Alexi wanted tough when he realized where he and Jen would be seated. Their table was behind Cedric''s and some of his other friends, he was seated with Ram, Francesca, Selina, and Helios, Selina''s twin brother.

    "This is a joke right?" Alexi asked Ram as he took his assigned seat in between Jen and Selina.

    "Nope." Ram said as he resisted letting out augh.

    Alexi looked at Selina and she gave him a knowing and understanding look. She knew he had to be mean to her today, Jen was next to him.

    "Who came up with this arrangement?" Alexi asked.

    "Do you want to get mad at Katerina and Adrianna?" Ram said with augh. He knew that the seating arrangement had been changed by the two at thest minute.

    Alexi could do nothing but, groan as he felt Jen slip a hand on his thigh. For some reason he felt guilty that Jen was doing just a physical act towards him in front of Selina.

    "Jen, not the ce or the time." Alexi said in as warm a tone as possible as he could despite the negative emotion he was feeling from her actions.

    "Sorry." Jen said in a shy voice.

    Alexi''s eyes flickered to Selina, who was seated next to him. Selina simply smiled and nodded, he wanted to reach out and exin to Selina what was going on. He was confused and conflicted as to why he felt the need to do so.

    Before Alexi could do or say anything, Eric went up on the stage and smiled at the audience. Many of the younger guests were fans of him, even among those that were in their 40s Eric had fans.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen, guests." Eric said with a grin. "Please rise and join me in weing our newly wedded couple, Mr. and Mrs. Raymun Laurence."

    Everyone stood and began to p as Ray and Ayanna entered from the huge double doors or Constetions'' grand ballroom.

 Chapter 442 - 442

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    As the program began Alexi couldn''t help but nce towards Cedric''s table, he knew that Cedric''s chair had been purposely ced so that others couldn''t see him.

    He envied Cedric right now, in the past hour several people had found a way toe up to him and Jen and congratte them. It hadn''t escaped his notice either that all the well wishers would re at Selina as they passed.

    It was clear that the rumors Jen had spread had taken root and people hade to think badly of Selina. Their engagement made things even worse, people wanted to get into Jen''s good graces, she was after all going to be the future Mrs. Sebastian.

    "Is something wrong?" Jen asked as another politician left after congratting them.

    "I just don''t like the attention." Alexi said as he quickly came up with an excuse. "It''s Ray and Ayanna''s wedding. The limelight should be on them."

    "My brother is very protective of his friends and their feelings." Natalia, who was also seated at their table with Adolfo said as she red at Jen. "You should know this Jen."

    Alexi was surprised that his youngest sister did not even try to hide her distaste of the woman. He didn''t me Natalia, it was her first time facing the woman who had used Alexi''s feelings to steal from herb and hurt her friend.

    "You can''t stop them Alexi." Selina suddenly said. "You two are the freshest gossip. They will always flock to you." She said with a genuine smile.

    Alexi couldn''t help but smile back as he saw that there was no hint of anger or disappointment in Selina''s expression.

    "See Alexi, even Selina thinks it''s understandable." Jen said as she ced a hand on his arm. Alexi resisted the temptation to shove her hand off his arm.

    "Just because it''s understandable doesn''t make it right, Jen." Selina suddenly said in a cold tone, surprising everyone on their table.

    In their past encounters, Selina had always taken the apologetic tone towards Jen. Alexi assumed that since their talk Selina hade to terms with the fact that Jen was not a good person and that it wasn''t Selina''s fault that she turned out that way.

    "I''m sorry Selina, but did I do anything to be on the receiving end of your snide remarks?" Jen suddenly asked, surprising everyone.

    "Yes you have." Selina said in a cold tone.

    Selina''s answer made Francescaugh quite loudly, it was clear that the two had be quite close friends.

    "Bitch." Jen said as she stood up and ran away from their table.

    Alexi sat and leaned back on his seat with a grin, this earned him a puzzled look from Helios, Selina''s twin, who wasn''t privy to what Jen had done.

    "Shouldn''t you go after your fiance?" Helios asked Alexi in a cold tone.

    "Why should I? Your sister was right?" Alexi said, shocking Helios.

    "Alexi, go after her." Selina urged.

    "Alexi, you have to. It''ll be suspicious if you don''t." Ram reminded him before Alexi could even respond to Selina. "You dug your own grave." Ram addaded making Alexi groan in frustration.

    "Can''t I need a break from her?" Alexi asked.

    "No, now go." Ram said with augh.

    Alexi could do nothing, he knew Ram was right, he was only suffering from the consequences of his own actions. So he stood up and walked towards the direction he had seen Jen running towards.

    He wandered the halls as he tried to figure out where she went, he had asked several members of the staff, some of them eventually managed to point him towards the right direction.

    As he turned a corner he heard Jen''s voice, it seemed like she was on the phone with someone.

    "I''m sure he''lle after me." Jen said, he tone was a lot colder than usual. Alexi wondered who she was talking to. He decided to stay hidden and listen in on her conversation.

    "Of course I still have him wrapped around my finger, nothing has changed. He is still madly in love with me." Jen said with augh. "I bet, right now, he is embarrassing Selina or at the very least reprimanding her. He hates her so much because of my stories that he doesn''t realize the truth. Even if his stupidwyer of a sister told him the truth he wouldn''t listen to her."

    Alexi balled his hand into a fist as he resisted walking over and hurting Jen. She had not lonely insulted Selina, made fun of him, but she had also called Katerina stupid. He might have fights with his younger sister but he could never take people who said bad things about his sisters behind their backs.

    "Yes I still have the serums you need, don''t worry." Jen said in an annoyed tone. "Well it won''t exactly be eptable if I went over to your ce. The serums are delicate and we need to arrange the meet up properly. Anyway, I think Alexi mighte and find me soon. I''ll call tonight."

    Alexi assumed that she had dropped the call, because out of nowhere he could hear her sobs. He decided to wait a while so that she wouldn''t think he heard anything. After a few minutes he ran over to find her leaning against the wall, crying.

    "Jen baby, what''s wrong?" Alexi forced himself to ask. "I''ve already told Selina off. You don''t need to worry about that bitch." Alexi added.

    "They all don''t like me." Jen said as she continued to sob. "You sisters hate me, even your friends hate me."

    "Hey, they don''t hate you." Alexi said as he wiped a tear off of Jen''s face as he tried to fakefort her. "They just don''t like outsiders."

    Jen looked up at him and blinked. "Alexi, as long as you love me, I will be happy." Jen confessed as she wrapped her arms around Alexi''s neck and went on her tiptoes to kiss him quite passionately.

    Alexi knew he couldn''t push her away, nor could he choose not to kiss her back. He hated his options, but there wasn''t much he could do at the moment, so he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

    Alexi deepened the kiss as he heard Jen moan into his mouth. For some reason as he kissed Jen another woman''s face shed in his mind, it was Selina Ramirez.

 Chapter 443 - 443

    Eventually Alexi had to break off the kiss, Jen wouldn''t let him go at first but he insisted.

    "Jen, it''s my friend''s wedding. We can''t be making out in a hallway while the reception is going on." Alexi said with a hiss. He wasn''t happy about his situation.??

    "I just really need you Alexi." Jen said as she began to cry again.

    "Jen, you know I don''t like people being clingy like this." Alexi couldn''t keep it in anymore. Even back when he was still in love with Jen and blind to her wrong doings he would never let her act this way and Jen knew that.

    "But Alexi, we''re going to be married, can''t I at least have this benefit?" Jen said as she looked up at him.

    Alexi wanted to push her aside and walk out, but he didn''t want to risk her questioning his cold attitude towards her again. It was just too risky to have her doubt his fake love for her, he just had to suck it up and pretend to still love her.

    "Jen baby, I know you want that, and maybe someday, but not now." Alexi said as he nted a chaste kiss on her lips. "Can we please go back to the reception now?" Alexi asked.

    "Will you sleep with me tonight?" Jen asked. It had been over a week since theyst slept together. Alexi knew that Jen was getting suspicious, he had been using work and his family as a constant excuse for theirck of intimacy.

    "Sure baby." Alexi said as he kissed her again. He was nning on asking his father to pretend that they had urgent family business tonight so that Jen wouldn''t insist.

    "Okay. Let''s go back." Jen said as she interlocked their fingers and pulled him towards the grand ballroom of Constetions Hotel.

    Just as they walked down the hall Alexi had an odd feeling in his gut and stopped.

    "Alexi, what''s wrong?" Jen asked as she threw him a questioning look.

    Alexi turned, he felt as if he was being watched, something was not right. He didn''t know if it was his paranoia because of Jen or if his concerns were truly valid.

    "Alexi?" Jen called out again as Alexi continued to scan their surroundings. He noticed that Jen looked worried as he observed the hallway.

    "One moment, baby." Alexi said with a weak smile as he took out his phone and dialed a number.

    "Something is off, I feel watched." Alexi said over the phone. "Send a group to sweep all the hallways and the vicinity. There are too many important people in the grand ballroom right now to risk it." Alexi ordered in an intimidating tone. He had called his father''s head of security.

    "Sir, the area was swept before your arrival, we also had roving guards. I doubt anyone unwanted could have snuck in." The head of security said.

    "Search the area again." Alexi instructed. The head of security could do nothing, his boss'' son had given instructions, so he had the whole hotel checked once again.

    "What was that?" Jen asked. "You scared me."

    "I felt like something was off in the hallway." Alexi admitted. He was hoping that he was wrong, and if he were right he was hoping that it could be someone or something that could lead them to the people Jen was working with. He wanted to end this charade he was putting up.

    "I''m sure it''s nothing." Jen said as she squeezed his hand. "You guys have such tight security today that I doubt someone could havee in without your permission."

    "I hope so." Alexi said with a nod as they finally reached the doors of the grand ballroom. Again he felt the odd feeling from earlier in the hallway, he decided to ignore it this time since his security team was already sweeping the area.

    "Alexi." Jen suddenly said as she stopped in her tracks. "Alexi, I love you and I will keep fighting for you. I know your family and friends both don''t like me and I don''t know why, but I will keep fighting to be with you, because I love you and you are my future." Jen said as she looked up at him and kissed Alexi on the cheek.

    Alexi was puzzled by her public confession. There were several people in the hallway as well who had definitely overheard her confession.

    "I''m a lucky man." Alexi said as he smiled back at Jen. He didn''t have it in him to reciprocate such a public confession. Just being with her now was already eating him up from inside.

    "So unromantic." A woman nearby scoffed. Alexi turned to see a familiar figure. He couldn''t remember her name but he was sure she was one of the socialites that he had slept with in the past.

    "Do you have a problem with my rtionship, miss?" Alexi asked.

    "Ha! You don''t even remember my name, do you?" The woman asked as she walked over with a ss of wine.

    "I know I spent a few nights with you. But you are right, I don''t know your name." Alexi said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

    "He will leave you, just as he left all of us. To him women are just tools for his pleasure." The woman said as she looked at Jen. "You''re not even that hot."

    "You are not allowed to disrespect her." Alexi said angrily. He didn''t like Jen anymore but he wasn''t going to let some woman he slept with a long time ago mess with a woman he was with publicly. It was like she was looking down on him as well, and he could not allow that.

    "You don''t control me and I don''t fear your family." The woman answered back.

    Alexi grinned, if intimidating her wouldn''t work, maybe something else would. "You weren''t even that good. I can''t even remember the night I spent with you. Was it one night or multiple nights?" Alexi asked with a malicious smile.

    "You are disgusting." The woman said as she threw the contents of her ss on Alexi.

    By some odd twist of faith, Selina just so happened to be passing by and the wine was thrown on her instead.

    "Selina!" Alexi said with a look of worry on his face.

    "What the-?" Selina asked in surprise as she was now dripping in wine.

    "She isn''t involved in this fight." Alexi hissed at the woman as he walked over and pped her. No one dared move or intervened, everyone was too afraid of Alexi, the anger was evident in his eyes.

    A member of his security team soon approached.

    "Throw her out of Constetions. If the Reyeses ask why, tell them it was under my orders. They will understand." Alexi instructed. His guard simply nodded and led the woman out of the hotel.

    "Jen, go back inside. You''ll be safe there." Alexi said in as warm a tone as possible as he could.

    "Why don''t you apany me?" Jen asked.

    "Miss Ramirez is drenched in wine because of us. Do you want me to send the wrong message that we are inconsiderate and would just leave someone behind like this?" Alexi asked Jen angrily.

    "Fine." Jen said, clearly unhappy about the arrangement. "Do you need me to tell the others? Maybe Ram or her brother, Helios, can apany the two of you." Jen asked.

    "Do you doubt me? Are you questioning my loyalty now?" Alexi asked, his temper was already building up.

    "No. I''ll just go." Jen said as she walked away.

 Chapter 444 - 444

    "Where is my brother?" Natalia asked with a worried look as Jen took her seat.

    "He''s helping that bitch Selina." Jen hissed. She was clearly not happy with how things had turned out, it was so bad that she forgot to watch her words in front of others.??

    "Jen, watch how you refer to my sister." Helios warned. "You were bestfriends long ago, even until now she still considered you to be her friend."

    "If we were friends then she wouldn''t be out there trying to steal my man." Jen said as she rolled her eyes.

    "You might want to keep your voice down." Ram warned as he eyed Jen. "If people overheard how you were talking about Alexi and Selina, they might just believe you."

    "At this point, I don''t care." Jen said angrily.

    "Jen, there is nothing between my brother and Selina. If you will refresh your memory he has been treating her quite terribly since you arrived. And don''t forget, Selina rejected my brother years ago." As Natalia said this she noticed more people were now listening in on their conversation. She had no intention of dragging her brother''s rtionship issues out in public, but Jen was going overboard with her usations.

    "Natalia, do you even know who your brother is?" Jen suddenly asked, shocking everyone. They didn''t expect that she would turn on Alexi so quickly. "Alexi isn''t exactly a saint. How many women has been with over the years? Everyone knows his track record."

    "Don''t you dare speak that way about my brother." Natalia said angrily as she stood up.

    Adolfo held her hand gently as he tried to calm Natalia down.

    "Natalia." Ram scolded. "Sit."

    Natalia looked at Ram and rolled her eyes and did as he asked sitting back down. A small crowd had already gathered around them.

    "You know this is unbing. She is trying to bait you." Adolo whispered into Natalia''s ear.

    Natalia red as she watched Jen''s smug look.

    "I need to talk to Katerina." Natalia said as she stood up and walked over to the other table.

    "I''ll go after her." Adolfo told Ram, who simply nodded in response.

    "Why are you trying to stir a misunderstanding Jen? Alexi has done nothing but love you and be loyal to you." Ram said as he looked at the woman who sat across him. Ram felt Francesca hold his hand as if to calm him down.

    "I''m not trying to stir anything. I am just voicing my fears and doubts to people I thought could understand him better." Jen said as she took a drink from her ss.

    "Alexi might be a yboy but he has always been loyal to you." Francesca suddenly said, surprising Ram. He never expected her to voice out her opinions in front of Jen.

    "You wouldn''t understand." Jen said quite loudly. "Youe from a family like theirs, you are epted by your future inws and even loved. The man you love is loyal and does not have a history of women trying and seeding to sleep with him. Do not think we are on the same boat Francesca Ri."

    "Francesca, is this woman bothering you?" A man suddenly came up behind Francesca, he looked quite simr to her, they had the same hair and eyes, and the same fair skin.

    "No brother. Nothing Ram and I can''t handle." Francesca said without turning to face the man. "I didn''t ask for your help."

    "Your family does not scare me." Jen suddenly said out of nowhere. Ram was sure that people now thought that they had enlisted the help of the Ris to bully Jen.

    "Francesca and Ram did nothing to you." Helios said, speaking up for the others on the table.

    "Of course you are on their side on this." Jen suddenly said. "I know that your family and the Sebastians have been trying for years to get Selina and Alexi to date."

    "Jen, where is thising from?" Helios asked in surprise. "You were fine earlier." Helios was genuinely concerned for Jen. He, like Selina, had grown up with Jen and knew her for most of her life. He never expected her to act this way.

    "You are all plotting against me!" Jen shouted as she finally grabbed everyone''s attention.

    "What is going on here?" A dominating figure suddenly asked as he approached. It was the CEO of the Reyes Group. Many guests suddenly turned away, they didn''t want the head of the Reyes family catching them eavesdropping.

    "Alexi is off with another woman." Jen said as she tried to sit tall despite the CEO''s intimidating aura. Jen knew who was behind that mask, and yet a part of her couldn''t help but be afraid and cautious around him.

    "Alexi wouldn''t be with another woman if there was no valid exnation." Katerina added as she approached with Natalia. "My brother is not that type of man."

    "You say that, but you are only defending him." Jen used.

    "Watch your mouth Jen. Do you have any idea who you are talking to." Helios warned.

    "Of course you are on their side! It''s your slut of a sister that is with Alexi right now." Jen shouted. "I have had enough of this." Jen said as she turned and walked out of the hall.

    Cedric looked at Ram and raised an eyebrow at him.

    "Let''s talk about it outside." Ram said with a sigh.

    "I need to say something to the guests. I''ll meet you out there." Cedric said with a nod.

    Cedric walked up to the stage drawing everyone''s attention. They all listened eagerly as he took the microphone from it''s stand.

    "Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for attending my sister''s and my brother-inw''s wedding. It means a lot to both the couple and their families that all of you could make it." Cedric said through the mic. At the back of his mind Cedric was thinking about how badly these people tried to get an invitation to today. Many of them either wanted the prestige of being at the wedding or they wanted the opportunity to meet all of the bigshots that would be attending.

    "Secondly, I would like to apologize for the scene earlier. Miss Pez, Alexi''s fianc��, is feeling some pre-wedding jitters. Don''t worry, Alexi has gone after her, he was just attending to some business." Cedric smoothly exined as he watched the guests nod in understanding.

    Cedric eventually thanked everyone again before dropping by his table.

    "I''ll go see what''s wrong with Alexi then I''ll be back. I promise." Cedric said in a low voice as he passed his wife.

    Adrianna simply nodded in response and Cedric walked out into the hallway.

 Chapter 445 - 445

    "Where is Alexi and what is wrong with Jen?" Cedric asked as he and Ram entered a meeting room across the grand ballroom.

    "I don''t know." Ram said with a shrug. "Jen just came in, angrily throwing lies about Alexi. Natalia couldn''t take it and almost assaulted Jen."??

    "Ram, you know Natalia would never hurt anyone." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Remember when Natalia was younger and Alexi took her favorite toy and she punched him?" Ram asked.

    "Yeah, that was hrious." Cedric said with a grin.

    "She looked just like she did that time. Luckily Adolfo was there and he managed to calm her down." Ram exined.

    "Okay, fine, so Natalia almost attacked Jen. But what happened before Jen came back? Where did she go?" Cedric asked. "And where is Selina?"

    "Okay, okay, I guess I need to go back to the start." Ram said with a worried smile.

    "Start with why Alexi left." Cedric said.

    "Jen got offended and ran away." Ram exined.

    "Who offended her?" Cedric asked as he massaged the space between his eyes. He was getting frustrated that he needed to ask Ram questions to get the answers he needed.

    "Well, no one did. Selina was just being frank and we just so happened to support Selina." Ram said with a shrug.

    "In short, you guys ganged up on her?" Cedric asked with a sigh as he shook his head.

    "We didn''t." Ram said in his defense. "Okay, fine. It might have been too much for us to side with Selina. But you know how we all feel about Jen. We just couldn''t resist."

    "It is crucial that she continues to trust us, to trust Alexi. She needs to know that we don''t suspect anything." Cedric said quite angrily.

    "Cedric, we didn''t say anything bad. For some reason Jen was overly sensitive today." Ram exined. "I think something has been going on between her and Alexi, something that''s been making her doubt their rtionship."

    "Alexi refused to set a wedding date." Cedric said with a sigh. "But I already convinced him to fix that. And if I''m not mistaken he was somewhat intimate with her earlier. They arrived quitete to the reception."

    "So why is she still so sensitive?" Ram asked.

    "Maybe it''s built up stress or worry." Cedric said with a shrug. "So what happened after she ran out?" Cedric asked.

    "Alexi didn''t exactly run after her immediately. We needed to remind him to go after her." Ram said with a sigh. "Heined a little, but Selina was eventually able to convince him. By the way, do you think there is something going on between Alexi and Selina?"

    "Oh Alexi." Cedricined as he massaged his temples. "At least he went after her. As for Alexi and Selina, I think there are underlying emotions that they have not addressed. Alexi liked Selina, Selina like Alexi, but Selina rejected Alexi because Katerina told her she deserved better. So there is an attraction between them." Cedric exined.

    "Thatplicates things." Ram said with a sigh.

    "I know. So after Alexi went after Jen what happened?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, nothing." Ram said with a shrug. "We just chatted with the twins while Natalia and Adolfo talked about some big project they could both work on, I honestly have no idea what''s the deal with those two by the way. Are they dating or are they just friends?"

    "None of our business Ram. And you''re getting distracted again." Cedric scolded. He knew that there was a rtionship deeper than friendship between Adolfo and Natalia, but he never bothered to ask either of them. He simply assumed that he would find out eventually.

    "Oh, right." Ram said, scratching his head. For a CEO he was quite easily distracted. "Anyway, they were gone for the rest of the program and when it was time to eat Selina stood up and went to thedies room."

    "That was when Jen came back?" Cedric asked.

    "Yup, but not immediately." Ram exined. "I''m sure she and Alexi ran into Selina in the hallway, that''s why she was so angry. From what I could pick up Alexi was being nice to Selina."

    "Did you see Alexi or Selina when you went out?" Cedric asked Ram.

    "No." Ram said, shaking his head.

    "We should ask around. I''ll have someone check with Alexi''s security team as well. If both he and Selina are missing and people find out, you know what they will assume." Cedric said with a frown.

    Cedric quickly called for Dave, Mae, and Leon to go to the meeting room where he and Ram were. He didn''t want to bother the others since they should be celebrating Ayanna and Ray''s wedding.

    "Sir?" Dave said as he entered with Mae and Leon.

    "I''m sorry to bother you and Mae today Dave, but I need help with something." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "It''s not a bother sir." Mae said with a nod.

    "I need to know what happened between Alexi leaving the grand ballroom till now." Cedric exined. "Alexi and Selina are nowhere to be found while Jen has walked out."

    "I''ll check with Alexi''s security team." Leon told Cedric. "But sir, I need you to stay in view of the public, preferably in the grand ballroom while we look into this."

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod. "Mae, Dave, I need you to check with both the staff outside as well as the hotel staff if Alexi was spotted anywhere. Also Leon, please check the CCTVs."

    "Yes sir." They all said with a nod.

    "Your team is too efficient." Ram said, shaking his head.

    "Let''s go back to the grand ballroom. They will contact us if they find anything." Cedric said as he walked back out and joined the wedding reception.

    Cedric sat back down next to Adrianna and let out a sigh. He was worried that Alexi had gone and done something stupid to make Jen so mad. Then again he also found the way Jen was acting to be quite suspicious. She normally wouldn''t speak to him or any of the other boys like that.

    "What happened?" Adrianna asked in a concerned tone.

    Cedric desperately wanted to reach out and hold her in his arms, but there were too many people.

    "Alexi and Selina are missing and Jen is acting oddly." Cedric said, without going into the details. "Leon, Dave, and Mae, are already looking for them, but I''m worried. I don''t know if Alexi is thinking with his head or his dick."

    "Cedric!" Adrianna scolded. "Our son is right over there."

    "I''m sorry. It''s just very frustrating." Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head.

    "You''ll sort it out. I''m sure of it." Adrianna said with a smile. "Before I forget, Ace passed by and said he needed to speak to you urgently."

    "I''ll give him a call tomorrow morning. He''ll probably be in the office anyway." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "Oh my." Veronica gasped as she looked at her phone. "Cedric, I found Alexi."

 Chapter 446 - 446

    "What is it?" Cedric asked as he stood up and walked over to Veronica.

    "This is impossible." Nicole said as she scrolled through her phone.??

    "Cedric, this has to have been arranged." Miguel said as he took Veronica''s phone from her and handed it over to Cedric.

    As Cedric took a look at the phone he was shocked. It was an expose on how Alexi Sebastian had been cheating on his fiance Jen Pez with Jen''s ex and ex best friend Selina Ramirez.

    The photos on the article were clearly taken recently, the first photo was one of Jen and Alexi making out in his car, another was of them in the hallway of Constetions Hotel. They were being intimate in both photos making it clear that they were a very physical couple.

    The next set of photos were of Alexi and Selina, the first few seemed innocent, with Alexi helping Selina out by draping his coat over her shoulders. The next fer photos however began to be more and more telling of a cheating couple.

    The first was a photo of Selina in Alexi''s arms, Cedric was hoping that she had simply tripped and he had caught her. The next however was more difficult to exin, in this one Selina was pressed up against the wall and Alexi''s head was buried in the nape of her neck, clearly he was kissing her.

    "If you think the first two are bad, the others are worse." Ian warned as he held Nicole''s phone in his hand.

    "Tell Ram to suppress this first." Cedric said as he assumed a more leader like role in the situation.

    Ian nodded, got up, and walked over to Ram''s table. Cedric was sure that Ian and Ram knew exactly what to do. They had already done this many times for Cedric.

    Cedric returned his attention to the article as he looked at the third picture, this one clearly showed Alexi with his hand on Selina''s waist as they entered Alexi''s room in Constetions Hotel.

    "How did they even get on that floor?" Cedric asked. The top floor where their suites were located had very limited ess.

    "That''s not the worst." Miguel said. "Check the rest."

    Cedric frowned as he did what Miguel asked. The next photos were images of Alexi and Selina in bed. They weren''t being intimate but the photos of them naked and in bed said enough, it was clear that Alexi had slept with another woman that was not Jen.

    "Sir, we found them." Dave said as he panted.

    "They are in Alexi''s suite." Cedric said in a grim tone.

    "Yes sir, and for some reason the paparazzi had managed to get up to the private floor." Dave said, breaking the bad news. "Leon and his team have already sent them away, but we are certain that they will be waiting outside for the wedding guests."

    "Arrange for the guests to leave through the basement, make sure there are arrows pointing towards the furthest exit so that they won''t be hounded by paparazzi when their cars exit." Cedric quickly instructed. "Check on Alexi''s and Selina''s condition. If they are hurt physicallye down and call for Miguel or Nicole."

    "Yes sir." Dave said with a nod as he exited the ballroom once more.

    "I''ll tell the parents." Veronica said as she got up from her seat.

    "V, you don''t have to." Miguel said as he grabbed his wife by the wrist.

    "No, you guys have other things to deal with, you have your own roles tonight. Let me help with this." Veronica insisted.

    "Fine." Miguel said in surrender. In the three years they had been married he hade to understand that there were some things he couldn''t change Veronica''s mind on.

    "Miguel, you and Nicole stay here in case any medical assistance is needed." Cedric instructed. "Katerina, can you see if Eric and Francesca can distract the guests?"

    Katerina nodded and went over to look for Eric. "And call Natalia and Adolfo over." Cedric called out.

    "Adri, I need you and Emilio to go back home without me." Cedric said as he looked over to his wife. "I''m sure this ce will be swarming with reporters in no time and I don''t want to risk any slip ups from our end."

    "Okay." Adrianna said with a nod. "Promise me you''ll stay safe."

    "I will." Cedric told his wife.

    Adrianna nodded and lifted their son off his seat. Mia approached to help Adrianna with Emilio, Cedric noticed that Mia actually enjoyed helping Adrianna take care of Emilio so he didn''t hire a separate nanny for the boy, instead he just added people to Mia''s team.

    Cedric made a mental note to begin hiring people to guard Emilio, since the boy would be starting school soon. His parents wanted him to just hire tutors for Emilio, but Cedric insisted that his son had to go to a normal school.

    "Make sure they make it home safe." Cedric instructed Mia, who simply nodded in reply.

    "I''ll be a good boy for daddy." Emilio proudly dered without even looking at his father.

    Cedric couldn''t help but smile, he was proud of his son for being such a smart kid.

    "Cedric, you asked for us?" Natalia said as she approached with Adolfo.

    "Natalia, I need to know what serums were taken from you. It''s possible that one was used on Alexi." Cedric told Natalia. "He wouldn''t sleep with Selina knowing what was at stake."

    "Cedric, you don''t need something as strong as my serums to get Selina and Alexi on the same bed." Natalia told Cedric. "What was taken from myb are much more powerful than that."

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked, confused by Natalia''s statement.

    "Cedric, you just need eyes to notice the sexual tension between those two." Adolfo exined for Natalia. "Someone just needed a strong enough drug to drive their attraction over the edge."

    "So this isn''t one of yours?" Cedric asked as he pitched the spaced between his eyes.

    "Fortunately not. If it were, the results would be much worse. This was probably just amon aphrodisiac." Natalia exined.

    "Well your parents will talk to the guests and inform them that there was an incident that needs their attention, meaning the wedding reception will be cut short." Veronica exined as she returned.

    "I''m sure several guests have already seen the article." Cedric said as he eyed the guests as they talked among themselves.

    "Brother." Ayanna said as she walked up behind Cedric.

    "Ayanna, I''m sorry, but we need to end the reception before the news gets any worse." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "It''s okay." Ayanna smiled. "I only had this big ceremony for thepany. The one that mattered was the one we had a year ago."

    "Why do things like these end up ruining our events though." Ray said with augh as he hugged Ayanna from behind.

    "It''s because you''re bad luck." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes.

    "Not possible, if I were bad luck then how did I end up being so lucky when it came to my wife." Ray said with a sly smile making Ayanna blush.

    "Sir." Dave said as he suddenly arrived. "Mr. Alexi is fine, but something is wrong with Miss Selina." Dave was panting as he spoke, he had clearly tried to get to them as soon as possible

    "Why didn''t you just call us?" Cedric asked. "Nevermind. Miguel, Nicole, let''s go." Cedric said as they marched out of the grand ballroom.

    "Sir, we couldn''t get through to any of your phones." Dave said as they walked to the elevator.

 Chapter 447 - 447

    WARNING: Sexual Content (chapter may contain some important details before and after the sexual content, skip at your own risk)

    Alexi woke up in a daze. He felt lost and confused, he couldn''t remember what had happened, one moment he was at Ray and Ayanna''s wedding reception and now he was in bed. Did he somehow manage to convince himself to sleep with Jen???

    Alexi sat up as he searched for a ss of water. As he moved around he touched a soft figure beside him and froze, he knew Jen''s body, and this definitely was not Jen.

    He sat up and tried to remember how he ended up in this situation, it was slowlying back to him. Selina''sments, Jen leaving the ballroom, his reluctance to follow.

    Alexi looked at the figure next to him, he had an inkling on who it could be but he was afraid to lift the nket that covered her.

    Alexi ced his head in his hands as he slowly remembered what happened. He was in a hallway, the hallway of the hotel and Jen had marched away, but he didn''t care, his attention was on Selina who was now drenched in wine.

    "Selina, are you alright?" Alexi asked as he checked on her. The already form fitting dress clung even tightly onto her emphasizing her curves. Green dress was now stained by the red wine that the woman had thrown. Alexi couldn''t help but stare at her body, she was built better than a model.

    "I''m fine." Selina said as she checked her dress.

    "We should get you changed." Alexi said as he took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. He didn''t mind taking it off, it was getting warm anyway. "I have a room here on the top floor, you can change and make yourself presentable there." Alexi told her as he ced an arm around Selina''s shoulder and led her to the elevator.

    "Thank you." Selina said as she looked up at Alexi.

    Alexi was immediately distracted by her red lips, he wanted to capture them in his own and savor their vor. Before he could even realize it Alexi cupped Selina''s face in his hand and was slowly caressing her cheek.

    He was surprised when a moan escaped her lips, he couldn''t resist her allure as his body reacted to the desire to have her.

    "Selina, this is a dangerous game you are ying." Alexi warned as the elevator door opened and he quickly pulled her in.

    "Alexi." Selina said, moaning Alexi''s name as the doors closed behind them.

    Alexi pushed Selina against the elevator and pressed his body against hers.

    "Selina, this is what you do to me." Alexi whispered seductively into her ears. "This is dangerous Selina, you know what''s at risk."

    "I''ve always thought you were a dangerous kind of hot." Selina said in response, clearly not caring about Alexi''s warning.

    "Don''t tempt me Selina." Alexi warned again as he let his lips brush against her ear.

    "So hot." Selina moaned as Alexi felt her crotch rub against his manhood.

    "Selina." Alexi said in a frustrated tone. "Why is it so hard to resist you?" Alexi asked as he wrapped an arm around Selina''s waist. He knew he should resist her, but today it seemed like he needed her, it felt like if he didn''t have her he would die.

    "Alexi." Selina moaned as she grinded herself against him.

    Alexi looked at her erotic expression and was about to kiss her when the elevator doors opened.

    "Let''s go." Alexi said in a frustrated tone as he pulled her out of the elevator.

    "I need you." Selina said as she leaned against Alexi, a breast brushing against his side.

    Alexi felt like he would explode if he didn''t do anything about his arousal. He pulled her close to him once more and lifted her chin up so that they were looking each other in the eyes.

    "You asked for this too." Alexi warned as he lowered his head and kissed her passionately. He felt as Selina began to kiss him back, her arms wrapped around his neck as he let his hand wander down to her ass and give it a gentle squeeze.

    His actions aroused Selina as she opened her mouth to let out a moan. Alexi took advantage of this and forced his tongue in her parted lips. He pressed her against the wall and moved his hand from her ass up to her breasts giving it a squeeze.

    "If I didn''t care I would take you here and now." Alexi told Selina as he moved to leave a trail of kisses on her neck. The more he kissed her, the more he needed her, she was like a drug he couldn''t get enough of.

    As he continued to devour her his hand slowly lifted the hem of her dress, exposing her wless long legs. He let his fingers trace a path up her leg and in between her thighs. Selina clearly wanted this too as another moan escaped her lips.

    "Who knew you were such a naughty girl." Alexi said with a grin as he made her wrap a leg around his waist and he felt her bare pussy with his hand. Selina had gone to the weddingmando, or maybe she had taken off her panties at some point, it didn''t matter to Alexi as he felt her arousal.

    "Is this for me?" Alexi asked as he teased her.

    "Yes, I need you Alexi." Selina begged.

    "Not out here baby." Alexi whispered as he finally let her go. "My room is the right ce for this."

    Alexi picked Selina up, bridal style as he captured her lips in his again. He felt her wrap her arms around his neck and y with his hair as they made out quite passionately.

    There was a me in him that could not be quenched, it only felt better whenever he made contact with Selina''s bare skin. Even touching her through her dress was not enough, he needed more.

 Chapter 448 - 448

    WARNING: Sexual Content (chapter may contain some important details before and after the sexual content, skip at your own risk)

    Alexi was frozen in ce as he realized what happened in the hallway, how many people had seen him and Selina being somewhat intimate. ??

    He looked down at the sleeping figure next to him. Selina would never act that way towards him, there was an understanding between them and Selina always respected that boundary. Why would she try to seduce him now?

    "Selina." Alexi groaned as he ran a finger on the covered figure. He was so tempted to lift the sheet and see her as he recalled how it felt to hold her earlier.

    "Mmmm." Selina grumbled as she shifted under the sheets.

    "How long have we been up here?" Alexi asked as he looked for his phone. He checked and saw that they had been gone for roughly two hours. The reception should be close to over by now.

    "Selina, we have to go." Alexi said as he ced a hand on her exposed shoulder. As he touched her a warmth spread through his body, reminding him of their intimacy a few moments ago.

    Alexi and Selina finally made it to his suite, he pressed Selina against the door and captured her lips in his. Every time he felt them make contact it was like a burst of satisfaction came over his body, but her lips were not enough, he needed more of her.

    "Selina, I want to ravish you." Alexi said as his hand squeezed a breast through the fabric of her dress.

    "Alexi, I need you." Selina moaned as she felt Alexi''s hand explore her body.

    "Soon baby, soon." Alexi whispered. As he opened the door he stopped in his tracks. He was confused, why was he doing this. He liked Selina, yes, but bigger things were at stake. Why was he here in his suite ready to take her, hungry for her.

    "Alexi." Selina called out as shey on his bed. Her voice woke something up within him, turning him on even more.

    Alexi forgot about all of his doubts and his mind''s sole focus became Selina.

    He walked over to the bed and found her skirt hiked up to her waist exposing her opening to him in all its glory.

    "You are gorgeous." Alexi said as he knelt on the bed and began kissing her leg, from her ankle up to her inner thigh. He could smell her arousal, it triggered something in him, he felt his body heating up, he felt the need to enter her to quench the burning passion in between his legs.

    He heard Selina let out a breath as his tongue gently brushed against the erect nub in between her legs.

    Alexi smiled as he pulled away resulting in a cry from Selina.

    "Alexi, no." Selina begged as she reached out for him.

    "Don''t worry baby, tonight you are mine." Alexi hissed as he unbuckled his belt and threw it away.

    He watched as Selina licked her lips and crawled towards him. She reached out and undid his pants for him, pulling them down with one swift motion, revealing his manhood in all its glory.

    A gasp escaped Selina''s lips, she was clearly surprised by its size.

    "Baby, don''t worry." Alexi said as he lifted her head up by her chin and looked her directly in the eyes. He leaned down and kissed her passionately as his hands found her ass and gave it a p. "It won''t be gentle, but you''ll enjoy this too." Alexi promised as he released her face.

    Selina wrapped a hand around his manhood and began to pleasure him. With every stroke Alexi felt like he was about to explode, her touch on it''s own set him on fire.

    "Oh Selina baby." Alexi said as he pulled gently on her hair.

    He was taken by surprise when Selina took his manhood into her mouth, she moaned as she took him, turning Alexi on even more.

    He was pleasantly surprised to see that Selina could take the whole of him in her mouth. He grabbed the back of her head and roughly guided her to speed up her pace.

    "You''re so good at this baby." Alexi managed to say as he felt waves of pleasure pulse through him.

    "As much as I like being in your mouth, there is another ce I would love to be inside of." Alexi said as he lifted her off him.

    "Alexi, I need you in me." Selina begged. "I''m burning, I need you inside."

    "Trust me baby, I want to be inside you. The question is, are you ready for me?" Alexi asked as he plunged two fingers inside of her. As his fingers entered he felt her wetness, she was clearly ready, but Alexi wanted to hear her beg.

    He began to move his fingers in and out of her.

    "Alexi, faster." Selina cried out as Alexi increased his pace, he felt something building in her.

    "Alexi!" Selina cried out as waves of pleasure took over her body. Her cries sent Alexi over the edge, he needed to take her, he needed to be in her.

    He quickly positioned himself at her entrance.

    "Alexi." Selina moaned as he bushed his manhood against her opening.

    "Baby, I''m gonna make you mine tonight." Alexi said as he prepared to take her.

    "I can''t take it anymore Alexi! I need you in me." Selina called out as Alexi entered her in one aggressive motion.

    Alexi didn''t give her time to adjust to his size, just being in her was enough to make him burst, luckily he hadn''t yet. Selina was tight, tighter than even the virgins he had been with, it was as if he and she were a perfect fit, built for one another. He doubted he could get the same pleasure from another woman ever again.

    He began to move, pounding into her vigorously. He felt the world around him disappear as pleasure took over his body. He heard Selina screaming his name as he continued to pleasure both her and himself.

    He soon felt himself nearing his release and at the same time he felt Selina clench around him, she too was reaching his climax.

    "Let''s do it together baby." Alexi said as he released himself into her.

 Chapter 449 - 449

    Alexi ced his head in his hands and shook it vigorously. How could he have acted on those impulses, it was as if it wasn''t him. As if he had let his desires take over, it was very unlike him.

    He was pulled back from his thoughts when he heard a knock on the door.??

    "A moment." Alexi called out angrily as he fished out a new pair of pants from his closet.

    "Mr. Alexi it''s me Dave. The boss asked me to check up on you." Dave said from the otherside of the door.

    "How did Cedric know I was here?" Alexi asked as he walked out to the living room in the suite.

    "Sir, have you not seen the news?" Dave asked as he passed his phone over to Alexi.

    Alexi raised an eyebrow and took the phone. He was shocked when he saw the article, how did this paparazzi make his way up to the top floor. The security here was top notch, no one should have been able to see them.

    "Cedric must be furious." Alexi said with a sigh, regret coursed through him as he realized how badly he had messed up their ns.

    "No, Mr. Cedric doesn''t believe that you would do something like this willingly." Dave said in a somber voice.

    "I''m happy my friend trusts me, but I ced our n at risk, he should be mad at me." Alexi said, shaking his head. "What happened to Jen? Has the bitch seen this?" Alexi asked.

    "We don''t know." Dave said with a frown. "Jen left the wedding right before the news broke. She was angry at you at Selina when she left. She was shouting that you were cheating on her with Selina. The timing of the news was impable. It proved her right."

    "She was shouting that? Jen?" Alexi said as he was shocked to hear that Jen would be so outspoken. She was normally meek and quiet.

    "Yeah, people eventually stopped and listened in on her argument." Dave exined.

    "Who was she arguing with?" Alexi asked.

    "Mainly Natalia." Dave said, surprising Alexi.

    "You sure it was Natalia, not Katerina?" Alexi asked with a puzzled look on his face. Natalia was his more quiet sister, she rarely got into fights, unlike Katerina who wasn''t afraid to get her hands dirty.

    "Yup. Adolfo had to calm her down." Dave shrugged. "It was Katerina that managed to talk some sense into her eventually."

    Alexi simply nodded. Katerina talking sense into Natalia wasn''t out of the ordinary, she was older and was more mature between his two sisters.

    "Did Cedric give any instructions on what I should do?" Alexi asked. At the moment he didn''t trust himself to make choices. It was his decisions that managed to get them stuck in this situation in the first ce.

    "He just asked me to find you and check up on you and Selina." Dave exined.

    "Right, Selina." Alexi said as he looked at the door to his room. "Give me a moment. I''m sure she wouldn''t appreciate you walking in on her in her current condition."

    Dave nodded and sat back on the couch as Alexi walked over to the door.

    Before opening it he took a deep breath. He wasn''t sure what he would find behind those doors, they had just had passionate sex and he was afraid that Selina would be furious at him for taking her that way. Add to that the article that had been released making her out to be a mistress and a thief, taking Alexi away from her former lover and best friend.

    The article painted them both in the worst light, making Jen out to be a saint, an angel, the victim of two horrible people who made their decisions based on how much they lusted over another.

    Alexi finally mustered up the courage and pushed the door open. It was dark since he had turned the lights off after entering. He didn''t want to suddenly wake Selina up by switching on the lights.

    He slowly walked up to the side of the bed and knelt next to Selina''s sleeping figure.

    "Selina, ba-" Alexi caught himself as he was about to call her by the affectionate name he used when they had sex. "Selina, wake up." Alexi gently said as he shook her by the shoulder.

    Alexi paused and waited for her to respond, when she didn''t he tried once again to wake her up, calling out her name.

    "Selina, you have to wake up." Alexi said with a sigh.

    When he still got no response he lifted the nket that was covering her. He was shocked to find her cheeks flushed with a pinkish color. He ced a hand on her face and felt her burning up.

    He was quickly thrown into a panic as he ran out and called for Dave.

    "Send for Miguel, no Nicole, she needs a female doctor. Selina is burning up." Alexi said quickly. He didn''t even wait for Dave to respond as he went to the bathroom and filled the tub with cold water.

    From his years being around Miguel he knew that they would need to keep the fever down and a cold bath should help.

    With the tub slowly filling up Alexi walked over to the room and removed the nket off of Selina. He marveled at her body, at the same time he scolded himself for checking her out when she was in such a bad condition.

    He leaned down and ced a kiss on her temple.

    "I''ll make sure you get better, I promise." Alexi said desperately as he hoped Selina would hear him.

    He picked her up and took her to the bathroom. He ced her down gently into the tub and leaned her back. He had ced towels at the head of the tub so that she would at least be somewhatfortable when she woke up.

    Alexi felt like it still wasn''t enough, he watched as he small figure slowly slipped down. He was worried that her head would fall in and she would drown.

    Without thinking Alexi took off his clothes and left only his underwear as he joined Selina in the cold bath.

    "Fuck." Alexi cursed as he felt his arousaling up. How could he think that way when Selina was sick in his arms.

    Before he could even think of what to do the bathroom door burst open. Nicole, Miguel, and Cedric walked in.

    "Seriously Alexi?" Cedric asked with a frown as he walked back out, clearly pissed off with what he had seen.

 Chapter 450 - 450

    "She reacted badly to whatever aphrodisiac she was given." Nicole told Cedric as she joined him in the living room.

    "Is she doing better?" Cedric asked as he looked up at Nicole.??

    "Yes, Miguel administered some medication and Alexi''s quick thinking helped cool her down." Nicole said with a nod as she sat next to Cedric. "The poor girl will be so confused when she wakes up. She had a unique one in her system, it''s quite potent."

    "I know it''s not Alexi''s fault Nicole." Cedric said with a frown. "If you''re here on his behalf to convince me, I know it''s not his fault."

    "So why did you walk out?" Nicole asked with a puzzled look on her face.

    "I was just frustrated." Cedric said with a sigh. "We''ve done so much so that Jen wouldn''t suspect that we knew about her and so that she would let her guard down around Alexi, then he goes and loses control."

    "He was drugged." Nicole reminded Cedric.

    "I know." Cedric said with a frown. "That''s why I can''t me him. Plus I can''t ask him to stay with someone he doesn''t love and someone that used him. That''s just unfair."

    "Thank you." Alexi said as he stepped out of his room. He had changed as was now wearing a suit once more.

    "It''s really not your fault." Cedric said with a nod. "Are you sure you were drugged?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, I felt different." Alexi said as he walked over to join Cedric and Nicole. He took a seat on the couch across them and leaned back. "But to be sure Nicole and Miguel have already taken samples of my blood. They want to run some tests to find out what it was."

    "When do you think you were drugged?" Cedric asked.

    "Well I started feeling different after I chased after Jen." Alexi exined.

    "Do you think Jen could have drugged you?" Cedric asked.

    "Maybe. She wanted to get intimate earlier, so she could have been doing it so we would sleep together." Alexi said as he scratched his chin. "What puzzles me is why Selina was drugged." Alexi confessed.

    "Maybe she was nning on sending Selina to her boss or something, if she was the one that drugged Selina." Nicole suggested.

    "It doesn''t make sense, why would she drug Selina then leave the two of you together?" Cedric asked.

    "She didn''t leave us by choice, I made her leave." Alexi said with a shrug. "We bumped into one of my exes in the hallway and Selina got sshed by wine that was meant for me. Selina was in the wrong ce at the wrong time."

    "I guess it''s better that you ended up in bed with Selina, she might have imed to be pregnant if you guys slept together when you had little control." Nicole said as she thought of what decivious things Jen could have done.

    "I''m just d Selina didn''t end up in the bed of Jen''s boss. That would be a tragedy." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Speaking of her boss, I overheard her speaking to them." Alexi said as he remembered the one sided conversation he had heard in the hallway.

    Cedric looked at him and raised an eyebrow, he was waiting for Alexi to exin.

    "Well the serums she took from Natalia''sb are still with her. I think she stored it in her apartment. She mentioned that the serums were delicate and that she would meet up with him at a more suitable time." Alexi exined. "I also don''t think she''s caught on to us knowing the truth." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "What gave you that idea?" Cedric asked.

    "Because when she was talking to her boss or her partner, she told them that she had me wrapped around her finger and that I would do anything to be with her." Alexi said with a sigh. "If she thought that way why would she go berserk over usations of me cheating on her with Selina?"

    "How did you know she said you were cheating?" Nicole asked.

    "Dave told me earlier. I told him it was very uncharacteristic of Jen to do something like that." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "So if she believed that you were in love with her, then why would she use you of cheating in public?" Nicole asked as she said her thoughts out loud. "I''m sorry guys, I wish I remembered what we fought over. I feel so useless not remembering."

    "It''s not your fault Nicole." Miguel said as he ced a hand on Nicole''s shoulder. He had juste out of the bedroom. "Selina is awake. The medicine we gave her worked, but she isn''t in the best condition."

    "We need to talk to her." Cedric said as he stood up. "She might know who drugged her."

    "And you n on just marching into the room like that?" Nicole said as she looked him over.

    "Why?" Cedric asked, throwing a confused look at Nicole.

    "Selina doesn''t know you are the CEO of the Reyes Group, remember?" Nicole said, shaking her head. "For a smart person you can be quite stupid."

    "You''ll shock and confuse her." Alexi said with a look of concern on his face. Cedric could tell that whatever had just happened between him and Selina had made Alexi''s feelings for the womane out. "Right now you''re dressed like the CEO but with your normal face."

    "So I''m just average?" Cedric asked, crossing his arms. "In that case, you are less than average. We all know I''m better looking."

    "Yeah, ording to your wife!" Alexi said with augh. "Don''t forget Cedric, I''ve been with dozens of women. They all want me." Alexi boasted.

    "They just go with you cause you''re easy." Miguel said with augh.

    "Whatever, Mr. Virgin." Alexi said, rolling his eyes.

    Miguel simply rolled his eyes at Alexi and went back into the bedroom to take care of Selina.

    "I think we should tell Selina everything." Alexi''s tone suddenly turned serious, making Cedric look at him with suspicion.

    "Why?" Cedric asked. He didn''t want his friend thinking with his dick again.

    "Because she''s a victim in all of this, she deserves to know that the person helping her isn''t some stranger and is someone she can trust." Alexi said with a shrug.

    Cedric paused and thought about the repercussions, Selina and her family would be good allies to have and he felt like he could trust Selina and her twin brother, Helios. He was just hesitant in widening the circle of people that could be put in danger for knowing his true identity.

    "Fine." Cedric said, giving into Alexi''s request.

 Chapter 451 - 451

    When Cedric entered the room with Alexi and Nicole, he saw Selina sitting up in bed, hugging her legs. She had a sad expression on her face, as if she was about to burst out into tears.

    "You like her right?" Cedric whispered to Alexi. ??

    "I do." Alexi said with a nod as he continued to look at Selina. It seemed that sleeping with her was enough to help Alexi realize how he really felt about Selina, he had no doubts now.

    "Go to her. She''s afraid." Cedric said as he gave Alexi a push towards Selina.

    Selina looked up and noticed Cedric, she gave him a puzzled look. Her attention quickly shifted as Alexi approached and joined her in bed.

    "Are you, alright? How are you feeling?" Alexi asked as he still kept his distance.

    Selina simply shrugged and looked down.

    "Selina, please talk to me." Alexi begged as he ced a hand on hers, but Selina pulled her hand away.

    "Selina I''m sorry." Alexi said with a frown. "I didn''t want your name to be ruined because of me."

    "I don''t care about my name. People have already had a bad opinion of me." Selina said as she continued to avoid eye contact.

    "Then what is bothering you?" Alexi asked in a calm and soothing tone. Cedric was surprised that his friend could speak so calmly to another person, he had never seen this side to Alexi, not even with Jen.

    "It''s embarrassing." Selina said as she shook her head.

    "I won''tugh or judge or get mad or anything. I promise Selina." Alexi pleaded. He was clearly worried about Selina.

    "I slept with you." Selina managed to say.

    "Ba-, Selina, was I that bad in bed?" Alexi teased as he tried to make the situation a little bit lighter.

    "No you were great." Selina said as she was quick to contradict Alexi. She covered her mouth when she realized what she had just said and buried her face in her hands.

    "You were great too." Alexi said into her ear with a grin. He spoke loud enough for everyone to hear making Miguel roll his eyes in annoyance.

    "You''re embarrassing her." Cedric finally said as he walked up to the side of the bed.

    "Why do you have to interfere?" Alexi hissed.

    "Maybe we should give them some time alone." Nicole suggested.

    "Don''t." Selina suddenly said, raising her head.

    "Why? Are you afraid you won''t be able to control yourself around me?" Alexi teased.

    "I thought you wanted to help her? You are making it worse." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Selina, please tell me what''s bothering you?" Alexi said as his tone turned gentle again.

    Selina refused to answer him and continued to look down at the bed.

    Alexi sighed and moved closer to Selina, wrapping his arms around her and holding her. He pulled her head closer to him and made her lean on his chest.

    "You don''t need to be afraid of me Selina, you can trust me. You can trust us." Alexi said as he gently stroked her head tofort her.

    "Why?" Selina asked.

    Alexi smiled understanding what she was trying to ask.

    "Selina, if you haven''t figured it out yet, I like you." Alexi confessed, making everyone''s jaw drop in shock. They never expected him to confess at that moment.

    "Alexi��" Selina managed to say through her shock.

    "Selina, if I didn''t like you I wouldn''t have given into those drugs so easily." Alexi cupped her face and looked her in the eyes. "Even without them it''s so hard to resist your charms, you''re smart and beautiful, you''re strong and brave, to me you are perfect."

    "Close your mouth Miguel. You might catch some flies." Cedric teased as he noticed Miguel gasp in shock at Alexi''s words.

    "Selina, are you afraid that you were going to be one of my flings?" Alexi asked as he pulled her closer to him. "Because if that''s what you were afraid of, that''s never going to happen."

    "You''ve only just met me." Selina said as she looked at Alexi with a doubt filled nce.

    "Let me correct you there Selina." Alexi said with a mischievous grin. "We met years ago at your house, and if I am not mistaken, you had a crush on me and I had a crush on you. I was even willing to get engaged to you." Alexi said nonchntly

    "I said no." Selina said, brushing his hand off of her.

    "You said no because stupid Katerina ruined things for me before they could start." Alexiined. "But I''m thankful that Katerina did that."

    Selina looked up at Alexi with a confused look.

    "I wasn''t at a good ce. It was love at first sight but I wasn''t good enough for you back then." Alexi said as he ced a hand on her cheek.

    "And you think you''re good enough for her now?" Nicole said with augh.

    "No, but I''m better than I was back then." Alexi said with a serious look. "I know better than to use sex to cope, and I''ve moved on. I''ve healed, I''ve epted the past."

    Selina continued to just look at Alexi, she didn''t say a word but everyone understood her hesitation and confusion. She didn''t need words tomunicate how she was feeling at the moment.

    "I''m serious about liking you Selina." Alexi said as he looked into her eyes.

    "People will always think I am a mistress. That I ruined your rtionship with Jen." Selina said with a frown.

    "They won''t." Cedric said, cutting into the conversation.

    "What do you mean?" Selina asked.

    "They won''t always think you were the third party." Cedric said with a shrug. "Soon we will have enough proof to show everyone that Jen was using Alexi and that she never had any feelings for him. That fact should be enough to clear both of your names. Add to that the fact that you were drugged, no one can me you for your actions. You are innocent in all of this, your only crime is ever trusting Jen."

    "How sure are you of this?" Selina asked as she threw Cedric a doubtful nce. "You need proof to make usations like that. I''ve seen what''s gone around on the inte, people hate me and Alexi with a different passion now."

    "Because I''m the one working on it." Cedric said with a confident smile.

    "No offense Cedric. I think you''re a great guy, but you''re just an assistant. What power could you have against Jen and her backers?" Selina asked, making Cedric grin.

 Chapter 452 - 452

    "Selina, remember how the CEO of the Reyes Group was dressed earlier?" Alexi asked as he took her hand and interlocked their fingers.

    Cedric wanted tough at how bold Alexi was being. They weren''t even a couple and yet he had the guts to do these things to Selina while she was distracted. ??

    Selina stared at Cedric and blinked. "He was wearing the same navy blue suit you and Miguel are wearing." Selina answered. "Wait, I thought you were sick, how are you here?" Selina asked Cedric.

    "I was at the reception the whole time. I was at the church too." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "No, I would have seen you." Selina said, shaking her head. "I asked Adrianna and she said you weren''t around. And did you do something to your hair?"

    "Well you aren''t wrong, Cedric did do something to his hair." Miguel said with augh.

    "Miguel." Nicole scolded, making Cedricugh.

    "Selina, do you know what the full name of the CEO of the Reyes Group is?" Alexi asked the woman in his arms.

    "Are being silly right now?" Selina asked Alexi with a funny look. "Everyone knows that his name is the Reyes family''s closest guarded secret. How would I know what his name is?"

    "You actually do." Alexi said with a grin. "His full name is Cedric Reyes."

    "This is a joke right?" Selina asked Alexi.

    Alexiughed and shook his head. "Nope."

    Selina looked around asking Miguel and Nicole for confirmation. Miguel simplyughed at her expression and Nicole shook her head.

    "No." Selina said as looked at Cedric.

    Cedricughed. "Of course I was at the wedding, I was the best man and it was my sister getting married." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "So when I helped you, and that meeting." Selina said with a gasp, unable to form full sentences due to her shock. "Does that mean. . ."

    "Emilio, my son, is the new Reyes Heir, and Adrianna, my wife, is the secret young mistress of the Reyes Family." Cedric said in a slow enough manner so that Selina would not be lost in the revtion.

    "You didn''t need my help that day. At the restaurant, you could have thrown that bitch out." Selina said as she recalled their first meeting.

    "Yes, but I have very specific ns for Lorisa and her husband." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "And at the bar, when I got drunk. I told you you looked like, well you." Selina said as she turned red in embarrassment.

    "Drunk people seem to have clearer minds than sober people." Cedric said with augh. "I honestly have not been doing a good job of hiding my identity. But people seem to find it impossible to realize that Cedric Reyes, who has been standing in front of them the whole time could be the CEO of the Reyes Group as well." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Yeah, you''ve been picking your wife up at the office, plus your watch, and those wedding rings." Alexi said as he patted Selina on the head.

    "What watch and rings?" Selina asked.

    "These." Cedric said as he raised his hands. His wedding band was on his left hand while the watch was on his right wrist. "The wedding rings are one of a kind, designed by Lau Jewelry. The watch was designed by a famous international brand, only ten of them exist in the country, and Ayanna bought all of them."

    "Why have I never noticed them on you before?" Selina said, asking no one in particr.

    "People see only what they want to see." Cedric said with a shrug. "They interpret things the way they want to. I was seen as a poor man so they assumed the watch was just any watch, the ring just an ordinary gold band. When we judge people based on what they let on we miss out on a lot of things."

    "So why don''t you just tell everyone who you are?" Selina asked. "People have stepped on you left and right, they have also made up nasty rumors that Adrianna is cheating on you and that Emilio isn''t your son. Wouldn''t life be easier if you just showed the world who you truly are?"

    "It would be simpler, but more dangerous." Cedric said. "At first my identity was a secret because of a family tradition of training its heirs, when the time came that I could reveal myself Adrianna asked me not to."

    "Why?" Selina asked.

    "Because my wife is very independent and proud. She wants to show the world that she could be sessful in her own right." Cedric exined. "She''s seen how people say a woman is only sessful because of her family or her husband or her looks. She wanted to shine on her own as Adrianna and not as the mistress of the Reyes Family."

    "But she has achieved so much already." Selina said as she thought of Adrianna''s sess with Ind''s Inc.

    "My wife is greedy, and our situation has changed." Cedric exined with a frown. "Someone is after me, to be more urate someone is after the CEO of the Reyes Group. They can''t exactly do anything since they know almost nothing about who I really am. Hiding my true identity had helped me protect myself and those closest to me."

    "Can''t you just hide?" Selina asked. "You, Adrianna, and Emilio are still out in the open. What if the people looking for you find out who you really are."

    "Selina, if Cedric Reyes suddenly disappeared, they will definitely know who I am." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Our lives cannot stop just because of people like them. We need to keep on fighting and striving, because the moment we stop is the moment theye closer to victory."

    "So why are you telling me this now?" Selina asked.

    "Ask him." Cedric said as he nodded towards Alexi.

    "Alexi?" Selina asked as she looked up at him. She didn''t realize that she was leaning on his with Alexi''s strong arms wrapped around her. He had somehow managed to trap her in such an intimate position.

    "Because you are a victim of all of this, and because I know we can trust you." Alexi said with a smile.

 Chapter 453 - 453

    "Hmmm. . . you aren''t as shocked as most people." Cedric said as he watched Selina''s calm expression.

    "Oh trust me, I''m shocked." Selina said as she observed Cedric.??

    "You might have to get over your shock a little bit faster." Katerina said as she entered the room. "Alexi, look at this." Katerina said marching over, handing her brother her phone.

    "I thought Ram said he would do what he could to contain this?" Alexi said as he looked up at Katerina.

    "There is only so much Ram can do." Cedric reminded his friend. "How bad is it?" Cedric asked, turning to Katerina.

    "They''ve gone as far as demanding that Alexi step down from his position in the government." Katerina exined with a sigh.

    "Are they crazy?" Nicole asked. "Alexi has done a good job, he does better than most of the corrupt officials."

    "They feel that if he could be dishonest in a rtionship he is probably dishonest at work." Cedric said with a sigh. He understood the dilemma, Alexi''s position depended heavily on the opinion of the public, he was after all an elected official.

    "I guess that''s the benefit of having a career in the private sector rather than being a publicly elected official." Miguel said with a shrug. "Alexi, let go of Selina, I need to check up on her."

    "Oh, sorry." Alexi said as he released Selina from his arms. "I''ll clear our names, I promise." Alexi said as he noticed her awkward expression.

    "Has it affected uncle Jose yet?" Cedric asked. Even if the rumors were all about Alexi and Selina, Cedric was sure that it would have some sort of impact both on the Sebastian and Ramirez families.

    "Dad''s position is stable, but of course his critics are questioning how he raised Alexi." Katerina said with a frown. "I told dad to stay silent on the issue and that we were already working on it."

    "My parents? And my brother?" Selina asked, looking at Katerina.

    "At Cedric''s parents'' request everyone involved went to the Reyes Mansion. It''s the safest, most private ce to be at." Katerina exined. "Your parents went with mine."

    "We''ll join them as soon as Miguel says Selina is well enough to leave." Alexi said in a stern tone.

    "Did everyone make it out safely?" Cedric asked Katerina.

    "The guests did." Katerina told Cedric. "As for my parents, well, reporters were waiting at all of the exists of Constetions. They knew we would be here so all they needed to do was wait."

    "Did anyone get hurt?" Alexi asked with a worried look.

    "Mom and dad are fine, just a little bit shaken." Katerina said with a nod, calming her older brother. "Cedric''s team did a good job at handling the media."

    "Okay, Selina is well enough to leave." Miguel said with a nod.

    "How will we get out if everyone is waiting for us to leave?" Selina asked.

    "Selina, Constetions Resort was built so that Cedric could arrive and leave without people noticing." Alexi said with a grin.

    "Wait, so why didn''t your parents just leave that way?" Selina asked.

    "Because it would be interpreted as a weakness if they hid." Katerina exined.

    "Don''t worry. We will be leaving in in sight." Cedric said with a grin. "Dave." Cedric called out, knowing that Dave would have opted to stay and Mae would have gone with either his sister or wife.

    "Sir?" Dave asked as he popped into the room.

    "Did you have my car brought over?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes sir." Dave said as he handed Cedric some keys.

    "Have Leon drive the Phantom to the Reyes Mansion. As for Miguel''s and Alexi''s cars have it retrieved in a week." Cedric instructed.

    Dave nodded and walked over to Miguel and Alexi by the bed.

    "Your keys please." Dave asked as he held out his hand.

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk."Alexi said with augh. "You really shouldn''t let Cedric treat you like an errand boy." Alexi told Dave as he handed over his keys.

    "I don''t, I''m learning from him." Dave said with a shrug as he took both Alexi''s and Miguel''s car keys.

    "We''ll take Cedric Reyes'' family car." Cedric said with a grin. "The elevator is secure enough to take us to the parking lot where my ordinary looking car is waiting. I''ll drive us out and bring us to the Reyes Mansion."

    "Won''t the paparazzi and the members of the media see us inside?" Selina asked.

    "Nope." Cedric said. "The windows are tinted in such a way that anyone on the outside cannot see the inside. It''s also bullet proof and has the best security system you can possibly install in a car."

    "He really has most of the bases covered when ites to going around unnoticed." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "Will we all fit?" Katerina asked.

    "Take my car." Cedric said, tossing the keys to Katerina. "I''ll leave in the Phantom. It will be suspicious if I''m not seen."

    "Are you sure?" Katerina asked.

    Cedric nodded. "I will also be the perfect decoy for you guys."

    "Be safe." Alexi said with a nod. "And thank you."

    "No problem. Now go down and get ready. One of my men will give you the signal to leave when I''ve drawn the attention away." Cedric instructed, making them get up and start leaving the room. "Send Leon and Dave in." Cedric called out.

    Leon and Dave had both been waiting outside of the room in case their boss would need them.

    "I''ll be leaving in the Phantom." Cedric informed them. "Have my driver meet me at the front of Constetions, I want people to see me and I want them to run over from all of the exits. Make sure my car is seen as it leaves the parking lot and heads for the front entrance."

    "I''ll arrange it boss." Leon said as he quickly left the room to make a call.

    "Dave, you''lle with me." Cedric said. "Mae went with who?"

    "Miss Ayanna." Dave informed him.

    "So aside from me, no one else among our people is left in the hotel?" Cedric asked.

    "None sir." Dave confirmed. While Cedric adjusted his disguise.

    "Okay, good. Let''s go." Cedric said as they walked out of the room.

 Chapter 454 - 454

    Cedric stood in the silent elevator wearing his full disguise. When he was dressed like thi even those that knew who was really under the mask felt intimidated by the aura of the CEO of the Reyes Group.

    Dave stood silently as he tapped away on his phone, making sure that Cedric''s n was executed perfectly.??

    "Are they in the basement?" Cedric asked in a cold demeanor.

    "Yes boss." Dave said with a nod. "They are just waiting for my instructions."

    "Make sure they are ready to leave at any moment." Cedric said as his voice faltered. He was worried about Alexi and the others. They would be leaving without a security escort as not to draw any attention to the simple vehicle.

    "The team is aware sir." Dave said with a nod.

    "After this I want a full investigation into this matter." Cedric told his assistant.

    "Do you have any suspicions sir?" Dave asked.

    "I do." Cedric said.

    "I''ll make sure to ce our best people on this matter." Dave promised.

    Cedric nodded in acknowledgement as they descended to the lobby. When they arrived the whole area had been cleared out and Leon was waiting for them.

    "Is the car in the driveway already?" Cedric asked Leon.

    "Yes sir." Leon said with a nod.

    "What will be our set up for this?" Cedric asked. "Run me by the security n. I want to make sure that all the bases are covered and that we are prepared for any sudden action from the media."

    "I will be in the security vehicle behind your car when we leave the hotel." Leon informed Cedric. "You will exit through the main door where the paparazzi and the members of the media will have a full view of your actions and movements. My subordinates will escort you to the car and fend away anyone that tries to get too close. We''ve already anticipated that they will try to block you just to get a response so a path has been made for you to leave. I''ve also added security vehicles to your convoy."

    "Okay." Cedric said with a nod as Leon called over some of his men. "I want at least two unmarked vehicles to follow my friends at a distance. We cannot risk the media or Jen''s camp trying out something while we are distracted."

    "I''ll have it done sir." Leon said with a nod.

    The people who hade to surround Cedric and Dave were Leon''s most trusted people, like Leon they had belonged to the most elite levels of various military groups from all over the world. They were also the same set of bodyguards that helped Cedric when they had an altercation at Hype Bar. All of them were quite familiar with Cedric and had been on his team since day one and Cedric feltfortable being around them.

    "Go on ahead Leon." Cedric ordered his bodyguard as he observed that the preparations were enough.

    Leon nodded and left. Cedric waited a few minutes to make sure that Leon was already in the tail vehicle and that most members of the media were already where he wanted them to be.

    "Have the exits checked and inform me of the situation." Cedric ordered Dave as he observed the growing crowd outside.

    The windows at the lobby of Constetions Hotel were like one way mirrors, the people inside could see what was happening outside, but those outside would have no idea that the people inside were watching them.

    Dave nodded and quickly dialed a number. Cedric noticed as Dave quickly gave out orders and confirmed several matters.

    "Sir, most exits have only a few reporters left." Dave said as he dropped that call.

    "Okay, lets go." Cedric said with a nod.

    As he moved out over ten bodyguards followed together with Dave. He wanted to make sure that he was seen, it was the best way to guarantee that the paparazzi and the members of the press wouldn''t return to watching the different exits.

    As he stepped out of the lobby Cedric was unfazed by the shesing from the people waiting outside. He heard them calling for him, shouting out questions.

    "Mr. Reyes, do you have ament on what your friend Mr. Sebastian did?" One reporter asked.

    "Are his actions eptable to you sir?" Another shouted over the crowd.

    "As a married man do you also believe that rich men should be allowed to have mistresses?" Someone asked.

    Cedric was about to get into his car when he heard this question. He looked up and spotted the reporter who had asked.

    To everyone''s surprise, the intimidating CEO made his way up to the crowd. He was still surrounded by his bodyguards but he rarely came this close to them. He normally kept his distance and avoided speaking as much as possible.

    "Your name?" The CEO asked the reporter.

    "Scott." The reporter said in a shaky voice.

    Under his mask Cedric grinned. They were afraid and intimidated by him.

    "Who are you with?" The CEO asked.

    "Star News." Scott the reporter managed to say, it was clear that he was now afraid that he had offended the most powerful businessman in the country.

    "Repeat your question." The CEO said in a cold and authoritative tone.

    "Do you also believe that rich men should be allowed to have mistresses?" Scott bravely asked.

    "No." The CEO said as clearly as possible. "Whether rich or poor you remain loyal. Rtionships are not a game or a bargaining chip, they involve real people with real emotions. I promise you all this, I will always remain loyal to my wife. I love her with all my heart, she is my life. And I promise you, my friends are the same with their rtionships."

    His words left the audience stunned. Not only had the CEO of the Reyes Group given a statement on the news about Alexi Sebastian, but he also addressed the long running rumors about his rtionship with Adrianna Hernandez.

    "Sir, sir, sir!" The other reporters called out as they tried to get his attention, but they were toote.

    The powerful man had turned around and walked away before they could even realize the implications of what he had just said.

 Chapter 455 - 455

    "The boss is out." A bodyguard told Alexi.

    It was their cue that they could leave.??

    "Sir, the boss said to tell you to take the furthest exit from the main entrance." One of the bodyguards informed Alexi as he got into the car.

    "Will he meet us at the Reyes Mansion?" Alexi asked. He couldn''t thank Cedric enough for helping him with the mess he had made.

    "Yes." The bodyguard said with a nod. "The boss will first go to the Mountain View mansion then head over to the old Mansion in a different car."

    "Alexi, let''s go." Katerina said from the back seat.

    Alexi nodded and hopped into the driver''s seat. When they had arrived at the basement parking he had to look twice to figure out which was Cedric''s car and which were ordinary cars owned by the employees and some guests.

    The car was so well disguised that if you weren''t looking for it you would think that an ordinary person was driving it. On the outside there was nothing spectacr about the sedan. It was a white car with a few bumps and scratches. But when you opened the door and saw the interior, it was quite luxurious.

    "Clearly the interior was your idea Miguel." Alexi said as he started the car.

    "Well he can drive something that looks dingy on the outside but is still luxurious on the inside." Miguel said with a shrug. "He doesn''t have to sacrificefort for safety."

    "My first car looked just as bad as this." Nicole said. She was seated at the back between Katerina and Selina.

    "Your first car was a BMW, Nicole. How could it have been as bad as this?" Miguel asked as he turned to face her from the front seat.

    "Well when you and Eric decided you didn''t want anything to do with the family business dad decided to train me. He took away my car and made memute to work." Nicole exined. All of the families had their own ways of teaching their future heirs the value of hard work. "When I had earned enough I took out a loan from the bank and bought a red sedan." Nicole said with a shrug.

    "That''s how spoiled you are Alexi." Katerina said with augh.

    "Dad still kept me on a budget." Alexi argued.

    "Shouldn''t we get going?" Selina asked before Katerina could reply.

    "Yes, we should." Alexi said as he stepped on the gas and headed for the furthest exit. "Keep an eye out. I don''t want some crazy paparazzi jumping in front of the car."

    The girls at the back simply nodded as they each observed a side of the car.

    As they ascended the ramp, Alexi almost stepped on the breaks. He thought that there would be no people waiting at the exit. He was shocked to see at least twenty people eagerly watching the exit.

    "Keep driving." Miguel instructed him. "If you slow down they will think that something suspicious is going on."

    Alexi nodded as he maintained his speed.

    As they exited some of the paparazzi turned to observe the caring out of the parking area. When they noticed that it was just amon worker''s vehicle they turned back around and continued chatting among themselves.

    "Wow, this car really helps you fly under the radar." Katerina eximed as they created distance between them and the hotel.

    "Oh wow." Nicole said as she looked at her phone. "Cedric really has quite an imposing aura whenever he''s in disguise."

    "Is that a live stream?" Alexi asked from the front seat.

    "Yup. Wanna hear what''s going on?" Nicole asked.

    "Sure, it''ll be nice to know that Cedric is safe." Alexi said with a nod.

    Nicole made the volume of her phone louder and they could hear the voices of the paparazzi and the members of the media calling out to the CEO of the Reyes Group. They all had many questions, but the CEO ignored them.

    Then they heard it, ''As a married man do you also believe that rich men should be allowed to have mistresses?'' a reporter asked.

    "That''s gonna trigger him." Miguel said.

    "Why?" Came Selina''s voice all of a sudden. "Isn''t it normal for rich men to have mistresses?"

    "Not us baby." Alexi said from the driver''s seat. "And most definitely not the members of the Reyes Family. They don''t go into arranged marriages and they all get married quitete. So by the time they are married they are sure about the person they want to be with."

    "So do you think he will get mad at the question?" Nicole asked.

    "It''s more than just his principles." Alexi said with a sigh. "He thinks uncle Emilio has a mistress."

    "What?" Nicole asked.

    "Yeah. He discovered a suspicious home in uncle Emilio''s name." Alexi exined. "He''s been observing the home and he has seen a womaning and going to that house."

    "How sure is he that it''s a mistress?" Nicole asked.

    "He isn''t, but the timing is very questionable." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "You know this too?" Nicole asked.

    "Cedric voiced his worries a few times." Miguel said.

    "Do you also believe that rich men should be allowed to have mistresses?" They heard the reporter ask agin.

    "No." Came Cedric''s clear answer from the phone''s speaker.

    "See, I told you he would be against it." Alexi said, hisment clearly directed towards Selina. "I wonder what else he will say. This matter is one of Cedric''s bottom lines."

    "Whether rich or poor you remain loyal." They heard Cedric add. "Rtionships are not a game or a bargaining chip, they involve real people with real emotions. I promise you all this, I will always remain loyal to my wife. I love her with all my heart, she is my life. And I promise you, my friends are the same with their rtionships."

    "And that is how much he loves Adrianna." Nicole said with a smile.

    "He is right." Alexi added. "Rtionships are not some game for rich men to y. They involve real feelings and real people."

    "Then why did you y the whole city?" Selina suddenly said as she quickly gasped and covered her mouth.

    "Ha, she got you there Alexi." Katerina said with augh.

    "Those weren''t rtionships." Alexi hissed. "Plus no one ever ovepped."

    "Cedric really hates disloyalty." Miguel said with a sigh. "That''s why he is so suspicious of his dad right now."

    "Because he thinks his dad has a mistress?" Nicole asked.

    "Nicole, the evidence is just too much. It''s clear uncle Emilio has a woman at that house." Katerina told her friend.

    "You knew about this too?" Nicole asked.

    Katerina simply shrugged.

    "Guys, uncle Emilio does not have a mistress. We need to get to Cedric, now. Before he says something that could ruin his rtionship with his dad." Nicole said.

    "Fine, fine." Alexi said as he quickly changed the direction he was driving towards.

    "Where are you taking us?" Katerina asked.

    "Mountain View." Alexi replied. "The bodyguard said that was where Cedric was headed, so let''s meet him there."

    As Alexi spoke he stepped on the gas and headed towards Mountain View.

 Chapter 456 - 456

    When the door finally closed behind Cedric and Dave climbed into the seat beside him Cedric let out a sigh.

    "Check if they got out fine." Cedric instructed.??

    Dave quickly called the bodyguards that were assigned to the basement parking of Constetions Resort.

    "Sir, they made it out fine." Dave informed Cedric. "None of the members of the media even gave them a second nce. They thought the vehicle was probably owned by an employee."

    "Good." Cedric said with a nod. "Let''s meet up with them at the Reyes Mansion."

    "Sir, won''t we go back to Mountain View first?" Dave asked Cedric. The initial n had been for them to return to Mountain View and take another car to the Reyes Mansion.

    "No need." Cedric shook his head. "I don''t want the media and paparazzi taking note of what my other cars are. Let''s go straight to my parent''s house."

    The driver in front simply nodded and drove towards the direction of the Reyes Mansion. The ancestral home was at the center of the capital upying one of thergest parcels ofnd in the old colonial part of the city.

    By the time Cedric arrived he noticed the increased number of cars parked on the property. He was sure that most of their family and friends were already there waiting to find out the truth.

    "My other car isn''t here yet." Cedric said as he looked at the parked cars.

    "Maybe they took a detour sir, to make sure that they shook off the paparazzi and the media." Dave suggested as they drove up to the mansion doors.

    "Possible." Cedric said with a nod as a member of the staff opened his door.

    Cedric got out and took off his disguise and walked into the house.

    The first person Cedric bumped into was Helios Ramirez, Selina''s twin brother.

    "I know you." Helios said with the same inquisitive look as his twin sister. "You''re the assistant my sister helped at the restaurant when she first arrived back."

    Cedric grinned at Helios'' obvious confusion.

    "It seems you don''t know yet." Cedric said with augh. "Come with me."

    Helios scratched his head, but followed Cedric nheless. Cedric walked towards the living room, where he was sure he would find his family and the rest of their guests.

    As he walked in everyone looked up in anticipation.

    "They aren''t here yet?" Cedric asked Ayanna.

    "No." Ayanna responded, shaking her head.

    Helios who was standing beside Cedric was visibly confused, but his parents clearly were not.

    "I''m guessing you told auntie and uncle but you forgot to tell Helios." Cedric said with a chuckle as he looked at the younger man who was standing next to him.

    "I have a hunch now, but I won''t believe it till you tell me." Helios said as he looked at Cedric in awe.

    "What do you want me to say?" Cedric asked with augh.

    Helios simply shrugged in response.

    "I, Cedric Reyes, am actually the CEO of the Reyes Group." Cedric said as he struggled not tough.

    "How did no one find out?" Helios asked.

    "You and Selina really are twins, you guys even asked the same question." Cedric said with a grin."It''s simple, people only see what they want to see. Their biases lead them to ignore even the most obvious clues."

    "Oh." Helios said, he was in too much shock to fully process what Cedric had just said.

    "Where is Adrianna and Emilio?" Cedric asked as he scanned the room.

    "Daddy!" Emilio called out as Adrianna and the little boy entered from the door that led to the bedrooms.

    "Mom and dad thought it best if they weren''t seen by the Ramirezes before we could exin." Ayanna told her older brother. "You actually came at the perfect time."

    "Daddy, I was a good boy." Emilio proudly said.

    "Yes you were." Cedric picked his son up and hugged him tightly.

    "I was worried about you." Adrianna told her husband as he pulled her close with his free hand.

    "I promised you that I would be safe, and here I am." He said with a smile.

    "Cedric, where are Nicole and the others?" Ian asked with a worried look on his face. Nicole had asked him to take their son and her parents and Veronica and to take them to the Reyes Mansion. He knew Nicole had to stay behind to make sure that Selina was well.

    "They took my sedan." Cedric exined. "You don''t need to worry, ording to my team they got out of Constetions Resort without the paparazzi or the members of the media noticing anything." Cedric told his friend in order to calm him.

    "They left before you?" Ian asked.

    "Yes." Cedric nodded. "I''m sure they just took the long route in order to make sure that they weren''t followed. Don''t worry, Nicole will be fine."

    "Sir." Dave suddenly said as he appeared in the living room. "There is a new development."

    "What?" Cedric asked as Dave approached him.

    "Miss Jen Pez has consented for an interview with Link News Network." Dave infomed Cedric as he handed him a tablet.

    Cedric pressed y and saw that it was a promotion for an exclusive interview with Jen.

    "Link News?" Ram asked. "Our rival?"

    Dave simply nodded, confirming Ram''s question.

    "How could they have gotten to Jen so quickly?" Cedric asked Ram. Ram would be more familiar with the inner workings of the industry since he controlled a big chunk of it.

    "For news like this, well, you can''t get an exclusive this fast unless it''s like me and Alexi or me and you. If you don''t have a direct personal connection to the parties involved, an exclusive at this scale is quite difficult." Ram said as he thought of the possibilities. "Although there is another possible exnation." Ram said slowly.

    "What?" Cedric asked.

    "If Jen approached them beforehand." Ram suddenly said. "But of course that would mean Jen knew this was going to happen."

    Ram''sst statement shocked everyone in the room.

    "Get Alexi and the others here, now." Cedric ordered making Dave quickly call the security team he had assigned to the other car.

 Chapter 457 - 457

    When Alexi and the others arrived they found everyone in deep discussion.

    "Why were you at Mountain View?" Cedric asked as Alexi approached. "The agreement was for all of us to meet here at the Reyes Mansion where the security is better and there is more privacy." Cedric scolded. He didn''t like that Alexi changed the n risking the media discovering his decoy car.??

    "You know, that decoy car could y a good role in furthering your good image with the public when they find out the truth." Ram said with a shrug.

    "Not now Ram." Cedric hissed at his friend.

    "Why''s he so hot headed?" Miguel asked as he looked at Cedric.

    "You guys went against our agreement. You risked all the nning." Cedric scolded.

    "Cedric, don''t lose your temper." Prisci Reyes told her son as she ced a calming hand on his shoulder.

    "Sorry mom." Cedric said with a sigh as he hung his head in frustration.

    "And the five of you, why did you go against the n?" Prisci Reyes asked in a calm tone as she looked at the five young people who had just arrived.

    "Auntie we urgently needed to clear something up with Cedric." Nicole suddenly said.

    "Then clear it up now." Prisci Reyes said with a shrug.

    "No time." Cedric interrupted the conversation. "We need to deal with the Jen issue first. It''s time sensitive. Whatever you guys needed to tell me can wait till after we fix this."

    "Mom, Dad, Helios!" Selina cried out as she ran over to join her parents and her brother on a couch.

    "Oh my poor baby." Elisa Ramirez, Selina''s adoptive mother, said as she pulled her into her arms.

    "This is your fucking fault." Helios shouted as he threw a punch at Alexi. He was surprised that therger man didn''t even attempt to avoid his fist or stop him. He took the punch and ced a hand on his jaw.

    "Okay, I deserved that." Alexi said as he massaged the spot Helios had just hit. "Damn, you can throw a punch." Alexi cursed.

    "Helios, don''t me Alexi." Selina told her twin brother.

    "Selina is right Helios, as stupid as Alexi was, this wasn''t entirely his fault." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "It''s his damn girlfriend''s fault that my sister''s name had been dragged through the mud." Helios said angrily. "And I''m not just talking about this time, I''m talking aboutst time as well. You let Jen tell everyone that Selina yed with her heart and used her. My sister rejected her from the very beginning. My family paid for all of her expenses in America and in Europe when she went to apany Selina. We have been nothing but nice to her and yet she dared speak ill of my twin, and you just let her do it without any proof!"

    "Helios, enough!" Selina scolded her twin.

    "Are you really going to just let him and Jen get away with this?" Helios asked his sister.

    "It''s not Alexi''s fault." Selina said, shaking her head. "He fell in love, can you me him? You know what it''s like to believe a person''s every single lie, you should understand Alexi better than anyone here."

    Helios froze and red at his sister. Cedric was intrigued by what Selina meant by believing a person''s every single lie, but now was not the time for that. He would get a chance to figure it outter on.

    "If you guys are done fighting we have an even bigger matter at hand." Cedric said as he pointed at the big TV screen in the living room. It showed the ad for Jen''s tell all interviewter that night.

    "How could she arrange it that fast?" Alexi asked as he looked at the screen.

    "Two possibilities." Ram said. "Either she knows someone on the inside and they approached her as soon as the news broke out, or she nned all of this."

    "Well there is also the possibility of her doing both." Eric added with a shrug.

    "We aren''t even sure what happened to me or to Selina, and now we are suspecting that Jen is behind all of this?" Alexi asked. "Isn''t it a bit too far fetched?"

    "Are you defending her right now?" Selina asked in an outraged tone, surprising everyone.

    "Baby, no." Alexi said as he ran up and pulled Selina into his arms, now shocking everyone who had not been in Alexi''s suite earlier.

    "When did that happen?" Eric whispered to Cedric.

    "He''s always liked her, and she''s always liked him. That''s why the aphrodisiac worked way too fast and way too well. They both just needed a nudge." Katerina exined to her boyfriend as she wrapped her arms around Eric.

    "Our parents are here." Alexiined as he watched Eric kiss Katerina.

    "Really Alexi?" Jose Sebastian teased his son. "You''ve brought home more women than I can remember."

    "But Kat -" Alexi was about to say something when he saw Katerina ring at him.

    "We are really straying too far from the topic here." Ramined, shaking his head.

    "Selina, when did you start feeling different?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, It was before I went out to go to the restroom." Selina said as she recalled how she felt at the resort.

    "Who was seated next to Selina?" Cedric asked.

    "I was." Francesca said as she casually leaned on her seat. "Alexi sat between Selina and Jen, it was impossible that she slipped something into Selina''s drink."

    "She could have bribed a waiter to do it." Veronica said with a shrug.

    "That''s too risky, the waiter could have given it to the wrong person." Ram told his sister.

    "On that table? It would be easy." Veronica said with augh. "Everyone knows who Francesca is, and everyone knows who Alexi is."

    "Okay fine, assuming she arranged to drug Selina, then also drugged you. How could she be sure that you would be alone with Selina and well, lose control?" Ram asked Alexi.

    "Fuck." Alexi suddenly cursed.

    "What?" Cedric asked.

    "That woman in the hallway." Alexi said as he tried to recall every detail he could about the incident that led to him and Selina being in bed.

    "What woman?" Katerina asked her older brother.

    "When Jen and I were walking back to the grand ballroom someone iming to be my ex attacked me and Jen." Alexi exined.

    "And how did Selina get involved in all of this?" Helios questioned Alexi.

    "She was passing by when the woman threw her drink at her." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "You are an idiot, did you know that?" Natalia told Alexi, rolling her eyes at him.

 Chapter 458 - 458

    "Do you know who that woman was or did you assume that she was an ex?" Cedric asked Alexi.

    "Look, you all know I''ve been with a number of women." Alexi said as his voice became quieter. At first Cedric was confused then he turned to see Alexi looking towards Selina''s direction. ??

    "Seriously? You are concerned about this now?" Cedric asked in a frustrated tone. "Everyone knows about your history. You didn''t exactly try to keep it quiet or hidden."

    "Alexi, it''s alright." Selina said with a nod. "It''s not like I''m a virgin or anything."

    "Selina!" Elissa Ramirez said, scolding her daughter.

    "Mom, it''s alright." Selina said with a sigh. "I don''t want to lie to someone I could end up spending the rest of my life with, or to his family." Selina said with a shrug.

    "Woah, that progressed fast." Nicole said in surprise.

    "You''re one to talk." Alexi teased.

    "I''m not the one who caused problems because he couldn''t keep it in his pants." Nicole hissed making everyoneugh.

    "Technically Nicole, you did too." Eric said with a grin.

    "Who are you even biologically rted to Eric? Me or Alexi, don''t you dare take his side on this." Nicole threatened.

    "Fine, fine." Eric said with augh as he surrendered to his sister''s threats.

    "I don''t know if that woman is really my ex." Alexi confessed with a shrug. "I didn''t exactly keep a portfolio of women I''ve slept with. I just slept with them."

    "So what made you think she was an ex?" Ray asked.

    "Well, the things she said. Plus she told Jen about how I would just rece Jen. So I assumed she was someone I had slept with in the past." Alexi exined.

    "So we don''t even know if this woman really has a history with you?" Cedric asked. "Didn''t you recognize her at all?"

    "Cedric you have no idea how many starlets and socialites throw themselves at me." Alexi said with a shrug. "I can''t remember them all. Plus they were all just sex, I didn''t feel anything for them, I simply used them to ignore my heartbreak. They meant nothing to me."

    "I don''t think thatst statement was meant for me." Cedric teased.

    "It''s sweet though." Selina said with a shrug as she smiled at Alexi.

    "Wait, I know how we can find out who she is." Alexi said as he suddenly realized something.

    "How?" Cedric asked. They needed to get to the bottom of all of this soon.

    "I had my bodyguards throw her out after they swept the area." Alexi exined as he remembered his instructions to his security team. "I''m pretty sure they got her name so that they could keep her away from me and potentially file for a restraining order with Katerina''s team."

    "That''s perfect!" Ram eximed. "Also, why did you have them sweep the area?"

    "I had an odd feeling that I was being watched." Alexi said with a shrug. "Plus I started feeling odd so I wanted to be sure that no one was nning a kidnapping."

    "They weren''t nning a kidnapping Alexi." Ray groaned in frustration.

    "They weren''t?" Alexi asksed.

    "Even I understand what happened. Are you really my son?" Jose Sebastianined as pinched the space between his eyes.

    "I''m really confused guys." Alexi said as he looked around for an exnation.

    "Please, just exin it." Katerina said with augh.

    "Alexi, you were being watched but not to kidnap you. They were watching you so that they could take photos of you for the article." Ray said with a sigh. "Did your team find anything?" Ray asked.

    "I don''t know." Alexi said with a shrug. "Selina and I went up after the woman was escorted out."

    "Do you think it''s possible that the security team caught a member of the paparazzi that posted the article?" Cedric asked Alexi.

    "Could be." Alexi said with a nod. "We would have to ask the team. It''s odd that they didn''t report anything though."

    "I gave them instructions to focus on getting us out. That''s probably why." Jose Sebastian told them.

    "Call for the head of our security team." Katerina told her brother. "They might be waiting for us to ask for an update."

    Alexi nodded and didn''t argue. They really were facing this problem because of him.

    "I need a breather." Ayanna said with a sigh. She had changed out of her wedding gown and was now wearing a simple sundress.

    "I''ll walk with you." Adrianna volunteered.

    "Thank you, sister-inw." Ayanna said with a thankful smile.

    "Go stay with daddy." Adrianna told Emilio, who in turn ran up to Cedric and asked for his father to carry him.

    Adrianna and Ayanna walked over to the Reyes Mansion''srge sprawling garden. It was made to mirror one of the gardens in the Reyes home in Spain. It had been reproduced with local vegetation and had some local designs integrated into it''syout.

    "How are you feeling?" Adrianna asked Ayanna.

    "Overwhelmed, somewhat sad, but this is my life, I should have expected that things wouldn''t go perfectly." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "Are you mad at your brother?" Adrianna asked. Her first priority would always be Cedric.

    "No, It''s not his fault." Ayanna said with a shrug. "It''s really none of their faults. It''s just our lives are always moreplicated than how people see us. They think all we do is shop and manage ourpanies, but we are so much more."

    "I think you are talking about something more than just your wedding." A kind and familiar voice suddenly said from behind them.

    Adrianna turned to see her mother-inw, Prisci, smiling at them.

    "It''s the critics mom." Ayanna confessed with a sigh. "Why can''t they understand that we are just human." Ayanna said as Prisci took a seat in between them.

    "It''s because they are jealous of you Ayanna." Prisci said as she hugged both Ayanna and Adrianna.

    "We have to be strong and we have to support each other." Prisci told them.

    They sat there for a while, watching the birdsnd and fly on the flowers in the garden. It was a rare moment of peace for all of them.

 Chapter 459 - 459

    "Cedric." Adrianna called out as she, Ayanna, and Prisci returned from their walk in the garden.

    "Adri." Cedric said with a smile. His eyes wandered off to check on his sister, he knew Ayanna wouldn''t be happy, he was worried about her.??

    "We''re fine." Adrianna said as she ced a hand on her husband''s shoulder.

    "Ayanna?" Cedric asked as he threw his younger sister a look of concern.

    "I''m alright Cedric." Ayanna said with a weak smile.

    "I hope you don''t mind, but I offered to take the girls on a shopping trip tomorrow." Prisci Reyes told her son.

    "Of course not mom." Cedric said with a smile. He knew that the girls would want to do something they enjoyed to forget about the wedding incident. Plus if all of the girls were there the security would be tighter.

    "Great, we''ll just be at Pris mall, and since everyone saw Adri as Ayanna''s matron of honor it won''t be an issue if I were to be there with them." Prisci told her son.

    Cedric simplyughed and nodded at them.

    "Has there been any development?" Ayanna asked, she too was worried about Alexi and Selina. She had be quite close to Selina since they started working together.

    "The security team did get the girl''s name." Cedric informed them. "I''ve asked Leon to join Alexi''s team in collecting her. Hopefully she will be able to tell us if she was hired by someone or if her actions were independent of any outside influence."

    "I really hope we find whoever is behind this." Ayanna said in quite a foul mood.

    "Let''s go back and join everyone." Cedric said as he took his wife''s hand and walked back to the living room with her, his sister, and his mother.

    "I refused to allow you!" Natalia shouted.

    Cedric was quite surprised as Natalia was normally the one among the siblings. As they entered Cedric saw her and Adolfo arguing with Alexi.

    "Come on Natalia, Adolfo, you have to let us use that serum. I know just how powerful it can be." Alexi pleaded with the couple.

    "That serum is experimental! You shouldn''t even know about it." Natalia told her older brother.

    "You let Cedric use the other one, why can''t I use this?" Alexiined.

    "It''s not the same Alexi and you know it." Natalia told her brother as she crossed her arms on her chest.

    Cedric grinned as he spotted Adolfo trying to calm Natalia down by massaging her shoulders.

    "Alexi, the serum Cedric used was among those stolen." Adolfo calmly exined.

    Cedric was puzzled as to how Adolfo knew which serums were stolen by Jen, but then he looked at Adolfo and Natalia. It seemed like the two were now in an odd rtionship so it was possible that Natalia had discussed it with Adolfo.

    "Alexi, can''t we get the information out of the woman the traditional way?" Cedric asked, interrupting the argument.

    "It''s not a guarantee." Alexi said, shaking his head.

    "Do we even know her name yet?" Cedric asked as he raised an eyebrow at Alexi.

    Before he had left to fetch his wife, sister, and mother he had asked Alexi to get the woman''s name so that they could look into her background.

    "Pa Rodriguez." Alexi said with a shrug. "The name doesn''t even ring a bell to me. Then again, I don''t exactly remember everyone."

    "Have you had someone look into it?" Cedric asked, slightly annoyed with Alexi.

    "No." Alexi said, shaking his head.

    "So you have been just standing here, arguing with your sister on a serum you clearly couldn''t use?" Cedric asked.

    Alexi didn''t respond, he knew he was wrong in this situation.

    "Dave, Mae." Cedric called out.

    His assistants had been resting in the adjacent entertainment room. As they entered Dave smiled at Selina''s parents.

    "You can catch up with Helioster." Cedric told Dave.

    Dave simply nodded. He and Helios belonged to the same group of friends in university, as a matter of fact Dave was with Selina and Helios when Cedric and the other boys first bumped into drunk Selina at Hype bar.

    "Pa Rodriguez, find out what you can about her." Cedric instructed. "You can narrow down the search by checking the wedding guestlist. My main concern is, I want to know if Alexi had a rtionship with her in the past."

    "Doesn''t Mr. Sebastian remember?" Dave asked.

    "Don''t make me repeat myself Dave." Alexi hissed. "I know you''re friends with Selina and Helios, so don''t you dare cross the line." Alexi didn''t like it when people took shots at him, but since Dave was friends with the twins he was exerting extra tolerance towards the assistant.

    "We''ll get on it sir." Mae said in an attempt to shift the attention.

    Dave simply nodded as Mae pulled him out of the living room to work.

    Cedric let out a sigh as he looked towards Ram and Ray.

    "Any chance the name is familiar?" Cedric asked.

    "Well Rodriguez is amon name." Ram said with a shrug. "I''ll check if there was any news about a Pa Rodriguez."

    "She probably has some sort of connection with us, I know of a few Rodriguezes invited to the wedding, some from my side, some from yours. I''ll check on my end." Ram said with a nod as he dialed a number.

    "Pa, Pa, Pa." Katerina said repeatedly.

    "Katerina if you keep repeating that name I''m going to get jealous." Eric teased her.

    "It''s familiar." Katerina told them.

    "Katerina, of course it will be familiar." Ayanna said. "You helped with the invitations, remember?"

    "No, it''s more than that. I just can''t ce my finger on it." Katerina said with a sigh as she gave up on the idea.

    "Sir." Leon said as he arrived. "We have her."

    "Take her to the garage." Cedric instructed. "I don''t want her in the house."

    Leon nodded and left to do as Cedric asked.

    "Uncles, Aunties." Cedric said as he turned his attention to the elders in the room. "I know you are all very anxious and you want to know what''s going on, but please trust that we can handle this."

    "I''ll join you." Cedric''s father, Emilio Reyes said.

    "Me too." Jose Sebastian stood and walked over. "This is my son''s mess, I should do what I can to help."

    "Dad, it''s unbing for the president to interrogate someone." Alexiined.

    "I wouldn''t have to do this if you were more careful." Jose said, rolling his eyes at his son, making Katerina and Nataliaugh.

    "I''m joining cause I''m the best interrogator here." Katerina dered. "And none of you men canin." She said as she walked out.

    "You chose her, I''m forced to be her brother." Alexi teased as he followed after Katerina.

    As everyone had left, Dave and Mae entered the living room once more, just in time to catch Cedric.

    "Boss, she never dated Mr. Sebastian." Dave suddenly said.

 Chapter 460 - 460

    "What do you mean she never dated Alexi?" Cedric asked. "Alexi still slept with a lot of women he didn''t date. She could be one of those."

    "No sir, we even looked into that." Mae informed Cedric. ??

    "What do you mean Mae?" Selina, who had chosen to stay behind, asked.

    "There was just no chance for her and Mr. Alexi to meet." Mae exined. "So her im that Alexi had hurt her and used her, it''s not true."

    "Why would she lie about that?" Selina asked as she looked at Cedric.

    "What did you find out about her and her family?" Cedric asked his assistants. "Why were they at the wedding?" Cedric asked.

    "Her father is in banking and works with M Bank a lot." Dave said as he read through the notes he and Mae hadpiled. "As a partner they were invited to join the wedding."

    "The bank he works for, who is their biggest client?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow. He had a gut feeling that there was a connection somewhere there.

    "A moment sir." Mae said as she typed something quickly on her phone. Cedric saw the shock form on Mae''s face as she read what she had found. "Impossible, the coincidence is just too much." Mae said with a gasp.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked as he tried to look over what she was reading.

    "Sir, her father''srgest client is Regis Inc." Mae''s voice trembled as she said this.

    "Could the Carpios be involved?" Prisci Reyes asked her son.

    "We have been on good terms with the Carpios, I don''t think they would do something like this." Cedric exined as he thought of a possible angle to everything that was going on.

    "Everything that keeps happening seems to keep leading back to them Cedric." Prisci told her son as she ced a hand on his arm.

    "I won''t jump into conclusions mom." Cedric said as he tried to contradict her in a respectful manner. "The Carpios are almost as powerful as we are. This isn''t a simple matter."

    "Your son is right Prisci." Rebeckah Sebastian said. "You need to go about this carefully. We can''t just fling usations."

    "Mom, we can handle this." Cedric said in aforting tone. "Don''t worry."

    Prisci Reyes had no choice but to trust her son and nod in agreement with him. He was after all an adult now and he had proven his own capabilities time and time again, but of course as a mother she couldn''t help but worry about him.

    "Mae, have someone look deeper into her background." Cedric instructed. "Something must have coerced her to work with Jen and I want to know what that was."

    "Yes sir." Mae said as she turned and left.

    "Dave,e on." Cedric said as he gestured for his assistant to follow him. "We need to inform the others about this new development."

    Cedric and Dave left the main house and headed to the Reyes Family''s garage.

    The ground floor and upper floors of the structure were quite ordinary, the first and second floors housed the cars while the third floor was a repair center. The building''s fourth floor served as a residence for the family drivers and mechanics as well as some of their families.

    The basement, however, was quite unique. It was sound proof and had a state of the art security system installed. There were interrogation rooms and holding cells, they were there for the protection of the Reyes Family.

    Cedric knew that his grandfather had this building constructed when Emilio Reyes III was still undergoing poverty training. There had been some threats on the then Reyes Heir and Cedric''s grandfather wanted to ensure that he could run the investigation on his own and at the same time protect the Reyes Family.

    The modern features and state of the art security had been added by Ayannater on while Cedric was still undergoing his poverty training.

    "That''s her." Alexi hissed as he pointed towards the woman at the other side of the one way mirror.

    Pa''s hands were tied behind her back, she was clearly not happy about being brought to the strange ce.

    "She isn''t scared." Ray said as he scratched his chin.

    "Should she be?" Ram asked as he joined them in observing the woman.

    "If she was your ordinary socialite she would be scared shitless." Jose Sebastian said as he and Emilio Reyes joined the boys.

    "So what does this mean?" Miguel asked.

    "I''m not sure." Ray said as he continued to observe the woman.

    "Alexi has never slept with her." Cedric said all of a sudden.

    "What?" Alexi asked. "Are you sure? How can you be sure?"Alexi berated Cedric and Dave with questions.

    "Sir, we looked at all the possibilities, there is just no way for you to have met her." Dave exined.

    "So why did she im to have slept with me?" Alexi asked as he gave Cedric a very confused look.

    "That''s what we need to find out." Cedric told Alexi. "Oh and another thing."

    "What?" Alexi asked.

    "There may be ties between her and Regis Inc." Cedric said, surprising everyone in the room.

    "But son, the Carpio family." Emilio Reyes said as he tried to exin his confusion. "Cedric, all of our rtionships with them have been good. Why would they go after the Sebastian family now? And to add to that Jose and Alexi are at the peak of power at the moment, it isn''t a simple thing trying to offend them. The Carpios are much smarter than that."

    "I told mom the same thing dad, I don''t want to jump into conclusions." Cedric exined. "I''ve had Mae look even deeper into her background."

    "Well now that we know that Alexi hasn''t slept with her or anything, I won''t feel bad about interrogating here." Ray said with a grin. To the outside world Ray might have seemed like the most charming gentleman in the group, but to the underground he was one of the most feared people around.

    "Nothing above the neck." Alexi warned. "We don''t want to leave any proof."

    Ray nodded and walked to the other room.

 Chapter 461 - 461

    "Do you know who I am?" Ray asked as he entered the interrogation room.

    "Yeah, you''re that rich kid, Raymund Laurence. My family does business with your wife." Pa Rodriguez said as she followed Ray with her eyes.??

    "You aren''t afraid of me?" Ray asked as he red at her.

    "You''re just rich." Pa scoffed as she observed Ray''s reaction.

    Ray simply grinned and gave Pa an amused look.

    "What''s a rich boy like you gonna do?" Pa asked. "My family does business with your wife, you won''t dare hurt me." The tied up woman boasted.

    "Do you think your father matters to people like the Reyeses?" Ray said with a maniacalugh making Pa shrink in her seat.

    "Ray, you don''t need to scare our guest." Cedric said as he entered the room.

    "Who are you?" Pa asked as she red at the well dressed man. She knew almost all of the important people in the country but this man came out of nowhere and she couldn''t recognize him.

    "Well, seeing as you probably will never get out of here, may I, brother?" Ray asked with a grin.

    Pa''s eyes shot towards Cedric, now she seemed scared.

    "You may, I guess." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "You see Miss Rodriguez, you might think I would get intimidated by you mentioning my wife, but her brother would definitely not." Ray said with a malicious smile as he pointed towards Cedric.

    Cedric simply shrugged and took a seat next to Ray.

    "No, impossible." Pa said as she tried to get away from Cedric.

    "I highly suggest you tell us the truth Miss Pa." Cedric said as he red at Pa. "I might be nice now, but I won''t be if you refuse to give me what I want. And I always get what I want."

    Pa''s eyes grew wide at Cedric''s threat. He was sure though that behind the soundproof ss his father, uncle, and his friends wereughing. He rarely let this side of him show, so it was quite odd for them.

    "I- don''t even know why I''m here." Pa stuttered as she tried desperately to say she was innocent.

    "Give it a shot Ray." Cedric said as he leaned back on his seat.

    "Miss Rodriguez, have you ever heard of the king of the underworld?" Ray asked as he stood and walked over to the door.

    Pa nodded vigorously as her eyes followed Ray.

    "Good, so you know that the King should never be offended?" Ray asked.

    Pa nodded again.

    "Miss Rodriguez, you have offended me." Ray said coldly. Even Cedric was shocked at his tone.

    Ray opened the door and tworge men entered, they were clearly Ray''s men from the gangs and wouldn''t care about thew.

    "You see Miss Rodrguez, I don''t like people hurting my friends." Ray said as the men walked over to Pa. "Alexi and Selina are very good friends of mine."

    "Sir, please, please." Pa begged as one of the men dragged her to the side.

    "I''ll have them deal with you for now." Ray said as he watched his men take her away. "I expect you to be much more cooperativeter."

    "Will this work?" Cedric asked as he tried to block out Pa''s screams, he did not want to know what Ray''s men were doing to extract information from her.

    "It should." Ray said with a nod. "If it doesn''t you can always threaten her family. Their status clearly means something to her."

    "She will never see them again after this anyway." Cedric said with a sigh. He nned to send Pa Rodriguez as far away as possible.

    "Will you go after them?" Ray asked as they heard Pa''s screams in the background.

    "Depends." Cedric said with a shrug. "If they were involved then I won''t let them loose, if they are innocent, then there is no need to involve them."

    "Majesty." One of Ray''s men said as he returned. "She''s ready to speak."

    "Wow, that was fast." Ray said in surprise. "Bring her back then."

    The tworge men returned with a barely conscious Pa, they were dragging her along the floor as she struggled to stay upright.

    "Are you ready to talk?" Ray asked as Pa was thrown onto the chair.

    "Yes." Pa said weakly as she struggled to look up at Ray and Cedric.

    "What is your rtion to Alexi?" Cedric asked as he looked Pa in the eyes.

    "I slept with him once." Pa hissed.

    Ray stood up and grinned. "The truth, bitch." As he said that a pnded on her face from one of his men.

    "Ray, not the face, remember?" Cedric said as he raised an eyebrow.

    "You heard him." Ray said. "Keep it below the shoulders."

    Ray''s men nodded and punched Pa in the gut.

    "The truth?" Cedric asked.

    "Nothing, I am nothing to Mr. Sebastian." Pa said as she struggled to speak. "It was my first time meeting him at the wedding, I wasn''t even sure if he was Mr. Sebastian."

    "Then why did you im to be his ex?" Cedric asked.

    "She asked me to. She made me. She told me what to say. She gave me that drink to throw on the girl he was with." Pa quickly said, it was clear that she was now taking Cedric and Ray''s threat more seriously.

    "Who is the woman and why did she give you to do that?" Cedric asked as he red at Pa.

    Pa hesitated, she shrunk back and avoided Cedric''s eyes.

    "He asked you a question." Ray said in a cold tone. "Do I need my men to convince you to answer?" Ray asked.

    "No, no sir." Pa said as she looked up. Cedric saw her eyes were now filled with fear, gone was the prideful woman who had entered the room earlier.

    "I''ll repeat my question." Cedric said slowly. "Who is the woman and why did she give you to do that?" He asked again, and this time he got a response.

    "She said her name was Jen Pez, and she threatened to ruin my family, and she can do it, her boyfriend is very powerful." Pa Rodriguez said as she broke down in tears clearly afraid that Jen''s threat would nowe true.

    Cedric and Ray looked at each other, the situation had just be more confusing.

    "Alexi is her boyfriend, he is the one you used." Cedric said.

    "Not him, someone else." Pa said, vigorously shaking her head. "She was with someone else when they came to me. He had my boyfriend killed in front of me and they took his body. Please I want to bury him properly. I want to let him rest in peace. Please I''m begging you." Pa cried.

 Chapter 462 - 462

    "What did she want you to do?" Alexi said as he burst into the room.

    When Pa saw him a look of fear quickly crossed her face, it seemed that she didn''t expect Alexi to be there.??

    Alexi walked up to Pa and picked her up by the cor, he was on the muscr side so picking Pa up was not difficult for him.

    "And who is this boyfriend you are talking about?" Alexi asked as he mmed Pa against the wall.

    Cedric didn''t know if Alexi was mad because Jen had a different boyfriend or if he was mad that he was yed for a fool, probably a mix of both, since Alexi was now fuming with rage.

    "Alexi put her down." Ray said as he walked over and ced a hand on his friend''s shoulder.

    Alexi did as Ray asked and dropped Pa.

    "We have men to do the dirty work." Ray said with a nod as his men picked Pa Rodriguez up and dropped her back in her seat.

    "Alexi asked you a question." Ray said as he leaned against the wall. "Will you answer it?"

    "I don''t know who the man was." Pa stuttered. "She just came with him and they were all over each other. He was scary, almost as scary as Mr. Laurence or Mr. Reyes. He had an aura, a powerful aura around him. She didn''t say his name, she just kept calling him honey."

    "What else?" Cedric asked in a calmer tone.

    "She said he was powerful, that he could get to me and to my parents. Then he -" Pa began to sob as she recalled what had happened. "- he took a knife and slit my boyfriend''s throat." Pa broke down as she said thest few sentences.

    "We need to find out who that man is." Cedric said to Ray and Alexi.

    Alexi simply nodded and left, mming the door. He was clearly not happy about what he had just learned from Pa.

    As Alexi left two bodyguards from the Reyes Family entered and waited for Cedric''s orders.

    Cedric looked down at Pa, she had done something wrong yet she didn''t really have a choice. He was sure that she was worried that Jen and her mystery boyfriend would take her life too if she chose not to do as they asked. A part of him pitied the woman.

    "If you have anything else to say, my men will be watching you 24/7." Cedric told Pa as he walked over to check on her.

    "I thought I was going to be released." Pa pleaded in a weak voice. "Please I need to get back to my family. Jen, she''ll hurt them."

    "You''ve seen the boss'' face, you won''t be let out that easily." A bodyguard exined.

    Cedric simply nodded, agreeing with what the man had said.

    "Don''t worry about your family, I need to have them watched after." Cedric said, a part of him hoped that it would at least put her mind at ease. "As for Jen, do you think she will be able to escape the wrath of Alexander Sebastian?" Cedric asked.

    "Sir, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Sebastian is powerful, but something about this boyfriend of hers seemed much worse. He seemed even more dangerous." Pa said as tears continued to stream from her eyes.

    "We will handle it." Ray said in a cold tone.

    "Take her to a cell. I''ll have someone check on her." Cedric ordered, to which his men simply nodded and picked Pa Rodriguez up by the arms and dragged her out of the interrogation room.

    "Are you seriously still going to have her assessed medically?" Ray asked as he gripped Cedric''s arm tightly. He normally didn''t have people checked after an interrogation.

    "She isn''t one of the thugs and spies you normally interrogate, Ray." Cedric exined with a sigh. "Her father is a known banker, she is even quite famous around some circles. If she dies because of us, or sustains any permanent injuries because of this, it wille to haunt us in the end."

    Ray couldn''t help but agree, he was being ruled by his anger. This woman not only hurt Alexi and Selina, but she was also involved in upsetting his wife, and Ray spoiled his wife. To see her sad because of what happened broke his heart, and no matter how petty it sounded he wanted to get justice for her.

    Cedric and Ray returned to the observation room to find Jose Sebastian reprimanding his son.

    "Why would you lose your temper like that? What if you killed her?" Jose asked Alexi. "If it''s for your damn pride I don''t care. That''s a person''s life, she was forced to do what she did, it''s not entirely her fault."

    "I''m sorry dad." Alexi said with a frown.

    Cedric was surprised with Jose''s words, he knew that the elder Sebastian was quite brutal when it came to people who had crossed him, but his uncle had a point. It wasn''t entirely Pa''s fault.

    "Miguel, can you check up on her?" Cedric asked as the miracle doctor sat and observed the argument between father and son. "I want to make sure that we didn''t go too far."

    "Sure, where?" Miguel asked as he got up.

    "Leon will take you to her, he is waiting outside." Cedric exined. "Leon will stay with you as you give her a check up. I don''t want her to get any ideas and try to harm you."

    "Don''t worry Cedric, I can handle myself." Miguel said with a wink.

    "Miguel, I''m serious." Cedric said as he stopped his friend from leaving.

    "I will take Leon with me inside. Rx." Miguel said with a smile as he left the room.

    "We need to look into who this mysterious boyfriend is." Alexi said as he finally managed to calm down.

    "Alexi, it won''t be easy. We have no leads." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "It''s impossible that we can''t find him." Alexi argued.

    "Wait, wait. I know who can help us." Eric suddenly said as he sat up from the couch in the room. He had been keeping silent as he was busy trying to assess Pa''s mental state.

    "Who? Do you know some top notch detective that we don''t?" Alexi asked.

    "I don''t but, but Katerina might have a better idea who the person is." Eric said with a shrug. "She''s been having Jen watched for quite a while now."

 Chapter 463 - 463

    "I''m sorry boys, but I have no idea." Katerina told her brother and his friends as she felt Eric''s arm wrap around her waist.

    "Katerina, how could she have hid all of that from you? You have one of the best teams in the country." Alexi asked his sister.??

    "She was just too careful Alexi." Katerina said, shaking her head. "You can ask Cedric, he sent a second team to observe her and still he found nothing. All I know is, there was always someone else. He probably even came before you."

    "What do you mean?" Alexi asked his sister.

    "I had her whole background investigated." Katerina said with a shrug. "As soon as you started getting serious with her I sent people to watch her."

    "YOU DID WHAT BEHIND MY BACK?!" Alexi asked furiously.

    "Well if it were any other woman I wouldn''t have done that." Katerina told her brother. "I didn''t like Jen from the start and I told you something was off, and you didn''t listen. Even Natalia agrees with me." Katerina said in a raised voice.

    "Natalia?" Alexi asked as he looked to his quieter sister.

    "Well I don''t disagree with Katerina. . ." Natalia said with her voice trailing.

    "Please, we told you Alexi, we warned you about her, but you didn''t listen." Katerina scoffed.

    "So how sure are you that she didn''t meet him when we were together?" Alexi asked again.

    "Simple, she never went to ces where she could meet some random CEO or powerful man." Katerina said with a shrug.

    "But she worked for Miguel, and all of Miguel''s clientse from powerful and rich backgrounds. So she could have met him there, your assumption is wrong , sister." Alexi said proudly.

    "Wrong." Katerina said with a grin. "Miguel or Nicole would have known if she had met someone while at work. If not the two then one of the other nurses, you can''t exactly hide things while working at the Saints Hospital on Kashmere."

    "Selina, would you know if she met anyone beforeing home?" Cedric asked Selina, who was sitting next to her twin and listening quite intently.

    "I''m not sure." Selina answered. "When we decided to go our separate ways I moved to Paris from Mn while she went on to go to Germany, I''m not sure where in Germany though, it was almost a year after that before she came home. I''m sure she met people while she was there."

    "We need to look into the people she interacted with while she was abroad." Alexi told the others.

    "I''m not sure we can, that''s too far back and too far out of our reach." Katerina said, shaking her head. She knew that her brother''s judgement was now, somewhat clouded.

    "Just look." Alexi hissed at her.

    "Alexi, watch the way you speak to your sister!" Jose Sebastian reprimanded his son.

    "I''m sorry." Alexi said as he stormed out of the Reyes Mansion.

    "I''ll go after him." Selina said as she stood up.

    "I''ll drive you." Helios told his twin.

    "I''ll send your parents home." Cedric told Helios and Selina with a nod, urging them to go after the angry Alexi.

    "Thank you." Helios said as he and his sister left the room.

    Cedric was sure that Alexi had already sped off and was on his way to his Mountain View Mansion. Alexi wouldn''t want to go back to the Sebastian home tonight, it would just be too painful. Add to that the fact that he had just argued with almost every member of his family.

    "I know it will be hard, but I will still have someone look into the people she interacted with after she and Selina parted ways." Katerina informed everyone.

    "Keep us posted." Cedric said with a nod.

    "We should all go home and rest." Prisci Reyes told their guests. "We''ve all had a long day."

    "Mom, I''ll drive the Ramirezes'' home." Cedric informed his mother.

    "Take one of your bigger cars." Prisci told her son. "They are better equipped and they are much morefortable than that sedan you love so much."

    "I will mom." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Before I forget, there are some fruits here that a guest gave. I had the maids pack some up for everyone." As Prisci Reyes said this several maids came in and gave each family a basket of fruits.

    "Mom." Ayannained with augh.

    "What? I don''t want all of this fruit going to waste, plus everyone should have a taste after the difficult end to this day." Prisci told her daughter.

    "I''ll see you tomorrow mom." Ayanna said with augh as she ced a kiss on her mom''s cheek and hugged the elder woman.

    "Shoo, go home, give us more grandkids." Prisci teased the newly married couple.

    "Mom!" Ayannained again as she blushed.

    "What?" Prisci asked her daughter.

    "We aren''t in a rush and we have been married for a year." Ayanna reminded her mother.

    "Look at little Emilio and Tristan, they need a friend." Prisci said as she pointed towards the now sleeping children. "A little sister cousin for them would be perfect."

    "Okay mom, we''ll head home now." Ayanna said with augh as she pulled her husband away.

    "Bye mom, bye dad." Ray called out as he left with Ayanna.

    "Be safe, Cedric." Prisci told her son as she hugged him and ced a kiss on her grandson''s forehead, who was now in Cedric''s arms.

    "I will mom." Cedric said with a nod. "Leon and the rest of the convoy will be with us."

    With that Cedric, Adrianna, Dante and Elissa Ramirez walked out of the Reyes mansion.

    Outside Cedric''s white Rolls Royce Phantom waited for them.

    Cedric opened the door to let Elissa Ramirez and Adrianna in, before handing the sleeping little boy over to his wife.

    Dante Ramirez chose to sit in the front seat, while Cedric jogged over to the driver''s side. He wanted to drive the car home himself.

    The Ramirez family lived in a well guardedmunity not far from Mountain View. There were many old families that lived in the area.

    Most of the drive was in silence as Cedric was not really familiar with the Ramirezes and he did not know what to say. As they neared their destination however, Dante Ramirez spoke up.

    "Thank you for not looking down on our Selina." Dante Ramirez suddenly said.

    "Why would we do that Mr. Ramirez?" Cedric asked as they cruised along the highway.

    "Please, call me Dante or uncle Dante." Dante Ramirez told Cedric, to which he simply replied with a nod. "For many reasons, one being that she and Helios are adopted." Dante said.

    "Uncle, that doesn''t matter." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I am sure that in your heart, Selina and Helios are your true children." Cedric was never one to judge people by their birth.

    "Also because she slept with Alexi, she has been in love with him for quite some time now and in all honesty Jose and I have been trying to get them together." Dante Ramirez said with a sigh.

    "Alexi cares deeply about her too." Cedric said with a smile. "You can''t really fault someone for loving."

    As Cedric said this they pulled up in front of the Ramirez home.

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 Chapter 464 - 464

    After driving the Ramirez couple home, Cedric drove his own exhausted family to their Mountain View Mansion. By the time they arrived, Cedric saw his lovely wife fast asleep with their little son in her arms.

    Cedric quickly called for a nanny toe and take little Emilio to his room. When the little boy was lifted from his mother''s arms he cried, but Cedric managed to soothe him before finally handing him over to the nanny.??

    He looked at the sleeping figure of his wife, she looked so elegant and peaceful as she rested. Cedric smiled to himself and picked his wife up in his arms, he was surprised that she was lighter than before, it seemed that the stress from work had caused her to lose weight.

    He took her to their room and helped her get ready for bed.

    "Adri." Cedric whispered as he held his wife in his arms, she stirred upon hearing her name. "I love you and Emilio so much, you both mean the world to me."

    With that Cedric let himself fall asleep.

    The next day Cedric and Adrianna were both up early.

    Adrianna, Ayanna, and Prisci would be heading over to Pris Mall to do as much damage as possible on Cedric''s bank ount. While Cedric was waiting for Ace to arrive, he had mentioned the day before that he learned something.

    "I''ll take Emilio." Adrianna said as they sat on the dining table, having breakfast.

    "Are you sure?" Cedric said as he looked at the sleepy little boy that was falling asleep on his own food. "Won''t he be a bother to you girls?" Cedric asked.

    "No, mom and Ayanna love Emilio." Adrianna said with a smile. "They will be more than happy to have him along."

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod, agreeing with his wife''s ns. "Just don''t tire yourself too much. I noticed that you lost weight, from the stress."

    "It''s nothing Cedric." Adrianna told her husband. "I''m just tired, that''s all." She said, dismissing his worries.

    "Still, Adri, I want you to eat more and work less." Cedric said with a frown.

    "Really Cedric? Will you hinder the growth of my career and mypany?" Adrianna asked with augh.

    "I can send over some professional managers to help you Adri." Cedric said with a sigh. He knew his wife wouldn''t agree to this but he wanted to at least try. "You don''t need to be doing everything."

    "Cedric, we had a deal." Adriannained.

    "Fine." Cedric said, not wanting to push the argument any further.

    "What time is Ace arriving?" Adrianna asked, changing the topic.

    "He should be here in an hour or so." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Alright. Emilio and I will be out of your hair by then." Adrianna said with a sweet smile.

    After breakfast Adrianna quickly prepared herself and Emilio for their trip. She didn''t need to disguise herself like Cedric, but she made sure that she at least looked respectable.

    "Take care." Cedric said as he walked his wife and son over to the waiting car in their driveway.

    "I have Mia with me, plus your battalion of bodyguards." Adrianna said with augh. "No one will dare harm me and Emilio, no one will even be able to get close."

    "I know honey." Cedric said as he pulled his wife close to him and pressed his lips onto hers.

    "So needy." Adrianna teased when their lips finally parted.

    "I just feel like we need some alone time." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Why don''t we go on a trip next week?" Adrianna asked as she hugged her husband.

    "With Emilio?" Cedric asked as he looked at his son who had already climbed into their car. They were taking the sedan and Mia would be driving them.

    "No silly." Adrianna said with augh. "With the wedding done, Ayanna and Ray can watch over Emilio, it will help them see what it''s like having a child." Adrianna said with a mischievous grin.

    "Alright, alright." Cedric said with augh as he released his wife from his arms.

    "I''ll see you tonight." Adrianna said as she kissed him on the cheek and got into the car.

    Cedric watched as Mia drove away with his wife and son, he was actually very happy that his mother and sister got along very well with his wife. He had heard of many families where they didn''t get along, he couldn''t have hoped for a better rtionship in his family.

    Cedric decided to rx while waiting for Ace. He sat in his office, turned on the TV and asked a maid to bring in some tea.

    His peaceful morning was ruined however, when his phone began to ring. Cedric groaned, it was his day off. As a matter of fact the whole Reyes Group got a day off today in celebration of Ayanna''s and Ray''s wedding.

    When he picked his phone up, he wasn''t surprised to see Dave calling him. Of course his assistants would be the only ones with the guts to bother him.

    "Yes?" Cedric asked as he picked up the call.

    "Sir, there is a development at the house." Dave said in a nervous tone.

    "What house?" Cedric asked, slightly confused as to what Dave was talking about.

    "Sir, the house your father is keeping his mistress at." Dave exined.

    "What''s happening?" Cedric asked over the phone. He wasn''t too concerned since the movement was normally that the woman or his father, or both were back.

    "Sir, there is a van from Saints Hospital outside the house." The news made Cedric sit up all of a sudden.

    "That''s not possible." Cedric said in shock. "This would mean, Nicole and Miguel, they knew."

    "Possibly sir." Dave confirmed over the phone.

    Cedric was about to go and confront Miguel when a maid knocked.

    "What?" Cedric hissed.

    "Sir, Dr. Chan, Miss Sebastian, and Miss Carpio are here to see you, they said it''s urgent." The maid announced. She was clearly scared of Cedric''s cold demeanour, he was rarely cold to the help in his own home.

    "Let them in." Cedric said as he waved for her to leave.

    "Keep an eye on that van and on the house." Cedric ordered Dave. "I have business to attend to, but I want regr updates."

    "Yes sir." Dave said over the phone as he dropped the call.

    "Cedric, we need to talk to you about something." Katerina said as she barged into the room with Eric and Cthea trailing behind her.

    "An odd group the three of you make." Cedric said as he eyed them.

    "Sir." Another maid said as she knocked. "Mr. Ace Reyes is here."

    "Send him in." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Cthea, why are you here?" Cedric asked as they waited for Aec to arrive.

    "There is something you need to know about my boyfriend, well my ex-boyfriend." Cthea began to say as the door to Cedric''s office opened.

    "Ah, Cthea." Ace said as he entered and red at the woman. "What is she doing here?" Ace asked Cedric.

    "That''s what I want to find out." Cedric told his cousin.

 Chapter 465 - 465

    "Sir." A maid said again as she knocked on the door.

    "Who is it this time?" Cedric asked angrily.??

    "Sir, the Chan siblings, Mr. Alexander Sebastian, and a Miss Selina Ramirez." The maid said as she shrunk back.

    "Send them in then." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Why are you and your siblings all suddenlying over?" Cedric asked Katerina and Eric.

    "I honestly have no idea." Eric said with a shrug. "Would you know Katerina?" Eric asked as he turned to look at his girlfriend.

    Katerina did not respond and continued to look down at her feet.

    "Katerina, what do you know?" Cedric asked in an angry tone. He rarely got mad at his friends so they were quite surprised to hear him like this.

    "It''s not my ce to say and I''m not even sure about the details Cedric." Katerina said with a frown.

    "Wait, shouldn''t you be at Pris Mall with my mom, wife, and sister?" Cedric asked as he looked at Katerina.

    "What? No." Katerina said, shaking her head. "They said it was girl bonding time for the Reyes women."

    "Cedric, you have a lot of people watching over them. They will be safe." Ace told his cousin.

    For a moment Cedric forgot that Ace was sitting on the couch.

    "Wow, so many guests." Alexi said as he entered with Selina in his arm.

    "I see that the rumors are true." Cthea said as she spotted Selina and Alexi together.

    "Shouldn''t you be with that mysterious boyfriend of yours Cthea?" Alexi hissed. He didn''t like Cthea since she had tried to hurt his sister on multiple asions.

    "My ex-boyfriend." Cthea said, correcting Alexi.

    "I knew no man could stand you." Alexi said with augh.

    "Oh, that''s rich. Coming from you." Cthea said with a knowing smile.

    Alexi just gave her a puzzled look and pulled Selina to one of the vacant couches. Nicole and Miguel entered after him greeting everyone as they arrived.

    "Who wants to go first?" Cedric asked as he stood by his desk and leaned against it.

    "I will then." Ace said with a shrug as he pulled out an envelope from his bag. "You asked me to find Cthea''s boyfriend, that''s him."

    "Why are you stalking my ex?" Cthea asked.

    "I need to know about MT Summit and your boyfriend is the only one that can tell me about it." Cedric said as he pulled out the photo from the envelope.

    "Oh that shellpany of his?" Cthea asked, making Cedric look at her.

    "His shellpany?" Cedric said as he threw her a re.

    "Yeah, he uses it to cover up some things." Cthea told Cedric.

    "This is impossible." Cedric said as he stared at the photo Ace had given him. "This can''t be him Ace. I know this person."

    "What? Who is it?" Alexi said as he tried to take a look at the image in Cedric''s hands.

    "Ask her." Ace said as he pointed at Cthea.

    "Cthea, is this your ex-boyfriend?" Cedric asked as he showed everyone the familiar face in the photo.

    "Yes, that''s him." Cthea said with a nod. "Why were you looking him up?"

    "Hispany was involved in the death of a friend." Cedric exined as he red at Cthea. "At first I simply wanted to know who he sold MT Summit to, but now, it seems he might be responsible for the deaths."

    "Well, then you''re gonna wanna sit down for this." Eric said as he looked at Katerina, who had a deep frown.

    Cedric looked at Eric and sat behind his desk.

    "Spill." Cedric said in an intimidating tone.

    "Please understand that I had no idea." Cthea pleaded. "I came over thinking the only people he had hurt were Selina and Alexi, I didn''t think he had gone even further."

    Cedric simply nodded, acknowledging that Cthea was not involved in the man''s actions.

    "Jen was never with Alexi." Cthea said. "She has always been his boyfriend. He approached my family with one goal in mind. To ruin the people who had ruined his own family."

    "Aside from the Sebastians, who has he been after?" Cedric asked Cthea. "And how sure are you about what you know?" Cedric questioned.

    "For two years he has been going around, posing to be my boyfriend and the CEO of Regis Inc., but we met him way before that." Cthea exined. "We met him in Mn, my dad was taking a break from work and visiting us when he caught my father''s eye, and clearly mine as well."

    Cedric was not amused that this person had shown up years ago and no one noticed. There were so many crumbs lying around that could lead them to him and yet they didn''t see it.

    "Continue." Cedric said as he noticed Cthea had stopped speaking.

    "I thought he was a good man at first." Cthea confessed. "We dated and eventually became a couple, unfortunately it seems that he only dated me to keep his position." Cthea said with a scoff.

    "Last night, he didn''t know that I wanted to surprise him." She said with a frown. "So I hid in one of his closets. I was about to step out when I realized that I was hearing the familiar clicking of heels. At first I wanted to jump out and tear the woman apart, but I was frozen in ce, I got lucky that I was. I overheard everything."

    "You spent the night in a closet?" Katerina asked Cthea. Cedric was surprised that Katerina was now worried about her former rival.

    Cthea simply nodded to answer Katerina''s question.

    "Go on." Cedric said with a nod as his expression softened.

    "ording to them, he and Jen nned everything from the start. They wanted Alexi to fall for her and to fall for her hard." Cthea exined. "Then they would drag his name through the mud with cheating scandals and eventually killing him. As for the Laurence family -"

    "He was after the Laurences too?" Cedric asked, cutting Cthea mid sentence.

    "Yes, the Sebastian, Laurence, and Lim families." Cthea confirmed. "Although I don''t know the Lims."

    "Ian." Nicole said as she turned pale with worry.

    "Why would Aiden Ortiz want to go after the Lim family?" Alexi asked as he looked at the photo on the table.

 Chapter 466 - 466

    "The Lims, the Sebastians, and the Laurences." Cedric said as he repeated the family names Cthea had mentioned. "What enemy do they have inmon?" Cedric asked.

    "Cedric, another thing I find odd is, Jen knows who you are." Katerina told Cedric. "If she knew the real identity of the Reyes Heir, why didn''t she tell her boyfriend?"??

    "I think she is nning on using it as leverage, in case things went bad between them." Cthea suggested. "Plus I don''t think he has anything against the Reyes family, he just wanted to use the Reyeses to get to the others."

    "I have so many questions." Alexi said as he massaged his temples.

    "I honestly don''t know if I can answer all of your questions about Aiden." Cthea said with a frown. "We were together but I barely knew anything about him. At first I thought it was just because he was a private person, but now, I havee to realize that he was simply hiding things from me."

    "There is only one person that I can think of that would hate those three families." Cedric said slowly. "But it''s impossible. The man shouldn''t even know about their history."

    "Who?" Katerina asked.

    "I can''t be sure." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I need to speak with uncle Jose, uncle Benedicto, and Ian''s father to be sure." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "I''ll ask our parents toe over." Katerina said with a nod. "Nicole, you should ask Ian to have his fathere over as well,"

    "Wait, have them go to the Reyes Mansion instead." Miguel told Katerina.

    "Why?" Katerina asked.

    "Do as Miguel says Katerina. We''ll exinter." Alexi told his sister.

    "I''ll give Ray a call too." Cedric said with a nod.

    He quickly dialed Ray''s number.

    "Yo." Ray said as he picked up the phone. Cedric could hear the chaotic noise in the background.

    "Where are you?" Cedric asked, he was sure Ray was taking advantage of his wife being away to attend to other business.

    "At home." Ray said. "Wait, I''ll just pause the game."

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh. The greatly feared king of the underworld was busy ying video games while his wife was away shopping.

    "This better be important Cedric." Ray grumbled over the phone. "I rarely get me time."

    "It is." Cedric said in a more serious tone. "Can you get your parents to go to the Reyes mansion?" Cedirc asked.

    "Sure, but why?" Ray asked.

    "It has something to do with the CEO of Regis Inc. and Rene Ty." Cedric said quite cryptically.

    "Who is Rene Ty?" Ray was more confused now.

    "I''ll exinter. For now, go to the Reyes Mansion and bring your parents along." Cedric instructed. "Oh and Ray, don''t let my sister find out about this. I don''t want to worry them without being Certain about some things."

    "Got it." Ray said as he dropped the call.

    By the time Cedric ended the call with Ray, Katerina was also done calling their parents.

    "Mom and Dad said they will go to the Reyes Mansion immediately." Katerina told Cedric who simply nodded in response.

    "I also spoke to Ian." Nicole said. "He''s on his way with Tristan to pick his parents up. Will you tell us what this is about Cedric?" Nicole asked.

    "Later, at the Reyes Mansion." Cedric said he didn''t want to have to repeat himself. The story was quiteplicated and telling it over and over would just be a waste of time. "Now tell me why you are here as well."

    "You have gravely misunderstood your father." Nicole told Cedric with a serious look in her eyes.

    "I don''t understand what you are saying." Cedric told Nicole with a shrug. He and his father rarely disagreed. The elder Reyes was very open minded and always had the intention of innovating, that''s why he and Cedric got along with regards to the direction he wanted the group to take.

    "Cedric, my sister is talking about your suspicions that uncle Emilio is cheating on auntie Prisci." Miguel exined. He too had been kept in the dark with regards to his auntie''s condition. Only Nicole had been aware, even when he and Ian took over in her ce Nicole had left strict instruction on keeping it from her brother and boyfriend.

    "Nicole, you don''t need to defend my dad." Cedric said with a sigh. "I''m disappointed, but I know it happens. People fall out of love, all I''m asking is that he treats my mom properly and that he remains honest with her."

    "Cedric your dad isn''t cheating." Nicole shouted.

    "What? How are you sure?" Cedric asked in surprise.

    "Cedric, the woman whom your dad visits in that house isn''t some mistress." Nicole exined.

    "I''m sure you both would know all about it." Cedric said sarcastically.

    "What?" Miguel asked, he didn''t know what was wrong with Cedric, but his friend suddenly turned hostile towards them.

    "A Saints Hospital van was spotted outside the house, now tell me you weren''t involved?" Cedric asked as he turned to Nicole and Miguel. "We all know that the real person managing Saints Hospital is you Nicole."

    "Of course I know about the van. I sent it there yesterday." Nicole told Cedric.

    "So did the mistress give birth?" Cedric asked coldly. "And you Miguel, you''ve known about my suspicions for months and yet you remained silent!" Cedric used.

    "My brother and Ian knew nothing about that, everyone was under strict instructions not to tell them because of you. Because your parents were worried about you and Ayanna." Nicole suddenly said in a burst of frustration.

    "What are you talking about Nicole?" Cedric asked as his expression turned soft. Nicole''s tone suddenly made him worry. "What are my parents hiding?"

    "Uncle Emilio and Auntie Prisci didn''t want you to know, but five years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer." Nicole said, dropping a bomb into the room.

    Cedric''s face turned cid, no one could tell what he was thinking or how he felt, his face was just expressionless.

    "Cedric, we operated on her back then. We took out the tumor and she somewhat got better." Nicole exined calmly this time. "But there was always a risk that it would metastasis."

    "Is that what happened?" Cedric asked.

    Nicole nodded.

    "The year you came back she had me do a check up on her." Nicole looked like she was about to burst into tears. "It was lymphoma."

    "Why didn''t you tell us?" Cedric asked.

    "Because auntie Prisci asked me not to." Nicole quickly replied. "Do you have any idea how hard it was keeping this a secret from everyone. At first she didn''t want to get treated, eventually things got harder for her so she and uncle Emilio came to me one day asking me to set up a recovery facility for her."

    "The house." Cedric mumbled.

    "Yes the house. Her trips to rin Industries were all cover ups for her treatments." Nicole exined.

    "And dad was going to her." Cedric said,pleting the statement.

    Nicole nodded once again, confirming his hunch.

    "I need to talk to dad." Cedric suddenly dashed out of the room with everyone trailing behind him.

 Chapter 467 - 467

    Cedric shouted for his driver to prepare his car. He wanted to get to the Reyes Mansion as quickly as possible, he needed to confront his father about this.

    The white Rolls Royce Ghost quickly pulled up to the front of the house with Cedric hopping in, followed by Ace. ??

    The others quickly piled up into their own cars. They knew where Cedric was headed, he needed to get to the Reyes Mansion to confront his father.

    Inside the car Cedric dialed his father''s number, it took a while but Emilio Reyes eventually picked up the call.

    "Son, why are you calling so early?" Emilio asked in a sluggish tone, it seemed that he was taking advantage of the girls being out and sleeping in. "Shouldn''t you be taking advantage of the day while your wife and son are out?"

    "Dad, I need you to answer my question honestly." Cedric demanded over the phone.

    "What''s with the tone?" Emilio Reyes asked. "Watch it, I''m still your father." He warned.

    "Dad, promise me you will answer me honestly." Cedric asked again.

    "Fine, fine, what is it?" Emilio Reyes groaned.

    "Is mom sick?" Cedric asked.

    "She''s fine now. She''s even out shopping with your wife and sister, what''s with the sudden concern?" Emilio asked his son.

    "Dad, stop lying." Cedric said in a frustrated tone. "Nicole told me everything."

    There was a silence on the line, Cedric could tell that his father had no idea how to address this problem.

    "Come over to the old house, let''s talk." Emilio Reyes finally said over the phone.

    "I''m already on the way." Cedric told his dad. "Uncle Benedicto, Uncle Jose, and Ian''s dad are also on the way. There are other pressing matters that need to be discussed as well."

    "Alright." Emilio Reyes said over the phone. "Drive safely." He said as he dropped the call.

    "Cedric, I had no idea either." Ace told his cousin. "Although it is possible that my parents knew this whole time. I knew they were shipping medicines over from Spain home."

    "I don''t think my mom and dad told anyone else." Cedric said with a sigh. "I should have known that this was a possibility." Cedric said angrily.

    "Cedric, no one could have predicted something like cancer." Ace said in an attempt tofort his cousin.

    "Ace, didn''t you know?" Cedric asked.

    "Know what?" Ace said as he gave Cedric a puzzled look.

    "Ace, all the females in the rin Family have died of cancer." Cedric said with a frown, shocking Ace. "It''s like a curse on the rins. I was hoping that mom wouldn''t, but she has it now."

    "Cedric, I''m sure she''ll get better." Ace said with full confidence. "You have the whole Chan family to help you, and Miguel is known as the Miracle doctor. If anyone can cure her it will be him."

    "I hope so Ace." Cedric said with a frown as he looked out his window.

    He was sad and angry that his parents chose not to tell him and Ayanna, why didn''t they want them to worry? This was something they should have faced as a family, with him and Ayanna supporting their parents as much as possible.

    As the scenery changed Cedric noticed that they were pulling up to the Reyes Mansion. He sighed and leaned back against his seat. He closed his eyes and thought of what he would say to his dad. He was angry, but more importantly he was disappointed.

    As the convoy of cars pulled to a stop, a butler ran over and opened Cedric''s car door, letting him out.

    "Where is my father?" Cedric asked the butler, he was sure his dad would have given instructions.

    "At his study sir." The butler told Cedric respectfully. "He asks you to join him there, alone."

    Cedric nodded and walked towards the front doors. He was about to enter when he heard Nicole and Miguel arguing.

    "Why the hell didn''t you tell me those patient files were auntie Prisci''s!?" Miguel angrily asked as he and Nicole walked over.

    "You would have told Cedric!" Nicole shouted in return. "You would have told him and broken auntie and uncle''s trust!"

    "I could have kept a secret." Miguel told his sister.

    "No you couldn''t. You boys tell each other everything!" Nicole answered back. "You are worse than us girls!"

    "I -" Just as Miguel was about to answer back another convoy of vehicles arrived.

    "Can you please tell my father that we will discuss the matter at another time." Cedric told the butler. "Ask him to join us in the living room, I have something to tell everyone." The butler nodded and entered the house.

    Cedric called over a maid, who bowed and waited for hismand.

    "Prepare drinks and the living room." Cedric said as he sent her off to do what he had asked.

    When the cars finally stopped in front of them, Cedric saw his uncle Jose step out of the car together with his wife, Rebeckah.

    "Uncle." Cedric greeted respectfully.

    "I''m a busy man Cedric. This better be important." Jose Sebastian said grumpily as he went in ahead.

    "He''s in a bad mood. He came from a meeting where all they did was question how we brought Alexi up." Rebeckah Sebastian told Cedric. "I hope you have good news for us."

    "Auntie, I cannot promise that it''s good, but it is news." Cedric told the older woman as he offered his arm to escort her inside.

    "News is better than no news." Rebeckah Sebastian said with a smile. It was her level headed personality that bnced off the Sebastians perfectly. She could calm her husband and her children no matter what kind of a fit any of them were in.

    "This is how a real gentleman behaves, learn from him Alexi." Rebeckah Sebastian called out, teasing her son.

    "Mom, I''m a gentleman." Alexi whined as he approached with his arm around Selina''s waist. It was clear from Selina''s expression that she wasn''t happy with the public disy of affection that Alexi was forcing on her.

    "Selina looks like she''s in pain Alexi. Let her go." Rebeckah Sebastian said, scolding her son.

    "Fine." Alexi said with augh.

    They didn''t have to wait long for the others to arrive. The Lims lived quite close and arrived right after the Sebastians. The Laurences were thest to arrive, but they didn''t have to wait long since Ray had called his parents over as soon as he dropped Cedric''s call.

    "Why did you call us over Cedric?" Jose Sebastian asked they younger man in an intimidating tone, his foul mood quite clearly manifested.

    "Uncle, we know who might be behind all the unfortunate events recently." Cedric revealed, much to the elder''s surprise.

    "You mean you found the person behind MT Summit?" Emilio Reyes asked his son.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "But before that, I need to ask. What does the name Rene Ty mean to all of you?"

    At Cedric''s question the faces of the parent''s turned pale, Cedric was surprised to see that even Katerina carried the same shocked expression.

    "Cedric, where did you hear that name?" Katerina asked.

    "Who is he to you guys first?" Cedric asked.

    "He and his wife kidnapped and tortured Katerina when she was ten." Jose Sebastian said angrily, shocking Cedric. It seemed there was more to the story than he initially thought.

 Chapter 468 - 468

    "What do you mean he kidnapped and tortured Katerina?" Alexi asked angrily as he heard his father''s words.

    "The man and his wife are dead, you don''t need to concern yourself." Katerina said, shocking everyone. ??

    "So that''s why he is after you." Cedric said as he scratched his chin.

    "What do you mean by that Cedric?" Jose Sebastian asked as he red at Cedric.

    "Uncle Benedicto, how about to you, who is that man?" Cedric asked as he looked at Ray''s father.

    "Someone who owed people money and needed to be dealt with." Benedict Laurence said with a shrug. "It was that money that led him to kidnap Katerina."

    "Howe we didn''t know Katerina was kidnapped?" Nicole asked with a worried look on her face.

    "Because we told you she was away studying." Rebeckah Sebastian exined with a frown. "I hope you have good reason for bringing up these painful memories, Cedric." She said as she looked at Cedric who maintained his calm expression.

    "All in due time auntie." Cedric said with a nod.

    He turned his attention to the Lim family who had stayed silent. Cedric knew that both guilt and pain lingered with the name Rene Ty for them.

    "How about for you uncle -" Cedric began to say when Ian cut him off.

    "Cedric you don''t need to ask dad that. I''ll tell everyone." Ian said with frown.

    Cedric simply nodded and let him do as he asked.

    "Rene Ty is my uncle, he is father''s cousin." Ian revealed, taking everyone by surprise. "His mother and my grandfather were siblings. Father and grandfather let him take the helm in MT Summit, a subsidiary of Lim Corp. Little did they know that he was using it as a front for illegal activities." Ian exined.

    "He drove the nail in the coffin." Ian''s father said with a sigh.

    "Dad, you don''t need to talk about this, I can do it." Ian told his dad with a concerned look.

    "It''s alright son." His father said. "The Lim''s have been keeping this a secret for too long."

    Ian simply nodded and let his father continue his story.

    "My cousin, Rene, was not a good man. Neither was his wife, Sonia Ortiz." Ian''s father said. At the mention of Rene''s wife Cedric''s friends all turned to him in shock.

    "Please continue uncle." Cedric said with a nod, ignoring all of the stares. This was the story that needed to be told.

    "We trusted Rene to manage some of the family assets, he was family after all. The thing about him is that he felt like he should have inherited the Lim fortune, not my father, but him. You see his mother was the eldest of three siblings, my father was the second." Ian''s father exined.

    "So he felt it was his birthright?" Miguel asked, to which the older Lim nodded.

    "He wasn''t satisfied with a few shares or a fewpanies, he wanted the whole thing, and in his greed he ended up ruining the entire n." Ian''s father said with a frown.

    "When I was younger, I swore I would avenge dad and grandpa. I would go after the people that did this to them, and the first person I was going after was my uncle." Ian exined. "I was surprised to find out that uncle Rene and his wife Sonia had passed away in a freak ident, while his son, my cousin, had gone missing."

    "You were avenged in a way." Jose Sebastian said. "Rene and Sonia kidnapped Katerina, that''s what led to their deaths."

    "Uncle?" Cedric asked, he was curious to find out the details.

    "Maybe you should hear what happened between him and your uncle Benedicto first." Jose Sebastian said with a chuckle. "It wouldplete the story." He said with a shrug.

    Cedric simply nodded in response and looked towards Benedicto Laurence.

    "I knew Rene Ty was from the Lim family." Benedicto exined. "He took every opportunity to boast about it. We also knew he was dealing with illegal matters through MT Summit, so we simply kept an eye on how it was doing." He said with a shrug.

    Everyone remained silent, listening to Benedicto''s side of the story.

    "Eventually we found out that he was caught and that Lim Corp. had fallen. Not only had Rene lost his backing, but he also lost his money as well." Benedicto exined. "He was a heavy gambler, so he raked up quite the debt, he also tried investing in a lot of risky businesses, so he borrowed and borrowed money. Those that didn''t know about Lim Corp. continued to lend him money, but eventually they realized he would never pay them back, so that''s where we came in." Benedicto said with a shrug.

    "The same policy as today?" Ray asked his father.

    "The same. Pay up, if you don''t we will go after you and everything you own." Benedicto exined. "At that time he still owned much of the properties he had bought when he was stealing from the Lims so we went after those. Eventually he had to sell them off, but we still went after him. It reached the point where he had to hide in the most unlikely ces."

    "That''s when he had the brilliant idea of kidnapping Katerina." Jose Sebastian said with a frown. "Just as things are now, people didn''t know that a Laurence was the king of the underworld. So Rene didn''t think that kidnapping a senator''s child would have such an impact on him."

    "Katerina, I''m sorry. I didn''t know." Alexi said as he looked at his sister with a guilty expression. "I should have known, I should have protected you."

    "It was unexpected Alexi, and we were so young at the time you couldn''t have done anything," Katerina said as she shook her head.

    While everyone''s attention was on Alexi and Katerina, Cedric observed Eric. It seemed he knew about Katerina''s kidnapping. What Cedric wasn''t sure about is if Eric knew the whole time or if Katerina just told him about it.

    "So what happened?" Cedric asked, wanting to hear more of the details. He now understood Aiden''s anger at the Lims and the Laurences, now he wanted to know what exactly happened between Aiden and the Sebastians.

 Chapter 469 - 469

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    "I was at school." Katerina said. As she spoke Eric held her hand and caressed it. "Since I was older than the other girls and I had skipped a few grades my sses endedter than everyone else''s. So Nicole, Ayanna, Veronica, and Natalia had already been fetched and sent home."

    "We should have waited for you." Nicole said with a frown.

    Katerina simply shook her head. "You couldn''t have known."

    "Nicole, let Katerina tell her story." Eric scolded his younger sister.

    "Anyway, for some reason that day our driver waste. Everyone had already gone home and I was the only student left in school." Katerina exined. "I had thrown a tantrum earlier that day because I didn''t want a bodyguard following me around. So dad gave in and let me go to school without a guard."

    "I still regret that to this day." Jose Sebastian added.

    "While I was waiting a couple came up to me, they asked if I was waiting for anyone. I told them I was waiting for dad to pick me up." Katerina said with a sigh. "I was so young that I couldn''t even fight back." She said with a frown.

    "The lessons." Alexi said as he realized why his sister was such an addict when it came to her self defense sses.

    Katerina nodded, confirming his suspicions.

    "Suddenly a gag was ced on my mouth and a sack over my head. I tried to escape, I even kicked one of them, but two adults against a child? I was doomed from the beginning." Katerina exined.

    "They called after that." Rebeckah Sebastian said, continuing her daughter''s story. "They demanded for money."

    "But we knew better, so we spoke to the police and to Benedicto." Jose Sebastian said with a shrug. "We discovered that he owed Benedicto money, so we lied to them. We told them that we would get the King of the underworld to stop chasing them in exchange for our daughter."

    "And they believed you?" Cedric asked.

    "No, not at first." Jose said, shaking his head. "As we said, no one knew it was Benedicto that was leading the underworld. So we had one of his men call the kidnappers up and to tell them the debt would be dropped if they returned Katerina."

    "At that time, they tied me up and refused to feed me." Katerina exined. "I- I-" Katerina struggled to speak as she recalled the horrors she went through.

    "You don''t have to tell us Katerina." Cedric said with a frown. He didn''t want her reliving the painful memories.

    "No, I need to do this." Katerina said, shaking her head. "I need to be able to talk about it so that I can move on."

    Cedric looked at her with a frown but he let her continue.

    "I cried constantly while I was kidnapped and the couple didn''t like that, so they often beat me up until I stopped crying or lost consciousness." Katerina exined. "Until one day, they told me I was finally going home. I was so excited and they didn''t like that. So they beat me up again till I lost consciousness."

    "They told us to leave proof that their debts were forgiven, that was quite simple. It was just a letter with the King of the Underworld insignia. Something Benedicto could easily provide us with." Jose Sebatian exined. "After dropping the document off they told us where to find Katerina. When we got to her we saw her bloody and unconscious in a rundown factory,"

    "We thought Katerina was dead." Rebeckah Seabastian exined.

    "As part of our n my men chased after them, I wanted them arrested, and I wanted them to pay. They kidnapped a daughter of the Sebastian family and I had no intention of letting them run free." Jose Sebastian said angrily. "Our people eventually caught up to them, then there was a shootout, they couldn''t possibly out gun our people so they tried to drive through the gunmen and the cars, and it worked, unfortunately there was a steep cliff and they drove right off of it."

    "So they died trying to escape?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Jose Sebastian said with a nod. "If you ask me they got away too easily, had they lived I would have shown them what hell on earth truly meant."

    "Cedric, what does Rene Ty have to do with anything?" Emilio Reyes asked his son. "The man belongs to the past. He is long dead, so why does it feel like you are digging up a dead man''s grave?"

    "Rene Ty and his wife might have died that day, but someone lived on for them." Cedric said with a frown. "Rene and Sonia had a son, he went missing right after he died. It wasn''t just the Lims that were looking for him, the Carpios were too."

    "What does my family have to do with this?" Cthea asked.

    "Everything." Cedric said with a frown. "This will probably haunt you Cthea."

    "What?" Cthea asked.

    "Sonia Ortiz - Ty, is your mother''s cousin. Making you and -" Cedric said until he was cut off by Cthea.

    "No fucking way!" Cthea said with a disgusted expression. She had dated Aiden so many things had happened between them, things rtives shouldn''t be doing.

    "Making what?" Nicole asked as she looked at Cthea curiously.

    "Rene and Sonia''s son was named Aiden, and when his parents passed away he was adopted by his maternal grandfather." Cedric exined. "Aiden Ortiz, is Amanda Lobo''s suitor and the current CEO of Regis Inc."

    "I dated my cousin." Cthea said in shock.

    "I hope you didn''t do anything more than making out." Katerina said with augh, despite the situation she still didn''t like Cthea and she wasn''t nning to let a moment like this just pass by.

    "Aiden Ortiz is behind everything, he has been dating Jen Pez from the very beginning. He and Jen set Alexi and Selina up as part of his revenge on the Sebastian family." Cedric exined. "He won''te after the Lims since he thinks you guys have no chance of recovering. As for the Laurences this is our chance to avoid another incident. We are finally a step ahead of him."

    "If that''s the case then we need to have eyes on him." Benedicto Laurence said.

    "I''ve already had people looking for him, but he is nowhere to be found at this moment." Cedric exined. When they had arrived he asked Leon to send people to search for Aiden, but Leon''s men still hadn''t found him.

    "Sir, sir." As if on cue Leon rushed into the living room where everyone had gathered.

    "You''ve found Aiden?" Cedric asked in a proud tone.

    "Yes, sir -" Leon said before Cedric cut him off.

    "Good, I want him brought in for questioning." Cedric said.

    "Sir, it''s your mother. Mrs. Reyes has been shot and is badly wounded." Leon quickly said shocking everyone in the room.

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    An Ian Lim Spin Off, what do you guys think?

 Chapter 470 - 470

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    "What?" Emilio Reyes said as he suddenly sat up from his seat.

    "Leon, what happened." Cedric demanded as his bodyguard tried to find the words to exin the situation.

    "Cedric!" Ayanna said as she ran into the room in tears. Emilio was in her arms with blood all over his clothes.

    Cedric quickly pulled his sister into a hug and tried his best tofort her. She was frantic and could not be consoled.

    "Ayanna, what happened? Where is Mom? Where is Adrianna? And why is my son full of blood?" Cedric asked, his tone full of worry.

    At the corner of his eye Cedric saw Miguel and Nicole rushing to leave, clearly they had just been called to go to Saints Hospital to see after Prisci Reyes.

    "Adri is with mom." Ayanna said in between sobs as Cedric too Emilio from her arms. The little boy seemed to have cried himself to sleep. Cedric tried his best to make sense of what was going on, but there was very little to go by. Ayanna struggled to get the words out.

    Cedric checked on his son and was relieved to see that there were no injuries. The blood on the little boy was not his, if it weren''t Emilio''s, then whose was it? Could if have been Adrianna''s? Or his mom''s? Or maybe a bodyguard''s? Cedric began to worry even more.

    Ray came up and pulled Ayanna into his arms and let her cry.

    "Shhhh, Ayanna tell us what happened." Ray said as he tried tofort his wife.

    "Dad, mom is at Saints. She lost so much blood." Ayanna struggled to speak, her voice was trembling as tears dropped from her eyes.

    "Ayanna, tell us what happened." Emilio Reyes III said in a surprisingly calm tone. Cedric was worried, his father should have been in a panic.

    "Dad, mom." Was all Ayanna could say as she burst into tears again.

    "Dad, I think it''s best if we went to the hospital and visited mom." Cedric suggested.

    "We won''t be of use there." Emilio said, shaking his head. "Your mother is probably in the operating room, your wife is already there keeping herpany. We should first care for Yoyo and Ayanna, then find out who is behind this." Emilio told his son in a stern tone.

    Cedric pulled his son closer to him, he couldn''t help but admit that he was worried about his mother and his wife. He wanted to find out who was responsible and make them pay.

    "I''ll take Emilio up to his room and get him cleaned." Cedric told his dad as he walked out of the room with his son in his arms.

    "Daddy?" Emilio suddenly said as he opened his eyes and looked up at his father. "Will gramma be okay?"

    "Of course Emilio." Cedric told his son. "Auntie Nicole and Uncle Miguel are on their way to her, and they are the best doctors in the world."

    "Uncle Miguel is a doctor?" Emilio asked, making Cedricugh. It never urred to him that his son only saw his friends as uncles and not for their professions.

    "Yes Emilio, your uncle Miguel and aunt Nicole are the best doctors around." Cedric said with a nod. "Do you believe in your uncle and auntie?" Cedric asked the little boy.

    "Of course! Uncle Miguel is the best." Emilio said with a weak smile.

    "Good." Cedric told his son as he ced him down on the ground. "Now, be a good boy and let daddy wash you."

    Emilio nodded and discarded his blood soaked clothes. As Cedric looked at the blood he couldn''t help but worry about so many things. His mother was now injured in the hospital, he had no idea about her condition. His son on the other hand had just watched his grandmother get shot and had her blood all over his clothes, he was worried about the trauma Emilio would have to suffer after this.

    As he washed his son Cedric tried his hardest to convince himself that his mother would be fine. His father remained calm and collected while he and Ayanna struggled to keep their emotions in check.

    He was taking this time to calm himself, focusing on his son. He found it odd that Emilio was calm and wasn''t reacting the way he expected. When he finally dressed the little boy he ced him to bed.

    "Daddy, gramma will be ok right?" Emilio asked again in his little voice.

    "Yes Emilio, she will be." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Daddy, I don''t want to be alone in the dark. The men mighte for me again." Emilio cried out as he noticed his father leaving.

    Cedric was taken by surprise with his son''s words, what men was Emilio talking about?

    "Emilio, what happened?" Cedric asked as he got into bed and hugged his son. "What men are you talking about?" Cedric pulled his son closer to him tofort the little boy.

    "Daddy, the men that tried to take me." Emilio cried out. "Daddy don''t leave me."

    Cedric was shocked, this was the first time that anyone had mentioned that there was a kidnapping attempt on Emilio. Was this the reason why his mother got shot?

    "Emilio, don''t worry. Daddy will take you wherever he goes." Cedric promised his son.

    Cedric held Emilio till the little boy fell asleep again. He wanted to keep his promise to his son, so he picked the boy up and took him downstairs to the living room.

    He was surprised that his father''s calm demeanour had now turned haggard. It seemed that he was no longer calm about the situation.

    "Dad, what happened?" Cedric asked as he approached with his son in his arms. "Is there any news about mom?"

    "Cedric, shouldn''t Yoyo stay upstairs in his room?" Katerina asked as she noticed Cedric carrying his son. "Things that we might discuss here might traumatize him."

    "I think it''s toote for that Katerina." Cedric said with a sigh. "He saw everything, and ording to Emilio there was an attempt to kidnap him."

    Cedric looked to his father, it seemed that Emilio Reyes already knew about the attempt, he didn''t seem surprised at all with the news.

    "Dad, do you already know the details?" Cedric asked in a low voice. He didn''t want to wake his sleeping son.

    "Cedric, take a seat." Emilio said as he pointed towards a free chair. "Yoyo isn''t that light anymore."

    Cedric wanted toin, but he knew now wasn''t the time. He did as his father asked and sat down.

    "Did you investigate what happened? Is there any news about mom?" Cedric asked.

    "Which would you like answered first?" Emilio asked his son.

    "How is mom?" Cedric asked, his priority would always be his family''s safety.

    "She lost a lot of blood and sustained many injuries." Emilio said with a frown.

    "Dad, what are you not telling me?" Cedric asked.

    "Cedric, Miguel and Nicole said they aren''t sure if Prisci will make it." At Emilio''s words Cedric felt the whole world drop.

    ____________________________________________________

    An Ian Lim Spin Off, what do you guys think?

 Chapter 471 - 471

    Cedric could feel the world around him disappearing. What exactly had happened? How brutal were the kidnappers that they almost took his son and could possibly kill his mom?

    "Cedric?" Eric called out. He and the others had chosen to stay to help in whatever way they could. Eric had expected that the members of the Reyes Family would need someone like him around so he made sure to help in every way possible.??

    "Miguel is with mom." Cedric said weakly. "He can save her." Cedric was pleading in desperation.

    "Cedric. . ." Emilio said with a frown.

    "How can you just give up like that? How can you not keep fighting, keep hoping? Don''t you trust Miguel?" Cedric asked his father in an aggressive tone. If it weren''t for his son he would have already rushed up to his father, he was angry that Emilio Reyes was sitting in his living room doing nothing. How could a man not care when his wife was dying.

    "Dad is just telling you what the Chans told him." Ayanna said as she arrived with Ray. She must have left to gather herself and change out of the bloody clothes. She was much moreposed now inparison to Cedric.

    "Ayanna, don''t tell me you will just be calm about this too?" Cedric asked his sister. He couldn''t believe her, she was there when the attack had happened. How could she remain so calm?

    "Get a hold of yourself Cedric. This is very unlike you." Ayanna scolded him. "What use will our hysterics be to mom? Think rationally, or has that poverty training messed with the Cedric Reyes I know."

    Cedric closed his eyes and took deep breaths, Ayanna was right, him losing it would do no good to his mother. What he needed to do was to remain rational, he needed to find out what could be done to save his mother and to find out what had happened.

    "Please hold Emilio for me." Cedric told Ayanna as he stood up and handed his son over to his sister.

    Ayanna simply nodded and did as he asked. She was more than willing to take care of her adorable nephew, plus it helped her practice her motherly instincts, she and Ray were nning on starting a family of their own soon enough.

    Cedric walked out of the living room and took out his phone. He knew he couldn''t just stand there and do nothing. He needed to think rationally, he needed to put his emotions aside for a moment to help his mother.

    He calmed himself down first before finally giving his wife a call. He waited patiently as the phone rang.

    "Cedric." Adrianna said in a sad tone.

    "Adri, how are you? How is mom?" Cedric asked. He felt guilty about not calling his wife when he had heard about the attack, he was just so concerned about Emilio that he forgot to call.

    "Cedric." Adrianna said his name as she sobbed. "Miguel said she''s lost too much blood. Did you know mom was sick? She can''t just have any blood, plus the injury it just made things worse."

    "Adri, try to breath. I''m here for you." Cedric said over the phone. "Did Miguel say if anything could be done to help mom?"

    "I should be telling you those words, she''s your mom." Adrianna said as she cried.

    "Adri, I know how much you love my mom. She''s been like a second mother to you, and I know how much she loves you." Cedric told his wife.

    "Cedric, how is Yoyo, how is our son? As soon as he and Ayanna could leave I sent them away." Adrianna asked, she had clearly ced her son''s safety before her own, sending him away as soon as possible.

    "He is safe. He is resting right now so I can''t put him on the phone. But rest assured he is safe." Cedric said in an attempt to calm his wife.

    "Cedric, there is something you need to know, your mother wasn''t the only person hurt in the incident. There was a casualty." Adrianna said as her voice trembled.

    "Who?" Cedric asked worriedly.

    "Mia." As Adrianna said her bodyguard''s name Cedric could hear her crying. In the past few years Mia had be one of Adiranna''s closest friends. "Cedric she saved us, she took down the attackers but they shot her, the other guards were toote."

    Cedric was at a loss, he didn''t know what to say.

    "Is that Cedric?" He heard Miguel ask in the background. "I''ll speak with him." Miguel said as Adrianna presumably handed the phone.

    "Cedric? How are you holding up? How is Yoyo?" Miguel asked over the phone.

    "I''m trying to keep it together. Emilio is traumatized, it seems that the attack was meant to be a kidnapping." Cedric told Miguel over the phone. "Miguel, how is my mother? What happened?"

    "Cedric, auntie lost so much blood." Miguel said with a sigh. "Her condition was not good to begin with, back when I didn''t know who''s files I was looking at, I gave her two months to live, tops. So this injury just made things worse."

    "Is the cancer that bad?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "Yes, it was much more aggressive this time around." Miguel exined. "We were supposed to give her an experimental form of treatment, but this incident happened."

    "Isn''t there anything you can do Miguel?" Cedric pleaded.

    "Nicole and I are trying our best." Miguel said sadly. "I have a doctor friend who is visiting. I contacted him in the hopes that he could help. He is on his way, but Cedric, don''t set your hopes too high." Miguel warned.

    "Miguel, I will always hope for the best." Cedric said in reply.

    "We will do our best." Miguel promised over the phone.

    "Thank you Miguel. We''ll be there in a bit." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    Cedric stood in the hallway alone for a few minutes. He thought of his mom, how she had always been the kindest person he knew. Prisci Reyes wasn''t just kind to the people closest to her, she was kind even to strangers. She protected the weak and defenseless, she always told him that she would think of how Cedric was doing during his poverty training, then she would turn to those that had no choice but to live in poverty.

    As Cedric leaned against the wall he felt a tear fall from his eye. He didn''t want to admit it but he wanted to cry. He wanted to feel, he didn''t want to be the rational head of the Reyes Family, right now all he wanted to be was Cedric Reyes, a son.

 Chapter 472 - 472

    After he finally recovered Cedric returned into the living room, he was now a man with a mission. He needed to find the people responsible for hurting his family and he would make them pay.

    Cedric was saddened by Mia''s passing, but he knew that letting her death cripple them would only make her sacrifice worthless.??

    "Ayanna, did you know about Mia?" Cedric asked his sister.

    "What about Mia?" Ayanna asked as she gave him a worried look. It was evident that she did not know.

    "Ayanna, Mia is gone." Cedric said as he felt a pain in his chest. Mia was definitely more than just an employee to them, she was like family.

    "Oh no, no, no, not Mia." Ayanna said as she cried. She was still holding Emilio whom she pulled closer to her chest. "Mia is the reason why Emilio and I managed to escape, I thought she was just injured. I didn''t think. . ." Ayanna couldn''t evenplete her sentence.

    "If it''s any constion, she died a swift death." Cedric said with a frown. Even to him it was not a consoling fact. Mia was gone, someone important to him and his family.

    "How is that supposed to make me feel better for her Cedric?" Ayanna asked as the tears streamed from her eyes. "She''s gone. She can''te back." Ayanna sobbed.

    Cedric was at a loss for words, he didn''t know what to say.

    "Ayanna, I think right now, the best that we can do is to find justice for Mia and avenge her." Cedric said as he ced a hand on his sister''s shoulder.

    "Then fucking do something." Ayanna hissed.

    Cedric sighed and shook his head, he knew there was nothing he could do. He turned and looked at his father, the older man seemed quite distressed.

    "Dad, have you investigated the people behind the attack?" Cedric asked.

    "There was barely any need." Emilio Reyes told his son. "The attackers were killed at Pris Mall."

    "And their backers?" Cedric asked.

    "Jen Pez and Aiden Ortiz." Emilio Reyes revealed to his son. "There were traces all over their phones and emails."

    "Why haven''t we taken them down?" Cedric asked his father.

    "They aren''t exactly easy to track." Jose Sebastian said as he joined in the conversation.

    "We are currently following Jen, we hope that she can lead us to Aiden." Alexi exined. "If that doesn''t work we will use her as bait."

    Cedric could see that Alexi was eager to get his revenge on Jen and Aiden, Alexi was not the nicest guy and he knew exactly how to bring the worst pain to people.

    "I don''t think you will be able to find Aiden." Cthea said. "By now he would have moved to a safe house, I know he has many of those. Even back when he was the CEO of Regis Inc. he had many hiding spots."

    Cedric had forgotten that Cthea had arrived with Eric and Katerina, so much had happened since he kissed his wife goodbye that morning. It felt like a lifetime ago.

    "So our best hope is to take Jen and make her tell us, or at least to use her as bait." Cedric said with a frown. Cedric wanted this issue solved as soon as possible, he was not interested in waiting for Jen to lead them to Adien, he wanted to draw the man out.

    "Do you think Jen exposed Cedric''s identity to Aiden?" Katerina asked Cthea. Cedric was quite surprised that the once rivals could now have a very professional discussion.

    "I think it''s possible." Cthea said with a nod. "But I''m afraid to assume. I thought I knew Aiden and now he is apletely different person. He could have gone after Emilio just for the fact that his godparents belonged to the Sebastian and Laurence families." Cthea said with a shrug.

    "That''s quite low for him." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I am curious though Cthea, why didn''t you ever tell Aiden about who I was?"

    "Because there is no need." Cthea said with a shrug. "Aiden was only my boyfriend, I did love him. I fell so hard, but I knew about the unspoken truce between our families. I''m not as stupid as you guys think."

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a nod and a smile.

    "What do you want to do now?" Alexi asked Cedric, Alexi was clearly seething with anger.

    "Have Jen taken into custody, bring her here." Cedric ordered.

    Alexi grinned and made the call.

    "For the meantime, I want to visit mom in the hospital." Cedric told his father and his sister. "I would also like to visit Mia''s family, to pay our respects."

    "Sir." Leon said, interrupting. "Mia had no family." He said with a frown.

    "What do you mean Leon?" Cedric asked.

    "Mia''s family died in a ne crash ten years ago." Leon exined. "Every single member of her family died. She wasn''t with them because she was in school, the closest thing she had to a sister was the mistress."

    Cedric was saddened by the news that Mia was all alone in the world, he thought that she was working so hard to support her family, but it seemed that he didn''t know her as well as he thought.

    "Then I want her to be treated like a member of the Reyes n, I also want her interned in the family mausoleum." Cedric said with a sigh. It was the least he could do for someone who had offered her life to save his family.

    Cedric looked up and saw his bodyguard nod and leave. He couldn''t help but think of Leon, did he have a family? There was little Cedric knew about the man who apanied him, day in and day out. He made a promise to rectify that as soon as they got over the recent events.

    "Let''s visit mom then." Ayanna said with a nod.

    "Dad, will youe?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." His father stood and gathered his things. "I will stay with your mom. I trust you boys can handle this situation." Emilio said, looking at Cedric and the others.

    "Don''t worry uncle, Jen, Aiden, and everyone that helped them will pay for this." Ray hissed.

 Chapter 473 - 473

    The drive to the hospital was a silent one. Cedric held the sleeping Emilio while his driver took them to Saints Hospital, Ayanna and Ray brought their own car, and Emilio Reyes rode in his own.

    Cedric had arranged for security to be heightened around them, he had no idea what information Aiden already had. Jen had stayed with their family for so long that a lot of confidential information had been said around her.??

    Add to that the fact that Jen had worked with the Chans for a few years, she was a threat that Cedric couldn''t wait to be dealt with.

    "Daddy?" Emilio asked as he stirred on this father''sp.

    "Yes Yoyo?" Cedric asked tenderly. He normally didn''t address his son with the pet name his wife and friends often used. He liked his son''s name just fine. He thought it was a good name.

    "Daddy, you didn''t leave me." His son said as he hugged his father.

    "Of course not." Cedric said as he patted his son on the head.

    "Sir, there is an obstruction ahead." Cedric''s driver informed him as they neared an ident on the road.

    "Stay cautious." Cedric ordered. "Leon, have the men check it out first." Cedric ordered Leon who was seated in the front seat.

    Leon was a step ahead of him as Cedric noticed some members of his security team, clearing a path for them among the busy cars.

    Normally, Cedric would not like the special treatment, but today was an exception. There was a genuinely dangerous threat against them and he needed to get to his mother.

    As thest of their cars passed the ident Cedric heard an explosion go off. Emilio began to cry in his father''s arms, the trauma of what had happened to himbined with the explosion clearly shook the little boy.

    "I''ve had someone look into it." Leon said from the front seat. He knew Cedric would want to know what had happened and to help the victims of the st.

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a nod as they zoomed through the city. It was clear that the ident was meant to trap them and cause more harm.

    Cedric took out his phone and called Alexi.

    "I thought Aiden wouldn''t have a grudge against the Reyes Family, but it seems like he is targeting us too." Cedric told Alexi over the phone. "When you have Jen there, extract the information from her."

    "Okay, got it." Alexi said, dropping the call.

    Cedric then dialed Dave.

    His two assistants had been updated on the situation and were already working with Alexi to find Aiden.

    "Boss." Dave said as he picked up the call.

    "Look into any interaction between the Aiden, his father, or the Ortiz family and the Reyes Family. He seems to be after us as well." Cedric said as he gave out instructions.

    "Yes sir." Dave said as he awaited further orders.

    "Has news of my mother''s idente out to the public?" Cedric asked Dave. He had been so focused on finding Aiden and on his mother''s condition that he forgot to monitor the situation outside.

    "Sir." Dave said with much hesitation.

    "It has, hasn''t it." Cedric said with a frown.

    "The attack happened in a very public ce. People are wondering why the Reyes Group hasn''t made a statement." Dave exined.

    "My mother is fighting for her life and they are asking for a statement?" Cedric said angrily, making the little boy in his arms cry again.

    "Yoyo, I''m sorry." Cedric apologized as he tried to calm his son back down.

    The little boy buried his head in his father''s chest and hugged him. Cedric held his son tightly and returned his focus back to the call.

    "I''ll speak to my father and sister on this matter." Cedric said with a sigh. "Please deal with them for the moment Dave."

    "Yes boss." Dave said. "Sir, there is another matter."

    "What?" Cedric asked, he wondered what it was this time. Didn''t they have enough problems already.

    "Another trailer of Jen''s interview came out." Dave said.

    "They are still airing that?" Cedric asked. "Of what concern is it to us?" He knew his assistant would not bring it up if it were not important.

    "Sir, it seems she will be exposing your identity in this one." Dave informed Cedric.

    "Find a way to take it down." Cedric ordered as he dropped the call.

    When they finally approached the hospital Cedric was greeted with a sight he did not expect. He had been so worried about his mom that he didn''t think that the paparazzi and different media outlets would be there, waiting for them at the hospital.

    "Sir, we can just circle around and find another way in." Leon suggested. He knew Cedric didn''t want the world to see him just yet.

    Cedric sighed and weighed his options. If Jen had already recorded the interview his identity would be out soon enough, but still, there was no guarantee that she said who he really was in that interview. It could have been cut in such a way so that audiences would tune into the show.

    If he showed his face now he could be putting everyone in danger, but Aiden already showed that it wasn''t beneath him to go after known contacts of the Reyes Family, he was even willing to kidnap a child.

    Cedric took out his phone once again and called his wife.

    "Ced." Adrianna''s sweet voice called out making Cedric smile. Just hearing herforted him.

    "Adri, please remember that everything I do is for our sake, for our family''s sake." Cedric told his wife over the phone.

    "Ced, I''ve always known that." Adrianna said tenderly. "Where is thising from?" Adrianna asked.

    "Jen may have divulged my identity to the public during her interview." Cedric exined. "The second part ising outter."

    "Cedric, it''s not your fault." Adrianna said as she tried to exin that she understood the situation.

    "I''m in my car, outside Saint''s. Yoyo is with me. Ayanna and dad are also here." Cedric told her.

    "Your mom is conscious but in pain." Adrianna told her husband. "My parents are on their way as well. You know how close they have be."

    "Adri, please trust me." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "I always will." Adrianna promised.

    Cedric dropped the call and looked out the window, he knew that this was thest time he would just be him. After this, all eyes will be on his every movement.

 Chapter 474 - 474

    An hour before Cedric arrived as Saints Hospital social media was abuzz with thetest gossip, the matriarch of the Reyes Family, Prisci Reyes, her daughter, Ayanna Reyes - Laurence, together with her daughter''s friend were attacked at Pris Mall.

    The biggest media outlets began calling the Reyes Group head office, others sent their people to Saints Hospital. If anyone was injured they would have been sent there for sure, the Reyes and Chan families were incredibly close and they would get the best treatment there.??

    When two sports cars pulled up in front of the hospital and Nicole and Miguel Chan arrived in a rush, the media was sure, someone was injured. The question now was, who?

    Their sources initially said that it was just a bodyguard, but to get the Chan siblings to look so worried and concerned it was clearly either the Reyes Family matriarch or her daughter. It took someone important to get the top doctors toe out. It was clear that the patient was in need of immediate care as the doctors rushed in instead of taking their time.

    Many reporters waited outside patiently, as people began posting photos and videos of the incident. There was clearly a bodyguard injured, all of the videos included a female bodyguard heroically jumping at the attackers just as gunshots were heard.

    They saw Ayanna pick up a child and run away with several other body guards. Her Friend remained with Prisci Reyes who was visibly bleeding.

    This was the confirmation they needed, it was Prisci Reyes that had been rushed to the hospital.

    Hopefully with thetest news the Reyes Group would finally release a statement.

    The reporters waited faithfully outside of Saints Hospital, waiting to hear from their bosses if there was any movement from thepany''s end. The news had already spread and they were itching to report it, unfortunately there was an unspoken rule, unless the Reyes Group allowed it, people couldn''t just publish news about them.

    Many images of the CEO when he was young had been posted long ago, all thepanies that posted those photos were driven into bankruptcy then bought by the Abads.

    While the reporters eagerly waited for word, a new rumor spread. The CEO''s famous white Rolls Royce Ghost was spotted a few streets away from the hospital. The bigger news, an explosion happened as he passed by.

    The waiting reporters quickly tried to find out if the CEO was injured. It also confirmed one thing to them, the CEO was on his way. They quickly readied their cameras hoping to grab a shot of the illusive man.

    They were shocked when the convoy arrived, it wasn''t just the CEO. They spotted Ray Laurence''s familiar BMW and even Emilio Reyes III''s car in among them.

    The cars stopped for a while outside of the entrance to the hospital. For a moment the reporters thought that the cars would just leave and find another way in. They were surprised to see bodyguards quickly line up and make a protected path.

    The door to the Rolls Royce Ghost opened and a well dressed man stepped out. At frist they didn''t find it odd, Cedric Reyes was a known employee of the Reyes Group and was clearly quite close to the Reyes Family members.

    However, something was off about him, he was dressed differently. He wore a designer suit that they had seen on only one man in the past, the CEO of the Reyes Group.

    Add to that the fact that he stepped out of the backseat and a bodyguard stood by him closely.

    Cedric looked around and saw his sister and Rey getting out of their car. Ayanna walked up to him and gave him a hug. The reporters in the area were shocked, Ayanna Reyes would not hug just anyone.

    Who really was Cedric Reyes? They began snapping photos and were all visibly confused. What exactly was going on, was Cedric Reyes really an illegitimate child of the Reyes family? But that didn''t make sense. If that was the case why would he be visiting the hospital, wouldn''t that just make the matriarch mad. An illegitimate child was a reminder of her husband''s infidelity.

    He bent down and picked up something from inside the car, a familiar small figure who had won the hearts of people all over the country, his son, Emilio. The little boy was sleepy, but he smiled as he saw his aunt.

    The reporters quickly snapped photos and waited for another person to step out of the car, to their surprise no one else came. They began to wonder what this meant, their confusion was visible as Cedric scanned the crowd.

    "Mr. Cedric, Mr. Cedric!" A reporter called out. "Are you him? Are you the CEO of the Reyes Group?" Everyone was shocked as the reporter called out. No one had the guts to ask that question, they were all too afraid.

    Cedric looked at them and they all seemed to feel smaller, this man that they never regarded as important suddenly felt like someone they needed to fear, someone powerful.

    "Sir is this true?" Another reporter called out.

    Cedric was clearly not amused by their questions, but instead of retaliating he chose to ignore them.

    Emilio Reyes III soon joined them and ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder. The reporters watched the fatherly affection Emilio Reyes showed towards Cedric. The little boy in Cedric''s arms noticed that Emilio Reyes III had joined them, he looked up and reached towards the older man.

    The crowd was shocked, during his years at the helm of the Reyes Group, Emilio Reyes was known to be cold and unforgiving, but at this moment it seemed his heart had just melted for the little boy as he smiled lovingly.

    What even shocked them even more was when he took the boy from Cedric''s arms and hugged him.

    "I guess the cat''s out of the bag." The reporters heard Emilio Reyes tell Cedric, who simply nodded and walked away.

 Chapter 475 - 475

    As Cedric entered the hospital with his family he let out a sigh. He didn''t know if the members of the media realized who he actually was. It didn''t matter anyway, his priority at the moment was to visit his mom.

    He nned on stepping in front of the presster on when things became stable.??

    "Where is mom?" Cedric asked as he spotted Nicole approaching them. She looked exhausted but she tried to force out a smile still.

    "Auntie is in the VIP ward." Nicole said with a nod.

    Ayanna, Ray, and Emilio walked ahead while Cedric was held back by Nicole.

    "We aren''t positive about auntie''s chances." Nicole confessed with a frown.

    "I thought she has regained consciousness already?" Cedric asked Nicole. If his mother was conscious then didn''t that mean she was getting better?

    "She did." Nicole said slowly. "Ced, I don''t want to give you guys false hope."

    "Nicole, if there is anything you can do to make my mom better, do it." Cedric said in a stern tone. "I trust that you and Miguel will both do your best."

    Nicole gave him a weak smile and nodded.

    "Hey, you guys,e on!" Ayanna called out. She was in a better mood now knowing that her mother was conscious. Cedric had told her as they walked up to the entrance that he spoke to Adrianna and she confirmed that his mother was now doing better.

    "Yes, yes. Nicole just wanted to speak to me." Cedric said as he and Nicole walked over to them.

    In the VIP ward Cedric spotted his wife sitting by his mother''s bed. He walked up to her and quickly pulled her into his arms.

    "Cedric." Adrianna cried out as she buried her head in his chest.

    "It''s okay Adri, I''m here for you now." Cedric said as he stroked her hair.

    "Cedric, Mia." Adrianna said as she cried.

    "I know dear." Cedric said. "I''ve arranged for her funeral and her burial. She''ll be ced to rest as a member of the Reyes Family. She deserved this at least."

    "Thank you." Adrianna said as she hugged him tightly.

    Cedric watched as his father walked over to his mother who weaklyy on the hospital bed.

    "Darling." Emilio Reyes said as he held his wife''s hand. "How are you feeling?" He asked her.

    "Weak." Prisci managed to say as she smiled at her husband.

    "I thought you would never wake up." Emilio said as he nted a kiss on her forehead. "Miguel was giving me constant updates on your status. I''m so d you managed to pull through."

    "I dreamt of you, of us." Cedric''s mother said with a smile. "It was back when we were kids, we were in one of the ponds in the Reyes Mansionpound. I fell in and you jumped in after me." Prisci said with a smile.

    Cedric noticed his father smiling back as his mother recalled a memory from their childhood.

    "I remember that day." Emilio said as he looked at his wife. "I thought I was some hero, jumping in to save you, when in fact the pond didn''t even rise to our waist." Emilio said with augh.

    "How is she?" Cedric asked Miguel as his friend approached with a frown.

    "She''s honestly doing better. We were surprised that she even woke up." Miguel confessed. "I''m still worried about her Cedric. Your mother isn''t in the best condition."

    "Shouldn''t we be celebrating this instead Miguel?" Cedric asked his friend. He was curious as to why Miguel was acting as if he had so little faith in his own skills.

    "I can''t help but worry Cedric." Miguel said, shaking his head. "Her condition just a few minutes ago was so different. It''s like she''s a whole new person now."

    "It''s okay, have faith in your skills Miguel." Cedric said as he ced a hand on Miguel''s shoulder.

    "Miguel we know you always do your best." Adrianna said with a smile. Cedric was d that his wife spoke up, since it was her cousin''s death that weighed heavily on Miguel''s conscience. In truth, Miguel had already saved so many lives since Jam''s death, several in a worse state than Jam.

    "Sometimes Miguel, if it''s a person''s time to go, it is." Cedric said with a sigh. He was not happy about Jam dying, who would be, but he knew that some lives could not be saved.

    Miguel simply nodded and gave them a weak smile.

    "How are you holding up?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "Much better now that you are here." Adrianna said as she looked up at Cedric.

    Cedric smiled and leaned down, capturing her lips in his. All he wanted right now was to show her that he was there, that he would always protect her and those closest to them.

    "Let me keep mompany for a while, then we can go to the Reyes Mansion so that you can rest." Cedric said as their lips parted.

    "Okay. I''ll y with Yoyo." Adrianna said with a smile as she walked over to Ayanna who was carrying their son.

    Cedric pulled a chair and sat on the other side of his mother''s bed. He reached out and held her hand.

    "Mom, I was so worried." Cedric told her.

    "Son, it''s my job to worry about you, not the other way around." Prisci said in a weak voice.

    "You should have seen him darling, he was livid!" Emilio teased his wife. "Our son truly loves you."

    "Mom, why did you do that? Why would you risk your life?" Cedric asked his mother.

    "Does he know?" Prisci asked her husband, Emilio simply nodded in response.

    "Cedric, I don''t have long to live." Prisci said as a tear fell from her eye. Cedric felt like someone was squeezing his heart as his mother said this. "Cedric, if I go, I want to go for a good reason, and protecting my family is a good enough reason to me."

    "Mom." Cedric said, he was at a loss for words, he didn''t know how to respond.

    "Cedric, don''t worry about me, I''m fine." Prisci said with a smile. "Find that bastard that wanted to kill my grandson." Despite her harsh words Prisci''s face remained calm.

    "We will get him soon mom." Cedric said with a nod.

 Chapter 476 - 476

    Cedric waited for his mother to fall asleep before stepping out to make arrangements. There were still a lot of things that needed his attention and Cedric wanted his father to focus on keeping his motherpany.

    His first agenda was to check up on Dave and Mae, he quickly dialed Mae''s number to get an update from them.??

    "Sir." Mae said as she picked up the call.

    "What is the status on your end?" Cedric asked.

    "We''ve been receiving calls non-stop, different agencies asking us to confirm if their suspicions are correct." Mae said. "They are afraid to publish anything regarding your identity in case they get it wrong."

    "What time is Jen''s interview airing?" Cedric asked.

    "Seven hours from now." Mae told Cedric.

    "Schedule a press conference for before that." Cedric instructed. "Have they called asking about my mom?"

    "Yes, it''s part of the questions they ask, but now they are more focused on figuring out your identity." Mae informed him.

    "Include that in the agenda of the press con." Cedric told Mae.

    "Where would you rather have it sir, at R Tower or at the hospital?" Mae asked Cedric.

    "At the hospital. I don''t think I''ll be able to leave here without being hounded by the press." Cedric instructed. "And, Mae, I would prefer if the press con happens sooner rather thanter. I would like to continue working on the investigation rather than just waiting here." Cedric added. He also wanted to take his wife home so that she could rest.

    "Since the press is already there sir, I don''t think it will take long to arrange." Mae confirmed.

    "Thank you Mae." Cedric said sincerely. He appreciated his people''s hard work and loyalty very much. He knew that sometimes, doing their work came at a very personal expense.

    After arranging everything with Mae, Cedric called Alexi up. He had left his friend in charge of the investigation and he was anxious to hear an update.

    It took a while before Alexi picked up the phone, but he eventually did.

    "Do you have her?" Cedric asked. He didn''t have to say who he was referring to.

    "We do." Came Alexi''s reply. "Right now we are keeping her in istion, nothing starts a torture better than ones own thoughts." Alexi told Cedric.

    "I trust you on that." Cedric said over the phone.

    "I saw that you stepped out into the public today." Alexi said, mentioning Cedric''s surprising actions.

    "I didn''t want to visit mom like a thief in the night." Cedric said with a sigh. "Plus the person I had been hiding my identity from has shown his face, he also probably knows who I am by now since Jen did that interview. Hiding in the shadows will do me not good."

    "Well, I was against you keeping your identity a secret from the very beginning." Alexi chuckled. "I still think you should have let people know the moment you came back."

    "You know it wasn''t that simple." Cedric said with a sigh. "Adrianna didn''t know who I really was and I still wanted to give her family a chance."

    "And after you dealt with the Hernandezes?" Alexi asked over the phone.

    "I did it for Adri." Cedric admitted.

    "We both know that things would have been much better for everyone if you had told the world the truth from the beginning." Alexi scolded Cedric.

    "We don''t know that." Cedric answered back. "For all we know Aiden could have done worse things by now. At least this way my whole family is still alive."

    "That''s true, and yet despite this we still don''t have a clue about what Aiden is nning." Alexi said with a sigh. "Do you even have any idea on why he killed Jam?"

    "No." Cedric said with a frown. "That''s something I n on finding out once we capture him. We will avenge Jam."

    "I''ll see what we can learn from Jen first." Alexi told Cedric over the phone. "Is it bad to hope that she will tell us the truth the first time around?" Alexi asked, hoping for the best.

    "You know it won''t be that easy." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Oh before I forget, Natalia and Adolfo took some men and raided Jen''s apartment." Alexi informed him. "They found the serums Jen took, but some were already gone. We think she gave it to Aiden on the night of the wedding."

    "Are they dangerous serums?" Cedric asked.

    "A few that Natalia was working on with foreign government agencies." Alexi exined. "They aren''t dangerous per se, it''s the application that could be dangerous."

    "Can any of the serums help us with our investigation?" Cedric asked.

    "One." Alexi said proudly. "It''s called the Veritas Serum."

    "Truth Serum? Really? She has hundreds of those, didn''t say they weren''t as effective as she hoped?" Cedric asked Alexi.

    "This one is different, it''s much more potent. It can even tap into subconscious memories. Things Jen could have just overheard but ignored." Alexi exined. "It just has a bad side effect."

    "At the moment I don''t give a shit on the side effects." Cedric said angrily, he was surprised to hear Alexiughing at the other end of the line.

    "We don''t care about the side effects either." Alexi said.

    "What are the side effects?" Cedric was now curious.

    "She will be sterile, unable to bear a child in the future." Alexi exined.

    "If she ever escapes." Cedric said angrily. He didn''t n on letting her escape, especially since she and Aiden had tried to kidnap his son, caused Mia''s death, and harmed his mother. Jen would never be seeing the light of day again.

    "I told you we wouldn''t care." Alexi said proudly over the phone. "I''ll give you a call once we get information from her."

    "I might be back there by then." Cedric told Alexi.

    "Won''t you stay with your mom?" Alexi was clearly confused based on his tone.

    "Adrianna is also exhausted, and the hospital is not a ce for my son right now." Cedric exined. "I also want to focus on the investigation. There is little I can do here to help."

    "Alright." Alexi said, giving in to what Cedric wanted. "We''ll wait for you. Mind giving Nicole a ride too? We need her here to administer that serum without overdosing Jen. An overdose can still kill."

    "I''ll talk to Nicole." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

 Chapter 477 - 477

    When Cedric entered the VIP ward once again, his mother was still sound asleep. Cedric''s father looked up when he noticed Cedrice back in.

    "Will you give me an update?" Emilio Reyes III asked as he stood up and walked over to his son.??

    Cedric gave his father a worried look, he had just noticed that his father seemingly aged in the past few hours. He looked older, it must have been an effect of the stress.

    "I don''t think I can give you an update with mom around." Cedric told his dad.

    "It''s fine." Emilio said as he looked over to his sleeping wife. "She won''t wake up."

    "Alright. Well, for starters I''ll be having a press conference in a bit." Cedric said with a frown. Emilio patted his shoulder as he told him this. Emilio knew that his son hated these things the most. "It''s mostly to rify who I am and to give everyone an update on how mom is doing."

    "What do you n on telling them?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "The truth." Cedric said with a shrug. "There is no reason for me to lie. I''m your son, I went through poverty training as part of our tradition. As for mom, I n to tell them that people have ill wishes towards us, so they took it out on mom."

    "Do you think they will buy it?" Ayanna Reyes asked, joining the conversation.

    "It''s the truth." Cedric said with a shrug. "I can''t tell them anything else because there is nothing else to tell."

    "They will surely ask how she is doing." Ayanna said as she looked over to her mom who was sleeping on the hospital bed. She seemed peaceful which was a relief to Cedric, he was worried that his mother would have to live through the same nightmares his son did.

    "Well, I will simply tell them the truth, that mom is recovering." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Fair enough." Ayanna said with a nod. "Do you want me toe with you?" She offered. Cedric knew that having his sister there would add to his credibility, but he was worried that bringing her along would risk her safely.

    "Cedric, I know why you are hesitating." Ayanna said as she red at her older brother. "I will be fine."

    Cedric smiled, it was funny how his sister knew exactly what he was thinking. They had been apart for thirteen years but she still knew him so well. Ayanna had always been his closest confidant growing up, so she knew almost everything about him. His time under poverty training hadn''t changed his personality by much.

    "If I say no, will you still insist?" Cedric asked her with a grin.

    "Of course, and if you refuse I will still be there." Ayanna said with augh.

    "Just let her." Ray said as he rolled his eyes. "We both know that if Ayanna wants something, she gets it. Even if it is contrary to her safety."

    "There is nothing wrong with me supporting my brother." Ayanna said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

    Cedric smiled and simply nodded. "She will male me credible."

    "You are the CEO of the Reyes Group, you are credible on your own." Emilio Reyes told him with a nod. "If you didn''t hide your identity for so long people wouldn''t even question who you were."

    "I know dad, Alexi gave me the same lecture." Cedric said with augh. "What''s done is done, and it ended up protecting us."

    "Good luck." Ray told his best friend and brother-inw.

    "Thanks." Cedric said with a smile. "If you will excuse me, I would like a word with my wife." Cedric told them before he turned and sat next to Ayanna who was carrying their son.

    "Adir." Cedric said as he took her hand and held it.

    "Mmmm?" Adrianna asked as she looked him in the eyes.

    "I will never let this happen to our family again." Cedric said. "I''ll be confirming to everyone who I am. I have a press conference ready."

    "I have faith in you." Adrianna told her husband with a gentle smile.

    "Thank you." Cedric told his wife.

    "You haven''t even eaten at all today Cedric." Adrianna said as she pointed at a te on the table in front of them.

    Cedric was surprised to see his favorite food prepared at the hospital. He was half expecting some takeout.

    "It''s the VIP ward, don''t act so surprised." Miguel said as he approached. "The chef here has a list of your favorite meals and dietary restrictions. I don''t even need to give instructions, I just say who is up here and they cook it. Now eat, doctor''s orders."

    Cedricughed and didn''tin. He ate his food in peace as everyone around him rested.

    Eventually, Dave called him back to give him an update.

    "Boss, we have set the press conference for thirty minutes from now." Dave informed Cedric. "Mae and I are on the way to help out with preparations." He exined.

    "Are they alling?" Cedric asked. He didn''t want to have to repeat himself during interviews in the future. He also wanted everyone to get the details instead of assuming things about him and his family this time.

    "Yes. No one declined our invitation." Dave confirmed. "As a matter of fact, all of them have a representative there already. They are simply waiting for us."

    "Good." Cedric said as he nodded to himself.

    "Any other surprise question I should expect?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "Some may ask about share prices, they took a dip after news of the ancient broke out." Dave exined.

    "That''s expected, my mom was shot." Cedric said as he thought of the possible reasons for the price drop, "I expect that after this the stock prices will go back up."

    "That''s it boss. If there is anything else that we hear we will inform you." Dave dutifully told Cedric.

    "Thanks. I''ll see you in a bit." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    Cedric closed his eyes and massaged his temples, he was getting a headache with everything going on, but he knew he had to power through it.

 Chapter 478 - 478

    He had thirty minutes to the press conference so he decided to talk to Nicole. He eventually found her speaking to the nurses, giving instructions.

    "Nicole, a word." Cedric said as he signaled to her that he wanted to speak privately.??

    Nicole nodded and followed him to the side.

    "Nicole, we need your help in interrogating Jen." Cedric informed her.

    "Natalia''s serums?" Nicole asked.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "I know this could be hard on you since Jen worked for you in the past and I know you even liked her as an employee -"

    "I''m in." Nicole said with a mischievous grin. "That damned bitch drugged me."

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh at her expression.

    "We leave after the press conference." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I''ll get my things. I''ll have the machines sent over to the Reyes Mansion before we leave." Nicole said with a nod as she happily left and headed to give instructions.

    Cedric was relieved that Nicole was more than willing to help out, he was initially worried that Nicole still felt friendly towards Jen. She did after all work with them for many years and had be quite close to Nicole.

    As Cedric walked back to the room he noticed that he had a few minutes left to the press conference.

    He decided to drop by his mother''s room then head over to the stage prepared at the front of Saints Hospital.

    Cedric had made it a point to have the press con organized in such a way that it wouldn''t hinder the flow of patients and doctors to the hospital, this was still a hospital after all, and he had no intention of affecting the daily operations of the hospital.

    "Hey." Adrianna greeted him as he entered the room.

    He hugged his wife and kissed her.

    "I have to get ready." He told her. "I''ll meet you at the entrance once it''s over. Dave has secured the lounge, you and Emilio can wait for me there. I''ve had them heighten the security in the area as well."

    "We will be fine Cedric." Adrianna told her husband.

    "That''s what you said after leaving this morning to Adri." Cedric said with a weak smile. "ept the added security. After this press con, people will know who we really are."

    Adrianna simply nodded and did not argue with her husband. Cedric was d that she understood that he was only looking out for her and their son.

    Cedric went over to the sleeping figure of his mother and his father who was holding her hand.

    "Dad, it''s time." Cedric told Emilio Reyes III. "I''ll be heading down now. I don''t think I can make it back tillte tonight."

    "I understand. I''m sure your mom understands as well." Emilio said as he smiled at his son.

    Cedric nodded in response and leaned down to kiss his mom on the forehead.

    "I''ll be back mom." Cedric told her. "I promise I will find the people behind this attack and make them pay." Cedric swore.

    "Are we going?" Ayanna asked her brother as she approached.

    Cedric nodded as he walked over and took Adrianna''s hand and led her out of the room, Ayanna and Ray followed close behind them.

    "How are you holding up?" Adrianna asked Cedric as they walked through the eerily silent hallway.

    "I''m trying to keep myself together." Cedric confessed to his wife.

    "I''ll be here for you no matter what." Adrianna told him as they entered the elevator.

    The elevator ride was silent, no one said a word, the silence was broken when the familiar ding of the elevator doors were heard and it opened to the lobby.

    Mae and Dave were already there waiting for Cedric and the others.

    "Mae, apany my wife and my son in the lounge." Cedric instructed.

    Mae simply nodded.

    Adrianna went on her tip toes and nted a chaste kiss on Cedric''s lips. "For good luck." She told him as she left following Mae, with their still sleeping son in her arms.

    "Will you be joining us?" Cedric asked Ray.

    "I have nothing else to do." Ray said with a shrug and a smile.

    Cedric took a deep breath as he followed Dave out towards the direction of where they would be holding the press conference.

    It was an open area outside of Saints Hospital that once served as a parking lot. A stage had been set up and seats were ced for the media.

    The whole area was already a buzz with voices as Cedric as his group approached. It was clear that the identity of the CEO of the Reyes Group had attracted everyone''s attention.

    "It''s not like it''s the first time they are seeing you as the CEO of the Reyes Group." Ayanna told her brother as she walked next to him. Ayanna knew that Cedric was nervous, Cedric Reyes was a nobody, people might not be able to believe that he was also the CEO of the Reyes Group, someone who was possibly the most powerful man in the country.

    "It will be a bitter pill for them to swallow." Ray said with augh. "How many times have people looked down at you Cedric?"

    "Too many times." Cedric said, shaking his head. He had been through a lot over the years and most of them had not been pleasant experiences.

    Even when he was the assistant to the Reyes Heir people never failed to look down at him. To them he was no one special, a person of poor origins that simply got lucky.

    "This will be very entertaining." Ray said with augh as they approached the stage.

    They were currently obscured from the reporters since a makeshift backstage was prepared and they were obscured by a divider.

    "Are you ready?" Ayanna asked Cedric as she gave him a worried look.

    "If not now Ayanna, then never." Cedric said with a smile as he nodded at her.

    Ayanna smiled and walked to the front of the stage to make the announcement.

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 Chapter 479 - 479

    Adrianna had followed Mae to the hospital lounge, patients and their guests normally waited there as their cars arrived or as they waited their turn to see a doctor. Today however, it had been closed off as per the instructions of the Chan family.

    "Who is so important that you need to close off the whole lounge?" A familiar shrill voiceined to one of the hospital staff.??

    "Ma''am, we aren''t allowed to disclose that." The staff calmly told the woman.

    "Unbelievable! Do you have any idea how much I have spent here? I have had all my operations done in this hospital!" The womanined.

    Adrianna wanted tough when she noticed who wasining, it was Lorisa de Jesus.

    "Ma''am I''m sorry but you really can''t stay here." The staff said, repeating himself.

    "Don''t you fucking know who I am?" Lorisa asked angrily. She was apanied by her friend Mary and a maid who was pushing a baby''s stroller behind them.

    "Ma''am regardless of who you are, we have our policies." The staff reiterated.

    "My uncle is the freaking head of the Dermatology department!" Lorisa shouted, boasting her connections. "You are just a mere member of the staff!"

    "You know, you shouldn''t look down at the hospital staff that way." Adrianna said as she gathered her courage to speak up.

    There was nothing holding her back now, she was the wife of the CEO of the Reyes Group, she was the next matriarch of the Reyes n. She knew her mother inw hadn''t passed the title and duties to her because Cedric hadn''t revealed himself to the world yet.

    But things were different now, at that very moment her husband was probably walking up to the stage, ready to reveal his identity in front of the media. In a few minutes their images would be stered everywhere and their lives would no longer be private.

    "What right do you have to speak to me?" Lorisa scoffed. "You might have be the CEO of your ownpany, but my husband is still better than yours."

    "Really Lorisa?" Adrianna said as she ced a hand to her hip. "Are you still so hung up on who married better?" Adrianna asked.

    "You can try topensate for his inability to provide for you and your son properly, if that boy is even his son, but Cedric Reyes is still a nobody, a poor orphan with nothing." Lorisa hissed.

    "Before I utterly crush your disillusioned assumptions, I want to tell you that Emilio is 100% mine and Cedric''s." Adrianna told her. She knew Lorisa wouldn''t be able to resist not giving ae back, she knew Lorisa.

    "Don''t lie Adrianna, lying does not suit your pretty face." Lorisa said with augh. "Everyone knows that that bastard''s real father is the CEO of the Reyes Group."

    "If that were the case, shouldn''t you be watching your tone?" Adrianna said with a smirk.

    "He may be of the Reyes blood but he is probably ignored." Mary said, backing her friend up.

    "Mommy, am I ignored?" Emilio asked as he looked up at his mother.

    "Of course not Yoyo." Adrianna said as she smiled at her son. "If you were ignored then every child in this world would be ignored." Adrianna couldn''t help butugh at the thought.

    Everyone in the Reyes Family spoiled her son, even Cedric''s cousin, Ace, spoiled the little boy rotten. It honestly surprised Adrianna that her son had remained so level headed despite getting everything in life at a whim. She was hoping that he would remain that way as he grew older.

    "If he was such a treasured member of the Reyes Family, they would have made the young madam of the Reyes Family care for him." Mary said with a grin.

    "Interesting, the young madam." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Are you stupid or something Adrianna." Lorisa said with augh. "The young madam, the CEO''s wife. The woman who would end you in an instant for unting your rtionship with the CEO."

    "I''ve never said I was a mistress." Adrianna said with a grin as she took a step closer to Lorisa.

    For some reason, Cedricing out as who he truly was, as the CEO of the Reyes Group made her braver. In the past she would have normally just deflected and ran away, but today she felt like fighting.

    Mae looked at her boss'' wife with a smile. The mistress did not need help, if Adrianna had needed help Mae would have stepped in, but there was no need.

    Adrianna was like a tiger ying with her prey, making Lorisa fall deeper into the pit before making the final strike.

    Mae was amused by what Adrianna was doing, it was well deserved and she was finally happy to see that her boss'' wife was finally going to put the annoying people in ce. This wasn''t Mae''s first run in with Lorisa and Mae, she had seen how Lorisa treated Cedric himself. Initially she didn''t understand why her boss didn''t just get rid of them, but as she spent more time working for him she realized that that wasn''t the Reyes way.

    "Mae, have my husband''s bodyguards throw the trash away." Adrianna said with a grin. "But tell them to be careful with the child." Adrianna said in a whisper, the child was innocent, he had nothing to do with his mother''s stupidity.

    "What?" Lorisa asked with augh. "Are you seriously ordering the CEO''s assistant to have us escorted out?"

    "Adrianna, you think too highly of yourself." Mary scoffed at her.

    "Madam, the boss said to ensure your safety first." Mae said humble, joining in Adrianna''s game.

    "I want them gone." Adrianna hissed. She knew Mae was only doing this to make her seem more intimidating.

    "But Mrs. Reyes, the CEO asked us to put your safety first. His wife is always the priority." Mae added. She was hoping that the bitches weren''t too stupid to not pick up on that.

    "What the fuck?" Lorisa said in shock. "This is a fucking joke!" Lorisa shouted.

    "What is a joke?" Adrianna asked as she raised an eyebrow at Lorisa.

    "You can''t be her." Lorisa said.

    "I suggest tuning into the news once the guards have taken you out." Adrianna said with a smirk as she walked away and entered the lounge.

    She could hear Lorisa and Mary shouting hysterically as her bodyguards forced them out of the building. Adrianna didn''t want to use force on people, but she couldn''t help but admit, having Lorisa dragged out by her bodyguards was very satisfying.

 Chapter 480 - 480

    The crowd that was once a buzz with noise suddenly quieted as they watched Ayanna Reyes - Laurence walk up to the stage. They were surprised, they had expected a member of the PR department to speak to them, not a member of the Reyes Family.

    "I am d that you could all make it here today." Ayanna said as she shed them a rare smile.??

    She watched as the cameras began to sh, they wanted to capture that smile. She too often carried her cold expression, driving people away. She knew that she had a resting bitch face, and she was more than happy to use it. Being too kind was a disadvantage for people like her.

    "I am sure you have heard many rumors about my family recently." Ayanna began as her eyes scanned the crowd, she wanted to assess how they were feeling. "I''m not here to rify things or to give our family''s statement."

    She saw as a wave of confusion passed through the members of the press. It was a natural expression, why was she up there then, if not to speak on behalf of the Reyes Group and the Reyes n?

    "I know, you are confused." Ayanna said calmly. "I am here to introduce you to the person that will be giving the statement." Ayanna said with a grin.

    She paused to let the audience absorb and understand her words.

    "Members of the press, no one could best exin the situation other than my brother." Ayanna announced peaking everyone''s interest once more.

    She spotted as the cameramen lifted their equipment and waited for her to call out the man they were waiting for.

    "Just this morning you saw him arrive with me and my husband and my father." As Ayanna said this the members of the media began talking amongst themselves, Ayanna knew that they had their own theories.

    "Brother, would you care to join me?" Ayanna asked with a grin.

    As she said this Cedric walked out from the makeshift backstage.

    When the members of the media saw Cedric they were still shocked, they had an idea that it could have been him, especially after he arrived in the luxury car this morning, but nothing was confirmed until now.

    "He is different." A reporter told the cameraman next to him. "It''s like a mix, it''s odd but it works."

    "Yeah." The cameraman said as he continued to snap photos of the CEO with his face uncovered. "Before he was just scary and intimidating. Now I feel like he is this mature man that is very respectable. I mean he is still intimidating."

    "I only noticed now how handsome he actually is." A female reporter next to them said with a sigh. "He is gorgeous."

    "You women swoon over every intimidating CEO type." The male reporter said with augh.

    "No, no. I feel as if he is even more handsome than Eric Chan!" The female reporter eximed.

    "What? No." Another reporter said, joining in. "Eric Chan is better looking."

    "Okay, leave that debate for the gossip column." The cameraman said with augh.

    "Speaking of which, what do you think those people who smeared his name will do." The first female reporter asked. "Many of them gossiped that his wife was a mistress, and that their son was illegitimate."

    The male reporter couldn''t help butugh. "Who knew that the child they were calling illegitimate is actually the next Reyes Heir."

    "Knowing the Reyeses, they won''t be easily forgiven or forgotten." The second female reporter said, shaking her head.

    "I wonder why he had to keep his identity a secret." The male reporter said, thinking out loud.

    "We could never fathom to understand how the brains of the rich and powerful works." The cameraman said as he continued to follow Cedric on the stage.

    "I''m sure they will answer that." The second female reporter told herpanion.

    "If they don''t I will bravely ask the question." The first female reporter said with a nod.

    On the stage, Cedric walked over to the podium. As he reached his sister he gave her a tight hug.

    He knew Ayanna was shocked with the public disy of affection, traditionally they avoided such disys, it helped dissuade their enemies from thinking that they could kidnap one member and hold them hostage.

    "Good afternoon. My name is Cedric Reyes, and I am the CEO of the Reyes Group." Cedric said in a cold tone as he shed an intimidating grin at the press.

    Everyone had gone silent as they waited for what he would say next.

    "I understand that you have many questions and I will try to address them with my statement. We have a limited time for questions so I hope you will keep your concerns on topic." Cedric said. He paused and watched the crowd, their attention remained glued on him.

    "I have kept my identity a secret because for the past thirteen years I had participated in an old Reyes Family tradition, our poverty training." Cedric announced. "In those thirteen years I lived alone, isted from the rest of the Reyes family, learning how everyone else lives. It was during this time that I met my wife, the mother of my son."

    Cedric noticed how the eyes of the women in the crowd turned soft when they heard him mention his wife. He wanted to make it a point to tell everyone that Adrianna married him for who he was and not for his money.

    "Adrianna had no idea who I was until recently, so if anyone dares to use her of being with me for my money, I am warning you now, she is not." Cedric said as he red at the audience. "I hope this statement on my identity will suffice for all of you."

    Cedric knew that it would never be enough for the members of the media, they would always want to know more, but him saying that would definitely deter them from digging any deeper. It was all they needed to know about him.

 Chapter 481 - 481

    The crowd kept their full attention to the man on the stage, he had not only told them about his true identity, but he had other matters to address.

    They knew that his identity was not the only thing on the agenda as they eagerly waited for his next statements.??

    "On the other matter." Cedric said as he adjusted the microphone on the podium. "I would like to inform you that there was an attack on my wife, son, sister, and mother earlier today at Pris Mall."

    This was a fact that the media only needed confirmation on. They had seen the videos posted all over social media, the bodyguard that heroically jumped at the attacker while Ayanna and the little boy in her arms escaped.

    "Unfortunately a brave life was lost in the attack, a body guard that both my wife and I had considered to be family." Cedric said with a frown, showing an unpreceded show of emotion. "Her name was Mia, and she gave up her life to protect my son. My wife and I will forever be thankful for her. She will be buried as a member of the Reyes Family."

    The reporters quickly noted everything down, this was the first time that an employee would beid to rest as a member of the elite family. Traditionally families like the Reyeses did not let peoplee too close, so hearing Cedric say that a bodyguard would be treated as a member of the family was just earth shattering.

    "For those that were wondering, it was this very same attack that prompted me toe out and show who I truly am. In the beginning I kept my identity a secret in order to protect my family, my wife and my son. Now that they have figured out who are most important to me, it has be useless to keep who I am as a secret." Cedric told the members of the media.

    "It wasn''t just my wife''s bodyguard, Mia, that was hurt during the attack, my mother, Prisci rin - Reyes was also hurt." The members of the press weren''t shocked by the news but they were still surprised by the Reyes family head''s transparency on the issue. Usually events like these were closely guarded secrets as it could affect thepany''s stock prices.

    "I am happy to announce that my mother has already recovered from her injuries." Cedric announced. "Initially there was a worry from her doctors, my mother is no longer young and she had lost so much blood, as a matter of fact we were told to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Ites as a relief to me to inform you all that my mother has already regained consciousness and is on the road to a full recovery."

    Cedric watched as the reporters took note of everything he said, many of them were broadcasting live, while others would be posting their stories on social media or publishing it on the local paper.

    Cedric couldn''t help but wonder how some of them felt, they had been rushing the Reyes Group to release a statement earlier that day, and now they knew the reason why they couldn''t.

    "I know many of you were simply doing their jobs when you pressed us for a statement." Cedric added as he observed the reporters eyeing him in shock. They didn''t expect him to address the way they had pressed them. "For now, I hope you will understand if my family and mypany refuses your interviews. We want to be there for our mother as she recuperates."

    Cedric noticed the reporters all nodding in unison.

    "Very well, I will give you this opportunity to ask your questions. After this, I will have to ask you all to respect my family''s privacy." Cedric said as he nodded at Dave who announced that any reporter that wanted to ask a question could do so.

    "Sir." One reporter said as he was handed a microphone and stood up. "You told us that you had undergone some sort of poverty training. Is it safe to assume that all members of the Reyes Family goes through this?"

    "No, not all. Only those that are chosen to inherit the family business in the future. The Reyes Heirs." Cedric exined.

    "Sir, does this mean your son, Emilio Reyes IV, will also go through the same training?" The same reporter asked.

    "My son will go through something simr." Cedric said with a nod. "But I n on changing things a bit, I feel like the poverty training I went through was quite wasteful."

    The reporter nodded and returned the microphone to one of the ushers who helped out in the press con.

    Another reporter was called to ask his question.

    "Sir, what happened to the Hernandez family, were you involved in that?" The reporter asked.

    "What happened to them was of their own doing." Cedric answered simply, he did not want to borate on what had happened to his inw.

    The reporter quickly picked up that Cedric did not want to discuss the topic any further, so he handed the microphone back as well.

    "Sir, will the Reyes Group be absorbing your wife''spany, Ind''s Inc.?" Another reporter asked.

    "No." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I will not take from my wife her hard work, but expect to see closer cooperation between Ind''s Inc. and the Reyes Group. It will be the same treatment that rin Industries had received after my mother married my father.

    Cedric was sure that even if he didn''t absorb Ind''s Inc. under the Reyes Group thepany''s stock prices would soar and everyone would want to cooperate with them, after all, who wouldn''t want to work with the madam of the Reyes family.

    The same thing had happened to rin Industries after Prisci and Emilio had been married, everyone wanted to get close to the Reyes Family, and to many the easiest route seemed to be to go through the new CEO''s wife.

    "Sir, have you identified who made an attempt on your family?" A reporter asked.

    "That part is confidential, but we are working with the government to solve it." Cedric exined with a nod. Working with Alexi, was in his head, working with the government.

    "Sir what do you n on doing to the people who have looked down on you during your poverty training?" A reporter asked, making Cedric grin.

    "To them, I promise, they will receive what they have given." Cedric said as he ended the press conference and left the stage.

 Chapter 482 - 482

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    As Cedric joined his wife and son in the lounge Adrianna ran into his arms and hugged him tight. She had watched the whole press conference from a TV inside the lounge, bodyguards lined all the possible entrances in order to protect her and Emilio, she was no longer an ordinary person.

    "Sir, she had a run in with Miss Lorisa." Mae informed Cedric as he gave her a questioning look.

    "Did you deal with the woman?" Cedric asked Mae. He expected things like this to happen in the future, he knew Adrianna could defend herself from people like Lorisa. But since Adrianna was still adjusting to her new title as the matriarch of the Reyes Family, he expected his assistants to help at least a little bit.

    "Sir there was no need." Mae said with a knowing smile. "The madam dealt with that woman on her own."

    "Really now?" Cedric said as he raised his wife''s face to look at him. "I think I like this feisty side of yours."

    Cedric wrapped his arm around his wife''s waist and kissed her passionately. He found it incredibly hot of her to fight back.

    "Get a room guys." Nicole said with augh as she entered.

    "Auntie!" Emilio said as he ran up to Nicole and jumped into her arms.

    "Hello little one." Nicole said as she hugged him tight.

    "Are you ready to go?" Cedric asked Nicole as he ignored her previousment.

    Nicole nodded and gave a weary smile. "My equipment is already at the garage in the Reyes Mansion."

    "Do you think Alexi has already begun the interrogation?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I doubt." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I know he wants it to be swift so he is waiting for Nicole to administer the serum. Right now, he is ying games, tormenting Jen. I doubt her torture will end tonight."

    Cedric understood how angry Alexi was at Jen, he would be too if had been used and yed like a fool by someone. He pitied Alexi, because he had wasted so many years of his life chasing after Jen.

    As Cedric and the rest of his group walked up to the main entrance of the hospital, Cedric sensed his wife''s hesitation.

    "What''s wrong?" Cedric asked Adrianna as he caressed her hand.

    "I''m afraid Yoyo will get scared." Adrianna confessed. "Plus this is the first time we are stepping out into the public as members of the Reyes family. I''m just worried I guess."

    "I will be with you the whole way." Cedric promised as he looked into his wife''s eyes. "If it helps, I will carry Emilio and hide him from the eyes of the cameras."

    "Alright." Adrianna said as Cedric sensed her worry easing by a little bit.

    "Adrianna, I will always do everything to protect our son." Cedric said as he kissed her on the lips, making Adrianna smile.

    Cedric picked Emilio up and carried him with one arm, while with his free hand he held Adrianna''s hand, interlocking their fingers.

    Cedric nodded at his assistants and walked out of the main entrance with his wife and son.

    As the lobby doors swung open, Cedric and Adrianna were greeted by the shes of camerasing from different directions.

    Cedric kept his indifferent expression that scared most people, while Adrianna smiled pleasantly at the reporters.

    Their bodyguards kept the reporters far enough as not to block their way. Their car, Cedric''s signature Rolls Royce, was already waiting for them in the driveway.

    What surprised Cedric was that behind his car was Nicole''s pink sports car.

    "I thought you would be riding with us?" Cedric asked Nicole as he handed his son over to his wife inside the car.

    "I guessed that you guys needed some alone time." Nicole said with a shrug. "Mae, ride with me." Nicole signaled to Cedric''s assistant.

    Nicole obliged and followed Nicole into the shy car.

    Cedric smiled at his friend''s consideration. He did want some private time with his wife and son, especially after today''s events.

    "Sir, do you need anything?" Dave asked his boss as he held the door open for Cedric.

    "No, it''s fine." Cedric said with a smile as he got into the car.

    Dave closed the door behind his boss and got into the front seat.

    Inside the car Adrianna leaned on her husband''s shoulder and rested her head.

    "Did your parents make it safely to the hospital?" Cedric asked, he knew that his inws were due to arrive during the press conference.

    "Yup, they are with your parents in the VIP ward." Adrianna told her husband with a nod. "I hope my parents can keep yourspany."

    "My parents would be more than happy to have yours keep thempany." Cedric said with a smile. "Adri, we need to talk about how you are feeling. What you and Emilio went through was noughing matter." Cedric told his wife in a more serious tone.

    Adrianna sighed and frowned, Cedric knew that if possible his wife would have avoided the conversation, but Cedric knew that doing that was not healthy.

    "I was so sacred Cedric." Adrianna finally said in a shaky voice. "I thought we were all going to die."

    "Shhh, you can tell me. I''m here for you." Cedric said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

    "Everything happened so fast. One moment mom was telling us about her favorite jewelry shop in Pris Mall and the next moment we saw men rushing toward Yoyo." Adrianna was shaking as she recalled the events at the mall. "Luckily Mia was fast enough and she - she -"

    Adrianna couldn''t continue as she sobbed in her husband''s arms.

    "If it''s too much Adri -" Cedric tried to tell her that she could wait to tell him, he wanted her to talk but not to force herself.

    "No, I can do this." Adrianna said, shaking her head. "Mia jumped at the men that were running towards Yoyo, then from another side of the mall I heard shots, and when I turned, mom had fallen to the ground, she was bleeding. She stood in front of Ayanna and Yoyo, she had taken the bullets meant for them."

 Chapter 483 - 483

    "Adri." Cedric said as his wife sobbed into his shirt.

    "Ced, I thought your mom would die." Adrianna cried. "I was so afraid that she would bleed out in my arms." ??

    "She is fine now Adri, mom has regained consciousness and she is with my dad." Cedric said as he caressed his wife''s hair.

    "Cedric, why are people so cruel?" Adrianna asked.

    Cedric frowned and sighed. He knew he had no right to criticize people for their actions, he himself was not innocent. People had died on his orders.

    He simply held his wife in his arms as she cried herself to sleep.

    The rest of the car ride to the Reyes Mansion was quiet, Cedric watched as they drove by the city. Every so often he would find people pointing out his car, some even took out their phones and snapped photos or videos.

    Cedric knew now that everyone knew who he was, this would be his new reality. He felt sad that he could no longer go out and walk the streets like everyone else. He would always need to have his bodyguards around.

    The life he had lived for so long would have to change, but it was for the best. He was d that he had met Adrianna before he turned twenty eight, if he had met her any time after that he was sure that she would have rejected him without getting to know him.

    When his car finally pulled up to the Reyes Mansion gates, he shook his wife awake.

    "Adri, honey, we''re back at the mansion." Cedric said in a gentle voice.

    "Mmmm, five minutes." Adrianna said.

    Cedric noticed his son was already awake and sat up with a smile. Cedric sighed at the thought of having to watch over his son as his wife slept, then an idea hit him.

    "Yoyo." Cedric said, using his son''s pet name.

    "Yes daddy? Do you want something daddy?" His son said with a grin. It seemed the boy knew his father had other intentions because he used his pet name over his real name.

    "Yoyo, can you go up to the room on your own?" Cedric asked his son with a smile.

    "Of course I can daddy, I am a big boy now." Emilio told his father proudly.

    "Good." Cedric said with a nod and a smile. "I''ll carry your mom while you walk on ahead of me."

    "Okay." Emilio said eagerly. The little boy wanted to impress his dad.

    As the car pulled up in front of the mansion a butler opened Emilio''s door and helped the little boy down. Cedric smiled at how independent his son looked, he knew the kid had a bright future ahead of him.

    Cedric stepped out of the car and carried his wife''s sleeping figure bridal style.

    When Nicole saw them, she couldn''t help but smile. To their small group Adrianna''s and Cedric''s love had always been a goal they wanted to reach.

    Nicole watched as Emilio ran up and stood beside his father, even at a young age Nicole could see that Emilio would be picking up the signature Reyes Family demeanour.

    "I''ll take my son and wife up to the room first, you can go ahead to the garage." Cedric told Nicole.

    Nicole simply nodded and left.

    Cedric walked up the stairs as a maid followed him and Emilio. He knew that the maid was the nanny his mother had assigned to take care of Emilio whenever the little boy was in the old mansion, which was quite rare.

    Emilio was familiar with the woman so he didn''t get scared when she helped him climb the steps.

    When they got to Cedric''s room in the old house the maid opened the door for Cedric and Emilio.

    Cedric nodded his thanks and walked in with his son.

    "You can go." Cedric told the maid as he ced his wife in bed.

    The maid nodded and left as Cedric had asked.

    "Yoyo, dad needs another favor from you." Cedric told his son.

    "Yes daddy?" Emilio asked with his bright eyes looking up at his father, the little child, eager to please.

    "Daddy has to find the bad guys that hurt your grandma and auntie Mia." Cedric exined. "I need you to keep your mompany."

    "Okay daddy." Emilio said proudly.

    "If you need anything press this button." Cedric said as he pointed at a buzzer that called over the maids. It was ced on a table next to the king sized bed. "I want you to rest too. I know you are tired Yoyo."

    "Yes daddy." The little boy said with a yawn he had been suppressing.

    Cedric smiled as he watched his son crawl into bed.

    Cedric decided that his wife needed a bath, so he picked out some clothes and a towel for her and brought her to the bathroom.

    He filled up the tub with warm water and ced some essence of rose to calm her. When it was filled to a satisfactory level, Cedric gently lowered the now naked Adrianna into the tub.

    He was surprised that even as he scrubbed her clean Adrianna did not wake up, she must have been so exhausted as to not notice what was going on.

    When he was satisfied that she was clean he dried her and dressed her, before finally cing her back on the bed next to Emilio who was already fast asleep under the sheets.

    Cedric leaned down and nted a kiss on his son and on his wife, before finally leaving and heading towards the garage.

    He made sure to give strict instruction to the help to listen should his wife or son need any of them. He also arranged for some calming tea to be brought to his wife, he knew that she still needed to fully process what had happened at Pris Mall earlier that day.

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 Chapter 484 - 484

    When Cedric arrived at the interrogation room he found Alexi inside just staring at Jen.

    "She''ll melt if you keep staring at her." Cedric teased as he ced a hand on Alexi''s shoulder.??

    "How could I have been so blind Cedric?" Alexi asked with a sigh. "How could I have not seen that she really felt nothing for me?"

    Cedric frowned at his friend''s words, he felt bad for Alexi, his friend had been beating himself up since the moment they saw the footage of Jen stealing Natalia''s serums.

    He had defended his then girlfriend so vigorously, only to discover that the rtionship was one sided the whole time.

    "Do you want to torture her before we use the serum?" Cedric asked, Alexi needed to let off steam somehow.

    "Will you let me?" Alexi asked. "Won''t you look down at me for hitting a woman?"

    "That''s no woman."Cedric hissed. "That is a monster."

    "Just don''t kill her." Katerina said as she entered the room with Nicole, Natalia, and Selina.

    Alexi walked over to the women and grabbed Katerina by the arm.

    "Ouch brother." Katerina said as Alexi gripped her arm tightly.

    "I told you to send Selina home!" Alexi scolded.

    "I can''t force someone who doesn''t want to go home to leave." Katerina told Alexi angrily as she pulled her arm away. "You deal with her."

    "Why are you here Selina?" Alexi asked in a much more tender tone.

    "I want to help." Selina said.

    "I don''t want you to see this side of our lives." Alexi told her.

    "If I will be with you, I want to be with you wholeheartedly, to see every part, both the good and the bad." Selina said as she looked up at Alexi.

    "Fine." Alexi said with a sigh. "But remember, you asked for this."

    Selina nodded as she walked over to the couch.

    "Where are the others?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "Ian and Eric got refreshments." Alexi said with augh. "Ram had to go to the office. You caused quite a stir now the board members are insisting he get an exclusive interview from you and maybe a documentary about poverty training."

    Cedric groaned as he thought of all the public engagements that woulde soon. As much as he wanted to reject the interview, he would have to do it for Ram.

    "How do you want to go about this then?" Cedric asked as he looked at Jen in the other room through the one way mirror. Jen surely knew that people were standing at the other side as she red at them.

    "Mind if I use some of Ray''s men?" Alexi asked. Ray had left some of his thugs in order to help with securing the prisoners and in helping with the interrogation.

    "Knock yourself out." Cedric said with augh. Was he too cruel that he didn''t mind Jen being beaten? Cedric questioned if he was losing his humanity, something his family wanted him to keep in tact with his poverty training. But the woman in the other room had caused them so much pain and had brought so much chaos that he didn''t seem to mind.

    "Will you be able to stomach this?" Cedric heard Katerina ask Selina, he had forgotten how Selina and Jen had once been best friends. "Selina you don''t need to be here for this. She was still your best friend for quite a long time."

    "I''ve been too kind to her." Selina said, shaking her head. "I had given her too many chances. I kept thinking the best of her when she did nothing but betray me. She deserves everything that''sing to her."

    "Did we miss anything?" Eric asked as he and Ian entered the room with drinks and chips in hand. As well as several maids carrying over various refreshments.

    Cedric couldn''t help but sigh, the two men were treating the interrogation as if it were some movie to entertain.

    "You guys know that this is a serious matter right?" Cedric asked.

    "I don''t like her." Eric said. "I will enjoy watching her suffer."

    "You are too cruel." Katerina said, rolling her eyes.

    "Really? Worse than you my love?" Eric said as he pulled Katerina into his arms and kissed her. "You''re so hot when you go all girl boss mode." Eric said loud enough for all of them to hear.

    "Gross Eric!" Nicole shouted.

    "It''s about to start." Ian said pointing at the interrogation room as Alexi entered.

    "Hey baby." Alexi said as he walked over to Jen. "Missed me?"

    Although Alexi''s back was turned, Cedric could just imagine his friend smirking at his former lover.

    Jen simply red at Alexi as he spoke, it was clear that she was trying to calcte her next steps.

    "So tell me Jen, why?" Alexi suddenly asked, shocking everyone. They didn''t expect him to ask the question directly.

    "Tell you what?" Jen hissed.

    "Oh you know exactly what I am asking Jen." Alexi said as he waved his hand for the thugs toe closer. "Tell me why you yed me?"

    Jen simply smiled at Alexi, angering the man.

    "Take her away." Alexi ordered as two of the thugs dragged Jen to a corner.

    Jenughed as she was taken away.

    "You have really sunk so low, no wonder he was able to get to you all so easily!" Jen gloated. "You and Selina belong together, you both think so highly of yourselves just because you were born into the right families!"

    Alexi signaled for the men to stop and walked over to Jen who was now grinning from ear to ear. It was clear that Alexi was losing his temper, but Cedric knew that''s what he wanted and needed.

    "Are you alright?" Cedric heard Natalia ask Selina.

    "Yes, I''m fine." Selina said in reply.

    In the other room Alexi threw a p across Jen''s face.

    "Don''t you ever speak of Selina that way again." Alexi shouted.

    Even Jen was shocked, everyone thought Alexi would be defending his honor, when instead he defended Selina.

    "See if you can make her talk." Alexi ordered the thugs as they dragged Jen away.

 Chapter 485 - 485

    "That''s different." Eric said with augh as he offered Cedric a bottle of beer. "Alexi standing up for someone other than himself? That''s unheard of!"

    "He has changed." Cedric said with a nod as he stole a nce at Selina who was seated on the couch. ??

    Cedric was happy that Alexi could change for someone, even back when he was with Jen, Alexi still prioritized himself. Maybe a part of him knew that Jen didn''t love him.

    "Will we use the serum yet?" Nicole asked Cedric.

    "Let Alexi have his fun." Cedric told Nicole. "But if you need to prep, feel free." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Perfect. I''ll have your people bring the machines in." Nicole said excitedly.

    "I''ll help." Natalia said as she followed Nicole out of the room.

    "Why does Nicole seem too happy to use the Veritas Serum?" Cedric asked Eric and Ian.

    "The machine is new." Ian said with augh. "No operation has required such a precise delivery of anesthesia so she hasn''t used that machine yet."

    "Ah, that exins things." Cedric said with augh.

    "I think I''ve had my fun." Alexi said as he returned to the room.

    "Really? That quick?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "Yes." Alexi said with a nod. "The life she is facing will be torture in itself." Alei said with a malicious smile.

    "Perfect!" Eric eximed. "My sister is excited to use her new toys."

    "How well do you think it will work?" Cedric asked the other boys in general.

    "Natalia said that this was the strongest serum she has ever made." Alexi exined. "She should be sining truths within seconds."

    "Good, because I want to get my hands on Aiden as soon as possible." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I''ll go tell the girls." Ian said as he left the room.

    After a few minutes they saw the thugs carrying a bloodied Jen back to her chair.

    "Let go of me!" Jen shouted. "Aiden wille for me and he will crush you! He will destroy every single one of you!"

    "It''s time to get her talking." Cedric said as he walked out of the room followed by Alexi and Ian.

    Eric remained in the other room since there was no need for his involvement.

    "Jen." Cedric greeted with a grin.

    "Well if it isn''t the CEO of the Reyes Group, you disgust me!" Jen shouted as she spat at Ceric.

    "Those are my lines." Cedric said with a smirk, whipping off her spit as it hadnded on his cheek. "You and your boyfriend attempted to kidnap my son, you sessfully killed Mia, and you injured my mom. So tell me Jen, why should I take it easy on you?"

    Cedric''s aura made Jen shrink a bit in her seat, but she remained stubborn as she red at the men.

    "He asked you a question!" Alexi said as he pped Jen across the cheek.

    "Simple, because you are friends with those bastards." Jen said with a grin. "Don''t you think Aiden already knows about this ce? Soon enough he will arrive and take me away, all of my injuries will be proof of what you have done to me."

    "Jen have you learned nothing?" Alexi asked with a smile. "We tie all loose ends."

    "As we speak you are being charged with the muder of Mia, and the attempted murder of Prisci rin - Reyes." Ian exined with a smile. "You don''t even need to be in court, you will be found guilty and sent to the worst prison imaginable."

    "Aiden will get me out." Jen shouted.

    "Aiden has no power where you are going." Alexi said with a grin. "Now we can make things better for you if you will tell us all about Aiden''s ns."

    "In your dreams!" Jen shouted.

    "Very well." Cedric said with a shrug as he gave the signal for the machine to be wheeled in. "I''m sure you are familiar with all of the serums you took from Natalia''sb."

    Jen''s eyes grew wide at the mention of her theft, she knew exactly what Cedric meant. She was aware of several truth serums that she had taken, among them the Veritas Serum that was going to be used on her.

    "Since you refuse to cooperate, we will have to make you speak." Cedric said with a smile.

    "You know, I gave you a chance." Natalia told Jen as she walked up to the woman who was now restrained. "I thought you loved my brother, I went against all my instincts and gave you a chance when Katerina said not to. And you repay me by stealing my life''s work, you deserve everything that ising for you." Natalia said as she returned to help Nicole.

    When Nicole had finished calibrating the machine she injected a few needles into Jen''s arm.

    "How long till she talks?" Cedric asked Natalia.

    "By my estimates it will only take a minute, and that is if she has some willpower left." Natalia said with a shrug.

    Cedric leaned back as he watched Nicole and Natalia take the needles out of Jen''s arms after the serum was administered.

    "I wonder what she had done to use a memory serum on Nicole?" Ian asked as he stood next to Cedric. "Her actions not only risked my wife''s life but my then unborn son''s as well."

    "We will find out in a bit." Alexi said with a nod as they waited for the serum to take effect.

    "It should work by now." Natalia said as she looked at her watch.

    "Let''s give it a try shall we." Cedric said as he walked back across Jen.

    "What''s your name?" Cedric asked.

    "Jenifer Pez." Jen said.

    "What''s your boyfriend''s name?" Cedric asked.

    "Aiden Ortiz." Jen said reluctantly.

    "What was your involvement in the plot against my son, my wife, my sister, and my mother?" As Cedric asked this his eyes narrowed.

    "I ordered for Aiden''s men to kidnap Emilio Reyes IV together with my boyfriend Aiden." Jen admitted. "Damnit!" She cursed as she realized what she had just said.

    "Why did you drug Nicole after she gave birth?" Ian asked, cutting in.

    "Nicole saw me with Aiden, she found out that I had never loved Alexi, that I was working with Aiden to take down your stupid families! She had to be dealt with. She got lucky that I administered the wrong serum." Jen confessed, shocking everyone who heard.

 Chapter 486 - 486

    Suddenly a p came down on Jen''s face and she turned pale. The normally meek Nicole had just walked up and pped Jen.

    "You bitch!" Nicole shouted. "What kind of creature are you? How dare you! My brother and I defended you, we even let you live in our home when you told us someone was stalking you!"??

    Jen''s expression showed how shocked she was that she had said what she did, clearly even she who had ulterior motives for the serum didn''t know it was that effective.

    "This bitch doesn''t deserve to live." Veronica said as she entered the interrogation room and joined them.

    "When did you arrive?" Nicole asked her friend with a smile.

    "An hour ago." Veronica said with a shrug. "Miguel told me I would find you guys here."

    "Want to hear what other crimes this one hasmitted?" Nicole asked as she pointed toward Jen.

    "I''ll listen with Katerina." Veronica said with a shrug as she left the room once more.

    Cedric assumed that Veronica had joined the others in the adjoining room to watch through the one way mirror.

    "Why did you lie about yours and Selina''s rtionship?" Alexi asked, it was a question that he knew the answer to but was dying to hear from Jen''s lips.

    "Because that bitch broke my heart!" Jen shouted. This time Cedric knew that she wasn''t telling the truth because of the serum, she was saying it because she wanted to and because she was angry at Selina.

    "She never loved you." Alexi told Jen in a cold dismissive tone.

    "I loved her!" Jen shouted again. "I gave up my best years for her and she couldn''t love me back! I followed her wherever she went, even when that whore kept changing her mind."

    "Don''t dare talk about her that way." Alexi hissed.

    "Why couldn''t she just fucking ept me and love me?!" Jen asked. "I was her best friend, I knew every secret, every pain, every dream. I was always there for her and yet she treated me like fucking garbage."

    Suddenly the door burst open into the interrogation room and Selina walked in.

    "I told you from the very first moment that I didn''t see you that way." Selina told Jen in a calm voice. "I told you I only saw you as a friend. As for you following me everywhere, that was your choice. You went to New York with me because your dream school was there, my family paid for all of your expenses, you lived with me without a worry. When I moved I gave you a choice, you could have stayed in New York! My parents bought the apartment for me and I would have let you stay, but you insisted on tagging along."

    "I wasted my good years on you!" Jen shouted.

    "It was your choice Jen! No one forced you!" Selina shouted back. "Just as it was your choice to trick Alexi, to hurt the Reyes family, and to try to murder Nicole Chan!"

    "My love for you was not a choice!" Jen shouted. "God! You don''t even know how hot you are." Jen said as she eyed Selina maliciously.

    "I pity you Jen." Selina said with a frown. "I pity how hungover you are with the past. Do you even love Aiden?" Selina asked.

    "We have a mutual understanding and that''s enough." Jen scoffed.

    "Selina, you won''t get anywhere with her." Cedric said as he ced a hand on Selina''s shoulder.

    He felt her shoulders drop in submission.

    "I just thought, I could maybe knock some sense back into her." Selina said with a frown.

    "You tried your best." Alexi said as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. "We will move on with our lives and leave her in the past." Alexi said with a nod as he lowered his head and kissed Selina passionately.

    "Don''t you fucking kiss her!" Jen shouted, clearly possessive and jealous. "When Aiden sets me free I will tie you up Selina and I will have you!"

    Jen''s statement shocked everyone, but Selina seemed unfazed as she walked over to her former best friend.

    "I will never be yours and you will never be free again." Selina said before turning around and walking away.

    Alexi beamed with pride as Selina showed her ws.

    "We still have some questions for you Jen." Cedric said as he sat across their captive.

    Jen red at Cedric, she clearly did not want to answer any more questions but what choice did she have, the serum would do it''s magic and would force her to speak, at least till it''s effects wore off.

    "What was your involvement in the death of Jam Lobo?" Cedric asked.

    "I didn''t know his n till after, I was innocent in all that." Jen said.

    Cedric was d that she was not involved, if she had been involved in Jam''s death he didn''t know if he could control his anger.

    "What was Aiden''s n then?" Cedric asked, he was dying to understand why Aiden would go after the Lobo family. Even his attempted engagement to Amanda Lobo puzzled Cedric.

    "Aiden wanted to get to your wife." Jen said. "He knew Adrianna was close to the sisters and the sisters were key to his n. He wants revenge, and he will get that revenge soon."

    "How did he target Aiden?" Cedric asked.

    "He told the gunman to shoot whoever stepped out of your favorite car. He wanted to hurt you so that you would walk into his trap, he didn''t think that it would drive you deeper into seclusion." Jen told Cedric.

    "What is his issue with the Reyes Family, why is he going after us?" Cedric asked Jen.

    "Simple, your family funded and helped the people that killed his family, he wants revenge, and he ising for every single one of you." Jen said proudly with a smile.

    "Why didn''t you tell him who I really was from the beginning? Why did you wait till thest moment?" Cedric knew that if Jen had told Aiden much earlier he would probably be dead by now.

    "Your identity was my insurance, I only told him after I got what I wanted." Jen said as she shed them a smile.

    "And what did you want?" Cedric asked.

    "To ruin Selina Ramirez, he epted my n since it would drag the Sebastian name into the fray, now no one will believe that Alexi was innocent in all of this." Jen smirked.

    "Where is Aiden Ortiz hiding?" Cedric finally asked, hoping that Jen knew.

 Chapter 487 - 487

    "I don''t know." Jen said as she looked Cedric in the eyes.

    "Is it possible that the serum has worn out?" Cedric asked Natalia and Nicole.??

    "I doubt it." Natalia said, shaking her head as she looked at the time. "But we can just give her another dose."

    "Any side effects?" Cedric asked.

    "Some." Natalia said with a shrug. "You''ll have thirty minutes before she passes out, after that it will take a while for her to recover."

    "We don''t need that long." Cedric said with a nod as he allowed Natalia and Nicole to inject Jen once more with the serum.

    They eagerly waited for a few minutes before Cedric walked up to Jen once more.

    "Which families is Aiden targeting?" Cedric asked.

    "All of you, the Reyeses, the Chans, the Laurences, the Abads, the Sebastians, all you filthy high borns. Even others outside your circle, all of you are the cause of his pain." Jen told Cedric with a gasp, once again she had said something she didn''t n on.

    "It''s working." Natalia said with a nod as Jen red at her.

    "Where is Aiden hiding?" Cedric asked once more.

    "I have no fucking clue. But he said that if I went missing he would hunt down those responsible." Jen said with an eerie smile.

    "I guess she really doesn''t know." Alexi said in a surprised tone.

    Cedric nodded. He expected Aiden to at least give Jen a location of where his hideout would be so that she could eventually join him.

    "What is he nning to do next?" Cedric asked.

    "I don''t know. He doesn''t share much." Jen said with a shrug.

    "Damit! You are useless!" Cedric shouted, he was getting frustrated, it was like they were back where they started.

    "Calm down Cedric." Ian said as he tried tofort his friend.

    Ian looked at Jen, he too was furious, this woman had tried to kill Nicole, she deserved to rot in hell.

    "Does Aiden have safe houses?" Ian asked.

    Jen hesitated, she was clearly trying to fight the effects of the serum, but it was too powerful. "Yes." Jen said.

    "Write it down." Ian said as he extracted a pen and paper from his pocket.

    "Wow, handy." Cedric teased.

    "A habit I picked up from when I was working for you." Ian said with a shrug as Jen wrote down the addresses of each home.

    "Is this all?" Cedric asked as Jen finished writing.

    "No." Jen confessed as she wrote more down.

    Cedric asked her again. "Are these all of the ces Aiden could have gone to to seek refuge?"

    "Yes." Jen said reluctantly.

    "I will read each one and you will tell me if the address you have ced is correct." Ian said as he took the piece of paper from Jen.

    He read each, some Jen apparently had changed the address while others were correct. When they had gone through every single location Ian handed it to one of Cedric''s guards.

    "Search all of these ces." Cedric ordered. "Be careful, we know our enemy is capable, do not go in alone and if you feel that there is a risk to your safety, call for backup." Cedric instructed.

    The bodyguard nodded.

    "I will not allow any of you to risk your lives if it can be avoided." Cedric told the bodyguard.

    "Sir, with all due respect, we knew what we were getting into the moment we signed up. We are ready." The guard said with a nod.

    Cedric could do nothing but smile and let the guard leave and do as he had ordered.

    "How did you meet Aiden?" Alexi suddenly asked. It was a question that had been nagging them for quite a while now, and since Jen seemed to know very little Alexi decided to finally get answers.

    "We met in Madrid." Jen said. "It was right after Selina told me to leave. I ran, I ran through the streets in tears. People thought I was a mad woman, normally I would have been ashamed, but at that moment I didn''t care. My heart was breaking into a thousand pieces. I was crying at a cafe when he approached and let me cry on his shoulder. He told me ''A pretty woman should not be seen crying in public.'' He held me and made it seem like we were a couple in love. That''s how I met Aiden."

    "How could you trust a stranger?" Cedric asked.

    "He was the only one that had shown me kindness." Jen said with a frown. "From then on I followed him everywhere he went, I dedicated my life to him. He never touched me back then, and I was thankful, had he asked I would have given him my virtue."

    "You are crazy." Alexi said, shaking his head. "First you follow Selina around then you move your obsession to Aiden, you need to see a doctor."

    "Selina did not appreciate my loyalty, Aiden did! Aiden loved me, he let me help!" Selina shouted.

    "How did you help exactly?" Cedric asked.

    "I arranged for him to meet with the Carpios, I gave him a way into the Chans, and most importantly I snared Alexi Sebastian for him." Jen said with a grin.

    Alexi''s hand came down heavily as he pped her across the face.

    They waited for Jen to sit back up but her head hung by the side.

    "Shit." Alexi cursed as he walked over to check her pulse. "She''s still breathing." Alexi informed them.

    "The thirty minutes are up." Natalia announced. "This is just one of the side effects."

    "We got what we could." Cedric said with a nod. "If she wakes up again, let''s see if we can learn more from her."

    "She''ll be out cold for a while." Natalia informed them. "I''m honestly not sure how long her body has taken a beating."

    "We''ll let her recuperate and go at it again." Cedric said, he was insistent on not letting Jen rest.

    Natalia did not argue and simply nodded.

    "Take her away." Cedric instructed another set of guards who picked Jen up and dragged her to one of the cells.

    "Do you think Aiden will be able to get to her here?" Nicole asked Cedric as they walked back in to the adjacent room.

    "He shouldn''t." Cedric said, shaking his head. "The Reyes Compound is secure."

    "Good." Nicole said with a nod. "I don''t ever want her to get out, not after everything."

    "Don''t worry Nicole, you will be safe." Ian said as he wrapped his arms around Nicole''s waist.

    "If you guys don''t mind, I''ll go back to the main house to check on Adri and Emilio." Cedric told his friends.

    "We''lle along." Veronica said as she jumped off the couch. "We have nothing else to do here anyway."

    Everyone nodded in agreement, it would be a while until Jen regained consciousness.

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a smile, as much as he didn''t want to admit it, he needed his friends now.

    When they entered through therge double doors of the Reyes Mansion they were greeted by an eerie silence, and then a cry, a cry so familiar to Cedric that he ran straight to the living room.

    He found Adrianna holding Emilio in her arms and sobbing.

    The young boy seemed fine, but he too was crying.

    "What''s going on?" Cedric asked as he walked over to his wife.

    "Cedric, your mom." Adrianna struggled to say.

    "What is it Adri?" Cedric said as he tried to calm his wife.

    "Cedric, your mom, she''s gone." As Cedric heard Adrianna''s words he felt his heart break as he fell to his knees on the ground.

    Everything around him disappeared and all he could hear was his wife''s cries. His mom was gone.

 Chapter 488 - 488

    Everything happened in a blur, one moment Cedric was holding his wife as she cried and the next he was in the hospital morgue looking down at his mother''s cold body.

    Even as he looked down at the corpse his mind refused to believe what was in front of him. How could his mother be dead? He was speaking to her a few hours ago and now here was her body, lifeless.??

    Cedric didn''t shed a tear, he didn''t understand why. He just stood there as Miguel exined to him what had happened.

    "This happens sometimes Cedric, that''s why I wasn''t too optimistic." Miguel said with a frown as he wiped a tear away. Prisci rin - Reyes was like a second mother to all of them. "Auntie was sick, her cancer was so far advanced that we couldn''t even figure out which treatment would help."

    "I can''t believe she''s gone." Cedric muttered. "I was just speaking to her earlier today." Cedric felt like he was dreaming the whole time. It felt unreal, a part of him still refused to ept that his mom was now gone.

    "Cedric, Auntie knew she wouldn''t survive." Miguel told Cedric with a frown. "She said her goodbyes to all of us today. She got more than what most do."

    "What do we do next?" Cedric asked Miguel, he was at a loss, his father was also at a loss, even Ayanna had not spoken a word since he arrived at the hospital.

    "I guess you will need to arrange for her funeral and burial, you''ll also need to go through her will." Miguel exined as he tried to think of what others had done after a death. "In your case there will be an additional step, you need to inform the press."

    "This is a personal matter." Cedric said quite angrily.

    "We are public figures, we may not want to be public figures but we are." Miguel reminded his friend. "Your mother helped a lot of people through her charities, she also ran apany, she wasn''t any ordinary woman. I am sure a lot of people would like to mourn her as well."

    Cedric nodded and frowned. He had no idea where to start, his father was clearly broken, and Cedric could fully understand why. He couldn''t imagine what life would be like if he lost Adrianna.

    "What actually caused her death?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "She was weak to begin with Cedric, she lost so much blood from the bullet wound it was a miracle that she woke up." Miguel exined. "Her body just could replenish the lost blood, plus we hadn''t noticed that her cancer had progressed recently. After you left her organs slowly started to fail."

    "I will kill Aiden Ortiz." Cedric said angrily, he knew only one man was to me and that was Aiden.

    "Cedric, I think the reason why auntie was so willing to jump in front of that bullet was because she knew her time was near." Miguel told Cedric as he tried to calm his friend down.

    "Do you know what my mom said to me earlier?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    Miguel simply shook his head in response and waited for Cedric to speak.

    "She said, she knew that she didn''t have long left, and that if she were to die, she wanted to die for a good reason, and family was a good enough reason." As Cedric repeated the words his mother had told him he couldn''t help but tear up.

    His mother had sacrificed herself to protect the next generation and she had done so willingly, she did not hesitate, she did not think twice.

    "I''m not surprised that she said that." Miguel said as he ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder. "Auntie was always so selfless, she always thought of others over herself."

    "I need to arrange for everything." Cedric said as his voice trembled.

    "Have you even let yourself grieve?" Miguel asked Cedric.

    "You sound like Eric." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes at Miguel.

    "The shrink is often right, you know." Miguel said with a shrug. "You can''t just power through this one Cedric."

    "It hasn''t sunk in yet." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I can''t even process what is going on properly to be honest." Cedric confessed.

    "Maybe dealing with all the affairs might not be the best way to deal with your sorrow." Miguel suggested.

    "There is no one else Miguel." Cedric said, shaking his head. "My dad is too torn up to do anything and Ayanna hasn''t stopped crying since I arrived, she hasn''t spoken a word. I''m the new head of the Reyes n and I should see to this."

    "Alright." Miguel said with a nod. "But don''t forget that if you need anyone to talk to we are here."

    "I won''t." Cedric said with a sad smile.

    "Use Nicole''s office, I know there is a lot you need to do." Miguel offered.

    Cedric thanked him and walked over to the Vice President''s office.

    He quickly called Mae, Dave, Ian, and Cami over. He called Ian and Cami to help since he knew that the workload today would be too much for Mae and Dave.

    "Mae, Cami, I need you both to help in arranging for the funeral and internment." Cedric told the two. "I know that my mom is to be interned at the family mausoleum. The wake shouldst at least eight days so that guests from abroad can pay their respects."

    Mae and Cami nodded.

    "Dave, arrange for the press conference. This needs to happen sooner rather thanter." Cedric told him. "Let''s have it outside R Tower, I don''t want to spend too much time here at the hospital."

    "Ian, I need you to help with mom''sst will and testament." Cedric instructed. "Talk to Katerina, she will be able to help."

    When Cedric had given out his instructions he was surprised that none of his assistants or former assistants had moved.

    "Cedric, how are you?" Ian asked, he was the closest to Cedric among the four.

    "I just need to get through this." Cedric said with a frown. "Will you help me?" He asked.

    "Of course." Ian said as he led the others out of the office, to do as Cedric had asked.

    When he was finally alone, Cedric sat down on Nicole''s office chair and ced his head in his hands. He took a deep breath as he tried to process what had happened that day, but too much was going on.

    Cedric closed his eyes and he let the tears drop.

 Chapter 489 - 489

    "Cedric, are you sure you can do this?" Adrianna asked as she helped her husband straighten out his suit.

    Cedric ced a hand on his wife''s cheek and wiped a stray tear from her eyes, he frowned at her red puffy eyes, he could do nothing to lessen her pain, he too was hurting very much.??

    "It must be done." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "They will ask you the most painful questions." Adrianna said as she hugged her husband.

    "It''s normal, I already expect that honey." Cedric told his wife. "How are Ayanna and dad holding up?" Cedric asked. He hadn''t spent much time with his family since the time they had seen his mother''s corpse. He had been busy working on the arrangements for her funeral.

    "Dad hasn''t spoken." Adrianna told her husband. "My parents have been keeping himpany as well as the other uncles and aunties. They are all at our house now, dad just can''t bear going home to the Reyes Mansion without your mom there."

    "I understand my father''s grief." Cedric said with a frown. "Maybe after mom isid to rest we can spend our weekends at the old mansion." Cedric suggested.

    "I think your dad and grandparents would love that." Adrianna said as she nodded in agreement. "As for Ayanna, she''s been crying non-stop since she found out. Ray is trying his best tofort her, but I think she needs time."

    "There is nothing wrong with what my sister is going through." Cedric said with a sigh. Even he himself had cried a lot since hearing the news, but he couldn''t let people see that he was weak now. There were many expectations of him and his strength at this moment was important.

    "I''ll go over to Ayanna''s and Ray''s after the press conference. Will you and Yoyo join me?" Cedric asked as he looked at his son''s sleeping figure on the couch. The little boy was drained, within that past 24 hours so much has happened in his life. Cedric was worried that it would have asting effect on the boy.

    "Of course we will go with you Cedric." Adrianna said as she smiled at her husband.

    "Sir." Dave said as he knocked on the door.

    "Yes Dave?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s time." Dave said. "The press is ready and we''ve already secured the area."

    Cedric nodded and Dave closed the door behind him.

    "This will be quick." Cedric said as he pulled Adrianna close to him and kissed her passionately. He felt her arms wrap around his neck and y with his hair.

    He needed her strength, he needed herfort.

    "Cedric, I was thinking. . ." Adrianna said as she broke off their kiss.

    "Yes honey?" Cedric asked as he ced a chaste kiss on her lips.

    "Yoyo and I will go with you." Adrianna suddenly said.

    "Adri, you don''t have to." Cedric said with a weak smile. "I know you aren''t ready to face the public."

    "I want to do this." Adrianna said as she ced a hand on his arm. "I want to do this for mom. Us standing together out there will show a strong front and a bright future for the family. And I want people to know that I am not with you just for the good times."

    "With Emilio?" Cedric asked as he looked towards his son.

    "Yes." Adrianna said with a nod.

    "What did I do to deserve you?" Cedric asked as he cupped his wife''s face in his hands.

    "Stop being silly." Adrianna said with augh as she swatted Cedric''s hand away and walked over to her sleeping son.

    Emilio was wearing the same ck suit as his father, the women of the Reyes family insisted on always buying them matching outfits and Cedric neverined. The particr ck three piece suit that the father and son duo were wearing was purchased by Prisci on one of her Parisian shopping trips, and had always insisted on them wearing this style.

    "Yoyo, baby, wake up." Adrianna gently nudged her son awake.

    "Mommy?" Emilio said as he opened his eyes.

    "Will you do us a favor?" Adrianna asked her little son.

    "Anything for mommy and daddy!" Emilio said as he sat up and smiled.

    "Daddy will be telling people about how grandma died, do you think you can be a good boy and stand beside mommy while daddy does that?" Adrianna asked her son.

    Cedric and Adrianna had agreed not to lie to their son about death, it was a truth in this world that he needed to live with. There was no use in lying to him.

    "Okay mommy." Emilio said with a smile.

    Cedric smiled and helped his son straighten out his suit. "Emilio, you can''t smile or cry." Cedric told his son. "Just in front of the press. I need you to do that face we practiced."

    "I know dad." Emilio said as he wrapped his arms around Cedric''s neck. "Daddy, I miss grandma." The little boy said.

    "Me too son, me too." Cedric said with a sigh.

    When his wife and son were ready they walked out of his office and were greeted by Ian and Dave.

    "You''re joining the press con?" Ian asked Adrianna as he gave her a suspicious look.

    "Yes, I should." Adrianna said with a nod.

    "You''re sure about this?" Ian asked, making sure that the couple had thought this through.

    "It''s the best for the family and thepany." Adrianna exined with a weak smile.

    Ian simply shrugged and walked with them.

    On the ride down to the lobby Dave briefed Cedric and Adrianna on what to expect, they hadn''t told anyone what the press con was about and news about Prisci''s passing had not yet leaked.

    When the elevator doors finally opened, Cedric noticed his wife hesitating to step out, while their son had excitedly followed his uncle Ian and Dave.

    "Ian, Dave, can you keep Emiliopany for a bit?" Cedric asked the two men who simply nodded in reply.

    "Adri, if you don''t want to do this, you don''t have to." Cedric told Adrianna as he rubbed her back in an attempt to calm her.

    "No, I want to do this. Just give me a moment." Adrianna said as she took a few deep breaths.

    "Are you sure?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. For mom." Adrianna said with a smile as she held Cedric''s hand. "Let''s go."

    Cedric smiled as his wife led him out of the elevator.

    "Ready?" Ian asked the couple as Emilio ran up to hold his father''s hand.

    Cedric nodded and they all walked out of R Tower together.

    ____________________________________________________

    An Ian Lim Spin Off, what do you guys think?

 Chapter 490 - 490

    The crowd went silent when they saw the family dressed in ck and white step out of R Tower. Cedric and Emilio in their matching ck suits, and Adrianna in her white pantsuit.

    The small family was an image of perfection, a beautiful wife, a strong and smart looking father, and the handsome little boy that held tightly to his father''s hand. The press couldn''t help but snap photos of the family that had stepped out.??

    Emilio was the splitting image of his father, especially now with his cold, straight faced demeanor.

    Compared to the first time they had stepped out together in public, the family now carried a regal air about them, something that was not there before.

    Cedric took a deep breath as they got closer to the podium, he felt Adrianna give his hand a gentle squeeze for confidence.

    As he stood in front of the members of the press Cedric could see the curiosity in their eyes. Who wouldn''t be? Just earlier that afternoon Cedric stood in front of them, revealing his identity for the first time, and now this illusive CEO had called for a 2nd press conference at midnight.

    "I''m sure you all are wondering why we called for another press conference." Cedric began. "It is with great sorrow that I regret to inform everyone that at 7pm earlier tonight, my mother, Prisci rin - Reyes, the matriarch of the Reyes n and thest living heir of the rin n passed away due to injuries sustained from the attack on members of our family."

    As Cedric announced the news audible gasps were heard from the crowd, some were even wiping tears from their eyes. Prisci had sponsored the education of many aspiring journalists, while others recalled how kind she was despite all the mud being thrown at her.

    Cedric gave the reporters a moment to process the news. He watched as they spoke among themselves. He couldn''t help but turn and look at his wife and son, who both gave him a reassuring nod.

    When the crowd had somewhat settled, Cedric spoke again.

    "We hope that you would all respect our family''s need to mourn the loss of my mother." Cedric said, to which most reporters nodded and Cedric gave them a weak smile.

    "I am aware that many are concerned about the future of rin Industries and the Reyes Group." Cedric said as he eyes the business columnists present. "Before my mother''s death she had transferred all of her shares to me and my sister Ayanna, and since then the management of rin Industries had been folded into that of the Reyes Group."

    Cedric paused and drank from a bottle of water that Dave had provided. This once again gave the reporters an opportunity to speak among themselves and whisper about what Cedric had just announced.

    "My mother''s other properties and holdings will be divided equally between me and my sister as well." Cedric further exined. "I am opening the stage for questions, but again, I would like to ask for everyone''s understanding of our current situation."

    At that Cedric nodded towards Dave who handed the microphone to a reporter.

    "Are there any details on the funeral arrangements for Mrs. Reyes?" The reporter asked.

    Cedric nodded and smiled at the reporter.

    "We understand that mom was a public figure, not only was she a business woman but a phnthropist as well. For those that wish to pay theirst respects, my mother''s body will be avable for viewing at Reyes Mansion at specified times." Cedric exined.

    Since Emilio Reyes had a hard time returning to the old home, Cedric had decided to open the doors of the old mansion in order to amodate those that wished to mourn his mother.

    "My mothers body will then be ced to rest at the Reyes Family Mausoleum nine days after her death." Cedric informed the members of the media.

    "Thank you sir, and I wish to offer you my condolences." The reporter said with a sincere look in his eyes as he handed the mic back to Dave.

    "Sir, do you have any leads on who caused Mrs. Reyes'' death?" Another reporter asked.

    It was a question Cedric knew wasing.

    "We are still investigating the matter, we will inform the press if we have any answers." Cedric answered politely.

    The reporter simply nodded and handed the mic back.

    Cedric was d that they didn''t probe any further and had given him and his family space to grieve.

    "Sir, on behalf of all the reporters present." One of the younger reporters said as he was given the opportunity to speak. "We would like to give our deepest condolences to you and your family. We understand your need to mourn, your mother was a benevolent woman, she cared truly and deeply for others. Her death is a loss to our nation."

    Cedric watched as the other reporters nodded in response.

    "Thank you for your kind words." Cedric said, he felt that he was on the verge of tears as they offered their condolences. He knew his mother had touched a lot of lives and had been respected by a lot of people.

    Cedric turned to see his wife wiping her tears away, it seemed he was not the only one moved by the kind wordsing from the reporters.

    Cedric gathered himself and spoke once more.

    "The Reyes Group will be closed for a day in order to mourn my mother''s death." Cedric announced, it was an impromptu decisioning from his realization that he wasn''t the only one in mourning. "As for the projects my mother had championed in the past, we will continue to support them as a family. Thank you all foring at such ate hour."

    Cedric turned and picked up his little son, who hugged him tight. With his free hand Cedric held his wife''s hand and walked away from the press conference.

    As they walked away Emilio said something that surprised Cedric and Adrianna.

    "All those people loved grandma too, grandma was a good person." the little boy said as he hugged his father tighter as he resisted the urge to cry.

 Chapter 491 - 491

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    "Still no sign?" Cedric asked as he closed the door behind him.

    It had been six days since his mother''s death and they still did not see any movement from Aiden''s end.

    "None." Alexi said with a sigh as he leaned back on his seat.

    At the beginning, they would all stay together, huddled in Cedric''s office, waiting anxiously for updates from the different teams working on the investigation. It had be an obsession.

    On the 4th day Ayanna and Adrianna had barged into the room apanied by the other wives, girlfriends, and sisters and they had dragged the boys out.

    They had turned toxic in their obsession of finding Aiden Ortiz.

    "Has he not made a single attempt at finding out where Jen is being held?" Cedric asked.

    "No, nothing." Ray said as he mmed the LED screen out of frustration.

    "He was probably just using Jen. A tool in his master n." Ram suggested as he looked through Aiden''s files once more.

    "I don''t think he is that heartless." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Cedric, what exnation is left?" Miguel asked. "If you truly cared about someone you would do everything to save them."

    "He probably doesn''t think we would hurt her." Alexi suggested.

    "Don''t be stupid Alexi." Eric said, shaking his head. "Everyone knows you have a temper, and I''m sure that by now Aiden has realized that Ray is the king of the underworld. He would have known by now that leaving her with us is dangerous."

    "He could be waiting for us to lower our guard." Ian suggested.

    "That''s possible, but security around thepound is always tight." Cedric said as he considered Ian''s suggestion. "It has been like this for years, I just had it made even tighter with all the guestsing in and out of thepound to pay their respects."

    "Maybe he is waiting for the funeral!" Ray suddenly said, surprising Adolfo who had been leaning back on his seat.

    The poor boy was so surprised that he fell off the chair andnded on the ground. Cedric and Alexi had forced him to join their group for the investigation.

    "You alright kid?" Alexi asked with augh. He was making Adolfo undergo a hazing of sorts since he started dating Natalia.

    "I''m fine." Adolfo grumbled. "I was just surprised." He said as he fixed his seat and sat back down.

    "It''s possible that he is waiting for thepound to be empty before attempting to take Jen." Cedric said with a nod. "It makes sense. He is probably expecting us to take most of the guards to the burial."

    "You should have the security heightened at that time." Miguel suggested. "Try hiring more people and keep them visible, it should be a deterrent."

    "I''ll do that." Cedric said with a nod. "For the meantime, I don''t want anyone thinking that this attempt can''t happen between now and the funeral. I''ll have our teams double their efforts."

    "Crap, is that the time?" Eric asked as he checked his phone.

    "The girls are going to kill us." Cedric said as he led the other men out of the room.

    "What''s so funny?" Ian asked aughing Adolfo.

    "You guys are probably the most feared and respected men in the country, I''m sure people would run at the sight of you." Adolfo said as he continued tough.

    "What about it?" Ian asked.

    "Well here you are, running out of a room like scared little girls because of your wives and girlfriends." Adolfo teased.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh along. It was true that his friends were among the most feared and most respected, but they too feared someone, their significant others.

    "Oh poor Adolfo." Eric said as he ced an arm around the young man''s shoulder. "Wait till you get ashing from Natalia, then you will know what real fear is."

    The other men nodded at what Eric had said.

    "No, no, my Natalia is the sweetest and kindest." Adolfo said, shaking his head. "Plus we constantlymunicate, so there is no reason for her to doubt me."

    "Does she know you''re here Adolfo?" Alexi asked.

    "Yes." Adolfo said with a nod.

    As if on cue the men bumped into the girls in the hallway, and they were clearly not happy.

    "We told you to stop obsessing over Aiden!" Ayanna told the boys angrily.

    "We just met for an update, Ayanna. Calm down." Cedric told his sister.

    "You guys meet five times a day in that room." Katerina added as she red at them.

    "How -" Alexi began to ask when he realized the answer to his question. "You little rat!" Alexi shouted as he ran after Adolfo.

    "Don''t me him Alexi." Alexi froze as he heard Selina''s voice. "At least he tells his girlfriend where he is." She said as she crossed her arms on her chest.

    "We were just worried, Selina." Alexi said as he tried to coax her. They weren''t officially together yet but they acted like they were.

    "This isn''t healthy boys!" Adrianna scolded them.

    All of them simply frowned as Cedric walked up to his wife and kissed her.

    "We''re sorry hon." Cedric said as he pulled her closer. "It won''t happen again." He promised.

    "I know it will happen again. You boys are all too stubborn." Adrianna said, rolling her eyes as she pushed her husband off her. "Just meet up less. There are guests that want to talk to you."

    As Adrianna said this she turned and left.

    Cedric sighed and shook his head, he didn''t have a choice but to follow his wife''s order.

    As the days passed and no progress happened in the investigation, Cedric became sold on the idea that Aiden would attack on the day of the funeral.

    He had the security in all of their properties heightened. He wasn''t sure which one Aiden would attack in an attempt to save Jen.

    For his mother''s funeral, Cedric decided to wear something simple, he wore khaki pants and a crisp white long sleeved polo. His son, Emilio, was dressed in the exact same outfit, looking like a miniature of his father.

    "Are you ready?" Adrianna asked as she entered their room in a white dress.

    "I can never be ready for this." Cedric said with a frown as he picked his son up and walked out of their room with his wife.

    The drive to the Reyes Family Mausoleum was silent. Cedric did not know what to say, nor did he want to say anything. His wife and son seemed to have noticed this as they remained quiet for the whole ride.

    The Reyes Family had requested for the burial to remain private, so the only guests were those closest to them. The Abads, the Sebastians, the Laurences, the Chans, and a few other prominent families were invited.

    As Cedric''s car pulled up to the mausoleum one of his security vehicles suddenly exploded behind them causing everyone to panic.

 Chapter 492 - 492

    As the explosion went off Cedric felt his driver step on the gas as he tried to get them to safety.

    "What''s going on?" Adrianna asked as she tried to look back when the driver suddenly stepped on the breaks. ??

    Lucky Cedric managed to catch his wife before she got thrown across the car.

    "What the hell?" Cedric asked as he looked towards the front of the car.

    "Sir they have blocked us." Cedric''s driver said as he pointed towards the cars and armed men that created a barricade in front of their vehicle, blocking the path.

    "Dave, have mene over, take them from the ones guarding the Reyes Mansion, that one is the closest." Cedric ordered Dave.

    "But Cedric, Jen." Adrianna said as she gave her husband a worried look.

    "I don''t care if they get Jen." Cedric told his wife. "What use is keeping her if everyone we love and care about will be killed."

    Adrianna was stunned at Cedric''s words, she simply nodded and checked on their son.

    "Where are the others?" Cedric asked his driver. "Can you see my dad''s car or my sister''s?"

    "Sir we are the only car inside their barricade." The driver told him as he scanned the vicinity.

    "How is that possible?" Cedric askaed. "Dad''s car was right in front of us."

    "They managed to get through before our path was blocked." The driver exined. "They moved really fast sir. My apologies."

    "It''s not something you could have controlled." Cedric told his driver.

    "Dave, try contacting Alexi or Ray as well, see if they can help." Cedric told his assistant who simply nodded and did as he asked.

    "Sir, they aren''t moving." The driver said as he pointed at the people who were blocking their way. "What do you want me to do?"

    Cedric observed their surroundings, as long as no one dropped a nuclear bomb he and his family would be safe inside their car.

    What worried Cedric were the people outside, he knew that Ray and Ayanna hade in one of Ray''s sports cars. Those didn''t have as much protection as Cedric''s Rolls Royces, their enemies could quickly turn on the crowd that had gathered outside the cemetery as well.

    "Let''s wait and see what they want first." Cedric instructed his driver. "We aren''t even sure who is behind this attack."

    "It''s probably Aiden." Adrianna said as she looked up at her husband.

    "It could be, but the Reyes family has a lot of enemies, Aiden is just the most recent and the boldest of them." Cedric exined to his wife, although at the back of his head he was already suspecting that this was a diversionary tactic by Aiden.

    "So we will wait and do nothing?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "It''s the practical thing to do." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Sir, Mr. Alexi said that they managed to get everyone into the safety of the mausoleum." Dave told Cedric from the front seat. "While he and Mr. Ray are trying to figure out a way to help us."

    "Tell them to keep everyone safe first." Cedric instructed. "I''m sure that whoever is behind this will show themselves soon."

    Cedric watched as everything outside stood still, if it weren''t for the clock inside the car he wouldn''t have known that thirty minutes had already passed since they were attacked.

    "Sir, the additional men have arrived." Dave said as he ced his phone down.

    Just as Cedric was about to give his instructions, a helicopter arrived andnded not too far away from Cedric''s car.

    Soon enough Cedric spotted Aiden alighting from the helicopter with several men following him.

    "Tell Alexi and Ray to stay alert, Aiden is here." Cedric said as he watched Aiden approach.

    Out of nowhere Cedric''s phone began to ring. He looked at the screen and found an unknown number.

    When he looked up he saw Aiden, waving a phone, telling him to answer the call.

    "Don''t." Adrianna told her husband with a worried look. "What if it''s a trap?" Adrianna asked.

    "I''m sure it''s a trap." Cedric said in response. "But what can I do. At least this way I can buy the others time to formte a n."

    "Sir, Mr. Alexi said we are still heavily outnumbered, he is asking for more guards toe from the other properties, but it will take time." Dave told Cedric.

    "Tell him I can buy us some time. But hurry." Cedric said as he picked up the call.

    "Aiden." Cedric said.

    "Ah Cedric." Aiden said with augh. "It''s so interesting that I had the CEO of the Reyes Group standing right in front of me so many times and yet I didn''t figure it out."

    "Same to you Aiden." Cedric replied.

    "Tsk tsk tsk. Such short answers." Aiden said in a disappointed tone. "Don''t worry Cedric, I won''t harm any of you."

    "I''m sorry Aiden, but I can''t believe someone like you." Cedric said.

    "Like me? A liar?" Aiden asked. "Cedric, don''t forget, you and I are one and the same."

    "I may have lied about my identity Aiden, but I have never killed someone in cold blood." Cedric said as he remembered Jam''s cruel murder.

    "Well that boy was annoying anyway." Aiden said with a chuckle.

    "You asshole!" Cedric said angrily. "Jam was innocent!"

    "So was my sister! So were all the people you and your kind have sent to jail just for offending them." Aiden answered back.

    Cedric was stunned at the mention of a sister.

    "Shocked are we?" Aiden asked in a cold tone. "Yes, my two year old little sister was in that car when my parents died!"

    "There wasn''t anything about a young girl -" Cedric began to say when he was cut off by Aiden.

    "Of course the report won''t say that here was a little girl." Aiden hissed. "My sister, my innocent Dahlia, she was two, mom and dad brought her with them when they were used of kidnapping Katerina Sebastian."

    "Your parents did kidnap Katerina." Cedric rebutted.

    "That''s what they tell you." Aiden said over the phone. "That''s what they want you to think, of course they needed someone to me, that bitch ran away."

    "Katerina was ten! Don''t drag her into this." Cedric replied.

    "Either way my parents and my sister were innocent in all of this." Aiden insisted. "Katerina Sebastian''s immature actions caused their death!"

    "Katerina was fucking ten!" Cedric shouted. "And they would never kill an innocent family just to cover Katerina''s tracks."

    "They didn''t know till after." Aiden revealed.

 Chapter 493 - 493

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked Aiden.

    "Come out and I''ll tell you." Aiden said with a smirk.??

    "I prefer to stay in here." Cedric answered back, he wasn''t stupid he knew that being out in the open as Aiden wanted would give the man an opportunity to kill him.

    "I wonder how much trauma your son will have to get over if I make a bomb explode under your car?" Aiden asked. "I''m pretty sure seeing your auntie die in front of you and your grandma get shot because of you has caused enough damage to his little psyche."

    "Don''t you dare harm my son any further Aiden!" Cedric threatened.

    "The choice is yours Cedric." Aiden said with augh. "Stay in there and I will keep bombarding your car."

    Cedric remained silent as he weighed his options. He clearly would not dare put his son, wife, and the other passengers of the car in danger, but like all humans he was afraid of dying.

    "What does he want?" Adrianna asked. She couldn''t hear what Aiden was saying so she was puzzled when Cedric stopped talking and closed his eyes. "What is he threatening against Yoyo?" Adrianna asked in a worried tone.

    "It''s nothing." Cedric told his wife in an attempt to calm her. He knew his attempts would be futile, his expression said enough.

    "Cedric, we both know that even if that car is equipped with the best bulletproofing and security features, it can only take so much." Aiden exined. "It will break, and when it does your whole family can kiss this life goodbye." Alexiughed as he told Cedric of the faith he had nned for them.

    Cedric turned and looked at Adrianna and Emilio, his son now sat on his mother''sp as he hugged Adrianna tightly. The little boy was probably scared, he was smart, he knew when things weren''t right. He could sense when his parents were afraid or worried.

    He looked at Dave and his driver, both men were innocent in all of this. Dave still had a whole future to conquer, he was a promising young man that Cedric knew would achieve much in life. His driver had always been kind to Cedric, he had been with Cedric from the start, even when Cedric first got into an ident. The man deserved better than this.

    "Alright." Cedric said as he dropped the call. A part of him was worried that Aiden would get mad and start shooting at the car, but he was hoping that Aiden thought of the bigger picture over just attacking.

    Cedric looked at his wife who had a worried look in her eyes. He wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be fine, that they woulde out of today unscratched, but he couldn''t, he just couldn''t lie.

    "Adrianna I love you and our son above everything in this world." Cedric said as he kissed her passionately. He held her tight in his arms, not wanting to let go. He wanted time to stop, he wanted to stay in this moment.

    "Cedric, what did he want?" Adrianna asked, worried about the answer her husband would give her.

    "He wants to have a word with me." Cedric said, he chose not to mention the other details since it would simply worry his wife even more. "He wants me to step out of the car and walk over to him. A word in person."

    "You can''t." Adrianna said as her voice broke. "Cedric, you can''t step out. You can''t leave us. Out there he can kill you, all it takes is a bullet. He won''t hesitate to kill you."

    "Adrianna, if I don''t go out there he will kill all of us in this car." Cedric said as he looked at his driver and Dave. "I cannot let that happen."

    "Cedric, please." Adrianna begged. "We can find a way out of this."

    Suddenly Cedric''s phone began to ring again, he was sure it was Aiden.

    "You''re taking too long." Aiden said in an impatient tone.

    "Give me a few more minutes." Cedric said.

    "Fine, but if you don''t step out in five minutes I will have your car bombed till your little family is dead," Aiden threatened as he dropped the call.

    "Cedric." Adrianna cried. She was afraid of what would happen next, it seemed that the past few days had been nothing but a series of unfortunate events.

    "Adrianna, I will do my best not to get killed." Cedric promised his wife. "I am doing this for you and for our son."

    "I can''t live without you Cedric." Adrianna cried.

    "It''s for the best Adri." Cedric said as he kissed her again. He made sure to savor everything about their kiss, how soft her lips were, how sweet she tasted against his tongue, how she moaned as he probed his tongue into her wanting mouth.

    As they broke off Adrianna frowned.

    "Don''t let that kiss be thest." She told her husband.

    "If it were, it was one hot kiss." Cedric said with a wink.

    He bent down to look his son in the eyes and hugged him.

    "Daddy has to go talk to the bad man now, take care of mommy for me, alright?" Cedric told his son.

    "Take care daddy, be smarter than the bad man." Emilio said with a smile.

    "Daddy loves you Emilio." Cedric said as he patted his son.

    "It was an honor having you both work for me." Cedric said as he turned to face Dave and his driver. "Please take care of my wife and son if anything should happen to me."

    "Sir, nothing will happen to you, I have faith." Dave said with a weak smile. "Good must always triumph over evil."

    "We aren''t always good Dave." Cedric said with augh.

    "But we aren''t evil." Dave said with a smirk.

    Cedric nodded and opened the door. He made sure to step out and close the door quickly so that any snipers in the area would not have the opportunity to shoot at the passengers of the car.

    He was tired of having people die because of him.

 Chapter 494 - 494

    Cedric walked up Aiden and his men as confidently as he could. He was definitely nervous and worried, at any moment Aiden could have him killed with him out in the open like this.

    "Rx Cedric, I won''t kill you." Aiden said, as if reading Cedric''s mind. "I actually like you, and I think we could end things at a mutual benefit." Aiden said as he approached.??

    "Tell me what you meant earlier." Cedric demanded as he struggled to keep a nk expression.

    "What''s the rush Cedric?" Aiden asked as he red at Cedric. "Your men aren''t here yet."

    "So you knew all along?" Cedric asked with a smirk.

    "Of course I knew you were dying." Aidenughed. "You need the time for your men to arrive, I still outnumber you."

    "So why won''t you answer my question?" Cedric asked. "What do you mean my uncles didn''t know?"

    "Because the brat faked her kidnapping." Aiden said angrily. "My mom and dad helped her. She was crying on the side of the street and they picked her up."

    "That doesn''t mean they didn''t hold her for ransom." Cedric quickly said. He soon regretted opening his mouth as Aiden pointed a gun at him.

    "You dare im that my parents were bad people?" Aiden asked. "Your judgement has been too heavily influenced by those old fats!"

    "Prove that they were innocent." Cedric said bravely.

    "Did your elders show you any proof that Katerina was held for ransom?" Adrian asked with a grin.

    "No, but I believe them." Cedric said.

    "You are a fool to believe their words." Aiden scoffed. "If they told you to jump out of a building, will you blindly do so?"

    "Of course not, and they would never ask me to do that." Cedric responded in an angry tone. "This isn''t the first time they have lied to you either. They lied about Ram''s parentage, they lied about your mom''s illness."

    "How did you know about my mom?" Cedric asked in shock. He was surprised Aiden knew something he had just recently learned.

    "Cedric, I know more than you." Aiden said with augh. "And that''s not all they lied about, I suggest you look into Miguel Chan''s surviving child."

    "Uncle Miguel?" Cedric asked, he was sure his friend didn''t have a child so he thought of his friend''s uncle instead whom the miracle doctor was named after. "You know about his child?"

    "I know someone left a message about the missing child, that the child is alive and well." Aiden said with a grin. "You see Cedric, they have done nothing but lie to you."

    "You can''t fool me Aiden, I know you are trying to trick me." Cedric hissed.

    "Cedric, Cedric, Cedric, you are too trusting of them." Aiden said as he shook his head. "The fact of the matter is, Katerina Sebastian ran from home. Her father overreacted and dragged the Laurences along. There were no kidnapping demands sent, but they simply assumed that Katerina was taken for money."

    "Then how would you exin them finding out where Katerina was?" Cedric felt like the story didn''t add up.

    "My parents called them to say where Katerina could be found, it was that simple." Aiden frowned as he said this. "Their goodwill was misinterpreted!" He added angrily.

    "Then why did they leave?" Cedric asked. "Why didn''t they wait for uncle Jose and uncle Benedicto to arrive?"

    "My father owed someone money, they hired the Laurences gang to get my dad to pay up. Of course my dad would avoid them." Aiden exined in a calm tone that somewhat worried Cedric.

    "I still don''t believe you." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "You are so daft Cedric!" Aiden said with a sigh.

    "They have no reason to lie to me." Cedric insisted again.

    "Suit yourself -" As Aiden spoke a gunshot ran in the air and Cedric saw a spark as the bullet seemed to hit something behind Aiden.

    "Ah, my cue to leave." Aiden said as his men raised their guns and pointed it at Cedric. "How stupid are you people?" Aiden asked.

    "I hope you got your girlfriend." Cedric grinned. He knew that Aiden would assume that Jen was at the Reyes Mansion so he had her moved to a safehouse at the other end of the city.

    "I knew she wasn''t at the Reyes Mansion, Cedric." Aiden said with a smile. "I''m no fool."

    Cedric red as he waited for Aiden to reveal if he had figured out where Cedric had moved Jen.

    "I needed you to move your people so I could get to her." Aiden said with a smile. "Plus points to you for thinking outside of the box, she wasn''t at my first few guesses, but myst one paid off. I hope you enjoy burying the bodies I left."

    "You maniac." Cedric said angrily, he knew what Aiden meant, his men probably killed everyone in each location, or at least all of the guards.

    "You are weak." Aiden said with augh. "You attach yourself to every single person that works for you when they should beying down their lives for you! At least your uncles and your father had the guts to kill."

    "Caring is not a weakness." Cedric said angrily. "Even you have someone you care about." As he said this Cedric smiled knowing he had hit a nerve.

    To Cedric''s surprise Aiden simplyughed at him as if he was a crazy man.

    "That bitch?" Aiden asked with a grin. "I just needed to tie some loose ends. I couldn''t have her talking to you any further."

    Cedric was stunned at Aiden''s words, he thought Aiden would at least save Jen even if he didn''t care about her. But if Aiden meant what Cedric was thinking then it seemed like the man before him had no heart.

    "That''s right." Aiden said with a devilish grin. "That whore Selina knows her family right?" Aiden asked Cedric.

    Cedric was too shocked to respond.

    "Give her body to her parents, I''m sure they will not be happy to hear that you tortured and killed their child." Aiden said with augh.

    "You''re a monster." Cedric said angrily. He did not like Jen but he didn''t feel like she deserved to die at her lover''s hands.

    "No Cedric. You are just weak." Aiden said with a grin as he boarded his helicopter. "I won''t kill you yet Cedric Reyes. We have a lot to catch up on when we meet again."

 Chapter 495 - 495

    Cedric ran for cover as he heard bullets being shot, he was sure that they wereing from both sides. Aiden''s men were trying to cover for him while his own men were trying to take Aiden''s helicopter down.

    He was so close to his car when Cedric fell to the ground and he felt a pain in his shoulder and he fell to the ground.??

    No one in particr was shooting at him, Aiden must have ordered his men not to, but a bullet had stayed and hit him. He saw the door to his car open slightly.

    "No! Don''t!" Cedric shouted over the noise, it seemed whoever had tried to open the door had heard him and closed the door once again.

    Cedric got up and ran to his car, he managed to lean against the car and was using it as a shield against the bullets.

    As he took shelter another bullet hit him in the leg, he struggled to power through the pain as he resisted crying out. He knew that if the people inside the car heard him they would risk themselves and open the door.

    He noticed that Aiden''s men had begun retreating, some that had been shot, injured or killed, stayed in ce, while those that were able drove away.

    Eventually the shooting stopped and the barricade that was blocking Cedric''s car was gone, save for a few cars whose upants were now dead or dying.

    Cedric could feel himself growing faint, he had lost a lot for blood from his two gunshot wounds and was barely holding himself together.

    "Miguel!" Cedric shouted as he called for his friend.

    It seemed that the others had seen him take the shot as thest thing his saw was Miguel running over with his first aid kit.

    The next moment Cedric saw nothing but darkness.

    "Adrianna stay in the car with Emilio!" Alexi shouted as he watched Miguel try to stop the bleeding.

    "Alexi what is happening?" Adrianna shouted through the slightly opened door.

    "Cedric was shot, twice." Alexi quickly answered. "Yoyo, doesn''t have to see this."

    "How is he?" Adrianna asked in a worried tone. She swore she would not cry, she was worried, but she had to stay brave for her son.

    "Mommy, daddy will be fine." Emilio said as he looked up at his mother.

    Adrianna was shocked with what her son said, she didn''t think he understood the situation. Even earlier when the little boy had tried to open the door for his father she was shocked, he had the presence of mind to try to let Cedric back in.

    "I know Yoyo." Adrianna said as she hugged her son tightly.

    "Daddy wanted me to close the door to protect us, I know daddy wouldn''t have liked it if anyone else got hurt." Emilio said, once more shocking Adrianna.

    "Yoyo, you''re such a smart boy." Adrianna said as she kissed her son.

    She looked out the window and saw Miguel and Ray cing Cedric into Miguel''s car before driving off in a hurry.

    Adrianna wanted to ask the driver to follow them, but she also wanted to make sure that everyone was safe. Cedric was in good hands, Ray and Miguel were with him and there was nothing else that she could do.

    "Adri." Alexi said as he opened the car door. "Miguel and Ray brought Cedric to the hospital, Nicole is also with them."

    "Is anyone else injured?" Adrianna asked.

    "Some of the security team, Leon is badly hit, he was in the car tailing you that exploded." Alexi said with a frown. "We thought no one had survived, but it seems that Leon got lucky."

    "Cedric would have been devastated if Leon had died." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "His injuries were bad, but Nicole said he will survive." Alexi exined. "We were able to get to him before Cedric so he is already on the way to Saints for treatment."

    "Alexi, how are the others?" Adrianna asked, worried about her friends, her parents and her inws.

    "Thankfully no one else was injured." Alexi said with a sigh. "There were no deaths here on our end, but there were massacres in all the safehouses."

    "So Aiden got Jen?" Adrianna asked.

    "Most probably, I have someone confirming it now." Alexi exined.

    "Why would he attack all the safe houses if Jen was at the Reyes Mansion?" Adrianna asked.

    "Adrianna, only the Reyes Mansion was spared." Alexi said with a frown. "We moved Jen to a different location since keeping her at the Reyes Mansion was an obvious choice."

    "But Aiden was one step ahead of you guys." Adrianna added.

    "Yes he was." Alexi nodded in agreement.

    "Will we bury mom in the mausoleum first?" Adrianna asked as she looked at the cold structure that stood on a hill.

    "If that''s what you want." Alexi said. "Ayanna and Uncle Emilio said to ask you and Cedric what to do, but Cedric is injured at the moment."

    "I think Cedric would want his momid to rest first." Adrianna said.

    "Let me ride with you then." Alexi said as he climbed into the car.

    "Please drive us up." Adrianna told the driver, who simply nodded and did as she asked.

    When they arrived at the mausoleum Selina and her brother Helios suddenly ran over to the car, but they headed to the front passenger''s seat.

    "Dave, bro, are you alright?" Helios asked in a worried tone.

    "Yes, Mr. Reyes saved us." Dave said with a thankful look in his eyes.

    "You know each other?" Adrianna asked Dave and the twins.

    "Yes Adrianna." Selina said with a nod. "Dave is my brother''s best friend from University. Didn''t Cedric mention it to you?"

    "It wasn''t something worth mentioning." Dave quickly injected. "It''s my personal life Selina, I don''t mix it with work."

    "I thought Dave was just some rich kid Cedric took pity on and hired." Adrianna admitted.

    "Adri, it''s much more than that." Ayanna said as she approached and pulled her sister-inw into a hug. "My brother will be fine, have faith."

    "Daddy said uncle Miguel is the best doctor in the world, if anyone can help daddy it will be uncle Miguel!" Emilio suddenly said from inside the car.

    Adrianna turned and smiled at her son, she was thankful for his positivity. She picked him up and let him run over to his uncles and aunts.

    "Adri, I think Cedric would want Prisciid to rest first." Emilio Reyes said as he approached his daughter-inw.

    Adrianna looked at the man and nodded. In just a few days Emilio Reyes had aged, it was clear how heartbroken he was over his wife''s death. His hair had turned gary and the wrinkles in his skin had begun to appear, gone was the once youthful glow that came from his smile.

    "I think he would have wanted that too dad." Adrianna added.

    "Shall we then?" Emilio Reyes said as he led the way into the mausoleum.

    Inside, Adrianna almost broke down when she saw where Mia had been interred. It was right next to where Prici Reyes would be ced to rest.

    "Cedric asked if Mia could have that spot." Emilio Reyes told Adrianna. "She died protecting you so she deserves a ce of honor." Emilio said as he nodded in agreement.

    "The elders of the Reyes Family are alright with this?" Adrianna asked.

    "They didn''t have a choice, Cedric''s word isw now." Emilio said with a smile. "Mia had a long life ahead of her, it was unfairly taken away. Prisci on the other hand, well, she knew her time wasing soon. She was sick and she wanted to go on her own terms. She left me heartbroken, but I understand what she did."

    Adrianna hugged her father-inw as he said this. She felt the tears trickle down from her cheek as Ayanna joined as well.

    The groupid Prisci rin - Reyes to rest as her son fought for his life in the hospital.

 Chapter 496 - 496

    Miguel leaned back and closed his eyes as he copsed on the couch.

    "Here!" Ray said as he tossed Miguel a bottle of water. ??

    Miguel caught it and unscrewed the cap as he took deep breaths.

    "He''ll be fine." Miguel muttered right before taking a big gulp of water. He was exhausted, he had not only operated on Cedric, but on Cedric''s bodyguard, Leon, as well.

    Initially he thought Cedric''s injury would be simple, but the bullet on Cedric''s shoulder had ended up too close to a major artery, one wrong move and his friend''s life would have ended.

    Leon on the other hand just had too much injuries, it wasn''t unexpected since Leon was the sole survivor from the exploded van.

    "Of course Cedric will be fine." Ray said with a nod as he sat next to his friend on the couch.

    "I haven''t exactly had a good record as ofte." Miguel said with a frown.

    "There was nothing you could do about auntie Prisci." Ray said, shaking his head. "You and Nicole said it yourselves, even if auntie had survived her injuries, she didn''t have long left because of the cancer."

    "Jam and Auntie aren''t exactly the first patients I''ve lost." Miguel said with a sigh. "There are some that have died a while after I operated on them, but Jam was the first that I had tried so desperately to save."

    "You don''t have to talk about this if you aren''t ready Miguel." Ray said as he ced his hand on Miguel''s shoulder.

    Miguel shook his head.

    "I wanted to save auntie too." Miguel said with a sigh. "If I had known sooner that those charts Nicole had been showing me for years were auntie Prisci''s I would have found a way to save her."

    "You can''t save everyone Miguel." Ray said with a frown. "It was Aiden''s and Jen''s fault, they were the ones that killed auntie and Mia. They also killed everyone in Leon''s van, I question whether people like that are even people at all. They are heartless."

    "Let''s go check on Cedric." Miguel said, pushing the topic aside.

    Miguel''s office was on the top floor of the Saints Hospital main building while the VIP wards were on the floor below. He and Ray decided to take the stairs to get to Ceric''s room.

    Just as they were about to enter the VIP room, Ray''s phone began to ring.

    "It''s Alexi." Ray said as he pointed out.

    "Let''s take the call in the other VIP room, Cedric is still recovering and I don''t want to wake him before he is ready." Miguel said as he pointed towards the room directly across Cedrics.

    Ray nodded as he picked up the call and walked over to the opposite room.

    "Wait, I''m with Miguel." Ray said as he closed the door behind him. "I''ll put you on speaker." He told Alexi as he ced the phone on the table.

    "What is it?" Ray asked.

    "How''s Cedric and Leon?" Alexi asked.

    "Cedric is recovering, he hasn''t woken up yet but his injuries are healing nicely." Miguel said. "As for Leon, it will take him longer to recover, his injuries were worse than Cedric''s."

    "How are things on your end?" Ray asked.

    "We just finished putting auntie to rest. They are closing the crypt as we speak." Alexi exined. "Everyone is shaken but holding on. I guess our main worry is Cedric."

    "He''ll pull through." Miguel said.

    "Good, good." Alexi said as his voice slightly faded. "Look there is something you guys need to know. Let me just get away for a bit."

    "Alright." Ray said as he and Miguel waited to Alexi to speak again.

    "It was clear that the attack was a distraction." Alexi began.

    "Yeah, it was obviously done so that Cedric would pull men out of the Reyespound so that Aiden could save Jen." Ray shrugged, they already knew about this.

    "That''s the thing, it wasn''t just the Reyespound that was attacked." Alexi ryed. "Aiden''s men mercilessly massacred people across all of Cedric''s homes and safehouses. Including where Jen was ced."

    "Shit." Miguel cursed in anger. "Does that man have no heart."

    "It''s normal in the underworld, lives are worthless to people, if you are too weak you die." Ray exined. It was no secret that he himself had ordered for people to be killed.

    "So it''s safe to assume that Jen has been taken?" Miguel asked.

    "No." Alexi said with a sigh. "Jen is dead."

    "What?!" Ray and Miguel eximed in surprise.

    "How? Why? Do you think Cedric had her killed?" Miguel asked, desperate for answers.

    "No, I was there, Cedric''s instructions were to hand her over if the enemy was too great." Ray exined.

    "Plus, there was no one that could havemitted the murder, everyone in the safe house was dead. Each body ounted for." Alexi said in a grave tone.

    "Do you think -?" Miguel began to ask.

    "Yes." said Alexi over the phone. "I think Aiden never wanted her to survive. He probably wanted her dead as soon as he had no use for her."

    "Do you think this is what they spoke about? Cedric and Aiden I mean." Ray asked.

    "It''s possible." Alexi said with a sigh. "I actually thought he might have cared about her, I guess she was just a tool in his n."

    "I suddenly feel bad for Jen." Miguel said with a frown.

    "She made her own bed, she chose the people she wanted to side with, she just chose the wrong side." Ray said as he shook his head. "No one deserves to be betrayed by the ones they love like that, but she wasn''t too far from Aiden. She too yed the same game, it just so happened that she lost."

    "I think we will be heading over there in a while, I''ll keep you guys posted." Alexi promised.

    "Same here." Miguel said. "We were about to check on Cedric right before you called. Although I don''t expect him to wake up anytime soon, he still needs to recover."

    "Nah, he''ll wake up as soon as he hears Adrianna tell to wake up." Alexi said with augh.

    "Yeah, Cedric is the definition of whipped." Ray teased.

    "He''ll do anything Adrianna tells him to." Miguel said, joining in the banter.

    "Look in a mirror you two." Alexi teased. "You are both just as whipped as him!"

    "No, of course not." Miguel said defensively.

    "Yeah, you just look like a lost puppy when your wife isn''t around." Ray teased.

    "Don''t even pretend you aren''t afraid of your wife, Ray." Alexi said, reminding his other friend.

    "I respect her and I am afraid of her brother and father. Cedric and uncle Emilio are no joke." Ray said as he tried to exin himself.

    "Sure Ray, that''s why you rush home every time Ayanna calls." Alexi teased.

    "You guys are such children." Miguel grumbled. "You''ll understand when you get married Alexi."

    "I don''t think I''ll be as whipped as you guys." Alexi responded. "I''ll be more like Eric than you three."

    "Eric isn''t even married." Rayined. "Plus he''s dating your sister, he''ll have it much worse." Ray added.

    "I''ll be different." Alexi said.

    "I can sense you rolling your eyes at us from there." Ray said as he burst outughing.

    "What use is talking about this anyway? I''m not getting married any time soon." Alexiined.

    "At the rate you and Selina are falling? I''d expect a wedding next year." Miguel teased.

    "Whatever." Alexi said in an annoyed tone. "I need to look after everyone now, I''ll talk to you guyster."

    "Take care of everyone." Ray called out as Alexi dropped the call.

    "I bet he''ll be whipped." Miguel said with a grin as he stood up and walked out of the VIP room with Ray.

    "For sure." Ray said with a grin.

    The duo walked up to Cedric''s room and entered to check on him. To their shock when they entered the bed was empty, and their friend was nowhere in sight.

 Chapter 497 - 497

    "How?" Ray asked as he looked around the room. "I thought you said he wasn''t supposed to gain consciousness until muchter?"

    "He isn''t, well he could, but it depends." Miguel said as he looked around in a panic.??

    "Quick, I''ll check the bathroom you go ask if Cedric went out." Ray ordered Miguel who quickly left the room.

    As expected Cedric was not in the bathroom, Ray looked around the room, there was no sign of a struggle. But if Cedric was unconscious he could have been kidnapped easily.

    Ray walked back outside to find Miguel sending out several guards to look for Cedric. They hadn''t stationed bodyguards outside the room, only at exits and entrances to the VIP floor.

    "Did anyone see him?" Ray asked as he approached his friend.

    "A nurse saw him walking out, but he thought it was fine since I didn''t give any instructions to keep Cedric inside." Miguel said, shaking his head.

    "Well at least we know he hasn''t been kidnapped." Ray said with a shrug.

    "Well that''s good, but we still need to find him." Miguel said desperately. "I''m worried about both his injuries and his state of mind. It''s possible for persons who have lost a lot of blood to suffer from temporary amnesia. I don''t even know if his injuries are healing properly, I was supposed to check it when we visited him."

    "Well he can''t have gone far." Ray said as he looked around. "Did the nurse say when he saw Cedric leave the room?"

    "Yeah, while we were talking to Alexi." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "Then that means he''s probably still in the building." Ray said as he thought of where Cedric could have gone. "He couldn''t have taken the elevator, there are guards stationed there, they would have sent him back."

    "Let''s check the CCTV, it should show us where he went." Miguel suggested.

    "Where are the monitors?" Ray asked.

    "Upstairs, in the connecting room to my office." Miguel said as he started to walk away toward the staircase that connected the management floor to the VIP ward.

    Ray followed Miguel as they broke into a sprint as they climbed the stairs and ran down the hall to Miguel''s office.

    "Damn, why did you have to pick the furthest office on this floor?" Ray asked as he panted when they finally entered Miguel''s office.

    "I don''t like being disturbed." The doctor said with a shrug as he opened an unsuspecting closet.

    Ray was surprised to see it open up into a high tech room with multiple screens, the room looked like an evil viin''sir from one of the movies they used to watch as kids.

    "Like it?" Miguel said with a grin as he walked up to a keyboard and started typing.

    "It''s like a man child''s dreame true." Ray teased, when in fact he was actually impressed by his friend''s set up.

    "You''re just jealous." Miguel said, rolling his eyes at Ray.

    Ray''s phone suddenly began to ring, it was Alexi again.

    "Alexi?" Ray asked as he watched Miguel search the videos.

    "We''re on our way to the hospital." Alexi announced, worrying Ray. If they didn''t find Cedric by the time everyone arrived he was sure it would cause a panic.

    "Oh good." Ray managed to respond.

    "Adrianna is nagging me to ask you how Cedric is doing." Alexi said over the phone.

    "Ummm. . . well. . . " Ray began as he continued to look at Miguel''s search.

    "Something is wrong, isn''t it." Alexi said in a worried tone.

    "No, no, no. Everything is fine." Ray lied. "Miguel is just checking Cedric''s vital signs and I got distracted."

    "Oh, so what are the results?" Alexi asked, it was clear that Adrianna was urging him to keep asking.

    "Well, he is healing." Ray managed to say. He didn''t want to use anyplicated words in case his lie was caught.

    "That''s good." Alexi said over the phone. "We''ll see you guys soon then, hopefully by the time we arrive Cedric regains consciousness. I really want to know what he and Aiden spoke about."

    "Yeah, I hope so too." Ray said as he kicked Miguel, he had spotted Cedric on one of the screens but Miguel had missed it.

    "See you then." Alexi said as he finally dropped the call.

    "They''ve left the cemetery." Ray told Miguel. "How could you not have seen the image of him leaving his room?" Ray asked as he pointed at the specific screen."

    "There is a lot to look at." Miguel said with a shrug as he continued to y the video.

    They watched as Cedric looked around to see if the coast was clear then eventually stepped out of his room and walk away from the camera.

    "Where is he going?" Ray asked as he watched his friend remain vignt in his escape.

    As Ray asked this the video was cut, it took another few seconds for Miguel to find the camera that captured the next moments.

    In this one you could see Ray and Miguel enter Cedric''s room as he pushed the emergency stairs open.

    "Are there cameras there?" Ray asked.

    "We don''t need cameras. There were men inside that stairwell, but they were positioned a flight below the door, so the only direction Cedric could have gone is up." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "So he is on this floor?" Ray asked.

    "Not necessarily." Miguel said as a worried look crept up on this face. "There is another floor after this, the rooftop."

    "Quick, check the cameras if he''s there." Ray said in a panic.

    Miguel quickly pulled up the live footage from the Saints Hospital rooftop.

    The sight that greeted them made Miguel and Ray both dart out of Miguel''s office and climb up to the roof.

    When they finally got there, Cedric was still standing by the ledge, looking out at the distance with a dazed look in his eyes.

    "Cedric, don''t do this." Ray called out as he walked closer to Cedric. "Come down and talk to us."

    "Cedric, your injuries have not fully healed, you need to step down so I can check on you." Miguel said as they walked closer.

    Cedric on the other hand did not move, he didn''t even turn to acknowledge their presence.

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 Chapter 498 - 498

    "What the fuck?" Alexi said when he got out of Cedric''s car, he had ridden with Adrianna and Emilio to the hospital.

    There were bodyguards running around everywhere, he was stunned to see them in a form of organized chaos.??

    "What''s going on?" Alexi asked as he stopped one of the bodyguards.

    "Mr. Sebastian, sir, it''s Mr. Reyes, he is missing. Mr. Laurance and Dr. Chan are searching for him." The bodyguard informed Alexi.

    "What? How?" Alexi asked angrily. He was about to question the guard further when he noticed Adiranna and Emilio stepping out.

    "Is something wrong Alexi?" Adrianna asked as walked up with Emilio.

    "No, nothing." Alexi quickly said, shaking his head.

    He looked up and spotted Dave, Adrianna didn''t need to know that her injured husband was now missing.

    "Dave, do you mind taking Adrianna and Yoyo to a nearby restaurant first?" Alexi asked the assistant who gave him a puzzled look.

    "Alexi, I want to see my husband." Adrianna insisted.

    "Dave, a word." Alexi said as he signaled Dave to the side. "Adrianna would you and Yoyo mind waiting inside the car for a bit, we also need to have the area sweeped for possible threats."

    The intrigued assistant could do nothing but follow Alexi to the side.

    "Cedric is missing." Alexi revealed with a sigh. "Take Yoyo and Adrianna to Constetions for lunch, it''s the safest ce I can think of at the moment. I''ll call when Cedric has been found."

    "How can the boss be missing? Wasn''t he unconscious?" Dave was confused as to how his boss could have gone missing.

    "I don''t know either, but I''m going to make Ray and Miguel exin how this could have happened." Alexi was frustrated at what had happened, but there was no useining about it. "I''m sure the whole building was crawling with security, so I don''t know how an injured man could have left."

    "Could he have been kidnapped?" Dave asked.

    "I doubt." Alexi said as he took a look around the area. "The security is too tight."

    Dave sighed and shook his head. "I''ll tell Mae toe over and help. She''s currently with Cami, handling the casualties."

    "No need. We can handle this." Alexi said. "Go and see to it that Adrianna and Yoyo have lunch."

    Dave nodded and walked back to the car.

    Alexi watched as Cedric''s Rolls Royce drove away, he let out a sigh when they exited the hospital grounds and he was sure that Adrianna would not make their driver turn back.

    He took a deep breath and walked into the hospital. Luckily he bumped into one of Ray''s trusted aids and pulled him by the cor.

    "Where are Ray and Miguel, and what is going on?" Alexi asked the man.

    When he realized that it was Alexi that had grabbed him he panicked.

    "The boss said we had thirty minutes." The man said as he tried to hide his face, it seemed he was worried that Alexi would punch him.

    "Where are they?" Alexi asked again, this time practically growling his question.

    "They are at the top floor. The man quickly said, he was clearly afraid of offending Alexi. "I saw them running to the roof."

    Alexi dropped the man and quickly headed up to the elevator.

    When the doors opened to the rooftop he was shocked at what he saw.

    Cedric was standing by the ledge while Ray and Miguel were clearly in a panic.

    "Cedric, Cedric." Alexi heard Ray call out. "Dude, seriously we need to talk."

    "Cedric, can you hear us bro?" Miguel shouted.

    "You guys are stupid." Alexi said as he passed the panicking pair.

    "What the fuck Alexi. Don''t -" Miguel shouted as he watched Alexi march towards Cedric.

    Alexi ignored him and kept walking. When he got to Cedric he quickly yanked his friend from the ledge.

    "Cedric, are you fucking crazy?" Alexi asked as he dragged his friend away.

    "I''m not." Cedric said in a sad tone.

    "Cedric, you''re still injured." Ray shouted as he ran up to meet Cedric and Alexi.

    "Quick, Cedric what do you remember?" Miguel asked.

    "Are you really ying at an amnesia angle?" Alexi asked Miguel as he eyed his friend suspiciously.

    "It''s not impossible, Nicole lost bits of her memory because of Jen. So it is possible with Cedric, plus he was unconscious for a while because hecked blood, that can also result in memory loss." Miguel exined.

    "This is real life, not some sort of drama your wife watches." Alexi said, rolling his eyes.

    "My wife does not watch those dramas, I do." Miguel said proudly, making Ray and Alexiugh.

    "Oh shut up you two." Miguel rolled his eyes and returned his attention to Cedric.

    "I''m fine." Cedric grumbled. "I remember everything." He said with a frown.

    "Why were you up here?" Alexi asked as he led the boys off of the roof.

    "I needed air, space." Cedric said with a shrug as they entered the elevator. "Did you know that Jen is dead?" Cedric asked with a sad look in his eyes.

    "Yeah." Alexi responded in a sad tone. "I can''t say that I mourn her loss, but she was still someone to me and I did have feelings for her. I don''t feel guilty about her death though, she chose to make her bed with Aiden, so this was all on her."

    "All the lives lost, because of me, because of us." Cedric began as he thought of the guards that had been killed.

    "They knew what they signed up for." Miguel said with a shrug. "There is always that risk."

    "But they didn''t have to die." Cedric said in a shaky voice.

    "Cedric, it''s not your fault." Ray finally said as he picked up on the guilt Cedric was feeling. "There is only one man to me in this and that''s Aiden Ortiz."

    "He told me something, and I guess it''s been messing with me." Cedric frowned. "I kept ying and ying over in my head while I was unconscious."

    "What was it?" Alexi asked.

    "He ims that his parents were innocent, that uncle Jose and uncle Benedicto had thought Katerina was kidnapped, when in fact, Katerina ran away and was found by his parents." Cedric said as he recounted what Aiden had told him.

    "You can''t possibly believe Aiden over our uncles?" Miguel asked as he gave Cedric a suspicious look.

    "There was another thing, something I need to know the answer to." Cedric said as he shook his head, ignoring Miguel''s question.

    "What is it?" Alexi asked.

    "ording to Aiden, there was a third passenger in the car, his younger sister." Cedric said, surprising his friends. "I need to know if that''s true."

    "It''s true." An older voice said from the elevator.

    Cedric and the others turned to see their fathers as they arrived from the funeral.

 Chapter 499 - 499

    "Dad did you really?" Alexi asked with a worried look on his face, it was clear that he didn''t want to believe that his father would do something as vile as murdering a child.

    "Dad didn''t kill a child." Katerina red at her brother as she walked over to them. "And I didn''t run away." She said, as she exined her side.??

    "Cedric, will you really believe Aiden over people we have known all our lives?" Ayanna asked as she looked at her brother with a pain filled expression.

    Cedric frowned at how much he had let Aiden''s words bother him, he shouldn''t have, but he was probably under so much distress that it had affected his decision making.

    "Aiden wants to create a rift." Ram said with a shrug. "Cedric, don''t tell me you didn''t see that? You are too smart not to see that."

    "I did." Cedric frowned at the thought of his friends and rtives doubting him. "I told myself and I told Aiden that what he was saying was impossible, it can''t be the truth."

    "Because it isn''t." Katerina said in an angry tone. "Why would you believe that man? Why would you even consider listening to what he said?"

    "Katerina, calm down." Eric walked over to his girlfriend and ced a calming hand on her shoulder.

    "I don''t Katerina, but uncle Jose just said that there was another passenger in that car, a little girl." Cedric said in his defense.

    "That doesn''t make Aiden right." Katerina replied.

    "Kids let''s talk inside." Emilio Reyes said as he opened the door to Cedric''s VIP room.

    Everyone followed as Emilio Reyes had asked and they all piled up inside. Luckily the VIP rooms at Saints were quiterge, the Chans had built them this way considering how many visitors people like Cedric or their other friends could have at a time.

    "Please tell us the truth uncle Jose." Cedric asked in a calm tone as he took a seat.

    "What we told you before is true." Jose Sebastian said, standing by the story he had recounted days before. "We simply left out the fact about the little girl that got mixed into this whole mess. She was innocent, but her parents for some messed up reason brought her along."

    "So Katerina was really kidnapped?" Cedric asked.

    "I swear Cedric, if I hear another stupid -" Katerina began to say before her father cut her off.

    "Cedric has every right to question what we told him, we all have not beenpletely honest with all of you." Benedicto Laurence said with a frown. "We have our own skeletons in the closet, things we are ashamed of. Then there are those that we have had to keep a secret to protect others."

    "So which is this uncle?" Cedric asked in a respectful tone. Despite everything Aiden had said, he still believed that his elders couldn''t have done what Aiden imed, and he knew Katerina. Even as a young girl Katerina had been responsible, she would never run away at the risk of her father thinking it was a kidnapping.

    "We did this to protect someone." Jose Sebastian said. "I cannot fathom why Aiden''s parents brought their daughter along that day, but the girl didn''t die Cedric."

    "So what happened to her?" Cedric asked.

    "Her parents left her when they left me." Katerina recalled. "I wanted to cry, but I couldn''t. I was so scared that I would never see my parents or anyone else, but I had to be brave, because there was a little girl crying even harder than me."

    "Aiden''s sister?" Cedric asked.

    Katerina nodded. "I remember how much she cried when her parents left her, it was as if they didn''t love her at all. They even spanked her when she begged to go with them, I guess it''s a blessing that they didn''t care about her."

    "What happened after?" Alexi asked, leaning forward to hear his sister better.

    "Well, we waited, and waited, and eventually dad and uncle Benedicto arrived." Katerina smiled. "I was so happy but the little girl only cried harder, she thought they would hurt her. But dad and uncle would never, she was innocent."

    "I remember how skinny and dirty she was. It seemed like her parents didn''t care for her, they took better care of Katerina than that child." Benedicto Laurence said, shaking his head. "I don''t understand how a parent could do that to a child."

    "So when the car crashed it was just Aiden''s parents?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Jose Sebastian said with a nod. "We weren''t trying to get them killed, but they chose their fate, they chose to drive off that cliff rather than to face the consequences of their actions."

    "Sometimes I do think that death is a better option for those that cross us." Ray frowned, he knew that they weren''t clean, they had done things to the people that went too far.

    "The girl survived and is thriving." Emilio Reyes added. "Your uncles asked for my help to find her a proper home. I knew a couple that had tried to have a child for years but failed."

    "We promised that we would give her a better future." Benedicto Laurence said. "And from what I can see, she is much happier and she got a better chance at life because her parents left her that night."

    "You still keep track of her?" Cedric asked, surprised that they were updated with the child''s life.

    "Of course, she was so smart and adorable, how could we not?" Jose Sebastianughed.

    "You saw how smart Aiden is, his sister is just as smart and just as capable." Emilio told his son. "As a matter of fact you actually know her." He said with a grin.

    "I do?" Cedric asked as he gave his father a puzzled look. "Or we do?"

    "We all know her Cedric." Katerina said with a smile. It seemed her anger towards him had now dissipated.

    "Who is it?" Cedric asked, curious as to what had happened to the girl.

    "Cedric you''ve also yed a hand in giving her a better life, you did elevate her to the sess she has achieved now." Emilio said with a grin, hoping his son would catch on.

    "No way." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Isn''t she around my age?"

    "No, she''s much younger, she just finished school early." Katerinaughed. "We were even ssmates at one point, I think she was even ssmates with Adrianna in University."

    "Who is it?" Ray asked. "Why do you guys need to speak in riddles, just talk inly!"

    Cedricughed at his frustrated friend. He would be pissed too if people kept speaking that way around him.

    "Cami?" Cedric asked Katernia, he wasn''t sure, but he just knew it was probably Cami.

    Katerina simply smiled and nodded back.

 Chapter 500 - 500

    "Does she know?" Cedric asked as he looked at his uncles and father.

    "She knows that she is adopted." Jose Sebastian said with a nod. "I know she remembers the kidnapping, but she barely remembers her life before that."??

    "We brought her to a doctor long ago. We were worried about the effects of the kidnapping, but the doctor said she was handling the incident quite well." Benedicto Laurence told them. "The only effect was that she chose to forget her family."

    "She chose?" Cedric asked.

    "She didn''t want to remember them." Jose Sebastian said with a shrug. "Cami told the doctor that they had treated her so badly that she didn''t even think of them as family anymore."

    "By the way Aiden spoke about her I assumed she was loved." Cedric said with a frown.

    "Don''t be sad for her Cedric." Emilio told his son. "She got to live a better life."

    "I think she deserves to know that Aiden is her brother." Cedric said as he drummed his fingers on the table.

    "She''s helping out with the casualties." Alexi exined. "You can call her over."

    "I will." Cedric nodded.

    He looked around and frowned. "Did you send my son and wife away?" He asked Alexi.

    "Yes." Alexi said with a nod. "I wasn''t sure what we would walk into when we got here. I thought it was best if they weren''t here when we found you."

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a nod as he looked around for his phone.

    "Here." Ray said, handing it to him. "I figured that you wouldn''t have wanted this just lying around."

    "Thanks." Cedric took the phone and quickly dialed his wife''s number.

    After a few rings Adrianna finally picked up the call.

    "Ced?" Adrianna sounded like she would burst into tears. "Ced are you there?" Adrianna called out.

    "Adri, yes." Cedric said in a loving tone.

    "Alexi told us you were still unconscious, he sent Yoyo and I to have dinner at Constetions." Adrianna cried out. "We should have been there when you woke up."

    "Adri, no, no, it''s alright. Don''t cry honey." Cedric tried his best tofort his wife.

    "I''ll have the driver take us there." Adrianna told her husband. Cedric could hear chairs and utensils moving in the background. ''Yoyo,e on, let''s go to daddy. Dave, get the car, Cedric is awake.'' Cedric could hear his wife telling the people around her.

    "Adri, you don''t need to rush." Cedric said in a loving tone. "I''m not going anywhere Adrianna."

    "Yoyo and I were so worried." Adrianna called out. "We''ll be there in a bit."

    "I''m waiting already." Cedric said with a smile as he dropped the call.

    "They''re on the way?" Ayanna said as she bit her lower lip.

    "Yes." Cedric nodded. "I''ll call Cami over, I want her to know about this. I think she deserves to know about this." Cedric said with a serious look in his eyes.

    "As long as she is willing to learn about it." Emilio Reyes told his son.

    Cedric called Cami immediately and asked her toe over, he didn''t want to dy the news.

    Adrianna and Emilio had arrived before Cami, which gave him time to tell his wife about Cami''s past.

    When Cami arrived everyone was silent.

    "Cedric, you asked us toe?" Cami asked Cedric. She had been with Mae, arranging for the funeral of those that had perished at Aiden''s orders.

    "Did you guys finish?" Cedric asked with a kind look in his eyes. He felt sad for Cami after hearing what she had to go through as a child.

    "Yes." Cami said with a nod. "It was difficult, but it had to be done." Cami frowned as she recalled the sight she and Mae had walked into.

    "Cami, there is something I need to ask." Cedric gestured for her to sit across him.

    Cami gave him a puzzled look but did as he asked and sat.

    "Dad and my uncles told me about your past." Cedric began to say as he gave her a concerned look.

    "Cedric, that''s my past. I don''t think that has anything to do with the present." Cami quickly told Cedric. She was clearly hesitant to relive the memories.

    "It''s nothing bad Cami." Cedric said in an attempt to quell her fears.

    "Alright." Cami said hesitantly.

    "I am giving you an option. To find out the truth about your family, or to continue to forget it." Cedric told her.

    Cami was about to speak when Cedric raised his hand to tell her that he wasn''t done speaking just yet.

    "Cami, your family is involved in everything that is happening now. So I''m giving you the option to learn about it now or not." Cedric told her.

    "I''m not sure��" Cami said hesitantly.

    "Cami, it''s not all bad. You still have family out there." Katerina told Cami.

    "They know about the kidnapping?" Cami asked Katerina.

    Katerina nodded. "Don''t be afraid, you know you can trust them."

    "I know that I had a dad and a mom, but they didn''t love me." Cami said as tears began to fall from her eyes. "I remember my older brother, he loved me, but my parents never let us y. Something about my older brother being too precious."

    "Cami, do you want to know?" Cedric asked.

    Cami didn''t say a word but nodded.

    "You have an older brother that loves you very much. Well it seems like he loves you, he is just misguided." Cedric began. "He thinks you died with your family that day."

    "My parents are dead?" Cami asked Cedric.

    "Yes. Didn''t my father or uncles tell you?" Cedric asked.

    Cami shook her head. "No. I never wanted to know."

    "They died the same day you were saved." Cedric told her.

    "I don''t feel sad about it. Is it wrong that I don''t feel sad about it?" She asked.

    "No, it''s not." Eric told her.

    "They were not the best to you." Katerina told Cami.

    "Your brother grew up with your grandfather believing that you had died with your parents." Cerdic continued to exin. "Cami, Aiden Ortega is your elder brother."

    Cedric tried to read Cami''s expression, but her face remained stone cold.

    "Are you alright?" Katerina asked.

    "I just need to process this." Cami said as she finally frowned.

    "Cami, not matter what, remember that we will always be here for you." Jose Sebastian finally said.

    Cedric guessed that his father and uncles had been very much involved with Cami''s upbringing, that they had be like an extended family to her, additional fathers in a way.

    At least Cami did grow up with a better life.

 Chapter 501 - 501

    After Cedric had told Cami about her family, Miguel made everyone except the Reyeses and Cedric''s assistants go home.

    "Cedric needs to rest." Miguel said as he pushed the Sebastians out of the door. "Visit him tomorrow, he still needs to recover."??

    "You just don''t want me to tell -" Alexi was cut off as Miguel shut the door on his face.

    "What was that?" Adrianna asked. "It sounded like Alexi wanted to tell me something."

    "It''s nothing honey." Cedric said as he pulled his wife into his arms and kissed her.

    "Seriously guys?" Ayannained. "We are still here."

    Cedric rolled his eyes as he let his wife go.

    "Cami, how are you holding up?" He said, as he looked at his former assistant with concern.

    "Do you hate me?" Cami asked with a worried expression.

    "Cami, why would we? How could we?" Adrianna said as she walked over and hugged Cami.

    "My family has done so much bad to yours." Cami said with a frown.

    "You didn''t choose the family you were born into." Cedric said, shaking his head. "But you did choose the person you havee to be, and Cami, you are amazing."

    "Boss is right Cami, you are amazing." Dave said, agreeing with Cedric''s words. "You taught me and Mae so much, we probably would never have survived working for the Reyes Group if it weren''t for you and Ian."

    "Suck up." Ian teased. He and Nicole had stayed behind, Nicole to check up on Cedric, Ian to wait for instructions. He had promised to help the Reyes Family until things were better.

    "Don''t bully them." Cami scolded.

    "I miss seeing all four of you in the office." Cedric said with augh. "Speaking of the office, there will be a fifth member joining you guys, at least till things recover."

    "Who?" Ian asked.

    "Marco." Emilio Reyes III announced proudly.

    "Marco?" Cami asked.

    "Yes, he''s finally done with his vacation and has chosen toe back to work." Cedricughed. He knew that Marco couldn''t stay away from the Reyes Group for long.

    Marco was a workaholic, he needed to work to function properly. He also had another reason, when he had called Cedric to ask if he coulde back, he confessed that he was finally ready to make it work between him and Cedric''s cousin, Marie.

    Cedric was ecstatic when he heard the news and was more than willing to let Marcoe back and call Marie to the head office to help. He knew that the couple loved each other, there were just a lot of hindrances in their romance.

    "Cedric, there is something I wanted to ask." Cami said shyly.

    "What is it?" Cedric said as he looked up from his seat.

    "Did my brother tell you anything about my past?" Cami asked. "I know I chose to forget, but that was back when I was a child, now I feel like I''m ready to face those ghosts."

    Cedric nodded in understanding. He knew some things took time to heal, and for Cami''s case it took decades. He didn''t me her, she must have gone through so much as a child for a little girl to choose to forget.

    "All I know is that he seemed to love you very much, and it''s your supposed death that hurt him the most." Cedric tried his best to recall what Aiden had told him. "He believes your parents were innocent, but even you as a child had confirmed that to be a lie. He grew up alone with just your cruel grandfather."

    "What if we told him I survived?" Cami asked.

    "He wouldn''t believe us. A DNA test would take too long as well." Cedric said, quickly thinking of how they could prove the rtionship. "Aiden would be long gone before we could get the results."

    "You are probably right." Cami frowned.

    "Cami, if you want to seek him out I will not stop you." Cedric told her. "It''s your life, he is still your family."

    Cami shook her head. "I gave up on that family a long time ago."

    "I might have been young at that time, but I chose to start a new life, a life away from those people." Cami added. "I might not remember everything about the past, but I know I wasn''t happy with them."

    "Still, he is your family." Cedric said. "If the timees and you get your chance, tell him you are alive. Aiden was just a child then as well. He isn''t to me for what you have suffered, he was too young."

    "But look at him now Cedric, he is clearly worse than my parents." Cami said, shaking her head. "I saw what he had them do to Jen. He is a monster."

    "I can''t pretend to feel empathy for Jen, but don''t me Aiden for your parent''s actions." Cedric told Cami. "As for his actions today, he is old enough to know right from wrong, and I will hold him ountable."

    "We made sure that all those that died will be honored properly." Mae suddenly said. "They knew that this was a possibility, but they still didn''t deserve to die that way."

    "Did you send their families the money?" Cedric asked. "I know that won''t be enough, but I hope bringing their loved one''s murderer to justice will give them peace."

    The mood turned somber as they thought of the guards that had been killed in cold blood. Those men didn''t need to die, but Aiden ordered their death anyway. Cedric had made up his mind to punish Aiden for killing those people.

    "When will we go back to work?" Dave suddenly asked.

    "Take today and tomorrow off." Cedric told his assistants. "By then I should be in better shape and we can focus on cleaning up after the mess Aiden has created."

    His assistants nodded, acknowledging his instructions.

    "You may all go." Cedric told them.

    At that, everyone except Ian left.

    "This will be harder than we expect." Ian told Cedric.

    "I know, but we will need to keep pushing forward." Cedric said with as smile.

    "We will catch Aiden, and he will pay." Ian told Cedric.

    "Sometimes Ian, I wonder if we are any better than them." Cedric said as he stared into the distance. "We punish people, how are we better than those that we punish?"

    Cedric''s words stunned everyone, making them all speechless.

 Chapter 502 - 502

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    Cedric made sure to give his assistants clear instructions on what was needed, he would be out for a few days at the most.

    "Is the news of Aiden''s attack public?" Cedric asked, he was sure that it must have spread by now. People wouldn''t just ignore a helicopternding in the middle of the cemetery.

    "There wasn''t anything we could do about it." Ian said with a frown.

    "It''s alright, it''s understandable." Cedric said with a nod. He knew that no one was to me.

    "I''m pretty sure they are already calling the office like crazy now." Dave said with a frown as he thought of the amount of work he would need to face tomorrow.

    "Have the PR team release a statement. They just need to say that it''s the same people responsible for mom''s death." Cedric instructed. "As for my meetings, I''ll try toe in in two days, have them moved to then."

    His assistants nodded at his instructions. They all knew what Cedric wanted with how the Reyes Group was to be run in his absence. So Cedric didn''t need to give that much instructions.

    "You may all go." Cedric told them. "Rest today. I know it will be a busy day for you all tomorrow."

    They all simply nodded and left.

    Cedric also sent Emilio home with Ayanna, Ray, and his father. The Chans in turn left as well after running a fewst minute checks on Cedric.

    By the time the sun was setting, Cedric and Adrianna were alone in the hospital room. Adriann climbed into bed with her husband, making sure not to hit any of his injuries.

    "Alexi thinks I didn''t notice, but it was clear that something was wrong earlier." Adrianna said as she yed with her husband''s fingers. "What happened earlier?"

    "I needed some air, so I climbed up to the roof." Cedric exined. He had made a promise not to lie to his wife any more. He would tell her the truth 100% of the time. "Ray and Miguel came back and found this room empty."

    "You must have caused them to panic." Adrianna said with a smile. "What happened between you and Aiden?"

    "I ended up questioning many things. Things I should never have questioned." Cedric admitted. "I regret even letting that doubt enter my mind."

    "It''s normal." Adrianna said as she cuddled closer to Cedric. "You''re only human, you make mistakes honey."

    "I shouldn''t have doubted them." Cedric confessed. "I knew better, but Aiden got into my head."

    "It''s done." Adrianna told her husband as she turned to face him. "You believe them now?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yes, of course I do." Cedric told her.

    "Then it''s a moot point. Don''t even think about it." Adrianna said as she kissed him on the lips.

    "Adrianna, do you think I did the right thing?" Cedric asked.

    "The right thing in what?" Adriannaughed. "You need to be more specific Cedric."

    Cedric grinned at his wife. "With me revealing my identity."

    "What are you worried about?" Adrianna asked him.

    "I''m afraid that you are mad." Cedric said with a frown as he brushed a stray hair from his wife''s face. "We had a deal, I would only step out of the shadows when you could stand on the same stage as me."

    "It was foolish of me to ask that of you." Adrianna told Cedric with a frown.

    "So this is alright with you?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Adrianna said with a nod. "Cedric, it was unfair of me to ask you to hide who you are, a lot of problems we encountered could have been solved if you didn''t hide."

    "Yes, but there were also a lot of things that could have gone wrong if I hade out as who I really was." Cedric told Adrianna. "Aiden would have found me sooner and would have attacked sooner if he knew who I actually was. It all turned out for the best."

    Adrianna smiled at him and hugged Cedric tightly.

    "Ouch, Adri." Cedricined as she hit his injuries.

    "I''m sorry Ced." Adrianna said with augh.

    Cedric simply smiled and kissed his wife. He missed the taste of her lips, he let his good hand explore her body, as he thought of all the things he would do to her when he finally got better.

    Their moment was ruined when a knock came from the door.

    A nurse came in and said she needed to check Cedric''s vitals. Adrianna got off the bed and sat down on the couch.

    When the nurse finally left, Adrianna walked over and held Cedric''s hand.

    "Cedric, I have something I want to ask you." She said.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked as he pulled her back on the bed.

    He began to shower her neck with kisses, he needed herfort, too many things were happening in his life. He needed her to keep him stable and grounded.

    "How are you?" Adrianna asked. "Mia died, then mom, then you almost died today as well. You can''t tell me you are doing fine, I know that''s a lie."

    Cedric smiled and released her. He sat up and patted the space next to him, signalling Adrianna to sit next to him.

    "I haven''t had time to process what happened to mom and everything else." Cedric confessed. "It''s painful, but I don''t feel the pain yet. I know it wille, but I guess I''ve been too busy."

    "Cedric, just know that I will always be here for you." Adrianna told him as she kissed him passionately on the lips.

 Chapter 503 - 503

    Two days had passed since the incident and Cedric was finally returning to work. It would be the first time he would be stepping out in public without having to disguise himself.

    "Are you sure you can handle this?" Adrianna asked him as she adjusted his tie. ??

    Cedric still had limited use of his right arm due to the gunshot injury, but his leg had healed and he could now walk without the aid of a wheelchair.

    "It''s not a big thing." Cedric said with a smile. "I will just walk into the office, like I have for over a year now."

    "Cedric, don''t act like this is nothing." Adrianna scolded him. "This is the first time you are going back without the whole cloak and dagger. You''ll just be you."

    "And I''ll be better protected Adrianna." Cedric knew his wife was worried, about what, that''s what he still needed to figure out. "Before I had toe in through the basement in secret. Or I walked in through the front doors under a disguise. I couldn''t have as many guards around me back then either."

    "Leon won''t be with you." Adrianna finally said.

    "Ah." Cedric said upon realizing his wife''s concern.

    Leon''s injuries were quite severe and it would take him much longer to recover, based on Miguel''s estimates at least three months. In the meantime, Leon had insisted on nning Cedric''s new security detail while he was away.

    At first Cedric had suggested that Leon should retire, he had been so shaken by the death of Mia and their other guards that he didn''t want the same fate to fall upon Leon.

    ''Sir, if I stop I will have nothing'' Cedric recalled what Leon had said when he offered to give Leon a retirement package. ''If you take me off your team sir, I will just look for work elsewhere. And to be honest Mr. Reyes, you are the kindest and most considerate employer I have ever had. So I would rather stay and work for you.''

    Cedric frowned at the memory, he really did want Leon to get some rest and enjoy the money he had made over the years, but his bodyguard was just too stubborn.

    "Cedric?" Adrianna asked as he noticed he had spaced out.

    "Sorry, I was just thinking about Leon and Mia." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "What about them?" Adrianna asked. "About the fact that they were dating?"

    "What?" Cedric asked in shock. This was the first time he had heard anything about this.

    "You mean you didn''t know?" Adrianna asked Cedric with augh. "Wasn''t it at all suspicious that they had the same day off? Or that whenever one would enter the room the other''s eyes would just light up?"

    "No, I never thought -" Cedric said as he tried to recall all the interaction he had seen between the pair.

    "Leon was so torn when Mia died, didn''t you see it?" Adrianna asked.

    "I thought he was mourning a friend, not a lover." Cedric muttered as he tried to process this new piece of information.

    "Cedric, they loved each other, it was obvious." Adrianna told her husband. "Sometimes you are so oblivious."

    "Are you sure they were a couple?" Cedric asked, returning to the topic.

    "Yes, Mia told me." Adrianna said with a smile. "Don''t you talk to Leon at all?" Adrianna asked as she gave him a criticizing look.

    "Guys don''t talk about these things." Cedric grumbled. "I should have known. It was insensitive of me to assume that she had no one."

    "They didn''t want anyone to find out." Adrianna told him. "I don''t think Leon mes you."

    "I should have asked him what he wanted to do for her when she died." Cedric said with a frown as he walked over to therge mirror in their room.

    "I think he was happy with your decision." Adrianna walked over and wrapped her arms around her husband. "You did what was best."

    "I''ll talk to him about it when he gets better." Cedric said with a nod as he fixed his hair. "How did you handle this?" Cedric asked as he turned to face his wife.

    "I won''t lie." Adrianna sighed. "There were so many members of the press and paparazzi, and even just curious people waiting outside of Ind''s Inc. I almost decided not to go to work that day."

    "Did they harass you? You never told me if they did." Cedric pinched her chin and lifted it so that they were looking each other in the eyes.

    "They didn''t." Adrianna said with a gentle smile. "I think they respected that we were grieving, that we were going through so much. Although I''m not sure if they will give you the same space, you are a guy after all."

    "That doesn''t mean I''m not mourning." Cedric said with a frown.

    "Are you sure about going back today?" Adrianna asked. "You are still injured."

    "I''m sure." Cedric said as he held her hand and they walked out of the room together.

    As much as Cedric didn''t want to admit it, he was nervous, a part of him was afraid of how people would receive his identity.

    Many employees had once looked down at the poor assistant, Cedric Reyes. Many had made fun of him and even engaged in gossip.

    As his driver opened the door to his car for him, Cedric looked back at his wife and son. He smiled at the sight of his wife telling little Emilio to behave for his nannies and to wait for his grandparents to arrive to pick him up.

    "Sir?" The driver asked as he waited for Cedric to get in. "Mr. Ian said that we need to leave soon, you have a busy first day back."

    "A moment." Cedric said as he continued to watch the interaction between his son and wife.

    Cedric walked back to them and picked Emilio up with his uninjured arm. As much as he wanted to bring his son along with him to work he couldn''t, the thought of the media flocking at the sight of the little boy.

    But Cedric couldn''t help but think back about his son''s trauma. Emilio had repeatedly asked not to be left alone, before the incident he would sleep on his own in his room, but since the shooting he would always refuse to be alone.

    "Daddy, have fun at work." Little Emilio said as he gave his father a smile.

    "I''ll miss you." Cedric said as he nted a kiss on his son''s head.

    "Maybe when things calm down you can bring him to the office again." Adrianna suggested. Cedric wanted tough, it was as if his wife had read his mind.

    "Adri, I''m worried about Emilio''s trauma." Cedric admitted.

    "What are you thinking?" Adrianna asked.

    "Can you please take Emilio up to his room and dress him?" Cedric asked a maid. "He''ll being with me to the office."

 Chapter 504 - 504

    "Are you sure about this?" Adrianna asked as she squeezed her husband''s hand.

    Cedric had decided to drop Adrianna off at work first before he and Emilio headed to R Tower. ??

    "I don''t want to leave him alone at home." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I know that he is going through things that he can''t exin, that he is too young to exin or understand. I want to be there for our son."

    "He could stay with me at Ind''s Inc." Adrianna suggested as she ced a hand on her husband''s. She was clearly worried about what would happen if Emilio was spotted at the Reyes Group.

    "No, it''s alright." Cedric said with a nod as he smiled at his wife. "You have a lot to handle today."

    Cedric knew that with the loss of Mia, Adrianna had a lot to work on. She not only needed to find someone to rece Mia, but she also had to work on the many things that had been left behind.

    Adrianna sighed in surrender as she looked out at the number of paparazzi waiting for her to step out of the car and go to work. This was the first time Cedric was dropping her off since publicly revealing his identity.

    Cedric and Adrianna had discussed with their family that they would give the media what they wanted, they would show their faces publicly and allow the novelty of the CEO of the Reyes Group to simply fade away and die.

    Initially, they nned on hiding Emilio in order to give him as normal a childhood as possible. But due to the events of the attempted kidnapping, Cedric had decided that he wanted to keep his son with him for the day. Cedric would simply lessen Emilio''s exposure to the public.

    Today, Emilio would get out of the car and walk with his father to the lobby of R Tower, but on his visits after that day, Emilio would be staying in the car as his father entered through the main doors. Cedric would then meet his son at the basement parking, before finally heading up to the CEO''s office.

    "Take care." Adrianna finally said as she leaned over to kiss her husband and son.

    "Have fun at work mommy!" Emilio said as he wrapped his arms around his mother.

    "You behave for your father." Adrianna told her son in a stern tone as Emilio let her go and she gripped the car door handle.

    "Yes, mommy." Emilio said with a nod as he smiled up at her.

    Adrianna took a deep breath as she finally opened the door and stepped out of the car.

    As soon as the members of the media and the paparazzi saw the door opening, they quickly snapped photos, hoping to catch a glimpse of the passengers and of the elegant woman stepping out.

    Cedric couldn''t help but marvel at how elegant his wife looked. Today she wore a peach pantsuit and high heels, as she walked to the entrance of Ind''s Inc. you wouldn''t think she was already a mother. She looked more like a fresh grad with a slim body.

    "Sir, should we go?" Cedric''s driver asked as he looked back at his boss.

    "In a moment." Cedric mumbled as he continued to watch Adrianna walk over to the entrance. "I want to make sure my wife makes it into the building." Cedric said.

    When Cedric finally saw his wife enter the ss doors he gave his driver the order to leave. He watched as the reporters checked the photos they had captured. Cedric was sure that at least one of them would have managed to get a shot of him and Emilio inside the car.

    "Daddy, thank you for bringing me." Emilio said as he crawled over to sit on his father''sp. "Daddy, why do those people want to take mommy''s photo? Only daddy or Yoyo can take mommy''s photo."

    Cedric wanted tough at his son''s question, the little boy already sounded so jealous and possessive at such a young age. He couldn''t help but worry about Emilio''s future wife.

    He smiled at his son as Cedricp pondered how to exin gossips and the paparazzi to his son. How did one exin those things to a smart and curious three-year-old? Emilio was not one to be easily fooled. He knew when people were not telling him the truth, and yet he was still a child that didn''t understand everything.

    "Well Yoyo, sometimes people are just really curious." Cedric began to exin. "Mom and I have been keeping who we are a secret for such a long time that they can''t help but be amazed at your mom."

    "They must be amazed by you too daddy!" Emilio said excitedly as he bounced on his father''sp.

    "Yoyo." Cedric said with augh as he ced his son down back on the seat next to him. "They are actually most excited to see you!"

    "Me?" Emilio asked as he pointed a little chubby finger at himself.

    Cedric smiled and nodded at his son.

    "Will there be lots of cameraster too?" Emilio asked his father as he tilted his head to the side.

    "Yes." Cedric told his son with a nod. "But Emilio, I promise you that next time youe with dad to the office, I will ask the driver to drop you off at the basement where I will be waiting for you. You won''t have to pass through all of the cameras next time."

    Emilio looked up at his dad and hugged him. Cedric was so surprised by his son''s actions that he didn''t know what to do.

    "Daddy, when I grow up, I want to be just like you." Emilio said proudly as he kept his arms wrapped around his father''s neck.

    "Well Yoyo, if that''s what you want then you will need to study hard, you will also need to pass tests." Cedric told his son. He already knew that when it would be Emilio''s turn to lead the Reyes Group, he would need to make sure that his son was absolutely ready.

    He wasn''t nning on making his son go through the same poverty training as he did, but his son would not have it as easily as the other children of rich families. The world won''t revolve around this little boy, rather, Emilio will have to adjust to the world.

    "I will do what daddy asks me to." Emilio said proudly as they pulled up to the driveway of R Tower.

    Cedric looked at his son, he was sure that as Emilio grew older he would not be as cooperative as he was promising now.

    "Sir, please wait a while." Cedric''s driver told him. "The security team needs to assess the situation outside. They are worried that it might be too dangerous to bring your son out."

    Cedric simply nodded and looked out the window. Compared to the people gathered outside Ind''s Inc. there were much more people waiting outside R Tower. They wanted to catch a glimpse of the man who''s single action could change the country''s economic direction, as well as his little heir whom they wanted to see more of.

 Chapter 505 - 505

    It took Cedric''s security team ten minutes to make sure that it was safe for Emilio to step out of the car with his father. They hadn''t been informed that the little boy hade along with Cedric, they only found out when one office employee spotted the photo of Emilio riding the car with Cedric.

    The car door soon swung open and Cedric stepped out. The photographers, paparazzi, and some members of the public quickly snapped photos of him. ??

    A tall well built man with a dark expression stood between the door and the audience, shielding Emilio from the cameras.

    "Are you Leon''s temporary recement?" Cedric asked in an indifferent tone.

    "Yes sir. My name''s Merrick." The man said, introducing himself.

    Cedric nodded and wordlessly helped his son out of the car.

    Emilio was once more dressed in a miniature version of his father''s three piece blue suit. Most of Emilio''s clothes by now were either adorable costumes his aunties had bought, or matching outfits with his father.

    "Do you want to be carried?" Cedric asked his son in a loving tone.

    Emilio shook his head as he looked around at the crowd that had gathered. It was quite evident in his eyes that the little boy was more curious than scared. Last time, his father had shielded his face from the public, so today would be the first time they would see him clearly, it would also be the first time that Emilio would be seeing the people who were obsessed with his family as well.

    "Try not to show any expression." Cedric instructed his son. "Hold my hand, and don''t let go." Cedric said as he extended his uninjured arm.

    Emilio nodded and took his father''s hand.

    Cedric made sure that Emilio wasfortable before finally walking towards therge ss building with the little boy.

    Amidst the shes of the cameras, Cedric would turn to look at his son, he was surprised that the little boy could keep such a cold and expressionless face as the media shouted questions at them. Of course, none of those questions would be answered today, just like in the past the Reyes family would slowly sink into the background refusing anything that would attract too much attention to them.

    But for now, they were the cover of every newspaper, every tabloid. They were the focus of business articles, gossip columns, and social media was filled with news about them. Right now, the public could not get enough of the most powerful family in the country.

    When Cedric and Emilio finally reached the doors of R Tower, Cedric''s bodyguards quickly stopped anyone attempting to enter after them. Cedric had hoped that they would at least be as tame as the reporters at Ind''s Inc. but it seemed that the various news outlets had sent their most persistent reporters over.

    When they finally made it to the elevators, they were greeted by Cedric''s assistants and Cedric was finally able to sigh in relief.

    "They are quite scary out there." Ianmented as he looked through the one way ss that enveloped the building. The people inside R Tower could see everything going on inside, but those outside would only see themselves reflected back.

    "Was it fooling of me to hope that they would be kinder?" Cedric asked with augh.

    "Yes." Cami said with a grin as she picked Emilio up.

    "Were you scared little boy?" Cami asked Emilio as she hugged him tight.

    "No auntie Cami." Emilio said as he shook his head vigorously. "Daddy was with me, daddy always protects me."

    Cedric gave his son a weak smile, of course he would do everything to protect Emilio, but he couldn''t help but think of the people he couldn''t protect.

    His thoughts drifted to Jam, who''s murder seemed to be all but a part of Aiden''s plot. He thought of Mia, who had sacrificed her life for his family, in rtion he thought of Leon, who had lost the woman he loved and was still in the hospital trying to get better. And finally he thought of his mom, the most important person in his life, he was supposed to protect her but she had ended up protecting his wife and son.

    "Ced?" Came Ian''s voice, pulling him back into reality.

    Ian''s face painted a look of confusion as Cedric realized that a tear had rolled down his cheek. He had cried without meaning to, he was d that they were already inside the building when this had happened.

    He heard the elevator door ding open and stepped in with the rest of their group.

    Cedric leaned against a wall as he watched Cami, Dave, and Mae entertain Emilio, who was nowughing at one of Dave''s jokes.

    "What were you thinking about?" Ian asked as he stood next to Cedric. They had been through so much together that Ian now knew if something was bothering Cedric like it was today.

    "I couldn''t help but think of everyone that has died recently." Cedric admitted with a frown. "I feel like I haven''t properly mourned my mother, but I know I can''t show too much weakness. Aiden is still out there, and he can strike at any time."

    "You honestly need a break." Ian said, shaking his head. "Didn''t Miguel tell you to take a whole week off? He wanted that injury to heal first." Ian said as he pointed at Cedric''s arm that was currently in a sling.

    "I''m fine." Cedric grumbled. The wound on his leg may have healed quickly, but the one on his shoulder was taking its time. Even simple moments made it hurt, and it would still asionally bleed out.

    "Please, I know you''re lying." Ian said as he shook his head.

    Ian was about to say something else when the elevator doors opened and Emilio jumped out of Cami''s arms and ran towards Cedric''s office.

    "Yoyo!" Dave called out as he chased after the little boy.

    Cedric smiled as he watched his son act his age, there were times Cedric was worried that Emilio acted too grown up. So moments like these were rare.

    "Why don''t we go through the news I need to hear first, then all the work we need to deal with?" Cedric asked his remaining assistants as he stepped out of the elevator and walked towards his office.

    Cedric knew it was going to be a long and tiring first day back.

 Chapter 506 - 506

    "Ha!" Ian eximed with augh as he read through the articles andments online. "It seems like all they can talk about is how adorable Yoyo is!" Ian handed the tablet over to Cedric to show him how they were praising the little boy''s genes.

    [Future Reyes Heir or Future yboy] ??

    Cedricughed as he read through the article.

    "I better keep my son away from Alexi then." Cedric said with a chuckle as he continued to read through the gossip article. "Emilio, who is your favorite uncle?" Cedric asked his son with a grin.

    "All of my uncles." Emilio said as he looked up from the little puzzle he was solving on the ground.

    "But Yoyo," Ian said as he walked over to the little boy and sat next to him. "If you had to pick one uncle, just one, who would you like to be like when you grow up?" Ian leaned forward as if to tell the little boy to say his name.

    Of course, Emilio was smarter than he looked, he gave his uncle a sweet and innocent smile before finally looking up towards his dad.

    "None!" Emilio said with an angelicugh. "I want to be like my daddy!" He proudly dered.

    Cedricughed at his son''s smart answer, even if he was to ce this kid in front of the press the press wouldn''t be able to trick him into giving them the answers that they wanted.

    "Emilio." Cedric said as heughed at his son''s answer. "Go on, pick a favorite uncle." Cedric managed to say in betweenughs.

    "Uncle Ian might get mad." Emilio said as he looked up at his uncle with worried eyes.

    "What?!" Ian asked in shock as Cedric red at him. He hadn''t done or said anything and this overprotective father was already gunning after him.

    "Promise my son you won''t get mad." Cedric said in a warning tone.

    "Emilio, I won''t get mad. Uncle Ian won''t get mad." Ian said as he patted the little boy on the head as he continued to look up at his father in awe.

    "Wait, what?" Ian suddenly asked as a realization hit him. "Emilio!" Ian said loudly in an irritated tone.

    "Daddy!" Emilio cried out as he saw his uncle''s expression.

    "Really, Ian?" Cedric asked as he got out of his chair and picked his son up in his arms. "You just promised the kid that you wouldn''t get mad and now you are shouting at him?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "Well��" Ian was at a loss for words, he couldn''t believe that the father and son duo were teaming up against him.

    "Yoyo, don''t be afraid." Cedric looked at his son and smiled. "Uncle Ian cannot hurt you as long as I am here." Cedric said as heforted his son.

    Emilio looked at his father tentatively as he hesitated in speaking.

    "Emilio, even if I am not around, people would never darey a finger on you. You will be protected and you will also be strong." Cedric told his son in a stern yet tender voice.

    "Uncle Ray." Emilio suddenly said as he buried his head in his father''s chest.

    Everyone in the room was taken by surprise as Emilio said who his favorite uncle was.

    "You like that thug more than me?" Ian asked in an amused but angry tone.

    "Hey," Cedric scolded his friend. "Watch yournguage around my son." He warned his friend.

    "In what world is thug a bad word?" Ian asked, clearly confused as to what he said wrong about Ray.

    "Emilio does not need to know about that part of the world yet." Cedric warned as he looked angrily at Ian.

    "Woah." Ian said in a defensive tone as he backed up a little bit.

    "Uncle Ray is so powerful that hemands the whole underworld!" Emilio eximed excitedly that he jumped a little in Cedric''s arm.

    Cedric almost dropped him in shock as he heard his son talk about how Ray controlled the underbelly of the country.

    "Emilio, where did you hear about that?" Cedric asked his son as he was forced to put the little boy down on the ground.

    Emilio looked up at his dad as his eyes began to water, he was about to burst into tears. Unfortunately for Emilio he had already used this technique on Cedric in the past when he didn''t want to get scolded. So Cedric simply rolled his eyes at his son.

    "I''m not falling for that again, Emilio!" Cedric said sternly to his son. He had no n of falling for the little boy''s tricks again.

    "Daddy!" Emilio cried. "I don''t want to." Emilio said as he shook his head vigorously.

    "Yoyo, you better tell your dad before he gets mad." Dave told the kid.

    Cedric knew that Emilio''s real favorite was Dave, he saw Cedric''s assistant as an older brother rather than as an uncle. That''s why Emilio didn''t say that his favorite uncle was uncle Dave.

    "The man told me." Emilio said in a soft tone.

    "What?" Cedric asked in surprise. His son rarely interacted with people who weren''t from the Reyes family or members of their staff. "What man Emilio?" Cedric asked.

    "The man that visited me at home." Emilio told his father, it was clear in his voice that he was afraid of what Cedric would have to say and how he would react.

    Emilio quickly ran behind Dave, seeking shelter behind his older brother.

    "You know, there isn''t anything I can do to protect you right?" Dave asked the little boy as he picked him up. "You better tell your father about this man, it''s not safe Yoyo."

    Emilio looked tentatively between his Uncle Dave and his father.

    "Just tell him Yoyo." Dave encouraged the child in his arms.

    "There was a man that visited me at the Reyes Mansion when I was with grandpa yesterday." Emilio finally said.

    "Did he give you his name?" Cedric asked as he tried to control his anger. He wasn''t mad at his son, he was mad at the security team, how could a stranger have approached his son inside thepound.

    "He said he was my friend." Emilio told the adults with an innocent and worried look on his face.

    "Did he tell you his name?" Cedric asked his son again, he was now more worried because it seemed that his son was protecting this mysterious man.

    Emilio hesitated for a but before finally speaking up. "He told me to call him Uncle Aiden."

    At that Cedric felt the world drop around him.

 Chapter 507 - 507

    "This was yesterday?" Cedric asked his son in a very concerned voice.

    "Yes daddy, while you were at the hospital." Emilio said with a nod. ??

    Cedric tried to read his son''s expression, he was waiting for Emilio to show that he was scared or at least that he didn''t like Aiden, but Emilio was just smiling.

    "Emilio, was this man, this uncle Aiden nice to you?" Cedric asked, he was worried that Aiden was trying to turn his son against him. How was he even able to get into thepound, Cedric had already heightened the security.

    "Yes," Emilio said with a nod as he continued to smile. "He said he was daddy''s friend. He even offered to give me a lollipop, but daddy told me not to ept food from strangers, so I said no."

    "Emilio! I also told you not to talk to strangers!" Cedric said angrily as he shouted at the little boy. He was starting to lose his temper, if Aiden could make it inside the Reyes Compound without him detecting, how much damage more could that man cause.

    "Cedric." Cami said in a soft tone as she nudged her head towards Emilio''s direction. Cedric''s son was now hugging Dave''s leg and hiding behind the assistant.

    "Emilio," Cedric said in a stern tone. "Come here." He ordered.

    "Cedric!" Ian scolded as he watched Emilio step away from his father. "You are scaring your son, and quite honestly you are worrying us too."

    Cedric sighed and walked over to his son, as Cedric approached Emilio took another step back as he hid fully behind Dave''s legs.

    Dave looked at his boss with an awkward expression, as much as he didn''t want to stand in between his boss and his son, Dave loved Emilio like a little brother. He wanted to protect the kid even from his extremely powerful father.

    "It''s okay." Cedric said to Dave as he nodded, telling his assistant that he understood.

    Dave let out a sigh of relief as he ced a hand on Emilio''s head, patting it gently. He knew Emilio was scared, he also knew that Cedric was only worried about his son. Who wouldn''t be when Aiden Ortiz was involved.

    "Emilio." Cedric said with a sigh as he once again crouched down to his son''s level. "Dad''s just worried, I was afraid that Adien would hurt you."

    "Uncle Aiden was nice, dad!" Emilio said, defending the man that had ordered the murder of his uncle and grandmother.

    "Don''t lose your temper." Ian said in a warning tone. He knew Cedric was about to get mad at his son''s words, but what did a child know? Aiden was kind to him, he was in thepound, he never knew that the man was behind his grandma''s death.

    Cedric sighed as he stood up and walked away. He ced his palms against the wall and punched it hard, letting out his frustration.

    "Mae, get Merrick in here now!" Cedric said in an angry tone.

    Mae didn''t waste any time as she rushed out of the office to call the temporary head of security.

    "Emilio," Dave said as he turned to face the child. "What else did Uncle Aiden tell you?" Dave asked, he was hoping that Emilio would be more cooperative if he thought Dave didn''t have any issues with Aiden like Cedric did.

    "Uncle Aiden told me not to tell." The child said with a frown.

    "Yoyo, we need to be sure that Uncle Aiden is a good man." Dave said as he tried his best to exin it to the kid. "Please tell me what he said."

    Dave watched as a look of hesitation crossed Emilio''s face, he was surprised that Emilio would consider protecting a stranger over telling them the truth.

    "Uncle Aiden said you didn''t like him." Emilio said slowly as he hesitated.

    "Not liking him is an understatement." Cami said with augh, surprising everyone in the room.

    Cami walked over to Emilio and took his hand, she brought the little boy to the couch and helped him climb up on herp.

    "Yoyo, I know you like this new uncle of yours, but he is a very bad man." Cami said, again surprising everyone else. They had expected her not to judge her brother so quickly, to try to digest why he had done those bad things, but it seemed Cami had already made up her mind.

    "How do you know auntie Cami?" Emilio said as he looked up at ther with wide eyes.

    "Because Aiden is my older brother, just like uncle Eric is uncle Miguel''s older brother." Cami exined as shebed the little boy''s hair.

    "Don''t you love your older brother auntie?" Emilio suddenly asked.

    "I guess I did, I probably loved him a long time ago Yoyo," Cami said with a frown, Cedric became worried, he knew how painful those memories were for Cami. But she had chosen to open them up for Emilio. "You see Yoyo, my older brother did a lot of really bad things, bad and unforgivable things."

    "Did he hurt people?" Emilio suddenly asked, hitting the bullseye with his question.

    "Yes Emilio, he hurt a lot of people, and people are still hurting because of him." Cami told Emilio.

    "Cami. . ." Cedric started to say, but he didn''t know what to say next, he was at a loss.

    "It''s okay Cedric." Cami said with a weak smile.

    "So Yoyo," Cami said as she turned her attention back to the child on herp. "Will you please tell us what my older brother told you? Can''t you see your daddy is worried? If he is worried, imagine how much more worried your mom will be when she finds out."

    A look of guilt quickly spread on Emilio''s face as he realized that he would be worrying his parents. He was a very considerate child and loved seeing his mom and dad happy with him.

    "Daddy, please don''t tell mommy." Emilio begged his father as he once again tried to pull off his crying trick.

    Cedric wanted tough at his son, this kid was quite ingenious.

    He walked over and sat next to Cami and Emilio. Cedric ced a hand on his son''s head and patted it gently. The little boy looked so innocent nowpared to when he was answering Ian''s question earlier.

    There were times even Cedric forgot that Emilio was only three, he hadn''t even started going to school yet. He was too mature for his age, too smart, and yet he didn''t want to hold the child back, he was clearly meant for greater things.

    Cedric let out a sigh and shook his head.

    "Of course Emilio, I won''t tell your mom." Cedric promised his son. "I don''t want to worry your mom either."

    Emilio smiled andunched himself to hug his dad.

    "Okay daddy, I''ll tell you everything uncle Aiden said." Emilio told them quite enthusiastically.

 Chapter 508 - 508

    Cedric sat on the couch with his son next to him, he caressed the little boy gently as Dave brought over some snacks and juice for the child.

    Emilio looked up at his Uncle Dave and thanked him with a smile. Dave smiled back and sat on the couch across Cedric, Emilio, and Cami.??

    "Yoyo, will you tell us now what Uncle Aiden said?" Cedric asked as gave his son a stern look.

    "You''ll scare him you know." Ian said with augh. He too was a father so he had an understanding of what motivated and discouraged children.

    "Ian is right Cedric." Cami scolded her boss. Despite still being his employee, Cami was one of the few that could directly talk to Cedric without attempting to butter him up. It was because she and Ian had worked with him through the hardest times and they were the first to know who he truly was. "Are you trying to undo all the hard work I ced in?" Cami asked.

    Cedric sighed and shook his head, he knew Cami and Ian were right. He decided to give it a try again, maybe this time Emilio wouldn''t be scared.

    "Yoyo," Cedric said using his son''s pet name. "Will you please tell us what uncle Aiden told you?" Cedric asked his son in a gentle tone.

    The child looked up at his father and nodded. Cedric let out a sigh of relief as Emilio now agreed to tell him what had happened, he was however caught off guard by what Emilio said next.

    "I''m telling you cause Auntie Cami asked nicely, daddy didn''t ask nicely." Emilio said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

    Everyone burst out inughter as he scolded his father, they never expected this three year old to answer the big bad CEO that way.

    "Okay kid." Cedric said with augh, he couldn''t exactly be mad at his son. The child was too smart, and as a father he was quite proud. "Now, why don''t you tell us?"

    "Uncle Aiden told me about how Uncle Ray had a secret life, how Uncle Ray was actually the biggest bad guy out there. I didn''t believe him, Uncle Aiden said that Uncle Ray was a king, the king of the underworld." Emilio said in a proud tone.

    "Did he just talk about your Uncle Ray?" Cedric asked his son. He didn''t understand why Aiden would tell Emilio about Ray, they all knew Ray ruled the underworld of the city, so what was Aiden''s goal in all of this.

    Cedric doubted that Aiden would go through all the trouble just to tell his son stories about his friends, there had to be a bigger plot.

    "No daddy." Emilio said, shaking his head. "He talked about all of my uncles."

    "What did he say?" Cedric asked as a look of worry crossed his face, there were some things that he and his friends had done that a little child like Emilio should not know.

    "He told me that Uncle Alexi liked girls a lot, and that Uncle Alexi would never stick to one girl. He said I should tell auntie Selina that, but I don''t think auntie Selina would like to hear that." Emilio said with a frown as he recounted what Aiden had said.

    "Well, Uncle Alexi has changed since those times." Cedric said with a nod. "And you are right, even if Auntie Selina knows about this she wouldn''t like to hear about it."

    Cedric couldn''t help but feel proud at how smart Emilio was, he knew what he should and shouldn''t say. The little boy clearly cared a lot about the people around him and that was what made Cedric even more proud.

    "I like Auntie Selina, I like her much more than Auntie Jen. Auntie Jen wasn''t always nice to me." Emilio said with a pout.

    "Yoyo, did Auntie Jen hurt you?" Dave asked with a worried look. They knew Jen would never dare hurt the little boy, but they didn''t want to rule out the possibility.

    "No, but she always said bad things about Auntie Kat, I love Auntie Kat, I think she is the funniest and smartest person around." Emilio said proudly as he bounced on the couch.

    "Well now we know who his favorite aunt is." Ian said with augh. "Ayanna will be so hurt."

    "Uncle Aiden also told me how Auntie Kat got his little sister killed, but Auntie Cami is here." Emilio said as he looked up at the woman next to him. "Auntie Cami, you aren''t a ghost are you? I''m afraid of ghosts."

    Camiughed at how silly Emilio''s statement had been, she was however, quite surprised that Emilio had quickly managed to connect the dots and realize that the little sister Aiden was talking about was her.

    "No Yoyo, I''m not a ghost." Cami said with augh. "Uncle Aiden and my family were mean, so we didn''t tell them that I didn''t die."

    Emilio smiled and hugged Cami.

    "What else did he say Emilio?" Cedric asked his son quite impatiently. It seemed getting a story out of Emilio was even harder than getting the truth out of Jen when they had tortured her.

    "He also talked about Uncle Eric and Uncle Miguel and Auntie Nicole." Emilio said as he looked like he was trying hard to recall the conversation.

    "Do you remember what he said about them?" Ian asked eagerly. A part of him was worried about what that bastard could have said about his wife and her family.

    "I think. . ." Emilio said as he looked up, trying to recall his conversation with Aiden.

    "You think what Yoyo?" Dave said with augh as Emilio looked more like he was trying to poop rather than trying to remember.

    "I think he said something about Uncle Eric, Uncle Miguel, and Auntie Nicole having a cousin." Emilio told them, making Cedric sit up and his eyes go wide. "He said that their cousin is alive and that he knows the only person that can take them to him."

    "Him?" Cedric asked, picking up on his son''sst word.

    "Yes, Uncle Aiden said they had a boy cousin, that if daddy found out the truth about their cousin daddy would hate all of my grandpas." Emilio said with a frown. "Daddy, don''t hate my grandpas please, I love my grandpas."

    Cedric was stunned as he tried to process what his son had said, what did his father and his friends have to do with the elder Miguel Chan''s missing child.

 Chapter 509 - 509

    After learning what Aiden had told Emilio, Cedric quickly called the Chan siblings over together with his friends. This news was too big to keep from everyone else.

    Unfortunately Miguel and Nicole were still in the middle of an operation, so Cedric had no choice but to wait.??

    "Sir, Merrick is here." Mae informed Cedric as she brought in some documents that he needed to look through.

    "Merrick who?" Cedric asked with a confused look in his face. He couldn''t remember who Merrick was, did he know a Merrick.

    "Sir, he''s the temporary head of your security team." Mae reminded him.

    Cedric nodded as he recalled who Merrick was. He nodded and gestured for Mae to let Merrick into his office.

    "Sir?" Merrick asked as he entered the office.

    "How is it possible for Aiden Ortiz to sneak into the Reyes Compound and have a lengthy conversation with son?" Cedric asked in an angry tone. "I thought I was clear, no one in or out without us knowing?"

    "Sir, that''s impossible." Merrick said as a look of confusion crossed his face.

    "How is it impossible? I just fucking told you that the most dangerous man somehow slipped through your men and entered thepound!" Cedric said angrily. His patience was wearing thin as Merrick contradicted what he had just said.

    "Sir, no one entered or exited thepound aside from your son." Merrick attempted to exin.

    "You aren''t hearing me Merrick, our people didn''t detect Aidening in or out." Cedric said as he pinched the space in between his eyes. He was getting frustrated, he didn''t know if he wasn''t being clear enough or if Merrick simply didn''t understand what he was saying.

    "Merrick, find out if we have any loopholes in the security around the Reyes Compound." Cedric told the bodyguard. "I want every possible way in and out of thatpound explored. Also, make sure that everything is heightened, I don''t want Aiden getting a chance to get close to my family again."

    "Yes sir." Merrick simply said with a nod as he waited tentatively for Cedric to dismiss him.

    "What are you standing there for?" Cedric asked in an annoyed tone. "Go!" He shouted.

    Merrick bowed and exited the office in a rush.

    "You''ll scare Yoyo!" Ayanna scolded her older brother as she entered his office.

    She quickly walked up to her nephew and hugged him tightly, she wanted tofort him the moment she saw the fear in his eyes.

    "Why are you so angry anyway?" Ayanna asked her older brother as she continued tofort his son.

    "I''ll tell youter." Cedric hissed as he returned back to his desk and focused on his work.

    Ayanna gave her older brother a puzzled look, before finally walking up to him with her nephew in her arms.

    "Cedric, brother, tell me." Ayanna said with a frown. She was worried, Cedric never acted this way, it waspletely out of character for him.

    "Ayanna,ter." Cedric groaned as he kept his attention on the documents on his desk.

    "No Cedric, tell me now." Ayanna said in a forceful tone as she mmed her hand on his desk.

    Ayanna ended up scaring even Emilio who burst into tears in her arms, the little boy had never seen his aunt so mad.

    "No, no, oh baby don''t cry." Ayanna said as she rocked her nephew in her arms.

    "Look, just wait for the others." Cedric said with a sigh as he watched his sister try to calm his son down.

    "No, you are telling me now." Ayanna insisted as she ced Emilio down on the couch.

    "Yoyo, I''m sorry if I scared you." Ayanna said as shebed his short hair. "It''s just, your dad got me mad."

    "It''s okay auntie." Emilio said with a smile as he looked up at her. "Mommy also gets mad at daddy." He said with augh.

    "Woah, Ayanna got mad at Cedric? That''s a first!" Katerina''s familiar voice said as she entered Cedric''s office.

    "See Ayanna, I told you that you could wait." Cedric siad with augh as he ced his files aside.

    "Miguel and Nicole aren''t here yet." Ayanna said as she looked around the slowly filling room.

    "Miguel said he and Nicole are on the way." Veronica informed her with a weak smile.

    "How have you and Miguel been Veronica?" Cedric asked as he pulled her into a hug. He knew that the couple had been trying and failing to conceive.

    "We visited a specialist and she thinks we are just both stressed." Veronica said with a sigh. "Don''t think too much about it."

    Cedric simply nodded and didn''t probe any further, he respected the couple''s need for privacy. It was bad enough that the parents from both sides were looking forward to having grandchildren.

    They only had to wait for five more minutes before Miguel and Nicole arrived in Cedric''s office.

    Cedric let everyone settle down and take a seat, he knew the news that he was going to tell them was quite heavy.

    "There was a breach at the Reyes Compound yesterday." Cedric finally said, shocking everyone.

    "Was anyone hurt?" Ayanna asked. "Is that why Yoyo is here and not with dad? Who was it?"

    "Everyone is fine, but that is what is most concerning." Cedric said, shaking his head. "If Yoyo didn''te with me here to the office we would never have found out that there was a breach."

    "Why?" Ray asked as he eyed his brother-inw, his worry evident in his eyes. "Who was it Cedric?" Ray asked.

    "Aiden Ortiz somehow entered thepound and managed to have a full conversation with my son." Cedric began as he narrated what Emilio had told him and the assistants.

    "What did he want?" Alexi asked as he shifted in his seat.

    "He had a message, or at least I think this is his message." Cedric said as he thought back to what his son had recalled.

    "Eric, Miguel, Nicole, he knows about your uncle Miguel''s son." Cedric announced.

    "He has it all wrong, it was a girl." Miguel said with augh as he mocked Aiden''s message.

    "Miguel, he wouldn''t have risked going into thepound if he wasn''t sure about this." Cedric said as he shook his head. "He also told Emilio that our fathers knew the truth."

    "Can''t you see he is ying on your doubt again Cedric?" Alexi asked. "He knows you are already doubting them, he is just trying to drive a wedge between you and the dads."

    "It isn''t just Aiden that has told me that Uncle Miguel''s child was a boy." Cedric suddenly announced it was a secret he had been keeping since he hadn''t fully confirmed the facts yet. But the coincidence was just too much. "I had Ace do an investigation. The nurse that took care of Uncle Miguel''s wife and child said that his child was a son not a daughter."

 Chapter 510 - 510

    "When did Ace tell you this?" Miguel asked as looked at Cedric suspiciously.

    "Don''t look at me like that Miguel, I would never lie to you." Cedric warned his friend. "I didn''t tell you because I still doubted Ace''s sources, he only told me a few days after mom''s death."??

    "And you now believe this news because Aiden Ortiz, the man that killed Jam, Mia, and Auntie Prisci, told your three year old son?" Miguel asked as he continued to give Cedric a doubtful look.

    "Cedric, he could have nted that information for Ace to find." Alexi said as he took a more rational route.

    "Ace''s source could not have been tainted by Aiden''s people." Cedric said quite confidently.

    "Aiden was able to enter your parent''s house." Ray argued with his brother-inw. "As far as I knowl, the Reyes Compound is one of the most strictly guarded ces in the country. Have you even figured out how he got in?"

    "I haven''t but I have increased security." Cedric exined. "And Ace''s source is incorruptible."

    "All spies can be corrupted." Alexi told Cedric. "We do it often enough to know that people have motivations, if you figure those motivations out you can bend them to your will."

    "Not this person." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Fine." Katerina said, raising her hands in the air in surrender. "If you are so confident in the source of Ace''s then tell us what else Ace''s spy told you." Katerina said with a shrug as she leaned against a wall.

    "ording to Ace''s source Uncle Miguel''s child is a son, not a daughter." Cedric began to exin. "He told everyone that the child was a girl in order to hide him. He didn''t want the Chan''s to take his son away."

    "I kind of understand." Eric said slowly.

    "What do you mean?" Miguel asked his older brother with a puzzled look.

    "You know how those old ancient people are." Eric said with a shrug. "They value sons over daughters. If they had known that Uncle Miguel had a son, they would force the child home. They would take him away from his mother and father if needed be."

    "Wouldn''t they just wee his mom as well?" Nicole asked Eric with a curious look. Her eyes darted between her older brother and her boyfriend, Ian.

    "Your''s and Ian''s situation is different from that of Uncle Miguel''s." Eric exined as he sensed what his sister wanted to ask. "Uncle Miguel''s wife wasn''t someone from a proper family as they would call it. The Lims on the other hand were once rich and influential, even now they still hold connections to the most powerful families. And Ian himself is quite promising in our family''s eyes, so they have nothing against him."

    "I guess it is different." Nicole said with a frown.

    "Even with Ian''s family background they aren''t happy about him, what more Uncle Miiguel''s wife." Miguel said as he shook his head in disappointment.

    "So what does the source say happened to this boy?" Eric asked Cedric.

    "He survived, it was only his mom that died on the boat. The little boy had been home with some of Uncle Miguel''s friends and they had strict instructions, if anything were to happen to Uncle Miguel''s wife they were to take him to a nurse." Cedric exined.

    "And is this said nurse still alive?" Miguel asked.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "Ace is trying to set up a meeting with this nurse. ording to the source the nurse was the one that sent your Uncle Miguel''s son to his adoptive family."

    "Why didn''t our uncle''s friends just take the boy?" Nicole asked with a curious look. "Surely if Uncle Miguel could trust them with his son like that they could have adopted him."

    "Because your grandparents knew them." Cedric exined. "The elder Chans would have known to look for the child from them. Sending him away was the best option for the little boy."

    "Well, he isn''t so little now." Ram said with augh earning him confused looks from his friend.

    "What?" Ram asked. "Do the math guys, if this guy survived he would be our age. Heck he could have even been our ssmate, our employee, our friend. We could have run into him already without knowing."

    "Okay, so let''s say this guy is out there somewhere, how do we find him?" Alexi asked.

    "Simple, ask the dads." Veronica suggested with a shrug.

    "We can''t." Miguel told his wife, shaking his head. "They will only lie. I know I was worried that Aiden was trying to cause a rift but I think we have to find this out on our own."

    Cedric nodded, agreeing with Miguel, he didn''t think it was the smartest idea but it was probably their best option. The fathers had repeatedly given them half truths, this time he wanted to learn the whole truth.

    "Ace should be able to set a meeting with the nurse soon, from what he told me the old man lives in Italy." Cedric exined as he tried to recall the information Ace had told him.

    "Okay so we find this man then what?" Ram asked.

    "What do you mean then what? We ask him about our cousin and find our cousin." Eric said in an annoyed tone.

    "I mean, what if we do find your cousin, will you bring him back to the Chan family? A family that you know will look down at him because of who his mother was." Ram reminded them, it wasn''t easy for him but he wanted them to think about how bad their families could get.

    "We''ll protect him from them." Miguel said with a nod.

    "I don''t think he would be willing to uproot his life just to join the people who cause his parents'' death." Ram said too frankly.

    "Why are you such a pessimist?" Nicole asked Ram in an angry tone.

    "Ram is just stating facts." Alexi told Nicole. "Ram is right, this man will have had a life of his own already."

    "Then we let him decide." Miguel said with a shrug. "It''s not like there is much that we can do if he refuses, but we can maybe at least give him his inheritance from Uncle Miguel."

    "Inheritance?" Ayanna asked.

    "Yeah, Uncle Miguel had some shares in Saints Hospital as well as several businesses including the Reyes Group." Eric exined. "When he died, they were transferred to me since the elders thought I would be the next head of the family."

    "Of course we all know what happened there, Nicole is gonna be the next head. The first family matriarch." Miguel said as he beamed with pride.

    "Then we need to be careful with this." Cedric said as he scratched his chin. "People might im to be your cousin just for the inheritance."

    "Cedric, that part is easy." Miguel said with augh. "DNA test."

    "Okay, so that''s settled, but we have another worrying matter." Ian suddenly told the group.

    "What?" Cedric asked as he tried to remember if he had forgotten anything.

    "Aiden Ortiz." Ian said with a shrug. "First he finds a way to get into the Reyes Compound and secondly he somehow knows about this missing cousin, I feel like there is something more to this, I''m just worried that it''s a trap."

    "We will just need to be extra careful." Cedric said with a nod.

 Chapter 511 - 511

    "Sir, I have news." Dave said as he rushed into Cedric''s office with a tablet and some files. It seemed like he had dug up quite a lot of news.

    After having settled on an investigation into the mysterious missing Chan cousin, Cedric had sent his people to do two things. First, find the mysterious nurse who would know what happened to the boy, and second, to find more about Aiden''s connections.??

    Mae was leading the investigations into the nurse and working quite closely with Ace, while Dave was in charge of investigating Aiden''swork.

    Ian, Alexi, and Ray were quite critical in drawing out Aiden''s people, most of whom had gone into hiding since Jen''s death and Aiden''s attack on Cedric during the funeral.

    "Please tell me you''ve found someone, anyone connected to hiswork." Cedric said in an exasperated tone as he ced down the document in his hands.

    On top of the investigation, work at the Reyes Group had continued to increase. It seemed that since the public knew that the CEO of the Reyes Group was quite familiar with the needs of their customers, they suddenly had more faith in the conglomerate.

    Cedric began investing in new industries, buying smallpanies, funding them, and keeping their original owners at the helm. They all respected him and not one of them grumbled about the big corporation taking over.

    "We have, and I think you''re going to find this quite amusing." Dave said with a knowing grin as he handed Cedric the tablet and spread out the documents on the table.

    "So, we followed the trail and tried to climb as far up Aiden''s web as possible." Dave began to exin. "Guess who seems to be in charge of managing all his underground activities for MT Summit."

    "How is this something that I will find amusing, this is what I''ve been asking you to find out!?" Cedric asked in an annoyed tone as he massaged his temples. "Dave, don''t test me." Cedric warned.

    "I''m not." Dave said with augh. "His name is Keh Cruz, does the name ring a bell?"

    Cedric raised an eyebrow at Dave, he knew that Anton''s father worked at MT Summit and he handled some of Aiden''s illegal transactions, but he didn''t know his first name.

    "Mr. Keh Cruz, 59 years old, worked at MT Summit as a liaison officer and messenger. At least that was his official title." Dave said as he pointed at an employee profile on Cedric''s desk.

    Cedric''s gaze followed to where Dave had pointed, it was a photo of a man that looked like an older version of Anton Cruz. There was no doubt now in Cedric''s mind that this man was Anton''s father.

    "His son is Anton Cruz?" Cedric asked, just to confirm his suspicions.

    Dave nodded as he pointed at another document. "He has one son, Anton Cruz, who is now a CEO of his ownpany. How Anton came upon the funds to build his own business always puzzled me, so I dug a little deeper."

    Dave then took out several files and spread them on the table again. Cedric looked at all the records of bank transfers from MT Summit to Anton''s bank ount, but there were also several others that seemed to fall on the same day as the MT Summit transfers.

    "What did you find out?" Cedric asked as he waited for Dave to confirm his assumptions.

    "Aside from just getting his father''smission from MT Summit, the Cruz father and son duo were taking their cut from people that owed MT Summit money." Dave pointed out as he showed Cedric the transactions.

    "So Keh Cruz would tell the debtor, if you give this amount to MT Summit and this to me we won''t add fines, or he will lower the amount owed?" Cedric asked as he tried to guess the tactic Keh Cruz had done.

    "Something like that." Dave said with a nod.

    "And Aiden didn''t fire this man? Did he even know Keh Cruz was stealing from him?" Cedric asked. if it were him that was being stolen from he would have fired the person. He was sure that Aiden would have done something much much worse.

    "That''s what we find odd." Dave said as he scratched his head. "But we looked deeper into it and found out that a year ago all of the top executives of MT Summit were fired, any in the past year every single one of them has turned up dead."

    "Aiden did it?" Cedric asked.

    "Could be Aiden, could be Keh, it could even be Anton." Dave said with a shrug.

    "We could interrogate Anton, but he would never show up here." Cedric said as he thought of how he could bait both Anton and Keh.

    "He might not, but his wife is a social climbing whore." Dave said with a grin.

    "Let me guess, Emilio''s birthday party." Cedric asked as heughed. Who knew his son''s fourth birthday would be a part of their ploy.

    "Sir, it''s the perfect bait." Dave told Cedric in an attempt to convince him.

    "Dave, you''ve been working for me for a while." Cedric said with a serious look. "You should know by now that my family does not do extravagant disys."

    "Sir, it doesn''t have to be extravagant." Dave suggested.

    "Do you know why Ian, Alexi, and Ray made you give this suggestion on your own?" Cedric asked.

    Dave thought to himself but eventually shook his head.

    "They knew that I wouldn''t agree." Cedric told Dave. "My goal is to keep my son as far away from the public as possible, that includes not having avish party on his fourth birthday."

    "Sir, will you at least hear this idea out?" Dave pleaded.

    Cedric looked at his assistant and nodded hesitantly. There was no harm in listening to an idea, and he knew Dave wouldn''t give him a stupid one.

    "It won''t be avish event. It will be simple, and it will be a way for children of rich families to give back to those that have less than them." Dave suggested.

    Cedric leaned forward as he nodded to signal Dave to continue speaking.

 Chapter 512 - 512

    Emilio''s birthday was one week away, Cedric had agreed to Dave''s n on the condition that Adrianna agreed to it too.

    He knew that throwing a birthday party for Emilio in such a sensational way would thrust his small family into the spotlight again, but he had to hand it to Dave, he liked the idea.??

    Dave''s n would not only bring Lorisa and her son to them, but it would also help in teaching Emilio a valuable lesson. Add to that the fact that he would be giving back to themunity with what Dave had suggested.

    "Hey Adri." Cedric said in a loving tone as his wife picked up his call.

    "Ced, it''s the middle of the day. Why did you call?" Adrianna questioned her husband, Cedric could sense the suspicion in her tone.

    "Can''t I call my amazing wife whenever I miss her?" Cedric said as he attempted to butter her up.

    "What did you do?" Adrianna asked in an annoyed tone.

    "Nothing, nothing." Cedric said with augh. He found her tone quite amusing, if the public knew how much the Reyes Group CEO feared his wife they wouldugh at him.

    "So why did you call?" Adrianna asked.

    "I was wondering if I could pick you up after work, then maybe you, Yoyo, and I could have dinner somewhere nice." Cedric suggested.

    "By nice, which restaurant of Ray''s are you suggesting?" Adrianna said in an amused tone.

    In the past year Ray had opened up several popr restaurants and he had added the food industry as one of his new financial ygrounds.

    "I was thinking we could go to Bamboo Room." Cedric said with a smile. "It''s a ssic, and this time we don''t need to go there as some unknown couple. It would be nice to eat in my friend''s restaurant without people looking down at me." Cedricughed.

    "Are you doing this for your own vanity?" His wife asked with augh.

    "Partly." He teased back. "Plus I wanna show off how good looking my wife and son are."

    Cedric knew it didn''t hurt to drop some praises here and there to put her in a good enough mood.

    "Okay, fine." Adrianna said in a happy tone. "I''ll be off at six. Do you think Ray could get us a table for 7pm?"

    "Adri, Ray keeps his table empty at all times now." Cedric said with augh.

    Despite Ray having opened up several high end and popr restaurants everyone still wanted to dine at the Bamboo Room. It was probably because all of his famous and powerful friends all still preferred to eat there.

    "Alright." Adrianna said. "I''ll see my two handsome men tonight."

    "We''ll pick you up. See you." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    As Cedric dropped the call Ayanna came charging into his room with Emilio following her quite excitedly.

    "What''s this news about a birthday party I''m hearing?" Ayanna asked as she sat on her brother''s desk.

    "Could you not do that!" Cedricined. "Those documents are important."

    Ayanna shrugged and jumped off of the table. Cedric sighed at how childish his sister was acting, his three year old son was more mature than her.

    "Dad!" Emilio said as he suddenly appeared next to Cedric.

    "Hey Yoyo." Cedric said, picking his son up and cing him on hisp. "Were you the one that told your auntie Ayanna about the party?"

    Cedric had of course asked his son first if he wanted to celebrate his birthday with a lot of people, he wasn''t surprised when his son quickly agreed.

    Emilio had lived a sheltered life, he rarely got to interact with other children, something Cedric hoped would change when he sent his son to school.

    "It wasn''t Yoyo." Ayanna said with augh. "Ray told me about the idea this morning and he called earlier to tell me that you agreed to it."

    "Well nothing is final yet." Cedric said with a frown. "I still need to get Adrianna to say yes." He exined to his sister.

    "She''ll agree." Ayanna said confidently. "Anyway, I''ll draw up a list of event nners, we can also use the Reyes Group''s events team as well."

    "Ayanna, I don''t want to use them to n this. That''s an abuse of power." Cedric reprimanded his sister.

    "First of all it is not. This birthday party will benefit the Reyes Group a lot, anything involving your happy family makes consumer confidence grow, thus making our sales go up, it also increases our stock prices, so this could easily be a corporate event." Ayanna exined.

    "Still no, it''s a kid''s party." Cedric told her.

    "And a charity event. Secondly, they would be more than happy to be involved. Have you not seen how excited the employees act whenever you take Emilio around the building with you?" Ayanna asked her brother, who simply shook his head. In the office Cedric kept his cold and strict demeanor.

    "They adore the new Reyes Heir, let them do it." Ayanna insisted.

    "Okay, but Adrianna needs to agree first." Cedric said with augh. "Speaking of which, it''s almost 6pm." Cedric said as he looked at his watch.

    "What happens at 6pm?" Ayanna asked her older brother.

    "I''m having dinner with Adri and Yoyo at the Bamboo Room." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "No you aren''t." Ayanna said, shaking her head.

    "Why not?" Cedric asked as he gave his sister a confused look.

    "Cause Ray and I are having a date at the Bamboo Room tonight." Ayanna said with augh. "You forgot to call my husband haven''t you."

    Cedric sighed and closed his eyes, Ayanna had barged into his office before he could even call his friend, of course he forgot.

    "It''s okay." Ayanna said with a smile. "Just join us."

    "Can I ride with Auntie Ayanna?" Emilio asked his father in a sweet tone. Cedricughed at how his son was trying to manipte him to agree.

    "Of course Yoyo." Cedric said with augh. He was more than willing to let his son ride with his sister since it would give him some much needed alone time with his wife.

    "Why do I feel like you were the one that used me here?" Ayanna said with augh. "Come on Yoyo, let''s go pick your uncle Ray up from work."

    "Bye guys." Cedric said with a smile as he watched his sister and son walk out of the room.

 Chapter 513 - 513

    "No need to drive me." Cedric instructed the man in the driver''s seat.

    Cedric''s driver stepped out of the car and bowed to Cedric. ??

    "You can go home early today, I''ll be driving my family to and from the restaurant." Cedric informed him.

    "With all due respect sir, I would rather ride with your bodyguards in case you need meter tonight." His driver said in a respectful tone.

    Cedric simply nodded and allowed his driver to climb into the tail car.

    Before leaving Cedric quickly dialed his wife''s number and gave her a call.

    "Are you done with work?" Cedric asked as he settled himself into the car and started the engine.

    "Yeah, almost." Adrianna said in a distracted tone.

    "Okay, I''ming to pick you up." Cedric told her as he started the car.

    "I know, you told me." Adrianna said.

    "No, I mean I''m driving." Cedric said with augh. He hadn''t driven since the public learned of his identity so this was something he missed doing.

    "Wait, what?" Adrianna said in a worried tone, clearly misunderstanding the situation. "Don''t use your phone while driving! What kind of an example are you setting for Yoyo!"

    "Rx Adrianna, I''m not driving yet." Cedric said with augh. "And Yoyo isn''t with me."

    "Oh. Where is Yoyo?" Adrianna asked.

    "He''s with Ayanna, she and Ray will be joining us for dinner." Cedric informed his wife.

    "Well, okay." Adrianna said in a disappointed tone.

    "What''s wrong?" Cedric asked as he sat back in the driver''s seat.

    "I was kind of hoping that we could have the night to ourselves." Adrianna said shyly. Cedricughed at her words.

    "Stop being so demure, don''t tell me you want to have sex." Cedric couldn''t help butugh. They had been married for years and Adrianna was still shy about the topic.

    "Yeah. It''s been a while." Adrianna said with a sigh.

    Cedric stayed silent for a while as he thought of what he could do to make it up to his wife. He understood that she missed their time alone, and it excited him that she craved that too, but they were parents now and their son was a huge part of their life.

    "I have a n." Cedric said with a smile as he formted the idea in his head.

    "Okay, I''ll see you in a bit then." His wife said in a happier tone as she dropped the call.

    Cedric had decided to ask Ayanna and Ray if they could keep Emiliopany for the night. Aside from it being good for him and his wife, he was sure that it would also be good for Emilio to be with other people.

    His son wouldn''t be sad about going with his aunt and uncle either. He loved Ray and would still feel safe with the couple.

    Ayanna and Ray were quick to agree with letting Emilio stay the night at their ce, Ray even went as far as teasing Cedric that they would be giving Emilio a little brother or sister tonight. Something that Emilio was quick to pick up on and began interrogating his uncle and aunt.

    Cedricughed as he heard his son''s little voice asking his aunt and uncle how his parents were going to give him a sibling. He was d that his son was more than happy to let his parents have their alone time and spend the time with Ray and Ayanna.

    With everything settled Cedric could finally leave to pick up his wife.

    He was in a happy mood as he sped through the city. Cedric rarely drove his Rolls Royce, since it was one of his shier cars and it would be quite suspicious if he drove this one around.

    People on the streets watched as the luxury car drove as if it were a sports car followed by several security vehicles. Luckily the traffic wasn''t bad and Cedric arrived at Ind''s Inc. ten minutes before six.

    Since his identity was no longer a secret, Cedric parked his car, got out and walked into the lobby of Ind''s Inc.

    Most of the employees were already heading home when they were greeted by their CEO''s husband followed by his bodyguards.

    Several employees took out their phones and began to snap photos of the once elusive personality. Others were shocked to see him at Ind''s Inc., this was the first time that Cedric had returned since moving to the Reyes Group.

    Cedric grinned as he saw several familiar figures huddled at the corner, he was shocked that Adrianna had not fired them yet.

    He was often a mature man, he needed to be to run a multimillion business, but today he felt like some revenge was in order. These employees had looked down on him back when they thought he was a good for nothing son-inw of the Hernadez Family.

    With Cedric suddenly changing directions, the crowd parted to let him pass, many began to wonder why he was headed towards another direction instead of the elevators to meet his wife. But of course, they were all too scared of this powerful man to say anything, they wouldn''t even dare throw a questioning look at his direction.

    "What''s going on?" Cedric heard a familiar voice as he made his way through the crowd.

    "Honey." Cedric said with a mischievous smile as he turned around.

    "Ced, you''re early." Adrianna said as she walked over to her husband and smiled. "What are you doing in the lobby?" She asked as she gave him a questioning look.

    "Oh, I just wanted to greet some old acquaintances." Cedric grinned as he took his wife''s hand in his.

    "I didn''t know you had friends in Ind''s Inc." Adrianna said with augh, Cedric wasn''t sure if she had caught on to what he wanted to do.

    "I said acquaintances, not friends Adri." Cedric said with augh that echoed through the lobby.

    Adrianna smiled at her husband as he walked over to the group of people that were struggling to remain invisible. It seemed that they had somehow sensed that Cedric was walking towards their direction as Cedric heard their conversation.

    "Do you think he remembers us?" A female employee asked as Cedric and Adrianna neared.

    "I doubt." Another one responded as he tried to deny the fact that Cedric could be out to get revenge on them.

    "We''re too little, he wouldn''t bother with us." Another one said in a confident tone.

    Cedric grinned at how mature they thought he would be, sometimes people also needed to be petty.

    "It''s true, you are nobodies." Cedric said as he stopped in front of them and the crowd parted.

    The group was in shock as the famous couple stood in front of them. Cedric was sure that they wished they could either travel back in time or simply disappear, but he was going to make sure that they learned their lesson.

 Chapter 514 - 514

    "Mr. Re- Re- Re- Reyes." One of the employees managed to say. It was clear that they were now all afraid of the man standing before them.

    Cedric grinned, it was funny how some money suddenly made them fear him. He hadn''t changed much as a person, the only thing that was different was that now they knew he was rich and powerful.??

    "Adri, do you remember them?" Cedric asked his wife as he yed with her fingers in his hand.

    Adrianna gave her husband a shy smile as she nodded. "Yes, if I''m not mistaken they were talking about how I should just leave you."

    "Sir, Please, we didn''t know." One of the employees begged. "We didn''t know any better. We thought you were just leaching off Miss Adrianna -"

    "Mrs. Reyes." Adrianna corrected the employee in a cold tone.

    "M- m- miss?" The employee stuttered as he gave Adrianna a confused look.

    "I prefer to go by Mrs. Reyes." Adrianna said with pride in her tone. "You all used to call me Miss Adrianna as an insult to my husband, don''t pretend as if it weren''t true."

    "Mrs. Reyes, it was your grandfather''s orders." Another employee said, she was clearly scared of what Cedric had in mind for them. Most rich and powerful men would have them fired and tortured for how they treated Cedric in the past.

    "My grandfather wasn''t everywhere all the time." Adrianna said as she crossed her arms on her chest.

    More and more employees had gathered in the lobby, they had clearly heard that the CEO and her husband were teaching a bunch of urchins their lesson.

    "Ma''am we were afraid of your grandfather." One of the male employees admitted in a shaky voice. Cedric could see that it took all his courage to speak up.

    "There were stories." Another employee added.

    "Stories?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow and in a cold tone.

    "People said that the Hernandez family fired people who didn''t do as they asked. We were too afraid." The employee told Cedric in a shaky tone.

    "And you let that lead your judgement?" Cedric asked the employee in a raised tone, he was getting angry. "What if you had ended up bullying two people in love and incapable of fighting for? What if you ended up ruining a person''s rtionship? What if it ended in death?"

    Cedric was now fuming, bullies were some of the people he hated the most in this world and having them stand in front of him, pretending to cover their own asses with excuses was only making him angrier.

    "Sir, we didn''t know any better." The employees tried to reason out as they got down on their knees.

    "Sir, we need our jobs, please you can torture us, just don''t fire us. Please." A female employee said as tears rolled down her eyes. She was clearly afraid of Cedric. She didn''t even care that people had started to record the scene with their phones.

    "What makes you think I will let people like you off so easily?" Cedric asked coldly as he took two steps closer to them and crouched down.

    Cedric was not looking at the kneeling employees eye to eye. He saw how scared they were, how much they feared him, it was something he had never seen in the past.

    "Did you ever think that your actions could be affecting another person as well?" Cedric asked as he looked each of them in the eyes.

    "Sir, we did but -" One employee tried to answer, but Cedric cut him off.

    "But what?!" Cedric asked angrily. "You were all too busy thinking of yourselves. What if that had happened to your brother or your sister, or your children, would you not think of the bigger picture then?"

    The employees did not respond, they were all too afraid of Cedric.

    Those that were not involved on the other hand continued to capture the scene on their cameras. The rich and famous of the capital rarely let people see them truly exercise their power, this was a scene most people would never witness.

    "Sir��" Was all the employees could say before Cedric turned and walked away.

    "Let''s go." Cedric suddenly told Adrianna, shocking everyone.

    "Are you sure?" Adrianna asked, she knew how badly her husband craved justice, how much he hated bullies.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod as he lifted her hand to his lips and nted a gentle kiss.

    Cedric suddenly turned and looked at the employees that were on their knees once more and sighed.

    "Never ever look down at a person like that again." Cedric said in a kinder tone, something closer to his true personality rather than the cold CEO he projected. "It doesn''t matter if they are rich or poor, powerful or weak. You five were unlucky to pick on me, but that doesn''t mean that you can bully others."

    "Yes sir." They responded quickly as they remained on their knees. They were still too afraid to move. Cedric could change his mind at any moment if they offended him in any way.

    "And this message goes out to everyone listening." Cedric said in a loud and authoritative voice. "I hate bullies. I hate people that pick on people weaker than them just because they are weak. The fact that you go after people like that makes you weak."

    Everyone was suddenly in awe of this CEO, they had been waiting for him to act like every entitled rich man they had read about. Bulldozing his way, putting down anyone that offended him, regardless of who they were or what they did.

    Cedric''s actions were uncharacteristic of the typical rich man, and all of it was caught on camera.

    As soon as Cedric and Adrianna left Ind''s Inc. the video of Cedric forgiving those employees went viral. People were shocked to see the CEO of the Reyes Group forgiving people who wanted him to leave his wife.

    "They will think it''s an act." Adrianna told her husband as he climbed into the driver''s seat.

    "Does it matter?" Cedric asked. He was sincere in his words and he truly meant what he said, they had learned their lesson.

    "No, but people will talk." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "As long as we know the truth it doesn''t matter to me." Cedric said, shaking his head. "They did it to save their skin, I can''t me them. But at least now people will know that if there is something wrong you need to stand up for it."

    "I thought you would have me fire them." Adrianna confessed to her husband in a sad tone. She didn''t want to fire employees over something so trivial.

    "I''m not that petty Adrianna." Cedric said with augh as he started the car and drove them away.

 Chapter 515 - 515

    When Cedric and Adrianna arrived at the Bamboo Room, it was as if a famous celebrity had arrived. People were craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the couple, several even took out their cameras as Cedric and Adrianna walked hand in hand to Ray''s private table.

    "This is exhausting." Cedricined as he and his wife joined Ayanna, Ray, and their son Emilio.??

    Ayanna simplyughed at her older brother and shook her head, while Ray gave his wife an amused and knowing smile.

    "So what''s the inside joke that we are missing here?" Cedric asked as he took his seat.

    "It seems Emilio is just like you." Ayannaughed as she patted the little boy on the head. "When we arrived at the table heined about how there was too much attention on him. I guess the little boy wants to be as low profile as his father."

    "You didn''t like the attention on you either?" Cedric asked his son as he gave the boy a puzzled look.

    Emilio looked up at his father and nodded.

    "Are you just saying that so that you would sound like me?" Cedric asked, he was suspicious of the little boy. He knew that children liked attention, they loved it when adults oohed and ahhed at their every action.

    "Cedric, are you seriously doubting your three year old son?" Adrianna asked her husband as she struggled to suppress augh.

    "He is smarter than you think." Cedric told Adrianna as he kept his eyes on his son. If he wasn''t careful this child would manage to outsmart him before he even inherited thepany.

    "I don''t like the stares." Emilio suddenly told his father.

    "Oh my, how will he survive the birthday party at this rate?" Ayanna asked as she shook her head.

    "Ayanna!" Cedric scolded as his sister finished her sentence.

    "What party?" Adrianna asked as she gave her husband a suspicious look.

    "You haven''t told her?" Ayanna asked quickly, throwing the me towards her older brother. "Cedric, I thought you were going to tell her on your way here, or when you arrived, or even when you picked her up?"

    "We got distracted." Cedric confessed with a shrug.

    "Ugh, you guys are nasty." Ayannoined with a shiver.

    "No, not that kind of distracted!" Cedric quickly said in a loud voice as he tried to defend himself and his wife, they really had not done any of the lewd things Ayanna was currently thinking.

    "Well you guys are alway all over each other, what else would I think." Ayanna replied as she rolled her eyes at him. "Honestly, as your younger sister it''s extremely disturbing."

    "Okay you two, stop fighting." Ray said with augh as he hugged Ayanna.

    "Did they always bicker like this?" Adrianna asked Ray with augh.

    "Yes." Ray said as Ayanna and Cedric red at him. "Don''t tell me Cedric hasn''t told you anything about our childhood?" Ray asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Well," Adrianna started as she looked at her husband. "Things have been hectic, Cedric and I haven''t had the time to talk about his life prior to his poverty training."

    "Yeah," Cedric said with a nod. "After Adri found out about who I was we discovered she was pregnant, and it hasn''t been easy taking care of Emilio."

    "You have a house full of staff." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes

    "You know that we''re very hands on when ites to Emilio." Cedric told his sister with a knowing smile.

    "You''re changing the topic." Adrianna said with augh as she caught her husband''s n. "What is this party Ayanna is talking about? I thought you guys wanted to keep Yoyo as far away from the public as possible? Having a birthday party for him will thrust him into the spotlight."

    "Well Adri, it''s not exactly for Yoyo." Cedric said slowly.

    "You are using our son for business!" Adrianna said angrily.

    "No, no, no. Don''t get the wrong idea Adrianna." Cedric said as he quickly tried to salvage their n.

    "You bettere clean Cedric Reyes, or so help me if you are using our son for some ploy I will leave you." Adrianna threatened.

    "We all know you won''t do that Adri." Ray said with augh as he took delight in his friend''s suffering.

    "Well, it''s part of a n, but I asked Yoyo, he said he wanted to have a party too." Cedric said with a shrug as he looked at his son. He had never prayed as hard for his son to nod and agree with him.

    "Mommy, I want a party." Emilio said with a smile. "Daddy said my party will help a lot of people, I want to help people mommy." Emilio said in the sweetest voice.

    "Yoyo, are you sure about this?" Adrianna asked her son. "You know that there will be a lot of strangers there, and a lot of people will try to talk to you and take your photo. You will have to be nice to everyone."

    "Like daddy!" Emilio said proudly.

    "Something like that." Cedric said with augh. He found it quite interesting how his son seemed to associate everything to him recently.

    "So you are okay with this Yoyo?" Adrianna asked her son again.

    "Yes mommy." Emilio said, nodding vigorously.

    Adrianna sighed and smiled weekly. "So will you tell me what this whole plot of yours involves?" Adrianna asked the other adults on the table.

    "Well, I doubt you will be thrilled." Cedric said slowly as he recounted the n to Adrianna.

    Cedric was d that Ray''s table was far enough from the other patrons that they would speak somewhat privately.

    As expected Adrianna did not like the n at all, Lorisa was someone who she despised, she was sure that Lorisa woulde with a fake smile, telling everyone that she, Adrianna, and Cedric were all friends back in their University days.

    "She probably wishes she had snagged my brother." Ayanna teased her sister-inw and brother.

    "She was very much in love with him even after we got married." Adrianna teased.

    "I never liked her." Cedric scoffed. "I was right not to like her, she is just bad news."

    "And now we are making here over to your house." Ray said with augh as he tried to insinuate.

    "Ugh, you''re disgusting." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes at her husband. "There is a child here." she said as she pointed at Emilio who was giving them the funniest look.

    "Maybe we should get Cedric to y flirt with Lorisa." Adrianna suggested.

    "Gross!" Cedric said as he thought of the vile woman.

    "Well we want to get her father-inw, and I don''t mind as long as it''s all pretend." Adrianna said with a shrug.

    "No way I''m falling for that." Cedric said as he shook his head. "This is a trap, you are trying to find a way to fight with me!"

    Adrianna simplyughed at her husband and kissed him on the cheek.

    "So when do we start nning this party?" Adriannas asked Ayanna who was seated right across her.

    Cedric red at Ayanna, he knew that if the girls began nning he would never get the chance to be alone with his wife.

    His sister seemed to catch what he was trying to express and simply gave her sister-inw a weak smile.

    "Why don''t I let you and my brother have the day to yourselves." Ayanna told Adrianna. "As long as we are willing to shell out the money, the party can be nned in less than a day."

    Adrianna smiled and thanked her sister-inw.

 Chapter 516 - 516

    WARNING: SEXUAL CONTENT, THIS CHAPTER MAY NOT CONTAIN PLOTS AND CONVERSATIONS RELEVANT TO THE STORY AS A WHOLE.

    "Thank you for understanding." Cedric said as he pulled his wife close to him.??

    They were outside of the Bamboo Room, waiting for the valet to bring their car up front. The couple had bid goodbye to their son, Ayanna, and Ray wanting to get home and spend as much time alone as possible.

    "You should have just told me from the beginning that you needed to do this in order to go after Aiden, I hate him too." Adrianna said as she wrapped her arms around Cedric''s neck.

    At the moment they didn''t care about the people taking photos of their sweet moment, or of the reporters that had gotten wind of the news that the Reyes couple had dinner at Bamboo Room.

    Right now it was just about the two of them, Cedric leaned in and kissed Adrianna passionately, savoring the taste of her lips. Cedric pressed himself closer to his wife, letting her feel the erection in his pants that had been building up over dinner.

    "Ced." Adrianna said as she blushed, she buried her head in his chest, afraid of others catching a glimpse of her embarrassment.

    "Do you feel that honey?" Cedric whispered into her ear in a rough voice. "That''s what you do to me Adrianna, you''ll have to fix thatter."

    "Cedric, we''re in public." Adrianna scolded as she continued to try to hide her embarrassment.

    "Tell me Adri," Cedric told her as he gave her ear a yful bite."Are you wet for me?"

    "Cedric." Adrianna groaned as she pressed her mound against his erection.

    At this point Cedric was pretty sure that his wife was dripping wet under her dress.

    "When we get home, I will make sure that you are thoroughly fucked." Cedric said in a dominating voice.

    Adrianna always had a thing for this side of Cedric''s, his cold and dominating CEO persona. Who knew that his wife was into the same thing that all those women were after when they read romance novels.

    "Sir." A voice suddenly said from behind Cedric, pulling him out of the hot moment he and his wife were sharing.

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a nod as he tipped the man and opened the door for his wife.

    As Adrianna bent down to enter the car, Cedric stole a kiss and grinned like a child that had ced his hand into the cookie jar.

    "Behave." Adrianna scolded him, trying to be the mature one at the moment. "People are watching," She reminded him.

    "You''re my wife." Cedric said with a smile. "I don''t care, I can lust over my wife." Cedricughed as he closed the door for Adrianna.

    He quickly jogged to the driver''s seat and hopped inside.

    Cedric couldn''t wait to get home and ravish his beautiful wife, if they did not have all those bodyguards and weren''t famous he would have definitely driven the car up to some abandoned area and made love with his wife. Unfortunately his Rolls Royce was now an iconic car that everyone associated with him, the media and all the gossips knew that this particr car was his favorite.

    As he drove along the highway he felt a small hand crawl up his leg, drawing patterns and circles, arousing him.

    "Adri." Cedric groaned as he lost focus on the road. "Do you want to get into an ident?" Cedric asked his wife as he grabbed her wandering hand.

    "Mmmmm, but you were just so hot earlier." Adrianna said in a seductive tone. "I can''t wait to have you in me." She moaned.

    "Shit, Adrianna." Cedric cursed as Adrianna''s free hand massaged his strained cock.

    "Is this for me Ced?" Adrianna asked him in the most seductive tone. Cedric was so tempted to just park his car at the side of the highway and fuck his wife on the hood of the car.

    "What are you thinking Cedric?" Adrianna said as massaged his dick through the cloth of his pants.

    "Someone is in a rush to give Emilio a sibling." Cedric groaned as he thrust his hips up, wanting to feel more of her sensual hands.

    "Behave." Adrianna scolded, making Cedric sit back down.

    Cedric struggled to keep his attention on the road as Adrianna worked her magic on his cock. As they neared the Mountain Viewmunity Adrianna suddenly unbuckled his pants and let his dick free as it stood in attention.

    "So hard, honey." Adrianna moaned in a seductive voice as she looked at his dick.

    "All for you Adrianna." Cedric groaned as he felt Adrianna wrap her hand around his angry shaft and slowly pump it.

    "Like this?" Adrianna asked, Cedric could only nod in response as he struggled to keep his attention on the road.

    Suddenly Adrianna withdrew her hands from his cock making Cedric whimper involuntarily. His naughty wife was ying with him.

    "You''ll pay for that at home Adrianna." Cedric said in an angry tone.

    "Are you sure Cedric?" Adrianna asked as she traced his lips with her finger. Cedric smelled her arousal on her finger, he stuck out his tongue and gave it a lick. As he expected they tasted like the wetness that was building up between her legs.

    "Delicious." Cedric moaned as hepped up her fingers that were dripping with her wetness.

    To his surprise Adrianna suddenly gripped his cock with her cloth covered hand. He was able to take a peak and see that his cock was now covered in her wetcy underwear.

    "Naughty, naughty." Cedric teased as he grinned at his wife.

    When Cedric thought his wife could do no more, they had to stop at an intersection, Adrianna suddenly wrapped her lips around Cedric''s exposed cock and began to suck on it.

    "Adrianna!" Cedric moaned as he was taken by surprise.

    She had never done anything like this in the years that they were married. Cedric reached over and ced a hand over one of her breasts and squeezed it, making Adrianna moan.

    The vibrationsing from her mouth only aroused him more as he began to y with her nipple, exciting his wife.

    Cedric had never been happier that the car windows were darkly tinted. Even if someone pressed their head against the ss they would not be able to witness what was going on inside.

    As Adrianna continued to suck on his dick he watched as her free hand began to y with her pussy, it turned him on so much that his cock grew even bigger.

    "I''m gonna cum in the car at this rate!" Cedric hissed as he continued to fondle his wife''s breast as she continued to y with herself.

    "Not yet Cedric." Adrianna told him as she lifted herself back into her seat. She ced her wet fingers back on Cedric''s lips allowing him to taste her.

    Cedric was pissed that his wife had not allowed him release.

    As if on cue, the traffic light turned from red to green and Cedric stepped on the pedal to get them home as fast as possible.

    As he tried to focus on the road he could hear his wife''s moans as she fingered herself next to him, tempting him, arousing him.

    "Fuck Adrianna." Cedric cursed as he resisted turning his head to look at her.

    Her sensual moans filled the car as Cedric finally drove them through the gates of their Mountain View mansion.

 Chapter 517 - 517

    As they arrived at their Mountain View Mansion, Cedric lowered his window and called over a maid. Adrianna was no state to be seen by other people, nor would Cedric let that happen.

    "Sir?" The maid asked as she averted her eyes. She was sure that the boss didn''t want them seeing things, that''s why he kept the window open by only a fraction.??

    "Send everyone away, and by away, I mean either in your residences or out of the property." Cedric ordered.

    The Reyes family provided housing for their employees in another part of the property. Each employee had their own one bedroom apartment, if the employee had family, their children and spouses could live there as well and they would be provided withrger amodations.

    "Sir, what about the guards?" The maid asked nervously. They weren''t supposed to question the boss, but she didn''t want the security team catching anything inappropriate.

    Cedric looked around, the area where they were was a distance from any guard station, it was also quite far from the walls of theount and trees blocked the view.

    "Tell them to avoid this area." Cedric ordered the maid.

    "Is that all sir?" The maid asked, she was itching to get away. She did not want to know what their master and mistress were up to.

    "My inws, are they here?" Cedric asked.

    "No sir, they said they were staying at their own ce for the night." The maid informed Cedric.

    Cedric had expanded Adrianna''s old home, building a wall around it as well and upgrading it''s security. He had given it back to his inw as a gift three months ago on their wedding anniversary.

    "Good, that''s all." Cedric told the maid. "Get everyone out of here in ten minutes." He added, prompting the maid to go into a rush.

    She began telling her fellow household staff as they quickly vacated the mansion and passed on the message to the other employees.

    She also informed Merrick, who was in one of Cedric''s security vehicles, he quickly caught on that his boss needed privacy, so he promptly switched off the cameras that were pointed towards the mansion.

    Merrick also informed all of the guards that no one was to approach the radius of the mansion unless it was a life or death situation.

    Many of the security team were puzzled by this, the boss had just asked them to double their efforts and now Merrick was ordering them to basically keep that area in the dark.

    "Do you think Merrick has turned traitor?" One guard asked hispanion as Merrick served out the orders.

    "No way, he is too loyal to Leon." Hispanion said. "And watch your mouth, you know how Merrick and Leon both don''t tolerate any gossiping about work."

    "I know, it''s just-" The guard was suddenly cut off when he noticed Merrick standing directly behind him.

    "Care to share your suspicions?" Merrick asked in a threatening tone.

    "No sir." The guard quickly answered back.

    "Speak." Merrick ordered.

    "Sri, I was just wondering why would you ask us to keep the mansion area in the dark. It''s not safe." The guard confessed, clearly afraid of the punishment that would befall him.

    "Boss'' orders." Merrick said with a shrug. He wasn''t about to air his suspicions of what Cedric and Adrianna were doing. That would just be too embarrassing.

    "Boss? Leon''s?" The guard asked.

    "Think higher." Merrick said, shaking his head with augh.

    "The CEO''s?" The other guard quickly picked up. To which Merrick simply responded with a nod.

    "So do you dare question his orders?" Merrick asked, emphasizing the word his.

    "No, of course not sir." The guard quickly said, shaking his head.

    "Good, because I''m sure you don''t want to lose your job." Merrick said with a grin.

    He then walked over to address everyone on his team.

    "As I said, it was Mr. Reyes'' order to keep the mansion in the dark, so keep it that way. No one near that ce, all the camera''s stay off." Merrick said as he repeated the orders. "I am pretty sure that if you disobey this one you will be fired."

    The guards simply nodded and quickly returned to their stations.

    Inside the car, Cedric looked at the time on his watch as he continued to touch his wife''s beautiful body. Ten minutes had passed.

    Cedric was sure that his employees would be quick and follow his orders, but Cedric wanted to make sure that there wasn''t an audience for what he was about to do. He gave everyone and additional five minutes to clear out the area before finally leaning over and locking lips with his wife.

    His kisses trailed up her neck as he continued to touch her, he eventuallynded on her ear and gave it a gentle nibble.

    "Let''s take this outside." Cedric said in a husky tone making his wife grin in pleasure.

    Adrianna opened the door and slowly stepped out, allowing Cedric a glimpse of her body.

    Cedric smiled as he followed her and got out of the car as well.

    Adrianna swayed her hips sensually as she walked towards their home, looking back to make sure Cedric followed.

    "No honey." Cedric said with a naughtyugh as he ran after his wife and pulled her back to the car.

    He pressed Adrianna against the door and began tovish her with kisses as he let her feel how excited he was to have her.

    "Ced," Adrianna moaned as Cedric captured her lips with his.

    "Ced, Ced, Ced," Adrianna spoke in a panicked tone as his lips finally let her go.

    "What?" Cedric asked as he gave her a lost and confused look.

    "Seriously? Out here?" Adrianna asked as she looked around with a worried expression. This might be her home, but they didn''t live there alone. "We have hundreds of staff, plus the security team. And don''t forget my parents who might walk out on us at any moment."

    Cedricughed at his wife''s worried expression.

    Adrianna threw him an annoyed look, which Cedric ignored, as he lowered himself on to her neck, sucking and kissing.

    "Cedric! I''m serious." Adrianna said angrily this time. "I want you now, I do, but I don''t think our employees should see us having sex on the door of our car!"

    "Not on the door Adri." Cedric said with augh. "I n to have you on the hood of this car."

    "Cedric!" Adrianna shouted angrily.

    "Rx, there are no employees in the area." Cedric said as he kissed her and let a hand travel up her skirt. "The security team has been instructed to stay away from the mansion and keep their backs turned. While your parents are not home, they are at your old house. I actually called them up earlier and said we wanted some alone time."

    "Are you sure?" Adrianna asked her husband in a nervous tone.

    "I am Adri, trust me." Cedric said with a grin. "Were you in so much ecstasy earlier in the car that you didn''t hear the instructions I gave?" Cedric asked his wife.

    Adrianna remained silent, embarrassed by the answer to Cedric''s question.

    "Oh, so naughty." Cedric said with augh as he kissed her passionately on her lips.

    "Cedric." Adrianna moaned as she felt Cedric''s hand wander over her body.

    "Adri, would you help me fulfill an old fantasy?" Cedric asked as he whispered seductively into his wife''s ear.

    "Yes." Adrianna managed to say as Cedric pulled her roughly towards the front of his car.

    Cedric was not at all gentle, he was rough, which made Adrianna wet with pleasure.

    Cedric kissed and touched Adrianna all over her body as he prepared to give her the best night of their married lives.

    When he was sure she was ready to have him, Cedric unbuckled his pants and let it drop.

    "Oh, Cedric." Adrianna moaned when she realized what Cedric was about to do. She was excited, she was anticipating a pleasurable night.

    "What the fuck?!" A shocked voice suddenly said making Cedric pull up his pants and Adrianna suddenly sat up on the hood of the car.

    "What the hell Cedric?" Alexi said as he covered his eyes in a panic.

    "How the hell were you able to get in?!" Cedric asked angrily as he buckled his belt.

    Adrianna quickly ran into their house to make herself more presentable.

    "I mean, I''m all for re-energizing your sexlife but do you really need to do it out here?" Alexi asked as he took a peak making sure that Cedric and Adrianna were decent.

    "This is my fucking property Alexi!" Cedric told his friend angrily.

    "It is, but you have hundreds of people living here too." Alexi said with augh as he watched his friend''s embarrassment.

    "I sent them away." Cedric hissed. "Who the fuck let you in?" Cedric asked Alexi again. He was going to fire whoever let Alexi in after he had given instructions to keep people clear of the house.

    "The guards let me in." Alexi said with a shrug. "I told them it was a security emergency and that it was important."

    "What the hell is so important that you needed toe all the way here?" Cedric asked as he walked into the house.

    Alexiughed and simply followed his friend.

    "Miguel sent me." Alexi replied.

    "Why the hell would Miguel send you over here?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, we were worried." Alexi exined.

    "Worried about what?" Cedric asked.

    "All the cameras around the mansion were switched off, we got alerted, we thought that Aiden had hacked into the security system." Alexi exined with augh. "It seems that it was all on purpose."

    Alexi couldn''t stopughing as he realized that it was Cedric''s fantasies that caused him to panic and rush over.

 Chapter 518 - 518

    "Is that seriously the only reason why you came over?" Cedric asked Alexi angrily.

    "Yep. I even have a mini army waiting outside your gates. I thought Aiden had gotten to you." Alexi said with a nod. "Hey, I''m suffering from second hand embarrassment here too. I don''t want to walk into my friend having sex with his wife on top of their car!"??

    "Can we just agree to never talk about this again?" Cedric said as he rolled his eyes.

    "Yeah, yeah." Alexi said in agreement. "I don''t want the others teasing me about how much of a cockblock I am?"

    "Well you are a massive one!" Cedric told his friend.

    "I know I am." Alexi said with a grin.

    "Disgusting." Adrianna said as she joined them once more, this time she was in much more sweats and one of Cedric''s shirts.

    "Wait, what do you mean the others?" Cedric asked as he gave Alexi a confused look.

    "Oh, you didn''t know?" Alexi said as heughed. "I basically made Veronica think that Miguel was interested in other women."

    "We know that part." Adrianna whined as she rolled her eyes at Alexi.

    "I kept Katerina away from Eric for years." Alexi added with a shrug. "I didn''t want him hurting my baby sister."

    "Over protective." Cedricmented.

    "Not all of us can be as cool as you." Alexi said with a shrug. "Plus it turned out for the best. Now Eric knows to value my sister."

    "So who else?" Cedric asked.

    "I''ve walked in on Adolfo and Natalia too many times." Alexi said with augh. "Those two are worse than we with any woman."

    "Gross!" Adrianna reacted with augh.

    "I don''t think we need a mental image of you and any woman, or of Adolfo and Natalia." Cedric teased his friend.

    "Oh, while I''m already here." Alexi said with a shrug as his reaction turned serious. "We''ve monitored some suspicious activity on Keh Cruz''s end. We initially thought that Aiden had severed ties with him."

    "They are still working together?" Cedric asked as he became serious as well.

    Alexi nodded and grinned.

    "It seems that Aiden still needs someone to funnel in funds for him." Alexi said with augh.

    "Is that how dependent he is on Keh?" Cedric asked, confused as to how Aiden ended up relying on one person.

    "We don''t know to what extent yet, but it seems their involvement goes pretty deep." Alexi informed Cedric.

    "It seems you boys have some investigation work that needs to be handled." Adrianna said with a sigh as she stood up.

    Alexi quickly shook his head. "No Adrianna."

    "Then why did youe over?" Adrianna asked with a surprised expression.

    "As I said, Miguel and I were worried. We don''t know the extent of Aiden''s reach." Alexi exined to her. "He could have pulled out all of his men for thatst stunt or that could have been a ruse to scare us."

    "So you are going?" Adrianna said with a grin.

    "Of course, I don''t n to be around when you and Cedric make baby number two," Alexi teased the couple, making Adrianna blush.

    "Thank you for being concerned." Cedric said as he stood up and began to walk with Alexi to the door.

    "Of course we would be worried." Alexi said with augh. "After what happened to Yoyo, you can''t be too cautious."

    "What happened to Yoyo?" Adrianna asked upon overhearing their conversation.

    "Fuck, you didn''t tell her?" Alexi asked as he gave Cedric a concerned look.

    "I didn''t want her to worry." Cedric said with a sigh as he knew he was now in trouble.

    "What didn''t you tell me Cedric Reyes?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I should go." Alexi said as he pointed towards the door.

    "Oh no. You aren''t going anywhere Alexi!" Adrianna said as she ced her hands on her hips. "Back on the couch, the both of you."

    "Did I ever tell you how hot you look mad?" Cedric told his wife with a grin as he walked over and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her close to him.

    "Ugh, you guys are gross." Alexiined as he marched over to the couch.

    "Don''t pretend. It''s not the worst thing you''ve seen today." Cedric teased as he pulled Adrianna onto the couch with him.

    "Don''t remind me." Alexi said, rolling his eyes. "I need to bleach my mind now."

    "I''m sure you are worse, Alexi." Adrianna teased.

    "Make up your mind woman, are you mad at us or not?" Alexiined.

    "Of course I''m mad." Adrianna said, shaking her head. "So speak!" She demanded.

    "Sorry Cedric." Alexi said with a shrug as he told her everything. "Aiden Ortiz managed to get into the Reyes Compound and even spoke to Yoyo."

    "What? When? My son, did he hurt my son?" Adrianna asked question after question.

    "Emilio is fine." Cedric said as he rubbed her back in an attempt tofort her.

    Adrianna looked up at her husband, her eyes clearly painting her worry. Cedric frowned back, he knew he had to do something tofort her.

    "Alexi will you give us some privacy?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "I''ll pass by your office tomorrow." Alexi said with a nod as he stood up and walked towards the door.

    Before leaving he turned back to face Cedric and Adrianna. "I hope you don''t mind, but I''ll ask your security team to switch on the cameras again. You can''t be too safe at times like these."

    Cedric nodded and gave Alexi his thanks.

    Alexi simply gave the couple a smile and walked out, closing the door behind him.

    "Adri, I know you are worried honey." Cedric said as he held his wife close to him. "But Aiden didn''t hurt our son. He simply used Emilio to deliver a message."

    "And what message is that?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "He wanted us to know that he knew about the Chan sibling''s missing cousin." Cedric confessed to his wife.

    "I''m sure it wasn''t just that." Adrianna told Cedric in a stern tone. "Don''t treat me like I''m stupid Cedric. It was a message to us, to you. He managed to get into the Reyespound, undetected and talk to our son."

    "I know Adri." Cedric said in a calming tone, he knew it would be futile to match his wife''s anger, he had to be the more logical one. "That''s why I''ve increased our security, both here and at the Reyespound."

    "My parents." Adrianna said with a gasp as she reached for her phone.

    "They are fine Adri." Cedric told her as he hugged his wife. "I''ve increased their security detail as well."

    "And you asked the security team to switch off the cameras?" Adrianna asked her husband in shock. "No wonder Alexi rushed over."

    "Would you have had our entire staff see me do you on the hood of the car?" Cedric asked his wife with augh. "Plus I didn''t ask them to do that, they just assumed we needed privacy."

    "Really, Cedric?" Adrianna asked her husband as she gave him a doubtful look. "So you were willing to let the staff see me getting fucked over the cameras?"

    "No, it''s not that. I didn''t think." Cedric said in surrender, he knew no matter what he said tonight he would be wrong.

    "Cedric, why did you have to think with your dick?" Adrianna used her husband.

    "I was doing it for you, for us." Cedric said in an attempt once more to exin himself.

    "Cedric, what if Aiden snuck into the mansion while we were busy?" Adriuanna asked her husband.

    "No, no. The security team was looking out for us." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Like they were at the Reyes Compound?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I''ll have them sweep the entire area." Cedric promised as he dialed Merrick''s number.

    "Sir?" Merrick asked as he answered his phone, he was clearly surprised that Cedric had called him.

    "Have peopleb through the mansion and the surrounding area. My wife is worried." Cedric told Merrick.

    Merrick was not in a position to question his boss, but he found it odd that his boss wanted the area cleared less than thirty minutes ago and now he wanted it cleared. Was his boss that fast?

    "Sir, I thought you wanted your privacy?" Merrick asked over the phone.

    "Did I stutter Merrick?" Cedric asked angrily.

    "No sir." Merrick responded.

    "And turn all the cameras back on! I didn''t order you to switch them off." Cedric told his temporary head of security.

    "Sir, with all due respect I thought you wantedplete privacy." Merrick confessed to Cedric. He at least hoped his boss would appreciate his thoughtfulness.

    "Just turn the damned cameras on." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    "Don''t take out your anger out on the staff!" Adrianna reprimanded her husband.

    Cedric sighed and looked up at his wife. "Let''s go somewhere more private. The security team will run a check on the property."

    Cedric said as he brought his wife up to their room.

    When the security check was done, Merrick knocked on the door.

    Cedric opened the door to their room and invited the head of security inside.

    "Sir we found something." Merrick reported. "Someone attempted to enter the mansion." Merrick said, breaking the worrying news to the couple.

 Chapter 519 - 519

    "Have we identified who it was?" Cedric asked, he was pretty sure it would be Aiden, who else would have the gall to attempt a break in at Cedric''s Mountain View Mansion.

    "You will find this quite interesting sir." Merrick said with a knowing grin. The man''s easy going demeanour bothered Cedric.??

    "What?" Cedric asked impatiently, as Adrianna walked over and massaged her husband''s tensed shoulders.

    "Go easy on Merrick." Adrianna said in a loving but stern tone. "He was only following your orders and being considerate to our privacy. Don''t pass the me."

    "Fine." Cedric said with a sigh as he nodded for Merrick to continue.

    "Sir, the person didn''te to harm anyone." Merrick began, earning him a confused nce from Cedric."He came to surrender."

    "Why would someone surrender to us?" Cedric asked Merrick.

    "Sir, ording to this man, he is rted to Aiden Ortiz, and for the longest time, he lived and worked by Aiden''s side." Merrick exined.

    "I want to speak to him." Cedric told Merrick.

    "We have him in one of the holding rooms in the security building, he hasn''t done anything signifying an attempt to leave escape." Merrick said as Cedric got up fro his seat.

    "Adri, will you be alright here alone?" Cedric asked his wife as he kissed her.

    "Yes, go." Adrianna told Cedric as she yfully sent them out of the room.

    As the door behind them closed, Cedric began to give Merrick instruction on what to do.

    "Do a search outside of the property, I don''t want to risk this being a trap." Cedric quickly ordered. "Return all the members of the security team to their original positions. I want every inch of this property covered. There is still a possibility that this is a trap."

    Merrick nodded and quickly gave out orders to his subordinates through thems system. Cedric on the other hand quickly called Alexi.

    "That was fast." Alexi teased with augh.

    "Come back, it''s important." Cedric said in a much more serious tone.

    "What happened?" Alexi couldn''t help but wonder what had transpired after he left.

    "You and Miguel were right to worry about the cameras being switched off, Merrick and his team caught a trespasser. Although, he wasn''t trespassing for the reason we would think." Cedric exined to his friend over the phone. "Do you think you can call Miguel, Ian and Eric? I''ll call Ram and Ray."

    "Sure. I''ll see you in a bit." Alexi said as he dropped the call.

    Cedric proceeded to call his brother-inw and Ram.

    Ray became worried about his own security not being enough to keep Ayanna and Emilio safe, so he suggested bringing the two along to the Mountain View Mansion.

    Cedric happily agreed for Ray to bring his sister and son over, he knew Adrianna was worried to an extent and havingpany over would help her.

    It didn''t take long for the men to arrive, it seemed they all had the same idea as Ray. Cedricughed as the sisters, wives, and girlfriends all arrived ready tofort his wife.

    When Emilio saw that Nicole and Ian had brought Tristan along with them he got excited, Tristan was the only other child he knew growing up, so they were now more like brothers than just friends.

    "Daddy, can Tristan and I y?" Emilio asked as he tugged on his father''s pants.

    "Of course, Emilio." Cedric said as he smiled at his little boy.

    Emilio excitedly tried to drag a wobbling Tristan into the elevator with him. Cedric and his friends couldn''t help butugh at Emilio''s antics.

    "Please apany them." Cedric asked two maids and two bodyguards, who quickly did as he asked, pickling Tristan up and helping Emilio press the buttons on the elevator.

    After what had happened to Emilio at the Reyespound, Cedric had no intention of leaving his son alone again. It might have been too much, but it was for his son''s safety.

    "We''ll head out now." Cedric announced to the girls.

    "I''ming." Katerina insisted.

    "No, you are staying here." Eric argued back. He didn''t want her getting involved with this mess anymore.

    "We all know that no matter how you try to keep me away, I will end up in that interrogation room with you guys." Katerina told her boyfriend as she red at him. "Plus having a legal counsel will always help." She said with a shrug.

    "Eric, she''s always been part of these things, let her go." Alexi exined to Eric.

    "Fine, but if something is wrong, tell me." Eric told Katerina in a stern voice before marching out of the house.

    "What''s happening between those two?" Cedric asked Ram.

    "Rumors have been flying everywhere about them." Ram exined with a sigh. "I guess they are having an argument on going public with their rtionship."

    "Eric, doesn''t want?" Cedric asked his friend as they walked out of the house.

    "It''s the other way around." Alexi said as he joined in the conversation. "Katerina wants Eric to keep it a secret. She doesn''t want him throwing away his career just for her."

    "He doesn''t need it." Cedric said with a shrug. Eric had made a fortune both from acting as well as on his various investments. He would never have to worry about money in his life.

    "It''s not that." Ram said, shaking his head. "Eric fought the Chans for an opportunity to live outside the gilded cage of high society. He basically turned his back on family. Katerina doesn''t want him wasting that."

    "It''s interesting how much insight you have on this." Alexi teased.

    "Francesca is no different." Ram said with a shrug. "She too left her family to pursue her dreams, for her to be free to chase her desires. Sadly, it didn''t end up the way she wanted it to."

    "Are you guys really together or is this still an act?" Cedric couldn''t help but ask, over the year that they had seen the couple together they never asked if Francesca and Ram were still keeping up the charade.

    "A bit of both." Ram said with a frown. "I like her, I really do, and she likes me. But. . ." Ram said as he hesitated.

    "But?" Alexi asked as he pushed his friend to speak.

    "But we both still have baggage from our past rtionships." Ram said with a sigh.

    "Which past rtionship?" Alexi asked with a curious look. "I thought you hated your ex, you said she was just after your money and your family name." Alexi said, looking extremely confused.

    "Not her." Ram said, shaking his head as he hesitated once more.

    "We''re your closest friends, we are practically family. Tell us." Cedric insisted.

    "Promise not to tell any of the girls." Ram requested.

    "Do we look like gossips to you?" Alexi asked with augh.

    "No, but this kinda involves Adrianna." Ram said as he refused to look Cedric in the eyes.

    "Damn, did you have a thing for Cedric''s wife?" Alexi asked in shock.

    "What? No, no, no way." Ram quickly said in his defense.

    "So how is my wife involved in all of this?" Cedric asked Ram with a serious expression.

    "It''s Julia." Ram confessed with a sigh.

    "Julia as in Adrianna''s best friend Julia?" Alexi asked in shock. "How did you guys even meet? And how did we not know about this?"

    "Do you want the story or not?" Ram asked Alexi angrily.

    "Okay, okay, chill." Alexi said as he backed off a little bit.

    "Make it a bit quick, we still have someone to interrogate." Cedric reminded them.

    The security building was a five minute walk from the mansion, normally they would have taken one of the golf carts to move faster, but Cedric felt the need to stretch his legs and to get some fresh air.

    "Remember when I saved Adrianna and Julia when we were at the bar before?" Ram asked his friends. It was such a long time ago, but the memory lingered in his mind. "Well, she asked me out to thank me, and I guess that''s where it started."

    "So why didn''t it continue?" Cedric asked, curious as to why things didn''t work out.

    "Well, her family frowns on the entertainment industry, which I am practically the king of."

    "Nice humble brag." Alexi teased, cutting in.

    Ram rolled his eyes at his friend and continued his story.

    "So we nned to wait till she could talk her parents around it." Ram said with a shrug. "I guess they thought as an entertainment executive I did a lot of dirty deals."

    "It''s not exactly a clean industry." Cedric said.

    "No industry is 100% clean." Alexi added. "So how did you guys go from waiting for each other to not being with each other?"

    "One day she came to me, crying, her father had set up an arranged marriage for her." Ram said with a frown. "I couldn''t just stand there and do nothing. So I went over to their house and professed my intentions to marry Julia."

    "So you convinced them?" Alexi asked.

    "No. That was the day Julia broke my heart." Ram said with a frown. "When her parents asked her about us she denied having any rtionship with me. I was shocked, I thought we loved each other. Even if her family threw her out it wouldn''t be a problem. The Abads are richer and more powerful than them."

    "She hasn''t been married yet though." Cedric said, realizing that Julia had remained single.

    "Her parents now want her to marry me." Ram said with a shrug. "But after what happened, she just broke my heart. She couldn''t even admit that we were together, now she wants me back?"

    "That''s tough." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "So if you are still hung over Julia, in a way, who is Francesca hung over?" Cedric asked.

    "An ex-fiance, she doesn''t like to talk about him." Ram said, ending the discussion.

    As they approached the security building, Cedric and his friends were led to one of the interrogation rooms on the second floor.

    Cedric saw a young man cuffed to the table, and he didn''t look scared at all, he looked more relieved.

    "What do you think he wants?" Cedric asked his friends.

    "He could be a distraction." Ray said as he observed the young man''s demeanor.

    "I''ve increased security at the house, their distraction will be useless if that''s the case." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Did he say exactly who he was?" Cedric asked Merrick.

    "No sir, he said he wanted to be the one to tell you." Merrick informed his boss.

    Cedric simply nodded and transferred to the other room to join the cuffed man.

    "You bettere clean about who you are and what you want, I''m not a patient man." Cedric said in a cold and intimidating tone. "And if I find out that you are a distraction, I will not hesitate to kill you."

    "My name is Benedict Ortiz, and I am Aiden''s younger brother." The young man said clearly. "And I know my sister is alive."

 Chapter 520 - 520

    Cedric was shocked when the man before him introduced himself, he didn''t know Aiden had a brother.

    "How sure are we that this isn''t some bluff?" Alexi asked as he and Ray joined Cedric in the room.??

    "Because I''m not like my older brother." Benedict said with a shrug. "Our parents were bad people, they got the end they deserved."

    "And how did youe to know about your sister?" Cedric asked the man.

    "Because despite everything my brother says, I know that your families would never kill an innocent child, and I clearly remember my parents treating her like trash." Benedict said with a shrug.

    "Why has Aiden never mentioned you?" Cedric asked as he circled the man. Benedict had features simr to Cami, it was clear that the two were possibly rted.

    "Because I''ve always been his inside man." Benedict said with a shrug. "I''m the one that entered Reyes Group to spy on you, I''m the one that found Jen and followed Jen everywhere. No one could know of our rtionship."

    "I don''t believe him." Ray said as he red at the cuffed man. "I still think this is a trap."

    "A trap?" Benedict said with augh. "I ran away from my brother just to be here. I don''t want to be part of his ploys anymore."

    "That''s not reason enough." Alexi said, shaking his head.

    As much as Cedric wanted to side with his friends, he couldn''t help but feel the honesty in Benedict''s words. Something about him made Cedric feel like he was telling the truth.

    "I''ll let you meet your sister." Cedric suddenly said, shocking everyone.

    "Cedric, you can''t be serious?!" Ray asked in an angry tone. He had already aired his distrust of the man and yet Cedric still was willing to trust this stranger.

    "I''m not saying I trust him." Cedric told Ray. His friend was stunned, it was as if Cedric could read his mind. "I''m just saying I have no reason to stop him from meeting his sister."

    "Thank you Mr. Reyes." Benedict Ortiz said in a respectful tone. "In turn I will tell you everything about my brother, anything you ask."

    Cedric could see that Benedict was being sincere in his words, he truly wanted to see his sister, even if it meant turning his back on his older brother.

    "The final decision will stille from your sister, if she is willing to meet you." Cedric said as he walked out of the interrogation room followed by his friends.

    "I can''t believe you will just let him talk to Cami!" Ray shouted as soon as the door closed behind them.

    "He is his sister Ray." Cedric said in a calmer tone.

    "Are you forgetting who his brother might be?" Ray said, shaking his head. "Might be okay, might be, we don''t even know if he is telling us the truth."

    "You have to see the resemnce." Cedric told his friend.

    "He looks nothing like Aiden." Alexi said as he tried to think about what the other man looked like.

    "No, he doesn''t." Cedric said with a grin. "He looks like a male version of Cami."

    Ray was about to say something when he realized what Cedric had just said was true. Benedict Ortiz looked exactly like Cami.

    "Either way, Cami will still be the one to decide if she wants to meet him." Cedric said with a shrug as he entered the adjacent room. "She might not even remember him, he blocked most of her memories from her life before."

    "I thought you were bluffing." Katerina said as she joined in on the conversation.

    "I''m not." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I''ll give Cami a call, we''ll drive over, this isn''t an over the phone kind of conversation."

    "I''ll go with you." Ian said, volunteering. Cami was like a sister to him, they had toiled in the Reyes Group together.

    "Same, I think you might need a woman to tag along." Katerina said with augh. "Plus we have our history together."

    Cedric nodded, acknowledging that Katerina and Ian would apany him.

    "Can you guys keep the womenpany?" Cedric asked his friends.

    "Of course, why not?" Alexi said with augh.

    "They will want to know what happened. Tell them the truth." Cedric instructed in a serious tone. He had promised Adrianna that he would always be honest with her, and he was going to stick to that promise.

    "Alright, no keeping them in the dark." Ray said with a shrug.

    "I''ll give Cami a call. Ian, could you ask my driver to bring the car out front?" Cedric asked as he took out his phone and searched for Cami''s name in his contacts.

    Ian nodded and left to do as Cedric asked.

    "I''ll have our guest moved to other amodations." Miguel said as he followed Ian out.

    Cedric waited for Cami to answer her phone.

    "Sir?" Came Cami''s voice over the line. Cedric found the formality quite odd, Cami rarely addressed him as sir over the phone. She must have been with someone.

    "Cami, something came up regarding your family, we might need to speak to you." Cedric said in as kind a tone as he could.

    "Oh." Cami responded. Again, Cedric was put off by her response, she was normally more talkative than this.

    "I know it''s a painful topic, but Katerina and Ian will be with me, you don''t need to answer our questions, we just want to give you an option." Cedric said as he tried his best to exin the situation.

    "Of course sir. I trust you. We''ve known each other for three years now, I trust youpletely." Cami said.

    "We''ll head on over to your house." Cedric told her.

    "No, sir." Cami suddenly said. "I''m out, can you meet me where I am?"

    "Sure. Send me the address, we''ll see you in a bit." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    "What''s with the expression?" Ray asked Cedric as he gave him a puzzled look.

    "I think Cami is in trouble." Cedric suddenly revealed. "Aiden might have gotten to her."

    "What? He knows about her now?" Katerina asked, clearly worried for her friend.

    "Get Benedict back into the interrogation room! Now!" Cedric shouted angrily down the hall as the members of his security team rushed to do as he asked.

 Chapter 521 - 521

    "What does your brother know about Cami?" Cedric demanded angrily.

    Cedric''s security team had brought Benedict back to the interrogation room and Cedric immediately questioned the man.??

    "She kept her name?" Benedict asked as he turned pale upon hearing news of his sister''s abduction.

    "So you really didn''t know what her name was?" Cedric was caught by surprise, he didn''t expect Benedict not to know Cami''s name.

    "No, all I figured was that she was alive." Benedict said, shaking his head. "Aiden probably doesn''t know that she is our sister. He probably targeted her because she had the same name as our sister and worked for you."

    "If I find out that you were in any way involved in this, I swear, I will not go easy on you." Cedric warned the younger man.

    "I would never harm anyone." Benedict said in a firm tone. "I never wanted to be part of my brother''s ploy, I left as soon as I could. They were my only family left, I had no one."

    "I hope for your sister''s sake you are telling the truth." Ian warned Benedict. "She is a kind person who does not deserve all the pain she has gone through."

    "I''ve never wanted to harm anyone, all I wanted was to give my sister the life she deserved." Benedict said bravely. "But I see that she is loved and cared for."

    "Cami is a good friend." Cedric said with a nod, with his expression softening at Benedict''s concern for Cami.

    "Either way, we will keep you here." Ray said in a cold tone. "We do not know if we can trust you."

    "All I want is for my sister to remain safe, I will do anything for her." Benedict told Ray as he looked the man in the eye, showing his determination.

    "Where would your brother keep her?" Cedric asked.

    "Probably at our house. It''s on the outskirts of the city in a gatedmunity." Benedict said with a shrug. "I can write the address down if you want."

    "Cedric, a moment?" Alexi asked as he gestured for Cedric to step out of the room with him.

    When the door closed Cedric leaned against the wall and sighed.

    "I know, it''s risky." Cedric told Ian, Alexi and Ray who had stepped out with him.

    "I agree with Cedric, we should give Benedict a chance.

    "He is Aiden''s brother, he could be setting a trap." Ray argued in a raised voice.

    "Aiden doesn''t even know that Cami is his sister, if he knew he would be acting differently." Cedric reasoned back.

    "Cedric is right." Alexi suddenly said. "But Ray is also right."

    "Alexi you are not making things easier by messing with us this way!" Rayined to his friend.

    "I mean, Cedric isn''t exactly wrong. Something about Benedict feels genuine to me. I don''t trust him, but he seems to care about Cami." Alexi exined. "But I still agree with Ray, we need to exercise caution when dealing with the Ortiz brothers."

    "So what are you suggesting?" Ray asked Alexi.

    "Send a team to scout the location, if ites out clean then we can try to get Cami there, but if it is empty, then we set a trap at the meet up point." Alexi exined.

    "We''ll need to dy the meet up if we want to rescue Cami before the meet up." Cedric said as he carefully thought of their next moves.

    "Let''s get the location from Benedict then go from there." Ian suggested.

    "I agree with Ian''s suggestion. The timeline depends on where this safehouse is." Cedric told his friends.

    They walked back in and handed Benedict a piece of paper to write the address on as they question him.

    "Does your brother have the ce secured?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, he has about fifty men on the property at any time." Benedict confirmed as he wrote down the address.

    "How about the walls of the property, can it be scaled?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. But there is an electric fence on the top, you will need to disable that." Benedict answered.

    "Does the house have backup power?" Ian asked this time.

    "Yes, it has one generator, but if you can get one person into the property discreetly it can be switched off." Benedict exined. "It''s located at the edge of the property because my brother is irrationally afraid that it will explode."

    "Where would he keep your sister?" Ian asked Benedict as Benedict ced down the pen and pushed it towards them.

    "Since he doesn''t think you would know where he is hiding, she would probably just be at the living room or in the guest room." Benedict told them. "But if he is alerted, by brother has a bunker underneath the property, you cannot let him get there, it can only be opened by two people."

    "And who are those two?" Cedric asked.

    "My brother and I." Benedict said, confirming Cedric''s suspicions.

    "Anything you want to add?" Alexi asked the chained man.

    Benedict sighed and looked down. "My brother cannot find out that Cami is our sister, if he finds out the truth, I fear he will never let her go. It took me years to be free of him."

    "Where does he think you went?" Cedric asked Benedict Ortiz.

    "He thinks I died when we were retreating." Benedict told them.

    "You were there on the day of the attack at the cemetery?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Benedict said with a nod. "I took a drug that slowed my heart rate enough for his men to think I was dead. Then I hid till I could find an opportunity to enter your property. It took a while, but I saw my chance tonight."

    "Why didn''t you juste to me in my office?" Cedric asked.

    "My brother has eyes almost everywhere, R Tower is no exemption." Benedict exined. "Mountain View is the only one where he couldn''t put his spies. It really frustrated him."

    Cedric simply nodded and epted Benedict''s exnation.

    "I hope for your sake you are right." Cedric told Benedict as he left the interrogation room with the others.

    "You have the location?" Cedric asked as they entered the observation room where the others were waiting for them.

    Alexi who was holding the address Benedict had given suddenly turned pale.

    "What''s wrong?" Cedric asked as he gave his friend a worried look.

    "This address. . ." Alexi managed to say.

    "What?" Cedric asked impatiently.

    "It''s right next to Katerina''s house." Alexi said as he showed Cedric the address on the paper.

 Chapter 522 - 522

    "How is this possible?" Cedric asked as he looked at the address on the piece of paper. "I thought you or uncle Jose would have looked into Katerina''s neighbors."

    "We did, but the property owner wasn''t Aiden Ortiz." Alexi said as he looked lost and worried.??

    "Benedict, the property is in Benedict''s name." Katerina said as she joined in the conversation. "He didn''t use the Ortiz surname as well. That''s why I felt he was familiar."

    "You suspected he was familiar and you didn''t say a word?" Alexi asked Katerina angrily.

    "I told her not to." Eric joined in, defending his girlfriend. "We weren''t sure where we had seen him."

    "That house barely had any activity. Benedict never spoke to us, and on the odd asions that we did see him he was always in a rush to leave." Katerina exined to everyone. "So you could just imagine how unsure I was if this man really was my neighbor or not."

    "We need to interrogate him again." Alexi insisted.

    "You don''t have the time." Katerina told her brother. "Go n Cami''s rescue. We''ll handle it here."

    "Are you sure?" Alexi asked his sister.

    "Don''t tell me you are doubting my abilities Alexi." Katerina told her brother in a threatening tone.

    "I do." Alexi said, giving in to his sister. "I''m just worried."

    "I''m a big girl, now go. You boys are wasting your time by being here." Katerina said as she sent them out of the door.

    "You should have more faith in your sister." Cedric told Alexi as they walked towards one of the nning rooms in the security building.

    "I do trust Katerina." Alexi said in a somber tone. "But she is my little sister, I can''t help but worry."

    "We all know that this isn''t her first time working on something like this." Ray said as they entered the room. "She can handle it."

    Alexi simply nodded in acknowledgement.

    At least half of Cedric''s security team was already waiting for them. He had divided the team into two, one to go with him and save Cami, and another group to protect those that would be remaining at Mountain View.

    "Merrick, send men to this location and have them do recon." Cedric said as he handed Merrick the address of Aiden''s home.

    "My head of security will get into contact with you. That location is right next to my sister''s home, we have several teams stationed in the area." Alexi added.

    Cedric nodded in agreement, this was the quickest way to get information, Katerina had her own security detail that remained at home.

    Cedric''s group did not have to wait long, Katerina''s security team at home was able to confirm that there had indeed been movement in the neighboring house earlier that evening.

    "There was one more thing sir." Merrick said as he switched on theptop and projector in the room. "One of the cameras in Miss Katerina Sebastian''s home was pointed towards the gates of the neighboring house."

    Merrick immediately pressed y and they were greeted by an image of both the gate and driveway of Aiden''s safehouse.

    A ck van soon came up and gates opened, it quickly drove up to the house followed by several others. This had to be Aiden and his team that had kidnaped Cami.

    As soon as the car drove up to the front of the house, it''s passengers disembarked.

    "That''s him." Cedric pointed towards Aiden Ortiz''s familiar figure.

    They then saw several men bring out a struggling Cami, her hands were tired and she was clearly blindfolded.

    Aiden suddenly signaled the men to stop as he reached into Cam''s pocket and pulled out her phone. He looked at the caller ID and grinned, he took the blindfold from Cami''s eyes and covered her mouth.

    He said something, and Cami simply nodded.

    "This is probably when I called Cami." Cedric said as he observed the time stamp.

    "This is enough." Alexi said as he watched Cami get carried inside after Aiden dropped the call.

    "Can you use this tape to prepare what we need?" Cedric asked Merrick.

    "Yes sir, we can." He replied with a nod.

    "Good, I want everything ready in thirty minutes. After that we go to take Cami back." Cedric instructed.

    To which Merrick simply nodded and left, followed by his men.

    "Will you call Cami now to buy us some time?" Alexi asked as he looked at his watch.

    It was now 10 pm and they all had an exhausting day, he wanted to use the time to rest for a bit before they raided Aiden''s safe house.

    "I''ll ask Cami if we can meet at midnight." Cedric said with a nod. "That should buy us enough time to head on over to Katerina''s house. Hopefully we catch them as they are about to leave."

    "Hopefully we can time it as they are loading Cami to the transport vehicle." Ray said as he leaned forward and thought of their n.

    "Did it seem like he had a lot of men?" Cedric asked Ray and Alexi.

    "I''m guessing his funds are dwindling so he cannot afford to hire any more people." Ray said with a nod.

    "Good." Cedric grinned as he took out his phone. "I''ll give Cami a call now."

    Cedric pressed the call button and ced the phone in speaker mode. It didn''t take long for Aiden''s men to pick up the call, they had clearly been waiting for him.

    "Sir Cedric." Came Cami''s voice. Cedric was quite surprised at how steady her voice sounded, she was currently the hostage of her older brother and she didn''t seem afraid.

    "Hey Cami, something came up." Cedric said. "I need to settle this, but my concern with you is urgent so it cannot wait for tomorrow."

    "I am at your service, sir." Cami said.

    "Great, I''ll swing by your ce at midnight, after I pass by my emergency." Cedric told Cami.

    "Sir, no need to go to my ce." Cami quickly said, clearly this part was Aiden''s instructions.

    "Oh, why not?" Cedric asked, he didn''t want to seem suspicious. "It''s quitete Cami, and it''s not safe for a woman to go out alone at this time."

    "I know sir, but I''m with a friend." Cami said, she was clearly still trying to leave hints that something was wrong.

    "Alright, alright, I know, all is well." Cedric replied. "Where do you want to meet then?" He asked.

    "I text you an address." Cami answered.

    "Okay. I''ll send you a message when we are on our way. See youter." Cedric said in a cheery tone.

    "Yes sir." Cami answered coldly.

    When Cedric heard the call dropped he nodded, it was time to move.

 Chapter 523 - 523

    Cami red at Aiden as he grinned at her phone, she prayed that Cedric had managed to pick up on the clues she left. She couldn''t be too obvious or else Aiden would have picked that she was trying to tell Cedric that she had been abducted.

    "That Reyes boy doesn''t deserve to inherit the country''s most powerful family." Aiden said, shaking his head. "No worries, after tonight, he and all his friends will lose everything that is important to him, just as I had lost my little sister and now my younger brother."??

    Cami''s eyes widened in shock, she remembered her brother, but she didn''t think he was still alive.

    "Shocking, isn''t it. But it''s true, there were once three of us." Aiden said in an angry tone. "My sister, as you probably know, died when she was young because of Katerina Sebastian, and now, my brother Benedict is dead because of Cedric Reyes."

    Cami felt like crying, her older brother Benedict was the only person that was kind to her growing up. Thinking he was dead and knowing that he was dead were two different things.

    "I was so fortunate to get matched to you today little miss secretary." Aiden said with a grin.

    Cami felt a stray tear fall from her eyes as she recalled how she ended up in this situation.

    Earlier that day

    Cami stretched her arms as she and the other assistants finally made it back to the CEO''s floor. She missed this, it was much simpler working as Cedric''s assistant rather than as his VP for Mor Co.

    "Did the boss say when you guys are going back?" Cami heard Dave ask Ian as they walked back to their desks.

    "I''m guessing in a few weeks, Cedric might not show it, but he is grieving." Ian said with a frown as he entered Cedric''s office to organize the documents.

    "Honestly, I would prefer to simply be his assistant." Cami confessed as she took a look at the work she still needed to do.

    "How are you coping with all of this, Cami?" Dave asked as he ced a hand on Cami''s shoulder.

    Cami sighed and shook her head.

    "Don''t push her, Dave." Ian scolded in a firm tone. "If Cami isn''t ready to talk about it, then don''t ask."

    "Sorry." Dave said in a shy tone as he sunk back into his seat.

    "No, I''m ready to talk about." Cami suddenly said as she took a deep breath and rolled her office chair to the center table in their area.

    "Are you sure?" Ian asked as he pulled a seat closer as well.

    Cami nodded and smiled. Dave and Mae soon joined them bringing over some tea.

    "This didn''t seem like a coffee kind of moment." Dave said with a shrug.

    "You''re just making excuses because you forgot to buy more beans." Mae said with augh as they sat down.

    "I missed this." Cami said with a smile as she took her mug from Dave. "I mean, it''s nice working on something else other than Cedric''s needs, but I miss having people around me that didn''t fear me."

    "Well, that''s the life of a boss." Ian said with augh. "Don''t tell me you didn''t expect this."

    "I didn''t expect to be some hot shot executive so soon." Cami said, shaking her head. "You guys wanted to know how I''m doing?" She asked.

    The others nodded in reply, they were all concerned about her. Based on what Cami had told them she had a rough childhood, something she had decided to forget, and now, her brother was charging back into her life.

    "Honestly, I''m doing better than I expected." Cami said with a shrug. "I thought remembering my past would break me, but it''s actually helped me feel grateful about how lucky I was that they left me with Katerina, I was luckier than the others."

    "The oth -" As Ian was about to speak his phone began to ring. "It''s Nicole, she probably wants me home soon." Ian said as he excused himself.

    "Anyway, I feel so good that I''ve decided to go on a date tonight." Cami said proudly.

    "Wow, that''s amazing." Mae said with a smile. "Need any help getting ready?" Mae asked excitedly.

    "Sure. Let''s go to my ce once work is done." Cami said with a nod.

    "So what did I miss, and make it quick, I have ten minutes." Ian told the other assistants.

    "Cami has a date." Dave proudly told Ian.

    "Oh, how did you meet this one?" Ian asked as he began to put away his things for the day.

    "Well I met him through an app." Cami said with a shrug.

    "Woah, Cami, miss traditional is actually risking it all with a dating app?" Ian asked Cami. "What kind of an app would be able to catch your attention anyway?"

    "Well, it guarantees full discretion, and all the members are executives or people involved in big business." Cami said with a shrug.

    "Wow, that''s one high end dating service." Mae teased as she looked at the clock. "What time is your date?"

    "8pm, why?" Cami asked.

    "We should go then." Mae told her as she quickly packed her things.

    "Wait, you guys are leaving me?" Daveined.

    "Cherish it, when you be the big boss, you''ll never be alone." Cami teased as she grabbed her bag and left with Mae.

    "Wow, they left faster than I did." Cami heard Ian say with augh as they got into the elevator.

    It had been a while since Cami hadst gone on a date, so she was quite rough around the edges.

    Mae constantly scolded her about not picking out the proper dress or the proper make up for a date. Cami was d that the younger woman had volunteered to help her out.

    By the time 7:30pm rolled by Cami was looking at a fresher younger version of herself in the mirror.

    "Wow, you''re amazing Mae!" Cami eximed.

    "I didn''t do much, you''re really pretty, you just need to show it." Mae said with a giggle. "Anyway, I''m off. I''ll see you tomorrow. Enjoy your date."

    "Thanks again Mae!" Cami said as she closed the door behind her friend.

    After a few minutes Cami''s phone began to ring. When she noticed that it was an unknown number she suspected it to be her date.

    He had told her that he would pick her up at 7:45pm so that they could make their reservation.

    "Yes?" Cami asked as she picked up the call.

    "Hey, is this ForeverCam?" Asked a youthful voice, as he mentioned the username Cami used on the app.

    "Yup, who is this?" Cami asked, she didn''t want to assume that this was her date.

    "Oh, this is Nightgrain06." The man said over the phone. it was indeed her date. The username he had mentioned was the one she had been paired with. "I''m in the ck van outside your building."

    "Oh, I''ll be right down." Cami said in a happy tone as she dropped the call.

    She quickly did somest minute checks on her clothes and make up before finally heading down.

    She spotted the ck van he was referring to and went up to it.

    Before she could even knock, the door slid open and she was pulled in.

    Cami tried to fight back as her hands were tied behind her back and her legs tied together. A blindfold was ced over her eyes, but this didn''t deter her, she continued to fight.

    She never thought her date would end up with her getting abducted, who knew what these men had nned.

    "Now, now, little assistant, stop fighting. If you keep fighting, things will get worse for you." Cami paled at the voice, she knew who it was. It was her older brother Aiden.

    Present

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk." Aiden said as he shook his head. "You aren''t even listening to me."

    Out of anger he suddenly kicked Cami in the stomach making her chair fall over.

    "Don''t worry, once that boss of yours shows up at the meet up point, I''m going to kill you in front of him." Aiden said with a malicious grin.

    Cami felt tears fall from her eyes, so many thoughts and feelings coursed through her. How did her brother end up this way? She prayed that Cedric could save her, she prayed that she wouldn''t die.

 Chapter 524 - 524

    "Are you going to save my sister?" Benedict asked in a loud voice.

    He was currently alone in a cell, sitting on the bed as Cedric watched him from the main office in the Security Building.??

    "I said, Are you going to save my sister?!" Benedict shouted, a little bit angrier this time. "I know how ces like these work, I know someone is always watching. So tell me, will you save her?"

    "Is everything ready?" Cedric asked as he noticed Merrick entering the office.

    "Yes sir, we are ready to move at your orders." Merrick told him with a nod.

    "Cedric, I still feel like we are going into this blindly." Miguel said as he looked over the schematics of Aiden''s property. "There are still a lot of uncertain points here. Plus the n of taking Aiden on while the convoy is moving, it feels like a risk."

    "What about it feels like a risk to you Miguel?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "I just feel like they will be more alert when they are on the road versus when they are not." Miguel said with a shrug. "I know you would be."

    Cedric drummed his fingers on the table, the thought had crossed his mind, but when no one raised any concerns he thought he was just overthinking.

    "What do you suggest?" Cedric asked Miguel. "If anyone has a better idea, speak now."

    Cedric looked around both to his friends and to his men, he knew they were all smart, one of them would probably have a better idea than him.

    "Attack early." Alexi suddenly said as he sat up straight. "Attack before they could even start moving, and use him." Alexi said pointing at the screen showing Benedict mumbling.

    "Are you serious Alexi?" Ray asked in a surprised tone. "We cannot trust Aiden''s brother, the risk is just too high."

    "You don''t think I''ve considered that?" Alexi asked Ray with a frown. "One thing I''ve noticed with Aiden and Benedict, is that they both would do anything for their missing sister. I think Benedict will tell us everything just to save Cami."

    "I still don''t trust him." Ray said as he red at the man on the screen.

    "Then use one of Natalia''s serums." Ian suggested.

    "Can''t." Alexi said, shaking his head. "Those serums were spoken for, it''s all with the government now."

    "Can''t she make new ones?" Cedric asked.

    "No, they aren''t like some meal you can just cook." Alexi said with augh. "It takes her months just to develop one batch, add to that the scarcity of all the chemicals she needs, it would be impossible to get one done in time."

    Cedric sighed and considered their options for a moment, it was either trust Benedict or go ahead with their risky n.

    He sighed as he looked at the people waiting for his decision.

    "If I didn''t have the same gut feeling as Miguel I would have called Alexi crazy." Cedric finally said. "Let''s speak to Benedict again, we need to find out everything about that house''syout and about Aiden''s habits."

    "Yes!" Alexi said, celebrating his small win.

    "Merrick, have someone apany us to Benedict''s cell, in the meantime, I want you to start sending men to Katerina''s house." Cedric ordered Merrick.

    "Katerina, we need you and Eric to pretend to go home so that my men can appear to be part of your security team." Cedric exined.

    "Won''t that seem suspicious?" Katerina asked. "I''ll be going home with a lot more men than I left with?"

    "They will simply discount that as your family being paranoid. It shouldn''t be an issue." Cedric said with a shrug. "It will only be half of the team. The other half will be arriving with me. I''ll tell Aiden through Cami that I am passing by your ce first. Aiden will think that it will be the perfect opportunity to leave while I am at your ce."

    "If you tell him to soon they will start to move before we can make a move." Alexi said as he thought of the situation.

    "I''ll message himte enough so that by the time our men enter the house his men are doing theirst minute businesses before leaving." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Alright." Katerina told Cedric, agreeing to his n.

    "How long do you need?" Katerina asked Merrick.

    "My team should be ready to go in ten minutes." Merrick informed Katerina.

    "Alright. I''ll go say bye to the girls." Katerina said with a nod. "Are youing Eric?" She said to her boyfriend.

    "Of course." Eric said as he chased her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

    "We''ll see you guyster!" Katerina called out to the others.

    "Sir, I will take you to the cells now." A member of Cedric''s security team said.

    Cedric simply nodded and followed the man, they were led to one of the underground levels of the building. On each side there were at least two cells every few meters, Cedric had given Leon free reign in designing this building.

    "Sir, we are keeping him at the end of the hall." The man said as they continued to walk.

    Each cell had a high tech door and a one way mirror that allowed the security team to keep an eye on the prisoners inside. At the moment Cedric''s men not only kept Benedict here, but some of Aiden''s men that they had captured during the attack.

    The men inside the cells remained unaware as Cedric and his friends passed.

    "You know, if we could rid the police of corruption, maybe you could allow them to copy your little dungeon here." Alexi teased Cedric.

    "Maybe, someday." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Sir." The security personnel said as he pointed towards the cell at the end of the hall.

    Inside Cedric could see Benedict pacing. He was still shouting at thin air, hoping that Cedric or anyone of importance would hear him.

    Cedric couldn''t help but feel bad for the man. He had faked his death to escape his brother and find his sister, only to discover that Aiden had kidnapped Cami.

    If Benedict truly loved his sister, it must have been tearing him up inside by now.

    "I''ll speak to him, alone." Cedric said as he entered the cell.

 Chapter 525 - 525

    "You heard me." Benedict said, unable to contain his excitement as he saw Cedric enter the room.

    Cedric wanted tough, Benedict now looked like a child who had gotten his gift on Christmas morning. Gone was the somewhat intimidating and smart looking man, now he was just excited to have been heard.??

    "In a few minutes, my men and I leave to save your sister, yes." Cedric said with a nod as he leaned against the door. "Would you like to help?" He asked.

    Benedict nodded vigorously. "Anything for Cami." Benedict promised.

    "Adien is only pretending to care about her. When we were younger he didn''t care about our sister, all that mattered to him was bringing our family back." Benedict confessed. "He bullied her, and when our parents died, it was like he forgot about her."

    "Then why did he say she is the reason he is going after our families?" Cedric asked Benedict.

    "She is an excuse, a way for the public to side with him when things go bad." Benedict said with a frown. "Growing up, grandfather constantly reminded him about how our family fell from grace, how we lost everything. They never mentioned Cami."

    "So how did shee into y?" Cedric asked.

    "Because I made him swear that if our sister was still alive we would save her. We would bring her home." Benedict said in a hopeful voice before sighing and shaking his head. "But it seems Cami got a better chance at life when she was abandoned."

    Cedric could see as a sad smile appeared on Benedict''s face. Cedric trusted his gut, and his gut said that Benedict was telling the truth. He truly was the one that cared about Cami and not Aiden.

    "I need to know everything about your house, every blind spot and every entrance. You need to tell me all of this so that we can save your sister as quickly as possible." Cedric told Benedict who simply nodded in response.

    "Come in guys." Cedric said as he opened the door and let the other boys in.

    After twenty minutes they managed to get all the details they needed from Benedict and were able to form a n.

    Benedict woulde with them, but he would stay with Katerina in her house. Cedric, Alexi, Ian, and Ray would join the team that would enter Aiden''s house and save Cami.

    When they got back to the mansion Cedric pulled his wife to him and hugged her tightly. Katerina had already told them partially about that n so they knew that the boys were going out to save Cami.

    "Is he really Cami''s brother?" Adrianna asked as she looked at the younger man that stood awkwardly at the door.

    Cedric had left several guards to keep an eye on Benedict, in case he tried to run.

    "Can''t you see the resemnce?" Cedric asked with a grin.

    "A bit." Adrianna said with a shrug. "I guess I''m just tired."

    "Rest, by the time you wake up we will be back, and hopefully by then we could have dealt with Aiden as well." Cedric said as he kissed his wife passionately on the lips.

    "Okay lovebirds, time to go." Alexi teased as he let go of Selina and mouthed a goodbye.

    "I should be calling the two of you lovebirds." Cedric said with augh as he let his wife go and walked out of the house.

    "Take care of them." Cedric said as he looked Ram in the eye.

    Ram would be staying behind with the others in order to keep news of the attack on Aiden''s home out of the media. He would also be monitoring any news on movement from Aiden''s end.

    "Don''t worry, they are safe here." Ram said with a nod.

    Cedric thanked him and got into his car. He was joined by Benedict, Ray, and Ian while Miguel rode with the medial van behind them.

    "If my brother decides to run it will still be at a benefit to us." Benedict suddenly said as they hit the highway.

    "Why?" Cedric asked.

    "Aiden does not trust banks, one reason being that you own the biggest in the country, and the other because he fears that people will take his money." Benedict exined. "My brother and I were brought up to be untrusting of the world, but I at least had friends outside of the Ortiz family home, while my brother only spoke to our grandfather."

    "So all his resources are at the house?" Cedric asked, quite surprised that Aiden had ced all his eggs in one basket.

    "He has some stashed with our grandfather, then there is his right hand man, Keh Cruz." Benedict exined, mentioning an all too familiar name.

    "Is Keh really that important to him?" Cedric asked Benedict.

    "My brother depends heavily on the man, yes." Benedict said with a nod.

    "Hopefully we get your brother today, otherwise I may have to go after Keh and his family." Cedric said with a sigh.

    In truth, Cedric wanted to live a peaceful life, one where his only problems were his business and his family, but it seemed that fate would not let it be so.

    The rest of the drive went silently as they drove by Aiden''s home before finally stopping at Katerina''s.

    Cedric parked his car in an area that could not be seen by Aiden''s men.

    "It seems like there are no guards keeping watch." Cedric said as he closed the door behind him.

    "There normally aren''t." Benedict exined. "No one knows about this property because it''s in my name, not my brother''s."

    "So no one will be watching outside?" Cedric asked.

    "A few guards inside, but that''s it." Benedict said with a shrug, Cedric now felt that they had over prepared. "I just don''t know if my brother will have increased security, especially now that he has kidnapped our sister."

    "I doubt it." Alexi said as they entered Katerina''s home. "If I were him, I would increase my protection forter, especially since I know that Cedric has no idea about this ce."

    "I think so too." Benedict said in agreement.

    "Oh, good, you boys are here." Katerina greeted them happily. "I''ve set up an area for Benedict, Eric, and I to watch everything that is going on."

    "Katerina just realized that one of her guest bedrooms overlooks the entire property next door." Eric said with augh. "Don''t worry Alexi, it had bullet proof ss and you can''t see the inside from outside. I would never put your sister in harm''s way."

    "Thank you." Alexi said with a nod.

    "Shall we start?" Cedric asked as he gave hispanion''s a look.

    "Yes. Let''s go save Cami." Ian said in agreement.

 Chapter 526 - 526

    "Men, get ready. We leave in ten minutes!" Cami heard Aidenmand as he ced her phone down on the table. "Your boss just said that he has arrived at Katerina Sebastian''s house. What a perfect time to leave while he is upied."

    "Why kidnap me? Why not take someone else?" Cami asked angrily. "I have no beef with you."??

    "You have her name, and that is enough." Aiden hissed as he took a step closer to Cami.

    "I didn''t choose my name." Cami told her brother, of course her name was not her choice, it was given to her by their parents.

    "It doesn''t matter." Aiden said as grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look up at him. "You had the opportunity to live your life, to live a good life. My sister Cami never got that chance, so this is for her."

    Suddenly Aiden''s heavy hand came down and pped Cami on the cheek, making her and the chair fall down to the side.

    "If I were your precious Cami, I would be ashamed of you!" Cami shouted back bravely. "I would be ashamed that my brother has be this monster, hurting and killing others!"

    Of course Cami''s words were the truth, she was disgusted by the man Aiden had grown up to be. She was ashamed to call him her brother. Had he shown remorse or kindness she might have told him who she really was. But it seemed Aiden did not have those emotions in him at all.

    "Don''t you dare speak of my sister as if you know her!" Aiden shouted as he kicked her in the stomach.

    "The truth hurts doesn''t it." Cami said with augh.

    She was shocked when no answer came, instead she felt her seat being lifted back up.

    "I don''t need to discuss things like this with a whore like you." Aiden said in a much calmer, yet using tone.

    "And what makes you think I''m a whore like your woman, Jen?" Cami was hoping to trigger him again. No matter what she felt the need to buy Cedric and the others more time, regardless of the cost.

    "Jen was not my woman, and she was definitely not a whore." Aiden said with augh. "She was a y thing, but she was loyal to me. She only slept with Alexi because I asked her to. Unlike you."

    Cami red at Aiden as he looked her in the eyes.

    "You don''t need to be some genius to figure out how you rose to such an important role." Aiden said with a grin. "So tell me, which was it, the father or the son?" He asked with a malicious look in his eyes.

    "I don''t know what you are using me of." Cami said proudly. Of course she knew that Aiden was saying she slept around to move up, but she wasn''t going to allow him that satisfaction.

    "You don''t look stupid." Aiden said as he tilted his head to the side. "But still, let me spell it out for you Cami. Which one were you sleeping with? Emilio Reyes III or Cedric Reyes? Women like you never do well without any favors."

    As he said this his handnded on her knees and slowly inched its way up her thigh, threatening to go further.

    Cami tried to free her legs, but they too were tied to the chair, and she was unable to kick the man.

    She felt disgusted, he was her brother, his actions sickened her.

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk." Aiden said as his hand continued to move. "I should have yed with you while I had the chance."

    "Let go of me! Don''t you dare!" Cami screamed.

    "I can see why the Reyeses would be attracted to this." Aiden said with a grin.

    "Sir, sir." Someone suddenly came running into the room.

    "What is it this time?!" Aiden asked angrily.

    "We''re -" Before the man could even finish his sentence a bullet pierced him and he fell down to the ground, dead.

    Cami looked up to see Aiden''s ashen face, before he finally ran away through the other door at the opposite side of the room.

    She looked towards the direction the gun shots hade from, she smiled as she saw Cedric''s and Ian''s familiar faces.

    "You guys came!" Cami shouted excitedly as Ian ran over to set her free.

    "Of course, you never call me sir. The moment you did that I knew something was wrong." Cedric said as he looked around trying to see if anyone wasing at them.

    "Sir, the coast is clear, we can leave." Merrick said as he joined them, followed by several men.

    "Thank you." Cami said, hugging Ian and Cedric.

    "We''re just d you''re safe." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Oh, and there is someone waiting for you. He can''t wait to meet you again." Ian said with a suspicious grin.

    Suddenly they heard people approaching.

    "We need to get out of here now!" Cedric yelled, prompting their group to rush out of the house.

    As they exited the house, they were greeted by two forces shooting at one another. Cami spotted Alexi and Ray leading the other group of men, she was shocked that they hade along to save her.

    "This way." Merrick motioned, leading them away from the gunfight.

    "Cedric Reyes!" Aiden''s loud voice suddenly came. "You and your friends have killed my two siblings! I demand justice!" Aiden said angrily.

    "We didn''t kill either of them!" Cedric shouted back.

    "Cedric, my brother, my other brother." Cami tried to say as tears rolled down her eyes. She couldn''t say it, it hurt too much.

    "It''s okay Cami. We know." Ian said as he hugged his friend, letting her cry out into his arms.

    "You killed my mother, you killed Jam, you killed Mia, you didn''t even know them and yet you took them from their loved ones!" Cedric shouted back. "I know why you targeted my mom, and Mia died protecting my wife and son, but why Jam? The boy was innocent!"

    "He was a necessary loss." Aiden said with a grin. "He had to go so that I could draw you all out. Sadly, I didn''t get close enough. It''s a good thing your friend Alexi is an idiot." Aiden said with augh.

    "You disgust me!" Cami shouted at Aiden. "You are a sick person, treating other humans as tools!"

    "You don''t matter, girl!" Aiden hissed. "You merely share a name with my sister, don''t think you are someone important."

    "She is important." Ian answered back.

    "She should die!" Aiden said as he aimed a gun at Cami. "Say goodbye to your worthless mistress Cedric."

    Aiden''s gun was suddenly shot out of his hand, making him scream in pain.

    "I will not lose my sister a second time!" A voice came from the neighboring balcony. Cami couldn''t help but look up.

    Cami was shocked to see the familiar face, he was older but she knew it was her brother Benedict.

    "You''re dead!" Aiden shouted.

    "No, clearly I''m not." Benedict told his brother.

    "You traitor! You told them where to find me!" Aiden used.

    "Yes, because you kidnapped our sister! I had to stop you!" Benedict answered back.

    At that Aiden couldn''t help but stare at Cami, who was currently on the ground being shielded by Ian.

 Chapter 527 - 527

    Aiden moved to say something when Benedict began shooting at him, making Aiden take a step back.

    "You will never hurt her again." Benedict shouted.??

    "Get him." Cedric ordered his men, who quickly rushed to get to Aiden.

    Aiden seemingly sensed that he was on the losing end, retreated. He turned and ran.

    "Let''s get Cami to safety." Cedric told Ian with a nod as he turned and walked towards the property gates.

    Ian kept his arm protectively around Cami''s shoulders as they followed Cedric to safety.

    When they had finally made it out Cami breathed a sigh or relief.

    "How are you holding up?" Cedric asked Cami as they entered Katerina''s front door.

    "I don''t know, I honestly don''t know." Cami said, shaking her head. "Too much just happened."

    "No matter what it is, know that Ian and I are here for you, you can talk to us about anything." Cedric said as he pulled her into a hug. "The three of us have been through so much already."

    "Cami!" Katerina screamed as she pulled the woman into her arms. "I was so worried about you, I didn''t know what I would do if you got hurt."

    "She was worried?" Benedict asked as he looked at Katerina, confused.

    "Katerina can hide her emotions quite well." Eric said with a shrug. "But she could never hide it from me." Eric said with a grin.

    "Benedict?" Cami asked as she finally freed herself from Katerina''s arms.

    "Cami." Benedict said with a smile as his eyes became watery.

    Cami ran over and hugged him tightly.

    "Aiden said you were dead, how are you alive?" Cami asked as she cried into her brother''s arms.

    "I faked my death with the help of a few loyal men." Benedict said in a calmer tone.

    Cedric and the others watched from the side as brother and sister were finally reunited. Katerina couldn''t help but shed a tear

    "Aiden and grandpa never believed me that you were still alive. They said we would go find you when I grew older." Benedict exined in a sad tone. "And then Aiden decided to use you as an excuse to go after the people he med for our parents'' deaths."

    "Oh, Benedict." Cami said, hugging her brother tightly.

    "Our parents'' deaths were their own fault." Benedict told his sister, shaking his head.

    "Benedict, you don''t have to. Our families are not clean." Katerina said with a small smile.

    "No, no." Benedict said, shaking his head. "Growing up I watched your fathers. I followed every legal and illegal action they had ever done. They would never kill, unless you drove them too far."

    "So you don''t hate us?" Ray asked as he and Alexi joined the rest of the group.

    "No, it was never your fault." Benedict said.

    He then looked Ian in the eyes and his expression became remorseful.

    "Mr. Lim, I''m sorry about what my dad did to you and your family." Benedict said in a sad tone. "My dad took everything from you, he is the reason why you had to go through so much at such a young age."

    Ian closed his eyes and sighed.

    "The sins of the father are not the sins of the son." Ian finally said. "It''s not your fault. Everything I lived through, I wouldn''t change a thing. It has made me stronger and it has brought me to the people I love the most."

    "Still, I know what you have had to live through." Benedict frowned. "It''s unfair."

    "What has he had to live through?" Cami asked as she gave both Ian and Benedict a curious look.

    She and Ian had be close friends due to their work, they had spent countless hours together and he had been like a brother to her as well.

    People had even gone as far as assuming that they had developed feelings for one another. That''s why it was such a shock to everybody when Ian and Nicole admitted their rtionship. Of course, that didn''te as a shock to Cami, Ian told her almost everything.

    "It''s not something I can share." Benedict told his sister.

    "Those things are in the past, I would rather not relive them." Ian said with a smirk.

    "Did you get our brother?" Benedict asked, quickly changing the topic.

    "No, Aiden escaped." Alexi hissed. "He had a getaway vehicle ready by the back gate. We thought we could stop him, but he was prepared."

    "That''s new." Benedict said with a frown. "When I left the property only had one exit."

    "It looked fresh." Alexi said, confirming that it was indeed a new addition. "There was no way you would have known."

    "I should have anticipated that my brother would at least have a back up n." Benedict said, shaking his head in frustration.

    "Shouldn''t you be relieved that Aiden managed to escape?" Ray asked as he eyed Aiden suspiciously. He still refused to trust the man as wholly as his friends did.

    "My brother made his choice." Benedict said, shaking his head. "We could have moved on, we could have lived our lives. The Carpios were long willing to give us a ce at their table, but my brother chose this path instead."

    "I keep forgetting that your mother and Cthea''s mother were siblings." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Imagine my brother dating our cousin." Benedict said with a disgusted look on his face.

    Cami couldn''t help but be rigid as she recalled her brother''s threats and what he had attempted to do to her earlier.

    She looked at Cedric and Ian, who each gave her a worried look.

    "Did you hear?" Cami asked, hoping that they would simply look confused, but she had no such luck.

    "Cami, he was wrong to do that." Cedric said with a frown.

    "To do what?" Benedict asked angrily. "What did Aiden do?"

    "It''s nothing, he didn''t know any better." Cami said with a frown.

    "Regardless of the fact that you are siblings, he should never treat a woman that way." Ian chimed in.

    "What did my brother do?" Benedict asked as his aura darkened, he was clearly worried and angry.

    "He should know." Cedric said as he looked Cami in the eyes.

    "I am ashamed." Cami said with a frown as she looked down at her feet. She was ashamed that something like that had happened to her, she knew how society treated women who experienced these things. It would always be viewed as her fault.

    "Before you say anything Cami," Ian said with a frown. "It isn''t your fault, it''s Aiden''s fault. That fucking asshole."

    "What did he do to my sister?!" Benedict demanded.

    Cami closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She trusted the people in the room.

    "He touched me in an unpleasant way, he almost raped me, he threatened to rape me." Cami finally confessed.

    "I''m going to fucking kill him." Benedict hissed. "I don''t care if he is my brother, how could he."

    "I''m sorry." Cami said.

    "Cami, no, no, it''s not your fault." Katerina said as she hudded her friend, "It''s Aiden''s fault."

    "Kat, he, he, almost touched me there." Cami sobbed.

    "He is a sick bastard." Katerina cursed.

    "Don''t worry Cami. I''ll make sure he never harms you again." Benedict swore.

    "Thank you, brother." Cami said with a smile as she looked up at Benedict.

 Chapter 528 - 528

    "I''m assuming you got all of his assets on the property?" Benedict asked.

    "No, it''s kept under a biometric lock. We''re still working on it." Ray exined.??

    "I should be able to open it. My brother probably never bothered to take out my biometric ess from his system." Benedict said with a smile. "Without those funds he only has one person he can turn to."

    "Keh Cruz." Cedric said with a grin.

    "So the party must go on?" Katerina asked.

    "Won''t they be suspicious?" Cami asked with a concerned look on her face.

    "They might." Cedric admitted. "But I''m hoping that Lorisa''s social climbing tendencies will overpower her logic. Everyone who is anyone will be there."

    "I doubt my brother will be able to contact Keh soon." Benedict told everyone. "He will need to find a safehouse that I don''t know about, and that will take a while. I also have a feeling that he will try to kidnap my sister again."

    "Cami and you can stay in my home for the meantime." Cedric informed Benedict.

    "As much as I would love to ept your offer, you are too trusting." Benedict said with a frown. "What if I take the opportunity to harm you or your family."

    "If you were nning on harming us, you wouldn''t have shot your brother." Cedric said, shaking his head. "And I, no, we owe this to Cami."

    "Cedric, what if my brother stays at the guest house?" Cami suggested. "You can ce guards around the area and cut off any form ofmunication."

    "That''s a great idea Cami." Cedric said with a smile.

    "That was bloody." Miguel said as he joined them in the house.

    "Any casualties?" Cedric asked with a worried look on his face. The number of deaths from Aiden''s attack in the past still haunted Cedric.

    "You know that at times like these, death cannot be avoided." Miguel said with a frown before telling him the total body count.

    "If I could save every life, I would." Cedric said with a determined expression.

    "Five dead and another twenty injured." Miguel told him. "I''ll tell their families personally." Cedric told Miguel.

    Miguel sighed and ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder. "A good friend of mine once told me, you can''t save everyone." Miguel said, repeating the words Cedric told him when he couldn''t save Jam.

    Cedric smiled at his friend and nodded.

    He still felt bad about people dying and getting injured because of him, but Miguel''s reminder helped him get over the guilt a little bit.

    "Besides, the real person to me here is my brother." Benedict said in a dark tone. "He went too far kidnapping our sister. This needs to end."

    "It will. Will you help us?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Benedict promised.

    After resting for a bit, the group left Katerina''s house and headed for Cedric''s Mountain View Mansion. It had been a long and tiring day, Cami was fast asleep in the back seat, leaning on her brother, while Ian drove.

    When they finally got back, the women took Cami away and drew her a calming bath.

    "Thank you." Cedric said as he and Benedict walked towards the guest house. "You didn''t have to turn on your brother like that but you did."

    "No, my brother had gone too far." Benedict said, shaking his head. "I should be the one thanking you. You took my sister in, you treated her as a true friend and today you saved her. I don''t know how I could ever repay you."

    "Cami is like a sister to me. So there is no need." Cedric told Benedict as they approached the guest house.

    "This ce is massive." Benedict said as he looked around in awe.

    "I had hoped to live here with my wife and kids till we grew old enough to pass it on, but it seems life has different ns." Cedric said with a frown.

    "What do you mean?" Benedict asked.

    "We may have to move because of my mother''s passing." Cedric said with a sigh. "The Reyes Compound is where the head of the Reyes Family should live. I managed to escape that by saying my parents should live there instead, but with mom gone they will pressure us to move in."

    "I''m sure you''ll find apromise." Benedict said as they entered the guest house.

    "By the way, there are some things I wanted to ask you." Cedric said as he gestured for Benedict to take a seat.

    "I''ll try to answer them the best I can." Benedict told Cedric with a serious expression as he took a seat on the couch.

    Cedric smiled and walked over to pour himself and Benedict a drink.

    "We might need this." Cedric said with a chuckle as he took a sip from his ss.

    Benedict mirrored his actions and did the same. It had been a long day, a little alcohol was truly needed.

    "How did the Carpios not know of yours or of Cami''s existence? I visited Jonathan Carpio a while back and he only mentioned one child of your parents." Cedric asked as he took a seat across Benedict.

    "My parents never let them know that they had two other children, the only one that knew about us was our maternal grandfather." Benedict said with a sad nod. "Sometimes I can''t help but wonder how our lives would have turned out if we had been adopted by the Carpios instead."

    "We will never know." Cedric said as he poured them another ss. "There is no use worrying about the what ifs, what matters now is what you do with the cards life has dealt you."

    "Wise words." Benedict said with a smile as he drank from the ss Cedric offered.

    They both sat in silence as they pondered different things.

    "Next question?" Benedict finally asked, breaking the silence.

    Cedric smiled then sighed.

    "I don''t know if you will know the answer to this, but I might as well ask." Cedric said as he looked at his now empty ss. "Do you know how your brother managed to enter Reyes Compound?"

    "I do." Benedict admitted. "And it was my n."

    ____________________________________________________________________

    I understand that many of you still have questions regarding Never Judge, like how the government and it''s apanying police system seem to be worthless in this novel.

    The answer to that is, not all countries have a good police or justice system, and this reflects just that.

    In many countries, if you are rich you can more or less get away with anything and everything, and this is reflective of that.

    Cedric is part of the elites of the country in this novel, he has the power to take justice into his own hands had have no need to pay for whatever consequences it has with thew.

    In my uping novel, Rise of the Disgraced Heir, you will get to see how the poor people of this country has to deal with a poor justice and police system.

    Many of you have asked me what country the story is set at, it is at an imaginary country, but many things about it are reflective of countries that do exist.

    The behavior of the rich families are simr to those that we see in South East Asia, and the traditions are quite simr as well.

    If you have more questions you can ask them in my discord server as well.

 Chapter 529 - 529

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked, on the outside Cedric was calm and collected, but on the inside he was already panicking.

    Was Benedict ying with them this whole time? Was this some sort of plot twist???

    He couldn''t help but wonder if Benedict brought him out here as a distraction, if they had fallen into his perfect trap.

    Benedict seemed to be the brains of Aiden''s whole operation, so was it possible that Benedict had been toying with them all along.

    "I know what you are thinking." Benedict suddenly said. "I devised that n to hopefully get close to your father or you. I needed to know if my sister was still alive, and I assumed that if anyone would know it would be you or your father."

    "My father knew, but I only found out after your brother attacked us." Cedric said with a frown. "So how did he do it?"

    "You''ve seen Aiden and his effect on women, right?" Benedict asked, to which Cedric simply nodded.

    "Aiden has always been the better looking one between the two of us. Tall, brooding, handsome with his dark hair and dark eyes. That whole mysterious intimidating man seems to have quite the effect on women." Benedict said with a frown.

    "So you used his looks to get into ourpound?" Cedric asked, giving Benedict a confused look. How could someone''s looks get them through the tightest security in the country.

    "I asked him to make one of the maids fall in love with him." Benedict said with a shrug. "It wasn''t difficult either. Once the woman was smitten with him she gave him one of those family passes."

    "But my security team had images of him all over, surely someone would have recognized him?" Cedric asked, curious as to how Aiden had managed to slip in.

    "He took a page out of your book most likely." Benedict exined. "He probably wore a facemask and said he was sick. Or he could have dyed his hair and worn contacts."

    "Thank you for telling me this." Cedric said as he poured them another ss. "I guess I''ll need to be stricter with those family passes."

    "Or you could house your staff off the premises. That way only the employees coulde in and out of thepound freely." Benedict suggested.

    "I''ll consider it." Cedric said. He thought Benedict was quite smart and would be such a big loss to Aiden.

    "Well, it''ste." Cedric said as he got up and walked to the door. "I''ll see you tomorrow. Breakfast is at the main house."

    "Cedric, wait." Benedict said, stopping Cedric from leaving.

    Cedric turned and gave him a puzzled look. He was quite exhausted from the day and simply wanted to get to his bed and sleep.

    "Thank you." Benedict said with a weary smile. "Thank you for watching out for my sister all these years."

    Cedric simply nodded and left.

    The next few days were quite hectic for Cedric and everyone else. The girls were busy nning Emilio''s birthday party while Cedric and the others helped Cami and Benedict settle down.

    "Are you sure you want to sell that house?" Cami asked Benedict as they sat in Cedric''s office.

    "Yes." Benedict said with a nod. "It has too many painful memories. I want a fresh start, I''m a new person, sister." He told Cami.

    "I can help you sell the house and purchase a new one." Cedric told Benedict.

    "I was hoping to settle down at the Mountain View Community, are there any lots avable?" Benedict asked.

    "There are a few." Cedric said with a nod.

    "As you know, money isn''t an issue." Benedict said with a grin. "I''ve made a good living with stocks and some other illegal means. I want to buy two houses."

    "Two houses? Are you crazy Benedict?" Cami asked, outraged by her brother''s decision.

    "I can afford it, plus Cedric has offered me a position in the international strategic department of the Reyes Group. I can afford two houses." Benedict told his sister with a shrug.

    "Why the hell are you preparing a house for that asshole?" Cami angrily asked her brother. By the looks of it she was ready to storm off and never speak to him again.

    Suddenly both Benedict and Cedric bust outughing, angering Cami even more.

    "You can''t be alright with this Cedric? What the hell?" Cami asked as she red at her boss. "Aiden killed your mother, Mia, Jam, and countless others."

    "Cami, your brother isn''t buying the house for Aiden." Cedric saidughing.

    "Oh, what?" Cami asked in surprise.

    "She''s usually not this daft." Cedric said, pointing at Cami. "I have a cell in one of Ray''s controlled prisons with his name on it. He will wish for death every day."

    "Cami, the other house is for you." Benedict said with a smile.

    "Brother, no." Cami said in a panic as she realized what her brother was buying for her. "I can afford a decent home on my own. Cedric pays me a lot."

    "Yes, but let me do this for you." Benedict said as he walked over to his sister. "I should havee to you as soon as I could, I shouldn''t have stayed by Aiden''s side."

    "Benedict, it''s not your fault. He is your brother." Cedric said, understanding why Benedict had chosen to stay with his ruthless older brother.

    "No matter how you put it Cedric, Aiden was wrong." Benedict said with a frown. "I will not deny that there were days where his words swayed me into thinking that Cami was truly gone."

    "Brother. . ." Cami said as she hugged him. "What matters is that you are here now." Cami said with a sweet smile.

    "Cami, I promise to do everything that I can to make it up to you." Benedict promised.

    "Benedict, just being a better person than Aiden is more than enough." Cami said with a smile as she hugged her brother tightly.

    "I''m d you have both made up, maybe now Cami can go to work and I can introduce Benedict to his new team." Cedric said impatiently.

    "So greedy." Cami teased as she left the room. "I''m off to work brother. I''ll pick you upter." Cami told Benedict as she left.

    "What? Money doesn''t grow in trees." Cedric said with a shrug as he noticed Benedict giving him a nasty look.

 Chapter 530 - 530

    "It''s such an honor to be invited madam." The woman dripping in jewelry and branded apparel said as she bowed at Adrianna.

    "Please, no need to bow, don''t be too formal." Adrianna said with augh as she extended her hand.??

    The woman''s eyes grew wide in wonder and quickly shook Adrianna''s extended hand.

    "May I call you Adrianna now as well?" The woman asked excitedly.

    Before Adrianna could say anything, her sister inw, Ayanna quickly cut in.

    "I think it would be quite rude to simply call her by her first name?" Ayanna asked in a cold tone.

    "I''m sorry miss Ayanna, Madam Reyes. My apologies." The woman said as she scurried along.

    "Ayanna, wasn''t that too harsh?" Adrianna asked her sister-inw. She never thought that Ayanna would be the type to uphold traditions such as these.

    "That woman is a social climbing bitch, much like the other women here." Ayanna said with a frown. "If you had allowed her to do that she would be dropping your name everywhere and creating fake scandals for you. Don''t repeat my mistakes."

    "Your mistakes?" Adrianna asked as she spotted a new guest approaching.

    "Madam Reyes, Miss Adrianna." The woman greeted with a warm smile.

    "You know I will not ept formalities from you Francesca." Ayanna said with a grin as she pulled the model turned actress into a hug.

    "I thought you said not to let people address me informally." Adrianna teased as she too hugged Francesca.

    "You know how these strict practices go." Francesca teased. "It gets worse if you are involved with the mafia."

    "The mafia?" Adrianna asked in shock.

    "I keep forgetting that not everyone knows about the Ris." Cedric said as he wrapped his arm around his wife.

    "Okay you two, get a room." Ayanna teased.

    "Cedric, what does Francesca mean?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Do you mind, Francesca?" Cedric asked, seeking permission from the actress.

    "It''s alright. She should know since my brother, Andres, will be here as well." Francesca said with a sweet and innocent smile.

    "Adri, did you know that Francesca does all her action scenes? She''s never used a stunt double." Cedric told his wife.

    "No, that''s amazing. But what does that have to do with the mafia?" Adrianna asked, a bit too loudly.

    "Shhhh, not so loud Adri." Ayanna said with augh.

    "Oh." Adrianna said, covering her mouth.

    "Francesca''s family is the second strongest family in the underworld. They control one of thergest factions in the mafia." Cedric said with a grin as he looked at his wife''s shocked expression.

    "I thought your family is in the metal business?" Adrianna asked the woman in front of her.

    "Madam Reyes, Mr. Reyes, Miss Ayanna." A neer respectfully greeted.

    "Thank you foring." Adrianna said with a smile. "I hope you and your children enjoy."

    "The madam looks like she had never bore a child, you are just stunning Madam Reyes." The man praised.

    "Thank you." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "You may go." Cedric said coldly.

    The man simply nodded and left.

    "You Reyeses are really cold." Francesca said with augh.

    "Right back at the Ris. Remember the first time we met you? You were all stiff and domineering. Who knew you would fall for the marshmallow of the group?" Cedric said with augh.

    "Who are you calling a marshmallow?" Ram said as he arrived.

    He quickly wrapped an arm around Francesca''s waist and kissed her. "I hope you didn''t wait long." Ram said as he brushed a stray hair from Francesca''s face.

    "No, I just arrived." Francesca said, returning Ram''s smile. "Adrianna is just learning the truth about my family." Francesca giggled.

    "She didn''t know?" Ram said, asking Cedric.

    "There was no need to tell her." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "She is right here." Adrianna said, pointing at herself.

    "Sorry Adri." Ram said with an apologetic look.

    "So if the Ris are the second most powerful family, Who is the most powerful?" Adrianna asked.

    "The Laurences." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Are you serious?" Adrianna asked as she gave Cedric a yful shove.

    "Yes." Ayanna said, bursting out inughter. "Are you serious, you really didn''t know?"

    "No, I just assumed he had connections." Adrianna said, clearly embarrassed.

    "Ray is called the king of the underworld for a reason." Cedric said as heughed at his wife.

    "Shouldn''t you beforting me? Fawning over me?" Adrianna teased Cedric.

    "Since when have I been like that?" Cedric asked.

    "Since you saw her." Ram teased.

    "Wait, so Francesca''s brother leads her family''s part of the mafia?" Adrianna asked, bringing the conversation back to its original topic.

    "Well, not exactly." Fancesca said shyly.

    "You have another sibling?" Adrianna asked.

    "I did, but he died." Francesca said with a frown, the memory was clearly quite painful.

    "I''m sorry." Adrianna said, apologetically.

    "No, it''s fine. My brother died a while back. It was because of his death that I had to return to the family, my brother Andres couldn''t manage it all." Francesca confessed.

    "Hey, I do most of the dirty work." A tall handsome man who looked like a model suddenly said as he approached. "Hands of my sister, Abad." The man said.

    He was clearly a few years older than Cedric and the others, and he carried a dark aura around him.

    "I''m d you could make it Andres." Cedric greeted the man.

    "Thank you for inviting me, Cedric." Andres said as he gave Cedric a respectful nod. "You must be Mrs. Reyes. It is an honor, no wonder Cedric is so smitten with you, you are gorgeous."

    "You are quite good at sweet talking." Adrianna said with augh.

    "No lies. Unlike my sister." Andres said as he looked at Francesca.

    "Ohe on Andres, we both know the family would not have survived without me." Francesca said, rolling her eyes.

    "Adrianna!" A shrill voice suddenly said, annoying Cedric and theirpany.

    "Lorisa, so d you could make it." Adrianna said in a m and gracious tone.

    "Of course, of course. How could I miss your son''s birthday, we were friends in Uni." Lorisa said. Her voice was so loud that Cedric was sure that all of their guests could hear her.

    "Yes." Adrianna said with a nod.

    "I''m assuming you have both forgiven me for my behavior before?" Lorisa asked with a cunning smile. "As they say in Mn, water under the bridge." She said with an obnoxiousugh.

    "Ah yeah, yeah." Cedric said, answering for his wife. "Why don''t you take a seat with your son for a moment Lorisa. We have other guests to wee."

    "Yes, yes, let''s chatter." Lorisa said as she left, waving at the couple.

    "Her voice gives me a headache." Ayanna hissed as soon as Lorisa was out of earshot.

    "Let''s get this over with, we need her for now." Cedric said in an attempt tofort his sister.

    "I hate how we need her." Ayanna said, shaking her head. "She has a rotten attitude, don''t you remember how she treated my sister-inw? Or how she looked down at you at the restaurant?"

    "How did you know about the incident at the restaurant?" Cedric asked Ayanna.

    "Selina told me." Ayanna said with augh.

    Cedric sighed and shook his head. Why were these women so gossipy?

    "It will be over soon. I promise." He said as he led them to the stage to wee their guests. It was definitely going to be a long day.

 Chapter 531 - 531

    "The couple and I go way back." Cedric heard Lorisa boast. "We went to uni together and we were very good friends."

    "How can you stand her?" Selina, who was sitting next to Cedric asked. "I remember how she treated you at that restaurant. That was harsh."??

    "We need her." Cedric said with a shrug as he stood up. He was going to attempt a friendly conversation with Lorisa in public.

    "Lorisa." Cedric greeted in a forced friendly tone.

    "Cedric dear!" Lorisa greeted happily as she ran over and gave Cedric a hug.

    Cedric had to keep reminding himself that he was doing this to finally capture Aiden and end all of the pain Aiden had caused to his family and friends.

    He was so tempted to push Lorisa off of him, it took all of his self control not to send her away.

    "I hope our sons can be good friends when they grow up," Lorisa said loudy, it was clear that she wanted everyone to hear that she was friends with the Reyeses.

    "I hope so too, your son is quite the charmer." Cedric said as he looked over to a group of children ying. He was sure that Lorisa''s son was among them.

    "Yes, my little boy is quite the charmer. He is very smart too." Lorisa boasted. "Would you like to formally meet him?" Lorisa asked Cedric.

    Cedric simply nodded in response and was led by Lorisa to a stroller by the side of the table.

    "I didn''t want him interacting with unworthy children." Lorisa said in a snotty tone. "If my son is to be friends with your son, then he should be as clean as possible."

    Cedric wanted tough at Lorisa''s words, but he fought to keep it in. He found it stupid how Lorisa sounded at that moment.

    "My son is incredibly smart. He just refuses to speak." Lorisa said as she picked the child up from the stoller. "Aren''t you little one, like from mama''s favorite novels. You''ll be a rich brooding CEO with ultra popr friends."

    Cedric heard someone stifle augh as Lorisa said this. He looked to his right and saw Alexi and Selina watching him.

    Cedric simply shook his head and returned his attention to the conversation at hand.

    "Why don''t we introduce your son Johnny to my son Emilio and to Tristan?" Cedric asked as he gestured towards the direction where Emilio and Tristan were ying with a few other kids.

    "It''s Emilio." Lorisa suddenly said.

    "Pardon?" Cedric asked as he gave the woman a confused look.

    "Since you revealed yourself to the public, I''ve decided to have everyone call my son Emilio as well." Lorisa said with a shrug, as if her decision was nothing.

    "What? Come again?!" Cedric asked in shock as he gave Lorisa an annoyed look.

    Alexi seemed to have noticed that something was wrong. He quickly came up and ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder to remind him of their mission.

    "You alright bro?" Alexi asked as Cedric realized that he almost ruined their n.

    "Yeah, yeah." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Lorisa was just introducing me to her son, Johnny, now called Emilio." Cedric said as he gave Alexi a knowing look.

    "Ah, you must really value Cedric''s and Adrianna''s friendship." Alexi said with an awkwardugh. "And you must be quite close to them, even I wouldn''t name my kid the same as his."

    "It will be so fun with our children growing up with the same name." Lorisa said excitedly.

    "Ah yes. It will be interesting." Cedric said, in an attempt to avoid a repeat of what happened earlier.

    "Shall we let Emilio meet Emilio?" Lorisa said with a grin, to which Cedric simply nodded and led the way.

    "Adri, have you met Lorisa''s son?" Cedric said with a grin as he waved at his wife, who was watching over Emilio.

    "I don''t think so." Adrianna said as she smiled. "His name is Johnny right?" Adrianna asked as she recalled the name in the file Cedric had given her before the party.

    "Why don''t you put your son down first Lorisa, so he can y with the other children?" Cedric asked, interjecting into the conversation.

    "Oh right, right." Lorisa said as she ced her son down.

    Cedric watched as Emilio and Tristan walked up to the little boy and said hi to him. Lorisa''s son couldn''t walk yet so he crawled over.

    Emilio looked up at Cedric and nodded at his dad. Beforeing down for the party Cedric had given his son instructions to be kind and to y with all of his guests.

    Cedric was proud of his son for being kind and outgoing to all the other children. He had initially been worried that Emilio would be too introverted to interact with others. But his son surprised him once more by being a gracious host.

    "It looks like your son and mine will be good friends." Lorisa said excitedly as she watched the children y.

    "So your son, Johnny?" Adrianna asked Lorisa.

    "It was his name, but now I want him called by a different name." Lorisa said with an amused grin.

    "Oh, like a nickname?" Adrianna asked innocently.

    "Well, no, I''m having his name changed." Lorisa said in a cocky tone. "I mean since he and your son will be best friends, I decided that they should have the same name." Lorisa said with a shrug.

    "Oh wow." Adrianna said, stunned with Lorisa''s words.

    "Aren''t you ttered honey?" Cedric said as he grinned at his wife.

    "Very much so." Adrianna replied, awkwardly. "But won''t he have a hard time remembering his own name if you keep changing it? And what did his father have to say?"

    "Oh, I''m sure he will adjust to the new name." Lorisa said, waving the issue off. "As for Anton, well we got into a huge fight since Johnny was his grandfather''s name and all that sentimental stuff. I just told him that if we want our little Emilio to be rich and famous one day he should have the same name as the richest child out there."

    "Oh, and he just agreed?" Cedric asked, confused as to why Anton would allow Lorisa to change their son''s name on a whim.

    "Of course not." Lorisa said, shaking her head. "He is still furious at me. But we had a deal, if changing our son''s name got us better partnerships and helped us climb thedder, well then he would be fine with it."

    "Well you are in luck Lorisa." Adrianna said with a smile. "I''ll be hosting an intimate dinner soon, just friends, maybe you and your husband would like to join us?"

    "Of course!" Lorisa said excitedly. "When is it?" She asked.

    "On Thursday." Adrianna said in a calm and collected tone.

    "Oh no." Lorisa gasped as she frowned at the date.

    "Why?" Adrianna asked, feigning curiosity. She already knew what the issue was, Cedric had chosen that date specifically.

    "It''s my father-inw''s birthday." Lorisa said with a sigh. "Who will be there?"

    "Just the top families, of course. I don''t really like hosting big events like this and I would prefer a smaller, more intimate one." Adrianna said with a shrug, "It''s too bad, your father-inw could have made acquaintances there as well."

    "He could?" Lorisa asked, her eyes wide with intrigue.

    "Yes, my father is inviting some of his friends over as well." Cedric told Lorisa. "It could have been such an opportunity, I guess the fates simply don''t want it to happen."

    "No, no. I will find a way." Lorisa told the couple with a new found determination.

    "Great! That''s marvelous." Adrianna said excitedly. "So we''ll see you then?"

    "Yes, of course, of course." Lorisa said, nodding her head vigorously.

    "You and Emilio should return to your seats. The party is about to start." Cedric said as he pointed towards the stage, where a famous children''s show host greeted everybody.

    "We will." Lorisa said as she walked away.

    Lorisa suddenly stopped in her tracks and realized that she had left her son on the ground ying with the other children.

    She quickly walked back and picked her son up, before finally disappearing to her table.

    "You were so good at acting today, honey." Cedric said as he pulled his wife to him and kissed her on the lips.

    "It was annoying." Adrianna said in a tired tone as she turned her attention back to her son and his new found friends.

    "It''s good to see him acting like a normal child." Cedric said with a smile, voicing out his observation.

    "What you did was really sweet, you know, it shows that you care about more than just our family." Adrianna told her husband.

    "These children lost their families, they were either abandoned or their parents died." Cedric said with a frown as he watched the children y. "When I set up the foundation I just wanted to give them a better shot at the world."

    "Bringing them here today made them feel like ordinary children, Cedric." Charles Hernandez said as he approached. "I''m d you gave me the opportunity to work with the orphanage and to your charities."

    "Dad, it''s your calling." Adrianna said as she smiled at her father.

    "Just as it is your mother''s calling to try to max out your husband''s bank ount." Charles Hernandez said, rolling his eyes.

    "I assure you, she can''t." Cedric said with augh.

    "Plus I ced a limit on her card." Adrianna added,ughing at her father''s and husband''s stunned faces.

    "Laugh while you can, Adri." Cedric said with a grin. "After this you''ll be nning another dinner with Lorisa."

    Adrianna elbowed her husband and walked away.

 Chapter 532 - 532

    When the Cruz family drove up to the Mountain View mansion, they couldn''t help but be in awe of how elegant the house actually was.

    During Emilio''s birthday party, a tent had been set up, at a distance from the mansion on the property. ??

    As a matter of fact, a lot of the guests were quite disappointed that they couldn''t get any closer to the famed mansion. It was not only one of thergest in the country, but it was also designed by Veronica as well.

    "Wow, now this is how the truly rich live!" Lorisa said as she tugged on her husband''s sleeve.

    "Don''t be too eager with them Lorisa." Her father-inw warned as they drove up to the front of the mansion. "Be careful with them." Keh Cruz warned his son and daughter-inw.

    "Father, I don''t see why you hate them so much." Anton Cruzined. "I don''t like them, but I don''t mind using them and their connections. Just look at all the luxury cars parked out here." Anton said, pointing at the cars parked outside the house.

    Behind them there were also another two cars that had arrived.

    "See that one dad." Anton said, pointing at the car behind them. "There are only ten of those in the world, it was released justst week. Whoever owns that car is truly someone powerful and influential."

    "I get it, I get it, this dinner is an opportunity." Keh said, rolling his eyes at his son.

    "Happy birthday dad." Lorisa suddenly said as she handed a gift to her father-inw. "I know that we usually give this to you while we are having dinner, but since today is a double special day, I decided to give it to you now."

    "Thank you, Lorisa." Keh said with a nod as he took the gift from her.

    He never really liked Lorisa, he always felt that she was too high profile and too loud for his son. He worried that she would be the reason for their businesses to crash, both the legal and illegal trades.

    But Keh couldn''t deny that Lorisa''s social climbing skills had brought them many clients. Since she insisted on being around the richest of the rich, she soon befriended them and they all did business with Anton''spany.

    This increased ie from their legitimate sources allowed for his underground business to grow. They could always say that his son''spany was doing well, whenever their opulence came into question.

    "Wow, this is a very nice gift Lorisa." Keh Cruz said as he took out the limited edition watch that Lorisa and Anton had bought for him. "I like this luxury brand too."

    "Well dad, as they say, you can''t take a BMW to a meeting room, but you can take a Rolex." Lorisa said with a proud smile.

    "I shall wear this tonight." Keh said with a grin as he wrapped the watch around his wrist and took a good look at it. "Those businessmen will be green with envy when they see this watch."

    "Lorisa gave it at the perfect time, didn''t she dad." Anton said as he kissed his wife.

    "Yes, yes. You don''t need to keep trying so hard Anton." Keh said, rolling his eyes. "You are already married with a son, it''s not like I can do anything about that."

    "So you ept her now dad?" Anton asked his father in an excited tone.

    "Calm down, you sound like a teenage girl!" Keh Cruz scolded his son. "Let''s get down, I don''t want thembeling us asteers, remember, first impressionsst."

    "Yes dad." Anton said excitedly as he opened the door and helped his wife out.

    They couldn''t help but look up in awe as they were greeted by several servants.

    "Are you here for the madam''s dinner party?" A butler asked, to which Lorisa responded with a nod.

    "This way ma''am." The butler said, ushering them into the house.

    Lorisa, Anton, and Keh followed the butler into the house and through the living room. Lorisa couldn''t help but keep looking around as they walked through the mansion.

    "Oh, the couch! I saw that one. That''s one of a kind." Lorisa said, pointing at the couch in the reception area of the mansion.

    "That chandelier, I''ve read about it, it''s made of real gems, I heard it was a wedding gift!" Lorisa said as she pointed up. "Anton, babe, I want something just like that."

    "Lorisa, behave." Keh Cruz said, scolding his daughter-inw. "I may have praised you moments ago, but I will not have you parading around like some school girl on a field trip!"

    "Sorry dad." Lorisa said as she calmed herself and looked down.

    They were soon led to arge back patio, it was dark.

    "The madam said for you to wait for her here." The butler informed them.

    "Thank you." Lorisa said as the butler left, closing the door behind him.

    "So where do you think this dinner party is?" Anton asked his wife as he looked around the property. "This ce looks huge!"

    "We probably have to take a golf cart or something to get there." Lorisa said with a shrug. "I wonder why it''s so dark, do you think the Reyeses are now short of money?"

    "Don''t say things like that." Anton scolded his wife. "They might suddenly arri-"

    "Anton?" Lorisa asked as she turned. She was shocked to see arge man carrying her now incapacitated husband and father-inw.

    Lorisa attempted to scream but her mouth was immediately covered and gagged. A blindfold was ced over her eyes, followed by a sack.

    She tried to kick as someone tied her hands behind her back, unfortunately her legs were soon tied as well.

    Lorisa continued to struggle as she felt someone cing her over their shoulder. She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, but nothing came.

    Her tears were quickly absorbed by the blindfold and her screams, gagged.

    "Ugh, this one moves too much." She heard a gruff male voice.

    "You got it easy, that one is a woman, she''s light." Another person said.

    "She isn''t light." The person carrying her replied. "At least the ones you got are unconscious."

    "They are still heavier." Hispanionined as Lorisa continued to struggle against her restraints.

    "Let''s take them over to the boss." The man carrying her informed hispanions. "How I wish I could knock her unconscious too."

    "Why not do it?" A new female voice asked.

    "Alright." The man said.

    Lorisa suddenly felt a pain on her head before finally passing out.

 Chapter 533 - 533

    "That was easy." Cedric said with a grin as he watched his men take Anton, Keh, and Lorisa to the security building at the front of the property.

    "I found it odd that they didn''t even question why you were inviting them." Benedict said as he joined Cedric.??

    "Lorisa was just desperate I guess, and probably the allure of rubbing elbows with the truly rich and famous." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Keh Cruz would not havee so easily if it were not for that son of his." Benedict said with a nod, acknowledging Cedric''s statement.

    "I''m just d to have finally caught a break in this." Cedric sighed. "I''ve been meaning to ask you, how did you get a gun back at Katerina''s house? I''m sure Eric didn''t hand it to you."

    "It wasn''t Eric." Benedict said with augh. "Don''t you think Katerina would have more firearms hidden in different ces?"

    Cedricughed at his own stupidity, of course Katerina Sebastian would be ready with firearms in her house.

    "I''m pretty sure she''s an even better shot than me." Benedict said with a shrug.

    "The Sebastians and the Laurences were brought up with deadlier skills." Cedric said, acknowledging Benedict''s assumptions.

    "They almost spotted you by the way." Cedric said as his tone got more serious.

    "I knew not to step out of my car." Benedict said with a grin, he had decided to add a little ir to the event by arriving in his newly purchased car. He was sure it would convince the Cruz family that the people at the dinner party were truly important.

    "Does Keh Cruz know you?" Cedric asked, he wanted to know everything before beginning Keh''s interrogation.

    "He might recognize me." Benedict said with a shrug. "But he always looked down at me. He didn''t know I was Aidnen''s brother, Aiden wanted me hidden."

    "Sir." Merrick said as he knocked on the door to Cedric''s office.

    "Yes, Merrick?" Cedric asked.

    "Mr. Sebastian said to call for you." Merrick informed him. "They are about to begin."

    "Alright. Tell Alexi and Ray we will be there in a bit." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Is there anything else Merrick?" Cedric asked as he noticed that the man had not left.

    "Sir, some of the security team are notfortable with the mafia being around." Merrick confessed. As the temporary head of Cedric''s security team, he had tried his best to exin why those from the underworld were helping them out.

    "These men must be new." Cedric said with a sigh. "We have worked with Ray''s people before. Tell them that these men are trustworthy, even Leon didn''t mind them in the past."

    "Sir, they are criminals." Merrick suddenly said.

    "And we are not?" Cedric asked with augh. "Our actions have not been on the right side of thew either Merrick, don''t forget that. You may go."

    "Yes sir." Merrick said as he turned and left.

    "Will you join us for the interrogation?" Cedric asked Benedict.

    "Of course, even my sister is there." Benedict said with a nod.

    Cedric nodded in reply and called for Dave toe to his home office.

    "Sir?" Dave said as he arrived.

    "Take these documents and have someone analyze them further." Cedric instructed. "They are records of all of the Cruz family''s activities. Find out every dirty secret you can from them. Katerina said she still needed real evidence since we are going up against someone with influence."

    "Yes sir." Dave said as he took the documents from Cedric''s desk and left with them.

    "Let''s go." Cedric told Benedict as he got up and left the room.

    Outside his office, Cedric found a smiling Adrianna, holding up two cups of coffee for him and Benedict.

    "You should be resting." Cedric said as he gave his wife a worried smile. He didn''t want her to see what was going to happen.

    "You both have a long night ahead." Adrianna told him as she ced the cup into his hands and another to Benedict.

    "Do you two need a moment?" Benedict asked with a sly grin.

    Adrianna blushed as soon as she understood what the man had said.

    "We just met you, don''t assume that you can makements like that." Cedric scoffed as Adrianna and Benedict simplyughed at him

    Despite the rough start, Cedric and Benedict had be fast friends. Cami''s second brother reminded Cedric very much of Jam.

    Benedict had no crazy ambitions like Aiden, he simply wanted to move on with his life. To finally live an ordinary life filled with family and friends.

    "Go easy on Lorisa." Adrianna suddenly said, shocking Cedric.

    "Adri, Lorisa did everything possible to hurt you, why would you want to take it easy on her?" Cedric asked as he gave his wife a confused look.

    "She was just jealous, Cedric." Adrianna said with a sigh as she ced a hand on her husband''s chest.

    "We will talk about thister." Cedric told her, refusing to do as she asked.

    "Sometimes Cedric, you have to be the bigger man." Adrianna told him.

    "Adri -" Cedric started to say before his wife cut him off.

    "Just think about it." Adrianna said in a sad tone. "Now go, you boys still have some work to do."

    Adrianna quickly took their mugs from them and left.

    "You are one lucky man." Benedict said with a chuckle. "I can only hope to find someone who loves me as much as she loves you."

    "It hasn''t been all rainbows and butterflies, Benedict." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Let''s go, we still have an older brother to catch."

    When they arrived at the interrogation room Cedric saw that only Keh was in the other room. He was still unconscious, but the hood and blindfold over his face was now gone.

    "Do you think it''s safe for him to see your faces?" Cedric asked Ray and Alexi, who were going to do the questioning.

    "It''s not like he doesn''t already know who got him." Ray said with a shrug.

    "Rx Cedric, it''s not like this is our first interrogation." Alexi said with augh as he nodded at Ray.

    Both men had entered the mafia as ordinary goons, they didn''t get any help from the Laurence family and they had to climb their way up.

    Alexi had to leave the illegal world when his father ran for a higher office. He knew that he still had responsibilities to his family, and that someday he too would run for a government position.

    Of course this forced clear record didn''t stop him from helping Ray once in a while.

    Cedric simply nodded at his friends, acknowledging that this was their specialization and not his.

    "I hope you were never friendly to him, Benedict." Ray suddenly says. "Cause we won''t be nice."

    "I never was fond of him, so knock yourselves out." Benedict said with a shrug.

    Ray and Alexiughed at Benedict''s words before closing the door behind them and walking into the next room.

    They didn''t enter alone, there were four other men with them, whom Cedric guessed were part of Ray''s underground army.

    "Wake him up." Ray said in a dangerous tone.

    One of the men nodded at him and poured a bucket of iced water on Keh.

 Chapter 534 - 534

    Cedric watched as Keh jumped in his seat from the impact of the ice and cold water that was poured on him.

    When he saw Alexi and Benedict sitting across him he began to panic.??

    "You can''t do this to me! You can''t hold me captive like this! It''s against thew!" Keh began to scream.

    Cedric heard Rayugh, it was cold and unlike his friend''s normalughter.

    He watched as Keh''s once brave expression changed to one of fear and worry.

    "Do you really think we care about thew?" Alexi asked as he stood up and grabbed a fistfull of Keh''s hair, mming his head down on the table in front of him.

    "Mr. Cruz, even if we take you to court, you will end up back here, with us." Ray said in a cold tone. "You know how the underworld works, having been a part of it yourself for so long."

    "What the fuck are you talking about?" Keh Cruz said as he spat out blood.

    "Don''t y innocent Mr. Cruz, we know what you are, who you are." Alexi said with augh. "No matter how many times you scrub yourself clean, the stench of a street rat remains the same."

    "You have no proof." Keh Cruz said angrily.

    Ray threw his head back andughed.

    "You really think there is nothing we can do to find all those dirty secrets you are hiding Mr. Cruz?" Ray asked. "You are a fool to think you can hide things from us."

    "I hid my boss long enough, you didn''t find him till he allowed himself to be found." Keh said in anger. "Aiden remained hidden because of me! He showed himself to you on his own terms."

    Cedric sat up at the confession, he was expecting Keh to deny working for Aiden, or at least to try hiding the fact from them. But now, without even being asked, Keh had confessed to working for Aiden.

    "So would you say you are his right hand man?" Alexi asked with a grin.

    Keh''s eyes suddenly went wide with shock, it seemed that he didn''t realize that he had just confessed to working for Aiden.

    "It''s toote for that now Keh." Ray said,ughing at the man''s expression. "Either you cooperate with us and no one gets hurt, or you resist and we make you wish you were dead till you speak."

    Keh sat, considering his options, Cedric was hoping that Keh would just give them all of the information they needed, but he also knew that Keh would never do that.

    The man knew that he was doomed no matter what. He had crossed the five princes, there was no escaping their wrath. The best that he could do was to keep his mouth shut and hope for rescue.

    When Ray and Alexi noticed that the man would not speak, they smiled at each other.

    Cedric knew it was just an act, but he couldn''t help but think that these two men were acting like deranged blood thirsty criminals.

    "Take him to the back!" Ray ordered. "Don''t kill him but let him feel all of the pain."

    At thatmand. Ray''s men nodded and untied Keh. They picked him up like a rag doll and dragged him to the back of the interrogation room.

    Ray and Alexi decided to take a break and returned to the connecting room where Cedric and the others were watching.

    "Do you think he will crack soon?" Cedric asked as Alexi dropped himself on the couch and Ray unscrewed a bottle of water.

    "He slipped and let his pride get the better of him." Alexi said in a tired voice. "I think he will be on his guard from now on."

    "Why not use his family against him?" Benedict asked.

    "It doesn''t work that easily." Alexi said, shaking his head. "We need to time it properly. We need to make sure that he is broken enough before threatening to take those that he loves."

    "Add to that the fact that Lorisa annoys him, they don''t have the best rtionship you know." Ray said with a shrug.

    "And what of Anton, and his grandson?" Cedric asked.

    "Those two matter to him, we just need to know if it''s all transactionary for him or if he does care about them." Alexi said with a nod agreeing with Cedric.

    "I don''t understand how parents can hate their own children." Ram said with a frown. "They are your flesh and blood."

    "Sometimes our true families are those that we choose and not those that we are born into." Benedict suddenly said as he got up and left the room, mming the door behind him.

    "I got this." Ram said, chasing after the person he had just offended. "He misunderstood what I said."

    Cedric nodded letting his friend rectify the situation.

    Outside, in one of the many gardens, Benedict looked up at the stars.

    The Mountain Viewmunity was far enough that light pollution failed to dim the bright lights above them. Benedict sighed as he sat on the manicuredwn.

    "You misunderstood me." A voice suddenly said, making Benedict turn around. When he saw it was Ram he turned his eyes back at the stars.

    "I don''t think I did." Benedict said with a sigh. "It just still hurts, it''s been years, but it still hurts."

    "I wasn''t talking about your parents." Ram said, joining Benedict on the grass. "I''m not an Abad by blood." Ram confessed.

    "That didn''te up in my investigation." Benedict said with augh. "I guess I''m not as good as I think I am."

    "Don''t worry, no one figured it out either." Ram said with a smile. "Ever since I could remember, I''ve always wondered why my birth parents gave me up."

    "Did you ever find them? Your birth parents I mean?" Benedict asked Ram.

    "No, I never really looked for them." Ram said with a shrug.

    "Why not?" Benedict asked, giving Ram a confused look. "Isn''t it normal for children to look for their parents? Why didn''t you look for yours? I''m sure you have the resources to do so."

    "Because it doesn''t matter." Ram said with a sincere smile. "My family, my adopted family is my true family. Veronica is my sister, Victoria is my mother, and James is my father. They chose me and they love me."

    "I''m sorry that I assumed you were being inconsiderate." Benedict confessed.

    "It''s normal." Ram said with augh. "No one has ever suspected me being adopted."

    "Cami is the family I choose, and well whoever I marry in the future, they will be my family." Benedict said in a determined tone.

    "Good." Ram said as he got up. "I''ll head back in. Join us when you are ready."

    Benedict could sense as Ram left him alone. Benedict closed his eyes and took deep breaths. Growing up he never felt loved or cared for, as a matter of fact, Cedric and his group had shown Benedict more love than his own family.

    He was d he abandoned his brother, he was happy he had found Cami, finally he could live a peaceful life.

    After a few minutes Benedict stood up and returned to the interrogation room, his mind clearer than it had been in years, like a load had been lifted off of him.

    "You''re back." Cedric greeted with a nod as he gestured for Benedict to take a seat. "We were about to begin again."

 Chapter 535 - 535

    Ray''s men brought back a bloody Keh Cruz who practically had to be dragged back to his seat.

    "Is he ready to speak?" Ray asked his men.??

    "I will never tell you anything about Aiden Ortiz!" Keh said as he spat at Ray.

    "I guess he is asking for more." Alexi said with a blood curdlingugh.

    Cedric watched as Keh''s eyes showed his fear at the threat of more torture. His expression soon changed and became stubborn once more. It seemed that the torture was not yet enough to get him to speak.

    "What a pity." Ray said, shaking his head. "I was hoping to finish early, Cedric wanted to spend time with his son."

    At the mention of a little boy a look of worry passed Keh''s face before he could hide his emotions once more.

    Cedric grinned at what his friends were doing, by mentioning his son Keh couldn''t help but think of his grandson whom they had left at home with the help.

    "Cedric, I hope you don''t mind going home a littlete today," Ray said as he pretended to tell Cedric that the torture would take long.

    "Bring him to the back again." Alexi ordered Ray''s men "Come back when he is ready to talk."

    At that the men nodded and dragged Keh back to the torture area. As Cedric switched off the speakers that allowed them to hear the conversation in the other room, he heard Keh''s screams as he was further tortured and broken.

    "He isn''t as tough as we thought he would be." Alexi said with augh as he entered the room. "I honestly expected him tost much longer."

    "He isn''t young anymore, his body can''t take as much." Ray exined.

    "On the contrary, I expected his age to be the reason why he would be able tost the torture." Cedric said as he joined in on the conversation. "He''s been working in the underworld for decades, I''m sure people have made him go through this multiple times."

    "Do you think he could be faking it?" Ray asked Eric who had remainedrgely unnoticed together with Miguel and Ram.

    "It''s possible, but he has been showing clear signs of concern." Eric said as he tried to analyze their prisoner. "Did he have any ns of retiring soon?" Eric asked Benedict.

    "There was talk about it." Benedict said with a shrug. "My brother was hoping that I could step up from just being the brains to also finding financial resources and connections for us. But that n never pushed through."

    "Why not?" Cedric asked Benedict.

    "Cause I fake died." Benedict said with augh. "We were about to do the turnover when I got fed up with my brother and started working on a n to escape."

    "We should start work on Anton." Cedric told his friends. "I think Keh will be more likely to give in if he sees that we aren''t bluffing."

    "I agree." Ray said with a nod. "I''ll ask some of my men to dirty him up. How are things going on in terms of taking the kid?"

    "Cami and Katerina are working on it." Cedric exined.

    "You sent them without protection?!" Alexi asked angrily, highly defensive of his sister.

    "Calm down." Cedric said, rolling his eyes. "Ian is with them. He is waiting for them in the car, the maid would be more likely to believe them if it were a pair of girls rather than two girls and a guy."

    "You''re dragging a kid into this mess?" Ram asked as he eyed his friends suspiciously.

    "You know we would never do that." Alexi said as he red at his friend. "Have a little faith that we haven''tpletely lost our humanity yet."

    "We just need to make sure that Johnny is safe." Cedric said, exining the situation. "If Aiden finds out that we have Keh, he might use the kid."

    "My brother would not even think twice about hurting a child, much less using it." Benedict said with a frown as he admitted how heartless his brother could be.

    After thirty long minutes, Ray''s men informed him that they had tortured Keh to his limit.

    Ray nodded in acknowledgement as he and Alexi prepared to go back into the interrogation room.

    Another man soon arrived telling them that Anton had also been prepared, he was bloody and dirty and looked like he had been through hell.

    "Knock him out and be ready for me to ask you to bring him in." Ray instructed, to which his man simply nodded and left to execute his orders.

    When Keh had been brought back to the interrogation room, Cedric could see the difference in his eyes. Gone was the determined man from earlier, instead he looked like he was ready to give up.

    "Will you talk now?" Ray asked.

    "No." Came Keh''s reply as he used every ounce of his will power not to give in to the torture.

    Cedric and his friends were right, Keh Cruz has lived through so much already and this kind of torture was nothing to him.

    The only difference was that now, he was worried about his son, his grandson, and even that social climbing daughter-inw of his.

    Keh had been hoping that Anton and Lorisa had escaped, he knew that if his enemy had them they would have immediately told him, but the not knowing was eating him up.

    He feared that his son and daughter-inw were being tortured just as harshly as he was. He had brought up his son to be emotionally strong, but he had never had the need to teach his son to survive instances such as these.

    "We were hoping you would cooperate, but I guess you need a little motivation." Alexi said with a grin as he watched Keh''s eyes growrge with fear.

    "Bring him in." Ray ordered as the door swung open and two men dragged Anton''s unconscious body inside.

    "Anton! My son! My son!" Keh cried out as Ray''s men held him down.

    The old man struggled as Ray''s men threw Anton on the ground.

    "No! You killed my son!" Keh cried out as he saw that Anton did not move. His emotions now clouded his judgement as he failed to notice a faint breathing from Anton.

    Alexi smiled as he realized that Keh thought Anton was dead. They could use this to their advantage.

    "Take that filthy body away." Alexi ordered.

    The slightly confused men picked Anton up once more and dragged him out of the room.

    "I''ll go check on Anton." Miguel, who was watching from the other room, told Cedric as he walked out.

    "You killed my son!" Keh screamed as Miguel closed the door.

    "Your son won''t be the only one you''ll be burying if you don''t talk." Alexi threatened.

    "Don''t, please, don''t hurt Johnny, he is just a kid, please, don''t. He is innocent." Keh begged.

    "Was Emilio not a kid when your boss tried to kill him?" Ray asked angrily. "Even Jam was innocent to all of these when he was killed because your boss wanted to use him."

    "I will talk, please I will talk." Keh cried.

    Suddenly the door opened and Cedric walked in with Benedict and Ram following him.

    "Good, and if we find out that you are lying to us, well, just imagine what we can do." Cedric said with a menacing smile.

    Keh''s expression soon changed when he spotted Benedict standing behind Cedric.

    "It was you! You were the traitor!" Keh shouted as he tried to attack Benedict.

    "No, my brother betrayed me by trying to harm my sister!" Benedict shouted back, stunning Keh.

 Chapter 536 - 536

    "Speak, now." Alexi said,ing in between Benedict and Keh.

    "Y- y- you''re his brother?"Keh asked,pletely ignoring Alexi who stood in between them. "He said he only had his sister."??

    "You are not allowed to talk to him." Alexi said as he red at Keh.

    "Tell us everything you know about Aiden Ortiz." Cedric said. "Where would he be hiding out at a time like this."

    "Why do you need me to tell you?" Keh asked. "Is that mutt not being honest? He should know where Aiden lives. He lived in that mansion too."

    "We already raided that ce." Cedric said with a grin. "When Aiden kidnapped his own sister."

    Keh''s eyes went wide with shock.

    "That''s impossible." Keh said, shaking his head. "His, their sister died as a child. Aiden said she was killed by your families."

    "My sister is alive and kicking." Benedict said with augh.

    "Cocky now that you know?" Cedric teased, making everyone but Kehugh.

    "You see Keh, you might have actually heard of my sister." Benedict said with a grin as she approached Keh. "She goes by the name Cami Montero, the current Vice President at Mor Co.?"

    "What?" Keh asked in shock.

    Of course he knew Cami Montero, he wouldn''t be a sessful businessman if he didn''t know the important people in bigpanies, such as the Reyes Group.

    Since her appointment Cami had been making headlines, be it her unconventional assignment, or the leaps and bounds that Mor Co. was growing in the year since she had takent the position.

    "But Aiden. . ." Keh said as a disturbing thought crossed his mind.

    "Speak." Cedric demanded from Keh.

    "It is irrelevant." Keh said in a low voice.

    "I will decide what is relevant and what is not." Cedric said in an authoritative voice as he mmed his hand down on the table between him and Keh.

    "Aiden, wanted her." Keh said nervously.

    "Yeah, he kidnapped her and held her hostage." Cedric said as he gave Keh a puzzled look. "Clearly he wanted something from her."

    "No hewantedhersexually." Keh blurted out.

    "WHAT?!!!" Benedict asked as he red at Keh. "How can he lust over our sister. Does that mean, oh gosh, Cami. My little sister." Benedict said in a panic.

    "Calm down Benedict." Cedric told the man.

    "How can I?" Benedict asked. "She was with him for hours, he could have done things to her. Horrible things."

    "She will tell us when she is ready." Cedric told Benedict in a calm tone.

    "He wanted her because he thought she was your mistress." Keh exined to Cedric and the rest of the group. "If I had an assistant that fine I would definitely sleep with her."

    Suddenly, Benedict punched Keh on the face, making the older man spit out blood.

    Despite the blow, Keh was stillughing, it seemed like he enjoyed toying with Benedict''s emotions. He was egging the young man on.

    Alexi and Ray did nothing to stop Benedict, they knew Keh deserved that, and they were sure Benedict needed to let off some steam.

    "Compose yourself Benedict." Cedric scolded. "I know he deserved that, but you need to get a hold of yourself. We need information on where your brother is, we cannot find anything out if he is dead."

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, the little boy couldn''t even protect his sister from his brother." Keh said as his smile grew wider.

    Cedric could read how Keh was willing to die by Benedict''s hands in order to both protect his family and his boss.

    As much as he wanted to praise Keh, he needed the man alive to tell them where Aiden was hiding.

    "Benedict." Cedric warned as he noticed movement on Benedict''s end.

    "No matter what you say, my sister is safe now." Benedict said, shaking his head.

    "You''ve had your fun Keh, now tell us where Aiden is hiding." Cedric demanded as the older man''s smile turned upside down.

    "Are you still refusing to speak?" Ray asked Keh. "Should I ask my men to drag your son''s body back in here? Do you need a reminder as to what fate awaits your grandson if you fail toply?"

    "You sick bastards!" Keh shouted as tears began to fall from his eyes. It seemed that he had forgotten his son''s death while taunting Benedict.

    "Speak." Cedric demanded again.

    "I know of a few ces he might hide." Keh said slowly as he lowered his head.

    "And how many men would he have with him?" Cedric asked. He wanted to avoid death as much as possible, so he wanted to know how many people he would need to bring in order to over power Aiden.

    "Less than fifty." Keh confessed. "Most of his safe houses, aside from that mansion, can barely hole people. If you factor in neighboring homes or units, he can''t have more than fifty."

    "Would he be capable of calling for backup?" Cedric asked.

    "It depends." Keh said tentatively.

    "Depends on what?" Cedric asked in an impatient tone. "From now on, anticipate my next question." Cedric ordered.

    "If he can contact me I can send him men." Keh told Cedric. "And if he can''t he won''t be able to get any more men."

    "How sure are you that these are the only ces he would go?" Cedric asked.

    "Because those are the ces he is sure you would have a hard time finding him at." Keh told Cedric. "Areas where the mafia and the government are both weak. ces where your money won''t matter. As you know Aiden is a charming man, he can con anyone, even people of God."

    "On holy ground? He is fucking hiding on holy gound? Is he iming sanctuary or something?" Cedric asked as heughed. "He does know that that is an outdated practice. Criminals can''t hide in Churches anymore."

    "You still wouldn''t have thought to look for him there." Keh boasted. "You would havepletely overlooked ces like those."

    "Let me guess, he charmed those that run these religious houses?" Alexi asked.

    "I can draw you up a list." Keh said with a shrug.

    "Get me a pen and paper." Ray told one of his men did as their boss asked, quickly returning with a pen and paper.

 Chapter 537 - 537

    "Stop pacing." Adrianna scolded Cedric as she tried to reach over to zip her dress. "Could youe over here and help me with this?"

    "Yes, yes." Cedric said in a slightly annoyed tone as he walked up to Adrianna''s walk in closet and helped her dress.??

    "They all told you it would take two to five days to fully verify if Aiden really is hiding in those holy ces." Adrianna reminded her husband. "All you can do for now is to rest and focus on work."

    "That''s why we''re going to this charity party thing." Cedricined as he watched his wife fix herself in the mirror. "I don''t understand why we can''t just stay in and watch a movie."

    "Because this event is good for your image, and thepany''s image." Adrianna said as she pulled her husband out of their room. "Add to that the fact that you can help other people by donating. It''s a charity event after all."

    "Can I just donate and not go?" Cedric asked his wife as they stepped into the elevator.

    "No." Adrianna said, rolling her eyes.

    "You want to show me off!" Cedric said in surprise as he realized what his wife''s goal was.

    "Don''t be so full of yourself." Adrianna said, walking out of the elevator.

    Cedric shook his head and followed his wife out the door. They had already tucked in Emilio for bed and Adrianna''s parents would be staying over to take care of Emilio.

    "Why are you so insistent that I attend this charity anyway, you normally don''t care." Cedric said as he opened the car door for his wife.

    "I just feel like you need a break from this Aiden drama." Adrianna said as she got into the car. "A lot has happened recently and you need a break."

    The event was a dinner party to thank the top financial donors. There would be an auction and some awards at the end.

    "There will be a lot of ass kissers tonight." Cedricined as a butler closed the door behind him and they drove off.

    "Many of which looked down on you in the past." Adrianna said with a smile as she leaned her head on Cedric''s shoulder. "Just imagine their embarrassment when they try to greet you and apologize."

    "Some of them are very thick skinned and won''t care." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    This was his first event as the CEO of the Reyes Group where he had no need to hide his face. It would definitely be eventful.

    "I already spoke to Ram." Adrianna told Cedric as she interlocked their fingers. "He asked if it would be alright to fill the media with stories about us."

    "What did you say?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "I said I would ask you of course." Adriannaughed. "That''s how our rtionship works right? It''s a partnership, not some one sided thing."

    "Well, if it''s fine with you it''s fine with me." Cedric said with a shrug, not really caring about the media attention.

    "Great, okay, I''ll tell him." Adrianna said as she gave Cedric a peck on the cheek.

    Cedric spent the rest of the drive just holding his wife. Adrianna was right, life had been so busy recently that it felt like he had ced thepany on the back seat when he should have been prioritizing it.

    He was lucky that nothing big happened and that all was peaceful at the Reyes Group.

    When they finally arrived at Maharlika Hotel for the event, Cedric could see the red carpet that had been rolled out for the guests.

    There were also members of the press, paparazzi, and even fans, lined up, waiting for all the guests to arrive.

    Being the guests of honor, Adrianna and Cedric were thest to arrive. Among those who had already walked the red carpet were singers, actors, politicians, and other businessmen. But no one attracted attention like the Reyes couple.

    The reporters knew that their editors would skin them alive if they didn''t capture this moment. It was the first time they were attending a formal event together.

    When the white Rolls Royce finally rolled into the driveway, all heads turned towards the luxury car. Cameras began to sh as they were all eager to capture every moment.

    When the door opened, Cedric stepped out in a maroon suit, the crowdmented at how handsome and fashionable he looked.

    When Cedric would read thosements the next day he wouldugh, no one had ever called Cedric Reyes fashionable. Even if he never really changed his wardrobe.

    Standing tall, Cedric offered a hand to help Adrianna out of their car. Everyone gasped at the maroon ball gown that she wore. Adrianna looked more like a model or an artist rather than some business woman.

    "I bet they think you are gorgeous." Cedric whispered as he gently kissed her earlobe, giving the audience a little public disy of affection.

    As Cedric and Adrianna walked up several members of the press called out to them, asking questions.

    Cedric spotted one reporter that made him grin. This was one of the reporters that had spread rumors about Adrianna being the Reyes Heir''s mistress. He had also called his son a bastard.

    Cedric had a whole dosie on these people, he wanted to make sure that they regretted their harsh words.

    "Adri, do you mind if I put some trash in its ce?" Cedric asked his wife. He wouldn''t push through with it if Adrianna said no.

    To Cedric''s surprise, Adrianna nodded and allowed him to be petty in public.

    As they walked past the man, Cedric stopped and looked at him.

    "Ah, An, right?" Cedric asked as he took a step closer to the man.

    "Sir?" The reporter asked as he took a step back. He clearly knew that he had done something to offend the couple. "Mr. Reyes, to what do I owe the pleasure." An said as he gathered his courage.

    "Do you still think my wife is my mistress?" Cedric said with a grin.

 Chapter 538 - 538

    "Si- sir, no, I would never-" An the reporter tried to say as a photographer gave him a nudge.

    "You published those articles, remember?" The man reminded him, making An turn pale in fright.??

    He had forgotten about those articles, he was a paid journalist, he wrote what his bosses and their clients asked him to write. As a matter of fact, he had probably written false articles about half the people in the event. There were only a select few that he would not dare write about.

    "You made a mistake writing about my wife." Cedric hissed as he red at the man.

    If looks could kill An would have died a hundred times over, just based on how Cedric was looking down at him

    Cedric took a deep breath and closed his eyes, there was a reason why this man was allowed to keep his job. He had asked Ram to get rid of all the reporters publishing false news about him and Adrianna in the past.

    "Who made you write it?" Cedric asked.

    "My- my- boss did." The reporter confessed in a shaky voice. He didn''t understand why this time he was more afraid of the man standing before him than of his boss.

    "I''d like to have a chat with youter." Cedric said in a less intimidating tone as he tuned his back on the man and offered his arm to his wife.

    Adrianna happily hooked her arm around his and smiled up at him.

    Cedric turned his head and gave An a final look and gave out a warning. "Don''t even try to run." Cedric said as he and Adrianna made their way into the party.

    "That was quite mature of you." Adrianna said with a nervousugh.

    "Were you worried that I was going to make him kneel and beg for forgiveness in front of his colleagues?" Cedric teased. "This isn''t some drama where the rich CEO demands apologies."

    "Yeah, ites pretty close." Adrianna said, rolling her eyes. "You go from calm and collected to overdramatic in a minute. Sometimes I worry." Adrianna said with a shrug.

    Cedric turned to face her and lifted her chin so that they were looking each other in the eyes.

    "Thest thing I want is to make you ufortable." Cedric said in a soft tone. "I know I seem vengeful when ites to people who have offended me, but I promise, if you aren''tfortable with it, just say the word and I will stop."

    "Cedric, that''s not what I meant." Adrianna said with a sigh. "I worry that you keep it in too much."

    "Adri -" Cedric began to say as the organizer of the event arrived to greet them.

    "Let''s continue this conversation at home." Adrianna told her husband as she ced a hand on his cheek.

    Cedric quickly nted a chaste kiss on her lips before finally acknowledging the organizer''s presence.

    "Yes?" Cedric asked, shifting to a distant demeanor.

    "Sir, I''m here to escort you and your wife to your seats." The organizer said in a professional tone.

    Cedric nodded, he was d that the organizer maintained a professional tone despite catching the intimate moment he and his wife shared.

    They were soon led into the main ballroom of Maharlika Hotel. It wasvishly designed, when Cedric and Adrianna entered, the other guests couldn''t help but turn their heads in their direction.

    The couple looked too perfect together, everyone could see how this wasn''t some arranged marriage and how they were truly happy in each other''s presence.

    "I really don''t like the attention." Cedricined. For some reason he now felt naked without his disguise.

    "Rx Ced." Adrianna whispered to her husband as she gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "Even if they are talking about us behind our backs, they are just jealous."

    Cedric smiled at Adrianna as they finally reached their table.

    "So kind of you to finally join us." Ram teased his friend.

    "I knew you would be the other major donor." Cedric said with a knowing smile. "Hello Francesca." Cedric said, greeting his friend''s date.

    "Cedric, Adrianna." Francesca greeted them with a warm smile. "We both know how close this foundation is to Ram''s heart."

    "Where are the others?" Adrianna asked, somewhat expecting Cedric''s other friends to be at this event as well.

    The only familiar person she saw was Eric, who was seated with other actors and actresses. He had a voluptuous model as his date.

    Adrianna suddenly felt bad for Katerina, in order to protect their rtionship, Eric had to bring fake dates to high profile events such as these.

    Ram never forced him to do that, but Eric wanted to in order to steer curious eyes away from Katerina. His girlfriend already had too much on her te to think of his poprity.

    "They are all out busy hunting for Aiden." Francesca suddenly said. "If it weren''t for my brother Andres, I would be out there with them."

    Francesca''s tone wasced with poison as she spoke of Aiden. Something told Adrianna that the Ris were not helping just out of goodwill.

    Noticing Adrianna''s confused look, Francesca decided to give her an exnation.

    "Aiden stole something from the Ris." Francesca said. "I only found out when I got to speak to Benedict, so yes, the Ris want him too."

    Adrianna simply nodded, knowing not to pry.

    "Aiden and his people took something from the Ris that couldn''t be reced." Ram suddenly said, making Adrianna more curious.

    "It''s alright Adri, you can ask." Francesca said with a smile.

    "I didn''t think you were up to sharing." Adrianna told Francesca.

    "Ram and his friends are helping me, they have helped me a lot." Francesca said with a nod. "If it weren''t for Cedric trusting Benedict, I wouldn''t have found out the truth."

    "The truth to what?" Adrianna asked.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen, please put your hands together for our top donors, Mr. Ramon Abad and Mr. and Mrs. Cedric Reyes." The host suddenly announced, making Adrianna, Cedric, Ram, and Francesca stand.

    "I''ll tell youter." Francesca promised as they went up to the stage to receive the award.

 Chapter 539 - 539

    They walked up the stage to the thunderous apuse of the crowd. Cedric looked around at the audience and smirked.

    Most of the people pping for him had looked down at him in the past. He remembered the auction, not so long ago where many of the upper ss assumed he sold Adrianna off for position.??

    How fickle of them to think that.

    "What''s with the smirk?" Ram asked in a low voice.

    "I just remembered something." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "These people." Ram said, shaking his head. "They praise us to our faces but talk down at us when our backs are turned."

    "They are just jealous." Francesca said with a shrug.

    "Mr. Reyes, would you grace us with a speech?" The host asked as he gestured towards the podium.

    "Don''t be immature." Ram said as Cedric walked past him.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh a bit. Of course he wouldn''t call out those people in public. He just nned to make them feel ashamed of themselves.

    "Don''t forget your image and thepany''s image, honey." Adrianna reminded him as she ced a kiss on his cheek.

    "Of course not Adri." Cedric said with a smile as he rehearsed his speech in his mind.

    Cedric stood tall on the podium as he gave an intimidating re at everyone that was present. Some had been nice, some mean, others didn''t care.

    "The people in this room are supposed to represent the best of our nation, and I truly believe that it can be that." Cedric said, starting off his speech.

    "Part of the Reyes tradition is for it''s heir, to live as a poor man or woman, to understand what the least of our fellow men live through. And I have seen first hand how bad it is for them." Cedric said as he watched some members of the audience frown. He knew he was hitting a nerve for many of them.

    "This foundation strives to help those people, the lowest of the low. The children who have either been abandoned or those who have lost their parents. Children who are left defenceless against the world." Cedric continued saying.

    "I have seen how much people have neglected them, looked down on them, abused them." As he said those words he tried to make eye contact with as many in the audience as possible.

    Some turned their faces away, afraid of epting Cedric''s words. Others nodded, people whom Cedric knew were good people.

    "I thank those who have donated out of their goodwill and not just because they wanted to show off." Cedric said in quite a happy tone. Making the people in the audience either sad or happy.

    It was no secret that many aspiring actors, actresses, singers, and dancers donated and attended this foundation''s event. They all knew that Ramon Abad was a consistent donor.

    Many of the businessmen who attended were also there hoping that Ram had convinced one of his friends to donate as well. They thought of this foundation as just an event, an investment so that they could get closer to the richest and most powerful people.

    "Those that have donated to buy their way in or to simply show their wealth, please take your donations back." At Cedric''s words the audience gasped. No one had ever had the guts to say something like this.

    "If you are giving just because you want Ram''s attention, take it back. If you are here in the hopes of meeting me or one of my friends, take your donation back." Cedric said in a calm tone that worried everyone.

    ording to rumors, it was when the CEO was at his calmest did he be dangerous.

    "Take them back and I will double what you take back." Cedric suddenly said. Doubling the money donated to the orphaned children wouldn''t even make a dent in his wealth, he wasn''t worried about that at all.

    "These children have already gone through so much just to survive, they do not deserve people looking down at them any further." Cedric added.

    He watched as people in the audience began to whisper amongst themselves, clearly bothered by Cedric''s words.

    "I will donate an extra 100,00 to the foundation just for those that are here to kiss ass to leave." Eric suddenly said, standing up amongst the crowd.

    "I have always been a backer of this foundation because my boss and friend, Ramon Abad, cares about these children. I too have spent time with them, and I havee to know them. I believe many of these children will change the future of our nation." Eric added, nodding at Ram.

    "Please arrange for the transfer of funds." Cedric told the organizer as he left the podium to join his wife, Ram, and Francesca.

    "Anything to add, old friend?" Cedric asked Ram.

    Ram simply shrugged and shook his head.

    "You said everything perfectly." Ram said with a sly grin as he directed everyone off of the stage.

    "I thought you would get mad." Cedric whispered to his wife as he pulled her close and kissed her on the cheek.

    "You were standing up for those that had less. Why would I get mad?" Adrianna asked.

    "What I did was petty." Cedric admitted.

    "It was, but it was long overdue, these people need to know what is wrong and what is right." Adrianna told him. "These events are filled with social climbers and ass kissers. They should be sent away."

    "At least the kids are getting more money now." Francesca said with augh.

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 Chapter 540 - 540

    By the time the charity event had ended, the story of Cedric''s speech was already all over all of the news sites and social media.

    Some people praised him for calling out those that were insincere about donating. While there were still others that scolded him for not thinking about the implications of his actions to hispany.??

    "Does it bother you?" Adrianna asked as they walked out of the venue.

    "Of course not." Cedric said with augh. "They will criticize me no matter what I do, so I might as well think of the greater good rather than the public''s opinion."

    "This is our new life, isn''t it?" Adrianna asked with a frown.

    "Yes, this is what we have to give up." Cedric said with a nod. "I would have preferred to keep living our simple life, just you and me and our children."

    "Children? You want more?" Adrianna asked Cedric, giving him a funny look.

    "You don''t?" Cedric asked his wife. He always thought that she wanted more than just one child.

    "Well I don''t mind having more. It''s just, I''m not sure if I''m ready." Adrianna admitted. "Emilio''s birth was difficult, and watching how much danger we are putting our children in, it scares me."

    "Adri, I will never let anyone harm our family." Cedric said as he pulled his wife closer to him. "You know what, I think we need a stroll." Cedric said with a smile as he looked around.

    "What are you looking for?" Adrianna asked as she looked at how stupid her husband looked at the moment.

    "Friends." Cedric said with a grin as he waved at Ram and Francesca.

    "What''s up?" Ram asked as he approached Cedric and Adrianna.

    "It''s been a long and tiring night, would you guys like to take a walk in the park?" Cedric asked.

    "There are some botanical gardens that look amazing at night, why don''t we go there?" Francesca asked. "It''s not far, we can just walk."

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod as he called Merrick over. He told his security team their n and the team jumped into action, making sure that it was safe for them to just walk to the park.

    "Francesca, you owe me a story." Adrianna teased as they walked on the side of the road.

    "When we get to the garden, too many ears now." Francesca said with a smile as she spotted some paparazzi in the distance.

    "It''s been a while since I''ve walked on the side of the road." Ram said as he held Francesca''s hand.

    "Have you ever walked on the side of the road?" Cedric teased Ram. "You''ve always been chauffeured everywhere, even if it was a block away we always took the car."

    The girlsughed at Cedric''sment, it was true, the four princes barely walked on the sidewalk, there was simply no need.

    It was safer for them to take the car, it was easier on their security team.

    "Laugh all you want, but I have." Ram said, scoffing at them. "When I ran away from home."

    "You ran from home?" Cedric asked with a frown. He had spent years away from his friends, so there were parts of their lives that he didn''t know.

    "After you left, a few months after." Ram said with a shrug. "I didn''t understand what was going on. You left, I mean I knew you were leaving, then I just felt like I wanted to know who my real parents were, so I ran away."

    "Did you find them? Your real parents I mean." Cedric asked.

    "No." Ram said, shaking his head. "I found the orphanage where I was taken from, I asked the nuns there what they knew, but they couldn''t trace who my real parents were." Ram said with a frown.

    "I''m sure they are out there. Somewhere." Cedric said with a sigh.

    Francesca moved closer to wrap her arm around Ram who simply smiled at her actions.

    "The paparazzi will enjoy the photos they are getting now." Adrianna said with augh as they entered the gardens.

    It was beautiful at night with capiznterns hanging from the trees and lights illuminating the flowering trees.

    "This ce is beautiful." Adrianna said as she took out her phone to snap a few photos.

    "I used toe here after the incident." Francesca said with a frown as she walked over to a bench and looked up.

    "What incident?" Adrianna asked, taking a seat beside Francesca.

    "The thing that Aiden did to my family." Francesca exined.

    "What happened?" Adrianna asked, looking at Francesca.

    "Well, Andres and I had an older brother, he was our eldest, Matteo." Francesca said with a sad look in her eyes. "One day, Matteo asked to meet my then fiance, his name was Edward Vernon, and I was madly and truly in love with him."

    Adrianna gasped as she gave Ram a curious look.

    "It''s alright Adrianna, I''ve known about Edward from the start." Ram said with a smile. "I knew of him. He was apetitor in the industry."

    "That''s right." Francesca said with a nod. "It was Edward that made me into the actress that I am now."

    "He saved her." Ram said, chiming in.

    "One day, Matteo went to meet with Edward. He wanted Edward to return me to the Ri family. My mother was sick and she was looking for me. Edward obliged and met up with him." Francesca said as a tear rolled from her cheek.

    "If it''s too much you don''t need to tell me." Adrianna said.

    "No, it''s alright, it''s been a while." Francesca said. "They were on their way home when they met a mysterious ident. Matteo lost control and his car crashed into Edwards. We thought they would survive, but their hearts both stopped beating in the hospital."

    As Francesca said this she broke down into tears.

    "Their death is the reason why Andres and I had to take over the Ri family, we didn''t know better, we thought papa was behind it all." Francesca said, shocking Adrianna.

 Chapter 541 - 541

    "Are you alright, Adri?" Cedric asked as he yed with his wife''s hand in his. "You''ve been silent since Francesca told you about her brother and her ex-fiance."

    "I just can''t believe someone could be as cruel as Aiden." Adrianna said with a frown as she rested her head on Cedric''s shoulder.??

    "You saw what he did to Mia, to mom, to Jam. There is clearly something wrong with him." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Cedric, would you kill for reasons that shallow?" Adrianna asked him.

    "Adri, why would you even ask that?" Cedric said, looking at his wife.

    "I don''t know, this vengeful side of yours, it''s just a side I''ve never seen." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "Adri, look at me." Cedric said, lifting his wife to face him. "I would never kill, I try to avoid death as much as possible. I have no right to take a person''s life, sending them to prison is still subject to many things."

    "Promise me that Cedric, promise me that unless you absolutely had to, you wouldn''t y god and take someone''s life." Adrianna said in a tearful tone as she hugged her husband tightly, as if he would disappear if she let go.

    "I promise Adri, I promise not to kill unless I have no other choice." Cedric said as he nted a kiss on his wife''s head, stroking it gently.

    By the time they finally arrived at their Mountain View Mansion, Adrianna was fast asleep in Cedric''s arms.

    He looked down at his sleeping wife, he could see that she was exhausted, she hade from work, readied herself, and then left with him for the event. He knew Adrianna had also been the one to confirm with the organizers that he would be attending.

    She even spoke to Dave about clearing up his schedule so that they could go together. She was doing this so he could rx, let go of all of his worries. Think of something other than revenge.

    Cedric didn''t want to admit it, but he had a vengeful heart. Ever since his mom''s death his sole focus had been to capture Aiden and make him pay.

    Many things might have happened in between, but Cedric''s goal remained the same. To bring his mother''s murderer to justice. Only then would he be able to move on with his life.

    Cedric looked back down at Adrianna, she was so fast asleep that it pained him to wake her up. He decided to simply carry her from the car and help her prepare for bed.

    The staff at the Mountain View Mansion were no longer surprised by Cedric''s dedication to his wife, he was a whipped husband. He did anything and everything his wife wanted and he spoiled her endlessly.

    Many of the female staff wished for a husband like Cedric, while the male staff hoped that their wives wouldn''t see how Cedric pampered his wife, or else they would ask for the same treatment.

    "Is my son in bed?" Cedric asked Emilio''s nanny as he entered the house.

    "No sir, he is with his grandparents." The nanny informed him.

    "Please make sure he gets to bed early." Cedric told the nanny. "If he asks to see his mom tell him she is exhausted and needs to rest."

    "Yes sir." The nanny said with a nod.

    Cedric continued to the elevator and took his wife up to their bedroom.

    Inside he made sure to peel off her clothes, remove her jewelry, and gently wipe off her makeup.

    He drew up a warm and rxing bath for the two of them. He ced his wife in and climbed into the bathtub behind her.

    He was surprised at how fast asleep Adriana was, she didn''t even wake when he washed her and lifted her back out of the tub and dressed her.

    He ced her gently on their bed and wrapped a warm nket around her. He watched as she slept. nting gentle kisses all over her, hoping it would wake her. Unfortunately, Adrianna was too exhausted to notice her husband''s affectionate actions.

    "Oh Adri." Cedric said as he hugged her sleeping figure tightly.

    As he was about to sleep, his phone suddenly rang, making him groan in annoyance.

    When he rolled over to check who it was, he was shocked to see Ray''s name.

    "Ray, this better be good." Cedric hissed as he got up and walked out of their bedroom.

    Despite Adrianna being fast asleep, Cedric had no ns of risking waking her up just because of Ray''s call.

    "We found him." Ray announced proudly. "We''ve discovered where Aiden is hiding."

    "Are you sure?" Cedric asked, he had to be sure, he couldn''t risk raiding a holy ce just to find out that Aiden had tricked them.

    "Yes, we are sure." Ray proudly announced. "He was spotted going in and out of thepound, his men are also there."

    "Where is he hiding?" Cedric asked.

    "Saint Paul''s Convent." Ray told him.

    "A nunnery?" Cedric asked, slightly amused that Aiden had decided to hide with nuns.

    "Not just a nunnery. The nuns run a school nearby, guess it''s connection to Aiden." Ray teased his brother-inw.

    "This guessing game is annoying me, but I''ll y along." Cedric said with a sigh. "He donates to this school?" Cedric asked.

    "Nope, wrong, guess again." Ray said with augh.

    "I don''t want to y this game." Cedric said in an annoyed tone. "Tell me."

    "It''s where he and Benedict studied for elementary and high school." Ray finally exined.

    "Such a sentimental man for a bad guy." Cedric said with a chuckle. "Are you sure it''s not a decoy?" Cedric asked.

    "How many times do I have to tell you, we checked." Ray said over the phone.

    "Alright, ready everyone, we move the day after tomorrow." Cedric ordered. "I''ll tell Merrick to organize my men too."

    "Alright." Ray said. "Oh, and nice speech by the way." Ray teased as he dropped the call.

    Cedric was too happy to bother with Ray''sment. He quickly dialed Merrick''s number and asked him toe up.

    They would need to act fast, they didn''t know if Aiden would be changing locations soon, they needed to get the upper hand again.

 Chapter 542 - 542

    Cedric paced across his office in his Mountain View Mansion as they waited for news. Today was the day they would confirm if Aiden was really hiding out in the convent.

    "Bro, calm down." Ray told him as his friend kept one ear tuned into listening to his subordinate''s reports.??

    "I just feel like all our hard work can be ruined in a moment." Cedric sighed, shaking his head.

    "I didn''t think he would hide there." Benedict suddenly said, shifting Cedric''s attention to him.

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked as he sat down.

    "My brother hated that ce with a burning passion, he swore he would shut that school down the moment he had enough influence and power." Benedict said, shaking his head. "That ce, it holds so much of our memories as kids, all painful ones."

    "It seems you went through a lot there as well." Eric said as he observed Benedict closely.

    "Yup, I did." Benedict said with a nod. Cedric could see how much pain the ce caused Benedict, it was clear in his eyes.

    "I never stopped my brother, when he said he would close that ce down." Benedict added. "I didn''t even stop him when he said he would ruin the people there that made our life so bad."

    "The Ris?" Ram asked, as he held his breath in, somewhat scared of the answer Benedict would give.

    "No, the Ris and Edward came in muchter." Benedict said, shaking his head. "They hurt my brother when he was in university, I didn''t know them, so I didn''t stop that either. No these people from our younger years, my brother prepared a much more painful hell for them."

    Cedric watched as Benedict gripped the side of the seat, clearly trying to shove his emotions down. Whether it was pain or anger or something else, Cedric didn''t know, but he wouldn''t have to wait to know.

    "I hated them, all of them, but not to the point that I would kill them." Benedict confessed. "I just wanted them to live a life worse than ours. For them to feel the pain I felt growing up. Aiden knew this." Benedict said with a frown.

    "You don''t have to tell us if you can''t." Miguel said, resting a hand on Benedict''s shoulder.

    "No, it''s fine." Benedict said, shaking his head. "Cami is right, I should let these feelings out more often." He said with augh, thinking of his sister.

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod, allowing Benedict to continue.

    Cedric nced at Ray as well, who shook his head, signaling that there was still no movement on Aiden''s end.

    "They were bullies, they knew something was wrong with our family life and they made rumors about us." Benedict recalled. "The rumors went as far as calling us unwanted children, they shoved it in our faces whenever they could. Eventually their bullying turned physical, my brother was strong, he would try to fight them off, but he couldn''t go against ten guys his age."

    Benedict looked up, he was a bit surprised to see that he still had everyone''s attention. He took a deep breath and continued his story.

    "Aiden wasn''t always evil, our past molds us, and it''s how we use those experiences that matter, and it all went wrong with Aiden and I." Benedict exined. "I''m not defending my brother, everything he has done is wrong, I''m just saying he had his reasons, we had our reasons."

    "You and Aiden went through that same pain Benedict." Alexi said, giving Benedict a sympathetic look. "But the way both of you processed what happened was different."

    "I just wish, he could have changed." Benedict said with a frown. "When things got better for us, Aiden went up to me and told me he had a n, a n to get back at our bullies, and I listened, and I agreed."

    "You were angry too." Cedric said with a nod.

    "That''s the thing, Cedric. You went through something simr and you didn''t follow the same path as Aiden and I." Benedict said, shaking his head.

    "I went down a pretty dark path as well." Cedric said with a shrug, confessing what he did was also quite sinister in nature.

    "No,pared to Aiden you were kind. Those men that bullied you were evil, they should have gone to prison." Benedict told Cedric. "Our bullies changed when we grew up. A few even apologized to us when we were in Uni, but to Aiden that didn''t matter, it never mattered."

    Benedict took a deep breath, gathering himself before telling the others his story.

    "My brother eventually became rotten to the core, it was a mixture of our upbringing and my grandfather filling his head with vengeance. To him, regardless of what you did to atone for your past mistakes, you cannot and should not be forgiven." Benedict exined.

    "One day, he asked me if I was busy. At this point I was already nning his whole revenge n, making sure all our investments were in the right ce. So I didn''t have much to do, so I apanied him." Benedict told them. "He took me to a warehouse in the province, in our old province, and he told me we would be getting our first taste of revenge."

    Benedict hesitated for a moment, he knew that what Aiden had done was horrific, part of him still couldn''t get over what he saw back then.

    "When I walked inside I saw all ten of our bullies, tied up, chained to a wall. They could move a distance, but not too far. My brotherughed as he pointed at the people across them, when I saw who it was I was shocked. I saw wives and children, all in chains, only an arms length from their husbands and fathers." Benedict felt as tears began to fall from his eyes.

    "Benedict, you don''t need to tell us if you can''t." Cedric told him with a sad look. It seemed the memory hurt Benedict more than he let on.

    "No, you need to know this. You need to hear this. You need to understand that no matter what, my brother, cannot be redeemed or forgiven." Benedict insisted.

    Cedric simply nodded, telling him to continue.

    "My brother tortured their families in front of our bullies. Those men, when they saw their wives and children cry out, they would reach for them, running as the chains tugged on their necks, slowly hurting them, drawing gashes as they pulled, making them bleed." Benedict said in a pained voice.

    "The more their wives and children cried out, the more the men tried to run to them, desperate to help. Eventually those small wounds that refused to heal were bleeding them dry, the adrenaline in their system stopped them from realizing it, but soon all teny dead as they desperately tried to save their wives and children." Benedict said, recounting what had happened.

    "And my brother, heughed, he enjoyed every minute of the torture, every minute of their slow death." Benedict said, shaking his head. "I said nothing, I just stood there and watched, I should have stopped him. But I was too weak, too afraid."

    "What happened to the wives and children?" Ram asked, clearly afraid of the answer he would get.

    "My brother had no use for them, the bullies were dead and he didn''t want any witnesses." Benedict said as his voice faltered. "He killed them, he smiled as he personally slit their throats."

 Chapter 543 - 543

    Cedric paled in shock when he heard Benedict''s words, he didn''t put it beneath Aiden to mercilessly kill and torture the people that tormented him in his youth. But to kill innocent women and children, it was just too much.

    "It''s okay, you can judge me." Benedict said as he looked at Cedric. "I was horrible for not stopping him."??

    "You didn''t know better, you changed." Cedric said with a sympathetic look in his eyes.

    "I -" Benedict began to say when Ray suddenly jerked his head up, catching everyone''s attention.

    They all immediately knew something had happened.

    "He has been spotted." Ray announced as he listened to what his subordinates were reporting to him. "ording to my men it seems like he will at least be staying there for another few days."

    "We need to speak to the nuns that run that convent." Cedric told Ray.

    "I''ve already arranged a meeting between you and the mother superior." Ian announced as he arrived."She will meet you at Saint Anthony''s Churchter this afternoon."

    "Saint Anthony''s isn''t that the Church in the old part of the capital?" Aleix asked. "Saint Paul''s convent is in the province, why would she meet with Cedric there? And can she make it on time?"

    "The mother superior had a meeting with the archbishop to ask for guidance, she will meet with Cedric before she travels to return to the convent." Ian informed them.

    "I''ll meet with her." Cedric said with a nod. As he got up and prepared his things.

    "In the meantime, I want our men to start moving in on that province." Cedric instructed. "I''ll ask Dave to help you contact the Lobos, they are the dominant political family there, they should be able to help, no they will help. This is Jam''s killer we are talking about."

    Ray and Alexi nodded, knowing this would be their contribution to the n.

    "I''ll prep my team, I''m sure there will be injuries." Miguel said, leaving ahead of Cedric.

    "I''ll help you." Eric said, following his brother out.

    "Don''t worry, I know. Media ckout." Ram said with augh. He knew all of them had a role to y in this, and he honestly felt good that he could contribute to their ns. He was often left out since he didn''t have his own personal army.

    Cedric nodded and thanked Ram.

    "I''ll go with you to meet the mother superior." Benedict volunteered. "If it is who I think it is, we might have a hard time convincing her."

    Cedric gave Benedict a confused look, making Benedictugh.

    "I''ll exin on the way." Benedict said with a shrug as they walked out of the office.

    Cedric''s driver opened the door to his car for him. Cedric was taking a lessvish car out this time, his goal was not to be seen. He was aware that Aiden may still have spies lurking around, watching his every move. It was better to be safe than sorry.

    Inside the car, he quickly made a few calls, instructing Dave to help his friends and to contact the Lobo family for their help.

    "Care to tell me what this business with the nun is all about?" Cedric asked Benedict as he dropped the call with Dave.

    "I have a feeling that the current mother superior of Saint Paul''s convent is a Mother Emilia. She and Aiden have a history." Benedict said with a shrug.

    "Aren''t nuns supposed to be chaste and all that?" Cedric asked as he struggled to stop himself fromughing.

    "I said history, I didn''t say they had sex or anything.;'' Benedict said,ughing at Cedric. "Emilia loved Aiden a long time ago. When Aiden broke her heart she left our province. It wasn''t till yearster that we found out that she entered the convent."

    "She must be over him by now." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "She might be, but you can''t help it if there are still remnants there. Plus even after he broke her heart she saw him as a good friend." Benedict said with a sigh as they spotted the Church in the distance. "Just let me try to convince her first."

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod.

    When they arrived at the Church, Cedric''s men had already cleared out the area. They found a sole nun sitting on the pews seemingly in prayer.

    "Mother superior." Cedric greeted as he sat down on the same pew, keeping his distance from the woman.

    "Please, call me Emilia." the mother superior said.

    Cedric nodded in acknowledgement.

    "Your man said I am harboring a criminal in my convent." Emilia said as she nced at Cedric. "I have a lot of homeless people staying in my convent. We shelter those that are the least and the lost."

    "Sister Emilia, this man, he, I don''t know how to say it." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "He has done many bad things? He had hurt? He has broken?" Sister Emilia asked.

    "It is my brother, Emilia." Benedict said, suddenly appearing beside Cedric.

    "Benedict?" Emilia asked as she stared at Benedict in shock. "Aiden said you died. How is this possible?" Sister Emilia asked as she looked at Benedict as if he was a ghost.

    "Emilia, did my brother tell you how he thought I died?" Benedict asked the woman.

    "He said you were sick." Sister Emilia said, shaking her head. "He was broken, he had already lost two siblings. We nursed him back to health."

    "Emilia, I need you to listen to me." Benedict said as he looked the nun in the eyes. "My brother had be a bad man since we left our province. He isn''t the Aiden you once knew."

    "Benedict, it''s not proper to speak ill of your brother." Sister Emilia said in a calm tone.

    "I''m not, I''m just telling you the truth." Benedict said, shaking his head. "Emilia, my brother is a murderer and he does not regret it."

    "Benedict!" Sister Emilia scolded.

    "He thought I died when he attacked Cedric. After my brother murdered Cedric''s mother. Emilia, my brother almost caused my death." Benedict said in a desperate tone.

    Cedric watched as a look of horror crept on the nun''s face.

    "You lie." Sister Emilia said as she stood up and walked away.

 Chapter 544 - 544

    Cedric watched as Benedict chased after Sister Emilia, he followed at a distance behind the pair as they stopped at the side of the Church.

    "Em." Benedict called out as he reached out, grabbing her wrist. "Emilia, please. Aiden isn''t the Aiden you used to know. We have been through so much and he has changed."??

    "He told me Benedict." Emilia said as her shoulders dropped in surrender. "He warned me that a man by the name of Cedric might approach me. He told me not to believe Cedric because it was his family that killed your sister Cami."

    "Emilia, my sister is still alive." Benedict said, begging her to listen. "Cami didn''t die. She was saved from suffering the same fate as my brother and I."

    "Benedict, I don''t know." Sister Emilia said, shaking her head.

    "Emilia, if I bring you to my sister, if you meet her, if she tells you what Aiden has done to her and to Cedric, will you believe me?" Benedict asked.

    "Fine." Sister Emilia said in surrender.

    Benedict smiled as he pulled her towards Cedric.

    "Cedric, would it be fine is Sister Emilia met Cami?" Benedict asked Cedric, as if he was a a child asking his father for permission.

    "Benedict, as long your sister is willing to meet with her, it should be fine." Cedric said with a nod. "None of you need my permission. You are all grown ups." Cedric said with a grin.

    "I''ll give my sister a call." Benedict said as he excitedly took out his phone to give Cami a call.

    "Is she really his sister?" Sister Emilia asked Cedric as they watched Benedict chat lively on the phone.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "I can''t tell you the details, but she suffered a lot in the past, before my father and uncles found her. It''s a miracle in itself for them to be reunited."

    "Cami said yes." Benedict said excitedly as he returned to them.

    "Why don''t we meet her at my home? It could afford you the privacy you guys need as well as the security." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Alright." Benedict said, nodding in agreement.

    Cedric led them to his car and they all piled in. It was quite tight, Ian sat in the front seat, while Cedric, Benedict, and Sister Emilia sat in the back.

    "Cedric, did Aiden really kill your mother?" Sister Emilia asked in a hesitant tone.

    Cedric looked at her with a sad smile and nodded. "He didn''t pull the trigger, but her death was ordered by him. He also had my wife''s friend and cousin killed."

    "I didn''t think Aiden would turn out this way." Sister Emilia said, shaking her head. "When he showed up with hispanions at my convent''s doorsteps weeks ago, he was injured. He had lost a lot of blood and we couldn''t save his hand, it had to be amputated."

    "That was my fault." Benedict confessed with a frown. "It was either I shot him or he killed our sister."

    "I don''t me you Benedict." Sister Emilia said with a sad smile. "I helped Aiden because it''s my duty to help those that are injured, those that are lost. I''ve known you for years and you''ve never changed, but when I saw Aiden, he seemed different."

    "So you aren''t protecting him?" Benedict asked, his eyes shined with the hope he was feeling that Sister Emilia would help them.

    "Of course not." Sister Emilia said, shaking her head. "If I nned on protecting him I would have never met up with Cedric. I might live in a convent, but I don''t live under a rock. I know full well who the CEO of the Reyes Group is." Sister Emilia said, teasing Benedict and Cedric.

    "Thank you for hearing us out." Cedric said, nodding at her.

    "I know you aren''t a bad person, I''ve seen how much you help those that have less than you." Sister Emilia said, parising Cedric. "Aiden simply assumed that I knew nothing of the outside world, so he thought he could use me and my convent. He thought he could manipte me because in his mind I am still naive and innocent."

    "You are a strong woman Sister Emilia." Cedric said as he looked at the nun. "I am sure it takes a strong woman of God to lead your fellow nuns."

    "Thank you." Sister Emilia said with a nod as they drove into the Mountain Viewmunity.

    When they finally arrived at Cedric''s mansion the nun didn''t seem impressed or bothered by the wealth of the ce, which puzzled Cedric.

    As they walked in, Adrianna greeted the nun, pulling her into a hug.

    "You know the Mother Superior?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "Of course." Adrianna said with augh, the nunughed along with his wife, making Cedric eye them suspiciously.

    "You are two incredibly smart men and yet you weren''t able to piece the puzzle together." Sister Emilia teased Cedric and Benedict.

    The two men just looked at each other, visibly confused by the nun''s words.

    "Cedric, did you not check what Emilia''s full name was?" Adrianna asked. Normally her husband would read a whole dossie on a person before meeting them. It seemed that this time Cedric had deviated from that practice.

    "Ian, why didn''t you give me the file on the good nun?" Cedric asked, calling for his former assistant and friend.

    "You never asked for it." Ian said with a shrug. "I read through it and confirmed that she would not harm you or your wife."

    "Tell me Adrianna." Cedric said in an angry tone.

    "Nope, check the file." Adrianna insisted with a giggle.

    "What the fu-" Cedric said, catching himself mid curse. "My apologies, Mother Superior." Cedric said to the nun, who simply smiled at him.

    "Ian, get that file!" Cedric called out.

    Ian immediately went into Cedric''s office to retrieve the file. It was in a sealed brown envelope when Ian handed it to Cedric.

    Cedric ripped the seal and took out the documents inside and read through it.

    "I am an idiot." Cedric said as he read the document.

    "That you are." Adrianna teased him.

    "I would never protect my cousin''s murderer." Sister Emilia said with an angry look in her eyes.

    "Her middle name is Lobo." Benedict said,ughing at his own stupidity.

 Chapter 545 - 545

    "I don''t remember you at the funeral." Cedric said as he tried to remember all the rtives Adrianna had introduced to him.

    "I wasn''t there. I was at a retreat in Rome for a month." Sister Emilia said with a frown. "By the time I got back Jam had beenid to rest and Amanda had to recount to me the painful details of his death."??

    "How did you not realize?" Cedric asked Benedict. "Don''t lie, I know you''ve investigated my wife and her whole family."

    "I just didn''t connect the dots." Benedict said with a shrug. "They are second cousins. I didn''t check that far."

    "If Benedict had, Aiden would have probably tried to make me break my vows." Sister Emilia said, shaking her head.

    "So you knew all along. Why didn''t you tell Adrianna?" Cedric asked the nun.

    "Aiden listens in to all of our conversations at the convent. He has the whole ce bugged." Sister Emilia said with a shrug. "I took the opportunity to tell Adrianna when I went to the capital a few days ago."

    "That''s how Ray confirmed Aiden''s location." Adrianna said with augh.

    "Why didn''t you just tell me?" Cedric asked his wife, disappointed at her choice to hide what she knew.

    "And bruise your already fragile ego?" Adrianna teased her husband.

    "Hey Adri." Cami greeted, as she entered Cedric''s house.

    "Why do you always greet my wife before me?" Cedricined as his former assistant waved at his wife.

    "Because, we all know that Cedric Reyes will do anything for his wife, and if I ever get into trouble, it''s good to know that I am on Mrs. Reyes'' good side." Cami said with a shrug as she walked over and hugged her older brother.

    Cedric rolled his eyes at Cami before marching into his office, leaving the door open for everyone else to follow.

    "What did you want me here for?" Cami asked Benedict as sheughed at Cedric''s childish attitude.

    "Shouldn''t you go over and coax him?" Sister Emilia asked Adrianna.

    "No need." Adrianna said with augh, but we should join him before Benedict exins things to Cami." Adrianna told the nun as she gestured for them to follow into the office.

    When they were all finally inside, Ian closed the door behind him and sat on one of the couches in Cedric''s office.

    "Cami, the reason why I asked you to meet us here is so that I could introduce you to someone." Benedict said with a smile.

    Cami raised an eyebrow at her brother and crossed her arms, leaning back in her seat.

    "Cami, this is Mother Superior Emilia, she is the Mother Superior of Saint Paul''s Convent." Benedict began to exin.

    "The convent where Aiden is hiding?" Cami asked as she eyed the nun with suspicion.

    "Now, now Cami, she is on our side." Benedict said, quickly rectifying the situation.

    "Oh." Cami said as she blushed in embarrassment.

    "Emilia, this is my younger sister, Cami." Benedict said, introducing Cami to the nun.

    "I''m sorry for doubting you." Cami said, quickly apologizing.

    "It''s alright." Sister Emilia said as she smiled at Cami. "I have a history with Aiden, so even Benedict thought I would protect him at first."

    "Oh, well that''s all in the past I guess." Cami said as she tried to collect herself from embarrassment.

    "By some interesting twist of faith, Sister Emilia is more involved with Aiden than we initially anticipated." Cedric said in a sour tone as he red at his wife.

    "Oh, how so?" Cami asked as she slowly rxed.

    "Sister Emilia is my cousin on the Lobo side." Adrianna informed Cami with a smile.

    Cami suddenly burst outughing.

    "Did Ian forget to tell Cedric?" Cami asked.

    "Yes." Cedric hissed. "He seemingly forgot on purpose." Cedric said, rolling his eyes.

    "You''re the one that keeps saying Adrianna is always right, even when she''s wrong." Ian grumbled on the side, making everyoneugh.

    "Benedict and Aiden talked about you a lot growing up." Sister Emilia said with a smile as she observed Cami.

    "How could you talk a lot about me? We were separated when I was four." Cami said, rolling her eyes at her brother.

    "When you think someone is gone, you remember even the smallest details, no matter how long ago it was." Benedict said with a shrug.

    Cami simplyughed at her brother and shook her head.

    "What now?" Cedric asked. "If it was your intention to help us from the very beginning, what do we do now?"

    "Well, we do as you want." Sister Emilia said. "My nuns know that Aiden is dangerous. They know that when I return, we will either be rid of him or we will have to n on our own. I don''t like having him around."

    "You''re in luck Sister Emilia, my men and I do have a n. But we will need your help." Cedric said with a grin.

    "I''m assuming you will need to know what precautionary measures he hasid out around the convent?" Sister Emilia asked Cedric with a grin.

    "Are you really a nun?" Benedict asked,ughing at Sister Emilia.

    "I am, but I knew Cedric would need this." Sister Emilia said as she extracted a sh drive from her pocket. "My nuns and I monitored his actions and his men''s actions. All you need to know now is how much back up he has."

    "This is perfect." Cedric said as he walked over and took the sh drive from the nun.

    He quickly plugged it into hisptop and scrolled through the files. He was shocked at the amount of detail ced into recording every single detail about Aiden.

    The nuns had even logged where he was at each time of the day. It seemed that Aiden was a man of habit, not changing what he did from one day to the next.

    "I have to hand it to you Sister Emilia, this is way more than what we need." Cedric said as he scrolled through a folder with sketches of Aiden''s men.

    "We didn''t know what you needed, so we decided that having more was best." Sister Emilia said with a shrug. "Is this really enough to get him out of there?" Sister Emilia asked.

    "It is more than enough." Cedric said with a nod. "First we need to get your nuns and the other people living in the convent out of there."

    "Don''t worry, we have a n. Just say the word and I will make the call." Sister Emilia said with a nod.

 Chapter 546 - 546

    Cedric couldn''t send everyone to the province Aiden was hiding out in a day, too many non-locals would catch people''s attention, creating rumors, and those rumors were sure to reach Aiden''s ears eventually.

    It took Cedric almost a week to get all of his men into the province. With the help of the Lobo family they had set up fake events, seminars, and even infrastructure work. ??

    They had to send more than just his security team and Ray''s mafia members. Regr employees were also sent to the province in order to veer the attention away from the buff men that now took residence in nearby hotels.

    "Do you think we have enough?" Cedric asked Ray as he drummed his fingers on the office table.

    Cedric and the others had to secretly arrive at the province, they had no ns of scaring Aiden off before the attack.

    "You men are here, my men are here, the Ri''s have sent theirs as well. Alexi was even able to mobilize the military for this." Ray said as he gave Cedric an are you kidding me look.

    "But is that enough?" Cedric asked, keeping his serious expression.

    "Is this a joke?" Ray asked his friend in an annoyed tone. "Aiden has fifty men tops, as for back up, he can barely call for any. This is more than enough."

    Cedric nodded, he didn''t speak, he leaned back and closed his eyes, thinking of his next move.

    "Let''s take him tonight as nned." Cedric said.

    "Good, finally." Cami said, entering the room.

    Cedric and Ray were shocked to find her there, she was supposed to stay in the Capital.

    "Your brother told you to stay." Cedric scolded Cami as their eyes met.

    "My brother isn''t the boss of me." Cami said as she rolled her eyes at Cedric. "I''ve lived most of my life without him, he can''te barging in and shouting orders."

    "Like it or not he is right. You aren''t safe here." Ray said, agreeing with Benedict''s decision.

    "You guys need more help." Cami insisted. "This isn''t my first mission, I''ve run many on Cedric''s orders. I''m as experienced and Ian on this."

    Cedric frowned and nodded. He knew Cami was right, he needed more people to assist him, he had spread everyone too thinly.

    He had assigned Dave to help Ayanna and Adrianna run the Reyes Group while he was away. Mae on the other hand continued working with Ace on investigating the missing Chan cousin. He didn''t want Aiden to affect their progress on that.

    Ian had apanied him to the province to take on Aiden, while he had fully intended for Cami to remain behind and continue her work at Mor Co. They had spotted a new entrant in the market that posed a threat to their growth.

    "We''ve investigated the Mor Co. threat by the way." Cami exined, wanting to settle his concern. "I have who it is and I think it can wait till we deal with my brother."

    Cedric nodded in response, agreeing with her decision.

    "I told you to stay in the capital." Benedict scolded his sister as he burst into the room.

    "And I told you no." Cami said in an intimidating tone. "I''m here now and Cedric said it''s fine. This isn''t the first time I''m helping out in something like this. I''m not some innocent child, Benedict." Cami said, answering back.

    "I won''t let Aiden get to you again." Benedict said with a look of worry in his eyes.

    "He won''t Benedict." Cami said, shaking her head. "I''ll be far away at themand center."

    Benedict grumbled, but there was nothing that he could do about it. Cedric had already agreed to let his sister stay, and Cedric''s word wasw.

    "Get everyone in the main hall in thirty minutes. We''ll do a final run of the n." Cedric instructed Cami. "And tell Sister Emilia that the attack will be tonight."

    Cami nodded and left, informing everyone involved toe.

    Cedric was staying with the Lobo family, in the old mansion. They had allowed him to use it as the temporarymand center before the attack.

    Once the attack was about to begin, Cami and the others would move closer to the convent, hiding out in the nearby school.

    "Sister Emilia?" Cami asked as she knocked on the nun''s door. She too was staying with the Lobos until her convent could rid Aiden and his men.

    "Cami, please, call me Emilia." Sister Emilia said as she waved Cami in. "Did you want to speak to me about something?"

    "Yes, Cedric asked me to tell you that the attack will push through tonight." Cami said.

    "Oh, that''s great news. Finally." Sister Emilia said with a relieved smile. "I''ll call my nuns and tell them to start moving."

    Cami was about to leave, but she suddenly hesitated, making the nun look up at her.

    "Is there something you wanted to ask, Cami?" Sister Emilia asked her.

    "Well, yes, kind of." Cami said in a hesitant tone.

    "Let me give my nuns a call, then we can talk." Sister Cami said with a warm smile.

    "Alright." Cami said as she took a seat on one of the couches in the room.

    She watched as Sister Emilia dialed a number on her phone and waited for the people on the other end to pick up the call.

    "Sister Fatima." Sister Emilia greeted in a warm tone. "I''m on my way home."

    "Yes, my visit was a sess." Sister Emilia said, answering Sister Fatima on the other end of the call.

    "Yes we can celebrate when I get home." Sister Emilia said nodding.

    "Yes, good, go go, take them with you and visit the market. Buy food for the celebration." Sister Emilia said, a serious expression crossing her face.

    "I will see you when I return. Bye." Sister Emilia said as she dropped the call.

    "Wow, that was the code?" Cami said, surprised at how smoothly the conversation had flowed.

    "Yeah." Sister Emilia said with a sigh as she sat down across Cami.

    "I''m sure my brother won''t be able to notice it." Cami said with a smile.

    "You said you wanted to ask me something?" Sister Emilia asked.

    "Yes. I guess I just wanted to know more about my brothers." Cami said with a shrug. "I wanna know how they were growing up."

    Sister Emilia nodded and smiled.

 Chapter 547 - 547

    "What did you want to know about them?" Sister Emilia asked.

    "I don''t know, just what they were like I guess." Cami said with a shrug. She really wasn''t sure what she wanted to learn about her brothers, but something kept telling her that she needed to learn more about their lives without her.??

    "Alright. I guess I''ll start with how I met your brothers." Sister Emilia said with a shrug.

    Cami nodded and listened intently.

    "I was actually ssmates with Benedict and not Aiden. So it was Benedict that I had met first." Sister Emilia exined. "It was through Benedict that I met your brother."

    "So you are older than me? You are Benedict''s age." Cami said slowly.

    "Yes." Sister Emilia said with a nod.

    "You honestly don''t look old." Cami said with a smile. "When I saw you I thought you were an actress dressed as a nun." Cami saidughing.

    "That is not the first time I have heard that." Sister Emilia said,ughing as well.

    "Did you really leave because Aiden broke your heart?" Cami asked, she wanted to know the truth, and not Benedict''s one sided story.

    "That was one reason, but there were many." Sister Emilia said with a frown. "Aiden was a different person back then. You need to understand that Cami."

    Cami nodded, knowing how much a person could change in a few years.

    "When we were younger, it was Benedict that was the broken and angsty one." Sister Emilia said with augh. "He didn''t have a lot of friends and people kept avoiding him because he was this emo kid back when emo wasn''t even in."

    "I could see Benedict as the sad brooding type." Cami said with a grin. "As a rich man a lot of women would line up for the rich brooding CEO."

    Sister Emiliaughed at Cami''sment.

    "He used to talk about you a lot though." Sister Emilia said as her tone turned serious. "He would tell me how he was sure you were still alive, that you must have survived."

    "I thought he didn''t think I had survived? I thought that was something he realizedter on?" Cami asked Sister Emilia.

    "No, well at first when we were younger he insisted you were alive." Sister Emilia said, shaking her head. "Then a few yearster he seemed darker, sader for some reason. I think at this point Aiden had managed to convince him that you were dead."

    "Aiden really poisoned his mind." Cami said with a frown.

    "I think it was your grandfather that poisoned them both." Sister Emilia exined.

    "You met him?" Cami asked, she was curious about this mysterious grandfather of thiers.

    "Yes. Many times." Sister Emilia said with a nod. "He liked me, I think it was mainly because I belonged to the Lobo family who are very important in this province."

    "Some people just put too much importance on the family name, they don''t even care to check the personality." Cami said, shaking her head.

    "Aiden was quite nice at first. He was a real gentleman. He was sad, but nice." Sister Emilia said as she recalled her memories of the brothers.

    "They arrived right after your parents'' death. So you could just imagine how sad they were." Sister Emilia exined. "But I remember Aiden helping me out one day. You see, to kids, your family name didn''t matter. All they saw was that I was some skinny kid that didn''t wear anything branded."

    "The Lobos also followed poverty training?" Cami asked, she knew most rich families pampered their sons and daughter, so it was rare to hear about one getting bullied.

    "In a way. But not the Lobos, it was my father''s family. They believed that we didn''t need the most popr brands or the mostvish anything, which is true when you think about it." Sister Emilia said with a shrug.

    "So what happened?" Cami asked.

    "Well, some kids took my books and threw my bag in the trash can." Sister Emilia said with a frown. "I was crying, when a handsome young man approached me and checked up on me."

    "Aiden?" Cami asked.

    "No, Benedict." Sister Emilia said with a sad smile.

    "The bullies came back, and it was Aiden that stood up for me." Sister Emilia exined. "He protected me and Benedict, he took their insults and their punches. The Ortiz family was rich and popr in this province, but those bullies didn''t care."

    "I can''t imagine Aiden being -" Cami paused trying to think about the right word to say.

    "Being that nice? That caring? That human?" Sister Emilia asked. "I can''t believe how he turned out."

    "Was he this cold and evil when you returned from the convent?" Cami asked the nun.

    "No. He wasn''t this bad. He was cold and distant, but not evil." Sister Emilia said, shaking her head. "I don''t think anyone is genuinely evil, Cami. As long as we are alive we have a chance to change ourselves, to save ourselves, I think Aiden can still change."

    "Aren''t you mad about what he did to Jam?" Cami asked in shock.

    "I was furious!" Sister Emilia said angrily. "Don''t you dare think I was okay with what he did. He will pay for his actions, someday. But it is not our ce to deal out punishment. We can only hope that people like him will change and get better."

    "I don''t understand how you can hope for him to get better." Cami said, shaking her head.

    "Because I know Aiden is capable of bing a better person." Sister Emilia said with a sad smile. "I''ve seen the best of him when all he has shown people is the bad. He went bad when he used to be good."

    "Emilia." Cami said, unsure about what to say next.

    "Cami, he went bad because he thought you were murdered, anyone would lose their minds knowing someone they loved had died." Sister Emilia said. "I hope he can change back."

    "I find it hard to see." Cami said.

    "He isn''t all bad Cami." Sister Emilia said, cing a hand on Cami''s shoulder.

 Chapter 548 - 548

    "Have all nonbatants been evacuated?" Cedric asked over the radio as he watched the images being sent back from their men and the drones that now flew above the convent.

    "Yes, sir. Sister Emilia has confirmed that all the residents of the convent are now at the Lobo mansion." Cedric heard Ian say over the radio.??

    "Good, let''s begin." Cedric ordered.

    He was watching through Ray''s camera.

    Cedric had decided to stay at themand center with Cami, Benedict, and a few other technical support.

    Miguel was waiting at a midway point where they had set up a makeshift hospital for those that would be injured in the fighting. This time he would have the help of several military doctors and nurses.

    "There are more of us." Miguel had told Cedric as he tried to help his friend get over the worry and guilt that some men may die from today''s encounter. "There are doctors from the military, you know that they are some of the best. It''s better that we take Aiden now, rather than letting him hurt more people, kill more people."

    Cedric sighed at the memory, Miguel was right, letting Aiden walk meant risking the lives of even more people. It wasn''t just those that he loved that were at risk, anyone and everyone that Aiden deemed as a tool he could use or as a threat was in danger.

    Aiden needed to be captured and brought to justice today.

    "Cedric, Ced." Cami said, calling Cedric back from his thoughts.

    "Yes?" Cedric asked as he looked at Cami and Benedict, who hade and approached him from their stations.

    "We have a request." Cami said in a shy tone.

    "Something is off. You are never hesitant to ask." Cedric said, raising an eyebrow at his former assistant.

    "Because it might not make sense to you." Cami said with a frown. "Just know that I''ve thought this through, I really have. You know I would never make any stupid requests."

    Cedric took a deep breath and nodded, he was now nervous that Cami would ask him to let Aiden go. People did say that blood was thicker than water, and a part of him could understand why Cami may ask for Aiden''s freedom.

    "Promise you will hear me out first." Cami insisted.

    "You''ve been speaking too much with my wife." Cedricined.

    "It''s not my fault we be friends. As a matter of fact I''ve known your wife longer than you''ve known her." Cami said,ughing at Cedric''s annoyed expression.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked, shifting the topic away from his wife.

    "After we capture my older brother, we want to speak to him." Cami asked nervously. "I promise we won''t try to change him, but I need answers. Cedric."

    Cedric suddenly burst outughing, earning him curious looks from the people in themand center.

    "What?" Cami grumbled as she red at Cedric.

    "Cami, maybe you shouldn''t re at Cedric." Benedict said, tugging on his sister''s dress. He still feared and respected Cedric even if Cami said that the CEO was actually quite nice.

    "Cedric Reyes, you better stopughing at me or I will call Adrianna and Ayanna!" Cami threatened.

    "First of all, Ayanna doesn''t scare me." Cedric said with a grin as he sat up and gathered himself. "As for my wife, don''t you dare drag her into this Cami."

    "Fine, fine." Cami said, raising her hands in surrender.

    "Cami, if all you want to do is to speak to Aiden, then yes I can arrange for that. It isn''t an issue." Cedric said with a grin. "I honestly thought you were going to ask me to set him free."

    "What? No!" Cami said, vigorously shaking her head.

    "Cedric, even I agree that my brother is too dangerous to be kept free." Benedict said.

    "Aiden has hurt too many people." Cami said, shaking her head. "Even if he had the chance of changing, I don''t think keeping him out here with others would help."

    "That''s good." Cedric said with a relieved smile. "Because I wasn''t sure how I would deny your request if you asked me to set him free."

    "We would never." Cami promised.

    "Alright. I''ll arrange for you to have time to speak with Aiden." Cedric said with a nod. "I''m not sure which prison Alexi ns to have him ced at, but as soon as I find out I''ll give the both of you some details."

    "Thank you." Cami said as she dragged Benedict away, taking him back to their spot.

    "We''ll be entering the convent grounds in a few minutes. Keep all lines open." Cedric heard Alexi order.

    Cedric watched as the gates of thepound neared. Several of his men approached, some covering those with chain cutters, making sure that none of Aiden''s men were watching over the entrance.

    As the chains locking the gates were cut, Cedric suddenly heard gunshots go off.

    He couldn''t help but sit up as he watched some of the men fall.

    After a few seconds Ray''s voice was heard over the radio.

    "We''ve entered thepound. We have two injuries but no fatalities." Ray announced.

    Cedric breathed a sigh of relief as Ray informed them that the men were just injured and not dead.

    "There were four men on their side that were watching over the gate." Ray informed Cedric over the radio. "All four are dead, we will have them identifiedter and their bodies will be collected and sent to their families."

    "Alright. Proceed." Cedric said, acknowledging Ray''s report.

    Cedric watched as his men pushed into the convent.

    "Surround the perimeter, make sure no one escapes." Cedric heard Ray order as the men began to move silently, covering all exits, making sure that there was someone watching the windows as well.

    "People might try jumping off the 2nd floor as well. Keep your eyes peeled." Ray said over the radio.

    "Copy." Cedric heard several team leaders say over the radio.

    "Move in." Alexi ordered.

    Cedric could see as several men rushed into the entrance. It was silent, all Cedric could hear was Ray''s breathing and nearby footsteps.

    Suddenly there was chatter once more on the radio.

    "The whole building is clear. There was no one inside." Someone announced. "I repeat, the building is clear. It was empty."

    Cedric''s face suddenly turned pale at the news. Where was Aiden?

 Chapter 549 - 549

    "He isn''t there? How isn''t he there?" Cedric asked over the radio.

    All of their hard work had just gone down the drain, they let a dangerous man slip through their fingers, how could it have turned out like this.??

    "I don;t understand. When Emilia called her nuns this morning he was still there." Benedict said in shock. He too was now afraid that his brother was on the run.

    "Could Sister Emilia have betrayed us?" Ray asked over the radio.

    "I doubt -" Alexi began to say when the sound of guns going off was suddenly heard through his radio.

    "What is going on?" Cedric asked in a panicked tone. They couldn''t have gotten Alexi, they couldn''t have outsmarted them.

    "Aiden''s men were spotted. They were hiding outside of the convent. They must have heard us approaching." Ray said over the radio in between shots. He was clearly fighting back.

    "Alexi, are you there?" Ray called out, waiting for a response.

    "Damit, Alexi, answer us." Cedric shouted over the radio, still no one answered.

    "Your friend isn''t going to answer you, cause he is dead." Cedric heard Aiden''s familiar voice say. But it wasn''ting from the radio, it came from behind Cedric.

    Cedric turned his seat to find Aiden pointing a gun directly at him.

    "Now, brother, Aiden, calm down." Benedict said as he tried to approach Aiden.

    "No, don''t you dare Benedict! You fucking traitor!" Aiden shouted, the pain evident in his eyes. "If you move an inch I will st his brains out."

    "Aiden! No! Please!" Cami shouted.

    "You! You bitch!" Aiden said as he spat on the ground. "You chose them? Them and their fucking family. They killed mom and dad!"

    "You weren''t there Aiden! You weren''t fucking there." Cami answered back.

    "Don''t you dare move, don''t you dare call for backup." Airden said to those in themand center. "If one of you moves so much as a muscle I will kill Cedric. I will make sure his brain is scattered all over this room!"

    "We''ve overpowered all of his men." Ray said over the radio that had remained switched on. "Some we managed to capture but others are dead."

    "Cedric, are you there?" Ray asked after a long pause.

    "Answer him!" Aiden ordered Cedric.

    Cedric turned slowly and switched on his mic.

    "And Aiden?" Cedric asked.

    "No sign of him." Ray responded in a disappointed tone.

    "Were you able to get in touch with Alexi again?" Cedric asked, he could feel his heart beating faster, he didn''t know how he would cope if someone close to him died again.

    "Not yet, but allms to his team are down. We are searching for him as we speak." Ray reported.

    "Alright. Radio back when you have something." Cedric said before cutting the line.

    "Turn around. Slowly." Aiden said as he kept the gun pointed at Cedric. "I''m a pretty good shot, so don''t think that I will miss."

    "I don''t doubt it Aiden." Cedric said as he slowly turned.

    "Aiden, please, don''t do this." Cami begged.

    "Shut the fuck up!" Aiden said in an annoyed tone.

    "Brother, didn''t you want revenge for Cami''s death?" Benedict asked his brother. "Aiden, Cami is alive. They not only saved her, but they gave her a better shot at her own future."

    "Don''t you dare believe their fucking lies Benedict!" Aiden shouted. "She is not our Cami!"

    "Can''t you see the resemnce between her and I?" Benedict asked.

    "You know that is not proof." Aiden answered back.

    "We have a DNA test." Cami suddenly said. "The results are in my house at the Capital. Let us show you that."

    "Shut up woman!" Aiden shouted.

    "Don''t speak to our sister like that!" Benedict said angrily.

    "She isn''t her!" Aiden shouted. "Cedric, his friends, and his family must pay for what they did! They brutally murdered our sister. And you don''t fucking care!"

    "Why can''t you ept that Cami is alive?" Benedict asked Aiden as he took a step closer. "Brother, it''s her. We both know it''s her."

    "It can''t be." Aiden said, shaking his head. "It just can''t be her."

    "Why? Because you lusted over me, brother?" Cami suddenly asked. Digging up the memory she wanted to forget. "Because when you captured me, you fucking wanted to rape me, to make you your fucked up sex ve?"

    "Shut up!" Aiden shouted.

    "Cedric, we found Aleix." Ray''s voice came over the speakers once more. "Cedric, Alexi is alive."

    "Answer it!" Aiden shouted as Cedric turned to answer Ray.

    "That''s a relief." Cedric said over the radio.

    "Dy them!" Aiden ordered Cedric.

    "How is he?" Cedric asked.

    "Injured, but he will live." Ray said with augh.

    "It takes more than some mercenaries to kill me." Alexi boasted over the radio.

    On the other end of the line they were already celebrating, while the people at themand center hid behind their desks and chairs, not that it offered much protection from bullets.

    "That''s good." Cedric said with a forcedugh. "Listen, make sure to sweep the entire area. I want to make sure Aiden is found and that none of his men escape."

    "Of course. I''ll see to it." Ray said in a serious tone.

    "Alexi, rest up in the field hospital. Make sure that Miguel patches you up real well." Cedric said in a concerned tone. This time he was truly speaking from his heart.

    "Got it." Alexi said in a confident tone.

    "Thank you for doing this." Cedric said over the radio.

    "Anything for you man." Ray said in a happy tone. "We''ll focus on our efforts. See you when we get back."

    As the radio cut off, Aidenughed.

    "You will definitely not see themter. You''ll be dead by then." Aiden said as he red at Cedric.

    "Aiden, our sister is willing to look past that, please Aiden." Benedict begged his brother. "Just drop the gun and let''s move on."

    "Move on? Move on?" Aiden said with augh. "You fucking want me to go to jail. You my traitorous brother will be able to move on with this, this pretender, while I rot in jail!"

    "We will visit you Aiden." Cami said.

    "I don''t want to see a fucking whore like you!" Aiden shouted back.

    Suddenly the sound of a gun going off rang through themand center. Making everyone turn pale and look towards Cedric.

 Chapter 550 - 550

    Cedric and Aiden copsed simultaneously, one had a bullet through his chest, while the other, on his shoulder.

    "Cedric!" Miguel shouted as he came rushing in.??

    "It''s fine, just a lot of blood." Cedric said as he pressed down on his wound.

    "Idiot, let me patch you up." Miguel scolded as he called one of his nurses over to help lift Cedric.

    "My arm is injured, not my legs! I can fucking walk!" Cedric shouted. "Go help Aiden."

    "Aiden is dead." Benedict said as tears dropped from his eyes. He couldn''t help but cry as he cradled his brother''s lifeless body.

    "Benedict. . ." Cami said as she hugged her brother.

    "It''s alright." Benedict said as he struggled to speak. "It''s his own fault. I saw him pull the trigger first, Cedric only shot in reaction to him."

    "Benedict, he was still our brother. You can cry, you can be hurt." Cami said as she hugged him.

    Benedict turned and sobbed in his sister''s arms.

    Cedric and the other''s couldn''t help but feel awkward about the situation. It was normal for people to hurt when someone they loved died, but Aiden was no friend to many of them.

    Cedric closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Benedict''s sob''s pierced through his heart. He couldn''t help but feel guilty for taking a life.

    "Take Cedric to the field hospital." Cami told Miguel as she lifted her head. "I''ll deal with Benedict. I''ll also ask someone to move our brother''s body. The Ortiz crypt is not far from here, we can put him to rest there."

    "Yes, it''s not far." Benedict said, agreeing with his sister.

    "Benedict." Cedric suddenly said as he stopped next to Aiden''s body.

    "Yes?" Benedict asked as he looked at Cedric. His eyes clearly filled with pain, but not anger. Cedric was relieved that there was no anger in Benedict''s eyes.

    "I didn''t mean to kill him, I acted on reflex." Cedric said with a frown. He really had no intentions of killing Aiden. He simply wanted to capture the man.

    "I know Cedric." Benedict said with a nod. "You were only protecting yourself. It was my brother''s fault, not yours." Benedict said, shaking his head.

    "Cedric, go get that shoulder patched up." Cami scolded him.

    "Alright." Cedric said as he started to walk away. "If you need anything, find me." Cedric instructed as he walked out of themand center.

    Outside, Cedric spotted two bloody patches.

    "They aren''t dead." Miguel told Cedric. "The guards that were stationed here, they didn''t die. They lost a lot of blood, but we managed to save them."

    "Aiden did this?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, he and ten of his men." Miguel said with a nod as they continued to walk out of the school that had served as theirmand center.

    The nurse quickly ran up to a vehicle and opened the door for Cedric. He also helped Cedric in, making sure that his injuries wouldn''t be made worse by his movements.

    "It''s a good thing Aiden didn''t notice that you left the radio on." Miguelmented as their vehicle pulled away from the school.

    "Benedict and Cami kept him distracted." Cedric said. "I was really hoping that I didn''t have to use the gun."

    "He must have been quite distracted to not notice that you had gotten hold of one." Miguel said as he thought of the situation.

    "It was a pretty heated discussion." Cedric said, shaking his head. "He refused to believe that Cami was his sister. He had a thing for her."

    "That''s disturbing." Miguel said, with a disgusted look on his face.

    "Do you know how many we lost today?" Cedric asked Miguel as they pulled up to the makeshift hospital.

    "So far, we''ve only lost one." Miguel said with a frown. It might have been just one life, but a life was still a life.

    "And from Aiden''s men?" Cedric asked.

    "So far, the reports say at least twenty. Well, twenty one now if you count Aiden." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "Did he just hire them, or were they his followers?" Cedric asked.

    "You should rest." Miguel said, shaking his head. "Ray hasn''t had the time to have them questioned, he had to rush Alexi to the field hospital while Ian made sure that none of Aiden''s men escaped.

    "We both know I''ve had worse injuries." Cedric said with augh.

    "Yes, but I still need to clean it and stitch you back up." Miguel said, shaking his head. "As your doctor, I am advising you rest."

    "We both know that isn''t going to happen." Cedric said with augh.

    Cedric was soon helped out of their vehicle and brought to an operating room. As soon as he was patched up, Miguel insisted on having him sent to an actual hospital where he could be properly monitored.

    Merrick, who hade out uninjured, assigned several men to guard Cedric while he was at the hospital.

    Cedric argued with his head of security, with Aiden dead there was no one gunning for him anymore. He would be safe.

    "Sir, with all due respect, Aiden isn''t the only person that would want you dead." Merrick said, reminding Cedric of the harsh reality he had to live with.

    "Fine." Cedric said, allowing six men to follow him to the hospital and guard his hospital room.

    Thankfully he had his phone on him and he was able to get regr updates from Merrick, Ian, and Ray.

    They had found several men hiding in the area surrounding the school and the convent.

    From these men they learned what had happened from the other side. Sister Emilia did not betray them, rather, it was one of the vagrants that the nuns had taken in.

    One woman had fallen in love with one of Aiden''s mercenaries, the moment she realized that something was wrong, she phoned back and warned Aiden and his men.

    They only had five minutes to move, but it was enough to get everyone out of the convent and foil Cedric''s otherwise perfect n.

    Aiden had noticed that there were people at the school, he took ten men with him to investigate while he left the rest to fight off Alexi and Ray.

    Of the sixty men that Aiden had brought with him, twenty five perished at the encounter. Most of them had been working for Aiden for years. He had chosen to take only his most loyal, leaving behind those that he had simply hired.

    Cedric had just finished reading all of the reports, when someone knocked on his hospital room door.

    "Come in." Cedric called out, expecting a nurse of a doctor toe and check on him.

    "Sir?" Cami asked as she stuck her head in.

    "Cami,e in." Cedric said, waving with his uninjured arm.

    "Can Benedicte in with me?" Cami asked nervously.

    Cedric gave her a confused look as she waited for his answer.

    "Of course, why not?" Cedric asked, still confused as to why Cami would ask if Benedict was allowed inside the room.

    "Well, he is a threat." Cami exined. "Based on our rules neither Benedict nor I should be allowed in the hospital room."

    "If it makes you feel any better you can ask two guards toe in as well." Cedric said as he tried to ease her worry.

    Cami nodded and called two guards to apany them inside.

    "So what can I do for you?" Cedric asked as he sat up.

 Chapter 551 - 551

    "I''m here to apologize." Benedict said with a frown as he took a step closer to Cedric, who was seated on his bed.

    Cedric watched as the guards tensed up at Benedict''s actions. He knew these men were trained to consider everything to be a threat, and right now Benedict seemed dangerous to them.??

    "Rx." Cedric said to the guards, they however remained on alert.

    "It''s okay Cedric." Benedict said as he gave Cedric a sad look. "I know I am a threat right now. Both Cami and I could be a danger."

    "Are you?" Cedric asked Benedict. He trusted the man enough to expect him to speak the truth.

    "I think I am not, but emotions are a dangerous thing." Benedict said, shaking his head. "I cannot deny that I am hurting."

    "Benedict, your brother just died. It''s normal." Cedric said with a nod. He understood what Benedict was going through, he recently lost his mother, and the pain of losing a loved one was just insurmountable.

    "My brother was not a good man." Benedict said, shaking his head. "His death was not a loss to humanity."

    "It was still a loss to you." Cedric said with a sigh. "You said you came to apologize?" Cedric asked, returning their discussion to the main topic.

    "Yes, I came to apologize on behalf of our whole family." Benedict said with a hopeful look in his eyes. "Our family has caused too much pain to yours and with Aiden''s death I want to promise you that no one from our side will go after yours."

    "Thank you, Benedict." Cedric said with a nod as he smiled at both Benedict and Cami.

    "We''ve buried Aiden." Cami informed Cedric. "We ced him in the Ortiz family crypt. We n to tell our grandfather tonight."

    "I''ll also tell him that Cami didn''t die, that she is here, alive." Benedict told Cedric.

    "What of the Carpios?" Cedric asked Benedict.

    "I guess we have to inform our auntie that we are alive." Benedict said with a sigh. "They will see it as treason that we both work for you." Benedict said with an awkwardugh.

    "You need to convince her first that you really are your mother''s children." Cedric teased. "As far as the Carpios know, your mother only had Aiden."

    "Well, it''s nothing that a DNA test can''t prove." Cami said with a shrug. "Plus we will try to ask grandfather to apany us."

    "If you need anything, tell me. " Cedric said with a nod.

    "Actually there is something we need your help on." Benedict said nervously.

    "Anything that I can do, I will." Cedric said with a nod. He considered Benedict to be a friend, plus he was Cami''s brother.

    "We need you toe with us to speak to our grandfather, actually we need you to speak to our grandfather for us." Benedict said as he scratched his head.

    "Why would you need me to do that?" Cedric asked with augh.

    "Well if grandpa saw me and Cami, he will think he is already dead." Benedict said slowly, trying not tough as well.

    Cedric burst outughing, it was a valid idea, it was just too funny.

    "I''m sorry, I know it''s serious, but still." Cedric said.

    "Will you go with us?" Cami asked, slightly annoyed with Cedric.

    "Yes, of course." Cedric said with augh, amused at Cami''s expression. "We just need to get clearance from my doctor."

    "Miguel should let you go. Your injuries are not that bad." Benedict said, looking at Cedric''s shoulder that was currently immobilized.

    "Well, I don''t want to talk to your grandfather with this damned thing on." Cedric said, pointing at his injured shoulder. "I at least want to look intimidating. Not like some weak second generation heir."

    "You men and your pride." Cami said, rolling her eyes.

    "You can go in a week." Miguel said as he entered the room, surprising everyone.

    "I thought you were still at the field hospital?" Cedric asked. "Are all the men patched up?"

    "Yes, I am not needed there." Miguel said with a nod. "I was in the other room, checking up on Alexi when I heard that Cami and Benedict were in here. I caught enough of your conversation to know that you need to help them."

    "The others will not want to be left behind." Cedric said with a sigh. He knew his friends would not be satisfied by taking a back seat in this mission.

    "Well Alxi will have no choice but to stay." Miguel said with a shrug. "Aiden''s men got him pretty good. But Alexi''s team killed all of their attackers."

    "Did you call home to tell them we are fine?" Cedric asked Miguel, realizing that he had forgotten.

    "I called them." Cami said. "I knew you forgot, being shot and all."

    "I''ll give my wife and father a call after this." Cedric said with a nod. "Thank you Cami."

    "It''s nothing." Cami said with a smile.

    "Cedric." Ian said, knocking on the door of his room.

    "Yes?" Cedric asked.

    "The Lobos are here to visit you. Amanda and Tony are with them as well." Ian said.

    "We''ll go on ahead." Benedict told Cedric as he nodded towards Cami, signalling for her to leave.

    "Alright." Cedric said, allowing the siblings to leave.

    As soon as Cedric gave the go signal to Ian, Amanda came running in, hugging Cedric.

    "My cousin is going to kill you for getting injured like this." Amanda scolded Cedric.

    "When did you arrive? I thought you and Tony were in the capital." Cedric said as he greeted them with a friendly smile.

    "We visited your home only to find Adrianna and Emilio there, without you." Tony exined. "Adrianna told us about your n to capture Aiden and send him to prison, we just had to go home."

    "My parents didn''t even tell me that you contacted them!" Amandained.

    "I asked them not to. I didn''t want to get your hopes up." Cedric confessed.

    "Did you get him? Is Aiden Ortiz really going to jail?" Amanda asked as tears welled up in her eyes.

    "No Amanda, I didn''t capture Aiden." Cedric said.

    He watched as a heartbroken look crossed all of their faces, he knew how angry the Lobos had been since they found out Aiden had been behind Jam''s and his mother''s deaths.

    "I didn''t capture him, but I killed him." Cedric admitted.

    Amanda gave him a nk look before finally bursting into tears, hugging Cedric. This time it wasn''t tears of pain, but tears of joy.

    As much as Cedric wanted to be happy about Aiden''s death, he still felt like something was tugging at his heart.

    He should have been happy, he killed the man behind so many deaths. He saved so many people that could have died at Aiden''s hands.

    But why did he feel more pain at killing Aiden? Why was he being eaten up by guilt? He had to kill Aiden, it was either kill or be killed and he only acted in self defence.

    All around him people were celebrating, rejoicing that such a dangerous man was gone. Even his own siblings felt like they had been set free with their brother''s demise. Why was he feeling different? Why wasn''t he happy?

    Why did he feel guilty for Aiden''s death?

 Chapter 552 - 552

    In the week that Cedric remained at the hospital his family had decided to fly up to stay with him.

    Adrianna and Ayanna also brought along work for him to do.??

    "It''s your shoulder that''s injured, not your brain." Ayanna said as Dave and Mae set up a desk on Cedric''s hospital bed.

    "Miguel told me to rest." Cedricined as he powered up hisptop and shifted through the documents that Mae had handed to him.

    "You are left handed, your injury was on your right arm." Ayanna scolded him. "You can sign a few files."

    "Ayanna, maybe we should take it easy on Cedric." Adrianna said with a look of concern on her face. "He almost died."

    "Adrianna, I know you love my brother, but you can''t go around babying him." Ayanna scolded her sister inw. "You and I are the ones that are suffering because he went out hunting with the boys."

    "Honey, is that true?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    "Well between Inds Inc. and the Reyes Group, it was quite hard managing both." Adrianna confessed with a shrug.

    "You should have told me immediately Adrianna. I would have gone to work as soon as we killed Aiden." Cedric said as he gave Adrianna a sad look.

    "Seriously?!" Ayanna asked her brother angrily. "All my sister-inw has to do is bat her eyshes and you go all concerned and worried, while I''ve been dying at R Tower taking on all of your responsibilities! This is so unfair." Ayannained.

    "It''s kind of your job, Ayanna." Cedricined as he rolled his eyes at his sister.

    "My job is to handle those parts of the business I''m in charge of! Not the whole Reyes Group!" Ayannained. "It doesn''t help either that you and Ray go away when we have some techpany nipping at our heels!"

    "Being VP means taking on the job when I can''t Ayanna! You''ve always known that!" Cedric said, raising his voice at his sister. "Why are you acting like such a brat right now?!"

    "Ugh!" Ayanna said as she stormed out of the room.

    "I really don''t understand my sister." Cedric said with a sigh, shaking his head. "One moment she is this powerful business woman who can take on the world, then some spoiled brat the next."

    "She just acts that way with you, my son." Emilio Reyes III said as he ced his grandson down. "She missed you all those years you were away. She watched as all her friends were spoiled by their brothers, while she had to grow up and be responsible."

    "Ray spoiled her all those years." Cedric said with a shrug as he returned his attention to the work at hand.

    "She just missed you." Emilio Reyes told his son as he returned to y with his grandson.

    "Dad is right, Cedric." Adrianna said, cing a hand on Cedric''s. "Ayanna has always been too serious, even when I would see her around school she just acted too mature."

    "That''s how Ayanna has always been in public." Cedric said, not lifting his head from the work he was doing. "She''s always acted like a spoiled brat in private."

    "No, she only acts that way around you." Adrianna exined.

    Cedric took a deep breath and sighed. He closed his eyes and absorbed what his father and wife had told him about his sister.

    "I''ll deal with Ayannater." Cedric said, putting aside the documents.

    "You will?" Adrianna asked with a hopeful look in her eyes.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. As much as he hated to admit it, his father and wife were probably correct. His sister was just like a child looking for his attention.

    "I love you." Adrianna said as she leaned forward and kissed Cedric on the lips.

    With his free hand, Cedric pulled her head and kissed her wantonly. He had missed the sweet taste of his wife''s lips. It felt like it had been an eternity since they had kissed this way.

    "Cough, cough." Emilio Reyes III said from behind Adrianna.

    Cedric watched as his wife blushed after remembering that there were quite a few people in the room with them. It seemed Adrianna had missed him just as much as he missed her.

    "Dad, you should just be happy that Adrianna and I are still madly in love." Cedric said with augh. "Many couples our age are divorcing before their fifth year anniversary."

    "Of course I''m happy." Emilio Reyes told his son. "I''m just warning you not to go too far, especially since there are other people in this room, not to mention a child."

    Cedricughed and nodded at his father, returning his attention back to the work at hand.

    He opened up a report on theptop and matched it to a document Mae had handed to him. It was showing the investment trend in the past few months.

    "Is this the techpany Ayanna was talking about?" Cedric asked Mae and Dave as he pointed at the initials of thepany on the screen.

    "Yes, it''s the same one that Cami was also handling before she left to deal with Aiden as well." Dave said with a nod. "When Cami left they suddenly began taking aggressive actions. It seems like they were afraid of Cami and they had to wait for her to be distracted."

    "Keep an eye on thatpany." Cedric said with a nod. "I want an investigation into them. Everyone will be back at the Capital in two days. I just have a visit to make tomorrow."

    "Yes sir." Dave said as he quickly jotted down Cedric''s instructions.

    Aside from the techpany, there were a few others that seemed to be trying to take advantage of Prisci Reyes'' death.

    They expected Cedric to be distracted, and now was the best time for them to make their move, when his focus was on other things.

    "They are really heartless." Adriannained as she peeled an apple for Cedric. "Can''t they let you mourn?"

    "Adrianna, you know how bad it can get, don''t pretend to be naive." Cedric teased his wife.

    "No one did this to Ind''s Inc. when my uncles went to jail." Adrianna said with a shrug.

    "It''s because Ind''s Inc. wasn''t a big enoughpany, and the Hernandezes weren''t an old enough family." Cedric said with a sigh. "The Reyeses have amassed a lot of enemies over the generations."

    "You have also made a lot of friends." Ram said as he arrived with Francesca and Selina.

    "Ram, why are you here?" Cedric said with a smile.

    "I dragged him along." Francesca said. "I''m here to check on the Ri men that were injured in the fighting."

    "Thank you, Francesca." Cedric said with a soft smile. "If it weren''t for the Ri''s the death toll on our end would be much higher."

    "I doubt that." Francesca said with a smile. "You were just overkill on this mission."

    Cedric grinned back. He had brought more men than necessary, despite that Aiden was still able to slip out and attack him.

    "How is Alexi?" Cedric asked, turning to Selina who didn''t seem so happy to be there.

 Chapter 553 - 553

    "He is healing well." Selina said in a shy voice.

    "Is something wrong?" Cedric asked, ncing at the other people in the room.??

    "Selina,e on, it was a small argument. We are still friends." Adrianna said as she marched over and pulled Selina to Cedric''s bedside.

    "What happened?" Cedric asked his wife, worried about what the fight had been over.

    "I did something wrong." Selina still said shyly.

    "Please Selina, I''m not that kind of woman." Adrianna begged Selina.

    "I''m just not used to people forgiving and forgetting." Selina confessed.

    "I told you Adrianna wouldn''t hold a grudge." Francesca said, rolling her eyes, taking the apple from Adrianna and taking a bite.

    "Hey! That''s for my husband." Adriannained.

    Francesca simply shrugged and continued to eat the apple.

    "Who the hell peels an apple?" Francesca said as she gave the apple a curious look.

    "You never know what bacteria could be on the outside." Miguel said as he joined the others in the room.

    "Then just wash it." Francesca said, rolling her eyes. "Germaphobe."

    Ramughed at his girlfriend''s reaction, earning him a re from Miguel.

    "I''m here to check on Cedric''s wound. Don''t go attacking me." Miguel teased Francesca.

    "How is Alexi?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    "He is fine. His injuries have healed." Miguel told Cedric as he removed the bandage covering Cedric''s wound. "He can be discharged on the same day as you. He will stay at Saints Hospital in the Capital for a few more days or weeks once we get back."

    "What''s the rush to leave?" Cedric asked. If Alexi needed more time to recuperate, why not in the province where things were more peaceful.

    "Uncle Jose wants him back as soon as possible." Miguel said with a shrug. "Something about enemies of the state possibly going after Alexi. You know how it has always been."

    Cedric nodded, ever since they were young people from rebel factions of the government and spies from other countries had always tried to kidnap or injure Alexi. It was the downside ofing from one of the most prominent political families in the country.

    "Have there been new threats?" Cedric asked as he gave Miguel a worried look.

    "There are always new threats." Miguel said, shaking his head. "Uncle Jose didn''t allow Katerina and Natalia toe along. He didn''t want all three children at risk."

    "Have you two made up?" Cedric asked with a smile as he looked at Adrianna and Selina, who were now chatting happily at the side.

    "I guess the trauma of Jen and some of her former friends just hurt Selina too much." Adrianna said as they walked back over to him.

    "Are you alright now, Selina?" Cedric asked. "I know Adrianna, she considers you to be a friend, she would never hold a grudge. I''m sure it wasn''t even a big deal."

    "Well it kind of was." Selina nervously said.

    Cedric looked at Adrianna and raised an eyebrow at her. Adrianna nodded, admitting that it was a big deal.

    "It was rted to business." Adrianna said. "But Selina, you should know by now that to us, money is nothingpared to our friends. We would never hold grudges over money."

    "I know." Selina said with a frown. "It''s just I keep waiting for the shoe to fall. I keep waiting for Alexi to break up with me, or for any of you to look down at me. I''m just not used to this."

    "We are different." Cedric said in an attempt tofort Selina''s fears.

    "Is this a bad time?" Benedict asked as he peeked through the door.

    "No, no. Come in." Cedric said as he flinched. Miguel had poked his wound. "Can you not do that?" Cedric grumbled.

    "I''m just checking it." Miguel said, rolling his eyes as he continued to dress the wound.

    Benedict entered with Cami in tow. The siblings seemed to be in a much better moodpared to when they had freshly buried their brother.

    "Did you need something?" Cedric asked Cami and Benedict.

    "Can''t we just visit you cause I wanted to visit my boss and friend?" Cami asked with a cheeky grin.

    "Yeah, no." Ian said, joining them.

    "Shouldn''t you be working?" Cami asked, ring at Ian.

    "No. I''m done with work for today." Ian said with a grin. "Shouldn''t you be looking at that techpany?"

    "I already have the information." Cami said, lifting the tablet in her hand.

    "Great, I don''t need to do the research boss asked me to do." Dave said with a sigh of relief, making everyoneugh.

    "But seriously, is there anything you need?" Cedric asked Benedict and Cami.

    Benedict nudged Cami, nodding at her.

    "Why do I have to ask?" Camiined.

    "Why are you acting like a child?" Benedict teased his sister.

    "It''s just Cedric, why are you so nervous?" Camiined again.

    Benedict gave her a ''Why are you asking, you know why'' look, making Cami roll her eyes at her brother and sigh.

    "We just wanted to know if you would be well enough to apany us tomorrow to our grandfather?" Cami asked Cedric.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "I will be right?" Cedric asked Miguel who had just finished dressing his wound.

    "Yup, should be fine for you to go." Miguel said with a nod, giving his go signal.

    "Dave, can you make the arrangements?" Cedric asked.

    "No, I''ll do it." Cami said, volunteering.

    "Are you sure?" Cedric asked her, giving her a worried look. He knew this would take an emotional toll on her.

    "Yes." Cami said with a nod. "I want to do this."

    "Alright." Cedric said, giving her permission. "Maybe arrange for dinner. Would you like to have it at the Ortiz home or at the Lobo Mansion?" Cedric asked.

    "I think it would be safer if you had it at the Lobo''s ce." Adrianna suggested. "We don''t know what dangers you could be walking into if you went there."

    "I agree." Benedict said with a nod. "Although, I don''t want to impose on the Lobo family. They''ve already done so much to help us."

    "You guys have avenged Jam." Adrianna said with a sad look in her eyes. "They would be more than willing to host this meetup."

    "I''m sure the Lobos would also be happy to see grandpa Ortiz''s reaction when he realizes that Cami and you are still alive." Ram said with a grin.

    "That would blow him away." Francesca said, nodding in agreement.

    "I guess Miguel should be there." Cedric said, thinking out loud. "I don''t want the old man to get a heart attack from seeing ghosts."

    "He will definitely think we are ghosts." Benedict said, nodding in agreement. "I saw that grandfather had reserved a ce for my body in the crypt. I''m sure Aiden told him that you took my body."

    "I''ll use that so that he won''t hesitate in meeting up with us." Cami said with a nod.

    "Do you think he already knows about Aiden?" Cedric asked, realizing that the old man might have visited the crypt.

    "No." Benedict said, shaking his head. "Cami and I have been there everyday since we buried Aiden. There has been no sign of him having visited."

    "I guess we will have to break the news to him as well." Cedric said with a frown, his guilt eating him up from inside once more.

 Chapter 554 - 554

    Cedric was finally discharged from the hospital the next day after lunch. Alexi would be discharged right before they left for the Capital.

    `The Lobos had allowed Cedric to use the home library as his office for the day. He was reviewing some reports on hisptop when a maid announced that Cami and Benedict had arrived.??

    The siblings had been staying at Benedict''s nearby vacation home. Both Aiden and their grandfather had no idea about the home Benedict had purchased for himself in their hometown.

    "Did he ept?" Cedric asked as he heard the siblings enter.

    "Yes, grandfather epted." Cami announced.

    "I suggest you both stay in hereter until I can tell him that you are both still alive." Cedric said as he looked up from the reports he was reading.

    Cami and Benedict both nodded in agreement.

    "Benedict, there is something I wanted to ask you about. I kind of slipped my mind with all themotion." Cedric told Benedict as he motioned for both of them to take a seat.

    Cami and Benedict did as he asked and took a seat across Cedric.

    "What is it?" Benedict asked. "I''ll answer anything you want to know."

    Cedric knew that Benedict desperately wanted to erase any doubts from Cedric''s mind, in all honesty Cedric had no doubts that Benedict was not a traitor. He had tried multiple times to ease Benedict''s doubts but the young man was too scared of making a mistake.

    "Your brother told my son something when he found a way to get into the Reyes Mansion." Cedric told Benedict. "I was wondering if you knew anything about it."

    "If it was something he learned or acted on before my fake death, I would most likely know something about it." Benedict said with a nod.

    "He said he knew about the secret cousin of the Chan siblings. Did you know about this?" Cedric asked as he leaned forward, observing Benedict''s reaction.

    Benedict sighed and shook his head.

    "Unfortunately, that was one project where I was barely involved." Benedict confessed. "I know he traveled to Italy, Switzend, and Spain often to find him. I think my brother did find him, he was boasting one day about setting the guy up."

    "The guy?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yeah. My brother set him up in school with enough funds to build his ownpany." Benedict admitted. "I thought he was nning something big, but when nothing happened after, I guess Aiden pitied him or something."

    "It''s not like your brother to just put so much money and effort in finding a person and not use him." Cedric said as he began thinking of what Aiden could have done to the missing cousin.

    "I can try to find him." Benedict said with a shrug. "My brother left most of his documents and files at the mansion."

    "You haven''t sold the ce?" Cedric asked.

    "I have, I just gathered everything and ced it in storage." Benedict said with a shrug. "I knew my brother had lies on top of lies. He had schemes everywhere. I was worried that one of them would be a way for him to get out of prison."

    "It''s a good thing you were prepared." Cedric said with a nod. "If you need anything, just tell your sister. My resources will be at your disposal."

    "Thank you." Benedict said with a nod. "If I find anything odd I''ll tell you, regardless if it is rted to the missing Chan cousin or not."

    Cedric nodded and thanked Benedict.

    "How are you feeling?" Cedric asked Cami as he looked at her with concern.

    "About what?" Cami asked. "There are so many things going on at the same time you need to be more specific, Cedric."

    "About meeting your grandfather." Cedric said with a chuckle. He knew Cami was already starting to get anxious. She always became irritable when she got anxious.

    "Well I don''t really remember him that well." Cami said with a shrug.

    "Mom and dad didn''t bring us to him that much." Benedict exined. "They wanted him to be a safe ce for us to run to if something happened to them."

    "Well their n worked well." Cami said with a shrug. "Grandpa Ortiz was the person that took you and Aiden in."

    "I just wish things turned out differently." Benedict said with a frown.

    "Sir, your wife is looking for you." A maid said, entering Cedric''s office. "She asked me to remind you that you still needed to get ready for dinner."

    "Thank you." Cedric told the maid with a nod. "Tell Adri I will be up soon."

    The maid nodded and left.

    "Will the two of you be fine here?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah." Cami said, nodding with a smile. "I want to get some work done. Having you and my brother discussing Aiden''s schemes will just distract me. Go to Adrianna."

    "If you need anything, just call for a maid." Cedric said.

    "Sure, Dave and I will pack up your things." Cami said as she pushed Cedric out the door. "Go to your wife. We all know you fear her above everyone."

    Cedricughed as he left the room.

    The Lobos had rolled out the red carpet for Cedric, his family, and all the people he had housed at the Lobo mansion.

    Despite Cedric''s refusal they had given him and Adrianna the master bedroom, prior to Cedric''s arrival they also had all the guest rooms refurbished and modernized, making them some of the best rooms in the house.

    The dinner tonight as well would also be a show of power and wealth for the Lobo family. Initially, Cedric had asked them to prepare a small dinner, just them and grandpa Ortiz, but that was not enough for the Lobos.

    They decided that this night would be when they announced who was behind Jam''s murder. They had also managed to convince Cami and Benedict to announce to the whole province who they really were.

    Cedric was surprised when the siblings agreed with their n. Both Benedict and Cami were usually shy individuals, preferring to work in the shadows rather than in the spotlight. So when they agreed to the extravagant affair, there was nothing that Cedric could do.

    Cedric looked at his watch, he had an hour to prepare for the party. He was sure that it would be anything but boring.

 Chapter 555 - 555

    The party hosted by the Lobos suddenly grew out of proportion. From the initial families that they had invited, more people had called asking for an invite.

    The biggeste on, the Reyes Family that was currently staying at the Lobo Mansion. ??

    It wasn''t just the local elites that hade over to the Lobo Mansion, even those from neighboring provinces begged their friends to get them invites or to bring them as their plus ones.

    For a province like theirs, it was rare for people like the Reyes family toe over and stay. They knew that the only reason why the members of the Reyes family were there was because a daughter of the Lobo family had married the head of the Reyes family.

    Many of the local socialites were nervous, just a few years ago they mocked the Lobo family thinking that Adrianna Hernandez had married a poor man.

    Theyughed at her, saying she failed to maximize her most desirable asset, her beautiful face.

    Today the tables had turned, they were all now begging to get on her good side. Some families even went as far as preparing gifts.

    There was no birthday or celebration, but it was tradition for them to offer something to people who were from outside their province as a reminder of their visit.

    "Brother, how did this party get out of hand?" Gracia Hernandez, Adrianna''s mother, scolded her older brother. She had left it up to him to send out invitations for tonight.

    "Auntie, I''m sure it''s fine." Amanda Lobo said, cing a hand on Gracia Hernandez''s shoulder. "We just need to check with Cedric what he wants to do,"

    "What do I want to do with what?" Cedric asked as he came down the stairs from the third floor of the mansion. "Why are you suspiciously huddled there like you did something wrong?" Cedric asked in a cold tone.

    He didn''t mean to sound so harsh, he was just quite exhausted and having to deal with new problems gave him a headache, add to that the fact that the Lobos had not been the kindest to him in the past either.

    "Dad invited too many people." Amandained, rolling her eyes.

    "Oh, that''s it?" Cedric asked,ughing at how serious they looked over such a small problem.

    "I thought you wanted it to be a small gathering?" Adrianna asked as she came down and joined her husband and rtives.

    "I did, but that was just because I thought the Lobos would be worried about telling too many people that Jam was murdered by Aiden''s orders." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "My dad clearly doesn''t mind." Amanda said, making Cedric grin.

    "Has our guest of honor arrived?" Cedric asked as he tried to take a look down the grand staircase that led to the Lobo Mansion''s ballroom.

    The house was an old one, it was built to host events and parties for the creme de creme of society.

    Generations ago, a Lobo family ancestor who was also governor of the province would hold parties and events at the mansion.

    They required arge venue, and thus the extravagant ballroom was built.

    In recent years it wasn''t used as much. The Lobos had be more private individuals. Add to that the rise of events facilities in the province, the Lobos rarely used the ballroom.

    They did however, continue to maintain its splendor. So whenever they hosted events, the venue had always been one of the highlights that guests came for.

    "Amanda, why don''t you and Tony head down and wee the guests?" Cedric suggested. "Uncle Ivan and Auntie Patricia can join you as well."

    "We''ll help them wee guests too." Gracia Hernandez suddenly said, surprising Cedric.

    "Mom, you and dad don''t have to." Cedric told his mother-inw. "You can just rest till the main event."

    "No, no Cedric." Gracia Hernandez said, shaking her head. "I was born here remember? I have friends I want to say hi to."

    "It also helps that you can boast about your son-inw now as well." Adrianna said, teasing her mom.

    "Adri! Of course not." Gracia said, desperately trying to save face in front of her son-inw.

    "There is no shame about wanting to boast about my son." Emilio Reyes III said with augh as he joined them. He was apanied by Adrianna''s father, Charles Hernandez, and their grandson Yoyo.

    "I don''t want to shove it in people''s faces." Gracia said, blushing in embarrassment. "I remember the people that used to do that to me, just imagine how they are regretting it now. Plus being around you guys has taught me a lesson in humility."

    Cedric smiled at his mother-inw, she hade a long way from the hateful woman she used to be.

    "What if Emils and I apanied you?" Charles Hernandez told his wife with a sly smile.

    "Now that is going overboard." Amanda said,ughing at her uncle. "I think the people here would have a heart attack if they got introduced to uncle Emilio."

    "Well I''m just an ordinary retiree now." Cedric''s father said with a shrug as he gave them a mischievous grin.

    "Will Yoyo be joining us?" Gracia asked. She knew that Cedric and Adrianna were keeping their son as far away from the public as possible. They wanted to give him a low profile life, they wanted him to live normally and have normal friends.

    "No." Cedric said, shaking his head. "He will stay here with me." Selina said as she showed up to take Yoyo from his grandfather.

    "Since people now know that Selina and Alexi are dating, she can''t be seen here. If they know she is here they will assume Alexi is here as well." Cedric exined.

    "Jose really goes overboard on his kid''s protection." Emilio Reyes said, shaking his head. "I can''t me him, the whole country would be at risk if anything happened to his children."

    "Yoyo and I will have a lot of fun." Selina said as Yoyo ran up to her and hugged her.

    "Make sure he sleeps at his bed time." Adrianna reminded Selina who simply smiled and nodded.

    "Well, we''ll go ahead and face the hungry social climbers downstairs." Amanda jokingly said as she spotted Tony arriving.

    He had gone home to fetch his family and had just arrived with them.

    Cedric and Adrianna bid everyone goodbye, they would be joining the party as soon as Grandpa Ortiz arrived. Till then they could only watch as people tried their best to suck up to their rtives.

 Chapter 556 - 556

    When Ayanna and Ray finally decided to join the party, they found Cedric and Adriannaughing at the top of the stairs as they watched the interaction on the floor below.

    "The two of you are acting like children." Ray teased as he offered an arm out for Ayanna.??

    "They are just enjoying the show darling." Ayanna said as she ced a kiss on her husband''s cheek.

    "Good luck." Cedric said with a grin. "I''ve seen about five women try to curtsy at dad."

    "What do they think he is? Some european royal?" Ayanna said,ughing at her brother''s story.

    "Well they''ll be trying to curtsy to you too in a bit." Cedric teased as he pointed at the stairs.

    "Ugh, why is that old mante." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes. "I want to get this over with and go to bed."

    "You don''t want to go to bed." Cedric said with a cheeky smile. "You want to go off and make me a nephew or niece."

    "E, Cedric!" Ayanna said as she dragged Ray away.

    Ray couldn''t help butugh at what Cedric had said because he was right, Ayanna had been nagging him for alone time since she arrived.

    "Act serious." Ayanna scolded Ray, making himugh even more.

    Ray pulled Ayanna to him and kissed her passionately on the lips.

    "I can''t do that down there." Ray said with a wink as his face turned stone cold and emotionless.

    He had always been like this, fun and lovable to his family and friends, but intimidating in front of others. He refused to show a true weakness to outsiders.

    Ray knew that the only people he could trust were those that couldn''t use him. He believed everyone else had an ulterior motive, and he was correct most of the time.

    Ray offered his arm to Ayanna, who hooked hers on his.

    She too had turned straight faced, they were the same. They had met too many people that used them, it was because unlike Cedric, they hade up to the spotlight much earlier.

    Ray was always the rich son of the Laurence family, while Ayanna was publicly introduced right after she graduated from university.

    They had made some good friends and some bad.

    "Mister Laurence! Mister Laurence!" A familiar man said as he walked up to the couple. "You probably don''t remember me, but I used to work at yourpany." The man said as he took Ray''s hand and shook it.

    Ray red at him, making the man take a step back.

    "Sir, I''m now an official in this province." The man said in an attempt to boast about his sess to Ray. "Please allow me to introduce you to people." The man asked.

    "Ray!" Tony said as he suddenly appeared behind Ray.

    "Tony." Ray said with a nod.

    "Cedric said you would be joining us. I thought he meantter with him and Adri." Tony said with a friendly smile.

    "Mr. Tamano, I know Mr. Laurence." The man continued to boast as Tony spoke to Ray.

    "And you are?" Tony asked, his tone was not as cold as Ray''s but it was still quite intimidating.

    "My name is Jeremy Fan." The man said. "I''m the counselor for this district. I used to work for the Laurences."

    "Fan, Fan, Fan. . ." Tony said as he tried to recall the man''s name. "Ah, yes I know you now." Tony said with a nod and a sly smile.

    "You know him?" Ayanna suddenly asked, surprising everyone that she had spoken.

    "Yes, the Fans are an old family here as well." Tony said with a shrug. "They''ve tried for years to win an election, but they often lose to the Lobos."

    Ayanna grinned as Tony exined who Jeremy and his family were.

    "They decided to run at a lower position with Jeremy." Tony said as he ced a heavy hand on the man''s shoulder. "It was Jeremy that decided that he wouldn''t allow the Laurences to run a business in this province."

    "I did no such thing." Jeremy said as he panicked, drawing the attention of the crowd.

    "Right, right, that wasn''t the only thing you did." Tony said as he scratched the back of his head, pretending to seem innocent. "You were the one that connected Aiden Ortiz to the international terror group that supplied the men to kill Prisci Reyes!" Tony used loudly.

    Ayanna looked at Tony in shock, she didn''t know about this, Cedric had not said anything about Aiden hiring an international terror group to attack them that day in the mall.

    "You helped him!" Emilio Reyes III said in an angry voice as he approached the group.

    "No, I didn''t!" Jeremy Fan said as he tried to deny Tony''s usation.

    "I have proof." Tony dered. "As a matter I already gave it to Cedric Reyes." Tony said with a grin.

    "Lies! That''s a lie!" Jeremy Fan shouted frantically.

    The people that had been trying to suck up to him earlier had now taken a step back, abandoning Jeremy at the center of the crowd. He not only had to face Tony and Ray, but Emilio Reyes as well.

    The older man was clearly fuming at the news that Jeremy had a hand in his wife''s death.

    "Not only did you provide him with men, you also hid him in this province, making it harder for us to find a fugitive wanted by the government." Tony used making sure everyone in the grand ballroom heard him.

    "I didn''t, you are lying!" Jeremy Fan desperately said as he tried to deny all of Tony''s usations.

    "Jeremy Fan, you are just as guilty as Aiden Ortiz and you deserve to suffer the same fate as he did!" Tony said.

    Jeremy was visibly shaking, he didn''t know what to say or do. Tony now had the backing of the Reyes family, he could never win against them.

    "How dare you use my grandson, Aiden, of any crime!" An old and wary voice said from the doorway.

 Chapter 557 - 557

    Cedric was watching with Adrianna from the top of the grand staircase. He already knew that this would happen, he just didn''t think that Jeremy Fan would find Ray that quickly.

    "You knew?" Adrianna asked as she tried to read Cedric''s expression.??

    Cedric kept a straight face, not wanting to break hisposure. He still had a much bigger battleter on when grandpa Ortiz arrived.

    Cedric simply nodded, acknowledging that he knew about Jeremy''s involvement.

    "When Sister Emilia came to us, I gave Tony a call." Cedric exined to his wife. "I knew that without his brother and without his right hand man, it shouldn''t have been as hard trying to him. Clearly he had help locally."

    "You asked Tony to investigate?" Adrianna asked.

    Cedric nodded.

    "Tony soon uncovered the truth about Jeremy and Aiden helping each other." Cedric exined. "Weter on found out about the international terrorist organization that Jeremy had assisted in attacking you and mom at the mall."

    "I thought they were too good to be ordinary guns for hire." Adrianna said as she thought back to the attack.

    Cedric nodded as they continued to watch the scene downstairs unfold.

    Soon enough, Jeremy Fan was panicking, he didn''t know he had walked into a trap. Everyone who wanted to be his friend or was his friend now averted their eyes from him.

    Suddenly Cedric spotted an old man enter the ballroom. Cedric grinned and nudged his wife, Grandpa Ortiz had arrived.

    "I didn''t, you are lying!" Cedric heard Jeremy Fan deny Tony''s usations, despite the fact that Tony had told everyone that he had proof.

    Cedric watched as the old man inched closer to the crowd, listening in on the conversation. He clearly knew Jeremy.

    "Jeremy Fan, you are just as guilty as Aiden Ortiz and you deserve to suffer the same fate as he did!" Tony said in a loud voice.

    Cedric smiled, he was sure the old man would not be able to hold his tongue any longer.

    "How dare you use my grandson, Aiden, of any crime!" Grandpa Ortiz said in a loud voice, as the crowd parted, allowing him to walk over to Tony.

    "You have no proof that my grandson was involved in any of this!" Grandpa Ortiz said, quick to defend his grandson, whom he had no idea was now dead.

    "Let''s go." Cedric told Adrianna as he held her hand and led her down the stairs.

    "I have proof." Cedric said as he walked down the grand staircase. The couple, looking extremely elegant and intimidating.

    "You!" Grandpa Ortiz said as he red at Cedric. The old man walked forward till he was at the foot of the stairs.

    Cedric intentionally stopped at least two steps above the floor, making sure that he looked down at the old man.

    "You killed my grandson!" Grandpa Ortiz used.

    People began to whisper, they thought that the old man was referring to Aiden, not everyone had been aware that Aiden and Benedict were in fact brothers.

    Benedict had always been quiet, following Aiden around everywhere. Naturally people thought that Benedict was a servantpanion for Aiden, someone his age to y with.

    "Not Aiden!" Grandpa Ortiz shouted at the crowd, earning him curious looks.

    Cedric couldn''t help but feel bad, the old man was right, he had killed one of his grandsons, but not the one he thought.

    The guests began to whisper, wondering if the old man was telling the truth or if he had be delusional in his old age.

    "Aiden had a brother." The old man began to exin. "That''s right, the younger boy that followed Aiden around everywhere he went was his younger brother."

    The guests were shocked at the revtion. As far as they had been aware, Benedict had never acted like some rich man''s son.

    "The Reyes family is not as clean as they im to be!" Grandpa Ortiz used as he pointed a finger at Cedric, whose expression remained cold and neutral.

    "Honey, why don''t you go over to your parents while I fix this mess." Cedric told Adrianna lovingly as he nted a kiss on her lips.

    Cedric finally released Adrianna''s hand, letting her walk over gracefully to Gracia and Charles who hade over to join Emilio Reyes.

    "What are you using us of?" Cedric asked the old man with a raised eyebrow.

    "You and your men killed Benedict and took his body!" The old man shouted in a clear voice. Everyone in the room began to gossip as soon as they heard his usation. "You didn''t even return it to us!"

    "Aiden attacked me and my family during my mother''s funeral." Cedric said in a cold tone. "He attacked after he had my mother murdered and after he attempted to kidnap my son!"

    "He was only taking revenge for his sister and his parents!" Grandpa Ortiz shouted.

    "Then the Lobo family should have a right to take revenge as well." Cedric said as he took out a gun and walked over to Amanda.

    Everyone was shocked with Cedric''s actions, Adrianna included.

    "Aiden Ortiz was behind the murder of Jam Lobo, he didn''t kill Jam because of his association with me or my family, he had no idea." Cedric announced to the crowd. "Aiden Ortiz had Jam murdered as a way of getting closer to the Lobo family."

    People began to whisper, wondering how it was possible. They all knew at one point Aiden had been engaged to Amanda, so why kill Jam.

    "He thought that if he could get close enough to Adrianna, she could introduce him to my sister, Ayanna, and thus begin his plot for revenge." Cedric said in a clear voice. "If I follow your logic, old man. Then Amanda, can shoot a bullet right through that empty skull of yours."

    Cedric ced the gun in Amanda''s hand and raised it, pointing it directly at the old man.

    "Your choice Amanda." Cedric said as he let go of Amanda''s hand.

    Everyone''s eyes were on the young woman.

    "Don''t do this Amanda. You were going to be my granddaughter-inw at one point." The old man said, attempting to intimidate her.

    "Your grandson killed my brother!" Amanda shouted, shocking the guests. Amanda had always been a modest and timid woman.

    "Amanda, what is your choice?" Cedric asked as he watched her.

    Amanda red at the old man that stood in front of her, Cedric could see how much she wanted to pull the trigger and kill him.

    He and Aiden had caused so much pain and suffering to the Lobo family, killing him would not even make people frown at them.

    People would understand that justice had been served.

    "I''m not like them." Amanda said, dropping her arms to her side. "I am not like the old man and his grandson."

    Cedric grinned as he took the gun from Amanda.

    "I knew you were better than them." Cedric said patting her on the shoulder.

    Cedric looked at the old man who had clearly been afraid that Amanda would pull the trigger. Death often led people to do things they normally wouldn''t.

    "There is one more surprise I have for you old man." Cedric said with a grin as he looked to the doors of the library and nodded.

 Chapter 558 - 558

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    "Grandpa." Benedict said as he stepped out of the library.

    The old man took a step back, he was clearly in shock. Someone he thought that had died was standing in front of him, alive and well.

    Benedict walked over with Cami just a step behind him.

    The siblings had watched as their grandfather threw usation after usation at Cedric, acting as if killing for revenge was justifiable.

    Benedict was beyond disappointed in the old man, he had hoped that with age came wisdom, but it seemed false.

    "Brother, your temper." Cami whispered, making sure that no one else heard her.

    Benedict stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes, he took a deep breath as he felt Cami ce aforting hand on his shoulder.

    "Thank you." Benedict said as he patted Cami affectionately on the head and gave her a warm smile, confusing everyone that stood around them.

    "You''re supposed to be dead." Grandpa Ortiz said as he pointed at Benedict.

    "Well if we are talking about dead people, I should be too." Cami said with a shrug as she grinned at the old man.

    Benedict had told her how much she looked like their mother, the old Ortiz house was filled with photos of their mom at Cami''s age.

    When her grandfather saw her he was speechless. Cedric even thought that the old man would faint at the sight of Cami.

    "G- g- ghosts, you have to be ghosts." Grandpa Ortiz said as he took a step back, creating distance between him and the siblings.

    "Gramps, I''m not dead." Benedict said as he reached out and held his grandfather''s arm. "Grampa, I faked my death. I couldn''t take anymore of Aiden''s hate."

    "How?" Grandpa Ortiz said as he pointed at Cami, his arm visibly shaking in shock.

    "Grandpa." Cami started to say, the words felt so alien to her. Her adoptive grandparents had died early on, way before she began speaking again after the trauma. So saying grandfather for the first time felt weird to her.

    "You died. You died with your parents." Grandpa Ortiz said as he stared at Cami, wide eyed with shock. "There was a car crash and the bodies couldn''t even be retrieved."

    "There was a crash, my parents did die." Cami said with a serious look on her face.

    "You weren''t with them?" Grandpa Ortiz asked. "But I saw them take you with that other girl, the one they took."

    "So they really kidnapped Katerina?" Cami said with a frown.

    Grandpa Ortiz refused to answer her question as he continued to stare at her in shock.

    "My parents treated me badly." Cami suddenly said, revealing her long buried past. Saying it out loud hurt her more than she had expected.

    Benedict pulled her to his side, hugging her,forting her, as tears began to flow from Cami''s eyes.

    "My parents abused me. I was the child they never wanted!" Cami shouted. "Do you know why they brought me along grandpa? Do you?" Cami asked.

    The old man averted his gaze as she continued to cry.

    "You knew?" Benedict asked as he red at his grandfather. "You fucking knew that they were hurting her and that they nned to live her in the capital to survive on her own, and you let them?!"

    "You were their children, I couldn''t interfere." Grandpa Ortiz said.

    "She was four!" Benedict shouted. "My little sister was four! They abused her and took her to the city and wanted to abandon her! She is your granddaughter."

    "So let me make it right!" Grandpa Ortiz said, answering his grandson back. "Let me mend the broken rtionship. We can go to your brother, we can be a family again."

    "Old man, I don''t trust you." Benedict said as he red at his grandfather.

    "If your brother knows that Cami is alive he wille back." Grandpa Ortiz said as he desperately tried to win the siblings back. "He will even drop the grudge if knows that Cami is alive."

    "He won''t." Cedric suddenly said, joining into the conversation. "He knew and he didn''t."

    "Aiden knows?" Grandpa Ortiz said in a shaky voice. "How long has he known? Why didn''t he tell me? I spoke to him recently and he didn''t tell me."

    "He knew." Cedric corrected. "He found out when he kidnapped Cami, weeks ago."

    "Why didn''t he tell me?" Grandpa Ortiz looked like he wanted to break down.

    All of a sudden Cedric couldn''t help but pity the old man, all he wanted was for his family to beplete once more and yet it could never happen.

    "Probably because of shame." Cedric said with a shrug. "He was mad at the wrong people. We never hurt Cami. As a matter of fact Cami is like a sister to me, she is one of my closest and oldest friends."

    "But he loves Cami, how could he just leave her?" Grandpa Ortiz asked as he stared nkly at Cedric.

    "He also wanted to rape me." Cami suddenly said speaking up.

    "No! Your brother wouldn''t do that." Grandpa Ortiz said as he hopelessly tried to defend his grandson. "I will call your brother back, we will be a family again!"

    "Grandpa, Aiden is dead." Benedict said.

    Cedric was right, the old man couldn''t take the shock of the news and copsed at the center of the ballroom.

 Chapter 559 - 559

    As soon as the old man had copsed, Miguel came running into the room with a few of his nurses.

    Cedric had called him beforehand, he knew there was a risk in revealing the truth to grandpa Ortiz.??

    "Send everyone home." Cedric told Tony in a cold tone, not wanting to break his image of a cold and ruthless businessman.

    Tony nodded and enlisted the rest of the Lobo family to help him send the guests home.

    Many gossiped as they walked out of the ballroom, it wasn''t everyday that saw the Ortiz family brought to their knees. Of course now, it was all just the old man and the siblings that belonged to the family.

    "How is he?" Cedric asked as the nurses lifted the old man on to a stretcher.

    "He just got shocked, it wasn''t a heart attack or anything." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "Uncle, can we ce him in a spare room to recover?" Cedric asked Adrianna''s uncle, Ivan Lobo.

    "Sure, just ask a maid to prepare a room." Ivan Lobo said with a nod.

    "Sir, you don''t need to do this for our grandfather." Benedict said as a guilty look spread across his face.

    "It was your brother that we were mad at, not the old man." Ivan Lobo said with a nod, assuring Benedict. "Let''s move on from that, Aiden and Jam are both now dead. It''s no use holding grudges."

    Cedric was surprised at how much Ivan Lobo had changed in the past year. He used to be a cocky man that constantly looked down at Cedric, but now he was apletely different person.

    Ivan seemed to notice Cedric''s surprise. He smiled at Cedric and nodded.

    "Jam''s death and well your identity too made me realize many things." Ivan exined. "I know now how wrong I was back then to judge you. Even if you were poor you are a good man Cedric, and that''s what matters."

    "I am d." Cedric said with a nod as he watched the nurses take grandpa Ortiz to a spare room on the first floor of the mansion.

    "We will see to the guests." Ivan Lobo said as he noticed Cami and Benedict walking over to speak to Cedric.

    Cedric nodded and let the older man go.

    "How are the both of you?" Cedric asked as Cami wiped the tears off of her eyes.

    "I didn''t think I would cry." Cami said with a frown. "It was really embarrassing."

    "There is nothing wrong with you being hurt by what your family had done." Adrianna said as she joined them. "Just because they are family, doesn''t mean you have to tolerate everything about them."

    "Yeah, don''t let it reach the same point as Adri." Cedric said, agreeing with his wife.

    "My experience with the Hernandezes taught me a harsh lesson." Adrianna said as she recalled what her family had tried to do. "They were willing to sell off their rtives just to advance their wealth and power. I was lucky that Cedric is who he is."

    "Thank you." Benedict said with a sincere look in his eyes. "If it weren''t for you guys I don''t know what would have happened to us."

    "It''s nothing." Cedric said with a nod.

    "We should go and check up on grandpa." Cami said with a frown.

    "You don''t need to go, I could watch him on my own." Benedict said as he noticed that Cami wasn''t too happy with the idea of waiting on their grandfather to wake up.

    "No, I want to go." Cami said, shaking her head.

    "We can go with you." Cedric offered as he looked at Adrianna, visually asking if she would be fine with it.

    "Yes, we can apany you." Adrianna said, agreeing with Cedric. "I know this is difficult on you Cami. You''ll need friends by your side."

    "Thank you." Cami said with a nod.

    When they got to the room where grandpa Ortiz had been ced, they were surprised to find Emilio Reyes III and Miguel speaking to the old man who had now regained consciousness.

    Cedric frowned as he saw his father step aside, allowing Benedict and Cami to approach their grandfather.

    "Cami." The old man said with a sad look in his eyes.

    Cedric could see Cami''s hesitation, she refused to take a step closer.

    What happened next surprised everyone, Emilio Reyes walked up to Cami and ced a hand on her shoulder.

    "Give him a chance, Cami." Emilio Reyes told her. "It''s time we moved on from the past and took a step towards a better tomorrow."

    "Uncle, I don''t know." Cami said as he voice trembled. She seemed like a child about to break down.

    "It''s okay, Cami." Her grandfather said as he looked up at her from the bed with a sad look in his eyes. "If you aren''t ready, we can talk when you are ready."

    "Cami, just hear him out for now." Emilio Reyes said.

    Cedric sometimes forgot how his father and uncles stood as second parents to Cami as she was growing up.

    They had felt so bad for the little girl who had been abandoned by her birth parents that they made a promise to make sure she got the best future possible.

    "Dad." Cedric said as he approached his father. He was shocked at how his father was asking Cami to give the old man a chance.

    He was the very person that had fueled Aiden''s hatred, leading to Prisci Reyes'' death. Cedric was shocked that his father could forgive the man so easily.

    "I know what you are thinking, Cedric." Emilio told his son. "I''ll talk to you and Ayannater."

    Cedric nodded, understanding that his father always had his reasons.

    "Alright, I''ll hear him out." Cami said with a nod as she took a seat next to her grandfather''s bed.

    "Cami, first of all, I''m sorry." The old man said with a frown. "I should have done more. Back then I knew that your mom and dad both didn''t want to have another child, but you came into their life."

    "I was unwanted." Cami said with a frown as a stray tear fell from her cheek.

    Cedric watched as his wife went over and handed Cami her handkerchief and hugged her.

    "They might not have wanted you, but you were never unwanted." Grandpa Ortiz said, shaking his head. "If I had known they were going to leave you I would have taken you from them."

    "What happened that day?" Cami asked, despite everything she wanted to know, she wanted to understand her parents. People didn''t do things just cause they wanted to, there had to be more behind her abandonment.

 Chapter 560 - 560

    "Please understand Cami, I''m not making excuses for my actions or for your parents'' actions." Grandpa Ortiz said as he moved to sit up in bed.

    Benedict quickly rushed up and helped him.??

    "I tried to bury the memory of losing you, I tried to forget." Grandpa Ortiz said, shaking his head.

    "Grandpa, I understand." As much as Cami didn''t want to admit it, she didn''t me him for trying to move on. She did the same, she did everything she could to forget about her real family.

    "I couldn''t Cami." Grandpa Ortiz said, shaking his head. "I couldn''t forget how you cried when your parents pulled you away from Benedict."

    "Grandpa, why don''t you tell us from the beginning?" Benedict asked as he held his grandfather''s hand.

    Grandpa Ortiz nodded as he adjusted himself on the bed.

    "Your parents were never the best kind of people." Grandpa Ortiz said, shaking his head. "Your mom was always a problem child growing up. Your grandmother and I thought that if we arranged a marriage for her with a man from a good family she would be a better person."

    Grandpa Ortiz sighed as he recalled his long deceased daughter. Cedric could see how painful the memory actually was to the old man, Cedric was sure that despite everything, he loved his daughter.

    "It would be a lie to say that my daughter could have married the best of the best, she couldn''t. She wasn''t some great beauty, nor was she smart enough to maneuver her way into a top family." Grandpa Ortiz said, shaking his head. "I was ssmates with your father''s uncle, he spoke about a nephew who had recently gained favor with a rtive of theirs. I, of course, knew that your father was part of the Lim''s extended family. So I thought, why not, the Lims are just as rich and just as powerful as many top families."

    "You married her off for power and money." Cami said slowly, her voice, emotionless. There was nothing new with what her grandfather did, most families still married off their sons and daughters to expand their influence.

    "No, I didn''t." Grandpa Ortiz said, shaking his head. "I married her off in the hopes that she would be a better person and that she and her children could have a better future."

    "My uncle wasn''t the best choice for that." Ian said as he leaned against the door frame.

    Cedric gave Ian a sad look. He could see the anger in Ian''s eyes, it was rare for Ian to show such emotions now, but when he did even Cedric would get worried about him losing his temper.

    "Mr. Lim." Grandpa Ortiz said, bowing his head in respect.

    "You ced two clearly unstable people together. My uncle was the puppeteer and your daughter the puppet. She allowed him and encouraged him to do all the crimes he hadmitted." Ian said, shaking his head as he kept his distance from the old man.

    "I never knew he was that kind of a man." Grandpa Ortiz said in a sad tone. "Had I known, I would never have insisted on the union."

    "What''s done is done." Ian said with a shrug. "I guess we should still be somewhat thankful for what happened. If you hadn''t insisted on their marriage, I wouldn''t have one of my best friends."

    "Technically, we are cousins." Cami said with augh, earning her a grunt from Ian.

    "Continue your story." Ian said, nodding at the old man as he joined them in the room.

    "When your parents had Aiden your father was already stealing from the Lims. He realized that if he had any other children he would need to hide you." Grandpa Ortiz exined.

    "Why?" Benedict asked as he gave his grandfather a confused look.

    "I thought you were the smart one." Cami teased her brother.

    "You tell me why then." Benedict told her, rolling his eyes.

    "Simple, because father didn''t want the Lims using us as leverage." Cami said with a shrug. She had learned a lot of things about scheming people over the years, her work with Cedric taught her how to see clearly through people''s intentions.

    "She''s right." Grandpa Ortiz said with a nod."He kept Benedict hidden so that just in case the Lims used Aiden he still had a spare."

    "An heir and a spare?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "My son inw was not one of the most progressive thinkers." Grandpa Ortiz said, shaking his head. "He and my daughter had nned to stop having children after Benedict. Why? Because he had no need for more children. To Rene Ty children were mere tools to be used to achieve a goal. But like any man he had needs."

    "I was an ident, that''s why they hated me?" Cami asked as she carried a confused look on her face.

    "It wasn''t just that." Grandpa Ortiz said, shaking his head. "Your father had some procedure done in order to stop himself from having children in the future, but he didn''t have it done in a proper hospital. He didn''t want the Lims finding out, but either way, when your mom got pregnant with you he thought that she had cheated on him."

    "That would exin why dad didn''t like me, but what about mom? I was still her flesh and blood, how could she stand by as he hurt me?" Cami asked.

    "Because after she had you, their rtionship began to break." Grandpa Ortiz said with a frown. "Your mom couldn''t take the pain of her husband constantly ignoring her, of him bringing home a new woman every night. She med you for bringing her that pain."

    "So am I not my father''s daughter?" Cami asked, seeking some sort of reprieve from the painful memory. "Maybe if he wasn''t my dad I still have a parent out there that would love me."

    Grandpa Ortiz shook his head, telling her no.

    "Your mother was never with any other man, nor did she have the chance to be with any other man. She and your father spent almost every waking moment together, he was a paranoid man and he never let your mother stay too far away from him for too long." The old man recalled.

 Chapter 561 - 561

    "So just because she caused problems in their rtionship, our parents decided to get rid of my sister?" Benedict asked his grandfather as a look of shock crossed his face.

    Grandpa Ortiz nodded in response.??

    "Why didn''t you do anything?" Benedict demanded. "Why didn''t you just adopt her? Take her from my mom? Hide her?"

    "Things were not that simple Benedict." Grandpa Ortiz said in a loud voice, scolding his grandson.

    "Things are never simple grandpa!" Benedict said, answering back. "You could have saved all of us from years of hardship and torture."

    "Your life was never hard, Benedict." His grandfather said. "You grew up in a good home Benedict. I did my best to provide for you."

    "Yes, financially I had everything I could ask for." Benedict said, rolling his eyes. "But for years you trained me and Aiden to hate the Lims, the Sebastians, the Laurences, and the Reyeses."

    "I was hurting too, Benedict! Didn''t you think it would have been difficult on me as well?" Grandpa Ortiz said as he looked his grandson in the eyes.

    Cedric was surprised that instead of being angry the old man seemed sad. Cedric could see the pain in the man''s eyes, clearly he was hurting.

    "Grandpa." Cami said, reaching a hand out, she knew something was wrong.

    "I lost my daughter and granddaughter that day." Grandpa Ortiz said. "I regretted not making them leave Cami with me at home. Before they left I asked them if they wanted to leave her here, but they refused, they said they needed Cami."

    The old man''s eyes darted between his grandchildren, seemingly waiting for their reaction to his words.

    "When they left I knew they were nning on using you as bait. They wanted to use you to pull some rich heiress that they could kidnap." Grandpa Ortiz told them. "When I heard about the ident I was broken, I didn''t even have a body I could bury. I was angry at everyone, add to that the fact that your mother''s death broke my wife''s heart."

    "I don''t remember grandma that much." Cami said with a frown. Cedric watched as she struggled to try and remember what she could about her grandmother, but decades of suppressing her memories had taken a toll on Cami.

    "I think this is a topic for another day." Miguel said as he eyed the medical instruments monitoring grandpa Ortiz''s vital signs.

    Cedric gave Miguel a curious nce, it seemed that the doctor had noticed something that they didn''t.

    "We''ll speak to you in the morning grandpa." Cami said as she gripped the old man''s hand tightly.

    "The fact that you call me grandpa makes me so happy, Cami." The old man said with a smile.

    Cami nodded and left without saying a word.

    Everyone followed her out, leaving Miguel to check up on the old man before he too left the room.

    Outside in the hallway Cedric stopped his father.

    "You said you wanted to exin something to me and Ayanna?" Cedric asked his father.

    "Yes. Let''s talk in the library." Emilio Reyes said as he sent a quick message to Ayanna for her to meet them there.

    Ayanna was simply resting when she got the message from her dad, she quickly went back downstairs in her pajamas and met them in the library.

    "We''re both here now dad. What did you want to talk about?" Cedric asked his father.

    "I know you might think that it was quick of me to forgive the old man, but I think there is no use in holding a grudge." Emilio Reyes told his children.

    Cedric and Ayanna both looked at each other and frowned.

    "Are you sure about this dad?" Cedric asked, he was worried that his father was forcing himself to get over his mother''s death and not really thinking of his need to move on.

    "I''m sure." Emilio Reyes said with a nod.

    "Dad, you do know that we will go along with anything you want." Ayanna told her father as she walked up to him. "All that matters to us is that you take your time and heal from what happened."

    "I''m sure. I got to speak to him earlier, before you guys arrived." Emilio Reyes told his children in a somber tone.

    "What did you talk about?" Cedric asked, he was curious as to what the two men had discussed in their absence.

    "We talked about losing the woman we loved the most." Emilio Reyes said with a shrug. "Why don''t you both take a seat, this might take a while."

    Cedric and Ayanna did as their father asked and sat on the couch in the library.

    Emilio Reyes took a deep breath and closed his eyes, clearly his discussion with the old man had run quite deep.

    "His name is Clemente Ortiz for starters, it''s nice to have a name when you think of someone." Emilio exined. "Benedict and Cami''s grandmother was named Elena, and she was his first love."

    Cedric smiled as he watched his father humanize a man they should hate.

    "Elena was heartbroken when they heard the news that their daughter and granddaughter had died, Clemente had to deal with his own emotions and his spiraling wife. Add to that two young boys who kept looking for their parents and sister." Emilio exined.

    "Dad that still doesn''t justify -" Cedric began to say until his dad held up a hand cutting him off.

    "Let me finish." Emilio Reyes said with augh. "You have always been so eager, so impulsive Cedric. It will get you into trouble someday."

    "Impulsive? I waited years to reveal my identity, how is that impulsive?" Cedric asked, giving his father a funny look.

    "You kept your identity a secret because it was convenient for you, not because you were waiting for the right time." Emilio Reyes said, shaking his head. "Anyway, we are going off topic. Let me finish this then we can discuss how impulsive and petty you get."

    Ayannaughed at her brother, she didn''t even try to defend him. Cedric rolled his eyes at both of them, clearly annoyed.

 Chapter 562 - 562

    "Where was I?" Emilio Reyes asked as he tried to recall where he had dropped off in his story.

    "You were telling us about how Elena had been spiraling." Ayanna reminded her father.??

    "Ah yes." Emilio said with a nod. "Losing a loved one is not easy, you both know that, of course. But watching someone you love slowly wither away is even more painful."

    Cedric frowned as he realized where his father was headed in this conversation.

    "I don''t want you to me yourselves." Emilio Reyes said, shaking his head. "It was our choice to keep it all a secret from you. Your mother and I didn''t want to burden either of you with that pain."

    "You could have at least told us that she was sick, you didn''t have to tell us she was dying." Cedric said, finally confronting his father about it. "We could have done something, anything dad."

    "Would you have been satisfied with just knowing she was sick?" Emilio Reyes asked his son. "You would have found out eventually because of Miguel, and watching her grow weaker and weaker every day, that''s something I never wanted you to feel."

    "We would have preferred to have known dad." Ayanna said in a tearful voice. "You and mom chose to hide it from us. Instead of enjoying ourst days with her Cedric spent it investigating you. He thought you had a mistress."

    "You have no idea how painful it was hiding the truth from both of you. It hurt us just as much as it hurt you." Cedric said in an angry tone.

    "The way your mother went was the best possible way, we spoke about it before. . ." Emilio Reyes couldn''t go on and mention the word died, making his children look at him with concern.

    "Is that why you chose to forgive him? Because you understood where his pain and anger came from?" Cedric asked his father.

    "Yes." Emilio Reyes said with a nod. "I had felt how he felt, I knew the pain."

    "Dad, we will support you no matter what your choice is." Adrianna said as she walked up and hugged her father.

    "Dad, I know it''s in the past, but I still wish you told us about mom." Cedric said as he walked up to his father. "I know as much as I try to understand why you did that I still won''t be able to fully forgive you and mom, but I know she wouldn''t want to see us fighting."

    "I know, son, I know." Emilio Reyes said with a nod as he extended his arms to invite his son to join in on the hug.

    Cedric hugged his father and sister, even if their mother wasn''t with them anymore she had left such an impact on them and in the world that they lived in. Cedric knew that his mom lived a good life and that she left on her own terms and that was something he just had to ept.

    "I don''t want anymore grudges and anymore pain between us and the Ortiz family." Emilio Reyes said as he let his children go. "Both sides have lost too much already."

    "It''s not like I would hurt Benedict or Cami." Cedric said with augh.

    "You would if they offended you enough." Ayanna said as she rolled her eyes at her brother.

    "What is that supposed to mean?" Cedric asked his sister.

    "Ayanna is right Cedric." Emilio Reyes said, shaking his head. "You can be impulsive and vengeful at times. Even the smallest things can tick you off."

    "When have I been vengeful at the smallest things?" Cedric asked his father and sister, unable to believe the wordsing out of their mouths.

    "Your bullies." Ayanna said with a shrug. She never hesitated to speak her mind around Cedric, mostly because she knew her brother needed someone to be real and honest around him.

    "They were horrible people." Cedric said, defending his actions.

    "They were horrible to other people. They hurt others, yes, but they were not that bad to you." Ayanna told her brother. "It just so happens that the people you go after deserve the fate that you serve them, but the reason you go after them is petty and uncalled for."

    "Cedric we are just worried that you will go after someone innocent." Emilio Reyes said in a concerned tone. "What if a young boy bumps your car with his bike? Will you send him to jail for scratching your car?"

    "I can''t believe you would think that I would act like some spoiled rich kid!" Cedric said angrily. "If I would end up like that then what use was my poverty training? What use were those years that I had to suffer?"

    "Cedric, we think that because of your poverty training you might think everyone is out to get you." Ayanna confessed.

    "I can''t believe this!" Cedric shouted. "The outside world respects me. They see me as a stable and honorable man, and yet my own family, my father and my sister think I''m unhinged!"

    "We never said you were unhinged!" Ayanna answered back. "We are simply worried."

    "Well I''m fine. I''m sure I''m fine!" Cedric said as he crossed his arms on his chest. "If there is something that should be of concern with my mental health I''m sure one of the Chan siblings would have told you."

    Ayanna looked at her father hesitantly, clearly she had something to say and she needed her father''s permission to say it.

    Cedric red at them when he noticed their hesitation.

    "What? Tell me." Cedric said in a calmer voice as he tried to collect himself.

    "The siblings spoke to us." Emilio Reyes told his son slowly. "It''s not just the effects of the poverty training that they are worried about. They think your mom''s death and other events in your life might have had a negative effect on you."

    "Seriously?" Cedric said as he looked at his father and sister in shock. "I am stable, I am fine. I am coping with all of this in my own way. This is not your concern." Cedric said as he turned and walked out of the library, mming the door behind him.

 Chapter 563 - 563

    "Has Cedrice down yet?" Ayanna asked as she grabbed a piece of bread from the table, she wasn''t one for breakfast. She normally just ate a slice of bread and headed for work.

    "No." Emilio Reyes said as he looked at his daughter. "You know that''s not healthy right?" ??

    "I know, but I can''t really stomach food in the morning." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "Benedict! Cami! Good morning." Ayanna greeted as she watch the siblings arrive at the dining room.

    "Ah, you''ve decided to bring your grandfather along for breakfast." Emilio Reyes said as he nodded at the old man who was on a wheelchair.

    "Thank you for letting me stay." Clemente Ortiz said as Cami took over from the nurse, pushing him towards the table.

    "You can thank the Lobos when they get back from work." Emilio said with a smile. "This is their home after all. We are just guests."

    "I should also thank you and your children." Clemente Ortiz said with a nod. "If it weren''t for your forgiveness I''m sure the Ortuiz family would have died out today."

    "We could never harm Cami or Benedict." Ayanna said, shaking her head. "Cami is like a sister to Cedric, and Benedict has grown on us." Ayanna teased, making everyone in the roomugh.

    "I also owe you and your friends and apology Emilio." Clemente Ortiz with a serious look on his face.

    "We''ve already spoken about this, Clemente." Emilio said, shaking his head. "What''s done is done. My friends and I were more than happy to provide for Cami growing up."

    "Uncle, I promise to make it up to you." Cami said as she looked at Emilio and Ayanna. "I will dedicate my life to the betterment of the Reyes Group."

    "We don''t need your life Cami." Ayanna said with augh. "The Reyes Group will do just fine with your ordinary dedication. I''m sure my father and uncles just want you to live a happy and healthy life."

    "And no, I will be married to my job bullshit." Emilio Reyes said with augh as he shook his head. "I don''t want to see people in the Reyes Group suffering because of overwork. I''m sure Cedric would hate that even more."

    Ayanna nodded, agreeing with her father.

    "My brother understands the employees much better than we do, it''s of course because he was one for his entire working career." Ayanna added. "He would never ept an employee saying they will drop their personal lives for thepany."

    "I''m sorry uncle Emilio, but I think Cedric will bring the Reyes Group to new heights under his leadership." Cami said with a sly grin as Emilio Reyes justughed at her.

    "No need to apologize Cami." Emilio Reyes said, shaking his head. "I already know how good my son is. He learned things that I never would have imagined. His poverty training taught him things that even I never learned."

    "The Reyes Group will be entering a new era under my brother." Ayanna said proudly.

    Everyone around the table nodded in agreement, they all acknowledged that Cedric was the genius that the Reyes Group needed to take it to new heights.

    "Mr. Reyes, you are up early." Ivan Lobo remarked as he and his family arrived.

    It had been tradition for the Lobo family to attend first Friday mass together every month since Jam''s death. The mass was held at 6am so when they woke up Emilio and the rest of their guests were still in bed.

    "Mr. Lobo." Benedict said in a shy voice. Everyone was shocked because he usually sounded so confident and so sure of himself.

    "Benedict, what''s with the formality?" Ivan Lobo asked. "I told you to just call me uncle."

    "Uncle." Benedict said with a nod. "My grandpa and I have some things we would like to say."

    Ivan Lobo nodded as he took a seat at the table.

    The Lobos valued tradition and position quite highly, even with the change in their attitudes this was something that couldn''t be easily shifted for them.

    They made sure that the person who would sit at the head of the table was always the most powerful person in the house, at that moment, it was Cedric.

    So it came as a shock to Clemente Ortiz that Ivan Lobo sat across him, he knew that in the eyes of this family the Ortiz''s were way below them.

    "I think you shocked the old man." Emilio Reyes said with augh, treating Ivan Lobo more like an old friend, rather than someone that had looked down at his son in the past.

    "Some traditions can be changed." Ivan Lobo said with a nod. "Without Aiden, you and your family are better in my eyes. And who am I to judge, if the Reyeses think well of you now, then I should too."

    "You know that it doesn''t work that way." Emilio Reyes said, rolling his eyes.

    "It might not for you, or in the world you Reyeses have tried to build, but out here, your opinion is still highly regarded." Ivan Lobo said, keeping his words as formal as possible.

    Emilio Reyes simply shrugged and returned to eating his breakfast.

    "I understand that my grandson, Aiden, did something unforgivable." Clemente Ortiz said as Benedict ced a hand on his grandfather''s shoulder.

    Benedict knew it was hard for his grandfather to ept that Aiden had ordered Jam to be killed for no reason at all.

    Then again, Benedict was against the whole idea of killing for revenge, something his grandfather still hadn''t epted wholly.

    "You have every right to demand blood for blood." Clemente Ortiz said.

    "The world had moved on from that practice, Mr. Ortiz." Ivan said, shaking his head. "Aiden is gone, he won''t be able to harm other people anymore. That is enough for us."

    "Then allow me to offer you more." Clemente Ortiz said.

    Benedict and Cami gave their grandfather a curious look, they thought their grandfather was simply going to ask for forgiveness, not offer up something to the Lobos.

    "There is no need Mr. Ortiz." Ivan said. "Your granddaughter is a friend to my niece and my daughter. She helped Amanda and Tony adjust to their new life in the capital. No additionalpensation is needed."

    "I offer you all of the Ortiz properties in this province." The old man said suddenly, shocking everyone in the room.

 Chapter 564 - 564

    "Are you telling me that you, one of thergestnd owning families in our province want to just give away your wealth?" Ivan Lobo asked with a shocked expression.

    "Yes, aspensation." Clemente Ortiz said, nodding at Ivan Lobo.??

    "You can never put a value on a life." Ivan Lobo said, shaking his head. "If you think properties will make up for what your grandson did, then you are mistaken."

    "Don''t you want the properties?" Clemente Ortiz asked. "Just months ago you were trying to convince me to sell them to you."

    "That is different." Ivan Lobo said, shaking his head.

    "These properties will go into waste if you don''t take them." Clemente Ortiz argued back.

    "How so?" Emilio Reyes asked, joining into the conversation.

    "My grandchildren have given me an option. Either stay here, or start a new life with them in the capital." Clemente Ortiz exined. "I have chosen to go with them, I am an old man and they are the only family I have left."

    "So have someone oversee those properties." Ivan Lobo said with a shrug. "I just won''t take them as payment for my son''s life."

    "The deal was for me to forget everything here. To drop the past and simply move on, and that is something I intend to do." Clemente Ortiz said with a stubborn look in his eyes.

    "I have a suggestion." Tony Tamano said, joining in as well.

    He had been listening the whole time and he felt that it was not in his ce to speak. But as someone who had a lot invested in the province, he felt that he needed to intervene in the matter.

    "What?" Emilio Reyes asked, curious as to what this man would say.

    Cedric praised Tony quite highly, something that shocked Emilio. It took a lot to impress his son, and it was even harder for Tony since at one point he and Cedric were love rivals, not that Tony had any chance at all.

    "I don''t think it''s proper for the Ortiz family topletely give up their stake in the province." Tony said, earning him a curious look from Cami and Benedict.

    "I understand your need and desire to move on from everything that has happened, we all want that. But this province needs the Ortiz family, you are part of our heritage." Tony exined.

    "The Ortiz family would have died out a generation ago. The only reason I carry my mother''s maiden name was to hide my identity, there is no use for that now." Benedict said with a shrug.

    "And yet, here you are. You and Cami." Tony said with a shrug. "I know you don''t trust people easily, but I''m sure you trust the Reyeses."

    "We do, but what do they have to do with grandpa''s properties?" Cami asked. She never considered the Ortiz family properties to be hers. She was technically an outsider.

    "Our properties." Her grandfather corrected, shaking his head.

    "Cedric and I have been working on a project here." Tony said with a shrug. "It''s supposed to be a surprise for Adrianna, but we haven''t found the right property to ce it at. We thought of your properties but at the time we were still at odds with you."

    "What kind of a project is it?" Benedict asked. "If we will be investing our properties in it, we should at least know what you will do with it."

    "Don''t ask anymore Benedict." His grandfather scolded. "It doesn''t matter, as long as the Reyeses will manage it, it will do well."

    "You have too much confidence in us." Emilio Reyes said with augh. "We have had our fair share of bad investments."

    "I know what this project is." Cami said with a knowing smile. "It''s worth it brother."

    "Then it''s settled?" Tony asked Clemente Ortiz.

    The old man looked up at his grandchildren, he was clearly unsure as to what his answer should be.

    "Don''t worry, grandpa." Cami said with a sweet smile. "You can take this deal and we will ept it. Tony makes a fair point, this province might need it''s heritage too."

    "We won''t get mad if you ept it grandpa." Benedict added. "The Reyeses are trustworthy, and if my sister says this is a good deal, then let''s go for it."

    "My grandchildren are now my everything, honestly they have been for quite some time." Clemente Ortiz said. "I just went wrong when it came to Adien."

    "Grandpa, those were Aiden''s choices, not yours." Cami said. "You never told him to kill, you never told him to seek vengeance. You are allowed to feel grandpa. You are allowed to hurt. The only one at fault was Aiden."

    Clement Ortiz nodded and smiled at Cami.

    "I''ll take the deal. When do we draw up the paperwork?" Clemente Ortiz asked.

    "When myzy son wakes up." Emilio Reyes teased.

    "Cedric isn''t here?" A voice asked,ing from the stairs.

    It was Adrianna. She was already dressed and several maids were already following her with her luggage.

    "Adrianna, we aren''t leaving till after lunch." Ayanna said, giving her sister inw a confused look. "And what do you mean my brother isn''t here? He hasn''te down yet today."

    "That''s not possible." Adrianna said as she walked up to them. "When I woke up he wasn''t in bed anymore and his bags were already packed."

    "Maybe he went out early to visit Alexi?" Cami asked.

    "Yeah, maybe. I''ll give Ray a call." Ayanna suggested as she took out her phone and dialed her husband''s number. "He left a bit earlier too, he said he was going to go with Miguel to check up on Alexi."

    "Darling." Ayanna suddenly said as Ray picked up the phone. "Is Cedric there with you?"

    "Oh, well he isn''t here." Ayanna told Ray. It seemed like Cedric wasn''t at the hospital either. "Do you think he could be with Ian?"

    "Well, Adrianna said he was gone when she woke up and his bags were packed." Ayanna exined.

    "No nothing happened -" Ayanna suddenly stopped speaking as a look of horror crossed her face.

    "No, it''s not possible. My brother wouldn''t leave just because of that." Ayanna told her husband over the phone. "Help us find him, please."

 Chapter 565 - 565

    "Ayanna, did something happenst night?" Adrianna asked as she gave her sister inw a confused look.

    "Yeah, we had a slight disagreement, but Cedric wouldn''t just take off because of that." Ayanna said, shaking her head.??

    "So Ray didn''t see him either?" Emilio Reyes asked his daughter.

    "No dad. He said they wanted to give Cedric some time to rest." Ayanna recounted. "They mentioned something about Cedric being physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted from all of this."

    "I have noticed something off about him recently." Adrianna said as she tried to recall Cedric''s behavior.

    "Eric approached me." Emilio Reyes confessed. "He was worried that Cedric wasn''t allowing himself to feel and process everything that''s going on. Like he was stopping his emotions."

    "Andst night he let it out." Ayanna said with a frown. "How could we not see that he was hurting?"

    "Ayanna it''s not your fault, I should have known too." Adrianna said as she ced aforting hand on Ayanna''s shoulder. "Cedric has always been good at hiding his emotions. It''s his way of escaping."

    "Wait, we don''t even know if Cedric left." Emilio Reyes said in order to calm the already worried women. "He could just be working. You both know how much of a workaholic he could be."

    Ayanna and Adrianna nodded wordlessly.

    "Cami, can you help us find him?" Adrianna asked Cami.

    "Of course." Cami said with a nod. "I''ll give the assistants a call. At least one of them should be with him."

    Adrianna nodded.

    "I''ll go check on Yoyo, maybe Cedric is with him." Adrianna said, picking up a piece of bread.

    "You young people should eat a proper meal." Emilio Reyesined as Adrianna left the dining room,ughing.

    When she got to the nursery, she found Emilio ying alone as his nannies watched him. Cedric had gone overboard and hired three nannies to watch their son.

    Adriannained when he did that, saying that Emilio only needed one. But Cedric was stubborn on the topic and decided to hire three based on their specialization.

    "Mommy!" Her son cried out as he stood up and ran over to hug her.

    "Yoyo, has daddye to y with you today?" Adrianna asked her son.

    "Daddy brought me here." Emilio said with a yawn.

    "What time did my husband bring my son over?" Adrianna asked one of the nannies. She was confused as to why Emilio would be so sleepy.

    "It was really early madam." One nanny said as she tried to recall what time they had brought Emilio to the y room.

    "I think it was around 5 am." Another nanny told her. "Yoyo was so sleepy that he just hugged his father and slept in his arms."

    "How long was Cedric here?" Adrianna asked the nanny as she tried to trace back Cedric''s steps.

    "Around thirty minutes." The nanny told Adrianna. "We didn''t want to disturb their moment so we stepped out of the room. After a while, Mr. Reyes came out and gave us instructions not to disturb Emilio who was sleeping on one of the beds in the yroom."

    "I need to do something." Adrianna said as she began to look distressed. "Watch over my son. We should be leaving for the Capital after lunch. Have some maids help you pack his things."

    "Yes madam." One of the nannies said with a nod.

    Adrianna quickly left the yroom and headed for the library. She was hoping that Ayanna or her father inw would be there.

    Luckily, when Adrianna entered the library, Emilio Reyes, Ayanna, and Cami were all inside. Each was on their phones, trying to find a way to find Cedric.

    "Is he really missing?" Adrianna asked in a shaky voice.

    "Adri, we don''t know yet." Ayanna said as she helped Adrianna take a seat.

    "He was with Yoyo at 5 AM." Adrianna told them, recounting what the maids had told her.

    "Do you think he was saying goodbye?" Adrianna asked as she began to sob. "Why would he leave?"

    "We had an argumentst night." Ayanna said with a frown. "I said things that hurt him. I should have realized that Cedric was suppressing his emotions."

    "Have you tried calling his phone?" Adrianna asked. She felt bad for asking such a stupid question, but she knew that they needed to make sure all possibilities were exhausted before she started to worry that Cedric had really left.

    "Yes." Ayanna said with a frown. "I was hoping he had brought his phone with him, but we found it here in the library." Ayanna said, handing Adrianna Cedric''s phone.

    "It''s unlike Cedric not to take his phone." Adrianna said as a tear began to roll from her eyes.

    "Adri we need you to keep it together." Ayanna told her sister inw. "We need you to think, where would my brother have gone, why would he have left? We also need you to open that phone. We can''t ess it."

    Adrianna looked at the phone in her hands. She knew her husband had increased the security on it. The only people that could ess it''s contents were either Cedric or Adrianna.

    "Cedric made sure that no one other than us could ess his phone." Adrianna exined as she unlocked it.

    As soon as the phone was unlocked she handed it to Ayanna to investigate.

    Ayannna didn''t waste any time, she quickly searched through her brother''s emails, phone calls, and messages.

    When she was done she ced the phone back into Adrianna''s hands with a frown.

    "You didn''t find anything?" Adrianna asked as she observed Ayanna''s solemn mood.

    Ayanna shook her head as tears dropped from her eyes. "I found what I was looking for."

    "You know where he went?" Emilio Reyes asked as soon as he heard that Ayanna had found something.

    "Dad, you need to calm down for this, your heart isn''t as strong as it used to be." Ayanna told him in a calm and soothing tone.

    "Ayanna, you are scaring me. What is it?" Adrianna asked as she opened the phone once more.

    "Cedric left a message for each of us on his phone." Ayanna said as tears began to roll from her eyes. "He left because he needed space, because he needed to process his emotions. He said not to look for him."

    Adrianna felt her whole world copse around her. She and Cedric had been through so much together, how could have not gone to her in his time of need. Why did he have to run? Why did he have to leave?

    Didn''t he think he was hurting her as well?

 Chapter 566 - 566

    "It''s useless." Ray said, shaking his head in frustration.

    "Ray, get some rest." Ayanna said as she massaged her husband''s shoulders. ??

    Ray reached out and held her hand, he kissed it, and sighed.

    It had been a week since Cedric disappeared from the Lobo mansion. At first they had hoped that Cedric just needed some space to think. They thought that in a few hours Cedric woulde back.

    But things turned out differently, after finding the first message in Cedric''s phone Adrianna refused to believe the message.

    Cedric, of course, knew that his wife wouldn''t believe what he had sent and decided to have a second message delivered. This time it was through a young boy that Cedric met on his way out of the province.

    Ray held up the letter that Cedric had written for him and frowned.

    When Ayanna saw it, she hugged her husband, Ray was d that she was with him. He didn''t know how he would have handled Cedric''s sudden disappearance if it weren''t for Ayanna.

    ''Brother,'' The letter read as Ray glossed over it once more. ''If you have received this then I am long gone. I knew that Ayanna and Adrianna would never believe that I wanted to leave, but I do. I''m a danger to everyone. Jam, my mom, even Mia, all of them died because of me.''

    "You know that''s a lie, right Cedric." Ray said, shaking his head. He wished he could have this conversation in person with Cedric and not through some stupid letter.

    "I wish I didn''t fight with him that night." Ayanna said. As she spoke Ray could feel her tears falling onto her neck. "Why is my brother such a girl!?" Ayannained.

    "Ayanna, I miss him too." Ray said in an attempt tofort his wife.

    ''Eric was right.'' Cedric''s letter continued. Ray was hoping that he had missed something. He had read this letter hundreds of times in the hopes that Cedric had left a clue as to where he was going.

    ''Eric said I wasn''t letting myself feel, and he was right. I didn''t want to feel, I needed to be strong. I wasn''t wrong Ray. I needed to be the head of not just a family but of a whole damned conglomerate at the same time. Ray, we aren''t old enough to have this thrust upon our shoulders, we are too young, too inexperienced. But who am I toin, I have all the wealth I can ask for and the love of my life. Why am I still hurting so much Ray?''

    Ray sighed as he read that part of the message, Cedric had shown more emotion in that one paragraph than he had since his mother died.

    "I didn''t even see him cry." Ayanna said, seemingly knowing where Ray had stopped reading.

    "He felt that he couldn''t." Ray told his wife, shaking his head. "Cedric felt that he needed to be the strong one, that he needed to carry everyone on his shoulders. He forgot that he had us."

    "I''m worried about Adrianna." Ayanna said with a frown. "I know she said she would take over Cedric''s responsibilities at the Reyes Group, but she seems off."

    "Ayanna, her husband just went missing." Ray said as he tried to find words tofort his wife.

    "She''s been sick and moody a lot. I''ve been trying to help her, but between my regr work load plus the additional that I had to carry since Cedric disappeared, I can''t do much." Ayanna said as she let go of Ray and walked over to their bed.

    "Do you think?" Ray said as his eyes grew wide in shock.

    "How I wish!" Ayanna said with augh. "But, no, she already took a test. If she got pregnant my brother woulde back in a heartbeat."

    "Isn''t dad helping as well?" Ray asked Ayanna as he folded the letter and ced it back in the safe.

    "Dad is, but we didn''t expect that Cedric was doing this much work!" Ayanna sighed. "Dad was shocked when the assistants came in with a list of everything Cedric had nned to do. He really was expanding thepany at an rming rate."

    "At least no one is trying to create a mess now." Ray said with a shrug.

    "I''m not too sure about that." Ayanna said with a frown. "Before Cedric left to deal with Aiden, he was watching over a new businessman in the tech field."

    "The one he suspected of being uncle Miguel''s son?" Ray asked. He had talked about the issue more than once with Cedric, but they didn''t have any definite proof that the man was a member of the Chan family or that he was after Cedric and his friends.

    "Yeah, when Cedric left to go after Aiden he became active, attacking Mor co. on all fronts. Then a few days after Aiden died he stopped." Ayanna said with a frown.

    "It worries you?" Ray asked.

    "Yes. It feels like the calm before the storm." Ayanna said with a frown. "I just hope that when the storm does start, my brotheres back. We need him back."

    "I''ll go talk to Ram and check if he discovered anything." Ray said as he kissed his wife on the lips. "It''s impossible for Cedric to avoid every camera. Someone must have snapped a photo of him, somewhere, somehow."

    "You won''t find him unless he wants to be found." Ayanna said, shaking his head.

    "I''m hoping that his attempt to get a grasp of his emotions will get the better of him and he will slip up." Ray said with a shrug as he grinned at his wife.

    "I''ll tell Adri and Yoyo that you will bete for dinner then." Ayanna said as she hugged Ray tightly.

    Since Cedric''s disappearance, Ray and Ayanna had moved back into the Mountain View Mansion in order to keep Adrianna and Yoyopany.

    Ayanna constantly worried about her sister inw, it felt like Adrianna just kept getting sick and losing weight since Cedric disappeared, and it had only been a week.

    "I''ll try toe back sooner." Ray promised as he walked out of their room.

    Ray was surprised to find Yoyo standing outside his door when he got out.

    "Yoyo, why are you alone in the hallway?" Ray asked the little boy as he picked him up, looking for the child''s nanny.

    "Uncle Ray, I miss daddy." Yoyo said as he cried into his uncle''s arms.

    Ray patted the boy and held him tight. He didn''t know what to say, he missed his best friend too.

 Chapter 567 - 567

    "There was a sighting." Ram told Ray as his friend entered the room. They had turned his private room at Hype Bar into their new HQ. "Will you tell them?" Ram asked as he looked up at his friend.

    "I don''t want to get their hopes up." Ray said, shaking his head.??

    He waved at a waiter to follow him to bring food and drinks to his friends. He knew that the others had been there for hours. They had all put aside as much time as possible into finding Cedric.

    "This one looks real." Alexi said as he pointed at the screen.

    Ray zoomed the image in, he could see a man that resembled Cedric, he had the same build, the same looks, and wore the same kind of clothes Cedric used to when he was under poverty training.

    "It could be a decoy." Ray said as he refused to believe quickly. "Cedric clearly used a decoyst time. I think he would change his look, make it as far away from his own as possible."

    "How is he even funding this run of his?" Miguel asked as he grabbed a bottle of beer. "We know he didn''t take any cards and his ounts haven''t been touched. He barely had any cash on him when he left. So how is he surviving and staying hidden?"

    "It''s Cedric. If there is anything he knows how to do, it''s to survive and keep a low profile." Eric said with a shrug. "He probably has a job and stays at a ce that epts cash."

    "He lived in the real world Miguel." Ian said, shaking his head. "He knows what it''s like to be poor, to work for everything."

    "Is that a fucking attack on us Ian?" Miguel asked angrily. "We didn''t get handed everything in life either! So don''t y the fucking poor boy."

    "If it weren''t true you wouldn''t be so hurt!" Ian answered back.

    "Calm down!" Ray said, shaking his head. "You guys are exhausted and you need to take a break. Have either of you even gone home?"

    Both Ian and Miguel refused to answer Ray. They simply looked away and took their seats.

    "We know that Cedric wouldn''t have a hard time surviving out there, he knows how to make ends meet. That''s not new information to us." Ray said as he looked at his friends. "I think Cedric would go where we would look the least."

    "Where wouldn''t we look?" Ram asked the group as he began to think.

    "The Reyes Group." Alexi suddenly said, surprising everyone. "We didn''t check the employees."

    "He won''t be there." Ian said, shaking his head. "The Reyes Group does an extensive background check. Cedric would have stood out immediately."

    Alexi sighed and slouched on his seat, Ray had to admit, it was a smart idea, just not smart enough.

    "Does the Reyes Group do an extensive check on it''s auxiliary staff?" Eric suddenly asked, lifting his head.

    "Auxiliary staff?" Ian asked, tiling his head in confusion.

    "Support staff, janitors, cooks, waiters, receptionists." Eric exined.

    "Some, but not all. Cooks and receptionists are direct hires of thepany, so they get the same background check as everyone else." Ian said as he recalled thepany''s structure. "But janitors, waiters, drivers, and some other staff are hired from otherpanies. They don''t get scrutinized."

    "Then we can check there." Eric said with a grin. "Alexi was right, thest ce I would look for him is in his ownpany. It''s a move that Cedric would make."

    "I''ll have Dave check everyone." Ian said as he quickly tapped on Dave''s name in his contact list.

    "We can''t just stop there." Ray said. "I''ve had my menb through the slums, Cedric has to be living somewhere."

    "Try apartments that lease out on a daily basis. I don''t think Cedric would have gone to a ce that would tie him down for a month." Alexi suggested. "He would need a ce where he can just leave at any moment."

    "I''ll have ces like those added to the list." Ray said with a nod.

    "How long do you guys think he will keep hiding?" Miguel asked with a worried look on his face. Adrianna hade by the hospital multiple times in the past week. She was sick, and Miguel felt that her sickness was more emotional than physical.

    "Till he realizes he is being stupid." Alexi scoffed. "He left his wife and kid, he left his father and sister who are also grieving. Sooner orter Cedric will realize that running from his problems is not the solution."

    "Don''t you think his pride will get in the way?" Ram asked. If it were him, he would be too ashamed toe home.

    "Not Cedric." Ray said, shaking his head. "He is the most mature among us, and don''t deny it. We all act like man childs sometimes."

    "Speak for yourself." Eric said, rolling his eyes at Ray.

    "Really Eric?" Alexi asked with augh. "How long did it take you to tell my sister that you loved her? Manchild."

    "Fine, he is quite mature." Eric admitted, making everyoneugh. "But he will also have his moments, and this is one of them."

    "Dave said he can get the results by tonight." Ian happily announced after dropping the call. "I hope we are right, and Cedric has just been hiding under our noses this whole time."

    "He could have still outsmarted us." Ram said with a shrug. Cedric had always been smarter than him, and Cedric''s schemes usually had ns within his ns.

    "He is not smarter than me." Miguel boasted. "I have a higher IQ." The young doctor said with a grin.

    "Yeah, you are book smart, outside medicine and the academe you are just like us." Alxi scoffed. "Do you even know how to get out of a speeding ticket?"

    "Yes, of course." Miguel boasted.

    "How?" Alexi asked, daring him to answer.

    "Call you." Miguel said with a shrug, making everyone elseugh.

    "You might be smart Miguel, but Cedric is street smart, scheming smart, business smart." Ray said, rolling his eyes at his friend.

    "I -" Miguel started to say in an attempt to counter Ray, but nothing came out of his mouth, making everyoneugh.

    "We should all go home and rest now." Ram suggested. "It''s been a long day and there is nothing we can do but wait."

    "Wait and hope for the best." Ray said with a nod.

 Chapter 568 - 568

    "Are you seriously telling me that you only looked over employees with the surname Reyes?!" Ian asked angrily as he mmed his hand on the desk.

    Although he promised the other boys that he would go home and rest, he decided to go to R Tower and help Dave with the investigation.??

    Ian knew that the more people were there to help, the faster the investigation could run. He was disappointed to find out that their team was only looking into people that used the Reyesst name.

    "Do you think that your CEO is stupid or something?" Ian shouted. "Cedric would never do something so obvious!"

    "Sir, he lived under that name for years and -" One subordinate dared to say. He stopped when he noticed Dave shaking his head.

    "The boss wouldn''t." Dave added. "He knows we would check that."

    "Check every single employee that we have not done a background check on!" Ian demanded.

    "Yes sir." Their employees said as they quickly left Ian''s office to continue on the investigation.

    Cedric had long assigned this office to Ian, he just didn''t like to use it. He preferred to work with Dave and Mae outside of Cedric''s office.

    "I thought Ray told you to rest?" Dave asked when they were finally alone in the office.

    "Would you be able to rest, knowing that Cedric is out there, still outsmarting us at every turn?" Ian asked Dave as he tilted his head and sighed.

    "Cedric is smart, it won''t be easy to find him." Davemented as he sat back down at his desk in Ian''s office.

    Since Cedric''s disappearance Dave and Ian have been the ones dealing with all of the investigations. Both Cedric''s disappearance and those that Cedric had left to them before vanishing.

    "How is Adrianna holding up?" Ian asked Dave. Ian barely had the chance to speak to his friend''s wife since he was looking for Cedric.

    "Mae said that she''s been sick, but Mae has been taking care of her a lot." Dave said with a weak smile. "It seems that Mae had been speaking to Mia before her passing so she knows what makes the madam tick."

    "You know she will scold you for calling her the madam right?" Ian said with augh. Among friends the Reyes couple refused to be addressed so formally they found it awkward.

    "The boss would have liked it if we addressed her formally." Dave said with a shrug as he returned his attention to the files in front of him.

    Ian sighed and looked at the map where he had pinned all the possible sightings of Cedric. It was funny because they were all around R Tower, but he knew Cedric, his friend would have stayed where he could be found.

    "Ian, do you think it''s possible that Cedric is expecting us to look beyond the obvious?" Dave asked as he lifted his head from the stack of documents in front of him.

    "I considered it, yes." Ian said with a nod. "That''s why I didn''t ask them to exclude the Reyes surname in the people we want to investigate. It''smon enough that we have five members of the support staff with the samest name."

    "He could be hiding in in sight." Dave said with a shrug. "He did it for years."

    "Yes, he did." Ian said with a nod. "But back then no one knew the face of the Reyes Heir, now his face has been stered all over social media."

    "Is that the reason for all the articles?" Dave asked.

    "Yes, as soon as we returned Ram suggested releasing some articles about the Reyes Group." Ian said, exining to Dave the situation. "If everyone has seen how he looks, they will quickly flock him."

    "Yeah, a lot of girls have a thing for the boss." Dave said with augh. "All my cousins have been nagging me to introduce them to him. I keep telling them he is a married man, but they keep insisting that married men still need women to satisfy their needs."

    "Well, I''m pretty sure Cedric doesn''t need a mistress." Ian said,ughing loudly at Dave''s story. "Don''t you remember what happened when Alexi walked in on Cedric and Adrianna?"

    "Their love is legendary." Dave said, agreeing with Ian. "Why would Alexi do that?"

    "He and Miguel were concerned, and they had good reason to be. It could have been a breach in the Mountain View Mansion." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Leon is being discharged from the hospital tomorrow." Dave said, changing the topic.

    "Does he know Cedric is missing?" Ian asked.

    "No, not yet." Dave said, shaking his head. "I guess I''ll have to tell him tomorrow when I pick him up."

    "I''ll go with you." Ian told Dave. "I think a break from all these documents would be good, and maybe Leon would have an idea on where Cedric is hiding."

    "Says the man who was being sent home." Dave teased making Ian roll his eyes at him.

    "There is something that I am confused about." Ian said as he ced his elbows on the table. "Come here." Ian ordered Dave.

    Dave walked over and sat at one of the chairs next to Ian''s desk.

    "I don''t want to speak too loudly, but I don''t understand how Mia and Mae could have spoken in the past. Mia has always been reserved, and the only other employee I have seen her speaking to is Leon." Ian said, airing out his suspicions.

    "I''ll try tripping Mae into telling me how." Dave said with a nod. "But you know how those women are, we don''t know it but they could have been hanging out this whole time."

    "That''s true, like my wife." Ian said with a sigh.

    "So there are problems at home." Dave said, raising an eyebrow at Ian.

    "We had a disagreement." Ian said with a sigh.

    "About the wedding again?" Dave asked.

    Ian and Nicole had been having frequent disagreements about getting married. To Nicole it didn''t matter if they were married or not, they already had a son and they loved each other, and that was enough.

    Ian on the other hand wanted to have a wedding ceremony with Nicole, he wanted to be bound by God and by man to her, but Nicole kept refusing.

    At first he thought it was a matter of his family, they had long since fallen from the top, and the Chans were quite picky on their descendants'' spouses. But Ian soon found out that the Chans were more than willing to see them married.

    "No, something else." Ian said, shaking his head. "We fought about the search for Cedric."

    "Ah, yeah. Nicole has been on the give him time side." Dave said, shaking his head.

    "I don''t understand why she can''t see that he is needed. His own wife is getting sick from missing him." Ian said.

    "Maybe she and Eric see something we don''t." Dave said with a shrug.

    Nicole and Eric had been insistent on letting Cedric return of his own free will. They had even convinced Adrianna that Cedric might need his time.

    "They are the experts I guess." Ian said, surrendering to Dave''s opinion.

    Ian shook his head as he packed his things. Dave was right, he needed to go home and rest.

    "I can pick you up tomorrow." Dave offered.

    "Sure." Ian said with a nod as he left the room.

 Chapter 569 - 569

    WARNING: SEXUALY EXPLICIT CONTENT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER

    As Ian parked his car in the garage, he noticed that the light in his and Nicole''s bedroom was still switched on.??

    He sighed and shook his head. Either his wife was being a workaholic again or she had waited up for him, when he told her to go to sleep.

    "Sir?" A maid said as she opened the door for Ian and took his bag.

    "Make sure that goes into the safe." Ian instructed. "Did Nicole have dinner already?"

    "Yes sir." The maid said with a nod. "She said she had work to do. We brought up some coffee for her."

    Ian sighed, Nicole only needed coffee when she had a long night ahead. Ian honestly didn''t like it when she had coffee, it meant problems.

    "Please bring up some warm milk and snacks." Ian told the maid who nodded and turned to leave. "Also, bring over some antacids." Ian said again, to which the maid nodded once more.

    Ian climbed the stairs and checked in first on their son, Tristan. The little boy was fast asleep on his bed, his face, without a care for the world.

    Ian envied children sometimes, they lived their lives without thinking of consequences, they didn''t have any burden from the past to carry and their future was a nk te.

    He walked over to his son and ced a kiss on his forehead.

    The little boy stirred under his touch, waking up.

    "Da." Tristan said, making Ian smile.

    "Go back to sleep Tris. Mommy will get mad if she finds out you are still up." Ian didn''t know if Tristan understood his words, but the child closed his eyes again and went back to sleep.

    Ian smiled at his son''s sleeping form and went to his and Nicole''s room.

    He walked into the room to find Nicole in their bed, studying some documents on herp.

    She was wearing one of the sheer lingerie that the girls had forced her to get.

    The other sisters and Adrianna had raided Nicole''s closet a few months back and threw out all of herfy pajamas.

    They then took her shopping, finding the most provocative pieces of clothing possible.

    When Nicole first had to wear it in front of him she had blushed so much, it was so cute and hot at the same time.

    Ian felt an urge stir in him as he walked up to his wife.

    "Why are you up sote?" Ian asked as he took the documents off of her hands and pressed her down on the bed.

    "Ian." Nicole moaned as Ian kissed her neck, nibbling and sucking along the way.

    "Babe, you look so good in that." Ian whispered seductively into Nicole''s ear as his hand found its way under her skirt and started to climb up her leg.

    He felt Nicole take a deep breath under him as he moaned into her ear, rubbing his already hard member against her.

    Ian was caught by surprise when Nicole suddenly pushed him off of her.

    "Take a bath Ian!" Nicole said with augh as she rolled over to the other side of the bed.

    "Childish, but hot." Ian said with a wink as he disappeared into the bathroom to take a cold shower. It seemed like the mother of his son was too busy working to have sex with him.

    When he was done with his shower he didn''t even bother to put any clothes on, he simply dried himself and climbed into bed and hugged Nicole from behind.

    He knew she needed to focus, but she was just too hot tonight to ignore.

    "You know I''m working on Cedric''s case right?" Nicole asked Ian in an annoyed tone. "And where are your pants?" Nicole asked as she felt something long and hard rub against her leg.

    "Nothing you haven''t seen or felt babe." Ian said as he kissed the back of her shoulder.

    "Ian!" Nicole shouted in a frustrated tone.

    "Babe, what''s wrong?" Ian asked as he pulled her into his arms. "I know it''s not me, because you don''t get mad this fast when it''s me."

    "Ray called again." Nicoleined as she let herself sink into Ian''s arms. "He kept asking if I knew where Cedric was. He keeps saying that it''s suspicious that Eric and I are fine with Cedric taking his time."

    "Nicole, he is just worried." Ian said as he hugged Nicole tightly. "He can see Adrianna deteriorating everyday."

    "I know you suspect us too Ian." Nicole said with a sigh. "But, please, trust me and my brother. We just think it would end up worse if Cedric came back before he was ready."

    "I trust you." Ian said as he kissed her neck, making Nicole moan in pleasure. "Now will you let me thrust into you?"

    Nicoleughed and ced her papers on the bedside table.

    Ian smiled at her reaction. With one hand he traced the inside of her leg, getting as close as possible to her entrance, but moving it away to keep her wanting.

    His other hand did away with a strap of her lingerie, exposing her breasts. Ian hungrily grabs and massages them, ying with a nipple, making Nicole moan even more.

    "Ian. . ." Nicole said as she begged for more pleasure.

    "No, no, babe, I''m in charge." Ian said as he continued to torture Nicole with pleasure. "What are you supposed to call me in bed babe." Ian said in a harsher tone.

    "M. . .m. . .aster." Nicole manages to say as Ian brushes his fingers against her opening.

    He was pleased to discover that she had not worn any panties to bed.

    "My, my, you are one naughty whore Nicole." Ian said as he flipped her over and ced her on hisp.

    He lifted the hem of her lingerie, exposing her bare ass.

    "You will count for me Nicole, you need to be punished for being so seductive." Ian said as his hand brushed against her smooth behind.

    "Yes." Nicole said, suddenly Ian spanked her.

    "Yes what?" Ian asked.

    "Yes master." Nicole said, making Ian grin.

    "Very good. Now count." Ian ordered as another spank came down on her bare cheeks.

    With every spank Ian made sure to brush against her wet opening, touching her already sensitive clit.

    Nicole counted to ten, her bottom was red, sore from the punishment Ian had given her.

    "Master, please." Nicole begged as her opening dripped from her own juices.

    "Not yet." Ian said as he took a fist full of her hair and brough her down to his angry member.

    "Take it in your mouth." Ian ordered.

    Nicole did as he asked, making Ian moan in pleasure as he felt his staff hit the back of Nicole''s throat.

    He grabbed her hair and fucked her mouth, increasing the speed as he felt his climaxing.

    Right before he exploded he took it out of Nicole''s gorgeous mouth and kissed her passionately.

    "My whore of a wife is so hot." Ian whispered to her as he nipped at her ear.

    "Babe, I need you." Nicole moaned as she rubbed herself against Ian''s leg.

    Ian''s hand came down against her ass once more, making Nicole moan in pleasure.

    "What are you supposed to call me in bed?" Ian asked in a harsh tone.

    "Master." Nicole answered, her voice shaking from lust.

    "Good whore." Ian said as he turned her over. "Since you are a bitch, I will take you how a bitch should be taken."

    Nicole moaned as Ian''s member rubbed against her opening, lubricating itself on her juices.

    "Please." Nicole begged as Ian let his staff brush roughly against her clit. "Please Master." She begged again.

    "Since you have been a good whore -" Ian began to say as he roughly entered her. He moaned as he felt her insides wrap against his staff.

    "So fucking tight babe." Ian said as he roughly thrust himself in and out of her wanting pussy.

    "Master!" Nicole shouted as Ian felt her get tighter, she was clearly cumming. He knew she wouldn''tst long with all the teasing and forey.

    Ian continued to drill himself inside her, making sure to hit all of her pleasure spots.

    "Master, I''m sensitive." Nicole begged as she recovered from her climax.

    "I don''t care, bitch." Ian said as he pped her ass again, making Nicole moan.

    His free hand gripped her breast as he increased his speed. He felt his climax nearing as Nicole began to moan again. She was enjoying this as much as he was.

    "Babe, I''m cumming!" Ian screamed as his seed filled her womb.

    When he was finally done, he copsed onto the bed, with Nicole on top of him.

    "That was fucking hot Nicole." Ian whispered into her ear.

    Nicole smiled up at him and kissed him passionately on the lips.

    "Are you nning on giving Tristan a little sister?" Ian teased. "If that''s the case, then I want a ring on that finger."

    "I''ll think about it." Nicole said with a smile as she bent down and kissed him hungrily, rubbing herself against him.

    Ian smiled against her lip, he knew he would barely be sleeping tonight.

 Chapter 570 - 570

    "You''rete." Ian teased as Dave drove up to the Chan siblings'' mansion.

    "Traffic." Dave said with a shrug as he grinned at Ian. They both knew that was not the reason why Dave waste.??

    "Ah to be young and free." Ian teased as he got into Dave''s car and closed the door behind him.

    "Do you miss it?" Dave asked in a more serious tone.

    "Miss what?" Ian asked, surprised at the sudden change in the younger man''s demeanour.

    "Theck ofmitment, the freedom." Dave said with a shrug.

    "I''ve never been the type to date Dave." Ian said, shaking his head. "The only person I dated in the past was my childhood friend."

    "But you did sleep around?" Dave asked.

    "Of course I did." Ian said with a nod. "Several times, it''s normal. But it''s not something I miss."

    "I''m afraid I''ll miss it if Imit to someone." Dave confessed.

    "People want and need different things, Dave." Ian said, cing a hand on Dave''s shoulder. "Some men are loyal before marriage and settling down, but as soon as that ring is on they start looking forfort elsewhere."

    "Your grandfather?" Dave asked with a raised eyebrow, he knew about Ian''s past, he knew how much Ian had to suffer over the years.

    Ian sighed and shook his head. "Yes, my grandfather is one of them. But you can''t me the children for the sins of the father. I spent so much of my life in hate, that I''ve now learned to let go."

    "I''m sorry for bringing the topic up." Dave said as he stepped on the gas and drove them away.

    "It''s not an issue Dave." Ian said, shaking his head. "I can''t run from my past forever."

    "I hope things workout for you." Dave said in a solemn tone.

    "We are the same you know." Ian said with a sarcasticugh. "Me running to get as far away from my past and you running away from your future. We are both running."

    "I guess that''s why Cedric hired us." Dave said with a shrug, making Ian smile.

    They drove the rest of the way in partial silence, speaking only when needed.

    Ian had felt recharged, he and Nicole had a good nightst night. He hade home to her and they spoke and they put away all the anger and the issues on Cedric''s disappearance.

    Nicole had said something that resonated with Ian. She told him that she and Eric felt that if Cedric came back before he was ready, he might just leave again. Much like how Ian was not ready to go after his past.

    Ian respected Nicole''s opinion, he knew the mother of his child was a smart and amazing woman.

    When they pulled up to Saints Hospital the staff immediately recognized Dave''s car. He had been there so often recently that one of the parking slots near the entrance was already reserved for him.

    As soon as Ian and Dave got out of the car, a valet ran over to take Dave''s keys and park the car for him.

    Dave nodded his thanks and handed the valet a tip.

    "I really don''t understand why they give us such special treatment." Dave said with a shrug as two guards opened the doors for him and Ian as they passed.

    "I mean, obviously you are, well you. The father of their future boss and themonw husband of the woman running the ce. But why do they give me, Cami, and Mae special treatment too?" Dave asked as they approached the elevator.

    "Simple, Cedric." Ian said with a shrug as the elevator doors dinged open.

    Dave closed his eyes and sighed, how could he forget that Prince Group owned a significant amount of shares of Saints Hospital.

    "It''s not just because he owns this ce partially, it''s because they respect him here too." Ian said with a shrug as the elevator climbed up to the VIP wards where Leon was staying. "He helped save this ce, so they are thankful."

    As the elevator doors opened on another floor several young girls hopped in and shed Ian and Dave a shy smile.

    The pair ignored the girls, but something caught Ian''s eye making him quickly stop the elevator doors from opening.

    "What the -" Dave said as he watched Ian get off of the elevator.

    Dave quickly followed as Ian ran around the floor like a mad man, checking every corner.

    "What is wrong with you?" Dave asked as he finally caught up with Ian.

    Ian frowned and turned, leaving Dave''s question unanswered.

    Dave was so confused and exhausted by chasing after Ian that he simply sighed and followed the older man at a leisurely pace.

    "Ian!" Dave called out, but Ian ignored him and continued to stalk towards the elevator.

    "Ian, damit!" Dave shouted as he pulled on Ian''s arms.

    Dave was shocked with Ian''s expression, it looked like he had seen a ghost.

    "What the fuck man." Dave said when he finally got Ian''s attention. "What happened there?" Dave asked.

    "Not here, not now." Ian said, shaking his head as he looked around.

    Dave mimicked him, checking if anyone had been listening in on their conversation, but the hallway was empty.

    Ian suddenly lifted his head when he saw a male nurse walk by.

    "You!" Ian called out as he walked over to the nurse.

    The nurse was shocked and froze in his ce, he of course knew who Ian was, everyone in the building could recognize this man.

    He was shocked that Ian had called him.

    "What floor is this?" Ian asked as he stared at the nurse, who had turned pale as a sheet.

    "Sir?" The nurse asked, confused by Ian''s question. He assumed that if Ian got to this level then he would have known what floor it was.

    "Don''t make me repeat myself." Ian said in a threatening tone.

    "Ian calm down, you''ll scare the man." Dave said as he ced a hand on Ian''s shoulder.

    "This is the third floor, sir." The nurse said in a shaky voice.

    "You don''t seem so sure, so what floor is this really?" Ian asked.

    "No, sir, I''m sure. This is the third floor, the Psychological ward and all the Psychiatric clinics are on this floor." The nurse answered.

    Ian suddenly turned and left for the elevator, leaving both the nurse and Dave confused.

    Dave thanked the nurse and quickly followed after Ian. When they finally made it into the elevator Dave dared to ask Ian.

    "What was that about?" Dave asked.

    "Not now." Ian said, shaking his head. "Later, when we get out of here." Ian said, shaking his head.

    "Well it seems important, you looked like you saw a ghost." Dave scoffed as the elevator doors finally opened at the VIP floor.

    "Not a ghost, but close enough." Ian said with a sigh as they entered Leon''s room.

 Chapter 571 - 571

    Ian and Dave remained silent as they headed down to the car with Leon.

    The head of security kept giving Ian and Dave curious looks, but neither would tell him what was going on. He was starting to get frustrated.??

    "Why are you both so quiet?" Leon asked. "Normally I have to tell the both of you to shut up because you talk too much. Now I need to ask you to talk."

    "We''ll tell you in the car." Ian said in a serious tone as they got out of the elevator, each man pulling behind him one of Leon''s luggages. The head of security had to stay in the hospital for two months due to the gravity of his injuries.

    When they finally made it to the lobby, a few guards took the bags from them and helped them load it into Dave''s car.

    "I''m surprised you didn''t bring the sports car today." Leon teased. Back when Dave was a new employee he would bring his favorite sports car to work and often get teased by Leon and Ian.

    "It was impractical." Dave said with a shrug, clearly not in the mood to fool around.

    "Since when did he start to get all serious?" Leon asked Ian.

    "You''ll understand in a bit." Ian said as he opened the door for Leon.

    Leon nodded his thanks and climbed into the backseat of Dave''s car.

    "Don''t expect this special treatment forever." Dave scoffed as Ian climbed into the front seat and closed the door behind him.

    "Let''s get out of the vicinity first." Ian said with a nod.

    Dave drove off, checking if they were being followed. He knew that there was no longer a threat since Aiden was now dead, but it had be a habit. The Reyes Group had other enemies as well, people that would want to get their hands on the CEOs assistants.

    That''s why Cedric had gone as far as providing a bodyguard for each of his assistants. There were rarely attacks, just incidents of stalkers.

    "The boss always wants your bodyguards around you, why are you guys alone today?" Leon asked as he noticed that the two men had gone to pick him up unapanied.

    "We were picking you up, there is no need." Dave said coldly, shocking Leon. Dave rarely spoke this way. He was usually the bubbly one in the group. He sometimes reached the point where he annoyed everyone else.

    "We''ll exinter." Ian said in a calmer, more mature tone.

    "Where am I taking us?" Dave asked as he continued to drive around the city with no exact destination in mind.

    "Take us to Constetions. There is a room there where we can speak in confidence." Ian instructed, Dave nodded, acknowledging what he had said and quickly changed the direction he was driving towards.

    The hotel was thirty minutes from their location, and none of the three men dared to speak.

    Dave and Ian chose not to say anything since each piece of news that they had for Leon would just result in him asking more questions.

    When they finally drove up to Constetions Resort, Dave tossed his keys to a waiting valet.

    Of course here they knew who he was. The staff were quite surprised to see Ian, Dave, and Leon arriving together. This usually meant that the boss wasing.

    The staff immediately hopped into action, making sure everything was perfect. The manager also came out ready to greet the assistants and Leon.

    "Sirs, I''m sorry that it''s just I that came to greet you. Mr. Vrdino is in a meeting. Will the boss be arriving soon?" The manager asked as he shook hands with all three of them in turn.

    "No, Mr. Reyes won''t being over." Ian told the manager. "No need to tell Tom, we know he is a busy man, we just need to use one of Mr. Reyes'' private meeting rooms."

    "Yes, of course sir." The manager said as he escorted them inside the hotel.

    "We are very lucky sir that Mr. Vrdino is a good friend of Mr. Reyes, he knows exactly how the boss wants this ce to be run." The manager said, clearly sucking up to Ian, Dave, and Leon.

    "Tom runs this ce well because he has been working here and at the branches for years. It is a testament to his skill and experience, not to how well he knows Mr. Reyes." Dave said coldly, making the manager hesitate.

    Dave hated people who tried to suck up, he had seen so many of those around. It was one of the banes of being Cedric''s assistant, people always wanted something from you.

    "Here sir." The manager said as he opened a secret door to the back of the elevator shafts.

    Ian thanked the man and dismissed him.

    "What''s with the cloak and dagger?" Leon asked as he gave the two other men an irritated look. "My girlfriend died and I want to visit her grave, so can we speed this up."

    Dave frowned at Leon''sment. He knew that Mia and Leon were dating, so when Mia died his thoughts quickly went to Leon who continued to do his work despite her passing.

    "I''m sorry Leon." Ian said with a frown as he ced a hand on Leon''s shoulder.

    "It''s fine, it''s part of our job." Leon said with a shrug. "We knew that risk when we fell for one another."

    "If you need time off just tell us." Ian said as he took a seat across Leon.

    "It''s fine, I had two months off. All I want to do now is to get back to work and protect Cedric." Leon said with a determined look on his face. "I need to work on aplete overhaul of all of the security systems, Merrick did a good job but clearly it wasn''t enough. Aiden still got through, we can''t have that happening again."

    "Aiden isn''t a threat anymore." Dave said as he gave Leon a smile.

    "You captured that fucker?" Leon asked with a grin, of course he wanted to personally take down Leon for killing Mia, but as long as the man was gone he was happy.

    "The boss killed him." Dave said with a shrug.

    "Wow, the boss managed to put a bullet in someone? That''s a miracle." Leon said with augh. Cedric had always hesitated when it came to injuring someone.

    "He had no choice, it was either kill or be killed." Ian said with a shrug.

    "If Aiden isn''t a problem anymore, then why all the secrecy?" Leon asked the assistants.

    "Something else happened." Dave said with a frown. "The boss is missing."

    "What do you mean the boss is missing? How can you lose one of the most popr people in the country?!" Leon asked in an angry tone as he stood up and pulled Dave by the cor.

    "He ran." Ian said, shaking his head. "Put Dave down, the boy had nothing to do with it."

    Leon sighed and let go of Dave.

    "I also think I''ve found him." Ian said in a calm tone, shocking Dave and Leon. "He was at the hospital earlier."

 Chapter 572 - 572

    "What?" Dave said, as he stood up from his seat. "That''s impossible, the Chan family has that ce locked down like a fort, no onees in or out without them knowing."

    "I need to talk to Nicole." Ian said as he massaged his temples. "I knew something was up, I think she and her brothers are all in on this."??

    "I thought Miguel was helping us find the boss." Dave said as he walked over to the bar and got a bottle of wine and some sses.

    "What are you doing Dave?" Leon asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Dave grinned and shrugged as he ced a ss in front of each of hispanions and uncorked the wine bottle.

    "I figured," Dave said as he began to walk around, pouring the wine "that if the boss is making us go through all this trouble, might as well prank him back by taking a dip in his wine."

    Ian lifted the ss to his lips, and smiled, he knew this wine, it was Cedric''s favorite.

    "What the hell!" Leon said, spitting out the wine.

    "What?" Dave asked as he took a sip. He too stared at the ss with a puzzled look. He then turned to Ian who didn''t seem bothered or surprised that the wine tasted odd.

    "This is Cedric''s favorite wine to serve." Ian said as a smirk crossed his lips. "It''s a grocery wine that he gives his pretentious clients."

    "What? Why?" Dave said as he looked at the bottle, it looked extremely expensive.

    "For fun." Ian said with a shrug. "Also this was the wine we got drunk on when he first started working at Mor Co. we were both so poor that we couldn''t afford a decent drink. Cami decided to buy us this cheap wine out of frustration."

    "You old rich and your funny tastes." Dave said as he finished the ss and poured himself another.

    "I thought you didn''t like it?" Leon asked as he looked at the younger man.

    "Doesn''t mean I won''t drink it." Dave said with a shrug. "I''m not like my peers. I''m not some snob."

    "We are getting off topic." Leon said, rolling his eyes. "You both better catch me up on everything, and Ian, how sure are you that the person you saw was Cedric?"

    "Are you seriously asking me that question?" Ian asked Leon. "We''ve both known him for years, we know all of his quirks. I can''t miss him in a crowd."

    "Yeah, you probably know him better than his wife." Dave said, rolling his eyes.

    "And you don''t?" Ian asked Dave with a funny look.

    "Of course we do." Dave said, rolling his eyes. "But why would Cedric go to all this trouble to hide and just let us spot him in the hospital?"

    "Maybe he is ready, maybe subconsciously he wants toe back." Ian said with a shrug, trying as much as possible not to sound too hopeful.

    "You sound like his lover more than his assistant." Dave said with augh.

    "Oh shut up." Ian said, annoyed at Dave. "You also want him back. Work is much more stressful when he is gone."

    "That''s true." Dave said with a sigh. "It''s a good thing Mia told Mae what Adrianna likes before, you know." Dave said with a frown.

    "In all honesty I saw how much difficulty Mae and Cami were having, helping Adrianna out. She is so different from the boss." Ian said as he shook his head.

    "What do you mean Mia told Mae?" Leon asked with a confused look.

    "Well, before she passed, apparently Mia and Mae were already hanging out." Dave said with a shrug. "And Mae learned about what Adrianna likes and doesn''t like."

    "That''s not possible." Leon said, shaking his head.

    "What do you mean Leon?" Ian asked. "Mae clearly knows what Adrianna wants, what food she craves, how she wants her desk fixed, how she wants to go about her day. Mia clearly knew that. It was part of her job."

    "No, not that." Leon said. "Mia didn''t hangout with people."

    "Are you suddenly going all jealous boyfriend now?" Dave teased. "I''m sure Mia had friends, Leon, some you knew about and some that you didn''t. People are like that."

    "No, not Mia, not me." Leon said, shaking his head again. Ian watched as Leon tried to process what was going on. Clearly something was confusing him.

    "Spit it out Leon." Ian told him.

    "Mia always avoided making connections with people. She avoided making bonds because of the nature of our work. She was like me in that aspect." Leon exined.

    "Well, that''s clearly not true with you." Dave said with a shrug.

    "What do you mean?" Leon asked as he gave the younger man a puzzled look. "I''ve kept people at arm''s length all my life."

    "You are here with us." Dave suddenly said. "Like it or not, you made friends. So why couldn''t Mia have made friends too?"

    "I knew her schedule, she didn''t have time to meet up with Mae." Leon said with a shrug. "Unlike you guys and me, we all worked in the same area following Cedric around. Mae and Mia would have had to meet up at different times."

    "There is a simple way to find out the truth." Ian suddenly said.

    "How?" Dave asked.

    "Her bodyguard." Leon said as he realized what Ian was saying, he quickly took out his phone and called a number.

    "Tess," Leon said in an urgent and intimidating tone. "I need you to remember something for us."

    Leon paused as the person on the line spoke.

    "Did Mia and Mae ever meet up outside of work?" Leon asked as he looked Dave and Ian in the eyes.

    "Wait let me put you on speaker, I want you to repeat your words to me." Leon said as he ced his phone on the table and switched it to speaker mode.

    "Say it again Tess." Leon said as he nodded at Dave and Ian.

    "Miss Mae and Miss Mia never met outside of work, as far as I can recall Miss Mae didn''t have a lot of friends. She still doesn''t just that man she meets up with every now and then." Tess said over the phone.

    "What man?" Dave asked, Mae had never mentioned dating anyone or any friends, and they spoke a lot, so it shocked Dave to find out that Mae was keeping a secret from him.

    "A few days ago Miss Mae started meeting up with a man everyday outside her apartment." Tess exined. "He always brings her food or medicine."

    "Dave, what if, no that''s impossible." Ian said as he tried to shake his suspicions.

    "What are you trying to say Ian?" Leon asked, giving Ian a confused look. "Employees are allowed to date."

    "No, not that." Ian said, rolling his eyes. "Tess, snap a photo of this man when you see him next."

    "Alright, I don''t know what good it will do you though." Tess said.

    "Why?" Ian asked, confused as to why she would say that.

    "Because you won''t see his face." Tess said. "He always has his face covered, I can''t even see his eyes."

    Ian looked up at Leon and Dave, his eyes wide with shock.

    "You don''t think." Leon said.

    "Yes, I do." Ian said with a nod.

 Chapter 573 - 573

    Ian decided to handle the matter with Mae first before confronting the Chan siblings.

    "I''ve asked Mae to meet us here once Adrianna has left for the day." Dave said as he ced down his phone. "She''s just finishing up some meetings at the office."??

    "Good." Ian said with a nod as he messaged Ray to meet him at Bamboo Room tonight. He wanted to talk about the fact that the Chans had been hiding Cedric at Saints Hospital the whole time.

    "Why would Mae do this? Lie about knowing where Cedric was hiding? Doesn''t she understand how badly he is needed?" Dave asked Leon and Ian. "And also, why did the boss approach her and not me or Ian or Cami?"

    "Your first question is the answer to your second." Leon said with augh. "Cedric knew that you would put duty over yourself, while Mae would understand that there are times where you need to put yourself before others. Plus Mae needs this job more than you."

    "How could you even assume that?" Dave asked, shaking his head.

    "We''ve worked for Cedric long enough to somewhat understand what he is thinking." Ian said, joining in on the conversation.

    "But we still weren''t able to figure out where Cedric hid. He was practically in in sight." Dave said, shaking his head.

    "It''s Cedric, there is only so much that we can guess that he will do." Leon said, shaking his head. "Between the three of us we should have known he would do something like this, our job after all, has always been to anticipate his needs."

    Dave nodded and frowned. Leon was right, their whole job was to know what Cedric would need and what he would do. They weren''t like ordinary assistants either, they had more impact on the business than most people thought.

    Nothing got to Cedric without them analyzing the material first, every investment and every program needed to get their go signal.

    In fact, Dave was shocked when he first heard of both Cami''s and Ian''s background when he first heard of them. And when Dave eventually started working for Cedric, the easy job that he expected was in fact the opposite.

    "I''ll go and have someone bring us dinner. We should feed Mae before questioning her." Ian said with a grin. "Oh and Cami is on the way, you should tell her everything before Mae arrives."

    Dave nodded and leaned back on his seat.

    Ian had only been gone for a few minutes when Cami knocked on the door.

    "Ah, you guys are all here." Cami said with a nod as she walked over and hugged Leon.

    Leon awkwardly patted her head as Daveughed on the side. It was odd to see someone hugging the cold bodyguard, but Cami and Mae treated him like an older brother and both women were quite affectionate in their actions.

    "Where''s Ian?" Cami asked as she took a seat next to Dave.

    "He ordered dinner for us." Dave exined with a shrug. "But he told us to exin things to you first."

    "Okay, then exin." Cami said with a nod as she looked between Dave and Leon.

    Dave froze and fidgeted under the table.

    "Damnit Dave!" Cami said, clearly annoyed by his reaction. "You''ve known me for years and now you are suddenly nervous about telling me something that you guys discovered."

    "Well it''s because I''ve known you for a while now that''s why I''m unsure about how to tell you." Dave said with a shrug.

    Cami rolled her eyes at him and red.

    "Fine." Dave said in surrender. "Just promise you won''t overreact and fly off the handle." Dave said in a stern tone.

    "Wow, you''re suddenly serious." Camiughed and nodded.

    "This is why Ian left us." Dave grumbled in a low voice, making Leonugh at hisment.

    "Just say it already." Cami said as she crossed her arms on her chest. Dave knew this was a tell tale sign that she was really mad.

    "Okay, so two things. The first, is that we think we know where Cedric has been hiding." Dave said, earning him a wide eyed reaction from Cami.

    "Where? How?" Cami asked as she leaned forward, eager to hear the details.

    "Well, we think he might be at the psychiatric ward of Saints Hospital." Dave exined as he watched as a visible confusion crossed Cami''s face.

    "That''s not possible." Cami said, gathering herself. "If he were there then one of the Chan siblings would have known. Eric would have known, he runs that ce in the background Katerina told me."

    "I''m pretty sure a fight is going to erupt in Ian''s home soon." Dave said with a sigh.

    "How did you know Cedric was there?" Cami asked.

    "When we picked Leon up, the elevator suddenly stopped at that floor." Dave exined. "Ian caught a glimpse of Cedric and ran out of the elevator. Unfortunately, he didn''t catch up to Cedric. I think the boss entered one of the rooms there when he realized he had been spotted."

    "Do you think the siblings knew?" Cami asked Dave.

    "Probably." Ian said as he joined them.

    "You and Nicole have been fighting over this for weeks." Cami said with a frown as she looked at her friend. "You even said you believed her."

    "I know." Ian said, shaking his head as he took a seat. "I''m disappointed, but I can''t say I''m mad. They had their reasons just as Cedric had his."

    "I hope he really is at Saints." Cami said as she reached out and held Ian''s hand. "Adrianna hasn''t been welltely, at first we thought she was pregnant because the symptoms were simr, but when she went to the hospital for a check up, it came out as negative."

    "It would be funny if she were pregnant again, thest time she was pregnant she and Cedric had just made up from a huge fight." Ian said, shaking his head.

    "Wait, you guys said that there were two things." Cami said, practically jumping up in her seat. "So what''s the second?" Cami asked, tilting her head to the side.

    "Mae might have known all along where Cedric has been." Dave said quickly, fearing Cami''s reaction.

    "WHAT?!" Cami said angrily. "HOW COULD SHE KNOW AND NOT TELL US!"

    "Rx Cami, you''re hurting my ears." Leonined.

    "We think Cedric has been taking care of Adrianna by sending her medicine and food and giving her advice on how to help Adrianna." Ian exined.

    "I knew it, I knew something was off." Cami said proudly. "I was the only one Mia spoke to among the assistants, how could she have gotten close to her."

    "I''m sure Mae had her reasons." Ian said as he tried to calm the mood.

    "Valid or not, when I see that girl she will be getting a scolding from me." Cami said in a threatening tone.

    "It''s your lucky day then." Leon said with augh. "She''sing here."

    "Here? Are you guys going to confront her?" Cami asked.

    "Yup, she should be here in ten minutes." Dave said as he took a look at his phone. Earning him confused looks from hispanions. "She sent her ETA." Dave said with a shrug as he showed them a traffic tracking app that Mor Co was developing.

 Chapter 574 - 574

    "Hey guys, what''s with the dinner ns." Mae asked as she entered the room.

    "Oh, we just decided it would be fun to have dinner together." Dave said with a sly grin.??

    Mae was about to say something when several waiters entered their room with food in hand.

    Dave pointed at the seat in between him and Leon. Mae nodded and sat next to him.

    When the food was finally served and the waiters had left Mae smiled up at Leon.

    "I didn''t know you wereing out of the hospital today." Mae said. "How are you feeling?"

    "It was ast minute decision." Leon said with a shrug. "Dave and Ian decided to pick me up at Saints and we headed here for dinner. I n to visit Mia''s grave tomorrow."

    "Oh." Mae said with a frown. "You haven''t since?" Mae asked, unable to find the words to ask Leon.

    "No, not yet." Leon said with a frown.

    "Why don''t you go with Leon tomorrow?" Cami asked Mae.

    Mae responded with a confused look. Beside her Dave grinned, it seemed she had forgotten that she had told everyone that she and Mia had been quite close before her passing.

    "Well, you said Mia and you were good friends." Cami said in a casual tone. "I haven''t seen you visit her grave since her death. I mean I can understand, so many things have happened in the past two months."

    "Oh, well, yeah. I''ve visited." Mae said, scratching the back of her head.

    "You and my Mia were close?" Leon said, looking Mae in the eyes.

    Mae started to get nervous, she was worried that Leon would figure out that she really wasn''t that close to Mia. She hadn''t realized that Leon would be discharged today.

    "Kind of, we spoke from time to time." Mae said with a shrug. "She just told me what Miss Adrianna liked."

    Ian leaned back and grinned, he wanted to see how far Mae was willing to take this lie. He knew that she meant no harm, it was just fun to watch her panicking to cover her lie in front of Leon.

    "That''s odd." Leon said, as he scratched his chin, pretending to think.

    "What''s odd?" Dave asked, joining in on the conversation.

    Ian shook his head, clearly Dave wanted to dip his toes in the ensuing drama.

    "Mia always kept everyone as far away from her as possible, everyone except Cami of course." Leon said as he pretended to keep a pensive mood.

    Ian swore if this man had not been a soldier turned spy then bodyguard, he could have be a popr actor. Leon''s acting was incredibly good, Ian was sure that Mae did not pick up on anything.

    Mae froze in her seat, it seemed she hadn''t realized that Cami and Mia had been good friends, she simply assumed that the rtionship between Mia and Cami was purely professional.

    "Mia didn''t have a choice." Cami said with a frown, for some reason her heart hurt when she spoke Mia''s name.

    "Cami, are you alright?" Ian asked as he ced a hand on her back. Cami nodded and smiled at Ian.

    "Yeah, I just miss Mia." Cami said with a frown. "She didn''t have a choice when it came to me, she had to talk to me if she needed anything from Cedric, but I eventually grew on her." Cami said with augh.

    "She alwaysined about how annoying it was to deal with you." Leon teased as heughed. "She kept asking me if she could go through Ian instead of you. I told her no can do, Ian was way too busy."

    "You just didn''t want her talking to another guy." Dave teased.

    "Yep, he didn''t want her falling for my charms." Ian said, joining in on the teasing.

    "I can''t take it!" Mae suddenly said, sobbing. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry I lied."

    "Mae, it''s alright." Dave said as he pulled her into his arms and let her cry.

    "The boss asked me to do it and I understood why he needed time alone. I understood that he just needed to get away from everything, from everyone." Mae said as she continued to cry.

    "So how long has he been meeting up with you?" Ian asked in a more serious tone. He knew that Dave and the others could work on theforting part.

    "He first approached me outside of the office the first day we were back." Mae said as she wiped off the tears from her eyes. "He exined why he had to leave and why I couldn''t tell anyone."

    "What did he tell you exactly?" Cami asked Mae.

    Mae hesitated for a bit, it was an incredibly personal matter, she wasn''t sure if she could share it. It wasn''t her secret to share.

    "Mae, it''s Cedric. You can tell us." Leon said with a nod as he urged her to talk.

    "The boss said he needed time to process everything. That he couldn''t function properly with everyone looking towards him for leadership." Mae exined with a frown. "He said he still med himself for everything, for all of the deaths."

    "Did you tell him it was not his fault?" Ian asked Mae.

    Mae nodded.

    "I told him that, but he said that he couldn''t help but feel that way. He needed to mourn, he needed to feel." Mae exined.

    "Do you know where he is staying?" Ian asked Mae, hoping that Cedric had told her that he was staying at Saints Hospital.

    "No, but he told me not to worry, that he was getting the help that he needed." Mae told them as she recalled Cedric''s words.

    "What about Adrianna, how did he know she was sick?" Cami asked.

    "I don''t know. He just gave me things to bring to the madam." Mae said with a shrug. "He said she was like thatst time she was sick. At first I thought she was pregnant, but there were negative pregnancy test results."

    "I have a feeling those test results are fake." Ian suddenly said, shaking his head.

    "How could it be fake, she had them done at the hospital." Cami said as she looked at Ian suspiciously.

    "A hospital run by my future wife. Someone who is lying about knowing Cedric''s location." Ian said, shaking his head. "Cedric doesn''t want people to know Adrianna is pregnant. He is probably asking Nicole to keep it a secret so that it can''t be used to bring him back."

    "He needs toe back though." Cami said with a frown. "I don''t know how long everyone can deal with the stress and honestly, that new yer in the tech industry is starting to stir again."

    "Adrianna will have a hard time if that happens." Leon said as he looked at Cami. "She''s in a delicate condition, how could the boss just let this happen knowing his wife is pregnant."

    "He doesn''t know that whole situation." Dave said with a shrug.

    "Mae, when are you meeting with Cedric again?" Ian asked.

    "Tonight, after we finish dinner." Mae announced.

    "I guess we are all going to Mae''s ce after this." Dave said with a shrug.

 Chapter 575 - 575

    Ian and the others hid inside the lobby of Mae''s apartment, waiting for Cedric to arrive.

    ording to Mae, she had agreed to meet Cedric at 11pm outside her apartment. It was five minutes to 11pm now and there were still no signs of Cedric.??

    "Do you think he decided not toe?" Cam asked Ian. "Maybe he figured that we knew about Mae."

    "I doubt it." Ian said, shaking his head. Cedric was smart, he wasn''t psychic. "All he probably knows is that I saw him at the hospital. It wouldn''t be easy to figure out that he was speaking to Mae."

    "What if he thought we asked Leon about Mae''s connection to Mia?" Dave asked.

    "I doubt that." Leon said, shaking his head. "Cedric didn''t know how little Mia interacted with others. He often saw her speaking to Adrianna and Cami so there is no reason for him to doubt that she had other friends."

    "What are we even going to say to him when he shows up?" Mia asked the boys.

    "I have no idea." Leon said, shaking his head. "No matter what we are always on his side, I think that goes without saying. And confronting him today goes against that."

    "We aren''t against him." Ian said with a sigh. Leon was right, at the end of the day they were all Cedric''s people. They would do almost anything and everything he asked.

    "Then why are we sneaking around trying to catch him?" Cami asked in an annoyed tone.

    "Because we need to at least speak to him. We need to say something. I''m honestly worried about Adrianna''s pregnancy, she''s so stressed I feel like his disappearance may put their unborn child at risk." Ian said, shaking his head.

    "It''s not just Adrianna." Dave said with a frown. "The wholepany knows something is wrong, because of that they aren''t functioning at the same level they used to. Even our enemies are circling, people are getting the sense that something is off at the Reyes Group."

    "Also there are spies everywhere." Cami added. "They will eventually figure out that Cedric hasn''t shown his face at the office in a week. They will also notice that Uncle Emilio is back and Adrianna is working at R Tower, that will definitely raise suspicion."

    "We just need to tell him these things." Ian told hispanions. "He might just not notice them. I understand that his recovery is a priority, but too much is at stake."

    "So I''m assuming that you will be doing most of the talking, Ian?" Cami asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "I will." Ian said with a nod.

    "You know him best anyway." Leon said with a shrug.

    "Yeah, Ian has known him the longest and the best." Cami exined. "They started working together at Mor Co. and they just clicked. I mean I got along with them, but not the same way they got along with each other."

    "I don''t even know what I will say to convince him." Ian said with an awkward smile.

    "Speak from the heart, I guess." Dave said with a shrug, making everyoneugh.

    "Dave is right though." Cami said, shaking her head. "You need to tell Cedric how lost and worried we feel without him around. Thepany feels like a car without a steering wheel."

    "Hey, hey!" Leon said as he nudged Ian, pointing at a distance. "Is that Cedric?" Leon asked.

    Ian squinted, he saw a lone figure approaching. He could tell from the silhouette that the person had the same build as Cedric.

    They watched as Mae lifted her head and her bodynguage changed, clearly she recognized the person that was approaching.

    "I think it''s him, observe Mae." Ian said with a nod.

    The silhouette soon became clearer, at this point Ian was sure that it was Cedric. He was wearing a jacket over his in shirt and jeans.

    He had a baseball cap over his head, and he wore sses and a facemask. Most of his face was obscured, but Cedric and the others had been working long enough for Cedric to be able to identify him even in disguise.

    "You said Adrianna was not feeling well?" Came the familiar voice they all knew.

    Ian looked at Cami, Leon, and Dave and smiled. They were now sure that it was Cedric.

    "Yes." Mae said with a nod. "I think your disappearance is affecting her. She''s also sick a lot, something is wrong, boss." Mae said in a sad tone. This part was not scripted, it was the real reason why she had asked Cedric to meet her that night.

    "Tell her to visit Nicole tomorrow." Cedric instructed. "Or Migue. One of the siblings will know what to do."

    "No offense Cedric, but I think this isn''t a physical issue. I think it''s an emotional one." Mae said with a frown.

    "I''ll ask Eric to pay her a visit." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Don''t you care about your wife at all?" Mae asked Cedric in a frustrated tone. "Why can''t you just go back?"

    "Because it''s not yet time." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Then when will it be time?" Ian said as he finally stepped out to face Cedric. "Seriously Cedric, when? Will you wait for your enemies to be at your doorstep?"

    "There are no enemies anymore Ian." Cedric said, shaking his head. "How did you even know I was meeting with Mae."

    "Because Mia only had one female friend." Leon said, joining Ian.

    "Ah, Leon, I''m happy to see you out of the hospital." Cedric said with a nod. "Who else is here with you? Cami? Dave?"

    Cami and Dave soon stepped out as well, joining everyone.

    "Cedric, we know Adrianna is pregnant, we know you''ve been staying at Saint''s Hospital." Ian said in a stern tone. "Can''t you see you are hurting her?"

    "It''s better if Ie back when I am better." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "By that time it will be toote, Cedric." Cami said, she sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "Cedric, don''t let it be toote."

    "Boss, we need you back. Not just us, the wholepany, your friends, your family." Dave said as he too tried to convince Cedric.

    "Are you really willing to miss your son''s first day in school?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Emilio doesn''t start school soon, he still has three months." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Adrianna can''t keep him around all of the time, she is nning on letting him start school early." Ian informed Cedric. "Plus you''ve messed up your schedule. He was supposed to start school this week, but you disappeared."

    Cedric refused to speak, shaking his head.

    "You are just running from the world Cedric." Ian suddenly said. "You are hiding from your feelings and you are pretending that you are trying to heal when you are just too afraid to show the people that care for you that you can hurt too."

    "I''m supposed to protect them Ian, not be protected by them!" Cedric shouted.

    "And the truth was revealed." Ian said, shaking his head. "You might be able to lie to yourself, but you can''t lie to us. We know you too well."

    Cedric red at Ian, but he didn''t say a word. He simply turned around and left.

 Chapter 576 - 576

    Ian sighed as he watched Cedric walk away, he knew that their words at least made a dent. Cedric didn''t outright reject their pleas for him to return.

    "Do you think he wille back?" Dave asked Ian.??

    "Only Cedric can decide that, and honestly, we don''t know what''s going on in his head." Ian said as he took out a cigarette and lit it.

    "I thought you dropped that habit?" Cami asked Ian with a raised eyebrow.

    Ian smiled andughed.

    "I did, but I smoke once in a while, when I''m stressed." Ian said with a shrug. "I can''t exactly have alcohol right now, so might as well just smoke."

    "You and your vices." Leon said, shaking his head.

    "Right, and you are so clean." Ian said, rolling his eyes at Leon.

    "Leon has a vice?" Dave asked as he snickered.

    "He did." Cami teased.

    "Yeah, I had to go to a gambling den to drag him out." Ian said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

    "Well I was depressed and had no one to turn to." Leon said defensively.

    "How dark did this time have to be to get the great Leon to break?" Mae teased, they knew Leon to be a well trained and disciplined man, not some gambler.

    "It was right before I started working as Cedric''s bodyguard." Leon said with a shrug. "That''s how I first met Ian and started working for the Reyes Group."

    "You met gambling?" Dave asked with augh. "You, the two of you? The two stiffs?"

    "Are you seriously calling them stiffs now?" Mae said, rolling her eyes at Dave.

    "We were different people back then." Ian said, shaking his head.

    "Yeah, you were full of anger." Cami teased.

    "He still is." Leon said with augh. "He just hides it better now."

    "We should get going." Ian said, shaking his head. "I still have to deal with the king of the underworld and my naughty wife."

    "She would shout at you if she heard that you were calling her your wife already." Cami teased.

    "She will be." Ian said with a knowing grin as he walked away and hopped into Dave''s car. "Cami will drop you and Leon off. I need to go."

    "What? Wait -" Dave said as he chased after Ian who had already stepped on the gas and sped away.

    Ian drove quite a distance to get to Bamboo Room''s location on the outskirts of the capital. He knew that by the time he arrived at the restaurant, it''s patrons would already have left and he and Ray could discuss matters in private.

    When he finally parked his car and stepped out, the whole property was silent. It seemed Ray had sent everyone home early.

    Inside, Ian found Ray sitting by the prized table of the Bamboo Room, sipping wine and watching the city from a distance.

    "I found Cedric." Ian announced as he approached.

    Ray looked at Ian, his eyes wide with shock. Clearly this was not the news Ray expected to hear from Ian today.

    "Where?" Ray asked.

    "You will be disappointed, with a lot of people." Ian said with a shrug as he took a ss and poured himself some wine.

    "Should you be drinking?" Ray asked with a raised eyebrow. "You don''t have a driver."

    "I will, when they catch up." Ian said with a grin. He knew that Dave and Leon would chase after him to get Dave''s car back.

    Rayughed knowing that Ian had probably pulled an interesting stunt.

    "Tell me." Ray ordered.

    "I spoke to Cedric today, he''s been giving Mae instruction on how to take care of Adrianna." Ian exined with a shrug. "We figured that Mia didn''t really have any friends except for Cami and Leon confirmed it."

    "So you saw him today?" Ray asked.

    "Yeah, he said he isn''t ready to go back, but we are hoping that our words convinced him toe back." Ian said with a shrug.

    "So where has he been hiding all this time?" Ray asked Ian, not forgetting his first question.

    "At Saints, at the psych ward." Ian said with a shrug.

    He heard the ss in Ray''s hand shatter, he knew Ray had an even worse temper than him, clearly the other man was even more disappointed.

    "Eric." Ray hissed.

    "Eric? Not Miguel?" Ian said with an amusedugh. "Wouldn''t Miguel and Nicole be more responsible for this?"

    "No." Ray said, shaking his head. "Eric has been directly managing the psych department of Saints Hospital for over a year now."

    "Nicole is still not innocent in this." Ian said, shaking his head. "She runs the whole ce, since when did Eric take over? Nicole never mentioned anything about it."

    "Don''t you guys ever talk about work at home?" Ray asked with an amused look on his face.

    "Nicole doesn''t like discussing too much about work at home. She says we have too much stress there already, might as well just focus on our family while we are at home." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Eric wants to have an option after leaving the industry." Ray said as he walked over to fetch another ss of wine.

    "He is retiring?" Ian asked.

    "He will, if Katerina finally agrees to marry him." Ray said with an amusedugh.

    "But Katerina would never let him quit." Ian said, shaking his head. "Knowing that woman she would never let him put her before his career. I don''t understand why he can''t keep acting after they get married."

    "Because people will find out who he really is if he gets married." Ray said with augh.

    "Both their families are powerful enough for them to ignore those rumors." Ian said, shaking his head. "That couple is way too dramatic."

    "It''s their problem." Ray said with a shrug. "If they needed help they would have spoken up."

    "So what will do about the Chans?" Ian asked as he took a sip of wine.

    "I''ll talk to them." Ray said with a sigh. "I suggest you talk to Nicole about this first too."

    Ian nodded.

    "Do we tell Adrianna?" Ian asked Ray.

    "It will make her feel better to know that Cedric is safe and nearby." Ray said with a nod.

    "Oh, another thing." Ian said as he looked out into the vast city in front of them. "Adrianna is pregnant, apparently Cedric had Nicole lie to her."

    "And he stayed away?" Ray asked with a raised eyebrow. "That was stupid of him."

    Ian chuckled.

    "Cedric always has his reasons." Ian said, shaking his head.

    "This time he is wrong." Ray said with a sigh as he took a sip from his ss. "He shouldn''t have done that to Adrianna. I''m sure Ayanna will have his head when he gets back."

    "Of the two siblings, sometimes I wonder who is the scarier one." Ian said with augh.

    "Definitely Ayanna." Ray said, grinning back at his friend.

    "Oh? Why?" Ian asked as he gave Ray a puzzled look.

    "Because she has Cedric and I in her pocket, we would do anything for that woman." Ray said with a grin.

    "Ian!" Dave''s voice came as the doors to the Bamboo Room flung open.

    "Calm down Dave!" Ray shouted back. "I called him over." Ray grinned at Ian, knowing that the poor boy would not be able to do anything now.

 Chapter 577 - 577

    "We need to talk." Ray said as he entered his and Ayanna''s room in Cedric''s Mountain View Mansion.

    Ray had just arriveding from his meeting with Ian. ??

    He found his wife sitting by herptop, ready for bed.

    "Why are you overworking yourself?" Ray said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

    "Well, Cedric isn''t around, so someone has to do the work." Ayanna said with a shrug. "I can''t let thepany fall just because my brother has issues."

    "Ayanna, we found him." Ray said as he massaged his wife''s shoulders. He felt her tense up under his touch. He didn''t know what to make of her reaction.

    "Please tell me you didn''t know." Ray pleaded.

    "Know about what exactly, Ray?" Ayanna said, cing her palms on the table and letting out a frustrated sigh.

    "You didn''t know that Nicole and Eric were hiding Cedric, or that Adrianna was in fact pregnant." Ray said as he marched into their walk in closet to get ready for bed.

    "I won''t lie to you and I won''t hurt you." Ayanna said, getting up from her table and following her husband.

    "So you knew, you knew all along and you let your friend, your sister-inw suffer because your brother needed space?" Ray said angrily, shaking his head.

    "I didn''t know where Cedric was." Ayanna said in a frustrated tone. "I never lied about that!"

    "You didn''t?" Ray said as he calmed down. He was aggressively taking off his clothes when Ayanna entered their walk-in-closet.

    Seeing her husband naked made Ayanna suddenly pause and avert her eyes.

    "Nothing you haven''t seen or felt ma cherie." Ray said as he walked over and pulled his wife close to him.

    "So what did you know?" Ray asked.

    "Can''t you put clothes on?" Ayanna asked him angrily.

    "I can, but what''s the difference." Ray said as he brushed a stray strand of hair from her face.

    "Ray! This is a serious conversation!" Ayanna shouted in frustration as she pulled away from her husband.

    Ray simplyughed at her and raised his hands.

    "Put on some pants or we won''t be discussing this." Ayanna said, turning around and leaving him.

    Rayughed and did as she asked, quickly cleaning himself up and putting on clothes.

    When he finally returned to their room, he found Ayanna still working on herptop.

    He sighed and shook his head.

    Ayanna jumped in surprise when Ray suddenly closed herptop and picked her up from her seat.

    "Ray put me down now!" Ayanna demanded. "I still have work to finish."

    "That can wait." Ray said as he ced her down gently on the bed. "Right now I want to talk about Cedric and Adrianna."

    "Fine." Ayanna said, crossing her arms.

    "What did you know?" Ray asked his wife as he climbed into bed next to her.

    "All Nicole told me is that Adrianna is pregnant." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "So why didn''t you tell Adrianna?" Ray asked as he stared into his wife''s eyes.

    "Adri knows." Ayanna said, shaking her head. "She asked us not to tell."

    "Adrianna knows?" Ray asked, sitting up in surprise.

    "Yeah." Ayanna said with a nod. "She didn''t want people using it as a way for Cedric toe back, so she made everyone keep it a secret."

    "Ian said that Cedric told them Adrianna didn''t know." Ray said as he scratched his chin.

    "What do you mean Cedric told them?" Ayanna asked, leaning closer to her husband.

    "Ian, Cami, Dave, and Leon got to see Cedric today." Ray exined. "Mae has been meeting with him. He''s been telling her how to take care of Adrianna. He knew that she was pregnant."

    "And my brother still refused to return?" Ayanna asked with a disappointed look on her face. "How can Cedric be so heartless?"

    "Ayanna, Cedric is not at the best ce right now." Ray said as he ced a hand on his wife''s back.

    "Where has he been this whole time? How did he know about Adrianna''s pregnancy?" Ayanna demanded to know.

    "He probably found out through Eric or Nicole." Ray said with a frown. "He''s been staying at the psych ward of Saints Hospital. It seems like he''s been getting help there."

    "The Chans knew?" Ayanna asked angrily. "They knew and they didn''t say a word?"

    "They might have believed he needed the time to recover." Ray said in an attempt to understand Cedric''s actions.

    Ayanna suddenly got off of their bed and marched out of the room.

    Ray quickly chased after her, worried about what Ayanna would end up doing.

    "Ayanna, people are sleeping, let''s go back to our room." Ray pleaded as he grabbed her wrist.

    "Let go of me Raymund Laurence, unless you want to end up sleeping in the car today!" Ayanna hissed, making Ray let go.

    There was nothing he could do.

    He followed Ayanna as she climbed up the stairs of the Mountain View Mansion.

    "Ayanna, please, don''t be too rash on this." Ray begged as he chased her up the stairs.

    "I''m not being rash!" Ayanna said, turning to face him. "Adrianna deserves to know the truth!"

    Ayanna quickly walked up the door to the master bedroom and knocked.

    She waited till Adrianna opened the door, the other woman was quite surprised to see Ayanna standing at her bedroom door in her pajamas.

    "We need to talk." Ayanna said, pulling her sister-inw into the room. "It''s up to you if you want to join us." Ayanna said, turning to her husband.

    Ray simply shrugged and followed the two women inside, closing the door behind him.

    "Adrianna I need you to be calm." Ayanna warned as she held Adrianna''s hands in hers.

    "You tell her that, but you marched into her bedroom like a mad woman." Ray said with augh, rolling his eyes.

    "You! You! Shut up!" Ayanna said as she turned her back on Ray.

    Her husband simplyughed at her reaction and sat at a couch nearby.

    "What is it Ayanna?" Adrianna asked in a sleepy voice. "I''m quite tired and want to sleep."

    "Adrianna, my brother has known this whole time that you are pregnant and he has been hiding out at Saints Hospital. I think Nicole, Eric, and Miguel are helping him out." Ayanna quickly said, making Ray pinch the space in between his eyes in frustration.

    "Oh, yeah I know." Adrianna suddenly said, shocking the couple.

 Chapter 578 - 578

    Ray paced across Cedric''s office as they waited for everyone else to arrive.

    Last night, when Adrianna had told them that she knew all along where Cedric was hiding, and that she had willingly let him stay hidden, his wife had stormed out of the room.??

    Ray had promised Adrianna that they would discuss it with their friends and family the next day.

    Hence, Ray had asked Ian to call everyone to R Tower.

    "Will you stop pacing?" Adrianna asked in a frustrated tone as she ced down her pen and red at Ray. "I have work to do, and your pacing does not help."

    "Adri, calm down." Ayanna said as she ced a cup of tea in front of her sister-inw. "Let me take that." Ayanna said, picking up the stack of paper in front of Adrianna and bringing it over to the coffee table where she was currently working.

    "Well you wouldn''t need to work if you didn''t let your husband just run amok!" Ray said in frustration.

    "Ray, can you please be calmer?" Ayanna scolded. "Come, sit next to me." She said, patting the space on the couch next to her.

    Ray groaned, he was pissed, but he knew that what Ayanna had said made sense.

    "You need to be calm Ray." Ayanna scolded as she felt the couch dip, meaning Ray had finally taken a seat. "Your bad mood is not good for our little niece or nephew in Adrianna''s belly."

    "Wow? Really? My mood is the worst thing for the child now?" Ray asked, rolling his eyes and leaning back on the couch.

    "Why does it feel like you never work?" Adrianna teased Ray.

    Ray groaned in response.

    "I mean even when Cedric was around you were always hanging out at his office or going out with him." Adrianna said, tilting her head.

    "I''m a very busy man, Adrianna." Ray scolded. "Just because you guys don''t see me always working, doesn''t mean I don''t work." Ray said with a shrug.

    "He actually is a busy man, Adri." Ayanna said, nodding in agreement. "Any time Cedric drags him away, Ray needs to either work overtime or work on the weekend. It''s not easy, but I know my brother''s issues involve us all."

    "Honestly, out of everything I have my fingers in, the one that takes the least effort to manage is the underworld." Ray said with a shrug. "The structure that keeps order among the scum of society has been around far longer than this government. My family has been in charge of it for so long that there is barely anything to keep an eye out for."

    "Well add to that the fact that any mess in the underworld is sure to have an effect with either thew or business, your friends always y a crucial role." Ayanna said with a grin.

    Over the years, Ayanna hade to understand how interconnected the world truly was. One movement from any of the boys could have an effect on the other.

    She had warned her brother, her husband, and their friends about the possible repercussions and they listened. Ever since then they made sure to fully understand all of their decisions.

    A wrong business move from the Reyes Group could cause the economy to drop, affecting Alexi who was in government and Ray who had to keep crime organized.

    "Where are they?" Ray groaned as he looked to the door.

    "You are more impatient than Yoyo." His wife scolded as she handed him a stack of documents.

    "What are these?" Ray asked.

    "Your assistant asked me to make sure you read through all of them and signed everything you approved of." Ayanna said as she handed her husband a pen. "Now start signing. I don''t want to go hungry."

    "You will never go hungry, Ayanna." Alexi said as he entered the office.

    Ayanna smiled and noticed that everyone else had arrived with him as well.

    "Was this nned?" Ray asked as he raised an eyebrow at Alexi.

    "No," Alexi said, shaking his head as he and the rest of their group entered. "There is a ton of press waiting outside of R Tower, we were taken by surprise. I had a hard time getting in. Then I noticed everyone else arriving, so we just decided to push through the press together."

    "Ian!" Adrianna called out.

    "Yes?" Ian asked as he peeked inside the office.

    "Can you get Mae or Cami to find out what is going on?" Adrianna asked. "Alexi said that the media is swarming outside."

    "Alright." Ian said with a nod. "I''ll join in a bit."

    Adrianna nodded her thanks and ced down the cup of tea that Ayanna had given her.

    "How are you feeling?" Miguel asked as he came up next to her.

    "Still the same, tired and sick." Adrianna said, shaking her head.

    "I can prescribe something for you -" Miguel started to say when he was suddenly cut off by his sister, Nicole.

    "No, no, no, she''s my patient." Nicole said, shaking her head.

    "Fine." Miguel said, rolling his eyes. "Seriously Nicole, what''s the sudden possessiveness over patients, it''s just Adrianna."

    Ray looked between the siblings, it seemed that Miguel had no idea that Adrianna was pregnant. The Chan siblings must have been keeping secrets from one another, Ray wondered what else Nicole was hiding.

    When Ray noticed Ian entering the room and closing the door behind him, he decided it was time to speak.

    "The reason Nicole is being so protective of Adrianna is not because she is being possessive over her patients." Ray said, shaking his head.

    Next to him Ayanna started to grumble, clearly unhappy with his decision to reveal Adrianna''s secret first.

    "What do you mean Ray?" Miguel said as he cocked his head to the side and looked at his friend.

    "Adrianna is pregnant." Ray suddenly revealed, making everyone look at the woman sitting behind the CEO''s table,

    "Adri, if you are pregnant, why are you working?" Ram was the first to speak, and luckily it was him, since he was the most level headed among them. "The stress could cause you to lose the baby."

    "Simple, for Cedric." Adrianna said with a shrug.

 Chapter 579 - 579

    "Adrianna, I know you are in love with my brother, but he is being selfish by doing this." Ayanna said in a concerned voice.

    "Cedric hasn''t abandoned me or his children." Adrianna said, shaking her head. "He visits Mae everyday to tell her what to do and to check up on me." Adrianna revealed, shocking everyone.??

    "You knew?" Ian asked with a chuckle.

    "It wasn''t difficult to figure out." Adrianna said with a shrug as she leaned back against the seat.

    This was another thing Cedric had arranged for her. When he found out she was pregnant he had asked Mae to swap out his old chair for something morefortable.

    "The Mia story?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow and a gin.

    Adrianna simply nodded in response. "I knew Mia the best, and I picked up on it."

    "So you knew everything this whole time?" Veronica asked in an annoyed tone. "That''s very stupid and irresponsible of you Adrianna."

    "All Cedric needs is time. Time to cope with his emotions and to gather himself. He can''t do that with everyone breathing down his neck." Adrianna said with a shrug.

    "So you give him his so-called space and you risk yourself and your unborn child?" Katerina asked angrily.

    "I''ve never been risking anything Katerina." Adrianna said as she looked at the woman directly in the eyes. "Cedric has always sent the Chan siblings to look after me, yes Nicole. I know that you and Eric have been hiding Cedric."

    Nicole stared at Adrianna, wide eyed in shock.

    "You were hiding him and you didn''t tell me?!" Miguel angrily asked his siblings.

    "You have no control or say in the psych ward, it was of no interest to you." Eric said with a shrug.

    "Don''t y meless and cool and calm now Eric!" Miguel said angrily. "You knew that Cedric was needed here! And still you hid him!"

    "His mental well being is also important Miguel!" Eric answered back, shouting at Miguel for the first time.

    "I can''t believe you Eric!" Miguel fired back.

    "You im to be a doctor Miguel, why can''t you understand that a person needs both physical and psychological healing?" Eric asked as he tried to calm himself down. "Cedric has been through so much trauma that this one week has been way too short."

    "It''s been way too long too!" Miguel scolded his brother. "Don''t y a fool Eric, you know just as I do, how much thispany and the country''s economy depends on him."

    "And don''t you think that is too much for a man who has just lost his mother, a man who lost his friend, a man who ended up shooting another?" Eric asked everyone in the room. "How many of you even noticed that Cedric was beating himself up over all of the deaths."

    "All of the deaths?" Ray asked, unsure as to what Eric meant.

    They knew that Cedric was hurt by Jam''s death. They knew he med himself for Prisic Reyes'' death and Mia''s death. But Eric''s statement of all deaths confused them.

    "Yes, all!" Eric said, shaking his head. "Whether it was a friend or a foe Cedric med himself, he thought that if he could have protected everyone better then there should have been no bloodshed. Had he realized sooner that Aiden was the one behind everything, then Mia wouldn''t have to die, his mom wouldn''t have had to die."

    "But we''ve told him time and again that it didn''t matter, he couldn''t have done anything. No one mes him." Ayanna said in a sad voice.

    "Did any of you know that the moment Aiden had died, Cedric started to feel bad?" Eric asked, surprising almost everyone.

    Eric noticed Adrianna and Ian frown, clearly they both had known.

    "Cedric felt he was taking away from Aiden the chance to change, to be better." Eric said, shaking his head. "He thought he had taken for Cami and Benedict and their Grandfather."

    "It was eating him up when we got back." Ian suddenly said.

    "You weren''t there much." Ray said as he looked up at Ian. "How did you know?"

    "I visited a few times." Ian said with a shrug. "Cedric sometimes lowers his guard around me. I guess it''s because we spend too much time around each other for work."

    "I''m his brother-inw, one of his best friends, why didn''t he tell me too?" Ray asked, the regret visible in his eyes.

    "He didn''t want to bother you." Adrianna suddenly spoke up. "In public, Cedric is a strong man, what everyone expects a CEO to be. He didn''t want to bother you with something he thought was merely an image thing."

    Ray frowned and sighed.

    "You aren''t to me either Ray." Ian said, shaking his head. "He slipped around me. He didn''t want any of us to know."

    Ray sighed and frowned.

    "Cedric also med this whole mess with Aiden for the deaths of Aiden''s men and his own." Eric told everyone. "Those people were still someone''s brother, father, son. They were still lost and their families could not mourn them."

    "Their bodies were returned." Ray hissed. "But, even so, Cedric shouldn''t me himself. No one is ming him."

    "Cedric needs time to heal." Eric exined. "Give him that time."

    "And it''s not like hepletely abandoned me." Adrianna said with a smirk as she typed something on to herptop.

    "What do you mean Adri?" Ayanna asked.

    Adrianna turned herptop screen. Everyone could see an image of the CEOs office, clearly empty with stacks of documents and Adrianna''sptop on the table.

    "Cedric, pretended to be a janitor at the Reyes Group." Adrianna said as she pressed y.

    The screen came to life as a man in a janitor''s uniform snuck into the CEO''s office, from the angle they couldn''t tell if it was Cedric.

    The man took a seat and powered on theptop, he began to type and he sorted out the documents. He alsobeled them, clearly giving Adrianna guidance on what to do.

    "It could be someone trying to stealpany secrets Adri!" Veronica said as a look of worry crossed her face.

    Adrianna smiled and shook her head. She turned theptop to face her once more and opened another file.

    When she showed it to them it seemed to be the same video, but the angle was different.

    Here they could clearly see Cedric''s face as he worked to clear out Adrianna''s remaining workload.

    "How did he slip from your investigation?" Ray asked as he looked at Ian.

    He knew that Ian was looking at the employee files trying to figure out if Cedric was hiding at the Reyes Group.

    Ian grinned andughed.

    "You''ll call all of us stupid." Ian teased.

    "What is it?" Alexi asked Ian in an impatient tone.

    "Cedric outsmarted us, again." Ian said with a shrug. "He used his name, I didn''t think he would ande on guys Cedric Reyes is not exactly a unique name."

    "And no one realized it was him?" Alexi asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "There were a few." A familiar voice said as the door to the CEO''s office opened.

    "Well, nice of you to return." Alexi teased as Cedric entered, looking like his old self.

    "It''s good to be back." Cedric said with a yful smile.

 Chapter 580 - 580

    "Why are you back?" Ayanna hissed as her older brother.

    Cedric smiled at Ayanna, he ignored her question and instead walked over to his wife who was seated behind his desk.??

    As he approached, he looked at her with gentle and loving eyes, letting the world around them disappear.

    "Are you better now?" Adrianna asked in a small voice.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod as he stopped in front of her. Taking in the woman he had missed so much.

    Adrianna stood up and took a step towards Cedric. He stretched out his arms to wrap them around her.

    Suddenly Adrianna''s hand flew across Cedric''s cheek, pping him so hard that the whole room heard the impact.

    Cedric frowned at her reaction, cing his hand on the now sore part of his face.

    "That was incredibly irresponsible of you." Adrianna scolded.

    "I thought you said you understood?" Cedric asked with a puzzled, yet amused look on his face. This was the reason why their marital life was so happy. There was never a truly dull moment.

    "I understood the need." Adrianna said with a shrug as she red at him. "And I gave you your space. I don''t approve of the way you did it!"

    "But Adri," Cedric said as he reached out and grabbed her wrist. "I''m back now."

    "You know I am pregnant, right?" Adrianna asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Cedric nodded hesitantly. He knew she was going to use the pregnancy, it was, after all, wrong for him to abandon his pregnant wife.

    "I don''t need to tell you what you did wrong." Adrianna suddenly said in a much calmer tone. "You are a grown ass man. So you better know where to sleep tonight."

    Adrianna''sment was received withughter from their friends and family.

    Ray grinned at Adrianna''s words, he had expected her to go easy on Cedric and not make him pay for what he did. So her decision to scold him made Ray smile.

    "Cedric!" Cami said as she gasped in shock. Everyone turned her attention to her as she showed them numbers on her phone.

    "What exactly are you showing us Cami?" Miguel groaned, clearly unable to understand what Cami was showing them.

    "It''s not for you dumbass." Eric said, rolling his eyes at his brother.

    "Well I would like to be included in the conversation every once in a while." Miguel grumbled, making everyone roll their eyes at him.

    Cedric quickly marched over to Cami and took her phone.

    His calm demeanour suddenly turned cold. Everyone knew what that meant, there was a serious matter in their hands and Cedric was trying to make sense of it.

    "I''m sorry everyone, but I need to cut our reunion short." Cedric said with a frown as he handed Cami back her phone.

    "Ayanna, Nicole, Veronica, can you take my wife back home and let her rest?" Cedric asked as he looked at the three women.

    "Don''t you need me here?" Ayanna asked as she nced at Cami.

    Unlike Miguel, she understood the numbers that Cami had shown and she knew it was not a light matter.

    Cedric shook his head. "No, rest Ayanna. You''ve been overworking yourself."

    "Are you forgetting that I''m the secondrgest shareholder of thispany?" Ayanna said, cing her hands on her hips. "And why didn''t you send Katerina too?"

    "Cause Katerina will make things worse, she''s just too. . . " Cedric''s voice trailed off as he tried to think of a word to describe the woman.

    "Too much?" Alexi asked,ughing at his sister, who smacked him in the head.

    Cedric nodded and looked at Katerina. "Plus I might need mywyer." He said with a shrug.

    "No!" Ayanna insisted.

    "Ayanna, darling, Cedric is right." Ray said, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her to him. "You are exhausted, go home, rest with Adrianna." Ray said as he nted a kiss on her cheek.

    "Stay with my brother?" Ayanna asked her husband.

    "Of course." Ray said with a nod. "If he falls, I fall."

    Ayanna eventually gave in and took Adrianna home with the other girls.

    "You guys should also all go back to your ownpanies." Cedric told everyone else.

    "Are you sure you don''t need us?" Ram asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "It''s a business thing." Cedric said with a shrug. "You know I will call if I need help."

    "Alright." Ram said as he left with Francesca. "Eric, don''t forget you have to tape a new movie today. Don''t get too worried over Cedric." Ram added as he winked at Eric.

    Ericughed at Ram''s reaction and his reminder.

    "Ram is right." Eric said in a more serious tone. "I still have work to do. Will you be staying?" He asked Katerina.

    Katerina simply nodded in reply as she made herselffortable on Cedric''s couch.

    "I''ll see you at home tonight then." Eric said as he bent down and kissed Katerina passionately.

    "Seriously?" Alexi said, rolling his eyes. "I''m off." He said as he marched out of the room

    Cedricughed, shaking his head.

    Soon the only people left in Cedric''s office were him, Ray, Katerina, Ian, Cami, Dave, Mae, and Benedict.

    "So what happened?" Ray asked Cami. "I know Mor Co. stocks won''t ever have a steep decline, so it''s something else."

    "It''s the new entrant." Cami said with a frown.

    "Before anything." Benedict said, injecting himself into the conversation. "The new entrant, I think he might be the missing Chan cousin."

    "Are you sure?" Cedric asked as he looked Benedict in the eyes.

    Benedict nodded.

    "I managed to sort through my brother''s documents, he was investing in that man''spany, and he was investing bigtime." Benedict confirmed.

    "Was Aiden sure that it was him?" Cedric asked.

    "We will only find out if we can do a DNA test." Benedict said with a shrug.

    "Dave, continue the investigation into the nurse, I want to make sure that that person can confirm where he sent the child." Cedric instructed.

    "Yes sir." Dave said as he left the room.

    "Cami, let''s assess the situation." Cedric said with a nod as he sat back down behind his desk.

    "Are you sure about this?" Ian asked.

    "Sure about what?" Cedric looked up with a confused look.

    "Are you sure you are ready to be back?" Ian asked with a shug.

    "Yes, I''m ready." Cedric said with a nod as he signaled Cami to begin her report.

 Chapter 581 - 581

    "He goes by the name Lucius Ting." Cami said as she pointed at the screen in front of her.

    It showed a young man, roughly the same age as Cedric and the others. He had the same dark hair and pale skin as Miguel and Eric. His eyes were a bit rounder, but Cedric couldn''t deny that there were some simrities he could pick out.??

    "What do we know about him?" Cedric asked as he leaned forward in his seat.

    "Lucius Ting, possibly 29 to 31 years old." Cami began as she read through his file in her hand. "He was adopted from a convent in Naples, Italy by British - Chinese parents, Amalia and Bernard Ting."

    Cedric nodded as he picked up on where he was adopted.

    "Honestly his life was good, it was pretty normal for someone with well off parents." Cami said with a shrug. "His adoptive parents loved him and he loved them. He went on to study at a University in America andter on established his Techpany, the Arch group."

    "So what was our red g that pointed towards him as the man Aiden thought to be Uncle Miguel''s child?" Cedric asked.

    "Aside from the fact that Aiden had files on him, Aiden also invested heavily on hispany." Benedict said with a nod, taking over the presentation from his sister.

    Benedict showed how much Aiden had invested in Lucius''pany, and the number shocked Cedric.

    "Do we know why Aiden invested in him?" Cedric asked as he looked at the amount on the screen.

    "We can only guess." Benedict said with a shrug. "But knowing my brother, the one thing that fueled all his actions was revenge."

    "But the Chans had nothing to do with your parent''s deaths." Cedric said as he scratched his chin, pondering as to why Aiden would involve them.

    "To Aiden, they were just coteral damage." Benedict said with a shrug. "You saw how he was ready to put me and Cami in danger that day. As long as at the end of the day he gets his revenge, it doesn''t matter how many people get hurt in the process."

    Cedric simply nodded, acknowledging Benedict''s words.

    "I feel like this is too weak an argument." Katerina said as she sat up on the couch. "If it''s just based on investments, then I''m sure there are other suspects. What makes this Lucius guy so special?"

    "Well, we''ve traced the nurse to Naples as well." Benedict said with a sly grin.

    "You could have started with that." Katerina said, rolling her eyes. "Go on."

    "At the time of Uncle Miguel''s death, the nurse was living in Naples, Italy, and based on our investigation he might still be there." Benedict exined.

    "He?" Ray asked in surprise.

    "Yes, the nurse was a he." Cami said with augh. "That''s why it took so long to find this nurse. Everyone had been under the impression that he was a she."

    "Okay, so this nurse was in Naples, but what if he sent Uncle Miguel''s son to another orphanage for adoption, or maybe he gave him to a family in the city?" Ian asked the siblings.

    "We checked the surrounding region as best we could, there were no other adoptions of an asian looking child in the area." Cami exined. "And before you ask, yes, we even expanded our search to nearby countries. He is the only one that matches Uncle Miguel''s son."

    "Okay, we can keep assuming that he is Uncle Miguel''s son, but nothing is sure until we have a DNA test saying he is from the Chan family." Cedric said as he leaned back against his seat. "Dave will continue his investigation while we deal with this."

    "How do you want us to go about this?" Cami asked as she waited for Cedric''s instructions.

    "I''m assuming you have information on hispany''s movements?" Cedric asked Cami, who nodded in reply.

    She quickly changed the presentation that was shed on the screen.

    "Wow, where can I find someone as efficient as Cami?" Ray said as he was shocked by how prepared Cami had been.

    "You gotta save a kid first." Cami teased as she handed the pointer to Benedict.

    "Hey, my dad was involved in rescuing you!" Ray said as he suddenly realized that the Reyes actually had nothing to do with the death of the Ortiz siblings'' parents.

    Cami simplyughed at him and smiled.

    "My brother will present this to you Cedric." Cami said with a nod. "We''ve been working on this together. He''s been keeping a close eye on them."

    "Okay, go on Benedict." Cedric said as he scrolled through the information that Cami had sent to his email.

    "I''ll skip through all the small details since it seems you''ve read through them." Benedict said as the slides behind him changed at a rapid pace.

    "Yeah, I''ve seen them." Cedric said with a nod. "So what do you think?" Cedric said as he ced hisptop aside to listen to Benedict and Cami''s conclusion.

    "We think they are trying to snap up all of the smallerpanies andbine their assets and employees into onepany that could truly challenge Mor Co." Benedict said quite confidently.

    "Where is he getting the funding?" Cedric asked, he had not seen it in the document that Cami had sent over.

    "That one, we aren''t so sure of." Benedict said with a shrug. "He could be using the money he has made with Arch Group, or still using money that my brother had given him."

    "Does he know Aiden is dead?" Ray said, speaking up.

    "No, I don''t think so." Benedict said, shaking his head. "I think he has sent people to check out our old house next to Katerina''s."

    "So those were the suspicious people my men were reporting." Katerina said.

    "You noticed them?" Benedict asked, with a hint of shock in his expression.

    "Yeah." Katerina said with a nod. "The ce has been extremely deserted since Cami''s kidnapping. It''s odd to see cars driving by. We are in an area of themunity with less people."

    "Engage with them." Cedric instructed.

    "What?" Katerina asked as she looked at Cedric.

    "I think Cedric is right." Ray said with a nod. "Engage, but make them feel like they had to search you out."

    "And what do I say when I finally speak to Lucius?" Benedict asked, nervous about what Cedric and Ray would answer.

    Cedric grinned and looked at Ray, it seemed that they had the same idea in mind.

    "The truth, Aiden is dead." Cedric said with a nod as he observed Benedict''s reaction. "I want you to get onto his good side." Cedric exined with a sly smile.

 Chapter 582 - 582

    "Are you sure about this Cami?" Benedict asked as he nced at his sister. He was driving them to the home he shared with Aiden.

    "Want to go with you." Cami said with a determined look on her face. "Plus think of it as sibling bonding." Cami said with a shrug.??

    "Don''t we get enough of that everyday?" Benedict teased her. They were now both working in the Reyes Group, both under Cedric.

    With Lucius Ting standing as a threat to Mor Co., Cedric decided to y a more active role in thepany. He had asked Cami and most of the higher ups of Mor Co. to move their offices to R Tower.

    "Yeah, and you''re so clingy that you want to have lunch together everyday." Cami said, rolling her eyes, thankful that her brother decided to lighten the mood.

    "Well sister dearest, we have years to make up." Benedict said with augh as they drove up to the now abandoned house. "Plus it''s not like you have friends."

    "Benedict!" Cami shouted angrily as he hopped off of the car and opened the gates. His staff hadn''t moved in yet, so it would just be him and Cami for the rest of the day.

    Cedric had decided to offer them some help through his security team, while Benedict filled out the rest of the staff.

    He really did need to hire people for when his home at Mountain View waspleted.

    "We forgot something." Cami said with augh as Benedict returned from opening the gates.

    "What?" Benedict asked his sister as he parked the car.

    "Groceries!" Cami said with augh.

    "Oh," Benedict said, giving his sister a confused look. "Can''t we just order in today?"

    "No." Cami said shaking her head. "I want to cook for my older brother today."

    "Fine, just unload your things from the car then you can take it to the grocery store." Benedict said with a shrug as he got out of the car and opened the trunk.

    They expected to stay at this house for quite a while so they packed enough clothes tost them a few months.

    "Which room do you want to take?" Benedict asked Cami as he helped her take out her suitcases.

    "Not the guest room." Cami said, shaking her head. "That''s where they kept me for a while." She said with a frown as she recalled the painful memory.

    "You can take my old room and I''ll take Aiden''s room." Benedict said with a nod, understanding his sister''s pain.

    "Has it been cleaned?" Cami asked as she remembered all the blood and debri from the fight Aiden had with Cedric.

    "The day after the attack, Cedric had this ce cleaned." Benedict exined. "You don''t need to worry."

    "Thanks." Cami said with a smile.

    "I also had most of the furniture changed and there are new sheets." Benedict said with a shrug. "You know I was supposed to sell this ce, I even already had a buyer, but for some reason things kept failing to fall through. I guess it was a blessing in disguise."

    As they entered the house, Cami was surprised to see that it was now painted a different color. Gone was the drab dark room and heavy curtains, the interior of the house was now white with wooden finishes and ents.

    It seemed like Benedict had brought the house to a new level of sophistication, it seemed much more habitable now.

    "I''m surprised that no one bought this ce yet." Cami said as she took a look around.

    "Fate, I guess." Benedict said with a shrug as he led his sister up the stairs to the second floor of the house.

    Benedict''s old room was to the right of the staircase while his new room, Aiden''s old room was to the left. He guided Cami to the room and opened the huge double doors for her.

    Inside, Cami was surprised to see theyout. There was a small receiving area that was gender neutral with light tones.

    "To the left is the office." Benedict exined as he pointed at a door. "There is an entrance to the office from the main hall as well, this is just quicker ess from the bed room."

    Cami nodded as she continued walking into the room. There was another pair of double doors that separated the receiving area from the main bedroom.

    She pushed them open to find a more modern bedroom than she expected.

    "I had it changed up a bit." Benedict said with a shrug. "This room used to be much darker, I guess it reflected how I was before, dark, angrym, and brooding."

    Inside there was arge king sized bed, on one side of the room was arge window that gave Cami a view of the front yard and the street.

    "It''s good for natural light." Benedict said with a shrug. "The window is one way and the ss is bulletproof, in case you were worried. Over there is the walk in closet and the bathroom."

    "Is this the master''s bedroom?" Cami asked, looking up at her brother.

    "No, I designed this ce so that Aiden and I hade equallyrge rooms, and I added a third." Benedict said with a shrug.

    "A third?" Cami asked as she gave him a confused look.

    "A third room, for you." Benedict said with augh. "But after what happened between Aiden and us I decided that things would probably never turn out the way I always dreamt."

    "And how was that?" Cami asked her brother.

    "Well, ever since I was a child I had always hoped that the three of us would live in the same house together again." Benedict said with a shrug.

    Cami frowned at her brother, she knew that dream was shattered the moment Aiden kidnapped her.

    "I had that big room changed into some smaller ones, in case the people that bought this ce had children or something." Benedict said with a shrug.

    "This ce is amazing, Benedict." Cami said with a smile. "Who knew you were so artistic."

    "Well, someone gave me advice." Benedict said with a shrug.

    "Who?" Cami asked, curious as to who her brother would have approached.

    "Veronica." Benedict said with a nervousugh. "She was, errrr��. Nice."

    "Yeah, Veronica is not your typical woman." Cami said as she ced her luggage aside.

    "Let''s get everything else down so that you can head on over to the grocery." Benedict said as they headed back to the car and unloaded their bags.

    When everything had been taken out, Benedict handed the keys to his sister and waited for her to disappear from his view before finally moving to close the gate.

    After closing the gate he immediately went into the house and took out his phone.

    "Yeah?" Came Cedric''s voice at the other end of the line.

    "I''ve seen them watching." Benedict said as he took a peek at the street from his own room.

    "Do you think they know who you are?" Cedric asked.

    "I think my brother may have told Lucius about me. I caught a few of their emails." Benedict told Cedric.

    "It''s good if he knows who you are. If he does, then he won''t hesitate to approach you." Cedric said in a confident tone.

    "Let''s just hope that my brother sent him a photo." Benedict said with a smile.

    "Keep me updated, and don''t go to the office you and Cami can work from there." Cedric instructed as he dropped the call.

    Benedict threw his phone on the bed and began to unpack, who knew that his dream of a peaceful life would be shaken so soon.

 Chapter 583 - 583

    When Ian entered Cedric''s office he looked up and saw the other man''s annoyed expression, Cedric knew that it couldn''t be good news.

    It had been a week since Benedict and Cami started living at Aiden''s old house. They had been reporting to him remotely as Cedric had instructed.??

    He made sure that they put up an illusion that they got their money from the Ortiz wealth, rather than through working for Cedric.

    Cedric had expected Lucius'' men to approach Benedict within that week, but it seemed that they had chosen to wait.

    "Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed again?" Cedric teased as Ian walked up to him.

    "No, but the Chans have been nagging non-stop." Ianined as he sat across Cedric.

    "What is it this time?" Cedric asked.

    "Everything." Ian said as he massaged his temples, he was clearly getting annoyed by his future inws. "They keep asking when Nicole and I will get married, then they go on saying, if we aren''t going to get married yet, then maybe we could give them another grandson. GRANDSON!" Ian said angrily.

    "Well, you know how traditional the Chans are, even if they have changed a little over the years, they still have their biases." Cedric said with a shrug as he returned his attention to the work on his desk.

    "You know what annoys me the most?" Ian asked.

    "What?" Cedric answered without lifting his head to look at his friend.

    "The fact that they want me to manage the Chan businesses after Nicole and I get married." Ian said in a clearly annoyed tone.

    "At this rate, you and Nicole are never going to get married." Cedric said with augh. He knew that Nicole and her brothers had worked so hard to break that tradition of the Chan family. Nicole would risk everything, even her rtionship, just to change that prejudice her family held.

    "I promised Nicole that no matter what I would be with her." Ian said with a nod as he ced a tablet on Cedric''s desk. "We don''t need to be married for us to be together."

    "That''s all great Ian, but is this the only reason why you barged into my office?" Cedric asked his friend with a raised eyebrow.

    "Of course not." Ian said, shaking his head. "I came in because of this, another annoyance for you." Ian pointed at the tablet in front of them that shed an invite on the screen.

    "What''s this?" Cedric asked, Ian knew that he wasn''t exactly a fan of events like these. He only attended those that were extremely important.

    "Normally, Cami would be our representative for events like these, but since you are trying to start a rumor about her falling out with you she can''t" Ian said with a shrug.

    "Why do I need to be the one to attend?" Cedric asked as he looked at the invitation. It was an invitation to the Gizmo Awards Night, Cedric knew that this was one of the biggest events in the tech industry. "Just get the marketing head to attend or someone else." Cedric said pushing the tablet back to Ian.

    "Lucius Ting will be there." Ian announced, catching Cedric''s attention once more.

    "Why?" Cedric suddenly asked.

    "Arch Group will be recognized as the most promising neer." Ian said with a shrug. "An award that Mor Co. also won after the rebrand you did, if you can recall."

    "That felt like ages ago." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "You know, it''s barely been four years." Ian said, shaking his head.

    "I know, so much has just happened in these past few years." Cedric said as he studied the invitation. "If I''m not mistaken, there are the awards ceremonies then the party after."

    Ian nodded, confirming Cedric''s memory of the event.

    "I doubt I will get the chance to speak to Lucius Ting during the awards ceremony." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Unless he is seated next to you." Ian said with a sly smile.

    "No, that would be way too obvious." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I don''t want him to feel like we have been watching him. I want him to be afraid that I don''t care."

    "I''ll make sure he is made to attend the after party then." Ian said with a shrug. "Someone will most definitely insist on introducing the two of you."

    Cedric nodded, agreeing to Ian''s n.

    "I''ll speak with the organizer and see if they can make the after party a mandatory event for winners, especially those that are still trying to build their name." Ian said as he quickly typed something on his phone.

    "Make it a charity, the after party." Cedric suggested. "People will always say bad things about those that try to avoid charities. And since we know he is adopted, focus it on children who were abandoned at an early age."

    "Should I involve Ram in this?" Ian asked Cedric.

    Cedric nodded in response. "He will be pissed if we don''t include him. Plus I want the media to hype up the charity event after, I want to pressure Lucius Ting to attend."

    "Have you patched things up with Adrianna?" Ian suddenly asked.

    "She''s still mad, but things are better, why do you ask?" Cedric exined, shaking his head. He didn''t like it when he and his wife fought, but this is one time that he couldn''t give in.

    "Well you need a date for this event." Ian said with a shrug. "And I don''t think bringing someone else will sit well with Adrianna."

    "I''m guessing bringing my sister along is out of the question?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "You could, but I doubt Ayanna would agree to go with you." Ian said with augh.

    Suddenly Cedric''s phone began to ring. He was surprised to see that it was Benedict. The man didn''t usually call this early in the day, so something must have happened.

    Cedric nodded, signaling Ian to call Mae and Dave, the two were also quite heavily involved in this matter.

    Cedric answered the call and ced it on speaker just as his assistants entered the room.

    "I''m assuming something happened." Cedric said before Benedict could even speak.

    "Yes." Benedict said. "My sister is here with me."

    "Hey Cedric." Cami said over the phone.

    "Hey Cami, I''m surprised you haven''t killed your brother." Ian teased over the phone. "I know my siblings and I would be at each other''s necks if we were stuck in the same house for over a week with nothing to do."

    "Well, I''m not like you." Cami teased back.

    "You have news?" Cedric asked, retuning the conversation back to the topic.

    "Yes." Benedict confirmed. "Lucius'' men have approached me. They invited me to have dinner with him."

    "When?" Cedric asked.

    "Tonight." Benedict informed him.

    "Go to it, and bring Cami with you." Cedric told Benedict. "You don''t need to wear a wire, just make sure to tell me everything that is discussed. The timing of this is perfect, he will be boasting during the awards night." Cedric said with a grin.

    "You want him over confident at Gizmo?" Cami asked.

    "Yes, the more confident he is, the more he is likely to slip up." Cedric confirmed.

    "We''ll call you after dinner." Cami said as she dropped the call.

 Chapter 584 - 584

    Benedict drove his car up to the restaurant where Lucius Ting had invited him. It was a distance from the city in a secluded area.

    He found it odd that there weren''t that many cars around, he had heard of this ce. It was a popr restaurant that initially threatened to dethrone the bamboo room as the most popr restaurant in the city.??

    "Are you sure about joining me?" Benedict asked Cami who sat at the passenger''s seat.

    "Why wouldn''t I?" Cami asked as she cocked her head to the side.

    "Lucius and I may say things about Cedric and your other friends that won''t go well with you." Benedict said, shaking his head. "I don''t want to end up hurting you all over again Cami."

    "I''m a big girl, Benedict." Cami said,ughing at her brother''s worry. "I''m here to act too."

    "Well I could just tell him you weren''t ready to face people." Benedict said with a shrug.

    "We both know that won''t be convincing enough." Cami said with a sigh. "Besides, I can pretend to hate Cedric."

    "Can you pretend to have loved Aiden?" Benedict asked with a raised eyebrow. He knew that even before she had disappeared Aiden and Cami didn''t exactly have the best rtionship.

    Cami sighed and shook her head.

    "Benedict, regardless of what happened and of how Aiden turned out, he was still my brother." Cami frowned. "I still loved him as my older brother. Even when he died I felt bad, a part of me died too. I had hoped that he could change so that we could have some semnce of a normal family life."

    "But he hurt you, he almost. . ." Benedict couldn''t evenplete his sentence. His anger with Aiden on what his brother nned to do to their sister still hadn''t subsided, even if the man was dead.

    "He almost raped me." Cami suddenly said as she looked out into the distance. "Just say it Benedict, my own older brother almost raped me. He didn''t know I was his sister and he wanted to take me."

    "The thought should never have even crossed his mind." Benedict said as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Rape is always wrong."

    "It''s good that you know that." Cami said with a weak smile as she ced her hand on her brother''s shoulder. "But Benedict, I believe that people can always change."

    "Not Aiden." Benedict said, shaking his head. "Aiden wouldn''t have changed Cami. Don''t deceive yourself."

    "What''s done is done." Cami said with a sigh. "I don''t want the past to hinder our future anymore Benedict."

    Benedict looked at his sister and gave her a weak smile.

    "I want you to move on, find a woman, and give me nieces and nephews." Cami suddenly teased making Benedictugh.

    "You boys brood too much." Cami said as she watched her brother be happy for a moment.

    "It''s part of the act, Cami." Benedict said with a wink. "We need to pretend to be in pain, to be angry."

    "Fine, you be the sibling that can''t control his emotions, while I be the logical one." Cami said, shing her brother a smile.

    Benedict shook his head, amused at how his sister was taking the matter.

    "No, you''re right." Benedict said, admitting his mistake. "I need to seem mature and calm about this. We need Lucius to keep thinking that we are the more powerful ones, the richer ones."

    "There you go, now we deal with Lucius." Cami said as she pointed towards the restaurant doors.

    Benedict nodded and stepped out of the car. He quickly ran to Cami''s side, opened the door for her, and helped her out.

    "I think he might have booked the whole ce for our meeting." Cami whispered to her brother with a hit of disgust in her tone. "I think he is trying to show off."

    "Would that even impress you?" Benedict whispered back, amused by his sister''sment.

    "I was Cedric''s personal assistant for years." Cami said as she looked up at her brother with a raised eyebrow. "It takes much more to impress me." Cami said in as snobbish a tone as she could, loud enough in the hopes that one of Lucius'' men could hear her.

    As they approached, the restaurant doors swung open as a waiter greeted them.

    "This way sir, mam." The man said with a slight bow as he led them to the rooftop of the building.

    Cami gave her brother a knowing smile. She knew that not just anyone was allowed to book the rooftop of this restaurant.

    Clearly Lucius Ting was trying to impress them.

    "Sir, mam." The waiter said one more as he directed them to walk towards a balcony set up on the rooftop.

    Cami thanked the man as she and Benedict walked onto the balcony.

    The siblings could make out a man, he was standing with his back to them. The cloud of smoke that rose showed them that he was smoking.

    "Are you Lucius Ting?" Benedict asked as he and his sister stopped by the table.

    Cami watched as the man dropped his cigarette and extinguished it by stepping on it.

    "Yes." The man said as he turned,

    Cami could see how it was possible that he was rted to the Chan siblings. His features were even more simr to them up close and in person.

    His face was shaped the same as Eric and Miguel, and the way he carried himself was quite simr to Nicole. But Cami knew that even if people looked alike, it didn''t mean that they were siblings.

    "I''m d to see that you could join me." Lucius said in a deep voice and a british ent. In all honesty to Cami he sounded like an evil viin.

    "I''m Benedict Ortiz, and this is my sister Cami Montero." Benedict said as he offered Lucius a hand to shake.

    The man obliged, shaking Benedict''s hand as he gave Cami a curious look.

    "Your brother never mentioned another sister." Lucius said with a raised eyebrow.

    "We don''t have another sister." Benedict quickly answered in a cold and intimidating tone.

    His behavior somewhat caught Cami by surprise, she never expected her brother to have this side to him.

    "I never died." Cami said with a shrug as she watched an expression of shock cross Lucius'' face.

 Chapter 585 - 585

    "Aiden said that our aligned interests were because of his sister that passed away." Lucius said as he settled into his seat. "How sure am I that you aren''t a hoax?"

    "We did a DNA test." Benedict said quite confidently. "I don''t appreciate you questioning my sister."??

    "You have to pardon my suspicion." Lucius said with a sly smile. "She is, after all, the vice president of Mor Co. Everyone knows that she is a confidant or Mr. Reyes."

    "Was a confidant." Cami hissed, pretending to be disgusted by the association.

    "My, my. It seems that I have hit a nerve." Lucius said with a grin. "Or you could be ying me."

    "Let''s go brother." Cami said as she stood up, seemingly furious at Lucius'' usation.

    Benedict wanted tough at how good Cami''s acting was, if he didn''t know the truth he would have thought that Cami was truly mad at Cedric and that Lucius had offended her.

    "Calm down, Cami." Benedict said as he grabbed her by the wrist. "Let''s hear the man out. After all, our brother did see some potential in him."

    "I''m sick of Aiden''s games." Cami hissed as she sat back down.

    "I''m sorry, but I am just too intrigued." Lucius said as he took a sip from his ss. "What could Cedric Reyes have done to get one of his former assistants and personally appointed vice presidents so mad?"

    "You don''t know?" Cami asked as a look of shock crossed her face.

    "Cami, we didn''t tell anyone, it''s only normal that he had no idea." Benedict said as he pretended tofort his sister.

    Lucius watched them closely as he observed their interaction. He was clearly curious as to what Cami meant and was willing to wait for her to tell him.

    "My brother is dead." Benedict said with a frown. "Cedric denies it, but we are sure that he met his end by one of Cedric''s orders."

    Lucius suddenly sat up, shocked with the news that Benedict had just dropped on him.

    "That''s impossible, I was speaking to Aiden just a month ago. He wasn''t even in hiding or anything." Lucius said, shaking his head. "He seemed somewhat content over our call."

    "Aiden partially got revenge for our parents'' deaths." Cami said with a frown.

    "So he is really gone?" Lucius asked as he dropped his head. It was clear that the rtionship between the two men was more than just business.

    "How well did you know my brother?" Cami suddenly asked. She was dying to know why Lucius seemed so affected by Aiden''s passing.

    "He was like an older brother to me." Lucius said with a frown. "He guided me when I first set up Arch Group, he was like a mentor who truly cared."

    "My brother spoke about you a few times." Benedict said with a sigh. "He mentioned you in passing. I''m sorry that we had to meet under these circumstances."

    "The entire reason why I invited you to dinner was because I couldn''t contact him." Lucius said as a tear fell from his eyes.

    "My brother has been gone for a few weeks now." Benedict said with a frown. "He went home to visit our grandfather, when he didn''te back I took Cami with me to check up on him. That''s when we got the news, our brother was dead."

    Benedict and Cami were quite confident when it came to iming that they had no hand in their brother''s death, Cedric had made sure that everyone in their ancestral province did not utter a word about Aiden.

    "Cedric even went as far as erasing Aiden from existence." Cami said as she forced herself to sob.

    "Cami, I''m sorry." Lucius said with a frown as he reached out and held Cami''s hand. "I didn''t think -"

    "Don''t apologize." Cami suddenly said as she withdrew her hand from his. "My brother is gone, what did you want with him?" Cami asked in a cold voice as she red at Lucius.

    "Aiden owns a 30% stake in Arch Group." Lucius began to exin. "We normally meet every three months to discuss my next steps and for me to either give him dividends or for me to ask for more investment."

    "And which was it this time?" Cami asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Cami, calm down." Benedict scolded. "He was Aiden''s friend."

    "How sure are we of that?" Cami asked Benedict. "We don''t even know how they met!"

    "I can answer both of your concerns." Lucius said as he waved one of his bodyguards over.

    The bodyguard handed Lucius an envelope and retreated back to his position. It seemed that Lucius had expected that Benedict would question his connection to Aiden.

    "I met Aiden at University. He was an exchange student, while I was based there." Lucius exined as he ced the envelope on the table. "We became fast friends and kept in touch even after he returned home."

    At that Lucius produced a photo of him and Aiden from over a decade ago. It was of them in front of the American university where Lucius had gone to study.

    "Later on he contacted me." Lucius exined. "He told me about how he knew who my true family was and the true circumstances of my parents'' deaths. He told me how the people behind my father and mother''s deaths were the same people behind the deaths of yours."

    "I''m assuming that''s when he began investing in yourpany?" Benedict asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yes." Lucius said with a nod as he took out some documents from the envelope. "These are the articles of incorporation for Arch Group. You will see how Aiden''s name is included. He has been with me from the very beginning."

    "And do you know who your parents are?" Cami asked as she tried to see how much Lucius knew.

    "I only know my father''s name." Lucius said with a shrug. "The nurse that left me at the orphanage said that my father was still alive and that he went by the name Miguel Chan."

    "Does the name ring a bell?" Benedict asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Lucius nodded. "At first I thought it was only coincidental, my father and the world''s top neurosurgeon shared the same name."

    "That''s because Miguel Chan was named after your father." Cami said with a nod.

    "And it was the Chans and their backward traditions that drove your dad to death." Benedict added.

    "You know how my dad died?" Lucius asked.

    "Notpletely." Cami said, shaking her head. "I can ask, but from what I know, he died of heartbreak, thinking that he had lost you."

 Chapter 586 - 586

    Lucius mmed his hands on the table angrily. Cami and Benedict hadn''t been aware that Aiden had not told the young man how his father had died.

    "Was he sick, or was it, you know." Lucius said as he stood up and paced back and forth on the balcony.??

    "Suicude?" Benedict asked.

    Lucius simply nodded, he was at a loss for words.

    "I took his own life, yes." Benedict said with a nod.

    "Those fucking assholes!" Lucius screamed in anger. "I will get them one day, and I will make them pay."

    "So what did you need from my brother?" Cami confidently asked as she looked the man in the eyes.

    "Fuck." Lucius cursed again before finally calming himself down and taking a seat.

    Cami noted how he had a temper and how it could cloud his judgement, she was sure that this woulde in handy in the future. She just hoped that when it did, no one would be at risk.

    "I came to tell Aiden that Arch Group is being recognized at the Gizmo awards in a few days." Lucius exined. "I was hoping that as one ofthe biggest investors in thepany he could attend with me."

    "My brother and I cannot do that." Cami said, shaking her head. "Cedric and I may be at odds now, but I will not risk our name for people to think that I would transfer to apetitor."

    "I understand." Lucius said with a nod. "I didn''t expect Aiden to agree either, he always struck me as a behind the scenes kind of person. I was hoping that if he went with me he could introduce me to other people in the industry and other investors."

    "Other investors?" Benedict asked. "Is Arch Group tight on funds?"

    "No, nothing like that." Lucius said, shaking his head. "We are expanding and following Aiden''s n, buying all the small techpanies and making them into one that could pose a threat to Mor Co."

    "Aiden nned to use Arch Group to hurt Cedric." Cami suddenly said.

    "Yes, exactly." Lucius said with a nod. "He told me how he had a gut feeling that Cedric Reyes would be attached to thatpany, it was, after all, where he started. So striking him at his core would definitely shake him up, distract him."

    "What else does Arch Group dabble in?" Benedict asked.

    "Nothing too fancy." Lucius said with a shrug. "Aside from Tech we also have some mining sites. Aiden also convinced me to expand into the medical field, so I could pose a bigger threat to my rtives."

    "That''s probably the plot Aiden wanted you to follow." Cami said, scratching her chin.

    "Aiden would have also wanted him to continue attacking the Reyes Group." Benedict said as he looked at his sister in the eyes. "Without the Reyes Group backing them, everyone else would be an easy target."

    "What is so special about the Reyes Group?" Lucius asked. "It seems to me thatpared to everyone else they are quite weak."

    Cami grinned at Lucius, almostughing at hisment. It seemed the man was not as smart as Cedric expected.

    "Did our brother not exin anything to you?" Benedict asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Lucius gave him a confused look and shook his head.

    "Money is king in our country." Benedict said with a sly smile as he took a sip of his wine. "Without money you won''t go far."

    "Isn''t it the same everywhere?" Lucius asked with a confused look.

    Cami shook her head andughed.

    "If you think it''s bad elsewhere, it is worse here." Cami added.

    "Even if the Sebastians lost their positions in government you couldn''t take down the Reyeses, they would simply have whoever won in their pockets." Benedict said with a shrug. "Even the mysterious King of the Underworld is nothing without the support of the Reyes Family."

    "Power can truly be bought in this country." Cami said with a shrug.

    "It still doesn''t make sense." Lucius said, shaking his head. "How can we take down the Reyes Group if they have the government backing them?"

    "There are many ways to take down people like them, but the most sure way is by beating them." Benedict exined.

    "He who holds the gold is King in this country." Cami said. "No matter how many times you push the other families down, as long as they have the Reyeses on their side they will not fall."

    "The Reyes Group is toorge to take down." Lucius Ting said, shaking his head. Clearly he was already doubting his course of action.

    "Mor Co. has always held a special ce with Cedric." Cami suddenly said. "He isn''t at the best emotional state at the moment. Another blow, another threat and he may not be able to take it."

    "I need funds." Lucius Ting suddenly said, making Benedict and Cami smirk, they knew that something like this woulde up.

    "Why?" Cami asked.

    "You are a business woman, Miss Cami. I need to expand if I were to even affect him. At this point, I doubt I have even caught his attention." Lucius Ting said as he looked Cami in the eyes.

    "You''ll get his attention even if you don''t have the funds." Cami said with a shrug. "The Gizmo awards, you''ll get your chance to speak with him then."

    "Cedric Reyes never attends events like that." Lucius Ting said, shaking his head and leaning back on his seat in frustration.

    "He will be forced to this time." Cami said with a shrug. "Normally he would send me, but since we aren''t on good terms he will have to attend himself, especially since the public has been moring for a public appearance for him."

    Lucius nodded, listening to Cami''s advice.

    "I was truly nning on attending." Lucius said with a nod. "Aside from the award and the connections I could gain, the after party will also be a charity event with a beneficiary close to my heart."

    "I suggest you use that opportunity to show how much of a threat you are to him." Benedict said with a nod. "Don''t let him steal the show. Be the fresh and young face that the public is looking for."

    "Thank you." Lucius said with a smile on his face. "Aiden might be gone, but you two are still here for me."

    "We have amon goal and amon enemy." Benedict said with a nod.

 Chapter 587 - 587

    The rest of the dinner went on much lighter, Benedict and Cami asked Lucius about himself, and the more they spoke to him, the more they felt that he was truly a rtion of the Chan family.

    When they ended the night, Cami and Benedict returned home. It was already way past midnight.??

    "We should give Cedric a call." Cami reminded her brother as she walked over to her home office.

    Benedict nodded and followed his sister silently into her office.

    It didn''t take long for Cedric to pick up the call. Cami was shocked to see that Cedric was still in the office.

    "Shouldn''t you be at home?" Cami asked with augh. "Adrianna will be pissed." She said, shaking her head.

    "I''d rather not." Cedric said with a frown. Clearly he was avoiding something at Mountain View.

    "Please send him home." Ianined in the background. "Nicole is furious with me. Tristan won''t go to sleep without me at home!"

    "It''s not thatte." Cedric grumbled. "You have an update?" Cedric asked the siblings.

    "Yeah," Cami said with a nod. "Dinner with Lucius Ting went well. We have a better grasp of his personality and his tendencies now."

    "Cami thinks he''s hot." Benedict suddenly said with augh.

    "What the fuck!" Cami shouted, hitting her brother on the shoulder. "I do not think he is hot." She said, crossing her arms across her chest.

    "There is nothing wrong with thinking he is hot Cami." Ian said with augh as he stood behind Cedric. "I mean, he has the same genes as Eric and Miguel and a lot of women want to bed those two."

    "Gross Ian!" Camiined. "They are your brother-inws, don''t tell me you fantasize about them!"

    "Why would I need to fantasize about the men when I have the female version in bed with me everyday." Ian said with a smirk as Cami''s reaction turned from amused to disgusted.

    "Okay, break it up you two, we need to talk about serious matters." Cedric said, rolling his eyes at his two former assistants. "But Cami, if you like Lucius, then I honestly don''t think it''s wrong. Just remember to make sure he is a good man to you."

    "I''m not into Lucius!" Cami said angrily. "I like someone else okay!" Cami suddenly confessed not realizing what she had just said.

    "What?!" Cedric said,ughing at Cami''s words.

    Cami quickly covered her mouth when she realized what she just said.

    "Cami, Cami, so many secrets." Ian teased, clicking his tongue. "Did you know about this Benedict?" Ian asked.

    "Of course not." Benedict said, shaking his head. "If I knew anything about her liking someone else I wouldn''t have teased her so much about Lucius."

    "So who is it Cami?" Cedric asked with a grin, this was much more interesting than talking about business and revenge.

    "Oh shut up you three!" Cami said, rolling her eyes as she regained herposure.

    "Well, I would like to meet this man." Benedict said as he looked at his sister in the eyes.

    "You will, someday. I don''t know." Cami said, looking flustered all over again. "We''re sorting things out."

    "Make sure to introduce us then." Ian said with a wink, to which Cami only responded with an awkward smile.

    "Why don''t we go back to discussing Lucius Ting and Arch Group?" Cami suggested as she tried desperately to get the topic back on track.

    "You''re right Cami." Cedric said with a nod as he smiled. "So what did you learn?"

    "Well for one, the longer we spoke to him the more I felt like I was speaking to one of the Chans." Cami said with a shrug. "There are just too much simrities, yet at the same time there has never been any DNA proof that he is rted to them."

    "So Aiden never pushed him to take a DNA test?" Cedric asked, rifying what Cami had just said.

    "No, never." Cami said, shaking her head.

    "I think our brother never asked for a DNA test to prove his rtion because the evidence was just too overwhelming." Benedict added. "His age, where he was adopted, even who gave him up for adoption to the convent. It''s just too simr to the missing Chan cousin."

    "Still." Cedric said as he scratched his chin. "I want DNA confirmation. I know there is no way now, but maybe we can push him to take a DNA test."

    "It''s possible, I''m not sure if he truly wants to harm the Chan family, I feel like my brother was just using him as a puppet." Benedict said as he thought of how Lucius behaved during their dinner.

    "He is mad, yes." Cami said with a nod. "He also just found out about the circumstances of Uncle Miguel''s death."

    "You told him?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Cami admitted.

    "It''s fine." Cedric said as he considered the repercussions. "It''s best if he knows as early as now rather thanter. At least he cannot say you hid the truth from him. What about his rtionship with Aiden?"

    "Aiden was just his mentor and advisor, they were friends, but that was it." Benedict said with a shrug. "I''m hoping we could take that ce. It will be easier to dissuade him from doing anything illegal or dangerous."

    "If he is merely trying to better hispany, I find no issue with it." Cedric said in a calm tone. "But the moment he begins to use underhanded strategies, I will not hesitate to make a move."

    "At the moment, he seems to want to go through the proper path and challenge Mor Co. as the industry leader in the country." Benedict added.

    "He seems like he could be a good guy." Cami said as she leaned back on her seat. "But people can be deceiving."

    "Let''s just keep an eye out for him." Cedric said with a nod. "Any news if he will be attending both the Gizmo Awards and the Charity Event after?"

    "Yes, he said he will. We didn''t need to encourage him." Cami informed Cedric.

    "Good, then I''ll talk to him then. For the meantime, I need to go woo my angry wife." Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head. "Go get some rest. I hope this charade can end soon."

    With that Cedric ended the call.

 Chapter 588 - 588

    "Adrianna." Cedric said as he knocked on the door to their room.

    He had just arrived home from work, he had been avoiding Adrianna since the day they fought. Based on his experience with herst pregnancy it was best to let her calm down first before approaching her with an apology. ??

    "Why are you home sote Ced?" Adrianna said in a sleepy tone as Cedric entered the room.

    "Don''t get up." Cedric said as he ran to her side.

    "It''s alright." Adrianna said as she sat up on their bed. "Is there something wrong with the Reyes Group?" Adrianna asked with a look of concern.

    "No, nothing I can''t handle." Cedric said as he took her hand in his.

    "Then why have you beening home sote?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    Cedric hesitated as he looked at Adrianna, a huge part of him was ashamed at what he had done. He knew Adrianna understood his need to recover from the emotional pain he had suffered, but he knew he should have been more responsible.

    Seemingly sensing his thoughts and emotions, Adrianna ced her hand on Cedric''s cheek.

    "It''s okay Cedric. I''m not mad. I was never mad." Adrianna told Cedric in a calm voice.

    "Are you sure?" Cedric asked. "Cause if you still aren''t happy with me I could always sleep on the couch again."

    "Is that where you have been sleeping this whole time?" Adrianna asked Cedric with augh.

    "Of course, you were mad at me." Cedric said with a pout as he pulled his wife on to hisp. "I made sure to sleep there before you could even send me to sleep on the couch."

    "I wouldn''t have made you sleep on the couch." Adrianna said with augh.

    "I''m pretty sure you wouldn''t have let me sleep on the bed either." Cedric teased. "Where would I have slept? On the floor? No way." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Well, I miss you." Adrianna said as she kissed Cedric on the lips.

    "How is our little one?" Cedric asked as he ced a hand on Adrianna''s t belly.

    "He is fine, just like his mother and older brother." Adrianna said, smiling at Cedric.

    "How far along are you?" Cedric asked in a low voice. He was ashamed that he didn''t even know how far along his wife actually was. All he knew was that she was pregnant.

    "Nicole said I should be around two months." Adrianna told Cedric as she ced her hand on his.

    "Mmmmm." Cedric hummed as he caressed her. "In a few months Yoyo will have a little brother."

    "He won''t be as lonely." Adrianna told her husband with a smile.

    Cedric knew that one of Adrianna''s biggest concerns were their son''s social skills. He only ever yed with one other child, Tristan Lim, and Tristan was way too young to truly interact with Emilio.

    "I was thinking, we could look at schools tomorrow?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    "I thought you wanted Yoyo to be homeschooled for a while?" Adrianna asked her husband. They had discussed this topic in the past. Cedric wanted Yoyo to stay at home for as long as possible.

    Cedric''s greatest worry was that parents of other kids would realize who Yoyo was and treat him differently.

    "I think you were right." Cedric said with a shrug. "Yoyo needs to interact with people his age. As it is he only speaks with adults or a child much younger than him."

    "And what about your worry with his identity?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I was thinking that he can use my mom''s maiden name as hisst name for school." Cedric said with a shrug. "We just need to exin to the school why we are doing this."

    "Do you have a school in mind?" Adrianna asked her husband as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

    "I have one." Cedric said with a wink. "My alma mater, where Ray, Ram, Miguel, Alexi, Eric, and Ian went to school as well."

    "Mmmmm, and do you think they will let him go by a different name?" Adrianna asked as she nted a kiss on her husband''s lips.

    "I think they will." Cedric said, stealing a kiss from her as well as his hands explored her body. "God, I missed you." Cedric groaned.

    "You know the rules, you have to wait." Adrianna said as she yfully swatted Cedric''s hand away.

    "So tomorrow?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "And what if they say no?" Adrianna asked Cedric.

    "Then I''ll just donate a building or something." Cedric said with augh, he was clearly joking but based on Adrianna''s reactions she thought he was being serious.

    "Don''t worry Adri." Cedric chuckled as he kissed her neck. "They will agree, and I won''t buy them a building. Although I have been considering donating one to the state run University nearby."

    "You''re so hot when you''re being charitable." Adrianna teased.

    "I''m d that my wife finds me hot." Cedric whispered into Adrianna''s ear.

    "I always find you hot." Adrianna teased back.

    "Well then." Cedric said with a grin as he pulled away from her. "There is something that I kind of need your help on." Cedric said nervously.

    "What?" Adrianna asked as she red at Cedric.

    "I promise I would have been this loving and tender even if I didn''t need anything." Cedric said with a guilty look on his face.

    "Cedric Reyes, stop beating around the bush and tell me." Adrianna said as she hopped off of hisp.

    "Adri." Cedric groaned as he noticed the clear change in her mood.

    "Don''t Adri me." Adrianna threatened as she crossed her arms on her chest. "Spill." Adrianna demanded.

    "I need a date." Cedric suddenly said.

    "Are you asking me if you can bring another woman as your date?!" Adrianna shouted, clearly misunderstanding what Cedric meant.

    "No Adri." Cedric said with augh as he hugged his wife once more. "I''m asking you to be my date. To slip into one of those hot dresses in your closet, ande with me to the Gizmo Awards."

    "Oh." Adrianna said as she blushed in embarrassment.

    "I would never bring another woman aside from my sister." Cedric said with augh.

    "Wait, why are you going to the Gizmo Awards? You never attend." Adrianna asked as she eyed Cedric suspiciously.

    "I''m going because of Lucius Ting, the man we think might be Uncle Miguel''s missing son." Cedric told his wife.

    "Alright." Adrianna said, agreeing to what Cedric wanted.

 Chapter 589 - 589

    "Do they know we areing over?" Adrianna asked her husband as she looked outside the window of Cedric''s simple sedan.

    "Yes, of course." Cedric said with augh as he drove the car to a hidden gate into the school.??

    When he was younger, for his protection, his driver and maids would alternate between picking him up there and at the front entrance of the school. The switch was done randomly so as to confuse would be kidnappers.

    "So this was your n? Confuse people as to where Emilio will be studying?" Adrianna asked as she ced her hand on Cedric''s.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "Later, after lunch we will go out and visit other schools, but this time we will do it publicly."

    "And what if I don''t want to send Yoyo to the same school where you boys studied?" Adrianna asked with a yful smirk on her lips.

    "Are you saying I''m not educated enough?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow as he parked his car.

    "I''m just teasing you." Adrianna said with augh. "I''m sure Yoyo would love it here." Adrianna said as she gently nted a kiss on Cedric''s cheek before stepping out of the car.

    They were promptly greeted by a man in his 40s, he smiled and was respectful to both Cedric and Adrianna.

    "I''m happy to see you managing the school now." Cedric said with a nod to the man. "Oh, and I''m sorry for the others and I being such a pain in the ass when we were students here." Cedric said, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

    The manughed at Cedric. Adrianna couldn''t help but give her husband a curious look.

    "Oh, Mr. Cruz was my teacher in my elementary days, with you know, the others." Cedric said with a naughty grin.

    "Please, just call me Job." Cedric''s former teacher said, shaking his head.

    "Was my husband that much of a pain in the ass in his youth?" Adrianan asked Job.

    "He wasn''t the worst." Job said with a shrug. "You''ll be shocked to hear who was the worst." The former teacher said with an amusedugh.

    "Ram?" Adrianna asked, curious to hear who was the naughtiest among Cedric''s group.

    "You won''t be able to guess who it was, Adri." Cedric said with augh as he watched in amusement as his wife struggled to figure out who was the worst.

    "Alexi?" Adrianna asked again, trying to go with whoever grew up to be a troublemaker.

    "Alexi was actually the most behaved." Jobughed, shocking Adrianna.

    She gave Cedric a look and he simplyughed and nodded, confirming what his old teacher had just said,

    "Honestly, this wille as a shock to you, but the five princes were very well behaved." Job said as he led them through a hallway. "It was Ian Lim that caused me the most headaches."

    "Ian? Your Ian?" Adrianna asked as she pointed at Cedric.

    "Ah Mr. Cruz!" Ian said as he arrived as if on cue. "I missed you!"

    "I didn''t." The old teacher groaned loud enough for Ian and Cedric to hear.

    "What? But Mr. Cruz, I made your first few years of teaching the most exciting years you''ve ever had in this career." Ian teased with a knowing grin.

    "On my first day at school, Mr. Lim and his best friend Mr. Park thought that it would be funny to fill the drawer of my desk with honey." Job Cruz groaned as Ian and Cedric burst outughing.

    "That was you and Damien?" Cedric asked in surprise.

    "You didn''t know?" Ian asked, shaking his head.

    "Your father asked for discretion." Job Cruz informed Ian, shaking his head.

    "Wait, Damien, as in Capt. Damien Park?" Adrianna asked with a confused look on her face. "Isn''t he that stiff policeman that''s Ian''s best friend."

    "Childhood best friend." Cedric corrected.

    "Yes, the one and only Damien Park."

    "I promise you Job, I will never ask the same thing for my son." Cedric said as he ced a hand on his former teacher''s shoulder.

    "Who knew that Ian and Damien would turn out to be the most behaved in their adulthood." Job Cruz said with augh.

    "Life, and it''s circumstances can change a person Mr. Cruz." Ian said with a sad smile.

    "Please Ian, just call me Job." The teacher said as they arrived at the front of the campus.

    "Wow, it hasn''t changed much." Cedric said as he looked up at the imposing building where he had studied.

    "The facade may still look the same, but inside, we have modernized." Job Cruz said as he pointed at the building. "Aside from improving the facilities we''ve also moved to hire the best teachers."

    "Can my son study here without others realizing who he is?" Cedric asked, it was his major concern. He wanted his son to have an ordinary childhood, and with the advent of the inte, it was bing harder and harder.

    "That will all depend on you." The teacher said. "The school can call him by a different name, we could ask the teachers to treat him as fairly as possible, we could even craft a fake background for him. But if photos of him will be across all newspapers, magazines, and on the inte, there isn''t much that we can do."

    "I assure you, my wife and I will do our best to keep him out of the public eye." Cedric said with a nod. "We will also try to see what we can do about activities that involve parents."

    "You can send Mae and Dave to pretend to be his parents." Ian said with a shrug. "Or Leon to pose as a single father, if you send Leon you would be sure that he would be kept safe."

    Cedric nodded as he considered Ian''s suggestion, having Leon as a single father could give ample protection for his son. On top of that he couldn''t have Mae or Dave leaving everyday to pick his son up, there was just too much work.

    "Mae and Dave will eventually move on with their lives." Cedric said with a frown. "They are both incredibly talented and they have a whole future ahead of them, they will shape and make the future in the industries they choose to pursue. I can''t have Emilio changing parents every few years."

    Ian nodded, understanding what Cedric meant.

    "Leon, can you train Merrick well enough that he can take over when I need you to attend to my son?" Cedric asked his bodyguard, who had been following them the whole time like a shadow.

    "Of course." Leon said with a nod. "To be honest, Merrick is an incredible fighter, he justcks a little experience, but as your personal bodyguard for a few hours, there is no one else that I would trust."

    "It''s settled then." Cedric said with a smile as he nodded at Ian.

    "Aren''t you going to ask for my opinion?" Adrianna asked, cing her hands on her hips.

    "Honey, is there anything you would like to add, or see, or ask?" Cedric said with a sigh as he tried his best to satisfy his wife.

    "I''d like to see how the boys are, like how they normally are." Adrianna said.

    "Can we Job?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Of course." Job said with augh. "I''m just afraid that I will end up embarrassing Cedric and Ian when you see how young men act. They haven''t changed much over the years."

    "Oh god." Ian groaned.

    "Were you really that bad?" Adrianna asked Ian with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yes." Ian said with a nod. "I changed a lot after the crash."

    "That''s good then." Adrianna said with a nod.

    "They should be having a free period soon." Job said as he led the group back inside.

    "Won''t they being out of their rooms? They will see us and behave." Adriannained.

    "No." Cedric said with augh. "We used to have free periods where we stayed in the ssroom. It was supposed to be for us to bond with our ssmates and maybe get some advanced work done, but that never happened."

    "That''s just what we told you." Job said with augh. "It was and still is just time for the teachers to take a breather."

    Cedric and Ian bothughed at the teacher''s exnation.

    "I always snuck out of the ssroom at that time." Ian said with augh as he recounted his shenanigans from long ago. "I''m so d I changed."

    "It''s a good thing you changed." Cedric said with a nod. "Imagine if you had remained the same, I dread what could have happened to you."

    "I probably would have died in a gutter somewhere, never having met the love of my life and having such an amazing son with her." Ian said with a sad smile.

    "The past is the past." Job said as they arrived at one of the hallways where the ssrooms were lined up.

    "Won''t the boys see us?" Adrianna asked.

    "No, these windows are one way. We can see them, but they can''t see us." Job said with a shrug.

    "Wow, that''s a new addition." Ian said in surprise.

    "Yeah, we had to add it in after a couple of boys set up fireworks inside the ssroom." Job said with a shrug.

    Ian and Cedric suddenly burst outughing.

    "You know thinking back, that was incredibly stupid and dangerous." Cedric said. "Who even brought those fireworks?"

    "Damien did." Ian said,ughing harder. "If people knew that the best cop in the country was such a troublemaker they would be in shock."

    The pair continued tough as they walked down the hall.

 Chapter 590 - 590

    "Do you think Yoyo will be able to adapt to going to school?" Adrianna asked as they drove away from the campus.

    "So is it safe to say that you approve of my alma mater?" Cedric asked with augh.??

    "Of course I do." Adrianna responded. "I was never against it, I just wanted to be sure."

    "Sure of what?" Cedric asked as they approached the main highway.

    They were currently on their way home to get dressed and switch cars.

    In order to confuse the members of the press and several peaky social climbers, Cedric decided to make a public appearance that afternoon at several expensive schools. He wanted everyone''s eyes away from his alma mater.

    "I just wanted to be sure that it was the best ce for Yoyo." Adrianna said with a shrug. "I mean it has created such amazing alumni."

    "You are talking about me and my friends right?" Cedric teased.

    "No, I''m talking about those other popr businessmen who came from the same school as you." Adrianna said, rolling her eyes at her husband.

    "You know, my alma mater doesn''t just cater to the rich and famous." Cedric said with a grin. "The money they get from the rich families are then used to fund the education of all it''s schrs, some of which have gone on to change the world."

    "So our son will be ssmates with the movers and shakers of his generation?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Possibly." Cedric said with a shrug as he continued to keep his attention on the road. "The other schools we are going to visit also have good graduates."

    "Just not as good as at your old school?" Adrianna asked, teasing Cedric.

    "Of course I will say my alma mater is the best." Cedric said with augh. "Also I don''t feel like Yoyo would be as safe in the other schools."

    "Well, we are still going to take a look at them." Adrianna said as she ced a hand on her husband''s and caressed it softly. She wanted to show him that she was always going to be with him.

    "Yeah, who knows, I might find one more suitable for Yoyo." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Hey, don''t close the door just yet." Adrianna said, shaking her head.

    "I''m not." Cedric said in an amused tone. "As a matter of fact, one of the schools we are visiting is where Dave and Helios Ramiez went to school."

    "Didn''t they go to the same school as you?" Adrianna asked as she tilted her head to the side. "I thought you guys went to the same posh elitist school."

    "Hey!" Cedricined, a little hurt by Adrianna''sment.

    "I''m just kidding, it''s posh, but not elitist." Adrianna said with augh.

    "Dave and Helios went to a more progrssive school than us." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "How so?" Adrianna asked. She wasn''t exactly sure where the two friends had gone to school. She just knew that it was also the same school where Selina had studied as well.

    "For one it''s co-ed." Cedric said with augh, his alma mater was an all boys school, and a very old one at that. "Also they are less uptight about the rules, more rxed. I''m still considering that school, but I''m not sure if I can trust them to keep the information about Yoyo a secret."

    "I''m sure if you pay them enough, they will." Adrianna teased.

    "I know that''s supposed to be a joke, but it is also true." Cedirc said, shaking his head.

    "Money makes the world go round." Adrianna said nkly. "But I don''t want Yoyo learning that too soon."

    "It might be toote for that." Cedric said with augh. "He''s already betting with his grandfathers."

    "That child." Adrianna said, shaking her head. "He is just too smart."

    "It''s because his mother is amazing." Cedric said as they finally saw the imposing gates of the Mountain View Community on the horizon.

    There was a silence between them as Cedric drove through the gates and into themunity. He was letting Adrianna think about the repercussions of where they sent their son to study.

    "Why don''t we just evaluate the schools, and have fun while we are there." Cedric said as the car entered the driveway to theirvish mansion.

    "I don''t want my son turning into those spoiled rich kids who treat those less than them like shit." Adrianna finally said with a sigh.

    "That''s why we are looking for the best school for our little boy Adri." Cedric said as he parked the car.

    He slowly wrapped an arm around his wife''s shoulder and pulled her to him.

    "I promise, no matter where he goes to study, we will make sure he understands the value of everything." Cedric said, nting a gentle kiss on her head. "Our son won''t be like those spoiled rich heirs Adrianna."

    "Will you still make Yoyo undergo poverty training?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I will, but it will be a different form." Cedric said as he tried to soothe her. "I''ll make sure that our son learns what he needs to learn without getting separated from us. That life, it changed something in me, something I don''t want our son to go through."

    "Okay, I trust you." Adrianna said with a nod as she looked up at her husband.

    Cedric leaned forward and kissed his wife passionately. He was so happy that despite years of marriage they still had the same fire for one another.

    "We should get down and get ready." Cedric said as he finally broke off the kiss.

    "Can''t we just hide here all day?" Adrianna groaned as Cedric opened the door andughed.

    "We''ll bete." Cedric teased as he jogged over and opened the door for her as well.

    "They won''tin, you''re too rich to bete." Adrianna teased her husband.

    "I''m not some king Adri." Cedric said with an amusedugh. "Come on, we need to get ready to visit the schools." Cedric said as he coaxed his wife.

    "Fine, but of the record, I think the only school our son wants to go to is the one you graduated from." Adrianna teased as she walked away to get ready for her long day.

 Chapter 591 - 591

    When Adrianna and Cedric arrived at La Instituci��n, they were quickly greeted by the school''s administrator and some of the teachers.

    "Mr. and Mrs. Reyes, our school is humbled by your visit." The school administrator said as he shook hands with Cedric and Adrianna. ??

    "It''s a pleasure." Cedric said with a distant smile. "I have high expectations for your school. I am sure that you are quite well aware that my assistant and a close friend are alumni of this school."

    "Yes, yes. The Ramirez siblings and your assistant Dave are some of our most promising graduates." The school administrator said with a nod as he looked towards Dave who was standing behind Cedric.

    "I''m sure there are graduates better than me." Dave said with an awkwardugh.

    "Take the praise Dave." Cedric said as he nced at his assistant.

    "Mr. Reyes, we''ve also invited some parents over so that you could hear from them first hand how our school system functions." The school administrator said as he spoke to Cedric.

    "Well, that''s a surprise." Cedric said with a smile. "We''ve visited five schools so far and none of them have gone to such lengths to make us feel at ease."

    "We truly appreciate your effort, Mr?" Adrianna asked as she waited for the man''s name.

    "John Smith." The administrator said with a nod. "My dad was an American soldier stationed locally, as you can probably tell by my features."

    Cedric nodded as Mr. Smith led them on a tour around the school.

    The couple were both quite impressed with how the school was set up, as well as on how modern all the facilities were.

    "We, of course, choose only to import everything from Europe and America." Mr. Smith boasted. "Even all of our teachers were trained there, we strive to provide the best for our students."

    "It''s all very impressive Mr. Smith." Adriannaplimented as they reached the end of their tour.

    "Honey, a word?" Cedric asked as he gestured his wife to the side.

    "Sure." Adrianna said with a nod as she walked to the direction Cedric had pointed.

    "I hope you don''t mind Mr. Smith, but I would like to have a word in private with my wife and assistants." Cedirc said with an intimidating look.

    Mr. Smith had no choice but to nod as he watched Cedric and his assistants join Adrianna for a private discussion.

    Guards quickly blocked the school administrator and the other teachers to provide Cedric''s group with some privacy.

    "I''m actually impressed." Cedric said with a nod as he looked at his wife.

    "Are you reconsidering?" Adrianna asked her husband in surprise, he had always been quite adamant about sending his son to the same school he had gone to.

    "I am." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Sir, if I may add something of value?" Dave said, joining in on the conversation.

    Cedric nodded, allowing him to speak.

    "I think you should see how the teachers and the students are." Dave said with a shrug. "They might be different from what you expect. Even the teachers are quite different from how they are presenting themselves now."

    "Aren''t you proud of your alma mater Dave?" Cedric asked.

    "I am, somewhat." Dave said with a shrug. "But there are more things that I would have wanted to change. I also feel like the ce isn''t a fit for Yoyo."

    "Well, since you know this ce the best, I will listen." Cedric said with a nod, holding back his decision as his assistant had suggested.

    "I hope everything I didn''t like about this ce has already changed." Dave said with a sigh.

    "I don''t see anything wrong with your old school Dave." Mae said as she looked around. "If I went to a school like this, I would have had a better shot at life."

    "Things aren''t as they seem on the surface Mae." Dave said, shaking his head. "I really hope the people here have changed. I mean, if it were such an amazing ce to study, don''t you think the top families would have sent their children to study here?"

    Cedric gave Dave a curious look. It was true, he didn''t consider that, even the men of the Carpio family and the other top families all went to the same school as him.

    "So what is the issue with your old school Dave?" Cedric asked.

    "I''d rather not tell you sir." Dave said, shaking his head. "If I told you now, you would have a preconceived notion of the ce and it may affect your decision."

    "I will trust you then." Cedric said with a nod as he turned to rejoin the tour group.

    "I hope everything is satisfactory to you?" Mr. Smith asked with a smile.

    "Yes, it''s all good." Cedric said with a nod, now keeping a straight face.

    "Mr. Smith, what is next on our agenda?" Dave asked for Cedric.

    "We would like for Mr. and Mrs. Reyes to meet other parents who can give them a better idea of the school''s culture." Mr. Smith said.

    "Alright, where to?" Cedric asked.

    "This way sir, we''ve had the trophy room prepared for your visit." Mr. Smith said as he directed Cedric and his group towards a small building.

    Inside, Cedric was surprised to see the roomvishly designed. He turned and looked at Dave, trying to see if this is what he was hinting at.

    The assistant simply shook his head and sighed.

    Soon, Cedric and Adrianna were introduced to several parents who were more than eager to shake Cedric''s hand.

    Cedric politely spoke to them, trying to assess their personalities.

    As soon as Cedric and Adrianna were introduced to everyone, they were ced at a table with a few other parents as the school administrator took to the stage to speak.

    Cedric didn''t miss the fact that Dave was given a seat at their table but the rest of his staff was sent away to sit outside.

    "My dearest parents, we are truly fortunate to have Mr. and Mrs. Reyes as our guests today." Mr. Smith said, to which the parents all apuded.

    "Mr. and Mrs. Reyes wish to keep this event private, they also would like that should their son choose to study here, that his identity be kept a secret. I hope you can allply." Mr. Smith added as the parents nodded, acknowledging his request.

    As the food was being served Dave nudged Cedric with an elbow.

    "Boss." Dave whispered as he handed Cedric his phone. "This is one of the reasons why I said what I said earlier."

    Cedric took a look at Dave''s phone and noticed a barrage of posts filled with photos of Cedric and Adrianna sitting at their table.

    All the captions were saying that Yoyo would be enrolled in that school.

    Cedric shook his head as he handed the phone back to Dave.

    "Is that all?" Cedric asked, wanting to be prepared.

    "No." Dave said, shaking his head. Making Cedric feel bad about the school. "You''ll probably hear moreter. But for now that''s the only one I have."

    "I''ll inform Adri when we get home." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Don''t get me wrong sir, the education is good. It''s the rest." Dave said with a shrug as their food was served.

 Chapter 592 - 592

    "So what is your son like?" One of the mothers on the same table as Cedric and Adrianna asked as they finished up their meal.

    "Yoyo is very curious and very smart." Adrianna said as she beamed with pride.??

    "He acts quite mature as well." Cedric added with a nod as he held his wife''s hand under the table.

    "We saw the other schools that you were considering." One of the fathers said.

    "Oh, you did?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, you were all over social media today." Another mother exined. "You are truly quite an eye catching couple, people can''t help but look wherever you go."

    "Oh, thank you." Cedric said with a nod.

    The fact that photos of them touring the schools were leaked from school administrators and teachers themselves was the reason Cedric scratched most schools off of his list.

    "I honestly don''t know why you considered those schools." One father remarked in a disgusted tone. "They let those people in." He scoffed as he made a face.

    Cedric watched as the other parents nodded in agreement.

    He was quite shocked at their views of the other schools he had visited and of their students. Cedric maintained his emotionless expression as he listened to them.

    "Those people?" Dave asked, unable to resist the urge to ask.

    "You know what kind of people we are talking about Mr. Lazaro." A man said, referring to Dave. "You studied here, you should know what the right kinds of people are."

    "Is that why the rest of my staff are eating outside?" Cedric asked, showing no emotion to the parents.

    Adrianna, who was holding his hand under the table, squeezed it tightly. She was clearly worried about what Cedric would say next.

    "You can''t expect everyone to sit in here." A woman said with a shrug.

    "Boss." Dave whispered, trying to get Cedric to snap out of his annoyance at the other parents.

    Cedric took a deep breath and shook his head.

    "I''m assuming there are no schrs here?" Cedric asked as he tried to rein in his emotions.

    "Of course there are." One parent said in a disgusted tone. Cedric had half the mind to speak up and give the man a piece of his mind.

    "The school needs it for publicity." Dave said with a frown as he realized that if anyone said anything else Cedric might actually lose it.

    "Yeah, look what it gets you, sluts and traitors." Another parent added to what Dave said.

    "Just because someone is not well off doesn''t mean they are bad people." Dave added with a sigh. He thought it was better if he argued with the parent rather than Cedric.

    "Don''t be so naive Mr. Lazaro." A father said, shaking his head. "Those people are more than willing to throw morals to the wind just to get money."

    "Mr. Lazaro, you know first hand how cruel these poor students can get." A mother said as she crossed her arms across her chest. "I don''t want my son to fall into the same trap as your brother and your friends."

    "Not everyone is like that." Dave hissed.

    "What are they talking about Dave?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "It''s nothing sir." Dave said, shaking his head.

    "Mr. Lazaro here has been around victims of those greedy schrs who have gone to this school." One of the parents exined to Cedric in a calm tone as he red at Dave.

    "And as someone who has seen how cruel and selfish people can be, I am telling you sir. Drop your prejudice against people who have less than you." Dave said as he got up and stormed out.

    Even the parents and staff on the other tables couldn''t help but turn their attention to the discussion at Cedric''s table.

    "I must apologize for my assistant." Cedric said with a frown. He knew that he shouldn''t have to apologize for Dave, there was nothing wrong with what Dave had said.

    "It''s no matter, Mr. Reyes." A parent said, shaking her head. "Mr. Lazaro has spent too much time outside of the proper social circles. He has forgotten what it is like to be with the right people."

    Cedric simply nodded, refusing to make ament.

    He looked at his wife who was clearly saddened by the parents'' words. He held her hand and lifted it to his lips.

    "Are you tired?" Cedric asked Adrianna.

    "No." Adrianna said, shaking her head. "I want to finish the tour. The school has gone through so much effort to wee us."

    "Alright." Cedric said with a worried expression. Adrianna was in the early stages of her pregnancy and he didn''t want anything risking their child''s health.

    "Might I ask, who were the people you were referring to?" Cedric asked the parents as he was dying to find out what they had been talking about.

    "What do you mean who?" A parent asked Cedric, confused as to what his question was.

    "Allow me to rephrase. You said people around Dave had been hurt by the schrs, who were these schrs?" Cedric asked.

    "You know one of them, Mr. Reyes, your friend was a victim too." A father said with a frown as he shook his head.

    "Poor Mr. Sebastian, he loved only to get hurt." Another parent said with a sigh.

    "Jen was a schr here?" Cedric asked, he had always thought that Jen hade from money, she did act like it after all.

    "Yes. She was best friends with the Ramirez siblings." A parent said with a nod. "The Ramirezes had been so kind to her, sponsoring her studies, they even gave Selina Ramirez additional allowance just to pay for clothes for Jen so that she wouldn''t feel so left out."

    Cedric was taken by surprise by the mention of an allowance. He didn''t know about this, he would have to ask Selina or Helios when he saw them again.

    "Well, one rotten egg doesn''t mean the whole tray is rotten." Cedric said with a shrug as he tried to get the parents to realize that not everyone was bad.

    "Who was the other one?" Adrianna asked, speaking up.

    "Oh, it''s the man that led Mr. Lazaro''s brother to his death." A parent said nonchntly as Adrianna looked up at Cedric in shock.

 Chapter 593 - 593

    "I don''t understand." Cedric said, tilting his head to the side.

    "Dave and his brother were exactly alike, trusting those schrs when everyone knew exactly what they were, leeches!" A woman hissed.??

    "My wife was ssmates with Mr. Lazaro and his older brother." Her husband said as he ced a hand on his wife''s shoulder.

    "We told Derek, Dave''s older brother, not to trust that boy too much." The woman said, rolling her eyes. "Derek never listened. Those Lazaro brothers are just too hard headed."

    "What happened?" Cedric asked, more curious than ever about what happened to Dave''s older brother.

    He was there when Derek had died, the man had entrusted his younger brother to him after the car crash.

    "In our ss we had one schrship student." The woman exined with a frown. "His name was Joey, his father was a garbage collector and his mother worked at a nearby mall as a salesdy. Joey was brilliant, so brilliant that he managed to trick Derek."

    Cedric nodded as he listened to the woman''s story.

    "Derek pitied Joey because everyone bullied him and everyone avoided him. Joey ate lunch alone, did projects alone, no one wanted to talk to him." The woman said as she recounted what happened in their youth.

    She looked at her husband and reached out for his hand, as if asking for emotional support.

    "At that time Derek was my boyfriend." She said with a frown. "Everyone had told us, don''t treat those schrship students as your equals, all they are after is your money. Derek was a kind person, he didn''t believe that of people."

    "Because not everyone who is poor is as greedy as you think." Adrianna said, unable to resist the urge to join in the conversation.

    "Not all, but most." One of the parents said, finally admitting that they had generalized a whole socio-economic ss.

    "We just don''t want our children to be a repeat of the Ramirezes or of Derek." The woman telling the story said.

    "What happened to Derek? What did Joey do?" Cedric asked, returning the topic back on track.

    "At first everything seemed fine, we actually thought Joey was a nice guy. We saw how honest he was with Derek." The woman said, frowning. "It all started when Joey began to invite Derek to start hanging out with his friends outside of school."

    "Was he in a gang?" Cedric asked, assuming that the poor boy could have been associated with badpany.

    "We aren''t sure, to be honest until now I have no idea what happened." The woman said sadly.

    "Baby, you don''t need to tell them, I know it still hurts." Her husband said as he rubbed her back, attempting tofort her.

    Cedric could see that the woman''s feelings were torn all over, she had been hurt by the change in Derek caused by Joey.

    "No, I can do it." The woman said with a nod.

    Cedric simply nodded letting her continue with her story.

    "One day, I noticed that Derek wasn''t the Derek I loved anymore, but I was willing to ept his change. What shocked me was when out of nowhere he just broke up with me." The woman said with a frown. "It hurt so much, he said things, horrible things. He called me horrible names."

    Cedric frowned, he didn''t know what to say. Clearly what had happened years ago still hurt the woman and it had greatly affected how the parents, teachers, and students at the school viewed poor people.

    "We soon found out that Joey had somehow starteding to school in a car, and wearing branded clothes." The woman''s husband exined.

    "You knew Derek too?" Cedric asked.

    "We were bestfriends." The man said with a nod. "Dave was like a younger brother to me. When Derek suddenly started behaving oddly because of Joey, I started watching out for Dave."

    "I''m guessing you two got together after Derek and she broke up?" Cedric asked the couple.

    "We got together muchter than that." The man said with augh. "I saw her as my ex-best friend''s ex, it was weird if I dated her."

    "What happened to Joey and Derek?" Adrianna asked, curious to hear how the story ended.

    "No one really knows." The woman said with a shrug. "He rarely spent time with us, he was always hanging out with Joey. Then one day we heard that they became business partners, a year after, Derek ended up dead."

    When she mentioned Derek''s death Cedric could see how badly she wanted to cry. He guessed that she had never truly gotten over tha man and was simply with her husband out of duty.

    "One Joey and one Jen does not mean that everyone else is rotten." Adrianna said, shaking her head.

    "Joey and Jen were not the only schrship students to make the other students into their victims." A parent said, shaking her head. "This school has had a history, and when you step out into the real world you see poor people scamming others."

    "Rich people aren''t saints either." Adrianna hissed.

    "Adri." Cedric said as he tried to calm his wife down. "You can''t have extreme emotions, remember?"

    Adrianna frowned and sighed.

    "Thank you for telling us your story, but I think my wife needs some fresh air." Cedric told the other parents seated at the table as he helped Adrianna stand up.

    "Please, take your time." Derek''s ex suddenly said in a kind tone. "We know our views are different, but we hope youe to understand our side as well."

    Cedric simply nodded and walked out of the trophy room with Adrianna.

    As they walked past a garden, Cedric was surprised to see Dave smoking on his own.

    "Adri, do you mind?" Cedric asked as he gestured towards his clearly distraught assistant.

    "Sure, I''ll speak to Mae." Adrianna said as she nted a kiss on Cedric''s cheek.

    Cedric walked over and stood behind Dave.

    "You know you aren''t allowed to smoke inside schools right?" Cedric asked, surprising his assistant.

    "I don''t care. It''s not like they would throw me out." Dave said as he threw his cigarette to the ground and put it out with his foot. "Did Baby tell you about my brother and Joey?" Dave asked.

    "Baby? That''s her real name?" Cedric asked as heughed. "I thought her husband was just being affectionate."

    Dave shook his head and joined in Cedric''sughter.

    "No, her real name is Baby." Dave exined. "And her husband is named Boy, their parents were not very creative. They are good people though, hurt, but good."

    "They told me about your brother and his friend, yes." Cedric said with a nod.

    "What they told you waspletely one sided." Dave said with a frown as he sighed. "Baby is just bitter because my brother broke up with her, and Boy is just mad at Joey for stealing his best friend."

 Chapter 594 - 594

    "So what really happened?" Cedric asked as a breeze blew through the garden they were in.

    Dave frowned and sighed. "It''s not like they say -"??

    They were suddenly interrupted when Adrianna arrived together with the school administrator and some of the other parents.

    "Honey, it''s time to continue the tour." Adrianna said with a smile as she approached Cedric.

    Cedric nodded and signaled Dave to follow him.

    "We''ll discuss thister." Cedric said in a low voice. "Are you good to continue?"

    "Yes, sir." Dave said with a nod as he followed Cedric towards the school facilities.

    "Do you still have enough energy to continue the tour?" Cedric asked his wife as he hugged her and nted a kiss on her head.

    Adrianna nodded.

    "It''s thest one." She said as she freed herself from Cedric''s arms.

    "We thought you would like to observe the students in ss." The school administrator said as he gestured towards a building that looked like it housed the kindergarten students.

    "That would be great Mr. Smith." Cedric said with a nod as he walked side by side with the school administrator.

    Inside the building, Cedric could see as the children worked silently on their desks, seemingly busy drawing something.

    "Aren''t they a bit too behaved?" Dave whispered to Cedric, hinting at something.

    "Mr. Smith, I have a question." Cedric said to the man next to him. "I feel that my son is more advanced than these children, I want him to be moved directly to the first grade." Cedric said as he maintained his cold demeanor.

    "If you feel sir that your son is ready for the first grade then we will not hesitate to ce him there." The school administrator said with a nod.

    Cedric looked at Dave with a raised eyebrow, the man next to him simply shrugged.

    "Can we see the first grade students?" Cedric asked, returning his attention to the school administrator. "I would like to see how my son''s future ssmates could be."

    "But, sir, we might interrupt their ss." The school administrator said hesitantly.

    "Aren''t we disrupting these students as well?" Cedroc asked in a stern tone, hoping to intimidate the school administrator into agreeing. "Are you hiding something Mr. Smith?" Cedric asked, questioning the man''s integrity, pushing him a little bit more to nod and agree.

    They were brought back to the building where they had been before. The school administrator exined that this was where their elementary students held sses and the building behind it is where their high school ssrooms were located.

    "Before we take a look at the elementary sses, please understand that children are most unruly at this age." Mr. Smith said as he waited for Cedric or Adrianna to respond.

    He was surprised when Dave was the one that responded for Cedric instead.

    "Mr. Reyes understands how children behave at this age." Dave suddenly said.

    "Yes, sir." The school administrator said in a clearly nervous tone as he unintentionally called Dave sir.

    "I see you are learning." Cedric said with a grin as he nodded at his assistant.

    "I do it when you aren''t around." Dave said with a shrug. "Mae can be scarier though."

    "Little sweet Mae?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow, to which Dave simply responded with augh.

    "Yes, that Mae." Dave nodded. "As your assistants we can''t be pushovers, and we can''t be too friendly either. We are a reflection of you."

    "Ian taught you?" Cedric asked.

    "Cami." Dave said, shaking his head. "She told us about a time when people looked down at her and mocked her for being just an assistant."

    "I never knew that Cami had to go through that." Cedric said with a frown.

    "She''s a woman." Dave said with a shug as they neared the ssrooms.

    "Sir, here are our first grade sses." Mr. Smith said as he directed Cedric''s attention to therge window along the hall, allowing parents and guests to catch a glimpse of the ss.

    Cedric wasn''t surprised to see several students being unruly while the teacher continued to write on the board.

    He wasn''t ufortable seeing some students cking off, it seemed to be a normal ss to Cedric.

    "I don''t see why you were so worried about showing me the first graders Mr. Smith." Cedric said with augh that seemed to put the school administrator and the other teachers at ease.

    "They are kids, even I cked off in school when I was younger." Cedric added as he looked into the ssroom.

    "Great!" Mr. Smith said with a smile. "We were so concerned that you wanted students acting the proper grown up way."

    "It''s alright Mr. Smith." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Do you mind if we continue the tour then?" Mr. Smith asked.

    "Sure." Cedric said with a nod as Mr. Smith led them towards the elevator. He wanted to show Cedric and Adrianna thebs.

    "Do you mind if I use the bathroom?" Cedric asked.

    "No, of course not." Mr. Smith said, shaking his head. "Turn right then left, then it''s at the end of the hall."

    "Thanks." Cedric said as he walked towards the direction Mr. Smith had pointed.

    "Stay with Adri and the others." Cedric instructed Leon as he noticed the bodyguard move to follow him. "It''s a school, Leon. I''m sure I can handle a bunch of grade schoolers if they attack." Cedric teased.

    Leon hesitantly agreed and returned to Adrianna''s side.

    Cedric eventually found the restroom andughed when he saw how low the stalls were. He decided to use one of the cubicles in order to not make students ufortable if they identally came in.

    While he was finishing up he heard a few students enter.

    Cedric decided to stay and listen in on their conversation. He had no ns of letting Emilio study in this school, but he still wanted to learn more.

    "The teacher said to behave." One boy said to hispanions.

    "Shhh." Another one said, scolding him. "That rich ass guy is gone for sure. We can behave like normal."

    "Quick, drag him in." An angry kid''s voice said, shocking Cedric.

 Chapter 595 - 595

    "You think you are so awesome just because you are so smart." He heard a boy say.

    There was suddenly a small grunt, as if someone had been kicked or punched.??

    "Let''s put some poop on his pants so everyone thinks he pooped himself." Another boy said with augh.

    "Are there in the cubicles?" Cedric heard one of the children ask.

    Cedric refused to sit idly by as a child was physically bullied.

    "Is this what this school and your parents teach you?" Cedric said in a deep voice that scared the bullies.

    "S- s- sir, who are you?" One of the boys managed to say.

    "You are alling with me." Cedric said as he looked at the little figure that was curled up on the ground.

    Cedric walked over and knelt to check on the child.

    "Sir, don''t touch him, he''s a disgusting orphan schr, he only got in cause he was smart." One kid stupidly said.

    "I hope you never have children of your own." Cedric said quietly as he picked the child up.

    The kid tried toin, telling Cedric that he was fine. But it was clear to Cedric that the little boy couldn''t even stand up.

    Cedric gave the child a quick check and realized that he had bruises and scars everywhere.

    "Were these from them?" Cedric asked the boy.

    The boy shook his head, Cedric could tell he was clearly lying.

    "Who do you live with?" Cedric asked the child as he carried him down the hall, followed by the bullies.

    "In school." The boy said weakly.

    When Cedric arrived where the school administrator and hispanions were waiting, he was greeted by gasps and his wife''s concerned look.

    "What happened?" Adrianna asked Cedric as he approached and handed the child to a bodyguard.

    "I found these kids bullying this boy." Cedric exined.

    "I''m sure it was just some yful banter Mr. Reyes." A parent said, clearly trying to insinuate that Cedric over reacted.

    "I heard them kicking this boy." Cedric said, pointing at the child in the bodyguard''s arms. "Send him to Saints, tell Miguel to give him a full check up. I want to know what this child has suffered."

    "Sir, I don''t think that is necessary." The school administrator said as he watched the bodyguard hesitate.

    "I said take him to Saints." Cedric hissed, making his bodyguard jump into action and leave with the child.

    "That boy is the school''s ward." The administrator exined. "He is an orphan and a schr of the school. You can''t just take the child!"

    "I will ask my friend to send a team to investigate the abuse going on here." Cedric said as he took a step closer to the school administrator, making the man take a step back, clearly intimidated by Cedric.

    "What is the boy''s name?" Cedric asked.

    The man simply shook his head, refusing to divulge any information to Cedric.

    "I am disappointed at this school." Dave said, shaking his head. "I am ashamed to say that this is my alma mater."

    "You are one of the better products of this school, for sure." Cedric said, shaking his head. "No wonder Jen went bad. This ce just fosters hate."

    "I can''t stand being in a school that allows for children to be physically abused and encourages its students to look down on those that are less fortunate." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "Our son will most definitely not be studying here." Cedric said angrily, making the school administrator look down in shame. "And don''t think I will stop there, if I learn that this act is something your school encourages or just stands idly by and watches, I will make sure that no one wants to study here."

    Cedric didn''t give anyone time to respond. He held Adrianna by the wrist and led her out of the building and out the gate, followed by their staff and bodyguards.

    Outside they were greeted by shesing from the reporters and paparazzi waiting outside of the campus.

    When they had arrived earlier it was only the invited journalists that were waiting outside, but due to the posts of some parents and teachers on social media, people had flocked the school.

    "Sir, will you son be studying here?" A reporter bravely asked, knowing that Cedric would not answer.

    To his surprise the normally quiet and unresponsive CEO turned and gave him a dangerous smile.

    "My son will never be enrolled in this school." Cedric said. "I am having an investigation opened into how this school treats it''s students that are under schrship. There are some things I want investigated. Feel free to look into it yourself." Cedric added before walking away and getting into his car.

    Dave rode in the front seat while Mae rode with Leon in the security van.

    When the door finally closed behind him, Adrianna copsed and began crying into Cedric''s chest.

    Cedric was somewhat confused by Adrianna''s actions but he decided not to ask. He simply rubbed her back and let her cry it out.

    When his wife had finally settled down he dared to ask what bothered her.

    "What''s wrong Adri?" He said as he reached for a tissue and handed it to his wife.

    "Seeing that child, just beaten and bloody, I can''t believe that we even considered sending Yoyo there." Adrianna said as she continued to wipe the tears from her eyes.

    "Adri, we didn''t know." Cedric said as he tried tofort his wife.

    "Did you know that they were that bad Dave?" Adrianna asked the assistant that was seated at the front.

    "No." Dave said, shaking his head. "It wasn''t that bad back then. I mean there was heavy bullying towards the schrs back in my time, but nothing physical like what we saw. I am truly ashamed."

    "I wonder how long that child has had to suffer abuse." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "The other kids told me that he was an orphan schr, I have a feeling he has been in the school since he was in preschool." Cedric told Adrianna as he held her hand.

    "How could they let that happen to a child?" Adrianna asked with a frown.

    "Don''t worry Adri, I''ll see to it that they are made to exin." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Sir, you will be going against a lot of important families." Dave said with a frown, his old school had children from other rich and powerful families enrolled there as well, he was worried that Cedric would not be able to take them on.

    "Don''t worry Dave, there are more of us with deeper pockets. I''ll make some calls." Cedric said with a nod as he leaned back and rested. He knew he would be busy soon.

 Chapter 596 - 596

    "Fuck." Miguel hissed as he entered his office, throwing down an envelope on his desk.

    Cedric and Adrianna, along with his assistants, had been led there by Jo Meneses, Cedric''s friend, who was Miguel''s head nurse. ??

    Cedric looked at Jo with a raised eyebrow, hoping the nurse knew why Miguel was so furious.

    "Got the full results?" Jo asked Miguel with a concerned look in his eyes.

    Miguel nodded as he copsed onto his office chair.

    "What that child has gone through, it''s wrong." Miguel said with a sigh, shaking his head.

    "So the physical abuse from the other students has been going on for a long time?" Cedric asked Miguel as heforted his clearly distraught wife.

    He knew that hearing the child had been physically abused worried Adrianna. She couldn''t help but imagine it happening to Yoyo if they had sent him to that school.

    "Most of his injuries couldn''t have been inflicted by children." Miguel said with a sigh, shaking his head. "Based on what we could see, the injuries are at least two to three years old."

    "That means, ever since he was brought under the school''s care." Cedric said with a sigh. Clearly an adult at the school was abusing the child.

    "I''m sorry, Dave." Miguel said as he looked at the assistant.

    "About what?" Dave asked with a confused expression.

    "I know you, Selina, and Helios all studied there, but that ce is not a ce for children." Miguel said with a frown. "The irony, a school not for children."

    "It isn''t a ce for anyone." Dave said, shaking his head. "They abused someone, regardless if it''s a child or not, abuse is wrong."

    Cedric nodded as he continued tofort Adrianna. With each new piece of information Miguel had said, he could feel Adrianna tense up.

    "Adri." Cedric said as he tried tofort her.

    "I''m fine." Adrianna said, shaking her head. "I just can''t imagine a child going through something like that."

    "I''m having the school investigated." Cedric informed Miguel and Jo. "Dave is handling it."

    "Don''t worry, I''ll be unbiased." Dave said, quick to quell any doubts. "I never really like that school." Dave said with a shrug.

    "What do you n to do with the kid?" Miguel asked Cedric, it seemed he was genuinely concerned about the little boy.

    "I want him to heal first, then we can start talking to him." Cedric informed Miguel.

    "Do you want me to get my brother to speak to him? You know all that therapy stuff." Miguel suggested.

    "I think doing therapy with Eric Chan might shock the child." Cedric said with augh. "But do you think Eric could suggest someone?"

    "I''ll give him a call." Miguel said with a nod.

    "Why don''t we try introducing him to Yoyo?" Adrianna suggested.

    "Maybe when he is ready." Cedric said with a nod. "Some of his tormentors were children as well, he might not be willing to interact with Yoyo, and he might get scared."

    "Alright." Adrianna said with a nod as she continued to frown.

    "We really need to talk to him. We need to know who his legal guardian is and how we can change that." Cedric informed Dave. "I don''t want anyone from that school trying to get the child. Have Leon set up a security detail around the hospital and outside his room."

    Dave nodded as he waited for Cedric to let him go and carry out his orders. Cedric nodded and Dave made sure to do as he asked.

    "Even if you take out his legal guardian, someone needs to be responsible for the child." Jo exined to his friend.

    "Then I can be his legal guardian." Cedric said with a shrug as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

    "You can''t be serious?" Miguel asked as he leaned forward.

    "I am." Cedric said in a stern tone. "I don''t see what''s wrong with me being the boy''s legal guardian."

    "You are Cedric Reyes, you can''t just jump into decisions like that!" Miguel said in a loud voice.

    "Have you suddenly gone stupid or something Miguel?" Cedric asked in a calm tone. "Have those Chan elders somewhat gotten into your head? So what if I''m the head of the Reyes n, if I wanted to even go as far as adopt the boy, I could. There is nothing wrong with that."

    "Sorry, it''s just they''ve heard about my Uncle Miguel''s son probably having survived and there are talks of putting him at the helm of the family." Miguel said, shaking his head. "You know how sexist they can get."

    "How is Nicole handling all of this?" Cedric asked, looking at Ian who had followed to the hospital.

    "Not well." Ian said, shaking his head. "They keep saying either hand the position as head of the family to her brothers, or get married."

    "Doesn''t she want to marry you?" Cedric said with augh.

    "You know why she won''t now." Ian replied, rolling his eyes at Cedric.

    "Why do the Chans have to be so old fashioned?" Cedric grumbled. "Can''t they see other families are surviving, despite their choice to adapt."

    "Having a female at the helm is just too much for them." Miguel said with a shrug. "Even your family has passed on that position through the male line."

    "Just because my Aunt Aurora chose to." Cedric said with a shrug. "Had she wanted to, Marie would be in this position, not me."

    "Yeah, Marie, then you again since your cousin has chosen not to marry. Despite the obvious attraction between her and Ray''s cousin." Miguel said with augh.

    "I keep forgetting that he is Auntie Amy''s nephew." Cedric said with augh.

    "Will you really adopt the child if there is no one else that would take him?" Miguel asked Cedric with a sigh.

    "I wouldn''t adopt him because it was ast resort." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I would adopt him because I''m concerned about the child and if Adrianna lets me."

    "Of course I would be fine with adopting him, but if he doesn''t want to, let''s not push the boy." Adrianna said to her husband.

    "We don''t even know the kids name." Jo said with augh.

    "It''s Dominic." Dave said as he entered the room. "Dominic Sta. Maria. I arranged for everything. The child''s guardianship needs to be transferred to someone."

    "Transfer it to me." Cedric said decisively with a nod.

    "Well, it looks like he''s up." Miguel said as he ced down his phone. "Shall we visit Dominic?"

 Chapter 597 - 597

    Miguel had ced Dominic in a VIP room since it was Cedric who had asked the boy to be brought over.

    When the group entered, they found a female nurse trying to calm the boy down. He was crying and huddled at a corner of the room.??

    "Dr. Chan." The nurse said as she noticed Miguel and his group enter the room.

    "What happened?" Cedric asked as he looked at the scared boy.

    "When we noticed that he had woken up, we tried to check his vitals, but as soon as I took a step towards him he jumped off of the bed and ran to the corner." The nurse exined. "We need to get to him to check his injuries."

    "Cedric, do you think you can try talking to the kid?" Miguel asked as he looked at his friend.

    Cedric nodded and walked over to the clearly distraught boy.

    "Hey, it''s Dominic right?" Cedric asked as he crouched on the ground.

    Dominic''s expression rxed, but Cedric could still see the fear in his eyes. Something in Cedric wanted to just pick up the child andfort him, tell him that everything would be alright.

    The boy slowly nodded his head as Cedric inched forward.

    "Dom, can I call you Dom?" Cedric asked, to which the child responded with a nod again.

    "Dom, do you remember who I am?" Cedric asked in a calm andforting tone.

    "Yes, y- y- y- you saved me." Dom said as he stuttered, his eyes darted between Cedric and the other people in the room.

    "Dom, don''t worry." Cedric said. "They are good people. The doctors and nurses here just want to check up on you."

    "They will hurt me if they see." Dom said as he began to cry.

    "No, no Dom. No one will hurt you as long as I''m here." Cedric said as he dared to move closer to the child.

    "You won''t leave me?" Dom asked. "My mama and papa said they wouldn''t leave me, but they still left." Dom said as tears began to fall from his eyes.

    "No Dom, I promise I will stay with you." Cedric told the child. He watched as the scared look slowly left Dom.

    "Can I carry you to the bed?" Cedric asked Dom.

    Dom nodded and Cedric approached, picking up the little boy in his arms.

    Earlier that day Cedric had been too focused on the boy''s injuries and on getting him out that he didn''t realize how light Dominic was. It seemed that the people at that school didn''t even care to feed him properly.

    "Dom, are you hungry?" Cedric asked the little boy as he ced him on the bed.

    Dom shook his head, refusing to answer Cedric.

    "Dom, don''t worry, it''s okay." Cedric said as he gently patted the child''s hand. "You can ask for food if you are hungry and water if you''re thirsty."

    Cedric suspected that the kid was punished whenever he voiced out his hunger.

    Despite Cedric''s words Dominic shook his head, refusing to answer.

    Cedric sighed and turned towards Mae.

    "Can you get him something to eat?" Cedric asked. "Some soup and bread. And water, bring over water."

    Mae nodded and left to do as Cedric asked.

    Cedric returned his attention to Dominic, who was just looking up at him.

    "Dom, this is my friend Dr. Miguel Chan." Cedric said as he gestured for Miguel to move closer.

    "Hey Dom." Miguel said with a friendly smile.

    The little boy was hesitant but he did not move away.

    "Dr. Miguel will just check up on you." Cedric exined. "He just wants to see if you are hurt. Will that be alright?"

    Dom nodded allowing Miguel to approach.

    "Dom, this is Nurse Jo." Miguel exined as Jo approached Dom on the other side of the bed. "He is here to help me check up on you. Will that be fine?" Miguel asked.

    Dom nodded again, allowing Jo and Miguel to check on him.

    Cedric and Adrianna moved away, allowing Miguel and Jo to work on the boy.

    "That was amazing what you did there." Adrianna said as she nted a chaste kiss on Cedric''s cheeks.

    "It was nothing." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I just thought of Yoyo and how I would talk to him if he was afraid."

    "It was still amazing." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "I think in a few days we can let him meet Yoyo." Cedric said with a smile as he pulled Adrianna into his arms.

    "It would be nice for Yoyo to have a friend." Adrianna said as she looked at the poor boy on the hospital bed.

    "I was serious about adopting him." Cedric suddenly told his wife.

    "I don''t mind." Adrianna said with a shrug. "I would be more than happy to add another child to our little family."

    "It just pains me to see such a poor boy like Dominic, he was clearly abused and starved at that school." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Dominic was lucky you needed to pee." Adrianna teased, making Cedricugh.

    "That he is." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    Soon Mae was back with some food, she hade back right as Miguel and Jo finished examining Dom.

    Miguel gestured to Cedric that he and Adrianna could approach.

    "He is doing better." Miguel said with a nod. "He needs to stay in bed for his injuries to heal, but other than that he should be fine."

    "Thank you Miguel." Cedric said with a smile.

    "I''ll stay here for a while, I hope you guys don''t mind." Miguel said.

    "It''s your hospital." Cedric said with augh as his friend shrugged and walked over to the couch to rest.

    Cedric decided to talk to Dom, he didn''t know Adrianna yet and Cedric wanted to see if Dom was willing to tell them about his abuse.

    "Hey Dom. Feeling better?" Cedric asked the child.

    "Yes sir." Dom said with a nod.

    "No need to call me sir, just call me Ced or Cedric." He told the boy.

    "Okay Ced." Dom said with a slight smile.

    "This is my wife, Adrianna." Cedric told Dom as Adrianna approached the boy.

    "Hello." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "You''re pretty." Dom suddenly said, making Cedric and Adriannaugh.

    "Thank you Dom." Adrianna told the little boy with a smile.

    "And these are Mae, Dave, and Ian. They work with me." Cedric said as he gestured towards the three assistants.

    Dom looked at them, he didn''t smile but he didn''t look scared either.

    "Dom, why don''t you eat first. Then we''ll talk." Cedric said as Mae pulled over a table with food for the boy.

    At first Dom hesitated, but with some urging from Cedric and Adrianna, he eventually started eating.

    Cedric couldn''t help but worry about how he would ask the child about his abuse.

 Chapter 598 - 598

    "Did he eat everything?" Cedric asked Mae who was helping the child.

    "Yes, he seemed to be really hungry." Mae said with a frown as she looked at the empty bowl and te on the table.??

    "I''ll try to talk to him, do you think you can get him more water?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "Of course." Mae said with a nod as she took the child''s cup and left.

    "Dave, Ian, could you buy dinner for all of us?" Cedric asked.

    "Sure." Dave said with a nod as he nudged Ian to go with him.

    "Adri, honey, do you think you could give my sister a call and ask if she can watch over Yoyo for the rest of the night?" Cedric asked his wife. "I want to see if we can convince this kid to confess about his tormentors."

    "Alright Ced." Adrianna told her husband as she ced a kiss on his cheek before walking away.

    "Hey Dom, did you eat well?" Cedric asked the child as he pulled a chair over so that he could sit next to the hospital bed.

    "Yes si- I mean Cedric." Dom said, quickly remembering to call Cedric by his name.

    "Great." Cedric said with a nod. "So Dr. Miguel said you are healing, that''s good, but you still have a lot of injuries meaning you have to stay in the hospital longer."

    Dom nodded, understanding what Cedric had told him.

    "Dom, my wife and I have work, so we won''t be able to apany you here all the time, but we will visit often, until we can bring you home." Cedric told the little boy.

    "Please don''t send me back." Dom began to cry as he begged Cedric. "I don''t want to go back to those people."

    Cedric wanted to hug the child, tofort him and tell him he was never going back, but he didn''t want to rush and scare the child.

    "Dom, don''t worry." Cedric said as he ced a hand on the child''s shoulder. "I will do everything I can to stop them from taking you back."

    "I''ll do anything sir. I''ll be a good boy." The child cried out. "Please don''t send me back, they will hurt me."

    "Dom, I won''t let them." Cedric said again as he tried to calm the child.

    "You won''t?" The kid asked as he looked up at Cedric with hopeful eyes.

    "I won''t, but I need you to tell me everything that they did to you." Cedric said as he patted Dom on the head. "You need to be honest with me."

    "I will sir." Dom replied, nodding his head vigorously.

    Cedric paused to think for a bit, he might need Eric''s help in speaking to Dom about his past. He didn''t want to push the child too far.

    "I''ll ask a friend of mine toe by, we can talk about how they treated you when he arrives." Cedric told Dom. The child simply nodded in response.

    "Now, as I was saying." Cedric told Dom as he noticed that the boy had now calmed down. "My wife and I can''t always be here, we have a job and a son."

    "Is he mean like my ssmates?" Dom suddenly asked, shrinking back into his bed.

    "No Dom." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Emilio is a kind boy and he is only four."

    "Okay." Dom said as he looked down at his hands.

    "No one will hurt you anymore Dom." Cedric promised. "As long as you have us, no one would dare."

    Dom simply nodded, clearly not fully believing Cedric''s words.

    "So, I will have a maide by to keep youpany. She won''t hurt you, she''ll make sure you have food and that you are taken care of." Cedric told the child.

    Dom nodded, confirming that he understood what Cedric said.

    "I will need you to eat a lot so that your body can recover." Cedric said in a much more stern tone this time.

    "Yes sir." Dom said, nodding his head.

    "Dom, I told you to call me Cedric or Ced." Cedric said, scolding the boy.

    Dom simply nodded.

    "I also need you to behave and let the doctors and nurses check on you. No one here will hurt you." Cedirc told Dom.

    Dom nodded again in response.

    Cedric wasn''t too satisfied with Dom''s response, he felt the boy was still hesitant to let the hospital staff near him.

    "You see Dr. Miguel over there?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Dom said in reply.

    "Do you trust Dr. Miguel?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. He is nice, his friend Jo is nice too." The child said with a slight smile.

    "Well, my friend Dr. Miguel, actually owns this hospital." Cedric revealed to the child.

    Dom''s eyes went wide in shock, clearly he didn''t expect the kind man to be that rich and powerful.

    "He isn''t like the rich doctors who are parents in my school." Dom suddenly told Cedric.

    "He isn''t like other rich doctors." Cedric said with a smile. It was sad that Dom''s experience with doctors sounded like it was filled with pain. "Also Dom, you will never be going back to that school ever again."

    "But they will look for me." Dom said as he looked up at Cedric with tears forming in his eyes.

    "I promised you that I would do everything to keep you from going back to them." Cedric told the boy as he tried tofort him.

    "But, I have to go to school." Dom said as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

    "There are many schools out there, Dom." Cedric said. "You don''t need to go to that school anymore. You can go to the school where I graduated from."

    "Will the kids there beat me up too?" Dom asked as he began to cry once more. It was clear that the child had been through a lot.

    "There are some bad ones." Cedric said with augh. "But the school will not let you get hurt, and I will not let you get hurt." Cedric promised.

    "Okay." Dom said with a nod.

    "For now, I want you to rest." Cedric told Dom as he tucked the child in. "I will stay the night to keep youpany, but you might wake up and I''m not here. I need you to cooperate with the people I will ask to stay."

    "Yes, Ced." Dom said with a nod.

    "Good, now go to sleep." Cedric told the kid.

    Dom did as Cedric asked and closed his eyes in an attempt to sleep.

    Satisfied, Cedric walked over to the couch where Miguel was resting.

    "Did he tell you what he went through?" Miguel asked Cedric with a raised eyebrow.

    "No, I thought it would be best if I had Eric on hand when Dom told me his story. I''ll ask your brother toe over tomorrow evening." Cedric told Miguel as he rested on the couch.

    "Ayanna agreed to take care of Yoyo for the night." Adrianna told her husband with a nod.

    "We can have dinner and then you can go home too, Adri. I''ll stay and take care of the kid." Cedric told his wife as he pulled her and kissed her.

    "Gross guys." Miguel groaned as he covered his eyes.

    "I''ll have someone send some clothes for you for work." Adrianna said with a nod as she smiled at the husband.

 Chapter 599 - 599

    When Cedric woke up the next day, he made sure to first check on Dom.

    The child was still fast asleep, Miguel had warned him before leaving that Dom''s body would need to recover so he would probably end up sleeping most of the time.??

    As Cedric checked on Dom, there was a knock at the door.

    "Come in." Cedric called out.

    "Sir." Dave entered, bowing and cing a bag on the coffee table. "Mrs. Reyes asked me to bring you some clothes. I also drove over a maid who will keep Dominicpany. She has also brought over dinner."

    Cedric nodded his thanks and fished out some clothes from the bag.

    When Cedric was done taking a bath, the maid had alreadyid out breakfast for him.

    "You''ve eaten?" Cedric asked Dave as he took his seat.

    "Yes." Dave said with a nod. "Your wife made me eat before leaving."

    Cedric smiled at the thought of his wife making sure his assistant ate breakfast before leaving.

    "What''s your name?" Cedric asked the maid as she waited on Cedric and Dave.

    "Abby, sir." The maid told Cedric.

    "Okay, Abby. Did my wife tell you what you will be doing here?" Cedric asked the maid.

    "She told me that I was to care for Dominic and to keep himpany." Abby exined.

    Cedric nodded, she wasn''t wrong, but there were some things he wanted to make sure she understood before leaving for work.

    "Dominic has been through a lot." Cedric said with a frown. "He was abused and beaten, so he isn''t quick to trust others. There is no need to rush him or to be worried if he pulls away."

    "Yes, sir." The maid said with a nod.

    "He needs to recover his strength, so he needs to eat, I need you to make sure of that." Cedric told the maid in a stern tone.

    "The madam informed me of the diet that he needs to follow." The maid said with a nod.

    "Good, I think that''s all." Cedric said as he tried to think of what he needed to remind the maid about. "I would have wanted to be here when he woke up so that I could introduce you, but there are matters in the office that need my attention."

    "I''ll do my best, sir." The maid said as she handed Dave Cedric''s bag.

    "Don''t be startled if he starts to panic when he wakes up." Cedric said as he recalled how the boy behaved the day before. "He will be confused and afraid. Tell him Cedric sent you to watch over him."

    "Yes, sir." The maid said with a nod as Cedric and Dave walked over to the door.

    "Make sure he eats his breakfast." Cedric reminded the maid right before closing the door.

    "Yes, sir." The maid said with a nod as Cedric and Dave left.

    The whole day Cedric couldn''t help but think about Dominic. The child was so young and yet it seemed like he had to go through so much.

    "Any development on the investigation?" Cedric asked Ian as he arrived in Cedric''s office.

    The day was already ending and Cedric was getting anxious.

    "Which investigation?" Ian asked with augh.

    "Dominic''s, on the school?" Cedric asked in an annoyed tone.

    Ianughed at Cedric, clearly he had a lot of emotions invested in the child.

    "Just adopt the kid." Ian teased as he ced a folder on Cedric''s table. "You know well enough that this is the reason I came over."

    Cedric picked up the file and skimmed through it quickly.

    "These are a lot of usations." Cedric said as he ced the files back down on the table. "How did you get them so fast?" Cedric asked.

    "Dave, Helios, and Selina helped us out." Ian said with a shrug. "It seems that not everyone who graduated from that school is on board with their traditions."

    "Is this enough?" Cedric asked, pointing at the folder.

    "Katerina said it would be easier to prosecute if Dominic was willing to take the stand." Ian exined.

    "Let''s see how it goes." Cedric said with a nod. "Eric will be helping me talk to Domter."

    "Well that''s it for the day I guess." Ian said with a shrug.

    "I seriously have no more work?" Cedric asked Ian in surprise.

    "Yeah." Ian said with augh. "Adrianna and Ayanna demanded that we lessen your work."

    "Don''t lessen it to a level where thepany''s progress will be at stake." Cedric told Ian in a more serious tone.

    "It won''t." Ian said with a nod. "Don''t forget about the Gizmo Awards tomorrow night."

    "I won''t." Cedric said with a nod.

    Cedric got up and left.

    "Sir." Dave said, quickly chasing after Cedric.

    "Yes Dave?" Cedric asked.

    "Can Ie along to visit Dominic?" Dave asked in a shy tone.

    "Of course. Do you have any work left for today?" Cedric asked Dave.

    "None that I can''t do in the hospital." Dave said with a nod.

    "Alright, pack up and let''s go." Cedric told his assistant who promptly showed him his bag, all ready to go.

    When they arrived at Saints Hospital''s VIP ward, Cedric was surprised to find Veronica sitting by Dominic''s bed, talking to the kid.

    Abby the maid quickly noticed Cedric and Dave arrive, she quickly stood up.

    Veronica turned, she had an embarrassed expression on her face, as if she was caught doing something forbidden.

    "Miguel said I could visit." She exined.

    "It''s alright Veronica, I just never pegged you as the type to like kids." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Hey Dom, how are you feeling today?" Cedric asked the child in the hospital bed.

    "Better Ced." Dominic said with a smile. "Miss Veronica is really nice."

    Cedric nodded and smiled back.

    "Ced, can I have a word with you outside?" Veronica asked in a shy tone.

    "Sure." Cedric said as they stepped out of the room.

    "Miguel said you nned on adopting him." Veronica told Cedric.

    "Yeah, I mean, he has nowhere else to go and he is a good kid." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I want to adopt him." Veronica suddenly told Cedric, catching him by surprise.

 Chapter 600 - 600

    "Are you sure?" Cedric asked Veronica.

    "Why do I get the feeling that you don''t trust me on this?" Veronica asked as she ced her hands on her hips and red at Cedric.??

    "You''ve never seemed like the I''m willing to adopt type." Cedric said with a shrug, making Veronica roll her eyes at Cedric.

    "Miguel told you we''ve been trying for years and you don''t see me as the motherly type?" Veronica asked him in a loud voice.

    Cedricughed and shook his head. He wasn''t shocked at all with Veronica''s reaction to hisment, this was typical Veronica. She always got her way and hated being questioned.

    "Veronica, we''re in a hospital, or did you forget that, shhh." He scolded, as he pretended to look around to see if there were any patients or nurses they had disturbed. Of course there was no one else on the floor, it seemed there were barely any VIP patients at this time.

    Veronica shook her head at Cedric, clearly annoyed at his behavior, but she was used to it. They had grown up together, and even after his return he was still the fun older brother none of the girls had.

    "I said I didn''t see you as the adopting type. I know you want a kid, Adri told me you and Miguel were attending some fertility tests. So why not wait, I don''t want this child feeling unwanted." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Dominic will never be unwanted, not with us." Veronica said, shaking her head. "To be honest Cedric, I''m not sure if Miguel and I can even have kids. We''ve tried almost everything."

    "Didn''t the doctors say there is nothing wrong with either of you?" Cedric asked. "And won''t the Abad and Chan families be against this? We know how those two families can get, no offense."

    "At this point, I don''t care about them." Veronica said with a shrug. "I already love Dominic, and you can''t honestly be nning on adopting him. You and Adri already have Yoyo and another one on the way."

    "I''ll talk to Adrianna about it and then we can ask Dominic." Cedric said, shaking his head. It seemed Veronica was quite insistent on adopting the child.

    "Of course, I don''t want to take him if he doesn''t want toe." Veronica said with a nod. "But can I visit? Spend some time with him? Get to know him."

    "Sure Veronica." Cedric said with a nod. "Maybe we could try leaving you and Yoyo with him some time, it would be nice to get him used to being around other children he didn''t need to be afraid of."

    "That would be great." Veronica said with a smile. She was looking forward to getting to know Dominic even better.

    It was true that the doctors had told her and Miguel that there was nothing wrong with either of them. Theoretically they were both well enough to have children, but the doctors also did warn that because of their busy lifestyle they probably were too stressed to procreate, and this frustrated Veronica.

    Miguel had tried everything to cheer her up, but the one thing they wanted as a couple was what Miguel couldn''t just give her. So when her husband had told her about the child Cedric had brought in, she was eager to meet him.

    Veronica fell in love with the child the moment she met Dominic. To her surprise he wasn''t as withdrawn from her as Miguel said he was towards the nurses and doctors. Veronica could sense that despite his frail body he was a strong child.

    "Hey, what are you two doing out here in the hall?" Eric asked as he arrived. He was heavily disguised wearing a wig and sses, he even had make up on to change his features. It was only by his voice that Cedric was able to recognize the actor.

    "Veronica and Miguel were thinking of adopting Dominic." Cedric exined.

    "Oh, the kid I''m about to meet might be my nephew. That''s so cool!" Eric said as he proceeded to slowly take off his disguise and hand it to the assistant behind him.

    Some of the newer nurses on the VIP floor stopped to watch as the poor looking man slowly transformed into their idol. Cedric watched as Veronica stifled augh as some of the older employees stopped the younger ones from walking over and asking for a photo.

    Cedric simply shook his head and led them back into the room.

    "Tell them I''ll take photos with themter." Cedric heard Eric tell his assistant. "Gotta keep our employees happy." Eric added with a wink as he entered the room after Cedric and Veronica.

    Cedric smiled as he saw Dominic actively speaking to Dave, who was standing next to him. The child was a far cry from the shy boy he was justst night. It seemed that something about fave peaked his interest.

    "It seems you are more talkative today." Cedric teased as he walked over.

    "I''m feeling better si- I mean Cedric." Dominic said with a smile as he looked up at Cedric.

    "ording to the tests we ran on him today he is doing much better." Miguel said as he entered the room, followed by his nurses and the other members of his team.

    "Did my wife speak to you?" Miguel whispered to Cedric as he stood next to his friend.

    "She did." Cedric said with a nod as he ced his hands in his pockets and watched Dominic interact with Veronica and Dave.

    "And?" Miguel asked.

    "I said it''s fine with me as long as Adrianna is alright with it and Dominic is willing." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "We will give him the best life we can." Miguel told Cedric in a determined tone, making Cedricugh.

    "I don''t doubt that Miguel." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Hey Dominic." Cedric said as he walked over to the child''s bedside. "Do you think you''re ready to talk to us about what happened?"

    Cedric watched as Miguel sent his nurses and doctors away, Dave also asked Abby the maid to step out.

    "Yes, but can Miss Veronica and Dr. Miguel stay too?" Dominic asked in a shy tone.

    Cedric looked up to see Veronica with a smug smile on her face. He couldn''t help butugh, it seemed the couple had already bonded with the child.

    "Sure, do you mind if Dave stays too?" Cedric asked.

    "He''s alright, I like Dave." Dominic said more confidently this time.

    "Great, now I want to introduce someone to you." Cedric said as he waved Eric over.

    Before Cedric could even introduce Eric to Dominic, the child gasped and was wide eyed in shock.

    "Do you know him?" Cedric asked Dominic with a smile.

    "Y- y- y- yes." Dominic stuttered. "He''s my idol! I''ve always wanted to be like Eric Chan when I grew up!"

    "Well today, you''ll get to learn about another side of your idol, Eric is actually a doctor too." Cedric said calmly.

    "Hey kid." Eric said with a smile as he pulled a chair to the side of the bed. "I''m a psychologist, and Cedric asked me to help take care of you, I hope that''s fine?" Eric asked.

    It seemed Dominic was at a loss for words as he was unable to speak.

 Chapter 601 - 601

    Cedricughed at Dominic''s reaction as Eric smiled at the boy.

    "It seems you''ve scared him." Cedric teased.??

    "No, no." Dominic said, shaking his head. "I''m not scared. I''m just. . ." Dominic said as he tried to find the right word for what he was feeling.

    "In shock?" Cedirc asked. "In awe?"

    "Shocked, I''m just shocked." Dominic said with a nod.

    "Aright Dom, as much as I am enjoying your reaction to Eric being here, we need to talk about some things." Cedric said in a much more serious tone.

    The kid nodded andposed himself. Cedric was surprised as to how well the child adapted to the situation. He was much stronger that Cedric had first expected.

    "Okay, Dominic, what is your full name?" Cedric asked.

    "Dominic Casius Fuller." Dominic told Cedric.

    "Your father was a foreigner?" Cedric asked the boy, surprised to hear hisst name was not one native to the country. The boy didn''t look like he was of mixed blood.

    "No, my dad was half and half." Dominic exined.

    "Do you remember your parents?" Cedric asked the child.

    "No." Dominic said, shaking his head making Cedric frown. If Dominic didn''t know his parents then he must have been with the school for quite some time.

    "Do you know what happened to them?" Cedric asked.

    "ording to the man that takes care of me at the school, they died when I was a baby." Dominic exined with a frown.

    "Do you know how you ended up in the school?" Cedric asked.

    Dominic nodded.

    "My grandma was an old janitress in the school, when she was dying she begged the owners of the school to take care of me." Dominic exined. "I''ve been there since I was two. I don''t even remember my grandmother. I''ve only seen photos of her." Dominic said with a sad expression.

    "Okay Dominic, my questions will be a little bit harder to answer now." Cedric exined as he ced a hand on Dominic''s.

    Dominic nodded, understanding what Cedric meant.

    "How long have they been abusing you at that school?" Cedric asked, he struggled to get the words out. The thought of a child being abused was too painful for him, he could only imagine what Dominic had to go through.

    "Since I can remember." Dominic said with a frown as he looked at Cedric directly in the eyes.

    "What do they do to you?" Cedric asked.

    Dominic frowned and closed his eyes. Cedric thought the boy wouldn''t be able to tell them, it was understandable if he refused to relive memories of his abuse. Cami, who as a child went through so much pain with her parents had chosen topletely forget.

    Cedric was surprised when Dominic opened his eyes and recounted to them what he had to go through in the school.

    "I was a ve." Dominic started. "I learned what the word ve meant when one teacher called me that and I read it in the library. They made me mop floors and sweep the school."

    Cedric could see as Veronica wiped away some tears from her eyes, Dominic was way too young to be able to manage any of that.

    "When I did something wrong, they would hit me and kick me." Dominic said as he continued to recount his life at the school. "I never slept on a bed, even the stray cats and dogs had it better than me. The kids at the school would feed them and I would need to steal food from the strays, somedays I would fish it out of the dumpster."

    Cedric frowned as he listened to Dominic''s story, not only was he physically abused, he was also starved by those that had promised to take care of him.

    "Did you ever ask why they didn''t just send you somewhere else?" Cedric asked, to which Dominic nodded.

    "One time I tried to run away, I just didn''t want to be there anymore." Dominic said with a frown. "Then when I was captured I was beaten and whipped by one of the staff. The owner and the school administrator then told me that I could never leave, that if anyone found me I would be an embarrassment to the school."

    "Who did this to you?" Eric couldn''t resist but ask when he heard of what happened to the kid.

    "At first it was just the janitor that was taking care of me and assigning my tasks,ter on other staff members joined in." Dominic exined as tears began to fall from his eyes. "Then one day the school administrator walked in on the beating, I thought I would be saved, but I was wrong. He joined in and so did most of the other teachers."

    "And the students?" Cedric asked.

    "I wasn''t allowed to study tillter on." Dominic said with a frown as Cedric handed him a handkerchief to wipe the tears away. "When I was introduced, they said I was a schr to the school, and kids there are trained from a young age that we are beneath them. When some students walked in on the teachers beating me, they guessed that it was fine."

    "Dominic, how old are you?" Cedric asked. The boy looked small like a seven or eight year old, but he spoke like he was older than that.

    "Please don''t send me away." Dominic began to cry. "I know I''m not a small child, but I don''t want to go back, please don''t send me back."

    Cedric moved and pulled Dominic into a hug,forting the child.

    "We won''t send you back Dominic, we just need to know your age so that we can n." Cedric informed the sobbing child.

    "I''m twelve." Dominic confessed, much to the surprise of Cedric and the others.

    "Cedric, a word." Miguel said as he gestured towards the door. He wanted to have a private word with his friend. "You too Eric."

    Miguel and Eric walked out as Cedric ced Dominic back on the bed.

    "I''ll speak with Dr. Miguel and Dr. Eric for a bit." Cedric exined to the child. "Don''t worry, you aren''t in any trouble. Veronica and Dave will keep youpany."

    Dominic nodded as Cedric left.

 Chapter 602 - 602

    "Fuck!" Eric cursed as he punched the wall.

    The nurses and doctors all suddenly stopped what they were doing and turned to the usually calm man. ??

    "Back to work everyone." Miguel said in amanding tone. Everyone turned their attention away from them, no one dared go against Miguel in the hospital.

    "When I saw him I knew he had gone through a lot, but not this much." Cedric said with a sigh, shaking his head.

    "What the fuck is wrong with those people." Miguel hissed. "Abusing a child like that. We shouldn''t even go through the proper channels, we should just outright have that school banned."

    "You know that it will do more harm than good to do that." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "They need to be made into an example." Eric said angrily. "People need to know that no matter how much power and money you have, you can''t go around treating children that way."

    "Eric is right." Cedric said with a nod. "That''s why we need to pull all our resources together. They need to be found guilty in the trial of the decade and Ram needs to broadcast it across the country. The bigger the hype, the better our message will get across."

    "I can''t believe they had such good products too, like Helios, Selina, and Dave." Miguel said with a frown.

    "Part of me can''t help but hope that most of their graduates turned out like those three." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Do you have enough evidence?" Eric asked Cedric. He had found out about Cedric''s n from his girlfriend, Katerina. She would be the one taking this case to the courts.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "She told Ian that the best way to push this case is for Dominic to take the stand and to testify about what happened."

    "I heard Dave also managed to get information from former graduates, is that true?" Miguel asked with a curious look.

    Cedric nodded, his assistant was not the only one appalled by the schools treatment of it''s students.

    "It seemed that with each year the bullying got worse, until it reached Dominic''s batch." Cedric exined. "From what we''ve gathered there were two other schrs in Dominic''s batch, they were bullied and physically abused, but not to the same level as Dominic."

    "Didn''t the parentsin?" Eric asked Cedric.

    "What could they do?" Cedric said with a frown. "Without the school their children''s futures would be bleak. Even if they didin it would still be covered up by the rich families involved and then the children would lose their schrships."

    "What''s going to happen to those children now?" Miguel asked Cedric as he leaned against the wall.

    "I''ve had Ian ce them under the Reyes Group''s foundation." Cedric exined. "We''ll be shouldering for their education. We''ve also offered jobs for their parents, but as you know there is only so much we can offer."

    "Send the kids over to the hospital." Eric suddenly said. "I am sure that they are suffering from both mental and physical trauma. I''ll pay for everything."

    "We''ll." Miguel said, correcting his brother. "We, the Chan family, will pay for all their medical bills. I mean we do own the hospital."

    "I''m sure Nicole will agree." Eric said with a nod as he smiled at his brother.

    "Where is Nicole?" Cedric asked, looking around. He hadn''t seen the youngest Chan sibling since he had Dominic brought to the hospital.

    "She''s dealing with the Chan elders." Miguel said with a sigh, shaking his head. "They are pushing for Nicole and Ian to get married."

    "Still the same drama?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Of course." Miguel said with augh. "If they hadn''t learned by now, there is no way of swaying Nicole."

    "Plus, Saints Hospital would fall without her." Eric said with a shrug. "Not only does she have the majority of the shareholders on her side, but she also is literally the only one in the family that can keep this ce a float."

    "Sadly, now they have a new threat against her." Migule said with a sigh. "Uncle Miguel''s long lost son."

    "They can''t possibly think they can get that man to side with them?" Cedric asked with augh. The elders of their families were often too stuck up to see reality. "They not only cause your Uncle Miguel and his wife''s death, but they are the reason why Lucius Ting had to grow up away from his real family."

    "So you are convinced that this Lucius guy is our cousin?" Miguel asked Cedric.

    "There is no other candidate and no other exnation." Cedric said with a shrug. "Of course we are still looking for the nurse and I suggest you do a DNA test, but he is most likely your cousin."

    "Great." Eric said, shaking his head. "Our cousin is out to topple the Reyes Group. I don''t know if he is a genius or if he is crazy."

    "He seems like a smart guy." Cedric said. "I wouldn''t underestimate him." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "So what''s the n with Dominic?" Eric asked.

    "Well he has to recover first, so he will stay here." Cedric exined in a much more serious tone. "Veronica and Miguel have expressed their intention to adopt Dominic, I just need to know that the kid is alright with that."

    "Dominic seems to like V." Miguel said with a smile. "That honestly surprised me. Even Tristan took a while to like V." Miguel said with augh as he remembered how his nephew would cry whenever his wife would pick the kid up.

    "Won''t there be an issue with his legal guardianship?" Eric asked.

    "Nothing that money can''t fix." Cedric said with a shrug. "As much as I don''t want to go that route, it''s easier than making him go through the whole process."

    "I''ll talk to Alexi about fixing it." Miguel said with a nod.

    "I can''t believe that Dominic is twelve. His growth was really stunted by those people." Eric said with a frown.

    "Don''t worry, Eric, they will pay." Miguel promised with a nod as they returned to the room.

 Chapter 603 - 603

    Cedric walked into his Mountain View Mansion, exhausted after the long day. Dominic''s story took an emotional toll on all of them. They were all quite shocked to hear what the child had gone through.

    "Ced, you''re home." Adrianna greeted him as she ran up and hugged him.??

    "Why is the supposedly elegant Mrs. Reyes running around the house like a child?" Cedric teased his wife as he picked her up and kissed her.

    "I was just worried about you." Adrianna said with a frown as she hugged her husband.

    "Oh, why?" Cedric asked, a little bit confused with the sudden concern from his wife. He had spent many daysing homete from the office and she had never acted this way.

    "Well, after everything I''m worried that you still have enemies out there." Adrianna said with a frown as Cedric ced her down on the couch. "I''m also afraid you will leave again. Cedric, if you still need time to get better, please take your time."

    "Honey, I''m fine." Cedric said as he nted a kiss on her cheek. "Eric and his doctors helped me a lot when I was in the hospital."

    "You promise?" Adrianna asked. "Because I don''t want to be part of your problems."

    "I would be more than happy to have you as my problem Adrianna Hernandez - Reyes." Cedric said as he nted a kiss on her lips.

    "It''s been a while since I''ve heard someone call me a Hernandez." Adrianna said with a giggle. "It doesn''t fit anymore."

    "You and Yoyo, and your parents will always be part of the Hernandez family. There are some bad parts, but there are also good parts." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Like my cousins and uncle Matthew." Adrianna said with a nod.

    "I hope your uncle isn''t too mad at me." Cedric said with augh.

    "Why would uncle Matthew be mad at you?" Adrianna asked.

    "Because of my disappearance he''s had to work more." Cedric teased.

    "Oh, Uncle loves to work." Adrianna said,ughing along with Cedric. "He was getting bored not doing much. It was like all of the deals just fell on to ourps after you announced your identity."

    "Well that is normal." Cedric said with a nod. "But with those that are desperate to please,e those that are desperate to take us down as well. The Reyes family has a lot of enemies."

    "Both old and new." Adrianna added as she frowned. "I was worried that Lucius Ting got to you." Adrianna confessed.

    "Adri, he wouldn''t act so fast." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Or maybe one of the parents from that school." Adrianna said with a look of concern. "I mean if they all pulled their resources together, there is a chance."

    "They can''t do that Adri." Cedric said as he tried to calm his wife. "You are a business woman, think logically, honey. If the Reyes Group falls so does the whole economy, they can''t do that unless there is someone waiting to take over."

    "What about the Carpios?" Adrianna asked.

    "They have their hands tied at the moment." Cedric said with augh. "They have to deal with Benedict and Cami surfacing, and the Laurence family''s growing influence. Ray decided to expand thepany and the Carpios are in a panic."

    "What do Benedict and Cami have to do with causing them problems?" Adrianna asked. "The siblings can survive on their own."

    "They can, but the Carpios are desperate to get them to manage thepany." Cedric said with augh.

    "Benedict and Cami told you?" Adrianna asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Cedric nodded and smiled.

    "I told them it would be fine if they worked for the Carpios. Their aunt is Cthea''s mother after all." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I bet they refused it." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "They did, they t out told the Carpios that they will only work for me and that I have their unwavering loyalty." Cedric said with a smug smile, he couldn''t help but feel good about that. "/i am lucky to have people like them."

    "So what happened with Dominic?" Adrianna asked, changing the topic.

    "Adri, I was so happy you weren''t around when he told us what he went through." Cedric said with a frown as he recalled what Dominic had told them. "That child has been through too much."

    "I''m guessing you won''t tell me." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "I''d rather not." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Not just because I don''t want you to cry over it, but I just can''t repeat it. Dominic has lived a life that no one should."

    "Don''t worry honey." Adrianna said as she ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder. "When we adopt him we will try to make up for all the pain and suffering he has had to live through."

    "Oh, about that." Cedric said, scratching the back of his head, trying to look innocent in front of his wife.

    "What is it Cedric?" Adrianna asked as she red at him. "Don''t tell me you are sending him back! Don''t you dare fucking say that."

    As a pregnant woman Cedric knew that his wife would be having mood swings, he just didn''t expect it to happen this soon into the pregnancy.

    "Adri, no." Cedric said as he tried to calm her. "I would never send him back. But there is a change."

    "A change?" Adrianna asked as she calmed down.

    "Yeah, Veronica and Miguel want to adopt Dominic. I said they could if Dominic was willing to go with them." Cedric exined. "Please don''t be mad, but Veronica had a good point. With Yoyo and the baby on the way, I didn''t want you to be stressing out too much. And based on their interaction earlier, Dominic really likes Veronica and Miguel."

    To Cedric''s surprise Adrianna jumped into his arms and hugged him tight.

    "It''s alright Ced." Adrianna said in a happier tone. "I know you are just trying to do what is best for the kid."

    "Thank you for understanding Adri." Cedric told his wife as he pulled her closer. "So are you ready for tomorrow night?"

    "We''ll be meeting Lucius Ting, right?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I can''t wait to see if he really looks like the Chans, I can tell you know. I used to be Eric''s biggest fan." Adrianna teased, making Cedricugh as he remembered the first time Adrianna met Eric in person.

 Chapter 604 - 604

    The Gizmo Awards were the most prestigious tech awards in the country, everyone who was anyone in the industry usually attended. Of course, with the exception of Cedric Reyes, President and CEO of the Reyes Group and Mor Co.

    This year however was poised to be different, somehow news had leaked that Mr. Reyes and his wife would be attending. All the major news outlets, the tabloids, and even entertainment and business bloggers came out to the event venue to wait for their arrival.??

    "I heard that Mr. Reyes and his Vice President, Miss Montero, had a falling out." A reporter said to the man next to him.

    "Oh, and where did you hear that news?" The man asked as he gave a curious look.

    "From a very reliable source." The reporter said with a grin. "I''m hoping to get confirmation on that rumor tonight."

    "Good luck with that." A female reporter said with augh as she joined the pair. "Everyone knows that you will only get confirmation from the Reyes Group if it''s something they want you to know."

    "Well I''m sure I can trip him up with my questions." The reporter said with augh.

    "Him?" The man next to him asked, confused as to whom the reporter was talking about.

    "He means Mr. Reyes." The female reporter said, rolling her eyes. "And that''s impossible, Mr. Reyes won''t answer any questions on the red carpet unless it''s nned. This guy is new, he doesn''t know the rules." The woman said with a shrug.

    "And you do?" The reporter asked as he eyed the woman.

    "I know better than you." She said with augh. "Plus you wouldn''t want to get into trouble with the Reyes Group. They are just too powerful." The female reporter said, shaking her head.

    "Who are you even?" The cocky reporter asked as he lost his patience.

    The woman smiled andughed, she wasn''t a popr reporter, she was rtively new to the industry, but she had a unique advantagepared to everyone else. She knew people inside.

    "Jasmine Ortega, from Abad News Network." Jas said as she offered her hand for the man to shake.

    "Nice try." The reporter scoffed at her. "Everyone knows Abad News Network doesn''t hire newbies."

    "No they don''t." The man whom he had been boasting to suddenly said with augh. "If you are new and you got in, it only means one thing." The man said with a grin.

    The reporter looked at the man, confused at what he was trying to say. This guy was just some random person standing around, that''s why the reporter decided to chat him up, and now he was acting all confident.

    "What do you mean?" The reporter asked the man.

    The man grinned andughed. "It means she''s someone important, maybe as important as the people you want to interview. The only way in as a rookie is if someone asked the Abad family to let you in."

    "Who are you even?" The reporter asked with a raised eyebrow as he looked at the man.

    "I was just waiting for my boss, and for her." The man said with a shrug.

    "What?" The reporter said as he was even more confused now.

    "Boss asked me to hand this to you, Jas." The man said with a shrug as he gave Jas an envelope. "Oh, and Ian says hi." The man teased.

    "Tell him to return my calls some time, Dave." Jas said with a grin.

    The reporter may have been quite clueless, but those two names were enough for him to piece together a guess as to whom this Dave was.

    He looked at the man next to him, wide eyed in shock.

    "No, you can''t be." The reporter said as he pointed at Dave.

    Dave simplyughed.

    "I''ll make sure to warn my boss and Cami about your n." Dave teased. "Oh, and I wouldn''t go against her." Dave said as he pointed at Jas.

    "What why?" The reporter asked, still confused as to Jas'' identity.

    "You know who Ian Lim is right?" Dave asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yeah, we all know Ian Lim, just as we know the name Dave Lazaro." The reporter said, telling Dave that he knew who he was.

    "Jas is his childhood friend." Dave said with a shrug, making Jas smile. Her past with Ian was something she did not want the media finding out about. "He personally asked Mr. Ramon Abad to hire her."

    The reporter''s jaw dropped in shock, he was speechless.

    "What''s in this?" Jas asked Dave as she held up the envelope he had passed,pletely ignoring the once over confident reporter next to them.

    "He just said to use itter." Dave said with a shrug.

    "Why can''t you tell me now?" Jas asked, cing her hands on her hips. "What''s up with these rich and powerful men and being mysterious. No wonder he and Ian are best friends." Jas said, rolling her eyes.

    "He?" The reporter asked.

    "Yeah, he." Dave said with augh. "I think we all know that Mr. Cedric Reyes is a he." Dave teased, further embarrassing the reporter.

    "You''ve spoken to Mr. Reyes?" The reporter asked Jas.

    "Cedric and Adrianna and Nicole Chan, yes." Jas said with a shrug.

    "Just do as he asks." Dave suddenly said. "Look I need to get back inside to work, so can you handle this?" Dave asked Jas.

    "Yeah, yeah, next time tell Mr. Reyes and Ian to just give me a call." Jas said, rolling her eyes.

    "Actually I forgot to meet up with you yesterday. Anyway, bye." Dave confessed as he left Jas and the reporter.

    The reporter just stared at Jas, still in shock at the interaction. He had no idea how he had not recognized Dave Lazaro, all reporters knew to keep an eye out for Mr. Reyes'' assistants, and yet the man was seated next to him and he didn''t recognize the famous assistant.

    "Don''t feel too bad." Jas suddenly said with augh. "They like to fly under the radar like their boss. So they act quiet and humble and youpletely miss out on them."

    "Who?" The reporter asked.

    "Cedric''s assistants, who else." Jas said with augh. "Here, it''s your lucky day." Jas said, handing the man a piece of paper.

    "What''s this?" The reporter asked.

    "Questions that will change your career forever." Jas said with a grin. "I''lle find you after the whole event, and don''t worry, Mr. Reyes will answer those questions." Jas said with a wink as she walked away.

 Chapter 605 - 605

    While Dave and Jas were having fun teasing the reporter, Cedric held his pregnant wife in his arms. They had just left their Mountain View Mansion and were on the way to the awards night.

    As the guest of honor and the biggest businessman at the event Cedric and Adrianna would be thest to walk down the red carpet. Anyone that arrivedter than them would have to enter through the side doors and wouldn''t get the chance to be captured on camera or interviewed by the media.??

    Most people in the businessmunity and in the entertainment industry knew that Cedric was always punctual unlike other businessmen of the same status. As a matter of fact, his friend Ram had to pass the side entrance once because Cedric had arrived to an event on time, while Ram waste.

    Of course, Cedric had intentionally set that up as a prank on his friend. He had told Ram that he was runningte, making Ram take his time before leaving for the event.

    Tonight, with so many big names in the tech industry attending, he knew that many of them would arrive early. No one wanted to miss the opportunity of being on the same page as Mr. and Mrs. Reyes when the articles and newspapers came out the next day.

    "What are you thinking about?" Adrianna asked as she looked up at her husband, She had been leaning on him, resting, after a long day at work.

    "I was just wondering if Dave got the interview questions to Jas." Cedric told his wife as he nted a kiss on her head.

    "Are you tired?" Cedric asked Adrianna. He had wanted her to take a break from work after he had returned, as a matter of fact if he had his way he wanted her to rest the whole of her pregnancy, but wife was a workaholic and refused to stay at home.

    "No Ced." Adrianna told him, shaking her head. "I told you, I''m fine. Work isn''t that difficult since I''ve assigned more to Uncle Matthew and my cousin Henry."

    "And your cousin Margaret?" Cedric asked. Adrianna''s cousin had made a full recovery and was now back to working at Ind''s Inc.

    "She''s doing quite well." Adrianna said with a smile. "As a matter of fact, I ced her in charge of all projects with the Reyes Group."

    "That''s good to hear." Cedric said with a smile.

    "So what did you ask Dave to give Jas? And wouldn''t it have been easier to ask Ian to give whatever that is to Jas?" Adrianna asked as she gave her husband a curious look.

    Cedric chuckled at the thought of Ian meeting up with Jas. She had been a sour topic in Ian''s rtionship with Nicole, Nicole trusted Ian, but that didn''t mean she wasn''t asionally jealous of Jas.

    "You know that Ian and Jas can''t just meet up." Cedric teased.

    "Fine." Adrianna said, rolling her eyes. "What did you ask Dave to give Jas?" Adrianna asked.

    "Just some nted questions, in order to trap Lucius and to get him closer to Cami and Benedict." Cedric said with a shrug. "Plus, I want to announce that we have another one on the way."

    "That''s an unconventional way of announcing my pregnancy." Adrianna said with augh.

    "It has business implications too." Cedric said as he held his wife tightly to his chest.

    "Who isunching anything baby or child rted?" Adrianna asked. "Wait, pregnancy or baby rted. If it were just child rted Emilio would have done the trick."

    Cedric smiled at Adrianna. "I love how well you know me."

    "Yeah, it''s annoying." Adrianna teased, rolling her eyes at Cedric.

    "Selina and Ayanna have a partnershiping up, I just thought they could use the boost in pregnancy and baby talk." Cedric exined. "This is fine with you, right?" He asked tentatively.

    Adrianna had never voiced an opinion against Cedric using their poprity to boost his business or his friend''s businesses in the past. But this time was different and Cedric wanted to be sure that his wife would agree to it.

    "Of course, I mean we are supposed to announce it soon anyway. Might as well do it on our own terms and in a way that can benefit us." Adrianna told her husband with a shrug.

    "You are absolutely glowing tonight honey." Cedric said as he praised his wife.

    "No need to suck up Cedric." Adrianna said, rolling her eyes.

    "Yeah, that''s your job." Cedric said coyly, making his driver and Leon, who was seated in front,ugh.

    "Gossips." Cedric said as he noticed their reaction.

    It took Cedric and Adrianna another hour to get to the venue. It was at the other end of the capital, in an area quite far away from the city center.

    By the time their car rolled in front of the red carpet, Cedric could clearly see how anxious and excited the reporters all were.

    They began to snap photos as Leon stepped out of the car to open the door for Cedric.

    Cedric took on his CEO persona, appearing intimidating and cold in front of the public. As he stepped out, he fixed his coat and helped his wife out of the car.

    Everyone was excited to see the couple, they rarely did public events, and when Cedric did attend one, he didn''t usually bring Adrianna along. He understood that she had her ownpany to run and that she was tired of having everyone talk about her.

    "Mr. Reyes! Mrs. Reyes!" Cedric heard the reporters call out as he scanned the crowd, looking for Jas and he nted reporter.

    Dave had sent him a message earlier telling him that Jas had solicited the help of a reporter they had embarrassed in order to stage Cedric''s n.

    "Mr. Reyes! Mrs. Reyes!" Cedric heard Jas call out as he found her among the reporters. Next to her was the man Cedric assumed Jas had gotten to help her.

    "Yes?" Cedric asked as he and Adrianna approached Jas.

    "Mrs. Reyes looks glowing, is there any truth to the rumor that you are once more expecting? It seems you guys have quite an active personal life." Jas asked, adding the second statement, much to Cedric''s amusement.

    Her question made Adrianna smile and blush.

    The reporters were quick to catch on to Adrianna''s reaction, they had their photographers quickly snap photos before Cedric could even confirm the news.

    "Yes, my lovely wife is pregnant." Cedric announced, to which the reporters all pped. "So if you could please give her some space when you stalk her." Cedric teased, making the reportersugh. It was rare for them to catch Cedric in such a good mood.

    Cedric soon spotted Jas give the man next to her a nudge, signaling him to ask the question.

    The man hesitated, clearly afraid of Cedric''s reaction. In order to avoid the dead air, Cedric answered some of the other questions thrown his way about fatherhood and Adrianna''s second pregnancy.

    Cedric was growing impatient as he waited for the man to gather up his courage.

    "Is it true that you and your Vice President, Cami Montero, have had a falling out?" The reporter finally asked. "And is it true that you are nning on firing her?"

    "I don''t know where you have heard such malicious rumors." Cedric fired back, just as he had nned. "Cami and I are going through a rough patch as friends but that will never hinder our professional interaction. So no, I will not and I will never fire Cami Montero."

    "What if she resigns?" The reporter asked.

    Cedric red at him and turned away, leaving the crowd of reporters with much more than just a pregnancy to write about.

 Chapter 606 - 606

    "So that was your n." Adrianna said with a grin as she looked up at her husband.

    They had just left the red carpet and entered the theater where the awards were going to be held. As the richest man in the country, Cedric and Adrianna were reserved seats in the front. ??

    "We need to throw him something to hang on to." Cedric said with a shrug as he helped his wife towards their seat.

    As they walked over they were greeted by several businessmen and famous personalities, among them was Eric.

    He and Francesca were tonight''s hosts, when the organizers of the Gizomo Awards heard that Cedric wasing along with his wife, they had to increase the star power of their event. They quickly added Francesca as a second host.

    "Nice to see you again, Mr. and Mrs. Reyes." Eric greeted them formally as he shook their hands.

    Of course to the public Eric was just another actor, nowhere near Cedric''s and Adrianna''s status.

    Cedric smiled as Eric pretended to be some humble actor, who''s career depended on the favor of rich investors, such as the Reyes family.

    "Just Cedric and Adrianna please, Eric." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Or have you forgotten that my wife is a fan."

    Eric shed a smile and nodded at the couple, Cedric knew he couldn''t wait to tease themter when they were in a more private setting.

    "Ah Francesca!" Adrianna greeted the woman, pulling her into a hug.

    Unlike Eric, it was public knowledge that Francesca was dating Ram Abad, making Adrianna and her almost of equal stature. They had even been photographed hanging out together with the sisters in a cafe.

    "Adrianna, Cedric, congrattions." Francesca said with a smile, of course, like the others, she had known ahead of the world that the couple was expecting their second child.

    It wasn''t exactly a secret Adrianna could hide from her friends, especially with the whole fiasco with Cedric disappearing.

    "Ah yes, the baby news." Eric injected, sounding a little bit less interested in the pregnancy.

    In truth Eric was one of the more excited friends, what he wasn''t excited about was his girlfriend, Katerina, spending more time over at Mountain View Mansion helping Adrianna and the other girls out.

    "Sir, I think you and the madam should take your seats." Dave said, suddenly appearing by Cedric''s side.

    "Don''t worry, kid." Eric said with a smirk, acting all cocky as part of his actor persona. "The show won''t start if Mr. Reyes isn''t ready." Eric said with a nod.

    "It''s fine Eric." Cedric said. "Where are our seats?" Cedric asked Dave.

    "This way sir." Dave said as he pointed towards the seats reserved for Cedric and Adrianna.

    Cedric looked up and spotted a familiar figure ring down at them, it was Lucius Ting, and Cami was right. He looked even more like the Chan siblings in person, as a matter of fact he looked more like Miguel than Eric did.

    "Is that him?" Eric whispered as he walked with Cedric and Adrianna to their seats.

    Cedric simply nodded, not saying a word.

    "He looks so much like my uncle Miguel and Miguel." Eric added as they finally made it to the reserved seats for Cedric and Adrianna.

    "Well, good luck with hosting tonight." Cedric said as he shook Eric''s hand.

    "Thanks." Eric said with a smile as he vanished backstage.

    "I saw him." Adrianna told her husband as she held his hand.

    Cedric turned to look at her and saw that she was frowning.

    "Is something wrong?" Cedric asked his wife. "It''s bad for you to be sad, especially now that you are pregnant again. I don''t want our baby getting stressed."

    "I was hoping that Lucius Ting wasn''t Uncle Miguel''s son." Adrianna said with a frown. "But when I was him, I don''t think you can deny that he and Miguel are rted, they look so much alike."

    "Makes you think that Eric is the adopted one." Cedric teased with augh.

    "Don''t make jokes like that." Adrianna scolded her husband as the lights in the auditorium dimmed, signaling the start of the awards night.

    As the guest of honor, Cedric had been invited to give a wee speech, and he fully intended to use it to trigger Lucius Ting.

    When Cedric was finally called up to the stage by Eric, Cedric gave the audience one of his rare smiles. It had all the women, and some men, swooning as he returned to his stoic expression.

    "It is an honor to be in front of so many great and promising minds." Cedric began his speech. He allowed his gaze to scan the crowd, letting it stop for a little as he looked at Lucius Ting, seated quite tensely.

    "I normally don''t attend these kinds of events." Cedric exined, a fact that everyone knew. As a matter of fact a lot of the attendees had suddenlye because he had let it leak that he was attending the awards night and the after party.

    "I am d now that I have chosen to attend, with so many brilliant and promising minds in one room, it is truly an opportunity that should not be missed. " Cedric said, once again making eye contact with Lucius.

    "Many of you have been through hell just to be here, some with backers, others relying on their own skill to make it, and Imend all of you. Tonight is a night to celebrate all the brilliant minds in this room, ushering a better and brighter tomorrow for us all." Cedric praised, something to which the crowd began to p and cheer. Some people even got up on their feet to p.

    Cedric signalled for them to calm down, he wasn''t quite done with his speech just yet.

    "I am grateful for all of you in this room." Cedric said with a sly smile, this part of his speech was directed at one person. "It is you that pushes my people at Mor Co. to work harder, to keep innovating, to stay ahead of the curve, and I promise each and every one of you that I will not make it easy."

    His words made people gasp, it sounded more like a threat than a weing speech. At this point Cedric saw the worry in Eric''s eyes, as the organizers began to signal him to cut Cedric''s speech. But the actor stood firm, he knew Cedric, and this was definitely part of Cedric''s n.

    "I believe that our industry is only as good as thepany at the top, and I swear to all of you here, that Mor Co. will continue to drive our industry as a whole to be better." This part of Cedric''s speech earned him several ps, something he had expected.

    "With this I add another promise." Cedric said with a smile. "The Reyes Group will not be greedy with our resources, I invite very one in need of funding toe up to one of my assistants, Mr. Lazaro or Miss Shan, the Reyes Group will invest in anypany that will work on improving our industry as a whole."

    Cedric''s announcement shocked everyone present, he had just announced that he was willing to find everyone, including thepetition.

    Cedric watched as people began to whisper, he noticed Lucius ring at him from his seat. Cedric''s lips curled up to a malicious smile as he ended his speech, thanking everyone and congratting all the winners in advance.

    As Cedric settled back into his chair Adrianna didn''t say a word, which surprised Cedric. He expected his wife to at least question his decision, it was how their rtionship worked, they always had openmunication between them, but today things were suddenly off.

    The awards were soon given out, most were handed to Mor Co. with Cedric going up and down the stage several times to receive the trophy from the organizers.

    There were only a select few awards that were not won by hispany, they were usually in categories that Mor Co. was ineligible to participate in, or in categories where Cedric admittedly confessed to be Mor Co.''s weak point.

    As a matter of fact Cedric was already there, eyeing whichpanies to absorb or which employees to pirate in order to strengthen his own. As he selected them, he would ask Dave to send the name to Cami to get her opinion on them.

    She approved most of Cedric''s choices, except those that she knew had attitude problems or would cause them issues in the long run.

    The final award to be handed out for the night was the best neer award, one that Cedric knew would go to Arch Group, Lucius''pany.

    As the winner was announced, many pped, it seemed Lucius Ting had left a good impression on most of the attendees.

    It was customary for the winner of that award to give a little speech since it was their chance for biggerpanies to get to know more about them. Many winners had been either bought by more capablepanies, such as Mor Co. or they had found funding through the Gizmo Awards.

    Arch Group was a different kind ofpany, it had a rich investor and it had no ns of allowing a bigpany to buy them out.

    "Thank you, to all of you." Lucius said with his deep british ent. "It is an honor to be here, I know many of you are wondering why I set up mypany here, when I had the opportunity to build it in richer, more powerful countries."

    His speech was greeted by nods. Of course, Cedric knew exactly why Lucius Ting was here.

    "I believe my birth parents were from here." Lucius exined. "And I n to find them and honor their memory. Another reason is because a dear friend and my investor is from here, it is to him that I owe my sess. Sadly he has passed on, but I will continue to honor his memory through the Arch group."

    With that the crowd burst into apuse, Cedric had to admit, Lucius Ting knew how to get his audience to like him, much like his cousin who was now on stage, shaking his hand.

    Cedric wanted tough at how Lucius did not know that he was shaking his rtive''s hand rather than some actor.

    As the awards night ended, Cedric and Adrianna were led to a separate room where they could rest before the after party.

    "Is there something you wanted to say?" Cedric asked his wife, he knew she was just holding her tongue earlier.

    "Yes." Adrianna said with a nod. "Why would you offer money to people who want to pull Mor Co. down?" She asked her husband.

    Cedric smiled at her question, he had a gut feeling she would ask about that.

    "Simple, before they can get to me, there is someone they need to take down first." Cedric said as he sat next to her on the couch.

    "Lucius Ting!" Adrianna said with a gasp. "You want them to distract him so much that he can''t focus on you."

 Chapter 607 - 607

    Cedric grinned at his wife''s realization, he knew she would understand his reasons, she just needed to be led to it.

    "If everyone is trying to beat Arch Group, he will be too busy fending them off." Cedric said with a confident shrug.??

    "Aren''t you worried he is much smarter than everyone you have ever encountered?" Eric asked as he entered the room. He had just managed to slip past the guests who were fans and was panting at the jog he had just made.

    "Aiden was pretty smart." Cedric said with a smirk. He had a really hard time with Aiden, his main problem was he didn''t even know that he was going against Aiden.

    "And this kid is supposedly someone Aiden saw as someone with a huge potential, he could be smarter and more cunning than Aiden." Eric exined as he sat on a couch. "You need to be careful Cedric." Eric warned.

    "Don''t worry Eric, I have you and the others." Cedric said with a confident shrug. "Plus who does he have, Benedict and Cami who are both trying to trick him."

    "What if he realizes Benedict and Cami are not really on his side?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow, despite what everyone thought of the actor he was quite smart, he was still a Chan after all and like his sister, Nicole, his intelligencey outside of the academe.

    "Benedict and Cam have him quite convinced, especially since it is true that I did kill Aiden." Cedric said, emphasizing on the fact that the siblings truly had a reason to hate him, if they had loved their brother.

    "What if Benedict turns on you?" Eric asked. "You do not have a guarantee with that man. I know Cami would never betray you, but Benedict is still a variable."

    "I trust him." Cedric insisted.

    "That''s your w Cedric, you trust us too much." Eric said with a sigh, shaking his head.

    "It''s that trust that has gotten us all out of trouble multiple times, Eric." Adrianna said, joining in on the conversation. "Don''t forget that trusting Benedict was how you guys got to Aiden."

    Eric sighed. "Something just feels off about Benedict. I just can''t figure out what it is."

    Cedric walked over and gripped Eric''s shoulder and gave him a light shake.

    "I understand your distrust." Cedric said with a nod. "I didn''t fully trust Benedict at the beginning too, but the Ortiz family has proven that they can be trusted many times over the past month.""

    "I''m sorry." Eric said with a sigh. "This whole missing cousin fiasco plus the issues at home have got me on edge. A part of me just wants to do something to help Nicole."

    "Well, worst case scenario, you could always just im your birthright." Cedric said with a shrug. "Quit acting and settle down with Katerina." Cedric said with augh as he thought of Eric actually following what the Chan family wanted. "I mean, I don''t see how bad it would be to marry Katerina and lead one of the most powerful families in the city."

    "And ruin my rebel image?" Eric asked sarcastically with augh. "No thank you."

    "Why don''t all of you want to follow your family anyway?" Adrianna asked, it seemed that all the Chan siblings had found their own way to defy what the family elders expected of them. Eric with his career, Miguel with his choice to be charitable, and Nicole stepping up to lead the family business and getting pregnant before marriage.

    "Because of Uncle Miguel, I guess." Eric said with a shrug. "We wanted to honor him by doing what we wanted, by being who we truly are. Is it wrong to want to be yourself?" Eric asked Adrianna.

    "Of course not, Cedric and I are not good examples of following your family." Adrianna said with augh as she thought of how they had defied the Hernandezes by getting married.

    "Speak for yourself." Eric said with a chuckle. "Cedric is everything the Reyes n wants and expects."

    "That''s because my family is different." Cedric said, shaking his head. "They ept whatever path we choose, this is what dad has been trying to tell the other families, most are just too stubborn to listen."

    "You have to admit though, that poverty training has be too much." Eric said, shaking his head. "I have no idea how you are going to get Yoyo to do that sessfully. He has been all over social media even before he was born. Add to that the fact that he looks exactly like a younger version of Cedric, you can''t easily hide him."

    "We have a n." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Sir, thirty minutes left." Dave announced as he quickly popped into the lounge.

    "Thank you, Dave." Cedric said with a nod. "Has Ram arrived?" He knew his friend would be making an appearance tonight as Francesca''s date.

    "No sir." Dave said, shaking his head. "Miss Francesca did say that he was already on his way, some family issues held him up."

    "I''m guessing that will be Veronica''s decision to adopt." Eric said with a chuckle.

    "Howe?" Adriann asked as she gave both Eric and Cedric a puzzled look.

    "Adri, Ram is adopted, that means that if Veronica does not produce a biological child, it could mean the end for the Abad line." Cedric exined to his wife.

    "But Ram carries their family name." Adrianna reasoned out. "And the outside world truly thinks Ram is their biological son."

    "What the world thinks and what the truth is are two very different things." Eric said, shaking his head. "Families like ours can be truly vain and shallow at times, why does blood even matter in this case. It''s not like the world will ever know the truth about Ram."

    Adrianna simply frowned and sighed, she thought that the Abads were moving to a more progressive view, it seemed that they too were still stuck in the past.

    At the hotel bar in a different part of the capital, Benedict sat alone, drinking as he thought of the past months.

    He had died, broken into one of the most securepounds in the country, found out a sibling was alive, and lost another sibling.

    Now he was working for the man his older brother had sworn to kill and he stood idly by as that very man killed his brother.

    He sighed as he looked around him, there were many people drinking and smiling with friends. Some were clearly with family, fathers with their sons, siblings, and some friends. They all seemed happy.

    That was the kind of happiness he desired, and yet, here he was, sitting along at the bar, drinking the past months away.

    Why couldn''t his life have just been normal? It didn''t matter to him if his family was rich or poor, he just wanted his family to be whole.

    Sometimes he was envious of his sister, Cami, at least she got the chance to live a normal life with her adoptive parents. Even after she had been adopted the patriarchs of the most powerful families in the country saw her as an adopted daughter, she was happy.

    Benedict took a gulp of his drink as he noticed his phone ringing, it was Lucius Ting.

    "Aren''t you supposed to be at that Gizmo Awards Night that my sister ditched?" Benedict asked in an annoyed tone, he really did not want to be bothered at the moment.

    "Check the news." Lucius said in a cheerful tone.

    Benedict quickly asked the bartender to switch the TV by the bar to the news, and sure enough he was greeted by a new scandal he already knew about.

    "This isn''t news to me, Lucius." Benedict said in an uninterested tone. "We already told you about this, my sister had a falling out with her boss, and you know exactly why."

    "I was curious as to why the ever mysterious Cedric Reyes would let the public know that he and his Vice President were not on good terms." Lucius said with a malicious tone over the phone.

    Benedict shook his head, this guy was smart, unfortunately for Lucius, Benedict had already expected this question.

    "He wants to dave face." Benedict said quite confidently. "If this news broke out from rumors and not from him it would ruin the public''s trust in the Reyes Family, add to that the fact that he is trying to send a message to Cami."

    "And what message would that be?" Lucius asked over the phone.

    "That no matter what, she would always have a ce in the Reyes Group." Benedict answered.

    "And can we trust your sister to remain loyal to us and not to those people?" Lucius hissed.

    "Don''t you dare question my sister, Lucius." Benedict said with a confidentugh. "Blood is always thicker than water, and Cedric Reyes murdered her blood. Cami will always be on my side."

    "And are you one mine?" Lucius asked.

    "My brother was the only person I had growing up." Benedict said in an agitated tone. "Don''t you dare think for one minute that I would betray him."

    "I just needed to be sure." Lucius said with a sigh. "You never know who you can trust these days."

    "Know that you can trust me and Cami. We would never betray you or our brother. Now if you don''t mind, I see two hot women across the bar eyeing me." Benedict said as he dropped the call on Lucius.

    He wasn''t lying, there were two hot women looking at him quite intently.

    "Heydies." Benedict said as he walked over to them. "So which of you wants toe up with me too my room?" Benedict asked in a seductive tone.

    "Very direct, I like." One woman said with a smile.

    "Very hot too." Herpanion said as she winked at Benedict.

    "Nowdies, no need to fight." Benedict said with a grin. "I don''t mind having you both."

    With that Benedict left the bar with the two women, at least tonight he would not be alone.

 Chapter 608 - 608

    "I''m d I''m not thatte." Ram said with augh as he entered the lounge where Cedric, Adrianna, and Eric had been resting. He came in with one hand holding Francesca''s and another waving at his friends.

    "How are the issues at home?" Cedric asked Ram, raising an eyebrow.??

    Cedric knew that family meant everything to Ram, and even if the Abads were not his biological parents and Veronica was not his biological sister, he loved them all the same. As a matter of fact, Ram only ever searched for his family once, after that he dedicated his efforts into making the Abads richer and more powerful than they already were.

    "Of course mom and dad threw a fit, our grandparents did too as well, but you know how Veronica has them all wrapped around her finger. They eventually gave in and were more than happy to hear that she and Miguel would continue to try." Ram said with a shrug.

    "I can''t wait for the adoption drama to cross over to the Chans." Eric grumbled as he leaned back against the couch.

    "Miguel hasn''t told them yet?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "No, of course not." Eric said with augh, shaking his head.

    "Won''t prolonging it make it worse?" Adrianna asked as she gave Eric a curious look. "I mean, they will find out eventually."

    "They are taking it one battle at a time, Adri." Ram exined as he led his girlfriend, Francesca over to a vacant spot next to Adrianna.

    "Veronica can convince the Abads faster." Eric exined. "If she gets them to agree then it will be easier for their parents to convince my parents that it''s not as bad as it sounds."

    "Plus they already have Tristan." Cedric said with a grin. He knew for a fact that Eric, Miguel, and Nicole''s parents spoiled the child to no end. It had even reached a point where Ian and Nicole had threatened to keep them away from Tristan if they didn''t stop spoiling him.

    "So I''m guessing they''ll be telling your parents soon?" Francesca asked Eric as she took a water bottle from the table and took a gulp.

    "Probably tomorrow morning." Eric said with a shug. "It depends on how on board Ram''s parents are. If auntie and uncle are fine with it, they''ll tell my parents first thing tomorrow. If not, they will probably bring Dominic over to meet the Abads for a few days before breaking the news to my parents."

    "I feel sad for Veronica and Miguel." Adrianna said with a sigh as she leaned against Cedric. "It''s not like they haven''t been trying, as far as I know they''ve been trying everyday -"

    "Okay, stop right there Adri." Ram said as he covered his ears.

    "Huh, why?" Adrianna asked as she tilted her head, confused with what Ram meant.

    "Yeah, Adri, that''s not something we want to know about." Eric said, joining in as he rolled his eyes making Cedricugh.

    "I have no intention of finding out how often my friend and my sister have sex." Ram said with a disgusted look on his face. "It''s bothering enough knowing that they do have sex, I don''t need a clear mental image of them doing it frequently."

    Everyoneughed at Ram''s clear disgust at the thought of Eric and Veronica procreating.

    "Sir, it''s almost time." Dave said as he entered the room, carrying some documents with him.

    "What''s this?" Cedric asked as Dave ced the documents on the coffee table in front of Cedric. It was quite a tall stack, he didn''t expect to be doing work tonight during the event.

    "Well boss." Dave said as he pointed at the documents. "These are all thepanies that want to cooperate with the Reyes Group."

    Adriannaughed as she saw a stunned and confused expression on Cedric''s face, he clearly didn''t expect that everyone would want to work with the Reyes Group.

    Cedric massaged his temples as the amount of documents gave him a headache.

    "Put this in my car, let''s deal with it tomorrow." Cedric said as he ced a hand on top of the stack. "Tell everyone that we are happy that they are all eager to work with us, we will take our time to assess theirpanies and see how we can cooperate with them."

    Dave nodded as he collected the documents, before he stepped out however, he couldn''t resist but make ament.

    "You do know, boss that you brought this on us." Dave teased with augh as he left the room, letting the door close behind him.

    "He is right, you know." Adrianna said, nudging her husband.

    "Don''t you need to touch up or anything?" Cedric grumbled as his wife teased him.

    "Adrianna is always gorgeous." Francesca said with a smile as she looked at the woman next to her and grinned.

    "Tell your girlfriend to stop flirting with my wife." Cedricined as he red at Ram.

    "What?" Ram said, lifting his hands up innocently.

    "Let''s go." Eric said as he stood up and fixed his tie. "There is another red carpet and we will be holding up the whole event if we do too many interviews."

    "Alright." Cedric said with augh as he helped his wife get up for the couch.

    "I wasn''t trying to tter though." Francesca said with a sweet smile. "Adrianna is always gorgeous."

    "Thanks Francesca." Adrianna told the other with a smile.

    "So Eric, no date today?" Ram asked Eric, knowing that the one woman he wanted to take to all the events could not be his date.

    "I think it''s best to stay on Katerina''s good side." Eric said with augh. "I know this was her decision, but I''ve noticed that she''s been getting more and more jealous as time goes by."

    "She loves you, and she wants to be your only woman, that''s normal." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "So do you want me to be a jealous woman?" Adrianna teased her husband.

    "I have never given you a reason to be jealous, honey." Cedric said as he nned a chaste kiss on his wife''s lips.

    "Ugh, too sweet." Ericined as he walked out of the lounge ahead of the two couples.

    As a talent for Lights Entertainment it wasn''t new to the fans and the reporters to see Ram and Eric walk down the red carpet together. It was public knowledge that the boss and his brightest star were good friends.

    Some had even gone as far as creating rumors about Eric and Ram being a secret couple. Those shippers were very much dismayed when news of Ram''s rtionship with Francesca was made public.

    Many were shocked to hear that Ram had actually decided to date an artist, he had stated in the past that he would never date one of his employees.

    So when they finally walked the red carpet tonight the reporters took advantage of his seemingly good mood and began to ask about his rtionship with Francesca.

    "Sir, sir! Mr. Abad!" A reporter called out.

    Ram decided that he didn''t mind answering questions tonight, so while holding Francesca''s hand he walked over to the reporter, ready to answer any question.

    "Sir, you had announced in the past that you would never date an artiste, and yet here you are with Miss Ri, what convinced you to break your rule?" The reporter asked as he ced a microphone in front of Ram.

    Ram looked at Francesca and smiled.

    "Honestly, it was my friend Cedric Reyes that set us up." Ram said with augh. "At first we only dated as a way for me to avoid matchmaking mothers and aunts, but Francesca Ri has managed to capture my heart." Ram said as he nted a kiss on Francesca''s lips.

    It was their first public kiss and it took Francesca by surprise. Ram was normally formal and very strict around other people, but today he was much more rxed.

    "Wow, I never expected you to be publicly affectionate." Cedric teased Ram as he and Adrianna walked over.

    "Is it true that you set them up, sir?" The reporters asked, quickly shifting their attention back to Cedric. He was after all the bigger news of the night.

    "In a way, yes." Cedric said with a shrug. "I didn''t think they would fall this hard." Cedric said with augh.

    "Mr. Eric, Mr. Eric." Another reporter called out as Eric approached the group.

    "Yes?" Eric asked with a charming smile that made the women swoon.

    "Is it true?" The reporter asked.

    "Is what true?" Eric asked with augh. "I won''t be able to answer your question if you don''tplete it." Eric teased.

    "Is it true that you are in a rtionship?" The reporter asked, taking Eric and his group by surprise. It had been a while since a question like that had been thrown his way.

    "Yes." Eric confidently answered as he turned and walked away.

 Chapter 609 - 609

    As Eric walked away, Cedric couldn''t help but smirk. He was sure that news about what Eric had said would reach Katerina and the poor man would be in so much trouble when he finally made it home.

    Since Eric had walked away, the reporters began to mob Ram for answers.

    "Sir, is it true?" A reporter asked as he pushed a microphone towards Ram.

    "It''s been years since Eric Chan has been in a rtionship confirmed by him, who is this woman?" Another reporter asked.

    "He''s confirmed rtionships in the past?" Ram suddenly asked with augh.

    They all knew that Eric never personally confirmed that he was in a rtionship with any woman, it was the woman''s side that was always saying she was in a rtionship with Eric.

    There was a reason behind this, Eric only wanted to announce one rtionship to the public, and that was when he finally won Katerina''s heart.

    "Sir?" The reporter asked as he thought of thest time Eric was in a confirmed rtionship.

    "He was dating that model, Amber." Another reporter called out as he recalled Eric''sst confirmed rtionship.

    "Did my artist actually say he was dating Amber, or that they were a couple?" Ram ask with a raised eyebrow. "Even Lights Entertainment never confirmed the rtionship." Ram said with a shrug, stunning all the reporters.

    Some quickly checked the articles of that day, and true enough it was Amber''s manager and Amber''s management team that confirmed the rtionship. There was nothing from Eric''s side or from Lights Entertainment.

    "So were they false?" A reporter quickly asked Ram.

    "You''re enjoying this, aren''t you?" Ram said with augh as he looked back at Cedric and Adrianna who had chosen to stay behind.

    "It''s entertaining." Cedric said with a shrug.

    Ram shook his head andughed before finally returning his attention back to the reporters.

    "The confirmation just didn''te from us." Ram said with a shrug. "It came from one side based on their understanding of the situation. As far as I am aware, Eric has only ever confirmed one girlfriend to me, and that''s the one he is currently dating."

    The reporters stood, wide eyed in shock at Ram''s words as he grinned at them.

    "Now if you will excuse us." Ram said as he ced an arm around Francesca''s waist. "I am actually here on a date and not in any business capacity. If you have any questions, address them to my office or to Eric''s manager." Ram said as he shed the reporters another smile and left with his girlfriend in his arms.

    Cedricughed and followed them with Adrianna.

    "I can already see the headlines tomorrow." Cedric teased Ram as they entered the venue for the after party.

    "You don''t need to wait for tomorrow." Eric said with a chuckle as he once more joined them. "It''s already all over social media."

    "Katerina hasn''t called?" Adrianna asked Eric as she gave him a puzzled look.

    "Katerina is busy at the moment. There is a state dinner that uncle Jose is hosting, he wanted Katerina and Alexi to attend to entertain the visiting minister''s children." Eric said with a shrug.

    "It seems the minister''s son is very entertained." Cedric said as he showed Eric thetest piece of gossip on his phone.

    It was a photo of Katerina speaking with the visiting minister''s son as he looked at Katerina quite lovingly.

    "He can stare all he wants." Eric said with a grin, clearly Katerina receiving attention from other men didn''t bother him. "I know my Katerina is gorgeous, but she will never want them, because she has me." Eric said quite confidently.

    "Will you be using this against her?" Adrianna teased.

    "Yep, this way I''m not sleeping on the couch tonight." Eric said with augh, confirming Adrianna''s guess.

    "Good luck with Katerina, she should call you soon." Ram said as they walked to their table. "News about what you said is blowing up, someone will bring it up at dinner, and she will be pissed."

    Eric simply shrugged and smiled as he took his seat on the table.

    For the after party he and Francesca were no longer the hosts, the event organizers had hired a couple of young talents. They were now there simply as guests, prepared to enjoy the rest of the night.

    The after party was a charity dinner mixed with some drinks and dancing where the businessmen and tech geniuses could all just rx.

    Of course, this year was different, not only was Cedric and his wife there, but so was Ram. The Abads were a known investor in technology that could benefit their industry, so many people craned their necks to look over at the VIP table.

    Many were surprised to see both businessmen being more casual, smiling and chatting with each other.

    "They are waiting for us to mingle." Ram said with a smile as he nodded towards the general direction of the other guests.

    "We have time." Cedric said with a smile as he pulled his wife to him and kissed her on the head.

    "Which one is he?" Ram asked. "Which one is Lucius Ting?"

    "Three tables down to the right, tall guy that looks like Miguel." Eric said as he looked towards the stage where some performers were singing.

    "That''s quite disturbing." Ram said with a frown as he spotted the man Eric had pointed out. "I guess there isn''t a need for a DNA test now."

    "The fact that he and my brother look alike is not a guarantee that he is our missing cousin." Eric scoffed. "A DNA test would still be best."

    "What''s with the sudden change of opinion?" Cedric asked Eric, earlier that night he agreed with Cedric that Lucius looked quite simr to Miguel.

    "I just don''t feel like we should jump to conclusions." Eric said with a shrug.

    "Did the Chan family issue threats again?" Cedric asked Eric with a raised eyebrow. He had a feeling that events outside of tonight''s celebration were affecting his friend.

    "Nothing that we can''t deal with." Eric said with a shrug. "I just don''t think it''s him now."

    "Why don''t we go up and talk to him real quick?" Cedric asked as he stood up and offered his wife his hand. "If you promise not to stress out on this, you can join."

    Adrianna smiled and took his hand.

 Chapter 610 - 610

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    Cedric and Adrianna walked around the venue, interacting with various businessmen and innovators. Close by Ram, Fancesca, and Eric followed, they were speaking to a few businessmen when Cedric noticed Lucius Ting move towards him.

    "He''sing over." Cedric whispered to his wife, pretending to say something incredibly sweet to Adrianna.

    Adrianna smiled and nted a kiss on her husband''s lips.

    "Mr. Reyes and his wife are truly a couple in love." A businessman nearbymented, Cedric was sure that this man had submitted his proposal to work with the Reyes Group and was trying to leave a good impression.

    "As long as my wife is happy, then I am happy." Cedric said with a smile as he nodded at the man. He didn''t say anything wrong, he was just trying too hard to get on Cedric''s good side and that annoyed Cedric a little bit.

    "So does that involve pushing you vice president at Mor Co. away?" Lucius Ting asked as he approached Cedric.

    Cedric looked at Lucius Ting, Cedric made sure that everyone saw the confused expression on his face, as if he didn''t know the man speaking to him.

    "We''ve never met." Cedric said quite directly and in a cold tone. He found no need to apologize since he was never expected to know everyone''s names. "Are you trying to insinuate something?"

    "No, I''m just a friend of Cami Montero''s." Lucius Ting said as he gave Cedric a smile.

    "Oh, Cami, she is one of the nicest people I know." Adrianna said with a smile, making Lucius Ting give her a confused look.

    The Cami he had met was not nice, as a matter of fact the front that Cami showed him was one of a smart and calcting business woman. As much as Lucius tried to deny it, that strong persona that she had shown attracted him, if things went well between him and the siblings he was going to offer her an arranged marriage with him.

    "Yes, Miss Cami, the former assistant and current vice president of Mor Co. the one your husband said he was estranged with." Lucius said with a smirk.

    "I never said that." Cedric said as he tried to defend his side. "I said we didn''t see eye to eye on some things, and that is true. You will always have disagreements, especially with those that you are closest to."

    "Then I guess Cami and her brother were lying." Lucius said with a grin.

    Cedric could hear the bystanders whispering around them, as far as the public knew, Cami Montero was an only child, she had no siblings. Many were now gossiping between themselves, debating on whether Lucius Ting was lying or if Cami had hid her true family all this time.

    "Then you don''t really know my former assistant." Cedric said with a shrug. "Cami is an only child, she has no siblings."

    "I guess she wasn''t fully honest with you." Lucius Ting said with augh.

    "Mr. Ting, I think your recent sess has gone to your head." Cedric said in a cold tone as he red at the man.

    "See, you actually do know me." Lucius said with a victorious smile. "And it seems you have been watching me."

    Cedric red at the man as Lucius continued to speak. Their conversation had now gained the attention of the other guests to the event. Those that had been seated further away moved closer to hear what was happening.

    "I would be a bad businessman if I were not aware of rising stars in the industry." Cedric said with a smirk.

    "You''ve only gotten this far because of your family." Lucius used. "You were born with a silver spoon, you''ve never had to work for anything your whole life, you are unlike the rest of us. You didn''t have to build apany from the ground up, you merely inherited the throne."

    Cedric watched as some of the people around him nodded in agreement, his ownership of Prince Group had not yet been made public, so in the eyes of the masses, he was simply a rich kid that inherited argepany.

    "I highly rmend that you don''t talk about things you know nothing about." Cedric said with a confident smile. "I may have inherited the Reyes Group, but Mor Co. grew because of the hard work my people and I ced into it."

    "And yet you have never needed to ask for money." Lucius Ting said as he red at Cedric.

    The conversation was now getting more and more heated as Lucius used Cedric of being an entitled heir.

    "You expect us to bow to you and beg from you to invest in ourpanies." Lucius said quite harshly. "The money you are spending technically isn''t even yours, it''s your father''s, your grandfather''s, and your great grandfather''s. They have worked a lifetime building the Reyes Group, while you were simply born."

    "And who did you have to beg to get your investments?" Cedric asked Lucius Ting, he knew this was one conversation he would not win. Cedric was not a self made man in the eyes of most, he was still an heir who inherited something that was already built.

    "A man you killed." Lucius used Cedric as he turned and left, leaving the crowd stunned.

    Even Cedric was shocked at his words, he didn''t think Lucius would use him of killing Aiden this soon.

    Cedric shook his head and simply left with Adrianna, he was sure this was going to be big news in the morning.

 Chapter 611 - 611

    Cedric groaned as he ced down the newspaper on the table, as expected the events at the Gizmo Awards made headline news. He knew Ram had tried his best to suppress it and even change the opinions of the public, but there was no use, it was true, to the eyes of the masses, Cedric was simply a rich boy that inherited everything.

    "Are you pulling out their applications?" Cedric asked as he picked up his phone.

    He was in the middle of breakfast with his family when Ian started to call.

    "Good morning to you too Mr. Sunshine." Ian said sarcastically.

    "I''m not in the mood to mess around Ian." Cedric grumbled.

    "I told you this many times before, just announce how Prince Group came to be." Ian said with a sigh over the phone. "You have all the documents to prove that your share didn''t have anything to do with the family money, plus everyone knows that the rise of Constetions Resorts was because of its brilliant owner."

    "You are trying to butter me up for something, what is it?" Cedric groaned. Ian had never been one for praises, he was always a straight to the point guy, so him praising Cedric for Constetions Resorts clearly meant something was off.

    "Well. . ." Ian said as his voice began to trail off.

    "You better speak up or I won''t be able to help you." Cedric grumbled, his patience was already wearing thin and he had no ns of getting mad in front of his son.

    "The Chan elders have decided to visit your office today." Ian said quite quickly.

    "What?!" Cedric asked in shock. "Why would theye to me, what do I have to do with any of your messes, yes I say your because you are part of that family now!"

    "Hey, I had nothing to do with this." Ian insisted over the phone.

    "Which sibling?" Cedric asked angrily as Adrianna came over and caressed his back, trying to calm him down.

    "Honey, it''s too early for you to be mad." Adrianna calmly told her husband.

    Cedric sighed and shook his head.

    "Ian, you better tell me." Cedric threatened.

    "It was all of them." Ian confessed. "The elders were on their case, asking about uncle Miguel''s missing son when Eric suddenly admitted that you had received a message regarding the man."

    "I thought they already knew about him?" Cedric asked as he adjusted how he was seated all while holding his wife''s hand and caressing it tenderly.

    "They do." Ian confirmed. "They received a letter from the man a while back, he didn''t even say who he was, just that he was Miguel Chan''s son and that he would take over the family upon his return."

    "And still the elders threatened to remove Nicole as the head, can''t they see this man is dangerous and that he has nothing but ill intentions for their family?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "Clearly they see that, that''s why they''ve been pressuring everyone on all fronts." Ian said with a sigh. "They want Eric to retire from acting and get married, they''ve even listed down a number of possible wives for him."

    "Don''t they know he is already dating one of the most eligible women in the country?" Cedric asked.

    "You know them, they want to stick to their own, no matter how rich or how powerful the woman''s family actually is." Ianined.

    "You mean they still want a chinese bride for him?" Cedric asked in disbelief.

    (I know many of you will react to this. In my country rich chinese families don''t approve of their children marrying anyone of another race, even if they no longer identify as Chinese. As a matter of fact I am descended from one such family that has since epted that love knows no race.)

    "Yeah." Ian said with a sigh. "They couldn''t convince Miguel, but they are hoping that it would work with Eric."

    "He isn''t going to leave Katerina, no matter what they say." Cedric said, shaking his head, earning him a puzzled look from his wife. "Is that why Eric has announced that he is already in a rtionship?" Cedric asked as the realization dawned on him.

    "Most possibly." Ian said over the phone. "From what I heard from Nicole they were furious that Eric made that announcement."

    "The public doesn''t even know that he is from that Chan family." Cedric said with augh.

    "Just be ready. I''m on my way to the office and I''ve already warned Dave and Mae." Ian informed Cedric.

    "Have Mae move my meeting with Benedict and Cami." Cedric finally said as he thought of what he needed to do. "I''m sure the Chan elders would not appreciate having to wait for my meetings to finish."

    "As if it matters." Ian scoffed.

    "Just do it Ian. I''ll see youter." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    "Sounds dramatic." Adrianna said as she walked back to her seat. "What happened to Eric and the Chans?"

    "The usual drama, just that it has now escted." Cedric said as he finished his breakfast.

    "What about the headlines that have gotten you so mad?" Adrianna asked as she pointed towards the newspaper.

    "It can wait." Cedric said with a shrug. "Ian is right, there is an easy solution for this smear campaign, I just want to make sure that everything is correctly in ce before I make a move."

    "It is still all going ording to your n anyway." Adrianna told her husband in a confident tone.

    "I know, but I can''t help but be anxious, he seems smarter than the others I''ve faced." Cedric confessed.

    "Is that what Benedict and Cami tell you?" Adrianna asked.

    "No, but you never know." Cedric said with a sigh as he got up. "I need to go to work. I''ll try toe home early, I miss Yoyo." Cedric said as he walked over and nted a kiss on his son''s forehead.

    "I miss you too, Daddy!" Yoyo said with a smile as he looked up at his father.

    "I''ll see you guyster." Cedric said with a frown as he turned around and walked away.

 Chapter 612 - 612

    When Cedric arrived at R Tower, Dave and Mae met with him in the lobby, Dave was carrying a tablet that had on it several documents that needed Cedric''s immediate attention.

    Cedric was puzzled with this since they would just give him the things that needed his attention when he got to the office.

    "What''s with the elevator pitch?" Cedric asked his assistants as Dave handed him the tablet.

    "The Chans are already waiting upstairs." Mae grumbled, making Daveugh.

    "Did they ask her too many questions?" Cedric asked as he looked through the documents on the tablet.

    "Too many inappropriate questions, like, if I''m your mistress or Ian''s mistress, I swear, what is wrong with those people?" Mae asked in a frustrated tone as they got on the elevator.

    "They are very traditional." Cedric exined as the doors closed. "They hold very traditional views, they arrange marriages and know that loveless marriages are normal so many of them have mistresses." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "That''s just wrong." Mae said with a frown.

    "To you it''s wrong, to them it''s normal." Dave exined.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll try to get this meeting with them over as soon as possible." Cedric promised his assistants. "Were you able to move my schedule around?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Mae said with a nod. "Cami and Benedict will be ready any time you are free."

    "Is the PR department working on a statement forst night?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Dave said, nodding at his boss. "They just need your approval." Dave said as he opened a file in the tablet Cedric was holding.

    Cedric read through it quickly, making the areas he wanted them to improve.

    "Tell them to send it back to me as soon as possible. It doesn''t matter if I''m still speaking with the Chans I just want to get this one over with." Cedric said, to which Dave simply nodded.

    The elevator ride was quite quick and the doors opened to the CEOs floor, it was quiet, too quiet for a busy morning.

    "Where is my sister?" Cedric asked Mae and Dave as he walked to his office.

    "Not yet in." Mae informed Cedric.

    "Nicole or Adrianna must have told her." Cedric said with a sigh. "I wish I didn''t have to deal with the Chans."

    "Hey Ced." Ian waved at him as he exited Cedric''s office.

    "Have you calmed your inws?" Cedric teased Ian.

    "I''m not yet married." Ian grumbled.

    "I know, but we both know where you and Nicole are headed anyway." Cedric teased. "Do you mind getting me a cup of coffee?"

    Dave nodded and left for the pantry.

    "I wanted to do that." Ianined.

    "Come on, I need you in there when I meet with them." Cedric said with augh as he ced an arm around Ian''s shoulder. "Cami, tell Dave to get a coffee for Ian as well, he looks like he needs something to drink."

    Ian shook his head as they entered Cedric''s office.

    "Uncles, Aunties, to what do I owe this pleasure." Cedric said quickly, changing his expression to a colder, more stern one.

    "I''ve known you since you were a child Cedric, drop the cold CEO act. I''ve seen your grandfather do it, I''ve seen your father do it, and you being all cold and intimidating just makes me want tough." The Chan siblings'' father, Raphael Chan said with augh.

    "I''m not in the mood for jokes, uncle." Cedric said without changing his expression. "If you haven''t seen it yet, I''m being attacked from all sides at the moment."

    "And it''s the person attacking you that we want to talk about." An older man, whom Cedric recognized as Grandpa Chan said.

    "Dad." Raphael Chan said as he scolded his own father.

    "Don''t you dare use that tone on me!" The old man told Raphael Chan in an equally intimidating manner. This man had worked to build Saints Hospital into the sess it was today, he still carried himself with some semnce of the powerful man he once was.

    "I don''t think rushing Cedric and arguing amongst ourselves will solve anything." The Chan siblings'' mother, Lucy Ang - Chan said as she shook her head in disappointment.

    "Please just calm down and tell me why you are all here." Cedric told the elders, changing his tone to one that was more respectful.

    As everyone settled down, Dave came in a gave Ian and Cedric a cup of coffee each.

    "I know you." Grandpa Chan said, pointing at Dave. "You''re the Lazaro kid! What are you doing here working as Cedric''s assistant. A man like you shouldn''t be working such a lowly job!" The old man said as he pointed at Dave.

    Cedric snuck a nce at Ian, he could see his friend frowning at thement. Cedric was sure that the topic hade up more than once between Ian and Nicole''s grandparents.

    "Dad, it''s not a lowly job." Raphael Chan said, quickly scolding his father.

    "Sir, my father was the one that wanted me to do this." Dave said with a charming smile. "He was quite impressed with how well the Reyeses have trained their heirs over the years and sought out Cedric''s help."

    "The Reyeses are crazy." The old manmented.

    "Father, have you forgotten where we are and why we are here?" Raphael Chan asked his father in a raised tone.

    "Of course not, little Cedric is the boss here now." The old man said, pointing at Cedric.

    "I am grandpa, and I do believe that my poverty training has helped prepare me for my job. So should we move on and discuss what you need?" Cedric asked as he tried to change the topic.

    The old man calmed down and looked at Cedric. Raphael Chan nodded his thanks to Cedric as he watched the old man rx.

    "You''re investigating my nephew?" Raphael Chan asked, choosing not to let the moment pass.

    "Yes." Cedric admitted. "I''ve been looking for him for over two years. A message was left at my office in Spain for Miguel."

    "So is this Lucius guy really my grandson?" Grandma Chan asked Cedric with pleading eyes.

    Cedric didn''t want to give the Chan family false hope, nor did he want to lie to them, so he was quite conflicted on what to say.

    "He might be." Cedric told the old woman. "Everything lines up, and everything points to him being uncle Miguel''s missing son."

    "But?" Lucy Chan asked, catching on Cedric''s hesitation.

    "I can''t be 100% sure unless we do a DNA test." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I don''t think we need a DNA test. If Cedric says that everything lines up then we should be weing him home, not doubting him." Grandpa Chan announced.

    "He reached out to you?" Cedric asked, pretending not to know that Lucius Ting already tied tomunicate with the Chan family.

    "Yes." Raphael Chan said with a nod.

    "Yes and he is my grandson, I want a weing party." Grandpa Chan insisted. "Now Cedric, tell me who he is."

    Cedric looked at Ian who simply nodded. Even if Lucius Ting was weed into the Chan family it wouldn''t affect their ns by much, Lucius would never trust the Chans, the only ones he trusted were Benedict and Cami.

    "His name is Lucius Ting, the man that I had an argument withst night." Cedric revealed, shocking the Chan family.

 Chapter 613 - 613

    After Cedric had revealed Lucius'' name, the Chans were quick to get their hands on any and all information on the man. Of course the dossier they had built up was nothing close to what Cedric had on the man, Cedric however had no ns on letting the Chans get their hands on the document.

    "Cedric, give us what you have." Raphael Chan demanded. "We know you''ve looked this guy up."

    "Ian, give it." Cedric said with a nod.

    "What?" Ian asked in a raised voice.

    "Are you really letting your assistant answer you back like that?" Grandpa Chan asked Cedric.

    Cedric simply gave the old man a look of annoyance and turned his attention back to Ian.

    "I gave you an order Ian." Cedric said in a stern tone, this time ring at his friend.

    "They want to wee Lucius back into the Chan family, the man is literally plotting both theirs and your downfall, how can you agree to this?" Ian continued to argue back.

    "That is my problem, not yours. Now give it to them." Cedric ordered once more.

    Ian sighed and gave into Cedric''s order, he walked out of the room mming the door behind him, clearly upset by the exchange.

    Cedric wanted tomend Ian on his acting, he knew the Chan family would find it suspicious if Ian didn''t put up a fight. It was his son, after all, that was set to be the next head of the Chan family,bining two old families, the Chans and the Lims.

    He was sure that Ian knew to give a limited version of the information they had gathered. He didn''t want to give the Chans all of the information since they seemed more than willing to wee Lucius with open arms.

    Ian was right, if the Chans were willing to ept Lucius back, it was best to keep Lucius in the dark about certain information they already knew.

    "We won''t just tell him we know everything about him." Grandpa Chan suddenly said, pulling Cedric back from his thoughts.

    Cedric gave the old man a confused look, he knew that the Chans would wee the man unconditionally, but their elders were still trying to lie to Cedric.

    "You will." Cedric said, shaking his head. "It has always been your policy to believe that blood is thicker than water, I know you will wee him back, hiding nothing, and giving him all possible resources at your disposal."

    "Then why give us this information?" The old man asked Cedric.

    "If I don''t give it to you, you will go to the old mansion and nag my grandfather." Cedric said with augh. "I don''t like stressing him out with matters like these."

    "Our resources are still restricted." Grandpa Chan grumbled.

    "I know." Cedric said with a grin. The elders of the Chan family had lost majority control of the board when Prince Group managed to snap up all the minor shares of Saints Hospital, making Eric, Miguel, and Nicole the ones with the most influence over thepany.

    "Eric''s stocks should be given to Lucius." Grandpa Chan said in an angry tone.

    "It''s already set in ink dad." Raphael Chan told the old man. "Are you really going to take from Eric what you have already given him?"

    "That was supposed to be a bribe for him to stay." The old manined.

    "Clearly you don''t know your grandson well enough." Eric said with augh as he shook his head. Thest thing Eric wanted was to be involved with business dealings of the Chan Family.

    "There are still other properties that I can give to my other grandson." Grandpa Chan said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

    "And what if he sells them, drives us out of our ancestral home?" Raphael Chan asked his father.

    "He won''t get the ancestral home, you know just as well as I do that the house is tied to the hospital, whoever controls the hospital controls the house." The old man exined.

    "And if you could have your way in this you would give him the hospital as well." Raphael Chan said, crossing his arms on his chest.

    "The boy has been through so much already." Grandpa Chan said, shaking his head.

    "You are just trying to feel better after what you did to my younger brother!" Raphael Chan shouted. "I don''t trust this man and I don''t think he is my brother''s son."

    "Ced." Ian nudged Cedric as he handed a folder of files, no wonder it took Ian a long time, he printed everything.

    "Here." Cedric said as he handed the documents to Raphael Chan. "If you don''t think Lucius is not Uncle Miguel''s son, then why are you doing this?" Cedric asked his uncle.

    "I know that the child is dead, he died with his mother." Raphael Chan said in a bitter tone. "But my old man is looking for ways to make amends, he was wrong to stop my brother for loving someone."

    "And yet he continues that practice with his grandchildren." Cedric argued back, looking at Grandpa Chan.

    "It is different when they are set to inherit everything the Chans have worked for!" The old man said to Cedric. "For all I know this assistant of yours is some gold digging man!" Grandpa Chan used Ian.

    "Ian is a Lim." Cedric raised his voice, defending his friend. "His family goes back even before your own. He has no need for more money, he has made enough working for me. Don''t you dare speak against my people again grandpa."

    "You children have be rude." The old man said as he marched out of Cedric''s office, mming the door behind him.

    "I''m sorry." Raphael Chan said as he ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder.

    "I know I was disrespectful, but grandpa Chan was being ridiculous." Cedric said with a frown. "Uncle Raphael, how can you allow him to demand from your children in the way."

    "He is still my father, Cedric. It is in our culture and in our traditions to respect and honor our elders." Uncle Raphael said with a sigh.

    "This is wrong, uncle." Cedric said, shaking his head. "The Chan elders have gone too far and you know it."

    "I''m working on it Cedric, I really am." Raphael Chan told Cedric. "Anyway, thanks for this, and don''t worry, Lucius Ting will never control the Chan family."

    Raphael Chan gave Cedric a hug as he and his wife left.

    "Well that was dramatic." Ian told Cedric as he rolled his eyes and sat on the couch.

 Chapter 614 - 614

    "You were quite dramatic yourself, Ian." Cedric said, rolling his eyes as he walked over and took his seat behind his desk. "So they don''t know that you aren''t working for me anymore?" Cedric asked as he powered on hisptop.

    "Why do I need to tell them?" Ian asked as he leaned forward and drank his now cold coffee.

    "They would change their opinion of you for starters." Cedric told his friend as he scanned through the files that needed his attention.

    "Their opinion doesn''t matter to me." Ian said with augh. "Plus it''s fun seeing them stress out about Nicole having to provide for me."

    "You''re a rich man on your own now, they should really stop treating you that way." Cedric said with a sigh. Like Ian he had suffered from his inws looking down on him.

    The Chans were nothing like the Hernandezes, but Cedric was quite sure that Ian wasn''t having an easy time either.

    "Nicole''s parents aren''t a problem, they''ve never looked down at me, as a matter of fact I think they even like me." Ian said with a victorious grin. "It''s only their approval that I''m after and no one else''s."

    "Yeah, historically the Lims have always had a higher standing than the Chans, their wealth only goes back four generations." Cedric said as he typed on hisptop, not bothering to look up at his friend.

    "But we lost everything." Ian said in a sad tone.

    Cedric stopped typing and looked up at Ian, he felt bad for his friend. The Lim family had suffered one misfortune after the next, they had trusted the wrong people and had been dealt bad cards by fate.

    "You''re getting things back." Cedric said as he walked over and ced a hand on his friend''s shoulder. "One day the Lims will be back where they belong."

    "That''s quite tough, seeing as I will have to beat out some of our friends." Ian said with augh.

    "Dad believed you could, that''s the whole reason why he hired you." Cedric said as he took a seat next to Ian.

    They rarely spoke about the painful past that Ian and his family had to endure, Cedric knew that it was a tough topic for his friend. It only ever came up when Ian opened up about it, which was quite rare.

    ~Check out Ian''s story in my novel, RISE OF THE DISGRACED HEIR. It takes ce years before Never Judge, we meet a whole different Ian and a different version of some of your favorite characters. ~

    "Sometimes I wonder if uncle Emilio expects too much of me." Ian said with a sigh. "Yes, I am a capable businessman, but I''m no genius like you."

    "I''m book smart, you''re more street smart." Cedric said with a shrug. "You are what you need to be, and I know you are a genius, you work for me." Cedric bragged.

    "Okay, enough trying to make me feel better, we know that''s not gonna work." Ian said with augh.

    "At least I tried." Cedric said with a shrug. "But seriously Ian, you need to talk about this more, does Nicole even know about what you''ve lived through?"

    "She knows parts of it." Ian said with a sigh, shaking his head. "I don''t want to burden her with the pains of my past. She doesn''t deserve to feel sad, all I want is for her to be happy."

    "Your past is part of her future, and your children''s future." Cedric reminded Ian.

    "I don''t want her to feel the need to help me get things back, Cedric." Ian said with a sigh.

    Cedric was aware that no matter how hard he tried there was little to no chance of convincing Ian to open up to Nicole, Ian was a martyr at times.

    He willingly suffered so much for his family just to give them a better life, to give his siblings a better future. It was that dedication and tenacity that brought him to the Reyes Group.

    "Don''t forget Ian, my father also sees this as a debt he owes your father. For the years the Reyeses didn''t reach out to the Lims." Cedric reminded Ian in a more serious tone. "My father has very little regrets in life, and not being there for your father is one of them."

    "I know Cedric. My dad literally told me the day I got my job." Ian said with a frown. "He chose not to reach out to the Reyeses, but your father still puts it on himself for not noticing what the Lims were going through. We both know that no one is to be med in this and yet both our dads feel like it''s their fault."

    "My father''s debt is my debt, don''t ever forget that Ian." Cedric said with a determined look in his eyes.

    "Not this time Cedric." Ian told his friend.

    "Then let me help you as your friend." Cedric asked. "Not as your boss, not as the head of the Reyes n. But as Cedric Reyes, the assistant who had to listen to all of your heartbreak, that had to eat lunch with you every single day."

    "Fine." Ian said, surrendering to his friend''s nagging.

    "Great, now we need to prepare for my meeting with Cami and Benedict." Cedric said with a grin as he walked back over to his desk to continue working.

    Ian smiled at how far he hade, back when he was still in University he didn''t have any friends, as a matter of fact he had gotten into the wrong groups and done the wrong things.

    He also was bullied and even risked losing everything just because he had pitied himself. He was a lost boy growing up. Someone who had been used to theforts of the rich lifestyle only to lose everything in the blink of an eye.

    But he changed, he woke up one day and turned his life around. He fought everything to be where he was right now, and he could feel that he was so close to achieving his goals, so close to bringing the Lim family back to where they had belonged.

    "Are you still daydreaming?" Cedric teased as he noticed the nk look on Ian''s face.

    "Yeah, no. I''ll just go and talk to Dave and Mae." Ian said as he got up and left Cedric''s office.

 Chapter 615 - 615

    "Hey Ced." Cami greeted over the video call, she was clearly in a much better moodpared to Cedric.

    "Good afternoon Cami, Benedict." Cedric said with a nod as he prepared to discuss Lucius Ting with them.

    "He took the bait?" Benedict asked, going straight to the point, not bothering with pleasantries.

    "Ignore my brother." Cami said, rolling her eyes. "He took the night off and went outst night. He clearly had too much fun." She said with augh as Benedict smirked next to her.

    "I enjoyed myself quite a bit, little sister." Benedict said as he grinned at Cami. "I had two gorgeous women -"

    "Ugh, gross." Cami said, cutting her brother off, making the others on the callugh.

    Cedric had decided that he didn''t want any of his team out of the loop, so today all of his assistants were joining them as well. They had made sure to inform everyone in thepany not to bother them for at least an hour.

    "Honestly, this is a much needed break." Dave said with a sigh, making Ian and Camiugh.

    "What?" Dave asked as he noticed the older assistant''s reaction.

    "You should have been around when news first broke out about the Reyes Heir''s return." Ian said with augh as Cami nodded on the screen.

    "Everyone wanted to know who he was, they kept nagging and inviting us to lunch." Cami said, rolling her eyes. "That''s why we don''t really hangout with other people either. It was clear they all had ulterior motives."

    "It''s much calmer now." Ian said, making Cedricugh.

    "Okay guys, enoughparing the past and the present, we need to focus on Lucius Ting." Cedric said as he tried to get all of them back on track with their discussion.

    "Where do we start?" Cami asked.

    "I''ll catch you and Benedict up with what happened on our end, then Dave and Mae can give an update on the investigation, then you guys tell us what yourtest interaction with him has been about." Cedric said as he leaned back on the couch.

    Everyone simply nodded, agreeing to his proposal.

    "Almost everything went ording to n yesterday night." Cedric began. "As we expected he would retaliate and most of hispetitors have signed up to work with Mor Co."

    "Will you work with all of them?" Cami asked Cedric.

    "I''ve asked Dave to look through all of the proposals and filter them to see which show the most potential." Cedric exined as he looked at the frowning assistant. Dave had thought Cedric would go through the list himself, but he chose to delegate it to Dave first.

    "Dave will send those proposals to you tonight." Cedric said as he nodded to Dave. "You have finished looking through them, righ?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "Most of them." Dave said with a frown.

    "Dave, you should know that time is of the essence with this matter." Cedric scolded.

    "Rx, Cedric." Cami told her boss. "I still have some Mor Co. work to deal with today, the earliest I could even look at those documents is tomorrow evening. So Dave has time."

    Cedric sighed and nodded, he didn''t appreciate it when his assistants ganged up on him, but he knew that they always had his best interest at heart. They knew how to calm his temper and to get him back on track, they were crucial members of his team.

    "Moving on, I''m sure you all saw how Lucius was triggered by my presence there, he chose to leverage the knowledge of the rift between me and Cami. What took me by shock were his usations of me not truly earning my ce." Cedric exined with a frown.

    As much as he hated to admit it, those usations had hurt him. He didn''t let anyone spot that he was bothered by what Lucius said, they all knew, after all, that Cedric had built Constetions Resorts through the Prince Group with his own money and without any connections.

    "We could release that statement, Cedric." Ian said as he reminded his friend and former boss about Prince Group.

    "No, if we do that it wille out as desperate." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I will not apologize for the circumstances of my birth. I love my family and I would not have wanted to be born to any other family. Rich or not, I am thankful to them."

    "So we will push through with that version of the statement?" Mae asked Cedric, to which he simply nodded.

    "We will open up to the public about Prince Group when the time is right." Cedric exined. "I don''t want thatpany to be another asset that I use to protect my name. The businesses under Prince Group are supposed to be passion projects for us, I won''t let it be tainted that way."

    The assistants nodded in understanding, it was one of Cedric''s non-negotiables, he wouldn''t budge on the matter, even if it would benefit his and the other''s image to the public.

    "With Adrianna''s pregnancy he will target her, so I want security around my wife heightened. I will not risk her safety for some petty feud." Cedric instructed his assistants.

    "I''ll inform Leon." Dave told Cedric as he noted down Cedric''s instructions.

    "Cami, Benedict, this is something that will be a little more troublesome for you. The Chan family is nning on weing Lucius Ting back." Cedric revealed, shocking the siblings over the call.

    "Don''t they realize how bad that is for them?" Benedict asked, shaking his head. "Aren''t the Chans supposed to be a family of super geniuses or something?"

    "The old man is blinded by his desire to make it up to his dead son." Cedric said with a frown. "Lucius shouldn''t be able to do much with the Chan family since control of the family always belongs to the person with the most influence on the Saints Hospital board, but we never know what Lucius has nned."

    "We''ll see if he has anything to tell us when we meet up next time." Cami said with a nod. "I think he trusts us now."

    "I want us to leverage on whatever confidence he will be earning from this." Cedric said in a serious tone. "The more confident he is, the more likely he will be to slip up."

    "We''ll make sure to keep it that way." Benedict said, nodding at Cedric through the screen.

    "What if he does manage to convince the Chan family to change the family head to him? What will happen then?" Dave asked as he looked at Cedric and Ian.

    "There will only be one way to avoid that situation." Ian said with a frown. "It isn''t exactly an easy option."

    "Eric will need toe back and im his position as the head of the family." Cedric informed assistants.

    "How will that force them not to give the family over to Lucius?" Benedict asked.

    "The Chan family is steeped in tradition, some of them are written down as familyws as conditions for inheritances. Their ancestors did that to protect their wealth." Ian exined.

    "One such w''" Cedric exined as he did air quotes. "Was that if the proper heir came back to im his birthright, no one can contest."

    "So if Eric ims the position as family head, there is nothing anyone would dare to do against him." Ian said with a shrug.

    "It''s what they wanted from the beginning anyway." Cedric said, shaking his head. "What updates do you have for us?" Cedric asked Mae and Dave, as he shifted the topic, not wanting to exin theplexities of the Chan family any further.

    "Oh, we found the nurse." Mae suddenly said, shocking everyone else.

 Chapter 616 - 616

    ~Author here!

    I would just like to address a question many of you had asked in the past, and that is, what country is Never Judge set in.

    Before I tell you what country, I would just like all of you to know that I intentionally avoided mentioning a country so that you could imagine it happening in your own. I know that practices and traditions are different, that''s why I used those that I am very familiar with.

    With that being said, I guess you could say that Never Judge is set in the Philippines, because that is where I am from and that is the culture and society I am most familiar with.

    For those that are curious, yes, the upper echelons of society in my country somewhat behaves like the people in my novel. Of course much of it is tweaked for literary purposes.

    Thanks for reading! ~

    "And you''re only telling me this now?" Cedric asked as he red angrily at his assistants.

    "Rx, Cedric." Ian told his friend as he ced a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm the CEO down. "I told them not to tell you just yet."

    "Why would you even do that?" Cedric asked Ian as he red at him.

    "Because if you had known that the nurse had been found you wouldn''t meet with the Chans." Ian said with a shrug. "I know you well enough to expect that if you had found out sooner you would have dropped everything. We need you to stay objective."

    Cedric opened his mouth to argue, but shut it again, Ian was right. If Mae or Dave had told him beforehand that they had found the nurse, Cedric would have made them drop everything and focus on finding a way to speak to the nurse.

    "Now that you''ve gotten most of your work for the day settled and you''ve dealt with the Chans, you can focus your attention on the missing nurse." Ian said with a shrug as he grinned at Cedric.

    "Ian is right." Cami said with a nod. "We know you well enough to expect that you would drop everything for this."

    Cedric sighed and nodded, he couldn''t argue with them, they were right.

    "So where is the nurse?" Cedric asked.

    "Could we exin things to you first boss?" Dave asked, it seemed he had prepared a speech to exin their efforts.

    Cedric groaned, but nodded in the end.

    "It seemed that this nurse had much more backing than we had initially expected. It was as if someone was helping the nurse stay hidden, he was always one step ahead of us and our men." Dave exined.

    "It could be Uncle Raphael." Cedric guessed as he looked at Ian.

    "I''m not too sure." Ian said slowly, his tone full of hesitation. "I don''t see why my father-inw would hide the nurse. If he knew who the nurse was then why didn''t he just take his nephew and raise him as his own. It doesn''t make sense."

    "How old is Uncle Miguel''s son?" Benedict asked.

    "Obviously the same age as Lucius Ting." Cedric said, rolling his eyes. "A few months younger than me and almost a year older than Miguel."

    Benedict sighed. "I was thinking maybe Miguel or Eric was actually their uncle''s son and that Raphael Chan simply adopted him."

    "It''s not possible." Cedric said, shaking his head. "There are photos everywhere of auntie Lucy pregnant with both boys. Plus the ages don''t match."

    "It was worth a guess." Benedict said with a chuckle.

    "Lucius falls right into that age, but who is hiding the nurse, there is something very off here." Cedric said as he thought about the circumstances.

    "Why hide the nurse if the child has already been found?" Ian asked.

    "Maybe Lucius isn''t a Chan?" Cami suggested. "Maybe Uncle Miguel''s wife cheated on him or he was sterile, so they got a sperm donor."

    "That''s not too far-fetched." Cedric said as he scratched his chin and considered what Cami had just said. "Either way, we need to know who is hiding him, why, and where." Cedric told his assistants.

    Mae slowly raised her hand as she tried to get everyone''s attention.

    "I swear Mae, you need to learn to speak up." Daveined as he got everyone''s attention for his partner.

    "What is it Mae?" Cedric asked.

    "We know where the nurse actually is." Mae said with a shrug.

    "And you let use up with wild ideas while knowing where he was?" Ian asked with augh.

    "Well, it''s not exactly easy to get a chance to speak with all of you around." Mae said, shaking her head. "You guys all talk so much and so loudly."

    "We''ll talk about your attention grabbing issues another time, Mae." Cami teased over the video call, making everyone elseugh.

    "Go on, tell us." Cedric said with a nod as all ears turned to Mae.

    "The person who has been funding the nurse kept him moving." Mae exined as she shed a map on the screen.

    "These are all the ces the nurse has lived at?" Cedric asked as he noticed more than twenty countries marked across the map, and it wasn''t like he was just moving from one country to the next.

    "He would spend about one to two years in each country, sometimes working, sometimes just in hiding." Mae exined. "He wasn''t just hopping to the next country either. One year he would be in Italy, the next he was in Japan, after that he went to Nigeria, then USA, then Germany."

    "Someone with deep pockets had to be funding this." Ian said as he looked at the map.

    "The ces he stayed at were never cheap either, luxury apartments, houses, some five star hotels, all of which seemed to be paid by someone for him." Mae said.

    "Did you track the money?" Cedric asked as he turned to his assistants.

    "We tried." Dave said with a shrug. "But this person was way too good, their was barely a trail, and most transactions were done in cash. Even the nurse doesn''t seem to have any bank ounts."

    "Does the nurse have any family?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, they live here, in the capital." Mae said. "We tried to get information from them but it seemed that they were barely in contact with him, just a few updates here and there."

    "He must have lived a lonely life." Cami said with a frown.

    "What was in it for him, why was he so willing to live a life alone just for an orphan?" Cedric asked.

    "We can ask him when we meet him." Dave said with a shrug.

    "Wait, you know where he is?" Cedric asked, shocked with what his assistants just revealed.

    "Yup." Mae said with a nod. "And he isn''t going anywhere, we have people watching him from a distance and he just moved, I doubt he will move again."

    "So where is he?" Cedric asked, eager to learn the man''s location.

    "A few hours away from here by ne. In Singapore." Dave said as he nodded at Mae to project a file.

    It was images of the man stepping out of Singapore''s Changi Airport.

    "He is from here?" Cedric asked as he observed the man''s features.

    "It seems the elder Miguel Chan could have met him here andter on met up with him in Italy." Dave said. "He was probably an employee at Saints Hospital."

 Chapter 617 - 617

    "We did say he has family here." Mae said with augh, teasing their boss.

    "You guys really don''t respect me anymore." Cedric said with a frown.

    "We respect you, Ced." Ian said,ughing at Cedric''s pitiful reaction, if anyone had seen how he was reacting at the moment, they wouldn''t think that he was the CEO of thergest conglomerate in the country. "We just know that you have your moments."

    "My moments?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yeah, moments when the genius in your head leaves and you turn stupid for a while." Ian teased as he ducked. Cedric had thrown one of the cushions on his seats at Ian.

    "I swear, you act like a child sometimes." Ayanna said as she stood by the door to Cedric''s office.

    "What are you doing here?" Cedricined. He didn''t even notice the door opening, when his sister entered, he was far too distracted by his assistants.

    "Well, I wasing over to see if you and Adrianna and Yoyo would want to have dinner with me and Ray." Ayanna said as she walked over and closed the door behind her. "I was quite surprised to see that all your assistants were not out there, that means one thing, you found something."

    "The Chans were here this morning." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I am well aware. Nicole called." Ayanna said, crossing her arms in front of her. "That isn''t the only reason for this meeting. You and the boys keep hiding things from us, we deserve to know."

    "Fine. Sit." Cedric told his sister. He knew that no matter how hard tried to get her to leave she wouldn''t, she would simply insist on staying, and he would never win against Ayanna. The women in his life were his weaknesses.

    "So?" Ayanna asked Cedric and his assistants.

    Cedric''s assistants all turned to look at him, unsure about what they should do next. When it came to Ayanna all of them were scared of her, especially Ian.

    "They found the nurse." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "They found him and you are all just sitting here?" Ayanna asked as she shook her head. "We need to get to him, we need to find out if Lucius is Uncle Miguel''s son."

    "Ayanna calm down, listen." Cedric said in a stern tone.

    His sister simply looked at him and stopped talking.

    "He has a backer, and by the looks of it, someone rich and powerful." Cedric exined with a serious look on his face. "We need to go about this in a smart way, we can''t act based on our emotions or rush things."

    "You know full well how this is affecting other people, but fine." Ayanna said with a nod as she nced at Ian. "I''m sorry I rushed, but where is this nurse?"

    "Singapore." Cedric announced.

    "That''s like less than three hours by ne!" Ayanna said in surprise. "Uncle Jose has a good rtionship with their government, we can get him deported here."

    "Again, someone is backing him, Ayanna. It''s not that easy." Cedric told his sister.

    "Okay, then, what''s the n?" Ayanna asked her brother, clearly eager to help.

    "I''m thinking of sending Dave or Mae to take a look, see if he is actually there, maybe make contact." Cedric said as he exined his n to the group. "If he is not hostile then I can fly down there with maybe Miguel, Eric, and Alexi." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Or Nicole." Ayanna suggested.

    "No, she can''t." Ian suddenly said.

    "What do you mean she can''t?" Ayanna asked. "She isn''t your property to control. She deserves to be there as much as Eric and Miguel."

    "It''s not safe." Ian told Ayanna.

    "I''m sure Lucius won''t grab power while she''s there, he needs to suck up to those Chan elders and that will take a long time." Ayanna exined.

    "I mean, she can''t because it''s not safe for. . ." Ian mumbled thest part of his sentence, confusing everyone.

    "Because what Ian?" Cedric asked angrily. "Can you not mumble?"

    "Because it''s a sensitive time." Ian exined with a frown.

    "A sensitive time for what?" Ayanna asked Ian. "I already told you that Saints Hospital is safe even if she left for a bit. And it''s not like we will tell people why they are going to Singapore, so what is it?"

    Ayanna and Cedric were clearly getting frustrated with Ian, but the man continued to hesitate, as if he was keeping a secret from them.

    "I''ll tell you, but you can''t tell her you know." Ian told everyone.

    "Do we look like we can''t keep a secret?" Cami asked over the video call with augh.

    "We won''t Ian, so what is it?" Cedric asked, not liking how he had to repeat himself over and over.

    "Nicole is pregnant." Ian suddenly revealed.

    "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh." Ayanna said as she hugged Ian. "Another baby!"

    "When did you find out?" Cedric asked, clearly her brothers had not known yet, or else Miguel or Eric would have already said something.

    "We found outst night." Ian said with a shrug. "That''s why I don''t like this whole Chan family drama stressing her out. Herst pregnancy was not easy and she''s worried about this time."

    "Then of course she doesn''t have to go." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes at Ian. "I only said that because I thought you were being a controlling husband."

    "You and Ray having issues?" Cedric asked Ayanna.

    "He''s just over protective, like you." Ayanna said with a smirk, making Cedricugh.

    "Alright then, Mae, Dave, talk about it amongst you which will be going to Singapore. We have an office there that can stand as your alibi." Cedric told the assistants.

    "I''ll go." Mae said, volunteering for the task. "He''s less likely to suspect me since I''m a woman."

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod. "Keep in touch with Dave. You leave in a day, I want you to arrange everything first. We need to know if he is willing to talk in a week. Got it?"

    "Yes, sir." Mae said with a nod.

    "Now, you two." Cedric said as he turned his attention to Cami and Benedict. "Anything interesting to report?"

 Chapter 618 - 618

    "Actually, we have something quite interesting." Cami said with a grin as she gave her brother a nudge.

    "I think he might be trusting us a little bit more." Benedict said with a sly smile. "He''s asked us over to discuss some of his future ns. Something about picking Cami''s mind since she''s worked for you."

    "And he thinks you will easily betray me?" Cedric asked the siblings.

    "We told him that you killed our brother, that''s why we hate you." Cami said with a shrug. "I mean that sounds like reason enough to hate a person and betray them."

    "A brother you barely knew, someone who was out to get you as well." Cedric reminded Cami. "I wouldn''t think he would trust you so quickly."

    "What else do you want us to do Cedric?" Cami asked. "I can''t think of anything that would make him trust us any more."

    "I just think that he could still find all of this suspicious." Cedric said with a shrug. "I mean everything from the timing to your avoidance of me, it could all be chalked up to a n."

    "A n like what we are doing exactly?" Cami asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "I just think Lucius is smarter than we think." Cedric said as he scratched his chin. "He doesn''t seem like someone that acts on impulse, I feel like he is meticulous."

    "Why not have Cami betray you?" Ayanna asked her brother. "I mean like a real betrayal, one that will really hurt Mor Co.?"

    "It would be too obvious that it came from me." Cami said, shaking her head.

    "There has to be a project that isn''t as confidential but will still hurt Mor Co. significantly." Ayanna exined. "One that if it got leaked or if something happened it couldn''t be traced directly to you."

    "I have one in mind." Ian said, lifting his head.

    "What?" Cami asked. "All of Mor Co.''stest projects have been discussed under the highest confidentiality, very few people outside this room know about it."

    "I''m not talking about something new Cami." Ian said, shaking his head. "I''m talking about something old and incredibly valuable."

    "The industrial park." Cedric suddenly said when he realized what Ian was talking about. "It''s been attacked before so everyone knows how valuable it is to us. It''s not exactly our most secure investment so if someone were to do something to ruin it, it would affect Mor Co. greatly."

    "But how?" Cami asked.

    "You know every weakness of that ce, think which is the easiest to disrupt." Cedric told his former assistant.

    "Thend it''s on?" Benedict asked.

    "No, all the documents to that ce were well taken care of, we didn''t cut any corners. Alexi didn''t even need to help us with that." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Themunity around it?" Dave asked.

    "Not that either, they benefit way too much from the industrialpound being there. It closing down would affect them the most." Cedric exined.

    "Wait, if you n on disrupting the industrialplex, what about the people that depend on that ce for their ie." Ian asked. "And what about themunity surrounding it?"

    "We''ll give them jobs andpensate them. As for themunity, we will put something to rece thepound temporarily." Cedric exined.

    "So you aren''t closing the ce down for good?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "No, I couldn''t." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I worked too hard for that ce and it brings good things to people, I could never do that."

    "The workers." Cami suddenly said over the call.

    Cedric smiled and nodded, he knew that it would be Cami to realize what they could easily disrupt.

    "What about them?" Ian asked, scratching his head. "They are as loyal to the Reyes Group as me and you. They would never go against Cedric."

    "Well, not if everything that matters to them is threatened and Cedric just lets it be." Cami said with a shrug.

    "And how is that?" Ian asked.

    "The area where the residences are ced, behind it is a mountain perfect for mining." Cami exined with a grin.

    "We could hurt people." Mae said with a look of worry on her face.

    "Mae, it''s as if you don''t know the Reyes Group, we would never do that." Ayanna said with a sad smile.

    "We can just make it out to be a front. It doesn''t have to be a full scale mining operation." Cedric exined.

    "You already thought about this." Cami suddenly said as her eyes snapped to Cedric.

    "A little." Cedric said with a shrug. "I had an idea forming while you were trying to guess our vulnerability."

    "Why do you even need us here?" Ian grumbled.

    "No one is perfect, no one can do it alone. I don''t even think this n will work." Cedric told Ian as he shook his head and sighed. "It''s all good as an idea, but when we actually execute it, things could go wrong."

    "Then we need something bigger." Ayanna said as she stood up and walked to stand by Cedric''s floor length window. "Something that we are willing to risk to really push Lucius into trusting Cami and Benedict."

    "My reputation." Cedric suddenly said in a grim tone.

    "What are you talking about?" Ayanna asked as she quickly turned to face Cedric. "Your reputation is very important to thispany, our value rises and falls with your name."

    "The Reyes Group can take a hit for a few months, heck we can take a few years." Cedric told his sister as he stood up and walked over to her. "What Lucius is nning will not hurt us for just a few years, he wants to get rid of us, and if we take a hit for a few months, then that''s fine."

    "What are you even nning, Cedric?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "It isn''t something that can''t be repaired." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "No, don''t you dare do that." Ayanna warned, realizing what her brother was nning.

    "Ayanna, my name can always be cleared." Cedric argued back.

    "People will think we paid the judges or that Alexi or Uncle Jose pulled some strings, do that and your reputation will never bounce back." Ayanna told her brother, practically shouting at him.

    "There will be enough proof to clear my name." Cedric told his sister.

    "And what will you do if they demand more, if it impacts us for more than just a few years, what then?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "Then I will step down and you can lead thepany." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "That is not how we do things and we both know I am nothingpared to you." Ayanna told her brother. "Ced, why? Why do we have to do something this risky?"

    "For the future, for my children, for your children, for our friends." Cedric exined. "Lucius Ting is dangerous, my gut tells me he is a difficult man to go against."

    "Wait, what is the boss nning?" Dave asked.

    "My brother is stupidly nning to let everyone know that he killed Aiden Ortiz, his good friend''s older brother." Ayanna said as she kept her eyes on her brother, angry at his decision.

 Chapter 619 - 619

    "Cedric, that is crazy." Cami scolded over the video call.

    Everyone had been shocked at Ayanna announcing that Cedric would stake his own reputation just to get Lucius to trust Cami and Benedict.

    They had gone silent for a while as they tried to process what Ayanna had told them. Everyone had gotten confused at first, unsure of what to say or do. Ian had even gone as far as thinking that Cedric was only joking.

    "Wait, you''re serious?" Ian asked as he sat up.

    "Of course I''m serious." Cedric said with a nod as he looked everyone in the eye. "This is to protect our long term interests. It shouldn''t be taken lightly."

    "Then do this as ast resort, brother." Ayanna told him. "This is crazy and stupid!"

    "Cedric, we will do what we can first." Benedict told Cedric with a serious look on his face. "Maybe it doesn''t have to go as far as this. Maybe he already trusts us. I mean the death of a loved one is a very big deal."

    Cedric paused and took a deep breath, everyone was clearly against his n. It seemed that even if he managed to nt the evidence himself and turn himself in, they would do anything and everything to protect Cedric from his own ns.

    "Cedric?" Ayanna asked as she tilted her head and looked at her brother, he had just gone silent and was deep in thought.

    It was moments like these that Ayanna worried the most about her brother, when things didn''t go Cedric''s way but he knew his n was right, he would just go and do it on his own.

    "What?" Cedric asked Ayanna as he looked at his sister, she was clearly worried about him.

    "This isn''t going to be like the maid incident, right?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "Of course not." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I''m not a child anymore."

    "It''s the fact that you are an adult with too many resources that I am worried about." Ayanna said as she crossed her arms on her chest. "Think of your wife and children."

    "There will not be a repeat of the maid incident." Cedric promised.

    When they were younger, Cedric had a bad feeling about Ayanna''s nanny. He didn''t like the way she was different when their parents were around and when they were alone.

    Cedric had tried to tell the adults, at first it was just the other maids, but they had no power to influence things.

    So he went up to his grandparents, the Reyes elders all thought that Cedric was just acting up, that he was jealous the maid got to spend time with his sister, so they ignored him.

    Eventually, things reached the point where he was already telling their parents but they wouldn''t listen. Cedric had told Ayanna about his n to catch the maid on video, but to do that he had to take his father''s camera and film the woman.

    Of course, as a child Ayanna didn''t want to get into trouble, so she told Cedric not to do it. He was so adamant and he believed so much in his gut feel that he single handedly stole their father''s camera and nted it in the maid''s room.

    When it came time to retrieve the camera, Cedric encountered an unexpected twist. As he reached for where he had hidden the camera, the maid entered with a man.

    The man quickly covered Cedric''s mouth as the maid fished out a piece of tape to keep him quiet. Unfortunately for the maid and herpanion, Emilio Reyes III had noticed his son acting suspiciously, so when Cedric had note back immediately he had sent people to go looking for the boy.

    Just as the maid was cing the tape to silence Cedric, Emilio Reyes III and a few bodyguards entered the maid''s room and walked into the horrific scene.

    If his father had been anyter Cedric would have been kidnapped and used as leverage.

    When they had reviewed the tapester on, they discovered that the maid had been plotting to kidnap Ayanna. She was making the Reyeses trust her so that she could take the little girl out of thepound to a park, where she and Ayanna would be kidnapped by her aplices.

    Cedric had been scolded so much by his parents that night, but at the same time they were extremely thankful that the little boy had gone with his gut feel.

    The Reyeses were even quite proud of how he had managed to nt the camera in a spot the maid never touched.

    It was actually those events that had solidified the Reyes family''s faith in naming Cedric as it''s next head. At a young age he had shown so much potential, something that only grew.

    Ayanna sighed and smiled at the memory, it was a painful one, because so many things could have gone wrong, and yet it was still something she would never want to change.

    "How long will we have?" Benedict asked Cedric, he was confident that Cedric had changed his mind and was willing to give them time.

    "Two weeks." Cedric said, holding out two fingers. "By that time you should know if we need to take extra steps to gain Lucius'' trust. If you both don''t have it by then we will need to release the news."

    "And the workers? When will that ne into y?" Cami asked Cedric.

    "I want that part of the n to start as soon as possible." Cedric informed everyone. "Ian, can you get a miningpany on the phone? That part of the property has received many offers, all of which I have turned down."

    "I''ll check the records and see who could still be interested in it." Ian said with a nod. "I''ll also work on the precautionary measures in case we actually need to mine full scale."

    "I want to do something public to really trigger the people." Cedric said. "Something that Cami can use to give to Lucious so he can create havoc on thepany."

    "I''m assuming you also want us to ask Ram to tone down his efforts in containing the matter?" Dave asked Cedric.

    Cedric grinned at the assistant and nodded.

    "You''re starting to see the big picture." Cedric praised. "Yes, let''s do that. I don''t want it to be obvious that we want that news out."

    "I''ll tell him how to spread it in such a way that Ram can barely do anything." Cami said with a nod.

    "Isn''t that dangerous?" Ayanna asked. "If our enemies know how to avoid Ram''s control of the press we are making ourselves vulnerable."

    "Lucius would never share this information. He seems like the jealous type." Cedric said with a smile before finally ending their meeting.

 Chapter 620 - 620

    As soon as Cedric had given his orders, Mae had packed up and left for Singapore. For her safety, Cedric had sent a few more bodyguards to keep an eye on her.

    They had little to no power on foreign soil and he didn''t want to risk the sess of everything they had worked for to just go down the drain.

    After sending Mae off, Cedric''s next task was to inform the Chan siblings about what they had found out. He didn''t include them at first because he didn''t want to get their hopes up, and when it came to business matters, Lucius was after Cedric, not the Chan siblings.

    It just so happened to be Grandpa Chan''s birthday the next day, so everyone had been invited to the old Chan ancestral mansion for avish celebration.

    When the former patriarch of the n turns a year older, everyone was expected to attend, and of course they wouldn''t miss out on the opportunity to unt their connections.

    If it were any other member of the Chan family, Cedric and the others wouldn''t even attend, but the old man was also like a grandfather to all of them. He used to sneak them treats and toys when their parents were not looking.

    It wasn''t till they were older that the old man began imposing rules on the Chan siblings, it was something that shocked all of them, especially whenpared to Cedric''s own grandfather, Emilio Reyes II.

    "In some ways the Chans are quite different from you guys." Adrianna said, thinking out loud as she looked at herself in the mirror.

    When Cedric spotted her, he couldn''t help but smile, even when she was pregnant Adrianna was still beautiful. She was wearing something moreid back today, the event wasn''t a formal one, but people usually still dressed up for asions like these.

    Cedric had decided to simply attend in one of his business suits, it was nice enough to pass off for the night and he could always say he came from work.

    In all honesty, Cedric wished that the Chans would just have a small dinner with family and friends, there was no need for them to impress others. They were already at the upper echelons of society.

    "The Chans and the Reyeses are very different." Cedric said with a sigh as he walked up to his wife. "Our traditions and beliefs are quite distant."

    "If people didn''t know you guys they would wonder how you and Miguel ever became friends." Adrianna said with augh.

    "Our parents are way more open minded than our grandparents." Cedric said as he took a ne on Adrianna''s dresser and ced it on her. It was the very same one that his mother had given to Adrianna as a gift.

    "I thank God every day that I met you." Adrianna said as she looked up and smiled at Cedric. "I might have thought you were someone else back then, but you helped me see that it''s not what''s on the outside that matters, but what''s on the inside."

    "Don''t worry Adri, I''m still the same guy as before. I''m just rich now." Cedric said with augh.

    Adrianna rolled her eyes at her husband and did somest minute checks on her make up.

    "Let''s go, honey." Cedric said as he pulled his wife out of their room.

    "The maid said Yoyo is already fast asleep, at least we have one less thing to worry about." Adrianna said with a shrug as they descended in the elevator.

    Since it was Grandpa Chan''s birthday all the parents were invited, the Chans had even invited both the Hernandezes and the Ramirezes because their children had made such good matches.

    By the time Cedric and Adrianna made it to the driveway they were greeted by Gracia and Charles Hernandez. Cedric''s father, Emilio Reyes, would being from the old mansion together with his aunt and his grandfather.

    "Why aren''t your grandmother and uncleing?" Gracia asked Cedric as they got into the car.

    "Well, my grandmother has bad blood with Grandpa Chan, while uncle Anastacio hates events like these." Cedric said with a shrug. "He only attends if it''s really important."

    "How does your grandmother have bad blood with Grandpa Chan?" Adrianna asked Cedric.

    "That''s a very funny and awkward story, do you want to hear it?" Cedric asked Adrianna and her parents.

    All three nodded, eager to hear gossip about the elders of the two families.

    "Well, my grandma worked for the Chans for a while when she was younger." Cedric exined as he remembered the story his grandmother had told him with an embarrassed face. "While she was there, the handsome young heir of the Chan family, a promising doctor fell for her."

    "Oh my." Gracia Hernandez said with a gasp.

    "Yup." Cedric said with augh. "Standards and practices back then were very different. If a rich young man wanted you, you said yes and hoped he would marry you, and Grandpa Chan promised my Grandma just that. If she lets him, he would marry her."

    "Why do I have a bad feeling about this story?" Adrianna groaned.

    "Because it''s not exactly the nicest story." Cedrid said with augh.

    "Adri, let your husband continue." Charles Hernandez said, scolding his daughter.

    "Anyway, my grandma refused, and Grandpa Chan was appalled, he had never been refused by a woman before." Cedric exined. "He did everything to woo her, to win her heart, until one day she agreed."

    "No!" Adrianna said in shock.

    "Yes, grandma agreed to meet him in the garden outside the Chan house, the very same house we are going to." Cedric said with a knowing grin.

    "So they met?" Gracia Hernandez asked her son-inw.

    "Grandpa Chan went to wait for her at the garden, and he waited, and waited, and she never showed." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Ancient ghosting." Adrianna said with augh.

    "The next day, Grandpa Chan searched for her in the house, in the city, but she was nowhere to be found. He was so angry that she had embarrassed him that he swore if he ever saw her again he would ruin her life." Cedric exined.

    "So that''s why they hate each other?" Adrianna asked.

    "No." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Yearster, Grandpa Chan meets up with his childhood best friend, the man he trusted above everyone, my grandfather Emilio Reyes II, and his wife, the woman who embarrassed Grandpa Chan."

 Chapter 621 - 621

    After hearing the story about Grandpa Chan and Cedric''s grandmother, Bonifacia, Cedric noticed the Hernandezes were now behaving quite awkwardly as they arrived at the old Chan mansion.

    "Rx guys." Cedric said with augh as he stepped out of the car and opened the door for his wife and inws. "The Chan and Reyes families have long moved on from that drama, we just refrain from mentioning it to the grandparents."

    "So it''s still a sore topic for them?" Adrianna asked as she stepped out of the car and held Cedric''s hand.

    "A little." Cedric said with a grin. "Grandpa Chan likes to avoid anything and everything that would remind him of my grandmother, including me."

    "He must have fallen quite hard then." Charles Hernandez said with augh.

    "Very. So let''s just talk about it at home again, it''s not exactly public knowledge and there are a lot of guests today." Cedric said as he gave his father-inw a smile.

    The Hernandezes nodded, agreeing not to bring up the issue again.

    As they entered the house a maid led them to the backyard where the Chans had set up a garden party for the former patriarch.

    Adrianna wanted tough at how silly the other guests looked, many were dressed in over the top formal attire and were dripping with jewelry.

    "This party is a social climber''s heaven." Cedric whispered to his wife.

    "I didn''t think there would be this many guests." Adrianna whispered back.

    "The Chans are the only family among our group to hold parties like these, they invite almost every socialite and any aspirant who can get their hands on an invite." Cedric exined. "The Abads have big parties too, but those are restricted to the industry and their friends."

    "Cedric, Adri." Nicole waved as she spotted the couple arrive. She was holding Ian''s hand as they spoke to two women that Cedric didn''t recognize.

    Adrianna waved back as they slowly descended the stairs to join the rest of the crowd.

    "Have my father and grandfather arrived?" Cedric asks Ian as Nicole pulls Adrianna away.''

    "Yes, I think your father is with mine, they are hanging out." Ian said with a grin.

    "Mom, Dad, why don''t Ian and I take you to my dad. I''m sure you would find it boring to hangout around me and my friends, and it seems my wife has abandoned you." Cedric teased, making Charles and Gracia Hernandezugh.

    As Cedric and Ian made their way through the crowd with Cedric''s inws, people couldn''t help but look.

    Cedric was now the richest man in the country and possibly the most powerful, everyone wanted a chance to speak to him and possibly make an impression.

    "Gracia!" A woman suddenly came waving through the crowd.

    Cedric was honestly shocked that it took this long for a former acquaintance of the Hernandezes to show up and attempt to strike conversation with them while Cedric was present.

    "Oh, hey Mrs. Yang." Gracia said in a t tone.

    Cedric knew that this wasn''t the first time that old friends had suddenly appeared. Prior to Cedric''s identity reveal, many of the Hernandezes'' friends had gone on and snubbed them.

    It was mainly because they felt that the Hernandezes weren''t worth as much anymore. Sure they had kept thepany, but their name was ruined. Half of the Hernandez n had been sent to jail, those that were innocent were left with nothing. Everyone thought the Hernandezes were done for.

    "Please Gracia, we go way back. It''s just Nora." The overdressed woman said as she hugged Gracia.

    Cedric noticed as Nora''s eyes kept darting between him and his inws.

    "It''s nice to see you, Mrs. Yang." Charles Hernandez said in an uninterested tone. "We haven''t seen you since, hmmmmm darling, when was thest time we saw Mrs. Yang?" Charles asked his wife.

    Cedric could see that his inws were nning on embarrassing the woman so decided to stick around with Ian for a bit.

    "It seems the Hernandezes have picked up a thing or two from your families." Ian whispered to Cedric with a chuckle as they observed the interaction.

    "I bet they learned it from mom." Cedric said with a sad smile as he thought of histe mother. Just remembering her hurt, but he preferred to feel the pain rather than to bury it away.

    "I think thest time we saw Mrs. Yang was when the rumors about our poor Adri began circting." Gracia said as she now red at the woman.

    Cedric wanted tough at what his mother-inw had just said, but he didn''t want to take the attention away from them, watching the scene unfold was just too fun.

    "And we were so mistaken!" Nora Yang said as she gave the couple a fake smile. "Then my husband''s business got busy and I had to turn my attention to our kids, I''m sure you understand." Mrs. Yang said as she nodded.

    "Yes, it is quite tough, I''m sure." Gracia Hernandez said as she continued to smile at the woman.

    Nora Yang seemed to take it as she had been forgiven and her smile got even bigger, but she couldn''t have been further from the truth.

    "Mrs. Yang, have you met my son-inw?" Charles Hernandez asked as he led Nora Yang over to Cedric and Ian.

    Both men were quite tall,bined with their aura Cedric and Ian were quite intimidating, as a matter of fact, Nora Yang even hesitated when Charles pulled her over.

    Cedric kept his face devoid of any expression as he watched curiously what his inws were about to do.

    "Actually, no, I''ve never met Mr. Reyes, but I''ve heard many good things about him!" Nora Yang said in a loud voice, making sure that everyone in the vicinity could hear her.

    Cedric nced around, noticing some guests whispering among themselves, many were jealous of Nora Yang, it was quite difficult to get an introduction to a member of the Reyes family, even during events like these.

    "Cedric, this is Nora Yang, we went to high school together." Gracia Hernandez said as she introduced the woman.

    Cedric gave a slight nod, keeping his intimidating pesona in ce.

    "It''s an honor Mr. Reyes." Nora Yang said quite excitedly. "I have a daughter your age, you might know her -"

    "No, I don''t." Cedric quickly said in a cold tone. He wasn''t lying, he had no friends with the surname Yang.

    "Cedric, she was one of the women pushing for Adrianna to be a mistress!" Gracia Hernandez suddenly revealed, making Nora Yang go pale.

    Cedric red at the woman, it was no secret that Cedric adored his wife and would do anything to protect her, so for someone to push her to be a mistress it was clear that Cedric would be furious.

    "Mom, you know that Adri would never be a mistress, and why would she need to be?" Cedric asked Gracia in a kinder tone.

    "Well, I was pushing her to be your own mistress, so nothing wrong there." Nora Yang said with a nervousugh.

    "I didn''t know that it was normal for married women to be mistresses." Cedric said with a raised eyebrow. "Is that how everyone is expected to act now? Do you push your own daughter to be a mistress?" Cedric asked the woman who was now visibly shaking.

    "Ced." Adrianna suddenly appeared beside her husband, cing a hand on his arm.

    "Were you just trying to whore your daughter over to my friend?" Nicole asked, clearly catching the part where Nora Yang asked if Cedric had met her daughter.

    "No, Miss Nicole." Nora said, shaking her head.

    "Yeah, right." Nicole said, rolling her eyes.

    "I suggest you leave us, Mrs. Yang." Cedric said in a cold tone to the woman.

    "Mom, Dad, shall we?" Cedric asked as he let them walk ahead towards his father.

 Chapter 622 - 622

    "Cedric!" Emilio Reyes III greeted as his son approached. "I thought you would miss tonight." He told his son.

    "No dad, I wouldn''t." Cedric said, shaking his head. It was clear that his father had heard of the altercation that happened in his office between him and the Chan elders.

    "Adri, you are glowing!" Emilio Reyes praised as he stood up to hug his daughter-inw.

    "Thanks, dad." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Charles, Gracia, I heard you applied some of the things we taught you earlier." He said with a grin as the coupleughed at hisment.

    "She was a friend." Gracia Hernandez said, shaking her head. "When she got married, she changed, she was suddenly so obsessed with these parties and knowing the right people."

    "So like you then?" Charles Hernandez said as he looked at his wife with a sad expression.

    "Like the old me." Gracia Hernandez said with a nod.

    Cedric was proud of how far his mother-inw hade, she was no longer the hateful woman that cared only about money and position. She had changed since her own father tried to sell her daughter off to Mark Chu.

    "When Cedric sent the majority of the Hernandez n away she started to avoid me like the gue." Gracia Hernandez said with a shrug. "When Cedric''s identity came out she began to try and make contact with me. She called and even visited my old salon."

    "But you moved to my mom''s salon." Cedric said with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yes, but the stylists at the old one were like family to me, so I would have lunch or coffee with them from time to time. It was through them that she had reached out." Gracia Hernandez said with a shrug.

    "I''m sorry you lost a friend, Ma." Adrianna said as she hugged her mother.

    "No, she wasn''t a loss." Gracia Hernandez said, shaking her head. "All of this let me realize how fake my old friends were. Most of them vanished the moment news broke out about the Hernandez n."

    "Let me guess, most of them came crawling back when Cedric revealed his identity?" Ian''s father, Richardo Lim asked.

    "Yes." Gracia Hernandez said with a nod.

    "Don''t worry, we Lims have gone through the same thing." Richardo Lim said with a sympathetic smile.

    "If I''m not mistaken though, Ric, you had it the other way around." Emilio Reyes reminded his friend.

    "Uncle, I don''t think -" Ian started to say before his father stopped him.

    "It''s alright Ian, it has been years, and we are in a much better ce." Richardo Lim said with a nod.

    Ian simply nodded and took a seat next to his father. Cedric watched as Nicole sat next to Ian and held his hand in an attempt tofort him.

    "When the Lims lost everything we too realized who were truly our friends and which were simply people who wanted to ride along with our wealth." Ric Lim said with a shrug. "Of course in your case you turned out richer than they thought. In our case, we had lost everything. It''s a time I hate remembering, but it is what it is."

    "Things are better now." Ian mumbled and nodded.

    Cedric felt bad for his friend, it was no mystery to him what Ian had gone through, over the years Cedric had peeledyer afteryer of Ian''s defences and eventually got him to tell his story. Cedric felt bad for Ian, he had already suffered so much and all Cedric could do now was to try and help him.

    "Uncles! Aunt Gracia!" Miguel greeted them as he approached their table.

    "Ah Miguel, it''s good to see you out of your doctor''s coat." Ric Lim greeted as he smiled at the young man.

    "It''s good to be in a more casual setting, even if 80% of our guests decided to go ultra formal." Miguel mocked with augh as he looked around at the guests that looked like they were attending some grand ball.

    "That''s what you get when you invite anyone and everyone that just wants to climb up the socialdder." Nicole said as she rolled her eyes. She had been trying for years to change how events in the Chan household were conducted, but her rtives were just way too stubborn.

    "Well Nicole, we still need to suffer through the whole night." Miguel said with augh. "Dad is looking for us, grandpa wants to do this whole speech and he wants us on the stage."

    "Ugh, I''m so jealous of he who must not be named." Nicole grumbled as she got up.

    "Who? Voldemort?" Ian asked with augh.

    "Haha, so funny,e on, you''re going up there with me." Nicole said as she pulled on Ian''s hand getting him to stand up.

    "Okay, I''m jealous of him too now. Why do I need to be part of this?" Ian asked.

    "Because you are my husband." Nicole said, cing her hands on her hips.

    "Did you just. . ." Ian said as his jaw dropped.

    "Not yet, but might as well call you that." Nicole said, rolling her eyes. "Now will you go with me?"

    Ian was more than happy to agree after Nicole had called him her husband.

    As the Chan family gathered on the stage, Eric and the Sebastian family suddenly appeared behind Cedric.

    "I''m so d I don''t have to be up there." Eric said with augh.

    "Your siblings were just discussing that." Ian said with augh, making sure that bystanders couldn''t hear their conversation.

    "Where''s Ram?" Cedric asked as he looked around for the Abads, he soon found the Abads and the Laurences walking up to them. The two tables at the front were reserved for their group.

    One of the Chan sibling''s second cousin was the host for tonight, she was wearing a sensual dress as she looked at Alexi.

    Cedricughed when he noticed that the girl was trying to catch Alexi''s attention.

    "Is that an ex?" Cedric asked Alexi who had taken a seat on their table.

    "I don''t have exes, but I might have slept with her. I''m not sure." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "It''s not fun hearing that." Selinained as she frowned.

    "I promise, I never liked any of them, they were just a way for me to cope." Alexi told her as he nted a gentle kiss on Selina''s lips.

    "You''ve changed him a lot." Katerna said with a smile. "My brother is much nicer now."

    "Shut up Katerina." Alexi hisses, making Katerinaugh even louder.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you foring to my grandfather''s party." The host said with a smile. "My granduncle, our former family patriarch, has something to say before we bring out the cake and wish him a happy 74th birthday."

    The guests all pped as the old man walked forward and took the mic from his grandniece.

    "I have an announcement to make." The old man said with a smile. "A lost member of the family has returned to us."

    Cedric quickly looked to Eric in shock, he hadn''t expected the Chan family to move this fast. By the look on Eric''s face it seemed that Eric didn''t know that this was going to happen either.

 Chapter 623 - 623

    Grandpa Chan stood on stage as he weed Lucius Ting. Cedric looked at his friends, Nicole and Miguel on stage, both initially had a look of surprise, but they quickly covered it up with fake smiles as Lucius passed them.

    "This man is Lucius Ting." Grandpa Chan introduced as he ced a hand on Lucius'' shoulder.

    Cedric looked around, observing the confused and shocked look that the audience had on their faces, many had begun whispering among themselves.

    "Do you think he is the old patriarch''s illegitimate son?" A woman at the next table whispered. Her voice was loud enough that Cedric could hear her conversation with herpanions.

    "Well, men from that social circle are known to have mistresses, but it''s odd that his wife would be willing to wee the boy. Madam Chan has provided him with two sons, and their eldest already has a son." Herpanion whispered back.

    "But Miguel Chan isn''t the one running Saints Hospital." The woman countered. "Isn''t it odd that the youngest child, a daughter, is the one managing all of their business interests."

    Cedric looked at Eric, clearly he was pissed by the conversation on the next table.

    "So he brought in this illegitimate son to inherit?" The malepanion asked.

    "Sounds possible, from what I have heard the Chan family is very sexist." Another person at the table said.

    "So the old man might change his will?" The man on the table with them asked.

    "You never know with these rich old families, so much drama." The woman said quite excitedly.

    "That''s what I''m afraid of." Eric said in a low voice. "Grandpa could make Lucius inherit almost everything."

    "Do you think he will change his will immediately?" Alexi asked.

    "Honestly, I don''t know what''s going on in my grandfather''s mind." Eric said with a sigh. "My siblings and I have been trying to guess how far he is willing to push it with Lucius Ting."

    "He still has shares at Saints Hospital, right?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, but very little, he passed most of them off to my father. Another part of the shares were given to me, it was a way to convince me to stay in the family business." Eric exined.

    "Your father mentioned that he may be doing this out of guilt." Cedric said as he recounted the Chan family visit to his office.

    "Grandpa did indirectly kill his own son, so it''s not unlikely that he is trying to make up for Uncle Miguel''s death." Eric said with a shrug. "If Lucius Ting is my Uncle Miguel''s son, then he is family."

    "Will you guys ask me to go easy on him?" Cedric asked as he nced at the stage. The old man still hadn''t exined his association to the Chan family and the guests were gossiping.

    "We''ll see." Eric said with a sigh. "As long as his intentions aren''t ill then yes, we will ask you not to go all out against him."

    "What does your gut feel say, Eric? Is he your cousin?" Ram asked.

    "Logic tells me that he is." Eric said in a serious tone as he watched his grandfather pull Lucius Ting to a hug. "But something about him feels off, feels wrong."

    "Maybe it''s because he has ns on hurting everyone and anyone you care about." Cedric said. "Aiden poisoned his mind to think the worst of us, I don''t have all the details, but Cami and Benedict should have it for us soon."

    "Our dear guests." Grandpa Chan said as he finally spoke on the stage. "This man, Lucius Ting is my grandson."

    The guests gasped in surprise, many were not expecting what Grandpa Chan was about to say.

    Their eyes quickly turned to Raphael Chan, who couldn''t help butugh, confusing them even more.

    When Cedric noticed them looking at his uncle Raphael he realized what they were thinking.

    "Ha, they think Lucius is your father''s illegitimate son!" Cedric told Eric as heughed.

    "Ugh, eww, no." Eric said, rolling his eyes. "I''m not even sure if my father ever cheated on my mother."

    "Would you want to know?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "It would be nice to know if there are people out there who could threaten Nicole''s position." Eric said with a shrug as he returned his attention to the stage.

    "No, no, Lucius Ting is not an illegitimate son." The old man said, shaking his head and smiling. "He is actually the son of my second son, Miguel Chan, who passed away too soon. We thought Lucius had passed away with his mother, but we were shocked when an old family friend found him."

    "Oh shit." Cedric cursed from his seat.

    "What is Ced?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Grandpa Chan is going to say it was I that helped them find Lucius." Cedric hissed.

    "Why would he do that?" Ray asked.

    "Because I gave them all the information about Lucius." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Lucius will know that you have been keeping tabs on him." Eric said with a gasp as he realized what was about to happen.

    "He will call you up there to say something." Alexi added.

    "I have a n. I just hope that Lucius Ting buys it." Cedric told his friends as they returned their attention to the stage.

    "Now, I know this young man hates the spotlight being on him." Grandpa Chan continued to say. "But he was born to be at the center of everyone''s attention, I hope you will entertain this old man''s request, your grandpa and I go way back." Grandpa Chan said as he looked Cedric directly in the eyes.

    Cedric nodded, confirming that he wouldn''t embarrass the old man by rejecting his request toe on stage.

    "It was actually Cedric Reyes that notified us about someone who could be rted to the Chan family." Grandpa Chan said as soon as he noticed Cedric''s nod. "Cedric, my boy, will youe up and join us?"

    Cedric nodded and got up, he ced a hand on Eric''s shoulder and nodded at his friend, this matter was as much his problem as it was theirs.

    "Good luck." Adrianna told her husband as he nted a kiss on her head and left for the stage.

 Chapter 624 - 624

    "Thank you for granting an old man''s request." Grandpa Chan said with a smile as Cedric appeared on the stage.

    Cedric kept his cold demeanor and nodded.

    "Emilio Reyes, Cedric''s grandfather, and I go way back. We were friends in our youth just as Cedric and Miguel have been friends since they were children." The old man boasted as Cedric stood next to him.

    Cedric smiled and nodded as the host handed him a microphone.

    "Cedric, we the Chan family are beyond grateful that you have found someone we had thought passed away. It pained me to think that a grandchild of mine could have died without us being able to do anything and never meeting him." The old man said as he washed his hands of any involvement in the death of Uncle Miguel''s wife.

    "It''s nothing grandpa." Cedric said. "When I saw Lucius at the Gizmo Awards he reminded me so much of Miguel that I couldn''t help but notice the simrities."

    "Oh, so it was at the Gizmo Awards that you looked him up?" Grandpa Chan asked.

    "Yes, of course." Cedric said with a nod. "It was my first time seeing him or even hearing about him. I was quite surprised to hear that he owned a startup techpany that was doing decently."

    To everyone it seemed like Cedric was praising Lucius, but Cedric knew that Lucius was now furious at him. It was as if Cedric had said that the Arch Group was way too small for him to notice them, so small that his people didn''t even care to report back about thepany.

    Cedric smiled as he saw Lucius frown at his words, he was d that he got the message.

    "We are very thankful that you have brought our missing rtive to us." Grandpa Chan said with a smile.

    "You''ve done a DNA test?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Do we?" Grandpa Chan asked. "You yourself told us that everything matched up perfectly. That there was no question in your mind that he is a Chan."

    "It never hurts to be sure." Cedric said with a shrug. "I hope you don''t take this the wrong way Lucius, many people would love to take advantage of a moment such as this."

    Lucius simply nodded, choosing not to say anything.

    "Cedric, this is Chan family business, you have no right to interfere." The old man said.

    "Cedric, he won''t budge." Miguel said as he came up next to Cedric. "We''ve tried to convince him to do a DNA test, I think that''s what pushed him to do this public announcement."

    Cedric nodded at Miguel and turned his attention back to the old man.

    "Very well sir." Cedric said with a nod. "I respect your decision. After all, I''m sure Uncle Miguel is looking down, watching how you treat his son."

    "What are you trying to imply?" Grandpa Chan asked Cedric as he red at the younger man.

    "Only that there are dues that must be paid, grandpa." Cedric said with a shrug as he turned and left.

    When he approached his table, Cedric was stopped by one of his father''s bodyguards who indicated that Emilio Reyes wanted to speak with him.

    Cedric simply nodded and obliged.

    "Dad, you wanted to talk?" Cedric asked as he sat at the vacant seat between his father and grandfather.

    "This isn''t business you should involve yourself in, son." Emilio Reyes scolded Cedric.

    "Don''t pretend you have no idea why the older Miguel Chan died, father." Cedric said in a bitter tone.

    "Ah, there is your temper and hot headedness." Emilio Reyes said with a chuckle. "I was wondering how you could hide it so well."

    "Dad, with all due respect, don''t you guys want to know what happened to your friend''s son?" Cedric asked, he found it odd that their generation was not that eager to find out if Lucius Ting was indeed Uncle Miguel''s son.

    "Cedric, let the Chans have their time." His grandfather, Emilio Reyes II, said as he ced a wrinkly hand on Cedric''s.

    "But grandpa -" Cedric began toin before his grandfather began shaking his head.

    "I know my friend, he had lived with the regret of his second son''s passing all his life." Grandpa Reyes said with a frown. "He has lived his life in regret and all he wants to do is to make up for everything."

    "And what if this man is someone else?" Cedric asked.

    "Then the Chans will have to live with the consequences." Emilio Reyes II said with a shrug. "They are a family of geniuses, one of them should figure it out."

    "I won''t let my friends lose everything to a man like that." Cedric hissed. "Lucius Ting is a threat not only to the Chans but to the Reyeses as well."

    "Are you trying to tell me that you can''t handle one measly businessman?" Emilio Reyes II asked his grandson.

    "Of course I can deal with him." Cedric said, crossing his arms. "I just don''t think he is Uncle Miguel''s son. I think the Chans are making a huge mistake weing that man into their family."

    "The child died, Cedric." Emilio Reyes said, shaking his head. "Don''t you think we ced every resource into finding that child? Miguel Chan was a friend, just as Eric is your friend. He was like a younger brother to all of us."

    "The technology now is different from your time, dad." Cedric told his father.

    "And the trail back then was fresh." Emilio Reyes said in a cold and intimidating tone as he red at his son. "The child is gone, drop it."

    "What are you trying to say, dad?" Cedric asked as he gave his father a puzzled look.

    "I''m telling you that this is over, Miguel Chan''s child died as an infant with his mother." Emilio Reyes said.

    "Wait, you said his." Cedric said, quickly catching his father''s mistake. "The child was really a boy, not a daughter."

    "Cedric, enough of this." Emilio Reyes II scolded his grandson. "Your father already told you. They did everything to find the child, but the child was dead, so drop it."

    Cedric frowned and walked out on his father and grandfather, there was something the elders were not telling them and he couldn''t figure out what it was.

 Chapter 625 - 625

    Cedric sat back down in his seat after speaking to his father and grandfather.

    Adrianna had quickly noticed that something was off with her husband.

    "Ced, what''s wrong?" Adrianna asked as she ced a hand on his arm, Cedric looked at her and frowned.

    "I don''t want to talk about this now." Cedric said as he shook his head. "Plus I want the others to hear this too." Cedric gestured towards the stage where Nicole, Ian, Miguel, and Veronica were standing as a cake was wheeled out onto the stage.

    "We can talk upstairs in my room." Eric said after overhearing what Cedric had told his wife.

    "Doesn''t it make you sad?" Selina suddenly asked Eric.

    "Doesn''t what make me sad?" Eric asked as he tilted his head, he wasn''t sure what Selina meant by her question.

    "Not being up there, with all of them." Selina exined as she lowered her voice, making sure that no one else heard them.

    "Honestly, it doesn''t." Eric said with a shrug as he grandfather blew out the candles on the stage. "Up there, they have to be fake. They have to pretend that everything is perfect, when it clearly is far from that."

    "The family has issues?" Selina asked as she looked at Alexi.

    "They don''t all get along." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "The conflict is made worse by the fact that I refuse to ept what they keep calling my birthright." Eric said with a sigh as he looked at his rtives on the stage. "I''ll tell you moreter." Eric said with a patient smile as the members of the Chan family descended from the stage.

    "Let''s go?" Cedric asked as he looked at Eric.

    Eric nodded and got up, followed by the others.

    With their group moving somewhere else, they drew the attention of the guests, who quickly turned their heads to watch where Cedric and his friends were heading.

    "The others have noticed us." Eric told Cedric in a hushed tone. "They will follow."

    Cedric looked back and spotted the siblings excusing themselves and following their group.

    When they entered the house, the attention of the guests returned to chatting amongst themselves.

    "Wanna bet they are gossiping about us?" Ram asked with augh as he held Francesca''s hand who stood next to him.

    "They always gossip about us, what''s new?" Karerina asked as she rolled her eyes.

    "Now, now, calm down Katerina." Eric said with augh as he reached out to hold her hand.

    Katerina quickly took a step away from Eric, making him frown at her reaction.

    "Don''t give me that look." Katerina grumbled as she red at Eric. "There are too many people."

    "I don''t really care at this point." Eric said with a shrug.

    "Eric, I am not having this discussion with you now." Katerina said as she crossed her arms on her chest.

    "Okay you guys, let''s not fight about this down here." Miguel said as he, Nicole, Ian, and Veronica joined them inside the Chan mansion.

    Eric simply nodded and marched up the grand staircase that led to the rooms on the second and third floors.

    Eric''s room was thergest among the siblings, he rarely stayed at the old Chan mansion, but his room remained untouched. They had expected him to be the future head of the Chan family so he was given thergest room after the master bedroom.

    When they had all entered the room, Eric took a quick look along the hall, making sure that none of their nosy rtives had followed them up.

    Unlike the Reyes and Laurence families, most members of the Chan family lived in the old mansion. There was enough space to house the many cousins and aunts and uncles, but the top floor was always reserved for the current head, Raphael Chan.

    "No one could have followed us." Nicole grumbled as she sat next to Adrianna. "Those guards are personally chosen by Miguel, we know how untrustworthy our rtives can be. We would never allow someone else on this floor."

    "Is the family conflict that bad?" Francesca asked as she looked at the Chan siblings.

    "Honestly, it would be much less if I came back." Eric said with a frown as Katerina walked up to him and hugged him from behind.

    "Eric, you don''t have toe back." Miguel told his brother. "There is no need, we have a stable hold on the family because of you and Prince Group."

    "But Lucius is a different threat, he is dangerous." Eric said with a frown.

    "The Chan family has always had internal conflict, I mean, that''s why you guys have all these rules that need to be met when ites to inheritance." Cedric told the siblings, shaking his head. "I mean this is not a family it''s a corporation."

    "I so badly want to change that." Nicole said in an angry tone. "I don''t want my children growing up in this kind of environment."

    "Nic, calm down." Ian said as he massaged her shoulders. "You''re pregnant, being moody is bad for you and our child."

    Nicole suddenly red at Ian as if he had let out a secret.

    The girls were all silent at first, but when they realized what Ian had said they all went up to her and hugged her.

    "Why aren''t you shocked?" Nicole asked Ayanna, who remained seated and was just smiling at her.

    "I work with your hubby." Ayanna said with augh. "He told us yesterday."

    "I wanted to tell them." Nicole said with a frown as she looked up at Ian.

    "Things came up, I had to tell them." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Speaking of things, there is something I wanted to tell you guys." Cedric said as his demeanor turned serious.

    "What is it?" Miguel asked as he found himself a seat.

    "I think our parents knew about Uncle Miguel''s child being a boy." Cedric told them.

    "Of course they knew." Eric said with augh. "Didn''t you tell them?"

    "No, I never told them about the message, I only told the Chanster on." Cedric said, shaking his head. "And earlier, when my father and grandfather spoke to me, they wanted me to drop the issue. They said the child was dead and my father referred to the child as a him."

    "So uncle Emilio doesn''t think that Lucius is uncle Miguel''s son?" Nicole asked.

    "I don''t think dad or any of our parents think Lucius Ting is his son." Cedric said with a frown. "They seem to know what happened to the real child, and I think they might be telling the truth that the boy died."

    "Do you think they had a hand in his death?" Eric asked.

    "No, but I think someone they are protecting could have caused the boy''s death." Cedric said as he scratched his chin, thinking of what could be the truth.

    "Did you ask your dad?" Miguel asked Cedric.

    "I did, kind of." Cedric said hesitantly.

    "You didn''t, did you." Ayanna told her brother with a raised eyebrow.

    "It was a heated discussion, he was busy telling me to stop investigating the matter and stop dipping my fingers into Chan family business, what was I supposed to do, just ask him?" Cedric said with a shrug.

    "So you let that old temper of yours overpower your logic?" Ray asked with a raised eyebrow and a knowing grin.

    "Cedric has a temper?" Francesca asked as she pointed at Cedric. "But he''s always so calm and focused."

    "Oh yeah, he has a temper, and he is incredibly petty." Adrianna said, answering for everyone as sheughed at her now embarrassed husband.

    "Okay, can we move on from my temper, I''ve been working on it, I haven''t lost my temper in years." Cedric said, rolling his eyes at his wife and friends.

    "Fine, fine." Ayanna said as she continued tough at Cedric.

    "I will really lose my temper if you can''t take this situation seriously Ayanna." Cedric warned as he gave his sister an angry look.

    "Alright, calm down brother." Ayanna said as she leaned back on her seat. Ayanna was very much like her brother despite her attempts to deny it, she too had a temper.

    Ray quickly reached for her hand and calmed her down, he knew that if she got into an argument with Cedric their discussion would take all night.

    The Reyes siblings loved each other fiercely and respected each other, but they also hated to lose. They were incrediblypetitive and hated being wrong.

    "You need to ask your dad about the child, about what they know." Eric said with a nod, making sure that siblings wouldn''t argue anymore.

    "I can try talking to him about it at home. We could visit the old house tonight." Cedric suggested. "You guys should talk to your dads too, I have a feeling this involves all of them."

    "They will just use the same lie if they do lie." Ram said with a frown.

    "I have an idea." Alexi suddenly said. "What if we spoke to all of the dads at the same time, that way Uncle Emilio can''t warn our parents about the question."

    "How do we meet up with them all together without them knowing?" Veronica asked the boys. "It''s hard enough getting a meeting with my dad, he still runs Abad News Network, in case you guys have forgotten."

    "Yeah, dad still works at Saints everyday too." Nicole added.

    "Plus, I mean, it''s not easy getting an appointment with the President of the country." Natalia added with augh.

    "There is one day though that they are all together." Ray said with a grin.

    "Golf days." Ayanna suddenly said, surprising everyone. "Sorry, I got excited." Ayanna said with augh.

    "That''s tomorrow." Cedric said as he remembered what day it was.

    "We''ll each tell our dads that we want to have lunch with them at Nationalia, it shouldn''t be tough booking the whole ce." Alexi said with a shrug as he took out his phone.

    "Make sure that people are cleared out after their tee off." Cedric reminded his friend. "If they notice something is off before they even start their round of golf they will leave."

    "Got it. So the reservation should be around eleven in the morning" Alexi said with a wink as he quickly dialed a number on his phone. "That''s enough time for the staff to clear the whole ce out."

    "I hope they can give us answers." Nicole said with a frown. "This whole Lucius Ting incident has me worried. I don''t like that man."

    "You aren''t the only one Nicole." Cedric said with a nod as they all set up ns to convince their dads to have lunch.

 Chapter 626 - 626

    After having arranged everything for the next day, Cedric and his group rejoined the party. As expected people were gossiping about their absence for a big chunk of the night.

    "What do you think the rumors will be about now?" Ray asked Cedric as he walked next to his friend.

    "A crashing business and a threat to the Chan family." Cedric said with a grin as he looked around at the people who were whispering among themselves.

    "I have a better rumor." Ian said as he appeared on Cedric''s otherside.

    "I think they might actually be gossiping about you Ian." Ray teased as they continued to walk to their seats.

    "I''m not worth gossiping about." Ian said with augh. "I''m just a lowly assistant."

    "A lowly assistant, from one of the old rich families, who will someday be marrying the next head of the Chan family,bining two rich ns." Cedric said with a chuckle. "I think that''s worth gossiping about."

    Ian just rolled his eyes at his friend and continued to walk alongside them.

    "Don''t they have their own lives?" Alexi grumbled as he stood behind them.

    Cedric took a nce and saw that the girls were now all speaking amongst themselves while Alexi, Ram, Miguel, and Eric were now walking behind them.

    "Our lives are more interesting, duh." Eric said with a grin.

    Cedric spotted a youngdy who''s eyes had been watching Eric, he smiled at her and she began to hyperventte. Her friend next to her got excited as well.

    "Are you sure you should be doing that?" Alexi asked Eric. "Aren''t you afraid of a certain headstrong and independent woman castrating you for smiling at someone else?"

    "She knows I only love her." Eric said with a shrug. "Plus, it''s part of my job to make women swoon like that. They need to feel like they have a chance with me, that''s why my dramas and movies sell."

    "And what happens when they realize that they can''tpete against the woman you are actually dating?" Miguel asked with augh.

    "I''m ready to give up my career for her." Eric said with a smile. "As long as I am with her, I don''t need anything else."

    "You need money of course." Ray said with augh as they finally made it to their table.

    "I''ve saved up and invested." Eric said with augh. "Ever since I left my family I''ve made sure to invest in my future. I don''t want it to reach a point where I need to go back on bended knees to this old ce."

    "What about the shares?" Miguel asked his brother. Everyone immediately knew that he was talking about the shares that had been given to Eric as a way to try to tempt him toe back home.

    "I never touch the moneying from those." Eric said with a shrug. "Plus a certain amount is always put aside so that it can be invested in the development of the hospital."

    "I''m guessing you did this in case they used you of using their gift to you?" Ram asked.

    "Yes." Eric said with a nod. "I have no ns of letting them use those shares as a weapon against me. I only use them to help my siblings."

    "Ced, why are Adrianna''s parents acting so awkwardly?" Alexi asked as the Hernandezes seemed ufortable as they spoke to the Chans and the Reyeses who were seated on the same table as them.

    "Oh, I told them about my grandma and your grandpa." Cedric said with augh.

    "You didn''t tell them that it wasn''t a big issue anymore?" Miguel asked as he gave Cedric a curious look.

    "It isn''t?" Adrianna asked as she overheard her husband''s discussion with the other men.

    "Of course it isn''t." Nicole said with augh. "It''s been decades!"

    "Over half a century." Eric added with a grin.

    "If they kept it as a big deal you guys wouldn''t even be around." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "Well grandma still hasn''te over because of that." Cedric said, rolling his eyes.

    "That''s different though, it''s really awkward when your grandma and my grandpa try to talk." Nicole said as she made a disgusted expression.

    "Adri, everything is good between the Chans and the Reyeses, we even make jokes about it from time to time." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "Ana!" A woman suddenly said as she came up to their table.

    She was dressed quite extensively with barely any makeup and her long straight hair dropping to her waist.

    "Rose." Veronica said with an awkward smile.

    "Oh my gosh Ana, I was so happy to hear that you got married a few years back." Rose said as she pulled Veronica into a hug.

    "Rose, I go by Veronica now." Veronica exined. "You know, my professional name?" She said as she tried to remind the woman who hade up to them.

    "Oh, please, you will always be Ana to me." Rose said excitedly.

    "Who is that?" Cedric whispered to Ram. He wasn''t sure what to make of the woman, she was too loud and too excited, but Veronica still spoke to her despite being quite annoying.

    "Veronica''s ex-best friend. My sister doesn''t really like her." Ram whispered back.

    "Well, that exins why Veronica is so awkward around her." Cedric said. "But why is she just fine with this womaning up and hugging her."

    "Veronica might be cold to most people, but she and Rose go way back, well not too far back. It was after you left for poverty training they got quite close." Ram said with a shrug.

    "Women and their confusing friendships, I''ll never understand that about them." Ian said, shaking his head as he watched the painfully awkward interaction.

    "I should go over and save my wife." Miguel said with augh as he got up from his seat.

    "So Ana, darling, who is the lucky man who managed to snatch you?" Cedric heard Rose ask Veronica.

    "Me." Miguel suddenly said as he wrapped a protective arm around Veronica''s waist. "I don''t know if you remember me, Miguel Chan. It''s my grandfather''s birthday party that you came to attend." Miguel said with a smirk.

    "Oh, of course I know you." Rose said with a giggle as she blushed.

    Cedric rolled his eyes upon hearing what Rose had said.

    "It''s such a good thing that you chose to wait, my husband and I, we just couldn''t." Rose said with a grin.

    "Couldn''t wait for what?" Veronica asked in a hesitant tone.

    "To have children of course." Rose said quite loudly. "Why else wouldn''t the children of the Abad and Chan families not procreate if not by choice?"

    Everyone was shocked by Rose''s words, they all knew that having kids was something Miguel and Veronica had been trying at it for quite a while. So Rose bringing the topic up was quite a shock for everyone.

    Before the couple could answer Rose began to wave at someone. Veronica turned to the direction Rose had been waving and she turned pale.

    "Ana, Miguel, I''d like you to meet my husband, Jason." Rose said as she wrapped her arms around a very familiar man, Jason Evangelista. The man that had ruined Veronica''s life, making her leave the country.

 Chapter 627 - 627

    "V, do you want to go over to my parents?" Miguel whispered as he pulled his wife closer to him as he kept his eyes on Jason Evangelista.

    Miguel had thought he had gotten rid of Jason when the man vanished years ago. He had even met with Jason''s family several times and they had never mentioned Jason.

    "I heard you were adopting." Jason said in a loud voice, catching everyone''s attention.

    "Oh, I think it''s sweet of you to adopt." Rose squealed as she jumped up and down like a teenager.

    "Rose, baby, calm down." Jason said as she hugged her. "It''s bad for the baby." As he said this he gently ced his hand on Rose''s stomach where a barely visible bump was forming.

    "Ah, you are expecting?" Cedric suddenly said from the other end of the table.

    Miguel gave Cedric a confused look, Cedric knew that giving people like Jason and Rose any ounce of attention would only make their egos grow. He looked at his friend, wondering what he had in mind.

    "Yes, Mr. Reyes." Jason said in a respectful tone as he nodded.

    "How many months in?" Cedric asked as he leaned forward.

    "Four months." Rose said proudly.

    "Your baby bump seems too small for a four month old." Adrianna pointed out as she looked at the couple. She knew of the history between Jason and Veronica, so she was sure her husband was up to something.

    "Ah, it was like this with myst pregnancy as well." Rose said as she blushed. "I start out really small then boom, I''m asrge as a whale." Rose said with augh.

    Miguel looked around as he noticed that everyone''s attention had turned to them.

    Clearly people were eager to hear what the discussion was about.

    "Oh, if I didn''t know better I''d say you were only two months along." Nicole said with a smile as she pointed at Rose''s baby bump. "Then again, people''s bodies develop differently."

    "It''s impossible for me to be only two months pregnant." Rose said with a sweet smile as she ced a hand on Jason''s which was protectively covering her baby bump. "Jason has been away for three months, he has been hired by an international firm to design all of their offices across the globe."

    Veronica frowned at the mention of Jason''stest project, she had lost that project because thepany representatives said that her designs were too feminate to be used by theirpany.

    She rarely lost projects like those, but not everyone liked her style and she understood that. She simply felt bad knowing that it had been Jason who had won the contract.

    "Congrattions then." Cedric said with a smirk as he raised his ss of wine at the couple.

    "Thank you." Rose said with a smile as she nodded at Cedric.

    Veronica couldn''t help but notice how Rose was eyeing Cedric, it was as if she had a crush on him.

    "You know you are married, right?" Adrianna suddenly asked Rose.

    "I''m sorry Mrs. Reyes, but what did you mean by that?" Rose asked as she looked shocked by Adrianna''s statement.

    "My sister-inw is saying, stop staring at my brother like he is some piece of meat." Ayanna hissed as she yed with her ss of wine.

    "I wasn''t -" Rose said before she was cut off when Cedric raised his hand, signaling for people to stop talking.

    "It''s fine Adri, honey." Cedric said as he gazed lovingly at his wife from the other side of the table. "They can look, but I''ll always be yours." Cedric said with a wink.

    Instead of blushing, Adrianna burst outughing at her husband. Soon the other girls joined her andughed at what Cedric had just said.

    "Being charming like this in public doesn''t suit you, Cedric." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Well, I just took that from a note I read." Cedric said with a shrug as he grinned.

    Ram smiled and handed him an envelope, Cedric took out the paper inside and began to read the message.

    "To My Most Precious Rose," Cedric began. As he read the first line he watched as Rose turned pale.

    "What is that Rose?" Jason asked as he looked at his wife who now carried a worried look in her eyes.

    "I miss you, it has been a while. When is that stupid husband of yours leaving for his next project? I miss feeling you in my arms." Cedric read, he quickly nced up and noticed the shocked look on everyone''s faces.

    "What is that?" Jason asked. "Did you make that up because this bitch hates me?" Jason said as he pointed at Veronica.

    "You will not call my wife a bitch." Miguel said angrily,ing to Veronica''s defense.

    "That woman in your arms was more than willing to be with me, you just forced her to marry you." Jason argued back.

    "That''s not true!" Veronica suddenly said, stepping up to defend herself. "I''ve always loved Miguel, I liked you, but I loved him."

    "If you really loved him then why did it take an arranged marriage for both of you to be together?" Jason asked as he smiled maliciously.

    "Ha! Because my brother and sister-inw are both clueless." Nicole said with augh shocking everyone. "We all knew they loved each other, they''ve loved each other since they were children. Plus Alexi ruined things for them multiple times."

    "That is true." Alexi said with augh. "My yboy ways affected Miguel when Veronica thought it was Miguel enjoying himself with a nurse in Paris."

    "Alexi!" Selina said, scolding her boyfriend.

    "I''ve realized the error of my way baby." Alexi said as he nted a kiss on Selina''s lips, making her blush. "Anyway, stop deflecting Jason, this is about you and your wife."

    "Should I read on?" Cedric asked with a grin as he waved the letter in his hand.

    Cedric ignored Rose and Jason and simply read the next line.

    "Oh, this is good." Cedric said with a grin. "I know you are a jealous one my lovely Rose, but know that even if my female fans have their eyes on me, my heart, my hands, and my everything is yours."

    The bystanders gasped at the sentence Cedric had read, people suddenly looked towards Eric who was also on the same table as Cedric.

    "What, that''s not me." Eric said with augh. "I''m loyal to mydy love."

    "Want to know something interesting, Jason?" Ram suddenly asked.

    Jason was too stunned to say anything, he simply stared at Ram with an angry expression, clearly embarrassed by the letter.

    "Did you know that you are sterile?" Ram said as he held a medical report in his hands. "You can''t have kids Jason."

    "Wait, that means -" Veronica said as she looked at Rose and Jason in shock.

    "You bitch." Jason shouted as he pped the woman in his arms across the cheek. "You fucking cheated on me!"

    "Of course I did!" Rose suddenly shouted back. "I was only with you because I wanted to make her jealous." Rose said as she pointed at Veronica.

 Chapter 628 - 628

    Everyone was shocked when Jason suddenly pped his wife, those that had not been paying attention to them suddenly turned to see what themotion was about.

    "Why aren''t the Chans doing anything?" A guest asked hispanion.

    "Shhh." The femalepanion hushed as she craned her neck to see what was going on. "It seems like that couple might have offended someone in their group." The woman said as she pointed at Cedric''s table.

    The guests couldn''t deny that they were quite shocked to see that Cedric and his group of young and powerful men and women were sitting calmly as they watched the drama unfold.

    "Who is he?" Jason asked loudly as he red down at his wife.

    "Tsk tsk tsk, are you sure you want to be doing this Jason?" Ram asked as he looked at the man. "It''s not just your family name on the line, if I''m not mistaken it was Rose''s family that managed to salvage your career." Ram said with augh.

    "H- h- how. . ." Jason began to ask before snapping out of his shock. "My career was not dying, it was not ruined, it was growing and it was doing well!" Jason insisted as he marched over to Ram.

    "I would think very carefully about what you are about to do next." Eric warned from his seat as he watched the drama unfold. "You have no idea who you are going up against."

    "What would you know?" Jason asked as he turned to look at Eric. "You are just an actor, you probably even encouraged my wife''s affair!" Jason shouted.

    "I''m telling you, you do not want to do this." Eric warned as someone approached behind Eric.

    Jason simply scoffed at Eric''s warning and curled his hand into a fist as he prepared to throw a punch at Ram.

    Ramughed as Jason approached, making Jason stop in his tracks, wondering what was wrong with Ram. Here he was approaching to punch the man and all he did wasugh, that''s not what a normal person would do.

    "Do you really think you cany a finger on us?" Ram asked with a raised eyebrow. "First of all the Chan family has this ce packed with security."

    As Ram spoke, fourrge men approached Jason.

    "I suggest you leave with them." Eric warned as he gave a slight nod. "You don''t want things to get ugly."

    "How did you get that information?!" Jason asked angrily as he stayed glued to his spot, clearly afraid to move.

    "Which?" Ram asked as he raised an eyebrow. He stood. walked up to Jason and leaned forward to whisper. "Well, I know you can''t have kids, because a little drug was slipped into your drink for a while, and I wouldn''t threaten to file a case against me. There is no proof and you can''t even use this confession to prove anything."

    "You bastard!" Jason hissed at Ram as the man took a step away from Jason.

    "The letter, well it came into my possession through a happy mistake, the actor was paired with my girlfriend. I visited her one day on set and the letter was dropped by his assistant." Ram said with a shrug.

    "That''s an invasion of privacy." Jason said in a low voice.

    "In all honesty, I thought it was addressed to Francesca." Ram said with a shrug. "The assistant had been eavesdropping and waiting outside her room, he panicked when he saw me and ran away."

    "Sir,e with us." One of the security guards said as Jason threatened to take a step forward.

    "I would go with them if I were you." Cedric told Jason as he pointed at the guards.

    "You assholes!" Jason said as he spat on the ground.

    "That''s disgusting." Eric said, rolling his eyes at the man.

    The guards quickly grabbed Jason by the arms and lifted him out of the room. It seemed that Jason had not learned his lesson as he thrashed and kicked in an attempt to get the guards to let go.

    "Were four really necessary?" Cedric asked as they watched the guests whisper among themselves.

    "He insulted my sister inw, he hurt her, hurled insults at my brother, and threatened my friends." Eric said with a grin as he shrugged. "I won''t show him any mercy."

    Cedricughed at Eric''s words, it was rare for them to see this side of him, normally the eldest Chan was happy andid back. Cedric knew that this side was the one that the Chans desperately wanted to take over as being head of the family.

    "We apologize for the drama." Raphael Chan said as he spoke from the stage.

    Cedric nced at where Rose had been standing, it seemed that Eric also had the woman escorted out.

    Veronica and Miguel were now seated with Miguel whispering something into Veronica''s ear making her smile.

    "I understand that many of you have truly made the effort and taken the time toe over, but we must end this party." Raphael Chan said with a frown. "Thank you all foring."

    Cedric could see that many of the guests were disappointed, they hadn''t been able to interact with the important people as much yet, especially since Cedric and his group were normally thest to arrive.

    The garden soon cleared as the guests left, to Cedric''s surprise he even saw Lucius Ting saying goodbye to Grandpa Chan and leaving.

    "We should go too." Cedric said as he approached his uncle Raphael.

    "You don''t have to Ced." Raphael Chan told Cedric. "I just don''t want more outsiders gossiping. Have a few drinks or some coffee, I''m sure your father and grandfather are not quite ready to leave either." Raphael Chan added as he pointed at Grandpa Emilio as he chatted with Grandpa Chan and a few of their friends.

    "Eric!" Grandpa Chan called out as he saw his grandson pass by him to say goodbye to Cedric.

    "Grandpa." Eric said with a smile. "Happy birthday."

    "It was a happy birthday indeed." The old man nodded. "I got to introduce my long lost grandson and I saw you stepping into the role you were born to be in. You handled that mess quite well." Grandpa Chan said as he nodded in approval.

    "With all due respect grandpa, I simply did what needed to be done." Eric said in a respectful tone. Clearly he was in no mood to get into a fight with his grandfather on his special day.

    "My wife and I will go ahead, uncle." Cedric said with a smile as he left to fetch Adrianna and her parents.

    As they were getting into Cedric''s car, Eric came running out of the old mansion after Cedric.

    "Ced, a word?" Eric asked as he gestured for them to move to the side.

    Cedric signalled to his wife and inws to wait for him for a bit as he followed Eric.

    "What''s up?" Cedric asked in a cheery tone.

    "How are you coping?" Eric suddenly asked, making Cedricugh.

    "So this is a doctor patient thing?" Cedric teased the older man.

    "I''m serious Cedric. I want to know how you are coping with the outside world." Eric said in a much more serious tone.

    "I''m fine, I guess." Cedric said with a shrug. "That week away from everything really helped me, and the weekly sessions are working." Cedric nodded. He went to Katerina''s house every Friday night to have therapy sessions with Eric.

    "Good, I just wanted to check up on you." Eric said with a nod. "By the way, if grandpa threatens to make Lucius his heir and to name everything under him, I want you to tell me."

    "What?" Cedric said in surprise. "Eric, I''m sure that you would know before me, and what''s with this all of a sudden."

    "I know I keep saying I want to chase my dream, and I''m living it. I''m legitimately living my best life, but if grandpa does something to threaten the family I''ming back." Eric said within a serious expression.

    "You won''t have to." Cedric told Eric.

    "Ayanna told my sister your crazy n." Eric said, rolling his eyes. "This is my family''s issues, I should be the one solving it, not you."

    "It won''t reach that point Eric. I promise." Cedric said as he walked away, not wanting to hear anymore from Eric.

 Chapter 629 - 629

    [Warning: Sexual Content || The events in the chapter will not be relevant to the plot or the development of the story.]

    Cedric opened the huge window in his and Adrianna''s room as he got up in the morning. He smiled as the rays of sunlight peeked into the room. He needed today to be a sunny day so that his father and the other dads would go out for golf.

    When they had left the Chan mansionst night the rain had begun to pour, Cedric was sure that after that everyone ended up going home.

    Cedric frowned as he remembered Eric''s suggestion before they had left. It wasn''t something he wanted to happen, but Eric was right, it was still his family and he needed to feel he had done something for them in some way.

    He wanted to make sure that Eric''s return would be a worst case scenario n. Once the world knew that Eric was from that family he could never go back to just being him. People will always think that everything he got was because he was a Chan.

    "Mmmm. Busy day today?" Adrianna asked as the light from the window shined on her face.

    Cedric turned and smiled at her, this was the best part of his day, waking up next to his beautiful wife. He was happy that despite everything that they had to go against Adrianna had always chosen to be with him.

    "What are you thinking about, Ced?" Adrianna asked as she swung her legs down the side of the bed and walked over to Cedric. "You seem quite serious today."

    "I was just thinking about us." Cedric said with a smile as he cupped Adrianna''s face in his hands.

    "Mmmm. . . What about us?" Adrianna asked as she held his hand and kissed his palm.

    "I was thinking about how despite everything you never left me." Cedric confessed as he looked her in the eyes, gazing at her lovingly and full of yearning.

    "It''s because I love you, silly." Adrianna said as she pped him yfully on the shoulder.

    "I''m serious Adrianna." Cedric told his wife, not letting her go until she fully understood how he felt. "You could have left me at any moment. I was a poor boy, you deserved someone better than me."

    "I''m not materialistic Cedric, you know that." Adrianna said with a frown. "What mattered was how I felt about you, how you felt about me, how we are together and what kind of future I saw with you."

    "And is this anything like the future you saw with me?" Cedric asked his wife with a knowing smile.

    "Of course not." Adrianna said with augh, stunning Cedric.

    "What?" Cedric asked, surprised at what Adrianna had just said.

    "I could never have imagined that you were the Reyes Heir. I mean Cedric, seriously, how many families are crazy enough to send their prized son into the world with barely anything?" Adrianna asked her husband. "I don''t even know if I could do the same thing to Yoyo when his timees."

    As Adrianna confessed this, Cedric watched as tears formed in her eyes, she was really afraid of how their son would survive the poverty training. He was incredibly spoiled by his rtives and their friends, kids like him generally didn''t do well outside.

    "I have a n, and it won''t be easy." Cedric said as he lifted his wife''s chin to look up at him. "But I think it will be for the best."

    Adrianna smiled as she tiptoed and wrapped her arms around Cedric''s neck and kissed him passionately. Cedric responded by wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him as they continued to make out.

    "Honey, I need to get to work." Cedric whispered to her as they broke off their passionate kiss.

    "Why don''t I get you ready for work in the bathroom?" Adrianna asked with a wink as she removed her arms from his neck and disappeared into their bathroom.

    Cedric didn''t even think, he quickly took off his clothes as he walked into the bathroom to join his wife.

    When he entered he found her already drenched in the shower as she rubbed soap all over her body, tempting him even more as she let her hands run over her breasts as she let out a small moan.

    Cedric could feel himself getting more and more aroused as he watched the show she was putting on of him. He grabbed his cock and stroked it a little, getting it harder than it already was.

    "Honey, are you just going to keep watching or are you going toe in and help me?" Adrianna asked in an extremely seductive voice.

    Cedric didn''t need to be told twice, he quickly stepped into the shower to join her as he continued to stroke himself.

    He stood behind his hot wife and rubbed his dick against her ass cheeks, with his free hand he cupped a breast and yed with her nipple. His movements made Adrianna moan in pleasure.

    "I love it when you''re pregnant." Cedric whispered to her as he moved closer to his wife. "I love how horny you get for me." Cedric added as he moved his hand from her breast to her wanting pussy.

    He felt her wetness as his hands brushed against her, making her moan.

    "Please Ced." Adrianna begged as he teased her even more, touching her, but not really entering her body.

    "I want you on your knees first." Cedric told his wife.

    Adrianna quickly did as he asked and turned around and got on her knees. She didn''t need any more encouragement as she wrapped her gorgeous lips around his member, pumping him in and out of her mouth.

    Cedric held the back of her head, grabbing onto her hair as he helped her push himself deeper into her mouth. He could feel his cock hitting the back of her throat as he moaned in pleasure.

    He guided Adrianna, moving her head faster as he fucked her mouth as his dick mmed to the back of her throat making her moan.

    As Cedric felt his climax nearing he took his member out of her mouth and lifted her back up on her feet.

    Before Adrianna could even react, Cedric shoved his fingers into her pussy and captured a nipple with his mouth. Adrianna was too shocked and in too much pleasure that all she could do was moan as her husband pleasured her.

    "I can''t be too rough, honey." Cedric said as he continued to finger his wife, making sure to hit her g-spot everytime. "But I''ll make sure that you''ll be wet the whole day because of what I''m doing to you."

    Adrianna couldn''t respond as she felt the first wave of pleasure take over her body as she came on her husband''s fingers.

    Cedric took it out and liked his fingers then passed it on to her for her to taste.

    "Honey, I will make this quick." Cedric warned Adrianna as he turned her around and made her bend. "I have a lot of work today, and we can''t take too long."

    As soon as he finished speaking, Cedric entered his wife. He heard Adrianna moan as he thrust in and out of her.

    At first he went at it slowly, but as they continued to have sex Adrianna''s moans began to get louder and louder, turning Cedric on even more.

    Cedric couldn''t help it as he increased his pace and mmed harder into her tight and wanting pussy. He could feel as it gripped his dick as Adrianna came closer to a climax.

    "Don''t cum yet, Adri." Cedric told her as a free hand found its way to her clit and began to y with it.

    "Cedric, no, it''s too much. I need to cum." Adrianna begged in between moans as Cedric continued to move in and out of her wet pussy.

    "No Adri, you cum when I tell you to cum." Cedricmanded as he moved his hand from her clit to her nipple, he gave it a pinch making Adrianna moan even more.

    "You are so hot Adri, I love fucking you." Cedric said as he increased his pace and returned his hand to y with her clit.

    "Please, Cedric, please, I can''t take it any longer." Adrianna begged.

    "Hold on a bit more honey." Cedric said as he mmed into her, he felt her pussy tightening around him even more.

    "Please sir." Adrianna begged, practically shouting as she resisted the urge to cum.

    "Cum for me Adrianna." Cedric ordered.

    As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt Adrianna''s pussy grip his dick as she came, he soon followed pouring his own seed into her wanting womb.

    When they finally finished Cedric pulled out of his wife and proceeded to help her wash. She had been so exhausted by their morning activities that she had little energy toplete her morning routine.

    Cedric allowed her to step out of the shower first before taking a proper bath. He knew that if he had let her stay and wash him they wouldn''t be leaving the bathroom anytime soon.

    When he was done, Cedric got out and dressed. He saw that Adrianna had left a note, telling him that she had gone down to breakfast without him.

    He couldn''t help butugh. It seemed that his wife was worried that if they stayed alone in their room longer the would end up having more sex.

    Cedric was somewhat grateful for this, especially since he still had a long day ahead.

 Chapter 630 - 630

    When Cedric arrived at his office in R Tower, Dave and Ian immediately came in saying that Mae was ready to update them on her first day of following the old nurse.

    Cedric asked Ian to call Ayanna over, he knew that if he didn''t tell his sister that there was some sort of development she would be extremely angry with him.

    When Ayanna arrived at Cedric''s office she smiled and hugged her brother.

    "What did you do this time?" Cedric asked as he tried to pry his sister''s arms off him. "You only act like this when you''ve done something wrong." Cedric said as he moved over to the couch in his office.

    "I told Eric about your n." Ayanna said with a frown as she followed her brother to the couch.

    "I know, he gave me an alternate option." Cedric said with a shrug. "I don''t think it will work the same so I will only tell him it is needed if the moment is appropriate. I don''t want Eric losing his acting career for nothing."

    "So you aren''t mad?" Ayanna asked her brother, she was clearly worried about his reaction since she decided to apologize the moment she saw him.

    "You did it because you were worried about me." Cedric said with a sigh. "It wasn''t a bad decision and your actions meant well, I''m not mad Ayanna."

    "Thank you, Ced." Ayanna told her brother as she smiled up at him. "I honestly thought you wouldn''t invite me to any matters concerning Lucius Ting." Ayanna said with a frown.

    "Why would you think that Ayanna?" Cedric asked. "You are my sister and a great asset to, well almost everything. I regret not involving you more."

    "No need to involve me in more work brother." Ayanna said with augh as she shook her head. "I don''t want more work, although sometimes I would appreciate it if I knew what was going on."

    "Don''t worry, I promised Ray that I wouldn''t make you work too much." Cedric said with a wink as Ayanna''s expression turned to one of disgust.

    "Gross, you and Ray talk about our sex life!" Ayanna said as she pretended to vomit.

    Cedric simplyughed at his sister as his assistants prepared for their call with Mae.

    "Is it ready?" Cedric asked as he looked at Dave who was now just sitting by theptop, seemingly waiting for Cedric''s go signal.

    "Yes, sir." Dave said with a nod. "Mae is ready to speak to us when you are ready." Dave told Cedric.

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod. "Give her a call."

    Dave nodded in response as he turned to theptop and called Mae. After a few rings, Mae picked up the call and smiled at them.

    "I hope that smile means you have good news." Cedric teased his assistant.

    "I do, sir." Mae informed them.

    Mae had been in Singapore for two days and Cedric had given her a week to make contact with the old nurse. He was honestly surprised to hear that she had already called them for an update, she was moving faster than Cedric had expected.

    "And?" Cedric asked over the call as he leaned forward.

    "I''ve spoken to him." Mae said with a nod as she smiled proudly at them.

    "Wow, that''s amazing." Ayanna said as she was surprised by Mae''s update.

    "How?" Ian asked in a more serious tone. "I want to know if he suspects anything." Ian exined to them as he saw Ayanna and Dave both give him confused looks.

    "I should tell you all this story from the beginning, it''s quite interesting." Mae said with a giggle.

    "Go on." Cedric said with a nod, instructing her to recount to them what had happened.

    "When I first arrived, my bodyguard and I actually got lost trying to find our hotel." Mae confessed with an embarrassed look on her face. "It was good though that we got lost, that''s how we ran into him, the nurse."

    "By getting lost?" Dave asked with augh. "Why am I not surprised that you got lost?" Dave teased over the video call.

    Cedric smiled at his assistants'' casual behavior with each other, he was d that they got along and that they knew each other''s weaknesses, this was definitely important.

    "I''ve never been to Singapore in my life!" Mae argued back, rolling her eyes at her fellow assistant. "You would get lost too."

    "I wouldn''t." Dave said confidently.

    "I guess we are lucky that both Mae and her bodyguard have a horrible sense of direction." Ian said with a small grin. "Continue Mae." Ian instructed.

    "So, as we were walking around, trying to figure out where we were we met an old man." Mae exined. "I had no idea at the time that he was the nurse we were looking for, he just looked like he was sad and neededpany. So we spoke to him." Mae said with a shrug.

    "So let me get this straight, you got lost, wait, how is that possible, we sent a car to fetch you?" Cedric asked as he gave his assistant a confused look.

    "Well it was reallyte when we arrived and it was the driver''s daughter''s birthday, so we asked him to just drop us off on his way home." Mae exined. She was clearly embarrassed by what she had done as she looked down, refusing to look at her boss.

    "It''s fine, it brought more good than bad." Cedric said with a sigh. "So you spoke to a random stranger, how did you figure out who he was?" Cedric asked.

    "He told us that he had worked as a nurse long ago in Italy." Mae said with a shrug. "At the time I didn''t realize it was him still. So we walked him home and he asked if we could apany him the next day, and I agreed."

    Ianughed and shook his head, this was ssic Mae. She was an excellent employee but she had her clueless moments, she was a genius but there were times where she could be quite dumb too.

    "When we got to the hotel and I reviewed what we knew about the nurse we were looking for I took one look at the photo and realized it was him." Mae said with an embarrassedugh. "His name is Joaquin David, he said he was only staying here in Singapore for a year or so before moving on. I think it''s because it''s too close to home."

    "Should we just go and talk to him?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "I think that would just scare him." Cedric said as he thought of his options. He didn''t want to lose this man when they were already so close to getting to him.

    "What if Mae befriended him for a week?" Dave suggested. "That way, when he meets us he won''t be too jumpy with Mae around. And maybe Mae can find things out while he is unaware that we are looking for him."

    "Good, do that." Cedric said with a nod. "I''ll arrange for Miguel, Nicole, Eric, and I to fly over next week."

    "Okay boss." Mae said with a nod as she ended the call.

    "Now, we need to get all our work done for the day in three hours." Cedric told hispanions. "I have a feeling that speaking to the dads will take much longer than we expect."

 Chapter 631 - 631

    Cedric closed his eyes as his car left the basement parking of R Tower, he had an extremely tiring morning, cramming all of his meetings for the day into three hours.

    "Do you think they will actuallye clean this time?" Ayanna asked as she looked out the window. ??

    She had decided to ride with Cedric since they were going to the same ce anyway and Ray would be there as well. Like Cedric she had cleared out her calendar to amodate their ns.

    "I hope they will." Cedric said with a sigh as he kept his eyes closed. On top of all the issues they were facing with Lucius Ting and the threat he posed, the Reyes Group was also nearing a crucial point in his ns.

    Cedric had begun to invest in many industries that he believed would grow over the next few years, he had chosen keypanies to purchase or buy interests in. Within the months all the deals were supposed to be closed.

    On top of just pouring money into thepanies, Cedric had also ced some key individuals to ensure that theirpanies did not miss the boom of their industries.

    He was under a lot of stress and a lot of pressure since these investments would define his reign as the CEO of the Reyes Group.

    "Dad said no more lies, remember?" Ayanna asked with a sad tone.

    "Ayanna, I know you are hoping that dad and our uncles would keep that promise, but I know that they have secrets that are still best kept hidden." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Why would they lie about Uncle Miguel''s son though?" Ayanna asked. "There is no reason for them to hide that person, especially now that someone who could be pretending to be that man is actually a bigger threat."

    "Ayanna, they have their reasons, they always have their reasons." Cedric said with a sigh as he pinched the space between his eyes. "We might not always agree with those reasons, but we cannot deny that they are valid."

    "I just hate lying, I hate it so much." Ayannained. "We''ve all worked hard to do as they wanted, to be the people they expected, they should trust us more. We aren''t clueless children."

    Cedricughed as he heard his sister''sment, she wasn''t wrong.

    "Ayanna, we both know that you are far from clueless." Cedric said with a smile as he turned and looked at his sister. "You are one of the best business people in the country, you put even your husband Ray to shame. I''m just sad that more people can''t see that."

    "I''m a woman, this world isn''t my ce." Ayanna said with frown as she turned away from Cedric.

    "And I think that''s wrong." Cedric said, shaking his head. "You, Adrianna, Nicole, Cami, Selina, and so many other women who are in the business world deserved to be recognized for your efforts too."

    "Cedric, we can''t change society just like that." Ayanna said with a sigh as she turned back to face Cedric. "At least I have it better than mom or even our cousin Marie. Now people actually acknowledge I do something, they used to think mom just signed things while dad did the work."

    "It''s wrong for them to think that way." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I''ll try to give you girls more opportunities from now on, I don''t like you guys hiding in the shadows so much."

    "Ced, it doesn''t do us any good to have too much exposure to the public." Ayanna said with a frown. "People think we are attention whores when that happens."

    "We will change things Ayanna, I promise, we will." Cedric said as he looked into his sister''s eyes with a new found passion.

    Ayanna simply smiled and nodded at him, she was clearly not convinced by his words.

    The rest of the drive was silent as Ayanna and Cedric did some work on the phones andptops.

    When they finally arrived at Nationalia, the ce was practically empty. It seemed that the management had sessfully done what Alexi had asked from them.

    "I''ve never seen this ce so empty." Ayanna said as she got out of the car.

    "Well darling, it''s what money and power can do." Ray said as he suddenly appeared in front of Ayanna.

    Cedric smiled as he watched his best friend take his sister away. He was d that they had each other, at least his sister was with a man that appreciated and cherished her.

    "They are almost done." Alexi said as Cedric entered the lobby of Nationalia''s Club House.

    "Are we sure about this?" Eric asked as he looked at the others. "You guys know that this will rattle our dads."

    "We need to find out the truth, Eric." Nicole told her older brother in a stern tone. "You felt it too, you felt that dad was keeping something from us, he was way too calm about this. He should have been in a panic when Lucius arrived but he was calm."

    "I know, Nicole, I felt it too." Eric said with a sigh. "What I meant was, are we sure this is how we want to pressure them to tell us?" Eric asked.

    "Well it''s kind of toote for you guys to doubt our methods." Miguel said with a shrug as he stood from his seat.

    "Why? We have time." Eric said as he looked at the clock.

    "No we don''t." Miguel insisted. "If theye back here and find this ce empty they will know something is up and they will bury their secrets even deeper, making it impossible for us to find out the truth."

    "So it''s now or never?" Ram asked.

    "Yup." Cedric said with a nod. "Why don''t we go and wait for them where they will actually see us?" Cedric said as he led the group towards the dining area that overlooked the final green of the golf course.

    They didn''t have to wait long, within ten minutes, they saw their fathers finishing their round of golf, happily chatting as they returned to the dining area.

 Chapter 632 - 632

    "Kids, what are you all doing here?" Jose Sebstian asked in a happy mood as he and the other dads arrived.

    "Well, we decided that we could all use some fatherly bonding." Alexi said with a shrug. "Everyone has been so busy that we''ve all neglected family time."??

    "Where is your wife, Cedric?" Emilio Reyes asked his son. Everyone knew that Cedric and Adrianna were inseparable, they spent almost all of their free time together because they were normally extremely busy.

    "We thought it would be best if we didn''t bring any wives or girlfriends or boyfriends." Cedric said with a shrug. "Of course, Katerina, Nicole, Veronica, and Ayanna are a different case." Cedric said with augh as his sister rolled her eyes at him.

    "Lunch?" Alexi asked as he gestured towards arge table set up for them.

    The fathers looked at each other and smiled, they had no idea that their children actually had ulterior motives to today''s lunch.

    "So how was the game?" Cedric asked as the waters brought over their food and drinks.

    "It was good." Raphael Chan said with a nod. "Your father beat us all."

    "I''m surprised you had free time today, Cedric." Emilio Reyes said as a waiter refilled his ss of wine. "I know how busy the Reyes Group is about to get with all of your ns."

    "I wanted to get some family and friends time before that happened." Cedric said with a shrug. "I''m nning on going on a vacation abroad with my wife and son next week because I''m already dreading thete nights I will be spending in the office."

    "Cherish those moments son." Emilio Reyes advised Cedric as he gave a weak smile.

    "How did you manage it dad?" Eric suddenly asked Raphael Chan. "I know you were extremely busy running Saints Hospital, and yet you were there for us quite often."

    Raphael Chan frowned at Eric''s question, it was as if Eric had hit a nerve and brought up a sensitive topic.

    "I''m curious too, dad." Miguel added. "As you know, V and I are adopting, and we want to be as visible in our son''s life as possible."

    "Miguel, Eric, you boys already know the answer to the questions you are asking. Don''t push it." Raphael Chan warned as looked sternly at his sons.

    "I don''t dad." Nicole suddenly said. "Tristan is growing up, Ian and I have another little one on the way, and the Saints Hospital just keeps on expanding. I want to be there for my children too. Why won''t you tell us dad?" Nicole asked as she pouted.

    "Nicole, you are an amazing woman and an even better mother, I don''t think you need my advice." Rphale Chan said, shaking his head.

    "Why won''t you tell me dad?" Nicole asked again, this time acting like a spoiled child that didn''t get her way.

    From his seat, Cedric could see Alexi smirking as he tried not tough. Nicole was reallyying it on thick, acting like her father''s little princess so he would finally admit what they wanted to hear,

    "Nicole." Raphael Chan groaned as he looked at his daughter''s frown.

    It was no secret that Nicole was Raphael Chan''s favorite child, it wasn''t just because she was his only daughter, rather, it was because she was the one that stood up and challenged traditions.

    She spent more time with her father when she was learning the ropes on how to run the hospital, making the father and daughter pair even closer.

    "Dad." Nicole insisted, standing her ground.

    "It''s because dad had uncle Miguel." Eric finally said, answering for his father.

    Raphael Chan frowned at his eldest son''s words. He knew that Eric and Miguel remembered that his younger brother used to help out a lot in the hospital. He was quite good at the business end of things and had even helped the hospital grow at the time.

    "I didn''t know that Uncle Miguel worked at Saints." Nicole said as she looked at her older brother.

    "He did before marrying his wife, then when he came back he worked again." Eric exined, surprising even Raphael Chan.

    "How did you know that he worked there before getting married?" Raphael Chan asked his eldest son.

    "The staff told me." Eric said with a shrug. "Remember Uncle Miguel used to bring me along, the staff told me that they were happy my Uncle hade back to work at the hospital. They said they were sure that he would leave the Chan family."

    "I feel bad for his son." Nicole suddenly said, making the fathers suddenly turn towards her direction. "He didn''t even live long enough to know his father. Is he really not Lucius Ting?" Nicole asked as she looked up at her father.

    "No, Nicole, Lucius is not your cousin." Raphael Chan said, shaking his head.

    "How do you know for sure?" Miguel asked his father in a threatening tone. "You have all lied to us one too many times, why should we trust you?"

    "The only thing that would make me think Lucius Ting is not Uncle Miguel''s son is a negative DNA test." Eric added. "And you keep refusing to have the test done, what are you hiding dad."

    "Your father is telling you the truth." James Abad suddenly said in a threatening tone.

    Everyone was surprised when he came to Raphael Chan''s defense, they had expected Emilio Reyes to be the one to speak up. James Abad had always been the more silent one among the fathers when they were together.

    "Dad." Ram said with a frown as he noticed his father getting angry. "Watch your blood pressure."

    "You kids need to believe us on this." Jose Sebastian said as he looked Cedric and his friends in the eyes. "Miguel Chan''s son, the older Miguel Chan''s son, is long dead. We ced everything into finding the boy and all we got was a corpse."

    "You had proof that he died?" Cedric asked, surprised at this new development.

    "Yes." Emilio Reyes told his son with a nod. "Lucius Ting is an impostor you can ignore, he will leave eventually."

    "Tell us everything." Miguel said with a shaky voice.

    "Miguel, I don''t think -" Alexi began to say when his friend cut him off mid sentence.

    "They have lied to us too much, I want the details and I want proof." Miguel demanded. "I want to see the grave."

    "Alright, we''ll tell you everything." Raphael Chan said with a nod as he watched Miguel calm back down.

 Chapter 633 - 633

    "Things didn''t exactly happen like we told you." Raphael Chan began to say when Miguel finally calmed down.

    All the dads had a sad expression on their faces as Raphael Chan confessed to lying to his children and their friends.??

    "Which parts exactly?" Eric asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and red at his father.

    "It wasn''t your grandfather that asked your uncle Miguel toe back." Raphael Chan said with a sigh. "It was me."

    "Seriously dad!" Nicole said angrily, standing up.

    Ian reached over and held her hand, massaging her wrist to calm her down.

    "Let''s hear him out first, Nicole." Ian said as he tried to get her to sit back down and listen. "You can''t be angry, it''s bad for you." Ian said as he subtly reminded her that she was pregnant.

    Nicole took a deep breath and sighed. She took a seat and closed her eyes as she calmed her temper. She couldn''t believe that it had been her father that forced her Uncle Miguel toe home.

    "Dad, how could you?" Eric finally asked. "He had a wife, a kid, a life."

    "I didn''t ask him toe back because of the reasons you think." Raphael Chan said with a frown as he observed his children''s expressions.

    "Then why did you ask him toe back?" Miguel asked. "I''m sure you knew that grandpa would do anything and everything to separate him and his wife, and still you asked him toe back. Him being with them was the only thing protecting them."

    "I thought I had changed my father''s and the elder''s minds." Raphael Chan confessed. "They told me that Miguel, his wife, and his child would be weed back with open arms if he came back and worked for the family for a year."

    "So you convinced him?" Cedric asked.

    "It wasn''t that easy." Raphael Chan said with a sigh. "I didn''t even know where he went."

    "So how did you find him?" Miguel asked.

    James Abadughed at Miguel''s question, earning him curious looks from their children.

    "It wasn''t your dad that found him, Miguel." James Abad said with a sad smile. "It was my wife and I, Victoria. She and I had gone abroad when we couldn''t conceive and we pretended that she got pregnant while we, well, adopted Ram."

    The girls all gasped at James'' Abad''s revtion, it was only the boys and Veronica that knew that Ram was adopted. Everyone else had no clue.

    "Is it true?" Katerina asked Ram as she looked at him from across the table.

    Ram smiled and nodded.

    "I may not be an Abad by blood, but my parents have raised me as their own. I love them, and as much as I would like to meet my birth parents, mom and dad will always be my real parents." Ram said as he looked over to his father, James Abad, who was smiling proudly at him.

    "Yeah, sure, forget me." Veronica teased as she rolled her eyes at him.

    "Of course you will always be my favorite sister." Ram said as he winked at Veronica who smiled back at him.

    "I did try to look for them, in case you guys were wondering." Ram said with a shrug. "I just couldn''t find them."

    "To us, you will always be the same annoying person." Cedric teased, making everyoneugh.

    "So how did you find Uncle Miguel, dad?" Ram asked, eager to change the topic.

    "We were in Italy, and I spotted him with his wife and their little son." James Abad exined. "At first I didn''t approach them, I didn''t want to scare Miguel off. He knew I was quite close with his older brother and that Raphael was looking for him. Eventually Raphael and Emilio visited us in Italy where we had been staying for over a year."

    "I told James that the Chan elders were willing to let Miguel back into the family, I exined the situation and he arranged for us to meet." Raphael exined. "When I saw him I was so happy, it was also the first time I was seeing my nephew."

    "What was his name?" Miguel asked, he just realized that they never asked what name his Uncle Miguel had given his son.

    "Andrew Chan." Raphael said with a sad smile as he remembered his nephew''s name. "He was a quiet baby, but he was smart. We were so excited to introduce him to all of you, we knew you would get along with him and Miguel wanted his son to grow up around his cousins, his family. So my brother agreed toe home."

    "That''s when everything went bad." Jose Sebastian said with a sigh as the other dads nodded in agreement.

    "Back then you couldn''t just do a video call, you needed to call with andline." Raphael Chan exined. "My brother would call his wife and son everyday without fail, then dad started giving him more and more work, meaning he got to call less and less."

    "To protect Andrew, we suggested that Miguel tell a little white lie and say he had a daughter and not a son." Emilio Reyes exined. "We had hoped that that fact would make it difficult for his wife and child to be found, but we were wrong."

    "I should have stayed with them." James Abad said, shaking his head.

    "There was no way you could have known James. None of us knew." Raphael said as he ced a hand on his friend''s back.

    "It was while my brother was busy that my dad and the elders decided to do something about his wife." Raphael said with a frown. "They had chased his wife and son out of their home forcing them to flee in the middle of terrible weather."

    "That''s how Andrew and his mother died. Because the Chans were so selfish that they didn''t care about their own flesh and blood." James Abad hissed at the memory.

    "The boat sank, James helped me recover the body and bury my brother''s family." Raphael said with a frown. "My father forbade me from telling Raphael the truth. I never told him the truth, Raphael got a falsified letter one day saying his wife had ran away with a man taking his child with her."

    "The letter only said child? Not son? Not daughter?" Eric asked.

    "It said child, had it said daughter then my brother would have known something was wrong." Raphael said as he frowned and took a deep breath. "A few dayster I found my brother, he was hanging in his room having taken his own life."

    "Dad. . ." Nicole said as she reached out to her father.

    "We were hoping that the baby''s body that we found was not Andrew''s, but we looked everywhere, we used all of our resources." Emilio Reyes said with a shrug. "Of course a DNA test was done, but the technology at that time was not as sophisticated so there was still a big chance for the results to have been wrong."

    "We did everything we could, but in the end, Andrew Chan was dead, and my brother was gone as well." Raphael Chan told them as tears began to fall from his eyes,

 Chapter 634 - 634

    "So that''s how you are sure that he is dead." Cedric said as he looked at their fathers.

    Raphael Chan nodded, confirming Cedric''s statement.??

    "We had nned to do a DNA test again when the technology got better, but we all suddenly got busy." Raphael Chan said with a frown. "And now, I simply don''t want to disturb the poor child''s resting ce."

    "Dad, don''t you think that Andrew and his mom should beid to rest next to Uncle Miguel?" Eric asked.

    "It''s what I want." Raphael Chan said with a nod.

    "Maybe we can have it arranged after this whole Lucius Ting fiasco." Miguel said with a smile. He was in a much better mood now than earlier.

    "Yes, we should do that." Nicole said as she nodded in agreement. "I think Uncle Miguel would like that."

    "Are you satisfied with our answer?" Emilio Reyes asked as he looked at his son. He was sure that it was Cedric''s approval that they needed to get. He had always been the leader of the group, even when they were still young.

    "Yes dad." Cedric said with a nod, making Raphael Chan smile.

    "Drinks?" Ray asked as he looked at Cedric.

    "Sure, it''s been a while." Cedric said with a smile. "I''m done with work today."

    "Same." Ram said.

    "Do you guys even work?" Ayanna teased. "It''s like you guys hangout around my brother''s office way too much." She grumbled.

    "We also work in his office from time to time." Ram said with augh. "Plus, if we didn''t actually do our jobs, thepanies would have probably fallen by now. We aren''t that irresponsible."

    Cedric and the others all left after saying goodbye to their dads.

    Ayanna decided to invite the girls to go shopping, she even made sure to invite the wives and girlfriends. So Ray had to let his wife use his car, while he rode with Cedric.

    "Make sure to send them extra security." Cedric told Leon as they waited for Ray''s car to arrive.

    "Ced, rx, Aiden is dead." Ray said as he ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder. He knew that the attack on his family had traumatized Cedric and had resulted in him being even more over protective of all the members of the Reyes n.

    "I will not risk a repeat." Cedric said, shaking his head. He had not only increased the personal security of each member of his family, he had also increased the security in all of their buildings and houses.

    Seeing how easily both Aiden and Benedict had managed to get into their homes, Cedric had grown a little bit paranoid that someone would find a loophole in their system.

    "I''d rather be over the top than to risk someone I care about dying. We still don''t know if Lucius Ting will end up like Aiden, they were friends. Lucius looked up to Aiden like an older brother, that''s very dangerous." Cedric told Ray in a stern tone. Nothing could change Cedric''s mind when it came to protecting his family.

    "Alright." Rays said with a nod. "I know you just want to protect our family."

    Cedric nodded as he walked over to his car and got in. Ray followed right behind him and their car sped away to Hype Bar.

    When they arrived there weren''t many people inside yet, so the boys were able to use the front entrance without amotion.

    Inside, Cedric sat down and rxed as waiters brought in some whisky and wine for them to drink.

    "I''ve kind of missed this." Alexi said as he emptied his drink and walked over to the ss wall the overlooked Hype Bar''s dance floor. "Since when have we be responsible men?" Alexi said with a chuckle.

    "Well you have been dating one woman for quite a while now." Eric teased as heughed at the younger man. "You were thest to errrr, calm down."

    "I''m notining, I''m just saying I kinda miss just hanging out with the guys." Alexi said with a sigh.

    "There have been too many problems recently I guess." Cedric said as he poured himself another ss. "We''ve all been too busy to just sit down, drink, and talk."

    "Speaking of problems, do you believe what the dads said?" Miguel asked Cedric as he frowned.

    "Notpletely." Cedric said with a shrug. "I believe them when they say that Lucius isn''t Uncle Miguel''s son, but I''m not fully convinced that the guy is dead."

    "I agree, they are still hiding something." Alexi said with a nod as he walked back and joined his friends.

    "I don''t understand why they keep lying to us." Ram told his friends in a frustrated tone. "Haven''t they seen how bad things turn out when they take their lies too far? We aren''t children anymore, we are quite capable of handling ourselves."

    "In their eyes, we will always be children." Eric said, shaking his head.

    "Do you think Lucius Ting is dangerous?" Miguel asked Cedric with a concerned look in his eyes. "I don''t want a dangerous man anywhere near our family."

    "It was our family that took him in." Eric said before Cedric could even respond.

    "I''m sure the Chans will be open to listening if we had proof that Lucius Ting is not Andrew Chan." Ian told the brothers.

    "They don''t even know who Andrew Chan is." Miguel said with a sigh as he leaned back on his seat.

    "I think Lucius is dangerous." Cedric said as he answered Miguel''s initial question. "How dangerous, well that part I''m not sure. That''s why it''s important for Cami and Benedict to gain his trust so that we know our enemy. I refuse to go against someone I know nothing about."

    "Maybe we can find Lucius'' real family." Miguel suggested.

    "That will be too difficult." Ray said, shaking his head.

    "Do you think it could be one of our dads that has been hiding the nurse?" Alexi suddenly asked as he looked up at his friends.

    "It''s possible, but why? Why would they do that? This makes no sense." Cedric said in a frustrated tone.

    "We need to talk to that nurse, and soon." Alexi told Cedric who simply nodded in agreement. He wasn''t about to give them false hope.

 Chapter 635 - 635

    The week had gone by peacefully, too quiet for Cedric''s taste making him feel quite anxious. Both Mae''s and Cami''s one week were nearing its end and Cedric was getting worried about all of his pieces that were in y.

    He was more than willing to risk everything just to protect the future that he was building for his son and his unborn child. ??

    "How are all of our ns going?" Cedric asked as Dave entered his room with a tablet and a few documents in his arms.

    "All of the deals were sessfully closed and we have deployed our teams to the differentpanies that have agreed to cooperate with us." Dave reported as he ced the stack of documents on Cedric''s desk and switched on the tablet to show Cedric the report that everything had been closed as Cedric had ordered.

    "Really?" Cedric asked as he took the tablet from Dave and scrolled through the report. "It feels odd that everything has just gone smoothly."

    "Thepanies and their owners trust you." Ian said with a shrug as he entered the room, joining Cedric and Dave. "Ever since you took over as the head of the Reyes n, the outlook of thepany has be even better. Don''t you read the reports or listen to the news?" Ian asked.

    "I just find it awkward whenever they talk about me or thepany." Cedric said with a shrug as he handed the tablet back to Dave.

    "Well, you should listen more." Ian said with a shrug as he switched on the TV and ced it on the news.

    The jingle of the local news show yed through the speakers of the TV as Ian sat down on the couch and made the volume louder.

    "Today on the business end of things, the Reyes Group has just signed a deal with over fiftypanies in various industries." A female reporter said on air, as images of various representatives of the Reyes Group shaking hands and signing deals with variouspany owners.

    "The CEO of the Reyes Group was not at the various ceremonies, but he did issue this statement." The reporter said as the statement from the Reyes Group shed on the screen.

    "It reads, we at the Reyes Group are looking forward to the development of the nation''s economy as a whole. The Reyes Group will always be home to promising and hopeful businessmen that seek to better our country, we will be with them at every step of the way." The reporter said, reading through the statement.

    "The Reyes Group will not only be investing in thesepanies, but we will also be sharing with them our non-mary resources. They will be guided by the best in the industry as they grow to reach their full potential. Mr. Cedric Reyes has always believed in diversity and the treatment of every person as an equal individual. It is with this that he looks at people based on their ability and potential, unbiased by race, religion, gender, or nationality. We at the Reyes Group will support all of thesepanies equally." The reporter read as the statement ended.

    The screen once more showed the reporter with an image of R Tower in the background.

    "Since taking the reins of the Reyes Group we have see thepany growing and diversifying faster than ever. They have taken their local domination of the market and expanded it internationally, creating a representative of the country in the business world." The reporter said.

    "ording to unconfirmed reports, this international expansion is because of the tight knit cooperation between Mr. Cedric Reyes and his cousins, Ms. Marie Mendi and Mr. Ace Reyes, who have be the heads of the international division of the Reyes Group." Cedric couldn''t help but smile at the reporter''s words.

    It was true, if it were not for his good rtionship with his cousins the international expansion of the Reyes Group would have failed. It was the cooperation between all of them that had such amazing results. It was also the reason why both Ace and Marie hadn''t been able toe hometely.

    "See, they are singing praises about you on the news." Ian said with augh. "This isn''t even the Abad News yet, you should hear them, it''s like Ram is writing the reports himself." Ian teased.

    "In other news, a new yer has been growing stronger, earning more investments and mimicking the Reyes Group in it''s inter industry expansion." The reporter said as an image of Lucius Ting shed on the screen.

    "Don''t turn it off." Cedric told Ian as he saw his friend reach for the remote.

    "The Arch Group is owned and managed by Mr. Lucius Ting, someone who has recently been confirmed to be a member of the Chan family, the owners of Saints Hospital." The reporter exined as an image of Saints Hospital shed behind him.

    "Rumors have circted that his rtives have used their connections to help him get all the support he needs both in the business world and in the political one. This is what he had to say." The reporter read as the screen shifted to an interview of Lucius Ting.

    It seemed to be one of him when he was leaving the party at the Reyes Mansion, Cedric could recognize its walls with ivy crawling up them.

    "No, my rtives have not helped me at all in any way or form." Lucius Ting said with a smile as he turned to face the camera. "All that I have, I worked for on my own. I am not backed by a powerful family, nor did I inherit any of my money, I worked hard for this."

    "Sir, is it true that you are a member of the Chan family?" A reporter asked Lucius.

    Lucius smiled at the camera and nodded.

    "Yes, I am." He said with a sad smile. "They are my flesh and blood and yet they have chosen to cast me aside. I was ced up for adoption in Italy, where my parents, my adoptive parents found me and raised me as their own. I only recently came to learn of my rtion to them."

    "So will you be rejoining the Chan family?" Another reporter asked. "They have the connections you need."

    "I will continue to do as I have always done and strive to achieve what is best on my own." Lucius said. "That is all." He announced as he ducked and got in the car.

    Ian switched off the TV and shook his head.

    "I swear, he always gets on my nerves." Ian said with a sigh.

    "It''s alright. We''ll talk to Cami and Benedict tomorrow and I hope they have good news for us." Cedric said as he signed some documents Dave had handed him.

    "Tomorrow, you areing to work tomorrow?" Dave asked as he gave Ian a confused look.

    "He forgot!" Ian said with augh as Cedric raised an eyebrow at him. "Adrianna is going to be so mad."

    "What?" Cedric asked his two assistants.

    "Ced, it''s Yoyo''s first day in school tomorrow, you are supposed to take him then go to the hospital with Adri for a check up." Ian reminded him. "How could you forget?"

    Cedric closed his eyes and shook his head, Ian was right, how could he forget such an important day?

 Chapter 636 - 636

    "Daddy, daddy!" Emilio Reyes shouted as he jumped on Cedric''s and Adrianna''s bed to wake them up.

    Cedric groaned as his over excited son shook him awake. He had had a long day at work yesterday and wanted to cherish every minute of sleep he could get before taking his son to school.??

    "Yoyo!" Cedric heard Adrianna scold their son. "Let your dad rest."

    "Sorry dad." Cedric heard his son say as he wrapped his arms around Cedric''s neck to give him a hug, making Cedric smile in his sleepy state.

    The little boy then slid off of the bed, and probably ran off to go to his mother to prepare for the day.

    Unable to go back to sleep, Cedric stood up after a few minutes and took a bath. Cedric chose to wear something more casual today, he didn''t have to go to the office or attend any meetings.

    When he stepped out of the bathroom he found Adrianna sitting by her vanity, smiling back at him.

    "Don''t you want to rest a little bit more?" Adrianna asked as she walked over and fixed his shirt.

    "I''m fine, I''m not sleepy any more." Cedric said with a smile as he kissed his wife on the lips.

    "You got home sotest night, well this morning. I''m sure you''re exhausted." Adrianna said with a look of concern in her eyes.

    "It''s fine Adri." Cedric said as he looked down at his wife.

    "Is everything alright at work?" Adrianna asked her husband in a hesitant tone.

    "Yes, things are going really well, to be honest I''m more worried that things are going too well with the Reyes Group." Cedric said with a frown.

    "I''m sure everything is fine because you and all the employees at the Reyes Group ced your efforts into nning all of these." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "I guess." Cedric said with a hesitant nod.

    "Come on, let''s go and have breakfast with Yoyo." Adrianna told Cedric as she held his hand and interlocked their fingers. "Our friends and your family should arrive soon, they all wanted to wish Yoyo good luck for his first day in school."

    "Aren''t you worried that we are sending him to school too early?" Cedric asked his wife.

    The little boy was only four but he was quite eager to start school, Cedric and Adrianna had him assessed by many experts to see if he was ready. In the end, they discovered that going to school would do him more good than bad.

    Emilio had grown up alone in a world full of adults, although he had Tristan to y with, the little boy was too young. Emilio was in need of social interaction with people his age, and he could get that in school.

    "You are worried about something." Adriann said as they walked out of their room.

    "I''m afraid he won''t be emotionally mature enough. I''m also worried that he''ll get bullied, especially in elementary where he will be smaller than the other kids since he is a year younger." Cedric said with a frown.

    "He''ll be fine Cedric, he is a Reyes after all." Adrianna told her husband with an adoring smile. "I know you guys are a hardy bunch." She teased.

    "He won''t have the Reyes surname to back him." Cedric said, still worried about his son.

    "Stop acting so moppy, aren''t you the one that keeps telling me to just have faith and to trust that we did our best?" Adrianna asked her husband as they got into the elevator. "Trust that we did the right thing, and trust our son."

    Cedric wordlessly nodded as he tried to convince himself that Yoyo would do just fine in school.

    "Hey Yoyo." Adrianna called out as they entered the dining room. "Look who woke up."

    When Emilio saw his father, he quickly hopped off his chair and ran over to Cedric. The little boy jumped, making Adrianna and Cedric panic, as Cedric struggled to catch him out of surprise.

    "Daddy, I missed you." Emilio said as he wrapped his arms around his father''s neck, hugging him tightly and refusing to let go.

    "Yoyo, I''m here at home everyday. What do you mean you missed me?" Cedric asked his son as he patted the back of his tiny head.

    "Daddy is home but I never get to see you." Emilio said as he ced his head on Cedric''s shoulders and began to cry.

    "Yoyo. don''t cry, what''s wrong?" Cedric asked his son as he rocked the boy back and forth in his arms like when he was a baby.

    "You don''t y with me anymore." Emilioined to Cedric. "Mommy and Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie always say daddy is working, I hate working."

    "Emilio, is it true? Do you really miss daddy that much?" Cedric asked his son as he felt his heart breaking as his son used him of working too much.

    "Yes." Emilio said as he nodded vigorously.

    "Okay Yoyo, I promise toe home earlier more often." Cedric told his son as he ced him back down on the ground and knelt in front of him.

    "Really daddy?" Emilio asked in an excited tone.

    "Yes, I''ll help you with your homework everyday, and after we can go to the garden and y." Cedric promised his little son.

    Emilio began jumping up and down, Celebrating Cedric''s promise.

    "I promise to be a good boy dad, I will behave, I promise." Emilio said as he nodded.

    "Okay, so tell me, what name will you be using in school?" Cedric asked his son.

    "Yoyo rin!" Emilio said proudly.

    "And what are your parent''s names?" Cedric asked, checking if his son remembered his lessons with his dad.

    "My dad is Cedric rin and my mom is Adrianna Lobo." Emilio announced.

    "Good. Smart boy." Cedric said as he patted his hand on the boy''s head.

    "Okay, enough fun for you guys." Adrianna said as she interrupted their conversation. " Both of you, finish your breakfast before the others arrive."

    Emilio smiled at his father before running back up to his seat and finishing his breakfast.

 Chapter 637 - 637

    Emilio was very much excited about seeing all of his uncles and aunts as well as the only friend he had who was his age, Tristan. He quickly ate his food and even went as far as taking his te to the sink, which surprised Cedric.

    "Yeah, we''ve been teaching him to do that." Adrianna said with a smile. "I don''t want our kid growing up to be some spoiled nth generation heir."??

    "He never will Adrianna, we will make sure of that." Cedric said with a smile as a maid took away Cedric''s te after checking if he was done with his meal.

    "Why didn''t daddy take his te to the sink too?" Emilioined as he saw the maid clearing Cedric''s area.

    "It''s because we don''t want your dad messing up the kitchen." The maid replied jokingly to Emilio. "Plus, I heard your dad even did the dishes before you were even born." The maid said as she gently patted Emilio''s head.

    "Thanks Abby." Adrianna told the maid as she smiled. The maid, Abby smiled back as she continued to clear the table.

    "Wow, daddy used to do chores?" Emilio asked, making Cedricugh. He had nned to make his son help around the house eventually. Cedric was d the Emilio was showing no signs of acting like a spoiled child, despite his family giving him everything he could ever ask for.

    "Your daddy used to be incrediblyzy." Emilio Reyes III said as he entered the dining room and plucked up his grandson.

    "Dad, watch your back." Cedric scolded.

    "I''m fine Cedric, I''m not that old." He said as he rolled his eyes at his son.

    "Alright dad, just be careful." Cedric warned as he watched his father y happily with his son.

    "So Yoyo, are you excited for your first day of school?" Emilio Reyes III asked his grandson as he sat down by the dining table with the child on hisp.

    "Yes grandpa." Yoyo said as he nodded vigorously, making Emilio Reyes IIIugh.

    "Remember, you are going on a secret mission." Emilio told his grandson as the little boy''s expression turned serious at his words.

    "Yes grandpa. I am Yoyo rin." Yoyo said proudly as he looked at his father for his approval.

    Cedric smiled and nodded his head.

    "And what is the name of your dad?" Emilio asked his grandson.

    "Leon." Yoyo said with full confidence.

    "Very good, I knew my grandson was a genius." Emilio said with a smile as he patted Yoyo on the head.

    "Tristan!" Yoyo shouted as he saw the Chans and Lims arrive at the same time.

    He quickly jumped off of his grandfather''sp and ran over to his best friend.

    Cedricughed as his son tackled the little boy that could barely walk, making the girls panic and check if either boy had an injury.

    "Ugh, you men are so useless." Nicoleined as she helped Tristan up on his feet.

    As soon as he was back up Tristan and Yoyo ran away to the living room, each with a nanny chasing after them.

    "It was quite funny seeing them so excited to see each other." Ian said with augh as he pulled Nicole into his arms in an attempt to cate her anger.

    "Those two really need to have some sort of social interaction with other kids." Migule said as he joined them.

    He had arrived with his wife, Veronica, and their newly adopted son Dominic.

    "It will be Dominic''s first day in school too?" Cedric asked as he smiled at the shy little boy.

    Miguel nodded as he urged Dominic out from behind his legs.

    "We are still trying to make sure that no one will take him from us, but we have already changed his name to Dominic Abad-Chan." Veronica exined with a smile.

    "Dominic, do you think you can look after your cousin Tristan and Yoyo?" Nicole asked the child with a smile.

    "Yes! I can take care of them." Dominic said in a shy voice.

    "Go y with them too, son." Miguel said with a smile as he urged Dominic to follow the two boys to the living room.

    Dominic did as Miguel and Nicole asked and went over after the boys.

    "Does he call you mom and dad yet?" Adrianna asked as she smiled at Veronica and Miguel.

    "He does, sometimes." Veronica said in an excited tone. "I mean it has only been a few weeks and I''m sure he has gone through so much that the hesitation is just normal."

    "I''m honestly worried about how he will do in the new school." Miguel said in a frown. "He hasn''t exactly had the best experience when ites to schools, add to that the fact that he will be older than his ssmates. I''m afraid he will get bullied."

    "He''ll be using your surname, right?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "Yes, uncle. But everyone knows I don''t have a son, and Chan isn''t a rare surname." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "It may be enough to make sure people are careful around him." Emilio Reyes said with a smile. "No one announced that Cedric was my son and people just assumed."

    "It is true, a Chan in one of the most expensive schools in the country is enough for them to watch out." Cedric said as he nodded in agreement.

    "Miguel, Ian, Eric, do you mind if I have a word with you in my office while we wait for the other?" Cedric asked.

    The men looked at each other and nodded.

    When they got to Cedric''s office, Ian made sure that the door was securely closed behind them. The room was sound proof so Cedric wasn''t worried about his father eavesdropping.

    "I have news, please just tell Nicole. I didn''t want dad to suspect anything. I hope she doesn''t get offended." Cedric said as he sat behind his desk.

    "She''ll understand." Eric said with a nod as he sat on the couch.

    "We found the nurse, and we might have to fly to Singapore soon to meet him." Cedric announced catching Eric and Miguel by surprise.

 Chapter 638 - 638

    "When? How? Cedric give us the details." Miguel said as he sat up and leaned forward, eager to hear what Cedric had to say.

    "Mae is in Singapore right now, trying to see if the nurse will be willing to meet with us." Cedric said with a shrug. "I have given her a week to get this done, and by the looks of it she will get it done by then." Cedric said as he smiled.??

    "How did a nurse manage to evade us for so long?" Eric asked Cedric.

    "He has someone backing him, someone rich and someone powerful." Cedric exined to his friends.

    "Lucius." Miguel hissed. "He must have gotten to the nurse before us and hidden him. It wouldn''t be too difficult to get that done since he would have been able to get in touch with the orphanage and get the details about the person who left him."

    "That actually makes sense." Ian said slowly as he scratched his chin and thought of Miguel''s idea.

    "I can''t believe we didn''t consider Lucius." Cedric said with augh.

    "Then what is Lucius waiting for?" Eric asked as he thought long and hard about the situation.

    "Do you think he knows that the real Andrew Chan is dead?" Ian asked Cedric as he looked up from his seat.

    "I don''t even know if Lucius Ting knows that he isn''t Andrew Chan." Cedric said as he scratched his chin.

    "How can he not be sure about who he is?" Miguel asked with a confused look on his face, his expression was as if Cedric had told them the most ridiculous thing ever.

    "If I''m not mistaken, Lucius only knows about his identity because Aiden told him, and Aiden only found things out because of his own investigation." Cedric said as he thought about the implications of Lucius not knowing.

    "Do you think he would back down if we found his real identity?" Miguel asked.

    "He might." Cedric said with a nod. "He is only going after us because he thinks he is Andrew Chan, but if the real Andrew Chan is dead, then that means his family may still be out there."

    "We should look for his family then, give him closure. In a way he is also a victim in all this." Eric added.

    "I agree, but I worry about his dangerous ns. If his family abandoned him too or his parents, what is stopping him from going after them the way he is going after us?" Miguel asked.

    "We might need to talk to him, eventually." Eric said with a shrug.

    "Something still doesn''t make sense to me." Ian said as he looked out Cedric''s window in deep thought.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked.

    "The nurse, if it''s Lucius that''s behind all of this, why didn''t he tell him that he isn''t Andrew Chan?" Ian asked, making more sense than Cedric wanted.

    "Maybe he is after the lifestyle Lucius has given him?" Eric asked.

    "Maybe��" Cedric said as his voice trailed away as he tried to consider all of the evidence in front of them.

    "Ced." Adrianna called out from the door as she entered. "The others have arrived, plus we need to get the boys to school if we don''t want them to bete."

    "Oh, right, school." Cedric said, shaking his head. "We''ll be out in a bit Adri. Have someone bring the cars up front."

    Adrianna nodded and smiled at her husband as she left and closed the door behind her.

    "I''m so happy you didn''t marry some social climbing bitch." Miguel said with augh as Adrianna closed the door.

    "No social climber would have married me." Cedric said with a smile. "I''m extremely lucky to have Adri, and I''m d her parents changed before they knew about my identity. I would have hated to see my mother-inw setting up dates for my four year old son." Cedric joked making everyoneugh.

    "I think a lot of mothers and grandmothers are already trying to guess where Yoyo and Tristan would be studying, I''m sure they are trying to prepare their children as early as now." Eric said with a sigh.

    "It''s a sad reality." Cedric said as he shook his head in frustration.

    "Yoyo is never going to be seen in public again, is he?" Miguel asked Cedric.

    Cedric responded by shaking his head.

    "He probably won''t." Cedric told his friend. "If I want the kind of training I have nned to work, Yoyo will need to be as low profile as possible. He can show his face once in a while, but it can only be at events where there is very little press."

    "Dominic and Tristan will probably experience the opposite, just like us." Miguel said with a sigh.

    "Well, I was quite low profile growing up, it''s what let me pursue a career in acting, remember?" Eric reminded his brother.

    "You were just toozy to go with mom and dad, that''s why I had to go all the time." Miguel grumbled, making everyone elseugh.

    "Anyway, so when are we flying out to meet this nurse?" Eric asked Cedric.

    "In a week." Cedric confirmed. He had given may one week to get the nurse on her side, but he wanted to spend more time with his son at home. Add to that thetest investments that the Reyes Group had entered, Cedric needed to stay in the country a little bit longer.

    "I''ll make sure to arrange things." Miguel said with a nod.

    "Maybe I can get an endorsement that involves filming in Singapore, it would make the perfect excuse." Eric said as he thought of an excuse to join his siblings and friend.

    "Just ask Ram to think of some sort of promotional material for Lights Entertainment, bring a long a few other actors and you have the perfect excuse." Cedric suggested.

    "I''ll try that." Eric said with a nod.

    "Guy, I think we should go." Ian said as he looked at his watch. "The kids need to get to school, I''m sure Yoyo is going to cry when we drop him off."

    Cedric smiled and nodded as he wordlessly got up and left with them.

 Chapter 639 - 639

    Inside Cedric''s car, Emilio sat on his father''sp as he looked out the window excitedly. His new school was quite a drive away from their home, so this was a new adventure for him.

    With Cedric being quite over protective in the past few months, Yoyo had not been allowed to go to ces that were too far from the Mountain View Mansion.??

    The most Emilio had traveled was to his grandfather''s house or to Nicole''s house to y with Tristan. Although both ces were spacious and quitevish, the child was happy to be seeing new things.

    In fact, with every car that they passed he would ask his dad what it was called. Cedric could already sense that his little boy would be interested in cars when he grew up, maybe Emilio could invest in entering that industry someday.

    "What are you thinking about?" Adrianna asked as she ced a hand on his.

    "Just the future." Cedric said with a shrug as he smiled at his wife. "I was thinking about how Yoyo will change thepany when he takes over."

    "Isn''t it too early to think of that?" Adrianna asked with augh.

    "Maybe." Cedric said with a shrug. "But, dad knew that I would be investing in new technologies when I was a child, it was based on what I liked, and it seems to be a trend among the Reyes men to invest in things that they like."

    "What did dad expand the Reyes Group to?" Adrianna asked her husband, curious to know what her father-inw had been interested in during his youth.

    "Dad expanded to malls and more diverse properties." Cedric told her. "If he wasn''t the Reyes Heir he would have probably be and architect or an engineer ording to him."

    "And what of our little boy?" Adrianna asked as she patted Yoyo on the head.

    "I think he likes cars very much." Cedric said with a smile. "Cars andputers, anything mechanical seems to interest him."

    "That''s why you got him that tutor." Adrianna said as she realized why her husband had hired and entric inventor to tutor their son.

    "I wanted him to explore what he likes and enjoys, to not be hindered by what we know." Cedric said with a shrug. "We are rich. I want to give my son every opportunity possible. Plus we don''t know yet if he will be the heir to all of this. It could be his little brother or sister."

    "Do you think it''s a boy or a girl this time?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I hope it''s a girl." Cedric said with augh. "Yoyo, would you like a little sister?" Cedric asked his son.

    "Yes!" Emilio said happily. "Too many boys already." His son said, shaking his head.

    "I want a little princess to spoil too." Cedric said with augh. "Plus if we have a girl, Yoyo can protect her."

    "You''ll spoil her too much." Adrianna grumbled. "I want her to grow up to be independent, not needing anyone else to survive."

    "Adri, whether we have a boy or a girl, we will always bring them up the same way." Cedric said with a smile, promising to be fair to their children. "Besides, you spoil Yoyo as it is, I want one to spoil too!"

    "Daddy, I want a brother and a sister!" Yoyo suddenly dered.

    "Well, you can only have one first, then wait for another." Cedric told his son as he heard his interesting request.

    "Okay, I''ll wait." Yoyo said as he smiled at his dad and mom.

    "Yoyo, look, that''s your school!" Cedric said as he pointed out the campus as they passed.

    Cedric and the other boys had studied at Saint Ambrose Academy, one of the most prestigious schools in the country. It was well known for it''s high ss facilities and the quality of graduates it had produced. It was this school that Yoyo was now going to be enrolled in.

    "So many cars!" Yoyo gasped as they passed the cars that were lined up outside the campus. These cars were clearly there to drop off some of the students.

    "Those are probably your ssmates'' cars, are you excited to meet them?" Adrianna asked her son.

    "Yes mom." Yoyo said with a nod.

    "Now, remember, what''s your name?" Cedric asked as he made sure to check if his son had remembered their instructions despite his excitement.

    "Yoyo rin." The little boy said proudly.

    "Good." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Wow, it''s so big." Yoyo said as they passed by the campus.

    The frontage of Saint Ambrose Academy was a huge and elegant driveway, from it you could see the football (ser) field and the white building behind it with greco roman pirs seemingly holding up it''s roof in an elegant manner.

    The facade of the school building looked more like avish museum than a school, something that the school and it''s alumni were quite proud of.

    "Go over to the back." Cedric instructed his driver.

    In order to avoid being spotted or recognized, Cedric had used a different car to take his son to school today, it was his wife''s old SUV that had been modified with the best security system possible for a car.

    They would be dropping Yoyo off at the backgate of the school, where the school administrator and his teacher would be waiting for them.

    Cedric and Adrianna had requested for Yoyo''s homeroom teacher to be there since they wanted to meet the woman who would be like their son''s second parent.

    As they pulled up to the school''s backgate, Yoyo began jumping excitedly, clearly eager to be going to school and meeting kids the same age as him.

    Cedric''s car was followed by his father and sister''s, while Miguel and Veronica dropped Dominic off at the front gate, taking the attention away from the more popr child entering the campus secretly.

    "Are you ready, Yoyo?" Cedric asked as he smiled down at his boy as the gates opened.

    "Yes dad." Emilio said, smiling up at his father.

 Chapter 640 - 640

    As soon as Cedric opened the door to the car Yoyo jumped out of hisp and out onto the ground. Cedricughed at his son''s excitement, he knew this probably wouldn''tst long since most kids hate school.

    Yoyo was quite the behaved little boy as he stood outside of the car and waited for his dad to step out. He quickly reached for his father''s hand and held it tightly.??

    Cedric looked down and smiled at his son, they then walked over to the other side of the car and opened it for Adrianna. Cedric wanted to make sure that Yoyo learned from example, he wanted to be his son''s role model.

    "Thanks Yoyo." Adrianna said as she knelt and gave her son a kiss on the head.

    Yoyo quickly reached out with his free hand to hold his mother''s. Adrianna looked down lovingly at her little boy as Cedric watched her with a smile.

    They suddenly heard the sound of a camera shutter going off, making Cedric take a protective stance, cing his family behind him.

    "It was just me Ced." Ayanna said with a giggle as she and Ray walked up to them from their car. "You guys just looked like the perfect family, I had to take a photo."

    "Well, this family is about to get bigger." Cedric said with a smile as he ced his hand on his wife''s belly.

    "Why don''t I take another photo of you guys? A more formal one?" Ayanna offered.

    Cedric smiled and nodded, he did want a photo of his little family, one more natural and yet formal.

    Ayanna quickly snapped as many photos as she could, she then asked her father and Adrianna''s parents to join them.

    Eventually she handed the phone to Leon, who was part of the security detail, and pulled Ray to join in the photo as well.

    As soon as they were done, Cedric turned to see that school administrator and Yoyo''s teacher patiently waiting for them. He felt embarrassed about making them wait, but they simply smiled at the sight they were witnessing.

    "We''re sorry you had to wait long." Adrianna said as they approached the administrator and Yoyo''s teacher.

    "It''s alright Mrs. Reyes." The school administrator said with a smile. "We understand the excitement of first time parents when their child goes to school."

    "Thank you." Adrianna said as she nodded at the school administrator.

    "I''d like to introduce you all to Yoyo''s homeroom advisor, Miss Peach." The school administrator said as he introduced a young woman.

    By the looks of her, she was definitely younger than Cedric and Adrianna. She had a happy and youthful look on her and she looked very familiar to Cedric, he just couldn''t ce it.

    "Oh my gosh! No way!" Ayanna suddenly shouted as she ran up and hugged Yoyo''s teacher, surprising everyone.

    "Ayanna, darling, you''re scaring your family." Ray said with augh as he stood next to Cedric.

    "Oh sorry." Ayanna said with augh. "Ummm I can exin."

    "Exin." Cedric said with an amused look on his face.

    "Well, Peach is an old friend." Ayanna said with a smile. "She''s rted to the Carpios and the Laurences."

    "Then why have I never heard of you or seen you Miss Peach?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "It''s because I distanced myself from both families, sir." Miss Peach said.

    "Calm down Cedric." Ray said as he ced a hand on his brother-inw''s shoulder. "Peach is my cousin. She left the family for the same reasons Eric did, she wanted to pursue her own life, being a kindergarten teacher isn''t exactly on the list of approved upations for families like ours."

    "I think Peach would be an awesome teacher for Yoyo." Ayanna said in an excited tone. "She knows what it''s like toe from a rich family and to hide your identity, she will definitely protect Yoyo''s identity." Ayanna said with a nod.

    "Don''t worry, sir, I won''t tell anyone about who Yoyo really is, and I won''t treat him any differentlypared to his ssmates." Peach promised as she looked Cedric in the eyes.

    Cedric smiled, he was happy she had also promised that in thest part, most people would do everything to get into Yoyo''s good graces. The boy after all would probably be the heir to the Reyes Group, and if he wasn''t he was still Cedric''s son.

    He was sure that Peach had no need for that good favor, she had her cousin to vouch for her and she was trying to escape that world. She was someone that simply would have no ulterior motives to caring for Yoyo other than it was her job and she liked teaching kids.

    Cedric smiled at the school administrator as soon as he realized what he had done.

    "You knew?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." The school administrator said with a nod. "Miss Peach had asked us to keep her identity a secret, so I thought she would be the best teacher for someone that simply wanted to be normal too."

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a smile. "You didn''t have to go the extra mile but you did, I won''t forget this."

    "The Reyes have been more than generous to this school and it''s students, it''s the least I could do." The school administrator said with a nod.

    Cedric knelt and faced his son, speaking to him at his level.

    "Are you ready?" Cedric asked Yoyo.

    "Yes dad." Yoyo said with a nod. His serious face was so adorable that Cedric couldn''t help bu smile.

    "This is your teacher, Miss Peach." Cedric said as he pointed at the young woman.

    "Good Morning, Miss Peach." Yoyo said as he shed her one of his charming smiles.

    "Good Morning Yoyo." Miss Peach answered back.

    "Miss Peach will help you keep your identity a secret, but you have to work on it too. Remember, no one can know that you are a Reyes, no one can know that I''m your dad, got it Yoyo?" Cedric asked his son.

    "Yes dad, I''ll make you proud." Yoyo promised his father.

    Cedric smiled and nodded at his son.

    "Okay, go with Miss Peach now and be a good boy." Cedric said as he nudged his son towards the teacher.

    Yoyo took a few tentative steps before turning around and running back to his dad and hugging him tightly.

    "I''ll make you proud daddy, I''ll always make you proud." Yoyo promised as he cried.

    "You two do know that you will be seeing each other at hometer, right?" Adrianna teased her husband and son as sheughed at them.

    "Shhhh!" Cedric scolded as he hugged his son.

    "Go to your teacher, Yoyo." Cedric said as Yoyo nodded and left.

 Chapter 641 - 641

    As Cedric''s car drove away, Adrianna reached out and held his hand.

    "That''s the one and only time we will probably bring our son to school." Cedric said with a frown as he looked out at the vanishing horizon. ??

    "Did your parents bring you to school often?" Adrianna asked Cedirc.

    "Yeah." Cedric said with a nod. "People in school sort of knew who I was, we didn''t need to tell them, they just knew." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I''m surprised you still managed to make the right kind of friends." Adrianna said with a smile as she leaned her head on her husband''s shoulder.

    "It was because almost all of us were in the same year at school." Cedric said with augh. "It was only the Chan brothers that were either older or younger, but we always saw Eric as an older brother, and Miguel soon caught up with us." Cedric exined.

    "I''m pretty sure Miguel only skipped a couple of years because he wanted to be in the same ss as you." Adrianna teased her husband, whoughed along with her.

    "That is actually the exact reason why he studied hard." Cedric said with augh. He knew it was a ridiculous reason, but they were children, and to a child, staying with your friends was reason enough.

    "Seriously?" Adrianna asked in surprise. "The only reason why we have the miracle doctor is because he was jealous of his friends being older?"

    "Yup, wanna know why he went to America for his medical degree?" Cedric asked with augh, this was also another hrious reason.

    "Don''t tell me it was because of a girl!" Adrianna said.

    "No, he''s only loved one girl, and that''s Veronica. This is even more dramatic." Cedric said as he continued tough at the memory.

    "Okay, why?" Adrianna asked.

    "It''s because he learned about me going on my poverty training." Cedric said. "He was afraid that our little band of friends would break up and he didn''t want to be left behind. So he asked uncle Raphael to send him abroad to study." Cedric exined.

    "No way!" Adrianna said in shock.

    "Miguel is a genius, he just isn''t always rational." Cedric said with augh as he shook his head.

    "That does not make sense." Adrianna said.

    "With work, yes Miguel is always the smartest and best, no one will say otherwise, but when ites to the real world, well, Miguel iscking." Cedric exined to his wife.

    Adrianna opened her mouth to argue, but then she realized Cedric was right, Miguel made several mistakes with Veronica that other people normally wouldn''t.

    "You realized I''m right, right?" Cedric asked his wife with a wink.

    "Oh wow, Veronica and Miguel are all over social media." Adrianna said as she changed the topic.

    "Mmmm, is this about Dominic?" Cedric asked as he tried to crane over to check Adrianna''s phone.

    "Yup, people are wondering who is the child they brought to school today." Adrianna said as she read through the posts and articles. "The theories are amusing." She said with augh.

    "What are people saying?" Cedric asked.

    "Okay, so here is one, this is a tame theory." Adrianna exined. "One article said that Dominic is possibly one of Miguel''s nephews. The son of a distant cousin."

    "Yeah, that one doesn''t seem too wild." Cedric said with augh.

    "Wait till you hear the other theories." Adrianna told Cedric as she continued to scroll through her phone.

    "Okay, tell me one." Cedric told his wife.

    "This one theorizes that Dominic is Miguel''s son from a previous rtionship. ording to this gossip columnist, Dominic''s mom is sick and has asked Miguel to take the boy." Adrianna said as she read through the article. "It even goes as far as theorizing that Miguel and Veronica got into a big fight over the boy."

    "These people are crazy." Cedric said with augh, they are obsessed!"

    "Oooohh, Miguel will like this one." Adrianna said as she grinned at her phone.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked.

    "This one says that Miguel and Veronica had a son before they were even married, that they had hid the boy and now was the right time to show him to the world." Adrianna exined.

    "Yeah, Miguel wishes that had happened." Cedric said as heughed at his friend. "He was so slow, I swear, he was just lucky Ram acted fast for his sake. Could you imagine if Veronica had married Jason."

    "E, that guy is creepy." Adrianna said as she shivered.

    "It seems that we owe the Chans our thanks." Cedric said with a smile. "No one noticed our little convoy going to school."

    "Yeah, I thought we were done for when I saw what car Ray and your dad had brought." Adrianna said with augh.

    Both Emilio Reyes III and Ray had brought very shy luxury cars, something that normally would have caught people''s attention. Fortunately for them the Chans had drawn the attention to themselves, allowing Cedric''s group to drop Yoyo off at school in peace.

    "They don''t have any other cars." Cedric said with a shrug. It was true, both men had no need for a low profile vehicle like the one Cedric kept.

    "I''m just d everything went well today." Adrianna said with a smile. "I''m happy our son was excited to go to school, I just felt sad cause this meant he was growing up."

    "Don''t worry honey, we have a little one on the way." Cedric said as he nted a kiss on her lips.

    Adrianna wrapped her arms around Cedric''s neck as she deepended it, allowing their tongues to y a little.

    Cedric nibbled on his wife''s lips gently as her hand found his arousal. He smiled as she touched him through his pants.

    Unfortunately, their intimate moment was cut short when Cedric''s phone began to ring. Cedric groaned as he fished for his phone in his pocket.

    He checked who was calling, it was Cami.

    "Yes Cami?" Cedric asked in a more serious tone.

    "Ced, I think we got him to trust us." Cami said proudly.

 Chapter 642 - 642

    Cedric was shocked at the news, shocked and relieved. Despite his insistence in sacrificing his own name and image, he did not deny that he was hoping for a less suicidal route.

    He wasn''t stupid, he knew just how damaging the effects of him being involved in Aiden''s death would be. He knew that it could not only put hispany in danger, but his whole family as well.??

    Without a doubt, if they weren''t able to shift opinions, he would need to step down as CEO and hand it over to Ayanna. Cedric knew that being the CEO was thest thing Ayanna wanted, his sister wanted to be sessful but not to the point of having to take his ce.

    "That''s amazing news." Cedric told Cami over the phone. "What managed to convince him?" Cedric asked.

    "I''m guessing that it''s more of a need from his end." Benedict said as he joined in on the conversation. "He knows that the Chan siblings don''t like him, so he needs to have as many allies on his side."

    "Good." Cedric said with a smile. "Mind if I give you a callter?" Cedric asked.

    "Oh, is it a bad time?" Cami said in a confused tone. "Ian told me that you were taking the whole day off of work and that you had sent your son safely to school."

    "It''s not the best time, I''d just rather discuss this with everyone else, I don''t like repeating things." Cedric said over the phone. "Plus, we''re pulling up to Saints Hospital right now, Adrianna has a check up."

    "Oh, right, the baby." Cami said with augh. "I keep forgetting that Adri is pregnant, she carries herself so well."

    "I''ll tell her you said that." Cedric said with a smile. "I''ll text you when we can all have a call and discuss our next steps."

    "Alright boss." Cami said in a cheery tone.

    "What should we do in the meantime?" Benedict asked. "I already know he will ask for more investments and for us to connect him to people."

    "Are there people that you both trust that won''t betray our ns, but still lead him on?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "I can think of a few." Cami said slowly, clearly she was already listing the names of people in her head.

    "I have some as well." Benedict added.

    "Get him to talk to them, and on investments, go, shell some money out. I''ll pay you back for it, don''t worry." Cedric instructed them in a confident tone.

    "Oaky, we''ll do that then." Benedict said.

    "I''ll talk to you guys soon, bye." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    Cedric couldn''t help but smile and be happy at how things were developing, both with his ns, at thepany, and with his family. Things seemed to finally be going his way, he hoped that this check up with the doctor would have positive results as well.

    "What are you smiling about?" Adiranna asked as their car stopped at the Saints Hospital main entrance.

    "I''m just d that things are finally going our way." Cedric said with a smile as he held his wife''s hand.

    "Things have been going my way since I met you." Adrianna said with a wink, making Cedricugh.

    "Since when did you learn to flirt like that?" Cedric asked his wife. "I''m notining, in fact I find it adorable that you are flirting like this."

    "I have to keep this rtionship exciting." Adrianna said with augh. "Plus it''s fun." She said with a shrug.

    Cedric knew that she had probably picked it up watching or hanging out with the sisters, it sounded like something Katerina would say.

    "I love it, I love everything about you." Cedric said as he lowered his head and nted a kiss on his wife''s lips. "The best day of my life was when I met you, I met my better half. The one person I would like to spend the rest of my life with."

    "So sweet!" Adrianna said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love that you are so sweet! Most girls can only dream of a man like you. But I have you, and I''m having our second child." As Adrianna said this she pressed her lips on his and kissed him passionately.

    They made out for a bit, with Cedric nipping gently and yful on her lips. When they eventually separated Adrianna couldn''t help but giggle at what they had just done. Cedric smiled at his wife as she blushed like a shy teenager.

    "Sorry John." Cedric called out to his driver, who had simply averted his eyes and ced on earbuds to give them some privacy.

    "Nothing you haven''t done before, sir." John said with a sly smile.

    "We should get going." Cedric told his wife as he brushed a stray hair behind her ear. "We don''t want to keep Dr. Santos waiting for too long."

    Dr. Santos was the same doctor that had helped Adrianna through her pregnancy with Yoyo, for her second pregnancy she chose to see the same doctor.

    Cedric had no qualms against this, especially since the doctor had been quite nice and even kept their secret.

    "Yes. Let''s go." Adrianna told Cedric with a smile.

    Cedric nodded and stepped out of the car as his driver opened the door for him.

    He quickly walked over to the other side and opened the door for Adri and helped her out.

    "Switch the cars." Cedric instructed John, his driver. "I know the hospital will be swarming with reporters once the news gets out that we are here. I want this car to remain a secret so we can still go out under the radar."

    "Yes sir." John said with a nod as he got back into the car and drove away. He had been working long enough with the Reyes family to know when they want something done immediately, and this was one of them.

    Cedric and Adrianna walked hand in hand into the hospital through the main entrance. With the news out about Adrianna being pregnant, there was no use for them to use any of the backdoors to the hospital.

    As they walked through the hospital lobby, Cedric could see people whispering amongst themselves, some even snapping a photo or two.

    Since revealing his identity, this was something Cedric had gotten used to. Even when having simple meetings at restaurants, people would snap photos of him and post it on social media.

    "I think you scare them." Adrianna said with augh as they got into the elevator.

    "Oh, why so?" Cedric asked his wife with a raised eyebrow.

    "Because if it were just me, someone woulde up and ask for a photo." Adrianna said, teasing her husband.

    "I''m nice, why don''t they want photos with me?" Cedric asked, whining like a child.

    "You are not nice, Cedric." Adrianna said as she stepped out of the elevator, leaving her shocked husband behind.

 Chapter 643 - 643

    Cedric quickly recovered from the shock of his wife''s words and walked quickly after her, down the hall and towards Dr. Santos'' clinic.

    "How can you say I''m not nice?" Cedric grumbled as he opened the door for Adrianna.??

    Adrianna simply looked up at her husband and smiled as she walked into the doctor''s office.

    "You just aren''t to most people." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "I''ve done so many charitable things, how can you say I''m not nice." Cedricined to his wife.

    "That''s different, you scare people, you intimidate them, especially with this whole CEO persona of yours." Adrianna said with a shrug. "Just like your dad."

    "She is right, you know." Dr. Santos said as she joined in on the conversation.

    "I am not like my father." Cedric argued as he crossed his arms on his chest and shook his head. "My dad enjoys intimidating people, he likes people being afraid of him."

    "Just like you." Dr. Santos teased. She had known both Emilio and Prisci Reyes since she was Lucy Chan''s prodigy. As a matter of fact she had even helped in multiple deliveries for various Reyes rtives.

    "You know that it is useless toin about you having a CEO persona." Adrianna told her husband with a smile. "I think it''s hot." She said with a wink.

    "You''re just trying to tease me now." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Why, don''t we just get on with this check up so that you love birds can fly home and flirt with one another away from jealous ears?" The doctor teased.

    One of Cedric''s bodyguards couldn''t help butugh at what the doctor had said.

    Cedric turned and red at him, making him stand straight and attempt to regain hisposure. No matter how funny the joke was, nothing was scarier than getting on Cedric''s bad side.

    "Alright doc." Cedric said with a shrug as Dr. Santos smiled at the couple.

    "Good, now how have you been?" Dr. Santos began as she proceeded to ask Adrianna a series of questions, quickly noting down her answers.

    When Dr. Santos was finally satisfied that Adrianna was doing well, she then gave them a list of vitamins that she wanted Adrianna to take in order to help with the pregnancy.

    "It seems like this one is giving you an easier timepared to Yoyo." Dr. Santosmented with a smile.

    "Well he better be." Adrianna said with augh. "His dad gave me a hard enough time at the start, I need this one to behave."

    "Yeah, I heard about you being in the psych ward for a time, Cedric. How are you now?" Dr. Santos asked with a concerned look on her face.

    "Don''t worry doc, I''m doing much better." Cedric said with a smile and a nod. "Eric and I still have some therapy sessions, but it''s more so that he can check how I''m coping. Cause, well, I wasn''t at the start. Coping I mean."

    Cedric was quite awkward when it came to speaking about his mental health and his personal condition. It was mainly because, outside his family and group of friends, people didn''t seem to ask how he was. They simply assumed he was doing well.

    "Cedric? Mr. Reyes?" Dr. Santos asked as she waved her hand in front of his eyes.

    "Oh, sorry, what was that?" Cedric asked as he got pulled back from his thoughts and back into the real world. "And please, just Cedric."

    "Ced, are you alright?" Adrianna asked with a concerned tone. She knew that Cedric had been working really hard recently and she was now worried about his well being.

    "Yeah, I was just thinking of something." Cedric said with a nod.

    "What was it?" Adrianna asked her husband. "I mean if you don''t mind saying it in front of the doctor." Adrianna gave an apologetic look at Dr. Santos as she realized she should have asked himter.

    "I can step out if you need some privacy." Dr. Santos said with a shrug.

    "No, it''s fine doc." Cedric said with a calm smile. "It was something you said that got me thinking." He confessed.

    "Something I said?" The doctor asked slowly, worried that she had offended Cedric.

    "Don''t worry doc, I appreciated it." Cedric said with augh as he realized that the doctor had be worried.

    "Oh." Dr. Santos said, at a loss for words.

    "People normally don''t ask how we are doing." Cedric said with a weak smile. "They assume that since we have money everything is perfect. So it''s rare for people to ask how I''m doing." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Even rich people can have problems." Dr. Santos said with augh.

    "We can, but well, mental illnesses aren''t exactly looked on as illnesses by people." Cedric said with a shrug. "Most people would probably just tell me to power through it, then judge me behind my back saying I have no reason to be going through something psychological."

    "The mind is an organ just like the heart." Dr. Santos said with a shrug. "I understand that people haven''t epted thatpletely just yet."

    "It was good to hear someone who wasn''t part of my family or group of friends ask how I was doing." Cedric said with a smile. "Thank you."

    "You''re wee." The doctor said with a nod. "Why don''t we head on to the ultrasound and take a look at your little one." Dr. Santos said as she gestured towards the door to her right.

    The couple nodded and stood up.

    "Doc, can we see the gender now?" Adrianna asked nervously.

    "Sorry Adri, not yet, but maybe in a month or two." Dr. Santos told the pregnant woman.

    "Alright." Adrianna said with a smile, not discouraged by the fact that she wouldn''t be able to find out her child''s gender just yet.

    Dr. Santos had Adriannay on the bed as she ced some gel on her tiny baby bump.

    As she looked at the screen, the doctor suddenly gasped, making Cedric sit up and look at his wife with worry.

    "Dr. Santos, is something wrong?" Cedric asked the doctor, prepared to hear the worst.

 Chapter 644 - 644

    "No, no." Dr. Santos said as she shook her head and smiled at the young couple. "As a matter of fact I have great news." She announced.

    Cedric and Adrianna looked at each other, both with a puzzled expression and a smile.??

    "You are having twins!" Dr. Santos happily announced.

    "Wow." Cedric said in shock as he hugged his wife. "You''re amazing Adri."

    " I didn''t expect that we would have twins." Adrianna said with a surprised expression.

    "Do you have a history of twins in your family?" Dr. Santos asked Adrianna.

    Adrianna nodded and gave her a sad smile.

    "My mom was a twin." Adrianna confessed. "Her twin died when they were barely a year old, my mom doesn''t talk about it much."

    "Don''t worry Adri, our babies will have the best care." Cedric said as he nted a kiss on her head. "No harm wille to them or to you." Cedric promised his wife.

    "I know I''ll have the best care, Cedric." Adrianna said with augh as she teased her husband.

    "Do you want the twins to be our secret or do you want to make an announcement?" Cedric asked his wife. He knew that as public figures, they somehow needed to involve the public.

    Cedric was not happy with the fact that they needed to share this kind of news with everyone else, but it was also a way for them to lessen the stalking and inconveniences in their lives.

    "Will you be setting up a dinner to discuss Lucius Ting?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I was thinking of just making it a call." Cedric said with a shrug. "I didn''t want to inconvenience our friends."

    "What if we told them about the twins tonight over dinner, then we can have a statement released from the Reyes Group and Ind''s Inc. in two days." Adrianna suggested.

    "I like the idea." Cedric said as he smiled down at his wife. "Let me make some calls and arrange it."

    "Can you invite my friends and all of the aunties and uncles?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Of course." Cedric said as he looked adoringly at her. "I''ll ask Dave to make the arrangements."

    "Don''t you think it will be awkward? With you know, Ram and Julia?" Adrianna asked with a worried expression.

    "They are both adults, Adri." Cedric said, shaking his head. "They should be able to deal with their own issues in a grown up manner, not like squabbling children."

    "We don''t even know the whole story." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "What if I talk to Ram and you can talk to Ju?" Cedric asked his wife. "That way we hear both sides and we can figure out if it will be a problem having them there at the same time."

    "I don''t want to have to pick between our friends." Adrianna said in a sad tone.

    "Ram will understand, don''t worry." Cedric said in an attempt tofort his wife.

    "But Ram will be on the losing end. He doesn''t need to make a sacrifice like that." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "Why don''t we talk to them first then decide then?" Cedric asked Adrianna. He knew that whatever had happened between Ram and Julia was not that bad.

    "Alright." Adrianna said with a nod.

    "Here." Dr. Santos told the couple as she handed them a print out and a CD. "It''s a copy of the ultrasound, I thought you could share it with your family and friends. You can even include it in your press statement."

    "Thanks doc." Cedric told Dr. Santos with a smile as he took the CD and the print out of the ultrasound.

    "Congrattions again." Dr. Santos said as Cedric helped Adrianna off the bed.

    The couple bid their goodbyes to the doctor and scheduled their next appointment. Cedric wanted Adrianna to have a check up as often as possible, he wanted to make sure that their children and Adrianna were in the best condition.

    "Cedric, don''t you think this is too much." Adrianna said with a frown as they walked down the hall.

    "No, I just want to make sure you and the babies are fine. A check up every week is not too much." Cedric insisted.

    "Fine." Adrianna said, surrendering to what her husband wanted. She knew that he was only concerned with her well being.

    "Great." Cedric said with a smile.

    As the couple walked out of Saints Hospital, there were already several members of the press waiting outside for them.

    The news of Adrianna''s second pregnancy had been a hit both on the traditional news channels as well as on social media, everyone wanted a piece of the action.

    Cedric stopped before stepping out, he wanted to make a statement first before letting Adrianna face the crowd.

    "Friends from the press." Cedric said as the people waiting outside for them quieted down. "I hope you all understand that this ce is still a hospital, and I would like everyone to respect that. Please give space for the doctors, patients, and staff to pass."

    The members of the press quickly moved a little, widening the walkway and giving space for those going to Saints Hospital to pass.

    Cedric smiled at the new found professionalism of the reporters, he was d they were changing their once chaotic ways.

    "Now, please understand that my wife is three months pregnant, and I would really like to keep her in a stress free environment, so if you could avoid shouting and asking questions we would appreciate it. I will give you answers and statements myself, so don''t worry." At his words the members of the media nodded, agreeing to respect their space.

    "My wife and child are healthy, and that''s all the news we have to share. We can''t tell the gender yet, so for those that wanted to ask that, well there''s your answer." Cedric informed them.

    "My wife and I will head home now so she can rest, I hope you can all adhere to our agreement." Cedric said with a smile as he gestured for Adrianna and some of the guards to step out.

    To Cedric''s surprise the crowd was not rowdy, they simply snapped photos and let the couple leave in peace.

 Chapter 645 - 645

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    On the drive home, Cedric had called all of their friends and family, inviting them over for dinner at their Mountain View mansion.

    To his friends, he said that he had an update on Cami and Benedict trying to get to Lucius Ting. And to the parents, he simply said that Yoyo wanted to invite his grandparents and see them, it would also be a celebration of his first day in school.

    "Well, the only person I have to call is Ram." Cedric told Adrianna. "Do you want to give Julia a call first?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "Just call Ram, I don''t mind." Adrianna told Cedric with augh. She found it quite amusing that Cedric was very worried about their friends being ufortable in each other''s presence.

    Cedric tapped on his phone as he gave Ram a call. After a few rings, the TV executive finally picked up his phone.

    "Hey Ced, is this about you and Adri being in the news because of the hospital visit?" Ram asked, not waiting for Cedric to even say hi. "If you need it taken down I can handle it, but you did extremely well with the press. I think you should keep it out there."

    "Oh, thanks." Cedric said awkwardly. "But that''s not why I''m calling."

    "It''s not?" Ram asked with a curious tone.

    "No." Cedric responded with augh. His friend had been so quick to jump into assumptions that hepletely missed the mark.

    "So what is this all about?" Ram asked over the phone.

    "Adri and I are hosting a dinnerter." Cedric started off. "And we wanted to check if you coulde."

    "Can I bring Francesca?" Ram asked over the phone.

    "Actually, I called because it''s kind of rted to Francesca, well more rted to your love life." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Did I do something?" Ram asked with a suspicious tone.

    "Well, no, not really, but there is something I wanted to ask you." Cedric said over the phone.

    "Alright, sure, shoot." Ram told Cedric.

    "Adrianna is inviting Julia over, I know the two of you have a history, I just wanted to know if it''s alright or if you could be civil over dinner." Cedric said slowly.

    "Cedric, do you think I''m such an immature child?" Ram asked with a chuckle. "We didn''t work out, that''s it. If Julia feels ufortable with me around, I can avoid her."

    "Alright. Thanks Ram. I''ll see you tonight." Cedric said happily.

    "That''s it?" Ram asked as he continued tough over the phone.

    "Oh, wait, no, not just that." Cedric said as he remembered his excuse for hosting a dinner at their ce.

    "Hmmm?" Ram asked over the phone.

    "The diner is just an excuse." Cedric told Ram. "I got news from Cami and Benedict, they''ve been able to sway Lucius Ting''s opinion of them. They want to give us an update."

    "Great, alright. I''ll see you then." Ram said enthusiastically as they dropped the call.

    "Well, Ram said he doesn''t mind." Cedric said with a shrug.

    Adrianna nodded and gave Julia a call.

    Cedric tried to listen into her conversation with Julia, but when Adrianna''s face turned sour. It seemed that Julia had been more affected than Ram.

    The girls were on the phone until the couple finally made it to R Tower, Cedric had arranged for them to have lunch there on a small date.

    When Adrianna finally dropped the call, she sighed and shook her head.

    Cedric didn''t say a word, he simply pulled his wife to him and hugged her tightly, allowing her to feel sad in his arms.

    After a few minutes, Cedric finally released his hold around Adrianna as she looked up and gave him a sad smile.

    "What did Julia say?" Cedric asked, he was quite curious as to what could bother his wife so much.

    "Julia is being selfish." Adrianna told him as she shook her head. "She said that she doesn''t want to see anything rted to Ram for at least a few years, as a matter of fact she even left the country without telling us."

    "Isn''t that a bit too drastic?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "Let''s just talk about it over lunch." Adrianna told her husband as she opened her door.

    Cedric quickly stepped out of the car and ran to her side and helped her out. They walked over to the elevator as it ascended up to the floor of Nouveau.

    The manager and the waiters were already waiting for them when the elevator doors opened.

    Cedric nodded in acknowledgement of the manager who led them to their private dining room in the restaurant. He quickly gave their orders and the manager left to inform the chef.

    "You were saying?" Cedric asked his wife as he encouraged her to tell him Julia''s story.

    "Julia said she couldn''t stand being in the country where Ram or Francesca was on every billboard, magazine, and newspaper." Adrianna exined with a frown.

    "Did you tell her our news?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "No, I didn''t." Adrianna said as she shook her head. "I figured that she would be back soon. She said something that bothered me."

    "What was it?" Cedric asked.

    "She said that Ram and Francesca were not really in love, that it was merely a marriage of convenience if the two would ever get married." Adrianna said with a frown. "Is it true?" Adrianna asked.

    "No, well it was at the start." Cedric said with a sigh. "He loves her now, they love each other now."

    "Julia wille back to win him back." Adrianna said, catching Cedric by surprise.

 Chapter 646 - 646

    After staying quiet for a while Cedric suddenly burst outughing. Coincidentally the waiters came in and served their food.

    Cedric knew that the waiters were probably thinking something was wrong with him because Adrianna was not smiling, she even had an annoyed look on her face as if to say she was not amused by Cedric''s reaction.

    When their food was finally served and the waiters left them alone, Cedric sat up and collected himself.

    "What''s so funny?" Adrianna asked her husband as she picked up her utensils and began to eat.

    "If this was some overly dramatized novel, I would be the bad friend that insisted Ram date Francesca." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "But you did insist Ram date Francesca." Adrianna said with a raised eyebrow. "Plus it was for both their sakes. Francesca needed someone to pretend she had moved on from her fiance, while Ram needed to date someone that the Abads would approve of."

    "Yeah, I''m the bad best friend." Cedirc said with augh.

    "It could also be the opposite." Adrianna told Cedric as she looked up from her meal.

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked, confused by her statement. "Am I the amazing best friend that set Ram up with the love of his life?" Cedric teased.

    "That''s possible." Adrianna said with a shrug. "Julia could also be the evil ex that will stop at nothing to get him back. We never know, only time will tell and it''s all up to the three of them."

    Cedric couldn''t help but look and observe his wife, it was clear that she was quite bothered by Julia''s decision toe back and fight for Ram''s love. Based on his interactions with Julia, she wasn''t a bad person, she had merely fallen in love and was not able to let go so easily.

    "Julia is not a bad person, Adrianna." Cedric said in a stern tone. "I don''t want you thinking that your friend is a bad person just because she loves someone who doesn''t feel the same way about her." Cedric told his wife.

    "She''s chasing someone who is unavable." Adrianna said, shaking her head.

    "This isn''t a matter that we can decide for them, Adri." Cedric told her with a frown. "We don''t know where all the pieces will fall when this is over."

    "I''m afraid of her spiraling to a point that we can''t get to her." Adrianna confessed. "I''m worried about her Cedric. I don''t want her to risk everything and lose everything for Ram. This isn''t the first time this has happened to her, she has a history."

    "Adrianna, people fall in and out of love all the time. People go great lengths just to be with the person they love." Cedric told his wife with a sigh. "It is only when things don''t work out that people are viinized and seen as bad. They are only bad in my opinion, if they cross a line."

    "And what line is that?" Adrianna asked her husband. "What if some woman decided she was in love with you and she chased after you? What if she tried to get close to you, to trick you?"

    "We can''t stop people from wanting to work at the Reyes Group, regardless of their intentions." Cedric told his wife in a stern tone. "They can work for me, but if they try to flirt with me or to trick me, then they are out, gone. That is wrong."

    "Alright." Adrianna said with a nod, surrendering to his logic.

    "Alright?" Cedric asked, confused about her reaction. His wife was not one to back down from a fight. Why was she letting him win this time? "You ept my logic?" He asked, utterly dumb founded by what Adrianna had just told him.

    "You are right." Adrianna suddenly admitted, shocking Cedric once again. "It''s not like we can make a decision for them, the best thing that we can do is to give them unbiased advice with their best interests at heart." Adrianna said with a shrug.

    "Wow, just like that and I''m right?" Cedric asked, still unsure if he was walking into a trap or not.

    "Why would I lie to you?" Adrianna said with augh. "I want to talk to Julia now."

    "What do you want to talk to her about?" Cedric asked.

    "I was just thinking that we could use some girl talk." Adrianna said with a shrug. "I hate that she felt she couldn''te to me about this. She is my friend, we have been good friends, no, best friends for over a decade, I can''t'' believe that she left without saying goodbye, or that she wasn''tfortable when it came to talking to me about Ram."

    "When do you n to talk to her?" Cedric asked his wife as he took a bite of his food.

    "There is no time like the present." Adrianna said with a shrug as she took out her phone and dialed Julia''s number.

    "Do you want some privacy?" Cedric asked as he made a move to stand up and leave the room. He knew at Julia would be much morefortable in opening up to his wife if he wasn''t on the call with her.

    "No, it''s fine, stay." Adrianna said, shaking her head. "Just stay quiet. I won''t tell her you are around."

    "Alright." Cedric said as he walked over to his personal wine collection and picked out a bottle for himself.

    The phone rang for a while before Julia finally picked up.

    "Adri?" Julia asked over the phone, clearly confused as to why her friend would call again.

    "Julia, I think we need to talk." Adrianna said in a sad tone. Adrianna sounded hurt and disappointed, something that Julia did not miss out.

    "Look, Adri if this is about Ram I-" Julia began to say before Adrianna cut her off.

    "No Julia, this isn''t about Ram and you, this is about our friendship." Adrianna said as Cedric watched a tear roll from the side of her face.

    Cedric knew that Adrianna was a strong woman, she wasn''t easily brought to tears. He knew that her friend''s behavior disappointed her, he just didn''t expect it to affect her this much. Had he known, he would have never let her make the call.

    Cedric reached over and took out his handkerchief and handed it to Adrianna. She simply smiled, took it from his hand, and whipped her tears away. When she tried to give it back, Cedric shook his head, he knew she was yet to cry even more.

    "What about us, Adri?" Julia asked, her worry evident in the tone of her voice.

    "I am shocked and disappointed in you Julia." Adrianna said in a pain filled tone as she answered her friend''s question.

    Cedric took a sip of his wine as he walked over to sit beside his wife.

    "I''m sorry if I don''t match up to your expectations Adrianna, not everyone can be as perfect as you!" Julia used, taking Cedric and Adrianna by surprise, they never expected her to answer back that way.

    "What are you talking about, Julia?" Adrianna asked with a confused tone. "I never set any expectations of the sort when ites to my friends."

    "Then why are you saying you are disappointed in me?" Julia asked in a bitter tone. "Is it because I couldn''tnd a man as powerful and perfect as yours?"

    "Julia, what has gotten into you?" Adrianna asked. "I was disappointed that you didn''t tell me, that you felt you couldn''t open up to me, where is all of thising from?" Adrianna asked as she sobbed on the other end of the line.

    Cedric ced aforting hand on her back, as he rubbed it in an attempt tofort his wife.

    "Julia, we have been friends for years, why is it like you can''t trust me? Why are you being distant again?" Adrianna asked in a demanding tone.

    "Again? Again? When have I ever been distant, Adrianna, give me one example!" Julia shouted over the phone.

    "Yes, again Julia." Adrianna said, she couldn''t believe that Julia had simply forgotten how she left them hanging for years when she dated some guy they never met. "Don''t you remember going AWOL on us when you were dating that mystery guy?"

    "I did not go AWOL on you guys. That rtionship needed my full attention!" Julia answered back angrily.

    "Three years, Julia. Three fucking years, we didn''t hear anything from you, but we never left." Adrianna said, now furious at her friend. "We all promised not to let that happen again. You came back after three years telling us how the man had broken your heart, left you pregnant only for you to lose the child. We were there for you and we told you we would always be there for you."

    "Well, there are times I need to be alone, I need to find myself." Julia said in a calmer tone as Adrianna reminded her of the incident in the past.

    "But you didn''t have to do this to us, we are here for you, don''t you trust us?" Adrianna asked as she cried over the phone.

    "With Ram, no Adri, I don''t think I can trust you." Julia confessed as she dropped the call.

 Chapter 647 - 647

    Cedric ced a hand on his wife''s back as she began to sob. Her best friend had just shattered her heart, broken it into a million pieces with just a few words.

    "I''m sorry." Cedric told Adrianna. He couldn''t help but feel bad for his wife and at the same time he felt that he was partially to me for the way Julia had treated Adrianna. She was stuck in between her best friend and him.

    "Cedric, you don''t need to apologize for anything." Adrianna said, shaking her head. "She was like thisst time too." Adrianna said with a sigh.

    "What happenedst time?" Cedric asked. "You never told me aboutst time."

    "It''s because we didn''t know each other back then yet, silly." Adrianna said with augh. "We thought she had learned, it''s been years."

    "How long ago?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, we were fresh out of highschool back then, she went somewhere to take the summer off. I forgot where." Adrianna told him. "It was supposed to be just the summer, then apparently she met a man and decided to study there to be closer to him."

    "And her parent''s didn''t stop her?" Cedric asked, confused as to why Julia''s parents had allowed her to stay in a foreign country with a man they did not know.

    "We always assumed that he was some rich and powerful man, either an heir of something or maybe even an old boss who was a widower or someone that was not married." Adrianna exined. "The only way her parents would agree is if the man was important."

    "Then he probably was." Cedric said with a nod as he encouraged Adrianna to continue her story.

    "At first, we thought it was a normal, love filled rtionship." Adrianna exined. "She would still contact us from time to time, but eventually she stopped talking to us. The only reason she gave back then was because he didn''t trust her when we were on the phone."

    "He was controlling and jealous?" Cedric asked, to which his wife replied with a simple nod.

    "We never got to meet him." Adrianna told Cedric. "We only heard about her new love, then she stopped contacting us. We kinda hoped that Julia would give us a call some time, but the call never came."

    "But she came back, right?" Cedric asked. She definitely came back and she came back single, so what happened with the man, Cedric wondered.

    "She was gone for two years." Adrianna said with a frown. "When she came back she was broken and in tears. She didn''t want to face any of us."

    "This was still before we started dating." Cedric said slowly.

    "Yes, it was right before." Adrianna told him with a nod. "By the time you came into the picture we had found a way to distract Julia so that she wouldn''t think of the man. And as we hoped, time healed her pain and helped her move on." Adrianna said with a shrug.

    "I''m guessing you never found out about the man?" Cedric asked.

    "No, but she would talk about him a little. She would tell us how sweet and caring he was at first, how hevished her with his attention." Adrianna exined. "She even went as far as saying that something happened which changed his demeanor towards her."

    "She never told you what happened to make him change?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "No, she would simply make us drop the topic." Adrianna told him with a shrug.

    "Did you try asking her parents?" Cedric asked, to him this was the natural course of action he would have taken if any of his friends were in the same predicament.

    "We did, we tried to talk to her mom and dad but they just told us to drop it." Adrianna exined to Cedric with a frown.

    "So this man was definitely powerful." Cedric said with a nod. "Do you think she was a rich man''s mistress?" Cedric asked.

    "I wouldn''t put the idea off of the table, it''s a possibility." Adrianna said with a nod. "I mean, why would she keep it a secret if it was just an ordinary rtionship?" Adrianna asked, airing her doubts and hesitations.

    "Do you want me to look into it?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "No, don''t." Adrianna said as she shook her head, refusing his offer. "It''s in the past, plus I doubt you would get any proof now."

    "Okay." Cedric siad, agreeing to her request. "Why don''t we go home? You should rest." Cedric pointed out.

    "I''m not tired." Adrianna told him as she rolled her eyes, annoyed at Cedric being overprotective.

    "We should at least go home." Cedric said with augh as he helped his wife up from her seat.

    "Cedric, do you think we could pick Yoyo up from school?" Adrianna asked her husband with a concerned look on her face.

    "Adri, if people knew that Yoyo was studying there, then he wouldn''t be able to live a normal life. We spoke about this." Cedric reminded her with a frown. She wasn''t the only one having a hard time with their situation, but this was the alternative to Yoyo going into poverty training.

    "I know we spoke about this Ced, but it makes me sad that we can''t even pick him up after his first day in school." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "It makes me sad too, Adri." Cedric said as he held her hand and interlocked their fingers. "Why don''t I try to think of something with Leonter?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "Alright." Adrianna said with a nod.

    "But this is only for today. You can''t keep picking our son up from school, it''s for yours and his safety." Cedric said in a stern voice as they exited the private room and walked to the elevator.

    They were greeted by the staff who bowed and wished them well. Cedric gave them a rare smile and nodded back as he passed by.

    When they finally made it into the elevator, his wife looked up at him and nodded.

    "Alright, just for today Ced." Adrianna told her husband. "Just for today, I won''t do this next time."

    "Good." Cedric told her as he nted a kiss on the top of her head, he was happy that she peacefully agreed.

 Chapter 648 - 648

    When they arrived at their Mountain View Mansion, Adrianna told Cedric that she was going to rest in their room, Cedric let her go knowing that carrying twins would be more tiring than when she was pregnant with Yoyo.

    "Ask Leon and Dave to meet me in my office." Cedric told his driver before walking into the house himself and heading to his home office on the first floor.

    Dave had been on standby the entire day in case Cedric needed anything and Leon followed Cedric around everywhere he went. So it didn''t take long for the two men to arrive in his home office.

    When Dave and Leon finally joined him, he was speaking with a maid, arranging for that night''s dinner. Cedric wanted it to be a rxed and informal event, it was just going to be family and friends, so there was no need for anything over the top. Just some simple home cooked meals, mostly parents'' favorites.

    "Sir, you asked for us?" Leon asked as he and Dave entered the room.

    Cedric nodded in their direction before telling the maid that that was all he needed and for her to start working with the others on the night''s festivities.

    "Adrianna would like to find a way to pick Yoyo up from school today." Cedric told Leon and Dave in a displeased tone.

    "I thought you already discussed that picking Yoyo up from school is just not possible?" Leon asked Cedric. He knew that his boss had tried really hard to figure out a way to pick their son up from school, but all options were just too risky.

    "She''s pregnant and I want to make her happy. So help me think of a way." Cedric groaned as heined to his employees.

    Even if Leon and Dave worked for Cedric, to him, they were more like friends. Just as he treated Ian and Cami as friends, so he was nowing to them not as their boss, but as a friend in desperate need of advice.

    "There is one option that I thought of." Leon said quite hesitantly. "But I''m not sure it''s a good idea." Leon said with a frown.

    "Spill." Cedric demanded as he looked his bodyguard and friend in the eyes.

    "Your car is heavily tinted in the front, so no one will know if someone is seated in the front seat, unless they got into the car themselves." Leon exined.

    "Ohhhhh" Dave said as he slowly reacted to Leon''s idea. Cedric gave both men a puzzled look as he tried to figure out what they were thinking.

    "I''m not sure if you''ll enjoy the idea." Leon said with a shrug. "How long has it been since youst drove a car?"

    "Not that long." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes at his friend. "At least since before I revealed my identity."

    "Okay, that''s not too bad." Dave said with augh. "He isn''t going to enjoy this." The young assistant said as he shook his head, already expecting Cedric''sints.

    "Just say it." Cedric said in a loud voice as he grew impatient of his friends taking him around in circles with their idea.

    "You drive, I ride in the back." Leon said with a shrug, suggesting that his n was quite simple.

    "And my wife?" Cedric asked Leon with a raised eyebrow.

    "She sits in front, people won''t see you and you will still be able to pick your son up, it''s a win-win scenario. But of course we can only pull this off once." Leon said as he began to think of the repercussions of their n.

    "I''ll take it." Cedric said with a nod as he dismissed them and rested for the rest of the day.

    Cedric didn''t have to wait long till they had to pick Yoyo up from school. He asked Adrianna to meet him in the garage.

    When she finally arrived, Cedric opened the front door to one of his simple white sedans.

    "We can pick Yoyo up today, but you need to sit in front and don''t call out to Yoyo till the door closes." Cedric told his wife. Adrianna smiled and hugged him before finally getting into the car.

    "You ready boss?" Leon said with augh.

    Cedric simply smiled in response before walking over to the driver''s side of the car and getting in.

    The drive to Yoyo''s school took longer than earlier that morning since they no longer had a security escort. This time they had to brave through rush hour traffic.

    When they finally made it to Yoyo''s school there was a long line of cars at the gate. Cedric frowned as he saw how many VVIPs were cutting the line.

    "I bet Miguel and Veronica are cutting the line too." Adrianna said with augh.

    "I doubt." Leon told Adrianna as he pointed at a spot two cars ahead of them, and true enough, it was Miguel''s car.

    They all knew what Miguel''s favorite car looked like since the couple had lived at the Mountain View Mansion guest house for over a year while their house was being built.

    "All those VIPs cutting the line will feel so ashamed when they learn that Miguel and Veronica waited in line." Adrianna said with augh. "I mean, you can''t get more important than the miracle doctor, who probably has an operation tonight."

    "He actually doesn''t." Cedric said with a smile. "He''sing to dinner, remember?" Cedric reminded his wife.

    "Oh, I forgot. But people don''t need to know that." Adrianna told Cedric as she took out her phone and snapped a series of photos.

    "What are you doing?" Cedric asked as he tried to look at what his wife was excitedly typing.

    "Sending in an anonymous rumor that people are cutting the line while the Chans are waiting patiently." Adrianna told him as she ced her phone away.

    It didn''t take too long for the line to move, eventually Cedric was already at the school gate. He watched as several guards walked Dominic out of school, making sure that he was safe.

    From the corner of his eye, Cedric spotted a sh, he turned to see what was happening when the door to the car suddenly opened and his son got in.

    Cedric managed to catch a glimpse of the man with a camera, but Cedric wasn''t sure if he saw things right. He thought he saw Lucius Ting, waiting outside his son''s school.

 Chapter 649 - 649

    Meanwhile, two cars ahead of Cedric and Adrianna, Miguel gave his wife a confused look as she startedughing at her phone.

    "What''s gotten into you?" Miguel asked, as his wife continued tough.

    "It seems Adrianna and Cedric decided to pick Yoyo up from school." Veronica told her husband as she handed Miguel her phone. "Only they would dare send an image like this with the caption."

    Miguel looked at the particr social media post Veronica was referring to. It was from a very popr gossip ount that posted rumorsing from various sources, most of which had photo or video evidence.

    "Ha, Cedric knows I''m in no rush." Miguel said with augh as he shook his head. "I don''t have any operations today. We have dinner at their ce tonight."

    "Still, it''s really interesting and intriguing that we didn''t just cut the line." Veronica said with a smile as she took her phone back from her husband. "Plus people are now wondering why we are even lined up to fetch someone from school."

    "I''m sure the rumors are all over the ce now." Miguel said with a smile as he watched the line move forward as one child got in the car at the head of the line. "There is a Chan in this school and people can''t figure out who''s." Miguel said with a grin.

    "Ram told you about the rumors?" Veronica asked Miguel. She knew her husband got most of his rumors from Ram, since everything about the five princes had to go through him first.

    "Actually, no." Miguel said with a cheeky grin. "The school administrator called, apparently parents have been asking him if some bigshot had decided to send his child to school."

    "There are no Chans with children Dominic''s age though." Veronica said as she looked out the window.

    "No, there are none, that''s why they are so confused." Miguel said with augh. "I''m pretty sure they will say that Dominic is my child from some doctor or nurse that I slept with long ago."

    "He does have some features that resemble you." Veronica told her husband as she thought of their adopted son.

    "He is my son no matter what." Miguel said, Veronica could hear how serious and sincere he was with his words. He refused to let people question if Dominic was really theirs.

    "I''m d Cedric decided to check that school out." Veronica said with a smile as she ced a hand on her husband''s. "If he hadn''t we would never have found Dominic. He is the greatest thing to happen to us."

    "Getting married and falling in love isn''t?" Miguel asked with a raised eyebrow as he moved his face closer to his wife''s. "Because to me, having you in my life is the greatest gift I could have ever asked for."

    Veronica blushed as she turned away, pushing Miguel away from her, making the doctorugh at her reaction. Despite having been married for years she still got flustered by the small romantic things he would do such as this one.

    "V, does it bother you?" Miguel asked with a worried look on his face.

    "Does what bother me, Miguel?" Veronica asked as she turned back around to face her husband. She frowned as soon as she spotted the look on his face. She couldn''t help but feel worried about his question.

    "The fact that we had to adopt." Miguel stated in all seriousness.

    "Miguel, I love Dominic." Veronica told Miguel in a stern tone, making sure that he wouldn''t doubt or question her words. "To me he is like my biological son. We chose Dominic, he was chosen and he has a family that loves and adores him. Maybe someday we will have biological children, but for now, I am happy, and I will always be happy with Dominic."

    "You are such an amazing woman, V." Miguel said as he lowered his head and kissed his wife passionately.

    Miguel felt the car move and broke off their kiss. They had been next in line, meaning as soon as their car stopped again, a little boy would be walking in on their passionate make out session.

    The couple was shocked to see that Dominic''s teachers and the school administrators and most of the high ranking people hade out to see their son off.

    "This is too much." Veronica said with a frown. "Was it like this when you were a child?" She asked her husband. Both the Abads and the Chans were already quite rich and powerful back then, but she never remembered her husband being escorted by teachers when going out of school.

    "No, this is a first, even for me." Miguel said as the door to their car swung open.

    Dominic smiled as soon as he saw Veronica and Miguel in the car.

    Miguel watched as his wife pulled the child into her arms and hugged him tightly. Outside, teachers and school administrators looked like they were expecting something else to happen. Miguel wondered if they knew that Cedric hade to fetch his son as well.

    To his surprise, the school administrator walked towards their car. In his desire to give his wife and son some privacy, Miguel stepped out of his car and met the man halfway.

    "Is something wrong?" Miguel asked, his tone was warm and kind, this man was his teacher when he was studying so he owed his sess to the person in front of him as well.

    "Yes, I just wanted to inform you that everyone was nice to Dominic today, I''m just worried about what they might be saying behind his back." The school administrator informed Miguel.

    Miguel frowned as he thought of children making rumors about others, they were way too young for this kind of malicious drama.

    "Is it the rumors?" Miguel asked.

    "No." The school administrator said, shaking his head. "Dominic is older than his ssmates and he seems tock a bit in his education. He is smart, he just needs to catch up."

    Miguel nodded, he was d that the school administrator was more concerned about his son''s well being rather than the fake newsing from the other parents.

    "I''ll have some tutors help him out, thank you." Miguel said as he turned and left.

    Right before he entered his car his phone began to ring. Miguel took it out and was surprised to see that Cedric was calling him.

    "Yea?" Miguel asked as he answered the phone.

    "Miguel, I think I just saw Lucius Ting in the parking lot, he was taking photos of someone." Cedric said on the phone.

    Miguel quickly turned, looking for the man that imed to be his cousin.

 Chapter 650 - 650

    Miguel quickly got into his car and asked his driver to take them away, he didn''t want to linger too long since the Chans hadn''t announced Dominic''s adoption yet.

    He wasn''t worried that the child would be taken from them, all the legal proceedings had beenpleted and Dominic was legally, Dominic Chan. He just didn''t want his fake cousin spreading rumors about the boy. He never wanted Dominic to get affected by all the fighting.

    "Is something wrong?" Veronica asked her husband as she gave him a worried look. She had noticed that after taking a call he seemed worried and in a rush to leave, something very uncharacteristic of Miguel.

    "Let''s talk about it at home." Miguel said as he tucked a stray hair behind Veronica''s ear and smiled at her. It was not something he wanted to discuss in front of their son.

    "Okay." Veronica said with a nod and a smile as she turned her attention back to Dominic, who was looking up at them, observing the sweet exchange between the couple.

    "How was school today, son?" Miguel asked the little boy.

    "It was alright, I guess." Dominic said with a frown. Miguel noticed how his mood shifted when he was asked about school. It seemed the little boy was happier at home than with kids like him.

    "Did any of the other children treat you badly?" Veronica asked her son as she lifted up his little face to look him in the eyes.

    She held a gentle look, something quite different from what people normally saw of Veronica. To the outside world she was a tough, cut throat designer that would do anything and everything to seal the deal and stay on top. But in front of this child, she was simply a mother.

    "No mom." Dominic said with a frown as he looked at Veronica. "The other kids were nice to me. Nicer than in my old school."

    "They should be." Miguel scoffed. "If they treat you badly, you should tell me, we''ll make sure they stop."

    "It''s not that dad." Dominic said with a frown.

    "You know that you can tell me and your dad anything and everything, right?" Veronica asked the little boy as she hugged him tightly. "We love you and we will do anything for you."

    "It''s just. . ." Dominic began to say, but he hesitated, he seemed quite embarrassed to talk about what was bothering him.

    "I have an idea." Miguel said to his wife with a wink.

    "Drop us off at an ice cream shop, then take my wife home." Miguel instructed his driver. "Have someone take my car to me as well."

    "Yes, sir." The driver said with a nod as he signaled to changenes. The closest ice cream shop to the area they were in was at Pris Mall.

    "Father and son bonding?" Veronica asked her husband with a raised eyebrow.

    "It''s just an idea." Miguel said with a shrug. "I hope you don''t mind." Miguel told his wife he was 99% sure she would be alright with it, the 1% variable being that in case he miscalcted her mood for the day.

    "It''s fine." Veronica said with a smile. "I think it''s quite nice that you want to spend some one on one time with our son."

    "Of course I do." Miguel said proudly. "There are some things that we boys can only talk about." Miguel winked at his son who smiled at him.

    "Okay, but be careful." Veronica told him as she extended a hand and ced it on his arm. "These are unpredictable times." She reminded Miguel.

    "I''ll have our bodyguards." Miguel said, promising her to stay safe.

    It took them ten minutes to get from their location to Pris Mall. When the driver announced that they had arrived, Miguel leaned forward and nted a kiss on his wife''s lips.

    "E." Dominic said, reacting to the kiss. The little boy had quickly befortable around Miguel and Veronica. He was often vocal and happy, but there were still times where he would be silent and withdrawn. It was moments such as those that got Miguel worried.

    "We''ll be home before you know it." Miguel told Veronica.

    "I know, don''t forget we have dinner at Cedric''s." Veronica reminded her husband.

    "I won''t, we won''t bete." Miguel said as he opened the door to step out of their car.

    As he stepped out he heard Veronica telling Dominic to stay close to his father and to be a good boy. Miguel smiled as he looked back at the mother and son as they hugged and Dominic smiled and stepped out after him.

    Miguel offered his hand to his son, who took it as they watched the car drive away with Veronica inside. When the car was finally gone from their sight, Miguel looked down at the little boy who continued to stare at the direction the car had gone.

    As much as Miguel hated to admit it, Dominic loved Veronica more than him, he was more attached to his mom than his dad. It was another reason why Miguel wanted to have one on one time with his son, for them to form an even closer bond.

    "So, what ice cream do you like?" Miguel asked Dominic as they started to walk towards the mall.

    "Chocte!" Dominic said proudly.

    "Just like your auntie Katerina." Miguel said with a smile. Of course with the number of aunts and uncles Dominic had suddenly gotten, he was going to have the same favorite vor with at least one.

    Miguel noticed that Dominic didn''t seem toofortable as he looked around, as if constantly looking for something.

    "Is something wrong?" Miguel asked Dominic.

    Dominic shook his head, refusing to tell his father what was bothering him.

    Miguel took a deep breath and paused. He then got down on one knee, cing him at the same height as his son.

    "Dominic, don''t ever be scared of telling me what''s bothering you." Miguel told his son in the most tender and loving way that he could. "I''m your dad, I''ll always want you to be happy."

    The little boy hesitated at first, unsure if he could speak up or if he should remain silent. In the end it seemed that his trust in Miguel had prevailed and he decided to voice himself out.

    "Dad, I''m not used to being followed around all the time." Dominic said as he awkwardly looked at the bodyguards that were shielding them from the eyes of the public.

    Miguelughed at his son''s concern.

    "Dominic, if it''s just the bodyguards I can ask them to be less visible." Miguel told his son with a smile. "But you will need to get used to them eventually, they are there to protect you."

    "Okay, dad." Dominic said with a smile.

    Miguel gestured one bodyguard over to them and gave his instructions. In the few minutes that it took them to get from the entrance of the mall to the ice cream shop, it was as if the guards were nowhere to be seen.

    "Do you feelfortable now?" Miguel asked his son as they lined up for their ice cream.

    "Yes dad, thank you." Dominic said as he smiled at his father.

    Behind them, Miguel knew that several people were already snapping photos and news of him having a son would spread like wildfire.

 Chapter 651 - 651

    "One chocte ice cream and one vani ice -" Miguel was cut off when he felt a tugging at his shirt. He looked down at his son who clearly wanted something.

    "Can I have sprinkles and cookies on mine, dad?" Dominic asked in a small and shy voice.

    Miguel smiled and nodded and repeated his request to the woman at the counter.

    The cashier nodded and took his payment and gestured for them to wait for their order at the side. Miguel thanked the woman and led his son to wait for their order.

    Miguel noticed that Dominic had already realized that they had attracted the attention of many patrons of the shop.

    "Are you alright?" Miguel asked his son. He was worried that the little boy would be scared by the number of people looking at them and gossiping about them.

    "I''m fine, dad." Dominic said with a nod. "It''s nothing different from school earlier today." The boy confessed as a server handed them their orders.

    "Come on, let''s find a seat and talk." Miguel said with a nod as he took the two cups of ice cream and let his son lead the way.

    Dominic led them to some vacant seats away from people that were facing the outside. Miguel nodded as he ced the ice cream on the table and looked to see if his son needed any help getting on the stool. It was quite high and Dominic was still a malnourished child, he was smaller than children his age and weaker.

    It seemed that Dominic didn''t need his dad''s help as he easily got up on the stool and reached for his ice cream.

    "So people were staring at you in school today?" Miguel asked his son as he took a scoop of the ice cream and ate it.

    Dominic nodded as he continued to eat his ice cream in silence.

    "Did something happen?" Miguel asked. "Are you embarrassed about it? I promise I won''tugh or make fun of you, son." He said, promising to the little boy.

    "Well. . ." Dominic said as he hesitated to speak up. Clearly the little boy didn''t know if his problems at school were worth bothering his dad over.

    "No matter how small or big it is, I want to hear everything about your day, Dominic." Miguel reminded the boy.

    "Okay." Dominic said with a nod as he gathered the courage to tell his father about his day. "At first, I think kids kept looking at me because I introduced myself as Dominic Chan, and when the teacher asked me who my mom and dad were, I told them, well, you and mom."

    "You said your parents were Miguel and Veronica Chan?" Miguel asked as a smile formed on his lips.

    "Yes, I mean, you are my parents." Dominic told Miguel as he looked down at the ice cream in his little hands.

    "That makes me the happiest dad in the world, Dom." Miguel said as he patted his son on his head.

    Dominic looked up at Miguel and smiled, it was the happiest Miguel had ever seen the little boy and he was bursting with pride as the kid reached out and hugged him.

    "Dom, don''t let anyone ever make you think that you are any less than my son." Miguel told the boy in a serious tone. "Your mom and I chose you, we love you, we wanted you."

    "Thank you dad." Dominic said as he hugged his father tightly and began to cry. It seemed that the validationing from Miguel meant a lot to him.

    When Dominic finally settled down and sat back in his seat, Miguel continued to ask about his day in school.

    "So they kept looking at you because you told them who your parents were?" Miguel asked his son.

    Dominic nodded. "Yes, they also tried to talk to me. There were so many people, dad." The boy said with a frown as he recounted his day. Dominic was not used to being with so many children his age trying to treat him nicely, so it was quite a shock for him, something Miguel understood.

    "They treated me so well because I was your son." Dominic said as he thought about what had happened.

    "Dom, this isn''t thest time that will happen." Miguel said with a sigh, thinking about the many times people treated them well just because of theirst name. "People will always try to be your friend because you are a Chan, so you will need to learn to choose your friends wisely."

    "Like you and my uncles?" Dominic asked his father.

    "Yes, like how I made friends with Cedric, Ray, Ram, and Alexi." Miguel said with a nod. "You have friends too, like your cousin Tristan and Cedric''s son Yoyo. But they are both much younger than you. You will need to have friends your age."

    Dominic nodded as he understood what his father was telling him.

    "So why did you seem so sad if people were trying to be friends with you?" Miguel asked, he knew that there was something deeper to this, something his son was yet to tell him. And something told him that it was rted to what the school administrator said.

    "They asked how old I was." Dominic said with a frown. He was much older than most of his ssmates, but because of what he had suffered from his old school he had been dyed in his development and in his education.

    "Did you tell them the truth?" Miguel asked. "I wouldn''t be ashamed or surprised or bothered if you lied Dom, it''s only normal."

    Dominic shook his head to say that he did not lie.

    "It told them the truth." Dominic said.

    "Did their attitudes change?" Miguel asked. He knew that children could be brutally honest at times, but that was a trait that he liked when dealing with children, they told the truth.

    "Some did, they asked why I was so old, but others were still nice, avoiding the topic." Dominic said in a sad tone as he once more looked down at the ice cream before him.

    "I''m guessing you learned that people don''t always tell the truth." Miguel said with a frown. Saddened at how young boys were already quite two faced at the sight of someone that they could use to climb the socialdder.

    Miguel had a hunch that this was something that those boys had learned from their parents, something drilled into them, especially since rumors of Yoyo going to school had began to circte.

    "I thought they were really nice, dad." Dominic said with a frown as he looked at his dad. "Then I overheard them, talking about how stupid I was, how I was held back, about how easy it would be to trick me to being their friend. Dad, I''m not stupid." The little boy said.

    "Dom, I know you aren''t." Miguel said with a smile. He knew the boy was quite smart, among the tests they had to make him go through was an IQ test, and he had scored quite close to genius.

    "But dad, it''s clear that I am. The kids my age are in grades much higher than me." Dominic said with a frown.

    "Your mom and I didn''t want to push you, we thought you wouldn''t be ready, but if you want we can start you on some sses outside of school to help you catch up. That is, if you are ready." Miguel told his son with a nod.

    Dominic smiled up at Miguel, he had a new determination in his eyes as he heard Miguel''s suggestion.

    "Alright. I''ll arrange for it." Miguel said as Dominic hugged his father tightly.

 Chapter 652 - 652

    Miguel smiled as he drove his car to Cedric''s home, his wife was in the front seat, and his son sat at the back as he hummed a tune. The first time they heard Dominic hum and sing, the couple was quite surprised at how good their son''s singing voice was.

    Their home in the Mountain Viewmunity was not far from Cedric''s mansion. As a matter of fact it only took them five minutes to drive between the two homes.

    As Miguel entered the gate, he noticed Dominic sit up and lean forward. The boy was very excited to see his cousin and his new friend, even if there was a significant age gap between them. The two other boys never treated him any differently, which he liked.

    "Are you excited about dinner?" Miguel asked his son, who was practically bouncing in the back seat as Cedric''s elegan home came into view.

    "Yes!" Dominic said excitedly.

    Next to Miguel, Veronica stifled augh as her husband gave her a nce.

    "What?" Miguel asked as he looked at his wife suspiciously.

    "He is hyper because you gave him ice cream before dinner." Veronica told Miguel in a yful tone. "How many times do I have to remind you, no sweets before dinner?"

    "You were in the car with us, V." Miguelined. "You could have said something."

    "Why ruin the fun?" Veronica said with augh as they drove up in front of the house''s entrance. Where a driver was waiting to park their car. "You are taking care of him tonight. Enjoy." Veronica said with a wink as she got out of the car and walked ahead.

    Miguel rolled his eyes at his wife and turned to face their son in the backseat.

    "I guess, we''re bonding some more today." Miguel told his son with a wink. The boy simply gave his father a curious look before stepping out of the car.

    Miguel sighed and followed his family, stepping out of the car and handing the keys to Cedric''s driver for him to park.

    When Miguel entered the house, it seemed that all of his friends and siblings were already there, as a matter of fact they were probably thest in their group to arrive.

    "What took you guys so long?" Cedric asked as he came out of his office. "You guys literally live next door."

    "We needed some father-son time." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "The boys are in Yoyo''s room." Cedric told Dominic with a smile. "This is Gina, she''ll take you to them, if you need anything just ask Gina." Cedric said as he introduced a young nanny to Dominic.

    Dominic nodded and went with the nanny.

    "He''s quite trusting of us." Cedricmented as he led his friends to his office.

    "He knows he is safe and that we would never hurt him, I''m actually surprised at how fast he ended up trusting us." Miguel told his friend as they entered the room.

    "Different people heal at different paces." Eric said, joining in on their conversation. "Dominic seems to have emotionally healed faster, which is good. This means you can focus on his growth and his physical health."

    "He is a smart kid, he wants to learn." Miguel told his older brother. "I''ll look for tutors for him tomorrow. I also want to develop his talent, he sings quite well."

    "I can send you a list of voice coaches." Ram volunteered. "It would be nice to have another person here in the industry."

    "Aren''t Eric and Francesca enough?" Miguel asked as he pointed at his older brother.

    "It would be nice to mentor a young talent." Eric said as he scratched his chin. "I ept! I shall mentor my nephew!" He said proudly.

    "Oh, shut up." Katerian groaned at her boyfriend''s enthusiasm. "You don''t even know if the child really wants to pursue a career in music."

    "We''re keeping his options open for him." Veronica said with a smile as she settled on a couch. Miguel sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

    "My wife always knows the right thing to say." Miguel said as he kissed her on the cheek.

    "Did he do something wrong?" Adrianna asked with augh as they observed Miguel''s affectionate actions.

    "Aside from the fact that he is always head over heels over my sister?" Ram asked. "He probably messed something up."

    Everyoneughed at Ram''sment. Miguel simply frowned and nodded, they weren''t wrong.

    "Sugar before dinner." Veronica said, rolling her eyes. "It''ll be tough getting Dominic to sleep. He might be twelve years old, but almost everything about him is dyed."

    "Don''t worry, he''ll be exhausted after ying with Yoyo and Tristan." Cedric said with augh. "The two boys are way too excited to y, I''m surprised my son even has the energy, he had a long day at school."

    "He took a nap, that''s enough to recharge him." Adrianna said with a grin.

    "Anyway, shouldn''t we be discussing something?" Miguel said as he tried to shift the topic back to the reason why Cedric had called all of them over.

    "Ah, yes, Cami and Benedict have an update." Cedric said as he pressed the call button on the screen.

    After a few rings the sibling''s faces shed as they smiled at the group.

    "Cami and Benedict called me earlier today to tell me that they have finally gained Lucius'' trust." Cedric announced.

    "Wow. How?" Miguel asked as he leaned forward.

    "One yed traitor." Cami said with a grin.

    "Benedict pretended to betray you?" Eric asked Cami, wanting to hear the details.

    "No, I pretended to betray Benedict and Cedric." Cami said with a confident smile.

    Everyone was shocked at Cami''s words, it seemedpletely unlikely that Cami would be the one to betray Cedric and that Benedict would be the one on Cedric''s side.

    Benedict had been with his older brother Adien since birth, it was ridiculous for Lucius to believe such a lie.

    "Impossible." Ram finally said, breaking the silence.

    "No, it was as simple as knowing your enemy." Benedict said with a smile, clearly the siblings knew something that they didn''t.

    "It would have been an obvious tactic if Benedict betrayed Cedric and our n, we simply threw Lucius something that was so impossible that the only possible reason was that it was the truth." Cami said with a shrug.

    "Smart." Cedric said with a nod as he listened intently to their exnation. "So how did you pretend to betray us Cami?" Cedric asked as he listened to his former assistant.

    "I told Lucius that Benedict and you hade to an agreement, blood money, for Aiden''s death." Cami exined. "I said that I could prove it to him that you paid for Aiden''s life in cash and it was that very cash that Benedict used to fund Lucius'' enterprise."

    "And how did you get the records?" Cedric asked as he leaned forward.

    "Ian." Cami said with a grin.

    Cedric turned to look at Ian who was nowughing at what his friend had just said.

    "You knew?" Cedric asked.

    "No, of course not." Ian said as he shook his head. "Cami told me that she needed records for her''s and Benedict''s ounting with Lucius, I didn''t think twice and I simply sent it over to her,e to think of it, you wouldn''t need that document."

    Cami grinned as Ian realized that she had tricked him.

    "I showed it to Lucius and told him that I had even more proof." Cami said as she beamed with pride at their n.

    "Cami told Lucius that I would be going to R Tower and meeting up with you to discuss our ns." Benedict exined. "He didn''t even question why I was going to R Tower when I could have just given you a call."

    "The thought was just so crazy that he believed everything." Cami said,ughing at Lucius'' gullibility.

    "So I did go to R Tower." Benedict said with a shrug. "I went two days ago, all I did was to go into the lobby, go up the the restaurant, stay there for an hour or so and leave."

    "Lucius never sent anyone inside to follow Benedict." Cami said with a smile. "He couldn''t, to dine at Nouveau you need a reservation, so his men weren''t able to go up and check who Benedict was meeting."

    "All they could do was to ask the receptionist where I was going, and before going up I told the receptionist that someone may ask where I was headed, so I asked her to tell them that I was meeting someone at Nouveau." Benedict said with a grin.

    "And they bought it? They didn''t find a way to go in or anything?" Cedric asked.

    "They did, of course, but the security at R Tower is so tight that they can''t just go up the building." Cami exined.

    "And what excuse did Benedict supposedly give you to meet with Cedric?" Ray asked as he grilled the siblings trying to find cracks in their story, cracks that maybe Lucius could have seen.

    "I said that Benedict would tell me he was going to the grocery, something I questioned since it always took him way too long to get back." Cami exined.

    "This is good, this is good." Cedric said with a nod as he thought about the repercussions of their story. It was quite solid and Cedric knew it would be difficult to prove that Benedict was not meeting up with him.

    "So now, Lucius simply uses Benedict to get his funds, while he plots with me." Cami said with a grin.

    "It''s just quite difficult meeting him at different times, he keeps asking Cami what excuse she used." Benedict added.

    "He probably just didn''t want you finding out that he was speaking separately with Cami." Cedric said with a nod. "So what have you learned from him so far?" Cedric asked.

    "A lot." Cami told them as she smiled.

 Chapter 653 - 653

    Cedric sat back as he listened to what Cami and Benedict had to report. It seemed that everyone was quite eager to hear them as the room turned quiet.

    "We knew that there was something that didn''t quite align with his story. Something felt off between Lucius Ting meeting our brother and Aiden funding his business." Benedict exined through the camera.

    "So they didn''t just meet by coincidence?" Cedric asked. He knew that the official story the Lucius was sticking with was that he and Aiden had met at school and yearster, Aiden had approached him wanting to invest in his business.

    "No." Cami said, shaking her head.

    "I knew it!" Miguel said. "The odds of them just meeting by coincidence were way too low. Not only is Aiden older than Lucius, but it also seems too easy that Aiden just so happened to enroll in the same school as Lucius."

    "ording to Lucius, it was Aiden that approached him." Cami exined. "At that point, Aiden had already known who Lucius was and he knew that Lucius craved one thing, to meet his biological family." Cami said with a frown.

    "What''s wrong?" Cedric asked as he noticed her expression.

    "Lucius wouldn''t have turned out this way if our brother had not manipted him, twisted his perception of his biological family." Cami hissed.

    "Lucius isn''t Uncle Miguel''s biological son." Cedric said, catching the siblings by surprise. They had not been informed beforehand on thetest development, this was the first time that either of them was hearing this new bit of information.

    "A DNA test was done?" Benedict asked over the call. Of course only a DNA test could definitively confirm if Lucius was Andrew Chan or not.

    "No, but we have reason enough to believe that he isn''t our cousin." Eric said with a shrug.

    "You guys are all scientists and doctors, shouldn''t you Chans believe in proof. Real scientific proof that Lucius is not your cousin?" Benedict asked, surprised at how easily Eric, Miguel, and Nicole had epted the Lucius was not their cousin.

    "Our father confirmed it, Benedict." Ray said with a frown as he tried to exin the situation to the man on the other end of the call. "They knew from the start that there was a possibility that Andrew Chan, that''s the name of uncle Miguel''s son, had survived. They used all their resources and they still came to the same conclusion. The boy is dead, buried with his mother."

    "And you don''t want more proof?" Benedict asked as he looked at the people at the other end of the screen. Despite the distance Cedric could feel Benedict''s disbelief, he knew that he and his friends often craved for the truth, the whole truth, all of the facts and nothing less.

    "Look, Benedict, we are also exploring other possibilities." Cedric exined with a sigh. "There will be a DNA test, once Lucius goes too far the Chans will demand a DNA test, but until then, we need to let Lucius think that we don''t know the truth."

    "And what if Lucius is telling the truth?" Benedict asked. "What if, by some miracle, he is in fact Uncle Miguel''s son?"

    "Then I will take my birthright." Eric suddenly said, taking everyone by surprise.

    "Don''t be so shocked." Eric said with augh. "We all know that the easiest way for us to stop Lucius Ting from potentially taking over the Chan family is for me to im my birthright as the eldest son."

    "You don''t have to do this." Nicole said as she pleaded with her brother.

    "I don''t think I do." Eric said with a shrug. "But it''s a worst case scenario kind of thing. If we don''t have a choice then I''m ready. At this point of my career there isn''t much that I want, all I want now is to be with the woman I love." Eric said as he looked at Katerina.

    "Oh please, we all know your career can go much further." Ram said as he rolled his eyes. "Don''t for one second think you can fool us, yes you want to be with Katerina, but you haven''t even really gone international yet. You have offers from Hollywood and Korea to act. You even have some from China, you will be throwing all those opportunities away."

    "You never told me about those." Katerina said with a gasp as she red at Eric.

    "Darling, I never wanted you to think for one moment that you were holding me back. You aren''t Katerina, this is my life and my choice." Eric insisted.

    "And if we hadn''t made up?" Katerina asked. "Would you have pursued those opportunities?"

    Eric hesitated for a moment, he knew that Katerina already knew the answer to her own question even before she had asked it.

    "Y- yes." Eric said as he looked down.

    "This will be ast resort, a desperate move." Nicole told her brother in a stern tone. "You giving up your career, something you''ve worked so hard just to have a shot at, will only happen if we have no other choice."

    Eric froze for a moment, he had repeatedly promised that quitting his career anding home would be ast resort, but something in him kept nagging at him. Telling him that he needed to step up for his family, so he hesitated.

    "Eric, promise your brother and sister, please." Katerina begged.

    "Yes, I promise." Eric said as soon as he saw the look of worry on Katerina''s face. Katerina Sebastian who was always cold and poker faced in public was now on the verge of tears, begging her boyfriend to think of himself. Eric couldn''t help but agree to what she wanted.

    Eric pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately on the lips, making sure to savor every moment he had her in his arms.

    "Could you guys please not make out in front of us?" Alexiined as he turned away from the kissing couple. "What else did you learn Cami?" Alexi asked as he dragged the conversation back on topic.

 Chapter 654 - 654

    Camiughed at the other end of the call as she watched Alexi''s pained expression.

    "Not fun being on the receiving end, is it, brother?" Katerina asked with augh as Eric finally released her lips.

    "No." Alexi said with a scoff.

    "We''ll continue thister." Katerina whispered to Eric, in a voice loud enough for her brother to hear.

    "Can we move on, please?" Alexiined, making everyone elseugh at his expense.

    "Calm down, Alexi." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes at the politician. "We had to suffer with you making out with different girls every week, I''m pretty sure you can survive your sister making out with her boyfriend."

    "A new girl every week huh?" Selina asked as she looked at her boyfriend. Alexi gave her a smile and a shrug.

    "I''m a changed man, I swear." Alexi said with a nervousugh. "Plus, don''t pretend that you didn''t know I was a yboy."

    "Fine." Selina groaned as Alexi wrapped his arm around her waist and hugged her.

    "Okay, back on to our topic." Cedric said with augh as he turned to face Cami and Benedict. "Did Lucius mention anything about how he confirmed that he really was Uncle Miguel''s son, or what Aiden did to prove it to him?" Cedric asked as he waited for their response.

    "He did." Cami said with a nod as she smiled at Cedric and the others. "It''s quite interesting how he manages to keep up two different versions of his story, one for Benedict and one for me."

    "With me, he seems to be sticking with his original im that it was pure coincidence and all he wants now is vengeance for my brother and a rightful ce in the Chan family." Benedict said with a shrug.

    "With me, the story bes a lot moreplicated." Cami said with augh. "So, yeah, Aiden intentionally searched for him and they did really first meet in school. He found it odd that Aiden was so interested in his personal life, he was about to run cause Aiden was creeping him out. That''s when our brother told him what he knew."

    "About his supposed real family?" Ray asked Cami.

    "Yes." Cami said with a nod.

    "I''m sure Lucius didn''t immediately buy into it." Eric said with augh. "If he was to be anything close to a Chan he would have been smarter."

    "Yeah, you guys are book smart, but not street smart, so he could have believed Aiden immediately." Ram teased.

    "Hey, I know my way around." Eric said in an attempt to defend himself.

    "Darling, baby, that''s enough." Katerina told Eric as she tried to coax him. "We both know that you would get lost in the capitol and would go crazy trying to find a map."

    Everyoneughed at the example Katerina had just given, it was true, the Chans were mostly genuses, but they were the learned kind of smart. People who were more suited in the academic fields.

    "He actually didn''t at first." Cami said. "He demanded that he show proof, at first it was a DNA test, but Aiden exined that his family thought he was dead. So he began telling Lucius about details that no one else would know about."

    "The nurse." Cedirc said as he looked up at the screen.

    "Yes, one of the things Aiden mentioned was that it was male nurse that had brought him to the orphanage." Cami said with a nod as she confirmed Cedric''s guess. "Apparently, years back, when Lucius was still in high school, he and his parents went to the orphanage he was adopted from and asked for the details of his discovery."

    "So Lucius knew all along about the nurse?" Ray asked.

    "Yes, but he didn''t know that the nurse was still alive." Cami exined. "From what he knows and what he was told, the nurse died a few years after he had been adopted."

    "So it isn''t Lucius that is funding the Nurse''s lifestyle now." Miguel said as he thought of who could so desperately want this nurse to remain hidden.

    "Did Aiden have any other funds tucked away?" Cedric asked Benedict.

    "No." Benedict said, shaking his head. "I mean I actually can''t say for sure."

    "What do you mean, Benedict?" Cedric asked, his confusion clear in his tone.

    "Well, my brother had a lot of ns and some of them he kept secret from me, like this one with Lucius. I was his brother, but I guess there were still a lot of things he didn''t trust mepletely with." Benedict exined with a frown.

    As time went on, Benedict was learning more and more things about his brother. In fact he had found a lot of files on secret projects and investments his brother had been involved in, many of them Aiden was nning on using against Cedric and his friends and their families.

    "Is there any way for us to find out?" Cedirc asked. "You and Cami are his heirs, meaning both of you should have ess to what he owned."

    "Even if we could get ess to those funds, we don''t even know where to start looking." Cami said with a frown.

    "Actually, there is someone who might know." Benedict said slowly as he realized something.

    "Who?" Cedric asked.

    "What happened to Keh Cruz and his family?" Benedict asked as he remembered his brother''s right hand man.

    "Keh went to jail while Anton and Lorisa lost everything they owned. They are quite poor now." Cedric exined with a shrug.

    "We need to get to Keh Cruz, he would be our best bet in finding out if my brother was the one hiding the nurse." Benedict informed Cedric. "If it is indeed my brother, then we need to get to that nurse as soon as possible."

    "Why do you sound so panicked about this, brother?" Cami asked Benedict with a confused look.

    "Because it''s entirely possible that the nurse is in on our brother''s plot or Aiden would have arranged for him to be disposed of if anyone got too close to the truth." Benedict exined.

    Cedric heard his wife gasp behind him, he turned to see a worried look on her face.

    "Adrianna, what''s wrong?" Cedric asked his wife as he stood up and walked to her.

    "Benedict, would the people around the nurse be in danger too?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yes." Benedict said with a nod. "Aiden would not want any loose ends, and if the nurse was in on the whole n he would find a way to dispose of anyone that got too close."

    "Shit, Mae." Cedric cursed as he quickly took out his phone and gave his assistant a call.

 Chapter 655 - 655

    It took a while before Mae finally picked up the call, Cedric was already in a state of panic by the time she answered her phone.

    "Boss?" Mae asked, it was unlike Cedric to call ahead of schedule.

    "Mae, stay away from the nurse, he might be dangerous or in danger." Cedric warned her.

    "Sir, if that''s the case, then shouldn''t I try to keep him as close as possible?" Mae asked. "He trusts me, he doesn''t think I''m anything other than a temporary employee trying to learn as much as possible from the Singapore office."

    "No, Mae, stay away." Cedric said in a stern tone. "You will be cing yours and his life in danger."

    "So you aren''t sure if he is dangerous?" Mae asked.

    "It''s only a possibility, but I''m not willing to risk my people''s lives any more." Cedric said over the phone. "Please Mae, don''t." Cedric warned.

    "I''ll try my best boss." Mae grumbled. "But if you n to speak to him, do it quickly, he will notice if I stop speaking to him, I mean what kind of friend just starts avoiding you out of nowhere?" Mae asked.

    "We''ll try to fly in as soon as possible, we just need to settle some matters here." Cedric told his assistant. "Thank you, Mae." Cedric added.

    "You gave me a chance Cedric. I would do anything for you and your family." Mae said in a sincere tone.

    "Dave or I will call you when we have an update, stay safe, bye." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    He looked at his wife and nodded, when he realized why she was so concerned he too got worried. His assistants were practically family to them, they spent most of their time around Cedric and his family, working tirelessly.

    "She promised to stay away from the nurse for the time being." Cedric informed Adrianna.

    "Thank God she promised that." Ian said with a breath of relief. "Mae is the stubborn one, much worse than Dave. I was worried she would insist on doing this her way."

    "She tried." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Just to get everyone on the same page, Mae managed to find the nurse in Singapore and was quite close to him. She even found out that he moved every few years or months." Cedric exined, making sure everyone was aware of what was going on.

    "The Chan siblings and I have to go to Singapore soon in order to confront this nurse." Cedric told everyone. "It seems that if we could leave tomorrow, we should."

    "Give us a day to get everything in order." Nicole told Cedric.

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod. "I need to arrange for things on my end too. I don''t think we will be spending too long there, but it''s best to be prepared."

    "I''ming too." Adrianna volunteered.

    "No." Cedric said in a stern tone "You are pregnant and we both know that stress is bad for you at this time."

    "I''ll be stressed either way." Adrianna insisted.

    "You need to stay here Adri, for Yoyo and for the twins." Cedric told Adrianna as he ced his hand on the small bulge of a belly that she had.

    "Wait, you''re having twins?" Nicole asked, she practically squealed as she heard the news.

    "Yes, twins." Adrianna said with a proud smile. "Didn''t Dr. Santos tell you?" Adrianna asked. She had expected the doctor to tell Nicole or Miguel since they did own and run the hospital where she had her check up.

    "Of course not." Nicole said, shaking her head as she hugged Adrianna. "Patient - Doctor confidentiality."

    "As if that ever stopped you." Eric snorted as heughed at his sister.

    Nicole had a habit of looking into her friends'' medical files, something that waspletely wrong, but had saved some of them many times. She had spotted threats that other doctors had simply ignored, making people thankful for her snooping.

    "Well, with Dr. Santos it''s a no touch zone." Nicole said with augh. "She was mom''s apprentice, I can''t just ask her for Adrianna''s files, she would tell mom."

    "So you didn''t snoop out of fear of mom?" Miguel asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Whatever." Nicole said as she rolled her eyes at her brothers.

    "Sir, madam?" A voice said as a maid knocked on Cedric''s office door.

    "Yes?" Cedric called out.

    "Sir, you asked us to inform you if your father or any of your friends'' parents have arrived." The maid said in a small voice. "Some of them have arrived, sir. We led them to the pool patio as you requested."

    "Thank you. You may go." Cedric said with a nod as he dismissed the maid.

    "Sir, your father is asking where you are." The maid added.

    Cedric groaned at the thought of his dad walking into his office and finding them plotting about visiting the nurse and investigating Lucius Ting.

    "Tell my dad, I''ll be right out." Cedric ordered the maid who nodded and left.

    "I need to go to my dad first, you boys can follow me while the girls get the kids." Cedric told his friends as he fixed himself and nted a kiss on his wife''s lips.

    "I can''t wait to tell everyone about our news." Cedric said with a smile as he pulled Adrianna close.

    "Me too." Adrianna said as she kissed him back. "You should go, before your dad starts looking for you." Adrianna reminded her husband with augh.

    "Alright, alright." Cedric said as he released her from his arms. "Go get Yoyo and the boys, we''ll meet you outside."

    Adrianna nodded as Cedric, together with his friends, walked out of the room to greet their parents.

    As soon as Cedric and the boys joined their fathers, Emilio Reyes III began to shake his head in disapproval.

    "You should spend more time on your family and less on work." The older man scolded. "Learn from my mistakes."

    "Dad, I spent the whole day with Adria and Yoyo, don''t worry." Cedric said with augh as they sat down and waited for the girls. Cedric couldn''t wait to tell everyone the news.

 Chapter 656 - 656

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    When the girls finally joined them for dinner Cedric smiled and helped Yoyo sit on his high chair. The maids quickly served their meals and the group ate happily, chatting amongst themselves as they ate.

    Cedric was quite impressed by the feast his staff had served, he and Adrianna had announced to them the good news as soon as they got home from fetching Yoyo from school.

    The staff were happy and excited for the couple, Cedric was proud that they treated their staff quite well and paid them higher than the industry standard. Cedric believed that if his staff was happy, they would do better at work.

    This was his policy both at home and at the Reyes Group, a policy that had proven itself effective over the past few years.

    Cedric smiled as he looked around at their group. There weren''t that many of them, but they were quite close knit. He was happy that his children would have people like them to rely on as he grew up.

    "So Cedric, what''s with the sudden dinner invitation to dinner?" Emilio Reyes III asked his son as he yed with his namesake and grandson.

    "In a bit, dad." Cedric told his father with a smile as he signaled for the maids to give everyone a ss of wine.

    Cedric stood and held his hand out for his wife to join him in making his announcement.

    Adrianna stood next to him and smiled.

    "Friends, family. Thank you so much for all joining us tonight." Cedric said as he raised a ss at all of them. "Adrianna and I have some amazing news to share with everyone, my amazing and beautiful wife is pregnant with twins."

    "OH MY GOSH CONGRATULATIONS!" Nicole said in an exaggerated reaction, she was clearly trying to hide the fact that she already knew. Cedric did his best as he tried not tough at how exaggerated Nicole''s reaction sounded.

    "Congrattions Adri and Ced!" Sofia, one of Adrianna''s friends said as she stood and pped.

    Everyone gave their congrattions to the couple, some walking up to them, shaking Cedric''s hand and giving Adrianna a hug.

    "When did you find out?" Emilio asked his son. He was clearly beaming with pride together with Adrianna''s parents.

    "Just this morning, we went for a check up and Dr. Santos told us that she was seeing two heartbeats, not just one." Cedric told his father with a smile. "I''m really excited about this dad."

    "Do you know their genders?" Natalia asked as she released Adrianna from a hug.

    "No, the doctor said it was too soon to tell." Cedric told her, shaking his head. "But we should know in a month or two, it depends."

    "So whatbination do you think you will get?" Ayanna teased her sister inw and brother.

    "Ayanna!" Emilio Reyes said, scolding his daughter. "Your nephews or nieces are not some sort ofbo meal that you can mix and match."

    Everyone couldn''t help butugh at Emilio Reyes''ment, no one expected the former CEO and business leader to make such ament. He was normally a serious and stern figure, but as the years passed from his retirement he slowly became more easy going. A side he even showed to the public.

    "Dad!" Ayannained, whining like a child. "You know what I mean."

    "I would love for two daughters." Cedric said as he smiled at Adrianna. "I''m sure that they would be as pretty as my wife, but I would be happy with two sons too. But I think Adrianna wouldin if we had too many men in the family." Cedric said with augh.

    "Well, they could also take after you." Adrianna said with a shrug. "I think Ayanna is very pretty. I would love for my daughters to look like her." Adrianna said as she winked at Ayanna, who giggled at thepliment.

    "I do not look like my sister." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes at his wife and sister whoughed at him.

    "Cedric, you and Ayanna look alike, like a lot alike." Veronica couldn''t help but point out.

    "I remember your mom being worried that people would eventually realize that you and Ayanna looked too much alike and you would fail your poverty training because of that." Emilio Reyesughed as he mentioned the funny memory of his wife.

    "I don''t believe you." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes and emptied out his wine ss. "I passed, did I not?" Cedric asked.

    "Calm down." Ayanna said with augh.

    Everyone had their turn joking andplimenting the couple, everyone was excited about having more little ones in their group.

    Eventually the night died down and their guests began to leave. The parents were the first to go before their friends finally called it a night.

    Everyone left with a smile on their faces, gatherings like these have been too rare and too far in between.

    Thest time they were all together and this happy was even before Prisci Reyes passed away, making Cedric feel sad, he missed his mom terribly.

    As they were saying good bye to thest of their friends, Cedric stopped Ram and Francesca from leaving. He asked his friend if he could have a word with him. Ram nodded and went with Cedric to speak in his office.

    "Ram, I need to talk to you about Julia." Cedric said in a serious tone as he took a seat behind his desk.

    Ram raised an eyebrow at him, but moved closer, pulling a seat over so that he could sit at the otherside of Cedric''s desk.

    "I don''t understand why you want to talk about my ex." Ram said with a confused expression. "We weren''t even officially together, we went on dates, we confessed our affections, maybe even made out, but she refused to put abel on our rtionship."

    "Isn''t it normally the girls that demand this wholebel part?" Cedric asked as heughed at his friend. Ram was actingpletely defensive and unlike his normal self.

    "The thing is, she and I are in the past, why do you need to dig up something that''s been buried?" Ram asked his friend with a serious expression.

    "I''m not digging this up for nothing, Ram." Cedric said as he gave his friend a concerned look. He was worried for Ram because of Julia, because of what Adrianna had told him about Julia''s past.

    "Ced, I''m with Francesca and we are both happy, extremely happy." Ram said, the look on his eyes, desperate for Cedric to believe him.

    "I know you are Ram, but I am here to warn you about Julia." Cedric said in a sad tone. "What do you know about Julia''s past?" Cedric asked.

    "Her past rtionships?" Ram asked.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Not much." Ram confessed with a shrug.

    "Julia swore that she woulde back and win you back, she even unfriended Adrianna because of it." Cedric warned Ram. "Adrianna said that thest time Julia did that was when she was with this mystery man. She turns scary and evil when ites to love."

    "What does this mystery man have to do with anything?" Ram asked in a raised tone, taking Cedric by surprise. "My past rtionship with Julia is different, it''s not like I ovepped with any man."

    "Did you?" Cedric asked, curious as to his friend''s defensive behavior.

    "Of course not." Ram said with a scoff. "I will never be any woman''s dirty little secret." Ram said proudly.

    "Ram, I''m just worried about you." Cedric said with a sigh. "You are my friend and this side of Julia seems dangerous." Cedric admitted to Ram.

    "Thank you for your concern, but Cedric, I think I can handle myself against Julia Tiu." Ram said as he stood up and walked out of Cedric''s office.

    Cedric sighed and shook his head. He couldn''t help but worry about his friend, something told him that Julia in her present state was quite dangerous.

    "Dave." Cedric said as he gave his assistant a call.

    "Yes boss?" Dave asked at the other end of the line. "Shouldn''t you be having a delightful dinner?"

    Cedricughed at his assistant, the once shy man was now braver and more outspoken than he once was. A trait Cedric was d that Dave managed to pick up.

    "Dinner is done, I''m sad you missed it." Cedric told Dave.

    "It''s my dad''s birthday." Dave said. "I can''t exactly miss out on his birthday dinner. Mom invited a lot of people over, some even had the nerve to ask if I had invited my boss."

    "Adri and I would have gone, if you had asked." Cedric said.

    "Nah, it''s okay boss." Dave told Cedric. "There was no one important there, so why did you call?"

    "I need eyes on Julia Tiu." Cedric instructed.

    "Your wife''s friend?" Dave asked, making sure that he got the right person.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "I''m afraid she might do something dangerous."

    "I''m on it boss." Dave told Cedric.

    "I also want to discuss first thing tomorrow how things will be handled while I''m in Singapore. I''ll being in earlier than usual." Cedric said.

    "Okay boss, I''ll have your coffee ready, I''ll also tell Ian." Dave said, acknowledging Cedric''s instructions.

    "Thanks Dave." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    Cedric ced his phone on his desk and leaned back on his seat and sighed.

    Ram might not have been willing to take the Julia problem seriously, but Cedric had a nagging feeling that it could turn into something worse. He was willing to take the risk, just to make sure that his friend was safe.

 Chapter 657 - 657

    Cedric yawned as he stepped out of his ne, they had left the capital way too early, but that''s what they needed to do if they wanted to catch the nurse at his usual haunts.

    "What time is it?" Miguel said as he stepped down from the ne, helping his wife, Veronica, make sure that she didn''t miss a step.

    "I can make it down on my own, Miguel!" Veronica scolded as she swatted Miguel''s hand away. "Why do you have to treat me like I''m made of ss, I can manage on my own Miguel!"

    "I just don''t want you to trip." Miguel said as he suddenly picked his wife up bridal style, making her scream in surprise.

    "What the hell, Miguel Chan. Put me down now!" Veronica demanded as she kicked and tried to get her husband to let her down.

    Cedricughed at how Miguel was acting, he was always like this around Veronica, he tried to spoil her when all the woman wanted was him by her side. Veronica had always been a strong person and had always denied the need for people to help her.

    "Miguel, you''re acting like a love sick teenager." Eric Chan reprimanded as he climbed down Cedric''s private ne, following his girlfriend, Katerina, who was happily chatting with Nicole.

    "I just show my affection for my wife more than you do for your girlfriend, you are just jealous!" Miguel teased as he finally ced Veronica down.

    "Please, he wouldn''t dare carry me." Katerina said with augh. "I''m not as easy as Veronica, look she''s blushing. You two are so in love."

    "And we aren''t?" Eric said as he wrapped his arms around Katerina''s shoulders.

    Katerina elbowed Eric, making him let go of her.

    "Are you crazy?" Katerina asked. "What if someone saw us, we are in public Eric. You are still popr here."

    "I don''t care." Eric said, rolling his eyes. "I love Katerina Anastasia Sebastian, she is my present and my future, she is my heart!" Eric shouted, making Katerina panic and cover her face.

    Everyoneughed as Eric professed his love for the youngwyer.

    "No one is around Katerina." Nicole said with augh as she guided her friend down the stairs. "Eric wouldn''t expose your rtionship if you weren''t ready."

    "Why do you look like you''ve juste from a trans-pacific flight, Miguel?" Eric asked as he looked at his younger brother who was yawning. "Singapore is a three hour flight!"

    "I had a busy night, I barely got to sleep!" Miguel groaned as he reached for his wife''s hand.

    "Hmmm, busy night?" Ian teased. "Making babies?"

    Everyoneughed at Ian''s joke, making Veronica blush.

    "Oh, my gosh you were busy all night having sex?" Nicole said, a little bit too loudly as they walked towards the car that had been sent to pick them up.

    "Leave my sex life alone." Miguel groaned as he rolled his eyes. "Just know that I''m getting a lot." He said with augh, making his wife turn red as a tomato.

    "Oh my gosh Miguel!" Nicole shouted. "I didn''t need to know that my older brother was having sex with my best friend a lot."

    "We are all adults here Nicole." Eric said as he rolled his eyes at his sister. "I''m pretty sure you and Ian do it way more, seeing as you have a second child on the way."

    "Let''s just get this over with." Miguel said as he opened the door to one of the cars. "I have an operation in two days and I still have some work to do to prep for it."

    "You said you were ready!" Nicoleined as her brother shrugged and got in the car, closing the door behind him.

    "We''ll ride with them." Eric said as he pulled Katerina and opened the door to the backseat for her.

    Katerina smiled at Eric and got in. Eric himself sat at the front seat, next to the driver.

    Cedric, Adrianna, Nicole, and Ian rode in the second car, with Ian taking the front passenger''s seat.

    Adrianna was not supposed to go with them, but Cedric had given up arguing with his headstrong wife and allowed her to join on the trip. He did, however, make sure that she would be far from any danger that their trip posed.

    "Where are we going now?" Adrianna asked her husband. "Are we going straight to the old nurse?" She asked as the car drove off.

    "Well, we will drop you girls off first at the hotel, then we will head to where Mae said he usually has breakfast." Cedric exined to Adrianna.

    "Why can''t we go with you?" Nicole asked, quite surprised at the sudden change in ns. They had been told that they would all head to look for the nurse together.

    "We don''t want to freak him out." Ian said from the front seat. "If there are too many of us then he might panic and leave."

    "I should be there." Nicole demanded. "I''m the one that is a Chan, I''m the one rted to his whole mess, not Ian."

    "Nicole, you are pregnant, you need to stay safe." Ian said in a stern tone. He had voiced to Cedric how worried he was about Nicole going on this trip. There was a high risk of things getting violent, both men had agreed to leave Nicole and Adrianna at a hotel where Cedric had positioned enough bodyguards to keep them safe.

    "No." Nicole argued back. "I can handle myself Ian. I''m not some weak rich kid that needs protection, have you forgotten that I can protect myself?" She asked.

    "Yes, but out child Nicole, think of him or her, please." Ian said with a sad look on his eyes.

    "Fine." Nicole said, finally giving up and giving in to his request.

    It didn''t take long before Cedric and his group had finally arrived at the hotel. As they had expected, the two other girls in the car had also argued with their boyfriend and husband about being left at the hotel.

    Unfortunately for Eric, Katerina had been more insistent and had made a case for herself that he couldn''t refuse.

    "Mae." Cedric greeted his assistant as they walked into the lobby.

    "Boss." Mae said with a nod as she was followed by her bodyguard.

    "Keep my wife and friendspany. We''ll be back as soon as we can." Cedric informed her.

    "I will." Mae said with a nod. "I''ve booked the presidential suite for you Mrs. Reyes." Mae said as she escorted Adrianna, Nicole, and Veronica up to their room.

    "Let''s go." Cedric said with a nod as he led his friends back to the car and they drove off to the address Mae had given them.

 Chapter 658 - 568

    Cedric and his friends had made it a point to wear something more casual to blend in with the rest of the locals and tourists.

    Of course, they still somehow stood out, they were clearly tourists as they walked into the quaint little cafe that the old nurse had frequented.

    "Mae said that he always has his breakfast here without fail, even when Mae couldn''t join him." Ian said as Cedric took a sip of his coffee.

    They were seated at the back of the coffee shop in an area that the nurse couldn''t easily spot. Cedric didn''t want to risk the off chance that the nurse knew how they looked and would be able to recognize them even when they were dressed down.

    "What time does he normally arrive?" Miguel asked Ian.

    Mae had given Ian all of her notes on the old nurse and his daily habits.

    "He usually goes to have breakfast at 9am till around 10am, then he goes home to rest. He then has lunch at home or at a local restaurant, then goes to a mall to do some shopping." Ian said as he read through Mae''s notes. "Wow, this man follows a really strict schedule."

    "Why?" Eric asked as he tried to look over Ian''s shoulder to read from the piece of paper he was reading from.

    Cedric pushed Eric down back onto his seat and rolled his eyes.

    "Dude, seriously?" Cedricined. "Have you forgotten that people recognize you here? You did that hit movie that was shown all over Asia. You even have a fans club here, and it''s not small."

    "Sorry, I just want to see what Ian means." Eric said with a frown.

    "Well, ording to Mae''s notes the nurse follows his schedule every single day, barely changing anything." Ian told them as he showed them the piece of paper.

    True enough there was a note from Mae, it seemed that ording to the old nurse he liked having a schedule and a habit. He would even get temperamental if Mae was even a few minuteste.

    "What time is it?" Miguel asked as he took out his phone to check the time.

    "It''s already five past ten." Miguel said as he looked around, searching for the old nurse. "Where does he usually sit?" The miracle doctor asked.

    "ording to Mae''s notes he likes to sit at that table by the window. The staff have it reserved for him every morning, sending away anyone who tries to take it. Look!" Ian said as he pointed at a couple being asked not to sit at the table he was referring to.

    "Then why is he sote?" Miguel asked with a frown.

    "You are acting like a child, Miguel." Eric scolded as he looked at his brother. "He might have had an emergency or he could just be runningte."

    "Ian just told us that the man does not dote." Miguel said as he rolled his eyes at his brother.

    "Let''s wait at least an hour before going into a panic over him not being here." Cedric said in a calm tone as he took out aptop from his bag.

    "Are you seriously working?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow as Cedric powered on hisptop.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a shrug. "If I can find time to work while we are here, then I will work. It''s not like we will miss the man. There are four of us here, and he won''t just vanish into thin air as soon as one of you spots him."

    "Fine." Eric said, rolling his eyes.

    At first, ten minutes passed and the old nurse still hadn''t shown up. Eric and Miguel were getting impatient and worried.

    "What if he found out about us showing up?" Miguel asked Cedric. "What if Mae avoiding him alerted the nurse to our visit?"

    "Mae didn''t do as I asked." Cedric groaned, making Ianugh at his reaction.

    "Mae is a stubborn girl, she knew what was at risk if she avoided the old nurse, so she still had breakfast and dinner with him." Ian exined with a shrug. "I''m texting her now to see if he sent her any messages." Ian told the others as he typed away on his phone.

    "It''s just been ten minutes guys." Cedricmented without lifting his head. "Both of you had made us wait longer."

    "Yeah, but -" Miguel began to argue when Cedric raised a hand at him, telling him to keep quiet.

    "If you keepining we will attract people''s attention and we don''t want that." Cedric said in a stern tone. "We are trying to be as low profile as possible, being noisy in a coffee shop is not being low profile."

    "Sorry." Miguel said with a frown as he took out his phone and began to scroll through social media.

    "It''s funny that no one saw us at the airport earlier." Eric said as he messaged his girlfriend.

    "We came through the VIP entrance, and we didn''t bring that much security. People probably thought it was just some other businessman." Cedric said with a shrug as he continued to reply to emails on hisptop.

    "Mae, said that he replied this morning when she told him she would be meeting him for breakfast." Ian said as he looked at Cedric.

    Cedric momentarily stopped typing and pinched the space between his eyes as he thought of what could be going on.

    "Do you think he is watching? Waiting for Mae to arrive?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "I doubt it." Ian said as he shook his head. "Mae said he didn''t suspect a thing, plus she never really lied to him."

    "Get some of the security personnel outside to discreetly check every ce that has a view of this coffee shop." Cedric instructed. "I want to be sure that he isn''t just waiting for Mae to show up. If he is, then we are wasting our time just sitting here."

    Ian nodded at Cedric''s instructions and quickly typed a message to the men who were disguised outside.

    Cedric barely noticed his security team as they searched for the man in all the possible hiding spots that had a vantage of the coffee shop.

    After twenty minutes, Ian''s phone buzzed as several messages arrived. He frowned as he read them.

    "What''s wrong?" Cedric asked.

    "He isn''t outside." Ian reported.

    "Thirty minuteste." Eric said slowly as he drummed his fingers on the table and leaned back on his seat. "If this man was always on the dot this is somethingpletely off."

    "Have Mae send him a message asking him where he is." Cedric told Ian as he watched some of the waiters whispering among themselves as they pointed at the nurse''s reserved table.

    Cedric sighed and got up, he walked over to the waiters.

    "By any chance, can my friends and I have that table?" Cedric asked as he pointed at the table reserved for the nurse.

    The waiters looked at each other, unsure of what to tell Cedric.

    "He isn''t arriving." One waiter said. "Just give the table up."

    "But he always has breakfast here, remember thest time we gave his table away? He caused such a scene." The other waiter exined.

    "Yes, but he is neverte." The first waiter argued back.

    "You know what, I think my friends are fine where we are, can I have a few coffees to go?" Cedric asked.

    The waiter promptly nodded as he took Cedric''s order down. The other walked towards the reserved table and took the sign away.

    After paying and iming his orders, Cedric walked back to his friends who were now frowning.

    "What happened?" Cedric asked as he gave them a confused look.

    "The nurse isn''t replying." Ian said with a sigh. "Mae is on her way to his home now."

    "In that case, we should go." Cedric said with a nod as he packed up hisptop.

    "Are you sure?" Miguel asked with a worried look on his face. "What if he arrives after we leave?"

    "I''ll leave someone to wait for him in case." Cedric said as he carried his bag. "Let''s go."

    With that, all four of them left the coffee shop, wondering what happened to the nurse.

 Chapter 659 - 659

    When Cedric and his group got back to the hotel, they immediately headed up to the presidential suite where their wives and girlfriends were waiting.

    "Katerina, this is so unfair, my brother let you go with them while I had to wait here anxiously for you guys to get back." Nicole cried as she hugged her friend.

    "Calm down, Nicole." Katerina groaned. "I stayed in the car. Eric didn''t want me getting into trouble or blowing their cover. In all honesty there was a higher chance of someone recognizing him than me."

    "So did you get to talk to him?" Nicole asked as she looked at her brothers and boyfriend with a serious expression.

    "No." Miguel said with a sigh as they walked into the room and found their own spots to rx.

    "He didn''t show up." Cedric said as he ced the coffee and pastries he had bought on the table. "I have food for you guys." He said with a smile.

    "You can''t bribe us with food, Cedric." Veronica told him as she walked up and got a cup of coffee for herself and a croissant.

    "Anyway," Cedric said as he continued his retelling of events. "I''ve asked Mae to look for him, check out his house, see what happened."

    "Do you think he realized that we wanted to speak to him so he ran?" Nicole asked as she looked up from her spot on the couch.

    "I doubt it babe." Ian said as he wrapped an arm around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder. "There was no time for him to suspect. Mae didn''t change any of her habits and she continued to hang out with him."

    "Then maybe someone alerted him from back home." Adrianna said as she thought of their situation.

    "Impossible." Miguel said, shaking his head. "No one knew that we were looking for the nurse, let alone the fact that we had already found him."

    "All we can do now is to wait for Mae to get back to us with news." Cedric said as he took a bite out of a cupcake he had bought.

    "How long will it take Mae to check on the nurse?" Eric asked Ian who was skimming through Mae''s notes.

    "It should take her an hour max." Ian told Eric as he took a look at the address that Mae had jotted down on her notes. "I swear I don''t understand why Mae had to write everything down by hand, she could have just typed it down." Ianined.

    "It''s one of her skills." Cedric said with augh.

    "I know, but it''s just really annoying." Ian told Cedric as he rolled his eyes.

    "Why?" Nicole asked with a curious expression. "What''s with Mae and writing things down?"

    "Once Mae writes something down she doesn''t forget it." Ian exined to his girlfriend. "That''s why her notes are all written down instead of typed."

    "Everyone knows that you remember things better when you write it, that''s nothing special." Miguel said, rolling his eyes.

    "Not at the rate that Mae does it." Cedric said with augh. "She remembers everything right down to the period after writing it just once. She gave Ian the notes because she doesn''t need them. Everything she''s ever jotted down is etched into her memory."

    "That''s a pretty handy skill." Eric said as he scratched his chin.

    "Of course, it''s nothingpared to my photographic one." Miguel said as he rolled his eyes.

    "You''re just jealous that your older brother is praising someone''s memory other than yours." Veronica teased her husband.

    "Every skill and talent bes useless if you don''t know how to use it to its full potential." Miguelmented with a serious expression on his face.

    Cedric raised an eyebrow at Miguel, it seemed that his words had a different message to them.

    "Miguel is right." Ian said, agreeing with the young doctor. "Mae was in the same situation. She had a talent that she could use for school or to impress people, but that was it. At least until she started taking board exams and bar exams for people." Ian said with a shrug.

    "That''s illegal." Katerina pointed out.

    "Don''t y naive, Katerina." Cedric said with a smile. "We all know that a lot of people in the government are corrupt, just pay them enough and they will allow someone else to take your exam for you. It''s that simple."

    "So that''s what Mae used to do before you discovered her?" Katerina asked.

    "For a time, yes." Cedric said.

    "But what use is her talent to you Cedric?" Miguel asked his friend.

    "On its own, not much." Cedric said with augh. "But Mae is quite an interesting person. She is also extremely good at analyzing pieces of information and patching them together toe up with conclusions and strategies that people normally don''t see."

    "You''re teaching her tobine both skills." Katerina said as she scratched her chin. "Interesting. With her memory and analytical skills she could see patterns from data that go way back without the need to open her notes or having to do too much additional research."

    "As a matter of fact her skills have already been put to the test." Cedric said with a grin as he took a seat and leaned back, crossing his arms on his chest. "She and Dave worked quite closely with me when we were assessing which industries to enter and whichpanies to invest in. She had insights that even our best researchers missed, but only time will tell how much of an impact that made."

    "I''m guessing Dave is some secret genius as well?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Ian suddenlyughed at Eric''sment. "No, Dave isn''t some secret genius. He is smart, very smart, smarter than even me, probably." Ian said with a shrug.

    "Well, Ian, we have to admit, the boy has genius moments." Cedric said with augh. "He''s a business genius, I guess. But because of what happened to his brother he hasn''t been able to properly develop himself. So being at the Reyes group is his chance."

    "The kid will leave though." Miguel said with a frown. "He is his father''s only son, the only male heir to his family''s fortune, don''t you think it''s a waste? Training someone that could someday be a threat or a rival?"

    "No, not at all." Cedric said with a smile. "He will only be a threat or a rival if we do wrong by him, but if things turn out the way I hope it will, then I have trained a powerful ally."

    "Do you really think his family business will grow to that big a size?" Eric asked Cedric.

    "With Dave at the helm, yes." Cedric said with a nod. "They might not be asrge as us now, but as soon as Dave takes over, I see the Lazaro''s fortune climbing. That''s why I want to expand the Reyes Group internationally as well. If we are all fighting over our tiny country we will all just end up fighting."

    "Ced." Ian suddenly told Cedric as he walked over across the room. He handed his phone to Cedric with a frown for his former boss to read.

    "How is that possible?" Cedric asked in a frustrated tone.

    "Mae''s on her way back. We can talk about it then." Ian said as he ced his phone back in his pocket.

    "What is it?" Eric asked Cedric and Ian.

    "Unfortunately, the nurse is dead." Cedric announced with a frown.

 Chapter 660 - 660

    "What? Is this some sick joke?!" Eric asked angrily as Katerina ced a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.

    "Eric, we need to wait for Mae to get back." Cedric exined calmly. When she had read the news himself he had already expected the others to be angry and confused. "I am as confused as you are but I would like to hear the details."

    "I''m sure there is a reasonable exnation for this, dear." Katerina told Eric as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.

    "Mae is calling." Ian said as he handed Cedric his phone.

    "I''ll take this call in the bedroom." Cedric said as he nodded at his friends and gestured to Ian to go with him.

    The reason why he didn''t want to take the call in front of everyone was because of how the Chan siblings were reacting. They weren''t as calm and collected as they normally were, and this worried Cedric.

    "Mae?" Cedric asked as he answered the call and ced it on loud speaker.

    "Boss, I''m on the way back, but we have some issues." Mae said in a hesitant tone.

    Meanwhile, Ian pulled over two chairs for him and Cedric to sit on.

    "Why? What happened? Are you safe?" Cedric asked, the concern evident in his tone.

    "Yes sir. I''m safe, don''t worry." Mae said in a confident tone. "It''s just that when we arrived I called the police anonymously to alert him about the nurse''s death."

    "And?" Cedric asked slowly.

    "Apparently the old man had recently changed his emergency contact to me." Mae said in a sad tone.

    "He didn''t put any family members or anything?" Cedric asked, he was surprised that the old nurse had done that. He had hoped that the man''s death would bring them some kind of information as to who his backer was, but now it was just another dead end.

    "Unfortunately, no." Mae said. "And now the police want to interview me, to ask me where I was when he died."

    "Do they suspect foul y?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "I''m not sure, I guess we''ll find out about the cause of death after the autopsy or investigation." Mae informed Cedric.

    "Cooperate with them fully." Cedric instructed the assistant. Unfortunately, unlike at home, the police in Singapore could not be bribed, so the only way they could get the information they wanted was for Mae to stay as the emergency contact.

    "Cedric, that''s where I''m encountering a problem." Mae said hesitantly.

    "Why?" Cedric asked, there was no reason for Mae to be a suspect in the man''s death. She had not purposely approached him, they simply met by chance. In terms of her alibi, she was nowhere near the man''s apartment when he had died.

    "Cedric, they will ask about my alibi, I will have to say I was with Adrianna and the other girls. People will know you are here." Mae said in a worried tone. She knew that Cedric wanted this trip to be as quiet as possible, but now they would be at the center of a police investigation.

    "It''s fine." Cedric said with a sigh. "There is really no way out of this for us."

    "What will we tell them when they ask why you were the ones that nned to meet him for breakfast?" Mae asked as she tried to find loopholes in their story.

    "Simple, you thought he could be a spy trying to get close to you forpany secrets, so Ian and I decided to take a look." Cedric said.

    "And the Chan siblings?" Ian asked.

    "They aren''t siblings, people don''t know that, remember?" Cedric reminded his former assistant.

    "Oh right." Ian said with a nod.

    "We will simply tell the police that they wanted to tag along to Singapore for some time away from work, people will buy into that." Cedric said.

    "Sounds believable to me." Ian said with a nod as he tried to think of any other questions the police may ask them.

    "We just need to tell them most of the truth." Cedric told both assistants. "We had nothing to do with the man''s death. We shouldn''t be afraid."

    "Yes boss." Mae said in a sad tone.

    "I know he became your friend Mae, I understand if you are sad about his death." Cedric told her over the phone.

    "Thank you, Cedric." Mae said. "The police will probably arrive a few minutes after me. They just texted asking where they can find me to ask a few questions."

    "Alright. Tell them to go to the presidential suite, I''ll order some food and coffee for them as well." Cedric told Mae.

    "Thanks boss." Mae said as they dropped the call.

    "I guess we need to tell the others." Ian told Cedric as he looked at his former boss.

    Cedric ced his head in his hands and took deep breaths. He couldn''t believe that after all their hard work, the nurse simply dropped dead the moment theynded in Singapore. It was truly frustrating.

    Ian understood what Cedric was going through and gave him a minute to gather himself.

    When Cedric had finally recovered and had control of his emotions, he lifted his head and gave Ian a smirk.

    "Thanks." Cedric told his friend.

    "I''ve worked with you and for you. If I didn''t know what you needed now I would be a failure." Ian said with augh.

    "I''m d you came along, at least it isn''t just me and Mae working on this." Cedric told Ian as he got up and walked to the door.

    Ian followed his lead and stood up as well.

    "I''m practically a Chan now." Ian said with a shrug. "I have vested interest in this, I won''t lie. My son''s future depends on this too."

    "I hope Miguel and Eric can keep calm when we do get the details. Something is off with them today." Cedric confessed his observations to his friend.

    "They''ve been arguing over Eric''s decision to stake his im as head of the family. Miguel doesn''t want his brother to give everything up, while Eric wants to do his duty to his family." Ian exined.

    "I hope they settle it soon." Cedric said with a sigh. "Let''s go and give them an update then." Cedric said as he opened the door and walked into the other room.

 Chapter 661 - 661

    Cedric sat across his friends and leaned back against his seat as he finished recounting to them what Mae had told him. He took a deep breath as he watched the frustrated expression on the Chan sibling''s faces.

    "So that''s it? We wait?" Miguel asked, clearly he was slowly losing his temper.

    "So we are all implicated in this now?" Eric asked, ignoring his brother''s question. "I need to call Ram to think of an excuse."

    "Yes, Miguel, we wait." Cedric said with a sigh. "This isn''t the capitol where we can pull strings and pay our way through every little problem. We have to follow everything to the dot here and the only way we will know the cause of death is if we cooperate with the authorities."

    "Fine." Miguel said, raising his hands in the air. "I was just wondering if maybe you or Alexi have some contacts here."

    "Sadly our influence is very much limited here, we need to do everything properly." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Alright." Miguel said with a nod as held on to his wife. Cedric knew that his friend was doing this to keep himself calm, Veronica had that effect on him, even if the woman herself was rarely calm.

    "As for you," Cedric said as he pointed at Eric. "I''ll speak to Ram, what we will tell the police is that both you and Miguel tagged along for a vacation. You wanting a break from being recognized on every corner, and Miguel from the hospital."

    "What about Ian, Nicole, and Katerina?" Eric asked as he pointed out the three other people that didn''t have an excuse. Clearly Adrianna and Veronica were there to apany their husbands.

    "Ian is here for work reasons with the Reyes Group, Katerina as our chief legal counsel is here for the same reason." Cedric said with a shrug, implying that it was a very simple reason that anyone could have thought of.

    "And the work reason?" Eric asked.

    "Mae''s stalker." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Stalker?" Miguel asked with a confused look on his face as he leaned forward to hear Cedric''s exnation.

    "Yes, the nurse." Cedric said. "That''s why we were at the cafe. We wanted to see if this man was really a stalker with ill intentions."

    "Why is it rted to the Reyes Group then?" Veronica asked.

    "Because we suspect that he was trying to get information from Mae with regards to the Reyes Group here." This time it was Ian''s turn to exin.

    "Are you growing that fast here? Fast enough to be a threat to somepanies?" Miguel asked his friend.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a definitive tone. "Many oldpanies in Singapore would see us as a threat. They are, of course, better established with more resourcespared to us, but we are an oddity. So they all are keeping an eye out for us."

    "This isn''t the only country you are expanding into, has something like that happened in the past?" It was Nicole that asked this time.

    "Yes, it has." Katerina said, answering for Cedric. "The Reyes Group has filed multiple cases against individuals trying to spy on Reyes Group employees."

    "Good, then it is believable." Miguel said with a nod.

    "Boss, sirs, ma''ams." Mae said with a nod as she arrived in the office.

    "Take a seat and rest." Cedric instructed as he gestured to an empty couch. "Ian, do you mind calling for room service for Mae?"

    Ian nodded and got up to ask the young woman what she needed.

    Mae raised a hand and refused Ian''s help.

    "I can handle it, you guys need to rest and get ready as well." Mae warned them. "They didn''t know that you were in the country, normally immigration would have informed them. Oddly enough, this time they were not informed."

    "Alright, take your time to rest and mourn." Cedric told Mae as he walked over to Adrianna and held her, trying to calm himself down as well.

    Cedric and the other''s took Mae''s advice, some of them taking a nap, while others ate or drank coffee.

    Ian and Cedric took the time to get some work done, reading through reports and replying to emails. Cedric allowed Mae to rest in one of the rooms on her own, he knew that she had somewhat gotten close to the nurse, so she was quite hurt by his death.

    After around thirty minutes someone at the lobby called the presidential suite, asking if the police coulde up to the room.

    Cedric agreed and sent a bodyguard down to fetch the police who hade to take Mae''s statement.

    As Cedric took the call, Ian informed everyone about the police''s arrival and they gathered in the living room.

    When the police finally arrived Mae was still missing.

    "Mr. Reyes, I''m Capt. Lim, my team is in charge of the investigation into the death of Fernando Benitez." A policeman said as he offered his hand to Cedric to shake.

    Cedric took the policeman''s hand and shook it firmly.

    "It''s an honor to meet you Capt. Lim." Cedric said with a nod. "I understand you are here to take the statement of one of my assistants."

    "Yes, Mr. Reyes. Which of these lovelydies is Ms. Mae?" The policeman asked.

    "She isn''t here just yet." Cedric said as he took a nce around. "My other assistant, Ian Lim, has gone over to fetch her. Why don''t you and your men take a seat? Would you like some coffee?"

    "No thank you Mr, Reyes, we won''t be long." Capt. Lim said as he refused Cedric''s offer for a beverage. "This Ian Lim must be a good looking man, especially since we share the samest name." The police captain said, making Cedric force augh.

    "To his fiance, he is." Cedric said as he pointed at Nicole, who simply smiled back.

    "Ah, Ian, Mae!" Cedric said in a loud voice as he spotted Ian and Mae arriving to join them. "The good Capt. Lim is here to speak to you Mae." Cedric gestured.

    Mae forced a smile and nodded.

    "Will you need some privacy in questioning her, Capt. Lim?" Cedric asked the policeman.

    "No, right here will be fine." Capt. Lim told Cedric.

    "Very well." Cedric said with a nod as he gestured for the policeman to continue.

    "Miss Mae, we just have a few questions for you, please answer them as truthfully as possible. Don''t worry, you aren''t a suspect and we don''t even know if this is really a crime. So rx." Capt. Lim told Mae, who visibly rxed with his words.

    "Miss Mae, where were you at 9-10am today?" Capt. Lim asked.

    "I was here, I was keeping my boss'' wife and her friendspany on Mr. Reyes'' orders." Mae answered.

    "Where did Mr. Reyes go that you needed to keep Mrs. Reyespany?" The policeman asked.

    Mae hesitated as she nced at Cedric, he knew that this was an act she was putting up, if she didn''t hesitate the police would suspect that they had discussed this beforehand.

    "It''s fine Mae, go on. Tell the police." Cedric said with a nod, seemingly permitting Mae to speak to the police about his personal affairs.

    "Mr. Reyes and his friends went in my ce to meet with Nurse Fernando at the coffee shop he often, no, always, he always had breakfast at." Mae exined as the policeman jotted down her statement.

    "You and Mr. Fernando Benitez were close friends?" The policeman asked Mae.

    "To be honest, we just met this week." Mae said with a frown.

    "How did you be his emergency contact then if you''ve only known each other for a week?" Capt. Lim asked as he gave Mae an intense look.

    "I don''t know." Mae said with a frown. "My bodyguard and I met Nurse Fernando when we had just arrived in Singapore. I''m here on a two week visit for the Reyes Group, you see."

    "How exactly did you meet him?" Capt. Lim asked.

    "He was about to get beaten up when we showed up." Mae exined. "Since then he had often invited me and my bodyguard over for breakfast and dinner, or just to hangout in general. I don''t know a lot of people here, and the people at the office all treat me differently because I''m the CEO''s assistant."

    "Do all of Mr. Reyes'' assistants have bodyguards?" Capt. Lim asked Mae as he nced at Ian.

    "Yes." Mae said with a nod. "Our lives are often at risk because of the work that we do for thepany, so Mr. Reyes assigned all of us at least one bodyguard."

    "Some have more?" Capt. Lim asked, this time it seemed to bepletely out of curiosity.

    "Yes." Cedric said, answering for Mae. "My first set of assistants, Cami, who is now the Vice President of one of my subsidiaries, and Ian both have more bodyguards, both for different reasons."

    "Oh." Capt. Lim said with a nod.

    "Would you know of anyone that would want to hurt Mr. Benitez?" Capt. Lim asked as he returned his attention back to Mae.

    "No, not really." Mae said, shaking her head. "Was there foul y involved in his death?" She asked.

    "We are not sure yet." Capt. Lim told her.

    "I didn''t know much about Nurse Fernando''s personal life." Mae admitted. "He didn''t talk much, he asked more questions than answered them. I know he didn''t have many friends here, he told me he had just moved."

    "We were actually hoping to find more people to question through you Miss Mae." The policeman admitted. "The only contact he had on his phone was you, and on all his documents you were registered as the emergency contact."

    "That''s quite sad." Mae said with a frown. "When will we be able to find out if his death was natural or not?" She asked.

    "In a day or two." Capt. Lim told Mae.

    "I wish I knew who his family was, all he told me was that they were back in our country." Mae told the policeman.

    "We will work closely with your government to find his family." The policeman promised.

    "I will tell my friend to get in touch with you, he works in the government." Cedric told the police captain, who simply thanked him.

    "Mr. Reyes, I will need to question you and yourpanions as well." Capt. Lim informed Cedric.

    "Very well." Cedric told the policeman as he leaned back and rxed.

 Chapter 662 - 662

    Cedric observed the policeman as he asked Mae questions, Cedric was sure that normally it wasn''t he that questioned potential suspects and witnesses. This man was too high ranking to do such a trivial job.

    Was there reason for the local police to question if there was foul y in the nurse''s death? Or was it because the person himself was also quite suspicious.

    "Mr. Reyes?" Capt. Lim called out as he waved a hand at Cedric. "Are you still with us, sir?" The captain asked.

    "Yes, sorry, my mind wandered elsewhere." Cerdic exined as he blinked his eyes. "What was your question?"

    "Sir, why did you go in Miss Mae''s ce to meet Mr. Benitez?" The captain asked. Cedric was not at all surprised by his question. This was naturally the first thing the man would ask.

    "I went because I wanted to know what Mr. Benitez''s intentions were towards my staff." Cedric said inly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

    "Is it normal for the CEO of the Reyes Group to personally check on an employee''s friends?" The police captain asked as he eyed Cedric with suspicion.

    "Of course not." Cedric said with augh as he took a sip from his coffee. "I hope you don''t mind, I have very little sleep and I need my daily dose of caffeine." Cedric said as he lifted the mug.

    "It''s fine, sir." Capt. Lim said. "So why did you check on Mr. Benitez for Miss Mae. Is she someone special?" The police captain asked slowly, carefully picking out his words as not to offend Adrianna.

    Cedricughed at what Capt. Lim was trying to imply and simply shook his head.

    "Rx captain. I''m a loyal man, I''ve loved one woman my whole life." Cedric said as he looked at his wife with adoring eyes.

    He looked back at the police captain and nodded.

    "But yes, Mae is important." Cedric said, his answer taking Capt. Lim by surprise. "She is important to thepany and to me and my wife, she is more than an employee, she and my other assistants are my friends."

    "So you came here out of concern for your. . .friend?" Capt. Lim asked, hesitating as he mentioned the word friend.

    Cedric smiled and shook his head.

    He knew that it was quite a foreign idea to the policeman to hear that Cedric treated his employees as friends, most rich men wouldn''t do that. Unless, of course they were sleeping with the employee or the employee hade from an equally capable family.

    "Capt. Lim, I came to check on the person who had mysteriously approached my assistant, someone with extensive knowledge of confidential information, out of the blue." Cedric exined as he watched a look of realization cross the police captain''s face.

    "So you did this for yourpany?" The police captain asked.

    "Yes, in part, yes." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Is this the first time an incident like this has happened?" Capt. Lim questioned Cedric as he once again jotted notes down.

    "No." Cedric said, shaking his head. "It has been happening all over the world. All of our foreign offices have had attempted infiltrations through our employees." Cedric exined.

    "Is there an ongoing investigation into to this?" The police captain asked.

    "Individually in some countries. It depends on how much proof my people have gathered." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "And you think Mr. Benitez could have been one such spy?" Capt. Lim asked Cedric.

    "We suspected something, but that''s it." Cedric admitted. "We don''t have any proof Capt. Lim. We were just there to observe the man."

    "And did you see him?" The policeman asked Cedric.

    Cedric simply shook his head in reply.

    "He didn''t arrive." Cedric said with a shrug, "As a matter of fact we thought he was simply observing from afar. Waiting for Mae to show up, so I had my men scour the area, but he was not there." Cedric exined.

    "And at what time did all of this happen?" Capt. Lim asked as he wrote in his notebook.

    "Well, we arrived at around 8am, dropped the girls off, so we were at the coffee shop by 9:30am." Cedric told the police. "We waited there till around 11am." Cedric knew that they were going to ask how long they waited.

    "And why didn''t you leave when he didn''t show up at 10am?" Capt. Lim asked.

    "We thought he could be runningte." Cedric said with a shrug. "But the staff at the restaurant knew that he was always there on time, he was neverte." Cedric said.

    "How did you know about this?" The police captain asked.

    "I overheard it." Cedric said. The police captain didn''t find anything else to question with Cedric so he looked over to Cedric''spanions.

    "I hope you don''t mind my asking, but Mr. Eric Chan, you are quite a popr artist, what are you doing here?" The police captain asked.

    "Honestly, I''m just tagging along. I don''t have any films or appearances scheduled and Cedric mentioned that he was going out of the country I decided to tag along." Eric said with a shrug as if it was nothing.

    "Alright." Capt. Lim said wordlessly as he wrote down Eric''s statement. "Were you with Mr. Reyes at the coffee shop?" Capt. Lim asked.

    "Yes. All the boys were going, I didn''t want to get left behind." Eric exined.

    The police captain simply nodded, epting his excuse. Cedric assumed that since Eric was an actor they didn''t really think he would be involved in any schemes or ns.

    "Before we move on, Mr. Eric, one of my staff has a question." Capt. Lim said as he nodded towards some of the uniformed personnel with him.

    They shook their heads, refusing to speak up.

    "He doesn''t bite." Katerina said with augh. "Go on." She said with a nod, it seemed she already knew what they wanted to ask.

    "Mr. Eric, can we take selfies with you and have your autograph?" One brave female police woman asked as she blushed.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh when he saw Eric''s amused expression.

 Chapter 663 - 663

    It seemed that a lot of the captain''s people were fans of Eric. Almost all of his staff had lined up for a photo with Cedric''s friend.

    "Is it always like this?" Cedric whispered to Katerina.

    "Yep." Katerina said with a nod. "That''s why I already knew what the captain''s people wanted to ask." She said with augh.

    "Capt. Lim, are we done here?" Cedric asked the police captain as thest member of his team finished taking photos with Eric.

    "I would still like to ask your otherpanions why they are here with you as well." The man said.

    Cedric nodded and allowed him to proceed.

    Capt. Lim asked each of Cedric''s friends why they were in Singapore with him since they had no connection to the Reyes Group or any of it''s business interests.

    Miguel answered as they had nned, he simply wanted to get away from work as well.

    Cedric was sure that it confused the police captain how easily Miguel and Eric decided to just pick up and leave the country for a vacation, but he probably just chalked it up to thevish lifestyles of the rich and famous.

    When he moved on to ask Nicole after epting Miguel and Veronica''s reason.

    "Miss Nicole, why are you here with Mr. Reyes? If I am not mistaken, you have a hospital to run." Capt. Lim said in a tone that was practically usatory.

    Nicole gave him a smile andughed.

    "I''m here to keep my fiancepany." Nicole said with a shrug.

    "Your fiance?" Capt. Lim asked with a confused expression.

    "Yes, Nicole and my assistant, Ian Lim, are engaged." Cedric exined for the couple. "As a matter of fact they already have a little one at home and they are expecting their second child."

    "What?" The captain asked with a confused look. "How -?" Capt. Lim caught himself before he could say his question, but Ian and Nicole already knew what he wanted to ask.

    "Capt. Lim, we do not have a responsibility to exin our rtionship to you." Ian said in a stern tone. "The job as an assistant to Mr. Cedric Reyes is not a lowly one, and I do note from a poor family." Ian exined.

    "It''s true." Cedric said with augh as he nodded in agreement. "The Lim family from which Ianes from is one of the oldest and richest families in the country, although they are no longer as wealthy as they once were, he still holds a pedigree higher than the Chans."

    "I''m sorry if my reaction was offensive." The police captain said with a frown as he realized that he had spoken out of ce.

    "It''s fine." Ian said with a smile as he tried to reassure the police captain that he was not offended. "To be honest it''s good that you asked the question instead of just assuming behind our backs."

    "I simply assumed that families like the Chans in your country would require certain standards and I didn''t expect you to belong to such a family. My apologies." The policeman said as he bowed his head out of respect.

    "It''s fine, let''s continue with the questioning." Cedric said with a nod as he tried to move the discussion forward.

    "Oh, yes." The captain said as he turned to Katerina.

    "Miss Sebastian, I''m sorry but I do have to ask this." The captain said as he sneaked a nce at Eric. It seemed that Capt. Lim was aware of the rumors surrounding the pair.

    "Go on." Karerina said with a nod as she gave him permission to continue asking her questions.

    "Miss Katerina, why are you in Singapore?" Capt. Lim asked Katerina.

    Katerina gave him a kind smile as she noticed him ncing at Eric.

    "No Capt. Lim, I''m not here because of Eric, if that''s what you are trying to ask." Katerina said with augh. "I am the chief legal counsel of the Reyes Group. I''m actually here on official business."

    "Oh." Capt. Lim said with a hint of surprise in his tone.

    "I''m sure you and your staff are quite curious, as to mine and Katerina''s rtionship." Eric said with augh as he looked at the policemen and women in the room.

    He had noticed that some of them had stolen photos of Eric and Katerina being in the same room together. Just a photo of him with Katerina was more than enough to spark rumors about their rtionship. It was best to kill those rumors now.

    "I apologize, my daughter and wife are fans." Capt. Lim said in an embarrassed tone.

    "It''s fine." Katerina said as she smiled. "We get this question often enough." She exined.

    "It''s just the rumors about you two being a couple, it seems too good to be true." A police woman said as Capt. Lim quickly red at her.

    "It''s fine Capt. Lim." Eric said with a nod. "Katerina and I are just people that belong to the same group of friends. I''m good friends with her older brother."

    "So it''s just friends?" Another member of the police staff was not able to resist but ask.

    "Yes." Katerina said with augh.

    "Mr. Reyes, how long are you and your group nning on staying?" Capt. Lim asked Cedric.

    "We were just supposed to stay for the day, I have work at home and a son I want to get back to as soon as possible." Cedric told Capt. Lim.

    "You have no intention of seeing this investigation through?" Capt. Lim asked.

    "There is no need." Cedric said with a shrug. "Plus I will simply ask Mae to return. She will go back to our country for a few days and I will ask her toe back here. Do you need anything from us?" Cedric asked.

    "I will need to ask you to stay for an additional day or two, at least until we can rule out any foul y." The captain said.

    "Are we suspects?" Eric asked, ying the clueless actor.

    Cedric was amazed at how well Eric had always made himself seem less intelligent, he knew that if he had to dumb himself down he would be incredibly frustrated.

    "No Mr. Eric, you aren''t, we don''t know yet if the cause of death was natural or not, so no suspects." Capt. Lim exined.

    Cedric knew that what the policeman really meant was if there was foul y, then yes they would be suspects. He understood why Cedric already mentioned that he was investigating how the man had approached Mae, he had a motive.

    "Thank you for your cooperation." Capt. Lim said with a smile. "I guess that''s all, unless my staff have anything else to ask?" The police captain said as he nced at his people.

 Chapter 664 - 664

    Cedric watched as the police staff whispered among themselves, clearly there was a question they were itching to ask.

    "I suggest you ask whatever you are whispering about." Cedric said with augh. "I mean, this may be your only chance. Capt. Lim might not allow you to tag along next time."

    The policemen looked at their boss, who simply nodded, agreeing with Cedric''s words.

    "Is it alright if we ask a personal question?" A police woman asked quite timidly.

    "You want to ask Eric?" Katerina asked as she realized who the policemen and women were most interested in.

    The police woman and herpanions nodded, confirming Katerina''s suspicions.

    "We are such big fans. When your movie aired here we all watched together." Another police woman said in an excited tone.

    "Okay." Eric said with a nod.

    Cedric was surprised that Eric had allowed them to ask personal questions, he normally avoided such things from fans.

    "Oh my gosh, thank you sir." A police woman said excitedly.

    "I''ll answer your questions, but I have a condition." Eric said with a smirk.

    "Anything." Someone said as she looked at Eric as if he was the most handsome man in the world.

    Eric gave them a smile before setting his condition.

    "I will answer you as honestly as I can, but you can never speak of this to anyone else." Eric told them. "I trust that the police can keep my personal life private."

    "Yes." They all said, nodding their heads.

    "Alright, go ask your questions." Eric said with a nod.

    "We can ask as much as we want?" Someone asked.

    "I''ll limit it to ten questions, so decide amongst yourselves what you really want to know." Eric said with a chuckle. At first he was going to say only one, but he decided against it, hoping that having half the police station as his fans would give them some breathing room.

    Those that were Eric''s fans whispered among themselves as they tried to figure out which ten questions to ask. While those that were not fans chatted amongst themselves or yed with their phones.

    "Did they tag along because they knew Eric was here?" Cedric asked Capt. Lim as he handed the police captain some food.

    "We didn''t know Mr. Eric was with you." Capt. Lim said as he shook his head. "Most of them came for you."

    "For me?" Cedric asked with aug. "I''m no celebrity. People here don''t know me Capt. Lim, you must be mistaken."

    "Your friend is famous, Mr. Eric''s fans wanted to meet his friend and they got the real deal as well." Capt. Lim said with a shrug. "Others are quite interested in business, and believe it or not, news of your so-called poverty training has reached us."

    "That''s quite interesting." Cedric said as he scratched his chin.

    Cedric watched at those that were Eric''s fans finally broke off from their huddle as they came up with the ten questions they wanted to ask the celebrity.

    "You are ready?" Eric asked as he crossed his arms on his chest and leaned back on his seat. At the moment he looked quite intimidating, making some of the women swoon.

    "Yes." One of them said as she tried not to look too excited.

    "Alright, begin." Eric said with a nod.

    "Are you dating international model Angelina?" A police woman asked, catching Eric and the rest of his friends by surprise.

    "No, but where did that rumore from?" Eric asked with augh.

    "Angelina''s camp hinted that you guys were together." A policeman said as he carried an embarrassed look. "I think you are awesome in all your fight scenes, sir. And my wife is a huge fan, so I became a fan too."

    Ericughed and smiled at the man, it was quite normal for him to have male fans, he wasn''t just some pretty boy actor anyway.

    "I have never even spoken to her on a personal level, maybe a hi or hello during an event but that''s all." Eric confessed to them. "Next question."

    "Is it true that youe from a rich family and have no need for any of the money you get from acting?" The policeman asked for the group.

    Ericughed as he asked the question and nodded.

    "Yes, my family is quite rich, but that doesn''t mean that I have no need to work." Eric admitted. "I don''t need my acting ie, because I have many investments in very good businesses. I don''t like relying on my family for money."

    "Wow, Mr. Eric is awesome." A police woman said excitedly as they heard Eric''s answer. "No wonder you have such rich and powerful friends."

    This time it was Cedric''s turn tough, he had a feeling that the police fans would eventually get to the are you rted to the Chans question. It was something that had been asked in the past, all Eric would say is that there are so many people with the surname Chan, he couldn''t possibly be rted to all of them.

    "Do you have more questions or is that it?" Eric teased, making his fansugh.

    "Are you rted to . . ." A fan began to ask, her voice faded as she nced at Nicole and Miguel who were simply smiling.

    "Am I rted to?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow, pretending to be oblivious to how they nced at his siblings.

    "Are you rted to Miguel and Nicole Chan?" The fam finally managed to say, making Nicole and Miguelugh.

    "See it''s not that hard to ask." Nicole teased as she leaned against Ian''s shoulder.

    Cedric looked at Eric with a questioning look, this was something he always managed to avoid, so was he going to avoid it this time.

    "You know, I learned something from my friend Cedric." Eric began to say as he looked at his fans with intense eyes. "I learned that secrets cannot remain hidden forever, and although I n to tell the world this in the future I will tell you first. Can I trust you?" Eric asked.

    His fans among Singapore''s police force quickly nodded, promising to keep his secret for the meantime.

    "Are you sure about this?" Ian asked Eric.

    "Of course." Eric said with a smile as he nced at his future brother-inw.

 Chapter 665 - 665

    "Yes, I''m rted to Miguel and Nicole Chan, and not distantly." Eric said with a smile as he revealed who he really was for the first time.

    Cedric saw how the man he often looked at as an older brother breathed a sigh of relief. He understood the feeling, he too had gone through something simr, and being able to say the truth out loud was an amazing feeling.

    "Wait, so how are you rted?" Capt. Lim suddenly asked as he sat up.

    "Capt. Lim, didn''t you review our documents from the immigrations department?" Cedric asked with augh. He had expected the captain to know.

    "Captain! That counts as a question!" One of his staff membersined.

    "It''s fine, I''ll give this as a free one." Eric said with a wink.

    "That''s my signature move!" Miguel used. "You can''t just steal it cause you are famous, brother." Miguel said with a smirk, shocking all of Eric''s fans.

    "Br - br- brother?" Capt. Lim said as he pointed at Miguel and Eric.

    "Yes, and Nicole is my younger sister." Eric said with augh.

    "So that means, you are the eldest." Capt. Lim said as he pointed at Eric.

    "You really didn''t notice that our parents had the same names?" Eric asked as he grinned at the police captain.

    "No. I mean coincidences like that happen often, especially with suchmon names." Capt. Lim said.

    "No, I''m not rted to your captain." Ian teased as the groupughed at his joke.

    "And before you ask, yes this is like a family vacation, we all decided to tag along since Nicole was going with Ian." Miguel answered with a shrug.

    "So why is Miss Nicole running your family business?" A fan suddenly asked. "Why did you leave the Chan family?"

    Cedric expected someone to get mad that theirpanion had wasted a question, but they all kept silent, it seemed that all of them wanted to know more about Eric and the Chan family.

    "We don''t have bad blood between us, if that''s what you want to ask." Miguel said with a smile as he answered for his brother.

    "That counts as two questions by the way." Eric said with augh. "But my brother is telling the truth, I get along quite well with my family and attend family gatherings all the time. As a matter of fact I live with my siblings."

    "So why leave the Chan family?" Capt. Lim asked, he was now just as curious as Eric''s fans. It seemed that it was the drama of the rich and famous that he enjoyed.

    "I left the Chan family because I wanted to follow my own dreams. To carve a path for myself that isn''t dictated by the expectations of my family." Eric exined. "The reason why Nicole is leading the family now is because she is the best one suited for the role."

    Cedric smiled as he watched Eric exin his reasons to his fans among the police. Eric carried a proud expression as he exined why he left and why Nicole was the future head of the family and not him.

    "This is a truth I n to tell everyone someday, and I hope you will all respect that." Eric said as his fans vigorously nodded, agreeing to what he had asked.

    "You still have five questions, fire away." Eric said.

    There were so many things that Eric''s fans wanted to learn about him since he was such a private actor. They jumped at the opportunity to continue asking him about his personal life.

    "Is it true that you didn''t date all those actresses?" A fan asked.

    "No, well yes." Eric said as heughed at his answer. "I was never officially together with any of them, we went out on dates, hung out a bit, but I guess we all juste from different worlds that I couldn''t connect with any of them." Eric said with a shrug.

    "So what Mr. Abad said. . ." A fan began to day as he recalled Ram''s statement during the Gizmo Awards afterparty

    "It was the truth." Eric said with a nod, cutting off his fan mid sentence. "It was their agencies that were making it seem like I was officially with them and that we were hiding it, they were lucky my brother-inw didn''t go after them."

    "Brother-inw?" A policeman asked.

    "Oh right, it''s not public knowledge." Veronica said with augh as she realized that they didn''t exactly go around announcing that she was an Abad.

    Veronica had continued going around using her Bernasconi family name, her mother''s maiden family name before marrying their father.

    "Veronica''s real name is Ann Abad." Miguel said, answering for his wife. "Ram is her older brother, and she belongs to the Abad family. And don''t get any ideas, Ram never did anything out of the ordinary to make Eric famous."

    Cedric nodded, agreeing with Miguel. Eric could have been much much more famous if Ram had decided to pour all the opportunities his way, but Eric just wanted to act, so he passed on many of them to other actors.

    In the local entertainment industry Eric was seen as a generous top actor, someone who never hogged the fame or opportunity.

    "Mr. Eric is amazing!" A fan eximed.

    "I just prefer to act over being famous." Eric said with a shrug.

    "That''s because you don''t need to act to be famous." Katerina teased as Eric smiled at her lovingly, a look that the fans clearly didn''t miss.

    "So is it true, what Miss Cthea Carpio was saying years ago?" A fan asked, this was one of the rumors about Eric that failed to die. Even when Cthea had be friends with their group the rumor persisted.

    "There are many rumors that came from Cthea. Which one?" Eric said with augh.

    "The one about you and her dating and that Miss Katerina stole you from her." The police woman said. "Please tell us the truth." She added.

    "Cthea and I never had a romantic rtionship." Eric said tly with a cold look in his eyes. It was a rumor that he hated because it had kept him and Katerina apart. "There were talks between our families to arrange a marriage but it never pushed through because I left. I became of no value to the Caripios." Eric answered honestly.

    Cedric wondered why Eric was being so honest to his fans tonight, he normally did not do things this way. He liked keeping things from others, he didn''t believe that because he was an actor he had to share his life with everyone else.

    "Next question." Eric suddenly said, quickly shutting down anymentsing from what he had said.

    "Is it true that you are dating someone and that you are in love with that person?" A police woman asked.

    Eric looked at the woman and smiled. "Yes."

    Eric''s answer was simple, but it surprised his fans.

    "We thought those were just rumors. People were saying that you said that to avoid the press." A policeman exined.

    "No, I am in love and I truly want to spend the rest of my life with this person. I''ve loved her from the beginning and my heart has always belonged to her." Eric said as he professed his love for the woman who sat next to his sister.

    "Who is she?" A police woman asked.

 Chapter 666 - 666

    Who is she? When the police woman asked Cedric wanted tough, the answer was quite obvious. They all knew by now but they wanted the answer toe directly from Eric. They wanted him to confirm their suspicions himself.

    Eric nced at Katerina who had an ufortable look on her face. Cedric could see Eric hesitating, clearly unsure if he could reveal who he truly was with.

    "It''s okay." Katerina suddenly said, catching everyone by surprise.

    "I thought you were the one that didn''t want your rtionship to go public?" Nicole asked with augh.

    "I only wanted to keep it a secret for him." Katerina said with a sweet smile.

    "Yes, the woman I love is Katerina Sebastian." Eric said as he looked at Katerina with a loving expression. "Please I am asking you to honor your word and keep our rtionship a secret. I''ve answered your 10 questions. I hope you keep your end of the deal."

    "Of course Mr. Eric." A police woman said. "We can see how much you love her, how much you adore her. I''m sure the rumors about her past are not true."

    "There are some truths among the lies." Katerina suddenly said, confessing about all of the usations thrown her way. "I know that Eric''s fans only want the best for him, but we all have our own journeys in love until we find the right one."

    "To me, you have always been the right one Kat." Eric said as he stood up and walked over to her. "No other girl has ever mattered to me, not other girl but you."

    "Oh my gosh, I think I''m gonna cry." A police woman said as they watched the loving scene between the couple.

    "I hope that you are all satisfied with your visit." Cedric said with a smile as he spoke to Capt. Lim and his staff.

    "I think my staff are more than happy to have been here." The police captain said with augh.

    "Can we return home tomorrow night?" Cedric asked.

    He still had a lot of work to deal with at the Reyes Group and he knew that Adrianna still had work to do as well. On top of that, the couple missed Yoyo terribly and wanted to get back to their son as soon as possible.

    "We''ll ask the coroner to expedite the results of the autopsy." Capt. Lim said with a nod. "Hopefully we will have the results by tonight or tomorrow morning."

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a smile as he walked the police to the door and said goodbye.

    When he got back, Eric was hugging Katerina who was now seemingly sobbing into her boyfriend''s chest.

    Adrianna saw the confused look on Cedric''s face, she walked up to him to exin what he had missed.

    "She didn''t expect Eric to say those things in front of his fans." Adrianna said in a gentle tone. "I think she was quite overwhelmed."

    "The strong and stubborn Katerina, crying because Eric professed his love for her in public." Cedric said with augh. "Who would have known."

    "Don''t tease." Adrianna said as she elbowed her husband on the chest.

    "Fine, fine." Cedric told her as he continued tough, now because of her reaction.

    Cedric loved how well Adrianna got along with his friends'' sisters and significant others. It was as if she had been a part of the group from the very beginning.

    "I''m sorry to ruin the moment, but I think we should discuss what happened today and what to do next." Cedric suddenly said as his mood suddenly shifted to a serious one.

    "Wait." Ian said as he took out his phone and typed something. Cedric was confused as to what his friend meant, but as soon as Ian had shown him what he had typed Cedric simply nodded.

    Ian walked over to several bodyguards and to Mae, and all of them soon began searching the room. Checking every nook and cranny including under the chairs and tables, behind the doors, and above the mouldings.

    Soon a few bodyguards came up with some tiny devices, Cedric nodded as they walked out with them.

    "Were those bugs?" Miguel asked Cedric and Ian.

    The pair nodded and frowned.

    "I thought the police here were incorruptible." Eric asked them.

    "You can''t have a 100% clean government, and I''m not sure if it was the police that nted them." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Are you saying someone could have heard our conversation before they arrived?" Nicole asked in shock.

    "It can''t be used." Katerina said with augh. "It can''t be used in court. If they illegally bugged this room they can''t use the evidence against us. But they can get us to slip up if they knew the truth."

    "That''s kind of a relief." Adrianna said as she sat herselffortably on the couch.

    "But what about the things my brother said to the police?" Nicole asked. "And Eric, why would you do that? Why would you tell them everything you''ve worked so hard to hide?"

    "I just wanted to get us some goodwill from them, hopefully since I did that, they will speed up the autopsy." Eric said with a shrug as he exined his actions.

    "I think it might have worked." Cedric said with augh. "Capt. Lim promised to pull some strings to get us home by tomorrow."

    "That''s perfect! Although I wish we could go home tonight as nned." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "I miss Yoyo too, honey." Cedric said as he sat next to his wife and pulled her into his arms.

    Adrianna leaned into him and rxed.

    "Mae, I''ll need you toe home with us. I don''t n on leaving you behind." Cedric said.

    "Thank you, sir." Mae said with a nod.

    "Please arrange rooms for everyone, including yourself. I don''t want you to stay at thepany housing tonight." Cedric instructed.

    Mae simply nodded and left to do as he had asked.

 Chapter 667 - 667

    *WARNING: SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT*

    Cedric and his friends decided to spend the rest of the day resting and actually using the trip as a vacation. They decided to make their own ns, separately.

    Since Eric and Katerina hadn''te out to the public as a couple yet they decided to stay in, while everyone else went on romantic dates across the city.

    Unfortunately for Cedric and Adrianna, they both had a lot of work to deal with, so they both ended up staying in the hotel. Ian tried to insist on keeping Cedricpany, but Mae sent him away.

    "You should have taken the day off." Cedric said as he studied some reports on hisptop.

    Mae was seated next to him, showing him relevant information on her ownptop.

    "He was a friend for a week." Mae said with a sigh. "I don''t even know if it was a fake friendship or if it was a trap to lure you here. The bugs make me nervous that it was a trap." Mae confessed with a frown.

    "Don''t worry Mae, we''ll get to the bottom of this soon enough." Cedric promised with a nod as they continued to work.

    By the time Cedric finished it was already time for dinner and Mae had booked a reservation for him and Adrianna. Mae told the couple that they should at least rx over dinner, making Cedricugh, he knew his assistant would be working the whole time.

    Cedric was d that Mae had forced him and his wife to have some down time. The whole restaurant had been reserved for them.

    It was quite a peaceful night for the couple, they had a good dinner, took a walk around the city, and finally retired to their room.

    "It''s been a while since we were truly alone." Adrianna said as she wrapped her arms around Cedric''s waist from behind.

    Cedric felt her kiss his neck as her breasts pressed on his back, he moaned as he felt Adrianna''s hand travel down from his waist to his crotch as she gently massaged his manhood.

    "Adri, you''re pregnant." Cedric said as he resisted the urge to strip her of her clothes and fuck her brains out.

    Cedric and Adrianna hadn''t had sex since they fount out she was pregnant. He didn''t want to risk harming their unborn children.

    "You don''t need to keep treating me like ss, Cedric." Adrianna said in a seductive tone as she continued to massage him through his pants. "I won''t break, and the babies will be fine."

    "We should ask the doctor first." Cedric said in a hesitant tone. Last time Adrianna had a difficult pregnancy and he didn''t want a repeat of that.

    "It''s fine Cedric." His wife said as she held his hand and led him to the bed. "I asked the doctor before we left and she said we can have sex. Just not rough sex." Adrianna said with a wink as she straddled him.

    "That''s good." Cedric said as he left a trail of kisses on Adrianna''s neck and wrapped an arm around her waist.

    He felt as his wife began to rub her already wet panties on his crotch, making him grow even bigger, staining his pants.

    "Honey." Cedric moaned as his lips found hers and he nibbled on her gently. "I miss being inside of you." He whispered as he nipped her ear yfully.

    "I miss having you inside me, honey." Adrianna said as she began to unbutton her husband''s shirt, tossing it away as it came free.

    Cedric continued to kiss her as she felt her continue grinding herself against him. Adrianna''s hands roamed his chest feeling his well sculpted abs.

    "So hot." Cedric whispered as his free hand danced on her leg, slowly climbing its way up her skirt.

    Cedric yfully tugged on the garter of her panties, before going up once more, exploring her luscious body.

    He continued to explore her body, brushing his hand against her small baby bump, letting it wander to her breasts. He could feel her nipples hardening against her bra, he quickly ced his hand behind her and unsped her underwear freeing her breasts from it''s prison.

    His hands soon found her breasts, he rolled her nipple on his thumb as he let his tongue invade her, kissing Adrianna hungrily.

    He felt her moan and move more needily as he continued to y with her breasts, he felt her press her lips against his and rub herself even more against his manhood.

    Cedric finally broke free of their kiss as Adrianna took off her dress, leaving her in just her panties as she eyed him seductively.

    "You look perfect." Cedric said as he looked at her body, caressing it with his eyes. He watched as his wife got on her knees and began to unbuckle his pants and pull down his zipper.

    Soon his cock sprang free of it''s restraints as Adrianna pulled down both his pants and boxers in one fluid movement.

    Adrianna ran her tongue along his cock, making Cedric grip the sheets in pleasure as he felt her warmth against his manhood..

    "Shit!" Cedric cursed as he felt her wrap her warm mouth around his cock, licking and sucking along the way.

    Cedric gripped her hair and helped her take his whole cock in her mouth, he felt as his manhood hit the back of her throat making him groan. Soon he was already pumping his cock into her mouth, no longer letting her suck him, but instead fucking her mouth.

    "Honey, Adri, I''m gonna cum!" Cedric shouted as he moved faster.

    He didn''t even let her respond or react as he blew his load into her mouth.

    As he felt his cock empty itself into this wife''s gorgeous lips, he pulled out and watched her swallow all of his seed.

    "That was hot." Cedric said as he pulled her onto hisp and proceeded to make out with her.

    "Mmm." Adrianna moaned as Cedric''s hands pulled off her panties and yed with her now sensitive clit.

    "I should return the favor." Cedric said with a smile as he ced her t on her back on the bed, with her legs spread wide giving him a perfect view of her entrance.

 Chapter 668 - 668

    *WARNING: SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT*

    Cedric smiled seductively at his wife as kissed her from her ankle, up the inside of her leg, making Adrianna shiver with desire.

    He could see how much she wanted him as he came face to face with her dripping pussy. He gave it a quick lick, eliciting a moan from his wife.

    "You want that honey?" Cedric asked as he licked her again.

    "Yes, Cedric. Please." Adrianna begged as Cedric continued to tease her, licking and sucking.

    His hand traveled up to her breast, he gave it a yful squeeze as he began to eat her out, letting his tongue dart into her soaked entrance.

    "Ced!" Adrianna moaned as she thrust her hips towards Cedric''s mouth showing how much she wanted him, how much she needed him.

    Cedric ced two fingers into her as he continued to lick her clit and y with her breasts. He could hear Adrianna moaning and panting as he felt her push herself towards him. He knew she wanted more, so he inserted another finger, touching her g-spot as he continued to pleasure her.

    "Cedric!" Adrianna moaned, encouraging him to speed up.

    He continued on his assault on her pussy as he felt her nearing her climax. Cedric felt Adrianna''s hand grip his hair, pulling on it as she came for the first time that night.

    The taste of his wife''s juices on his lips had gotten Cedric hard again, seeing and feeling her cum around his fingers made him want to be in her more than ever.

    Cedric kissed her dripping pussy, he kissed up her abdomen, when he got to her breast he to a nipple into his mouth, sucking it.

    "Honey." Adrianna moaned.

    He knew she was sensitive, she just came and here he was assaulting her pleasure points once more, not giving her rest. He wanted her, he needed to be in her, they hadn''t had sex in a while and he thirsted for her.

    "Cedric, stop teasing me." Adrianna moaned as Cedric nibbled on her breast, his free hand was back on her clit, ying with it, taking full advantage of how sensitive she was.

    "You''re delicious, you should have a taste." Cedric said as he moved to kiss her.

    As their lips met Cedric pushed his tongue into her mouth, forcing his wife to taste her own juices.

    As they continued to make out Cedric pushed a finger inside her already soaked opening making her moan into his mouth.

    Cedric continued to pump his fingers into her, adding another finger every so often, preparing her pussy for his cock.

    As their lips parted, Cedric continued to finger her, cing a chaste kiss on her lips as his hands did lewd things to her. Fingering her and ying with her clit, giving her pleasure as he lowered his head to the crook of her neck.

    Cedric kissed her neck, he sucked it, knowing it would leave a mark. He didn''t care, he wanted the world to know how much he adored his wife.

    "Ced, I want you." Adrianna begged as Cedric pulled his fingers out of her pussy to tease her. "Please Cedric."

    "Please what, Adrianna?" Cedric asked as he positioned himself ready to enter her at any moment.

    "Please Cedric, I need you in me. I want you to fuck me." Adrianna begged.

    "Mrs. Reyes, you have such a dirty mouth." Cedric said with a grin as he rubbed his cock against her wet opening, drenching his manhood in her juices. "I will have to fuck this mouth clean."

    "Please Cedric, stop teasing me." Adrianna begged again as she tried to get him in her by moving herself down on his cock.

    Cedric knew she would do this so he pulled back, making her whimper.

    "Please -" As Adrianna begged him, Cedric suddenly thrust his cock roughly inside, making her moan in pleasure.

    "I feel so full." Adrianna said as Cedric filled her pussy with his cock.

    "Still so tight, honey." Cedric moaned as he felt her pussy grip his cock. "

    Cedric began to move, at first he thrust in and out of her slowly, making Adrianna whimper. She clearly wanted it rough today.

    He teased her a few more times, going slow and shallow, then suddenly thrusting himself deep into her, making Adrianna beg one moment then moan in pleasure the next.

    After a few rough and fast thrusts into her, Cedric pulled himself outpletely, making Adrianna whimper in the sudden emptiness.

    "Patience, honey. You are way too horney today." Cedric teased. He knew it was the pregnancy hormones, she was like this too when she was pregnant with Yoyo, always horny.

    Cedric helped his wife as he sat her up, making her get on her hands and knees.

    "Now, honey, this is going to sting." Cedric said as he pped her ass. He smiled as it jiggled.

    With each p he quickly ced a finger inside of Adrianna, making her feel both pleasure and pain.

    "Mrs. Reyes is so naughty tonight." Cedric said as he pped her ass one more time making her moan.

    This time, she didn''t get the finger she was expecting. Instead Cedric thrust his dick deep into her, making her cum as soon as he entered.

    "So horny." Cedric said in a rough tone as he continued to fuck his wife, as he felt her pussy mp around his cock as she came.

    "Ced, I''m sensitive." Adrianna said as she recovered from her climax.

    "Honey, I haven''t cum yet." Cedric told her as he continued to fuck her, grunting with each thrust.

    He heard his wife moan as her sensitivity increased the pleasure of their intercourse. Cedric grabbed her hair and yfully pped her ass as he continued to fuck her, savoring the pleasure of his wife''s pussy.

    Cedric thrust harder and faster as he felt his own climax nearing, with each thrust Cedric could feel Adrianna''s pussy getting tighter as well, she clearly going to cum again.

    "Don''t not yet." Cedric shouted as he increased his pace. "Let''s cum together, Adrianna." He instructed her as his wife whimpered beneath him, resisting the urge toe undone.

    After a few more swift and strong thrust, Cedric grunted.

    "Honey, I''m cumming." He told her as he felt her pussy tighten once more.

    Her climax drove him over the edge as he spewed his sperm deep into her, filling her.

    Cedric didn''t pull out until he was done, when he finally did he copsed on the bed pulling his wife on his chest as she rested from their hot fuck session.

 Chapter 669 - 669

    Cedric and his group had arranged to have breakfast all together the next day in the presidential suite. Mae had ordered food for them, and by the time Adrianna and Cedric joined everyone in the dining room, breakfast was already served.

    "I thought you guys wouldn''t be joining us." Miguel teased as he reached for some pancake syrup on the table.

    "Please, it''s not as if you and Veronica didn''t go at it all night." Cedric teased as he pulled out a seat for Adrianna. She smiled and thanked him before sitting down.

    "Of course they did." Nicole teased as she ate her pancake happily. "I mean, they''ve been going at it since they realized they loved each other."

    "Nicole!" Veronicained.

    "What?" Nicole asked, feigning innocence.

    "Sure, put everyone''s sex life under the microscope!" Veronica shouted. "It''s not like you and Ian are the worst. You''ve been together for how long and this is your second." Her friend teased making everyoneugh.

    Cedric was d that Veronica could joke lightly about having children since she and Miguel had trouble conceiving. Adopting Dominic had also helped make Veronica happier, she carried a much lighter aura nowpared to before.

    "Sir." Mae suddenly said as she approached Cedric.

    "Yes?" Cedric asked her.

    "I need to show you and Ian something in private." Mae informed him.

    Cedric nodded and got up, gesturing for Ian to follow. They headed to the en suite office and took a seat behind the office table.

    As Ian entered after them, he closed the door, making sure that their conversation couldn''t be heard from the outside.

    "You better have a good exnation for why we are speaking in private, Mae." Cedric said in a stern tone as he warned his assistant. "You know that I trust the people in that room more than anyone else."

    "Sorry, sir." Mae said with a frown. "But I didn''t want to share my theories on the nurse so freely. I''m afraid about how the Chan siblings might react."

    "I''m on this one with Mae, Cedric." Ian said with a nod.

    "You knew she had a theory?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, she went to me first before talking to you." Ian exined. "I was the one that told her not to say it in front of the siblings."

    "Alright then." Cedric said as he leaned back and rxed, he trusted Ian''s judgement especially when it came to the Chans. "Let''s hear your theory."

    "I think Fernando''s death waspletely natural." Mae suddenly said.

    Cedric was taken by surprise by her statement, he had expected her to tell him about some plot behind the nurse''s death, but instead she was telling him there was no plot.

    "I''m confused." Cedric said as he leaned forward. "You said you had a theory, but now you tell me everything is natural. It''s very confusing Mae."

    "That isn''t her theory yet Ced." Ian said with augh. "Don''t worry, I got confused when she told me this morning too." Ian said as he shook his head.

    "Continue." Cedric said with a nod as he listened intently to his assistant.

    "Whoever has been behind Fernando''s relocation is sure to look for him." Mae exined. "I''m sure that person will be looking for an update from him every week or maybe every month. It depends on how much the person suspects that people are looking for Fernando."

    "These people are probably not contacting the nurse via phone or letter." Cedric said as he thought of the possibilities. "Maybe they send someone to check on him."

    "Then we would need to ce people to monitor Fernando''s residence." Mae said with a nod.

    "What if Fernando doesn''t meet these people in his home?" Ian asked as he challenged their n.

    "Even if they don''t meet at his home, if he doesn''t show up or respond to them I''m pretty sure they will send someone to physically check on him." Cedric said. "I mean, Fernando is not a young man, based on the information we have on him he is at least in his seventies."

    "I just feel sad that his family won''t know that he was still alive and that he had just died." Mae said with a frown. "In all honesty, Fernando was a really good man. He was caring and sweet."

    "Or he had a crush on you." Ian teased.

    Cedricughed at Ian''sment. Mae was a pretty young woman, as a matter of fact Mae had been discovered by him and Ian when Ram had shown them prospective artists.

    The entertainment bigshot was getting frustrated as the young woman kept rejecting their offers for her to work with them.

    Mae had kept telling them that she felt she was meant for more, that she was more than just a pretty face, this was something that Eric had found amusing at the time.

    Cedric suddenly realized how neither Eric nor Ram had connected the dots that Mae was that one potential trainee. Mae had somewhat changed her appearance, making her look a little bit more ordinary.

    She wore demure clothing and sses, she also always kept her hair tied in a bun or a ponytail. Mae even spoke a lot differently than when Ram was recruiting her.

    "Earth to Cedric." Ian suddenly said as he waved his hand in front of his friend. "What convoluted n were you thinking about this time?" Ian asked when he noticed that he had gotten Cedric''s attention back.

    "I was just remembering how we found Mae." Cedric said with augh. "We will need to tell Ram and Eric eventually."

    "They will think they are such idiots for not noticing." Ian said with augh.

    "I did hide intentionally." Mae said with a shrug. "I avoided any work that required me interacting with Lights Entertainment." She said with a shrug.

    "We know." Ian said as he smiled at the assistant.

    "Who do you think has been funding Fernando?" Cedric suddenly asked, bringing them back on topic.

 Chapter 670 - 670

    "Well the most obvious guess would be Lucius, but he thinks Fernando is dead." Ian said as he thought of the possibilities.

    "What if he lied to Cami and Benedict?" Cedric asked.

    "He''d be keeping up too many lies, it would be way tooplicated." Ian said, shaking his head.

    "Ian, based on our experience, we know things are usually not what they seem, and Lucius seems to be the smartest out of all of them." Cedric said as he scratched his chin.

    "And Aiden was notplicated enough for you?" Ian asked.

    "He had Benedict." Mae added. "The real brains of that operation was Benedict and not Aiden."

    "And despite his intelligence Aiden had managed to trick his own brother, getting him to work for him." Ian argued back.

    "Benedict still saw the light though, and we are lucky he is now on our side." Cedric said with a nod.

    "So fine, potentially Lucius." Ian said as he gave into their reasoning.

    "Do you think it could be the Chan family?" Mae asked.

    "You have to be more specific than just the Chan family, Mae." Ian said as he rolled his eyes at the other assistant. "It''s a huge n, but yes, potentially someone in the family could be behind this."

    "Do you think it could be Uncle Raphael?" Cedric asked Ian. "You know the Chans the best, do you think he could be the one hiding this man?"

    "I doubt it." Ian said with a frown. "I don''t see the point why he would hide Fernando."

    "Maybe he nned on using Fernando in case someone imed to be Andrew Chan." Mae theorized as they sat in the office.

    "It would be too risky and it probably cost whoever hid him quite a fortune." Cedric said as he thought of the possibilities.

    "Then maybe grandpa Chan himself?" Mae asked as she thought of the old man and his remorse.

    "What use would the nurse be to him?" Cedric asked Mae.

    "Actually, if he had known about the nurse it would make sense." Ian said as he thought of the old man. "He could be trying to make up for his crimes against his son and grandson."

    "Hmmm, alright, he could be Fernando''s backer." Cedric said as he looked out the window.

    "So what will you have us do?" Mae asked Cedric.

    "Hire locals to spy on the house as well as on the ces he frequented." Cedric instructed as he stood by the hotel window that overlooked the city. "Have them alternate so that people don''t notice that the same people are watching over the same ces."

    "And what should they look for?" Mae asked.

    "Anyone acting suspicious, people asking questions about Fernando." Cedric said. "Maybe have one or two move in next door to Fernando''s apartment. It would be suspicious if they moved into Fernando''s apartment themselves."

    "How long do you want them to stay?" Mae asked as she typed Cedric''s instructions in her phone.

    "Two months." Cedric said as he thought of how long the person backing Fernando would be willing to wait before hearing news from the man. "If no one shows up in two months, extend it to six, if there is still no one by then, make it a year."

    "Isn''t that too long?" Ian asked Cedric with a raised eyebrow.

    "Whoever has been supporting Fernando has been doing it for decades." Cedric exined. "I''m sure at some point they had lessened theirmunication with each other. I mean if he hadn''t been found in years, what would make them think he would be found now?" Cedirc asked.

    "The fact that you are here could raise suspicion." Ian pointed out. "You also brought all the Chan siblings. It could have gone unnoticed if we were just gone for the day, but we had to stay longer."

    "Then that just proves the urgency for us to move." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "We''ll get it done." Mae said, cutting Ian off before he could even respond. She knew that Ian was about to begin a full on argument and it wasn''t something that would be productive at the moment.

    As Mae was about to leave the room to arrange for people to watch over Fernando''s apartment, when someone knocked on the door.

    "Adrianna?" Mae asked as she saw her boss'' wife waiting on the other side.

    "Adri, you didn''t need to knock." Cedric said in a loving tone as he walked over to her.

    "I''m pretty sure you guys were discussing something important and confidential, I didn''t want to be a bother." Adrianna exined.

    "It''s fine, Adri." Ian said with a smile. "We''re done discussing what we needed to talk about." He said in a somewhat bitter tone.

    "We''ll talk about thister." Cedric said as he pointed at his former assistant who simply nodded and left.

    "Actually we all need to head out." Adrianna told Cedric. "Capt. Lim arrived and he said he had news."

    Cedric looked at Ian who simply shrugged.

    "Let me get what you need done first, I''ll follow. Please ask the captain to wait." Mae said as she shuffled out of the room.

    "We will." Cedric called out, hoping his assistant still heard him.

    "What did you ask Mae to do?" Adrianna asked. "You know the girl is grieving. Despite everything, that nurse became a fast friend."

    "It''s rted to Fernando." Cedric told his wife in a serious tone. "Don''t worry, she''s doing this because she wants to as well. It''s Ian that has some hesitation."

    "Ian?" Adrianna asked as she turned to face her husband''s friend who was leaning against the door frame.

    "Cedric and I don''t always agree on things, you know." Ian said with augh. "Which is actually good. Anyway, I''ll head on to my wife. You guys just follow. It should buy Mae some time."

    Cedric nodded as his friend left.

    Adrianna hugged her husband and leaned her head on his chest.

    "How are you holding up?" She asked. "This shouldn''t be your problem, you know."

    "Adri, we both know that I, no, we, the Reyes family is Lucius'' first target and the sooner we can cut him down, the better." Cedric said as he kissed his wife. "I''m d you are with me. Now, let''s face those policemen." He said with a stern look as he pulled his wife out of the office and towards the dining room.

 Chapter 671 - 671

    As Cedric and Adrianna joined everyone in the living room, Cedric was surprised that Capt. Lim only had two other policemen with him this time.

    "It seems you decided toe with less people today." Cedric said with augh as he guided his wife to take a seat next to Nicole.

    "I figured it was best to just leave them at the station." Capt. Lim said with a grin. "I don''t really have that much time and if they keep staring at your friend I won''t be able toe and do what I have to do."

    "Sir." Mae said with a nod as she joined them, standing behind Adrianna.

    "I''m sorry you had to wait." Cedric told the police captain as he took his seat at the head of the group. "I had some work to attend to." He informed Capt. Lim.

    "It''s alright, I understand." Capt. Lim said with a nod. "You were supposed to fly back yesterday and I held you back for a day."

    "It''s not a problem." Cedric told the captain. "There isn''t anything that needs my attention back at home, as a matter of fact I was nning on visiting our local offices after lunch. So you arrived at the perfect time." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Alright, let me get down to business then." The police captain said with a nod as his expression turned serious.

    "Very well." Cedric simply said in response, not wanting to prolong the conversation.

    "You and your friends are all free to go." Capt. Lim said with a smile. "We couldn''t find any sign of foul y in Mr. Fernando''s remains."

    Cedric breathed a sigh of relief, it was good news that they could finally go home.

    "What was the cause of death?" Miguel asked.

    "It was a heart attack." Capt. Lim said with a shrug. "He wasn''t a young man and he was already taking medication for hypertension."

    "It''s good that he died a natural death." Ian said with a nod. "Don''t get me wrong, it''s sad that he passed on, but it''s good that there was no foul y."

    "I just hope Fernando is at peace, wherever he is." Mae said with a frown as she whipped a tear away.

    "Miss Mae, I am sure you would like to collect everything that he left for you." Capt. Lim said as he looked up at the young assistant. "I have a list with me, if you don''t mind me reading."

    "Shouldn''t it be hiswyer that does this?" Cedric asked as he looked at the piece of paper in the policeman''s hands.

    "Hiswyer was with us." Capt. Lim said in a hesitant tone. "But your men asked him to stay in the lobby."

    Cedric sighed upon hearing the news, sometimes it annoyed him how over the top Leon had set his security up. At all times Cedric had at least five men following him even in the restroom. As a matter of fact he couldn''t go in unless the ce had been sweeped.

    "I''ll have someone let him up." Cedric said as he nodded towards Ian.

    Ian quickly dialed a number and gave them instructions to let thewyer up to the presidential suite.

    It only took a few minutes, but thewyer, a young man, soon joined them.

    "I''m sorry sir, but damn your bodyguards are hot!" Thewyer eximed, taking everyone by surprise.

    "Shouldn''t you be more formal or something?" Katerina asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Oh my gosh, you''re-" The youngwyer said as he stuttered. "Oh shit!" He cursed.

    "A fan?" Cedric asked with augh as he teased the youngwyer. "She doesn''t bite, much."

    "Yeah, she''s nasty." Eric teased, earning him an elbow to the rib from his girlfriend, making everyoneugh.

    "I''m really a fan, Miss Katerina." Thewyer said as he rushed to shake Katerina''s hand. Unfortunately Capt. Lim pulled the youngwyer back, stopping him in his tracks.

    "I thought you were here for business Atty. Mien." Capt. Lim scolded.

    "I''m guessing you are familiar with thewyer?" Katerina said with augh as she spotted her fan being stopped by the policeman.

    "His father and I were very good friends." Capt. Lim said with a nod.

    "It''s alright captain." Cedric said with a nod. "Why don''t you take a seat Atty. Mien?" Cedric told the youngwyer as he gestured to an empty spot next to the police captain.

    "Thank you, Mr. Reyes." Thewyer said with a nod as he sat down.

    "Why don''t we finish your official business here first, then you can chat with Katerina." Cedric suggested, to which the youngwyer simply nodded.

    "I''m sorry, but how did you know Fernando?" Mae asked as she looked at thewyer.

    "We met when he first arrived." Atty. Mien said with a shrug. "Soon enough he was asking me to deal with his legal matters. I was more than willing to do it since he had helped me through a tough time."

    "Weren''t you shocked when he left everything to me?" Mae asked.

    "To be honest, no." Atty. Mien said. "He spoke about you a lot. He even joked that he wanted to set us up, and to be honest, I wouldn''t mind." Thewyer said as he blushed.

    "Mien!" Capt. Lim scolded as he spotted the young man flirting with Cedric''s assistant.

    "Sorry." Atty. Mien said as he scratched the back of his head. "Anyway, shall we discuss what Fernando left behind for you?" Thewyer asked as Capt. Lim handed him a document.

    "I''ll go straight to the point, Mae." Atty. Mien said with a sigh. "This will is divided into two people, you and me."

    "Oh." Mae said. She wasn''t surprised that Fernando had divided his property between two people. She was just confused as to what it meant.

    "Fernando didn''t like to show how rich he was, but he left quite a sizable amount of money." Mien exined. "This will be divided equally between us after all the taxes and dues have been settled."

    "Alright." Mae said with a nod as she tried to process what Mien was telling her.

    "As for his properties, he left the apartment he lived in with you, and another property with me. His car will also go to you." Atty. Mien said to which Mae simply nodded.

    "Are you alright?" Atty. Mien asked as he noticed her lost and confused expression.

    "No." Mae finally said, shaking her head.

 Chapter 672 - 672

    Cedric watched as his assistant walked out to the balcony.

    "Give her a few minutes." Cedric said as he nodded at Ian. "Ian and I will speak to her for a bit. Fernando was a friend to her in a foreign country, to be honest, she is hurting. She just hides it really well."

    Capt. Lim and Atty. Mien nodded in understanding.

    "Atty. Mien, you seem to have known Fernando quite well?" Adrianna asked. As she offered the youngwyer a cup of coffee.

    "Yes." Atty. Mien said. "He was like a father to me after my father passed away."

    "Our condolences." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "It''s alright. He left us a while back, I went through tough times for years and only managed to recover after meeting the kind nurse." Atty. Mien said.

    "So Fernando was a nurse?" Eric asked, feigning ignorance.

    "Mae didn''t tell you?" Capt. Lim asked.

    "No, she left that bit out." Cedric said with a frown as they tried to get more information from the police captain and thewyer.

    "But you do know that he originated from the same country as you?" Capt. Lim asked Cedric.

    "Yes." Cedric nodded. "Mae mentioned that. It''s what made her suspect that he could be a spy. Mypany isn''t well known here, but we are quite popr back at home."

    "Mr. Reyes, I think the term quite popr is an understatement." Capt. Lim said with augh. "Your family is ranked as the richest in your country. I would say you are the most poprpany in your country."

    "I don''t like to boast, Capt. Lim." Cedric said with a smile as he leaned back on his seat. "I know there will always be someone better and someone with more potential. I don''t like sittingfortably."

    "Ced, we should follow Mae." Ian told Cedric as he got up.

    Cedric nodded and excused himself, leaving his wife to entertain the police officers and the youngwyer.

    Cedric and Ian found Mae standing at the balcony of the hotel room, her hands pressed on the railing as she took deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself.

    "Mae, are you alright?" Ian asked as he and Cedric walked over to join her.

    "No, not really." Mae said as she shook her head.

    "Do you want to talk about it?" Cedric asked in a kind brotherly tone as he ced a hand on Mae''s back.

    Mae took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Cedric and Ian thought she wouldn''t open up, but she surprised them by suddenly speaking up.

    "I know getting close to Fernando was a mission. It was a job." Mae said with a frown as she looked down at her hands on the railing. "But, we became friends, he was so kind and so caring." Mae confessed as she wiped a tear that rolled on her cheek.

    "Did you fall in love with him?" Ian asked in a non-judgemental tone, his concern was clear, but it was more of a concern for her broken heart.

    "No, it was nothing like that." Mae said with augh as she shook her head.

    "Then, what was it?" Cedric asked, a part of him was afraid to ask. He feared that Mae had gotten too attached to the man who had just passed and had bepromised.

    "You''ve both read my files, right?" Mae asked Cedric and Ian.

    "Yes, of course." Ian said with a nod. "Although, I''m not sure if Cedric actually read it, you know how he getszy sometimes." Ian teased.

    "I read it." Cedric scoffed. "But yes, with everything I need to read I do getzy." Cedric said with augh.

    "My father disappeared when I was very young, I think I was just three at the time." Mae exined as she sighed into the wind. "I have very vague memories of him, but I know that he couldn''t be with us because he had a job somewhere else, somewhere far, but those memories have always been with me."

    "I''m sorry Mae." Ian said as he patted her on the back.

    "It''s not your fault, don''t say sorry." Mae said with augh, annoying Ian.

    "So why tell us about your dad?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Wait, did you suspect that Fernando was your dad?" Ian asked with a look of shock.

    "Of course not!" Mae shouted in an annoyed tone. "I know how my dad looks, and Fernando and my father look nothing alike."

    "I was just teasing. Calm down." Ian told Mae as he rolled his eyes at her.

    "Anyway." Mae said as she continued telling her story. "I grew up missing my father, looking for him, even after my mom died I still waited for him to show up, but he never did."

    "You felt a fatherly connection with Fernando." Cedric said as he realized what Mae was trying to say.

    Mae simply nodded in response to his words.

    "Like Atty. Mien, you felt that Fernando reminded you of your father. That''s what he said right, he remembered his father through the old nurse?" Ian asked.

    "Yes." Cedric said. "It seems there was much more to Fernando than what we expected, we should look into his life a little bit more. Maybe there is someone there that could tell us more about him."

    "Do you think it''s possible that he lost a child?" Ian asked Cedric as he thought about how Fernando created a connection with young men and women who had lost their parents.

    "It''s possible." Cedric said with a nod. "If he has a wife and a son out there, I''m sure that whoever is backing him will either silence them or take care of them."

    "Two innocent lives could be in danger." Mae said with a gasp.

    "If they are still alive." Ian said with a frown. "What if the reason he cares so much is because they died long ago?"

    "Honestly, we will never know the truth to that if we don''t investigate it." Cedric said with a shrug. "Let''s make it a priority when we get back."

    His assistants nodded as they took note of his orders.

    "Cedric, I would like to visit Fernando''s family back in our country when we return, to tell them the news." Mae said with a hope filled look in her eyes.

    "Mae, it will endanger our ns, you should know this." Ian scolded.

    "Please, I need to do this." Mae begged her boss as she continued to look at him directly in his emotionless eyes.

    Ian and Mae both knew that this was the look Cedric had when he was seriously thinking of his next move, or plotting his next attack. Clearly he was thinking Mae''s request through.

    "Cedric, they deserve to know that their rtive was still alive, they should be the ones to bury his cremated remains." Mae reasoned out. "I also want to bring Atty. Mien with me, Fernando was an important person in his life too."

    "Cedric, it''s too dangerous." Ian warned. "We''ve worked too hard to risk everything to bury a man in his family crypt. We can get him a better one near the capital where you can visit him, Mae."

    "Please Cedric, something tells me that Fernando was just a victim in this mess. He deserves to truly be at peace." Mae begged as she and Ian waited patiently for Cedric''s response.

 Chapter 673 - 673

    "Fine." Cedric said with a nod after a long silence.

    "Cedric, are you fucking serious?" Ian asked in disbelief. "This is just too risky, too many things are on the line for Mae to just visit his family. People will know that we knew about this nurse''s background, that we investigated him!"

    "We already told the police that we were looking into his background." Cedric said in a stern tone.

    "That''spletely different from this and you know it!" Ian told Cedric in a raised tone.

    "No, it is not Ian." Cedric said, reciprocating his friend''s tone. "If we deny looking into his background it will be suspicious, people will ask why we didn''t investigate a man we suspected of attempting to hurt our interests."

    Ian remained silent for a while as he thought of Cedric''s reasoning. Cedric was unlike a lot of rich and powerful businessmen, he actually appreciated his people''s feedback and took them into ount.

    It was this trait of Cedric''s that had helped him take the Reyes Group on to a whole different level. His willingness to listen and take in suggestions gave him an edge versus others, even his friends.

    Cedric knew for a fact that Ray and Alexi ran all of their enterprises with an iron fist, no one was allowed to question their decisions, it was the nature of the underworld and the government. While Ram and Miguel were more open minded, listening to a select few.

    "Fine." Ian said in defeat. "You are right." He said with a sigh as he shook his head.

    "I know I''m right." Cedric said proudly, making Maeugh at his reaction.

    "We should get back to the police and Atty. Mien." Ian said as he tried to stop his friend and former boss from boasting. "They will wonder what''s taking so long."

    "Mae is a mourning woman, they will understand." Cedric said, shaking his head. "You just can''t take being wrong this time."

    "My gut tells me they shouldn''t know, but logic says otherwise." Ian admitted to Cedric and Mae. "But Ced is right. They will know we looked into this man''s past."

    "Okay, I''m good with that, let''s head back." Cedric told them as he led their group back to the living room where a couple of hotel staff were serving snacks and food.

    "It seems that my wife had decided that you are hungry and thirsty." Cedric teased as he sat back into his seat. Ian also returned to Nicole''s side and Mae stood behind Adrianna.

    "It is quite difficult to say no to your lovely wife, Mr. Reyes." Capt. Lim said as he gave Cedric a respectful smile.

    "Mrs. Reyes is so kind and beautiful, sir." Artty. Mien said in an innocent tone. It was clear to Cedric that the boy didn''t have that much experience with the harsh reality of the world. "You are a very lucky man."

    His second statement made Cedric smile, it was true, Cedric was a lucky man.

    "It''s a good thing you added that second bit." Ian said with augh. "If you had made thatment towards any other businessman you would be in a ton of trouble."

    "It''s fine Mien." Cedric said with augh as he noticed the boy''s rmed expression. "I don''t mind you praising my wife, especially when it is the truth. I truly am a lucky man." Cedric said with a smile as he looked lovingly at Adrianna.

    "Sir." Mae said with a cough as she reminded him about her request.

    "Ah yes, I''m sorry I almost forgot Mae." Cedric said with augh as he returned his attention back to the group.

    "It''s alright, sir. It''s my job to remind you." Mae said in a respectful tone.

    Cedric simply nodded in response and he turned to face Capt. Lim and Atty. Mien.

    "As both of you know by now, I had Fernando investigated." Cedric said with a much more serious expression.

    "Yes." Capt. Lim said slowly as he was clearly curious to hear what Cedric had to say.

    "While there were things we missed out in our investigation, which ispletely natural, we did discover that he still has family back in our country." Cedric exined.

    "If this is a request to bury him there with his family, we have no issue with that." Capt. Lim said. "Our government understands that this is not his home and you haveplete freedom to take his body or ashes back."

    "We may need to take his body." Mae said. "His family might not believe that he was still alive if they do not see it."

    "I will arrange for it then, I assume you would like to take it with you as you fly back?" Capt. Lim asked Cedric.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "My ne has ample storage to take him home so it shouldn''t be an issue."

    "Is that all?" Capt. Lim asked with a confused look, Cedric''s request was a simple one, not something that needed to be raised with him.

    "The second request is more for Atty. Mien." Cedric announced.

    "For me?" The youngwyer asked with a confused look on his face.

    "Mae." Cedric said as he nodded at his assistant, signalling her to ask.

    "Atty. Mien, just like you Fernando reminded me of my father." Mae began. "And I think this is something his family needs to hear. That Fernando did not die unloved or alone. That there were people who cared for him in hisst days." Mae''s voice cracked as her emotions began to seep through the strong facade she had.

    "Are you asking me toe meet his family?" Atty. Mien asked as he pointed towards himself.

    "Yes." Mae said with a nod. "I don''t want his family to think he died alone." She exined.

    "I''ll do it for Fernando." Atty. Mien said with a nod. "But I''m not quite sure if I can leave with you today. I still have business to attend to." He exined.

    "It''s alright. I still need to arrange to meet with his family." Mae said as a feeling of relief made her smile.

    "I will send you a ticket and pay for it." Cedric announced. "My friend owns a local airline, don''t reject my offer." Cedric quickly added knowing that the man would refuse.

    "Very well. I will follow in two days." Atty. Mien said with a nod, making Mae smile.

 Chapter 674 - 674

    Cedric and his group decided to leaveter that afternoon.

    They had a quick lunch at the hotel restaurant, where Eric apparently had several fans dining.

    "Oh my gosh!" A tall euro-asian looking woman said as she and her friends approached Cedric''s table.

    Cedric''s bodyguards were quick to step in, blocking them from getting any closer to the group.

    "Mr. Eric! Mr. Eric!" The woman called out. "Please I''m such a big fan, just one photo, please." She begged as she and her friends tried to push through the bodyguards that were blocking them.

    Eric smiled and gave them a signal to wait. He quickly turned his back and looked at Cedric.

    "Katerina, can I?" Eric asked. He was clearly diverting the attention away from Katerina, making it seem like he was speaking to Cedric to let his fans through.

    "Why do you need to ask for my permission?" Katerina asked as she looked down at her food and ate a slice of steak.

    "I just feel like it." Eric said with a shrug.

    "I really don''t mind. It''s part of your job." Katerina said as she smiled at Nicole who was seated next to Eric.

    "Cedric, do you mind asking your bodyguards to let them through a few at a time?" Eric asked Cedric.

    "Mae, can you handle it?" Cedric asked as he cut up some food for his wife.

    "Stop treating me like a child." Adriannained as she swatted his hand away.

    "I got this sir." Mae said with a nod as she wiped her lips and walked over to the bodyguards.

    It didn''t take long till Cedric nodded at Eric, signaling that he could now go over to his fans. Eric knew that Cedric didn''t want theming too close and invading their privacy so he had Mae set up a table a distance away from them.

    As soon as the bodyguards let some of the fans through, there was screaming and squealing. Eric smiled even if this part annoyed him the most, he didn''t like how crazy they could get every time he allowed for photos and autographs.

    Eric nced back at the table where Katerina sat, he saw her grimace as the first group of his fans began screaming and rushing over to him.

    "Ladies, please." Eric asked as he shed them a charming smile. "There are other patrons in the restaurant, let''s be a little more quiet."

    "Sorry Mr. Eric." A woman said as she blushed. "We are just so excited to meet you."

    Eric smiled at her sweetly as she and herpanions lowered the volume of their excitement.

    "Shall we take photos then?" Eric asked.

    The girls quickly took out their phones and snapped selfies with him. When one girl tried to hug his arm Eric quickly pulled away.

    When he saw the shock in his fans eyes he knew he had to exin.

    "I''m sorry, I know that I used to let my fans hug me and hold me, but I have someone now, and I don''t want her to get hurt." Eric said, he watched as his fans'' expression of shock turned into one of disappointment.

    "I''m sure many of you have boyfriends or husbands, how would you feel if other women touched them?" Eric asked. The fans began to whisper among themselves.

    "Eric, I''m sure your girlfriend won''t mind." Cedric said with a sigh as he approached Eric and his fans.

    "Ced," Eric whispered as he pulled his friend aside. "She might not mind but I do. I don''t like other women touching me. I never did."

    "They will think Kat is a bitch." Cedric warned Eric.

    "Do you think she would care?" Eric asked as he nced up at Katerina who was watching them intently. "She''s Katerina fucking Sebastian, even if theyunched a smear campaign at her, it would have no effect on her reputation."

    "Eric, Katerina is a human being, she has feelings, don''t let her hate you." Cedric warned as he turned and walked away not giving Eric the chance to respond.

    Eric sighed and shook his head as he walked back to his waiting fans.

    "Please don''t hate my girlfriend for this." Eric said as he reasoned with his fans. "She actually doesn''t mind, but I would rather that she be the only woman to touch me."

    Eric could see as his fans frowned at his words, clearly they were not happy with his reason, as a public figure they expected him to be theirs.

    In truth a lot of entertainment experts had expected Eric to settle down much earlier. He wasn''t a young man, but his charm was so strong that women young and old would swoon over him.

    What people didn''t know was that Eric was waiting for a special person to reciprocate his feelings.

    "It''s okay Mr. Eric." One fan said with a frown. "We just wish you didn''t choose such a clingy insensitive bitch as your girlfriend."

    Eric frowned at the woman''s words, her voice was loud enough that it carried over to Cedric''s table. He was sure that Katerina had heard the woman''s words.

    Before Eric could even say anything, he was surprised to find Adrianna walking over to them.

    "Adri." Eric and Cedric called out at the same time, but she simply shook her head, telling them that she was not going to back down.

    "Who are you?" Adrianna asked as she red at the woman in front of her.

    Unlike back home, Adrianna and the others were not well known. All the fans knew was that Eric hade over with several friends who were involved in business.

    "You are lucky you get to sit on the same table as Mr. Eric, are you his whore?" The woman asked.

    Adrianna was not able to stop her emotions, she was three months pregnant and very angry. She raised her hand and pped the woman square on the cheek, making Eric''s fan fall to the ground.

    Cedric approached them,ughing.

    "You really shouldn''t underestimate my darling wife." Cedric said as he looked down at the woman on the ground.

    "Don''t you dare insult my friend." Adrianna said as she red at the woman. "I''ll have you know that Eric''s girlfriend is one of the most kind hearted people around, but she is also quite powerful, so I would watch who you insult."

    "Thanks Adri, for sticking up for her." Eric said with a smile.

    "My friend, I''m sorry, but I can''t let your fans near my wife or our friends." Cedric told Eric as he grabbed him firmly by the arm. Eric knew that Cedric was doing this all for show, that he didn''t mean to harm him, just to scare the fans away.

    Eric simply nodded at his friend.

    "Let me send them away." Eric told Cedric as his grip loosened.

    "We leave after lunch, I don''t want them around when we head to the airport." Cedric said in a threatening tone, loud enough for the fans to hear.

    Eric nodded again as he faced his fans, this was not going to be easy. Normally he had an agent or an assistant to deal with these issues, but now he was alone.

    Long ago he had dealt with frenzied fans, but that was from years back, a distant memory that almost felt like a dream. It was back when Ram was still trying to grow Lights Entertainment and he had justnded his biggest project.

    Eric sighed at the memory, it was much simpler times.

 Chapter 675 - 675

    "I''m sorry to tell you all of you this, but my friend said you all have to go." Eric said with a fake frown. In all honesty he was more than happy to see them go.

    It seemed that his international fans were crazier than his local ones. At least his local ones respected it when he needed time to be alone.

    "Who is that man?" Eric heard one of his fans grumble, making himugh. "What right does he have to tell our Eric to refuse us?"

    Eric could see that Cedric''s bodyguards were tempted to answer, but they were all highly trained and kept their stone cold expressions.

    "I''ll exin." Eric said, knowing that the bodyguards heard him.

    "That man that wanted you gone, he isn''t popr here." Eric said with a shrug. "But I guess in a way he is my boss'' boss."

    Eric was not exactly lying, one of the investors in Lights Entertainment had been the Reyes Group, and among the five princes, everyone knew that Cedric was the leader.

    "What?" The fan who wasining asked in shock.

    "That man is from, no, he is the head of the richest family in my country." Eric exined. "As a matter of fact I am here because I hitched a ride with him." Eric said with augh, dumbfounding his fans.

    "He is a good friend and we have known each other for a long time, but he is still my boss." He added.

    "Then we should be -" Another fan began to say before Eric cut her off.

    "If there are any social climbers out there, you should have sucked up to him." Eric said as heughed at his fans'' confused expressions. "But then, Mr. Reyes is madly in love with his wife, the woman you just insulted."

    Eric saw as a look of panic crossed the eyes of some of his fans, he knew that even here you didn''t cross people like Cedric.

    "Eric, don''t scare them." Katerina said in a cold tone as she joined him. "They are your fans after all."

    "Katerina, I''m just telling them what they didn''t know." Eric exined to his girlfriend who was smiling quite suspiciously at him.

    "Please don''t worry about Adrianna and Cedric being offended." Katerina said as she addressed Eric''s fans. "Yes, Cedric is very protective of his pregnant wife, but I think he will let you all go if you just leave." Katerina told them.

    Some stayed glued to their spots, others turned and left. Many of them knew who Katerina was, they did not miss out on the rumors about her and Eric in the past.

    "If I were you guys, I''d listen to her." A bodyguard, who Eric recognized as the one in charge on this trip, said with a chuckle. "She is Mr. Reyes and Mr. Chan''swyer. If she says something I would follow, I guarantee that none of you would want to be on the receiving end of whatever she does."

    Katerinaughed at the bodyguard''s words and nodded.

    The girls quickly scrambled and left the restaurant. When thest fan had exited, Eric could finally breathe.

    "I''ll speak to the manager and pay for the lost sales. I need to apologize for themotion I had caused." Eric said with a frown as he spoke to Katerina.

    "Ok, do what you want to do." Karaterina said tly.

    "Kat, we need to talk about this." Eric said as he reached and grabbed her by the wrist.

    "Eric, there is nothing to talk about." Katerina said with a stoic look on her face. "Let me go Eric, I want to finish my lunch in peace."

    "Katerina, this is clearly bothering you." Eric said with a sigh as he loosened his grip.

    "I will tell you when it bothers me, Eric." Katerina told him in an annoyed tone as she pulled her hand away from him. "Why do you have to think that something is always bothering me, I''m not an ordinary woman."

    "I know you''re not, you''re different, you''re better, I''ve never said otherwise." Eric said as he tried to coax his girlfriend. "You can''t keep pretending that these things don''t bother you Katerina." Eric pleaded.

    "Not now, Eric." Katerina said in an annoyed tone. "Let''s talk about thister."

    "Alright,ter." Eric said with a nod as she turned and left.

    Eric was not happy at how Katerina was acting, she was being extremely confusing, telling him that it was fine when his fans clearly bothered her.

    For Katerina, Eric was willing to throw all of his fans to hell just as long as he could be with her and that she wouldn''t leave.

    They had both worked too hard for too long to let their rtionship copse just because of his crazed fans.

    Eric loved that she was strong and that she was trying to let him have his space and his career, but he hated that she had to lie to him about how she felt. He was hoping that she would be more honest about how she felt.

    He shook his head and walked over to a waiter, asking to see the manager. At first the waiter looked worried, he tried to ask Eric if the staff had done anything wrong.

    It took Eric a while to convince the waiter that he wasn''t there toin, that in fact he was there to apologize.

    At first, the manager refused Eric''s offer ofpensation, but eventually he was forced to give in to the actor. epting what Eric offered, both in cash and in kind. Eric was still a businessman at heart and he knew how his fans could ruin a ce''s reputation.

    When he finally finished dealing with the manager and returned to the table where his friends were eating, Eric was shocked to find his girlfriend missing from the table.

    "Where is she?" Eric asked his sister as he cocked his head to the side, threatening her to lie.

    "Rx, brother." Nicole said, unfazed by Eric''s threatening tone. "She went up to your room to rest. She asked me to tell you to follow."

    "Thanks Nic." Eric said with a smile as he walked over and hugged his sister.

    He quickly rushed out of the restaurant and up to the room he and Katerina shared.

 Chapter 676 - 676

    Eric entered their room, panting as he had rushed up as soon as his sister had told him where to find Katerina.

    To his surprise, Katerina was happily packing their things in their respective luggages.

    "Kat." Eric groaned as he closed the door behind him.

    He wasn''t worried about a random stranger seeing them enter the same room, or about fans attempting to sneak into his room. He and his siblings had booked the entire floor and Cedric had posted guards at the elevator.

    The hotel had also given them a dedicated elevator and the other elevators were not allowed on the top two floors where the mostvish suites were located.

    "Why do you sound so sad?" Katerina asked as she walked over to Eric and wrapped her arms around his neck.

    "Kat, you need to stop hiding your feelings and just let them out." Ericined, his frustration evident in his tone.

    "Eric, I''m fine." Katerina said with a sigh as Eric wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

    Katerina nuzzled her head on his neck and nted a gentle kiss on his cheek before leaning back again.

    Eric refused to let her go, so she remained in his arms while hers were still wrapped around his neck too.

    "Darling, please." Eric begged. "I know that you can''t befortable with those women around, I''m just trying to make this work for us."

    "I''m not." Katerina admitted as she managed to free herself from Eric''s arms.

    She turned and walked away, catching Eric by surprise. Her reactions to everything were unlike how most people would react. A normal girlfriend would be furious if another woman touched her man, and yet here was Katerina, seemingly uncaring but admitting that it bothered her.

    "Kat, why are you doing this to yourself?" Eric asked as he hugged his girlfriend from behind. "Just tell me to stop. Tell me it bothers you. Tell me you don''t like it." Eric said, practically begging Katerina for an answer.

    Eric couldn''t understand why Katerina was trying to be strong and brave, she knew that he would never look down at her for feeling what came naturally while one was in a rtionship.

    And as much as Eric did not want to admit it, he felt frustrated that Katerina was not bothered by the women or that she didn''t even feel jealous whenever he had a kissing scene.

    She would simply sit cuddled into his arms as they watched him act opposite a very attractive woman.

    "Eric, it''s not like that." Katerina said with a frown. "Can you please let me go?" She asked.

    "Kat." Eric said as he refused to let her out of his arms.

    "Eric, I will exin, just let me go." Katerina asked in a frustrated tone. "Eric Chan if you do not let me go I will be extremely angry and you will need to take amercial flight home!" Karerina shouted, forcing Eric to release her from his embrace.

    "Thank you." Katerina said with a sigh as she sat on the bed and patted the space next to her, motioning him to sit. "Let''s talk." Katerina said as Eric sat next to her and looked her in the eyes.

    "What do you want to talk about?" Eric asked as he cocked his head to the side, curious about what Katerina had to say to him.

    "Eric, please don''t think that I don''t care." Katerina said with a frown as she looked down at her feet.

    Eric was taken by surprise by what she had just said, he never questioned if she cared, just why it didn''t seem to bother her and why she never reacted.

    "Kat, what made you think that I thought you didn''t care?" Eric asked as he cupped her cheek in his hand and caressed it gently.

    As much as he wanted to be patient, this conversation somewhat irked him, how could Katerina not see how much he loved her. How much was willing to put everything aside for her? How could she not see how her maturity worried him?

    "I was talking to Nicole and I was worried why you kept bringing up the whole jealousy thing." Katerina confessed with a sad look in her eyes.

    Eric pulled her in his arms and hugged her tightly, they stayed in that position for a few minutes before Katerina moved away from him once more.

    "Nicole said that maybe you wanted me to get jealous because you felt that I didn''t care, that all the other women around you didn''t matter to me, but they do Eric." Katerina said on the verge of tears as her eyes watered.

    "Katerina, I never assumed that you didn''t care." Eric said with a sigh as he nted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "What worried me was the fact that you keep pretending that the girls don''t bother you."

    "Well. . ." Katerina said as she lowered her voice, it seemed that she was quite shy about what she had to say.

    "What is it?" Eric asked as he tucked a loose strand of hair. "I promise not to judge. Of course, if we were being honest, I would find it kind of cute if you were jealous." Eric said as he shed her one of his famous smiles.

    "Eric, I don''t do cute and you know that." Katerina told her boyfriend as she rolled her eyes at him.

    "Yes, but I think you are cute, gorgeous, and brilliant all at the same time." Eric said as he patted her on the head like a puppy.

    Katerina swatted his hand away, making Ericugh at her reaction.

    "Fine, I do get jealous, but what use is that?" Katerina asked with a frown. "Me being jealous about all the women that try to touch you is just me being immature."

    "Katerina, you have every right to be mad at them. I''m your boyfriend." Eric said with augh.

    "Yes, but it''s part of your job!" Katerina said, practically shouting. "I mean I ept that it''s part of your job and you never asked those women toe at you. You''ve always been loyal, extremely loyal."

    "Kat, it''s okay to be jealous." Eric said as he looked at his girlfriend in the eyes and nted a gentle kiss on her lips.

    "Eric, I don''t want your career to suffer because of me." Katerina said as she looked down.

    "Katerina, my career is worth nothing next to you and me. Our rtionship is the most important thing to me." Eric said as he pleaded with her. "And to be honest I''m getting tired. I want to retire."

    "Eric, you are just saying that because of me." Katerina groaned.

    "Of course I''m saying it because of you." Eric said with augh. "I want to retire to give you all my time and all my love. I''m also tired of hiding who I am. I''m Eric Chan, I''m the eldest of the Chan siblings and I love my family, I hate having to hide that fact."

    "Eric, no matter what you choose I will support you." Katerina promised. "But make sure that your choice is what you want and not what you feel you have to do because of your duty."

    Eric nodded and smiled at Katerina.

    "You are the most amazing person in the world." He said as he kissed her passionately.

 Chapter 677 - 677

    Cedric knocked loudly on Katerina and Eric''s door, he had told them that they were leaving after lunch and it was already 4pm.

    "Can you guys stop making babies in there!" Cedric shouted in a loud voice that echoed down the hall.??

    "Gross, Cedric!" Miguel scolded Cedric as he stepped out of his room, followed by a bodyguard carrying his and Veronica''s bag. "I don''t want to know that my brother is having sex with Katerina."

    "They are taking forever." Cedric grumbled as the door behind him opened.

    "Rx grandpa." Eric said with augh as he came out of the room and called over another bodyguard. "We''re ready. I know you still have a couple of meetings when we arrive home."

    "Where are Nicole and Ian?" Cedric asked, quickly changing the topic.

    "Please bring our bags down as well." Eric instructed the bodyguard, who entered their room and collected their bags.

    "They are with your wife, they went ahead to the lobby." Veronica said as she came out of her''s and Miguel''s room. "We should really go too." Veronica said with a nod as she walked towards the elevator.

    Cedric sighed and followed Miguel and Veronica.

    "We''ll follow." Eric said as he looked back into their room.

    "You should go with them." Katerina called out. "If we show up at the same time there will be rumors."

    "Fine." Eric said with a frown as he got into the elevator with the couple.

    "Wait for Katerina." Cedric instructed the bodyguard who was carrying Miguel and Veronica''s bags.

    When Cedric, Miguel, Veronica, and Eric arrived at the lobby, they found Ian, Nicole, and Adrianna, happily chatting in the waiting area as some of the hotel staff waited on them.

    "Where is Katerina?" Nicole asked with a concerned look.

    "Don''t worry Nicole, she didn''t leave." Cedric said. He knew that she was worried that Katerina had run off after fighting with Eric.

    "No bad fight?" Nicole asked.

    "None." Eric said with a rxed smile.

    "She''s just packing up." Veronica told Nicole, "She should be down soon."

    "Okay." Nicole said with a smile as she continued chatting with Adrianna and Ian.

    "Hey Ced, did you send my fans away?" Eric asked with a worried look on his face. "I don''t want them being a bother."

    "No, do you want me to?" Cedric asked. "It will look bad if we send them away. It''s different from back in the restaurant."

    "Please, maybe ask the police to step in?" Eric pleaded with Cedric.

    "No need, my men can send them away." Cedric told Eric as he gestured for a bodyguard toe to him.

    Cedric quickly gave the man some instructions, the bodyguard nodded and went out.

    It didn''t take long for Katerina to follow them down with the bodyguards and the bags.

    When Cedric saw that they were allplete he led them to the cars waiting out front.

    "They aren''t here." Katerina mumbled with a smile, not looking at Eric.

    Cedric couldn''t help but smile at the realization that Katerina had finally admitted how she was feeling to Eric. For the longest time Cedric felt that Katerina''s desire to carry all the burdens of their rtionship had ended up straining it.

    "Mae, were you able to confirm our departure time?" Cedric asked his assistant as they got into the car.

    "Yes, Cedric." Mae said as she climbed into the front seat.

    "Good, we need to be home by dinner." Cedric told his assistant with a nod.

    "What''s the rush?" Adrianna asked her husband, she had been under the impression that he had cancelled all of his ns when they had realized that they needed to stay a bit longer.

    "Since we had signed a lot of partnership deals I decided to wee them into the Reyes Group with avish dinner at Constetion''s Resort." Cedric exined as their car zoomed through the city towards the airport.

    "Aren''t you tired?" Adrianna asked Cedric.

    "Honey, it''s fine if you want to stay behind, I don''t mind." Cedric said as he kissed the top of her head. "It''s been a tiring few days, I know you need to rest."

    "Ced, I''m fine. This trip has been like a break for me." Adrianna told her husband, shaking her head. "I''m worried about you." She said, as he looked up at him.

    Cedric smiled at his wife and shook his head.

    "Adri, I''m fine, it''s just dinner." Cedric told her in an attempt to ease her worries.

    "It''s never just dinner Cedric." Adrianna groaned. "It''s a business deal. I should go with you."

    "Ayanna and Ray will be there, no need to tire yourself." Cedric told his wife. "You are three months pregnant, I don''t want you over exerting yourself."

    "I''m fine, Ced." Adrianna told him with a sigh. "I''ll go with you. My parents and your dad won''t mind watching Yoyo for another night. We can pick him up tomorrow morning."

    "Okay." Cedric said he knew that arguing with his wife would be useless, he would only lose.

    When they finally got to the airport, Cedric and his friends quickly boarded the ne, eager to get home.

    "I''ll rest." Adrianna told her husband as she nted a kiss on his cheek. "It''s only a four hour flight but I want to get as much sleep as I can."

    "Alright." Cedric told his wife as he watched her walk over to the bedroom on the ne.

    He was busy working on one side of the ne with Ian and Mae, while everyone else was either resting or talking amongst themselves.

    "I need to tell you guys something." Mae said with a frown. "It''s more of something I need to get off my chest."

    Cedric closed hisptop and looked at Ian who was ced aside the documents he was reviewing.

    "Go on." Cedric said with a nod as he gave his full attention to Mae.

    Mae took a deep breath and closed her eyes, Cedric and Ian waited patiently as she gathered her courage to tell them what she needed to say.

    "I want to tell you guys about my dad, and why he mattered so much to me." Mae said. "I''ve kept most of the details a secret and I know that you both didn''t look into it, but I would prefer it if you guys were aware."

    Cedric and Ian nodded as they waited for Mae to tell her story.

 Chapter 678 - 678

    "As I mentioned I didn''t know my dad that well." Mae began as Cedric and Ian listened closely to her story. "From what my mother told me, he worked in a different country and would onlye to visit me maybe twice a year."

    Cedric and Ian remained silent as Mae told her story, they simply nodded, acknowledging what she had said. ??

    "One day, mom left me at home with my uncle, I think he was my uncle." Mae mumbled as she tried to recall the distant past. "Anyway, she left and she never came back."

    "Both your parents are gone?" Ian asked, this was news to him. Nowhere in her records did it say that Mae was adopted.

    "You didn''t know that I was adopted?" Mae asked as she looked up at her boss and at Ian.

    "No, it''s not in your records Mae." Ian said as he shook his head. "And you know how thorough we check everything."

    "That doesn''t make sense." Mae said with a confused look on her face.

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked. "Someone probably hid the truth about your adoption or the government messed up the documents, I mean that does happen. And you''ve never mentioned that you were adopted, so we didn''t think to look into it."

    "I never mentioned it because I thought you knew." Mae said as she looked at Cedric and Ian with a conflicted expression.

    "What do you remember about your parents and your uncle?" Ian asked. "I mean if you don''t mind us looking into it."

    Cedric could see how worried Mae suddenly looked when Ian opened up the idea of looking into her past. She probably misunderstood what Ian''s intentions were, so he quickly stepped in to reassure her.

    "Mae, it''s not what you think." Cedric said with a frown. "We trust you, you''ve worked with me for years now. The reason why Ian wants to investigate your past is so that you could have closure."

    Mae frowned, but nodded.

    Cedric turned to Ian and gave him a concerned look, he wasn''t quite eager to investigate Mae''s past if she herself was hesitant about it.

    "Mae, do you want to find out about what happened to your parents and uncle?" Ian asked with a worried look on his face. Clearly he had realized that he might have crossed a line in assuming it was what she wanted.

    "Honestly, I don''t know how to feel about it." Mae said. "I''m not sad about it, nor am I happy."

    "Mae, if you are in any way ufortable with this, tell us." Cedric told his young assistant, and he was telling her the truth, if she simply wanted to move on he wouldn''t mind.

    Mae remained silent for a while as she thought about Cedric''s and Ian''s offer to investigate her past.

    "No, let''s do this." Mae suddenly said with a determined expression. "In the past, I didn''t want to know and it hurt too much to remember, but now I think it''s time. I think I need to know what happened to them."

    Ian and Cedric nodded at her.

    "Then, Ian and you can investigate the matter when you aren''t too busy with work, my resources will be at your disposal." Cedric told his assistant.

    "Thank you." Mae said with a smile.

    "Do you mind telling us more about what you remember?" Ian asked as he took out a pen and a notebook to jot down all the clues Mae could provide.

    "Well, okay, so I know I grew up in the province and it was just right outside of the capital." Mae said as she tried to recall everything from her childhood.

    "Was it very provincial or like a city?" Ian asked as he tapped his pen on the notebook.

    "It was very provincial, if I remember correctly it was quite remote." Mae exined. "We didn''t have many neighbors and we kept to ourselves."

    "Do you remember your mom''s name? Or your dad''s name? Or even your uncle''s?" Ian asked.

    "No, I just called them mom, dad, and uncle." Mae said with a frown as she realized that she didn''t know her parents at all.

    "How about your name back then, do you remember that?" Ian asked.

    "I only ever remember being called Mae." Mae said as she tried to remember if her mother or father had ever called her by any other name, but nothing came to mind. All her life she had been Mae.

    "How about ast name?" Ian asked.

    "If she can''t remember another name, it would be odd for her to remember her originalst name." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes.

    "No, nothing else." Mae said, shaking her head.

    "See, I told you so." Cedric said with augh as sighed.

    "Well it was worth a try." Ian said with a shrug as he considered what else to ask Mae.

    "You guys should probably start by questioning her adoptive parents." Cedric suggested.

    "Yeah, we''ll get to that when wend and actually have time to go and visit them." Ian told Cedric. "I mean it''s not like our te isn''t full as it is with normal work."

    Cedric simplyughed at his friend.

    "Do you remember what your dad''s job was? I''m sure you were told some reason why he couldn''t stay." Ian said as he thought of what else to ask.

    "I think mom said he ran a shop in the capital." Mae said as she tried to recall her dad''s job.

    "You would earn the same running a shop in the capital and in the province." Ian pointed out.

    "I wasn''t exactly old enough to remember these things." Maeined, clearly frustrated that they were getting nowhere with her memories.

    "Do you at least remember what he looked like?" Ian asked.

    "He was handsome." Mae answered quickly.

    "All dads are handsome in their kid''s eyes, be more specific." Ianined.

    "No, I mean he was like actor level handsome." Mae said as she tried to emphasize what she meant. "He had ck hair and piercing ck eyes. His skin was quite light, that''s what I remember."

    "Well that''s oddly specific." Ian said as he jotted down what Mae could remember.

    "Aside from all the fun I had with him, that''s all I can remember." Mae said with a sigh.

    "Alright, don''t worry." Cedric said as he lookedpassionately at Mae. "Let''s see what we can do to get to the bottom of Mae''s past, and maybe find her uncle and parents." Cedric said as he looked towards Ian.

    "I''ll get things moving as soon as we arrive." Ian said with a nod.

    "Let''s get some work done first so that we can rest beforending." Cedric said with a nod as he powered hisptop back on.

 Chapter 679 - 679

    When Cedric''s nended, he and his friends got into their own cars and drove home. It had been an exhausting two days and many of them wanted to rest.

    "Dave, what time does the dinner start tonight?" Cedric asked Dave who hade to meet them at the airport.??

    "7pm." Dave informed Cedric who simply nodded in reply.

    "Mae, Ian, you can take the night off, I''m sure you guys are quite exhausted." Cedric said as he turned to face the other two.

    "Nope, I''m going." Ian said, shaking his head. "It will already be odd that Cami isn''t there. People will talk if I''m not either."

    "Mae?" Cedric asked the other assistant.

    "I''ll go too." Mae said. "I need to do something to keep my mind off of everything."

    "I''ve arranged for the body to be stored for the meantime." Dave said, informing Mae. He had spoked to Ian before they had departed and arranged for everything.

    Ian had told him about how Mae had formed a bond with the nurse who had died and how they would take him to see his family.

    "Thank you." Mae told the other assistant with a weary look on her eyes.

    "Go home, the both of you. Rest." Cedric told Mae and Ian.

    "I''ve arranged a car to take you home Mae." Dave told Mae as he pointed to a simpler car that was waiting for her.

    "What about mine?" Mae asked, she had parked it at the airport when she first left.

    "I had someone take it home as soon as Ian called. I hope you don''t mind." Dave said with a shrug.

    "Of course not." Mae said.

    "I also did something you will be pissed about." Dave said slowly as he looked at Mae as if he had done something really bad.

    "What?" Mae asked, worried about what Dave had done.

    "Well Ian was worried about you so I had your things moved to the residences." Dave confessed.

    "You did what?!" Mae asked angrily. "You had no right!" She shouted.

    "Mae, he was just worried." Ian said, siding with Dave.

    "So all of my things were moved to the residences?" Mae asked Dave with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yes." Dave said with a nod.

    "Mae, this might be for the best." Cedric said, joining in on the conversation. "At the residences Dave is there, you won''t be so alone."

    "I like my old ce, it was calming." Mae said with a frown.

    "Dave, go with Mae." Cedric instructed. "I''ll meet you guys at the hotel tonight. Just send me a message when I should head on over."

    "Yes sir." Dave said with a nod as he pulled Mae towards the waiting car.

    "Mae must be mad." Adrianna said with a sigh as Cedric closed the door behind him.

    "I agree with Ian and Dave though. This is for the best." Cedric said as he leaned back on his seat. "Let''s just get home and rest." Cedric said as he pulled his wife in his arms and rested his head on her shoulder.

    "Cedric, what residences were they talking about?" Adrianna asked Cedric as she gave him a curious look.

    "Ah, right. I''ve never brought you there or given you a tour." Cedric told his wife as he sat up.

    "So it''s a Reyes Group investment?" Adrianna asked.

    "No, not exactly." Cedric said, shaking his head. "When I was still under poverty training, my dad decided to purchase avish residential building at the center of the city."

    "Like Raja Tower where my Uncle Matthew, Herny, and Margarette live?" Adrianna asked as she remembered the expensive home her husband had provided for the remaining members of her family.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Do you know about Sire Towers?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "Yeah, it''s that ultra exclusive residences at the center of the city. No one knows how to get an apartment there, but I''m sure you do." Adrianna told her husband.

    "Yup." Cedric said with a smile. "You need to ask me." He said with augh.

    "Wait, what?" Adrianna asked, sitting up, making Cedric almost fall to the ground. "Oh, sorry." Adrianna said with augh as she saw that Cedric was clearly pissed off.

    "Yes Adrianna, the Reyes Group owns Sire Towers, and the notorious penthouse that no one had ever been able to view or enter was supposed to be my bachelor pad." Cedric said with augh.

    "What do you mean?" Adrianna asked with a confused look on her face.

    "Dad had the ce built so that I would have somewhere to live if I came back unmarried." Cedric exined. "The two levels below the penthouse have four units, two on each floor, each were meant to be assigned to my staff of choice."

    "Wait. Is that where Cami lives?" Adrianna asked with a confused look on her face.

    "Honey, not just Cami." Cedric said, seemingly amused by his wife''s expression.

    "Who?" Adrianna asked, confused by what Cedric meant.

    "Ian lived there before moving in with Nicole, Leon and Mia also lived there." Cedric said with a frown as he remembered Adrianna''s poor bodyguard who had perished in the same incident as his mother.

    "Wait, so now Cami, Leon, Dave, and Mae all live there?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yup." Cedric said with a nod. "Where did you think Leon lived?"

    "I thought you had him set up at Mountain View." Adrianna said, scratching her head. "He has to travel so far everyday just to get to you."

    "They like having their own space, Adri." Cedric said with augh.

    "I really need a list of all of the properties you own." Adrianna teased.

    "I''ve never given you a copy?" Cedric asked with a serious look on his face.

    "No, and I was just joking. I don''t need to know what you own." Adrianna said, shaking her head. "I''ve never been after your money, just you is enough." She said as she ced a hand on his cheek.

    "Of course you''ve never been after my money." Cedric said with augh. "We got married with you thinking I had none." He teased his wife.

    "Why do you have to ruin such a sweet moment." Adriannained as their car continued to drive through the streets of the capital, taking them home.

 Chapter 680 - 680

    After getting in the car with Dave, Mae quickly fell asleep against the door of the car. She was so exhausted from the task Cedric had put her to, that she didn''t even notice when Dave tried to wake her.

    "She seemed to be exhausted." The driver said as he looked back at Mae. ??

    The man who had driven them home was actually quite familiar with Cedric''s assistants, he was their assigned driver.

    They normally didn''t need someone driving them around, but there were days where they were just too exhausted and had to call him over.

    Like Mae and Dave, he too lived at Sire Towers, but in one of the smaller units on the lower floors.

    "She was gone for over a week." Dave said with a shrug as he got out of the car and carried her out.

    "Do you need help with her bags?" The driver, Enrique, asked as he opened the trunk.

    "Yes, please." Dave said as he carried Mae towards the elevator.

    Dave, Mae, Cami, and Leon, all shared an exclusive elevator for their use. It was one of three that could take you up to the penthouse and the upper floors.

    As soon as the elevator door opened Dave and Enrique got in, Erique tapped Dave''s card to let them up to his and Mae''s floor.

    The second to the highest level was now where Cami and Leon lived, while Mae and Dave lived on the floor below.

    In the past Leon and Mia lived on the floor that Dave and Mae now upied, while Cami and Ian lived on the upper floor.

    When Ian moved in with Nicole and the pair was hired, Mae lived in Ian''s old apartment, while Dave stayed at his old ce.

    He only moved in after Mia had died and Leon asked to switch apartments with Mae.

    Normally, when Cedric didn''t need anything from them, they would all hang out at Cami''s ce, watch a movie and rx. Ian often joined them despite now living quite far from them.

    When the elevator door opened, Enrique held the door, letting Dave step out with a sleeping Mae in his arms.

    Enrique quickly stepped out after them and opened the door for Dave and Mae.

    It wasn''t their first time in Mae''s ce, they often had dinner since it could get quite lonely living alone.

    "Just leave her bags in the living room, then you can go." Dave instructed Enrique as he carried Mae up the stairs and onto the 2nd floor of her apartment.

    Dave kicked open the door to Mae''s room, knowing that she rarely fully closed them. As expected it swung open and he walked in,ying her gently on the bed.

    He looked down at Mae''s sleeping figure for a moment, and sighed. She looked so exhausted.

    Ian had given Dave a call earlier that day, recounting everything that had happened. Dave couldn''t help but feel sad for her. She had gotten close to the man only for him to die so suddenly.

    As Dave fixed Mae''s position on the bed, his phone began to ring.

    He quickly took it out of his pocket and saw that it was Ian calling him.

    Dave quickly walked out of Mae''s room, making sure to close the door behind him so as not to disturb her in her sleep.

    "Ian?" Dave asked as he answered the phone.

    "Did you make it back safe?" Ian asked, his worry seeping through the tone of his voice.

    Ian had always cared about Dave and Mae like an older brother, and he had been there for them no matter what. Something Dave was extremely grateful for.

    "Yes." Dave answered. "We''re back in Sire Tower."

    "How''s Mae?" Ian asked.

    "She seems exhausted." Dave said in a sad tone as he leaned against the wall outside of her room.

    "Yeah, it was particrly tough on her." Ian told Dave. "Look I have some things I need you to check. It''s for Mae."

    "Alright. Send them over." Dave said in a confident tone.

    Among all of Cedric''s assistants Dave was the best at exhausting leads, it was mainly because of his widework of connectionsing from his younger years as well as from his family.

    It also helped a lot that Cedric''s own resources wereplimentary to his and they rarely ovepped, giving him an even wider reach.

    "Before you look into it, there is something I need to warn you about." Ian said in a hesitant tone.

    "What is it?" Dave asked.

    "Mae''s file isn''t correct." Ian told Dave slowly. "There is a part of her past that she thought we all knew but we didn''t."

    Dave leaned against the wall and sighed. He probably already knew but it was best if Ian told him, so he continued to listen to the older man.

    "What is it?" Dave asked.

    "Okay, now that I think about it, you might already know, seeing as. . .you guys are quite close." Ian said as he tried to find the words he was looking for.

    "You can just say we are dating, there is nothing against it right?" Dave asked, frustrated as Ian struggled to acknowledge the fact that he and Mae were a couple.

    "No, there isn''t." Ian said with a sigh. "I just don''t know how Cedric will react to all of this."

    "The boss doesn''t seem to be against people falling in love, Ian." Dave groaned. "Look at you and Nicole."

    "I''m just worried he will take a more traditional stand on this like his mother." Ian said with a sigh.

    "Gracia Reyes was against rtionships at work?" Dave asked. He was quite surprised at what Ian had said. The Reyeses had always been seen as progressives, more willing to adapt to ideaspared to their other counterparts.

    "It was the one thing that she never budged on." Ian exined.

    "So what did you learn about Mae on the trip?" Dave asked.

    "She''s adopted." Ian said, catching Dave by surprise, even he didn''t know that fact.

    "And so?" Dave asked as if that piece of news didn''t matter to him.

    "So you knew?" Ian asked.

    "Sadly no, it never came up." Dave said with a frown. "And don''t think it will matter to me, because I don''t care."

    "That''s not what I''m trying to say Dave." Ian groaned. "Cedric and I promised Mae that we would look into it."

    "What do you mean? You are being extremely confusing on this Ian." Dave said in an annoyed tone.

    "Mae doesn''t remember much about her biological family, she can''t remember their names or even why she was ced up for adoption." Ian exined over the phone.

    "That is kind of normal if you were adopted from a young age, Ian." Dave said as he rolled his eyes.

    "I just need to know if you are up for this task." Ian stated inly.

    "What task?" Dave asked, Ian hadn''t exactly said what he needed Dave to do.

    "Why are you being difficult?" Ianined over the phone. "Will you be able to investigate your girlfriend''s past, even if it will be something that cane between you? It might hurt her a lot Dave, I need to know that you are up for it."

    "I''ve never backed down from a job, Ian." Dave said in a matter of fact tone. "The fact that it can help Mae only makes me more determined to do this."

    "Alright, I trust you." Ian said as soon as he got Dave''s confirmation. "I''ll send you the files, you can start as soon as you want to."

    "See youter then." Dave said as he dropped the call and sighed. He knew this wasn''t going to be a walk in the park.

 Chapter 681 - 681

    When Mae woke up she felt extremely refreshed.

    As she looked around her room she suddenly got confused as she couldn''t remember how she had gotten up to her apartment or her room.??

    She looked down and found that someone had changed her clothes and put her things away.

    Just as panic began to set in, her phone began to rm, making her roll over to her side table where her phone had been ced.

    As she turned off her phone''s rm she noticed several unread messages on her phone.

    Dave: Don''t panic, it was me. I carried you from the car and changed your clothes, I also ced your things back in your closet just the way you like them.

    Dave: I also set the rm, I know you need time to get ready and you promised our boss that you would be at the dinner tonight.

    Dave: I took the liberty of picking out a dress for you. If you are up,e over to my apartment, I have food.

    Mae smiled at his thoughtful messages, she must have been so exhausted that she didn''t notice Dave carrying her and changing her clothes. She was normally a light sleeper but the past few days had drained her.

    She quickly hopped out of bed and washed her face, she would dress upter after eating at Dave''s ce.

    She knew that she needed to eat before the event, as Cedric''s assistants they rarely got to eat on time. Cedric had already scolded them on this, but there were some things that they always needed to attend to during his events.

    Mae and Dave each had a copy of the keycards to each other''s room, it wasn''t odd for them since they also had a card to Leon''s and Cami''s. It was meant to be for emergencies, but it was quite useful whenever they visited each other.

    When Mae entered Dave''s apartment, she heard the familiar ssical rock music ying over his speakers. This meant that he was working.

    Mae knew that Dave preferred to work in his living room rather than in the office that each of their apartments had. In fact, he had turned that office into a game and entertainment room where he liked to rx after a long day at work.

    As she walked into his living room the music got louder and she found him sitting on the floor with his back turned. He was typing away on hisptop as he spoke to someone on the phone.

    Mae smiled as she watched him work, for some reason she found it incredibly attractive when a man was working hard, and on Dave it looked even more attractive.

    She walked silently into the room and covered Dave''s eyes yfully as she giggled.

    She felt Dave smiled at her yfulness.

    "Hey, I have to call you back." Dave said in a dark tone. Mae knew that when he spoke this way he was speaking to one of his or Cedric''s assets and that he was probably investigating something for their boss.

    "Yeah, something urgent came up. Maybe tomorrow morning." Dave told the person at the other end of the phone as he dropped the call and ced it down on the carpet.

    He quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto hisp, catching Maepletely off guard.

    Mae squealed as shended on Dave''sp, wrapping her arms around his neck. Dave lowered his head and kissed her passionately on the lips. They stayed like this for a few minutes before Dave finally pulled away.

    "One week was way too long." He said with a sigh as he gave her a gentle peck on the lips. "I missed you so much."

    "I missed you too." Mae said with a smile as she wiggled off hisp and sat next to him.

    "What are you investigating this time?" Mae asked as she watched Dave close hisptop.

    "Let''s talk while we eat." Dave told her as he got up and extended a hand to help her.

    Mae took it gratefully as they walked over to the dining room.

    "I cooked while waiting for you to wake up." Dave said with a wink as he pulled a chair for her.

    Mae smiled and thanked him and sat down as he walked over to the kitchen to serve their dinner.

    "I made garlic butter shrimp." Dave said proudly as he set the food in between them. "I hope you''re hungry, cause we clearly have a long night ahead."

    "We can''t eat too much, you know how the boss will insist we take a few bites before working." Mae said with a frown as she watched Dave ce some shrimp on her te.

    "You''ll still be hungry, tonight will be a busy night. I would be lying if I told you that I could have handled it on my own." Dave said as he served himself.

    "Fine." Mae groaned as she ate the food Dave had given her.

    At first they ate in silence, it seemed that Dave was not in the mood to discuss the work he was doing when she arrived, but it nagged at her. They had alreadypleted the investigation into Fernando''s past and Lucius'' had turned up as a dead end again, so what was it this time?

    After finishing her meal, she couldn''t take it anymore, so she asked.

    "Dave, what are you working on this time?" Mae said as she ced her utensils down.

    Dave took a deep breath and looked up at her from his te.

    "We need to talk." Dave said with a frown.

    Mae began to panic as she heard those words, those were usually the words you heard in a rtionship before disaster struck, why was Dave asking her that now?

    "I thought our rtionship was doing well." Mae said with a shaky voice. She loved Dave, he was the only person she had felt this way with ever. Even her ex-boyfriends couldn''t make her this happy.

    "Mae, don''t worry it''s not about our rtionship." Dave said as he got up and pulled a seat next to her.

    He reached for her hand and held it in his, he lifted it and nted a chaste kiss on her hand.

    "Then what is it about?" Mae asked. "You look so serious, you are scaring me." She said with a frown.

    "Mae, nothing in this world could change how I feel about you, I love you." Dave said in a tender voice.

    "So what is it?" Mae asked in a slightly pissed off tone. "Stop drawing it out and just tell me."

    Dave took a deep breath again and looked her in the eyes.

    "Mae, Ian asked me to investigate your past. Why didn''t you tell me you were adopted?" Dave asked.

    As Dave said what he had to say, Mae felt a weight lifted from her chest, what she thought would be bad news was actually something she had been expecting.

    "I thought you all knew." Mae said with a shrug. "I thought you read it in my file or something."

    "Mae, I''ve never read your file." Dave said with a smile. "Everything I know about you is what you''ve told me."

    "So is that what you are looking into? My past?" Mae asked.

    Dave simply nodded in reply.

 Chapter 682 - 682

    Ian sat impatiently at the lobby of Constetion''s hotel as he waited for the two other assistants to arrive. They were normally notte, so it was odd that he had arrived before both Dave and Mae.

    He walked around the hotel, saying hi to a few employees and some familiar guests.??

    Ian had helped Cedric''s multiple teams seal the deal with most of the clients and he was a required signatory for the contracts of the more difficult ones. So it was only natural that they all knew him on some level.

    He wanted to make sure that Dave had covered all the bases, so he checked on all the staff present and spoke with the hotel management.

    Dealing with Constetions Resorts was, of course, quite easy for Ian. They knew he was the boss'' assistant and it''s current general manager was one of Cedric''s friends from his poverty training.

    As he returned to the hotel ballroom he suddenly felt like something was off, it was an hour to the event and something was missing and he couldn''t point out what.

    After speaking to a few more people he suddenly realized what it was and began to worry.

    Dave, who was supposed to be in charge of everything, was runningte, and on top of that they had a huge problem ahead.

    Seeing as he was in public, Ian collected himself and kept a calm exterior. He spoke to a few guests and staff members before finally finding the opportunity to excuse himself and leave.

    Ian found his way to the lobby and quickly searched for Dave''s name in his contacts and gave the younger assistant a call.

    After a few rings Dave finally picked up.

    "Where are you?" Ian asked in an annoyed tone.

    "Parking." Dave said quickly.

    "Well both of you better hurry up, I think we might have a problem." Ian said as he dropped the call and took a deep breath before finally returning to the ballroom of Constetions Resorts.

    There were several businessmen that quickly came up and shook Ian''s hand.

    Aside from his involvement in their own deals with the Reyes Group, almost everyone was aware that he was the father of Nicole''s son.

    As a matter of fact there were even rumors circting about Ian''s and Nicole''s uing wedding, something that was not true. He knew that Nicole refused to simply follow what her family wanted.

    He and Nicole had fought over finally getting married many times. Of course, if there was no pressureing from her family, Nicole would have agreed to get married. But she was stubborn andplicated, even Ian didn''t understand her refusal to tie the knot.

    Nicole was hell bent on going against everything that her family wanted her to do, from her business choices to her marriage she wanted to go against them. It was something that frustrated Ian to no end.

    As Ian continued to entertain the guests he kept checking the entrance to the ballroom. There was still no sign of Dave and Mae or the people he was looking for.

    He had already sent someone to check where those people had gone and he was waiting for the bodyguard toe back and report what he had found out.

    It took another five minutes for both Dave and Mae to join Ian in the hotel''s ballroom.

    "Why are you bothte?" Ian asked as he pulled them aside.

    "We spoke about things." Dave said with a frown.

    "Ian, don''t get mad at Dave, it was my fault." Mae told Ian as she tried to take the attention away from Dave. "I found out that you were having him investigate my past and I became unreasonable."

    "Why?" Ian asked as he looked Mae in the eyes. "Cedric and I told you we would help, why would you act like that around Dave, isn''t he part of the team too?" Ian asked.

    "I- I-. . ." Mae began to stutter.

    "He knows." Dave groaned as he realized he never mentioned to Mae that Ian had figured out that they were dating and sleeping together.

    "He knows what?" Mae asked in an angry tone.

    "I know that the two of you are dating, so grow up and act like professionals." Ian scolded the pair. "If Cedric finds out that you are acting like children because of your rtionship he will not hesitate to do something about it."

    "What? Why?" Mae asked with a confused look on her face.

    "The rins had a very traditional opinion of dating in the workce, I''m not sure how much it has influenced Cedric since this has never happened before." Ian exined.

    "Mia and Leon?" Mae asked as she remembered the two bodyguards were a couple.

    "By the time he found out Mia had already died and he can''t say anything against it." Ian said with a shrug. "Add to that the fact that Leon and Mia didn''t work as closely as you two are now."

    "Oh." Mae said, wide eyed in shock as she never expected anyone from the Reyes Family to hold such traditional views.

    "Anyway, let''s move on from that, you have an even bigger issue at hand." Ian said as he pointed at the ballroom.

    "What?" Dave asked as he looked around, everything seemed to be in order, nothing was off.

    "You really don''t see it?" Ian asked Dave.

    Dave took a look at the room and still couldn''t see what was wrong.

    "No." Dave and Mae both said.

    "You, I will excuse you since you had a long week." Ian said as he pointed at Mae. "But you Dave, if I hadn''t agreed toe, you wouldn''t have noticed that something was wrong."

    Dave frowned as he heard the disappointment in Ian''s voice. He had always worked hard to get Ian''s approval, he simply wanted to be as good as the older man so that he could prove himself to his own father.

    Ian sighed and shook his head as he realized that Dave still didn''t know what had gone wrong and what was missing.

    "Dave, you have a lot of the people that signed the contract here, but only the smallerpanies." Ian pointed out as the tables closer to the front remained empty.

    Mae gasped as she noticed what Ian was referring to. He was right, there may have been a lot of guests but most of them were the smallerpanies and those that were true market leaders were missing.

    "What do we do?" Dave asked as the panic became evident in his eyes.

    "Right now, this is something that even I can''t fix." Ian said with a sigh as he took out his phone and called a number.

    "Who are you calling?" Dave asked Ian.

    "Who else, the only person who could probably solve this, Cedric." Ian said as he waited for Cedric to pick up.

 Chapter 683 - 683

    Meanwhile at the other end of the city, Cedric lounged around in his entertainment room as he watched a movie while waiting for Adrianna to get ready.

    He suddenly sat up as his phone began to ring. When he picked it up from the seat next to him, he groaned, it was Ian.??

    Cedric wondered why Ian would be calling him when they weren''t due over for the next hour and thirty minutes.

    "Yeah?" Cedric asked as he picked up the call and lowered the volume of his entertainment system.

    "We have a slight problem." Ian said slowly, not wanting to make Cedric worry too much.

    "I''m sure it''s not a slight problem." Cedric said with a sigh as he got off the couch and walked out of the in house theater. "If it were a slight problem you wouldn''t be calling me."

    "Okay, it''s a major problem." Ian said in a defeated tone at the other end of the line.

    "Well, spit it out." Cedric told Ian as he continued to walk down the hallway to his home office.

    "Some of the guests aren''t here." Ian told Cedric.

    "It''s an hour before the invitation time, you don''t need to panic." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes. "This is exactly what happenedst time, remember, you got all worried about the guests not showing up when they were just runningte."

    "It''s different this time, Cedric." Ian told his boss and friend over the phone. "This time they are meeting with their investor, the CEO of the Reyes Group, not some startup''s president."

    "Fine, alright, so do the logical thing first. Find out if they are on their way." Cedric told Ian.

    "I already did, and they aren''t." Ian said, breaking the bad news to Cedric.

    "What? Why? How? You better have answers Ian." Cedric warned as he entered his office and sat down on his chair. "I''m sure you sent someone to at least figure things out beforeing to me."

    "I did." Ian said. "They are at a party organized by Arch Group."

    "Hmmm. . .Arch Group, Lucius is being brave now." Cedric said as he thought of his next course of action.

    As he spoke to Ian on the phone he felt his phone buzz against his ear as a message entered.

    "Give me a moment." Cedric said as he took the phone from his ear and looked at the screen. He had a gut feel that the message was rted to Ian''s problems.

    Cami: Ced, I had to tell you thiste so that Lucius wouldn''t suspect a thing, he is nning on making your key investments disappear tonight. He invited them to a party, but I know you can figure out how to draw them back.

    "Well, Cami just told me that Lucius nned this. So how did you find out, Ian?" Cedric asked as he ced the phone on speaker and messaged Katerina and Ray through hisptop.

    "I had someone look for them. I knew that if I found one I would find the others." Ian exined.

    "Well, this is a big problem, and didn''t Dave confirm that they were on the way?" Cedric asked, he rarely doubted his assistants but this was a slip up that should not have happened.

    When no one answered his question Cedric found it odd.

    "Hello? Ian? Are you still there?" Cedric asked over the phone

    "He did, and they confirmed." Ian said after a pause on the call. "It''s not the kid''s fault Cedric, there is no way any of us could have stopped this from happening."

    Something was off with Ian and Cedric knew it, but he chose not to dwell on the matter and continued to type on theptop as he asked Katerina toe over.

    "I''m meeting Katerina and Ray here in a few minutes." Cedric told Ian as soon as Katerina said she was leaving her house. "Make sure nothing else gets messed up there."

    "We''re on it." Ian said as he dropped the call.

    Cedric quickly dialed Cami''s number and waited patiently for her to pick up.

    "Couldn''t you have told us earlier about what Lucius was nning?" Cedric asked his former assistant and now VP in an angry tone. He hated getting into situations where he was unprepared, and this was a huge one.

    "If you had been ready with a solution he would have known." Cami said. She wasn''t afraid of getting into an argument with Cedric, she knew that what she had done was the right course of action.

    "We would have sold it." Cedric said with a sigh as he leaned back on his seat.

    "We both know that he has spies even at the hotel." Cami reminded Cedric. "He needed to see you and your people in a panic, we both know that Dave and Ian are both horrible actors."

    "They are not that bad Cami." Cedric scolded.

    "Still, it''s something I know you can easily fix. I''m not worried." Cami said in a confident tone.

    "Yes, while you sit prettily there, waiting to pass on Lucius'' reaction." Cedric groaned. "Are you at the party?" He asked her.

    "Benedict and I will go in a bit." Cami exined. "We are important people to Lucius so we don''t need to suck up to him, he needs us more than we need him. At least in his mind that''s how it works."

    "Be careful." Cedric warned. "This is perfect press for him to trust you, since it would reflect badly on me if my VP for Mor Co. was at his party rather than at mine. But be careful, we don''t know what other tricks he could pull."

    "We will, Ced. Trust me." Cami said in a cheery tone. "So who are you getting help from?"

    "Katerina and Ray." Cedric said, knowing full well that Cami would know his n when he mentioned who wasing over.

    "That''s smart, I didn''t think of thatbination." Cami remarked. "Ian''s idea?" She asked.

    "Ian is busy at the party, but yes, the idea I have in mind sounds like something Ian would think of." Cedric said as he recalled his friend''s schemes.

    "His ideas are not the most graceful but they are way more efficient than mine." Cami said.

    "You both each have your strengths." Cedric said with a grin as he thought of how much help both had given him over the years.

    "I have to go, Benedict and I have to head on over to Lucius'' party. I''ll keep you posted." Cami said.

    "Alright, go." Cedric told her as he dropped the call and was left to his own thoughts.

    This party was clearly targeted by Lucius Ting to humiliate him. The man knew that Cedric had left the country and would probably be undermanned. So he made it a point to use something very public to take from Cedric.

    "He is so stupid." Cedric said out loud with augh.

    Lucius Ting was making his moves as if Cedric depended on outside support and on investors, when in fact most of the Reyes Group was owned within the family.

    Lucius Ting might not have been as smart a Cedric thought.

 Chapter 684 - 684

    Cedric leaned casually on the backrest of his chair as a maid informed him that Ray and Katerina had both arrived.

    He asked the maid to fetch them and serve them some refreshments. ??

    "What mess are you in this time?" Ray said with augh as he held the door for Katerina, who smiled wearily as she walked into the room.

    "It''s not entirely my fault." Cedric said with a shrug as his guests found their own seats.

    "Lucius Ting drama?" Ray asked as the maid returned with coffee for each of them.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a frown as he quickly pulled up a file on hisptop.

    "I''m sorry to bother you Katerina." Cedric said with a frown as he noticed how sleepy she looked. "I know we just got back and you were hoping to have a rxing evening at home."

    "It''s fine." Katerina said, shaking her head. "If it wasn''t you calling, someone else would have an equally urgent matter and I would still have to work. At least this way I can leech off your kitchen." Katerina teased.

    "You are free to leech off my kitchen anytime, Katerina." Cedric said with a grin. "Although I don''t see the need for you to do this. It''s not like youck money."

    "I don''t but Eric is trying to lessen my junk food intake when I''m stressed." Kateina said with a frown.

    "But you''re always stressed." Ray pointed out, to which Katerinaughed.

    "And thus the need for me to watch my health." She said as she shed them a smile. "Don''t tell me you thought Eric wanted me to watch my weight."

    "That man would love you no matter what Katerina, we all know that." Cedric pointed out.

    "Yeah, he spent most of his adult life trying to figure out a way for the both of you to be together." Ram said. "He won''t give up that easily."

    "Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys." Katerina said with a smile.

    "You don''t even need it, you''re the most confident woman I know." Ram pointed out, and it was true, everyone knew how well Katerina appreciated her own self worth, and that helped her be better.

    "It''s not always like that, Ray." Katerina said as she shook her head. "I really did need that."

    "Love problems?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Eric just opened up a topic that I preferred to keep buried, but nevermind that, let''s focus on your issue at hand." Katerina said as she diverted the conversation back on topic and pointed at Cedric''sptop.

    "Ah, yes, well. . ." Cedric said as he turned theptop around and pointed at the screen.

    "As you both know, tonight we were supposed to hold this huge wee dinner for all the newpanies that we have recently acquired across different industries." Cedric said as he searched Katerina''s and Ray''s faces for a reaction.

    "Ideally, tonight would have been a very big night." Cedric said with a sigh as he thought of the predicament they were in.

    "So who or what got messed up?" Katerina asked quite bluntly.

    "And why do you need us in particr?" Ram asked as he pointed at himself and Katerina.

    "No one messed up." Cedric said in a firm tone. "This was something nned by Lucius Ting in order to embarrass the Reyes Group."

    "To embarrass you in particr." Ray pointed out.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a frown. "He is thinking as if the market price of Reyes Group shares matters, they don''t."

    "Because the Reyes Group is mostly owned by you and your family, we know." Ray said, rolling his eyes at his brother-inw.

    "Exactly, and no one in the Reyes Family would dare sell their stocks because they have no need." Cedric exined further. "On top of that, most of those that do hold shares are employees of thepany all over the world."

    "So what''s the issue?" Katerina asked, thinking of how pointless her visit was bing.

    "Well, I don''t like to lose." Cedric said with a shrug. "And thepany''s image still matters to an extent."

    "Don''t forget you don''t want those little businessmen thinking that they can control the Reyes Group." Ray said as he reminded Cedric.

    "Well, yeah, that too, but let''s be honest Ray, that''s more of your thinking than mine." Cedric said, making Katerinaugh.

    "Yes, the king of the underworld is always looking to strike fear in the hearts of his enemies and allies." She said in a dramatic tone, making everyoneugh.

    There was suddenly a knock on the door, making them straighten themselves as Cedric called out for whomever was outside toe in.

    To Cedric''s surprise it was his wife, Adrianna, and his sister, Ayanna both carrying a tray of drinks with them.

    "We have maids to do that, remember?" Cedric asked his wife as she gently ced the tray down on the coffee table.

    "I don''t see why I can''t bring refreshments to our friends." Adrianna said as she crossed her arms over her chest and red at her husband. "What are you hiding?" She asked in a very serious tone.

    "Nothing." Cedric said, raising his hands in surrender.

    Adrianna red at Cedric as she walked over to sit next to Katerina.

    "He called Katerina and Ray over." Ayanna pointed out. "It''s something serious, something with legal implications, but he is also interested in the underground means that he can use."

    "What?" Cedric said in surprise as his sister guessed his n by simply looking at the people in the room.

    "He asked us toe in a hurry, so that means it''s urgent." Ayanna said as she looked at her brother, daring him to contradict her.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod as his expression changed from one of annoyance to an amused look. "What else?" Cedric asked, testing his sister.

    "There is nothing urgent except matters that involve Lucius Ting and your investments." Ayanna pointed out.

    "Warm." Cedric said as he acknowledged how close she was getting to what his problem was.

    "I think it has something to do with the dinner tonight. Lucius Ting can wait, but the dinner, well it cannot." Adrianna surmised.

    "Close enough." Cedric said with a smile as he pointed at hisptop screen. "On this are the list of the toppanies we chose to invest in, do you know what they all have inmon?" Cedric asked.

    "Stop with the guessing game and just tell us." Ray groaned.

    "They all chose to attend a party thrown by Lucius Ting rather than to go to the wee diner." Cedric said with a mischievous smile.

 Chapter 685 - 685

    "Cami, hurry up." Benedict called out for his sister as he looked at the time. They had promised to be at Lucius'' house by 7pm that night so that they could all arrive together and Cami was taking forever to get dressed.

    "A moment." Cami shouted as he heard her door close and her heels click as she walked down the hallway of the second floor of their house.??

    "I''ll get the car started." Benedict called out as he turned and walked towards the garage door.

    The siblings had chosen to hire as few staff as possible, all were trusted members of Cami''s own staff back at Sire Tower.

    Cedric had also transferred to them several bodyguards of whom he was sure Lucius had no information on.

    As Cami opened the door and slid in, a maid opened the garage door for them and Benedict sped out.

    The property gate was already being held open as he exited in a rush.

    "What took you so long?" Benedict asked his sister in an impatient tone.

    "Rx, Benedict." Cami said as she ced a hand on his shoulder. "I was speaking to Cedric. I had to tell him about Lucius'' n."

    "And?" Benedict asked as he slowed the car down to an appropriate speed. "Will he be able to deal with it?" He asked.

    "Of course, this is Cedric Reyes we are talking about." Cami said with augh. "As you might have noticed, Katerina''s car wasn''t in their house, that means he called for her."

    "He can really think of ns quickly, can''t he." Benedict said in an amazed tone as they drove towards the city where Lucius lived.

    "If he couldn''t then he doesn''t deserve his position as the CEO of the Reyes Group." Cami said inly. "I''m sure even Ayanna would be able toe up with a n as fast as him, Cedric''s methods are just more under the radar than Ayanna''s" She exined.

    "They really are something, the Reyes Family." Benedict pointed out.

    "The Reyeses wouldn''t have survived this long if they didn''t have an edge to them." Cami said with a nod. "Many families have risen and fallen over the years, while the Reyeses have remained."

    "Why are you so anxious?" Cami asked as she noticed that her brother''s demeanor had remained unchanged.

    "It''s your first time showing everyone that you are going against Cedric." Benedict said with a frown as he continued to drive, keeping his eyes on the road. "Don''t you think people will bash you for it?" He asked.

    "Oh, they will." Cami said with augh. "People will say the worst and most painful words and I think it will make me cry."

    "Then why push through with this n?" Benedict asked, his worry clear in the tone of his voice.

    "Because we owe the Reyeses that much." Cami said as she looked out at a distance, remembering how she had been saved from her own parents.

    "We both know they wouldn''t want you to risk yourself and your reputation like this." Benedict pointed out.

    "And what about you, brother?" Cami said as she turned to face Benedict. "Don''t you think I don''t know what you''ve cooked up with Cedric. You are risking way more than me."

    "He saved us." Benedict said in a solemn tone. "I never wanted to end up the same way that Aiden had. I hated how Aiden was growing up, but by the way things were going, I was just going to be another version of him."

    "Now do you understand?" Cami asked her brother. "I want to do this to repay them for all of the good they have done for us."

    "What you and I are doing are different and you know it." Benedict scolded his sister. "What you are nning, Cedric has no idea about. You won''t have his support if it fails." Benedict warned.

    "I have faith that it will all work out." Cami said with a nod as they pulled up to the building that Lucius lived in.

    "Are you sure that pretending to date Lucius Ting is the best way to get to him?" Benedict asked his sister.

    "You would do the same in my ce." Cami said with a frown.

    "No, I wouldn''t fuck Lucius Ting." Benedict teased his sister, making herugh.

    "But seriously, Cami, be careful." Benedict warned. "You don''t have to do everything he asks you to do, you can say no."

    "I want to do what will work." Cami insisted.

    "Cedric would be furious to hear what you were willing to do just for his cause." Benedict reminded her. "You are like a sister to him, he cares about you as much as I do. We would never want to see you hurt orpromised."

    "Benedict, it''s not like he''s gonna knock me up, or film us and ckmail me." Cami told Benedict. "Let''s just drop this conversation now, because we both know that this conversation will not be going anywhere."

    "Fine, but be careful." Benedict said with a sigh as he opened the door to his car and stepped out.

    He quickly made his way to Cami''s door and opened it for her, offering his hand to help her out.

    Cami took it thankfully and got out of the car.

    Lucius lived at the penthouse of the Ara Tower, he had two floors all to himself and a dedicated elevator that led directly to his ce.

    When Cami and Benedict stepped out of the elevator, Cami squealed in surprise as Lucius'' strong arms pulled her by the waist and towards him.

    "Lucius!" Cami scolded as she yfully pped his arms.

    "I missed you." Lucius said tenderly as he kissed Cami on the lips.

    "My brother is here, Lucius." Cami said as she pushed him away.

    "It''s fine, Cami." Benedict groaned as he walked into Lucius'' ce.

    The siblings had been there so often that at this point they could casually walk around and Lucius wouldn''t mind.

    Add to that the fact that Benedict and Cami were his top investors, of course he wouldn''t mind at all.

    "See babe." Lucious said as he pressed his lips onto Cami''s forcing his way into her mouth, kissing her passionately. "Your brother doesn''t mind."

    "Later." Cami scolded as she kissed Lucius back.

    "What''s got Benedict all pissed and angry?" Lucius asked as he watched Benedict disappear into his kitchen.

    "Just some deals we nned to trap Cedric that didn''t fall through." Cami said with a shrug, quickly thinking of an excuse.

    "Is he still working with Cedric?" Lucius asked Cami.

    "To be honest, I''m not sure." Cami said.

    "Come on, let''s go to my room, we still have time before the event." Lucius said with a wink as he pulled Cami towards his bedroom.

 Chapter 686 - 686

    Lucius had rented out an entire bar in the capitol''s entertainment district, he had pulled out all of the stops. He hired a world ss DJ, who he had to fly in, he ordered some of the most expensive beverages, mostly imported from all over the world, and he had hired high ss prostitutes that catered to his guests'' every need and want.

    When Lucius'' car pulled up to the front entrance, Cami took a deep breath as she heard the music from inside. ??

    Today was the first time that Cami would be publicly stepping out with Lucius, their rtionship had been a secret so far.

    Cami was forced to agree to making their rtionship public when Lucius had begged her for a way to prove her love for him.

    In all honesty, Cami had no feelings for Lucius, as a matter of fact kissing the guy made her want to throw up. It wasn''t because he wasn''t good looking, Lucius was very attractive, but it was his attitude that disgusted her.

    Over the past month she had seen how horribly he treated people and how littlepassion he had for others.

    "I bet you''ve seen worse working for Cedric Reyes." Lucius would tell her whenever he did something vile or something immoral. For some reason he immediately assumed that Cedric was a horrible person.

    Cami would often simply agree not wanting to get into a fight with him, but she knew that to sell the rtionship they would need to fight at some point.

    She had carefully selected the things they would disagree on, one being making their rtionship public and the second being Adrianna.

    Lucius Ting hated Adrianna just as much as he hated Cedric, he didn''t care if the woman was guilty or innocent, all he cared about was that she was married to Cedric Reyes. That fact alone was enough to condemn her in his eyes.

    They had gotten into enough arguments over the topic that Lucius had given up trying to talk about it.

    "Rx." Lucius whispered into her ear as he held her firmly by her shoulders.

    Cami wanted to pull away as soon as she felt his hands on her bare skin. She was wearing a blue off-shoulder dress that fit her form perfectly, emphasizing all the right curves.

    "I''m just worried." Cami said as she took a deep breath.

    "Here, I have a gift for you, to celebrate our rtionship." Lucius said in a sweet tone that made Cami want to vomit.

    Lucius proceeded to ce a ne on her, it was a simple diamond ne that fit her style perfectly. Cami had to hand it to the guy, he really thought about what she would like and what she would wear.

    "Thank you, it''s gorgeous." Cami said as she touched the diamond pendant.

    "I won it at an auction." Lucius said as he kissed her on the cheek.

    "I love it." Cami said in fake excitement.

    "There is someone I want you to meetter, I''m very excited to introduce you to her." Lucius told Cami.

    "Who is it?" Cami asked.

    "It''s a surprise." Lucius said with a smile. "For now, I think you should focus on making it to the door." He teased her.

    "Are there any paparazzi?" Cami asked.

    "Of course, they are all here." Lucius said with a grin. "The only ones that I didn''t invite were those affiliated with Abad News Network." Lucius said in a bitter tone.

    "They could have been worth inviting." Cami said as she thought of what implications it would have had if the bigger news agencies were present.

    "Babe, if I had invited them, then Cedric would have known, it''s better this way." Lucius said with a nod. "I want everyone to see how I have not only snagged his most prized Vice President, but most of the deals he had closed recently as well."

    "Do you think he knows by now?" Cami asked as she nced at the watch on Lucius'' wrist.

    "He probably found out thirty minutes ago, his people are quite efficient." Lucius said. "But then again, by that time it would be toote to get anyone back." Lucius said as he shed Cami a smile.

    "Okay, I''m ready." Cami said as she took another deep breath and rxed. She hoped and prayed that when they stepped into that bar it would be empty.

    "I''lle around and open the door for you." Lucius told Cami as he stepped out of the car to a barrage of shes.

    Cami watched from the inside as he smiled and waved at the paparazzi, winking, signaling that he had an even bigger surprise in store for them.

    Lucius quickly and gracefully opened the door offering his hand for Cami to take.

    Cami hesitated for a bit, questioning how much she was really willing to risk to help Cedric.

    She owed him and the people around him her life, hers and her brother''s lives. Cedric had treated her like a sister and she had sworn to remain loyal to the Reyes family for the rest of her life.

    On top of that, she wasn''t just an employee of the Reyes Group, unknown to the public was the fact that she, Ian, and Marco had some shares in multiple subsidiaries of the Reyes Group.

    Cedric had not only guaranteed her life and her future, but her had also guaranteed the future of her children and their children after.

    Cami knew she was willing to risk her life and her image just for Cedric and his family.

    "Babe?" Lucius asked as he offered his hand to Cami.

    Cami knew he was being extra patient and considering seeing as this was a big step for her.

    She also knew that Lucius had a lot to gain if she stepped out of that door and walked into the bar with him.

    "A moment." Cami said as she took a deep breath and took his hand.

    There was no turning back from this now, this was it.

    To the public she would be the great traitor to the Reyes Group, she would have to wear it proudly and see all of this through until Cedric could finally get rid of Lucius.

 Chapter 687 - 687

    As Cami held on to Lucius'' arm, the reporters shouted over each other to get a statement from her.

    Of course, they all wanted to know, why did one of Cedric Reyes'' most loyal soldiers go over someone else''s side???

    It was no secret that Lucius Ting and his Arch Group were apetitor of Mor Co., which Cami was in charge of. So it was huge news to see her on his arm while Cedric was at the other end of town weing theirtest partners.

    Despite all the questions that the reporters were shouting, Cami tuned them out and simply focused on walking up to the bar with Lucius.

    "He will fire you from Mor Co. for sure after this." Lucius whispered as they entered the bar.

    "He isn''t that petty, plus he has a reputation he needs to protect. As long as I do well in Mor Co. then he won''t fire me." Cami said with a shrug as the doors closed behind them.

    "You haven''t gone to the office in months." Lucius pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

    "You''ve been spying on me?" Cami asked.

    "You didn''t know?" Lucius asked her back, making Camiugh.

    "Of course I knew." Cami scoffed as she let Lucius lead them to the VIP section of the bar. "I''ve been working remotely. Cedric allows me as long as I bring in the money." She exined.

    "And here I was expecting he would be an extremely traditional businessman." Lucius Tingmented as heughed at his own ignorance.

    "If he were a traditional businessman, using traditional practices, the Reyes Group would have long sumbed to newer, more innovativepanies." Cami said with augh. "He is very smart and not easy to defeat."

    "Are you telling me I can''t take him down?" Lucius asked his girlfriend with a smirk.

    "No." Cami said, shaking her head as she felt Lucius'' arm wrap around her waist. She was so tempted to p his hand away but she resisted the urge. She had to keep up appearances.

    "You are being very confusing, Cami." Lucius said in a stern tone as he pulled her closer to him.

    "You need to think outside of the box to beat Cedric, and sometimes even those that think outside the box like my brother still don''t make it." Cami said with a frown as she tried to act the part of the broken hearted sister.

    "I''m sorry, my question reminded you about Aiden." Lucius said as he lifted her chin and looked her in the eyes.

    "It''s alright." Cami said as she pretended to stop the tears from falling.

    "I swear to you Cami, I avenge your brother." Lucius said as he gently stroked her cheek.

    Cami closed her eyes and leaned on to Lucius'' hand. They stood like that for a moment as she tried to sell how hurt she was in terms of Aiden''s death.

    "Sir, your guests are waiting for you." Called out a voice that Cami recognized to be one of Lucius'' staff members.

    "Sorry." Cami said in a sad tone as she tried to seem apologetic for dying him.

    "Nothing is more important than you now." Lucius said as he nted a kiss on Cami''s lips.

    When they pulled away Cami smiled up at Lucius who smiled back down at her.

    "Is my brother there already?" Cami asked Lucius'' employee.

    "Yes Miss." The staff member said. "He arrived a few minutes before you, he is waiting at your table."

    "Thank you, you may go." Lucius said.

    Lucius took Cami''s hand in his as he quickly walked towards their table.

    "What''s the rush?" Cami asked as she tried to catch up with him while she was in heels.

    "There is someone I am excited for you to meet." Lucius told her as they finally reached his table.

    Cami saw her brother ring at a very pretty young woman. Benedict frowned as he looked at her, it was clearer that Benedict knew this person and was not happy to see her there.

    "You know each other?" Lucius asked Benedict and the woman.

    "Our paths have crossed in the past." Benedict said as he continued to re at the woman across him.

    "Great, so I don''t need to introduce you." Lucius said with a smile as he pulled Cami closer to his side.

    "Who is this?" The woman asked in a disguised tone.

    "Someone ten times your worth." Benedict interrupted.

    Cami gave her brother a confused look as he continued to re daggers at the woman.

    "I''ll exin at home." Benedict told her as he kept his eyes on the woman.

    "So is this your new y thing, Lucius?" The woman asked as she eyed Cami from head to toe, judging every inch of her.

    "She isn''t, I''m serious about her." Lucius said as he wrapped a protective arm around Cami''s shoulder.

    "Lucius, it''s fine." Cami said with a frown, pretending that the woman had offended her. She pushed Lucius''s arm off and walked over to sit next to her brother.

    "Cami, please, no it''s not like that." Lucius said, practically begging Cami not to misunderstand the situation.

    "She''s clearly someone important to you, Lucius." Cami said as she looked at the woman. "You were so excited to introduce us and yet the moment sheys eyes on me she assumes I''m just one of your ythings? How many ythings do you even have Lucius?" Cami questioned.

    "Oh shit, this is her?" The woman said with a gasp as she suddenly realized that Cami wasn''t just some eye candy that Lucius had brought along to the party.

    Benedictughed at the woman''s expression as hir face paled.

    "I warned you." Benedict said as he continued tough.

    "Shut up, how do you even know her, you worthless piece of shit." The woman cussed.

    "Benedict is Cami''s brother." Lucius said.

    "Yeah, nice one, his sister is dead." The woman said as she rolled her eyes at Lucius.

    Clearly this woman had been quite close with Benedict, confusing Cami even further.

    "Nope, she''s alive." Benedict said, shaking his head. "And this is her."

    "Cami, meet Louisse, my strategist and sister." Lucius quickly said before Benedict could say anything to make things worse.

    "Oh." Cami said as she looked at Louisse. "I didn''t know you had a sister."

    "My parents had a daughter after they adopted me, she''s even younger than you." Lucius said with a shrug.

    Cami looked at Benedict as he shook his head.

    "Don''t look at me, I didn''t know she had a brother." Benedict confessed to Cami.

    Cami cursed in her head, this did not show up in any of their investigations, how could Lucius have a secret sister that did not show up in any documents?

 Chapter 688 - 688

    "So you really are dating someone, like for real for real." Louisse said as she looked at Cami in shock. "I thought it was just some lie you cooked up to get me toe here."

    "No Lu, I really am dating Cami, and I love her." Lucius said as he looked lovingly at Cami. For a moment Cami felt guilty for leading him on, for pretending to love him even if she felt only disgust for him.??

    "So how long have you two been dating?" Louisse asked Cami and Lucius as she pointed at the two of them.

    "A little over two months." Cami said, answering for Lucius. She didn''t want his sister thinking she was some weak woman that needed to hide behind Lucius Ting all the time.

    "Well, I guess you have to start somewhere, that isn''t too long." Louisse said with a grin as if she was trying to get Cami to show her dark side.

    "You can''t egg her on Louisse." Lucius said with augh. "She isn''t some pushover that you can scare off."

    "Yup, my sister is the Vice President of Mor Co." Benedict announced proudly as he grinned at Louisse.

    "Mor Co.?" Louisse asked as she tried to recall where she had heard thepany name before.

    "Yes Louisse." Benedict said with a smile as he saw she had realized where she had heard thepany before.

    "Wasn''t that the ce your brother had been trying to take down, it''s owned by some Reyes person." Louisse said as she tried to remember what she knew.

    "It''s owned by the Reyes Group, headed by Cedric Reyes, the man that murdered my brother." Cami said in a bitter tone.

    She acted so well that she noticed her brother flinch as he felt the anger in her tone.

    "Aiden?" Louisse asked as she looked at her brother.

    "Yes, the same Aiden that helped me find out about my birth parents." Lucius said with a nod.

    "Aiden your top investor?" Louisse asked her brother. "The very man that helped you build Arch Group? The man behind all of your ns and strategies? He is dead?"

    "He didn''t tell you?" Benedict asked Louisse with a frown.

    "I didn''t see the need to tell her before she got here." Lucius said with frown as he saw his sister re at him.

    "That''s why you needed me here!" Louisse shouted at her brother. "You lost the man that was leading you through this plot and you need me."

    "I don''t need you that badly." Lucius said, rolling his eyes. "Benedict was the brains behind Aiden, I have him on my side."

    "And what about your funds?" Louisse asked her brother.

    "It''s not an issue." Lucius said with a grin. "Arch Group earns enough to sustain itself and everything Aiden had is now Benedict''s and Cami''s."

    "Is that why you are dating her?" Louisse asked her brother.

    The men quickly looked at Cami to see what her reaction would be. To their surprise she simplyughed at Louisse''sment.

    "I''m not desperate for a man, Miss Ting." Cami said with a threatening smile. "I am with Lucius because I want to be with him. My brother and I would continue to fund his ventures even if we weren''t dating."

    "I don''t believe that." Louisse suddenly said.

    "Louisse!" Lucius scolded his sister, raising his voice.

    "Well, I don''t." Louisse told her brother bravely as she crossed her arms on her chest. "The fact that you are here with my brother already means you aren''t some pure angel. Save the acting and water works for someone that cares."

    "You will not speak to my girlfriend like that." Lucius warned his sister as he quickly came in defense of Cami.

    "Why? Afraid I''ll drive away your sugar mommy girlfriend Lucius?" Louisse said, practically threatening her brother.

    "Shut the fuck up Louisse!" Lucius said angrily.

    "Calm down, Lucius." Cami said as sheughed at his reaction. "Your sister won''t scare me away."

    "Sir, I think we have a problem." One of Lucius'' employees said, suddenly interrupting their discussion.

    Lucius frowned but motioned the man over. All of Lucius'' employees knew that he hated being interrupted no matter what he was doing.

    "This better be important." Lucius warned as the man walked over. "What is it?" Lucius asked with a raised eyebrow."

    "Sir, some of your guests have been acting quite off." The employee said as he looked down at his feet, not daring to look Lucius in the eyes.

    "Off, you came here and interrupted my discussion because some of my guests aren''t acting as you expect them to?!" Lucius was now furious as he pped the man across his cheek.

    "Lucius!" Louisse said, scolding her brother.

    "Don''t you dare step in and tell me how to handle my employees, Louisse Ting!" Lucius threatened, stopping his sister in her tracks.

    "Hear him out." Cami suddenly said, defying what Lucius wanted to do.

    "Are you contradicting me right now, Cami?" Lucius asked as he kept his back turned on Cami.

    "Listen to her." Benedict said in a domineering tone. "We are investors so we have a right to this Lucius, don''t forget that."

    Lucius was forced to back down at Benedict''s reminder.

    Seeing his boss step back, the man quickly got up and straightened his clothes. Cami could see the red mark on his face where Lucius had pped him.

    "Ask him what you want to know." Lucius told Cami as he pulled her on hisp and wrapped his arms around her waist.

    "Tell us what''s wrong, or at least what the guests are saying." Cami ordered the man, not sounding any nicer than Lucius.

    "From what we are hearing they have gotten threats." The man told Cami.

    "Threats from the Reyes Group?" Lucius asked as he suddenly straightened up. "I mean I''m not surprised, but how could the Reyes Group threaten them? It''s not like they are breaching their contracts."

    "We don''t know what they are being threatened with, sir." The man said in quiet voice, afraid to trigger Lucius'' anger once more.

    "What tricks are the Reyes Group pulling this time?" Benedict asked as he looked at his sister.

    "Never underestimate Cedric Reyes." Cami said as she shook her head.

    "Go and find out what exactly is going on." Lucius ordered his employee. "And don''te back until you know exactly what Cedric Reyes is telling them."

    At that the man quickly left.

 Chapter 689 - 689

    Cami frowned as she looked at Lucius and her brother.

    "What''s bothering you babe?" Lucius asked as squeezed her hand.??

    "Do you think Cedric could be retaliating much harder because of me?" Cami asked in a somewhat fragile tone.

    "Duh, yes." Louisse suddenly said in a loud voice as she joined in on the conversation. "See she''s acting all fragile, is this really the woman you want, Lucius?" She asked her brother as she red at Cami.

    "She''s right, it probably was made worse by the fact that you two are dating." Benedict said, agreeing with Louisse.

    "What? You''re on my side?" Louisse asked in surprise. "You''re her brother, you should be on her side." Louisse pointed out as she tried to figure out Benedict''s odd behavior.

    "Good." Cami said with a grin.

    "Wait? What?" Louisse said as she looked at Cami, now more curious than ever about the woman her older brother was dating.

    "I agree with Louisse, what?" Lucius asked as he looked at his girlfriend. "I love you babe, but you are being very confusing right now."

    "You don''t see it?" Benedict asked with augh as he leaned back in his seat and took a sip from his wine. "I don''t think you are smart enough for my sister." Benedict said in a mocking tone.

    "Benedict, stop it." Cami said, scolding her brother. "Don''t stoop to her level." She said, emphasizing the word her as she nced at Louisse.

    "Fine." Benedict told his sister with augh as he allowed her to exin.

    "There are very few things that can tick off Cedric Reyes." Cami exined with a smile. "You know he is mad when he goes overboard, like he probably has tonight."

    "Don''t all men that are born rich like to over exert their power?" Louisse asked as Benedict offered to refill her ss.

    "Most, yes." Cami said with a nod. "But that''s what makes Cedric different from all of them. He has full control of his emotions and he almost always thinks logically."

    "So when doesn''t he think logically?" Lucius asked her.

    "When ites to his family and his friends." Benedict said, answering for his sister. "And Cami, falls under the friends part. One of his oldest friends betrayed him, so he is understandably furious now."

    "He betrayed us first when he heartlessly murdered our brother." Cami said in an angry tone, surprising even Lucius.

    "Calm down babe, I know you are mad. We all are." Lucius said as kissed her cheeks gently.

    Cami took a deep breath as she considered her next words carefully. She knew this would be crucial in leading Lucius and Louisse on.

    "I want Cedric Reyes dead." Cami told Lucius in a firm tone. "No, I want him to lose everything he loves, everything he holds dear. I want his name dragged through the mud!"

    "Cami, our time wille." Benedict told her in a calmer tone. "You need to trust in our ns."

    "What ns?" Cami asked. "All we do is make small moves, nothing wild, nothing bad enough to hurt someone like Cedric."

    "We cannot just retaliate, you know that." Benedict reminded his sister, quickly catching on in the act she was portraying. "We do not have the influence or the strength to take the Reyes Group on a head on battle, we need to be smart."

    "I''m tired of just waiting, Benedict." Cami hissed. "How long will it take?" Sheined.

    "As long as it takes to make sure he can''t get back up." Benedict said, as if he was reminding his sister of a n they had discussed.

    "Cami." Lucius said in a loving tone as he held her close to him. "I will help you get justice for your brother no matter what. I also want to see Cedric Reyes and all his friends fall. They took my family from me and for that they will pay."

    "Fine, she isn''t some flower that is just meant to be a disy." Louisse said with a grin as she observed Cami. "You might actually be the best thing that has happened to my brother. Someone just as passionate as him."

    Cami smiled and nodded her thanks to Louisse.

    "Babe, my sister is here to help." Lucius said as he tried to reassure Cami that everything she wanted would happen. "Who do you think orchestrated this whole event?" Lucius said with a sly grin.

    "Nice one Louisse." Benedict said as he nodded approvingly at the woman''s n. "Cedric and his people did not see this oneing." Benedict said with a chuckle.

    "I don''t think he would have ever expected us to attack him in such a public manner." Louisse said with a shrug.

    "And Cami arriving with me tonight just made things a hundred times worse for him." Lucious said with augh as he kissed Cami.

    "Babe, you are amazing." Lucius said as he kissed her passionately on the lips. Cami was forced to kiss back in order to keep her cover intact.

    "Sir." The staff member from earlier said as he returned with a few other men behind him.

    Lucius was in a good mood since he knew his n had worked to an extent. Cedric was experiencing untold damage to his image because of both his sister''s n and his girlfriend arriving with him.

    Nothing could ruin his mood now, not even if Cedric or any of the Chan siblings walked into the bar at that moment, he would still be as happy as he was.

    "What is it?" Benedict said, asking for Lucius who still had his lips on Cami.

    "We found out what the Reyes Group has been up to." The man announced as Cami and Lucius'' lips separated from their passionate make out session.

    "What crazy idea did Cedric Reyese up with this time?" Lucius asked with augh.

    "He is threatening to cut off all his deals with thepanies that came here." The man told Lucius and his group.

    "So let him cut it off, we can invest in them instead. They are the major yers in their industries. We have nothing to fear." Lucius said in a confident tone.

    "Sir, there is one problem." The man said as he hesitated.

    "You better talk or it will be worse for you." Louisse warned as she looked at the man.

    "If they break the contract, the Reyes Group will own 50% of all of their assets and will have rights to buy the remaining 50%." The man said in a shaky voice as he broke the bad news to Lucius.

    "What the fuck? How stupid are these people? Why would they sign a contract like that?" Benedict asked as he heard the news.

    "How did we miss out on this?" Lucius asked as he turned to his sister. She was the one behind this n, she was the one that had missed out on this fact.

    "I- I- I don''t know." Louisse said in a shaky voice as she began to panic.

    She was no stranger to her brother''s temper, and she knew that he would not hesitate to punish her fairly just because they were siblings.

    Lucius Ting was never a nice man, not even to those who loved him and those whom he loved back.

 Chapter 690 - 690

    "Any news?" Cedric asked as Ian slipped into the front seat of his car.

    He was supposed to make his entrance at the event in thirty minutes. Cedric had already seen the members of the press flocking the entrance to Constetions Hotel, he was sure that they all wanted his opinion on Cami''s perceived betrayal.??

    "I can''t contact Cami, she is probably still with Lucius." Ian exined, his frustration clear in the tone of his voice.

    "Cami has her reasons." Cedric said in a solemn mood. "I trust her and I''m sure so do you. Let''s focus on other matters."

    Cami appearing in public as Lucius'' girlfriend caught Cedric and the otherspletely by surprise. They knew that she was doing something to get Lucius to rely on her even more, they just didn''t expect her to go this far.

    "I know you are worried about her too." Ian said with a sigh as he turned and looked at Cedric.

    "I am." Cedric said with a nod. "But the fastest and safest way for us to get her out of the predicament she is in is to get rid of Lucius Ting."

    "Lucius Ting will be nothing without her and Benedict, can''t they just pull out the investment they already have in Arch Group?" Ian asked.

    "If they do that someone else will quickly step in and give him the funds that he needs." Cedric exined. "It''s best that we know exactly what he is doing so that we can n on how to take him down."

    "If they see that hisrgest investor suddenly pulled out, they will see that something is wrong, people will hesitate to invest." Ian said, as exined his idea to Cedric.

    "Not anymore." Adrianna said as she suddenly joined in on the conversation. "With her now dating Lucius, if they pull out their investments it will be seen as a petty woman''s move to get revenge on her ex."

    "I doubt they would -" Ian began to say before Adrianna cut him off.

    "If she were the man in the rtionship it would be seen as a strong move, as a power move. But she is a woman, it''s different for her." Adrianna said in an aggressive tone as Ian shut his mouth, realizing what he had said wrong.

    "Shall we go back to our discussion?" Cedric asked Ian as heughed at how his friend and assistant had been reduced to silence by his wife.

    "Yes." Ian said with a nod.

    "Will they being?" Cedric asked as wrapped his free hand around his wife.

    He was attracted to this powerful and strong side of hers, it was a side she rarely let out in front of others, but it was one he had always known existed.

    "Yes." Ian confirmed as he checked a list on his phone. "They all promised to arrive."

    "Good." Cedric said with a nod. "Lucius Ting made a huge mistake by underestimating the influence of the Reyes Group, and those that sided with him chose to end their business career."

    "This is very unlike you." Adriannamented. "You rarely fix a small problem with a huge and shy one."

    Cedric grinned and chuckled, his wife was right, this wasn''t his go to strategy. He was known for using the least amount of effort with the most efficient results.

    Sometimes he was so efficient that people never even heard of what he had done.

    "This time is different." Cedric told his wife. "This time, I have a message I want to send, and this time I want to make sure that Lucius Ting gets it."

    "Gets what?" Adrianna asked as she looked up at her husband, clearly unsure about what he had meant.

    "I want the man to understand that I am not your everyday businessman, that if he thinks the Reyes Group can easily be taken down, he has another thinging." Cedric said with augh as Ian''s phone began to ring.

    Ian excused himself and stepped out of the car to take the call.

    Cedric nodded at his driver, signalling that he wanted some private time with his wife. His driver, John, obliged and lifted the barrier between the front seats and the back seats.

    "Cedric, we can''t be naughty." Adrianna scolded her husband as soon as she noticed the divider lifting.

    "I know." Cedric said as he pulled her onto hisp and kissed her on the lips.

    "Cedric, my make up!" Adriannained as he moved his lips to brush her neck.

    "I know, that''s why I''m kissing you here." Cedric said with augh as he kissed her on the neck.

    "There is makeup there too!" Adriannained.

    "I''m sure you can just cover it up again." Cedric said as he gave her neck a slight nibble, making

    Adrianna moan.

    "Cedric!" Adrianna shouted as she swatted him yfully. "Can''t you behave?" She asked her husband as she squirmed on hisp.

    "Adri, you are making things worse." Cedric whispered as he felt an urge building up as his manhood began to harden.

    Cedric warped an arm around Adrianna''s waist and pulled her even closer to him, kissing from her neck to her exposed cor bones.

    "Ced!" Adrianna moaned as she felt jolts of pleasure course through her body.

    Suddenly their moment was ruined when a knock came from the window.

    Cedric groaned as he gave Adrianna a chaste kiss on her lips and ced her back down next to him.

    "What?!" Cedric asked angrily as he rolled down the window.

    Very few people would dare approach his car or even intrude on the private moment, so he was sure it was either Ian or one of his friends.

    "Oh, don''tin." Ian said with augh, he already knew what Cedric was up to inside the car. "You and Adri can''t do much in the car. One she is pregnant and you wouldn''t want her to be ufortable, and two, she''s all made up for tonight. She would be pissed at you for ruining her makeup."

    "I''m assuming you have news?" Cedric asked Ian in a curt tone, ignoring what his friend had just said.

    Of course Cedric didn''t n on doing too much with his wife in his car, they still had an event to attend and didn''t have enough time.

    As for Adrianna''s makeup, he could have easily called over one of Ram''s professional teams to fix her up before they had to enter the hotel.

    "Your guests have arrived." Ian said with a grin. He knew what Cedric and the others had nned would be the front page news in the morning.

    And tonight, social media would be flooded with Cedric''s wee dinner.

    Lucius'' little party and the bomb he had dropped on Cedric would all be forgotten by the time morning came.

 Chapter 691 - 691

    As Cedric''s car drove up to the entrance of Constetions Resorts the members of the media were quick to take out their phones and cameras to snap photos of Cedric arriving to the event.

    They were all eager to ask him one thing, how was he taking Cami''s betrayal???

    This was something Cedric had already anticipated and he had a ready answer. As a matter of fact, this time, he was going to face the media head on.

    He would stand on that red carpet and answer the question that was eating away at them, and after they got their answer, he would shock them with thetest news he was holding on to.

    "Are you ready?" Adrianna asked her husband as she held his hand tightly.

    Adrianna was of course aware of everything that was happening. Cedric had sworn never to keep her in the dark again, and although she knew what problems he faced, she rarely interfered.

    She would only give her suggestion or her opinion once and wouldn''t push him to do what she wanted. She trusted Cedric''s intuition, and he was rarely wrong.

    "I am." Cedric told his wife with a nod. "I''ve already got the script in my head." Cedric said as he pointed at his temple.

    "What should I do?" Adrianna asked, she knew that even her slightest reaction could help sell what her husband had nned.

    "Just smile and look proud." Cedric told her as he shed Adrianna one of his handsome smiles.

    "That''s easy then." Adrianna said with a giggle. "I am incredibly proud of my husband." She told Cedric as she looked up lovingly at him.

    "If we didn''t have to go down right this moment I would have a steamy makeout session with you, Adrianna Reyes." Cedric said as he kissed Adrianna''s forehead.

    "Well, too bad for you." Adrianna said with augh. "Now get out and open the door for me like a gentleman."

    "Your wish is mymand." Cedric said with a wink as he stepped out of the car.

    Over the months and years Cedric had gotten used to facing the numerous camera shes the moment he stepped out of the car.

    He gave the media a smile for their photos before walking over to the other side of the car and opening the door to help his wife down.

    Adrianna''s baby bump was elegantly hidden by her dress, they weren''t hiding the pregnancy, but she felt quite ufortable walking around in something too form fitting.

    The press were quick to take photos of the loving couple as Cedric ced on an act by kissing his wife''s hand and giving her a loving smile.

    Adrianna looked back at him and smiled as well, giving the media a front row seat to how deep their love for one another ran.

    The members of the press remained silent as they felt they were intruding in a private moment between the couple.

    When Cedric finally turned away from his wife and offered her his arm, which Adrianna dly took, the members of the media quickly snapped out of their trance and started to shout their questions.

    Most of them knew that asking Cedric as he walked down the red carpet would not get them any answers, but they still gambled at it.

    During the rare asions that Cedric had allowed for an interview as he arrived, they often got the biggest scoops, such as when he announced Adrianna''s second pregnancy.

    "Mr. Reyes, what do you have to say about your former assistant and the VP of Mor Co. showing up with Lucius Ting?" One reporter asked.

    Cedric smiled as he heard the question he expected them to badger about.

    "Mr. Reyes, will you be firing Miss Montero?" Another reporter called out, asking one of the most prevalent rumors on the inte now.

    "Mr. Reyes, how will this impact your rtionship with Miss Montero, if I am not mistaken you had once dered that she was like a sister to you? Will you deal with her as an employee or as family?" Someone asked from a distance.

    "Sir, do you take this as an open deration of war from Mr. Ting?" Another asked. "He not only took one of your most trusted executives, but he is also having a party with some of the newpanies you have just invested in."

    Cedric smiled and whispered to Adrianna that he would speak with the press. He wanted her to stay behind him as he called over several bodyguards to watch over his pregnant wife.

    He did not want to give anyone that wished them ill an opportunity to harm Adrianna while his back was turned on her.

    Over the years the Reyes Group''s enemies had be bolder, resulting in less than legal ways to attack thepany and the family that owned it.

    Cedric turned and walked over to the members of the media as soon as he was sure that the bodyguards were close enough to protect his wife.

    "I will answer some of your questions." Cedric told them with a smile.

    The reporters quickly took out all their recording devices and the crowd went silent, everyone was eager to hear what Cedric had to say.

    "Yes, as I had told people before, Miss Montero and my rtionship has had a rift for sometime and I do see her as a sister. She is one of the people I trust the most in this world and that will never change." Cedric dered as he looked over at the members of the press.

    "I, however, will not lie." Cedric told them quite barvely. "Seeing her at Lucius Ting''s side, hurt. It didn''t hurt for reasons that you are assuming. Yes, Arch Group and Mor Co. belong to the same industry, but they are notpetitors because Arch Group and Mor Co. are not at the same level."

    An audible gasp was hearding from the crowd as Cedric dered Arch Group as beneath him. He had just announced that they were nothing and would be nothingpared to Mor Co. something Cedric had never said about anypany.

    Cedric always believed that even the smallestpanies with the right minds and the right support could grow and thrive just as Prince Group had, but today he was dering that he would never let Arch Group reach its full potential.

    "I will not be firing Cami." Cedric announced, shocking the audience. "Cami has remained

    a hardworking employee and her efforts and the efforts of her team has resulted in Mor Co.''s growth in the past year. Her personal life is not connected to her professional life."

    "What hurts me is that I had to discover her rtionship with Lucius Ting through the press and through social media." Cedric told the crowd.

    Cedric watched as their sympathy quickly turned them to his side, he was a friend that had been betrayed, it was something they could all rte to. As they began to move, thinking his announcement was done, Cedric raised a hand, telling them he had more to say.

    "In rtion to Lucius Ting and his party with some of our new partners, I am d that they had found a like minded person." Cedric confidently said as he smirked. "Unfortunately, this dinner was a mandatory requirement for their contract and thus, we need to cancel the contract due to their failure to attend."

    The members of the press were quickly thrown into a frenzy as Cedric announced the cancetion of twenty of therger contracts and investments they had made.

    Little did the members of the media know, Cedric had even bigger news up his sleeves.

 Chapter 692 - 692

    With the press quickly shouting questions over one another, Cedric had to silence them once more. He wasn''t done with his statement just yet.

    They all eyed him cautiously as Cedric grinned at them. They knew at that moment that he had even bigger news, the type of news that their editors would fire them if they had missed out on.??

    "Good, you have all decided to listen." Cedric said with a smile as he cleared his throat, he wanted all of them to hear what he had to say.

    The reporters quickly focused all their attention on Cedric, who simply gave them a cunning smile.

    "As part of our contract, which thesepanies have chosen to vite, we, the Reyes Group, now own 50% of their physical assets. Meaning their stores, equipment, and resources are ours to distribute." Cedric announced.

    The reporters gasped upon hearing how much thepanies had lost when they broke their contract with the Reyes Group.

    "On top of that, mywyer, Miss Katerina Sebastian, will be suing these people for damages both to my name and mypany''s name." Cedric informed the press.

    The members of the media had already published a lot of articles about thepanies abandoning the Reyes Group and how it was a sign that they were not to be trusted. The media themselves had yed a hand in sealing the coffin for these traitorouspanies.

    "On top of all of these, my family and I have decided to invest what money was supposed to be given to them into different ventures." Cedric announced.

    The reporters leaned forward, all eager to hear where Cedric was moving the funds. It was rare for the Reyes Group to release their ns ahead of schedule, so this was definitely big news.

    "The first investment that we will make is to double the investment we havemitted to those secondarypanies that we had acquired for each industry where the market leader had chosen to abandon and embarrass us." Cedric announced.

    The members of the press were in shock, doubling their investment in smallerpanies was a risk, it was a big risk. Thesepanies were in no way proven or tested, many of them were young and still growing.

    "Isn''t this too much of a risk for the Reyes Group?" A reporter bravely asked.

    Cedric smiled at the man, he had asked the very question Cedric wanted to answer.

    "It is, but what is life without risks?" CEdric said with augh. "Those that have chosen to stay with us and remain loyal will be rewarded way beyond what they had been promised."

    "And those that betrayed you?" A female reporter subconsciously asked out loud, making everyone turn to her in shock.

    "Wow, you are one brave woman." Cedric said as he observed the reporter, he took a mental note to rmend her to Ram as soon as he had made it through this impromptu interview.

    The woman stared at Cedric, wide eyed in shock as soon as she realized what she had said. She covered her mouth and began to panic.

    "Rx, that''s a question I wanted to hear." Cedric told the woman with a smile, hoping that she would calm down.

    "Those that left us and wanted to cause us damage will pay for what they had done ten times over." Cedric said in a stern and cold tone as he looked at the reporters. "You all know that this is not how I deal with things, but it seems myck of brutality has caused people to look down at me."

    Cedric took a deep breath as he watched the reporters'' reactions, most were in shock. It was true, they all knew Cedric was not a brutal man. He was cold and distant, but he was not brutal, he still hadpassion in him.

    "Go on, ask." Cedric said, encouraging the reporters to raise their questions.

    "Sir, no one would dare look down on you." A reporter finally managed to bravely say.

    Cedric simply smiled at the man and nodded his thanks.

    "Sir, what''s the second part?" The brave female reporter asked. "You said the Reyes Group would be doing two things with the money that was supposed to be invested into thepanies that betrayed you, what''s the second?"

    Cedric smiled at her question, it was the very question he wanted to hear and wanted to answer.

    "Did you notice the people that entered before me?" Cedric asked the reporters.

    "The ones with Miss Katerina and Miss Ayanna?" The female reporter asked.

    Cedric smiled as he noted how keen her attention to detail was, she would truly be an asset to Ram, should she agree to make the move.

    "Yes, the foreign looking guests." Cedric pointed out.

    The crowd remained silent, clearly at a loss to what Cedric meant. Were they simply friends of Katerina Sebastian and Ayanna Reyes?

    "You can make a guess." Cedric said as he toyed with the reporters.

    "Are they more investors? For the secondarypanies?" A male reporter at the back of the crowd asked as he waved his hand to get Cedric''s attention.

    "If I wanted to invest more, I would have done it myself." Cedric said with augh. "Plus, no I am re-investing, not seeking more investments."

    The crowd of reporters stayed silent, they weren''t businessmen, their knowledge was quite limited, and those among them that were quite well versed with business still didn''t dare to take a gamble at what Cedric had nned.

    "Those people were from the top five internationalpanies in industries that the Reyes Group has not ventured into." Cedric announced, taking everyone by surprise.

    "For years they have asked my family and mypany to work with them, but in the interest of promoting local talent my father, my sister, and I as well as the other members of the Reyes Family, decided not to work with them." Cedric informed the reporters.

    "But it seemed that we were betrayed by our fellow country men, so now we are forced to look to other countries for partners." Cedric''s message was clear. He had taken the risks both out of nationalism and out of his own hope for thosepanies and all they did was betray him.

    "I never thought that it was my fellow countryman that would shoot me in the back, and yet here we are." Cedric said with a seemingly innocent shrug. "I don''t like being betrayed, and this is me just showing the world what they will get."

    With that Cedric turned around and walked over to his wife, he held her hand lovingly as he walked away from the reporters, leaving everyone in shock.

    It took the reporters quite a while to recover, by the time they had realized what Cedric had said, everyone was on their phone calling their editors trying to get the news out as quickly as possible.

    They need it online, on paper, on every possible outlet and resource theirpany has. Cedric Reyes just released life changing news, news that even their own CEOs needed to hear.

    This was the biggest news of the year, Cedric Reyes had just announced that he had stopped ying nice.

 Chapter 693 - 693

    "Fuck!" Lucius shouted as he threw a bottle at the wall.

    Within minutes he went from poised CEO to an angry mess. Cami and Benedict were shocked by his sudden change, but his sister Louisse seemed unfazed by the sudden change in his demeanor. ??

    "It will still cost him." Cami said as she walked over to her fake boyfriend.

    She quickly wrapped her arms around him from behind and rested her head on his back.

    "What do you mean?" Lucius asked as he slowly calmed down. "What do you mean it will cost him?"

    "Don''t you think Cedric would have worked with those big internationalpanies if it were so easy?" Cami asked as she walked back to her seat.

    Quite intrigued by her words, Lucius followed her back as she sat back down and waved a waiter over to bring her a drink.

    "Cami, you better exin." Benedict said with augh as he pointed at Lucius who was waiting eagerly for Cami to exin what both he and his sister had missed out.

    "Patience, love." Cami said with a wink as she thanked the waiter who had brought over her drink.

    In all honesty she was enjoying seeing Lucius so unnerved, she was d that her boss had done something to break Lucius Ting. She knew that this was an easy fix for Cedric, but it came at an unwanted cost for the businessman.

    "As entertaining as it is to watch my brother wait for someone else, I want to know what you mean too." Louisse Ting said as she looked at Cami with a frown from across the table.

    "Hmmm, less than an hour ago you thought I was some bimbo your brother decided to take on a date." Cami said tly in an unamused tone.

    "Louisse, apologize." Lucius told his sister in a far friendly tone.

    Benedictughed at the hostile way Lucius was treating his sister, it was clear that he was willing to sacrifice even his family just to achieve his goal.

    "Why should I?" Louisse asked her brother as she rolled her eyes at him. "I still don''t like her. Something is off about Cami, I just can''t point it out."

    "My sister is right here." Benedict pointed out to the woman. "You should at least respect us. We are after all your brother''srgest investor." He reminded them, something that Lucius did not react to kindly.

    "I can rece you at any moment." Lucius said as he red at Benedict.

    Lucius did not like being threatened, he liked control and he liked being the most powerful man in the room. Benedict knew that reminding Lucius that hispany''s financial lifeline was tethered to another person''s whims would push him even further.

    "You wouldn''t dare." Cami said as she red at Lucius.

    The man was so in love with Cami that he frowned and bended to whatever she asked. So when she threatened him or seemed upset with him Lucius would do anything and everything to do as she asked.

    "Cami, I wouldn''t." Lucius said with a frown when he had realized that his words had offended his girlfriend.

    "You''ve be weak." Louisse said in a mocking tone as she watched her brother fall before a woman. "How will you get that revenge you crave so much if someone like this whore can take you down?" She said, infuriating Benedict even further.

    "Say another word against my sister and you can kiss this country goodbye." Benedict threatened. He wasn''t afraid to use the connections he had built through Cedric and his friends to send Louisse Ting away.

    "Louisse, I said stop." Lucius said as he walked over and gripped his sister by the neck, strangling her.

    He lifted off her seat and threw her to the ground.

    Cami and Benedict both flinched when they heard the sound of Loussie hitting the concrete floor of the bar. For a moment the siblings felt bad for Louisse, but what came out of her mouth next quickly washed away any pity they felt.

    "I told you to fucking do as Aiden said! Help him kill that bastard and get your revenge!" Louisse shouted. "Now my boyfriend is fucking dead because of you and his worthless siblings!"

    "Louisse!" Benedict warned, he knew what she was leading on to, it was something that he didn''t want Cami to hear.

    "What?!" Louisse asked angrily. "Don''t tell me you are still hurting because I was sleeping with you and your brother." Louisse said with a grin.

    Benedict nced at Cami who was in shock, she never expected to hear that kind of news tonight.

    "Cami, I''ll exin when we get home." Benedict told his sister in a sad tone, his shame clear with his expression.

    "She tricked you?" Cami asked Benedict.

    "I''d rather talk about this at home." Benedict said as he asked his sister to drop the topic.

    Cami was not happy about his request and simply nodded, respecting her older brother''s wishes.

    "Get out!" Lucius shouted at his sister.

    "Really? You want me, your own sister, to walk out of here all bloodied and bruised?" Louisse asked Lucius with a sly smile.

    "Lucius, send her out through the backdoor. Send men to escort her to her hotel room." Benedict advised Lucius in a calm tone.

    Lucius paused for a moment and considered Benedict''s suggestion, he knew Benedict was right, he just refused to show that Benedict was smarter than him in this instance.

    "Do as he said." Lucius told two of his bodyguards who walked up to Louissed and held her roughly by the arms.

    "Don''t you dare make your men drag me out like some piece of trash!" Louisse shouted as she struggled to get the bodyguards to let go of her.

    Unfortunately for Louisse, they already had a good grip on her arms and didn''t need to exert much effort in holding her.

    "I warned you Louisse." Lucius told his sister. "And don''t you dare step out of your hotel room, thest thing I need is your face all over social media or the news announcing you as a sexual predator."

    "Lucius, she''s still your sister." Cami said as she was shocked by what Lucius had told his sister.

    "It''s a real danger, Cami." Benedict told her. "I''ll tell you everythingter."

    Cami simply nodded and let Lucius deal with his sister.

 Chapter 694 - 694

    When Louisse was finally dragged out of the bar Cami crossed her arms and red at Lucius.

    "She is your sister, how dare you hurt her like that!" Cami shouted angrily at him. She couldn''t hold back and just needed to tell him off. To Cami hurting anyone was wrong regardless of gender or rtion.??

    Even when Cedric dealt out his harsher punishments she wasn''t fully on board, in some cases yes, she agreed, but other times she felt he went too far.

    That''s why it was always Ian that had to deal with Ray and his underworld gangs, Cami just normally couldn''t stomach it.

    "She will never learn, and I cannot treat my sister any differently from my people." Lucius said as he turned his back on Cami and asked a waiter to bring him a drink. "Plus she deserved it."

    "Cami, don''t." Benedict whispered as he realized that his sister wanted to speak up against Lucius'' harsh actions.

    She was very tempted to say something, anything, just to contradict him. She felt the need to tell him he was wrong but Cami knew her brother only had her best interest in mind. He wouldn''t have stopped her if there was no need.

    Cami sighed and simply shook her head. She was already frustrated and pissed off with Lucius and what had happened. She just wanted to go home.

    "You still owe me an exnation." Lucius said as he walked back to their table, still choosing to sit next to Cami.

    "Move over to the other side, Benedict." Lucius told Benedict as he pointed at the free spot across them.

    "Will you throw me to the ground too?" Benedict asked as he raised his eyebrow at Lucius.

    It was a valid question since no one could normally avoid Lucius'' wrath, should they anger him by choice or by ident.

    "If I hurt you, Cami will hate me." Lucius pointed out. "I cannot afford to get her any more angrier than she already is."

    "Fine." Benedict said as he moved for his seat to the one across Lucius and Cami.

    "Now, you were going to exin something to us." Lucius pointed out as he looked at his girlfriend, who was still seated next to him, looking at her brother.

    "About Cedric?" Cami asked. She wanted to be sure as to what Lucius was referring to.

    "Yes." Lucious said with a nod as he picked his ss up from the table and took a drink.

    "Alright, think of it this way. If Cedric could so easily go up to theserge internationalpanies for partnerships and ventures, why is he doing it only now?" Cami asked as she nced between Benedict and Lucius.

    "It wasn''t time?" Benedict asked his sister. Of course he too already knew why Cedric didn''t just go up to the international brands. He was part of the team that assessed the situation regrly, even until now he worked with Cedric on it.

    "It''s always the right time for Cedric." Cami said, shaking her head. "If Cedric Reyes wants something done, he can get it done and he can make the situation match his needs."

    "No one is that powerful, Cami." Lucius said with a frown as he heard what his girlfriend had said. "No one can shape the industry or the country by that much."

    Cami knew that Lucius did not like her implying that Cedric was very powerful and practically impossible to defeat, but of course, Cedric really was that powerful.

    "He has his morals and refuses to break them, that is the only reason why he doesn''t fully control this country." Cam told Lucius with a frown. "He is a dangerous man, Lucius, and us going up against him is a dangerous game."

    "I do not believe he is that influential." Lucius said, shaking his hed.

    "Alright, let me put it this way. Who do you think is the most influential person in the business world in this country?" Cami asked.

    "Cedric Reyes, of course." Lucius answered quite confidently.

    "And the second?" Cami asked him.

    "The Carpio family, your cousins." Lucius quickly answered.

    "Back then it was Aiden, because of the Carpio family and their support." Cami exined as Lucius listened intently. "But with my brother gone the Carpios will slowly fall."

    "Why don''t they ask Benedict or you to lead thepany? You are rted after all." Lucius pointed out.

    "I don''t want to paint an evenrger target on my back. I like living." Benedict said with an awkwardugh. "And I would never risk my sister''s life for money or influence."

    Cami nodded and mouthed a thank you to Benedict, it was an act but she was truly happy about how much her brother cared for her.

    "So who is the second most influential businessman now in your opinion, Cami?" Lucius asked her with a smile.

    "Raymund Laurence." Cami answered proudly. "If he stopped his businesses this country would go into a standstill, he controls thergest airlines, thergest miningpanies, and even now thergest food chain. And guess what, he is Cedric''s best friend and brother-inw."

    "Okay, so the businessworld is dominated by him, but the government is not." Lucius Ting argued. "It''s true there are two Sebastians in power, but that hardly sways the government and it''s policies."

    "Lucius, why do you think Jose Sebastian is a very popr president?" Benedict asked Lucius.

    "The Sebastians have always been popr, at least that''s what your brother told me." Lucious said with a shrug.

    "I can''t believe Aiden said that." Benedict said as he struggled to avoidughing.

    "Lucius, the Sebastians are very powerful because everyone wants to be on their side. I mean, wouldn''t you want to be when both thergest businessmen and the people that control the media are practically family?" Cami asked as she crossed her arms on her chest.

    "I guess, but if they had a falling out things could change." Lucius said as he thought of a way of breaking such a strong friendship.

    "Many have tried, Lucius." Cami said, shaking her head. "Cedric Reyes will trust his friends, people he sees as brothers more than anyone in the world."

    "Okay, fine. Cedric Reyes is practically unbeatable. Then why are you saying that he had to make a move to his loss. And what loss? I see no loss for him." Lucius said as he admitted that he underestimated Cedric in part.

    "Cedric didn''t want to approach internationalpanies because he wanted to build his own that canpete with them." Cami pointed out.

    "He still has the chance to do that." Benedict told his sister. "All''s not lost for him, he didn''t have to terminate their contracts."

    "Would you want to have known traitors by your side?" Cami asked as she emphasized the word traitor. "We all know that Cedric Reyes does not look kindly on people who betray him, there is always a high risk of them repeating it."

    "Why does he keep you by his side then?" Lucius asked his girlfriend.

    At first Cami hesitated with his question, but a realization came to her and she smiled.

    "In his mind we are just dating, and Cedric is a sucker for love." Cami said with augh. "Just imagine how much he is willing to suffer and go through just for his wife, Adrianna. He lived a horrible life with the Hernandez''s and it was all because of love."

    "So he thinks you are still on his side?" Lucius asked.

    "Yes, but he will be more careful, he will make sure to test me and my loyalty." Cami said with a grin. "So I want you to be prepared. This fight with him cannotst forever, I will need to return to Mor Co."

    "But will you always be mine?" Lucius asked as he looked lovingly into Cami''s eyes.

    "Yes." Cami lied. "I am yours."

    "So what is the risk of him working with internationalpanies?" Lucius asked, returning them to the original topic.

    "It will cost him more, and he will have more to lose. It also means he cannot expand internationally since someone else handles the franchises or partnerships elsewhere." Cami exined.

    "And those secondarypanies, isn''t he pumping in more money and resources into them, surely it is a sound investment." Lucius told Cami.

    "They are second for a reason." Cami exined. "He will be cing more money with a higher risk. He also has no guarantee that their business ns are more sustainable. He will need more time to n for them."

    "It also means that there is a chance you could target them and he could lose. There was a reason why they were second, something easily exploitable." Benedict added as he pretend to absorb what his sister had exined.

    "And what about those that were only second because of their limited resources?" Lucius asked.

    "Those will thrive, but at the level of thepanies he was recruiting, there were very few of those." Benedict exined as he thought of whichpanies fitted Lucius'' description.

    "So we made him flinch?" Lucius asked.

    "Yes, we did." Cami said with a nod.

    "Add to that the fact that Cami was missing tonight only to appear at your party, he was surely on edge today." Benedict added as he thought of the situation.

    "I will use his loss then to my advantage." Lucius said with a grin. "Thosepanies he abandoned, I will pick them up and put them on my corner."

    "Be careful, you saw how easily they jumped ship." Cami warned Lucius. She was hoping he wouldn''t listen to her, but she doubted that.

 Chapter 695 - 695

    As Cedric and Adrianna entered the ballroom of Constetions Resort, they walked in slowly, taking time to greet everyone and make them feel wee. Cedric knew that many were now doubting their positions since he had brought in foreignpanies.

    It wasn''t a decision he wanted to make, but Lucius and whoever was in his corner forced him to make it. He may not depend on the public''s opinion when it came to stock prices, but hispanies still depended on people''s patronage to make money.??

    "Mr. Reyes, thank you for finally considering our offer." A man, all dressed up in a fancy suit said as he shook Cedric''s hand. Cedric knew that he was one of the local executives of an international car brand that had been trying to set a meeting with him or his father for years.

    "Mr. Kennedy Fang." Ian whispered as he noticed that Cedric wasn''t sure how to address the man in front of him.

    "Mr. Fang." Cedric greeted with a smile. "As you know I''ve been trying to expand my small family business and I decided that the time was right to bring in some foreign partners." He emphasized the fact that it was his idea. He knew these bigpanies would think he finally gave in to his advisors.

    "The timing is beautiful, Mr. Reys." Kennedy Fang said as he praised Cedric.

    "I have my people keeping a close eye on the market, I hope I didn''t spring this on you and your people too suddenly?" Cedric asked, even if he already knew the answer.

    Katerina and Ayanna had helped him convince people that what he had done was a new tactic.

    Cedric gave the other side limited time to fully process his offer, forcing them to choose the more beneficial option which was simply taking his offer.

    Katerina and Ayanna had done such a good job in convincing the international businessmen that it was now coined as the Reyes technique. Something you only did if you had nothing to lose and the other side could see the clear benefit.

    "No, no. Your sister''s andwyer''s timing was perfect." Keh Fang praised. "A partnership with the Reyes Group is something we have been working on for years, I had to take advantage of their offer."

    "Then I am d that you and your international bosses are happy with the deal we made." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Sir." Ian said, gesturing towards Cedric''s own table.

    "Well I have to go Mr. Fang. It was a pleasure speaking with you." Cedric said with a nod and a smile as he turned to walk towards his table.

    "Thank you." Cedric told Ian when they were finally out of earshot. "I wouldn''t have known what to say if he had gone on talking about the deal."

    "I knew you needed help." Ian said with augh.

    "Do we have any updates from the other side?" Cedric asked with a look of worry on his face. He was more concerned about Cami rather than those traterious businessmen that had thought they could take on the Reyes Group.

    "I''m sure she will call tonight." Ian told Cedric. "For now we need to focus." His assistant reminded him.

    "You''re right." Cedric said with a nod. "I have to do a wee and closing speech right? That''s it?" He asked.

    "Yep, then the night will be over." Ian said with a nod.

    "It''s been a tiring night. We all deserve some rest after this." Cedric said as a waiter came over with food for them.

    "I hope the international representatives didn''t harass you too much, brother." Ayanna said with a concerned look on her face.

    "No." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Ian made sure to get me out of there before they could ask anymore questions. The most I could say was a hi and thank you for working with us. Whatever you and Katerina did, it was amazing." Cedric said as he praised the two women on the table with them.

    "My sister is amazing." Alexi said with a grin as he looked at his sister. He hade tonight as her malepanion since people couldn''t find out about her rtionship with Eric just yet.

    "And thank you foring, Alexi." Cedric said as he nodded at his friend. "You being here gives everyone the impression that we have uncle Jose''s full support. Something that many businessmen need to see."

    "The Sebastians will always be on your side Ced." Alexi told him with augh. "We are like family, and if Ayanna has a child with Ray then we really will be family." Alexi teased.

    "Hey! Don''t rush me." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes.

    "Fine." Alexi said with augh as several waiters offered them drinks, which everyone except Adrianna dly took.

    "Be careful with Mr. Fang, he''s a slippery one." Katerina warned. "He was somewhat ready for us to make a deal, I think that''s how badly his bosses abroad wanted to work with the Reyes Group."

    "Or he knew how to read the situation." Ayanna added in a grim tone.

    "No one could have predicted Cedric would flinch, most of all those that know that we don''t depend on public opinion for the value of Reyes Group shares." Ray told his wife. "Darling, please just rx tonight. The job is done."

    "Alright, fine." Ayanna said, surrendering to her husband''s request. "But brother, be careful."

    "I have you guys, if I miss anything out I doubt it will get past you." Cedric said with a shrug.

    Their table went silent as Cedric assessed Mr. Fang''s behavior, Katerina and Ayanna were right, he may be one that he would need to watch out for.

    "Do you think Cami and Benedict have been found out?" Adrianna suddenly asked with a frown as she yed with her food

    "I doubt it." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Benedict and Cami are some of the smartest people we know. They wouldn''t let themselves be exposed so easily."

    "What if Lucius thinks they gave you the information?" Adrianna asked her husband as she tried to think like Lucius Ting.

    "If they had given me the information I would have acted sooner, I would have done something to avoid this mess." Cedric said with a shrug. "Clearly I fell for whatever trap he had set and had toe up with something quickly."

    As they finished their dinner, Ian signaled for one of the hosts to begin the program. Since it was a business centered event, Dave had chosen an employee from the Marketing Department to serve as host.

    As she weed everyone to the event, one of Ian''s men approached him.

    Cedric recognized this man as one of Ian''s bodyguards who also managed the spies Ian would deploy around people who were deemed a threat to the Reyes Group and their allies.

    He noticed as Ian frowned as the man whispered something to him. Ian''s expression turned from a frown to one of worry as the conversation went on longer.

    Eventually the man finished and left, bowing to Cedric as he returned to his post.

    "What was that about?" Cedric asked Ian, who was clearly bothered by what the man had said to him.

    "A woman was seen being dragged out of the bar Lucius, Cami, and Benedict were in." Ian said with a frown as he ryed the news to Cedric.

    "What?!" Cedric asked in a quiet but shocked tone as he tried not to shout. "You better tell me it''s -"

    Cedric was cut mid sentence as the spotlight turned on him, signaling that he needed to get up on stage and give his weing speech.

    He smiled andposed himself as he noticed all the eyes in the room were on him, he hoped that no one noticed his visible distress as the light shed.

    "Mr. Reyes, would you grace us with some words?" The host asked with a flirtatious smile.

    Cedric smiled back and nodded. As he moved to go up on stage he leaned towards his wife and ced a gentle but loving kiss on her cheek, sending a message to everyone in the room.

    They were in love, they were married, and no one could change that.

    As Cedric got up he managed to slip in some words directed at Ian.

    "Find out what you can while I''m up on stage. We need to know what happened." Cedric hissed as he walked up the stage.

    When he finally was standing behind the podium, Cedric adjusted the mic and looked around the room, making eye contact with as many guests as possible.

    From the corner of his eye Cedric noticed Ian get up and walk out followed by Dave. He knew both men would get on the matter so he was a little bit relieved, he was still worried about Cami but hoped it wasn''t her.

    "The Reyes Group has always strived to grow and outdo itself year after year, and this year, I had hoped that all of you would be part of it." Cedric said as he began his speech.

    He proceeded to wee everyone into the Reyes Group ofpanies, he admitted that they were a business but they always ced their people first. Cedric was an honest man and didn''t want to trick their new partners into thinking that he worked based on rtionships.

    The Reyes Group was a business and Cedric always ran it as such. It wasn''t heartless, but it was professional.

    As Cedric gave his speech he would nce every so often at their table, waiting to see if Ian and Dave had returned.

    By the time he had ended, they were still missing, something Cedric found to be odd. Ian and Dave were very effective and so were their connections, it was odd that this matter was taking longer than he expected.

    As Cedric walked down from the stage Ian and Dave returned to the ballroom.

    When Cedric made eye contact with Ian the man frowned, but shook his head. Something Cedric didn''t understandpletely.

 Chapter 696 - 696

    As Cedric returned to his seat the apuse from the crowd ended, of course they would p, he was their boss.

    The guest''s attention quickly returned to the stage as the host announced that Cedric had arranged for one of the hottest idol groups to perform.??

    "You did great, brother." Ayanna said as she smiled proudly at her older brother. "I''m sure they all felt reassured having you in their corner."

    "We both know it''s not just me Ayanna, it''s the wholepany." Cedric said with a nod as he nced at Ian who was clearly waiting to speak with him.

    "We should talk outside." Ian told Cedric with a serious look on his face.

    "I''ll be fine." Adri said as she ced a hand on Cedric''s thigh.

    Cedric smiled at his wife, happy that she understood what he was worried about. Adrianna was three months pregnant and their trip to Singapore was quite exhausting for her.

    "Don''t worry Ced." Ray said with a smile. "Alexi and I will watch over her."

    Cedric nodded and left with Ian and Dave. He had left Mae to help Adrianna and Ayanna out if they needed anything and to call for them if they were needed.

    Ian led Cedric to the secret dining room behind the elevators which Cedric himself had set up for meetings and private affairs.

    Cedric walked in and sat at the head of the table as Dave served them some refreshments. He thanked his assistant and took a sip of the wine and smiled. He was quite parched from his speech and the beverage was a wee treat.

    "So we got an update, the woman was not Cami." Ian announced happily as Cedric sighed a breath of relief. He had been worried the whole time that Cami and Benedict had been discovered and hurt.

    "If it wasn''t Cami, then who was it?" Cedric asked, confused as to who could have offended Lucius Ting so much that she was dragged out of the bar.

    "We don''t know her name, but she is called Loiusse." Dave informed Cedric as he handed Cedric a photo of Louisse.

    "Hmmm. . . she looks familiar." Cedric said as he lifted the photo and looked at the woman.

    "From what we found, she is a frence model." Dave informed Cedric. "ording to what public documents are avable, shees from London and doesn''t exactly have an agency representing her. It seems like she just takes whatever jobs she wants."

    "What is a model like her doing in Lucius'' party, as a matter of fact, what is she even doing in our country?" Cedric asked as he handed the photo back to Dave.

    "That''s something we are still trying to figure out." Ian told Cedric.

    "Ask Ram what he and his people know about this woman, maybe Francesca might know something about her." Cedric said as he thought of who else would have any information on her.

    "We also asked Selina and Maureen." Dave informed Cedric. "They have both worked with international models, she could be one of them."

    "Something about her is off, I can''t point it out, but I just know something is wrong." Cedric said as he took another sip from his ss.

    "Speaking of which, this is Selina." Ian said as he showed Cedric his phone.

    Cedric nodded at Ian and pointed at the table for Ian to ce the phone.

    Ian did as Cedric asked and answered the call, putting it on speaker mode.

    "Hey Selina, that''s for getting back to us so quickly." Ian told Selina over the phone. "You are on speaker mode, Cedric and Dave are here." Ian informed Selina.

    "Is Alexi there?" Selina asked nervously.

    "No, Alexi is in the ballroom with his sister, my sister, and my wife." Cedric told her. "Why?" He asked, curious as to what would make Selina so worried.

    "Well he will be furious if he found out the things I''m about to tell you." Selina said with a sigh over the call.

    "Is it that bad?" Cedric asked.

    "I guess, yeah. But, well let me tell you what I know so that you can understand why Alexi would be mad at me." Selina said in a worried tone.

    "We won''t tell him if you don''t want us to." Cedric assured her. There were many ways for Cedric to omit who he had gotten the information from.

    "No, I''ll need to tell him eventually." Sleina said as she surrendered to the inevitable.

    "Alright. So what do you know about this Louisse model person?" Cedric asked as he looked up at Dave and Ian who were ready to jot down any and all information Selina would be able to provide.

    "Okay, so Louisse is quite notorious in our industry." Selina started. "But I had to confirm with Mau and Francesca if I had all the information before telling you. As you know there are a lot of rumors that go around."

    "And have you confirmed that what you know is true?" Cedric asked Selina.

    "Yes." Selina said in a definitive tone.

    "Tell us." Cedric urged his friend''s girlfriend.

    "Louisse, as you probably know, is a London based model and she is gorgeous." Selina exined. "Designers would send her dresses and urge her to walk down their runways, but Louisse is no ordinary model, it seems that she doesn''t need money."

    "So her family is rich?" Dave asked.

    "That''s what we suspect." Selina confirmed. "We just don''t know who exactly her family is or what they do."

    "So no one knows?" Cedric asked.

    "No one, even her favorite designer, has no idea." Selina exined.

    "So why would such a sought after designer be in our country, did you invite her?" Cedric asked Selina.

    "No, it wasn''t me." Selina told Cedric. "As a matter of fact I even asked Mau and Francesca if they had any idea who could have brought her over, they said no one could have, she doesn''t exactly have a good reputation."

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, there are rumors around her." Selina said hesitantly.

    "You said you knew the facts." Cedric answered back.

    "I do, and just because they are rumors doesn''t mean I don''t know that they are true." Selina said confidently over the phone.

    "So what are the rumors?" Cedric asked. "Selina, I need to know everything about this woman, she could be a threat to a lot of things." Cedric added as he tried to convince Selina to speak up.

    "Don''t worry, I''m going to tell you." Selina said with a nervousugh. "I''m just gathering my courage."

    "And?" Cedric asked as he anticipated her answer.

    If this woman was dangerous and in league with Lucius he would make sure to send her out of the country and make sure she didn''t return.

    What worried Cedric was that there were so many unknown factors when it came to this Louisse woman. Cedric didn''t like being in the dark, he hated it. He liked knowing as much as possible about his enemies and here was another one he was blind to.

    "Loiusse is a known sexual predator and she is a genius." Selina said in one swift statement. "I know this is true because I was a victim once."

    When Cedric heard Selina''s words he suddenly understood why she didn''t want Alexi to find out.

 Chapter 697 - 697

    "Selina. . ." Cedric began to say, but he realized he was at a loss for words. He had no idea how tofort the woman. It was clear that she had been through a lot, not just with Jen but now it was with Louisse too.

    "It''s alright, Cedric." Selina said with a sigh over the phone. "What I''ve been through is quite hard to grasp. I guess you could say I was confused and lost and I had no idea what I wanted."??

    "Was this after Jen left?" Cedric asked Selina. He knew that the pair parted ways on bad terms and at that point Selina had already been doubting herself.

    "Yes." Selina admitted in an embarrassed tone.

    "You don''t need to exin." Cedric said with a frown as he looked at the phone, staring nkly at the inanimate object on the table.

    "I want to." Selina said to Cedric''s surprise.

    "Are you sure? I''m sure it was quite traumatic for you." Cedric said, worried about how Selina was holding up.

    "I need to talk about it." Selina said. "I need someone to hear my story too."

    Cedric and the others waited as Selina gathered her courage. They knew it was a big deal for her to speak of her traumatic experiences, they had seen it first hand when she spoke about Jen.

    No matter how many years had passed since Jen''s death, Selina still hurt, and Cedric believed that she would take even longer to heal.

    Luckily, Eric had rmended her to an incredible psychiatrist, someone he had gone to school with and someone who specialized in abusive rtionships.

    In the past year they had seen a huge improvement in Selina''s mood and it now worried Cedric that bringing Louisse up would push her steps back.

    "Back when Jen left, I was vulnerable." Selina finally said over the phone after taking a deep breath. "I was confused and I soughtfort wherever I could."

    "Did she trick you?" Dave asked in a worried tone. Cedric knew that he treated Selina like a sister since Helios, Selina''s twin brother, was his best friend.

    "No, well I''m not sure." Selina said in a sad tone over the phone. "I was confused and lost and I thought going with Louisse would be the best option for me. She offered not only to be mypanion but to model for me as well."

    "And you agreed?" Dave asked, protectively.

    Cedric waved a hand at Dave, signaling him to calm down. He knew it was a personal matter for the assistant, but his distress was doing Selina no good, it would only stress her out as well.

    "Of course I did, Dave!" Selina practically shouted over the phone. "My heart was shattered, I may have not loved Jen the way she wanted me to love her but she was my best friend. How would you feel if my brother just abandoned you out of nowhere?" Selina asked.

    Dave closed his mouth as soon as he heard Selina''s question, she was right. She might not have been romantically involved with Jen, but she loved her best friend and her best friend had just left her at that point..

    "It''s alright, Selina." Cedric said in a calming tone. "We understand." He said as he red at his assistant.

    "I''m sorry, I lost my cool." Dave said, apologizing to her over the phone. "You know how worried I get. Your brother would have my head if I let anything happen to you." He confessed.

    "I doubt my brother could hurt you." Selina said with augh as she recovered. "Your family is way more powerful than ours and with Cedric on your side you are practically untouchable." Selina admitted.

    "If he acts like an idiot I won''t side with him." Cedric teased. "Dave has a long way to go, don''t worry, he will learn." He added as he eyed his assistant who was now justughing at the conversation.

    "I''m sorry to bring this up Selina, but we need to know. What exactly did Louisse do?" Ian said, bringing the conversation back on topic.

    Cedric watched as Dave red at Ian, clearly not happy that Ian was bringing Selina''s past back up to the surface.

    "Honestly, it depends who you ask." Selina exined, her voice full of doubt, worrying Cedric. "Some people would say that it was my fault for letting Louisse trick me, but I swear she took advantage of my situation."

    "This is a safe ce, Selina." Dave suddenly said, reassuring the woman at the other end of the call. "I promise we won''t tell Helios or Alexi if you don''t want them to know."

    "I will tell them, eventually." Selina said in a sad tone.

    "Until then, we will keep your secret." Cedric reassured her.

    Cedric and the others heard Selina take a deep breath at the other end of the call. He watched as Dave shook his head, unable to take Selina''s story sober, as he grabbed the bottle of wine and a ss and poured himself a drink.

    He looked at Dave and raised a questioning eyebrow, normally Cedric didn''t appreciate his assistants drinking on the job, but tonight was a different case for Dave.

    "I need this." Dave said, sensing Cedric''s question.

    "I didn''t stop you." Cedric said with a shrug as his assistant finished the wine in his ss.

    "Okay, I''m ready." Selina finally said over the phone.

    "Go on." Cedric urged.

    "Louisse and I worked well at first, I even thought for a time that Jen was right, maybe I did like girls and I was just stopping myself." Selina confessed. "Then as the rtionship progressed things turned toxic. When Louisse told me she loved me and I couldn''t say it back she began ming me, telling me that I hated her."

    "What happened after?" Dave asked as he leaned closer to the phone.

    "She began forcing me to do things, physical things." Selina said in a hesitant tone. "She would tell me that since I didn''t love her she should at least let her touch me and I should touch her back." At this point Cedric could hear Selina''s voice shaking, clearly the woman was on the verge of tears.

    "I let her, Dave!" Selina suddenly shouted. "Not only did she do those things to me, but she also took photos and videos, telling me that if I really liked her I would let her do those things. I was so scared of someone leaving me again I let her."

    "Did she. . ." Dave began to ask, unable to continue his sentence.

    "Did she what?" Selina asked in a clear voice over the phone.

    Dave poured himself another ss and drank it in one gulp, Cedric said nothing as he watched his assistant gather his courage.

    "Did she use those photos against you?" Dave finally asked, holding his breath as they waited anxiously for Selina''s answer.

    "Of course she did." Selina said, making Dave punch the table.

    "Dave, calm down." Selina scolded over the phone. "Don''t you think it''s unbing to act like some hot tempered rich kid in front of your boss?"

    "Sorry." Dave mumbled as he drank another ss of wine.

    "What happened, Selina?" Cedric asked. "After I mean."

    "She still has the photos, that''s why I''ve never spoken up." Selina admitted, soliciting a frown from Dave. "And it isn''t just me."

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked.

    "There are dozens of us all over the world. She prays on the vulnerable, male and female alike." Selina told them, shocking the men in the room.

 Chapter 698 - 698

    Cedric frowned as he dropped the call. After Selina had told them her story and the story of several others, Dave had be furious.

    "A part of me is d that Lucius threw her out of the bar." Dave said as he crossed his arms over his chest.??

    "She wasn''t exactly thrown out." Ian reminded Dave with a frown as he pulled up the photos on the tablet he was holding.

    "Well she was sent away, same thing." Dave said as he rolled his eyes.

    "Can I see those photos?" Cedric asked as he extended his hand, asking his assistant to hand over the tablet.

    Ian looked at Cedric but said nothing, he gently handed the tablet to his boss who zoomed in on the photo, trying to understand what was going on.

    "We need to know why she was there." Cedric said as he continued to observe the photo.

    "As far as we can tell there are no direct links between her and Lucius." Dave told Cedric as he looked through the report he had quicklypiled.

    "I''m sure they must have met before." Cedric said as he continued to eye the photos on the tablet. Something felt off about them and he couldn''t figure out what exactly it was that was bothering him.

    "Cedric is right." Ian said as he nodded in agreement. "Lucius would not have invited her to the party if they didn''t know each other."

    "She could have snuck in." Dave said as he scrolled through the document, there was no event where both Lucius Ting and Loussie were reportedly both seen.

    "Look, they live in different circles, work in different industries. It only makes sense that they have never met before." Dave added, insisting that it waspletely normal for two to have never met.

    "What if she was Lucius'' mistress?" Cedric asked.

    "I doubt it." Dave said, shaking his head. "They have never been seening from the same ce or going to the same ce."

    "Look at these." Cedric told his assistants as he turned the tablet to face them. "The guards aren''t treating her like some criminal or intruder that had offended Lucius. Look closely."

    "They aren''t touching her." Dave pointed out.

    "They aren''t, I know." Ian said with a nod. "What about it?'' He asked.

    "If she really was an intruder they would have dragged her out of the bar, but they are simply escorting her out." Cedric said slowly, hoping his assistant would realize what he meant.

    "They know her?" Ian asked.

    "Either they knew her or Lucius had given specific instructions not to harm her." Cedric told Ian and Dave as he tapped on the image.

    "I''ll get people to look deeper into who she is, but boss, it''s not going to be easy." Dave said with a frown. "If she were a local I could just call a few people, but she''s not from around here."

    "Go call my cousin Ace, he should be able to help you a bit." Cedric told Dave with a nod, acknowledging how difficult it would be to look into Louisse''s identity.

    Dave nodded and did as Cedric asked and gave Ace a call.

    "For now we try to figure out who she is and we wait." Cedric told Ian in a stern tone. "We wait for Cami and Benedict to give us a call. They might know more, plus Cami still owes me an exnation."

    "Alright." Ian said with a nod.

    After a few minutes Dave nodded at Cedric and the men all stood up.

    "Ace said he will look into her." Dave informed Cedric. "He never had the need to investigate her so he''ll be starting from scratch."

    "Tell him to talk to Mau, Francesca, or Selina. They might know people who have begun to look into Louisse''s past." Cedric told Dave as Ian opened the door for him.

    "Ace should be able to get the information we need, and if he can''t I hope Cami and Benedict can." Dave said with a nod as the men walked back to the ballroom.

    As they entered some guests nced at their direction, it was unavoidable, Cedric was the host so naturally a lot of attention was focused on him.

    "Is everything alright?" Adrianna asked Cedric as he settled back down into his own seat next to her.

    "It should be." Cedric said with a nod as he turned his attention back to the stage where a group of musicians were ying.

    As the night went on, everything was peaceful. There was no shocking news about Lucius or Cami and Cedric was slowly rxing as he watched the performances.

    Every so often however, he would nce at his phone or give Ian a questioning look as he waited for news from Cami, but it seemed like she hadn''t found the time yet to give them a call.

    "Looks like we are in the news." Adrianna told her husband as she handed him her phone.

    Not surprisingly the inte was a buzz with reports regarding Cedric''s new partnerships with the top internationalpanies across the world.

    Cedric frowned as he saw some peoplementing on how this was a smoke screen for his vice president''s betrayal. Or how Cedric was simply hiding the fact that a fewpanies had decided his dinner was not worth it.

    But as soon as Cedric refreshed the article thements were gone. Cedric grinned as he realized that this was Ram''s doing.

    As if on cue, his phone began to ring, and the caller was Ramon Abad.

    Cedric picked up the phone as he stood up and moved to a corner, nked by bodyguards.

    "Ram." Cedric answered with augh. "Did you call to boast?" He asked his friend.

    "Maybe." Ram answered him. "Francesca said you were running an investigation into Louisse, the model."

    "I am. Do you know something about her?" Cedic asked, realizing that Ram might have run into her in the industry.

    "No, but I hear she is dangerous." Ram quickly answered. "It''s all rumors, but if I''ve learned anything over the years, it''s that rumors could hold some truth to them." Ram warned.

    "We are looking into her backstory." Cedric told his friend.

    "Good, because it seems like whatever she is or she has done, Francesca was a victim." Ram''s revtion shocked Cedric, this was the second person in their group to be victimized by Louisse.

 Chapter 699 - 699

    As Cedric recounted his n to Ram on the phone, he was surprised at how silent Ram had remained throughout the call, it was quite odd for the man.

    "Ram? Are you still there?" Cedric asked as he waited for Ram to answer him.??

    "Yeah, I''m here. Sorry about that." Ram said in a distracted tone. "I heard Louisse was bad news but nothing to this extent."

    "I was shocked too." Cedric admitted to his friend. "I didn''t think someone could be. . ." Cedric''s voice trailed off as he thought of a proper term to describe Louisse.

    "This vile?" Ram asked over the phone.

    "Yes." Cedric replied with a nod as he nced to check on the situation on stage.

    It seemed that everyone was quite focused on the show and his absence was not noticed.

    "Cedric." Ram said with a sigh over the phone. "We both know you have dealt with worse."

    "I have dealt with out right rapists and murderers, but never someone that used emotions to extort their victims." Cedric told his friend in a very frank tone."

    "You need to be careful." Ram reminded Cedric. "There is a reason why her actions have gone unpunished and I suspect someone bigger could be supporting her."

    "That''s something I''m worried about too." Cedric said with a nod. "This isn''t some local diva that I can call you about, her backer could be someone way more powerful than us."

    "We have to admit it, Ced. We are big fish in a small pond." Ram said with augh as he simultaneouslyplimented and insulted him and his friends.

    "I''ve asked Ace to look into this." Cedric told his friend. "His connections abroad are much wider than mine. It''s actually gotten me thinking that we need to expand."

    "Expand your business or your connections?" Ram asked.

    "Both." Cedric said in a definitive tone. "I guess that''s one downside to my education only being handled locally."

    "I''m sure Alexi or Miguel will know a few important people here and there." Ram suggested. "I think your parents never really expected thepany to boom so much under your care."

    "I didn''t either. All I had nned was to get a foothold internationally, I didn''t think it would work out so well." Cedric admitted.

    "Maybe you can start with Yoyo." Ram suggested. "He could build local connections while in his primary and secondary education and then maybe have him consider studying abroad for University."

    "That''s if Yoyo wants to follow in my footsteps." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Why wouldn''t he?" Ram asked in a confused tone over the phone.

    "He is three years old Ram!" Cedric scolded over the phone. "Of course as a kid he''ll idolize one of the adults around him. But as he gets older, he''ll get scolded, reprimanded, he''ll see different things that he will like better and want more."

    Ram was silenced by Cedric''s words. He knew his friend was right.

    Even in their generation many of them wanted to chase their own dreams and make a name for themselves outside of their family.

    "Ram, I will not be like our parents and the generations before us." Cedric finally said, breaking the awkward silence. "I will let my son choose what path he wants to take."

    "Problems for the future." Ram finally said with a sigh.

    "Yes, for the future." Cedric said with a nod. "Right now we have our own problems, just as our children will have theirs."

    "I''m not even married yet." Ram said with augh. "For now I want to focus on taking down anyone who could be a threat to my girlfriend."

    "Thank you." Cedric finally said. "For calling out of concern."

    "I will help in whatever way necessary." Ram said. "Enjoy your night. It seems to be a fun party." Ram said with augh as he dropped the call.

    Cedric smiled as he thought of his friend and shook his head. What started out as a rtionship of convenience had be one of true love.

    Just as Cedric ended his call with Ram his phone buzzed again, as he read the message a sense of relief crossed him as he smiled.

    It was Cami finally reaching out.

    ''We are fine. I''m sorry about what I had to do.''

    Cami''s message said, a second one soon made his phone buzz again.

    ''Benedict and I have some interesting and I think important information that we need to tell you.''

    Cami''s second message read.

    Cedric couldn''t help but worry about what Cami had sent. Cedric walked back to his table and handed his phone over to Ian.

    Ian gave him a confused look and raised an eyebrow at Cedric. He wordlessly took the phone and read the message.

    "Is something wrong?" Adrianna asked as she noticed Ian''s expression suddenly change.

    "A message from Cami." Cedric told his wife with a shrug as he watched Ian read through Cami''s messages.

    "Is she fine?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yes, she just has some information." Cedric told his wife. "We''ll talk about itter."

    Adrianna simply nodded and took Cedric''s word.

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 Chapter 700 - 700

    ~To celebrate the 700th chapter of Never Judge, this chapter will be longer than my normal 1k-1.2k word chapters. I hope you all enjoy~

    As the night went on Cedric couldn''t help but worry that Lucius would retaliate at any moment. Cedric hadpletely ruined his ns on embarrassing the Reyes Group to the public.??

    "What''s wrong?" Adrianna asked her husband as thest performers bowed on stage.

    "I''m just worried hon, nothing is wrong." Cedric said with a weary smile.

    "You guys should go home." Ayanna said with a frown as she looked at her brother''s and sister-inw''s tired expression.

    "We will go home soon so that Adri can rest. I want her and the babies to stay as healthy as possible." Cedric told his sister with a nod.

    "And you?" Ray asked his friend and brother-inw.

    "I need to settle some things with Cami and the others." Cedric told them quite frankly. "You are all free to join if you don''t have any other ns tonight."

    "It''s toote to have ns." Alexi said, rolling his eyes.

    "Well, you could always go to a bar with Selina." Katerina told her brother with a grin. "I know you miss that, errr. . .scene." Katerina said as sheughed.

    "I have no desire to go to a club unless it is with my friends or my girlfriend. I''m too old for that now." Alexi said as he red at his sister.

    "Selina is calling." Katerina said with augh as Alexi''s phone began to buzz on the table.

    "Thank God. I was so worried, she wasn''t replying for a while." Alexi said as he picked up the call and walked away from the table.

    Of course Cedric knew exactly why Selina was not replying to his messages. She was first on a call with Francesca and Mau, thenter on a call with Cedric.

    And even after that Cedric was sure that she had needed time to collect herself and recover from the painful memory she relieved by telling Cedric and his assistants.

    Cedric was worried about Selina, he knew that it had taken a lot for her to tell him and the others her story. He had wanted to reach out but decided against it, thinking that she needed time to recover.

    As the night came to a close, Cedric took the stage once more and thanked everyone for joining them.

    He decided to make his closing speech short, promising everyone that the Reyes Group was fullymitted to all partnerships and that they would do everything to grow their new partners.

    As the night finally ended, Cedric and his friends made their way out of the ballroom, leaving Dave behind to handle the aftermath.

    "Ian, something''s bothering me." Cedric told his assistant as they walked out of the lobby towards Cedric''s car.

    "Hmm? What is it?" Ian asked.

    "I expected Lucius Ting to retaliate tonight, but he didn''t. Do you have any news on why he didn''t?" Cedric asked.

    The fact that Lucius had remained silent the rest of the night still bothered Cedric. He knew the man was not the type to justy down and quit.

    Lucius Ting was the type of person that would fight and keep fighting no matter what, so it came as a mystery to Cedric why he was so silent.

    "Your guess is only as good as mine." Ian said with a shrug. "Part of me is hoping that he didn''t retaliate because Cami managed to avoid it."

    "I''m pretty sure the siblings had their hand in this." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I guess we just need to wait for Cami''s call. Did she tell you what time she would be calling?" Ian asked Cedric as the driver opened the door for Cedric and Adrianna.

    Cedric helped his wife into the car first and told her he would speak with Ian for a little bit more.

    Adrianna simply nodded and rxed in the car, there was no denying that she was exhausted from such an eventful day.

    After making sure that his wife was well settled, Cedric closed the door behind him and turned to face Ian again.

    "Send Cami a message, ask her what time she will call." Cedric instructed. "If it''s toote, tell her to call tomorrow. We have all had a long day and I''m sure the matter can wait."

    "What if it''s relevant to the investigation into Louisse?" Ian asked.

    "I''m sure it can wait a few hours." Cedric said in a stern tone. "Do you need a ride?" Cedric asked.

    "No, I brought my car." Ian told Cedric as he shook his head. "Do you want Dave and Mae toe over too? Just in case Cami decides to call tonight."

    "Check first what time she will be calling, then tell the two toe over as well." Cedric said with a nod as he opened the car door.

    "Okay, I''ll keep you updated." Ian told Cedric as thetter got into the car and closed the door behind him.

    As Cedric rxed in the backseat, he pulled his wife closer to him and kissed the top of her head.

    "What''s wrong?" Adrianna asked. "You guys were acting like we have another big problem on our hands."

    "I thought we were hiding it quite well." Cedric told her as he gave his wife a confused look.

    "To people who don''t know you, maybe." Adrianna said as she inteced her finger''s with Cedric''s. "But I am your wife, Ayanna is your sister, and Ray is your best friend. We all knew something was bothering you."

    Cedric took a deep breath and smiled.

    "Why am I so lucky to have people like you guys on my side?" Cedric said with augh as Adrianna leaned on his chest.

    "So what''s bothering you?" Adrianna asked her husband again.

    "Just Lucius Ting stuff." Cedric admitted.

    "Still worried that he will do something worse?" Adrianna asked her husband as she recalled his worries from earlier at the event.

    "It''s not exactly that." Cedric said with a sigh. "We were told that he had an unknown woman escorted out of the bar he and Cami were in, and we went to investigate who she was."

    "Is she his mistress or something?" Adrianna asked Cedric.

    "We honestly don''t know." Cedric admitted. "We are hoping that she is no one important, but it seems like she might be someone important to him."

    "Did you find out who she is?" Adrianna asked.

    "Not exactly." Cedric said with a frown as he looked out the window of their car. They were now driving past the older part of the capital, where many of the old stone structures stood.

    Cedric couldn''t help but think of how his family''s business was actually started in this older part of the capital. The Reyeses have been in business for generations, with each generation making thepany strong andrger.

    He sighed as he thought of the predicament he was in. Going up against Lucius Ting was the hardest challenge he had to face since taking on his role as the CEO of the Reyes Group.

    Cedric didn''t want to admit it, but Lucius Ting could potentially take down what generations of Reyeses had built, something Cedric refused to allow.

    "Is she dangerous?" Adrianna asked, pulling Cedric back from his thoughts and back to reality.

    "She is." Cedric admitted with a nod. "She''s hurt a lot of people, some we even know."

    "Who?" Adrianna asked.

    "Selina and I think Francesca." Cedric told his wife. "Alexi doesn''t know about it and Ram doesn''t have the details. It was quite a traumatic incident for Selina."

    "Will Selina be alright?" Adrianna asked, her worry clear in her tone.

    "I think so." Cedric said. "Alexi rushed over to her as soon as he got her call. He loves her and he will never let anyone hurt her again."

    Suddenly, Cedric''s phone was buzzing, he looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Ian. He was probably calling about Cami so Cedric picked up the phone.

    "So? What did Cami say?" Cedric asked.

    "She''ll call tonight. She said it was urgent. I suggest you ask everyone toe over to your ce, Cami sounded a little bit shaken." Ian informed Cedric.

    "Alright. Drive safe." Cedric told Ian as he dropped the call.

    "Thanks, I''ll ask Mae and Dave toe over to your ce as soon as they wrap things up at Constetions." Ian informed Cedric.

    "Thanks." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    "Is it bad?" Adrianna asked as she looked up at her husband, her worry visible in her eyes.

    "I don''t know yet, but it might be. Cami just told Ian it was urgent and I trust Cami''s intuition." Cedric informed his wife.

    "I''ll call home and ask them to prepare somete night snacks and maybe even the guest rooms. Who will we be expecting?" Adrianna asked Cedric as she took out her phone from her bag.

    "Everyone." Cedric said with a frown.

    "That bad?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yes." Cedric said as he nodded.

    Adrianna didn''t say another word, she simply took out her phone and began to call the maids back at home and give them instructions.

    Cedric sighed and shook his head, it seemed there would be no rest tonight.

    He quickly searched through his contacts and asked all his friends toe over.

 Chapter 701 - 701

    Despite thete hour, Cedric''s Mountain View mansion was a buzz with life. Maids were walking back and forth preparing Cedric''s office as well as food and refreshments for the guests.

    Several butlers and drivers moved Cedric''s cars in order to make space for his friends''. The staff of Mountain View were quite used to these high profile individuals visiting, so they moved like clockwork.??

    The maids knew which each person preferred to drink, who was a coffee person, who was a tea person, and who preferred to simply have hot chocte (it was Nicole).

    The drivers and butlers also knew who would most likely arrive first and which spots to park each car. They knew that Alexi was probably going to be thest to arrive andst to leave, he also never brought a driver so he would definitely be handing one of them the keys.

    Ram on the other hand always had a driver with him and over time his driver and Cedrics'' had be friends. They looked forward to these gatherings since they themselves would have time to catch up.

    As Cedric and Adrianna entered the sophisticated yet simple foyer of their home, Adrianna smiled as she noticed the maids efficiently doing their job.

    "I''ll go up and change." Adrianna told Cedric as she nted a kiss on his cheek. "I really want to wear something morefortable."

    "Alright." Cedric told her with a nod. "I''ll set things up in the office then I''ll join you. Everyone should be here in a n hour."

    Adrianna smiled as she walked away and got into the elevator to their floor.

    As Cedric did some work on hisptop, Leon stood close by. Tonight he wasn''t there for protection, but to help in any way possible.

    Sometimes Leon doubled as an assistant for Cedric, especially when everyone was spread thin due to the amount of work needed. Leon was a capable man, as a matter of fact before joining the army he had been in business school, he just hated working at a desk.

    Cedric nced up and looked at the time. When he noticed that he only had a few minutes to prepare, he quickly closed hisptop and told Leon that he would be back in an hour.

    Leon nodded and informed Cedric that he would be at the security office since he needed to tighten security with so many VIPsing over.

    It wasn''t a unique activity to Leon, he did it often especially when Cedric and Adrianna invited friends and rtives over for meals and celebrations. As a matter of fact Leon''s men already had protocols to follow.

    Despite everything having been set in ce however, Leon still liked checking on things, making sure that the protocols were executed perfectly. He refused to let an infiltration like Benedicts happen again. They had been lucky that Benedict had no ill intentions against them at the time.

    Cedric''s first guests to arrive were his assistants.

    "Where''s the boss?" Dave asked one of the maids as he and Mae arrived together.

    Dave was carrying several bags which two butlers took. One took one set of bags to Cedric''s office, while another took his set to two separate rooms where Dave and Mae would be staying for the night.

    "He changed and took a bath." The maid told Dave.

    "Let''s set up then." Mae said with a nod. "Can we have coffee?" Mae asked the maid.

    "Of course, the usual?" The maid asked.

    Mae and Dave simply nodded before walking towards Cedric''s office.

    The staff of Mountain View were familiar with all of the assistants'' preferences. They knew how they liked their coffee, what they preferred for each meal of the day, even how they wanted their rooms prepared.

    Cedric had hired the best not just in the Reyes Group but at home as well. Everyone was the best at their fields and we handsomelypensated, they were also discrete and trustworthy, something Cedric valued above all.

    Dave and Mae didn''t have to wait long as Ian arrived.

    "You didn''t bring Nicole?" Mae asked as the older assistant entered the office.

    "She went up to Adri." Ian said with a shrug as he sat on his usual spot at the corner. "Any information on Louisse?" He asked.

    "No, nothing yet." Dave said as he shook his head. "I''m hoping that Cami and Benedict know more, it will save us a lot of time and resources if they did."

    "It''s possible." Ian said, scratching his chin. "They were there, her identity could havee up in the middle of a conversation. I wouldn''t discount the possibility."

    "The possibility of what?" Cedric asked as he entered the room in more casual clothes.

    "The possibility of Cami and Benedict having answers to who Loiusse actually is." Ian said as a maid entered with their coffee.

    Mae smiled at the maid as she ced the drink down in front of her. She lifted it and took a sip, closing her eyes as she waited for the caffeine to take effect.

    Among everyone in the room, Mae was the most exhausted. They had just returned and they were pulled back into work.

    "Mae, are you okay?" Cedric asked with a concerned look on his face.

    "Yes, I''m just tired." Mae said with a frown as she leaned back on her seat.

    "Maybe you should rest tonight." Cedric told Mae as he looked at his assistant with an expression of concern.

    "I''m fine boss. Just tired." Mae said as she closed her eyes.

    "Are you sure?" Cedric asked as he nced at Dave and Ian who were also quite worried about Mae.

    "It''s been a long day. We just got back. I need to rest a bit." Mae told Cedric.

    "You don''t need to be here." Dave said with a frown as he looked at Mae worriedly. "I can fill you in and cover your work."

    "Dave is right, Mae." Ian said with a sigh as he looked at Mae who was turning pale.

    "What''s wrong with Mae?" Adrianna asked as she and Nicole joined them in the office. She too had changed into something more casual and wiped off the make up from her face.

    "She''s tired and needs to rest." Cedric exined.

    "Mae, go and head over to your room, Cedric is right. You need to rest." Adrianna said in a stern tone.

    Mae was too tired even to argue, she stood up only to suddenly copse as everything went dark.

 Chapter 702 - 702

    Cedric and the others were quick to act, luckily Dave who was sitting close to her was able to catch her in his arms.

    "Is she alright?" Adrianna asked as she looked over at Mae. ??

    Nicole quickly rushed to Mae''s side to check up on her.

    "She''s fine, she is just exhausted." Nicole said as she looked up at Adrianna. "I''ll send for a nurse to monitor her. Can you bring her to her room?"

    Dave nodded as he got up and walked out of the office.

    As he left Nicole quickly called for someone toe over and check on Mae and to monitor her condition. Even if it was just exhaustion Nicole also wanted to make sure that there were no other sicknesses bothering her.

    "What''s with Dave carrying Mae out?" Ray asked as he and Ayanna arrived.

    "Mae overworked herself." Cedric said with a frown as he sat down behind his desk. "She should have taken the rest of the day off."

    "You need to look at it from her shoes too Ced, she''s going through so much, being alone is difficult." Ayanna reminded her brother as she shook her head.

    "She should have said something." Cedric said with a frown.

    "Will she be alright?" Ayanna asked Nicole who had just finished her call.

    "She should be." Nicole said. "I sent for a doctor to check up on her and a nurse to monitor her. I''m sure it''s nothing serious, but I just want to be sure."

    "Move some of her work over to Dave." Cedric told Ian. "Mae should take at least a few days off. She cane to work if she really doesn''t want to be alone, but lessen her load."

    Ian nodded at Cedric''s instructions and typed something in his phone.

    "Can you ask Dave to keep Maepany until the nurse and the doctor get here?" Cedric asked Ian who simply nodded in response.

    Cedric was someone who valued his employees health and never wanted to see anyone work till they copsed or got sick.

    As a matter of fact, the Reyes Group forced their employees to use up as much vacation time as they could, even giving them free trips and stays at some of the hotels and resorts in the country.

    He believed that if his employees were happy and were energized then they would work even better.

    "I''ll check up on her before the doctor and nurse arrive. Can someone take me to her room?" Nicole offered as she turned to a maid to point her towards the right direction.

    "Who''s injured?" Miguel asked as he entered the office with Veronica in tow.

    "Mae fainted." Nicole exined. "It''s probably from exhaustion, but I called some people to watch over her. Rx brother, it''s your day off. You don''t need to y the hero doctor all the time." Nicole teased as she walked out of the office, following a maid.

    Within the next thirty minutes everyone arrived at Cedric''s Mountain View mansion, including the doctor and nurse that Nicole had asked toe over.

    "I''ll go get my sister." Miguel said in an impatient tone as he stood up with the intention of dragging Nicole back to Cedric''s office.

    As he opened the door, he was surprised to see Nicole reaching for the door handle with Dave standing right behind her.

    "What took you so long, the doctor and the nurse arrived a while ago." Miguel said as he pulled his sister into the room.

    Cedric could see how anxious Miguel was getting. He was clearly worried that this Louisse news or whatever news Cami and Benedict had to say would negatively impact their ns against Lucius.

    "Rx, Miguel." Nicole told her older brother in a stern tone. "I was just giving instructions and telling them about the situation. It''s not like I could leave them there without an idea on Mae''s condition."

    Miguel frowned but didn''t say anything else, instead he left his sister and walked back to his spot next to his wife.

    "How is Mae?" Cedric asked Nicole as she found a spot next to Adrianna.

    "She''s just tired, nothing that some rest can''t fix." Nicole told Cedric, easing his worries. "Rx, I have a doctor and a nurse looking after her. She is getting the care she needs."

    "Thank you, Nicole." Cedric said as a look of relief spread across his face.

    "Well we are all here." Ian told Cedric. "We should give the siblings a call."

    "Right." Cedric said with a nod as he sent a message to Cami, checking if they were ready to call.

    Cami quickly responded by calling Cedric.

    Cedric answered the call and Cami''s and Benedict''s faces were shown on the huge TV in his office.

    "You said you learned something?" Cedric asked in a stern tone.

    "We did." Cami said with a nod. "But before that I want to apologize, I know what I did shocked everyone but it was something I had to do. I needed to push Lucius into trusting me more."

    "We understand, Cami." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Adrianna!" Cedric scolded.

    Adrianna gave him a stern look and shook her head.

    "Fine, I understand the need, but you didn''t have to risk so much." Cedric scolded. "What if he asks you for something that you cannot give him?"

    "Then I will tell him I''m not ready." Cami said with a shrug.

    "And what if he forces you?" Cedric asked as he red at Cami through the camera.

    "I would never let something like that happen to my sister." Benedict said quickly joining in on the conversation.

    "Either way, it''s already done." Cedric said with a sigh of surrender. "You are forgiven. So what did you want to tell us?"

    "Oh, right." Cami said as he looked at Benedict.

    Benedict simply nodded at her and urged her on.

    "The thing is, it seems Lucius Ting isn''t the only brains behind this whole business and all his plotting." Cami said slowly as she watched everyone''s expression on the other end.

    "Someone else is involved?" Cedric asked. "How many someone elses and how influential are these people? Do you know who they are?"

    "Yes someone, just one person." Cami told Cedric. "Someone who managed to slip through our investigation and someone my brother has a bitter past with." She said as she nced at Benedict.

    "Who?" Cedric asked.

    "Her name is Louisse Ting, she''s Lucius'' younger sister, a model by day, evil plotting genius at night." Cami revealed, shocking everyone in the room.

    "No way!" Dave said as he looked at Cami, wide eyed in shock with the news she had just dropped.

    "What do you mean she has a bitter past with Benedict?" Cedric asked as he red at his assistant who had just lost his cool for the nth time that night.

    "Well. . ." Cami began to say as her voice trailed off and she gave her brother a meaningful look.

    "It''s okay Cami, you can tell them." Benedict said with a nod as he urged on his sister.

    "You tell them." Cami suddenly said. "I might miss out on some details and everything is important when ites to Louisse Ting."

    Benedict sighed and shook his head.

    "Before anything." Cedric injected. "Louisse isn''t exactly a new name for us, I want to know if she is the same woman, any chance that the Louisse you are talking about was escorted from the bar by Lucius'' bodyguards?" Cedric asked.

    "Yup, that''s the same person." Benedict said with a nod. "She was made to leave after insulting Cami. It seems that Lucius Ting has a soft spot for my sister."

    "He must be quite in love with her." Ian teased as heughed. "What did you do Cami? Pour some love potion into his water?"

    "Ugh, you are so annoying Ian." Camiined as she rolled her eyes at the other assistant.

    "So how do you know Louisse?" Cedric asked Benedict, curious as to how he had crossed paths with someone like her.

    "She came with Lucius once before and I didn''t know who she was." Benedict said with a shrug. "Back then I thought she was an amazing woman, so I flirted and we started dating."

    "So she''s an ex?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yup she is. It took me a while to realize that she had been using me to get more investments somewhere and I was blinded by my emotions for her." Benedict exined.

    "Let me guess those investments were to her pocket?" Selina asked in a poisonous tone as Alexi caressed her hand, in an attempt to keep her calm.

    "Yes, not only did she take money from me but she cheated on me and took money from my brother as well." Benedict said with an embarrassed look on his face as everyone stared at him in shock.

 Chapter 703 - 703

    "So she doesn''t pick her victims. . ." Cedric said as he thought of the siblings'' encounter with Louisse.

    "Wait, why aren''t you surprised that she extorted us for money?" Benedict asked with a confused look on his face. ??

    "Louisse, English model, worked with some of the biggest names but you can''t just book her, she has toe to you." Ram suddenly said. "We looked her up."

    "So you know the rumors?" Benedict asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "They aren''t rumors." Selina suddenly said, speaking up.

    "Selina." Dave said as he looked at her with a frown. He knew that this was a difficult topic for her and she would rather not talk about it in front of the group.

    "It''s alright Dave, I''m ready." Selina told him with a nod.

    "Selina, what are you talking about baby?" Alexi asked as he gave her a concerned look.

    "I''m ready to talk too." Francesca said, surprising everyone in the room.

    "What''s going on?!" Alexi asked in an angry tone.

    He looked around and noticed that Cedric had remained calm throughout the whole discussion.

    "You know something." Alexi said as he got up and charged towards Cedric. He grabbed the front of Cedric''s shirt and pulled him up. "You know something bad happened and you chose not to tell us."

    As soon as the words left Alexi''s mouth Cedric hit his hand swiftly and decisively making Alexi let go and stare at him in shock.

    They all knew that due to his poverty training, Cedric never learned to defend himself. And yet now he was moving as if he had been training all his life.

    "I''m not as helpless as I used to be." Cedric said with a smirk as he fixed his clothes.

    "So you can handle yourself in a fight now?" Ram asked as he pointed at his brother-inw.

    "I''ve been training a bit." Cedric said with a shrug as he sat back down. "So where were we?" He asked as he looked around the room. Clearly most of them had not recovered from what had just happened.

    "Selina, Francesca, do you mind if I tell them?" Cedric asked as he looked at the women who were calmly sitting down, not hinting at the trauma they had suffered.

    Selina looked at Francesca and the actress nced back at her. Francesca gave Selina a nod as she gave her aforting smile.

    "Please tell them for us." Selina said as she hugged Alexi''s arm as he sat back down next to her.

    "Are you alright?" Alexi asked.

    Selina did not give him an answer, she simply hugged his arm tighter as he leaned on to him.

    A worried look crossed Alexi''s face, but he said nothing. He simply gave her a light kiss on the head as he turned his attention back to Cedric.

    "I don''t know the details of Francesca''s experience with Louisse, but I do know Selina''s." Cedric began. "Earlier we had a reporte in that a woman was escorted from the bar that Lucius had booked the party at, my natural inclination was to worry that it might be Cami."

    "But it wasn''t?" Alexi asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Cedric nodded, confirming that he was right.

    "The woman was identified simply as Louisse." Cedric told them. "We did our best to investigate who Louisse was, but in a short period of time there was very little that we could find out."

    "So you approached Selina and Francesca?" Veronica asked as she nced at the two women.

    It was only natural for Cedric to turn to the people he knew who had been involved in the international fashion industry.

    He had thought of asking Eric but he knew that Eric never listened to gossip and would be useless. Also the actor avoided the international fashion industry for some reason, Cedric never thought to ask why but he made a mental note to ask this time around.

    "I asked Selina, Francesca, and Maureen." Cedric said. "I also asked Ram, but Ram had limited knowledge on the matter."

    Everyone nodded as they listened to Cedric''s words.

    "Selina was one of Louisse''s victims." Cedric said to the shock of everyone in the room.

    "What? When? How?" Alexi asked as he turned to look at his girlfriend. "Baby, I''m so sorry you had to go through that. I wish I could have protected you sooner."

    "Alexi, there was no way you could have known." Selina said as she kissed Alexi on the lips.

    "When did this happen?" Alexi asked as she broke off their kiss.

    Selina was not ready to talk about her experience a second time, so she looked at Cedric, asking him to exin for her.

    "Selina isn''t ready to talk about it, but I think she is willing to let me tell you guys." Cedric said as he waited for Selina to either confirm or deny his suspicions.

    Selina nodded, giving him permission to tell the others the details of what she went through.

    "This all happened when Selina was still recovering from Jen leaving her." Cedric began as he exined what Selina went through.

    Cedric decided not to go too deep into the details, those parts Selina could tell the others in time. It was her story, not his.

    "It was during that difficult time in her life that she met Louisse." Cedric said. "Louisse was someone that was willing to be a friend to her in those dark times and became someone she could depend on."

    Cedric paused as he observed Selina''s expression, he wanted to see if she would stop him, but she remained calm as she clung on to Alexi.

    "To make the long story short, Louisse used that vulnerable moment in Selina''s life to get sexual favors." Cedric exined. "From there she made Selina feel guilty about not loving her,ter on she became more aggressive through ckmail."

    "I - I-" Selina began to say as she struggled to form words to express what she wanted.

    "It''s okay Selina, you don''t need to say anything." Alexi said as he rubbed his hand on her back.

    "No, I can do this." Selina said with a determined look on her face.

    Selina took a deep breath and looked around the room.

    "I felt weak for not being able to tell anyone, but at the same time I was so afraid for those images to be released they could ruin my name." Selina said as she began to cry.

    "It''s okay Selina, we understand." Katerina told her with a nod as she walked over and pulled Selina into a hug.

    "I went through something simr too, with Louisse I mean." Francesca said, speaking up.

    "Are you sure about this?" Ram asked as he looked at her with a worried expression.

    "Yes, I''m ready to talk about it." Francesca said with a nod as she took a deep breath.

 Chapter 704 - 704

    Among all of his friends'' significant others Cedric knew the least about Francesca.

    True, she was an internationally acimed actress, but she only let the public know what she was willing to share. ??

    As the sister of the head of the Ri family, her personal information was sealed even more tightly. There were many rumors and false leads, but nothing concrete.

    Cedric had tried getting some information from Ray who was technically the boss of Francesca''s older brother, but apparently there was some underworld rule against it.

    Sisters and daughters were not to be touched, even when they had done harm, those from within the underworld were not allowed to investigate or harm them. They were considered treasures of their families and they all wanted to protect them.

    This stemmed from the outdated belief that women were not capable of protecting themselves. The old heads of the underworld believed that women were meant to stay at home and do their duties there.

    But as the years progressed, some of these daughters and sisters became almost as lethal as their brothers and the other men in their families. Because of this Ram''s father had set up apromise.

    Women were answerable to other women, just as the heads of each criminal family answered to the King of the Underworld, the women answered to his legal wife.

    Technically Cedric could ask his sister, Ayanna, to make Francesca give him all the information he needed. But out of respect for Ram''s girlfriend, Cedric decided against it.

    He believed that forcing an investigation into her background would do them more bad than good. And if there was something that she wanted to truly keep a secret from them, she could hide it.

    "Are you sure?" Ram asked Francesca as he held her hand tightly.

    Cedric was d that Francesca and Ram had trulye to love one another, even if their rtionship did not have a traditional start.

    "I am." Francesca said with a nod and a determined look on her face.

    Francesca took a deep breath and gathered her courage as everyone waited for her to speak.

    "As many of you know by now my rtionship with the Ri family has always been rocky." Francesca began. "I basically left my family to pursue my acting career because my father and brother were blocking every opportunity I got."

    Everyone suddenly turned to look at Ram, who raised his hands, signifying his innocence in the matter.

    "I had nothing to do with it." Ram said as he shook his head. "When Francesca entered the entertainment industry I was still trying my best to figure out the ropes. Dad hadn''t given me full control yet." He exined.

    "You probably would have still stopped her from entering the industry." Veronica pointed out. "You''re overprotective, just like her brothers."

    "I understand a person''s need to spread their wings." Ram said as he rolled his eyes at his sister.

    "I doubt it." Veronica said with augh.

    Ram tried to argue back but Francesca gave him one look and he kept quiet.

    "As I was saying, I haven''t had an easy journey in this industry. When I had found someone to support me, he died." Francesca said with a frown.

    "It''s okay, I know you loved him dearly." Ram said as heforted his girlfriend. "I will forever be grateful that he loved you and cared about you that much. Without him, you wouldn''t be the strong and brave woman you are today."

    "Ram, you''re getting too cheesy." Veronicained as she rolled her eyes at her brother.

    "It''s the truth." Ram said as he continued to look at Francesca.

    Cedric could see as a blush crossed Francesca''s face. She looked at Ram and gave him a tender smile.

    The couple shared a tender moment before Ian suddenly coughed.

    Cedric watched as Nicole elbowed him in the ribs, seemingly scolding him for ruining the moment.

    "Anyway," Francesca said as she continued her story. "During one of my projects I managed to befriend a young and promising model, and like me she was from a family that did not like the industry she was entering."

    "Wait, you knew herst name?" Selina asked as she gave Francesca a confused look.

    "She gave me a different family name." Francesca exined, shaking her head. "She told me that she needed to hide her identity because if her parents and brother found out what she was doing she wouldn''t be allowed out of the house again."

    "And you sympathised with her." Eric said with a nod as he gave Francesca a concerned look. "She was just like you."

    "Yes." Francesca answered. "She was like me and I was like her. We were both trying to escape families that refused to let us follow our dreams, we connected."

    "Was he still alive at this time?" Ram asked, unable to mention the name of Francesca''s ex.

    "Yes, that''s why we were just friends." Francesca said as she looked at Ram.

    Cedric knew she noticed that he couldn''t say the name of Francesca''s ex fiance and it seemed that Francesca was fine with it. She understood him and she didn''t want to force him to simply ept and treat it as nothing.

    "When my ex fiance died, Louisse approached me and offered her condolences. I, of course, saw her as a friend at that time and epted herpany willingly." Francesca exined. "She kept mepany for a while, until she began making inappropriate moves towards me."

    Francesca frowned as she recalled what had happened to her.

    "I always thought she was a friend, that she cared for me in that way, but one night I realized she was after something else." Francesca said with a frown.

    "Are you sure you can keep telling this story?" Ram asked as he wrapped his arms around Francesca, trying to soothe her.

    "Don''t worry, I''m stronger now because of you." Francesca said as she nted a kiss on Ram''s cheek.

    Francesca took a deep breath and continued speaking.

    "One night, we were having some wine and chatting. I suddenly felt hot and sleepy. Louisse offered to help me to my room, and of course I let her." Francesca said with a frown. "That was when- when-"

    Francesca''s voice broke as she struggled to speak. Ram tried to tell her to stop but she shook her head telling him that she needed to tell her story that she was afraid of always being in the shadows.

    She said she needed to stand up for herself and let her voice be heard on things that mattered.

 Chapter 705 - 705

    "I thought I was safe because she was a woman." Francesca said with a frown. "And above all I thought I was safe because she was a friend."

    Cedric watched as Ram held Francesca tighter, giving her physical support through a tough time.

    "Sometimes people pretend to be someone that they are not, I had been sick and tired of suspecting everyone of harboring evil intentions against me" Francesca told them as she looked around the room.

    "I had grown up in a family where you were taught not to trust lightly. Among the underworld you needed to see what a person''s true intentions were, that''s what I was brought up to believe." Francesca said. "Everyone wears masks, it''s up to you to see through them. That''s what my father always told me."

    As she said this she looked Ray in the eyes and gave him a nod. Ray as the King of the Underworld anding from the family that had held that position for generations knew this fact the best.

    Among the underbelly of society, you never knew who you could trust. There were people at every corner that wanted to take you down and to take whatever power and wealth you had.

    "For once I wanted to trust, and I made a huge mistake." Francesca said with a frown.

    "Francesca, it wasn''t your fault." Ayanna said with a sympathetic look on her face.

    "To be honest, it was only with Ram that I ever felt truly safe, and it was only with this group that I''ve felt that I can truly trust again." Fracesca said.

    "I am happy you feel that way around us." Ram said as he nted a kiss on Francesca''s head.

    "I trusted Louisse, and she broke my trust." Francesca told them in an angry tone. "I was weak and vulnerable back then."

    "She helped me to my room, then tied me up." Francesca said, still angry as she told her story. "I tried to fight, I tried to get free, I was not physically weak, but she had ced something in my drink that made me lose my strength."

    "A rape drug." Veronica said with a gasp.

    Francesca simply nodded at her.

    "Not only was I weak but I could feel my body reacting in a way I didn''t want it to." Francesca said with a frown. "I really tried to fight it off, but Louisse had tied me up and was cutting my clothes. I was screaming at her to let me go, so she decided to make me take more of whatever drug she had given me."

    "Francesca. . ." Adrianna said with a gasp as she realized how badly Louisse had harmed Francesca.

    "I was drowsy and I felt wrong, I tried to scream then she pped me, she hit me and held a knife to my neck. She told me if I fought her she would kill me and make it look like Imitted suicide." Francesca confessed.

    "At that time people would have believed it, I had been so depressed because of his death that I would have taken my life." Francesca frowned as she recalled the memory.

    "I''m sorry you have to go through that, love." Ram said as she kept holding Francesca, supporting her in any way he could.

    "When I stopped fighting, that''s when she touched me." Francesca said as tears fell from her eyes. "She touched me and ced things in me and took photos and videos, I cried and cried throughout the whole ordeal."

    "She raped you and used it against you?" Katerina asked details of Francesca''s horrible experience came to light.

    "Yes." Francesca nodded. "When I finally regained control of my body I washed myself, I desperately tried to wash her off me. I cried so much and I was so tempted to end my pain. I just wanted it gone."

    Francesca turned to Ram and began to sob into his chest.

    Cedric felt like his heart was being ripped into a thousand pieces as they all felt Francesca''s pain in her words. Cedric was not the only one that felt the pain, he watched as his wife wiped the tears from her eyes and the other men clenched their hands in anger.

    After a few minutes Francesca finally managed to gather herself and wiped the tears off of her face.

    "We can stop if you want." Cedric told her in a worried tone. "I don''t want you pushing yourself beyond what you are prepared to share." He said with a frown.

    "I''m alright, Ced." Francesca told him with a sad smile.

    "Will you continue?" Ram asked her as he looked worriedly at his girlfriend.

    Francesca nodded and took a deep breath.

    "At first all she wanted was for me to set her up with certain people I had worked with in the past. She woulde with me to a party and I would introduce her around, it was simple." Francesca frowned as she recounted her experience.

    "Later on she wanted more." Francesca said. "A dinner with a particr director, a date with a designer, she wanted people to see her and know her and she used me."

    "So she became popr after she used you?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, but it wasn''t just me." Francesca exined. "She had a lot of people under her control, I didn''t know who exactly, but it seems that Selina was one of them."

    Francesca looked towards Selina. The designer simply nodded, acknowledging that she was one of them.

    "So this really was an international conspiracy on her end?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. And we only have the guts to speak up now because we have you to protect us, we have this group." Francesca said, almost breaking into tears again.

    "She is a dangerous and vile person, she cannot be allowed to keep hurting and using people." Selina told Cedric.

    "We need to get rid of her in order to truly beat Lucius too." Cami added. "She is probably fifty percent of his ideas."

    "With his resources that makes her even more dangerous." Cedric said with a frown as he began to think of a n to take Lucius and Louisse down.

 Chapter 706 - 706

    "We need to create a rift between them." Ayanna said in a determined tone.

    Hearing what Selina and Francesca each had to suffer through made Cedric''s younger sister more determined than ever to take down Lucius Ting.

    "I honestly have no idea how we would do that, we need to know more about their rtionship as siblings." Cedric said, scratching his chin as he thought of their next steps.

    "Cedric, I think it''s time." Miguel said with a serious look on his face.

    "Time for what?" Eric asked his brother with a raised eyebrow. "Have you guys been plotting behind our backs?" Eric asked.

    "We''ve been discussing what would be the most drastic measures we need to take in order to either take down or slow down Lucius Ting''s momentum." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "We knew your grandfather would not consent to a DNA test in private, so we discussed a deadline." Cedric exined to Eric. "If by a certain event we couldn''t find the real child of Uncle Miguel, then we would have to publicly demand for a DNA test."

    "And you didn''t care to share this n with us, brother?" Eric asked, clearly pissed off the Cedric and Miguel had agreed on a n without him or Nicole.

    "I would have told you, or at least suggested it, the event we are talking about is quite a while away." Miguel said as he tried to defend his and Cedric''s reasons.

    "And what event is this?" Nicole asked Miguel and Cedric.

    "The Reyes Group Annual Founding party." Cedric exined. "We will be celebrating the 200th anniversary in 6 months. We agreed that if we didn''t get some real results before then we would demand for Lucius to take a DNA test."

    "Grandpa would have to go." Miguel added as his sister''s icy re thawed. "It will be thergest event this year, he won''t miss it."

    "And you think that if you demanded a DNA test publicly, he would have to give it." Eric said, finishing what his brother was trying to exin to the group.

    "Yes and no." Miguel said with a sly smile. "I don''t have any right to demand for a DNA test, he is no threat to me making it seem like I was being used. There are only three people with the right to ask for that."

    "Dad, me, or Eric." Nicole said as she realized who her brother meant.

    "Right, as the current head of the family, dad can ask for it, but for some reason I can''t understand, he refuses to do so." Miguel exined, shaking his head.

    "As the appointed heir you have every right, especially if he is a threat to your position." Miguel exined to his sister. "And of course, Eric is the heir by birthright and he can ask that."

    "I can''t ask because I won''t be at the event as your brother." Eric said slowly with a frown. It always made him sad that the public had no idea about who his family actually were. It was a blessing and a curse.

    "So you want me to demand it at the party?" Nicole asked.

    "Yep." Miguel said with a nod.

    "This is honestly the easiest and most obvious way." Cedric informed the others. "That''s the very reason why I was so hesitant to take it, because Lucius will see iting and he will have nned for it."

    "How can you cheat a DNA test?" Ayanna asked, making everyoneugh.

    "You know darling, you are smart, but sometimes you also forget things." Ray said as he pulled Ayanna onto hisp and kissed her.

    "I''m serious." Ayanna groaned as she swatted her husband away.

    "I am too." Ray groaned as he was forced to ce her back down on the seat as an elbow hit him on the chest.

    "I''m not dumb, I know you can switch out the DNA, but if you conduct the test yourself and have someone watch the specimen the whole time there is no way for him to cheat." Ayanna said as she exined her concern.

    "I doubt he will agree to allow anyone from Saints Hospital to conduct the test." Nicole said, shaking her head.

    "He won''t let anyone from the government touch it either." Eric said as he scratched his chin thinking of what could potentially happen.

    "Of course not, especially with the Sebastians in power, he will im we swapped the samples." Miguel said, shaking his head.

    "He will definitely demand for an independent group to do the test. Someone neither of you would have connections to." Cedric exined as he shared his thoughts.

    "He would either swap the samples or bribe the people doing the tests." Adrianna added as she thought of how Lucius Ting would cheat a DNA test.

    "And what if he can''t do it through those methods?" Veronica asked.

    "I''m guessing he would then find a way for theb results to be inconclusive, contaminating the specimens or damaging them." Cedric answered.

    "There isn''t much he can do prior to the test, so he might also try cutting off the power to theb or destroying the machines." Ayanna added, she didn''t seem so confused or lost now, making Cedric smile a little.

    "There are just too many possibilities and variables, this isn''t something I want to do, but we may have to do it." Cedric siad with a sigh.

    "This n is still six months away, what should we do till then?" Ian asked.

    Cedric paused as he looked around the room considering what they already knew and how they could move forward with that information.

    As Cedric thought of a n, he could see his friends trying toe up with suggestions as well.

    "Try to find out how Louisse''s and Lucius'' rtionship is as siblings." Ayanna suddenly said, looking up at Cami and Benedict on the big screen.

    "And use that information to break their rtionship." Cedric said with a nod as he looked at his sister.

    "It could work." Cami said slowly as she thought of the implications.

    "We both know one of the biggest things they''ve fought about is you, Cami." Benedict said with a nod. "Keep ying house with Lucius and Louisse will definitely keep on fighting with her brother about you."

    "And I''ll ask Lucius what I can about his rtionship with Louisse." Cami said with a nod. "He''ll think I''m trying to get her approval."

    "When we do have enough information, let''s try to break that rtionship." Miguel said in a serious tone as he smiled, knowing they had a n set in ce.

 Chapter 707 - 707

    After the meeting Cami informed Cedric about how she had told Lucius that he would probably be calling her back to work.

    Cedric decided to turn it into an opportunity to get Lucius to trust Cami even more. She woulde back to the office but give Lucius some valuable information that would keep him safe from some of Cedric''s ns.

    "We need to make the moves both big ones and subtle ones." Cami told Cedric and Ian as they sat in the CEO''s office at R Tower.

    Cami had informed Lucius that their suspicions were right, Cedric had summoned her to R Tower to convince her toe back.

    She told Lucius that she would agree while secretly working for him.

    "What was the n that you came up with, Lucius?" Ian asked as he leaned back on the couch.

    "We haven''t nned anything yet." Cami said as she shook her head. "I''m supposed to have dinner with him tonight at his ce and we were going to talk about what we are talking about now."

    "Then do just that." Ian said.

    "Ugh! Ian Vicente Lim, you are fucking annoying. Can''t youe up with a smarter idea?" Cami asked in a frustrated tone.

    "He has a point, Cami." Cedric said as he tried to be the mediator between his two assistants and friends. "At least I think he does." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Look, Cami, if we n too far ahead we will make a mistake, we will slip." Ian exined. "Let''s just think of what you can tell him we talked about then we''ll see what n he formtes from there."

    "Okay." Cami said as she nodded slowly, considering Ian''s suggestion. "What did we talk about then?" Cami asked with a raised eyebrow, challenging Ian to give a suggestion.

    "Obviously Cedric asked you toe back and you agreed. You told him that work is separate from personal matters." Ian said, rolling his eyes at Cami.

    "What''s got you so short tempered today?" Cedric asked with augh. "It''s as if I''m speaking to the Ian who first started working at the Reyes Group."

    "That Ian was more fun." Cami added as sheughed along with her boss.

    The three of them had started working at the Reyes Group at practically the same time. Back then Ian was quite arrogant and hot headed.

    He had been very impatient with things and was quite quick to anger. But as the years progressed Ian grew to be the much more mature man that he was now.

    "Just Nicole things." Ian said with a sigh as he got up and prepared himself some coffee. "Give me a moment." He told them as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

    Cedric and Cami watched as Ian steadied himself, gathering his thoughts and visibly calming down.

    After a few minutes, Ian finally walked back to the couch and sat next to Cedric once more.

    "You know you can talk to us about it?" Cami asked as she sat down next to Ian and ced a hand on his back.

    They had been through a lot together, they had all started working at the Reyes Group almost at the same time.

    "Honestly, it''s not a big deal, I''m just exhausted." Ian said with a sigh. "I''m fine now, let''s just focus on how to take down Lucius Ting. No Lucius Ting, no stress for me."

    "Fine, for now, but seriously Ian, if you need to talk to someone about this we are right here." Cedric told him as Cami nodded in agreement.

    "I might have said it in the wrong tone earlier, but I stand by my suggestion." Ian said as he revived the discussion. "Tell Lucius that Cedric convinced you toe back and he told you that there are no hard feelings."

    "Would there be hard feelings if I actually started dating him?" Cami asked as she looked to Cedric who was to Ian''s left.

    "Of course none." Cedric said with augh as he shook his head. "I''ve always been an advocate of letting people be with those whom they care about, as long as it doesn''t cloud your judgement."

    "And what if he asks you what you think about Cedric?" Ian asked Cami.

    "Of course I will lie." Cami said with a determined look on her face. "From what he thinks I am furious with Cedric for Aiden''s death. I will tell him I lied to Cedric and I was disgusted to be in the same room as him."

    "Am I really disgusting?" Cedric teased, making Ian and Camiugh. "I miss these normal moments between us." He said with a sigh as he recalled the simpler times when he was just another assistant.

    "Things might have been simpler, but things are better now." Cami reminded the two men. "You both have children now and I''m sure you wouldn''t give them up just for the simpler times."

    "No, we wouldn''t." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    There was a long silence as they all waited for someone to speak, but no one wanted to ruin the somber atmosphere.

    "What do you think Lucius will ask you to do?" Cedric said as he turned to Camillia.

    "He will probably expect me to share with him all of the ns of Mor Co. it would be suspicious if I didn''t share with him the big ones and just the small ones." Cami said with a sigh as she thought of what was at risk.

    "I think you shouldn''t." Ian suggested. "If you gave out the big secrets then Cedric would be able to find out who was leaking the information. If the ideas are small enough then the suspicion won''t fall on you."

    "That''s actually the smarter way to go about it." Cami said as she thought of Ian''s suggestion.

    "We could even have rumors go around saying that you are the leak." Cedric said with a nod as a n began to form.

    "Of course, Cedric will have to release a statement saying that it isn''t the case." Ian said. "It will look more convincing if Cedric continues to stand by you despite all of the rumors and usations."

    "It''s settled then, that''s how we are going to go about this." Cedric told them in a decisive tone. "The more valuable you be to Lucius, the greater a threat you are to Louise."

    All they needed to do was to convince Lucius Ting that Cami was on his side and she would be the perfect wedge to drive the siblings apart.

 Chapter 708 - 708

    "Atty. Mien is arriving today." Mae informed Cedric as she brought in the documents he had to look through for his next meeting.

    The past few days had been hectic, between working out on a n to create a rift between Lucius and Loussie, Cedric''s trip to Singapore felt like a lifetime ago.

    "That was today?" Cedric asked as he gave Mae a confused look.

    "Yes, but I''ve arranged for everything." Mae informed him. "I thought it would be safer if he stayed at Sire Towers so I had one of the vacant units prepared for him."

    "Okay, good. Thank you." Cedric said with a nod. "I''m so sorry that I wasn''t able to give this matter as much attention as I should have." He said with a frown as he apologized to Mae.

    "Cedric, I know you have been busy." Mae said with a nod as she continued to organize the documents on Cedric''s desk.

    "To make up for it, Ian and I will go with you to visit Fernando''s family." Cedric informed Mae. "We''ll be there as your emotional support, and if Dave wants he cane too."

    Cedric knew that his two other assistants had be quite close over the years. He wasn''t sure to what extent, but he knew that Dave being there would be a hugefort to Mae.

    "Thank you, boss." Mae said with a smile as she wiped the tears that were forming in her eyes.

    "I won''t lie to you though, we will also take the trip as an opportunity to see if Fernando was involved with Lucius or if he was a victim." Cedric told her in the most sincere tone he could.

    "I understand." Mae said with a nod.

    Cedric looked through the documents as Mae handed it to him. He spoke only to ask Mae about the document he was reading and she only spoke to answer.

    Soon enough they had finished going through all of the documents Cedric needed to look through for his meeting with the Marketing and Product Development teams.

    He got up and began walking towards the meeting room next to his office when he suddenly stopped.

    "What time does Atty. Mien arrive?" Cedric asked.

    "6 PM tonight." Mae told Cedric.

    "And what time do we leave to go visit Fernando''s family tomorrow?" He asked.

    "We leave the capital at 8am, it''s a five hour drive to his hometown." Mae exined. "I''m assuming you want all your meetings tomorrow moved?"

    "Yes, and my meetings past 5 PM." Cedric instructed Mae. "I want to go with you to pick Atty. Mien up at the airport. Have the staff of Nouveau prepare my private dining room, let''s have a wee dinner for him."

    "Alright, sir." Mae said as she began to tap away on her phone informing everyone of Cedric''s instructions.

    "I''ll ask Adri if she wants toe along, but I''d rather have her rest at home." Cedric told his assistant as he walked into the meeting room.

    Cedric''s afternoon went by quite quickly as his meetings with the different teams and departments under the Reyes Group had been interesting and exciting.

    They saw how much attention their CEO invested in each project and in each team, and that made them work harder and better.

    When hisst meeting rolled by, Cedric knew it would be an easy one, especially since it was just an update on Elissia Malls.

    Elissia Malls was one of thepanies that his sister, Ayanna, handled directly. Those that she managed usually performed the best, second only to Mor Co. and Krisanta Land, which Cedric kept a close eye on.

    As usual Ayanna allowed her staff to shine, having them present their proposals and achievements to Cedric.

    He was happy with his sister''s management style since it quite closely resembled his own.

    As the meeting ended, Cedric asked his sister to stay behind.

    "I''m weing a guest from Singapore tonight and we will be gone tomorrow to handle some matters." Cedric informed his sister.

    "By we do you mean you and Adrianna or you and your entire team?" Ayanna asked her brother with a raised eyebrow.

    "Me and my assistants." Cedric said with augh. "I want my wife to stay in the capital where it is safe."

    "So you want me to keep an eye on things?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "That and I want you to have dinner with us tonight, bring Ray along as well." Cedric said. "I want the two of you to give me your opinion on this guy. I''m not exactly sure how to assess him."

    "Alright. Ray and I don''t have any ns tonight." Ayanna said with a nod. "How long will you be gone?" She asked.

    "Maybe a day or two. I want to explore our projects and offices in the area as well." Cedric said. "It''s been a while since I went around."

    "I think our people will appreciate that." Ayanna said, agreeing with her brother''s idea. "In the past it wasn''t practical or normal for the CEO to go around and visit smaller offices, but times have changed."

    "I''m d you support my idea." Cedric told her.

    "I think that the changes you are making help support and build the Reyes Group you want." Ayanna reminded him. "Someday we will step down from our posts and look back at what we''ve done here. I don''t want us to regret anything."

    "So far so good then." Cedric said with augh. "I''m proud of how you''ve been handling things."

    "I could do better, if dad let me work from the bottom up." Ayanna said with a frown.

    Unlike Cedric she had been thrust to one of the highest positions at an early age. She had tried to negotiate with her father at first so that she could work elsewhere, but he refused.

    "You know that he did it for your sake. Everyone knew who you were so they would have praised you and given you preferential treatment the whole time." He exined.

    "Just give your children the chance to learn, alright?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "I will." He promised. "As their father I will support them no matter what field they choose to enter."

    "What if they don''t want to follow in our footsteps?" Ayanna asked. "Who will you give thepany to?"

    "Then you and Ray should start making babies!" Cedric teased.

    "Brother!" Ayannained as she blushed. "You know I don''t want to have kids yet. But we will."

    "Don''t wait too long, I don''t want my son to be so much older than his cousins!" Cedric told his sister.

    "We won''t." She said with augh.

    "So I''ll see you at dinner?" Ian asked, confirming if she woulde.

    "Yes, of course." Ayanna told him with a nod.

 Chapter 709 - 709

    Cedric smiled as he locked his phone and ced it in his pocket. It seemed that his wife, Adrianna, was in a good mood today.

    She had just agreed to join them for dinner and suggested bringing their son, Yoyo, along.

    It was the perfect event to bring their son to since it was in a controlled environment, R Tower, where the kid coulde and go without being spotted.

    The people who would be joining them for dinner were mostly family and friends and an individual whom they would have limited interaction with in the future.

    "Yoyo ising." Cedric informed his assistants who were in the car with him.

    "Wow, the overprotective dad allowed his son toe to a social event?" Ian teased.

    Cedric rolled his eyes, unamused by Ian''s joke at his expense.

    "You know why I''m doing this." Cedric said as he gave Ian a stern look.

    Since there was limited space in Cedric''s car, Dave was driving while Ian sat in the front seat.

    Ian simplyughed at his friend''s reaction as they continued to drive towards the airport. They were only a few minutes away and Mae had informed them that Atty. Mien''s ne hadnded.

    "Tell him to go to the VIP arrivals." Cedric instructed Mae.

    "Ian, could you give the airport management a call?" Cedric asked Ian who simply nodded and took out his phone.

    As soon as they got to the airport, they were escorted by airport security to the VIP arrivals area where Atty. Mien was waiting for them.

    When their car came to a stop, Mae quickly got off and greeted the youngwyer. They hadn''t had that much interaction when Mae was in Singapore, but they had somehow formed a deep bond.

    "My boss came over to pick you up as well." Cedric heard Mae tell the man. "He also arranged for a wee dinner."

    "Oh, thank you." Thewyer said with a nod as several airport attendants came over and took his bags, quickly stowing them in the trunk of the car.

    "Please,e in." Cedric said with a smile as he had told Dave to roll down the window to greet their guest.

    "Mr. Reyes, I''m very surprised that you came to pick me up." Atty. Mein said as he climbed into Cedric''s car. "And might I just add, I love your car."

    Cedric grinned at the praise he had received, this was of course, his favorite Rolls Royce Ghost, the only car he had insisted his father purchase for him.

    "Thank you, it''s my favorite." Cedric said as Mae closed the door behind her.

    "So our itinerary will be dinner at R Tower, that''s the headquarters of the Reyes Group. There is a very popr restaurant there called Nouveau, Mr. Reyes has invited his family to join us." Mae informed Atty. Mien as they left the airport.

    "It will be an honor to see your wife again, she truly is a rare beauty." Atty. Mien praised.

    "That she is." Cedric said with a nod and a smile.

    "I''m not saying this just to get on your good side sir, but your wife really is pretty. You make a good looking couple." Atty. Mien said.

    "You''ll see what the two of thembined looks like today." Mae said.

    "Oh?" Atty. Mien asked in surprise. "I''ll meet Emilio Reyes IV?"

    "Yes, I decided that this is a good event to bring my son to." Cedric said with a nod. "He doesn''t get to be around people much and I would like to change that as much as possible."

    "To be honest, sir, I thought you were intentionally hiding him from the public because of your whole poverty training thing." Thewyer nervously said.

    Cedricughed as he saw Atty. Mien quickly regret speaking so freely around him.

    "It''s fine." Cedric told thewyer, trying to put him at ease. "You don''t need to be so formal around me. But yes, I am keeping my son away from the public eye, but this is a private dinner."

    "Mr. Reyes only invited you, his wife, his sister and her husband, and us, his assistants, Atty. Mien." Mae informed Atty. Mien.

    "Please, just call me Mien, I really never liked people calling me by my title. It makes me feel old." He told Mae.

    "Alright then Mien." Mae said with a smile.

    "Are you sure about trusting me with how your son looks? What if I''m secretly a spy or someone working for your enemies. Isn''t this dangerous?" Mien asked Cedric who simplyughed.

    "Ced had a thorough background check done on you. We even know stuff you don''t." Ian told thewyer as they entered the busy part of the city.

    "Ian!" Mae scolded as she kicked the chair.

    "You do know that doesn''t do anything right?" Ian asked,ughing at the younger assistant.

    "It''s alright Mae, I was nning on telling our guest tonight." Cedric told Mae, stopping her from reacting anymore violently.

    "Telling me what?" Mien asked as he gave Cedric a confused look.

    "I''m sure you understand that I had to ask my people to run a thorough background check on you?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s only natural." Mien said with a nod.

    "We found some things about you that might interest you." Cedric told him with a shrug.

    "Things I don''t know?" Mien asked. "With all due respect sir, but I think I would know if I had secrets."

    "There are some things our parents keep from us to protect us because they love us." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Ah, wee to R Tower!" Mae excitedly said, interrupting Cedric''s conversation with Mien.

    Cedric''s car slowly rounded the building allowing Mien to take a good look before finally entering the underground parking lot.

    "We need to enter through the basement for your safety." Mae told Mien. "The Reyes family has a lot of enemies and if they see you arriving with Mr. Reyes, it will paint a target on your back."

    Mien simply nodded as the car pulled up to the underground driveway.

    Ian and Dave were quick to get off with Dave handing the keys back to the waiting driver.

    "Let''s talk in my office first before dinner." Cedric told his assistants as he looked at his watch.

    It was still early and he had time to exin to Mien what Ian had discovered about his family.

 Chapter 710 - 710

    Mien was in awe as they walked through the CEO''s floor to Cedric''s office.

    "Say it." Mae told Mien with augh as quickly looked back at them, realizing that he did not mask his amazement.

    "The Reyes Group offices look amazing!" He said excitedly. "I''ve been to a lot of headquarters of globalpanies, but none canpare to R Tower. It''s really elegant and futuristic."

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a smile as Dave opened the door to Cedric''s office for them. "My childhood friend, Veronica, designed the ce."

    "Veronica the designer sh architect?!" Mien asked in shock.

    "I thought you did your research about us?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow as he turned to face Mien.

    "I did, but I didn''t look that far." Mien said with a shrug.

    Cedricughed as he sat behind his desk, gesturing for everyone to be seated as well.

    "Coffee or Tea?" Ian asked Mien. "Or would you like something stronger?"

    "I think he might need something stronger with what we are going to tell him." Cedric said with augh.

    "I don''t think it''s appropriate for me to be drinking." Mien said shyly.

    "It''s okay, Mien." Mae said with a smile. "Ian and the boss are just finding an excuse to drink before dinner."

    "Whisky it is!" Ian dered as he walked over with their refreshments.

    "I''ll pass." Dave said as he took out a wine ss and a bottle of wine for Mae. "I''m driving the three of us to Sire. I can''t drink and drive."

    "What happened to your driver?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "I didn''t think we would need him tonight." Dave said with a shrug as he sat next to Mae. "Plus someone has to stay sober to show Mien to his room."

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod not wanting to further question his assistant.

    "You said you had something to tell me?" Mien managed to ask as he emptied his ss.

    "Rx Mien, we don''t want you to get drunk tonight. Just some liquid courage for what we are about to tell you." Cedric said with augh as he noticed thewyer was nervous.

    "It''s not everyday that someone tells you that they know more about you than you do." Mien told Cedric. "Wait, that doesn''t make sense. I swear sir I''m smart." He said with a panicked expression.

    Cedric and his assistants couldn''t help butugh at the awkward young man in front of them.

    "Don''t be a stranger, Mien, just call me Cedric." He said as he struggled not tough.

    "I''m so sorry Cedric, it''s just I don''t want to embarrass myself in front of you or your assistants." Mien said as he said as he scratched his head.

    "Well you have now." Mae teased. "Don''t worry, we don''t see you as anything less."

    Cedric nodded, agreeing with what his assistant had just said.

    "I guess since you know everything about me there is no use trying to act all formal." Mien said with a slightugh.

    "Of course we don''t know everything, but we do know a lot of things." Dave told Mien with a grin.

    "We know who your parents are, where you studied, who are your friends, and most importantly who caused the greatest pain in your life." Ian exined.

    "The greatest pain. . ." Mien said, repeating Ian''s words slowly.

    "Do you know what we are talking about?" Mae asked as she leaned forward.

    "I guess you could say that the greatest pain to my life was my dad''s death." Mien said with a frown as he recalled the painful memory.

    Cedric and his assistants gave Mien a few moments to gather himself as he thought of the recent pain that Fernando had helped him get over.

    "The truth is, after my father''s death, the second most painful thing to happen to me was Fernando''s death." Mien said with a frown. "I thought I had found a second father and a friend."

    "I''m sorry for your loss." Cedric said with a frown.

    "My dad might not have been my biological father, but he loved me just the same." Mien told Cedric and his assistants. "He treated me like a son."

    "Do you remember your biological parents?" Cedric asked.

    "I don''t." Mien said, shaking his head. "All my dad said was that he was my father''s brother and that my dad died when I was young."

    "And your mom?" Cedric asked.

    "He never spoke of my biological mother, I just assumed that he wasn''t on good terms with her, that''s why she was never brought up." Mein said with a shrug.

    "Mien, we''re sorry to be the ones to break this to you, but your adoptive father didn''t die of natural causes." Ian told the young man who was seated across from him.

    "What?!" Mien said in surprise. "That''s impossible, I saw his body, he wasn''t harmed."

    "Mien, your father died here, in this country. We had it investigated and we found out that there was foul y involved." Ian revealed, shocking Mien.

    "His body didn''te from here, it came from another country, how is that possible?" Mien asked.

    "Mien, your dad and Fernando were not strangers." Mae said as she ced a hand on thewyer''s shoulder.

    "That''s - that''s -" Mien tried to speak but he was so overwhelmed with emotions that he did not know what to say.

    "Impossible?" Dave asked. "It seems impossible and yet here we are."

    "Dave!" Mae scolded.

    "I''m sorry, what I mean is, Mien, we used the best sources that we could. Your father and Fernando were in contact." Dave exined. "As a matter of fact Fernando was the one that paid for your father''s ticket toe here."

    "How? Why?" Mien asked.

    "We don''t know yet, but I hope that our visit to Fernando''s family tomorrow will shed light on the matter." Cedric exined.

    "I want to find whoever killed my father." Mien said as tears fell from his eyes.

    "And we will find them." Cedric said with a nod. "We will help you find that person and we will help you bring him to justice."

    "Now I understand why Fernando approached me, I thought it was so odd for a stranger to want to share a table." Mien said with a frown.

    "Mien, don''t think any less of Fernando, I think he truly cared about you." Mae said.

    "I just want to get to the bottom of this and find out the truth." Mien said with a sigh.

 Chapter 711 - 711

    Cedric gave the youngwyer some time to gather his thoughts before speaking again.

    It was clear that there was an internal struggle going on inside Mien''s mind.

    "Mien, if you need people to talk to, we will be here." Mae said with a nod as she looked at the youngwyer.

    Cedric raised an eyebrow as he noticed Dave frown as Mae reached out and held Mein''s hand. He turned to look at Ian, who simply shrugged and ignored what was happening.

    "The manager of Nouveau just informed me that Yoyo and Adrianna have arrived." Ian told Cedric as he looked up from his phone.

    "How about Ayanna and Ray?" Cedric asked, inquiring after his sister and brother-inw.

    "They''re already downstairs, they were waiting at Ayanna''s office." Ian said as he ced his phone away.

    Cedric nodded as he got up from his seat, making the others in the room stand as well.

    Ian quickly walked over to the door and held it open for Cedric.

    "Mien, I know we are strangers to you." Cedric said as he stopped in front of Mien on the way out of his office. "But, I have a gut feeling about you. Something in me is telling me to help you and trust you."

    "Thank you, Cedric." Mien said with a sad smile. "I didn''t expect such a wee from you and your group. To be honest I thought you would be quite wary of me."

    "We were, but we''ve checked your background and found out that you have been telling us the truth from the start." Cedric told Mien. "Add to that the fact that my assistant here seems quite fond of you." Cedric teased.

    Mae''s eyes widened for a moment as she was taken by surprise by Cedric''sment.

    Cedric also didn''t miss the scowl on Dave''s face as Cedric mentioned Mae''s closeness to Mien. Clearly there was something going on between his two assistants, something he had missed out on.

    "Cedric, thank you." Mien simply said with a bow.

    Cedric nodded and led their group out of his office and down to Nouveau.

    The manager greeted Cedric and his group as he led them to Cedric''s private room. The restaurant had been closed for the night since Cedric didn''t want anyone catching a glimpse of Yoyo or Mien.

    He felt that Mien didn''t need the attention of the media in the capital.

    Of course, Cedric was also trying to protect his own son''s identity.

    There were two reasons why he didn''t want everyone to know how Yoyo looked as he grew up, and the tradition of the Reyes Poverty Training wasn''t even his main concern.

    He wanted Yoyo to have a chance to discover who he truly wanted to be and what kind of future he wanted to have. Cedric didn''t want his son to grow up with all the pressure that society would put on him if they could follow his every move.

    Cedric had seen how it had affected his friends, setting unrealistic expectations and having them live under a microscope their whole lives.

    It was either you caved into those expectations, or you threw caution to the wind and didn''t care at all about what the public had to say.

    "Daddy!" Yoyo screamed as he ran up to his father.

    Cedric quickly knelt down and hugged his son tightly.

    He had been so busy recently that he didn''t have the time to be with his son as much as he wanted.

    It was clear that his son felt his absence as well, as he hugged Cedric tightly, afraid to let go.

    "Yoyo, there is someone I want you to meet." Cedric said as he stood up, still hugging his four year old son.

    (I adjusted his age. I noticed I was still referring to him as a three year old despite Yoyo having celebrated his birthday already.)

    "A new friend daddy?" Yoyo asked as he gave Mien a curious nce.

    "Yes Yoyo, a new friend." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Mien, this is my son Yoyo." Cedric told thewyer as Yoyo waved at their guest.

    "Hi Yoyo, nice to meet you." Mien said with a smile.

    "Yoyo, this is Mien. He is a friend of Mae''s." Cedric said as he introduced his son to thewyer.

    Cedric couldn''t help but take a quick nce at his other assistant, Dave, who was once more frowning. It seemed that Dave didn''t like Mien.

    "Hi Mr. Mien." Yoyo greeted him with a smile. "Thank you for having dinner with us." The boy said in an adorable voice.

    "Thank you for having me over, Yoyo." Mien told the child with a smile.

    "Come, let me introduce you to my sister and brother-inw." Cedric told Mien as he led the man over to the table.

    "Mien, you know my wife, Adrianna." Cedric said as he ced Yoyo down on the seat next to his wife.

    "Mrs. Reyes, you are stunning as always." Mien praised.

    "Please, just call me Adrianna." She told him.

    Mien simply nodded and smiled.

    "And this is my sister, Ayanna Reyes - Laurence, she is my second-inmand here." Cedric said as he introduced his sister to the youngwyer.

    "My brother has told me so much about you." Ayanna said as she shook his hand. "I hope you enjoy your stay in our country."

    "Thank you Mrs. Laurence." Mien said with a smile. "It seems the capital is full of good looking people." Mien praised.

    "Please, call me Ayanna, Mrs. Laurence is my mother-inw." Ayanna said with a gentle smile.

    "Thank you, Ayana." Mien said in a respectful tone.

    "And this is my brother-inw and one of my best friends, Raymund Laurence." Cedric said as he introduced Mien to Ray.

    "Interesting. . ." Ray suddenly said as he looked at Mien from head to toe.

    "Ray?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "You didn''t give me his file so I didn''t know until now." Ray said with a shrug earning him confused looks from everyone else.

    "Sorry sir, but do I know you? Do you know me?" Mien asked, clearly confused by what was going on.

    "You don''t know me, but I''ve heard a lot about you over the years." Ray said with a sad smile.

    "Sir?" Mien asked.

    "You''re Cheng''s son." Ray said, catching Mien by surprise.

    "Yes, how do you know my dad?" Mien asked, clearly confused about what was happening.

    "Cheng worked for me." Ray announced, shocking everyone, including Cedric.

 Chapter 712 - 712

    Everyone was at a loss for words with what Ray had just told them. Cheng, Mien''s father, had worked for Ray.

    "I''m sorry sir, I don''t mean to offend, but why was my father working for you?" Mien asked, clearly utterly confused.

    "Simple, because he was the best." Ray said with a grin as he gave an unclear answer to the group.

    "I think we should all take a seat and have our meal served first." Cedric told them as he directed Mien to the seat across from Ray.

    "I''ll have the waiter bring in our food." Dave offered as he quickly stepped out.

    Cedric made a mental note to talk to Dave after tonight''s dinner, his assistant was clearly bothered by something but he was keeping it to himself.

    It took ten minutes for their food and drinks to finally be served, and those ten minutes were quite awkward for everyone.

    No one said a word and the only noises in the room were Yoyo''s quick chatter with his father.

    Cedric was d his wife had decided to bring their son along. Their situation would have been way more awkward if the little boy had not been around.

    As the waiters left the room and closed the door firmly behind them, Cedric knew that it was the time to revive the topic.

    "Ray, you owe us an exnation." Cedric said as he ced a piece of cut up meat in his son''s te.

    "It''s just odd that you didn''t ask me this time around." Ray said. "If you had asked me I would have told you about Cheng."

    "Well we are in this situation now, so how is it possible that Cheng worked for both you and Fernando?" Cedric asked. "And what use was some retired Businessman sh investigator to you? He isn''t even from around here."

    "Wait, my dad was not an investigator." Mien said as he gave Cedric a confused look. "Maybe you have the wrong person. My father couldn''t have been involved in any of this."

    "Did you ask Alexi about Cheng?" Ray asked, ignoring Mien''s suspicions of a mistaken identity. Ray sounded like he was definite that Cheng was Mien''s father.

    "Of course not." Cedric said. "It''s an international matter, I didn''t think Alexi would have any inputs on this either."

    "You should have asked either of us." Ray said with a sigh. "Cheng isn''t just some Singapore based businessman, he isn''t even Singaporian."

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked. "I have his documents, he is clearly a citizen."

    "See Mr. Reyes, it''s clear that Mr. Laurence isn''t talking about my father." Mien said as he injected himself into the conversation.

    Ray suddenlyughed at Mien''s frantic words.

    "Mien, I''m sure that it''s your father that worked for me." Ray said, shaking his head. "Don''t worry, that''s easy enough to prove. The moment I saw Mien I asked Alexi toe over."

    "What does Alexi have to do with this?" Cedric asked.

    As if on cue, the door to Cedric''s private room in Nouveau swung open and Alexi, still wearing his attire from being in congress, walked in.

    "No fucking way!" Alexi shouted as he made his way to Mien.

    Mien panicked as Alexi pulled his chair and made him stand up. Alexi grabbed him by the chin and tilted his face, making him turn to the left then to the right.

    "You weren''t joking Ray." Alexi said as he finally released a panicked Mien.

    The youngwyer took two steps back, attempting to create some sort of distance between himself and Alexi.

    "Did you really have to do that?" Ray asked as he ced down his wine ss after taking a sip. "You scared the boy."

    "You do know that he is at most five years younger than us?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "You found young Mien?" Alexi asked Cedric as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    "Didn''t your sister tell you about him?" Cedric asked back.

    "We both know my sister doesn''t tell me things and we don''t exactly live in the same house anymore." Alexi told Cedric as he pulled up a chair and ced it in between Cedric and Mien.

    "So how do you know Mien?" Cedric asked Alexi.

    "Easy, he is Cheng''s son." Alexi answered with a frown. "God, I remember how Cheng would go on and on about this son he had. He showed me photos and he even boasted about Mien''s achievements."

    "I''m pretty sure you felt worthless next to Mien." Ayanna said with augh as she pointed at Alexi.

    "How do you know about Mien''s achievements?" Alexi asked.

    "My brother''s files of course." Ayanna exined as she took another bite from her dinner.

    "And how do you know Mien?" Alexi asked Cedric.

    "You answer me first, who is Cheng and why do both you and Ray know about him?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "That''s easy." Alexi said with augh. "Cheng was one of dad''s top guys,ter on he started working for me."

    "My dad worked for you too?" Mien asked. "Wait, how sure are we that you and I are talking about the same man."

    "Easy, I''ll tell you everything he told us about you." Ray said with augh. "You were all he talked about so we picked up a thing or two."

    "Okay, go." Mien challenged.

    "Alright, for one you are adopted, Cheng is actually your uncle, but he loved you so much that he never treated you like anything other than a son." Alexi started to say.

    "When you went off to university your father missed you so much that he flew all the way to New York just to see you." Ray exined. "I provided for his tickets by the way."

    "And he stayed at my apartment." Alexi added.

    "He said that was a BnB." Mien said as he gasped. "My dad did work for you."

    Ray and Alexi burst outughing as the youngwyer realized that they were indeed talking about the same people.

    "Told ''ya." Ray said with a wink as he took another drink from his ss.

    "Wait, you still haven''t exined how Mien''s father worked for you." Cedric demanded, earning him a curious look from Alexi and Ray.

 Chapter 713 - 713

    "Oh that''s easy to exin." Alexi said as a waiter came in with food and drinks from him.

    The whole room went silent as they waited for the waiter to leave again.

    Cedric was puzzled by the silence, it seemed that whoever Mien''s father was he was someone important.

    So important that both Alexi and Ram chose not to speak about him around people they didn''t trust.

    "Sorry about that awkward silence." Alexi said as he cut the steak in front of him and poured himself a ss of wine. "I haven''t had lunch and I''m starving."

    "Your assistant didn''t fetch you food?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, I had to fire my assistant and I am looking for a new one." Alexi exined. "Care to send one of yours over?" He teased Cedric.

    "Of course not." Cedric said with augh. "Anyway, continue."

    "Continue on what?" Alexi asked as he ced a piece of steak in his mouth.

    "You were going to tell us how Mien''s father, Cheng, ended up working for you and Ray." Cedric said with a raised eyebrow.

    Cedric was starting to get quite frustrated with his friends. Alexi kept getting distracted and Ray was seemingly hesitant to talk about Mien''s deceased father.

    "Okay, okay, chill." Alexi teased. "Mien''s father, Cheng, was born here. His name was Christian See, and he worked as a government spy."

    Mein''s jaw dropped at the news, he had no idea how to process the revtion Alexi had just done.

    Cedric on the other hand remained calm andposed, it was as if nothing was shocking enough for him anymore.

    "So everything I know, everything I''ve ever known has been a lie?" Mien asked as he looked up at Alexi. The betrayal was evident in his eyes, the man he had considered to be his father had had another life aside from the one he had shown.

    "Not really." Alexi said as he took a drink from his wine ss. "Cheng loved you and he wanted you to seed in everything. The only difference is that his reason for being in Singapore was different from what you expected."

    "Dad said our family had always been from Singapore, how could he lie?" Mien asked.

    "He lied because that was the cover we had given him." Alexi exined. "Dad nted people all over Southeast Asia to see if any external forces were plotting against us, Cheng was one of those men."

    "So his friendship with the police captain?" Mien asked.

    "How do I exin this?" Alexi said to himself as he scratched his chin, thinking of the best way to word his exnation. "Ah, at first it wasn''t a real friendship, your father, Cheng, was trying to get close to anyone and everyone in the government."

    "That''s why dad has so many friends in politics and in the military!" Mien said with a gasp.

    "Yup, that''s for sure." Alexi said with augh. "Cheng made friends for his mission, but Singapore was quickly removed from the list of countries that could wish us ill. So those connections he nned to spy on? Those became real friends."

    "So why did we stay in Singapore if his mission was done?" Mien asked Alexi. "My dad and I still needed people in the country to keep their ears and eyes out. Plus your dad asked not to leave."

    "Why?" Mien asked with a confused look on his face.

    "From what Cheng and my dad told me, it was because you were so happy in Singapore. Also because your father was trying to escape a painful past here as well." Alexi said with a frown.

    "Do you know anything else about my dad and his past?" Mien asked as he was now eager to listen to Alexi.

    "Honestly, I don''t know much about his past, only his present, or what was his present." Alexi said with a frown as he remembered the man''s death. "He did some missions for us both here and abroad. His position as a businessman allowed him to move freely without question."

    "So how did he end up working for Ray?" Cedric asked as he pointed at his brother-inw across the table. "Don''t get me wrong but the jobs you need are the opposite sides of a coin."

    Mien gave Cedric a confused look as Cedric realized that Mien had no idea that these two friends were what people saw as good and evil.

    The government was good, protecting its people, following thew and enforcing it. While Ray and the rest of the Laurence family ruled the underbelly of the capital, overseeing all of the illegal business in the country.

    It was a miracle that the two families could stay in the same room together, let alone continue to be friends. But it was a symbiotic rtionship, the Sebastians benefited from the Laurences keeping the illegal activity in check. While the Laurences benefited from the Sebastians not letting people know the truth.

    It wasn''t a perfect solution, but it was one that had managed to keep the peace in the city for almost three generations now.

    Before Jose Sebasitan''s father and Benedicto Laurence''s father took their positions as their respective family''s heads there was chaos all over the city.

    The government had to fight against both the mafia and the gangs, two separate illegal groups that couldn''t be controlled.

    If it weren''t for the Laurence Family the two groups would never have joined together.

    "What I needed waspletely legal, he was our legal spy." Ray said with a smirk not wanting to let Mien know the dark side of his family.

    "Do you know what he was doing here in the country, working for Fernando?" Cedric asked both Alexi and Ram.

    "Fernando? As in the nurse you''ve been looking for?" Alexi asked.

    "Yes, that same one." Cedric said with a nod.

    "When he came here to the capital for the final time, he dropped by my office and said he needed to find someone." Ray exined.

    "Do you have the details?" Cedric asked his brother-inw.

    "I don''t but I send him to someone, I can call him over to find out." Ray suggested.

    "Didn''t you look into his death?" Cedric asked his two friends.

    "We did, but it was as if Cheng himself had erased any and all evidence of what he had been looking for." Alexi exined with a frown.

    "We''ll speak to your man in a week." Cedric told Ray. "We need to go somewhere for the next three days."

    "Ayanna will be in charge again?" Ray groaned.

    "Hey!" Ayanna said, pping her husband on the arm. "It''s just three days."

    "Yeah, but you get extra stressed and I don''t like it." Ray whined, making Ayanna roll his eyes at him.

    "I''m sorry Mien, but it looks like you''ll have to extend your stay." Cedric informed their guest with a frown.

    Cedric knew that Mien would never pass up the opportunity to find the reason behind his father''s death. Add to that the fact that there were still many unanswered questions, Mien would definitely want to stay.

    "Cedric, if you didn''t tell me to stay, I would have insisted." Mien said in a stern tone.

 Chapter 714 - 714

    Dave drove through the streets of the capital as a drunk Mae slept in the back seat.

    It seemed that his girlfriend had too much fun at the dinner their boss had sponsored and drank too much.

    He frowned as he looked back at her as he saw her silhouette leaning against the door.

    "I guess you don''t like me too much." Atty. Mien, their guest from Singapore said.

    Dave frowned and took a deep breath, the youngwyer couldn''t be more wrong.

    "It''s not that I don''t like your Atty. Mien." Dave said as he continued to look forward. "You seem like a really nice guy, a very smart one in fact. Under different circumstances I would think we could be good friends."

    "And what are the circumstances now?" Atty. Mien asked. "And please, drop the title, just call me Mien."

    "I''d rather not." Dave said with a chuckle as he shook his head.

    "Look, it''s obvious that you and Mae have something going on." Atty. Mien said quite bluntly.

    "Oh? And how sure are you about that?" Dave asked, unsure about how he should react.

    "Cause Mae told me." Atty. Mien said with augh, making Dave step on the breaks out of shock.

    He quickly turned to check on Mae, but she was still sound asleep in the back seat.

    "Rx, she didn''t tell me who, but you guys kind of confirmed it today." Atty. Mien exined to Dave.

    Dave took a deep breath and calmed himself, losing his temper would turn out for the worst.

    "And how did thise up in a conversation?" Dave asked as he resumed driving.

    They were only five minutes away from Sire Towers, he just wanted to get home as quickly as possible.

    "I asked her out and she t out told me no." Atty. Mien said quite frankly.

    "Wow, you didn''t even try to sugar coat that." Dave said with augh.

    "Your girlfriend is a pretty one." Atty. Mien confessed. "It''s only normal for men to approach her, you can''t me me."

    "I know, I know." Dave said with a sigh. At least this time the man at the other end was not some pushy guy that kept insisting he be given a chance.

    "For what it''s worth, Mae is just a friend to me now." Atty. Mien exined. "Closer to that of a sister than someone I would date."

    "You barely know her." Dave said with augh.

    "I feel some sort of connection to her, I can''t exin it, but I feelfortable around her." Atty. Mien exined.

    "A lot of people feel that way around her, she seems to put people at ease, while I on the other hand seem to stress them out." Dave said with a sigh as they pulled up in front of the VIP entrance of Sire Towers.

    "You don''t seem like the assistant type, to be honest." Atty. Mein admitted as they remained seated in the car.

    "Because I''m not supposed to be one for long." Dave said with augh. This wasn''t the first time he was hearing this.

    On many asions he had been mistaken as a guest or a rtive of Cedric''s, something about him just made his upbringing ooze out.

    "Are you a cousin of Cedric''s or something?" Atty. Mien teased.

    "No, but I''m here to learn from him." Dave said with a smile as he shook his head. "My family has our own business and I was lost for a while. That''s when Cedric and Ian found me and decided to train me."

    Dave chose not to tell Mien about Cedric''s and Ian''s promise to his brother, it wasn''t relevant for the conversation.

    "Does she know?" Mien asked Dave.

    "Yes, she knows." Dave replied with a nod. "If you are thinking that I can''t marry her because we aren''t from the same social circle, you''ve got something elseing for you buddy." Dave teased.

    "And your family will be alright with that?" Mien asked.

    "Yeah, my dad and mom are not like those typical stuck up rich parents." Dave exined. "They know I love her and I want to be with her for the rest of my life."

    "Wow, I didn''t think you guys were that far into your rtionship." Mien said with a surprised expression.

    "We are a very low key couple." Dave said with a shrug. "Now enough talk about my love life, let''s get you settled in."

    With that Dave got out of the car and handed his keys to a valet to park.

    "So is this ce really a residential building?" Mien asked as he looked up at thevish towers in front of him. "This ce could be a hotel!"

    "It''s a high end residence where the Reyes Group houses most of its key employees and executives." Dave exined as he walked over to Mae''s door to carry her.

    "So everyone living here are employees of the Reyes Group?" Mien asked.

    "No." Dave said as he opened the door and carried his girlfriend out, bridal style. "There are people who live here that don''t work for the Reyes Group, this ce isn''t exactly listed as a property of theirs."

    "Then who''s?" Mien asked.

    "Prince Group." Dave said as he led them into the lobby.

    Mien was once more in shock as they walked into thevishly decorated lobby. The ce was practically deserted aside from the guards, a receptionist, and two bellhops.

    Everything about the ce screamed five-star hotel.

    "Sofia, can you get the elevator for us." Dave asked as he smiled at the receptionist.

    She nodded and quickly walked over to one of three elevators.

    "Wait, Dave, my things." Mien said in a panic as he turned back.

    "Rx, they will bring it up to your room." Dave said with augh as he stepped into the elevator. "Thanks Sofia." Dave said with a wink as Mien got in with him.

    "So who is the Prince Group?" Mien asked.

    "For a foreigner you sure have a ton of questions." Dave grumbled. "But my boss and girlfriend both trust you, so fine. Prince Group is owned by the five princes. Cedric Reyes, Raymund Laurence, Alexander Sebastian, Ramon Abad, and Miguel Chan. It''s through thatpany that they operate multiple businesses that their families would have otherwise not let them buy."

    "Illegal businesses?" Mien asked.

    "Your imagination is too wild." Dave said with augh. "No, just businesses that would have been considered too big of a risk, like Constetions Resorts."

    "Oh." Mien said in surprise as he tried to process what Dave had just told him.

    "My boss''s worth isn''t determined purely by what the Reyes Group makes." Dave said with augh. "He is much more capable than people give him credit for."

    "I see that now." Mien said with a nod as the elevator opened.

    "I''ll take Mae first to my room then I''ll take you to yours." Dave said as he walked up to one of two doors on the level.

    "Just two units?" Mien asked as he looked around.

    "The top floor is Cedric''s penthouse, he never actually stays there, but it''s his. This floor is for me and Mae." Dave exined. "The floor beneath us is for Leon and Cami. The floor below that has another two units, that''s where you will be staying."

    "This is really a very luxurious ce." Mien said as Dave pushed the door open and let them in.

    Mien was once more in awe as they stepped into Dave''s apartment. Everything was clean and oozed luxury. It was too huge to even be considered an apartment, it wasrger than most houses.

    "Mr. Reyes takes care of his people. This unit is actually in my name, I can choose to keep it or return it to Cedric if I leave thepany. But he has made it a point that even if we return this one he will rece it with something more extravagant." Dave said with augh.

    "Someone has left the Reyes Group?" Mein asked in surprise. The Reyes Group seemed like the type ofpany you would want to work in till your death.

    "Not exactly." Dave said as they walked further into the apartment. "Take a seat, I''ll be back soon."

    Mien looked towards the couch Dave was gesturing to and nodded as the man carried his girlfriend up to the second floor.

    As Dave finally made it up the stairs he pushed his bedroom door open with his foot and walked in.

    Mae had spent most nights in Dave''s room, so she already had some clothes and her own set of hygiene products in his room.

    He gently ced Mae down on his bed and took out a pen and paper in case she woke up while he was with Mien.

    As he quickly jotted a note down, Mae stirred.

    "Dave?" Mae called out.

    "I''m here Mae. I''ll help you take a bathter, I just need to make sure that the boss''s guest gets to his room safely." Dave said as he ced a gentle kiss on her lips.

    "You know that I love you right? You are the only guy I love." Mae mumbled in her drunk state.

    "Yes babe, yes." Dave said as he stroked her cheek.

    "Good, so don''t hurt Mien. He is nothingpared to you." Mae said with a weak smile as she fell back to sleep.

    "I know that now. I love you." Dave told her as he stood up and quietly left the room with his pride, fully restored.

 Chapter 715 - 715

    Dave walked back down to his living room to find Mien still looking around in awe.

    "The boss went overboard with our residences." Dave said with augh, surprising his guest. "Coffee? Tea?" Dave offered.

    "Coffee." Mien said with a nod as Dave gestured for him to follow to the kitchen.

    Mien was once more shocked as the divider automatically opened between the living room, the dining room, and the kitchen as Dave pressed a button.

    "Everything about Sire Residences is top of the line." Dave exined as he offered Mien a seat at the breakfast bar. "All of the units are renovated annually and the Reyes Group shoulders all of the costs."

    "The Reyes Group is very generous." Mien said with a nod as Dave prepared coffee for the both of them.

    "Look, Mien, I''m sorry we got off on the wrong foot." Dave said with a sigh as he worked the espresso machine. Normally a maid would be there preparing his coffee and meals for him, but he decided that he wanted to speak with Mien in private.

    "I don''t me you." Mien said. "I mean, you have every right to be wary around people. To be honest, I didn''t think it was because of Mae at first."

    "It wasn''t." Dave said as he poured their coffee. "I don''t trust as easily as Mae and the others. I grew up in an environment where I couldn''t just trust people because I came from a well off family."

    "I guess I don''t give that trustworthy vibe either." Mien said with augh as Dave walked over with their drinks.

    "Sugar? Cream?" Dave asked as he pulled a tray over to them.

    "Thanks." Mien said with a nod.

    "That''s what Cedric values in me I guess." Dave exined. "I''m more carefulpared to the others. Sadly, that''s also my weakness. I tend to over analyze things and that''s what dys our work."

    "You and Mae are very different people." Mien said with augh as he took a sip from his coffee.

    Dave nodded, he couldn''t help but agree, it was the truth.

    "Mae is very impulsive and she goes with her gut feeling a lot. Even if the facts tell us not to go for a project but she feels like something is promising about it, she won''t stop." Dave said as he smiled at the thought of his girlfriend.

    "You seem very much in love." Mien said as he pointed at Dave, who in turn nodded.

    "I love her and she loves me, but we would never risk our jobs for our rtionship." Dave exined.

    "Why is it that you guys all seem to have this undying loyalty to the Reyes Family?" Mien asked.

    "Not the Reyes Family, just Cedric, he is our boss after all." Dave said as he took another sip from his coffee.

    "Then why?" Mein asked. "He isn''t family, it''s not like you owe your life to him. But from what I have seen you, Mae, and Ian would do anything for him."

    "It''s because he would do anything for us as well." Dave exined. "Cedric Reyes is more than just an employer to us. It''s not easy for other people to understand, but Cedric is a brother and a mentor."

    "You are lucky to have such a good employer." Mien said with a frown. "I''ve worked for my fair share of bad ones."

    "You know, if you ever wanted to work for Cedric, I''m sure he would be more than willing to have you." Dave said as he finished his coffee. "And if the Reyes Group is not exciting enough for you, I''m sure Katerina has some vacancies."

    "Oh, I can''t." Mien said, shocked that Dave would invite him to work for the Reyes Group.

    Dave quickly whipped out his phone and began typing. He was messaging Ian about his suggestion. If the head assistant would approve of Mien working at the Reyes Group, then Cedric was most likely to approve of the idea.

    "Wait, what are you doing?" Mien asked when he noticed Dave typing on his phone.

    "Just checking with Ian what he thinks about the suggestion." Dave said as he ced his phone down on the counter.

    "Do you guys even have the power to decide on these things?" Mien asked as Dave''s phone buzzed as a message came in.

    "If Ian thinks it''s a good idea, there is a high chance Cedric will too." Dave exined. "They are best friends and rarely disagree."

    "I don''t think I have a ce here, plus what about my life in Singapore?" Mien asked.

    "He said it''s a good idea, he''s calling Cedric now." Dave announced with a grin. "Mien, tell me honestly, you''ve lived most of your life out of that country, is that really your home?"

    "It''s where my mom lives." Mien said with a frown.

    "If what Alexi and Ray say about your dad is true then your mom isn''t from Singapore and she''s been away from her family for decades." Dave exined. "Your home is here and you probably have rtives you''ve never met here. This move isn''t just for your mom, but for you too."

    Mien frowned at the thought. Today, he learned that his father Cheng had been lying to him, there was so much that he wanted to learn about his family and his family''s roots and Dave was right, this country was most likely where his mom hade from.

    "Mien, moving here won''t be a selfish thing. Your mom can choose to stay in Singapore or toe over." Dave told Mien in a serious tone. "The Reyes Group will give you a sryrge enough to provide for her, no matter where she chooses to live."

    "You''re right." Mein said with a nod. "But I would need to talk to her first."

    "Well Cedric just said yes." Dave said with a grin as he showed Mien his phone.

    "What? That fast?" Mien asked as he took Dave''s phone and read the message.

    It was from Cedric himself. It read ''Ian just called about Mien, I think it''s a good idea. Call when you can.''

    "I guess the boss wants to discuss your terms of employment as soon as possible." Dave said with augh as he took his phone back and dialed Cedric''s number.

 Chapter 716 - 716

    The next day, Mae rubbed her eyes as she pushed Dave''s heavy arm off her. She was sure that he would make sure she got to bed safe and sound.

    "Dave, let me get out of bed." Mae said as she struggled to move his arm off of her.

    "Mmmm, no." Dave mumbled as he pulled her to him and held her in a tight embrace.

    "Dave Lazaro! It''s 5am and we are leaving at 7am. I need to get out of bed and get ready." Maeined as she sessfully got out of his arms and hopped off of the bed.

    "Why did Cedric want to leave so early?" Dave grumbled as he followed Mae into the bathroom.

    "No, you are not joining me in the shower." Mae shouted as she pushed Dave out of the bathroom and locked the door.

    "Hey! It''s my bathroom!" Daveined as he knocked on the door.

    "Go ask the cook to prepare us some breakfast!" Mae called out from the otherside of the door. "I''ll prepare your clothes after I get out."

    "It''s fine, I''m not a child. I can manage." Dave grumbled.

    "Thanks! I love you." Mae called out as she continued to take a bath.

    "Oh, before I forget. Mien and I sort of bondedst night. He''s going to move permanently to the capital and work for the Reyes Group." Dave said, catching Mae by surprise.

    "And here I thought you didn''t like him." Mae said with augh.

    "We settled our differencesst night." Dave exined.

    "Last night while I was shitfaced drunk?" Mae asked as she remembered how she had passed out as soon as she got into Dave''s car.

    "Yep." Daveughed. "He''s having breakfast with us. The room you set up for him, Cedric said he could have it."

    Mae tried to recall which unit she had ced Mien at. It wasn''t one of therge ones Cedric had prepared for his assistants and bodyguard, but it was part of his staff''s wing.

    It was one of therge four bedroom units on the lower floors with two or three on each floor. Like their units, it had its own staff to handle the upants'' needs.

    "I guess I''ll need to make sure everything''s in order before we leave then." Mae called out.

    "I''ll help you." Dave promised. "I''ll see you in a bit then."

    Mae smiled as she realized that Dave and Mien now truly got along. She connected quite well with Mien and she could see a good working rtionship between her and him.

    She definitely didn''t see him the way she saw Dave, but she knew Mien would be a friend.

    As she walked into Dave''s huge closet she picked out a simple ck suit and trousers for herself. She knew that a difficult task was ahead of them since Fernando''s family didn''t even know he was alive.

    Mae looked at the clothes in the closet and smiled, she couldn''t help but notice how Dave had already emptied out half of it for her. She hadn''t brought most of her clothes since she didn''t spend every night with him. She just brought enough to make it so that she didn''t need to go back and forth.

    Once she was dressed, she picked a simple suit for Dave andid it out on the couch at the center of the walk-in closet. She also picked out a watch and a tie for him and neatly organized everything.

    "Mae, are you done?!" Dave called out as he looked for her in the room.

    "Just a moment. Doing my make up!" Mae said as she ced some powder on her face.

    As always she chose to go with something light, working for Cedric Reyes meant that she was always on the move and there was barely any time to do a touch up. So she had gotten ustomed to wearing simple make up.

    "Mien is here, I told him I was just going to take a bath." Dave said as he walked into the closet.

    "Alright. I''ll pack your bag after this, then have breakfast, then pack my bag." Mae said as she did some final checks of herself in the mirror.

    "You know you don''t need to pack my bag. I can do that on my own." Dave said as he rolled his eyes.

    "Fine, but don''t forget your toiletries and toothbrush. I swear, for an assistant you pack horribly." Mae teased Dave as she stood up and walked out of the room.

    As Mae walked down to the living room, she was greeted by a smiling Mien who had looked up from hisptop when he heard her.

    "No hangover?" Mien asked with a grin as he moved to stand up.

    "None." Mae said with augh as she walked up and gave him a hug. "Dave told me the news, so when are you moving everything?"

    "Well I called my momst night and it seems like she has been wanting toe home for years. She even cried. Now I feel bad about having kept her in Singapore." Mien said with a frown as he folded hisptop.

    "I''m sure your mom was happy in Singapore too. The only hard part was she never got toe home because of your dad." Mae said as she led them to the dining room.

    "Good morning Miss Mae." The cook greeted as he served her and Mien some breakfast.

    "Chef Mac, this is Atty. Mien, he''ll be living in Sire as well." Mae said as she introduced the chef to Mien.

    "Happy to have you join us, Atty. Mien. I hope you enjoy your stay. If you need anything, the staff would be more than willing to oblige." Chef Mac said with a small bow.

    "Thank you." Mein responded.

    "Miss Mae, your bags are packed and in the lobby. Mr. Dave asked us to prepare it for you." A maid said as she appeared beside Chef Mac.

    "Oh, wow, thank you." Mae said, a little bit surprised with Dave asking a maid to pack her bag for her.

    "We will leave you now, enjoy your breakfast. I''ll be back to serve Mr. Dave''s food when he returns." Chef Mac said as he and the maid left.

    "Wow, Dave wasn''t kidding when he said things were really luxurious here." Mienmended as he took a bite of his breakfast.

    "Dave and I normally prepare our own food, but since we are going away today, we have the staff prepare it for us." Mae exined. "But they doin a lot that we don''t let them do their jobs enough."

    "They were hired to do away with the daily chores for you so you could do your jobs better." Mien said with a shrug. "If you guys perform subpar then they are to be med as well."

    "Mmmm, I guess you are right." Mae said as she continued to eat.

    "So it was Dave?" Mien asked with a raised eyebrow, making Mae choke on her food.

    Mien couldn''t help butugh at her reaction as she drank a ss to relieve herself.

    "Yes, it is Dave." Mae said with a nod as soon as she recovered. "And I would appreciate it if you didn''t let anyone know."

    "Why not? I think it''s only natural that a rtionship would form between the two of you." Mien said as he drank his coffee.

    "Cedric isn''t a fan of workce rtionships." Mae said. "Or at least that''s what the rumors say. His mother was really only strict with that, it seemed she hated it when personal lives interfered with the professional one. Not everyone can keep the two separate."

    "Mae, I doubt Cedric thinks that way. Have you even ever asked?" Mien said with a questioning look.

    Mien''s question suddenly made Mae realize that they never had asked. And even back when Cedric had found out about Leon and Mia there was nothing but understanding his eyes.

    Maybe they had judged Cedric too quickly? She simply assumed that since people said Cedric was opposed to it because of his mother''s beliefs then he would be too.

    Their boss had shown time and again that he was an ally of love, of being with the person that you loved. So why wasn''t it possible that he would be alright with two of his assistants dating?

    Surely, he would find that eptable?

 Chapter 717 - 717

    Mae sat at the front passenger seat as Dave sat at the back with Mien. Since they would be going for a long drive Mae had asked their assigned driver to take them to Cedric''s ce.

    "You guys are tense." Their driver teased them as they pulled out of the Sire Tower driveway. He had been working with Mae and Dave for years and was quite aware of their rtionship.

    "The job ahead is a little bit stressful so the mood matches it." Mae simply exined. "Are you ready for the long drive?" She asked as she tried to divert the topic.

    "Yup, it''s Dave and Mr. Mien riding with me, right?" The driver asked.

    "Yes, I''ll be riding with Ian and the boss in ghost." Mae responded with a nod. Cedric''s employees called his favorite Rolls Royce Ghost simply as ghost. It was his most frequently used car and was quite well known.

    "The madam and the little prince aren''ting along?" The driver asked, surprised that Cedric would go somewhere without his wife and son for more than a day.

    "No, this one is business." Mae exined. "Yoyo has school and Adri needs to deal with things at Ind''s Inc. So it''s just us."

    The driver simply nodded and focused on the road.

    It was quite early so there wasn''t any traffic, making the drive to Cedric''s Mountain View mansion quite quick.

    As they drove through the gate, Mien gasped in shock at the size of Cedric''s property.

    "He is the richest man in the country." Dave said with augh.

    "First or second, it''s still debatable." Mae corrected.

    "Who else could be richer than him?" Mien asked the pair.

    "His dad." Dave answered quite bluntly.

    "Plus there are debates whether or not his sister, Ayanna is richer than him." Mae added.

    "Don''t forget the madam." The driver said, joining into the conversation. "Mr. Cedric loves Miss Adrianna so much that if she asked for all his wealth he would give it in a heartbeat."

    "Things will get even moreplicated with the next generation." Dave exined as he shook his head. "With so many friends marrying each other''s sister the distribution of wealth starts to get confusing."

    "The Reyeses, Laurences, and Sebastians will practically be one family." Mae said as she thought of how the dynamics will work in the future.

    "If none of Cedric''s children choose to be the Reyes heir, the next ones in line will be Ayanna''s children. Ayanna''s children in turn are the direct heirs of the Laurence fortune." Dave told Mien as he exined how interconnected the families now were.

    "The Chans and the Abads also have a possibility of joining wealth, so things can get reallyplicated." Mae said with a sigh as they pulled up to the house.

    "Drive ahead of us and we will follow." Mae told the driver as she opened the door, not waiting for a response.

    Mae knew that the driver would do as she asked since that had been their protocol from the very beginning.

    The assistant''s car would drive ahead, while Cedric''s followed behind. At the head and tail of their convoy were also two sets of security vehicles and four motorcycles on each side.

    Cedric hated the fact that he had to travel with so much security, but he was aware that it was necessary.

    A lot of people didn''t like the Reyes Group. They were too rich and too powerful to have not stepped on any toes on the way up.

    Add to that the fact that under Cedric''s leadership, the group became more aggressive. And as much as Cedric tried not to offend people or have people lose so much, it was inevitable.

    "Good morning." Cedric greeted Mae as he stepped out of the doors of his house. "Where is Mien?" He asked as he looked around.

    "In the car with Dave." Mae told Cedric as she pointed toward Dave''s car.

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod as he turned and looked back as the door opened behind him.

    Adrianna stepped out and hugged her husband tightly.

    "I''ll miss you." Adrianna said as she went on her tip toes and kissed Cedric on the lips.

    "I''ll miss you too." Cedric told her as their lips parted. "Please stay safe and don''t try to leave your security at home. You know how important it is to have them around."

    "I won''t, I promise." Adrianna told her husband with a loving smile. "I even asked my assistant to limit all my meetings till 3pm. I want to be home when Yoyo is home."

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a smile as he gave her onest hug before walking to his car.

    "Take care, Adrianna." Mae told her boss'' wife before following him to the car.

    "You too Mae. Take care of my husband and the boys." Adrianna said with a nod as she smiled and walked back into the house.

    "Are we ready to go?" Cedric asked Ian as his oldest assistant walked up to him.

    "Yeah, everything is ready, we were just waiting for you." Ian said with a nod as Cedric''s driver, John, opened the card door for Cedric.

    "It''s a long drive ahead, John." Cedric said with augh.

    "Don''t worry boss, I slept like a babyst night and I''m full of energy now." John said as Cedric and Ian got inside the car.

    Mae followed suit and got into the front passenger seat, making herselffortable for the drive ahead.

    "Feeling anxious?" Cedric asked Mae as he noticed her uneasy aura that morning.

    "Yes, it''s going to be hard speaking to Fernando''s family." Mae said with a frown as the lead car started to move.

    "Did you have his body brought ahead of us?" Ian asked the younger assistant.

    "Yes." Mae told Ian with a nod. "I found the best morgue in the city and asked them to keep the body overnight."

    "What will you do if they refuse to believe you?" Cedric asked Mae in a concerned tone.

 Chapter 718 - 718

    The province where Fernando''s family lived was a five hour drive south from the capital. At first Mae had suggested that Cedric take the chopper to the province while they went by car.

    However, Cedric was not a fan of flying everywhere. He enjoyed being on the road and a part of him still refused to ept how rich he was now.

    He had lived the poor life for far too long, and most of theforts his wealth afforded him now felt like a waste.

    When Cedric''s convoy arrived at the small province, they turned many heads. People were not used to seeing such luxurious cars since the province was quite poor.

    "Boss, do you still have the energy to drop by our office in this province first?" Mae asked as she scrolled through her phone.

    "A quick tour should be fine." Cedric said with a nod as he looked out of the window. "I want you to be able to visit Fernando''s family within the day."

    "Mae, ask Dave to prepare our hotel." Ian instructed. "He and Mien don''t need to join us. They can rest while we go to the office."

    "Got it." Mae said with a nod as she typed away on her phone, informing Dave of Ian''s instructions.

    "John, after dropping us off at the office, hand over mine and Ian''s bags to one of the security vehicles to take to Dave. He''ll know what to do." Cedric told his driver who simply nodded in response,

    The trip to the local Reyes Group office was quick. Cedric and his group were greeted by the area manager and he gave them a quick tour.

    It was clear that the man wanted to take advantage of Cedric''s visit and he didn''t hesitate to boast what achievements they had made despite being in a poor area.

    "Mr. Reyes, this ce has the potential to be themercial hub of the south." The manager said. "But not a lot ofpanies are willing to invest, not even our own."

    "We''ll see what can be done." Cedric said with a nod as he looked around at the hopeful faces in the room.

    "Sir, actually if it helps, I''vepleted all of the information about our province and the reasons why the Reyes Group should increase its investment here." The manager told Cedric as he handed him a hard drive and some documents.

    Ian reached out and took it from the manager.

    "Look through it and corroborate it with the information you can get." Cedric instructed Ian, who simply nodded.

    "Sir, the mayor also contacted us after hearing about your arrival." The manager exined. "He wanted to host a weing dinner for you tonight."

    "I will be busy tonight." Cedric said in a straightforward fashion. "I''ll be free tomorrow."

    "I''ll tell the mayor then, sir." The manager said with a nod.

    "The boss has some other appointments today." Ian informed the manager. "Please prepare his office for tomorrow. We will be staying here for at least a week."

    "I want to see how we can further expand thepany across all our regions. Yours is just the first of many." Cedric said with a nod in a less intimidating tone.

    The manager simply nodded and walked Cedric and his group out of the building.

    "Sir, thank you." The manager suddenly said as Cedric took a step towards his car.

    "Hmmm?" Cedric asked as he looked at the manager.

    "This ce has never been visited by someone as important as you. For the longest time our province felt neglected." The manager exined. "By just being here you give us hope."

    Cedric was at a loss for words with what the manager had told him. In all honesty he didn''te to the province for them. He came because of Fernando, but for some reason the entire province was now benefiting.

    He maintained hisposure as he gave the manager a slight nod and got into his car.

    When Ian and Mae climbed in after him, Cedric was finally able to breathefortably. He let out a sigh and frowned.

    "How many other ces in the country are like this?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "What do you mean?" Ian asked with a confused look on his face.

    "How many ces have we neglected? What that manager said made me realize that we have only been focused on the capital and several key cities then we chose to expand internationally." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Cedric, it''s always been this way. Are you nning on changing it?" Ian asked.

    "I can, can''t I?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "It won''t be easy." Mae said from the front seat. "Many of these provincesck the infrastructure for us to do anything aggressive. Add to that the fact that there is a poorer poption in most of them making it difficult to expand."

    "Get on the phone with the other prince." Cedric ordered. "Between us there has to be a way to get money flowing back into these provinces."

    "People willugh at you and doubt you for this n." Ian warned Cedric.

    "Do you think I care?" Cedric asked back.

    "Alright, no need to be so cranky." Ian told Cedric as he rolled his eyes.

    "Boss, do you still have some energy in you?" Mae asked as she stared at her phone.

    "More meetings?" Cedric said as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

    "No, but I think we need to head on over to Fernando''s family home." Mae said with a frown.

    "Did something happen?" Ian asked.

    Their original n had been for them to rest and visit in a few hours. For Mae to suggest a change in ns, something big had to have happened.

    "Yes. His whole family is apparently moving. Tonight." Mae said, the urgency clear in her tone. "I''ve asked Dave and Mien to go on ahead. They should be able to stop them."

    "Did they sell their house?" Cedric asked.

    "No, but everything seems to be packed." Mae said with a frown.

    "John, get us there as soon as you can." Cedric instructed his driver. To which the man simply nodded and stepped on the gas.

 Chapter 719 - 719

    Fernando''s family home was a thirty minute drive away from the provincial office of the Reyes Group.

    It was far enough that there were barely any buildings around, and the tiny vige where the home was located consisted of only thirty families.

    As Cedric''s convoy pulled up to the house, he looked out and frowned. The nurse had been living quite afortable life and yet his rtives lived in a small single story concrete house.

    "This is really it?" Cedric asked as he looked at Dave''s car that was parked right outside of the house.

    "Yes, sadly Fernando''s family and all the families in this area sold their homes to a miningpany." Mae exined.

    "Find out about that miningpany once we get back to the hotel." Cedric ordered as he opened the door and stepped out of his car.

    The whole town was silent, it seemed that most of those living there in the past had already left, and Fernando''s family was one of thest ones to remain.

    "Boss." Dave greeted as he came out of the small house. "We got to them in time. They were just about to leave when we arrived."

    "Is Mien inside with them now?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "No, he''s in the car. Should I fetch him?" Dave asked.

    "Ian, please ask Mien to join us." Cedric told Ian who was standing behind him.

    His assistant dutifully did as he asked and walked towards the car.

    "You''re the one they''ve already met." Cedric exined to Dave who was quite confused that a trivial task was assigned to Cedric''s more senior assistant. "If I step in there and tell them the news it will be way too overwhelming. Let''s help them out a bit." Cedric said with a smile.

    Dave wordlessly nodded and led Cedric and Mae into the house.

    The inside of the house was quite bare, it was clear that Fernando''s family was moving with the intention of nevering back.

    Cedric and his group were immediately faced with people Cedric assumed to be Fernando''s family. There was an elderly woman who immediately frowned at the sight of Cedric.

    She began to shout at Cedric in anguage he didn''t understand.

    Cedric frowned as she spoke, he didn''t need an interpreter to understand that she was mad at him for some reason.

    When the elderly woman finally finished her piece Cedric looked at Dave who took a deep breath and turned to a man sitting next to the elderly woman.

    "I''m sorry about my mother." The man said.

    "She''s mad about something, do you mind tranting for me?" Cedric asked as he dared to take a closer step.

    "It is very offensive, I don''t think you would want to hear it." The man exined with a frown, he was clearly unsure about what to do.

    "I know, it was quite clear with her tone. Please, trante." Cedric said with a nod.

    "If you don''t mind sir, I''ll just leave out some of the offensive parts." The man told Cedric as he finally gave into his request.

    Cedric simply nodded and let the man continue.

    "My mother is mad, she said she has seen many men like you. Men in suits and ties all dressed up pretending to bring us good things only to take our home and throw us to the wolves." The man said as he looked at Cedric, as if asking if he should continue.

    "Go on." Cedric told the man with a nod.

    "She said that if you bring the same false gifts as those men you should just go back to where you came. She is sick and tired, she is old, and she wants you all gone." The man tranted.

    "Tell her that I am not with the men she is talking about, and what I bring isn''t exactly good news." Cedric said with a frown.

    The man paused as if wanting to ask more, but he went against his better judgement and simply tranted to the olddy.

    She quickly gave her answer and her son tranted it back.

    "She said, let''s get over with it, what do you have to tell us?" The man exined.

    "Do you know a man named Fernando? Did you have a brother and she a son named Fernando?" Cedric asked.

    "Fernando?! Fernando?!" The olddy began to say in a distressed tone.

    Her son quickly tried to calm her down, it took him a while but eventually she settled down.

    "Yes, my older brother''s name is Fernando, but he died over twenty years ago." The man said with a frown.

    "Why was your mother so distressed?" Cedric asked as he looked at the olddy.

    "My mother. . ." The man said as he looked at the olddy. "My mother doesn''t think my brother died when he did. She said she would see him in the city or in the woods out back."

    "What if I told you your mother wasn''t exactly wrong?" Cedric asked the man.

    The man looked at Cedric as if he were crazy, and after a long silence heughed.

    "With all due respect sir, we buried my brother''s remains. We mourned him. I doubt that my brother could have been alive all these years and not contact us." The man said as gave Cedric a serious look.

    The old woman began to tug on her son''s shirt, trying to catch his attention. The man quickly said something to silence her, before finally facing Cedric once more.

    "My mother wants to ask how you know of my brother." The man said with a frown.

    "How did she understand what I said?" Cedric asked.

    "She didn''t, she just heard his name and assumed." The man said with a shrug.

    "It''s not my boss that knew Fernando." Mae said as she spoke up.

    The man seemed to be quite surprised when he saw Mae. He probably wasn''t expecting for one of Cedric''s people to be the one to have known his brother.

    "You can''t have known him. My brother died when you were probably 2 or 3 years old, he couldn''t have known you." the man said as he shook his head.

 Chapter 720 - 720

    "Your brother didn''t die twenty years ago." Mae said. "My friend and I knew him." She said as she pulled Mien forward.

    The man stared at Mien and Mae for a while, he was rendered speechless by what Mae had just revealed.

    "Impossible." The man said after a long silence.

    "Sir, what''s your name?" Mien asked.

    Cedric suddenly realized that he never even asked for their names, no wonder they were so hostile towards him.

    "Max, and my mother is Joan." He said with a slight smile.

    "Hi Max, my name is Mien and this is Mae." Mien said as he extended a hand for Max to shake. The man took it, making Mien smile.

    "Mien and I both met Fernando in Singapore." Mae exined. "I met him almost a month ago and Mien met him a few weeks before that."

    "Miss Mae, that''s just not possible." Max said, shaking his head as he refused to ept what Mae had just told him.

    "Max, please tell us about your brother?" Cedric decided to ask when he realized that the man would not believe him.

    "My brother, Fernando." Max said with a frown, the topic was clearly still a difficult one. "Like many people from our province, Fernando wanted to get us out of this ce. So he looked for schrships in the capital."

    "What did he study?" Mae asked.

    "He took up nursing in a prestigious university, that''s where he met his wife, Maria." Max exined.

    Mae looked at Cedric, wide-eyed at the new piece of information they had just found out. Cedric simply nodded, as if telling Mae to calm down.

    "After graduating my brother got his dream job, he was hired by the Chan family to work at Saints Hospital. After earning quite a good sum, he bought us a house in the provincial capital." Max said with a sad smile. "Our life was getting better."

    "What happened?" Mien asked as he looked at Max with pity.

    "I don''t even know where to start, my brother was doing so well, but he wanted a better life. You see, his wife was pregnant and he didn''t want his child to suffer the way he did." Max exined.

    "My brother was very well trusted by one of the Chan siblings." Max continued. "The thing was he offered my brother a job that paid well, but had too many risks. Fernando never told me what it was, but soon after he flew to Italy."

    "His child and wife, do you know where we can find them?" Cedric asked Max.

    "Sadly, no." Max said with a frown. "One day we heard that my brother had died. I rushed to their home in the capital, but my sister inw and her son were gone."

    "Did they tell you how he died? Did you see his body?" Mien asked.

    "They said he was involved in a bar fight, but due to his injuries he was barely recognizable." Max exined to them. "At first I refused to believe it, my brother was a good man, he would never be involved in such a ruckus."

    "What changed your mind?" Cedric asked.

    "At that point my brother had been gone for five years, people change." Max said with a shrug. "The Fernando I knew back then could be someone else entirely. He was alone in a foreign country, he must have looked for ways to spend his time."

    "If we do a DNA test and show you his body, will you believe us?" Cedric asked Max.

    "Yes, of course." Max said with a nod. "It''s far-fetched but why not? My mother has been mourning his death for years, it won''t change anything."

    "Ian." Cedric said with a nod as his assistant stepped forward.

    "I will need to take some DNA samples from you and your mother. Please exin it to her as well." Ian said in a calm tone as he tried not to panic the olddy even more.

    Max nodded and took a moment to think of how he would break the news to his mother.

    Cedric and hispanions watched as Max struggled in his mind to figure out how to tell the fragile olddy.

    After a few minutes, Max took a deep breath and turned to his mother. He took her hand in his and began to speak in their localnguage.

    It didn''t take long for the olddy to begin to tear up, it seemed Max had decided to tell her that her son could possibly have lived longer than they had thought.

    Mae took out a pack of tissues and handed it to Fernando''s mother.

    Max said something and the olddy reached out and ced her hand on Mae''s cheek, catching the young assistant by surprise.

    The olddy said something then looked to her son to trante for her.

    "My mother says thank you." Max said with a smile. "She said you are very pretty, she is d that my brother had met such beautiful souls before his death and that he didn''t die alone."

    At Max''s words Mae began to tear up, she felt guilty that Fernando had actually died alone in his home. She didn''t have it in her to tell his family the truth so she simply nodded.

    "My mother thinks you are telling the truth." Max said as he turned to Cedric. "I am not fully convinced, but I will give it a chance." He said with a nod.

    "Take their DNA samples." Cedric instructed Ian, who took out the kit that the doctor had given them.

    Prior to leaving the capital, Ian had made sure to learn how to take DNA samples without contaminating it. His girlfriend, Nicole, had even been the one to teach him and she made sure that he knew how to do it properly.

    The Chans had even set up the local Saints Hospital to be able to do the DNA test for Cedric and his group.

    Once Ian was done collecting the samples and sealing them in the special case he had brought along, he turned to Cedric to ask what to do next.

 Chapter 721 - 721

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    Cedric invited Max and his mother to join them at the hotel.

    At first Max refused, he was embarrassed to ept Cedric''s offer because his whole family would have toe. Cedric sensed the hesitation and took a quick guess.

    "Please, invite your whole family." Cedric said. "We invaded your home and probably dropped a huge bomb on you and your mother. It''s the least I can do."

    Max looked to his mother and tranted. To Cedric''s surprise the olddy ced a hand on her son''s shoulder and nodded.

    Max confirmed Cedric''s suspicion when he told Cedric that he and his family would be honored to ept Cedric''s offer.

    Luckily, Dave had thought ahead and hired several vehicles from the hotel toe with them. He knew that Cedric''s big heart would get the best of him, Dave had even gone as far as reserving the floor below theirs.

    It was a good thing that at this time of the year there weren''t many guests.

    Since the province was a poor one, there were very few hotels in the area that were eptable. Cedric wasn''t picky, but his assistants made it a point that his image was maintained.

    Ian had Dave get the details on Max''s family and where to have them picked up. It seemed that they had gone ahead to the capital of the province to move into the new home given to them.

    The split their group into two, Cedric was apanied by Ian back to the hotel while Dave, Mae, and Mien went with Max and his mother to pick their family up.

    "Am I starting to act like those arrogant CEO''s, Ian?" Cedric asked with a sigh as they left Fernado''s old home.

    "No." Ian said as he gave Cedric a curious look. "Why?" He asked his friend and boss.

    "Earlier, I didn''t even ask for their names. I was inconsiderate and aloof. This isn''t me." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "It''s been a long day, you can''t be expected to adjust for every individual that we meet." Ian told Cedric as he ced a hand on his shoulder. "Besides, being cold and distant has always been your public image, why care now?"

    "For some reason I felt like they wouldn''t have told us the information we needed if Mien and Mae hadn''t been so nice to them." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "You knew from the start that this was going to be your persona when you took over the Reyes Group." Ian told his friend in a sincere tone.

    Cedric sighed and remained silent the rest of the drive. He was deep in thought, considering everything that had happened.

    When they finally made it to the hotel, Ian was about to leave Cedric alone after discussing work when Dave and Mae suddenly showed up.

    "Boss you''re not gonna believe how bad it is." Dave said as he and Mae entered the room, closing the door behind them.

    "How bad what is?" Cedric asked as he pinched the space between eyes, it had been a tiring day.

    "The houses that the miningpany gave them." Daveined. "It''s supposed to bepensation for the properties they are taking away, but this room is even bigger!"

    "Dave, properties further away from the city are cheaper, their recement homes are in the provincial capital making it more expensive." Ian said as he sighed and shook his head. "The Reyes Group may not do things that way, but that is the bare minimum that the government requires."

    "I know, but -" Dave began to say when Mae ced a hand on his shoulder.

    He looked at her and frowned.

    "Don''t worry Dave, we''ll give them something better." Cedric reassured him.

    "At least now they are staying in the hotel, I just hope they arefortable." Ian said with a nod.

    "When do the results of the DNA teste out?" Cedric asked as he drummed his fingers on the table.

    "It should be out in two days." Ian told Cedric. On the way to the hotel Ian had dropped off the samples at the local Saints Hospital.

    Cedric had asked Miguel and Nicole to ce someone trustworthy to run the tests. A sample of Fernando''s DNA had also been prepared for the process.

    "So we work here for a few days, attend some functions, and see what we can investigate on Fernando''s wife and son." Cedric said as he thought of their wait.

    "We can also visit the nearby province, we have a bigger office there." Mae told Cedric.

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod. "Invite Fernando''s family to have dinner with us. Book the entire restaurant and make sure that no one else finds out. Something tells me that the local political families won''t be happy that I didn''t have dinner with them first."

    "Got that." Mae said with a nod as she began texting the hotel manager.

    "There will be a function with the local governor and mayor tomorrow, so we won''t be offending them for too long." Ian teased.

    "Let''s just hope that they don''t suddenly decide toplicate things for us, for once I want things to just run smoothly." Cedric said with a sigh as he let everyone go and rest for the day.

 Chapter 722 - 722

    Cedric had fallen asleep while on video call with his son and wife. He missed both of them terriblyst night so he had asked if they could call till they fell asleep.

    He smiled as he nced at his phone that he had propped up with a pillow, Adrianna was snoring softly as more than half of the screen was covered by Yoyo''s cute face.

    Nothing beat the sight of waking up to his wife and son as they slept the morning away.

    Cedric took his phone everywhere with him, waiting for both to wake up.

    He was eating his breakfast when Adrianna began to stir.

    "Good morning my love." Cedric said in a tender tone, making Adrianna smile.

    "How long have you been up?" Adrianna asked as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

    "An hour or so." Cedric said as he took a bite of his breakfast.

    "Are Ian and the others with you?" Adrianna asked as she sat up and lifted the phone.

    "Yes, they are here." Cedric told her as he turned the camera to face his waving assistants.

    Adrianna had never been one to care too much about her looks. She didn''t mind that Cedric''s assistants would see her in such a sleepy state.

    "Good morning Adri." Ian said with a nod. "I heard you''ll be visiting my wife today." He said as he smirked at his ownment.

    "She will gut you if she hears you calling her your wife." Adrianna responded with augh. "But yes, we are buying maternity clothes."

    Cedric frowned at the news that his wife was going out to the mall. Ever since the incident that caused Mia''s and his mother''s death, Cedric had been extra protective of the members of his family.

    Even Yoyo, whom most people didn''t know was his son, always traveled with heavily armed guards.

    "Why don''t you and Nicole have the stores bring the clothes to the house?" Cedric asked. It was apletely doable act. He owned the mall and if he ordered it the shops would follow. None of them would want to cross Mr. Reyes.

    "Ced, I have not been out to a mall since mom." Adrianna admitted with a frown. "I need to get out Cedric. I feel like a bird in a cage."

    Cedric sighed and shook his head, he knew there was nothing he could do.

    "Nicole is bringing Tristan too, I want to see the little boy." Adriannained.

    "Fine." Cedric said in surrender. "But I want you to bring extra guards. Maybe I can convince Ayanna to close down the mall too while you are there."

    "Cedric Reyes, don''t you dare do that!" Adrianna said in an angry tone.

    "Adri, I''m just worried about you." Cedric said with a frown.

    "Look what you did. Yoyo is up." Adrianna scolded Cedric as she pointed her camera at the little boy that was now waking up. "I need to get him ready for school. I am going to the mall with Nicole and you will not call Ayanna to close it for the day. Are we clear?"

    "Yes darling." Cedric said in an unwilling tone.

    "I''ll call you after I go to the mall. I love you." Adrianna finally said as she gave him a sweet smile.

    "I love you too, Adri." Cedric said as little Yoyo grabbed his mother''s phone.

    "Daddy, when are youing home?" The little boy asked with a frown.

    "Soon Yoyo, daddy misses you." Cedric told his son.

    "I miss you too daddy, can we y when youe back?" He asked.

    Cedric felt guilty that he still couldn''t find the time to be with his son. He had always sworn that when he had children of his own he would do his best to spend time with them.

    "Why don''t we go on a trip when I get home? We can go to your uncle Ray''s ind over the weekend." Cedric said with a smile as an idea formed in his head.

    "Yey! Will Tris and all my uncles and auntiese too?" Yoyo asked.

    "Uncle Ian?" Cedric asked his assistant as he turned the camera to face the man who was currently stuffing his face with breakfast.

    "Of course!" Ian said with a full mouth.

    "Uncle Ian, mommy said you aren''t allowed to talk with your mouth full, bad uncle." Yoyo scolded in his cute voice, making everyoneugh.

    "Older brother Dave, Older sister Mae, will you join us?" Yoyo asked as he spotted them through the screen.

    "Of course they will." Cedric said from behind the camera. He rarely went anywhere without the two and he felt like they needed a break from work too.

    "Yey! Thank you daddy." Yoyo said in an excited tone as Cedric turned the camera back to face him.

    "Yoyo! Time for a bath." Adrianna told her son as she took the phone back from him.

    "Your son is a pain sometimes." Adrianna grumbled.

    "He is my son when he is bad and our son when he is good." Cedric said with a chuckle.

    "Yes. Now I have a lot to do. Again, don''t you dare call your sister to close the mall down." Adrianna threatened as she dropped the call.

    "Women." Ian said with augh as he continued to devour his food. They had a long day ahead of them and there was no guarantee that they would have enough time to have lunch.

    Cedricughed as he noticed Dave gave Ian an awkward smirk. Now he was sure that Mae and Dave were dating.

    "So Dave, how was your room?" Cedric asked out of the blue.

    "Sir?" Dave asked as he looked at Cedric with a confused expression. There was no reason for Cedric to ask so randomly.

    "I asked you something Dave." Cedric said, more seriously this time.

    "Oh, it was good sir. I slept well." Dave said with a nod as he fumbled with his answer.

    "Really?" Cedric asked as he smirked at his assistant.

    "I had someone check on youst night, but he was surprised to find your room empty." Cedric said, dropping a bomb on Dave and Mae.

    He watched as the young couple froze in shock for a second, gathering themselves quickly, hoping that Cedric did not notice anything.

 Chapter 723 - 723

    "You don''t need to pretend." Cedric said with augh as he noticed both Mae and Dave rx.

    What shocked Cedric was when his best friend, Ian seemed to tense up and rx at his words as well.

    "You knew?" Cedric asked in an angry tone as he red at Ian. It didn''t matter that Dave and Mae didn''t tell him, but his most trusted employee and friend chose not to as well.

    "Yes, I knew." Ian said with a nod as he maintained his solemn look.

    "And why did you not tell me?" Cedric asked as he crossed his arms on his chest and leaned back against his seat. A look of disappointment crossed his face, making Ian frown.

    "Auntie Prisci never approved of co-worker rtionships." Ian decided to say in a straight tone, choosing not to make excuses.

    "And because my mother did not like her employees dating, you thought I wouldn''t approve?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    By his question Ian, Mae, and Dave knew that the older assistant had been wrong to think that Cedric would have something against co-worker rtionships.

    "I assumed." Ian said.

    "Yeah, and a lot of people assumed I was some poor bastard." Cedric said with a cockyugh as he shook his head in disappointment.

    Ian frowned as he realized how mistaken he was to assume that Cedric would treat things the same way as either of his parents.

    He knew that Cedric was someone different, someone that chose to go against the flow. He often introduced new things to thepany. Practices that would be traditionally frowned upon, but Cedric dared to innovate.

    It was what kept the Reyes Group ahead of everyone else, Cedric wasn''t afraid to move towards the future.

    "Cedric, sorry." Was all that Ian could say as he looked down at his te. He knew that he should have thought better of his friend, but there was no denying that some parts of the old rich world were hard to shake off.

    "It''s fine." Cedric said with a sigh as the side of his mouth formed a slight frown. "You were only protecting these two. You meant well." He shook his head as he resumed eating his breakfast.

    "Sir, we didn''t mean to keep it a secret." Dave said in a regret filled tone as he reached out and held Mae''s free hand on the table.

    Mae looked at Dave and she simply smiled back. Cedric could see how much the pair were in love. He had heard about his mother''s policy in the past and it had it''s pros and cons.

    "Mom never wanted her employees to date because she was afraid that it would be too taxing on both sides if they broke up and had to work together." Cedric exined as he recalled what his mother had told him.

    His threepanions were stunned with what he had said. ording to rumors there were other reasons surrounding the policy.

    "The employees didn''t take it well when your dad implemented that rule as well." Ian said as he recalled what Marco had told him. When Ian had arrived at the Reyes Group the policy had been around for a while so there were only rumors about the reason behind it.

    "Dad wasn''t fully on board with implementing the same policies in the Reyes Group as mom had in rin Industries, but you know my dad." Cedric said with a shrug.

    Emilio Reyes III rarely won arguments against his wife, aside from the fact that he was wrapped around her finger, she was also a brilliant businesswoman.

    In her youth, Prisci Reyes had worked for thergestpanies locally and abroad. She was trained by the best and she brought that training home. Where she built up her family''s business to new heights.

    "I heard a rumor once that the reason why your mother didn''t want employees dating was because of a break up that caused major problems." Mae said as she recalled the talk she had heard in the office.

    "Hmmm. . ." Cedric said with a raised eyebrow as he found the rumor quite curious. "I mean, it''s possible for breakups to affect a person''s work, but it would not be enough to have any major repercussions on thepany."

    "So, are you alright with us dating?" Mae asked Cedric.

    Cedric simply nodded and smiled at his two assistants.

    "I don''t have the right to tell you who not to love and who to love. That''s your heart''s job." Cedric exined as Mae and Dave looked at him in awe.

    "So that just leaves Cami." Dave told their group with a cheeky smile.

    Ianughed at Dave''sment, surprising everyone but Cedric.

    "She loves someone." Cedric said with a smile. Cami had told him that she carried the torch for a person, that was why she would never fall for Lucius.

    "She has loved him for almost a decade." Ian said with a grin as he nodded.

    "You know who it is?" Cedric asked. Cami had never mentioned a name in their discussion, just that she loved someone.

    "He promised to return for her, it''s been years but I''ve been keeping tabs on him, he has never been with anyone else." Ian confirmed.

    "His heart must be breaking with the news." Dave said with a frown.

    Cami had just gone public with her fake rtionship with Lucius Ting. To the media and the public it looked genuine, Lucius seemed to be truly in love with Cami.

    "I just hope that he has enough faith and trust in her to know that he still needs to hear the full story." Ian said with a frown.

    "Have I met him?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Sadly, no." Ian said as he shook his head. "But I think you will like him."

    "As long as he loves Cami and she loves him, I see no issue." Cedric said as he smiled.

    "I just hope he finishes what he needs to do soon. Cami has been waiting for him for way too long." Ian said with a sigh as he thought of his poor friend.

    "If they are meant to be, then it will happen." Cedric said with a nod. "So what''s the agenda for today?" He asked his assistants.

    "Work in the morning, you have one meeting." Ian told Cedric as he took a sip from his coffee. "Then the Mayor and the major yers in this town have prepared a wee lunch for you."

    "They are pissed, aren''t they?" Cedric asked as he recalled how he hadpletely ignored them the day before.

    "They aren''t happy, but I don''t think they can get mad at you." Ian exined.

    "I have some documents for your approval, they arrived this morning." Mae told Cedric.

    "Bring them here, let''s get all of this work done as soon as we can." Cedric said with a nod as Mae got up and left the room.

    "Did you find anything out about the miningpany?" Cedric asked Dave.

    "Yeah, and you''re going to enjoy this." Dave said with a grin as Cedric leaned in to listen.

    "I''m listening." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Thepany has ties with the people we are having lunch withter." Dave revealed, making Cedric smirk at the news.

 Chapter 724 - 724

    As Cedric and his group neared the Mayor''s home, he took a deep breath and sighed. The corruption in his country was truly far reaching.

    Sometimes he wished that they could instill their own people, men and women that they knew had the will and determination to serve.

    Sadly it was also at those times that Cedric was reminded of a dark past in their country''s history. A time when people thought the same as him, when rich businessmen decided that they could and should control the politics of their own country.

    A group among the old rich that history hadbeled as the Rajas, or kings. They were some of the richest and most powerful families around. At one point the Reyeses had even been involved.

    Luckily for Cedric, the Reyeses decided to leave when this group of rich individuals began plotting to install people they believed worthy of being public servants.

    It didn''t take long for these appointed politicians to turn on the people that ce them there, the Rajas.

    It was true what people said, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

    Because of these appointed officials, chaos, corruption, and crime thrived in their country. Itsted for decades until eventually someone stood up against them and brought back democracy to the country.

    It was after that time that people who had not sided with the dictators rose to powers, such as the Sebastians. But despite the valiant efforts of the new government to keep their ranks clean there were still those that remained rotten.

    Some like the politician who had helped Aiden evade Cedric, as well as those who had been working for both Aiden and Lucius.

    There were times that Cedric was tired of specting who was good and who was bad, but it was the nature of his status.

    People would always put their best foot forward in front of him, and it was up to Cedric and his people to decide if they were genuine, or genuinely using him.

    "Ced, we''re here." Ian told Cedric as he ced a hand on his friend and boss'' shoulder.

    Ian had worked long enough with and for Cedric to know when his mind was elsewhere.

    "Let me see their file again." Cedric said with a sigh as he was handed a tablet,

    It had always been Cedric''s personal policy to learn as much as possible about the people he was going to be meeting.

    As he read through the file, Cedric frowned. There was no direct evidence connecting them to any form of corruption, but the source of their wealth remained dubious in Cedric''s eyes.

    "I really hope they aren''t behind the miningpany." Cedric mumbled as he handed the tablet back to Ian. "I don''t want to involve myself too much in this province."

    "It''s not like you have a choice." Ian said with a shrug as he ced the table away in his bag.

    "We always have a choice, the question is, can I turn a blind eye to all of this." Cedric said with a sigh as his car pulled up to the front of a majestic house.

    It seemed that the political family of this province, the Baron family, had owned this mansion for generations. It was old, elegant, and still in pristine condition.

    The mansion was clearly built for hosting events and important guests.

    Cedric''s driver, John, quickly shooed away the Baron Family''s butler as he moved to open the car door.

    As a precaution, no one outside Cedric''s staff was allowed to go near his car. Leon had suggested this since it would be one of the easiest ways to get to Cedric in a cramped space.

    As Cedric and Ian stepped out of his car, they were greeted by the local manager of the Reyes group.

    "Thank you, sir." The manager said as a look of relief spread through his face. It was clear that something was bothering the man.

    "Find out what''s wrong." Cedric whispered to Dave who had just joined them from a different car.

    Dave nodded and diligently followed Cedric and Ian with Mae into the house. He would find time to speak privately to the manager to investigate the matter.

    "Mr. Reyes, I''d like to introduce you to the man who owns this beautiful abode, Mr. Evan Baron." The manager said as a balding man with a potbelly who seemed to be in his fifties walked up to Cedric and offered his hand to shake.

    Cedric obliged but kept his notorious expressionless face.

    "It''s an honor to have you visit our province, Mr. Reyes." The mayor, Evan Baron said as he gave Cedric a smile. "We normally do not have bigshots such as yourself visiting our poor province." Mayor Baron dered.

    "I am trying to make it a point to visit as much of our local offices as possible and to see where the opportunity lies." Cedric said in a serious tone.

    "And do you see opportunities in our province?" The mayor asked eagerly.

    Cedric nodded in response.

    "I have seen some ces that I am interested in developing." Cedric infomed the mayor. "Unfortunately the one I am most keen on has already been purchased, if my people are not mistaken."

    "Maybe we cane to an arrangement Mr. Reyes, and that property can be yours." Mayor Baron said in a malicious tone.

    "I''ll have my people contact you." Cedric said, leaving the topic in a vague conclusion.

    "Come, let us celebrate your arrival and our possible partnership!" The mayor said as he led Cedric into arge ballroom.

    There were many people, all seemingly dressed in their finest.

    The mayor made it a point to introduce Cedric to everyone, it was clearly a power y. As if Mayor Baron were telling these people, look who I''ve brought to our province.

    At the end of it all, Cedric barely remembered the people introduced to him.

    "Ah, Mr. Reyes, might I introduce you to my family, my wife La, my son, Rodrigo, and my niece, Jean." Mayor Baron said as he gestured for the people at the table to stand.

    Cedric couldn''t help but feel something was not right with the way Mayor Baron''s niece looked at him. Something odd was definitely going to happen.

 Chapter 725 - 725

    Cedric kept his professional attitude as Mayor Baron along with his family engaged him in conversation.

    He noticed how they kept dropping names in the hopes that Cedric and they hadmon friends. Unfortunately for the Baron family, Cedric was not the most social of the five princes.

    Having been under poverty training for most of his life, other children of rich families had chosen to ignore him. And even among those that did not ignore him, most had treated him miserably in his university days.

    "Mr. Reyes, my niece will be going to the capital next month, she is actually aiming to work for the Reyes Group." Mayor Baron said as he tried to push his niece into the limelight.

    "I wish you the best then." Cedric said with a nod in an uninterested tone.

    "Thank you." The mayor''s niece said with a nod and a blush.

    "My cousin is very much into the retail business, maybe you could help her out in getting a spot in yourpany Mr. Reyes." The mayor''s son said.

    Cedric looked at the young man, he was obviously at least five years younger than Cedric and had lived a sheltered andfortable life.

    "Mr. Baron." Cedric said as he addressed the mayor''s son in a formal tone. He had actually forgotten the son''s name and decided to simply address him in a formal manner. "I''m not sure if you''ve heard, but the Reyes Group does not y favorites or do favors."

    "Mr. Reyes, I assure you, my cousin does not need favors." The mayor''s son said.

    "Now, now, Rodrigo, I''m sure Mr. Reyes is saying that because the Reyes Group needs to y fair." Mayor Baron said as he ced a hand on his son''s shoulder and gripped it tightly. Clearly the father had not been happy with his son''s approach.

    Cedric knew that the mayor was trying to get on his good side, so he simply nodded and continued to speak with the mayor and his family.

    "Mr. Reyes, on the property you want to purchase, there may be a solution for all of us." The mayor said as a waiter poured him a ss of wine.

    "Oh, there is?" Cedric asked, ying innocent to what the mayor was suggesting.

    "We can discuss this in my office, and if we settle on a deal I can talk to the current owners of the property." Mayor Baron said with a nod.

    "I don''t mind discussing it with you, but I would be morefortable if I had mywyer with me." Cedric said as he thought of calling Katerina Sebastian over.

    "Oh, but it will take some time to get someone from the capital to the province." Mayor Baron said as it was at least a five hour drive from the capital.

    "Ian." Cedric called out as he nced at his assistant who was standing on the sidelines.

    "Yes, Mr. Reyes." Ian said in a respectful and formal tone as he approached Cedric.

    "Give Kat a call. See if she can hitch a ride with her dad to us." Cedric instructed. He knew that Katerina would never take the presidential helicopter to a client meeting, but it wasn''t the only chopper that she had ess to.

    Ian simply nodded and went to the side to give Katerina a call.

    "Mr. Reyes, I''m sure you don''t need yourwyer for this discussion." Mayor Baron urged. His rmendation wasn''t exactly going to be a legal one.

    "Oh?" Cedric asked.

    "Mr. Reyes, I would never cheat you, and you could always repeat our discussion to yourwyer." Mayon Baron told Cedric.

    Cedric thought of what the implications would be if Mayor Baron suggested something illegal, which Cedric felt he would. If it was simply the Mayor rmending it and he didn''t agree to anything then he should be safe.

    "Mr. Reyes, yourwyer would like to speak to you." Ian said as he gestured to the phone in his hand.

    "Please, excuse me." Cedric told the Mayor and his family as he walked to the side with Ian and several bodyguards.

    "The area has been checked for bugs, you''ll be safe to talk here." Leon told Cedric as he had his men surround Cedric, giving him a physical barrier from the public.

    Cedric nodded his thanks as Ian handed him the phone.

    "Katerina." Cedric greeted in a warm tone.

    "Don''t Katerina, Katerina me!" Katerina Sebastian said in an annoyed voice. "What is Ian talking about? Why are you even considering discussing such a dangerous deal with the Baron family?"

    "What do you know about the Barons?" Cedric asked Katerina, not wanting to match the intensity of her temper.

    "The Barons are a political family, a dynasty in their province. There are rumors that they are corrupt, but there is nothing to prove that they are." Katerina said with a sigh as she somewhat calmed down.

    "So can I listen to his offer?" Cedric asked Katerina.

    "Yes, but be careful." Katerina warned. "He will try to trick you into agreeing. He will record your meeting, and he will use it against you."

    "I already know that Katerina." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes.

    "Do you really need awyer there today?" Katerina asked Cedric in an annoyed tone.

    "I might." Cedric answered. "It''s not just this, it''s the other matter too."

    "Alexi is flying out to visit some poor province that doesn''t get funding. Dad wants him to check it out. Can you send a car to get me? It''s thirty minutes from where you are." Katerina said with a sigh.

    "Are you bringing your boyfriend?" Cedric asked as he thought of Eric arriving at the small province.

    "No, he has work." Katerina said.

    "Alright, send Ian the exact location and he will have someone pick you up. I''ll go discuss things with Mayor Baron in private." Cedric told Katerina as he handed Ian back his phone.

    "I want Dave with me during the meeting, tell him to discreetly record everything." Cedric whispered to Ian before finally returning to his seat.

    "No big issues, I hope?" Mayor Baron asked as Cedric sat back down.

    "No, none. But I''ll be taking you up on your offer of a private chat." Cedric confirmed with the mayor.

    "Perfect, we can go to my office once everyone leaves, this party is almost over anyway." The mayor said with a sly smile giving Cedric a bad feeling.

 Chapter 726 - 726

    It didn''t take long for the guests to slowly leave. Something told Cedric that the mayor had in fact asked them to leave rather than letting the party die down on its own.

    In the end the only people left were the mayor''s family and Cedric and his people.

    When thest of the guests had left the mayor invited Cedric to have a private discussion with him in his office.

    "Dave." Cedric called out, to which his assistant quickly appeared behind him.

    Dave already knew what Cedric needed and had ced one of his secret voice recorders in an unknown location on his person.

    "Mr. Reyes, I hope you don''t mind, but our conversation needs to be confidential. I will allow your assistant to join us, but both you and he must leave all electronic devices out here." The mayor said before they headed to his office.

    "Ian will hold them for us." Cedric informed the mayor as he waved for Ian toe over.

    Cedric handed his phone and watch to Ian. Dave did the same and was searched by one of the mayor''s bodyguards for any hidden recording devices.

    "Is he good to go?" Cedric asked as the bodyguards looked at each other in surprise. They probably thought they would find a recording device on Dave.

    Cedric watched as Mayor Baron looked at his guards who simply nodded, giving their go signal for Cedric and his assistant to be let into the office.

    With the green light given by the bodyguards, the mayor led Cedric and Dave into his posh office.

    It was clearly a room where the provincial power had been held for a long time. There were photos of generations of mayors, governors, and congressmen. The Baron family seemed to have been in control of this region for a long time.

    "My father, grandfather, and great grandfather were also mayors of our province." The current mayor, Evan Baron, said as he offered Cedric and Dave a ss of whisky.

    "No, thank you." Cedric said, politely.

    In recent years it had been Cedric''s policy not to take drinks from strangers easily. Especially one that potentially had ulterior motives against him.

    "Aren''t you afraid of offending me?" Evan Baron teased as he ced the ss back down on his table.

    "Is that really something you are asking?" Cedric asked in his signature cold tone.

    The mayor simply gave Cedric an awkward smile before finally offering Cedric and Dave a seat.

    "What is this proposal you have for me, Mayor Evan Baron?" Cedric asked as he crossed his arms on his chest and leaned back against the seat.

    "I am sure you are no stranger to how these things work." Mayor Baron said as he observed Cedric''s bodynguage as he tried to gauge if the businessman was one that was willing to ept his illegal proposal.

    "I have friends in politics." Cedric said inly, trying to avoid any statement that could be used against him in the future. He knew how cunning these politicians could get, and having someone as powerful as him in the palm of their hand was something they desired.

    "Good, good." The politician said with a nod as he took a sip from his own ss. "Are you sure you don''t want some?" Mayor Baron asked as he reached for the bottle and poured some more for himself.

    "My wife wouldn''t appreciate me drinking." Cedric said as he thought of a way to avoid being forced to drink.

    "Ah, but your wife isn''t here Mr. Reyes." Mayor Baron said with a grin. "Don''t tell me that the rich and powerful CEO of the Reyes Group is afraid of a littledy?" He asked as he tried to attack Cedric''s pride.

    "Happy wife, happy life." Cedric said with a slightugh. "Haven''t you heard of that saying, mayor?" Cedric asked as he continued to refuse the drink.

    "Yes, yes, you are right." The mayor said as he gave up his attempt to convince Cedric to drink with him.

    After filling his ss and lifting it to his lips to drink, the mayor finally spoke to Cedric and Dave about his offer.

    "My people tell me that you visited the property you wanted to purchase yesterday?" Evan Baron asked in a straightforward tone.

    "I did." Cedric admitted with a nod. "I had seen the property when I flew over the province once. It''s not a spot that you actually pass by." He told the mayor as he hoped the man would believe his exnation.

    "And my people said that you met with some of the families that were disced by the new owner and their ns." The mayor asked as he tried to get Cedric to say something that could be used against him.

    Unfortunately for the mayor, Cedric already anticipated that he would do this. The Barons had a history of corruption, it wasn''t too odd that they would try to trick someone either.

    "Yes, when my people arrived there was onest family that was packing up, I asked them to stay so that I could ask them some questions." Cedric admitted.

    "And what questions did you ask?" The mayor said as he raised an eyebrow at Cedric. "Don''t be offended, but it''s odd to hear that a man as rich and powerful as yourself would be interested in speaking with people like them."

    "They were nice people." Cedric told the mayor. "I simply wanted to know the status of the property and who had purchased it. I also wanted to know what resources I could find in the area."

    "And you moved them to your hotel?" The mayor asked. It was indeed suspicious that Cedric would pay for the lodging of strangers. But of course, Cedric came ready with an excuse.

    "When my assistant, Dave, saw their situation, he felt bad and contacted me." Cedric said as he looked at Dave and nodded.

    "The housing they had been given was subpar." Dave said in a casual tone.

    "So I did what was right and took them in temporarily. We will offer the family suitable housing and a job under the Reyes Group." Cedric added.

    "That is way too kind of you Mr. Reyes, that is the responsibility of thepany that bought the property, not yours." The mayor told Cedric.

    "I have a soft spot for the less fortunate." Cedric said quite frankly, not wanting to exin himself. "But what I really want is that property."

    "I won''t lie Mr. Reyes, that area is rich in gold and the soil is very fertile. A lot ofpanies have offered to purchase it." The mayor informed Cedric. "I can, however, convince them to sell it to you for a price."

    "A price?" Cedric asked. He wasn''t at all surprised that the mayor was asking for a bribe.

    "Yes Mr. Reyes." The mayor said with a nod. "I am sure you are aware of this, even your good friends the Sebastians require a price for these favors."

    When the mayor mentioned his friends Cedric saw red. He was furious at the usation, but he had to remain calm on the outside.

    He simply nodded and remained silent.

    "I will sleep on it, thank you for the offer." Cedric said with a polite nod.

    The mayor epted his answer and escorted him and Dave out of the office.

    As Cedric stepped out the mayor ced a hand on his shoulder, irritating Cedric.

    "Don''t take too long, Mr. Reyes, my mind may change." Mayor Evan Baron said in a threatening tone.

    "I won''t." Cedric said as he walked out of the office and left.

 Chapter 727 - 727

    As Cedric got into his car he slumped back on his seat and closed his eyes to calm himself.

    "What happened there?" Ian said as he had noticed the visible expression of irritation on Cedric''s face as he walked out of the room.

    Most people would have thought Cedric was calm and rational, but Ian had worked with Cedric long enough to know when something was bothering him.

    "Well for one we were right." Cedric said with a sigh. "I really didn''t want to be right this time, but the mayor is corrupt. He offered that he could change the mind of the property owners if we paid him."

    "Cedric, we both knew there was an extremely high chance of this being true." Ian said as he ced a hand on his friend''s shoulder. "What do you want to do now?" He asked.

    "We''ve only seen one half of the puzzle." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I think there is more to this matter than a simple bribe."

    "It''s rarely simple when you are involved." Ian said with a sigh as he took out his phone and dialed a number.

    "Any progress?" Ian asked in a deep voice.

    Cedric immediately knew that Ian had to tap deep, connecting with old contacts. Those that belonged to Ray''s world, to the underbelly of society.

    Ian''s past was far from clean, but his connections hade out to be quite an asset for his job and his goals.

    "Give me a call tonight." Ian told the person on the other line. "It''s not exactly safe at the moment."

    With that Ian dropped the call and simply nodded at Cedric, it meant that his people had found something.

    "Remind me again when you became some bad ass gangster?" Cedric asked as heughed at his friend.

    "I wasn''t a member of any gang." Ian told his friend as he rolled his eyes.

    "Riiiight." Cedric said. "You just worked for one of the gangs or is it the mafia that reports to the Laurence family."

    "The mafia." Ian corrected. "It was right after I started working for the Reyes Group, after the whole fiasco with Jas." Ian grumbled, he was unwilling to speak about that part of his past.

    "You might not like it Ian, but it is a part of you that has helped you to grow. It has made you into the man you are now." Cedric said with a nod as he recalled his own trials. "Plus it doesn''t hurt that we don''t need to go to Ray all the time."

    "He could get better information." Ian reminded Cedric.

    "But the moment people find out that the king of the underworld is looking for something, all hell breaks loose." Cedric said with a sigh as he looked out the window. "I want to do things quietly for now. It seems to me that the Barons might have more connections than we anticipate."

    "Do you think they are dangerous?" Mae, who was seated at the front asked.

    "Families like the Barons are always dangerous." Cedric told the young assistant, with Ian nodding in agreement next to him. "The only question now is, how dangerous are they, and how powerful are their allies."

    "You don''t think they could somehow be connected to Lucius Ting, how could they?" Dave asked from the other end of the car.

    "We don''t know." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I don''t want to underestimate Lucius Ting the way I did with Aiden."

    "And what about overestimating him?" Ian asked as he gave his friend a curious look.

    "I''d rather be safe than sorry." Cedric said with a frown. "The cost of underestimating an enemy is way too high for us."

    Everyone in the car remained silent as they recalled the cost Cedric had to sufferst time. He had lost his mother and a close friend.

    He had also suffered mentally and physically from Aiden''s attacks.

    The drive back to the hotel was done in silence. As they arrived at the lobby, Ian instructed Mae and Dave toe join them in an hour in Cedric''s room.

    Ian still needed to make that phone call to his old associates before briefing the other assistants. He believed it was for the best if they didn''t know where the information wasing from.

    As they arrived at the presidential suite of the hotel, Leon, who was always standing behind Cedric nodded at the guards who stood watch outside of Cedric''s room.

    "I''ll have the ce sweeped first." Leon told Cedric as he gestured for four guards, who had gone up with them, to enter the room.

    Cedric and Ian followed, making themselvesfortable on the couch.

    "Coffee?" Ian asked as he soon became impatient.

    With the guards looking for any bugs or threats to Cedric, it would take a while before they could discuss anything meaningful.

    "Sure, why not." Cedric said with a nod as Ian walked over to the coffee machine.

    "Has this been checked?" Ian asked one of the guards who simply nodded.

    As soon as Ian finished brewing the coffee, the guards who had been checking the room returned to the main receiving area where Leon was waiting for them.

    "Clear." They each said with a nod, signaling that no foreign items were detected.

    "Sweep Ian''s room next." Leon ordered as he allowed the men to go.

    The men nodded and bowed towards Cedric''s direction before finally walking out of the room and closing the door behind them.

    "Are you sure you want to be around for this?" Ian asked Leon as he handed the bodyguard a cup of coffee as well.

    "I''m not thatme Captain Park." Leon said, rolling his eyes, as he referred to Ian''s childhood friend who worked as a police captain. "I can handle you talking to people on the other side of thew. I know about Raymund Laurence."

    "Alright, alright. No need to get so emotional, Leon." Ian said with augh as he picked up his phone and ced it on the table. "I was just teasing."

    "Just make the call, Lim." Leon said as he rolled his eyes at the assistant, making Cedricugh.

    It was rare to see Leon and Ian both be in such light and good moods. Both men often had to be serious because of what their jobs demanded of them.

    They only acted this way in private, behind closed doors. To the public, like Cedric, they were very serious men.

    It didn''t take long for the phone to ring as Ian switched it to speaker mode.

    Soon a deep and rough voice answered on the other end.

    "Is it secure now?" The voice asked.

    "Yes, Seth, you can speak. I''m with my boss and his bodyguard. It''s clear." Ian said as they waited for news.

 Chapter 728 - 728

    "Good, you never know who is listening." Seth, Ian''s connection with the mafia, told them.

    "Did you find anything on thepany I sent you?" Ian asked in an eager tone as he leaned forward from his seat.

    Cedric could feel how anxious Ian was for a positive answer. Clearly this was his assistant maximizing his connections.

    "I did, and I can already tell you, they are bad news." Seth said over the phone.

    "Bad news with you guys is usually worse than normal." Ian said with a frown as he scratched his chin. "Tell us." He urged his friend.

    "Thepany name you sent me was newly registered, right? That''s why you had a hard time finding things about them." Seth said over the phone.

    "Yeah, Sapphire Mining is only a year old." Ian said with a nod.

    Cedric had decided that it was best for all of them if Ian, and only Ian spoke for the duration of the call.

    "That''s because they''ve changed theirpany name, location, and even board of directors ten times over the past five years." Seth exined. "As a matter of fact Sapphire Mining is the longest, shall we say, version of thispany."

    "Why would they do that?" Ian asked. "They have to be hiding something, something illegal?"

    "Definitely illegal." Seth confirmed.

    "Any connection between them and the Baron family in this province?" Ian asked as he quickly tried to connect the dots.

    "Not just the Baron family." Seth said, catching Cedric by surprise. It seemed that Sapphire Mining wasrger than he expected.

    "How big is this Sapphire Mining?" Ian asked as he took a big gulp of his coffee, burning his tongue, making him yelp in surprise.

    "You alright there, buddy?" Seth asked as he heard Ian''s reaction.

    "Yeah, yeah, just burned myself with this fucking drink." Ian cussed.

    "Ha, I was waiting for that potty mouth of yours. You have changed, Ian." Seth said with augh.

    "I grew up." Ian said with augh as he recalled his careless days when he would hang out with Seth and his people. "Let''s get on with this, please." Ian told the man at the other end of the phone.

    Ian could see Cedric getting impatient from the corner of his eye. Everyone was quite eager to find out what else they could learn about Sapphire Mining.

    "Sapphire Mining operates within many provinces." Seth began to exin. "And it seems like they are working with different political families."

    "How?" Ian asked.

    "I was getting to it." Seth grumbled as his friend had cut him off, mid-speech. "They would often purchase a low valued property, make it seem like it had a huge potential. Then when a local businessman or a big business spotted the property price they would be interested in it."

    Cedric sighed as he realized that someone wanting to purchase a piece of prized property was now just standard operating procedure to Mayor Baron and his family.

    "So they get the local businessman to bribe them just to get the property?" Ian asked.

    "It''s more than just a bribe." Seth said in a grim tone. "They get the businessman to pay a lot for a piece of property that really has no value, then they record him asking for it."

    "They did a simr thing to us." Ian said as he nodded and looked at Cedric.

    "Who did they catch on tape?" Seth asked as a tone of worry carried across the call.

    "Did they get anything, Ced?" Ian asked as he turned to look at Cedric.

    "What?!" Seth suddenly shouted in surprise over the call. "You allowed them to speak directly to the CEO of the Reyes Group? The richest and possibly the most powerful man in the country? You let him walk into their trap!?" Seth was clearly fuming as he thought Ian had made such a big mistake.

    "He is here, you know." Ian said as he rolled his eyes.

    "Mr. Reyes, I''m sorry, but Ian should never have let you walk into that room." Seth said in an apologetic tone.

    "Don''t worry, it''s fine." Cedric said in a calm tone as he allowed Ian to exin for him.

    "Cedric didn''t exactly go in there naive and clueless." Ian said with a sigh as he was disappointed that his friend would think so lowly of him. "We already knew that something illegal was going on. And we expected them to record the whole conversation."

    "So Mr. Reyes did not agree to bribing them?" Seth asked.

    "Cedric didn''t even want the property in the first ce. We just wanted to know who was behind the discement of several families. Plus we needed an excuse for being in that area." Ian exined.

    "Does it have something to do with the nurse or with the Ting guy?" Seth asked. Ian was also asking him to help in investigating Fernando''s past as well as Lucius'' activities.

    "It may, we don''t know for certain. But it was the nurse''s family that we had gone to visit." Ian told Seth.

    "So what did you say to the mayor?" Seth asked as he tried to decipher if it could be used against Cedric or not.

    "I told him I would think about it." Cedric said in a casual tone.

    "And we also recorded the whole event, in case he tries to ckmail us." Ian added.

    "He went as far as insinuating that the Sebastian family was corrupt, something he should not have done." Cedric said as he recalled the conversation.

    "That will hurt him a lot. Especially since the Sebastians are rted to, him." Seth said.

    Among those who worked in the mafia or the gangs, just mentioning Ray''s position or name was not normal.

    The name brought on terror and fear among all those in the underworld.

    What surprised Cedric was the fact that Seth knew who Ray was and how he was rted to the Sebastian family. It meant that Ian''s connection in the mafia was pretty high up. He wasn''t some lowly hitman, he was someone.

    "Is that all you have on them?" Ian asked.

    "No, there is one more thing. Guess who is involved with Sapphire Mining''s many past versions?" Seth asked over the phone.

    "Don''t tell me?" Ian said as his eyes went wide with shock.

    "Yes, a little politician and his family, who just so happened to help one Aiden Ortiz." Seth said, shocking everyone.

    "And he just so happens to be in one of my cages." Seth added.

 Chapter 729 - 729

    "I thought I told you to dispose of that man?!" Cedric asked Ian in an angry tone.

    "You told me to get rid of him, not to just kill him and dump his body in some ditch. He deserved to suffer." Ian hissed as he red at Cedric.

    The two of them often disagreed when it came to the level of punishment a person should suffer.

    Cedric was one that believed in killing someone quickly and disposing of all of the evidence. He also preferred to let other people deal with the dirty work, thus he sent most of those that had crossed him to a prison run by the Laurences.

    Once they were in that hell hole, he didn''t care what happened.

    Ian on the other hand was quite different. He lived a brutal past and that affected how he dealt with things.

    He was someone that thirsted for vengeance, and he knew that life wasn''t just going to hand him everything. He had to take things into his own hands and deliver that justice himself.

    Despite having grown older and wiser, Cedric knew that the desire for vengeance and to inflict the same amount of suffering remained in Ian''s core personality.

    Cedric had expected Ian to have tortured Aiden''s supporter long ago, then killing him once he was done. Such a prolonged torture was something he knew Ian reserved for the worst.

    "Why did you keep him?" Cedric asked Ian with a frown. He was clearly unhappy with his assistant''s decision.

    "You know I don''t keep them if they didn''t do something deserving of such a long punishment." Ian exined. "Aiden was vile, not only did he kill auntie Prisci and Mia, he tried to touch Cami. Someone who is like a sister to us. I cannot let those that supported him get off that easily."

    "So Aiden''s men?" Cedric asked, he already assumed that Ian had sent them somewhere just as vile.

    "In cages, under torture." Ian said with a shrug as if it were just a casual conversation.

    "How are you hiding all of this from Damien?" Cedric asked as he recalled Ian''s friend who followed thew to the letter.

    "Simple, he just thinks they all died when the military took over thepound." Ian told Cedric with a grin. "That branch of the army is loyal to Alexi, they will die for Alexi for some reason. They said there were no survivors, not a single soul."

    "And what do you suggest we do with your prisoner?" Cedric asked as he realized that Seth was trying to imply something.

    "Use him as an example?" Seth asked over the phone, finally speaking up when Cedric asked a question.

    "I wouldn''t do it outright though." Leon said, finally speaking up. "You should wait for the Baron Family to make a move."

    "I think they will start trying to ck mail you tomorrow." Ian said as he thought of how the Baron family functioned.

    In matters like this they needed to move fast. The longer it took for Cedric to make a decision the more likely he was to formte a n and backout.

    "Cedric will be their main concern for the meantime, having someone like him on their side will be their strongest asset." Seth added.

    "What else do you have on the owners of Sapphire Mining?" Ian asked Seth.

    "I have a list of people who have been on their board." Seth said.

    "Any visible connection to Lucius Ting?" Ian asked as desperately hoped that they didn''t. It would onlyplicate things if they were linked to Lucius Ting.

    "So far, none." Seth said, making Ian and Cedric feel a little bit better about the situation. "They are mostly old families, some from the Rajas. Do you remember them?" Seth asked.

    "Yeah, from history ss." Ian said as he tried to recall some family stories as well. "Luckily the Lim''s weren''t dragged into their craziness. We were too poor back then I guess."

    "The Reyeses were a part of that group for a time, but they distanced themselves when they began talking about putting leaders approved by them in power." Cedric exined as he noticed Ian hesitating to ask.

    "Do you know what happened to them?" Ian asked Cedric.

    Cedric nodded, he knew what happened to some of them.

    "Most fled the country, those that were leaders were killed by the very people they ced in the government they had built." Cedric exined. "I would assume that those that are running Sapphire Mining and simr scams are from the smaller, more negligible families that remained."

    "It''s possible." Seth said. "I can send Ian a copy of the list. Many of them owe debts to several mafia families."

    "So we already have an advantage over them or sorts." Cedric told hispanions as he tried to figure out a way to get rid of them.

    "Guess who they owe the most." Ian said with augh as he scrolled through the list of names Seth had just sent to him through his email.

    "The Laurences?" Cedric asked. Most people owed the Laurences since they were one of the oldest and most powerful families in the underworld.

    "No, but close." Ian told Cedric as he turned theptop around. "The Ris."

    Francesca Ri''s family, one of Ray''s now most loyal factions. The fact that Cedric and Ram had helped Francesca helped Ray earn their loyalty and form a deeper bond.

    "This should be an easy fix then." Cedric said with a nod as he smiled at the n forming in his head.

    "I''d still be careful of them." Seth warned. "They managed to survive one of the most brutal times for their family, don''t go around underestimating them."

    "Trust me Seth, if anything, Cedric will overestimate them." Ian told Seth as he rolled his eyes.

    "How long before you can set up a base here and bring your prisoner?" Cedric asked Seth.

    "Give me two days." Seth said over the phone.

    "Two days are enough." Cedric confirmed as he dropped the call.

    "Are you finally agreeing to do things my way this time?" Ian asked Cedric with a cocky grin.

    "Yes, it''s about time these people realize that even if I''m a businessman, they shouldn''t cross me." Cedric said with a nod as he leaned back against his seat.

 Chapter 730 - 730

    Cedric sat in the living room of his suite at the hotel as he waited for news. He was slowly bing impatient.

    "Ian, how long?" Cedric asked as he drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair.

    "They said they would release the results this morning." Ian told Cedric with a sigh as he shook his head and walked off to get the cranky businessman some coffee.

    Yesterday they had just found out more on Sapphire Mining''s activities. Cedric had to ask Katerina to gather what she could and see what actions she could take against them, dying her arrival.

    Today everything he needed would be arriving. Katrina with the documents and the results of the DNA test.

    Cedric was a hundred percent sure that the test results woulde up positive, his question now was, how much was the family willing to trust him and tell him.

    They already knew that Fernando had started work at Saints Hospital, that''s how he and Miguel met. But maybe Fernando''s family knew more about his work with uncle Miguel.

    While deep in thought, Cedric''s phone began to ring.

    He was surprised to find that it was his father calling. The elder Reyes rarely called, especially when he knew his son was at work.

    "Dad?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "Ced, I heard some very disturbing news!" Emilio Reyes III said in a distressed tone.

    "What''s wrong dad?" Cedric asked, confused as to what would set his dad off in such a panic.

    "Did you look more into the death of Miguel''s and Eric''s uncle?" Emilio asked his son.

    "Dad, you guys told us to drop it, do you think we would pursue it?" Cedric asked his father, he didn''t want to lie, but he couldn''t exactly tell the old man the truth.

    "With you guys? Yes it''s possible that you would allpletely ignore what we said. The case is closed." Emilio Reyes said as he raised his voice at his son.

    "And I''m telling you, dad, we listened to you guys." Cedric said with a sigh as he refused to raise his voice to counter his father. "Why would you even think we went against your warnings? Are you spying on us?" Cedric asked, he knew it was bad but it was the only way to distract his father.

    "We aren''t spying on you." Emilio said in a guilty tone. "We just know how you kids are, saying no doesn''t mean you''ll listen."

    "Dad, please, just trust us." Cedric said, pleading with his father. "You and your friends should be rxing at some beach or at the golf course. Maybe go to Mountain View and y with Yoyo for a bit. Enjoy life, you earned it."

    "Do not use a patronizing tone on me Cedric Reyes." Emilio warned. "But you are right, you guys are old enough to get yourselves into trouble, you should be old enough to get out of it on your own."

    "I don''t even know what that means." Cedric said with augh as the tension between father and son subsided.

    "Cedric, please listen this time." Emilio Reyes said in a sad tone. "Looking into Miguel''s and Andrew''s deaths will bring you nothing but pain. We''ve been through it in the past and we don''t want you kids to suffer through it too."

    "Dad, we''re grown ups. Trust that we know what we are doing now." Cedric said.

    "Alright, I''ll just trust that you listened to us. I''ll see you when you get home." Emilio Reyes told his son.

    "Bye dad, see you." Cedric said with a smile as he dropped the call.

    "How did your dad figure out that we would look into Uncle Miguel''s case?" Ian asked Cedric as he handed his friend a drink.

    "He''s my dad, the former most powerful man in the country, my dad, of course he would know I wouldn''t listen to him." Cedric said, rolling his eyes.

    "So nothing definite?" Ian asked as he sat back down.

    "No, he is just doubting that we would listen." Cedric said with a sigh. He really didn''t want the parents finding out that they were investigating the matter.

    As they were talking a knock came from the door and Ian called out for whoever was at the otherside to enter.

    "Sir, the results are here." Dave said as he walked into the room with a man in ab coat following right behind him.

    "You''re from Saints Hospital?" Ian asked as the man ced an envelope on the table in front of them.

    "Yes, sir." The man said with a nod. "I''m the head ofboratories at the local Saints Hospital. Miss Chan specifically asked that I run the tests and deliver them personally to you."

    "I think we should ask Max and his mother to be here." Cedric told Dave with a nod.

    His assistant quickly did as he asked and gave Mae a call.

    She and Mien were keeping Fernando''s familypany as they waited for the results.

    "I hope you have good news for us in that envelope." Cedric told the man.

    "I hope it is good news, sir." The man said with augh.

    It didn''t take long for Mae and Mien to arrive with Max and his mother.

    They greeted Cedric as they entered and were each offered seats at the table.

    When everyone had finally settled down Cedric took a deep breath and prepared himself for Mac and his mother''s reaction.

    He was well aware that finding out that someone you thought long dead to have lived in secret woulde as a shock to the family.

    "Sir, if you would, please open the envelope and tell us the results." Cedric said with a nod.

    "As you can all see, this envelope is sealed and it has not been opened since I left the hospital." The man from Saints Hospital said as he showed everyone the sealed envelope.

    "Please, open it for us and tell us the results." Max managed to say in a shaky voice.

    "Sir?" The man asked as he looked at Cedric.

    "Do as he asks." Cedric said with a nod.

    The man nodded and opened the envelope.

    "ording to this there is a 99% chance that all three samples are rted." The man announced shocking Max and his mother.

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a nod as he nced at Dave.

    Dave knew what he had to do, he escorted the man out of the room.

    Cedric knew that the next moments needed to be private.

    "We thought they had him killed." Max suddenly said as he burst out sobbing.

    This time it was Cedric''s turn to be surprised.

    "Who would have Fernando killed?" Cedric asked Max.

    "The Chan family, he knew something and we thought the Chan family had him killed!" Max''s mother managed to say as she continued to cry.

 Chapter 731 - 731

    Cedric was shocked at Max''s words, by the way he spoke about the Chan family earlier, no one would think that the Chan''s were the greatest thing to happen to their lives.

    "I don''t understand." Mae suddenly said in a shaky voice. Just like everyone else in Cedric''s group she hade to love Cedric''s friends and their families. In her eyes, the Chans could do no wrong.

    "We knew that Mr. Reyes is a good friend of the Chan family." Max exined with a frown. "As a matter of face, when we met you, my mom wanted to send you away."

    "Why didn''t you?" Cedric asked as he leaned forward and listened intently to Max.

    "You are Mr. Cedric Reyes, the CEO of the Reyes Group, you can control this whole country if you wanted to." Max said with a frown. "A simple farmer like myself has no power to make you leave if you didn''t want to."

    "I would have left if we weren''t wee." Cedric said with a frown as he realized how scared Max and his family had been with their visit.

    "Mr. Reyes, if you were in my shoes you wouldn''t be able to send someone like you away." Max said, shaking his head.

    Cedric sighed and nodded.

    "I understand." He replied.

    "I don''t think so, Mr. Reyes." Max said in a determined tone. "You grew up with people saying yes to everything you wanted. No one would dare refuse the son or Emilio Reyes III."

    Cedric frowned and massaged his temples.

    "Yes, no one would dare refuse my father''s son." He said slowly. "But a lot of people would refuse Cedric. Contrary to what everyone believes, I did not live a sheltered life. Things were not just handed to me."

    "With all due respect Mr. Reyes, I''m pretty sure you had an easy life." Max said with augh.

    "It seems you haven''t been reading the news, Max." Dave said with augh, dispersing the tension.

    "Huh?" Max asked as he gave Dave a confused look.

    "Mr. Reyes lived just like all of us for most of his life. He lived a life worse than mine or Mae''s, he has gone through a lot just to get where he is. He had to prove himself to his family." Dave said as his admiration for Cedric became obvious through his short speech.

    "Dave, no need." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "I didn''t know." Max said with a frown as he looked down.

    "It''s alright Max." Cedric told the man in front of him. "So tell us, what made you think that the Chan family had your brother murdered?"

    "You see, Mr. Reyes, despite Mr. Miguel Chan, having asked my brother not to write back or visit his family, Fernando continued to do so." Max said with a frown. "He wrote back to us and one of the biggest news he told us was the fact that Mr. Miguel had a son."

    "Yes, a boy that died." Cedric said with a nod.

    "No, he didn''t die. The child survived and my brother took him in until he could be sent somewhere else." Max said, shaking his head.

    Cedric stared at Max in surprise. So their suspicion was right, Andrew Chan didn''t die with his mom, he was sent to Fernando.

    "Do you have proof of this?" Cedric asked Max. "If Andrew is alive then this could have huge implications to the Chan family."

    "That''s exactly why I thought they had him killed." Max exined to Cedric.

    "What? Why?" Cedric asked as he was confused by Max''s words.

    "ording to my brother, there were rumors going around that the older Miguel Chan was going to be named the next president of Saints Hospital." Max informed Cedric.

    "So you thought, uncle Raphael had uncle Miguel''s son killed?" Ian asked as he looked at Max in shock.

    "Yes." Max said with a nod.

    "Andrew was a child at that time. He posed no threat to uncle Raphael." Cedric exined to Max.

    "But he would hurt the chances of Raphael''s sons inheriting." Max pointed out.

    "That doesn''t make sense." Ian said, shaking his head. "Uncle Raphael was the first born son, Eric is also older than Andrew. The Chans are a very traditional family, they follow age over ability."

    "It was just the rumors my brother told me." Max said with a shrug.

    "Is there any chance you have proof of this?" Cedric asked Max.

    Max thought for a moment then nodded.

    "I have all of his letters." Max told Cedric''s group. "He sent those letters right before his supposed death. I saved them, I thought they might help in the future. In case his son came and found us and wanted to know what happened to his father."

    "Can you get them for us?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. They are in my room." Max said with a nod as he got up and left.

    "Thank you." Max''s mother said as tears began to fall from her eyes.

    "I''m sorry you had to find out about his death like this." Cedric said as he reached out and held the olddy''s hand.

    The olddy shook her head. Cedric remembered that she couldn''t understand what he was saying, and without her son here she didn''t know what he was saying.

    Cedric was surprised when instead of crying some more she smiled and hugged Cedric.

    "Thank you." She repeated again as she sobbed in Cedric''s arms.

    "Woah, are you cheating on Adrianna with an olddy?" A familiar voice said from behind.

    Cedric turned to see Katerina standing behind him in a more casual outfitughing.

    "You''re here early." Cedric said with a raised eyebrow as the old woman let go of him and sat back down.

    "You said you needed me as soon as possible, I thought it was for a criminal case, I didn''t think it would be for an annulment." Katerina teased as she ced her bag down and took a seat.

    "Very funny, Katerina." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes at her sick joke.

    "So who is the olddy?" Katerina mouthed as she shielded it from sight.

    "She can''t understand you, she''s Fernando''s mother." Cedric told Katerina.

    "Oh." Katerina said in surprise as she looked at the olddy.

    Cedric was caught by surprise when Katerina walked up to the olddy and began speaking in the local dialect. The woman began to cry again as she hugged Katerina.

    "You speak theirnguage?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Kind of mandatory when your family is in politics." Katerina said with a shrug.

    "What did you tell her?" Ian asked as he leaned forward.

    "I told her, thank you for raising a man that protected and cared for my friend." Katerina said with a smile as she looked at Mae who simply smiled back.

 Chapter 732 - 732

    When Max returned he was surprised to see his mother, happily chatting with a stranger.

    "My mom doesn''t usually get along well with strangers." Max said in a weirded out tone as he ced a box on the table.

    "Most strangers don''t get along with Katrina either, and yet here we are." Ian said with augh as Katrina red at him.

    "Max, meet mywyer, Katrina Sebastian." Cedric said with a nod as he gestured towards Katrina.

    "S- S- Sebastian? As in the President? You''re rted to the President?" Max said as he forced the words out of his lips.

    This time it was Katrina''s turn tough.

    "You could say that we''re rted." Katrina teased.

    "Katrina." Cedric said as he gave her a look of warning. "Katrina IS the President''s daughter and is the sister of Alexander Sebastian, who is a good friend of mine." Cedric told Max, exining who the woman in front of him actually was.

    Max was at a loss for words, clearly he had never expected to find the first daughter happily chatting with his mother.

    "Does she know who you are?" Max asked Katerina as he pointed at his mother.

    "Nope." Katrina said, shaking her head with an amused look on her face.

    Max suddenly turned to his mother and began speaking in the local dialect.

    His mother''s smiling face soon turned into one of shock as she looked at Katerina. She gasped and covered her mouth as she observed the young woman in front of her quite closely.

    She then began to say something quickly in hernguage as she hugged Katerina.

    "What''s she saying?" Cedric asked Katerina who was now smiling quite awkwardly.

    "She''s telling me about how much she loves my family, particrly my father and his projects." Katrina said with an awkwardugh.

    Cedric knew that despite being proud of her father and brother, Katerina had always sought to step out of their shadow. She and the other sisters were the same in that aspect.

    The girls were all tired of their family names being hailed as the reason for their sess. They wanted to show everyone that they were just as smart and just as brilliant as their brothers.

    They were no longer pawns for good partnerships between families, they were their own selves and you could stand on their own.

    "Can you trante for me?" Cedric asked Max who simply nodded.

    "Please tell her that Katerina is also a bigshot in her own right. She''s one of or if not the bestwyers in the country." Cedric told Max who repeated his words to his mother.

    Cedric watched as Max''s mother gasped upon hearing the news.

    "Is that why she is here?" Max asked.

    "Yes, I am in a sticky situation with the Baron Family and Katerina is here to help me get out of it." Cedric told Max with a smile.

    "I''m sorry." Max said as he looked down and frowned.

    "Sorry for what?" Cedric asked, he was perplexed by what Max had just said.

    "You got into trouble with them because you had toe to our province, because of my brother." Max exined.

    "It''s not your fault." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I would have run into them eventually. This country is too small for me not to bump into people like them. Plus I looked for your brother, for my friends, for the Chans."

    "Here are my brother''s letters." Max said as he pushed the box towards Cedric. "I hope they help."

    "These will help a lot for our investigation." Cedric said with a nod as he handed the box to Ian, who took it and went to another room to put the box away.

    "Is there anything else we can do to help you?" Max asked as he looked at Cedric.

    "Yes, actually there is." Cedric told Max. "Your brother''s family, it would be a huge help to us if we could find them. I think he may have stayed in contact with them."

    "I can try asking his friends, maybe they heard from his wife." Max informed Cedric.

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Maybe you should ask them too?" Katerina suddenly said as she looked at Cedric.

    "Ask them what?" Cedric asked hiswyer with a confused look on his face.

    "My brother didn''t call, did he?" Katerina said with a sigh as she shook her head.

    "Alexi found something out?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Katerina said with a nod as she nced at Mien. "It involves your father." She told they youngerwyer.

    "What about my dad?" Mien asked as he anxiously waited for what Katerina would say.

    "Alexi found out from dad that Cheng wasn''t his real name. It was his alias that helped him blend in in Singapore." Katerina said with a frown.

    "Does he also know if my mother changed her name?" Mien asked.

    "Yes, she did too." Katerina confirmed as she nodded her head.

    "Did I miss anything?" Ian asked as he looked at the stunned faces around the table.

    "You came back at the right time." Cedric said with augh as he gestured for his assistant to take a seat. "Katerina was just about to drop a bomb that Alexi forgot to call me about."

    "Well, we can''t exactly me Alexi for forgetting." Ian said with a chuckle. The young congressman was facing a lot of cking from his rtionship both with Jen and Selina. It wasn''t something he couldn''t deal with, it was just a lot.

    "Go on Katerina." Cedric told her as he urged her to speak.

    "ording to dad''s file, before moving to Singapore Cheng''s name was Terry Sanchez and he was married to a Lara Sanchez." Katerina said as she recalled what her father had told them.

    "No!" Max suddenly said, wide eyed and in shock.

    "Do you know them?" Cedric asked Max.

    "Y- yes. But, they went missing years ago, and they definitely did not have a son." Max said as he pointed at Mien. "This wille as a shock to you, but Terry Sanchez was my brother''s brother-inw."

 Chapter 733 - 733

    "What?" Mien asked as he stood up, wide eyed in shock as he looked at the man sitting across him.

    "Mien." Mae said as she reached out and tried to get her friend to rx and sit back down.

    Noticing her distress, Dave quickly went to help Mae calm Mien down, cing a hand on his shoulder and talking to him.

    "Rx Mien, let''s listen. He might just have the same name as your dad. But if it is true then this is the family you''ve been looking for." Dave told the distressed man.

    Mien took deep breaths as Dave patted him on the back.

    After a while the young man slowly sunk back on his seat and closed his eyes, collecting himself. When he opened it again, Cedric could see how much calmer he was.

    Cedric nced at Dave and nodded, he knew his assistant would understand that he needed Dave to keep an eye on Mien. He couldn''t lose his temper or get impatient again.

    "Do you have a photo of your parents, Mien?" Cedric asked the young man who simply responded with a nod.

    "Can we show Max?" Cedric asked.

    "Sure." Mien said as he took his wallet from his back pocket and flipped it open.

    Cedric could see him pulling out two photos, one seemed to be newer with a crisp white back and it''s corners still sharp. The second photo was clearly older, the back already had some yellowing on it and the edges were bent and slightly torn in some parts.

    "This is a photo of me, my mom, and my dad during my graduation." Mien said as he handed the photo to Max.

    Max examined it and nodded.

    "I can''t really tell if this is the same Terry Sanchez I knew, he is much older here, but they do look somewhat alike. Even his wife looks like Lara, but much older." Max said as he gave the photo back to Mien.

    "You look like a really happy family in that photo, I''m sorry for your loss." Max added as Mien took the photo from him.

    Mien simply nodded and passed the second photo.

    "If my father or well uncle is the Terry Sachez that you knew, this photo might look closer to when youst saw him." Mien exined. "This photo was taken before I was born."

    Max looked closely at the photo and frowned, his reaction worried Cedric.

    "Max, is something wrong?" Katerina asked in a tender tone as she noticed the distress in Cedric''s eyes.

    "I don''t know if the news I have for you is good or bad." Max said with a frown.

    "We will take whatever it is." Cedric said as he looked to Mien who nodded in agreement.

    "The man in this photo is definitely the Terry Sanchez I know, and the woman is his wife Lara." Max said with a nod as he handed the photo back to Mien. "You said Terry is your uncle and not your father?" Max asked Mien.

    "Yes, Mr. Reyes and his people were the ones who managed to discover that." Mien said as he looked at Cedric to exin.

    "Cedric, a word." Ian whispered. There was some information he neglected to tell Cedric that needed to be talked about now.

    "Give us a moment." Cedric told the group as he and Ian walked into the next room.

    As they stepped in Cedric nced back at the people around the table, he couldn''t help but worry that something bad would happen while he and Ian spoke.

    "Rx, Dave, Mae, and Katerina are there. Leon will be standing right outside this door." Ian told Cedric as he pulled his friend to the next room. This news could not wait.

    "What was so urgent that it couldn''t wait till after the discussion?" Cedric asked in an annoyed tone as the door closed behind them.

    "Trust me, when you hear this you will be d we spoke." Ian said as he took a deep breath. "Also, don''t be too mad. I didn''t think this was relevant information at the time."

    "Since when have you withheld relevant information from me Ian?" Cedric asked. "I know you would never do it on purpose."

    "Alright, but I think Mien is Fernando''s son." Ian suddenly said, shocking Cedric.

    "W- w- what?" Cedric asked as he managed to say the words.

    "Mien was adopted by ummm. . . Terry and Lara Sanchez from his older sister." Ian revealed.

    "Didn''t you have the name of Fernando''s wife all this time?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, but we only found out Chen sh Terry''s real name a few minutes ago. And even then I chose to ignore it. Sanchez is a verymon name." Ian pointed out.

    "Not asmon as Reyes, if the first andst name match then you would question it." Cedric argued.

    "Look, it didn''t seem relevant to tell you that Mien was adopted from Terry, I mean Cheng, no, Terry''s sister." Ian exined.

    "I know, I know, this is just big news. I feel bad for Mien." Cedric said with a frown. "Wait, does this mean that Mien isn''t his real name?" Cedric asked.

    "No, Mien isn''t his real name. He was born Mattias, quite a distant name from Mien." Ian said with augh.

    "Well, they both start with an M." Cedric grinned.

    "Another thing bothers me." Ian said as he paced across the room.

    "Did you find more information on Fernando''s family?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "I did, actually. Mien isn''t an only child, he has a sister." Ian revealed.

    "Well now we just need to find the mom and the sister. How hard can that be? Mien was probably sent with his uncle so that there would be a smaller chance of them being found out." Cedric concluded.

    "So find the sister, find the mom?" Ian asked.

    "That''s our next step, yes." Cedric said with a nod as they walked back into the room.

    But what they walked into was not the sight they were expecting.

 Chapter 734 - 734

    Cedric and Ian were shocked to see Mien standing and in tears as Dave tried to hold him back.

    Max too seemed quite distressed as Leon hovered nearby.

    "Mien, please, calm down." Mae begged as she ced a hand on her friend''s shoulder.

    Mien shook it off, earning him a scolding from Dave.

    "Don''t you dare treat my girlfriend that way!" Dave warned in an intimidating tone, catching everyone by surprise.

    "Thank god you''re back." Katerina called out as she noticed Ian and Cedric walking back.

    "What is going on here?" Cedric asked in a stern tone, making everyone back down. "I leave for five minutes and all hell breaks loose. Someone better exin things to me now." Cedric demanded.

    "He said- he said-" Mien said as he tried to get the words out but he was at a loss for words.

    "Mae?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "Max said that Mien was most likely Fernando''s son." Mae exined to Cedric and Ian.

    "Terry and Lara couldn''t have kids." Max added. "Lara had no siblings, and Terry only had his sister. That means that Mien is most likely my brother''s son."

    "Impossible." Mien muttered as he kept his eyes on the ground.

    "Mien, you can always run a DNA test with them or with. . ." Mae choked as she tried to mention Fernando''s name. She didn''t know if she was supposed to say Fernando or his corpse, it was all so confusing.

    "Mae, it''s alright." Cedric said as he gave his assistant a reassuring nod.

    "Mien, we checked the records, your real name is Mattias Benitez." Ian revealed, making the olddy gasp.

    She began crying hysterically and saying things in the local dialect that Cedric couldn''t understand.

    Cedric watched as Katerina gave him a concerned look as she listened to what the olddy was saying. She tried to soothe the olddy but the woman remained quite distressed despite Katerina''s attempts.

    "She said, Mattias Benitez is her grandson''s name, she keeps asking how we know his name." Katerina said with a frown. "Ced, she thinks her grandkids are dead, that''s why she''s acting like this."

    "Can you exin to her?" Cedric asked as he looked at Max.

    Max nodded as his eyes lingered on Mien. Cedric was not surprised that Max was curious about this long lost nephew of his, but there were things that they needed to fix first.

    Cedric watched as Max spoke to his mother in a calm tone. Katerina, who was seated next to the olddy would also chime in when Max forgot something.

    "Mien, I know this is a lot to process, but it''s the truth." Cedric told Mien as he looked the young man in the eyes.

    "I need to talk to my mom." Mien said in a distressed tone.

    "Don''t worry, after this, you and Mae can go and give her a call. Mae will be there to help you arrange for anything she might need to get there." Cedric said as calmly as he could.

    "Thank you." Mien said with an awkward smile. "I never thought I was adopted, then now, all of a sudden apparently I met my real dad without knowing him. I haven''t even had the time to process the fact that I was adopted and now this."

    "We will help you, don''t worry." Cedric promised.

    Cedric nodded and nced at Max as he held his mother''s hand. The olddy was not looking at her son, she was looking at Mien who was across the table from her.

    The olddy suddenly got up, causing everyone to panic as she almost fell back down on her seat. She slowly made her way to Mien and held his face in her hands and said something.

    "She called him grandson." Katerina quickly tranted.

    "Mattias." The olddy said as tears fell from her eyes.

    Cedric could tell that Mien did not know how to react, he was at a loss. So much had happened to him in the recent days that he had no idea how he was supposed to react.

    He looked to Mae who then just nodded at him, as if telling him to simply trust his heart and trust his instincts.

    After what felt like a really long time Mien suddenly hugged the olddy and began to cry as well.

    "I never thought I had a family aside from mom and dad." Mien said as he sobbed with the old woman. "I never expected to have a grandmother or an uncle."

    Katerina smiled and quickly tranted for the olddy.

    Cedric watched as she hugged Mien even tighter as she heard what he had said.

    The woman began to cry out once more as she held Mien tightly in her arms.

    "My mom is crying about how she wishes she knew Mattias was still alive. She mourned him and his sister and their mother." Max exined. "When they were younger, my sister-inw would always take them to visit my mom. She was so happy to have them around."

    "I''m not sure if my mom, my biological mom I mean, and my sister are alive." Mien told Max. "I didn''t know I was adopted until a few days ago."

    Max quickly tranted Mien''s words for his mother as he gave Mien a sad look.

    "I''m sorry I can''t tell you more about where your mother and sister could be now." Max told Mien. "As I mentioned to you, I went looking for them, but you were all gone. I''m assuming your mother split you guys up so that you couldn''t be found."

    "But why?" Mien asked. "Why did we have to be hidden? What was Fernando''s, no, dad''s secret that had to be hidden so badly."

    "It has to have something to do with the Chan family." Cedric said with a frown.

    "Will you tell them?" Mae asked as she gave her boss a curious look.

    Cedric nodded and took a deep breath, everyone in the room was involved one way or another with the Chans and it seemed like everything was rted at this point.

    "We were actually looking for Fernando when Mae met him." Cedric revealed something even Mien did not know. "We are trying to find out if Andrew Chan survived."

    "He did." Max suddenly said as he walked over to the box of letters he had given Cedric earlier.

 Chapter 735 - 735

    "Here." Max said as he fished out a letter from inside the box.

    He took out the yellowing paper inside and slowly unfolded it before handing it over to Cedric.

    "This is thest letter my brother wrote to me before he passed away, it''s also why we thought the Chans might have had him killed." Max exined as Cedric took the letter from him.

    Cedric took a look at the old letter, it was neatly written and was one page with writing on both sides. Clearly Fernando had a lot to say in hisst letter.

    He lifted the letter up and read it.

    ~

    Dearest Mom and Max,

    I hope you are all well back home.

    I''ve sent some money to you and to my darling, Marisa. I might not be able to send money home for a while. I''ve just confirmed that Miguel Chan, my employer, has just passed away.

    I''m sure this news isn''t new to you. His death would probably have been published everywhere there at home. I feel sad for his son, the little boy is all alone now.

    Have I told you about Miguel''s son, Andrew? I''m not sure if I have. After his mom passed away a year ago, he was sent to live with me. I think they want him to be protected from someone.

    To keep Andrew safe, we will be moving to another town or country, I''m not too sure. Thest letter I got from Miguel was one telling me to keep his little boy safe, and that someone woulde get him from me.

    It''s been months, and yet no one hase to get the little boy. I get milk from the local orphanage, but it''s not enough. Little Andrew is much smaller than kids his age, he doesn''t look like a toddler at all and I''m worried.

    Mom, Max, I miss you both so much. It''s been years since Ist went home. I was honestly hoping that I coulde visit you and my family this year, but I can'' I need to keep little Andrew safe.

    Max, have you graduated from university yet? I''m not sure if this letter will reach you before or after your graduation, just know that I am very proud of you. What was just a dream for us is now a reality.

    If you n on working in the capital, can you check on my wife and children? Marisa said Mattias is looking for his uncle Max despite having his uncle Terry and aunt Lara around.

    Did I tell you the good news? My little Maybelle can walk now! She''s such a strong and brave little girl. I miss her so much, thest time I saw her was when she was born, that was over a year ago.

    Mom, Max, please don''t worry about me. I''m safe and I won''t be in touch for a really long time. I hope all of this mess settles so that I could somedaye home and see you all again.

    Right now little Andrew is my priority, I promised to keep him safe. I can only hope that his father''s friendse and find me before the others find this little kid.

    I love you all and stay safe.

    Your dearest son and brother,

    Fernando Benitez

    ~

    "Andrew survived." Cedric said as he looked up from reading the letter. It was clearly written in the letter. Andrew Chan was sent to Fernando Benitez.

    "So Lucius?" Ian asked with a frown.

    "What I don''t understand is that Fernando already mentioned the orphanage, why didn''t he say he was nning on leaving Andrew there?" Katerina asked as she thought of what Fernando had written to his brother.

    "When was Lucius brought to the orphanage?" Cedric asked as he looked at Ian. "Was it after this date?"

    Ian leaned over and took a good look at when the letter was written.

    "This letter was written a year after Lucius was sent to the orphanage." Ian said, shaking his head.

    "So that means, Lucius can''t be Andrew." Cedric said excitedly as he gently waved the letter. "This is proof that Andrew was still with Fernando when Lucius was in the orphanage."

    "Cedric, even if we have his, our fathers are insisting that Andrew is dead." Katerina reminded Cedric. "And even then, how can we even prove that Fernando is telling the truth?"

    "That may be true, but this is something we can use against Lucius." Cedric told Katerina. "The fact that we are sure he isn''t Andrew, is enough for us to put more resources into taking him down. Eventually he will be forced to cave in."

    "Does this mean you''ll be speeding up the ns with Cami?" Ian asked as he rubbed his chin.

    "Yes, I need something big. Something Cami can give him that will make Lucius truly believe that Cami is on his side." Cedric told Ian. "I have someone in mind, but it will take a while for me to contact him."

    Suddenly a knock was heard from the door and a bodyguard walked in.

    "Sir, you have a message." The bodyguard said with a straight face.

    "Say it." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Sir, I don''t think this is the kind that I can tell in front of everyone." The bodyguard told Cedric as he looked at the people in the room.

    "Very well." Cedric said with a nod. "Max, thank you for bringing all of these letters. I''lle and find youter. Please thank your mother for me as well."

    Max nodded and ryed Cedric''s message to his mother.

    Cedric then turned to face Mein, the young man was confused and lost. There were just too many things going on at the moment. Too many lies told to him his whole life.

    "Mien, I know it''s a lot. If you need time for yourself this is your chance." Cedric told the younger man.

    "We''ll be here if you need us." Mae added.

    "Thank you." Mien said as he excused himself and left the room before Max and his mother.

    "He just needs time." Cedric told Max.

    "We know, we need time too. Thank you again." Max said as he and his mother left the room as well.

    Soon the only people were Cedric, his assistants, and Katerina.

    "What was the message?" Cedric asked the bodyguard in a stern and cold tone.

    "Sir, the Barons are threatening to let the world know that Cedric Reyes was willing to bribe them." The bodyguard revealed.

 Chapter 736 - 736

    Cedric grinned as he leaned back against his seat. He was already expecting this, and it was a good thing that Katerina had already arrived. This meant that he could at least start working on his n while waiting for Seth to arrive.

    "Do you want us to say something in reply?" Ian asked Cedric.

    When they finished discussing the matter the night before Cedric hadn''t decided yet if he wanted to make this a private or a public affair.

    "People like them should be revealed to the public." Cedric told the people in the room with him. "Tell them toe and try." He said with a grin as he took his phone and quickly called Ram up.

    After a few rings his friend picked up.

    "Got anything fun for me to do?" Ram teased, making Cedric smile.

    "Actually, I do." Cedric told him. "Someone has decided to use me of bribing a government official."

    Cedric could hear as Ramughed over the phone.

    "Really, you need to bribe a government official?" Ram asked over the phone. "Did these people even do any research into your background?" Ram said as he continued tough.

    Clearly the young entertainment executive found this whole scenario quite amusing.

    "Well they clearly did, they assumed that Alexi and uncle Jose were taking payouts from under the table. They thought I would be okay with it." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes. Ram was way too entertained with the matter.

    "Do you really think that the public will care?" Ram asked Cedric. "They already assume that you get political favors, they wouldn''t believe that you need to bribe someone. What were you supposedly bribing them for anyway?"

    "A piece of property." Cedric grumbled, making Ramugh even more.

    "Really? You are the richest man in the country. You can literally buy anything, why would you need to go through people like them to purchase a piece ofnd." Ram asked, he was still quite baffled about the situation.

    "It''s owned by a miningpany that will not sell." Cedric exined.

    "You spoke to the miningpany?" Ram asked, surprised that someone would not ept an offer from Cedric.

    Ram knew for a fact that his friend was quite the negotiator and it would be difficult to refuse his offer. Those that did were either very stupid or what Cedric was buying meant more to them than money.

    "No, look, it''s a long story. But basically I went to that ce and visiting such a remote area seemed suspicious, so I said I wanted to buy it." Cedric told his friend, trying to keep the story as short as possible.

    "How were you so sure that the miningpany wouldn''t sell?" Ram asked Cedric in a very confused tone.

    "Will you let me finish my story?" Cedric asked Ram. His friend was way too impatient.

    "Fine, fine, go on." Ram grumbled.

    "The mining corporation has been a tool that corrupt politicians have been using for generations to get businessmen to bribe them." Cedric exined. "Then after they get the money, they use whatever evidence they have to ckmail the businessman."

    "How has this remained a secret for so long?" Ram asked. "I mean if they threatened enough businessmen someone was bound to say something."

    "That''s the thing, they know the system quite well." Ceric said as he frowned. "They keep changing thepany name, and from what I can see they also don''t abuse the ckmail material that they have. They like to pace things."

    "They are quite smart." Ram said as he silently analyzed the situation.

    "Smart and experienced, if I''m not mistaken they are what survived of the Rajas." Cedric exined to Ram.

    At an early age, they were all told stories of their family''s past. The elders wanted the next generation to learn from their victories and mistakes.

    There was a reason why these families remained on top despite the changing times. They learned and adapted or learned, despite families like the Abads and the Chans remaining quite traditional, they still recognized the need for change. Something that they could never escape.

    "I wouldn''t be surprised if they were active until now." Ram said over the phone. "If they are then this is something that our families need to be informed about."

    "I''ll tell them, after I deal with the Baron Family." Cedric said in a cold and harsh tone. "Right now I want to deal with this family first."

    "So what did you need on my end?" Ram asked.

    "Let the media talk about me bribing an official. I have a recording that willpletely refute what they said." Cedric told Ram. "I never promised to pay them, they only offered to be bribed."

    "And what if they turn the story on you, asking why you didn''t report it?" Ram asked Cedric as he began thinking of what angles the media and the public could take.

    "Tell him dad and Alexi are aware." Katerina told Cedric.

    Cedric repeated her words to Ram.

    "So you will pretend to be bait?" Ram asked.

    "Yep." Cedric responded.

    "It could work." Ram said as he began thinking of the implications.

    "I''ve considered every possible result of this Ram, don''t worry." Cedric said as he tried to calm his friend''s worries.

    "I feel like you are plotting more than just what you''ve told me." Ram said on the phone.

    "I n to make them and a few other people an example of what happens to people that cross me." Cedric said with a grin.

    "I''lle over tomorrow then." Ram said with augh. "I don''t want to miss this."

    "Remember the politician that helped Aiden hide from me?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah, didn''t Ian have him killed yet?" Ram asked.

    "See Ian, everyone thought you had him killed." Cedric said as he looked at his assistant.

    "I didn''t." Ian said in a loud voice making sure Ram heard him.

    "Well, he will stand as an example to the Barons. Then they will suffer the same fate." Cedric announced.

 Chapter 737 - 737

    As Cedric ended the call with Ram he knew that his friends would be flocking to this small town soon enough.

    He asked Dave to make the necessary arrangements to house them. At his point they might need to book the whole hotel. They had already booked two floors as it stood.

    "Nicole will want toe over." Ian told Cedric.

    "Will you allow her?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "Of course not." Ian scoffed. Nicole was pregnant and he was just as over protective as Cedric when it came to the woman he loved. "I just know she will insist on tagging along with Miguel when hees here."

    "And how sure are you Miguel will tag along?" Cedric asked Ian with a raised eyebrow.

    "Ram can''t keep a secret from his sister, their sibling bond is just way too tight." Ian said with augh. "Of course Veronica will tell Miguel and he isn''t one to be left out."

    "Have her stay at Mountain View with Adrianna." Cedric suggested. "I n on increasing security to keep my wife and son safe. We never know what these people will do once backed into a corner."

    "You''ll stop Adrianna from going to work?" Ian asked Cedric.

    "Until this dies down." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Seth said he''ll arrive first thing tomorrow." Ian informed Cedric.

    "That should be good timing." Cedric said with a nod. "It gives the news time to spread. I want these people taken down in one motion. I don''t n on giving them a chance to get back up again."

    "Like you should have done to many of your enemies." Katerina scoffed.

    Unlike Cedric, the Sebastians were much more brutal and unforgiving to their enemies. They always saw to it that once they were crossed their enemies would be crushed.

    "I''ve learned, especially after Aiden." Cedric said with a frown.

    "I personally would have wanted to gouge that man''s eyes out." Katerina said with a grin, not caring who would hear her.

    "Why do you Sebastians have to be so ruthless?" Ian asked as he pointed at Katerina.

    "Oh please, it''s not like you don''t have that kind of darkness in you either Ian." Katerina said as she rolled her eyes at the assistant. "You were with the gangs in the past and Cedric still asks you to do his dirty work."

    "I don''t do those things unless it''s necessary." Ian said as he tried to defend himself.

    "Don''t even get me started on your revenge n. I''ve known you longer than your wife Ian, don''t lie." Katerina pointed out.

    "I''m still not as blood thirsty as you and Alexi." Ian argued.

    "Guys, enough!" Cedric shouted. "As much as I am enjoying your banter there are a few things we need to start working on."

    "Like?" Katerina asked Cedric.

    "I need to give someone a call, someone that will help us with getting Lucius to trust Cami." Cedric said as he began to think of a ploy. "We n on expanding Mor Co. Internationally this year, Ian I want you to get our list of suppliers, the crucial ones."

    "What are you going to do with them?" Ian asked as he eyed Cedric suspiciously.

    "I want to know which one is easily swayed." Cedric told Ian. "That one supplier will be given to Lucius by Cami. It will cripple us for sure for a while but other suppliers canpensate."

    "And how do you n on making up the financial losses?" Ian asked Cedric as he tried to see how far Cedric had thought his n through. Sometimes Cedric would think ten steps ahead or miss a step or two. It didn''t hurt to be a sounding board for ideas.

    "I n on taking Mor Co. towards a different direction, one that I haven''t announced to the public yet." Cedric told Ian. "I just need to contact an old friend."

    "Aright. I''ll go get the information now from Cami''s assistant." Ian said with a nod as he disappeared to a separate room to make some calls.

    "The Baron''s won''t hold back you know." Katerina told Cedric as she looked him in the eyes. "They know how important apany''s image to the public is."

    "I think I can handle some boycotts for one day, Katerina." Cedric said in a serious tone. "Tomorrow will be entirely different."

    As he and Katerina spoke, Cedric''s phone began ringing.

    "They are fast." Katerina pointed out as she assumed that the caller was someone asking about Cedric''s newest scandal.

    "Mae, make sure that everyone knows not toment." Cedric instructed as he took a look at his phone.

    "Office or personal?" Katerina asked.

    "We both know that the employees of the Reyes Group would never call me, and the media don''t know this number. It''s my dad." Cedric groaned as he picked up the call.

    "Da-" Before Cedric could even say anything Emilio Reyes'' booming voice came through the phone.

    "Cedric Reyes , how dare you ruin our family''s good name!" Emilio Reyes scolded. "For years we''ve done well without the need of bribing public officials, and now I have to see it in the news that you are paying them for a piece ofnd?"

    "Oh wow, they are fast." Cedric said as he thought of how he had just sent the Barons the message that he would not cooperate with them.

    "What do you mean they are fast?" Emilio said,soundingpletely confused.

    "Dad, don''t worry, we set this up. Rx." Cedric told his father over the phone.

    "What do you mean?" Emilio Reyes said, repeating his question.

    "Dad, I''ll exin when I get home, but for now I need you to trust me." Cedric told his father.

    "Fine, but you better talk to your sister. I don''t want her to get stressed over this." Emilio warned his son.

    "Oh right. I''ll visit you when I get back dad. Gotta call Ayanna." Cedric said as he quickly dropped the call and dialed his sister''s number.

 Chapter 738 - 738

    "Ced?" Ayanna asked as she picked up the phone. She was currently seated at the back seat of her car on the way to pick her husband up after a meeting.

    "Hey, Ayanna. Have I ever told you how you are the best sister in the world?" Cedric asked in a gentle tone.

    "What did you fuck up this time?" Ayanna asked as she rolled her eyes. She knew her brother wouldn''t see her but he was being annoying at the moment.

    "So I forgot to tell you about a n I hadst night." Cedric said slowly as he tried to break the news as gently and as calmly as possible.

    "What n and how soon does it take effect?" Ayanna asked her brother in a more serious tone, this was business they were talking about after all.

    "Well. . ." Cedric began to say as his voice trailed away.

    "Miss Ayanna." Her assistant called out from the front seat.

    "A moment, it''s my brother on the phone." She called out as she lifted a hand signaling her assistant to wait.

    "Cedric, just tell me." Ayanna said in an annoyed tone. She knew her brother had messed up big time the moment he hesitated telling her.

    "The news should be out that I tried bribing a government official to buy a piece of property." Cedric spoke so quickly that Ayanna was barely able to catch what he said. It was a good thing that she had anticipated him speaking so fast.

    "You did what?!" Ayanna shouted in shock. "Why would you even need to do that? This is a joke right?" She asked her brother.

    "Nope. Go on, check." Cedric told her.

    "What''s thetest news about my brother?" Ayanna quickly asked her assistant.

    "That''s what I wanted to tell you about Miss Ayanna. Mr. Reyes has just been implicated in an attempt at bribery. An official of the province he is staying at just released a video of them talking about Mr. Reyes paying a bribe for a parcel ofnd." The assistant quickly told Ayanna.

    "Ced, please tell me this isn''t true." Ayanna groaned as she returned her attention back to her all with her brother.

    "I didn''t bribe the official, they offered to get the property and sell it to me instead for a price." Cedric exined. "Don''t worry sister, this is all part of my n."

    "Yeah, while you are plotting there I will need to deal with all the gossip and swarming reporters here at the capital." Ayannained. "Why couldn''t you have called me in advance? Why do I have to find out after everyone else?"

    "Look, it all happened faster than I anticipated." Cedric tried to exin. "I was supposed to call youst night but I was exhausted. Then this morning we found out something big."

    "Care to share?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "Mien, thewyer from Singapore, is Fernando Benitez''s son." Cedric quickly revealed as he tried his best to divert his sister''s attention.

    "You''re joking right?" Ayanna asked as she suddenly sat up.

    "Nope, we just need a DNA test to further prove it." Cedric told his sister.

    "Well, that''s news." Ayanna said as she tried to wrap her mind around the coincidence.

    "Another thing, Fernando had written a letter to his brother and mother right before he died. It confirms that Andrew Chan did survive and that Lucius Ting is not a Chan." Cedric exined to his sister over the phone.

    "So what are we waiting for, let''s take this information and take it to the elders of the Chan family." Ayanna told her brother.

    "It''s not that simple." Cedric said with a sigh. "Fernando was supposed to be dead, but somehow he survived for another twenty years. The proof itself is questionable"

    "But it should be enough to push the Chans into running a DNA test." Ayanna said as she tried to convince her brother.

    "I''ll talk to the siblings when I get back, this isn''t something for us to decide." Cedric said, giving in to his sister''s insistence.

    "Good, now on the matter of yourtest scandal, how do you want it handled?" Ayanna asked, returning them to the previous topic.

    "Ignore them for now." Cedric told his sister.

    "People will boycott our products." Ayanna reminded her brother.

    "We can survive missing a day of sales. I know what you will say next, what about the employees that depend on sales. Compensate them for the lost sales today, but only after my announcement." Cedric told Ayanna.

    "Alright. So we stay silent, do we avoid the public as well?" She asked.

    "They will hound you for answers. I suggest you stay at home or go to the office in a different car tomorrow." Cedric told his sister. "I''m having Ayanna and Nicole kept at home till I get back, I don''t want to risk anything happening."

    "I guess I could keep thempany, is Ray going to join you?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "I haven''t spoken to your husband just yet, but Ram, Alexi, and Miguel are." Cedric old his sister.

    "Then I''m guessing he will want to tag along too. I''ll talk to him when I see him." Ayanna said with a frown.

    "I''m sorry I didn''t tell you, Ayanna." Cedric apologized once more.

    "No, no, it''s fine. I understand. I''ve just been missing Ray a lot since I spend so much time in the office because of work." She exined.

    "I''ll give everyone some time off after this, I promise." Cedric said in a sincere tone.

    "Thanks big brother." Ayanna teased. "I guess I have to start working on yourtest scandal now. I''ll call you tonight."

    "Stay safe." Cedric told her as he dropped the call.

    "Get all the department andpany heads to meet with me at home tonight." Ayanna told her assistant. "Also call my housekeeper to prepare the ce for a big meeting."

    "Yes, Miss Ayanna." Her assistant said as she sprang into action.

    With her orders given out and the ball rolling, Ayanna focused her attention to the next matter at hand, speaking to her husband.

 Chapter 739 - 739

    Ayanna scrolled through the news reports on her phone as she waited at the underground entrance of Lau Co.''s office building.

    Lau Co. was the umbrepany that owned and managed all of thepanies that were under the Laurence family. They had even allowed Ray to house the head office of his personalpanies in the same building as well.

    As she read through the news that had broken out about her brother, she couldn''t help butugh. The very fact that people thought Cedric needed to bribe an official was amusing, and she wasn''t the only one that thought so.

    The inte was littered with people questioning the source, many saying that he was like a son to the president and a brother to congressman Sebastian. It was odd that he would go to another politician just to buy a parcel ofnd.

    On top of that, everyone knew just how wealthy the Reyeses were. If they couldn''t get this property, they would just move on to another one that was equally as attractive.

    Entire debates had sparked in thements section and various forums regarding the bribery issue, and no one could conclusively say it was true.

    The whistle blower said they had evidence and yet nothing had been received by the media.

    Ayanna took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She was enjoying the silence before the storm, she knew that the moment the employees of the Reyes Group got a hold of her she would be bombarded with questions.

    She wanted to take advantage of this time. Cedric told her it was part of his n and she trusted her brother.

    Despite everything he had been though he still came out on top.

    As she rxed in the back seat of her car, she heard the door open, this only meant one thing. He was done with work.

    True enough, two strong arms lifted her and pulled her close. She felt Ray''s chin rest on her shoulder as he seemingly soughtfort from her presence.

    "Tough day at work?" Ayanna asked with a slightugh, she already knew what was stressing him out.

    "It wasn''t, till your brother decided to do something stupid." Ray said in a sour tone as he continued to hold her close.

    "My brother always has his reasons." Ayanna told her husband as she turned to face him.

    "I know, Cedric would never do something that stupid. Plus what use is it to him?" Ray asked with a grin.

    "I''m d that you know." Ayanna said with a smile as she leaned forward and kissed her husband on the lips.

    What started out as a chaste kiss soon turned passionate as Ray''s tongue begged to enter her mouth. Ayanna let him as she lightly tugged on his hair, deepening their kiss.

    Ray''s arms pulled her closer to him, desperate to feel every inch of her body against his.

    They had been together that morning, but he had missed her the whole day.

    After a steamy make out session at the back of their car, Ray finally released his wife and let her sit back down next to him.

    "So my brother was the source of your stress today?" Ayanna asked with a giggle.

    "Really, we talk about your brother right after that hot kiss?" Ray asked as he rolled his eyes. "Why is it that everyone thinks I know exactly what goes on in Cedric''s mind."

    "You''re best friends and brother-inws, of course they will ask you." Ayanna told Ray as she took his hand andced their fingers together. "It''s only normal that they would assume that you are aware of everything my brother does."

    Ray shook his head and sighed.

    "Even before we got together they would always be like this, if the Reyes Group did anything they would look at me." Ray said with a frown. "I mean our dads are friends, why don''t they ask the dads?"

    "Cause they were scared of the dads." Ayanna said,ughing at her husband''s question.

    "Did you even know about your brother''s ns?" Ray asked Ayanna.

    "No, he forgot to tell me." Ayanna said, shaking her head. She was still annoyed at her brother that he had forgotten to give her a callst night or even this morning.

    "When did Ced tell you?" Ray asked with a frown. He felt bad for his wife, having Cedric Reyes as an older brother was not the easiest thing in the world. Cedric was aplicated man, and being his sister meant living with thoseplexities.

    "He told me as soon as the news broke out." Ayanna exined. "I don''t think he expected it to reach the public so fast."

    "Does he have a n?" Ray asked his wife.

    "It''s Cedric, of course he has a n." She said with a nod as she smiled at him. "And even when he is caught off guard, my brother always rises to the asion." She added with a grin.

    "Yeah, that''s how Adrianna keeps getting pregnant." Ray teased, earning him a p on the shoulder from his wife.

    "On another note, I want to pass by mom''s grave before heading home." Ayanna told him.

    "Of course, anything you want." Ray said before telling the driver to head to the Reyes Family mausoleum in the outskirts of the city.

    "So, did you call for a meeting to address this already?" Ray asked Ayanna as their car began to move.

    "Yes, all the executives of the Reyes Group will be at our houseter. I need to exin to them the situation." Ayanna said with a sigh. "I really wanted to rest, but this meeting can''t wait."

    "Why not ask your brother to call the meeting?" Ray asked, he knew that if Ayanna told Cedric she didn''t want to do something he would do it himself.

    Cedric spoiled his little sister just as much as Ray spoiled her. Anything and everything she wanted was either handed by her husband or her older brother.

    "No, I''m sure he has enough on his te." Ayanna said as she shook her head. "The fact that he forgot to tell me means he is busy as it is."

    "Alright." Ray said with a nod as their car ascended to street level.

    Once they exited the parking the couple was surprised to find reporters lining the streets, snapping photos of their car.

    It seemed that Cedric''s little scandal had major implications for everyone.

 Chapter 740 - 740

    It didn''t take long for Ayanna''s security detail to clear out the crowd to let the car pass.

    "It seems your brother had someone call in advance." Ray said as their car sped through the city.

    "More like Leon anticipated what kind of a mess an issue like this would bring." Ayanna said with a smile. "I''m d dad hired him to be Cedric''s head of security rather than stay as my bodyguard."

    "It was all you, darling." Ray told Ayanna as he nted a kiss on her head. "So what''s Cedric''s n now?"

    "He just said that he will do a counter attack tomorrow and punish someone." Ayanna said as she tried to recall her conversation with her brother. "He invited us toe over, saying you might want to be there since Ram, Alexi, and Miguel are probably already on their way."

    "What about you?" Ray asked as he gave his wife a concerned look.

    "I don''t want to leave the capital, plus me leaving would send a bad message." Ayanna said with a frown.

    "Don''t go to the office tomorrow." Ray said as he gave his wife a concerned look. "I''m worried that if Cedric retaliates, the politicians who tried ckmailing him wille after you and Adrianna."

    "They wouldn''t dare." Ayanna said, shaking her head. "But I understand your concern, I can work from my brother''s home office, I guess. It will be easier to keep an eye on all of us if we were in Mountain View all together."

    "Will Yoyo still go to school?" Ray asked as he thought of the little boy.

    Ayanna nodded.

    "I don''t see why not. People don''t know who he is so he is safe. It will only look suspicious if he misses ss tomorrow." Ayanna told Ray.

    No one spoke for a while as they exited the capital''s boundaries. As they saw the mausoleum in the distance Ayanna turned to look at her husband.

    "So you''ll go with them?" She asked her husband.

    "Yes." Ray said with a nod. "I''ll take the chopper, I should be in and out quickly. I''m pretty sure your brother has set up some sort of amodations for us."

    "Will you bring men from both sides?" Ayanna asked.

    She was referring to the two sides that her husband managed, the legal Lau Co. from which he had multiple bodyguards that were visible, and the underworld that he ruled. His men from the underworld were not the most honest and they rarely followed thew.

    It was through them that he could move freely, not needing to follow all the protocols necessary with the legal system.

    Since he was the king of the underworld he had protection against those that didn''t abide by thew either. His men from that world often lingered in the shadows, unseen.

    "I''ve sent some ahead already. They will be waiting for me when I get there." He told his wife with a nod. He knew Ayanna was worried about him, whenever the boys all got together for a plot like this it was rarely safe.

    Ayanna nodded and didn''t say a word as they pulled up in front of the mausoleum.

    "Do you want me toe with you?" Ray offered.

    "No, I want to talk to my mom privately." Ayanna said as she opened the door and stepped out.

    "Take all the time you need, I know you miss her." Ray called out, to which she simply nodded and walked into the grand structure.

    The Reyes Family mausoleum was simple, but huge. It wasrge enough that it could not only house generations of the dead, but even the living could survive quitefortably inside.

    There were four guards that stood watch at all times. Despite this ce being the final resting ce for the dead, many would still want to defile the graves of members of the Reyes Family.

    Some were enemies that they had taken down, others were people who considered the Reyes Family the ultimate symbol of the socio-economic divide, and there were those that were simply thrill seekers that wanted to say I did this to the most powerful family in the country.

    As Ayanna entered, the guards nodded at her and opened therge doors that led to the crypt.

    She walked slowly inside as she looked around at the names of her dead rtives, many had walked the path she walked now. Sisters, brothers, cousins, all of them having gone through the same trials as members of one of the richest families in the country.

    As Ayanna approached one of the simple markers in the mausoleum she felt a stray tear escape as she stood in front of her mother''s grave.

    It read:

    Prisci rin - Reyes

    Wife, Mother, Grandmother

    She who cared for all

    Ayanna smiled at the simple words on her mother''s grave. It was true, her mother loved everyone and she couldn''t think of a soul that hated her mother.

    The former matriarch of the Reyes Family always had a warm and weing aura around her. She not only cared for everyone, but she also helped everyone in need.

    "Hey mom." Ayanna said as she knelt on the cold marble floor of the mausoleum touching her mother''s grave marker. "Guess what, your son is causing havoc out there again."

    Ayannaughed as she imagined her mother''s annoyed look if she heard Cedric was causing a mess again.

    As children, Cedric had always been the naughty kid. He was always around any idents or mishaps at home. He often said it wasn''t him but all the maids and his parents knew that Cedric always had something to do with it.

    He was the total opposite of his son, Yoyo was very mature for his age, sometimes too mature a fact that bothered Ayanna a lot.

    "Mom, I guess you don''t know this yet, but Cedric and Adri are expecting twins, don''t you think that''s amazing?" She asked as she smiled at the memory of how excited Prisci had been when Cedric announced that Adri was pregnant with Yoyo.

    "It would have been awesome if you were around to see them mom." Ayanna said as she gently touched her mom''s name.

    "Mom, I would have been so happy if you were here to meet my first baby too." Ayanna said as she touched her t belly as the tears began to fall from her eyes. She missed her mother so much.

 Chapter 741 - 741

    "Ayanna, what?"

    Ayanna was taken by surprise as she turned around to find her father standing behind her. She had been so absorbed by her one way conversation with her dead mother that she hadn''t noticed her father arriving.

    "Dad." Ayanna said in a panic as she stood up and dusted ther pants. "How long have you been standing there and how much did you hear?" She asked.

    Emilio Reyes III quickly ran to his daughter and hugged her as he cried.

    "You brought white roses for mom? Her favorite." Ayanna said with a smile as she tried to shift the topic in the hopes that her father had not realized what she said.

    "Yes." Emilio Reyes said as he released his daughter from his arms and gently ced the roses on his wife''s grave.

    He remained silent for a while, Ayanna could only guess what was going on in her father''s mind. The former CEO was just asplicated as her brother. That''s probably where he got it, from their dad.

    "Sometimes I like toe here to talk to your mom too or just to say a little prayer for her." Emilio Reyes told his daughter as he turned his attention back to her and smiled.

    "I miss her." Ayanna admitted. "I wanted to visit her before the chaos began."

    Ayanna felt relieved that her father did not push on what he had heard her saying.

    "I don''t know what your brother is up to, but I trust that the both of you are capable of handling things." He said as he looked at his daughter with genuine concern.

    "Of course, dad." Ayanna said with a smile. She had faith in both her brother and in herself that they would be able to ovee whatever challenges this new mess would throw at them.

    "Good, good." Emilio said with a nod as he turned his attention back to his wife''s grave.

    "I heard what you told your mom." Emilio said as he kept his back turned on his daughter.

    "Which part, dad?" Ayanna asked. She wanted to be sure about what he was referring to. She didn''t want to identally tell him about her pregnancy if he didn''t pick it up in the first ce.

    "You''re pregnant." Emilio told his daughter as he turned around and cupped her face. "How far along are you?"

    "One and a half months, dad, more or less." Ayanna said with a blush as she realized her father had discovered her secret.

    "How dare Ray let you go into this cold ce alone, you shouldn''t even be going to work!" Emilio Reyes said in an angry tone.

    "Dad, Ray doesn''t know. No one knows, just me." Ayanna said with a smile as she looked up at her father as he realized she had been keeping it a secret. "Now, you know too."

    "Me and your mom." Emilio said as he looked back at his wife''s grave.

    "Yes, you and mom." She repeated with a smile.

    "Still Ayanna, you shouldn''t be going through this mess your brother has made." Emilio Reyes said as he shook his head disapprovingly as he thought of what his son had done. "If he knew you were pregnant he would make you stop working."

    "Dad, that''s exactly what I''m trying to avoid." Ayanna groaned.

    "We are just looking after yours and your child''s well being. You are deciding for two people now, Ayanna." Emilio Reyes told his daughter.

    "I know that dad." Sheined. "But really, I''m fine. I know my limits."

    "Please tell me if it''s too much you''ll pass on work." Emilio pleaded with his daughter.

    "Of course dad. I''m not some work-a-holic that can''t give up control." Ayanna said as she rolled her eyes at her father. "You''re over reacting."

    "You are a work-a-holic, but I trust you to know your limits." He said in a sincere tone.

    "Ray and I have been trying for a while, you know that dad." Ayanna said as she tried to ease her father''s worries. "A blessing like this baby won''t be taken for granted."

    "Alright." Emilio Reyes said with a nod as he surrendered to his daughter''s insistence.

    "Please don''t tell anyone yet." Ayanna begged her father. "I want this to be my secret for a while longer."

    "I won''t, it''s not my secret to tell." Emilio told her. "When do you n on telling Ray?" He asked.

    "When I''m three months in. I don''t want him taking every bit of freedom from me just yet." She teased.

    "He does it out of love and concern." Emilio reminded his daughter.

    "I''m pregnant, not sick. I can still work and handle myself. I''m not disabled. I don''t want him to go crazy like how Ced does with Adri." Ayanna said as she thought of what her husband could possibly do when he heard the news.

    "Your brother is on a whole different level, you know that. I doubt Ray would be as bad as him." Emilio said with a chuckle.

    "They are best friends, Ray was definitely taking notes." Ayanna jested back.

    "You both will be amazing parents, Ayanna." Emilio Reyes told his daughter as he looked on lovingly at her.

    "I just want to bring this little bundle of joy safely into this world." Ayanna said as she ced her hand on her t belly.

    There was nothing there yet, nothing that could tell you that a life was forming inside her, but the little one was there, slowly growing.

    After a few moments of silence Ayanna and Emilio were ready to leave.

    They said their goodbyes to Prisci''s grave and walked silently out of the mausoleum.

    "So tell me about your ns for this issue your brother caused, maybe I can do something to help." Emilio Reyes said as he changed the topic.

    "Actually dad, there might be." Ayanna said as she realized that having her dad by her side wouldn''t seem so weak of her. "I''ll just be telling the executivester tonight to rx and not panic, but having you around will go a long way."

    "Okay, I''ll be there." Emilio Reyes said with a nod as he parted ways with his daughter.

 Chapter 742 - 742

    When Ayanna and Ray arrived home, Ray helped his wife out of the car and held her tightly as they stood outside of their home.

    "Why are you so sweet today?" Ayanna asked as she kissed Ray on the lips. "Did you do something wrong?"

    "No, of course not. I''m the perfect husband, I can do no wrong." He boasted.

    "You''re just lucky you''re friends with Miguel and Alexi, those two screw up way too much." Ayanna teased as she pushed him away and walked into their home.

    Ray quickly ran after her and carried her bridal style, making Ayanna scream in surprise as he lifted her.

    She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight, afraid that she might fall.

    "I just want to be the most supportive husband tonight." Ray said as he kissed her on the head and carried her inside. "I know you''re dealing with a lot of stress right now and I just want to do something, anything to help."

    "Ray, this isn''t the first time my brother has thrown a curveball for me to handle." Ayanna said with a sweet smile as she looked her charming husband in the eyes.

    "Have I ever told you how beautiful your eyes are, Mrs. Laurence?" Ray asked as he looked into her deep dark eyes. "It''s captivating."

    "Ray!" Ayanna said as she blushed like a teenager. "You don''t need to woo me anymore, we''re already married, remember?"

    "Why can''t I praise my amazing wife?" He asked as he gently ced her down on the ground.

    "Thank you." Ayanna said as she ced her hand on his cheek and smiled at him.

    "Why don''t you, run us a bath upstairs and I will wash all your stress and worries away." Ray said with a wink as he held her hand and led her to the stairs.

    "And what will you be doing?" Ayanna asked as she took a step up to the second floor of their home.

    "Preparing some tea and some snacks for my gorgeous wife." Ray said with a grin. "I need to pamper my wife."

    Ayanna smiled and blew him a kiss.

    "I can''t take too long though, I need to make sure everything is ready for tonight''s meeting and dad ising over." She told Ray as she slowly made her way up the stairs.

    "Don''t worry about your dad or the preparations, I''m on it. Just rx." Ray said as he sent her upstairs to their bedroom.

    As soon as Ayanna was out of sight, Ray quickly went to work speaking to their housekeeper as he asked the maids to prepare his wife''s tea and cookies.

    He also checked her home office to make sure that she and Emilio Reyes could have a conductive discussion. He knew his wife wasn''t the neatest person, so he wanted to double check that everything was in order.

    As soon as he had handled everything downstairs, he carried the tray with her tea and snacks up to their room.

    Ray was not surprised to find his wife sleeping peacefully in the tub, with her head resting on a pillow so that she wouldn''t slip in.

    "Hey, darling." Ray called out as he gently shook Ayanna awake.

    "Oh, did I fall asleep?" Ayanna asked as she slowly opened her eyes.

    "Yes. You seem exhausted." Ray said with a frown. "Maybe Cedric should handle this issue." Ray was worried about Ayanna, she had been working so hard in the past months, helping thepany grow beyond expectations.

    "It''s fine, Ray." Ayanna said, shaking her head. "I just needed a quick power nap, I already feel energized and ready for tonight''s meeting."

    "Alright, if you say so." Ray said with a frown as he walked over to hand her a cup of tea.

    Ayanna smiled as she sipped the warm liquid and let it course through her body, rxing her even more.

    "That''s one of my family''s traditional teas." Ray said proudly. "It should rx you a little bit."

    "I feel it working, thank you my love." Ayanna said as she smiled at her husband.

    Ray leaned forward and gently captured her lips in his, savoring every moment.

    When they eventually broke off their kiss Ray excused himself to go change. He went from his suit and tie to a more casual look.

    Normally he chose not to interfere with Ayanna''s work at the Reyes Group, it was not in his ce to meddle in anotherpany''s affairs. Especially one as powerful and influential as the Reyes Group.

    But today Ayanna seemed way too exhausted, he needed to say something to his best friend and brother-inw, who was also his wife''s boss. If Cedric didn''t listen to him then he would need to tell his father-inw.

    Ray was just very worried about his wife''s health, especially since he would be flying out to join Cedric the next day.

    When he finished dressing up he peeked into the bathroom to find his wife still in the tub.

    "Ayanna, I need to deal with something from work, I''ll be in my office if you need me." Ray called out.

    "Okay, I''ll be out in a bit and do some final checks. Dad should arrive in a while." Ayanna told Ray as she kept her back turned on him.

    Ray quickly made his way to his office and gave Cedric a call.

    "Ray? What''s up?" Cedric asked.

    "Isn''t there a way for you to give my wife less work?" Rayined.

    "I know you are trying for a baby and stress makes it hard to conceive, trust me, I''ve tried lessening my sister''s workload but she won''t listen." Cedric groaned.

    "Then what about your scandal today? Does she really have to handle it?" Ray asked.

    "She doesn''t have to, but she insisted." Cedric told his friend.

    "So that''s it, there is no way for me to get my wife to rest and rx?" Ray whined.

    "Ray, we both know this is my sister''s decision. There is nothing I can do." Cedric said with a sigh. "Plus taking work from her will look bad, it will seem as if I am kicking her out of thepany, and trust me that''s thest thing I want to do."

    "Fine, fine, I''ll try talking to her then. See you tomorrow." Ray said as he dropped the call, not even waiting for Cedric to respond.

    Ray was probably one of the very few people who could do that to the powerful Cedric Reyes.

 Chapter 743 - 743

    As Ray paced across his office, trying to think of a way to get his wife to be less stressed, a maid knocked and informed him that his father-inw had arrived.

    Ray quickly made his way to the door to greet the former CEO, maybe he would have more insight into his work-a-holic daughter''s mind.

    "Uncle." Ray greeted as he guided Emilio Reyes into their home.

    "How many times do I have to remind you to just call me dad?" Emilio Reyes said with augh as he patted Ray on the back.

    "Old habits die hard." Ray said with a grin as he led his father-inw into his wife''s office. "I''ve called you uncle most of my life, calling you dad is a big adjustment."

    "You''ve been married to my daughter for over a year, Ray, you are family." Emilio Reyes said with a smile as he settled on one of the couches.

    "Coffee or Tea?" Ray offered.

    "Scotch." Emilio Reyes said with a grin, to which Ray simply nodded and walked over to his wife''s liquor cab.

    "Dad, I have a question." Ray said as he poured the brown liquid into a ss.

    "What is it?" Emilio asked his son-inw.

    "You see dad, I''m trying to get my wife to rest, she seems incredibly overworked and stressed, but it seems that no matter what I or Cedric do she refuses to slow down." Ray said with a sigh as he walked back to the couch and handed the older man his drink.

    "Thanks." Emilio said with a nod as he took the ss. "What''s the question there?" He asked as he took a sip of his drink.

    "Well, how do I convince Ayanna to slow down, to rx, to live life a little?" Ray said as he sat down across Emilio.

    "Your wife is like every woman in the Reyes n, she is stubborn and strong willed." Emilio Reyes exined. "You saw how my wife was, you''ve seen how my sister and niece are. The women of the Reyes family will never stop unless they have proven to the world that they are worth their family name."

    "But they''ve always been worth their family name." Ray said with a confused look on his face.

    "To you, to me, and to those closest to them, yes, but you forget that to the public they are women from a powerful family. Many people think they owe their sess to their family name and to the men of the family." Emilio Reyes exined to Ray.

    "So are you telling me there is nothing I can do to get Ayanna to rest even for a little while?" Ray asked.

    "It will be difficult, but I''m sure you can convince your wife." Emilio said with a nod. "You are trying to conceive, am I right?"

    "We''ve been trying for a while now, dad." Ray admitted with a nod.

    "Then remind her that stress will not be good for making me a grandkid." Emilio Reyes said with a grin. "And tone down your work with her. Don''t make her feel like she is doing any less work than you."

    "What does that have to do with the whole proving their abilities speech dad?" Ray asked as he gave the older man a confused look.

    "Nothing really, I just wanted you to know that part." Emilioughed as he emptied out his ss.

    Before Ray could say anything else, the door to Ayanna''s office opened and Ayanna stepped in wearing a business suit.

    "Dad, you''re early!" She greeted as she walked over and gave him a hug.

    "Ray and I were just bonding. I was reminding him to call me dad and not uncle." Emilio said as he hugged his daughter back.

    "Dad, don''t be so tough on him, I also call his parents uncle and auntie sometimes." Ayanna said with a smile as she walked over and sat next to her husband.

    "Alright Ayanna." Emilio Reyes said as he smiled at his daughter. "Shall we discuss this problem your brother has caused instead?" He asked.

    "Ah yes, my annoying brother." Ayanna said with a giggle. "Have you spoken to him today, dad?" She asked her father.

    "I have, I called him the moment the news broke out and all he did was ask me to trust him." Emilio Reyesined.

    Ray rolled his eyes as he thought of how Cedric was handling this matter. It was nothing new that Cedric would forget to tell people about his n. This had happened several times in the past already, and Ray had been the victim more than once.

    "So did he tell you anything different?" Emilio asked his daughter. "Is there anything we need to tell the executives or anything we need to prepare?"

    "Honestly, I don''t know much, dad." Ayanna said with a frown. "All Cedric told me was that he would deal with the matter by tomorrow and that we just needed to keep everyone calm and the business running."

    "Well he is clearly not guilty of the usations." Ray said with augh. "I mean, why would Cedric need to bribe a government official."

    "Yeah, whoever is trying to ckmail him didn''t think this whole thing through." Ayanna said, shaking her head.

    "So basically our job is to keep everyone calm and make sure thepany doesn''t bleed too much money." Emilio Reyes said as he scratched his chin, thinking of a method that would work.

    "Actually dad, Cedric just wants us to stay calm, he doesn''t mind the boycotts." Ayanna said with a frown, it was something she didn''t agree with her brother on, but after what she had seen in their sales reports it sounded like Cedric had a reason not to worry.

    "Is your brother crazy?" Emilio Reyes said in disbelief. "News like this could lead to people leaving the brand permanently."

    "Dad, that''s the thing, we haven''t seen any effect." Ayanna told him.

    "That means either people don''t care, or they don''t believe in the rumors." Ray said as he thought of the situation.

    "So we just calm down and wait?" Emilio said in a distressed tone, he was clearly not calm with what his son was doing.

    "Dad, you need to trust my brother." Ayanna said in a stern tone. "The executives will be arriving in a few minutes, I still need to see to all the arrangements."

    "I trust him, this is just absurd." Emilio said as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    Ray wanted tough at his father-inw. The old man wasn''t acting like a CEO, he was acting more like his grandson when he didn''t get the candy he wanted.

 Chapter 744 - 744

    It wasn''t long before the executives of the Reyes Group slowly started to arrive.

    The first one to get to Ayanna''s home was Cami, Cedric''s former assistant and the new Vice President for Mor Co.

    "Your brother told me to get here as soon as possible." Cami said as she hugged Ayanna.

    "Thank you." Ayanna said with a smile. "Will you please go over to my office and calm my dad down?"

    Camiughed at Ayanna''s request and did as asked, walking up to Ayanna''s office.

    "Uncle." Cami greeted as she entered the room.

    Emilio Reyes smiled sweetly at the young woman.

    "It''s been a while Cami, how is your mission with Cedric going?" Emilio Reyes asked. Despite everything Cedric had made it a point to inform his father that everything going on between Cami and Lucius Ting was all a front, a cover up for Cami to spy on the man.

    Cedric knew that Emilio Reyes would have been terribly disappointed that Cami had betrayed them.

    "Tiring to be honest, uncle." Cami said with a frown as she sat down next to him.

    "I''m pretty sure if you told Cedric that you didn''t want to do this he wouldn''t force you." Emilio said with a frown as he looked at the young woman that he considered to be a daughter.

    "I want to do this. I owe Cedric at least this much." Cami said with a determined look on her face.

    "Alright, you are all old enough to make your own decisions." Emilio Reyes said with a sad smile.

    "Uncle, you need to put more faith in your son." Cami pointed out.

    "Why does everyone keep telling me that today?" Emilioined.

    Cami looked to Ray, who was seated across from her, she was confused by the old man''s reaction.

    "Ayanna told him the same thing, with regards to this new scandal Cedric managed to stir up." Ray exined with augh. "You guys didn''t n this did you?"

    "No, of course not. I just trust Cedric." Cami said, shaking her head. "I may trust him too much, but he deserves my trust."

    "I wish I had people as loyal as you and Ian." Ray groaned.

    "The underworld is more dedicated when ites to loyalty." Cami answered with a grin as she referred to Ray''s role as the ruler of the underbelly of the capital.

    "They are also very very dangerous." Ray said as he leaned forward, giving Cami a menacing simile.

    "That won''t work on me Ray." Cami said as she rolled her eyes. "I''ve known you for quite a while now, you don''t intimidate me."

    Rayughed at her reaction, he knew that his behavior would never scare people who knew the real him, but he enjoyed teasing his friends.

    "They''re arriving." Ayanna said as she walked into the room, sitting next to her husband.

    "Nervous?" Ray asked as he looked at his wife.

    "No, just anxious." Ayanna said, shaking her head. "I know they have a lot of questions, and I can''t answer them all. The only thing I have to tell them is-"

    "Trust Cedric." Emilio Reyes said, cutting his daughter off mid sentence as he rolled his eyes, making Ray and Camiugh.

    "Did I miss something?" Ayanna asked Cami and Ray.

    "Just Cami telling your dad the exact same thing you did about Cedric, and now you want to tell the executives just that." Ray said as he tried to control hisughter.

    "Well it''s true." Ayanna said with a shrug. "It''s not like there is anything else that we can do."

    "Here, drink some water, rx." Ray said as he handed his wife a ss.

    "This better not be spiked." She warned as she red at him.

    "It''s not, it''s just water." Ray said in an innocent tone as Ayanna took the ss and emptied it.

    She took a few deep breaths and chatted with her father and Cami while they waited for a maid to call them and inform them that everyone had arrived.

    The executives of the Reyes Group were extremely punctual and within minutes all of them had arrived in Ayanna''s home. None of them would dare make the CEO''s sister wait.

    Not only was she Cedric''s sister, but she was also the second most powerful person in thepany. She not only owned a significant amount of shares, but she also led some of thergestpanies under the Reyes Group''s umbre.

    Ayanna had the meeting set up in the formal dining room in their home. It was big enough to amodate all of the executives.

    She had her maids serve dinner and snacks since it was an urgent meeting.

    When she arrived with her father and husband, the executives were quite surprised. It was rare for the former CEO to make an appearance during a meeting, especially after he handed the reins of thepany to Cedric.

    An even rarer sight was Ray joining them. He kept his distance frompany matters, but tonight he was joining them.

    Cami had joined the other executives in advance and was seated next to Ray''s chair.

    Ayanna stood at the head of the table and greeted everyone as she waved for dinner to be served.

    The executives ate and chatted happily as they anxiously waited for whatever news Ayanna had for them.

    They avoided the topic at the dinner table and instead talked about each other''s personal lives.

    As soon as everyone was done with their meals, the maids and staff cleared the table.

    When all was in order Ayanna stood up, getting everyone''s attention as their heads turned to face her.

    "I know you have all seen the news." Ayanna began. She didn''t want to beat around the bush, she wanted to get straight to the point so that they could all have a peaceful night.

    "My brother did not bribe that official, we all know that Cedric would have no need to do such underhanded tactics." Ayanna said as the executives gave her their full attention.

    "This afternoon, I spoke with Cedric and he told me that he had proof that he did not bribe that man. All he asks is that we have faith in him and trust him." Ayanna said as she nodded.

    "If you have any questions, raise them now." She told them.

    "What are we supposed to do?" A well dressed man asked.

    Ayanna recognized him to be the vice president for Krisanta Land, the oldest andrgestpany under the Reyes Group.

    "We do nothing. We wait for Cedric to make his move." Ayanna said inly, much to everyone''s shock as they began to whisper among themselves.

    Emilio Reyes frowned as he did not appreciate the disrespect he was seeing.

    He stood up and mmed his hand on the table, silencing everyone.

    "You will not disrespect my daughter. Disrespecting her means disrespecting me, my son, and her husband." Emilio Reyes said as his voice boomed across the room. "I am pretty sure that you all know how horrible the consequences are for disrespecting any one of us."

    Emilio Reyes looked at the executives as his eyes scanned the crowd.

    All the executives sat frozen in shock, none of them expected the former CEO to get angry over a few whispers.

 Chapter 745 - 745

    "Continue." Emilio Reyes told his daughter as he sat back down on his seat.

    Ayanna nodded at her father and mouthed a thank you.

    "I don''t think you all fully understand my role in thispany." Ayanna said in a cold tone that resembled how Cedric often addressed the public.

    Cami grinned as she recognized what Ayanna was doing, she had always been the nice sibling, and now she was tired of just being nice.

    "When my brother is away, I''m in charge." Ayanna said as she looked each executive in the eyes, none of them dared flinch.

    "You might have gotten used to how dad ran things in his time, where he and only he was to be followed. But you guys are forgetting that my father is no longer the CEO, Cedric Reyes is. And I swear to all of you that my brother can be ten times more ruthless than dad." Ayanna said with a grin.

    Everyone knew how much Emilio and Cedric both valued Ayanna, this made Cami wonder why they would dare disrespect her.

    "You guys do know that Ced spoils Ayanna like a little child right?" Cami said with a grin as she crossed her arms on her chest. "I thought you guys were the best and the smartest and yet you didn''t realize who you should be respecting in this room."

    The executives all gave Cami a nervous look, they would never dare interrupt a Reyes mid-sentence, and yet her was Cami, smiling cockily as Ayannaughed.

    "Rx Cami, they''re behaving now." Ayanna said with a grin. "And Cedric does not spoil me."

    Cami simply shrugged allowing Ayanna to continue her speech.

    "What my brother wants is simple, we do nothing." Ayanna announced. "I am disappointed that none of you even checked how this scandal has impacted our sales, did any of you check?"

    "I did." Cami said with a grin.

    Ayanna looked around the table noticing that it seemed only Cami did her research before heading to the meeting.

    "Well, my brother will be very very disappointed." Ayanna said, shaking her head. "Since you don''t know, people have not begun to boycott our brand. As a matter of fact, it seems like they don''t even care."

    The executives were shocked at the news Ayanna had just told them. Normallypanies that suffered from a political scandal lost millions in sales every day that the scandal remained unresolved.

    "Do you all really think my brother would need to bribe an official?" Ayanna said with augh. "The public seems to have more trust in my brother than his own executives."

    "Miss Ayanna, that''s not why we were worried." One executive said as he tried to defend their reaction.

    "You were worried about public sentiment and the impact, I get it, but you did not check." Ayanna shouted as she mmed her hand on the table.

    "I expected more from this group." Ayanna said with a frown as she slowly calmed down. "Have I given any of you any reason to doubt me?" Ayanna asked as she red at some of the higher ranking executives.

    They all remained quiet as she waited for their answer.

    "No." An executive from Elisia Malls said with full confidence. "Miss Ayanna I apologize for myck of faith. You have led us at Elisia Malls for years, and never have you failed us."

    "You are lucky that my son is already the CEO and not me." Emilio Reyes scoffed as he red at some of the executives. "My son is more logical than I and he wouldn''t do anything drastic just because you disrespected my daughter."

    "In my world, disrespecting Ayanna is enough to get your ear cut off." Ray added as heughed at the thought. No one in the underworld would dare disrespect his wife. Actions in the realm of thewless had more severe consequences.

    "Then they are lucky that neither Cedric nor I are as ruthless as my dad or husband." Ayanna said as she shook her head. She was quite amused as she watched the reaction of the executives change with every word her father or husband added.

    "Cedric should really be more strict with these things." Cami said with a sigh.

    "We all manage things differently." Ayanna told her with a nod.

    "You may all go, that''s all I needed from you." Ayanna informed the executives. "Except those that belong to the Public Rtions Departments, I still need to speak to all of you."

    Ayanna watched as most of the people in the room left, only three remained aside from Ayanna, Ray, Emilio, and Cami.

    She recognized them from the heads of the three different PR departments under the Reyes Group. They were among the people that didn''t react so negatively to the instruction of not doing anything.

    The first was a middle aged man who was quite handsome with his designer suit and sleek ck hair, he typed away on his phone as he had a worried look on his face. Ayanna recognized him to be the head of the PR department for the whole Reyes Group.

    He was someone that Cedric had personally hired and sought out.

    The second person to remain was a chubby woman whom Ayanna always found to be quite charming. She was the PR head for Elisia Malls and had worked with Ayanna a lot in the past. She one someone Ayanna trusted.

    The third was an older man who had been silent the whole time, clearly observing what was going on. He was the PR head for Mor Co.

    Unlike most of the employees of Mor Co. who were young and vibrant, this man was quite advanced in age and had gone through a lot in his career.

    Cedric had kept him on because he appreciated the guidance that he offered such a youngpany.

    Together these three would be key in helping Cedric get back at the Baron Family who tried to ruin his name, and Ayanna had an idea on how exactly to do it.

 Chapter 746 - 746

    Cedric sat in his makeshift office in the hotel as he scrolled through thetest news on his bribery scandal.

    He was quite surprised at how the public had reacted, and when Dave had reported that there was no impact on the sales of the Reyes Group, he wanted tough.

    It seemed that people thought he was either already getting favors from the Sebastians or that he didn''t even need to pay for such a poor piece of property.

    Clearly the public was now thinking more critically than people gave them credit for. If this had happened in the past, they would have blindly listened to the rumors and used Cedric instantly of being corrupt.

    The articles online and thements amused him even more, when he had gone to sleep the night before the inte was already a buzz talking about him.

    At first he had been worried that the longer they let the story fester, the worse it would look for the Reyes Group, something he was clearly wrong about.

    This morning the narrative seemed to have shifted, the media was not targeting him but rather his aggressors.

    The inte was littered with articles trying to figure out why the Barons would dare use Cedric and not release proof. And even if initially it had been a whistleblower report that used Cedric, the truth came to light overnight.

    The articles and posts read:

    [The Baron Family: Those Who use Without Proof]

    [CEO of the Reyes Group Doesn''t Need To Bribe ording to Analysts]

    [12 Hrs in and No Proof Has Been Released]

    [Where Is The Proof? Reyes Supporters Ask]

    [Reyes Group Remains Silent]

    All of these articles hade from news agencies and members of the media that were in no way associated with the Abads or Cedric and his other friends. It seemed that no one would have to step in to clear his name.

    "What''s so funny?" Ian asked as he entered with Cedric''s schedule in hand.

    "I''m just reading the articles andments on this whole bribery issue, it''s quite amusing." Cedric told Ian as he turned hisptop around for the assistant to see.

    Ian grinned as he looked through the articles on social media as well as thements.

    "Well the Barons still haven''t released the proof that you did in fact try to bribe them, people are doubting them now." Ian said as he handed Cedric the tablet he was holding. "Even thements are in your favor, you might even have a fan club now." Ian teased.

    "Now all we have to do is to wait till they release their edited video and show the world the real one." Cedric told his assistant as he scrolled through his schedule.

    "They have to release it at some point, if they don''t this will reflect extremely badly on them." Ian said as he shook his head. "I can''t believe how stupid they were to make the usations without proof."

    "They could also be waiting for us to react, but at this rate, I might have to stay here for a month. I really don''t want to do that." Cedric grumbled. He already missed his wife and son, and he knew that thepany needed him back at the capital.

    "The media is already pressing them without our intervention, it''s only a matter of time till they give in." Ian said as Cedric handed him back the tablet.

    "When does Seth arrive?" Cedric asked as he turned hisptop back to face him.

    "He got here an hour ago, he''s setting up his base of operations on the third floor." Ian informed Cedric. "We''ll go and meet him once Ray arrives."

    "You told Ray?" Cedric asked. He had initially kept this matter from Ray since he didn''t feel like he needed such an important person handling this matter.

    "He found out." Ian admitted. "There is no way topletely hide our movements in the underworld from the man that rules it. Especially since he keeps an ear out for anything that might involve his friends."

    "He''s keeping an eye on your mafia family too, isn''t he?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Ray wants to keep them loyal, me being part of that group keeps them loyal." Ian exined inly. "They get more favors since I''m associated with them and Seth actually likes Ray. He says he is better than thest king of the underworld."

    "You mean uncle Benedicto?" Cedric asked with a grin. The leadership of the underworld had remained with the Laurence family for four generations now and no one dared challenge them. They were not only influential and powerful among the crime families, but they were also friendly with the who''s who of society.

    "He was still the king when I was in the mafia, he''s much more ruthless, but Ray scares people more for some reason." Ian said as he sat down on a couch.

    "Honestly, Ray has more influence outside of the underworld than uncle Benedicto ever had." Cedric mumbled as he noticed something odd on social media.

    "But Benedicto was seen as this tough ruler of the gangs and the mafias, Ray is just a mystery to everyone." Ian said as he thought of the situation.

    "There is more danger in the unknown, people do not like to risk it when they don''t know what they are up against." Cedric told Ian.

    "I guess you''re right." Ian said with a nod.

    "Iane here, look at this." Cedric said as he waved his assistant over. "It seems like the Barons are trying to leak proof of the conversation."

    "What do you mean they are trying?" Ian asked as he walked over to Cedric''s desk.

    "They upload it one minute then it gets taken down, I can''t even watch the whole video." Cedricined as Ian made him scoot over from hisptop.

    Ian looked at it for a while and watched as a video got posted and every time he would press y it would vanish.

    "Do you think you could have a hacker fan?" Ian teased. "Let me go get myptop and check something out. I''ll also call the team back at R tower to check this out."

    Cedric nodded as his assistant walked out.

 Chapter 747 - 747

    When Ian returned to Cedric''s room after a few minutes, they were still baffled by the disappearing video.

    "I called the team back at R Tower, Adolfo is leading the team now to investigate." Ian told Cedric as he sat down and opened hisptop.

    "Adolfo shouldn''t take long to break this." Cedric said as he thought of the young genius that the had met in the Reyes Group back when he was undercover.

    It felt like he had met the young man over a lifetime ago, and yet it had only been a few years since. So much had changed that Cedric felt he was a different person back then.

    Cedric heard the familiar clicking of Ian''s keyboard as it seemed like he was helping the team back at home tracing the source of the video.

    "It still keeps vanishing." Cedric said as he wore a worried and confused look on his face.

    Suddenly Ian stopped typing and his phone began to ring.

    "I hope it''s good news." Cedric said as he saw the disappointed look on Ian''s face.

    "Adolfo would not call if it wasn''t bad news and if it wasn''t urgent." Ian said as he answered the call and ced it on speaker. "Adolfo, please tell me you are doing better than I am." Ian groaned as he walked over to Cedric.

    "A little. Is Ced there?" Adolfo asked in a shy voice. The boy was quite introverted and didn''t like to talk much, but it was different when it came to Cedric.

    He had beenfortable with him from the first day and they became fast friends.

    "I''m here Adolfo, what do you have for us?" Cedric asked as Ian ced the phone down on the table.

    "Which do you want first, the bad news, the good news, the I''m not sure what kind of news?" Adolfo asked with a nervousugh.

    "Bad, not sure, then the good." Cedric said as he nodded at Ian, signaling him to listen and take notes.

    "Alright, the bad news is, I can''t figure out who is hacking the website and deleting the video. It''s odd because this person is way too good. I can only trace him to his general location." Adolfoined.

    "What''s the not sure if it''s good news?" Ian asked.

    "From what I can tell, he isn''t in league with the Barons, I don''t know if that''s bad or good for us." Adolfo told Cedric and Ian.

    "It could mean two things, a new enemy or a secret ally." Cedric said as he thought of the possibilities.

    "With your luck, it''s another enemy." Ian teased as heughed at Cedric who frowned at hisment.

    "Can''t they just let me live a peaceful life?" Cedric grumbled.

    "You have too many enemies, most of them you didn''t even make." Ian told Cedric, this time he wore a serious expression.

    The Reyes Group and the Reyes Family attracted many unsavory characters. Some after revenge, others jealous of their sess, the thought of the Reyeses living peacefully was unimaginable to both men.

    "So what''s the good news?" Cedric asked Adolfo.

    "Well, it seems that this upload and delete issue has had a positive effect on you. The public thinks that the Baron Family keeps deleting the video because they don''t have concrete evidence." Adolfo said with augh. "Also the hacker seems to have stopped and allowed the video to stay online this time around."

    "Oh." Cedric said as he quickly moved his mouse to switch on the screen of hisptop.

    True enough, there it was, a still image of Cedric and Dave sitting across Evan Baron, the Mayor of the province they were currently at.

    "Is that all?" Ian asked Adolfo.

    "No, actually there is one more thing, I just didn''t know how to tell you guys this." Adolfo said in a hesitant tone.

    "Out with it." Ian grumbled.

    "The hacker left a message for us, it seemed he knew we were trying to hack back." Adolfo told Cedric and Ian over the phone.

    "What was the message and how is this even possible? We have some of the most secure systems." Cedric asked. He had spent millions in cyber security and it seemed one man was able to hack them back.

    "First of all this person had god-level skills, I''m a genius, but this guy is like the hacking god!" Adolfo said a little too excitedly for Cedric to be happy about.

    "Stop fangirling, Adolfo, what was the message?" Ian asked in an irritated tone.

    "Oh, right, right." Adolfo said as he steered back on to the topic. " The message was coded so it was difficult to decipher."

    "Just tell us what it said, Adolfo." Ianined, he was already quite short tempered today and Adolfo was not making it any easier. "Stop exining and just tell us."

    "Rx Ian." Cedric scolded his friend and assistant.

    "Sorry." Adolfo told them, apologizing. "The coded message said: ''I didn''t know you were such a bigshot, Ced. Last time we met you were just a lowly employee, now you own the whole damnpany. You owe me a rematch, I''ming soon.'' It seems to be someone you know."

    Cedric was silent for a moment as he tried to process who could have sent the message. He couldn''t remember meeting any master hackers when he was still an employee of the Reyes Group or Mor Co. The only one he knew was Adolfo.

    Suddenly Cedric grinned, making Ian worry.

    "You alright?" He asked Cedric.

    "I think I might know who it is." Cedric told Ian with a nod.

    "Adolfo, you said you figured out the hacker''s general location?" Cedric asked with a smile on his face.

    "Beijing, China." Adolfo told Cedric. "You know this god?"

    "Stop calling him god, it''s my stupid friend Ming." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes. "Don''t worry about him. He''ll be here soon and you''ll get to meet your idol."

    "This is the guy you wanted to use against Lucius Ting?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yup." Cedric said as he began to plot in his head.

 Chapter 748 - 748

    Knowing that it was his friend that had been trying to take down the so-called video evidence from the inte made Cedric feel a whole lot better.

    Guan Ming was someone Cedric had met when he was an assistant at Mor Co. in one of the numerous international conventions he had to attend.

    The Guan Ming back then was quite different from the person he had be. Like Cedric his life had improved drastically, building his ownpany from the ground up and driving it to the top.

    "It seems your friend realized that we wanted the video to stay online." Ian said with a chuckle as he closed hisptop and put it away.

    "He probably figured that out when you guys were trying to find him." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Ming, it''s amon Chinese name. I met someone named Ming before." Ian told Cedric.

    "They probably aren''t the same person. This one is quite odd." Cedric said with augh as he recalled how people didn''t exactly get along with Guan Ming.

    "Yeah, probably." Ian said, shaking his head.

    "We should watch the video Evan Baron uploaded, I''m quite interested in seeing how he and his people edited it to make me look like the guilty party." Cedric said as he moved back behind hisptop and maximized the video screen.

    As Cedric was about to press y, a knock came from the door.

    "Enter." Cedric called out as he leaned back and drummed his fingers on the table.

    "Sir." Dave said as he walked into the office. "Ray, Miguel, Ram, and Alexi have arrived." The assistant informed Cedric.

    "They really have horrible timing." Cedric groaned as he stood up from his seat. "I''m assuming they all came in my brother-inw''s chopper?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes, sir." Dave said with a nod.

    "Have they been shown their rooms?" Ian asked Dave.

    "All done, they are waiting for you in the living room." Dave told Cedric as he pointed through the door behind him.

    "Let them in, I want to watch this video with them around, it will be quite entertaining." Cedric said with a grin as he walked over to the mini bar in the office.

    He took out some whisky he knew the other men liked as well and motioned Ian to get some sses.

    Unlike most CEOs Cedric didn''t mind doing things on his own, he felt like they were all just toozy to get sses and drinks.

    "So this is the town Fernando lived in." Miguel said as they entered the room.

    "Hello to you too." Cedric said with a smile as Ian walked over and ced a ss in front of each of the men as they took their seats.

    Dave walked over to Cedric and took the whisky bottle and proceeded to pour a ss for each.

    "You arrived and you didn''t tell me!" Katerina shouted as she entered the room, followed by an amused Mae as she watched some of the most powerful men being lectured by a woman.

    "Good morning to you too, Katerina." Alexi said with a smile as he lifted his ss towards his sister.

    "Isn''t it too early for you guys to be drinking?" Katerina asked as she proceeded to get a ss for herself and wave Dave over to pour some for her.

    The boysughed as they watched her consume the alcoholic beverage faster than they did. It seemed that she had been under a lot of stress that morning.

    Cedric and his friends couldn''t help but wonder what had happened. It took a lot to shake Katerina Sebastian, and for something to cause her stress, it had to be big.

    "Stressed?" Ram asked as he grinned at the femalewyer.

    "Yesterday was quite hectic, today is worse." Katerina grumbled. "Have you seen the video?" She asked as she looked at Cedric.

    "No, I was about to watch it when Dave announced that these guys had arrived." Cedric told Katerina as he shook his head.

    Katerina suddenlyughed.

    "You''ll find it incredibly amusing." Katerina said as she walked over to Cedric''sptop. "Dave, another ss please." Katerina told the assistant as she began to type away on theptop.

    Dave looked at Cedric, unsure on what to do.

    Cedric nodded telling Dave and the assistant did as she asked, filling her ss once more.

    "What are you doing?" Alexi asked as he gave his sister a confused look.

    "Making sure you guys are entertained." She said as she turned theptop around and made sure that it was on full volume. "Are you ready?"

    "Yeah." Cedric said with a nod as he held his breath and waited for the video to y.

    He didn''t understand why he was nervous, he knew that he did nothing wrong, he didn''t break anyws, nor did he offer the bribe. He even had proof that he reported the request for a bribe as soon as he had left the Baron mansion.

    "Watch." Katerina said as she pointed at the screen.

    The scene yed out just as Cedric expected, he saw himself, Dave, and the mayor, Evan Baron, enter the office.

    He watched as they were offered seats which they dly took.

    The conversation went on as expected, it began with the discussion over how Cedric had seen the property from above and with the mayor asking if he was interested in it. Then mayor Evan Baron went as far as using the Sebastians of taking bribes.

    "That fucking asshole." Alexi cussed as soon as he heard the mayor assuming that both he and his father could be bought. "He has two people waiting to file cases against him now."

    Katerina was forced to pause the video because of her brother''sint.

    Cedricughed at his friend''s anger, it was amusing to see Alexiin and Katerina roll her eyes at her brother. Of course she was already prepared to file a case against the Baron family under the Sebastian name.

    "Alexi, watch and listen!" Katerina scolded. "Don''t you think I''ve already prepared for that? This isn''t my first time watching the video." She told her brother as she rolled her eyes at him.

    "Alright." Alexi said, raising his hands as if to show he was surrendering to his sister.

    "Keep watching Ced, I think this part will entertain you." Katerina said with a grin as she hit y once more.

 Chapter 749 - 749

    Cedric nodded and turned his attention back to the video, watching it closely.

    As expected they showed as Cedric told Mayor Evan Baron about how he saw the property from above and wanted to purchase it.

    "I''m sure I look like some spoiled CEO at this point." Cedricmented as he rolled his eyes, making everyoneugh.

    When it reached the part that Mayor Baron offered to convince the current owners of the property to sell it to Cedric, the video suddenly cut off.

    "What happened?" Ram asked as he leaned forward, confused.

    "Watch." Katerina scolded again as the video came back on.

    This time the angle was different, clearly it had been tampered with. The shot was nowing from behind where Cedric had sat.

    "That''s not me." Cedric pointed out as he noticed the person had some physical differences to him. "The hair color is off, even the color of the suit, and clearly that''s some mainstream luxury brand." Cedric pointed out.

    The video continued to y, but this time there were no sounds.

    Cedric watched as the stand in for Dave passed a suitcase to Mayor Baron. What happened next made Cedric and the other menugh.

    Mayor Baron took the suitcase and threw it to the side. All of a sudden there was audio again.

    "If you think I can be so easily bribed you are wrong!" Mayor Baron shouted. "I am not like your friends that you can pay to get your way!"

    "Is he saying Cedric pays us?" Alexi asked as heughed at the usation.

    "I''m stuck with him, I married his sister, there is no way I''m getting out of this friendship." Rayined making everyoneugh.

    "Keep watching." Katerina said as she pointed at the screen.

    "If you think that people like you, the rich and abusive can buy us poor provincial folk you are wrong." Mayor Baron used.

    "Wow, he is spreading it thick!" Ram eximed. "Not a bad actor either, it''s just too much, people won''t believe it if it''s too much."

    "Maybe you should just hire him." Ian suggested, joining in on the banter.

    "Not a bad idea, Lim." Ram said as heughed at Ian''s suggestion.

    "We provincial folk have more dignity than people like you, how dare youe in to my home and try to buy me!" Mayor Baron shouted. "The answer is no!"

    At that the video cut to ck and Ram mockingly pped.

    "I''d give it a seven out of ten for acting." Ram teased, making everyoneugh.

    "How are the sentiments online?" Cedric asked, returning the conversation to it''s more serious nature.

    This time it was Mae that answered.

    "Everyone can see how the video was edited." Mae told Cedric. "We are the only ones that can clearly point out what the minute differences are, but there are more obvious things that the people on the inte have pointed out."

    "Which are?" Cedric asked.

    "First of all it was quite obvious that the scene was different in the first part from the 2nd, why would they have to change cameras? The angle was perfect, people could see your face." Mae exined as she pointed out the public sentiment.

    "They can always say that the first camera was bugged." Miguel told the group as he assessed the situation.

    "The second reason people are saying is that when the camera shifts, Cedric does not speak. In the first angle everyone can hear him responding to Mayor Evan Baron." Mae told them. "And they can''t say that is because he has his back turned on the camera. You should still be able to hear something despite that."

    "It''s possible Cedric never said anything." Miguel said as continued to y the devil''s advocate.

    "It''s like you''re really against me." Cedric teased as heughed at his friend.

    "Well we need to consider all angles and all the reasons they could possibly give us." Miguel told Cedric with a grin.

    "I know, I know." Cedric said, shaking his head.

    "Go on Mae." Miguel said with a nod when he couldn''t give anymore excuses that the Barons could probably give.

    "The third and final reason that people are pointing out is the person acting as you isn''t you." Mae said with a smile. "It seems that all the investigating they did in the past as to who the Reyes Heir truly is seems to be paying off now."

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked with a confused look on his face.

    "Apparently they studied you back when you would go around in disguise." Ian exined as heughed at Cedric''s predicament.

    Ian had long known that the journalists and some fans of the Reyes Heir had been doing this in the past. He used to consider it a nuisance, but this time it seemed to have served a purpose.

    "Which side are people believing?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "You''ll just ignore thispletely stalker-like behavior of theirs?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "They never really figured out who I was, they can''t know that much." Cedric said with augh.

    "They never figured out who you were because theypletely disregarded the Mor Co. assistant." Ian pointed out. "Had they considered you, they would have found you. Your disguise was not the best."

    "It still worked." Cedric told Ian as he rolled his eyes. "Let''s move on. What are the sentiments online?"

    "Most people don''t think it''s you." Dave said. They all knew that if Ian gave the update he wouldn''t be able to resist making morements prolonging the discussion.

    "Are we ready to fight back?" Cedric asked Dave.

    "The video is ready as well as the room where you will meet them." Dave said with a nod. "All that''s needed is for you to invite the Baron family over."

    "The police are already around to arrest them as well." Alexi added.

    "Won''t it be dangerous entrusting them to the police?" Cedric asked Alexi. The police and the local government officials were normally on the same side.

    "I didn''t bring the local police." Alexi grinned. "Most are from the capital, the rest are from the neighboring province. It seems that they had a disagreement and are not on friendly terms."

    "Good, Dave, have theme over." Ian told his assistant as he allowed his n to begin.

 Chapter 750 - 750

    Ian led Cedric and his group down the elevator to the third floor.

    Cedric was quite surprised to hear that Ian and Seth has set the third floor up in such a way that it could amodate both the meeting with the Barons as well as Cedric''s other n.

    "So what are you plotting to do?" Ray asked Cedric as they walked down the third floor hallway to one of the meeting rooms.

    The third floor of the hotel was used as a business center and recreational area. Had rooms that were perfect for their ns.

    "We''ll talk to the Barons first." Cedric said nonchntly as they entered the in house gym.

    "And why are we here first?" Alexi grumbled. It was unheard of for Cedric to be the first to arrive in a meeting like this, mainly because he wanted to intimidate and make his guests nervous.

    "This isn''t the meeting room." Ian pointed out.

    "Sir." A tall dark skinned man with ck hair and brown eyes approached. He gave Ray a deep bow.

    "I didn''t expect you to be here, Seth Dean." Ray said in a cold and threatening tone.

    Next to him, Cedric couldn''t help butugh. Seeing Ray''s shift in personality amused the CEO as much as his own shifts amused his friends.

    Seth was visibly nervous, making a move this big without informing the King of the Underworld could be seen as a betrayal, and traitors were not looked on kindly among the mafia.

    "Since when did the Dean family have business here?" Ray asked as Seth gave a worried nce at Ian.

    "Sir, I''m here to assist your brother-inw." Seth said as he tried to stand his ground.

    "You know that I don''t like my people moving without my knowledge." Ray said as he nced at Cedric. "I''m assuming he is Ian''s contact."

    "You''ve always known that he was Ian''s contact, you don''t need to assume." Cedric said with a grin.

    "I prefer to confirm it rather than to simply assume." Ray said with a smile.

    "Don''t be afraid of him, Seth." Cedric said, shaking his head. "He won''t hurt you for this."

    "With all due respect Mr. Reyes, I would rather not offend the man that controls all lives in the underworld." Seth said in a shaky voice as he nced at Ray.

    Alexiughed at how nervous Seth was.

    "Don''t worry, Seth. Ray won''t do anything to offend his inws." Ian told Seth as he tried to reassure his friend.

    Seth still nced at Ray, trying to study his reaction to Ian''s words.

    Ray simply shook his head and smiled.

    "Ian is right, Cedric can do whatever he wants as long as it won''t threaten my wife or my position. And I trust my bestfriend to have both in mind." Ray said as he looked at Cedric.

    Seth simply nodded and led them deeper into the room.

    "What are you nning?" Alexi asked Cedric as they continued to walk.

    "I just want to teach the Barons a lesson, and it just so happens that someone they know was kept alive by Ian and Seth." Cedric said as he ced his hands in his pockets as they came to a stop.

    "Are they squeamish?" Seth asked Ian as he pointed at Katerina and Mae.

    Ray who was nearby couldn''t help butugh out loud at Seth''s question.

    "Katerina? Squeamish?" Ray said as he continued tough. "If you''ve heard of her, you''ll know that she isn''t."

    "She''s Katerina Sebastian?!" Seth asked in shock as he looked at Katerina and his jaw dropped.

    Ian grinned and shook his head.

    "Have you been living under a rock or something Seth? How could you not know how Katerina looks?" Ian asked his friend.

    "I don''t pay too much attention to entertainment gossip." Seth said with a frown. "With politics I really don''t mind the photos."

    "What did you expect to see?" Alexi asked as he tried to get Seth to dig himself in even deeper.

    "Well. . ." Seth said as he looked awkwardly at Katerina.

    "Spit it out, she won''t kill you." Ram said with augh as he noticed that the mafia leader was getting nervous.

    "Miss Katerina has a reputation of being ruthless and ingenious, so I didn''t really expect her to look the way she does." Seth said with an awkward smile.

    "And what did you expect me to look like? A monster with three heads?" Katerina asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "No, no, nothing like that Miss Katerina." Seth said as he shook his head and blushed.

    Ianughed at his friend as he patted him on the back. He was well aware of how intimidating Katerina Sebastian was. Her name was enough to strike fear in a lot of people.

    "Rx Seth." Ian said as smiled. "Katerina doesn''t eat people."

    "I didn''t think she was a monster." Seth said with a frown as he looked at Ian. "I just didn''t expect you to be so pretty Miss Katerina."

    Most women would have been ttered by Seth''s words, but Katerina Sebastian was not most women.

    She red at Seth, making him take a step back. He never expected to get this kind of a reaction from Katerina.

    "Just because I''m a woman doesn''t mean I can''t be strong and pretty." Katerina said in a threatening tone.

    "Miss Katerian, no, it''s not that-" Seth said as he struggled to find the right words to say. He thought he was scared of Katerina before, but this time he was even more scared. "I- no- I didn''t mean it that way."

    "Dude, just say sorry, you''ll never win an argument with her." Alexi said with augh. "Trust me, I know. I''ve been arguing with her since the moment I was born."

    "I''m sorry Miss." Seth said in a regretful tone.

    Katerina had already visibly calmed down, mostly because Mae was trying to get her to see that Seth didn''t mean any harm. So by the time he apologized she was no longer as pissed off as earlier.

    "Let''s not waste any time, just take us to our special guest." Katerina told Seth as she rolled her eyes at him.

    Seth was more than happy to oblige as they reached an area where multiple men were standing, all keeping watch.

 Chapter 751 - 751

    What Cedric and his friends found was no longer a man, but a shadow of a man.

    For someone who had once been so respected as a politician, the man before them now was practically an animal.

    "This is inhumane." Mae said with a frown.

    "Mr. Reyes you are the only CEO that I know of that would allow their employee to speak so freely." Seth said as he shook his head.

    "We all run our kingdoms differently." Ray said as he responded for Cedric. "Who is this man?" Ray asked as he crouched down.

    The man was in a cage that rose only until Ray''s waist. It was wide enough for the man to lie down, but not tall enough for him to stand.

    It seemed that he had once been quite good looking, even in his dirty and rugged appearance now his features still shined through. His tall nose and high cheekbones showed that he was a child of mixed races.

    His onced dyed hair was now back to its original blonde color.

    "His name was Brian Santos - Schnider." Ian said as he tapped on the cage making the man move back, deeper into the shadows. "He used to be a popr politician in the north."

    "Hmmmm, I see why." Cedric said as he crouched down next to Ray.

    "Of course, to run he dropped his father''sst name and stuck with his mother''s. He was quite good looking and the women loved to vote for him, it''s funny how democracy can be the best and worst thing." Ian said with augh.

    "I''ve heard of him." Alexi said as he looked at the cage. "My people said he was a rising star in politics and could be a threat to me someday."

    "Clearly now, he can''t be a threat." Ray added with augh.

    "What did he do?" Ram asked.

    "He was the politician that hid Aiden Ortiz from us. He and his men." Cedric said in a bitter tone as he stood back up.

    "Ugh, it stinks." Katerinained. "Couldn''t you have at least changed his cage before we arrived? Why did you even keep him? Just send him to one of the jails or have him killed, that would have been a lot cleaner."

    "Wow, you weren''t kidding about her." Seth whispered to Ian as he was still taken by surprise about how brutal Katerina could be.

    "I can hear you." Katerina said as she rolled her eyes at the mafia boss.

    "We kept him because we believed that Cedric might want to deal with this one himself someday." Ian told the group,pletely ignoring the banter between Katerina and Seth. If he had noticed either of them their conversation would have gotten derailed.

    "And why would you think I would want to deal with him myself?" Cedric asked as he continued to observe the man who was currently hiding in a corner.

    "Because this man is thest living person to have helped Aiden Ortiz after he murdered your mother." Ian exined.

    "Well, technically Benedict is still around." Miguel said with a cheeky grin.

    "We all know that Benedict doesn''t count. He left his brother to help us." Cedric told Miguel as he rolled his eyes.

    "What do you have nned for this one?" Alexi asked. "Does he have anything to do with the Barons?"

    "He has a lot to do with the Baron family." Cedric told his friends. "He and the Barons are so intertwined that his death sent their niece and son into mourning."

    "What? Are they rted?" Alexi asked.

    "No." Cedric said as he shook his head. "He was the best friend of Rodrigo Baron, the mayor''s son, and he was engaged to Jean Baron, the mayor''s niece."

    Kateria gasped at the news, she had an idea that this man, Brian Schnider, was in some way connected to the Baron family, but she didn''t expect this.

    "On top of that, this man, Brian, was also their connection to Sapphire Mining. Hees from one of the Raja families, so he introduced the Barons to the ones operating the corrupt political system." Cedric added.

    Everyone was shocked at how much this man was involved.

    "It''s a good thing he isn''t dead yet." Alexi said with a grin.

    "Do they think you had him killed?" Miguel asked Cedric.

    "No, not really." Cedric said as he shook his head. "They think that he was picked up by members of the Mafia whom he owed money to. He was then supposedly murdered for his inability to pay back the debt."

    "He did owe us money." Seth said with an amusedugh. "But I wouldn''t kill a man over that. What use is a dead man, he can''t pay me back. I prefer it when they are scared, I can impose interest."

    "You mafia people have be too much like businessmen." Rayined. "You think so much about money now."

    "We need money to operate." Seth said with a shrug.

    "So what do you n to do with him? Drop him in front of the Barons all messed up like this?" Katerina asked as she pointed at the man in the cage.

    "No, no. He is here to be an example." Cedric told his friends. "The Barons will have their own moment, one that the whole country will witness. Then after, once they are broken I want to show them what happens to those that cross me."

    "Brutal Cedric is interesting." Alexi said as he scratched his chin.

    "It''s reserved for the most extreme individuals." Cedric said with a shrug as he looked at the man again.

    "Make sure he is recognizable." Cedric told Seth. "I want to make sure that the Barons know who they are looking at."

    "Yes, sir." Seth said with a nod as he called one of his men over and gave some instructions.

    "Sir, the Baron family has arrived." Dave said, informing Cedric in a low voice that was audible for everyone to hear.

    "Let them wait a little, while they are waiting. Release the video." Cedric instructed Dave.

    Within minutes of his order the whole country knew that Cedric Reyes was innocent.

    And the Baron family that was waiting for him in the meeting room, turned pale when they saw the news.

 Chapter 752 - 752

    While the Baron Family was stressing over the news that had broken out, Cedric and his friends were ushered by Ian to a spare room next to where the Barons waited.

    "The Baron Family is full of idiots." Katerina said with augh as she scrolled through social media on her phone. "How could they have assumed they could ckmail Cedric?"

    "You know what''s funny?" Cedric asked as he smiled with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

    "What?" Katerina asked, entertaining Cedric''s question.

    "They hired a troll army to make people think the public hated me." Cedric said with augh. "Now it seems they have hired the same people to use me of faking this video."

    "Everyone with eyes can see that this is the real one." Katerina said as she rolled her eyes.

    "It''s lunch time, boss." Dave said as he handed Cedric a menu. "Would you like to eat now or after your meeting with the Baron family?"

    "Let''s have a quick meal now, let them wait for a bit." Cedric said with a nod as he pointed at what he wanted for lunch.

    Dave went around and asked for the orders of everyone in the room, even the other assistants and the staff of the other four princes.

    "Won''t your guests be hungry?" Miguel asked with a smirk as he looked at Cedric.

    "It''s all part of the wait." Cedric said with a grin as he looked at the clock. It was only eleven o''clock. He was nning to make the Barons wait for him for an hour, or until they threatened to leave.

    It didn''t take long for the waiters to arrive with their food.

    Cedric and his friends happily ate their meal as the Baron family waited anxiously next door. Cedric knew that they wouldn''t be able to wait for him to finish his meal before threatening to leave.

    He wanted to appear as they were getting up, so he had strict instructions for his people to closely monitor their behavior and to notify them when the Baron Family was nearing their limit.

    As Cedric was about to finish his meal, he noticed a bodyguard enter the room and whisper something to Ian.

    The assistant simply nodded and sent the bodyguard back to his station, before walking to Cedric.

    "They''re ready?" Cedric asked, treating the Baron Family as if they were some meal he had people cook.

    "Our men in the other room think that they will get up at any moment." Ian said with a nod as Cedric put his te away and wiped his lips with a napkin.

    "Anyone want to join in on the fun?" Cedric asked as he looked at his friends with a smirk.

    "Of course I have to be there." Alexi said with augh as he too got up. "Katerina?" He asked as he nced at his sister, he knew that Katerina wouldn''t miss this moment.

    Katerina simply nodded and got up as well.

    "I don''t think I should be seen for this." Ray said with augh. "I''m trying to keep as far away from anything involving the underworld right now."

    "I''ll stay here too." Ram said as he continued to eat. "You don''t need me, plus we can watch live online." He said with augh as he pointed at the TV in the room.

    "Same, but if anyone needs medical assistance, I''ll be here." Miguel told Cedric.

    "I guess it''s just me and you Sebastians then,e on." Cedric told Alexi and Katerina as they walked out of the room and moved to the next one.

    "Have they seen the news online?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "Yes, we didn''t cut the signal, we even let them connect to the hotel''s wifi." Ian replied with augh. "It''s funny because Adolfo has been tracking their usage and it''s obvious that they are looking for ways to escape their situation."

    "They were fools from the moment they thought I could be ckmailed or that I would offer to bribe someone." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    Cedric took a step and opened the door to the meeting room where the Barons could be seen making a move to stand up and leave.

    "Ah, I''m d you are still here." Cedric said with a malicious smile as he entered the room followed by Ian, Dave, Alexi, and Katerina.

    He looked each of the members of the Baron family in the eyes, there were more of them than he had expected.

    It was not only the Mayor, Evan Baron that was around. He brought along with him his wife, son, niece and three other members of the Baron family that Cedric couldn''t recall.

    He only recognized them based on the file that Ian and Dave had given him before the party. From what he recalled they also held some position in the local government.

    Cedric could see the fear in their eyes as they nced at Alexi and Cami. If Cedric ruled the business world, and Ray ruled the underworld, the whole politicalndscape was dominated by the Sebastian family.

    With the family patriarch, Jose Sebastian, Alexi''s father, seated as the current president, and Alexi himself a Congressman in their hometown, the Sebastian family was already powerful enough.

    But they had been a political family for a long time and their influence had spread beyond imagination.

    Their rtives and allies were spread across various positions all over the country, and crossing them was like signing a death wish on your political career.

    The Barons had not only attacked Cedric, but they had also used the Sebastians of taking bribes, something that was illegal and had very dangerous repercussions.

    "Ah, I see you recognize my friend and mywyer." Cedric said as he pulled a seat and sat down across Evan Baron.

    Alexi and Katerina did the same thing, mirroring Cedric''s actions, sitting to his left and his right.

    "If I''m not mistaken, Mr. Baron, you used my friend and his family of taking bribes, how horrible of you." Cedric said with a grin as Evan Baron visibly froze in front of Alexi''s re.

 Chapter 753 - 753

    "Did you know that spreading false news about the first family is punishable byw?" Cedric asked Evan Baron as he crossed his arms on his chest and looked the local mayor in the eyes.

    Cedric could see how afraid Evan and his family were, they had realized way toote that they had gone against the wrong people.

    "Even if the Sebastians were not the first family, it''s illegal to wrongly use other people." Cedric continued to exin to Evan Baron and his family.

    "Mr. Reyes -" Evan Baron began to say before he was cut off by Cedric.

    "No, this time, you will listen." Cedric said in a stern tone. "Not only did you falsely use my friends of being corrupt and bending thew for their associates, but you also used me of attempting to bribe you!" Cedric shouted.

    "Sir, we never used you." Evan Baron''s son, Rodrigo said as he desperately tried to salvage the situation.

    "Really?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow. "Then how do you exin this report and this video?" He waved Ian over who handed him a tablet.

    Cedric tapped on it and dropped the table on the table, then a recording yed.

    "Have you sent it?" Evan Baron''s voice could clearly be heard saying.

    "Yes, sir. I''ve sent the whistleblower report, but there is no guarantee that it will be picked up by any news agency or if people will believe what we have to say, we have no proof." An unfamiliar voice cautioned Evan Baron.

    "Anything and everything that has Cedric Reyes'' name attached to it will be picked up by the media." Evan Baron hissed in the audio recording.

    "What if his friend stops the news from circting?" The unknown person asked.

    "Which friend? Ramon Abad? The Abads are not as powerful as you think. They cannot stop all the news froming to the surface." Evan Baron scolded the person on the other line. "This news will see light and the public will begin to react."

    "I still need the proof, people will demand proof." The man who was the whistleblower warned Evan Baron.

    "I already told you, I will get your proof!" It was evident in Evan Baron''s voice that he was now irritated with the person at the other end of the line. "My son''s driver will send you the recording. This was my son''s brilliant idea. He will make a good politician in the future."

    "Mr. Baron, no matter what, we need that evidence soon." The whistleblower reminded Evan Baron over the phone. "The public will demand it."

    "I just need to clean up a few things with the video. I want this thing to trend, Cedric Reyes dared to refuse my offer, I want him to realize that I''m no small-time politician." Evan Baron said in an angry tone.

    "Well he will realize things for sure." The whistleblower said with a chuckle.

    "I''ll call you when I have the evidence." Evan Baron said angrily as the line went dead.

    As the recording ended, Cedric looked at the man across from him, Evan Baron was as pale as a sheet.

    Clearly he did not expect this kind of evidence to be found.

    "That''s a fabrication!" Rodrigo Baron used as he tried to reach for the tablet. Unfortunately for him, Cedric was already taking it away and managed to get it out of his reach.

    Cedric clicked his tongue as he shook his head.

    "What an embarrassment Rodrigo Baron." Cedric said as he clicked another recording on theptop.

    "Maybe this one will be more familiar to you." Cedric said as he ced the tablet in front of him.

    Rodrigo tried to reach for the tablet again but he was stopped as two bodyguards who had been standing behind him, pushed Rodrigo back down on his seat.

    "Didn''t your parents teach you that it''s not good to take what isn''t yours?" Cedric asked as he looked the young man in the eyes. "My son knows more than you if they didn''t." Cedric scolded as he yed the next recording.

    This time it was Rodrigo''s voice that could be heard.

    "Did you get it?" Rodrigo asked.

    "Yes, but it seems tampered." The whistleblower told Rodrigo. "Do you even realize who you are going up against?" He asked.

    "It''s not your fucking job to ask those things." Rodrigo said to the whistleblower as he cursed at the man.

    "I''m just making sure you are aware of the consequences you are going to face for going against someone like Cedric Reyes." The whistleblower warned. "Especially since you are showing tampered evidence to the public."

    "Again, it''s not your business to ask these things!" Rodrigo said, angrily. "Just fucking upload the damn video I sent so that we can frame this stupid CEO. What does he have anyway, he is just rich!"

    "Alright, alright, but if this backfires like I think it will, don''t me me." The whistleblower said.

    "I won''t." Rodrigo answered. "I had the best fucking editor in the area fix that video, I had people watch it and they said it''s believable. He might not have offered this bribe, but I''m sure that Cedric Reyes has bribed his way through many projects."

    "I wouldn''t use someone like him so lightly." The whistleblower warned. "And not only did you implicate him in this video, you managed to drag the first family along, you are ying a dangerous game Mr. Baron." He warned.

    "Just upload that damn video, I don''t give a fuck about your warning. Cedric Reyes should fear me. All he has is money and we have the power. We control this province! If I tell the people to jump they better jump or I will kill them!" Rodrigo shouted over the phone as he dropped the call.

    Evan Baron''s eyes grew wide as he heard the recording. It seemed that he didn''t know his son had said these things and he was in shock as well, he was way too stunned to even utter a word.

    The mayor simply stood up and walked to his son. He pulled the boy up by his cor and pped him hard on the face.

 Chapter 754 - 754

    -At Mountain View Mansion, before Cedric confronted the Baron Family-

    Ayanna was sad to see Ray leave earlier that morning, but she knew there was a high possibility of her brother needing her husband more than she needed him at home.

    She was needed in the capital, and more specifically she was needed in Cedric''s Mountain View Mansion.

    Ray and Cedric needed to be assured that both she and Ayanna would be safe while they went against the Baron family and their backers.

    When Ayanna arrived earlier that morning and saw Adrianna arguing with her bodyguards, she shook her head and walked over to calm her sister inw down.

    "Ayanna, they won''t let me go to the office!" Adriannained. "Yoyo already left for school but they won''t let me off of the mansion grounds."

    "Come on guys, she can at least take a walk in the backyard." Ayanna said as she rolled her eyes.

    The bodyguards did not say a word, they just looked at Ayanna unsure of what to do next.

    "My brother''s orders?" Ayanna asked as she pulled Adrianna towards the backdoor of the mansion and towards it''s well manicured gardens.

    "Ayanna, I need to go to the office." Adriannained as they continued to walk.

    "Adri, even I''m not going to the office." Ayanna said as she rolled her eyes at her sister-inw. "We need to be here, it''s too dangerous to leave. Even dad and the other girls are on their way." Ayanna exined to her sister-inw as they took a seat.

    "But Yoyo." Adrianna said with a frown as she thought of her son who had just left for school.

    "Yoyo is safe, no one knows who he is." Ayanna said as she tried to ease her sister-inw''s worries. "Plus Cedric has increased the number of undercover bodyguards in and around his school, Yoyo is safe."

    Adrianna frowned at Ayanna''s words but she nodded.

    "What''s important is that you and the twins are safe, things will be easier for my brother if he doesn''t have to worry about us." Ayanna exined.

    She understood that Adrianna did not want to sit down idly at home while her husband was in danger and in the middle of a scandal, but she didn''t have a choice.

    "Adrianna, do you understand?" Ayanna asked her sister-inw who slowly nodded.

    "Good, let''s walk around the garden then I have a meeting." Ayanna said as they stood up and walked a small distance around the property.

    "I really don''t like not being able to do anything." Adrianna said with a frown. "I feel like Cedric always has to put bodyguards around me because I''m such an easy target. I have even more bodyguards than you or Yoyo."

    "Well, for starters, you are his wife, more people would try to get to you." Ayanna pointed out. "As for me, well Ray has a lot of hidden people protecting me, you just don''t see them but they are there. I''ve learned to spot them."

    "Doesn''t it bother you that we are here, at home, while the men are confronting someone that threatened your business and your family?" Adrianna asked Ayanna.

    "I would love to be by my husband''s and brother''s side, but I know I am needed here, in the capital." Ayanna exined. "Whenever my brother is not in the city or has other ns I usually take over. I keep the Reyes Group running. It''s an important job that I need to do for us."

    "I feel so immature next to you Ayanna." Adrianna said with a sigh as she shook her head.

    "I have just lived this life longer, Adri." Ayanna said, shaking her head as they returned to the mansion. "You''ll understand that the wealth and power and prestige thates with the Reyes name has a lot of drawbacks."

    "Ayanna! Adrianna!" Emilio Reyes greeted before Adrianna could respond.

    "Dad." Ayanna said as she ran over to her father like a little girl and hugged him tightly. She was more than happy to see her father, he was the only one that knew of her condition and she was d that she had someone to share it with now.

    Ayanna was nning on telling Adrianna as well, but her father arrived, so her news had to wait.

    "I have some meetings dad, but let me join you as soon as I can." Ayanna said as her father released her from his arms.

    "Don''t overwork yourself Ayanna." Emilio Reyes warned as his daughter winked at him and vanished into her brother''s office.

    She only had one meeting that morning, an urgent one concerning somebor issues that Elisia Malls were being used of. She had asked someone to investigate them and she would be hearing back from them today.

    Ayanna knew that her older brother was nning something so she didn''t want to be too busy that day since Cedric''s revenge would surely be something exciting.

    The investigator informed Ayanna that a manger was indeed going against policy and breaking multipleborws, which in the process made it look like Elisia Malls were the ones viting thews.

    Ayanna made quick work of the matter and had the manager fired and the employee reinstated and if possible promoted. She also made sure that properpensation was given for the damage caused.

    As soon as she ended her meeting her phone began to ring. It was Ray telling her to go on social media and watch as Cedric broadcasted the Baron Family''s death from politics.

    Ayanna excitedly ran to the living room where her father and sister-inw were waiting together with the other girls and Tristan.

    "We need to watch this." Ayanna said with a smile as she connected theptop to the TV.

    "Ayanna. Have a maid do that for you!" Emilio Reyes scolded as he watched his daughter crouch down looking for the cables to connect theptop to the TV.

    A maid quickly noticed the old CEOs concern and helped Ayanna.

    When the live feed of Cedric''s meeting shed on the TV everyone in the room was surprised. They didn''t expect Cedric to be this bold.

    Just as they watched Evan Baron hit his son, a bodyguard came running into the living room.

    "We need to move all of you." He said.

    "What''s going on?" Ayanna asked as she stood up and pulled the bodyguard to the side.

    "Miss Ayanna, people are trying to enter the mansion gates, we need to get all of you to safety. They are outside the Mountain Viewmunity." The bodyguard said in a serious tone as Ayanna turned pale.

    This was exactly what she had feared.

 Chapter 755 - 755

    "Cedric we have a problem." Leon told his boss as everyone exited the meeting room.

    Cedric raised an eyebrow and let everyone leave ahead of him.

    "Wait." Cedric said as he checked it the cameras in the room were still recording. When he was sure that they had stopped recording he nodded at Leon and gave him the go signal to speak.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked Leon.

    "Well, I have some distressing news." Leon said with a frown. "The Mountain View Mansion was attacked."

    "What?!" Cedric asked in an angry tone. "My wife, my sister, my dad, were they all there?"

    "Yes, but they have been taken to a safe location." Leon told Cedric.

    "Does it have anything to do with the Barons?" Cedric asked.

    "We don''t know yet." Leon confessed. "They are still attacking, but they have not breached the walls. Our men think they will give up soon. They are still outside of themunity, luckily we increased security for today."

    "How about my son?" Cedric asked with a worried look on his face as he realized that Yoyo was not in the mansion, but rather he was in school.

    "There has been no attempt on Yoyo, it seems that whoever is trying to attack Mountain View doesn''t know about him yet." Leon reported to Cedric.

    "Keep an eye on Yoyo, I don''t want him being found out." Cedric told Leon. "As for everyone else, the best ce for them might be Mountain View at the moment."

    "The president is already sending the military to help out." Leon informed Cedric. "I managed to speak to your father. It seemed that whoever nned this attack used your scandal as a cover."

    "How did they know we were going to pull off something this big?" Cedric asked as he thought of the possibilities. It was impossible that he had a traitor among his people.

    Everyone was tried and tested, he trusted every single one of them with his life.

    "I think they simply anticipated." Leon suggested. "When you released the video and they noticed that neither your wife nor your sister showed up to work today, they quickly assembled their forces andunched the attack."

    "Keep me updated on this, I need to tell Ray." Cedric said as he calmly walked out of the room.

    To his surprise he found Ray waiting for him at the other side of the door.

    "Have you heard from them?" Ray asked in a low voice, making sure that no one else could hear him.

    "They are safe, don''t worry." Cedric said as he ced a hand on his brother-inw''s shoulder. "The security team managed to get them to safety and uncle Jose is sending in the military to help out."

    "Whoever did this will pay." Ray hissed as he noticed Alexi approaching.

    "Why did I need to find this out from my dad?" He asked as red at Cedric and Ray. "Selina and Natalia went to Mountain View to keep Adrianna and Ayannapany, what the fuck happened?"

    "Someone took advantage of our little show, we distracted everyone thus giving them the opportunity to attack the Mountain Viewmunity." Cedric exined.

    "That ce is supposed to be the safest ce to live, how the fuck did someone manage to get in?" Alexi asked. He too lived in the Mountain Viewmunity a few blocks down Cedric''s home.

    "It still is the safest ce to live." Cedric said as he red at Alexi. "From what I picked up, my security team managed to hold off the equivalent of a small army. How does someone bring an army of mercenaries to the capital, Alexi?"

    "Rx, both of you." Ray said as he tried to stop the argument from getting out of hand. "The matter has already been handled, let''s take one battle at a time."

    Alexi and Cedric both took a step back and took deep breaths calming themselves down. Ray was right. They both needed to rx, the matter was already being handled.

    "We need to focus on what is in that room now, we aren''t done with the Barons. We end this then we move on." Ray told Alexi and Cedric. "Don''t forget we still have Lucius to deal with when we get back and this whole Mien being Fernando''s son."

    "Ray is right, one battle at a time." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Miguel and Ram already know, they''ve gotten in touch with everyone at Mountain View." Ram informed Cedric.

    "And Ian?" Cedric asked as he remembered that his assistant had left the room before him.

    "He knows, he also knows that they are safe." Ray said with a nod.

    "Let''s deal with the Barons so that we can get back home as quickly as possible." Cedric said with a nod as he led their group into the next room.

    Unlike when they had first entered, the recreational room turned holding cell was not as brightly lit.

    It seemed that Seth and his men had switched off some of the lights to give the room an intimidating feel the moment you stepped in.

    "My men can''t witness this." Alexi reminded Cedric who simply nodded, allowing Alexi to dismiss the members of the military who had brought the Baron Family to the next room.

    Cedric was confident that the Barons would not be able to escape since it was not just his men in the room. The members of Ray''s underworld team and those from the Dean Mafia family were there as well.

    When all the members of the military had left, shutting the door behind them, Cedric ordered his men to secure each individual from the Baron Family.

    "What the fuck is going on?" Evan Baron asked as he spat at the guard holding him.

    Katerina walked up to him and pped him in the face, the room was so silent that the sound of her p echoed across the room.

    "Asshole." Katerina hissed. "Don''t you dare talk. If I hear another fucking disrespectful word from you one of these men will make you eat your own touge." Katerina threatened quickly shutting Evan Baron up.

    Cedric smiled as he watched all the members of the Baron Family try to step back as Katerina passed them.

    Katerina Sebastian was no simple woman, she was very intimidating and today she just showed them why she had such a reputation.

    As soon as Katerina was done dealing with the Barons, Cedric nodded at Seth, telling him it was time.

    "I have a familiar friend I''d like you to meet." Cedric said with a grin as some members of the Dean Mafia Family arrived.

    At first, no one noticed the man crawling on the ground in chains. But as one of the men pulled on the chains, the man fell t on his face.

    "What is that?" Rodrigo Baron said as he pointed at the person on the ground.

    Cedric was surprised when he heard his assistant, Ian Lim,ugh at Rodrigo''s question.

    "You don''t know him?" Cedric asked as he motioned for Seth''s men toe closer.

    "A little light please." Ray called out as someone switched on a few more lights, making the room a little bit brighter.

    "Mr. Roderigo Baron, how could you not recognize your best friend?" Seth asked as he lifted Brian''s chin, making him look at Rodrigo and Jean directly in the eyes.

 Chapter 756 - 756

    "Brian!" Jean shouted as she tried to get away from the bodyguard''s firm hold on her. But her attempts were futile, Cedric wanted them to be as close as possible to Brian without them actually being able to save him.

    "No, no." Cedric said as he took a step closer to Jean Baron. "Do you know what your former fiance did?" Cedric asked.

    The woman who was already in tears looked up, confused and lost, all she wanted was to hold her fiance.

    "Months ago there was a man that decided toe after me and my family." Cedric began to tell the Barons as he could hear Jean whimpering at the sight of her fiance who was barely alive.

    "I''m sure you all heard the news of how my mother, my wife, my son, and my sister were ambushed in Pris Mall while out shopping." Cedric said as he tried to read their reactions.

    The men remained undeterred while Evan''s wife and his niece were clearly afraid and worried.

    "Unfortunately my mother and another member of my staff did not manage to survive the deadly attack." Cedric said as he shook his head. "I wonder how you would feel, Rodrigo, if someone was to take your mother''s life."

    "No!" Rodrigo shouted as he tried to break free from the bodyguard''s hold, but he was no matchpared to therge man that held him down.

    "I''m d you understand how I felt." Cedric said as he walked over to Brian. "You see, this man who had killed my mother quickly ran away, hiding out in a northern province, aided by a certain politician."

    "No." Jean gasped as she realized what had happened.

    "Of course we dealt with almost every single person who had helped Aiden Ortiz." Cedric said with a shrug. "Those that helped him are either dead or rotting in jail, living their worst life possible."

    "Most of them should be begging for death by now." Alexi said with augh that could send chills down a person''s spine as he joined in on the conversation.

    "A life in torture is worse than death." Cedric said as he crouched down and looked Brian Schnider in the eyes. "Are you even still human?" Cedric asked in a low voice as he looked into Brian''s empty eyes.

    When he had been brought in he did not even recognize Rodrigo or Jean, he had been subjected through so much torture that Cedric questioned if he was still even in there.

    "I hope you are still there." Cedric whispered as he stood up and nodded at Ray, Alexi, and Ian.

    Unlike his friends he had never inflicted physical pain on anyone. He was either to weak or there was no need since he had people to keep his hands clean.

    "This man, Brian Santos - Schnider, hid Aiden Ortiz from us. He hid him from thew and now he will pay the price." Cedric announced.

    "No!" Jean called out as she struggled against the bodyguard once more, this time she tried to kick the man. All her attempts however were in vain as she was kept in her position.

    "You should know that a fate worse than death awaits those that go against us." Alexi said as he red at Evan Baron. "What Brian is about to suffer will only be a fraction of what you will have to endure."

    "Unlike Brian you won''t be kept by the mafia or the gangs." Ray said with a grin.

    "You fucking ass-" Before Evan Baron could finish his sentence, Ray walked up to him and punched him in the gut making the mayor cough up blood.

    "I hate loud and noisy people." Ray said as he returned to his friends who were now making Brian stand up.

    "Brian here is lucky." Ian said as he looked at the man beside him.

    Brian''s clothes were tattered, clearly he was still wearing the same garments he was taken in. Ian could see how Jean recognized his clothes, maybe they had been together, out on a date or just hanging out when Seth''s men picked Brian up.

    "Such fancy clothes." Ian remarked out loud. "He can be buried in what he is wearing."

    "No, please, no." Jean begged as she cried out to Ian.

    "As I said, he is lucky, he gets to die after just a few months of torture." Ian said with a grin. "He is quite weak, isn''t he. He broke after a few months."

    Seth chuckled at Ian''sment. Most people would break within days of the torture that they had inflicted, but it was clearly something Ian didn''t want the Barons to know.

    "You Barons on the other hand decided to mess with the wrong people way too publicly." Cedric added from the side. "You will need to be tried, then when you are found guilty you will be sent to one of the worst prisons in the country."

    "I wonder how long rich pampered men like you can survive in the pits of hell?" Seth asked as he looked at the men in front of him.

    "Shall we begin?" Ray asked as he shed everyone a sharp dagger and a gun.

    Cedric smiled as Ian and Alexi nodded.

    "My friends will be inflicting on him the exact same injuries that those that have died because of him have suffered." Cedric told the Barons in an angry tone. "We won''t kill him till it''s time, the doctor had told us exactly what to do."

    Of course the doctor Cedric was referring to was none other than Miguel Chan himself.

    "You see, we want Brian here to suffer just as everyone who was hurt because of his actions had suffered before their deaths." Alexi told the Barons.

    "With whom shall we start first?" Ian asked with a mischievous smile.

    "Mia, was shot on her right hitting an artery, she died in Pris mall from loss of blood." Leon said, speaking for the first time.

    Cedric looked to his bodyguard and nodded, he knew that Leon had a lot of pent up pain and anger. This is what he needed.

    Ian took a knife and handed it to Leon.

    At first Leon hesitated, Cedric frowned as he noticed that the bodyguard refused to take the plunge.

    "It''s alright Leon." Cedric said. "This man not only hid Aiden, but we discovered that he was also the one that pulled the trigger killing my mom and Mia."

    Cedric watched as Leon''s eyes burned with a new found anger and fury.

    He took the knife from Ian and walked up to stand in front of Brian.

    "They were innocent!" He shouted. "They were innocent and you killed them!" Leon screamed as Brian''s eyes remained empty and expressionless.

    Seeing as Brian failed or refused to react, Leon lifted his chin and stared him in the eyes.

    "If you are in there, I hope this hurts." Leon said as he gripped the knife tightly and stabbed Brian in the exact spot Miguel had pointed out before.

    Brian screamed in pain as the de tore through flesh, but Leon was not satisfied. He turned the knife, making Brian cry out even louder.

    Hearing her former fiance''s cries were too much for Jean as she fainted in the bodyguard''s arms.

 Chapter 757 - 757

    **Warning: Torture scenes ahead, will be very bloody and is not for the faint of heart**

    "A pity, she fainted." Ray said, shaking his head as he looked at the unconscious woman who was nowid out on the ground.

    "Tie her up, I don''t want to risk it." Cedric instructed the bodyguard who simply nodded and did as he asked, bringing Jean''s wrists and ankles together with corse rope that she couldn''t struggle against.

    "What shall we do next?" Ian asked as he looked at the bleeding man in front of him. "Do you want to give it a shot, Ced?"

    "You guys go ahead, I want to deal thest blow." Cedric told Ian.

    His assistant dutifully nodded as Leon handed him back the knife.

    Cedric could see how relieved Leon looked as he finished delivering a small amount of vengeance. He couldn''t help but wonder if he would feel the same way once this man paid for his crimes.

    "One cut for each man of mine that died because you chose to hide Aiden Ortiz." Ian dered. "Take his shirt off." Ian ordered.

    Seth''s men quickly did as he asked and stripped Brian.

    Ian quickly made sure that his knife was sharp enough before giving Brian a cut on the arm.

    Cedric could hear as Brian screamed in pain, he was now not only dripping blood from his side, but from his arm as well.

    "I bet that hurts." Alexi said as he leaned against the wall and watched as Ian gave Brian another cut.

    "Please, just kill him." Cedric heard Rodrigo Baron beg for his friend. "Please, he''s lived months like an animal, please just end his life."

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh, this man dared beg for mercy now.

    "When they had the upper hand Brian and Aiden didn''t hesitate to kill innocent people. Even among those in the underworld that is frowned upon." Cedric informed the younger man as he walked over.

    "Hasn''t he been through enough?" Rodrigo said as he shouted desperately, his eyes darting between Cedric and the bloody Brian.

    Cedric once moreughed at the man''s stupidity.

    "When you attacked me and chose to ckmail me, didn''t you think it was too much? Didn''t you think that I had gone through enough?" Cedric asked. "Brian Schnider deserves to exist in a living hell, but I will be kind and I will kill him. Just not yet."

    Rodrigo was shocked at Cedric''s words. Gone was the calm businessman that had an extreme tolerance for those that had wronged him. Cedric was now out for blood and Rodrigo could see it with his own eyes.

    "Don''t die on me just yet." Ian told Brian in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear as he gave the man another sh on the arm.

    The scene was now bloody as Ian continued to cut Brian''s arm, covering it incerations.

    "If he hasn''t lost his mind yet, he will surely lose it now." Ray told Cedric as he looked at Brian.

    The man had continued to scream with every cut that Ian made, Cedric had expected him to pass out sooner, but he was still conscious and feeling all of the pain.

    "I lost fifty men because of you and Aiden Ortiz, I n to make you suffer for the lives you took." Ian hissed. "Fifty eighth families that have lost a father or a mother, a brother or a sister, a husband or a wife, a son or a daughter. You took from them their future and I will not make this easy for you."

    "How many did you two lose?" Cedric asked Alexi and Ray as he nced at them.

    "Much less than Ian." Alexi said, shaking his head as he walked over and picked up a spiked whip.

    "That should cut quite nicely." Ray said with an approving nod as he walked over to join Alexi at the table where all sorts of torture devices were lined up.

    Seth hade prepared for the torture, there were even items that Cedric didn''t recognize.

    When Ian was finally done making all the cuts, Brian''s body was covered in blood. His arms were crimson as was the floor beneath him.

    Miguel quickly rushed into the room to check on him, making sure that their prisoner did not die from the loss of blood or from the injuries they had inflicted.

    "He better not die." Alexi told Migel as he inspected the other torture devices.

    "He won''t." Miguel confirmed as he patched up the broken man.

    Suddenly Brian tried to move and attack Miguel, but the princes were steps ahead of him as a bodyguard quickly shoved Brian away.

    "Did you really think it would be that easy?" Miguel asked as heughed at how foolish Brian had been.

    "He is getting desperate." Ian said as he shook his head.

    "You fools have no idea who you are messing with!" Evan Baron shouted at the younger men. "You are offending powers that you cannot imagine. They are more powerful and richer than any of you can ever dream of bing!"

    "Someone shut him up!" Rayined as a bodyguard quickly taped Evan Baron''s mouth.

    "You''ll have your chance to howl in pain, old man." Cedric said as heughed and shook his head.

    Turning his attention to other matters, Cedric noticed Ian walking up to him.

    "I didn''t know we lost that much." Cedric told Ian as the assistant took his ce beside Cedric.

    "They weren''t all ours." Ian said with a frown. "I gave Brian to Seth for a reason, most of them were his. People he had sent as a favor to me and to the Reyes Group."

    "What does Seth have to do with the Reyes Group?" Cedric asked Ian with a confused look.

    "You didn''t know?" Ian asked.

    "Were you supposed to exin something to me?" Cedric asked with a chuckle.

    "Seth was once an employee at the Reyes Group, he worked there to have a reputable background but was drawn back to the Mafia." Ian said with augh as he shook his head. "That''s how I met Seth, we were friends in the Reyes Group."

 Chapter 758 - 758

    **Warning: Torture scenes ahead, will be very bloody and is not for the faint of heart**

    Cedric was surprised to find out that Seth had once worked in hispany. Most children that belonged to Mafia families, especially their first sons never worked outside of the Mafia. As a result they were more often than not tone deaf to the real world.

    "Many people in the underworld thought he would be soft since he didn''t live his whole adult life as a criminal." Ian exined. "But he proved them wrong." The assistant said with augh.

    Cedric assumed that Seth was quite the leader, it would take a unique individual to catch Ray''s attention. And from what Cedric could see, there were very few Mafia families that Ray favored, among them were the Ri and Dean families.

    "Can we continue?" Alexi asked Miguel as the doctor finished patching up Brian.

    "Give him a moment." Miguel said as he stood up and looked at the man on the ground. "If you go at it too fast he might faint, and we don''t want that happening."

    Alexi simply nodded as he walked over to a table reserved for them and poured himself a drink.

    "You- you- you are inhumane." Rodrigo managed to shout as he looked at his friend on the ground.

    "Just stop Rodrigo." One of the other Baron rtives hissed as the young man refused to backdown.

    "Inhumane?" Ray said as he let each syble roll over his tongue as he spoke. "If you knew half of the things I''ve done kid, you would be sick." Ray said with augh as he walked back to check up on Brian.

    "ording to all records this man is already dead." Cedric exined, shaking his head. "Even you and your cousin both thought he was dead, so on paper we are torturing a corpse."

    "He was a good man and he treated my cousin with the utmost respect, what you say are lies!" Rodrigo dered as he shouted back at Cedric.

    "Really? He treated your cousin with respect?" Cedric asked as he nodded at Ian. "Care to tell our friend what you found out, Ian?"

    Ian quickly pulled out his phone where he had Brian''s file saved. The man had so many dirty secrets that even he couldn''t believe how a person like Brian Schnider could have lived so long undetected.

    "You im that Mr. Schnider respected your cousin, but is it respect when he beats not only her up but his other women as well?" Ian asked as he watched a shocked expression spread on Rodrigo''s face.

    "He did what?!" Rodrigo asked in a shaky voice as he tried to cope with the new information.

    "I guess your cousin wasn''t beingpletely honest with you." Cedric said as he shook his head and looked at the woman on the floor. "He manipted her in such a way that she epted all of the harm he inflicted on her and she still desperately loved him."

    "Lies!" Rodrigo shouted as he thrashed against the man that held him.

    "Brian didn''t just harm me, my family, and my people, he harmed yours as well." Cedric said as he red at Rodrigo.

    "Is he ready?" Alexi asked in a bored tone as he tested the whip on a wall.

    They all watched as scratches appeared in the area where the tips of the whip made contact with the wall.

    "This will hurt." Alexi said with a malicious smile.

    Cedric knew how angry Alexi was at anyone and everyone that had anything to do with Aiden and Jen.

    "He should be fine now." Miguel said with a nod. "I''ll be in the other room if you need me, I can''t stand this scene." He said as he shook his head and left.

    "Great, let''s continue." Alexi told everyone with a smile as he stepped in front of Brian.

    Brian looked up with his empty eyes, Cedric didn''t know if Brian could even recognize who was standing above him.

    "You see this whip?" Alexi asked as he raised the steel tips in front of Brian. "These are meant to tear flesh from you, and that is exactly what I will do. For every man you killed I will whip you one. Just once. That''s a small grace seeing as you killed them."

    Cedric watched as an expression of fear shed across Brian''s face, but it was so quick that Cedric wasn''t sure if he had actually seen it or if it was just his imagination.

    Alexi walked up behind Brian and sent the whip crashing down against Brian''s back.

    Cedric watched as the metal tips pulled Brian''s flesh from his back, making the man scream in pain.

    "That was for Joselino, he was a father of three, the only breadwinner of his family. You shot him dead when he went looking for Aiden and his hideout." Alexi said as he told Brian about the man he had taken theshing for.

    "Joselino was eating at a local restaurant when you and your thugs came in, dragged him out, tortured him and killed him." Alexi hissed.

    "One whip is too light for the life of a person." Cedricmented from the side.

    "If I were to whip him with the amount that he truly deserves, he would die before we even got a quarter of the way." Alexi scoffed as he lifted the whip once more and brought it down, stronger this time.

    Just like thest he mentioned the name of a soldier that had died, but this time the man wasn''t even on a mission.

    Brian had just recognized him as one of the men that worked for Alexi and murdered him.

    Alexi proceeded to whipping Brian seven more times.

    Every time the whip made contact with Brain''s back, the man screamed in pain.

    Cedric watched as the members of the Baron Family flinched every time Brian was whipped. He could see how torn and tormented Rodrigo was now that he knew what kind of a monster his friend was.

 Chapter 759 - 759

    As Alexi finished his torture, Miguel once more walked into the room with his hands in his pockets.

    He quickly examined Brian checking on his wounds and quickly making sure that the prisoner would not die.

    "Is he good to go?" Alexi asked Miguel as he handed the doctor a ss of alcohol.

    Miguel refused the ss and shook his head.

    "He won''t die yet, but I can''t be around to see whates next." Miguel said with a frown.

    "You won''t be needed any more Miguel, you can go rest." Ray told Miguel who nodded and walked up to Cedric.

    "I hope this gives you closure. I mean we are all different and we all cope differently, but I hope this is worth it." Miguel told Cedric as he left.

    Cedric couldn''t help but think about Miguel''s words. Among his friends Miguel would be thest to take a life. He had given an oath, he had sworn to save every life he could, and he did that everyday.

    Killing someone waspletely against Miguel''s nature, and Cedric understood that. He too did not like the thought of killing someone.

    As a matter of fact, even when he had killed out of self defense it had sent him spiraling down a hole he struggled to climb out of.

    Unlike Ian, Ray, or Alexi, killing and torture was not a familiar friend to Cedric. He had lived his life abiding by thew as an ordinary citizen so sights like these were still new to him.

    "I think Seth has inflicted enough pain and torture for the entire underworld these past months." Ray said as he looked down at the broken man who was curled up on the ground.

    Cedric watched as Alexi frowned and shook his head. He clearly did not approve of Ray''s choice to forgo torturing Brian.

    He expected Alexi to say something, but he remained silent. Cedric knew that Alexi was simply respecting Ray by choosing not to contradict him in front of his people.

    Had it been just them and their group of friends, he knew that Alexi would have argued that Ray had spent too much time off the ground to remember what value punishments like these held.

    "It''s your turn." Alexi told Cedric in a displeased tone. "You can choose to go your usual route, or you can continue as nned."

    Ian handed Cedric a sharp knife, they had initially nned for Cedric to deal the final blow. Stabbing him where the bullet had pierced Prisci Reyes, killing him.

    But after what Miguel had told him, Cedric had second thoughts, could he take a life once more? And would this bring him peace?

    Cedric weighed his options as he yed with the knife, considering his next moves.

    After a few minutes he had decided on what he needed to do.

    Cedric turned and nodded at his friends as he walked up to Brian.

    He looked the man in the eyes, he could see that Brian recognized him, something rare for the man who had been brought to the brink of death multiple times that day.

    "Do you know who I am?" Cedric asked Brian.

    Brian nodded.

    "Do you know what you took from me?" Cedric asked in a cold and angry tone.

    Brian once more nodded.

    "Do you know who you killed?" Cedric asked the man.

    Brian again, nodded in response to Cedric''s question.

    Unhappy with Brian''s wordless response, Cedric lifted the man''s chin with the edge of the knife, scraping the skin as a shallow incision was made.

    Blood dripped from Brian''s chin as Cedric forced him to look Cedric in the eyes.

    Cedric could see his fear, he knew that his life was in Cedric''s hands.

    Brian would not die a simple death, that Cedric had decided quite concretely as the red at the man.

    "No, I want you to tell me who you took from me!" Cedric shouted as he allowed all of the pent up rage and hurt and anger to simply find its way to the surface.

    He had remained calm andposed for far too long. Today he stood face to face with his mom''s killer, with the man bloody and on his knees, barely hanging on to his life.

    "Your. . . mother. . ." Brian managed to say as he struggled to even speak.

    "Her name." Cedric hissed.

    "Pri-" Brian said as he stopped due to the pain.

    "Tell me her name!" Cedric said in an angry tone as he looked down at the man.

    "Pri. . sci. . . . .rin. . .Re. . .Re. . yes." Brian finally managed to say as his consciousness slowly faded.

    "Pour cold water on him." Cerdricmanded as he pulled the knife that was holding the man''s chin up.

    One of Seth''s men came in with a bucket with ice and water inside and poured it over Brian.

    The man was jolted awake by the ice cold water.

    "Death is too easy for you." Cedric said as he looked down at the man who was on his knees. "If I take your life, I will give you reprieve."

    "You should kill him, it would end all of this madness once and for all." Ian advised Cedric as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    "If you can''t do it Ced, many people in this room would willingly drive the knife for you." Alexi said with a chuckle as he stretched his arm out as he gestured towards all of Seth''s men in the room.

    "No." Cedric said as he shook his head and walked up to Brian.

    "Make him stand." Cedric ordered the guards that were keeping watch over Brian.

    The two men quickly did as Cedric asked and lifted Brian on his feet. Brian was too weak to stand on his own, so when the bodyguards slowly let him go, he almost fell to the ground.

    "Hold him up." Cedric ordered.

    The men lifted him and even pulled his hair back so that Cedric could see the man''s face and his expression.

    Cedric took a step closer and pressed the knife just below Brian''s chest.

    "This is where the bullet passed to kill my mother." Cedric told Brian as he pushed it lightly, breaking skin and drawing blood.

    "Death is a kindness you do not deserve." Cedric hissed as he pulled his hand back and turned around.

    Cedric shook his head and sighed, this man before him had not only taken his mother but also caused an irreparable amount of pain to his family. He deserved to suffer.

    Just as everyone thought it was over, Cedric turned and took two brisk steps before stabbing Brian right below where Prisci Reyes had been shot.

 Chapter 760 - 760

    Everyone was shocked with the sudden turn of events. No one had expected Cedric to suddenly stab Brian especially after he said that death would be going easy on him.

    "Is he dead?" Ian asked as he walked over and checked on Brian.

    "No, he is still alive." One of the men holding him up said.

    "Should we get Miguel?" Ian asked Cedric who had his back turned on them and was not ring at the members of the Baron Family.

    Every single one of them was in shock, Cedric stabbed Brian right in front of their eyes, and Brian was someone they feared. Someone they would never mess with.

    "No." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Take off all of his bandages and throw him back in his cage. Let him rot." Cedric ordered.

    The men did as he asked and dragged a bloody Brian across the hall and pushed him into his cage.

    The floor was not the cleanest, but it wasn''t riddled with dirt either, despite that, Cedric was sure that Brian''s wounds would get infected at some point. And if he didn''t die from his wounds, he would at least die from blood loss.

    "His family wille for you!" Rodrigo shouted. "You think you are so powerful because of your money and your connections, but there are those that are still beyond your reach!"

    "Throw him and his father into the cage with Brian." Cedric ordered as he pointed at the father and son.

    "What?!" Rodrigo shouted as he struggled against the guard''s hold as he and Evan Baron were taken away from everyone else.

    As they were brought in front of Cedric, Cedric raised his hand, telling the guard to stop.

    Cedric red at the father and son duo as he walked up to Evan and pulled the tape from his mouth.

    Evan didn''t waste any time as he spat at Cedric''s face.

    Cedricughed at the man''s feeble attempt to disrespect him as he wiped the spit off of his face.

    "Thew is on our side." Evan hissed as he red at Cedric. "You can''t just throw us into a cage, we deserve a trial."

    Cedricughed at how absurd Evan Baron was being.

    "Mayor, no, former Mayor Baron, Haven''t you figured out yet what happened?" Cedric asked the man with a malicious grin.

    "What do you mean?" Evan Baron asked Cedric with a cautious tone. It seemed be wasn''t as stupid as Cedric had initiall thought. At least this time he decided to be careful with his words

    "Everything you did and said earlier was broadcasted live on social media, it was also recorded for evidence against you in court." Cedric said with augh.

    "Dad, are you alright?" Rodrigo asked as he gave his father a worried look.

    Cedric too had been confused by Evan''s question, he had told everyone they were being taped, so what was going on with Evan?

    He chose to ignore it and to simply continue on exining what had happened.

    "Add to that the fact that it was caught on tape that you were escorted out by both the police and the military, no one will think you were held captive by the mafia." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    The shock on Evan Baron''s face was clear, he had not realized it earlier. It seemed as if it was his first time hearing that information.

    "Don''t worry, you will still go to court, and the proper process will be followed. Let''s just see how long you canst in that cage with Brian." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Take them away." Cedric ordered, to which the guards that held them nodded and brought them over to the cage.

    "You done?" Ray asked his brother-inw as he ced a hand on Cedric''s shoulder.

    "With the Barons? Yes. They were easy enough to deal with." Cedric told Ray.

    "What about these ones?" Alexi asked as he pointed at the still unconscious Jean, Evan''s wife, and the two rtives they had brought along.

    "I couldn''t care less." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes. "But I think it''s best if you sent them to the local police station, then a prison after."

    "These pretty sheltered little things won''tst a night at a public prison." Alexi said with augh as the Baron rtives'' faces turned worried.

    There had been many horror stories about prisons, and it was no secret that in certain ces the criminals were allowed to rule inside.

    It was in those ces that things were worse and where they would definitely not survive.

    "I will give you a chance to stay at a police station in the capital until your trial, but you have to give me what I want." Cedric told the Baron rtives.

    The two men quickly nodded, agreeing to anything as long as it helped them avoid getting sent to a prison.

    "Tell me, did the Barons work with anyone to organize an attack on my family?" Cedric asked in a threatening tone as he looked at the two men in the eyes.

    They looked at each other as if trying to gauge if one knew more than the other. When both of them wouldn''t speak, Cedric got annoyed.

    "I do not have the time to wait for the two of you to decide." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes. "If it will take you this long then I will have you sent to the worst prison in the country while you await trial."

    "No, please, anything but that." One man begged.

    "We''ll tell you everything we know, but we don''t know much. We Barons are not that powerful or influential." The other exined.

    "I''m waiting." Cedric said as he crossed his arms on his chest and frowned.

    "There was talk." The first man said.

    "About some old families plotting to jump back into power." The other man added,pleting his rtive''s statement.

    "They want to be in power again, but to do that they know they need to take you down." The first man told Cedric.

    "This wasn''t nned, but when it happened, they took advantage." The second man exined.

    "Who are they?" Cedric asked as he watched both men hesitate to give him an answer.

 Chapter 761 - 761

    At first Cedric thought both men wouldn''t speak, it seemed that whoever was behind the attack were people they feared beyond Cedric.

    So when they finally spoke again, Cedric was quite surprised.

    "The Rajas." The first man said. "They want toe back."

    "The Rajas will never make aeback." Alexi hissed. "Their ideologies and old ways are rotten to the core, people know better now."

    "And yet you still pull the strings behind the people''s backs." The second man said with augh. "You are no better than them, but at least with the Rajas people are aware of the maniption." He dared use Alexi.

    Alexi raised an arm to punch the man, but he was quickly stopped by Cedric.

    "Don''t, they aren''t worth it." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    Alexi sighed, he wasn''t happy, but he knew Cedric was right. Attacking the man would only make him look guilty.

    "We don''t manipte people." Alexi finally said as he tried to keep a calm demeanor.

    "That''s what you say to sleep at night? Ha!" The first man said, throwing his head back. "The sooner you ept the truth, the better it will be for this country. The Rajas areing back and they areing for all of you." The man threatened.

    "Take them away." Alexi ordered as he waved his hand.

    The guards quickly did as he asked and took the two Baron rtives to the local police station. Evan Baron''s wife and Jean were also taken and brought to the station until their trial.

    With everyone gone, only Cedric and his people were left in the room.

    "How the fuck did that old group get so powerful all of a sudden?" Alexi cursed as he kicked a chair, sending it flying across the room.

    "We need to know what happened." Cedric said with a nod as he agreed with Alexi. "I thought they had been dealt such a dangerous blow that they would never get back up."

    "That''s what history tells us, but as we all know, history can be biased most of the time." Ian said as he shook his head. His family too had been affected by the rise and fall of the Rajas, they spent years looking over their shoulders in fear that they would be the next target.

    Luckily the Lims, like the other families that survived that time in their nation''s history, managed to make it out alive and intact.

    "This isn''t even our problem." Ray said as he shook his head. "It belonged to our grandfathers and their fathers before them."

    "They cannot be allowed to make contact with Lucius Ting." Cedric said with a concerned look on his face.

    "They won''t." Alexi told Cedric as he shook his head. "Lucius Ting is a self made man, he does not have the pedigree to work with them or to belong to their ranks. The Rajas were full of pride in the past, I doubt that has changed."

    "And what if they were willing to drop those ideologies to work with Lucious TIng?" Cedric asked. "He is the most logical person for them to ally themselves with. They have everything to gain from that kind of cooperation."

    "Their pride will hinder them." Alexi said as he disagreed with Cedric.

    "Either way, we need to be ahead of them, and right now we are behind." Ray said with a frown. "How are the girls?" He asked as he nced at Cedric.

    "I''ve been in this room with you the whole time, why ask me?" Cedric said with a frown. He too was worried about his wife, but he trusted his people to keep her safe in his absence. All he could do was toplete what needed to be done before finally heading home.

    "They are fine." Katerina said with a sigh from the corner of the room.

    She had been a silent observer the whole time, she knew that the boys had the whole torture and murder covered so she didn''t feel the need to interfere.

    "You''re speaking to them?" Alexi asked his sister with a worried look on his face.

    Katerina nodded as he showed them her phone.

    "While you boys were ying barbarian and plotting, I was checking up on them." Katerina said with a nod. "They are safe, so you don''t need to worry."

    "Where did they go? Is the attack over?" Cedric asked Katerina, eager to hear the details.

    "ording to Nicole they were brought to the servants houses, apparently you have bunkers there?" Katerina asked.

    "Yes, but I had those made for the people that live in those homes, not for my family." Cedric said with a frown. He didn''t want his people thinking that their lives were more important.

    "It was the house help that suggested it." Katerina said with a smile as she shook her head. "ording to the girls it was the maids that suggested they hide out there since the attackers wouldn''t think of looking in the staff housing."

    "If it were really the Rajas then they would think too low of those ces, that''s a good idea." Cedric said with a nod.

    "The attack ended as you sent the father and son to the cage, so they are back in the house chatting the day away." Katerina said with augh, calming the boys down.

    "I better check on the situation with Yoyo, I had security around him increased as much as possible, but I can''t help but worry." Cedric told his friends.

    They all nodded and let him leave the room, he was quickly followed by Leon, who was on the phone trying to get a hold of his own people.

    After a few minutes of waiting Leon nodded at him, signaling that he had an update on Yoyo''s safety.

    "And?" Cedric asked as he could feel the worry building up. He wondered how his father and mother dealt with the separation when he was doing his poverty training.

    He couldn''t imagine sending his son out into the world at such a young age, all just to prepare him to be the next head of the family andpany.

    "There were a lot of attempted kidnappings today around Yoyo." Leon informed Cedric. "But it seems that his identity is still a secret and he is safe."

    Cedric nodded and for the first time since he heard about the attack on his home, he was able to breathfortably.

 Chapter 762 - 762

    Ayanna was huddled in the bunker with her friends and her sister-inw, when her father, Emilio Reyes finally returned to them.

    "Is it over?" Ayanna asked as she got up and met him halfway.

    "Yes." Emilio Reyes said with a nod as Ayanna ran over and hugged him. She had been quite scared when she heard that they were being attacked, but she knew that she couldn''t let fear take over. She needed to be brave and strong.

    "Let''s get the girls up, I want to find out what happened." Ayanna told her father as she turned around to walk over to the girls.

    "It''s done." She said as she gently stroked her pregnant sister-inw on the back.

    "Oh thank god!" Nicole said with a sigh of relief. "Is anyone injured?"

    "I don''t know yet, but once we get up there I''ll look into everything." Ayanna informed her. "We should get going, this ce isn''t good for pregnant people." She said with augh as she led the other women out of the bunker.

    "Do we know who attacked us?" Francesca asked as they slowly climbed up the staircase towards one of the smaller houses on the property.

    "Not yet, I just found out it was over too, but I''m sure we''ll learn more soon." Ayanna said as she tried tofort their worries.

    As soon as they got out of the bunker, Ayanna''s phone began to ring. She smiled as she saw the caller ID.

    "Hey darling." A handsome voice said as she picked up the call. "I was worried about you." Ray said as the worry in his tone became evident.

    "Ray, we''re all safe and fine, don''t worry." Ayanna said as several golf carts lined up outside the house to take them back to Cedric''s mansion.

    "I just needed to hear you." Ray said in a happier tone.

    "Well, hi, here I am." She said with augh as they all piled up into the golf carts.

    "Wait, I''m speaking to my wife!" Ray said in an annoyed tone.

    "My brother?" Ayanna asked as she giggled.

    "Yes. He wants to talk to you." Ray groaned.

    "Come back soon, please." Ayanna pleaded. She was used to them being separated from time to time because of work, this time was different.

    "I will." Ray said as Ayanna heard the phone being handed over to her brother.

    "What do you want?" Ayanna groaned.

    "I''m sure you want answers." Cedric said with augh.

    "Yes." Ayanna said inly.

    "I''m still learning more about what happened, I''ll give you a call in a bit. How is my wife?" He asked.

    "Why don''t you just call her?" Ayanna groaned, her sister-inw had her own phone, why did her brother have to ask her.

    "We both know she will tell me that she is fine even if she isn''t." Cedric said quite frankly to his sister.

    "She''s fine, the baby is fine, rx Cedric. What she needs now is to hear your voice and to know that both you and her son are safe." Ayanna reminded Cedric.

    "Right, right." Cedric said as he realized that his wife would need him too.

    "I swear I don''t know what she sees in your dumb ass." Ayanna said with a chuckle.

    "A lot of women would want me." Cedric said.

    "I can feel you rolling your eyes from here. They want your money, not you." She teased.

    "Look, as long as you guys are all safe, I am happy." Cedric told his sister. "I''m just d that Ayanna''s parents are not in the country or else I''d be worried that they might get attacked too."

    "They have impable timing then." Ayanna said. "Now, will you please put my husband back on the line?"

    "Fine. I''ll give you a call when we know more, but the matter with the Barons should be sorted out." Cedric told her.

    "Did you just send them to jail again?" She asked.

    "No, this time we did something a little bit different." Cedric told his sister in a serious tone.

    Ayanna looked ahead and noticed the familiar mansion appearing in the distance.

    "Look, we''re almost at your ce, I''ll call Ray again. I''ll see what I can find out from here too, maybe it can help." Ayanna told her brother.

    "Alright, keep safe Ayanna." Cedric told her.

    "You too and go call your wife." She said with a chuckle as she dropped the call and shook her head.

    She loved her brother very much but he was an idiot in her mind more often than not.

    "Was that my husband?" Adrianna asked her from behind.

    Ayanna turned around to face Adrianna and nodded.

    "Yeah, I was speaking to Ray when he rudely interrupted." Ayanna said as she rolled her eyes. "Don''t worry, I already scolded him and told him to give you a call."

    As she said this Adrianna''s phone began to ring in her hands.

    "See, I told you so." Ayanna said with a smirk as she faced the front once more.

    It didn''t take long for them to finally make it back to the mansion. Most of the other girls were already on the phone with their rtives, husbands, or boyfriends.

    She knew that Ray would be busy, especially since the matter her brother had at hand would involve her husband. So she decided to help them as much as she could from the mansion.

    "Miss Ayanna." A maid bowed as she entered the living room.

    "Where is my father?" Ayanna asked.

    "In your brother''s office, miss." The maid said in a respectful tone.

    "Could you bring some tea and snacks over, you guys know what dad likes, right?" She asked.

    The maid nodded and quickly disappeared towards the kitchen.

    Seeing the maid leave, Ayanna turned and headed for her brother''s office.

    "Dad?" Ayanna asked as she pushed the big solid oak door open. This was Cedric''s more formal office where he had meetings. It was also easier to go to since it was on the ground floor of the mansion.

    "Ayanna, what are you doing here?" Emilio Reyes said in a worried tone as she got up and walked over to her. "You should rest." He told his daughter.

    "Dad, I''m barely pregnant, I want to help." Ayanna said in a determined tone.

    "I know I even if I say no you won''t listen." Emilio said as he pointed for her to sit on the couch.

    Ayanna smiled as she fetched herptop which she had left in the same office earlier that day.

 Chapter 763 - 763

    Ayanna sat behind herptop as she read through the reports of what had happened leading up to the attack.

    She knew she was supposed to be focusing on the Reyes Group and how it was handling the situation, but she couldn''t help but look into what had happened to them.

    It wasn''t just her and her people looking into the attack either. Emilio Reyes had contacted Jose Sebastian and Benedicto Laurence to help. So reports wereing in from every corner of the country.

    "Have you heard anything from your husband or brother?" Emilio Reyes asked his daughter as he looked up from theptop in front of him.

    He had just gotten off a call with Benedicto, who told him that Ray had some information but he was utilizing some of his old contacts as well.

    "No, but they told me earlier they would call when they knew more." Ayanna said with a shrug as she scrolled through the reports.

    "It''s good that they know that you want to be kept in the loop." Emilio said as he smiled at his daughter.

    "You didn''t raise me to be some socialite or trophy wife, dad." Ayanna said with a sweet smile. "I like being a part of these things, and I hate not being able to do anything."

    "You are a Reyes through and through." Emilio said with augh as he shook his head. "I remember when your auntie Aurora was younger she had to be part of every investigation and every business deal. She saved my ass more than once."

    "Dad! Language. There is a child in the room." Ayanna teased as she ced her hand on her t belly.

    "I''m so happy for you and Ray." Emilio told her with a smile. "When do you n on finally telling him that you are both expecting?"

    "Well, maybe when I start to show." Ayanna said with augh. "I really don''t want to stay at home the whole time, and know both him and Cedric, the moment they find out, I''ll be forced to take a break from work."

    "Your brother is more sensible than that, Ayanna." Emilio Reyes said, shaking his head.

    "Don''t defend him dad, we both know he can be quite extreme when ites to protecting his family, and Ray isn''t any better." Ayannained.

    "Yes, but you forget, they both can''t say no to you." Emilio advised his daughter with a grin.

    Ayanna nodded, she knew exactly what her father meant. All her life her father, brother, and her brother''s friends rarely denied her anything.

    Even when they knew it was dangerous for her, if Ayanna insisted they all gave in. But of course they would then proceed to increase the security detail around her, making sure she didn''t get hurt.

    She loved having five older brothers. She knew Cedric felt guilty that he couldn''t be the big brother to protect her when he was in poverty training, so his friends filled that void.

    And now that he was back, Cedric had spoiled her beyond belief, trying his best to make up for the lost year.

    "Miss Ayanna?" A maid called out as she knocked on the door.

    "Come in." Ayanna said as the maid pushed the door open, bringing with her a cart of food as well as some drinks.

    "Dad, I had your favorite snacks brought over, and of course, some tea." Ayanna said with a smile as she took the cart from the maid.

    "You can go, I''ll handle this." Ayanna told the maid with a sweet smile.

    The maid hesitated for a bit, not wanting to let her boss'' sister do manualbor, but she also wouldn''t dare say no to Ayanna Reyes.

    "Don''t worry you won''t get into trouble with my brother, juste back for the cart in an hour." Ayanna said with a kind smile, to which the maid nodded and left.

    Ayanna then pushed the cart towards her father and ced some snacks next to him, together with his tea.

    "Just like when I was a child." Ayanna said with a smile as she finished cing the food and drinks by his side.

    "You remember." Emilio said as his face beamed with pride as he looked at his now grown up daughter.

    "I was so sad about Cedric leaving that you let mee with you to the office everyday, yes I remember, dad." Ayanna said with augh. "Poverty training brings a lot of good things to the family, but it also affects us in ways we would rather not."

    "It''s an old practice that I am d your brother is changing." Emilio said with a nod.

    "If my child is a boy, he will have to go through something the same." Ayanna said with a frown as she ced her hand on her belly.

    "Laurence boys are tough, probably tougher than us too." Emilio told his daughter as he tried to send her worries away.

    "I know, and I know he will always have a choice, Ray would never force his son to work in the underworld if the boy didn''t want to." Ayanna said with a frown as she tried to convince herself that everything was going to be alright.

    "It''s normal for a mother to worry about her child, your mother was always worried about Cedric when he was doing his poverty training. What you are feeling ispletely normal, Ayanna. I know your child will be amazing, he is a Laurence, a Reyes, and a Sebastian." Emilio said as he smiled.

    "I just want my child to be happy, dad." Ayanna said as she made her way back to her spot to work.

    As she busied herself with work another knock came from door, she was slightly annoyed since she had just managed to focus on her tasks for the Reyes Group.

    "Come in." Emilio Reyes said calling out as he noticed his daughter''s annoyance.

    To their surprise Yoyoes running into the office dragging a poor little Tristan Lim who could barely walk.

 Chapter 764 - 764

    "Auntie Ayanna!" Yoyo screamed as he ran to his aunt. He nimbly climbed up the couch on his own and hugged her by the waist.

    Ayanna giggled as Tristan tried to copy Yoyo but failed as he almost fell on his back.

    A nanny quickly ran after Tristan, helping him up on the couch.

    "Yoyo, be gentle with your auntie!" Emilio Reyes warned his grandson as he got up from behind his desk and walked over to the two boys and his daughter.

    "Where are your moms?" Ayanna asked as she ignored her father and ced both boys on herp.

    "Ayanna!" Emilio Reyes scolded his pregnant daughter.

    "Don''t worry dad." Ayanna said with augh. "I''m fine, don''t be so overprotective. Rx, don''t worry."

    "I can''t help but worry, Ayanna. Your mother never had easy pregnancies, I don''t want you to experience the same thing." Emilio said with a frown as he looked at his daughter and the children.

    "Auntie Ayanna is pregnant?!" Yoyo asked as he looked at his grandfather and aunt.

    "Pre- preg!" Tristan said as he tried to imitate what the older child had said.

    "Yoyo, do you know what pregnant means?" Ayanna asked her nephew. She didn''t want to risk the little boy saying something to her brother or husband before she was ready.

    "Yes, my teacher said it means auntie will have a baby!" Yoyo said excitedly as he began to bounce up and down on Ayanna''sp.

    In a panic, Emilio Reyes quickly swooped in and carried both boys off of Ayanna''sp, quickly handing one to the nanny.

    "Thanks dad." Ayanna said with a weak smile, she had gotten worried that the boys would get too rough and it may result inplications.

    "See, my worryinges in handy." Emilio Reyes said with a smile.

    Ayanna looked at the nanny and gave her a sweet smile too. She knew that her brother''s people were extremely loyal to him and she would need to plead for this one not to spill her secret.

    "Please don''t tell my brother or my sister-inw." Ayanna told the nanny.

    "With all due respect Miss Ayanna, it''s not my secret to tell. My lips are sealed." The nanny said with a smile as she adjusted a fidgety Tristan in her arms. "I think your bigger problem is getting the little master to keep quiet."

    "Will I have a new friend? A cousin?" Yoyo asked his grandfather as he raised his arms in the air.

    "Calm down, little one." Emilio Reyes said with augh as he hugged him tightly. "It has to be a secret Yoyo. Do you know what a secret is?"

    "Yes grandpa." Yoyo said as he nodded his little head.

    "Auntie Ayanna having a baby is a secret." Emilio told the little child.

    "So I can''t tell my mom or my dad?" Yoyo asked.

    "No Yoyo, you can''t tell them." Ayanna said as she shook her head.

    "What about uncle Ray Ray?" Yoyo asked in his cute little voice.

    "Yoyo, let''s keep this secret between you, me, and your auntie Ayana, alright?" Emilio Reyes asked his grandson.

    "And Tristan!" Yoyo added. "And nanny!" He said, pointing at his nanny as if it were a game.

    "Yes. And you have to make sure that Tristan doesn''t tell anyone. Alright?" Ayanna asked.

    "Tristan doesn''t tell anyone what?" Adrianna asked as she and Nicole entered the room.

    Ayanna jumped in surprise as she heard her sister-inw and friend enter the room.

    "Did you give the boys choctes before dinner again, Ayanna?" Nicoleined as she took her son from the nanny.

    "Nicole, maybe you shouldn''t be carrying Tristan, he is quite heavy." Ayanna said with a frown.

    "I knew it, you stuffed their pockets with candies again, didn''t you!" Nicole used with augh as she checked her son''s pockets and victoriously pulled out a candy.

    Ayanna was surprised and nced at the nanny who simply shrugged. She smiled and nodded, taking it as a sign that the nanny had slipped it into Tristan''s pockets to help Ayanna keep her secret.

    "Ayanna, you know that it''s bad for the kids to have candies or choctes before meals." Adriannained as she walked over to Yoyo and her father-inw. "I swear I wonder how you will be as a mother sometimes."

    "Auntie Ayanna will be an amazing mommy!" Yoyo said excitedly, making Ayanna worry a little.

    "I think Yoyo wants a cousin." Nicole said with augh. "You should get on it Ayanna."

    "Nicole!" Ayanna scolded. "My dad is here!"

    "I''m sure uncle wants more grandkids too." Nicole said as she rolled her eyes.

    "Ayanna can have kids when she is ready, no need to rush her." Emilio said with a smile as he looked at his daughter.

    Ayanna nodded and mouthed a thank you. She and Ray had been trying for a year now and it wasn''t just her side that wanted her to get pregnant, Ray''s family was anxiously waiting for an heir as well.

    "I''m guessing the two of you are still busy, we''ll take the boys." Adrianna said as she reached over to carry Yoyo.

    "I can walk mommy." Yoyo said as he squirmed from his grandfather''s arms andnded on his feet.

    "Such a big boy." Emilio Reyes said as he patted his grandson on the head.

    "Do you have any updates on the boys?" Nicole asked Ayanna with a worried look on her face.

    "No." Ayanna said as she shook her head. "I''ll tell you if they call. Right now, I think we should just let them do their thing. I''m sure they will call soon with an update."

    Nicole nodded and left with Adrianna, the boys, and the nanny.

    Ayanna understood Nicole''s concern, her boyfriend and brother were both in enemy territory. Add to that the fact that they seemed to gain a new unknown enemy, it was very unnerving.

    "Cedric should call soon." Emilio told his daughter as he went back to take a seat behind Cedric''s office table. "Your uncles said the boys have new information, and he knows you don''t like being kept in the dark."

    Ayanna smiled at her father.

    "Right now, I should really focus on the Reyes Group." Ayanna told him as she resumed working on herptop.

 Chapter 765 - 765

    Cedric was growing impatient as he waited for his friends toe back with definite information whether or not Lucius Ting was involved with the Rajas.

    They all felt like it was unlikely, but Cedric didn''t want to risk it. He wanted to be sure that the Rajas and Lucius Ting would not cooperate, because if they did, they would pose an even bigger threat than they already were.

    He was sitting behind a desk, looking at his phone. He was already tempted to give his sister or father a call and tell them his concerns, but he hesitated. He didn''t want them to worry unnecessarily.

    "Your dad called my dad." Ray grumbled as he entered the room.

    "Well, it''s not like we could have hid something like this from them." Cedric said with a shrug. "I''m sure dad has called every single one of his friends in an attempt to help us get at the bottom of this."

    "I guess it''s a good thing, cause my dad and the other uncles managed to mobilize their own connections as soon as he called." Ray told Cedric as he sat on the couch and looked at his phone.

    "So do you have the confirmation we need?" Cedric asked Ray.

    His friend shook his head, telling him he didn''t.

    "You do know that we can''t confirm that Lucius Ting isn''t involved with thempletely, right?" Alexi Sebastian asked as he joined them in the room.

    He was followed by his sister, and Cedric''s other friends, and his assistants.

    "We can''t, but I''d like to be as sure as we possibly could be." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Well this is the closest we can get." Ian added. "We need to decide our next steps."

    Cedric paused and considered their situation for a moment. Everyone''s attention was on him. He was the one that wanted more proof and more intel on whether or not Lucius Ting could possibly be involved with the Rajas.

    After a few minutes of deep thought Cedric sighed and shook his head.

    "There really isn''t much that we can do, is there?" He asked everyone else in the room.

    "No, that''s as far as we can get." Ian confirmed with him.

    "I''ll get all our dads on a call and my sister, should we involve Nicole?" Cedric asked as he looked at Ian and Miguel.

    "It''s best if we keep her in the dark on this matter." Ian said as he nced at Miguel. It seemed that they had already discussed if Nicole should be involved.

    "I trust you know what is best for her." Cedric said as he ced his phone on the table and called his dad.

    "It isn''t a business matter, she doesn''t need to be involved." Miguel exined.

    "Why does Ayanna have to be part of this?" Ray asked with a worried look on his face.

    "It''s as if you don''t know your wife." Cedric said with a chuckle. "If I don''t include her she will have both of our heads. I like mine on my shoulders, thank you very much."

    "Hello?" Emilio Reyes'' voice was heard through the speaker as he picked up the call.

    "Hey dad, is Ayanna with you?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes. Do you need your sister for anything?" He asked his son.

    "We have news. Give me a few minutes, I need to add my uncles to the call. They all helped get to the bottom of this and we want to involve them as much as possible." Cedric exined to his father.

    "Alright, we''ll be here." Emilio said as he waited patiently over the line for his son to call everyone.

    It seemed that his friends had informed their fathers already since the other men quickly picked up their phones.

    "Great, now that we are all here, we have news." Cedric informed everyone at the other end of the line.

    "I know that you are all aware of the attack that happened at Mountain View earlier today." Cedric said as he paused, waiting for someone to ask a question.

    When none came, he continued to speak.

    "We have a vague idea of who might be behind the attack, but it wille as a huge shock to everyone." Cedric continued to tell them.

    "It''s an old enemy, people who we thought had retreated to the shadows and disappeared, the Rajas." Cedric said, catching everyone by surprise.

    "That''s impossible." Cedric heard his father utter. "The Rajas have long disbanded and what is left of them is not strong enough to raise an army like this."

    "Before leaving to go there, Katerina mentioned something to me, I didn''t pay attention to it because I didn''t think it was true." Jose Sebastian said.

    "Dad!" Katerinained.

    "Later." Alexi said as he reprimanded his sister.

    Katerina frowned but she didn''t say anything else.

    "Cedric, are you sure about this?" Benedicto Laurence asked over the phone.

    "Yes uncle. Thepany Katerina had mentioned to uncle Jose, Sapphire Mining, was owned by members of the Raja group." Cedric exined. "They have been using their knowledge of thew and how the government works to extort businessmen across the country."

    "Do we have enough to convict them?" Jose asked in a question clearly directed to his daughter.

    "Unfortunately, we don''t have enough evidence, dad." Katerina said with a frown. "They covered up their trail quite well. At the moment the only people we can send to jail are the Barons, and they are nothingpared to the Rajas."

    "So what do we do now?" James Abad asked.

    "We wait and see, we need to know more and find more about them." Cedric told his uncle.

    "Cedric, is Lucius Ting involved?" Raphael Chan asked.

    "We couldn''t find anything that links him to the Rajas, and based on their ideology, I doubt they would have involved him." Cedric told the dads.

    "The Rajas are elitists, they look down at anyone that was not born into their society." Ayanna added.

    "Let''s just hope that they keep that elitist attitude of theirs and they don''t realize how much of an asset Lucius Ting would be to them." Miguel said with a sigh.

    "Is that all you have for now?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "Yes, for now." Cedric told everyone.

    "And we are all just supposed to sit and wait? What if they attack us first?" Benedicto Laurence asked.

    "Dad, we can''t just attack! We don''t even know who is involved, we need to gather information and find out more." Ray said, answering his father.

    "Fine, but increase the security everywhere, we should not take chances. When are you guysing home?" Benedicto Laurence said as he took into consideration his son''s words.

    "Tonight, uncle." Cedric said.

    "Good, the sooner you get back to the capital the safer you will be." Emilio Reyes told his son. "We don''t like the idea of any of you being in uncontrolled territory."

    "We know that dad, we''lle home as soon as -" Cedric wasn''t able toplete his statement when Dave interrupted.

    "Sir, Lucius Ting just made a big move. Our major suppliers have all backed out." Dave announced. Catching everyone in the room by surprise.

    "I guess we are flying home now." Cedric informed everyone as he dropped the call.

 Chapter 766 - 766

    "Get Cami on the phone." Cedric said as calmly as he could. "I want to know what happened and why Lucius Ting is acting differently, this is not how we expected the cards tond."

    Dave nodded and did as Cedric asked. Rushing out of the room as he tried to contact Cami.

    "I''ll have the choppers prepared. We should be able to leave soon. The cars will be driven home separately if that''s alright with you." Mae said as she waited for Cedric to respond.

    "Yes, I don''t mind flying this time. It''s urgent." Cedric told Mae

    She nodded and turned to leave the room to make the necessary arrangements.

    "I guess we should all pack our bags." Katerina said as she dragged her brother and the other boys out. "The sooner we get things done, the better."

    "Let''s talk about everything further when we get back to the capital, right now I need to focus on this." Cedric told his friend.

    "We''ll get out of your hair." Ray said as he followed Katerina and the others out.

    Cedric nodded and let them leave.

    "Do you need me to do anything?" Ian asked Cedric as he gathered his things.

    "Can you arrange everything with Seth and with Fernando''s family?" Cedric asked. "Ask Mae to deal with Mien as well."

    "Alright." Ian said with a nod as he left to do as Cedric asked.

    Cedric sighed and walked over to the window, he looked out as he considered his options.

    He could either wait and see how far Lucius Ting would attempt to attack him with this strategy, or he could move his ns forward.

    "The down side of me moving my ns forward is that I don''t know if Ming is ready." Cedric whispered to himself as he considered the thought.

    Cedric walked back to his desk and pulled up some files, he studied thepany''s trends and tried to see if he had enough inventory to meet the demands with his missing suppliers.

    He would still be able to cater to them, but based on their growth, it won''t be enough in a few months.

    That helped him decide to move forward with his ns, but he needed to get the other party to agree toe sooner.

    Cedric quickly took out his phone and dialed an international number.

    It didn''t take long for the other person to pick up.

    "Hello." The voice said in a thick Chinese ent. "I thought we agreed not to contact each other til the set date?" The person asked.

    "I have an emergency, I need to pull our ns forward, and I need another thing from you." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "How soon?" The man at the other end of the line asked as his thick ent vanished as if it had never even existed.

    Cedric was so tempted tough, but he controlled himself. He still needed this friend of his to agree, the banter could wait tillter.

    "As soon as you can fly over, the other side took all my suppliers." Cedric informed his friend. "Ming, when is the soonest you can fly in?"

    "Honestly mypany can run without me, plus going there will get my father off of my back." Ming replied. "I''ll be there in two days. I need to inform him and to get out of a blind date."

    "They are still setting you up for those?" Cedric said with augh.

    "I think they think I like guys." Ming said with augh. "And what do they care if I do! It''s my life. It''s not like they built this business for me." Ming grumbled.

    "Have you found her, the woman you told me aboutst time?" Cedric asked.

    "I found her a long time ago, my friend." Ming said with augh. "Sadly, she''s with someone now. So you have my full attention." Ming said with a chuckle."

    "Great." Cedric said, unsure if he was happy that Ming would being sooner or sad for his friend''s lost love.

    "Is that all you need?" Ming asked.

    "I need suppliers too, the ones that Lucius can''t tie back to me." Cedric told Ming.

    "Send me the materials you need, I might know some people that can help you out. This Lucius guy isn''t involved with the government, right?" Ming asked.

    "No, he isn''t. But he seems to have connections everywhere. He''s quite a slimy little thing." Cedricined.

    "I doubt he is smarter than you." Ming told Cedric. "When did he make a move again?" Ming asked.

    "A few minutes ago." Cedric informed Ming.

    "I''ll arrive in three days." Ming said. "We still need him to think he won."

    "Alright." Cedric said. He was d he had a friend like Ming. An outsider''s perspective alway helped, especially in a situation such as this where they were too deep in.

    "Oh and that tech guy you have? The one that hacked me back?" Ming asked.

    "Yeah, what about him?" Cedric asked back.

    "He is brilliant!" Ming praised. "If he wasn''t your man I would have already tried to hire him."

    "You can try." Cedric said with a grin.

    "I''m smart enough to know not to try, your people are way too loyal to you. They would never leave." Mingined. "Will I get to meet the kid?"

    "He isn''t that young." Cedric responded with augh. "But yes, you will."

    "Great, I''ll see you soon then." Ming said as he dropped the call.

    Cedric shook his head and smiled, the Ming now was a far cry from the boy that was trying to prove his worth to his family.

    He knew that the moment Ming arrived in the country it would be headline news.

    It wasn''t everyday that Guan Ming, Tech Genius and Mogul arrived in the country.

    And the biggest topic around it would be why he hade. People like Guan Ming didn''t just go to countries like theirs for no reason.

    He was too big to juste over, there would always have to be a reason, and Cedric new the whole country would be quite eager to find out.

 Chapter 767 - 767

    "So who is this mysterious person that you''re calling over?" Ian asked Cedric as they waited for the helicopter to take off.

    Cedric didn''t like flying such short distances, but he really didn''t have a choice. It was the quickest way home, and they didn''t want to risk the chance of them getting ambushed on the road.

    "He is. . ." Cedric began to say as he paused trying to think who Guan Ming was. There were many things that he would need to exin to people about Guan Ming. "He is a friend I met a while back." Cedric finally said.

    "Won''t you tell us who this person is?" Ray asked Cedric with a raised eyebrow.

    "No, not yet." Cedric said, shaking his head. "He doesn''t want to be known just yet."

    "You keeping secrets from us, that''s odd." Alexi pointed out.

    Cedricughed.

    "Yeah, you even kept secrets from Ian, but not from us." Miguel teased.

    "It''s not my secret to tell." Cedric said as they were informed that the helicopter was about to take off.

    They were silent the whole ride back to the capital. It was a wee peace for Cedric. In the past years he barely had a peaceful moment, so many things had happened that he missed his life back when he was under poverty training.

    It wasn''t a long ride to the Mountain Viewmunity. Cedric''s helicopternded in the helipad on his property, and as they arrived Cedric smiled as he spotted his wife and son at a distance.

    As soon as Cedric got off he sprinted towards Adrianna and Yoyo. When Yoyo saw his father running towards them, he too ran and met his father halfway, jumping into Cedric''s arms.

    "Daddy! I missed you!" Yoyo said loudly as he hugged his father.

    "I missed you too, Yoyo." Cedric said as he held his son tightly. He had been so worried about his son since he couldn''t just increase the security around the boy without risking his secret.

    "Daddy, daddy, Auntie Ayanna has a secret!" Yoyo excitedly told his father.

    Cedric smiled and nodded at his son.

    "What is it?" He asked Yoyo.

    "I can''t tell you daddy, it''s a secret!" Yoyo said with a giggle.

    "Ayanna gave them candies and choctes again." Adrianna said with augh as she joined her husband and son.

    "Honey." Cedric said with a smile as he pulled his wife towards him and kissed her passionately.

    "Ew daddy and mommy!" Yoyo squealed as she squirmed in Cedric''s arms.

    "I got him." Ayanna said as she took Yoyo from her brother''s arms.

    "I like seeing you with a child in your arms." Ray said as he wrapped an arm around Ayanna''s waist and nted an innocent kiss on her head.

    Compared to Cedric and Adrianna they didn''t like to disy affection too much so Yoyo didn''t react. He simplyughed and hugged his uncle and aunt.

    "Uncle Ray, I got scared at school." Yoyo told Ray with a frown as they walked back to the house.

    "Why Yoyo?" Ray asked. Both he and Ayanna looked at the boy with a concerned look. It was the first time today that Yoyo was telling them about being scared at school.

    It seemed the little boy trusted his Uncle Ray to look out for him and protect him.

    "A lot of my ssmates went missing and the teacher was worried." Yoyo told Ray and Ayanna. "I got scared uncle, what if you and daddy went missing. What if someone takes you from me?"

    "Your daddy and uncle are two big and strong men, no one will take them." Ayanna said as she hugged the little boy tightly. As much as she didn''t want to admit it she was also afraid of her brother and husband not making it back.

    The attack from earlier today made her re-evaluate their enemies, many people wanted to take down the Reyes Group and the Reyes Family. And as the CEO''s sister she was a prime target.

    "Auntie Ayanna, I was so scared." Yoyo said as he wrapped his tiny arms around her neck and cried. "I thought my ssmates would never get to see their mommies and daddies. I don''t want that to happen to me, auntie."

    Ayanna hugged Yoyo tightly, she too had been worried about her little nephew getting kidnapped. She had seen the reports around Yoyo''s school, twenty children belonging to three different grade levels had been kidnapped.

    In other schools there were more. It was initially believed that whoever was behind the kidnapping had ignored Yoyo''s school, but it seemed that they changed their minds and rounded up the most probable candidates.

    If they had taken Yoyo, Ayanna didn''t know how she would have reacted. She loved her little nephew as if he were her own, and the thought of him being taken broke her.

    "Don''t worry Yoyo, your daddy made sure that no one can ever hurt you." Ray said as he patted the little boy.

    He attempted to take Yoyo from his wife, but the child only held on tighter.

    "He seems attached to you today." Ray pointed out as Yoyo continued to hold on tightly to Ayanna.

    Ayanna smiled and nodded, she didn''t have an exnation, and she was more than happy to carry the little boy.

    "Uncle, I want to be able to protect myself and my mommy and daddy, will you teach me?" Yoyo asked as he looked up at his uncle.

    "You''re too young, Yoyo." Ayanna said with a frown as she recalled watching one of Ray''s sparring sessions when he was younger.

    As the heir to the Laurence family, he needed to know how to defend himself and how to fight. So Benedicto Laurence made sure that his young son could stand up for himself.

    It was also the reason why people rarely dared to kidnap or offend Ray, he wasn''t exactly an easy target.

    "He isn''t." Ray said with a frown as he recalled how young he started. "I''ll talk to your dad."

    "Ray, no." Ayanna said in a stern tone. "Let him be a child! Your childhood was taken from you, do you want his to be taken as well."

    "We won''t be taking away his childhood, Ayanna." Ray said, shaking his head. "He will still be a child, a child that can defend himself. Plus it''s not like he''s had an ordinary childhood either he has lived alone all his life. The only other children he knows are Tristan and Dominic, and Dominic is new."

    "Ray, Ayanna , Cami called, she has an update." Cedric told his brother-inw with a concerned look on his face. It seemed Cedric had noticed the couple arguing.

    "This discussion is not over." Ayanna said as she red at Ray.

    "Please auntie, I want to do it." Yoyo begged.

    "Ayanna, put my son down and hand him to a nanny if you want to be part of this meeting." Cedric told Ayanna as they walked into Cedric''s home.

    "Fine." Ayanna said as she ced Yoyo down and held him tight. "Don''t grow up too soon, little one." She said as she kissed him on the top of his head.

    "I have to grow up auntie, I need to protect my siblings and my cousin." Yoyo said with a smile as he turned around and ran up to his nanny."

 Chapter 768 - 768

    While they made their way into the Mansion, Cedric''s phone began to ring. He used his free hand to fish out the phone from his pocket, while holding his wife''s hand in the other.

    As he looked at the caller ID, he was surprised to see that it was Cami. He hadn''t expected her to get back to him within the day. He understood how difficult it normally was for her to find a window to speak to him especially with how Lucius watched her and Benedict.

    So such an early call was very much out of ce.

    "Cami? Are you sure it''s safe to call me?" Cedric asked.

    "Benedict and I are on the way to your house. I have something urgent to tell you." Cami said in a rushed tone.

    "Okay, I''ll have everything set up, what''s your ETA?" Cedric asked.

    "I''ll be there in five minutes, less if this traffic lets up." Cami told him. "It seems that the government has implemented checkpoints in and out of your area."

    "Yeah, that would be Uncle Jose." Cedric said as he thought of what other actions his uncles had probably taken while on their way back. Unlike his friends, the older generation was more experienced. But what his groupcked in experience they made up in innovation.

    "I''ll ask someone to give his assistant a call to have you and Benedict escorted here." Cedric told Cam.

    "No need, we don''t want to attract attention." She told Cedric.

    "Alright. We''ll be waiting for you." Cedric said as he dropped the call and turned to give Ian instructions to wait for Cami and Benedict.

    He then proceeded to call his friends, Katerina, Francesca, and his sister. He knew that Ayanna would be pissed off at him if he didn''t include her.

    "Cedric, I should be there." Adrianna told her husband in a small voice as she tugged on his sleeve.

    "No Adri." Cedric told her in a stern tone. "You don''t need the additional stress. As it stands you already have too much to worry about. You have Ind''s Inc., Yoyo, and our two little precious ones." Cedric said as he ced a hand on her now showing belly.

    "Promise me you will be safe." Adrianna said as she looked her husband in the eyes.

    "We will just be in the office, we won''t be going anywhere crazy." He said with a nod.

    "But still, don''t plot anything that will put yourself in harm''s way." Adrianna said with a concerned look on her face. "Our children need you, your family needs you, I need you. Thepany is only money. We have survived on less."

    "I know Adri." Cedric said with a nod as he nted a kiss on her lips before letting her go to rest.

    "So what do you know so far?" Ray asked as he appeared next to Cedric. He was standing hand in hand with Ayanna, who seemed to be thinking about something else as she held an absent expression.

    "Cami just said that she and Benedict are on their way and that there was something she needed to tell me." Cedric said with a shrug as they continued to walk to his office.

    "I hope it''s good news." Ray said optimistically.

    "I doubt it will be good news." Ayanna said as she snapped out of her trance. "With Cedric''s track record, it won''t be good."

    "Who knows." Cedric said with a shrug as he walked into his office.

    Inside several maids were cing his office in order, while his father sat on the couch with his phone pressed against his ear. He was clearly speaking to someone important as he ced his finger on his lip telling Cedric and the others to keep quiet.

    There were very few people in the world that could get this kind of reaction from Emilio Reyes, and that worried Cedric.

    His father was already a powerful and influential man, and having someone more powerful than him on the phone was always a matter of concern.

    As they waited for Emilio''s call to end, they found their own spots in the office, with Cedric sittingfortably behind his desk.

    It didn''t take long for Emilio Reyes'' call to end.

    As the older man dropped the call he took a deep breath and shook his head.

    "Not a call you wanted to have?" Cedric asked his father as he leaned forward and looked at his father.

    "It was someone I wanted to call us, but he isn''t exactly a person I like talking to." Emilio Reyes said with a frown.

    "Who was it?" Cedric asked.

    "An old friend''s son, someone we have done some business with in the past." Emilio exined as he massaged his temples.

    "What did he want?" This time it was Ayanna that asked as she coked her head to the side, curious as to what was going on.

    "He heard about our recent struggles with Mor Co. and he wants to help." Emilio exined. "I know it''s odd that he would reach out, but his father was someone I trusted, and I hope I can extend the same amount of trust to his son."

    "I can ask my contact in China, see if this person has any red gs." Cedric suggested. "What''s his name?" He asked.

    "Wu Jun." Emilio Reyes told Cedric.

    "I''ll ask my friend." Cedric informed his father.

    The whole time Emilio Reyes was exining that they were businessmen that wanted to help Mor Co. The more Cedric wondered if this was the help that Guan Ming was going to send.

    Cedric knew for a fact that Guan Ming was quite influential among children of rich families, mainly because everything he had achieved was of his own doing.

    "Do they, by any chance, have anything to do with the supply of microchips and other keyponents in the phone making process?" Cedric asked his father.

    "The Wus have a huge business empire across various industries, I''m sure that microchips are one." Emilio Reyes said as he tried to recall the industries the Wus were involved in. "I''ll see if Marco has a file on them, if he does, that should help."

    Cedric nodded and thanked his father.

    Just as they had finished discussing Wu Jun, Ian entered the office, followed by Cami and Benedict, who both seemed to havee over in quite a rush.

    "What happened to the two of you?" Cedric asked as he pointed at them.

    "Damned military men wouldn''t let us through at first." Benedictined. "We don''t have much time, we need to be in and out of here as fast as possible."

    "Alright, but why not just call?" Cedric asked.

    "I didn''t want to risk it." Cami said with a frown. "At least if I visit you at home, I could always tell Lucius that you asked me toe over to discuss my loyalty."

    "And what will you tell him?" Cedric asked.

    "The same as always." Cami said with a grin. "But that''s not the matter. You need to act fast. Lucius seems to have something big nned, something that willpletely change thendscape of Mor Co. ''s industry."

 Chapter 769 - 769

    A maid brought in some drinks for Cami and Benedict who were parched from their rush to Mountain View.

    As soon as they had gathered themselves, Cami nodded to Cedric. Gesturing that she was ready to tell them what they had rushed over for.

    "How is it that Lucius Ting managed to get ahead of us?" Cedric asked Cami and Benedict. "We already nned to give him some suppliers, not these, but others."

    "It seemed that these suppliers were even less loyal than the original ones you had picked out." Cami informed Cedric.

    "So how did he manage to get these suppliers, they are our top two suppliers for our microchips and stics?" Cedric asked Cami. "Isn''t that information confidential?"

    "It was." Cami said with a frown. "We recently allowed our suppliers to list us as their customers."

    "So he found them off websites?" Cedric asked in a suspicious tone. "Cami, what else?" Cedric asked. He knew that wasn''t all that had happened.

    Cami hesitated before finally speaking up.

    "We had an employee that left a while back and joined Arch Group." Cami informed Cedric.

    "And what did this employee do?" Cedric asked her, impatience clear in his tone. He didn''t like having to ask questions to get to the point. Cami should have known that, but in her fear of his anger she forgot.

    "He was part of our procurement team." Cami said with a frown. "They were our top suppliers when he left, and when he moved to Arch Group he gave Lucius the names of thesepanies."

    "And Lucius didn''t trust you enough to ask you?" Cedric asked Cami with a raised eyebrow.

    "Cedric!" Ayanna scolded as she red at her brother. She didn''t appreciate the way Cedric was speaking to Cami. It was clear that the woman was scared of what Cedric would say about the slip up.

    "I''m not mad at her for the reasons you think, Ayanna." Cedric said as he red at his sister. "I am not like them." He said as he thought of all the abusive and maniptive people they had faced over the years.

    "Cedric, you will not talk to your sister or Cami that way." Emilio Reyes said as he tried to knock some sense into his son. "What has gotten into you? Where is your calm demeanour, think logically."

    Cedric closed his eyes and took deep breaths, his father was right. He had overreacted and lost his cool.

    He was supposed to think with his head, not his heart.

    "Cami, I didn''t mean to criticize you because Lucius didn''te to you for the information." Cedric exined in a kinder, calmer tone.

    "So why did you ask that then?" Cami asked Cedric as she gave him a confused look. She had worked for Cedric for a while now and generally she was able to read his moods and expressions, but this time she was confused.

    "From the beginning I didn''t want you to enter into a fake rtionship with Lucius.": Cedric said as he took a deep breath and continued to exin. "Not because I was worried you would actually fall for him. I don''t care who you love, but rather because I am worried about the risk you are taking."

    "I took this risk all on my own, Ced." Cami told him with a frown. "I entered into this fake rtionship with him, knowing that my life would be at risk."

    "Cami, I know you considered all the dangers, but I would rather not see my friends in harm''s way just because of business." Cedric said with a deep frown.

    "Ced, you need to trust me on this. Trust us." Cami pleaded as she referred to herself and her brother.

    "Cedric, Cami has Lucius Ting way too in love with her for this not to work." Benedict said from the side.

    Cedric thought of the man Ian referred to as Cami''s long lost love, the man that she still waited for until this day.

    He couldn''t help but wonder how that man would feel seeing the woman he loved with another man. But would that long lost love still want Cami? That was the conflict in his mind at the moment. He didn''t want to risk Cami''s happiness just for apetition between businesses.

    "How did he convince them to switch sides? To break their contract with us?" Cedric finally said as he gave in to Cami''s and Benedict''s pleas for him to trust them with this matter. "And how did you find out?" He asked.

    "I''ll start with how did we find out." Benedict told Cedric, answering for his sister.

    "As your scandal broke out, Lucius asked us to visit him at home." Benedict exined. "When we got there, they did something they had never done in the past, they inspected our phones."

    "They were probably looking for bugs." Davemented from the side.

    Benedict nodded, agreeing with his hunch.

    "We thought the same, luckily we never really record things that way." He said with a smile. "When we joined him in the dining room, we were surprised to see that he and his sister Louise had made up."

    "It seems Lucius is not as smart if Louise isn''t around." Cami exined. "So he had to forgive her, she helped him plot his whole revenge n, she wasn''t about to let him just drop her."

    "It was then that he started to make fun of you for your stupidity, something that annoyed us." Benedict said as he rolled his eyes.

    "That''s when Louise suggested that they use this distraction to start poaching your top suppliers." Benedict exined. "We wanted to get away to tell you, but he cornered us, insisting that we stay the night."

    "We were worried that he had bugged our phones, so we didn''t dare call you, it wasn''t worth the risk," Cami said, shaking her head vigorously.

    "When Mae called Cami, it was the perfect chance for us to get out." Benedict told them. "We quickly left and went to R Tower first. Luckily Adolfo was there trying to figure out a hack. So we gave him our phones and true enough they were bugged, so we got new ones."

    "Did he get anything?" Cedric asked with a worried expression on his face. "I don''t want him finding out personal information about you and ckmailing both of you. You siblings have already risked a lot for us."

 Chapter 770 - 770

    "No, he didn''t." Benedict told Cedric as he shook his head.

    "How sure are you?" Cedric asked as he questioned the siblings, making sure that they did their due diligence. There was nothing wrong about double checking.

    "We bring a different phone whenever we go to Lucius." Cami exined. "And the only call either of us received was from Mae asking what had happened."

    "I was careful." Mae said. "I was worried that Cami was around Lucius Ting so I made my statements and questions as vague as possible."

    "All she did was ask if we had seen thetest news about Arch Group and to tell me that you wanted to speak with me as soon as I could." Cami exined.

    "It''s a good thing you were on the safe side on that Mae, good job." Cedric said with a nod as he praised the young assistant.

    "Thanks." Mae said with a nod as she smiled.

    Cedric rarely praised his people, it was something he knew hecked, but he didn''t want them to stay stagnant. He wanted them to grow, that''s why he was so stingy on praises, even words that are for free have costs.

    "So how did Lucius manage to convince these suppliers?" Cedric asked. "Based on what I can see, we''ve always offered them the best projects and they have always been our top of mind suppliers. He must have promised the moon and the stars to get them." Cedric concluded.

    "Actually, he got them fairly easily." Cami said with a frown,

    "How?" Cedric asked.

    "He simply offered to pay them a little bit more." Cami said with a shrug.

    "Greedy bastards." Ray cursed from the side, earning him a deadly re from his wife.

    "That''s it?" Cedric asked.

    "Nope." Cami said as she shook her head. "He also offered to pay for any legal repercussions that their move would bring. I''m sure Lucius Ting is aware that you will try to get every single centavo from them and he is more than happy to shoulder that cost."

    Cedric remained silent as he pondered their options. Clearly Lucius had thought of his next steps as well, but the thing was, he still had several cards to y that Lucius was unaware of.

    "Katerina, let''s try to make as big a dent as possible into Lucius'' pocket." Cedric said as he looked over to Katerina. "I want him not only to pay as much as he can, but I want the terms to be quick and swift."

    "The less time he has to gather his funds, the better for us." Katerina said as she nodded. "I''ll work on it as soon as I get home." She told Cedric as she typed the details down on her phone.

    "Sorry Cami, but you will need to go to the office today and give Katerina all the information we have on those twopanies." Cedric exined.

    "I''ll head on over after this." Cami said with a nod. "We just need to pass by R Tower to get our bugged phones. I want to give Lucius the illusion that he has the upper hand."

    "Good n." Cedric said as he nodded in agreement.

    Cedric took a deep breath and sighed. This couldn''t be happening at a worse time. They now had enemies on multiple fronts, and to add to that they were still searching for the real Andrew Chan.

    "What do you think led them to leave?" Cedric asked. "I don''t understand why such a small increase in profits would convince them to jump ship and ally with Lucius."

    "It''s greed." Ayanna said from her seat as she shook her head. "They had been so focused on making money that they ignored the long and short term impacts of their actions."

    " I wouldn''t have made the deal if I were them, they still don''t know if Lucius will be purchasing anything from the," Cedric told the group,

    "I didn''t see the details of the contract, but I''m assuming there could be a minimum purchase." Ayanna pointed out.

    "I doubt it." Ian said as he joined in on the conversation. "They were probably so impressed by the base price that they didn''t check the details. Lucius Ting would never let them get more from him, especially with the legal costs."

    Cedric nodded as he understood Ian''s assumptions.

    "What do you n on doing about the suppliers?" Cami asked as she realized that the main impact of Lucius'' actions still hadn''t been resolved.

    "Dad knows someone." Cedric said inly. "I also asked a friend of mine to get us suppliers that can provide for what we need."

    "Can this friend of yours be trusted?" Ray asked Cedric.

    "Yes." Cedris simply said with a nod.

    "What if both fail, Mor Co. and the Reyes Group will be stuck in a difficult situation." Ray exined.

    "If they fail then we have a few months to find suppliers or increase the production rate of our other suppliers by investing in their equipment." Cedric told everyone in general.

    "You boys seem to have it all covered at the moment." Emilio Reyes said with a smile as he got up. "I will leave you to it. This old man needs his rest." He said as he excused himself and left.

    "Sometimes I forget that he was once the richest man in the country." Alexi said with augh as he pointed at the door Emilo Reyes had gone through.

    "He was never the richest man to me, he was always just uncle Emilio." Katerina said with a soft smile as she thought of all the fun times they had when they were younger.

    "Is there more you needed to report?" Cedric asked Cami and Benedict.

    "No, none." Cami said as she shook her head.

    "I think it would be best if you pretended that Cedric told you hurtful things. It should convince Lucius." Ram said with a smile as he thought of what simple acting Cami and Benedict could pull off.

    "We''ll do that." Benedict said as he answered for both of them.

    "If that''s all, then I need to ask everyone to leave. I need to make a phone call." Cedric announced.

 Chapter 771 - 771

    After their discussion on Lucius Ting''s actions, Cedric called Guan Ming to see if there was any news on a supplier and if Wu Jun was a reliable person.

    As soon as Guan Ming picked up the call his tone was quite cheery, confusing Cedric.

    "You seem to be in a good mood." Cedricmented.

    "It''s nothing." Guan Ming said as he tried to change his tone into a more serious one.

    Whatever had made him so happy must have been a big deal, because no matter how hard he tried, Cedric could still hear the excitement in his tone.

    "What do you need?" Guan Ming asked.

    "I need to know some information about a colleague of yours." Cedric said over the phone as he leaned back against his seat.

    "Who?" Guan Ming asked.

    "Wu Jun." Cedric responded.

    "We aren''t colleagues, I wouldn''t go near that bastard even if you paid me to." Guan Ming huffed. "But his father is a different story, I like the old man. He was somewhat of a mentor to me."

    "Okay, so I guess I have a problem with this Wu Jun guy." Cedric grumbled.

    "Did you get into business with him?" Guan Ming asked.

    "Yeah. His dad and my dad knew each other, and as soon as he heard of my troubles with suppliers he swoops in." Cedric exined.

    "Be careful, that guy is your typical second generation." Guan Ming warned in a serious tone. "He grew up getting everything he wanted in life. He won''t be afraid to backstab you either."

    "It seems you have a special dislike for this guy." Cedric said as heughed at the way Guan Ming was talking about Wu Jun.

    "He took something from me." Guan Ming said in a somber tone.

    Cedric felt that whatever Wu Jun took from Guan Ming was important to his friend, so he chose to remain silent.

    "Anyway, I''m assuming that your father and you agreed to go into a partnership with Wu Jun." Guan Ming finally said as he shifted the topic back.

    "Not on paper, but I don''t think my dad can say no to Wu Jun''s father''s request." Cedric said as he frowned. "Had we known about Wu Jun we might have found a way to avoid even taking the call."

    "The Wus have a good business. It''s stable and it''s continuously growing." Guan Ming said as he did a professional assessment of the Wu family. "In all honesty if it weren''t for Wu Jun I would have approached them with your dilemma."

    "I''ll just keep an eye on him, make sure that he doesn''t suddenly stab us in the back." Cedric said as he began to think of a way to keep hispany and his family safe in case Wu Jun did something drastic.

    "That reminds me, on the suppliers you need, I have a list of people I know that you can trust. Do you still want them?" Guan Ming asked.

    "Yes." Cedric said over the phone. "I''ll keep them on standby since Wu Jun may possibly make things difficult for us."

    "I''ll email it to you then. I wouldn''t trust anyone with this list." Guan Ming informed Cedric.

    "Thank you for this, Ming." Cedric said. He was d that he had met Guan Ming long ago, way before all of the chaos that had taken over both their lives.

    They were simr on so many levels, and yet they still had a lot of differences.

    "It''s nothing, really." Guan Ming told him. "I''m just d I actually have someone I can trust, someone that isn''t my friend because of the zeros on my bank ount." He said with augh.

    "See you soon." Cedric told Guan Ming as he dropped the call.

    Cedric looked at his phone for a while before deciding to finally get up and walk over to his father''s room on the second floor.

    He knocked lightly, waiting for his father to call out and let him in.

    "Enter." Came Emilio Reyes'' booming voice.

    Cedric pushed the door and found his father,fortably slouched on a couch, reading a book.

    He was wearing pajamas and seemed to be ready for bed.

    If anyone had walked into this scene, they would have been dumbfounded. Emilio Reyes III, a man who was once the richest in the country, seated in pajamas wearing fluffy slippers before bed.

    "Long day?" Emilio Reyes asked his son with a concerned look on his face.

    No matter how many years had passed or how many victories Cedric had won, his father would always be his rock. The person he knew he could trust.

    "Yeah." Cedric said with a nod as he sat next to his father. "It''s just so much, how did you even handle it when you were in my position?" Cedric asked.

    "Well for one there was much less drama." Emilio Reyes said with a sad smile. "Much less death and much less crazies back in my time, but I did have my fair share of challenges. Luckily I had your mom."

    "I miss mom." Cedric said with a frown.

    "I miss her too, son, but that''s life. People live and people die." Emilio Reyes said as he kept his eyes on the book in front of him. "Your mother wouldn''t want you to mourn her death, she would want you to celebrate your life. The life she went through hours ofbor to give you."

    Cedric smiled as he thought of his mom and how strong she had been over the years. Just seeing him go into poverty training must have been hard on both of his parents.

    They never wanted him to leave, they wanted to change the tradition, but they all understood how important it was for the next heir to be grounded.

    If the family was to survive, there were some sacrifices that they needed to make.

    "So what did youe to see me for?" Emilio Reyes asked his son, reading the man like an open book.

    "I got in touch with my contact, he said, don''t trust Wu Jun.." Cedric said, to which his father simply nodded and continued to read his book.

 Chapter 772 - 772

    Cedric took a deep breath as he sat inside his trademark Rolce Royce Ghost.

    It had been a few days since the attack on Mountain View and there had been no suspicious activities. And life had seemingly snapped back to normal as Cedric had buried himself in work the past few days.

    He still owed his son that family day off, and he was nning on flying his whole family out to Ray''s Kashmere Ind.

    Just one more day, but today was different. Today he was going to watch as the Barons were sentenced to life in prison for the stunt they had pulled against him and the Sebastian family.

    The court hearing today was front page news due to the parties involved and the speed at which a verdict was reached.

    Cedric already knew how the day was going to pan out, it was already predetermined.

    His attendance was all for show. The Barons would pay ten times the damage they had done, and their family would lose everything.

    That''s how life worked. You make the wrong move and you could lose what generations had worked hard to achieve.

    "What are we waiting for?" Cedric asked Ian who was seated next to him in the back seat of the car.

    "Dave said he has urgent news, he is rushing down to meet us." Ian informed Cedric.

    Due to the huge amount of workload, Cedric had opted to take only Ian with him. This event was all for the press and there was nothing important that would require Dave''s or Mae''s presence.

    "He couldn''t have told you on the phone?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Ian simply shrugged as Cedric noticed the elevator doors open as Dave ran out, panting.

    What news could be so urgent and so earth shattering that Dave had to go down to the basement himself?

    Cedric rolled down the window and raised an eyebrow at Dave.

    "This better be important." Cedric said in a stern tone.

    "Trust me boss, it is." Dave said with a nod. "Brian Schnider is dead. He died in his cage this morning and when Seth''s men came over to take Evan and Rodrigo Baron away, his corpse was already cold."

    "And?" Cedric asked, not seeing the point as to why his assistant had to run down. It was something that could have been said over a phone call.

    "Boss, I need to get in." Dave said as he looked around the parking lot.

    Confused with what Dave meant, Cedric pointed towards the front passenger''s seat as he rolled his window.

    "Seth didn''t call you?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "No." Ian said as he shook his head. "Seth is busy with other things, he might not even know if this happened recently."

    Cedric heard a thud as Dave closed the door.

    "What is it?" It was Ian''s turn to ask Dave in an irritated tone.

    "The more important part is what the Barons were mumbling when they were found." Dave exined. "I didn''t want to mention it out in the open, you never know what stray ears might pick up."

    "What did they say?" Cedric asked Dave.

    "They kept muttering about how the Rajas would get to them, how the Rajas would kill them for letting such a heinous death fall upon one of their sons." Dave told Cedric and Ian.

    "They were probably deranged at that point, Dave." Ian said as he rolled his eyes at the young man.

    He had witnessed enough tortures to know what it did to the human mind, it was not a pretty sight.

    People turned into animals or mere husks of their former selves. Some recovered, some remained damaged for the rest of their lives.

    "I think even if they did lose their minds, what they were mumbling was still important." Dave told Ian.

    "Look into Brian''s involvement with the Rajas. Their rtives already warned us that Brian was somehow connected to them. Then report to me when I get back from court." Cedric told Dave who simply nodded and got out of the car.

    "Let''s get this whole media frenzy over with, John, drive." Cedric said as his driver nodded and drove them out of R Tower''s basement parking lot.

    As they exited the building, Cedric could clearly see the reporters and photographers that had now lined the streets, trying to catch a glimpse of him as he headed for the courthouse.

    He was sure that his uncle Jose, Alexi, and Katerina were facing the same dilemma.

    The Barons on the other hand would be dressed and washed, then flown in from the Dean family base in a military chopper.

    The official story was that they had been detained by the military when they attempted to attack Alex, Katerina, and Cedric.

    "Wow, they are making a much bigger deal of this than we expected." Ianmented as he looked at the sheer amount of reporters that had lined the street.

    "The Barons went against the m,ost powerful family and the richest family, of course people would be interested." Cedric said with augh as they left the reporters in the dust.

    Due to the recent attack on Mountain View, Leon had insisted that Cedric increase the security around him. So his white luxury sedan was now surrounded by eightrge ck SUVs focused solely on his protection.

    Normally, Cedric didn''t go around the city this way. There was usually just a van in front and one in the back. But since today was a very public event, they had increased it further, not wanting to risk anything.

    "Are our people stationed around R Tower and Ind''s Inc." Cedric asked as he thought of his wife and sister whom, he was sure, the Rajas were very keen on taking.

    "Yes, there is also more security around Yoyo''s school." Ian said with a nod as they continued to cruise through the city, unhindered by traffic.

    It didn''t take long for them to finally reach the court house.

    Cedric looked out as he saw that a small walkway had been made for him and other guests to pass, as reporters once more flocked the location.

    He sighed and shook his head.. How he wished this trial didn''t have to be a public one.

 Chapter 773 - 773

    Cedric already expected for the members of the press to try to catch him off guard. They would throw questions at him that they assumed would trigger a response, he was, after all, only human.

    But that was their mistake. They had gotten so used to interviewing hot-tempered young men that they forgot that the Reyes Family had trained all of their children to properly face the press.

    The only time anyone got anything from the Reyes Family was when they wanted the press to find out. Or in Cedric''s case, when things were truly beyond his control.

    Even news of the attack on Mountain View had not made the news. The government had sealed it up nicely since it still involved the President''s family seeing as Alexi and Katerina both had homes in thatmunity and Natalia was with Adrianna and Ayanna that day.

    Cedric could hear as the reporters called out, asking him questions. Some made sense while others wereplete works of fiction.

    "Mr. Reyes, there have been usations that you set this whole thing up to embarrass the Baron family, anyment?"

    "Mr. Reyes, how does it feel to have the people who used you of trying to bribe them sent to jail?"

    "Mr. Reyes, is it true that they threatened to harm your family?"

    "Mr. Reyes, ament please."

    "Mr. Reyes!"

    "Mr. Reyes!"

    Cedric chose to tune out all of their voices and questions as his bodyguards blocked the reporters from view. He would leave the PR department of the Reyes Group to hold a separate press conference for him.

    He had also prepared a statement that would be released as soon as he left the courthouse.

    As Cedric and his group reached the top steps of the court house, he noticed that Ian had stayed behind and was now addressing the crowd.

    "I know you are all curious and want to hear a statement from the CEO of the Reyes Group. Please understand that this matter was also a professional one." Ian said as the reporters quieted down to listen.

    "Sir, we need to get you inside." A bodyguard said as he tried to urge Cedric to enter the building.

    "We won''t leave Ian." Cedric said as he hid slightly from view among the shadows.

    "We cannot tell you what the oue of today''s hearing will be, but, we do believe in the justice system and that the proper verdict and equivalent sentence will be rolled out." Ian told the reporters as Cedric could hear the clicking of cameras and light whispers among them.

    "Later today, after the court brings down it''s sentence, the Reyes Group will release a statement and hold its own press conference." Ian informed them. "I hope you will respect our boss'' privacy in this matter."

    With that Ian turned and followed to where Cedric and the other men waited.

    "You should have gone in." Ian told Cedric as he looked around, making sure that there was no possible threat.

    "Do you always do that when I go ahead?" Cedric asked. He hadn''t fully seen his assistants at work. Even if he understood what they did since he had been one as well, it was quite different being an active CEOs assistant.

    "It''s part of the job, if we don''t do that they will constantly hound us for answers." Ian told Cedric as they walked into the courthouse. "Once they somehow got my personal number, I swear it was ringing all the time, they didn''t care if I was asleep or if I had already given them answers, they just kept calling and messaging."

    "Oh I remember when you had to change your number, that was the reason?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah. I think someone yed a prank on me." Ian grumbled.

    "Aka Nicole." Cedric teased.

    "We should get going." Ian said, shaking his head as they passed through a set of metal detectors.

    "Cedric! Ian!" Katerina called out from the other end of the hall as she waved at them.

    Cedric nodded as they briskly walked towards her.

    She gave them a relieved smile as she handed one of her associates a document.

    "Are uncle Jose and Alexi here yet?" Cedric asked as he looked around.

    "No, of course not." Katerina said with a grin. "They will be thest to arrive as always."

    "I''m assuming everything is in order?" Cedric asked.

    "You just need to sit there, look like the intimidating CEO that you are not. Then walk out of the courthouse." Katerina teased him.

    "I can be scary if I want to be." Cedric argued as he rolled his eyes.

    "Not to someone who has seen you in those duck pajamas." Katerina said with augh.

    "Whatever, we''ll go in ahead, see you in a bit." Cedric told Katerina as he led his people inside the courtroom.

    Inside, Cedric noticed how there were a lot of people, businessmen and politicians, people that were eager to hear the sentence.

    Some he knew had been personally attacked by the Barons as well, so in a way this was justice for them too.

    Cedric had managed to convince the other boys not toe along. Having them all in one ce for this hearing would be a disaster waiting to happen.

    "This way." Ian said as he led Cedric to the front row of seats that had been reserved for them.

    His bodyguards quickly dispersed throughout the room, taking up defensive positions, making sure that there was no blind spot.

    Just as Cedric took his seat, the doors to the court room opened again, this time Katerina entered followed by her father and brother.

    People tried toe up to them to make small talk and hopefully be remembered by the President or his son. Unfortunately for them Jose Sebastian didn''t want the proceedings to be dyed.

    They were quickly told that the President needed this hearing done as quickly as possible and that he would not be entertaining anyone.

    "Uncle, Alexi." Cedric greeted with a smile as both men sat on the same row as him.

    "Hey Cedric." Alexi said with a smile as his uncle nodded at him.

    "Let''s get this hearing over." Katerina told them with a grin as she walked over to her seat.

    With everyone in their proper ces several military personnel entered with the Baron family members in chains.

    Despite the fancy clothes on their shoulders, everyone could see that they had been through hell in the past day.

    Their skin was pale and their eyes nk, lost to the dread that they would soon suffer.

    Most were aware that they had sealed their fate the moment they went against the Reyeses and the Sebastians, and that the worst days of their lives were just about to begin.

 Chapter 774 - 774

    The hearing was long and boring, just as Cedric had expected. It was all a formality so most of the people in the room already knew the oue.

    There was just way too much evidence against the Baron family for them to defend themselves. They had also chosen to take on the wrong enemy, two of the most powerful families in the country.

    When the judge announced the verdict, Cedric could hear the members of the Baron family cry out in despair. They knew then and there that their fate had been sealed, there was no escaping no matter how hard they tried.

    Cedric didn''t want to linger in the courtroom, so as soon as his presence was no longer required, he excused himself and left.

    He knew that Alexi would probably drop by his office to chat a little, that is if he managed to get through the media that was now at the doors moring for information.

    "This way." Leon told Cedric as he noticed the security personnel of the courtroom couldn''t hold the media back.

    "We prepared an alternate route in case something like this happened." Ian exined to Cedric as they rushed out of the building.

    "Give Alexi a call, tell him about what is happening outside." Cedric instructed Ian, who simply nodded and took out his phone while rushing out the door.

    Luckily there was a driveway right by the back entrance of the courtroom, and one of the security SUVs was already waiting for them.

    "Sorry, you can''t ride the ghost." Leon said as he got into the front seat.

    "It''s fine. It doesn''t bother me." Cedric said with augh as he watched his favorite car roll up behind them.

    "It will be a distraction while we are getting you back to R Tower." Leon exined.

    Cedric simply nodded as he looked out of the window.

    He could see the reporters running towards the back entrance. They clearly had spotted his car making its way there and assumed that he was inside.

    "Poor John, he has to deal with that zombie apocalypse like crowd." Cedric said as he looked behind them as the reporters swarmed the convoy behind.

    "It''s worse now for some reason." Ian said as he finished speaking to Alexi. "I think your poprity has somehow risen again."

    "Did you get to warn Alexi and uncle Jose?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "Yes, but there is no way of them avoiding the crowd, uncle Jose still needs to make a statement in front of the press. But, Katerina got out safely." Ian informed Cedric.

    Cedric nodded at the news, he quickly pulled out his phone and searched for a live stream of the events at the courthouse.

    As soon as he found one he pressed y. He watched as the cameraman who seemed to be standing right infront of the podium set up for his uncle Jose scanned left and right for signs of someone approaching.

    Cedric didn''t have to wait long as the antique giant double doors of the court house opened and Jose Sebastian and Alexi stepped out making their way to the podium.

    As the president finally stood on the podium, he waved at the crowd, catching their attention.

    Jose adjusted the microphones as his son stood slightly behind him to the right.

    Alexi looked around, assessing their surroundings. To the public, Alexi seemed to be looking around, amazed at the crowd, but Cedric knew what he was looking for.

    He was checking to see if his sister had made it out alright. He was also assessing the surrounding areas for threats.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak in front of you all." Jose Sebastian said in a deep and booming voice.

    "Do they all practice speaking like that?" Ian asked as he looked over Cedric''s shoulder to watch the live stream as well.

    "The dads?" Cedric asked as he thought of how his father and all his friends had thismanding way of speaking to the crowd.

    "Yeah, and Alexi, he speaks like them in public." Ian pointed out.

    "I actually think they had to learn to speak in such a way that everyone stops and turns their heads in their direction." Cedric said with augh.

    "Well that makes sense." Ian replied as he returned his focus to his phone.

    "As you all know, today wasthe sentencing of members of the Baron family, including its present head, Evan Baron, who is the mayor of a small town to the south." Jose Sebastian announced. "This was a victory for our legal system, proving to us that no matter how important the wrongdoers are, they must still pay for their crimes."

    An apuse resonated through the crowd as Jose Sebastian praised the independent branch of government.

    "I thank you all for the support you have extended me and my family, as well as that of the Reyes Family." Jose Sebastian added. "I personally know that Cedric Reyes was pleased to hear that no one had jumped into conclusions when the video of him speaking to the Barons was first released."

    The crowd pped, as if patting themselves on the back. Cedric wanted tough at how hypocritical they all were. Had it been someone else or had there been more, they would have all assumed that the Baron family had been telling the truth.

    "Let us continue to think critically for the sake of our nation." Jose Sebastian said as he nodded to the crowd and left.

    "Uncle Jose is quite the drama king." Cedric said with augh as he exited the live stream on his phone and ced it away.

    "That is exactly why the Sebastians are the ones in politics and not you cold hearted Reyes." Ian teased.

    Cedricughed and rolled his eyes at his assistant.

    "Cedric." Ian said as he froze, looking at his phone.

    Cedric looked at his assistant and raised an eyebrow. He wondered what it could be this time. He had enough drama tost other people multiple life times.

    "What?" Cedric asked, unsure if he wanted to face the next problem. "Who ising after us this time?" Cedric grumbled.

    "This isn''t bad news, it''s good news." Ian said as he looked up from his phone in disbelief.. "They found Mien''s mother."

 Chapter 775 - 775

    As soon as Cedric heard the news about Mien''s mother, he had his driver rush them back to R Tower.

    Mae had told Ian that she had some of the details, but it would take a while to exin. Cedric wanted Mien to be around, so he had sent Mae to fetch the man along with his adoptive mother.

    It seemed that Mae hadn''t told Mien that she found his mother and was quite afraid of telling him.

    "What is Mae afraid of?" Cedric asked Ian as R Tower finally came into sight.

    "I honestly don''t know. That girl''s mind is quite difficult to read." Ian told him. "What do you n on asking Mien''s mother?"

    "I want to know if Fernando had sent her any letters that could tell us where the real Andrew Chan is." Cedric said as they pulled up to R Tower''s parking.

    "Wow, the press is still waiting." Ian pointed out as they returned to the same scene as earlier with members of the media lining the street.

    Luckily they had no idea that Ceric was in the car that had just passed them and they were quite rxed.

    "Tell John to take my car back to Mountain View." Cedric instructed as they descended to the basement parking. "If the media think I went straight home, they won''t cause an inconvenience to our employees."

    As they had passed, Cedric had watched as members of the media had harassed some employees, asking if the CEO was in.

    Of course most of the ordinary employees would have no idea about Cedric''s whereabouts. All they wanted to do was to get back to their desks and continue their work.

    "Also give the employees additional pay for the day. I feel like this media sensation has caused too much of a hassle for everyone." Cedric instructed, to which Ian simply nodded.

    As soon as the car came to a halt in front of the elevators, Cedric, Ian, and Leon hopped out and got into the CEO''s elevator.

    When they arrived at Cedric''s office, Dave was already waiting for them, and he seemed anxious about something.

    "Are you trying to steal the limelight from your girlfriend?" Cedric teased as he made himselffortable on his seat behind his desk.

    "I''d rather not, but you told me to report to you if we found something out about Brian Schnider and his rtion to the Rajas." Dave said as he took a step closer to Cedric''s desk.

    "And you did?" Cedric asked as he leaned forward.

    "I did." Dave said with a nod.

    "Alright then, out with it, and quickly before Mae and Mien arrive." Cedric said as he leaned back and crossed his arms on his chest.

    "Such an eventful day." Ian said with a chuckle as he ced Cedric''s coffee in front of him and took his own on the couch behind Dave.

    "Brian Schnider is rted to one of the most prominent families among the Rajas, the Lees." Dave announced. "The male line of the Lee family has long died out, they were one of the first to be massacred by the government they created."

    "Let me guess, the descendants of this family want revenge." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes. He knew what motivated people, he knew that one of the best was revenge. Even his assistant, Ian, was driven by this.

    "That and based on my sources they want to take back their position in society." Dave exined. "Very archaic if you ask me."

    "Are they a threat?" Ian asked Dave.

    Dave nced at Ian and nodded his head.

    "Based on what I managed to find out, they have been growing financially and have some interesting allies." Dave told Cedric and Ian. "I think they might be leading this faction that wants to bring the Rajas back into power."

    "Do they know that we had a hand in Brian''s death?" Cedric asked.

    "Not yet." Dave said as he shook his head. "They still think Brian died months ago because of his debt to the mafia."

    "Are the Deans in any danger?" Cedric asked.

    "I doubt it." Ian said, answering for Dave. "The Deans are one of the most powerful mafia families in the underworld, aside from that fact, Ray favors them a lot so no one would dare attack them haphazardly."

    Cedric nodded, acknowledging what Ian had just said.

    "Keep an eye on the families we know belong to the Rajas. I want a status update if they do anything out of the ordinary." Cedric ordered Dave.

    "I''ll get on it." Dave said with a nod as he left.

    As soon as Dave opened the door, Mae, Mien, and Mien''s adoptive mother stood outside as Mae reached for the door handle, causing a very embarrassing situation.

    She screamed and jumped as soon as she realized that she had grazed something that was not the door knob.

    "Don''t be so dramatic." Ian told Mae as he rolled his eyes. "He''s your boyfriend, the two of you practically live together, don''t tell me you''ve never touched that."

    "Ian!" Mae shouted, making all the men, aside from Dave,ugh at her reaction.

    "Come in." Cedric said with a nod as he waved them over.

    Dave whispered something to Mae before finally letting her and Mien through.

    Cedric could tell that it was something extremely private as Mae walked in with a blush on her face.

    "Mae, let''s get to work." Cedric said with a stern tone, making Mae wide eyed with panic, thinking Cedric was going to scold her.

    Ian once moreughed at Mae''s expense because of her reaction.

    "Rx Mae, Cedric is only teasing you." Ian pointed out, making Mae frown.

    "Don''t you have news to tell us and Mien?" Cedric asked as he watched Mien sit down next to Ian.

    "Yes, I do." Mae said with a nod as she took her seat across Mien.

    "Mien." She said as she looked the man in the eyes. "We found your mom."

    Mien was shocked as he looked at Mae with disbelief, he never thought he would be hearing those words so soon.

 Chapter 776 - 776

    "I thought everyone had been looking for her for years, how is it possible that you were able to find her in a matter of months?" Mien asked as he was in a state of shock.

    "We didn''t look for her." Mae announced, shocking everyone in the room. "She came looking for us."

    "What?" Cedric asked, he was confused by what Mae meant.

    "It seemed that she and Fernando still kept in touch somehow." Mae exined. "I know we looked into all of Fernando''s records but found nothing, but I think he had someone helping him get messages to her."

    "So she went looking for us because the messages stopped?" Cedric asked, assuming that was why she contacted them.

    "Yes and no." Mae said tentatively.

    "You better start exining." Cedric told Mae as he crossed his arms on his chest. She was being very confusing.

    "Before Fernando had died he sent Mien''s mother, Marisa, a letter about meeting their children and how if he were to go missing, she should contact me or Mien." Mae said as she bit he lip.

    "Mae, what do you mean her children?" Cedric asked as he looked Mae directly in the eyes. He had a suspicion but he didn''t want to dare jump into conclusions.

    "I don''t-" Mae tried to say as her hand shook. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and calmed herself. "I don''t know, Cedric. I''m not sure what Fernando or Marisa meant by that, I''m just repeating the message."

    "Go on." Cedric said with a nod as he ignored the other question in his mind temporarily.

    "She told me that she hadn''t received a letter from her husband in a while, and she knew it only meant one thing, that he had died. That''s why she contacted me." Mae said as everyone''s eyes continued to look at her.

    "I mean, I can see a resemnce." Ian said, breaking the silence.

    "Miss Lara, do you know anything about this?" Cedric asked as he turned to look at Mien''s adoptive mother.

    "I can''t say for sure if she is Fernando''s and Marisa''s daughter." Lara said as she observed Mae closely. "I lost contact with Marisa when we moved to Singapore, I''m not sure if my husband kept in touch with her. Back then we had to take Mattias out of the country because Fernando told us to."

    "Did Fernando tell you why you had to leave?" Cedric asked.

    "No, just that people who were way more powerful than we could imagine would want to get their hands on his son. They didn''t know about his daughter, just his son." Lara exined.

    "Is there any chance that you have all of your husband''s belongings? Maybe there is something there?" Ian asked Lara.

    "It''s possible, but I''m not sure." Lara said tentatively.

    They were all surprised when Cedric suddenly began tough like a mad man.

    "Why am I so stupid?" Cedric asked as he pulled out his phone and shook his head. He quickly tapped on it and called someone.

    "Hello? Cedric? What''s up?" Miguel asked over the phone.

    "I need another DNA test done." Cedric told Miguel in a serious tone.

    "Why? Wasn''t the test on Mien enough?" Miguel asked.

    "It''s not for Mien." Cedric told him. "Fernando had another child aside from Mien."

    "Oh, you found her?" Miguel asked.

    "She''s been with us the whole time." Cedric grinned at his assistant who was now clearly anxious.

    "Not again." Miguel grumbled. "You get way too lucky with these things. It''s Mae, isn''t it?" Miguel asked.

    "Probably, we won''t know for sure until we do a DNA test and the resultse back confirming a DNA match." Cedric told his friend.

    "I''ll send a team over right away." Miguel promised as he dropped the call.

    "A DNA test is the fastest and most guaranteed way of finding out if you really are rted." Cedric announced. "Miguel is sending out a team to collect samples."

    "Mae, are you alright?" Mien asked as he looked up at Mae.

    "I''m just in shock. I don''t know what to think or feel. I don''t even know if I want this to be true." Mae said as she began to sob.

    "Don''t worry Mae, it''s going to be alright." Mien said as he tried tofort his supposed sister.

    "What if I be hopeful that the results are positive and ites out negative?" Mae asked through her sobs. "I''ve always wanted to meet my family, what if I be hopeful only for that family to be taken away from me."

    Ian ced a hand on Mae''s back as he tried tofort her.

    "Mae, no matter what the results are, Cedric, Dave, Cami, and I will always be here for you. We will be the family that you need." Ian said in aforting tone.

    "And it''s not like you can get rid of me." Mien said with a chuckle. "Whether or not we are siblings, biologically, I already think of you as my sister."

    "Isn''t it disgusting that you attempted to hit on your sister?" Dave asked as he entered the room.

    Cedric had quickly sent him a message, filling him in on what had happened and telling him to join them tofort Mae.

    When Mae saw Dave, she quickly got up and ran into his arms, hugging him tightly.

    Her actions caught him by surprise, it was the first time she was showing any form of affection in front of Cedric and Ian.

    "Don''t worry, Mae. You''ll always have us." Dave said as he kissed the top of her head and held her tightly.

    "As much as I would hate to ruin this moment, Dave, I need to ask Mae something." Cedric said as Dave gave him a weak smile and released his girlfriend from his arms.

    "Yes boss?" Mae asked as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

    "When can we talk to Marisa Benitez?" Cedric asked as he brought the conversation back on topic.

    "She said she can meet as soon as we are ready." Mae said as she recalled her conversation with the woman who could possibly turn out to be her mother.

    "Are both of you ready?" Cedric asked Mae and Mien.

    The pair looked at each other and nodded.

    "Yes." They said at the same time, making Daveugh.

    "Set a dinner meeting for tomorrow. I''ll try to convince Miguel if we can have the DNA results by tomorrow." Cedric informed them. "As soon as you are done giving your DNA specimens you can all go.. It''s been a long day and we all deserve the rest."

 Chapter 777 - 777

    As soon as the DNA samples were taken from Mien and Mae, Cedric had let everyone go home.

    It had been a tiring day for all of them and Cedric understood that they needed to rest.

    Even the following day, Cedric decided to have everyonee in in the afternoon. They needed a break.

    Luckily, in contrast to the past few days, there was not much that needed to be done. Cedric had a few meetings here and there, but that was all.

    As the day came to an end, Cedric decided to invite his sister, brother-inw, and wife to their dinner with Marisa Benitez.

    Yoyo on the other hand would spend the night with Emilio Reyes and Cedric''s Grandparents in the old Reyes Mansion.

    "Where are we having dinner? Nouveau or Bamboo Room?" Cedric asked Mae as he had allowed her to make all the necessary arrangements for the night.

    "I initially nned for itt at Nouveau, but as soon as you invited Ray and Ayanna, his assistant called and told me that Ray had reserved the whole restaurant for us." Mae said with a frown.

    "I really don''t like it when he does this." Cedric grumbled, shaking his head. "I guess it will be a waste if we ignore his efforts. Have you sent a car to fetch Mrs. Benitez?" Cedric asked.

    He had consciously been avoiding calling her Mae''s mom or Mien''s mom since they still wanted to run a DNA test to be sure. But with Lara around Cedric doubted that a DNA test would be needed.

    "Yes, I''ll also be fetching Mien and Lara, while Dave picks up Max and his mother." Mae said with a nod.

    "How about you, how are you feeling?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "Worried, scared, I don''t know." Mae said with a shrug. "I''m just feeling so many emotions at the same time it just ends up confusing me."

    Cedric frowned at her confession, he knew she was going through a lot, that''s why he had initially let her take the day off. He even offered to let Dave take the day off so that he could be with her, but the couple refused.

    "I told you to rest today, you and Dave could have spent time together." Cedric told Mae with a frown.

    "I know, but if I stayed at home my mind would keep pacing back and forth between my adoptive parents and my biological parents. I just want to keep myself busy." Mae said.

    "Alright, it''s your choice." Cedric said with a nod as he allowed her to leave.

    He called his wife to check up on her and to see if he and Ian could pick her up.

    Adrianna told him that she would be done in five minutes, so Cedric called for Ian and told him to prepare to leave.

    Dave and Mae had already gone ahead since they still needed to fetch some of their guests.

    As Cedric passed by Ayanna''s office, he noticed that his sister had already left as well.

    "The struggles of being the CEO, too many documents to sign." Ian teased as he showed up next to Cedric.

    "It wasn''t a busy day, just a long one." Cedric said with augh as they walked together towards the elevator.

    "Who do you think Marisa Benitez will look like, Mien or Mae?" Cedric asked as they got in the elevator.

    "Mae, probably Mae. Mien looks more like Fernando and his family, Mae''s skin is much lighter and her hair is a different color, although their features are somewhat alike." Ian told Cedric as he thought of Cedric''s question.

    "I think they might both look more like Marisa." Cedric said as he thought of the simr features between Mien and Mae.

    "Well, we''ll know when we meet her." Ian said as he held the elevator door open for Cedric.

    Today, Cedric had chosen to pass through R Tower''s main lobby rather than go straight to the basement. He knew it was important for the employees to see him and somewhat interact with him as well.

    As they passed, the crowd parted mainly because of Cedric, but others were gently asked to move aside by Cedric''s bodyguards.

    Cedric could see as the employees whispered among themselves as he walked past them. This was something he was never going to get used to, the fact that people practically treated him as a celebrity.

    He even noticed some employees take out their phones and try to snap photos of him. He tried not to smile as he found it quite amusing, in Cedric''s eyes he was just an ordinary person.

    The drive from R Tower to Ind''s Inc. was quick. And when Cedric arrived Adrianna was already waiting in the lobby.

    She quickly got in the car as her security detail joined Cedric''s as they drove to the Bamboo room.

    When they got to the restaurant in the outskirts of the city, Cedric was surprised to find it empty. In the past, whenever Ray had the ce closed for them, there would be members of the press, or patrons waiting outside, wanting to catch a glimpse of Ray and his guests.

    Today it was just peaceful.

    "This is odd." Adrianna pointed out as she looked around. "Usually there are paparazzi lined up. Did we do something to confuse people?"

    Cedric looked at Ian and wondered if his assistants had done something without his knowledge.

    "This wasn''t us." Ian said as he shook his head.

    As they entered the gates, there was only one car inside, Ray''s favorite sports car.

    Cedric made a mental note to scold his brother-inw about not bringing bodyguards, especially now that they should be on high alert due to two different threats.

    As they climbed out of the car, Ray and Ayanna came out of the restaurant holding hands.

    "Odd, isn''t it?" Ray asked with a grin.

    "What did you do?" Cedric asked. "It''s never this peaceful."

    "Bamboo Room has been under renovation for a week, it was justpleted yesterday." Ray exined. "I was nning on inviting you over for dinner, but then you invited us. So I decided to justbine the two."

    "This is a different matter though." Cedric pointed out.

    "It''s a family reunion, what better way to celebrate the renovation." Ray said with a smile.

    Their attention was soon diverted as the gates to Bamboo Room opened once more. This time a ck van rolled in.

    Cedric knew that this wasn''t Dave''s or Mae''s car, so it could only mean one thing, it was Marisa Benitez.

 Chapter 778 - 778

    The car came to a stop in front of Cedric''s group with the driver quickly running to open the door.

    He gave a slight bow as he passed Cedric, remembering to give respect to his boss.

    Before the driver could even open the door, it opened on it''s own, and a small plumpdy, with brown wavy hair stepped out.

    She was dressed simply and had an anxious expression on her face as she looked at Cedric and his group.

    "Marisa Benitez?" Cedric asked as he took a step towards her.

    "Yes, Mr. Reyes." Marisa said with a nervous nod as she looked at Cedric. "Sorry, I recognized you from your photos online, you are better looking in person." She praised.

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a smile as he pulled Adrianna gently towards him.

    "This is my wife, Adrianna." Cedric said as he introduced her to the woman. "And with us is my sister, Ayanna, and her husband Ray." Cedric said as he gestured towards the couple behind him.

    "A pleasure." Marisa said in a small voice, she was clearly nervous to meet Cedric''s group.

    "And this man over here." Cedric said as he pointed towards Ian. "Is my good friend and head assistant, Ian Lim."

    "Nice to meet you." Ian said as he shed thedy a smile.

    "You''re her boss. The one that trained her?" Marisa asked Ian.

    "Well I''m not Mae''s boss, Cedric is Mae''s boss." Ian said with augh. "We are co-workers." He said with a shrug.

    "Are my children around?" Marisa asked as she looked to her left and right, trying to spot Mae or Mien.

    "No, not yet, but they are on their way." Ian said with a sweet smile. "Why don''t we head inside and wait for them?" Ian asked as he offered his arm out for Marisa to take.

    Marisa smiled and hooked her arm on Ian''s as they followed Cedric and his group into the building.

    As they entered, Cedric was caught by surprise by the renovations that Ray had done. The roof was now a ss dome, from which you could see the stars above.

    Ray had also updated and modernized the look of the dining area, making it look fresher and more modern. He had also toned down the colors in the room. Changing it from it''s old mainly red and yellow theme, to a blue, brown, and green theme.

    "Wow, I like what you''ve done with the ce." Cedricplemented as they walked up to the only table that had been made ready.

    "Veronica did it of course." Ray said with a grin. "As if I could have hired anyone else." He added with a chuckle.

    "You wouldn''t have wanted anyone else to do it either." Ayanna said as she shook her head. Exposing her husband.

    "Please, take your seats." Ray gestured as he let Cedric sit at the head of the table.

    Ray sat to his right, while Adrianna sat to his left.

    "Mrs. Benitez, I would be honored if you sat next to me." Adrianna told the older woman as she gestured towards the empty seat next to her.

    "Mrs. Reyes, I wouldn''t dare." Marisa said as she was stunned that such an important person would invite her to sit next to them.

    It was the equivalent of a princess or a queen treating their subjects as their equal. Adrianna was probably one of the most respected women in the country, and just sitting on the same table with her was near impossible.

    "Honey, maybe you should let Marisa sit next to Mae and Mien when they arrive. Or even just next to Lara." Cedric suggested when he noticed how ufortable Marisa seemed to be with the thought of sitting next to Adrianna.

    "I''ll keep herpany while we wait." Ian said with a smile.

    "Lara?" Marisa suddenly said. "My sister-inw Lara is here too?" Her voice was now shaking in shock.

    "Marisa?" A voice suddenly called from behind, making Marisa turn.

    Cedric watched as Lara ran over and hugged Marisa as both women began to cry.

    "Lara, Terry, I saw him then the next day he was gone." Marisa cried out as she let all her emotionse all at once.

    "I know Marisa, I know." Lara said as she hugged her sister-inw and cried as well. "It was all so sudden, we didn''t even know he was sick."

    "Lara, he wasn''t sick, Terry was healthy. Terry has always been healthy." Marisa told Lara.

    "Marisa, I don''t understand." Lara said as she looked at her sister-inw in shock. She looked at Marisa as if she was spouting nonsense.

    "She doesn''t know?" Marisa asked as she turned to face Cedric.

    "No, she doesn''t." It wasn''t Cedric that answered her, it was Mien.

    During her tearful reunion with Lara, he and Mae had walked over, while Dave showed Max and his mother to their seats.

    "Mattias?" Marisa asked as she looked at Mien with tearful eyes.

    She then nced at Lara, who simply nodded, confirming that Mien and Mattias were indeed that same person.

    Mien hesitated and nced at his adoptive mother.

    "Don''t worry." Lara said as she gave Mien aforting smile. "She sent you away to protect you. You should have been reunited years ago."

    "Mattias!" Marisa said as she cupped her son''s face in her hands and started to cry. "You look just like him." She said as she gently caressed Mien''s face.

    It seemed that Mien slowly let the emotions flow as tears fell from his eyes.

    "I never thought that a part of me was missing until now." Mien said as he began to cry.

    He hugged his mother and pulled his adoptive other into the hug as they all weeped.

    After a few moments, Mien realized that there was someone else that needed to be introduced to Marisa.

    He turned and gestured for Mae to join them.

    Mae looked at the happy family in front of her. They seemed satisfied,plete, at that point she wasn''t even sure if she was Mien''s sister, so she shook her head, refusing to join the family.

    Mien frowned at her refusal but didn''t say a word.

 Chapter 779 - 779

    As Mien finally released his mother and adoptive mother from his arms, Marisa couldn''t help but nce at Mae.

    She had clearly noticed Mien looking back at the woman so she was puzzled as to who Mae was.

    "Are you alright?" Dave asked Mae as he came up beside Mae and gently squeezed her hand.

    "I''m afraid." Mae whispered as she noticed Maria turn her attention back to Mien. "What if I hope that she is my biological mother and the resultse out negative."

    "Do you want her to be your mother?" Dave asked Mae.

    "I would love to find my biological family again, but we both know that it''s unlikely." Mae said with a frown she felt Dave wrap his arms around her shoulder and hug her tightly.

    "Won''t the boss get mad?" Mae asked as she leaned back on Dave, findingfort in his arms.

    "You forget that Cedric Reyes is a hopeless romantic." Dave whispered as he chuckled. "Plus he was the one who sent me over to you. He said you might need emotional support, and he was not wrong." Dave said as he nted a kiss on her head.

    "Thank you." Mae said as she looked up at Dave and smiled.

    "Why don''t we join them now?" Dave asked as he held Mae''s hand and led her to the table

    "Here." Adrianna said to the couple as she pointed at the seat next to her.

    Mae and Dave would never dare refuse Adrianna''s offer for them to sit next to he, so they obliged.

    In the end, Dave sat in between Adrianna and Mae, while next to Mae sat Marisa.

    Dave could feel as Mae tensed up as she settled into her seat. He reached for her hand and gently caressed it.

    "Marisa." Max, who was sitting across from Marisa called out her name as he gave her a gentle smile.

    "Max, it''s amazing to see you again." Marisa said as she smiled back.

    "Mom and I looked everywhere for you and your children, but we never found you. Why would you hide?" Max asked with a frown as he spoke for both himself and his mother.

    "Fernando and I had to hide, all of us had to be separated." Marisa said with a frown. "I didn''t understand it at first too, but when we were attacked the first time I knew that Fernando wasn''t exaggerating."

    "Attacked?" Cedric asked as he gave Marisa a curious nce.

    "Yes Mr. Reyes. Attacked." She said with a nod.

    "When did this happen? Did you know who was behind it?" Ceric asked as he leaned forward to hear her answer better.

    "I only know why they wanted us dead, but only myte husband knew the details, like who was after us and where he had hidden the child." Marissa confessed.

    "They were after Andrew?" Cedric asked.

    "Andrew Chan? Yes." Marisa confirmed with a nod. "My husband died with a secret we may never know. He said he couldn''t tell a soul for the child, no he must be a grown man now, for the man''s safety."

    "My father said that Andrew Chan died, that they searched far and wide for him and failed." Cedric exined to Marisa in the hopes that she had new information for them.

    "I remember when they came to visit me years ago." Marisa said as she looked at a distance as she recalled the past. "Do you remember that day Lara?" She asked her sister-inw.

    Lara nodded.

    "It was the day things started to fall apart." Lara said with a frown.

    "Mr. Reyes, I''m sure your father and your father''s friends are all good men, but the moment they visited us our lives took a turn for the worst." Marisa exined. "They were looking for Andrew Chan, but we were told to tell anyone and everyone that came searching for the child that he had died"

    "But he hadn''t." Cedric pointed out.

    "No." Marisa said, shaking her head as she frowned. "At that time, Andrew Chan was safe and sound with my husband in Italy while I was with my brother, sister-inw, and two children."

    "Your father and his friends were persistent Mr. Reyes." Lara said with a chuckle. "They came back every week trying to convince us to tell them the truth. Of course, every time they visited, we lied."

    "We told them that my husband had left me and my children for some whore in Italy and that we hadn''t heard from him in months, and yet your father refused to believe me." Marisa said, shaking her head.

    Cedric noticed that as Marisa told her story, she kept sneaking nces at Mae. She seemed to be hoping that her story would trigger a memory for her daughter to acknowledge her.

    He frowned at the sight. He knew that Mae was only resisting so that she wouldn''t get her hopes up in case the DNA test results came out negative.

    "One day, your father and another man came back, it was just them and they looked distressed." Marisa recalled. "He looked a little bit like him." Marisa said as she pointed at Ray.

    "It was probably my dad." Ray said with a nod.

    "They came by and they seemed bothered by something. They told us to be careful, that others were now looking for us too and that we should hide." Marisa recalled. "They gave my brother papers and a new identity, while they told me to hide with my daughter. It was a good thing we listened to them." Marisa said with a sad expression.

    "It was two days after we left our old town that we heard the news." Lara continued for Marisa. "The whole town was massacred, men, women, children, no one was spared."

    "That was when we realized that this was no ordinary matter. I sent Mien with Lara and Terry as they sought a new life elsewhere while I took my daughter with me." Marisa exined. "We lived deeper and deeper in the provinces, we kept moving. Terry and Fernando woulde to visit us but we needed to be careful."

    Marisa closed her eyes as she recalled what had happened.

    "One day both Terry and Fernando stopped visiting and I lost my daughter." As Marisa said this a tear fell from her eye. Cedric could see the pain in her expression as she recalled losing her daughter.

    "Marisa, what was your daughter''s name?" Ian dared to ask.

    "It was Mae.." She said.

 Chapter 780 - 780

    Cedric could see as his assistant froze next to Marisa.

    He nodded at Marisa''s words.

    What happened next surprised everyone who hadn''t known Marisa in the past.

    She turned and faced Mae.

    "In Fernando''sst two letters, he told me he met both of our children." Marisa said as she struggled not to tear up. "He told me that he had found both, one going by the name of Mien, and the other kept her name, Mae."

    "I don''t know -" Mae began to say, but she stopped abruptly as Marisa shook her head.

    "I know you aren''t sure if you are mine and Fernando''s daughter, and even I don''t want to get my hopes up." Marisa exined. "There have been so many times where I thought I found my daughter, only to realize it wasn''t her."

    Mae gave Marisa a slight smile, she was surprised that the olderdy who was possibly her mother didn''t push her to ept it.

    "I have been hurt by false hope so many time." Marisa said as he voice broke. "But I will never give up on finding my daughter. Will you take a DNA test with me?" Marisa asked.

    "There is no need." Cedric said from the head of the table.

    "What do you mean?" Marisa asked as she nced at Cedric. "With all due respect, Mr. Reyes, a DNA test is the most definitive way for us to find out if she is my Mae."

    Cedricughed at how brave Marisa was being at this moment. She was different from the shy woman who had arrived earlier.

    "I''m sorry about my sister-inw, Mr. Reyes." Max said with a frown as he nced at Marisa. "She has the tendency not to care who she is speaking to."

    "No, I just find it funny, no harm done." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "Marisa, Mrs. Benitez, the reason why my brother said a DNA test is no longer needed is because we had already conducted one for Mae and Mien, well Mattias as you call him." Ayanna said with a smile.

    Cedric had of course updated his sister on everything going on with Mae and Mien.

    Marisa''s jaw dropped at the news as she looked to her left and right when Mien and Mae were seated.

    "Have. . .Have the resultse out?" Marisa asked nervously.

    "No, not yet." Mien answered as he held her hand as if trying tofort his biological mother.

    "We''re still waiting for the result." Mae exined. "We sent the samples out to Saints Hospital yesterday and we should get the results today or tomorrow."

    At the mention of Saints Hospital, Marisa froze.

    "Mom?" Mien called out.

    "What''s wrong?" Mae asked as she looked at Marisa.

    "Don''t trust them." Marisa said as she shook her head. "They are the reason our family got separated, because Fernando took that job from Miguel Chan. That bastard!"

    "Marisa." Lara said with a gentle tone as she tried to calm her sister-inw down.

    "Don''t do that Lara, they are the reason Fernando is dead, the reason Terry is dead!" Marisa shouted. "Terry and Fernando were both in perfect health and yet both of them suddenly dropped dead. Don''t you think it''s suspicious?"

    Everyone remained silent around the table, Cedric couldn''t me her for hating the Chan family.

    "They ruined our lives! The ripped us apart, we haven''t seen each other in decades and now that we''ve all met up two of us are dead!" Marisa shouted as she began to cry. "I''ve missed Fernando so much. If it weren''t for that bastard Miguel Chan, he would be here with his children!"

    "Woah, woahdy, I have no idea who you are and yet you are cursing at me." Miguel said with a grin as he walked into the restaurant towards the table.

    It seemed he had rushed straight from the hospital as he was still wearing hisb gown and had his sses on. Cedric knew for a fact that Miguel preferred wearing contacts when he was not at work.

    "Do you have it?" Cedric asked as Miguel joined them, dragging a seat over.

    "Hey! Careful, everything is new!" Ray scolded Miguel.

    "Of course I know it''s new, dumbass. My wife designed everything here." Miguel said as he rolled his eyes.

    Cedric nced at Marisa who wore a very confused expression on her face.

    "I''m assuming my father never brought Miguel''s father along when he would visit you guys." Cedric said.

    "His father?" Marisa asked as she gave Cedric a curious look.

    "She was cursing at your uncle." Cedric told Miguel before turning his attention back to Marisa.

    "His father is Raphael Chan, older brother of Miguel Chan. Actually his name is also Miguel Chan." Cedric exined to Marisa.

    At the mention of Miguel''s rtion to the Chan family, Marisa turned pale.

    "Rx, I won''t hurt you." Miguel said as he rolled his eyes. "As a matter of fact Miss Marisa, I have the results of a test, I bet you are dying to see."

    "That was fast." Cedric pointed out.

    "I had it prioritized." Miguel said with a shrug. As he handed Cedric a sealed envelope with the Saints Hospital logo on it.

    Cedric looked at it and nodded at his friend, thanking him.

    "Mae, this is for you. I think you should be the one to open it." Cedric told his assistant as he handed the sealed envelope to her.

    Dave reached out and handed it to Mae.

    Cedric could see how her hands shook, she was clearly nervous and afraid.

    Dave quickly took Mae''s hands in his and held it as he rubbed her hand with his thumbs, trying his best tofort her.

    "Don''t be scared, no matter what the results I will always be here for you." Dave said in a low voice as he tried to boost Mae''s confidence.

    Mae took a deep breath and nodded.

    "I haven''t seen the results either." Miguel whispered to his friends. "So I''m just as anxious as you guys."

    "Shhh!" Ayanna scolded Miguel as Mae slowly opened the envelope and took out the document inside.

    Everyone held their breath as Mae read the results of the DNA test.

    Her eyes scanned the document several times before she finally looked up towards Miguel''s direction. Confusion clearly painted on her face.

    "Mae?" Dave asked as he held her hand, trying his best to show that he supported her.

    "Dr. Chan." Mae said.

    "Yes Mae?" Miguel asked.

    "I have no idea what this document says.." Mae admitted making Cedric put his hand on his face out of annoyance.

 Chapter 781 - 781

    Miguel chuckled as he waved for Mae to hand the document over to him.

    "You knew she wouldn''t be able to understand it, didn''t you?" Cedric asked as he rolled his eyes at his friend.

    "Not really." Miguel said with a shrug. "I never know what your assistants are capable of. They tend to be these bundles of talents and skills."

    "I just pick them well." Cedric said with a grin.

    "Please, we both know Ian and Cami were selected by your dad." Ray said with a smirk.

    "No, not really." Ayanna said as she came to her brother''s defense. "Dad hired them and pretended to do their interviews, but it was Cedric that found them."

    "What?" Ian asked Cedric as his jaw dropped. "I thought our first meeting was at Mor Co.! Bastard." Ian hissed.

    "We''re getting too far off topic." Cedric told his friends as he looked at Miguel. "What are the results doc?"

    "Don''t patronize me Mr. Big Cold CEO." Miguel teased back.

    Cedric gave him a smirk before nodding, gesturing for him to go give the news to Mae, Mien, and Marisa.

    "Based on the test results, Mae and Mien are siblings." Miguel announced, to which Mae began to sob.

    "It''s tears of joy." Dave exined as he let Mae cry into his chest.

    "Mom?" Mae asked as she looked at Marisa with a smile.

    "Yes, my beautiful daughter. I''m so sorry we got separated but I couldn''te back for you right away. If I did, they would have killed you." Marisa said as she cupped Mae''s face in her hands.

    "Mom." Mae said as she continued to cry. "Dave, I have a family."

    "I know Mae, I know." Dave said as he smiled at his girlfriend.

    "I have a mom, a brother, and aunt, an uncle, and a grandmother." Mae said as she continued to cry, allowing for all the pent up emotions to flow.

    Mien stood up and walked over to Mae and hugged her tight.

    "No wonder we got along so well." He said with a chuckle. "I''m so happy we are siblings."

    "Me too Mien, me too." Mae said with a nod. "Or should I call you Mattias."

    Mien hesitated, unsure of what he should say. For most of his life he had been called Mien. He didn''t even remember the time he had been called Mattias.

    "Whichever you are morefortable with, choose that." Marisa said with a nod.

    "I''ll need to think about it." Mien said with a smile. He was d that his biological mother did not insist that he use his name at birth. Mien was happy that she was giving him the power to choose.

    "Mom, what happened?" Mae asked Marisa. "Why did we get separated?"

    Marisa closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

    "You were five, your brother, aunt, and uncle had already moved to Singapore while your father was in Texas hiding out." Marisa exined as she recalled the memory as if it was just yesterday.

    "They had been getting closer and closer over the years, so we were, at this point, living in the jungle. We would onlye out to go to the market to buy what we needed for the next two months." Marisa told them. "While we were in the market I spotted one of them and needed to shake them off."

    Cedric watched as a tear fell from Marisa''s eye. Clearly the pain was still quite strong, Cedric couldn;t imagine what it would have been like to lose a child like that. He couldn''t imagine losing Yoyo or any of his unborn offspring.

    "I left you at a stall and hid you, I ran and caught their attention." Marisa said in a distressed tone. "They chased me out of the market. I sought refuge with some of the locals. I told them my ex-husband had sent the men and I needed to hide. They were nice enough to let me stay till I saw the men give up."

    "As soon as I was sure that it was safe I went back to the market." Marisa exined. "I was so worried because it was already dark. When I got there, you were gone. I asked the woman who had owned the stall and she told me some men had taken you. I was so scared that the men I had just escaped managed to capture you."

    Marisa began to cry even more as she recalled her fear that day.

    "I was so scared when I lost you, I felt that I would lose my mind too. I sent a letter to Fernando and Terry, telling them that I thought you had been kidnapped and that you would be used against us." Marisa told them. "When no one threatened us with your life I feared that you had died."

    "I was found mom. I was found and brought to an orphanage." Mae said as hugged her mother. It was her turn tofort the older woman. "Mom, you protected me and I lived a good life. My adoptive parents were the best. They took care of me and treated me as their own."

    "I should have just left you at home that day. I usually leave you at home." Marisa said as she continued to cry.

    "Mom, it''s all in the past." Mae said as she patted Marisa''s back.

    "Your father, he never lost hope. He told me that you couldn''t be dead. He said someone simply found you." Marisa told Mae. "And he was right, Mae, he was right. When he found you he risked everything to send me that letter, it might have even gotten him killed."

    "As much as I hate to ruin this reunion, Marisa, who were they? Who was after you?" Cedric asked.

    "We never found out." Marisa said as she shook her head. "After a few years the encounters became less and less, that''s why Fernando or Terry would sometimese home. They would visit me and look for Mae."

    "Did Fernando know who it was?" Cedric asked.

    "He might have. He didn''t tell me everything, even where he had hidden Andrew Chan was a secret he took to the grave."

    "The letters." Mae said as she turned and looked at Cedric. "Maybe Fernando, no, my dad left some clues in the letters." Mae said as she adjusted to referring to Fernando as her father.

    "Mom, did you keep his letters?" Mien asked Marisa.

    "Yes." Marisa said with a nod.

    "Mom, we''ll need to see those letters.." Mae told Marisa with a new found determination in her voice.

 Chapter 782 - 782

    "Mom, this way." Mae said as she guided her mom into her unit.

    Cedric had offered to give Marisa a ce to stay in the famous Sire Towers. At first Marisa had tried to turn down Cedric''s offer, but Cedric was very insistent.

    He exined how he wanted her to stay in a ce where she could be kept safe, where there was ample security. He used Mae and Mien as an excuse to give her her own ce in Sire.

    "Wow, this ce is even bigger than my house!" Marisa eximed as she walked into the living room. "Mr. Reyes provides quite well."

    "Working for the Reyes Group is the best thing to have ever happened to me mom." Mae said with a smile as she walked over to the kitchen counter and took out a set of keys.

    "So, mom, you have a choice, Mr. Reyes asked me to give you a unit, but for the night since it''s quite bare, you can stay with me or Mien." Mae exined.

    "How bare is bare?" Marisa asked. "Because I''m used to living with as little things as possible."

    "Mom, that can change now." Mae told her mother. "Why don''t we take you to look at the apartment, then you can decide."

    "Alright." Marisa said with a nod.

    "Mom, before anything, I''m pretty sure you figured out that Dave is my boyfriend." Mae said in a shy tone.

    "Anyone could tell that, especially with the way you two interacted earlier. I''m surprised Mr. Reyes didn''t scold you." Marisa said with augh.

    "We aren''t normally that showy with our rtionship." Mae told her mother as she blushed. "Do you want tea or coffee mom? We need to wait for Dave, he said he would apany us."

    "Coffee." Marisa said with a smile.

    "One coffeeing right up." Mae said in an eager tone as she walked over to the kitchen.

    Marisa followed her, curious as to what the rest of the unit looked like. When they entered the kitchen, Mae heard Marisa gasp in shock.

    "This ce is huge!" Marisa eximed as she looked around.

    "You can explore it mom, I''ll just make coffee for the both of us." Mae called out as she walked over to the coffee machine and began to prepare their drinks.

    Marisa walked around the dining room and kitchen, touching the counter and looking at the very high tech appliances in the room.

    "So how serious are you and Dave?" Marisa asked as she finally moved towards the counter and sat down on a stool.

    "Well, we''ve been together for a year now and yes we''ve talked about the future." Mae said as she poured a cup of coffee for her and her mom. "Luckily his family isn''t traditional and they will let him marry for love." Mae exined as she ced the cups on a tray.

    "Hees from a rich family?" Marisa asked her daughter as Mae carried the tray with two cups of coffee on it.

    Mae gently ced the tray down on the counter and served Marisa her cup.

    "Well, yes, he is here to train under Cedric." Mae told her mom as she ced the tray away and pulled the sugar and cream towards them. "Eventually he will have to leave and go back to his family to work for them."

    "Are you sure they will ept you?" Marisa asked her daughter. "I''ve heard stories about how cruel rich families can get when ites to poor inws."

    "I promise you, Mrs. Benitez, that will never happen to your daughter." Dave''s deep voice said as he entered the kitchen.

    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to assume that your family is like that." Marisa said as she looked down, she was embarrassed that Dave had heard her doubting his family.

    "No harm Mrs. Benitez." Dave said with a smile. "You only want what is best for your daughter, and I admire that."

    "Hey babe." Mae said as Dave walked over and pulled her into a hug.

    "We''ve been way too expressive of our rtionship today." Dave teased as he let her go. "Shall we take your mom to her apartment?" He asked as he offered his hand to Mae.

    "Sure." Mae said with a nod as she took a final sip of her coffee and left the cup on the table.

    Marisa gave her daughter a confused expression but said nothing.

    "Right, I guess I need to exin some things." Mae said as she scratched her head. "There were rumors in the past that Cedric, Mr. Reyes, the CEO, didn''t like his employees dating. So we kept our rtionship a secret at first."

    "So he is alright with the two of you being a couple?" Marisa asked as she pointed at the pair.

    "He has nothing against it as long as our work doesn''t suffer." Dave said with a nod.

    "That''s good, it seems the Reyes Group is quite progressive." Marisa said.

    "Yes, they are, mom." Mae told her mother. "Come on mom, let''s take a look at your ce and we can see what else I need to buy this weekend for you." Mae said as she pulled her mom out the door.

    "Wait what, buy me new stuff? Isn''t that expensive." Marisa said as they got into the elevator and Mae checked what floor her mother''s apartment would be at.

    "Don''t worry mom, I''m not the one paying for it." Mae said with augh as the elevator doors closed and it descended. "Cedric is paying for it since he made you move."

    "What? I can''t -" Marisa said as she was shocked by what her daughter had just told her.

    "Don''t worry Mrs. Benitez, Cedric is so rich that redecorating your apartment is like loose change to him." Dave said, shaking his head. "And even if he didn''t offer, I would have offered to pay for it myself."

    "Ooooh, mom, you''re on the same floor as Mien." Mae said as they stepped out of the elevator.

    She quickly went up to one of the doors and rang a doorbell.

    After a minute, Mien opened the door and was quite surprised to find Mae and his mother standing outside.

 Chapter 783 - 783

    "Mom, Mae, Dave, what are you guys doing here?" Mien asked as he stepped out of his apartment. "Shouldn''t you be showing mom her ce?"

    "Yep, it''s right next door." Mae said with a nod. "We were wondering if you and Aunt Lara would want to join us."

    "Let me check if Mo-, no, Aunt Lara wants to join us." Mien said as he quickly corrected himself, remembering that his aunt was not his biological mother.

    "You can call her mom, I don''t mind. I won''t be hurt." Marisa said as she reassured her son. "She raised you. She was more of a mother to you than I have ever been." She exined.

    "No mom." Mien said as he shook his head. "You did the hardest thing for a mother, you sent your own child away to protect me. I should call you mom."

    "We can both be your moms." Lara said as she came out of Mien''s apartment. "You don''t need to choose Mien. You can even call me aunt if you feel that is more appropriate."

    "No, I want to call both of you mom." Mien said as he pulled both women into his arms and hugged them tight.

    "I hate to break this mothers-son moment, but shall we look at the apartment?" Dave said as he pointed at the door next to Mien''s.

    "How many units are on this floor?" Lara asked as they walked over to Marisa''s apartment.

    "Well, this is a VIP floor, so ten rooms." Mae exined as she unlocked the door.

    "And how many are upied, I''ve never seen anyone on this floor." Mien said as he looked around the empty hallway.

    "Four, I think." Mae said as she entered the apartment followed by her family and Dave.

    "Including mine?" Mien asked.

    "Including yours and this one, now let''s see what mom will need to move in." Mae said as she walked around the apartment.

    Marisa gasped as she saw the size of the room, she looked around trying to take in everything about the ce.

    "It''s a four bedroom, ites with a kitchen and a dining room that''s fully equipped." Dave exined as he pointed at the kitchen to the right.

    "This is way too much." Marisa mumbled as they made their way through the room.

    "Oh, it looks like Ian already furnished this unit." Maemented as she looked around. "Well, of course it''s only semi-furnished. There are still some things that need updating. We should go to the mall this weekend." Mae said with a nod.

    "Sure." Dave replied.

    "Mae, I don''t need more things. This ce is bigger than the house I''m renting and I don''t have that much stuff." Marisa insisted.

    "But mom -." As Maeined someone knocked on the door.

    "I''ll get it." Dave told his girlfriend and her family as he walked over to check who it was.

    To his surprise it was the moving crew that he had dispatched to get all of Marisa''s belongings. He was surprised that they had finished so quickly.

    "Did you get everything?" Dave asked.

    "Yes, sir." The man that looked to be their supervisor said. "There wasn''t much in the house. We even checked hiding spots but found nothing."

    "Alright, bring everything in. We''ll ask the person that''s moving in where we should put her things." Dave said as he led the group inside.

    "Marisa, we had all of your things brought over, you can just tell them where to ce stuff." Dave called out as he approached Mae and her mother.

    "Wait, mom hasn''t even decided on which room will be her bed room." Mae grumbled. "Come on mom, let me show you the rooms." Mae said as she gently pulled her mother over to check each of the rooms.

    Eventually Marisa did pick the master bedroom and decided to turn two rooms into guest rooms while keeping the fourth room empty.

    "Maybe you should transform it into an entertainment room, mom." Mien suggested as the movers brought in all of Marisa''s things.

    "That''s too much Mattias." Marisa said as she shook her head. "Having a TV in my room and in the living room is already a luxury to me." She said with a frown.

    "I''ve survived without manyforts for years, this is already way more than I am used to." Marisa added as she noticed that her son was not exactly happy with her refusal to take a luxury.

    "Don''t worry, Mien." Dave said as he ced a hand on his shoulder. "Your sister was like that at first too. The thing is, the longer you spend with the Reyeses and their wealth, you realize that theseforts are nothing to them."

    "I hope you don''t abuse Cedric''s kindness." Mien said as he red at Dave.

    The assistant couldn''t help butugh, he often forgot how limited Mien''s knowledge was about him and his background.

    "Mien, I don''t take much from Cedric. At most it is my apartment and my sry. All other expenses are my own." Dave exined with a smile.

    "Mien doesn''t know." Mae said as she shook her head. "Mien, Davees from an extremely wealthy family, he is here to learn from Cedric."

    Mein''s jaw dropped at the news, making Dave and Maeugh.

    "It''s alright. I never wanted people to treat me differently anyway." He said with a shrug as thest members of the moving crew exited the apartment.

    As soon as the door closed, Marisa made her way to the master bedroom.

    "What is mom doing?" Mae asked as she tried to see from afar.

    She watched as Marisa took out a stack of envelopes from the dresser that the movers had brought over.

    Marisa paused and started at the envelopes in her hand. She ced it on her chest and hugged it.

    As she did this, Mae realized that these letters must have been the ones from her father, the ones Marisa had promised to show Cedric.

    After a while, Marisa finally joined them once more and handed Mae the stack of envelopes.

    "Those were all of your dad''s letters. From beginning to end." Marisa exined.

    "So before Andrew Chan was born?" Mae asked.

    "Yes, even before Andrew Chan was born. Back when your dad could stille home monthly." Marisa said with a smile as she recalled one of thest few happy moments in their lives.

    "Please give them to Cedric, if it will help." Marisa said with a smile as Mae took the crisp documents in her hand.

    "I hope we can find what we are looking for in these.." Mae said with a nod.

 Chapter 784 - 784

    Cedric sat in his office the next day, studying the letters Dave, Mae, and Mien had brought him. Some were already yellowed with age, and dated from over 30 years ago.

    "Some of these letters are older than the three of you." Cedric said as he picked one up and unfolded it.

    It was a letter from Fernando to his wife, telling her about his arrival in Italy.

    "Mom said she started keeping them from the moment Fern- no dad left the country." Mae told Cedric.

    Cedric could see how much of a struggle it actually was for Mae to adjust to calling Fernando her father. It was a much more difficult transition from calling Marisa her mother.

    He suspected that this was because of the fact that Mae had know Fernando before learning that they were father and daughter.

    "Your dad seemed to have loved your mom very much." Cedric said as he read through the letter. "And based on this he really didn''t want to leave her."

    "Did he tell mom why he had to apany Miguel Chan to Italy?" Mae asked as she brought Cedric a cup of hot coffee.

    Cedric thanked her and nodded.

    "He did, he actually told her upfront." Cedric told Mae. "ording to what your father wrote, he went there to help Miguel Chan''s wife because she was having a difficult pregnancy."

    "I''m hoping dad told mom more confidential information in their letters." Mien said as he took some of the letters from Cedric''s desk andid them out on the coffee table across the couches.

    "It seems that they had a very secure way of sending letters between each other." Dave noted. "We didn''t even know that Fernando was sending letters home, our investigations never showed that."

    "I find it odd that the records don''t even show him ever having been married or having kids." Cedric said as he ced down the document. "It also never showed himing home from Italy, but ording to your mom he woulde home quite frequently."

    "Yeah, and if he didn''te home, neither of us would have been born." Mae said with augh.

    "So someone powerful was helping him return." Dave said as he considered who would have that much influence.

    "I think it was uncle Benedicto and uncle Jose." Cedric told the group before him. "No one else has as much clout as that group."

    "Mr. Laurence would have been the one to arrange for the flights. While the President, even when he was younger, had enough influence in the government to have all of those documents hidden." Dave said as he considered the possibility.

    "But whoever was after Fernando and his family clearly had quite the influence." Cedric exined. "There are very few people that could get my father that worried, and you need to be someone with a lot of influence and a lot of money."

    "Could it have been the older generation?" Mae asked. "It was clear that grandpa Chan did not approve of his son dating someone from a different social ss."

    "It''s possible, but at that time my grandfather and his generation had taken a backseat to their sons. They weren''t as much of a threat anymore." Cedric said as he considered the theory.

    "Cedric." Ian said in a serious tone as he suddenly barged into Cedric''s office. "Uncle Emilio is in the lobby and he is furious."

    "Quick, hide the letters." Cedric told Dave, Mae, and Mien as he quickly gathered the papers on his desk and handed them to Dave to hide.

    Dave quickly ced them in an ordinary paper bag and walked out. Cedric suspected that he was going to hide the letters under his desk.

    "Mien, I''m sorry, but you will need to stay outside with Dave, pretend that you are old friends and that you came to visit him." Cedric instructed Mien, who quickly did as he asked.

    "Mae, Ian, take out the documents regarding thetest project for rin Industries. We were supposed to discuss that today anyway." Cedric instructed, sending Mae and Ian out of his office.

    He quickly started up hisptop and opened the documents regarding rin Industries.

    Cedric frowned as he looked at the document before him. It was thest file his mother had been working on before she passed away.

    He had been avoiding all of her projects, focusing on just the day to day operations which Ayanna was in charge of. He hadn''t realized how tough it would be getting through this project.

    "Here." Ian said as he handed Cedric a document, making Cedric jump in surprise. He quickly wiped the stray tear that had fallen from his eyes.

    "It''s alright, you know." Ian said as he made his way to the couch. "We all know you still miss her."

    "I haven''t fully epted her death yet." Cedric said with a frown as he looked at that document Ian had handed him.

    Soon, Mae came in with herptop in hand and settled on the couch across Ian.

    "Please make my dad some coffee." Cedric said as he continued to read the document.

    As Ian reached the coffee machine inside Cedric''s office, the doors swung open and they were faced with a furious Emilio Reyes.

    "I told you not to investigate Andrew Chan''s death." Emilio Reyes shouted at his son as his voice boomed across the office.

    Behind him Dave crept and closed the door. Cedric was sure that Ayanna could probably hear their father''s voice from her office and would soon join them as well.

    "I didn''t investigate Andrew Chan''s death." Cedric said in a calm tone as he countered his father''s angry one.

    "Then tell me, why is Marisa Benitez in Sire Towers?" Emilio said as he red at Cedric.

    Cedric took a deep breath and sighed.

    "Dad, you should take a seat, there is something you need to know." Cedric told Emilio as he got up and gestured for his father to join him on the couch.

    "I am not sitting down until you give me a proper exnation." Emilio Reyes insisted.

    "Mae, can you bring my father''s coffee here as well." Cedric asked.

    Mae nodded and got up, doing as Cedric asked.

    "Ian, please make a cup for my sister too." Cedric told Ian who was still standing by the coffee machine.

    "Cedric Reyes, you better exin yourself." Emilio told his son as he walked towards the couch. He seemed to ept that his son wouldn''t be telling him anything if he didn''t cooperate.

    Within a few minutes Ayanna knocked on the door and entered without waiting for an invitation toe in.

    "What did you do this time, Cedric?" Ayanna asked as she walked over to join her brother and father and sat across them.

    As Mae ced Emilio''s coffee in front of him, Cedric asked Mae to fetch Mien.

    Cedric could see the sh of worry in her eyes.

    "Rx, Cedric said. My dad won''t be mad." Cedric told Mae as he tried to calm her worries.

    Mae simply nodded and wordlessly left the room.

 Chapter 785 - 785

    "Dad, I''d like to introduce you to someone." Cedric told Emilio Reyes in a calm voice.

    "Oh so that''s what you messed up." Ayanna said with a sly grin as she looked at her brother. "I told you to tell him."

    "No, you didn''t Ayanna. You aren''t escaping this one. We are both to me." Cedric said as he red at his younger sister.

    Ayanna rolled her eyes in silent protest.

    "Dad, this is Mien, his birth name is Mattias Benitez." Cedric said as he introduced Mien.

    Emilio''s eyes went wide with shock as he realized that he had met this young man before, although he was too young to remember meeting the CEO.

    "Are you here looking for your mother and sister?" Emilio Reyes asked, knowing full well the family''s history.

    "No sir." Mien said, shaking his head. "My mom found me and I met my sister before I even knew she was my sister." Mien exined.

    "How did you meet Mattias, Cedric?" Emilio Reyes asked his son, as he eyed him suspiciously.

    "Well, that''s where the second part of my exnationes in." Cedric said with a grin.

    "You have to rx dad and not react too soon. Promise me." Cedric said in a stern tone.

    Emilio Reyes nodded and kept his mouth shut.

    "I sent Mae to our Singapore office to observe the market and see if we had some sort of opportunity in the country." Cedric exined. "That''s when she met a man named Fernando Benitez."

    "Do you know who Fernando Benitez is to the Chan family?" Emilio asked as he kept an eye out to see if his son would lie to him.

    "I do." Cedric said with a nod. "That''s why I flew to Singapore with the Chan siblings. You told us not to look for Andrew Chan, but a connection to him, one everyone thought to be dead, just so happened to show up in front of my assistant."

    Emilio nodded as he understood his son''s reasons.

    "I couldn''t let the opportunity pass us dad." Cedric exined.

    "Did you get to meet Fernando?" Emilio asked.

    "No dad. Fernando Benitez is dead." Cedric announced as he watched his father turn pale.

    "How? When?" He asked. "Those sted -" Emilio Reyes quickly caught himself before he could say anything that could implicate him any further, but it was toote.

    Cedric had caught on, his father knew that Fernando Benitez had been alive this whole time and he refused to admit it.

    "He died of a heart attack the day we arrived." Cedric said with a frown as he nced at Mien and Mae. "His wife thinks that there is foul y involved, both in his death and in his brother''s death."

    Emilio simply nodded.

    "How did Miene into the picture?" Emilio asked.

    "Fernando had left everything he owned to Mien and Mae, something we all found suspicious. He had only met both of them weeks before his death and yet he was leaving all his assets to tow strangers."

    Emilio Reyes listened intently as Cedric continued to tell the story.

    "What convinced us not to look too deeply into it was the fact that Fernando Benitez had not other friends, so it made sense to leave it to the only ones he was ever associated with." Cedric exined.

    "I am guessing there is more to this?" Emilio Reyes asked as he raised an eyebrow at his son.

    "Yes, we discovered that Fernando still had living rtives." Cedric exined.

    "That''s why you were in that province, you weren''t there for work, were you?" Emilio Reyes questioned his son.

    "Yes dad." Cedric replied with a nod. "At first our only goal was to return Fernando''s remains to his family, that''s it, but we discovered that Mien was in fact Fernando''s son."

    "So how did you find Marisa?" Emilio asked. "Did you just so happen to find her? She was hidden quite well."

    "She came to us, dad." Cedric exined. "Right before his death Fernando sent her onest letter to his wife, telling her about how he had found both of his children, and that if he didn''t make it she should contact one of them."

    "So she contacted Mien?" Emilio asked.

    "No, sir." Mae said, joining in on the conversation.

    Cedric gave Mae a smile and nodded, hoping to give her some sort of confidence. "She contacted me."

    "That means. . ." Emilio said as his voice trailed off. It was clear that the former CEO was trying to process the situation.

    "Yes, sir." Mae said with a nod. "I''m Marisa''s and Fernando''s daughter, and Mien is my older brother Mattias."

    "Marisa said you had gone missing." Emilio said with a smile. "I''m so happy to see that you turned out quite well."

    "Thank you, sir." Mae said with a smile.

    Cedric felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of his chest, he was worried that his father would be mad, but it seemed that he was actually happy.

    "So you aren''t looking into Andrew''s death?" Emilio asked his son in a stern tone.

    "No, but we are looking into Fernando''s and Terry''s deaths." Cedric confessed. "I know that you will be against it dad, but it''s the least I can do to help Mae and Mien."

    Emilio Reyes remained silent for a while before finally nodding in agreement.

    "Andrew''s death is not something you want to investigate, it will only bring you heartbreak." Emilio warned.

    "I know dad, you''ve told me more than once." Cedricined. "Don''t you trust me enough to believe that I will do as you say?"

    "No." Emilio Reyes said tly, making Ayannaugh.

    "You too Ayanna." Emilio Reyes added as he looked at his daughter. "You are both grown ups, you should be over the rebellious phase by now."

    "Yes dad." The siblings said at the same time.

    As they spoke, Dave suddenly entered Cedric''s office.

    "Sir, the news.." Dave said as he quickly walked over to the TV and switched it on.

 Chapter 786 - 786

    "Let''s go live to the airport as two very important business men from China have suddenlynded." A female news anchor said as the shot shifted from the studio to an image of two private nes parked on the tarmac.

    "We are here at the international airport as two very wealthy and very important businessmen from China have, without warning, arrived in the country." A male news reporter said as he gestured towards the nes behind him.

    "Ten minutes ago Guan Ming, China''s fastest growing billionaire, and Wu Jun, the fourth generation CEO of one of China''s oldestpanies, bothnded at the international airport." The reporter said as shots of the two nes were shown on screen.

    "Both men are known to rarely leave their own country, with Guan Ming being a very private individual, while Wu Jun is practically a celebrity." The reporter exined.

    "Do we know why they are here?" The female anchor asked as the screen split into two, the studio at the left and the airport at the right.

    "We have no confirmation yet." The reporter told the anchor. "But, from what we know, Mr. Guan Ming''spany Ming Enterprises, is one of thergest and fastest growing app and software developmentpanies in the world. It is possible that he is here to partner with Mor Co."

    "Has there been any statement from the Reyes Group?" The anchor asked.

    "No, the Reyes Group has been surprisingly quiet on the matter." The anchor said as he shook his head. "As you will recall, the Reyes Group and it''s CEO has been at the center of a legal battle with the Baron family who have recently been sentenced. It is possible that their attention is focused elsewhere."

    "Well, I don''t think it would be too shocking to find out that a partnership was brewing between two giants." The anchor added with a nod. "It won''t be the first time that the Reyes Group hasunched a big partnership out of the blue."

    "That''s right, if they will be partnering with Ming Enterprises, then this will be thergest news in the industry since Mor Co. was revealed to be a part of the Reyes Group." The reporter confirmed.

    "Well for our viewers that don''t know, Ming Enterprises are that big a deal in the tech industry." The anchor exined. "If Mor Co. and Ming Enterprises were to team up, they could take the international market by storm."

    "Yes, and if they do partner up, this will be the first international partnership that Mr. Guan Ming has ever entered. He is very nationalistic and wanted to grow hispany in China first before exploring the international market." The reporter exined.

    "Well, that''s a piece of news we know the international businessmunity is looking at." The news anchor said with a nod.

    "Right, we are sure there will be many questions in theing days and months. This trip was quite abrupt since just a few days ago the news broke out that he was dating actress and model Wei Lan Ling. Then all of a sudden he is here for no obvious reason." The reporter said with a confused look on his face.

    "What if he was just visiting for a vacation? I heard that he was quite curious about Kashmere, the local resort owned by Mr. Raymund Laurence." The anchor suggested.

    "I highly doubt that." The reporter said as he shook his head. "For those of you that don''t know, Kashmere Ind is the yground of the rich and famous. I''m not talking about local businessmen and celebrities, we are talking about Hollywood level A-listers."

    "Kashmere ind has its own airport, so there is no reason for any international guest to pass through the capital before heading to Kashmere if they are only on vacation." The reporter added.

    "Well, I guess we''ll just need to wait till he makes a formal announcement on why he is here." The anchor said. "How about Wu Jun? What do we know about this man."

    "So the Wu family of Shanghai owns Golden Fleece Inc., it is one of thergest and oldestpanies in China. They have businesses across all industries and Wu Jun is their current CEO." The reporter exined.

    "What reason could he possibly have for being in the capital as well?" The anchor asked.

    "Now this one is clearer." The reporter exined. "Wu Jun went to the same university as Lucius Ting of Arch Group. They are known associates and have done business in the past. It is highly likely that he is here to coborate with Lucius Ting once more."

    "Wow, I guess the local tech wars are really getting heated." The anchormented.

    "That it is, if the big guns areing in then we can expect that both the Reyes Group and Arch Group will be giving this war their all." The reporter said with a nod.

    "Thank you for that, we will be back after this break as we wait for business tycoons Guan Ming and Wu Jun to step out of their nes and hopefully give us an exnation for their visit." As the female anchor said that, the screen changed to a series ofmercials, making Dave switch the TV off.

    "We know that Wu Jun is here for us." Emilio Reyes said as he thought long and hard about the current situation. "So why is Guan Ming here?"

    "Cedric, a word?" Ian said as he gestured towards the side.

    "Ian, you know that anything you can tell me, you can tell anyone in this room." Cedric reminded his assistant.

    "It''s not my secret to tell, but I think you should be made aware." Ian said with a serious expression.

    "Very well." Cedric said with a nod as he and Ian went to the hidden room behind his desk.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked Ian as he closed the door behind him. "What can''t you tell me in front of my sister, my father, and the other assistants?"

    "It''s about Guan Ming, he''s here for Cami.." Ian said, catching Cedric by surprise.

 Chapter 787 - 787

    "Cami!" Lucius Ting waved as Cami arrived at the restaurant he had reserved for their lunch date.

    Cami tried to give him her sweetest smile as she walked over to join him.

    "Do you really need to watch the news?" Camiined as she walked over to Lucius.

    One of Lucuis'' assistants pulled out a seat for her which she took without thanking the assistant. She learned early on that to get Lucius'' favor, she couldn''t seem weak, meaning she shouldn''t be kind to any of his employees.

    To Lucius Ting, they were merely people that were to be used, after they had served their purpose they could be disposed of.

    ". . .first international partnership that Mr.. Guan Ming has ever entered. He is very nationalistic and wanted to grow hispany in China first before exploring the international market." Cami heard the reporter on the TV say.

    At the mention of Guan Ming she froze and turned her attention to the TV.

    "What''s going on?" Cami asked Lucius.

    "The business tycoon Guan Ming is in the country." Lucius informed her.

    "Why?" Cami asked.

    "So he doesn''t have a partnership lined up with the Reyes Group then?" Lucius asked as the side of his lips curled up to a smile.

    "No, none that I know of." Cami said as she shook her head.

    "Then he is here for me then." Lucius said proudly.

    ". . .his trip was quite abrupt since just a few days ago the news broke out that he was dating actress and model Wei Lan Ling. Then all of a sudden he is here for no obvious reason." Cami felt her heart break as the reporter mentioned that Guan Ming was now dating someone.

    "Is something wrong?" Lucius asked as he lifted Cami''s chin and made her look him in the eyes. "I can make that sad feeling go away." As he said this he lowered his head and captured Cami''s lips in his.

    At first it was chaste and innocent, but after a few seconds Cami felt as he pushed her to part her lips and give his tongue entry. Cami was not in the mood to do anything, but she quickly remembered her mission and forced herself to kiss Lucius back.

    Every time they kissed, Cami felt the urge to throw up. This man disgusted her, she was so tempted to p him in the face for kissing her without her permission.

    After what seemed to be an intense makeout session, Cami'' and Lucius'' lips parted.

    Lucius looked at Cami with a loving gaze, making Cami want to throw up even more.

    She always reminded herself that this was only temporary and it was just a kiss. Lucius had bought her excuse that she was saving herself for marriage that''s why they never had sex.

    "So why do you think Guan Ming is here for you?" Cami asked as she drank a ss of water, desperate to wash the taste of Lucius'' kiss from her lips.

    "Two months ago, Ming Enterprises epted proposals from all over the world on whichpanies would be interested in partnering up with them." Lucius exined. "Naturally I had applied."

    "And what makes you think that Cedric didn''t apply behind my back?" Cami aksed.

    "Because he was not invited." Lucius told her with a cocky grin. "Mr. Guan is a very nationalistic man, and he only invited those of Chinese decent."

    Cami nodded as she listened intently to Lucius'' exnation. He was right, the Reyes Group had not been invited to apply for that partnership, and she doubted Ian would have forgotten to tell her if they were.

    Ian knew who Guan Ming was to Cami, he wouldn''t let the opportunity pass.

    "Mr. Guan is probably here to sign a deal with me and check on my offices and on mypany''s capability to meet his standards." Lucius told Cami. "From what I''ve heard he demands quite a lot from thepanies he partners with."

    "But why suddenly fly here and not tell you?" Cami asked in a frustrated tone. "That''s quite rude."

    "Cami!" Lucius scolded. "This is Guan Ming we are talking about, he is one of the richest men in the world! He can do whatever the fuck he wants."

    "I''m sorry." Cami squealed as she realised she had let her emotions control her.

    "You better not speak so badly of him when we have dinner. I don''t want you embarrassing me." Lucius Ting warned her.

    "It won''t happen again, I promise." Cami said with a frown as she looked back at the TV as the words sh report appeared on the screen.

    "We are live at the airport as a representative of Mr. Guan Ming has announced that he has a statement to make." The reporter said. "There is still no news on Mr. Wu Jun as he had quickly disembarked his ne and left the airport."

    "There, listen." Lucius said as he nudged Cami.

    "I am, babe." Cami said as she took his hand and intertwined their fingers. She was trying to be proactive so that Lucius wouldn''t doubt her fake feelings for him.

    "Good Morning." A balding Chinese man said as he stepped onto the tform.

    Cami could see as the cameras of the journalists went off with a sh, she was d not to be in that man''s position.

    "I am the Vice President for International Affairs of Ming Enterprises. I know that many of you are curious about our sudden arrival, my boss, the President, CEO, and founder of Ming Enterprises has an announcement to make." The man said, making Cami lean forward in her seat.

    "Sir?" The man asked as he nced behind him.

    Cami could see as the top of Guan Ming''s head started to show, he had the same ck hair and piercing eyes as when they first met. The difference was that this Guan Ming had a serious and stern look on his face, while the Guan Ming she knew was happy and jolly all the time.

    Guan Ming took the mic from his Vice President as he eyed the crowd.

    He stood tall and proud as he brought the microphone closer to his lips.

    "We are here to begin our partnership with Arch Group under Mr. Lucius Ting, that is all." At that Guan Ming handed the microphone back to his Vice President as he and his team quickly made their way out of the tarmac.

    "Yes!" Cami heard Lucius celebrate next to her.

    Cami had turned pale, how were they going to fight Arch Group now that they had someone like Guan Ming in their corner?

 Chapter 788 - 788

    "We''ll discuss thister." Cedric told Ian as he marched back into the office.

    "Wu Jun is on his way here." Emilio Reyes told his son as he spotted the young CEO walking back to his seat.

    "He has left the airport?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Emilio Reyes told Cedric with a nod.

    "Have him go to the Reyes Mansion, dad." Cedric told his father. "If he goes to R Tower, I''m afraid he will cause a frenzy.".

    "Okay, I''ll go home now and have the maids prepare everything." Emilio Reyes told his son as he got up. "I''ll also tell him that he should go to his hotel first while we get things in order."

    "Thanks dad." Cedric told Emilio Reyes with a smile.

    "I''ll go help dad too." Ayanna told Cedric as she got up. "I know the Wus are very traditional in their image of how a woman should be. I shall y gracious host since I''m the woman of the family. And because Adri is pregnant."

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a relieved smile as he watched his father and sister leave the room.

    "Get me all the quantities that we lost because our suppliers moved to Lucius Ting''s camp. I want Wu Jun to be aware of the amount we need." Cedric instructed Dave who quickly did as Cedric asked.

    "Cedric. . ." Ian said as he pointed at the TV.

    Cedric watched as his friend stood tall on the stage. He couldn''t help but grin, it was time to get the ball rolling.

    Guan Ming stood proudly as he looked at the cameras directly, he was sending a message to everyone.

    "We are here to begin our partnership with Arch Group under Mr. Lucius Ting, that is all." At that Guan Ming handed the microphone back to his Vice President as he and his team quickly made their way out of the tarmac.

    "Sir. . ." Mae said as she looked at Cedric.

    The young CEO kept a nk expression, gone was his smile earlier, now he simply looked serious. It was an expression that even Ian, who had been with him for years, couldn''t read.

    "We need to focus on what is happening now." Cedric told them as he grabbed the remote and switched off the TV.

    "Cedric. . ." Ian said as he tried to form words offort.

    They were all aware that Cedric was no idiot, he fully understood the implications of Guan Ming coborating with Lucius Ting and Arch Group.

    It was like a death sentence to all of theirpetition.

    "What use is your muttering my name?" Cedric asked with a sigh as he pulled some documents to him. "We have an issue with Mor Co., correct?" He asked his assistants.

    "But Cedric, Guan Ming. . ." Ian started to say, but he was cut off as Cedric raised his hand, telling his friend to stop.

    "Guan Ming is Guan Ming, he isn''t our problem right now." Cedric told Ian and Mae. "Right now our focus should be Mor Co. and how to get enough supplies to keep up with demand."

    "Yes, sir." Mae said with a nod as she nced at Ian.

    Ian still stood, unmoving and unable to respond. He couldn''t believe that Cedric would simply ignore a threat like Guan Ming. Cedric was smarter than this.

    "We both know that this matter cannot be ignored." Ian told Cedric. "The longer you keep things on the sidelines, the worse they will get."

    "I''m not ignoring it Ian." Cedric said in a stern tone as he looked Ian in the eyes, waiting for his friend to give in. "Do you really think I would ignore someone like Guan Ming? I am simply getting our priorities straight. One battle at a time."

    "The issue with Guan Ming is too closely tied to our problem now, you can''t just put it to the side!" Ian argued.

    "Guan Ming has done nothing yet, he simply announced that he will be working with Arch Group." Cedric told Ian. "What use is it to worry about something we know nothing about? We will act when we know more."

    "And how long will we have to wait? Till it''s toote?!" Ian asked angrily. He was possibly one of the only people in the Reyes Group that could speak with the CEO in such a manner.

    "Do you propose that we attack without knowing anything from the otherside?" Cedric asked. "Ian, use your brain, you are much smarter than others think. What if Guan Ming isn''t here topete with us? What if he is targeting a new industry?"

    Ian stayed silent as Cedric reprimanded him.

    "Yes, his arrival and announcement has an impact on us, but that''s it. We don''t even know what kind of business implications this will have." Cedric told Ian. "Don''t make a mountain out of a molehill!"

    "Sorry." Ian said with a frown as he realized that he had over reacted. His temper had gotten the best of him once more.

    "If their announcement is what worries you, then we should have a statement ready." Cedric said as he brought the documents on his desk back to eyelevel.

    "I''ll do it." Ian volunteered.

    "No." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "Mae, talk to the PR department of both the Reyes Group and Mor Co." Cedric instructed to Mae. "Tell them that until we know more we cannot act. We will simply say that we are happy that our nation is weing Guan Ming and his business, it is all in the interest of nation building after all."

    "Yes sir." Mae said with a nod as she left.

    "I shouldn''t be here." Ian said as he made a move to leave.

    "You''re my most trusted assistant, you''re my best friend." Cedric said as he ced down the documents in his hand. "I need your opinion on all of this, even when your temper gets the best of you."

    "Sorry about that." Ian said with a frown.

    "It''s fine. Now help me find a way so that we won''t be too dependent on Wu Jun for our raw materials." Cedric said as he pushed the documents on his desk towards Ian.

 Chapter 789 - 789

    "Mr. Wu!" Emilio Reyes greeted as a young Chinese man in an Italian suit entered his home.

    Wu Jun was shorter than she had expected, by the looks of it, she was even taller than Wu Jun and she was short at 165cm.

    She could see as Wu Jun tried to intimidate them with his entourage, he had multiple bodyguards and multiple assistants. The Wu family was undeniably richer, but there was one thing that they craved, a lineage.

    When Ayanna had heard that Wu Jun would be working with her brother, she looked into how the Wus came to their fortune. She knew that she would need to help Cedric and her father with this man.

    Wu Jun''s father was the man that built their family''s empire, he had been a poor farm boy that had managed to go to school and grab a schrship. From there he worked hard till he established his business.

    From what Ayanna could find Wu Jun was embarrassed by his poor lineage and was insecure around those that hade from old rich families, histest rival, Guan Ming..

    "Please, uncle Emilio, call me Wu Jun. You and my father go way back, there should be no formalities between us." Wu Jun said as his eyes lingered on Ayanna.

    "Ah yes, you''ve never met my children." Emilio Reyes said as he noticed Wu Jun looking at Ayanna. "My daughter, Ayanna Laurence."

    "Laurence?" Wu Jun said as his hand stopped midair as he reached out to shake Ayanna''s hand.

    "Yes, Ayanna Reyes - Laurence. I chose to take my husband''sst name." Ayanna said with a poisonous smile. She knew that Wu Jun had been checking her out and her husband was the best deterrent against men like him.

    "Well, that''s not an issue." Wu Jun said with a smirk.

    Ayanna gave him a nasty look as she dropped his hand and turned to leave.

    "Please, this way." Emilio told Wu Jun as he led the young man to the dining room.

    "Uncle Emilio, I find it odd that your son and his wife aren''t here to wee me." Wu Jun pointed out in a condescending manner as they walked slowly.

    "My daughter-inw will not be joining us." Emilio Reyes informed Wu Jun.

    "Oh, is there some misunderstanding between the couple?" Wu Jun asked as he assumed the worst.

    "No, no. Nothing like that." Emilio Reyes said as heughed off Wu Jun''s question. "My daughter-inw runs her ownpany. She still has a lot of work so my son told her to just go home ahead and skip tonight''s dinner."

    "You should really get your women back at home uncle Emilio, I don''t think it''s healthy for them to be out managing business. It''s not healthy for thepany either, imagine being dictated to by a woman." Wu Jun said with augh.

    Emilio watched as Ayanna stopped in her tracks, he knew his daughter was deeply offended by this. It was these kinds of men that had made it hard for his daughter to prove herself in the industry.

    "Wu Jun, things are different in our country." Emilio Reyes exined as he tried to avoid an argument between his daughter and their guest. "Here, we are more than happy to see a woman in business, leading apany. As a matter of fact, both my daughter and daughter-inw have been extremely sessful."

    "Probably why you haven''t reached our heights yet, but it''s your culture." Wu Jun said with a shrug.

    Emilio Reyes shook his head as he gestured for Ayanna not to say anything, he knew that men like Wu Jun suffer for theirments eventually.

    "And your son, the new CEO, is he alwayste to wee guests?" Wu Jun asked as they entered the dining room.

    "Cedric is just running a littlete, he had to handle some things at the office." Emilio Reyes exined.

    As if on cue, Cedric, followed by Ian, Dave, Mae, and Leon, entered the dining room.

    "Ah, Mr. Wu, a pleasure to meet you. I''m Cedric Reyes." He said as he shook Wu Jun''s hand.

    "A pleasure as well Cedric, please drop the formalities and just call me Wu Jun." The Chinese man said.

    "Please, take a seat, let''s get straight to the point, I''m not one for small talk." Cedric said as he gestured for Wu Jun to sit across him as Emilio Reyes took the seat at the head of the table.

    "I hope you don''t mind western food, Wu Jun." Ayanna said as the maids brought in their dinner. Ayanna had, of course, gone ahead and did some research into what food Wu Jun liked.

    Based on what she found he liked everything foreign, especially western food.

    "It will do." Wu Jun said as he tried to seem unimpressed, but the look on his eyes gave off how much he liked the feast Ayanna had managed to get their chefs to prepare.

    "Your father always preferred Chinese food. Maybe my daughter should have had that prepared for you. We can still have it changed." Emilio Reyes said as he tried to get Wu Jun to react.

    "No, no, this is good." Wu Jun said as he refused to let Emilio Reyes change the food that had been served.

    "That''s good then." Emilio Reyes said with a nod. "Let''s eat."

    "We are d that you can help us with Mor Co., Wu Jun." Cedric said as they ate their meal.

    "Our families go way back, and Lucius Ting is a man that has been a thorn at my side since our school days." Wu Jun exined. "So I''m hitting two birds with one stone."

    "I thought the reporters said you were good friends, that''s why they spected your visit to our country was for him." Ayanna asked as she tried to get more of the story from Wu Jun.

    Ayanna knew that the more information they had on him, the better it would be for them, like a safety against any of his ns to turn against them.

    "I guess you could call us frenemies." Wu Jun said with a grin.

 Chapter 790 - 790

    "So you and Lucius Ting aren''t friends?" Cedric asked slowly as he took a sip of his wine. "And here I was under the impression that you guys were friends."

    "No, that couldn''t be further from the truth." Wu Jun snorted as he lifted his fork to take a bite at his steak.

    "Is that why Guan Ming is partnering with Lucius Ting? To spite you?" Ayanna asked.

    "I see someone does her research." Wu Jun said with a grin as he eyes Ayanna.

    Cedric couldn''t help but re at Wu Jun. He hated the fact that this man was eyeing his married sister like a piece of meat.

    "Ian.." Cedric called out as he waved for Ian toe to him.

    Ian walked over and leaned forward to hear Cedric''s instructions.

    They had known beforehand that Wu Jun didn''t put value on his staff and would be very offended if Cedric had his assistants join them on the table.

    They had carefully worked things out as not to risk offending Wu Jun''s fragile pride.

    "Ask Ray to join us for drinks." Cedric whispered to his assistant. "I don''t like how this man is eyeing my sister. Also, bring the contracts that he will need to sign."

    Ian nodded, signaling that he understood Cedric''s instructions.

    "You may go." Cedric said in a cold tone as he dismissed Ian.

    Ayanna eyed her brother suspiciously, she found it odd that her brother would talk to one of his best friends that way.

    Add to it the fact that Ian was not just some ordinary assistant, he was already a sessful businessman in his own right.

    "I asked my assistant to fetch the documents for our partnership." Cedric exined to Wu Jun, hoping to avoid any unnecessary questions from him.

    "I will need to look into the quantities you need to be able to give you a firm price." Wu Jun said as he waved an assistant over.

    One woman came up next to him and handed him a folder.

    Wu Jun took the folder and opened it up, he handed one document over to Cedric for him to read.

    "Those are the prices we currently have for most of our customers." Wu Jun exined. "But you need to understand, I will have to produce less for some of them just to amodate your demand. And since you cannot guarantee me a perpetual deal, the price has to be higher."

    Cedric read through the document and noticed that the prices were higher than he would normally pay most of his suppliers.

    It was a good thing that Cedric, Ian, and Cami had found a way beforehand to mitigate the supply needed. The only amount that Wu Jun would need to supply were for the bnce stocks that they would need to fulfill for the rest of the year to exceed their targets.

    In his head, Cedric thanked Guan Ming for warning him about Wu Jun, and he made a mental note to ask Guan Ming what his issues were with Wu Jun.

    It seemed that the two men had a bitter past.

    "These prices are agreeable." Cedric told Wu Jun as he saw Ian return with the contract. "When will be the earliest date you can deliver the materials?" Cedric asked.

    "Give me a month." Wu Jun informed Cedric. "We both know that transportation will take up most of that lead time."

    Cedric nodded as he acknowledged what Wu Jun said.

    "Seeing as we both agree to this." Cedric said as he waved Ian over. "Let''s sign the contract. I have sent you a copy of this, I hope you''ve already had yourwyers read it?"

    "I did." Wu Jun said with a nod. "I must say, they were quite impressed that you had Katerina Sebastian as both your personal and corporatewyer. From what I''ve heard she does not take corporate clients."

    "She''s a friend." Cedric said with a shrug as Ian handed him a pen and several documents.

    "Please clear the table." Cedric heard Ayanna tell the maids, as they promptly took everything away and wiped the table to make sure that the documents wouldn''t get damaged or stained.

    "Your people are quite efficient." Wu Jun praised.

    "They are my father''s employees, I don''t live here." Cedric exined.

    "Oh, wow. Impressive." Wu Jun said with a nod.

    Cedric knew that traditionally the heir or the new head of the family lived at the ancestral home, but Cedric wanted to live at Mountain View with his wife and son.

    "I like my privacy." Cedric said with a smile as he handed Wu Jun a pen and his own stash of documents to sign.

    Wu Jun simply nodded in acknowledgment as he took the documents.

    The man quickly scanned the contract, making sure it was the same one that Cedric had sent for his approval in past.

    When he confirmed that it was the same he began to sign.

    Cedric did the same and signed the stack that was with him as well.

    As soon as they were done, they exchanged documents and proceeded to sign as well.

    It was a few minutes of pure silence as the two men focused on signing the documents before them.

    When they were done, Cedric ced the pen down and stretched his fingers.

    "I won''t lie, this is the part of our job that I do not enjoy." Cedric said with augh as he handed his stack to Ian.

    "I used to enjoy it in the start, but as time went on I got tired of it." Wu Jun said with augh as he agreed with Cedric.

    "Those are your copies of the contract, I just need a photo with you for our press release then you should be able to rest for the night." Cedric said with a smile as he moved to get up.

    As Cedric stood, the doors to the dining room opened and his brother-inw, Raymund Laurence, walked in with his men.

    "Dad." Ray said with a smile as he gave Emilio Reyes a slight bow.

    "Ced." Ray told Cedric as he nodded at his brother-inw.

    "Hey darling, I came to pick you up." Ray told Ayanna as he kissed the top of her head and smiled at her.

    Ayanna looked up and gave him the sweetest smile.

    "Ray, we have a guest." Cedric announced as he pointed at Wu Jun.

    "Oh, nice to meet you, I''m Raymund Laurence, President and CEO of Laurence Enterprises." Ray said as he offered his hand to Wu Jun.

    "This is Wu Jun, he will be working with me for Mor Co." Cedric said as he introduced Ray to Wu Jun.

    "So you are this beautiful woman''s husband." Wu Jun said as he shook Ray''s hand and gave him a mischievous smile.

    Cedric held his breath as he waited for Ray''s reaction.

    He knew his best friend and brother-inw had quite the temper, especially when it came to people that had ill intentions towards Ayanna.

    "Yes, she makes me the luckiest man alive." Ray said in a calm tone as he smiled at Ayanna and released Wu Jun''s hand.

    Cedric took a deep breath and shook his head, that was way too intense for his liking.

 Chapter 791 - 791

    "I hope you can keep her satisfied then." Wu Jun said with a grin as he watched Ray pull Ayanna closer to him.

    "Trust me, I do." Ray said as he red at Wu Jun.

    "How long has it been since you got married?" Wu Jun asked as he poked at one of the couple''s sore spots.

    "A few years, and we have been loving every moment we have had together." Ayanna responded as she tried to keep Ray calm. "I''m in no rush to have a kid, since it would mean I''d have less time for work and my husband."

    "I''m sure you are trying." Wu Jun said as he tried to push his point through..

    "No, they have not." It was Emilio Reyes that answered this time, silencing the whole room. "I''m not ready to see my daughter pregnant just yet. Plus, Cedric has given me enough grandchildren." He said with augh.

    "Ah, then I wish the best for both of you." Wu Jun said with a nod as he finally dropped the topic.

    "Shall we take our photo now?" Cedric asked Wu Jun as he gestured towards a nk marble wall that would make a good backdrop for the photo.

    "Yes." Wu Jun said with a nod as he fixed his coat and necktie.

    "You both look marvelous." Ayanna praised as she waved for Mae toe over with a camera.

    "Can she take good shots? We need professional looking ones, this will be all over the news." Wu Jun said as he looked at Mae.

    "Yes, Mae is professionally trained." Cedric said in a calm tone as he watched Mae and Ayanna look at each other.

    Clearly the two women were now annoyed at how Wu Jun kept talking down at them.

    With Cedric''s assurance, Wu Jun agreed to have Mae take their photos. They did several poses, shaking hands, holding the contract, and simply standing side by side.

    It didn''t take long for Mae to get all the shots that they needed and within ten minutes they were done.

    "So that''s it?" Wu Jun asked.

    "Yes, that should be it. If there is anything you need, don''t hesitate to give me a call." Cedric said politely. In his head he hoped that Wu Jun would not give him a call.

    "I will." Wu Jun said with a nod.

    "Will you be flying home today or are you spending the night in the capital?" Cedric asked as he walked Wu Jun out of the Reyes Mansion.

    "I think I will stay a few more days." Wu Jun said as he looked back at Ayanna who was hugging Ray. "I mean, I''d like to see more of your city and your country. You have some interesting sights here."

    It didn''t slip past Cedric that Wu Jun had impure thoughts towards his sister and he made a mental note to keep Wu Jun as far away as possible from Ayanna.

    "Well I hope you enjoy your stay." Cedric said with a smile as they reached Wu Jun''s car.

    "Give my regards to your father, tell him I miss ying golf with him. I might just fly up to Beijing to y a round." Emilio Reyes said with augh as he shook Wu Jun''s hand.

    "I will, uncle." Wu Jun said with a nod.

    "I look forward to working more with you." Cedric said as he too shook Wu Jun''s hand.

    "Likewise." The Chinese businessman said with a smile.

    As Wu Jun got into his car, he took a final look around the Reyes Mansion. It was clear he was looking for Ayanna. But Ray had made sure that she stayed inside, he was quite overprotective when it came to his wife.

    "Thanks again, please tell Miss Ayanna and Mr. Raymund that it was a pleasure meeting them." Wu Jun said as a bodyguard closed the door and his convoy of cars drove off.

    When they had finally exited the property and gates had closed behind thest car in Wu Jun''s convoy, Cedric was finally able to breathefortably.

    "I don''t like him, I don''t like him at all." Dave said as he shook his head.

    He had been standing behind or next to Cedric the whole time and he had seen and heard all the things Wu Jun said.

    In Wu Jun''s eyes Dave was just an employee, so hepletely ignored the young man.

    "My family does business with them sometimes." Dave exined. "I''ve never met him, just his dad."

    "Yes, that young man is a far cry from his father. He is disgusting, absolutely disgusting." Emilio Reyes hissed.

    "Dad, I''ll be leaving ahead." Cedric informed Emilio Reyes as three cars pulled up to the driveway.

    "Already?" Emilio Reyes asked with a frown.

    As time passed he had be lonelier and lonelier in the giant Reyes Mansion. True his sister, Aurora Mendi and her husband lived there as well, but they weren''t around too often since they helped manage the international arm of the Reyes Group.

    Emilio Reyes'' own parents also lived at the Reyes Mansion, but they were old and not that much fun to be around.

    He missed his wife badly and he just wanted to spend more time with his children and grandchildren in the future. A part of him understood that Cedric and Ayanna both needed spaces of their own to grow with their partners, but to him, they were still his children.

    "We''ll stay the night, dad." Ayanna said as she stepped out of the house, holding Ray''s hand, "We have some necessities here and we did leave clothes here in case we wanted to stay."

    "You will?" Emilio Reyes asked as he smiled at his daughter and son-inw.

    "I''ll send Yoyo over after school tomorrow dad, I''m sure he misses you." Cedric said with a smile as he moved to hug his father and his sister.

    As soon as they were done saying goodbye, Cedric got into his car, alone.

    Ian had been driven by his driver, while Mae and Dave had brought their own car as well.

    "John, I need to make a call." Cedric told his driver as he lifted the sound proof screen that divided the front and back seats.

    Cedric took out his phone, tapped to call a number and ced it on his ear.

    After a few rings the person at the other end finally picked up.

    Cedric smiled and spoke.

    "Hello Ming, wee to the capital."

 Chapter 792 - 792

    "Cedric." Came Guan Ming''s voice over the phone as he tried to suppress augh. "The hotel you arranged for me is magnificent, don''t tell me this ce is yours too."

    "It is." Cedric said with augh. "But it''s not under the Reyes Group, it''s a private venture between me and my friends."

    "Interesting." Guan Ming told Cedric. "I might do something simr. I want to see if all my sess now is just brought about by my name."

    "Well, it''s an option." Cedric said as he looked out the window..

    They were still in the old city where most of the older families lived. It was quite picturesque with its old buildings and ancient walls.

    "I met with Wu Jun today." Cedric finally told Guan Ming.

    "Oh." Guan Ming said as he seemed interested by what had happened. "Tell me, is he still a prick?"

    "He was trying to get my sister to sleep with him." Cedric groaned.

    "He is an idiot." Guan Ming said with augh. "Please tell me he did that in front of you, your father, and her husband."

    "He did." Cedric said.

    "His dad was a genius, this one was clearly dropped on the head or adopted." Guan Ming told Cedric.

    "He seems to hate you a lot." Cedric pointed out as he recalled his conversation with Wu Jun earlier.

    "That''s not a surprise." Guan Ming told Cedric. "He isn''t exactly happy to have me aspetition, especially since I beat him on all fronts."

    "Cocky." Cedric hissed under his breath.

    "I heard that, Reyes." Guan Ming said as heughed at Cedric''s reaction.

    "So tell me, what exactly did you do to get this young master so pissed off with you?" Cedric asked.

    He was eager to find out what was the cause of Wu Jun''s and Guan Ming''s rivalry. From what Cedric knew, there was barely any chance that Guan Ming and Wu Jun would have interacted before Guan Ming''s business started to boom.

    "I know you might think that our rivalry is new, but not really." Guan Ming said in a sad tone, clearly there was more to the story than what meets the eye. "Wu Jun and I have actually known each other for a long time."

    "Don''t tell me this is some sort of love rivalry." Cedric said with augh.

    "Not really, but it somewhat involves the woman I love." Guan Ming told Cedric, making the former stopughing.

    "Did he take her from you? The one you told me about?" Cedric asked Guan Ming as he sat up.

    "No." Guan Ming said. "But he is the reason why I haven''t been able to visit her. I told her I woulde for her. That I would find a way to be with her, but because of Guan Ming my family interfered, even the media interfered."

    "What happened?" Cedric asked.

    "Do you remember my situation when we first met?" Guan Ming asked Cedric.

    "Yeah, you lied to me and told me that you were an employee helping your boss look for investors." Cedric grumbled. "When in fact the boss was you and you were working on a project your father disowned you for."

    "Yeah, the very project that now stands as the foundation for Ming Enterprises." Guan Ming said with a sigh. "That''s where I met her. The woman I kept telling you about."

    "Will you ever tell me who she is?" Cedric asked.

    "Maybe, someday." Guan Ming said in a sad tone. "I can''t tell you because she is from this city. If you know her name you will have your people find her. I want to win her back in my own way. Plus she has someone else now."

    "I''m sorry, Ming." Cedric said in a sad tone.

    "It''s fine, she isn''t married yet. I''m hoping that when we meet all those emotions from the past wille flooding in and we can finally be together." Guan Ming told Cedric in a hope filled tone. "She waited for me for years, then all of a sudden I find out she''s dating someone. It broke my heart."

    "She''d be a fool to reject you." Cedric told Guan Ming in the most sincere way he possibly could.

    "Anyway, she and Wu Jun are two different stories." Guan Ming said as he steered the topic back on track. "Wu Jun and I went to the same school growing up. It was a private school where children of rich families went, and his father would oftenpare us."

    "So he has daddy issues." Cedric said.

    "You could say that." Guan Ming replied with augh. "He was always forced topete with me, even when we were in university and when we entered the workforce. He, of course, worked for the family business while I fought to innovate mine." Guan Ming exined.

    Cedric recalled how determined Guan Ming had been when he exined to Cedric why he was thrown out of his family.

    "Things became heated when Wu Jun''s father saw my pitch." Guan Ming exined. Cedric had seen this pitch, it was the same one he had shown Cedric when they first became friends.

    "Wu Jun''s father liked my idea so much that he invested in it." Guan Ming recounted. "He was one of myrgest investors for a time and he even took me under his wing. He taught me how he had survived in the business world and thrived."

    "So he was jealous of you?" Cedric asked.

    "He went as far as using me of trying to steal his girlfriend." Guan Ming said with augh. "There is only one woman I will ever pine for, and she is way better than his type."

    "I hope that woman is worth it then." Cedric said as he smiled. He was surprised at how much his friend could love someone he hadn''t seen in almost a decade.

    "She is more than worth it." Guan Ming said in a firm tone. "Anyway, eventually my father weed me back to our family. I changed thepany name Ming Enterprises the moment he installed me as CEO."

    "Wu Jun was incredibly jealous, so he decided to spread another rumor, that I had a man in your country." Guan Ming said as heughed at the thought. "That''s why I couldn''t even contact her, because my family tried to keep me as far away from your country as possible, that is, until recently."

    "When I called." Cedric said with augh. "It took a man calling you to get you here?"

    "You guys might not be as rich, but there are somethings that my family cannot deny, we need a foothold in your country. Now they think I''m here for Lucius Ting, when in fact I will be working with you." Guan Ming told Cedric.

    "And while you are here you will y love sick puppy and chase after a woman." Cedric said as heughed at Guan Ming. "Good luck."

    "Thanks, I should go, I have dinner with Lucius Ting tonight." Guan Ming said as he dropped the call.

 Chapter 793 - 793

    Guan Ming took a deep breath as he dropped the call with Cedric. It was always nice to talk to his friend, but recounting those hard times when he had to fight against Wu Jun was just too taxing on his mind.

    "Sir." An assistant called out from the otherside of the door. "Mr. Ting and his girlfriend are here."

    "Very well, give me a moment." Guan Ming called out. "Take them to the dining room."

    "Yes, sir." The man said..

    Guan Ming heard as the assistant''s footsteps walked away from the door.

    All of Guan Ming''s personal staff were men, he wasn''t being sexist, it was just that he didn''t want her to think that he could be involved with any woman other than her.

    He had waited for years, he never dated anyone because no other woman caught his interest the way she did.

    His heart broke into a thousand pieces when he saw the news. He normally didn''t pay attention to that country''s news but he was curious about the situation out there.

    That''s when he found out two things.

    First, that his friend, Cedric Reyes, a man he thought was just an ordinary employee, was actually the new CEO of the Reyes Group. Apany his father had wanted him to cooperate with.

    What shocked him even more was the fact that Cedric was never poor, he had learned online that his friend had been living through what his family called, Poverty Training.

    The second news he stumbled upon was a photo of her, holding hands with another man as they entered a bar.

    He felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest and pissed on.

    He knew the man who held her in his arms, Lucius Ting. The business man had applied to work in partnership with Ming Enterprises.

    At first it looked like the most promising thing to work with them, that was until he discovered that Cedric owned the Reyes Group.

    Having a friend in thergestpany in that country changed everything. It would make things much easier for him.

    The only reason he had considered Lucius Ting in the first ce was because he had heard rumors about the Reyes Group being difficult to work with.

    When Cedric finally called him, asking for his help, Guan Ming decided to jump on the opportunity. His research had led him to another discovery, the woman he loved with all his heart, was Cedric''s vice president for Mor Co., Cami Montero.

    He remembered the first time they met, it was at a tech event. The same event where he had met Cedric Reyes.

    Who knew that their lives would be so intertwined.

    At that time, he had just been disowned by his father for wanting to develop a game that capitalized on the inte.

    One that required immense development and long term nning. His father thought he was just ying around at work and that he didn''t take thepany seriously, so he sent his son to the streets.

    Guan Ming''s father didn''t have ill intentions against his son. He simply wanted the boy to learn that there was more to life than his games.

    In order to encourage more people to invest in him and his idea, Guan Ming posed as an employee trying to get investors for his boss.

    It made Ming Enterprises seem more legitimate and muchrger than it actually was.

    As he did his business pitch and turned around, he was stunned to see the most beautiful woman he had everid his eyes on.

    Everything about her was perfect.

    Guan Ming walked over to the mirror and checked his appearance. He wanted everything to be perfect. He wanted to show Cam Montero what she had given up.

    When he was finally satisfied with how he looked, he opened the double doors to his room and walked out confidently.

    He acted as if he owned the world, that was how most people saw him anyway. All they saw was the arrogant and confident CEO who didn''t even take a second nce at people.

    In truth, this was just his facade. He had lived through so much that he knew he couldn''t afford to care about anyone else.

    The world was against him from the very beginning, and he knew that most of the people around him were only after his wealth.

    Few people actually cared about him, and those that actually did were people he had met at his lowest point, like Cedric, and he thought like Cami.

    All this time he had been worried that Cami would fall for her co-worker, the man that she was practically attached to the hip to, Ian Lim.

    He never expected that after years of waiting she would fall for scum like Lucius Ting.

    Guan Ming knew his kind, they were slippery and dangerous, no wonder he and Wu Jun had been friends. They were the same kind, friends that would stab you in the back.

    "Sir, they are waiting in the dining room." His assistant informed him as three men scurried behind Guan Ming.

    Guan Ming simply nodded and made his way to the dining room.

    It was at the other end of the suite, Cedric had told him beforehand that it had an amazing view of the city.

    Sadly he hadn''t had the chance to see it, since he had gone to his room first to rest.

    The doors to the dining room were tall and elegant.

    Guan Ming touched the door handles gently as he admired the craftsmanship. He might have been a man of the modern age, but he truly admired things done by hand.

    They had an elegance to them thatputers could not possess, an elegance like hers.

    Guan Ming shook his head as he tried to push his thoughts of Cami to the back of his mind. She wasn''t the woman he met back then, and even he was apletely different man.

    He was foolish to think that after a decade they could meet up once more and simply fall in love again.

    Guan Ming pushed the doors open, ready to see the woman he had waited for in another man''s arms.

 Chapter 794 - 794

    "Mr. Guan." Lucius Ting said as he quickly stood up, leaving his girlfriend on her seat.

    Guan Ming kept his stoic expression as Lucius Ting offered his hand to shake.

    He simply looked at the hand Lucius Ting had offered and nodded.

    Guan Ming wanted tough when he saw Lucius'' baffled expression. He couldn''t help but nce as he noticed Camiugh at what he had done as well.

    Shouldn''t she be offended that he had snubbed her boyfriend, this woman was truly one of a kind. Then again, that was the reason he fell for her in the first ce.

    Guan Ming observed as Cami stood proudly in her ce, she was as elegant and as beautiful as he remembered.

    She wore a business suit that fit her body perfectly, making her look like the epitome of a business woman. How he wished that she would stand next to him someday and rule his empire with him.

    But her choice to be with someone else ruined those dreams.

    "Let''s eat." Guan Ming said as an assistant pulled out his seat for him.

    As he sat down, he watched as Lucius Ting quickly rushed to his ce, next to Cami.

    "Will you not introduce us?" Guan Ming said in a cold tone as he looked at Cami.

    He could see as Cami sank in her seat, she knew what she had done wrong and being in front of Guan Ming was clearly difficult for her.

    "Oh right, right." Lucius Ting said with a nod as he panicked on his failure to introduce Cami to Guan Ming.

    "And?" Guan Ming asked, intimidating Lucius.

    He didn''t miss it though as Cami grinned at a panicked Lucius Ting. What was wrong with this woman, shouldn''t she be worried that he was stressing her man out?

    "Mr. Guan, this is my girlfriend, Cami Montero." Lucius Ting said as he introduced Cami.

    What Guan Ming did next, shocked and embarrassed Lucius Ting even further.

    Guan Ming got up and walked to Cami and offered his hand for her to shake.

    Cami was so lost at what was going on that she didn''t react immediately and left Guan Ming hanging with his arm extended towards her.

    "I''m Guan Ming, CEO of Ming Enterprises." Guan Ming said as he offered his hand again. "Nice to meet you Miss Montero."

    "Ummm, the pleasure is all mine." Cami said as she finally recovered and shook Guan Ming''s hand. "Please, sir, no need to be so formal, just call me Cami."

    "Very well, Cami." Guan Ming said as he savored the feeling of finally being able to speak her name out loud. "Please, call me Guan Ming. There should be no formalities between friends, can we be friends?" He asked with a grin as he waited for Cami''s response.

    Cami was taken by surprise by Guan Ming''s words. She had heard earlier today that he had a girlfriend, wouldn''t that woman feel ufortable with her boyfriend being friends with someone that still loved him?

    "Mr. Guan, I don''t think it would be appropriate for me to be friends with you." Cami said in a bitter tone, she did feel bitter, and she did feel like her heart had been shattered. She loved and waited for Guan Ming, but he chose to be with someone else.

    "Is it because of me?" Lucius Ting asked as he inserted himself into the conversation. "Because babe, I won''t restrict you that way."

    "No, Lucius." Cami said as she shook her head.

    "Then do tell us Cami, why?" Guan Ming said as he looked her in the eyes. A part of him was hoping that she would admit that they had once loved each other.

    He was more than ready to simply take her from Lucius Ting, but only if she still wanted him. He only wanted what would make her happy.

    "Because, Mr. Guan, I wouldn''t want to offend your girlfriend." Cami spat. "I am sure whoever she is, she can go around and ruin my life."

    "Cami, I don''t have a girlfriend, I''ve only loved one person all my life." Guan Ming dered.

    "She must be a lucky woman then." Lucius Ting quickly said as he nodded in approval. "I think Cami will be the only person I will ever love again."

    Despite his bbering, to Cami it was as if she and Guan Ming were the only people in the room. Lucius, the assistants, the waiters, and all the bodyguards simply vanished and it was only her and Guan Ming.

    Cami stopped breathing for a moment, she knew Lucius Ting didn''t understand what was happening. But if Lucius had not been there she would have jumped into Guan Ming''s arms and kissed him.

    She had waited for him for over ten years. Even when he stopped contacting her she remained loyal to their promise to one another.

    She kept hoping that Guan Ming woulde back for her, that after all those years of separation he would still love her, he would still want to be with her.

    "Cami? Are you alright?" Guan Ming asked as he looked at Cami in a tender maner.

    Cami wanted to p herself, how could she not have seen the way he looked at her. The love in his eyes. The jealousy when Lucius introduced her as his girlfriend.

    She knew that now she must seem to be at fault, she needed to find a way to talk to Guan Ming in private. But how? She didn''t have his number, then she realized it, Cedric, he would help her. He was a sucker for every love story he heard.

    "Sorry." Cami whispered. "She is a lucky woman, Guan Ming." Cami said with a hopeful smile.

    "Shall we continue our meal then?" Guan Ming asked as he smiled at Cami.

    He was happy to finally see a genuine smile on her face, a part of him hoped that it was because of his words. But he was also afraid of hearing a truth that he refused to believe, that she loved Lucius Ting.

    Why would she be with Lucius Ting if she didn''t love him? She was Cedric''s Vice President for Mor Co. She didn''t need money, she didn''t need fame, all those things the Reyes Group could provide.

    He made a mental note to look deeper into Cami''s and Lucius Ting''s rtionship after dinner.

 Chapter 795 - 795

    Cedric thanked John when they finally arrived at Mountain View and got out of his car.

    He was quite surprised when he saw Ian get out of the car behind him.

    "I thought I told you guys to go straight home?" Cedric asked as Ian approached.

    "I''m here for a personal matter." Ian said as he gestured for them to go in the house.

    "Alright." Cedric said with a nod as they entered.

    "Oh, Ian, you''re here. Won''t Nicole be looking for you?" Adrianna asked as she walked over to the two men.

    She gently wrapped her arms around Cedric''s neck and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, weing him home.

    "She knows I''m here, and she knows why." Ian informed them.

    "How was your day?" Cedric asked his wife as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

    "Tiring. You know how work is." She said with a shrug.

    "Maybe you should really consider getting a professional team to manage Ind''s Inc." Cedric told his wife as he gave her a concerned look. "You''re five months along and it can''t be easy."

    "I''m fine, Ced." Adrianna told her husband as she hugged him tight.

    "Go, rest, Ian and I won''t be long." Cedric said as he kissed the top of Adrianna''s head and let her go. "Right Ian?" He asked his assistant and best friend.

    "Well, actually, I think for this, Adrianna should be with us." Ian said as he scratched the back of his head.

    "Fine." Cedric groaned. He wasn''t in the mood to argue with both Ian and Adrianna. Both of them could be quite insistent at times.

    "Please bring us some coffee." Adrianna told a maid as she joined Cedric and Ian in the home office.

    "You better have a good reason for this." Cedric told Ian as he pulled Adrianna on to the couch with him.

    "Trust me, you won''t regret it." Ian said as he nodded at Cedric.

    Several maids soon came in and served coffee to Cedric and Ian, while they handed Adrianna a cup of tea.

    One they left Cedric nodded at Ian, signaling for him to start talking.

    "Well, there is something you need to know about Guan Ming." Ian said as he took a deep breath.

    "Guan Ming?" Adrianna asked as she gave Cedric a curious nce. She knew Cedric had a friend from China with the exact name.

    "Ah, you haven''t checked the news today." Cedric said with augh.

    "Yeah, I''ve been busy. All I know is that Wu Jun arrived at the same time as the CEO of Ming Enterprises." Adrianna said as she recalled what her assistant had told her right before she headed home.

    "Shhh,ter Adri." Cedric said with a smile and a wink.

    "Go on, Ian." Cedric told Ian with a nod.

    "Guan Ming is here for Cami." Ian suddenly said in an urgent tone.

    Cedric sat up and almost spit his coffee in shock. He did not expect that. Guan Ming never mentioned Cami in any of their conversations.

    And knowing Guan Ming, the man would have known that Cami worked for Cedric. From what Guan Ming had told him, he had eagerly watched the woman he loved till he had the perfect opportunity to go after her.

    Cedric had just so happened to offer him the perfect opportunity.

    "What do you mean Guan Ming is here for Cami?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "Is this -" Adrianna started to say, but Cedric stopped her and shook his head.

    "Remember I told you that Cami has been waiting for someone?" Ian asked Cedric.

    "Yeah, you said she loved someone and that she would only ever be with that person." Cedric said as he recounted his conversation with Ian.

    "Well, Guan Ming is that person." Ian said in a matter of frank tone.

    "Wait, how did this even happen?" Cedric asked. "How did they meet? I don''t remember her ever mentioning a Guan Ming."

    "It''s a sore topic." Ian said with a frown.

    "Well you better start talking, before I call Cami and ask her." Cedric pointed out. "Her feelings for Guan Ming couldpromise our ns. If I''m guessing correctly, Lucius Ting will be meeting with Guan Ming tonight. And we both know how much he likes to show Cami off."

    "Alright, alright. I''ll tell you. Calm down." Ian said as he rolled his eyes at Cedric.

    "And don''t skip details." Cedric threatened.

    "Yes boss." Ian teased.

    "Just tell us." Adrianna said as she rolled her eyes. She was too tired to deal with their banter.

    "It was years ago, on our first year working with the Reyes Group, we went with your father and Marco to an international tech expo in Hong Kong. That''s where they first met." Ian said as he shook his head.

    Cedric was shocked, that was the exact same event that he had met Guan Ming at. As a matter of fact he knew that his father was there, and Emilio Reyes had even offered to give him a lift to Hong Kong, but he refused.

    He was there for work as an assistant to the head of the operations department of Mor Co.

    It was one of his first trips out of the country for work and he was very excited.

    Unfortunately for Cedric, the employees whom he had gone with were not the kindest, so he was left alone. That''s how he eventually met Guan Ming.

    "Well, Guan Ming was looking for his friend, to be honest we never found out who that friend was, but I left Cami and Guan Ming together and they just clicked." Ian exined. "They were inseparable after that."

    "What happened?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "Wait a minute!" Adrianna said as she suddenly sat up, remembering something. "Isn''t your friend from Hong Kong named Guan Ming?! The one you met at a tech expo?"

    Ian suddenly looked at Cedric, it didn''t take much to connect the dots, it was clear as day that Cedric''s Guan Ming and Cami''s Guan Ming were the same question.

    "Then what is he doing here working with Lucius Ting?" Ian asked Cedric.

    Cedric closed his eyes and shook his head.. He didn''t think he would need to exin his n this soon.

 Chapter 796 - 796

    "I will have mywyer draft the contract and send it over." Lucius Ting said as he got up from his seat and offered his hand for Guan Ming to shake.

    This time Guan Ming took his hand and shook it.

    "I would like to take a tour of your facilities and offices soon." Guan Ming informed Lucius Ting. "I want to know if yourpany''s capability truly meets what I need."

    "Yes, of course." Lucius Ting said with a nod as Guan Ming released his hand.

    Cami wanted tough when she saw Lucius Ting massaging his hand, it seemed that Guan Ming had gripped it too tight. Clearly the businessman was sending Lucius Ting a message.

    "I''ll have one of my assistants contact your people." Guan Ming informed Lucius Ting. "I have ns for the next few days, but I wille visit you when I am free."

    "You are wee toe to our offices any time." Lucius Ting said with a nod. "If you would like, I could give you a tour of the city. I might have moved only recently but I know this ce quite well."

    "No, it''s fine. I have a friend in the city." Guan Ming said as he stole a nce at Cami.

    He badly wished that Cami could be the one to give him a tour of the city. He wanted to discover her city through her eyes. Unfortunately he couldn''t just yet, he needed to steal her back from Lucius Ting.

    When he saw that she wasn''t madly in love with the man, it gave him hope. It made him believe that he had a fighting chance.

    "We shall go then." Lucius Ting said when he realized that Guan Ming was no longer interested in their conversation.

    "My assistant will walk you out." Guan Ming told him as he waved an assistant over and sat back down in his seat.

    "It was a pleasure meeting you, Guan Ming." Cami said in a sweet voice, making the corners of Guan Ming''s lips curl to form a smile.

    Guan Ming resisted the urge and simply nodded back.

    Lucius and Cami silently followed the assistant out of thevish room. Cami was, of course, quite familiar with the hotel. It was owned by Cedric and he stayed there sometimes. He would even allow his personal staff to stay there as well on their days off.

    "That was exciting." Lucius said with a smile as they got into the elevator.

    "Yes, it was interesting." Cami replied as she felt Lucius reach for her hand and intertwine their fingers.

    "Yes, he is an entric man." Cami said as she shook her head. Guan Ming was the same man she met years ago, but in some ways he had also be quite different.

    "This is good for Arch Group." Lucius said with a nod as the elevator doors opened.

    As they stepped out, Cami''s phone began to ring.

    "Give me a moment." She said, as she stepped away.

    "Hello?" Cami said.

    "Oh, you''re here too. Wow, such a coincidence." Cami said in an excited tone.

    "Really, we can hang out in your room, sure. I''d honestly rather be away from the public, especially with everything that''s going on." Cami told the person at the other end of the call.

    "Give me five minutes. I need to tell Lucius first." She told the person as she dropped the call.

    "Lucius, dear." Cami said in an endearing tone.

    "What is it?" Lucius asked as he eyed Cami suspiciously.

    "Well, a friend of mine is here as well." She said as sweetly as she could. "Would you mind if I met up with her?"

    "Her?" Lucius asked.

    "Yes, her." Cami said as she red at Lucius. "Can''t I have friends?" She asked in an usatory tone.

    "No, of course, it''s just you never mentioned that a friend was visiting." Lucius Ting said as he began to panic.

    "It''s because she isn''t." Cami said as she rolled her eyes at him. "She is from the city, she is just having a staycation at Constetions."

    "Sorry, yes, of course you can go my love." Lucius said as he pulled her into his arms and tried to kiss her.

    Cami avoided kissing him on the lips as he ended up kissing her on the top of her head.

    "What was that about?" Lucius Ting asked as he frowned at her reaction.

    "I don''t like public disys of affection." Cami grumbled. "Also, my makeup will be ruined." She told him.

    "Okay, okay." He said as he kissed her on the forehead.

    "Why don''t I walk you to the car and see you off?" Cami asked as Lucius released her from his arms.

    "Alright, do you want me to leave a car for you or maybe some guards?" He asked as he gave her a concerned look.

    "No, I''ll be fine." Cami said as she shook her head and held his hand.

    "Okay, I''m just worried." Lucius said with a frown as they made their way through the lobby. "I know a lot of members of the paparazzi want to snap a photo of you or get an interview with you."

    "I can manage, don''t worry." Cami said with a shrug as they reached the entrance to the lobby.

    Outside the doors, Cami could see as the reporters snapped photos of them through the windows.

    She knew that Cedric was allowing the photos for a reason. There were many things she found suspicious about Guan Ming''s visit, and the biggest thing nagging her was the fact that he was staying at Constetions.

    Cami fully intended to give Cedric a call as soon as she got home. Something was not adding up.

    "I''ll go now." Lucius said with a smile as he let go of her hand and stepped out of the hotel.

    She watched as Lucius and his men drove off.

    As soon as they were out of view, bodyguards quickly sent the reporters away and the windows of the lobby darkened, giving its guests more privacy.

    Cami shook her head and walked towards the lobby, she was 100% sure Cedric had something to do with everything, she just didn''t know what.

    "Cami.." Katerina called out from the hotel''s restaurant. "Why did you want me to call and start mumbling random things?"

 Chapter 797 - 797

    "Thank you Kat." She told thewyer with a smile as she hugged her tight. "I need to see someone."

    "Oooooh, is it him?" Katerina asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yes, so don''t tell a soul." Cami warned as she left Katerina and walked back towards the elevator.

    Cami yed with her nails as the elevator climbed to the top floor.

    No one questioned what she was doing or why she was headed up to the presidential suite. She was Cedric''s former assistant and the Vice President of Mor Co. She could go anywhere she wanted if Cedric owned the ce.

    Not a single soul would dare stop her.

    They wouldn''t want to offend Cedric or the people closest to him, and they knew that despite Cami dating a rival businessman, Cedric still saw her as a friend.

    When she finally reached the Presidential Suite, she got nervous. She hadn''te up with a valid excuse to be there.

    She was simply hoping that Guan Ming would be willing to talk.

    Cami needed to exin the situation. She knew that it looked really bad, she had waited for him and when he finally returned she was with another man.

    "Hi, I''m here to see Guan Ming." Cami told the bodyguard. "I was here earlier."

    The bodyguard remained silent.

    Cami began to worry that he couldn''t understand her and that she would need to speak in Mandarin.

    She had learned in the past for Guan Ming, but she was a bit rusty, so she was worried that she might say the wrong thing and get beaten up or thrown out.

    "Cami." Guan Ming said in a shocked tone as he spotted her. "What are you doing back here?" He asked.

    "Ming, I need to talk to you." Cami said with a worried look on her face. "In private, please." Cami pleaded.

    "Yes, of course." Guan Ming said with a nod as he waved her over. "I hope you don''t mind if we spoke in my room? I mean it''s the most private ce here. Everywhere else is crawling with my staff."

    "Yes, it''s fine." Cami said with a smile as he led the way to the master bedroom.

    As soon as the doors closed behind them, Cami jumped into Guan Ming''s arms and pressed her lips on his.

    Guan Ming was shocked with her actions, but he had no intention of stopping her.

    He wrapped his arm around her waist and deepened the kiss, forcing his tongue in, starting a battle for dominance between them.

    In the end, Guan Ming won as Cami let him take the lead. With one hand he gripped the back of her hair and turned them around, pushing her up against the wall.

    He felt as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

    He was shocked that despite having a boyfriend, she was here, in his arms, with his lips pressed against hers.

    "Wait." Guan Ming said as his reasoning returned to him. She had a boyfriend and she came to see him and made out with him. Nothing made sense to Guan Ming.

    "You don''t want me?" Cami asked as Guan Ming pushed her away, holding her at arm''s length.

    He was fully aware of the effect she had on him and he had no ns of making a mistake because of how much he wanted her.

    "Why are you here Cami?" Guan Ming asked in a serious tone as he walked to his bed and sat at the edge.

    He took a deep breath as he tried to gather himself, he didn''t want to have a slip up. What if Cami was working with Lucius Ting and she was nning on using him? He couldn''t just trust her, could he?

    "You didn''t answer my question." Cami told him as she made her way to where he was and sat next to him. "Don''t you still want me?" She asked him again as she ced one of her soft hands on his shoulder.

    "Cami, that should never be a question." Guan Ming said with a frown as he pushed her hand down. "The way I''ve felt about you has never changed. It has remained the same over the years." He confessed.

    "Then why are you pushing me away?" Cami asked. "My feelings for you have never changed either. I waited for you for almost ten years. I never met someone that could make me feel the way you do."

    "Really, Cami?" Guan Ming said as he eyed her suspiciously.

    He couldn''t believe how she was lying to him to his face. She was just in the other room with her boyfriend, how could she im to have never met someone that made her feel loved.

    By the way Lucius Ting looked at her Guan Ming knew that the businessman was madly in love with Cami.

    "Cami, don''t lie to me!" Guan Ming said in an angry tone. "Just don''t. If you think it will make me feel better, it clearly won''t. I''m not blind or deaf or stupid, I was in the dinning room with you when Lucius Ting introduced you as his girlfriend."

    "Will you please let me exin!" Cami answered back as she tried to get through to him.

    "Exin what Cami? What is there to exin, you clearly couldn''t wait for me toe back, and I don''t me you. It''s my fault, I took way too long toe get you." Guan Ming said as he cupped her face.

    He didn''t know if he should kiss her or shout at her. He was so conflicted.

    "I don''t love him!" Cami shouted. "I''ve only ever loved you!"

    "And yet it''s all over the news that you are his girlfriend, his!" Guan Ming shouted back. "Cami don''t lie to me, I hate it when people lie to me."

    "Give me the chance to exin, I''m not his. I''ve never been his!" Cami said as she tugged on Guan Ming''s sleeve. "Please, I don''t love him!"

    "Cami, you don''t need to lie to make me feel better.." Guan Ming said as he stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Cami alone.

 Chapter 798 - 798

    Cami quickly ran after Guan Ming, she didn''t care if all of his employees saw her. She didn''t care if she embarrassed herself in front of everyone. The only person that mattered was him, Guan Ming.

    "Ming, please listen to me." Cami called out as she searched for him.

    From the corner of her eye she spotted him entering the dining room.

    She didn''t hesitate as she quickly followed him in.

    "Ming, please let''s talk about this, let me exin." She begged.

    Guan Ming stood, facing the window that overlooked the city. Cami always adored this view, it was her favorite in the whole suite.

    From there she could not only see R Tower, but the beautiful old city behind it. She had always marveled at how the old and the new had interacted in the capital.

    "What is there to talk about Cami?" Guan Ming asked in a deep and sad voice. He didn''t think he would break this way when he finally got to speak to her.

    He walked over to the table and picked up a pack of cigarettes and ced a stick in his mouth. He didn''t smoke it, he stopped when he met Cami. She didn''t like the smell of cigarette smoke.

    "Aren''t you going to light that?" Cami asked as she pointed at the cigarette.

    "Cami, I haven''t smoked since we first met." Guan Ming told her as he shook his head.

    "Oh." She said as she turned around to look out the window.

    "Cami, I won''t be a third party in your rtionship with Lucius." Guan Ming said with a sigh. "I love you, I truly do, but I want to be with you the right way."

    "I''m not in a rtionship with Lucius Ting." Cami exined as she finally got the chance to say something in a calm tone.

    "Don''t lie to me Cami." Guan Ming said as he shook his head. "Your rtionship with Lucius Ting is all over the news, why do you think I came?"

    "And I''m telling you that''s all a lie." Cami said as she tried not to shout at Guan Ming.

    For some reason he refused to believe her.

    "Fine, I''ll humor you." Guan Ming said with a cocky grin. "Are you pretending to be his girlfriend because he is secretly gay? Who is he really dating? Your friend Ian? That guy didn''t seem gay thest time we met." Guan Ming said with augh.

    "No, I did it for my boss." Cami said with a frown. She knew it was a long shot but he had to believe her.

    She jumped in surprise when Guan Ming suddenlyughed.

    "Nice one, Cami." He said as he shook his head. "I''m pretty sure Cedric isn''t gay. He is obsessively in love with his wife."

    "Of course Cedric isn''t gay!" Cami said as sheughed at the thought. Then it hit her.

    She gave Guan Ming a confused look as he grinned at her.

    "How do you know Cedric?" Cami asked as she stared at him in surprise.

    "Yep." Guan Ming said with a grin. "I met him the same day I met you. Kinda ditched him to hangout with you."

    "So he knew this whole time!" Cami shouted in disbelief.

    "Knew that I loved you?" Guan Ming asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "No, yes, I don''t know, what does he know?" Cami asked Guan Ming as shepletely forgot the whole issue with Lucius Ting.

    "He just knows that I''m here for someone I love, someone I have loved for a decade. He doesn''t know it''s you." Guan Ming exined with a shrug.

    "Of course he didn''t know." Cami said as she paced across the room. "He is going to be furious when he finds out."

    "Why?" Guan Ming asked.

    "Well. . ." Cami said as a worried expression crossed her face.

    "Look, Cami, I won''t tell anyone, I swear." Guan Ming said as he walked up to her.

    "Promise me you won''t lose your temper." Cami said in a shy tone as she looked up at him from her long darkshes.

    Guan Ming wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

    "Cami, just tell me." Guan Ming told her in a low tone.

    "I''m pretending to date Lucius Ting because I wanted to help Cedric with his n to take Lucius Ting down." Cami said in a rush as she began to worry about how he would react.

    "WHAT?!" Guan Ming shouted as he made Cami look him in the eyes. "He made you do this? He made you date someone you don''t like? Did he force you Cami?" Guan Ming asked.

    He was clearly furious at Cedric, he had assumed that Cedric had convinced Cami to pretend to date Lucius Ting.

    "No, Ming, you have it all wrong." Cami said as she shook her head. "It''s not Cedric''s n, it''s mine."

    "What?!" Guan Ming asked in shock. "Cami, why?" He asked.

    Guan Ming was at a loss for words, he didn''t know what he should say. He didn''t want to drive Cami away. He needed to watch his words and how he reacted.

    "Cedric didn''t know I was nning this, Ming I owe the Reyeses and the Sebastians, and basically their whole group my life." Cami said as she desperately tried to get Guan Ming to realize that Cedric was innocent in all of this.

    "What do you mean?" Guan Ming asked as he eyed her with suspicion.

    "You''ve been out of my life for so long, Ming." Cami said as she shook her head. "Just please, understand that me being with Lucius Ting is all fake and Cedric was just as shocked as you were when he found out."

    "He should have stopped you." Guan Ming said as he shook his head. "The bastard should have stopped you from doing it."

    "Don''t you think he tried?" Cami asked as she tried to calm Guan Ming down. "Ending my fake rtionship with Lucius Ting will make things harder for me and for everyone."

    "I''m calling the fucking asshole!" Guan Ming shouted as he took out his phone. "He should have found a fucking way.." Guan Ming cursed as he dialed Cedric''s number.

 Chapter 799 - 799

    "It''s him." Cedric said as he showed Ian and Adrianna his phone.

    "What would he want at this time of day?" Ian asked Cedric with a frown.

    It was clear to Cedric that Ian was not a fan of Guan Ming. This didn''t surprise him, since Ian thought of Cami like a little sister, and Guan Ming was the man that had abandoned her for ten years.

    "He better not expect her toe running into his arms just because he is back." Ian hissed as Cedric picked up the call.

    "Ming! What''s up?" Cedric asked in a cheerful tone.

    "You fucking bastard, how could you let her do that?" Guan Ming shouted over the phone.

    "Wait, what?" Cedric asked in confusion. He had no idea why Guan Ming would curse at him in such a way. "I should be the one mad at you. Why didn''t you tell me that the woman you were looking for is my former assistant?"

    "Really?! Really?! You have the fucking audacity to be pissed off at me?!" Guan Ming asked Cedric in an angry tone.

    "Cedric, I''m here with him." Cami suddenly said over the phone.

    "What the- Cami, why are you there?" Ian asked in a panic. "What if Lucius Ting sees you?"

    "Really, Mr. Lim, that''s your priority? That a fucking bastard like Lucius Ting would see Cami with me? You really are crazy and stupid!" Guan Ming shouted over the phone.

    "Wait, Ming, you need to calm down." Cedric could hear Cami as she tried to get Guan Ming to cool off.

    "I''ll send a car." Cedric told Cami and Guan Ming over the phone. "Come over, let''s talk. It isn''t safe to do this over the phone." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "We''ll use the service elevator." Cami told Cedirc. "See you in a bit."

    "You better have a good excuse for this Cedric!" Guan Ming threatened as he dropped the call.

    "What was that?" Ian asked as he gave Cedric a confused look.

    "It seems he isn''t happy about Cami dating Lucius Ting." Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head and pressed a button to call a maid over.

    "Please ask John to take one of the more discrete cars and go to Constetions Resort. He will pick up Cami and her malepanion at the service elevator." Cedric told the maid as soon as she entered.

    "Yes sir." The maid said with a nod.

    "Oh, and tell him that the man is in a temper, so he better not antagonize him." Cedric said with a sigh as he recalled his driver liked to poke angry bears.

    "Yes sir." The maid said again as she turned and left.

    "So am I finally going to get to meet this mysterious Guan Ming?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "I know the circumstances aren''t ideal, and he wasn''t exactly nice over the phone, but I swear he is a really nice guy."

    "I''ll take your world for it then." Adrianna said with augh.

    "You still haven''t answered my question." Ian told Cedric as he leaned back against the couch. "Why is Guan Ming working with Lucius Ting?" He asked.

    "It''s our n." Cedric said with a sigh. "He deals with Lucius Ting for me, I deal with Wu Jun for him. It''s a win win." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "So what? Was Guan Ming supposed to pull out from his deal with Lucius Ting?" Ian asked.

    "Well, the initial n was for him to pretend to study Lucius Ting''s capabilities to be his partner locally." Cedric exined as he took a sip of his coffee. "He was supposed to set crazy standards that would force Lucius Ting to innovate beyond his capacity for services he didn''t need."

    "So you were going to bankrupt him?" Ian asked Cedric.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod. "He would have to spend almost all of his investor''s money and their profits, just to meet Guan Ming''s demands. And all those demands will have no profitable use to other clients."

    "That couldn''t have been all you were nning." Ian pointed out. Over the years that he had worked for Cedric he knew that Cedric''s plots were much moreplicated than that.

    "Right, yeah, that''s not the end of it." Cedric said with augh. "Once Lucius Ting has spent so much money just to meet Guan Ming''s demands, Ming will suddenly tell Lucius that he isn''t happy with their partnership. Then a few dayster he will hear that Guan Ming and I signed a deal."

    "Is that enough to take down Arch Group?" Ian asked Cedric.

    "Yes and no." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "You were going to ask Benedict and Cami to pull out their investment in Arch Group." Ian said as he realized Cedric''s n.

    Cedric simply nodded.

    "Guan Ming was also supposed to release a statement of distrust against Lucius Ting, sealing the deal and ruining his name forever." Cedric said aashe he took a sip from his coffee. "There are very fewpanies that could survive from a statement like that."

    "And you don''t think Lucius Ting''s Arch Group could survive?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "No." Cedric said as he shook his head. "Arch Group is young, and it is very dependent on the approval of the public and their opinion. They have a lot of investors and if the opinion of the public shits and if they see the biggest investor leaving, then they would react."

    "I thought you said the Ortiz''s pulling out their investment wouldn''t be enough to topple Arch Group." Ian pointed out as he was not confused.

    "It isn''t." Cedric admitted. "But with Guan Ming''s rejection it will be so much worse. It will be more than enough to take down Arch Group."

    Just as Cedric finished exining his n to Ian and Adrianna, the doors to his office burst open as an angry Guan Ming marches in with Cami behind him.

    "How could you?!" Guan Ming shouted angrily. "Give me a good fucking reason Cedric!"

    "Hello to you too, Ming." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Asshole.." Guan Ming cursed as he punched Cedric on the face.

 Chapter 800 - 800

    "Ming!" Cami shouted in a panic as she ran over to pull Guan Ming back. She had been shocked by his sudden action of punching Cedric in the face.

    "Fuck, damnit Ming, why in the face?" Cedric asked as he grabbed a cloth and ced it on his nose as he bled.

    "You fucking deserved it." Guan Ming shouted.

    "Nice to see you again, Ming." Ian said with augh as he got up and walked out of the room to fetch a first aid kid.

    "Ming, why the hell did you punch Cedric?" Cami asked as she tried her best to calm Guan Ming down.

    "Really? You need to ask me that?" Guan Ming said as he gave her an irritated look.

    "Yes, I do!" Cami shouted. "It was my choice, not Cedric, not anyone else''s. Cedric was even publicly humiliated when I stepped out of that car with Lucius Ting."

    "He should have stopped you, he should have found a way out for you!" Guan Ming argued back.

    "How? You know how stubborn I am, do you really think Cedric could convince me?" Cami asked as she tried to lower her voice. She didn''t want to make the fight any worse.

    They were all allies in this room, nott enemies, but now they were fighting each other.

    "Are you guys done with your lover''s spat yet?" Cedric asked as he walked over to his mini ref and took out a bottle of water. "Cause as entertaining as this is, I would like to get some sleep."

    "How could you let her fucking do that Cedric?" Guan Ming asked, this time he was no longer shouting, but Cami could feel his anger in his tone.

    "Do you think I want someone I consider like a sister waltzing into enemy territory and entering a fake rtionship with a man I despise?" Cedric asked as he gritted his teeth.

    "I''m back, what did I miss?" Ian asked as he walked in with the first aid kit.

    "Ugh, as annoying as ever." Guan Ming said as he rolled his eyes at Ian.

    "You guys are way too serious." Ian said with augh as he walked over to check up on Cedric. "I really don''t see what Cami sees in you. Such a stiff and serious person, you are no fun."

    "Don''t tell me you think you are the fun one here." Cami said as she pointed at Ian.

    "Much more fun than these two." Ian said with augh as he dressed Cedric''s injury.

    "If I''m not mistaken you were the one that was continuously sulking about some sort of revenge n." Cedric pointed out.

    "Do you want me to help you or not?" Ian grumbled. "Plus I still am, but in a better light now. Just one more step and I can live peacefully."

    "Two." Cami corrected him.

    "What do you mean two?" Ian asked.

    "Get your name back on top and convince Nicole to marry you." Cami teased.

    "Ian found a girl that could stand him?" Guan Ming asked as heughed at his own joke.

    "Don''t pretend you don''t have spies around us, Ming." Ian said as he finished helping Cedric out. "I know what resources you have at your disposal, I''m not the same Ian Lim as before."

    "Clearly." Guan Ming said as he grinned. "You''ve gotten visibly older." He added, teasing Ian.

    "And you''ve developed an even worse attitude, I didn''t think that was possible." Ian pointed out. "I swear, you are crazy Cami. Ming isn''t worth waiting ten years for."

    Cami simplyughed at Ian and wrapped her arms around Guan Ming.

    "Stop fighting with them." She said as she hugged him tight.

    Cedric smiled at the sight of Cami madly in love. He had never seen this side of her, what made it even more special, was the fact that the man she loved was his friend.

    "Fine." Guan Ming finally said as he kissed her on the lips. "But that doesn''t mean I''m not mad at Cedric for letting you fake date Lucius Ting."

    "You need to let go, my love." Cami said with a sweet smile. "Having so much anger will kill you earlier and it will make you look old. Do you want to look as old as Ian and Cedric? Those two are always angry at someone."

    "We are not!" Ian said as he shook his head, making everyone in the roomugh.

    Eventually Guan Ming calmed down and took a seat next to Cami.

    "So is everyone calm and level headed?" Cedric asked, to which Ian and Guan Ming nodded.

    "Great, Ming, I''d like you to meet my wife, Adrianna Hernandez - Reyes." Cedric said as he introduced Guan Ming to his wife.

    "It''s an honor to finally meet you." Guan Ming said as he shook Adrianna''s hand.

    "Likewise." Adrianna said with a smile.

    "Cedric told me so much about you when we first met, I was surprised he could even function without you." Guan Mingmented, making everyoneugh.

    "I missed him terribly that time too." Adrianna replied with a smile.

    "So Ming it was Cedric that dragged you over?" Ian asked Guan Ming.

    "Yes, plus it was the perfect excuse to finally meet up with Cami." Guan Ming said as he looked lovingly at the woman next to him.

    "Wait, so everything you are doing with Lucius Ting. All the publicity and the noise about partnering up with him, that was yours and Cedric''s n?" Cami asked.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod.

    "It was more Cedric than me." Guan Ming admitted. "He arranged for the media to be there as Lucius Ting left the hotel. He also arranged for the members of the media to know that I was arriving at the airport. I just didn''t expect Wu Jun to be arriving at the same time as me."

    "So what did Cedric promise you in exchange for your help?" Ian asked.

    "Aside from the fact that this was my chance to finally see the woman I love?" Guan Ming asked. "Well, he said I could deal with Wu Jun however I saw fit. And man, that kid, I''ve wanted to beat him up. He is the reason why I couldn''te back to find Cami."

    "Why?" Ian asked.

    "He made it seem like I was in a rtionship with you.." Guan Ming grumbled, making Camiugh.

 Chapter 801 - 801

    "What the-" Ian said as heughed. "Me and you? Really?" Ian asked Guan Ming who looked like he wanted to punch Ian.

    "Why though?" Cedric asked.

    "My family is very traditional." Guan Ming said with a sigh. "When I finally epted the role of CEO and they allowed me to change thepany name to Ming Enterprises I was tied to them."

    "But you made your own money, you didn''t owe them anything. You could easily have flown back for Cami!" Ian said in an angry tone.

    Ian had watched Cami suffer all those years. She didn''t know if Guan Ming still loved her or even if he was still alive.

    "Don''t you think I tried? Don''t you think I fucking tried toe back, to contact her in someway?" Guan Ming shouted back angrily.

    "If you really wanted to see Cami you would have found a way." Ian said as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    "You don''t understand what it''s like back there." Guan Ming said as he shook his head. "Here you practically control everything, back in China my image mattered for thepany. It will already look bad that the woman I love isn''t Chinese."

    "So what?" Ian asked. "Will they hold everything you own hostage just because Wu Jun spread a rumor?"

    "Back then in Beijing he was more important than me." Guan Ming exined as he tried to remain calm. "Wu Jun was the son that never left. He was always by his father''s side, learning, even if to his father he was a disappointment. Everyone wanted to be on his good side."

    "I thought Wu Jun''s father was your mentor?" Cedric asked as he recalled their earlier conversation.

    "That is not public knowledge." Guan Ming said with a frown. "If people were to find out that he chose to teach me over his son it would be an embarrassment to his family. Wu Jun would be cast out, and as a father he didn''t want that."

    "So this isn''t just a battle between Cedric and Lucius Ting? It''s between you and Wu Jun as well?" Cami asked.

    "Yes." Guan Ming said with a nod.

    "The thing is, you and Wu Jun are actually working for the same side." Adrianna pointed out. "It''s not a battle between the two. It''s you and Cedric using Wu Jun."

    "We aren''t sure that Wu Jun isn''t using us." Cedric said. "He says that he and Lucius Ting hate each other, but Ian has sent Dave to check on his rtionship with Lucius Ting. They might have been rivals at school, but at least they know each other from the past."

    "Do you think they could be working together to go after you?" Cami asked Cedric.

    "I think there is a possibility that Wu Jun will turn on me and rush to Lucius Ting''s side." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Lucius Ting is too desperate to get Guan Ming''s approval." Cami said as she thought of how Lucius Ting would have knelt before Guan Ming if he had asked for it.

    "Yeah, that fake boyfriend of yours would do anything I ask if it meant getting the deal." Guan Ming said with augh. "Maybe I should just ask for you?" Guan Ming asked Cami as he lifted her chin to look him in the eyes.

    The room was silent for a minute as it oozed sexual tension between Cami and Guan Ming.

    Wanting to continue the conversation, Cedric coughed, bringing them back to the present.

    "Sorry about that." Guan Ming said as he looked embarrassed about how he had acted. "I''ve wanted to be with her for years, I just don''t want to wait anymore."

    "Well, you will have to wait a little longer." Cedric said with a frown as he knew Guan Ming would not be happy with the news.

    "WHAT!?" Guan Ming shouted. "Don''t you dare tell me that I can''t be with Cami, you aren''t her father or her brother. And even if you were, you have no right to say who she can and can''t be with."

    "Ming, rx." Cami said as she ced a hand on his arm, stroking it gently. "Please, hear Cedric out first." Cami asked.

    Cami knew that Cedric always had his reasons, and usually his reasons benefited those around him more than himself.

    She knew that Cedric would never let anything bad happen to her, and Guan Ming needed to understand that. He needed to understand the whole dynamic of her friendship with Cedric.

    "You can''t just pick up your rtionship with her, Lucius Ting will have her killed." Cedric said in a morbid tone, making Guan Ming stop in his tracks.

    "He wouldn''t." Guan Ming hissed.

    "He probably has killed for less." Ian pointed out.

    "Then I will ask him for Cami." Guan Ming hissed as he insisted on getting his way.

    "And if Cami agrees, she is still dead. He will see it as a betrayal. And don''t forget, Guan Ming also knows about her brother." Cedric tells Guan Ming, who at this point was incredibly frustrated with the situation.

    "Fuck her brother, he can die for all I care!" Guan Ming shouts.

    "You will not drag my brother into this." Cami warned as she ced her foot down. "Cedric is right, we can be together after this. I will not love you any less, Ming." Cami told him as she ced her hand on his cheek."

    "Then all I need to do will be to convince my family to ept a non-chinese." Guan Ming said with a sigh.

    "Not true." Ian said with augh.

    "What do you mean?" Guan Ming asked as he gave Ian a confused look.

    Ian grinned at how lost Guan Ming was.

    "You seriously didn''t know?" Ian asked. "I thought you looked her up. Didn''t you find out about Benedict?"

    "I did, Aiden and Benedict Ortiz are her brothers." Guan Ming said. "That doesn''t sound Chinese to me."

    "Ortiz isn''t theirst name." Ian said with a grin. "It''s Lim, Cami is my distant cousin.. So technically, you''ll need my permission, I am the head of the Lim family now."

 Chapter 802 - 802

    Guan Ming was not happy to hear that Cami actually belonged to the Lim family. Despite everything he wanted to do right by Cami and he wanted to ask the head of the family for the right to court her.

    Knowing that he had to ask Ian''s permission to court Cami, pissed him off.

    Ian was worried that he would storm off when Ian told him that Cami and he were cousins. But he was quite surprised when Cami managed to calm Guan Ming down.

    "You do know that I would never stop Cami from being with someone she loves, right?" Ian asked Guan Ming when he finally calmed down.

    "I don''t take chances with Cami." Guan Ming said as he red at Ian.

    "Ian is like a brother to me Ming. He was there over the years that I was alone." Cami said as she tried to get Guan Ming to like Ian.

    "It''s a good thing then that Ian didn''t try to make a move on you." Guan Ming mumbled.

    When Ian heard what he had said he spat his coffee out andughed, Cami alsoughed as if they had some sort of inside joke between them.

    "No way, the two of you?" Cedric asked as he eyed the pair suspiciously.

    "I swear if you had some incest shit going on-" Guan Mingg said in a loud voice, but he stopped midsentence when Ian rolled his eyes at him. "Don''t you dare make fun of me." He challenged Ian.

    "Rx, there has been any sexual attraction between me and Cami." Ian said as he shook his head. "I swear all she has been is a friend and sister."

    "Yeah, he went as far as telling me that he wasn''t interested and that he had a girlfriend at the time." Cami said as she confirmed what had happened. "Despite all the time I spent with Ian, I have had nothing but brotherly love for him."

    "Ouch, but the feeling is mutual." Ian said with augh.

    "Are you calm now?" Cami asked Guan Ming as she saw him rx.

    "Yes, I''m just tired." Guan Ming said with a nod. "I just arrived, then we had dinner with Lucius Ting, and now this."

    "Let''s go back to the hotel." Cami said with a nod. "Cedric, can I use one of the smaller suites?"

    "Do you really need to ask? I told you, you and Ian can use Constetions any time, you don''t even need to ask for my permission." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "It''s always best if I ask for your permission. I don''t want to overstep." Cami exined.

    "It will never be overstepping with you and Ian, both of you have saved my life. Both of you are practically Reyeses at this point." Cedric said as he smiled lovingly at Cami.

    "I don''t think the Lim family would appreciate it if we became Reyeses." Ian pointed out with a grin. "Althoughbining the two would be fun." He said with a grin.

    "You''re crazy and tired, go home." Cedric told Ian.

    "Wait, what if you spent the night with me?" Guan Ming asked as he looked tentatively at Cami.

    "Would it be dangerous?" Guan Ming asked Cedric and Ian.

    "I don''t see how it would be." Cedric said with a shrug. "Lucius Ting has no men in Constetions, I made sure of that. I had the ce sweeped and the staff checked multiple times."

    "I doubt he has realized that you own the ce." Cami told Cedric. "If he knew, he would have found it suspicious that Guan Ming was staying there rather than at the Maharlika."

    "What excuse do you guys have for that by the way?" Ian asked Guan Ming and Cedric. "Maharlika is the top hotel in the county, Guan Ming not staying there is quite suspicious. Especially since Wu Jun has booked a room there."

    "Easy, Ming wanted to avoid the paparazzi so he thought of staying at a good hotel that wasn''t predictable." Cedric said with a shrug. "Add to that the fact that Constetions is known for its anti-paparazzi facilities, it would be the perfect ce."

    "So it''s safe?" Guan Ming asked Cedric.

    "Well, what excuse did you give Lucius for staying at Constetions?" Cedric asked Cami.

    "I told him I had a friend that was staying there, and that I would hang out with her." Cami exined. "I told Lucius Ting that my brother woulde get me in the morning."

    "Then that''s fine." Cedric said with a nod. "There won''t be a record of you staying at Ming''s room. Just make sure that Benedict picks you up tomorrow with a change of clothes and takes you to work."

    Cami nodded at Cedric''s instructions.

    "And you, I don''t want to see you anywhere near my office." Cedric said as he pointed at Guan Ming.

    "Can''t I take her to work, ride with her brother in his car?" Guan Ming asked.

    He was desperate to spend as much time as possible with Cami, they had been separated for way too long and he wanted to savor every moment.

    "No, you already get to spend tonight with her, that''s already taking a risk." Cedric said as he ced his foot down. "I will not let your love sick mind put Cami or Benedict in any danger. So you better stay at Constetions and stick to your schedule." Cedric warned.

    "Yes." Guan Ming mumbled.

    "And don''t you dare change your schedule to bring you anywhere remotely close to Mor Co. don''t mess this up for everyone." Cedric warned.

    "I''m not stupid." Guan Ming said as he red at Cedric.

    "Alright. I''ll see you around then." Cedric said with a smile as he and Guan Ming shook hands.

    "Let''s catch up after the dust settles. I want to meet your son." Guan Ming told Cedric with a smile.

    It seemed that as long as Cami was not the topic, Guan Ming could be calm and fun to be around.

    "Have a safe drive back to the hotel." Cedric told Cami and Guan Ming as he walked them and Ian to the door.

    "I n to make the most of tonight.." Guan Ming said with a wink as he held Cami''s hand and walked her to the car.

 Chapter 803 - 803

    "Why did you have to punch Cedric?" Cami asked angrily as she moved further away from Guan Ming.

    "Cami." Guan Ming called to her in a sweet tone.

    "No Ming, you can''t sweet talk your way out of this." She said as she swatted his hand away. "I''m not the same Cami you met years ago."

    "Yeah, apparently you''re Cami Lim." Guan Ming said as he shook his head in disbelief. "Who knew your rtive was right next to you this whole time?" He said with augh.

    "Unlike you, Ian has stood by me all these years." She said as she red at him from the other end of the car.

    "I see we have some unsettled issues." Guan Ming said with a grin as he suddenly grabbed Cami by the waist and ced her on hisp.

    "Ming!" Cami shouted in annoyance. "If you don''t put me down I will ask John to stop the car."

    "Cami, with all due respect, I think you have no issues being on hisp." John said with augh as he ignored Cami''s protests.

    "You know her well?" Guan Ming asked John.

    "Of course he does. He''s been working for the Reyes Family longer than I have." Cami grumbled.

    "While Mr. Reyes was in his poverty training, I drove her and Ian around." John grinned as he nced at the couple through the rear view mirror.

    "Don''t you fucking dare, John." Cami threatened.

    "We both know you can''t hurt me Cami." John said as heughed at her predicament.

    "Do tell me John, has my darling Cami ever mentioned me?" Guan Ming said as he smiled mischievously at John.

    "Well Ming, I can call you Ming right?" John asked, knowing that Guan Ming would agree to anything at this point.

    "Of course, Cami''s friends are my friends." Guan Ming said with a nod.

    "Well, Ming, Cami here would talk about you and only you whenever she would get drunk." John said as heughed at Cami''s expression.

    "I do not talk about him." She insisted.

    "You can ask Ian, he was the one that was most amused." John pointed out.

    "He never told me." Cami said it seemed that she had no idea that in her drunken state she would talk about Guan Ming.

    "I hope you haven''t gotten drunk around Lucius Ting." Guan Ming said as he looked at Cami with a serious expression.

    "No, never." Cami told him as she shook her head. "I would never get drunk around him, I''m afraid of what he would do if I ended up incapacitared." She said with a frown.

    "One time she even assaulted Ian thinking he was you." John said with augh as he continued to drive them back to the hotel.

    "What?!" Guan Ming looked at Cami as if she hadmitted a horrible crime "Please don''t tell me you didn''t do anything sexual. Aside from the fact that he is your cousin, you are mine, and only mine." He said possessively.

    "Shut up." Cami hissed as she tried to wiggle herself out of hisp. "I never did anything with Ian, stop being obsessed with Ian. He would never touch me, he would never let anything happen to me. He would protect me from everyone, even you."

    "Cami! Stop!" Guan Ming shouted as he held her still on hisp.

    "Don''t order me around!" Cami answered back.

    "No, stop, don''t you feel something?" Guan Ming asked as he nudged himself against her.

    "Ugh, gross, not something I wanted to know." Johnined.

    "Oh please, you drive Cedric and Adrianna around. We all know that they have sex in the backseat sometimes." Cami pointed out as she stopped moving on Guan Ming''sp.

    "Cedric''s cars all have dividers." John grumbled. "I know they are doing things, but I don''t have to hear or see it."

    "We aren''t doing anything!" Cami said in an angry tone.

    "You are turning Ming on, that''s just way too disturbing for me." Johnined, making Guan Mingugh.

    "Oh look, the hotel." Guan Ming said as he pointed out the popr facade of Constetions Resort. "I just realized, it looks like the facade of Mountain View."

    "It was designed by the same person." Cami said as he let herself lean on to Guan Ming''s chest.

    She felt one arm wrap around her waist and his lips gently brush on her neck. She closed her eyes and savored the moment. Despite everything she wanted to be with Guan Ming, she loved him and only him.

    Cami knew that John was aware that something was going on in the backseat.

    She felt as he sped up a little and drove them to the more private basement entrance, one that Cedric often used to avoid unwanted attention.

    By the time the car stopped in front of the elevator and private lobby, Cami was much more rxed and much morefortable in Guan Ming''sp.

    "We''re here." Guan Ming whispered to her ear.

    "I know, I just want to savor this moment. I want to treasure the time I have with you." Cami confessed.

    "We have all night." Guan Ming told her as she felt his lips curl into a smile against her cheek.

    "Thanks, John." Cami told the driver who simply nodded in response.

    She opened the door and quickly hopped out, rushing to the private lobby.

    "No one is here." Guan Ming grumbled as he walked behind her.

    "I just don''t want to risk it." Cami told him as she shook her head.

    "Good evening, Miss Cami." The receptionist at the private lobby said as she bowed at Cami.

    "Good evening." Cami greeted back. "Ming,e on!" She called.

    "Wow, even the receptionist knows you. Come here often with others?" Guan Ming asked with a smug grin on his face.

    Cami turned her heel and walked back to him.

    Guan Ming was ready to pull him into her arms when she pped in across the cheek and marched into the elevator.

    Despite the stinging pain Guan Ming smiled, he loved that his woman was so aggressive.

 Chapter 804 - 804

    ** Warning ** Somewhat Steamy Scenes Ahead, Read At Your Own Peril **

    When Cami and Guan Ming arrived at the presidential suite all of Guan Ming''s people steered clear of Cami.

    They might have not known who she was, but the fact that their boss was acting like a lost puppy following her everywhere meant she was someone important.

    "Cami,e on, don''t be so mad." Guan Ming said as he chased after her.

    "I''m taking your room, go find somewhere else to sleep!" She said in an angry tone as she walked into the master bedroom and mmed the doors behind her.

    Guan Mingughed at her reaction as he walked over to one of his assistants who was nervously waiting by the side.

    He was known for being a cold and unforgiving CEO, he never pitied anyone and he never gave anyone second chances. So seeing a foreign woman m the doors on him in his own room made everyone nervous.

    They had all seen him angry, they had all seen what he was capable of when he was offended.

    Once he had fired a whole department because a few people were caught conspiring with his cousins to take over Ming Enterprises.

    The wholepany was shocked with his decision, but no one could do or say anything. He owned thepany and he ran it how he saw fit.

    No one dared toin because Ming Enterprises now dominated the businessworld. It was the biggestpany in China under Guan Ming''s leadership.

    "Buy me some clothes in her size, also a set of toiletries." Guan Ming told his assistant. "Leave them by the door, don''t knock."

    "Sir, how will we know what to buy?" The assistant said in a shy tone.

    All of Guan Ming''s staff were men. He made it a point to have no women around from the very beginning. It was not that he had something against women, but he wanted to show Cami that he would not let anyone near him that wasn''t her.

    "Ask someone with a wife, or the saledy, I don''t care, just do it!" Guan Ming said angrily. "He was pouring out his frustrations on his assistants.

    "Don''t shout at them!" Cami scolded him as she opened the door.

    She marched over and pulled on his arm.

    "Come on, you can stay inside but you can''t touch me!" Cami warned, making Guan Ming smile. "And treat your staff better, stop being an ass."

    Before going in she suddenly stopped and turned.

    "I''m a medium, I don''t need anything formal, just get me a shirt and pants and some underwear. I don''t care what kind." She told the assistant before finally walking into the room with Guan Ming.

    "Don''t you need pajamas?" Guan Ming asked as the door closed behind them.

    "Nope." Cami said as she walked over to one of the drawers and fished out one of Guan Ming''s shirts and a pair of boxers. "I''ll just wear your clothes. Knowing you, these are very clean and veryfortable."

    Guan Ming could feel himself stiffen at the thought of Cami wearing his clothes. When Cami turned and saw his reaction she raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

    He was quite shocked that she had remained silent, he expected her to say something about it. Maybe tease him or act disgusted, but she didn''t speak.

    "I''ll take a bath. Don''te in." Cami warned as she brought his clothes that she had taken and walked into the bathroom.

    Guan Ming couldn''t help but smile as he realized that she wasn''t against the idea of them being together. Maybe he could find a way to convince her and Cedric to drop the whole act with Lucius Ting sooner.

    He fetched his clothes and fixed his room, making it a little bit cleaner. He ced away some of hisptops that he was working on and made space for her things when his assistant came.

    After a while, Cami came out from the bathroom wearing only his shirt and boxers. He couldn''t help but feel drawn to her.

    He walked up to Cami and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. He knew she could feel his arousal, he knew she was aware of how much he wanted her at that moment.

    Guan Ming lowered his head and captured her lips in his as he rubbed his hardness against her.

    Cami moaned as she reacted to his touch and to his kiss. Guan Ming slipped his tongue into her mouth and dominated her. He demanded to taste her.

    Cami let herself go, not caring about the consequences. She wrapped her arms around Guan Ming''s neck and lifted her legs, wrapping them around his waist.

    She felt Guan Ming''s smile as they continued to make out. He carried her over on to the bed and kissed her.

    He let his lips travel to her cheeks and down her neck, gently sucking and biting on her.

    "Ming." Cami moaned as she continued to grind against him.

    "You should have just let me join you in the shower." Guan Ming said as he continued to ravish her with his lips.

    "Ming." Cami moaned again as she thirsted for Guan Ming.

    "Are you sure you want this?" Guan Ming asked as he pressed his hardness against her.

    "I want you." Cami moaned as Guan Ming''s hand slipped under her shirt and massaged a breast.

    "Baby, I want you too, I want you more than anything in this world." Guan Ming said as he lifted her shirt.

    Cami quickly kicked off the boxers she had just put on as Guan Ming''s free hand found her wet and thirsty.

    "Ming, be gentle." Cami said as she kissed Guan Ming on the lips.

    Just as Guan Ming was about to enter her with his fingers, a knock came from the door.

    He felt as Cami suddenly froze and moved away from him.

    "No, no, no. Baby, what''s wrong?" Guan Ming asked with a frown.

    "Go get that. It might be important." Cami said as she skillfully slipped the shirt back on and picked up the boxers.

    "They can wait." Guan Ming hissed, annoyed at his people for knocking when they knew he was busy.

    "No! Go get it!" Cami said as she sunk under the covers.

    "I swear, I''m going to kill them.." Guan Ming said as he got off of the bed and walked to the door.

 Chapter 805 - 805

    Guan Ming opened the door angrily, expecting to see the assistant that he had sent to buy clothes for Cami.

    "I fucking told you not to knock!" Guan Ming shouted.

    "Is that how you speak to your mother?" An elderlydy that resembled Guan Ming asked as she stood by the door.

    "M- m- mom?" Guan Ming said in a shaky voice as he quickly stepped out of his room, closing the door behind him.

    He hoped that Cami had heard him and wouldn''t step out of his room.

    "Mom, what are you doing here?" Guan Ming asked as he led his mother to the couch. "I thought you were going on vacation with your friends."

    "I am!" His mother said with a smile. "Apparently your auntie Lin wanted to go to Kashmere Resort here. Her husband has done business with a friend of the owner, so he pulled a few strings and got us a reservation."

    "Mom, you know that I could have done that for you." Guan Ming pointed out. "Ming Enterprises is one of the biggestpanies in the world, it wouldn''t have been difficult to get a reservation for you."

    "Oh please." His mother said as she rolled her eyes at him. "This isn''t some resort you can just book at. There is an extremely long waiting list and it''s only for members. It''s a very exclusive private ind and resort."

    Guan Ming took a deep breath and shook his head. He knew about Kashmere, and he knew that Cedric''s brother-inw owned the ce.

    He didn''t like it when his mother had to depend on other people to get things, he was after all, quite capable of giving her everything she needed.

    "Mom, you know I don''t like you asking people for favors." Guan Ming said with a frown.

    "I didn''t ask, I was offered." She said with a shrug.

    Guan Ming knew his mother had suffered a lot of discrimination among her peers, she wasn''t the traditional tycoon''s wife.

    Lu Ning, Guan Ming''s mother, was an ordinary office worker when she and Guan Ming''s father fell in love.

    The Guans were very much against their rtionship, but Guan Chen, Guan Ming''s father, fought for their rtionship. He sacrificed everything just to be with Lu Ning, he even went as far as risking his position as the family heir.

    Luckily for the couple, fate was on their side. Lu Ning turned out to be a powerful ally to the Guan family, by some odd twist of faith she had been switched at birth and she was actually born the daughter of a powerful military family.

    Despite her new found pedigree, many people still looked down on Lu Ning, andter on Guan Ming, because she hadn''t been brought up the right way.

    Lu Ning grew up in a middle ss family, doing everything for herself. People made fun of her when she brought her dishes to the kitchen, or did theundry.

    There were also instances when she would be left out because all the otherdies of the most powerful families all went to the same private school, while she went to a public one.

    "I''m guessing you booked a normal vi?" Guan Ming finally asked his mother.

    "Of course, there wasn''t anything else." Lu Ning told her son. "Plus I''m just tagging along, I can''t be picky."

    Guan Ming sighed as he got up and looked for his phone. He suddenly realized that he had left it in the room with Cami.

    "Please get my mom some tea." Guan Ming told an assistant who dutifully nodded and did as he asked.

    "Mom, a moment, I need to call a friend. I''ll be right back." Guan Ming told his mother as he entered his room.

    He made sure to lock the door so that his mom wouldn''t walk in to find a barely dressed Cami on his bed.

    "Your mom is here?" Cami asked as she looked up at Guan Ming from her phone.

    "Yes." Guan Ming said as he walked up to her and gave her a passionate kiss. "I want so much more than that kiss." He said as he licked her lips.

    "Why are you back here? What if your momes in?" Cami asked. Guan Ming could see from her expression that the thought of his mother walking in on them troubled her.

    He couldn''t help butugh at her expression, he found it quite cute.

    "Don''t worry Cami, I locked the door and my mom would never walk in here." He said as he gave her lips a slight peck. "Now where is that phone of mine?" Guan Ming asked as he looked around the room.

    "Table." Cami told him as she pointed at the table at the otherside of the room.

    "Thanks." Guan Ming said as he kissed her again. "Do you think Cedric would kill me if I called him for a favor at this time?"

    "Probably not, I mean it''s a logical favor, right?" Cami asked Guan Ming.

    "It''ll get my mom out of here, so yes." Guan Ming said with a grin as he picked his phone up and searched for Cedric''s name.

    "I''ll call him outside, please stay inside, don''te out. I''m not ready to exin to my mom who you are. And well, if she sees you, she''ll start nning our wedding." Guan Ming said with a worried expression.

    He watched as Cami blushed and turned away from him.

    "I''m not kidding." Guan Ming said.

    "And I''m not ready for these things. We just found each other again." Cami exined.

    "I know, that''s why I warned you not to step outside." Guan Ming reminded her.

    "I won''t." Cami said with a nod as Guan Ming walked out of the room, making sure that the doors behind him were shut.

    "Ming?" Guan Ming heard his mom call out.

    "Mmmm?" Guan Ming mumbled as he kept his eyes on his phone.

    "Ming!" His mom shouted as she tried to get his attention.

    "What is it mom?" Guan Ming asked in an annoyed tone as he continued to look at his phone. He was waiting for Cedric''s response if he could give him a call.

    "Guan Ming, why did your assistant have to buy women''s clothes for you in the middle of the night?!" Lu Ning asked as she held up a hanger with some casual wear and underwear.

    Guan Ming suddenly went pale as he realized his mother was about to find out about Cami.

 Chapter 806 - 806

    "Mom, I can exin." Guan Ming said as calmly as he could. "I have a friend over, she got into an ident and I had my assistant buy her clothes. I need you to not over react to this."

    "A friend from this country? How can you have a friend from this country? You''ve never been here!" His mother used. "Did you book a whore or something?"

    "Mom!" Guan Ming said angrily. "You will not call her that, she is my friend. Also yes I have friends in this country, two, or three, I don''t know how to consider the other one. But I met them in Hong Kong."

    "Where you met your boyfriend?" Lu Ning said as her eyes became as wide as saucers.

    "Mom, no, I''ve never been romantically involved with a man!" Guan Ming said as he tried desperately to defend himself.

    "Ming, I understand you want to protect your image, but you can tell mom." Lu Ning said as she tried to be as supportive as possible towards her son.

    "Mom! That was a rumor Wu Jun came up with because he was jealous." Guan Ming exined as he felt a headache building in his head.

    "Why would Wu Jun make up a rumor about you? You guys are friends." Lu Ning told her son as she questioned him.

    "Wu Jun has never been my friend." Guan Ming told his mother with a frown. "Mom, I only talk to Wu Jun when work is involved. Even when I go to visit his dad I avoid any interaction I might have with him."

    "Why?" Lu Ning asked. "You should be friends, his dad is your dad''s friend. His mom is my friend." She told her son.

    "Mom, it doesn''t work that way." Guan Ming grumbled. "He is jealous that I took all of his father''s attention because the old man saw some talent in me."

    "I can''t believe such a sweet boy would do bad things to you." Lu Ning said with a frown as she looked at her son.

    "To you elders he looks nice, but mom he is a poisonous snake!" Guan Ming exined.

    "I''m sorry for believing him over you, your dad and I just wanted to protect your image. And when you weren''t letting us set you up on dates we got even more worried." Lu Ning told her son.

    "Mom, is it really that bad if I turned out to be gay?" He asked.

    "No, but are you?" His mom said as she threw back a question to him.

    "No, I''m straight." Guan Ming said as he shook his head.

    "So is the girl in your room really just a friend?" Lu Ning said as she gave her son a sly smile.

    "Yes, she is just a friend." Guan Ming confirmed with a nod. "Mom, give me a moment, I need to make a call." He said as soon as he noticed Cedric''s message, giving him the go signal to give him a call.

    Guan Ming walked to the side and dialed Cedric''s number, he ced his phone on his ear and listened to the phone ring.

    He looked out at the ss window and marveled at the sight, he had been pleasantly surprised by the scenery.

    Guan Ming thought that staying at Constetions would mean he would have to deal with horrible views and sub par rooms.

    But the moment he heard that Cedric owned the ce together with his friends, he felt a lot more confident that the ce would be nice and safe to stay at.

    "Ming, do you know what time it is?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "I do, but I need a favor, I need to get my mom out of my hair. I don''t want her to get in the crossfire of our ns." Guan Ming exined.

    "Your mother?" Cedric asked. "I thought you came alone?"

    "I did, but her friends managed to nab a reservation at Kashmere. So she''s just passing by then she will head on to Kashmere." Guan Ming quickly exined.

    "So what do you need from me?" Cedric asked, unsure of what Guan Ming actually needed.

    "I need to get my mom something so exclusive that it will make her want to fly out to Kashmere right at this moment." Guan Ming exined.

    "Oh, that''s easy." Cedric said with augh. "She can use my vi. Just tell her I''m a friend from work and she can stay in my ce."

    "Do I tell her who you are?" Guan Ming asked, wondering if his mother would even know who Cedric was.

    "No, just tell her a friend who owns a vi at the inner circle of the resort ind. Usually they know what that means." Cedric exined.

    "What exactly does that mean?" Guan Ming asked as he pressed on, asking Cedric.

    "No one is allowed at Inner Circle." Cedric informed him. "Inner Circle has the best facilities and the best beaches. I''ll give my brother-inw a call and ask him to have someone prepare my ce."

    "Won''t my mom get lost?" Guan Ming asked as he thought of how forgetful his mother could get.

    "I have a driver on the ind, he will give your mom a tour and there is enough staff in the vi to help her out." Cedric told Guan Ming. "Don''t worry about her, she''ll be fine. I''ll have everything set up."

    "Thank you." Guan Ming said over the phone.

    "Just take care of my friend." Cedric said in response as he dropped the call.

    "Great news mom!" Guan Ming said as he turned around to tell his mom what he and Cedric had spoken about. "I got you reservations in the Inner Circle."

    "Cami?!" Guan Ming asked in shock as he saw Cami and his mother drinking tea as they both looked angrily at him.

    "I''m in trouble, aren''t I." Guan Ming said as he nervously inched forward, looking at his mother and Cami.

    "So are you really just friends?" Lu Ning asked Cami, making her blush.

 Chapter 807 - 807

    "Mom. . ." Guan Ming said as he sat next to Lu Ning.

    He took her hand and gently stroked it as if trying to calm her down before she began to scold him.

    "I thought you liked men?" Lu Ning asked as she looked at her son with a serious expression.

    Camiughed when she heard what Lu Ning had to say. She couldn''t believe that Guan Ming''s mother thought he was gay.

    "Mom, I like women, I like, no I love Cami." Guan Ming said as he tried to defend himself.

    "You what?" Cami said as she looked at Guan Ming.

    "You''ve always known how I feel for you, why are you surprised?" Guan Ming asked as he gave Cami a confused look.

    "Wait, so the person you wanted to visit was her?" Lu Ning asked. "Not the assistant of the CEO of the Reyes Group?"

    "Mom, Cami was also an assistant to the CEO, then the assistant to his son who is now the CEO." Guan Ming exined. "Now she''s moved up and is the vice president for Mor Co."

    "But Wu Jun said. . ." Lu Ning began to say as Guan Ming shook his head.

    "Wu Jun is a liar that kept me separated from Cami." Guan Ming said as he raised his voice in anger. "Wu Jun opened his mouth on matters he didn''t know."

    "I thought the two of you were friends?" Lu Ning asked her son.

    "Friends? Friends?" Guan Ming asked as heughed like a maniac. "Mom, what kind of friend outs your secret. He had somehow found out that I liked an assistant from the Reyes Group, he immediately assumed it was a man. That sexist prick doesn''t even think women should work!"

    "You guys were always together." Lu Ning pointed out. "Even after your father forbade you from making any contact with this country you were always with Wu Jun."

    "Mom, did you really not know?" Guan Ming asked his mother.

    "Know what?" She asked.

    "Mom, I was with the Wu''s because Wu Jun''s father was mentoring me." Guan Ming told his mother. "Wu Jun was jealous of me, that''s why he has tried everything to block me froming here. But with the Reyes Group getting more and more aggressive itt was inevitable."

    "I need to call your dad." Lu Ning said as she stood up and got her phone.

    "What do you mean mom?" Guan Ming said as he looked at his mother.

    "Wu Jun said he was here to help you take down the Reyes Group." Lu Ning told her son. "He came over and told us that you were partnering with Lucius Ting because you wanted revenge on the Reyeses. We believed him, now I think he will help them instead of betraying them."

    "Wait, wait, mom, don''t make that call." Guan Mingg said as he took his mom''s phone from her hand.

    "No need to be so aggressive. I would have dropped it if you just asked." She said as she rolled her eyes at her son.

    "Mom, I don''t want revenge on the Reyes Group." Guan Ming said with a sigh as he handed the phone back to his mother.

    "You don''t?" She asked his as she nced at Cami.

    "Ma''am, he really doesn''t." Cami exined.

    "Wait, I''ve seen you in the news. Or was it in a file?" Lu Ning said as she looked closely at Cami.

    "Your mom is about to hate me." Cami said with a frown as she looked at Guan Ming.

    "No, you just need to exin everything, my love." Guan Ming told Cami as he stretched his arm and pulled her close.

    "Ma''am -" Cami started to exin when Lu Ning held a hand up, stopping her.

    "Calling me ma''am makes me feel old, just Ning, please." She said. "And seeing as my son seems to be smitten by you, I really think you should be morefortable around me."

    "Ning." Cami said as she allowed the name to roll on her tongue. "Ning, the Reyes family has been nothing but nice to me. They saved me from my abusive parents, gave me a home, gave me a job, gave me a future, and they brought me to guan Ming." Cami said as she looked up at Guan Ming.

    "So they didn''t keep you apart? Suppress you? Abuse you?" Lu Ning asked Cami.

    "No." She said as she shook her head. "Cedric Reyes is like a brother to me. I would do anything and everything for the Reyes family."

    "And that brings us to the mess she is in right now." Guan Ming said as he rolled his eyes at Cami.

    "Behave." Lu Ning scolded her son. "Go on." She told Cami with a kinder voice.

    "Cedric and his friends are in a bit of a bind because of my biological brother." Cami exined as she yed with her fingers.

    Guan Ming held her hand and shook his head.

    "I''m here, my mom won''t hurt you, no one will hurt you." He said as he tried to calm her nerves. It wasn''t the ideal meet the parents scenario, but it was what they got.

    Cami nodded and took a deep breath.

    "My biological brother killed Cedric''s mom, he also built a new enemy for them, and that man is Lucius Ting." Cami said in an angry tone.

    "That''s where I saw you, you''re supposed to be dating Lucius Ting." Lu Ning said with a gasp.

    "That''s the trouble she''s in mom." Guan Ming said with a frown. "Please listen to her."

    Lu Ning nodded wordlessly, at this point she knew to simply listen before passing judgement.

    "To help Cedric and his friends I went against their wishes and against their ns. I wanted to help, I needed to help, I owe them way too much and they would never let me repay them if I asked." Cami said as she wiped a tear from her eyes.

    "It''s okay, you can tell me." Lu Ning told Cami as she slowly got a grasp on the situation.

    "I decided to fake date Lucius Ting, what I didn''t expect was that Ming would hear about it and think I loved someone else. I don''t like him, I hate him. He reminds him of Aiden, my eldest brother, he murdered Prisci Reyes, for that he is not my brother." Cami said as the water works began to flow from her eyes.

    "We will get him Cami, and when we do, you''ll have your revenge.." Guan Ming said as he held a crying Cami in his arms.

 Chapter 808 - 808

    Cedric sat behind his desk as he reviewed thetest reports on Mor Co. He smiled as he noticed that the sales were doing better, they were finally able to get enough supplies thanks to Wu Jun.

    "You know, even if Guan Ming hates Wu Jun, I have to hand it to the guy, he helped us out of a tight spot." Cedric said as he exited thest report on Mor Co.

    "Do you think he will still pull something off to help Lucius Ting?" Ian asked Cedric as he handed over a pile of documents that needed Cedric''s signature.

    "I''m not sure." Cedric said with a frown. "Can you send Dave in after you? I want him to investigate something."

    "Sure." Ian said with a nod as he patiently waited for Cedric to finish signing all of the documents that he needed.

    "I hate this part of the job." Cedric grumbled as he massaged his hand.

    "It used to be your favorite." Ian said with a chuckle as he watched Cedric sign thest few documents on the pile.

    "Well as time goes on I start to hate this part of the job." Cedricined as he signed thest piece of paper and ced his pen down on the desk.

    "Well your favorite partes next, the investigation." Ian teased as he took the documents from Cedric''s desk and bolted out of the office.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh at his friend. He knew that Ian''spany was now back on track and that he had temporarily left it with his sister Sam, while he helped Cedric.

    Cedric had made it a point to regrly send a project or two to the Lim Corporation''s sights. Ian had been by his side since they were both employees. While it was true that Ian had things to gain from the Reyes Group, being as loyal as he was went above and beyond what was agreed on.

    Even Cami had moved on from being Cedric''s assistant as she took on the role as Vice President in Mor Co.

    "Ian said you wanted to see me?" Dave said as he entered the room.

    "Yeah, I need you to investigate something. Or at least try to get as much information as you can." Cedric told Dave as the assistant took out a pen and notebook to jot down what Cedric was about to say.

    "I am not one hundred percent convinced that Wu Jun is here to help me, nor am I convinced that he and Lucius Ting are truly enemies." Cedric told Dave. "I know we''ve looked into it and I asked my friend, but things are not adding up. I want you to look into it."

    Dave nodded as he wrote down Cedric''s instructions.

    "If you get into any trouble I want you to tell me immediately." Cedric said in a stern tone. "Don''t wait, don''t hesitate. We bump into a problem I need to know."

    "Yes boss." Dave said as he acknowledged Cedric''s instructions.

    "You may go." Cedric told Dave.

    "Cedric, there is something else I think we need to mention." Dave said. Cedric could hear the hesitation in his voice. Clearly he had bad news.

    "It''s about Fernando Benitez and the records you had us investigate." Dave told Cedric.

    "And?" Cedric asked as he leaned forward and listened to what Dave had to say.

    "We spoke to Alexi, he said he checked his father''s files and it was indeed the president that had wiped Fernado from all government documents. That''s why there were things we just couldn''t find out about him." Dave said with a frown. "No matter how much resources we pull we can''t match the presidents."

    "All secrets have toe out some time." Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head. "Any progress on the letters? Any clues as to what happened to Fernando or Andrew Chan after they vanished?"

    "Actually, we found something odd." Dave told Cedric.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked a bit impatiently.

    "Fernando never mentioned Andrew''s death, but he did mention handing the child over to safety." Dave revealed. "Mae and Mien will talk to their mom tonight to see if she can remember anything about that time. We hope it will hold more clues."

    Cedric nodded as he acknowledged this new piece of information.

    He couldn''t help but wonder where was it safe enough to hand Andrew Chan over? And where could the man be now if he had survived.

    "Thank you, can you ask John to bring my car around, there is someone I need to visit." Cedric said as he gathered his thoughts and packed his things up.

    "Yes, sir." Dave said as he left the room.

    All of Cedric''s assistants had learned that there were things that Cedric did not want them helping with, one of which was packing up his things and cleaning his office.

    "Ian!" Cedric called out as he ced hisptop, pen, and notebook in his bag.

    "Yeah?" Ian asked as he peeked into the office.

    "Is Nicole in the hospital today?" Cedric asked.

    If he remembered correctly today was board meeting day and it should be about to end.

    "Yeah, she has meetings. Miguel is there too. Why? Do you need something from them?" Ian asked as he cocked his head to the side.

    "I''ll go pay them a visit." Cedric announced as he walked to the door.

    "Want me toe?" Ian asked as he followed Cedric.

    "Take the rest of the day off, Ian." Cedric said with a sigh. "I know you need to check up on Lin Corp."

    "You sure?" Ian asked as he considered tagging along with Cedric.

    "Yeah, I''ll bring Mae with me. I just need to talk to the Chans about something." Cedric told Ian as they passed by the assistant''s offices.

    "Mae!" Cedric called out. "You''reing with me to Saints."

    Within the next two minutes, Mae met Cedric and Ian along the hallway, ready to leave.

    "Can you call Eric to meet us at Saints too?" Cedric asked Ian.

    Ian nodded as he took out his phone and made the call.

    "We won''t being back." Cedric told Mae who simply nodded in reply.

    He knew that Mae would probably just ask Dave to bring her things home. Cedric was pretty sure that they just slept in one room at this point.

    "Cedric, what will you be talking to them about?" Ian asked.

    "I need to know who would want to kill Andrew Chan and why.." Cedric said as he turned and left.

 Chapter 809 - 809

    "You know you could have just called them, right?" Mae said as they drove across the city towards Saints Hospital.

    Cedric shook his head and sighed.

    "There are some things that need to be asked face to face." Cedric exined. "Today there is a board meeting and most of the members of the Chan family will be there. If none of the siblings know the answer then their parents might."

    "Andrew Chan wasn''t even the first born, he didn''t hold any significance to the family, why would someone inside want him dead?" Mae asked.

    "There are many reasons to want a child dead, I have my suspicions, but I don''t want to just assume things. I need it to be proven and I need to know." Cedric told his assistant as they pulled up in front of Saints Hospital.

    A guard quickly ran to the car and opened the door.

    They all knew Cedric''s car, everyone was trained to recognize that familiar Rolls Royce Ghost whenever it pulled up. It meant that one of the most important men in the country hade for a visit.

    "Mr. Reyes." The guard said as he bowed to Cedric.

    "Are Nicole and Miguel in?" He asked, he knew that the guards at the entrance would know if either of the siblings had left.

    "They are all still inside, the meeting seems to have taken longer than expected." The guard informed him.

    Cedric nodded and thanked the guard as he marched into the hospital lobby.

    His bodyguards quickly cleared the way, Leon had added a new mandate to them, no one was allowed within five meters of Cedric. If they let anyone too close, it would give an attacker the opportunity to harm Cedric.

    "They are probably arguing over Nicole''s pregnancy." Cedric told Mae as his assistant pressed the button to summon the elevator.

    "Why would her pregnancy be an issue?" Mae asked as the elevator doors opened and they stepped in.

    "Because she is unmarried and this is her second child with Ian." Cedric said with a shrug as the doors closed.

    "Don''t they want her to marry Ian?" Mae asked, she had honestly been confused by the couple from the very beginning. She didn''t understand how their dynamic worked.

    Ian was a very good businessman, he simply chose to stay with Cedric to help him during difficult times such as this. But Ian''s family business was booming once more, and it was growing really fast.

    He had already made it to the list of the richest men in the country.

    "They want the Lim name now." Cedric said with a sigh. "In the past marrying Ian was uneptable to them, but now that Ian has managed to get his family back up they want to force the marriage."

    "Nicole isn''t one to take orders." Mae said with augh as she thought of Nicole defying every single thing that her elders wanted her to do just because she could.

    "She doesn''t like her life being dictated. None of the girls do." Cedric said as he shook his head and the elevator doors opened to the administrative floor of the hospital.

    As soon as he stepped out of the elevator Nicole''s assistant quickly got up and went over to greet them.

    "Mr. Reyes." She said as she avoided looking Cedric in the eyes. "Miss Nicole never said anything about youing over."

    "I didn''t tell them." Cedric said in an emotionless tone. "Are they done yet?"

    "With the meeting sir?" She asked.

    Cedric didn''t say a word, to most people he hated repeating himself or answering useless questions.

    For some reason he turned cold to the public while he was a nice person in private.

    "I mean, no sir, they aren''t done, and it seems like quite the discussion." She informed Cedric.

    "Let Miguel and Nicole know I''m here. Is Eric there too?" He asked.

    "Yes, sir, the whole family is present." The assistant said with a nod.

    "I''ll be waiting in Nicole''s office. Tell them it isn''t urgent, I just need to speak to them as soon as that meeting is over." Cedric told the assistant.

    Cedric didn''t wait for her to show him to Nicole''s office. He had been there multiple times, and he knew the ce quite well.

    He marched up to therge double doors that led to the president''s office and pushed them in.

    When he saw the sight inside he wanted tough. Despite moving up to bing the President of Saints Hospital, Nicole was the same woman.

    The room was clean, but it was cozy. It felt like a ce where you wouldn''t mind working all day and all night.

    Cedric decided to sit on one of the couches as he texted Adrianna an update of his whereabouts.

    Within minutes the doors suddenly opened, catching Cedric by surprise.

    "Cedric, why are you here?" Eric asked as he, together with Nicole and Miguel entered the office.

    "Don''t you have a family meeting?" Cedric asked.

    "You were the perfect excuse to get out of there." Nicole said with augh as she sat down behind her desk. "All those old people insisting that I marry Ian and ask him to give us a project." Nicoleined as she rolled her eyes.

    "It''s not like you don''t want to marry Ian." Eric said as he rolled his eyes at his sister.

    "I don''t like them getting what they want. They''ve dictated my life for way too long. I''m sick and tired of it!" Nicole grumbled.

    "She''s cranky. Ignore her." Miguel said with augh. "So, why are you here?" He asked Cedric.

    "Something doesn''t add up in our investigation into Andrew Chan." Cedric told the siblings. "Someone wanted a kid dead, why would they want him dead? Your uncle Miguel wasn''t the first born son, it was your dad. Andrew wasn''t the eldest grandson, it was Eric. Why go after Andrew."

    "Maybe because of his mom." Nicole said as she thought of the situation. "She wasn''t someone they wanted to be a part of the family, meaning Andrew came from a family they didn''t want."

    "Do you really think the Chan family elders could do that? Want a child dead?" Eric asked his sister.

    "They have killed for much less." Nicole said with a sigh as she shook her head.

 Chapter 810 - 810

    Cedric nodded as he agreed with Nicole, people have killed for much less in the world.

    "Based on what we can tell so far, someone wanted to get their hands on Andrew Chan. What we don''t know is why." Cedric exined.

    "Dad doesn''t talk much about Uncle Miguel." Eric said with a frown. "But I''m sure they were close, if they weren''t why would he name his second born after him."

    "I can check the hospital records if Uncle Miguel was working on something before he left." Nicole said as she thought thoroughly of the situation. "Maybe it wasn''t someone from inside the family that was after him, maybe it was an external factor."

    "I doubt the dads would have acted so secretly if it were an external force." Miguel said as he shook his head.

    "I''ll keep you guys updated if I find out more, but for now we need to keep investigating every possible angle." Cedric told his friends.

    "Cedric, I think it might be time to tell the dads that we have been investigating this." Miguel said as he paced across the room. "You told us that our fathers were investigating this issue long ago, maybe they have information that we are missing."

    Cedric remained silent as he considered Miguel''s suggestion.

    They had spoken to their fathers once before, and they lied. They said Andrew Chan was dead, only for Cedric to find out that they knew the boy had survived all along.

    They also knew about Marisa and Fernando and they never told them.

    They had been keeping an eye and helping Fernando and his family all those years, but Cedric couldn''t understand why.

    Couldn''t Fernando have pointed them towards the right direction? Or did Fernando also lie to their fathers about Andrew''s death.

    It was possible, unlikely, but still possible.

    Cedric was frustrated that Fernando passed away before they could talk to him. He was pissed off that they couldn''t save the man who also just so happened to be his assistant''s father.

    There were so many unanswered questions but they kept hitting a brick wall, as if this mystery was something that refused to be solved.

    "Do you think we can trust them to tell us the truth?" Cedric asked his friend.

    As much as he worried that their fathers would lie to them again, they weren''t left with much of a choice.

    "I don''t think they will lie if the truth won''t hurt us. Plus at this point, they know that no matter what we say we will continue to investigate the matter. So they might as well confess everything to us." Miguel added.

    "We all know that they lied about Andrew Chan being dead." Eric said with a frown. "They should know that their secrets can''t be kept forever, the truth wille out eventually, whether we seek it out or not."

    "Dreading your own secreting out soon, Eric?" Miguel asked his older brother with augh.

    Eric sighed and shook his head.

    "They threatened to release my identity to the public today." Eric told Cedric as he shook his head. "I really don''t understand why those sexist pricks think that my sister can''t run the hospital. She''s been doing it for years at this point."

    "I think they are afraid of the next family head not being a Chan anymore." Miguel said with a grin. "Something I don''t see the point in."

    "They are so stuck in their traditions and practices that they can''t see that they are hurting family." Nicole said as she shook her head. "I love Ian and I would love to marry him, but not this way. Not with how my family is acting."

    "Yeah, talk about confusing." Eric said as he shook his head. "One minute they want you to marry Ian then the next they don''t want the next head of the family having Lim as their surname."

    "They think if I marry Ian the Lims and the Chans will merge." Nicole said with a sigh. "I don''t even know what to name our kid, I''m not in the mood to think about how the two families willbine."

    "If it''s any constion, the Lims are a very small family now." Cedric exined. "Just Ian, his siblings and Cami and her siblings."

    "Tristan is a good boy, he is brilliant and he has a mix of both his parents'' ingenuity." Cedric said with a nod as he thought of the little boy.

    "He is one!" Nicole said angrily. "I don''t want that kind of pressure on my son. I want him to choose his own path, just as all of us had that chance."

    "No one will force the kid, Nicole. We are just saying that he is a good candidate, regardless of hisst name." Miguel said with a smile as he tried to soothe his sister''s temper.

    "Sorry, it''s the pregnancy." She said with a frown.

    "So what do we do?" Eric asked as looked at Cedric.

    "Find out if anyone was after uncle Miguel. If he had offended anyone in the family or if someone simply didn''t want Andrew''s mother in the family." Cedric told his friends. "I''ll talk to my dad, we can have a little gathering and confront them there."

    "We''ll see if dad can give us any information." Miguel said with a nod.

    "Try pressuring your grandfather into doing a DNA test with Lucius Ting as well." Cedric told Miguel. "I know you are his favorite and he might be swayed if you ask him Miguel."

    "I will try." Miguel said with a nod.

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a nod as he got up to leave. "I''ll tell you guys when the dads all agree to meet and speak with us."

    "What do you n to do with Lucius Ting now?" Nicole asked Cedric.

    "Take him down and make him regret ever messing with us.." Cedric said with a grin as he opened the door and walked out of the room.

 Chapter 811 - 811

    Cedric sat in his living room, looking at his phone. He had been like that since arriving ten minutes ago.

    Ayanna was standing in the kitchen as she tried to feed her little nephew.

    She had beening over more and more, she wanted to be prepared when it came to having a child, and what better practice than little Yoyo.

    "Auntie Ayanna, daddy is sad." Yoyo said as he pointed at his father.

    "Can you stay with your nanny for a while? I''ll go over and talk to your dad." Ayanna asked the little boy who nodded his head vigorously.

    "Please watch over him, thanks." Ayanna told the nanny as she made her way to the living room.

    "What''s wrong?" She asked Cedric as she sat down next to him. "You seem bothered." She told her brother.

    "It''s this whole Lucius Ting - Andrew Chan problem." Cedric said with a sigh as he confessed his dilemma to his younger sister.

    "What about it?" She asked. Ayanna was never one to hesitate asking Cedric any questions. She believed it came from the fact that she had spent a long time away from him that she now treasured every conversation they had.

    "Despite everything we have found out, I''m still missing bits and pieces. Some things just don''t add up and I can''t figure it out." Cedric said in a frustrated tone as he mmed his phone on the table.

    "You''ll break your phone." Ayanna pointed out. "And by the looks of it, you already have a solution, you''re just questioning if it''s the right one. Talk to me Ced." Ayanna urged.

    Cedric took a deep breath and closed his eyes as heposed himself.

    "I''m sorry for losing my temper." He told his sister as he calmed down.

    "Apology epted, now talk." Ayanna said as she looked at him.

    "Dad and our uncles already investigated this matter in the past, remember?" Cedric asked.

    Ayanna simply nodded as she listened closely to what Cedric had to say.

    "We think that the facts we are missing might be with them." Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head. "Ayanna, dad already lied to us once about Andrew Chan, if we ask them again there is a high chance that they will be lying."

    "And if you don''t ask?" Ayanna said as she looked her brother in the eyes. "You miss all the shots you don''t take, remember that''s what mom used to say. What do you have to lose if you ask?"

    Cedric simply shrugged and shook his head.

    "Ayanna, who would want to kill a child? Who would go after an innocent little boy and want to murder or kidnap him?" Cedric asked his sister.

    "Have you forgotten that Aiden wanted to kill Yoyo?" She asked her brother. "People do stupid things that hurt innocent lives, you know this. Why are you acting so stupid today."

    "I have a lot on my mind." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Cedric, you can''t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders." Ayanna said as she shook her head and ced a hand on her brother''s shoulder. "Lucius Tinging after us is not your fault, and if it isn''t Lucius Ting then it will be someone else. We have too many enemies to pretend that we will always be safe."

    "I know." Cedric said with a frown as she picked his phone up again.

    Ayanna looked at him with a frown as he continued to spin the device in his hand.

    "I''ll call him, you know. I''ll call him eventually and ask him toe over with our uncles, but for some reason I''m very hesitant." Cedric admitted.

    "Just make the call Cedric, tell them that we want to celebrate something." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "Celebrate something? I need to be a little bit more specific than that." He pointed out.

    "Well, celebrate that everyone is safe, a small get together." Ayanna said with a shrug.

    "I don''t think that reason will bepelling enough to drag everyone over." Cedric said with a grin as he shook his head.

    "Fine, I have something to tell you." Ayanna said as she bit her lower lip. "But you promise you won''t tell anyone. Not Ray, not Adrianna." She told her brother as she red at him.

    "Yeah, yeah. I won''t." Cedric said as heughed her reaction off.

    "I''m serious, Cedric!" Ayanna said angrily.

    "Okay, I promise, whatever you tell me will stay between the two of us. Just us, our little sibling secret." He said with a nod.

    "Tell them I have an announcement." Ayanna said.

    "An announcement?" Cedric asked, repeating his sister''s words slowly.

    Ayanna waited patiently as she hoped her brother would understand what she meant.

    It took a few seconds but Cedric''s eyes suddenly widened as he realized what Ayanna had meant.

    "You''re - you''re-" Cedric stuttered as he tried to get the words out of his mouth.

    "Yes, I''m pregnant." Ayanna said as she felt her lips curl up into a smile.

    Cedric quickly hugged his sister, she could feel how happy he was for her.

    "I can''t believe it, finally." Cedric said in an excited tone. "Mom would have been so happy for you. I bet she is so excited and happy to know that you are pregnant wherever she is."

    "I wish she could have been here." Ayanna told him as she felt herself on the verge of tears.

    "I guess all three of you will be giving birth so closely together." Cedric said with augh.

    "Yeah, you guys will have to deal with four naughty little kids." Ayanna said with a grin.

    "Wait, Ray doesn''t know?" Cedric asked as soon as he realized that his sister had asked him to keep it a secret from her husband.

    "No." Ayanna said as she shook her head.

    "Who knows?" Cedric asked.

    "Dad and Yoyo." Ayanna said with augh.

    "My son knew before me!" Cedric said in shock. "How could a kid keep a secret like this?"

    "Your son is smart!" Ayanna proudly said.

    "So that''s the announcement you''ll make?" Cedric asked his sister as he shook his head.

    "Yep, and can you push it to this weekend, I need to tell Ray." Ayanna asked.

    "Sure.." Cedric said with a nod.

 Chapter 812 - 812

    *Quick Message before the chapter: I would like to thank all of my readers for your continued support! I know that some archs seem to be too long or too draggy or some parts might seem like fillers, but I promise you, all events have a reason and all characters have a purpose.

    Thank you for sticking with me and Never Judge through out 812 chapters so far. You are all amazing!

    Read Ian''s story in Rise of the Disgraced Heir!

    Follow me on Instagram @wounded_warriorauthor for updates and announcements as well as some material that I can''t post on AllNovelFull.

    And not, we aren''t done yet *wink* *wink*

    Ayanna knew that sooner orter she would need to tell her husband about her pregnancy, but she didn''t think it would need to be this soon.

    "Cedric." Ayanna called out as her brother dropped the call he had been in.

    "Well, that''s thest, all our uncles will be here and hopefully we''ll finally get the truth out of them." Cedric said with a smile.

    Cedric''s smile was sudden;y wiped from his face when he realized that something was bothering his sister.

    "Ayanna, what''s wrong?" Cedric asked as he saw her distress.

    "I need you to promise me something." Ayanna said in a shaky voice as she looked at her brother.

    "Anything, well anything that won''t hurt you. I would never do anything that would hurt you." Cedric promised her.

    "Don''t make me stop working." Ayanna said with a desperate look in her eyes. "I don''t want to be forced to stay at home. I''ll go crazy." She said as she began to tear up.

    "Is that why you haven''t told anyone? Because you''re worried that we''ll make you stay at home and do nothing?" Cedric asked Ayanna with an amused look on his face. "I might be over protective Ayanna, but I would never force you to give up your job."

    "You won''t?" Ayanna asked, unable to believe her brother''s words.

    "Of course not, I''ll have your work load decreased but never force you to stay at home." Cedric promised his sister. "The only reason I want Adri to stay at home is because she has difficult pregnancies and I''m worried."

    "Thank you." Ayanna said as she hugged her brother. "Plus you wouldn''t be able to survive without me." She teased.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh. She wasn''t wrong, the Reyes Group worked well because everyone in the family helped.

    Everyone had their own strengths and everyone had their own role to y.

    Cedric might be the one making the major decisions but it still always depended on what his family and employees would suggest.

    He wasn''t some naive boy that didn''t know howpanies should be run. The very reason for his poverty training was to learn these things and to appreciate how every single individual worked.

    "I might ask you and Ray to move in for the time being though." Cedric said with a concerned look. "I have much more staff and I want to make sure you are safe."

    "Do you really think my husband can''t keep me safe?" Ayanna asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Of course he can." Cedric said with augh. "He is the king of the underworld plus he is a rich businessman, there are certain resources he has ess to that I don''t, but it would be safer if we had more peoplebined."

    "You''re worried about the Rajas and Lucius Ting teaming up, aren''t you?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "I am, it would be dangerous for all of us if they suddenly decided to work together." Cedric said in a serious tone.

    "I''ll talk to Ray." Ayanna said with a nod. "I should get home to him now." She said as she stood up.

    "I''ll walk you out." Cedric offered as he got up with her.

    When they reached the door Cedric suddenlyughed as he hugged his sister.

    Ayanna was surprised at her brother''s sudden shift in mood.

    "What''s wrong with you?" Ayanna asked.

    "I just realized I''m gonna be an uncle." Cedric said as heughed at himself.

    "You''re already a dad, and it''s not like it''s any different from Tristan." Ayanna said as she chuckled at how silly Cedric was acting.

    "Yeah, but my little sister is having a baby." Cedric told her in an excited tone.

    "Let me go, Ced." Ayanna told him with augh. "I still have a husband to tell."

    "Fine, but stay safe." Cedric said as he opened the car door for his sister.

    "The longest part of my drive home is your driveway." Ayanna said as she rolled her eyes. "I''ll tell him to give you a call about our decision. Bye big brother."

    She waved as she got in the car.

    Cedric stood outside till Ayanna''s car was out of view. When he could no longer see it he turned and went back into his house.

    "Ayanna left?" Adrianna asked as she came down, fresh from her bath but with a worried look on her face.

    "Yeah she had something to do, she couldn''t wait for you toe down, I''m sorry honey." Cedric said with an apologetic smile.

    As much as he wanted to share his sister''s exciting news, he knew it wasn''t his secret to tell. He had to wait till she was ready to tell everyone.

    "Is everything alright?" Cedric asked as he noticed that Adrianna''s expression did not change.

    "Yeah, well no, I''m not sure." She said as she walked over and wrapped her arms around her husband, seekingfort from him.

    "What''s bothering you? Tell me." Cedric said as he pulled her closer to him.

    "Julia called." Adrianna said with a heavy sigh.

    "I thought she hated you? I thought she hated Ram too?" He asked.

    "She got herself in trouble while looking for someone." Adrianna told her husband. "I want to help, but at the same time I don''t know how to. I don''t even know if we can help."

    As pissed as Cedric was at Julia for all the hurtful things she had said to Adrianna and Ram, Cedric knew that she wasn''t really a dangerous person.

    He also knew that his wife cared deeply for her friend and would willingly help Julia no matter what.

    "Why don''t you give me the details and I''ll have someone look into it." Cedric told his wife as she kissed the top of her head.

    "Really?" She asked as she looked up at him. "Don''t you hate her?"

    "I don''t hate Julia, I just don''t trust her. She said some painful things to you and Ram. But if you trust her and forgive her then I will help you." Cedric told Adrianna.

    "Won''t Ram be mad?" His wife asked.

    "No, of course not. He has Francesca now." Cedric said with a chuckle.

    "Oh that''s true, they seem to be really in love." Adrianna pointed out.

    "Let me take away whatever is worrying you and fix it.." Cedric said with a grin.

 Chapter 813 - 813

    As Ayanna''s car drove into their driveway, she spotted her husband getting out of his car,

    He had clearly noticed that she had just pulled up into their property as he waited patiently outside their front door.

    As soon as her car stopped at the front of the house, she thanked her driver and quickly got out.

    "Be careful, you might trip." Ray teased as she jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly.

    "I missed you too darling." Ray said as he lowered his head, capturing her sweet lips in his.

    After a few passionate seconds they broke their kiss and Ayanna giggled like a teenager. She was both nervous and excited at the same time. She had no idea what to expect.

    She knew that Ray would be more than happy to know they were expecting, but he would be mad that she kept the news from him for a while.

    "Let''s get inside." Ray said as he picked her up bridal style and kissed her on the lips once more making Ayannaugh.

    "Why are you so romantic today?" She asked her husband as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

    "It feels like a great day." He said with a grin as he walked into the house with her in his arms.

    Ayanna thought that he would only be carrying her inside their house, she was surprised when he carried her up the stairs into their bedroom.

    As soon as the door behind them closed, his lips found hers once more as Ray slowly made his way to the bed, cing her down gently.

    He let his kisses trail from her lips and down her neck eliciting a moan from her lips.

    "I love the sounds you make when you want me." Ray teased as he nibbled on her ear and his free hand found her breast.

    Lost in their passion Ayanna couldn''t help but want more. She wanted to feel her husband in her, to pleasure her, to make her scream his name over and over.

    As she felt Ray tug on her pants to slip it off of her, she was quickly brought back to her senses, making her sit up.

    "Ray, wait." Ayanna said as she ced her hand on his hard chest.

    "Mmmm, what''s wrong?" Ray said with a frown, clearly frustrated that they weren''t able to have sex.

    "I need to talk to you about something." Ayanna said in a serious tone.

    "Can''t it wait?" Ray said as he began to trail kisses along her neck.

    "No." Ayanna said, making Ray pull away and sit up.

    "Well this better either be important or better than sex, because if it isn''t darling, I''m going to have to punish you tonight." He teased with a wink.

    "Oh trust me, this is better and more important." Ayanna said with a chuckle as she moved back to rest her head on the head board.

    "Okay, what is it then?" Ray asked as he held her hand, ying with their intertwined fingers.

    "Ray, we''re pregnant." Ayanna said with a sweet smile.

    "W- what?" Ray said as she shook his head in disbelief.

    "You''re gonna be a dad, Ray." Ayanna said as she hopped on hisp and kissed him on the lips.

    "Really?" Ray asked. They had been trying for a while now and they had even gone to fertility clinics to find out why they couldn''t conceive.

    There wasn''t anything wrong with either of them, it just seemed like their timing just wasn''t right.

    "This isn''t a prank right?" Ray asked as he looked at his wife.

    "No Ray, I''m pregnant." Ayanna told him.

    Ray cupped her face in his hands and gently caressed her cheek with his thumb.

    "I''m gonna be a father." He said as the realization hit him.

    Ayanna nodded as he pulled her closer to him and kissed her.

    "How far along?" Ray asked as he ced a hand on Ayanna''s t belly.

    "A little over two months." Ayanna told Ray with a tender smile.

    "And how long have you known?" Ray asked her.

    Ayana hesitated as she knew her husband would get mad that she didn''t tell him from the moment she found out.

    "A month." Ayanna confessed.

    "A month?" Ray repeated in disbelief. "A month? And you were in that bunker, Ayanna." Ray groaned as his words left him.

    "I wanted to still be able to work." Ayanna exined.

    "Who knows?" Ray asked with a frown. "Who knew before me?" He rified his question.

    "My dad, Yoyo, and my brother." Ayanna told her husband.

    "Even my nephew found out before me?" Ray asked in disbelief.

    "Well dad and Yoyo were both idents, it was only Cedric that I intentionally told." Ayanna exined.

    "How did that kid even keep the secret?" Ray asked.

    Ayannaughed at his question.

    "That''s exactly what my brother asked when I told him." Ayanna said as she shook her head.

    "Okay, from now on you are not leaving this house." Ray said in a stern tone. "I don''t want you exerting yourself or getting hurt."

    "Ray no!" Ayanna said angrily. "This is exactly why I didn''t tell you yet, you''re on overprotective mode! I cannot simply stay at home."

    "I will not risk you getting stressed with work, or potentially meeting an ident." Ray insisted. "I will give Cedric a call tomorrow to tell him that you won''t be going to work."

    "He won''t let you stop me." Ayanna argued back. "We agreed, I can go to work as long as we move in with them temporarily."

    "And why would we move to a house that is literally right next door?" Ray asked as he raised his eyebrow.

    "Cedric said for safety reasons." Ayanna told him.

    All of a sudden Ray''s phone began to ring, making him curse.

    "This conversation isn''t over." Ray said as he took the phone out of his pocket.

    "No, Ray. I am not staying home doing nothing. I spoke to my brother about this and he agreed that I should work." Ayanna insisted.

    "Speak of the devil." Ray said as he showed his wife his phone.

    It was Cedric that was calling.

    "I''ll give him a piece of my mind once he tells me what he needs. This conversation isn''t over.." Ray warned as he got out of bed and answered Cedric''s call.

 Chapter 814 - 814

    "Cedric you better have fucking good reason for calling!" Ray hissed as he closed the door behind him.

    "Woah, what''s with the temper?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "Ayanna said that you told her she could continue to go to work despite being pregnant. Is this some joke to you?" Ray asked.

    "Oh, so you know already." Cedric said with a chuckle. "Congrattions! I can''t wait to be an uncle."

    "Thank you, but don''t think you are getting away with letting her go to the office. Don''t you know how dangerous it will be for her now?" Ray asked Cedric. "Not only is she pregnant with the next generation Reyes, but also potentially the next king of the underworld."

    "Do you really think you could keep Ayanna at home?" Cedric asked his brother-inw. "It''s as if you don''t know your own wife."

    "I know she doesn''t like to be idle, but going to work, meeting people who could potentially pose a threat to her? That''s something I refuse to gamble on." Ray said as he shook his head.

    "Do you really think you''ll be able to convince my sister to stay at home?" Cedric asked Ray. "If she wants to leave, Ayanna will always find a way."

    Ray sighed, he knew Cedric was right.

    Ayanna would never let anyone dictate how she lived her life, not her father, not her brother, and most definitely not her husband.

    "I''m sure we can find apromise." Ray said with a nod. "Ayanna told me you wanted us to move into mountain view. Is this true?"

    "Yes, only temporarily, till we know that the threat against our families is finally gone." Cedric told Ray.

    "Cedric, be realistic, there will always be a threat against our families." Ray said with a frown. "Ites with power, wealth, and fame. There will always be someone that will want to take us down."

    "Then until we can improve the security around ourmunity. I won''t let another attack slip through." Cedric said in a deadly tone.

    "Alright, I''ll agree to moving to Mountain View, but we need to find a way to keep Ayanna safe." Ray finally said as he agreed to what Cedric asked.

    "Thank you." Cedric said in a relieved voice. He was d that Ray had seen things from his perspective and agreed.

    "So why did you call?" Ray asked.

    "Oh, right." Cedric said as he suddenly recalled the reason behind the call. "Do you remember my wife''s friend? Julia?"

    "Yeah, the one that dated Ram, unfortunately they didn''t break their rtionship off on a good note." Ray said as he recalled when Ram dated Julia. "Wasn''t she aplete bitch to Adrianna too when she decided to move away?"

    "Yeah, that''s my dilemma." Cedric sighed. "She called Adrianna today asking for help."

    "And Adrianna agreed?" Ray asked as he walked over to his home office.

    "Yes, unfortunately." Cedric grumbled.

    "That woman is too kind." Ray said over the phone as he powered up hisptop. He already had an inkling that he would need to do some research for what Cedric needed.

    "I need your help." Cedric told Ray.

    "When have you not?" Ray said with a grin as he ced his phone on his desk and switched it to speaker mode. "What do you need and what are the details?"

    "Apparently Julia left for Europe to find her long lost love, the one that abandoned her." Cedric began. "While there she used all her resources and had a run in with the wrong sort of people."

    "Aka, my people." Ray chuckled.

    "Yep." Cedric told him. "Right now Julia is being held by that group, they want her to pay up. Apparently the man she is looking for owes them money."

    "They wouldn''t hold her for no reason, especially if she''s the guy''s ex." Ray said as he thought thoroughly of the situation.

    "That''s exactly what I thought. So Adrianna is trying to contact Julia again." Cedric exined.

    "Any luck?" Ray asked.

    "None at the moment. But from what Adrianna told me these people are not suppressing Julia''s freedom, as a matter of fact they are trying to get Julia to contact this man." Cedric told Ray.

    "Any chance you would know who Julia''s ex is?" Ray asked Cedric as he took out a pen and paper, ready to jot down notes.

    "No, not even Adrianna knows this person''s name." Cedric said as he let out his frustration.

    "Then do you at least know which country she was taken in and who are the people that took her?" Ray asked Cedric, hoping that they knew a little bit more.

    "That I know." Cedric said with augh. "She was taken in Spain, the people that have her are the Esteves group. Ring a bell?" Cedric asked.

    "Interestingly, yes." Ray said as he checked the files he had on the Esteves Group. "I''ve done deals with them and so have you." Ray exined.

    "I''ve worked with them?" Cedric asked, clearly confused as to what Ray meant. He would have recalled if he had worked with someone in the European underworld.

    "The Reyes Group has, Ace would probably know them by a different name though. Give me a second, I want to get the name right." Ray told Cedric as he quickly typed on hisptop.

    "Okay, I''ll wait. It''s good to know that I can at least do something about these people on my end." Cedric said in a relieved tone.

    "Ah, here. Theirpany name is Destiler��a de Casa, you worked with themst year. Ace met their CEO who also happens to be the head of their crime group." Ray said with a grin as he tried to picture Cedric;s shock at his words.

    "I guess my cousin needs some exining to do." Cedric said with a menacingugh. "He might have known about their illegal ties back then."

    "I doubt it, they hide themselves well. I just know it because I''m better than them.." Ray boasted with a grin.

 Chapter 815 - 815

    *WARNING: SEXUALLY EXPLICIT SCENES AHEAD, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.*

    As soon as they had formed a n, Ray dropped the call and decided that he needed to talk to his wife before working on what Cedric needed.

    He quickly got up from his desk and went to their room.

    Ray was quite puzzled to find that Ayanna was not sleeping on their bed.

    A slight panic came over him as he began to think that Ayanna had been so mad at him that she decided to leave.

    He entered the room and began searching for signs that she had left, checking if her bags and clothes were in her closet.

    When he found them still in their proper ces he went over to check if she had left him a note. He knew that Ayanna may have taken a walk outside.

    When he approached their bedside table, he sighed in relief as he spotted Ayanna''s phone. She would never go anywhere without her phone.

    He walked over to their balcony in the hopes that Ayanna was standing there, soaking up the fresh air.

    As he made his way to their balcony he heard the shower in the bathroom turn on. He smiled knowing that his wife was probably just taking a bath.

    He didn''t hesitate as he pushed the door open and walked in.

    Ray could hear Ayanna''s sweet voice as she sang a familiar song in the shower. He recognized it as the one they danced at during their wedding reception.

    "Ayanna?" Ray called out, breaking the mysticism of the moment.

    "Mmmm." Ayanna mumbled from the shower.

    "I spoke to your brother." Ray said.

    "Ray, I don''t want to fight right now. I just want to take a shower and rx." She said in a sad tone.

    Ray felt guilty for letting her feel that way. When they first got together, Ray swore that he would never let her be sad. He would never let her be hurt. Tonight she was sad because of him, because he refused to let her work.

    He knew that he was wrong, but he couldn''t help that a part of him was just too paranoid about her leaving their home.

    It wasn''t that he doubted that his people and Cedric''s people couldn''t protect his wife and unborn child, he was just worried that people would work harder to get to Ayanna if they knew she was pregnant.

    "I don''t want to fight." Ray said in a somber tone. "Can I join you?" He asked.

    "You never have to ask, you always ask but you don''t have to." Ayanna said.

    "I understand that there are times you need your space, Ayanna." Ray said with a sigh as he slowly started to peel off his clothes.

    As soon as he waspletely naked, he stepped into the shower and joined his wife.

    "Ayanna, I''m sorry." Ray said as he took a step closer to her as she soaked herself in the warm shower jets. "I shouldn''t have tried to lock you up in here." He said with a sigh.

    "Did my brother knock some sense into you with just a call?" Ayanna said with a mischievous smile.

    "You could say that." Ray said as he grinned back at her. "I agreed to what he wants, as soon as we are able we will move temporarily into Mountain View."

    "You''re alright with that?" Ayanna asked as she bit her lower lip.

    Ray groaned as he felt himself harden at the sight of his wife''s seductive expression.

    "Yes, Ayanna, I don''t mind living in Cedric''s ce. It''s right next door and they aren''t nosy." Ray said as he cupped her cheek and gently caressed it.

    He felt as Ayanna tilted her head onto his palm and smiled.

    "Will you let me go to work?" She asked.

    "As much as I don''t want to let you, yes you and go to work. I''m sure we can figure something out to keep you safe." Ray said as he surrendered to everything she wanted.

    "I won''t be reckless, you know." Ayanna said as she looked up at her husband. "I have our little peanut growing in me, he is the most important person to me right now."

    "More important than his father?" Ray asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Ayanna chuckled as she took a step forward and wrapped her arms around her husband''s neck.

    "Are you jealous of your child?" Ayanna asked as she went on her tiptoes and nted a kiss on Ray''s lips.

    "Yes, I''m jealous of him." Ray said as a new me burned in his eyes. He could feel as his manhood rubbed against her smooth skin as she kissed him.

    "How sure are you that it''s a he? We could be having a daughter." Ayanna said with a grin.

    "I just know." Ray chuckled. "Our son will be a strong and amazing man, just like his mother."

    "You praise me too much." Ayanna said as she pped her husband on the chest and turned around, continuing her bath.

    "No, no, you don''t get to leave me like this my love." Ray said as he rubbed his thick hard rod against her ass. "I want you Ayanna, I want every inch of you." He whispered seductively in her ear.

    Ray let his arm snake around her waist to her front as he reached down, feeling her wetness.

    "My love is always ready for me." He said in a rough voice as he yed with her clit, making Ayanna moan in pleasure.

    "So dirty." Ray said as he began to kiss and suck on her neck.

    He could hear Ayanna whimper as he refused to give her release, keeping his fingers just outside of her thirsty lips.

    "What do you want, my love?" Ray asked as he dragged a finger around her throbbing pussy.

    "Mmmm." Ayanna moaned as he gently tugged on her nipple with his free hand.

    "Use your words Ayanna, I know you aren''t mute." He hissed.

    "You, I want you." Ayanna practically begged as he continued to pleasurably torture her.

    "Oh no darling, tonight will be all about your climax, be patient and we''ll get there." He told her with a grin.

    Tonight he would be in control, he would give her the best orgasm she has ever had.. Tonight they would celebrate her pregnancy in pleasure.

 Chapter 816 - 816

    *WARNING: SEXUALLY EXPLICIT SCENES AHEAD, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.*

    Ray made sure that his wife was thoroughly aroused as he continued to y with her nipple while teasing her pussy with his fingers.

    He would let them roam around her opening then pull them away as soon as he had slightly entered her.

    "Ray, please." Ayanna begged as she moved her plump ass against his hard dick that was nestled in between her cheeks.

    "No, no my love, I already told you. Tonight is all about you." Ray said as he finally let her have a little bit of what she wanted.

    He slowly inserted a finger into her soaking pussy as she moaned in pleasure. The extended teasing and torture made everything fell even better.

    "Such a wet and dirty girl." Ray teased as he slowly moved his finger in and out of her opening. He could feel her pussy mp down slightly on his finger with every movement. Clearly she wanted more, but he wouldn''t give it to her just yet.

    "You know, bad girls like you should be punished." Ray said in a dangerous tone as he took his finger out of her pussy and let her taste herself.

    "You see how wet you are, how much you crave to be taken?" He asked as he felt her lick and suck on his fingers.

    "Everything about you is naughty." Ray said with augh. "You deserve to be punished.." Ray said as he let his free hand roam the smooth curves of her ass as he yed with her nipple with his other hand.

    He quickly lifted it and pped her, making Ayanna yelp.

    "Count." Ray ordered. "You should be punished for so many things Ayanna." Ray said as he ran his nose against the crook of her neck, nting small kisses on her smooth skin as he passed.

    Again his hand connected with Ayanna''s ass, making her smooth bottom turn red.

    "One." Ayanna counted as Ray ran a finger across her thirsty pussy''s lips.

    He lifted his hand once more, this time instead of a scream Ayanna moaned in pleasure.

    "Two." She counted again, not missing a beat.

    This time Ray gave her a little more, dipping his finger into her throbbing core, making Ayanna moan his name in pleasure.

    "Ray. . ." She cried out as she desperately wanted him inside of her.

    "No, no my love." Ray said with a chuckle. "You only count, you can''t call my name." Ray said as he spanked her behind once more.

    "Three." Ayanna called out as Ray pumped his finger in her twice, this time letting his dick rub against her ass, making it harder than it already was.

    Again his hand came down on Ayanna''s already red ass cheeks, this time he chose not to wait as he thrust his fingers roughly into his wifes throbbing core.

    "Two more." Ray told her as he nibbled her earlobe and let his dick slide against her wet pussy, coating it in her desire.

    He moved his hand that was ying with her breasts to her pussy as he massaged her clit. He pressed her back on his as his hand entered her pussy, fingering her.

    His free hand then came down on her ass once more, this time Ayanna didn''t even flinch, she was in too much pleasure to care.

    "Four." She called out as Ray could feel her nearing her climax.

    "One more, my love." Ray said as he increased the pace of his fingers inside of her. He tried his best to be careful, he knew there was a life growing inside of her.

    Ayanna no longer responded as their bathroom was filled with her pleasurable moans.

    Ray delivered thest spank, it was crisp and hard.

    "Five, fuck Ray!" Ayanna cursed as she was brought to a climax.

    Ray could feel as he walls mped down on his fingers and her arousal flooded out of her pussy.

    He grinned as he felt her orgasm consume her.

    As soon as he felt her finish, Ray took some soap as he proceeded to wash her.

    She was clearly tired from what Ray had just done to her. Ayanna let Ray scrub and wash her clean.

    As soon as he was done cleaning them up, he picked his wife up bridal style out of the shower.

    Ayanna was too exhausted to protest as he took her to the next room.

    He gently ced her down and dried her, making Ayanna blush at the sight of her husband drying her body.

    "Ray, I can do this on my own." She grumbled as Ray continued to dry her. "You''re tired too, plus someone is very angry and in need of some release." Ayanna said as she nced at Ray''s dick that continued to stand in attention.

    "Don''t worry my love, you''ll have this in your mouth soon enough." Ray said with a grin as he captured her lips in his.

    Ray fought for dominance as Ayanna teased him with her refusal to let him control the kiss.

    Eventually he managed to take it from her as he pulled her on top of him as theyy on the bed. His arms held her tightly as he caressed her back, hemitted to memory every curve and bump on her body.

    "My turn." Ray said with a smirk as he nted a quick kiss on her now slightly swollen lips.

    Ray sat up and guided his wife''s head down to the strained member between his legs.

    "You look angry." Ayanna said as she gently stroked his dick and gave it a kiss.

    "Ayanna, put it in your mouth." Ray ordered as he held her hair back.

    Ayanna did as he asked, giving it a lick before finally cing it inside her mouth.

    Ray groaned as he felt her warm lips engulf his dick, he knew she struggled to put his entire length in her mouth and that she would need some encouragement.

    He grinned as he looked down at his wife, with her mouth stuffed with his cock.. He was going to make sure that she took in everyst drop that he could give.

 Chapter 817 - 817

    Before heading to bed, Cedric needed to make sure that everything with regards to Julia was nned and set.

    He didn''t want this investigation affecting the one with Lucius Ting and Wu Jun. He decided that for Julia''s matter he wouldn''t need his assistants'' help.

    It was a much smaller matter with less consequences.

    As soon as his call with Ray ended he gave his cousin Ace a call.

    "Cedric, what''s up?" Ace asked in a very cheery tone.

    Cedric skipped all the pleasantries and jumped straight to the point of his call.

    "Have we worked with apany called Destiler��a de Casa?" Cedric asked his cousin.

    "We have." Ace said. "They are a very old and very well establishedpany here in Spain, it would be a waste if we didn''t coborate with them."

    Cedric sighed and shook his head.

    "Are we still working with them?" Cedric asked.

    "No, we''vepleted all the coborations and are set to discuss new ones for next year. I think they were quite satisfied with working with us." Ace said in a proud tone.

    "Ace, did you know about their ties to the local mafia?" Cedric asked his cousin.

    There was a long pause as Ace hesitated.

    "Ace, don''t lie to me." Cedric challenged.

    "I''m not, I won''t, I would never." Ace quickly replied over the phone. "I was aware of rumors but I didn''t look into it. You know how dangerous it would be for someone like us to look into their personal affairs."

    "Yes." Cedric said as he admitted that Ace was right. The more practical move for them would have just been to act professional and ignore the illegal ties that thesepanies had.

    Investigating it any further just for the sake of a business deal would usually bring them to a much more difficult situation.

    "Do you know which mafia they run?" Cedric asked Ace.

    "No." Ace replied.

    "ording to Ray they run the Esteves Group." Cedric informed Ace. It seemed that Ace was very much aware of the Esteves Group as he gasped when he heard the name.

    "They are very powerful and very dangerous, did we do anything to cross them?" Ace asked in a nervous tone.

    "No, but they have someone that my wife knows." Cedric said with a sigh. "I want you to observe them until I can give you instructions on how to engage."

    "Whoever they have must be important to Adrianna. Who is it?" Ace asked.

    "Such a curious boy." Cedric said with a chuckle.

    "You know I am." Ace bragged.

    "Do you remember Adrianna''s friend, Julia?" Cedric asked his cousin.

    "Yeah, the one that was madly in love with Ram. They have her? Why? What did she do?" Ace was shocked by this new piece of information.

    "She and Adrianna actually had a fight before she left, and if it were up to me, I''d leave her to rot in Spain. But my wife is much kinder than me, so she wants to help Julia out of the situation she is in." Cedric told Ace.

    "What do the Esteveses want with Julia?" Ace asked. "She must either know something really valuable or have something very valuable on her."

    "Julia went to Europe in search of a long lost love of hers, it seems that man is the reason the Esteves Group is interested in her. The man seems to owe them something." Cedric exined.

    "Why would they take a clearly psycho ex-girlfriend?" Ace asked.

    "That''s exactly what we were wondering." Cedric said as he nodded in agreement. "For the meantime, Adrianna will try to talk Julia into telling her the truth. Right now, all we can do is do enough research into the Esteves Group and their associatedpanies."

    "What if I looked into Julia''s ex?" Ace asked.

    "It will be too dangerous." Cedric said as he disapproved of Ace''s n. "I don''t want to put you in any danger."

    "I''m always in danger Cedric, I''m a Reyes, even here we have enemies." Ace argued. "But I understand where you areing from."

    "Thank you." Cedric said as he sighed in relief.

    "Can I at least look into Julia and all her trips here? I think we might find something relevant." Ace informed Cedric.

    "Just be careful." Cedric reminded his cousin. "If it gets too close to Julia''s ex or the Esteves Group I want you to run away, as far away as you possibly can from it."

    "I will, I promise." Ace said in a sincere tone.

    "I don''t want anyone from our side getting hurt for Julia, especially you." Cedric told his cousin.

    "I''ll be careful." Ace promised. "Will you tell Ram that you are helping Julia?" He couldn''t help but ask.

    "I thought I wouldn''t have to, but maybe it would be for the best if he knew what was going on." Cedric told Ace. "Maybe Ram has some information we don''t know as well, after all they were quite close for a time."

    "Yeah, that''s true." Ace said as he agreed with is cousin.

    "Anyway, I won''t take up anymore of your time. I know that you still have a lot of work to do." Cedric said.

    "Yeah, work you sent. Why are you expanding so aggressively, aren''t you worried?" Ace asked his cousin.

    "Don''t worry. Everything will fall into ce Ace, just trust me." Cedric said over the phone.

    "When have I not trusted you, Cedric?" Ace said with a chuckle as he dropped the call.

    Cedric shook his head as he looked at his phone. His cousin couldn''t resist having thest word.

    He was d that Ace was working hard towards theirpany expansion. It was his number one priority at the moment for the business.

    As Cedric returned to his room, he found Adrianna frowning as she looked at her phone.

    "What is it honey?" Cedric asked as he climbed into bed with her.

    "It''s Julia, she keeps avoiding my questions." Adrianna said with a frown.

    "Don''t worry, I have people looking into what her connection to her ex could be.. Just keep trying to find things out from her, okay?" Cedric said as he kissed the top of her head, pulling her into his arms as they slowly drifted to sleep.

 Chapter 818 - 818

    As Cedric came down from his and Adrianna''s bedroom, he was shocked to see an army of movers lifting things and bringing it to the second floor of his mansion.

    "What is going on here?" Cedric asked as he fixed his coat.

    "Sir, Miss Ayanna and Mr. Ray are moving in." A maid said as she brought over Cedric'' breakfast to the dining table.

    "Are my sister and brother-inw in yet?" Cedric asked.

    "Right here, Ced." Ayanna waved as she entered the dining room from the kitchen.

    "What were you doing in my kitchen? I hope you weren''t harassing my chefs." Cedric grumbled.

    "Rx, I was just making sure they knew what meals Ray and I take at home. I also introduced them to our staff. Since there are more of us, we just thought it would be right to help out." Ayanna exined to her brother.

    "So are you ready to tell everyone?" Cedric asked his sister. "I could just invite the uncles over and not have a real reason, I''m sure they would alle."

    "No, Ray and I can''t hide the news any longer." Ayanna said as she shook her head. "I''ve known from the start that you don''t need an excuse. It would be stupid if you needed an excuse to invite our friends and family over." She said with a chuckle.

    "I''m off to work in a bit? Want a ride?" Cedric asked as he sat down and began eating his breakfast.

    "I swear you go to work way too early." Ayanna said with a sigh as she pulled a seat and sat down.

    "Have you eaten breakfast?" Cedric asked his sister.

    Ayanna gave Cedric an awkward smile as she shook her head.

    Cedric sighed and waved a maid over.

    "Can you please prepare some food for Ayanna." Cedric asked.

    The maid simply nodded and left. The staff of Mountain View were already quite familiar with Ayanna''s food preference. She had lived there first before moving in with her husband next door.

    "You are taking care of another person now Ayanna, it''s not just about you. It''s about you and your child." Cedric scolded. "Now it feels like an even better idea having you move in."

    "I just need to adjust." Ayanna said with a sigh.

    "Even back then it wasn''t healthy to skip meals, it will be worse now." Cedric said as he shook his head and began to eat his breakfast.

    "Daddy!" Yoyo called out as the little boy ran into the room and towards his father.

    Cedric smiled at the sight of his son. This was the reason he always went to work early, he wanted to have breakfast with his little boy and see him off to school.

    He pushed his chair back and picked his son up and ced him on hisp.

    "Yoyo, I have good news." Cedric told his son who had began to take food from his father''s te.

    "You should scold him about that." Ayanna pointed out.

    "It''s just my food, if it were from others I would scold him." Cedric said with a grin.

    Ayanna shook her head. Cedric always said she spoiled Yoyo, but he wasn''t any better. He let the boy get away with almost everything.

    "Yoyo, guess who is moving in with us?" Cedric asked as he smiled at his son.

    Yoyo looked up at his father, wide-eyed as he realized who. He quickly looked to his auntie Ayanna who nodded.

    "Yey! Auntie Ayanna is moving in with us!" The little boy squealed as he jumped up and down in his father''sp. "Will uncle Ray move too?" He asked.

    "Of course Yoyo, my husband has to live with me." Ayanna told her nephew.

    "Okay, I love uncle Ray, he gives me choctes and candies all the time!" Yoyo said proudly.

    "Well I will need to talk to your uncle Ray about that." Cedric said with a frown as he shook his head.

    "Are you moving because of . . ." Yoyo began to speak, but when he realized that he was about to spill his auntie''s secrets he stopped talking and covered his mouth.

    "It''s okay, Yoyo." Ayanna said with augh when she noticed the boy''s reaction. "Your daddy knows." She said with a nod.

    "Daddy! Daddy! I''m going to have a cousin!" Yoyo said in a very excited tone.

    "I know, now why don''t we have breakfast and I can bring you to school?" Cedric asked his son.

    "You''re bringing him? Is that safe?" Ayanna asked her older brother.

    "I won''t take the Rolls Royce or any of my fancy cars." Cedric said with augh. "I finally have a low key sedan that I can drive around without getting noticed. The tint is dark enough that people won''t realize I''m in it."

    "Will Leon let you drive your car?" Ayanna asked.

    "He''ll be in the backseat, you cane if you want." Cedric offered as a maid arrived with Ayanna and Yoyo''s food.

    "Alright then." Ayanna said with a nod. "I don''t see any harm in taking Yoyo to school. I mean, no one notices a poor kid. At worst we''ll see him bullied."

    "Yoyo, does anyone bully you in school?" Cedric asked his son as he gave the little boy a concerned look.

    "What is bully daddy?" Yoyo asked Cedric.

    "Do people hurt you or call you names?" He asked.

    "They just ignore me and I don''t think they like me because they all have rich mommies and daddies." Yoyo said with a frown. "Dominic once tried to talk to me but the other kids said I''m not like them." The child said as he recalled an incident with him and Miguel''s and Veronica''s adopted son.

    "Kids don''t change." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "I know I can''t tell them that Dominic and Tristan are my best friends or that daddy and mommy are my daddy and mommy." Yoyo said as he looked up at his father.

    Cedric couldn''t help but smile at how understanding and behaved his son was, it made him feel bad that he had to subject his son to this kind of life. But it was either this or poverty training, and that was worse.

    "Don''t worry Yoyo, someday they will regret it. They will realize that they were wrong to judge people based on the outside." Cedric told his son.

    "I know daddy." Yoyo said with a smile as he gave his father a determined nod.

    "Do you think Dominic will end up like the other kids?" Ayanna asked her brother. "If he hangs out with kids like that too much they might rub off on him."

    Cedric shook his head.

    "Dominic might be young, but he has lived through a lot. He knows that people shouldn''t be judged based on their wealth or poprity." Cedric said as he gently ced Yoyo in his seat.

    "You''re right, plus he has Miguel and Veronica as his parents that child will turn out alright." Ayanna said with a nod as she continued to eat her food.

    Cedric couldn''t help but smile at the sight of his sister and son eating breakfast at his dinner table.. He wished that life would be this peaceful all of the time, unfortunately for him it wasn''t and all he could do was cherish times like these.

 Chapter 819 - 819

    Ayannaughed as she saw her brother''s smile when his new old car drove up to the front of the house.

    It was new in the sense that Cedric had everything re-done to fit the needed safety measures to drive his son to and from school. The interesting part was that Cedric made it look much older than it actually was.

    "I had them repaint it and change the lights." Cedric said with a chuckle. "Of course the tint is much darker so you can only see a silhouette of the people inside."

    "You really want to drive your kid to school, don''t you?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "Dad never took us to school." Cedric said with a shrug. "I love dad, but he wasn''t around most of the time and I know that wasn''t by choice. I already feel bad that I have to work as much as I do, but I want to at least make up for it."

    "Daddy''s new car is awesome!" Yoyo said as he burst out of the front door followed by his mother and a maid.

    Yoyo quickly ran up to the car and tried to reach for the door handle.

    Cedric heard Adrianna''s sweetugh as she approached him and Ayanna.

    She would be working from home today since she had been experiencing some diforts from her pregnancy.

    He turned and pulled him to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and nting a gentle kiss on her lips.

    "I wish you coulde." Cedric groaned as he held his wife in his arms.

    "Being in a car makes me nauseous and ufortable now, plus Ayanna is with you, I can''t sit at the back with Yoyo, someone will see me." Adrianna told her husband. "Plus I want to oversee all the things Ayanna and Ray are moving. People might take it to the wrong rooms."

    "Thank you." Ayanna told her sister-inw with a smile.

    Adrianna simply nodded in acknowledgement.

    "Rest, don''t stress yourself too much." Cedric warned his wife before finally giving her a goodbye kiss and releasing her from his arms.

    "Come on Yoyo, let me help you." Ayanna said as she walked over to the little boy and opened the car door for him.

    "Bye mommy!" Yoyo called out as he waved at Adrianna.

    "Have fun at school Yoyo!" Adrianna asid as she waved back at her son.

    "I''ll stay in the back with him." Leon told Ayanna as he walked over to the otherside, waiting for Cedric to enter the car.

    "You know you don''t need to wait, right?" Cedric asked his bodyguard as John, his driver, opened the door for Cedric.

    "It''s for your protection." Leon said in a t tone.

    "Excuses." John told Leon with a chuckle.

    "I swear you just want him to beat you up." Cedric told his driver as he got in the car.

    "That''s why I don''t train with him anymore, boss." John said with a wink as he walked away.

    "I have no idea how you guys manage to get along, you are all just way too different." Cedricmented to Leon as the bodyguard closed the door behind him.

    "They are an acquired taste." Leon said with a slightugh.

    "By they you mean all of my assistants and by driver?" Cedric asked Leon as he heard Ayanna get in and close the door.

    "Yes, all of them." Leon said with a nod, making Cedricugh. He was quite aware of how different all of his closest employees were from one another.

    In a normal setting none of them would have be friends or have gotten along.

    "Let''s get this little one to school." Ayanna announced as she nced back at Yoyo who was clearly happy that his father would be driving him to school today.

    Cedric simply smiled and nodded as he stepped on the gas and drove away.

    "It''s been a while since Ist drove myself anywhere." Cedric chuckled as he realized how long it had been.

    "Then don''t kill us, okay?" Ayanna teased her older brother as they exited the gates of Mountain View Mansion.

    In order to make sure that no one followed them, Cedric had to pass through different confusing paths just to get to Yoyo''s school.

    Normally it would only take ten minutes to and from the school, but because of all their detours it took them almost an hour.

    As they approached the line was much shorter than it had been on Yoyo''s first day of school, but what changed was the fact that now there were reporters lined up outside.

    "They are waiting to spot Miguel and Veronica dropping Dominic off." Ayannamented as she noticed her brother''s confused look.

    "They still haven''t admitted that Dominic is theirs?" Cedric asked,tely he had been avoiding the gossip column of the news. He trusted that if anything important came up someone would tell him.

    "No, not yet." Ayanna said as she shook her head. "People are specting that he is just a rtive, so they are trying to find out which Chan is Dominic''s parent."

    "Wanna bet people will start thinking it''s Andrew''s?" Cedric teased.

    "If word got out of Andrew truly still being alive that''s the first thing people will specte." Ayanna said as the car finally entered the school gates.

    Cedric decided to drop Yoyo off at the furthest end of the waiting shed.

    It was far enough that people normally didn''t drop their kids there, giving them a lower chance of being spotted.

    "Bye daddy!" Yoyo shouted as he hugged his father from the passenger''s seat.

    "Be good for your teachers today and learn something." Cedric said with a smile as he kissed the top of his son''s head.

    "Yes daddy!" Yoyo said in a chirpy tone.

    "Thank you for taking me to school auntie Ayanna! Can you help me with my homework tonight?" He asked.

    "Yoyo, your auntie will be too tired." Cedric scold.

    "It''s fine." Ayanna said with a smile.

    As Cedric happily chatted with his son, he spotted his sister''s expression suddenly turn cold as she looked behind him.

    "Daddy, bye!" Yoyo said, pulling Cedric''s attention back. He would make sure to ask Ayanna what just happened.

    "Bye Yoyo, be a good boy.." Cedric told his son as he turned to face forward as Leon opened the door to let the child out.

 Chapter 820 - 820

    You can read the novel at <strong></strong> or <strong></strong>

    When Yoyo finally got off of the car and the door mmed shut behind the little boy, Cedric turned his attention to his sister.

    It seemed Leon also noticed the change in Ayanna''s demeanor, because he too turned to where Ayanna had been looking.

    Unfortunately by the time Cedric and Leon took a look, whatever had shocked Ayanna was gone.

    "Ayanna, are you alright?" Cedric asked as he held his sister''s hand.

    He noticed that she was not pale and her jaw slightly dropped.

    "Cedric, are you sure that no one knows about this car or that no one knows about Yoyo being in this school?" Ayanna asked as she came back to her senses.

    "Yes, I''m sure." Cedric said with a nod as he looked at his sister.

    "Is something wrong, Miss Ayanna?" Leon asked.

    "Leon, can you have this whole cebed. I swear I saw Lucius Ting standing over there." Ayanna said as she pointed at a tree directly across where they had parked.

    Leon nodded and quickly took out his phone, he barked orders, telling his men to search the area.

    "What do we tell the school? We sent bodyguards to scour their grounds?" Ayanna said as she realized the impact of hermand.

    "Dominic is here, I''ll talk to Miguel and ask him if we could just say that it was checked for the boy''s safety." Cedric told his sister. "I''m sure Miguel won''t mind since it will keep his son safe too."

    "Cedric, I think we should get out of here." Leon told Cedric who simply nodded and drove the car out of the school parking lot.

    "Do we go straight to the Reyes Group?" Ayanna asked her older brother.

    "Yeah, we''ve already prepared for my car and this car to arrive at the same time." Cedric exined. "It will look like we are stepping out of my car especially with the amount of security that will be around."

    "I think I should ask Veronica and Miguel toe over to R Tower." Ayanna said as she took out her phone and searched her contacts.

    "I can just tell Miguel over the phone." Cedric told his sister.

    "Yes, but I miss Veronica and it doesn''t rule out the fact that Lucius Ting was spotted in your son''s school." Ayanna said in a sassy tone. "It not only puts Yoyo at risk but Dominic too. We both know how much they love that boy."

    Cedric simply sighed and nodded, Ayanna was right. This whole issue was not a conversation they could settle over the phone.

    While Cedric drove them to R Tower he could hear as Ayanna told Veronica and Miguel toe over.

    He also heard Leon coordinating with his team in the backseat. He was d that he was the one driving and not Leon, this made things easier for his head of security and bodyguard to coordinate with the staff.

    "They dropped Dominic off at school a few minutes before us." Ayanna told her brother. "They were supposed to go to Veronica''s studio, but they''ve changed routes and are on the way to R Tower too. They should get there right after us."

    "Leon, can you update the team? Tell them that Miguel will be joining us." Cedric called out.

    "On it." Leon said as he finished his call and called R Tower''s security team.

    By the time they reached R Tower, Leon told Cedric that the team should be done searching the vicinity of the school by the time they got to Cedric''s office.

    Cedric simply nodded as he drove into the deserted parking lot.

    The security team had cleared it out for them, and as soon as Cedric got out of his car, his Rolls Royce arrived.

    "Catch." Cedric said as he tossed a set of keys to one of the bodyguards that got out of his car. "Whoever is picking my son upter, keep an eye out, check if Lucius Ting is hanging out in the area this afternoon." Cedric instructed as he turned and walked towards the elevator.

    "What if Lucius wasn''t there for Yoyo?" Ayanna asked as she thought carefully about the situation.

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked.

    "If no one knows that Yoyo is going to school there, then that only means he could be there for someone else." Ayanna said as she bit the nail on her thumb.

    Cedric knew this was a bad habit of his sister''s when she was stressing about something and thinking really hard.

    He lifted his hand and held her wrist, pushing her arm away from her mouth, making Ayanna realize what she had been doing.

    "Thanks, I would have gone down the rabbit hole again." She said with a relieved sigh.

    Whenever Ayanna thought too hard about a singr problem they teased her that she was going down the rabbit hole. She would ignore everyone and everything as she focused on that single dilemma.

    Sometimes it had good results, it was the very same state she was in when she saved Elisia Malls from a devastating blow in the past.

    But it had it''s down sides too, there were times where she would focus too much on the details and it would drag her down. She would lose the whole picture and at some points she would even sacrifice her well being.

    Now more than ever she needed to take care of herself, especially with the little child growing in her belly.

    As they made their way down the CEO''s floor to Cedric''s office, Leon''s phone began to ring.

    Cedric nodded at his bodyguard, telling him to go and take the call.

    As Leon moved to the side, four other guards showed up to escort Cedric to his office.

    Cedric couldn''t help but sigh at how some of the security measures Leon was implementing were too much. They were at the CEO''s floor in R Tower, there were only a limited number of ces that had the same level of security as this floor.

    "Busy morning?" Ian asked as Cedric and Ayanna arrived.

    "I saw Lucius Ting at Yoyo''s school today." Ayanna told Ian, shocking the assistant.

    "That can''t be good." Ian said as he walked into Cedric''s office with the siblings.

    He was quick to make himself at home as he sat on one of the couches and picked up a tablet he had ced there.

    "No wonder everything has been on high alert the past few minutes." Ian said as he shook his head. "How could Lucius Ting know that Yoyo was going to school there?" He asked Cedric.

    "I doubt he knows that Yoyo is there, if he did then he would have sent someone else." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Do you think it could be something personal?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "I don''t know, but whatever his reasons are we need to find out, and we need to find out as soon as possible." Cedric said as he leaned back on his seat.

    The drive to the office had given Cedric time to think, Lucius Ting had many people at his disposal, and like Cedric if something didn''t need his personal attention he wouldn''t go himself.

    If what brought him to Yoyo''s school was something close to his heart, Cedric needed to know what it was.. Maybe then they could find a way to topple Lucius Ting and get Cami out of his reach.allnovelfull

 Chapter 821 - 821

    Within minutes of Cedric and Ayanna arriving at the Reyes Group, Miguel and Veronica arrived as well.

    It was clear that news of Lucius Ting being around their son''s school had caused them a lot of distress.

    "This better not be a prank Cedric!" Veronica threatened as she came charging into Cedric''s office in R Tower.

    "Do I look like I would y a prank when our children''s safety was on the line?" Cedric asked Veronica. He knew that she would understand, all parents would understand the worry Cedric was going through.

    "Does Lucius Ting know about Yoyo going to school there?" Miguel asked as he wrapped his arms around his wife''s shoulders.

    "No." Cedric said as he shook his head. "Plus I don''t think he is after Yoyo. If it were just Yoyo he would send someone, not go there on his own."

    "Then why do you think he is at that school? He didn''t go there, he studied in London." Miguel said as he thought of the possibilities.

    "Do you think his sister could have a connection there?" Ayanna asked. "We know for a fact that if he loved and cared about anyone it would be his sister."

    "What would his sister have to do with a school here?" Veronica asked.

    "A lot of people send their illegitimate children here to study. It could be that. Maybe Louise has a child that is studying there?" Miguel said as he tried to guess what was going on.

    "There are no records of Louise being pregnant." Cedric said as he shook his head. "She''s had many partners and she''s fooled and manipted many people, but there is no record of her having a child."

    "Is it impossible?" Veronica asked. "I''m sure if we check her information there should be a year of her disappearingpletely from the fashion scene."

    "I can check, but that''s not a guarantee Veronica." Cedric said with a sigh. He knew that Veronica wouldn''t be giving in so easily.

    "It''s worth a try." She insisted.

    "Veronica, even if she took a year off to herself it doesn''t mean she had a child." Ayanna reminded her friend.

    "Just check." Veronica said. "We have to know why Lucius was there."

    "Do you think he could have been around because of Dominic?" Miguel asked. "If Lucius still thinks that he is Andrew Chan then he might believe that Dominic is his rtive, someone abandoned that he could sway to his side."

    "He knows that Dominic is being brought up by you and Veronica. The boy won''t be easily swayed." Cedric said as he looked at Miguel.

    "If I were Lucius and I was looking for a chip in our defenses and ns, I would approach the kid. He is old enough to form his own ideas." Miguel exined. "I love my son, but that doesn''t mean he is perfect. We are all only human, our perfection is in our ws."

    "This isn''t the first time he''s been seen on campus." Cedric said with a frown.

    "What do you mean this isn''t the first time?" Veronica asked in an angry tone. "Don''t tell me you got reports in the past and chose not to tell us."

    "No, not reports, I saw him." Cedric said. "When we picked Yoyo up on the first day of sses he was there too, but I thought it was just my imagination."

    "You of all people should know that Lucius Ting being around any of our children is a threat." Veronica said angrily.

    "Don''t you think I did something about it Veronica?" Cedric asked. "I increased security and had the ce sweeped many times. I would never take my son''s safety for granted, especially since I can''t have people publicly watching over him."

    "It seems like your men are not enough." Veronica argued. "If the heightened security was enough then Lucius Ting would not be anywhere near that school."

    "There is only so much I can do, Veronica." Cedric argued back. "If I put too many people around the school someone will suspect and if they didn''t know yet that Yoyo was there, then the increased security would have alerted them."

    "V, I''ll have more men watch over Dominic, don''t worry." Miguel said in a calm tone. "You know that I would never let anyone harm our son."

    As Miguel tried to calm his wife, a knock came from the door.

    "Enter." Cedric called out. He knew that it could only be one of his assistants or Leon.

    And true enough it was Leon that came in through the door.

    "Any news?" Cedric asked as Leon approached him.

    "The men sweeped the area and they confirmed it, they did see Lucius Ting." Leon announced.

    Despite having heard it from Ayanna and Cedric everyone was still shocked. A part of them had been hoping that the siblings had just imagined what they had seen, but apparently it was not their imagination.

    "We couldn''t approach him, technically there was nothing wrong with him being in the area. It''s a public space." Leon said with a frown. He knew Cedric and the others would not be happy about that. "We watched as he calmly got into his car and drove off."

    "Did you notice who he was looking for or why he could have been there?" Cedric asked.

    "No sir." Leon said as he shook his head. "But we looked through the CCTV and we''ve noticed himing and going to the school during the morning, when students are being dropped off, and during dismissal, when students are being picked up."

    "How often is he around?" Cedric asked.

    "At least twice a week." Leon exined.

    "Does it ovep with the times Yoyo is brought or fetched from school?" Cedric asked.

    "Not always, so I don''t think it''s Yoyo that he is looking for." Leon exined.

    "Would it be possible to check who were the studentsing and going at the same time as Lucius Ting?" Ayanna asked the bodyguard.

    "It will be difficult, but we can try." Leon said with a nod.

    "Have our people keep an eye out for him around the school. I don''t want to risk exposing that Yoyo goes to school there, so do not approach, just observe." Cedric told Leon.

    "Yes sir, anything else?" Leon asked.

    "No, that will be all." Cedric said with a nod as he dismissed Leon.

    "We need to know who he is visiting. Whoever that kid is could be an advantage to us." Ayanna told Cedric.

    "What if he is there for a teacher?" Miguel said as he thought of the situation.

    "Do you think he is cheating on Cami?" Veronica asked, he seemed very much in love with her thest time they were seen in public.

    "No, but I think it could also be a lost love." Miguel suggested.

    "Unlikely, but I will have people look into it. For now all we can do is wait." Cedric told his friends as he got up and escorted them to the door. "I will keep you updated if we have any news."

    With that Veronica and Miguel left, a little less bothered by Lucius Ting being around their son''s school.

 Chapter 822 - 822

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    "Ayanna, before you go, I need to talk to you." Cedric said as he asked his sister to stay behind.

    "What''s up?" Ayanna asked.

    "You need to lessen your workload." Cedric told her in a serious tone. "You are pregnant, I won''t have you skipping meals or going home past five in the afternoon."

    "You can''t be serious?" Ayanna asked as she red at Cedric.

    "I am serious Ayanna. This is what you have to do in exchange for my support. Ray doesn''t even want you outside the house, let alone working." Cedric said as he slightly raised his voice.

    "Fine." Ayanna grumbled as she agreed to her brother''s terms.

    The rest of the day went on quite peacefully for Cedric as he went about his work, checking up on Ayanna to make sure that she wasn''t over exerting herself.

    When the clock struck five, Cedric decided to head home with his sister so that she wouldn''t have an excuse for workingte.

    "Ayanna, time to drop work and go home." Cedric said as he leaned against the door frame.

    "But there is still a ton of work left to do." Ayanna grumbled as she ced the documents aside.

    "They can wait till Monday. Today you are our priority. I need to make sure that you make a habit of leaving early." Cedric said with augh. He knew his sister would hate having to leave work unfinished.

    Ayanna sighed and got up, surrendering to the conditions she had agreed on earlier that day.

    "Don''t worry, we''ll still be busy at home." Cedric said with augh. "You have to make sure the movers fixed things properly and we still need to n for dinner tomorrow."

    "Yeah, yeah." Ayanna said, still unhappy about her brother limiting her work.

    The drive home was silent. Ayanna was still mad at Cedric and Ray and she chose not to speak to her older brother.

    She knew they were doing this for her and the baby''s sake, but she still didn''t like it.

    When they finally got home, they were greeted by an extremely excited Yoyo that ran out the door and jumped into his father''s arms.

    "Daddy is home early!" Yoyo announced. "And Auntie Ayanna is living with us. I''m the luckiest ever!"

    "How was your day at school Yoyo?" Ayanna asked the little boy.

    "I learned a lot, but the other kids weren''t too nice." Yoyo said with a frown. "Dominic got into a fight with them because of me, but I told him not to. People aren''t supposed to know we are friends."

    "I''m sorry Yoyo." Cedric said with a frown as he hugged his son tightly.

    As Cedric entered the house his phone began to ring. He handed Yoyo to the maid and let his sister go up and rest while he dealt with what he assumed to be a work call.

    When Cedric saw that it was his cousin Ace calling, he quickly picked up. It was probably rted to Julia''s case and Cedric wanted it closed as soon as possible.

    "Yes, Ace?" Cedric asked as he pressed the phone to his ear.

    "I have news, but it''s nothing definite." Ace said in a worried tone. "You might not like it."

    "Just tell me Ace, hesitating won''t change what information you have for me." Cedric told his cousin as he sat down.

    As much as Cedric hated to admit it, he too needed to decrease his workload. He knew he was overworking himself and pushing himself to the limit. It wasn''t healthy but he wanted to do it for thepany.

    "The Esteves Group contacted us. It seems they figured out who Julia was calling and who she was asking for help." Ace said in a worried tone.

    "Did they threaten any of you? Are you all safe?" Cedric asked as he began to fear for his family and employees in Europe.

    "We are fine, they don''t want to hurt us. As a matter of fact they want our help." Ace said.

    "Something is still bothering you." Cedric pointed out. He could hear the worry in his cousin''s tone, he was holding something back.

    "Well, we found out why Julia is so precious to this ex-boyfriend of hers." Ace hissed. "I hate the fact that she is lying to Adrianna. How could she lie to her friend like that?"

    "Out with it Ace. Comining will do you no good. It will only increase your blood pressure and you are way too young to have those issues." Cedric teased as he tried to lighten the mood.

    "Julia and her ex weren''t just boyfriend and girlfriend, they got married and had a child." Ace said as he broke the news, making Cedric sit up in surprise.

    "What? Julia has a child?" Cedirc asked.

    "Yes, she gave birth to him, raised him till he was a few months old. I think she even took him home there but soon gave him up." Ace informed Cedric.

    "And the father?" Cedric asked his cousin.

    "He owes the Esteves family a lot of money and they are hoping that he woulde back if he knew that they had his son''s mother." Ace exined.

    "I don''t think that man cares for Julia anymore. From the stories I''ve heard he left Julia." Cedric said as he recalled what his wife had told him.

    "Do you really trust what Ju Tiu has to say?" Ace asked his cousin. "She already lied to Adrianna once. Her lie is the reason the Esteves Group has her."

    "What does the Esteves Group want from us?" Cedric asked as he refused to answer his cousin''s question.

    The answer was obvious, Cedric did not trust Julia, but Adrianna did, so Cedric had to help her.

    "They just want us to let her family know that they have her." Ace said casually. "ording to them the Tuis should know who the father is and where he is right now."

    "How badly do the Esteves Group want this man?" Cedric asked as he massaged his temples.

    "Pretty bad based on our conversations. It seemed that he not only took money from them but he caused a lot of damage within the group." Ace exined. "They want blood, Ced. Right now it''s about us passing on a message, that''s it."

    "And what if Julia''s ex-husband is the innocent one here?" Cedric asked his cousin.

    "Cedric, no one whoes from the Esteves Group is innocent, especially those that have betrayed them." Ace told Cedric.

    Cedric took a deep breath and shook his head. Ace was right, it was just a message.

    "I''ll see what I can do. I need to talk to Adrianna, maybe she can get the name from Julia. Maybe if we knew who the person was then we could decide if he is worth handing over to the Esteves Group." Cedric exined.

    "Ced, this is a very dangerous thing you are nning, but as always I will support you." Ace said as he gave in to what Cedric wanted.

    "I''ll call you when I have an update." Cedric said as he drop the call.

    He was too tired to think about the conversation he had with Ace, he just wanted to go talk to his wife and tell her about the dilemma her friend was in.

    As soon as Cedric stepped out of his home office Adrianna greeted him with a warm smile and a hug.

    "You seem exhausted." She said with a frown.

    "I am." Cedric admitted.

    "Take a nap, I''ll call you when dinner is ready." She told Cedric as she pulled him towards the elevator.

    "Where is Yoyo?" He asked.

    "With Ayanna." Adrianna said as they passed the living room.

    "Adri, wait, I need to talk to you about something before I forget." Cedric told his wife as he sat down on the couch.

    "What is it?" Adrianna asked.

    "Adri, did you know Julia was married and had a child? And that she came home with that child and gave him up for adoption?" Cedric asked.

    "No." Adrianna said as she shook her head, the shock visible in her eyes.

    "Adri, the reason the Esteves group took Julia is because of her husband, or ex-husband, I''m not sure. But the point is, you need to find out who that man is. I need to know if he is worth protecting or if we can just hand him off to them." Cedric told his wife.

    "I''ll try to get her to talk." Adrianna said with a frown.

    Cedric could see that she was heartbroken at the news that her friend had kept a secret from her. But there was nothing Cedric could do, it was between Adrianna and Julia.

    It was not his ce to intervene.

 Chapter 823 - 823

    Adrianna sat in her home office, staring at her phone as she waited for it to ring. She and Julia had agreed to call each other every other night right before Adrianna headed to bed.

    "Are you alright?" Cedric asked his wife as he brought her a cup of tea.

    "Yeah, I''m just waiting for Julia to call." Adrianna said with a smile as Cedric gently ced the cup on her desk.

    Adrianna gave Cedric a weak smile as she returned her attention to the phone in front of her.

    "She calls you at the same time every other day Adrianna." Cedric said with a sigh as he moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. "I''m sure she will call you. Don''t worry." Cedric said as he tried his best tofort his wife.

    He felt as Adrianna took a deep breath and sighed. Cedric held her tight for a little while longer, before finally letting her go and pulling a seat to keep herpany.

    "Where is Yoyo?" Adrianna asked her husband as she gave him a concerned look.

    She knew that whenever her husband was home, her son never left his side. He followed his father everywhere, even to the bathroom at times.

    "Spending time with his auntie Ayanna and uncle Ray." Cedric said with a grin.

    "That''s good. I know Ayanna has been feeling the baby blues recently, maybe spending time with Yoyo will make her feel better." Adrianna told her husband as she shifted nces between him and her phone.

    "You know, that thing makes a ringing sound whenever someone calls." Cedric teased.

    Adrianna was so annoyed with him that she pped him on the chest, making Cedricugh even louder as he enjoyed their banter.

    Suddenly Cedric''s expression turned serious as he caught Adrianna''s wrist.

    "What''s wrong?" She asked her husband as she cocked her head to the side.

    "Adri, there is something I forgot to tell you, and you aren''t allowed to get mad." Cedric said with a frown.

    "What is it?" Adrianna asked. "Is it bad?"

    "No." Cedric said with a small smile. "But me forgetting to tell you will make you very mad."

    "I doubt I will be as mad as you think." Adrianna told her husband. "Out with it." Shemanded him.

    Cedric smiled and shook his head.

    "Ayanna is pregnant." He announced as he caressed his wife''s hand.

    "What?!" Adrianna said in a tone that was a mix of shock and happiness. "How long have you known? How long has she been pregnant? Was she pregnant during the attack? Who else knows? Is this why you invited everyone over and why she and Ray are moving in?"

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh as his wife bombarded him with one question after the other.

    "Slow down." He said as heughed at her. "I can only answer one question at a time."

    As Cedric was about to answer her, Adrianna''s phone began to ring.

    "This is not over, you are so dead for not telling me." She said as she picked up her phone.

    "You said you wouldn''t get mad." Cedric grumbled as he sat back against his seat, not wanting to further argue with his wife.

    "Julia?" Adrianna asked as she picked up the call.

    "Adri!" Jualia said in an excited tone. "Were you able to talk to Cedric, can he talk the Esteves Group into letting me go?"

    "Julia, I already told you, Cedric needs more information before doing anything." Adrianna told her friend. "We need to know why they are holding you as a prisoner and what your ex-boyfriend did to offend them."

    "I''ve told you everything I know, Adri." Julia cried out. "I really don''t know what he did." Julia exined.

    "Yeah, and they would just take any of his ex-girlfriends and he woulde running back. Julia, what are you keeping from me?" Adrianna asked, her disappointment clear in her voice.

    "I have told you nothing but the truth, Adrianna." Julia insisted. "I''ve never lied to you."

    Adrianna could hear as her friend was on the verge of tears. She knew that Julia was in a scary position at the moment. A scary and dangerous one, but she could make things easier if she had told Adrianna the truth from the very beginning.

    "Yeah, you didn''t lie, you just chose to omit some facts." Adrianna said with a sigh when she realized that her friend wouldn''t be telling her the truth.

    "A- a- a- adri, what do you mean?" Julia said as she stuttered, unsure if her deception had been caught or not.

    "Stop pretending, Julia." Adrianna hissed as her temper was growing short.

    Adrianna couldn''t believe that her friend would still try to lie to her face despite being caught.

    She and Julia went way back, they had been friends since they were children. It felt as if the Julia she was speaking to now was not the Julia she knew.

    Her friend had changed too much along the way. She had lost trust in those that she had grown up with and chose to lie to them.

    Adrianna was sure that none of their friends knew about Julia''s secret. Had they known then the child wouldn''t have been given up for adoption, one of them would have taken the kid in.

    "Julia, I don''t know you anymore." Adrianna said with a sigh. "I can''t recognize who you''ve be. Why did you keep this from us? Why did you lie? Didn''t you think you could trust us?" Adrianna asked.

    "Adrianna, you are not making any sense!" Julia shouted over the phone.

    "Really Julia? Really?" Adrianna asked, her patience wearing thin.

    "What have I not told you Adrianna? Tell me?" Julia asked, practically begging. Challenging Adrianna.

    "Julia, you really want to push me, don''t you?" Adrianna asked with a sigh.

    Adrianna waited for a response over the phone.

    When none came, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had hoped that Julia would simply tell her the truth.

    "Julia, they called the Reyes Group in Spain. We know." Adrianna said with a sigh. "We know that he isn''t just your ex-boyfriend. He is your husband and the father of the child you gave up."

    Adrianna waited for a response from the other end of the line.. When none came, she knew that Julia was still thinking of a way to get out of the mess she had made.

 Chapter 824 - 824

    "Julia, why?" Adrianna pleaded over the phone.

    "What do you mean, why, Adrianna?" Julia hissed as she questioned her friend. "Are you asking me why I loved him? Why I married him? I never questioned why you married Cedric when it was against all logic. I supported you."

    "No, of course I would never question who you loved. Why didn''t you tell us?" Adrianna asked her friend.

    "Because I was ashamed of it. I fell and I fell hard." Julia said with a sigh. "At first I wasn''t sure that I loved him, then as time went on I found myself wanting to constantly be around him."

    "So why didn''t you tell us that you were married or about the child?" Adrianna asked.

    "I was embarrassed." Julia said in a sad tone.

    "You loved someone and your child was the fruit of that love. There is nothing to be ashamed of Julia." Adrianna said as she tried tofort her friend.

    "Adrianna, don''t you see? Don''t you understand?" Julia said as her tone turned hysterical, catching Adrianna off guard. "He left me with our child. He abandoned me. After telling me he loved me he vanished."

    "We would have supported you, we would have helped you." Adrianna told Julia over the phone.

    Seeing his wife''s distress Cedric walked over and began massaging her shoulders. Adrianna could see his worried expression as she began to tense up from the conversation she was having with Julia.

    "I didn''t want the child." Julia shouoted. "That stupid kid was a curse, a curse on my life. He looked so much like his father, every moment I looked at him I remember that stupid man."

    "Julia, it''s not the child''s fault. It wasn''t his choice who his father was." Adrianna told her friend. "You chose to have him with that man, you can''t just dispose of an innocent life like that."

    "And what was I supposed to do Adrianna?" Julia asked.

    Adrianna remained silent, she knew anything she said would simply be used against her. Julia was way past reasoning with. She was full of anger and hate.

    "See, you can''t even say anything!" Julia screamed.

    "Adri, you don''t have to do this. I''m worried." Cedric whispered as he watched his wife''s strained expression. It was clear that the conversation was taking its toll on her.

    "No. I''m fine." Adrianna said as she shook her head.

    "What the fuck, Adrianna?" Julia''s words wereced with the feeling that Adrianna had betrayed her. "Your husband is there with you?"

    "What do you expect me to do, Julia?" Adrianna asked as she let out a sigh. She wanted to just give up on Julia, but she knew if she did she would lose this friend forever. "They contacted the Reyes Group, Cedric was concerned. My husband was worried about my friend."

    "Tell that stupid husband of yours that I don''t need his concern!" Julia shouted.

    "Julia, why don''t you tell us the name of your husband. Maybe we can track him down." Adrianna told her friend as she tried to remain calm.

    "You can''t, he gave me a fake name." Julia told Adrianna. "I tried looking for him, that''s why I was here. I wanted to find him and maybe make amends."

    "So you decided to find him before finding your son?" Adrianna asked.

    "That boy died a long time ago." Julia said in a sad tone.

    Adrianna could hear the guilt in her voice. Clearly after she had given him away and he had died she regretted it.

    "My dad gave him away to some janitor at a school at the other end of the capital." Julia said in a somber tone."From what I heard, the janitor died and the child was abused and died."

    "Julia. . ." Adrianna started to say, but she didn''t know what to say.

    She knew what it was like to be a mother. She knew what it was like to love unconditionally with your whole heart.

    She had a son, and she couldn''t imagine losing Yoyo.

    Of course she would never have given Yoyo up. She could never stomach losing any of her children, she loved all of them, including the unborn twins she carried.

    "You don''t need to pretend to feel sorry for me." Julia said in an angry tone. "I made my choice. I sent that child away and I am suffering from the consequences of my actions."

    "Still, Julia, that child was your son." Adrianna said with a frown. "You are allowed to be hurt, you are allowed to feel sad."

    "Tell that to my father." Julia hissed.

    "Julia, did you want to take him back after sending him away?" Adrianna asked as she realized it might not have been Julia''s choice to give up her son for good.

    "Promise me you won''t tell dad." Julia said in a very serious tone.

    "Julia, it''s been over a year since Ist spoke to your dad. Every time we meet he is after some sort of partnership with the Reyes Group or Inds Inc. Even if I wanted to tell him, I wouldn''t, it''s just too annoying." Adrianna said as she assured her friend.

    "A week after I sent my son away, I regretted it." Julia admitted. "I asked my father if I could go take him back but he didn''t allow it. He said it would be an embarrassment to the family."

    "When did he die?" Adrianna asked.

    "Two years after I gave him up." Julia told Adrianna. "He was four." She said in a sad tone.

    Cedric hugged his wife in an attempt tofort her. Julia had not only lost the child''s father but she was also forced to give him up.

    Julia was as much a victim in this as her son.

    "Maybe we can put up a memorial for him." Adrianna suggested.

    "My father would be against it." Cedric could hear the hesitation in Julia''s tone. And yet he could also hear the hope it carried.

    "Julia, your father doesn''t need to know." Adrianna assured her friend.

    "Will you really do it for me?" Julia asked in a shaky voice. It seemed that she was on the verge of tears.

    "Yes, Julia, of course." Adrianna told Julia. "Now why don''t you tell me his name and the father''s name. Who knows, we might be able to find your husband."

    "I''m not sure Adri." Julia said.

    "Please, trust me, trust us." Adrianna begged her friend.

    Cedric was at a loss to why Adrianna was trying so hard to help someone that clearly didn''t want it. But he knew it wasn''t his ce to question her, he was simply there to support his wife.

    "Alright." Julia said as they could hear her taking a deep breath. "I haven''t spoken their names in years."

    From the tone of her voice Cedric and Adrianna could tell that she had begun to cry. It must have been a truly big moment for her.

    Unfortunately she was still a guest of the Esteves Group.

    "My son''s name was Dominic Chan." Julia revealed, catching Adrianna by surprise.

    "Dominic Chan? Are you sure?" Adrianna asked her friend.

    "Yes. Why?" Julia asked.

    "That''s the name of Miguel''s and Veronica''s adopted son, of course it''s Chan because he took Miguel''sst name. The coincidence is just too intriguing.." Adrianna said with augh.

 Chapter 825 - 825

    "Chan is a verymonst name." Julia insisted.

    "Yeah, I just find it odd that the first andst name match." Adrianna told Julia over the phone.

    Despite sounding like she had let the discussion pass Adrianna still had a nagging feeling that the two were somehow connected.

    "Cedric and I will put up a memorial for him." Adrianna promised her friend.

    "Thank you." Julia said.

    Adrianna smiled as she realized that her friend sounded a little bit better over the phone now.

    "What was your husband''s name?" Adrianna asked.

    "I don''t know if I can tell you." Julia said as she hesitated to speak.

    "Julia,we can''t help you if we don''t know his name." Adrianna pushed, hoping that Julia would give in and tell her.

    "He gave me a fake name, I''m not even sure what his real name was." Julia said as her voice cracked over the call.

    "Then how were you able to register your marriage? How did Dominic get a birth certificate?" Adrianna asked her friend. Things weren''t adding up.

    "He had a fake ID." Julia told Adrianna. "He had all the documents he needed for this fake identity of his."

    "Just give me his name Julia, then we can find him. We need his name to get you out of there." Adrianna told her friend.

    "You''ll hand him over if you find him, I won''t let you." Julia cried out.

    "Julia, if we can get you out of there safely without sacrificing your husband, then we will. But we need to know who he is and why the Esteves Group is after him." Adrianna exined.

    "I can tell you why they want him." Julia told Adrianna.

    "No more lies? No more details that you will forget to tell me?" Adrianna asked.

    "Yes, I promise." Julia said in a desperate tone.

    "Julia, if you lie or leave something out people could die." Adrianna said as she tried her best to get Julia to realize that she needed to know the whole truth. "This isn''t just about you anymore Julia."

    "Why do you keep doubting me, Adrianna?" Julia asked over the phone.

    "You haven''t exactly given me a reason topletely trust you at the moment, Julia." Adrianna said in a frank tone. "I love you, you are my friend. You are one of my oldest friends. But at this point I feel like I don''t even know who you are. Your secrets have secrets."

    "I''ll tell you everything, and you might as well put me on speaker since I''m sure Cedric is there and you would need to repeat everything I tell you to him." Julia told Adrianna.

    "Alright." Adrianna said in response as she pretended to put the phone on speaker phone.

    She had already let Cedric hear the majority of the conversation. There were just too many details that she could miss out on if he wasn''t listening with her.

    "Hello, Julia." Cedric said in a cold and distant tone.

    He wasn''t happy with the way Julia had lied to his wife, and it made him distrust her even more than he already did.

    "Cedric." Julia grunted.

    "Tell us everything you know." Cedric said. "I cannot help you if you leave something out, remember that."

    "Yes, yes, your wife already told me. You don''t need to keep repeating what she said." Julia grumbled.

    "I get nothing from helping you, Julia." Cedric hissed, not liking Julia''s tone. "I can easily turn my back on you and leave you with the Esteves Group."

    "Sorry." Julia mumbled. "I''ll cooperate."

    Cedric smiled when he heard the tone of Julia''s voice. She had given up fighting and being a pain in the ass, finally.

    They heard Julia take a deep breath before finally speaking.

    "Byw I''m still married." Julia revealed. "Aside from just being the mother of his son I am also still his wife. I was the one that left because I couldn''t stand being with him anymore."

    "Julia, you left him and sent your child off to die? How could you?" Adrianna asked as she turned pale.

    She never thought her friend would be capable of doing something so vile.

    "You weren''t there Adri, he wasn''t a good husband." Julia said.

    Adrianna could hear her sobbing over the phone.

    "Did he hurt you, physically?" Cedric asked in a rough tone, worried about what Julia would say.

    He knew that if Julia said yes, Adrianna would never be able to forgive herself for letting her friend suffer on her own.

    "He hurt me, but not physically." Julia revealed. "He was never around and he said things. He told me how his real family wouldn''t ept me, how I wasn''t enough."

    Cedric and Adrianna could hear as Julia sobbed at the other end of the line.

    "How was he involved with the Esteves Group?" Cedric asked as his wife threw him a poisonous re.

    Cedric didn''t want to hear about why Julia and her husband separated, he needed to know why the Esteves Group was looking for him.

    "He worked for the Esteves Group, investing in certain people and activities in our country. He met someone and trusted the wrong person." Julia revealed. "I don''t know who that person was, I just know that he took all the money the Esteves Group gave my husband and ran."

    "This happened a long time ago then?" Adrianna asked Julia.

    "No, it happened after I left him." Julia exined. "When I left my husband he was only beginning to work with this man."

    "At the end of the day it was still all about money." Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head.

    "Is that all Julia?" Adrianna asked.

    "They were hoping he would hear about me being taken by the Esteves Group ande get me, but the problem is, they knew him by a different name as well." Julia said.

    "Julia, you need to tell us now, do you know his real name, or are you lying to us again." Cedric hissed. He knew that it was impossible that Julia didn''t know the name of the man she married.

    "I do." Julia eventually confessed.

    "Why Julia? Why do you keep insisting on lying?" Adrianna asked.

    At this point she was already furious with her friend.

    "When we met, he told me his name was Andrew Ting." Julia told the couple.

    "Please don''t tell me his real name was Lucius Ting." Cedric grumbled. If that was the truth then he would be extremely frustrated.

    "No, his real name is Andrew Chan." At Julia''s words Cedric could feel the blood draining from his face in shock.

    Did they just find a way to get to the real Andrew Chan?

 Chapter 826 - 826

    "Julia, are you sure about that name?" Cedric asked over the phone.

    "Cedric, it could just be a coincidence." Adrianna told her husband as she ced her hand on his. "The odds of Julia''s husband being that Andrew Chan is unlikely."

    "I still can''t ignore it." Cedric said with a frown. "I need to talk to Ace. We need to find this man."

    "He is probably going by a different name." Julia said with a sigh.

    "Could he still be going by his old name? Aaron Ting?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s possible, that''s how the Esteves Group found out about me." Julia admitted.

    "I''ll have someone look into it and I''ll speak to the Esteves Group." Cedric informed Julia.

    As much as he didn''t want to get involved with Julia''s matter, there was a small chance that it could be tied to his investigation.

    "So I just wait?" Julia asked in an irritated tone.

    "Yes, Julia. You sit and wait and don''t do anything stupid." Cedric said in an angry tone. "We are helping you, don''t forget that. Your husband doesn''t seem to be interested in finding you. So you should cooperate."

    Adrianna reached over and held Cedric''s hand, rubbing it gently in an attempt to calm him down.

    She could tell that if it weren''t for her and those coincidences, Cedric would have long let Julia rot in whatever prison she was in.

    "I''ll give you an update next time you call." Adrianna told Julia as she attempted to defuse the situation.

    "Alright, thanks." Julia said as she dropped the call, making Cedric even angrier.

    "Rude bitch." Cedric cursed as he took out his phone and dialed a number. "I''m sorry, I know she is your friend but I really don''t like her."

    "I don''t me you." Adrianna said with a sigh as she leaned back and closed her eyes.

    She didn''t think that a conversation with one of her oldest friends could be so exhausting.

    "Damnit." Cedric cursed as he pulled his phone away from his ear and began to type.

    "What is it?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I think Ace is in a meeting." Cedric said with a sigh. "I need to update him on what we found out. If my gut feel is correct and all of this is connected, then we have to get Julia out of there as soon as we can. It would be more dangerous for everyone if they knew that Aaron was Andrew Chan."

    "I''ll leave you to your work." Adrianna told her husband as she kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you Ced. You didn''t have to do this for Julia, but you still did it because I asked."

    "Adri, you''ve always known that your happiness and our childrens'' happiness has always been my priority." Cedric pulled his wife on to hisp and held her tight. "This is how I want things to always be. Our family is happy and safe, even if the world around us is falling apart."

    Adrianna leaned down and kissed her husband passionately. They held each other for a long time, savoring their moment together until Cedric''s phone began to ring.

    "I''m going to kill Ace!" Cedric hissed as he let his wife go.

    "It''s not his fault. You called him, so be nice." Adrianna warned as she gave her husband a wink and left the room.

    Cedric shook his head andughed at his wife''s warning.

    "Ace." Cedric said as he picked up the phone.

    "Cousin, you called?" Ace asked. In the background Cedric could hear as multiple conversations raged on while his cousin spoke to him.

    "Go somewhere private, I found something out." Cedric said.

    "Alright, give me a minute." Ace said.

    ''Leave.'' Cedric heard his cousin say in amanding tone. He then heard chairs being pushed back as the people in the room did as Ace asked.

    "Wow, you''re bing more and more of a tyrant boss everyday." Cedric teased his cousin.

    "You actually saved me, I wanted that meeting to end, they just had so many issues andints." Ace grumbled. "So you have news?"

    "Yeah, Adrianna and I just got off the phone with Julia, and I have a hunch that Julia''s problem is connected to ours." Cedric informed Ace.

    "Our Lucius Ting problem or our Andrew Chan problem?" Ace asked. "You know that Lucius has had several of his people sneaking around the vicinity of the building. I''m just pretending not to know."

    "It''s connected to Andrew Chan, and potentially to Dominic." Cedric told Ace. "For now, let Lucius Ting think he has the upper hand. We want him to be as confident as possible when Guan Ming finally takes him down."

    "Okay, so what about Julia, Andrew Chan, and little Dominic?" Ace asked over the phone. "Oh, and before you say anything I found something out about Julia."

    "You go first. This might be rted." Cedric told his cousin.

    "We found documents saying that Julia gave birth to a little boy in London a few years back. The name of the father and the child''s name are missing for some reason." Ace exined. "We''re trying to see why or how, but that''s all we managed to get so far."

    "Good job on that, and I think I can fill out those nks." Cedric said with a grin. "This is why I think Julia is rted to Dominic and Andrew Chan. Julia gave birth to little boy named Dominic Chan, she gave him away for adoption to a school in the capital."

    "Dominic." Ace said with a gasp. "But I thought his parents died?"

    "People tell lies, what are the odds that this is just another one?" Cedric asked his cousin. "I think Julia''s father lied about the boy''s death and instead left him at that school."

    "The odds are against you on this Ced, but then sometimes, the unlikely things end up being the truth." Ace told his cousin over the phone as he pondered on the coincidence. "What do you n on doing?"

    "I want to convince both parties to have a DNA test done." Cedric informed Ace.

    "Wait, both parties? He isn''t rted to Miguel and Veronica, why would you need a DNA test from them?" Ace was utterly confused by his cousin''s words.

    "That''s the second part of what we found out, Julia''s husband went by the name of Aaron Ting, but his real name was Andrew Chan." Cedric revealed to his cousin.

    "No fucking way.." Ace said in shock.

 Chapter 827 - 827

    Cedric decided to dy telling everyone what he had learned from Julia overnight. Everyone deserved to have a good night''s sleep.

    The next day, the first thing Cedric did was to call and ask his friends toe over to his office in R Tower.

    Luckily Adrianna was feeling better and coulde with him.

    "What''s with the sudden meeting? Did you find something out?" Ray asked Cedric as he joined them for breakfast.

    "Might as well tell him." Adrianna said with a shrug.

    "Let''s wait for my sister." Cedric said with a nod as they waited for Ayanna and Yoyo to make their way down and join the rest of the family in the dining room.

    "Yoyo, what do you think about skipping school today?" Cedric asked his son as the boy came running up to Cedric.

    "Can I spend that day with you, dad?" Yoyo asked as he looked up eagerly at his father.

    "Of course!" Cedric said as he hugged his son tightly.

    "Are you sure you want him to be there?" Adrianna asked her husband as she tried to tell him not to bring their son along.

    "Adrianna, it will be fine." Cedric told his wife as he gave her a sweet smile. "I''ll have someone watch him in another room while we talk to everyone."

    "Fine." Adrianna said as she surrendered to what Cedric wanted.

    "So will you tell us what the meeting is about?" Ayanna asked her older brother.

    "Please take my son to the living room." Cedric told a nanny as she nodded and did as he asked.

    "Daddy, can''t I stay?" Yoyo begged.

    "I''m sorry Yoyo, the adults need to talk for a bit. I promise, you''ll understand in the future." Cedric said as he urged the nanny to take the boy to the next room.

    When Yoyo was finally out of the room, Cedric took a deep breath and told his sister and brother-inw what happened.

    "There is a chance that Dominic might be an actual Chan." Cedric said as he tried to simplify the news.

    "What do you mean Cedric?" Ayanna asked as she gave her brother a confused look. "Dominic has been adopted by Miguel and Veronica. Of course he is an actual Chan."

    "No, what I mean is he could be the son of a member of the Chan family." Cedric exined.

    "So an illegitimate son?" Ray asked.

    "No, not an illegitimate one." Cedric said as he shook his head. "Remember my dilemma with Julia?"

    "Yeah, have you found out anything from Julia yet? Last time you told me she was being uncooperative." Ray asked Cedric as he ate his breakfast.

    "We did." Cedric said with a nod. "She finally confessed that the reason why she is being held by the Esteves Group is because she has a child with her ex, and he isn''t exactly her ex. They are still married."

    "That''s good, at least now you have a starting point, all you have to do is find out who he is and maybe find him." Ray said with a nod.

    "Ray, that''s the thing. We already know the name of her husband. He goes by Aaron Ting, but his real name is Andrew Chan." Cedric revealed.

    As the words left his lips he could hear Ray drop a fork in shock and his sister choke on the water she was drinking.

    "That''s a joke right?" Ray asked. "It''s not a nice joke."

    "No, it''s the truth." Cedric told them in a serious tone.

    "It can''t be the same Andrew Chan, it just can''t be." Ayanna said as she shook her head.

    "What does this have to do with Dominic?" Ray asked as he remembered how the conversation was brought up.

    "The name of Julia''s son is Dominic Chan." Cedric revealed, making his sister gasp.

    "Dominic''sst name only became Chan when Miguel and Veronica adopted him. So it can''t be him." Ray pointed out.

    "That''s true." Cedric said with a nod. "But Julia sent her son out to be adopted. Her father told her the boy died two years after he was adopted by a school janitor."

    "No way." Ray said.

    "Ray, I need you to look into this. Maybe Julia''s father will tell one of your people the truth?" Cedric asked.

    "We can try, but I think the best way would be to test Dominic''s DNA against Miguels." Ray suggested.

    "That''s why I''ve called everyone over. I think that''s our first option, if there is a match then Dominic may be Andrew Chan''s child." Cedric told them.

    "And what if the DNA doesn''t match?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    Cedric hadn''t told anyone his ns.

    "If it doesn''t match we should still have it tested with Julia''s family." Cedric suggested.

    "Cedric, if Dominic turns out to be Julia''s child, what will happen to him?" Ayanna asked.

    Cedric had thought about this as well. He knew how much Veronica and Miguel loved Dominic, the couple would do anything and everything for the boy.

    "Julia and her family gave Dominic away and they didn''t care what happened to him." Cedric said with a sigh. "Even if they demand that Dominic is returned to them, they won''t win."

    "I feel bad that a little boy is now in the middle of his whole drama." Ray said with a frown.

    "Sometimes it''s the innocents that suffer the worst." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "We should hurry up then." Ray told Cedric. "The sooner we get this news out, the better."

    Cedric simply nodded and waved for a maid to bring Yoyo back in.

    Initially Cedric had been afraid of Ayanna''s and Ray''s reaction to the news, but since they had been calmer than Cedric expected he couldn''t help but frown.

    He didn''t like sending his son away. He knew that Yoyo already knew about many parts of the harsh realities of the world.

    The child had seen his grandmother and Mia murdered.

    In school, other children looked down at him because they didn''t know he was actually the richest among them.

    Cedric wanted to shield his son from some realities till he was old enough, but he knew that at some point, Yoyo woulde face to face with them on his own.

 Chapter 828 - 828

    Cedric was anxious the moment they entered his office. He knew it wasn''t something that directly affected him, but he knew that his news could either shatter people''s hearts or give them false hope.

    He wished that he could continue investigating the matter without everyone else having to know, but keeping secrets always had a price.

    Luckily, his friends arrived one after the other, so Cedric didn''t have to wait long.

    "Why is Yoyo here?" Katerina asked as she looked at the little boy. "Shouldn''t he be in school?"

    "I thought he could use a day off of school." Cedric said with a smile as he patted his son on the head.

    Yoyo had been sitting on Cedric''sp, showing his father how well he could draw and write.

    "I wish I could have a day off of work." Alexi grumbled as he sat next to his sister.

    "You barely go to work." Katerina hissed as she looked at her brother. "You''re always traveling and going to ces."

    "You know that''s all work Katerina." Alexi answered back. "It''s not like I want to go around to charities and projects, if I had my way I would just stay at home and -"

    "Don''t continue your sentence." Adrianna told Alexi as she stared at the politician. "My son is in this room. He is too young to hear about your perverted desires."

    "Daddy, what are perverted desires?" Yoyo asked Cedric as he looked up from what he was doing.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh at his son''s question, and it seemed everyone else found it to be quite amusing as they all burst intoughter.

    "It''s nothing, Yoyo, I''ll exin when you are older." Cedric said as he shook his head as he resisted the urge tough even louder.

    "Okay daddy!" Yoyo said in a happy tone as he returned his attention to the image he was drawing.

    "So who are we still waiting for?" Ray asked as he looked around the room, his expression looked grim. It seemed that so far there had been no progress into his end of the investigation.

    "Just Veronica and Miguel." Ian said as he continued to study the documents in front of him.

    Between working for Cedric and working at Lim Industries, he needed to use almost all of his free time so that he could dedicate his after work hours to his son and to Nicole.

    "They should be here soon." Nicole said with a nod as she rested her head on Ian''s shoulder. "Veronica texted me that they were already in the parking lot a few minutes ago."

    "Good, good." Cedric said with a smile as his mind wandered.

    As if on cue, Veronica and Miguel entered the office, escorted by Dave.

    "Oh, great, you let Yoyo skip school, Dominic willin about this for sure." Miguel groaned as he walked over and patted Yoyo on the head.

    "Where is Tristan?" Veronica asked as she looked at Nicole.

    "We didn''t know Yoyo would be here either." Nicole said with a frown. "We left Tristan with Ian''s sisters at the office."

    "You should have told us Cedric." Miguel said as he and his wife found seats in Cedric''s office.

    "I think the boys not being here is for the best." Cedric said with a frown as he waved Yoyo''s nanny over.

    "Please take Yoyo to the lounge behind that door. We will be quick." Cedric asked her, to which the nanny nodded.

    "I have to go again, daddy?" Yoyo asked as he looked up at Cedric with a frown.

    It was quite rare for Cedric to send the little boy away, even when he was at work. Yoyo would normally just sit quietly on the side even when Cedric had meetings.

    "I''m sorry, Yoyo." Cedric said as he gently ced a kiss on his son''s head. "I promise this will be quick."

    "Okay, daddy." Yoyo replied as he nodded hesitantly.

    Cedric ced the little boy gently down on the floor. Yoyo quickly walked ahead of the nanny into Cedric''s lounge.

    Cedric let out a sigh and closed his eyes when his son was finally gone.

    "You never send him away, like ever." Ian told Cedric as he eyed his friend suspiciously. "This must be serious."

    "It is." Cedric said with a nod. "And I don''t think most of you will like the news I have. I''m not even sure how I should feel about what we learned."

    "Just say it Cedric." Miguel said as he shook his head. "Stop making this meeting longer."

    Cedric shook his head, Miguel had no idea what he was asking for.

    "I need to tell you the story from the beginning, I''ll make it quick and skip some of the details." Cedric informed his friends who listened intently.

    "At first I didn''t think this would involve all of us, but as the truth came out, well, things changed." Cedric said. "Adrianna''s friend, Julia, left the country a few months back to look for a certain ex-boyfriend of hers, and while she was there she was kidnapped by the famed Esteves Group."

    "The European Mafia?" Alexi asked as he gave Cedric a confused look.

    Cedric simply nodded, confirming Alexi''s question.

    "When Julia was finally allowed to contact someone from the outside world, Julia called Adrianna asking for her help to get her out." Cedric told them with a frown.

    He looked around the room and found that everyone was still listening quite intently to him. He nced at Ram as he tried to figure out what was running through the man''s mind, but his expression remained nk, making Cedric worry.

    "ording to Julia she was kidnapped because of her ex-boyfriend, the Esteves Group wanted to find him so they took her to lure him in." Cedric exined.

    "That''s odd." Ericmented as he leaned against the wall. "Why would they take someone''s ex-girlfriend? I doubt her ex could care less."

    "That''s exactly what we all thought." Cedric said with a nod. "We doubted her words and pushed her to say something, anything about this ex of hers and it took us a while to find out the truth."

    "That person isn''t her ex." Ram suddenly said, making everyone in the room turn their attention to him.

    "What?" Veronica asked her brother. "What do you mean Ram?"

    "That person is the real reason why we broke up." Ram revealed, shocking everyone. "I didn''t want to be in a rtionship with someone that was married.. I was lucky to have found out sooner rather thanter."

 Chapter 829 - 829

    Cedric simply nodded at Ram''s words, now he understood the real reason for their parting ways. It wasn''t that Ram fell for Francesca, it was because Julia had lied to him.

    "You knew?" Ram asked as he looked at Cedric. "You don''t seem as surprised as everyone else." He pointed out.

    "That''s why we called for this meeting, because that husband seems to be a person of interest to us all. Did she tell you his name?" Cedric asked.

    "Aaron Ting." Ram hissed.

    "Is he rted to -?" Katerina began to ask as she looked at Cedric.

    "No." Cedric said as he shook his head. "Aaron Ting was a fake name that her husband went by. His real name is much more interesting to us."

    "What?" Ram asked. "Another lie from Julia Tiu."

    "Ram." Veronica scolded.

    "Sorry Adrianna. I know she''s a good friend of yours, I just had a really bad experience with her." Ram said with a frown.

    "It''s fine." Adrianna told Ram as she shook her head. "She''s changed so much since we were kids, I can barely recognize the person she''s be."

    "This whole issue with Julia''s husband caused a rift between Adrianna and Julia." Cedric quickly exined.

    He looked at his wife and waited for her to grant him permission to give his friends more details. When Adrianna nodded, he gave her a sad smile.

    Cedric knew that despite their fight, it hurt Adrianna to say anything bad about Julia. It made him even angrier at Julia, because she had a friend that loved her and she chose to lie because of a man.

    "Julia lied to Adrianna. She lied from the very beginning." Cedric revealed as he observed his friends'' reaction.

    The only person outside his family who didn''t seem surprised was Ram. I looked like he had already expected this.

    "You knew that she lied?" Cedric questioned Ram.

    "No." Ram said as he shook his head. "But I wouldn''t put it beneath her."

    "Back when they were younger, all she told Adrianna was that she had fallen in love with someone and that he had broken her heart." Cedric exined. "When in fact, she had been married to this person and even had a child with him."

    "That''s why they took her." Katerina said as she looked Cedric in the eyes. "Did she run from him?"

    "She said she left him but the rtionship was already crumbling at the time." Cedric said with a nod.

    "It''s possible that she lied." Katerina pointed out.

    "It is, but right now that''s all we have on this and we have to trust her." Cedric said.

    "You said she had a child with him, what happened to the child?" Veronica asked as she gave Cedric a concerned look.

    Cedric looked at her and frowned. Of all the people that could have asked him that question it had to be Veronica.

    "She gave the boy up for adoption." This time it was Adrianna that spoke up. "ording to Julia, he reminded her too much of his father."

    "She''s too cruel, just because the boy looked like his father she sent him away." Miguel said as he shook his head in disapproval.

    "She eventually regretted it. She wanted to take him back." Cedric said with a sigh. "But, ording to her father and the family that adopted the boy, the kid died."

    "Why are you nning on helping her again?" Katerina asked as she looked at Adrianna. "Clearly there is something wrong with her."

    "That''s the thing, as much as I''d like to leave her hanging there are two reasons why I can''t." Cedric said with a frown, earning him curious looks from his friends.

    "Which are?" Alexi asked as they waited for Cedric''s exnation.

    "Please, let me tell you everything before you react. I need to tell you the whole story, agreed?" Cedric asked his friends who all nodded at him in response.

    "Alright, Julia and her family gave away her son to a janitor at a local school." As Cedric gave the first bit of information he heard someone gasp.

    "Dominic." Veronica whispered in a voice loud enough for them all to hear.

    "The boy''s name at birth was Dominic Chan." Cedric revealed.

    "That''s a joke right." Miguel asked as heughed at Cedric. "This is some messed up prank that you and Ray nned. This isn''t amusing Cedric."

    "I''m not done." Cedric said as he looked Miguel in the eyes. "And no, it''s not a joke. Her son''s name at birth was Dominic Chan. Don''t you think I''ve already wondered how interesting this coincidence is?"

    "Interesting? You just find it interesting?" Miguel asked. "My son may or may not have living biological parents that willingly sent him away. Do you know how bad that will hurt him?"

    "I do, Miguel, don''t think I''m some idiot, you may be a genius but the people in this room are not dumb." Cedric hissed.

    "Cedric, what else were you going to tell us?" Katerina asked as she drew the attention back.

    Cedric closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew Miguel was reacting out of concern. He would probably have had the same reaction if it happened to him.

    He needed to understand the situation his friend was in, and the next bomb that he was about to drop, he was sure it would get an even worse reaction from all of them.

    "Wait, you said hisst name was Chan. His originalst name." Veronica said before Cedric could even speak up.

    Cedric simply nodded in reply as he listened to what Veronica''s conclusion could be.

    "Is there a chance that Dominic''s father is a rtive of Miguel?" Veronica asked as she nced at her husband.

    "To be honest, the Chan surname is quitemon, but the next bit of information will make things a little more likely." Cedric said.

    Veronica nodded as she let Cedric continue with what he was saying.

    "At first it was quite difficult to get any information from Julia, she refused to tell us her son''s name, she refused to admit that she was even married, but the hardest part was getting her husband''s name." Cedric exined.

    "Makes sense, even I didn''t know his name and I asked her multiple times before we ended things." Ram informed his friends.

    "And you didn''t think to tell us this?" Miguel asked his brother-inw.

    "There wasn''t a right time." Ram said with a shrug.

    "Okay, I like Francesca ten thousand times better than Julia now." Miguel said as he raised his hands in the air.

    "You liked Julia for Ram?" Eric asked as he gave his younger brother a confused look.

    "I thought she would be good for him, and she was friends with Adrianna, I thought she was a good one." Miguel said as he exined his side.

    "It doesn''t matter, you guys." Nicole groaned. "It''s his life, it''s his choice, none of you have a say in it."

    Cedric watched as Nicole red at her brothers, clearly she was pulling from her personal experience.

    He watched as Ian, wrapped an arm around Nicole''s waist and pulled her to him. It was as if he was trying to calm her down.

    "Aaron Ting." Cedric suddenly said, catching everyone''s attention.

    "What did you just say?" Alexi asked Cedric as he looked his friend in the eyes.

    Cedric smiled knowing he had gotten everyone''s attention with the familiarst name.

    "Aaron Ting, that''s the name of Julia''s husband, at least that''s the name that the Esteves family knows." Cedric informed them.

    "What do you mean by that? And is he rted to the Ting that''s a thorn to our side?" Miguel asked as his hands clenched into fists.

    "Aaron Ting isn''t his real name, it''s just a front. His real name though is a little bit more interesting." Cedric said with a grin. "Andrew Chan."

    "That''s a joke right. You have to be joking." Eric said as he red at Cedric.

    "Unfortunately not." Cedric told them as he shook his head.

    "So Dominic might be Andrew''s child?" Miguel asked Cedric.

    "Yes, and this means two things. One, we need to find out as soon as possible if he is Andrew''s child, two, we need to get Julia out of the grasps of the Esteves Group.." Cedric told everyone.

 Chapter 830 - 830

    "Miguel, Veronica, would it be alright with you if Dominic did a DNA test with you and the members of the Tiu family?" Adrianna asked Veronica and Miguel.

    "Of course, if it helps Dominic find his biological parents, then of course we''ll do it." Veronica quickly said as she agreed to Adrianna''s request.

    "Aren''t you worried?" Nicole asked Veronica. "What if Julia wants to take Dominic back?"

    "She can''t, the adoption was already finalized and they are the second couple to adopt Dominic. As a matter of fact we couldn''t even find proof of his birth." Katerina pointed out.

    "Maybe you should look for his birth certificate, Katerna." Cedric told the youngwyer. "I''m sure Julia will try to get the boy back, I doubt he was even adopted properly by his first family."

    "I''ll look into it." Katerina said with a nod.

    "If his DNA test results show that he is rted to the Chan family, do you think? Could he be?" Eric asked as he hesitated, unable toplete his question.

    "There is a high chance, yes." Cedric said with a nod. "If it''s the same Andrew Chan, I doubt he knows what Julia did. He probably thinks that Julia raised the boy."

    "So Julia is now the key for us to find Andrew Chan." Ram said with a frown.

    "Francesca won''t be happy about this, will she?" Miguel asked his friend.

    "To be honest, she wouldn''t care. Well it won''t bother her, what will worry her is me." Ram said with a sigh. "I really don''t want anything to do with Julia Tiu anymore. If I could never run into her again, then I will be the happiest man alive."

    "That bad?" Alexi asked.

    "Worse than bad. Again sorry Adrianna. I know she is still your friend no matter what, but she is just toxic." Ram said as he shook his head.

    "I''m just happy you have Francesca now." Adrianna told Ram with a smile. "I really like her, and Julia is my friend just as you are, regardless of your break up."

    "Thank you." Ram said with a smile. "I was honestly worried that after I started dating Francesca you would hate me." Ram confessed.

    "Why would I?" Adrianna asked with augh. "You are free to love whoever you want." She said with a nod.

    "She''s your friend, I said a lot of bad things." Ram said with a frown. "I would hate anyone that said something bad about my friends."

    "Well, would you hate people for calling Alexi a yboy?" Adrianna asked.

    "Hey! Former yboy, thank you very much." Alexi corrected, making everyone in the roomugh.

    "Of course not, he''s an ass for ying with women like that." Ram said as he rolled his eyes at Alexi.

    "You never said anything!" Alexi pointed out.

    "I did, at the start, but you didn''t listen so I just gave up and let you be." Ram told his friend.

    "Fine." Alexi said as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    "For the meantime, I''ve asked Ace to look into who this Aaron Ting or Andrew Chan is." Cedric told everyone. "It''s possible that he could still be using either name."

    "I wonder how Dominic will take it." Nicole said with a frown as she thought out loud. "I mean his mom gave him up as a baby and we don''t know if his dad even wanted him."

    "What matters is that he knows that we love him." Veronica said with a nod.

    "I asked the driver to pick him up." Miguel said as he ced his phone down.

    "Wow, you''re quick." Cedric said as he looked at Miguel in shock.

    "I want to get this over with." Miguel informed Cedric. "The sooner we get those samples and run them through tests, the faster we find out the truth."

    "You do know that if the DNA tests say that Dominic is rted to you, it will be an even bigger asset for us when we talk to the dads in three days." Cedric pointed out.

    "I know." Miguel said with a nod. "It will be cutting it tight though, we get the samples today and the results right before we head to your ce."

    "The bigger challenge now is getting samples from the Tiu family." Cedric exined.

    "I think I might have an easy way for that." Adrianna said with a smile. "If Julia''s father knows that we know the truth, he can''t refuse our request. It''s either give their sample or risk offending the most important families. Plus Veronica and Miguel have no intention of handing Dominic over to them."

    "Do you think you can convince him?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "I think I can." Adrianna said with a nod.

    "I''ll have someone set a meeting for us with the Tiu family over lunch." Cedric told his wife. "Do you guys want toe?" Cedric asked his friends.

    "Ced, I think it would be best if only Veronica and Miguel joined you." Ayanna suggested. "Having too much of us there might scare them."

    Cedric smiled at his sister and nodded. She was right, he often forgot how intimidating his group of friends could be.

    In his head they were just ordinary people, hanging out and chatting, but to others they were the richest and most powerful people in the country.

    Just the sight of them could make someone nervous.

    "I''ll arrange the meeting." Ian volunteered. "Mae can pick a ce." He said as he got up and walked out of the room.

    "If it''s for Dominic, of course we will do it." Miguel said with a nod.

    "I''ve asked someone from the hospital toe over to do the sample gathering." Nicole informed everyone as she looked up from her phone. "They should get here at the same time as Dominic."

    "Thank you." Miguel told his sister.

    "I know you''re overwhelmed. I got this." Nicole said with a wink.

    It didn''t take long till Ian came back into Cedric''s office with a smile.

    "They agreed to meet with you." He told Cedric with a nod.

    "Did you tell them why?" Cedric asked.

    "No." Ian said as he shook his head and sat back down next to Nicole. "All I told them was that it was rted to Julia and that she had contacted Adrianna. They seemed worried."

    "I don''t think she''s been allowed to contact her family." Adrianna revealed.

    "Well, I guess we will just have to break the news to them.." Cedric said with a shrug.

 Chapter 831 - 831

    As soon as they were done discussing the issue, Cedric had Yoyo return to his office from the lounge.

    He could see that his son was not happy being excluded from all the adult talk, but the little boy didn''t say anything.

    Sometimes, Cedric didn''t know if he should be happy or sad about having such a matured child. It made him happy because it showed how much potential his son had for the future, but at the same time he simply wanted Yoyo to be a child.

    "Dominic ising over." Cedric told Yoyo as he watched his son draw on his desk.

    "Really daddy?" Yoyo asked his father.

    "Yes, then after we will be having lunch with some people, would you like that Yoyo?" Cedric asked his son.

    "Yes daddy!" Yoyo said with a big smile.

    Cedric knew that it had been a while since his son had gone out with them. He was constantly worried that someone would recognize Yoyo if he was with them, so he decided to avoid being in public with the little boy.

    Since the Tius were family friends and they had seen Yoyo so many times in the past, it was alright for the boy to join them.

    Cedric had arranged for a private room at Maharlika Hotel to be prepared, his family and Miguel''s would then be joined by the Tius for lunch.

    "Will you be bringing Dominic to lunch?" Cedric asked Miguel as he realized that he hadn''t asked his friend.

    "Probably, he is already out of school so why not." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "Aren''t you worried that the Tius will overreact and hurt Dominic''s feelings?" Adrianna asked as she listened in on the conversation.

    "It doesn''t matter." Miguel said with a cocky grin. "As long as our son knows that we love him, that''s all that matters to me."

    "Yeah, plus the Tius will be too scared to react with the Reyes, Chan, Abad, and Lim families all represented." Ray said with augh as he pointed out how much influence they were carrying around for that lunch meeting.

    "Katerina, could you be on standby?" Cedric asked thewyer.

    "Of course, Eric and I could make a date out of it." She said with a wink.

    "Won''t people see the two of you together?" Ram asked.

    "We have our ways." Eric said with augh as a knock came from outside.

    "Come in." Cedric called out as the door pushed open to reveal Dominic, walking in shyly.

    "Dominic!" Yoyo shouted as he jumped off of his father''sp and ran over to his friend. "You''re here!" Yoyo told the older kid as he hugged him.

    "Hey Yoyo." Dominic said with a smile as he patted Yoyo on the head.

    "How was school?" Yoyo asked in his cute little voice.

    "The bullies were looking for you again, I tried to tell them to stop but they told me you were a bad influence on all of us." Dominic told Yoyo. "If only they knew." He said with a sigh.

    "Dominic, won''t you say hi to everyone first?" Cedric asked Dominic as he waved for Yoyo toe back to him. "Sorry about Yoyo, he was just too excited today."

    "It''s okay uncle Cedric, I like Yoyo. He is like a little brother to me." Dominic said with a smile before finally turning his attention to the people in the room.

    He quickly ran up to his mother, Veronica, and gave her a tight hug.

    Dominic then proceeded to greet every single person in the room.

    Cedric couldn''t help but smile. The Dominic in front of him today was a far cry from the scared and shy child he first met.

    When they had found Dominic, he refused to speak, and now he was quite chatty.

    From the way he carried himself, to how easily he struck a conversation with his uncles and aunts, any passerby would think that he was born into this world.

    "The team is here." Mae announced as she pushed open Cedric''s office door to inform him of the additional guests.

    "Let them in." Cedric said with a nod.

    ording to Nicole, his team was one of the best and was extremely professional. And true to her words it took less than five minutes for the team to collect all the samples they needed from Miguel, Eric, and Nicole.

    "We need to be sure." One of the doctors said as he sealed the bottle with the DNA sample.

    "It''s alright." Nicole told her employee with a nod as she let him be.

    As soon as the team was done gathering samples they left.

    Cedric quickly nced at his watch and realized that they only had ten minutes to get to Maharlika Hotel.

    "Let''s go, the rest of you should go home." Cedric said as he led his group out of his office.

    "You seem to be in a hurry." Miguel pointed out as he casually strolled behind the two boys that were happily chatting about school.

    "I don''t like beingte." Cedric exined as she pressed the elevator door button.

    "They should wait for you, not the other way around." Miguel pointed out.

    "I know, but it''s an old habit I can''t break." Cedric said with a shrug as they boarded the elevator.

    When they finally got to their cars, Cedric asked his driver John to get them as quickly as possible to Maharlika Hotel.

    At first John grumbled about it being physically impossible as he pulled out of the parking.

    "You should learn to let them wait." John mumbled as he drove across the city.

    With John''s driving skills, Cedric and his group made it in record time to Maharlika Hotel. They were onlyter for ten minutes.

    "Thanks John." Cedric told his driver with a smile as he got out of the car, followed by Adrianna and Yoyo.

    Yoyo''s face was somewhat covered as they made their way to the restaurant.

    As soon as the noticed Cedric in the group, the manager quickly went up to him.

    "Sir, your guests are not here yet, should I get you some tea or coffee?" The manager asked.

    "I told you, they arete." Adrianna said with augh as Cedric waited impatiently...

 Chapter 832 - 832

    At first Cedric thought that the Tius were only a few minuteste, that was something he could excuse. But when those few minutes passed Cedric nced at his wife, something wasn''t right.

    "Have someone pick them up." Adrianna said as she crossed her arms on her chest. "I don''t know what''s going on, but something is off. They would never dare offend people like you."

    "That''s true." Miguel said as he nodded in agreement. "The Tius seem like an overly conscious family. I doubt they would bete for a random reason."

    Cedric nodded and nced at Dave. His assistant quickly knew what he wanted done and left the room.

    "I''ll try giving them a call." Adrianna told her husband as she ced a hand on his shoulder and took her phone out.

    Cedric could see as she dialed the number for Julia''s brother and ced the phone on her ear.

    "Jonathan!" Adrianna suddenly said as the person at the other end of the line finally picked up.

    "No, no, I''m not looking for Julia. I''m actually looking for you and your parents." Cedric heard his wife tell Julia''s brother.

    "What do you mean you don''t know where your parents are?" Adrianna asked Jonathan. "Didn''t they tell you about lunch at Maharlika Hotel with us?" She asked.

    "Welle over. Tell the person at the reception you''re here for Mr. and Mrs. Reyes." Adrianna told the man at the other end of the call.

    "Ask Jonathan where he is, I''ll send people to meet him up." Cedric said as he nodded at Ian.

    Ian quickly got up and stood at Cedric''s side to get Jonathan''s location.

    "He is at Elisia Malls. He''s on his way to the lobby." Adrianna told her husband.

    "Get men to guard him, I have a bad feeling about this and I want you to make sure that Jonthan is safe." Cedric instructed Ian who nodded and took out his phone to make a few calls.

    "Jonathan, my husband is sending people over to escort you to the entrance then to Maharlika hotel." Adrianna instructed. "If people approach you, make sure to ask them who sent them. They have to say Mr. Reyes. Then ask where they are taking you. If they tell you anything other than what I said, run."

    "Do you think someone took the Tius?" Miguel asked Cedic as he gave his friend a worried look.

    "I''m not sure, but we should find out soon." Cedric said with a nod as he watched his wife listen to Jonathan as he repeated her instructions.

    "Oh, there is someone there to pick you up already?" Adrianna asked the man on the phone.

    At the same time, Ian returned to the room and nodded at Cedric.

    "You''ve sent people to fetch him?" Cedric asked.

    "I sent John. I didn''t think you wanted to risk anything going wrong." Ian told Cedric.

    "Good." Cedric said as he listened in on his wife''s conversation once more.

    "What did they say?" Adrianna asked with a worried look on her face.

    "Jonathan, run!" Adrianna shouted as she looked at Cedric. "He''s at the food court, they said he was going to be taken home."

    "Ian!" Cedric ordered as he looked at his assistant.

    Ian was two steps ahead and was already calling the team, giving them instructions on where to go and what to expect.

    "Tell him our people are on the way, where is he now?" Cedric asked Adrinna.

    "Jonathan, I need you to tell me where you are so that our people can get to you." Adrianna said.

    She was silent for a while as she waited for Jonathan''s response.

    "Kid''s section, he''s in one of the shops with multiple entrances, he''s trying to lose them." Adrianna told Cedric and Ian.

    Ian simply nodded and ryed Adrianna''s update to the team.

    "Tell him to keep moving, our people will find him." Cedric told Adrianna, who nodded in response as she returned her attention to Jonathan.

    "Jonathan, keep moving, don''t let them catch you." Adrianna said as calmly as she could. "Our men are on their way, you just need to stay out of their reach till our people can get to you. Okay?" Adrianna asked.

    "Sir." Dave said as he entered the room.

    "Did you find Julia''s parents?" Cedric asked.

    "They are in their house, but the Tiu residence is surrounded by armed guards. Some of our men tried to say they were bringing a gift to the Tius, but the people guarding them wouldn''t let them out." Dave informed Cedric.

    Cedric closed his eyes as he thought long and hard about who could be doing this.

    There were only a few people that knew about Julia and Julia''s disappearance. The timing too was quite interesting. It seemed that they did something to alert the other party that they were taking action.

    "Help Adrianna with whatever she needs." Cedric ordered Dave as he got up and stepped outside.

    He checked it the room next door was upied, when he found it to be empty, he gestured to his bodyguards that he would be inside.

    His security detail quickly adjusted, making sure that no one would be able to get into the next room.

    Cedric took out his phone and dialed Ace''s number.

    "Yes cousin?" Ace asked in a sleepy tone. "What do you need at six in the morning?"

    "Connect me to the head of the Esteves Group, it''s about time we spoke." Cedric said in a harsh tone.

    "Are you sure about this Ced?" Ace asked as Cedric could hear his cousin moving in the background. "You do know that we don''t really stand that much of a chance against them. They are an international group. We''re just us."

    "Trust me on this, Ace." Cedric told his cousin. "I have something that they want, and they will do what we ask." He insisted.

    "Alright, I''ll tell them to give you a call." Ace told Cedric. "No guarantee how long this will take."

    "Just tell them I want to talk." Cedric said as he dropped the phone on his cousin.

    As Cedric dropped the call, Ian entered the room with a smile on his face.

    "Our men got Jonathan out of there. He''s with John now on the way here. John will bring him up." Ian said with a nod.

    "Finally some good news.." Cedric said as he sighed a breath of relief and exited the room.

 Chapter 833 - 833

    As soon as Jonathan arrived at Maharlika hotel, he was escorted by John, Cedric''s personal driver, and several body guards up to the room where Cedric and his friends were.

    "Jonathan, thank God you are safe!" Adrianna said as she rushed to the young man and gave him a hug.

    He looked like a female version of Julia, the same pale skin and ck hair framed by a thin body.

    "Thank you, Adrianna, thank you." Jonathan said as he began to tear up. "I was so scared, I didn''t know what to do."

    "It''s okay Jonathan, you are safe now." Adrianna said as she led him to the table.

    Cedric waved at a waiter to bring food and drinks for the distressed Jonathan while Adrianna tried to calm him down.

    "Jonathan, there are a few people I''d like you to meet." Adrianna said as calmly as she could as she gestured towards Cedric''s friends who were seated across from him.

    Jonathan looked up, and his expression said it all. He was quite shocked to see such important people sitting across from him.

    He knew that Adrianna had married the Reyes Heir, but to him Cedric was just Cedric. The cool guy that spoke to him despite his nerdy tendencies.

    It didn''t matter to Jonathan that Cedric was actually the CEO of one of the richest and most powerfulpanies in the country. It never really sunk in, but the people across him now intimidated him.

    Miguel Chan had been his idol since he had learned of the young miracle doctor, and he was well aware of Veronica who was an international designer.

    "Breathe." Adrianna reminded him as sheughed at his expression. "They are only human, and they are nice, they won''t bite."

    "I just never thought I would ever sit across people like them." Jonathan said in a shaky voice.

    "Nice to meet you." Miguel said with a smile as he tried to seem as normal as possible, but it seemed to have the opposite effect on the young man. Jonathan began to hyperventte as his idol spoke to him.

    "Jonathan, calm down." Cedric said with augh as he walked up to Jonathan. "You''ve yed video games with me, they can''t be more intimidating than me."

    "Shut up." Miguel said as he rolled his eyes at Cedric.

    "You''re his idol by the way." Cedric said as he looked at Jonathan who looked like he was about to faint at any moment.

    "But I''ve known you since you were pretending to be a nobody, but them, oh my gosh, I''m speaking in front of Miguel Chan and Veronica. I think I can die now." Jonathan said as he continued to freak out.

    "Wow, he''s a fan." Ian said with augh as he came over carrying Yoyo in one arm and holding Dominic''s hand in the other.

    "You''re- you''re-" Jonathan began to stutter as he pointed at Ian.

    "A lowly assistant?" Ian said as he let Dominic run to his parents and ced Yoyo down on the ground. "I didn''t want this one to run through all the wet spots in the bathroom." He told Cedric and Adrianna.

    "You''re Ian Lim, I know your story. I know how you lost everything and now you and your family are one of the richest again." Jonathan said as he pointed at Ian.

    "I swear, he freaks out about my assistant, but not about me." Cedric grumbled as he caught Yoyo in his arms.

    The little boy had run up to his father and jumped, trusting that his dad would catch him.

    "We should get down to business." Ian said, ignoring Cedric''sments as the waiters arrived with food and drinks for everyone.

    As soon as the food had been served, Cedric sent everyone away, and had his bodyguards stand watch outside of the room.

    "Jonathan, I will be upfront with you, we need something from you." Cedric told the young man as he cut into his food.

    "What is it? I mean I doubt I have anything to offer, but of course. Adrianna has been like an older sister to me, and you never looked down at this nerdy guy. So yes, anything." Jonathan quickly said with a nod.

    "Hold your horses kid, we need to exin things to you first." Miguel said with augh as he found Jonathan''s eagerness quite amusing.

    "Alright, I''m all ears." Jonathan said as he ced his knife and fork down.

    "We think there might be a chance that our son, this little boy," Miguel said as he pointed at Dominic. "Might be your sister''s son."

    Cedric watched as Jonathan''s jaw dropped, he wasn''t sure if Jonathan was shocked that his sister had a son, or that the boy was still alive.

    Either way, the news was a shock to Jonathan.

    "Did you know that Julia had a child?" Adrianna asked.

    "I did, yes." Jonathan said with a nod. "But the kid died a long time ago. Dad told me he died, I felt so bad I wished that I had just taken him."

    "Why didn''t your family want to keep him?" Cedric asked as he leaned forward to listen.

    "Aside from the fact that Julia was unmarried?" Jonathan asked. "Because they knew nothing of the father. Over the years the man tried to contact us but to no avail. We just ignored him."

    "So you know who the father is?" Cedric asked as he waited for Jonathan to give an answer.

    "We don''t exactly know who he is, he just left us a way to contact him." Jonathan exined.

    "Jonathan, we need to know if Dominic is your sister''s son, then if you don''t mind, do you think you could share his number with us, the father''s I mean." Cedric said as he tried to convince Jonathan.

    "How can you find out if Dominic is her son?" Jonathan asked.

    "A DNA test against yours." Cedric exined.

    "Sure." Jonathan agreed with a nod, prompting Miguel to call in the people from the hospital to get DNA samples to test.

    When they were finally done gathering samples, the hospital staff quickly left.

    Cedric couldn''t help but smile. He felt like whoever was holding Julia''s family captive failed in blocking him from speaking with the Tius and getting the samples he needed.

    At least now he had his first victory.

 Chapter 834 - 834

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    "Why do you need to contact the father of Julia''s child?" Jonathan asked as he ate his food.

    "Jonathan, we have something to tell you and it''s not good news." Adrianna said with a frown as she looked at the young man.

    "Okay?" Jonathan said in a hesitant tone.

    Adrianna took a deep breath as she prepared to tell Jonathan about what happened to his sister. Cedric could see as Adrianna struggled to break the news to the young man.

    He ced his hand on Adrianna''s shoulders and she looked at him with eyes that looked like they were about to break into tears.

    "I''ll tell him." Cedric said with a nod as he chose to take the burden from Adrianna.

    Cedric turned and thought of how he was going to break the news to Jonathan. He knew that Julia might not have told her brother where she was going and why.

    "Jonathan, do you know where Julia went?" Cedric asked the young man.

    "She said she was going to Europe for vacation. She''s been gone a while and she hasn''t contacted us, but that''s just how Julia is. She likes being free and independent. But at the end of the day she alwayses home." Jonathan told Cedric.

    Cedric simply nodded as he thought of how to break the news to Jonathan. He decided to simply be direct and tell the boy the truth.

    "Jonathan, your sister went to Europe to find her husband, the father of her child, did you know that?" Cedric asked.

    By Jonathan''s expression, Cedric could tell that he had no idea.

    The boy shook his head and stared at the distance.

    "She should have just asked us for his number." Jonathan said with a frown.

    "Why didn''t she know his number?" Cedric asked Jonathan.

    "She threw it away when he visited and handed me the card. I took it and kept it with me." Jonathan told Cedric. "Is he keeping her? Is that why she hasn''t called home?" Jonathan asked in a frantic tone.

    "She is being held by someone, but not her husband." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "Then who? Why? I don''t think Julia offended anyone. She''s nice, and loving, and why would anyone want to harm my sister?" Jonathan asked as he looked at Cedric with pleading eyes.

    "Jonathan, she was taken by the Esteves Group because they are looking for her husband." Cedric informed Jonathan.

    "Then we need to call him now! He needs to get my sister out of there." Jonathan said as he began to tear up. Cedric could see how much the young man loved his older sister, he was clearly worried about her.

    "Jonathan, calm down, think rationally." Arianna said as she looked the young man in the eyes. "If we alert her husband, he will go deeper into hiding. Do you think he would risk getting caught for your sister?" Adrianna asked.

    "He said he loved her, that he would do anything to get her back." Jonathan said as he sobbed. "Why did they have to take Julia?" Jonathan asked to no one in particr.

    "We need that contact number so that we can find him and make a deal, right now it isn''t looking good for us." Cedric said with a frown.

    "Jonathan, do you have his number?" Adrianna asked.

    "I do." Jonathan said with a nod as he fished his wallet from his back pocket and handed Adrianna a yellowing card.

    "Do you think this number will still work?" Adrianna asked Jonathan as she handed the card to Cedric.

    "It should, he said he would wait. He said even if it took her decades to forgive him he would wait for her call." Jonathan said as he burst into tears once more.

    "We''ll give it a try. We just need a phone he can''t trace and we''ll give him a call. Don''t worry, we''ll get your sister back." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Ced, what happened to my parents?" Jonathan asked as he realized that Adrianna had asked him about where he and his parents were when she called.

    "Right now, we aren''t sure." Cedric said with a frown as he nced at his phone. "I''m hoping that someone will give us a call soon and they will be let go."

    Just as Cedric spoke, Leon entered the room with a confused look on his face.

    "Cedric, something odd just happened." Leon reported as he nced at Jonathan.

    "Does it have something to do with the Tius?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Leon said with a nod as he acted awkwardly, clearly he didn''t want to speak with a stranger in the room, even if Jonathan was the son of the people being held hostage.

    "It''s alright, you can tell me in front of Jonathan." Cedric said with a nod as he gave Leon permission.

    "The people surrounding the mansion are gone. They just suddenly picked up and left." Leon said.

    "That''s odd." Cedric told Leon. "Who would do that and why?" Cedric asked.

    "Maybe they already got what they needed?" Miguel asked.

    "How are my parents?" Jonathan asked with a worried look on his face.

    "Safe and sound. They were in distress but when they learned that the men had left they calmed down." Leon said as a wave or relief crossed Jonathan''s face.

    Just as Cedric and the others were speaking, Cedric''s phone began to ring and an unknown number shed on the screen.

    "Hello?" Cedric asked as he picked.

    "H Mr. Reyes. I was told you were looking to speak to me.." A deep and mysterious voice said at the other end of the line.

 Chapter 835 - 835

    "H." Cedric said in response as he grinned. "Estoy sorprendido de que maras. (I''m surprised you called.)"

    "?Has espa?ol? (You speak spanish?)" The man asked in a surprised tone.

    "Si. (Yes.)" Cedric responded with a smile.

    "Entonces sabes por qu�� te mo. (Then you know why I''m calling.)" The man told Cedric in a deep and rough voice.

    "Si. Te ped�� que maras. (Yes. I asked you to call.)" Cedric responded in a confident tone.

    "Me impresiona que hable espa?ol, Sr. Reyes. (I''m impressed that you speak Spanish, Mr. Reyes.)" The man at the other end of the call said. "La mayor��a de los empresarios se limitan a contratar a un traductor. (Most businessmen would simply hire a trantor.)"

    "Creo que ya han adivinado que no soy mayor��a de los empresarios. (I think you have now guessed that I am not most businessmen.)" Cedric said with a smile.

    "Es cierto, no muchos se habr��an acercado a nosotros con valent��a. Ustedes son diferentes, muy ��nicos. (That is true, not many would have boldly approached us. You are different, very unique.)" The man said with augh.

    "Tienes algo que me pertenece. (You have something that belongs to me.)" Cedric said as he went straight to the point.

    "Mr. Reyes, you of all people should know that people can''t belong to other people. We are just keeping your wife''s friend safe until her husband cane fetch her." The man said with a thick ent as he shifted to English.

    "And what about her family?" Cedric asked as he probed their reasons.

    "They are free to go. It was a misunderstanding, we thought you were trying to get them out of the country." The man said.

    "What did her husband do to the Esteves Group?" Cedric asked.

    "He used to be a loyal soldier, someone we trusted. We sent him to deal with a little thorn on our side from your country, and he came back corrupted, but of course we didn''t know it at the time." The man told Cedric, catching him off guard.

    "Why are you telling me this?" Cedric asked.

    "Because we know that you are a logical man." The man told Cedric.

    "What happened then? After he switched sides?" Cedric asked as he wanted to hear more of what happened between the Esteves Group and Julia''s husband.

    "The man was plotting something, something big, so Aaron Ting took money from us and moved it to that person." The man recounted. "We had trusted him way too much. We knew he was movingrge amounts of our funds, but we thought it was all part of his n."

    "Then Julia left." Cedric said as he recounted Julia''s story.

    "Yes, when his wife left he went over the edge, he took so much of our funds and ran away with it. We thought at first he went with his wife, but we watched her and nothing seemed off." The man exined.

    "Where did he go?" Cedric asked.

    "We don''t know, that''s when we lost him." The man told Cedric. "All we know is that the money he took from us was used to kill and harm people, we don''t know how or why, we just know that that was where they intended to use it."

    "Can''t you give me the name of the person he sent the money to?" Cedric asked.

    "No, but the wife''s family knows how to contact him." The man said in an annoyed tone. "We want him here with us within the next month or Julia Tiu won''t be making it home alive." The man threatened as he dropped the call.

    Cedric stared at his phone as he processed the information he had just learned.

    "You can speak Spanish?" Adrianna asked as she gave Cedric a confused and shocked look.

    "Si. (Yes.)" Cedric said with a wink. "Mom''s side spoke Spanish most of our childhood."

    Adrianna nodded as she learned something new about her husband.

    "What did he want? And what happened?" Miguel asked, his concern painted clearly on his face.

    "They thought that we were trying to take the Tius away." Cedric exined. "When they realized that we weren''t nning that, they left them alone."

    "And what about the husband?" Miguel asked.

    "He betrayed them for someone he was supposed to be spying on." Cedric said as he recounted the exnation. "They thought Julia had something to do with it since she vanished roughly at the same time as he betrayed them"

    "Couldn''t they tell you the person''s real name?" Miguel asked.

    "They only knew him as Aaron Ting, it seemed that he had really well forged documents." Cedric concluded, he knew that a group like the Esteves Group couldn''t be tricked so easily.

    "What could have convinced that man to switch sides." Ian said as he thought of the situation. "It must have been quite copeling."

    "Jonathan, do you remember how the man looked?" Cedric asked Julia''s younger brother.

    "Yeah, a little bit." Jonathan said with a shrug. "He was wearing a cap, but he was clearly taller than me, around Dr. Miguel''s height, he was also Chinese looking with a British ent."

    "That''s not enough to go by." Adrianna said with a frown as she practically gave up any hope of finding Julia''s husband.

    "We still have this." Cedric said as he showed Adrianna the nk card with a number that Jonathan had given them. "Ian, do you have the phone yet?" Cedric asked.

    "Here." Ian told Cedric as he handed him the burner phone.

    Cedric quickly dialed the number on the card and waited for it to ring.

    After a while, the phone stopped ringing as if the call had been dropped.

    "What happened?" Adrianna asked.

    "He dropped the call." Cedric told her with a frown. "Wait, let me call again." Cedric said with a determined look.

    He had no ns of giving up after the call was dropped the first time.

    Again, he typed the number and pressed the call button.

    This time, after a few rings the call was answered.

 Chapter 836 - 836

    "Hello?" A man''s voice answered. Just as Jonathan had said, he had a british ent.

    Cedric ced the phone on the table and ced it on speaker, he wanted Jonathan to confirm if this was the person that had given him the number.

    "Hi, yes, I''m looking for Aaron Ting." Cedric said over the phone, quickly putting it on mute so that he could speak to Jonathan.

    "Is this him? Is the voice the same?" Cedric asked as he pointed at the phone.

    "I''m sorry, but who is this?" The man asked.

    "I can''t tell." Jonathan said as he shook his head.

    "We are friends of his wife." Cedric told the other man. "If you are Aaron Ting, I think it might be important for you to know that Julia is looking for you, but she left your son with us."

    Putting the phone on mute again, Cedric gestured for Jonathan to listen closely.

    "Aaron isn''t here with me right now, but I can send him a message." The man said over the phone. "I''ll give him this number and ask him to call you."

    With that the man dropped the call, leaving everyone in the room confused.

    "I''m sorry Cedric, but I really can''t tell if he is the same person." Jonathan said with a frown. "I mean they sound the same, but I just can''t be too sure."

    "It''s alright Jonathan." Cedric told the younger man as he tried tofort him.

    "Were you able to trace the location?" Cedric asked Dave as he nced at the assistant.

    "He''s in Ennd, but that''s all we could get. The call was too short." Dave informed Cedric with a sigh.

    "I guess we just have to wait." Cedric told everyone in the room. "We have a lot of resources moving and investigating this matter. I''m sure someone will pick something up."

    "I''m just d to hear that Julia''s and Jonathan''s parents are safe." Adrianna said with a sigh of relief.

    "What do we do now?" Jonathan asked. "They still have my sister and we have no idea what condition she is in."

    "They won''t hurt her." Cedric said as he ced a hand on the younger man''s shoulder trying to reassure him. "I think they figured out that she is innocent in all this mess. From what we heard from Julia they are taking good care of her."

    "Well, that''s nice to hear, but I won''t be at ease unless my sister is back at home and safe." Jonathan told Cedric with a determined look.

    "We will do everything in our power to get her back safe and sound." Cedric promised Jonathan.

    "Thank you." Jonathan told Cedric. "I know I can trust you and Adrianna, you''ve never let me or my sister down, ever."

    "We try." Adrianna responded with a smile.

    "So that little boy might be my nephew?" Jonathan asked as he nced at Dominic who was excitedly telling Miguel about his day.

    "We don''t know for sure, that''s why we had to do the DNA test earlier." Cedric said as he frowned at Jonathan.

    He watched as Jonathan looked at Damien with a smile, it was clear that the young man loved the nephew he had to give up.

    "What''s his name? I mean what name did the Chans decide to give him?" Jonathan asked.

    "You''ll find this funny." Cedric said with a grin. "His name is Dominic Chan."

    "The same as on his birth certificate." Jonathan said as he wiped a tear from his eyes.

    "Jonathan, you do understand that even if he is proven to be Julia''s son she can''t have him back." Cedric said. "The Chans won''t give him back, they love him like their biological son and even Dominic won''t want to go back to Julia."

    "My sister never loved him." Jonathan said with a frown. "The only reason she considered taking him back is because I begged her to. I was thest to find out about the conditions they sent him to live. It was wrong and unfair."

    "She will put up a fight to get him back, you know." Adrianna pointed out as they continued to watch the happy family.

    "I know, but I''ll stop her." Jonathan promised. "Dominic deserves a better life. My sister will only love him temporarily, once she is tired of him she will leave him again. I know Julia, she isn''t the best person."

    "And what about his father?" Cedric asked.

    "He is involved with the Esteves Group, he betrayed them and got us all into this trouble. I don''t think Dominic belongs with him either." Jonathan said as he shook his head. "No, Dominic is at the best ce he could be in."

    Jonathan smiled as he looked at Dominic, the boy was happy and healthy.

    "He has parents that love him, parents that will truly care for him. He has lived through way too much for a young boy." Jonathan said as he frowned. "It would be unfair to take him away from the only happiness he has known."

    "I''m sure they will let you visit him." Adrianna said as she looked at Dominic. She could tell from his expression that he had no idea what his nephew had suffered at the start.

    "They will?" Jonathan asked.

    "Even your sister can visit him if she wants. I''m sure the Chans would be alright with that." Cedric added.

    "I''m not sure about Julia, but I would love to see more of Dominic, especially if he is actually my nephew." Jonathan said in a happy tone. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted from his chest and he had been set free.

    "The Chans aren''t your traditional couple, they are more open minded." Cedric said with a smile.

    "I want to make it up to Dominic." Jonathan said with a new found determination. "I wasn''t there when he was a child that needed to be saved, I was toote and too naive. I believed my father''s lie that he was dead."

    "I wonder why your father lied." Cedric asked out loud. "I have my suspicions but I would like to find out from him the truth."

    "I would too.." Jonathan said with a nod.

 Chapter 837 - 837

    "You''re inviting us over?" Guan Ming asked over the phone as he was startled by what Cedric said. Thest thing he expected was for Cedric to invite him to his home ahead of schedule.

    "Yeah, I think it''s about time I told everyone that you are actually on our side." Cedric said with augh.

    "Won''t Lucius Ting be suspicious if a car brought me to your ce?" Guan Ming asked.

    "Obviously I''ll send an ordinary car for you." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes. "I''ll have someone pick you up at four in the afternoon."

    "Cedric, I actually have a guest here in my hotel room now, do you mind if shees along?" Guan Ming asked in a hesitant tone.

    "Cami is invited. You don''t need to ask to invite her." Cedric told Guan Ming tly.

    "Not Cami, it''s my mom." Guan Ming said as Cedric could hear the doors closing in whatever room Guan Ming was in.

    "Didn''t your mom fly back to China already?" Cedric asked.

    "Nope." Guan Ming chuckled. "She decided to stay, she said something about wanting to get to know the real me. I''ve been the real me the whole time, just no Cami."

    "I think what she meant was that she wanted to get to know Cami." Cedric teased. "It''s alright. At least we''ll all get to meet your mom. I''ll see youter then." Cedric told Guan Ming.

    Cedric stepped out of his office and into the living room to check on the preparations forter that afternoon.

    They had two hours to go before their guests started to arrive and he watched as his wife and sister worked together, telling the maids what to do. The pair made sure everything was in order before moving on to the next task.

    "I have no idea how they do it." Ray said as he appeared next to Cedric with Yoyo sitting happily on his shoulders.

    "Our wives are amazing, that simple." Cedric chuckled. "Are you ready to tell everyone?"

    "Yeah, mom and dad will be here in a bit. I wanted them to know before everyone else." Ray told Cedric. "They''ve been asking me non-stop why we moved from our ce to yours. The only excuse I could think about is that we were remodeling. At least now I can tell them the truth."

    "Ced, Ray could the two of you keep Yoyo entertained while we set everything up?" Adrianna called out as Ayanna gave instructions to maid.

    "Of course, I was nning on spending some time with him anyway." Cedric said with a smile as he offered his hand to his son.

    The boy excitedly took it and dragged his father to the backyard.

    "You boys need to be back by three, Ray''s parents will be here." Ayanna called out as the boys walked down the hall towards the backyard.

    "We know." Cedric called out as they walked out of the house.

    Cedric and Ray quickly took Yoyo to y a few sports and run around the Mountain View Mansion''s vast spaces.

    "I wish my dad spent this much time with me." Ray said with a sigh as they sat down and caught their breaths.

    "That''s why I''ve been trying really hard not to work on weekends." Cedric told Ray. "I love my dad, but I only had a limited time with him. I was fifteen when I had to leave home and go off to poverty training."

    "But things will be different for Yoyo, right?" Ray asked Cedric. "You won''t be sending him away?"

    "Hopefully not." Cedric responded as he looked at the little boy that continued to run in the vastwn of Mountain View.

    "We should head back." Ray said as he looked back at the mansion. "My parents should be arriving at any time."

    "Dad should be there too already." Cedric said with a nod as he called Yoyo over.

    When they did make it back to the Cedric was shocked by the scene that unfolded before them.

    Guan Ming was seated in his living room as his father red at the Chinese businessman.

    "He said he was your guest." Adrianna told her husband as she walked up to him, Ray, and Yoyo.

    "You weren''t supposed to be here tillter." Cedric told Guan Ming.

    "Something came up." Guan Ming said with a frown as Cedric spotted Cami walking out of his office arguing with Ian.

    "That was fucking dangerous!" Ian hissed as he walked over to Cedric.

    "Did she pick him up?" Cedric asked as he looked at Cami, her guilt was already painted all over her face.

    "Cedric Reyes, you better have a good excuse for this." Emilio Reyes warned his son. "This man is working with Lucius Ting, how dare you invite him to your home."

    "Uncle Emilio." Camiined as she looked at the former CEO, shocking Guan Ming.

    "You''re rted to Cedric?" Guan Ming asked Cami as he began to worry.

    "Rx Guan Ming, the only family she has in this room is cranky Mr. Lim over there." Cedric said with a chuckle as he led them to his office. "Guan Ming, where is your mom?" Cedric asked as he looked around expecting to find an elder woman.

    "Your sister kind of kidnapped my mom." Guan Ming said as he scratched the back of his head.

    "I need to keep you both hidden." Cedric said as he shook his head and looked at Ray.

    "I got it." Ray said with augh as he turned and called for his wife.

    "Ayanna Reyes - Laurence, you better get your ass back here. Your brother is not happy." Ray shouted.

    "I could do that too." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes. "Can''t you be civilized?" Cedric asked.

    "We''re always civilized, besides, we''re at home." Ray grumbled as Ayanna came out of the kitchen.

    "Let''s get into my office before anyone shows up.." Cedric told Guan Ming as he ushered the mother and son pair into his office as quickly as he could.

 Chapter 838 - 838

    "You better have a good exnation for this Cedric." Emilio Reyes warned his son as soon as the doors closed behind them.

    "I do." Cedric said with a nod as he leaned against his office table.

    Cedric took a deep breath before finally exining.

    "Guan Ming is an old friend." Cedric started.

    "How old of a friend?" His father asked as the older man red at Guan Ming. "Can we trust him?"

    "Uncle!" Cami suddenly reacted, catching everyone except Cedric, Ian, and Guan Ming''s mother by surprise.

    "We can trust him." Ian suddenly said with a nod.

    Cedric gave Ian a confused look from where he stood, he was surprised that Ian had said that Guan Ming was trustworthy. From what he had witnessed, Guan Ming and Ian were not exactly on good terms.

    "I''ve known Guan Ming for around six years I think." Cedric said as he tried to recall what year they met.

    "Seven." Guan Ming quickly corrected Cedric.

    "Seven." Cami said with a nod as she looked at Guan Ming with a longing smile.

    "How did an assistant at Mor Co. be friends with one of the wealthiest men in the world?" Emilio Reyes asked, clearly confused as to how Guan Ming and Cedric met in the first ce.

    "Well, almost the same way that the CEO of the Reyes Group ended up in a conference, flying economy, and sleeping at one of the poorest hotels in the region." Cedric said with augh as he recalled the trip to Hong Kong where he met Guan Ming.

    "He had poverty training too?" Emilio Reyes asked. He knew that some families practiced a simr method as the Reyes Group. Some were harsher, while others were more lenient.

    "No, he ran away and got disowned." Cedric said with augh.

    "The reason I got disowned is also the reason why mypany is doing so well." Guan Ming told Cedric as he rolled his eyes at Cedric.

    "Yeah, your dad was wrong with that one." Guan Ming''s mother said with a nod.

    "Oh, right, I forgot to introduce my mom." Guan Ming was clearly ashamed of forgetting to introduce his mother. "Cerdic, Mr. Emilio, Mr. Laurence, Miss Ayana, this is my mom Lu Ning. Mom, this is the guy everyone thought I was dating."

    As Guan Ming pointed at Cedric, Ray spat out the coffee he was drinking, making his wife and Cami scream in disgust.

    "Seriously?" Ayanna asked in an angry tone as she got up and called for a maid to clean up. "Ray, can''t you be a little bit more, I don''t know, proper? I swear if you were doing a business deal right now, whoever you were dealing with would probably reject the deal."

    "I was just shocked." Ray said as he shook his head. "People usually think that I''m the one that''s gay."

    "I''m sorry about my husband." Ayanna said to Guan Ming and his mother as she shook his head. "He can act quite childish for a CEO."

    "It''s fine, my Guan Ming is like a child at home too." Lu Ning said with augh, making Guan Ming blush.

    "Mom!" Guan Ming whined.

    "It''s an honor to meet you all." Lu Ning said with a slight bow. "I''m sorry we thought you were dating our son. Someone we thought we could trust spread a malicious rumor about him and we were fools to think our son would lie to us about it."

    "Why would you even think that Guan Ming was dating someone from our country?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "Not just your country." Lu Ning said with augh as she shook her head. "We knew he was dating someone from the Reyes Group. He would have letters from that address and he always seemed different after reading the letters."

    "So he was dating someone from the Reyes Group?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "They weren''t dating Uncle Emilio." Ian groaned. "They were and still are in love."

    "Wait, what, so who was it?" Emilio Reyes asked the people in the room.

    "It was Cami, dad." Cedric finally revealed as heughed at his father''s reaction.

    The older Reyes seemed shocked as he looked at Cami.

    "Give him a moment." Ayanna said as sheughed. "Cami is like a daughter to him. So hearing that she is in love with someone will take a while for him to process."

    "How long?" Emilio Reyes finally asked. "And is this why you''ve never had a boyfriend?"

    Cedric noticed how happy Guan Ming suddenly was when he heard Emilio Reyes say that Cami never had a boyfriend.

    "We met during that conference in Hong Kong, the same one where Cedric and Guan Ming met as well." Cami exined. "I quickly fell for him and he for me. He told me to wait and that he would be loyal to me."

    "You trusted him?" Emilio Reyes asked.

    "I was right to trust." Cami said with a nod.

    "My son refused to date, and when he did go on a date it was because we forced him to." Lu Ning exined. "He became notorious about being cold to all the women he met, which fueled the rumor that he preferred men to women."

    "I can''t say I disapprove." Emilio Reyes said with a proud smile. "Guan Ming seems to be a really good man to you."

    "I''m also one of the richest men in China now, sir." Guan Ming boasted.

    "That cockyness of yours will do you more harm than good." Ian warned Guan Ming.

    "I don''t care if you are a rich man or a poor man." Emilio Reyes said as he shook his head. "Rich men can be bad and poor men can be good. What matters is you love Cami and that you will treat her the way she deserves to be treated."

    "I do, sir, and I would never hurt her." Guan Ming promised as he looked at Cami with a burning passion in his eyes.

    "As long as this is what you want Cami, I have no right to stop you." Emilio Reyes told Cami who quickly went up and hugged him.

    "I do uncle, I love him.." Cami said as she nced back and gave Guan Ming a loving smile.

 Chapter 839 - 839

    Cedric wanted to keep Guan Ming and his mother a secret until everyone arrived. It wasn''t because he was looking for some huge spectacle, but because he didn''t have the energy to keep repeating the same story and to answer the same questions over and over.

    When Ray''s parents arrived, Ayanna and Ray told them the good news and they were ecstatic. Everyone had been waiting quite a while for the couple to get pregnant so the news couldn''te at a better time.

    Soon everyone began to arrive at Mountain View.

    The back patio of Mountain View had been set up to host a party. There were seats and tables enough for their small gathering.

    Tristan, Yoyo, and Damien were running around while a maid chased them. The two boys happilyughed as they enjoyed thepany of everyone they knew.

    When everyone was settled, Ayanna nodded at Cedric telling him they were ready to make the announcement.

    "Everyone, thank you for making it today." Cedric said as he stood from his seat. "My sister has an announcement to make."

    Cedric offered his hand to Ayanna, helping her stand up.

    "So you all know that Ray and I have been trying for years." Ayanna began to say, earning her gasps from her friends.

    Her first line foreshadowed her news.

    "We''re pregnant." Ayanna happily announced to the delight of everyone they invited.

    People said their congrattions and the couple respectfully thanked them.

    "Shame on you for keeping secrets from us." Veronica teased as she gave Auanna a tight hug. "I''m so happy for you guys and Damien will have more friends."

    "Thanks girls." Ayanna said with a smile.

    "Cedric, did your maids miscount the guests?" Katerina asked as she pointed at the empty seats next to Cami.

    "No, they didn''t." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "Cami, will you call our other guests over?" Cedric asked, to which his assistant dutifully nodded, got up and made her way back inside Cedric''s home.

    "More guests?" Alexi Sebastian asked as he looked at his friend.

    "Yes, friends and allies." Cedric responded with a nod as he waited for Cami to return with Guan Ming.

    "Mr. - Mr. -" The president, Jose Sebastian, began to stutter as soon as he saw Guan Ming and his mother step out of Cedric''s home.

    There were very few people that could get that kind of reaction from any of Cedric''s guests.

    When Guan Ming arrived in the capital, both he and Wu Jun needed to pay courtesy calls to the president, thus he had met the Sebastian family in the past.

    "President Sebastian." Guan Ming said with a respectful nod.

    "You don''t have an ent?" Alexi suddenly asked, making Cedricugh.

    "Alexi!" Jose Sebastian scolded.

    "Dad, if he is here then this means he is a good friend of Cedric''s." Alexi said as he rolled his eyes at his father. "You don''t need to worry about him badmouthing us to officials in China because I was direct."

    Guan Mingughed at Alexi''sment.

    The young politician was not wrong.

    "I would never badmouth you to the officials." Guan Ming said as he shook his head. "No, I simply fake that ent for fun."

    "Wati, how do you know Cedric?" Ram asked as he looked at Guan Ming. "And aren''t you working with Lucius Ting?"

    Guan Ming nced at Cedric, checking to see if he would be the one to exin or Cedric.

    "Guan Ming and I met a long time ago." Cedric began as he exined how he and Guan Ming met and how Guan Ming and Cami were currently in a rtionship.

    "Is that why you''ve been so calm about the whole Guan Ming - Lucius Ting matter? Because you nned this?" It was Miguel that asked this time.

    "Yep." Cedric said with a sly smile as he nodded.

    "What about Wu Jun?" Alexi asked.

    "I knew Wu Jun''s father." Emilio Reyes suddenly said. "I thought the son would be as good as the father."

    "He isn''t." Guan Ming said, joining the conversation. "Wu Jun is good in a business sense, but he is corrupt and has no morals."

    "So what are you nning to do with Wu Jun?" Ray asked Cedric.

    "Nothing." Cedric responded.

    "Wu Jun is mine to deal with." Guan Ming hissed. "Wu Jun and the fucking Lucius Ting."

    "I''m surprised you haven''t punched Cedric." Alexi pointed out.

    "Trust me, he has." Ian said from the side as he helped his son up on his seat. "He came charging in here and punched Cedric because of Cami fake dating Lucius Ting."

    "Ah that makes sense." Alexi said with a nod.

    "How does that make sense?!" Cedric asked in disbelief.

    "If you vanished and I made Adrianna date your kidnapper to find out where you were, wouldn''t you punch me?" Ray asked his friend.

    "That''s different. She''s my wife." Cedric said as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    "It''s the same thing and you know it." Ian told Cedric as he rolled his eyes.

    "Fine." Cedric admitted.

    "It''s a good thing you are on our side, Guan Ming." Ram said as he raised a ss at Guan Ming.

    "Thanks, I would hate to be on the same side as someone as vile and disgusting as Lucius Ting." Guan Ming hissed.

    "Aren''t you going to ask?" Miguel reminded Cedric as the conversation moved on.

    "I will." Cedric said with a nod as he once again stood up, getting everyone''s attention.

    "There is actually another reason why I called everyone over." Cedric announced as he looked at all the guests.

    This time Cedric wasn''t smiling.

    He had a more serious expression on his face, he knew that no matter how he said it the conversation would still end up as an argument.

    "Dad, uncles, this is yourst chance." Cedric said. "Please, tell us the truth about Andrew Chan or we will find out for ourselves." He threatened.

    "What are you talking about?" Emilio Reyes asked his son.

    "We may know where Andrew''s son is." Ram told Emilio Reyes knowing that Cedric was already quite hot headed.

    "Impossible, Andrew doesn''t have a son.." Emilio Reyes said, revealing that they knew where the man was.

 Chapter 840 - 840

    "Dad, what are you talking about?" Cedric asked as he turned to look at his father.

    He could see from Emilio''s expression that he was one hundred percent sure that Andrew Chan didn''t have a son, so it meant that his father could know where the real Andrew Chan was.

    "What made you think that Andrew has a son?" James Abad asked as he looked at Cedric. "Did someone tell you?"

    "Yes." Adrianna said as she jumped into the conversation. "My friend Julia was married to a man who was going around with the name, Aaron Ting." She exined.

    "Then he must be a rtive of Lucius Ting then, how is that even rted to Andrew Chan?" Raphael Chan asked as he waved his arms in the air. "Don''t tell me you kids are still convinced that Lucius Ting is Andrew Chan."

    "No." Miguel said as he shook his head. "We''ve known for a while that Lucius Ting couldn''t be Andrew Chan."

    "Then tell us how you came up with the conclusion that you found Andrew Chan''s son." Raphael Chan demanded from his son.

    "Because ording to my friend Julia the real name of the father of her son and her husband on paper was Andrew Chan." Adrianna revealed, shocking everyone in the room.

    "That''s impossible." Jose Sebastian said as he sat up as he looked towards his friends. "He isn''t married."

    "So you guys do know where the real Andrew Chan is?" Cedric asked as he looked at the fathers.

    As he scanned the people seated around the table he noticed that the moms didn''t look the least bit surprised, it was as if they too knew the truth.

    "You all knew?" Ray suddenly asked as he noticed the same thing as Cedric. "You all knew!"

    "Ray, son, it was for his own protection, Andrew needed to be kept safe." Benedicto Laurence told his son with a sad look in his eyes.

    "We never wanted to lie to you, to any of you." Emilio Reyes told their children as he looked at each of them. "But we had to, little children could slip up and identally say something."

    "Why did you have to hide him, dad?" Cedric asked. They were all eager to find out who was after such a young boy and why he needed to be hidden.

    "There were people in the Chan family that wanted to use him." It was Raphael Chan that answered for them.

    "They wanted to use the boy to take power from my dad and me. They wanted to kidnap him to manipte him into iming that he should be the head of the family after me." Raphael Chan said with a sigh.

    "But dad, Eric is older." Miguel said as he pointed at his older brother. "He still remembers uncle Miguel being in the country. How can Andrew be the next family head?" He questioned.

    "At that time I was already showing signs of being more progressive than they could stomach." Raphael Chan exined. "I let your mother do operations and help with the business when traditionally she should have stayed at home to help raise Eric."

    "They didn''t like that." Eric said with a frown as he closed his eyes and leaned back. "I always thought I had imagined you fighting with some of your uncles about mom working. I thought it was too archaic a belief to be possible."

    "Son, you know how our family operates, they prefer to stick to tradition rather than to innovate." Raphael Chan said with a frown. "I warned them time and again that their old and ancient ways would be the reason our family ended, but they refused to listen."

    "But dad, couldn''t you have just overruled them?" Nicole asked.

    "Back then? No." Raphael Chan said with augh. "Back then we didn''t have as many stocks in our immediate family, the stocks were spread out much thinly among rtives, it was only when you started working at Saints Hospital that we got so many stocks in our hands."

    "How?" Miguel asked, curious about what his father meant.

    "Your grandfather and I did our best to buy as many stocks from distant rtives as possible." Raphael Chan exined. "They had very small stocks individually, butbined they were quite significant. Over the years we managed to umte as much as possible."

    "How old is Andrew Chan now?" Ian asked as he looked up from where he sat next to Nicole.

    As much as he and Nicole refused to admit it, the Lims were just as much involved in the Chan family drama as they were.

    "He is a month younger than Cedric, around a year older than Miguel." Raphael Chan exined.

    "So he could be someone we have met." Miguel told his father who nodded slowly.

    "Dad, where is Andrew Chan? Where is our cousin?" Nicole asked in a determined tone.

    "When my brother Miguel died, he left a will which he gave to the person he trusted the most." Raphael Chan began to exin.

    "Fernando." Cedric whispered in a voice loud enough for the other to hear.

    "Yes, Fernando was not just his employee, over the years they became best friends." Raphael Chan said with a nod. "On his will he asked Fernando to send out a letter to me asking me to take his son and hide him."

    "That''s who Fernando was waiting for, he was waiting for you in the letters he sent to his wife." Katerina said with a gasp.

    "Not just me, he was waiting for us, he needed all of us to hide his son." Raphael Chan exined.

    "You were the ones that made sure Fernando lived a good life." Cedric pointed out.

    "Yes." Emilio Reyes said with a nod. "Fernando was supposed to be reunited with his son and wife this year, sadly his brother-inw was murdered and he too passed away."

    "So the people after Andrew are still at it?" Cedric asked.

    "In a way, but this isn''t them, this is someone else, someone that doesn''t want the truth toe out." Raphael Chan said in a dark tone.

    "Where did you hide Andrew then?" Ian asked as he continued to push the question for Nicole.

    "In in sight." Raphael Chan said with a shrug.. "We hid him as Ramon Abad, eldest son of the Abad family."

 Chapter 841 - 841

    "That''s a joke, right?" Ram asked as he looked at Raphael Chan and his father.

    Both men shook their heads and frowned.

    "This is crazy! I look nothing like Eric or Miguel!" Ram said in a tone a little bit louder than he wanted. "I''m Ramon Abad, not Andrew Chan."

    "Ram. . .you know we never wanted to lie to you." His adoptive mother, Victoria, said as she looked at him with pleading eyes.

    "Why? How?" Ram began to ask as he was at a loss for words. He had a thousand questions running in his head as he tried to process the fact that his family, his biological family, had been right next to him as he was growing up.

    "Maybe it''s best if we exined from the beginning." James Abad said as he looked at his son. "This way you can just ask in between."

    "No more lies?" Ram asked.

    "No more." His father responded with a nod.

    "No more secrets?" Ram asked.

    "No more." His father promised again.

    "You always tell us that you are no longer hiding secrets from us." Cedric used. "This time you let Cami put her life at risk, her life is still at risk because you lied."

    "We never wanted Cami to go in and pretend to date Lucius Ting." Emilio Reyes told his son. "Do not forget that we saved Cami and did everything in our power to keep her safe. Thest thing any of us wanted was for her to be involved in all this."

    "It could have been avoided if you had not lied, dad." Cedric said as he red at his father.

    "This is not helping!" Veronica suddenly said from her seat in between Miguel and Ram. "Dad, uncles, you need to admit that your lies have not helped anyone. It has just ced people we love in more danger than they should be in."

    James Abad looked at his daughter apologetically as he nodded at her words.

    "You''re right, we are sorry about that." He said with a frown. "If you will let us tell this story, I promise we will answer all of your questions and tell you the truth."

    "Is this thest secret?" Ayanna asked as she looked at her father.

    "Yes, thest." The old man said with a nod. "We won''t lie or keep things from you anymore as James promised."

    "Good, go on, Uncle James." Cedric said as he nodded.

    "As you all know, Ram is the third eldest among you boys." James Abad began. "He was born Andrew Chan to Miguel Chan and his wife in Italy and Victoria and I were around for your birth." He said with a smile.

    "You see, son, there was a lot of pressure on us at the time to produce an heir." Victoria Abad said as she gave Ram a loving nce. "I was having a hard time conceiving and a doctor told us that it could be because we were living in a high stress environment. We were advised to take a long vacation."

    "How long was long?" Veronica asked her mother.

    "We were gone for about four years." James Abad said. "In the first year we were in Italy and your uncle, Miguel Chan, invited us to visit. His wife was then nine months pregnant and ready to pop. After you were born we spent several more months in Italy before finally moving on."

    "So you didn''t know that people from the Chan family were after me?" Ram asked as he slowly epted his identity as Andrew Chan.

    "Unfortunately, at that time there were no signs that people might be after you or that you might need special protection." Raphael Chan exined with a frown. "Things took a turn for the worst when some of our cousins began questioning my father why he let Miguel leave."

    "Is that why you made Uncle Miguele back?" Nicole asked.

    "We tried to hold them back for as long as possible, but eventually they backed us into a corner and I was left without a choice. I had to ask my brother toe home." Raphael Chan told them as he recounted what had happened in the Chan family.

    "Don''t me your dad." Emilio Reyes said, joining in on the conversation. "He was the one that advised his brother to leave Ram in Italy with his mother. It wasn''t safe and they weren''t aware that you were a son. It was a good thing too because it was what helped you survive."

    "Unfortunately, my father was not so happy about you and your mother." Raphael Chan told Ram with a frown. "My brother didn''tmit suicide. He was murdered by someone in the family that we didn''t find."

    "Until now?" Miguel asked.

    "Until now it remains a mystery." Raphael Chan told his son with a sad nod. "It seemed that Miguel knew someone was after him, because he sent a letter to Fernando, telling him to hide his son and to give him only to James and Victoria."

    "What about my mother?" Ram asked.

    "We aren''t sure about how she died, from all the reports that we got it was murder, we are just not sure by who." Raphael Chan said.

    "What do you mean by who?" Miguel asked his father.

    "Miguel, there is a chance that Ram''s mother was murdered by your grandfather''s men." Raphael Chan revealed with a heavy heart.

    "Why would he?" Ram asked.

    All his memories of the old man were that despite the fact that he was stern he was kind to Miguel and his friends.

    He knew that the Chans were very conservative, he just didn''t think they would take such drastic measures like killing someone else.

    "My dad wanted my brother to marry someone eptable and the only way that he could is if your mother was out of the picture." Raphael Chan exined.

    "Do you really think grandpa would do something like that:?" Eric asked his father.

    "Your grandfather has done worse things." Raphael Chan told his son. "He might seem nice and sweet to you and your siblings, but he is not an innocent man.." He warned.

 Chapter 842 - 842

    "The history of the Chan family is filled with deception and death." Raphael Chan exined. "And your grandfather, my father, is no exception. He spared no one, not even family." He said with a frown as he closed his eyes and shook his head.

    "But dad, would he actually order the death of his daughter-inw. He knew it would break Uncle Miguel''s heart?" Eric asked.

    "Your grandfather always told us that a broken heart could be mended, but a broken family would be hard to piece together." Raphael Chan said with a sigh as he shook his head.

    "What is that even supposed to mean? That sounds ridiculous!" Nicole Chan said as she looked at her father in disbelief.

    "Nicole, if he could do it to your father, then he could do it to your uncle Miguel too." Lucy Chan told her daughter with a frown.

    "Mom, what do you mean?" Nicole asked as she looked at her mother in disbelief.

    "Your mom wasn''t the woman I wanted to marry." Raphael Chan said as he looked at his wife with sad eyes.

    She simply looked at him and smiled.

    "Are you telling us that you don''t love mom?" Miguel asked his father as his voice began to shake. "Do you have someone else, dad?"

    "No, it''s not that." Lucy Chan told her son. "Your father and I love each other, but it took us a while to get to where we are in our rtionship. Like most Chan family marriages, ours was arranged and carefully arranged."

    "Before I was married to your mother, there was another woman that I loved. Don''t worry, your mother knows about this, she''s known this from the start." Raphael Chan exined to his children.

    "The fact that he could love like that made me hope that he could love me the same way someday." Lucy added. "I knew her, but I didn''t know that the way her life ended involved the Chan family and their disapproval of their rtionship."

    "You see, my father is very very controlling. Even the women we dated had to be approved by him, that''s why I kept my rtionship with her a secret." Raphael said with a frown as he recalled the past.

    "Why didn''t grandfather approve of her?" Eric asked.

    "Many reasons, she came from the wrong family, she wasn''t of Chinese descent, she didn''t have the right qualifications to be the futuredy of the Chan family." Raphael said as he told his children. "She wasn''t the right kind of woman to him so he didn''t approve."

    "I thought he didn''t know about your rtionship?" Miguel asked.

    "Not at first, no. But as you said, secrets can only stay hidden for so long, and eventually we got over confident. We began spending time in public and someone saw us together and told your grandfather." Raphael Chan exined.

    "We didn''t think he would do it either." Emilio Reyes said, joining in on the conversation. "We all told Raphael that it was impossible that his father, your grandfather would go as far as taking a life or ruining one just to keep them apart."

    "Unfortunately, we were all wrong." James Abad said.

    "My father only threatened me at first." Raphael said. "He would tell me he had more than one son, or that if I loved Vanessa I would break up with her. I didn''t take his threats seriously and she died."

    "What happened?" Ram asked.

    "It was just like any other day, I had work at the hospital and she went to the office. We had ns to meet up for dinner after she got out of work." Raphael said as his wife reached out and held his hand.

    He looked at her and she smiled at him. Cedric and the others watched as he took strength from her and took a deep breath. Gathering what it took to tell the story.

    "My father had threatened for the hundredth time that morning that he would ruin her life and her family''s lives if I didn''t break up with her." Raphael exined. "Little did I know that that was thest time I would hear that threat."

    "Dad, you don''t need to tell us if it''s too hard." Nicole said with a frown as she gave her father a concerned look.

    "No, it''s fine." He said, shaking his head. "You need to be made aware of this side of the family, the darkest and most dangerous side so that you never underestimate them like I did."

    Raphael paused as he gathered himself again while everyone remained silent and eagerly awaited the rest of the story.

    "I waited for hours outside of her office, and when she didn''t show up I went to her house. Vanessa''s mother said she hadn''t seen her since that morning, so I went to the restaurant where we were supposed to meet up, but she wasn''t there." He told them.

    "I searched everywhere that night, I was out till three in the morning, just searching for her. But I failed, I couldn''t find her." Raphael said with a frown as he began to tear up. "If I had listened to my father I could have done something to keep her safe, but I never took any of his threats seriously."

    "None of us thought they would go as far as kill someone, Raphael." Jose Sebastian said.

    Raphael Chan nodded, acknowledging what his friend said.

    "The next day, I was shocked when the police came knocking to the old Chan Mansion where we lived. They came to interrogate me. It was from them that I learned that Vanessa was murdered." As he said this, Raphael wiped the tearsing from his eyes.

    "She wasn''t just killed, she was tortured, raped, and murdered. Her body was hung from a bridge with the word whore written on her." Raphael Chan said as he voice broke, clearly he was struggling to tell the story.

    "I''ll tell them from here." Lucy told her husband as she held his hand.

    "My husband then confronted the old man once the police left, and when he asked him about it, the old man just yed a tape showing the murder and rape of Vanessa." Lucy said as she spat out the words in disgust. "After that he was broken, he simply followed what his father asked, so when we were introduced he proposed almost immediately."

    "I was like a puppet to my father for a while, always afraid of what would happen next." Raphael Chan said. "Eventually, Lucy helped mee back. She helped me be brave again. So when my brother said he had met someone he loved I tried to help him avoid the same mistakes I made. Sadly it was not enough."

    "So if you were wondering if the Chan family was capable of murdering a little boy, then the answer is yes." Lucy said as she looked at her children. "Some members of the Chan family will stop at nothing for their stupid traditions and standards. It''s already killed too many innocent people, we weren''t going to let it murder another."

    "Thank you." Ram suddenly said. "We might not fully understand everything yet, but thank you.. Your lies saved me."

 Chapter 843 - 843

    "What do we do now?" Miguel asked as he looked at his father and his uncles. "We know that Lucius Ting isn''t even rted to the Chan family. Why are we holding back?"

    "Someone in the family is backing him." Raphael Chan told his son. "We''ve had our suspicions that the same person that wanted to either control Ram or kill Ram would be behind Lucius Ting''s appearance."

    "Lucius Ting thinks he is rted to the Chan''s because of my brother." Cami said as she spoke up for the first time that night. "Would it be possible that this member of the Chan family had also been supporting my brother?"

    "I doubt it." Cedric said as he joined in on the conversation. "If they were involved in any way with Aiden, then they would definitely know that both you and your brother had turned on Aiden. I think they found Lucius after Aiden died."

    "And how sure are you that they don''t know about Cami and Benedict?" Ram asked Cedric.

    "Because I don''t think the Chans ever told their rtives the full story." Cedric said as he looked at his friends. "Did you?"

    "No, we didn''t think it mattered anyway." Miguel said with a shrug.

    "So what''s the n now?" Guan Ming asked. "Obviously I can''t pretend to be on his side forever, if I do that we both know that he will crush the Reyes Group with my fales support."

    "You think too highly of yourself." Ian scoffed as he rolled his eyes at Guan Ming.

    "I thought you were a good businessman." Guan Ming said as he red at Ian. "Or so Cami has said. It seems you are an idiot."

    "He knows how valuable your support is Guan Ming." Cedric said with augh as he looked at the dumbfounded Guan Ming and the now annoyed Ian. "He is just trying to push your buttons and annoy you."

    "Well, it clearly worked." Ray teased as he observed Guan Ming''s reaction to Ian.

    "Ian has always been over protective of Cami, we both have always been like that to her." Cedric exined.

    "I guess deep down I''ve always known that she was my cousin." Ian said with a shrug. "So what''s the n?" Ian asked as he directed the conversation back to its original topic.

    "We stick to the n." Cedric said with a determined tone. "It seems that now we need to get whoever is backing up Lucius Ting in the Chan family to show themselves."

    "And how do you n on getting that to happen?" Nicole asked. "You know how our rtives are, they love to scheme and plot."

    "Simple, we need to get them nervous." Raphael Chan suddenly told them. "Back then we didn''t have the mechanism to make them nervous that they would be caught, but now we do."

    "What?" Ian asked. "I mean, no offense uncle Raphael, but you guys had almost the same resources as we do."

    "Yeah dad." Nicole said as she supported Ian''s question.

    "Aside from having a better grip over thepany, you also have him." Raphael Chan said as he pointed at Guan Ming.

    Guan Mingughed as he looked at Ian.

    Cedric couldn''t help but shake his head as he watched the yful rivalry between the two continue. Ian was not a threat to Guan Ming, nor was Guan Ming a threat to Ian.

    He knew that both men respected each other, Ian was just being over protective of Cami.

    "I still don''t fully understand." Katerina said, speaking up. "If Guan Ming is our advantage in all of this, then why hadn''t that person stepped out in the open just yet."

    "Because they aren''t confident that they can take the Chan family with just Lucius Ting."

    "Then what needs to happen?" Ian asked.

    "They need to think that they''ve won." Cedric suddenly said as he considered all of the factors. "They need to think that they have fooled everyone that Lucius Ting is in fact Andrew Chan. This will give them the confidence that they can take over the Chan family."

    "Because Guan Ming, the big shot from China is backing Lucius Ting against even the Reyes Family." Ian added as he nced at Guan Ming.

    In the middle of the conversation Miguel had excused himself to take a call, when he finally got back he waved to get everyone''s attention.

    "What is it?" Veronica asked her husband as she gave him a concerned look.

    "Well, this is going to sound very anticlimactic now." Miguel said with augh as he shook his head. "That was theb."

    "Well, Dominic is definitely not my kid." Ram said asughed and shook his head. "I didn''t meet Julia till a few years back."

    "We know, Ram." Veronica said as she rolled her eyes at her brother.

    "Oh, wait a moment." Miguel said as someone called his phone.

    "Hello?" Miguel asked.

    Everyone watched as his expression suddenly dropped, whatever news theb had seemed to have shocked Miguel because he became pale.

    "Okay, that''s, well, it''s a good thing you decided to test those samples without my permission." Miguel said in a tone that Cedric just couldn''t ce.

    "I''ll call if I need anything." Miguel told the person as he dropped the call.

    "That did not sound good." Nicole told her brother as she pointed to the phone in his hand.

    "Well, I have news." He said as he took a deep breath and frowned.

    "We''re listening." Cedric said with a nod.

    "So it''s obvious that Ram or well do I call you Andrew now?" Miguel teased, making Ram roll his eyes.

    "Miguel, focus." Veronica scolded her husband.

    "Right, right. So Ram isn''t Dominic''s father, but I''ve confirmed that he is Julia''s son." Miguel informed them.

    "Not really a shock there." Adrianna pointed out. "What do you n on doing?"

    "It''s all up to Dominic, Veronica and I spoke about it and if Dominic wants to see his biological mother then he may." Miguel said with a nod.

    "Then what was the news that had you in shock?" Nicole asked her brother.

    "Dominic is rted to us, and I know exactly through who. I just don''t know how that person is from the Chan family.." Miguel exined with a frown as he observed the people in the room.

 Chapter 844 - 844

    ----

    Hey guys, sorry for having gone on hiatus with Never Judge for a few weeks. Don''t worry, I''m back now and I''m doing my best to do at least one chapter a day.

    If you want to learn more about Cedric and his friends, check out my other novel, Rise of the Disgraced Heir. This is Ian''s story and it''s mostly about revenge.

    Please join my discord server and follow my instagram ount @wounded_warriorauthor for updates and for a chance to chat with me.

    ----

    The rest of the night went on happily as they all agreed to simply celebrate Ayanna''s pregnancy. Now three women in their group were expecting and everyone was excited about the influx of children to their group.

    The parents decided to leave ahead of everyone, telling them that tonight was for the children to celebrate.

    Even Guan Ming''s mother had decided to head back to the hotel ahead of her son and Cami.

    Cedric had someone take her back discreetly since they still needed to be careful when it came to Lucius Ting.

    When they were finally alone, Cedric sat next to Ram who was watching the group celebrate from the home bar.

    "Are you alright?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah, I''m just taking my time to process everything." Ram said with a smile. "I''m not sad or disappointed, in all honesty I''m happy."

    "Really?" Cedric asked, quite confused by his friend''s reaction.

    "Yup, imagine, the family I''ve been searching for has been here around me all this time." Ram told Cedric. "I understand why they had to keep it a secret from me and from everyone else. We would have done the same for Yoyo, Tristan, and Dominic if that''s what was needed."

    Cedric nodded in agreement, his friend was right. If that was what it took to keep the children safe they would have done the same thing.

    "What are you thinking about?" Cedric asked.

    "How to thank the Benitez family, how to make it up to them mostly." Ram said with a sigh. "Their family was torn apart because the Chans are as dysfunctional as you can get. I owe Mien and Mae a lot. They only got to spend days with their father."

    "It wasn''t your fault." Cedric said as he tried tofort his friend.

    "I know, but I can do something to make their lives and their mother''s life better." Ram said with a nod.

    "I have them covered, don''t worry." Cedric told Ram.

    "You don''t have to, Cedric." Ram said. "I want to help them. I am thankful for the help you have given them so far and I want to continue helping them."

    "Why don''t youe and join everyone?" Cedric asked as he got up from the bar. "Why are you even seated here?"

    "I couldn''t help but wonder what it would have been like if the Abads had not taken me in." Ram said with a frown. "What would it be like to be a stranger watching from the sidelines as everyone celebrated."

    "You don''t need to think of that." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes.

    "I know, but it''s an interesting thought." Ram said with a shrug as they walked back to join the group.

    "Ram, it''s so sad that Francesca couldn''t join us tonight." His sister, Veronica, said as she frowned at her brother.

    "I thought you didn''t like Francesca?" Katerina asked her friend with augh.

    "I was unfair to her." Veronica admitted.

    "Woah, did you just admit to making a mistake?" Ayanna asked as she looked at Veronica in shock.

    "Oh shut up." Veronica told her, making everyoneugh in response.

    "I still need to tell her about this whole who my real parents are." Ram said with a frown.

    "Are you guys that serious that you would tell her?" Veronica asked as she gave her brother a suspicious look.

    "Yes Veronica, I''m that serious about her." Ram answered in a firm tone.

    "Don''t tell me." Nicole said with a gasp as she looked at Ram, wide eyed in shock.

    "Yes." Ram said with a nod.

    "OH MY GOSH!" Katerina squealed as she began to jump up and down.

    "Wait, what?" Veronica asked. Confused with what was going on.

    "Your brother is going to propose." Miguel told his wife, shocking Veronica.

    "No way." Veronica said with a gasp.

    As everyone hounded Ram for questions, Cedric noticed Adrianna get up from her seat and walk to the side to answer a call.

    He was always worried whenever she wasn''t within his line of sight. So he excused himself amidst the celebration and followed Adrianna to the side.

    "What''s wrong?" Cedric asked as he noticed the distressed look on his wife''s face.

    "It''s Jonathan." Adrianna said as she looked at her husband.

    "Is he in danger?" Cedric quickly asked as he tried to assess his wife''s reaction.

    "I''m not sure." Adrianna responded. "I didn''t notice that he had been calling. I picked up my phone and saw that I had already missed three calls, and when I tried picking up the fourth the line was cut."

    "Rx Adri." Cedric said as he hugged his wife. "I''m sure he is fine. Let''s just wait for him to call again."

    "What if he doesn''t?" She asked with a frown.

    "If Jonathan doesn''t call in the next thirty minutes I''ll send men out to go look for him. Alright?" Cedric asked his wife as he wiped the tears from her eyes.

    "Jonathan is a good kid, he doesn''t deserve to be involved in any of the mess his sister has made." Adrianna told her husband in a shaky voice.

    "I know, Adri." Cedric told her as he tried to calm her down once more.

    As he held Adrianna in his arms, her phone began to ring.

    She quickly checked who it was and seemed quite relieved when she saw that it was Jonathan.

    "Quick, answer it." Cedric reminded her.

    "Jonathan?" Adrinna asked as she picked up the call and ced her phone against her ear.

    "Wait, wait, slow down." Adrianna told him.

    "Okay, wait let me ask Cedric to send someone to get you, we shouldn''t be talking about this over the phone. We''ll see you in a bit." Adrianna said as she dropped the call.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked as he noticed the worried look on her face.

    "Dominic''s father gave him a call." Adrianna said as she turned pale.

    "Ian!" Cedric shouted as he called for his friend and assistant.

 Chapter 845 - 845

    Cedric tried to send all of his friends home since he didn''t want to burden them with the additional problem of Dominic''s father calling Jonathan. But naturally, all of them wanted to stay and find out.

    "The three boys are all tucked in. They didn''t want to stay in separate rooms or separate beds so their nannies all ced them in Yoyo''s bed." Katerina exined as she joined them in Cedric''s office.

    They decided to move the party from outside to a much morefortable area.

    "Thanks for doing this for us, Katerina." Adrianna said with a smile as she looked at the youngwyer.

    "It''s fine. I love those boys as if they were my own." She replied with a grin.

    "Maybe we can make one of our own too?" Eric teased, earning him a punch on the shoulder from his girlfriend.

    "Do you want our parents to disown us?" She asked.

    "I doubt our parents would disown us for starting a family." Eric said with augh as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

    "Your career and mine would suffer, we''ve already discussed this." Katerinained as she tried to pry his hands off of her.

    "Fine, fine." Eric said as he pulled Katerina onto hisp.

    "Hey, I don''t want to see you getting all sweet and horny with my sister." Alexi grumbled. "I am happy that you are together but I don''t want to see this."

    "We''ll keep it at a minimum." Katerina told Alexi as she slid off of Eric''sp and down to the space next to him on the couch.

    "Do you think Jonathan is in any danger?" Adrianna asked Cedric who was smiling as he observed the exchange between his friends.

    "It''s possible." Cedric said as he looked at his wife.

    He could see the worry and concern on her face as she thought of her friend''s younger brother. It was clear that she cared for him and treated him as her own brother.

    Cedric knew that as an only child Adrianna had always wanted to have a sibling, unfortunately her mother, Gracia Hernandez, had a difficult time conceiving.

    Gracia Hernandez almost died when she gave birth to Adrianna. This was also one of the reasons why the Hernandezes worried a lot about their daughter.

    Unfortunately the way they showed that they cared went beyond what was not normal and even encroached on Adrianna''s personal freedom.

    "What are you thinking about?" Adrianna asked as she noticed that Cedric had zone out.

    "Oh, just about how you really consider Jonathan to be like a younger brother to you." Cedric said as he ced a hand on his wife''s cheek.

    "I can''t help it. He grew up around us." Adrianna said with a shrug.

    "He will only be in danger if Dominic''s father has the capability to harm him." Cedric exined. "It''s possible that the man could be quite powerful and influential. I mean how can you hide from the Esteves family for this long if you didn''t have your own resources."

    "I just wish he wouldn''t go after Jonathan." Adrianna told Cedric.

    "We both know that we can''t control that." Cedric told his wife. "Jonathan knows where Dominic is, he also knows where Julia is. To Dominic''s father, Jonathan is a key piece."

    "Cedric, do you think Jonathan would like to meet Dominic?" Veronica asked as she joined in on his conversation with Adrianna.

    "I''m sure he would love that, but are you ready to do that?" Cedric asked her.

    "Yes, I think we are." Veronica responded with a nod. "Dominic deserves to know that a lot of people love him. The more people love him, the happier he will be."

    "I don''t think Dominic will be able to meet Jonathan tonight, V." Miguel said. "Katerina already put the boys to bed and if we wake one of them up we will end up waking all of them."

    "They can meet each other tomorrow." Cedric told the couple. "I''m nning on asking Jonathan to move food here in the meantime. I think it would be best for his safety."

    "What about their parents?" Adrianna asked.

    "I''ll give them added security." He told his wife.

    A knock soon came from the door and a maid entered.

    "Sir, Mr. Jonathan Tiu is here." A maid announced.

    "Let him in and please bring everyone refreshments." Cedric told the maid, who bowed in response and let Jonathan into Cedric''s office.

    "Please, sit." Cedric told the other man as he gestured towards the empty seat closest to him and Adrianna.

    "I didn''t expect that everyone would be here." Jonathan said as he scratched the back of his head.

    "We were having a party when you called." Cedric said with a smile.

    "Oh, I''m sorry if I crashed the party." Jonathan apologized looking down at his feed, avoiding eye contact with the people in the room.

    "It''s fine. Do you know everyone here?" Cedric asked.

    "N- no." Jonathan replied, shaking his head. "I only know Dr. Miguel and his wife, Miss Veronica, and of course, Mr. Abad."

    "Just call me Ram, please." Ram told Jonathan. "My past is with your sister, not with you. I think we would have been friends if it weren''t for my break up with her."

    Jonathan smiled but said nothing.

    "Right, let me introduce you to everyone." Cedric said as he began pointing at each person and introducing them to Jonathan.

    The younger man simply nodded and smiled, Cedric knew that the people in the room could be quite intimidating so he worried that Jonathan wouldn''t speak because of the people around.

    To Cedric''s surprise, Jonathan didn''t seem intimidated, he was simply a quiet person.

    "Jonathan, you can''t let anyone know that Guan Ming is here with us." Cedric warned.

    "I won''t. I actually have reason to protect that information now." Jonathan said with a determined tone in his voice.

    "Sir, your drinks." A maid said as several of them entered the room with everyone''s preferred drinks.

    "Thank you." Cedric told the maids.

    "Please prepare rooms for everyone, including Jonathan." Adrianna instructed the maids who simply nodded and left to do what they were told.

    "We don''t have to stay too." Alexi said.

    "It''ste, stay the night. Have breakfast. It will be like when we were kids." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "I don''t think I should stay either, I don''t want to intrude." Jonathan told Cedric and Adrianna as well.

    "Cedric and I want to make sure you are safe. Plus there is someone we think you should meet." Adrianna told Jonathan with a smile.

    "M- m- my nephew?" Jonathan asked in a shaky voice. "You''ll let me meet him? I mean his parents will let me meet him? Can he know who I am?" He asked.

    "Yes, we have nothing against it." Miguel responded with a nod. "As a matter of fact I think it will be good to have you in his life."

    "Thank you, thank you." Jonathan said as he began to cry.

    Cedric allowed Jonathan a few moments to gather himself before asking him the question that was burning at the back of everyone''s minds.

    Who was Dominic''s father?

    "Jonathan, you have something to tell us?" Cedric asked when he noticed that Jonathan was in a better condition.

    "Yes, yes, I do. I know who Dominic''s father is and you won''t be happy, because I''m not." Jonathan said with a frown.

    "Who is it?" Adrianna asked.

    "It''s Lucius Ting.." Jonathan announced.

 Chapter 846 - 846

    "That''s a joke, right?" Adrianna asked as she stared at the younger man. "I mean, do you know who Lucius Ting is?"

    "I know who he is and I know how he sounds." Jonathas said.

    "Then you know that he is our bitter rival, he is iming to be someone that he is not." Miguel said in a stern tone as he looked Jonathan in the eyes.

    "I do, well at least I know that you guys don''t get along. I know that he has been moving against the Reyes Group for months now. It''s all over the news." Jonathan said with a nod.

    "Did you get to speak to him? Did he confirm that he was indeed married to your sister?" Cedric asked Jonathan.

    "He did. There were things he knew that only my sister could have told him." Jonathan exined. "He said he had proof that he is still my brother inw."

    "Does he know about your sister and about Dominic?" Ian asked.

    "I told him that my sister was in danger because of him." Jonathan exined.

    "And what did he have to say?" Cedric asked.

    "He sounded worried, as if he cared. Then I used him of not loving her enough since he was with someone." As Jonathan said this he nced at Cami, who was sitting next to Guan Ming with his arms wrapped around her.

    "I know what you are thinking, don''t you dare." Guan Ming said as he red at Jonathan.

    "Ming!" Cami scolded.

    "We both know why he was looking at you." Ming said. "It''s Cedric''s fault."

    "No, it was my choice. It was the only way we could get close enough to Lucius Ting and you know it." Cami told Guan Ming.

    "I still think you guys should have chosen a different route." Guan Ming said as he rolled his eyes at Cami.

    "Don''t you dare give me that attitude, Ming." She dared him.

    "Fine, fine." Guan Ming said in surrender.

    "I only dated him to help Cedric, I don''t give a rat''s ass about him." Cami told Jonathan, catching the young man by surprise.

    "Go on, Jonathan," Cedirc said in a much calmer tone.

    "He asked if we could meet so that he could prove that he was still married to my sister and he just wanted to be part of their lives." Jonathan exined. "But I don''t trust him, I don''t trust him one bit."

    "Wait, Miguel, if Lucius Ting is the father of Dominic, then that means he is in fact a Chan." Cedric said as he looked at his friend.

    "Yes." Miguel said with a frown. "We need to know who''s child he is."

    "What else did you talk about with Lucius?" Cedric asked Jonathan as he returned his attention to the younger man.

    "Well he asked about his son, Dominic." Jonathan told Cedric.

    "Did you tell him that Julia gave him away and that as far as she knew he was dead?" Cedric asked.

    "No. I just told him that if he wanted to know about his son or to see his son he would need to talk to my sister." Jonathan exined.

    Cedric nodded as a n began to form in his head.

    "Our priority should be to get Julia out of the clutches of the Esteves family." Cedric told everyone in the room. "The only way we can do that is if Lucius Ting knows that she was taken."

    "I can tell him." Jonathan bravely volunteered.

    "No need." Cedric said as he shook his head. "I don''t want you to get into any trouble. I''ll pass on the message to the Esteves family and Adrianna can tell your sister that we found her husband and her key out of her prison."

    "He will know that I gave you this information." Jonathan pointed out. "Let me tell him, hopefully he will go and try to save my sister."

    "Are you forgetting that this is the same man your sister ran away from?" Adrianna asked.

    "He says he loves her." Jonathan insisted.

    "He is a man full of lies. Do not believe him." Cami warned. "His secrets have secrets, and that sister of his is dangerous."

    "He has a sister?" Jonathan asked.

    "Yes, she works in secret and she is just as bad as he is." Cedric said with a nod.

    "Do you think his sister could have something to do with why Julia ran away from him?" Ian asked Cedric as he thought of the stories and usations he had heard about Louise Ting.

    "She never mentioned her husband having a sister." Adrianna said as she tried to recall her conversation with Julia.

    "Adri, do you think I could speak to my sister next time you guys talk?" Jonathan asked Adrianna.

    "Of course. You can even ask her all of these questions and tell her about Lucius Ting." Adrianna told Jonathan.

    "I just hope she won''t get mad." Jonathan said with a frown. "I did the one thing he kept telling me not to do. Even when we thought Dominic had died she didn''t want me to contact him for her. She loved him and feared him at the same time."

    "He cannot know about Dominic." Miguel said as he looked at Jonathan, Adrianna, and Cedric. "If he finds out that my son is his flesh and blood he will go after the poor boy."

    "We won''t tell him." Cedric promised.

    "My nephew deserves to have the best of everything. He shouldn''t suffer anymore." Jonathan said with a nod. "To everyone he will be dead."

    "Even to your sister?" Miguel asked.

    "If that''s what it takes to protect him, yes. I will tell my sister that her son is truly dead." Jonathan said with a determined tone.

    "Thank you." Veronica said with a smile. "I don''t know what I would do if he was taken from us. We promise we will love him. But if your sister can promise to give him a good life then we will let him choose. We don''t want to deprive him of another loving family."

    "Lucius Ting''s involvement in Dominic''s life changes things." Miguel said as he slowly considered their choices when it came to Dominic.

    "As long as it''s in my nephew''s best interest. I will support it.." Jonathan promised.

 Chapter 847 - 847

    The next morning in Mountain View was much livier than normal with all of Cedric''s friends having stayed over.

    The three boys were quite happy to have woken up still in Yoyo''s room.

    Cedric could hear themughing and ying as he made his way down the hall from his room to Yoyo''s.

    They hadn''t told Dominic yet that they had found his biological family.

    The little kid was smart and knowing who his father now made Cedric understand where the little boy took his intelligence from.

    It was clear that he got his looks from Julia. When they had gone up to their roomsst night, Adrianna had found an old photo of her with her friends and their families.

    Jonathan was there in the photo with them and he looked so much like Dominic. If he hadn''t known that Dominic was Julia''s child he would have assumed that Jonathan was in fact Dominic''s father.

    Due to Dminic being quite a smart child, it didn''t pass him or Yoyo that it was not normal for their parents to stay over at Cedric''s ce.

    Normally when the adults had a get together they would wake up the next morning in their own beds, sad that they couldn''t have spent more time with their friends.

    "Do you think something is wrong?" Cedric heard his son as the older boy.

    Cedric stood next to the door that was slightly ajar listening to their adorable voices.

    "I don''t think so. Maybe they just decided to rest here." Dominic said as he tried to ease Yoyo''s worries.

    Cedric couldn''t help but be happy that his little son had such a friend in Dominic.

    "I still think something is wrong." Yoyo insisted as Cedric heard the crash of some building blocks that the boys must have been ying with.

    "Tristan!" Yoyo grumbled.

    Tristan, who was still way too young to understand what was going on, simplyughed at the attention he was getting.

    At that moment, Cedric decided to let his presence be known.

    "What are you boys up to?" Cedric asked as he pushed the door open and stepped into his son''s room.

    "Good morning Uncle Cedric." Dominic said as he greeted the older man.

    "Good morning dad!" Yoyo said as he quickly stood up and ran to his father''s arms, jumping up and down.

    Clearly he was happy to see his father. Cedric picked his son up and hugged him tightly. He knew that Yoyo was sad that his father couldn''t spend too much time with him.

    For that Cedric felt very guilty. He had tried to make time for his son but things were just incredibly hectic in the Reyes Group.

    "Why don''t we all go down for breakfast?" Cedric asked as he ced Yoyo back down and offered his hands to the two other boys.

    Dominic and Tristan quickly ran over to join the father and son.

    Yoyo and Tristan each held one of Cedric''s hands while Dominic walked ahead of them.

    "Mr. Reyes, are you sure you don''t need our help with the boys?" The maids asked as the watch Yoyo and Tristan pull his hands in separate directions.

    "It''s fine." Cedric told them with a smile. "You three should go on ahead and get some breakfast too, Plus I''m sure you could use the break. Dealing with these three isn''t easy." He said with augh as he tried to deal with the rowdy boys.

    The nannies smiled and nodded, but Cedric could see the concern in their eyes.

    The three boys were rarely without their nannies, even around their parents their nannies would still tag along, making sure that each of the boys were cared for.

    "Trust me, I''m not as helpless as I seem." Cedric said with a chuckle as he thought back to one of his jobs back when he was doing his poverty training.

    For a while he worked for a family, watching over their three sons who were a little bit older than Dominic at the time.

    It was rare for a guy to watch over children and work as a nanny or a babysitter, but since he lived next door and was clearly in need of a course of ie, the family let him work for them.

    They had seen how hard Cedric struggled to find work and make ends meet as he neared the end of his highschool education.

    It was also at that time that the allowance the Reyes Family provided him was starting to run out. It really had only been enough to see him through a year, but he managed to stretch it to two years.

    "Uncle Cedric, is today a special day?" Dominic asked, pulling Cedric back from his thoughts.

    "A special day? I guess you could say that." Cedric told the young man with a smile as they walked towards the elevator.

    The rooms were all empty as Adrianna, and the other guests all headed down for breakfast ahead of them.

    Cedric had actually volunteered to get the boys.

    "Do we get presents?" Yoyo asked his father.

    "No, no. It''s not anyone''s birthday, it''s not Christmas either." Cedric told his son with augh as he shook his head.

    "Does it have to be Christmas for people to give presents, Uncle Cedric?" Dominic asked his uncle as he stopped and turned back.

    "No, of course not, you can give gifts at any time in the year." Cedric said as he was fascinated by Dominic''s intelligence.

    He couldn''t help but wonder if he had underestimated the young boy''s biological father as well. If Dominic was this smart at this age, then maybe his father was smarter than Cedric gave the man credit.

    He made a mental note to review everything he knew about Lucius Ting as soon as he was able.

    "We actually have someone we want you to meet, he is a friend of your Auntie Adrianna, and he is very excited to meet all three of you." Cedric said with a smile as he picked Yoyo up, letting the little boy press the down button on the elevator panel.

    "I hope he likes us.." Dominic said with a frown as the elevator doors opened.

 Chapter 848 - 848

    Cedric didn''t forget that Dominic''s experience growing up had made him afraid of meeting new people and potentially making a connection with them.

    The child once told Cedric that if his real parents didn''t like him, then people who weren''t his parents would probably like him even less.

    Luckily, when Dominic met Veronica and Miguel, he quickly took a liking to the couple and trusted them. Although Cedric was sure that the kid was still constantly worried about being abandoned, he still felt some sort of security with the couple.

    The Chans had always been careful when it came to introducing Dominic to new people. They knew that a simple mistake could end up ruining the months of improvement they have managed to get.

    Introducing him to Jonathan was actually quite a risk, one that Cedric was surprised that his friends Miguel and Veronica were willing to take.

    "Dad is this person you want us to meet, nice?" Yoyo asked as he looked up at his father.

    "Yes, he is a very nice person and I think the three of you will like him very much." Cedric said with a smile.

    Then an idea hit him, making him grin.

    When they reached the ground floor of the house Cedric quickly asked a maid to tell the others to stay in the dining room while he spoke to the boys.

    "Tell them to just trust me." Cedric added before sending the maid off to send his message.

    "This way boys." Cedric told the children with a wink as he pulled them aside.

    Yoyo and Dominic gave each other a curious nce, before following Cedric and Tristan to the side.

    "I have a secret to tell you." Cedric said as he crouched down to the same height as the two little boys. "It''s something you can''t tell anyone but you need to help me with it."

    "Sure dad!" Yoyo said excitedly, always eager to help his father in any way he could.

    "Of course, uncle." Dominic responded with a nod in a more reserved tone. Unlike Yoyo, he was simply respectful as he admired the older man and he was the first person to gain the young boy''s trust.

    "Good, good." Cedric said as he adjusted himself and sat down crossed legged on the ground. "The person I''m about to introduce to you is the brother of Yoyo''s Auntie Julia. She''s a good friend of your Auntie Adrianna and they have known each other since they were children."

    "I love Auntie Julia!" Yoyo said with a sweet smile. "She''s very pretty, but not prettier than mom. But she always looks sad."

    "Auntie Julia''s brother is named Jonathan." Cedric exined.

    "So we can call him Uncle Jonathan?" Yoyo asked.

    "I think that all three of you should call him Uncle Jonathan, you see he has a secret." Cedric whispered to the three boys. "He doesn''t like meeting new people."

    "Won''t he get scared if we call him Uncle Jonathan? It''s our first time meeting him." Dominic pointed out.

    "No, it won''t." Cedric let a smile form on his face as he carefully set his n in motion. "As a matter of fact it will help him deal with his struggle in meeting new people."

    "He is like me." Dominic said slowly as soon as he realized what Cedric had meant.

    "Yes, Dominic, he is like you. He is actually most worried about meeting little children, he is afraid you won''t like him." Cedric said in a sad tone as he frowned.

    "We''ll try to make him happy, dad!" Yoyo said with a proud smile on his face.

    "Yes Uncle Cedric, we will." Dominic told Cedric as he nodded in agreement with Yoyo.

    "That''s good, just keep talking to him, hug him. If he asks you a question you should answer truthfully, alright?" Cedric asked the boys as he gave them instructions on how to behave.

    "Will my mom and dad be alright with that?" Dominic said. "I don''t want them to think that I love someone more than them. I love my mom and dad." He said with a shaky voice.

    "Dominic, your parents love you and they know how much you love them." Cedric told the little boy as he tried to reassure him. "Your parents know Jonathat too, and I even asked their permission if you could meet him."

    "Okay." Dominic replied with a determined smile.

    It seemed hearing about an adult that was worried about meeting a child built some confidence in Dominic.

    "Great, let''s go." Cedric told the boys as he stood back up and walked with them towards the dining room.

    Inside, the adults were anxiously waiting for the three little boys and there was very little chatter between them.

    When they finally spotted them, their mothers, Adrianna, Nicole, and Veronica. Quickly rushed up and hugged their sons.

    "Good morning little one." Nicole said as she held her son tightly. "Are you hungry?" She asked the little boy.

    Tristan simply nodded in her arms and he was whisked away by his mother.

    "Are you ready to meet Auntie Julia''s brother?" Cedric asked the two older boys who both nodded in their mothers'' arms.

    The two women continued to carry the little boys as they walked over to Jonathan, who was seated at the other end of the table.

    "Let me carry Yoyo." Cedric told his wife as he took their son from her arms. "You shouldn''t be carrying him with how far along you are."

    "All the doctors said I could." Adrianna argued back as she rolled her eyes at Cedric.

    "Ah Jonathan!" Cedric greeted. "There are two little boys here that I think you should meet, this is your Auntie Julia''s younger brother, Jonathan."

    With that, Cedric ced Yoyo back down on the ground as Veronica did the same thing to Dominic.

    "This is my son, Emilio Reyes IV, but we like to call him Yoyo." Cedric introduced his son proudly.

    The little boy remembered his father''s instructions, he quickly ran up to Jonathan and hugged the man''s leg.

    "Nice to meet you, Yoyo." Jonathan said with a smile as he looked down at the little boy.

    "It''s nice to meet you too Uncle Jonathan." Yoyo responded as he was ecstatic when Jonathan smiled in response to being called uncle.

    "And this young man is Dominic Chan, he is Miguel''s and Veronica''s kid." Cedric said as he waved to encourage Dominic to say hi.

    Dominic stayed glued to his spot, unwilling to move. His reaction worried Cedric and everyone in the dining room.

    "You look familiar.." Dominic suddenly said, catching everyone by surprise.

 Chapter 849 - 849

    "I look familiar? Really?" Jonathan asked as he took a step closer to Dominic. "Do you think we have met before?"

    "No, we''ve never met." Dominic said as he shook his head and took a step back.

    For some reason he seemed to be very afraid of Jonathan despite never meeting the guy.

    "So why do you think I look familiar?" He asked the young boy as he stopped his advance, he too noticed that Dominic was scared of him.

    "You look a little bit like the man that used to visit me." Dominic said as he reached out and held Veronica''s hand. "He was nice, but. . ."

    "But?" Jonathan asked in a kind tone as he squatted on the ground to look at the little boy at eye level.

    "The janitors that took care of me said he was the reason I was sent away." Dominic exined as tears began to fall from his eyes. "They said that he was the one that dropped me off at the school."

    "Dad. . ." Jonathan mumbled. "That person was my dad." He admitted to Dominic.

    "Uncle Cedric said that you were afraid to meet us, why?" Dominic asked Jonathan as he held Veronica''s hand tightly, making her give him a concerned look.

    Jonathan gave him an awkward smile before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He didn''t know that this was the story Cedric had told the boys so he was caught by surprise.

    He couldn''t help but think that what Cedric said was true. He was scared to meet Dominic, but why? What answer would be eptable to a little boy like him?

    "You look like a smart kid, Dominic." Jonathan said when he opened his eyes. "I won''t lie to you because I know you will figure out that I''m not telling you the truth. Yes, I was afraid to meet you."

    "Why?" Dominic asked as he tilted his head, slowly letting go of his mother''s hand.

    "Well, because a long time ago I lost my nephew." Jonathan admitted, shocking all of the adults.

    None of them expected that Jonathan would mention losing Dominic. As a matter of fact they were worried that mentioning a lost nephew would make things worse for Jonathan''s introduction to Dominic.

    "I lost my whole family too." Dominic said as he let go of his mother''s hand and looked at Jonathan with sad eyes. "But I have a new family now."

    "I know." Jonathan said as he smiled at Dominic. "And your family loves you very much."

    "What happened to your nephew?" Dominic asked as he took a step closer to Jonathan.

    "My sister couldn''t take care of him, so my dad decided to send him to another family." Jonathan said as he frowned at Dominic. "I didn''t want him to go, but it wasn''t my decision to make."

    "I wish you were his dad instead of his uncle." Dominic said as he walked closer to Jonathan. "Maybe you wouldn''t have given him away."

    "I would never." Jonathan quickly replied.

    "Have you seen him since your sister gave him away?" Dominic asked.

    Jonathan nodded slowly and sighed.

    "I have, I wish I could hold him, hug him, apologize to him." Jonathan felt a tear roll down his cheek, he quickly wiped it away. "I wish I could have done something back then, I really do."

    "Jonathan, you were too young." Adrianna told him as she ced a hand on the younger man''s back and patted it. "You were still in school, it''s not your fault."

    "I could have saved him, Adri, I could have given him a better life." Jonathan said as he sobbed.

    "Don''t worry Uncle Jonathan, I''m sure he is with a better family now." Yoyo told Jonathan as he hugged him. The little boy tried his best tofort the man.

    Jonathan ended up sitting on the floor, hugging Yoyo as he sobbed.

    "Uncle Jonathan, am I your nephew?" Dominic suddenly asked, surprising the adults once more.

    Cedric, who was seated to the side, simply smiled as he watched the smart little boy connect the dots.

    "I am." Jonathan said as he continued to cry. "I''m so sorry Dominic."

    "U- u- uncle." Dominic slowly managed to say as he walked towards Jonathan.

    "Dominic, I never wanted you to go." Jonathan exined. "Dad told us you died. He said you were gone. I was so heartbroken, your mom was too."

    Something Jonathan said suddenly made Dominic stop and frown.

    "My mom didn''t want me. She gave me away." Dominic told Jonathan.

    "Your mom loved you Dominic, she just wasn''t ready." Jonathan exined.

    "Dominic, your mom may have given you up, but it''s because of what she did that you are our son now." Miguel said as he came over to join his son and wife. "I will never stop loving you, Dominic, don''t forget that."

    "I love you too dad." Dominic said as he looked back at his father.

    "Your Uncle Jonathan loves you too, that''s why he is here." Miguel said as he urged his son to reconcile with his biological uncle.

    Jonathan was nervous, even scared about what Dominic would do next. It was, of course, hard to predict what a young boy would do.

    Dominic looked at Jonathan and slowly walked up to him.

    "I''m sorry." Jonathan told the little boy. "I''m very sorry. I wish I could have done something, Dominic. I wish I could have taken you away."

    "It''s okay, Uncle Jonathan." Dominic told him as he wrapped his arms around the older man''s neck, hugging him. "I know it''s not your fault."

    "Oh Dominic." Jonathan cried out as he hugged the little boy back. "Thank you. I promise if you ever need me I will be here for you. I can be here for you now."

    "Thank you, Uncle." Dominic said as he began to cry as well.

    Everyone kept silent and the pair continued to sob in each other''s arms.

    When they finally parted, Dominic gave Jonathan a curious look then asked him something.

    "Uncle Jonathan, who are my parents?" The little boy asked, making Jonathan look up at Cedric.

 Chapter 850 - 850

    "Your mom is my sister, her name is Julia." Jonathan slowly exined to the little boy, dreading the question that he knew woulde next.

    "Auntie Julia!" Yoyo said excitedly. "Auntie Julia is very pretty."

    "Yes, my sister is." Jonathan said with a weak smile. "Growing up a lot of boys like her. That''s why Dominic is so good looking."

    "Dominic, you look very much like your Uncle Jonathan." Veronicamented as she looked at her son.

    "Can I treat him like my uncle?" The little boy asked. "I don''t think he wanted to see me go. Can I treat him like I treat Uncle Eric?"

    Miguel couldn''t help butugh at his son''s adorable reaction. The little boy was worried about their feelings towards Jonathan.

    "Dominic, Jonathan is our friend." Veronica told her son. "He is a nice man and we know that he cares about you a lot."

    "We want you to decide who you want to be part of your life, Dominic." Miguel said as he urged the little boy. "If you want him to be part of your life, then of course your mother and I would be more than happy."

    "Uncle Eric." Dominic said as he searched the group of adults for the actor.

    He quickly spotted the man standing next to his girlfriend, Katerina.

    Dominic ran up and hugged his leg.

    "Please don''t get mad." Dominic cried, making Ericugh.

    He immediately picked Dominic up and hugged him tightly. Over the past few months he hade to love Dominic.

    Miguel and Veronica would let him spend time with the little boy, especially when Miguel had an operation and Veronica had a meeting to attend to.

    "Dominic, I love you no matter what." Eric promised. "Jonathan is your uncle too, you can have a lot of uncles and we will all love you."

    "Uncle Eric!" Dominic squealed as Eric hugged him again.

    Suddenly Dominic froze when he realized something, a question that he should have asked.

    "Uncle Jonathan?" Dominic said slowly as he turned to look at the other man while still being carried by Eric.

    "Yes, Dominic?" Jonathan replied.

    "Where is my mom? My bio- bi-" Dominic tried to say the word biological but he kept stumbling.

    Cedric guessed that he was too scared to ask, because he had heard the young boy say much moreplicated words with full confidence.

    "Your biological mother? My sister?" Jonathan asked.

    "Yes." Dominic nodded his head as Eric carried him over to Jonathan.

    "Well. . ." Jonathan hesitated as he looked at Adrianna, he had no idea how to tell the little boy that his mother had been kidnapped because of his biological father.

    "Auntie Adrianna?" Dominic asked as he looked at his friend''s mother.

    "Dominic, the thing is, some very bad people have your mom." Adrianna told him with a frown. "That''s why your Uncle Jonathan spent the night here, because we''ve been trying to get her free."

    "Will you be able to help her?" Jonathan asked as he looked at Adrianna.

    She couldn''t give him an answer, Adrianna didn''t know if they would be able to get Julia back. It all depended on the one man they couldn''t work with, Lucius Ting.

    "Uncle Cedric!" Dominic cried out. "You can do anything right, you can get her out. You can save her. Yoyo said you can do anything!"

    "Dominic. . ." Cedric said with a sigh as she walked over to the little boy and gently patted his head.

    "Uncle Cedric, please." Dominic begged.

    "Dominic, you are a smart kid and I will never lie to you." Cedric told him. "It will be hard to get your mom back, but we are trying, we are all trying." He said as he tried to reassure the little boy.

    "Why? Why is it hard to get her back?" Dominic asked.

    "Some very bad people have her." Cedric exined.

    "Are they hurting her?" He asked.

    "No, they are treating her quite nicely, but there is something that they want in exchange for her." Cedric told the little boy.

    "If they want money I have my allowance, can you help me uncle?" Dominic asked quite naively.

    At this moment, Cedric remembered that he was a scared little boy. No matter how smart or mature he was, he was still a child.

    He may have Veronica and Miguel as his parents now, but he knew he had another set that he loved and cared for deep down, despite the fact that he had been given away.

    "They don''t want money, Dominic. They want your dad, not Miguel, but your biological father. They want us to give him to them." Cedric said.

    "Please find my dad, maybe he can help her. Maybe he can help set her free." Dominic said as he cried in Eric''s arms.

    "Dominic, we already found him, but it will take some time to convince him to help us." Cedric told the little boy with a frown.

    "Uncle Ray, you are good at persuading people, please help Uncle Cedric." Dominic begged.

    "Little boy, it''s not that easy." Ray said as his eyes reflected how sad he was that he couldn''t help.

    Dominic''s cries filled the room, breaking everyone''s hearts.

    "Do you know who my dad is? I''ll talk to him, I''ll beg him." Dominic asked Jonathan.

    Jonathan bit his lip as he looked at the little boy. As much as he wanted to tell Dominic who his father was, he knew that it wouldn''t help if Dominic found out.

    "Dominic, we know who your dad is, and we are just trying to figure out a way to contact him." Cedric said, saving Jonathan for the difficult decision of telling his nephew.

    Jonathan mouthed his thanks to Cedric, to which he simply responded with a nod.

    "Dominic, we will do our best to help Julia, don''t worry." Miguel said with a sad smile.

    As much as he hated to admit it, Dominic calling out and crying for his biological parents somewhat made the doctor sad.

    He knew it was only natural, but these people had given him away and didn''t care to even look for him.

    Then Miguel suddenly realized something, Lucius Ting had been spotted several times outside of Dominic''s and Yoyo''s school.

    What if he wasn''t looking for Yoyo, what if he knew that Dominic was there too?

 Chapter 851 - 851

    When Dominic finally calmed down, Miguel signaled for Cedric to meet him outside of the dining room.

    The two men excused themselves as they walked to the living room in silence.

    "Is this something you would rather other people didn''t hear?" Cedric asked Miguel.

    The doctor simply nodded in reply.

    Cedric gestured for Miguel to follow him as he made his way to his home office at the other end of the ground floor of the mansion.

    When they entered, Cedric made sure that no one followed them before finally closing the door behind him.

    "What did you have to tell me that you had to make sure that no one overheard?" Cedric asked as he watched Miguel pace across the room.

    Clearly whatever Miguel was about to say was bothering him so much that it made the doctor who had done multiple life threatening operations anxious.

    "Remember you told us that Lucius Ting was spotted outside of Dominic''s and Yoyo''s school?" Miguel asked his friend.

    "Yes." Cedric said with a nod as he poured his friend a drink. He knew it was too early, but Miguel needed to calm down. "What about it?" Cedric asked as he walked over and handed him the drink.

    To Cedric''s surprise, Miguel didn''t reject the offer, instead he took the ss and finished the drink in one gulp.

    "Can I have more?" Miguel asked as he handed Cedric the ss again.

    "Your wife will smell this on you." Cedric warned.

    "She''ll understand. V will understand." Miguel mumbled as Cedric filled the ss again and handed it over to his friend.

    "Thanks." Miguel told him as he took a generous sip, before cing it down on the coffee table.

    "So?" Cedric asked.

    "Do you think it''s possible that Lucius knows who Dominic is?" Miguel asked.

    "Impossible, if he did then he should have taken Dominic a long time ago." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "Or could there be a kid in that school that Lucius would think to be his son?" Miguel theorized as he thought of the possibilities.

    "We should get Jonathan in here." Cedric said as he took out his phone and quickly dialed his wife''s number.

    "Honey, can you send Jonathan to my office. We need to ask him something." Cedric said in a sweet voice, making Miguelugh.

    Cedric rolled his eyes at his friend''s reaction knowing full well that he was worse when it came to his wife.

    Miguel spoiled Veronica, anything she wanted, she got and Miguel never refused a request as long as he could do it.

    "Yes, it has something to do with Dominic." Cedric responded to Adrianna''s questions.

    "Alright, thanks." He said with a smile as he dropped the call and picked up a pillow.

    He threw it towards Miguel, who was too slow and was hit on the face by the soft projectile.

    "Hey!" Miguelined as he tossed the pillow back to Cedric. "What was that about?" He asked.

    "You are way worse than I am when ites to Veronica, so don''t tease." Cedric said as he caught the pillow and sat on the couch.

    "I really hope that there is a valid exnation for why Lucius Ting has been hanging around our children''s school." Miguel said as he returned the discussion back on topic.

    "I''m sure there is one." Cedric said with a nod as he heard a knock on the door.

    He stood up and opened it to find Jonathan waiting outside.

    "Come in, we just have a few theories and a few questions for you." Cedric told the younger man as he gestured for him to sit on the couch.

    Miguel, who was still anxious, decided to stay standing as he asionally paced across the room, something that was starting to annoy Cedric.

    "Okay, I''ll start with what the situation is." Cedric said as he too sat down. "Lucius Ting has been reported to frequent the area of our sons'' school. He has been seen waiting for students to leave before leaving as well."

    "That''s troubling." Jonathan said with a frown. "Wait, could he have known that Dominic was his son?" He asked as he gave Cedric a worried look.

    "I doubt it." Cedric said. "If he had known where Dominic was this whole time, he would have taken the boy. It''s easy to prove that Dominic is his, plus he left a card asking to speak to his son. I think, from what he knows, Dominic is with your family."

    "But my sister has never been spotted with a child." Jonathan exined.

    "She hasn''t, but it''s possible that the kid was handed over to a rtive or a trusted aide to avoid a scandal for your sister." Cedric told Jonathan. "Any chance you have a nephew studying at the same school as Dominic? And he has to be the same age."

    "A rtive." Jonathan said as he thought long and hard. "I have a cousin who''s son is the same age as Dominic, but you also mentioned a close aide or employee. There are two children going to the same school as Dominic and Yoyo, they are also the same age as Dominic."

    "It''s possible that Lucius Ting thinks that one of those three is his son." Cedric exined to Jonathan and Miguel.

    "Do you think he will do something to get closer to them?" Jonathan asked with a worried look on his face. It was clear that these people were quite close to them, which made sense since Lucius was suspecting that they had sent Dominic to them.

    "Right now, possibly not." Cedric said as he shook his head. "Our priority now should be getting him as far away as possible from Dominic and those children."

    "And what if Dominic wants to meet his biological father?" Miguel suddenly asked.

    "Lucius Ting is a dangerous man." Cedric warned. "Do you really want to keep a window open for him?"

    "You are not handing him over to the Esteves Family." Miguel warned.

    "And why not? It''s the only way to get Julia back, plus, it''s not like Lucius is a good guy.." Cedric said as he got up and left not wanting to hear anymore of Miguel''s reasoning.

 Chapter 852 - 852

    Cedric had contacted the Esteves family and was currently waiting for them to call him back.

    He hated being in this position, he knew that in his own country people had to be cunning and much more powerful to go against him. But on the international stage, the Reyes family was not at a top position.

    While he had many connections, he knew that his family''s expansion internationally would still pose some difficulties.

    They still needed to get a better foothold in the international market as well as to build their connections with families such as the Esteveses.

    Cedric considered maximizing his predicament, by using this first interaction with the Esteves family to build a partnership, one that would benefit them both.

    It seemed that on the legitimate side of things, it was the Esteves Family that may need them.

    As he drummed his fingers on the table, his phone began to ring.

    Cedric picked it up and took a look at who was calling.

    He had strict instructions to keep his line open. He didn''t want to miss the calling from the Esteveses, but it was still possible for someone to havepletely missed the memo, especially his family.

    As he looked at the screen, it was an unknown number, most probably a call from Spain.

    "H." Cedric greeted in a calm and t tone. He didn''t want to give anything away so he tried his best to remain as calm as possible.

    "Mr. Reyes, you called?" The man asked.

    "Yes, I may have information on the man you are looking for." Cedric informed him.

    "And?" The man asked.

    "How can I speak to you, sir, without knowing your name?" Cedric said as he tried to get the most from his conversation.

    Knowing the name of the head of the Esteves Group''s head would put him ahead in a lot of aspects, this he knew.

    "You are a smart one, Mr. Reyes." The man said as he chucked, clearly amused by what Cedric had said. The question now was, did he see it in a positive light or in a negative one.

    "I wouldn''t havee this far if I wasn''t." Cedric inly stated.

    "You are lucky that I actually like you." The man said over the phone. "What is it that you want and I will see if we can trust you."

    "We have a mutual enemy, you can trust me." Cedric responded.

    "We have a mutual enemy, for now." The man pointed out. "What if we end up on different sides in the future, Mr. Reyes?"

    "Then we will decide then." Cedric said casually.

    "You are quite calm for a businessman. Normally they tend to get quite distressed when they know the person they are talking to belongs to the Mafia." The man said. Cedric knew that he was carefully studying Cedric.

    "People are afraid of things they don''t understand." Cedric said.

    "Hmmm. . . I underestimated you, Mr. Reyes." The man told him over the phone. "I expected to find some by the book businessman. I''m assuming you know people that belong to my trade."

    "The world is a big ce. You meet a lot of people." Cedric answered as vaguely as he could. He needed to prove himself trustworthy while still letting the man at the other end of the line pick up that he was aware of how the underworld worked.

    "Interesting." The man said. "I will consider a deal between us, as good faith you can call me Tomas."

    "Nice to have a name to call you, Tomas." Cedric responded.

    "You have information for me?" The man asked.

    "I know who you are looking for and where he is." Cedric said.

    "I sense some hesitation in telling me. Is he a friend?" Tomas asked Cedric.

    "No, no, it''s actually the opposite. He is someone I consider to be a thorn on my side." Cedric exined.

    "Then why not hand him over to me?" Tomas asked. "My men and I can deal with him for you."

    "There are people around him who are innocent that may be affected." Cedric pointed out as he leaned back and considered the effects of jumping into a deal so hastily.

    "Like?" Tomas asked, clearly he was starting to get impatient with Cedric.

    "The man you were after, what was his name?" Cedric asked. He had suspicions, but he needed to hear it from Tomas himself. He couldn''t just go by a guess.

    "Aiden Ortiz." Tomas answered immediately.

    Cedric was caught off guard, he thought he would need to convince Tomas to give him that information, but it seemed the man was already willing.

    "Are you still there Mr. Reyes?" Tomas asked.

    "Yes, I am." Cedric said as he shook his head. "I thought I would still need to convince you to tell me who it was."

    "I believe in building a trustworthy partnership. Do you know anything about Aiden Ortiz?" Tomas asked Cedric. "We''ve been looking for him."

    "He is dead, I killed him." Cedric t out admitted.

    "I appreciate your honesty, Mr. Reyes, care to exin why?" He asked.

    "Aiden Ortiz was responsible for many unfortunate incidents in my family, one even resulted in my own mother''s death." Cedric exined.

    "My condolences, Mr. Reyes." Tomas responded in a genuine tone.

    "I assume you are nning on going after all of his known conspirators and his family?" Cedric asked.

    "I do." Tomas admitted.

    "Those that must be held ountable for helping him are dead." Cedric exined.

    "Not his brother and his grandfather. I heard they still lived, I assumed he had abandoned them, but knowing that he is dead means that they have what I want." Tomas said in a poisonous tone.

    "It was the brother that helped us take him down. I''m sure he will willingly give you what belongs to you." Cedric insisted.

    "Someone needs to pay." Tomas hissed.

    "Lucius Ting will." Cedric said in a serious tone.

    "And how is this man rted to Aaron Ting?" Tomas asked in a slightly amused tone.

    "They are the same person.." Cedric finally revealed.

 Chapter 853 - 853

    "I''m assuming you know how Aiden Ortiz managed to get my once very loyal Aaron Ting to turn against me." Tomas concluded.

    "I do, but I will need to make a deal with you for more information." Cedric insisted.

    "What do you want?" Tomas asked as he was forced to agree to Cedric''s terms.

    "I will tell you everything I know and I will hand you Aaron Ting or Lucius Ting, I''ll even give you a bonus by handing over his sister." Cedric informed Tomas.

    "A sister, interesting." Tomas said as he began to think of who the woman could be.

    "In exchange I want the following, I get to extract my revenge over Lucius first before I hand him over." Cedric said.

    "Deal." Tomas quickly responded.

    "I''m not done Tomas." Cedric said with a chuckle. "I want to use your resources to get him to fall into the trap I will set."

    "Sure." Tomas said, quickly agreeing to the first term. "But I want him alive."

    "Alive, yes, but I cannot guarantee his condition." Cedric exined.

    "That will be fine with me." Tomas said, not seeming to care if Lucius was within an inch of his life.

    "Second, everyone that I do not hand over to you will not be involved with whatever mess you have with Lucius." Cedric told Tomas.

    "And what of those that helped him?" Tomas asked. "People must still pay."

    "Some were possibly acting on my orders." Cedric informed him. "They were false aids."

    "Alright. I will consult you first, but I expect you to help deliver those that are truly guilty." Tomas told Cedric as he reluctantly agreed to the second term.

    "Third, he has a son by Julia, the child is innocent and should not suffer because of his father."

    "The child mighte after us for revenge." Tomas pointed out as he indirectly refused.

    "I can assure you that the child won''t." Cedric insisted.

    "You sound confident. What do you know about their child?" Tomas asked."You sound confident that he does not care about his father."

    "The boy was given away at a young age, too young to remember either parent." Cedric exined.

    "He will look for his parents then." Tomas concluded. "It is normal for a child to want to find the man and woman that biologically brought him into this world."

    "When the boy was found he was half dead, malnourished, sickly, and abused." Cedric was sure that Tomas was now shocked at the state he had found Dominic. "If the boy looks for his parents, it will not be to save them or avenge them."

    "You seem to know a lot about the boy." Tomas said as he tried not to betray any emotion. "Did you adopt him by any chance?"

    "No, I found him, he is with people that will treat him as their own." Cedric assured the man at the other end of the call.

    "From what my people tell me, Lucius Ting is quite an influential person in your country now." Tomas said as he dropped the topic of Dominic. "Julia''s family will want to be on his good side."

    "They won''t after I''m done with Lucius Ting." Cedric said as he leaned forward and sat up. "It was her own brother that led me to find him."

    "And what about Julia herself? She went here to find him, won''t she betray you in the end?" Tomas asked.

    "To the public, Lucius Ting is dating someone already. Someone I trust with my life. When Julia finds out, it will break her, because she cannot hold a candle to this woman." Cedric dered.

    "So she''s one of those pawns you want protected after you hand Lucius Ting over?" Tomas asked.

    "She is more than a pawn, Tomas." Cedric said in a cold tone.

    "It seems I''ve struck a sensitive topic for you, this Cami Montero must be quite the woman." Tomas chuckled.

    "She is someone who I consider to be family." Cedric retorted.

    "Very well, if you can promise me that you can assure that none of his wife''s family or his child''s family will suddenly turn on us then I can guarantee that we will not harm them." Tomas sadid over the phone.

    "I can guarantee that." Cedric said as he nodded even if Tomas couldn''t see his reaction.

    "You will also need to bring those we deem as his co-conspirators to us. We will, of course, extend our help in any way possible." Tomas told Cedric his conditions.

    "And what if the person you want me to hand over to you is one of my own? Someone I sent to trap Lucius Ting?" Cedric questioned.

    "You will need to prove it to us." Tomas said.

    "And the ones I''ve mentioned?" Cedric asked.

    "Those we will not touch." Tomas informed him.

    "One more, the businessman, Guan Ming, have you heard of him?" Cedric questioned Tomas.

    "Yes, the tech magnate from China, the one that is working in cooperation with Lucius Ting at the moment." Tomas spat, the bitterness evident in his tone.

    "He is one of mine." Cedric said, shocking Tomas.

    "Then why do you need us?" Tomas asked with an awkwardugh.

    Cedric could tell that he was starting to get nervous.

    Despite not belonging to the Underground, Guan Ming was someone that most Mafia bosses respected and feared.

    He was a wild card, someone they considered too clean to be true, after all, everyone had skeletons in their closets.

    "I like to have all my bases covered." Cedric said as heughed at Tomas'' reaction. "So do we have a deal?"

    "Yes. We do." Tomas said. "As a form of good will, we will release Julia to you before you can hand Lucius Ting over."

    "That''s very generous of you." Cedric said in a t tone, not willing to betray any emotion. Right now he had the upper hand, he didn''t know how long it wouldst so he thought it best to maximize it while he could.

    "She will be there by tomorrow morning." Tomas said as he dropped the call.

    Cedric couldn''t help but grin at his sess.

 Chapter 854 - 854

    "Do you have news?" Adrianna asked as she saw Cedric step out of his office.

    She had been anxiously waiting outside, eager to hear if her husband was able to negotiate her childhood friend''s release.

    "Julia will be arriving tomorrow." Cedric said with a nod.

    Adrianna quickly rushed up to her husband and jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.

    "Thank you, thank you." She cried out.

    "Adri, the Reyes Group and the Reyes Family will be benefiting from this too, no need to thank me." Cedric said as he held his wife close.

    He couldn''t deny that he was very much relieved that this matter had been set aside and that he had another ally in Tomas, the head of the Esteves Mafia family.

    "Still, you didn''t have to do this. We didn''t know about Lucius'' but you quickly stepped in to help." Adrianna said as she kissed her husband''s lips.

    "Has Jonathan settled in?" Cedric asked as he looked at the grand staircase. It led up from the ground floor of his home to the upper floors which housed the guest rooms as well as their personal spaces.

    "Yeah, he is worried about the safety of his parents but he understands why we are doing this." Adrianna told Cedric with a nod.

    "I think I want to personally tell him about getting his sister back." Cedric said as his wife slowly released him from her hold.

    "Did Ray leave?" Cedric asked as he recalled that his sister and brother-inw were living with them for the time being.

    "No, not yet. He said something about checking out their room and making sure everything was perfect." Adrianna told Cedric as he held her hand and they walked up the stairs.

    "Great, perfect. I''ll need him for this." Cedric said with a nod as he pulled his wife towards his sister''s and her husband''s rooms.

    Cedric had given them enough space to not only serve as their bedroom, but he also had rooms cleared out for an office, a nursery, and their own guest room if they wanted to invite anyone over.

    As they approached the bed room, as if he had sensed Cedric and this wife arriving, Ray stepped out.

    "Oh, what are you two doing down here? Are you visiting Ayanna?" He asked Cedric.

    "Actually, I wanted to talk to you." Cedric said. "I think Ayanna will want to be part of this too. Do you think she''s free to talk?"

    "Let me check." Ray said with a nod as he turned to go back inside their room.

    "Do you know where Jonathan''s room is?" Cedric asked.

    "Yeah, why?" Ray responded with the door slightly ajar.

    "Meet us there, this involves him." Cedric told Ray who nodded and entered their room.

    Cedric and Ayanna made their way to Jonathan''s room which was at the other end of the hall. They had provided his sister and her husband with an entire wing in the house for their privacy.

    As they approached the main guest bed room, Cedric took a deep breath and knocked.

    It seemed that Jonathan dropped whatever he had been doing to open the door as his bag was still wide open on his bed.

    "Cedric, Adrianna." Jonathan said with a nod. "Would you like toe in?" The younger man asked.

    "Yes, we actually need to speak to you about something." Cedric said with a nod as Jonathan opened the door further and gestured towards the sitting area in his guest room.

    "I hope you are settling well." Cedricmented as he made himselffortable on a couch.

    "Yes, this room is actually bigger than my bedroom at home, you guys are way too generous." Jonathanmented. "Thank you."

    "It''s nothing, it''s a spare room." Cedric said as he smiled at the younger man.

    "What did you want to talk to me about?" Jonathan asked tentatively as he looked at the couple.

    Based on his expression he seemed worried, Cedric understood that he would be. There were so many variables in his life at the moment, anyone would be worried if they were in his shoes.

    As a matter of fact, Cedric admired how well Jonathan was keeping himself together. Not everyone would have been able to cope with the craziness in his life.

    "Let''s wait for my sister and her husband." Cedric told Jonathan. "They need to be involved in this. It shouldn''t take long for them to get here."

    As if on cue, someone knocked on the door to Jonathan''s room, making the young man stand and answer it.

    "Are Ced and Adri here?" He heard his sister ask.

    Jonathan nodded in response and let them in.

    Soon the two couples and Jonathan werefortably settled in the room and there was an awkward silence.

    "Is Yoyo in bed?" Ayanna asked her sister-inw.

    "Yes, he has ss tomorrow, so I put him to bed early." Adrianna responded with a nod.

    "Oh, too bad, I wanted to help." Ayanna said with a frown.

    "You''ll be here for a few more months, you''ll get tired of it soon enough." Adrianna responded with a chuckle.

    "So why did you call us here?" Ray asked, jumping straight to the point at the first opportunity he got.

    "I swear, you do not know how to time your questions." Ayanna grumbled as she pped her husband on the shoulder making her brotherugh.

    "That''s why he needs you." Cedric pointed out. "We both know how bad he used to be."

    Cedric and Ayanna bothughed at the joke he had made, while Ray simply rolled his eyes, annoyed at his best friend and wife.

    "Trust me, they are lying." Ray said. "Can we please get on topic? I have an early meeting tomorrow and I don''t want to bete."

    "Fine." Cedric said as he cleared his throat. "I''ve managed to secure Julia''s release from the Esteves Family. She will be home tomorrow."

    On hearing the news, Jonathan lost all inhibitions and jumped over to hug Cedric, shocking the other man.

    "Jonathan, please stop hitting on my husband." Adrianna teased as she watched Jonathan''s cheeks redden.

    "I have a condition, no one can know that Julia is back home.." Cedric said, earning him confused looks from the people in the room.

 Chapter 855 - 855

    "When you say that no one is allowed to know, I''m assuming this includes my parents?" Jonathan asked Cedric as he tried to process the rules he had set.

    "Yes, it does." Cedric said with a nod. "I understand that this will be difficult, but we can allow them to call her over the phone and for her to pretend to still be in Spain."

    "And what if Luciuses after the parents, won''t he trace where the call ising from?" Ray asked as he carefully analyzed the situation.

    "I''m sure he will, but he won''t go near her parents just yet." Cedric said with a slight grin as he realized that the King of the Underworld had missed something he hadn''t.

    "What do you mean?" Ray asked as he eyed his best friend suspiciously.

    He knew all too well what Cedric''s smile meant, his friend knew something and he was going to make him work for the information.

    "Will you be onboard with my n?" Cedric asked Ray as he continued to bait his friend.

    "As long as it''s not something stupid, like I don''t know, hiding your identity from Adrianna after you were allowed to tell her." Ray pointed out as he revived a long dead issue.

    "Hey, that was settled and closed." Cedric argued.

    "Doesn''t make it any smarter." Ray said with a chuckle as Adrianna and Ayanna both smiled. They agreed with him, but they didn''t want to hurt Cedric even more. "I swear love makes even the smartest businessman stupid."

    "Okay, okay, we get it. Not all of my ns are a stroke of genius." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes at his friends.

    "So what did I miss out on?" Ray asked, he was still curious to find out what Cedric knew that he didn''t.

    "What would the press say if he was seen meeting with Julia''s parents?" Cedric asked.

    "There are a thousand reasons he can give, like their business for example." Ray pointed out. "Add to it the fact that he can always meet with them secretly."

    "You are right with that, but there are some things you failed to ount for." Cedric said with a knowing smile.

    "And those are?" Ray asked with a raised eyebrow, unable to believe that he still hadn''t won the discussion.

    "First of all, he is already in contact with Jonathan, it was Jonathan that approached him. Trying to get to the parents will include an additional effort of back channeling that will increase the chances of him being found out." Cedric pointed out.

    "He has enough resources to remain hidden." Ray said.

    "You are forgetting that he will know that Julia is one of Adrianna''s best friends." Cedric said quite confidently. "He will know that should he reach out to them, they in turn will call Adrianna and thus alerting me."

    "And if you find out, in his mind you will use that knowledge to take Cami from him." Ayanna said as shepleted the sequence of events that Cedric had already yed out in his head.

    "How sure are you that he will think of this?" Ray asked, still refusing to give up.

    "Because I have underestimated him far too much." Cedric exined.

    "Fair enough." Ray said as he agreed with the conclusion that Cedric hade up with. He too ran the scenarios in his head at this point and Cedric was right, Lucius would probably be wary of Julia''s family since she was so close to Adrianna.

    "So why don''t you want Lucius Ting to know my sister is back and how do you propose to keep her arrival hidden?" Jonathan asked Cedric.

    "Let''s start with the how since that is simpler." Cedric said with a grin. "I will ask the Esteves Family to return her to us through Ray''s Kashmere Ind. It has its own airport and Lucius does not have his eyes on that ce."

    "So that''s why you needed me here." Ray said, to which Cedric responded with a nod.

    "How do you n on getting her out? The moment shends in the capital Lucius Ting will hear about it." Ayanna told her bother.

    "She won''t. She will stay on Kashmere while we settle things with Lucius." Cedric said in a firm tone.

    "She has been gone for too long, Cedric, she deserves to see her family." Adrianna said as she argued with her husband.

    "What is a few more days inparison to losing everything?" Cedric asked. "If she doesn''t understand she will have to. It''s not just her life that is at risk, but so many more as well, including innocent little Dominic."

    The room went silent as Cedric ced his foot down. He would not way or move on this decision, Adrianna and the others knew it.

    Cedric had made up his mind and there was no changing it. They also knew he was right, Julia would need to understand the situation and what was at risk if her return was discovered. Too many lives would be in danger if she acted selfishly.

    What happened next surprised everyone, including Cedric.

    "If you let me talk to my sister, even if it''s just over the phone or maybe if I could go to her on Kashmere I''m sure I can exin it to her properly." Jonathan said as he volunteered to do the task of convincing Julia.

    "I would be happier if you could convince her over the phone." Cedric said with a nod. "But thank you for understanding."

    "I might be younger than you, but I''m not stupid." Jonathan said with augh. "I know how selfish my sister can be, but I also understand the implications of all of this."

    "If you can''t convince her over the phone a flight out to Kashmere can be arranged, I''m sure Cedric would be more than happy to provide you with a ne and an excuse." Ray said as he looked at Cedric.

    "I will handle those." Cedric said with a nod.

    "So what do you n on doing to Lucius Ting? And what did you offer to the Esteves family that made them agree to release Julia and help you?" Ray asked.

    Ray knew how hard it was to deal with families in the underworld, they feared no government and followed their ownws. Families as powerful as the Esteveses rarely gave into others, so their willingness to co-operate with Cedric gave Ray quite the surprise.

    "We have someone they want, and as long as we don''t kill Lucius Ting they will be happy.." Cedric said with a grin as he reassessed their n in his head.

 Chapter 856 - 856

    Cedric sat in Ray''s office, anxious to see how things would pan out.

    They had agreed to wait for news here while Jonathan remained in the Mountain View mansion. Everyone agreed that it was for the best, it seemed that his visit to Cedric had remained unnoticed by Lucius as he continued to search for Julia''s brother.

    The Tiu''s on the other hand had managed to secure additional security under the guise that Julia was a good friend of Adrianna, so the Reyes Family simply wanted to protect her as well.

    While they waited for Tomas to inform Cedric about Julia''s departure from Spain, Adrianna''s phone began to ring, making everyone turn and look at her.

    "It''s Jonathan." Adrianna told Cedric as she held up her phone and showed him the name on the screen.

    Cedric nodded, telling her to pick the call up.

    "Jonathan?" Adrianna asked as she ced the phone on her ear.

    "Yeah, I''m with him right now, I''ll put you on speaker." She said as she pulled it away.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked his wife.

    "Jonathan said he has something urgent to tell you but he didn''t want to hold the line on your phone in case the Esteves family called." Adrianna said as she switched her phone to speaker mode.

    "Smart kid." Raymented with a nod.

    Cedric knew that Ray had been observing Julia''s brother and was now quite fond of him. As a matter of fact he was considering offering Jonathan a position either in his legal or illegal businesses.

    Jonathan was unlikely to turn down both offers since they benefited his family immensely, and based on what they knew about the young man, family was very important to him.

    "Cedric, I got a call from Lucius Ting this morning." Jonathan said in a concerned tone. "He is looking for me."

    "We know that." Cedric said. He wasn''t surprised that Lucius had called Jonathan. He was Lucius''st chance to get his child and Julia back. If he managed to alienate Jonathan, then he could say goodbye to seeing his long lost family.

    "He''s been asking me to meet him or at least to give him information on where his wife and son are, what do I tell him?" Jonathan asked. "If I don''t give him an answer he will continue to keep looking."

    "Tell him a version of the truth, the public one." Cedric told Jonathan.

    "The public one?" Jonathan asked, confused by what Cedric meant.

    "Tell him Ju went abroad to look for him and that you are still trying to contact her." Cedric said in a serious tone as he slowly considered the impact of what Jonathan would tell his current rival. "Admit that you have been trying to get in touch with her butst you heard she was in London."

    "And what about their son?" Jonathan asked, worried about Cedric''s response.

    "Admit that all you know is that the boy was given up for adoption." Cedric instructed Jonathan. "Tell him that you are still trying to find out who adopted their son and that you will tell him as soon as possible."

    "What if he asks why I called if I didn''t know?" Jonathan told Cedric. It seemed that this boy was thinking of every possible scenario, a trait Cedric couldn''t help but admire.

    "Just say that you believe the boy should be with his biological family and that you were actually hoping that he would know where Julia had sent their son." Cedric said as he thought of what else Jonathan could say to make the story sound more believable.

    "Add that Julia went in search of him so that their family could beplete again." Ray suddenly said. "That will make him hope that Julia is found, or at least he might put in some effort into looking for her."

    "And what if he realizes that she is with us?" Adrianna asked her husband, concerned that this would ruin their n.

    "He won''t." It was Jonathan that answered Adrianna''s concern over the phone. "The trail will end with the Esteves Family, he wouldn''t dare get too close."

    "Isn''t it possible that he still has connections on the inside?" Adrianna asked.

    "I doubt it." Cedric said. "If he did, he would have long known that his wife was being held hostage by the Esteves family."

    "What if it''s part of his n to get us to get Julia out?" Adrianna asked with a concerned look.

    "That would be impossible, he would know that we would turn him in as an exchange, something he would not allow." Cedric reasoned out, to which Adrianna simply nodded, epting her husband''s answer.

    As they continued to discuss what Jonathan should answer, Cedric''s phone began to ring.

    "It''s them." Cedric said as he pointed at his phone which simply showed an unknown number.

    "Should I drop the call?" Jonathan asked.

    "No, stay on the line, but don''t say a word. I will be calling the head of the Esteves family by his name so he cannot find out that you are with me." Cedric warned everyone.

    Ray and Adrianna nodded, while Jonathan remained silent.

    Cedric quickly answered the call and ced it on speaker.

    "Mr. Reyes." Tomas said in a happier tone than normal.

    "Tomas, you seem pleased today." Cedricmented, noting his more positive disposition.

    "It is a good day, today you see how serious we are in catching Andrew Ting." Tomas said as his tone returned to its normally more formal nature. "Julia Tiu has left Spain, her ne departed five minutes ago on the private jet of your friend Guan Ming."

    Cedric and Tomas had agreed that a third party unrted to them but still trustworthy should be the one to take Julia out of the country and to Kashmere Ind.

    As a cover, Guan Ming''s mother had pretended to buy something in Spain, a quick shopping trip that was not unusual among the extremely wealthy.

    "I promise you, Tomas, we will hand Andrew Ting or Lucius Ting to you as soon as we can." Cedric said as he looked at his phone which received a message from Guan Ming.

    It was a confirmation that Julia was indeed onboard his private ne with his mother.

    "Ming has confirmed that you have handed Julia over. I will stand by my side of the agreement and hand over Lucius Ting once I am done with him." Cedric told the Mafia boss.

    "Good, good, and for the other part of our deal?" Tomas asked.

    "My cousin will call you as soon as the contracts are avable." Cedric replied with a nod.

    "Well then, I look forward to doing business with you in the future Mr. Reyes. You are an interesting one indeed." Tomas said as he dropped the call.

    "She''s on her way home." Adrianna said as she was finally able to let out a breath of relief.

    "Thank you Cedric, thank you Adrianna, thank you Mr. Laurence, my family owes you three so much I don''t know if we will ever be able to repay you." Jonathan said as Cedric could hear him sobbing at the other end of the line.

    "Don''t thank us just yet." Ray said with a chuckle. "I''d like a word with you when we get back to Mountain View." He announced with a grin as he looked at Cedric.

    "Did I mess up?" Jonathan asked nervously.

    "No, butter.." Ray said as he dropped the call,ughing as he left Jonathan nervous and anxious at the other end of the call.

 Chapter 857 - 857

    When Cedric, Ray, and Adrianna arrived back at Mountain View after a long day, Yoyo quickly ran up to them, jumping into his uncle Ray''s arms.

    "Why does my son prefer you today?" Cedric grumbled.

    "Dad! Dad!" Yoyo called out excitedly, making Cedric forget about his son choosing his brother-inw.

    "Yes Yoyo?" Cedric asked his son as Ray passed the boy over to his father.

    "Uncle Jonathan helped me with my homework, it''s too bad Dominic couldn''t be here, he would have had fun too." Yoyo said with a frown.

    Cedric and the others had decided that it was best if Dominic stayed away from wherever Jonathan was for the meantime in order to avoid suspicions from Lucius Ting.

    He wanted to be on the safe side, if Lucius spotted the two together, Cedric knew that Lucius would be suspicious.

    "That''s great!" Cedric said with a smile.

    "Come on Yoyo, time for your bath." Adrianna said as Ray ced the boy back down.

    "Okay, see youter dad, uncle Ray, uncle Jonathan." Yoyo said as he waved goodbye to the three men as he let his mother take him back up to their floor.

    "A word." Ray said as he beckoned for Jonathan to follow him.

    Jonathan gave him a nervous nod as he followed the business man up the stairs.

    "Are youing?" Ray said with a sigh. He knew that he may need his brother-inw for this, but he didn''t consider that Cedric might choose to stay behind and not interfere.

    "Am I wanted or do you want to talk to Jonathan alone?" Cedric asked.

    "I could use your help to exin things, so stop being dramatic ande along." Ray grumbled as he marched up the stairs and towards the office Cedric had his people set up for him.

    "I swear it''s as if this isn''t my house." Cedric teased as he followed Ray.

    "We both know that I am not here by choice, you made me and my wife stay here." Ray said, clearly annoyed with Cedric.

    "You married into my family, you''re stuck with me bro." Cedric said with augh as he ran into Ray''s office like a little child.

    "I swear sometimes I have no idea why he is my best friend." Raymented to no one in particr.

    He nced back at Jonathan who was awkwardly watching the interaction between the two men, unsure of what he should say or do.

    It wasn''t everyday that you saw the two most powerful businessmen in the country act like ordinary people, teasing each other and running around hallways.

    "Don''t worry, you aren''t in any trouble." Ray said with a grin. "So hurry up."

    With Ray''s words, Jonathan quickly followed into the office and closed the door behind him.

    This one was much smaller than Cedric''s, it had the sameyout with a desk at the far end and some couches to entertain guests and business partners if needed.

    On one side was a muchrger collection of alcoholic beverages than what Cedric had in his office. Jonathan did not peg Ray to be a big fan of those drinks since he saw Cedric drinking a ss of wine or whisky more often than his brother-inw.

    "Sit." Ray said as he gestured for Jonathan to take a seat across him on the couch while Cedric happily helped himself to Ray''s alcohol cab.

    "Want anything?" Cedric asked as he gestured towards the collection.

    "No thank you." Jonathan said as he respectfully declined Cedric''s offer. He was well aware of his ce among these giants of men, and he had no intention of making a fool of himself by drinking too much.

    "He has more control than you." Raymented, to which Cedric simply responded with augh.

    To Jonathan''s surprise, Cedric still sat at the head of the table, symbolizing that despite this being Ray''s business, Cedric was still in charge.

    "Well, I hope he is smarter too and doesn''t get caught up with your mess." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes and took a sip of his drink.

    "If he is wiser he will take my offer." Ray replied.

    "Well then, make it." Cedric encouraged.

    Ray cleared his throat as he gave Jonathan a serious look, worrying him. He couldn''t help but wonder what the two men were talking about, but he was too scared to ask.

    Even if they had shown him their more humane side, they were still as intimidating as ever.

    It was easier for Jonathan to deal with Adrianna, he had known her his whole life. He had met Cedric multiple times, but didn''t really get the chance to know him.

    He was somewhat d that he had never let his sister''s opinions of Cedric affect him, since Cedric turned out to be the heir to thergestpany in the country.

    "Jonathan, do you know what line of work the Laurence family engages in?" Ray casually asked.

    Jonathan was surprised by the question, everyone knew whatpanies the Laurences owned, but he decided to indulge Ray.

    "Air Travel, Shipping, Commercial Real Estate, and the Food Industry." Jonathan answered as he thought of the business he knew the Laurence family owned.

    "Ah, yes, what the public knows." Ray said with a nod as he leaned back and closed his eyes.

    "The public?" Jonathan asked. "Are involved in some illegal businesses like the drug trade or like prostitution?" He said with an awkwardugh as he quickly regretted his question.

    Jonathan suddenly went tense when he realized what he had said, he just used Raymund Laurence of having dirty money.

    "He is smarter than you." Ray said with augh as he looked at Cedric.

    "I didn''t mean to offend you, it just came out." Jonathan said in a panic as he tried to salvage the conversation and whatever image he still had with the two men.

    "Rx, no one was offended." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "It''s just like how your family secretly owns several casinos that are under the protection of the mafia." Ray said casually, making Jonathan turn pale.

    "How- how- how did you know that?" Jonathan asked as he looked back and forth between the two men.

    He knew they were friends with the President''s son, was his family going to jail because of it?

 Chapter 858 - 858

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh as he watched Jonathan turn pale, he was sure that the young man was now panicking. What he said could easily have offended both Cedric and Ray, especially since the two were now rted.

    "Rx Jonathan, there is a very good reason why Ray knows these things." Cedric told the younger man with augh as he was no longer able to keep a straight face.

    "I was still having my fun." Ray said as he rolled his eyes and shook his head.

    Jonathan still did not rx as he maintained a stiff posture, worried that the two men would suddenly destroy his family for hisment.

    "We are petty, but we like you, kid." Raymented as he tried to get Jonathan to at least process what they were saying.

    Jonathan, though remaining cautious, nodded. He knew that he just needed to watch his words next time.

    "What do you know about the underworld, the people you pay to keep your casinos safe and running?" Ray asked as he observed how Jonathan''s bodynguage changed with his question.

    "The underworld?" Jonathan asked, unsure if he had heard Ray''s question properly.

    "That''s right, the underworld." Ray said with a nod. "Mafias, Gangs, all of them."

    "Well. . . I''m not sure if I can tell you." Jonathan said as he hesitated.

    "Is it because we are friends with Alexi?" Ray asked.

    Jonathan slowly nodded, admitting that his hesitation was due to their connection to the President''s son.

    Cedric and Rayughed at his concern, they knew that this was normal, after all the person that was supposed to uphold thew was the President''s family.

    "Alexi is well aware of the underworld." Ray exined to Jonathan. "We trust you, so we will tell you this, Alexi is part of one of the most powerful groups in the underworld, wanna guess?" He asked Jonathan as he leaned forward eager to hear what the man would say.

    "The Ri family? Or the Dean family?" Jonathan asked as he recalled which families and gangs were most powerful.

    "Not a gang?" Cedric asked, curious to understand why Jonathan had given the two most powerful Mafia Families rather than the two most powerful gangs.

    "I don''t think it would suit the President''s son to be part of a gang." Jonathan admitted. "I think he would be a better fit for a Mafia Family."

    "Very good observation, you are notpletely wrong." Ray said with a mischievous smile. "He was involved with the Dean family in his early years, thenter on the Ri family, but that''s not the group he belongs to."

    "I highly doubt he is part of a gang." Jonathan said with a confused look on his face.

    "No, not a gang." Ray said as he nodded, confirming Jonathan''s suspicions.

    "That''s impossible." Jonathan said as he looked up at Ray. "I mean, how could he be part of that group when he is the President''s son."

    "Because he is a member by blood." Ray said with a grin.

    "I don''t think I understand what Jonathan is trying to say." Cedric told Ray.

    "Why don''t you exin it to Cedric? I mean I''m sure he knows what it means. He is just very confused at the moment." Ray asked Jonathan in a way that the young man couldn''t refuse.

    "There is one group or maybe family that is higher than all the gangs and all the mafia familiesbined, but even it''s existence could be a myth." Jonathan exined.

    "A myth in the underworld? Interesting." Cedric said as he nced at Ray.

    He had, at this point, more or less figured out what Jonathan had been saying earlier but he decided to y along. He wanted to see how Jonathan would describe his friend.

    "ording to the people we pay, the Dean Family, all the heads of the Mafias and Gangs follow one person or one group, and that''s the King of the Underworld." Jonathan exined. "I didn''t really get details on whether or not that person was the head of a mafia family or gang in the past."

    "It''s a position that is won and inherited." Cedric exined, catching Jonathan off guard.

    "Wait, what?" Jonathan asked, forgetting about his earlier blunder.

    "Oh right, we actually know the King of the Underworld." Cedric said with a chuckle.

    "Please don''t tell me that it''s the President''s son." Jonathan said as he turned pale.

    "No, but the King of the Underworld alwayses from one family, and that family is rted to the President''s wife." Cedric exined. "The king always needs to prove that he is capable of dealing with theplexities of the underworld."

    "Isn''t the President''s wife your aunt?" Jonathan asked as he looked at Ray.

    Ray nodded and grinned.

    "I wonder how long it will take him to realize?" Cedric whispered as they watched Jonathan''s expression change from confusion to shock then to fear.

    Having interacted with the members of the Mafia, he understood how powerful someone had to be in order to get all the heads in line. This meant the King of the Underworld had to be someone truly powerful.

    "Yes, Jonathan." Ray said with a nod as he gave Jonathan a kind look. "I''m he."

    "But, how?" Jonathan asked as he tried to figure out which question to ask first.

    "Maybe some other time, but I needed to tell you who I was before I could offer you the job I had in mind." Ray told him.

    "Job? A job?" Jonathan asked.

    "You are very promising, Jonathan, and trust me I had to fight Cedric just so that he wouldn''t offer you one too." Ray exined, making Cedricugh and shake his head.

    "You will have better opportunities with Ray than with me, and you are a better fit with him." Cedric exined.

    "I will give you an option, work at the legitimate side of Laurence Corp. or work for the King of the Underworld, the choice is yours." Ray said as he looked intently at the young man. "Of course you can also refuse.." He added when he realized that what he had said was quite threatening.

 Chapter 859 - 859

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    "A job?" Jonathan asked, confused as to what Ray had just said. "And what? Wait, how is it possible that you are the King of the Underworld and a prominent public figure as well? How have people not found out?"

    "Yes, a job." Ray said as heughed at the confused man standing in front of him. "One question at a time, kid."

    "Sorry, but what?" Jonathan asked again, unsure about how to treat the situation.

    His confusion made Cedricugh, he found it quite amusing that as Jonathan tried to process the job he was being offered he was also trying to understand how Ray was King of the Underworld.

    Ray took a deep breath and shook his head. He decided to exin things in full first so that Jonathan wouldn''t be so confused and distracted.

    "You seem to be someone we can trust, Jonathan, and to someone like me that is very important." Ray said with a smile. "The Laurence family has long been involved in the underworld, my ancestors started out as one of the big mafia families."

    Jonathan nodded as he paid close attention to the story Ray was telling.

    "Over the years the different groups began to fight among themselves, and eventually wars broke out. These wars not only endangered the lives of those in the underworld but of innocent people as well." Ray exined.

    "It was a very dark time in the country''s history, but all we know is the legal side." Cedric added as he tried to give better context to the story.

    Jonathan nodded at the two men''s words.

    "At that time the Laurence family was moving from a Mafia family to a more proper one, that was when one of my ancestors decided to change things. I''d rather not tell you the details but one thing led to another and he became the first King of the Underworld." Ray said.

    "Since the Laurence family was starting to rise as a family deeply involved in more legal businesses, my ancestors decided that the best thing to do would be to keep their identities a secret." Ray exined. "That''s why only the heads of the gangs and mafias know who the King of the Underworld actually is."

    "How do you get them to follow?" Jonathan asked. "If they don''t know who you are, why do they follow?"

    "Just because those in the underworld don''t know who we are doesn''t mean they don''t feel our presence." Ray said with a grin. "We protect them from the government through our connections as long as they keep all the fights away from the public."

    "Did you know that our country has been more peaceful since?" Cedric asked as heughed at the irony.

    "That''s odd." Jonathan noted.

    "With the underworld in control the rest of the country can go on with their lives as they please." Ray exined. "And before you ask, yes we have our own men. Most of them have worked for the Laurence family for generations."

    "So how did you be king of the underworld?" Jonathan asked Ray.

    "I worked for it." He said with a casual shrug. "When I was fifteen I joined the Dean Family Mafia with my cousin, Alexi. We experienced what it was like to be a low level member of the Mafia. Interestingly the current head of the Dean family was also there pretending to be an ordinary person." Ray said with augh as he shook his head.

    "What kind of work will you need me to do?" Jonathan asked.

    "Honestly, I want you to be on both sides of my business, but I don''t think you will befortable with that." Ray said with a frown.

    "Cedric and Adrianna trust you." Jonathan said as he nced at Cedric. "I''m willing to give it a shot because of them."

    "I haven''t even told you what you will do." Ray said, surprised by the man''s response.

    "I trust that they wouldn''t do something that could harm me." Jonathan replied with a nod.

    "If you were wondering it''s investments, he wants you to run his investments." Cedric said as he knew that Jonathan had to have the right to know.

    "I''m not -" Before Jonathan couldplete his sentence, Ray''s phone began to ring, cutting their conversation short.

    "It''s my pilot." Ray said as he pointed at his phone.

    Cedric simply nodded as Ray answered the call and ced it on speaker.

    "Mr. Laurence. I hope I didn''t call at a bad time." The pilot said in a respectful tone.

    "No, it''s fine." Ray said, his voice intimidating and cold.

    "We havended at Kashmere, sir." The pilot said. "No one suspected a thing when I picked Miss Tiu up in Spain with Mr. Ming''s ne."

    "Good." Ray said.

    "Sir, there was a slightplication." The pilot said nervously.

    "Well, out with it." Ray ordered.

    "Sir, Miss Tiu seems to be sick." The pilot informed them.

    Cedric watched as Jonathan suddenly turned pale as he tried not to speak.

    "Have you taken her to the hospital?" Ray asked.

    "Yes sir, as soon as wended." The pilot replied.

    "I will have Dr. Chan fly over to check on her." Ray said as he dropped the call.

    "M. . .my sister." Jonathan said in a shaky voice.

    "Let me give Miguel a call." Cedric said as he took out his phone and quickly stepped out of the room.

    It seemed that Miguel was not that busy as the doctor quickly picked up the call.

    "Cedric, what''s up?" Miguel asked as he answered.

    "How fast can you get to the airport?" Cedric asked as he noticed Jonathan and Ray step out of the room.

    "I asked Jonathan to pack his things and be ready to go. We don''t know how what Julia''s situation is." Ray said as he nodded at Jonathan who wordlessly thanked him and made his way to his room.

    "Do you think this is safe?" Cedric asked.

    "Is what safe?" Miguel asked over the phone as he overheard the conversation.

    "You need to get to the airport, there was aplication with Julia''s arrival. She''s at Kashmere." Cedric informed his friend.

    "V, can you pack me a bag?" Miguel called out to his wife, it seemed like they were currently at home.

    "Ray just asked Jonathan to pack a bag to go to Kashmere." Cedric informed Miguel.

    "That''s not too smart." Miguel said as he voiced his concern over the phone.

    "Miguel dosn''t think it''s the best idea either." Cedric told Ray.

    "It''s his sister, I''m sure we can get him to the ind secretly. Trust me on this." Ray argued.

    "What do you think?" Cedric asked Miguel. "I want to let him as long as we can hide who he is."

    "We can pretend that he is one of my nurses or assistants." Miguel said as he thought of a good disguise.

    "See, problem solved." Ray said with a chuckle.

    "Meet us at the airport as soon as you can." Cedric said in a serious tone as he dropped the call.

    "Are you sure that you should go?" Ray asked his brother-inw.

    "And why not?" Cedric asked.

    "Who will we say is in the hospital that you need to be there?" Ray asked.

    "Do we need to give a statement?" Cedric questioned his friend. "It''s a personal matter."

    "They will find out that it is Guan Ming''s ne thatnded, people are not stupid, they will know it is someone close to him, someone important." Ray exined. "If you go there it could risk your ns."

    "If I don''t go it will seem out of character." Cedric argued. "As a businessman I should take advantage of the situation."

    "But as Cedric Reyes, would you?" Ray asked. "Plus someone has to stay behind."

    Cedric remained silent for a while as he considered what needed to be done.

    "You need to set the n in motion, you cannot let things dy it. The longer you wait the worse the implications." Ray told Cedric.

    Cedric sighed and nodded, his friend was correct, he needed to stay behind. It was for the best for all of them.

    "I''ll stay behind, but you better update me." He warned.

    "When have I not?" Ray asked with a grin as he turned and left to pack up his things.

    Cedric sighed as he decided to work and get his n going while Lucius Ting was sure to be distracted with Guan Ming''s mother.

 Chapter 860 - 860

    Ray had left with Jonathan 10 mins earlier and had just informed him that they were now in the ne, waiting for Miguel who''s car had just pulled up to the tarmac.

    Cedric quickly called Guan Ming, but it seemed that the businessman was quite busy and was not able to pick up his call.

    Cedric had already ordered for the ne to fly back to the capital to pick him up. Hopefully by the time itnded Gun Ming would already be at the airport.

    "Still no answer?" Adrianna asked as she returned to Cedric''s office with a cup of hot coffee for her husband.

    It was already getting quitete as they had spent most of the day working in Ray''s office as they anticipated any kind of bad news from the flight.

    "I''ll try again, I think he is with Lucius Ting." Cedric said as he nced at his phone.

    "Did you try giving Cami a call?" His wife asked. "Maybe she would know where he is."

    "I''m worried that she might be with them." Cedric replied as he picked his phone up and dialed Guan Ming''s number again. "Guan Ming has my number saved as someone else so I''m not worried about Lucius catching him."

    "It''s only normal for a boss to call their employee, especially someone as highly ranked as Cami." Adrianna reminded her husband.

    "I''ll try Guan Ming first." Cedric said as he searched for his friend''s number on his phone.

    Just like Guan Ming, Cedric had the Chinese businessman''s number saved under a different name, it was to keep their friendship a secret.

    After two rings, Cedric let out a sigh of relief as Guan Ming answered his phone.

    "Hey, sorry about that." Guan Ming said. "Give me a few minutes, I''m just walking out of a meeting."

    "Alright." Cedric said as he remained on the line.

    ''I don''t mind staying longer, my mother loves this country.'' Cedric heard Guan Ming say to whoever he was in the room with.

    ''Perfect, I can rmend a few resorts and tourist destinations.'' Cedric was not surprised to hear Lucius Ting''s voice over the phone.

    ''She already has a few favorite ces here that she''s visited multiple times without me. I n to join her next week.'' Guan Ming informed Lucius Ting. ''Mr. Ting, I''m curious, why did you choose this country to grow your business in?''

    Cedric couldn''t believe his ears, was Guan Ming really about to let him hear the whole conversation?

    ''Do you trust whoever is at the other end of that call?'' Lucius Ting asked, making Cedric worry.

    ''With my life.'' Guan Ming replied.

    ''Whoever is at the other end of that call must be someone incredibly important.'' Cedric heard Cami say.

    It was a good thing he had decided to call Guan Ming over Cami.

    ''He is.'' Guan Ming responded. ''This person is someone who has had faith in me from the start and he is one of my oldest friends.''

    ''Then I guess it''s fine if he overhears this.'' Lucius Ting said.

    ''You can trust him, plus I doubt he is paying attention to this call.'' Guan Ming said with a chuckle. ''My business exploits rarely interest him.''

    Cedric wanted tough, it seemed like Guan Ming was trying to insinuate that he was in a rtionship with whoever was at the other end of the call.

    ''Well, Mr. Guan, I moved here because my biological family is quite influential here and I n on taking back my position in our family after I was thrown out.'' Lucius said in a bitter tone.

    ''Amendable goal Mr. Ting.'' Guan Ming praised. ''Well, if that is all, I shall go back to my hotel now.''

    Cedric heard Guan Ming saying goodbye to Lucius Ting and Cami.

    When he was most likely in his car, Guan Ming resumed his conversation with Cedric.

    "That was interesting." Cedric said with a chuckle.

    "My life is always interesting." Guan Ming replied,ughing at his friend. "Why did you call?" He asked.

    "Is it safe to talk?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "I''ll try my best to give you the answers you want." Guan Ming said, meaning he didn''t trust that the car he was in was free of bugs and spies.

    "There was an incident on your mother''s flight home." Cedric informed Guan Ming, hoping that his friend would pick up on the subtle hints he was leaving.

    "What? Is everyone alright?" Guan Ming asked. "Have theynded?"

    "Yes, they havended in Kashmere, but she is in the hospital." Cedric told him.

    "Is it serious?" Guan Ming asked.

    "We don''t know yet, but Dr. Chan and Raymund Laurence are already on their way." Cedric informed him.

    "I need to fly out." Guan Ming informed his assistant, whom Cedric assumed was in the car with him.

    "I''ve asked your ne toe back to the capital to fetch you." Cedric said.

    "Thank you." Guan Ming told his friend.

    "I''ll need to talk to you while you are there." Cedric said in a more serious tone.

    "I''m sure Mr. Laurence can arrange something for me. Thank you for informing me about this." Guan Ming told Cedric.

    "The ne should be here by the time you arrive at the airport." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    "That was a long call." Adrianna told her husband as she gave him a curious look.

    "Guan Ming was still with Lucius Ting and Cami, I made the right choice not calling Cami by the way." Cedric said as he gave his wife an ''I told you so'' look.

    "Did Guan Ming get your message?" Adrianna asked,pletely ignoring what her husband was trying to insinuate.

    "I think so." Cedric said with a frown, unhappy that Adrianna ignored his victory. "If he doesn''t, the pilot should be able to inform him when he gets onboard the ne, and when he arrives, Miguel and Ray will be there."

    "What now?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "Now, you calm down, rx, and let me handle things." Cedric told his wife. "You can''t be stressed or agitated, you are pregnant, it''s not good for the twins."

    Adrianna frowned at her husband''s words.

    "Go get some rest, I promise I''ll handle this." Cedric said as his wife rolled her eyes at him and left the room, mming the door behind her.

    He was in for a long night, it seemed that he needed to do something big enough to keep Lucius Ting''s attention elsewhere.

 Chapter 861 - 861

    "Ian." Cedric said as his assistant picked up the phone.

    "Urgent?" Ian asked as Cedric could hear him still chewing on his food.

    "I know it''ste, I''m sorry." Cedric said with a frown.

    "It''s fine, there weren''t a lot of things going on at Lim Industries so I''m pretty rxed today." Ian said.

    Today was one of the days where Ian was working in his ownpany, most of the day to day work was run by his sisters and his future brothers-inw.

    "I need you to help Dave and Mae with this, you''re the ones with the proper connections and I want to run through our n again." Cedric said as he drummed his fingers on his desk.

    Cedric was very anxious for things to work perfectly, he knew that something would always go wrong with any n and there was no such thing as a perfectly executed n. Despite knowing this he wanted to be as close as possible to perfection with this matter.

    "I''ll give Dave and Mae a call, we should be there in the next thirty minutes." Ian promised Cedric.

    "If Nicole and Tristan want toe along, it''s fine." Cedric informed his friend. "Veronica and Dominic are on their way too, but Veronica will just most likely sleep." He said with augh.

    "I''ll tell Nicole, if Veronica is there she''ll definitely want to tag along. See you in a bit." Ian said as he dropped the call.

    As Cedric ended his conversation he heard a demanding knock at the door, only one person would dare act that way in his house.

    "Come in, Ayanna." Cedric called out, knowing that it was his sister that was at the other side of the door.

    "How did you know it was me?" Ayanna asked as she entered the room.

    "You are the only one that can be so demanding of me even in my own house." Cedric said as he took out hisptop and powered it on.

    "Will you tell me exactly what''s going on or will I have to annoy you to tell me?" She asked.

    "Didn''t Ray tell you?" Cedric asked his sister.

    "My husband will tell me what he thinks is safe." She said with a frown. "If he knows there is a chance of me wanting to help he will make things sound simpler, lessplicated, and less dangerous."

    "He is only looking out for you." Cedric reminded her.

    "I''m not a child that needs to be coddled." Ayanna argued back.

    "No, you are not, but you are pregnant. You need to be kept safe." Cedric said in as tender a tone as he could muster. He knew he couldn''t fight fire with fire when it came to his sister, she would always win if he did.

    "I''m three months pregnant, Cedric, three months!" Ayanna shouted. "I can still handle myself and I can help."

    Cedric sighed and shook his head, he hoped that Ray had told his sister everything, but he doubted that.

    Ray had the tendency to protect her, forgetting that she was quite capable on her own.

    "Julia is in Kashmere but there is a medical emergency. I had Miguel fly there with Ray and Jonathan." Cedric quickly told his sister.

    "Why didn''t you go with them?" Ayanna asked.

    "Your husband advised against it." Cedric told her. "And his reasoning made sense. I need to be here to start our n, I also realizedter on that I need to keep Lucius Ting distracted. If I go to Kashmere while Guan Ming is there, Lucius Ting will want to follow."

    "It''s a private ind owned by Ray, he can''t follow." Ayanna pointed out.

    "He can''t, but it won''t stop him from trying to get spies in there and trying to investigate what happened with Guan Ming''s mother." Cedric exined to his sister. "If I am here, his attention is divided."

    "I want to help." Ayanna told her brother in a stubborn tone.

    "I knew you were going to say that." Cedric said with augh as he pulled out a tablet from his drawer and handed it to his sister.

    "What''s this?" She asked.

    "I won''t lie, I honestly could use your help." He said with a shrug. "With so many ns running all at the same time there are jobs and tasks that I end up leaving ignored. I know they are important and could eventually be the reason why our n will fail."

    "You want me to make sure everything gets done?" Ayanna asked, surprised that her brother would give her a heavy task.

    "That''s on top of your work at the Reyes Group." He reminded her. "We can''t afford to gox, if we do Lucius Ting will take advantage of it."

    "I thought you would give me a useless task like watching over Yoyo." Ayanna said with a chuckle as she scrolled through the list on the tablet.

    "As much as I want to keep you safe and calm, you are my sister and I know you too well." Cedric told her. "I know that if I stop you from helping things will only be much more difficult because in that scenario I don''t just have to deal with Lucius Ting, but I will also need to deal with you."

    "It''s more difficult dealing with me than Lucius Ting." Ayanna pointed out.

    Cedricughed and shook his head, his sister was a challenge, that''s for sure.

    "This is what I need the most help with." Cedric said as he pointed at an item on the list.

    "The Chans?" Ayanna asked, confused as to what he meant.

    "Don''t worry, it''s not convincing the Chans." Cedric said as he shook his head. "We need to find out whose child Lucius Ting is."

    "I''ll probably need to work with Nicole on this." Ayanna said as she continued to look at the tablet.

    "Make sure to get Ian to say yes." Cedric warned.

    "Can''t you make him say yes?" Ayanna asked her brother.

    "I''ll tell him it''s light work, don''t worry." Cedric said with a nod. "She and Veronica should be here soon with their children."

    "Perfect, Yoyo hasn''t gone to bed yet, he will be more than happy to see that his friends areing over again." Ayanna said with a smile. "I''ll go get your son and have some food and drinks brought up.." She said as she left the room, leaving Cedric only with his thoughts.

 Chapter 862 - 862

    "Cedric." Ian greeted as he entered the office with Dave, Mae, and even Mien in tow.

    Cedric looked at Mien and raised his eyebrow at Mae.

    "What? He wanted to help." She said with a shrug as she found a spot in the room to set up her things.

    "Mr. Cedric, my sister and I owe you way too much." Mien said as he sat down next to Mae. "I wanted to help in any way possible."

    "Well, I guess Ayanna could use another set of eyes and ears." Cedric said as his sister entered the room with Nicole and Veronica right behind her.

    "Nicole, what are you doing here?" Ian asked as he saw his pregnant girlfriend enter the room. "I said you coulde to hangout but not to work."

    "Cedric let Ayanna help." Nicole grumbled.

    "Her pregnancy isn''t as dangerous as yours." Ian said with a sigh as he tried not to raise his voice at Nicole. Thest thing he wanted was for them to fight in front of everyone else.

    "Ian has a point, Nicole." Ayanna said as she ced a hand on her friend''s shoulder.

    "I''m a doctor, I know my limits." Nicole argued.

    "Maybe Nicole can help with some light work?" Veronica suggested as she joined the conversation. "I mean Ayanna can''t do the task that Cedric gave her without Nicole."

    Ian frowned and turned to look at Cedric, asking his friend for help. He didn''t want Nicole to get mad, but at the same time he didn''t want her to overwork herself.

    She was already quite busy running Saints Hospital, helping with the n against Lucius Ting would only make things more difficult and dangerous for her.

    "Ian, I''m sorry." Cedric said with a frown, he already knew that his friend would not be happy with what he had to say. "I think the girls are right, we need Nicole to help and I know you just want to keep her and the baby safe, but we need her right now."

    Ian frowned, he had somewhat already expected this answer from Cedric. He knew that there was nothing he could say or do to change things.

    "Fine, but please keep work to a minimum." Ian finally agreed to what they wanted.

    "Mien will be there to help them and in addition to Nicole''s bodyguards I''ll have more people watch over them." Cedric said with a nod as he tried to calm his friend''s worry.

    "Why would they need more guards? Are they going somewhere?" Ian asked, confused with what Cedric had just said.

    "There is a chance that they will need to go to the Chan family. Not everything is avable online or can be done over the phone." Cedric exined to Ian.

    "I thought this was all desk work?" Ian asked as he raised his voice at Cedric.

    Mae, Dave, and Mien all slightly shrunk back, very few people would dare raise their voice at Cedric and they didn''t expect Ian to be one of them.

    Although the two were good friends, Cedric had still been Ian''s boss for a long time and Ian owed a lot to the Reyes Family.

    To the surprise of the assistants Cedric simply got up and patted his friend on the back. This was thest reaction they would have expected from Cedric.

    "You are about to let your temper get the better of you again." Cedric reminded Ian. He knew about his friend''s struggle.

    "Can I speak to you?" Ian asked. "Alone." He added as he refused to look at the other people with them in the room.

    "Sorry guys, but I think we need to settle this with just the two of us." Cedric said as he gave Nicole an apologetic look.

    "I should be allowed to stay, I''m the mother of your children." Nicole said stubbornly.

    "You''re the reason he wants everyone to leave." Cedric said as he spoke for his friend who was about to snap.

    "Please Nicole." Ian begged.

    "He will lose his temper and he doesn''t want anyone to be in harm''s way." Cedric said with a frown.

    "What about you?" Dave asked Cedric.

    "Trust me, I''ve known Ian long enough to know how to handle him when he gets like this." Cedric said as he spotted Ayanna trying to get Nicole out of the room.

    "Don''t worry, I won''t beat him up." Ian said with augh.

    "I doubt you can beat him up, Cedric." Nicole said as she rolled her eyes and finally gave into Cedric and Ian''s request, leaving the room.

    Everyone else soon followed suit and the two men were alone in Cedric''s office.

    "You know full well how dangerous going anywhere close to the Chan family is for Nicole!" Ian shouted.

    "It''s for her family, Ian." Cedric said as he remained calm, unwilling to raise his voice at his friend.

    "We are walking into that fucking bastard''s trap if you let my wife go and investigate this!" Ian said, still angry at Cedric for putting Nicole in a dangerous position.

    "There is no other option." Cedric reasoned.

    "She has a fucking older borther! She has Eric and Miguel, fucking send them!" Ian shouted. "Do you think Eric will let you risk his little sister and his nephew?"

    "Of course he won''t, but Eric won''t get the answers that we need." Cedric exined. "To them Eric is still a threat, he is the rightful head of the Chan family and they will keep any plots and secrets they can use against him."

    "And what of my very pregnant wife?!" Ian questioned. "To them she is the biggest threat, she is the one running the fuckingpany!"

    "It''s like you don''t know the Chan family, Ian." Cedric said with augh.

    "What do you mean?" Ian asked as he slightly calmed down.

    "Nicole is a woman, in that misogynistic family they will ignore her, they don''t even think she''s a threat." Cedric said with a grin. "Many of them think it''s either you controlling her or her brothers. They will tell her things just because they think she is weak and could easily be manipted."

    "I''m not sure. . ." Ian said as he considered what Cedric had just told him.

    "Ian, Nicole is like a little sister to me, know that I would never put her in harm''s way." Cedric said as Ian slowly nodded, giving in to his friend''s n.

    Ian might not like it, but he knew that arguing with everyone else at this point would do him no good.

 Chapter 863 - 863

    "Do you have any idea where we should start?" Nicole asked Ayanna as they waited in the living room for Cedric and Ian to call them back.

    "And what makes you think that my brother will win against your husband?" Ayanna questioned her friend as sheughed at how silly their current situation was.

    "Not my husband, fiance at most." Nicole said as she corrected Ayanna. "And I know Ced will be able to convince him because Cedric is rational, while Ian is being over protective." She said as she crossed her arms on her chest.

    "You do know that my brother just sent his very pregnant wife off to bed while all of this is going on." Ayanna exined with a raised eyebrow. "He sees you like a little sister and will be extra protective of you."

    "Plus we all know that you and Ian are practically married, just do the ceremony already." Veronica added as she rolled her eyes at her friend.

    "You can''t get that information out of the Chan family without my help." Nicole reasoned.

    "Eric, Miguel." Veronica pointed out.

    "Nope, we won''t get anything out of the Chan family if we use them. Nicole really is our best option." Ayanna said with a frown.

    "I''m more worried about Ian." Mien said as he sat close by.

    "Are you worried that Cedric would harm one of the only people that stood by him during his poverty training?" Ayanna asked as she understood Mien''s concern.

    "Yes." Mien replied.

    "Mien, there are very few people that Cedric will tolerate no matter what." Nicole said with a sigh. "Ian is one of them. Those two men have been through some of the worst situations together and they''ve always had each other''s backs."

    "Trust me, if those two weren''t this close, Ian would have been dead in a ditch somewhere the moment Nicole found out she was pregnant." Ayanna said as thought of the situation.

    If anyone else had won Nicole''s heart, she was sure that all the boys would have made it a living hell for that person.

    As it stood, Adolfo avoided interacting with them since he was an outsider that was currently with Natalia. They rarely saw the young man which made Ayanna sad.

    "We''ve settled it." Ian said as he waved for them toe back in. He didn''t seem happy with whichever decision he and Cedric hade to.

    When they entered the office Cedric was on the phone with someone.

    "Are you safe?" Cedric asked.

    "Who is that?" Ayanna asked Ian.

    "Cami, she just got back from dinner and drinks with Lucius and Guan Ming." Ian told her as she sat back down.

    "Good, good, I suggest you see him less often, I don''t want you to be caught in the crossfire Cami." Cedric ordered.

    "She''s not gonna listen." Ian mumbled as he took a seat next to Nicole and hugged her tight.

    "How are you feeling?" He asked Nicole.

    "I would feel better if you stopped acting like I was made of ss, I won''t break that easily, you know." She said as she rolled her eyes at him.

    As much as Nicole was annoyed by Ian being so overprotective of her, she couldn''t deny that it also made her happy at the same time. It proved how much he loved her and that was something she enjoyed.

    "I will never let any harme to you or our children." Ian said as he held her tight.

    "I know that, and I will do my best to stay safe all the time, but threats like these cannot stop us from living our lives." Nicole told him. "We cannot live in fear Ian, you know that."

    "I do." He mumbled as he nodded.

    "Cami, don''t be so stubborn." Cedric said, clearly frustrated by his conversation with his other assistant.

    "She won''t give in, just make sure she can handle Lucius Ting and has a way out." Ian told Cedric.

    "Yes, that''s what Ian said too." Cedric told Cami over the phone. "Fine, but I want you and Benedict to let me take a look at your exit n, and if things get bad I want you out."

    Cedric was silent for a while as Cami spoke.

    "I mean it Cami. I don''t want you getting in danger because of this, your life is more important." Cedric said in amanding tone.

    Again he waited for Cami to respond, it seemed that she was being difficult.

    "Cami Montero, if you dare disobey me I will drag you back to my home and make sure Guan Ming takes you where he thinks you are safe. Trust me, Guan Ming will be more exaggerated with your safety." Cedric threatened.

    It seemed that Cami eventually gave into what Cedric asked, because he had visibly rxed.

    "Take the night off, maybe take the week off, I would prefer that." Cedric said with a chuckle.

    "You know she''ll see right through your plot, right?" Ian asked Cedric as heughed at how silly his friend was acting.

    "I know, she isn''t stupid." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes at Ian.

    "When this is done we should all sit down for a proper public meal." Ian suggested. "All this pretending to be mad at each other is tiring."

    "When have you guys ever sat down for a public meal?" Ayanna asked Ian. "You guys love staying in private rooms and out of the public eye. That''s exactly why people think you boys are doing crazy things there."

    "Well, it''s not like there aren''t any simr rumors about us." Veronica told Ayanna.

    "At least there are much less since we are actually seen eating." Nicole said as sheughed at all the rumors.

    "Well, that''s settled." Cedric told them as he ced his phone down on his table.

    "So have you two decided?" Nicole asked Ian and Cedric.

    "You guys won, Cedric is right, you are our only chance of getting the information we need." Ian said in surrender.

    "Good, and just for the record, even if you had said no, I would have done whatever I wanted." Nicole said as she got up and walked out of the room.

    "Mien, keep thempany and if anything dangerouses up, tell me." Cedric ordered before he let the youngwyer leave.

    Mien simply nodded as he followed the girls out of the room towards Ayanna''s office.

 Chapter 864 - 864

    Cedric quickly discussed the ns with his assistants and Ian before sending them off to do their parts of the n.

    He knew that they needed to act fast and they needed for all of their actions to be timed precisely.

    Cedric hade up with a n that would make Lucius Ting fall into his hands so that Cedric could quickly get rid of the businessman.

    He had also arranged for the Esteves family to send him help as well as to prepare to receive Lucius Ting once Cedric and his people were done with him.

    What concerned Cedric was Guan Ming. The Chinese businessman had expressed his intentions to make Lucius Ting pay for being in a rtionship with Cami.

    A part of Cedric felt that it was too much to go after Lucius Ting for a decision that Cami made on her own, but another part wanted to see Lucius Ting suffer.

    While everyone began on their tasks, Cedric decided to check up on Guan Ming and his friends to see if things were at least going well on their end.

    He knew that Miguel and Ray would have justnded on Kashmere, so he decided to call Guan Ming first.

    "Cedric." Guan Ming said in a much more rxed tone when he picked the call up this time.

    "Ming, I hope you are back in a ce where it is safe to talk." Cedric told Guan Ming.

    "I''m back in my room and I''m sure that the whole ce has been secure while I was out." Guan Ming confirmed. "You were speaking in riddles, I mean I think I understood what you were trying to tell me. I just want to make sure I didn''t misinterpret."

    "Well, I''m not sure if I have time to exin. Do you have someone packing you some bags and getting you a ride to the airport?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "Yes, I do, so can you please exin to me what is going on?" Guan Ming asked. "Was there aplication with Julia''s rescue? Did the Esteves family harm her?"

    "No, it was a good hand over, but to be honest I don''t have all the details." Cedric said as he shook his head in frustration. "Miguel and Ray have already flown over to Kashmere to check on her."

    "I''m guessing you used my mother as a decoy for having the great Dr. Miguel Chan fly over to Kashmere in such a rush." Guan Ming guessed.

    "Miguel doesn''t need an excuse to fly over there, but with your ne having been spottednding before he left the capital, people will suspect." Cedric said with a sigh. "I would rather create our own false answer than have people specte."

    "I agree, and those spections may lead to Lucius Ting investigating the matter." Guan Ming said.

    "I think you should give Lucius Ting a call and tell him that your mother had a medical emergency on her flight back from Spain to Kashmere, that way he won''t try to investigate." Cedric suggested.

    "I''ll give him a call right before I get on the ne." Guan Ming said before hesitating to continue his statement.

    "You don''t need to tell Cami, I already informed her and we got into an even bigger fight." Cedric said with a sigh as he recalled his call with Cami.

    "Let me guess, she doesn''t want to be kept safe." Guan Ming said with augh. "I love that stubborn woman so much."

    "They are so headstrong, I guess that''s why we fell in love with them." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "I''m guessing she''s not the only one you got into a fight with today?" Guan Ming asked.

    "My wife, my sister, and Ian''s wife." Cedric told Guan Ming as heughed at his situation. "They all want to help, they are all capable of helping, but I can''t bear to see any of them in danger."

    "That''s the problem with loving strong women, everything you love about them will also cause you to worry about them." Guan Ming told Cedric.

    "Sir." Someone said on Guan Ming''s end of the line.

    Cedric heard some Mandarin being spoken, but he didn''t understand the conversation. He knew his friend would tell him if it were something important.

    "Out!" Cedric heard Guan Mingmand.

    After a while, Guan Ming spoke over the phone again.

    "We may have a problem." Guan Ming told Cedric in a frustrated tone.

    "You seem mad." Cedric pointed out.

    "News travels fast in small social circles, especially when there are photos." Guan Ming said with a sigh. "It makes it worse when another businessman''s wife is the one that witnesses it."

    "Someone spotted your ne in Spain?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "Not just the ne, the ne, my mom, and Julia." Guan Ming told Cedric.

    "Fuck." Cedric cursed over the phone.

    "Don''t worry, it won''t affect your ns, it might just hurt mine." Guan Ming told Cedric.

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked, confused as to what his friend meant. "If Julia was spotted then we are both exposed."

    "We aren''t, all they saw was a Chinese woman getting on my ne with my mom. There are no photos of her face, just her back." Guan Ming told Cedric. "I need to tell Cami."

    "I''ll tell her. She''ll understand." Cedric said as he tried his best to help his friend.

    "I would prefer to be the one to say it, but since you are mostly to me for this I will let you do it." Guan Ming said with a poisonousugh over the phone, which somewhat worried Cedric.

    "What are their spections?" Cedric asked, he knew that others would already be trying to guess Julia''s importance and identity.

    "Just the usual, most think she is some girl my mom wants me to marry and is arranging a secret weekend get away." Guan Ming said as he seemed amused by the spections. "I mean, the fact that Kashmere is closed for at least a week makes them suspicious."

    "I couldn''t have people seeing Julia." Cedric grumbled.

    "My dad should be calling soon, if I keep the line busy he''ll be pissed. I might as well make him think mom is sick so that Lucius Ting would believe me. I''ll talk to you when I''m in Kashmere.." Guan Ming said as he dropped the call.

 Chapter 865 - 865

    "Sir, we''re ready for tomorrow." Mae said as she entered Cedric''s office to give him an update.

    Cedric nced at the clock and noticed that it was already two in the morning. He suddenly began to worry about his friends that should have already arrived at Kashmere, and about the girls who shouldn''t be overworking themselves.

    "Thanks, Mae." Cedric said with a nod. "Tell Ian and Dave to go home, we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow. I''ll see you all in the office."

    "Sir, Dave, Mien, and I were wondering if we could spend the night here?" Mae asked.

    "Of course." Cedric said with a smile, he was d that his assistants chose to stay. He always worried whenever they left the office or his homete and constantly had the maids keep rooms ready for them.

    "We n to give you an update first thing in the morning, so it would be quite counterproductive for us to go home." Mae told Cedric.

    "Would you and Dave want to share a room this time?" Cedric asked as he recalled that the two assistants practically lived together at this point.

    "We''ll sleep in separate rooms." Mae said with a smile. "I don''t feelfortable sleeping in the same room as Dave under your roof with my older brother in the next room. It just feels wrong." She told him with an awkwardugh.

    Cedric simply nodded and smiled.

    "Same rooms, and join us for breakfast." Cedric told Mae before finally getting up and walking out of the office with her.

    He needed to make sure that the women had all left Ayanna''s office and were not overworking themselves.

    Sadly, he was right.

    When he entered Ayanna''s office, she found all three women and Mien with a lot of documents all over the room.

    "Your husbands would kill me if they knew all of you were still up." Cedric scolded.

    "Have you heard from them by any chance?" Veronica asked Cedric as she shot him an icy re.

    "Chill, no, rx Veronica, I''m not the one you are pissed at." Cedric said as heughed at his friend. "I''ll give them a call to check if they''vended. I''m sure they are just waiting to know more before calling us."

    "How hard is it to send a text?" Ayanna grumbled. "All they have to say is, hey darling, we''vended, that''s it. That''s all we are asking for."

    "I''ll handle this." Cedric told the women. "For now, can you please call for a maid to help you put things away. All three of you should be resting."

    "I''ll go do it." Mien said as he quickly got up, not wanting to be in the middle of whatever argument Cedric and the three women might get into.

    "Mien, no." Ayanna said as she stopped the youngwyer.

    "What is it now?" Cedric asked with a frown.

    "I have trust issues." Ayanna told her brother.

    "We both know that my people can be trusted, Ayanna." Cedric said as he red at her. "I would never let someone that could be bought or bribed near my family."

    "We both know that everyone has a price, Cedric." Ayanna reasoned out. "I don''t want anyone else touching these documents, so we''ll pack them up and hide them."

    "Fine." Cedric said in surrender, not wanting to argue with his younger sister. "Clean everything up while I call your husbands."

    Cedric walked out of the office and mmed the door behind him, annoyed with his sister and their friends.

    He took a few deep breaths before going up to his and Adrianna''s floor.

    He was extra quiet since the three little boys were fast asleep in Yoyo''s bedroom. He knew that if one of them woke up, the other two would follow suit.

    On this floor he had another office, one that less people had seen and he often only worked on personal matters here. It resembled a library more than an office, the walls were all practically bookshelves that reached his roof.

    There was also a spiral staircase that led to a rooftop veranda where he liked to read or simply be alone.

    He loved the people around him, but sometimes it was too much and he enjoyed some quiet down time.

    It was on the veranda that he decided to call his friends, he didn''t want anyone to see his reaction if there was bad news.

    As he opened the door, a cold breeze brushed his cheek making him shiver a little.

    Cedric made sure to close the door behind him before looking out to the view below.

    From this spot he could see the vast expanse of his property and beyond.

    Mountain View was called Mountain View for a reason, it was because it was built on the side of a Mountain in the outskirts of the city. From there it had a beautiful view of the capital at night.

    He took a deep break and brought out his phone, quickly searching for his brother-inw''s number.

    When he finally found it, he quickly called Ray.

    The phone rang, making Cedric let out a sigh of relief, it meant that they had alreadynded. He just hoped that they had been there long enough to tell him what the situation was.

    "Cedric, I was just about to call." Ray said as he answered the phone.

    "It''s fine, did you justnd?" Cedric asked in a calm tone. Right now, Cedric''s priority was everyone''s safety. The n could wait till tomorrow.

    "We''ve been here for about twenty minutes, why?" Ray asked, clueless to the fact that he and Miguel had messed up badly.

    "Veronica and Ayanna are not happy." Cedric told his brother-inw with a sad expression.

    "They are still up? It''s already two in the morning, they should both be in bed." Ray said as his worry seeped through the call.

    "They were waiting for their husbands to tell them that they had safely arrived in Kashmere." Cedric told Ray. "With how things are now, I can''t me them for being worried."

    "I''ll give Ayanna a call after this, Miguel can''t call Veronica, but I''ll tell her wended safely." Ray told Cedric.

    "How is Julia?" Cedric asked as he remembered the reason why Ray and Miguel flew out to Kashmere.

    "Cedric, it seems serious." Ray said in a grim tone.. "Miguel couldn''t give me details yet, but he isn''t exactly sure what is wrong with her, just that she''s in danger."

 Chapter 866 - 866

    Cedric was stunned with what Ray had told him. He didn''t know how to react, he was hoping that Julia''s medical emergency would just be a light one like a stomach ache or that she sprained her ankle.

    "What do we know?" Cedric asked Ray in the hopes that he could get more information.

    "Miguel suspects that it''s either poison or a medical condition." Ray told Cedric.

    "Did the pilot or Ming''s mom tell you guys exactly what happened?" Cedric interrogated.

    "Yeah. They said that when they left Spain, Julia was fine." Ray said as he recounted the story that both Guan Ming''s mom and the Pilot had told them. "As a matter of fact she was quite surprised to find out that the ne she was on was Guan Ming''s."

    "So what happened, did she feel some sort of pain or pass out?" Cedric asked.

    "I was getting to that." Ray told Cedric. "ording to them, Julia suddenly just passed out, no pain, no anything. As a matter of fact it happened the moment she stood up to get out of the ne, that''s why they didn''t even consider taking her to the capital."

    "Did Miguel tell you when he will know more?" Cedric asked.

    "He is running some tests now, based on his estimates we should get all the results by tomorrow. He didn''t want to rush anything." Ray informed Cedric.

    "Alright. Thank you for this." Cedric told his brother-inw.

    "It''s for everyone." Ray said nonchntly.

    "How is Jonathan taking this by the way?" Cedric asked as he remembered Julia''s brother.

    "He is taking it better than I would." Ray said in a sad voice. "I know I don''t have a sister, but if any of the girls were hurt like that, I would be tearing the hospital apart."

    "Well, the kid is a lot more passive than we are." Cedric told Ray. "I''m just worried he''ll break down or something. Do you mind keeping an eye on him for me?" He asked.

    "Already on it." Ray told Cedric. "Both he and Guan Ming''s mom will be staying at my Vi. Miguel prefers to stay in his since it already has everything he needs. He also asked for some of his team to fly in after us so they should arrive soon."

    "That''s good to hear." Cedric said with a nod. "Guan Ming should arrive soon. We want people to think that it''s his mom that had a medical emergency."

    "The timing of things." Ray said in a sad tone. "I thought things would go ording to n this time."

    "We both know that something always goes wrong." Cedric said with augh. "It''s a hard and sad truth that we need to ept. Our ns will always get messed up somehow, that''s why we n with contingencies."

    "Do you have the back-up running?" Ray asked.

    "Yeah, all the assistants are here and the girls are helping me out with something." Cedric told Ray.

    "You let your sister help, didn''t you?" Ray asked Cedric.

    "Yes." Cedric said in a decisive tone.

    "Did you at least attempt to stop her from helping?" Ray asked. "She''s pregnant, she should be resting."

    "My sister is capable of taking care of herself, Ray. If I stopped her it would have caused an even bigger fight, something I would rather avoid." Cedric informed his friend.

    "You really could never refuse your sister." Ray teased.

    "I owe her for all the years I wasn''t in her life." Cedric said in a much more serious tone that earlier.

    "She doesn''t me you, Ced. None of us do." Ray told his friend as he tried tofort Cedric. "If you didn''t undergo your poverty training you wouldn''t be the man you are now. Plus you brought her back another best friend."

    "I swear my biggest worry was that she would hate Adrianna." Cedric said with augh. "Now I don''t know if I want them to love each other or hate each other. They could both drive me crazy if they wanted to."

    "You''re happy with the way things turned out." Ray told him, knowing that Cedric got exactly what he wanted.

    "Yeah, I am." Cedric said as he nodded and looked out at the view of the city.

    There was an awkward silence as Cedric took a deep breath and thought of how much things had changed in four years. But that was life, ever changing and unpredictable.

    "You should get some rest." Ray told Cedric. "I''m sure a lot will happen tomorrow."

    "Thanks." Cedric told his friend.

    "Don''t worry I''ll give my wife a call and tell Miguel to do the same." Ray said as heughed, knowing that Cedric would remind him. "I hope you told her to go to bed as well."

    "I did, she said she was waiting for an update from you." Cedric informed Ray. "But they were already packing up when I left. I''ll just drop by and tell them what happened, I''m sure she''s tired too."

    "Yeah, and she still had to go to a series of meetings today." Ray told Cedric, clearly saddened by the fact that his wife was still as busy as she was before her pregnancy.

    "I''ll tell the girls, update me if there is news tomorrow. Bye." Cedric said as he dropped the call.

    He gave the city below onest longing look before finally turning around and heading back to his sister''s office.

    When he returned, he found the room tidy once more without a file in sight.

    Ayanna, Nicole, and Veronica were happily chatting and Mien was nowhere in sight.

    "We told Mien to go ahead." Ayanna exined to her older brother.

    "The boys got to Kashmere safely but since it was an emergency they couldn''t call. When I called Ray he said he was about to update you Ayanna. He should call in a bit." Cedric told the girls.

    "And Julia?" Veronica asked.

    "I thought you didn''t like her?" Nicole said as she gave Veronica a confused look.

    "I might not like her but she is innocent in all of this." Veronica told her friend.

    "She''s still unconscious and we don''t know anything yet. I''ll tell you guys as soon as I know more. Go to bed." Cedric told them as he turned and left the room.

    He knew the girls would leave as soon as their husbands called. Nicole on the other hand would be staying over and was just keeping her friendspany.

    Cedric dragged himself up back to the third floor and was surprised to find Dominic in the hallway with Adrianna.

 Chapter 867 - 867

    "Is something wrong Dominic? Do you want me to call your mom?" Cedric asked as he approached the little boy and his wife in the hallway.

    "No, I don''t want to bother mom." Dominic said as he shook his head.

    Cedric wordlessly nodded as he couldn''t help but wonder if Tristan and Yoyo had woken up as well when Dominic went out of Yoyo''s room.

    "They are still asleep, Uncle Cedric." It was as if Dominic had read Cedric''s mind, which astounded the businessman.

    "What''s wrong?" Cedric asked as he knelt down and patted the child on his head.

    "I''m worried." Dominic told Cedric, making him look at Adrianna.

    "Why don''t we go down and have some hot chocte and you can tell us what''s wrong?" Cedric asked the little boy as he stood up and offered his hand.

    "I''ll tell Veronica that we''ll be in the kitchen, I''m sure she''ll want to join us." Adrianna told her husband.

    "I don''t want my mom to be worried." Dominic said with a frown as he pulled on Cedric''s arm.

    "She will be more worried if we don''t tell her, Dominic." Cedric told the child. "You know that your mom wants to be there for you."

    Dominic frowned.

    "I wanted to ask about something that might hurt my mom." Dominic said as Cedric could see that he was visibly nervous.

    "I''ll just ask a maid to bring up some hot chocte while you talk to your Uncle Cedric." Adrianna told Dominic.

    The little boy smiled and looked up at Adrianna, showing that he was happy with that option.

    "I''ll take him to my study, we''ll be on the roof." Cedric said with a smile.

    "There should be nkets there, I''ll bring them up." Adrianna said.

    "No need, Adri." Cedric told her as he stopped her from overworking herself. "Dominic and I can do it. Juste follow when you are ready." He gave her a smile before guiding the little boy towards the veranda.

    When Dominic saw the beautiful rooftop view he was in awe.

    "That''s our house!" Dominic pointed out as he spotted Miguel''s and Veronica''s home down the road.

    "Yup." Cedric said as he nodded. Yoyo searched for the same things when he was with his father on the rooftop veranda. He looked for the homes of his friends, his grandparents, and R Tower.

    "Sir." A maid greeted as she and Adrianna joined Cedric and Dominic on the roof top.

    "You can put it on the coffee table, thank you." Cedric said. "We''ll call if we need anything else." He said as he dismissed the maid for the night.

    "Do you want to tell us what''s bothering you now, Dominic?" Cedric asked as he let the little child sit down on the couch between him and his wife.

    "Where did my dad and Uncle Jonathan go?" Dominic asked in his cute little voice. "Is there something wrong? Did they both want to leave me?"

    "Oh Dominic." Adrianna cried out as she hugged the little boy tight.

    They hadn''t considered that Dominic would think that he was being abandoned again. No matter how smart he was, this was still a child that had been left by everyone who should have loved and cared for him.

    He was still vulnerable and easily hurt and they forgot that.

    "Dominic, your dad and Uncle Jonathan had to deal with a small problem with Uncle Ray." Cedric tried his best to exin in the hopes that the little boy wouldn''t somehow figure out that it had something to do with his mother.

    "When will they be back?" Dominic asked. "Will dad take me back when he arrives?"

    "Of course your dad will take you back. You are only here so that I can protect you and your mom." Cedric said as he patted the child on his head. "Your dad and Uncles will be gone for a few days, don''t worry, they will be back soon."

    Dominic wrapped his arms tightly around Cedric and began to cry.

    "I don''t want to be left again, I love my daddy and mommy, I don''t want them to give me up." Dominic cried out.

    "They won''t." Cedric said as he tried his best tofort Dominic. "Your mom and dad love you. You are their world, they would never leave you or give you away."

    The little boy said nothing as he continued to cry in Cedric''s arms.

    Cedric gently patted his back, letting him release all the bottled emotions. He was a strong child, but even the strongest adults break sometimes, how much more a little one like Dominic?

    As he held Dominic, Cedric couldn''t help but feel bad. Here was a child whose parents had given him up, he had suffered at the hands of that school which Cedric had now shut down.

    After a while, Dominic finally stopped crying and calmed down.

    Adrianna checked him and wiped the tears from his face, making sure that the child was alright.

    "We should all go to bed." Cedric said as he got up and offered his hands to Adrianna and Dominic.

    Adrianna took Cedric''s hand and got up, while Dominic remained seated as he looked at his feet.

    "What''s wrong Dominic?" Cedric asked.

    "I don''t think I want to meet my real parents anymore." Dominic said slowly.

    "Dominic, you should think long and hard about that." Adrianna told the little boy. "Sleep on it, you''re tired." She said.

    Dominic looked up at her and nodded, before finally jumping out of the chair and joining Cedric and Adrianna.

    The couple brought the little boy back to Yoyo''s room, where Yoyo and Tristan were fast asleep.

    "Good night Uncle Cedric and Auntie Adrianna, thank you." Dominic said as he gave them a hug before climbing into his bed.

    Cedric and Adrianna closed the door behind them before finally making their way back to their own room.

    "You should rest." Cedric told his wife as he picked her up.

    "Cedric!" Adrianna scolded as she was taken by surprise by Cedric''s actions.

    Cedric lowered his head and nted a kiss on her lips, savoring the feeling.

    "I miss this, I miss the simpler life." Cedric said with a sigh as he kicked the door to their bedroom open.

    "We are together and we are happy, and we have two new little ones on the way." Adrianna said as she gave Cedric a hug and pecked him on the lips.

    "How is Julia?" She finally asked, breaking the moment.

    "I don''t know yet." Cedric told her, saddened that he couldn''t tell his wife more.

    "I know you and the boys will try your best, we should just get some rest.." Adrianna told Cedric as he nodded and made his way to the bathroom before retiring for the night.

 Chapter 868 - 868

    Cedric woke up earlier than usual the next day, he knew that there were a lot of matters that still needed to be resolved and that their n would start to be in ce.

    "Cedric, good morning." Ian greeted as he bumped into Cedric outside of the dining room.

    "Good morning, have you guys eaten already?" Cedric asked as he noticed Mae and Dave walking behind Ian.

    "Yeah." Ian said with a nod. "We had to finish some stuff up early in the morning before the n could start."

    "Is everything done?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." It was Mae that responded this time.

    "Good, I want you all to go get some rest. You can deal with thingster." Cedric ordered them.

    "With all due respect, sir." Dave said as he spoke up. "We still have a lot of work to do both for the Reyes Group and for this n."

    "I don''t want you guys pushing yourselves too far, you all need to rest." Cedric said with a frown before turning to look at Ian.

    "How bad is their workload?" Cedric asked.

    "Well, between the ns and the rate that the Reyes Group has been going, I doubt they will be able to catch up with what needs to be done within the day." Ian confessed making Mae and Dave frown.

    "Give me what work I can do on my own without an assistant." Cedric ordered.

    Mae and Dave both hesitated, unsure if what Cedric was telling them was a trick or not.

    "I''m serious." Cedric said, clearly annoyed that they refused to give him more work.

    "I think you two are forgetting that Cedric was an assistant before he became the CEO." Ian said with augh as he looked at the two younger employees.

    "I''ll get Marco to help too, I know he has been itching toe back for over a year now." Cedric told Ian.

    "Yeah, the old man bugs me all the time." Ian grumbled.

    "We both know he isn''t that old." Cedric said as heughed at his friend and former assistant.

    "I''ll try to help with what I can, I''ll also help Mae and Dave go through all the tasks and see which ones you won''t need either of them at." Ian told Cedric.

    "It should be fine for most meetings, those with higher level employees only I want to host them here." Cedric told Ian.

    "That''s a good n." Ian said with a nod. "I''ll tell a maid to prepare the conference room."

    "No need, I''ll do it." Cedric told Ian. "I want you to rest. I''m not some rich kid that never experienced the world."

    "We know." Ian said with augh. "We''ll go through the work that needs to be done."

    "Don''t touch the schedule, I can reorganize it myself. I know that will take most of your time." Cedric warned Ian.

    "It''s annoying how you used to be one of us and now we can''t even lie about what''s easy to do and what''s not." Ian grumbled.

    "Call for a maid to send the documents to my office." Cedric called out as Ian, Mae, and Dave headed back to their rooms.

    Cedric couldn''t help but feel excited.

    It had been a while since hest did some of the trivial work. It used to be extremely tiring and irritating, but when he became CEO he couldn''t help but miss the simpler life.

    He was d that the had thought of taking on some of the assistants'' workload, he couldn''t help but wonder if he could take on that work permanently. He didn''t like being the type of boss that just gave out orders.

    After several years he grew tired of people doing everything for him and he missed doing things himself.

    When he finally made it to the dining room, he was greeted by his younger sister who was happily chatting with Veronica and Nicole.

    "I heard you send my husband to bed." Nicole said with a grin.

    "You three girls should still be in bed too." Cedric told them with a frown. Two of the three women were pregnant, they should have been resting more.

    "Don''t worry about us too much, Cedric." Ayanna told her brother. "We are fully aware of what our bodies can handle."

    "Also we need to get a head start, we''re having lunch with Grandpa Chan." Veronica told Cedric.

    "Your husbands will kill me if they knew I was letting you out of the house." Cedric said with a chuckle as a maid ced his breakfast in front of him.

    Cedric thanked the woman before proceeding to eat his meal.

    "Are the kids up yet?" Nicole asked.

    "No, when I left the third floor all three of them were still fast asleep." Cedric told her.

    Nicole frowned upon hearing the news.

    "Why?" Cedric asked as he took a bite out of his breakfast.

    "I miss my son." Nicole said with a pout.

    "They should be up soon, don''t worry. Yoyo doesn''t really like to sleep in." Cedric said as he continued to eat his food.

    "I hope they slept well." Veronica said with a frown. "Although, Dominic seems to always sleep well when wee here."

    "Maybe it''s because he knows he is with friends?" Nicole asked her sister-inw.

    "Any update from Ray or Miguel?" Ayanna asked her older brother.

    Cedric stopped and shook his head as he swallowed his breakfast.

    "I almost forgot to give them a call." Cedric said as he looked at the clock. It was six in the morning, he knew that they probably didn''t sleep much either, especially Miguel who probably didn''t sleep at all.

    "Promise me the three of you will at least get some shut eyeter." Cedric said as he looked at the three women.

    "Yes, yes, we aren''t children, but fine, we''ll take naps." Ayanna told her older brother in order to calm him down.

    "Good, let me give Miguel a call for an update.." Cedric said as he dialed the doctor''s number.

 Chapter 869 - 869

    "Miguel." Cedric greeted as his friend picked up the call.

    "Cedric, I knew you would call early." Miguel said in an amused tone. "You''re waiting for an update, sadly I can''t give you one." He said in a sad tone.

    "It''s fine, how is she?" Cedric asked.

    "If she wasn''t in this hospital I would be worried, but at the moment she''s fine." Miguel said with a grim tone.

    "That bad?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s more of I don''t know what''s wrong with her." Miguel said to Cedric.

    "Thank you for doing this, Miguel." Cedric said with a smile as he continued to eat his breakfast.

    "She''s Dominic''s mom." Miguel told Cedric. "Even if she gave him up he brought my son into the world and I can never repay her for that."

    "The little boy was actually worried you had abandoned himst night." Cedric said with a frown as he recalled how worried Dominic had been.

    "What?" Veronica asked as she was eavesdropping on Cedric''s and Miguel''s conversation.

    "Why is she up already?" Miguel asked over the phone as he heard his wife''s voice. "She never gets up this early. Cedric, what have you let her do?"

    "Well. . ." Cedric didn''t know what to tell his friend. He knew that one of them would be furious if he said anything.

    "Cedric Reyes, don''t you dare." Veronica threatened.

    "He''ll find out either way and he can''t do anything about it if he is on Kashmere." Cedric reasoned.

    "Cedric, what the hell are you talking about with my wife about?" Miguel demanded to know.

    "She and Nicole are helping Ayanna with work." Cedric quickly said. "Ayanna will also be apanying them to visit your grandfatherter. He asked for Nicole to visit."

    "Oh, alright. Tell her not to overwork herself." Miguel said in a genuinely concerned tone.

    "I''ll pass on the message, bye." Cedric quickly dropped the call, not waiting for his friend to respond.

    "So you took our side." Veronica said with a victorious grin.

    "I''m so dead when they get back." Cedric told her as he shook his head in defeat.

    "You''ll be fine, don''t worry." Veronica said. "Miguel can''t be mad at you for too long, you gave us our son."

    Cedric gave a weak smile as he shook his head and continued to eat.

    When they were done with their breakfast, the girls left so that Ayanna could get work done so they could meet up with Grandpa Chan.

    Cedric quickly finished his breakfast and made his way to his office where Ian had asked a maid to bring down the documents and tasks he needed.

    He went through the schedule first before realizing that he actually had a full day of meetings and that the first one was set to start at 8am.

    ncing at the clock in his office he had about an hour to get everything thing ready and to inform the participants of his meeting.

    It was one with all of the VPs of the Reyes Group so it was one he couldn''t just cancel.

    He quickly called a maid to his office and asked her to set up the rarely used conference room as well as to prepare beverages for his guests.

    Cedric suddenly realized that his security team also needed to be informed about the change in his ns, so he quickly called his bodyguard toe over to his home office.

    Luckily, Leon had stayed the night at Mountain View because the assists had informed him about Cedric''s elerated ns.

    When the bodyguard came into Cedric''s office, he looked up and smiled at the familiar face.

    "Leon." Cedric greeted.

    "Sir." Leon said with a nod as he made his way to the side of Cedric''s table.

    "I''ll be working from here today, but those high level employees that I will be meeting with need to be allowed entry into Mountain View." Cedric informed his bodyguard and head of security.

    "Very well, sir." Leon said with a nod, there was already a protocol for an event like this so there wasn''t much for him to do. "Which assistant should I ask for a list from?" He asked.

    "None of them." Cedric told his bodyguard. "Here is the list, the three have most of the day off, I need them to focus on the Lucius Ting matter. I''ll be handling most of my meetings and paperworks for the day."

    "Is that wise?" Leon asked Cedric.

    "We both know that I''ve done this work before, it''s not like it''s the first time I''m handling an assistant''s job." Cedric told his bodyguard. "And I''ll be calling Marco for help."

    Leon wordlessly nodded as he took a look at the list and left Cedric''s office.

    Cedric quickly informed all of those he would be meeting with for the day that their meeting will be at his home and that his security team had already been informed.

    By the time he was done with most of the administrative work it was already 7:30am and he still had to look through the documents for the day.

    He sighed at the amount of work he needed to do, but decided to call Marco for help first.

    He knew that his father''s old assistant was busy enjoying his life with Cedric''s cousin Marie, but he needed to disturb him today.

    He quickly called Marco, who answered within two rings.

    "Mr. Reyes." Marco greeted in a respectful tone.

    "Marco, we both know that you are practically my cousin inw, what''s with all the formality?" Cedric asked.

    "Just in case you changed, Ced." Marco teased him. "What can I do for you?"

    "Marco, I need you toe back for a bit, we need your help." Cedric said with a frown. "I don''t want to disturb your blissful-"

    "Yes, let me get my car and drive to the office, your cousin has been driving me crazy!" Marcoined.

    "I''m at Mountain View, I''m working from here for the next few days." Cedric informed Marco.

    "Marco So what the hell did you just tell my cousin!" Cedric heard Marie shout in the background making himugh.

    "Let''s talk more when I get there, right now I just need to escape Marie.." Marco told him as he dropped the call, making Cedricugh more than it should have.

 Chapter 870 - 870

    The day went on smoothly for Cedric, it was a good thing that he had decided to move around his schedule himself, because he was able to find some areas of work that he could unload from his assistants to himself.

    He didn''t like the idea of overworking them, he knew it was a tough job, but he wanted to change things for the better.

    As his day came to an end Macro and the other assistants joined him in his office to give Cedric an update.

    "I''m surprised you''re still standing, old man." Ian teased Marco, shocking Dave and Mae.

    "What?" Ian asked as he gave them a confused look.

    "We thought Marco So was all business and that even you would be scared of him." Mae said as she chose not to look at Ian or Marco.

    "This young man apparently needs to be taught another lesson." Marco scoffed as he rolled his eyes at Ian.

    "Oh please, you just miss seeing Ian and Cami work with you." Cedric pointed out as he exposed Marco''s tough guy act. "We both know you treat both of them as if they were your younger siblings."

    Ianughed as Marco''s face dropped.

    "Fine, I missed you and that other kid." Marco told Ian as he gave in, revealing his soft spot for the two former assistants.

    "Too bad she can''t be around us too much." Ian said with a frown.

    "Do you guys have an update? And please take a seat, it''s annoying me that all four of you are standing." Cedric said as he cut the banter short.

    As much as he enjoyed the rxed interaction between Marco and Ian, he wanted to give them all as much time to rest and spend with their families.

    "We''ve given security details to all the families that Lucius could suspect his son was adopted to." Mae told Cedric. "As of earlier today there doesn''t seem to be any odd behavioring from Lucius Ting. He still waits around the school from a distance."

    "He is good at hiding his emotions, if he is affected, only Cami can tell us." Cedric said as he nodded at Mae.

    "I hope Cami is safe." Ian said with a frown as he thought of his friend.

    "I told her to leave, but you know how stubborn she is, even Guan Ming couldn''t get her to change her mind." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "She''s a smart girl, she''ll be able to get out of any tight spot she gets caught in." Marco said as he tried to calm Ian''s worry.

    "Well she shouldn''t be in that position in the first ce if she wasn''t so stubborn." Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head. "Any update on Wu Jun and hispany? I''m surprised they haven''t bothered us."

    "We''re keeping them busy." Ian said with a shrug. "It seems like they are dying too. It''s quite obvious that they are working with Lucius Ting at this point."

    "Luckily for us we don''t need to do much since they are doing all of the stalling." Dave said as he shook his head. "Wu Jun is so determined to take Lucius Ting away from Guan Ming that he isn''t paying attention to us anymore."

    "They must also think we are idiots for falling for all of their dying tactics." Cedric said with a sigh.

    "Wu Jun and his people have this superiorityplex where they think they are better than us when they clearly are not. It''s the perfect scenario for us." Ian added.

    "Any update from Mien and the girls?" Cedric asked Dave who was in charge of checking in on them.

    "None yet, but from what Ist heard they got some information from grandpa Chan." Dave informed Cedric.

    "Aren''t they back yet?" Cedric asked as he began to worry.

    "Not yet." It was Ian that answered Cedric since he was in constant contact with Nicole. "They aren''t back, but they should be in the next thirty minutes. They just left the old Chan residence."

    "They took a while there." Cedric said as he began to let go of his worry.

    "Nicole didn''t tell me what exactly happened but she said they ran into someone important to the investigation, I didn''t want to question her." Ian said with a shrug.

    "It''s quite interesting to see how helpless the great Ian Lim bes when ites to Nicole." Marco said with a chuckle. "You were never this, well, under."

    "You should go look at a mirror Marco, you''ve got it worse." Ian teased back.

    Everyoneughed at Marco''s expense, they all knew too well how in love he was with Cedric''s cousin, Marie.

    "If there is nothing else, you can all go home." Cedric said as he moved to dismiss his people.

    "You don''t want us to stay till Mien and the girls get back?" Marco asked.

    "Well, I''m sure Mae and Dave will stay behind to wait for Mien, and Ian doesn''t exactly have a choice since his son refuses to leave till Nicole gets back." Cedric pointed out.

    "I''ll wait too then." Marco said as he made himselffortable on the couch.

    "Did you and Marie have a fight or something?" Cedric asked.

    "No." Marco said as he denied Cedric''s suspicions.

    "Could it be about dad asking you and Marie to move into the old mansion with all the elders and him?" Cedric asked as heughed at his father''s former assistant.

    "No." Maroc denied again.

    "Oh, you don''t want to move in, do you?" Cedric asked with augh.

    "It''s the opposite, I want Marie to move, it''s safer." Marco said, catching Cedric off guard. Often it was the guys that didn''t want to move in with the woman''s family.

    Just as Cedric was about to say something in response his phone began to ring.

    "Miguel?" Cedric asked as he picked up the call.

    "Cedric, the results came back, Julia was poisoned.." Miguel announced, shocking Cedric.

 Chapter 871 - 871

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    "Cedric, are you there? Did you hear me?" Miguel asked as he didn''t get a response from Cedric.

    Cedric shook his head as he regained hisposure.

    "Is Julia safe, can you keep her safe?" Cedric asked as he prioritized Julia''s safety.

    "Yes, we know what the poison was and we can reverse its effects. It seems that whoever poisoned her didn''t think she would have the right connections." Miguel told Cedric.

    "What''s going on?" Ian asked as he gave Cedric a confused look.

    "Wait a minute Miguel, let me put you on speaker." Cedric said as he ced the phone on his table and switched it to speaker mode.

    "Miguel has found the cause for why Julia passed out, she was poisoned." Cedric announced as his assistants all kept straight serious faces. They were all trained not to show any emotion regardless of how distressing the situation was.

    It seemed that their training took over in times like these when the matters were more professional than personal. None of them knew Julia, so to them this was all mostly business, something Cedricpletely understood.

    "Julia is safe, Miguel said that it seemed that whoever poisoned her didn''t expect Julia to have any good connections that could save her." Cedric announced as he got them up to speed with thetest developments.

    "Do you have any leads to where she could have ingested it?" Ian asked as he considered at which part of the trip the traitor could be.

    "It was definitely back when they were in Spain, this kind of Poison takes way too long to act." Miguel informed the people at the other end of the call.

    "Could it be the Esteves Family?" Mae asked as she looked at Cedric.

    "No, I doubt it." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "Why not? They are gonna get what they want either way, and it''s possible that they could be lying to you and working with Lucius Ting." Dave said as he slowly began to theorize.

    "The Esteves family could have killed her the moment they knew who Lucius Ting was. They didn''t need to keep her alive if that was their intention, I don''t think it''s them." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "I know it''s impossible, but could it be that Lucius Ting has found out that Julia is with us?" Ian suggested.

    "Why would he try to harm the mother of his child?" Cedric asked.

    "Ian might have a point." Mae said as she carefully studied the situation. "Lucius Ting wants his son and he probably mes Julia for why he has to look for the boy, it''s possible that he doesn''t want her to live."

    "If that were the case, why kill her when it could harm Jonathan. He knows that Jonathan is his way to find his son, he wouldn''t hurt her." Cedric pointed out.

    "It''s not impossible." Marco said slowly as he considered the situation.

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked the older man.

    "If I were Lucius Ting I would try to cut off the part that could put me at risk." Marco exined to Cedric and the rest of his group. "Right now, that would be Julia. She''s the one person that can point the Esteves family to him."

    "But why would he need Jonathan if he knew that Julia was with the Esteves Family and how would he have known?" Dave asked.

    "He could have a spy among them." Cedric suggested.

    "If he did, he would know that his son is with you." Ian pointed out.

    "Then maybe it''s not someone so high up, maybe it''s a guard that noticed that Julia was a prisoner and that she would be transported back home today." Cedric said as he carefully considered the situation.

    "If he knows about Julia and has a spy in the Esteves family, they need to be notified. They will want to check their ranks." Marco told Cedric.

    "Cami!" Ian said as he suddenly remembered that Cami might be headed to spend some time with Lucius Ting today as part of her act.

    "Shit." Cedric cursed as he looked at his assistant. "Try to get her or Benedict on the phone, they cannot go there if there is a chance that Lucius Ting knows everything."

    "What?" Marco asked.

    "There is a chance he will know that he is being yed if the person that poisoned Julia is his." Cedric said. "We had Guan Ming''s ne pick Julia up, but the pilot and the staff on the ne weren''t Chinese, they were ours."

    "If he looks into the records he will get suspicious." Mae said as she turned pale at the thought.

    "Fuck." Ian cursed as he dialed Cami''s number again.

    The room was tense as they worried about Cami.

    Cedric had also sent a message to his cousin Ace, asking him to warn the Esteves family about a possible spy in their midst.

    Finally on the third call Cami answered.

    "Ian?" Cami asked, confused as to why her friend was calling.

    "Cami, where are you? Please tell us you are safe.." Ian said frantically, waiting for her to respond.

 Chapter 872 - 872

    "At home, what''s wrong Ian?" Cami responded as she closed the door behind her.

    The past few days had been hectic, it wasn''t easy living a double life. Just yesterday Lucius had invited her to dinner just to parade her in front of Guan Ming.

    It seemed that Lucius Ting, despite not knowing that she and Guan Ming were in love, thought that it was best to show Guan Ming what Lucius had that the Chinese businessman didn''t.

    She was happy when Guan Ming and Lucius Ting decided to call it a night. It was exhausting to pretend that she didn''t care about the man in front of her.

    Cami knew that it was crazy to keep waiting for a man you met only once, but something about Guan Ming told her that he was the one. She wasn''t wrong to wait, because when he dide back for her their love was stronger than ever.

    When she saw Guan Ming pull out his personal phone Cami already knew that it would either be his mother or Cedric. And when Guan Ming had casually answered, she knew it was Cedric, he would never speak that way with his mom.

    Cami grew nervous as she waited for word on what had happened, in the end it was Cedric that informed her. He wanted her to get as far away as possible from Lucius Ting, but she was not going to let that happen. She had worked hard to earn his trust and just pulling away maypromise her cover and their ns.

    "Ian, are you there?" Cami asked when she heard no response from Ian.

    "Yeah." Ian said as he cleared his throat, sending away the worried tone that she had heard earlier.

    "Okay, you can''t fool me Ian Lim." She said as she scolded her friend. "Either you tell me what''s bothering you or I go do an investigation myself and we both know that Cedric would skin you alive if I did."

    To her surprise, Cami heard Cedricughing in the background as he overheard the whole conversation.

    "Ian!" Cami shouted.

    "I''m sorry, you didn''t really leave me space to exin." Ian said as he tried to defend himself.

    In the years that they had known each other, Ian always avoided getting Cami angry.

    Cami took a deep breath as sheposed herself, she couldn''t help but wonder what had happened for Ian to panic that way. In recent years he had be much calmer, handling one problem better than the next.

    At this point she was surprised to see that something still worried him that way.

    "Cami, you might need to stay away from Lucius Ting for a while." Cedric said as he took over the conversation.

    It seemed that Ian still hadn''t recovered from whatever was bothering him.

    "Can I know why?" Cami asked.

    "He might have a spy in the Esteves Family Mafia, if he does then he will know that it was Guan Ming''s ne with my people that picked Julia up." Cedric said in a serious and calm tone.

    "Then why do I need to stay away from Lucius Ting?" Cami questioned. She really didn''t see the point, it was not like her cover was blown or that there was a trail of breadcrumbs pointing towards her.

    "Do I really need to argue with you over this?" Cedric asked as she sensed some amusement in her boss'' / friend''s tone.

    "Cedric Reyes, you know well enough that I will not sacrifice what we have worked hard for just because there is a little danger." Cami warned Cedric.

    If anyone had heard the way Cami spoke to Cedric they would be shocked, it was normally Cedric that was the threatening person in the room, not Cami. She had be known as the meek and calm assistant, the one that silently observed and whispered to the CEO.

    Eventually, when she was promoted to being Vice President or Mor Co., she continued to carry the same demeanour. She ignored every outburst and every tantrum that her employees had thrown at her.

    It scared them more that she was always calm.

    "Cami, if Lucius Ting suspects anything he will not hesitate to hurt you." Cedric warned.

    "I know that, but right now nothing leads to me." Cami said as she tried to get Cedric to see her side of things the way she saw it. "Right now I''m in the perfect position to spy on him, to see how he reacts."

    "I don''t like risking your or Benedict''s safety." Cedric said as she slowly wore him down.

    "Do you think that my brother would let me go into this if we didn''t have a back up n on how to escape?" Cami asked Cedric.

    "She has a point." Cami heard Ian say as he understood where she wasing from.

    Both she and Ian had been in dangerous and difficult situations over the years, everything they had managed to get out of.

    "Don''t side with her on this." Cedric scolded Ian, the frustration quite evident in the tone of his voice. "I thought we were on the same page on this?" He asked.

    "Cedric, look, things are fine right now." Cami said as she continued to try to reassure him. "I promised you that the moment things turned sour I would be out of there and I still have every intention of fulfilling that promise."

    Cedric sighed over the phone, frustrated with how stubborn she was.

    "I''m guessing that there is nothing that I can say or do that will convince you." Cedric told Cami.

    "Ced, think of it this way. If I''m still with Lucius we will know if he suspects Guan Ming of cooperating with you." Cami told Cedric as she tried to argue her case. "Guan Ming being on our side is a valuable secret, any signs that it is bing known to Lucius Ting would be dangerous for Guan Ming."

    "Fine, Cami." Cedric said as he surrendered to what Cami wanted. "But the first sign of direct danger, you are out."

    "Yes." Cami said in a firm tone.

    "Good." Cedric replied.

    "Now, are you interested in how Lucius Ting reacted to your actions?" Cami asked as she remembered that she was about to call Cedricter on in the evening.

    "He''s already reacting, that''s fast." Ian said, surprised that their subtle actions already had an effect on Lucius Ting.

    "It seems you found a chink in his armor." Cami said as she grinned. She was proud of her friends for having found this, it was quite odd that something so simple seemed to bother the businessman so much.

    "I hope you were entertained by his reaction." Cedric said with augh as he tried to turn the conversation into a lighter one.

    "I did, as a matter of fact he ended up shouting at his sister, thinking that she was the one that leaked information." Cami informed them.

    "The bodyguards on the other kids not only protect them, but it also keeps his attention away from Dominic, his real son." Ian said as he thought of why they decided to go with this direction.

    It was only the first step in many that Cedric was nning, and at the end of it all, Lucius Ting woulde crashing down.

    "He briefly mentioned Dominic, but it was because he was angry at the world for giving Miguel and Veronica a child." Cami exined. "It seems that people think that they had Dominic through a surrogate before the couple got married."

    "That''s funny, Veronica couldn''t even stand Miguel before they got married." Cedric said with a chuckle as he recalled howplicated his friends'' rtionship was at the start.

    "Dominic is safe for now." Cami told Cedric. "But with what you told me I think I will need to see if Lucius Ting suspects anything from Guan Ming."

    "I will also need you to see if he is already cooperating with Wu Jun." Cedric said.

    "I thought you wanted me to go as far away and avoid Lucius Ting." Cami teased.

    She already knew that Cedric would be rolling his eyes at the other end of the line, making herugh even harder.

    "I''m happy to hear that you find this situation amusing." Cedric said in a t tone, unamused by her reaction.

    "Don''t worry Cedric, I already know what you want to find out and I''ve gotten some information already." Cami said as she briefly considered annoying Cedric a little more but decided against it. "Wu Jun has contacted Lucius Ting and there are talks."

    "Do you know how far along the talks are? Have you told Ming?" Cedric asked.

    "I haven''t told Ming because he had to rush to the airport yesterday. I''ll tell him when he gets back." Cami told Cedric. "Right now they don''t have anything concrete, Lucius Ting is afraid of offending Ming so he is being careful."

    "If my suspicions are correct he will onlymit once he is sure that he has a deal with Guan Ming in the bag." Cedric said as he analyzed the situation. "I guess I''ll need to talk to Ming about this."

    "He''ll enjoy seeing them fall together." Cami said with augh.

    "Yeah, that boyfriend of yours wants to be personally responsible for whatever torture Lucius Ting will recieve." Cedric said.

    "And you aren''t against it?" Cami asked.

    "Of course not, I find it cute." Cedric teased his friend. "Cami, please stay safe, I don''t want to take too much of your time, be careful."

    "I will, I always am.." Cami promised as Cedric dropped the call, leaving her with her thoughts.

 Chapter 873 - 873

    "We''re back." Ayanna called out as soon as she entered the door to her brother''s home.

    She knew that her brother and the others would be quite worried about them. Their trip to the Chan Family home took longer than expected.

    It seemed that the old man was trying his best to get back in the good graces of the Reyes family, which Ayanna found amusing. His son and grandchildren were already good friends of the Reyes family, there was no need for him to try so hard.

    "What took you so long?" Ian asked as he marched out of Cedric''s office ahead of everyone else.

    He quickly made his way to Nicole, who was standing right behind Ayanna. He picked her up and held her tightly in his arms.

    Cedric, who had just stepped out of the office,ughed as his friend held Nicole in his arms.

    "You do know that she just went to her parents'' ce, right?" Cedric asked.

    "I do, but it''s also not the safest ce at the moment." Ian said as he released Nicole from his hold. The young doctor, in turn, rolled her eyes at him, making everyoneugh along with Cedric.

    "I went to my parents'' house, the ce I grew up in with my security team and Cedric''s security team. I''m pretty sure if anyone wanted to harm me they would be captured or dead before even making it close to the house." Nicole pointed out.

    "You can''t me me for worrying." Ian said as he tried to defend his actions. "We are in dangerous times, we don''t know who we can trust right now."

    Cedric frowned at Ian''s words, he was right, of course. Things were more dangerous than ever, especially after what happened to Julia.

    "How was your trip?" Cedric asked as he gestured for everyone to take a seat in the living room as he waved a maid over to get them some drinks.

    "You can go home if you want, Marco." Cedric said as he noticed Marco following them. He knew that he couldn''t ask too much of his father''s old assistant. Even if Marco was younger than his father, the old assistant was not young either.

    "I think I''ll stay." Marco said as he found himself a spot in the living room.

    "Aren''t you sleepy yet old man?" Ian teased earning him a re from Nicole.

    "It''s fine, Nicole." Marco said with augh as he shook his head. "I missed that idiot too."

    "So, what happened?" Cedric asked as he shifted the conversation back on topic. He knew that if he let Ian''s and Marco''s banter continue things would get out of hand.

    "Right, right." Ayanna said with a nod as she pulled her attention away from the bickering men. "As you all know we went over in the guise of visiting Nicole''s parents. Our excuse for being together was that Veronica wanted to visit her inws while I was already with them and just got dragged along."

    "Honestly, that has happened so many times that they wouldn''t believe it if we showed up without either Nicole, Katerina, or Natalia." Veronica added as sheughed at their situation.

    "Where is Katerina, by the way?" Nicole asked Cedric. "Knowing you, she''s already running a side of your n that we don''t know."

    "Everyone is helping out, and everyone has their roles. She''s making sure everything is nice and clean." Cedric said with a grin as he thought of how their n would end.

    "Pretty sure whatever she''s doing involves my brother too." Nicole said with a cheeky grin.

    "That is just gross." A voice said as Alexi entered Cedric''s home. "I do not want to think of my sister with your brother."

    Nicoleughed so hard that Ian had to catch her from falling over, Alexi''s timing was perfect as he made his way to the living room to join them.

    "Why are you guys having secret meetings out in the open?" Alexi asked. "What if someone walked in and overheard you?"

    "First of all, Alexi, no one will be able to even enter thispound without my permission." Cedric said as he signalled a maid to ask Alexi what drink he wanted. "And secondly, we didn''t say anything that everyone doesn''t already know or cannot be trusted with."

    "Fine." Alexi said as he rolled his eyes. "I have the documents you need." He told Cedric as he handed a thick envelope over.

    "Perfect." Cedric said with a grin as he took a quick look at the contents.

    "Is that what I think it is?" Ian asked Cedric as he tried to get a glimpse of the documents inside.

    "Of course." Cedric said with a nod as he handed the envelope to Ian. "Well these are what you needed, so knock yourself out."

    "With pleasure." Ian said with a grin as he ced the brown envelope on hisp, guarding it with his life.

    "As you were saying, Ayanna?" Cedric said as he asked his sister to continue.

    "Right." She said with a nod. "At first they found it odd that Mien was with us, but I just said he was a trusted employee of yours that you just shared with me. So they let him stay and didn''t question his presence after."

    "We wanted to get straight to business and ask my parents who could possibly want to get rid of our line in the Chan family, but one of our more annoying uncles arrived." Nicole said with a frown.

    "Which one?" Cedric asked, he was quite well acquainted with the members of the Chan extended family having spent many days and nights over at the old mansion. Growing up they were introduced to many of Eric''s, Miguel''s, and Nicole''s aunts and uncles, most of whom were eager to get their own children to interact with the group.

    "Uncle Jordan, he wasn''t around often when we were growing up." Nicole exined. "Both him and Uncle Colton spent their younger years abroad. They were younger than dad and much less responsible."

    "So did you find anything out from your parents and grandfather?" Ian asked Nicole as he held her and and yed with her fingers, it was clear that he was anxious for news.

    "We did." Nicole said with a nod. "ording to grandpa when we were younger, a lot of people were already opposed to dad inheriting."

    "That''s odd." Alexi said as he became more invested in the conversation. "Why would they be against the first born son, who is in all aspects capable of managing the family business, inherit? It doesn''t sound like the Chan family."

    "They said it was because my dad was too soft." Nicole said with a frown. "They still think that, but there is no way for them to contradict him since most of the shares are now ours or with our friends and family."

    "So who was it? Who was against your father inheriting?" Ian asked.

    "Grandpa said it was some small branch in our family that had managed to marry into another fortune." Nicole exined. "They are called the Chan-Wang branch. They normally had no opinion about who would inherit but they married a family that owned some shares in Saints hospital."

    "And do we know where they are now? Or at least who the members are?" Cedric asked.

    "That''s the thing." Nicole said as he bit her lower lip and frowned. "The members of the Chan-Wang branch vanished after Miguel was born. Grandpa said that over the years their shares got sold and some of them were the ones we purchased."

    "Family branches don''t just vanish." Alexi pointed out. "That''s very suspicious."

    "Don''t you think I know that?" Nicole asked as she rolled her eyes at Alexi. "I''m not stupid Alexi."

    "Nicole, calm down, I didn''t mean to offend you." Alexi said as he was shocked by Nicole''s reaction.

    "Sorry, pregnancy hormones." Nicole said as she apologized to Alexi. Under normal circumstances she would never snap that way at someone she considered to be like another brother.

    Ian gently wrapped his arms around Nicole in an attempt to calm her. He had been on the receiving end of much of her mood swingstely and Nicole felt bad for hurting the man she loved so many times.

    "I''m assuming you did some investigating on what happened." Cedric said knowing that the girls wouldn''t pass up a lead like this.

    "We haven''t got anything concrete, but from what we know that branch of the family possibly lost all of their wealth, the reason why they needed to sell the shares they had." Veronica said as she spoke for Nicole.

    "We''ve also sent people to investigate, maybe figure out who they were working with. But for matters that are closer to family, I doubt they will find much." Ayanna said with a frown. "The best resource for that would still be grandpa Chan."

    "I wonder if our grandparents remember anything about that time." Cedric said as he considered the possibility.

    "The parents might recall something too, it won''t hurt to ask." Alexi added.

    "Do you mind helping us with this?" Cedric asked Alexi.

    However, before Alexi could answer, Marco suddenly began tough as if someone had told a funny joke.

    Everyone turned to him and gave him a confused look.

    When he realized that everyone was looking at him, Marco smiled at them.

    "I might know who the Chan-Wang branch members are, and they might be in my files. I was just too slow to realize who you kids were talking about.." Marco said proudly.

 Chapter 874 - 874

    On Kashmere Ind.

    Guan Ming had arrived the night before and he was happy to see his mother was safe. She wasn''t under any distress and was rxing in one of Ray''s beachfront cabanas when he arrived.

    Luckily this part of the ind was sealed off from guests so no one could see that Lu Ning was well.

    "Hey mom." Guan Ming greeted as he joined his mother on the beach.

    "Ming!" His mother said as she happily waved him to sit next to her.

    Guan Ming obliged and settled down with his feet in the sand.

    He had left in such a rush that he didn''t have the appropriate clothes packed for the beach. He would just have to ask Cedric if he had any at his ce on the ind.

    "It''s so sad that we don''t have beaches like these back home." Lu Ningmented as she watched the waves crash into the shore. "I would love to live near the beach."

    Guan Ming smiled at his mother. It was quite interesting to see one of the most powerful matriarchs in China acting like a teenager as she enjoyed the sea.

    "I''m sure that if we wanted to have a house here Ray would happily sell us one." Guan Ming said quite confidently.

    "Oh, I wouldn''t want to impose." Lu Ning told her son. "I mean they have this smallmunity here for their friends and I would feel like an outsider."

    "Mom, you got along so well with all of their parents, I''m sure they would love to have you around." Guan Ming told his mom.

    "And what about your dad?" Lu Ning asked Guan Ming. "I love the man, but he can be so stiff, so traditional. I doubt he would get along with their parents, especially Mr. Reyes." She said with a frown.

    Lu Ning very much wanted to spend more time in this country with her new friends. She felt that these people were genuine and that they weren''t trying to get anything out of their friendship. All of the people she hung out with back at home seemed to be after something.

    "I feel like dad would end up bing more like them if he spent some time here." Guan Ming said with a grin. "They have some simrities, and dad wouldn''t feel so pressured if he was away from Beijing."

    "Really? You think so?" Lu Ning asked as she looked hopefully at her son. "It would be perfect if you dad and I could have some quality alone time." She said with a blush, making her sonugh at her.

    Long ago, Lu Ning and Guan Ming''s father had been madly in love. So in love were they that Guan Ming''s father went against his own family just to be with Lu Ning.

    Because he had chosen to go against the Guan Family''s wishes, Guan Ming''s father always felt like he had something to prove. It was due to this that he had ced more pressure on his son, it was because he wanted to show everyone that he made the right choice loving Lu Ning.

    Whenever Lu Ning saw how much pressure her husband was under or how much pressure he was putting on their son, she couldn''t help but feel guilty.

    It was because she didn''te from the right kind of family or wasn''t from the right background that her husband felt the need to work harder.

    Over time, despite loving one another just as much, the couple grew distant. Guan Ming''s father never cheated on her, nor did he stop loving her, they just didn''t have the time to be the same couple that was once madly in love.

    She often wished that they could go back in time so that she could tell her husband that he didn''t need to pressure himself so much. She wanted to tell him that even if they were kicked out of the Guan family she would be happy.

    "Mom, are you alright?" Guan Ming asked as he noticed that his mom had spaced out.

    "Yeah, I''m fine Ming." She told her son as he reached out and held her hand.

    "You seem distracted by something." Guan Ming said.

    "I was just reminiscing, Ming. I was just thinking about how your dad and I got into this situation where we don''t even talk when I''m away." Lu Ning said with a frown as she continued to stare at the distance.

    "Mom, dad loves you." Guan Ming said as he tried to reassure his mother.

    "Ming, I know he loves me." Lu Ning said with augh as she shook her head. She didn''t want her son to misunderstand the situation.

    "Then what do you mean?" Guan Ming asked.

    "Sometimes, over time, couples grow distant despite loving each other." Lu Ning exined. "That''s what happened with me and your dad, or at least I think that''s what''s happening. It''s painful and I wish I could do something to stop it, but I am helpless at the moment."

    "Mom. . ." Guan Ming called out. He didn''t know what to say. His mother was never this vocal about her emotions, she often kept to herself, barely speaking to anyone.

    "I''m fine, Ming." She said as she shook her head. "I have long epted that something like this would happen. I''m actually quite lucky because your father never stopped loving me and he never cheated on me."

    "Mom, I''m sure dad would also want things to be like they were before." Guan Ming said as he tried to encourage his mother.

    Lu Ning took a deep breath as she continued to watch the waves as it pushed and pulled against the current.

    She couldn''t help but smile as it reminded her of how her rtionship with Guan Ming''s father had started, he would pull and she would push. She knew that the Guan family would never ept someone like her. She was too different from them.

    "Mom, do you want some time alone?" Guan Ming asked as he decided to get up and ask Cedric for some clothes and if they could stay at his vi instead of Ray''s.

    "Yes please." Lu Ning said as she kept looking away from her son.

    "If you aren''t back in for dinner I''lle looking for you." He said as she hugged his mother and kissed her on the head. "I love you mom, and thank you for being there for me even when it was against dad."

    Lu Ning simply smiled and nodded in response.

    Guan Ming sighed as he walked away, he was worried about his mother. He knew nothing bad would happen to her since he had two bodyguards stationed around her at all times as well as Ray''s staff.

    Hearing his momment about her rtionship with his father made him decide to set up some time alone for them.

    Miguel had already informed him that Julia might take some time to recover, so he and his mother may have to stay on the ind a bit longer.

    It was the perfect opportunity for him to set something up for his parents.

    He quickly called Cedric to see if his friend was willing to help. Cedric was more than happy to loan his vi to Guan Ming''s parents for the time being.

    When Guan Ming expressed his interest to purchase some property in Ray''s area, Cedric was more than happy to help.

    Guan Ming suspected that he was excited because it meant that should Guan Ming and Cami choose to marry, there was still a way to keep Cami in the country.

    He couldn''t help but frown at the thought, there were still many things about their future that he and Cami had not discussed, the living arrangement was one.

    Guan Ming knew that Cami had just been reunited with her older brother, Benedict, and their grandfather. He didn''t want to tear the family apart and was more than willing to bring them along to live in China.

    He knew that it was a topic that they would need to discuss someday, especially since he had decided that he would marry Cami and no one else.

    When he was finally back at Ray''s vi, he decided to give his father a call and invite him over.

    It seemed that the old man was waiting for his call, because he picked up on the first ring.

    "Dad." Guan Ming greeted in a formal tone.

    "Guan Ming, you better tell me what''s this rumor I''m hearing that your mom is hurt." His father shouted over the phone, he was clearly worried and angry at the same time. "If I find out that your mother was hurt on your watch, I swear-"

    "You swear what dad? You''ll beat me?" Guan Ming asked. "Dad, mom is fine, but she wants to spend time with you, somewhere far from Beijing, somewhere far from family and all those fake friends."

    "And why are you the one telling me this?" His father asked. "Don''t tell me you want me to go to that country you''re in while you waste a partnership with this Lucius Ting person. I do not like him, you should have worked with the Reyes Group."

    "Dad, I''m sending the ne over, it should be ready to pick you up by tomorrow morning. Just get on and I can exin everythingter." Guan Ming said as he dropped the call, not wanting to hear his father''s rants or scolding.

    "Guan Ming!" Ray greeted as he entered the vi. "You might want to call Cami, Cedric''s been ranting non-stop about her putting herself in danger."

    Hearing the news, Guan Ming turned pale, Cami in danger was not the news he needed to hear right now.

 Chapter 875 - 875

    Cami woke up the next day quite annoyed at Cedric, Ian, and Guan Ming. The three men that were most important in her life, and the three men that could really get her pissed off.

    It seemed that Cedric and Ian hadined non-stop to Ray about her refusing to back off from Lucius Ting in order to help her n.

    Guan Ming had called her in a panic, threatening to fly back to the capital and pick her up.

    She had told him that if he darede back to the Capital she would break up with him.

    Guan Ming was helpless when it came to her threat. All he could do was agree to what she wanted and let her do as she asked.

    She had just finished getting ready when Katerina gave her a call.

    Cami was happy that she and Katerina no longer needed to keep their friendship a secret. It had been quite awkward pretending to not know Katerina when they had been bound together by a traumatic event.

    "Kat!" Cami greeted as she picked up the call.

    "Cami, are you going to be with Lucius Ting today?" Katerina asked her friend going straight to the point and avoiding all of the small talk.

    "Yeah, I''m having lunch with him and maybe a walk in a park or some shopping. Why?" Cami asked. She knew that Katerina and Cedric were working on something to shock Lucius Ting, but she had chosen to avoid knowing too much in case Lucius Ting suspected anything and questioned her.

    "I hope it''s somewhere as far away as possible from the capital." Katerina told Cami.

    "It is." Cami said, surprised that Katerina wanted Lucius Ting as far away from the city as possible. "Why?" She asked.

    Normally Cedric and the others preferred for Lucius Ting and Cami to go somewhere nearby so that if something happened they coulde to Cami''s aid.

    Wanting them to go on a date as far as possible was quite suspicious.

    "We''re going to start the second stage of our n." Katerina told Cami. "I thought it would be best to tell you."

    "It might have been best if you didn''t tell me." Cami said with a grin as she picked up her bag and gave herself onest look in the mirror. "I would like to act as naturally as possible."

    "You''ve been acting as naturally as possible for the past few months, woman." Katerina said with augh. "Plus you don''t even know what''s going to happen, so rx, act surprised and worried and hope that things will go perfectly."

    "I''ll do my best." Cami said with a nod.

    "I''ll chat with you tonight, when all of this Lucius Ting mess is over, let''s go on a double date with Guan Ming and Eric." Katerina told Cami.

    "As if Eric could be seen in public with you." Cami scoffed.

    "Miracles can happen." Katerina said before finally dropping the call.

    Cami shook her head before finally heading down to leave.

    "Off to work? It''s a Saturday." Benedict said with a frown as he looked at his sister who carried her office bag with her.

    "Just for the morning. I want to finish a few things before going on my date with Lucius." As she said the word date she rolled her eyes, showing how annoyed she was at having to go out with him.

    "You chose to stay with this n, you could have broken up with him when Guan Ming arrived." Benedict reminded his sister. "I''m pretty sure Guan Ming is more than enough to get rid of Lucius Ting."

    "I don''t want us to underestimate Lucius Ting." Cami said as she shook her head and made her way to the door. "It''s when we underestimate our enemies that we lose."

    "Just be careful, do you have my number on speed dial?" Benedict asked.

    He knew that there was no chance of him convincing his sister to stop being a spy for Cedric and his friends, even Cedric didn''t want her risking her life, but Cami was stubborn. Benedict understood why she was more than willing to risk her life. They owed the Reyeses much more than they could repay with their lives.

    Benedict just wished that it was him risking his life instead of his sister.

    He had just found her again and now he was in danger of losing her if anything went wrong.

    "I''ll call you if anything bad happens." Cami said with a smile as she exited the house.

    She made sure to close the door firmly behind her, listening as the high tech lock engaged.

    Miguel Chan had someone install this lock before Lucius Ting even came into their lives. They knew that Aiden''s home would be of value someday, they just didn''t expect it to be so soon.

    As Cami drove out of their gate, she spotted the tail car that Lucius often sent to spy on her and her brother. She knew that there were two more groups in the vicinity that Leon''s people had identified.

    There were also others that were tasked to watch Katerina''s home and Nicole''s home. Unfortunately for Lucius Ting, Cedric was well aware of the people he had sent to keep an eye on his friends.

    They had often found ways around the spies managing to get out of their houses undetected.

    Her morning went about without any issue. There were barely any people in the office and she had even chosen not to inform her assistant since she just needed to work on some files she couldn''t risk getting into Lucius Ting''s hands.

    She used a differentptop in the office and brought a different one on dates.

    They knew that Lucius Ting had tried to hack that secondptop multiple times in an attempt to get information from Cami.

    He had seeded many times, all of which were allowed by Cedric and his people.

    Cami had made it a point to tell Lucius the truth of what he would find on herptop, she knew that in part he was still testing her loyalty. She didn''t want to give him any reason to question that she was returning to being Cedric''s loyal friend.

    She was actually working on some extremely sensitive ns, the type that only she, Cedric, and the assistants would know about. Even Ian only knew the main objective of the ns and not the details.

    Cami checked her watch multiple times, she didn''t want Lucius Ting to have toe up to her office to fetch her.

    She always made sure that by the time Lucius Ting came to pick her up she was already waiting in the lobby and rushing for them to get their date started.

    Oftentimes she pretended that it was because she was excited, although she chose to mix it up some days and act as if she just wanted to get away from the office.

    Lucius Ting was more than happy to oblige as he thought he was taking away one of Cedric''s most prized employees.

    Ten minutes till Lucius Ting was due to arrive Cami turned off herptop and hid it away, taking out the one she normally brought with her on dates.

    She made sure that it''s battery was amply charged and made sure to make some changes on the documents so that Lucius Ting wouldn''t find anything suspicious.

    Once she was done, Cami packed up and headed down to the lobby.

    Some employees that were working on Saturdays greeted her with a smile. She wasn''t loved by much since they felt she was betraying Cedric and the rest of the Reyes family. Of course, Cami didn''t care about that, the more they hated her the better it was.

    It was a perfect way to show Lucius Ting that she was loyal to him despite the hate of the employees.

    She decided to use those encounters on Lucius Ting today in order to buy Cedric and the others some time.

    If he was busy giving her attention then he wouldn''t notice his phone and by the time he noticed the messages there would be nothing he could do.

    Based on the fact that Katerina was involved, it meant that they were doing something rted to thew, and going up against Katerina in that field was difficult. She doubted that Lucius Ting even had the resources to find awyer willing to go toe to toe with Katerina.

    When Cami got to the front lobby, she watched as Lucius Ting drove up to the front.

    She smiled when she noticed that he had brought out one of his sports cars and chose to drive himself. This meant that even if they contacted his driver they wouldn''t be able to get to Lucius Ting.

    Cami quickly made her way to his car and hopped into the seat.

    "Someone is excited for our date." Lucius Ting said as he gave her a sweet smile.

    Cami resisted the urge to roll her eyes and throw up, everything about Lucius Ting disgusted her.

    "It''s been a tiring day." Cami told him as she gave him a peck on the cheek.

    "Then let me drive that bad day away." Lucius Ting told her as they drove away towards the outskirts of the city. Cami was happy to see the office disappear for the first time, the further they got the better it was for Cedric and the rest.

    Lucius Ting had no idea how bad of a day he was about to have, Cedric and Katerina had quite a surprise nned for him and it was one that would shake him to his core.

 Chapter 876 - 876

    "So, how do you like our date so far?" Lucius Ting asked Cami as he drove them though the winding road of the mountain.

    Cami quickly checked her phone and noticed that there was no reception.

    "It''s different from what you usually have nned." Camimented as they continued to climb the mountain.

    "Don''t bother, babe." Lucius Ting said with a grin as he noticed her checking her phone. "Work won''t be able to follow you to our date today. There is no signal up here in the mountains."

    Lucius thought that the fact that there was no signal would be to his advantage, unfortunately for him it would spell the beginning of the end.

    "Thank you." Cami said as she gave him a sweet smile.

    Of course, she wasn''t smiling because she was happy that they would be alone, but rather she was happy because Lucius Ting couldn''t be contacted by his people.

    The only way they could get in touch with him was either if they went up the mountain or if she and Lucius Ting went down after their date.

    Hopefully by then, Katerina and Cedric would be done with whatever n they were working on and everything would be toote for Lucius Ting.

    "Not only will we be having an extremely private lunch, but we will also get a couples massage and some alone time." Lucius Ting said as he tried to sound as seductive as possible.

    Unfortunately for him, his attempt only disgusted Cami and made her want to throw up.

    Lucius Ting was not an ugly man, as a matter of fact, he seemed to take after his Chan rtives in terms of his looks.

    He was quite handsome and could have gotten almost any woman he wanted.

    Unfortunately for him he went after the one woman whose heart he could never win, Cami.

    The thought of them getting some alone time as Lucius Ting had said, scared Cami. She knew that he wanted to have sex. He had been asking for it since the moment they had started dating, but Cami never gave in to any of his advances.

    She knew that tonight, if he tried anything she would need toe up with an excuse, one that he would buy.

    As they reached the top, they were greeted by tworge wooden gates that swung open as Lucius Ting''s car approached.

    It opened to a vast courtyard with arge mansion up ahead.

    Cami was suddenly worried that Lucius Ting had more nned rather than a simple date. She couldn''t help but worry that he might propose tonight and that rejecting him could be disastrous for her.

    As they pulled up to the front of the house a butler opened the door for Cami. She slowly got out as her mind wandered.

    "My things." Cami said with a gasp as she had realized that she was so distracted with her thoughts that she forgot herptop and other personal items.

    "Do you really need them?" Lucius asked with a frown as he showed up next to her.

    "Cedric will be furious if by any chance his call gets through and I can''t pick up." Cami said as she pretended to be saddened by the fact that she continued to work for Cedric.

    "Why don''t you just quit?" Lucius Ting asked as he bent down and got her things from the car. "You clearly aren''t happy working for him, you hate him."

    Cami sighed and shook her head as she pretended not to have a choice.

    "And what will happen to me and my brother when you get tired of me?" Cami asked Lucius Ting as she took one of her bags from him while he continued to carry the one that contained herptop.

    Cami already knew that he would try to hack into itter on, probably while she was in the bathroom.

    "I will never get tired of you." Lucius Ting swore as his eyes burned with a fire that couldn''t be quenched.

    Cami didn''t know if Lucius Ting really loved her or he loved the novelty of taking someone valuable from Cedric.

    She wanted to know what drove him so that she could better point him to the direction she wanted.

    "Lucius, I also need to think of my future." Cami said as she shook her head.

    They had held this discussion so many times in the past that she was getting tired of exining her fake reason to Lucius Ting.

    "I am your future." Lucius Ting argued as he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back.

    Unable to keep her bnce, Cami fell towards Lucius Ting andnded on his chest, making it seem like a sweet moment.

    Not wanting to miss out on the opportunity that had presented itself, Luciust Ting wrapped his free arm around Cami''s waist and pulled her closer to him.

    It disgusted Cami that she could feel his erection as he held her.

    She badly wanted to push away but she didn''t want to risk Lucius Ting heading back to the capital too soon. So she simply pretended not to notice.

    Annoyed that Cami continued to pretend to be innocent, Lucius Ting pulled her even closer to him, rubbing himself against her.

    Cami badly wanted to throw up and to run, but she was stopped when Lucius Ting''s lips came crashing down on her own.

    As much as she wanted to bite his tongue as he demanded entry into her lips, she chose not to resist and simply counted the seconds as he tried to get her to respond.

    "Come on, Cami, stop ying hard to get babe." Lucius Ting whispered as he tried to elicit a proper response from her. "We both know that you are just tempting me even more."

    Cami knew for a fact that the more she rejected Lucius Ting the more excited he got. It also seemed to make him fall deeper in love with her.

    Unfortunately for Cami, her resistance and denial of him was not some yful act but a serious one.

    Ever since she got reunited with Guan Ming, it made her feel like she was cheating whenever she was with Lucius Ting.

    And despite Guan Ming knowing the truth and trusting her, she couldn''t help but feel guilty. She tried to avoid kissing Lucius Ting and kept things to a minimum as much as she could. But it seemed tonight she would have no escape.

    She prayed desperately that Cedric and Katerina would have already finished their attack on Lucius Ting before things got too far.

    Eventually Cami kissed Lucius Ting back, she feared that if she kept fighting and rejecting him he would take her to a ce she didn''t want to go.

    She felt as Lucius Ting gave her breast a squeeze before, making her yelp in surprise.

    Fortunately, Luciust Ting took this as a sign of her excitement and squeezed even harder, making Cami want to push him away again.

    Eventually he let his hand wander her body, caressing her. His hand eventually found its way to her ass where he gave it a yful p, to which Cami responded with a fake moan.

    She didn''t want Lucius Ting to p her harder, so she decided to simply y along and hopefully get him to stop when he got what he wanted.

    It seemed that her n had worked, because Lucius Ting eventually let her go and gave her a light peck on the lips.

    "I love how flustered you look, babe." Lucius Ting said as he took her hand and led her to the vast dining room.

    "This ce is normally open for several guests, but I decided that we should have it all to ourselves." He exined as they sat at a table at the center of the room.

    "Sir, will we begin?" A waiter asked as he appeared next to Lucius Ting.

    Lucius simply nodded as the waiter returned to the kitchen to have their meal prepared.

    "What''s with the extra special date?" Cami asked Lucius Ting as she looked around.

    The ce was beautiful and if she was here with anyone else she would have probably enjoyed the sights. Unfortunately this ce and the memory of this ce was now forever tainted by thoughts of Lucius Ting.

    "I just wanted to do something special on the monthsary of the day we first met." Lucius Ting said with a shrug.

    "You remember the day we first met?" Cami asked in shock, she couldn''t help but wonder if this man was sweet or crazy.

    If it were Guan Ming she would have thought of the fact to be sweet, but because it was Lucius Ting she felt appalled by the fact that he had remembered the day they met.

    "Of course, I fell for you the moment Iid my eyes on you. I knew then and there that you were the woman for me and that no one couldpete." Lucius Ting, praised as a waiter, came out with some wine and their food.

    Cami casually ate as she listened to Lucius Ting''s stories. She nodded and pretended to seem interested in them, but she soon found herself sleepy.

    She wasn''t surprised at all since she had spent the night speaking to Guan Ming and barely had slept two hours.

 Chapter 877 - 877

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    "Cami, oh Cami, such a prude." Cami heard someone whispering to her. She couldn''t remember where she was or what happened before she passed out.

    "Come on babe, wake up, this won''t be fun with you unconscious." She heard the voice say again. For some reason she wanted to throw up when she heard that voice. "Oh Cami, stop pretending or I will have to make you give me what I want."

    After a few seconds Cami suddenly remembered where she was and what was happened right before she passed out.

    She was on a date with her fake boyfriend, Lucius Ting, and that voice was Lucius''. But how did she end up like this? Unconscious and seemingly on a bed.

    She felt as Lucius'' hand dragged against the exposed part of her skin, she wanted to cry out, she wanted to fight him, but she knew it would only encourage him.

    Her best choice at the moment was to remain unconscious and to pretend that she didn''t know what was going on.

    "That man at the store said it would only knock you out for thirty minutes, it''s been almost an hour Cami." Lucius Ting said as he seemed to be concerned about her well being.

    She knew Lucius loved her, but it was a one sided love, she could never love him back.

    "I swear if you don''t wake up soon, I will have my men hunt that man down and kill him and all of his family. Now that would be fun." Lucius said with a maliciousugh.

    In her mind Cami did her best to keep her breathing normal, as if she was simply asleep.

    She calcted the time since she had informed Katerina that they were leaving Mor Co., it had been roughly two hours since then.

    Cami knew that she couldn''t pretend to be unconscious for too long or else Lucius Ting would go on a killing spree and might decide to take her.

    She just needed to stall long enough and hope that she could push him away.

    "Come on babe, I want to have fun." Lucius Tingined as he got up and left.

    Cami was nervous as to what he was nning to do.

    Suddenly Cami was sshed with ice cold water, making her jerk up and open her eyes, only to be stopped by cuffs on her wrists and ankles that she had not noticed before.

    Two hours and twenty minutes, Cami estimated.

    She prayed to God that Cedric and Katerina had alreadypleted their n and that Lucius'' men were on their way up to the mountain retreat.

    "Ah, babe, you''re up!" Lucius Ting greeted happily with a grin, sending shivers down Cami''s spine.

    "Lucius, why am I tied up and what happened to lunch?" Cami asked as she pretended not to know what Lucius was nning.

    Lucius smiled at her as he pulled her by her hair and brought her lips close to his.

    "Don''t lie Cami, I know you like this." Lucius Ting said as he licked her lips, making Cami want to spit at him.

    She stopped herself knowing that was what he wanted. He wanted her to retaliate, to push him away, it was actions like those that excited him.

    "Oh Cami." Lucius Ting moaned as he pressed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply.

    Cami thrashed against the restraints as she couldn''t take it anymore.

    The man in front of her was demented, he had driugged her and tied her up assuming that she would enjoy those things.

    "Today we''ll finally explore the most pleasurable parts of our rtionship." Lucius Ting dered as he released her head and climbed up on the bed with her.

    He kissed her cheek and let his lips travel down her neck as he tried to elicit a moan from her.

    When she refused to respond he looked up and saw her fearful eyes, she didn''t want him to take what she refused to give.

    At that moment, Lucius Ting realized that she wouldn''t have sex with him willingly, he was furious as he got up and pped her across the cheek.

    "Bitch." He hissed. "You''ve been leading me on, haven''t you." Lucius Ting dered.

    "N- n- no. . ." Cami told him as her lips quivered in fear. She may have been lying, but her fear was just as real.

    "Have you been spying on me for Cedric Reyes?" Lucius Ting used as he spat on her face. "Have you been working for that asshole this whole time?"

    "No." Cami said as she managed to speak up, struggling against Lucius Ting''s hold.

    "Bitch if I discover you''ve been-" Lucius Ting began to use as Cami finally recovered from his assault.

    "You''ll do what?!" Cami shouted. "You''ll break up with me? Don''t forget I don''t need you, I should break up with you for what you have been doing to me Lucius! I thought you loved me!" She said as she acted out the role of heartbroken girlfriend.

    "Babe. . ." Lucius Ting said as he slowly realized what he had done. He seemed to be genuinely regretful of his actions, but there was nothing he could say or do to make up for attacking her and using her of betraying him.

    "Don''t you fucking dare call me your babe!" Cami shouted as she tookmand of the conversation. "You drugged me and tied me up!"

    "I''ll release you." Lucius Ting said as he panicked and fumbled to undo Cami''s restraints.

    "How dare you?" Cami asked as she could feel his skin against hers as the wrist restraints got taken off.

    "It was all acting, babe." Lucius Ting said as he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her passionately. "I''m sorry, I thought you would enjoy that."

    "Then clearly you don''t know me well enough, and that breaks my heart, Lucius." Cami dered as she tried to produce fake tears to make him see how hurt she was.

    It didn''t take much as Cami simply had to recall her predicament just moments ago.

    "Please don''t cry babe." Lucius Ting begged as he undid the restraints on her ankles. "I never meant to hurt you babe." He said, begging for her forgiveness.

    Just as Cami was about to say something, a knock came from the door, infuriating Lucius Ting.

    "What is it?" Lucius Ting asked as he got out of the bed and marched to the door. "I had strict instructions that we were not to be disturbed."

    "Lucius, just let it pass." Cami said as she tried to pretend that she enjoyed their time alone.

    "No, these people need to respect my orders!" Lucius Ting shouted as he yanked the door open, only to find one of his most trusted men standing at the door.

    "What are you doing here?" Lucius Ting asked. "You are supposed to be in the capital keeping my sisterpany!"

    "S- s- sir." The man stuttered as he tried to tell Lucius Ting something.

    This was the first time Cami had seen this particr employee of Lucius Ting cower in fear in front of his boss.

    How bad was the impact of what Cedric and Katerina had done to turn this man into a mumbling mess?

    "Are you alright?" Cami asked as she got up and joined Lucius Ting at the door as she pretended to be concerned.

    The man shook his head as he took deep breaths.

    "What the fuck has gotten you into such a condition?" Lucius Ting asked angrily.

    "Lucius." Cami told him as she ced a hand on his arm as she attempted to calm him down. She was still trying to dy and was hoping that this man would be a mumbling mess for longer.

    "What''s wrong? You seem distressed." Cami asked Lucius Ting''s employees.

    "Miss Montero, it''s Miss Ting." The man said as his voice broke.

    "What about my sister?" Lucius Ting asked as he red at the man in front of him. "If she is hurt I will make you pay."

    "Lucius, let him answer what happened first." Cami said as calmly as possible as she nodded at the man.

    "Sir, Miss Louise was arrested by Cedric Reyes'' men." At his words the man turned pale.

    Lucius Ting punched him in the jaw, knocking him out cold.

 Chapter 878 - 878

    "Cami just messaged me." Katerina told Cedric as they calmly sat in his office at the Reyes Group. "They just left Mor Co."

    Cedric nodded as he got up and walked to look out the side of his office. It was made of ss from top to bottom and it gave him an excellent view of the city.

    "Did Cami mention where they are going?" Cedric asked Katerina. He knew that Cami would be smart enough to exin where they were headed in order to give them an estimate of how much time they had to act.

    "She told me earlier today that they might be going somewhere out of town, somewhere that Lucius Ting''s men couldn''t easily get to them." Katerina exined.

    "We will start to move in thirty minutes. That should give them enough time to be as far as possible from the city." Cedric said as he analyzed the situation. "We can''t wait too long, if we do our target will be hard to capture."

    Katerina nodded as she sent out instructions to her people.

    Out of all the jobs she did, this was her favorite, whenever she and one of her brother''s friends were nning a high stakes n.

    Sometimes she wondered if being awyer was what she really wanted or if it was what her parents wanted for her. Either way, with her credentials she was able to help them in tasks such as these.

    "Ian, do we have an update on our target?" Cedric asked his friend who was coordinating not only with their men but with members of the mafia as well.

    They had enlisted the help of the Ri Family and the Dean Family, just these two were more than enough to corner their target. But Cedric knew that in times like these, everything that could go wrong would probably go wrong.

    "Yes, everyone has eyes on her and all the exits are secured." Ian said with a nod as he recounted thetest update.

    "Alexi?" Cedric asked as nced at his politically connected friend.

    "Dad said that he can keep the news under wraps until the police catch her and have her in custody, after that he has no control." Alexi exined. "When she has be taken by the police that''s when the government will dere that it is no longer a threat to let the public know about her case."

    "And how long till we can deport her?" Ian asked, he had been calcting the timeline in his head.

    "It should take an hour to process everything." Alexi told him and Cedric.

    "To get to the airport from the police station where she will be held will take another twenty to thirty minutes." Cedric said as he considered the situation.

    "It''s a risk." Katerina said with a frown. "Let''s say Lucius'' men take about ten minutes to contact him and he can drive back in thirty, he will still be back in the capital before the one hour is over."

    "Then let''s hope that Uncle Jose can have the process sped up and that Cami can distract Lucius Ting longer." Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head.

    He hated the idea that one of his friends who had already been through so much was in the grasp of his enemy. He wanted to get Cami out of the situation she was in the moment Guan Ming contacted him.

    But right now, as much as he didn''t want to admit it, it was a huge asset that Cami was there to keep them updated on Lucius Ting. On top of that, their date was currently keeping him away from Cedric''s n.

    "Katerina, would Cami have mentioned by any chance who nned this date?" Cedric asked as he realized that if Cami was the one that had made the ns Lucius Ting would suspect her of working with Cedric.

    If it was Lucius Ting on the other hand that had made the ns, he had no one else to me but himself. Cedric prayed that it was thetter.

    "From what I could pick up this morning it was Lucius Ting that made all of the ns and all Cami had to do was to show up." Katerina told Cedric as she tried her best to recall all of the details of her conversation with Cami earlier that day.

    "Good." Cedric said with a nod, somewhat putting him at ease.

    "Cedric, she''s moving, she''s about to leave the building." Ian informed Cedric.

    Cedric nced at his watch. Between the time Cami had texted them that they had left Mor Co. and now, only twenty minutes had passed. There was still no guarantee that Lucius Ting and Cami were far enough that it was safe for them to take Louise Ting.

    "Have someone stall her." Cedric ordered.

    Ian nodded as he typed on his phone.

    "I''m asking them to cut the power in the elevator, hopefully she doesn''t have signal in there and won''t be able to contact anyone." Ian said as he exined his n to Cedric.

    "Sounds good to me." Cedric said with a nod as he continued to watch the time.

    After a few minutes, Ian spoke again with an update.

    "She''s stuck in the elevator, we just need to keep her there for a few more minutes." Ian reported.

    "Do we have any listening devices in that elevator so that we can find out if she can contact others?" Cedric asked.

    "We do." Ian said with a nod as he scrolled through his phone. "ording to thetest reports she''s been trying to get into contact with her brother but he is already out of cell coverage."

    "Good. We can go now." Cedric said with a nod as he gave the go signal for all of their teams to take action.

    "They are making the elevator descend to the ground floor now." Ian said as he continued to observe the situation.

    "The police are entering the building with an arrest warrant and a deportation notice." Alexi told them.

    "They are already expecting her in Spain. Once shends there, we shouldn''t have any issues with Lucius Ting trying to get her out." Katerina confirmed.

    "Why again are we sending her to Spain instead of the UK or USA?" Alexi asked as he seemed to have missed out on a big portion of their situation.

    "Because Lucius Ting would never dare set foot in Spain." Cedric calmly exined to his friend. "He had enemies there that want him beaten and dead, people that he cannot fight or avoid."

    "The Esteves Family." Ian said under his breath in case Alexi had forgotten.

    "They have her." Alexi happily announced as he got word from their team on the ground. "Dad said they are already processing the documents. He also sent us a copy of her case from Spain."

    "She will be allowed to contact someone." Ian told Cedric. "We know she will try to contact her brother."

    "Can the police dy it for at least thirty minutes?" Cedric asked.

    "They can try." Alexi told Cedric with a nod as he made a call and walked away.

    "We will get her Cedric, she won''t escape." Katerina told him with a reassuring look. "She is guilty and has hurt way too many people including Selina and Francesca, my brother will not let her get away with that."

    Cedric worlessly nodded as he waited anxiously for news.

    "The ne is ready." Ian announced. "Ray had a ne emptied out just to ship her messed up ass to Sapin."

    "Thank you, Ian." Cedric told his friend.

    "They can give us fifteen minutes, anything more than that is too much." Alexi told them as he got back.

    "It takes ten minutes from her apartment to the police station, so that gives us twenty five." Cedric told them.

    "Cedric we have another development." Ian said as he suddenly turned pale.

    "Oh God, what is it this time?" Cedric asked. He knew it couldn''t be good news.

    "Some of Lucius Ting''s men were spotted around the apartment, they saw the police taking Louise Ting!" Ian said frantically. "The mafia are already after them, but they cannot guarantee that they will get everyone."

    "Tell them to do their best. Sweep the entire area if they have to!" Cedric ordered.

    "I''ll ask the military to set up check points going out of the capital, that should be enough to slow them down if they are trying to get to Lucius Ting." Alexi said as calmly as he could.

    "They got most of them." Ian announced. "Unfortunately it looks like they managed to contact others, we don''t know if there are people stationed near where Lucius Ting was taking Cami."

    "We better hope that she gets deported soon." Cedric said anxiously as he looked at the time.

    The time didn''t matter now, it all came down to whody luck would be smiling on today, would it be him or Lucius Ting?

 Chapter 879 - 879

    "Do we have any news?" Cedric asked as he paced across the room.

    Last they had heard, Louise was now at the police station and the process of deporting her had already begun.

    At the end of Lucius Ting''s men they were being followed up a mountain, but they didn''t seem to know where exactly to go.

    "Wait." Alexi suddenly said as he lifted up his hand and picked up a call.

    "Dad?" Alexi asked.

    "Yes, yes, we have those documents, Katerina has them." Alexi said over the phone as he rushed to get the words out.

    "Tell dad I sent everything I have to his assistant. There is nothing more." Katerina said. "Tell him to have his assistant check again."

    Alexi nodded and repeated his sister''s words to his father.

    He was silent for a while as Cedric assumed that his Uncle Jose was speaking to his assistant while on the phone with his son.

    "Great! He found it!" Alexi told his father as he grinned.

    "I told you I sent everything." Katerina told her brother as she rolled her eyes. "He should really rece that assistant." Shemented on the side.

    "We both know he can''t." Alexi said with a chuckle as he made sure his speakers were on mute. "This one knows too much. If dad fires him there is a chance all the information he has will get leaked and that may just spell the end for the family."

    "Just send him and his family away and give him nothing to want." Katerina said as she rolled her eyes.

    "Shush!" Alexi scolded his sister as he unmuted his phone and returned to his call with his father.

    "That''s perfect timing dad!" Alexi said happily as he nodded, listening to instructions that the President was giving him.

    "Thanks dad, we''ll get on it." Alexi told his father with a smile as he dropped the call.

    Cedric gave him a look and raised his eyebrow, waiting for his friend to give them an update.

    "Calm down, dad said everything has been processed and Louise can be sent to the airport for deportation." Alexi told Cedric.

    "Where are we on Lucius Ting and his men?" Cedric asked Ian as he wanted to avoid Lucius Ting stopping his sister''s deportation.

    "They just arrived at a famous private resort in the mountains." Ian told Cedric as he gave his update. "ording to our men, if it weren''t for our special phones they wouldn''t be able to contact us. I guess we got lucky."

    Cedric nodded as he processed the events.

    "If it took them thirty minutes to get there in a rush it should take Lucius Ting more or less the same amount of time to get back." Cedric said. "How soon can they send Louise to the airport?"

    "They should be on their way in five minutes." Alexi told Cedric as he thought of how long the process would take with the President pushing for things to move faster.

    "Five minutes to process, twenty to get to the airport." Cedric said as he thought out loud. "We need to tell Ray to get the airne ready and we need to get Uncle Jose to give special permission for the ne to jump up in the queue."

    "I''ll call Ray." Ian volunteered.

    "No, let me do it." Cedric told his former assistant. "I want you, Dave, and Mae to focus on what is going on in that resort. We need to know when Lucius Ting leaves and if you see an opening get Cami out of there."

    Ian nodded as he exited the room, presumably to give instructions to the other assistants. He would have to ask them to go into Cedric''s office to work due to the sensitivity of the matter at hand.

    "You should inform Guan Ming." Katerina told Cedric. "If he doesn''t know that Cami is in a situation like this he will be furious."

    "I don''t care if he is furious, that man loses all logic when ites to Cami." Cedric hissed as he took out his phone and dialed Ray''s number. "If he leaves Kashmere everyone will figure out that his mom isn''t in a dire state and Miguel will need to leave. Miguel and your sister, Natalia, are still trying to figure out a cure to wake Julia up."

    "He should at least know, Cedric." Katerina warned. "Just think about how you would feel if it were Adrianna in the same position."

    Cedric remained silent as he debated in his own mind whether or not to inform Guan Ming. Katerina was right, he should know, but he also knew that Guan Ming would risk everything just to keep Cami safe.

    "Ray." Cedric said as his friend picked up the phone.

    "The ne is ready if that''s what you were calling to ask." Ray said as he seemingly guessed what Cedric was about to say.

    "Good, good." Cedric said he nodded.

    "We will need special approval to jump ahead of line and take off as soon as Louise is here. Also you need to update me when she has left the police station and when she arrives at the airport." Ray told Cedric.

    "Alexi is already asking Uncle Jose to give special clearance, an order from that high up cannot be rejected." As Cedric spoke Alexi gave him a thumbs up, signaling that his father had already pulled stings to get things done.

    "Alexi just told me that Uncle Jose has gotten us the approval we need." Cedric ryed to Ray.

    "Perfect!" Ray said. "I''ll tell my people."

    "Cedric, they are preparing to move Louise Ting." Katerina told Cedric as her contact at the police station sent her a message. "They said it shouldn''t take long, but the media is already beginning to swarm around the station. They tried to keep everything under wraps but someone must have spoken."

    "It''s fine, public opinion will be against her. We just need to make sure there are no dys in getting her to the airport." Cedric told Katerina.

    "She''ll have an armed escort, both military and police." Alexi told Cedric.

    "The airport security will also make sure to keep the media from blocking the road." Ray said, catching Cedric off guard, he had forgotten that his brother-inw was till on the call.

    "Thank you." Cedric told Ray.

    "I''ll give Ram a call to see if he can control the news and the news reporters, he should be able to at least get them to stay on the sidelines, I''ll have to drop this call Ray." Cedric said.

    "Just tell me when she leaves the police station and when she arrives." Ray said as he dropped the call for Cedric.

    Cedric quickly dialed Ram''s number and waited for him to pick up.

    "Cedric?" Ram asked.

    "Ram, I need a favor, can you get the media to stay aside when ites to Louise Ting? We need to get her to the airport as quickly as possible before Lucius Ting arrives in the capital." Cedric told his friend.

    "Already on it." Ram told Cedric. "I''ve already asked them not to block the path. I kind of promised everyone though an interview with some of her victims, do you think you can convince Selina to do it as well. I already convince Francesa."

    "I can''t make her talk, Ram." Cedric said in a stern tone.

    "I''ll talk to Selina." Katerina said as she guessed what Cedric and Ram were discussing. "I''m sure she will be more than willing if it means that the woman that hurt her will be put behind bars."

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a smile.

    "You heard Katerina?" Cedric asked Ram over the phone.

    "Yes, this is perfect. I''ll get to work then." Ram said as he dropped the call.

    Just as Cedric ended the call with Ram, Ian burst into the room.

    "Lucius Ting has left the resort. He''s driving at full speed towards the capital." Ian reported.

    "I doubt the checkpoints will do much to slow him down." Alexi said with a frown.

    "Then this news is perfect timing then." Katerina announced. "They just left the police station."

    "This will be cutting it close." Cedric said with a frown as he waited anxiously for news. "Do we know if Lucius had Cami with him?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "We are still trying to figure that out." Ian told him. "Hopefully not."

    After twenty minutes Katerina suddenly sat upright.

    "They are in the airport." She announced loudly.

    Cedric quickly sent a message to Ray, informing him of thetest development.

    "Just in time." Ian mumbled. "I just got word that Lucius Ting just arrived in the capital, but he is stuck in traffic. It seems it''s caused by the media trying to follow Louise Ting."

    "And Cami?" Cedric asked.

    "She wasn''t with him in the car." Ian said as he looked worried. He didn''t know if it was good or bad news that Cami was not with Lucius Ting.

    "Get her out of there as quickly as you can!" Cedricmanded.

 Chapter 880 - 880

    "Help!" Cami shouted at the top of her lungs but to no avail, it seemed that there was no one else outside of the room she was locked in.

    She had been banging on the door for thest hour or so, begging for someone, anyone to hear her.

    Lucius Ting had locked her in a windowless room, he had men leave water, food, and a bucket. It seemed like he was going to be gone for a while and he wanted to be sure she wouldn''t die on him.

    Cami closed her eyes as she recalled what happened after news of Louise''s arrest had arrived.

    "Did you know about this?" Lucius Ting asked as Cami stared at him in shock.

    She had juste to and was fighting off his sexual advances a few minutes ago and now he wanted her to provide him with information. How self centered was this man?

    "Do you think Cedric still trusts me that much?" Cami asked as she threw a question back at him.

    To her surprise he grabbed her by the neck as he slowly started to strengthen his grip.

    "Don''t you ever answer back at me that way, bitch!" Lucius Ting used. "We both know you never liked my sister, she never liked you either, but I was hoping that you could at least be civil. I love you both, but don''t make me choose between my family and you Cami, you should know better."

    "I knew nothing about this." Cami managed to choke out as Lucius loosened his grip.

    "I hope you didn''t." Lucius Ting spat out as he threw Cami back on the bed strong enough for her to hit the head board and an audible thud to be heard.

    Cami wanted to cry out in pain as she felt her head make contact with the hard wooden frame, but she didn''t want to give Lucius Ting the satisfaction of hearing her affected by his actions.

    "Stop pretending to be strong and brave, Cami, we both know you are in pain." Lucius said as he red at his girlfriend.

    "I thought you loved me." Cami cried out, venting her pain as false anger as she continued to sell her act of loving and dutiful girlfriend.

    In the back of her mind she was already celebrating, more than happy that Cedric and Katerina had found a way to get Louise Ting to face justice.

    After all the horrible things that woman had done to others, it was nice to hear that she would pay for her crimes.

    Suddenly, Lucius Ting burst outughing.

    "I love you, but I love my family more." Lucius said as he red at Cami. "I will make you pay if I learn that you yed with me."

    "And if I never did, do you think I would ever forgive you for this?!" Cami shouted, she was furious at this man, how could he dere his love for a woman and hurt her at the same time. It was simply barbaric.

    "Of course, we are meant to be together." Lucius Ting said quite confidently as he picked her up from the bed and threw her over his shoulder.

    "Let me go!" Cami shouted as she kicked and punched.

    "Resist and my people will kill your traitor of a brother." Lucius Ting threatened. "They will make it look like hemitted suicide after being guilty of murder."

    Cami immediately stopped fighting, she knew that Lucius Ting meant, it was a tactic she had seen him use in the past.

    He had framed someone who had betrayed him for the murder of an innocent passerby that they had killed.

    Lucius Ting''s threat not only involved the death of one person, but of two. It would also forever taint the name of the used murderer, leaving his or her family to live with the consequences and stigma of having a criminal as a rtive.

    "Good, you understand my threat." Lucius Ting said with augh as he kicked open a door that Cami did not see.

    Lucius Ting threw Cami to the cold floor of what was the storage closet she was being kept in now.

    She looked around and found it almost bare, as if it were prepared to hold someone hostage and lock them up.

    "My men made sure I had somewhere to keep you." Lucius Ting boasted. "They are quite efficient and they already know what I want."

    "Then date and marry them!" Cami shouted.

    Lucius Ting frowned at her words, it seemed to strike a nerve. He walked towards Cami, who was now slumped against the wall, using it to support her already weakened condition. Lucius Ting raised a hand and pped her hard across the cheek, making her throw her head to the side.

    "You know well enough that I want you and only you." Lucius Ting hissed before turning around and exiting the room.

    He turned back as several of his men entered, leaving Cami with food, water, and a bucket for her needs.

    "I want you where I can find you." Lucius Ting told Cami in a threatening tone as he closely watched her expression, trying to figure out how she felt. "When I get back, I will know if you are a traitor or not."

    Before Cami could even answer back, Lucius Ting mmed the door behind him, locking it.

    Cami waited till she felt that it was safe for her to cry, when she sensed that no one was outside the room she was locked in, she began to sob.

    She prayed that Cedric or Guan Ming would rescue her. She was tired of being brave, tired of always fighting, right now she just needed to be saved.

    Eventually, after letting all of her emotions out, she gathered her strength and began banging on the door, crying out for help.

    Opening her eyes once more, Cami heard a loud explosion.

    She prayed to God that it was someone on her side.

    "Where is she?" She heard a familiar voice, one that she had heard everyday as she toiled in the Reyes Group.

    "Ian!" Cami cried out as she banged against the door. "Ian! I''m here!" Cami shouted.

    "Cami!" Ian screamed back as Cami heard the door knob rattle.

    "It''s locked you idiot!" Cami shouted, annoyed at how stupid her friend was acting. It seemed that even at moments like these he could still find ways to make her smile.

    "Cami, stay away from the door, we are going to break it down." Ian called out. "We''ll give you thirty seconds to move."

    Cami quickly scrambled to get as far away from the door as she could.

    In the background she could hear Ian barking orders.

    "Get them all out of here and find them a safe ce to stay, I''ll inform the boss, just get them out!" Ian shouted.

    "Cami, we are breaking it down now." Ian said across the door as Cami braced herself for what could be a messy rescue.

    She heard a loud bang as the hinges of the door were broken and the door itself was thrown open.

    Once she was sure that it was safe, Cami got up and started shouting, calling for her old friend.

    "Ian!" Cami said as she jumped into his arms and sobbed.

    Just being around someone familiar was more than enough, it made her cry, it made her vulnerable, and most of all it made her feel safe.

    Here was one of her oldest friends, saving her, possibly with the resources from both her boyfriend and their other friend.

    "Come on, Cedric sent me on his chopper to make sure you were safe, we are flying back in it." Ian said as he pulled his friend out of the dark room towards the mansion''s vast garden.

    "Are you alright? Do you need me to carry you?" Ian asked Cami.

    She simply shook her head as she followed Ian out.

    "My brother, you need to get Benedict. Lucius Ting will be after him once he finds out I''ve been rescued." Cami told her friend.

    "Don''t worry, he''s been moved to the Reyes Mansion." Ian told Cami, putting her worries at ease.

    Cami simply nodded as they made their way to the helicopter.

    "Guan Ming was furious when he found out what happened to you." Ian said with a frown.

    "Why the hell would you tell him?" Cami asked angrily as she red at her friend.

    "Cami, he has the right to know that you are in danger." Ian told his friend as he helped her up to get into the helicopter. "Cedric took full responsibility for what happened, you can call Guan Ming the moment wend at the Reyes Mansion."

    "Why there?" Cami asked Ian, she was assuming that she would be brought either to the Reyes Group or to Mountain View. Both ces were quite secure and she could help more from there.

    "Cedric doesn''t want us all to be in just one ce, he''d rather spread us out. He wants to keep Lucius Ting confused and lost." Ian exined to Cami.

    "I won''t be able to help from the Reyes Mansion." Cami said with a frown.

    "Cami, after what happened, do you really think Cedric or Guan Ming will allow you to be involved or to help?" Ian asked. "Even I wouldn''t. You need to think of yourself and of the rest of us Cami, we were all worried sick."

    "But -" Cami was cut off when Ian gestured for the pilot to start the chopper,pletely stopping Cami from arguing back.

 Chapter 881 - 881

    <style>#M785277ScriptRootC1274098 {min-height: 300px;}</style>

    Cedric sat in the presidential office as he patiently waited with Alexi, Katerina, and Ram.

    The President, Alexi''s and Katerina''s father, had asked the four of them toe over as soon as word of Lucius Ting throwing a fit at the airport got out.

    Cedric knew that Ram had intentionally let the media find out about Louise being deported the moment they were sure that Lucius Ting would not be able to stop it.

    He had allowed the members of the media to capture all of the profanities and the un-gentleman like behavior that Lucius Ting had exhibited when he learned he had missed his sister''s flight by thirty minutes.

    "Thank you, I will address the matter as soon as I can, Ambassador. Please inform the Spanish President that we will protect the country''s name in this matter." Cedric heard his Uncle Jose say as he bid his guests farewell and entered his private office.

    Cedric could see that Alexi was visibly nervous, while Katerina was calm.

    It was possible that Katerina was in the green, while Alexi was in trouble, he did use some government resources to get Louise arrested and flown out of the country as soon as possible.

    Cedric, however, was sure that the President would not be mad at them since they had helped send a dangerous person away.

    When the President closed the door behind him, he looked at the four adults sitting in his office. He couldn''t help but think that their current expressions reminded him of how they looked when they were in trouble back when they were younger.

    Jose Sebastianughed at how scared his son looked, they weren''t in any trouble, as a matter of fact he called them over to congratte them, not scold them.

    "Are you alright, dad?" Katerina asked as he tilted her head to the side and gave her father a confused look.

    "I''m fine, Kat." Jose said as he gave his daughter a reassuring smile.

    He then turned his attention to his son, who seemed to tense up the moment his eyes met his father''s.

    "Rx, Alexi, none of you are in trouble." Jose Sebastian told his son with a smile.

    He heard an audible sigh of reliefing from Alexi and Ram. The fact that Cedric was not worried didn''t surprise Jose Sebastian.

    The young man had always been the most logical among the so-called five princes. He wasn''t book smart like Ram and Miguel, but he was street smart and was not naive to the workings of the world.

    "I actually called you all here to thank you." Jose Sebastian told them as he gave them a smile. "We were able send a very dangerous person out of our country and you managed to show the people how truly dangerous the Ting siblings actually are."

    "Hopefully after this they will want Lucius out of the country." Katerina said with a sigh as she listened to her father''s words.

    She knew that there was no way he would be mad at them, as a matter of fact she argued with Alexi on the way to their father''s office. She knew that sending Louise Ting to Spain would do them more good than harm, especially with the elections fast approaching.

    "They won''t, at least they won''t flock the streets or social media demanding that he be sent away." Cedric said as he analyzed the situation. "Taking Arch Group out of the country will not only result in a lot of jobs being lost, but a big chunk of the economy going up in smoke. It''s quite dangerous."

    Jose Sebastian nodded in agreement. Cedric was right, it was something he and the other dads had discussed, but the risk to the country was just too much, they needed to consider everyone, not just themselves.

    "Don''t forget how the optics will be." Ram added as he considered the effects of simply taking Lucius Ting and hispany out of the picture. "It will look like the government is siding too much with the Reyes Group. It will seem like an abuse of power."

    "Yeah, as if we don''t already do that." Katerina said with a sarcastic tone.

    In a perfect world there would be no need for them to use such leverages, but things were not perfect in the Capital and such sacrifices needed to be made. It was, however, also a double edged sword. There were limits to how well and how fast the Reyes Group could expand, it also meant that they needed to be more vignt with how people reacted to theirpany.

    "The point is, we need to get the public on our side on this and we need to get Lucius Ting to leave on his own." Jose Sebastian told his daughter.

    He was aware too that there was some abuse to some extent, but in the end it was for the greater good.

    "Lucius Ting will leave the moment Ming announces that he will no longer cooperate with Arch Group." Cedric told the people in the room with him.

    "And don''t forget that this incident with Lousie will help sway public opinion." Ram pointed out. "If Guan Ming can cite several instances of distrust was the reason why he will not cooperate with Arch Group, we might be able to get more people to demand that he leave."

    "Are you guys forgetting that Lucius Ting still has Wu Jun on his side?" Alexi asked his father and his friend.

    "Guan Ming said he would deal with Wu Jun." Cedric told them. "I''m suspecting that he will make a move soon since Wu Jun won''t be expecting Guan Ming to do anything while his mom is supposedly sick. If anything, it will be Wu Jun that will move against Guan Ming."

    "And what about Lucius Ting''s mess with the Chans?" Alexi asked Cedric.

    "The girls are getting close to finding out who his real parents are and what the underlying plot is." Cedric said. "Hopefully they find out soon."

    "And hopefully they stay safe.." Ram said with a frown as he thought of his adoptive sister and his cousin getting into too much danger.

 Chapter 882 - 882

    "I am flying back there this instant!" Guan Ming said angrily over the phone as he mmed his fist into Cedric''s table on Kashmere Ind.

    He and his parents were staying there while Julia recovered. Ray''s home was much morevish, but he always felt like he was an intruder in someone else''s home. It wasn''t for Ray''sck of trying, but he just felt morefortable at Cedric''s, at least Cedric had known him for quite a long time already.

    "Being here will only make things more difficult and it will paint an evenrger target on Cami and you know that." Cedric answered back calmly, something that annoyed Guan Ming.

    How could his friend remain so calm despite him being furious. His girlfriend, the love of his life was almost raped and murdered and yet Cedric was still sticking to their original timeline.

    "We need to move faster, who knows what damage Lucius Ting could do if we let him run free with all of his resources intact?" Guan Ming questioned Cedric. He was more than eager to make Lucius Ting pay for all the mess he had made.

    "Calm down Ming." Cedric said with a sigh over the phone as he struggled to get his friend to understand the situation.

    "Well love does make a man stupid." Guan Ming heard Ianment in the background.

    "Tell that stupid assistant of yours to shut the fuck up, the big fish are talking!" Guan Ming said angrily.

    He didn''t really look down at Ian, as a matter of fact he was quite impressed with how Ian had managed to climb back up after everything was taken from him and his family.

    Guan Ming heard Ian chuckle in the background as the voices got louder, it seemed that Cedric had ced the phone on speaker.

    "Hey Ming, you''ve been paying this assistant for months to both move your goods and for your raw materials to exit several countries. Thank you for your patronage." Ian teased, confusing Guan Ming.

    "Ian has procured some cargo lines, one of which yourpany frequently uses to transport both your raw materials and finished products." Cedric exined to his friend without being asked to. "He has also secured the rights to operate several ports that both of our raw materials areing from, so we kind of have our hands tied with this one."

    "What?!" Guan Ming asked in shock. He knew that Ian had managed to slowly reinvent his family''s business, ording to Cami it was going well, but she failed to mention that it was going that well.

    "He hasn''t been my assistant for years, Ming." Cedric said with a sigh. "He onlyes back to help or when he is bored with his ownpany."

    "I knew that." Guan Ming grumbled.

    "You just didn''t bother to do a thorough background check on Ian this time around." Cedric said with a triumphantugh. "Because now, you trust him."

    "Don''t put words into my mouth Reyes, I did not say that." Guan Ming hissed.

    "We aren''t that different in this matter Guan Ming, the only people we don''t look into are those we know we can trust." Cedric told Guan Ming. "And there are very few of those."

    "If Cami trusts him, I trust him." Guan Ming said as he admitted to the fact that he didn''t have any doubts when it came to Ian from the beginning. "Plus I knew him long ago, people like him do not change so easily."

    "You would be surprised Ming, I almost went dark." Ian said with a sigh as he recalled a time in his life where he almost gave everything up just to take an easier route.

    "Are you calm now?" Cedric asked Guan Ming as the other man realized that the banter had cleared up his mind and he was now able to think logically once more.

    "Sorry about that." Guan Ming said as he frowned and got up.

    He made his way to therge bay window that overlooked the sea.

    "Anything that involves Cami seems to make me act differently." He said with a sigh.

    "Trust me, Cedric is worse, he goes over the top when ites to his wife and children." Ian teased as heughed at his friend. "I mean, I know I''m pretty bad, but he is worse."

    Cedric couldn''t help but chuckle at Ian''sment, it was true. He knew that he had over protective tendencies in matters that involved his wife and children. He knew that it wasn''t just them, he acted the same with his father and his sister, and probably someday, his sister''s children.

    They were all part of the Reyes n, they were all his responsibility.

    "I guess I''m just not used to it." Guan Ming said in a sad tone as he watched the waves crash on the shore.

    From where he stood, he could see his parents walking on the sand, holding each other''s hands. He couldn''t remember thest time he had seen them this happy or this involved in each other. He worried that the same thing that had happened to his mother and father would happen to him and Cami as well.

    "You were separated from her for a very long time, Ming." Cedric said as he tried tofort his friend. "It''s only natural that everything you are feeling is foreign to you."

    "I''m honestly surprised that both of you managed to hang on to one another for that long despite not gettingmunication from each other." Ian admitted. "Your love story is one for the books."

    Guan Ming gave Ian a nervousugh, in all honesty he got lucky. When he finally got the opportunity to look for Cami he was worried that she had moved on.

    "I love her, that''s it." Guan Ming said as he smiled. "Cedric, you''re right. We will need to hold on. But I need to keep in contact with Lucius Ting in order to ensure that he knows I am still invested in our partnership."

    "Good, we will need that since it is now clear that I''ve taken Cami from him." Cedric responded, he was relieved that his friend finally saw reason.

    "I will need to fly back to the capital, my dad is here and that is a good enough excuse." Guan Ming told Cedric in a stern tone.

    "Alright, but you are not allowed to visit Cami." Cedric reminded his friend.

    "Is she safe?" Guan Ming asked Cedric. He knew that he wouldn''t be able to see her, he doubted if Cedric would even tell him where Cami was.

    "She is with people I trust." Cedric told Guan Ming.

    "Very well, but I want to see her the moment we have Lucius Ting." Guan Ming told his friend.

    "You can marry her at that moment for all I care." Cedric said with a chuckle.

    "She''ll punch you for saying that, you know." Ian pointed out as heughed at Cedric.

    "She just needs to stay hidden till all of this is over, she will work remotely the whole time, but I''ll need Ian to help out a little." Cedric told the two men.

    "Nothing I haven''t done." Ian said quite enthusiastically.

    "I''ll be in the capital in twenty four hours." Guan Ming told Cedric.

    He just had dinner nned with his parents that night then he would fly out to continue his mission.

    "Good luck, we don''t know how unstable Lucius Ting is at this moment, so be careful." Cedric reminded Guan Ming in a stern tone.

    "When have I not been.." Guan Ming said confidently as he dropped the call.

 Chapter 883 - 883

    "Mom, Dad." Guan Ming said with a smile as he waved at his parents from the entrance of the Vi.

    "Ming." His mother greeted as both of his parents walked over to him.

    "Is something wrong, Ming?" His father asked as he noticed that Guan Ming seemed to be in much darker spirits today. "Is there a problem with thepany?"

    Guan Ming couldn''t help but give his father a sad smile. He had been so detached from everyone since he and Cami were separated that his father always thought that the only thing he cared about was thepany.

    "No dad, it''s not that." Guan Ming said.

    "It''s the girl, you idiot." Guan Ming''s mother, Lu Ning, scolded her husband.

    "The one our Ming has been in love with for years?" Guan Ming''s father asked as he looked at his wife in disbelief. "I''m sorry for not having thought of her, Ming. I''m just not used to thinking of you caring for something other than work." His father apologized.

    "It''s fine dad, she was the reason why only work mattered, all I wanted was to be free and to be able to be with her again." Guan Ming said with a sigh as he looked up at the setting sun.

    "The sun sets here are beautiful, way better than back home." Lu Ning remarked as she broke the awkward silence.

    "It is most beautiful because you are here." Her husband said as he gently pecked her lips.

    "Gross." Guan Ming grumbled as he turned around and entered the Vi.

    His parents simplyughed off his remark as they followed right behind him.

    Guan Ming wasn''t exactly disgusted by his parents'' very public disy of affections, as a matter of fact he weed it. He had seen them grow cold towards each other as time passed and it made him happy to see that their love still burned quite vividly away from the public eye.

    He couldn''t help but wish that his love for Cami and her love for him would endure as much as his parents''.

    "Is Cami alright? Is something wrong?" His father asked, catching Guan Ming by surprise.

    "You know her name?" Guan Ming said as he gave his father a confused look. He didn''t expect his father to remember Cami''s name, let alone be concerned about her.

    "I listen to your and your mother''s stories more than you think." The older man said with a chuckle as he led his wife to the dining table.

    The vi was staffed with people that Ray and Cedric trusted, so Guan Ming and his family knew that they could speak freely. Guan Ming even chose to bring only a few of his staff along on Kashmere in fear that a spy may be among them.

    "Dinner, sir?" A maid asked, to which Guan Ming simply nodded.

    "She was in danger recently." Guan Ming admitted to his parents.

    "Part of your n with the Reyes kid?" His father questioned with a raised eyebrow. "You should have added that she wasn''t to get involved in the deal with him."

    "She was already involved by the time I arrived, dad." Guan Ming said, clearly unhappy with that fact. "Plus she''s the type that would still have gotten involved even if I told her not to."

    "Who is this Reyes kid to her? Why is she so willing to put her life in danger for him and his family and friends?" Guan Ming already knew where his father''s suspicions led. He couldn''t help but shake his head as he held back augh.

    "Dad, it isn''t like that between them." Guan Ming exined.

    "I couldn''t help but ask, loyalty like that can be very dangerous." His father said in a dark and serious tone.

    "Cami was abandoned by her parents at a very young age, and the abandonment was not the simple kind where she was dropped off at an orphanage. She was left to die by her parents." Guna Ming said as he recalled Cami''s story. "It was the Reyes Family and their friends that saved her."

    "So she owes them her life?" Guan Ming''s father asked him.

    "I know you are worried dad, but I don''t think Cedric and I will ever be on different sides." Guan Ming said as he tried his best to reassure his father.

    Guan Ming was aware that it looked quite worrisome that the woman he loves is indebted to another family, but he knew Cedric and he knew Cami, they would never hurt him that way.

    "I just want you to be careful." Guan Ming''s father warned him. "It''s been years since youst saw Cami or Cedric, they could have changed."

    "And whose fault was it that your son couldn''t see the woman he loved or his friend?" Lu Ning suddenly asked her husband.

    Guan Ming was surprised with how strong his mother sounded, she was often the more submissive and calm one in the rtionship. This time, it seemed like Guan Ming was getting a glimpse into how their rtionship was in the past.

    "Ning, I never meant to harm our son." His father said in a loving tone as he tried his best to calm his angry wife. He reached out and gently stroked her hand as Lu Ning rxed a little but kept her eyes locked on her husband.

    "You were too busy trying to please those parasitic rtives of yours that you forgot about what we fought for, our love." Lu Ning reminded her husband.

    "I failed you and Ming." His father said as he looked at Guan Ming with sad eyes.

    "Dad, when I was younger I was furious at you." Guan Ming said as he looked down at the te in front of him. "I hated you so much that I ran away."

    "I''m sorry I did that to you, son." His father, Guan Hao, said as he reached out to his son.

    "Now that I''m older I understand why you did what you did." Guan Ming said as he looked up at Guan Hao with a smile.

    "Don''t let him off that easily, Ming." Lu Ningg said as she gave her son a warning look, making Guan Mingugh.

    "Don''t worry mom, I just hope dad will change in theing years." Guan Ming said as heughed at his parents. He couldn''t remember when they werest this happy, nor could he remember when hest felt his family was thisplete. The only part that was missing in his life now was Cami, and he swore to do everything to make up for their lost time together.

    "I swear to make up for all of my shorings for the rest of my life, my xingxing." Guan Hao told his wife who began to blush.

    If Guan Ming could recall correctly that was the name his father called his mother when they had started dating and early on in their marriage, before things went cold, it meant star, his father''s star.

    "Mom, dad, I have to leave first thing in the morning." Guan Ming announced as he broke the moment.

    "To go to Cami?" Lu Ning asked her son.

    "No, I can''t see Cami until this matter with Lucius Ting is settled. It''s dangerous for her if we are seen together, just know that whatever you see in the news is mostly fabricated to work in our favor." He said as he tried to reassure his parents.

    "Stay safe and try to keep us updated." Guan Hao told his son with a nod.

    Guan Ming smiled at his father as he waved for the waiting maids to serve their dinner.

 Chapter 884 - 884

    "Mr. Wu Jun, it''s quite a surprise to see you in my office so early." Cedric greeted as he entered the room followed by his two assistants, Mae and Dave.

    Ian was busy dealing with matters at Mor Co. in Cami''s ce and couldn''te to the office so early. Instead, Mien had offered his help to lessen the workload the others had to deal with and was now seated outside.

    While preparing for work, Mae gave Cedric a call informing him that Wu Jun and his staff were waiting at the lobby.

    Cedric knew that he was here as a result of Lucius Ting''s meltdown at the airport. What Cedric couldn''t figure out now was if Wu Jun was here working with Lucius Ting or working against him.

    "Mr. Reyes, I''m sorry for havinge to your office so early, I would have chosen to go to your home but everyone refused to tell me where that was exactly." Wu Jun said as he gave Cedric an apologetic smile, one that was probably fake.

    "I hope you understand Mr. Wu that I prefer to keep my private life private, both for the protection of my family as well as for us to be able to be ourselves at home." Cedric told the businessman as he gestured for him to sit.

    "I understand." Wu Jun said with a nod as he sat down.

    "So, for the burning question, to what do I owe the pleasure of you your visit Mr. Wu?" Cedric asked as Mien entered with drinks for him and Wu Jun. "If I''m not mistaken we agreed tomunicate through email, calls, and our people moving forward. I''m assuming something happened for you to pay me a visit."

    Cedric observed Wu Jun''s bodynguage, it was something that he had learned from his dad. Always observe how the person in front of you was reacting to the situation and to your words.

    Right now Wu Jun seemed hesitant and undecided, his actions seemed like he was worried about something, and Cedric nned to use what he observed against the other man.

    "I''d like to move our partnership forward, I''d like to sign off on any conditions and requirements that you have." Wu Jun bravely dered.

    "Mr. Wu, you can''t expect me to believe that a businessman such as yourself would suddenly let me have everything I want. I''d be stupid to believe you." Cedric said as he gave Wu Jun a stern look.

    "Mr. Reyes, I did not believe that you wouldn''t question my intentions and I have toe clean to you." Wu Jun said as he took a deep breath.

    "Come clean?" Cedric asked as he pretended not to know that Wu Jun had been keeping a secret deal from him. "Mr. Wu, what have you been hiding?"

    "Mr. Reyes, Cedric, can I call you Cedric?" Wu Jun asked.

    "I don''t think you have the right to do so Mr. Wu, especially after you just admitted to lying to me in my face." Cedric said in a slightly raised tone, making Wu Jun sink back in his seat.

    "Yes, yes, I apologize." Wu Jun said as he fidgeted.

    "As you were saying, Mr. Wu?" Cedric asked as he urged Wu Jun to continue his confession.

    "Yes, Mr. Reyes, before I even arrived in your country after my father and yours had spoken one of your business rivals approached me." Wu Jun said as he slowly told Cedric about his betrayal.

    "And which business rival would this be? As you are well aware, the Reyes Group has many." Cedric asked even if he knew exactly who had approached Wu Jun. He wanted to hear it from the businessman himself.

    "A man by the name of Lucius Ting." Wu Jun finally confessed.

    "And what did he have to offer you that convinced you to betray our father''s friendship and cooperate with Lucius Ting?" Cedric asked, curious as to what could have convinced a man like Wu Jun.

    He knew that despite everything, Wu Jun was not a bad businessman, he just wasn''t as good as Guan Ming. Wu Jun was also less likely to follow thew and treat others fairly, traits that made Guan Ming the better person.

    "He offered me the one thing that I know I cannot do alone, defeat Guan Ming." Wu Jun said as his features darkened. It seemed that Guan Ming was a trigger topic for him and the mere mention of the other''s name made him furious.

    Cedric continued to simply observe and ask questions, never filling in the nks, just listening.

    "Guan Ming is working with Lucius Ting, how exactly did he get you to believe that he would hand you Guan Ming''s defeat? Everyone knows that hispany is bigger than yours." Cedric said quite casually as he tried his best to push Wu Jun''s buttons.

    "He said that his partnership with Guan Ming was just a trap." Wu Jun confessed. "He knows that you and Guan Ming are old friends, he ns to drain Guan Ming dry with this project and have you to me."

    Cedric was shocked by Wu Jun''s revtion, but he remained calm and reminded himself that he couldn''t show the man in front of him that he was bothered by the news.

    The less reaction he offered, the better it would be for him and thepany.

    As he kept his calm, Cedric made a mental note to warn Guan Ming to tread carefully. He knew that his friend was on a flight back to the Capital and he didn''t want to be toote in warning him. If needed he was willing to step out of his meeting with Wu Jun just to warn Guan Ming.

    "Why turn on him now. Mr. Wu?" Cedric asked. "If what Lucius Ting did tell you was true, then I would prioritize Guan Ming. And even if we were not friends, partnering with Mr. Guan would be a much smarter move than working with you."

    "Please, you need to take my deal, if you don''t mypany will go bankrupt. I ced everything into my deal with Lucius Ting, but now that he cannot even show his face in public I need someone else." Wu Jun said as he fell to his knees and begged.

    Cedric observed the man before him and considered his options, would it be smart to snap up Wu Jun as well as Guan Ming from Lucius Ting?

 Chapter 885 - 885

    "Mr. Wu, I will have to turn you down." Cedric said in a very serious tone. He knew that Wu Jun had expected this and was only acting on a gamble that Cedric would be the kind and noble CEO people spoke about.

    Unfortunately for Wu Jun, Cedric had learned that sometimes you cannot let your opponents get another chance to stand up.

    "Please, I cannot make another deal with Lucius Ting." Wu Jun begged as he got down on his knees and crawled towards Cedric. "Please Mr. Reyes, you have to save me, if you don''t I''ll have to sell my wholepany."

    Cedric remained silent for a moment as he observed Wu Jun. It was clear that the other man was very desperate for a way to survive.

    "Let me think about it." Cedric finally said as he nodded at Mae to lead Wu Jun out of his office. "My people will call your people once I have made my decision."

    "Thank you, Mr. Reyes, thank you." Wu Jun said as he kissed Cedric''s feet, an act that disgusted the other businessman. Not only did he not want Wu Jun touching his shoes, he also thought that it was very unhygienic for Wu Jun to be doing that.

    Mae quickly jumped in and pulled Wu Jun up from the floor and gently led him out of the building.

    When the door closed behind Mae and Wu Jun, Dave gave Cedric a concerned look. He was confused as to his boss'' actions and words. The fact that Wu Jun managed to leave the office with hispany and dignity in tact was quite shocking.

    "You can''t be serious?" Dave asked Cedric as he faced the businessman.

    "This is mypany, Mr. Lazaro and I will manage it as I see fit." Cedric said in a stern tone as he addressed Dave formally with hisst name.

    Dave was aware that he had crossed a line by questioning Cedric, but he also knew that what Cedric was doing was wrong.

    "With all due respect, Mr. Reyes, sir, I think this is wrong." Dave insisted. "That man betrayed you, he turned on you and most of all he hates Guan Ming''s guts. He won''t hesitate toe after you and the Reyes Group when things are better for him."

    Suddenly Cedric mmed his palm on the desk, making Dave jump in surprise. He had never seen Cedric react this way. The CEO was often calm and collected when it came to business matters.

    In fact Dave couldn''t figure out why Cedric was seemingly sabotaging his own ns.

    Cedric stood up from his seat and walked over to the coffee table in the center of the room. He reached under it and showed Dave a small ck device.

    Dave knew exactly what it was, Wu Jun had bugged Cedric''s office and assumed that it would not be searched.

    Cedric then walked over to the chair that Wu Jun had been sitting on and retrieved another and ced it on the table.

    He then looked at Dave who was shocked, confused, and embarrassed.

    Not wanting to give his lesson in a room that was probably full of listening devices, Cedric walked out of the room knowing that Dave was sure to follow.

    Dave couldn''t help but look back at the devices Cedric had left on the table and wonder how he could not have considered that Wu Jun would try to listen in on the CEO''s conversations.

    As Dave closed the CEO''s office door behind them, Cedric heard the audible click of the lock and turned to face Mien. The youngwyer was busy typing something up and didn''t notice Cedric was standing in front of him.

    "It seems that you are working extra hard today, Mien." Cedric teased, making Mien jump in his seat and almost fall over.

    Dave couldn''t help butugh at the man, he knew that he would be in bigger trouble, but seeing someone else suffer hriously at Cedric''s hands made Dave forget his troubles.

    "Mr. Reyes, I''m so sorry I didn''t see you standing there." Mien said as he collected himself and sat back up.

    "It''s fine, Mien." Cedric said with a kind smile as he watched the younger man pull his seat closer to the table.

    Mien then turned to re at the stillughing Dave as if he were threatening the other assistant.

    Dave quickly reacted by trying not tough, despite everything, Mien was still Mae''s older brother. He still somewhat wanted Mae''s entire family to like him.

    "Mien, please contact Leon. Tell him that my whole office needs to be swept for bugs." Cedric said in a stern tone, clearly unamused by the fact that his assistants had allowed Wu Jun to stay alone in his office.

    "Bugs? Shouldn''t I call the janitros if that''s the case?" Mien asked, clearly oblivious to the term for spying equipment.

    "Mien, Mr. Reyes didn''t exactly mean real living bugs." Dave said as he tried to be nice and notugh at how naive Mien sounded.

    Dave couldn''t help but find it odd that Mien was awyer yet he didn''t know what bugs Cedric meant.

    "Oh, like those listening devices!" Mien exined as he realized what Cedric meant.

    Dave and Cedric nodded in response as they were visibly relieved by the fact that Mien actually knew what Cedric was referring to.

    Mien quickly moved to take out his phone and call Leon.

    While he gave Leon instructions Cedric stood patiently, listening if Mien had actually truly understood what he wanted Leon to do.

    When he was satisfied with Mien''s work and realized that the other man was only momentarily confused, he gave Dave a nod and smiled.

    "Seeing as my office can''t be used till Leon and the rest of the security team has cleared it, I''ll be working in Ayanna''s office." Cedric said as he pointed towards the end of the hall.

    "Yes, Mr. Reyes, I''ll inform my sister." Mien said with a nod.

    "We''ll move everything, Cedric." Dave added as he turned to enter the now restricted CEO''s office.

    "No Dave, you and I need to have a chat." Cedric said in a firm tone as he red at Dave.

    Dave knew that Cedric was not happy with how he had not realized that the ce was in fact bugged and he knew he would be in trouble for missing out on that fact.

 Chapter 886 - 886

    Ayanna''s office wasn''t much like Cedric''s. Where Cedric''s was in and barely held any personal items, Ayanna''s was filled with photos of her, her friends, and her family.

    On her desk was a framed copy of her wedding photo with both her parents, Ray''s parents, as well as Cedric and his small family.

    Cedric smiled as he looked at the photo, it was a memory of a much simpler time. Back then their mother was still alive and the only thing stressing Cedric out was the syndicate.

    How he wished that he could turn back time and bring those more peaceful days back, how he wished he could bring his mother back to life and tell her how much he loved her.

    He didn''t really have much time with his mom when he was older, he was either away with his poverty training or he was busy with work. Cedric couldn''t help but feel regret whenever he thought about how he couldn''t protect her. How she was so painfully and suddenly taken away from them.

    Cedric also couldn''t help but recall how bad he felt the moment he heard about her ident, all the regret from being angry at her and his father for keeping her illness a secret.

    As time went on and Cedric grew older, he realized why his father and mother chose not to tell him or Ayanna that she was sick. As a father he understood their need to protect their children from painful truths, no matter how old they got.

    "Mr. Reyes?" Dave asked with his head bowed and eyes down cast.

    Cedric could see that he was not his usual happy and confident self as he ced Cedric''sptop on the table.

    Unlike the other items in the office, these two went with Cedric wherever he was. Cedric never trusted to leave it anywhere alone, except in his own home.

    "Thanks Dave." Cedric said with a nod as the assistant took a step back.

    When Dave simply nodded in reply, Cedric knew something was wrong. Dave was normally the talkative one and Cedric had to ask him to stop talking and to focus on work.

    "Dave, is something wrong?" Cedric asked as he powered up hisptop. "Did you and Mae fight this morning?"

    "No, sir, it has nothing to do with Mae. We are doing well." Dave informed Cedric.

    With his statement there were other tell-tale signs that Cedric could pick up, one of which was the fact that Dave had addressed Cedric formally despite there being no one else in the room.

    Aside from in public, his assistants only addressed him formally when he was mad, which rarely happened since he was quite pleased with their work and behavior.

    "Dave, I''m not mad." Cedric finally said as he looked at his assistant.

    "You aren''t?" Dave asked as he was clearly shaking, afraid of offending Cedric again.

    "Dave, why do you think I''m mad?" Cedric asked as he gave his assistant a curious look. Cedric couldn''t help but feel amused, this was the first time that he was noticing how another person reacted to his words and actions.

    He normally ignored it when people were afraid or nervous around him, he always associated it with the fact that he was a rich man and that was generally how people reacted to the rich. And yet here, in front of him, was his assistant who normally didn''t care.

    Dave was from a rich family and had good enough ties with Cedric to know that he wouldn''t burn a bridge just because he was momentarily upset.

    It seemed that Cedric was now learning how to project what he wanted the way his father used to. The only people who never seemed to get intimidated with his father was his soon to be cousin inw and his mother.

    "Out with it, Dave." Cedric ordered as he pushed as he tried to get his assistant to speak.

    "Well, sir, Mr. Reyes, Cedric." Dave said as he struggled with his words.

    "Dave, calm down, it''s just me." Cedric said as he tried to seem nicer and much kinder than earlier. "I''m not mad."

    "But, but, but you said we needed to have a chat." Dave said as he looked like a child that was in a lot of trouble.

    Cedricughed at his assistant and shook his head.

    "No Dave, I''m not mad. I said we needed to talk because we need to discuss how to move forward." Cedric told Dave. "I have a n and I can''t get proper inputs from you if you are acting like a worried child." He scolded.

    "Sorry about that, Cedric." Dave said as he slowly recovered his confidence.

    "Good, now that you aren''t acting like some fumbling idiot, can you go and check if Guan Ming''s ne hasnded?" Cedric asked his assistant who nodded and stepped out of the room.

    Cedric leaned back as a n began to form in his head.

    Wu Jun was clearly up to something, the fact that he had the presence of mind to bug Cedric''s office meant that there were bigger aspects at y.

    What Cedric needed to figure out was if Lucius Ting was involved in the matter and also how to react since Lucius Ting was aware from the very beginning that Guan Ming was Cedric''s friend.

    While Cedric was deep in thought, Dave and Mae both entered the office.

    "Did you make sure he didn''t leave a trail of bugs in the office?" Cedric asked Mae.

    Mae nodded and stood in front of Cedric.

    "As soon as Dave informed of the security breach we had the security team sweep all the hallways he passed." Mae said with a nod.

    "I won''t ask you who ced Wu Jun alone in my office because there is no point in crying over spilled milk." Cedric told his assistants as he tried to instil in them a lesson that they needed to learn and remember. "I just want you all to realize how lucky we are that I do not leave confidential documents in my office."

    "It won''t happen again, sir." Dave responded.

    Cedric knew that Dave was now taking the fall for Mae. He was quick to respond and was clearly hiding something.

    "Any news on Ming?" Cedric asked as he diverted the topic back on track.

    "Yes, his ne justnded right before we came in." Dave informed Cedric.

    Cedric quickly took out his phone and dialed Guan Ming''s number. Cedric knew that the sooner Guan Ming found out that Lucius Ting had known the whole time the better it would be.

    Another thing that Cedric needed Guan Ming to know is that Wu Jun hade to the Reyes Group.

    After a few rings, Guan Ming finally picked up the call.

    "Why are you calling so early, Cedric?" Guan Ming grumbled as Cedric could still hear the sound of airnes in the background.

    "This is urgent and important." Cedric told his friend.

    "If it''s so urgent then just ask the car you sent to take me to your office." Guan Ming grumbled.

    "Ming, what car?" Cedric asked as he turned pale and started to gesture to his assistants.

    "You didn''t send the white luxury car that''s waiting on the tarmac?" Guan Ming asked as he stopped in his tracks.

    "No Ming, that isn''t one of mine.." Cedric said as he heard a loud explosion at the other end of the call.

 Chapter 887 - 887

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    "Ming!" Cedric shouted as he tried to get in contact with his friend, the line was not cut and Cedric could hear as chaos ensued at the other line of the call.

    "Get our people there!" Cedric ordered, sending Dave out in a rush.

    "Sir, we have some staff there watching Mr. Guan''s arrival, I''ll try to get in touch with them." Mae told Cedric as she quickly made a call.

    "Damnit Ming!" Cedric cursed over the phone as he continued to wait for his friend to say something, anything.

    Suddenly out of the static and chaos at the other end of the line, Cedric heard a voice.

    "Ced, Ced!" Guan Ming shouted, calming Cedric down. "It''s a fucking ambush."

    "I''m sending men there right now." Cedric said as Mae gave him a nod, signaling that those they had initially sent were quite near. "Ming, you need to get somewhere safe. My people are in the airport."

    "How will I know they are worth trusting?" Guan Ming asked as Cedric could hear him panting. It seemed that he was running to get to safety as Cedric had told him.

    "They will ask you who Cami is, give them an answer from your heart." Cedric told his friend.

    "From my heart? You got to be fucking with me." Guan Ming grumbled as Cedric heard shots being fired in the background.

    "Just trust me." Cedric told his friend over the phone.

    "Alright. I''m also trying to get my men in here, but they are still quite far out." Guan Ming informed Cedric, sounding much calmer that Cedric expected.

    "Ming, we''ll get you, don''t worry." Cedric promised. "We''ll talk when you get out."

    "I will owe you some drinks after I guess." Guan Ming teased as he ended the call.

    As soon as his call with Guan Ming ended, his phone began to ring. It was Ram, it was possible that he had already heard about the attack at the airport.

    "Cedric, was Guan Ming the target?" Ram quickly asked as soon as Cedric picked up the call.

    "Yes, it was him." Cedric said as he tried to calm the anger and worry in him. He knew that he had to remain calm in order to find a solution out of the mess they were in.

    "I have eyewitness ounts flooding in, they don''t know who the target was, all they are telling me is that it was a private ne." Ram told Cedric. "Do you want me to let the information out that it was Guan Ming?"

    "Yes." Cedric answered.

    "Are you sure?" Ram asked, surprised by his friend''s answer.

    "Yes." Cedric said as he repeated himself. "This could help us push people to demand Lucius Ting''s head be served on a silver tter."

    "You want them to think Lucius Ting is ruining our country''s name by attacking Guan Ming?" Ram asked as he slowly figured out Cedric''s n.

    "I want them to see Lucius Ting as the greatest threat to both our national safety and our economy." Cedric dered. "Guan Ming is not just any ordinary businessman, he is one of the most powerful and influential ones in China. If any harm came to him, the people behind the attack would be answerable to China as well."

    "Are you even sure that it was Lucius Ting that ordered the attack?" Ram asked Cedric.

    As much as Ram was itching to release news that would ruin Lucius Ting''s name, as a member of the media he wanted to report things as truthfully as possible. He didn''t want to put Lucius Ting''s name when it could backfire against them.

    "Just put that a source close to Guan Ming has stated that the businessman has long been suspicious of him." Cedric instructed Ram. "That should be enough to keep you on the safe side."

    "Alright." Ram said as Cedric could hear him giving out instructions to his employees in the background.

    "Ram, send me all the reports and testimonies you are getting from eyewitnesses." Cedric told Ram over the phone as he waved Mae over.

    "Sure, I hope it will help you get to the bottom of who is trying to harm Guan Ming." Ram told Cedric.

    "Is there any way for us tomunicate live with our men on the ground?" Cedric asked Mae as he kept Ram on the line.

    "What are you up to?" Ram asked Cedric as he tried to figure out what his friend was plotting. He knew that Cedric like to think out of the box and maximize all of his resources, Cedric didn''t like waste.

    "Yes, we have radiomunication with them, Leon can bring it up if you want." Mae informed Cedric.

    "Good, good." Cedric said with a nod as he looked at his assistant and carefully analyzed his n.

    "Ram, can we get live updates of all of the reports you are getting from eyewitnesses?" Cedric asked Ram.

    "It''ll be difficult, but it''s not impossible." Ram confirmed with Cedric. "What''s the n?" He asked, knowing that whatever Cedric was asking had muchrger implications.

    "I want to use those reports you are getting from witnesses to help my team get Guan Ming out of his current predicament." Cedric told Ram.

    He then looked up at Mae and realized that they had another dilemma.

    "Do our people know where Guan Ming and his bodyguards sought shelter?" Cedric asked his assistant.

    "Not yet, it seems that even their attackers don''t know where to look." Mae informed Cedric.

    "And the police or the military, haven''t they arrived?" Cedric questioned. It was odd that despite the attack it was taking so long for the military or police to arrive.

    Guan Ming was a very important guest to their country, there were always people watching wherever he went, except when Cedric smuggled him to Mountain View or when he arrived in Kashmir. Those ces were out of reach of the military and government officials, ces that the president had banned them specifically from.

    "There have been idents and blocades all over the city, specifically on routes leading from police stations and military outposts to the airport." Mae reported.

    "Fuck, this was all nned." Cedric cursed. "It was very meticulously nned."

    "How about our men?" Cedric asked as he realized that even if the military routes were blocked his people wereing from a different route.

    "So far they have not encountered any idents or blockades, as a matter of fact, Leon had also sent some people to help the military." Mae informed Cedric.

    "Did he leave enough people to guard Mountain View?" Cedric asked as panic suddenly set in. He was worried that this could be a trap to lure his people out of Mountain View and attack his family.

    "There are more than enough people, sir." Mae reported. "And Leon didn''t touch the number of people protecting the Reyes Mansion and R Tower."

    "And Ian?" Cedric asked as he recalled that his friend was at Mor Co.

    "He has been transported here, sir. It will be easier to protect in case of an attack." Mae told Cedric.

    "Do we know where Lucius Ting is currently at?" Cedric asked as he realized that Lucius Ting could be attempting an escape.

    "At the moment, sir, we have eyes on him at his residence." Mae confirmed.

    "Are you sure it is him and not some double?" He checked.

    "Yes, he was seen entering the apartment just a few minutes ago, we have people guarding all exits including the helipad." Mae said.

    Cedric couldn''t help but smile at the fact that his people had already thought about everything that could concern him, he didn''t deny that he felt proud.

    "So it''s just Guan Ming that we need to worry about, we need to find him. The eyewitness reports that Ram is getting might be able to help." Cedric told Mae. "We need them working together as quickly as possible."

    "On it." Mae said with a nod as she left the room.

    "I''ll keep you updated.." Cedric told Ram as he dropped the call.

 Chapter 888 - 888

    Chapter 888 �C 888

    "Cedric, is it true?" Ian asked as he burst into Cedric''s temporary office carrying hisptop and other important documents to Mor Co. "Did Lucius Ting reallyunch an attack on Guan Ming in the airport? And why are you in Ayanna''s office and not your own?"

    Cedric couldn''t resist the urge tough as he heard his friend''s second question.

    Seeing that Cedric was amused by something, Ian looked around, puzzled as to what had caused Cedric tough.

    "Really Ian, there is an attack on our friend in the airport and your priority is why am I not in my office?" Cedric asked his former assistant.

    "Obviously something serious happened, you hate moving offices." Ian said as he rolled his eyes at Cedric.

    Ian had worked long enough with Cedric to know that even when they were working at Mor Co. even changing desks annoyed Cedric. He liked working in his set spots where everything he needed was within reach.

    "We had a security breach." Cedric said simply.

    "In your office, the most secure ce in this building? You''ve got to be kidding me!" Ian said as he threw his arms in the air and walked over to find a spot where he would befortable working.

    "Wu Jun was here, did Mae or Dave tell you?" Cedric asked as he leaned back on his seat.

    "He was? What did the slimeball want?" Ian asked Cedric, it seemed that the younger assistants had failed to inform Ian about the events that had unfolded earlier today.

    "He wanted to switch sides." Cedric said casually.

    "Please tell me you didn''t buy into whatever crap he was selling." Ian groaned, he knew his friend had a big heart, but he also knew that Cedric was smarter than most people gave him credit.

    "Of course not." Cedric said with augh as he sat up and shook his head.

    He leaned forward and his expression hardened.

    "When he was here, he managed to nt several listening devices in my office. Clearly it''s a sign that he has malicious intentions against us." Cedric told Ian.

    "The kids just let him in and left him alone, didn''t they?" Ian asked as he tried to figure out how Wu Jun had managed to nt listening devices in Cedric''s office.

    Even if the people around him weren''t paying attention, Wu Jun probably wouldn''t have the time nor subtlety to set everything up.

    "Yeah, but it''s fine." Cedric said with a sigh. "I don''t want to y the me game when we have much bigger problems to face. Plus when I saw the look on Dave''s and Mien''s faces I already knew that they had already learned their lesson."

    "Such a grown up man." Ian teased as he pped.

    "The sweep should be done soon, and honestly I''m itching to get back to my office so that we can get more work done." Cedric grumbled as he took a look at hisptop.

    A report had just popped uping from their men on the ground.

    "It seems that they have figured out where Guan Ming and his people are hiding." Cedric informed Ian.

    "Can they get them out?" Ian asked as he looked at his friend.

    "I doubt it." Cedric said as he shook his head. "If our people went to save Guan Ming their attackers would be alerted to where Guan Ming is hiding and that could prove fatal."

    "Yeah, not just for Guan Ming, for you too." Ian pointed out. "Cami will be furious when she hears about this. You promised her that Guan Ming would be safe."

    "It was his choice to be involved in this, he knew the risk." Cedric said with a sigh. "But we didn''t expect Lucius Ting to go crazy like this. Attacking Guan Ming in the open at an airport, it doesn''t feel like his style."

    "Do you think it could be someone else?" Ian asked.

    "Possibly, but I doubt it." Cedric told Ian. "We took a lot from Lucius Ting over the past few days. We took his sister and we took the woman he loved. That''s enough to break a man."

    "But do we even have proof that Lucius Ting is behind this?" Ian asked Cedric as he questioned his friend.

    "No, we don''t. That''s the hard part." Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head, contemting how to get proof that Lucius Ting was behind the attack.

    "We need to get his men alive. They need to be questioned." Ian reminded Cedric.

    "Can you check with your contacts if Lucius Ting tried hiring people to attack today?" Cedric asked Ian. "I''d ask Ray to check but I feel like this matter requires a more subtle touch."

    "I''ll see if the Dean family knows anything, but I doubt he approached them." Ian said as he thought of the possibility.

    "Do the people in the underworld know about his connection to us?" Cedric asked, he didn''t want the underworld and legal world mixing too much. Or at least for their connections to either to be revealed.

    "No, it''s not that." Ian said as he shook his head. "They were somewhat involved in the capture of Louise Ting, I bet he has his suspicions on why."

    "What excuse did Seth give?" Cedric asked as he leaned forward to listen to what his friend had to say.

    "First of all, the head of the Dean family does not need to give an excuse for his actions, the only person he is ountable to is the King of the Underworld." Ian said, seemingly offended at the thought that Seth needed to provide an exnation for his actions.

    "Rx Ian." Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head. "And your next point?"

    "Well, my next point is that Louise Ting offended someone from the Mafia." Ian said as he gave Cedric a stern look. "She went against the Ri family and the Dean family simply answered her call. The people of the underworld understand that."

    "Then how can someone be working with Lucius Ting if it does not break any rules in the underworld?" Cedric asked.

    "It would have to be someone desperate, and I have a few people in mind." Ian said as he began to think of who would be willing to go against the top mafia families.

    "Do you think we have a war in our hands?" Cedric asked as he considered that the Gangs might be tired of Ray''s favor towards the Mafias.

    "I doubt it. Ray has a firm hold on the gangs." Ian said as he calmed Cedric''s worry. "Give me time, I''ll find out who is behind this.." Ian added as he took out his phone and made some calls.

 Chapter 889 - 889

    Chapter 889 �C 889

    While Ian was on the phone with Seth, Leon entered the room informing Cedric that they had thoroughly swept his office and that they had found all of the listening devices in the room.

    "Do you have a n on how to get Guan Ming out of the situation he is in?" Cedric asked Leon as he packed up his things, signaling to Ian to do the same.

    "Yes sir, and we wanted to run it by you before actually doing it." Leon told Cedric.

    "Alright. Let''s move to my office and I want to know the n as soon as possible." Cedric said as he checked his things.

    Leon quickly picked up Cedric''sptop and documents, allowing the CEO to lead the way back to his office.

    When Ian noticed that Cedic was leaving, he quickly ended his call and packed up his things and followed Cedric and Leon out.

    "Were you really going to leave me?" Ian grumbled as they walked down the hallway.

    "You seemed to be busy." Cedric said as they approached his office.

    Leon stifled augh as he noticed the annoyed look on Ian''s face.

    "I have information for you." Ian said as they entered Cedric''s office.

    "Alright, Leon first then you." Cedric said as he made his way to his seat, thankful that the sweep was done.

    No matter howfortable or homey his sister''s office felt, it still wasn''t his and he somewhat had a hard time concentrating with all the unnecessary items in the room.

    Leon looked at the door and made sure that it was closed behind Ian. It seemed that he had reason to doubt that someone could be listening in from the hallway.

    "We haven''t checked if Wu Jun left listening devices outside." Leon informed Cedric.

    "I checked the receiving area earlier, there were none." Cedric told Leon. "But the other areas , I didn''t have the chance."

    "I''m having my men do a sweep now." Leon said with a nod. "We could do it faster, but we are stretched a little bit too thin."

    "It''s understandable." Cedric said with a nod as he acknowledged his head of Security''s predicament. "What do you have nned then? We need to get Guan Ming out of there."

    "We n to create several false locations and send a much smaller team to fetch Guan Ming." Leon informed Cedric.

    "Wouldn''t that still draw the attention of the attackers?" Ian asked. "And how is it possible that our people cannot get those men when there are so little of them involved?"

    "They are highly trained and very skilled, unfortunately it seems like they are former military." Leon said with a frown.

    "I guess this is where my informationes in." Ian said with a grin as he stood up and walked in front of Cedric''s desk stopping next to Leon.

    "Seth had something important for you?" Cedric asked as he looked at his friend.

    Ian nodded and smiled.

    "It seems that there is a Mafia family that has long been on bad terms both with the King of the Underworld, aka Ray, the other Mafia Families, and the Gangs." Ian exined. "Their specialty was armed militia doing whatever you wanted, whenever, wherever."

    "If they were shing with Ray and the other groups, how did they manage to survive this long?" Cedric asked.

    "They didn''t." Ian said, shaking his head. "Their first warning came a generation ago, with uncle Benedicto, he had most of their resources seized and many of their men killed. After that they still didn''t learn their lesson, so Ray decided to wipe them out."

    "So they should be dead?" Cedric asked, confused as to where Ian was going.

    "Should be, but it seems that some of them survived and decided to team up with Lucius Ting." Ian told Cedric.

    "How well trained are their people?" Cedric asked.

    "Mostly ex-special forces that didn''t like how restrictive military life was, it''s not just locals but international forces as well." Ian exined.

    "There can''t be that many of them." Cedric said as he thought of the people attacking Guan Ming.

    "But they probably have an exit n." Leon added. "I''ll have my people check the vicinity of the airport, if anyone acts suspiciously we will take them."

    Leon bowed to Cedric and turned to leave.

    "Leon, I don''t think I need to remind you, but I want them alive. We need evidence against Lucius Ting." Cedric said in a stern andmanding tone.

    "Yes, sir." Leon said as he exited the room, leaving Ian and Cedric alone.

    "There was more that you wanted to say?" Cedric asked as he looked at his friend. He knew that Ian had more information, it was just not relevant to Leon''s work.

    "I did." Ian said with a nod. "These people could be rted to Lucius Ting, biologically."

    "Are you sure?" Cedric asked as he tried to contain his shock. This was as far as they had managed to get to Lucius Ting''s biological parents.

    "Yes, and I only have this suspicion because of what Nicole and Seth have both told me." Ian told Cedric.

    "Go on." Cedric said with a nod as he encouraged his friend to speak.

    "ording to Nicole, her grandfather was telling her about a side of their family that made all the wrong marriages, which kind of exins their paranoia with who people marry." Ian said as he scratched the back of his head.

    "Not the point of this conversation, Ian." Cedric told Ian.

    "Right, right. Anyway, it was believed that they had links to the underworld and they had used those connections to try to get more of Saints Hospital. Unfortunately whoever their connections were seemed to vanish and so did their resources." Ian exined.

    "So you think those connections are this supposedly dead Mafia family you were telling me about?" Cedric asked.

    "Yes." Ian said with a nod. "Seth told me that this family, the Carino Family, wouldn''t stick their neck out for anyone except their own. They wouldn''t havee out unless it''s important."

    "See if you can find proof." Cedric said with a nod. "But for now I want to keep this between us."

    Ian nodded in response, he knew how important keeping this information within a small group was.

    "Cedric, have you told Cami?" Ian asked his friend, his face full of worry.

    "Not yet, but I''ll call her when I know more. I don''t want her charging into the airport just to save Guan Ming." Cedric told Ian with a nervousugh.

    "Come on, Cami has more brains than Guan Ming, she wouldn''t do that, right?" Ian asked, making Cedric simply shake his head.

    It was a mystery what love could make two people do.. Even when it came to two very intelligent and logical people like Cami and Guan Ming, sometimes love managed to blind people and make them stupid.

 Chapter 890 - 890

    Chapter 890 �C 890

    "Sir, they''ve begun the assault." Leon reported to Cedric as he sat at the conference table at the other end of Cedric''s office.

    In the span of fifteen minutes, Leon and his team had not just assembled a n but also converted Cedric''s office into their base of operation.

    Cedric had of course asked Leon to do this so that he could remain updated on what was happening with regards to Guan Ming''s retrieval.

    "Ced, I think it''s time to tell Cami." Ian said as he looked at his friend from where he sat. "You don''t want her finding out after, she won''t talk to you for a year if you do that."

    Cedric silently nodded as he acknowledged what Ian had said. His friend was right, they needed to tell Cami and soon. At least now it was toote for her to rush off anywhere to help Guan Ming.

    He took a deep breath as he took out his phone and dialed Cami''s number.

    She didn''t seem to be busy because she quickly picked up the call.

    "Do you have something to tell me, Cedric rin Reyes?" Cami asked in an angry tone, calling Cedric by his full name.

    "What do you know?" Cedric asked with a sigh.

    "I heard about a terrorist attack at the airport, guess who justnded when the attack arrived?" She asked Cedric, daring him to answer her question.

    "Cami, look, I didn''t want to tell you because-" Cedric began to reason when Cami cut him off mid-sentence, she was furious and shouting at him at the top of her lungs.

    "DON''T YOU DARE TELL ME THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO PROTECT ME!" Cami said, angry at Cedric. "You have known me most of my working life and we both know I''m not some fragile princess!"

    Cedric sighed and shook his head. Cami was always the brave and headstrong one, she didn''t want protection or care even if she needed it.

    "Cami, that''s not what I meant." Cedric said.

    "She''s mad, isn''t she?" Ian asked as heughed at Cedric''s predicament.

    "PUT. ME. ON. SPEAKER!" Cami said, angrily emphasizing each word as if Cedric wouldn''t do as she asked.

    "It seems she''s mad at you too." Cedric said with a chuckle while he ced the phone on mute, making sure that Cami didn''t hear his sidement.

    Once the phone was on speaker, he unmuted the call.

    "There, you''re on speaker, but I''d just want you to know that the people trying to save Guan Ming are here, so don''t scare them." Cedric warned.

    "Hey Leon, do a great job!" Cami cheered in a sweet voice, making Leon smile.

    Leon got up from his seat and walked over to Cedric''s table.

    "I will Cami, we''ll get Guan Ming out as soon as we can. I promise not to let you down." Leon swore, making Cedric and Ian roll their eyes.

    "Good, cause if you do, I will personally castrate you." Cami said in a sweet tone making Leon flinch. No matter how small and weak Cami seemed, he knew she had a dangerous side to her.

    "Of course, Miss Cami." Leon said as he began to worry about Cami''s threat.

    "Just go." Cedric said with a sigh as he waved Leon off, allowing him to focus on the work at hand.

    Leon wordlessly nodded and left Cedric and Ian to deal with the temperamental Cami. He knew that the best way to help her right now was to get Guan Ming out of his current situation.

    "Sir, the hostiles are firing back." One of Leon''s men said as he approached.

    Leon tried to hide his worried look, based on the information they had gathered these men did not value the lives of others. When they fired their weapons, they fired to kill.

    "Is anyone hurt on our end?" Leon asked.

    He noticed that the conversation between Cedric and Cami had stopped while his subordinate updated him on the status of their rescue mission.

    It seemed Cami was able to put aside her anger to listen to updates from the ground. This didn''t surprise Leon, after having worked with the assistants for as long as he had, he knew what they were capable of and how professional they could be when it mattered most.

    "So far, none, sir." His subordinate reported as he listened closely to the radio.

    Leon stole a nce at Cedric, he couldn''t read Cedric''s expression. The young CEO had a cold calcting look on his face, but Leon knew better. He knew that over time, Cedric had mastered the ability of hiding how he truly felt, it was a skill crucial to his position as CEO.

    "Have our men started making their way to the different locations?" Leon asked as he sat back down on his spot.

    "Yes sir." The subordinate said before he suddenly held the earpiece of his headset closer to his ear. "Sir, we have a development."

    Leon raised an eyebrow at the man, all his people knew that Leon hated half baked statements.

    "Sir, we''ve captured twenty men at various locations around the airport." The subordinate said with a gulp, he already knew he made a mistake the moment he waited for Leon to react. "It seems that they had nned for multiple escape scenarios in case we went for the chase."

    Leon nodded as he continued to listen to the report.

    "Make them do a secondary sweep." Ian ordered from where he sat. "If they suspected that we would chase them and find their back up, then they also would have ounted for the sweep. Have our people go about it in a different pattern."

    Leon wordlessly nodded in agreement, he knew that Ian and Cedric would have valid suggestions, that''s why he was more than happy to move themand center to Cedric''s office for this mission.

    "Do as Mr. Lim asked." Leon told his subordinate, who quicklymunicated the message to those on the ground.

    "Have them check rooftops too." Cedric added as he quietly studied the situation. "Guan Ming isn''t just anyone, they will exhaust every resource they have to take him and use him, if not kill him. They may have helicopters waiting."

    The subordinate didn''t wait for Leon to give amand this time, he simply ryed the message to the team.

    "Why do they all just listen to you?" Ian grumbled as he received a message on his phone.

    "Because Cedric pays for their sry and you do sometimes have odd ideas." Leon said with a chuckle as he kept his attention on his men that were working.

    Unlike the two men that were still bantering, Cedric did not smile orugh. He knew exactly what was on the line and he had no ns of diverting his attention elsewhere.

    "We''ll get him out." Cedric whispered loudly, intending for Cami to hear his words.

    "I have faith in you and Leon and in our men." Cami told Cedric as her voice shook over the call.

    The group remained silent as Leon''s men searched the area surrounding the airport and as they continued to engage with the enemy.

    Cedric looked out of his window and sighed. The airport was too far from his office to see, but nced towards its general direction hoping that Guan Ming would make it out just fine.

    "Do you want to hear all of this live?" Leon asked as he noticed how anxious Cedric had gotten.

    Normally, Cedric would be more involved, but he knew this matter was for the professionals and he didn''t want to risk Guan Ming''s life because he wanted to dip his toes in the water. But he was not about to refuse Leon''s offer to hear everything real time.

    "I would prefer that." Cedric said with a nod, prompting Leon to gesture for his subordinate to take off the headset and put themunications through a speaker.

    Leon had set this up with the gut feel that Cedric wouldn''t be able tost the whole time without being more involved.

    Once everything was finally fixed the first new toe over the radio was good news.

    "Alpha Team to HQ, the military has arrived, I repeat the military has arrived and it seems like they have brought with them some private back up." One of Leon''s men on the ground reported, making Cedric sit up.

    "That must be the Sebastian''s private army." Cedric said as he realized who the private back up was. "The military would not arrive with any other private force, not even mine. Of course unless it was pre nned but this one happened too quickly."

    "If the Sebastians sent their men the Laurences won''t be too far behind." Ian added as he thought of how closely rted the two families were.

    "Sir, we found two choppers and one more team on the roof top of some buildings surrounding the airport." The leader of the sweep team reported.

    "They are good." Ianmented as he listened to the live report.

    "Yes, they are, but we are better." Leon said with a grin as he returned his attention to the task at hand.

    Now they could focus on getting Guan Ming out of his hideout.

    "Sir, do we keep them alive? Or do we kill them?" Leon asked Cedric. He didn''t dare assume he knew what Cedric wanted.

    "Keep just enough to interrogate. I want the rest dead.." Cedric dered as a new me burned in his eyes.

 Chapter 891 - 891

    Chapter 891 �C 891

    "Two dead, eight remaining." Cedric heard one of Leon''s team leaders say over the radio.

    "Have you sent the team to get Guan Ming?" Leon asked.

    There was some static over the radio, increasing the tension and anxiety in the room as they waited for the men on the ground to respond.

    "Not yet." The team leader said over the cracking radio.

    "Can''t we get bettermunication devices?" Ian grumbled. "You''re the richest man in the country!"

    "That''s the safest one to use at the moment." Cedric said as he kept his attention on the radio. "Lucius Ting nor his allies would never think that we were using older technology tomunicate. As you said, I''m the richest man in the country, I should be able to provide my men with the best." Cedric said with a grin.

    "What''s the dy?" Leon asked the men on the ground.

    "Sir, they are using a military maneuver that is practically impossible to defeat." The team leader reported over the radio.

    "What maneuver?" Leon asked as he drummed his fingers on the table, annoyed that his subordinate was keeping him waiting.

    "The Den, sir." The team leader replied.

    Cedric was shocked when the normallyposed Leon turned pale at the mention of The Den. He couldn''t help but wonder if it had anything to do with Leon''s past.

    Going against his nature, Cedric decided not to question his head of security. He knew that Leon had many dark secrets and that this could be one of them.

    The man''s secrets never bothered Cedric, it was because he knew where Leon''s loyaltiesy and that he would never betray Cedric.

    "Have the rescue team and the rest of the decoy teams all rush to their target locations all at once." Leon ordered, taking control of the situation.

    "But sir, they have the whole ce in their sights." The team leader said.

    "There are only eight of them for fucks sake! They can''t hit you, trust me, that''s the weakness of the Den, it only looks strong, but in reality it will crumble out of panic and worry." Leon barked over the phone, pushing his men to do as he said.

    "Yes, sir." The team leader replied as he knew he had no choice but to do as Leon asked.

    "One more thing, as our people go to Guan Ming''s location, make them take a detour, go further away before finally converging with his actual location." Leon said as he realized it would be best if that team was much harder to target.

    "Copy, sir." The team leader said over the radio.

    "Get the sweep team, I need them to do something and fast." Leon called out to his subordinate who quickly patched him in with the sweep team.

    "Your orders, sir?" The leader of the sweep team asked.

    "Get whatever shield and uniforms you can from our enemy''s escape team, wear them and distract the eight survivors." Leon ordered.

    "Sir, our own men will attack us." The team leader of the sweep team said in a panic.

    Cedric could imagine the man going pale, thinking that Leon was sending all of them to their deaths.

    "Do you trust me or not?" Leon asked the man, shouting over the radio.

    "I trust you sir, with my life." The man said.

    Cedric knew that most of Leon''s men were even more loyal than their head himself. They all knew who Leon was back when he belonged to the military and even when he was a mercenary after he had left.

    Leon never hired anyone that he couldn''t trust nor people who didn''t trust him. They all knew what he was capable of and they all had fate in his decisions.

    "If you do, then do as I say." Leon said in a much calmer tone, something that surprised Cedric.

    "Yes, sir." The leader of the sweep team said before ending the radiomunication.

    "Get the team leader of the Alpha team back on." Leon told his subordinate. The other man quickly jumped into action and got the team leader of the Alpha team on the line within seconds.

    "Sir, you wanted a word with me? What are your orders?" The team leader asked.

    "I have set up distractions, I need your men to trust me and to focus only on the eight. Anyone aside from the eight are friendlies, is that clear?" Leon asked in a stern but calm tone.

    "Sir, yes, sir." The man said in reply.

    "Good, now tell your men and begin the assault in five minutes." Leon told the man before cutting the line.

    "The sweep team should be ready in five minutes." Leon whispered to himself as he did theputations. "They will arrive on the scene three minutes from the moment the attack starts. The enemy will be distracted for two minutes, giving us enough time to stop most of them-"

    Leon suddenly stopped mid sentence and raised his head in panic, there was something he had missed out and he needed another team to do it for him.

    "Fuck." Leon cursed as he looked at his subordinate.

    In Cedric''s opinion, Leon''s subordinate looked more scared than Leon the moment he had cursed. He wanted tough, but Cedric knew it would be quite inappropriate to do so right now.

    "Can we get in touch with the military or the Sebastian Family''s private malica?" Leon asked.

    "Yes, sir, but it will be over the phone, we can''tmunicate with them via radio. This one is way too old." The subordinate said as he pointed at therge box that was ced on the meeting table.

    "Then get them on the phone!" Leon shouted, making his subordinate jump before calling the general that had been deployed.

    "Sir, General, my boss, General Leon would like to speak to you." Leon''s subordinate said in a calm tone as if Leon did not just shout at him.

    Another thing that confused Cedric, was the fact that Leon''s man didn''t seem to be afraid or intimidated by the General. It was also the first time that Cedric had heard anyone mention what Leon''s rank in the military had been.

    Cedric knew that Leon had a very sessful career, he didn''t realize that Leon had made General at such a young age. It seemed impossible and yet the man at the other end of the call did not correct Leon''s subordinate when he called Leon a General.

    "Did you know?" Cedric asked Ian, he knew that his assistants knew Leon better than him having trained and lived with Leon while waiting for Cedric to reveal himself.

    "Yeah." Ian said with a nod. "Leon is the second youngest general ever and the youngest in modern days. The one that holds the honor of being the youngest was some man during the revolution. One of our heroes."

    "Dad really built the best team possible for me, didn''t he?" Cedric asked as he nced at his former assistant.

    "Yeah, I was the odd one out." Ian said with a chuckle as he referred to hisck of early life achievements.

    "You were picked for a different reason and we both know it." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "General, it''s been a while. I need a favor." Leon said over the phone in a happy tone.

    "My men will be conducting the rescue mission and the decoys-" Leon was seemingly cut mid sentence as his lips drew a line. Cedric knew that his head of security was already trying his best not to answer back and raise his voice.

    "General, please, we have limited time. You will need to listen to me and do as I say. This will be for the benefit of the military and it will truly make your men look like the heroes of tonight." Leon told the General as he sold his n.

    Cedric knew that Leon was willing to give up all the glory as long as his mission was achieved. At this stage, Leon no longer cared about glory, nor had he ever cared. It had always been about the sess of the mission.

    "Good, good." Leon said with a nod. "Your men will attack the terrorists, take at least two alive but the rest can be killed."

    There was a pause from Leon as he listened to what the General had to say. Cedric could see that it was good news, because Leon''s expression turned lighter as the side of his lips curled upwards.

    "The leader of my Alpha Team will be the one to give the signal, do not act without hismand and do not do anything besides what you need to do." Leon said in a stern tone as ifmanding the General.

    "General, too much is at risk here, it''s far more than neither you nor I couldprehend. So please, follow the n to the dot. There will be no need for you to improvise, am I understood?" Leon asked, it seemed as if the General was a child that Leon was lecturing.

    "Thank you, General. I will inform Mr. Reyes and Mr. Sebastian of your assistance today." Leon said as he dropped the call.

    "Will your n work now?" Cedric asked.

    "As long as this general doesn''t fuck up, yes.." He said with a definitive nod as they were left to wait.

 Chapter 892 - 892

    Chapter 892 �C 892

    Ian was typing frantically on hisptop as he tried to connect to the airport''s security cameras. The fact that they had avoided Lucius Ting''s spy software with older technology meant that they couldn''t watch what was happening live and in action.

    Cedric had gotten frustrated from waiting, so Ian proposed this solution. Unfortunately for him no one else could get into the system as fast as he could so the task of hacking into airport security was left on his shoulders.

    "Remind me again why we couldn''t just have called them and asked for a patch?" Cami asked over the phone. She was now on video call and could see as Ian tried to get into the system.

    "Because it would take too long." Ian said as he kept his eyes on the screen and his fingers kept tapping on the keyboard.

    Cami sighed and shook her head as she knew that Ian probably just didn''t want to deal with the employees at the airport. She was sure that he had an ex there, one of the girls he dated between Jas and Nicole.

    "Almost there. . ." Ian said, thinking out loud as he looked up at the TV that was now projecting a nk screen.

    "One minute." Leon dered as he looked at his watch.

    He had told his men to move at the exact moment and if they werete the n had a chance of failing.

    "Got it!" Ian said victoriously as several screens shed on the TV.

    There were various locations on the airport tarmac, one for each screen. Cedric studied the locations and he realized that the only areas that were truly visible to the camera were the target areas as well as Lucius Ting''s men.

    Sensing that Cedric was looking for where Guan Ming had hidden, Leon took the liberty of exining it to the young CEO.

    "You won''t find where Guan Ming hid." Leon told Cedric as he raised his hand to point at the screen on the upper right corner. "That''s the closest we can get. Guan Ming and his men specifically chose and area that the cameras couldn''t find."

    Cedric nodded as he watched the assault begin.

    When Leon''s men and the members of the military began to move Cedric noticed that Lucius Ting''s men were scared for a moment before standing upright and erasing the emotions on their face.

    Cedric began to wonder if Lucius Ting hade up with a back up n, a way to get his men out. Or maybe these men were mere distractions and he had another ploy. A thousand thoughts swirled through Cedric''s mind before he felt someone ce a hand on his shoulder.

    Theforting presence of a friend was more than enough to bring Cedric back from his thoughts and to help him focus at the events that were ying out before him.

    "You''re worried." Ian said as he read Cedric''s expression and mood clearly. He had known Cedric long enough to be able to urately guess what his friend was thinking at a specific time.

    Cedric gave him a slight nod as they watched guns being shot from all sides.

    Lucius Ting''s men began to panic as they didn''t know who to focus their attention on, the men trying to conduct a rescue mission in different locations? Or on the men firing at them?

    "You give him too much credit." Ian said with a sigh as he watched the screens with Cedric.

    "Who?" Cedric asked as the men from the army slowly inched forward, hiding behind walls, cars, and other structures so as not to get shot. It seemed that Lucius Ting''s men came prepared as they had a lot of bullets stashed away in the car that they were now hiding behind.

    "Lucius Ting." Ian told Cedric. "He isn''t as smart as you think. Honestly I feel like for the most part he got lucky with the people around him."

    "How so?" Cedric asked as chaos continued to erupt at the airport.

    Two teams had already managed to get to the false locations while the enemy desperately tried to stop the others while defending themselves.

    "He managed to get in with the Esteves family in Spain, sure it wasn''t an easy task, but all he needed to do was get into their good favor and be trustworthy to climb up." Ian exined as he thought of the different instances in Lucius Ting''s life that led him to the so-called sess he was now.

    "Area Three, secured." Cedric heard Leon''s subordinate say as he kept his attention between Ian and the events unfolding at the airport.

    "Alright, I''m listening, go on." Cedric told Ian with a nod as he continued to keep his eyes on the screens ahead, listening but not looking at his friend as he tried to exin his theory.

    "There is some intelligence in Lucius Ting, that much I am sure of." Ian said as he too only had half of his attention in their conversation while the other half was on the events that were unfolding before them. "He is a Chan after all, but he got lucky when Aiden offered to work with him."

    "Lucky or unlucky?" Cedric asked. He knew just how much turmoil followed in Lucius Ting''s life.

    He might be some self made billionaire now, but he was still hiding from the mafia and his choice to work with Aiden Ortiz was what led him to lose his family.

    "Lucky in terms of him seeming smart." Ian said with a shrug. "Cami has already told us that it was Louise that hade up with all his brilliant ns. He is nothing without his sister, even his n now seems half baked."

    Cedric nodded as he continued to listen to Ian''s theory. He was right, what if Lucius Ting was just lucky and not the genius they thought him to be.

    "Area four, secured." Cedric and Ian heard some of the men on the ground report.

    On the screen where Cedric and Ian could see Lucius'' men, something made those men suddenly pause and look up.

    Having been distracted for a moment, three nowy dead on the ground.

    "Remind the General that I need at least one alive, tell him not to kill them all." Leon hissed at his subordinate, worried that the military would end up killing all of the assants. "Remind him that we still need to figure out who the hell was behind this and how they got in."

    Leon''s subordinate nodded and quickly gave the General a call.

    Cedric watched as the military slowly changed their approach.

    "They are distracted." Cedric pointed out as he noticed Lucius Ting''s men looking around, they were no longer focused on just the men approaching them, but they were looking at the rooftops and windows as well.

    "That simply means that the sweep team is doing a good job of pretending to be on their side." Leon said with a nod as his expression remained serious and focused at the events unfolding in front of them.

    "You don''t seem happy about that." Ian pointed out as he teased Leon, he knew exactly why Leon was not smiling, not that the man showed any emotion often anyway.

    "We both know that there is no reason to celebrate until this mission is over." Leon simply told Ian, ignoring the cheekiness in the other man''s tone.

    "Always so serious, Leon." Ian grumbled as he rolled his eyes at Leon. "If my theory is right, then this is probably thest that we will be hearing of Lucius Ting."

    Cedric considered everything Ian has said as part of his theory, it was possible that Lucius Ting was simply lucky, but was it a theory we has willing to have hope for?

    "What if he gets lucky again?" Cedric asked as he looked at his friend.

    "Eh? What do you mean?" Ian said as he gave Cedric a confused look. "Who else does he have to turn to? His sister has been deported, Aiden is dead, there is no one left for him to run to."

    "The Esteves n has many powerful enemies, plus despite everything, someone in the Chan family is backing him and he is still from that n." Cedric said as he thought out loud considering every person that Lucius Ting could turn to.

    "Are you saying that this is probably not the end?" Ian asked Cedric as he gave him a bewildered look.

    "No, all I am saying is that we don''t want to underestimate our enemy, not this time." Cedric said as he shook his head. "I don''t want to pay the same price asst time, I refuse to."

    "Area five and six secured." A soldier said over the radio.

    "We are with the package, I repeat, we are with the package. Requesting for support to get us out of here." Another one called through the radio, making Cedric snap his head back towards the screens.

    The couldn''t see that Guan Ming was already with their men, but Leon''s sudden movement confirmed what the soldier meant.

    "Have the military close in, that should be enough, everyone run out at the same time." Leon ordered.

    "Copy, sir." Cedric heard over the radio as he watched Lucius Ting''s men get overpowered by the military while several groups ran for shelter in the airport itself.

    "Three." Leon said with augh as he pointed at the screen in front of them. "They got three when we only asked for one."

    Cedric nodded, surprised that Leon had shown some emotion this time.

    "Have them searched for suicide pills, it might be in their teeth." Ian told Leon, who nodded in response and repeated his order.

    "Cedric, is he safe? Is Guan Ming safe?" Cami asked as she was practically in tears.

    Ian took out his phone and dialed a number. It rang for a moment until a familiar voice came through.

    "Who the fuck is Cedric speaking to during my rescue mission, I''m safe by the way if anone was wondering.." Guan Ming said, making everyone in Cedric''s officeugh and let out a sight of relief.

 Chapter 893 - 893

    Chapter 893 �C 893

    "d to hear that you are safe, Ming." Cedric said with a chuckle as he shook his head.

    "Ming!" Cami eximed as soon as she heard Cedric finish speaking. "Thank God you are safe Ming. Cedric didn''t tell me what was happening. I found out through the news and through my contacts."

    "Don''t worry, love. I''ll beat that bastard up as soon as I see him." Guan Ming threatened, making Cedric and Ianugh even harder.

    "Don''t worry, Ming. I''m having you brought here as soon as possible." Cedric said in a more serious tone as he looked up and nodded at Leon. "I''ve sent a chopper to fetch you, right now I don''t trust the people on the streets."

    "What do you mean?" Ian asked Cedric. "Clearly the people should be on our side with this! Lucius Ting is a danger to society, they will be moring for his deportation soon."

    "Yes, every ordinary person in the capital might hate Lucius Ting, but he could still have men lurking around. I don''t want to risk things." Cedric said in a stern tone.

    "Sir, this way." Cedric heard someone tell Guan Ming in the background.

    "They''ll get him here soon." Leon said with a nod as he confirmed that it was one of theirs that was escorting Guan Ming to the chopper they had sent.

    "I''ll see you guys in a bit, and Cami, after this I am never letting you out of my sight." Guan Ming said with a determined tone.

    "Even to take a bath?" Cami asked as she tried to annoy Cedric and Ian.

    "Disgusting Cami, I''m dropping this call if you insist on this conversation." Ian grumbled.

    Cedricughed as Ian fell right into Cami''s ploy. He watched as she rolled her eyes and shook her head. Of the two, Ian had always been the more overprotective one.

    "I''ll see you soon." Ming simply said before dropping the call.

    "So will you continue to keep us apart?" Cami asked Cedric as she raised an eyebrow at him. "Lucius Ting already knows about us, he knows everything. Don''t ask how I know, Mae called me."

    "I swear those two are more loyal to you guys than to me." Cedric grumbled, not that it was an issue. He knew that Cami and Ian in turn were more loyal to him.

    "Cedric, she was lost and worried, do not me her. We have all been in that position." Cami told Cedric as she red at him.

    He sighed and shook his head as he walked back to sit behind his desk and maybe rx for a little bit.

    "I''m not mad at Mae, alright? She''s not in any trouble, rx." Cedric told Cami as he pinched the space between his eyes. "But you are right, we should now assume that Lucius Ting knew everything all along."

    "And Wu Jun?" Ian asked as he sat nearby. "You can''t brush off his visit, clearly there is something else there."

    "I think Wu Jun is desperately trying to distance himself from Lucius Ting, he knows that if his name can still be tied to Lucius Ting then he will sink with the man." Cedric said as he considered the situation.

    "What about the bugs he nted in your office? If he wanted you in his corner, why would he spy on you?" Ian questioned.

    Cedric was silent for a while as he considered the reason, he was sure that Wu Jun wasn''t working on Lucius Ting''smand. Wu Jun was richer, better connected, and more influential than Lucius Ting. There was no way he was going to let someone just dictate his actions.

    He drummed his fingers on the table as he considered different motives until he was able to think of one.

    "Wu Jun is not an honest man." Cedric said as he began to exin. "He is someone that always gets his hands dirty and he is more than willing to do that. As a matter of fact I think he quite enjoys it."

    "And what does that have to do with our situation?" Cami asked through the phone.

    "Cami, think about it.Wu Jun isn''t used to going about things the right way or fairly." Cedric said as he repeated the jist of what he had just told them. "Wu Jun is not used to being at a disadvantage, so he does what he knows."

    Ian suddenly lifted his head, it was clear with his expression that he knew exactly what Cedric was saying.

    "He nted them so he could ckmail you. So he could be assured that you wouldn''t throw him under the bus!" Ian said as he realized Wu Jun''s possible intentions.

    "I would never betray Guan Ming." Cedric said as he shook his head. "On top of that, if I already have Guan Ming in my corner why would I even consider taking Wu Jun''s side or even just having a partnership with him, it doesn''t make sense"

    The room was silent for a moment as everyone considered the possibilities.

    The peace was broken when Leon''s subordinate let out a cough, clearly Cedric and the others had forgotten that he was still in the room.

    "You may go." Leon said with a wave and a chuckle as the man quickly gathered his things and slipped out of the office.

    "You forgot that he was in here, didn''t you?" Leon asked Cedric with a grin as he sat down on the couch, rxing after their tense mission.

    "I did, for a while." Cedric told Leon with a grin.

    "You can trust that boy. He''s like a son to me." Leon told Cedric with a nod. "If he were younger I would have already adopted him."''

    Cedric simply nodded, trusting Leon''s words.

    "Maybe he isn''t sure that Guan Ming is working with us." Cami said as she suddenly thought of what was happening. "What if everything he said were just guesses and he still needed to confirm them."

    "We need people to get into Lucius Ting''s or Wu Jun''s teams or ces to fins out the truth, but for now, let''s assume the worst." Cedic said with a nod.

    "I''ll send people in. I''ll make sure they can''t be traced back to us." Ian told Cedric as he got up and left.

    "Cedric, how long will you keep me and Guan Ming apart?" Cami asked, taking advantage of Cedric''s attention.

    "I won''t, not anymore." Cedric said as he gave his friend a brotherly smile.. He was wrong to eep them apart.

 Chapter 894 - 894

    Chapter 894 �C 894

    When the helicopternded on the roof of R Tower, Guan Ming couldn''t help but get off as quickly as he could.

    He was honestly exhausted by what he just had to go through. He was by no means the most active person, he did run at least once a week, but nothing more than that. So the whole running around the airport and staying low exhausted him.

    "How many did we lose?" Guan Ming asked his assistant who had flown with him.

    The assistant frowned and shook his head.

    "Three, sir." The man informed Guan Ming.

    "Shit." Guan Ming cursed.

    It might have seemed like a small number, but to Guan Ming each life mattered. Each life symbolized a family, a hope, a dream. On top of that Guan Ming didn''t bring that many people from China.

    He only wanted those he could trust, so the further down they were thedder, the less likely they had been to some along on the trip.

    "Who were they?" Guan Ming asked his assistant as he walked towards Cedric who was waiting for him near the elevator.

    "The driver and bodyguard that was meant to fetch us." His assistant said. "They both didn''t have a family, their parents are long gone, no siblings, no wives. That''s why they were so willing toe on this trip." He added as he knew what mattered to Guan Ming.

    "It''s still two lives." Guan Ming said with a frown.

    "They were killed before we evennded. Their bodies were found near the tarmac, our suspicion is that they were waiting for us to arrive there." The assistant exined as Guan Ming stopped in his tracks and held a hand out, signaling to Cedric that he needed some time with his assistant.

    "Is that how we knew about the attack before it even happened?" Guan Ming asked as he recalled his bodyguards pulling him aside before the bullets started firing.

    "Yes, sir." The assistant said with a nod "When our men couldn''t contact them, we assumed the worst."

    Guan Ming wordlessly nodded as he was drowning in his own thoughts, wondering how those lives could have been saved.

    "The third is one of your guards who was with us on Kashmere, Tian." The assistant exined. "He was shot trying to shield you as we got to safety. He has a wife, but they weren''t exactly on good terms, I doubt she will be sad to see him go."

    "I pity Tian." Guan Ming said as he recalled the bodyguard''s sad story of being forced to marry a girl that imed they had slept together.

    He knew that his bodyguard was from a military family and that his wife had nned to score big by trapping him in a sad marriage, unfortunately for her Tian decided to work as a bodyguard.

    "Compensate the family, have them decide if they want to give the wife, but make sure to tell them Tian''s side." Guan Ming ordered.

    The assistant simply nodded before typing down Guan Ming''s instructions on his phone.

    "Anyone injured?" Guan Ming asked as he looked back at his men who were getting out of the chopper.

    "Not severely, just some scratches. No injuries that need to be brought to the hospital." The assistant said.

    "Good." Guan Ming responded with a nod. "And our people at the hotel?"

    "Luckily we booked at Constetions Hotel, Mr. Reyes and his friends secured the ce way before we even arrived in the country." The assistant told Guan Ming.

    Guan Ming was d that he had chosen against his father''s wishes as well as Lucius Ting''s insistence to stay at the Maharlika Hotel.

    "I probably won''t be staying there till Lucius Ting has been taken into custody. I don''t want the Reyeses to spread their security team so thinly." Guan Ming exined to his assistant as he nced at Cedric. "Have someone prepare my things and have them sent over."

    "Yes, sir." The assistant said with a nod.

    Satisfied that he had asked and said everything that he needed, Guan Ming told his assistant and his men to rest. They had all been through a lot that day and he was sure that Cedric already had a ce for them to stay.

    Guan Ming then turned and walked towards Cedric.

    The other man pulled him into a hug, catching Guan Ming by surprise, he knew that Cedric was not the hugging type and he kept people at arm''s length.

    "I''m d you are safe." Cedric said as he released his friend from the hug.

    "Not all of us made it out." Guan Ming said with a frown as he recalled watching some of Cedric''s own men fall. "How many did you lose?" Guan Ming asked.

    "More than I would want." Cedric replied with a frown. He had decided against telling Guan Ming about how many people had fallen in the attempt to save him. He knew that Guan Ming would only feel bad if he heard the number of men that had died.

    "You won''t tell me, will you?" Guan Ming asked as he gave Cedric a frown.

    "Their lives are on me, not on you." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    Cedric then nced at Guan Ming''s surviving men and gave them a sad smile.

    "I know you have all been through a lot." Cedric said in a loud voice. "I have some doctors and nurses here who will take a look at you. Once they have patched you up, my men will take you back to Constetions hotel through that chopper." He announced as he pointed at the helicopter behind them.

    "Thank you." Guan Ming told Cedric. "Thank you for doing this for them."

    Cedric gave Guan Ming a nod and smiled.

    "This is both on us." Cedric told Guan Ming as he ced a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Come on, let''s talk in my office."

    Cedric and Guan Ming then made their way into the elevator with two of Cedric''s bodyguards.

    Guan Ming couldn''t help but find it odd that Cedric was walking around his own building with bodyguards. He knew that R Tower was one of the most secure ces in the capital at the moment, so why did Cedric need men hovering around him at every moment?

 Chapter 895 - 895

    Chapter 895 �C 895

    "You suspect a mole?" Guan Ming asked Cedric the moment the door closed behind them and they were alone in Cedric''s office.

    "No, I don''t." Cedric said as he shook his head and gestured for Guan Ming to take a seat. "Ian and the others will be here soon. I had them get you food, drink, and a nurse. A male nurse, we don''t want Cami getting jealous now, do we?" Cedric said with a chuckle as he teased the helpless Guan Ming.

    "We both know Cami is not like that." Guan Ming said as he rolled his eyes.

    It may have been years since theyst saw each other, but Guan Ming knew that kind of person Cami was at heart.

    "I know. I was just teasing you." Cedric said as he gave Guan Ming a kind smile.

    "Ming." Ian greeted as soon as he entered the door. He was followed by two nurses and a doctor.

    Mae and Dave also entered, Dave had a bag of clothes with him while Mae pushed a cart of food.

    Cedric had made it a point to give Cami a call and ask for Guan Ming''s measurements as well as his favorite food. He knew that the man could use somethingforting right now, what he had gone through was not easy, he didn''t have the assurance that Cedric and the others would sessfully save him.

    He and his men were out in the open, vulnerable, outnumbered and outgunned.

    "You asked Cami?" Guan Ming said with a raised eyebrow as soon as he saw the food being served. "How considerate." He teased Cedric.

    "I owe you at least this." Cedric responded with a shrug as he sat down across from his friend.

    "Check him." Ian told the doctor and nurses, who quickly jumped into action making sure that Guan Ming was not injured.

    "Ow!" Guan Ming said as he flinched.

    The doctor frowned at his reaction, making Cedric sit up and lean forward.

    "What happened, doc?" Cedric asked the man.

    "It seems he had fractured his leg." The doctor informed Cedric. "We''ll see to it and leave instructions with Mr. Lim."

    "Thank you." Cedric said with a smile.

    "That''s odd, I didn''t even notice I was hurt until now." Guan Ming told Cedric with a frown. He was somewhat frustrated that he didn''t even feel the pain when he was walking.

    "It''s the adrenaline, Mr. Ming." The doctor exined to Guan Ming. "Situations such as these are known to happen."

    "Thank you." Guan Ming told the doctor.

    The doctor and nurses did a thorough check of Guan Ming and dressed several scratches on him. The only serious injury they had found was a fracture, all others would quickly heal.

    When the doctor was done he ced a splint on Guan Ming''s leg making sure that the man couldn''t move it.

    "We will need an x-ray to be sure that it isn''t broken." The doctor told Cedric.

    "I''m sure Nicole brought her own equipment to my ce, thanks Doc." Cedric said with a nod as he let Dave lead the doctor and nurses out of the room.

    "Your ce?" Guan Ming asked, surprised that Cedric would take him to Mountain View.

    He couldn''t hide the fact that he was disappointed in Cedric. Guan Ming was hoping that after everything he had gone through, he would be able to spend time with his girlfriend.

    "Rx, I saw your reaction." Cedric said as he picked up a cup of coffee from the table and grinned at Guan Ming. "I don''t want to give my dad, my grandparents, and my aunt and uncle, the additional worry of you and Cami. She''s on her way to Mountain View as we speak."

    Guan Ming wanted to jump for joy the moment he heard Cedric''s good news. He knew there was still a possibility that he and Cami could still be kept separate, but hearing from his friend that they wouldn''t be kept apart anymore made Guan Ming happy.

    "Thank you." Guan Ming told Cedric with a smile.

    "As much as it would have been for the best to keep you apart, I don''t think it would be right." Cedric said with a nod.

    "So why the bodyguards in your own building?" Guan Ming asked as he began to eat the food in front of him.

    "They are looking for bugs. Wu Jun was here this morning and he nted several listening devices." Cedric informed Guan Ming.

    "What did he want?" Guan Ming asked.

    "To shift sides." Cedric said inly.

    "That''s bullshit and you know it." Guan Ming cursed loudly.

    "Of course I do. I just need to know your n so that we can get rid of that pest." Cedric told Guan Ming.

    "I''ll give you a list of names, if I can have them stay at Mountain View with us then I can have both Wu Jun''s and Lucius Ting''spanies copse in a week." Guan Ming dered as a new fire burned in his eyes.

    "Give them to Dave, he''ll see to it." Cedric said with a nod as he took out his phone and asked Adrianna to have the staff prepare space for Guan Ming''s men.

    "I''ll still need your help." Guan Ming reminded Cedric. "I can''t do this alone."

    "I know." Cedric said with a nod as he put down his phone, smiling at thest message he just read.

    "Another kinky message from Adrianna?" Ian asked as he eyed the CEO suspiciously.

    "No, but Nicole and the girls have found out how Lucius Ting is a member of the Chan family and I have the perfect n to catch them all." Cedric said with a smile as the chips began to fall into ce.

    "Then we will need to act fast." Guan Ming said as quickly ate his food.

    "Take your time Ming, you are useless if you are dead. Don''t choke." Cedric teased as heughed at his friend who slowed down and smiled.

    They just needed to wait a little bit longer and this pest at their side would be gone.

    For once it seemed that fate was in his favor.

 Chapter 896 - 896

    Chapter 896 �C 896

    It felt like an extremely long and exhausting day for Cami. As if time had decided to move slower than normal.

    When she had asked Cedric if she and Guan Ming could be reunited, she didn''t expect him to agree. After all, it wasn''t exactly the smartest or best n possible.

    There were still many threats and it was incredibly dangerous for them to make public their rtionship. It was something Lucius Ting could use against Guan Ming and Cedric, but to Cami''s surprise, Cedric gave in.

    He had also asked that she bring her brother, Benedict, along to Mountain View Mansion. It seemed that Cedric had a special role for him and needed him as close as possible.

    She and Benedict packed up what little things her brother had managed to take from their home and bring to the Reyes Mansion.

    "Cami." Emilio Reyes said with a sigh as he gave her a sad look.

    He and his friends had been like second fathers to her, they had made sure that she had nothing to want in life and had even given her the job that led her to Guan Ming.

    "Uncle Emilio." Cami greeted him with a small smile unsure of where she stood with him.

    Technically, Cami had lied to him about Guan Ming, hidden her rtionship with him for years as the older man tried to set her up with good men.

    "Oh don''t be a stranger, little girl, you are still that sad child to me." Emilio Reyes said as he stretched out his arms and called her over for a hug.

    Cami could feel as the tears began to fall from her eyes. She ran up and hugged the former CEO tightly.

    "I''m sorry your adoptive parents can''t be around." Emilio Reyes said as he continued to hold her tight.

    Cedric had sent most of Cami''s and Benedict''s family to Spain where they would be safe and where Cedric was sure Lucius Ting would not be able to touch them.

    Cami''s adoptive parents were with Cedric''s cousin, Ace. While Cami''s and Benedict''s grandfather was with the Carpio family.

    Over the past few years, the Carpios and Reyeses had made peace and they were slowly starting to work together once more. This made Emilio happy, especially since Cami belonged to that family as well.

    "Uncle Emilio." Cami sobbed as she let out all the emotions she had been keeping hidden. All her life she had been expected to be the brave young girl and it was only with her adoptive fathers and Guan Ming that she could be vulnerable.

    "What is it, Cami?" Emilio Reyes asked as he patted her on the back knowing that she neededfort.

    Cami reminded Emilio Reyes very much of his own daughter, Ayanna. Strong and powerful but also vulnerable at times. It was something most people forgot about women like them, they were also human and they could hurt too.

    "Uncle, I''m afraid." Cami said as she sobbed into the older man''s chest. "I love Guan Ming and I know he loves me, but what if he''s changed? What if I''ve changed?"

    It was the first time Cami was airing out these worries of hers, not even Cedric or Ian had heard her hesitate about her rtionship with Guan Ming.

    "Cami, dear sweet Cami, if Guan Ming loves you he will wait. He won''t force you and he will make you feel at home because he will be your home." Emilio Reyes said as he tried tofort the sobbing woman. "And if he isn''t the one, you will always have a home with us. Plus you have your brother."

    Emilio Reyes grinned at the young man who was standing behind Cami.

    Benedict didn''t say a word, he simply shrugged. He knew that he and his sister had a lot of lost time to make up for, even more than her and Guan Ming.

    "Thanks Uncle." Cami said as she gave him a hug.

    "Now go take down that bastard, we old people will be here to help you in whatever you need." Emilio Reyes said with a wink.

    Cami nodded as Benedict went to the door and called for several members of the help to take their bags to the helicopter Cedric had sent.

    Emilio Reyes apanied them to the chopper that hadnded behind his home.

    "I''ll miss having you and Benedict around." The older man confessed. "It''ll be me and the old people again and that''s quite boring. I wish I coulde along."

    "Why don''t you ask Cedric?" It was Benedict that asked this time around.

    The older man shook his head and smiled.

    "It''s more practical for my family to be in two separate locations, it helps for contingencies." Emilio Reyes said with a sad smile. "Give my grandson my love and tell Adrianna to keep kicking Cedric''s ass."

    Camiughed and gave Emilio Reyes onest hug before finally getting on the helicopter.

    As soon as final checks were done the helicopter lifted off the ground and took them to Mountain View Mansion.

    As they passed through the city, Cami couldn''t help but recognize important buildings such as R Tower, the Airport, Mor Co., and even Ian''s Lim Group headquarters.

    The trip didn''t take long and they soonnded at Mountain View where Adrianna, Ayanna, and Katerina were excitedly waiting for her.

    She knew that Nicole and Veronica would probably be at the Chan Residence as they tried to get more leverage on Lucius Ting.

    "You''re finally here!" Katerina eximed as she pulled the siblings away from the helicopter while the staff carried their bags down.

    Cami noticed several other staff carrying bags towards one of Cedric''s guest houses located at the back of the mansion.

    "Cedric had some people get your things from home and Guan Ming''s staff are already here." Adrianna exined. "You and Guan Ming can take the guest house Miguel and Veronica lived in, while his staff will upy the smaller ones."

    "What about me?" Benedict asked as he pointed at himself.

    "Uncle Benedict!" Yoyo shouted as he jumped into the man''s arms.

    "That boy didn''t want you to stay outside of the mansion, so we''ve set you up on the second floor." Adrianna exined with a smile.

    "Thanks." Benedict said.

    "I think I''ll get to work." Cami told the girls as she made her way towards the guest house.

    "Are you sure you don''t want to rest first?" Katerina asked, worried about her eagerness to work.

    "I honestly just want to get this over with already, I want to do my part." Cami said with a determined look on her face.

    Adrianna was about to say something when Katerina ced a hand on her shoulder and shook her head.

    "We''ll have someone bring you food and to notify you when the boys are on their way back." Katerina told Cami as she let the other woman go.

    As soon as Cami was out of earshot Ayanna sighed and shook her head.

    "I don''t me her, even I feel like I should be doing something to help." Ayanna admitted.

    "She''ll feel better when Ming arrives." Benedict told them. "For now, let her have her space and let her work. It''s where she feels mostfortable."

    The women nodded at him as they turned around and headed back into the mansion.

 Chapter 897 - 897

    Chapter 897 �C 897

    "Nervous?" Cedric teased as he nudged Guan Ming who was seated next to him.

    They had finished up at R tower as quickly as possible before making their way back to Mountain View.

    Unlike the other trips, they were taking Cedric''s car since both the military and Cedric''s team had given them the go ahead.

    They also knew that if Lucius Ting''s men were watching they would be wise enough to realize that the helicopter was their target and no longer Cedric''s car.

    "I just miss her, but I know we have a lot of work to do before we can truly unwind." Guan Ming said with a nod.

    "You know she''s already working, right?" Cedric asked as he took out his tablet and handed it to Guan Ming. "These are all of Lucius Ting''s ounts that she had managed to get, and if you scroll down all of hispanies, both dered and undered."

    "Wow." Guan Ming said as Cedric''s car entered the gates of the Mountain Viewmunity.

    Their trip had been uneventful and they had been surrounded by multiple security vehicles ensuring their safety.

    Cedric would have preferred to take a more low profile approach to their movements, but Leon insisted that no matter what car they took Lucius Ting and his men would figure it out.

    "I think she wanted to keep herself busy rather than just sit and wait for us to get back." Cedric said with a frown as his car passed the currently empty homes of his friends.

    "I just want to be done with this." Guan Ming said with a sigh as he shook his head and looked out of the window.

    "Don''t we all." Cedric chimed in his agreement.

    "Cedric, I don''t think I ever got to mention this to you, but you''ve created quite a good ce here at mountain view." Guan Mingmented.

    "Thanks, I actually picked this when I was very young." Cedric said as he recalled the story of how Mountain View came to be. "When I was seven, dad took me and Ayanna around the outskirts of the capital, telling us to choose one location."

    "Wow, so young and already so enterprising." Guan Ming teased knowing that as a little boy Cedric had only chosen what looked nice to him.

    Cedric shook his head andughed together with his friend.

    "Anyway, this ce wasn''t even on the options. We were way down the valley when I looked up and pointed to the side of this small mountain and told my dad I wanted to build my house here." Cedric said with a shrug.

    "Clearly your dad took you seriously." Guan Ming said as he was surprised at the lengths the former CEO had taken to make his son happy.

    "I didn''t even know he purchased it till I got back a few years ago." Cedric said with a shrug.

    Guan Ming smiled at Cedric''s story. It was truly amazing to hear that the spot he had chosen as a little boy was now where his family home stood.

    "I know that the properties here have all been sold, but would you be open to selling one to me and Cami?" Guan Ming asked, catching Cedric off guard. Clearly this was something he was yet to discuss with Cami. "I''d like to give her the option of having her own home here in your country. I don''t want to force her to join me in China."

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh and shake his head at what Guan Ming had just told him.

    "Clearly you haven''t brought this up with Cami yet." Cedric said as Guan Ming gave him a confused expression.

    "No, this was supposed to be a surprise, my grand romantic gesture." He dered.

    "Well, sorry to disappoint you Ming, but Cami already has property here." Cedric pointed at an empty lot near his own home. "As a matter of fact it''s that one, and the one next to it is Ian''s. All my assistants get their own properties here." Cedric exined.

    "Damnit, now I need to think of something else." Guan Ming grumbled, making Ian, who was seated in the front seat, and Cedricugh.

    "You''ll find what you need to do eventually. Plus you guys still need to get reacquainted properly." Ian said, acting like an older brother.

    "Plus I need to get your approval." Guan Ming said as he rolled his eyes at Ian.

    "Honestly, as long as she chooses to be with you I''ll be fine with it. It''s not in my ce to say who she can or can''t marry. This isn''t the middle ages for crying out loud." Ian pointed out. He knew that a lot of families still carried that tradition, but he wanted to change things for the better.

    "Ah, here we are." Cedric eximed as their car entered the gates of the Mountain View Mansion.

    They had all been itching to get here since this morning and finally they were back.

    The driveway seemed longer than usual as their convoy of cars pulled up to the front door. To their surprise everyone was waiting for them, something that was rarely done, and at the center of it all was Cami.

    "She looks worried." Ian said as he pointed out his friend.

    "It''s been a difficult past few days for her." Cedric said in a low voice. "You guys should take the rest of the day off, rest, spend some time with your loved ones."

    To his surprise, Guan Ming shook his head.

    "I don''t think Cami will agree to that. She''ll want this to be over as soon as possible, Lucius Ting did things to her that were beyond evil." Guan Ming said with a sigh. "He needs to be stopped."

    With that, Guan Ming opened the door to Cedric''s car and when Cami saw him she quickly ran up and jumped into his arms and cried.

    "I thought you wouldn''t make it back, I thought I was going to lose you to the man I hate the most in the world." Cami said as she hugged Guan Ming tightly.

    "Don''t worry, love. I''ll always find my way back to you.." Guan Ming dered as he nted as passionate kiss on her lips allowing the world around them to vanish.

 Chapter 898

    Chapter 898

    On the night that Guan Ming and Cami were finally reunited, Nicole and Veronica also came back with good news. So after dinner they were all gathered in Cedric''s office to hear what Nicole and Veronica had learned in the Chan Family home.

    "So did you find out how Lucius Ting still has a hold on our family?" Miguel asked, he was still on Kashmere as they waited for Julia to regain consciousness.

    "Yeah, and the reason will make youugh, it''s pathetic!" Nicole eximed as she adjusted herself on her seat. She was now eight months pregnant and ready to pop soon.

    "Please tell me he isn''t keeping a hold of the family because he knows about one of grandpa''s children with his mistresses." Eric grumbled as he thought of the possibilities. "I mean it isn''t a secret that we have uncles and aunts out there that might be our age."

    "No, no, it''s not that." Nicole said as she shook her head and brushed off her brother''s worries. "Well, it''s also annoying but let me finish first." She said as she scolded the actor.

    "Fine." Eric responded as he kept silent and let his sister continue with what she had discovered.

    "So it seems that grandpa has always been suspicious of Lucius Ting''s real identity." Nicole revealed to everyone in the room. "From the moment Lucius Ting entered the room he had a feeling that he was not who he imed to be."

    "And how did you find this out?" Katerina asked Nicole with a raised eyebrow.

    "It took a lot of convincing, but eventually grandpa understood that he needed toe clean for the future generations of our family. I promised that we would protect him." Nicole exined as everyone nodded and listened eagerly to her story.

    "Go on, Nicole." Cedric said with a nod as he wordlessly promised that no one would interrupt.

    Nicole took a deep breath before telling her story.

    "As we all know, among all of our families, the Chans are the youngest in terms of wealth. So when grandpa inherited the small chain of hospitals and drug stores at first he acted like your typical new rich, spending money and not really caring for what happened to the business." Nicole exined, confusing Adrianna.

    "Wait, I thought it was your grandfather that had managed to grow Saints Hospital to the sessfulpany that it is today? Wasn''t he also a doctor?" Adrianna asked as she looked at the Chan siblings.

    "Grandpa was forced to be a doctor by his father, so he bribed him, grandpa couldn''t inherit thepany or gain ess to his cards if he wasn''t a doctor." Eric said with a shrug, shedding light on the past of one of the most secretive families in the country.

    "It''s a part of our family''s past that grandpa doesn''t like the public knowing about." Miguel admitted.

    "Anyway, back then grandpa was out of control and he got into trouble with the wrong people. He had disrespected several old rich families and he was now in so much debt that he was about to lose Saints Hospital." Nicole said as she recalled the story her own grandfather had told her earlier that day.

    "Let me guess, he borrowed from the wrong people? The people that Lucius Ting is rted to." Eric Chan said quite confidently.

    Nicole shook her head, much to the surprise of most people in the room.

    "Borrowing money would have been the most obvious choice." Veronica said with a sigh. "But that''s not what your grandfather did. He decided to go down a much darker path."

    "You have to remember, grandpa was desperate and it was the first time he was in this kind of a situation. He didn''t want to approach his father either since thepany might be taken from him." Nicole exined.

    "Murder, bribary, assult, malpractice." Veronica said with a sigh as she recalled the crimes that the old man had confessed to.

    "WHAT?!" Miguel eximed as soon as he heard what his wife had to say.

    "Grandpa was not a good man, Miguel." Nicole told her brother as she shook her head. "In order to save thepany he had agreed to a deal with a government official, killing his rival through means that would make it look natural."

    "So this person was a patient at Saints Hospital?" Eric asked calmly as he tried to learn more about the crime their grandfather hadmitted.

    "He was. As a matter of fact the only reason why he chose to be admitted into Saints Hospital was because Grandpa and our great grandfather were the only people who had no connection to his rival." Nicole exined.

    "This was back when what remained of the Rajas were still active." Cedric said upon realization of how turbulent those times were.

    "It was, yes." Nicole said with a nod.

    "So grandpa killed the man then what?" Miguel asked, his worry and a clear urgency could be heard in his voice.

    "The politician that hired him used him as a runner, sending money to officials until one day, grandpa was caught." Nicole revealed to everyone in the room. "Fortunately for him at that time, the people who caught him were allied with his rtives."

    "So he got out and he was safe?" Ian asked Nicole who nodded in response.

    "That''s what caused the change in grandpa, wasn''t it?" Miguel asked as he looked at his sister.

    "It was." She responded with a nod. "It was after that incident that grandpa became the savvy businessman that grew Saints Hospital. But the damage had already been done and he was exposed to this side of his family."

    "They kept evidence?" Cedric asked as he realized that the old man wouldn''t be so fearful if there was no proof.

    "Grandpa isn''t sure." Nicole told them as she shook her head. "ording to him he saw the evidence burned, but he said he could never trust them. He always had a feeling that they didn''t destroy everything."

    "If what Grandpa suspects is true, can we protect him?" Eric asked as he looked at his girlfriend, Katerina Sebastian, who was deep in thought.

    "I''m not sure, Eric." Katerina said with a frown. "If they go public with this there is nothing I nor my family can do."

    Everyone was silent for a moment as Katerina''s words sunk in.

    They were some of the most powerful people in the country and yet there were still some problems that they could not solve.

    Cedric looked around and noticed that everyone was exhausted, it had been a long day and adding another challenge only made the night heavier on them.

    "Why don''t we all call it a night and continue toe up with a n for Grandpa Chan tomorrow?" Cedric asked as he looked at his friends and family. "We can''te up with a solution exhausted like this."

    "Cedric is right." Ian said with a nod as he got up, stretched and yawned.

    He then offered his hand to Nicole to help the mother of his children off of her seat.

    "Let''s call it a night." Nicole nodded in agreement.

    "I don''t want grandpa to just get away with this." Miguel suddenly said through the speakers.

    "We will do what''s right." Nicole said with a nod as she smiled at her brother.. It seemed that she had already expected that deration from him.

 Chapter 899

    Chapter 899

    It seemed that a good night''s rest was what they all needed, because as soon as the next day started everyone was already at work, doing what they could to take Lucius Ting down.

    Cedric was surprised when over breakfast, Miguel and Ray gave them a call saying that they had an idea.

    "Are you all there?" Ray asked as he tried to see through hisptop screen if all of his friends were at Cedric''s ce.

    "Yeah. Everyone is here. So what''s this n you were talking about?" Cedric asked Ray knowing that if they didn''t get to the point of their discussion he would probably end up off track.

    "I know that we can always find a way for grandpa to escape justice, it will take time, but we will always find a way." Miguel said with a sigh as he looked at them through theptop screen.

    "Miguel, what grandpa did was wrong." Eric said with a frown.

    It was clear to Cedric and everyone in the room that Eric wanted their grandfather to pay for his crimes.

    "I''m sure you guys have broken thew tons of times." Guan Ming pointed out as he looked at the rich young men in the room. He was well aware that none of them were innocent.

    To Guan Ming''s surprise, thest person that he expected to answer his statement was the one that spoke out.

    "There is a line we try not to cross." Ian said as he gave Guan Ming a dangerous smile. "I won''t lie that we have done some very dangerous things, but we would never hurt people that had never wronged us."

    Cedric closed his eyes and shook his head, he knew that to most people what Ian was saying wouldn''t make sense. After all, they lived in a world where thew barely applied and where they could use thew against their enemies.

    "The man your grandfather killed as a politician, I doubt he was innocent." Alexi said as he joined in on the conversation. "We all know how dirty it can get, no matter how clean they present themselves to be."

    "Not everyone is dirty." Nicole mumbled as she kept her head bent and shook her head.

    "Alexi, you need to remember when grandpa Chanmitted these crimes. It was during the tail end of the reign of the Rajas." Katerina told her brother. It seemed that she knew more than what she was letting on.

    "Who was it?" Miguel said in a demanding tone that boomed through the speakers. "Nicole, who did our grandfather kill?"

    Nicole nevously clenched her fists and gripped her skirt, Ian knew she was anxious about something, he knew her grandfather must have done something that changed the course of history.

    He ced a hand on one of her''s and gently stroked it as he tried to get her to calm down.

    "Are you forgetting that your sister is pregnant, Miguel?" Ian asked as he red at the man on the screen. "She''s already decided to take on this task with your wife, let her calm down and exin things on her own."

    "Sorry about that." Miguel frowned as he realized that he was pushing his sister too far.

    He was well aware that the conversation with their grandfather couldn''t have been an easy one. Not only did Nicole and Veronica need to get the information from the old man, but they also had to stomach the story he told.

    Hearing that your grandfather had made deals that put everyone''s future in danger was definitely not easy, but one that changed the course of history for the worst, it must have been difficult.

    "It was Mr. Chavez." Nicole said with a sigh as she forced everyone in their room to recall their history lesson.

    "Who is Mr. Chavez?" Guan Ming asked, unaware of the local history.

    Cedric sighed and smile as he recalled that his friend knew nothing about their history, both that which was publicly thought and the secret reality.

    "Back in our grandparents'' days there was a lot of civil unrest in the country, so much so that a group of rich and powerful people took control." Cedric said as he tried to make the history lesson as brief as possible and to make it seem interesting.

    As a student he was bored by this part of their history, but when his father told him the truth behind what had happened it seemed a lot more interesting to the young man.

    "They installed a man to act as their puppet dictator, but that man eventually turned on them." Cedric said as he told Guan Ming about the fall of the Rajas.

    "So how does this Mr. Chavez fit in all of this?" Guan Ming asked.

    "During the tail end of the Rajas'' reign, that''s what the rich group called themselves, Mr. Chavez started telling people that the Rajas were behind everything and that the dictator was just a puppet." Cedric exined.

    "And people began to listen to him, so much so that it threatened both the Rajas and the dictator." Ian added as he found an opening to speak.

    Cedric simply nodded, he didn''t mind Ian cutting in.

    "The tide had two ways to go, either the Rajas stayed in power or the Mr. Chavez convinced people that the dictator was a puppet for the rich." Cedric told Guan Ming. "That''s when Mr. Chavez, who was already a sickly man, passed away."

    "To this day our history says that he died of natural causes and that dictator and his people ousted the Rajas and continued to rule for several more years." Nicole added with a frown.

    "And grandpa killed him, he changed history for the worse." Eric shook his head in disappointment. It was clear that he thought more of his grandfather.

    An awkward silence enveloped the room, no one said a word because no one knew what to say.

    "I want grandpa to face the public and announce his crimes against the people and the country." Miguel bravely said, shocking everyone. "Then I want him to leave the country.. I know for a fact that he will be safe if he goes home to China where his parents were originally from."

 Chapter 900

    Chapter 900

    Two weekster earth shaking news erupted in the Capitol, and to everyone''s surprise the first people to report it was the Abad News Network.

    "I thought the Abads and the Chans were practically family?" Ian heard a woman ask herpanion as she pointed at the newly released news on her phone.

    Ian had decided to get out of Cedric''s mansion and hang out in a coffee shop while fully disguised.

    Of course, like in his younger days he decided to go around with as little bodyguards as possible taking his two most trusted.

    He had also borrowed one of the staff''s cars to go around undetected. He even went the extra mile of coloring his hair and putting on contacts just to look different from normal.

    Ian was itching to get out of the Mountain View Mansion, it was beautiful and had everything you could ask for, but he just wanted out.

    "Yeah, the Abad''s only daughter, Anna, married the famous miracle Dr. Miguel Chan!" Her femalepanion eximed before looking around the room.

    Despite everyone talking about the rich and the famous, no one wanted to be caught.

    Ian secretly hoped that they wouldn''t lower their voices as he continued to scroll through hisptop that partially hid his face.

    He may be out of Mountain View, but that didn''t mean he didn''t have to work.

    With the n against Lucius Ting in full swing, Cedric had asked for his help in ensuring that every aspect of their n went perfectly.

    "They are also good friends with the Sebastians, I mean if you are connected to the president then why would you do this!?" The first woman asked, shocked at how the events had unfolded.

    Ian, of course, was not surprised. It took several days for Nicole to convince her grandfather to surrender himself and to admit to his crimes in the past.

    "Maybe he felt guilty and wanted to pay for whatever crime hemited." The second woman guessed as she leaned over and tried to take a look at her friend''s phone. "Does the article say what he confessed to?"

    The other woman shook her head.

    "No, it doesn''t." She scrolled through her phone as she re-read the article, making sure that she didn''t miss anything out.

    Ian knew the n, the Chans should be heading out of Mountain View now to go over to do a press conference in front of the main Saints Hospital branch in the Capital, he had about ten minutes to spare before he had to go.

    "I''ll be really disappointed if it was something small like tax evasion or shoplifting." The second womanughed as she thought of the most disappointing crimes she could think of.

    Of course, what use was this kind of suspense if it were something so small.

    As much as Ian wanted to hear more, his bodyguard began to tap him on the shoulder making Ian look around.

    He found the bodyguard with a worried and nervous expression, this only meant one thing.

    "I''ll deal with it." Ian nodded as he took out his phone from his pocket to find fifteen missed calls.

    He knew that he shouldn''t have ced it on silent or at least kept the vibrate on, but he just wanted some peace for a few hours. Just a little time to breath and think on his own without everyone looking over his shouldner.

    He quickly called back and after one ring the phone was answered.

    "IAN LIM WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!" Nicole angrily shouted over the phone. Ian could hear her worry seep through the anger.

    He had told no one that he was going out of the mansion grounds except for a few guards and Cedric. Ian assumed that Cedric and Guan Ming had locked themselves in the office again before the n began.

    "I just needed some space, babe. I needed to get out. It''s too chaotic there right now. Plus I told Cedric." Ian tried his best for his excuse to sound as valid as possible, but he knew that she would be mad at him no matter what he said.

    "Did you really have to do that today of all days?!" Nicole questioned as her anger subsided. "You know what is happening in a few minutes, right?"

    Ian looked out of the cafe window and shook his head, of course he knew. He was involved in the nning and was even working until that moment.

    "I''m in the coffee shop across Saints." He told Nicole. "The moment you guys arrive I''ll just slip in and no one will notice me."

    "Yeah, everyone will just notice your absence." Nicole pointed out.

    "Now babe, we both know that the n is not the reason why you are angry at me." Ian said in a calm voice as he leaned back against his seat.

    "Ian. . ." Nicole was at a loss for words, finally she had nothing to answer back to him.

    "Babe, I know you''re worried about me, but can''t you trust that I can handle myself out here?" He asked. "I have my guards and no one knows who I am. I worked for the Reyes family for years, it''s my job to make sure that nothing is overlooked."

    "You didn''t even wake me to say you were stepping out." Nicole sounded extremely sad on the phone, making Ian feel like he should have asked for her permission to go out.

    "I would never risk my life so lightly." Ian reminded Nicole. "Now, you should be heading to the car to leave. Miguel''s ne will bending at any moment and the media will clog the streets. I''ll see youter, alright?"

    "Fine, but update me." Nicole said before dropping the call.

    Ianughed as soon as he heard a beeping from the other end of the line. He was touched by her worry and was d that she decided to give him a call.

    As much as he enjoyed his time alone outside, he knew that he belonged wherever Nicole was.

 Chapter 901

    Chapter 901

    While in the middle of enjoying his freedom, Ian''s phone began to buzz once more, this time the call was expected.

    "Seth." Ian said as he picked up the call and watched as crowds began to gather outside Saints Hospital.

    It seemed that word had finally gotten out that the Chans would be hosting a press conference at the side of their hospital. Ian watched as media vans and reporters in their personal cars drove up to the front.

    "Lucius Ting seems to be in a fit." Seth reported over the phone.

    Ian had asked his friend to see if they could sneak in some people into Lucius Ting''s inner circle.

    ording to their suspicions, if Lucius Ting was indeed not as brilliant as they thought, Seth''s men would be able to join the ranks with ease.

    And it seemed that Ian''s suspicions were right. With a little deception, Seth was able to send three spies into Lucius Ting''s group.

    "We expected him to be." Ian said in a low voice as several reporters began to enter the coffee shop he was in.

    He could overhear them talking about their suspicions on what crime the former head of the Chan family hadmitted. It went as close as malpractice to falsification of documents, it seemed that everyone was truly baffled by how things turned out.

    Ian couldn''t help but consider simply blending in with the crowd and listening to what they had to say.

    Unfortunately, he knew this was impossible. Most of the reporters were familiar with him at this point. He had not only spoken for the Reyes Group, but for the Chans and his own family business as well.

    If it weren''t for his disguise and hisptop covering half his face, he was sure that the reporters would have recognized him.

    He also didn''t want to abandon Nicole in front of everyone. He wanted to be there for her in every way. They might not be legally married, but to him, she was already his wife, he didn''t need a piece of paper to tell him that.

    "ording to my men it looks like he has run out of options. Do you still want them to stay?" Seth asked.

    Ian stirred the cup of cooling coffee in front of him as he considered his options.

    Even if they knew that Lucius Ting wasn''t as brilliant as they first thought, he still didn''t want to underestimate the man.

    Based on his genes alone he was smart, and if he wasn''t he wouldn''t have survived working for the Esteves family then Aidenter on.

    Hispanies would also have been long gone if he didn''t have some sort of intelligence to him.

    On the other hand Ian worried about Seth''s people. He didn''t want them to be anywhere near Lucius Ting when things went rock bottom, he still had to protect them as well.

    Normally, he would have asked for a second or third opinion on this matter. It was to heavy for him to simply decide on his own, but he didn''t have the luxury of time.

    In a few minutes his car would pull up to the front of Saints hospital and Nicole and Miguel would step out to address the issue.

    One that bomb dropped Lucius Ting would definitly lose whatever calm he had left and he would get desperate.

    "Do you think it is dangerous for them to stay?" Ian knew that Seth would have at least assessed the situation with a lot more details. His men often reported things that Ian didn''t need to know but Seth still asked for.

    "No." Seth gave Ian an answer he wasn''t sure he wanted to hear.

    His gut told him to ask them to stay, he knew things could always take a turn for the worst in the end, but this time he didn''t know if his gut feel was right.

    "Look, Ian, I know you are hesitating." Seth knew Ian quite well and he was sure that when Ian began to ask questions like these and go silent, it meant he had his doubts. "My men knew exactly what they were going into. Plus they did this for more than just the job."

    Ian was surprised with thetter part of Seth''s statement.

    "What do you mean by that?" Ian asked Seth as he noticed the cafe was filling up more than he had expected.

    He would need to leave soon, he didn''t want the crowd hounding him for answers before the press conference.

    "The people that went on that job, they have beef with Lucius Ting or his sister, Louise." Seth exined. "They knew the risks, as a matter of fact they were quite surprised at how easily they gained Lucius'' trust."

    "He could still be ying us." Ianmented as he signalled for his bodyguards to prepare his exit n.

    "My people know the risk they are taking." Seth insisted. "I also doubt they would leave if I asked them to."

    Ian looked around and spotted the woman at the counter seemingly draw the attention of the other guests.

    She of course knew who Ian was.

    Back when he helped the Chans run Saints Hospital he frequented this ce and acted like an ordinary customer.

    His exit n, in case the front door became unavable, was to leave through the employee entrance.

    "Just make sure they are safe." Ian said as he dropped the call and began to pack up his stuff.

    The timing was perfect as Nicole and Miguel were set to arrive soon, so he wouldn''t have to wait in the small alley in the back for too long.

    He was closing hisptop while keeping his head down, when one of the camera men shouted.

    "They''re here!" The man pointed out the ss window as Ian''s car drove up with the fleet of security vehicles that Cedric had provided.

    "Perfect timing." Ian said with a chuckle as the reporters quickly rushed out of the cafe.

    "It seems like we might just find out what the old man did." Ian overheard the gossiping pair who had remained in their seats the entire time.

    This time Ian didn''t hesitate to reveal who he was. He slowly took off parts of his disguise and fixed his hair so that it would somewhat resemble it''s normal state.

    "Mr. Lim, it seems you didn''t need to use the alley." The manager said with augh as soon as she saw Ian get up.

    "Luckily, I didn''t." Ian said with augh, much to the surprise of the two gossiping women on the table near him.

    Ian gave them a wink as his bodyguards handed him a suit to put on top of his casual shirt.

    "And yesdies, you will be finding out soon enough.." Ian said as he walked out of the cafe while everyone''s attention was directed elsewhere.

 Chapter 902

    Chapter 902

    The crowd in front of Saints Hospital were so focused on the arrival of the Chan siblings, that they didn''t notice two things going on behind their backs.

    The first was Ian seaking in with two bodyguards right under their noses.

    He casually walked in through the employee entrance as if no one was around.

    Of course this didn''tpletely go unnoticed as there were some bystanders who recognized him and managed to snap a few photos.

    Most of these bystanders would post their amature photos of Ian walking into the hospital while simultaneously making fun of the reporters for being too distracted to notice him.

    Had they realized that Ian was right behind them, they would have easily been able to corner him and possibly get more answers. On the other hand they were quite cautious as they knew that he was also Cedric''s right hand man.

    At a more hidden area of the hospital, a simple car pulled up and a man that all media sources knew stepped out as he offered his hand for his girlfriend to hold.

    "Are you sure about this?" His girlfriend looked around, making sure that no one could see them. She knew the implications if the announcement was made prematurely or if he changed his mind.

    Her boyfriend smiled at her and offered her his arm.

    "One hundred percent, it''s time." Hand in hand they walked into the hospital as they made their way to the agreed upon meet up point.

    The Chan family had set up an area to the side of the hospital where the press conference was to be held.

    Saints Hospital was a very active and highly in demand hospital with patients and guests frequentlying in and out of the building.

    The Chans did not want to disrupt the service being provided to the patients, so they tried to limit the inconvenience brought about by the press conference.

    The security team of the Chan family did their best to keep the members of the media in the designated area, and for the most part the mediaplied. They all understood how vital Saints Hospital was to the people in and around the Capital.

    They didn''t have to wait long as Nicole, apanied by Ian, Miguel, apanied by Veronica, and their parents stepped out of the hospital.

    Miguel had stood behind the podium, a move that caught the media by surprise.

    The miracle doctor rarely spoke for the family when it came to matters like these. They had expected the father, Raphael, or even Nicole to speak, but not Miguel.

    Unknown to them, Nicole was not happy with the decision to let Miguel speak. She had argued for days with her brother and Ian to let her be the one to speak for the family but they wouldn''t allow it.

    If she was attacked or angered it could risk her unborn child, especially since she was nearing her due date.

    At first, Nicole would not let them win, but soon enough the two men managed to wear her down and she gave in.

    She understood that they both had her best interest at heart, but she also wanted to show them that she was a strong woman.

    "Even Veronica Abad is here." One reporter whispered to hispanion as he pointed at Miguel Chan''s wife, the scion of the wealthy and powerful Abad family that controlled and operated most of the country''s mendia.

    It was rare for Veronica to join the Chan family with matters such as these, but her presence was another well thought of symbolisming from Cedric and the others. Her being there showed that the news about the old man was truly released by the Chan and Abad families.

    It showed people that they were serious about allowing this matter toe to light and that it was not some mere ident.

    After a few minutes, the crowd silenced without Miguel asking them to.

    He scanned the crowd as he saw the eagerness in their eyes to hear what he had to say.

    From the moment hended all Miguel saw on social media was about his grandfather''s arrest and all the spections about it.

    He knew that when he told everyone the truth it would be quite a lot for them toprehend. The crime was one deeply significant to their nation''s history.

    "Thank you foring." Miguel said as he cleared his throat and began his statement.

    "I understand that you all have many questions, but I ask that you let me finish what I have to say." He requested, to which most of the media personnel nodded.

    "My Grandfather, Gabriel Chan, the former CEO and President of Saints Hospital, a man hailed for his contribution to our country''s medical field had indeedmitted crimes against out nation and its people." Miguel paused as the people in front of him whispered among themselves.

    Part of them still expected the Chans to deny the fact that the old man was indeed involved in any crime.

    But the arrest and the subsequent media coverage told them otherwise.

    "Etched in our history is the story of Mr. Chavez, one of the bravest men to have fought for our freedom in modern memory." Miguel saw as the crowd began to look at each other, confused as to the mention of the long dead hero.

    "His death, one pronounced to be of natural causes, changed our history and furthered the tragic and dark times that our grandparents and parents had to suffer." People were now quickly jotting notes as they eagerly awaited what Miguel would say next.

    "It is my regret to inform everyone here and to all those that will hear of this news from you that Mr. Chavez did not die of natural causes, but rather he had been murdered through a conspiracy." At Miguel''s announcement the crowd began to erupt in chatter.

    Suspicions began to fly as Miguel struggled to get their attention once again.

    At this point, Ian stood up and ced a hand on Miguel''s shoulder to offer his help.

    "If you will not listen to my brother-inw then you will probably not get the full story and will be fired." Ian announced with a cheeky smile.

    His words worked and everyone turned their attention back to the stage and the media all remained silent.

    "Thank you." Miguel said with a nod as Ian moved back to his spot where Nicole was ring at him.

    "My grandfather, murdered Mr. Chavez on the orders of the then dictator and his allies.." Miguel announced, once more sending shock waves across the nation.

 Chapter 903

    Chapter 903

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    The crowds were stunned.

    Most of the reporters had discussed among themselves the numerous guesses they had made as to what crime the old man hadmitted, but the closest they got was to assume it was muder.

    However, the crimeid out before them was beyond their craziest suspicions.

    None of them had expected to uncover a plot that changed the course of history. Most of them here weren''t even fit to ask questions about this big a matter.

    They had all thought that this would simply be some scandal that would taint the rich and powerful of the country. Not something to this extent.

    "If I recall." Veronica was suddenly next to her husband, no one had even noticed her move since they were so blindsided by the news. "My father and brother taught me that you all thrived on news like this?"

    She ced her hand on her waist and raised an eyebrow.

    The Abads never let it out that Ram was in fact adopted. It was a secret that they nned to keep till the grave and something that didn''t really bother the siblings.

    Both Veronica and Ram felt that if the public knew they would end up creating a mountain of a molehill.

    The fact that Ram was adopted did not bother Veronica, she had no ns of working for the familypany. In fact she was perfectly happy with how things stood.

    Soon after Veronica had spoken, the members of the media slowly processed what Miguel had announced and were starting to buzz with questions.

    "One thing that we know you will be asking is who else was involved with this crime." Miguel said as he looked at the reporters.

    He and everyone else involved tried their best to think of all the questions the reporters might ask as soon as they heard the truth. So Miguel hade prepared, willing to share answers before they were even asked.

    "Right now, I cannot give you the names of the people involved, but their names have already been handed to the police." Miguel announced.

    "What if the police try to protect these people?" A reporter asked as his had shot up, trying to catch the doctor''s attention.

    "Then we release the list to the public." Miguel shrugged as if releasing the list was the only natural thing to do.

    "I won''t lie. We did not know about our grandfather''s crime until recently." Miguel announced as he kept his head held high. "It was something that he had confessed to my sister, Nicole, and we advised him to confess to the crime."

    "How long have you known?" Someone called out from the sea of people, not bothering to even raise their hand anymore.

    "A few days." Miguel admitted. "We had given grandfather an ultimatum, either he confessed to the crime or we reported him."

    "Would you really do that?" Another person asked.

    Miguel slowly nodded, shocked that people would really think they would cover up a crime as grave as this.

    "What he did was not some speeding or littering, it was not some victimless crime." Miguel announced. "From a young age our family has taught us to value the lives of others, that''s why we are doctors. What greater crime tomit as a doctor than to take a life?"

    The members of the media whispered among themselves as they processed Miguel''s words.

    What he said was true, taking a life after swearing to protect it at all costs was the gravest crime a doctor like the old man couldmit.

    "He may be our grandfather, but he hurt more people than he could have imagined." Miguel said. "He regrets it, yes. But, we do not believe he should be forgiven for those crimes because he feels sorry."

    "Will he continue to have a stake in Saints Hospital?" A reporter asked, this time having the courtesy to raise his hand.

    Miguel smiled as he appreciated the gesture.

    "No, from this day forward our grandfather''s share will be passed on to the eldest child of the managing generation." Miguel announced.

    Everyone in the crowd assumed it was him, but they couldn''t be further from the truth.

    "Will your grandfather pay for his crimes or will you appeal for a shorter sentence?" A female reporter at the far end of the crowd shouted.

    "My siblings and I believe that our grandfather must pay for his crimes as fairly as possible. We will not be requesting a shorter sentence, his crimes affected us all." Miguel announced, much to the surprise of the crowd.

    There were two things that they were chattering about, the first being that they would not be pulling any stings to change the punishment. Something highly unusual for a family as well connected as the Chans.

    They had at least expected the Chans to plead for house arrest, it was something that everyone could understand seeing that their grandfather was not young.

    Another fact that had caught the media''s attention was that Miguel had mentioned siblings, not just a sibling.

    As far as everyone knew there were only two Chan siblings, Miguel and Nicole.

    "It must be slip of the tongue." One reporter whispered loud enough for Ian to hear.

    He couldn''t help but grin, Miguel had rehearsed these answers multiple times, he would never slip up. This was something intentional on his part.

    "He could have meant family." Another reporter whispered to herpanion.

    It seemed that they were willing to give Miguel a lot of space today.

    "He wasn''t wrong to say siblings." A familiar man stepped out in the open as he shed a smile to the reporters.

    Everyone was shocked to find the actor, Eric, walk up to Nicole and give her a hug.

 Chapter 904

    Chapter 904

    "Ah, brother, nice of you to join us." Miguel said with a chuckle as he enjoyed the stunned looks on everyone''s faces.

    This was thest thing they had expected to happen. How did a press conference on the crimes of the head of the Chan family turn into an entertainment press conference?

    Eric revealing his identity to the public as a member of the Chan family was long overdue. It was something he had been itching to do since he finally got together with Katerina.

    All he needed was to reveal it at the right time and to get Katerina to ept that his was what he wanted.

    Right now seemed to be the perfect opportunity as Eric exined to everyone that his identity could always be used as a weapon against them. He was tired of watching on the sidelines as his siblings battled every usation thrown at their family without him.

    Sure there were ways he had helped as an actor and a celebrity, but he wanted to do more, and this moment was the perfect opportunity for him to show his support for his family.

    "Did my brother give you permission to be here?" Veronica teased Eric, as if to show how close the family actually was.

    "Do I look like I need to ask Ram?" Eric responded with a raised eyebrow. "Plus I have the prized jewel of the Abad family as my sister-inw, you''ll side with me right?"

    Eric''s grin made all the women in the audience swoon. They couldn''t help but wonder why he was flirting with his already married sister-inw.

    "If you didn''t run this by him he will be pissed." Veronica said as she rolled her eyes at Eric, who simplyughed as a response.

    Even this part of their interaction had been somewhat nned.

    They had all agreed that now was the time to show the public that the Chans were a genuine family. This was in case Lucius Ting had any dirt left to throw at them, they would have the public on their side.

    "Right, to the second part of our announcement." Miguel said as he gave the press a rare smile. It look pained, but a smile nheless.

    The photographers and reporters quickly shook their heads and got over their initial shock of seeing Eric interact with Miguel, Nicole, and Veronica.

    They quickly snapped photos of the events that were unfolding in front of them. They knew that if they didn''t have anything to bring back as proof that Eric was part of the Chan family that owned Saints Hospital they could kiss their jobs goodbye.

    "I know you all have your suspicions." Miguel said as he maintained eye contact with the reporters.

    "I doubt we left much to specte, Miguel." Eric ran his fingers through his hair, brushing it backwards.

    "I''m sure they need to hear it from us for confirmation." Nicole told her brother as she remained seated, holding Ian''s hand.

    She was anxious, she wanted things to go perfectly and yet she was painfully aware that so many things could still go wrong.

    Miguel and Eric both nced back at their sister and gave her a nod.

    Taking advantage of the situation, Veronica gave her husband a quick kiss on the cheek before making her way back to sit next to Nicole.

    "Right, where were we?" Miguel asked as he tried to get back on track with their announcement.

    "Me?" Eric said with augh as he pointed at himself, making his younger brother shake his head.

    "Yes, him." Miguel nodded as he took a deep breath. "Our parents long ago followed a practice that the Reyes family would do, and that was to limit the presence of their children in front of the public. Mom and dad did this so that we could have a normal life."

    The reporters were a buzz with this news, it may have been true, but no one noticed it. This was because right after finishing highschool both Miguel and Nicole were already essible to the public.

    Miguel, because of the intelligence he had shown at an early age. He was getting epted into the top Universities all over the world and eventually bing one of the best doctors around.

    Nicole on the other hand had be quite popr due to their small group of friends, consisting of her, Ayanna, Veronica, Katerina, and Natalia.

    Although not as popr as their brothers, the world was at least aware of their existence. They knew that the Chans had a daughter as their youngest and that she ran in the same circles as the other sisters.

    "Eric Chan is my older brother." Miguel dered. "By tradition, he is the next head of the Chan family, a position he had chosen to give up in exchange for following his dreams of bing an actor."

    Everyone was silent as they waited for Miguel to tell them more. This was something that had taken thempletely by surprise.

    The eldest son of the Chan family was not supposed to be in the entertainment industry, they all knew too well how badly the Chan family looked at actors and models.

    Even Veronica''s and Miguel''s marriage had caused a stir within the Chan household, and Veronica''s family practically ruled the entertainment industry from a business standpoint.

    "As you have all seen, I got no special treatment when it came to working my way up in the industry." Eric announced as he carried a more serious look than usual.

    Gone was the innocent and fun image he liked to portray, now he seemed more like a businessman addressing the board of directors. For some reason this made a lot of women, and some men, admire him even more.

    Whether it was serious or just acting, they couldn''t tell, not that they wanted to find out.

    "I chose toe clean today because it has been difficult standing on the sidelines as I''ve watched my family constantly attacked." Eric said as he his feeling radiated to the crowd. "It is also because I want to move on with the next chapter of my life with the person I love."

    There was an audible gasp from the audience, it seemed that the Chan family was throwing them twist after twist.

 Chapter 905

    Chapter 905

    Cedricughed from his office at R Tower as he watched the events unfold in front of Saints Hospital. At this point the news agencies wouldn''t know which piece of information to broadcast as the headline.

    Earlier today their main focus had been the old man, but now, it seemed that Eric had stolen the show.

    The next part was meant to cement the authenticity of the old man''s surrender as well as to make Lucius Ting feel as lost as possible in his situation.

    "Do you really find this to be that amusing?" Alexi sipped from his ss as he kept his eyes on the TV in front of them.

    Knowing what Eric was nning to do, Cedric made sure that Alexi was not alone when the public learned about his sister''s and Eric''s rtionship.

    "Hey, be happy for Katerina." Natalia scolded her older brother.

    She was already done with the work Cedric needed and didn''t want to miss this moment. She was aware of how much her sister loved Eric and wanted to be there for her even if it was through the screen of the TV.

    "I''m shocked dad allowed this!" Alexi was furious at his father for giving his permission for the couple to make their announcement on the same day as the surrender of the old man.

    The president argued that it would be good for their image if Katerina''s and Eric''s rtionship came to light as a fair judgment was passed on the old man.

    "We both know that you understand why." Cedric shook his head as he witnessed how overprotective Alexi was acting. "If this were anybody else you would approve of it."

    "He has hurt her a lot." Alexi said with a sigh as he got up and refilled his ss of whisky.

    "We both know that they''ve talked it out and it wasn''t entirely Eric''s fault. They needed that time apart too. At least Katerina isn''t heading into this next phase of their rtionship as some innocent naive woman." Cedric argued back, making Natalia smile.

    "Was Cedric this bad with Ayanna when the two of you got married?" Natalia asked Ray who was silently seated to the side.

    Ray had arrived with Miguel and got off the ne after the media tailed Miguel to Saints Hospital.

    "I''m his best friend, we became brothers byw. Do you think he was like this?" Ray asked with a raised eyebrow making Alexi re at him.

    "Sit down Alexander Sebastian, be happy for our sister or I''m going to call mom!" Natalia said in an outburst of anger, surprising everyone in the room.

    Natalia had always been the silent type, it was Katerina that was most likely to have an outburst like this.

    "Katerina has rubbed off on you too much." Alexi grumbled as he sat back down.

    "Oh, oh, it''s starting!" Ayanna said as she pointed that the TV.

    Ray had his arms wrapped around her waist, caressing the small baby bump on her belly. When he had heard that Cedric allowed her to go to the office today he was quite mad at his friend.

    Eventually, Ayana managed to calm him down and exin that it had been all her idea and that she had nagged Cedric non-stop to let her work.

    Cedric quickly pulled out his phone and sent a message to Guan Ming asking if things were ready on his end.

    Guan Ming quickly replied that he was ready to put into motion his side of the n.

    Cedric smiled as the pieces slowly fell into ce, he just couldn''t help but feel worried that he was missing something or that the n could go wrong.

    He would never dare to assume that any of his ns would be a guaranteed sess, he knew that the more moving parts he had, the more things could get messed up.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, I''m very excited to announce that for the past few years I have been dating the love of my life." Eric announced as he beamed with joy on the TV. "She is the woman I''ve loved even before I became an actor and I never stopped loving her."

    "Wanna bet people will think it''s Cthea?" Ayanna grinned as she looked at Natalia.

    The younger woman simply shook her head as she took out her phone and scrolled through social media.

    "I don''t need to bet with you, we both know it''s true." Natalia pointed out as she handed her phone to Ayanna.

    True enough, people were already specting that the woman Eric proimed to be the love of his life was Cthea.

    However, there were a few people that were hoping it was Katerina as they recalled the old rumors surrounding the pair.

    "People will think it''s arranged when they find out that Eric loves Katerina." Cedric mumbled as he recalled the reaction people had to any rtionship between their sisters and their friends.

    "Can you me them for thinking that way?" Ray asked his friend as he shook his head.

    He had been a victim of the same spections when he and Ayanna started their rtionship and eventually got married.

    "It is very beneficial to our families if we marry each other." Ray said with augh as he thought of the many benefits it had brought over the years.

    "Yeah, but you didn''t have to marry my sister to get any of those." Cedric grumbled as he returned his attention back to the screen.

    Eric waved for Katerina toe out, everyone in Cedric''s office knew how excited and nervous Katerina was for this moment. She wanted their rtionship to be public, but she also worried about it''s repercussions on Eric''s career as an actor.

    As Katerina walked out of Saints Hospital and to where Eric was standing, Cedric could hear the gasps of the reporters from the TV.

    It was clear that most of them had expected someone else to step out, maybe Cthea, or someone they did not know about.

    "I have love Katerina Sebastian since we were young, the only thing stopping me was because her brother would have killed me if I hurt her." Eric announced making Alexi cough and spit his drink at Natalia.

    "Disgusting." Natalia said as she rolled her eyes and reached out to wipe the drink off of her.

    "Hey Alexi, I know you''re watching this. I''m just kidding, of course." Eric gave the audience one of his famous smiles as he wrapped an arm around Katerina''s waist as she stopped next to him.

    "My love." Eric dered as he kissed her on the cheek.

    The members of the media were quick to snap photos of the couple as the screen lit up with shesing from the different cameras.

    Suddenly, Eric did something that no one except Alexi expected.

    He got down on one knee, making the women in the audience scream.

    "Katerina Sebastian, I''ve wanted to ask you this question from the moment you forgave me." Eric dered.

    In Cedric''s office, everyone''s eyes turned to Alexi who was smiling from ear to ear.

    "YOU KNEW!?" Natalia asked as she threw a pillow at her brother.

    "Will you honor me by being by my side for the rest of our lives and whateveres after? Will you marry me?" Eric asked, making Katerina burst out in tears as she nodded.

    Cedric shook his head in disbelief, no wonder Alexi was mad, Eric was nning to make a very public proposal and he knew it.

 Chapter 906

    Chapter 906

    Cedric noticed Ian leaving the press conference area to take a call, it seemed that something was now happening.

    "Be on your toes." Cedric told his friends as he waited for either Guan Ming or Ian to exin what happened.

    "What?" Ray asked as he gave Cedric a confused look.

    "Ian stepped out of the press conference to take a call." Cedric pointed at the spot on the screen where Ian had been sitting. In his ce now stood a bodyguard, Cedric recognized the man as one of Ian''s personal guards that the Reyes Group had provided.

    "He would never leave Nicole alone unless it was very important." Ayanna pointed out as she gave her brother a worried look.

    "I hope it''s good news." Cedric said with a nod as he drummed his fingers on the table, waiting for an update.

    While they were anxiously waiting, the Chan family congratted Eric and Katerina on their engagement and the press quickly asked a lot of very personal questions.

    The couple professionally answered each and every one of the questions.

    Eric and Katerina had a long time to prepare for this moment and they had already expected what kind of questions would be thrown their way.

    "We met when we were children." Eric said as he was asked how he and Katerina had met.

    The question made Cedricugh, everyone knew that the Chans and the Sebastians were friends, so naturally the couple had practically grown up together.

    "How long have you been dating?" Another reporter asked, eager to get something juicy for the news.

    "For a few years, but I have loved Katerina from the moment I firstid my eyes on her. I was just too young to realize what love was." Eric admitted, making Katerina blush. This was clearly not in the script they had rehearsed.

    Natalia burst outughing as the normally strong willed Katerina was reduced to a blushing woman.

    While Nataliaughed at her sister''s reaction, Cedric''s phone began to ring. It was Ian.

    Cedric quickly picked up the phone, knowing that Ian would definitely have important news.

    "Ian, we saw you leave, is something wrong?" Cedric was worried that it was more bad news than good.

    "No, no, just an update from Seth''s men." Ian informed Cedric over the phone.

    "They are still around Lucius Ting?" Cedric was surprised that the men Seth had nted were still there. He was expecting them to leave as soon as shit hit the fan for their own safety.

    "Yeah." Ian told Cedric in a somber tone. "It seems that the people my friend sent over all have vendettas against Lucius Ting."

    "I don''t know if that is something to be happy about or worried about." Cedric was right to be concerned about it.

    On one hand these people would not betray them since the vengeance that Cedric was about to serve Lucius Ting would be to their benefit. On the other, they could easily go rogue, taking justice into their own hands and potentially ruining all of the ns.

    "Don''t worry, I know Seth''s men." Ian assured Cedric. He already knew this would be the other man''s concern. "Seth would never send people that could stray from the task or be so short sighted as to act on their own."

    "That''s good to hear." Cedric nodded as every one in the room tried to listen in on his conversation with Ian. "So what was the news that you wanted to tell me?"

    "Right, right. Seth''s men just told us that Lucius Ting is furious." Ian said as he got the conversation back to its original topic.

    "Because of the Chans?" Cedric asked, wanting to make sure if there could be other factors affecting their n.

    "Not just the Chans. It seems that Guan Ming has made a move and in a surprising turn of events, Wu Jun also did something. I have no idea what, but he did something that made Lucius Ting furious." Ian quickly reported.

    "Wu Jun? I never agreed to the things he wanted." Cedric told Ian as he recounted his visit days ago.

    "I think he figured out that you wouldn''te to him and that he needed to show you that he is on the same side." Ian assumed since there was no sure way for them to find out about Wu Jun''s true intentions.

    "I don''t trust him." Cedric hissed.

    "I know, I don''t either and I want to carefully watch what he is doing." Ian said as he agreed with his friend.

    Cedric was silent for a moment as he carefully thought of what to do next.

    "Wu Jun is a tricky matter. We might not like him, but he is still rich and powerful, but he is Guan Ming''s business." Cedric said as he expressed his concern and opinion on the other Chinese businessman.

    "You promised Guan Ming that he could have both Lucius Ting and Wu Jun, right?" Ian asked as he wanted to confirm whatever deal Cedric had stuck with his friend.

    "Yeah, but he isn''t allowed to kill Lucius Ting or damage him too much mentally, that''s for the Esteves Family to deal with." Cedric confirmed. "Let''s take what Wu Jun has to give, but promise him nothing."

    "Sounds like a n." Ian said in agreement. "Do you have any idea what Guan Ming is doing to get this reaction from Lucius Ting?"

    Ian was curious, ording to Seth''s men Lucius Ting was practically crazed as the walls closed in on him from all fronts. It was like his was not trapped in the hardest situation he could possibly imagine.

    "I don''t, but knowing Guan Ming, he''ll call to boast soon." Cedric said with augh as he shook his head. "Keep me posted, go keep your wifepany." He teased.

    "I would do so happily. See you soon." Ian said as he dropped the call.

    "Nicole will kill you if she heard you call her Ian''s wife." Natalia pointed out.

    "The only thing theyck at this point is a marriage certificate, and I have a feeling Ian might have already dealt with that.." Cedric said with a chuckle knowing full well how much Ian loved Nicole.

 Chapter 907

    Chapter 907

    Guan Ming sat back with a smile as soon as news had reached him of the panicked state Lucius Ting was in.

    He had hiswyers file case upon case against Luciust Ting startingst week. He knew the man was already stressed the moment those documentsnded on his desk.

    They amounted to money that Lucius Ting no longer had.

    At the time when he was making deals with Guan Ming, he had believed that the Ortiz siblings were still on his side. Unfortunately for him, they were never on his side.

    "What are you smiling about?" Cami asked as she brought Guan Ming a cup of coffee and gently ced it down next to him.

    Guan Ming was grateful of Cedric''s consideration of their situation, he had asked Cami not to work until the Lucius Ting matter was solved and to simply be there for Guan Ming.

    Nothing inspired him to work harder than knowing that Lucius Ting was about to pay for everything he had done wrong to Cami.

    Guan Ming reached out for her and pulled her suddenly onto isp and hugged her tight.

    "It''s almost time." Guan Ming gently ced a kiss on her temple as he held her tight. "You know, this is where you belong."

    "I''m sure we would be sent out of so many ces if I always sat on yourp." Camimented as she rolled her eyes at his attempt at being romantic.

    Guan Ming couldn''t help butugh at herment. She knew full well what he meant but she decided to give him a sarcastic answer instead.

    "I want to get to know you better." Guan Ming whispered into her ear, making Cami smile for a second before keeping a straight face.

    "You already know me." She answered back as she tried to get off of hisp.

    "I know a lot of facts about you, but I want to really get to know you."'' Guan Ming sighed as he cupped her cheek and looked her in the eyes. "I want to know what makes you smile, I want to know what to do when you cry, I want to know how to chase away every fear and doubt."

    Cami''s cheeks began to redden as she broke eye contact with Guan Ming.

    No one had ever told her things like that, sure, Cedric and Ian were always there for her, but this was different. Even the smallest thing that Guan Ming did would make her heart skip a beat.

    "We didn''t go through our rtionship the proper way." Guan Ming admitted as he recalled a conversation he had with Cedric in the past.

    "No, we did not." Cami said as she nodded in agreement. "But does that make our love any less?" She asked as Guan Ming pulled her closer to him.

    "No, of course not." He told her in a stubborn tone. "Love is love."

    "Love is love." Cami nodded as she repeated his words.

    "I just want to at least go on a proper date with you." Guan Mingughed as he realized how silly his request was.

    "What are you talking about, we go on dates all the time." Cami said as she gave him a surprised look.

    "I want to be out in public with you where we don''t have to worry about anyone seeing us." Guan Ming dered. "I want to hold your hand and open the door for you. I want to sit across from you and get lost in your beautiful eyes with people around us. I am tired of hiding my love for you."

    Cami didn''t know that she could blush even harder than she already did earlier, but Guan Ming''s sweet words seemed to do the trick as she felt her heart beat faster with his words.

    "Soon, we are almost there Cami." Guan Ming promised.

    "Did something happen with the Lucius Ting case?" Cami asked as she knew that Guan Ming had now focused all of his efforts on taking down the man.

    "A lot has happened, love." Guan Ming smiled proudly as he pointed at theptop in front of him.

    Locally the biggest news may have been the arrest of one of the economical and societal pirs of the country, but internationally it was a whole different story.

    "This front page is for tomorrow." Cami pointed out as she noted the date on the side.

    "It is." Guan Ming told her with a nod. "My people sent it over to check if I am satisfied with this."

    "And are you?" Cami asked.

    "It''s only the beginning of the end." Guan Ming told her as his eyes narrowed. "Tomorrow the world will see how a corporation like my own suddenly turned it''s back on a very promising start-up like Arch Group."

    "You will look like the viin here." Cami frowned as she realized more of the implications of his actions. "People will see you as the Goliath that decided to stomp on David. The narrative will go against you."

    "It''s what we need, for now." Guan Ming nodded as he knew she had realized what he was nning.

    "You want to embarrass people for thinking the worst of you as well?" Cami asked as she carried a stunned look on her face.

    "I want people to realize that they need to use their brains and not just jump to conclusions. And the more involved they are in this matter the hungrier they will be to go after Lucius Ting for tricking not just me, but the people of this country as well." Guan Ming told Cami.

    "His fall has began, Cami." Guan Ming said as he looked into her eyes once more.

    Cami reached out and toughed Guan Ming''s cheek and gave him a sweet smile. For some reason she found it very attractive when he was this determined.

    "I promise you, he will never hurt anyone again. We will take that abitlity from him and he will cease to exist." Guan Ming swore.

    "Just don''t lose yourself in the process." Cami said as she gave Guan Ming apassionate smile. "Oh, and don''t forget, Cedric said don''t leave him insane or dead."

    Guan Mingughed at how crazy Cami''s words sounded. But even if her words were quite odd, he knew that was Cedric''s instructions.. Lucius Ting''s suffering would not end with Guan Ming.

 Chapter 908

    Chapter 908

    After discovering Cami''s treachery, Lucius Ting moved from his old apartment to one across town, one that the Reyes Group or any of their allies had no ess to.

    It was not an easy task since their group had allies everywhere and it was quite difficult for Lucius Ting to find a businessman willing to stick his neck out for him.

    Everyone knew he had crossed Cedric and his friends, and everyone was aware that the five princes and their friends were done being nice to Lucius Ting.

    When Lucius first met the man sitting across him he was suspicious.

    He knew that with Cami gone, Cedric Reyes was possibly seeking out another way to nt a mole in his inner circle.

    It seemed quite suspicious to Lucius Ting when a man named Pete approached him and offered him a ce to stay and his support. It was way too convenient.

    "Fuck!" Lucius Ting shouted as he threw a ss across the room, hitting the wall and shattering to a thousand pieces.

    "Rx, not all is lost." Pete told Lucius Ting as he waved a maid to give the owner of Arch Group another ss and to pour them more wine.

    "Not all is lost?! Not all is lost?! You''ve got to be fucking kidding me!" Luciust Ting screamed hysterically.

    News had just reached him that ny percent of his international partners had just terminated their contracts with him.

    At first he was hopeful that he could sue them in court, but hiswyers soon brought him even more devastating news. It was he that owed them money.

    "Do you have any fucking idea who I am up against now?!" Lucius Ting asked as the man across him remained calm.

    "Guan Ming, one of the richest men in the world, and possibly one of the most influential." Pete said with a shrug as he continued to sip the beverage in his hand.

    "Exactly." Lucius Ting said as he red at Pete. "If it were any other man I would say there is a chance, but Guan Ming? You''ve got to be kidding me."

    "You did deceive him." Pete told him in a casual tone as he looked out the window. "I''m sure he is pissed off with that. Plus ording to what my men found out he is very good friends with Cedric Reyes. I doubt he would look at you kindly."

    "And yet you keep telling me not all is lost!? What the fuck!" Lucius Ting was hanging on a thread, he was slowly losing it as the world around him unraveled.

    "My backers say that they have a proposition for you, but you will need to do everything they ask for." Pete told Lucius Ting as he waited for the other man''s answer.

    "I''ve followed what they''ve asked me to do for years, are they seriously questioning my loyalty now?" Lucius was furious about the possible doubt in his backer''s mind.

    "They aren''t doubting you, Lucius, you are family to some of them after all." Pete told him as he looked away. "They just think that they might be asking too much this time."

    "I''ve literally lost almost everything in my life!" Lucius Ting shouted. "My sister has been arrested and deported to the one country I can''t go, the woman I thought I would spend the rest of my life with betrayed me, and now mypany is about to fall."

    "First of all, you were warned about Cami Montero. She is loyal to the Reyeses and the fact that you thought her biological older brother''s death could change that fact proves how stupid you can be." Pete spat in a poisonous tone. "You were warned and you refused to listen."

    "That is a mistake I never denied." Lucius Ting replied in a low voice.

    "The fact that you fell for her was the very reason that you are in the situation you find yourself in. You brought about your own fall because of love." Pete said with a chuckle as he waved for the maid to pour him another ss.

    "I get it, I fucked up." Lucius sat down as he tried to calm himself, he knew he could let his emotions rule him any longer. If this kept going he might end up punching Pete.

    "I don''t think I need to bring up the other decisions you made that were pure foolishness, now do I?" Pete raised an eyebrow as he waited for Lucius to respond.

    Hesitantly, Lucius nodded, he hated admitting the fact that he made a mistake, especially to a messenger like Pete.

    "So what do they want me to do now?" Lucius asked as he patiently waited for his next orders.

    He hated thinking of them as orders, but the more he was told to do something in exchange for a favor, the more it felt like he was being given orders.

    "The people I work for said they would bring you closer to your sister and they would even tell you where your wife and son are, all you have to do is nothing." Pete said with a grin as he knew his words would infuriate Lucius Ting.

    "Nothing? You''ve got to be kidding me." Lucius grumbled.

    "Nothing until you know where your wife is, after that you are free to fly to her and chase her." Pete exined to him.

    "And my son?" Lucius asked. He had always wanted them to be a family again, but he also wanted to punish his wife for running from him.

    "I think you would rather take your wife first, you can always make another child with her." Pete said with a shrug.

    "I can always just get another woman into my bed if all I wanted was a child." Lucius Ting said angrily. There was only one person he wanted as his wife and he needed his son too. They were a family.

    "Rx, you''re forgetting we are on the same side here." Pete told him. "You know what, as a sign of good fate I''ll tell you where your son is and then you figure out how to get him out. Deal?"

    Lucius Ting eyed the man across from him, he knew this was some kind of game or trap, but he couldn''t help but fall for it.

    "Deal." Lucius Ting couldn''t help but agree and give in, it was his son.

    "Remind me again, what was your son''s name?" Pete asked as the sides of his lips curled up to a sinister smile.

    Lucius red at him, he knew the answer and yet he was taunting Lucius Ting.

    "Dominic." Lucius'' voice was soft and pained, he longed to call his son by his name again.

    "Dominic Chan, correct? You gave him your biologicalst name, not your adoptive one?" Pete asked as he waited for Lucius'' response.

    The man simply nodded in reply not wanting to continue the discussion longer than he had to.

    "Did you know that your cousin, Miguel Chan, and his wife Veronica adopted a boy by the same name?" Pete asked.

    "I do, he goes to the same school as the boys that I suspect to be mine." Lucius recalled seeing his cousin dropping off and picking up a little boy wherever he stalked the school.

    "Wait- No-" Lucius couldn''t believe the thought that had just passed his mind, it was impossible.

    "Dominic Chan was adopted by Miguel Chan and his wife from the same school where your father-inw had so heartlessly left your son." Pete revealed. "Your son has been living under your cousin''s roof for months now."

    "No!" Lucius shook his head, unable to cope with what he was hearing. If that were the truth then his son was either at Miguel''s home or at Mountain View mansion. Two ces he could not get to.

    "It''s up to you now if you want to take him back.." Pete said as he got up and left, leaving Lucius Ting to wrestle with his thoughts and decision.

 Chapter 909

    Chapter 909

    Cedric had no idea why Ian had called him in such a rush, asking him to meet at an abandoned building in one of the abandoned areas of the city.

    Growing up, Cedric had heard numerous urban myths and legends about the area.

    Some people imed that this area was haunted, that''s why the developers couldn''t finish the buildings on site.

    While others imed that the area was unlucky, there were often idents involved when it came to construction.

    There were those that insisted that the reason why that part of the city remained undeveloped and practically abandoned was because there was a sinkhole underneath. Others said it was because the owner faced legal issues.

    Either way, the ce remained undeveloped for over twenty years.

    The Reyes Group had also attempted to purchase this property and those around it, but Ray and Alexi had both advised him to do otherwise.

    Cedric knew that if those two warned him against it, there was something hidden here.

    He didn''t rule out the fact that it could be either government owned or it could involve the Mafia or the Gangs. After all, it was Ray and Alexi that told him not to buy.

    With Ian''s instructions to meet him there secretly, there was very little to doubt about. It was probably the headquarters of the Dean Family Mafia.

    Cedric knew that Ian''s friend, Seth Dean, was now their head. He was also aware that Ian was once part of that group back when he was assigned to Mor Co.

    Since Ian had asked him not to draw attention, Cedric had his driver John bring out one of their older cars that had been modified for his use.

    The windows are tinted darkly so that no one could see the passengers inside. The entire car was also made bullet proof and the engine was changed.

    "John, did I ever tell you why I never wanted to sell this car?" Cedric said as he looked out at the empty street as horns sounded from the distant highway.

    "No sir. But we assumed that it was your first car, that''s why you kept it." John said as he kept his eyes trained to observe their surroundings.

    Since Ian had asked to meet Cedric in secret, only John and Leon hade with him.

    His assistants and bodyguards were all left at R Tower to keep up the illusion that he was still in the building.

    "I didn''t own it." Cedric said with a chuckle as he recalled how he got the car. "This car was owned by one of my bullies back in High School."

    John was shocked at the revtion, he assumed that since Cedric ced such a high value on the car they were riding it had been his first car.

    "Odd, I know." Cedric shook his head as they continued to wait for Ian.

    "Why do you have it, sir?" John couldn''t help but ask, he wasn''t sure if it was a sensitive topic or not, but he had to know why Cedric kept his bully''s car.

    "As much as the world wants to paint me as this kind but cold CEO, I am not. A fact that you and everyone that has worked closely with me knows. Just like Ian, I have a vengeful heart." Cedric said as he smiled at the thought.

    "This car reminds me of what I took from him." Cedric hissed as he recalled every torment he had to go through as a new student at school. "He may have been young, but even when we grew up he showed no remorse, so I took everything he worked hard for and this is a reminder."

    "Where is he now, sir?" John asked as he nced at his boss from the rear view mirror.

    "Rotting in another country, alone, cold, afraid." Cedric shrugged as he recalled thest report on the man. "I have people checking on him from time to time, I won''t let him stand back up and try to get back at me."

    John silently nodded as he listened to the side of Cedric that they rarely saw.

    "Ian is here." Leon pointed at one of Ian''s less used cars as it shed it''s headlights at them.

    "Follow him." Cedric instructed as the car turned to head to the back of the abandoned building.

    The entered a narrow alley in which a car could barely fit. It wasn''t too long until they reached a more open area with a small building in a much sadder state.

    "I guess if you want people to avoid discovering your secret hideout, hide in a ce they would naturally avoid." Leonmented as they entered a small garage.

    They parked next to Ian, who rolled down his window and waved at them.

    "Rx and don''t panic." Ian said with a smile as the shutters around the garage slowly closed.

    "What''s this?" John asked Ian as he looked around, puzzled by the sudden movement.

    "This isn''t even the worst part." Ianughed as the ground below them suddenly moved, dropping them in their cars.

    It wasn''t fast, but it was fast enough to make John worry and Cedric flinch in the back seat. This was not what they had expected.

    After a few minutes being stuck in what seemed to be an elevator for cars, they were greeted by arge open parking lot with several cars and motorcycles in it.

    "Follow me." Ian said as he drove his car up to a couple of slots that everyone seemed to be avoiding.

    Once they were parked and out of the car, Cedric couldn''t help but ask to confirm his suspicions.

    "We''re in the Dean Family headquarters, aren''t we?" Cedric said as he approached Ian.

    "Sort of." Ian shrugged as he led their group to a nk wall in front of two motorcycles.

    To their surprise, a number pad appeared and several biometric scanners. Ian quickly typed in a code and let the machine scan his biometrics.

    "This ce has higher security than most vaults." Johnmented as one of the walls popped out and led to a passage.

    "This is Seth''s personal office, he hates working at the headquarters and prefers working from here." Ian said as he led them into the hallway.. "He has news for us, something that can''t be said over the phone."

 Chapter 910

    Chapter 910

    Ian led Cedric and his group through a hallway, it resembled one of a hospital. It had white walls and white floors and was very clean.

    "Not what you would expect of a Mafia family''s hideout?" Ian chuckled as they continued to make their way through the hall.

    They would asionally meet a casually dressed man who would bow at Ian before going his way.

    The people they met seemed like they didn''t belong in this ce, they were either well dressed or too casually dressed.

    "This ce used to be the headquarters of the head''s son back when Seth held that position." Ian exined. "The headquarters of the Dean Family used to be at their home. Seth still has important meetings there, but those are more legitimate."

    Cedric simply nodded as they reached the end of the hall and were greeted by tworge oak doors.

    There were several men standing guard as a look of recognition shed in their eyes.

    They clearly knew who Ian was and they respected him.

    "Mr. Dean is expecting you." A young man behind them suddenly said. "It''s been a while, Mr. Lim."

    "Just because I don''t visit Seth here doesn''t mean we don''t hang out anymore." Ian said with a shrug as Cedric could feel the tension building up between the two men.

    "Yeah, cause you went legit." The young man scoffed as he went ahead and opened the doors.

    "A friend?" Cedric asked.

    "Someone I used to work with. I''ll tell you moreter." Ian had a sad look on his face as he walked ahead of Cedric and into the office.

    "You''re lucky you have information we need, Seth." Ian called out as he made himselffortable on the couch in the room.

    Seth''s office looked nothing like the outside.

    It had a modern design and looked morefortable rather than the sanitary hospital look outside.

    "This ce used to be much worse, Mr. Reyes." Seth said with a chuckle as she walked up to Cedric and shook his hand.

    "Yeah, the first time I walked in here, it looked like it was the library from Beauty and the Beast." Ianughed as Seth rolled his eyes at his friend.

    "It''s a unique ce." Cedric said with a smile.

    "If anyone had told me that the CEO of the Reyes Group was this nice, I wouldn''t have believed them." Seth shook his head and grinned. "With thepany you keep, I mean."

    Cedric simply nodded, knowing that as the head of the Dean family, Seth knew who Ray was.

    "Please, sit. What I have to tell you is quite important and I couldn''t guarantee the security if I told Ian over the phone." Seth gestured for Cedric and the others to sit on the couch as he made his way behind his desk.

    Cedric found it odd that the young man from earlier stayed as he stood behind Seth. He seemed to be someone important in Seth''s group.

    He made a mental note about it as he kept his attention on Seth.

    "Don''t drag it out, just tell us." Ian seemed quite impatient. It was clear that he didn''t want to be in this ce for too long.

    "Alright, alright, rx Mr. I''m a CEO now too." Sethughed as he continued to push Ian''s buttons.

    Cedric knew that the pair had known each other longer, but had drifted apart a little when Ian learned of Cedric''s identity.

    It wasn''t on purpose, Ian simply had more work when Cedric slowly took the reins of Mor Co.

    "It seemed that my men''s stubbornness to remain by Lucius Ting''s side paid off this time." Seth started. "Based on what they could gather, Lucius Ting should have fallen a long time ago, but there is someone or some people backing him."

    Cedric was surprised by this new piece of information. There were very few people that would dare oppose him in his own country.

    Even the Esteves Family was careful, they knew how powerful Cedric was on his own turf. They went in knowing that Cedric wouldn''t exactly harm their people.

    "Do we know who they are?" Cedric asked Seth.

    "No." Seth said as he shook his head. "Our men are still there, if they leave not it will be suspicious. But they said that the owner of the building where Lucius Ting is staying is part of that group, or at least he is the messenger."

    "I''ll get the information we need on the man." Ian nodded as he took out his phone and began typing, tapping his contacts to see if they knew more.

    "There are only a select number of people that would knowingly go up against me on the matter of Lucius Ting." Cedric told the people in the room as he said his thoughts out loud. "They range from my closest friends, to people that should be long dead."

    "So we''re up against ghosts?" The young man asked as he rolled his eyes.

    "Rollo!" Seth scolded the young man as Cedric observed their interaction.

    "Sorry, Mr. Reyes. I just find it impossible that we are against ghosts." Rollo told Cedric as he kept his head down.

    Cedricughed and shook his head.

    "It''s not entirely impossible for the ghosts of the past to haunt us." Ian told Rollo. "They attacked Cedric''s home recently."

    "And they are the only people I can think of who would daree after me by backing Lucius Ting. The man is a lost cause." Cedric pointed out.

    "Maybe the intention is not to attack you with Lucius Ting?" John said as he spoke up. He was rarely included in Cedric''s meetings, but Cedric approved of his inputs, most of which he would give on the drive home to Mountain View.

    "A distraction?" Leon asked as Cedric could see the cogs turning in his head of security''s mind. "If that''s the case-"

    "This isn''t a security issue." Ian suddenly joined in on the conversation. "But, there is a chance that they will try to jump Cedric while we are thinking of a way to figure this out."

    "Seth, we might need to use your people again." Ian said as he looked at his friend.

    "I''m more than happy to help." Seth nodded as he nced at Rollo. "Can you call them over?"

    Rollo nodded and left the room.

    "Call who over?" Cedric asked.

    "The people spying for us." Seth said with a grin as he opened a document on his desk. "If we cane up with a n to lure out whoever is after you, then we will know what we are up against."

    "I thought you hadn''t called them back?" Cedric asked.

    "I didn''t, but they are allowed to go home and theye here secretly. We make sure they aren''t followed." Seth exined as he nced at Ian.

    Ian looked like he wanted to ask a question, but was holding back.

    "Out with it. I know you it''ll it you up if you don''t ask." Seth seemed to already know the question Ian had in mind.

    "Rollo still hates me, huh?" Ian asked as he changed the topic.

    "Yeah, he felt like his uncle Ian abandoned him and his dad. He''ll get over it." Seth said nonchntly.

    "Oh right, Rollo is Seth''s son." Ianughed as he saw Cedric''s jaw drop.

    Clearly that was not the exnation Cedric was expecting to hear.

 Chapter 911

    Chapter 911

    "You don''t look. . ." Cedric couldn''t gather the courage to say what was on his mind without offending Seth.

    Even if he were more powerful, they were still in Seth''s stronghold, he didn''t dare offend him.

    "I had him young." Seth chuckled and shook his head. He had seen a lot of people struggle to put together the fact that Seth had an eighteen year old son despite being quite young himself.

    "Seth didn''t even know Rollo existed until muchter on." Ian sighed. It seemed that there was a much darker story behind Rollo''s birth.

    Seth nodded in agreement as he remained silent, so willing to open up to strangers about how he found out about his son.

    "To cut the long story short, Rollo ended up spending a lot of time with his uncle Ian. But when you stepped out of the shadows, Ian got incredibly busy and couldn''t spend as much time with him." Seth exined to Cedric.

    Ian sighed and shook his head.

    "It''s not like Ipletely abandoned him, I just spent less time here." Ian told Cedric as he exined what had happened. "Then I met Nicole, and clearly we didn''t exactly take the easy route to ending up together. So Rollo saw me less and less."

    "He was a teenager." Cedric gave Ian an understanding look.

    "Exactly, he was a teenager going through so much and he felt abandoned." Ian said as he raised his hand in the air in defeat.

    Just as Cedric was about to say something, Rollo knocked on the door before opening it.

    Cedric knew that this was his way of letting his father and his guests know that they would be entering. It would be quite awkward if they entered in the middle of a confidential conversation.

    "Come in." Seth calmed himself as he leaned back against his seat.

    Rollo entered the room with three men. Each of them didn''t look like they could belong to the Mafia, then again, neither did Seth, Ian, or Rollo.

    They looked more like ordinary office workers or small businessmen that you would run across in the street.

    "Please, sit." Seth gestured towards the empty couch to his right.

    Both Leon and John had stood up and each were standing to Cedric''s and Ian''s sides. Cedric knew that the two men were positioning themselves strategically in case the guests decided to hurt Cedric.

    The three men that entered with Rollo observed Cedric and Ian carefully.

    It was clear that they knew who Cedric was. He could see in their eyes as they tried to figure out why Cedric and Ian were both in Seth''s office. It seemed that the head of the Dean Family had chosen not to disclose his close rtions with the Reyeses.

    The three men sat anxiously across Cedric and Ian, they would asionally nce at Rollo, but not at his father, Seth.

    Cedric could see how much fear and respect these men felt towards Seth, and it surprised him. Seth was not much older than Cedric and Ian, around five to six years older, and yet the men clearly respected and feared him.

    He couldn''t help but think if the people in the business world and those around it felt the same way. Or did they simply respect him because of the money and resources his family had ess to?

    "I see you are confused." Seth told the three men as he sat up behind his desk. "I''m sure you know both of these men, Ian Lim and Cedric Reyes, both from the Reyes Group."

    The three men all nodded slowly as they wordlessly answered Seth''s question.

    "When I sent you to watch over Lucius Ting, it was because I was helping both Cedric and Ian." Seth calmly exined as he observed their bodynguage.

    The three men suddenly went tense, apparently they didn''t expect their boss to be working with someone like Cedric. They were after all part of the underworld and Cedric was known for doing clean business.

    Noticing how awkward the situation had be, Cedric cleared his throat and spoke.

    "I understand that you didn''t expect me to be working with Seth, but there is a threat out thererger than what we can anticipate. I don''t like leaving holes on my boat." Cedric looked them in the eyes as he told them about his cooperation with Seth.

    They remained stiff, but at least now they knew why Cedric and Seth were working together.

    Cedric also felt that it would be too much if he told them that he and Seth had been working together for a long time at that point.

    "Mr. Reyes and the king of the underworld also have the same goal, they both want Lucius Ting to be gone." Seth added, it was the first time Cedric heard him mention Ray, the way he referred to Ray made it seem like Ray was some god to them.

    "Same as us." One man mumbled.

    "Yes Martin." Seth nodded. "Your wife was kidnapped and killed by the men working for Lucius Ting, just because she refused to take the job he had offered. You have the same goal as Mr. Reyes."

    Martin, the man that had spoked nodded.

    Cedric and Ian were both surprised with the revtion Seth had just made. They never expected Lucius Ting to be this cruel.

    "Each of these three men lost someone to Lucius Ting or his sister Louise." Seth exined as he gestured to his men. "I told them there was a chance they might note out of this mission alive, but they dly volunteered."

    "My sister, she was tricked by Loiuse Ting. She used my sister, then ckmailed her with illegally taken photos and fabricated truths." One man said as his face was painted with anger and rage. "What Louise Ting did to my sister caused her death. I was happy to hear the Lousie was deported, but it''s not enough. They need to pay."

    Cedric nodded, he knew what Louise was capable of, both Selina and Francesca had both suffered in her hands.

    "My daughter, she had to quit her job. Her entire career was ruined by those siblings, just because she refused to be with either Lucius Ting or Louise Ting." The third man said in a shaky voice, clearly broken by what his daughter had to suffer.

    "We want the same thing as you." Ian suddenly said, speaking up for the first time. "We are on the same side in this."

    "You''ll need all the help you can get." Martin told Ian and Cedric. "From what we gathered, a group called the Rajas are backing Lucius Ting, and they are out for blood."

    Cedric frowned and remained silent, Ian knew that he was already thinking of ns to get them out of their situation.

    "The Rajas are old and powerful." Cedric nodded in response. "I need to know, will you stay on to be our eyes and ears in Lucius Ting''s side while we find out more?"

    "Whatever it takes to avenge my wife." Martin replied with conviction. "I lost the love of my life, we had no children, and to be honest I have nothing left to live for except to get revenge for her death."

    The two other men looked at each other as a silent conversation went on.

    "We too will stay, the Tings must pay and we will see to it.." The other said, promising their loyalty to Cedric and his cause.

 Chapter 912

    Chapter 912

    "Cedric, you do know that there is a high chance that Lucius Ting is there just to distract you." Ray said as they sat silently in Cedric''s home office.

    Cedric felt that nning separately was making things move too slow for them, so he had asked everyone toe over including Seth.

    "I know it is." Cedric whispered as he looked down at the drink in his hand. "But what should we do? Lucius Ting will soon cross what is moral and what is not, he will hurt people we love."

    "I think he has long crossed that line." Ray said as he shared his thoughts. "What he did to the family of Seth''s men, even in the underworld we don''t do that without just cause."

    Cedric nodded, he knew Ray was right. Lucius Ting had long been more than just a threat to their business, they just didn''t see it.

    "How are you feeling?" Cedric asked Ray. He knew that today was not only an unconventional meeting, but also the first time that everyone found out about the king of the underworld.

    "Nervous, worried." Ray confessed. "The King of the Underworld has never revealed his identity to anyone beyond his own people and some of the heads of each family. Sometimes not all the heads of the Mafia and the Gangs even know who is the king. I''ll be the first."

    "Seth was confident this would work, Francesca''s brother too." Cedric said as he tried to encourage his brother-inw.

    Initially, Cedric and Seth only nned on inviting the heads of the Mafia families they were working with. Namely the Dean and Ri families, but when Ray found out, he convinced Cedric to use his entirework.

    Lucius Ting was a danger not just to them, but to every single person in the country.

    "Seth and Andres are allies of ours, they are some of my closest people. The others, not so much. They follow out of fear and respect, the Deans and the Ris do so out of loyalty and trust." Ray voiced his worry for the first time.

    Cedric ced a hand on his friend''s shoulder and nodded.

    He understood what Ray was going through, he like his friend had to reveal his identity to a much wider circle as time went on, and it never got easier.

    A knock came from the door, making Cedric and Ray sit up.

    "Sir." A maid said as she slowly pushed the door open. "Mr. Dean has arrived."

    "They''re early." Cedric frowned. He had told Seth toe a little bitter since he knew that Ray would need to sort out his emotions first.

    "Should I ask him to wait?" The maid asked, knowing that there was something off with Cedric''s hesitation.

    "No, no, let him in." It was Ray that answered for Cedric.

    He knew that Cedric was hesitating because of him, because he was trying to mentally prepare himself for what was toe.

    "Please call for Ian and the others toe down as well." Cedric instructed the maid as he got up and walked to his desk.

    The maid nodded and closed the door.

    "I think it''s best if you sit somewhere else." Cedric told Ray as he pointed at the seat at the head of the table.

    "What about you?" Ray asked as he looked at his friend and brother-inw.

    Everyone knew who was really the most influential man in the room, and it was not Ray.

    "I''m happy to sit here behind my desk." Cedric said with a grin. His desk was right behind the head of the table and had a much morefortable chair.

    Ray nodded and didn''tin. He simply got up and sat where Cedric had pointed.

    "Mr. Reyes, Mr. Laurence." Seth greeted as he entered with several of his men.

    The men with Seth were very confused, this was the first time they had heard of their boss meeting with the magnates of the business world.

    Ray was known to be very by the book and as a nephew of the President, he was seen to be one of the morew abiding businessmen.

    Ray simply nodded in response, acknowledging Seth''s presence. It seemed to be a code as Seth walked closer to Ray and gave him a small bow before finding a spot three seats down from Ray.

    The men with Seth simply stood behind him in silence as they sped their hands behind their backs. It was clear that they were tense, as if expecting something bad was going to happen.

    "How is the Dean family business?" Ray asked Seth, breaking the silent and awkward atmosphere that lingered in the room.

    "Thriving, sir." Seth said as he kept his head down.

    Cedric assumed that this was some sort of gesture among the people of the underworld when speaking to your superior.

    "No threats inside or out, I hope." Ray told Seth.

    "None, sir." Seth''s responses were quite short and straight to the point, making Cedric want tough.

    "Cedric! Ray!" Ian said loudly as he burst through the door. "Oh, Seth, you''re here."

    Seth nodded and nced at Ray as if seeking his permission.

    Ray didn''t say a thing, so Seth got up and shook hands with his friend.

    "You''re early." Ianmented as he nced at the people who came with Seth.

    "I wanted to make a good impression." Seth confessed.

    "Yeah, an awkward silent impression." Ianughed at his friend.

    The men who arrived with Seth visibly rxed when they saw Ian. Cedric assumed that they knew who Ian was and his connection to the Dean family.

    "What time are the others arriving?" Ian asked as he made his way to Ray''s left and sat down.

    "They were told to arrive at four pm." Ray answered.

    "They''ll all arrive before that." Ian said as he nced at the door. "Francesca is with the girls, she said her brother was five minutes out."

    Ray nodded, but didn''t say a thing.

    When Ian mentioned Francesca and her brother, the men with Seth nced at each other but didn''t say a thing. They obviously knew who Francesca Ri was.

    "Do you mind if I serve myself a drink, Cedric?" Ian asked as he nced at the man behind the big intimidating desk.

    "Help yourself.." Cedric said with a smile, eager for everyone to arrive.

 Chapter 913

    Chapter 913

    One by one the heads of each Mafia family and Gang began to arrive.

    The first one was Andres Ri, Francesca''s older brother. He too brought some of his most trusted men with him. It seemed that Ray had given them orders to bring their people as well.

    To Cedric''s surprise, Francesca did not stand by her brother, but instead, she joined Ram who had arrived earlier that day.

    In total there were Ten Mafia families and Eight Gangs, each represented by a head of the family or gang and all of them knew who Ray was.

    Each head brought a minimum of five people behind him, people Cedric assumed were the highest ranked in their groups and the most trusted by their leaders.

    It also surprised Cedric that it was not just the men that stood as mafia or gang leaders, there were a handful of women too. Some didn''t even look like they belonged to the underworld.

    When all the Mafia and Gang leaders had arrived, those from the other side of thew slowly began to arrive as well.

    Aside from Cedric''s friends and their wives or girlfriends, Ian''s friend, Damien Park, now a high ranking police official also arrived.

    When Alexi came in, Cedric could see as many of the mafia and gang leaders went stiff, he was followed by several generals. He had called earlier to inform Cedric that he would be bringing them since they were crucial to the matter at hand.

    While the Generals took a seat to Ray''s right, Alexi took the empty one to Ray''s left, catching most of the Mafia and Gang leaders by surprise.

    "I guess we have more than one surprise to share tonight." Ian pointed out as he greeted Alexi with a nod.

    "It should have been obvious." Alexi responded cryptically.

    Thest to arrive was Guan Ming and Cami.

    "I''m sorry, I wanted to make sure my men were done with everything I needed." Guan Ming said as he looked at Cedric who was pouring himself a drink.

    "It''s fine. Take a seat." Cedric said as he gestured towards an empty seat on the table.

    Guan Ming nodded as he and Cami took their respective ces.

    Cedric looked around the room and smiled. He was d that he had such a big office or else having this many people in one room would be impossible.

    His home office was evenrger than his office in R Tower and he had the maids ce a boardroom table in the center around which everyone was now seated.

    "Quite an interesting group we make." Cedric said with a smile as he walked up to the table.

    His guests all nodded, choosing to remain silent rather than to speak.

    "You are all here because someone I trust has in one way or another indicated that they trust you." Cedric exined as he tried to look each individual in the eyes.

    Everyone in the room was powerful and was feared by others, but today they all seemed like lost children as they clung on to Cedric''s words.

    "There is a threat to not just our country but to our individual lives and ites both from among our own people and from some foreigners that wish to harm us." Cedric dered.

    He walked from the head of the table where Ray was seated to the other end where some of the generals were.

    "Each of you is important to what we have nned, and each of you will be affected badly if we fail. So I will ask you all to keep what you learn in this room a secret and I want you all to y nice. Am I understood?" Cedric demanded as he watched several of his guests nod.

    He watched as the generals and Damien stared at people they considered criminals. Men and women that they would arrest in a heartbeat.

    "Yes." Cedric heard Damien say, much to his surprise.

    The Generals too were quite shocked that Damien had agreed, they all knew that he was one of the more difficult people to persuade to see a gray area.

    "Thank you." Cedric smiled as he walked over to the Mafia and Gang leaders.

    "Before we start there are a few facts that need to be known to everyone here." Cedric announced as he slowly made his way back up to where Ray was seated.

    He nced at Ram and Miguel, both of whom nodded, giving him permission to admit their secret.

    "Lucius Ting, ims that he is the son of Miguel Chan, an uncle to the doctor seated in front of you. That fact is not true." Cedric looked around as he noticed some people sharing looks of confusion.

    "The real son of that man is Ramon Abad, the current President of Lights Entertainment and Abad News Network." Cedric informed them.

    He gave them a few moments to recover as the next news that he had carried a lot more weight.

    "Now, for the next one. Guan Ming who was believed to arrive in the country to work with Lucius Ting is in fact an old friend of mine and hade over to help me and not Lucius Ting." Cedric announced. "In the process of helping me it painted a target on his back and now Lucius Ting has been desperately trying to get him to fall."

    Guan Ming gave Cedric a smile and nodded.

    "I''m more than happy to help, Lucius Ting is a curse on all of us that must be eradicated." Guan Ming said with much anger in his voice.

    Cedric knew that he wasn''t just mad for his own sake, but also because of what Cami and the others had suffered because of Lucius Ting.

    "Now, for thest bit." Cedric said as he took a deep breath and looked at Ray.

    His friend gave him a smile and gestured that he was ready.

    "In order for all of our ns to work wlessly, every member of this room needs to know the identity of someone called the King of the Underworld." Cedric announced as he watched the Generals and the members of the Underworld go stiff in their seats.

    He knew that this was thest thing they had expected to hear.

 Chapter 914

    Chapter 914

    Cedric watched as most of the people in the room were frozen in anticipation. It was only Cedric and his friends that knew of Ray''s n to reveal his identity as the King of the Underworld tonight.

    The leaders of the Mafia families and Gangs were now clearly worried, all of them except Seth and Andres who had been in on the n.

    Their people who hade to join them were clearly eager, they wanted to know who was leading them from the shadows.

    Some looked to the door, expecting someone to enter, while others were looking at Cedric. He wanted tough at the thought that he could be the King of the Underworld.

    As much as he benefited from their help, he also had some distaste for the way they did their business. Only Ray was trulyfortable with it and to some extent, Alexi who was his second inmand although no one knew about it.

    "He won''t walk in through those doors." Cedric said as he struggled to stop himself fromughing.

    He noticed Damien Park had flinched as if he wanted to speak up but stopped himself.

    "Don''t be afraid, you can ask and speak up Damien." Cedric knew that Damien would be morefortable with him since they had met before Cedric''s true identity was revealed.

    At some level Damien felt that Cedric was still an ordinary person, he just hid an extraordinary life.

    Damien nodded in response before speaking up.

    "He''s in here?" He asked as he scanned the room trying to pinpoint who it could be. "Don''t tell me it''s another one of your secret identities."

    Cedric couldn''t hold it back and ended upughing at Damien''s statement.

    Everyone looked at him with unease, those that didn''t know the truth were worried aboutughing because if theyughed at the King of the Underworld it wouldn''t end well for them. For the ones that knew who was the true king, they wouldn''t dareugh at Ray''s brother-inw and best friend.

    "It''s not me Damien, but yes, he is here." Cedric said with a nod.

    "So, who is it?" Damien asked, eager to find out who the man who had been evading him for years actually was.

    All of a sudden, Ray burst outughing and Cedric shook his head.

    The leaders of the Mafia Families and the Gangs all kept their heads down, afraid still to make eye contact with Ray.

    "You''ve worked with him before, Damien." Ian told his friend as he casually sipped his drink and grinned.

    "I have?" Damien asked, shocked by the revtion. "And I didn''t realize it?"

    "Nope." Ian said with a chuckle. "As a matter of fact you worked very closely with Ray during a lot of the investigations and you kind of work for his second-inmand." Ian said as he dropped Ray''s name as the King of the Underworld.

    Damien stared at Ian then looked to Ray who was next to him.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh again as the other people in the room slowly realized that Ian had just revealed that the King of the Underworld was in fact Ray.

    "Right, I guess I need to actually say it out loud." Cedric told them as he walked up and stood next to Ray.

    Ray grinned at Cedric as everyone had reacted as they had thought, most were stunned, others confused.

    The Laurence family was one of the most powerful families in the business world. They not only ranpanies that were vital to the country, but Ray himself was rted to the Sebastians.

    "Wait, if Mr. Laurence is the King of the Underworld. . ." Damien''s voice trailed as he looked at how everyone was seated around the table.

    On one side were those that were under Ray''smand, the Mafia families and the Gang leaders. Seated on their side were the businessmen, the military officials, and some government officials.

    When Ian said Ray was King of the Underworld and he was seated next to Ray, Damien thought Ian was his second-inmand, but the longer he stared at how they were positioned the more confused he got.

    "Impossible." Damien gasped as he looked Alexi Sebastian in the eyes.

    Alexi slowly nodded, much to Damien''s surprise. It seemed that the rest of the room had not caught up and everyone, including the members of the Mafia and Gangs gave Damien a confused look.

    "If there is anyone more mysterious than the King of the Underworld it has always been his second inmand." Ian announced.

    Ian was the perfect person to exin things, most of the members of the Mafia and Gangs knew he was Cedric''s friend and former assistant, as well as an excellent businessman in his own right. Those from the Mafia knew he was one of them and had worked with them for years.

    "Yeah, he does his job from his own office, which we have no idea about." Seth said as he joined in on the conversation.

    "He is effective either way." Andres Ri said as he gave his support to Ray''s second inmand.

    "It''s much harder to find him, he doesn''t leave a trail at all, nor has he ever been seen." One of the gang leaders voiced out.

    "We also tried to find him." A general added. "But just like Mr. Laurence, we couldn''t get any information on him."

    "That''s because the person you keep looking for is thest person you would expect." Damien said with a sigh as he maintained eye contact with Alexi.

    "What do you mean Colonel Park?" One of the generals in the room asked as he nced at Damien.

    "We''ve all been blind to the fact that the King of the Underworld would only trust a member of his family to be his second inmand." Damien dered. "Blood is thicker than water." He said, reciting the popr line.

    "Mr. Laurence has no siblings." A government official said.

    "He doesn''t." Cedric grinned as he decided to help things speed up a little. "But he does have a male cousin." With that he gestured towards Alexi who was grinning from ear to ear.

    "It seems I''m better than both of you when ites to this whole secret identity thing.." Alexi boasted, making Cedric shake his head.

 Chapter 915

    Chapter 915

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    "The role of King of the Underworld might be an inherited one, but the role of the second-inmand is not." Ray announced before anyone could suspect that his uncle, the current president, was once a member of the underworld.

    "So the president?" A general dared to ask.

    "No, my father was quite shocked when I rebelled back in school and decided to apany Ray when he joined the mafia and the gangs." Alexi said with a shrug.

    "I thought he was only seated here because they were cousins." Seth said in surprise.

    He, unlike the others, knew that Alexi had joined the Mafia for a time. He had encountered both cousins in the Dean Family Mafia before they had moved on. He didn''t expect Alexi to hold a higher position in the underworld since he was a sitting government official.

    "Cedric arranged the seats this way for a reason." Ian said with a shrug as he urged everyone to think of where they were positioned.

    "Then why is Mr. Reyes not at the head of the table?" A mafia leader asked.

    "Because he is supposed to sit back there." Ray said, rolling his eyes as he pointed at the desk behind him. "The puppet master, the one that''s been controlling how our world works."

    "We both know I don''t control this country, Ray." Cedric contradicted him as heughed at the notion.

    "And yet anything that seems to bother you affects us all." Miguel said with a smile.

    Unlike the others, Miguel, Eric, Ram, and their respective siblings, wives or girlfriends, were not seated around the table.

    Instead they satfortable on a couch on the side as they watched the scene unfold before them.

    This was another symbolism that they were outside of this structure. They were exempt from the rules that normally guided both the legal and illegal worlds.

    Cedric simply smiled at his friend before addressing the group once more.

    "Now that we have that out of the way, why don''t we move on to what we need to do to get rid of Lucius Ting." Cedric said with a smile as he sat back down behind his desk. "Ian, care to exin?" He asked.

    Ian nodded and stood up, making sure that everyone could see and hear him he told them about their n and how it had three phases.

    "The first part will be initiated by Guan Ming and his people." Ian said as he nced at the foreign businessman.

    "It''s already running and Lucius Ting ispletely confused as to why every businessman he nned to work with suddenly backed out." Guan Ming exined. "We have just hit a little problem, Lucius Ting has a new backer."

    Ian nodded to acknowledge the problem Guan Ming informed them about.

    "With the help of the Dean Family, we were able to determine that the people backing Lucius Ting are the Rajas." Ian announced, once more plunging the room into silence.

    The people couldn''t believe what they had heard, it was impossible that the Rajas were involved, and yet that was what Ian was telling them.

    "I don''t mean any offense Mr. Lim, but the Rajas have long been driven out of the country. There is nothing left of them here." A Mafia family leader said. He seemed to be quite familiar with Ian based on how calmly he spoke.

    "That''s what we thought as well." Ray said, joining in on the conversation. "Seth, will you please."

    Seth nodded and stood up.

    "Mr. Reyes, through Ian, asked for our help to find out what was happening on Lucius Ting''s side. In the past he had someone in the inside, Cami Montero, acting as Lucius Ting''s girlfriend, but after his attempt to rape and kidnap Miss Montero, he had to pull her out." Seth exined. "That''s where we came in, I sent some men to his innermost circle to gather what they could."

    "And that''s how you know that the Rajas are backing him?" The same man from earlier questioned. "How sure are you that these men had not been bought off by Lucius Ting or the men backing him now?"

    "My men are loyal and cannot be bought, this is something the Dean family is known for." Seth argued.

    Ian raised his hand, telling Seth that he would exin.

    "The men the Dean family sent were people who were gravely harmed by Lucius Ting and his allies." Ian exined calmly. "Regardless of if these men were from the Dean Family, there is only one thing they want and that''s revenge."

    The other Mafia family leader backed down when Ian gave the exnation, epting it as truth and trusting in his words.

    "If the Rajas are back, then are you not worried that one of us is a spy for them?" A general asked as he looked at Alexi. To him, Alexi was his boss.

    "We looked into everyone''s backgrounds and found no reason to doubt the people in this room." Alexi exined. "Didn''t you notice that some generals were missing? Or that some key government officials were not here?"

    The general looked around and true enough there were some he expected to be present that were not around.

    "Each of you have something inmon." Alexi continued to speak as he did his best to look everyone in the eyes as he looked around. "The Rajas did something to your families and you all understand why they cannot return to power. Those that aren''t here proved to be less trustworthy, but do not think for a moment that I will be lenient if any of you chooses to cross us."

    With that the room was silenced, everyone felt the weight of Alexi''s threat.

 Chapter 916

    Chapter 916

    Ian quickly shifted the conversation back on track, speaking about how they n to corner Lucius Ting and to iste him from his allies.

    "The most important part is that we continue to investigate the Rajas while they are under the illusion that we know nothing." Cedric told the people in the room as he finally spoke.

    They all nodded, understanding how important their mission was to not only take down Lucius Ting, but to get rid of the Rajas once and for all.

    "They cannot see that I am working on this, that''s why any and allmunications will be done in private, behind closed doors." Cedric instructed as he observed their reactions.

    He and the others had already nned on how they would divide the group.

    They needed people to look into the affairs of those that were part of the Rajas. They may be inconsequential, but Cedric prefered to be prepared rather than to underestimate their opponents.

    "Cedric." Miguel suddenly said as he raised a hand.

    Cedric looked at his friend and allowed him to speak.

    "I just got word, Julia has woken up." Miguel announced, prompting Cedric to exin how Lucius Ting was actually married and had been searching for his wife and son.

    "Where is the boy?" One of the gang leaders asked.

    "He has been adopted and we''ve been closely monitoring him." Ian said, as he answered the man. "There are very few people that know where he is. Not even his mother is aware of his location."

    "Do you n on using this woman, Lucius Ting''s wife, as bait to get to him?" A general questioned.

    "We will see." Cedric replied. "We don''t know yet how her physical and mental condition is. She was kidnapped and held captive for months by people that wanted Lucius Ting dead."

    "So why don''t we give Lucius to them or just let them take him, it would be one problem out of our hair." The general asked.

    Cedric smiled and nodded. The man''s question made sense, why not let someone else handle the dirty work.

    "At first we had no ns of involving any of you." Cedric told the people gathered in the room. "The initial n was to crush him here, get our revenge, protect our people, and send him off to those that asked us to find him. This n changed when we discovered that other parties were involved."

    "The Rajas." Andres Ri said with a sigh.

    "If they were not involved we would have him out of the country in a week or two, but since he has new powerful backers, itplicates things." Cedric told them.

    "We are lucky that this information got to us before things could get worse." Ray said as he looked around the table. "If our people had not found out that the Rajas were involved they might have gotten their end goal."

    "Which is?" Damien Park asked.

    "We don''t know yet." Ian said as he responded to his friend. "All we know is that they have no intention of truly supporting Lucius Ting. He is there as a distraction, and we will pretend to y into their trap."

    Everyone was silent as they took in the new piece of information that Cedric and the others had just given them.

    They knew the weight of allowing the Rajas back into power, it would be dangerous not only for them, but it would also plunge the country into darkness once more. The Rajas cared about no one but themselves and only desired to make themselves richer.

    They didn''t care about keeping a bnce, they allowed for anarchy to rule the streets.

    "The Rajas are known to be elitists." Cedric continued to exin. "They will not allow someone like Lucius Ting into their ranks unless he has a use for them."

    "Cedric, there is an update." Seth said as he looked up from his phone. It seemed that he wasmunicating with his spies while they were in the meeting.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked.

    "Lucius Ting somehow got wind that a Julia Tiu is currently in the country." Seth said. "Who is Julia Tiu and why is he using every resource to find her?"

    Cedric frowned at the news that Lucius had found out that Julia hade home. Things would have been much better if they had time to n andy things out properly, but those were not the cards they were dealt.

    He knew things rarely fell in their favor from the start, they had already gotten lucky that they were able to hide Julia for this long.

    "Julia, is his wife." Cedric announced. "She is also a good friend of my wife. We rescued her in exchange for delivering Lucius Ting to the people who want him in Spain."

    "So what''s the n?" Damien Park asked. "I''m sure you had something already nned just in case he found out about her before you were ready."

    Cedric nodded, confirming the fact that there was already a n in ce.

    "It isn''t ideal, but we did prepare for this scenario." Cedric said as he nced at Ian. His friend would y a big part since he couldn''t exactly fly out to Kashmere to speak to Julia.

    "Julia will need to give us permission first." Ian exined. "She is coteral damage in all of this. She ran to escape Lucius Ting, then in her heartbreak she thought that she could find love with him once more. She is a victim and we need to know if she is willing to help."

    "It''s for the sake of the country for crying out loud? Can''t she be a little bit more considerate?" One of the generals was furious at Ian''s words. To him it was the country over one person''s feelings.

    Cedric understood his frustrations, but he didn''t want to lose Julia because they had pushed her to hard into doing something she wasn''t ready to do.

    "General!" Katerina said loudly from where she sat, making everyone turn their attention to her.

    "Yes, Miss Sebastian?" The general said as he stiffened in his seat. It was clear that his man feared and somewhat respected the young woman that had spoken.

    "Yes, the fate of the entire country rests on her shoulders, but shouldn''t she be afforded the chance to ready herself?" Katerina asked. "If she decides not to help us because we pushed her too hard, who will shoulder the me? You? Of course not."

    The General was quite embarrassed when Katerina raised her voice and red at him. He knew she was right.

    "Yes, you will suffer, but the person the me willnd on will be Cedric and my father. So I suggest you think before you speak." Katerina said as she scolded the older man.

    "Yes, ma''am." The General replied as he kept his head hung low after Katerina had reprimanded him.

    Cedric sighed and shook his head. He didn''t want them fighting amongst themselves. He didn''t want this general to go home thinking that Cedric and the others would throw him away the moment they were done using his resources.

    What Katerina had said and done was the right thing, there was no other way to let the general understand the situation, but Cedric knew he needed to get the general''s trust and confidence back.

    "General Mariano." Cedric said in a strong voice as he recalled the man''s name from previous conversations and briefings in preparation for today.

    The general was shocked that Cedric knew his name,pared to a lot of people in the room he was quite insignificant.

    He was at a loss for words and simply nodded when called.

    "Please do not take this the wrong way." Cedric said calmly as he tried tomunicate his sincerity in his words. "While Ipletely agree with Katerina, I also understand where you areing from."

    The general remained silent as he continued to stare at Cedric.

    "We understand that you were thinking of what would benefit the greater poption over this one person, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is, as a matter of fact, a noble thought." As Cedric said these words he nced at Katerina as he tried to gauge her reaction.

    To his surprise, she gave him a smile and a nod of encouragement. She understood why he needed to say these things.

    "Thank you, Mr. Reyes." The general said as he gave Cedric a small smile.

    "I''m sorry if my words were too harsh, General Mariano." Katerina said in an apologetic tone. "But, please understand that we need to see the bigger picture."

    "I understand, ma''am." The general said, much happier than earlier.

    "We should get the ball rolling." Ian dered as he tried to remind Cedric to end the meeting.

    "Yes, yes." Cedric said with a nod. "You still have flight to catch."

    "Just lend me your ne." Ian teased as he gathered his things.

    Cedric knew that from that moment onwards things were going to be much more dangerous. He could only hope that the winds would blow in their favor and that they would be able to finally get rid of Lucius Ting.

    He also couldn''t help but worry about the involvement of the Rajas. They still didn''t know the full extent of their resources, so they were very dangerous. He was just d that they had enough people on their side to go after the Rajas.

    "Your wife will want to go." Miguel told Cedric after everyone had left the room.

    "Unfortunately our best chance is if I let her go and speak to her friend.." Cedric said with a frown as he agreed to let Adrianna be in harm''s way.

 Chapter 917

    Chapter 917

    Today, Adrianna had chosen to stay in the nursery and watch over the children. She didn''t want to hear what ns Cedric and his friends had for Lucius Ting.

    She trusted Cedric to tell her if there was anything they needed from her.

    Both she and Cedric also didn''t want today''s meeting messing with her hormones since she was due to give birth to their twins in a month.

    She was ying with little Tristan Lim when she heard a knock on the open door.

    "Adrianna?" Cedric asked as he stood against the frame of the door.

    She could see that he looked tired and worried at the same time. The meeting had gone on longer than they had expected and she was sure that people would have questioned his n.

    "Are you alright, Ced?" Adrianna asked her husband as she got up from the floor.

    She made her way to him and he wrapped her in his strong arms, holding her close.

    Adrianna let him hold her as she knew he probably needed it. After a few minutes he finally released her from her embrace and gave her a sad smile.

    "There are some developments I need to talk to you about, let''s go upstairs." Cedric said as he instructed several maids and nannies to watch over the children.

    "The others should be up soon, I doubt the kids will be alone for too long." Cedric told his wife as he led her up the stairs towards their more private floor.

    "Let''s talk in our room." Cedric told her as they walked through the hallway and through the doors to their room.

    When they were finally inside, Cedric sat down and gestured for her to sit next to him.

    "Did you face a lot of opposition?" Adrianna asked her husband as she gave him a worried look.

    Cedric remained silent and shook his head.

    She reached for his hand and gently stroked it, wondering if he didn''t face any opposition, why was he so worried about what had happened.

    "They actually took to the ns and the revtion much easier than we thought." Cedric said with a chuckle as he shook his head. "When I told them that Ray was king of the underworld I was waiting for someone to try and arrest him."

    Adriannaughed at the thought.

    Everyone knew how much of an influence each of the boys were on each other. Even when Cedric was used of trying to bribe a public official, the whole country knew that he didn''t need to or that he wouldn''t be sent to jail for it.

    "In front of Alexi? They wouldn''t dare!" Adriannaughed at the thought.

    "Of course, Alexi''s was a whole different shock to them. I mean he is the President''s son and to hear that he is also the King of the Underworld''s right hand man. It really changed the perspective of reality for many of the generals and government officials earlier." Cedric told his wife.

    "So what is bothering you?" Adrianna asked as she no longer wanted to keep guessing what was running through her husband''s mind.

    He sighed and shook his head.

    "While we were in the meeting, Miguel got a call. Julia is finally awake." He told his wife, who smiled at the news.

    "That''s good news then, so why are you so sad and bothered?" Adrianna questioned.

    "We need Julia''s help, Adrianna." Cedric said with a sigh. "Somehow Lucius Ting has discovered that Julia is in the country. He has no idea where she is, but soon enough he will realize that her brother is living with us and it won''t take a genius to figure out that we''ve hidden her somewhere."

    "So you want to use her as a piece in this n?" Adrianna asked, her face was expressionless. Cedric couldn''t figure out if she was bothered by the fact that they needed Julia or not.

    He nodded slowly, choosing to tell her the truth.

    Lies had ruined their life enough and he had long sworn to tell her the truth always.

    "I''m sure Julia would be willing to help." Adrianna said in a positive tone, making Cedric smile.

    "Adrianna, I think you are forgetting that she flew all the way to Spain to look for him." Cedric pointed out. "Add to that the fact that she doesn''t exactly like my group cause she and Ram broke up."

    "She had Dominic now." Adrianna said in a sad tone.

    To be honest she had no idea if Julia would be willing to help them. She hadn''t spoken to her in person for so long that she was worried about her friend.

    "Adrianna, I''ll need you to do something." Cedric said with a frown as he looked into his wife''s eyes. "I need you to speak with Julia, reason with her. I don''t want to put you in harm''s way but this time I need to for the sake of the majority."

    Adrianna couldn''t help butugh at her husband''s words, confusing him.

    "Cedric, the moment I married you, my life was put in harm''s way, and I would not change anything." She said as she gave him a sweet smile.

    "So you''ll do it?" Cedric''s voice was so full of hope. He was worried that Adrianna would refuse.

    "Of course I will Cedric, but maybe I could bring Dominic with me. It might help to convince Julia to help if she knew that her son was still alive." Adrianna told her husband.

    Cedric suddenly frowned at her words.

    "Adri, I don''t think telling her about Dominic is the best thing to do." Cedric told his wife. He had already considered this, but he didn''t want to involve the child. He was happy and safe at the moment.

    "She deserves to know that her son is alive at least." Adrianna argued as she tried to negotiate with Cedric.

    Cedric paused for the moment to consider Adrianna''s request. He knew that as a mother she felt for Julia''s separation from her son.

    "Fine, but you need to see if she is ready to find out about him. It will be difficult if she''s unstable and tries to get to him." Cedric said as he gave in to Adrianna''s request.

    "Perfect, so when is she arriving?" Adrianna asked knowing that her husband would not allow her to fly to Kashmere sote into her pregnancy.

    "Actually, you will need to fly out to Kashmere." Cedric said, catching Adrianna by surprise.

    "And you''re letting me?" Adrianna asked, unable to believe what Cedric had just told her.

    "I will." He said with a nod. "Cami and Guan Ming will be going with you, I''m also sending Leon over to make sure everything is secure on Kashmere. I''ll be working from home while you are there so that Yoyo won''t be alone."

    "Are you sure about this? Are you sick or something?" She asked as she checked his temperature, making Cedricugh.

    "Adri, you will be safe, I''m sure of it." He said as he pulled her onto hisp and rubbed her belly. "You and our twins will be in one of the safest ces possible with the best medical help around. Miguel has already left to go check on Julia."

    "I''ll do my best to stay safe." Adrianna said as she nted a kiss on Cedric''s lips.

    "I''ll miss you." He said in a low voice.

    "I''ll miss you too, so when do I leave?" She asked.

    "As soon as you are packed, I don''t want to give Lucius Ting time to find out about this. Guan Ming and Cami are already packing their bags and are ready to go as soon as you are." He said with a nod.

    Adrianna slid off of her husband''sp and made her way to the closet to pack.

    "If things go well, will you follow? I want the twins to be born there as well," Adrianna told Cedric as soon as she heard him enter the walk-in closet after her.

    "Sure, Yoyo and I will fly over as soon as things are settled." Cedric said. "I don''t want you flying back either, especially after what happened to Guan Ming."

    "Lucius Ting has no men anymore." Adrianna reminded her husband.

    "We cannot underestimate the Rajas. They have been in hiding for so long that we don''t know what kind of force they have behind them." Cedric told his wife. "Alexi also suspects that they may have some generals and public officials in their group."

    "I wish this would all just end and we could live normal lives." Adrianna said in frustration as she added a few more clothes in her bag.

    "You don''t need to pack too much. I can have someone send things over if you need them." Cedric told her as he closed her bag and picked it up.

    "Let me say goodbye to Yoyo first." She said.

    "He''s on his way up.." Cedric told her as he offered his hand to take.

 Chapter 918

    Chapter 918

    Adrianna had a tearful goodbye with her son and husband. It would be the first time in a while that they would be apart for so long. She didn''t even know when she would be back, but she had to do it.

    "I wish I had friends like you." Cami told Adrianna as she handed her a mug of hot coffee on the ne.

    They had taken Cedric''s private ne since Guan Ming''s was still undergoing some repairs after what happenedst time.

    Adrianna gave Cami a weak smile as she thanked her for the coffee.

    "Honestly, my biggest regret is that after Cedric revealed his identity to the public, I didn''t get to see them as much." Adrianna said with a sigh.

    She felt that she was partially to me for Julia''s search for Lucius. She felt unloved and abandoned after she and Ram broke up that she sought love from someone she initially tried to escape.

    "We both know that it was practically impossible." Cami reminded Adrianna. "I was still working for Cedric as his assistant and just finding time for you guys to have dinner was a headache."

    Adrianna chuckled at Cami''s words, she did remember how tough those times were.

    "Life has truly changed so much since Cedric and I first got married." Adrianna said as she looked at the mug in her hands.

    "Yeah, for one you didn''t know you were marrying the Reyes Heir." Cami pointed out.

    "Or that I was going to be the mother of the new Reyes Heir." Adrianna added as she thought of her little son back at home.

    "You know, I liked you already even before I found out you were my boss'' wife." Cami said as she recalled the now distant time.

    "Yeah, I used to asionallye along when you, Cedric, and Ian would have drinks or go out." Adrianna smiled at the woman next to her. "Did you know that Cedric was the Reyes Heir back then? I mean, the CEO and his friends supported you all throughout your life and Katerina was a friend."

    Cami shook her head and frowned.

    "I knew the CEO had a son, I didn''t know his name, but I did have a vague idea of his age and how he looked." Cami told Adrianna. "The person that should have recognized Cedric is Ian. They were in the same school for years!"

    "Yeah, that was pretty odd for Ian not to recognize Cedric." Adrianna said as she nodded in agreement.

    "We''rending soon." An air stewardess said as she reached out to gather Adrianna''s and Cami''s mugs.

    "Thanks." Adrianna smiled as she handed the mug.

    "In Ian''s defense he had a lot more going on in his life back then and he did say that Cedric looked oddly familiar. He just couldn''t figure out why." Cami recalled as she fastened her seatbelt and prepared fornding.

    "I''m d it turned out for the best in the end." Adrianna smiled as she thought of all the good times that she and Cedric celebrated, rich or poor.

    When theynded on Kashmere there were several cars already waiting for them. They quickly piled into two cars with Adrianna alone on the second one with several bodyguards.

    "Mr. Reyes said that he will give you a call soon, he is just in a meeting for young master Emilio''s school." A bodyguard said as he looked up from his phone.

    Adrianna nodded, she assumed that Cedric had left her a message too, but her phone was still switched off.

    She didn''t want any distractions as she prepared to face Julia.

    She honestly did not know what to expect. Her friend had been through so much and even Adrianna had learned so much about Julia that her image of her friend had now changed.

    While deep in thought the car pulled up in front of the hospital and the bodyguard opened the door for her.

    "Mrs. Reyes." The bodyguard said as she was pulled back from her thoughts.

    She shook her head and gathered herself before stepping out of the car and entering the hospital.

    "What room is she in?" Adrianna asked the nurse that hade out to meet them.

    "I''m here to escort you to Miss Tiu, Mrs. Reyes." The nurse said as she led Adrianna through the hospital and towards the elevator.

    "Mr. Reyes said you aren''t to use the stairs." The bodyguard told Adrianna.

    She simply nodded, she didn''t have the time or energy to argue.

    Julia''s room was on the second floor of the hospital so the elevator door had barely closed when it was opening up once more to let them out.

    She silently followed the nurse to one of the rooms where she saw Julia''s name outside.

    "Due to security concerns, Miss Tiu is the only patient in the hospital right now." The nurse exined as she pushed the door open.

    "Adri!" Julia greeted her with a smile as she sat on the bed.

    Miguel was hovering with several other doctors and nurses checking up on her as she waved at her friend.

    "Julia, I''m so d you''re awake!" Adrianna said happily as she walked to her friend''s bedside.

    A bodyguard quickly got a chair for Adrianna and ced it nearby in case she wanted to sit.

    "Is she alright?" Adrianna asked Miguel as she noticed the concerned look on his face.

    "Yes, yes, she''s fine." Miguel said with a nod as he gave her a small smile. "I''m guessing you want some time alone to talk?" He asked her.

    Adrianna nodded, remembering what she had to do on this visit.

    "Will it be fine to talk to her about more serious topics?" She asked Miguel.

    "It should be alright, but if it will make you feel better I can stay." Miguel offered.

    Adrianna paused for a moment to consider asking him to stay. Miguel knew about everything she wanted to discuss with Julia and she felt no reason for him not to stay, but she knew that Julia might not befortable with him around.

    "There is a call button here, right?" Adrianna asked as she recalled the button that alerted the nurses and doctors if a patient needed anything.

    "Yes, and I''ll be outside if anything happens." Miguel said with a nod as he understood that the women would be morefortable speaking alone.

    "Then we should be fine." Adrianna told the doctor.

    Miguel simply nodded in response and ushered all of his staff out leaving only one bodyguard with Adrianna.

    "How are you feeling, really?" Adrianna asked as soon as they were alone.

    Julia nced at the bodyguard that stood by the door. Cedric was being overprotective with Adrianna one month away from her due date and this was the minimum he was willing to allow.

    "He won''t tell anyone about what he hears, if he wants to keep his life." Adrianna told Julia in the hopes of calming her.

    "That''s a bit too drastic isn''t it?" Julia asked as she looked at her friend in shock.

    "It''s Cedric''s men." Adrianna said as she shrugged and sat down. "He demands loyalty and that''s one of the ways he gets it."

    Julia nodded, unwilling to argue or question Cedric.

    "Honestly, I feel like shit." Julia confessed. "I want to go home, but I don''t know if my parents or my brother will want me back after what I did."

    "If it makes you feel any better they are all worried about you." Adrianna told her friend as she tried to ease her worry.

    "Do you think I can see them soon?" Julia asked.

    "Well, it depends." Adrianna said with a frown. "Your parents aren''t in the country for their own safety and your brother is actually staying in Mountain View with us. You will be able to see him once you''ve fully recovered."

    "It''s good to hear that they are safe." Julia said with a smile.

    "Julia, I''ll be honest, we need your help for something." Adrianna told Julia as she held her friend''s hand.

    "What is it? Anything, I''m willing to help, you got me out of Spain and I owe you my life." Julia said with a sweet smile.

    "Don''t be mad, but there is no other way to say this and I have no ns of sugar coating my words, but," Adrianna hesitated as she imagined her friend''s reaction, but what she needed from Julia affected more people than she could imagine so she needed to ask.

    Adrianna took a deep breath before speaking again.

    "Julia, we need you to use you to draw out you husband." Adrianna confessed. "We need to use you as bait. He''s involved with people that are risking not just our lives but the future of the country. You need to help."

    Julia was frozen at Adrianna''s words.

    "Say something." Adrianna begged.

    "My husband, you found him? He''s alive?" Julia asked in shock as she processed the new bit of information she had just heard.

 Chapter 919

    Chapter 919

    "Julia, do you remember why you are here?" Adrianna asked as she gave Julia a concerned look.

    "Where are we even?" Julia asked as she looked around.

    Adrianna took a deep breath and was suddenly worried, if Ji couldn''t remember anything, what had happened to her?

    Miguel had said that she was poisoned, but it must have a moresting effect than just knocking her out.

    Maybe this was Lucius Ting''s final goal, he had someone drug her and make her forget. But why?

    "I need to see someone, you should go get some rest." Adrianna told her friend as she got up and walked out of the room.

    True to his promise, Miguel was standing right outside of the door when Adrianna stepped out with her bodyguard.

    "Well, that was quick." Miguelmented, confused as to why Adrianna was already outside of the hospital room.

    "There is something wrong with Julia." Adrianna told Miguel as she turned pale with worry.

    "First, let''s get you some food and maybe some fresh air." Miguel said as he led her out of the hospital''s main building and towards a garden with pic tables.

    With no other patients in the hospital or guests on the ind, it was very peaceful.

    Adrianna could hear the crashing waves in the distance as well as the chirping of birds that called the ind their home.

    "I didn''t know this ce was here!" Adrianna eximed as she made her way to the pic table and sat down.

    "Well, you didn''t exactly stay to enjoy the facilitiesst time." Miguel teased. "Then again, you wouldn''t have noticed how beautiful this ce was with Yoyo in your arms."

    Adrianna smiled and nodded, three years ago felt like a lifetime. So many things had changed and so many people had passed away.

    As she looked out in the distance and reminisced a time not so long ago, a bodyguard came over with some food and a cup of tea.

    Cedric had insisted that everything needed to go through her guards. She understood her husband''s current paranoia, but hoped it would be over soon.

    "So what did you want to talk about?" Miguel asked as soon as they were alone again.

    "Julia doesn''t remember some things." Adrianna said with a frown. "When we called her in Spain, I told her about Lucius Ting, but earlier she didn''t seem to remember."

    "This is what I was worried about." Miguel said as he sighed and shook his head. "The poison she was given was derived from Thornapple, in the past it has been known to somewhat confuse people and their memories. This one seemed altered."

    "What do we do?" Adrianna asked. "If she doesn''t remember how can we get her to help us."

    "With the truth, and maybe you can invite her brother over?" Miguel suggested. "If that doesn''t work, you can bring Dominic to meet her."

    Adrianna was surprised by Miguel''s words, he had been quite worried about Dominic recently especially when it came to his biological family. It may have been Veronica that seemed vocal on the issue, but he also had his worries.

    "Really?" Adranna asked as she looked at Miguel''s sad expression.

    "I love my son, but would I really take from him his chance of meeting his biological mom?" Miguel told Adrianna as he exined why he was alright with this course of action. "I also had some help, I spoke to Ram."

    "Ram''s a different case." Adrianna knew that Ram had decades of love from his adoptive parents and both his mother and father were gone.

    "Different, yes, but there are still some simrities. Either way, V and I will always be here for Dominic." Miguel smiled lovingly at the thought of his adoptive son.

    Adrianna knew how much he missed the boy especially in the past week where they had to be separated.

    "Don''t think that I''m just letting him meet his mother because of the situation, V and I spoke about it and we decided that once she was better he would meet her." Miguel confessed. "Just think of it as speeding up the initial n."

    Adrianna smiled and nodded. As a mother she understood what insecurities Veronica and Miguel were dealing with when it came to Dominic meeting his biological mother.

    They had been worried when their son met Jonathan, but seeing as he made Dominic happy, they were willing to let it be.

    "I''ll talk to Cedric about sending Jonathan over, it needs to be done discreetly. Lucius Ting knows how Jonathan looks, he had met and even stalked him in the past." Adrianna told Miguel as she texted Cedric to give her a call as soon as he was free.

    "I think Dominic should already fly in with him." Miguel said as he considered the situation. "We might need him on hand rather than waiting a few hours."

    Adrianna nodded as she agreed to Miguel''s idea.

    Cedric quickly called Adrianna back as soon as he saw her message, telling her that nothing was more important than her, making Adrianna blush.

    She exined the situation to her husband and to her surprise he immediately agreed.

    It seemed that he wanted Julia on their side as quickly as possible, he even told her that they would arrange for everything and all she needed to do was to focus on Julia.

    Happy that she didn''t need to argue with her husband on her n, Adrianna made arrangements to have Julia''s favorite food prepared for her.

    When Cedric messaged her that Jonathan and Dominic had departed from the airport, she quickly went to Julia''s room apanied by Miguel.

    She needed the doctor to properly exin the situation to her friend.

    "How are you feeling?" Adrianna asked Julia as she entered the room with Miguel and a bodyguard that held the tray of food.

    "Better than this morning." Julia said with a smile as she nced at Miguel.

    "You know my husband''s friend, Dr. Miguel Chan, right?" Adrianna asked.

    Julia slowly nodded.

    "Something happened to you Julia and Miguel is here to help me tell you the technical parts." Adrianna exined as the bodyguard offered her a seat.

    "How long was I gone? You look much more pregnant than I thought you would be." Julia asked as she looked at Adrianna.

    "Well, you''ve been gone for a few months and unconscious for around a week or two." Adrianna heard Julia gasp at the revtion.

    "I can''t have been gone for a few months, I left the airport yesterday!" With that Miguel and Adrianna knew how bad the damage to her memory was.

 920 Chapter 920

    "Okay, Julia, I need you to calm down and to listen to what we have to say." Miguel said slowly as he figured out the best route to getting Julia to understand the situation.

    "Alright, I''ll listen." Julia nodded slowly as her eyes followed Miguel as he stood next to her.

    "A few months ago you went to Europe in search of your ex-husband, well technically you are still both married since there was no annulment or divorce." Adrianna exined for Miguel. "We know some parts because you told us and others because we investigated it."

    "You said he was alive? How did you even find him?" Julia asked in disbelief.

    "Well, when you left a new threat emerged in the form of a rival businessman for Cedric and he imed to be a member of the Chan family." Adrianna tried her best to keep the story short, she knew that Julia would have many questions. "His name now is Lucius Ting."

    Julia slowly nodded as she listened to Adrianna''s words.

    "While you were in Spain you were kidnapped by the Esteves family." At that revtion Julia gasped, she knew exactly who they were.

    "Don''t worry, Cedric negotiated your release then you passed out in the airne and secondary tests showed us that you were poisoned." Adrianna told Julia.

    "If I was poisoned then why don''t I remember the past few months?" Julia asked as she sobbed into her hands.

    Adrianna slowly patted her back as she nodded for Miguel to step in and exin.

    "The poison they gave you had some side effects, I feel like these might be the ones they were really trying to achieve, and one of them is amnesia." Miguel exined as Julia lifted her head and looked at the doctor as if he were crazy.

    "Things like these don''t happen in ordinary life." Julia said in disbelief.

    "Julia, I''vee to learn that neither of us live ordinary lives." Adrianna chuckled.

    "So I was kidnapped and my ex is alive. Anything else?" Julia asked, to which Adrianna slowly nodded.

    "Julia, I know how brutal he was to you, and I know that you escaped him." Adrianna tried to talk to Julia in a soothing way as not to make her friend panic.

    "It was the best and worst years of my life." Julia confessed as a tear rolled down her cheek.

    Adrianna nodded as she understood what Julia meant. This was not the first time her friend had said this, she had mentioned that line multiple times over their many phone calls as Adrianna and Cedric tried to get her away from the Estevez family.

    "My father gave my son away, then he died." Julia was now crying even more, as she re-lived the pain she had buried deep down.

    "He isn''t dead." Miguel said, catching Adrianna off guard.

    This was not part of their n, it seemed that Miguel was following his gut on this matter and telling Julia about Dominic.

    "What do you mean? Dad said he died in that school where he was sent for adoption!" Julia shouted, she was now slowlying undone.

    Miguel was giving her hope, the kind of hope she didn''t want to have.

    "He didn''t, he lived and he''s been adopted by a new family." Miguel exined as he withheld the fact that the person that had adopted Dominic was himself and his wife.

    Julia broke down again in tears as she heard the news. Adrianna wasn''t sure if it was tears of joy or sadness, all she could do was to hold on to her friend as she cried.

    "Are they a good family?" Julia asked Adrianna and Miguel.

    "They love him as if he were their own and he loves them." Adrianna said with a reassuring nod.

    "If he is safe and happy then I am happy for my son." Julia said, much to Adrianna''s surprise. She had expected her friend to beg to know where her son was or at least to see him.

    "Julia, your husband knows that you are back and we need your help to lure him out." Adrianna said as she held her breath waiting for Julia''s response.

    "Adri, I told you what he did to me, didn''t I?!" Julia said quite angrily this time. "And now you want to use me as bait?"

    "Julia, you don''t understand what''s happening, this is bigger than you or me." Adrianna said as she tried to reason with her friend.

    "I just woke up to find out that both my husband and son are alive." Julia murmured. "Now you want me to face the man that has been in my nightmares since I first came back? The man that left me a shell of a human?"

    Adrianna was speechless. She couldn''t remember thest time Julia had been this open to her or this angry.

    "Adri, maybe we need to let Julia absorb all of this first?" Miguel suggested as he ced a hand on her shoulder. "This kind of stress is not good for the babies."

    Adrianna sighed and nodded knowing that Miguel was right.

    They needed to give Julia space to get her to understand. She had been way too straight forward with her approach.

    "I invited someone toe over, Julia." Adrianna announced, hoping that it could make her friend a little bit happier.

    "If you were not aware, it won''t make me happy to see Ramon Abad and that model of a girlfriend of his." Julia said Ram''s name as if it were poison on her lips.

    Adrianna frowned at how much Julia disliked Francesca, she actually liked the woman. She was very kind and very down to earth.

    "It''s neither of them." Adiranna said calmly. "Jonathan is on his way, he''s really worried about you."

    She watched as Julia''s eyes lit up, happy to hear that her younger brother was on his way.

    "We''ll let you rest." Miguel said as he guided Adrianna out of the room, worried that Julia might say something that would upset his friend''s wife.

    "Julia, please eat. I know those are your favorites." Adrianna called out as they exited the room, a little bit disappointed with how things went.

 921 Chapter 921

    "Dad!" Dominic called out as he ran to Miguel on the tarmac.

    The adults couldn''t help butugh as the maids and bodyguards quickly ran after him, afraid that he would fall and hurt himself.

    "It''s okay, he''ll be fine." Miguel waved at the staff for them to calm down as he caught the young boy and picked him up.

    Despite Dominic being a little bit older than Yoyo he was barely heavier.

    Miguel and Veronica had been focused on getting his health back on track and it seemed to be working.

    "How was the airne ride?" Miguel asked Dominic.

    It wasn''t the first time Dominic rode a ne, but it was the first time without his parents. When they first adopted Dominic, they woulde to Kashmere as often as possible to get some family time away from work.

    Unfortunately for Miguel, sometimes that work followed him to Kashmere in the form of more high profile clients.

    "It was fun, but I missed you and mom. But Uncle Jonathan was fun too, we yed games on the ne." Dominic told his adoptive father.

    "Thank you for taking care of him." Miguel nodded to Jonathan who had just joined them, opting not to run after Dominic as he saw the number of people already chasing the boy.

    "I love the kid, why wouldn''t I?" Jonathan told Miguel as he gave him a sad smile.

    Miguel simply nodded in response as he led Dominic to the waiting car.

    "She''s awake?" Jonathan asked Adrianna as they walked side by side to the second car.

    She and Miguel had arranged it this way so that Adrianna could exin everything without the worry of Dominic being around.

    "She is, but she''s forgotten a lot." Adrianna admitted as a bodyguard opened the door of the car for them. "I think you being there will be good for her."

    "I don''t know, Adri." Jonathan said with a frown as the car drove off towards the hospital. "I''m afraid that we will just end up in a fight. Will you really tell her about Dominic?"

    "She''s your sister, maybe she''ll listen to you." Adrianna said, having full confidence that Jonathan would be able to make more progress than she had. "As for Dominic, Miguel is willing to let her meet him if it''s needed."

    "If it''s not?" Jonathan asked.

    "When she is ready she will meet him. Miguel and Veronica had always wanted for Dominic to meet his birth mother. If things escte today then their ns just need to be pulled forward." Adrianna calmly exined to Jonathan.

    Jonathan silently nodded as he considered Adrianna''s words.

    "I don''t want her to meet Dominic, I think it''s a bad idea." He finally admitted. "My sister is unstable and that makes her danger to him."

    "She''s still his mother, Jonathan." Adrianna was surprised by Jonathan''s words. Of all people she expected him to insist that his sister meet her son.

    "I know, and trust me, I would love for my sister to meet her son, but I''m just worried for Dominic. His life is better than anything we could have ever given him." Jonathan sighed as he looked out the window.

    ? This wasn''t his first time on Kashmere Ind, but it was his first time seeing this side of the ind.

    He couldn''t help but marvel at the surroundings.

    "I can''t believe there really is a hospital here." He eximed as they drove up to the entrance.

    "Miguel doesn''t use it much, the only patients he takes here are those that can''t be seen entering the hospital or those that need a certain level of peace and quiet." Adrianna exined as the guards opened the car doors for them.

    "Are we going straight up to see her?" Jonathan asked as he looked around. "And where are Dr. Miguel and Dominic?"

    "Yes, I''ll take you straight to your sister. Miguel and Dominic went to Miguel''s vi first where Veronica is waiting for them. They will settle him down first, we still don''t know if he has to meet Julia." Adrianna exined. "Are you ready?"

    "Can I have a cup of coffee first?" Jonathan requested.

    "Fine, but you aren''t avoiding this." Adrianna warned.

    She quickly instructed the bodyguards to send them some coffee in the garden Miguel has shown her earlier. She also sent Miguel a quick message to tell them where they were.

    Adrianna had no intention of rushing Jonathan to speak to Julia. She knew that if she rushed it, they wouldn''t get the results that they needed. She also respected the fact that Jonathan had to build up his courage to speak to his sister again.

    "You know, there was a time that she didn''t care about me or her son." Jonathan confessed as he looked out to the sea.

    Adrianna remained silent as she listened to what Jonathan had to say.

    "When dad told her Dominic was gone she was sad and heartbroken for a while, but within two days she had moved on. I asked her if she wanted to look for his body, but she said it didn''t matter." Jonathan sighed as he shook his head.

    "Everyone has their own way of coping with pain. Maybe that was hers." Adrianna did her best to hope for the best for her friend, but she couldn''t deny that if she were in Jonathan''s shoes she would be angry.

    "I know I should see the best in her, I''m her brother for crying out loud, but after all that things changed between me and her." Jonathan confessed.

    "Is that why you are so hesitant to speak to her?" Adrianna asked.

    Jonathan nodded.

    "But I understand that it needs to be done. I just need to get myself ready. I need to put aside that anger and pain." Jonathan confessed.

    "What do you n on telling her?" Adrianna couldn''t help but ask.

    "Well, I''ll tell her the truth, that for once she can do some good for more than herself." Jonathan told Adrianna, making her a little nervous.

    But she knew that she had to trust that Jonathan would be able to convince his sister.

 922 Chapter 922

    "Are you sure about this?" Miguel asked Adrianna as they spoke to the side.

    She needed to tell Miguel about what Jonathan was about to say to his sister. She didn''t want Miguel to enter that room unprepared. He would have gotten shocked to hear those words from Jonathan.

    "I am." Adrianna said with a determined nod. "Thest thing Jonathan wants is for his sister to learn about your son, he feels that Julia doesn''t deserve to mee the boy."

    Miguel shook his head in disbelief.

    "That''s just crazy, she''s his biological mother. The boy deserves to know." Miguel said in a low voice as he tried to control his temper. "Plus Dominic is smart. Julia is Jonathan''s sister, his mother is Jonathan''s sister. It doesn''t take a genius."

    "I know, I know." Adrianna told Miguel. "But for now the introduction might have to wait and I don''t disagree with Jonathan on that. Julia is dangerous and unstable. The less she knows about Dominic the better."

    Miguel remained silent as he considered Adrianna''s words, he knew she was right.

    "I''ll exin to him, he''ll understand. I''ll also have him fly back on my ne with Veronica and probably Guan Ming and his family." Miguel said with a nod.

    "Good, let''s take Jonathan to see his sister and hopefully be done with this." Adrianna told Miguel as she turned around and marched back towards Jonathan.

    Jonathan had told Adrianna that he was ready a few minutes before Miguel had arrived.

    Adrianna didn''t want to speak to Julia without Miguel around. She knew that her friend was not in peak physical condition and that there was still a risk that she might rpse. Adrianna wanted to make sure that she had the best doctor with them.

    "Let''s go." Adrianna told Jonathan as she led their group towards Julia''s room.

    Luckily the hospital on Kashmere wasn''t too big or else Miguel, upon the insistence of Cedric, would have asked Adrianna to take a wheelchair so that she wouldn''t get too tired.

    Before entering the room, they stopped at the door and Adrianna looked back at Jonathan.

    He was clearly nervous as he looked down at his feet and shuffled a little.

    "Don''t worry, just be your charming self. I''m sure your sister missed you and she will listen." Adrianna said as she tried to encourage the younger man.

    Jonathan wordlessly nodded.

    Adrianna slowly pushed the door open to find Julia leaning back against the headboard of the bed, munching on some snacks in front of her.

    "I knew you would appreciate those." Adrianna said with a smile as she stood by the door, not letting Julia see who was behind her.

    "They are life savers, but don''t think that all is settled and forgiven. I haven''t agreed to what you want." Julia said as she gave Adrianna a kind smile.

    "I didn''t think it was." Adrianna said sadly. "But I did invite someone over."

    "Who?" Julia asked as she sat up.

    Adrianna couldn''t help but worry if Julia thought she had brought Lucius Ting to speak to her. If Julia still wanted to be with the man then they were in danger.

    "Julia." Came Jonathan''s voice as he entered the room behind Adrianna.

    Julia gasped at the sight of her brother. It may have only been months, but since Jonathan started living with Cedric and Adrianna, much had changed about him.

    Gone was the awkward rich kid, he was now more confident and dressed even better.

    Adrianna and the others may not have noticed it, but Cedric and his friends seemed to have a significant influence on the young man.

    He also started to choose his friends much more carefully, in the end he spent more time with Dave and his group than his own.

    "You''re different." Julia said as she watched her brother make his way to her bedside and give her a hug.

    "I don''t feel different. Maybe it''s the clothes." Jonathan said as he looked down at himself. "Cedric had my new clothes made by his tailor and they fit much better than store bought ones."

    "Oh." Julia was at a loss for words, she never expected Adrianna and her husband to do so much for Jonathan.

    "I missed you big sis." Jonathan admitted. "You just left and we had no idea where you went."

    "I''m sorry about that, I was just so lost I needed to find myself and the next thing I know I''m waking up here. In a hospital." Julia looked down at her hands, she knew that she should have at least told her family where she was going, but she needed to get away from it all.

    "I know that mom and dad were pressuring you to get into a more serious rtionship with Ram, but you could have told me." Jonathan sounded pained as he told her that she should have said something.

    "It was just so hard for me, Jonathan. He is everywhere." Julia admitted, telling her brother something that she hadn''t told Adrianna.

    "Of course he is, he''s Ramon Abad, one of the five princes!" Jonathan told Julia as if she had been oblivious to such an important fact.

    "I know that, of course I know that. It''s just I needed to go somewhere, anywhere but here." Julia said as a tear fell from her eye.

    "And you ran to him? The one man that had hurt you so bad that it broke you." Jonathan reminded her.

    "He loved me, he loves me." Julia mumbled loud enough for Jonathan to hear.

    "He was obsessed with you and if he gets his hands on you again he will never let you go! He is a bad person Julia! How can you love him?" Jonathan was practically shouting at his sister at this point.

    "He is the father of my child!" Julia answered back.

    "Lucius Ting will use your son as a weapon, a tool if he ever got his hands on him. Don''t think for a second that he wouldn''t do the same to you!" Jonathan reasoned out to her.

    Julia was silent as she didn''t know what to answer back.

    "Julia, for once in your life think of what is for the best for everyone, stop being so fucking selfish. You will suffer and the entire nation will suffer and you still don''t care!" With that Jonathan stomped out of the room, turning his back on his sister.

    It was silent for a little while before Julia looked up and spoke with her voice trembling.

    "Jonathan is right, what do you need me to do?" She asked Adrianna, much to her friend''s surprise.

 923 Chapter 923

    Cedric was in his home office when the call came, it was Lucius Ting.

    Puzzled by what the man would want, Cedric decided to entertain the call and had Dave bring over one of his secured phones. It was untraceable and unhackable.

    "Did you get his number?" Cedric asked as Dave entered the room with Mien in tow.

    Cedric''s team was currently spread too thin because Cami was at Kashmere meeting Guan Ming''s parents. Ian was helping Cedric with some matters at Mor Co. and their international offices.

    Mae on the other hand was currently at R Tower, holding down the fort there. ording to her she couldn''t stand anymore of her brother''s and Dave''s bromance and needed some space from them.

    "His assistant called and gave it." Dave said with a nod as he ced the phone on Cedric''s desk as well as a card that had Lucius Ting''s number.

    "Is Katerina on the way?" Cedric had asked for Katerina Sebastian to join them. He wanted to make sure that he did not leave a loophole for Lucius Ting to crawl through. He also wanted to know if there was any legal way for them to get to Lucius Ting.

    So far, the worst they could prove was he hid his sister, who was a criminal. But even that wouldn''t stand against him since he was not at his home when Louise''s sentence was served.

    "She should be arriving." Mien informed Cedric, and as if on cue Katerina walked into the room.

    "I''m sure you can deal with this man without me, Cedric." Katerina teased as Mien pulled up a chair for her.

    Even after having met her and worked with her in person Mien remained to be a fan of Katerina. Cedric found it silly since he practically worshiped her as a god.

    "We both know it would be best if I had you on hand." Cedric grinned as he dialed the number.

    It didn''t take long for the person at the other end of the line to pick up the call, and to Cedric''s surprise it was Lucius Ting himself and not some secretary.

    "Mr. Reyes, I''m d you epted my call." Lucius Ting told Cedric in a mocking tone.

    "Get on with it, Mr. Ting." Cedric replied.

    It was clear that both men did not like each other, the animosity was clear between them.

    "You know what I want." Lucius Ting told Cedric.

    Cedric grinned at the desperation he could hear from Lucius'' voice. He was backed up into a corner despite having the Rajas supporting him financially.

    There was one thing he knew that Lucius Ting wanted, and that was his family.

    "I''m sorry, Mr. Ting, but you would need to exin to me exactly what you want. I could be wrong, I could be right." Cedric answered, d that he had the upper hand now.

    He heard Lucius Ting curse at the other end of the line, his patience was wearing thin and so were his options.

    "Mr. Ting if you''ve called to waste my time then I''m sorry but I''ll have to drop this call." Cedric said cordially as he pushed Lucius to divulge what he wanted.

    "My wife and my son. I also want my sister back." Lucius Ting quickly dered, worried that Cedric would drop the call and he would lose the only chance he had to get what he wanted.

    Little did Lucius Ting know, Cedric had already prepared a n to trap him using his desire to meet his family.

    "I cannot do anything for your sister, Mr. Ting." Cedric informed the other man. "She is a criminal and must pay for what she had done properly. Why don''t you fly over to Madrid and reason with the authorities there?"

    "Not my sister then." Lucius Ting was quick to give up, Cedric knew that this was because of the Esteves family. They were waiting for him to step foot in Spain to get his sister. The moment he showed his face they would nab him and make him pay.

    "So your wife and your son?" Cedric asked, further testing the man''s patience.

    He knew that Lucius Ting would do almost anything just to get near Julia and Dominic, this was of course something Cedric could not allow, but he had a n for that.

    "Yes, my Julia and my Dominic." Lucius Ting said in a loving voice making Cedric think the man had a heart for a moment.

    "Unfortunately for you, your wife had given your son up for adoption and I have no idea where to find him." Cedric dered as he wanted to protect the young boy from all of the mess his father had made. "Her family never entered him in any system, and as far as the records show, he has passed on."

    "NO!" Lucius Ting shouted angrily. "My son is alive! I know he is alive. They sent him somewhere else. Her parents lied to her!"

    "What about we talk about your wife?" Cedric asked Lucius Ting as he expertly shifted the topic.

    "I want to see her, speak to her." Lucius Ting said in a rough voice.

    "And what will you give me in return?" Cedric knew that Lucius Ting might give his surrender just to see Julia.

    "Everything, just let me see her and take her away, she isn''t part of this. She is innocent." Lucius Ting was practically begging as he spoke to Cedric.

    "Who is backing you?" Cedric asked as he tried to see what Lucius Ting was willing to give up for Julia.

    "They call themselves the Rajas, they told me that they are the real powers behind everything that goes on in the country and that you took it from them." Lucius Ting did not hesitate to tell Cedric what he wanted to hear.

    It seemed that he was more desperate than Cedric expected.

    "You will tell me everything I want to know about the Rajas and I will allow you to meet with your wife, if she is willing." Cedric made sure to add that he would only let Lucius meet with Julia if she wanted to.

    "I''m not one to force people to do things against their will, Mr. Ting." Cedric warned. "I will have my people call you once we know if Julia is willing to speak to you. Good bye."

    Lucius Ting tried to say something, but Cedric had already dropped the call and there was no way for him to call back.

    "It can''t be that easy." Katerina pointed out as she thought of the entire conversation. "He won''t surrender just to speak to Julia."

    "It''s a trap." Cedric said as he looked at the phone.

    "For him or for you?" Katerina asked.

    "For both." Cedric told Katerina. "He will set a trap so that he could take Julia, but we won''t let him leave." He dered.

    "What do you have in mind?" Kateirna asked.

    "Julia is on our side, she will keep him distracted while your brother''s men raid his offices and residences for things we can use to convict him." Cedric ran the n in his head multiple times, he knew that everything depended on Julia and if they found anything.

    "You don''t have a warrant." Katerina argued.

    "We don''t, but the police can enter his home in pursuit of other criminals or other criminal acts. Am I right?" Cedric asked hiswyer.

    Katerina nodded as she began to understand his n. She knew this tactic had been used once before by Cedric''s father Emilio Reyes in the past. Ian had told her stories of his first dangerous mission for the CEO.

    "Okay, let''s say you do get him arrested and the charges to hold, what then?" Katerina asked as she waited for Cedric''s response.

    Everyone knew that this fight was about more than just business.

    Aside from the damage he had done to Mor. Co and the Reyes Group, he had also created a lot of turmoil amongst the Chans.

    There was also the matter of Cami, they all knew that Guan Ming and Cedric were eager to make him pay for what he did and what he was nning to do to the woman.

    He also yed a role in supporting Aiden against Cedric, his support eventually led to the death of Prisci Reyes, Cedric and Ayanna''s mother.

    "Your brother and I can take it from there." Cedric said in a dark tone.

    He knew that Katerina was in no way innocent with how the world worked. She was thewyer to the most powerful families in the country, including the man dubbed as the King of the Underworld. But Alexi and Eric had made a request, they wanted Katerina to stay away from all the gruesome parts that involved Lucius Ting''s fall.

    "You will still need to deliver him alive to the Esteves family after, don''t forget that." Katerina reminded Cedric as she got up and prepared to leave. "You need to do that legally, I''m sure none of you want to hear about him walking away."

    Cedric had long understood the implications of their n, there were a lot of people that wanted to get their hands on Lucius Ting.

    But his main priority was Guan Ming. He had sworn that Guan Ming could avenge Cami even if Cami had no idea about the vile things her boyfriend had in store for the man that hurt her and used her.

    Cedric nodded, allowing Katrina to leave as he began nning with Dave and Mien, it was going to be a long and interesting night as they slowly built a trap for Lucius Ting.

 924 Chapter 924

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    "Are you alright?" Cami asked Julia as she noticed the other woman was anxious. They had justnded in the Capital and were being driven to Mountain View by Cedric''s driver John.

    In order to ensure their safety, Cedric had sent more guards than necessary and he also had his men scout out the roads in advance.

    As a matter of fact, so tight was the security, that Alexi pulled some strings to have the roads closed.

    Many citizens in the capitalined, but when rumors circted that a potential key witness against Lucius Ting was being transported to a secure location, they stopped their grumbling.

    The moment Louise Ting was arrested, the public sentiment turned against Lucius Ting.

    At first, he was able to manage due to the increase in employment that his Arch Group brought to the country. Later on, due to thepetition, the Reyes Group was forced to lower their prices to attract customers.

    To the public it really seemed at first that they were there to benefit.

    After Louise was arrested rumors began to circte that Lucius Ting often used the gangs and mafia to deal with his dirty work. The worst part was, he used the unregted groups, the ones that killed and robbed with no remorse or control.

    From the man that people thought would challenge Cedric and be a knight for the people, he became a wolf in sheep''s clothing.

    When Julia looked at Cami, it was clear that she was worried and confused.

    "I''m torn." Julia said with a sigh, choosing not to exin what she meant.

    "Cami is just worried about you." Adrianna said calmly as she held her friend''s hand. She knew that Julia needed as much support as she could get today and in theing days.

    Julia nodded as she kept silent, clearly deep in thought as they passed through all the major streets of the city. Cedric had decided that the more out in the open they passed, the safer they would be.

    As they rounded a corner that would lead them to the Mountain Viewmunity, Julia spoke up.

    "Do you think your husband could find my son''s grave for me?" Julia suddenly asked as she wiped away the tears from her eyes.

    Adrianna hadn''t noticed that her friend was crying next to her. She felt bad that she was so preupied with her own thoughts that she ignored the person in need seated next to her.

    "Cedric and I would be more than happy to help." Adrianna said with a faint smile.

    She still needed to speak to Miguel, Veronica, and Jonathan about Dominic meeting his biological mother.

    Although Miguel and Veronica had decided to let them meet if Dominic wanted, Jonathan was very much against it. He believed that his sister didn''t deserve to meet her own son.

    "When are we meeting with Lucius?" Julia asked, pulling Adrianna back from her thoughts.

    "Cedric is setting something up for tonight. He ns for you to meet at the school where your son was left." Adrianna frowned at her own words. She felt that it would be too painful for Julia to stand inches away from where she believed Dominic had died.

    "Does it really have to be there?" As Julia spoke, Adrianna could sense her heart breaking. Unfortunately, she knew that Cedric always had a reason for everything that he did.

    It might not have been clear now, but in due time they would see why.

    As they pulled up to the driveway, Yoyo and Cedric were standing at the door waiting to wee their friends and family that had been on Kashmere.

    Behind Adrianna''s car, the Chans and the Mings also arrived.

    "Mom!" Yoyo squealed letting go of his father''s hand as he ran up to Adrianna as soon as she stepped out of the car.

    "Yoyo, mommy missed you." Adrianna told her son as she bent down to pick him up.

    To her surprise, Cedric lifted him, not letting her exert too much effort.

    "Wee home, darling." Cedric said as he nted a kiss on her cheek, making Adrianna blush.

    "Keep it PG guys." Miguel teased as he got out of the car picking up a sleeping Dominic from the car.

    "Aren''t you tired, I could have carried him." Jonathan told the doctor. He had ridden with Miguel and Veronica so that they could discuss what the n was for Dominic.

    It was clear that they couldn''t keep the boy hidden from Julia since they would be staying in the same house for a while.

    Adrianna froze as Julia stared at Dominic''s sleeping figure.

    "I didn''t know that Miguel and Veronica had a child." She whispered to Adrianna. "He''s cute, he looks a little bit like Miguel." Julia said with a giggle.

    "They adopted him." Cedric said, answering for his wife. He knew that she was already in quite a bind having to lie to one of her oldest friends.

    "Oh." Julia said with a gasp. "I didn''t think that families like the Chans allowed for adoption."

    "They don''t." Cedric said with a sad smile. "I''ll exin inside." He gestured as he led everyone back into the house.

    Miguel quickly vanished with Yoyo in tow as he brought Dominic to his room. Tristan was actually upstairs as well, fast asleep while his parents were at work.

    "Families like the Chans are still stuck in the old ways, they want their children and grandchildren to be of their blood and not adopted." Cedric sighed as soon as the children were out of earshot.

    "Miguel and I had to fight his family just to adopt. It reached the point where he was willing to leave his family just for us to have our son." Veronica exined.

    "It''s not like you need them, the Chans need Miguel more than Miguel needs those old people." Cami said, joining in on the conversation.

    "It''s difficult leaving family." Adrianna recounted how she had turned her back on hers. "They were evil, but they were still family. I know it''s messed up, but it takes great strength to leave your family."

    Cedric pulled his wife to him, he knew that she sometimes regretted their fate, thinking that Cedric should have been more lenient. But Cedric refused to lower the sentence on them, they had treated their own flesh and blood as amodity to be sold.

    "Why don''t we all get some rest?" Cedric asked his guests as he saw how weary they were. It might have been a short flight, but there were other things running at the back of their minds.

    "I''ll take my parents to the guest house out back." Guan Ming said as a maid appeared to help them.

    "No need, I''ve arranged for your parents to stay on the ground floor." Cedric told his friend. "It''s closer."

    Cedric also wanted the couple to have some time alone, if Guan Ming''s parents were there breathing down their necks it might cause for a difficult situation.

    "Thank you." Guan Ming said with a smile as a maid led his parents to their rooms.

    "Julia, we''ve assigned you a room on the ground floor as well, a maid will take you there." Cedric said as a woman appeared to her side and led Julia away.

    When they were finally alone, Adrianna sighed and looked at her husband.

    "Did you really have to be so tough on Julia, having her meet her husband where she thinks their child died?" She asked.

    Cedric nodded.

    "Hopefully, Lucius Ting will realize what he did and what he gave up. I hope regret and pain eats him up as he realizes he doomed his own son." Cedric said with an angry tone.

    Adrianna was shocked by his answer, never did she think Cedric could be so cruel to a parent, but at the same time she knew Lucius Ting deserved it.

    "Let''s get some sleep, it''s a long day tomorrow." Cedric''s voice pulled her back as he picked her up bridal style, making her yelp. "I missed you my love." He said in a low voice as he kissed her lips.

 925 Chapter 925

    "Adrianna and I will drop you off to meet with Lucius Ting." Cedric exined to Julia as he sat across from her at the dining table. "You don''t need to worry about your security. I have several men and women positioned in both visible locations as well as hidden around the area."

    Julia nodded without saying a word.

    She continued to stare at her food, not having the appetite to eat that morning.

    It was clear that her mind was elsewhere, most likely pondering on their ns forter today.

    Cedric had confessed how important her role would be, he also exined to her most of what would be happening while she spoke to Lucius Ting.

    "Julia, I want you to know that we are on your side here." Cedric said as he looked at her with pity.

    He knew that her current situation was difficult. Cedric and Adrianna had asked her to face a man that she had run from and tried to find again.

    "I''m sorry, it''s just I don''t know what I will say to him." Julia frowned, clearly bothered by her predicament.

    "He will lead the conversation, all you have to do is answer him as honestly as you can. You don''t need to protect us Julia. The only part you can''t tell him is that we are raiding his home." Cedric tried tofort the woman in front of him.

    In all honesty, there was no bad blood whatsoever between Cedric and Julia. When he had first started dating Adrianna, Ji and the others didn''t make it hard for him. They might not have approved of him, but they also didn''t stop the rtionship from progressing on it''s own.

    Cedric only wanted what was best for the country and his wife''s friend.

    Their attention was suddenly called, when Mae waked into the dining room and gave Cedric a respectful nod.

    "Sir, it''s time." She told him as she gestured towards the door that led out of the dining room.

    "Thanks Mae." Cedric responded with a polite smile as he got up and helped his wife stand up as well.

    Julia did the same as them right after taking a final bite of her breakfast.

    She took a deep breath and gave the couple a genuine smile. She understood that without them she would probably still be stuck in her prison in Spain.

    It was not a horrible ce to be kept in, but she was locked in the room, alone with no one to speak with and no way of distracting her.

    Helping them was the least that she could do for them.

    As they walked outside, Cedric''s familiar Rolls Royce waited for them. A chauffeur opened the door as Cedric let the women get in before jogging up to the other side to ride the car.

    As the drove off, Adrianna noticed that her friend was still anxious. It was as if there was something she needed to say, but couldn''t gather the courage to speak.

    "Julia, we want this to be as easy as possible for you. We don''t want any difort from your end. Please tell me what''s really bothering you?" Adrianna asked as she reached over and held her friend''s hand.

    Julia looked out the window as they zoomed past all the luxurious houses surrounded by walls.

    "How do you know something is bothering me? I could just be anxious." Julia told her friend as she avoided Adrianna''s eyes.

    Adrianna frowned, she didn''t like how Julia was keeping something from her. They had known each other their whole lives and trusted each other for most of it.

    The times that they kept secrets from one another, were the times that they had the biggest problems.

    "Julia, I''ve known you for years." Adrianna tried her best to force a smile, but her friend''s seeming distrust broke her heart.

    The woman next to Adrianna was silent for a while as they passed out of the gates of the Mountain Viewmunity.

    From there it wouldn''t take that long for them to reach the school where Cedric had found Dominic.

    Since it had been closed, Cedric could ensure that no one would be around. On top of that, his people had blocked passers by from the area.

    "Do you think I could speak with Lucius privately?" Julia finally asked, choosing to trust her friend.

    "Oh, Julia, of course. He is your husband and there are things that others should not listen in on." Adrianna said as she breathed a sigh of relief. She was worried that Julia would suddenly change her mind and back out from the n.

    A look of shock crossed Julia''s face, making Cedricugh as he looked up from his phone.

    "Give us some credit, Julia. We do trust you." Cedric said as he shook his head and returned his attention to his phone. He was coordinating the final touches on their n, making sure that nothing went wrong.

    "Really? You won''t have guards hovering around us, listening to our every word?" Julia asked as she looked at Adrianna in disbelief.

    Having ovee her initial emotions, Adrianna was now quite amused by what her friend thought.

    "Julia, do you really think that we don''t trust you?" Adrianna asked her friend.

    "Well, things are different now." Julia frowned as she recalled why she expected Cedric and Adrianna to send someone to spy on her conversation. "I just thought, that after everything, you would want someone to listen in on my conversation with Lucius. You know, in case I said something I shouldn''t or in case he says something important."

    "If it''s relevant to our ns and to the future of the country, we hope that you will tell us." Cedric answered her. "But we trust you to choose which words are relevant, and which are not."

    "Why do you still trust me?" Julia questioned. "Why is it that after everything, you are still willing to give me a chance?"

    "Because she loves you." Cedric said with a grin as he pointed at his wife.

    Adrianna was now blushing at her husband''s words, ttered that he chose to trust Julia because of her.

    "I trust you, so my husband trusts you as well." Adrianna exined as they spotted the school in the distance.

    A while back, less and less cars were passing the direction they were headed, and now they were the only car on the road.

    "Thank you." Julia said as she gave them a genuine smile.

    "Good luck, I know this will be difficult for you, but good luck." Adrianna said as she pulled her friend into a hug.

    She didn''t release Julia from her arms until the car stopped.

    Outside, Cedric could see as Lucius Ting anxiously waited a few meters away.

    "Are you ready?" Cedric asked Julia.

    The woman at the other end of the car, took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

    She tried to calm herself, she knew that meeting her husband was something she needed to do eventually. She just didn''t expect the scenario to y out this way.

    "I''m ready." Julia announced.

    Cedric nodded at his bodyguard, who quickly got out of the front seat and opened the door for Julia.

    "You can do this." Adrianna said as she encouraged her friend.

    Worried that she would throw up out of anxiety, all Julia could do was nod as she stepped out of the car.

    She gasped as soon as she saw Lucius Ting looking at her with loving eyes.

    Julia took a step back as she hesitated. Age looked good on him, his boyish looks were gone and the person standing across her was now a man.

    Unfortunately, together with his handsome features came a reminder of the pain and terror she had to suffer with him around.

    "Julia." She heard his deep voice call.

    She tentatively looked back at the white car behind her. She knew that Cedric and Adrianna were seated inside, probably carrying worried looks on their faces.

    Julia gave them a slight smile, knowing full well that they could see her.

    She turned her attention back to the man that stood a little distance away and took a deep breath. It was now or never. She slowly, but surely, walked towards him maintaining eye contact the entire time.

    She was not going to let him see how much he affected her. She would let him see the cracks in her broken heart that he had caused.

    "Julia." Lucius said once more in a raspy voice as she stood directly in front of him.

    She took a few seconds to take in the moment, to truly understand that she was standing across the man that she had run from.

    After what seemed to feel like hours of silence, Julia suddenly spoke up.

    "You wanted to see me?" She asked in a poisonous tone.

    She could see the pain in Lucius'' eyes when he realized that she was not happy to be standing in front of him.

    "Do you really hate me that much, Julia?" Lucius asked.

    "Yes." Came her simple and clear answer.

 926 Chapter 926

    As Julia red at Lucius she could hear the honking of horns in the distance.

    Lucius just stared at her, unable to believe the words that had just left her lips, she hated him so much that she was forced to show herself to him.

    ? Unfazed by her words, the sides of Lucius'' lips curled up to a grin.

    "They said you went to Spain in search of me." He said in a confident tone as his eyes wandered all over her body. "They said, you left your family, yourfortable life here, just to find me."

    "It wasn''t my best moment, I was weak and mistaken." Julia replied, somewhat embarrassed by what she had done. Back then it seemed like a logical choice, go after the man that wants you, but soon she realized that she was wrong.

    Lucius seemed to take her response quite differently as he lifted his chin in pride.

    "Just admit it J, you still love me." He said.

    Lucius'' words made Julia want to spit or p him, she never thought that she would have this much disgust and repulsion for one person.

    "No, I don''t Lucius, don''t be so delusional." She quickly answered back.

    Lucius looked around, he saw Cedric''s car at a distance. He was also sure that the surrounding area was filled with guards ready to pounce at him if he made a wrong move.

    "Let''s take this somewhere more private, I''m sure Cedric has someone listening in on our conversation." As he said this, he grabbed Julia''s wrist and tried to pull her towards the school.

    "No!" Julia shouted as she yanked her arm back, almost stumbling from the force.

    Lucius gave her a puzzled look as he walked back to where they were standing initially.

    "What do you mean, no?" He asked, he wasn''t used to people refusing him. He usually got his way.

    "No I won''t move, no I refuse to speak to you in private, and no, no one is listening in on our conversation." Julia said, practically shouting at the man that stood across her.

    "How sure are you that he isn''t listening in on us?" Lucius questioned as he pointed at Cedric''s car that waited in the distance.

    "Because I trust them far more than I trust you." Julia said as she red at him. She didn''t look away, she wanted to prove that she wasn''t afraid of her husband and that she was ready to stand up against him.

    "I''m your husband!" Lucius replied angrily as he looked down at Julia, waiting for her to flinch. "Who else can you trust but me?"

    Julia threw her head back andughed at Lucius'' words, it seemed everything had gone to his head.

    "Did you forget what our life together was like?" She asked in a mocking tone, challenging him to paint a story that was far from the truth. "Have you forgotten why I ran?"

    Lucius looked at her, he didn''t seem angry or hurt by her words. He carried no expression as she waited for him to respond.

    "Our life together was not perfect, I know that." Lucius said as he shook his head.

    "Not perfect?" Julia asked with augh. "Not perfect is an understatement, husband." She said with poison dripping from every word.

    "You ran, you left me, you abandoned me." Lucius was now slowly starting to get angry. Julia could tell that he was starting to lose his temper.

    "I left because of the monster that you are!" She shouted, hoping that he wouldn''t harm her. "I left with our son because if we didn''t run you would have killed us all!"

    Her words seemed to have snapped something in his mind, because all of a sudden, Lucius Ting seemed angrier than he was earlier.

    "And look where running away has gotten us! Our son is dead and you are broken, you fell for the wrong man and you tried to escape him, don''t deny it. I know what happened!" Lucius Ting said in an angry tone.

    His words broke Julia''s heart. Yes, running way killed their son, but what guarantee could she have had that the oue would be different if she had not run.

    In a surge of courage, Julia raised her hand and pped Lucius across his cheek, catching him off guard.

    "How dare you?!" He asked angrily.

    "I did what I did for our son! You made your choices based on what was best for you and not what was best for our family!" She shouted. "Tell me, Lucius, why do you want me back? Is it because Cami Montero and Cedric Reyes tricked you? Weren''t you so in love with your new girlfriend that I seemed to be a distant memory?"

    Lucius Ting was silenced by her questions. He looked down and closed his fists.

    For a moment, Julia thought he was going to assault her. As a matter of fact she expected him to end her life right then and there.

    "I thought you were dead." Lucius Ting revealed. "I thought my enemies got to you and killed you."

    For a moment Julia pitied the broken man in front of her, but she realized that this one moment didn''t validate all the pain and hurt he had inflicted on everyone around him.

    "Do you know where we are?" Julia asked as she looked up at the school.

    Lucius shook his head saying he had no idea.

    "This is where your son died, if you can''t even care to find that out, then you don''t care at all." With those words, Julia turned around and marched back to Cedric''s waiting car.

    She chose not to look back, but she already knew that Lucius Ting would be shocked and broken as he stared at the abandoned buildings.

    "They are lying to you!" Lucius suddenly shouted. "Dominic is not dead." He dered, making Julia stop in her tracks.

    Julia was too stunned to move, it was impossible that her son was alive. She saw the death certificate. Jonathan had begged her to find out more but even he came back empty handed. Their son was dead, and Lucius was simply delusional.

 927 Chapter 927

    "Don''t try me Lucius." Julia said as she turned to confront her husband. "He is long dead!"

    Lucius took a step forward as he tried to reach for her, he looked desperate, making Julia doubt that he was saying the truth.

    "Julia-" Just as Lucius tried to get to Julia, several police and military vehicles arrived, stopping right in front of him.

    "What''s going on?!" Lucius Ting demanded as men and women came out of the cars.

    In front of him, Cedric too stepped out of his car and gestured for Julia to get in.

    Julia gave a tentative look back at Lucius Ting, it seemed as if she was about to say something to him but changed her mind.

    She shook her head, thanked Cedric, and got inside the car.

    "Julia, no!" Lucius shouted as he reached out as if to grab her, but several policemen were already blocking his path.

    Julia closed the door hard behind her, leaving Cedric standing outside of the car as he nodded, sending his wife and her friend as far away as possible from the scene.

    "You monster, you didn''t tell her he was alive!" Lucius Ting shouted as several policemen cuffed him.

    Cedric observed Lucius Ting as he struggled against the police men, clearly he had no ns ofing peacefully.

    "She''ll know, eventually we will tell her the truth, but right now it''s not exactly her right to know." Cedric said in a cold tone as Damien Park came up and stood next to him.

    "She has every right to know that her son is alive and well! She''s his mother!" Lucius Ting shouted, in his mind the true criminals were Cedric and his friends.

    "Should we arrest him now?" Damien asked Cedric as the police continued to hold down Lucius Ting.

    Cedric simply nodded, and at hismand, the police men took Lucius Ting away.

    "They are waiting at the police station for you." Damien told Cedric as a sports car came up behind Cedric.

    He sighed and shook his head. It was never his preferred mode of travel, he didn''t like the shy sports cars, he preferred thefort of a luxury sedan to one of these monsters.

    Unfortunately, Ian had volunteered to pick him up and apany him to the police station. Even Ian wanted to get some punches in when it came to Lucius Ting.

    "Hey Damien!" Ian waved at his friend as he got out and stood by his car.

    "Ian." Damien said with a nod as he eyes his friend''s vehicle.

    Ian couldn''t help butugh at how silly his friend was acting. Damien Park was in no way poor and his family was quite wealthy.

    "Don''t look at my car as if you can''t have one." Ian said as he rolled his eyes. "We both know that you can afford one. You just want to keep this image of yourself and you are not happy with it." He said, rolling his eyes at Damien.

    The policeman could do nothing butugh at his friend''s words, because it was true.

    "We''ll see you at the police station then." Cedric said with a nod as he made a move to get into Ian''s car.

    Damien simply nodded as the two men got into the car and drove off.

    Ian noticed that there was something odd with Cedric''s behavior. He was mostly silent on the drive to the police station and although he could always chalk this up as Cedric crafting a n, he knew something was wrong.

    "What''s bothering you?" Ian asked his friend as they were stopped by traffic. One thing Ian hated the most about the capital was the traffic due to over congestion.

    "Sometimes I wonder if my decisions are right." Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head. "Like today, Lucius told Julia that Dominic is actually alive."

    "Did Julia believe him?" Ian asked with a concerned look on his face, worried that their n would be ruined by Lucius Ting''s revtion.

    "No, she didn''t." Cedric said shaking his head as their car lurched forward with Ian stepping on the gas. "Luckily she doesn''t trust him and anything he sayses out as lies."

    "But?" Ian asked, knowing that there was some doubt and hesitation in Cedric''s thoughts.

    "Julia trusts us, she trusts uspletely and when someday, Dominic is ready to meet his mother, she will find out we lied to her." Cedric said as he looked down and shook his head. "I don''t think Adrianna could take her best friend hating her again."

    Ian sighed as they pulled up to the police station right behind the police vehicles that had transported Lucius Ting.

    As he had expected, multiple members of the media were already hanging around, waiting to see Lucius Ting or any of the high profiled guests that wanted to speak to him.

    "It wasn''t your choice to make, you''re forgetting that." Ian pointed out as he parked the car. He didn''t want Cedric to step out doubting himself. "You cannot make this choice and she has to understand that. She gave away her son, she didn''t care that he was dead. She only cared now."

    Ian tried his best to remind Cedric of the situation that Julia had ced herself in.

    "Jonathan is right, she should be allowed to know he is alive, but unfortunately only Miguel, Veronica, and Dominic can decide on that. Maybe someday Dominic will say he doesn''t want to meet her, or maybe he will, but this isn''t on you." Ian said as he shook his head.

    In the distance, he could see Lucius Ting being escorted out of the police car to a wave of shes all around them.

    Cedric nodded as he digested his friend''s words.

    "Are you ready?" Ian asked as Lucius and the police men entered the building.

    Cedric closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed to face this, he needed to deal with this, it was for a better future for his children.

    "I''m ready." Cedric said with a nod as he stepped out, ready to confront Lucius Ting and to send him away once and for all.

 928 Chapter 928

    The police station was silent as Cedric and Ian walked in. It wasn''t silent because it was empty, it was silent because everyone was waiting for what was toe.

    Lucius Ting was no friend to the police, as a matter of fact most of them wanted him sent to prison and deported as soon as possible. Unlike the public, they were aware of the evil and sinister things he had done.

    Unfortunately for them, he left no proof, there was no way for them to prove he was guilty and today was finally their chance.

    When they saw Alexi walking into the police station with several unfamiliar men an hour ago, they knew that the higher powers had decided to intervene. They knew that their wait had ended and justice would finally be served.

    So when Cedric and Ian arrived after Lucius Ting, most of them couldn''t help but smile.

    To them it was finally over, but to Cedric the fun had just begun.

    "Do we really want them around?" Cedric asked Ian as he nced at the police men and women who suddenly pretended to be working.

    Ian couldn''t help butugh, he and Cedric both knew they were watching them, so why pretend not to stare.

    "It''s fine, we have a deal, a truce of sorts." Ian said with a shrug. "They don''t touch the underworld for now, while we get rid of Lucius Ting."

    Cedric nodded at his friend''s words as Ian led him to the back of the police station.

    It was clear that whatever they had nned for Lucius Ting was far from what was legal and eptable, but at this point, after the terror he had cuased, everyone was just d to see him go.

    "Through here." Ian said as he pointed at a dimly lit hall.

    "This looks like something from a horror movie." Cedric chuckled as they walked towards a door at the end with their footsteps echoing.

    It was eerily quiet, something Cedric couldn''t help but find odd. There should have been more noise, seeing as Lucius Ting did not go quietly and his friends were in the interrogation room they were headed for.

    "The sound instion here is really good, that''s why we chose this police station. It was actually Damien that suggested it." Ian told Cedric as he noticed the puzzled look on his friend''s face.

    "Oh, that''s good then." Cedric said with a nod as Ian pushed open a heavy door.

    As soon as a gap formed between the wall and the door, Cedric began to hear Lucius Ting''s angry voice as he cursed at everyone in the room.

    "You fucking, maniptive bastards, you will pay for this, I will get out of here and you will all suffer!" Lucius Ting shouted at the top of his lungs.

    He was currently seated, tied up, and blindfolded at the other end of the room. Cedric also noticed that ear plugs were ced on him, meaning he had no idea if people were in the room with him or if he was screaming into the air.

    "Sensory deprivation." Ray said with a chuckle as he stood next to Cedric and Ian. "We want everything to hurt ten fold. We want him to feel every pain and remember every pain."

    Cedric nodded as he looked at the man that continued to struggle against his bindings.

    "Will we begin soon?" Ian asked Ray as he looked around the room to check who wasn''t present yet.

    "We should, Katerina has already started to process the cases against him and by the look of things it will be done before we can finish punishing him." Ray said with a shrug.

    "Guan Ming and Cami will join uster, he is still chasing another loose end." Cedric said as he gave Ray the go signal.

    "Wu Jun?" Ian asked, to which Cedric simply nodded.

    Cedric had decided against letting others know about Guan Ming''s n against the other businessman.

    What he had in store did not involve their government, as a matter of fact it involved the Chinese government more than that of Cedric''s country. All Guan Ming needed was for Jose Sebastian, Alexi''s and Katerina''s father, to quickly sign the deportation request by his own government.

    "Let''s begin then." Ray said as he nodded as Andres Ri, Francesca''s older sister.

    The Mafia leader then walked up to Lucius Ting and dragged the chair he was on to the center of the room.

    "What the fuck?!" Lucius Ting cursed as soon as he felt himself being dragged to an unknown location. "Are you going to kill me now?" Lucius Tingughed like a lunatic, worrying Cedric.

    "No." Andres Ri said as he walked up to a table that had multiple instruments. He knew that Lucius Ting wouldn''t hear him, but he still chose to respond.

    "Hello, is anyone there?" Lucius Ting called out.

    "Wait." Cedric said, topping Andres from approaching Lucius Ting.

    A look of worry suddenly crossed Ray''s face, he knew that Cedric had the tendency to be soft hearted even to his enemies.

    "Don''t forget what he has done." Ian told Cedric, grabbing his friend by the arm.

    "Rx." Cedric said as heughed at how paranoid everyone in the room looked. "There is no forgiving what he has done, but I''d like to get my hands dirty this time. He touched and tortured someone I see as a sister and I will not let him get away with that."

    Everyone in the room was shocked by what Cedric had said, they never expected Cedric to want to be involved in these things, and yet here he was taking a paddle from the table.

    "You guys are wimps for taking orders from a loser like Cedric Reyes." Lucius Ting said with augh, not knowing that Cedric now stood in front of him. "He will let me go because he is weak." Lucius dered, before the paddle came crashing down against his side.

 929 Chapter 929

    Lucius Ting was now down on the ground. His blindfold had long fallen off and the ear plugs were now deeply embedded in his ears, possibly making him deaf for life.

    When Cedric had begun hitting Lucius Ting, everyone in the room was stunned. They were seeing a side of Cedric that he had never let others catch a glimpse of. It was his unapologetically vengeful side, the side of him that he did his best to suppress.

    Over the years there were hundreds of people that Cedric wished to get revenge on. He had not lived an easy life, but out of the kindness of his heart he let that hate go, he allowed himself to forgive and move on.

    Tonight, it seemed that the floodgates had been opened and Cedric allowed his anger and hate to flow unrestricted.

    Ray chuckled as he walked over to check on Lucius Ting.

    "I never thought you had something like this in you, Ced." Ray praised as he squatted next to the bruised and bleeding man, while Cedric stood back, wiping his hands of Lucius'' blood.

    "I have a lot of things to be angry over." Cedric said casually as hebed his fingers through his hair and checked himself.

    Inparison to everyone in the room Cedric still looked like he could be headed to a business meeting after.

    As Ray signaled for a doctor to walk over and check on Lucius Ting, a knock came from the door.

    "Must be Guan Ming and Cami." Cedric said with a grin as he nodded for Ian to open the door and let them in.

    If Lucius Ting thought that what Cedric had done to him, he had another thinging.

    Guan Ming and Cami, had both been personally affected by Lucius Ting, and the man''s tortureing from Guan Ming would not end tonight. In fact, today was only the beginning, the beginning of worse tortures and more pains.

    On the ground, Lucius Ting''s eyes snapped open as he noticed people entering the room. Everything was blurred as he struggled to stay awake, fighting the urge to pass out.

    He recognized one of the people who entered the room, his eyes went wide at the realization that Cami had just entered hand in hand with Guan Ming.

    His anger and shock fueled him to stay conscious as he struggled against his bindings.

    "Seems like you''ve had fun without me." Guan Ming said with a chuckle as he and Cedric walked over to where Lucius Tingy on the ground.

    "Is he still alive?" Cami asked in a strong voice from behind Cedric and Guan Ming as she tried to get a better look at Lucius Ting.

    "Of course he is." Ian replied in a teasing tone, making Cami re at Guan Ming. "Cedric can''t hand a dead Lucius Ting to the Esteves family."

    Upon hearing the family''s name, Lucius Ting began to struggle violently against his bindings.

    "If there is a fate worse than going to prison for him, it''s being sent to the Esteves family." Cedric said as he looked down at Lucius Ting.

    "My turn?" Guan Ming asked as several of Ray''s men picked Lucius Ting back up, making him sit straight.

    Lucius Ting''s hearing was slowlying back as he watched Guan Ming walk over to the table holding mulitple tools for torture.

    "Ming, don''t forget that we have dinner with your parents tonight." Cami called out as someone brought over seats for her and Ian to watch.

    "His torture will not end today." Guan Ming said as he gave the man a murderous re. "This is only the beginning. I n to give him hell till Cedric sends him back to the Esteves family. By the time I am done with him he will be a husk of a human. He will feel and see, but he will have lost all hope."

    Cedric looked at Lucius Ting as Guan Ming picked one of the torture tools up.

    "I really don''t know who you thought you had as backers." Cedric said as he shook his head and eyed the man in front of him. "Did you really think they could have protected you from Guan Ming?"

    What happened next caught Cedric and the others off guard.

    Lucius Ting, who could now hear every word that they were saying, began tough.

    "I think he has really lost it now." Alexi pointed out as he stood, leaning against a wall.

    For most of the torture the politician had remained silent, choosing to watch rather than participate. He only got his hands dirty when needed and necessary, the very fact that he was there was enough to prove that Lucius Ting''s torture meant a lot.

    "You really think that I was the main event?" Lucius Ting asked as heughed at Cedric and his friends.

    "What are you talking about?!" Ray asked angrily as he picked Lucius Ting up by the cor of his shirt.

    "My backers only wanted to use me, in return, my sister would walk free." Lucius Ting revealed as he slowly told Cedric and his friends what they wanted him to say.

    He was now singing like a bird, thinking that he had won.

    "My backers, the Rajas, have already positioned themselves around the ones you love and in ces of power." Lucius spat at Ray''s face, making the man throw him across the room.

    Lucius Ting was stillughing as he sat slumped against a wall.

    "You really think I was worth it?" Lucius Ting asked with a malicious smile spread across his lips. "You really think that catching me will be the end? It''s in fact far from it, this is only the beginning."

    Ray was about to assault Lucius Ting again when Cedric lifted a hand to stop him. He shook his head and frowned before making his way to stand above Lucius Ting.

    "The beginning of what?" Cedric asked in a threatening tone, but even this didn''t seem to faze Lucius Ting. It seemed to even encourage him.

    "The beginning of your fall, and the beginning of their rise." Lucius Ting dered.

    At first he had a smirk on his face, but when he looked up and saw Cedric''s expression he looked like he had seen a ghost.

    "Have they all been arrested?" Cedric asked Alexi.

    "Every member of the Rajas that attempted to attack us." Alexi boasted.

    "You see, Lucius, the difference between you and I is that I am smarter and I knew they were going to attack." Cedric said as he turned and walked out of the room.

    As the door closed behind him, he could hear Lucius Ting''s tortured screams as Guan Ming began his assault.

 930 Chapter 930

    Wanting to avoid whatever attention the press would give him for Lucius Ting''s arrest, Cedric had asked his driver to pick him up a distance from the police station.

    He borrowed a police jacket and a cap, hiding himself beneath theyers as he walked out through a side entrance.

    Cedric wanted to take advantage of the walk to finally be alone with his thoughts.

    So much had happened recently that Cedric rarely had a time to reflect on his own. They had just dealt with Aiden when Lucius Ting entered the picture.

    Cedric also couldn''t help but feel bad about the fact that he had neglected his wife at times while he was busy seeking out a safer future for his children.

    He didn''t even realize how fast time had passed, it seemed like only yesterday that they found out they were having twins and now his wife was due to give birth soon.

    That was another reason why Cedric wanted to quickly wrap up the issue with Lucius Ting, he wanted his twins born in a safer world.

    As he walked through a park, he couldn''t help but notice how empty it was. He guessed that it was most likely due to the fact that all the members of the media were at the police station, blocking the way to this park.

    It was nice to finally get some peace, but Cedric had no ns of rxing, he kept his disguise and tried to keep to the less used paths.

    Unfortunately, he wasn''t the only one that was trying to stay hidden.

    As Cedric approached his pick up point, he heard voices in the distance.

    Normally he would ignore them, but he had a gut feeling that he should listen. Something seemed off about them, something suspicious.

    He quickly pulled out his phone to inform his driver that he would be a while as he crept through the bushes to hear the conversation better.

    ". . .he''s worthless. Why is the boss even asking us to save this one?" A woman asked herpanion. She seemed to be quite angry at the other person and the one they were calling their boss.

    "Because our people swore to help him, that''s why." A much calmer male voice said as he seemed to wait for the woman''s response.

    "Then what are we waiting for, if we don''t move now we won''t be able to get him out of that prison." The woman hissed as Cedric could hear her walking away.

    "We need to wait for the signal, the other groups will be attacking the Reyeses and their allies, we need them to tell us it''s done before we try to rescue Lucius Ting." The man told the woman, making her stop.

    Cedric was also stunned by what he had heard, were these two people involved with the Rajas? Or was there another group helping Lucius Ting out?

    The only way Cedric could figure it out was if he stayed and listened to them, unfortunately, staying also risked his own safety.

    "This Lucius Ting is not worth the trouble he has caused." She said angrily.

    They seemed to ignore the fact that they were in public as they let their guard down and spoke about their ns openly.

    "On the contrary, he has given us the perfect opportunity to strike." The man said quite confidently, as if Cedric and his friends had walked straight for their trap. "The Reyes have been on high alert due to Lucius Ting, making it difficult for us tounch and attack."

    "Have they let their guard down since his capture?" The woman asked as Cedric could hear her voice getting louder. She was probably walking back to the man as he reasoned with her.

    "After Lucius Ting was arrested, there was a significant lessening of security personnel in their various offices and homes." The man said as he answered the woman''s question.

    They may have thought that Cedric walked into their trap, but the lessening of guards was done on purpose. It may have seemed that there were less people around to protect the different locations of interest, but in fact there were more hidden than seen.

    Cedric had also moved everyone to more heavily guarded homes and locations, such as Mountain View, the old Reyes home, and Kashmere.

    Most of the people they had moved had no idea what was going to happen, so Cedric simply pretended that it was vacation on Kashmere for them.

    The men that Cedric had withdrawn from their original locations had not left entirely either, in fact, they had been waiting.

    Lurking around the locations, ready to strike when the attack was made.

    It seemed that the pair in the park had no idea what was happening since the attack had already failed. Cedric and his friends had captured most of the people involved in the attacks.

    The key leaders of that Rajas may have escaped, but they were left with little resources, they wouldn''t be able tounch a counter attack anytime soon.

    "I can''t believe that they all decided to move over the death and torture of one spoiled young man." The woman chuckled. "If I had known that hurting one of their precious princes would make the bosses move, then I would have done it myself a long time ago."

    "Don''t let them hear you say that." The man scolded.

    "It''s not like anyone else is here." She mocked.

    "The Rajas were biding their time, growing in strength and numbers. It was easier to do in the shadows rather than out in the open." The man hissed as he exined the situation to the woman. "If their enemies knew they wereing back, then they would have been squashed from the start."

    "Don''t be silly, their enemies look down on them." The woman chuckled. "I''m sure that child, Cedric Reyes, wouldn''t even take this threat seriously."

    "I hope you are right, because based on what we have seen, he is much more dangerous than his father." The man told the woman.

    "More dangerous?" The woman asked as sheughed. "All he has is money, how is he dangerous?"

    "Tell me, Be, when have you seen the underworld and the military cooperating?" The man asked, leaving the woman with him speechless.

 931 Chapter 931

    Cedric could hear that the woman called Be could not respond to herpanion''s question.

    "That''s what I thought." The man said as heughed at what Cedric assumed to be her stunned expression.

    From where he was, Cedric couldn''t see much. He was crouched down behind some thick bushes far from themp that illuminated the area.

    He had no ns of letting the pair notice that he was there. He tried his best to remain as quiet as possible since even the slightest movements might be heard by them.

    Cedric was lucky that when he had approached they were busy talking and the sounds of his footsteps had gone unnoticed.

    "After we get him out of there, is there a n for him?" Be asked the man as looked towards the direction of the police station.

    "You know that there is always a n." The man said with a sigh as he shook his head.

    "What if this fails? What if they discover we are behind all of this and they arrest whoever is attacking their important locations?" Be questioned the man.

    To her surprise and to Cedric''s the man simplyughed at her question.

    "Do you really think that there is no backup n?" The man questioned mockingly. "Do you really have so little faith in our leaders? Lucius Ting is one back up n, there is no way they will see using for him. On top of that there are many others. The Reyeses and their friends left too many loose ends over the years."

    "They have many enemies, yes. But can the Rajas really gather them together? Those people will never cooperate with one another." Be pointed out.

    "Not all, but some will." The man said confidently.

    Be did not respond to his words as a silence enveloped the entire area. There were no people passing and thus, there were no sounds that could cover up Cedric''s if he made a motion to leave.

    He was stuck as he waited for the pair to move on, he also needed to inform his friends of their n to take Lucius Ting.

    The pair seemed so confident that they would be able to just march Lucius Ting out of the Police Station that Cedric had to get them to move him.

    There was no way he was letting Lucius Ting walk out of that police station a free man.

    "Fuck." Cedric heard the man curse. It seemed that something did not go as nned.

    "What is it?" Be asked herpanion.

    "We''ve been waiting for the message to start our attack but there has been no signal here this entire time." The man said angrily. "We need to go somewhere else, hopefully we didn''t miss our chance."

    His voice was slowly starting to get weaker, telling Cedric that the man was moving towards the other direction.

    Cedric stayed still for a few more minutes, making sure that the woman had followed him. He had no ns of being discovered by those two.

    Something told Cedric that they were much more deadlier than they sounded.

    When he was finally sure that the pair was gone and that they wouldn''t be able to see or hear him leave, he slowly crept away making it eventually to the main path of the park.

    He took out his phone and checked for a decent signal before giving Alexi a call. He knew out of all the people in that room at the moment, Alexi would be checking his phone.

    Cedric was right as Alexi picked up after the first ring.

    "Cedric, did you make it out alright?" Alexi asked with a concerned tone. He was aware that Cedric wouldn''t ask his driver to pick him up at the back of the police station since the media would still be able to block his path.

    "I did, but you need to move Lucius Ting discreetly. There are people waiting out back so you''ll need to find a different way." Cedric said in a low voice as he stood at the gate of the park.

    He looked around till he found his car and waved to the driver.

    "How do you know this?" Alexi asked his friend, shocked that Cedric had managed to gather intel at such ate hour. None of their people had heard anything and yet here was Cedric with new and shocking information.

    "Just trust me, I''ll exinter. Move him somewhere more secure." Cedric instructed as he dropped the call and got into his car.

    "Were there any casualties?" Cedric asked Leon who was seated at the front seat.

    "More than we would have liked, some locations werepromised as well, unfortunately we couldn''t protect everyone and everything." Leon sounded devastated by the failure, Cedric couldn''t help but wonder if this was the Raja''s n all along.

    "Which ces did they manage to damage severely and who were badly injured?" Cedric asked his head of security.

    "The factories were badly burned, many employees were also injured," Leon recalled the report he had been given.

    "I''ll talk to Katerina regarding the injured employees. I have a bad feeling about this." Cedric said with a sigh as he dialed Katerina''s number.

    "Kat!" Cedric said with an urgent tone as his friend picked up the call.

    "Cedric, is something wrong?" She asked, the concern clear in her tone.

    "There were employees injured in the attack done by the Rajas, I have a bad feeling that they will use the injured employees against us." Cedric informed her of his suspicions.

    "I can look into the injured employee names and rmend to you the bestpensation for them. But do you really think an employee of the Reyes Group would go against you? After you have given them more than what most employers would?" Katerina asked.

    "Yes, with the right price, yes." Cedric said with a nod. "I know I should put more faith in my employees, but let''s be realistic, not all of them will be loyal, and not all of them will be satisfied."

    "Alright, I''ll get back to you when I know more." Katerina told Cedric as she dropped the call.

 932 Chapter 932

    "We got out and just in time." Alexi announced over the phone. It didn''t take them as long as he had expected to move.

    It wasn''t an easy task moving such a high profile inmate like Lucius Ting, but somehow Alexi and the others had managed to do it at an incredible speed.

    "You were right to say there was a n to get him out, we''re lucky you called, had you not I''m sure there would have been casualties." Alexi told Cedric, making him feel tense at the news that the pair he had seen in the park had every intention of harming others.

    "How did you know that there could have been casualties?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "We arrested two individuals." Alexi exined over the phone. "A man and a woman, they were heavily armed and by the looks of it they had no ns of leaving without Lucius Ting."

    Cedric nodded, knowing that the man and woman Alexi was referring to were Be and herpanion.

    "How did you manage to arrest them?" Cedric asked. If the two were heavily armed then just taking them alive was dangerous.

    "That''s where things get tricky." Alexi said as he hesitated to tell Cedric the news.

    "What''s wrong, Alexi?" Cedric asked as he sensed his friend''s hesitation.

    "We did catch them, and trap them, but there is still a high risk since we did it through unconventional means." Alexi slowly exined.

    "How?" Cedric asked, he was eager to find out how capturing someone that could harm more people had gotten Alexi anxious.

    "We trapped them in the room where we were supposed to be." Alexi exined. "They are in there, but they are also armed, and by the looks of it they are also very dangerous people."

    Cedric frowned at the news.

    "Is there no safe way to take their weapons and move them to a more secure facility?" Cedric asked as he considered the situation.

    "Well, for starters I doubt we could move them somewhere more secure, but it would be nice to get them as far away from where their aplices would think they are at." Alexi pointed out.

    "They work with the Rajas." Cedric calmly exined. "I stumbled on to them when I was on my way to the pick up point."

    "We are lucky you overheard them then." Alexi said as he praised Cedric''s luck.

    "Have you asked Seth or Ray if there is some way for us to find out if they have back up?" Cedric asked his friend, worried about the predicament they were in.

    "They are doing their best, pulling every resource they can spare, but Cedric, the Dean Family mansion was also attacked today. The Rajas know that you have people in the underworld working with you." Alexi exined.

    Cedric sighed and leaned back on his chair, they needed to end this, the longer the Rajas remained atrge the more dangerous it would be for everyone.

    "Do you think your new friends, the Esteves Family, could help us?" Alexi asked, pulling Cedric back from his thoughts.

    "They said they would assist us, but I''m not sure if this problems with the Rajas will get them to move." Cedric told Alexi as he considered calling the Esteves Family. "But, the Rajas are one of the reasons why we cannot send Lucius Ting to them."

    "That should be more than enough reason for them toe to our aid." Alexi told Cedric as Cedric silently agreed with him.

    "How is your dad holding up?" Cedric asked his friend.

    In the past few weeks, Alexi and his father, the president, had been trying to smoke out those members of the government that either belonged to the Rajas or who were under their payroll.

    It was a difficult task to do since it seemed that most of those people have been hiding in in sight for years, some having been there for decades even.

    Many of those whom they suspected were already high ranking officials and people who had gained the trust of their subordinates as well as their colleagues.

    "Dad has been frustrated a lot." Alexi said with a defeated tone. "It seemed that there are people who he trusted that are either part of the Rajas or are working for them. Your dad is with him now, they are trying to figure things out."

    "I''ll visit themter." Cedric nodded as he looked at the time. It was already gettingte and he needed to move them out of that police station and to a more secure location.

    "Cedric, isn''t Adrianna due to give birth soon?" Alexi asked.

    Cedric frowned at his friend''s reminder, of course he was right, and Cedric was rushing this whole mess with Lucius Ting so that he could be confident that his family was safe when Adrianna gave birth.

    He wanted his twins born into a better world, a safer one, but if he couldn''t do that, then he could at least secure the ce they were to be born at, and the capital was not that ce.

    "I n to have Adrianna, Yoyo, and some of my rtives fly out to Kashmere in the next few days." Cedric exined. "I want her to be as far away from all of this when she brings the twins into the world."

    "I think that''s the best course of action you can take right now." Alexi said as he agreed with Cedric.

    "For now we need to find out what the Rajas are nning, the girl, her name is Be, I heard the man call her that, see if she will talk." Cedric informed Alexi. "I''ll try to find a way to move you all out of there without raising any suspicions."

    "Thanks, Cedric." Alexi said over the phone before dropping the call.

    Cedric already had a n in mind, it was one that seemed to be extremely simple, but they needed to execute it perfectly. No one could be the wiser on the move they were about to make.

    He knew there were ways out of that police station without being detected by the media or the Rajas, he himself had made it out.

    But with a muchrger number of people, it would be quite a feat on its own.

 933 Chapter 933

    Cedric was sitting in the living room of his Mountain View mansion, waiting for Dave and Mien to arrive.

    He had asked Leon and John to join them as well since they were needed to execute this part of the n wlessly.

    All eyes would be at the Police Station where his friends were currently stuck at. He needed to do two things, bring in more of his men to guard the prisoners, and to get his friends and Lucius Ting out as quietly as possible.

    He had already formed a n, but he wanted to get everyone else''s opinions on it.

    As much as he wanted to keep his wife in the dark and protect her, Adrianna had insisted on joining the meeting.

    One by one his men arrived as they sat around the coffee table. Cedric had decided to have their meeting at a more rxed location rather than to hold it in his office. Too much of the rigid environment sometimes restricted his people''s ideas.

    "Now that we are all here let''s get down to business." Cedric said with a nod as he quickly caught everyone up to the situation at hand.

    Once he was done, the first to speak was Dave.

    "Do we know their full names?" Dave asked.

    Cedric knew that his assistant wanted to look into their backgrounds so that they could at least be more prepared to face the two dangerous people in the police station.

    "Unfortunately, we don''t." Cedric said as he shook his head. "I can''t give you a detailed description of how they look either since I was crouched behind the bushes in the park."

    Leon and the others silently nodded as they considered their options.

    "We can check the cameras!" Mien said as he came up with an idea. "They should have been captured by at least one camera, they can''t be that good."

    "There should be some around and inside the police station." Leon said with a nod as he thought of which resources to tap.

    "I think there are cameras on the road as well." John suggested. "There should be around the area where we picked the boss up."

    "I''ll see with my contacts." Leon said with a nod.

    "We can match their facial features with whatever we have on file." Dave told Cedric.

    "And if they aren''t in the police records? I doubt these people even have priors." Cedric knew that the Rajas would send people that were practically untraceable to attack. They wouldn''t risk the chance of being tracked down.

    "There are other records we can use." Leon said with a confident smile as he started typing away on his phone, checking with his connections.

    "Can we trust them?" Cedric asked his head of security.

    "I wouldn''t approach them if I wasn''t sure." Leon said in a more serious tone. Cedric knew that his people didn''t like being questioned, but they also understood his worries.

    "Good." Cedric said, giving his approval.

    "The next thing we need to do is to get more of our forces in there and to get Alexi and the others out. There are too many of them inside to use the path I took and it holds too many variables to transport Lucius Ting through that way." Cedric told the people with him.

    "I''m sure you already have a n." Adrianna told her husband as she gave him a knowing smile.

    "I do." He said with a nod. "But I want to get everyone else''s insight on the n since this cannot fail, we do not have room for any mistakes with this one. If we fail then the Rajas will know that we captured their people."

    Everyone simply nodded as they waited for Cedric to tell them about his n.

    "I am sure that they have people nted among the crowds, whether they are acting as bystanders or as members of the press, there will be people there." Cedric told the others. "I n on sending several vehicles in and out of the police stationplex, but they cannot have anything to do with the police."

    "So are we speaking delivery trucks and ambnces here?" John asked in an amused tone.

    "Yes." Cedric said, much to everyone else''s surprise. "But we also need for the Rajas to think we might be transporting goods into the police station as well as we want things to seem normal. So, we still need inmates being brought in and out of the station."

    "They obviously aren''t going to walk out of the front door, right?" Mien asked.

    "The Rajas will be watching the back exit closely as well as any exit that isn''t the main one." Cedric informed them.

    "How do you n on getting everyone out right in front of the media''s eyes?" Adrianna asked her husband, clearly confused by his n.

    If the Rajas didn''t spot them, the media would. There was no escaping them from the front entrance.

    "We swap them and disguise them. As for Lucius Ting, we will need to be able to hide him and roll him into one of the trucks or vans." Cedric suggested.

    "I think you should send some men to enter through the back entrance as well. It will make the Rajas think they have the upper hand." Leon suggested.

    "I can get us the vehicles we need, I''ll see which delivery trucks and ambnces frequent that police station. It shouldn''t be too hard to find out." John volunteered.

    Cedric simply nodded in response knowing that his driver was a lot more capable that most people thought.

    John was no simple man, the reason he was hired to be Cedric''s driver was because of his own abilities and connections.

    "We''ll arrange everything else, when should we move?" Dave asked Cedric.

    "I want them out by tonight." Cedric said with a stern tone. "The longer they are in that police station the more dangerous it gets. Bring them here as soon as possible, I don''t want people being too far off."

    Everyone nodded at Cedric''s instructions and got up to do as he asked.

    He then turned to his wife and gave her a kind smile.

    "I know you have a doctor''s appointment tomorrow, I know I''ve been missing a lot, I want to be there tomorrow with you." Cedric announced, surprising his wife.

    "Are you sure? Shouldn''t you be working on getting the Rajas?" Adrianna asked.

    Cedric shook his head and pulled her into his arms.

    "We will never truly have a peaceful life, the fact that I run the biggestpany in the country means I have a lot of enemies. I don''t want to miss out on the important things just because someone is threatening to hurt us. I want to be there for you and our children." As Cedric said this he nted a kiss on her head and simply enjoyed the temporary peace around them.

 934 Chapter 934

    Cedric was alone in his home office, waiting for updates.

    A knock on the door made him look up from his desk. He had been reviewing some documents in the office to keep him upied until news came.

    "Come in." Cedric called out as he waited to see who was still awake in his home.

    "Ced." Came his sister''s worried voice as she pushed the door open and entered his office.

    "Ayanna, what are you still doing up?" He asked his sister as he walked over to her and pressed a button that called for a maid.

    "I know you and Ray have everything under control, but I can''t help but worry." Ayanna told her brother anxiously. "I normally don''t call him while he is working, but earlier I had the urge to do so."

    While they were speaking, a maid entered with a cup of coffee and a cup of tea.

    Cedric thanked the maid and let her leave.

    "Ray and the others are all safe." Cedric told his sister as he tried to calm her down. "We bumped into a small problem, but it has been settled. Your husband will be here tonight."

    "Are you fixing that problem right now?" Ayanna asked her brother, not missing a beat.

    Cedric looked at his sister and gave her a reassuring nod and smile.

    "Leon, John, Dave, and Mien are all working on getting them back. We already have a n and they are just executing it." Cedric tried his best to hide how bad things actually were.

    They never expected the Rajas to send people to get Lucius Ting, they thought he was just coteral damage to them.

    "Can I stay here with you?" Ayanna asked her older brother as she pulled her legs to her chest and sat in a fetal position.

    Cedric scooted over and sat next to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a hug. He did his best tofort her, but Cedric knew that there was little he could do to help his sister.

    "Stay as long as you need, Ayanna, but you also should rest. It''s not good for the baby." He reminded his sister.

    He knew that there were times that his sister would still over work herself and still needed constant reminding of the life growing inside of her.

    The siblings remained silent for a while as Cedric tried to get Ayanna to calm down.

    Soon enough, his sister had fallen asleep on his shoulders and he called for a maid to bring him some pillows and a nket for her.

    Once she was tucked in, he checked with Leon for an update.

    "Sir, we expected your call an hour ago." Leon told Cedric as he was quite surprised that his boss had taken long to give them a call.

    "I had a personal matter to attend to." Cedric told his head of security as he nced at his sister who was peacefully sleeping on the couch. "What''s the status?" Cedric asked as he moved to sit behind his desk.

    "We''ve managed to send in one full security team. Mr. Sebastian should be briefing them by now while we start evacuating some of theirpanions." Leon informed Cedric.

    "Good, when will Lucius Ting be taken out of the police station?" Cedric asked Leon as he skimmed through several documents on his desk.

    "We are waiting for the reporters to lessen their interest in looking at the front doors. So far they are starting to look at the other entrances more." Leon informed Cedric.

    "Good, good." Cedric said with a nod. "Keep me updated, and Leon, as soon as someone is out of there I want them sent here for safety. I''m not willing to risk their lives. If Seth disagrees, as I know he will, tell him that I need to speak to him first."

    "Yes, sir." Leon responded right before Cedric dropped the call and was once more alone with his thoughts.

    Cedric knew that the members of the Dean family mafia would try to go to their headquarters first, and Cedric was sure that it would most likely be a trap.

    He had sent men in advance to check out the location and to see if anyone high ranking was stuck at the headquarters.

    It seemed that no one was there and those that were had managed to escape.

    Even Seth''s father and son were both safely hidden in a nearby building with enough security to deter the Rajas.

    Cedric also coordinated with Alexi''s father to heighten the security around that location. It was odd having the military guarding high ranking members of the mafia, but it was part of their deal.

    In order to keep himself upied, Cedric continued to work and review several recovery ns that his people had proposed.

    They might not have lost to Lucius Ting, but to say that he made no impact on their profits was a lie.

    He had been seen as a sort of Robin Hood by the people, they were sold on the story that he was adopted and experienced many hardships in his life.

    Because of that angle, many chose to patronize hispany over the Reyeses. To some, the old rich were the source of the country''s problems.

    Cedric had been so engrossed with his work, that he jumped when his phone began to ring.

    He picked it up and was surprised to find that it was Cami calling him. He quickly picked up the phone, worried that something bad had happened.

    "Cami." Cedric said.

    "Cedric, we''re out. We''re the first batch and we are on our way to your home." Cami happily announced. Her voice sounded tired and strained, but happy nheless.

    "Who is with you?" Cedric asked her.

    "Me, Guan Ming, and some of Seth''s men." Cami informed Cedric. "At first they wanted us to drop them off at the Dean family headquarters but John told us that he was under strict orders to bring us there." Cami exined.

    "Yes, and the Dean family headquarters are currently in enemy hands. I don''t want people rushing into half baked ns." Cedric said as he hoped that they would understand his reasons.

 935 Chapter 935

    Slowly Cedric got calls from his friend that they had each gotten out of the police station.

    Cedric was most relieved when Ray called him, telling Cedric that he was with Lucius Ting, Ian, and Seth.

    They had gotten the perfect opening as the members of the media crowded to one side of the building, thinking that Lucius Ting was on his way out. Unfortunately for them, it was just a policeman taking out the trash.

    Cedric assumed that this was all nned by his friends and that the timing was no coincidence.

    "Ayanna." Cedric gently shook his sister awake as he knew that the others were almost at his home. "Ayanna, Ray is on his way, the others are quite near too. You might want to wake up."

    Ayanna slowly stretched and sat up, she yawned as she seemed lost and confused. It took her a whole minute to recall that she was in her brothers office as he she turned to him forfort while waiting for her husband.

    "Do you think you can get me some tea and maybe a snack?" Ayanna asked her older brother. "Being pregnant makes me hungry." She said with an awkward chuckle.

    Cedric smiled and said nothing as he pressed the buzzer and told the maid what they needed.

    Soon enough the maid entered the room with Guan Ming and Cami in tow.

    "Cami!" Ayanna said excitedly, forgetting about the tea and snacks she had just asked for. She quickly ran up to the other woman and hugged her tight.

    "How was it?" Cedric asked with an apologetic look on his face. He knew that if he hadn''t found out about Belle and herpanion''s ns things could have turned out worse.

    "It was tiring, but nothing major. We survived and even made a few new friends in the process." Guan Ming teased as he seemed unbothered that they were attacked and stuck in the police station for hours.

    "Rest for a bit, let''s wait for everyone to get here first." Cedric told Guan Ming and Cami as he walked out of the room followed by the maid from earlier.

    "Are the guest houses at the back ready?" He asked the maid.

    "Yes, sir." The maid said with a slight bow.

    Cedric personally saw to it that Seth''s men were led to their rooms, he had several maids bring them food and refreshments as well as a change of clothes.

    He had everything arranged as soon as his men jumped into action, rescuing those stuck in the police station.

    With each group that arrived, Cedric could see how exhausted they were, exhausted but relieved.

    Cedric was coordinating his staff, when Ray and his group arrived.

    It was the biggest so far since more security was needed for Lucius Ting.

    "Where is he?" Cedric asked as he searched their group, none of them was Lucius Ting, making Cedric worry.

    "Rx, he''s in here." Ian said with a chuckle as he pointed at a metal trolly that he was pushing. It had a cab at the bottom whose doors were locked.

    "It''s the best we could do in such short notice." Dave said as he joined them. He had apanied the food delivery truck that picked Ray''s group up.

    Cedric nodded as he looked at the box.

    "You know where to take him." Cedric told Dave and Ian, both of whom nodded and pushed the cart back out followed by several members of both Seth''s group as well as some of Cedric''s guards.

    When they were out of sight, Cedric ced a hand on Ray''s shoulder and sighed.

    "Someone was very worried about you, she''s in my office." Cedric told his best friend and brother-inw as he gestured towards the doors that led to his home office.

    "She shouldn''t be stressing herself too much, it''s bad for the baby." Ray said with a worried look on his face.

    "Go to her, I''ll deal with things here." Cedric said as he urged Ray to go to his wife.

    Ray simply thanked Cedric and went on ahead.

    "Mr. Reyes." Seth greeted with a slight bow.

    "You can just call me Cedric, Seth. No need to be too formal." Cedric told the man with a smile.

    Seth simply nodded in response.

    "I''m sorry I can''t let you go to your headquarters, it''s too dangerous with the men of the Rajas lurking around." Cedric informed Seth.

    "I understand." Seth said in reply. Cedric tried to see if Seth had any indications of nning to go against Cedric''s order, but Seth''s bodynguage seemed to show that he truly understood Cedric''s reasoning.

    "Your father and son are in a secure location, we found out that they had moved to a nearby building. They fortified it with enough men, but Uncle Jose sent several policemen and military personnel to protect them." Cedric informed Seth, shocking both him and his subordinates.

    They all knew who the Uncle Jose that Cedric was, the man that held the highest position in the country and a person that should be out hunting them not protecting them.

    "I had rooms prepared for all of you, please, rest for the night." cedric gestured as several maids appeared to lead Seth and his men to the guest house.

    They had made the move to follow the maids when Seth suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked at Cedric, confused.

    "What about Lucius Ting?" He asked Cedric.

    "Lucius is not going anywhere, he is secured and heavily guarded. We can continue what we started tomorrow." Cedric replied as he sent them off.

    There was only one group due to arrive, Alexi''s group.

    Cedric couldn''t help but worry as he paced across the living room, waiting for another vehicle to show up in this driveway.

    It took longer than usual, but when Alexi arrived he look exhausted as he dragged himself into the house.

    "What happened to you?" Cedric asked, concerned as to why this group was longer than the others.

    "We were met by a mob, at first they tried to check if Lucius Ting was with us, so we had to hide. We just got lucky when they thought another vehicle had arrived." Alexi exined.

    "Good." Cedric said with a nod. "Rest or work?"

    "Today, work." Alexi dered as he made his way to Cedric''s office as well.

 936 Chapter 936

    Cedric woke up early the next day as he prepared to apany his wife to her check up. He promised to continue to live his life on his own terms, he didn''t want to keep missing the important things in life anymore.

    As he and Adrianna made their way to the front door, Cedric was surprised to find Guan Ming waiting for him.

    He had told everyone the night before that they should get as much rest and sleep in. He also informed them that he would join the questioningter in the afternoon. He nned to spend as much time with his wife today.

    "Why don''t you go on ahead, Adrainna." Cedric told his wife as he let go of her hand.

    "Don''t take too long, we have an appointment." She said as she looked at the two men and made her way to the car that was waiting outside.

    When Adrianna was out of earshot Cedric looked at Guan Ming and sighed.

    "I told you to sleep in." He reminded the other man.

    "I know you did, and I understand your intentions, but Cedric please let me have another go at him." Guan Ming pleaded.

    "Guan Ming," Cedric said with a sigh as he shook his head and ced a hand on his friend''s shoulder.

    Cedric frowned as he looked at Guan Ming, he knew that the man before him was full of so much anger towards Lucius Ting. He knew that Guan Ming had multiple reasons to want to hurt Lucius Ting, but Cedric knew that it wasn''t healthy to keep hating.

    "Ming, the woman you love is probably fast asleep in your bed right now and you''re wasting precious time that you could be spending with her. Would you really rather be in some cold room with Lucius Ting?" Cedric asked the businessman.

    To Cedric''s surprise, Guan Ming ended upughing at what he said, catching Cedric off guard.

    "For starters, Cami is fast asleep in her own bed. We haven''t exactly done it." Guan Ming told Cedric as he seemed more proud than embarrassed, something that Cedric did not expect.

    "I don''t want to rush her, I want us to take our time and when she''s ready, then we will sleep together." Guan Ming shrugged. "I''ll just pop in for a bit, I''ll be out before she''s even up and I''ll spend the whole morning with her."

    Cedric hesitated, he would much rather his friend rest rather than torture Lucius Ting. But he also knew that there was no changing Guan Ming''s mind. He was furious with Lucius Ting.

    "Just don''t over do it." Cedric said, shaking his head as he left his friend and went to apany his wife in the car.

    Cedric took a deep breath before getting in, he knew that today would be a long day. At least the start would be great since Adrianna would be with him.

    "What did Ming want?" Adrianna asked, curious as to why the man was up so early when they arrived at three in the morninging from the police station.

    Cedric closed his eyes and leaned back.

    "He wanted to have some time with Lucius Ting." Cedric was clearly not happy about his friend''s request, but Adrianna knew he wouldn''t deny Guan Ming.

    "He''s good to Cami." Adrianna told her husband as she leaned against his chest and held his hand.

    They sat in that position in silence as John, Cedric''s driver, took them to the hospital.

    Since it was still quite early, Cedric and Adrianna were able toe in through the main entrance.

    As they passed, Cedric was aware of the whispers and staresing from the people around them. He couldn''t help but frown at their reaction. He missed the days when they could go out as a family and be treated like normal people.

    With his identity being revealed, Cedric and Adrianna needed to take extra precautions when going out.

    Just as how a simple hospital visit required for an advance team to check the area as well as for multiple guards to surround them as they made their way to the doctor''s office.

    When they finally entered Adrianna''s OB-GYN, Dr. Santos, happily greeted the couple.

    "It''s been a while since youst joined us, Mr. Reyes." The doctor said as she offered her hand to Cedric to shake.

    Cedric smiled and took her hand and shook it. Something about this doctor always felt sofortable and motherly to him. He was d that she was Adrianna''s doctor, it put him in a lot of ease.

    "I promised myself that I would be there for my wife and children for every important milestone, no matter how small it seems." He said as he looked adoringly at his wife.

    "I''m sure your wife understands, Mr. Reyes." the doctor said as she prepared Adrianna for the ultrasound.

    "I understand, but it''s nice to have him here." She said with a sweet smile making Cedric feel like being with her was worth letting the world get a little crazier without him.

    Everything went well with Adrianna''s check up. The twins were fine and ording to the doctor Adrianna should be due in the next two to three weeks.

    "Dr. Santos, I want my wife to give birth on Kashmere Ind." Cedric informed her. "We would very much like for you to be the one to deliver the twins."

    Dr. Santos smiled and nodded.

    "It would be my pleasure to be there for you and your children." The doctor told the couple.

    "Perfect, we n to fly out next week. No harm in getting some vacation time while we''re waiting for the babies to arrive." Adrianna said with an excited look on her face.

    "I''ll have someone get in touch with you for the details." Cedric told the doctor as he shook her hand and led his wife out of the doctor''s office.

    Cedric and Adrianna stopped in their tracks when they heard a very familiar voice.

    "I need to see her now." The woman said in a shaky tone.

    The couple rounded the corner to find no other than Katerina speaking to the frightened receptionist.

    "Katerina, is everything alright?" Cedric asked as he took a step towards the clearly flustered woman.

 937 Chapter 937

    "C- Cedric." Katerina said in a shaky voice when she turned to look at the couple next to her.

    Cedric could clearly see the distress in her eyes, it seemed that she wasn''t prepared to run into people she knew in the hospital today.

    "Kat, why are you here?" Adrianna asked in a calm tone as she red at her husband. It was clear that if he questioned their friend she wouldn''t speak up. "Are you here for a routine check?"

    "Y- y- yes." Katerina, who was normally confident, said, clearly stumbling on her answers.

    "Katerina, why don''t you join us at the restaurant? I''m sure the doctor''s assistant would be more than happy to call us when it''s your turn." Adrianna suggested to her friend as she offered her hand.

    "Miss Sebastian, I can get you a slot in thirty minutes, the couple that was supposed toe over for a check up canceled." The assistant said with a smile, clearly relieved that the Reyes couple managed to calm the intimidating Katerina.

    "Alright." Katerina nodded as she slowly regained her confidence.

    "Perfect!" Adrianna eximed as she pulled Katerina with them.

    It wasn''t in their ns to have a snack at the hospital, it was clearly unsafe and held many risks for the couple, but it''s what their friend needed at the moment.

    Cedric was sure that there was something more if Katerina was demanding to see the doctor in such a rush, he suspected that she might be pregnant.

    He chose not to tell his wife or his friend about his suspicions, opting to remain silent and trust that Katerina would tell them on her own.

    Cedric''s bodyguards found an empty table at the far end of the cafeteria. At first they had insisted on clearing out all the tables around Cedric and hispanions, but the businessman told them not to.

    He knew that the people here were harmless, they were all visiting the hospital for their health or the health of someone they loved. He, however, allowed them to stand around their group and to shadow him as he ordered food and drinks from him and the girls.

    When they were finally settled down Cedric began to chat with his wife about their ns for her delivery, he noticed that Katerina seemed to be lost in thought. He gestured to Adrianna that the woman with them might need to talk.

    "Kat, are you alright?" Adrianna asked as she reached out and touched Katerina''s hand.

    The woman sighed and shook her head.

    "I''m. . ." Unable to continue what she was saying, Katerina took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she gathered her courage and strength to speak up. "I''mte and I took a test and it said positive. I don''t want to tell anyone until I''m sure, but I feel like I am."

    Cedric smiled and went over to the shaking Katerina.

    He pulled her into a hug and patted her back. All the younger sisters of their group were in essence their sisters too, he cared for Katerina deeply and he knew why she was so worried.

    "Congrattions, does Eric know?" Cedric said in a low voice, making sure that others would not hear.

    Katerina shook her head and frowned.

    "I know we just got engaged and this is moving really fast, but I wanted to be sure before telling him." She told Cedric. "I didn''t really have my hopes up that we would have kids, but I''m really happy that there is a possibility."

    Cedric smiled and nodded as he nced at his watch.

    "We should go back to Dr. Santos'' office." He told the women as he got up and rushed to offer his wife a hand up.

    Katerina smiled at the sweet couple, despite everything they had gone through, they were still very much in love.

    Adrianna and Cedric had suffered much in the early days of their rtionship, so much so that Katerina, who was simply watching from a distance, thought they would break up. She had heard stories about Adrianna''s family and concluded that Cedric deserved better.

    And yet here they were with Adrianna''s parents having a change of heart and the couple soon weing their second and third children.

    As they made their way to the doctor''s office, they were greeted by shes of the camera.

    Katerina was more popr than ever since her engagement to Eric. She had gathered not only fans, but haters as well. That''s why when she first came to the hospital she did her best to hide her face.

    Katerina felt Adrianna reach for her hand and give it a small squeeze. She looked at the other woman and gave her a smile.

    "Rx, they will just think you''re here to apany us." Adrianna whispered as they approached the doctor''s office.

    "Dr. Santos is ready to see you now." The assistant said as soon as she noticed Katerina.

    Cedric simply nodded and pushed the door open.

    "Mr. and Mrs. Reyes, you''re back!" The doctor said, surprised to see the couple in her office once more.

    "We''re here for a friend." Cedric said as he gestured towards Katerina who was smiling nervously.

    "Miss Sebastian?" The doctor said, shocked that Katerina was there for an appointment.

    The assistant soon came in, handing the doctor a file for Katerina.

    When the assistant finally left, Katerina managed to exin her situation.

    "I think I''m pregnant, I took some home tests and they came out positive but I want to be sure." Katerina told the doctor.

    "Alright." Dr. Santos said as she took out some vials and needles. "We''ll need to run some blood tests to confirm, but it''s highly likely that you''re pregnant if you were positive with multiple tests."

    Katerina wordlessly nodded as she extended her arm for the doctor to take some blood.

    As they waited, Cedric''s phone began to ring and to his surprise it was Mae. She was supposed to be working with Katerina on the matter of the employees that were injured.

    Cedric excused himself and stepped out to take the call.

    "Mae?" Cedric asked.

    "Sorry I had to call you sir, but Miss Sebastian isn''t answering her phone." Mae said apologetically.

    "It''s fine, I''m with her. Why did you call?" Cedric asked his assistant, confused as to what could be so urgent that she needed to call him instead of waiting.

    "Sir, one of the injured employees is missing. We can''t find him or his family." Cedric turned pale at the news, he knew that this was not good.

 938 Chapter 938

    "Sir?" Mae asked over the phone as the line went silent. She knew Cedric was still on the other end of the line since she could still hear the background noises.

    Cedric blinked and shook his head as he recovered from the initial shock.

    He knew that he needed to give instructions and that they needed to find out more.

    "Have our people track his calls, check the cameras around his residence and trace back his steps." Cedric told Mae. "If he was kidnapped, we should find something. If he met with someone to betray us, we should uncover who it was."

    "Yes, sir." Mae said. "I''ll report back once we know more."

    "Good, no need to inform Katerina, I''ll do it myself." Cedric told his assistant before dropping the call.

    Before returning to the doctor''s office, Cedric took a deep breath and considered when he should tell Katerina about their newest discovery.

    He knew that if he dyed telling her the news she would be pissed, but at the same time he wanted her to prioritize the good news he was sure he was about to hear.

    Knowing Katerina, she would put aside everything personal just for work and that was something that Cedric did not want happening this time.

    "Ah, Mr. Reyes, we''re done taking the blood samples and Miss Sebastian will know the results in a few days. Although, I doubt it will be any different from the tests she has taken." Dr. Santos informed Cedric as soon as he rejoined them in the room.

    "Thank you for your help, Dr. Santos." Cedric said with a smile as he shook the doctor''s hand.

    He then led the two women out of the office and towards the hospital entrance.

    "Katerina, how did youe here?" Cedric asked as they walked through the throngs of people that wanted to catch a glimpse of their group or just snap a photo of them.

    "I drove here, how else do you think I would have gotten to the hospital?" Katerina asked with a hint of annoyance in her tone.

    "Keys." Cedric said as he stretched his hand out for her.

    Katerina sighed but said nothing as she passed her keys to Cedric. She already knew that he was getting on overprotective brother mode and chose not to argue.

    When they reached the driveways Cedric gestured for Katerina and Adrianna to get in the backseat while he made his way to the driver''s side.

    He tapped on the window, making his driver step out.

    "Take Katerina''s car to Mountain View." Cedric instructed the man as he handed the keys. "I''ll drive us home. It''s been a while." He said with a smile as he slid into the driver''s seat.

    "What are you doing?" Adrianna asked when she noticed that her husband had taken the steering wheel.

    "She can''t drive that death trap of hers. She''s most likely pregnant, both her brother and her fiance will never let me hear the end of it if I let her." Cedric pointed out as he gently stepped on the elerator.

    Through the rear view mirror, he noticed Katerina roll her eyes at him. He knew she wouldn''t be happy with his decision, but she wasn''t just caring for herself now. There was a life growing inside of her and that needed to be protected.

    "Kat, when will you tell Eric?" Adrianna asked in an excited tone as she shifted the topic.

    Cedric was d that his wife was on his side in this matter. He knew she would see that he was making sense, even if it was a little bit overboard.

    "I don''t know." Katerina said with a frown as she looked down at her hands. "I wanted to be sure, but the doctor said it may take a few days."

    "Kat, we''ll be there for you when you tell him." Adrianna said with a smile as she reached out and held the other woman''s hand.

    "For now, you shouldn''t overwork yourself." Cedric warned Katerina ruining the nice moment between the two women. "You have another life to consider now."

    "I''ll be careful." Katerina said in a solemn tone as she ced her hand on her t stomach. It would be a while before she would show signs of being pregnant, for now the moment was just for her and her little one.

    "Good, did you get enough sleepst night?" Cedric asked as he continued to keep his eyes on the road as he drove them back to his home.

    "I did, a little." Katerina nodded.

    "Get some rest when we arrive at Mountain View, as much as I don''t want to tell you, I need your help with something." Cedric informed Katerina.

    "Why not just tell me now?" She asked.

    Cedric sighed and shook his head, regretting that he even mentioned work to her.

    "Because this is exactly what I feared would happen." Cedric grumbled. "You need to rest first Katerina."

    "But there is work we need to do." She argued back.

    "Kat, don''t be stubborn about this." Adrianna said as she tried to intervene. "This time, Cedric is right, you need to rest. You can work after."

    Katerina remained silent for a few moments as she took Adrianna''s words into consideration. Had it just been Cedric that insisted she rest, she would have ignored him since her brother and his friends had over protective tendencies.

    With Adrianna chirping in her concern Katerina was forced to listen. She knew that Adrianna was also annoyed at how overprotective Cedric could get, so she wouldn''t insist on Katerina resting so lightly.

    She sighed and shook her head in defeat, there was no winning this discussion.

    "Fine." Katerina said as she gave in to the couple''s request. "But after you better not hide anything from me." She said as she crossed her arms and leaned back on the seat.

    Cedric couldn''t help but smile, happy that he had won this argument against Katerina. It was, after all, for her own safety.

 939 Chapter 939

    Katerina was surprised when Cedric had insisted that they work at R Tower today. She expected him to go all over protective older brother on her the same way he had done with Ayanna when he found out she was pregnant.

    "So why the office today?" Katerina asked Cedric as she looked out of the window as they drove from Cedric''s Mountain View Mansion to R Tower.

    Cedric smiled and gave her a light chuckle.

    "Because I''ve been holed up in my mansion for too long." Cedric told her. "Were you worried I''d lock you up there and not let you work? I''m not your brother or fiance."

    "We both know you are practically my brother at this point." Katerina said with a grin as Cedric''s car pulled up to the entrance of R Tower.

    "I never locked anyone up at home, Ayanna wasn''t allowed to go to the office because of the attacks and even then it was Ray that stopped her from working." Cedric exined. "And Adrianna goes to the office if there are no security threats, though that would need to change soon."

    Before Katerina could even reply to Cedric''s words he opened the door and stepped out of the car.

    All she could do was shake her head and follow suit.

    As they made their way through the lobby the employees cleared a path for Cedric so that he could pass. He would asionally smile at them and greet them good morning making their faces light up in excitement.

    Katerina did her best not tough as several women practically screamed when Cedric greeted them.

    After going through therge and elegant lobby of R Tower, they eventually found themselves in the CEOs elevator with two bodyguards.

    "Are you going to tell me why we need to work and what you need my help with?" Katerina asked, slightly annoyed by all the secrecy.

    "I can''t tell you yet, you just have to trust me." Cedric said getting Katerina more and more frustrated.

    Having noticed that Katerina was not happy Cedric smiled and ced a hand on her shoulder.

    "It''s confidential, I don''t like talking about it in public." Cedric told her as he pointed at the elevator cameras.

    Of course, even if Cedric owned the building he wasn''t naive to think that their enemies would not tap their security footage or that they wouldn''t try to bribe the employees for information.

    Those were tactics he had used in the past and tactics used against him as well. He had no ns of repeating the same mistakes.

    "Mr. Reyes." Mae greeted as soon as the elevator doors opened.

    "Did my sistere in today?" Cedric immediately asked as he nced at Katerina.

    "Yes, Miss Ayanna is in her office right now, do you want me to call for her?" Mae said as they walked down the posh hallways of the CEO''s floor.

    "Yes please, thanks Mae. Are Dave and Mien here in R Tower today as well?" Cedric asked, he knew that the two men could either be working with Ian or at Mor Co. working with Cami.

    "They are at their desks sir, I had to ask them toe in to help me." Mae admitted.

    "Alright, that mission is a top priority. Please fetch my sister." Cedric told Mae who quickly went the other direction towards Ayanna''s office.

    "See, I''m not stopping my sister from working, there were just too many threats that''s why I wouldn''t allow her to go to the office." Cedric said with a grin as he pushed open the door to his office and gestured for Katerina to enter before him.

    As soon as they were settled inside, Dave entered with drinks for them followed by Ayanna and Mae who were both happily chatting about shopping.

    "Call Mien and close the door behind you." Cedric said in a serious tone catching everyone in the room off guard.

    He had been quite happy right before that moment, even Mae who knew why her boss was so serious was surprised with the sudden shift.

    Nheless she called her brother and they closed the door as soon as he had joined them.

    "Let me get you all up to date with what is happening." Cedric said as he took a deep breath. "I''ll tell the others about thister on, but we need to do something now or it will cause bigger problems in the future."

    Cedric knew that Ayanna and Katerina would be concerned that the others were not around, that''s why Cedric felt that he needed to add thest part.

    "When the Rajas attacked, one of the ces that was severely damaged was the Mor Co factory." Cedric exined. "Many employees were injured and we have been working on providing them with the properpensation."

    The others nodded as they listened to his words. Only Cedric had aplete view of the whole picture at the moment, so he needed to exin things.

    "The Rajas had a goal to hit us anywhere that they could do damage, this much I learned from our prisoners. Now, most of the employees have been found andpensated. We gave them more than what was needed, but one of them is missing." Cedric heard Katerina gasp at the news. It seemed that what she was worried about had happened.

    "Rx." Cedric said as he read the reaction of the two women in the room. "Both of you cannot be too stressed in your condition."

    "CEDRIC REYES! What the fuck did you just say?" Katerina asked angrily as she red at Cedric making Ayannaugh.

    "Congrattions Katerina, I won''t tell anyone, I promise." She told her friend with a grin.

    "As I was saying, you both don''t need to worry, I already have our people searching for them. But in the event that they execute their ns before we can get to those employees, we need to be prepared for what legal cases they may throw our way." As Cedric said this he nced at Katerina and Mien.

    "Does this mean I get to work with Miss Sebastian?!" Mien asked a little too excitedly, making Cedricugh at how silly he was acting.

    ? "Yes, and don''t let her get stressed, is that clear?" Cedric asked Mien who simply nodded.

    "Cedric!" Katerinained, but Cedric simply ignored her as they began nning their next steps.

 940 Chapter 940

    Cedric was d that they now had Mien to help Katerina prepare for a case against the Rajas.

    Of course, Cedric was still hoping that they would somehow find a way to get in touch with those employees and convince them not to fear the Rajas.

    The Reyes Group was also more than willing to assist them in any way possible. Cedric was aware that the Rajas were probably threatening or ckmailing those employees, so he was prepared for the worst.

    "Mien and I have done everything we could to prepare," Katerina approached Cedric''s desk, pulling him from his thoughts. "All we can do now is to find them or for the Rajas to take action."

    "Thank you." Cedric nodded as he began to pack up his things. "Have dinner with us, Adrianna wants to talk to you."

    "Can I refuse?" Katerina asked Cedric.

    "You can, but Adrianna is leaving for Kashmere tomorrow and she wanted to talk to you before she flew out." Cedric told Katerina who simply sighed and shook her head.

    "Fine." She grumbled as she picked up her bag and followed Cedric out of his office.

    She was surprised to find Ayanna waiting outside for them, normally the siblings took separate cars for safety purposes.

    "I''m driving us today." Cedric exined. "I miss driving, it rxes me and Ayanna wanted to spend time with you."

    Katerina simply nodded as she walked alongside the siblings towards the elevator.

    Despite Cedric''s cold and unyielding reputation, people still greeted him warmly as he left the office. Katerina was quite impressed at how highly the employees of the Reyes Group respected Cedric.

    She knew that they were paid more than most and that they were also given better opportunities and hours by thepany. This created very loyal employees that wouldn''t easily betray the Reyes Group or it''s owners, the Reyes Family.

    Cedric was normally a fast driver, but with two pregnant women in his back seat he drove carefully and slowly making Ayannaugh at him.

    "Since when have you been this slow?" She teased.

    "Since your husbands would kill me if I drove too fast." Cedric responded with a lightugh.

    "I''m not even married!" Katerinained, making the siblingsugh at her.

    "All you two arecking is a ceremony. You and Eric practically decide on things as if you were married." Ayanna pointed out. "Plus you''ve got a little bun baking in your oven."

    At Ayanna''s words Katerina blushed making her friendugh even harder, Katerina Sebastian didn''t blush.

    "So when are you telling him?" Ayanna asked her friend as she finally stoppedughing. "You should tell Eric that you two are expecting, unless, oh no, did you?"

    Katerina shook her head and red at Ayanna. She knew her friend was just teasing her, but the thought of her cheating on her fiance was just too repulsive.

    "She''s just teasing you Katerina. No need to plot my sister''s murder in your head." Cedric said with a grin as he drove them through the thick traffic of the capital.

    It was this part of driving that he didn''t miss.

    "I''m not going to murder her." Katerina answered back as she rolled her eyes at Cedric.

    "You were plotting it! I was only teasing!" Ayannained, making Katerina grin victoriously.

    "I''m serious though, Katerina, Eric deserves to know about this." Ayanna said as her tone suddenly became more serious.

    "I know, it''s just I don''t want to give him false hope." Katerina said with a frown. "We''ve actually been trying for a while now. I told him that we weren''t getting any younger and I didn''t care if I was Mrs. Chan, I want to have kids."

    Cedric smiled from the driver''s seat. None of them thought that Katerina wanted children, as a matter of fact they all thought that she was more than happy not to have them since she oftenined about how much they cost. And yet here she was, hoping that she was pregnant.

    "His family isn''t going to like this." Katerina said with a sigh as Ayanna patted her back. "We all know how traditional they are."

    "Have you and Eric ever cared about what they think?" Cedric asked.

    Katerina gave Cedric a weak smile and shook her head.

    "It would be nice to have their approval for once though." She replied.

    "You don''t need it, Katerina, you''ll always have us." Ayanna told her friend with a smile as they pulled up to the gates of Cedric''s Mountain View property.

    It was already quite dark outside when they arrived and they were greeted by a very excited Yoyo who quickly ran out the door to wee his father, Aunt Ayanna, and Aunt Katerina.

    "Are you going to try to convince me to talk to Eric too?" Katerina said with a smile as Adrianna approached them.

    "I might." She responded with a wink. "Did Cedric''s and Ayanna''s talk get you to consider?" She asked thewyer as they walked into the mansion behind Cedric who was carrying a very excited Yoyo in his arms as he told his Auntie Ayanna about his day.

    "Katerina, I know you are hesitant, but I''m sure Eric wants to be by your side through all of this." Adrianna told Katerina as they walked towards the dining room where the maids and chefs had prepared a healthy meal for the three pregnant women.

    "Are you packed?" Cedric asked his wife as he pulled out the chair for her.

    Adrianna nodded and gave her husband a sweet smile.

    "Yoyo is already packed as well and his school has been notified of his absence. When will youe and join us?" Adrianna asked her husband.

    "I n to fly over in a day or two, I just need to handle some things here then I''m all yours. I''ll work from Kashmere if anything urgentes up." He told his wife with a nod.

    "Won''t anyone else be joining us for dinner?" Katerina asked as she realized that the maids only set up enough spots for the five of them to eat.

    "No, the others are either at work or went out. It''s been a while since any of us could safely step out of the mansion." Cedric told Katerina. "I informed Eric to pick you up here after work. I said we had a big case to work on."

    Katerina nodded as she considered what to do, she knew she would eventually tell Eric, she just wasn''t sure if now was the right time to do so.

 941 Chapter 941

    It tore Cedric''s heart to watch his son and wife board a ne without him. He wished that he could go with them, but he needed to stay behind.

    There were things back at the Reyes Group that couldn''t wait, there were also matters with the Rajas that he needed to end or at least get some progress on before the twins were born.

    He wanted his children to live in a world safer than it was now. He didn''t want to fear for their lives.

    The twins would be brought up differently from their older brother.

    While they wouldn''t be fixtures to the media, they would still be more visiblepared to Yoyo.

    Growing up, Cedric''s parents would asionally bring Ayanna with them to events. Ayanna hated going because she wanted to stay at home with Cedric, who at that time was busy with school.

    Cedric didn''t mind being left at home either since he didn''t like the attention, a behavior he carried with him until now.

    The attentioning from the public and the media was something he detested. All he wanted was to live his life as normally as possible, but those weren''t the cards he was dealt with at birth.

    Even if he had turned down the position as the Reyes Heir, the fact that he was the only son of his parents would keep the public''s attention on him.

    "Cedric?" Ian asked as he noticed Cedric deep in thought. "Are you alright?"

    As a father and as a husband, Ian could rte to how Cedric was feeling. He too hated being far away from Tristan and Nicole, and yet the two people he loved the most were on the same ne as Adrianna and Yoyo.

    "I''ll never get used to being separated from them." Cedric sighed as he shook his head. "I know it''s silly since I''m always at work, but at least in the Capital I can always stop working and go home to them."

    Ian chuckled and shook his head.

    "It''s not like you can''t do the same while they are on Kashmere." Ian pointed out. "Ray''s ind is three hours from the Capital by ne, just hop on one and be with them."

    Cedric gave him a small smile and sighed.

    "If I go, I don''t think I coulde back." He confessed. "I''d probably ask people to handle the work here so that I can spend more time with my family."

    "Let''s go." Ian told his friend as he dragged Cedric off of the tarmac and into his car. "We have a full day ahead and a lot of driving."

    Cedric nodded as he got into the car and let Ian drive.

    He decided that today they would visit the victims of the attack on the Mor Co. factory in the industrial center they had built.

    It was quite a drive away and Ian suggested that they make it in one of his more discreet cars while Cedric''s security team followed them at a distance.

    Cedric was more than happy to agree to this n. He wanted to show the employees that he cared about them and that he was worried about what had happened.

    He knew that physically being there and hearing their stories mattered, so he nned the trip as soon as possible.

    The drive to the industrial center was filled with Ian and Cedric reminiscing about their work together in the past.

    As fellow assistants they had gotten themselves in and out of several sticky situations.

    "Who knew that my best friend was actually the boss I was training to work for?" Ian said with a chuckle as they entered the province that the Sebastian family practically controlled.

    "I was actually worried that you would be hesitant to work for me." Cedric confessed.

    "Why?" Ian asked.

    "You''ve worked with me for years before you found out my real identity. I was basically lying to both you and Cami. Who would trust a person like that?" Cedric asked.

    "It wasn''t your choice, we understood that." Ian said with a nod.

    "You and Cami were more understanding than Adrianna at the time." Cedric said with a sigh as he brought up the painful memory from the past.

    "It''s different and both know it." Ian chuckled. "She''s your wife, you aren''t supposed to lie. And to be honest, Cami and I were expecting someone worse."

    "Worse?" Cedric asked as they passed several buildings that seemed to be quite new. It seemed that the entire province had greatly benefited from their industrial center.

    "Yeah, we thought our boss would be some stuck up snotty man that never worked a day in his life." Ian said as the Reyes Group Industrial Center came into view. "When we realized it was you we were actually happy."

    "Thanks, I guess." Cedric said with a smile as a guard stopped them at the gate.

    When Ian rolled down his window the man was shocked to find the owner of the Reyes Group and one of his highest ranked men in the simple car in front of him.

    "Won''t you ask for my ID?" Ian asked the guard with a smile as he teased the man.

    The guard quickly panicked, unsure of what to do or say.

    It wasn''t everyday that two powerful men just drove up to the gate. He was expecting Cedric and Ian to arrive in a caravan of security vehicles, but they looked incredibly down to earth in Ian''s SUV.

    "Don''t bully the man." Cedric scolded in a more formal tone.

    "Fine." Ian grumbled. "We''re here to visit, the cars behind us are his security team."

    "Yes, sir." The guard quickly saluted before waving to hispanions to open the gates.

    "Thanks." Cedric and Ian said before driving into thepound.

    Since the attacks by the Rajas, Cedric had security increased. He also asked for more security cameras as well as for military assistance for his uncle Jose.

    Inside thepound, life seemed to be going on as it would normally.

    Children were rushing off to school, workers to their offices, and some women were gossiping on the side.

    Ian and Cedric spotted their destination inside thepound, it was the local Mor Co. office where several high ranking officials were waiting for them.

    "Wanna give them a shock?" Ian asked with a grin.

    He didn''t need to ask to know that Cedric would be more than happy to prank the high strung officials.

 942 [Bonus Chapter]Chapter 942

    Since no one expected Cedric and Ian to arrive in a simple car driven by Ian, the officials were all waiting for the famous white Rolls-Royce that Cedric was known to favor.

    The pair in Ian''s SUV could see as the officials strained their necks to spot Cedric''s car.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh at the sight of them.

    "So this is how silly we used to look." Cedric pointed out as he recalled them waiting for the old CEO of Mor Co. or even just waiting for a VIP guest.

    "What do you want me to do?" Ian asked as he spotted the line of security vehicles closing behind them.

    "Drive up to the entrance and stop the car." Cedric said with a grin.

    Ian chuckled at Cedric''s n. He knew what his friend was up to and was more than happy to do as Cedric asked.

    He slowly drove the car up the entrance, much to the confusion of the executives and officials standing in wait for Cedric''s arrival.

    When he stopped his car at the entrance they could see how outraged the men were.

    They called for some guards to knock on the windows and to signal for Ian to move the car.

    To their surprise the car didn''t move. It was as if the driver and the passengers couldn''t hear them.

    The officials started to panic even more as they saw Cedric''s security vehicles approach. The lead cars skipped the entrance and positioned themselves at the other end of the driveway, now making it impossible for the stray car to leave.

    The officials turned pale as they realized that they boss wouldn''t be able to get down in front of the entrance.

    "Move the car!" On of the officials shouted, making Cedric and Ian who were still inside,ugh at how silly his order was.

    Before the officials or their men could do anything, Leon stepped out of the lead security vehicle and made his way to Ian''s car.

    "Mr. Leon, we tried our best but this car wouldn''t move." One of the guards said as he tried his best to exin the situation.

    Leon simply gave the man a confused look as he continued to make his way to Ian''s car.

    The officials began to grin when several guards followed Leon and surrounded the car. What happened next took them by surprise.

    The guards line up facing them along the side of the car as Leon opened the door.

    "Thank you, Leon." Cedric said with a smile as he stepped out.

    The officials turned pale when they realized that inside the car they had been trying to move was the very boss they were trying to impress.

    "Your men are relentless, Leon." Ianmented as he stepped out of the driver''s seat.

    Cedric and Ian were sure that the officials and the guards wanted to vanish from where they stood.

    "Rx." Cedric said as he smiled at them. "Ian and I were just having our fun, it''s been a while."

    The officialsughed awkwardly as they tried their best to keep theirposure.

    "Let''s not stand around. I want to speak to as many employees as possible." Cedric said in a loud voice as he looked at the officials.

    "But sir, we prepared a tour of the building for you as well as lunch." One of the official said as soon as they realized what Cedric wanted to do.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh.

    "I don''t think I need a tour of the administrative building, I was here when it was built, I helped n theyout." Cedric said in a cold tone. "Let''s visit the employees in the hospital first, after I''d like to have lunch with those that can join us."

    The official could do nothing but nod as he led Cedric and Ian towards several electric vehicles that served as the main mode of transportation around thepound.

    As the vehicle drove off, another official stood up and began to exin things to Cedric and Ian.

    "Sir, out of all the employees that were injured during the attack, only twenty were sent to the hospital." The man exined. "Most were able to walk out unharmed due to the safety protocols we have in ce."

    Cedric nodded as he listened to the man before him. It made him feel better that only a few of the employees were hurt in the attack.

    "What were the main causes of injuries?" Ian asked.

    "Mostlying from shrapnel when the attack was initiated." The man said with a frown as they pulled up to the hospital drive way.

    Ian nodded and didn''t say a word as they disembarked and entered the hospital.

    When they were taken to visit each employee, Cedric could see how much the employees appreciated the fact that the Reyes Group did not abandon them. As a matter of fact many were shocked to hear thatpensation was already given to their families.

    Cedric was pleased that no one had anyints about how they were being treated, some even praised the nervous executives for visiting them.

    It seemed that they only seemed like confused idiots around Cedric and Ian, most likely because of the prank the two men pulled on them.

    When they finally finished visiting everyone, Cedric suddenly stopped in the hallway and turned around.

    "How many of them are here?" Cedric asked the official.

    "Seventeen, sir." One woman said.

    "The other three have been discharged?" Cedric asked as he looked at the woman.

    The woman now looked to herpanions who all shrunk back. It seemed that there was something they didn''t want to tell Cedric.

    "The CEO asked you a question." Ian reminded them.

    "Sir, they refused treatment." The woman exined.

    "And where are they now? Are we checking up on them?" Cedric asked, he was sure that one of them was the missing employee that Mae had

    "Sir, we tried, but all of them are gone and it''s not just the employees their families are missing as well." The woman admitted.

    "So we are missing three and not just one?" Cedric asked as he tried to control his anger. He quickly took out his phone and began to call Mae. He needed her to add those that were missing to her investigation.

 943 Chapter 943

    "Sir, the videos show that they were being tailed well before the attack." Mae informed Cedric as she handed him a tablet.

    Cedric could see as a young mother and her children were being followed by several men at a distance.

    He frowned at the sight. He couldn''t help but feel bad that he wasn''t able to provide his people with the proper protection they needed even inside the industrial park.

    "We saw the same thing with the other two employees." Mae said in a sad tone.

    "Did they have anything inmon?" Cedric asked as he handed the tablet back.

    "Small families, all of them had lost their extended families as well." Mae reported.

    "So the Rajas targeted those that were easier to take." Cedric added as he thought of their circumstances.

    "They weren''t just easy to take, they went through a traumatizing loss of their family members in the past." Dave told Cedric as he handed him three folders, each representing an employee that was taken.

    "Glen Menor lost his father and mother in a car ident at eighteen, Nichs Perez lost his sister when she was raped and murdered, andstly Francis Sy lost his first wife in a hit and run incident ten years ago." Mae told Cedric with a heavy heart.

    "All of them have been through too much." Ian said as he picked up one of the folders on Cedric''s desk.

    "They were targeted because they would do anything to stop a family member from suffering again." Cedric said to no one in particr as he flipped open the folder on top.

    In it was a photo of a young girl that seemed to be no older than sixteen.

    There was no doubt in his mind that this was the raped and murdered sister of one of his employees.

    "How could the Rajas be so cruel?" Dave hissed as he red at the image of the girl.

    "Did you somehow hope that they had changed since the old days?" Ian asked Dave in an annoyed tone. "The Rajas want a return to how their lives once were, they already know that their tactics in the past worked. They won''t just change because the world became nicer."

    Cedric silently nodded as he agreed with Ian.

    "This is their chance to get back to power." Cedric said with a sigh as he stood up and looked at the distance. "They know that if they can make one of us fall the rest will crumble."

    "But why target the Reyes Group?" Mae asked Cedric. "Wouldn''t it be more logical to go after the Seabstians? Without government support their allies would be much weaker."

    Cedric nodded, understanding why Mae would think that way.

    "To the public the person in the highest seat of government is the person that is most powerful, that''s not the reality." Cedric began to exin. "Power involves money, influence, respect, and fear."

    "The Sebastians have influence and respect, but theyck the money and people''s fear." Ian exined, helping Cedric out. He had heard this speech many times from different people over the years.

    Cedric nodded agreeing with what Ian had said.

    "The Laurences are feared in the underworld, but they still need to take care of how they are positioned legally. They can''t exert their influence too much in fear of exposing their identities as the rulers of the underworld." Cedric calmly exined.

    "The Abads and Chans are morecking, although they are each influential." Ian exined.

    "So it''s the Reyeses that truly control the strings?" Dave asked Cedric and Ian.

    The two men simply smiled and shook their heads.

    "It seems that way, yes?" Cedric asked. To which his assistants simply nodded in agreement.

    "The game we have been ying has all been about perception." Cedric said calmly. "To the Rajas it may look like that my father is probably controlling the way events unravel themselves. They may even think that I am in charge, when in fact the truth is quite different from reality."

    Dave and Mae remained silent as they waited for Cedric to continue. They had an idea of the reality he was speaking of, but they wanted to hear it from him themselves.

    "It''s not one man ruling over everyone, this isn''t some messed up monarchy." Cedric said with a chuckle. "We decide our actions as a group. We don''t want to control the country, but it''s not a lie to say that our actions often affect more than just ourselves."

    "So the reason the Rajas are targeting the Reyes Group is because they have a messed up perception of how the power bnce works?" Dave asked Cedric, to which the CEO nodded.

    "It''s because that''s how the Rajas worked long ago." Cedric calmly exined. "Back then they were under the control of one dictator, one man that had the government and most businesses under his thumb. They forget that times have changed."

    "Their inability to adapt will be their weakness." Ian said quietly on the side.

    "It''s also another reason why we need everyone to be at their best and fullest strength." Cedric said with a nod.

    "We need to get the Dean family their resources back." Dave said upon realizing that the Dean family was still under threat by the Rajas.

    Cedric smiled and nodded.

    "When we get back home I''ll need to speak with Seth and help hime up with a n." Cedric told them. "I want to finish it before I have to fly for Kashmere."

    "Will you ask Ray to involve the other Mafia families and gangs?" Ian asked Cedric.

    Cedric knew that involving other groups to help the Dean family was dangerous, but it was at times like these that the underworld was known toe together.

    The ruling groups would not allow an outsider to just push one of their own away.

    "If it is needed, yes." Cedric said with a nod.

    "They may or may not help." Ian warned.

    "I have faith that they will, this time." Cedric said with a nod as he looked out to the distance.

 944 Chapter 944

    Ray summoned the heads of the underworld to Cedric''s house and they all came.

    When the Rajas attacked they realized how this group of people wouldn''t ignore them. Instead, they had witnessed how the Rajas wanted to control them, something the underworld would never allow.

    Among their circles, word had spread that the Rajas'' first target had been the Dean family. People who had been respected by both the Mafia Families and the Gangs over the years.

    The Deans had always served as a bridge between the two warring underworld factions. As a matter of fact, the Deans were one of the first families that sided with the Laurences when they were uniting the underworld.

    They were also the ones that insisted that they should have a ruler capable of being in the spotlight and out of it at the same time.

    Cedric was thest to arrive at the meeting.

    As soon as he entered the crowd silenced. He knew that after theirst meeting the people of the underworld saw him in a different light. There was a new form of respect in their eyes.

    Ray, who was seated at the head of the table, got up and sat to the right as he gestured for Cedric to take the now empty seat.

    To those in the underworld, symbolisms such as these spoke volumes. By allowing Cedric to sit at the head meant that Ray was acknowledging him as someone more powerful.

    It was rare for the King of the underworld to do such an act, and yet here they watched Ray give up his position of power and honor to Cedric.

    "Are you sure?" Cedric asked as he nced at Ray.

    The man simply nodded.

    "I''ve discussed it with my people and they do agree that we need a united front against the Rajas, and who else to lead us but you?" Ray asked as he gave a quick nce to the leaders of the underworld.

    At a loss for words, Cedric simply sat down and allowed the room to quiet down.

    "I understand that this situation is quite unique to you all." Cedric said in a powerful voice as he looked the men and women in the eyes.

    He appreciated how they all seemed serious and intent on listening to his words.

    "The Rajas, as we all know, are a group of once powerful people that we thought had fallen. But it seems that they never gave up on their desire for power." As he spoke, the leaders nodded, acknowledging his words as truth.

    "Just recently, we witnessed them make unexpected attacks not only on the Dean family, but on other gangs and mafia families as well." Cedric informed them as he recalled the reports he read. "Luckily, they could only focus their strength in one area."

    Cedric noticed some of the leaders nce at Seth, his father, and his son.

    The three men had remained silent andposed as they sat closest on Cedric''s left with only Ian between him and them.

    "The Rajas cannot be allowed to be a threat any longer." Ray said as he looked at the leaders. They respond with nods and cheers.

    Cedric raised his hand, quieting down the room.

    "We are working on a way to get rid of thempletely, but for the meantime we must get the Dean headquarters back." Cedric announced.

    "Seth, would you care to tell us what exactly happened the day of the attack and how the headquarters came into their hands?" Ray asked Seth who simply nodded and cleared his throat.

    Cedric was actually quite eager to hear what had happened.

    He never learned the details and never got the chance to speak to Seth the past few days.

    Too much had been going on leaving him little time to investigate everything.

    "The first thing you all need to know is that the Rajas came with every intent of taking over the Dean family." Seth said as he looked around the room. "They attacked with so many men and weapons that my father and son had no choice but to leave and retreat in order to avoid any casualties or to be bargaining chips themselves."

    "A logical move." A man Cedric recognized to be the leader of the country''srgest gang said as he nodded in agreement.

    "That means the attack on the rest of us was just a distraction." Andres Ri, co-head of the Ri family said as he looked at this fellow leaders. "They had a target and they didn''t want us finding out."

    "The question is, why would they target the Dean family?" A small woman asked.

    "Ah, Lea, I think I can give you an eptable answer." Ian said with a grin. It seemed he was quite familiar with this female leader of one of the gangs.

    "I hope your answer isn''t a stupid one." Lea said as she red at Ian.

    Ian simply nodded and smiled.

    "It''s no secret that Seth once worked at the Reyes Group, nor is our friendship a secret." Ian exined.

    "So you are saying, you are the reason why the Dean family was singled out?" Andres Ri asked.

    "One of many reasons." Seth said as he came to his friend''s rescue. "Either way, there are many things that tie my family to the Reyeses and this made me seem to be the most likely ally to the Reyes family and their group."

    The leaders seemed to ept Seth''s exnation as they nodded and listened.

    "Clearly the Rajas are trying to find a weak link in the underworld." Cedric announced. "And I hope you all agree with me when I say that we cannot allow them to do this."

    The leaders all nodded in agreement.

    "What''s the n?" One of them asked, to which Cedric responded by nodding at Ian.

    "The n is to have a leak." Ian grinned as the leaders carried baffled looks on their faces. That was clearly not what they had expected to hear.

 945 Chapter 945

    "A leak?" One of the gang leaders asked. "You want us to have a rat in our ranks, how low do you think we will stoop for this?!"

    Clearly Cedric and Ian''s ns were not received in a positive light by the gangs. They had so many doubts and questions in their minds.

    "Calm down, Manuel!" Ray said in a powerful voice, making the gang leader back down.

    Everyone turned their attention to the king of the underworld. He may have let Cedric take the head of the table and control the meeting, but these were his people, they still followed him above all.

    "There is a reason why I allowed Cedric to coordinate this n." Ray was calm now, scarily calm. It seemed that he was more dangerous calm than angry, something that was clearly painted on the faces of his people.

    "My apologies, your majesty." The man that Ray called Manuel said as he bowed his head, embarrassed that he had challenged Ray''s authority.

    It was also the first time that Cedric had heard a member of the underworld address Ray by a regal title. Cedric knew from Ian that Ray was only addressed in such a way for formal asions or when the gang or family was in dire need of forgiveness or support.

    Ray simply nodded at Manuel''s words, not bothering to say he was forgiven.

    "You can continue, Cedric." Ray informed his friend as his expression calmed.

    "As I was saying, we will allow for a leak." Cedric repeated his words. "We will control what information they have and we will make sure that they trust their mole with their ns."

    "Do you n to send someone to them? Or will you n to have us let someone in?" Andres asked Cedric.

    Ray was about to tell him to hold his questions when Cedric stopped his brother-inw.

    "I don''t n on running this meeting the same way your king does, I am not him." Cedric exined. "Ray is your king, I have no intention of taking his ce ormanding him, but this time we all need to work together. Our futures and our survival is at stake."

    The leaders nodded at Cedric''s words and Ray gave him an awkward smile. Cedric knew that he had to say something, he could feel the tension building in the room as their meeting had progressed.

    "Back to our topic," Cedric said as he cleared his throat and nced at Andres Ri. "It would be best if their people infiltrated the gangs, that way they wouldn''t question the information."

    "And what makes you so sure that they will send someone to join our gangs?" The female gang leader asked.

    "Because they are already there." Seth said with a grin, much to everyone''s shock. "We didn''t notice it, but they have nted moles in every gang and mafia in the country."

    "Impossible." Manuel hissed.

    "Not entirely." Seth answered in a confident tone. "While our upper ranks remain pure, they do have people in our lower ranks where background checks aren''t as heavy."

    "That''s still dangerous." Andres said as he considered the repercussions.

    "A necessary danger at the moment, that''s why none of you were informed until now." Ray said with a shrug as he joined in on the conversation. "Once we get the information we need to the Rajas and ensure the safety of everyone, we will get rid of them."

    "How did you know they were moles?" Andres asked Ray. "If our own men couldn''t detect them, how was it possible that you were able to?"

    "We have Cedric and Alexi to thank for that." Ray said with a grin. "They were able to ess resources that we couldn''t. Cameras, recordings, bank documents, things that not even the most powerful gangs and mafia families can''t get their hands on."

    The leaders were silent as they tried to absorb the new information presented to them.

    "They''ve been among your people for longer than we expected. As a matter of fact, had we not discovered them now they would probably have climbed the ranks soon enough." Ian exined to the leaders, dealing them another painful blow.

    "It''s not your fault." Ray said as he tried tofort the leaders. "The Rajas tricked us. We never expected a supposedly long dead group toe back. Our elders should have dealt with them, but many have seemed to escape."

    The leaders wordlessly nodded as they epted what they were told.

    "We need to turn the table on them." Cedric announced. "For now, Ian will distribute you the names of the moles, only one should be allowed into a higher level so that the Rajas don''t suspect a thing."

    As Cedric spoke, Ian got up and passed the papers with the mole''s names.

    "It will also be dangerous if too many of them climb the ranks, we all know that we don''t want our gangs and families infested." Ian added.

    Cedric nodded at his words as Ianpleted handing out the documents.

    When everyone had a copy, Cedric continued to speak.

    "For now, we will let them be." Cedric informed the leaders. "We want them to bring back genuine news to the Rajas, so be careful about what these moles learn. For your bigger ns keep it close within your core groups, we never know what the Rajas will take advantage of."

    "And when should we start feeding them information?" One of the Mafia Family heads asked.

    "Maybe in two weeks, we want the moles to feel secure where they are, and if that isn''t enough we can extend their warm up period." Cedric calmly exined.

    "And what will happen after they deliver the information to the Rajas? Surely the n does not end there?" A gang leader asked.

    "No, it doesn''t." Cedric inly answered as the leaders all waited for an exnation.

    When Cedric realized that they were waiting to hear more, he couldn''t help butugh.

    "Everyone has a piece of the puzzle, it would be too dangerous for anyone to know the whole n." Cedric said, catching them off guard.

    "If you have nothing left to ask, you may go." Ray announced, sending the leaders of the underground scrambling to leave.

    "Can we trust them?" Cedric asked Ray as soon as thest leader left.

    "We can, but if they cross us I''ll deal with it my way." Ray said with a dangerous smile

 946 Chapter 946

    With everything running as smoothly as possible in the capital, Cedric gave his wife a final call before finally departing their home to join her and their son on Kashmere ind.

    "Are you sure you have everything?" Adrianna asked her husband for the fifth time.

    "You packed my bags before you left, Adri." Cedric said with a chuckle as he got into his car and signaled for his driver to take him to the airport.

    "Didn''t you check it?!" Adrianna asked angrily, making Cedricugh even more. "What if I forgot something, and don''t you dareugh!"

    Cedric shook his head as he stopped himself from digging his grave even deeper.

    Adrianna would enter the operation room tonight in order to deliver the twins, he didn''t want her to enter earlybor because she was annoyed at him.

    "I''m sure that if I need something we can easily just buy it." Cedric said calmly as his car exited the gates of his Mountain View Mansion.

    While he and his wife were away, he had left Ayanna and Cami in charge of most things with the Reyes Group. He knew that Ian was already dealing with too much since the meeting with the Mafias and the Gangs.

    He also didn''t want the two women to overwork themselves, especially since Ayanna was pregnant and he wanted Cami to spend more time with Guan Ming.

    Luckily, Guan Ming was also quite busy with work and interrogating Lucius Ting allowing Cami time to work and help Ayanna out.

    "I want to talk to daddy!" Cedric heard his son''s voice in the background.

    It seemed his son had saved him from a scolding as he woke up just in time to beg to take the phone.

    "This conversation isn''t over." Adrianna warned as she handed the phone to her son.

    Cedric simply smiled at her words, he knew his wife would eventually forget about it before he evennded on Kashmere.

    He spent the entire ride to the airport speaking to his overly energetic son. It seemed that the young boy had missed his father terribly and had a lot of stories to tell.

    By the time Cedric got on the ne and had to say goodbye to Yoyo, his son was crying over the phone saying that he didn''t want to drop the call. He was afraid that he wouldn''t be able to speak to his father soon.

    After some coaxing from his mother and grandparents, who were already in Kashmere, Yoyo eventually allowed Cedric to say goodbye and drop the call.

    The flight was peaceful as it was only Cedric and Dave that were going on the ind.

    Dave was only there to assist Cedric in case something happened with the Reyes Group that needed his immediate attention. Other than that, Cedric had decided to avoid work at all costs and to focus on spending time with his family.

    To Cedric''s surprise, he was greeted by his wife and son when he departed.

    "Daddy!" Yoyo screamed as he ran across the tarmac towards his father.

    Cedric quickly caught his son and pulled him to a hug. The fact that his son had missed him so much tugged at Cedric''s heart.

    "Hey Yoyo, did you miss me?" Cedric asked his son.

    He was happy that this time he could keep his promise to Yoyo and give the young boy his full attention.

    "Mommy said you would follow and she was right, you''re here!" Yoyo happily announced as he began to cry.

    "Mommy and Daddy would never break our promises to you, Yoyo. Never forget that." Cedric said as he kissed the top of his son''s head.

    Cedric carried his son to his waiting wife as he pulled her into a hug. It may have only been for a night but he hated being separated from his family.

    "Why are you here?" Cedric asked as he released his wife from his arms.

    "Yoyo wanted to wee you to Kashmere." Adrianna said with a sweet smile as she went on her tiptoes and kissed her husband on the lips. "Plus I missed you."

    Cedric smiled and nodded as he helped his wife and son into the car.

    "I don''t expect there to be any issues with work." Cedric told Dave as he stood outside of the car. "But, if there is, I want you toe find me."

    Dave nodded as he helped the staff load Cedric''s bag into the car.

    The assistant was quite saddened that he would be on a mini vacation while his girlfriend and her brother were back in the Capital working.

    Unfortunately, when given an option, Mae quickly rejected the offer of going to Kashmere and preferred to stay. She wanted to take advantage of this time to speak to her mother and aunt.

    "Is everything alright with work?" Adrianna asked Cedric as he got into the car.

    "Yeah, just some final instructions. I n to spend the next few days with my attention fully on you and our children." As Cedric said this he ced a hand on his wife''s very pregnant belly.

    "Has the doctor arrived?" Adrianna asked Cedric.

    Doctor Santos was supposed to arrive earlier that day, Ray''s and Miguel''s people had confirmed that the doctor had already familiarized herself with the hospital on the ind.

    "She has and all she needs is for you to be ready." Cedric replied with a nod as their car made its way through the ind towards their private vi.

    "I''m worried." Adrianna said as she looked down at the now sleeping Yoyo. He had been way too excited to see Cedric and had fallen asleep once they got into the car.

    "What about?" Cedric asked his wife as he took her hand in his and gently stroked it.

    "About the whole situation." Adrianna confessed. "It''s like anything can go wrong at any time and right now the world is peaceful, it seems wrong."

    Cedric sighed and shook his head as he hugged his wife.

    "We are allowed to be at peace, Adri. We are allowed to be happy." Cedric said as he nted a kiss on her head.

    He couldn''t help but admit to himself that she was right, things seemed too peaceful for their lives.

 947 Chapter 947

    At exactly four in the morning the next day, Doctor Santos helped deliver two beautiful babies into the world.

    Christopher Reyes was born first. He looked just like his father and older brother, but his demeanor was quite different. Where Yoyo had been a calm child at birth Christopher cried the moment he entered the world.

    "You''ll have your hands full with these two." The doctor teased Cedric as she handed him his younger son.

    Five minutester, Christina Reyes was born. Unlike her brothers, she looked more like her mother with her fair skin and small face. The moment Cedric saw the little girl he already knew that she would grow up getting everything she desired and more.

    He also knew for a fact that with two older brothers, who would most likely be powerful men someday, men would have quite a challenge winning her attention.

    He smiled at the thought of his children growing up, as he thought of the future he noticed that his little princess was yawning. Unlike her older brothers she was much calmer, an attitude she would carry when she grew up.

    "We''ll take your wife to the recovery room." The doctor said with a smile as soon as the operation was over.

    Cedric reluctantly handed the twins over to the nurses as they were cleaned and taken care of.

    As Cedric waited for Adrianna to recover, Yoyo came running into the hospital with his grandparents.

    "Daddy!" Yoyo said happily as he ran up and hugged his father. "How is mommy? How are my little brother and sister? What are their names? Can I meet them?"

    Cedric and the grandparentsughed as the young boy rained down question after question on his father.

    "Was I this bad?" Cedric asked Emilio Reyes, who was standing with Adrianna''s parents.

    "Yes, sometimes worse." Emilio said with a deep chuckle. "The apple truly does not fall far from the tree." He said with a grin.

    Cedric smiled at his father as he returned his attention to the little boy that was hugging him tightly.

    "Well, Yoyo, your mom will need some time to recover, but we can already meet your little brother and sister if you want." Cedric told his son as he picked the boy up in his arms.

    "Yes. What are their names, daddy?" Yoyo asked as Cedric made his way to the nursery.

    "Well, your little brother is named Christopher while your little sister is Christina." Cedric said as he pushed the doors to the nursery open and they were weed by several nurses.

    Since this hospital was more private, there was no ss that blocked the children from their guests.

    Cedric carried Yoyo in between two cribs where his little siblings were sound asleep.

    "Hello Christof, Hello Chistin." Yoyo said, unable to mention his sibling''s full names.

    Everyone smiled as Yoyo waved at the two sleeping children.

    Just as Cedric was enjoying his time with his family, Dave entered the room with a frown.

    Cedric knew that it was important and urgent or else Dave wouldn''t have interrupted his time with his family.

    He carefully handed Yoyo to his father before exining to his son that he had to go.

    "Do you think you can watch over your siblings and wait for mommy while daddy deals with something?" Cedric asked his son.

    Yoyo bravely nodded.

    "Thank you, Yoyo." Cedric said as he patted his son on the head before giving his dad a nod and exiting the nursery.

    As the door closed behind him, Cedric massaged his temples and took a deep breath. He thought he had made sure that everything was arranged before he had left the Capital, but he understood that urgent matters were unavoidable.

    "What is it?" Cedric asked Dave as he tried to control the annoyance in his tone.

    He knew it wasn''t his assistant''s fault. The young man was simply doing his job.

    "Mr. Reyes, your cousin Ace called." Dave said with a frown knowing that his boss wouldn''t be happy to hear the news he had. "ording to him the Esteves family is getting impatient. They want to talk to you."

    Cedric frowned at the news but nodded as he took out his phone and dialed the number.

    After a few rings someone answered at the other end of the line, and to Cedric''s surprise it wasn''t who he expected.

    "You must be Mr. Cedric Reyes." A woman said.

    "I am, but who am I speaking to?" Cedric asked, confused as to why someone else was answering his call.

    "My older brother is quite busy at the moment, my name is Angelina. I''m temporarily in charge of the Esteves family." She informed Cedric.

    The new development caught Cedric off guard and made him quite ufortable, but he wasn''t about to let Angelina learn about it.

    "Miss Angelia, ording to my cousin Ace you wanted me to call?" Cedric asked the woman, affording her the same respect he would have given to any male member of her family.

    "I did, I did. ording to my brother he made a deal with you for a certain Lucius Ting?" Angelina asked.

    Cedric knew that she didn''t have to ask that question, but he decided to y her game.

    "Yes, our deal was that we would be allies as long as I delivered Lucius to the Esteves family in one piece." Cedric answered.

    "And do you have him?" Angelina asked.

    "I do." Cedric answered inly.

    "When will you deliver him to us?" Angelina''s tone had a hint of a threat in it making Cedric worry.

    "When I am done with him." Cedric answered confidently.

    "Mr. Reyes, I am not as patient as my brother." Angelina informed him. "I have a score to settle with that man, the sooner you can deliver him to us, the happier I will be."

    "We will do our best to finish up here and send him to you." Cedric assured her.

    "Good, till next time then." Angelina said as she dropped the call.

    Cedric was frustrated when the call ended. He handed the phone back to Dave and gave him one instruction.

    "Tell Ace to find out everything about Angelina." Cedric said before returning to the nursery.

 948 Chapter 948

    As much as Cedric wanted to spend more time with his family on Kashmere, he had to fly back to the capital.

    With the added variable of Angelina, Cedric couldn''t sit idly by while his people worked.

    Despite Angelina telling him that she had taken over the Esteves family, Cedric wanted to be sure. It could be a trap to set Lucius Ting free.

    As Cedrded back in the capital, he was greeted by Mae who quickly came rushing to his side, holding out her phone.

    "It''s your cousin, Mr. Ace." Mae said as she handed Cedric the phone.

    "Ace?" Cedric asked as he pressed the phone to his ear.

    "Sorry it took me a while Ced." Ace apologized as Cedric walked over to the waiting car.

    There would be no time to rest for him. From the airport he would be taken directly to R Tower where he had a meeting set to expand the Reyes Group.

    Later that night he would also have dinner with the Mafia and Gang leaders as they had updates for him and Ray.

    "What did you find out?" Cedric asked Ace as he got into his car and was driven to his office.

    "Angelina is the eldest child of the former head of the Esteves family." Ace exined. "Traditionally women do not be the leaders, but it seems that she was actually put in charge from the very beginning."

    Cedric was stunned by the news.

    This whole time he believed that he was speaking to the head of the Esteves family, but he was wrong.

    "Then who the hell have I been speaking to? Did you find out?" Cedric asked Ace.

    "I did." Ace said as he suppressed augh. "It seemed that Angelina was worried that you wouldn''t respect her if you found out that the family head was a woman."

    "Well that''s stupid." Cedric frowned as he shook his head. "Did they not look us up?"

    "I''m sure they did, but they couldn''t leave things to chance. There was still the possibility that the reports were wrong." Ace exined to Cedric.

    "So Angelina won''t release Lucius the moment they have him?" Cedric asked his cousin.

    "No, the thing is she is the one that has more reason to chase Lucius Ting." Ace told Cedric. "We did more digging into her background and she let us. It seems that she wants you to believe her."

    Cedric remained silent as he momentarily considered if this could all be a trap.

    "What did you find out?" Cedric asked his cousin.

    "Angelina had a friend that was once Lucius Ting''s mistress." Ace exined.

    "So Dominic has a half sibling out there?" Cedric asked, slightly worried about the other child.

    "No, unfortunately, when Lucius Ting found out that she was pregnant, he killed her. He said he couldn''t risk her ruining his rtionship with his wife." Ace told Cedric, much to the other man''s shock.

    "And Julia never found out about this?" Cedric asked. "And how was he able to escape the Esteves family after that?"

    "This all happened right before Lucius Ting escaped." Ace exined.

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked.

    "Lucius Ting had everything nned. He yed his final betrayal of the Esteves Family, went to his mistress and killed her." Ace told Cedric. "Unfortunately for him this act managed to give Julia more time to run away. By the time he got back to his house Julia was gone and the Esteves family was close on his heels."

    "So he escaped but wasn''t exactly able to cover his tracks?" Cedric asked Ace.

    "Yes, and at great detriment to himself." Ace confirmed. "Had he not gone back to kill his mistress, he probably would have caught Julia and Dominic leaving. Killing his mistress also meant that the Esteves family would chase him down."

    "So he dug his own grave with that one." Cedric said as he thought of how Lucius Ting had managed to make his own problems bigger than they actually were.

    It pushed Cedric to further confirm that Lucius Ting was not as smart as they had given him credit for.

    Over-thinking had even allowed Lucius Ting more time to get into contact with the Rajas.

    "It''s good to know that Angelina is on our side with this." Cedric said as he carefully considered his next steps.

    "What should I do? I know you''re nning something." Ace said as if reading Cedric''s mind. He couldn''t help but smile at his younger cousin. He was so much like their uncle Jake.

    "For now, I want you to show the Esteves family that we are their allies, cooperate with them." Cedric instructed. "I will hand Lucius Ting over to them, but I need to deal with the Rajas. I want to get rid of them once and for all. I don''t want them haunting our children in the future."

    "Woah, cousin, I''m still single. No kids for me." Aceughed.

    "Nothing is written in stone, Ace." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Who knows, you might meet the woman of your dreams."

    "Till that day cousin, I''ll be single. I''ll give you an updateter." Ace told Cedric as he dropped the call.

    Cedric looked out of his window and smiled.

    They were now stuck in one of the capital''s notorious traffic jams.

    It took them a while to reach R Tower and Cedric was able to rest for a little bit.

    The moment people in the building realized that Cedric Reyes was back, many vice presidents quickly flocked to Cedric. He had been gone for too long and they all needed his approval on something.

    "Dave, schedule everyone for at least twenty minutes today." Cedric told his assistant as the Vice Presidents stopped in their tracks.

    The fact that Cedric Reyes was making time to hear them was more than enough.

    "Cedric Reyes, we need to talk." Alexi said from behind Cedric, making him turn pale.

    Alexi wasn''t alone, with him was Eric Chan who seemed annoyed to be there.

    "Let''s do this in my office." Cedric said as he looked around and gestured for his friends to get on the elevator.

    Alexi didn''t need to tell him what this was scene was about, he could already guess.

 949 Chapter 949

    "How long have you known?" Alexi asked in a low voice as he, Cedric, and Eric walked through the halls of the CEO''s floor in R Tower.

    "How long have I known what?" Cedric grinned knowing that his friend wouldn''t dare say it out loud and in public.

    He was enjoying what time he had to mess with Alexi before the man suddenly burst out angrily when they were alone.

    Cedric, of course, knew exactly what Alexi was asking and simply enjoyed messing with his friend.

    Behind them the older Eric Chan remained silent, clearly deep in thought with regards to his situation.

    "Don''t you dare test me Cedric." Alexi was furious at this point as they reached Cedric''s office.

    "Mae, I have a private matter to deal with." Cedric told his assistant as he opened the door and gestured for Alexi and Eric to enter before him. "Make sure no one interrupts and also I want a summary of what I''ve missed right after I deal with Alexi and Eric."

    Mae nodded as she continued on her work.

    Cedric saw Dave slide on to his own spot to fix Cedric''s schedule. His assistants had a lot of work on their hands.

    Entering the room, Cedric closed the door and sighed as he faced the two men.

    "What?" Cedric asked Alexi as he crossed the room and leaned against his desk, crossing his arms on his chest.

    "Don''t ask me what?! You know why I''m here and why I''m furious." Alexi red at Cedric, practically shouting at his friend.

    Cedric smiled and chuckled, making Alexi roll his eyes in response.

    "Katerina is pregnant, how long have you and your wife known? And how the hell can you let her keep working despite that fact?!" Alexi questioned.

    Cedric tilted his head to the side and looked at Eric, who was calmly seated on the couch. Alexi''s anger didn''t seem to bother him, but it was clear that he was worried.

    "She told you?" Cedric asked Eric who simply nodded in reply.

    "I''m assuming the results from the doctors came out?" Cedric asked Eric, much to Alexi''s annoyance.

    "I''m the one talking to you here!" Alexi pulled on Cedric''s arm, making him look his friend in the eyes.

    "He''s the father." Cedric said simply as he returned his attention to Eric, ignoring Alexi.

    "This morning." Eric confirmed. "He wasn''t supposed to find out." He said as he pointed at Alexi.

    "And how did you find out? I doubt the doctor told you." Cedric told Alexi.

    "I was in the area." Alexi simply answered, making Cedric suspect that there was more to his story.

    "Why were you in the hospital?" Cedric asked with a look of concern on his face.

    No matter how annoyed or irritated he got at Alexi, he was still Cedric''s friend and if any harm hade to him Cedric would not like it.

    "Military training ident, I''m fine." Alexi rolled his eyes in annoyance as he saw Cedric checking him for injuries.

    Cedric knew that that was code for Alexi being injured with the gangs and the mafia. He was running around with them now.

    "You know, back when we were young that was fine." Cedric scolded. "You aren''t some unknown person now, you''re Alexander Sebastian. You aren''t just the first son, you''re also a public official."

    "No one saw us and the mission went smoothly, no need for you to get worried, Cedric." Alexi said as he tried to end the discussion. "So how long have you known?" He asked his friend.

    "That''s right Cedric, how did you find out before I did?" Eric stood up from the couch and made his way to stand beside Alexi.

    Being the tallest among the three he now towered Cedric, making the CEO look up at the person he always viewed as an older brother.

    "I live with the woman, Ie from a family of doctors and I had no idea that she was suffering symptoms or that she was evente." Eric told Cedric as he ced a hand on his hip.

    Cedric couldn''t help but chuckle at how seriously Alexi and Eric were taking the fact that he knew before them, it was quite a silly scene.

    "Why are you so worried about me finding out before you?" Cedric asked.

    "This isn''t a joke, Ced." The anger was evident in Alexi''s tone, Cedric knew he was pushing it byughing at the two men.

    "Did you seriously let my pregnant fiance keep workingte nights, risking our child?" Eric questioned.

    "First of all, I didn''t find out until Adrianna and I went on herst checkup with Dr. Santos." As Cedric exined when he found out, the two men were surprised at how recent he had learned about the pregnancy. "If Adrianna and I weren''t there she would probably have thrown a fit and the whole world would have known endangering her life further, so don''t just jump into conclusions that I would allow any of the girls to risk their lives for work."

    The two men were silenced at his words, they had forgotten that like them he loved the sisters. He treated them as his family and assuming that he would make them prioritize work over their own health was a painful usation.

    Cedric closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he calmed himself.

    "Secondly." He said as he opened his eyes. He was much calmer now. "It''s Katerina''s choice to work the way he does. I''ve already asked Mien to work with her to help her with her work load."

    "Sorry about that." Alexi said with a frown. "I was just-"

    "So worried about your sister that you forgot she is like my sister too?" Cedric asked with a smile, his anger had passed and he clearly understood Alexi''s reaction.

    Alexi was about to respond when a knock came from the door.

    Cedric knew that his assistants wouldn''t bother him if it weren''t important so he turned and walked to open the door.

    "What are you two doing here?" Katerina asked as she red at her fiance and brother. "Don''t you dare get mad at Cedric, he''s the fucking reason why you two know."

    "Calm down Kat, it''s bad for the baby." Cedric said with a smile as he gestured for her to join them. "We''re fine, don''t worry. Why are you here?"

    "We''ve just gotten notice from the court, you''re being sued." Katerina said, catching Cedric off guard.

 950 Chapter 950

    "Katerina, the Reyes Group and I are constantly being sued." Cedric pointed out a fact that hiswyer should know well enough. He couldn''t help but wonder if Katerina was truly so overworked that it was meddling with her mind too now.

    Katerina rolled her eyes at Cedric.

    "Obviously I know that, I''m yourwyer for crying out loud." She scolded. "Do you think I would be rmed if it were just the normal charges raised against you?"

    The men were left speechless by Katerina''s scolding, in less than five minutes she had managed to scold her fiance, her older brother, and her boss.

    "Look, it''s the missing employees, I got notice from the courts today." Katerina said as she handed Cedric the folded document that had been addressed to her office.

    Cedric took it and read through it.

    Obviously Katerina knew more about these things, but she was aware that Cedric liked reading through them as well.

    He frowned as he recognized the three names identified as the employees filing a case against him.

    They were the same employees they had been searching for, it seemed things were toote.

    As angry as he wanted to be about the turn of events, he couldn''t me them, he understood their desire to protect their families.

    "What will be our next step?" Cedric asked Katerina as he handed her back the document. "I don''t want my employees to suffer."

    ? "You''re way too kind." Alexi told Cedric as he poured himself a ss of wine from Cedric''s collection on the side.

    "Just because I have a heart, unlike you, doesn''t mean I''m too kind." Cedric pointed out to his friend. "They had their reasons and theycked both the tools and opportunity to do otherwise."

    "I can see if they are open to negotiations." Katerina suggested. "I doubt it will work, but it will allow us to assess the situation and it might be able to help use up with a n on how to save them."

    Cedric nodded. With these matters he usually allowed Katerina free reign. She knew legal matters best and he found it unnecessary to meddle.

    "I''m noting home tonight." Katerina told Eric, clearly still mad at him and her brother.

    "Where will you stay?" Eric asked Katerina as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    "I think I want to spend some time with your sister and sister-inw." Katerina told Eric.

    "Where?" Eric asked her. Cedric could see that the man felt truly defeated.

    "Mountain View. Nicole is staying there for her safety, it was either Mountain View or Ian would have her ce surrounded with guards." Katerina told Eric as she turned around and left.

    "I''ll make sure she doesn''t overwork herself." Cedric told his friend as Katerina mmed the door behind her.

    "Thank you." Eric said as he gave Cedric a sad smile as he continued to stare at the door.

    "We all reacted that way at first, even I went overboard when Adrianna told me she was pregnant with Yoyo." Cedric said as he tried tofort Eric. "I can just imagine how bad Alexi will be when Selina gets pregnant."

    "Nothing is set in stone." Alexi was quick toment.

    "Are you saying you don''t n on marrying Selina? I know you already asked Ray to look for a stone for her engagement ring." Cedric said as he grinned at Alexi.

    "You weren''t supposed to know that, Ray that traitor." Alexi hissed.

    "Rx, it was Ayanna, she heard him calling Tony." Cedric chuckled.

    "Does everyone know now?" Alexiined.

    "Nah, Ayanna wouldn''t tell anyone else." Cedric smiled at his friend. "Now will you please both go so that I can work?"

    Eric got up and dragged Alexi out of Cedric''s office allowing him to continue with his day.

    Cedric hadn''t realized how much work he had managed to neglect over the past few days.

    Each department that met with him had a hundred things that needed his attention. He knew that everyone else did their best to step up and limit what needed his approval, but still there were items that were too important not to discuss with him.

    By the time the day ended, Cedric had already moved around his schedule in the hopes that meeting with his employees more often would help ease things.

    "Long day?" Ayanna said as she entered her brother''s office.

    "Quite." He said with a smile.

    "Shouldn''t you be on Kashmere with your newborn children and your wife?" Ayanna asked as she sat down across Cedric.

    "Something urgent came up. We were thrown a new curve ball." Cedric simply answered. He didn''t want his pregnant sister worrying too much.

    "Cedric, I hope you aren''t forgetting that you are a father and husband as well." Ayanna said with a concerned look on her face.

    "Don''t worry, Ayanna. I''m trying my best." Cedric gave his sister a smile as he checked if there was anything he had missed out.

    "Are you joining Ray for dinner tonight?" She asked.

    "I am, I''m guessing you won''t be joining us?" Cedric asked her. He knew that Ray wanted to keep her as far away from that world as possible. Ray rarely involved his wife unless it was absolutely necessary.

    "No, I''ll be there. As a matter of fact Ray just texted telling me to remind you about dinner." She told Cedric.

    "Oh." Cedric said as he began to pack his things up. If Ray needed Ayanna there, it meant that there was some negotiation he needed through the wives.

    "Don''t worry, it will be fine." Ayanna said, thinking that her brother was worried for her safety.

    "I know, I just can''t help but wonder why Ray would need you there." Cedric told his sister.

    "I''m sure it''s nothing." She said as she got up to leave. "I''ll see you in a bit, Ray''s already downstairs."

    With that, Ayanna left her brother alone in his office, wondering if part of their n had not fallen through.

 951 Chapter 951

    When Cedric arrived in a discreet location outside of the Capital, he was quickly greeted by Ian who seemed to have been waiting for him.

    "How bad is it?" Cedric asked as he looked around, making sure no one overheard him.

    "What do you mean?" Ian clearly had no idea what Cedric was talking about. He carried a puzzled expression when Cedric looked at him.

    "Ayanna is here." Cedric said, knowing that Ian would be able to pick up on what he meant.

    "That''s odd." Ian told Cedric as he stopped in his tracks trying to figure out if he had heard anything in the past few days.

    "Are you sure there has been nothing wrong with our n or with the Mafia?" Cedric asked Ian as Rollo, Seth''s son passed them.

    Ian was quick to stop the young man and pull him aside.

    "I thought your father told you to stay at home with the old man?" Ian asked Rollo who carried an annoyed look on his face.

    "Uncle Ian, I have to be here." Rollo insisted. "Something big is going to happen, the rumors say enough."

    "What rumors?" Ian asked as he nced at Cedric.

    "You don''t know about them? Does dad?" Ro asked with a shocked expression, he clearly expected that his father and Ian would know about what was happening.

    "Talk." Cedric said sternly as Rollo slowly nodded.

    For some reason the young man respected Cedric more than he respected his father or Uncle Ian.

    "ording to what I''ve heard, some of the gangs discovered a rat amongst them." Rollo whispered in a hushed tone. "Apparently the gang was so rotten from the inside that the King wants it destroyed and rebuilt with people he can trust."

    "The gang leaders are on edge then?" Ian asked Rollo, who simply nodded. Confirming the conclusion that Ian hade to.

    "Ray brought Ayanna to calm them down. To assure them of the future." Cedric said as he considered the situation. "She probably also offered to be a distraction, a light in dark times and to speak to the wives."

    "With all due respect, Mr. Reyes, how will the King''s wife distract them?" Rollo asked.

    "Have you ever met the King''s wife?" Cedric asked.

    "Ray never brings her." Ian answered for Rollo.

    "Their marriage was very public." Cedric pointed out.

    "Still, there was still a chance that she did not want to be involved. It seems that Ayanna does want to be part of this." Ian said.

    "Ayanna has always wanted to support Ray in every way. He has just been protecting her from the intricacies of this one." Cedric exined to his friend. "He''s going to make the announcement."

    "Are you sure?" Ian asked.

    "What announcement?" Rollo looked at the two older men, eager to find out more.

    "You''ll hear it with the others." Ian told Rollo.

    "Not fair uncle Ian. I told you what you wanted to know and now you are holding out information on me? What if you and dad miss out on more news again that I know. Are you sure you want to keep secrets from me?" Rollo threatened making Cedricugh.

    "My sister is pregnant." Cedric told the young man in front of him. "She doesn''t know the gender yet, but her pregnancy is a symbol of the future of the Laurence family."

    "Yeah, that will definitely distract them." Rollo said with a nod as they noticed Seth step out of the main hall where the diner would be held.

    "What are you doing here?" Seth asked his son.

    Not wanting to have a father and son confrontation in the hallway, Cedric decided to step in.

    "He is here as my guest." He told Seth. "I see something special with your son. I think he can bring both mypany and your group a bright future."

    Seth was shocked to hear Cedric''s answer.

    From his knowledge they had only met on one asion and that was with him around in his office.

    "We should head in." Ian said as he led their group towards the main hall.

    Inside, several round tables wereid out. On one side were the Mafia and on the other were the gangs.

    At the head was a long table where Cedric saw Ray seated at the center. To his left was Ayanna while three seats to his right were empty.

    Cedric knew that one seat was for Alexi while another was for him. He couldn''t help but wonder who the third seat was reserved for.

    "Come on, sit with our people." Seth said as he dragged his son over to the third table down from Ray''s.

    "I''ll speak with youter." Ian said as he waved at Cedric and made his way to join Seth and the others.

    As Cedric made his way to join Ray and Ayanna, several leaders of the gangs and mafia families came up to greet him.

    Eventually when he finally joined his sister and brother-inw, Ayanna wasughing at his struggle to get through the leaders.

    "Ayanna." Cedric said with a smile as she stood up and gave her brother a hug.

    "Ced." Ayanna greeted.

    Cedric could sense that his sister was nervous about something. He couldn''t tell if it was because of the announcement or the fact that they did not tell him.

    "Rx, I know that the gangs are going through something." Cedric told Ayanna and Ray in a low voice. "What you two do is up to you. I will not interfere."

    Ayanna gave Cedric a smile as she sat back down.

    "Where is Alexi?" Cedric asked as he nced at the empty seat to Ray''s right.

    "He normally does not attend these things." Ray exined. "But today, he has Selina problems."

    Not wanting to delve any further Cedric took the empty seat as he wondered why there was one more unupied aside from Alexi''s.

    "I need to apologize to you in advance." Ray said. "I may have taken time from someone valuable to the Reyes Group."

    Before Cedric could even respond to his friend, Ray stood up ready to make an announcement.

 952 Chapter 952

    "My fellow leaders." Ray said as his authoritative voice echoed throughout the room. "I understand that you have all heard the rumors that there has been a traitor amongst our midst."

    Cedric watched as some leaders of the gangs and mafia nodded. It seemed that not all had been aware of the rat among their ranks.

    "For those that have not been made aware, as you will notice there is an empty table in this hall." Ray said as he pointed towards the far end.

    Cedric had not noticed the table since the door they had entered through was in the middle rather than on the far end.

    As the other leaders and their men noticed the table, they began to whisper amongst themselves.

    "We have dealt with these traitors." Ray announced. "Unfortunately their gang was so rotten to it''s core that we had to dispose of most of them. Their territory may be split up, unless there is someone that you believe can rebuild this gang."

    The room was silent as Ray waited for someone to push forward a nominee. He knew that most gang leaders would want their second inmand to start his own. It would give them better alliances and more opportunities to work together.

    "I see that most of you don''t want to make your rmendations public." Ray said as he looked around the room. "You can tell my third inmand who your rmendation is."

    Cedric could see the confused look on the faces of the gang and mafia leaders, even Cedric knew that Ray didn''t have a third inmand. It was just him and Alexi, it had always been that way.

    "Right to the next news." Ray said as he nced at Cedric.

    It seemed this was what Ray was apologizing for. Cedric couldn''t help but wonder who Ray had taken as his third inmand. It was clearly one of Cedric''s men.

    He couldn''t help but nce at Ian as it gave him a bad feeling. He knew that his friend was the perfect candidate.

    Ian had been part of the Dean Family Mafia for years. From what Cedric had gathered, he still yed a key role with them.

    "No." Cedric told Ray as soon as he realized Ray''s choice of a third inmand.

    "Sorry, bro." Ray said with a frown in a voice only Cedric and Ayanna would be able to hear.

    He nodded at Ian''s direction as he stood up and confidently made his way to the head table.

    Ray knew that Cedric would not do anything to undermine his authority, he also knew that Cedric''s anger would only be temporary.

    Cedric never stopped his people from pursuing their own paths, if anything, he actually encouraged it.

    He would probably be mad at them for not informing him beforehand, but Ian and Ray couldn''t be too sure of what his reaction would be to their bit of news.

    "As you are all aware, Ian Lim has not only been a key figure in the Dean Mafia Family. He is also my brother-inw''s right hand man." Ray said as Ian stood behind the empty seat next to Cedric. "I know that I will have to share him with Cedric, but I can think of no one else more capable or trustworthy as him."

    "Why not just offer him the empty territory?" One of the gang leaders asked.

    At first Cedric thought that the man was being sarcastic, but it seemed otherwise. As a matter of fact several gang members seemed to approve of the idea of making Ian a gang leader as well. It seemed that Cedric''s former assistant had made quite a name for himself in the underworld.

    "I would love to hand him the territory, unfortunately, he refused." Ray told them as he looked at Ian to exin why.

    "I have obligations to the Reyes family as well as to my own." Ian admitted. "At first I even refused the role of third-inmand. As you must all be aware by now, being Mr. Reyes'' right hand man is not an easy job."

    Cedric gave his friend a smile and nodded.

    "Ray simply managed to convince me to take on the role for the meantime." Ian said with a shrug.

    "So, decide on your choices and inform Ian about them. I will decide who gets the new territory in a few days." Ray announced as Ian sat next to Cedric.

    "We''ll speakter." Cedric said as he kept his eyes in front, not showing a hint of how annoyed he was at the two men.

    "The mole should join our ranks soon enough so this may be thest of our gatherings at this scale." Ray said as he continued to speak to the leaders and their most trusted men.

    This was only the third time that the much bigger group was seeing the King of the Underworld in this setting.

    "I have no intention of letting the moles find out more than we want them to." Ray told the leaders. "We will keep an eye on them while feeding them information we are open about giving out. I also want you all to ensure who their friends are among your people. ce trustworthy ones. Too much is at stake for us to go about this like any other n."

    The leaders all nodded at Ray''s words.

    He then nced at Ayanna and offered her his hand to help her up.

    Ayanna smiled and took it, standing up next to her husband.

    "As I am sure you are all aware, Ayanna and I were married a few years back, and since then I''ve done my best to protect my wife from this world." Ray said as he looked at the audience.

    Cedric knew that he was hiding the fact that he would burn the world for the woman next to him. That losing her was worse than losing life itself to Ray.

    "I will take this time to make this announcement that should not leave this room." Ray said as he looked the leaders in the eyes. "My wife is pregnant."

    As Ray said this, he could hear as whispers erupted across the room.

 953 Chapter 953

    "You''re lucky we are friends." Cedric told Ian as they walked to his car together.

    Aside from Ray''s string of announcements there was nothing else eventful that night. The leaders of the gangs and mafia took the time to rx and simply be friends with one another.

    Cedric was quite surprised at how nice the leaders of the underworld could be to one another when he knew what kind of crimes they were all capable of.

    "Did you drive yourself?" Cedric asked Ian when his friend remained silent by his side.

    "My driver dropped me off." Ian replied.

    "You predicted this, didn''t you?" He chucked, shaking his head as they reached the entrance of the venue.

    "I knew you would want to talk." Ian grinned as a chauffeur opened the car door for them. "I''ve worked for you for years and I''ve been your friend for even longer. If I didn''t know your behavior by now, what kind of a friend would that make me?" He asked.

    Cedric simply shook his head as he slid into the backseat of the car while Ian jogged over to the other side.

    "Take us home." Ian instructed John, his driver.

    "Did you two fight?" John asked as he stepped on the gas, pulling away from the venue.

    "See, even John knows you well enough." Ian teased, making Cedric shake his head.

    "Yeah, but I know you even better, Ian." John pointed out.

    This time it was Cedric''s turn tough at his friend''s stunned look.

    "I know how you look and behave when you are nervous about something." John added. "And there are very few things that can get you this flustered, and one of them is the boss."

    Ian rolled his eyes at John as he leaned back against the seat and kept his head high.

    "What did you do this time, Ian?" John asked, egging Ian on further.

    "I may have offered to be Ray''s third inmand." Ian quickly answered.

    "On top of yourpany, on top of working for Cedric?" John asked, shaking his head.

    "Exactly!" Cedric said as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    "I wouldn''t have taken it if there was any other option!" Ian tried his best to defend his decision in front of Cedric and John.

    He knew that it didn''t paint the best picture for his friends. He had decided to add more work to his already heavy workload.

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked Ian as he turned to face his friend. "What do you mean if there was any other option? Of course there are other options, you could have told him to give it to someone else. Ian I''m not mad cause you took on another job, I''m mad because you are clearly overworking yourself!"

    "Cedric, there are very few people in the underworld that Ray can truly trust." Ian said, surprising Cedric.

    "What?" Cedric asked as they sped through the city. It waste and there were barely any cars on the road.

    "Don''t worry, it''s not that he is in danger of losing his power." Ian said with a smile. "He is respected and feared by the underworld and that''s more than enough for him to rule it."

    "I hear a but somewhere there." Cedric pointed out.

    Ian frowned and nodded.

    "Ray has not been among the gangs and mafia recently." Ian exined. "In his desire to keep the family name clean he has kept his hands out of our politics too much. There was talk once, but it was quickly silenced when they realized his importance as the king of the underworld."

    Cedric frowned at the shaky position his friend was in. He knew that Ray wanted to pay more attention to the underworld, but with all the eyes on them there was little he could do.

    "Even Alexi who used to be around a lot can''t, and everyone knows why." Ian added. "They need someone that the Gangs and Mafia Families knows is active in the underworld. My years of being part of the Dean Family came into the conversation and the idea was floated."

    "What about Francesca?" Cedric asked.

    "She''s already a family head and she''s too well known." Ian pointed out.

    "And you aren''t?" Cedric asked.

    "I''m not at the same level as you guys." Ian answered quite confidently. "Yes I have a reputation, but people don''t follow me like some celebrity. I just work for the rich and famous. The right people know me."

    "Their future children will need to be more involved." Cedric said with a frown as he thought of the pressure on his nephews and nieces that were all yet to be born.

    "That''s if they want to be part of that world. Being a member of the underworld isn''t easy, Cedric." Ian pointed out. "They will need to prove themselves, and children born and raised infort rarely want that."

    Cedric nodded as he considered the Laurence Family''s position.

    The underworld was theirrgest source of power while theirrgest source of wealth were their legitimatepanies.

    It all depended on the future generations to choose which they valued more, money or power. It seemed that they couldn''t walk on both.

    "Their children won''t just be members of the Laurence Family." John, who had remained silent for most of the drive, said as he joined in on the conversation. "They will be cousins to the Reyes Heir, nephews and nieces to the CEO of the Reyes Group. There will be many eyes on them."

    Cedric frowned at the realization, Ray''s and Ayanna''s children were less likely to continue bing the rulers of the underworld. They were most likely to give up that power, the question was, to whom?

    "Your phone is ringing." Ian handed Cedric his phone as he absentmindedly picked up the call.

    "Yes?" Cedric asked.

    "They have agreed, can you meet with them in three days?" It was Katerina, and she had just made the impossible happen. A meeting with the employees that the Rajas had kidnapped.

 954 Chapter 854

    Cedric''s side were the ones that set the time, date, and ce of the meet up.

    It seemed that the Rajas were so confident that their captives would return to them and do as they asked so they let Cedric have free reign on the meeting.

    "Could it be a trap?" Cedric asked Ian as they drove to the Bamboo Room, one of Ray''s restaurants.

    He had the ce closed so that the discussion could be done in private.

    "There is a chance, but why?" Ian asked. "Why make the effort of setting up a trap such as this if they could potentially take you down with the cases the employees are filing against you?"

    "It might not be enough." Cedric said as his car approached the driveway of the Bamboo Room.

    "Is it wise to arrive before them?" Ian asked. Normally in a meeting Cedric was thest to arrive, so he found it odd that Cedric had insisted on arriving before everyone else.

    Cedric simply nodded as the car came to a stop and he got out.

    Ian quickly followed suit and opened his door, stepping out of the car. Behind them, Katerina stepped out of the driver''s seat of her sports car while Mien got out of the passenger''s seat.

    "I''m surprised Eric and Alexi still let you drive that thing." Cedric looked at the sports car knowing how fast Katerina drove.

    "Do you really think they can stop me?" Katerina raised an eyebrow at Cedric as she handed her keys to a valet.

    "She''s crazy." Mien said with a shaky voice as soon as he got the chance to speak. "She drives like a mad woman!"

    "Oh calm down Mien." Katerina rolled her eyes as she walked into the restaurant ahead of everyone else.

    Behind her, Ian and Cedric couldn''t help butugh at poor Mien who had be a victim of Katerina''s driving.

    Ian ced an arm over the younger man''s shoulder as he directed Mien to join them inside the restaurant.

    "She''s always been like that." Cedric exined to Mien. "In all honesty I think she has slowed down due to the pregnancy. But don''t worry, her driving won''t kill you, she''s actually a very good driver, she used to race under a male identity when she was younger."

    Stunned by the revtion, Mien was left speechless.

    "What''s taking you guys so long?" Katerina impatiently grumbled from the entrance of the restaurant. "I still have things to discuss with Cedric."

    "Coming!" Cedricughed as he nodded to Ian and Mien to hurry up.

    Inside the restaurant, they were led by the manager to the only table that had been prepared for guests.

    Cedric sat down not at the head of the table, but rather mid way.

    Ian couldn''t help but eye him suspiciously. He knew that every action of Cedric''s was calcted, he never did things just because he felt like it especially in situations such as these.

    "Should I ce the order?" Ian asked Cedric, ying the role of his assistant.

    "No need, have the waiters bring the menu over. Let our guests ce their own orders." Cedric said as he gestured for Katerina to sit next to him.

    His answer once more left Ian stunned. Cedric was a man that liked control, he liked to be in control with as little variable in the day as possible.

    Ignoring his own confusion, Ian told the waiters to do as Cedric asked as he sat down by Cedric''s side.

    "You know they won''t ept any offer you give them." Katerina pointed out as she handed Cedric some documents to look over.

    "I know, but this meeting is about much more than that." Cedric nodded at John who had just entered the restaurant.

    "Sir, they are here." John announced as he kept the door open for three individuals that were dressed casually.

    To everyone''s surprise they were not followed by any bodyguards orwyers. It was simply the three employees and no one else.

    "Good morning." Cedric greeted them with a smile as he stood up.

    The men were stunned that the CEO of the Reyes Group was offering them as much respect. It was clear that they had met men at the same level as Cedric in the past.

    "Good morning, Sir." The men awkwardly greeted Cedric back.

    "Please, sit." Cedric gestured to the empty seats before him. "I thought you might have been apanied bywyers and bodyguards. I''m surprised that you came alone."

    "Mr. Reyes, please don''t waste your time and effort on us." One man said as he kept his head hung low and a frown on his face. "I will be honest, they have too much on us. We have no choice but to do as they ask."

    "Please, sit. Let''s eat first then we can discuss things." Cedric urged once more.

    The men looked at each other before reluctantly taking a seat across Cedric, Ian, and Katerina.

    "John, Mien, please join us." Cedric waved the two men over who were both equally shocked.

    Without saying a word the two men found themselves seated on the table one beside the employees and another beside Katerina.

    "Now, for lunch, please, it''s my treat. Order whatever you want from the menu, the choice is yours." Cedric said with a smile.

    The men ordered what they wanted as they slowly rxed in Cedric''s presence.

    As they waited for their food, Cedric began to ask them questions.

    "I hope you don''t mind, but how is your family?" Cedric watched as the men suddenly sat stiffly.

    "Are you worried that someone is listening in on our conversation?" Cedric asked the men.

    "No, sir. They didn''t bug us. They are that confident that we wouldn''t tell you anything that could put us in an even worse situation." One of the men responded with a frown.

    "So, will you give me an answer?" Cedric asked. "Or is it too close forfort?"

    Ian wasn''t surprised to see a genuine look of concern on Cedric''s face. Despite his cold public demeanor, Ian knew the truth. Cedric cared about his people, as a matter of fact sometimes he cared too much.

    "Sir, we haven''t seen them since the incident." One of the men bravely responded. "One moment we were in the hospital and the next we were waking up in a whole different location."

    "They took you?" Cedric asked, all this time he was under the assumption that the men had walked away of their own free will.

    The men nodded as they slowly exined to Cedric and his group what had happened.

    "All we have seen are videos of our family. They are prisoners but they aren''t being beaten or starved. They all live in a room that has all the amenities they need, but they are prisoners nheless." One of them recounted.

    "What if I can promise you their safe return?" Cedric asked, shocking everyone around him including his people.

    "Can you really do that, sir?" One of the men asked as he eyed Cedric suspiciously. "We will not ept false promises."

    "I know that your family is your priority, that''s the very reason why you were allowed in here with nowyer and no guards. The Rajas know that you will do anything and everything to protect those closest to you. So what if I could promise you that we will get them out and they will be safe?" Cedric asked the men.

    "What''s the catch?" There was always a catch, and they knew they were right when Cedric frowned.

    "I cannot promise your safety." Cedric said reluctantly.

 955 Chapter 955

    "Please no, don''t make me do it." Mien desperately begged as he clung on to Ian''s leg like a child.

    "Mien if you keep acting like this I will tell Katerina how bad you think of her driving and your career as awyer will be ruined!" Ian threatened, much to Cedric''s amusement.

    Upon hearing what Ian said, Mien quickly stood up and dusted off his clothes, straightening it out making it seem like nothing had happened.

    "We will meet you at R Tower, yes?" Mien asked Cedric, just in time as Katerina stepped out of the restaurant and a valet handed her back her keys.

    "Yes, we need to polish some things with the case. I''ve already asked Alexi to join us." Cedric responded with a nod as he noticed several employees holding back theirughter after witnessing what Mien had done. "Can you speak for Ray?"

    Ian nodded in response as he didn''t trust himself to open his mouth, he was worried that he would end upughing at Mien.

    They had allowed the three employees to leave ahead of them and they had left on better terms than they had arrived.

    John soon pulled up in front of Cedric and Ian as the two men bid goodbye to Katerina and Mien.

    "That went better than expected." Ianmented as he joined Cedric in the car.

    "I still expect more retaliation from the Rajas. This isn''t the end of it." Cedric was looking out the window as John drove them out of Bamboo Room''s parking lot. "They are smarter than this, I just know it."

    "Maybe this is just to keep you distracted. That seems to be a constant theme when ites to the Rajas." Ian suggested.

    Cedric simply nodded as he considered Ian''s words.

    They drove in silence as Cedric reviewed his n over and over again in his head. He couldn''t help but keep thinking about what they were going to do. He didn''t want to leave the three employees vulnerable so he had toe up with a n to save them.

    Ian silently followed Cedric as he alighted at the lobby.

    The crowd parted as he walked through, no one wanted to be in the way of the CEO and his right hand man. Even without the bodyguards the employees of the Reyes Group knew exactly what to do.

    Cedric was still silent as he got in the elevator and went up to the top floor. He only spoke when Ian closed the door to Cedric''s office behind him.

    "Have we figured out where the three men are being held and where their families are?" Cedric sat down behind his desk and drummed his fingers on the table.

    "We know where the men are being held." Ian said with a nod.

    "I sense a but somewhere there." Cedric pointed out as he observed his friend and assistant.

    "It just seems odd that the Rajas are so confident that the three men won''t turn on them." Ian confessed as he shook his head and sat on Cedric''s couch running all the possible scenarios in his head.

    "We both know that they are banking on the fact that all three men would do anything for their loved ones." Cedric reminded Ian.

    "I just feel like there is something else. Something we haven''t noticed." Ian said with a sigh as someone knocked on the door.

    "Come in." Cedric called out.

    "You guys are back quitete." Aleximented as he entered the room. "Please tell me my sister didn''t drive herself to the meeting."

    "As if that were possible, you know that woman, she won''t let anyone drive her anywhere unless it was some formal event with your family." Cedric chuckled as he got up and greeted Alexi.

    "Hey! I heard that!" Cedric and Alexi froze as they looked to the door to find Katerina standing by it with a clearly frightened Mien.

    "Do you still need Mien for this discussion?" Cedric asked Katerina as he pretended not to be bothered by the fact that she had overheard what he had said.

    "No." Katerina frowned.

    "Go help your sister and Dave with some of the tasks I assigned them, I''m sure they could use the help." Cedric gave Mien a kind smile as a look of relief spread across the younger man''s face.

    He quickly bid everyone goodbye and left to help Mae and Dave outside.

    Katerina might have been his idol, but he still feared her and was constantly worried that he would mess up. He was also afraid of how quickly Katerina could change personalities, she was kind to those that respected her, but the moment she was offended or underestimated she could be the most dangerous person in the room.

    "I wonder how he will react the moment he actually sees you mad?" Alexi teased his sister as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

    Before Katerina could even answer, Cedric spoke up.

    "He''d probably run and hide behind his sister." Cedric teased making Katerina roll her eyes at him once more.

    "Are you two just going to keep acting like children or are we going to work?" She asked the two older men. "Ian is the only one that looks like he is taking this problem seriously." She pointed out as she sat down across Ian and gave him a smile.

    "Oh, Ian''s just afraid of your temper too." Cedric grinned as he sat back down. "But yes, let''s get back on track."

    Ian responded by giving Katerina a weak smile and shrug, making her shake her head at the men in the room.

    "You have a n, yes?" Alexi asked Cedric as he sat next to his sister.

    "We can secure the cooperation of the three employees if we get their families out. I have a n on how to save all of them, but it will require such precision that everything needs to be timed properly and if something goes wrong we need to have the most creative minds on our side." Cedric announced.

    "Great, so when do we start?" Alexi asked with a grin knowing that whatever Cedric had nned was somethingplicated to execute.

 956 Chapter 956

    It was a week of silence.

    The Rajas made no other move, be it in court or on any other stage.

    Cedric knew something was wrong the moment they didn''t take advantage of his meeting the employees they had threatened and ckmailed.

    "This is crazy!" Ian grumbled as he flopped on his seat in Cedric''s home office. It was the weekend hence Cedric had simply decided to deal with what work he could while spending as much time with his family.

    "I know, I know. It''s not normal." Cedric sighed as he looked through the report of all the actions the Rajas had made over the past few days.

    "They should have done something by now." Ian stood up and paced across the room. "I was so sure they were going to make a move when you had Adrianna and the children return to the capital, but nothing. It was just silence." Ian grumbled.

    "These people are more politicians than businessmen." Cedric looked through all of his files again, studying every move made against them both in the past and in the present.

    "What are you talking about?" Ian asked Cedric as he walked over and took a peek at what Cedric was reading. "How can you even make sense of all of these?"

    "It''s about the bigger picture." Cedric said with a sigh as he ced the documents back down and leaned back.

    He closed his eyes as he tried to picture each action the Rajas had made, he tried to imagine what effect each of those actions had and what the oue was.

    Cedric knew that the Rajas were unlike anyone they had ever encountered.

    Unlike the people that had challenged him before, the Rajas had an unknown amount of resources.

    Their influence was also hidden from Cedric.

    These people had done such atrocities in the past and yet they were capable of changing the narrative, of rewriting history.

    "Cedric!" Ray came charging in through the door, making Cedric jump from his seat.

    "What?" Cedric asked as he sat back up.

    "I thought you sent enough men to watch over my wife, your sister!" Ray was clearly furious about something, but Cedric couldn''t figure it out.

    Noticing the confused look on Cedric''s face, Ray walked towards him and mmed a piece of paper on the desk.

    "She hasn''t shown you this?" Ray crossed his arms on his chest as he waited for Cedric to pick the document up and read through it.

    Seeing the words on the piece of paper, Cedric turned pale.

    "Where did you get this?" He ced the piece of paper back on the desk and pointed at it.

    Ian moved from his spot as he tried to see what Cedric was pointing at.

    "It was ced into her pocket when she and the girls were in the mall. Imagine two pregnant women shopping and this shit happens!" Ray was hysteric at this point.

    It was his wife and unborn child that were at risk. It was Ayanna that the Rajas had chosen to target, possibly because out of all the women she was closest to him.

    Cedric calmly took out his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

    "Come to my office now." He didn''t even wait for the person at the other end of the line to acknowledge what he had said. He knew that Leon would do as he had asked.

    Luckily, Leon was lounging outside when Cedric called him.

    "Sir." Leon had a serious expression on his face. He knew something was wrong, Cedric was clearly mad about something.

    "I want you to do a thorough sweep of all our personal employees, I want to be sure that there are no spies or traitors." Cedric hissed. "I want you to check Ray''s people as well."

    "You think this is an inside job?" Ray asked as he pointed at the document on the table.

    "Yes." Cedric nodded.

    Eventually Ian finally got his hand on the document that had caused such a stir among two of the most powerful men in the city.

    He too was shocked at what it read.

    ''If we can get this to your sister, we can get to anyone.'' It was a threat that the Rajas were everywhere.

    ''Release Lucius Ting or a letter is the least of your problems.'' The message read.

    It was also signed with the symbol of the Rajas, one that they had been using for decades.

    "Will you do as they ask?" Ian looked up at the two men, he knew just how important their families were to them.

    Both men had increased the security around the people they valued in the past weeks. Having a breach as serious as this would not be taken lightly by either of them.

    "No." Cedric spoke before Ray could even say anything.

    "What do you mean no?" Ray was furious with Cedric''s answer. "You need to at least consider this. They managed to get close to Ayanna when she was surrounded by guards and friends."

    "That''s why I''m having everyone investigated." Cedric dered. "There is a rat we missed out and I want to make sure he or she either sings or we send a message to the Rajas."

    "We both know that means you can''t hand Lucius Ting over to the Esteves family yet." Ian pointed out. "They will not be happy."

    "They can wait." Cedric dered.

    "You need to at least consider handing Lucius Ting over if we do not find who is their rat." Ray urged Cedric.

    "You''re worried about your wife and child, isn''t Ayanna going to find out the gender today? Why not let me worry about this problem and enjoy every moment with your wife. This doesn''t happen often." Cedric told his friend.

    Ray sighed and shook his head as he turned around and walked out of the room, mming the door shut behind him.

    "As much as I hate to admit it, we might have to do as the Rajas ask." Ian told Cedric as he slid the document back to his friend.

    "I''m not one to give up and give in, are you?" Cedric asked as he continued to stare at the door the Ray had just walked out of.

 957 Chapter 957

    Later that evening, Cedric asked his sister if she could join them for dinner. To his surprise several others also decided to drop by and eat with them.

    He looked across the room as he tried to anticipate what his friends'' reaction would be to the news he had.

    "Ayanna, is there something you want to tell me?" Cedric asked as the maids served their food.

    "No, why?" Ayanna couldn''t look her brother in the eyes. She knew what he wanted to know, but she had no ns of making him worry more than he should.

    "Are you sure?" Cedric''s voice turned stern as he waited for her toe clean.

    Cedric noticed Ray reach out, hold his wife''s hand, and gently caress it. He was clearly trying to calm her even before he spoke.

    "He knows, Ayanna." He told her, making Ayanna go pale.

    "He knows what?" Adrianna gave Cedric an intense re. She could tell that they were about to say something very important.

    "Did you help her keep it from us?" Cedric asked his wife as his features softened. He couldn''t get too mad at her, she was still recovering from giving birth to the twins.

    "Keep what?" Adrianna asked as she tried to pretend not to know what her husband was saying.

    Cedric''s eyes traveled across the table and noticed that all the sisters were acting quite awkwardly. All except Katerina who just kept eating as if nothing was happening.

    "You all knew and you kept it from us?!" Cedric raised his voice as he struggled to control his anger.

    "It''s not important." Ayanna quickly responded.

    "Not important? Really Ayanna, it''s your lives that are in danger here, how could you say this isn''t important?" Cedric asked.

    "You''re overreacting!" Ayanna mmed her hand on the table and shouted. "This is stupid. It was just a piece of paper!"

    Guan Ming and Cami, who had also joined the group for dinner gave the siblings a confused look.

    "Care to exin to the rest of us what exactly is going on?" Guan Ming asked, interrupting the argument between siblings.

    Ayanna red at Cedric, as if daring him to tell the rest about what had happened.

    "My sister and the other girls were out in the mall when someone slid this note into her pockets." Cedric handed the document over to a maid, who then took it and gave it to Guan Ming.

    Guan Ming''s eyes went wide when he realized what the note had said. He looked at Ayanna and shook his head.

    "I can see why your brother is not happy with you right now." Guan Mingmented as he handed the note over to Cami, who had been craning her neck to see what was on the piece of paper.

    "Ayanna!" Cami gasped as she read the document. "This isn''t some light matter. I''m sorry, but Cedric does have a point."

    "Fine, fine, yes, it''s important, but my brother and husband already have too many things to worry about. I was trying to find a way to break it to them slowly." Ayanna frowned and looked down as she admitted her mistake.

    Everyone was silent around the table as the note got passed around. They all understood both Cedric''s and Ayanna''s side, but this time it was clear that she should have told Ray or Cedric.

    "How long ago was this note given to you?" Cedric''s tone was once more calm as he controlled his anger and disappointment.

    He knew that his sister meant well, but he also expected her to understand the importance of reporting matters such as these to him.

    "A week ago." Ayanna said as she shuffled her feet.

    "A- a- week?" Cedric was shocked that nothing bad had happened since then. "The Rajas could have taken every action we made as one ignoring their threat."

    "You can''t seriously consider what they are asking for in that note?" It was Guan Ming''s turn to question Cedric. "Turning Lucius Ting over to them will clearly be taking several steps backward."

    "We are speaking about the safety of the people we love, I haven''t made a decision on what to do." Cedric calmly answered Guan Ming.

    Of course he had no intention of turning Lucius Ting over to the Rajas, the man was headed to the Esteves family after Guan Ming was done with him.

    "So what is your decision?" Guan Ming red at Cedric as he observed the other CEO''s reaction.

    "Will you calm down, Ming?" Cami suddenly spoke as she pulled her boyfriend back down on his seat. "It''s as if you don''t know Ced. He''s clearly toying with you right now."

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh as Cami rolled her eyes at Guan Ming who was acting quite childishly in Cedric''s opinion.

    "Please tell me she''s right." Guan Ming said with a pleading look on his face.

    Cedric slowly nodded and smiled at his friend.

    "I know what has been given up just for this man''s capture." Cedric told his friend. "Plus I will not give the Rajas what they want."

    "Sir." Leon suddenly appeared at Cedric''s side as he gave him a small bow. "The staff need to leave."

    Cedric nodded as his staff turned and left the room, firmly closing the door behind them.

    "Are any of them traitors?" Cedric asked Leon as he looked at the door his staff had just stepped out of.

    If any of those that worked within the walls of Mountain View worked for the Rajas then they would have a huge problem.

    As people who worked closely within their private space, they had the most ess to secrets and the people closest to Cedric.

    "No, yours and Ray''s close staff all check out." Leon confirmed. "I just needed them to leave so that no one would be suspicious. All of the people working in the households had a much more in-depth investigation and we continuously monitored them and their families."

    "So where was the leak?" Ray asked as he leaned forward to hear Leon better.

    "At the store where Ayanna and the girls went." Leon exined. "The store owner himself may be in on it as well."

    "Bring him here." Ray ordered.

 958 Chapter 958

    Warning: This chapter contains sexually explicit content.

    (Finally some Guan Ming and Cami time)

    "Ming!" Cami chased after Guan Ming as he angrily left Cedric''s house. She hadn''t expected him to carry the grudge even after Cedric had dered that Lucius Ting would not be returned to the Rajas.

    "Leave me be, Cami, I just need to calm down." Guan Ming called out as he continued to make his way to the house Cedric had allowed him and Cami to upy.

    He didn''t like the fact that he had to rely on Cedric for everything while he was in this country. He was used to being a powerful man in his own right, but because of love, because of revenge he had to do as Cedric asked.

    Guan Ming was at the door of the house when Cami stopped it from closing, cing her foot between the door and the door frame.

    "Ming." Cami winced in pain as Guan Ming panicked, picking her up and carrying her to the couch.

    Her breathing wasbored after chasing him in her heels.

    "Why didn''t you change before dinner?" Guan Ming took off her shoes and gently massaged Cami''s feet, making her giggle.

    "You know I''m ticklish." Cami scolded as she swatted his hands away.

    "Why didn''t you change? It''s not like we live far from Cedric''s home." Guan Ming frowned as he sat next to her.

    "I didn''t have the time, I didn''t want you to wait." Cami admitted as she looked down at her hands.

    Guan Ming gently pushed away a stray strand of hair and gave her a light kiss on her cheek.

    "I''ve waited years to be with you, just a few minutes for you to change your shoes isn''t too long for me Cami. You will always be worth the wait." He boldly dered making Cami blush.

    She looked up and smiled at him.

    "I don''t want you to keep waiting." She fidgeted as she spoke.

    Guan Ming couldn''t help but feel like something was off with his girlfriend tonight. She had sent away all of his staff earlier that night and had been too excited for dinner when they made their way to Cedric''s mansion.

    "Is something-" Before Guan Ming could even finish his statement, Cami climbed up on hisp and kissed him passionately on the lips.

    Worried that she would fall, Guan Ming wrapped his arms around her waist. Unfortunately, or rather quite fortunately for Guan Ming, his left hand ended up touching her ass.

    Surprised by the intimacy, Cami jerked away and Guan Ming was forced to hold her tighter giving it a squeeze.

    Much to his surprise Cami seemed to enjoy what he had just done as she moaned into his lips.

    They had made out a couple of times, but this was far more passionate than in the past.

    He couldn''t help but wonder if tonight was the night that Cami would give herself to him.

    Guan Ming was caught off guard when Cami''s hands found his chest and slowly began to unknot his tie.

    He stopped her and broke the kiss, looking up to the beautiful woman on top of him.

    "Are you sure about this?" Guan Ming wanted to do this, but he didn''t know if Cami was definite in her choice. Cedric had told him how she had not been with a man since Cami and Guan Ming first met.

    "This isn''t our first time." Cami scolded him as she continued to unknot the tie. "But yes, I''m sure."

    Their first time, Guan Ming couldn''t help but recall the drunken and drugged haze they had both been in when they climbed into that bed in Hong Kong.

    How he had imagined it over and over since they parted ways.

    "I won''t hold back." Guan Ming warned as his expression darkened.

    "I don''t want you to hold back." Cami answered him as she was lifted in the air.

    She wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling his hardening cock in his pants. She couldn''t help but grind against it, eliciting a moan from Guan Ming''s lips.

    "Don''t be too anxious, Cami, you''ll be screaming because of it pretty soon." Guan Ming said in a dark tone as he carried her up the stairs to the second floor where their bedroom was located.

    "Why can''t we just do it here?" Camiined. She wanted him, she had not been this lustful in years. Thest time was with Guan Ming.

    "Because a woman like you should be worshiped and respected." Guan Ming dered as he kissed and bit the crook of her neck, making her core heat up.

    He kicked the door open and gentlyid her out on the bed, trailing kisses from her feet up her legs and under her skirt.

    His actions made Cami moan as she reached down and grabbed a fistful of his hair.

    Guan Ming could smell her arousal, he was so close and it was so strong that he couldn''t help but be excited by it.

    He yfully bit onto her panties and tugged it off, making Cami even more aroused as her juices began to drip from her opening.

    "So wet." Guan Ming said as he pressed his lips on her pussy and began to assault it.

    "Ming!" Cami couldn''t help but cry out his name as she felt waves of pleasure course through her body.

    "That''s right, let the whole world know who makes you feel this way. The only person allowed to make you feel this way." Guan Ming dered as he lightly bit her clitoris making Cami scream once more.

    "Such a lewd woman, if the people you do business with knew how wild you could be in bed they would definitely be shocked." He said with augh as he continued his assault on her pussy.

    Cami had lost her mind to pleasure at this point, all she could do was to moan and scream Guan Ming''s name as she was brought to her first climax.

    "Like that, my love?" Guan Ming asked as he ced a finger into her sensitive pussy, making Cami scream.

    "I want-" Cami struggled to say what she wanted as Guan Ming added another finger into her opening. He was preparing her to receive his cock.

    "You have too many clothes on, love." Guan Ming said as he eyed her body. "Why don''t we relieve you of them."

    With that he ripped off her dress, leaving her with only her bra on.

    "Still too much." Guan Ming dered as he pulled her bra off over her head, leaving her naked and exposed.

    "Now the real fun begins." Guan Ming said with a grin as he lowered his head and nibbled on a nipple as he undid his belt and let his pants fall to the ground.

    He was going to make sure that tonight would be a night that neither he nor Cami would forget.

    He wanted her to keep screaming his name until she couldn''t take it anymore. He was going to make sure that tonight she knew how much he craved for her, how much he desired her. He was going to show her how her body was to be worshiped and the true meaning of pleasure.

 959 Chapter 959

    Warning: This chapter contains sexually explicit content.

    (Don''t worry, we''ll get to see Cami and Guan Ming do more, much, much more.)

    "You''re so wet." Guan Ming whispered into Cami''s ear as he kicked off his pants and slowly started taking off the rest of his clothes.

    He began by kissing her earlobe, neck, then finding his way to her lips as the rest of his clothing came off.

    "M. . .m. . .ming." Cami moaned as he lowered his head to suck on her supple breasts.

    He raised one hand to y with the left while he sucked on the right.

    "I want-" Cami couldn''tplete her sentence as Guan Ming drove her senses into overdrive.

    "Use your words, love." Guan Ming said in a low voice as he kissed each breast and rubbed his cock along her opening.

    She was so wet that he was sure his dick would simply slide inside of her.

    How he wanted to feel her walls grip his cock tightly as he thrust into her, but he had to wait. He wanted Cami to beg for him to enter her.

    "I want-" Cami moaned again, unable toplete her sentence as Guan Ming lubricated his cock in her juices.

    "I think you should get me ready first." Guan Ming said with a grin as he pulled her up, making her whimper.

    "On your knees, Cami." He ordered.

    His girlfriend did not object as she went on her knees and without amand took his full length into her mouth.

    Guan Ming moaned as he felt Cami''s soft lips take him in, she sucked his cock like a pro.

    He couldn''t help but hold her head and thrust deeper into her mouth hitting the back of her throat. He could sense that she wanted to gag, but he couldn''t stop himself, he kept thrusting in and out.

    For a moment Guan Ming doubted if he was doing the right thing, what happened next shocked him. He felt the vibrations as Cami moaned into his cock, he watched as her free hand yed with her breasts.

    He grinned as he took a fistful of her hair and pulled on it.

    "Is this turning you on even more, love?" Guan Ming asked. Before Cami could answer he shoved his dick back down her throat.

    Who knew his very serious girlfriend was actually such a vixen in bed.

    After a few more thrusts, Guan Ming could feel himself nearing his climax. He quickly pulled out of Cami''s mouth and helped her back up, kissing her on the lips.

    "Are you ready?" He asked her as he sucked on her neck, making sure to leave a mark. He wanted everyone to know that she was his.

    "Yes." Cami moaned as she felt his cock brush against her dripping pussy lips.

    Guan Ming made hery on her back once more, he yed with her sensitive clit, making Cami cry out.

    "Please, fuck me!" Cami begged him.

    "Such a dirty mouth." Guan Ming said as he clicked his tongue and lowered his head, capturing her lips in his.

    As he continued to make out passionately with her, he rubbed his cock against her opening and in one quick movement, he entered her.

    "So tight." He hissed as he pushed even deeper.

    He could feel as the warm walls of her pussy gripped him tightly. He knew he was the only one who had ever been in there and it made it all the more pleasurable.

    "It hurts." Camiined as Guan Ming began to move.

    "Shhh, love. In time you''ll get used to it. Let''s take it slow." Guan Ming said as he ced a chaste kiss on her forehead.

    He wanted to go rough and fast with her, but he understood that tonight might not be the night. She still needed to get used to having a cock in her pussy.

    After a few thrusts, Guan Ming heard Cami moan in pleasure.

    "Faster, please, faster Ming." Cami moaned.

    Guan Ming didn''t need to be told twice. He thrust in and out of her faster making Cami moan and call out his name repeatedly in pleasure.

    All of a sudden he pulled his cock outpletely and smiled down at her.

    "No." She weakly whimpered as she felt the emptiness. "Ming, no." She begged.

    Guan Ming chuckled as he thrust back in violently.

    "Ming I''m cuming!" Cami screamed as Guan Ming could feel her walls grow tighter around his cock.

    He didn''t slow down, as a matter of fact he moved faster, bringing Cami to her climax.

    As she rode it down, Guan Ming continued to fuck her. At that moment he didn''t care that she was sensitive, he continued thrusting in and out of her until he reached his climax.

    "Where do you want it, love?" He asked Cami.

    "Inside." Cami cried out as she felt him hitting deeper and deeper.

    "Are you sure?" Guan Ming asked.

    "Yes!" Cami moaned.

    With onest thrust he came inside of her, riding out his orgasm, he remained inside of Cami as he pulled her to her and nted soft kisses on her lips and her neck.

    "That was-"

    "Amazing?" Guan Mingpleted her statement for her with a chuckle. "You''re amazing, my love." Guan Ming dered as he pulled out of Cami.

    "I can''t believe we finally did it." Cami said as she buried her head on Guan Ming''s chest.

    "Did I hurt you?" Guan Ming frowned as he inspected her body. He knew that at some point he had allowed his lust to take control of his actions and had treated her roughly than he initially nned.

    She had juste on to him so strongly he didn''t know what to do. He didn''t even expect them to have sex tonight. He thought he would have to wait till they got married or something to a simr extent.

    "No, I liked it." Cami said as she kissed him on the lips and ced her head on his chest.

    Soon enough she was fast asleep as Guan Ming continued to watch the beautiful woman sleeping with him.

    He couldn''t wait to spend more nights with her.

 960 Chapter 960

    "I can''t believe that he would betray us, that he would side with the Rajas in all of this and act as their agent." Katerina asked angrily as she stared at the designer who sat at the otherside of the one way mirror.

    "You should calm down." Eric rubbed her shoulders as he tried to calm his fuming fiance.

    "Calm down?! Calm down?!" Katerina raised her hands in the air in anger as she stomped across the room and sat down.

    "I''m not surprised she is that mad." Nicole said as she entered the room, followed by Ayanna and Adrianna.

    Cedric, Ray, and Ian had stayed behind since they were the ones that were going to interrogate the shop owner and designer.

    "Yes, but she shouldn''t be acting like this." Eric pointed out as he sat down next to his fiance.

    It was at times like these that he was at a loss with what to do. Despite having grown up with a sister of his own, women were still a mystery to him.

    "Henry has worked for and with the elite of this country, including our own families, for decades." Ayanna calmly stood across the one way mirror as she looked at the old man on the other side. "He was much more than a designer or a tailor, he was a friend."

    Outside Ian frowned as he paced across the room, cursing every so often.

    "It''s not your fault." Cedric said with a sigh as they waited for the rest of their group to arrive. "Henry has worked with and for our families for generations, we couldn''t have known that his loyaltiesy elsewhere."

    "I encouraged them to go to Henry because I believed we could trust him." Ian continued to me himself despite Cedric''s words. "What if the orders had been something much more dangerous, something sinister? What then?"

    Cedric and Ray remained silent for a while before thetter spoke up.

    "We cannot look at the background of every man, woman, and child that approaches our family." Ray reminded Ian. "These things happen, and we can''t let it stop us from living our lives and carrying out our ns."

    "You guys look way too serious." Alexi pointed out as he, Miguel, and Ram approached the three other men.

    "Just talking about what happened." Ray walked to the door and held the handle. "Are you ready?" He asked hispanions.

    Cedric simply nodded as Ray pushed open the door and walked in with Cedric.

    Ian, Alexi, Miguel, and Ram joined the others in the room at the other side of the one way mirror.

    "Henry." Cedric said in a sad tone as he sighed and sat across the older man.

    Henry was a renowned designer and tailor that only catered to the elite of the elite. He didn''t make clothes for just anyone and his creations were a sign of a person''s status and power in the world.

    He was much older than Cedric and his friends, he was a little bit younger than Cedric''s father, Emilio Reyes.

    "Mr. Reyes." Henry''s tone was quite confident. It didn''t seem that he was embarrassed at all by his predicament. "I see you got the message meant for you. I''ll be honest, it took longer than we expected."

    "How long?" Cedric asked as he tried to keep his voice stern. "How long have you been working for the Rajas?" He asked.

    Cedric didn''t want to show Henry that he had been shaken by the betrayal, but Cedric feared that Henry already knew the truth.

    "I don''t work for them, Mr. Reyes, I work with them." Henry corrected Cedric in a confident tone.

    "Since when?" Ray hissed, repeating Cedric''s question.

    "They were the ones that gave me the opportunity to be who I am today, I''ve been with them from the very beginning." Henry said with a grin on his face as he stared directly at the one-mirror.

    "Impossible." Cedric hissed.

    "You should really study your own personal histories first before choosing your friends, Mr. Reyes. The traitors could be much closer than you think." Henryughed as Ray gave Cedric a confused look.

    Cedric tried not to show his emotions, Ray might not know what Henry was bbering about, but Cedric did.

    Henry was trying to get them to distrust each other, but that was never going to happen, Cedric would never let it happen.

    "You are simply trying to divide us with your lies." A calm smile spread across Cedric''s face as he sat down across Henry.

    "I do not lie." Henry answered.

    "Now tell us, Henry, why did you choose to work with the Rajas?" Cedric asked as he continued to move away from the topic of traitors and families.

    "They promised me what I wanted in exchange for my loyalty. It was simple and I don''t regret it." Henry answered calmly. "Mr. Reyes seems to be the only one that understands the gravity of me having been brought to my position by the Rajas."

    "It isn''t important." Cedric hissed, losing control of his emotions for a moment.

    He didn''t want Henry to say what he was nning.

    "Really Mr. Reyes?" Henry said with a coldugh. "Have you not learned your lesson when ites to lies? Didn''t lies almost ruin your own marriage?"

    Cedric red at Henry as he waited to see what the man would do next.

    "I''m surprised at how much you trust Mr. Reyes, Mr. Laurence." Henry said with a mockingugh as he looked at Ray.

    "You won''t trick us, not again Henry." Ray red at the man across from him.

    In the past they treated Henry with respect mainly due to his skill, but today he was someone else to them.

    "Are you sure? Because the family that paid for my education and my first store is someone quite close to you." Henry said victoriously as he continued to stare at the one-way mirror. "Do you dare deny me, Cedric?"

    "Cedric, it can''t be true?!" Ray said as he looked at Cedric in shock.

    "We''ll discuss itter." Cedric kept his calm even as Ray began to show his anger.

    "Later? So it is true?" Ray looked at Cedric in shock as he realized that his brother inw was protecting someone connected to the Rajas.

    "Don''t me Mr. Reyes, even he didn''t know that the Lims were part of the founding families of the Rajas." Henry said with a victorious grin as he continued to stare at where he believed Ian was.

 961 Chapter 961

    Cedric massaged his temples as the guards took Henry out of the room, dragging him as heughed like a mad man.

    It seemed that this was his true end goal, to create cracks in their friendship, to make their group doubt one another. Of course there was no way for Cedric to have prepared against an attack such as this.

    He still needed to figure out if Henry was lying or telling the truth.

    "Don''t." Cedric said as he noticed that Ray was about to say something.

    "I wasn''t going to question Ian, I know very well that that''s what the Rajas want to happen." Ray told Cedric as he got up and walked towards the door.

    He stopped in front of the door as he ced his hand on the door handle.

    "Are youing or will you keep trying to run all the plots and ns in your head all alone?" Ray asked.

    Cedric got up and sighed as he followed Ray out the door.

    They entered the next room, which seemed to be suspended in time as no one spoke a word. Ian sat as everyone observed him.

    It was clear to Cedric that despite Henry''s words they all still believed Ian was innocent above all else.

    "I didn''t-" Ian began to say as he noticed Cedric and Ray had entered the room.

    Cedric raised a hand and shook his head.

    "I believe you didn''t know about that. I still trust you, and I think everyone in this room trusts you." Cedric told his friend. "You''ve been through too much in life, this is not another burden I want to add on your shoulders."

    "I still worry that his words hold some truth to them." Ian frowned as Nicole reached out and held his hand in hers.

    "What do you think could be true and could be lies?" Ray walked towards Ayanna and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, seekingfort from her.

    "I won''t deny that it was my grandfather that paid for and supported Henry, that''s the very reason why even in poverty, Henry still catered to me and my family." Ian exined. "What I need to know is if my family was truly involved with the Rajas in the past."

    "But your family stood up against them." Nicole pointed out as she looked up at Ian.

    Ian gave Nicole a proud smile as he slowly nodded.

    "Will you stay with Cedric and the others while I go home?" Ian asked her.

    Nicole nodded as she held his hand tightly.

    Ian bent down and kissed Nicole on the lips before letting go of her hand.

    "I''ll be back, I need to confront my father." Ian said as he walked out of the room, leaving everyone stunned.

    Ian knew that he had nothing to prove, he knew that Cedric and his friends would believe that Ian had not betrayed them. But he needed to know, he knew their family history was steeped in secrecy.

    On the drive home to the old Lim mansion in the old part of the city, Ian dialed his father''s phone number.

    "Ian? I thought you were busy today, why are you calling?" His father asked, surprised that Ian would give them a call.

    His family had long understood that his work took up so much of his time, adding on to that having a wife and child, he rarely called home.

    "Dad, where are you?" Ian asked as he passed the entrance of the old city.

    "At home, why?" He asked his son.

    "I''ll be there in five minutes, I need to talk to you about something." Ian frowned as he spotted some of his old rivals chatting along the street, leaning against their sports cars.

    He gripped the steering wheel and shook his head. They would fall into his hands soon.

    "Alright, you sound worried. Please drive safe." His father said as he dropped the call.

    Within a few minutes Ian watched as several guards opened the gates that led into the newly renovated mansion.

    For years their home had been dpidated and badly maintained, but when Ian finally managed to get the Lim Group back up and running, life had be much better.

    He drove up to the entrance where he was greeted by several maids.

    Ian decided to simply leave his car in the driveway since he didn''t expect anyone else to arrive.

    "Ian!" His sister, Samantha, shouted in excitement as she ran up and hugged her older brother. "What are you doing at home? I thought you had to be with Cedric and the others today?"

    "I need to talk to dad. Where is Karina?" He asked as he looked around for the older of the two.

    "She''s in the office at a meeting." Samantha exined.

    "Well, I think you shoulde, this has to do with one of our family''s many secrets." Ian said with a sigh as he walked through the old mansion that had been passed down through the generations.

    His father''s office was on the first floor at the other end of the vast hall.

    "Our family has always had many secrets." Samatha sighed. "What is it this time?"

    "It involves the Rajas." Ian said as they stood in front of the office doors.

    "What?" Samantha gasped. She, like everyone in their family, knew the history of what had happened. She, like all of them, was told that they had escaped that time byying low and rising at the right time.

    Ian pushed the doors open to find his father seated behind the office desk, reading through some documents.

    Everyone in the Lim family worked for the family business, including his parents.

    "Dad, I need to ask you a question about grandpa''s secrets." Ian announced as soon as the doors behind him shut.

    "You and I know that grandpa had many secrets, so I''m not sure I can answer all of them, but I''ll try." His father said with a nod.

    "Was our family a founding member of the Rajas?" Ian asked, to which his father bit his lower lip and frowned.

    "Why are you asking this now, Ian?" Ian''s father asked as he looked his son in the eyes.

    "I guess I have my answer then." Ian turned to leave, but his father spoke up, stopping him in his tracks.

    "It''s not what it seems, let me exin." The older man said with a sigh as he stood up and gestured for Ian and Samanatha to sit across him on the couch.

    Ian already knew that things were about to get a lot moreplicated than he expected them to be.

 962 Chapter 962

    Ian and Samantha sat next to each other as they anxiously waited for what their father, Richardo Lim, had to say.

    Their family history had always been aplicated one. The Lims had never been clean, they had always wed their way up to the top, but Ian thought he knew all of the dark and shocking truths. He never expected something as big as this one toe to the surface.

    "Your grandfather was a friend to the old dictator and his most ardent financers." Richardo Lim exined.

    "So grandpa was part of the founding members of the Rajas?" Ian asked.

    "Well the answer to that is much moreplicated, it seemed that he was, but he wasn''t." Richardo exined to his children.

    "Dad, are you trying to confuse us?" Samantha asked her father as she leaned forward and gripped the edges of the couch she was seated on.

    Ian ced a hand on his sister''s shoulder to calm her. Of his two sisters, Samantha had always been the more hot headed one.

    "Your grandfather was not like the Raja founding members." Richardo Lim exined. "He didn''te from an affluent background nor did he go to an elite school. As a matter of fact he was a simple farm boy when a rich rtive saw potential in him and sent him to the capital to study."

    "That still doesn''t answer the question." Samantha pointed out.

    Their father shook his head and gave a smallugh.

    "You''ve always been impatient, Samantha. Let me finish my story, then you can ask your questions." Richardo told his daughter.

    "Fine." Samantha crossed her arms and leaned back, clearly annoyed with her father''sment.

    "As I was saying, he didn''t have the proper background or pedigree as you would call it, but they were his friends. He was often seen around them, speaking to them, making business deals with them and out of friendship they would bail his family and friends out of hard times." Richardo Lim exined.

    He paused for a moment and observed his two children seated across from him. He waited to see if they wanted to interrupt, but neither did and so he continued.

    "In your grandfather''sst few years I did eventually ask him if he was one of the founding Raja members or if he was part of it." Richardo finally exined to his children. "Your grandfather told me that he never asked to be associated with them, he never wanted to be part of the Rajas."

    The room was silent for a moment until Ian finally spoke.

    "So why did Henry believe that it was the Rajas that helped him?" Ian asked.

    "Probably because your grandfather was friends with many of them and because the Rajas didn''t exactly make it a secret that they would support your grandfather''s endeavors." Richardo calmly exined as he carefully studied his childrens'' expressions.

    To his surprise, Ian suddenly got up and left the room. He didn''t even say goodbye, he simply walked out, got in his car and left.

    As he drove through the old city his phone began to ring and he was forced to pull up in the side.

    "Cedric." Ian answered the phone as he noticed a group of people he didn''t particrly like approaching.

    "Have you settled your family matter?" He asked from the other end of the call.

    "In a way, I have." Ian said calmly as someone began to tap on his window.

    "You do know that we trust you, we know that we didn''t even think of your betrayal, not even for a second." Cedric exined to his friend.

    "I did, I do, I have faith in you guys, but it means a lot that you are telling me this yourself." Ian smiled as the man outside continued to tap on his window.

    "Lim!" The man outside shouted, making Ian roll his eyes in annoyance.

    "Is something wrong, Ian?" Cedric asked, he knew that only those that had looked down on Ian in the past called him by hisst name.

    "Yeah, just some pests I haven''t gotten around to dealing with." Ian grumbled.

    "Shouldn''t they be afraid of you now?" Cedric was clearly confused as to why these people would want to harass Ian.

    It was quite well known that Ian was not just Cedric''s assistant, but a good friend as well. People in the business world also knew that he was behind the rise of his family and it''s slow return to its old ce in society.

    "Some people just shouldn''t be allowed to reproduce." Ianmented, making Cedricugh.

    "Hey Lim, don''t be such a coward, show your face. We know you had something to do with a lot of the otherpanies falling. We know you''re behind what happened to the Juans years ago!" The man outside shouted as he continued to challenge Ian.

    "You didn''t bring your bodyguards, did you?" Cedric''s concern was clear and Ian knew he was about to get scolded by his friend. "Those guards are normally enough to deter those idiots."

    "I can deal with them on my own." Ian confidently answered.

    "Them? How many are they?" Cedric asked as Ian heard the men start hitting his car.

    "They are idiots and I can handle them." Ian confidently answered.

    "You don''t need to fight them." Cedric quickly said. He knew that Ian was nning on taking on those men head on in a fight.

    "I don''t, but I find it best for idiots like these to be taught their lesson in person and painfully." Ian grinned as he turned off the engine of his car as he spotted a policeman approaching. "I''ll go straight to Mountain View after this so you can scold me. For now, I''ll deal with this my way."

    Ian dropped the call before Cedric could even argue with him.

    "He forgets I''m also the King of the Underworld''s third inmand." Ian chuckled before opening the door, hitting his assants and pushing them back for a bit.

    Outside where three men dressed head to toe in luxury clothes. Ian on the other hand was wearing an unbranded suit made by Henry.

    "What do you want?" Ian asked coldly as he closed the car door behind him and red at the other men.

    "You think you can intimidate us with your fake fancy job? What favors did you do for the Reyeses for them to give you such a good job? At the end of the day you are still nothing but a poor man." One of them said as he spat at Ian''s face.

    Ian was disgusted by their actions as he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and whipped the spit.

    He couldn''t help but feel annoyed that these people didn''t seem to have any originality, still using him of the same things they had for the past seven years.

    Ian took a step forward and gripped the man by the cor, mming him against his car.

    The man was suddenly shaking, shocked by the fact that Ian was willing to get his hands dirty.

    "Sir, this man is beating up our friend." One man called out as he waved to the policeman approaching them.

    Ian couldn''t help but smile, things were just about to get a lot more exciting.

 963 Chapter 963

    "Hey Ian." The policeman said with a big grin on his face. "Are these guys bothering you?"

    Ian couldn''t help butugh and shake his head at how silly his situation was.

    "Why are you wearing a lower ranked policeman''s uniform roaming the streets of the old town?" Ian asked. "Shouldn''t the great Damien Park be sitting behind a desk rather than patrolling the streets?"

    "D- D- D- Damien Park?" One of the men stuttered as soon as he realized who Damien was.

    Damienughed and shook his head, amused at how Ian had turned the tables against those assaulting him. He barely had to lift a finger and simply used Damien to scare them.

    "You know, if there is anyone here you should be afraid of, it''s Ian." Damien looked at Ian and grinned. "He is much more dangerous than I am."

    At his words the men looked nervously at each other, they didn''t know if they were going to believe the man that imed to be the famous police general or not.

    One of them finally decided that it was better to be safe rather than sorry and decided to turn and run.

    "Let''s get out of here." He told hispanions as he pulled them away.

    Ian couldn''t help but chuckle as he took out his phone and typed away some orders.

    He had honestly thought that after what had happened to their leader in the past they would simply vanish. It seemed that he had been mistaken and they had foolishly gone after him still.

    "Do I want to know what you are doing?" Damien pretended to peer at Ian''s phone, making Ianugh and shake his head.

    "I think you would rather not." Ian ced his phone back in his pocket as a grin crept up on his face. "Some people are just too stupid or cocky." Hemented as the three men sped away in their cars.

    ? "Is Mr. Reyes'' matter settled?" Damien asked, changing the topic.

    "I was on my way to settle it." Ian didn''t want to tell his friend too many details. The less he knew and the less involved he was, the cleaner Damien would be.

    "Are you involved?" Damien asked in a dark tone.

    "Why would you ask me that?" Ian was surprised by Damien''s question. He never thought his friend would doubt his intentions.

    "I know your heart will always be in the right ce. I was just shocked when I had to collect Henry from his office and take him to Mountain View." Damien was still quite serious, it was clear that he was trying to find out more.

    "Henry was acting on another person''s orders. My family had nothing to do with it, if that''s what concerns you." Ian said with a sigh as he shook his head and leaned against his car.

    "Good." Damien nodded. "I didn''t want to think about what I would have to do if you told me that Mr. Reyes and his friends were actually the bad guys and that you were trying to give the real good guys their proper ce."

    Ianughed at his friend''s absurd thought.

    "Why would you think I would always be on the good guys'' side?" He asked his friend.

    "Because I know who you are and I know that despite everything you cannot stand injustices." He exined to Ian. "I know that despite being in the Mafia you never really hurt anyone that didn''t deserve it. I''ve always known that you have a good heart."

    "Thank you." Ian smiled as he stood straight and opened the door to his car. "I should get going, I still need to settle this matter."

    "Wait before you go. . ." Damien hesitated toplete his statement.

    Ian gave him a confused look before closing his car door once more. He crossed his arms on his chest and waited for Damien to continue speaking.

    When Damien remained silent, Ian knew that he needed to push his friend to continue speaking.

    "You know, the longer you keep whatever that is, the more difficult it will be to say." Ian pointed out. He wasn''t a patient person, but the man in front of him was one of his best friends, one of the people that stayed by his side despite his family''s fall from grace.

    "I know." Damien took a deep breath as he tried to regain someposure.

    "Just spit it out, Damien." Ian''s tone came out slightly annoyed.

    "Jas has been asking about you." Damien managed to say as he mentioned Ian''s infamous ex.

    "What about me? She knows I have a child with someone, she knows I have every intention of marrying this other person. Will she try to ruin what I have again?" Ian was not happy with Damien mentioning his ex.

    "She''s changed." Damien said in a sad tone. "She''s different from before. I think you should speak with her, she said that she wanted to clear things with you. Things from the past that need to be said."

    "I''m not going back to her, Damien. You know that I love Nicole and our children." Ian swiftly answered.

    "She''s not asking you to leave Nicole, just to mend our friendship. It hasn''t exactly been fun without you around." Damien exined as he ced a hand on Ian''s shoulder. "But I do understand if you don''t want to talk to her. I just needed to pass on the message."

    "Message passed, I won''t speak to her now, but who knows, maybe someday." Ian promised as he got into his car and drove away.

    He didn''t even look back to observe his friend who simply frowned as his car disappeared as he exited the ancient gates of the old city.

    He simply moved on and moved forward, ready to deal with the evenrger, more important matter at hand, the Rajas.

    It didn''t take Ian long to get back to Mountain View, he was a fast driver, and even faster when he had a mission to aplish.

    As he stopped his car outside of the Security building, a driver took his keys to park his car.

    He quickly marched into the interrogation room where everyone was still waiting for him, waiting to hear what his father had said.

    "Henry wasn''t ordered by our family, he simply assumed that were were a founding member of the Rajas." He announced, much to everyone''s joy and relief.

    But before his friends could celebrate, Ian lifted his hand to say something else.

    "I think we should take advantage of this confusion." Ian announced.

    "What are you trying to say? Don''t do anything foolish." Nicole warned as she red at him from the other end of the room.

    "I know what you are thinking Ian, and that''s too much." Cedric added. "They will know it''s a trap from a mile away."

    "Not if we have a very public fall out." Ian argued back.

    "Wait, what is Ian nning?" Ray asked as he looked between the two men.

    "Ian wants to try to join the Rajas as a spy!" Cedric dered, to everyone''s shock. "Go on, deny that you were nning to suggest that!" He dared Ian who remained silent as he looked down at his feet, guilty as charged.

 964 Chapter 964

    Everyone was silent as Cedric dered Ian''s n.

    Ian stood in silence as dared not deny what Cedric had just said, he couldn''t deny it because it was the truth.

    The moment Ian had heard from his father that everyone assumed his family was part of the Rajas. The fact that many assumed his grandfather was even a founding member, he couldn''t help but want to take advantage of people''s perception.

    Ian took a deep breath and shook his head. His demeanor quickly changed as he tried to embody the man he was going to present himself as in front of the Rajas.

    "All our attempts have been futile, and here we are with the opportunity to control the Rajas from inside, how stupid are you?" Ian was calm and yet cold as he spoke, it reminded Cedric of the times he had seen his friend lose his temper. The only difference was that this time, Ian was not mad.

    He was too calm, his calm made Cedric worry.

    "Ian there has to be another option!" Nicole raised her voice as she tried to get Ian to change his mind. Out of everyone in the room she would have the most sway, she was after all the mother of his children and would soon enough be his wife.

    "Tell me, Nicole." Ian said her name as if he were spitting it in disgust. "Is there any other option? Will we spend years being ves to their ns? Why shouldn''t we just take charge and takemand, after all, it''s been too long."

    Nicole shrank back at the tone Ian used towards her. Never had she thought that the man she loved could be that cold and cruel towards her.

    The room fell silent as they waited for Cedric or Ian to say something, to make a decision about their future, but what happened next surprised them. Eric, who was seated next to Katerina, began to p.

    "If you can fool my sister into thinking that you want to harm her, then this might just work." Eric said as he leaned forward and observed Ian.

    "Are you seriously going to decide on this based on his acting skills?" Nicole shouted at her brother, shocked that he would be willing to go with Ian''s ns.

    "His acting skills are the least of his skills." Eric said as he leaned back and looked towards Cedric.

    "I won''t decide on this." Cedric said as he shook his head.

    "It''s clear that you know I''m right." Ian responded in the same cold and distant tone that made him sound like a stranger to all of them.

    "Ian. . . " Nicole looked at Ian with so much longing that she thought he wouldn''t be able to keep hisposure. To her surprise, Ian remained cold and calm as he ignored her pleading.

    "Ian is right, we cannot let this go on forever. If we do nothing now things might just get worse." Eric nodded as he agreed with Ian. "Ian might not be the best actor but he is smart enough to get them to do what we want and to get the right information out of there."

    "Not to mention he can nt spies for us on the inside without anyone knowing." Ray added, making Cedric re at him.

    "Ced, you can''t keep trying to protect everyone. There are some moves we need to make, some risks we need to take. We can''t keep hiding." Alexi said, joining in on the conversation.

    "First sign of danger and you''re out." Cedric said as he looked Ian in the eyes.

    "Ian, you can''t!" Nicole shouted. "I''m about to give birth, I need Ian with me."

    "You know I can''t promise that." Ian said, ignoring Nicole''s pleading.

    Cedric sighed and closed his eyes as he considered what his friend had just said. It was only a courtesy that Ian didn''t lie to him.

    "I won''t miss the birth of our child, Nicole, nothing can stop me from caring for you or our children." Ian''s tone suddenly returned to his old calm and kind tone. "What this mission needs of me is to betray Cedric, not my wife and my children."

    "I''m not your wife." Nicole insisted.

    "You say that, but we know that all weck is a piece of paper. If you want I can get that pesky piece of paper settled within the day." Ian told her with a charming grin, making Nicold blush like a teenager.

    Someone cleared their throat, interrupting the moment and saving Nicole from any additional embarrassment.

    "How exactly do you n on getting into the Raja organization? Right now I''m sure that they wouldn''t trust you." Cedric seemed to be warming up to the idea, causing Ian to smile.

    "Simple, by leaving Henry here but taking some assassins with me." Ian shrugged.

    "The two that are still locked up at the police station?" Cedric asked.

    "By keeping Henry here, it would keep your eyes off of me, you wouldn''t think that I''m the traitor because Henry knows that my family is rumored to be involved with the Rajas." Ian responded with a nod.

    "And how will you convince the Raja leadership that you are loyal to them?" Cedric asked.

    "By giving them what they ask." Ian said with a sly smile.

    "What if the original Rajas know that your family isn''t a founding member?" Alexi asked Ian as he tried to help find loopholes in the n.

    "There are no living original Rajas, all I have to tell them is that my grandfather''s involvement needed to remain a secret to ensure that the group survived." Ian said with a shrug.

    "They will ask for more than just that." Miguel pointed out as he too joined in the plotting.

    Ian smiled at them, making them worry. It seemed that this friend of theirs was much more ahead than they were when it came to nning the matter.

    "My grandfather may not have been one of the Rajas, but it didn''t mean he wasn''t involved." Ian said as he pulled out a ring from his pocket. "Before his death, my grandfather gave me this, he said that it would get me help from people, but I must use it wisely since it will cost me to ask for their help."

 965 Chapter 965

    It was dark and silent as Ian marched into the Mountain View security building.

    His friends had left hours ago and his wife and son were sound asleep in Cedric''s Mountain View home. For their protection, Cedric had asked for Nicole and Tristan to live longer with him under the guise of his son needing morepanionship.

    Tristan might have been younger than Yoyo by two years, but he was quite smart and could easily interact with the older boy.

    "Mr. Lim." The guard in charge at that hour said as he saluted his employer''s friend and right hand man. Everyone knew that they were to treat Ian Lim as if he were Cedric himself.

    "Switch off the cameras, I want to speak to a prisoner." Ianmanded in a cold tone.

    The guard in charge scrambled to do as Ian asked. It was quite well known that unlike Mr. Reyes, Ian had a temper and the guard knew it was best not to see that renowned temper of his.

    "They are switched off sir." The guard reported.

    Ian looked at the screens before him to confirm that all the cameras were switched off, there was no room for mistakes.

    "Where is the prisoner Henry located?" Ian asked, making sure to make it sound like an ordinary procedure.

    "Cell 23, block 2, basement 3." The guard said quite confidently. He knew that this was a high profile prisoner held at a random cell.

    ? Leon had made sure that if the Rajas invaded in an attempt to free Henry it would take them a while to figure out where the man was being kept.

    "I shall have a word with him, hand me your ess badge." He told the guard.

    "Sir, don''t you want me to take you there?" The guard asked, finding it odd that Ian would want to go down to the holding cells alone.

    "No, I will go alone. My body guards will stay here with you." Ian pointed to the two men who followed him practically everywhere.

    "Are you sure you can navigate the holding cells, sir?" The guard regretted the question the moment he had asked it. Of course Ian could navigate the maze of cells beneath, he had helped design it.

    "I will be on my way, stay here with him." Ian instructed as he left the main level of the security building and took the elevator down to the correct level.

    While the bodyguards had been assigned to him by the Reyes Group in his first years of working with them, the two men werepletely loyal to him.

    Aside from Cedric and his friends, his bodyguards were the only ones aware of the deception he was about to pull.

    Paying attention to where he was headed, Ian stopped in front of one of the most isted holding cells in the whole building.

    Leon had ensured that no one was even near Henry. He had no ns of letting any information leak back to the Rajas about where the designer was being held.

    Ian tapped the ess card on the door and entered the master code allowing him entry into the holding cell.

    "What are you doing here?" Henry hissed as he noticed Ian stepping into his room.

    "Rx, the cameras are switched off and no one will question my presence in this building." Ian said as he closed the door behind him and walked towards the designer.

    "Your grandfather would be embarrassed by you!" Henry dared to use him.

    Ian grabbed Henry by the neck and lifted him, mming him against the wall. His years working for the Reyes Group and the Mafias had taught Ian how to be cold hearted and how to intimidate people.

    He looked the designer in the eyes as the man now trembled in his hand.

    "You almost ruined generations of work!" Ian shouted.

    He threw Henry across the room as the man slid on the floor and hit the other wall.

    "Do you have any idea how hard I worked, how hard my family worked to get into the good graces of the Reyes family and their friends!" Ian shouted furiously as his voice echoed across the room.

    "Y- y- you. . ." Henry was unable to speak. He was too stunned to learn that Ian and the rest of the Lim family had been working for the Rajas all along.

    "Yes, I''ve been part of the Rajas this entire time. Working to get to our goal." As Ian spoke he took something from his pocket and opened his palm to show Henry a ring.

    "Sir, I didn''t-" Henry was cut off when Ian red at him, he knew that it wasn''t his ce to speak. He was not to speak unless asked a question, he was meant to listen.

    "You didn''t think!" Ian shouted. "If you are hoping that I will let you out of this cell then you are gravely mistaken! If you escape then Cedric and his friends will know that I let you out. But you have already caused too much damage."

    Ian took out a phone from his pocket and tossed it to Henry.

    The man stared nkly at him, he seemed at a loss as to what he had to do.

    "Your action against them and your usation against me has reached the Rajas. My family''s involvement had been kept a secret for decades only for you to ruin it. You will call your handler and inform him of your mistake. You will tell him to get in touch with me." Ian ordered in a cold and unfeeling tone that made Henry shiver.

    In all the years that Henry had known Ian, this was the first time he was seeing this side of the man and it scared him.

    Henry quickly did as Ian asked and dialed a number, he spoke to someone and exined things just as Ian had ordered him.

    Ian stood across him, watching him, not showing any emotion as the man trembled on the floor.

    After a few minutes of exining the situation, Henry stretched out his hand as he offered the phone back to Ian.

    His head hung low as he realized the gravity of his mistake.

    "They wish to have a word with you, master Lim." Henry said.

    Ian took the phone ready to speak to the person at the other end of the line.

    "Mr. Lim." A voice greeted. "We thought we had lost your family to the wrong side."

    "You were mistaken." Ian said as he looked down at Henry and gave him a kick on the temple, knocking him out cold.

 966 Chapter 966

    "I''m sure you understand our hesitation in believing that you are on our side." The man at the other end of the line told Ian.

    "Makes sense." Ian confidently answered.

    He had already expected them to say this and more as he leaned against the cold walls of the holding cell. Obviously he wasn''t going to step out to the hall where a passerby could hear him.

    "How can you prove that you are truly with us?" The person at the other end of the call asked.

    "I don''t have to." Ian answered simply.

    "You''re quite confident Mr. Lim." The man chuckled. "You could always be a spy that Mr. Reyes and his friends are nning to send over. You could be using this opportunity to get into our ranks-"

    Before the man could even finish, Ian chuckled at his words.

    The man was puzzled by his reaction, this was far from what any of them had expected Ian to do.

    As a matter of fact, when Henry called and exined the situation to them they thought Ian woulde begging for their eptance.

    If he were truly with the Rajas, then he had been exposed to Cedric and his friends. If he was not, then he would be desperate to join them, but the man at the other end of the line didn''t even seem to need them.

    "Don''t be fooled, whoever you are." Ian''s indifferent tone sent chills up the man''s spine. "The only reason I''m reaching out now is because you and your people have ruined a n decades in the making."

    "Care to exin?" The man asked as he tried to hide how much Ian intimidated him now.

    "Who are you for me to exin to?" Ian questioned. "My grandfather was a key member of the Rajas. He is the reason it thrives today, his sacrifice was the back up n and you chose to ruin it with a pawn."

    There was silence at the other end of the line as Ian kept hisposure.

    He wasn''t sure if the people at the other end of the call believed his words. He knew that he had to enter this deal on top. He needed to show them that he was not to be questioned and that his truth was the only truth.

    "Will you meet us?" The man asked after some time.

    "Why? What is the need for us to meet?" Ian questioned. "My grandfather worked with the Rajas without meeting them for years. Are you nning to expose us?"

    By thrusting the doubt towards them Ian had hoped that the Rajas would further be flustered with him. Of course he wanted to meet them, put faces and names to those that wanted to do his friends and family ill, but he couldn''t sound too eager.

    "Times have changed, Mr. Lim. The Rajas are taking action." The man told him.

    Ian was silent for a while as he pretended to consider his next moves.

    "Very well, I will set the time and the ce." Ian told the man. "Make sure I can still contact this number."

    "We will, Mr. Lim." The man was clearly very much relieved by Ian''s agreement to meet with them. It seemed that it didn''t matter that Ian was now calling the shots and dictating their actions.

    "What about Henry?" The man asked.

    Ian expected this, he knew that the Rajas would want him out of Cedric''s hands. Who knew what other information Henry knew, what secrets he would spill.

    "He stays." Ian coldly answered as he looked at the man who was passed out on the ground from hunger, torture, and the beating Ian had inflicted on him only moments ago.

    Henry was no longer used to the hard life and had gone soft.

    "He knows too much." The man hissed.

    "If he walks free then Mr. Reyes and his friends will know that I had a hand in this." Ian answered. "No, he stays here. We keep the trust Mr. Reyes has in me and it keeps us close to our enemies. I will text the date, time, and location to this number."

    With that, Ian dropped the call.

    He looked at Henry and sighed. His grandfather truly simply wanted to help the man, he wanted the man to have a better life and yet he had squandered it thinking that Ian''s grandfather was one of the Rajas.

    Henry wanted power and influence beyond what he could reach. It was what had now led to his downfall.

    "Such a disappointment." Ian said with a sigh as he nudged the man to check if he was still passed out.

    "If you are conscious enough to hear me, you will suffer here, you will keep your mouth shut and you will not change your story." Ian instructed. "The moment you change your story, Mr. Reyes and his friends will suspect."

    With that Ian turned and left the room, sealing it behind him.

    He straightened his suit as he walked down the hall and out of the holding cell area.

    As he made his way back up to the main area of the security building, Ian slowly formed a n on how to work his way up among the Rajas.

    He was going to dismantle them from the inside out and he was going to make sure that they could never stand up again.

    "You can switch everything back on again." Cedric told the guard in charge as he entered the room.

    The man quickly did as Ian asked, turning on the cameras,

    When he turned to look back, Ian and his bodyguards were gone.

    Outside, Ian looked at Mountain View Mansion. He stopped and took a deep breath. He knew the gravity of what he was about to embark on, he knew well enough the dangers and the risks.

    "Have someone go to the civil bureau tomorrow, I want to make things legal between me and Nicole, but keep it quiet. Neither Cedric nor the Rajas are to find out about this." He told one of his bodyguards.

    The man nodded as he disappeared into the night to do as Ian asked.

    "Are you sure that the two of you want to burn in hell with me?" He asked the man that remained.

    "We do, sir." He responded in a determined tone.

    Ian simply nodded as he walked towards the mansion. Tonight would possibly be thest calm night for a very long time.

 967 Chapter 967

    "An event?" Cami asked Guan Ming as she turned from herptop to face her boyfriend. "You''ve been invited to an event and you want me to go with you?"

    Cami was unsure if she heard Guan Ming''s words correctly.

    They had been in a stable rtionship for a while now, but they had never gone public with their rtionship.

    They went on a few dates, but even those were still in private, with private rooms and very few onlookers.

    Those that wanted to gossip about their rtionship were also unsure of what to say. Everyone knew how Cami had just been faking her rtionship with Lucius Ting and most people feared Guan Ming too much to spread rumors about him.

    Guan Ming gave Cami a sweet smile as he walked up to her.

    Every time he looked at her Cami felt like she was the only woman on his mind. The way his eyes seemed to look into her soul and worship her made Cami blush.

    He reached out and held her hand, took a deep breath and spoke.

    "Yes, it''s a charity event, they have been asking me toe over for years now and I thought it would be the perfect time to, well, let the world know about us." Guan Ming was nervous that Cami would say no.

    He knew that she actively stayed out of the spotlight. As Cedric''s assistant, there were many times that people tried to learn more about her day to day life. But Cami was adamant about keeping everything private.

    The only time her personal life had been so visible to the public was when she was dating Lucius Ting, and at that time it was all part of her n.

    "I know that you have a separate invite for this event but-" Guan Ming wasn''t able toplete his statement as Cami jumped into his arms and pressed her lips onto his, kissing him passionately.

    "Of course I''ll go with you." She said with a chuckle as they untangled themselves from each other''s arms.

    When Cami woke up the next morning, she made sure to pack her dress for the evening. She would be going straight from R Tower, Guan Ming borrowed one of Cedric''s cars to pick her up.

    As she made her way to the drive way of Mountain View Mansion, she bumped into an extremely anxious Ian.

    "Spy''s first day?" She teased him as he walked out with her. "You''ve done it in the past, so why do you seem so nervous this time."

    "I need a favor." Ian told Cami as he held the door to his car open.

    Cami sighed and shook her head as she got in. Ian quickly sprinted to the back passenger seat and told his bodyguard to drive.

    Ian was silent for a while, making Cami turn to him and give him a concerned look. It seemed that whatever he was worried about was quite heavy. He was rarely this silent around her.

    Cami and Ian had known each other for years. They started at the Reyes Group together and they did practically everything together.

    Finally, Ian sighed and spoke up.

    "What I''m about to do is dangerous, it''s more dangerous than any undercover act I''ve ever done." Ian admitted to Cami.

    "You sounded quite confident in the Security building when you tried to convince Cedric and the others." Cami pointed out. "Of course, Cedric and I saw right through you."

    "He knew, didn''t he." Ian chuckled as he shook his head.

    "It''s not like we could change your mind, plus it''s the right thing to do, the right n." Even if Cami was trying to convince Ian that his choice was the right choice, he could hear the sadness and worry in her tone.

    "Hey, we had a deal. I take the risky undercover jobs, you make sure the Reyes Group runs smoothly." Ian told Cami with a grin as he reminded her of their agreement long ago.

    "Things have changed a lot since then." Cami looked out the window as she thought of the scared version of herself that urged Ian to make that promise.

    "It has, hasn''t it. Back then I didn''t have a family to worry about." Ian''s tone was sad, it was as if he was sure something bad was going to happen.

    "What are you trying to say, Ian?" Cami asked as she gave her friend a worried look.

    Ian took a deep breath as he prepared to exin what he needed from Cami.

    "When I join the Rajas I will say and do things that I don''t mean. I will hurt the people I love, because it''s what needs to be done, and the people I love the most will be in danger." Ian slowly exined to Cami.

    Cami was silent as she waited for Ian to continue speaking. As they entered the busy streets of the captial, Cami could see the shining beacon of R Tower, signaling how close they were to their destination.

    The moment they got to R Tower the act would start. Cami was sure that the Rajas had spies among the lower employees.

    "Please take care of my wife and my children when I cannot." Ian finally said.

    "I won''t have to do that, but yes, should anything happen to you I will make sure they are safe." Cami said with a nod.

    They were both silent in the car for a moment as both Ian and Cami pondered what the next few days had in store for them.

    "Will you be at the charity event tonight?" Cami finally asked. She wanted to speak with her friend as well about what was at the back of her mind.

    "Of course, I have three invites, one for the Reyes Group, one for Lim Co., and another from Saints Hospital." Ian said with a chuckle.

    "I''ll be going with Guan Ming." Cami anxiously announced.

    "Finally! I would have forced him to announce your rtionship if he didn''t do this." Ian said with augh as they pulled up to the driveway of R Tower.

 968 Chapter 968

    "Cami!" Katerina called out as she walked through the halls of Ind''s Inc.

    She had initially gone to R Tower in search of Cami and Ayanna. She wanted to get ready for the charity event that night together.

    When she arrived at the CEO''s floor, Cedricughed as he told her that Cami and Ayanna had both been fetched by Selina and taken to Inds Inc.

    "It seems that a fashionpany is a better ce to get ready for the charity event over my dreary office building." Cedric teased as he walked Katerina out of the office.

    She drove furiously to Inds Inc.''s office that was honestly not far away. She was annoyed that her friends did not tell her about their ns.

    As she stormed into the office her phone began to ring as she noticed Veronica giving her a call.

    "V. What''s up?" Katerina asked as she searched the top floor for Cami and the others.

    "Come to Inds'' Inc. we''re all getting ready together." Veronica informed her, making Katerina roll her eyes.

    "I am here, and why did none of you tell me we were getting ready here?!" She asked angrily as she stopped the woman she recognized to be Adrianna''s assistant.

    "Where are they?" She asked the assistant in a cold tone that made the woman flinch.

    "At the end of the hall, big double doors, CEO''s office." The woman managed to say.

    "Thanks." Katerina responded with a smile as she marched towards the direction she had been pointed at.

    As soon as she entered the room she was greeted by the three young men that excitedly ran up to her.

    "Auntie Katerina!" The boys said as they hugged her legs.

    "Hello boys, where are your mamas?" She asked them as she tried to suppress her anger. She knew her friends had sent the children to calm her.

    "This way auntie." Dominic took her hand and led her to a door behind Adrianna''s desk.

    Inside, Selina''s multiple assistants were rushing back and forth inside the CEO''s lounge as they picked dresses from racks with the girls'' names on them.

    "Katerina!" Selina eximed as she practically floated over.

    Selina might not be a model herself, but she could pass off as one. She moved very effortlessly and since finally resolving her issues with Alexi, she seemed to be blooming everyday.

    "Thank you for bringing your auntie to us, you boys can go back to ying with the twins." Selina said with a smile as several maids led the two boys back out.

    "Don''t think that you guys can escape not telling me by throwing those boys at me." Katerina grumbled as she let Selina lead her to a seat where she would have her makeup done. "And do their fathers know you are nning on bringing them along?"

    Among the racks of clothes Katerina had noticed sets for children and even some for the twins.

    "Yoyo will be concealed." Adrianna exined as an attendant brought over a few dresses.

    "I styled Eric''s suit for tonight as well, choose one, they will all match." Selina told Katerina.

    "I''ll look like an ordinary girl next to him." One of Katerina''srgest insecurities had always been standing next to the man she loved.

    She knew exactly who he was and how brightly he shined in the spotlight and under the gaze of all the cameras.

    "You look down at yourself too much." Nicole said as she walked over fully dressed with her baby bump proudly on disy.

    "Honestly, if I didn''t know you were a very sessfulwyer in your own right, I would have asked you to model for me." Selina said with a wink.

    Katerina sighed and shook her head, she knew no good coulde from arguing with these women. They were even worse than the otherwyers she faced in court.

    Three hourster, outside Inds Inc.''s main building.

    The employees of Inds Inc. were puzzled as to the sudden presence of paparazzi outside their office.

    Inds Inc. was often ignored by the media, unless it involved their CEO and her even more powerful husband, Cedric Reyes.

    As they began to leave the building, they were shocked to find a line of expensive and extravagant cars waiting outside.

    Another rare vision were the handsome and rich men leaning against the white Rolls Royce at the center of the driveway.

    "What is taking them so long?" Guan Ming grumbled to Cedric as he looked up at the building.

    He got a message from Cami four hours ago informing him that she was headed to Inds Inc. to get ready and that he should pick her up there instead of at R Tower.

    "Ah, you''re an only child, I''ve forgotten." Ian teased as he ced an arm on Guan Ming''s shoulder, treating the normally intimidating businessman as if he were his junior.

    "Women take forever to get ready, we already adjusted our arrival to expect a four hour prep time." Alexi said as he straightened his suit. "Rx, Adolfo, you''ll do fine." He gave the younger man next to him a kind smile.

    Among the men gathered, he would normally be considered the least. But Cedric and his friends never looked down at the young man, even if Adolfo and Natalia rarely spent time with them.

    The couple was much younger, so they liked different things.

    "They are on their way down." Cedric said as the men quickly fixed themselves and waited for their women.

    Around Inds Inc. several reporters noticed the change in demeanoring from the men. Where they had been rxed earlier, things were now a bit more tense.

    Several had the sense to lift their cameras and point it towards the doors.

    Soon the women stepped out, and to the surprise of the crowd, several children. Including a charming young man with half his face covered by a mask. He was firmly holding on to a stroller by his side where everyone assumed the twins were.

    "It seems you and your friends can attract the media even for a small outing like this." Guan Ming whispered into Cami''s ear as he nted a small kiss on her cheeks, something most of the journalists failed to catch.

 969 Chapter 969

    The media was in a frenzy as to what they should report about. The event had not even started and only the minor guests had arrived when, but social media was abuzz with news about a group of guests.

    "Well, I guess some people managed to snap a photo of your sneaky act." Cami tossed her phone to Guan Ming as she showed him the article asking if they were in a rtionship.

    "I want to stake a im on my woman as soon as possible. It''s not my fault you look that delicious." Guan Mingmented as he eyed Cami from head to toe.

    "Behave!" Cami yfully swated Guan Ming''s arm as she scolded him. "We''re in a car, we are heading to a charity event and all you can think of is sex!"

    "I wasn''t thinking of sex, my love." Guan Ming said in a low voice as he pulled Cami towards him and ced her on hisp. "I was thinking of slowly peeling off that dress, to show the most delicious view in the world."

    Cami rolled her eyes as she gave Guan Ming a kiss on the lips.

    Their car pulled to a stop as the line to walk the red carpet had formed due to their group arriving all together.

    "Sir." Guan Ming''s driver called out as he cleared his throat.

    "What is it?" Guan Ming was clearly annoyed at the man for interrupting his moment with Cami.

    "Be nice!" Cami scolded Guan Ming as she slid off of hisp and checked her makeup in the mirror. She may being to this event as Guan Ming''s girlfriend, but she was still a respected woman in the tech industry as well as a well known Vice President of the Reyes Group.

    "Sorry, sir, but look who just walked on the red carpet." The driver said as he pointed towards the direction of the entrance.

    From where their car was currently lined up, they could clearly see whoever was walking from start to finish.

    "Impossible, I sent him packing!" Guan Ming hissed as he clenched his hands.

    Seeing Guan Ming''s reaction, Cami couldn''t help but steal a nce at what had infuriated him so much.

    To her surprise, there stood Wu Jun as the a Chinese woman hung on his arms and the cameras shed in front of him.

    "What is she doing here with Wu Jun?" Guan Ming asked his driver who was also his assistant for the night.

    "I''ll have it looked at, sir." The driver said as he typed away on his phone, sending instructions to the rest of Guan Ming''s people in the country.

    As much as Guan Ming wanted to get out of the car and march over to demand an exnation and to send Wu Jun and hispanion packing, he couldn''t do it so easily.

    He was in the country as a guest of the Reyes and Sebastian Families. He couldn''t shame them so tantly, nor could he make it seem like Wu Jun''s presence bothered him that much.

    He knew the game Wu Jun was ying, he just couldn''t figure out why Wu Jun was doing this.

    "Who is with him? That woman, she''s really pretty." Cami asked as she closely observed Wu Jun''spanion. Something about the woman agitated Guan Ming and she wanted to know why.

    "Her name is Han Ai." Guan Ming hissed. "Remember when my dad said he was d that he didn''t force me to marry that General''s daughter?"

    "Han Ai? That''s her?" Cami asked as she watched the way the woman carried herself.

    The couple was soon out of view as their line of cars moved closer to the entrance.

    "Cami, they will say things, they will try to hurt you. They will want to drive a wedge between us." Guan Ming began to panic as he realized the set of problems that came with Han Ai''s presence at the event.

    "Ming, I think you are forgetting who I am." Cami said with augh as she noticed some of their friends stepping out of their cars and walking down the red carpet.

    "I''m sorry, I just can''t let you have any misunderstanding, I can''t lose you." Guan Ming told her as he reached out and touched her cheek.

    "Ming, I''m not some socialite that hangs on her boyfriend''s every word. You forget that I''m the Vice President of Mor Co. It''ll take a lot more than a forced rtionship to shake me." Cami said as she tried to ease Guan Ming''s worry.

    Slowly their car finally made it to the entrance, Guan Ming quickly stepped out of his car. He didn''t even wait for his driver or any of the bodyguards to open the door, he wanted to be the one to open the door for Cami and help her out.

    He was dead set on making sure that the whole world knew how much he worshiped the woman.

    As Cami stepped out, cameras began to sh. Cami hooked her arm on Guan Ming''s as they walked down the red carpet, stopping in front of several photographers and reporters in order to answer their questions.

    "Mr. Guan, how long have you been dating Miss Montero?" Several reporters asked.

    It was rare for a new couple to announce their rtionship so soon. Yet here were Guan Ming and Cami, two notable individuals in the business world making an appearance as a couple.

    "I''ve loved this woman for over a decade." Guan Ming dered, making Cami blush.

    The reporters were shocked by Guan Ming''s answer. Just a few months ago Cami was still in a rtionship with Lucius Ting, how could she have chosen that man over someone like Guan Ming. A person that could rival or even beat her boss, Cedric Reyes.

    "We met a long time ago, as a matter of fact around the same time he and Mr. Reyes became friends." Cami calmly responded. "We had been separated for years, but we have found each other again."

    Many of the female reporters smiled and pped at her answer, some wishing that a man would show as much devotion to them by waiting for years.

    "But was Mr. Guan not engaged to Miss Han Ai?" A reporter suddenly asked, making Guan Ming turn pale.

 970 Chapter 970

    To everyone''s surprise it was Cami thatughed and responded. They had never experienced something like this, normally the man would be the one toment or avoid thement.

    "Ming is a very important person in China." Cami used his first name to show the intimacy of their rtionship, she was sure that the gossip mongers would be able to pick up on that one. "It''s only natural that after a decade of not seeing each other he would be matched with other fine women."

    ? Guan Ming smiled at the woman in his arms. He knew that she was a quite the business woman, he just didn''t expect her to be able to handle the media so well.

    "So Miss Montero, you are not bothered by Miss Han Ai''s presence tonight?" A reporter bravely asked.

    Guan Ming shook his head at the man''s stupidity. Had he not realized that if Guan Ming didn''t take action against him for harassing Cami, Cedric was sure to do something.

    "Of course not, why would I be?" Cami asked.

    The reporter seemed to want to ask more questions, but Cami turned to Guan Ming and invited him to go.

    "We are holding up the line, Mr. Reyes brought his entire family, it''s best if we clear the way. We don''t want to be coteral damage." She said with a smile as Guan Ming pulled her through the doors.

    Just as the reporters were about to shout after them to get more questions answered, the white Rolls Royce pulled up and their attention was diverted.

    "I thought you wouldn''t want to miss out on the fun." Ian grinned as he pointed at a tablet in his hands that was showing a live feed of themotion outside.

    "It''s not everyday that the Reyes Family arrives in full force." Cami chuckled as she looked at the screen.

    She watched as Cedric helped Adrianna out together with a tiny little boy in a mask.

    Cami wanted tough at how silly the mask looked, but of course it only added to the importance of the Reyes Heir.

    What shocked the press more was when a bodyguard approached Cedric and Adrianna with a stroller. The twins had been riding in one of the security vehicles behind their parents and older brother.

    "I was worried about you with the press earlier." Guan Ming whispered into Cami''s ear as he wrapped an arm around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder as she continued to watch the scene outside.

    "Howe?" Cami asked, confused by Guan Ming''s worries.

    "You''re a businesswoman, not a celebrity." Guan Mingmented. "These things don''t normally happen."

    Cami threw her head back andughed.

    "It might not be normal in your country, but here business personalities are celebrities as well." Cami shook her head as she realized the reason for Guan Ming''s odd behavior the whole time. "As Cedric''s assistant I had been hounded by the press more than once. It became worse when I was VP of Mor Co."

    "I''m sorry for underestimating you. It seems every time I think that something is too much for you, you just decide to turn things around and give me the shock of my life." Guan Ming praised.

    "Then stop underestimating me." Cami chuckled. "Have faith that I''m quite capable on my own and that I know when to call for help."

    "Ming!" A sweet female voice called out, making Guan Ming, Cami, Ian, and Nicole turn to look at who had called Guan Ming by his first name.

    "Miss Han." Guan Ming said coldly as he kept his arms around Cami.

    Cami was tempted to shrug him off, she didn''t enjoy public disys of affection. But seeing as Guan Ming seemed to want to send a message, she let him be.

    "Ming, no need to be so formal." Han Ai pouted. "We used to date, you should at least call me by my first name."

    "Miss Han, it was a business proposal between my father and yourpany, we didn''t date, we met so that you could be mypanion to an event." Cami''s jaw dropped at how savage Guan Ming''s words had been towards Han Ai.

    "Ming, you don''t need to be so harsh." Cami said in a soft tone as she ced a hand on Guan Mings.

    "I''m only speaking the truth." Guan Ming proudly said.

    Han Ai frowned at Guan Ming, but was quickly distracted as she noticed Adrianna and Cedric entering the lobby with their children.

    "Wu Jun,e, introduce me to the Reyeses!" She shouted as she pulled Wu Jun towards the direction of the Reyes Family.

    "Does she not listen to the news?" Nicole asked as she chuckled at the scene that was about to unfold.

    Cedric was overprotective when it came to his wife and children, everyone knew that suddenly walking up to Adrianna and Yoyo was a bad idea and yet Han Ai seemed to have a death wish.

    "Such a cute-" Before Han Ai could even finish what she was saying, several bodyguards quickly took hold of her and pulled her away.

    Cami shook her head and pried herself away from Guan Ming.

    "I should save your ex." She teased as she walked up to Cedric and Adrianna.

    "Let go of me! Do you not know who I am! Wu Jun help me!" Han Ai began to scream at the top of her lungs, attracting the attention of the other guests to the event.

    "She''s harmless, you can let her go." Cami told the guards.

    To Han Ai''s shock, the guards did as Cami asked, releasing her.

    "Don''t go near the Reyeses, they won''t look too kindly at you next time." Cami said with a frown as she walked over to greet Cedric, Adrianna, and the children.

    "How?" Han Ai turned and red at Wu Jun. It seemed that there were things that he did not warn her about.

    "You''re lucky I don''t have your woman dragged out in shame, Wu Jun." Cedric said in a loud voice, making sure that everyone in the room heard it. "Aside from attempting to take my son she also offended Cami. You should know better."

    Wu Jun looked down as Cedric reprimanded him, infuriating Han Ai.

    "What are you even doing here, Mr. Wu? Should I have you escorted to the airport once more?" Ian said, not missing the chance to throw some shade at the man.

 971 Chapter 971

    "I''ll deal with him." Guan Ming said as he ced his hands in his pockets. "Let''s walk Jun."

    Wu Jun had no choice but to drag Han Ai with him and follow Wu Jun.

    "Should I keep youpany?" Cami asked Guan Ming with a worried look on her face.

    She could see that he was exhausted, as if just the sight of Han Ai and Wu Jun was draining him.

    Cami didn''t want to push him to tell her too much, she knew that in time he would exin things. She trusted that he simply needed to figure things out for himself at the moment.

    "You''ll only get bored." Guan Ming said as he kissed her on her cheek. "Plus I''ll be speaking to them in ournguage. I don''t want you to feel left out."

    "Why don''t you enter with us, Cami." Adrianna offered.

    She knew that even if there wouldn''t be that many members of the press inside, it would still feel quite odd if Cami entered the hall on her own when she had arrived with Guan Ming.

    "Sure!" Cami said excitedly as she looked back and gave Guan Ming an encouraging smile. "I''ll see you inside."

    Guan Ming nodded at her before leaving with Wu Jun and Han Ai.

    As soon as they were out of view, Cami''s expression turned cold as she waved over two bodyguards. One was her own and another was Guan Ming''s. He had left the man to protect Cami, but she knew that with Cedric and Adrianna she would be safe.

    "Follow him, make sure they don''t hurt him." She ordered the two men.

    They did not question her order, they simply nodded and did as she asked, following Guan Ming and hispanions.

    "I told you to leave." Guan Ming hissed in their native tongue. "I warned you, but it seems like you didn''t understand my warning."

    "Can you really side with thosemoners?" Han Ai asked, not allowing Wu Jun to speak.

    "You! You! This isn''t your ce!" Guan Ming shouted. He was even angrier at Han Ai that Wu Jun. "You have no idea what you''ve both stepped into."

    "Really, Guan Ming?" Wu Jun said in a calm tone as he confronted Guan Ming. "That woman just bats hershes at you and you forget the years we worked together, building outpanies."

    Guan Ming couldn''t help butugh coldly at what Wu Jun had just said.

    "You and I? We were never friends, Wu Jun, the closest we got to being friends was being rivals." Guan Ming said coldly. "And even then you couldn''t hold a candle to me."

    Wu Jun raised a hand to punch Guan Ming, but he was stopped by Han Ai.

    "Do you really think he woulde here without backup?" She asked Wu Jun in a hushed tone as she looked back at the two bodyguards that were lurking nearby.

    "I really didn''t, I trusted you not to raise a hand against me, Wu Jun." Guan Ming said as he nced at the bodyguards, nodding to say that he was fine. "It seems that my girlfriend read you right. You would raise a hand against me after iming that we are friends."

    "We grew up together! You''ve only spent a few months with these people." Wu Jun said hysterically. "And if the rumors are true, then we are even flesh and blood. How can you go against that!"

    Guan Ming saw red as soon as he heard Wu Jun''s usations flung at him and his family. There were rumors that Wu Jun''s real father was Guan Ming''s father as well. It was due to the infertility issues that the old Wu couple were facing before Wu Jun was born.

    "Blood or not, they never tried to ruin my career or separate me from the one I love." Guan Ming answered. "You have tried at every step to take what is mine. To make me fail, to see me stumble and fall. I saved your face when I didn''t take the matter of your involvement to the public."

    "Saved my face! Saved my face! You brought me shame the moment you had that Ian Lim escort me to the airport!" Wu Jun shouted.

    "You are lucky the media did not get a whiff of your return. This is yourst chance and yourst warning, Wu Jun." Guan Ming said. "After tonight, pack up your bags and go home. If you don''t do as I say I will let everyone know of your involvement here."

    "You wouldn''t dare, you would fall along with me." Wu Jun hissed.

    Guan Ming ignored Wu Jun''s threat and turned to look at Han Ai.

    "And you, one more word that offends my girlfriend and I will make sure that your career is over." He warned. "We both know how far my influence reaches and how deep my pockets are, do not test me. I let you walk free once before out of respect for my parents."

    "It won''t happen again Mr. Guan." Han Ai said as she bowed deeply towards Guan Ming.

    Guan Ming''s expression suddenly turned calm as he gave the couple a smile and fixed his suit. Han Ai was taken aback by the sudden change of his expression.

    "Good, now I expect you both to have a good time and to help those in need during this charity event. A few million shouldn''t hurt you that much." Guan Ming instructed before walking away, nked by the two body guards.

    "Will you do as he asks?" Han Ai asked Wu Jun as she ced a hand on the man''s shoulder.

    Wu Jun gritted his teeth and shook his head.

    "There is someone here that his friends fear, we will go to them. I will not allow Guan Ming to win this time." Wu Jun hissed.

    "Good." Han Ai said with a smile. "He deserves what''sing from him after he ruined my career and broke my heart."

 972 Chapter 972

    Inside the hall, Ian walked around, greeted those that approached him.

    As much as he hated to admit it, he didn''t truly care about most of the people that came up to speak with him. He only knew their names after years or being a Reyes Group assistant, part of his job was to recognize those that the CEOs could not.

    "Mr. Lim." A man approached him as he offered his hand to shake. He was a head shorter than Ian and a little bit on the heavy side.

    Ian gave the man a small smile, he knew this person, of course, but it was quite odd for him to approach Ian.

    "Mr. Willis." Ian greeted as enthusiastically as he could.

    "I didn''t think you would know who I was, Mr. Lim." Mr. Willis said as he gave Ian a slight nod.

    "Mr. Willis, you might have avoided the Reyes Group, but it was my job to keep an eye on everyone." Ian said with a chuckle, keeping the conversation as light hearted as possible.

    Mr. Wills''pany constantly avoided shing with the Reyes Group, it was an observation Ian had made. Manypanies adopted the same strategy, not wanting to get trampled on by a giant, especially one that kept expanding like the Reyes Group.

    "Do you still work for the Reyes Group, Mr. Lim?" Mr. Willis asked.

    Ian knew that there were rumors circting about his current employment status as well as his rtionship with the Reyeses.

    "I am working mostly on my ownpany Mr. Willis, so I don''t think there is any harm in making new connections." Ian said as he tried to imply that he no longer directly worked with the Reyes Group.

    "That''s quite interesting to hear, but you and Mr. Reyes are still on good terms?" Mr. Willis asked Ian.

    Ian had already started to get suspicious of Mr. Willis, most people would exchange a few words with him and not push to know more. Their main goal was often to set a meeting with either Ian or Cedric in order to push their own agenda.

    "I don''t think my rtionship with the Reyes Family is something you should be questioning, Mr. Willis." Ian said as his eyes narrowed at the man.

    "Oh, I hope I didn''t offend you, Mr. Lim. I only hear rumors." Mr. Willis said as he raised his hands in the air as if to show his innocence.

    "Rumors?" Ian asked, he had heard a few, but it wouldn''t hurt to know more.

    Ian firmly believed that knowledge was power, and being ready for all those attacks helped him prepare in advance.

    "A friend of mine, he spoke to someone called Henry yesterday." At the mention of Henry''s name Mr. Willis suddenly caught Ian''s attention. "He said that you and Mr. Reyes were no longer on the same page."

    "It depends who your friend is." Ian said as he pretended not to care.

    "A man that you spoke to over the phone. He sends his regards." Mr. Willis said with a grin.

    Ian didn''t need to show it, Mr. Willis already knew that he had caught Ian''s attention.

    "What is your intention in approaching me, Mr. Willis? Is it business or is it personal?" Ian asked. He wanted to see if this man was simply ying with him or not.

    "We need proof, Mr. Lim. Proof that you are to be trusted and that this isn''t a trap set up by Mr. Reyes and his friends." Mr. Willis said in a low tone as he led Ian away from the main area of the hall.

    "I may have something that could temporarily suffice as proof." Ian told the man as they slipped away.

    Mr. Willis looked around checking to see if anyone had followed them or if they were within earshot of any of the other guests.

    "This way." Ian said as he strode out of the hall and immediately turned to one of the hallways.

    The walk was silent as Ian formed a n in his head. Clearly this man was sent by the Rajas, only they knew that he had spoken to Henryst night.

    When they were far enough, Ian stopped and turned to look at the man.

    "Why did you approach me?" He asked Mr. Willis.

    "We can''t have you meeting the rest of us without some sort of proof." Mr. Willis exined to Ian.

    Ian hesitated for a while before reaching into his shirt and pulling out the ne and the ring his grandfather had given him.

    "A founding ring." Mr. Willis said with a gasp as he reached out to touch it.

    Ian stepped back before the man could touch the ring. He wasn''t going to risk the off chance that Mr. Willis had nned to take whatever proof he had with him.

    "It''s a good thing I never leave home without this then." Ian said as he grinned at the man.

    "Yes, sir." Mr. Willis now treated Ian differently, he seemed to have found some sort of new respect for Ian.

    "I''m assuming this is enough proof for you and your friends?" Ian asked as he now had the upper hand. He quickly tucked the ring back under his shirt, wary of who might see it.

    "Yes, just set the time and ce and we will be there." Mr. Willis said with a nod.

    Before Ian or Mr. Willis could say anything else, someone called Ian from behind.

    "Lim!" Ian quickly turned to find Guan Ming running up to him, with two bodyguards trailing nearby.

    "I''ll be in touch." Ian said as he dismissed Mr. Willis who quickly left, not wanting to have speak to Guan Ming.

    "That''s odd." Guan Ming said as he stood next to Ian.

    "Someone that doesn''t want to meet you?" Ianughed as he ced a hand on Guan Ming''s back.

    "Yeah." Guan Ming nodded.

    "You came at the perfect time." Ian said as he lowered his voice, not wanting anyone to hear. "I''ll exin when we get back to Mountain View."

    With that he dragged Guan Ming back into the hall where the charity event was about to start.

 973 Chapter 973

    The organizers of the event were quite thrilled when they saw Cedric and his friends arrive with their entire families.

    It was rare for any event to get such a good attendance of important businessmen, high ranking officials, and celebrities. It was even rarer when all the five princes arrived with their families.

    That night, there were to be several items auctioned as well as performances from various groups that the organizers wanted to push into the limelight.

    The first event was to be an auction, everyone already knew that if one of the princes set their eyes on it, no one else could get it.

    Much to everyone''s surprise there was little that they had bid on.

    A few pieces of jewelry and some artworks.

    "It''s boring when they know who you are." Adrianna said with a sigh as she recalled the events of thest auction they attended when people didn''t know about Cedric''s true identity.

    "We might have some entertainment tonight." Ian, who was seated nearby said as he subtly gestured towards Wu Jun and Han Ai.

    "I told them to leave." Guan Ming hissed as he red at the couple.

    "It seems Han Ai wants to be the center of attention." Ram suddenly said as he joined in on the conversation. "As the King of Entertainment, I must oblige."

    "You know she mostly got to where she is by making shady deals? I''m not even sure she can really act." Cami asked Ram as she gave him a cunning smile.

    "Of course. What kind of King would I be if I didn''t know that." Ram said as he waved for one of his assistants toe over.

    "Eric, Francesca, do you want to have fun?" Ram asked as he nced at his friend and girlfriend.

    "I''ve never worked with Miss Han Ai before, but I''ve seen her around." Francesca Ri said, looking almost innocent as she spoke.

    If anything was a testament to her acting skills, it was the fact that she could hide how deadly and influential she truly was.

    While Ram and the others plotted to embarrass Han Ai, Cedric leaned over and checked up on Guan Ming.

    "I know you can settle your own issues, but do you need help?" Cedric asked as he nced over to a giddy Han Ai and seemingly anxious Wu Jun.

    It seemed that Wu Jun understood the danger they were in more than Han Ai.

    "I don''t think we even need to lift a finger. At this rate Francesca might just send Han Ai home in tears." Guan Ming said as he smiled at Ram whispering something to his assistant while Cami helped Francesca and Eric choose a song to perform.

    It didn''t take long for Guan Ming''s assistant toe running back to them with good news.

    He whispered something to Ram, making the man grin and nod as he sent him back with another message.

    "Good news!" Ram happily announced to the group. "The organizers were more than thrilled to have Francesca and Eric perform."

    "Of course they would be more than happy." Adrianna said as she rolled her eyes, making Cedricugh as he pulled his wife into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

    "You should be up in a few minutes." Ram said as he smiled at Francesca and Eric.

    "What are you guys nning for Han Ai?" Guan Ming asked, he was curious to see how these well known entertainers embarrassed someone on stage.

    "Just watch and see." Eric said with a wink as he got up and offered his arm for Francesca to take.

    "We deal with the actress, you deal with the businessman." Francesca added as she winked at Guan Ming before standing up and leaving with Eric for the back stage.

    "You have something in mind?" Ian asked Guan Ming as he leaned over.

    "You can''t be seen being involved in this." Guan Ming scolded Ian as he shook his head.

    "Of course I can." Ian argued back as he grinned at Guan Ming. "It''s part of my cover."

    Guan Ming rolled his eyes as he handed Ian a document. He knew that Ian wouldn''t be able to resist getting involved in sending Wu Jun away.

    When Wu Jun arrived he immediately looked down at Ian and went even as far as thinking the man was some sort of servant. Ian had been itching to do something against Wu Jun.

    "This is it?" Ian asked as he looked at the document.

    "In the right hands that could be a very important document." Guan Ming whispered knowing that Ian was the right person to give it to.

    "Ladies and gentlemen! Esteemed guests, your attention please." The host said as he excitedly reappeared on stage.

    "It''s time." Ram said with a grin as gestured for everyone to look at that stage.

    "We will be straying from the program for a bit, but I promise you it will be worth it!" The host said, making the crowde alive as they whispered among themselves.

    "As you know we have many very important and popr guests tonight, but some of the brightest stars are Mr. Eric Chan and Miss Francesca Ri." As the host announced their names, Eric and Francesca stepped out on the stage making the crowd p in excitement.

    Cedric leaned back as he waited for the pair to make their move.

    "We have another important guest here with us." Francesca said as she looked directly at Han Ai.

    It seemed that Han Ai had no idea about the rtionship between Francesca, Eric, and Guan Ming. In her mind they were simply entertainers like her.

    "I think Miss Han Ai should join us and sing as well, don''t you think so, Francesca?" Eric said as he winked at Francesca, making their fans swoon.

    "They know that those two have someone else, right?" Guan Ming asked as he pointed at Eric and Francesca.

    "They do, but they are also crazy fans, we''re used to it." Katerina said as sheughed.

    Han Ai excitedly climbed the stage to join the pair.

    "And how is this supposed to embarrass Han Ai?" Ian asked as he looked at Guan Ming and Ram.

    "Miss Han Ai can''t sing, as a matter of fact all she has is a pretty face and low standards." Ram said as he signaled for his assistant to begin their n.

 974 Chapter 974

    Eric noticed Han Ai''s uneasy expression as she stood next to him and Francesca.

    He had heard rumors that she was just a pretty face that was willing to do anything and everything to be popr, but he didn''t dare assume. At least until Ram encouraged his and Francesca''s n.

    "Don''t worry, Miss Han Ai." Eric said without looking at the woman directly as he kept the mic as far away from him as possible. "We wouldn''t ask you to sing live all of a sudden."

    Eric lifted his head and gave Han Ai a sweet smile, making her trust him.

    "Miss Han Ai, any songs you want to sing?" Francesca looked at Han Ai as her eyes sparkled under the spotlight.

    Everyone could see her excitement in sharing the stage with Han Ai, but they believed the excitement was for a reason very far from the truth.

    Han Ai smiled back and named a very popr duet that had be a top song internationally in the past year.

    "Perfect! I actually memorized that song, my fiance keeps ying it on repeat!" Eric eximed as he looked towards Katerina and winked at her direction.

    He could see her holding back a re as people turned to look at her.

    To the public it was a sweet and touching moment between the couple, but to those that knew them, they were aware that Katerina was not amused.

    "Your rtionship with your fiance is so good, Mr. Eric!" Han Ai praised as she looked at Eric.

    "I''ve loved her all my life." Eric quickly responded, thawing even the coldest hearts in the room.

    Han Ai was about to answer when the music started to y.

    Eric knew this copy of the song, some smaller artists used it when they performed with him and Francesca for public engagements. Only the part of the smaller performers had someone singing while his and Francesca''s had no recording and they would actually have to sing live.

    He assumed that this version had been quickly edited by Ram''s team in order to catch Han Ai off guard.

    "Miss Han Ai, we will point to you when it''s your turn to sing." He overheard Francesca exin. "Eric and I have done this performance multiple times with other celebrities, don''t worry." Han Ai nodded as Eric heard his cue to start.

    As always, Eric''s melodic voice had the female guests swooning by the time he was done with his part. He then nodded to signal Han Ai to lip sync her part, and to her credit she did it so well that even Eric could have been fooled.

    He noticed Francesca put a hand on Han Ai''s shoulder to signal her to stop, it was Francesca''s parting up.

    It seemed that Han Ai''s trust in them grew as the song went on. She noticed that the pair were giving her subtle hints as when to sing and when to stop. She became bolder in her actions and Eric could actually hear her singing, lucky for her the mic had been switched off.

    When the second chorus came on and Eric sang his part, he turned to Han Ai expecting that the music and lyrics would continue to y as it had for most of the song.

    To everyone''s surprise, instead of the melodious voice they had thought to be Han Ai, her actual singing voice carried through the microphone, throughout the hall. Much to her embarrassment.

    Francesca faked a gasp as the music continued to y in the background and Han Ai turned pale as soon as she realized what had happened.

    Realizing that someone must have set a trap for Han Ai, Wu Jun stood from his table, only to be pulled back down by Ian who had somehow appeared next to him.

    "I wouldn''t get involved." Ian told Wu Jun as he slipped the man a document and left.

    Wu Jun stared at the document Ian had left him, he then nced up to see Han Ai being harassed by a wave of camera shes. This was enough to make the front page of almost all news outlets across the world.

    All three on the stage were internationally renowned talents, and Han Ai had just been caught being a fake next to Eric and Francesca.

    As if gaining a conscience, Eric quickly had Francesca escort Han Ai to the backstage before bowing to the audience and apologizing.

    "Miss Ri and I had no idea, we apologize if you think we have fooled you." He was only apologizing on behalf of him and Francesca. He made no mention of Han Ai and what people woulde to call her treachery towards the entertainment industry.

    The members of the media did their best as they tried to press Eric for answers, but he refused toment further as he followed Francesca and Han Ai to the back stage.

    The hosts quickly tried to calm the crowd as they followed the original program.

    Luckily for them, the more rowdy members of the press moved on and tried to see if Han Ai would exit through the backstage entrance.

    They were unfortunately greeted by the Abad and Chan family security teams that were stationed to protect those in the backstage.

    Still in his seat, a bodyguard came up to Wu Jun.

    "Mr. Lim said you may leave, Miss Han Ai will meet you at the lobby." Wu Just turned pale at the man''s words but said nothing.

    This was all clearly part of Ian''s n to embarrass him and Han Ai.

    Unfortunately, Wu Jun had no other choice. He knew that he had only one chance to leave and this was it, he quickly got up and found Han Ai sobbing in the lobby, alone.

    She quickly walked up to him and pped him across the cheek.

    "How dare you let that happen to me? How dare you keep it a secret that they were all friends and family to Guan Ming and the stupid Cami!" She screamed.

    "Let''s go, the longer we stay here the worse it will get." Wu Jun said as he dragged a kicking and screaming Han Ai out of the lobby and back onto the red carpet.

    As he expected, reporters were waiting for them outside, and with no security to protect them they were trapped.

 975 Chapter 975

    Ian chuckled as he passed his phone over to Guan Ming, he had been watching a livestream set up by an independent reporter.

    "You''re doing?" Guan Ming asked as he looked curiously at Wu Jun and Han Ai who were still struggling to get past the reporters crowding them.

    It was clear from Han Ai''s expression that she was about to explode.

    "Things are about to get much worse." Eric chuckled as he, Francesca, and Ram rejoined the group.

    "What do you mean?" Katerina asked as Eric kissed her on the forehead and pulled her onto hisp, making her squeal in surprise.

    She red at him to let go, but Eric didn''t care. He knew the reporters wouldn''t even nce at their direction when an even bigger story was unfolding itself outside.

    "Han Ai is a very popr performer, she has sung many times." Eric grinned victoriously as he watched Katerina smile.

    "They will call you non-stop for ament." Ram reminded Eric as he rolled his eyes, knowing that they would also be calling Ram.

    "And I won''t answer any of their calls." Eric shrugged.

    "Did you release the information on Wu Jun?" Guan Ming asked as he recalled that Ian had left to settle things on that end.

    "Not yet, no, let Han Ai have tonight." Ian''s lips curled to show a malicious smile. "Tomorrow, they will wake up wishing they had gotten on that ne."

    "What ne?" Cedric asked as he nced at Ian.

    "I offered him a ride home together with my threat if he helped Han Ai. He didn''t help Han Ai, but he didn''t ept the ne tickets, probably because they were economy." Ian chuckled as he imagined Wu Jun''s shock the next day.

    "We should go." Cedric said as he rose from his seat and offered Adrianna his hand to help her get up.

    "It''s still early." His wife said with a pout, but she still stood up with him.

    "The fun part is over." Cedric told his wife. "Plus both you and the kids could do with some rest." He nodded at the sleepy figure that sat on the chair.

    The twins had long fallen asleep and were being watched over by two nannies and several bodyguards.

    "Oh no, he''ll throw a fit when we wake him." Adrianna said as she shook her head.

    "I got him." Cedric told his wife as he picked Yoyo up in his arms. The young boy didn''tin as he made sure that his face was still covered with his mask.

    "We''ll speak tonight." Ian said with a nod as Cedric and his family left.

    The rest of their group stayed till the end of the program before leaving.

    When Ian, Nicole, and Tristan finally made it back to Cedric''s Mountain View Mansion where they were staying for the time being, Nicole surprised Ian by telling his driver and guards to leave.

    They were silently seated in the car with only Tristan''s soft snores being heard.

    "What are you keeping from me?" Nicole asked, her tone was steady and didn''t show hints of anger or worry. But Ian knew better, he knew she was trying to cover up whatever she felt.

    "Dangerous things." Ian admitted. He might not want to tell her what exactly he was doing, but he also didn''t n onpletely lying to her.

    "How dangerous?" Nicole asked as she bit her lower lip, anxious to find out.

    "You know that there is always a reason for my actions." Ian said as he avoided answering her question. Even though he didn''t know exactly how dangerous what he was actually doing, all he knew was that the Rajas had means to make things difficult for him if he were caught.

    Nicole looked down at their son as she gently stroked his hair.

    "I''m doing this for him and for the other kids. I want what Cedric wants for them, a world where they wouldn''t need to fear the monsters we couldn''t deal with." Ian exined as he took Nicole''s free hand and held it tightly.

    "Cedric is crazy." Nicole hissed, she was vocal about not agreeing with Cedric on most of his ns. A lot of them were dangerous and risked too many people.

    "Not really, he gets the job done." Ian said with a shrug. He understood the way Cedric attacked a problem and came up with a solution. "This is for them." Ian said as he ced his hand on Nicole''s belly, she was due in a few months.

    "Promise me you''ll warn me if things get too dangerous." Nicole said as she looked down at his hand. "Promise me you''ll get out before there is a risk of me losing you."

    "Yes." Ian lied.

    Nicole nodded as she moved to step out of the car carrying Tristan.

    Ian was quick to take the little boy from her as he shook his head not wanting to start a fight by scolding her.

    When they walked in the front door, Ian nced at Cedric''s office.

    "I''ll join you upstairs in a bit." Ian said as he kissed Nicole on the lips and handed Tristan to one of his bodyguards.

    Nicole nodded as she wordlessly walked up the stairs, with the bodyguard close behind carrying Tristan in his arms.

    Ian wasn''t sure if Cedric was still up, but knowing his friend, the man was probably going over every n they had formted.

    He knocked on the door before pushing it open.

    As he expected, he found Cedric hunched over hisptop with a cup of coffee.

    "Let''s make this quick before both our wives have our heads for working too much." Cedric told Ian as he waved his friend over.

    "You know?" Ian asked as he pulled a chair closer to Cedric''s desk.

    "Congrattions on your marriage, even if your wife has no idea." Cedricughed as he kept his eyes on hisptop.

    "I''ll tell her in time." Ian muttered under his breath, making Cedricugh.

    "I''ll make sure to take everyone as far away as possible when she finds out." Cedric said as he turned hisptop around showing Ian details of the newplex n he hade up with.

 976 Chapter 976

    Cedric sat behind the one way mirror as he watched Ian enter the room with one of the two would-be attackers they had caught, it was the woman by the name of Be.

    The past three days she had been asking the guards to speak with Cedric, and in those three days her requests had been ignored.

    At least it was ignored until she was dragged out of her prison and taken to an interrogation room. She had been sitting there for thirty minutes while Ian and Cedric observed how she reacted.

    "Do you think she was trained for something like this?" Cedric asked Ian, as his friend moved to speak with the woman.

    "I guess we''ll find out when I speak to her." Ian shrugged as he walked out of the room and entered the next.

    "I asked to speak to Mr. Reyes!" Be was furious, but due to her exhaustion, her voice cracked and faltered as she red at Ian.

    "Cedric is busy." Ian simply answered, making her shift in her seat.

    "I''m not speaking to you." Be tried her best to sound cold, confident, and aloof.

    She was shocked when Ian suddenlyughed, stood up, and made his way to the door.

    "Wait!" She called out as she pulled against the restraints that held her tied to her seat.

    Ian stopped as he smiled, he knew that she wouldn''t let him walk away. She needed something and she had waited long enough for this opportunity.

    "So you''re willing to settle on speaking to the assistant?" Ian asked as he turned around, downying his importance in Cedric''s organization.

    "We were taught about you, or at least told who is important and who isn''t." She said as she looked Ian in the eyes, waiting for a reaction from him.

    She was surprised to see that Ian didn''t falter at her words, he remained calm and didn''t seem surprised at the news.

    "You aren''t just an assistant." She told Ian.

    Ian smiled and shook his head.

    "Of course I know I''m not." Ian chuckled as he sat back down. "Are you ready to tell me why you asked for Cedric?"

    Be nodded.

    "I''m ready to tell Mr. Reyes everything." She bravely dered.

    "Everything?" Ian asked, unable to believe her words. Why would she suddenly turn around and betray the Rajas?

    "Yes, everything." She said with a nod.

    Ian looked her in the eyes as he tried to detect hesitation or a lie, but he could see none.

    "Why?" Ian asked, curious to find out her reasons.

    "You''ll think I''m silly and that I''m lying, but I did it for love." Be said as she looked down at her hands not wanting to meet Ian''s eyes.

    Ian couldn''t help but roll his eyes at the irony. It could be a lie, but what did she have to gain from lying? If they did their research they would know that Ian didn''t have a soft spot for these things.

    "I- I didn''t know that the Raja''s meant more to him than I did." She said as a sob escaped her lips. "This was never what I wanted, I wasn''t like this, I had a chance to walk away but I stayed because of him."

    "And here I thought you were a loyal soldier of the Raja''s." Ian said as his voice turned cold, the emotion gone from it.

    Be''s head snapped up as she looked into Ian''s unfeeling eyes, he looked down at her as if she was a disappointment, a reaction she didn''t expect from him.

    "I was, I am, but I can''t take it." She said, practically sobbing.

    Ian smiled and took the ring that hung on a ne around his neck and ced it on the table in front of her.

    She trembled at the sight of the ring, every foot soldier of the Rajas knew what it meant.

    "Impossible, how?" She asked as she struggled to find her words.

    "I would watch your next words, Be." Ian said as he leaned back against his seat.

    "Won''t Mr. Reyes find this as a betrayal?" Be asked in a shaky voice, unsure on how to act or what to say.

    "He would, if he ever found out, and by then I n for it to be toote for him to feel or think anything of my betrayal." Ian said confidently.

    The level at which he lied and acted, sent shivers up Cedric''s spine. Ian was so good in acting that if Cedric had not known better, he would have believed Ian had betrayed him.

    "The cameras. . ." Be said as she looked up, only to notice that it didn''t have the red blinking light that signaled that it was recording.

    "Switched off on my orders." Ian answered her.

    "Won''t anyone find that suspicious?" Be asked as she slowly became braver to speak.

    "They know who I am, they know that Cedric trusts me with his life." Ian told her. "Would you question me if I said Cedric wanted to move you to a different prison, one where you would see no light. A ce where you will be tortured?"

    Be bit her lower lip, Ian already knew the answer, she wouldn''t. No one would question any of his orders, an order from Ian was like an order from Cedric himself.

    "You are lucky that the message of you pleading to speak to Cedric reached me before it reached him." Ian continued to speak. "Now, do you still n on betraying the Rajas?"

    Be shook her head.

    "Of course you do, if it means you get to leave this ce." Ian told her.

    She had no choice but to admit the truth and nod. She would still do it if it meant getting her out.

    "I can forget that you wanted to betray the Rajas, Be." Ian said, much to Be''s surprise. She never thought Ian would be so forgiving, not after she had heard what he had said.

    "Swear loyalty to me." Ianmanded in a booming voice that echoed in the room, making Be shudder. "The Rajas may betray me too, just as they betrayed you, but for now work for me and I promise you this will be yourst night here."

    Be slowly nodde, knowing that Ian was her only way out.

 977 Chapter 977

    "Do you think they will react to this?" Ian asked Cedric as they watched a heavily disguised Be make her way out of the police station''s back door.

    "Depends how you act in turn." Ian told Cedric as he typed a message on his phone.

    It read, ''I am sending you a gift, as far as Mr. Reyes knows, she is dead.''

    "Really? You''re gonna go with that?" Cedric raised his eyebrow as he looked over to Ian''s phone catching a glimpse of the message he was sending.

    "Didn''t your parents ever teach you not to eavesdrop and to respect other people''s privacy?" Ian groaned as he pressed send.

    "It''s you." Cedric simply responded, making Ian roll his eyes at his friend.

    "Are you ready? You need to at least act like things aren''t going to n." Ian reminded Cedric.

    Cedric nodded as Ian told the driver to take them to R Tower.

    When they got to the office, the pair went their separate ways, with Ian heading towards the Lim Corp offices.

    Cedric on the other hand continued throughout the day as if he didn''t know that something tragic and sinister in nature had happened.

    In order to make the matter as convincing as possible, Ian had his bodyguards find a corpse that resembled Be. The body was then dressed and made to match the effects of poisoning.

    None of Cedric''s men had been involved, they wanted things to seem as authentic as possible. Only Cedric and his driver knew about what had happened, all others including Leon were kept in the dark.

    It was during lunch break that Leon came bursting into Cedric''s office, his expression was one of anger rather than distress.

    "I''m having lunch." Cedric told his head of security as he took a bite out of a sandwich he had prepared from home.

    Despite having be the richest man in the country, Cedric still prepared his own lunch asionally.

    "You didn''t warn me you were going to pull something off like this, sir." Leon said as soon as the door closed behind him. He may have been mad at the risks Cedric and Ian were taking, but he wouldn''t expose their n.

    "Do what?" Cedric asked as he took a bite of his sandwich.

    "The prisoner, Be, she is dead." Cedric was wide eyed in fake shock as his jaw dropped with Leon''s words.

    "You''re too good an actor." Leon said as he handed Cedric a tissue and a ss of water.

    "Thank you. How did she die?" Cedric asked as if he knew nothing about Be''s death.

    Leon gritted his teeth as he listened to Cedric lie so effortlessly.

    "Don''t pretend you had nothing to do with this, sir." Leon looked at Cedric in annoyance, he didn''t appreciate being kept out of loop with this n. It was far too dangerous to go about without Leon involved.

    "What was written as the cause of death, Leon?" Cedric asked again, this time looking Leon in the eyes, daring him not to answer.

    "Poison, she had a false tooth." Leon groaned. "Is she really dead?" Leon asked Cedric.

    Cedric simply smiled and shook his head.

    "Ian had to give them something, all we need to do right now is to y our part." Cedric told Leon. "You''re doing quite well, actually."

    "Do I need to remind you how dangerous this is?" Leon asked as he sighed and sat down.

    Cedric simply shrugged as he continued to eat.

    In another part of the city, Ian was having lunch with his young sister Sam in an upscale private restaurant. He felt that today there was a need for him to show the Raja''s a more extravagant side to the Lim family.

    "Your phone is ringing." Sam pointed at the phone Ian had set aside.

    Ian thanked her as he nced at who was calling, it was an unknown number, clearly it was the Rajas trying to contact him.

    "Is it them?" Sam asked, Ian had told her earlier that day about everything involving the Rajas. She was quite eager to find out more.

    "Yeah." Ian said as he answered the call and ced it on speaker.

    The restaurant they were in was quite popr for having very good sound instion in their private rooms. It was the reason why Ian chose this ce.

    "I see you''ve received my gift." Ian said before the caller could speak up.

    "It was quite a surprise for me when my fiance, whom I thought I had lost to Mr. Reyes'' men, walked into our home. Quite impressive." The man at the other end of the call praised.

    "Your fiance?" Ian was quite shocked to find out that Be''s fiance was the spokesperson of the Rajas.

    "So you didn''t know who she was to me?" The man asked in a curious tone.

    "I honestly had no idea." Ian chuckled, who knew that Be would be an even bigger prize than he thought.

    "I must say, you managed to fool even Mr. Reyes'' head of security. Everyone knows that''s near impossible." The man told Ian.

    "I''ve worked with Leon for years, I know the man well enough." Ian exined as Sam raised an eyebrow at him, curious about what was happening.

    "Why give us more, Mr. Lim?" The man asked as his tone turned serious. "Why hand Be over and go beyond what you need to do to prove that you are indeed on our side?"

    "My grandfather and father did not waste decades groveling and hiding for our rise to be half baked." Ian said in a forceful tone.

    "We assure you, this isn''t some half baked return." The man said as he tried to sooth what seemed to be Ian''s rising temper.

    "The fact that my family was risked is a sign that it was not thoroughly thought of or investigated." Ian''s tone turned poisonous.

    The man was about to answer when Ian cut him off and spoke.

    "Tomorrow, 8pm at I Restaurant." With that Ian dropped the call and smiled at his sister.

 978 Chapter 978

    Katerina never realized how many public events she would have to attend after the news of her rtionship andter engagement to Eric was made public.

    She had juste from that high society charity event a few nights ago, only to be informed by Eric''s agent that some event organizers were asking her to attend with Eric.

    At first, Eric was very much against her attending the event, not only did she have her own work to worry about, she was also pregnant. He and Alexi already fought with her over her involvement in Ian''s and Cedric''s schemes against the Rajas. The added work was not something that made Eric happy.

    Katerina however insisted that she wanted to support Eric in every way possible. At the time that their rtionship was hidden, she noticed how much he had struggled with rtionship rumors.

    Katerina had also heard people''sments on how Katerina was not allowed to support Eric due to her being the president''s daughter. They were already trying to find ways to divide the couple by saying that Eric was a whipped boyfriend.

    "Are you alright?" Eric reached out and gently squeezed Katerina''s hand.

    She looked up and gave him a small smile as she nodded. They were driving towards the event in one of the presidential cars. Her father had refused to let her go anywhere publicly in her cars. He argued that his grandchild''s safety was at risk.

    "I''m just a little bit lost in my thoughts." Katerina admitted as she leaned against Eric.

    He nted a kiss on her forehead as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and hugged her tightly.

    "Is it because of the case? The one with the Reyes Group employees?" His concern was clear in the tone of his voice.

    "It is, but I''m not stressed. I already know you and Alexi want me to stop working while I''m pregnant, but that''s not going to happen. I''m just thinking of a way to prove that the employees were threatened." Katerina exined to Eric as their car pulled up in front of the red carpet.

    "Okay, but if it''s too much, tell us. We''ll talk to Cedric." He told her.

    "If it''s too much I''ll tell Cedric." Katerina rolled her eyes in annoyance at how controlling her fiance and her brother were. She was old enough to take care of herself, she had been taking care of herself for years now.

    "Cedric will not force me to keep working, Eric." She said in a stern tone. "He will understand."

    Not wanting to argue with his pregnant fiance, Eric simply nodded. He quickly kissed her on the lips before slipping out of the door and rushing over to her side.

    When Katerina and Eric stepped on the red carpet, the reporters were kind enough not to harass them. It was a rare instance, but they seemed to be afraid of the bodyguards that the president had sent over to protect his daughter.

    "Remind me next time to ask Uncle Jose to loan me the car and the bodyguards, they make the media shut up." Eric whispered as he waved to both the fans and reporters that were snapping photos of the couple.

    The event that night was an awards night for the best in the entertainment industry. It wasn''t thergest award, but it held a special ce in Eric''s heart so he still went every year.

    It was hosted by a small but enduring film agency that strived to bring the best of the country''s films together. Unlike most awards it didn''t look at themercial sess of a film, rather, it looked at it from a more artistic angle.

    "Mr. Chan." A man who looked to be around five to ten years older than Eric said as he waved and approached the couple.

    "Mr. Nelle!" Eric said as he quickly sprinted over with Katerina in tow. She rarely saw him this excited to meet anyone from the entertainment industry. "Mr. Nelle, this is my fiance, Katerina Sebastian."

    Katerina offered her hand to shake Mr. Nelle''s. The man smiled and dly shook her hand.

    "I saw the news, congrattions! I can''t believe you managed to keep your rtionship a secret for so long. To think I was even trying to set you up with several men and women throughout the years." Mr. Nelle teased.

    Eric gave him a polite smile. He was never happy to discuss all his past rtionships and attempts at rtionships in front of Katerina. She might have told him she was fine with it, but he still felt guilty after professing that she was the only one his heart ever desired.

    "Why don''t we head in, Mr. Nelle, I don''t want to dy the event any longer." Eric suggested as he tried his best to divert the topic.

    "Yes, yes, everyone is already here. I''ll show you to your seats." Mr. Nelle said as he guided Eric and Katerina into the main hall of the hotel where the event was to be held.

    "Eric, I need to use the washroom. I''ll be back." Katerina whispered to Eric as she left.

    Katerina took a while as she was feeling slightly nauseous, she was sure the event had already started as she checked on her makeup not wanting to embarrass Eric among his peers. She had heard and seen how they jeered at her, many saying that Eric could have done better with a fellow actress.

    As always, her bodyguards were dutifully waiting for her as she stepped out of the washroom. She gave them a smile and shook her head, warning them not to tell anyone about her morning sickness. She knew that if anyone found out, she would be scolded and made to stay at home.

    Katerina was never one to sit down and do nothing.

    As they rounded a corner she heard a familiar voice mention Ian''s name, or at least his surname.

    "Why give us more, Mr. Lim? Why hand Be over and go beyond what you need to do to prove that you are indeed on our side?" Mr. Nelle said. Katerina could not see him without risking being spotted. She simply signaled for her bodyguards to back up and stay silent.

    She quickly took out her phone and messaged Ian.

 979 Chapter 979

    Katerina and her bodyguards waited for Mr. Nelle to finish his call with Ian. She didn''t want him to think that she had overheard his discussion with him.

    Unfortunately for Katerina, when she began to move, Mr. Nelle had already started another call, and it was one that she was d to have overheard.

    "Are they cooperating?" Mr. Nelle asked in a calm and confident tone. It was quite different from how he spoke with both Eric and Ian.

    "Good, good, make sure their rtives are continuously watched." He ordered, making Katerina realize that he was speaking about the employees from the Reyes Group that they were ckmailing.

    "Move them tonight. Mr. Reyes and his friends have been getting closer and closer to where we are hiding them. Take them to the city, make it seem like they are going on vacation. The best ce to hide them is in in sight, but make sure to have enough men watching them." Mr. Nelle said as he paused as if to listen to the person at the other end of the call.

    "I don''t care if you have to pose as their cousins or their boyfriends. I don''t want them to be alone in a room. They are to be watched at every moment." Mr. Nelle hissed, angry at whoever was at the other end of the line.

    "The matter with Mr. Lim is settled. I''m meeting him tomorrow." He was calmer now as his voice seemed to dwindle into a whisper.

    "Mr. Lim is on our side, our men already confirmed that Mr. Reyes clearly had no idea that Be escaped and isn''t dead, and frankly we would never have gotten her out if it weren''t for him. My fiance means the world to me and the fact that she was returned is worth meeting with him." Mr. Nelle said as Katerina stifled a gasp from leaving her lips.

    "I have to go, the awarding will begin soon and I need to keep an eye on Eric Chan, for all we know he might have an even bigger role to y in all of this." He told the person.

    Katerina signaled for her men to return to the washroom so that they could pretend that they had been out of earshot the entire time. She had not ns of risking her and their lives to hear more.

    Also it would ruin Ian''s and Cedric''s ns if she was caught.

    She quickly went to the sink, washed her hands and checked her make-up once more before stepping out.

    It was also just in time as she noticed Mr. Nelle walking out of the hallway where he had taken the call.

    It was too far for them to hear him, but far enough to spot her exiting the washroom.

    Mr. Nelle seemed to know this fact as he waved at Katerina and walked towards her without an expression of worry.

    "Ms. Sebastian, what are you doing out here?" He asked Katerina as he walked next to her, her bodyguards going on alert after what they had overheard.

    "Oh, I had to use the washroom, I was just on my way back to the event hall." Katerina exined as she tried to look as naive as possible.

    "Allow me to escort you, Mr. Chan will be furious if anything were to happen to you while you were here." Mr. Nelle said as he pointed towards the entrance of the event hall in the other direction.

    "Thank you, Eric was very excited toe here today." What Katerina said was the truth. This awards night was one that Eric actually looked forward to. It made her sad when she realized that his image of Mr. Nelle would be forever changed once he heard about him being part of the Rajas.

    When Eric saw Katerina walking over apanied by Mr. Nelle, he smiled at her not showing his confusion.

    He had been worried since she was taking so long in the washroom. He had almost stormed out to go search for her.

    "What took you so long?" Eric asked as he pulled out her seat for her.

    Katerina smiled and thanked him.

    "I had to check on my make-up, I didn''t want to waste all the effort the make-up artists ced on it." Katerina informed Eric, earning her a confused look from her fiance. Katerina was never one to care about her make-up.

    "We should leave early today." Eric informed her. He had picked up from her cues that something was wrong and that she couldn''t say it out loud. Her taking too long in the washroom made him worry that it could have something to do with a baby.

    The event went by quickly with Eric receiving a special award for his contribution to the film industry. Having won the best actor and best supporting actor too many times, he was no longer eligible to win it.

    Many had offered him a chance to direct, but he politely refused saying that it wasn''t his thing.

    "Mr. Nelle, thank you for having us." Eric shook the man''s hand and smiled at him. "We have to leave early."

    "My father invited us to the presidential pce tonight, we can''t keep him waiting." Katerina added, hoping to discourage Mr. Nelle from asking them to stay longer.

    "Oh, then the president must not be kept waiting. It must be quite an immense pressure trying to impress the president, Mr. Chan." Mr. Nelle chuckled.

    "It helps that I''ve known Uncle Jose my entire life and that he has always known that I love his daughter." Eric calmly answered. He was hiding his distress since Katerina mentioned her father, he knew she wouldn''t mention him unless necessary.

    "Right, you''re the son of the Chan Family, the owner of Saints Hospital, I watched the press conference. It''s quite difficult to believe after knowing you for so long, so you''re the heir to the Chan family fortune, yes?" Mr. Nelle asked.

    "No, that''s my sister, she''s already running it. I''m happy not to be involved with the family business seeing as my younger brother is the Miracle Doctor." Eric said as he tried to rush the conversation to end.

    "Don''t tell me you''re secretly a doctor as well, Mr. Chan. I should call you Dr. Chan then." Mr, Nelle teased.

    Eric simply smiled andughed with the man, choosing not to correct him.

    "We should go, thank you again Mr. Nelle, it''s an honor to have been awarded tonight." Eric said as he shook hands with the man.

    Katerina was d when Mr. Nelle didn''t walk them to their car, she wanted to get as far away from the man as possible. He made her uneasy and anxious.

    When they were finally in the privacy of their car Eric kissed her on the cheek.

    "Is there something wrong with the baby?" He asked in a worried tone. "You took quite a while in the washroom."

    "No, our baby is fine." Katerina said as she ced a hand on her t belly. "But I found something out about Mr. Nelle, you won''t like it." She said as she bit her lower lip knowing that she was about to deliver devastating news to Eric.

 980 Chapter 980

    Katerina took a deep breath as their car sped through the city. With her pregnancy Eric and Alexi had been arguing about the best ce for them to live at, for now they were living in Eric''s home within the Mountain Viewmunity.

    "Eric, Mr. Nelle is working for the Rajas." Katerina finally managed to say as she observed Eric''s expression.

    Eric ced his head in his hands and sighed.

    "How did I not know?" He asked no one in particr as he felt he was turned into a fool. He brought Katerina over once and she was able to discover this information about Mr. Nelle.

    Katerina ced a hand on his back, she was at a loss for words as she let him feel disappointed about not spotting it sooner.

    Eventually Katerina spoke up.

    "He is always careful around you." Katerina pointed out. She had enough time in the car to think of what to say. She had also thought of how Mr. Nelle had managed to hide the fact that he was not truly a friend to Eric.

    "What do you mean?" Eric asked as he raised his head and looked her in the eyes, frowning.

    "Like today, he took the call as far away from you as possible. He wasn''t going to risk you finding out about his involvement with the Rajas." Katerina exined to her fiance.

    Eric nodded as he understood what Katerina was telling him.

    "And didn''t you notice, he doesn''t exactly spend too much time with you. He says hi, walks you to your table, talks to you for a bit, then nothing much." Katerina said with a shrug. "For someone that is so popr and that brings attention to his small event, he would normally be praising you, spending as much time with you. But Mr. Nelle is different, he needed to keep you at arms length."

    Eric sighed at her words, he knew she was right, and more importantly there truly was no way of telling who was friend or foe.

    "Don''t forget, we didn''t even know that the Rajas still existed until recently, so don''t beat yourself up about it." Eric smiled as Katerina''s phone began to ring.

    When he noticed that it was Ian calling, he quickly took her phone from her hand making her yelp in surprise.

    "So much for privacy." Katerina grumbled as she rolled her eyes, making Ericugh.

    "Don''t make her work anymore today." Eric said in a stern tone as he picked up the call, he already knew that Ian was calling for work and not for a nice chat.

    "Unfortunately for you we need to talk to her." Ian told Eric.

    Eric nced at Katerina who was throwing a mini tantrum in the car. Her arms were crossed on her chest as she moved away from him, leaning against the door at the other end of the car.

    "Fine, but don''t press her too much, remember, she''s pregnant." Eric warned Ian.

    "It''s not like we could forget with all the nagging you do." He teased. "We''ll meet with you guys at Cedric''s ce in an hour, Ced and I are still at work."

    "We''ll be there." Eric told Ian as he dropped the call.

    "You heard something else." Eric said as he red at Katerina.

    "Juste alongter." She told him as they pulled up to the driveway of his home. "I don''t want to keep repeating myself."

    Katerina quickly stepped out of the car and rushed up to their bedroom to rest.

    Eric frowned at how his fiance wouldn''t just tell him what she heard, but he didn''t want to push her.

    He simply went to his home office to check on some patient files.

    Despite being an actor in public, Eric still took on some psychiatric cases as long as he didn''t need to show himself.

    He was also helping Nicole and Miguel manage that aspect of Saints Hospital. He knew it was something that his father didn''t want to touch in the past, but Nicole was insistent on Saints being a holistic hospital, caring for both physical and mental wellness.

    Before he knew it, a maid was knocking on the door.

    "Sir, the madam asked us to inform you to get ready to leave." She told Eric who simply nodded and dismissed her.

    As soon as the maid left, Eric closed hisptop and put away his files. He knew that Katerina would be down in a few minutes. Unlike his sister she got ready quickly and didn''t spend too much time on make-up and other things.

    Eric arranged for their driver to take them to Mountain View mansion not wanting Katerina to walk. If it were only him he would have considered the walk as somewhat of an exercise, but with a pregnant woman he wasn''t going to do that.

    "Oh, you''re ready." Katerina said in surprise as the car pulled up in the driveway.

    "Yeah, I know it''s important, I won''t dy." Eric helped Katerina into the front passenger seat of the car before climbing in the driver''s seat.

    The drive to Cedric''s mansion was short, it took them less than five minutes and they were greeted by an excited Yoyo, Tristan, and Damien.

    "Boys,ter." Cedric called out from the door as he chased the three boys.

    Theyughed and hugged Katerina and Eric before rushing back into the house.

    "You''re right on time." Cedric greeted with a smile as he led his guests to his office. Inside, Ian and Ray were waiting for them.

    "I heard you had an encounter with the Rajas." Cedric said as he sat down behind his desk.

    "I just so happened to walk in on one of them speaking to Ian as well as learning what they are nning to do with the people they kidnapped." Katerina smiled as she waited for the others to register who she was speaking about.

    ? "The employees and their rtives?" Cedric asked, to which Katerina slowly nodded.

    "I stood there long enough to overhear what they are nning." Katerina then proceeded to exin that the Rajas were going to keep them in a hotel with several men to guard them.

    "We need to find out where, I doubt they will have a lot ofpanions." Ian said as a n started to form.

    "Then we rescue them?" Eric asked.

    "We rescue them and we use them to win this case. The employees cannot be seen siding with us. It will risk not just their lives but those that are important to them." Cedric said with a nod.

    "I''ll have my men cast a wider search." Ray quickly dialed a number on his phone and stepped out of the room to give instructions.

    "Thank you." Ian smiled at Katerina.

    "I was just lucky." Katerina shrugged as Eric pulled her into his arms.

    "You still stayed to listen longer. You could have left and just told us who the spokesperson of the Rajas was." Cedric praised.

    "Please stop risking yourself, but still thank you." Ian repeated his thanks, to which Katerina simply smiled. She wouldn''t stop taking risks and they all knew that.

    Some things would never change, especially her stubbornness.

 981 Chapter 981

    Ian, Cedric, and Ray spent all night working on a n on how to get the hostages out of the hotel. At first Ray didn''t want to involve the military or the police, but in order to do things right and wlessly execute the rescue mission, they needed the help.

    Unfortunately for them Alexi was not avable at the moment as he was still stressing about his proposal to Selina. It was due to happen in a week and he was having issues with the ring, all they could do was settle for the next best option, one that had Alexi shouting at them over the phone.

    "It''ste." Eric grumbled when he picked up the calling from Cedric. "Don''t you guys sleep?"

    "We will, when this is over." Cedric chuckled as he listened to Ericin and curse over the phone.

    "This better be important, what do you need?" He asked Cedric as he closed the door behind him, making sure not to wake Katerina who was fast asleep.

    "We need Katerina''s help with some government troops." Cedric was prepared for Eric to be mad, and he didn''t make a mistake.

    "She''s fucking pregnant and you want me to wake her in the middle of the night." Eric hissed, but Cedric could hear the door opening at the other end of the line. He simply assumed that Eric walked back into the bedroom to wake Katerina up.

    "Kat, Kat, Cedric''s on the phone for you." Eric was clearly annoyed as he gently woke Katerina up.

    "Tell him to fuck off." Cedric heard Katerina''s sleepy voice.

    "Unfortunately, love, I can''t, it''s important." Eric sighed as Cedric waited for him to hand the phone to Katerina.

    Eventually Cedric managed to speak to Katerina. When she heard about what they needed, she was suddenly energized and awake.

    She sprang into action coordinating with her brother''s men as well as her father''s.

    "Well, she''s very efficient." Cedric chuckled as soon as he had ended the call with Katerina. It was already five in the morning and Ian was due to meet with the Rajas that day.

    "You need to be on your toes for this meeting." Ray pointed out was Ian yawned on the couch.

    "Get some sleep, we will work on this first." Cedric instructed as he pushed Ian out of his office and sent him off.

    Ian couldn''t protest since he was too sleepy. The previous day had been draining and now he had rushed things.

    When Ian woke up, it was already lunch time and Nicole had left a note informing him that she was headed to the hospital to work.

    Ian rolled his eyes, annoyed at the thought that Nicole was working. She was due any day now and she was still pushing herself too hard with work.

    "Mr. Ian." A maid greeted as Ian walked into the dining room.

    There he found Cedric still working on hisptop, typing away.

    "Reyes Group or ns?" Ian asked as he sat down next to his friend.

    "Reyes Group, we polished the n at around 8am today. I''ll get some sleep and wake up before you leave to meet the Rajas." Cedric exined as he took a bite from his meal.

    "I''ll head on out then, I need to at least show myself in the office. I''m sure the Rajas are watching." Ian told Cedric as they continued to eat in silence.

    He was sure that the Rajas were going to question why he lived in Cedric''s Mountain Viewmunity, it was unlikely that they would think Ian lived in Cedric''s home.

    Ian worked for the rest of the day, he avoided learning details of Cedric''s ns to save the kidnapped family members. The less he knew at this point the better, he didn''t want to risk slipping from his act while he waited for Cedric to save them.

    When the clock struck seven in the evening, Ian began to put away his things and make his way down to his car. He would bring only his two bodyguards and no one else.

    "Take us to I." Ian said in a cold tone as he did his best to drown his anxiety towards this meeting.

    Ian was lost in his own thoughts throughout the drive, he looked out the window, watching as familiar sights of the city passed them.

    I restaurant was located in a beachside town outside of the capital, it was one of the ces that Ian owned, but people weren''t aware of.

    Ian asked his driver to park at the back, not wanting to draw attention to his car. It was already 8:15 pm and he had already been informed that his guests had arrived on time.

    "I shouldn''t take long, but if things go wrong we need to be ready to leave." Ian informed his driver before stepping out, followed by a single bodyguard.

    He was greeted by the staff and led into the main dining area of the restaurant, it had been closed for the night for Ian''s use.

    Around the table were four men and Be, the first was someone Ian recognized to be Mr. Nelle, the owner of the film house that hosted the annual award that Eric had first won. He and Cedric had done their due diligence before he left making sure he knew as much as possible about Mr. Nelle.

    He was apanied by two old men and one young one, by the looks of it some of them were rted as they looked somewhat like each other.

    "Mr. Lim, I''m-" As Mr. Nelle introduced himself, Ian shook his head.

    "Mr. Nelle, I know. I do my due diligence when ites to people around the Reyes family and their friends." Ian''s words made a concerned look spread across Mr. Nelle''s face, he clearly didn''t expect Ian to know anything about him.

    "If I am not mistaken," Ian added as he looked at the four other men, as he scoured his memories for their names. "Mr. Chu, Mr. Bautista, and his grandson or son is it? And of course, Miss Be."

    A sinister smile crossed Ian''s face as the three other men turned pale, the only one that seemed unbothered by Ian''s knowledge was Be. She had seen first hand how dangerous this man was and she made a note not to show any weaknesses, even if she now worked for him.

    "Shall we begin?" Ian asked as he waved a waiter to serve their food and sat down, his heart pounding faster and harder as their n started.

 982 Chapter 982

    Ian observed theri bodynguage as each person in the room became stiff under his cold gaze. Over the years as an assistant to the Reyes Group CEO, he had learned tomand respect and fear in a room.

    In the past it would be a group of businessmen that thought they could step on him since he was a lowly assistant, today it was a generations-old secret organization.

    As he looked at the men, he couldn''t help but feel disappointed and warry. He felt that these people could not be the true masterminds and that they were simply puppets.

    "What do you n on doing to Lucius Ting?" Ian asked as his gaze swept over them again, lingering on Mr. Nelle.

    The men tried to look away, but every time they tried to discuss among themselves, Ian''s gaze would turn to them and they would freeze. Something about Ian scared them, it was more than just his family''s identity, it was who he had be.

    "Answer me." Ian''s voice boomed in the restaurant as his bodyguard and staff remained still, unflinching, as if they were used to him being this way.

    This frightened Mr. Nelle and hispanions even more, if this was normal, how much worse could Ian Lim get?

    "We nned to use his rtionship to the Chan family and the banished Mafia family to strengthen our ranks." Mr. Nelle hissed as he did not seem to want to answer Ian''s question.

    "Will you cooperate with me or should I leave?" Ian asked as he red at Mr. Nelle, he didn''t appreciate the attitude the man was giving him.

    He was hoping they would call his bluff, as far as they knew he had nothing to lose from walking away. Even if people screamed and shouted that he was on the side of the Rajas, Cedric and his friends would never believe them.

    "We will cooperate." The elder Mr. Bautista said as he held a had up to stop Mr. Nelle from arguing with Ian.

    "Is that everything your ns were relying on?" Ian raised an eyebrow as he questioned the men. To his surprise it was the younger Mr. Bautista that answered him.

    "It isn''t or at least it wasn''t. We had nned coordinated attacks on Cedric Reyes and his group, we had hoped it would cause more damage, but by the looks of things, it isn''t" The younger man said with a frown.

    Ian assumed that it had been his n, and in all honesty if Ian were to admit it, it was a good n. It had caught Cedric and his group off guard for a moment and they had managed to threaten the Reyes Group with the employees.

    "You have them on the run." Ian admitted, giving them something to lift their mood before Cedric and the others crushed itpletely.

    Ian was hoping that after the rtives of the employees were rescued, the Rajas woulde to him looking for a n.

    "Are you sure Mr. Reyes doesn''t know you are lying to him?" The older Mr. Bautista asked Ian as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    Ian smirked at the man, he was already anticipating this question from at least one of them and already had an answer in mind.

    "If Mr. Reyes suspected me, then he would have investigated Be''s fake death." Ian said with a victorious grin. "I know you have spies around the Reyes Group, does it seem like there is a rift between the two of us?"

    The old man pressed his lips into a line, most likely disappointed that Ian didn''t even sweat under his questioning.

    "That''s enough." Mr. Chu hissed at hispanion. "Why are we questioning a man that is clearly on our side?"

    Mr. Nelle and the others simply nodded in agreement.

    "Now, will you share your ns or at least tell me who really is in charge?" Ian went straight to the point, making Mr. Nelle turn pale while the others couldn''t even look him in the eyes.

    "What are you talking about? We are in charge!" Mr. Chu sounded offended that Ian had questioned his role amongst the Rajas, but Ian knew that it was all an act. They were hoping that he wouldn''t dig deeper, that he wouldn''t try to get to the true core.

    Just as Ian was about to speak and say something, his bodyguard approached, signaling that he had something important to say.

    "A moment." Ian excused himself as he went to the side to speak with the bodyguard.

    "Mrs. Lim has gone intobor." The guard told Ian calmly.

    "Nicole wasn''t supposed to be due until next week." Ian said as he shook his head and sighed.

    He would have to postpone his interrogation of these people, his wife and children would alwayse first.

    Ian dismissed his bodyguard and told him to get the car ready before turning back to speak with his guests.

    To his shock, the four men all looked like they had seen ghosts as they stared at their phones. Ian brushed off the matter as he thought of how to leave an impact as the meeting had been cut short.

    "As much as I would like to stay and chat and find out what news you just received, I was informed that my wife has gone intobor. I don''t need to tell you how important the next generations of Lims are." Ian said in a cold tone as he continued to look down at his guests.

    Mr. Chu shifted in his seat as he nced at his phone. Something big had happened and Ian could only hope that Cedric had gotten the rtives of the employees out.

    "When youe around and decide to truly let me speak with the person pulling the strings, give me a call." Ian informed them.

    They all slowly nodded, they were in too much shock and disbelief, only Be seemed unaffected.

    "Don''t make me regret saving her." Ian hissed as he turned and left.

    As soon as he was in the car he let his cold act drop and a worried look crossed his face.

    "Get me to Saints Hospital as fast as you can." He ordered as his driver zoomed out of the seaside town, leaving the now desperate members of the Rajas in a panicked state.

 983 Chapter 983

    Ian was d that he had made it in time for Nicole to deliver their second child. He proudly walked out of the delivery room after the baby had been cleaned and he had made sure that Nicole was fine.

    In the waiting room, his friends and his family as well as Nicole''s family were waiting eagerly for news.

    "I''m a father, again!" He announced excitedly, making everyoneugh in the room. "It''s a little baby boy and we''ve decided to name him Philip."

    Everyone came over to congratte Ian, the girls excitedly hugged him and asked how Nicole was and if they could see her.

    Unfortunately she was still recovering and it would take a while, but he assured them that he would tell them as soon as possible.

    When all the well wishing was done, Ian couldn''t help but ask Cedric how the operation had gone.

    "Did you get them out?" Ian asked as he pulled Cedric and Ray aside. The others knew better than to interfere.

    "Ian, Nicole just gave birth, enjoy the moment. Tristan will be here soon as well with your sister." Cedric gave him a smile as he ced a hand on Ian''s shoulder.

    He looked exhausted, as if he hadn''t slept. It was already six in the morning, Nicole had been inbor for a while.

    Ian sighed and shook his head. Cedric thought he would drop the topic and return to his wife and son, but he was surprised by what Ian said next.

    "Nicole is recovering, Philip is fine, we can see him in a bit, and Tristan won''t be up for another few hours, that child sleeps like a log." He chuckled before his expression turned serious.

    Cedric raised an eyebrow as he waited for Ian to continue speaking.

    "I want to know what happened, I should have been with my wife when she went intobor. I should have been the one to rush her to the hospital, but it wasn''t me because I was busy with the Rajas. I need to know that our chance was not wasted." Ian hissed as he tried to convince Cedric to give him an update.

    "Fine." Cedric said as he rolled his eyes and looked around for a safe space to speak.

    "This way." Ian said as he led them through the hall and into an empty office.

    "No cameras?" Ray searched the room, making sure that no one could spy on them.

    "None, I used to escape here to work. It''s an ignored office that has been oddly ced." Ian crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "And?"

    "They got them out." Cedric proudly announced with a grin on his face. "Unfortunately it wasn''t bloodless, we had to kill the people guarding them.They wouldn''t have gotten out otherwise."

    "Any news from the Rajas?" Ray nced at Ian, hopeful that they would have contacted him by now.

    Ian shrugged as he took out his phone to check if he had any missed calls, to his surprise there were none.

    "Based on their expressions when I left, I thought they would call me as soon as we took the hostages." Ian whispered in an exhausted tone.

    "Are you sure they believe you?" Ray questioned as he sat down and leaned back, closing his eyes.

    They were all tired, they had not only had to run the operation, but they had also waited in the hospital for Nicole to give birth. Everyone was exhausted and had no patience to wait for results.

    "I''m sure." Ian said with a determined look on his face. "The people I met weren''t the real minds of the Rajas, they were just puppets. I told them that if they wanted to work with me they would introduce me to the real people in charge."

    "We should wait." Cedric spoke up. "We shouldn''t suddenly jump into conclusions that they know Ian is working for us rather than against us."

    "I think Ian might need to do something that will prove that he isn''t with us, or at least to show that he is willing to cross us." Ray suggested.

    "I already freed Belle, shouldn''t that be enough to get them to believe me?" Ian questioned.

    "But no one was med for her death. It''s as if Cedric was just fine with a key asset dying." Ray pointed out. Ian could do nothing but nod, he did have a point.

    "We need to question herpanion." Cedric told the two other men in the room. "He will need to be searched if he has the same poison as her, it needs to look like we really believe that Bellemitted suicide."

    "Someone will also need to be fired for not watching over her properly." Ian added.

    "Losing their job might turn one of our men against us." Cedric reminded Ian. "We can''t have too many loose ends at this time."

    "Send them to me." Ray suggested. "I''ll let them know the reason and pay them more for their silence."

    "Money will not buy you everything, Ray." Ian reminded the man.

    "It might not, but it will do for the time being." Cedric nodded as he agreed with Ray''s suggestion.

    "Let me guess, you don''t n on telling this person in advance that they are going to get fired but there is nothing to worry about?" Ian raised an eyebrow as he questioned Cedric.

    "It has to be believable, our people are not actors for a reason." Cedric said simply.

    "I''ll have someone waiting for whoever you choose. Best to catch them on their way out before things get worse." Ray told Cedric.

    "Yeah, we can''t have them running off to join the Rajas because they think Cedric jumped into conclusions, again." Ian chuckled as he teased his friend.

    "I''ll have Leon choose one person that would believe us." Cedric ignored Ianpletely, making Ianugh even more.

    "You need to get some sleep." Cedric nced at Ian, noticing that he was barely functioning on his feet. "We can''t have youcking sleep if the Rajas decide to contact you. We''ll deal with everything else."

    "Thanks." Ian said with a nod as he left the two men in the office and went in search of the VIP ward where Nicole would beter sent.

 984 Chapter 984

    "News?" Cedric asked Leon as the head of his security walked into his office.

    It had been twenty four hours since the employees and their families had been saved by Cedric''s and Ray''sbined forces.

    "Nothing." Leon walked silently into the room as he handed Cedric a report on where they had sent the employees and their families.

    Cedric looked through the files and nodded in approval. He wanted these people to live a peaceful and good life, no one deserved to go through the pain they had to endure. This was the least he could offer them for suffering in the crossfire.

    As Cedric was about to dismiss Leon, his phone began to ring.

    It was a number he recognized but never saved in his contacts. He lifted his hand and signaled for Leon to stay.

    The man stood next to Cedric, ready to attend to whatever his needs were.

    "Which Esteves sibling am I speaking to?" Cedric asked as he stood up and walked towards the window.

    Leon remained standing behind him, not making a sound.

    "It''s Angelina." The woman''s voice said at the other end of the line. "You''ve dyed the turn over of your prisoner for too long, Mr. Reyes. Makes me wonder if you want Lucius Ting to see justice."

    "Trust me, Miss Esteves, you will have Lucius Ting soon." Cedric was calm, his reaction bothered Leon.

    Normally Leon would be able to tell if Cedric was faking it, but this time Cedric didn''t even flinch when he assured Angelina Esteves that he would send Lucius Ting to them.

    "Good." Angelina responded. "And Mr. Reyes, he has to be alive, I don''t care if he is barely alive, but he should be breathing. We still have some things to discuss with him."

    "I will give you a call soon." Cedric told her as he dropped the call and shook his head.

    "Things need to move faster." Cedric hissed as he let the calm aura around him drop. "Have my driver prepare the car, I need to visit Ian." He ordered Leon, who bowed and left the room.

    Nicole had been discharged by the hospital and was now recuperating at the old Lim mansion in the old city.

    Ian''s family had been pampering her, Tristan, and the new born baby Philip. Of course both the Lim and Chan families were happy to wee another baby boy.

    Despite having more progressive views now, the elders still found the birth of another son as a sign of good fortune.

    When Cedric arrived at the old Lim Mansion, Ian was waiting for him at the door, with baby Philip in his arms.

    "You should put that little one down once in a while." Cedric teased as he took the bundle from Ian and carried Philip.

    "Don''t you have two new ones too? Why do you have to take mine?" Ian grumbled as he led Cedric into the house where they were greeted by Ian''s mother.

    "Cedric! Give the child to me, it''s not good for him to be around such a tense atmosphere at such a young age." She said as she took Philip from Cedric''s arms, not allowing the man toin or say a word.

    "We aren''t tense." Cedric tried his best to defend himself from Mrs. Lim''s words only for her tough and shake her head as she walked away with Philip.

    "You won''t win against my mom." Ian chuckled as they walked deeper into the mansion. "If Philip isn''t with Nicole, he is with my mother or father. Even my sisters keep fighting mom since she won''t let them hold him."

    "Your mom is just excited to see Philip grow up, she missed a big part of that when it came to Tristan." Cedric said as he smiled at his friend knowing that Ian and Nicole had a rough start when it came to their families.

    "Let''s speak in here." Ian said as he opened the door to a library. "It''s my office here at home. It''s not the same as in my own ce, but I''m happy with it."

    Cedric nodded as he entered the room. It was quiterge but still had a homey feel to it. Cedric looked around to find that Ian had already set up multiple screens in the otherwise century old looking room.

    "This was grandpa''s library. I decided to move here in the hopes that I could find out more about the Rajas." Ian exined as he settled behind therge desk ced at the center.

    Cedric sat down across from him as he nodded at his friend.

    "Did you find anything yet?" Cedric asked, curious to hear if the elder Lim had left some useful bits of information for his grandson to find.

    "Nothing useful just yet." Ian shook his head as he took out an borately designed box and ced it on the table.

    "What''s this?" Cedric asked as he picked it up and reached out to study it.

    "It has the Raja''s symbol on it and it''s locked. I think it''s important." Ian exined. "I''ll try looking for the key, but anyway, what did youe to ask me? I''m sure it''s both urgent and important, otherwise you would have either called or waited for me to visit."

    "Angelina Esteves called." Cedric said with a sigh as he handed the box back to Ian.

    "I thought they were willing to wait for you to settle the matter with the Rajas?" Ian asked, confused as to why the Esteves family was once more asking Cedric to hand Lucius over.

    "I think Lucius has another ally in the country, one that is working against both us and the Esteves family. That''s why they are so eager to have him handed over." Cedric had asked everyone to use any and all resources to gather the names and information on all of Lucius'' known associates.

    So far, they hade up empty handed, but Cedric felt something was off when he was reading the information. Like he was missing something but couldn''t tell what exactly.

    "Have the Rajas contacted you since the rescue mission?" Cedric asked his friend.

    "Yes, right before you arrived." Ian said with a grin that made him look cold and deceiving, a look that Cedric had seen only a handful of times.

 985 Chapter 895

    An eerie silence took hold of the room as Cedric felt goosebumps crawl up his arms. The old office made things feel more sinister, more dangerous.

    Knowing that his office once belonged to someone so deeply involved with the Rajas did not make things any better.

    Cedric couldn''t help but wonder how many ns that shaped their country for the worse had been thought up here?

    He couldn''t help but sigh at the thought that Ian and he were trying to undo the very effects of those ns in the same office.

    Cedric cursed at his active imagination for making things seem worse than they actually were. It wasn''t that bad, his mind just exaggerated things sometimes.

    "They want to meet, they said they are now willing to discuss things properly with me." Ian exined to Cedric.

    "Did you agree?" Cedric asked, knowing that Ian could be ying a longer and much more dangerous game.

    "No." Ian''s answer was what Cedric had expected. He knew his friend was not one to jump on the first opportunity that presented itself, rather he was willing to wait.

    "What do you need?" Cedric asked his friend. "I will give you whatever support you need. You call the shots on this one."

    "Why?" Ian asked, giving Cedric a confused look. "Why let me call the shots this time? Aren''t you worried that I''ll miss something or mess something up?"

    Cedric grinned and shook his head.

    "You won''t, and if you do, we will be here to help." Cedric told Ian as he gave him a nod.

    "I want to make them beg." Ian said as a devious smile crossed his face. "I want them to be so desperate for my help that they will give us anything and everything."

    "A counter attack then?" Cedric asked as he considered the situation.

    "I could send them a warning, they lie to me and I could send all of theirpanies down the drain." Ian said as he carefully thought of what to do next.

    "Won''t they think you are working for me?" Cedric asked as he considered the repercussions of their n.

    "Not if we y it right. I could act as the puppet master in their eyes." A mischievous grin yed on Ian''s lips, making Cedric roll his eyes at his friend.

    As much as he didn''t want to admit it, Ian''s n was good.

    Not only would it strike fear among the Rajas, but it would also send them a message that his friend was much more powerful than they initially thought.

    "Of course, they will think you are an idiot, but at this point that''s nothing." Ian added as heughed at Cedric''s annoyed expression.

    "The question now is which should we take down first?" Cedric asked as Ian pulled out some documents from his drawer and spread them on the desk.

    "These are thepanies, both big and small, that their false leaders own." Ian pointed at each document that had apany name, the name of the owners, and some details on thepany.

    "You did thorough research, as always." Cedric nodded as he looked at each of the documents, creating three piles.

    "I knew you wouldn''t want to enter this battle at an information disadvantage." Ian said with a grin. Having worked for both Cedric and his father, Ian knew exactly how both of them wanted things done.

    Themon factor between father and son, they always wanted to be prepared. It was a habit that every head of the Reyes Family carried, it was probably the reason why they had survived so long.

    "Thesepanies are too small to make an impact." Cedric exined as he pushed the pile aside.

    "These are too big, they will retaliate." Cedric pointed to the pile on the left.

    "Don''t we want them to be shaken by what we are about to do?" Ian asked as he picked up the document at the top of the pile. "These are easy to take down."

    "Not unless absolutely necessary. We are just sending a message, not ending them, not yet. We want them to have something to hold on to. A promise that if you side with us you can avoid something worse." Cedric said as he took the document from Ian and ced it back on the pile.

    Ian picked up the document at the top of a smaller pile that was at the center.

    "These?" He asked Cedric as he raised an eyebrow at his friend.

    "Big enough to cause them to worry, but small enough that they won''t turn against you." Cedric nodded as Ian read through each document.

    He had studied them before, but he had never perceived them in the way that Cedric did. Unlike Cedric, Ian liked a more brutal and straightforward technique.

    "I guess they will do." Ian said with a nod as he ced the documents back.

    "The Reyes Group will bankrupt them in a week, send them a message a day before. They will wake up to their world turned upside down." Cedric instructed Ian.

    "And what if they question if I am truly calling the shots, manipting you?" Ian asked his friend.

    "Then we move to this pile." Cedric pointed at the pile that had the smallerpanies. "I expect that some may have some sentimental value to them or to members of their family. You don''t hold on to these for nothing."

    "I think we should get the others involved." Ian added as he thought of their n and how he was going to execute it.

    "Yes, that will work. That is a good idea." Cedric nodded in agreement. "It will show them that you control far more than they think, they will not underestimate you again."

    "And if they do, we go with my usual tactics." Ian said with a smile as he looked at the ring his grandfather had given him, a symbol of their family''s dark past, one that he would not deny or erase.

 986 Chapter 986

    Before leaving his home Ian had made one final call with Cedric to see if everything was in ce.

    His best friend and the most powerful businessman in the country assured him that things would fall into ce on his signal.

    Ian trusted Cedric with his life, he knew that Cedric would not tell him that things were set if they weren''t, but still, Ian couldn''t help but worry.

    Everything needed to go as they wanted it. The Rajas needed to y a part they weren''t aware of, and they needed to y it perfectly.

    After rejecting to meet with the Rajas for two weeks, Ian was now on his way to a private ind owned by the Lim family.

    It was one of the few properties that they did not lose when the family fell. It held sentimental value to his father and grandfather.

    As his helicopternded at the center, he was greeted by several staff. The only people they had allowed to work here were those that they trusted fully. Everyone on the ind was loyal to the Lim family and the Lim family alone.

    "Mr. Lim." The head butler on the ind greeted Ian as soon as Ian was out of the helicopter and walking towards the main vi on the ind.

    "How long have they been waiting?" Ian asked the elderly man.

    "Three hours, sir." The butler informed him.

    "Have they said anything?" Ian asked, he knew the way the Rajas viewed staff and help. He was sure that they would have slipped up at one point.

    "Some very interesting and intriguing stories, sir." The butler said with a nod. "But they are also quite guarded, not as loose lipped as we expected."

    Ian took a moment to consider the situation.

    The people he would be dealing with today were not the false leaders he had been presented withst time. These people would be more cunning and much more careful, he even considered that they could be feeding his staff false information.

    "Have someone write what the staff discovered, I will read through them after the meeting." Ian instructed as they neared the cream colored vi.

    The butler nodded as he waved for another member of the staff to approach and quickly passed on Ian''s instructions. The other man ran off to do as they asked as well as probably to rece the staff that were waiting on Ian''s guests.

    "Have someone prepare the chopper for our guests as well, I already know that they will be in a rush to leave." Ian added as the butler pushed open the door, nodding at his instructions once more.

    Ian breathed a sigh of relief as the cool air inside the vi reced the hot one outside. As he walked towards the dining room where his guests were waiting, he could hear them speaking as the door was left slightly ajar.

    "It''s been hours." One man grumbled.

    "Patience." An elderly voice warned the younger one.

    "I don''t understand why we need this Lim kid. His family has been out of the loop for a generation, we can handle things ourselves." The man hissed,ining to hispanions.

    Ian raised a hand, telling his people to stop, he wanted to hear more of the conversation.

    "We don''t have a choice!" A woman said in a stern tone, making the men in the room stop talking.

    Ian held back augh as he realized that even among the Rajas, it was a woman that managed to silence them.

    "We tried doing things ourselves, this man might have knowledge we don''t. Add to it the fact that he is loyal to us, but can control the Reyeses, he is an important ally if not a member." The woman scolded them, leaving the men silent.

    Taking the opportunity Ian pulled the door open and entered the room, acting as if he did not hear the conversation that had just transpired.

    "So you are the real leaders of the Rajas, I should have guessed." Ian grinned as he waved one of his people to serve his guests food and drink as he sat across six people.

    He knew all six of them, he wasn''t even surprised that they were the people behind the Rajas. Their families had been friends with his grandfather and they were among those on his list of people he suspected to be members of the Rajas.

    "Ian, I think we need to start by-" Jasmine Ortega was cut off when Ian raised a hand, telling her to stop speaking.

    In all honesty, ouf all of them, she was the person he was most disappointed to see.

    He had suspected her family, yes, but he had been hoping that she wasn''t among them.

    "I should have known you were one of them. I can''t believe you lied to me about this as well." Ian said with a frown as he looked her directly in the eyes, his look piercing through her soul.

    He could see the pain and sadness in her eyes, she had chosen someone else over him. She already had him in the palm of her hands and yet she let him go.

    "We can pick up where we left off." Jas sounded practically desperate making Ian throw his head back inughter.

    "I''m already married with two sons to carry on my name, Miss Ortega." Ian said in a poisonous tone as the others were left speechless by their conversation. "My wife''s family is many times more powerful than yours, and soon enough I''ll have control of their assets as well."

    "Lies! You aren''t married." Jasmine shouted, unable to ept the truth Ian had just told them. "The Chans would never let a marriage go by without it being made public."

    "Whoever said that the Chans know?" Ian said with a grin as Jasmine turned pale.

    She suddenly realized how dangerous Ian had be, how much he was willing to do, legal or not, to get what he wanted.

 987 Chapter 987

    "As much as I would love to hear more about this love quarrel, I don''t think this is an appropriate conversation for this moment." A man, around five years older than Ian said.

    Ian looked at the man carefully, he was familiar, but Ian couldn''t quite ce how he knew him. Then it struck. Ian smiled and the man frowned, taken aback by how Ian had reacted to the realization of who he was.

    "Bernard Juan." Ian said slowly as every letters slipped through his lips as if he were savoring the torture he was about to sever.

    "Yes, that''s my name. Do you know me?" The man asked Ian as he looked closely to see if Ian knew him.

    Ianughed and shook his head at how silly the person in front of him was acting.

    "I am the very reason why your branch of the family isn''t the most hated one." Ian said with a grin as he recalled his first ever act of vengeance.

    "What are you talking about?" Bernard asked as he red at Ian, studying the younger man before him.

    "Ian is behind the fall of your cousins and uncle." Jasmine exined as she continued to re at Ian.

    "Then I owe you my thanks, Mr. Lim." Bernard chuckled, unbothered by the fact that Ian could change the course of his life.

    "You are wee, Mr. Juan. I hope you remember who ced you on your ss throne." Ian said, as he threatened Bernanrd Juan with his name, position, and wealth.

    Ian was not bluffing when he told Bernard that he sat on a ss throne. The Juan family always had a rocky position among the elites ever since Ian took down the head of the family and his children.

    Unlike other revenge schemes, Ian''s first was not public knowledge. He chose to keep his involvement in that one as quiet as possible.

    Ian had enjoyed the fact that the people he sought revenge after were clueless as to the true power of a family as old as the Lims.

    "I''m surprised you are involved with the Rajas." Ian pointed out as he observed Bernard''s actions.

    "Mom''s side." Bernard simply answered. "The Juans are too young a family to be involved in this." He chuckled.

    "Can we move on? You are simply distracting us from the topic at hand, Mr. Lim." The man Ian recognized to be Jasmine''s uncle said.

    He knew the man quite well. Rnd Ortega had been very much against him and Jasmine''s rtionship, citing that his family was too poor for the Ortegas.

    "Still in a rush to get rid of me, Uncle Rnd." Ian said, calling him uncle to further anger the man. "I think I am quite happy sitting here. I do own this ce after all and I can have you thrown out of the ind at any time. Or even worse, I could have your lifeless bodies thrown into the sea where no one will find them until it''s toote."

    "You wouldn''t." Jasmine gasped knowing that some part of Ian was that ruthless.

    "Of course not, but first a lesson you all must learn." Ian said as a cold smile crossed his lips.

    As if on cue, their phones began to ring, one at a time.

    Ian couldn''t help but chuckle at how perfect the timing had been.

    He had just threatened them and their people began to call. As they began to panic, Ian sent Cedric a list of names, the names of people he was currently meeting with.

    He knew that if things took a turn for the worst, Cedric would need to do something to their businesses, and if needed their family names.

    To people like them, nothing mattered more than their reputation.

    Their businesses could lose money, theirpanies could close, but god forbid should anything happen or taint their family name.

    "What did you do?" Rnd Ortega asked as he looked at Ian.

    Ianughed and shook his head as each of his guests ended their calls.

    "Can we do anything to save theirpanies?" Jasmine asked in a desperate tone. Her voice shook, shocked by what lengths Ian was willing to go to just to prove his point.

    "No." Came Ian''s simple reply.

    "Why not?! You made this happen, make it stop!" Jasmine shouted, making Ian consider that one of those first people that he had met meant more to her than he initially thought.

    Ian made a mental note to have someone investigate the matter, but for now he had to keep his eye on the prize and convince the Rajas to make him their leader.

    "I don''t have to exin things to you, Miss Ortega." Ian smiled, making Jasmine even angrier.

    "Jasmine!" Her uncle scolded, clearly worried about what Ian would do if his niece made him any more angrier.

    Ian chuckled at their disagreement, he reveled in it.

    "I''ll be kind to you six today and tell you what just happened." Ian smiled as he took a sip of wine and leaned back in his seat.

    His guests eagerly waited for his next words and Ian made them wait.

    "I control Cedric Reyes and his people. He will believe every word I say and right before I left his sheltered mansion, I told him about fivepanies that are conspiring against him." Ian exined to them.

    "And he buried them." Bernard hissed as soon as he realized how bad the damage was.

    "What do you want, Mr. Lim?" Rnd Ortega asked as he gritted his teeth waiting for the worst.

    "I want you to see my value and to understand that the Rajas will not thrive if I am not in it." Ian exined to his guests.

    "You are part of the Rajas, what more do you want?" Jasmine asked, unhappy with what Ian had done.

    "A seat at the table with the six of you. I am asking for a very small and simple thing in exchange of your name, your title, your businesses." Ian waited for them to respond, he knew from the very beginning that it wouldn''t be easy. But maybe, just maybe they would give in quickly.

    "No." Bernard said as he observed Ian, waiting for his next move.

 988 Chapter 988

    Ian''s reaction was theplete opposite of what the Rajas had expected. They thought he would pause for a moment and consider his next steps.

    Unfortunately for the Rajas, they knew too little of Ian and of his influence in the business circle.

    Ian smiled andughed, sending chills up their spines as they realized their mistake.

    "You can''t say I didn''t warn you." Ian picked up his phone and dialed a number.

    They had all expected that he would call Cedric, but much to their surprise Ian had not.

    "Mr. Yun!" Ian excitedly greeted over the phone. Ian nced at Jasmine''s uncle Rnd who had turned pale at the mention of the man''s name.

    Ian knew from the top of his head who the Ortegas were working closely with. In the past he had hoped to help them, but upon discovering that they were involved with the Rajas, he couldn''t help but go off script and deal them a dangerous blow.

    "Mr. Lim, I am surprised that you have decided to give me a call. Thest time we spoke you seemed to be unsure of our partnership." Mr. Yun was clearly ted to take Ian''s call.

    "Yes, yes, I was quite worried about shing with some businesses of people I know." Ian told the man as he observed Rnd''s and Jasmine''s reactions.

    It was clear that both were trying their best to control their expressions as well to stop themselves from giving in to whatever Ian wanted.

    He also looked at the other men around the table, he was trying to figure out who truly led the Rajas. Ian refused to believe that more than one person called most of the shots.

    He knew people like them well enough. They wouldn''t be satisfied if someone was equal or better than them.

    "So I am assuming that you have allowed that bridge to burn?" Mr. Yun asked Ian as he could hear people whispering at the other end of the line. It was clear that Mr. Yun was not alone.

    He had probably asked for his people to take a look at who Ian had been avoiding to sh with.

    News of Ian''s and Guan Ming''s new found friendship had already spread throughout the various social circles both locally and in Guan Ming''s home country.

    Everyone was eager to get business deals with either Cedric or Ian in the hopes that the two men would talk about them around Guan Ming.

    "The winds have shifted, Mr. Yun." Ian said with a chuckle as he continued to watch Rnd and Jasmine. "How soon can you terminate the deal with them?"

    "Hmmm, from the names I have here it is the Ortega Group that we are currently working with." Mr. Yun informed Ian, making sure that it was the right group that Ian wanted done away with.

    "That''s right." Ian said as he smiled at his guests. "The Ortega Group. How soon?" He asked, sounding as impatient as possible.

    At the moment he didn''t care if Mr. Yun would call him names behind his back, he knew that the man would be forced to sing him praises in public.

    "I will have someone give them a call as soon as we end this one. To whom should I send the contract to?" Mr. Yun asked as he did his best to appease Ian.

    "My assistant will contact you. I look forward to doing business with you, Mr. Yun." Ian told the man as he bid him goodbye and ended the call.

    "How much for Mr. Yun to end that contract he has with you?" Ian asked Rnd who was now red with anger.

    "Five hundred thousand dors." It was Jasmine that responded. She knew how angry her uncle was at that moment and didn''t trust him not to further offend Ian.

    Ian smiled, knowing that Rnd was partially ming Jasmine for whatever was toe as a result of Ian''s retaliation.

    "It was a long term contract that you had recently signed with them, wasn''t it." Ian said with a grin as the phone began to ring.

    Rnd''s hand was shaking as he noticed the name on his phone''s screen.

    "Answer it." Ianmanded the man. "And put it on speaker mode, I want to hear this."

    Rnd slowly nodded as he did as Ian asked and ced the phone on the table in front of them as he answered the call and ced it on speaker.

    "Mr. Yun, what a surprise that you would call me today. I thought you weren''t due to call for at least a month." Rnd said as he struggled to make everything sound like it was normal.

    "Ah yes, Mr. Ortega, I just called to inform you that we will be canceling our contract with you immediately." Mr. Yun said as quickly as he could, clearly eager to get it done with.

    "WHAT?!" Rnd shouted. Despite having known that Ian had convinced the man to end the contract, he didn''t believe that Mr. Yun would do as Ian asked. "Do you have any idea how much this will cost you?"

    "We are well aware of the repercussions. A much better opportunity presented itself, we hope you will understand. Good day." With that Mr. Yun dropped the call, leaving a stunned Rnd Ortega staring at his phone.

    "Who have you be?" Jasmine asked as tears began to fall from her eyes.

    Ian''s expression remained unchanged as he shrugged and texted his assistant to contact Mr. Yun for the details of their deal.

    In the end, it was Ian that still came out victorious.

    "Enough!" One of the older men with them said in a stern tone, making Jasmine sit back down.

    Ian couldn''t help but smile as the man let himself be known.

    "You nned this, didn''t you?" The man asked as he observed Ian.

    "Of course, uncle William." Ian said with a grin. The man that was in charge of the Rajas was a man he had grown up around.

 989 Chapter 989

    William Trent was a man that Ian was very familiar with.

    His father was a good friend of Ian''s grandfather and Uncle William was his father''s best friend. When Ian saw his Uncle William in the room when he arrived, he was actually surprised.

    The man was known for avoiding all forms of social gatherings, politics, and any confrontation or argument. The only person he was clearlyfortable around were the Lims.

    He was the eldest son of his family, and yet he wasn''t at the helm of it. Rather, it was his younger brother, Edward Trent, that was managing the family business.

    "You really are your grandfather''s grandchild." William Trent kept a straight face, refusing to allow Ian a glimpse of his emotions and thoughts.

    "Thank you for the praise, Uncle." Ian grinned. He wanted to show the Rajas that he was confident, and if needed, over confident. He wanted them to underestimate him, something he found would be a challenge with the Ortegas and his Uncle William in the picture.

    "You can''t be impressed with him, Mr. Trent!" Bernard Juan shouted in disbelief.

    The way he addressed William Trent confirmed Ian''s suspicions, he was indeed the leader of the Rajas.

    William Trent shook his head and sighed.

    He immediately knew that Bernard Juan had exposed the fact that he was their leader. He was also smart enough to know that Ian had picked up on the subtle clue that Bernard Juan had just dropped.

    "You''re an idiot." William Trent said as he crossed his arms on his chest, closed his eyes, and leaned back on his seat.

    It took a while for Bernard Juan to realize his mistake. When it did dawn upon him, he turned pale in fear of the repercussions of what was toe.

    "Everyone out. I think I need to speak to this boy alone." William Trent said as he dismissed the other leaders of the Rajas.

    As everyone stood up, Ian carried a confused look on his face, making Jasmine Ortega stop in her tracks and observe him.

    "Is something wrong, Ian?" Jasmine asked in the sweetest tone she could muster, a tone that made Ian want tough.

    "Were you really convinced by just that?" Ian asked in an innocent tone.

    He was genuinely surprised that his Uncle William had already sent everyone out of the room. He was expecting more of a challenge than this.

    "I know how capable you are, boy." William Trent said as heughed at Ian''s stunned expression.

    "Thank you for the praise, Uncle William, but I think some of your co-leaders among the Rajas still doubt my ability." Ian looked at two men whom he did not know and at Bernard Juan who was still scowling at him.

    "Showing them your ability will only do more bad than good for the Rajas, let them go Ian." William Trent said in a stern tone, making Ian sigh and shake his head as he rxed on his seat.

    "Leave us." William Trent ordered everyone once more, this time no one stopped.

    They all quickly left him and Ian alone to speak.

    "Your grandfather clearly saw something in you that he did not see in your father." William Trent praised as he lifted a ss of wine to his lips and took a sip. "Not that your father isn''t smart, he just isn''t hmmm. . . I''m not sure what to call it."

    "My father is too kind." Ian said,pleting the statement for his Uncle William.

    "Ah, there it is! Kindness is the true weakness in a person." William said as he shook his head. "He would have led the Rajas well, if he weren''t too kind."

    "So you knew?" Ian asked as he waited for the older man to respond.

    "I knew that your grandfather was a crucial member of the Rajas, yes. I knew that he wanted his grandson to take his ce, yes." William said with a nod as he shallowly answered Ian''s questions.

    "Then why didn''t you tell me anything? You were always around the house except for those few years that you had to leave. Why did you remain silent?" Ian questioned, nagging him like a child that had lost his favorite toy and was looking for an exnation.

    "I left because the Sebastians wereing close to discovering who I was." William said as his expression grew frigid. "I had to leave to cover my tracks, when I finally returned your grandfather was gone and your family had fallen."

    "And I was working for the Reyeses." Ian added as he realized the timing of William Trent''s return to the country.

    "I had been so devastated when your grandfather was sick, but he gave his orders. The Rajas must be protected at all costs. So I stayed away until the scent of my involvement was gone." William exined to Ian. "I had been itching to tell you of your heritage, but when I returned you were already in their clutches."

    "You thought I was on their side? After knowing me since I was a child you thought I would choose the Reyeses and their friends over my birthright? Over all the atrocities against our group? Do you think so little of me, Uncle William?" Ian asked as he red at his uncle, daring him to answer.

    "You had been raised by your father, I didn''t know what kind of man you would turn out to be, so I waited." William calmly exined.

    "My father did not raise me." Ian curtly replied, making William observe him closely. "If anyone raised me, it was my grandfather. The Reyeses are merely a stepping stone to get to where I want to be."

    "And your wife?" William asked, bringing Nicole into the picture.

    "The Chans can easily be swayed." Ian answered confidently.

    "I guess I was wrong to think that your loyaltiesy elsewhere." William Trent said as he shook his head and frowned.

    "You still have time to correct your wrongs, Uncle." Ian told William Trent. "Don''t forget, anything and everything I say will be trusted not just by the Reyeses, but by their friends as well. The choice, as always, is yours."

    With that Ian stood up and left the room.

    He decided to walk on the beach and take a breath of fresh air. Acting this way never felt right to him.

 990 Chapter 990

    Cedric knew that there would be a shift in power among the Rajas soon. The fact that Ian had not asked him or any of their other friends to do more meant that their small trick worked.

    While Cedric waited for news, Guan Ming entered his office in R Tower, chuckling as he passed Cedric his phone.

    "It seems that you guys have added influence by affiliation." Guan Ming pointed out as Cedric picked up the phone and scrolled through the screen.

    He smiled and shook his head, Guan Ming will never let Ian forget how he used Guan Ming''s influence to his advantage. It wasn''t like Ian would have cared, it was a good and clean way to achieve their goal.

    "The Chinese businessmunity is buzzing with the news that Mr. Yun has finally locked in a project that could get me to make a deal with him." Guan Mingughed as he shook his head as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

    "It seems that the Rajas were quick to believe him." Cedric added as he tossed Guan Ming back his phone.

    "Is it worth it?" Guan Ming asked as his tone and demeanor suddenly turned serious.

    "Is what worth it?" Cedric asked as he tried to figure out what Guan Ming was asking exactly.

    "All your sacrifices to end the Rajas." Guan Ming told Cedric. "I''ve seen how much more effort you put into thispared to a business deal. This seems to matter more to you than money or work."

    "It''s because it does." Cedric shrugged as he pulled a stack of documents towards him.

    Despite everything the Reyes group still needed to run. It still needed to function and earn money.

    Dealing with the Rajas was always a side project that he and everyone else had put too much effort into, but he knew it was important.

    "Why?" Guan Ming asked. He had been witness to how far Cedric and his friends were willing to go just to take down this group. "We both know that if you just let them flourish they will not touch you. It is only when you be a threat that they make a move."

    "They attacked first, Guan Ming, or did you forget that?" Cedric ced his pen down and gave his friend a cold re. "On top of all of that, the Rajas are not just bad for business, they are bad for this country as well."

    "I never figured you to be a patriot, Cedric. I thought you were always the type to care only for his business and not for the less fortunate." Guan Ming spoke honestly. He knew that Cedric would not take offense in his words.

    Cedric smiled and shook his head.

    "Remember I went through poverty training?" He asked Guan Ming.

    "Yeah, that crazy tradition your family has where they throw their child out into the streets. What about it?" Guan Ming leaned back as he listened to what Cedric had to say.

    "Well, it serves more purpose than what people instantly think." Cedric calmly exined as he checked his phone for an update from Ian.

    When he noticed there were no messages, he continued his story.

    "The Reyeses have been rich for around six generations, of course before that we belonged to the working ss." Cedric exined as he gave Guan Ming a brief history lesson. "My ancestors knew that every generation must not only appreciate its wealth, but go beyond that."

    "Beyond appreciating wealth?" Guan Ming asked, confused as to where Cedric was going.

    "Our moneyes from somewhere, Guan Ming." Cedric chuckled as he shook his head. "Ites from the people that patronize our products. If the people that purchase our products are too busy thinking about how to feed themselves, how would they afford what we have to sell?"

    Guan Ming nodded as he still struggled to connect the dots.

    ? "When the Rajas were in power, people could barely feed themselves." Cedric exined as he recalled the stories from his family''s past. "We had managed to avoid the worst of it. The Reyesesid low, saved their money and they made sure not to cross the wrong people."

    "What happened when the Rajas left? How did they return?" Guan Ming asked. This was the first time he was hearing this story this way.

    He had always heard it from history books or from myths and rumors that had reached their country.

    "The world was a better ce, a little bit brighter, and people started to earn again. They were buying our products and that was when the Reyes family truly soared." Cedric exined to Guan Ming.

    "So you want to take the Rajas down for selfish reasons." Guan Ming chuckled. "You are no different from the rest of us, Cedric."

    "For selfish and patriotic reasons." Cedric shrugged. "Call it what you want, but getting rid of the Rajas once and for all will not only benefit us, but everyone in the nation as well."

    Guan Ming didn''t fully understand Cedric''s drive, but he nodded in agreement. He knew that his friend wouldn''t be doing this without a valid reason.

    As Cedric finished speaking, his phone buzzed as he received a message.

    He didn''t need to see to figure out who was contacting him. This was his personal phone, only a select number of people had ess to it.

    As he read and re-read the message, Cedric smiled.

    "It seems that Ian''s mission was a sess." Cedric announced to Guan Ming as he closed his phone.

    "What now?" Guan Ming asked as he wondered what was next in Cedric''s and Ian''s ns.

    "We wait and take some hits." Cedric said with a grin as he ran all the possible scenarios in his head.

    This time Cedric was sure that the Rajas would not be able to rise after. This time he would bury them for good and it would be the end to the story of the Rajas, and end to their tyranny.

 Chapter 991 991

    "In today''s news the world market has crashed once more. The biggest loser in the capital is the biggest fish in the sea, the Reyes Group." The news anchor announced with a frown on his face.

    Cedric couldn''t help butugh at the man''s expression.

    "He probably has some stocks invested in the Reyes Group." Adriannamented as she and her husband watched the news while having a romantic dinner in their dining room.

    Tonight the children were all with their grandfather, Emilio Reyes. He suggested that the couple enjoy some time alone.

    "I thought we were supposed to be on a date." Cedric teased as he reached over to switch off the TV.

    It had been his wife that insisted on monitoring the news. She knew that over the next few days some key changes would happen.

    "It is a date." Adrianna replied confidently. "Don''t you just love it when your n slowly falls through."

    Cedric smiled at his wife. He couldn''t help but marvel at how far she had gotten.

    She was once referred to as just a pretty face in her family, and here she was now, a sessful business woman running her own empire, a mother with three beautiful children.

    The twists and turns life threw at them was truly interesting.

    If Adrianna had not kept fighting her family for their rtionship, their story would be different.

    "Thank you." Cedric said as he gazed lovingly at his wife.

    "Mmmmm?" Adrianna asked as she gave her husband a confused look.

    "Thank you for never giving up on what we have." Cedric told her. "You could have chosen not to marry me when your grandfather threatened to disinherit you. You could have divorced me when a better man came along. You could have left me when you realized being Mrs. Reyes would bring you more pain than any other surname."

    Adrianna chuckled at her husband as she got up and walked over to him. She waved at him to move his seat back and ced herself lightly on hisp.

    She lowered her head and kissed him passionately, allowing him to feel all the love she had for him.

    "What was that for?" Cedric grinned as their lips parted.

    "For being so romantic tonight." Adrianna winked at him as she got up and sat back down in her spot.

    "Despite the crash in the market, severalpanies are slowly growing in value as well. . ." The news anchor said in the background.

    "Thepanies belonging to the Rajas?" Adrianna asked as she looked at the list ofpanies that were performing well.

    "Them and some smallpanies Ian decided should do well with a dart board." Cedric chuckled as he recalled Ian cingpanies of people he was still nning on going after.

    "They offended him too?" Adrianna asked as she looked at the list, recognizing some of them aspanies that had only grown big in the past twenty years or less.

    "Yup. I''m not sure when or how, but Ian has a score to settle with them and I let him use this opportunity." Cedric exined as he cut his steak and ate a bite. "Is something wrong? Do you think there could be an issue?"

    Cedric always valued the opinion of those around him. He knew that he was not perfect and that there may be things he could miss out on.

    "I''m just worried that the Rajas will realize the connection to Ian, but knowing Ian he would have it covered." Adrianna said as she continued to eat her meal.

    "The higher they rise, the faster and worse the fall." Cedric grinned as they continued to enjoy their meal.

    "Mr. Reyes! Mrs. Reyes!" A member of the staff suddenly burst into the dining room, panting.

    "What''s wrong?" Cedric immediately asked.

    There was very little that could panic the staff at Cedric''s Mountain View Mansion. They were prepared for almost every emergency including an assasination attempt.

    To see one of his staff rushing and panting, Cedric knew it was something they were not trained for and those matters were harder to deal with.

    "It''s Miss Ayana, Mrs. Laurence." The staff member said as she took a deep breath. "She''s inbor."

    "What!? She isn''t due for another week!" Cedric said in surprise as Adrianna quickly jumped into action, calling some maids into the dining room, having them prepare what Ayana would need.

    "Where is Ray?" Adrianna asked as she sent the maids to do as she had asked.

    "He has a meeting, it''s one of those where he can''t be disturbed, but I''ll have Ian pull him out." Cedric told his wife as he took out his phone and dialed Ian''s number.

    "I''ll go apany your sister and give Nicole and Miguel a call as well." Adrianna told her husband as she gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he waited for Ian to pick up is call.

    "Fuck." Cedric cursed as Ian dropped his call.

    He quickly typed a message telling Ian it was urgent that he picked up the call. He didn''t think it was right to tell Ray about Ayana''sbor through a text message.

    Cedric waved a maid over and asked her to have the car prepared and to wake his driver, John.

    The maid scurried away as Cedric gave Ian another call, this time, he did pick up.

    "Ced?" Ian asked as he answered the call.

    "Get my brother-inw on the line now!" Cedric shouted, sending Ian into a panic as Cedric could hear the door pushing open as Ian ran into the room Ray was in.

    "It''s the boss." Ian told Ray as he yed his part well.

    "Close this." Ray ordered Ian in a stern tone as Cedric hear moremotion at the other end of the line as a door closed.

    "Is something wrong?" Ray asked Cedric as he tried to keep hisposure.

    Those in the underworld couldn''t see any form of weakness for their king. He always had to be calm and strong, but he struggled this time when Ian told him Cedric was on the phone.

    "My sister has gone intobor." Cedric informed Ray. "We''ll be taking her to Saints, finish what you need to do there."

    "Ced, they are questioning your ability to back the underworld." Ray quickly told Cedric.

    "Tell them everything is going to n. They just need to have faith." Cedric told Ray as he bid goodbye to Ray and dropped the call.

    He expected people to question if the Reyes Group would make it out of their current predicament, he just didn''t expect them to ask so soon.

 Chapter 992 992

    "What is going on?" Adrianna asked Cedric as they stood to the side of the maternity ward in Saints Hospital. "Where is Ray?"

    "Dealing with things." Cedric curtly told his wife.

    They were in public, he needed to act the part.

    His kingdom was slowly crashing around him, people expected him to be furious, bothered by the situation.

    Adrianna knew better. She had been with Cedric every step of the way, she knew this was all part of his n. Her husband never lost his temper over the situation of theirpanies, he had a solution based attitude, he never dwelled on the problems.

    "He should be here, his wife is inbor!" Adrianna practically shouted, catching the attention of bystanders, some were spies. Adrianna was well aware that their enemies had ced people to watch them.

    She caught a small smile from the corner of Cedric''s lips, she knew he was aware she was acting.

    "He will be here when he is done, go apany my sister." Cedric said in a harsh tone, making his wife re at him.

    Without saying another word she turned her back on him and marched back into the maternity ward.

    Soon, Mae, one of Cedric''s assistants, came rushing into the hospital carrying documents and aptop.

    She was clearly in distress as she approached an already annoyed Cedric.

    "What happened this time?" Cedric asked loud enough for the spies to hear the annoyance in his tone.

    "Sir, maybe we need to discuss this in private." Mae suggested in a low voice, ying her role perfectly.

    "Have someone find out what is happening, how the fuck did we let this happen!" Cedric was still angry as he marched away towards Nicole''s office.

    Behind him, Mae quickly gave her brother and Dave a call telling them about Cedric''s orders to investigate what was going on with the business.

    Dave and Mien, who were both at R Tower, needed to y the roles of frantic assistants as they tried to get to the bottom of the issue.

    Of course, the two men already knew the reason, they just needed to make it look like the Rajas were winning.

    "Have you found the spies?" Cedric asked as he sat on the couch and calmly studied the behavior of the stock prices.

    Ian was doing a very good job of manipting things while Cedric and the other provided him with weak spots to attack.

    "We did, we''ve been feeding them wrong information while Mien and Dave arepeting for the best actor award." Mae said excitedly as she handed Cedric some documents she needed him to sign.

    Despite the dropping stock prices, work continued as usual for the employees of the Reyes Group.

    Most employees were well aware of the crashing prices and the situation the Reyes Group was in, but they had so much faith in the management that they continued to do their job.

    "Send a message to Ian. Tell him it''s time." Cedric told Mae as he signed all the documents she needed. "I don''t want Ray to miss the birth of his child. Come to me after, we''ll execute the second part of the n."

    "The timing is quite dramatic, isn''t it?" Mae asked as sheughed at how well things had fallen into ce.

    "I doubt anyone could have written it better." Cedric replied with a smile as he pushed the documents back towards Mae.

    Mae bowed towards Cedric, she knew that when he saw himter things would be very different.

    While Mae left, Cedric remained inside Nicole''s office. He didn''t want to be around spies who would be reporting everything he did. He knew the more exposed he was to the public, the higher the chance of him messing up.

    "Ced, I found you." Adrianna told her husband as she breathed a sigh of relief.

    Cedric had lost track of time and had no idea how long he had been in Nicole''s office. He was working most of the time, the rest was spent nning and running all possible scenarios in his head.

    "Has Ray arrived?" Cedric asked his wife as he lifted his head from theptop screen.

    "Yes, Ayanna has also given birth to a beautiful baby boy. She''s in the VIP ward." Adrianna told her husband as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

    "We''ll join them in a bit." Cedric said with a nod as he closed theptop and checked his phone.

    "Are you alright?" Adrianna asked her husband as she noticed the odd expression on his face. It was rare to see Cedric as worried as he was now.

    "I''m just thinking of everything that could go wrong, I''ll be fine." He gave her a small smile as a message from Mae made his phone buzz.

    He picked it up and checked the message to confirm that everything was going as nned.

    "Come on, time to put on a show then meet the little one." Cedric said as he offered his hand to Adrianna and they walked out of the office together, making their way to one of the more public areas of the hospital.

    Cedric wanted an audience, he wanted everyone that could hear him to hear him. He needed to make a scene for things to work out the way he wanted them to.

    "I''ll make this as quick as possible." He whispered into Adrianna''s ear as soon as he spotted Mae.

    "Mr. Reyes, I have news." Mae called out as she rushed to meet him and Adrianna.

    "Mae, as you can see I''m quite busy with personal matters. This better be worth my time." Cedric said in a cold tone, making the people around them pause and turn.

    They had heard of how Cedric was as a husband and as a boss. They knew that kind was thest word they would use to describe him as a CEO, but seeing it in person was a very different experiencepared to hearing the rumors.

    "Sir, it''s Mr. Lim." Mae told him as she nced around, seemingly unsure if she should tell him in public or in private.

    "Out with it." Cedric demanded in a loud voice, drawing the attention of everyone.

    "Mr. Lim left, he took some documents with him, but he is gone." Mae said as she tried to look as panicked and worried as possible, selling their act.

    "WHAT!?" Cedric shouted, making people raise their phones and record what happened next.

 Chapter 993 993

    "What the fuck is going on?!" Cedric shouted at Mae, making the woman take a step back.

    She had been expecting his anger, but she didn''t realize how scary Cedric could actually be when he was furious. She immediately forgot that he was even acting, he was so convincing that Adrianna ced a hand on his shoulder to calm him.

    To everyone''s surprise, Cedric shrugged off his wife''s hand, something very uncharacteristic of him.

    "That will not help." Cedric hissed at his wife. "Go to my sister. She will need a woman with her."

    Adrianna frowned and red at her husband.

    The couple was acting so well that people truly believed that Cedric Reyes was finally showing his true colors.

    People raised their cameras as they continued to record the scene that was ying out in public. Not one of them considered to question if it were all an act.

    Many people sought to find a w when it came to the Reyes Family that they were very eager to spread news of Cedric acting up in public.

    Little did they know that this was exactly how Cedric wanted them to react.

    He wanted to drive his stock prices lower in order to get the Rajas to trust Ian more. They were almost at their goal, they just needed to hold on a little longer.

    "I''ll go ahead." Adrianna said with a frown as she turned and left Cedric, followed by her own security detail that kept the bystanders at arms length from her.

    Just as Adrianna was about to enter the elevator, Cedric spotted a manunching himself at Adrianna.

    "Leon!" Cedric shouted as the bodyguards were quick to react, tackling the man to the ground.

    "Find out what happened here." Cedric hissed, his temper gone. He was calm as usual as he ced an arm around Adrianna''s shoulder and ushered her into the elevator, leaving his men to deal with the attacker.

    On an ind, away from the drama at Saints Hospital.

    Ian sat on his private ind as his guests started to arrive. He had just gotten an update from

    Mae that Ayana had sessfully delivered a healthy baby boy.

    That had been his trigger to leave and to enact the second part of their n, pretending to take down the Reyes Group.

    "That little kid will be a headache to the king of the underworld." Ian chuckled as he thought of how Cedric was sure to spoil his little nephew.

    It didn''t help that the newly born prince of the underworld would being from the two most powerful and influential families in the country. His godparents were also quite intimidating, Ian being one of them.

    Ian''s phone began to ring, much to his surprise. Everyone who knew that particr number knew not to call right now.

    He lifted it and noticed Cedric''s name on the screen.

    "Yes?" Ian asked as he made sure the door to his room was closed. He couldn''t risk one of the Rajas hearing his conversation with Cedric.

    "Did you make it out alright?" Cedric asked in a friendly tone.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I did, I''m on the ind now. How is Ayanna?" Ian asked, concerned about his best friend''s sister.

    "She''s doing well! Her little boy looks so much like Ray, but of course he has ck hair just like his mom''s none of that lighter shadeing from the Laurences." Cedric was excited to speak to his friend.

    After all the tension from earlier he needed to speak to Ian. He needed to remind himself that it was all an act.

    "What''s his name?" Ian asked Cedric as he leaned back and rxed. He was happy to speak to his old friend once more. He needed a friend right now.

    "Aldrich, Aldrich aurence, little prince of the underworld that''s going to be a headache to everyone." Cedric chuckled as he thought of the little boy.

    "If the girls went crazy over his father, they will be worse when ites to the son." Ian teased as he thought of all the children growing up together.

    He sighed and shook his head.

    He knew that they were still young and had a long way to go, but he also knew how fast time went by.

    Just a few years ago the only thing in his mind was to get revenge on those people that had harmed him and his family. Now he was a father of two, happily married to a woman who was still unaware, and he had gotten almost everything he was after.

    "I''m d you called." Ian said with a sigh as he walked over to a window and spotted his guests walking up to his mansion on the ind. "I''m anxious about our ns."

    "It won''t fail." Cedric said with a new found determination.

    "Watch over my wife and kids, please." Ian told Cedric as he frowned at the thought of being separated from them for so long.

    They didn''t know how long this mission would take. It could be over in a matter of days or weeks, but he knew he needed to end the Rajas. It wasn''t for him, it was for his children and their children someday.

    "You''ll be back sooner than you know." Cedric said as he did his best to give his friend courage. "But I''m not saving you from your wife when she finds out what you''ve done."

    "Well, I''d rather have her angry as my legal wife rather than angry and not." Ian teased back.

    "Right, I called for another reason." Cedric said as his tone turned serious.

    "What is it?" Ian asked as he sat back down.

    "There seems to be a few individuals that want to mess up our ns. There was an attempt on Adrianna''s life earlier today at the hospital. Do you think it could be your Uncle William?" Cedric asked Ian.

    Ian was silent for a moment as he considered the possibility, but would his Uncle William be that reckless.

    "I can''t be sure. I''ll try to find outter. I need to go, they''ve arrived and I can only dy for so long." He told Cedric as he bid his friend goodbye and dropped the call.

    Ian soon got up, fixed himself, and nced at a mirror making sure that he had the proper expression on when he faced the Rajas.

    When he was satisfied, he took a deep breath and walked out of his room, ready to meet the rest of the group.

 Chapter 994 994

    "Mr. Lim!" Jim Walker greeted as he entered the dining room.

    Over the months since Ian had been working with the Rajas and proving his ability, he hade to know the different core leaders. Of course, William Trent was still calling all the shots, but not everything had to go through him.

    "Mr. Walker, you arrived much earlier than I expected." Ian said in a distant tone. This was the image he was projecting to them. He was aloof and dangerous, the kind of man you wanted to please.

    "Well, as soon as we heard that the Reyes Group was crashing we knew you had a role to y in it." Jim said with a huge grin as he and the others settled down on their usual seats.

    Only one person was missing, and that was William Trent.

    Ian knew that he would be thest one to arrive that night. He knew that William Trent liked having a grand entrance, this was the only ce where people saw his true power.

    Over time Ian learned that Wim was the true brains behind the Trent family businesses and that his younger brother was merely the face.

    Ian was sure that this didn''t sit well with Edward Trent, the man held so much pride in himself that being a mere puppet to his brother was offensive.

    He had sent people in his ce to speak to Edward Trent, they all said they worked for someone else. They said they came from different groups telling him that they knew the truth.

    Eventually Edward Trent showed his true colors.

    He was furious at William for taking his power. It seemed that William Trent knew as secret that would hurt Edward''s image, and that was what gave William power over the whole Trent family.

    "So this is your grand n?" Bernard Juan asked as he crossed his arms on his chest and watched Ian''s every move.

    Bernard had not warmed up to Ian. He still eyed him with contempt and distrust and his behavior had often been a cause of dy when it came to some of the Rajas'' ns.

    "A very crucial part of it." Ian did not want to show Bernard all of his cards at once.

    He knew that the man would do anything and everything to sabotage what he was working on. He had learned the hard way when Bernanrd had leaked information to the media, dying many of their initial ns.

    Ian was at first very confused as to why William Trent kept Bernard in the core team, but as time went on and as Ian investigated each member deeply, he discovered a tantalizing truth.

    "This is taking too long." Bernard grumbled. "Why don''t you just break all their financial flows, that should be easy enough for you."

    Ian could sense a little bit of mockery in the man''s tone.

    William Trent and the other core leaders had sold Ian to their members as a genius and a master puppeteer. They believed that Ian pulled all the strings from behind the scenes, manipting Cedric and the others as he wished.

    "You should just kill their wives." Jasmine said in a cold voice, making Ian re at her.

    "That would do more damage than good, Miss Ortega." William Trent said as he joined them, catching the tail end of their conversation. "Am I right, Ian?"

    "Yes, uncle." Ian nodded. "Killing their loved ones will only make things worse. The men wille after us with a different level of dedication. You weren''t around when Prici Reyes passed."

    Ian tried his best to control his facial expression.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Prisci Reyes had always been kind to him, over time she had be like a second mother. He was closer to her than to Jasmine''s mother and he had spent more time around the Ortegas than the Reyeses.

    "I heard you had to make a daring escape, Ian." William Trent added as he sat down next to Ian.

    The Rajas eventually came to respect Ian, they understood that he was William Trent''s right hand man and in the eyes of many, the heir that was being groomed to lead.

    "If I stayed, Cedric would have caught me." Ian told William Trent.

    "Ah, but the damage you had done is something they can no longer recover from." William Trent slowly pped his hands as he praised Ian.

    "It was easy." Ian said with a shrug. "It just needed time to execute, but with Cedric trusting mepletely, well I didn''t even need to exin things."

    "And what of the king of the underworld, did you find out who that was?" Rnd Ortega asked Ian.

    Ever since he realized that Ian was favored by William Trent, Rnd Ortega had toned down. He was at least civil with Ian and a lot less hostile.

    "Unfortunately, I don''t think even Cedric knows who it is." Ian calmly exined.

    Everyday he faced the Rajas was a risk, it was even more dangerous now since he had to limit hismunication with his wife, children, and friends.

    He knew he couldn''t rush things, that all things needed to happen at the right moment.

    "Won''t he retaliate by going after your family?" Jasmine asked as an eerie smile crept up her lips, sending goosebumps up Ian''s arm.

    "You are forgetting something, Miss Ortega." Ian said as he addressed Jasmine formally, emphasizing that she was no one to him.

    William raised an eyebrow at Ian as he watched the exchange between the former lovers. He was clearly anticipating what Jasmine and Ian had to say to one another.

    "What?" Jasmine asked as she bit her lower lip.

    "Nicole is like family to Cedric, my father is like a father to him as well. My family will be fine no matter what the oue." Ian said with a cold smile, making Jasmine frown and sink in her seat, clearly embarrassed. "And Jasmine, while your family is fully dependent on what the Rajas do next, mine will be just fine."

    "I guess you made a mistake of giving up on one of the most eligible bachelors of your generation, Jasmine." Bernard teased as heughed at Jasmine Ortega.

    "It''s all in the past." Jasmine said as she flipped her hair at Bernard, pretending that it didn''t bother her.

    "I''m d to see you and Ian can work together despite your shared past." William Trent praised. "Now onto business. Do you have something to report to us, Mr. Walker?"

    All eyes turned to Jim Walker as he smiled and nodded.

    "We''ve found our second target for the contingency n." Upon hearing Jim''s words Ian began to mentally panic. It seemed that the Rajas had been keeping something from him, and he needed to find out what.

 Chapter 995 995

    Ian paced across the room as he waited for some of his staff to return to him with whatever information they had collected from his guests.

    Most of the Raja''s core leaders now lived on his private ind. He was impressed at the level of trust they had now put on him.

    He had lied to them, telling everyone how Cedric had no idea that he had this ind.

    He understood why they chose to stay in the sanctuary of the private ind. When Bernard had first left the ind in order to conduct business, he was attacked by members of the underworld.

    Since it was Ray''s men that were attacking, there was no way of tracing the source. It was too clean and Bernard was lucky that he managed to escape with his life. All hispanions were killed in that encounter.

    "Mr. Lim." His butler on the ind greeted as he gave Ian a deep bow and allowed the servants in.

    "Make sure our guests don''t wander." Ian instructed, to which the butler simply nodded and left.

    When the door was firmly closed, Ian gestured for the staff to sit down. They were, in reality, spies that worked for Cedric, Ian, and Ray.

    He needed the best to get the information that the Rajas were hiding from him and he wouldn''t leave things to chance.

    As soon as Jim mentioned a contingency n and refused to divulge the details, Ian asked his friends for help. He knew that giving the Rajas too much time and resources was dangerous.

    "We didn''t get much, Mr. Lim, but we know one thing for sure. They are nning on assassinating someone close to Mr. Reyes." One of the spies reported.

    "No name?" Ian asked, hoping that they had found more clues.

    "None." The spy said with a frown.

    "Any more information?" Ian questioned, he knew that if there was anything crucial the spies would have started with that, but there was no harm in asking and making sure.

    "So far they all still trust you and no one has realized that we are spying on them. The only one that is careful are Mr. William and Mr. Jim." A spy added.

    Ian was happy to hear that the Rajas still trusted him. He needed them to blindly follow for the next part of their n to be executed smoothly.

    "You may go. Leave any documents you feel I need to look through. You can take the rest of the day off. I need you in the best shape possible for the next part of the n." Ian said as he dismissed the spies, slightly annoyed that they couldn''t find out more.

    When he was finally alone Ian went through the documents they had left. They were mostly transcripts of recording as well as observations on the behavior of the different guests.

    Ian picked up one file and grinned.

    "Well, well, well, Jasmine you are being a naughty girl, does your uncle know about this?" Ian asked out loud as he ced the document on a separate pile. He was sure that he would need that piece of information soon.

    When he was finally done reading through all the documents, he ced them aside and walked over to his balcony.

    From his room, Ian watched as the waves came crashing into the shores of his private ind. He looked towards the direction of the capital, towards his friend and family. He missed them all.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Ian missed being himself, not worrying about enemies living under the same roof as him.

    In order to make things more convincing, Ian avoided contacting Nicole and his children as much as possible. He needed his longing to show, he needed them to believe that he had chosen the Rajas over his own family.

    After a few minutes with his thoughts, Ian took out his phone from his pocket and dialed Cedric''s number.

    He returned to his room and made sure that all doors and windows were closed. He couldn''t let the Rajas know that he and Cedric weremunicating, it would mess up all of their ns.

    "How are you holding up?" Cedric asked, clearly concerned about Ian''s mental and emotional state.

    "I can manage, it won''t be long now." Ian told Cedric as he estimated in his head how much longer he needed to wait before their final attack on the Rajas.

    "Good, good, what made you call?" Cedric asked. They had made it a deal not tomunicate unless the matter was urgent.

    "The Rajas are after someone, someone close to you. We can''t figure out who, but my best bet would be one of the kids or Adrianna." Ian informed Cedric.

    "Adrianna is alreadyining about the level of security around her. There is nothing I can do. The kids don''t even leave the house anymore." Cedric said with a sigh as he worried about his wife and children.

    "I''ll try to find out more, I''m sure Adrianna will understand. Your wife is sensible." Ian reminded Cedric.

    "I know. I''ll also see what I can do to get more information. I think we should start our counter attack as well. We need to beat them to the punch. I''m not willing to let one of ours suffer or die because we acted toote." Cedric instructed Ian.

    Ian was silent for a moment as he thought of his next moves.

    He calcted it, made sure that acting sooner would not cause too many issues with their ns.

    "Is there a problem with moving the schedule up?" Cedric asked Ian as he waited for his friend to respond.

    "No, I was just trying to find a problem. It should work smoothly." Ian told Cedric quite confidently.

    He couldn''t hide the happiness in his voice.

    He wanted the n to work. The sooner the Rajas fell the sooner he could be with his family.

    "We''ll be ready for you, just give the signal when it''s started." Cedric told Ian. "And stay safe, don''t take any risks that could cost you your life. You have a family to return to, don''t forget that."

    "I won''t." Ian said as he dropped the call and buzzed for his butler.

    "Sir?" The butler asked as Ian gestured for him to close the door.

    "The n has been moved up, prepare everyone. We will be off this ind in three days." Ian ordered as he prepared for things to get a lot worse.

 Chapter 996 996

    "Any updates on Ian?" Cedric asked as he paced across his office in R Tower.

    Based on theirst conversation, Ian had agreed to move up the n, but Ian never mentioned how much faster he would move.

    It had been five days since that call and everyday Cedric had asked Mae or Dave if there was any movementing from the ind.

    Cedric couldn''t help but worry that the Rajas had figured out that Ian was nning something. Ian had given them strict instructions when staying on his ind.

    They were only allowed to travel through Ian''s provided nes, helicopters, or boats. Ian also refused to provide them with the coordinates of his private ind.

    "There has been some movement, but it could be nothing." Dave hesitantly reported. He did not want to give Cedric false hope.

    "Who and where?" Cedric asked as he knew the interpretation would be up to him in the end.

    "There have been an increased number of tripsing from Ian''s Ind to Kashmere and the surrounding province. More are headed to Kashmere, while those in the surrounding province are those that have families there." Dave informed Cedric as he showed his boss photos of the boats headed out.

    "When did this start?" Cedric asked as he took out his phone and dialed Ray''s number.

    "They only started to move this morning, I doubt those headed in the direction of Kashmere have even arrived." Dave added quickly in order to save himself from being scolded by Cedric for giving misleading information.

    "Ray!" Cedric practically shouted over the phone.

    "Can you keep your voice down a little. Aldrich and Ayanna are asleep." Ray scolded as Cedric could hear him leaving the room he was in.

    "What''s up?" Ray asked as Cedric could hear a door closing at the other end of the line.

    He assumed Ray was still at home, taking advantage of whatever time off he had to spend with his new son.

    "Ian sent a few of his people to Kashmere, have you heard anything from him?" Cedric asked Ray as he anxiously drummed his fingers on the table.

    "I''ll ask my people." Ray said slowly, clearly just as concerned as Cedric about the situation. "I think we should be prepared for things to go either really well or really bad."

    "I know, hope for the best but prepare for the worst." Cedric said with a sad smile. "Our old motto."

    "If Ian is starting to make a move, we should prepare our men to leave at any moment." Cedric informed Ray.

    "I''ve been ready since the moment you and Ian decided to speed things up. Don''t worry, it will work." Ray said as he did his best to lessen Cedric''s worries.

    "It will, it has to." Cedric said as he dropped the call and looked out into the distance.

    On his private ind, Ian made sure that all of his things were loaded on a staff boat. He had no ns of alerting the Rajas of his departure.

    Everything needed toe as a surprise.

    "Have they arrived at Kashmere?" Ian asked his butler who directed their men to take his bags to the boat.

    "They should have arrived ten minutes ago if the waters were clear." The butler reported.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Good, good, Ray and Cedric should be fully aware by now." Ian said with a nod as he looked into the distance.

    He spotted his guests froliking in the beach,pletely unaware of what was toe.

    Very few staff were left on the ind. They were just enough to convince the Rajas that everything was as they normally were.

    "I want the rest of you to be on the boats as soon as the guests are dealt with." Ian instructed the butler.

    "And you sir?" His butler asked with a concerned look on his face. The man had seen Ian grow up, he had worked for the Lim family for two generations. He saw Ian as he would see a son or a grandson.

    "I''ll be on thest boat out, I need to make sure that everyone has been dealt with." Ian told the old man in a firm tone, to which the man could simply nod in agreement.

    When Ian had enlisted all of the staff for the ind they knew that it would be part of a much bigger n, that Ian needed their full trust and support.

    All of them were more than willing to do whatever it took for Ian.

    When the butler left him, Ian looked around, enjoying the view as he smiled faintly.

    "This ind needs a makeover, this will be perfect." Ian said to himself as he let the afternoon drone on.

    Ian knew that some of his staff were also leaving that morning, he was hoping that their guests didn''t notice the boats departing.

    "Sir." His butler called out as he knocked on Ian''s door.

    "Yes?" Ian asked as he walked over and opened it slightly. Most of the furniture and fixings in Ian''s wing of the mansion were gone, shipped out to Kashmere for safe keeping.

    "Miss Ortega is looking for you, she said she wants to have a word with you before dinner." The butler informed Ian.

    "Tell her I''ll go to her room." Ian told the butler before dismissing him.

    He couldn''t let Jasminee to his wing, it only had the bare minimum, just enough for the next events to seem like an ident rather than to seem nned.

    Ian did check his room before finally leaving to meet with Jasmine.

    Along the way, he bumped into Bernard Juan.

    "Where are you off to? I rarely see you here." Bernardmented as he eyed Ian suspiciously.

    "It''s my home, it''s none of your business." Ian said as he continued to walk away, ignoring Bernard.

    "Finally giving in to Jasmine I see." Bernard teased, making Ian roll his eyes.

    He knew Bernard was hiding his true emotions about Ian''s visit to Jasmine, after all they had been seeing each other in secret for months.

 Chapter 997 997

    When Ian finally made it to Jasmine''s room, he didn''t knock. He entered to find Jasmine looking at a mirror, most likely anxiously waiting for him.

    "Ian!" Jasmine said, jumping back in surprise.

    "You wanted to see me?" Ian asked in a cold tone as he kept Jasmine at arm''s length.

    "Yes." Jasmine spoke in the most seductive way she could, running her fingers from her neck to her ample cleavage, hoping to entice Ian.

    "So? What did you want to speak about?" Ian asked Jasmine, making sure his tone was not as cold as it normally was towards her.

    Picking up on the change, Jasmine became bolder. She was probably hoping that Ian was tired of remaining loyal to Nicole and wanted to be satisfied for the night.

    She took a step closer and pretended to trip.

    As a reflex, Ian quickly caught her, he felt as her breasts brushed against his arm, but it did nothing for him.

    "Thank you." Jasmine said as she batted her eyes at Ian.

    "Look Jas." Ian told her as he helped her stand back up. "I need to keep my eyes on things, I don''t have that much free time. So why did you want to see me?"

    "Oh, right." Jasmine said as she gasped and led him to the couch to sit down.

    "Well?" Ian asked as he felt Jasmine ce a hand over his leg.

    "I heard something from Jim, he said he and your Uncle William are nning to double cross you." Jasmine said in a more serious tone.

    Ian did his best not to react, he didn''t want Jasmine to think he didn''t know. He needed to show that he was in control, that he dictated the narrative.

    "And?" Ian asked Jasmine, he was d that his voice sounded confident, theplete opposite of his true emotions.

    "You knew?!" Jasmine hissed as she backed off a bit.

    Seemingly realizing her mistake, Jasmine leaned forward again and made sure to keep body contact at all times.

    "Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?" Ian sounded annoyed, he could see the effect of his words on Jasmine as she hesitated.

    "I''m a busy person, Jas." Ian added. "If that''s all-"

    "No, no, no, no." Jasmine said, cutting him off mid sentence, making Ian frown at her.

    "What?" Ian asked in a cold tone once more showing Jasmine how impatient he was bing.

    "I know you have been lonely, Ian." Jasmine began to say as she gripped his thigh once more and leaned forward to give him a good view of her breasts which were practically popping out of her tight blouse.

    Ian could see that she wasn''t wearing a bra underneath, he wanted to roll his eyes at her pathetic attempts. But Ian knew he could use it to his advantage, he just needed to make it seem like she had convinced him.

    "Jas, I''m married." Ian groaned as he shook his head. "I have two sons and a wife waiting for me at home."

    "And yet you haven''t refused me." Jas said with a grin.

    Ian frowned and chose not to speak, he knew that remaining silent was the best thing to mislead Jasmine without lying.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "We still have an hour before dinner, why don''t we rekindle our old me?" She asked Ian as she ran her lips against his neck.

    "I have work." Ian told her, his tone was kinder than before.

    "Do you really?" She purred.

    "I do. But tonight I should be more avable." Ian smirked as the n yed in his head. By the time Jasmine realized what was happening it would be toote.

    "Then I should go with you to your rooms after dinner." Jasmine suggested, to which Ian shook his head.

    "The Chan family is still the Chan family. They are powerful and I am still married. Any rumors circting about me that puts me in a negative light will still impact all the businesses I hold." Ian calmly exined as Jasmine nodded, epting his answer.

    "So you wille to me tonight?" She asked, her eyes showed how hopeful she was that Ian would finally return to her.

    "Tonight." He said with a nod as he got up and straightened his clothes.

    "Let me walk you out." Jasmine offered as she got up, Ian stopped her and shook his head.

    "It''s best if I see myself out, I''ll see you at dinner." Ian told Jasmine as he walked out of the room with a victorious grin on his lips.

    Jasmine had no idea what wasing for them, then again, he doubted that anyone did.

    For now he had another matter to deal with, he couldn''t tell if what Jasmine had said was true or not.

    She could be working with Bernard to break his rtionship with William Trent.

    When Ian made it back to his rooms, his butler was waiting for him with a report.

    "Thest of our staff made it safely to Kasmere, those that remain are here voluntarily." The butler announced.

    "Thank you, Uncle." Ian told the old man as he ced a hand on his shoulder. Over the years Ian and his siblings had formed the habit of calling the butler their uncle due to his closeness to the family.

    "Sir, we heard some concerning thingsing from Mr. Juan." The butler said in a hesitant tone.

    "It is about Uncle William and Jim?" Ian asked as he sat down and rxed.

    "Sir, they are nning on leaving tonight." The butler informed Ian.

    "Are all our people loyal?" Ian asked the butler.

    "They have all lost much to the Rajas." The butler quickly answered him. "They are beyond loyal."

    "Then the two men will have no chance to leave before things are toote. Is everything prepared for dinner?" Ian confirmed.

    "Yes, sir." The butler nodded.

    "Wake me when it''s time for dinner, I think tonight will be quite and exciting one and for the first time since we trapped ourselves here, we will be happy." Ian said as he made his way to the bedroom that was now practically bare.

 Chapter 998 998

    "Is everything set?" Cedric asked as his car pulled up to the airport.

    It was the first time since Ian''s mysterious disappearance that Cedric was leaving the capital and going to a ce that was not his home or office.

    "Yes, sir." Dave responded as he handed Cedric a tablet filled with charts and reports.

    "Thirty minutes." Cedric said with a sigh as he waited for his security team to give him the green light.

    As soon as his security team gave him the all clear, Cedric quickly marched into the VIP lounge.

    He smiled as he spotted Guan Ming, Cami, and Katerina all waiting for him as they had nned.

    "Sorry about that." Cedric told them as he frowned at his head of security, Leon.

    "It''s understandable, Ced. You have a much bigger target on your head right now." Cami said as she gave her friend and boss a kind smile.

    "Thanks, Cami." Cedric said with a slight nod as Katerina walked up to him and handed him several documents to read through.

    "This is it?" He asked Katerina who smiled and nodded her head.

    "That''s it, he''s good to go." She told him as she gave Cedric a light squeeze on his shoulder. "It will all be over soon."

    "I hope so." Cedric said out loud as he signed a few documents and handed it over to Katerina.

    She quickly had an assistant process the papers as Cedric''s men loaded a barely breathing Lucius Ting onto Guan Ming''s private ne.

    "I went a little bit too far." Guan Ming said as he looked down at his hands.

    For months he had beaten Lucius Ting up, tortured him, and extracted revenge not just for himself, but for Cedric and Cami as well.

    "The deal was we had to hand him over alive and breathing, we met both requirements." Cedric grinned as he knew the Esteves family expected Lucius Ting to arrive in a sad state. "Have you discussed your issues with your brother?"

    Guan Ming shook his head and frowned.

    For weeks he had been avoiding the topic, it was a sore spot not only for him but for his parents as well. It was a reminder of a mistake his father had made before marrying his mother.

    "I''ve sent him back, he can do less harm from there." Guan Ming frowned as he thought of theplicated issues he would be facing when he returned home.

    But what he dreaded the most was not settling grudges with his half brother, rather it was being apart from Cami.

    "Sir, we got the clearance, the ne is departing." Dave informed Cedric, who simply nodded. "Sir, it''s also time." Dave informed Cedric.

    "Let''s get on the ne then." Cedric told hispanions as they left the VIP lounge and boarded a private ne.

    On Ian''s private ind, he greeted and chatted with the different members of the Rajas.

    Ian had summoned every single leader of the Rajas as well as their key subordinates to celebrate.

    He had announced that he had important news that could spell victory for them.

    Ian scanned the crowd and was satisfied to find his Uncle William and Jim among his guests. If he beat them to the punch before they could double cross him, then everything would be well.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    He smiled as he noticed William Trent making his way towards him at the head of the table.

    "I''m assuming you have earth shattering news." William Trent said as he raised a ss to Ian.

    "Victory, that''s what I have." Ian proudly said, not wanting to give out the details.

    "Let us not dy then." William Trent told Ian as he drew the attention of the crowd.

    All eyes were on Ian and William, the two most recognizable people in the room.

    They all knew that the entire Raja organization rose and fell with those two men, and seeing them standing together couldn''t paint a more powerful picture.

    "Today, ording to my sources, Cedric Reyes makes his ultimate move." Ian announced as he smiled at his audience. "Today, we end the Reyeses and their allies."

    Beside Ian, William was smiling like a proud parent. As if he had built and mentored Ian into the man he was now.

    Of course, Ian felt disgusted by this. He found it revolting that William would dare im to have helped him, to have built him up when the man was nowhere to be found when the world came crumbling around them.

    "When news errups of what Cedric and his friends are doing, we will collect what they have left." Ian said, much to everyone''s cheers.

    "Mr. Reyes and his friends have not just left the capital, they have left the country!" Everyone was shocked at this piece of information. They never expected Cedric to leave.

    "Is it true?" Someone asked from the crowd. "Yes."

    "Let''s all raise a ss to Mr. Ian Lim!" William said as he raised his own ss, something everyone else raised their sses as well as they continued to celebrate throughout the night.

    Every so often, Ian would catch a glimpse of Jasmine Ortega.

    She would look at him in a seductive way before turning around and heading in another direction.

    Ian wanted tough at how silly she was acting. He couldn''t wait for things to be over so that he could return to his wife and children.

    As the night went on, people began to head to their bedrooms.

    Soon all were gone except Ian and William who sat at the veranda, smoking and drinking whisky.

    "You''ve always been a smart kid, I''m d you chose the right side." William Trent praised as they called it a night.

    "Should I have someone walk you to your room? Or can you manage?" Ian asked as he watched the older man sway a little.

    "I''ll be fine." He told Ian as he waved and left towards the direction of the guest rooms.

    When everyone was gone, Ian went not to his room or to Jasmine''s room, but towards the docks where all his employees were waiting on a boat.

    "Did everyone get out?" Ian asked as the boat left the ind.

    "Everyone was ounted for." The butler said as a sudden explosion came from the ind.

    "And the Rajas were no more." Ian said with a smile as they continued to sail towards the direction of Kashmere Ind.

 Chapter 999 999

    "Ian!" Nicole was teary eyed as she spotted her husband walking up the docks of Kashmere ind.

    It had been weeks since they hadst seen each other, he had left not long after she had given birth to their youngest son.

    She handed the baby in her arms to Cami, who nodded and encouraged her to run up and greet Ian.

    Ian caught his wife as she jumped into his arms and kissed her passionately.

    During their time apart they weren''t even allowed to contact one another. No calls, no letters, total silence between a couple that loved one another.

    "Cedric didn''t even tell me we were meeting you today!" Nichole told Ian as their lips parted. "When the businesses started to crash and investors started to drop the stocks they owned I was so worried."

    "You should have more faith in us, Nichole!" Cedric called from a far as he walked towards his friend.

    Behind Cedric, Miguel Chan, Ian''s brother-inw came running as he was supposed to be at the docks when everyone arrived to make sure no one was injured.

    "Let me see if he is alright, Nichole." Miguel said as he gently nudged his sister away from Ian.

    "I''m fine Miguel." Ian said as he rolled his eyes.

    Miguel refused to take no as an answer, he quickly checked Ian for any physical injuries and was happy to find none.

    "You are so dead." Miguel told Ian in an amused tone right before giving the green signal that Ian was alright.

    "You know?" Ian asked, shocked that Miguel had found out about his marriage to Nicole.

    "Yup, and you are dead when she finds out, brother." Miguel warned with a cheeky smile as he let Ian go and moved on to the rest of the staff that escaped with Ian on thest boat out of the ind.

    "I''m sending someone back to make sure everyone is ounted for." Cedric told Ian as they walked up the docks towards several cars that were waiting for them.

    "Thank you." Ian said as he helped Nicole into the other car.

    Ian knew that he and Cedric still had some work to be done and that he needed toplete the mission. They couldn''t leave things half baked.

    "Ian, go with Nicole." Cedric said as soon he realized that the mission had taken quite a toll on Ian. "I''ll handle things from here."

    "Are you sure?" Ian was surprised to hear that Cedric was willing to let him go despite how important he was to the mission.

    "You deserve it." Cedric said with a smile as he climbed into his car and told the driver to go ahead and take him to the makeshift office that Ray had provided for him.

    Inside, Dave and Mae were already hard at work making sure that the right story was sold to the media.

    "Was Alexi able to get the right team on Ian''s private ind?" Cedric asked as he sat down and looked at the different monitors set up in the room.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    They had turned it into amand center that simultaneously monitored everything that was slowly falling into ce.

    "Yes, he was also able to change the name of the owner of the ind as well. Mien worked with him on it." Mae informed Cedric as he looked at a screen that showed the body cam of a member of the team he had sent.

    "How long till they arrive on the ind?" Ian asked as he pointed at the screen.

    "Ten minutes." Dave said as he checked their location. "Alexi''s team arrived five minutes ago and are investigating the fire as well as trying to figure out who the individuals on the ind were."

    "Turn up the volume." Cedric said as he pointed at the news channel that was on another screen.

    It showed images of Ian''s private ind as well as the fire that had erupted.

    "- we have not been informed if there were any casualties. From the information that we had gathered, the ind was owned by a man named William Trent, older brother to renowned businessman Edward Trent." The news reporter said as images of the Trent family were shown on TV.

    "Snap up their assets." Cedric ordered Dave who simply nodded and did as he asked.

    "We have tried to get ament from the Trent family, but they have not answered any of our calls." The news reporter said.

    "Do we know if anyone was on the ind when the fire erupted?" The news anchor asked as he probed deeper into the disaster.

    "We checked with local police as well as with the airport at the capital and it seemed like Mr. Trent was hosting quite a party. It included several socialites as well as a few well known businessmen. Right now we don''t know what really happened since the police and military have refused us entry on the ind." The news reporter informed the anchor.

    "I believe we already have a copy of that list that you are now seeing on your screens. It isn''t just businessmen, but several key government officials as well, including the vice president." The anchor reported.

    "Has my uncle Jose been informed?" Cedric asked Mae, who nodded in response.

    "He knew from the start who among his government officials were involved with the Rajas, he was prepared for the news." Mae informed Cedric.

    "They are docking." Dave said as he pointed at the screen that showed a live image of the charred remains of Ian''s private ind.

    "What a waste." Cedricmented as he looked at the screen. "I really liked the home Ian had built on that ind. Oh well, he can always buy another one."

    "Sir, sir." A man said in a frantic tone as he ran towards Cedric''s man. "We''re missing two."

    Cedric turned pale at the news, two? Who could have escaped in time?

    Ian''s men had drugged and poisoned all the guests. They were all dead by the time the house burned.

    How could someone escape that ind without them knowing?

    "Investigate it!" Cedric shouted. "I want to know who and how. Then we will need all of the ports monitored. I hope they haven''t reached shore yet."

 Chapter 1000 1000

    "Mr. Chan! Mr. Chan! Here please!" A photographer shouted as Eric Chan walked down the red carpet of the premier of histest movie.

    Eric turned and gave the press what they wanted, a charming smile from the nation''s most popr artist.

    Despite having announced that he was already engaged to Katerina, his fans did not abandon him. They defied all expectations and excitedly waited for his and Katerina''s wedding.

    "Mr. Chan, did youe alone?" A reporter asked as he looked quite disappointed the Katerina had not apanied Eric.

    "Just a year ago you were all ready to hate my fiance because you believed she was stealing me from someone, now you are all eager to see her." Eric pointed out with a serious look on his face, making the reporter feel embarrassed.

    "Sir, we apologize for what we had done." The reporter said as he looked down.

    "It''s fine, we understand." Eric said with a sigh as he shook his head. "She still has a career of her own and it has taken her away from my side. Trust me, I want her with me all the time, but Katerina Sebstian is not a woman you can tie down."

    The press were in awe of his statement, they were used to actors whose wives simply quit their own careers and lived off their husband''s fame. Then again, Katerina Sebastian was no ordinary woman.

    "Now, if you''ll excuse me, I''m holding up the premiere." Eric said as he gave the members of the media one more cover worthy smile before walking down the red carpet.

    Behind him, Ram arrived with Francesca Ri. The members of the media loved them.

    When the couple started attending events together, everyone was shocked. Ram had made it a point not to take a date to any of his business rted events.

    It was then that the press sensed there was more to the rtionship, especially since Ram had every power to control what they published about him.

    Unlike Eric, they did not consent to an interview and simply smiled and waved at the media as Ram led Francesca through the doors and into the cinema where the premier was to be hosted.

    "Too anxious to speak to the press?" Eric teased as soon as they were away from prying ears.

    "Of course." Ram said with a frown, unhappy with the fact that he and Eric couldn''t join the others on Kashmere.

    "We have to be here, we don''t want to alert them that something is up." Eric said as he ced a hand on Ram''s shoulder.

    "My brother sent men to help Ian, they won''t be harmed." Francesca told Ram as she ced a gentle kiss on his cheek, making the Entertainment CEO smile.

    "Your brother or you?" Eric teased.

    He knew for a fact that Francesca stillmanded a significant amount of respect among the Ri Mafia Family. She even helped run parts of it since her return to the country.

    It also helped that her boyfriend''s childhood friend was the king of the underworld.

    Francesca rolled her eyes at Eric, making himugh as he walked ahead of the couple and entered the cinema.

    Inside, he was escorted by several bodyguards to his seat.

    Despite there being significantly less people, many were still eager to get a photo of Eric as he arrived alone.

    Some fans and haters even went as far as spreading rumors that the reason Katerina was not by his side was due to an argument between them.

    "You''re always popr on social media." Ram chuckled as he sat down next to Eric.

    He handed his phone to his friend, showing him the different rumors that were circting about Eric and Katerina.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Ever since Katerina and I announced our rtionship and I proposed to her, I don''t feel as bothered about them." Eric said with a smile as he handed the phone back to Ram.

    The rumors that people had spread were just crazy.

    "Any update?" Eric asked as he kept his eyes on the screen.

    "They are all on Kashmere." Ram told Eric, emphasizing the word all.

    "They are all safe?" Eric asked, thinking about Ian and his daring escape.

    "Those that we like, yes." Ram responded. "I''m still waiting for more news, but I guess we will see after the movie."

    "You still have to make your speech." Eric said with a grin as the host began to wee all of the guests.

    "Right. I hate this part." Ram said with augh as he got up, kissed Francesca on the lips and made his way down to the stage to wee everyone.

    It was clear that Ram was in a rush to get the premiere started. The guests all thought that it was because he was proud of the film. The truth couldn''t be further from it, he simply wanted the film to be over so he and Eric could fly over to Kashmere and join the others.

    The film yed after Ram''s speech, and it was clear that the audience liked it.

    They all stood and apuded as the closing credits ran on the screen.

    Eric stood up and waved at his fans, the media, and the critics. For this film he had asked for him not to have a female lead since when he had begun taping it his rtionship with Katerina was quite sensitive.

    "Mr. Abad." A body guard said, catching Ram''s and Eric''s attention.

    "Keep them busy." Ram said as he left with the bodyguard, supposedly to deal with an important matter.

    "He''ll be fine. Don''t worry. It''s probably nothing." Eric said as he smiled at Francesca and gestured as he allowed several reporters to ask their questions.

    "Mr. Chan, this is quite rare for you not to have a female lead, does it have anything to do with Miss Katerina Sebastian being bothered by you acting opposite females?" A reporter asked, making Ericugh and shake his head.

    "No. Katerina and I are both quite secure in our rtionship. I simply wanted to do something new, something different." Eric said as he pointed at a different reporter to ask a question.

    At this point, the security team had allowed some of the reporters waiting outside to enter so that they too could ask their questions about the film.

    "Mr. Chan, how will your acting career be influenced by both yours and Miss Sebastian''s families? Is it true that the president is asking you to quit acting?" There were gasps among the audience as the reporter asked her question.

    Eric smiled, he had heard these rumors and had no idea how they had started. He assumed they were from other actors that were jealous of him.

    "It will not affect it in any way, our families both fully support my acting career. I wanted to quit thinking that my fans would leave me once they found out about my rtionship with Katerina. I am happy to hear that they actually support it." Eric said as he smiled at the seats his fans had been allotted.

    "Mr. Chan." A deep voice said, making the crowd turn their heads. "Send this message to Cedric and Ian. We are not to be messed with."

    Before he could even react, Eric and the other guests were shocked to hear a loud gun shot ring through the cinema before chaos suddenly ensued and the man vanished among the fleeing audience.

    In the VIP area, Eric fell. Slumped against the cinema seats, bleeding as Francesa ran over, struggling to get the bleeding to stop.

 Chapter 1001 1001

    "We need to go, now!" Cedric shouted as he burst through the doors of Nicole''s vi on Kashmere ind.

    "What? Why?" Ian asked as he helped Nicole pick up the children.

    "The servants will have everything packed and sent to the capital, we need to leave, Eric has been shot." Cedric said as he and Ian''s family piled up into the cars.

    Cedric and Ian rode in one as not to distress the children while they discussed what happened on the short drive to the airport.

    "Not everyone was in the house when it burned." Cedric said in a disheartened tone as Ian stared at him in disbelief.

    "Impossible, we made sure everyone was dead before we left." Ian argued. "Even if they managed to get out of the house, their corpses should have been on the ind or at worst in the sea."

    "Tell me, what exactly happened, because two individuals were not ounted for." Cedric told Ian.

    "We poisoned all of the drinks, it''s one of those new poisons Natalia created. They would feel drunk and sleepy at first, making them head back to their rooms and within an hour or two their organs would start to fail." Ian exined to Cedric how they had executed the n.

    "Is there any way someone could have escaped the poison and its effects? An antidote maybe?" Cedric questioned as they tried to figure out exactly what had happened.

    "Didn''t you hear what I just said?" Ian asked, his temper starting to run short as he began to wonder if they had slipped up at any point and forgot to drug a member of the Rajas. "It''s Natalia''s work, there is no antidote unless Natalia gives it to them."

    Cedric pulled out his phone and began to dial a number.

    "What are you doing?" Ian questioned as he realized who Cedric was calling.

    "We need to know if that poison was sold by Natalia to anyone else, if she did, then they may have an antidote." Cedric exined as he ced the phone on speaker and it began to ring.

    "Ced?" Natalia asked as she picked up the call, her tone was frantic.

    "Natalia, the poison you gave Ian, do you have any other customers for it?" Cedric asked, not wasting anytime.

    "No. Well, does the government count? They have ess to most of my research." Natalia said as the cogs began to turn in her head.

    "Fuck, shit." Cedric cursed. "Thanks, I think I know what may have gone wrong. Are you in the hospital?"

    "Yes, Miguel is here, he is doing his best, but I''m not sure Cedric. I don''t know what to tell Kat." Natalia told Cedric over the phone as she began to panic.

    "Just tell her what happened. She left ahead of me on my ne, she should be arriving soon." Cedric told Natalia as she tried to calm her down. "How bad is it?"

    "Really bad, I don''t know how Eric is even holding on, it defies all logical reasonings." Natalia said with a sigh.

    "If anyone can get through this, it will be Eric. We''ll see you soon. Thanks Natalia." Cedric told the young woman as he dropped the call and took a deep breath.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "They had spies." Ian hissed. "But why not save all of them, why just save two? And who are the two?"

    "I think they found out toote, they could only save a few and not all. If Natalia made an antidote, then it wouldn''t be enough to save all of the Rajas." Cedric calmly said. "I know it''s all spection at this point, but that''s the most probable scenario I can think of."

    "How did they know where the ind was? We were so careful to make sure that the ind was undetectable." Ian told Cedric.

    "They were possibly able to map it out over time and send the location to someone in case of emergency." Cedric concluded.

    "Who was it Cedric, who made it off the ind?" Ian asked in a poisonous tone.

    "William Trent and Jim Walker." Cedric said in one breath knowing that out of all the Rajas, they were probably the most dangerous.

    "Fuck, Jasmine told me they had been plotting behind my back, but I thought it was just her ramblings." Ian hissed as the car pulled up to the airport on Kashmere Ind.

    "And you did nothing about it? That doesn''t seem like you, Ian." Cedric said as he looked at his friend and former assistant. Throughout the years that they had been working together, Cedric knew that no matter how faulty the source, Ian always pushed to investigate any intel.

    "Of course I had someone look into it, but we found nothing." Ian told Cedric.

    "You did what you could, Ian." Cedric said as he ced a hand on his friend''s shoulder. "We knew that there was a chance the n would fail, we always knew there was a risk."

    Ian closed his eyes and leaned back on his seat, sighing in frustration.

    "I''ll have people search for them." Ian told Cedric as he began to n their next moves.

    Cedric nodded.

    "I''ll send some men as well to help. For now, we need to focus on Eric." Cedric told Ian as a bodyguard opened the car door and ushered them into one of two nes.

    "How is he?" Cami asked as soon as they got on Cedric''s ne.

    "It''s not looking good." Cedric admitted as he poured each of them a ss of whisky. "Natalia said he is holding on, he is a fighter, Eric."

    "They don''t deserve this, they deserve better." Ian said from the side.

    "Who are we to decide who deserves what?" Guan Ming asked as the airne doors were closed. "Are we god?"

    "We y god often enough." Ian said, clearly frustrated by the situation.

    "Eric is strong, he will get through this. He still had to marry Katerina and meet their child, he won''t give up that easily." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Miracles can happen, this could be one of them."

 Chapter 1002 1002

    "Where is he?" Katerina asked as she rushed into the hospital.

    She had been reviewing documents on Kashmere when Ram gave her a call, telling her about what had happened to Eric.

    "Miss Sebastian, Mr. Chan is still in the operation room, Dr. Chan is doing his best to save his brother." The nurse told Katerina as she helped Katerina to the VIP waiting area.

    "I need to see him." Katerina insisted.

    "Kat!" Francesca Ri called out as soon as she entered the room with Ram right behind her.

    "Francesca!" Katerina called back as Francesca ran over and hugged Katerina.

    For the first time since hearing about the attempt on Eric''s life, she allowed herself to be vulnerable. She began to sob into Francesca''s arms as Ram gently patted her back.

    "He''s a fighter, Kat." Ram told her. "He will fight for you and the baby, he promised he would marry you."

    Katerina said nothing as she continued to sob and let herself reales all her worry and distress. She was among friends, she was safe.

    These people were practically family. She had grown up around them, there was no need for her to pretend to be strong or unbothered by the events around her.

    With them she could simply be Katerina Sebastian.

    "Has Miguel given an update?" She asked as she lifted her head from Francesca''s arms and whipped the tears from her eyes.

    "Are you sure you want to know?" Ram asked, hesitant to tell her the truth.

    "I''ll be fine, Ram. I just want to know the truth." Katerina said in a determined tone.

    Despite her confidence, Ram hesitated. He knew how much Katerina loved Eric and how long the couple had been fighting to be together.

    It was a true tragedy that after fighting for so long the pair couldn''t even catch a break.

    "Remember, you have another human being to think of now." Ram said as he nced at Katerina''s protruding belly. She had been showing signs of her pregnancy now and avoided the public as much as possible.

    "Tell me." Katerina insisted.

    Ram sighed and shook his head.

    "Miguel said that the bullet should have killed Eric, but for some reason he managed to hold on." Ram exined as he recalled what Miguel had said after he had read the preliminary findings. "He is stable, for now, so Miguel is operating on him to take out the bullet and stop the internal bleeding."

    "Does Miguel think he will make it through?" Katerina asked as she looked hopefully at Ram.

    "Miguel said he doesn''t know. I''m sorry Katerina, I know you want to hear good news, but we don''t exactly have a lot of it." Ram sighed as he frowned.

    Katerina nodded as she ced a hand on her belly and looked down.

    "Daddy will be fine little one, he promised he would always be there for us." She said as she gently stroked her bump.

    Ram and Francesca sat in silence with Katerina while she slowly processed what was happening.

    Suddenly several doctors burst into the room.

    "What''s going on?" Ram asked.

    "It''s fine Ram, I sent them here." Raphael Chan, the father of the Chan siblings said as he walked over to Katerina. "We need to make sure Katerina is fine. We don''t want Eric to wake up worrying that Kat and the baby are unwell."

    "Just some tests, Miss Sebastian." A doctor exined as she helped Katerina stand up.

    "Kat, I''ve been stopping the press from releasing the news about the incident, but I will need to let them report it." Ram warned as he looked at Katerina.

    "Do it." Katerina said in a firm tone, much to everyone''s surprise. "Make sure to put in every detail. Tell everyone who attacked him and why, the nation deserves the truth. No more hiding or protecting them. Let them decide."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    As she said this, Katerina walked out of the VIP waiting area as the doctors quickly followed after her, worried that she would get hurt.

    Ram sighed and shook his head as he dialed a number.

    "Release version six. I''ll face the consequences." Ram told his assistant as he dropped the call and dialed Alexi''s number.

    "She decided, and she doesn''t want to keep anything a secret." He told Alexi Sebastian over the phone.

    "Good, I have some men tracking Mr. Trent and Mr. Walker. It won''t take us long to find them." Alexi told Ram. "I''ll try to visit as soon as we wrap things up on the ind. The story remains the same, it''s just this time those two just got lucky and weren''t on the ind."

    "Point the me at Mr. Trent. The investigation should show that he got greedy and killed the other members of the Raja organization." Ram added as he thought of ways to forever block the group.

    "Good idea, I''ll do that. Don''t forget to update me on Eric''s condition and on my sister." Alexi reminded his friend.

    "I will, and don''t take unnecessary risks, we don''t want to be worrying about two of you at the same time." Ram told Alexi.

    "Yeah, I have to go." Alexi said as he dropped the call.

    Katerina was gone for an hour as Ram and Francesca waited for news on Eric.

    Soon, Cedric and the others arrived as well, and finally Nicole. She had the drivers drop off the children at home while she rushed to the hospital.

    When Katerina finally returned to the room after the tests were done and the doctors confirmed that the stress of Eric''s condition had not hurt her or the baby, Miguel stepped out of the operating room.

    "How is he?" Katerina asked as soon as she spotted the doctor.

    "I got the bullet out, but the damage has been done." Miguel said as he looked defeated. "I don''t know what else I can do Kat."

    "But it''s out and he is stable, right?" Katerina asked desperately.

    "It''s not that simple, Kat." Miguel said with a sigh. "You should rest, Eric will be moved to the VIP room where we can monitor him and you can be with him."

    Katerina nodded as Miguel guided her to the VIP room where Eric was already lying in bed, unconscious, with multiple equipment connected to him and monitoring him.

    "I''ll stay." Miguel told Katerina as he ced a hand on her shoulder.

    "You should rest, I''ll watch over Eric. I''m apetent doctor too, in case you have forgotten, brother." Nicole told Miguel as she noticed how tired her brother looked.

    The operation had not just taken a lot of physical and mental strength, but it also drained Miguel, emotionally.

    Thest thing they ever wanted to do was to conduct an emergency procedure on a rtive, and it was even worse due to the story behind the attack.

    "I''ll be quick, update me." Miguel told Nicole as he hugged her tight.

    He did the same to Katerina before leaving.

    Katerina pulled up a chair to sit next to Eric''s bed as she held his hand.

    "Eric, please wake up, please keep fighting." She begged. "You promised you wouldn''t abandon me again. I love you and our baby is waiting for you."

    Cedric, who was standing behind Katerina shook his head.

    "Let''s go." He told Ian as he turned to leave.

    "Where are we going?" Ian asked as he quickly chased after Cedric before he could exit the room.

    "After those two, they have to pay for what they did to Eric. He was innocent in all of this and they went after him." Cedric said in a cold tone as he pushed open the door and walked out with Ian walking right behind him.

 Chapter 1003 1003

    "You won''t find them alone." Alexi said as he stopped Cedric and Ian. He had just arrived with Ray and had heard what Cedric told Ian.

    "Yeah, these people managed to slip through Ian''s fingers, they still have their connections. They aren''t as powerless as you are hoping." Ray told Cedric as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    Cedric frowned as he looked at his two friends, they made a point.

    William Trent still had his family and their friends, he doubted that Jim Walker was helpless either.

    "What do you suggest we do then? We can''t do nothing while Eric fights for his life." Cedric said in a raised voice as he struggled to control his anger, they were still, after all, in a hospital.

    "I know where they are, but we need to draw them out. I know what you want to do and we all know it''s wrong." Alexi admitted.

    "Take me to them and I will take the fall." Cedric insisted.

    "You aren''t thinking straight." Ray told Cedric calmly as he ced a hand on his shoulder. "I have a n, but you need to wait a little. We need to n things properly."

    "We can''t wait and n here." Ian told the other men.

    "Let''s go to the fortress." Ray said as he referred to thepound he ruled the underworld from.

    It was called the fortress by those who knew of it due to it''s imprability. There were very few ces that could rival it in the level of security, among them were Mountain View and the President''s Pce.

    Cedric simply nodded and agreed as he followed Ray to the elevator, not failing to look back and see the doors of the VIP ward.

    "We''ll end this." Cedric swore as the elevator doors closed and they descended to the parking lot.

    When they arrived at the Fortress, Ian was on the phone with Nicole as she gave him an update on Eric''s status.

    "How is he?" Cedric asked.

    "He''s holding on, they still don''t know how, but he is fighting." Ian said, his tone a little bit more hopeful.

    "For Katerina and the baby." Alexi said with a sigh as the gates to the fortress closed behind them and armed guards stationed themselves on the walls.

    At the heart of the fortress was a simple building, one that would not demand a second nce.

    Alexi parked the car in front of it and the boys climbed down from the car.

    They were quickly greeted by some of Ray''s men.

    "What do you need, sir?." One man said as he struggled to keep in step with Ray as he marched to his office.

    "Send some of our best spies and assassins over." Ray ordered as he dismissed the men and pushed open the doors to his office.

    "Make yourselvesfortable." Ray said as he gestured for his friends to sit.

    As they took their ces, the cogs in Cedric''s mind began to turn.

    He knew he was being irrational earlier when he had insisted on going after the two remaining Rajas without a n.

    With him having calmed down, Cedric now had an idea on what had to be done.

    "What if we frame Jim Walker for William Trent''s death?" Cedric suggested it to his friends.

    Ian slowly nodded as he considered the idea.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "The problem I see there is that Jim Walker and William Trent are not known associates." Ian pointed out. "They were careful not to be seen in public."

    "Do you have any photos of them?" Alexi suddenly asked.

    "I do, from watching them, why?" Ian asked, confused as to what Alexi was nning. "I mean, them being together on an ind doesn''t really mean much."

    "We can push it as a closeted love quarrel." Cedric told Ian as he realized what Alexi was plotting.

    "Well, I was thinking of making them seem like secret business partners, but yeah, secret lovers will work better." Alexi chuckled as he shook his head.

    "It''s a story Ram could y with as well." Ray nodded in agreement as he thought of the n that was forming. "Then we could tie it up to the incident with Eric, saying that Jim Walker was jealous because of a remark William Trent had made in the past."

    "Sounds good to me." Ian said with a nod as he looked to Alexi and Cedric for their opinion.

    The two men also nodded as a knock came from the door.

    "Sir, as you requested." One of Ray''s men said as he allowed two women and three men into the room.

    They were all silent, some were ordinary looking, but Cedric knew better than to judge people by their looks. It was the very thing that had caused the downfall of those who had looked down on him during his poverty training.

    "Leave us." Ray ordered, as the man bowed and left the room.

    "These are the best in the business." Ray pointed out to Cedric as Ian and Alexi were both familiar with the people that had joined them.

    "Can they do what we need?" Cedric asked his friends.

    "Child''s y." Alexi confidently answered Cedric. "The only question now is, who should pull the trigger?"

    "We can make Jim Walker pull the trigger himself." Ian said with a grin as he looked at one of the women.

    "What are you talking about?" Cedric asked as he looked at the person that had caught Ian''s attention.

    "I thought you had left the industry, Kai?" Ian asked the unassuming woman. "I thought you were tired of this world?"

    "I thought so too, sir." The woman said with a grin on her face.

    "I think Jim Walker will be more than shocked to see her." Ian said with augh as he shook his head.

    "Who is she?" Cedric asked as he observed the woman.

    "To the underworld?" Ian asked. "She is one of it''s deadliest assasins, but all her missionse at a steep cost."

    "Revenge." Alexi said, exining for Ian. "The death of the people behind her lover''s murderers."

    "Sounds reasonable." Cedric replied with a smile.

    "There is still one person on your list, if I''m not mistaken, right Kai?" Ray said with a mischievous smile.

    "Yes, sir, Jim Walker." She responded, much to Cedric''s surprise.

    "Jim Walker''s head for your cooperation in this mission?" Ian calmly asked.

    "I''d be more than happy to oblige." She said with a small bow as they began to discuss and formte a trap for William Trent and Jim Walker.

 Chapter 1004 1004

    Alexi''s men had just confirmed that William Trent and Jim Walker were staying at the hotel owned by a family friend.

    Cedric couldn''t help but wonder why they would stay at such a public ce.

    "Maybe they thought it would be safer to be out in the open? That way Ian couldn''t go after them and assassinate them." Cami suggested.

    She and Ram had followed to Ray''s fortress while the others stayed behind to monitor Eric''s condition and to keep thepanies running.

    "This will work perfectly for our n." Kai said as she looked at the images of William Trent and Jim Walker as they shed on the screen.

    Cedric had sent several men in advance to observe the two, they needed to understand their behavior. They weren''t going to leave anything to chance this time around, everything needed to work perfectly.

    "When do we execute the n?" Alexi looked at Cedric for directions, he was calling all the shots this time.

    "Tonight." Cedric dered. "There is no point in waiting any longer. We have everything set up, we have a solid n, and we have the perfect opportunity."

    "There will be a party at the hotel tonight." Ray informed Cedric as he handed him an invitation. "It was given to one of the Mafia bosses that we nted as spies. To the public, they are traitors, to me they are the most loyal."

    "Seth?" Ian asked as he raised an eyebrow, spotting the name on the invitation.

    "Yeah, it seems that a rumor has spread that he is not happy with me choosing someone else to be my third inmand." Ray chuckled and shook his head.

    "Yeah, when he was the one that pushed me to the role." Ian rolled his eyes in annoyance.

    "Kai and a few other assassins will be joining Seth''s group. They will execute the n." Ray exined, ignoring Ian''sments. "We will be nearby, keeping watch."

    The day passed at an excruciatingly slow pace. Cedric got bored and decided to explore Ray''s fortress with Ian.

    "How is Eric holding up? Did you get any news from Nicole or Miguel?" Cedric asked as they walked around the training areas. Fire ranges, sparring rooms, evenbs for practicing the creation of bombs and poisons line the halls.

    "I would have told you if it was good news." Ian sighed as he shook his head. "Eric is fighting, but his condition is getting worse and worse."

    "I have faith in Eric, if anyone can fight his condition, it''s him." Cedric said in full confidence.

    They eventually stumbled upon Kai, who was in the firing range.

    "Mr. Reyes, Mr. Lim." Kai said with a small bow as she acknowledged their presence.

    "Shouldn''t you be resting?" Ian asked Kai as he picked up a gun and shot a few rounds himself.

    "Impressive, Mr. Lim. One would think that someone of your background and rank wouldn''t be that skilled." Kai praised, making Ianugh.

    "I may have been born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but that doesn''t mean I haven''t had my fair share of hardships." Ian said with a grin as he ced the gun down.

    "I''ve heard the stories." Kai nodded.

    "Stories?" Cedric asked as he sat down, not wanting to embarrass himself in front of two master marksmen. He could fire a gun, he could fight, just not as well as Ian.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Cedric knew his talentsy elsewhere.

    "Mr. Reyes won''t give it a shot?" Kai asked as he offered him the gun.

    "I''ll pass." Cedric said with a chuckle. "So tell us Kai, Ray mentioned that you were the best person for the job against Mr. Walker. He seemed to be implying something. Why is that?"

    The question had been nagging Cedric since they first met.

    Ray wouldn''t say things like that or put someone in that position if it weren''t important. He had tried to ask Ray, but his friend said that he should ask Kai since it was a personal matter.

    "It''s because my past is very much intertwined with Mr. Walker." Kai said as she cocked the gun and started shooting at a target.

    "How so?" Ian was now also quite curious about the rtionship between Kai and Jim Walker.

    "Did you look into his past, Mr. Lim?" Kai asked Ian as she ced the gun down.

    Ian nodded.

    "And what did you find?" Kai asked as she walked across the room and took out a can of beer. She gestured to Ian and Cedric if they wanted one and both men nodded.

    "That out of all the Rajas he had the least we could use to manipte. He no longer has any family and all he truly is after is his personal gain." Ian told Kai as he recalled what he had found on Jim Walker.

    "No longer?" Cedric asked as he looked at his friend.

    "His wife and children all died years ago." Ian exined.

    "That''s what he thinks." Kai chuckled. "We survived?"

    "We?" Ian asked, his shock clear on his face.

    "Jim Walker was my father." Kai revealed, much to Cedric''s and Ian''s surprise. "Only Mr. Laurence knew about my connection to him, and he told me as long as I didn''t bring any harm then I could stay."

    "Why fake your death?" Cedric asked Kai.

    "Isn''t it obvious?" She asked as she threw them a judgmental look. "He is evil. He was not a good father, he was not a good husband. All he cared for was power."

    "So you faked your death and ran?" Ian asked Kai.

    Kai nodded.

    "That''s the n, isn''t it?" Cedric said as he thought carefully about the n Ray had helped hime up with. "You will be a ghost that drives him mad."

    "I will also be the ghost that pulls the trigger and ends all the pain and torture he has put so many people through." Kai nodded as she picked up a gun and ced it in its holster.

 Chapter 1005 1005

    "Are you sure this will work?" Seth asked Ian as they stayed in a secluded area of the function room.

    "Have a little bit more faith in us, Seth." Ian said with a chuckle as he looked around, trying to assess if any of the people in the room had connections to the rajas.

    Initially the n had been for Ian to stay as far away from the event as possible, they didn''t want to tip off William Trent or Jim Walker. But then, they realized that this event could be an attempt by the pair to resurrect the rajas, something Ian could never allow.

    "Do you have any idea why I was invited here?" Seth asked as he nced at Ian who was still checking the crowd for any dangers.

    "Our guess is that William Trent and Jim Walker are trying to resurrect the Rajas." Ian exined as he noticed William Trent walking over to them. "Look as sinister as you can, William Trent ising our way."

    Ian was heavily disguised, he doubted that William Trent or Jim Walker would be able to recognize him.

    "Mr. Dean!" William Trent happily greeted Seth as he offered his hand to shake.

    Seth simply looked at the man''s hand, but did not take it.

    "Do I know you?" Seth asked William Trent in a cold tone, making the man involuntarily flinch.

    Ian struggled to hold back augh as he watched from the side.

    "No, no, but I was the one that invited you to this party Mr. Dean." William Trent told Seth.

    "Then my men and I should be going." Seth got up and nodded at Ian and twopanions of theirs.

    Ian and the others soon followed his lead and stood up as well.

    "Wait, no, Mr. Dean, you are our guest of honor tonight. You must stay, and I must speak to you!" William Trent said in a panicked voice as he desperately tried to get him to stay.

    "Speak to me about what?" Seth asked as he nced at William Trent.

    "You see, Mr. Dean, our interests are actually aligned. I know for a fact that you want to be king of the underworld." William Trent said with a grin on his lips, thinking that he had managed to catch Seth''s attention.

    Seth looked at Ian and raised his eyebrow.

    Ian simply responded with a shrug.

    Seth had never wanted to take Ray''s ce, as a matter of fact, they didn''t know who spread those rumors this time.

    It could have been part of Cedric''s n, but he should have said something.

    "I''m listening." Seth said as he turned his attention back to William Trent.

    William visibly calmed down when Seth signified that he was more than willing to listen to the man.

    "This is not something we can discuss out here in public." William Trent informed Seth.

    "I have a lot of other engagements, Mr. Trent. I will not wait on you." Seth threatened, to which William Trent quickly reacted.

    "My associate and I will meet you after we have weed all of our guests. There is a room behind this function hall, a backstage of sorts. We will meet you there." William Trent said with a nod as he waited for Seth to agree.

    Seth was silent for a while as he pretended to consider William Trent''s offer.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Carlo, do we have time?" Seth asked Ian by the name they had agreed to call him by.

    Ian nodded, choosing not to speak.

    "You better not bete." Seth warned as he sat back down.

    "We won''t." William Trent said as he nodded and left.

    "I''ll take a look around." Ian told Seth as he stood up and walked around the room, trying to put names to the faces he saw.

    Many of them belonged to ailing businesses that Cedric or Ray had trampled. Ian could clearly see the pattern of people William Trent had invited.

    "How are you guys holding up there?" Cedric asked Ian through theirmunication devices.

    "He took the bait." Ian said in a low voice so that people wouldn''t think that he had gone crazy and was speaking to himself.

    "Anything else you noticed?" Cedric asked as Ian spotted Kai moving through the room, making sure that Jim Walker spotted her.

    It seemed to be working as Jim Walker would suddenly snap his head at the direction Kai had been at before blinking and shaking his head.

    "Think of this gathering as a collection of low level people you managed to anger." Ian chuckled as he spotted a few businessmen who''spanies he had personally ended.

    "So, not a threat?" Cedric asked Ian.

    "Everything is a threat, if you underestimate it." Ian responded as he walked over to the bar and ordered a few drinks for himself, Seth, and their otherpanions.

    "The father is visibly disturbed." Ian said as the bartender walked away to make the drinks he had ordered.

    "Well, that happens when you see someone that should be dead." Cedric chuckled. He knew exactly what kind of mind game Kai was ying with Jim Walker. "Has he gone up to William Trent?"

    "He is walking up to him now." Ian said as the bartender walked back to Ian and handed him his drinks.

    Ian thanked the man, handed a tip and walked away with the drinks.

    When Ian got back to their table, Seth was watching as Jim Walker began to panic as he spoke with William Trent. It was clear based on his bodynguage that he was thoroughly distressed.

    "He has seen Kai?" Seth asked, to which Ian simply nodded.

    "We should make a move too." Seth said as he got up, made sure William Trent spotted him, and walked towards the direction of the room William had pointed out to him.

    Ian walked right behind Seth, still keeping his head low. He spotted Kai make a few more appearances, to which Jim Walker reacted bing more and more crazed.

    In the end, William Trent had to drag Jim to the meeting room, before Kai exited the hotel as nned. Her part in this n was almost over.

    "Mr. Dean, I am d you chose to stay -"

    Before William Trent could say anything else, the door to the function room burst open and Cedric walked in with a gun in hand.

    "Asshole, burn in hell." Cedric hissed as he pulled the trigger, killing William Trent where he stood.

 Chapter 1006 1006

    "Well, that happens when you see someone that should be dead." Cedric chuckled. He knew exactly what kind of mind game Kai was ying with Jim Walker. "Has he gone up to William Trent?"

    Cedric sat in his car, outside of the hotel.

    He had just called Ian to see if their n was going as smoothly as possible.

    "He is walking up to him now." Ian said, cutting theirmunication off.

    Cedric couldn''t help but be amused with the game Kai was ying. She deserved to have this.

    After she had told him and Ian what her father had made them go through, he would have tormented Jim Walker himself for the poor girl and her family.

    She should have been focused on her studies, on ballet, instead she had to deal with a man like Jim Walker.

    "I take it the n is going well?" Cami asked as she monitored the news and other relevant information on herptop.

    She was currently coordinating the escape vehicles for after William Trent and Jim Walker had been dealt with.

    "Kai is marvelous. I wonder if Ray will let me hire her after this?" Cedric asked no one in particr as his phone began to ring.

    Camiughed and shook her head.

    "I doubt she would leave or if Ray will let her go." Cami told Cedric as he answered the call on his phone.

    "Miguel! How is Eric doing?" Cedric asked in a cheery tone, expecting good news.

    "Ced. . ." Miguel''s voice was hoarse, it was as if he couldn''t form the words to express what he needed to say.

    "Miguel, what''s wrong?" Cedric''s tone became frantic as he realized something was wrong with Miguel.

    He began to wonder if there was an attack on the hospital or if the Chans were threatened. The number of things that could go wrong just kept escting as Cedric waited for Miguel to speak up.

    Noting his distress, Cami looked at Cedric curiously. She knew that not a lot of things could elicit this kind of reaction from Cedric.

    "What''s wrong?" She asked.

    "Miguel, speak up, I can''t understand what you''re saying." Cedric told his friend as his voice grew desperate.

    "He''s gone. Cedric he''s gone." Miguel began to sob over the phone.

    He sounded like a man who had been defeated, one who had just lost everything.

    "Who is gone?" Cedric asked before a wave of realization hit him.

    "No." Cami gasped from her seat as she took out her phone to dial Katerina''s number.

    "Those bastards, they killed him. They killed Eric. He was fighting but somehow they were able to get someone to finish the deed." Miguel was sobbing, but it was clear he was also angry.

    Cedric felt a tear fall from his eyes as he watched Cami shake her head.

    "Katerina isn''t picking up." Her voice trembled as she spoke, thinking the worst had happened.

    "Miguel, where is Kat?" Cedric asked, worried about their pregnant friend.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "She left. But Nicole went after her and her bodyguards were close behind, she should be fine." Miguel told Cedric.

    "It''s time to deal with this. End it once and for all." Cedric said as he dropped the call and opened the car door.

    "Where are you going?" Cami asked as she pushed off herptop and quickly followed Cedric out of the car.

    "I am done plotting and scheming." Cedric told Cami angrily as he pushed the doors open to the hotel.

    "Cedric, consider what you are about to do very carefully. You are still a public figure!" Cami chased after Cedric as he pushed open different doors in the hotel.

    Suddenly he stopped, took out his phone and dialed someone''s number.

    "Where are Ian and Seth meeting them?" He asked the person at the other end of the line. It was one of Ian''s bodyguards who was posing as a member of the Dean Family mafia.

    "A room that acts as a backstage, sir. It''s directly behind the function room, there is an entrance from the loading dock. We have men stationed there already." The bodyguard said as Cedric dropped the call and shoved his phone back into his pocket.

    "Ced!" Cami called out again, he continued to ignore her as he marched through the hotel towards the backstage where Ian and Seth were meeting with thest of the Rajas.

    When he finally found it, he was greeted by several of Seth''s men and some of his, who nodded as Cedric took out a gun and cocked it.

    "No! Ced!" Cami shouted as Cedric pushed open the door and smiled.

    What luck he had that he didn''t need to look around the room for William Trent. He was standing there, right in front of the door. Defenseless, as if he were waiting for Cedric to take his life.

    "Asshole, burn in hell." Cedric hissed as he pulled the trigger, hitting his target, killing William Trent.

    When Ian realized what was happening, he quickly tackled Jim Walker, making sure that the other man couldn''t call for help.

    "What the fuck, Cedric?!" Ian asked as he dragged Jim Walker back on his feet and Cami made sure that the door was shut and that there were no witnesses outside.

    "He''s gone Ian, Eric is gone, those two sent someone to deal with him in the hospital!" Cedric shouted as he walked up to Jim Walker.

    Ian looked down at the man her was holding as he looked in disbelief.

    He couldn''t believe that Eric was gone, dead, because of the two men in the room with them.

    A hundred things were running in his mind when Cedric suddenly took charge making Seth and Cami react.

    "Cedric!" Seth shouted in a panicked tone.

    Cedric took Jim Walker''s hand, ced the gun in it with his finger on the trigger.

    "Give me a good reason why I shouldn''t pull this trigger!" Cedric shouted.

    "It wasn''t me!" Jim Walker shouted.

    "Wrong answer." Cedric said as his eyes turned cold.

    "Please, please, n-" Jim Walker begged as Cedric pulled the trigger. Killing Jim Walker.

 Chapter 1007 1007

    "Are you crazy?!" Ian asked as he grabbed Cedric by the cor.

    Cedric simplyughed at him like a mad man, making everyone in the room worry.

    "Cedric, they can trace that bullet to you! They will know you killed William Trent and Jim Walker! We went through all that nning so that we could end this as cleanly as possible and you just choose to lose your temper and logic now?!" Ian was furious with Cedric.

    He didn''t even try to hide how close his rtionship was to the CEO.

    Seth''s men in the room were visibly shocked by the way Ian manhandled one of the most powerful men in the country.

    ? "They won''t be able to trace it back to me." Cedric said in a grim tone as he pushed Ian away, causing Ian to slightly lose his bnce.

    "Ced!" Cami panicked as she helped Ian stand straight.

    She red at Cedric as she waited for him to exin himself.

    "I''ve been holding on to that gun for quite a while now." Cedric walked over and looked down at Jim Walker''s lifeless body. "It belonged to Lucius Ting. I took it when we captured him."

    "And you''re in gloves." Ian said as he looked at Cedric''s hands.

    In themotion leading up to the shooting, Ian felt that something was off, but he couldn''t figure it out with everything going on.

    "Mr. Reyes, Mr. Lim, Mr. Dean, may I enter?" Kai called out from the otherside of the door. It seemed that their men had already informed her about what had happened.

    "Enter." Cedric said, giving her permission.

    When Kai entered, she had the biggest smile on her face as she looked down at the man she once called her father.

    "You did a clean job of it." Kai praised as she squatted to check her father''s body and his cement across William Trent.

    From where Jim Walker had died, it was a straight line to William Trent. It looked like Jim Walker had shot William Trent before turning the gun on himself.

    "Now all we have to do is make it seem like they were still alive when you left." Kai told Ian as she stood back up.

    As if on cue, a knock came from the door facing the function room.

    Kai lifted her hand, signaling for them to keep quiet and to move to the far side of the room. She then took out her phone and slightly opened the door.

    "What is it?" William Trent''s familiar voice came from a recording on Kai''s phone.

    "Sir, it''s time you you and Mr. Walker to address the guests." A woman said, probably one of the hotel staff assigned to the event.

    "Yes, yes, we''ve just seen off some guests. Jim and I just need to discuss something privately. We will be out soon, right Jim?" Cedric was surprised that Kai had been this prepared, then again, Ray did say that she was one of his best spies and assassins.

    "Yeah." Jim Walker''s voice respondeding from a device one of Kai''spanions inside the room was holding.

    "Very well sir. I shall inform the guests." The woman said as Kai closed the door and nodded for everyone to make their way out of the hotel.

    "We will need to pass the way we came." Cami told Cedric as she pulled him to a stop.

    Cedric nodded, his face still as expressionless since Ian had charged at him.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "You need to pretend that whoever you were looking for isn''t here. You cause quite a scene." Cami said as she tried to hold herself together.

    Since they heard news of Eric''s death she had been on the verge of breaking down, but such was the life of one of Cedric''s aides, she could grieveter.

    "I can act appropriately." Cedric responded with a nod as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

    To everyone''s surprise he began marching through the hallway, clearly frustrated about something.

    "Where the fuck is he?!" Cedric shouted. "Don''t tell me they already left?"

    Cedric suddenly turned to face Cami who stopped in her tracks looking utterly confused and apologetic.

    "Did Seth say he already left?" Cedric asked loud enough for everyone to hear.

    Cami suppressed a smile as she nodded as Cedric.

    "Mr. Dean said he had an urgent matter to deal with, he left thirty minutes ago." Cami exined, offering the perfect alibi for Ian and Seth.

    "We should leave too, maybe we can catch him on the way." Cedric told Cami as he marched out of the hotel towards his car.

    When they climbed in, Cedric mmed the door behind him and his expression changed as tears began to fall from his eyes.

    "To Saints Hospital, and step on it!" Cedric ordered, scaring even his long-time driver.

    "Ced, it''s not your fault." Cami told her friend and her boss as she too began to cry.

    "At least we have avenged him now. At least it''s over now." Cedric said as he wiped the tears from his eyes and looked out the window.

    "Yes, it''s over." Cami said with a nod as she looked down at her phone anxiously.

    "Kat still hasn''t called back?" Cedric asked, the sadness on his face was now reced with worry.

    "I''ll try to give Nicole a call or her bodyguards. Maybe that will put us at ease." Cami suggested as she searched for Nichole''s name and called.

    She was silent while she waited for Nicole to pick up. It took a while, but Nicole eventually answered the call.

    "Cami!" Nicole said as she was clearly sobbing over the line. "He''s gone, my older brother is gone. Eric is gone."

    "We heard, I''m sorry Nicole." Cami didn''t know if that was even the right thing to say. "How is Kat?"

    "Kat? She ran, I- I- lost her. Even her bodyguards have no idea where she is. Alexi has sent the military to search for her." Nicole said in a panicked tone.

    "It''s okay, we''ll help you with the search." Cami said as she looked at Cedric. It was clear from her expression that something was wrong. "We''ll call you back."

    With that Cami dropped the call, her hands shaking with worry.

    "Kat''s missing." She broke the news to Cedric, who in turn turned pale with worry.

    "Tell Ian, have everyone search for her. Make sure she doesn''t head to the hotel." Cedric ordered as Cami began to dial Ian''s number while Cedric called Leon.

 Chapter 1008 1008

    "Any news?" Cedric asked as his car pulled up to the third location they were visiting in search of Katerina.

    His own wife had called him three times asking if they had found Katerina yet.

    "No." Cami said as she tried her best to hide her worry.

    Cedric knew that Katerina and Cami had a shared past, they were both abandoned by Cami''s parents after they had received the ransom money for Katerina.

    She was Cami''s oldest friend and the only person that knew in the past that Cami was connected to their fathers.

    "Not at their shared home in Mountain View, not in Katerina''s home, not in Eric''s home, where could she have gone?" Cami asked as she thought of the ces Katerina could have run off to.

    Suddenly Cedric sat upright.

    "I think I know where she might be." Cedric announced as he asked his driver to take them to the school where the boys had all graduated.

    Luckily, there was not much traffic since it was gettingte.

    While on the way, Ian suddenly called.

    "Yes?" Cedric asked, surprised to see his friend calling him.

    "Will you let me know when you find her?" Ian asked, his voice was cracking.

    "Of course." Cedric said, not asking for a reason.

    "I need to apologize, if I hadn''t let them go. If I hadn''t missed out on that small detail Eric would''t-" Ian cleared his throat on the other line as he gathered hisposure. "I need to apologize."

    "I''ll tell you when we find her. For now keep on searching as well." Cedric said as he dropped the call and anxiously watched as they approached an old familiar gate.

    "Sir, the school is closed." A guard said as he came running up to Cedric''s car.

    "I''m sure you know who my passenger is, right?" Cedric''s driver asked, as he tried to get them through the gates.

    "Sir, I really can''t let you in. It''s for the children''s security.." The guard insisted.

    Cedric ced a hand on his driver''s shoulder as he rolled down his window and smiled at the guard.

    "Mr. - Mr. - Mr. Reyes, sir." The guard said as his voice trembled and he was visibly panicked.

    Everyone knew who Cedric was, and everyone knew what he was capable of. The man was torn between his job and between doing as Cedric''s driver had asked him.

    "You can rx." Cedric told the guard. "My friend, I know you let her in. She''s going through a tough time right now and I need to make sure she''s fine. Could you let us in? I promise to give your bosses a call and exin thingster on."

    The guard still hesitated, worried about which option would get him in more trouble.

    "Is it true sir?" The guard suddenly asked. "Did he really die?"

    The guard looked heartbroken. Cedric knew that Eric had a lot of fans. It wasn''t just women, but men who admired him, men who saw him as a model they should follow.

    Cedric nodded and frowned.

    "We just found out and we''re searching for Katerina Sebastian. She ran off and didn''t tell anyone where she was headed. I simply guessed that she might have gone here." Cedric admitted to the guard.

    "Sir, he helped me get this job." The security guard told Cedric. "He saw me one day, begging, I was young, he sent me to school then when I said I was nning on working while studying he got the school to hire me."

    Cedric''s heart was moved by the story of Eric''s kindness.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I can''t believe Mr. Eric is truly gone." The guard said as his head hung low. "Miss Katerina told me, but I just still couldn''t believe it either."

    "He was and still is a bright light to many people, but please don''t tell anyone until Katerina has agreed to let the news go public, she deserves that at the very least." Cedric looked at the man, he could tell he was a good man. He knew the guard wouldn''t tell anyone, but Cedric had to be sure.

    "Of course, I would never go against their wishes." The guard said as he vigorously nodded and took a deep breath.

    "So will you let me in now?" Cedric asked as he waited for the man to respond.

    The guard looked around and nodded as he opened the gate so that Cedric''s car could drive into the school.

    As soon as they reached the football field, Cedric told his driver to stop and got out. He walked to the far end of the field where and old tree and some benches were.

    He saw the frail figure of a normally powerful and intimidating person. She was sitting on a bench with her hair untied, flowing with the wind.

    Cedric watched as Katerina wiped a tear from her eyes and looked down to touch the small bump on her stomach.

    Her head hung low as she was clearly heart broken.

    "Kat." Cedric called out in a small voice as he ced a hand on her shoulder.

    Katerina looked up at him, her eyes, void of any emotions as she looked away once more.

    Since she had not asked him to leave, Cedric sat down next to her, keeping herpany as she looked up at the night sky.

    asionally, she cried, but most of the time she simply carried a nk expression as she kept her hand on the small bump.

    Cedric did not know how long they sat in silence, but he was surprised when she finally spoke.

    "How did you know to find me here?" Her voice was shaky and clearly pained.

    "Stories." Cedric''s answer was simple, but Katerina nodded, understanding what he meant.

    "I was fifteen, I think, and he was twenty one. He visited the school as a guest speaker. He called me and we were walking around the field when he first told me he loved me." Katerina chuckled awkwardly. "Of course it sounded so bad back then. Just the age difference was enough to make it awkward. But the funny thing was, I didn''t mind, because I''ve always loved him too."

    "I really thought things would be easier for the two of you after everything your rtionship had gone through." Cedric said as he looked at Katerina, who was still watching the stars above.

    "I''ve long stopped believing in happy endings, Cedric." Katerina chuckled.

    It sounded sad, to which Cedric simply smiled and continued to listen.

    "Plus, Eric and I have never really done easy." Katerina added with a smirk. "I just know that now he is no longer in pain."

    Cedric and Katerina sat in silence for a little longer until another figure came running through the field, making Cedric freeze and feel ufortable.

    He was actually worried about how Katerina would react if Ian arrived, hence he had not yet told his friend. And yet, somehow the man was now running across the field, ready to apologize.

    "Kat!" Ian shouted as he fell on his knees.

    "How did you find us?" Cedric asked, unamused.

    "I pestered Cami, but that''s not why I''m here. I''m not here to exin or to give excuses." Ian said as he panted, exhausted. "Katerina, I''m sorry. I''m so sorry. If I had made sure that everyone was dead Eric wouldn''t have be a target. You wouldn''t be in this pain, your child won''t be-"

    "You should be sorry!" Katerina shouted, much to Cedric''s and Ian''s surprise.

 Chapter 1009 1009

    Cedric was stunned by Katerina''s words. He had actually expected her to say that it wasn''t anyone''s fault, but instead she put the me on Ian''s shoulders.

    "We should all be sorry, we all failed him." Katerina broke down, sobbing.

    Cedric was quick to offer herfort. She saw her as his little sister, one who was broken and now left alone.

    They stood with Katerina as she let her emotions flow, her anger, her heartbreak, they felt it all with every sob and every tear.

    At one point, she stopped crying and straightened herself.

    Ian and Cedric were both confused by her actions. It was as if she was done grieving all of a sudden, as if she had moved on in the blink of an eye.

    "I''m assuming people have been waiting for me to decide on what to do next?" Katerina asked as she cleared her throat and straightened her dress.

    "You don''t need to decide now. We can keep-" Cedric paused, not knowing what to say or how to say it. "What happened to Eric, a secret."

    "Eric''s death, you mean." Katerina corrected. "We should call it as it truly is, Cedric. He is gone and we need to keep moving forward for him."

    "His death." Cedric repeated with a nod as the words seemed foreign on his lips.

    Had life not taken enough from them? First his mother passed at the hands of an assassin, and now his friend fell to the vengeful hate of the Rajas.

    He couldn''t help but wonder when all the suffering would be over.

    "Cedric, I need to know, is it over? Are the Rajas finally truly gone?" Katerina asked, her expression fearful that the people that had caused the death of the man she loved had still survived.

    Cedric looked to Ian for confirmation. It was only Ian that could truly confirm that everyone involved with the Rajas were gone.

    "It was a hard and long journey, but yes, everyone involved with the Rajas are gone. They can''t harm anyone anymore." Ian said with a nod.

    Katerina gave the two men a sad smile before looking up to the stars.

    "Hear that baby, your sacrifices were not in vain. Our little one will grow up in a much safer world. One you built for him or her." Katerina said as a tear fell from her eyes.

    "At least Eric got to live his life as peacefully as possible, away from all the intrigue and scheming of our world." Cedric told Katerina as he ced a hand on her shoulder.

    Katerina suddenlyughed and shook her head, making Ian and Cedric look at her with worry.

    "He never told you, but he was never truly uninvolved." Katerina said with a sigh as she turned to look at Cedric and Ian.

    "What do you mean?" The two men questioned, clearly confused by her words.

    "Eric never wanted any of you to know, but some of those sources, the ones that gave key information on people you were having watched. Those were people that either worked for him or he sent to give his own information." Katerina exined to the pair.

    "Why didn''t he tell us?" Cedric asked as he frowned. "Why did he feel that he needed to keep something from us? We are like family."

    "It''s because you would have worried. He didn''t want to add to everyone''s worries, so he kept it a secret." Katerina exined. "I told him time and again that he should have told you or that it would get him in trouble eventually."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Wait, the information on the Rajas?" Ian asked as he paled upon realization.

    "It was Eric." Katerina said as she nodded at him. "His death wasn''t just on you, it was on him as well. He had trusted some of his men too much, I think they were the ones that led William Trent and Jim Walker to him."

    "We need to -"

    "Tie all the loose ends?" Katerina asked, cutting Cedric off mid speech. She took a gun from her side and handed it to him. "I''ve dealt with it. I didn''t want to waste valuable time."

    "You killed them all?" Cedric asked, his voice shaking upon the realization of how dangerous Katerina had be.

    "Not all, just those that hadn''t proven their loyalty to him. The rest I sent to Ray''s people." Katerina exined. "I still need to speak to Ray, but I doubt he will do anything without confirming with us first."

    "Kat, you didn''t need to do these things alone." Cedric said with a frown as he put the gun away.

    "I didn''t? Of course I did." She shook her head and smiled. "You guys had bigger fish to go after. Don''t be sad, I did what had to be done."

    "You''re pregnant." Cedric warned her.

    "When has anything ever stopped me?" She asked Cedric who simplyughed and nodded.

    "We should get back to the hospital, there are a lot of people worried about you." Ian said as he offered his arm. "My wife included."

    "Right, does she know you guys are legally married already by the way?" Katerina teased.

    "No." Ian said in a somber tone as they all walked back to the car together.

    As they approached, a sole figure in the distance began to run towards Katerina.

    Katerina smiled as Ian let her go, Cami ran up and hugged her friend.

    Katerina thought she had cried all her tears, but it seemed she still had tears to spare as she began to sob in her friends arms.

    "Why? Why is life so unfair?!" Cami questioned. "You and Eric deserved your happy ending, the prince and princess living happily ever after."

    "Life is never fair Cami, we both know that." Katerina told her as she tried to keep herself stable.

    "When your little one grows up, I will tell him or her about how amazing his or her father was." Cami promised.

    "I can''t imagine my child finding out his or her father was actually a popr artist." Katerina shook her head, finding the thought to be quite amusing.

    Katerina nced at Cedric and nodded as Cami released her from her arms.

    "Let''s go." Cedric gestured as he helped Katerina into the car.

    As they drove off, Katerina took a deep breath as she prepared for a future without her beloved Eric.

 Chapter 1010 1010

    "It is with a heavy heart that I am reporting to you now, live from Saints Hospital. The Chan family has confirmed the passing of Actor and Doctor, Eric Chan." The reporter said as Katerina sat inside the hospital, in her sister-inw''s office apanied by her friends and family.

    It had been a week since Eric had passed. Katerina and the rest for the Chan family had chosen to keep news of his death from the public while those involved in what was now called the Raja Incident, were tired and publicly charged.

    Almost all of them were dead having fallen to Ian''s trap on the ind.

    To the public, Jim Walker had lost his mind. He had murdered everyone members of their group, med it on the Chan family who had failed to save his wife and children.

    The official story was that a deranged Jim Walker managed to convince William Trent that the only way to get revenge was to attack the Chans. Since Miguel and Nichole were not often seen in public, they went after Eric.

    When Eric was shot there were too many witnesses, but for days the Chan family told everyone that he was merely recovering.

    That was until earlier that day when Katerina Sebastian informed the public of Eric''s death.

    "You just need to sign this." Mien told Katerina as he handed her the marriage certificate that Eric had prepared beforehand.

    "Why would he have you do this, did he know?" Katrina asked as she stared nkly at the piece of paper with Eric''s signature on it.

    "He left a letter. He told me to give it to you if the worst case scenario happened." Mien handed her a sealed envelope. It was quite thick, making Katerina wonder what was inside.

    "You don''t have to read it." Alexi hovered around his sister. All eyes were on Katerina, everyone was worried about her.

    They were all in pain, but they knew she was hurting the most.

    "I know." Katerina nodded as she ced the envelope in her bag and took a deep breath. She knew the letter was not for her to read in front of their friends and family. "Why did you only give this to me now?"

    "I didn''t know where Mr. Chan had kept it." Mien said with a guilty look on his face. "His instructions had been to give it to you the moment-"

    Mien paused and looked down, unable to continue saying what he had to.

    "The moment he passed." Katerina''s tone was sad, but she no longer had tears to cry. She needed to focus on moving forward. Her tears would not bring Eric back.

    "Yes, but Mr. Chan never expected it to happen so soon. So the documents were still with him and I had to search his safes and all the hidden ces in his home." Mien guiltily exined.

    Katerina nodded as she took out a pen and signed the document. She found it quite amusing that Eric had back dated it to when she had agreed to be his wife. The day the world found out that he was a member of the illustrious Chan family.

    "You don''t have to do this, you don''t have to speak in front of them." Cedric told Katerina as he leaned against the wall, giving her a worried look. "Both Adrianna and Ayanna have texted me ten times already trying to convince me to tell you not to do this."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "But I have to, I want to." Katerina said as she looked at the document in front of her.

    She was now officially Mrs. Chan, a pregnant widow.

    "I''ll visit Adrianna and Ayanna after this." Katerina said with a small smile as she stood up and took a deep breath.

    "Are you sure about this? I can do this for you, he was my brother after all." Miguel looked at Katerina with worry.

    "I''m sure." Katerina nodded as she lifted her chin and tidied her clothes. "Let''s go."

    The media were all waiting outside, at first they were noisy, shouting for answers, but when they saw Katerina, they all went silent.

    It was the first time that Katerina was walking around without hiding her pregnancy. The cameras shed as the reporters took photos of a pregnant Katerina.

    "You can do this." Alexi told his sister as he pulled her into a hug and let her walk up to the podium to speak.

    She cleared her throat as she looked out into the audience and gave them a very sad smile.

    Looking at the paper in her hand with her prepared speech, she looked up and closed her eyes, folding the paper and cing it in her pocket.

    "She''s going off script." Miguel said as he gave Cedric a concerned look. He knew that Cedric had helped Katerina craft the image she wanted to portray today.

    "She''ll be fine." Cedric chuckled as he shook his head. "You are being way too overprotective. You keep forgetting who she is and what she has achieved on her own"

    "On the day Eric proposed to me, we got married. We preferred to keep it quiet, so we had a civil ceremony, just him and us." Katerina exined. "A few months ago, we found out that we were expecting our first child and Eric was so excited to be a father."

    The crowd was silent as she took a deep breath.

    "A week ago, my husband, Eric Chan sumbed to his injuries." The reporters were shocked to hear the news. From what they heard Eric had just passed away that morning. "As you can all understand this has been very painful for me and the rest of our family. All I ask is for you to respect our mourning."

    With that Katerina ended her speech, thanked the crowd and left, returning to the safety of the hospital.

    As soon as the doors closed behind her, Katerina fell into her brother''s arms and began to sob.

    "Don''t worry, Kat." Alexi said as he gently stroked Katerina''s back. "We''ll be here for you and your child. Always."

 Chapter 1011 1011

    Five yearster

    Cedric looked up from hisptop as he watched the children run around the huge backyard of his Mountain View Mansion.

    "Mommy, are we visiting daddy today?" A little boy with neatly cut brown hair and cute almond shaped eyes asked as he looked up at his mother.

    Katerina smiled at her as she picked the little boy up, he was the splitting image of his father at the same age. There was no denying that he was Eric Chan''s son.

    "Not today honey." Katerina hugged the little boy tightly.

    "Do you want us to tag along, Kat?" Adrianna asked as she joined them followed by the twins and Yoyo who was being a very responsible older brother.

    Yoyo was now eleven and the twins five, all three were quite a handful and Cedric even wanted to have onest child.

    "If you aren''t busy, I mean, Eric''s fans are quite sweet. It''s been five years and they still have these events. But they are always so eager to get a hold of little Eric that I worry for him." Katerina held her son protectively as she remembered thest time they encountered some of histe father''s fans.

    Adrianna looked to Cedric for permission, he nodded, agreeing toe along.

    He would never deny Adrianna of something she wanted as long as it didn''t put anyone in danger.

    "Yoyo, do you want to stay or Uncle Dave and Auntie Mae can take you to watch from the crowd?" Cedric asked his son, who, for a moment, was silent as he considered his options.

    Cedric maintained some of the traditions when it came to raising his eldest son.

    Yoyo was never seen in public, he was sent to school in a separate, but equally protected car from his brother.

    Cedric and Adrianna would privately meet with some of his teachers who knew his real identity, but to the others Dave and Mae were his parents.

    Yoyo was set to move schools soon. Cedric nned to pull him out from his posh private school and move him to a public one.

    He wouldn''t have to live alone as Cedric had, but he wouldn''t be given the huge allowance his siblings enjoyed.

    "I''ll go with Uncle Dave. Auntie Mae wasining about being too sick earlier, I doubt she cane." Yoyo told his father as he tugged on his siblings'' sleeves. "Come on, we need to change."

    The two little children smiled and followed their older brother.

    Cedric was amused at how much the twins looked up to Yoyo, they were all very young, but he could already see the admiration they had for him.

    "I want toe too!" little Eric jumped out of his mother''s arms and ran after the twins.

    Soon the other children followed as well, leaving their parentsughing in the backyard as several nannies chased after their charges.

    "I guess we''ll all join you then." Ian told Katerina as he pulled his pregnant wife towards him.

    Nicole was pregnant with their fourth child and had been cursing at Ian for getting her pregnant again. She had made him swear to have something done so that she wouldn''t have to keep popping children out.

    "Are all the kids gone?" Veronica asked with a cheeky grin, making Cedric eye her curiously. Veronica Abad was not one for expressions such as these.

    "You''re hiding something." Katerina pointed out as she nced at Veronica''s husband, Miguel, who wasughing next to her.

    "Don''t mind her." Miguel shook his head as seemed to be amused with how his wife was behaving.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Out with it." Cedric said, his tone a little bit forceful, but still friendly.

    "Cedric, so serious." Veronica said as she rolled her eyes and hugged her husband tightly.

    "You''re alone if you annoyed him." Miguel grumbled as he kept an arm around his wife.

    "Well, what is it?" Cedric asked impatiently.

    "We''re pregnant!" Veronica excitedly announced, making everyone''s jaw drop.

    Veronica and Miguel had been told a few years back that they would have trouble conceiving, but they both wanted another child. They had considered adopting, but not one of the children they met mixed well with Dominic, their eldest.

    Dominic had always insisted that his little brother or sister woulde from his mother''s tummy. Even when he was older he still insisted that he didn''t want his parents to adopt.

    Dominic was now thirteen years old and was sent to a special school for genius children. It seemed that Miguel''s influence had rubbed off on the child.

    "Congrattions!" Katerina was the first one to recover from the shock.

    She quickly ran over and hugged Veronica, excitedly telling her about how she was so happy her friends were finally able to conceive.

    Soon, everyone was congratting the happy couple. They knew the struggle the pair had gone through from ending up together to having a child.

    "Are you alright?" Ayanna asked Katerina as she cradled her second child, a daughter who had been born three months ago.

    "Of course, why wouldn''t I be?" Katerina gave her friend a confused look. She didn''t understand what was going on, why Ayanna was asking if she was alright.

    "Everyone is having more and more kids, and well it''s the anniversary of when we announced Eric''s death." Ayanna blushed as she realized that it really didn''t bother Katerina.

    "I''m fine." Katerina said with a genuine smile.

    To everyone''s surprise, a tear rolled down Katerina''s eyes as she looked that her friends.

    "Okay, now what''s wrong?" Nicole asked as she ced a hand on her waist.

    Katerina blinked the tears away and shook her head.

    "I just wish he were here. I wish he could be celebrating his new nephew or niece with us." As Katerina spoke, she began to cry more. "He would have been so happy."

    "He will always be with us, Kat." Cedric said as he came up and hugged the woman who was like a sister to him.

    He felt all the losses too.

    His mother had been killed because someone went after his family. Eric, whom he considered to be his older brother, also passed away because evil people were after their families.

    But now, all was well and everyone was safe.

    "He is happy, wherever he is, Kat." Cedric told Katerina as she smiled at him and nodded.

    "He made things safer for the kids." Alexi told his sister as he joined in on the conversation. "They will know of his sacrifice and how amazing he was, of how much he loved. Eric will never be forgotten."

 Chapter 1012 1012

    "Dr. Chan, Dr. Chan!" A nurse shouted as he ran through the hospital, frantically searching for Miguel. "Daminit Miguel where the fuck are you." The nurse cursed as he went up another flight of stairs.

    "Nurse Joseph! Be careful!" One of the nurses in Saints Hospital shouted as Joseph passed her.

    "No time." Joseph simply responded as he continued to run around searching for Miguel.

    "Dr. Chan!" He shouted once more as he arrived at the top floor of Saints Hospital.

    "Joseph, what the hell?" Miguel asked as he stepped out of one of the VIP rooms where he had a patient.

    Today was one of the rare days that he didn''t have Joseph by his side. He had ced his most trusted nurse on a more important task, watching over his wife.

    "It''s Veronica, she''s gone intobor!" Joseph quickly informed Miguel, who went wide eyed with shock.

    Miguel quickly dashed across the hall and pressed the elevator button.

    "Call my sister, tell her to inform everyone! I''m going to be a dad! Again!" He shouted as the elevator door opened and Miguel quickly jumped in pressing the emergency button stopping others from riding with him.

    Josephughed and shook his head, he knew it was worth it to run all over the hospital just to tell Miguel his wife was inbor. He knew that if he had buzzed the doctor, he was most likely to ignore him.

    At Mountain View, Adrianna and Ayanna were running back and forth as they dressed the twins, Adrianna''s and Cedric''s youngest child Daniel, and Ayanna''s and Ray''s second son, Andres.

    "Mom, why can''t we go?" Yoyo asked as he and Aldrich, Ayanna''s and Ray''s eldest son, stood by the door.

    "Baby." Adrianna said as she knelt in front of Yoyo. "You know why, daddy exined to bot you and Aldrich why you can''t be seen in public."

    "But we want to see Auntie Veronica''s new baby!" Aldrich, who was now six years old, protested.

    "Aldrich, you''ll see him when Auntie Veronica and Uncle Miguele home. We will visit him or her, don''t worry." Ayanna called out as she managed to put a shirt on Andres.

    "Let''s go." Yoyo said as he dragged the already crying Aldrich away.

    Adrianna frowned as she turned to make sure that the kids were properly dressed.

    "Sometimes I wonder if we are too harsh on them." She said with a sigh as she picked up her six month old son Daniel from the bed.

    Ayanna gave Adrianna a sad smile as she shook her head and held Andres'' hand while the twins stood up and walked out of the room ahead.

    "Adri, they will understand someday, they are too young now, but when they are older they will understand." Ayanna exined.

    "How did Cedric take it when he was younger? I mean I know that he did ept the fact that he needed to stay hidden and live that life, but what was it like when you were kids?" Adrianna asked as they made their way downstairs with the children.

    "Well, first of all, you need to understand that it was a different time. Mom and dad didn''t bring me along much either." Ayanna began to exin.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I know." Adrianna nodded.

    "Cedric was quite grown up about it. Even at a young age he epted the fact and it was just the way things were." Ayanna exined. "He wasn''t anything like Yoyo or Aldrich, he just did as our parents asked."

    "That''s quite surprising, I thought he would have put up a fight about being left behind all the time." Adrianna pointed out.

    "It was because I was more than happy to spend time with my friends who were always at the old Reyes Mansion." Cedric wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her cheek.

    "Lurker." Adrianna teased Cedric.

    "I just so happened to walk in, let''s go. Ray will meet us there." Cedric said as he took little Daniel from his wife''s arms and winked at the twins and Andres who quickly followed him.

    "Those kids like him too much." Ayanna chuckled as she and Adrianna walked behind Cedric and climbed into the second car.

    Inside the ptial Mountain View Mansion, Aldrich looked out of his window and frowned as he watched the cars drive away.

    His parents may have their own home, but they seemed to spend most of their time here, at his uncle Cedric''s house.

    "There you are!" Yoyo shouted as he pushed open the door to Aldrich''s room carrying a bag and dumping it on the bed.

    "What''s that?" Aldrich asked as he looked at his older cousin.

    "Stuff we will need if we''re going to follow your mom and my parents to Saints Hospital." Yoyo dered as he took out a mask and a wig and tossed it over to Aldrich.

    "They said to stay." Aldrich pointed out as he ced the items back on the bed. "You know it''s not safe for us out there."

    "ording to who? Our parents? They are overprotective." Yoyo said as he rolled his eyes and ced the items back onto Aldrich''s hands. "Pick out your simplest clothes, jeans and a shirt, oh and a jacket."

    Aldrich rolled his eyes, annoyed at the fact that Yoyo was dragging him into something that seemed like trouble.

    "We both know that you are also sick and tired of staying here." Yoyo said as he changed into something simpler. "At least I go to school, you''re homeschooled, you don''t go anywhere."

    "That''s not true, I go with dad to work." Aldrich said as he followed Yoyo''s lead, changing his clothes as well.

    "You don''t even get to meet other kids!" Yoyo pointed out, making Aldrich frown.

    "What''s the n then?" He asked Yoyo as his older cousin looked at him to see if looked like a normal kid.

    "Dave will take us." Yoyo said with a cocky smile as he dragged Aldrich out of the room.

    "Why do I feel like this will end badly?" Aldrich said out loud as he and Yoyo climbed down the stairs in search of a phone.

 Chapter 1013 1013

    "You know your father will fire me when he finds out about this." Dave said as he walked out of the car with the two boys.

    "Dad would never fire you." Yoyo told his father''s assistant as he rolled his eyes and pulled his little cousin, Aldrich, towards the crowd.

    "This is dangerous, young masters." Dave said as he shook his head, unhappy with being dragged into one of Yoyo''s ns.

    "No one knows who we are Dave, calm down." Yoyo told the assistant who had to keep his face partially hidden.

    People might not know who Yoyo and Aldrich were, but most knew that Dave was the assistant to the CEO of the Reyes group. Naturally, if they recognized him they would do everything to speak to him.

    "Aldrich is too young for you to drag around like this, Yoyo." Dave scolded as they joined the excited crowd.

    Most of the people who had been waiting outside of the hospital were reporters, but there were also several fans who were eager to see the famous personalities that woulde.

    They may be businessmen and women, but they were as popr as actors and actresses.

    "Do you think the Reyeses wille over?" A girl excitedly asked her friend, making Yoyo stop in his tracks as he slowed down and listened in on the conversation.

    "Why-" Aldrich began toin as Yoyo covered his mouth to keep him quiet.

    "I want to hear what they think of our family." Yoyo whispered to Alrich as Dave looked at both boys with a confused expression.

    They were both way too mature for their age.

    He knew that Ray and Ayanna sent Aldrich to a special school for young geniuses, while Yoyo had always shown signs of being wise beyond his years.

    Dave had watched the cousins grow up, often posing as their father for school events so that their true identities wouldn''t be revealed.

    "I''m sure they will be here. They are good friends with the Chans." The girl''spanion giggled.

    Based on what Dave could tell they were about sixteen or seventeen years old, he nced around trying to see if their parents had apanied them, but to no avail.

    "How old is their eldest son now, the Reyes Heir?" The first girl asked, making Dave nce at Yoyo.

    Yoyo showed no change in expression as he held Aldrich''s hand and continued to look forward, towards the entrance of the hospital.

    "If I''m not mistaken he should be around thirteen now." Herpanion said as she typed on her phone, searching for Yoyo''s age.

    "Fourteen." Someone coughed. Making the girls look around.

    Dave grinned at Yoyo who had been the one to speak, it seemed that he was willing to risk it all just to correct them about his age.

    "Who said that?" The girls asked as they looked at Dave.

    "What?" Dave asked in a cranky tone, making them quickly turn their heads.

    "Right, fourteen, I checked online." The second girl told her friend.

    "We''re just a year older than him." The first girl giggled.

    "How can you crush so hard on someone who''s face you''ve never seen?" The second girl teased her friend.

    "Have you not seen his family? There is no way that he isn''t handsome, plus he''s the heir to the Reyes Group, what''s not to love!" The first girl eximed, making Yoyough, unaware that the girls had heard him.

    "You! How dare you listen in on my conversation with my friend!" The second girl used Yoyo, making Daveugh at the stunned boy in front of him.

    "I''m sorry about my sons, unfortunately you girls were speaking so loud that they couldn''t help but listen." Dave said as the two girls looked at him in confusion.

    "You don''t look alike." The first girl quickly pointed out as her friend looked on in horror.

    "They take after their mom." Dave calmly replied. "Come on boys, let''s get closer."

    Yoyo and Aldrich silently nodded as they walked ahead of Dave.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "You both know that they won''t bring the baby out, right?" Dave asked the two boys who nodded.

    "We know, we just want to be here. Have dad and the others arrived yet?" Yoyo asked as he started to jump, trying to look over the crowd.

    At fourteen he still hadn''t had his growth spurt.

    "There." Dave said as he pointed at the familiar white Rolls Royce as it pulled up to the hospital.

    As soon as Cedric stepped out they could hear the reporters shouting over one another, making Aldrich cover his ears.

    "Mr. Reyes, will you really not show your eldest to the public?"

    "Mr. Reyes, is it true that your son is disabled that''s why you are keeping him hidden?"

    "Mr. Reyes, will the young master get to meet Mr. and Mrs. Chan''s child?"

    "Mr. Reyes-"

    "Mr. Reyes-"

    Cedric raised a hand making the crowd go silent.

    Yoyo looked in awe as his fathermanded the press with a simple action. He also found it quite interesting that his father waspletely different in publicpared to how he was at home.

    With his family, Cedric was a kind and loving father. He smiled and instantly gave in to whatever his wife or children asked of him. But today he seemed very different.

    "This is still a hospital with patients." Cedric said in a cold manner as he moved to his car to help Adrianna and Ayanna out together with the children.

    The members of the press were quick to snap photos of the youngest members of the Reyes n, but the absence of both Aldrich and Yoyo were not missed.

    "I highly suggest that you keep your voices down so as not to disturb those inside." His eyes quickly shifted towards Dave''s direction as he red at his assistant.

    Dave in turn looked at Yoyo and Aldrich who were standing in front of him.

    He was sure that Cedric had seen them.

    "Those who shouldn''t be here, should leave." Cedric dered before taking Daniel from Adrianna and holding hand with his free one.

    Everyone was shocked with what Cedric had said. Weren''t aware that his message was directed towards his fourteen year old son who had dragged along his six year old cousin to the hospital.

    "Mr. Reyes is truly scary." A reporter said as they all turned topare photos.

    "We should go." Dave told Yoyo as he pulled the two boys, careful to hide his face.

    "You! You''re Mr. Reyes'' assistant!" A reporter shouted as soon as he got a good lok at Dave.

    "Shit." Dave cursed as he took his phone out of his pocket letting go of Yoyo''s hand. "Hold on to Aldrich."

    Yoyo did as he was instructed as Dave made a call.

    "The press spotted us, I''m with Yoyo and Aldrich in the crowd." He said to the other person as the reporters quickly chased them.

    "We need to get out of here before they get photos of you two." Dave said in a low voice as the press closed in on them.

    "Hey Dave! Can you answer the questions your boss refused?" A reporter called out as they continued to run through the hospital parking lot.

    "I''m just here with my sons. I''m off work, don''t pester me, damnit!" Dave cursed as he spotted the Reyes family security team from a distance.

    "Come one, just one question!" The reporter called out right before several men appeared as they blocked the reporters.

    The fear in Yoyo''s and Aldric''s eyes were clear, they now understood why their parents were so protective of them.

 Chapter 1014 1014

    "Why is it always us?" Christopher grumbled as he fixed his tie while his older brother, Emilio was seated on his desk, busy studying. "You and Aldrich never have to go to these events, I just want to stay home too!"

    Emilioughed at his younger brother and shook his head.

    "Shouldn''t you have outgrown this phase by now?" Emilio asked as he kept his head down, focused on the book in front of him. "You''re fifteen, Christopher. And you of all people know why I can''t go."

    Christopher sighed and shook his head as he turned to face his older brother.

    "How do I look?" He asked as he stretched his arms wide and grinned at Emilio.

    "Good." Emilio said with a smile. "Like a true child of the Reyes family. Represent us well, brother."

    "Yoyo?" Adrianna called out as she searched the house for her eldest son. Only his mother and aunts called him Yoyo now, it was his nickname in his youth.

    "In here mom, Christopher is with me." He answered.

    Christopher frowned when he heard his brother tell Adrianna where he was.

    "She''s going to rush me." Christopher groaned as he walked over to Emilio.

    "Well, you are runningte. Dad is the guest of honor, you shouldn''t be toote." Emilio told his brother with a charming smile, one quite simr to their father''s.

    "Christopher! I swear, you take longer than Christina to get ready." Adrianna was furious when she entered the room wearing a floor length gown making her seem like she was in her twenties rather than her fifties.

    "But mom, can''t I just stay with Emilio here at home. I came from thepany today with dad and I''m exhausted." Christopher whined as he begged his mother to let him skip the asion.

    "Christopher Reyes, you know how important the Reyes Group''s anniversary is! Don''t you dare avoid attending." Adrianna scolded her son. "And don''t you dare think for a moment that Yoyo''s situation is better than yours."

    "Mom''s right. The anniversary is important." Emilio told his younger brother as he grinned.

    "Plus, I''m sure Yoyo and Aldrich will find a way to seek in, as usual." Adrianna winked at her son, making Emiliough.

    Over the years, he and his cousin had be notorious for sneaking into events that their parents had to attend.

    Sometimes they would appear as guests, other times as workers, waiters, and even once as a bodyguard for Christopher. Something that the younger boy did not enjoy.

    "I''ll be attending with some ssmates from University. You know that I''ve been an intern at the Reyes group for months now. I should be hired as a full time employee soon." Emilio informed both his mother and brother.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Go ahead, Christopher. I want to have a word with Yoyo. Your father and sister are waiting in the car." Adrianna waved her son off, who could only roll his eyes as he walked out of Emilio''s study.

    "Favorite." Christopher grumbled as he mmed the door behind him.

    Emilioughed and shook his head as he ced his documents away. He wasn''t just studying for ss, he was also studying several documents about the Reyes group that his father, Cedric Reyes, had given him.

    "Yoyo, I know that Christopher thinks that you are living the better life, but we both know it isn''t as easy as he thinks." Adrianna told her son as she sat on a chair ced across him.

    "Mom, I''m just happy that things are better. I know what dad had to go through and he changed things because of me." Emilio smiled at his mother. He knew Adrianna was always worried about him, but he was fine. There was nothing he could want for.

    "Seven years." Adrianna told her son with a smile. "In seven years your father will be able to introduce you as the Reyes Heir. It will be better than when it was his turn, plus you better learn from his mistake and not lie to your wife for so long."

    "Mom!" Yoyoined. "I might not even be married by then!"

    "You''ve dated, haven''t you? Don''t pretend you haven''t because that is a lie." Adrianna teased her son, making his ears turn red in embarrassment.

    "Of course I have." Emilio told his mother as he saw no point in denying the fact. "They just gave me a shot just in case Ie from a certain rich Reyes family."

    Adriannaughed and shook her head.

    "The number of social climbers and gold diggers out there are crazy." Adrianna recalled the women in her time who were also quite eager to be with the Reyes Heir.

    "How did dad deal with them? I mean, I''m sure back then women dated him just because of his surname too." Emilio asked his mother, who, to his surprise, suddenly burst outughing.

    "Well, first of all back then the Reyes family was much more discreet. The paparazzi and reporters didn''t follow your grandparents and aunt as much as they follow us now." Adrianna exined to her son.

    "But they were the richest? Right?" Emilio had never heard his parents speaking about the past, particrly the time when his father was still undergoing his poverty training.

    "They were, but the public believed that the Reyes Heir was actually studying in another country. Plus, you know howmon yourst name is. How many Reyeses are in your ss?" Adriannaughed as she remembered how everyone brushed off the Reyes surname in the past.

    "At least two in every ss." Emilio smiled at his mother.

    "I should go, I just wanted to check on you. I know you and Aldrich will be there too." Adrianna walked up and hugged her son. "I''m happy your father changed the practice, I''m not willing to let you live your life without us."

    "We''ll be there mom, we can''t miss the anniversary, I''m the Reyes heir after all." Emilio said as he smiled proudly at his mom.

 Chapter 1015 1015

    "Can''t I drive?" Aldrich asked as Emilio pulled up to the Laurence mansion''s driveway.

    "Of course not. You''re only fifteen, kid. Here." Emilio told Aldrich as he tossed him a mask.

    "Auntie Adrianna doesn''t know, does she?" Aldrich asked with a grin as he got into Emilio''s car.

    "Dad wants it to be a surprise. It''s the first time in I think ten or fifteen years that I''m appearing with them." Emilio told his cousin as he drove off towards the direction of R Tower.

    Contrary to what Emilio''s mother and siblings knew, he and Aldrich wouldn''t be joining the celebrations as some random guests.

    Today, they would be arriving as themselves. On the way they, Aldrich watched as all the news channels covered the event, it was, after all, the 150th anniversary of the Reyes Group. It was quite a big event with businessmen and socialites crawling over each just to attend.

    "Are we near?" Aldrich asked as he looked up at his older cousin.

    "Five minutes." Emilio told him as he focused on the road. He wasn''t that familiar with this car, it was his, but he rarely took it out. He, like his father, preferred to drive the simpler cars.

    "Told mom already." Aldrich said as he finished sending a message to Ayanna. "Are you nervous? It''s been a while."

    "I''m just hoping mom doesn''t cut off dad''s balls for not telling him about this." Emilioughed nervously as they pulled up to the entrance of the hotel.

    The reporters did not expect for another set of guests to arrive, but when they saw two sports cars, they couldn''t help but be stunned.

    "Who hasn''t arrived yet?" One of the reporters asked as one of them scrolled through a list of VIP guests that the Reyes Group had invited for the event.

    "I don''t know, there is no one else, but based on how the bodyguards have all lined up outside those two cars, they seem to be important people." The reporter with the list said.

    When the front passenger door of the car opened, a handsome young man with fair delicate skin stepped out.

    "It''s Young Master Tristan Lim, I thought he was abroad finishing his studies. He wasn''t on the list." One of the reporters whispered as people began taking out their cameras and snapping photos of Tristan.

    "Don''t be a coward, cousin." They heard Tristan Lim tease as a man that stood a little bit taller than Tristan as he stepped out from behind the car, people couldn''t help but look at him in awe.

    This wasn''t the first time that Dominic Chan was making an appearance, but he had been spending thest few years out of the public eye as he focused on bing a better doctor.

    It was said that he was as smart as his adoptive father and better looking, but Dominic''s w was that there was always a dark cloud hovering around him. Making him very unapproachable.

    "Why are those two so slow?" Dominic grumbled as a chauffeur drove his car away.

    The car behind them was even more expensive, it was a limited edition sports car with only five in existence.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Who could own that?" One of the reporters asked as people took photos of the car.

    Even if the person inside the car was not someone important, the car itself was popr enough to make the news.

    "Such an entrance." Tristanughed as a rare smile upied Dominic''s lips. He couldn''t help but find it interesting how the two most low profile guys he knew were making a statement as they arrived.

    When the door to the passenger''s side opened, people held their breath. They thought it would be a woman stepping out. Instead, they were surprised to see a handsome young man in a ck suit step out.

    "Aldrich!" Tristan made sure that his voice was loud enough for the members of the media to hear.

    When they realized that the young man in front of them was the elusive heir of the Laurence family, everyone was stunned.

    They all temporarily forgot to do their jobs as they stared at Aldrich. It was the first time anyone was seeing him.

    "Ph- ph- photos, we need to take photos! The bosses will all be mad if we fail to take photos of Young Master Aldrich!" Someone frantically said as bright shes assaulted Aldrich and his friends.

    "If they are reacting this way to me, wait till they see who was driving the car." Aldrich whispered to Dominic as he rolled his eyes at the energetic Tristan.

    Where most of the boys had been quite distant and aloof, Tristan had always been quite charming. He was quite well known for being chased by women all over the Capital because to them, he was theplete package.

    "They won''t be able to process it immediately. They wouldn''t have even realized who you were if Tristan hadn''t been so loud." Dominic told Aldrich with a deep chuckle.

    "It was obviously on purpose." Tristan rolled his eyes at the two men behind him. "Little Aldrich, stop hanging out with Dominic and Emilio too much, you will be like them. Too dark, too serious, no one will want to approach you."

    "I''m sure everyone wants to be friends with the sons of the Reyes Family." Dominic pointed out, making Aldrichugh.

    "Well, Christopher hates it." Aldrich pointed out as the driver''s door opened and he saw Emilio handing the keys to Leon, the Reyes family''s head of security.

    Everyone knew that if Leon was around, it had to be someone very important to the Reyes Family. He wasn''t sent to protect just anyone.

    An idea crossed Aldrich''s mind, making him grin.

    When Tristan saw his expression he already knew that Aldrich was up to no good. Before Tristan could even ask, the younger man spoke up.

    "Cousin, what''s taking you so long?" Aldrich shouted, making all the reporters go wide eyed in shock.

    They knew that only one of Aldrich''s cousins was not inside the venue already, and this was a person that they never expected to arrive.

 Chapter 1016 1016

    "What''s with themotion outside?" Adrianna asked as she walked up to Ray and Cedric who were standing by the entrance to the hotel.

    Adrianna had been pestering them for the past ten minutes, asking why they hadn''t entered the main event hall.

    Ray smiled at Adrianna and shook his head.

    "Good luck, Ced. You''ll need it." He said with a chuckle as he moved away from the couple that he knew was about to fight.

    "What''s going on?" Ayann asked her husband as soon as Ray moved to stand next to her as she eagerly waited for their son.

    "Cedric didn''t tell Adrianna, right?" Ray asked as heughed and shook his head.

    Ayanna smiled and nced at Adrianna and Cedric. It was clear based on her expression that Adrianna was not happy with Cedric''s decision.

    Standing on each of her sides were Christopher and Christina, the twins were trying to calm their mother down while Daniel, stood to the side with Andres.

    "Should we help them?" Ayanna asked with a look of concern on her face as she noticed the members of the media swarming both Yoyo and Aldrich.

    "The security team can handle it, plus it would be good to discourage the boys from seeking fame." Ray grinned as he watched the look of horror on Tristan''s and Dominic''s faces as the four young men tried to walk down the red carpet.

    "Yoyo and Aldrich don''t seem to be bothered by the media, that''s interesting." Ayannamented as she continued to observe the group.

    "Why don''t we greet them?" Ray grabbed Ayanna''s wrist and pulled his wife with him.

    "Wait for us!" Cedric called out as he found a quick solution to the argument that they were having.

    "Cedric!" Ayanna shouted, the twins smiled as they watched their mother get dragged away.

    "What''s going on?" Daniel asked his older brother and sister as he followed them.

    "Dad didn''t tell anyone that Emilio and Aldrich would be here." Christinaughed as she watched her mother try to regain herposure as they stepped out of the hotel lobby.

    "Mother, Father." Emilio said as he nodded at Cedric and Adrianna.

    "Brother!" Christina shouted as she flung her arms and hugged Emilio, making him smile a little.

    Being the aloof and cold son was all part of his act. He knew it was one way of pushing some of the people away.

    "You didn''t tell us you were joining us. I would have ridden with you in your car rather than with mom and dad." Christopher said with a grin.

    The reporters were quick to snap photos of the rare interaction between the siblings.

    Aldrich, who was standing to the side, greeted his parents and his younger brother Andres as well. He was well aware of how much the media wanted to create an issue between him and his brother as well as one between Emilio and his siblings.

    The thing was, there was nothing wrong.

    They had their squabbles, but nothing out of the ordinary. Siblings that did not fight were suspicious in Aldrich''s opinon.

    "Let''s go in." Ray said with a nod as he offered his arm to his wife, who dly took it and led their group inside.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You and Emilio are causing quite a stir." Andres teased as he nudged his brother before ncing back to the reporters and giving them a charming smile. "Someone has to charm them, and I know it''s not going to be you. At least not right now."

    "In time, Andres, after the trials." Aldrich said with a grin as he walked in with his younger brother.

    Behind them, Dominic and Tristan also followed, greeting Cedric and Adrianna as they passed.

    "Let''s go in, darling." Cedric said as he guided Adrianna inside.

    She kept her smile until the doors shut behind them, then they all saw how mad she truly was.

    "How dare you pull something like this?!" She shouted at Cedric. "You said no more secrets!"

    "Mom, aren''t you d that I''m here?" Emilio asked his mother as he frowned, doing his best to help his dad escape his mom''s wrath.

    "Of course I''m happy that you and Aldrich could join us." Adrianna''s expression quickly shifted, making the twinsugh. "You two are grounded." Adrianna coldly told them.

    "But mom. . . " Christopher tried toin but Emilio shook his head.

    "Mom, dad did this to surprise you. Plus it was fun making everyone think we weren''ting as always." Emilio grinned at his mother, softening her heart.

    "Thanks." Cedric whispered to his son as he led their group towards the main hall. Luckily Adrianna was putty in her children''s hands, especially her eldest, Emilio.

    "Sir." Dave said with a bow as he greeted Cedric and his family.

    "Hey uncle Dave." Emilio said with a grin as he greeted his usual guardian.

    "You''re here legally this time." Dave gave Emilio a knowing smile.

    "I told my friends and officemates that I had the bug. My phone will be ringing non-stop the moment I enter. Maybe I can join themter on." Emilio said with a yful smile.

    "Can Ie?" Aldrich asked excitedly.

    All of Emilio''s friends knew Aldrich as the cousin that always tagged along wherever they went, so it would be no surprise if he showed up to this event.

    Every employee was allowed a plus one.

    "Fine, but do you have a change of clothes?" Emilio asked, knowing that Aldrich didn''t have any.

    "Uncle Dave." Aldrich said as he smiled at Cedric''s assistant.

    Rayughed and shook his head at how silly his son was acting.

    "I''ll ask my assistant to get you clothes, Aldrich." Ray told his son, knowing that the boy would still like to see the festivities from the other side.

    "Thanks dad!" Aldrich grinned as Cedric nodded for the guards to open the doors so they may enter.

    At first, the crowds pped as the Reyes family entered. It took them a while to realize that there were two figures that were normally absent that were present today.

 Chapter 1017 1017

    Just as Emilio had predicted, his phone was buzzing non-stop as his office mates were probably sending him photos of himself and Alrdich.

    He suppressed the urge to check his phone. He knew that if he brought it out he would beughing at their messages.

    He saved that part for when they were seated.

    Emilio wasn''t greedy, he was going to show his siblings and his cousins how the employees were reacting.

    Cedric and his family had a table at the front of the venue, there was even a spotlight pointed at it and it was slightly elevated so that the employees could see them.

    It had annoyed Cedric so much that he almost fired whoever was nning the event. Fortunately Ayanna was able to convince him that it''s what their employees wanted.

    If Cedric would have his way they would be anonymous all their lives, which would make the employees sad.

    Many of them were fans of the different members of the Reyes family and their friends.

    "Have you checked your phone?" Aldrich whispered to Emilio as they sat down.

    "Of course not. Calm down, we have more than enough time to sneak away." Emilio rolled his eyes at his cousin as he took out his phone to check the messages.

    Emilio closed his eyes and sighed as he tried to keep his calm demeanor.

    He badly wanted tough at the messages being sent in the group chat.

    ''Emilio, you''re missing out, the young master of the Reyes family is here. Imagine both the Reyes and Laurence family heirs decided to attend the event!'' His best friend Hendrick messaged him.

    ''I''m feeling a little bit better, I might be able to join.'' Emilio replied as he sensed Alrdich looking over his shoulder, trying to read his messages.

    ''Hehe. I knew you wouldn''t be able to resist. See you in a bit.'' Hendrick replied as Emilio switched to their group chat.

    "Aldrich Laurence, how dare you eavesdrop on your cousin''s conversations!" Ayana hissed at her son, making Alrdich look down while the other children grinned.

    The only one that seemed unaffected was Emilio as he ced his phone back down.

    "It''s fine auntie Ayanna, Aldrich knows these people too." Emilio calmly responded.

    Aldrich nodded as he whispered his thanks to his cousin, making Emilio smile for a bit.

    He may have smiled only for a few seconds, but many of the employees already had their cameras trained on him. So some managed to catch a photo of Emilio''s smile.

    Within seconds his phone was buzzing again.

    ''OMG the Reyes Heir just smiled! He is even more handsome when he smiles!'' One girl who was part of Emilio''s team at work sent to their group chat along with a photo of him smiling.

    Aldrich, who was still looking over Emilio''s shoulder, suddenly spit out his wine as soon as he read the message.

    "Your smile?" Aldrich asked as heughed at his cousin. "They see that smile everyday at work. They are crazy."

    Christina and Christopher who had both been listening to the conversation suddenlyughed as well, making Emilio shake his head.

    "Children." Adrianna scolded the pair, making Christina look down and Christopher frown.

    They were older than Aldrich yet they were also being scolded like little children by their mother.

    "You should all be like Emilio, behave in public." Adrianna scolded the pair.

    "You mean be cold and aloof?" Christophermented.

    "Mom, we all know this is just an act." Emilio whispered. Making his mother smile and nod, of course she knew that her son wasn''t some cold heartless man.

    "I know, Emilio, but it wouldn''t hurt your siblings to behave in public." Adriannained to her eldest child.

    "Father, I''ll leave in an hour." Emilio informed Cedric.

    Cedric simply nodded.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He understood his son''s situation, as a matter of fact he believed that his son had it harder than he did.

    "I think the Finance department performed the best." Christina praised as they watched the different performances of the night.

    Each department had to have a performance and the winner would win three hundred thousand from the Reyes family.

    "You''re just biased because that''s where you''re working now." Christopher teased his sister.

    Aside from Emilio working from the bottom to the top, all of the Reyes family children worked each summer with a particr department and subsidiary.

    After graduation, they would then be handed a subsidiary their father felt most matched them, if they were qualified.

    "You''ll be giving them all a bonus, won''t you dad?" Emilio knew exactly what his father''s n was as he smiled and nodded.

    "What kind of a boss would I be if I didn''t keep my employees happy?" Cedric grinned at his son as he nced at the time on his phone. "Shouldn''t you and Aldrich get going?"''

    Emilio looked at the time and noticed that an hour had already passed.

    "Aldrich, let''s go." Emilio told his cousin as the pair stood up and left.

    At the same time, several female employees followed them with their cameras, recording the two young heirs leaving.

    ''Noooo, my future hubby is leaving.'' A female teammate of Emilio''s posted in their group chat.

    Emilio shook his head as soon as he read the message.

    ''Wait, I won''t get to see our future bosses?'' Emilio quickly replied as one of his bodyguards handed him a set of contacts to put on.

    His disguise was much moreplicatedpared to his father''s.

    In the past, Cedric Reyes could get around by simply changing the way he dressed and acted as well as by covering half his face.

    Now the Reyes family avoided mentioning Emilio''s name, he also had to wear colored contacts in order to hide the signature deep ck eyes of the Reyes family.

    Unlike him, Aldrich''s was lessplicated since his features were a mixture of his mother''s and father''s, unlike Emilio who looked exactly like a younger version of the famous CEO.

    ''Stop grumbling, where are you?'' Cassandra, one of Emilio''s closest friends asked. ''Did you bring that little cousin of yours too?''

    ''Yeah. I''m heading in.'' Emilio quickly replied as he gave himself onest look in the mirror.

    ''Oooh, is this the cute cousin?'' One of their female teammates asked.

    ''He''s fifteen.'' Cassandra replied.

    "You have fans." Emilio teased as he checked to see if Aldrich was ready. "Let''s go, the car is waiting out back. I need to drive it to have it parked."

    "Who''s bringing back your car?" Aldrich asked Emilio.

    "Damien." Emilio told him as they walked out of the hotel and climbed into the simpler car that was parked out back.

    "Mr. Reyes said that you needed to be home by two in the morning." Leon, the head of security, informed Emilio. "Mr. Laurence also asked me to remind young master Lawrence that there are many enemies in the shadows."

    Aldrich''s expression became serious as he nodded.

    "Let''s go." Emilio said with a grin as he rolled up his windows and drove off, exiting the hotel premises before entering once more.

    "Hurry up!" Emilio heard someone say as they stopped at the entrance.

    Just an hour ago it was filled with paparazzi and reporters eager to get a photo of him and Aldrich, now it was empty.

    "If only they knew." Aldrich chuckled as they got out of the car and greeted Emilio''s friend.

    "Hurry up, the rest of the Reyes family is still there. Do you want to miss the rest of the night?" Hendrick asked as he dragged the pair in.

 Chapter 1018 1018

    "There, up front." Hendrick said as he pointed towards the table where the Reyes family were seated.

    "It''s just the usual." Aldrich scoffed, making it seem like he didn''t care. "You got all excited because the Reyes family was here, but they aren''t evenplete."

    "You little imp, of course they areplete, can''t you see the Reyes heir and Vice President Ayanna Lawrence''s son?" Herdick asked as he tried to defend the reason as to why he was so excited.

    "They aren''t there, Hendrick." Emilio told him as he pointed at the table.

    True enough, the two seats that both Aldrich and Emilio had just left were now empty.

    "Maybe they just went out for air, but Emilio, I''m telling you, they brought the Reyes Heir and his cousin out today. It''s such a rare asion." Hedrick told them as they made it to their table.

    "Hey guys, I dragged my cousin along, I hope you don''t mind." Emilio greeted them with a smile.

    Aldrich noticed a couple of girls suddenly perked up when they realized that Aldrich was with his cousin.

    "Here." Hendrick said as he gestured for Emilio to sit next to him and for Aldrich to sit next to one of the girls.

    Emilio thanked the man before he nudged Aldrich to take a seat.

    "Do you remember E?" Emilio asked his young cousin as he grinned, he knew that his would torture and annoy Aldrich.

    "No, not really, nice to meet you. I''m Emilio''s cousin, Aldrich." He stretched out his had for her to shake.

    The older woman blushed as she took Aldrich''s hand.

    "So how''s school, kid?" Hendrick asked as he passed Aldrich a non-alcoholic beverage and handed Emilio a ss of wine.

    "Same old, same old. I can''t wait to get to university." Aldrich told Hendrick.

    "Aren''t you too young to be in university? Don''t you have at least three more years in high school?" E asked, confused by Aldrich''s conversation with Hendrick.

    "Aldrich is smart." Emilio said in a dark voice, one that resembled the tone he used where speaking as the Reyes Heir.

    "Skipped a couple of years." Aldrich shrugged. "I can go to Uni next year if I wanted to."

    "Yeah, if you stop getting caught." Emilio rolled his eyes at his cousin.

    "Caught for what?" E asked as she leaned forward.

    She was well aware that Aldrich was only fifteen, but something about him drew her in. Something about him just screamed, hot, dark, and dangerous.

    "I''m part of the Dean Family Mafia." Aldrich confessed as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    Of course, he was much more than just a member of the Dean Family Mafia. He was the little princeling of the Capital''s underworld, the future leader of everything illegal that goes bump in the night.

    "Last I heard, you aren''t supposed to announce that in public." Hendrick said as he red at Aldrich.

    Herndick, like Aldrich, was part of the Dean Family Mafia.

    As a matter of fact it was because of Aldrich that Emilio and he had be such good friends, because Hendrick was one of Aldrich''s trainers.

    "It''s not like people will believe me." Aldrich chuckled.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Yeah, you''re too young to be part of any gang or mafia." E said, waving off the bit of information she thought to be a lie.

    "Actually-" Hendrick was about to say something when he was cut mid sentence by the sound of a ringing phone.

    Aldrich searched his pocket and pulled out a slightly overused and beaten up phone. He looked at it as if it had never rang before.

    "Go answer it." Emilio told his cousin.

    Aldrich excused himself and quickly left the main hall before answering the call.

    Whenever this phone rang, it wasn''t good news.

    "Paulo." Aldrich said in a serious tone and frowned. He couldn''t help but wonder what the man wanted from him, he wasn''t even an active member of the Dean Family Mafia.

    "The boss has a mission for us and we think you are the best fit for it." Paulo said, not wanting to beat around the bush and getting straight to the point.

    "And what is it?" Alrdich asked, curious as to what kind of mission would need a fifteen year old boy toplete.

    "A business man''s daughter, he needs you to date her." The man at the other end of the line told Aldrich.

    "I thought kids weren''t supposed to be involved in this?" Aldrich asked as he walked away from the lobby which still had a lot of reporters lingering around.

    "They weren''t but this is a special case." Paulo replied.

    Aldrich frowned and bit his lip.

    If his father knew that the Dean family was targeting a child, would he stop it?

    "Are bosses aware?" Aldrich asked.

    "Are you questioning our orders?" Paulo answered back, clearly feeling disrespected by Aldrich''s question.

    "No." Aldrich told him, frowning as he sat down on a couch.

    "This is a special case like I told you before. The girl goes to the same school as you do and no one will get hurt. You just need to get close to her and when we ask, you tell us where she is and what she''s doing." Paulo exined to Aldrich.

    "Will she be hurt?" Aldrich asked.

    "You should stop thinking with your heart, kid." A voice said from behind Aldrich. He turned to find Hendrick standing behind him. "You got into this side of the world with your eyes wide open. You knew that this was a possibility."

    Aldrich frowned as he was reminded of what life was like with the gangs and mafia.

    They would have long killed each other if it weren''t for his father keeping the peace between all of them.

    He needed to do this. He needed to earn their respect so that someday he could be king for the underworld too.

    "Send me her details and tell me what you want me to do." Aldrich told Paulo before dropping the call and shoving his phone back in his pocket.

    "You wanted to climb the ranks, why worry now?" Hendrick asked as he turned and left Aldrich alone with his thoughts.

 Chapter 1019 1019

    "So you were sick?" Cassandra asked Emilio from across the table.

    "I was, but I''m better now. Did you miss me?" He teased as Cassandra red at him for suggesting that she felt any kind of longing for him.

    Seeing that his words got her to react so violently, heughed and shook his head.

    "Rx, I was only teasing." He pointed out.

    "When you two fight it''s as if we vanish from the room." One of their teammatesined. "This happens all the time, why don''t you two just date?"

    "Excuse me?" Cassandra asked, sounding extremely offended by the question. "First of all, he isn''t my type, second, he is beneath me."

    "Calm down with the insults, Cassandra." Their boss, Victor, scolded her. "Emilio might note from a rich or influential family, but he has shown all of us how capable he is, or have you forgotten that he is the youngest senior manager in thepany?"

    Cassandra red at Emilio but chose to say nothing else.

    "That should change soon." Emilio''s male teammates said as he looked towards the Reyes family that was seated in front. "The younger generation will start working in thepany, plus the Reyes Heir should be old enough to work now. Do you think they will let them start at the bottom?"

    "Who knows, the CEO started from the bottom." Cassandra pointed out.

    Emilio resisted the urge tough at their conversation, because he indeed started at the bottom of the food chain as a part time employee in the warehouse.

    "The CEO loves his children too much, ording to rumors the current heir didn''t even live away from his family like the CEO." Victor said, joining in on the gossip.

    "If I stay the youngest senior manager in the next year, will you go on a date with me, Cassandra?" Emilio teased.

    Cassandra rolled her eyes.

    "Are you afraid to lose?" Emilio challenged her knowing that she wouldn''t back down when taunted.

    "Fine, deal." Cassandra said, unwilling to be seen as a coward for not epting the bet.

    "Perfect, I''ll take you on a date, make you fall for me, then dump you." Emilio chuckled.

    He had no n on dumping her, not really, he actually liked Cassandra and thought she was his ideal woman. She just didn''t see him in a romantic way.

    Cassandra ignored him as she turned to talk to the girl seated next to her.

    Emilio noticed that both Hendrick and Aldrich were taking way too long, he excused himself to look for the two men.

    He found Aldrich ring at Hendrick as the older manughed at the fifteen year old boy.

    "Do you really have to bully my cousin, Hendrick?" Emilio asked as he red at his friend.

    Hendrick might have been one of his closest friends outside of their family''s circle, but he wasn''t going to let the man bully his cousin.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I''m not bullying him, just warning him." Hendrick calmly answered. "He''s gonna get himself into a mission he might regret. I''m just warning him."

    Hendrick had been Aldrich''s trainer in the mafia, that''s how he and Emilio became friends prior to working together at the Reyes group.

    Emilio had actually been the one to encourage Hendrick to seek out a more legal source of ie.

    Of course the man knew that if there was any ce for a mafia member to be safe, it was the Reyes group. Those in the Dean Family Mafia were aware of Ian''s involvement with the Dean Family Mafia and how they had also helped the Reyeses in the past.

    "I should leave you two to talk, see you inside, Emilio, Al." Hendrick said with a nod as he walked away, calling Aldrich by the name most people knew him as.

    "What''s going on, Aldrich?" Emilio asked his cousin as he crossed his arms and looked at the younger man.

    Aldrich frowned, shook his head, and made a move to leave, but Emilio stopped him by grabbing his arm and holding him back.

    "Aldrich." Emilio said in a low and intimidating voice.

    Aldrich sighed knowing there was no way his cousin was going to let him off the hook.

    "The Dean family gave me a mission." Aldrich confessed.

    "They gave Aldrich Lawrence or Al Reyes a mission?" Emilio questioned knowing the name Aldrich went by when he wasn''t with his family.

    "Idiot. Of course Al Reyes." Aldrich scoffed. "They wouldn''t dare give my father''s son a mission, he''s only fifteen." Aldrich chuckled thinking about how stupid his cousin was acting.

    "Exactly! You''re only fifteen!" Emilio scolded his cousin. "How do you think uncle Ray is going to react when he finds out you joined the mafia before he gave his permission? You were supposed to join at eighteen."

    "You will not tell my dad or my mom!" Aldrich shouted, sounding a little bit like a spoiled child.

    "And why not, Aldrich?" Emilio questioned. "I''ve never told them about your secrets, but this one might actually get you hurt or worse, killed."

    "It''s not a dangerous mission. I just need to be friends with a girl my age and keep an eye on her." Aldrich exined.

    "Why did you have to join the underworld so young, cousin?" Emilio questioned. He himself had joined the Ri Family Mafia at twenty, but only because his aunt, Francesca Ri promised not to allow him to join dangerous missions.

    Joining the Ri Family Mafia was just a way to improve his connections for when he became the next CEO.

    It would also help if he could properly defend himself, something all Mafia families taught their members.

    "Because dad and uncle Alexi joined at eighteen, I need to be better than them Emilio. You know what it''s like, people will be judging us based on how soon we achieved things that our fathers did. They don''t expect us to, but we know people will be watching." Aldrich shouted, angry at his cousin for even asking.

    "I know what you mean, Aldrich, but your dad will worry too. What if something happens? What if his enemies find out that Al Reyes is Aldrich Lawrence?" Emilio questioned.

    ""Emilio, what can happen to me for hanging out with a girl? Seriously?" Aldrich said as he walked away from his cousin, furious about Emilio meddling in his affairs.

 Chapter 1020 1020

    "Hey Al." One of Aldrich''s friends greeted him as they all gathered for lunch.

    To the students of Sea High, Al Reyes was the son of an ordinary employee, but he had big ambitions.

    People gravitated towards him, wanting his attention and approval. They couldn''t understand why, but Aldrich knew it had everything to do with how he was brought up and the fact that he came from two of the most powerful families in the country.

    There were just some things you couldn''t hide, no matter how you tried.

    "Who''s the new girl?" Aldrich asked as he looked towards the direction of his target.

    This was the very girl that he needed to befriend, Cara Jao, the daughter of a businessman that was trying to cheat the Dean Family Mafia.

    "Cara Jao." One of his friends answered as Cara walked past them, her long ck hair catching in the sun.

    She wasn''t anything near what Stephen imagined her to be like. He had her profile, but the photo they had given him of her didn''t quite match how she actually looked.

    "Don''t tell me you''re interested in her?" One of them asked as they turned their attention back to Aldrich.

    "She''s actually quite pretty." Hemented as he continued to keep his eyes on Cara, trying to figure out how to befriend his target.

    This was a mission, beautiful or not, he couldn''t be attracted to her even if she was his type.

    "She''s weird." One of the girlfriends of hispanions said as they nced at Cara.

    Aldrich made a move to stand up, only to be pulled back down by one of his friends.

    Annoyed, Aldrich pulled his arm away and red at the other boy. If they knew who he really was, they would never dare touch him.

    If they knew who he was, they would never be friends either.

    He had moved to this school a year ago in order to get away from the young masters of rich and powerful families, if his identity had not been hidden, he could never go to a school like this.

    "It''s social suicide, don''t." His friend, Fred, warned him.

    "Just because she is the new girl?" Aldrich asked, shaking his head.

    "She doesn''t have any friends and when people try to approach her, she sends them running." Fred told Aldrich. "If she does the same to you, people will say you are desperate for her attention."

    Aldrichughed at how silly the students at his school were.

    Their problems were so pettypared to those the students from his old school had to face. But nheless, Aldrich remained seated as he thought of another way to approach Cara.

    The day went on like every other school day, Aldrich barely listened in ss since he had already learned everything this school taught in the past.

    He had tutors at home that helped him learn as much and at as fast a pace as he wanted.

    School was merely a ce for him to meet people and socialize with others, it held no developmental benefit for him.

    When school finally ended, his friends offered him a ride, as always, and as he had done every single time, he rejected them.

    He would normally take a bus to a pre agreed on location where his driver would pick him up and take him home.

    Today there would be a variation.

    He told his parents that he was hanging out with a ssmate, something that wasn''t a lie. His ssmate just didn''t know they had ns yet.

    Aldrich followed Cara for a bit, she walked out of school and towards the same bus stop he normally waited at.

    Most students didn''t live this far from their school, but he knew that Cara''s father wanted her studying somewhere the Mafia couldn''t easily get her.

    "Hey, Cara, right?" Aldrich asked as he tried to start a conversation with his ssmate.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "No." Cara coldly answered as the bus pulled up.

    Aldrich quickly followed her on the bus and sat next to her.

    "If you don''t stop following me, I will call the police and tell them that you are stalking me." Cara threatened as she took out her phone and showed it to him.

    Aldrich quickly grabbed it, much to her annoyance and held it arm''s length.

    "Now you can''t call them." He said with a proud grin.

    "A thief too?" She asked.

    Aldrich smiled and shook his head, handing her back her phone.

    "I take this bus too to get home." He exined as nicely as he could.

    "So not a stalker?" She asked, finally smiling at Aldrich.

    "Nope, sorry." He said with a shrug. "I really just wanted to talk to you since we take the same bus and we''re ssmates."

    She smiled at him, it was a sad smile, one that made Aldrich want to pity her.

    "Aren''t you worried that your friends will tease you for talking to me?" Cara asked as looked at Aldrich.

    "No. I don''t really care if they tease me. They can even throw me out of their group if they want, I really don''t care. Also it''s not like they would dare do that." Aldrich chuckled.

    "You''re weird." Cara giggled.

    "Is there something wrong with being weird?" Aldrich asked, hoping that he was saying the right words, there was no way for sure to guarantee they would be friends.

    "No, weird is good." Cara said in a much happier tone. "I know people say I''m weird, so I like weird."

    "Good, so can we be friends?" He asked Cara, to which she simply nodded in reply.

    "Al Reyes." Aldrich said as he offered her his hand to shake.

    "Nice to meet you, Al Reyes." Cara said as she took his hand and shook it.

    "So, can I walk you home?" Aldrich offered.

    "N- no." She stuttered.

    Aldrich already knew that he would get rejected, he just wanted her to know that he tried.

    "Alright, then just the bus ride then we can go our separate ways." He said, seemingly unbothered by her rejection.

    "We can take the bus together next time too." she said, offering it as a constion to him.

    "I''d like that, sure." Aldrich told her as he spotted his usual stop nearing. "I have to get off, I''ll see you at school tomorrow?" He asked.

    Cara nodded as Aldrich stood up and got off of the bus.

    She waved through the window as the bus passed.

    Aldrich smiled, knowing that he had at least gotten through to Cara today, the rest of his job would be easy.

    Hopefully, Cara would soon trust him even more.

 Chapter 1021 1021

    "Boss." John was shocked when Stephen entered the bar.

    He was drinking a beer with some of the higher ranked members of the Essen mafia family when Stephen suddenly arrived.

    It was ten in the morning on a work day, Stephen never showed up to the bar at that time.

    "Rx, I''m not here to catch you all cking, it''s fine." Stephen said. "Serve me a beer too."

    John snapped his finger and the bartender quickly opened a bottle of beer and handed it to Stephen.

    "I just have some issues at Cho Industries that need to be settled without me there." Stephen further exined as he took out his phone and dialed a number. "I decided to settle the matter with the gangs first."

    The phone on the other end began to ring, and Robert answered the call.

    "Any news?" Stephen asked as he sipped his beer.

    "The other party has tried to use all its connections to pull the news we released out of cirction." Robert reported. "How did you know this would work? They have done much worse crimes and yet you expose something this small."

    Stephen smiled as his friend pestered him with questions.

    "The big crimes, they do everything to hide the evidence and make it bullet proof, but the smaller crimes, those they ignore." Stephen exined as everyone listened intently to his words.

    "So what now?" Robert asked. "Edward''s men arrest them for a little while, they pay a fine, then they are free?"

    "This is just a warning." Stephen smiled as he looked at his bottle. "This will also get their other backers to distrust them. If something so small cannot be seen to, then how about bigger issues?"

    John and the other men were shocked by what Stephen had said. They hadn''t expected this to be one of the reasons.

    "You know that I wanted to strike fear that with such a little piece of information we are able to hurt them, that''s the primary goal, but I always have a secondary one." Stephen said as he finished the contents of his bottle.

    "They are starting to react." One member of the Essen Mafia said as he looked up from his phone.

    Stephen guessed that he had just gotten a report on the activities of the mafia family they were targeting.

    "Their backers?" Stephen asked as he crossed his arms on his chest and waited for news.

    The man nodded.

    "Several of them have reached out, wanting to work with us." The man exined.

    "Let them wait." Stephen instructed as he calmly ran through his ns in his head. "These people need to know that we can thrive without them, that their backing is just a bonus."

    "But what if they pull out their offer?" Normally they wouldn''t ask any questions, but Stephen''s n worried them.

    Stephen red at him, they knew the rules, they weren''t allowed to contradict him, but he understood where they wereing from.

    "You are lucky we are under unique circumstances right now." Stephen''s tone was cold, making everyone in the room nervous. "If they pull out, which I think they won''t, then we will be fine, we will survive. Our backers are more powerful and rich than they can imagine."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The man nodded and remained silent, he knew there was a danger in asking more questions.

    "John, how busy are you right now?" Stephen asked as he looked at his right hand man.

    "I''m free." John told him with a shrug.

    "Let''s take a look at how bad the damage is in the other camp." Stephen said as he walked out of the bar with John following him close behind.

    John seemed hesitant, but he would never reject amand from his boss, especially not in front of so many of their subordinates.

    They stood in the bar''s parking lot and Stephen looked around, scanning the cars. John wanted to ask if his car had been stolen, but he didn''t have it in him to question his boss.

    After a few minutes, Stephen finally spoke.

    "Who''s car is that?" He asked as he pointed at a simple unassuming ck sedan that was parked on the lot.

    "I think that''s one of the bartenders''." John answered as he looked at the familiar car. He didn''t really take note of who owned which car.

    "Retrieve the keys, we''re taking his car." Stephen ordered as he walked towards the ck car.

    John quickly ran back to the bar, asked around and got the keys to the car from its owner.

    They wouldn''t say no to Stephen, they knew that at worst if the car was damaged, their boss could easily rece or fix it.

    "What are you nning?" John asked as he tossed the keys to Stephen.

    "I told you, we will see what is happening on the other side." Stephen said with a grin as he started the car. "No one knows how the head of the Essen Mafia looks. They don''t even know how you look."

    "Why do I have a gut feeling that this isn''t going to end well?" John groaned as Stephen drove them through the streets of Marina and towards a fancy restaurant.

    He knew for a fact that the pesky group used this ce as their headquarters. They didn''t even bother to go into private rooms or have separate rooms for their meetings. Everything was held out in public.

    Few people actually dined in this restaurant out of fear of the mafia, but it wasn''t umon to see people having lunch there. The food was actually quite good.

    "What the fuck is going on?!" Stephen heard someone shout as soon as they were led to their table.

    The waitress didn''t even apologize for the noise. Anyone dining in this restaurant should expect that this kind of scene could happen.

    "Someone exin to me why we are all over the news and social media due to a restaurant vition!" The man shouted as John ordered food for Stephen and himself. "If we get arrested because of this, it''s your head."

    "Sir, we think it''s the Essen Mafia, they are retaliating." One of his subordinates answered.

    "I don''t fucking care about the Essen Mafia! Fix this." The boss shouted, sending people rushing away.

    On their table, Stephen couldn''t help but grin. He knew his n would work.

 Chapter 1022 1022

    "Al, why are you still up?" Ray Laurence asked as he walked into the living room to find his son studying something on his tablet.

    Aldrich Laurence had never been the studious type, things surprisingly came naturally to him.

    "I''m trying to learn more about the underworld dad." Al admitted as his father sat down next to him trying to look over his shoulder.

    Unfortunately for Ray, he couldn''t see the articles clearly since Al had the screen at it''s lowest setting.

    "What have you learned so far?" Ray asked his son as he tried a different approach.

    As Aldrich Lawrence grew up, Ray was starting to lose hope that his son was interested in taking over the family business.

    Al did as his parents asked.

    He attended his sses, trained with some of Ray''s best fighters, but he never showed enough interest to hint that he was willing to do more than he was asked.

    "Well for one, I know you can control if certain activities are caught, so why don''t you just cover them all up? Why let the press and police find out about illegal activities?" Al asked his father as he looked up from the tablet.

    Ray smiled and patted his son on the head.

    "Prison is a ce we use to remind the people working in the underworld who is in charge. Some, however, slip through our intervention and stay in prison to help us keep control of it." Ray exined to his son.

    "Why does the gossip column contain information about the king of the Underworld? Isn''t your identity supposed to be a secret?" Al asked as he continued to question his father.

    He was genuinely curious about these things and taking his cousin''s advice he decided to ask his father.

    "It is a form of protection." Ray exined to his son. "Did you check what the gossip columns said about the king of the Underworld or what they called him?"

    Al shook his head, he didn''t check what was written about his father.

    Ray chuckled in amusement. He didn''t think that his son wouldn''t even open the articles.

    "We y on the image they see in stories." Ray began to say as he ced his hand out asking for the tablet.

    Al gave it to his father and watched the man type in the familiar website owned by his Uncle Ramon Abad.

    "They call me the Mafia Lord." Ray grinned as he showed his son the article.

    "Sounds like a character from one of those novels aunt Veronica reads." Al teased as he read what was written.

    "I''m pretty sure it was Veronica that came up with that name and your Aunt Nicole took the descriptions from those novels and just keeps putting it in those articles." Ray pointed out as Alughed at what was written.

    "It says here the Mafia Lord is a man in his early twenties. He is cold to all those around him and is averse to the female touch." Alughed as he looked at his father. "You''re in your fifties! He pointed out, plus you never let go of mom."

    Ray smiled at his son and nodded.

    "If the public are somehow in love with the idea of the Mafia, the Gangs, the Mafia Lord, they will not ask for the King of the Underworld to be arrested." Ray exined. "It makes things much easier for both me and your uncle Alexi."

    Al nodded as he fully understood his father''s reasoning.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "There is so much more I wish I could teach you about that part of our family, but I wasn''t sure you wanted to learn." Ray exined to his son as he shook his head and sighed.

    Al looked up at his dad and was surprised to see the older man smiling.

    "I thought I would be forced to learn whether I wanted to or not? Do I have a say on whether I be the next King of the Underworld?" He asked his father.

    Al was not lying.

    All his life he was led to believe that the position as King of the Underworld was simply his to inherit.

    It didn''t matter if a young man like him wanted it or not, the only thing that mattered was that he was the eldest son of the Lawrence family.

    "You will always have a choice, Al." Ray said as he ced his hands on his son''s shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "The position is earned, not inherited. You are too young now, but when you are ready we will take you to join the mafia or the gangs, whichever you choose."

    "What if I didn''t want this?" Al asked his father.

    "Then you could walk away." Ray easily answered his son, surprising the young man. "The Laurence family is worth much more than the underworld, you have to understand that."

    "Who would take over?"

    "Maybe one of your uncle Alexi''s kids? Or maybe even Christopher? What matters to me and your mother is that you are happy." Ray told his son.

    "They are all idiots, they would expose the underworld in a day." Al said as heughed at the thought of one of his cousins being in charge of all the Mafia and Gangs in the country.

    "They are still young, you can''t know that for sure." Ray said, smiling at his son.

    "Well you don''t need to even consider them, dad. Because this is what I want. I want to learn more." Al said in a determined tone.

    Ray couldn''t help but feel proud at that moment. He had truly lost hope that his eldest son would want to be part of the underworld.

    He had lived all his life mostly exposed to the Reyes family and to the legitimate side of being a Laurence.

    "You are too young for certain things, but I don''t see any harm in you sitting in during meetings or acting as my assistant. If you are willing." Ray told his son as he began to draw up a n for Al''s training.

    "I am willing." Al nodded as he smiled at his father.

    "If you will be involved, you''ll need to increase your martial arts training and your time in the gun range." Ray warned his son.

    "I''ll do it." Al promised.

    "And no missing sses." Ray knew the importance of his son having a normal life. He wasn''t about to pull him out of school just to prepare him for his future.

    "I actually enjoy school now, dad." Al groaned. He had many reasons not to miss school, one of which being his mission.

    "Good, I''ll have someone fix your schedule for you. Now go to bed, you still have ss in the morning."

    Al nodded as he quickly ran up the stairs, excited about the prospect of the future.

 Chapter 1023 1023

    "Why are you rushing?" Fred asked Al as ss ended.

    As part of his deal with his father, Al had to get to the gun range an hour after ss. This posed an issue to him since he would normally walk with Cara Jao to the bus stop.

    He was keeping an eye on her and trying to befriend her, so far she was still acting quite warily around him.

    He couldn''t help but wonder if Cara had been told by her father to stay on guard.

    How little faith did the man have in the Mafia for him to think that they would send a child to befriend his daughter?

    "I have a family thingter." Al said as he gave the same excuse asst time.

    "Why does your family have so many events? It''s not like you''re some rich upper ss family, your dad is just an employee at the Reyes Group." Fred grumbled as he followed Al.

    Al stopped and sighed. He was getting more and more annoyed with Fred''s contantints.

    "Just go with the others, Fred." He hissed, clearly angry that his friend wasining so much.

    Al also didn''t take it lightly that Fred was insulting his family.

    While it wasn''t true that they weren''t rich, he still took it as an insult. What right did his ssmate have to ridicule his family?

    "Did I say something wrong?" Fred asked, worried that he had offended Al.

    "Just go." Al hissed as he dismissed his friend.

    From where he stood he could see Cara walking out of campus.

    Starting a few days ago, she would wait for Al and they would then take the bus together. It seemed that today she waited for too long and thought Al wasn''t going to show up.

    "Cara!" Al called out as he started running towards her direction.

    Cara didn''t turn around, instead she kept walking towards the bus stop.

    "Cara!" Al called out again as he got closer.

    This time, Cara heard him and turned around. She gave a small smile before her expression turned serious again.

    Al couldn''t help but feel like he had aplished something.

    Cara had never shown any interest in bing friends with him, she had none.

    "You''rete." She pointed out as Al jogged over to her.

    She looked at him from head to toe as he panted, trying to catch his breath.

    Of course Al wasn''t really tired. It was all an act.

    With all the rigorous training he had to undergo as the future king of the underworld, he was very fit.

    "Fred wouldn''t leave me alone. Let''s go." Al pulled Cara towards the bus stop, just in time to catch the bus that was about to leave.

    "Why are you in such a rush?" Cara grumbled as they found their seats. "First you''rete then you rush me. You''re lucky that I''m hang out with you."

    Al looked at Cara and froze for a moment.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Why would I be lucky that you are hanging out with me?" He asked as heughed at her words. "Are you someone important?"

    Cara frowned, clearly insulted by Al''s question.

    Of course she was important, she was his target. Her father was someone that had crossed the Dean Family Mafia, not everyone could manage to do that and walk away.

    "No." Cara bitterly said as she turned her attention to the road as they bus passed themunity around their school.

    Al sighed as he looked as his friend. He knew what he said was insulting, but he had to make it seem like he knew nothing.

    "My dad warned me about making friends." Cara suddenly told Al. "But, you''re different, I think you are like me."

    "Like you how?" Al asked.

    "You and I both have secrets. We both live very far from school, so what are you hiding, Al Reyes?" She questioned as she looked Al in the eyes.

    Alughed, making her blink in surprise.

    "Don''t think too much into it, Cara." Al told her in a deep voice. "My family lives and works in a rich area, we are servants, there are no schools around that we can afford."

    Al smiled as Cara observed him.

    It was obvious that she had been taught some tools of the trade.

    "Alright." Cara said with a nod as they continued the rest of the bus ride in silence.

    After a while Cara fidgeted next to Al, making him turn to her and look at her curiously.

    "Are you alright?" Al asked as he observed Cara''s bodynguage. Obviously she was anxious about something.

    "I told my dad I made a friend." Cara said as she refused to look at Al. "He was mad at first, butter on he said he wanted to meet you."

    Al froze in his seat, he knew that if Cara''s father met him, the man would use his resources to look into Al''s family history.

    He needed to make sure that even a man from the underworld wouldn''t be able to discover that he was the son of Raymund Laurence.

    "When?" Al asked. He needed time to speak to his father about meeting the family of his new friend.

    He also needed to hide the fact that the man was a traitor to the mafia.

    "Next weekend? I need to give my dad a heads up that you areing over. Plus I guess he''ll ask for your name and other details." Cara shrugged as if asking for that information was normal.

    "Give me your phone." Al said as he heald out his hand.

    Cara gave it to him as he had asked and Al typed and saved his number. He also gave himself a missed call so that he could save hers.

    "Well, this is my stop." Al said as he looked up and noticed them approaching where his bodyguards and river would fetch him. "Here."

    Cara smiled and took back her phone.

    "I''ll see you tomorrow, friend." Al teased as he quickly got off.

 Chapter 1024 1024

    "This way." Ray told his son as they arrived in what was the unknown headquarters of the King of the Underworld.

    The location was so secret that only the head of each Mafia family and Gang knew the exact location.

    There were also those, of course, that worked directly for the king of the Underworld, they knew where the headquarters were since most worked and lived in the area.

    The arrived in Ray''s office where Al saw his uncle Seth standing, waiting for his father to arrive.

    "Seth." Ray greeted with a nod as he walked over behind the desk and sat on the throne like chair behind it.

    One of his men pulled up another seat next to Ray for Al.

    "Uncle Seth." Al greeted with a smile as he took his ce to his father''s right.

    ? "Where is Ian?" Ray asked as he looked around the room.

    "Your brother-inw needed him. There are problems with the Reyes Group and Cedric could use the additional help." Seth exined as he sat straight.

    Out of all the Mafia Family heads, Seth was the mostfortable around Ray, but he still feared and respected the other man.

    Seth had worked with Ian in the Reyes Group when they were younger. He tried to escape being the Don of the Dean Family Mafia, but it was a calling he couldn''t run.

    "I''m surprised you are here, Aldrich." Seth said as he looked at the young man. "I thought you weren''t interested in all of this. You never showed any signs of wanting to be part of this world."

    Ray smiled and chuckled.

    "We thought the same. I was surprised to find him looking up the Underworld one night." Ray exined. "From now on he will be shadowing me. He will meet the other Dons and Donas as well as the gang leaders. He will know their names and they will know his."

    Seth nodded, understanding the implications of what Ray was saying.

    The title of King of the Underworld will remain with the Lawrence family for another generation, if Al could prove himself worthy of the title.

    "Moving on." Ray said as he diverted the discussion back on topic. "Why are you here, Seth. Of all the Dons you are thest I expect toe to me for help."

    "I came to inform you about an incident in the Dean Family Mafia." Seath began to exin.

    "Couldn''t this have waited for our monthly meeting?" Ray asked as he raised his eyebrow.

    "Unfortunately, no." Seth said with a sigh. "A few months ago we discovered a traitor in our ranks. He was behind every failed project that we had for the past 3 years."

    Ray frowned as he listened and to what Seth had to report.

    "We thought at first he was working for one of our rival Mafia families or Gangs, you know howpetition can get." Seth grinned as if to say he always won those contests for power and influence.

    "But it wasn''t?" Ray asked as he picked his coffee mug up and took a sip.

    Seth nodded, confirming the king''s question.

    "Do you know who he works for?" Ray further questioned.

    "No, unfortunately we are still trying to figure that part out." Seth frowned. "We have people watching him and his family."

    "Does he have children?" Ray said as his head suddenly snapped up. It had been his policy never to involve children, in his eyes, they were innocent.

    "He does, a daughter." Seth confirmed.

    Cara.

    Al couldn''t help but think of his friend. He already had a hunch when his Uncle Seth spoke of a traitor that managed to get away he was talking about Cara''s father.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I don''t want her harmed or used in this mess." Ray warned Seth. "You know my bottom line. If I harm children, then they wille after mine as well."

    Ray looked at Al who frowned.

    "They don''t have the same moral standards as you, dad." Al reminded his father. "There is a reason why my identity is still a secret. Because aside from learning, I could be used to threaten just not you, but Uncle Cedric as well."

    Ray smiled proudly at his son and nodded.

    "He is built for this." Seth said as he looked quite impressed at Al''s words.

    "Just keep tabs on them, make sure this man knows that we are searching for him. He shouldn''t suspect that we already found him." Ray instructed Seth.

    The other man nodded, acknowledging his boss'' words.

    "In the meantime, we will need to work with Ian to find out who would want to attack the entire underworld from outside." Ray said as he processed his n out loud. "An attack on the Dean family is practically an attack on all of us."

    "We''ll keep investigating. He left some documents, we need to figure out if they were nted or they are real." Seth informed Ray.

    "Is there anything else?" Ray asked Seth.

    "Nothing that can''t wait. I''ll take my leave now." Seth stood up and shook Ray''s hand.

    The then turned to look at Al and smiled.

    "I''m d you decided to enter the family business. It''s a good sign." Seth said as he left the father and son duo alone in the office.

    After a few moments of silence, Al decided to speak to his father.

    "Dad, what do you expect me to learn for simply sitting in an office?" He questioned. He knew from experience that the real action was in the field.

    "A better understanding of why we do what we do," Ray confidently answered. "When your grandfather first sent me to join the Mafia, I wished that he had let me understand the bigger picture."

    "The bigger picture?" Al asked, confused by his father''s words.

    Ray took a deep breath and nodded.

    "Out there all those that work for the mafia and the gangs all they see are the small plots, the stealing, the killing, nothing more. I don''t want you to be a brute, I want you to understand what drives us to do everything." Ray exined to his son,

    Al nodded as he processed his father''s words, he hadn''t expected that answer from his father.

    "Dad, there is another thing I want to ask." Al hesitated at first, worried that he would be rejected by his father.

    "What is it?" Ray asked him.

    "If I made a friend and was invited to go over to her house for dinner with her family, is it safe?" Al asked his father.

    "She? Do you have a girlfriend Al?" Ray asked with a cheeky smile.

    Annoyed that his father immediately assumed that he and Cara were more than friends, Al rolled his eyes in annoyance.

    "No dad." Al grumbled. "Just a friend. I just want to know in case her family looks me up or something."

    Rayughed at how his son reacted and shook his head.

    "Don''t worry, Al, it would take someone truly exceptional to find out who you really are." Ray said with a grin. "For the record, your mom and I would never stop you from getting a girlfriend."

    "Speak for yourself." Al grumbled knowing that his mother would cause a scene if he did find a girl he liked.

 Chapter 1025 1025

    "Nervous?" Cara''s driver asked Al and Cara as he nced at the back of the car.

    Al had pretended to be surprised that Cara had a car and a driver when the man showed up.

    "A little." Al confessed as he gave the man a nervous smile.

    It was no lie that he was nervous about meeting Cara''s family.

    Her father might realize who he actually was, it would create a bigger problem for Al, his family, and Cara.

    Al was the perfect tool to use to get Raymond Laurence to do as they wanted. He was his eldest son, the heir to the Laurence fortune and the future king of the underworld.

    "The boss can be intimidating, but he''s not a bad man." The driver said as he did his best to ease what he perceived as Al''s worries.

    Al wanted tough when the driver said Cara''s father was not a bad man.

    He knew the truth, Cara''s father had betrayed his uncle Seth and was working with another group to destroy what the Laurence family had built.

    "Don''t scare him." Cara said with a frown as they drove up to an unassuming apartmentplex.

    "We''re here!" The driver told them as he got out and opened the door for the pair.

    Al pretended to stretch as he took a look around the area.

    He knew that his father had bodyguards following him at all times. They didn''t report his location, they just made sure that Al was safe.

    There was a man walking outside of theplex that Al recognized, they made eye contact making Al smile to acknowledge that he had seen his bodyguard.

    "This ce is quiet." Almented as he looked around.

    "My dad owns the whole ce. He rents out the apartments, but since it''s quite far from the city there aren''t many tenants." Cara exined as turned around.

    Al quickly followed her as she led them to an elevator and pressed the top floor.

    "So your family is rich?" Al asked Cara as he did his best to act his part.

    "Sort of, it''splicated." Cara said with a shrug. "My dad got on the wrong side of some powerful and important people, so now we are in hiding. He thinks I don''t know, but I do."

    Al ced a hand on her shoulder, only for it to be shrugged off.

    "I don''t need your pity, Al." She said in an annoyed tone as the elevator doors opened and Cara walked out.

    "Miss Cara." A maid greeted as she entered, taking her bag. "You can use these." The maid said to Al as she pointed at a set of slippers for him to change into.

    "Thank you." Al said with a smile as he took off his shoes and changed into the slippers.

    "Dad!" Cara called out as she walked through the house, followed by Al.

    "Cara, I''m in the office with your brother. Is your friend with you?" Cara''s father called out.

    Al had not known that Cara had a brother. This changed the information that the Dean Family Mafia knew.

    "Yeah dad." Cara said as she waved for Al to follow her.

    Cara''s dad''s office was at the end of the apartment unit which upied the entire top floor of the building. It was probably ced at the furthest location to avoid guests from wandering in.

    Inside, Al was greeted by two men who looked like the typical member of the Mafias Al had grown up around.

    They were tall with broad shoulders, but they weren''t buff like body builders, their strength was more practical rather than for aesthetic purposes.

    Both men had guns holstered on their hip, making Al involuntarily check his.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The Jao''s had made a mistake in under estimating Al, they didn''t even have him searched. But since his life was always at risk, his father made sure to have Al carry a concealed weapon everywhere.

    "Cara!" The older looking of the two men greeted as he smiled at Cara.

    They had the same mischievous look in their green eyes and although Cara clearly got her looks from her mother, Al could see simrities between Cara and her father.

    "Dad, Colin." Cara greeted as she nodded to the younger of the two men.

    Colin looked just like his father, except his blonde hair which was the same with Cara. They must have gotten it from their mother.

    "Little sister, I didn''t know you had a guesting." Colin greeted Cara as he pulled her into a hug.

    "What is your name, young man?" Cara''s father asked Al.

    "Al Reyes, sir." Al responded as he did his best to look nervous. He couldn''t let these men think that something was off about him.

    "Reyes, like the Reyes family?" Colin asked as he looked at Al suspiciously.

    "Colin!" Cara scolded her brother. "There are thousands of people with the Reyesst name, it''s literally the mostmonst name in the country. Don''t scare my friend, I only have one."

    Colin smiled andughed as his sister scolded him.

    "Rx Al, I know it''s unlikely that you''re rted to them." Colin said with a grin. "After all, only one son is not known to the public and you''re the wrong age."

    Al nodded as he let out a sigh of relief.

    It was a good thing that he was seven years younger than Emilio. There was no way anyone could mistake him for his cousin.

    Plus Al took after the Laurence side of his family, not the Reyes side, so he didn''t look that much like his mother or Uncle Cedric.

    "Cara has told us so much about you, Al." Cara''s father said as he waved for the pair to sit down.

    A couple of maids then entered with snacks and drinks.

    "I''m just d that Cara has friends now." Colin chuckled, making Cara frown.

    From what Al could tell, the siblings did not get along well and Colin was truly trying to insult Cara.

    "I think it''s because Cara is a good judge of character and doesn''t make friends with just anyone." Al said with a smile as he defended his friend from her brother.

    "Such a sweet young man." Cara''s father praised.

    "Al is actually pretty popr in school, dad." Cara said as she shifted the topic from herself to Al.

    Of course, Cara''s father probably already knew everything about Al before he had arrived.

    They may not have followed him around, but they probably did a thorough background check on him.

    "I still prefer Cara''s friendship, sir." Al said as he looked at his friend and smiled.

    He wasn''t lying.

    If Cara was not a target to him, she and he could have be friends.

    "So, Al, tell us about your family." Colin said as he carried a sinister smile on his lips.

    Something about Colin felt off to Al. Something was definitely suspicious about Cara''s brother and Al knew that they needed to look into it.

 Chapter 1026 1026

    "My mom and dad both work at the Reyes Group." It wasn''t exactly a lie.

    Al''s mother did indeed work at the Reyes Group, just that his real mother worked as the Vice President of thepany.

    "What do they do there?" Colin asked as he prodded deeper into Al''s identity.

    "I won''t lie, sir. I don''t know." Al said with a shrug.

    Of course he knew what his parents did. At a young age he was told what their work required of them and he knew that someday it would be his turn.

    "How many siblings do you have? And where do you live?" Colin asked as he looked Al in the eyes as if he was waiting for the younger man to slip up."

    "That''s enough, out Colin!" Cara''s father shouted as he pointed at the door.

    He was clearly angry at Colin for trying to push Cara''s only friend away. It made Al wonder if the rtionship between father and son was not as good as it looked on the surface.

    "Give me a moment, Cara, Al, I need to speak with my son." Cara''s father said as he stood up and left.

    Cara frowned but didn''t say a word until her father exited the room.

    When they were alone, that''s when Cara spoke.

    "Colin and I never got along." Cara said with a frown. "Until now he mes me for my mother''s death. He bullied me all my life and he can''t stand it when I have friends. That''s why I don''t have any."

    "Why does he me you?" Al asked as he ced his hand on hers in an attempt tofort Cara.

    "Mom died after giving birth to me." Cara confessed as a tear fell down her cheek. "From what dad''s men told me and what Colin has told me, my mom was given a choice, me or her life. She chose to save me."

    Cara sobbed as Al pulled her into his arms.

    "Cara, it''s not your fault, your mom made her choice, you couldn''t have known or done anything." He said as he tried to soothe her.

    It reminded Al about the story of his grandmother Prisci Reyes.

    She died before he was born, his cousin, Emilio, his mother, Ayana, and his aunt, Adrianna were out shopping with his grandmother when they were attacked.

    His grandmother Prisci chose to save his cousin Emilio, giving up her own life for his.

    Cara cried in Al''s arms for a while before finallyposing herself and sitting up. She wiped the tears away and fixed herself.

    "Do you mind if I go to the toilet?" Al asked as he looked around, trying to find one in the office.

    "It''s down the hall." Cara said as she cleared her throat. "I''m sorry you had to see that. I really didn''t expect things to go south like that."

    "It''s fine, Cara." Al said as he smiled at her and walked out of the room.

    Al ran through the hall, rushing to relieve himself.

    He walked back slowly through the hall, looking around and taking in what he could.

    There were photos of the family and multiple pieces of artwork. It was clear that Cara''s dad did not leave his wealth when he went into hiding.

    Al couldn''t help but wonder what the position the man held under the Dean Family Mafia.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It wasn''t high enough for him to know about Al, but people in the Mafia didn''t make money like this without being in a high position.

    "Why did you have to invite her friend over anyway?" Al herd Colin hiss. He was probably speaking to his father.

    "Your sister barely has any friends! This is thest I will hear of this." Cara''s dad said angrily. "Why are you even back, Colin? I thought that your bosses were satisfied with the information we gave."

    Colinughed at his father, confusing Al.

    "Do you really think that was it, dad?" Colin asked in a mocking tone. "Just because you are worried that they will hurt Cara? You don''t get out that easily."

    "It was a mistake to get involved with them, I know that now." Cara''s dad said.

    "Then why don''t you go over to Seth Dean or better yet, the King of the Underworld himself and tell him everything you know?" Colin challenged his father.

    "Colin, not now." Cara''s father groaned.

    "No dad, tell me, why don''t you go to them? Why are you so afraid of them? Do you think they will hurt Cara?" Colin continued to taunt his father.

    "At least they have a rule about involving children." The older man shouted.

    "We both know that you don''t believe that, father." Colin hissed. "If that were true then you would marching up to their doorstep with every information you have about our people, but no, you are here in hiding."

    "I''m doing this for your sister''s safety."

    "Yes for Cara, only Cara." Colin mocked.

    Al could tell that there were underlying issues between father and son. He couldn''t help but wonder as well how true their words were.

    "Will you drop it, Colin? I love you both equally." Cara''s father hissed at his son.

    "Do you really think this is just about your affection?" Colin asked,ughing at his father. "I have long gotten over my daddy issues."

    "Then at least wait till Cara''s friend has left. What if he hears something?" Cara''s father asked his son in a low voice.

    "There is nothing that boy can do, no one he could tell that would be of any consequence." Colin told his father. "We looked into his background, I confirmed it, he is a nobody."

    "He is your sister''s only friend! Do you really want her to lose the one person that speaks to her at that school?" Cara''s father questioned his son.

    At that point Al didn''t want to hear more and get caught. He quickly made his way back to the office and closed the door behind him.

    "I got lost." He said in an embarrassed tone to Cara.

    Cara smiled and nodded, she didn''t say a word as Al sat down next to her.

    "Cara," Al said as he looked at his friend and frowned. "If there is anything you need, anything at all, I hope you know that you cane to me."

    Cara nodded and smiled.

    "I know Al, I know." She said as her father and brother entered the room once more to join them.

 Chapter 1027 1027

    "Emilio!" Al shouted as he ran through the halls of Mountain View Mansion, searching for his cousin.

    It was the weekend so Emilio should be at the family home instead of his apartment in the city.

    "Emilio, where are you? I need to talk to you?!" Al shouted again as he knocked on his older cousin''s door.

    "So loud and so early." His cousin Christine grumbled as she stepped out of her room, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

    "Christine, where is your older brother? Did hee intest night?" Al asked.

    It was entirely possible that Emilio was fast asleep and dead to the world after a night in the city with his friends from work.

    "He didn''te homest night." Christopher said as he walked up to Al who was still standing outside of Emilio''s room.

    "What do you mean he didn''te homest night? He alwayses home on weekends! I need to speak to him!" Al shouted, he was desperate to speak to his cousin.

    "Why can''t you talk to us?" Christine asked as she ced her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow at Al.

    "It''s because we don''t understand their life, Christine." Christopher said as he rolled his eyes and walked away.

    "That''s not why." Al grumbled. "It''s because Emilio is older and knows more. He''s wiser than us, but I would love to hear your opinions too."

    "Are you sure, Al?" Christopher asked as he kept his back turned on his cousin. "Are you sure you aren''t telling us this in order to keep us happy?"

    "Christoher, I can say whatever you want to hear, but you''re the only one that can decide when to take your head out of your ass." Al chuckled. "We grew up together, don''t be stupid."

    Christopher smiled and slowly turned around as heughed at Al''s words.

    "I still get jealous that people don''t recognize you and Emilio when you go around. I want that too." He grumbled as he walked back to his cousin.

    "Maybe we can give you a makeover today and you guys can walk around the city like normal people, like we used to." Al said with a smile as he looked at his cousins. "First we need to find your brother though."

    "He''s probably in his apartment." Christina suggested. "I''ll go bathe and change."

    "Wear something, un you." Al called out as his cousins nodded and went back to their rooms.

    He on the other hand went to the kitchen. He had run up to his uncle''s house as soon as he was dressed and ready, he was starving.

    "Aldrich, you''re here early!" Cedric Reyes greeted his nephew as soon as he saw the young man asking for food in the kitchen. "Emilio isn''t here, and I doubt Christopher or Christina are awake."

    "Good morning uncle Cedric." Al greeted as a maid handed him a sandwich. "Christopher and Christina are awake. We''re going to visit Emilio in his apartment in the city."

    "Take the bodyguards, they will follow at a distance, and make sure the twins are well disguised." Cedric told his nephew as he told the maid what he wanted for breakfast.

    Al understood why his uncle was so willing to let his children explore being ordinary. He knew that Cedric often missed the luxury of being able to walk the streets like a normal person, but his identity as the CEO of the Reyes Group no longer allowed him to do so.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Sit with me, Al." Cedric said as he gestured towards the dining room.

    Al had no reason to decline and he actually enjoyed his uncle''spany. He liked hearing stories about his days under poverty training and about the times when things were chaotic in the Reyes group.

    "Your uncle Ian told me about you joining your father in several meetings." Cedric Reyes said as they sat down around the table.

    "I have been, yes." Al said as he slowly nodded at his uncle. He was well aware of Cedric''s reservations when it came to exposing their generation too early to the underworld.

    "Your father knows what I''m about to say and he knows that I will talk to you when I have the chance." Cedric told Al as the maid entered, serving Cedric his breakfast and coffee.

    Al nodded as he listened to his uncle.

    "I would rather that you didn''t join your father''s kingdom so early. You''re very young and many of the things that happen there can damage a young man permanently." Cedric said with a frown.

    "I understand that you are technically not supposed to do as I ask, you belong to the Lawrence n, but don''t forget, you are a Reyes too." Cedric reminded his nephew. "You will always have a ce at the Reyes group if you cannot continue on this path."

    Al smiled at his uncle''s words, he was genuinely touched by the man''s concern.

    He knew his uncle quite well and he knew that Cedric wouldn''t have said anything if he wasn''t truly worried.

    "Don''t worry, uncle, my dad is doing it slowly, he is changing things he felt his father did wrong. For now I''m just attending meetings, nothing exciting." Al chuckled.

    Cedric smiled and nodded, not saying a word as he began to eat his breakfast.

    Soon both Christina and Christopher came down the stairs in very simple clothes carrying facemasks and sses the would hide their identity.

    They also wore wigs that would make them practically unrecognizable.

    "Good job, both of you have yourplete disguise." Cedric praised his children. "Do you want to have breakfast first?"

    "No thanks dad, we have to get there before Emilio wakes up." Christopher said as he dragged Al out of the dinning room.

    "Bye Uncle Cedric, thanks for the pep talk!" Al called out as he waved at his uncle.

    "Bye dad!" The twins called out as they all left.

    "We called your driver, he brought your car up." Christina exined to her cousin. "I was sure you ran here again."

    True to her word, as they exited the house, Al''s car was already waiting for them.

    "Let''s go wake Emilio up!" Christopher said as he quickly sat in the passenger''s seat and adjusted his wig.

 Chapter 1028 1028

    Technically Al, Christopher, and Christina were not allowed to drive yet. They were all too young, but who would scold the children of the Reyes and Lawrence families?

    Aside from the three kids, a bodyguard or driver sat at the front seat as an excuse that they were teaching Al how to drive.

    They pulled up in front of an unassuming apartment building and looked out, making sure that the ce wasn''t being stalked by the Reyes family''s enemies.

    They never assumed that Emilio''s identity was aplete secret, that''s why Cedric made sure that there were bodyguards in the building.

    Of course, none of the children knew this.

    They thought the delivery guy assigned to the building was just a normal person, or that the electrician was simply a friend of the buildingplex''s owner.

    Cedric spared no expense in making sure that his children were safe.

    "You can leave, Emilio will give us a ride home." Al told the bodyguard as he stepped out of the car.

    Christopher and Christina followed his lead, exiting the car and walking towards the apartment block where Emilio lived.

    "Dad lived here too." Christopher told Al, a fact that he didn''t know. "The apartment Emilio is using is the very same one that dad lived in."

    "Emilio has been in that apartment since he was fifteen." Al pointed out as they got to Emilio''s floor.

    "Part of the poverty training." Christina shrugged as they walked towards Emilio''s unit, asionally passing by random tenants.

    They continued to walk in silence, worried that someone would overhear their conversation.

    Emilio still have six years left in his poverty training and his identity couldn''t be revealed just yet.

    When they finally stood outside the door of Emilio''s apartment, one of the twins knocked and waited for their brother to answer.

    They stood outside for a few minutes before starting to wonder why he wasn''t opening the door for them.

    "Emilio!" Al shouted. "Are you in there?"

    "Give me a second." Emilio''s voice came from inside, groaning, clearly he had just woken up.

    "I guess it was quite a night." Christopher chuckled as Emilio opened the door.

    "Why the fuck did you bring my siblings?" Emilio whispered as he quickly stepped out and closed the door behind him.

    "What are you hiding, cousin?" Al asked, suspicious of Emilio''s actions.

    "Nothing. What are you doing here? Let''s go somewhere else, somewhere safe." Emilio said as he tried to usher the younger members of the Reyes family away.

    Christopher gave Al a look making both young menugh.

    "What? What is it? You guys have a secret again that you didn''t tell me!" Christinained, practically shouting, getting the attention of those that lived nearby.

    "Shhhh!!!!" Emilio scolded as he covered his sister''s mouth.

    "Sorry, she''s just loud." Emilio groaned as he looked apologetically to his neighbors.

    Al and Christopher burst outughing again, before Alunched himself towards Emilio''s door and walked in with his cousin.

    "We know you have a guest, Emilio." Al said loudly as Emilio pulled Christina inside and locked the door.

    "What are you guys doing here?!" Emilio shouted as he red at his cousin and siblings. "Stay here, I need to deal with this first."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Emilio marched out of the living room and entered his bedroom mming the door behind him.

    Christina''s eyes went wide with shock when she realized what her cousin and brother''s meant.

    "A girl!" She gasped as she looked at Al and Christopher. "He has a girl in there?!" She asked, shocked by the prospect.

    "He''s twenty two, it''s fine." Al said, rolling his eyes at his cousin as he gestured for them to sit on the couch while he prepared for them coffee and sandwiches.

    "No wonder he was so awkward when we arrived." Christina gasped as she looked at her cousin and brother.

    Al nodded as he walked over and ced their food and drinks on the table.

    "Remember, don''t talk, whoever is in there might recognize you if you speak." Al whispered to his cousins. "I''ll do most of the talking."

    The twins nodded as they heard the bedroom door opening as Emilio and a girl stepped out.

    "Breakfast? Coffee?" Al asked as he pointed to the food on the table as he smiled at his cousin and the woman with him.

    He couldn''t help but notice that the woman was hiding her face, as if she was embarrassed to have been found in Emilio''s apartment.

    "She isn''t hungry." Emilio said in a deepmanding tone, making Al back down.

    He nodded at his cousin and returned to drinking his coffee.

    "I''ll just walk her out then we can talk." Emilio told them as he ced and arm around the woman''s shoulder and walked her out.

    When Emilio was out of earshot, Al spoke up.

    "He cares for that girl." He said to his cousins. "Don''t tease him when he gets back."

    "How did you know?" Christina asked her cousin as she looked up from her sandwich.

    "Bodynguage." Al said with a shrug. "One of the things I learned in the mafia. Emilio is protective of her and he let her stay the night."

    "She isn''t the first one you''ve seen him with?" Christina asked, surprised that her brother had been so active sexually.

    "Yeah, but usually by the morning they are gone and Emilio goes home." Al shrugged as they heard the door open.

    Based on his expression, Al and his cousins could tell that Emilio wasn''t happy with their intrusion. It was rare for his siblings to visit him, even rarer for them to alle over on a Saturday morning.

    "Someone better start exining why you are here or I swear I will have dad drag all three of you home!" Emilio angrily said as he crossed his arms on his chest and red at his cousin and siblings.

    Christopher and Chrstina were quick to point at Al, making him roll his eyes and sigh.

    "Talk." Emilio hissed.

    "Cara''s father is being manipted by people who want to take down both the Lawerence and Reyes families, but I don''t want dad to find out I''ve been working with the Dean Family Mafia." Al said with a shrug.

    "What?! That''s it?!" Emilio was furious with his cousin.

    Al nodded and frowned, he didn''t think Emilio would be this mad.

    "Just tell your dad and get the fuck out of there. You seriously ruined my day and my date because of that?" Emilio was mad as he walked away, furious at Al.

 Chapter 1029 1029

    Al frowned as he watched his cousin and best friend march out of the room and m the bedroom door on them.

    He had not meant to offend his cousin, he just wanted to get his advice and go around the city with his cousins.

    "I''ll talk to him." Al said as he chased after Emilio knocking on the door.

    Christina and Christopher gave each other a look, but nodded at Emilio''s words before talking between themselves.

    Al suspected that they were gossiping about what they had learned about their older brother. Christopher was probably more aware than Christina, who was quite innocent.

    "Emilio!" Al called again as he knocked harder on the door.

    "Go home with my siblings Al!" Emilio shouted back, refusing to open the door for his cousin.

    Al was furious that Emilio was acting so childish over a girl. He understood that he was not happy that the three of them barged into his apartment, but it was just a girl.

    He was sure that if the woman really loved his cousin, she would be back even if Al and the twins had seen her leaving the apartment.

    "Emilio, I know what we did was wrong, but are you seriously mad at me because of a fucking girl?!" Al shouted. "If she really liked you, she wouldn''t care about us seeing her."

    There was no response from the other side of the door.

    "Emilio." Al groaned as he ced his head on the door, annoyed that his cousin was ignoring him. "We need to talk this out, we are family. Us against the world, remember, that''s what you used to tell us when we were kids."

    Al heard the door unlock and shifted his weight in time as Emilio opened the door.

    "You really think I''m pissed because of a girl?" Emilio said, rolling his eyes at his cousin.

    From the dining table, Christopher and Christina looked at Emilio and Al who were now arguing by the bedroom door.

    The apartment was quite small so they could hear everything.

    "Well, aren''t you?" Al asked, confused by what his cousin had said.

    Emilio shook his head and dragged Al to the dining table.

    "Sit." He said as he pointed at an empty seat.

    Al frowned but did as his older cousin asked. He wasn''t happy about being dragged around, but Emilio always had a reason for everything.

    Emilio sighed as he looked at his cousin and siblings. He shook his head as he frowned at them.

    "I''m not mad because you basically cockblocked me for morning sex, no." Emilio''s words made Al and Christoper grin while Christina giggled when she heard what he had said.

    Unamused by their reaction, Emilio kept a straight face, showing no reaction to them. He gave off a menacing aura that would normally intimidate people, but not his cousin or siblings.

    "Anyway, as I was saying, " Emilio said as he cleared his throat. "You put not only Christopher and Christina in danger by bringing them here but you also endangered yourself and the family!"

    Al looked at Emilio, stunned by his cousin''s words. The truth was so far from what Al assumed that he was in shock.

    Emilio wasn''t pissed because his chances with a girl was ruined, he was pissed because he was thinking of the family.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "What if someone recognized the twins?" Emilio asked Al. "They would have immediately reported them visiting an unknown man with a friend with thest name Reyes. There are two missing members of the Reyes family, you and I. It doesn''t take a genius to do the math."

    Al looked down, guilty that they had done something impulsive.

    "But dad knew and he let us go!" Christina argued back, surprising her brothers and her cousin. "You act like we didn''t think of the consequences but dad knew. He even sent extra security adn told us to go around the mall like normal people."

    Emilio looked confused and torn.

    Everyone was aware that Cedric Reyes would never put his family in harm''s way, but at the same time, he stood by what he told Al, it was dangerous to take the twins to his apartment.

    "It''s fine." Al sighed as he ced a hand on Christina''s shoulder.

    She looked at him, confused that he wouldn''t fight back when Emilio had scolded him for being irresponsible when he truly wasn''t.

    "My brother should realize there are more sides to a story than what he sees." Christina insisted as she red at her brother, not looking away as she used him. "If he will be the head of our family, he should not be quick to judge."

    Emilio sighed and nodded.

    "Christina is right." He said, epting that he was wrong. "I should have listened."

    "Okay, now that we''re all sorry and made up, can you listen to Al''s problem so we can go around?" Christopher asked, rushing them.

    Christopher always believed that no fight within the family couldst long and wanted to move on.

    Al, Emilio, and Christina allughed at his words as Emilio nodded and gestured for Al to speak.

    Al stood up and paced across the room, clearly anxious over his current dilemma.

    "Cara''s father is being used and manipted, should I tell my dad?" Al asked as he looked at his older cousin.

    "Of course you should, but I don''t think that''s what is bothering you." Emilio said as he smiled at Christina.

    His younger sister smiled back and giggled, they seemed to know something that Al didn''t.

    "What?" Al asked as he red at the sibling.

    Christinaughed and shook her head as soon as she saw the confused look on Al''s face.

    "You''re worried Cara will hate you when she finds out that you used her to get to her father and that she was merely a mission to you." Christina said with a grin on her face.

    Al cringed when he saw how intimidating his cousin looked, it reminded him of his mother when she wanted to get the job done. It was probably a Reyes family trait.

    "That''s not true. I don''t get attached to the target." Al hissed at his cousin.

    "Oh, I can just imagine how furious Uncle Ray will be when he finds out you joined the Mafia and that the Dean family let a minor go on a mission." Christopher added, making Al turn pale.

    He had forgotten that the biggest issue was his father actually finding out.

 Chapter 1030 1030

    "Let''s go out for a walk." Emilio sighed as he got up and entered his room to change clothes.

    When he emerged they all went out in silence.

    A few neighbors spoke to Emilio and even said hi to Al. They gave the twins curious looks, Al and Emilio were forced to lie that they were Al''s friends from school and Emilio was their chaperone.

    If the neighbors found it odd that the kids were picking the chaperone up, they didn''t say a word. They simply nodded and smiled, they knew that both Emilio and Al were very private persons.

    "Let''s go to the mall!" Christina eximed as they walked down the street.

    Emilio''s apartment was located in the central district of the capital and it was just a short walking distance from the closest shopping center.

    "Always shopping with this one." Christopher said as he rolled his eyes at his sister.

    They all justughed as they continued to walk towards the direction of the mall.

    Of course, like most malls in the capital, this one was owned by the Reyes family as well.

    Normally, if the siblings were to make an appearance in one of the malls, the manager would rush to greet them and the entire ce would be secured by their security team.

    Today it was a different scene.

    When the group of four entered the mall, no one greeted them, they were like every other group of friends entering the mall.

    "No shopping in your usual stores." Emilio warned his sister as she obediently nodded and led their group through the mall.

    "You know what''s nice about our trips like these?" Christina asked her brother and cousins in a low enough voice that no one else could overhear.

    "What?" Al grumbled, still torn by his dilemma. The fact that Emilio made them go to the mall before helping him decide what to do did not settle well with Al.

    "We get to see what it''s like when the staff aren''t at their best behavior." Christina giggled as she pointed at two janitors chatting at the side. "It''s fine, of course, they just feel so worried every time that we will fire them if they aren''t working 100% of the time."

    Al nodded as they continued to walk around, it seemed like Christina had no idea where they were headed.

    "Are we lost?" Emilio asked his younger sister.

    "Kind of." She said with a shrug. "I wanted to see if someone with no prior knowledge about the mall could find shops. That''s how all Pris Malls are nned, but this one is off."

    "You''re working?" Al asked, surprised that his cousin was making the effort to work when they were supposed to be hanging out.

    "Well I can''t not think about these things. I love Pris Malls and I hope that when your mom decides to let go of it, I can be the new vice president, under my brother of course." Christina was so excited that she blushed in embarrassment at the end.

    "It''s fine." Al said with a smile as they continued to walk around.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Al was surprised how much he had calmed down and rxed while they spent their time looking around and carrying the bags of clothes Christina decided they needed.

    "The press would be appalled if they saw you in this." Emilio chuckled as he looked at the local no name brands that Christina had purchased.

    "Ind''s Inc. was practically a no name brand before mom took over. It doesn''t hurt to support local growing businesses. I bought a couple for you guys too. They will get free advertisements just because I like their designs and the quality." Chrstina said with a smile.

    The boys all simply nodded, quite impressed with how Christina acted.

    To the public she seemed like every other daughter of a rich family, pampered and protected, but they didn''t know that due to her own brother''s poverty training she was more exposed to the truth.

    Christina was also more dedicated to the Reyes Group than people believed.

    At a young age she was already attending meetings and joining her father and aunt on work trips together with Christopher.

    "I''ll tell my dad." Al suddenly said as they walked into a cafe in the mall. "This matter isn''t just about me or what I feel. It''s for the safety of everyone, including Cara."

    Emilio nodded, respecting Al''s decision.

    "I pity Uncle Seth though." Christian said as he looked at the menu. "He had no idea his people epted a minor."

    "I''ll just lie and tell dad that I tricked them." Al said with a shrug as he waved a waiter over.

    "Either way, I think you''re doing the right thing, Al." Emilio said as he gave his younger cousin an approving look.

    They ate their meal in peace before eventually making a move to leave.

    As they exited the mall they were shocked when a wave of camera shes greeted them and several bodyguards ran to usher the cousins away.

    "Mr. Reyes is it true that you are the Reyes Heir?" A reporter called out as Emilio nced back, shocked that his identity had been leaked, it was too soon, way too soon.

    "Are the boy and girl with you the twins, your younger siblings?" Another reporter called out as a ck car and more bodyguards arrived on the scene.

    "What the fuck is going on?" Al cursed as they quickly climbed in the familiar Rolls-Royce Phantom, one of Uncle Cedric''s favorite cars. "What is this car doing here?"

    "We were the closest unit to you, sir." The driver said as the door was mmed shut behind Emilio who was thest to get in.

    "How did our identities get leaked and how is it possible that the security team didn''t see that crowd of reporters arriving?!" Emilio asked, furious about what had happened. "Dad will want answers."

    "Sir, we are investigating it now, but I think someone leaked the information." The driver said as he stepped on the gas and took them back home.

 Chapter 1031 1031

    The entire family was gathered in Mountain View mansion, all their security teams were on high alert.

    One of the biggest, most well kept secrets of the Reyes family had just been leaked and they couldn''t figure out who had done it.

    "I want everyone that knew about Emilio and Al rounded up and brought in for interrogation!" Ray shouted, furious that even his son was ced at risk.

    "Calm down Ray." Ayanna Laurence scolded him as she patted the spot next to her on the couch. "Sit down, everyone is doing everything to find out who was behind this."

    Ray frowned but didn''t say another word, he simply walked over and sat next to his wife.

    Emilio nudged Al with his elbow and nodded towards his Uncle Ray.

    "What?" Al asked his cousin, annoyed that Emilio would bring things up now.

    It was already a high tension situation with Ray being furious and Cedric trying to get to the bottom of the problem.

    "Now''s not the right time." Al hissed as he looked around, making sure that none of their uncles or aunts noticed anything suspicious.

    "It could be relevant." Emilio warned his cousin. "If you don''t tell him, I will."

    "It might not be. They were after you, not me." Al grumbled. The chances that Emilio''s identity being revealed was due to Al was very low.

    "Everyone knows the two families are connected." Emilio whispered to Al.

    "What are you two whispering about?" A domineering female''s voice said, making Emilio and Al sit up straight and freeze.

    "Why are you scaring the kids, Katerina?" Cedric asked as the clicking of Katerina''s heels echoed across the room as she walked over to give Cedric a hug.

    "I justnded and guess what I see all over the news." She asked as he crossed her arms.

    "It''s nice to have you back, Kat." Ayanna said as she stood up and hugged one of her best friends. "You have impable timing."

    Kat smiled and hugged her friend back, happy to be home.

    She then turned her attention to Al and Emilio, raising an eyebrow at the two young men.

    They looked at each other and shrugged, neither was willing to admit what their conversation had been about. There was still a possibility that their Aunt Katerina had not heard what they were talking about.

    "It''s either you tell them or I do." Katerina suddenly said, making Emilio look at Al.

    "It''s your secret." Emilio said as he feigned innocence.

    "Emilio, Al, what is your Aunt Katerina talking about?" Ray asked in a stern tone, making Al frown.

    At first Al wanted to remain silent, he didn''t want to get a scolding from his father in front of the entire family.

    "Al has a secret that could or could not be rted to this shit we are in." Katerina said as she grinned at her nephew.

    Al frowned and turned pale, he didn''t think that his Aunt would actually tell on him.

    "Katerina,nguage." Cedric''s wife, Adrianna, scolded her friend.

    "They are old enough, Emilio is twenty two, the twins are sixteen and Al is fifteen. Don''t tell me they don''t curse yet." Katerina pointed out, making Ray roll his eyes at her.

    "Fine, fine, I''ll tell you guys." Al said as he shifted the topic and the attention to him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Well?" Ray asked his son.

    "Dad, I''ve been part of the Dean Family Mafia for at least a year now." Al confessed.

    "I don''t see how this is relevant now, Al, but I''m very disappointed in you! I will be having a word with your Uncle Seth as well after this." Ray hissed as he red at his son.

    It was clear to everyone in the room that despite Ray trying scold his son, he was actually happy as the corner of his lip twitched to a smile, only for him to frown again.

    "Dad, it''s not just that, listen." Al said with a sigh as he took a deep breath.

    He looked to Emilio and the twins for emotional support, the cousins nodded, encouraging Al to speak up.

    "Dad, my current mission in the Dean Family Mafia is to get close to Cara Jao, she''s a student in my school. It was her ce I went tost Saturday." Al said as he looked down, embarrassed about using his friendship with Cara and embarrassed that he had lied to his father.

    "Jao?" Ian Lim said, entering the room, looking as menacing as usual. "Peter''s daughter?"

    "Who was your handler in the Dean Family Mafia?" Ray asked his son, furious that he was allowed to go on a mission.

    Al nervously looked at Emilio afraid of putting his cousin''s friend in the path of his father''s wrath.

    "The guy''s name is Hendrick, he''s Emilio''s friend." Ian answered, making Al''s eyes go wide with shock.

    "Continue." Ray told his son, shifting the attention back. "I''m assuming you learned something."

    Al nodded as he looked at his father nervously.

    "You''ll be king of the underworld someday, don''t let people see your fear." Ray scolded his son as he walked up to Al and lifted his chin. "Speak."

    "Cara has an older brother, did you guys know that?" Al asked as he looked between his father and Uncle Ian.

    "She did." Ian said with a nod.

    "Did?" Al questioned.

    "Colin Jao died four years ago. He messed with the wrong people in Marina City, he was killed by the Essen Mafia." Ian exined to Al.

    "Uncle Stephen''s people?" Al asked, shocked that a familiar foreign Mafia had been mentioned.

    Ray nodded.

    "Why do you sound so shocked Al?" Ian asked the young man.

    "Colin Jao isn''t dead." Al said as he balled his hands into fists. "He is the one working with whoever is after the King of the Underworld. He is the one forcing Cara''s father to leak information, he is using Cara to threaten Peter Jao."

    "Why would he want to hurt his own sister?" Ian asked. "I''m not doubting your information, Al, it just doesn''t add up. Colin Jao was known to adore his younger sister to the point that she never left his side."

    "Adored?" Al scoffed, making his father raise an eyebrow at him. "Colin Jao hates his sister, he mes her for his mother''s death."

    "Get Peter and Cara Jao away from Colin. I want a word with them." Ray hissed.

    Ian nodded and left, off to do the King''s bidding.

 Chapter 1032 1032

    "I want to go." Al argued as he sat in the living room of their ptial mansion.

    "You just want to go because of the girl." Ray told his son as he looked down at him.

    Ray Lawrence had just gotten confirmation that Colin Jao had left the country and was headed for a city called Lowe City on the other side of the world.

    He had managed to get information on how often Colin Jao was in Capital City and who his known associates were.

    "Al this should have never happened anyway, Cara should never have been your friend if your Uncle Seth''s people didn''t allow you into the Mafia. I will fix this first." Ray told his son as a maid announced that Ian Lim and Seth Dean had arrived.

    "I''ll receive them in my office." Ray told the maid.

    He paused and looked at his son for a moment.

    Al looked up at him, practically pleading with his eyes. Ray had never been too stern of a father and often gave in to what his children wanted.

    He however was far more logical than his friends, knowing when stern discipline was needed and when he could be more lenient with his son.

    "Come with me." Ray said.

    Al quickly jumped up and followed his father, he was just d that he wasn''t forced to be in the dark.

    They walked down the more private hallway that led to Ray''s home office. It was quite silent as Al found it quite difficult to speak up to his dad, he didn''t know if his words would cause him more harm than good.

    "Someday, Aldrich, all of this will be yours, not just the wealth or the power, but the responsibility and the dangers as well." Ray exined as he broke the silence. "It''s not easy being king of the Underworld, it never has been, that''s why I want you to be prepared."

    Al stopped in his tracks and looked up at the back of his father''s head as the man continued to walk, not minding that his son had stopped.

    "Were you prepared?" Al asked his father.

    Ray stopped and turned to his son, he shook his head and sighed.

    The look on the older man''s face was conflicted, there was pain and yet Al could see that his father didn''t seem too sad about the question.

    "Let''s not keep your uncles waiting." Ray told his son as he continued to walk.

    Al nodded and followed the man.

    "Your grandfather believed I would have enough time to learn while I was part of the Mafia. He didn''t expect that at a young age I would have to face the possibility of the Lawrence family no longer ruling the underworld." Ray said as he recounted the past to his son. "There was a plotted rebellion, I was forced to dismantle it from the inside and take over from my father."

    Al frowned at his father''sck of detail but made a mental note to ask him about itter on.

    "I was basically a thug trying to be king, and I struggled a lot. You will be a king that has been both a prince and a son of the mafia." Ray exined to his son as they reached the doors of his office.

    Ray stopped and touched the door, he took a deep breath and kept his back to his son as he spoke.

    "Al I''m not bringing you along because of the Jao girl, you will be in this meeting because you will take over for me someday. You were wrong to enter the Mafia without my permission, you were wrong to get attached to the target." Ray scolded in a deep voice. "Don''t let it happen again."

    With that, Ray opened the door and entered his office.<novelnext></novelnext>

    They didn''t have to wait long for Ian and Seth to join them.

    Seth Dean kept his head bowed, clearly guilty from the fact that Al had somehow managed to join his Mafia and even secured a mission that Ray would never have approved of.

    "Did you know?" Ray asked in a cold tone as he red at Seth.

    "That Al was in the Dean family Mafia?" Seth bravely asked.

    "That your people had a mission involving a child!" Ray roared in anger.

    "I knew that Cara Jao was being watched." Seth confessed as he stole a nce at Al. "I knew that we had people on her, but I didn''t know that they ced a minor to watch her. I didn''t even know that we had minors in our ranks."

    "You need to get a better grip over your people, Seth." Ray warned as he red at the man. "Not only are they using children, but stalking a child as well? You know my bottom line!"

    Ray was clearly furious that the Dean family had followed Cara.

    "I will look into it." Seth said as he looked down, clearly guilty about his shorings.

    He and Ray might be friends outside, but in the Underworld, what Raymond Lawerence said wasw and he was his boss.

    Any small mistake made by his people and there would be hell to pay.

    "Did you bring him?" Ray questioned.

    Seth nodded in response.

    "Bring him in." Ray ordered.

    Seth turned and opened the door. Two of the Laurence Family''s bodyguards dragged a man with his head covered by a sack in.

    "No!" Al gasped as he realized who it was.

    Seth made Hendrick kneel.

    From where Al stood he could clearly tell that Herndrick was shaking, he probably knew where he was and who he was about to face.

    He knew he made a mistake but had no idea how muchrger it actually was.

    "Uncover his head, I want him to know who he messed with." Ray said coldly, not showing any hint of emotion.

    Al stiffened as his face became devoid of any emotion.

    At that moment he was the son of the King of the Underworld, not Al Reyes.

    As Seth took the sack over Herndrick''s head off, the door''s to Ray''s office flung open.

    "Uncle, he''s my friend, please, don''t." Emilio said, pleading before Ray and Al as he nced worriedly at his friend who was on his knees.

 Chapter 1033 1033

    "Dad." Al said as he looked his father in the eyes, determined to protect Hendrick as well.

    Ray ignored his son and nephew as he nodded for Seth to bring Hendrick forward.

    "Do you know who you are in front of?" Seth questioned Hendrick.

    The young man shook his head, the fear was very evident in his eyes. He might not know who the people in the room were, but he could see they were important.

    Herndrick had been so focused on Seth, Ray, and Ian that hepletely missed the fact that his friends were in the same room.

    "Do you know who I am?" Seth asked in a threatening tone, one Al had never heard him speak in.

    "D- D- Don Seth." Hendrick answered, his voice shaking as he spoke.

    As a lower member of the mafia, Hendrick never had the opportunity to interact with its leaders, but everyone was made aware of who the true boss was.

    All the members of the Dean Family Mafia were made to recognize how each family member looked and their preferences. The bosses within the mafia didn''t want their people identally offending someone important.

    "It''s your lucky day today, Henrdick." Ian said as heughed, making the hair on Al''s arms stand.

    "The man that spoke to you, is Ian Lim, the right hand man of the king of the underworld." Seth whispered into Henrdrick''s ear, making his eyes go wide with shock.

    He never expected to be dragged in front of such an important person, he didn''t even know his crime.

    All he had done was to simply follow the orders he had been handed out.

    "And the man before you is the King of the Underworld, does he look familiar?" Seth asked as he grabbed Hendrick by the jaw, making him look up and look directly at Ray.

    Hendrick nodded as best he could.

    Seth scoffed and released him, pushing him to the ground.

    At that point, Emilio couldn''t stay silent, he had to intervene.

    "Uncle Ray, he was only following orders!" Emilio shouted as he tried to defend his friend. "You know what it''s like, if he disobeyed he would be beaten or killed!"

    Emilio''s outburst snapped Hendrick from his trance, he looked in shock as he realized that Al stood next to the king of the Underworld.

    He turned to look at the familiar voice that had cried out in his defense and he was shocked to find a very familiar face.

    "E- E- E- Emilio? Al?" Hendrick managed to stutter out as he looked at his friend and friend''s cousin in shock.

    Al frowned as he looked at Emilio, expecting him to exin to his friend.

    Minutes passed, but Emilio didn''t say a word, he remained silent as he looked to his uncle for direction and guidance.

    "You asked me to stop." Ray said as he red at his nephew.

    Emilio was at a loss with what to do. He looked between his uncle and his friend, unsure if he would be allowed to exin to Hendrick the situation.

    "Can Al and I have a moment to exin to Hendrick the situation?" Emilio asked his uncle in a steady voice.

    It wasn''t demanding, but it had enough force in it to make Ray smile.

    This was what he and Cedric wanted their sons to learn, the proper tone and demeanor when speaking.

    He wanted them to understand that they didn''t need to be forceful in order to be respected or followed.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Ian, Seth, we have matters to discuss. Let''s let Al and Emilio have the room." Ray said as he stood up.

    Seth didn''t even nce at Hendric, he simply nodded and bowed his head.

    "We will be in your office." Ray told his son as he passed him and led the rest to the other office.

    When they were gone, Al sat on his father''s chair and Emilio sat next to him.

    "Hendrick." Emilio said with a frown.

    "Who are you?!" Herndick asked, shouting at them. "Why am I at the Laurence Mansion getting beaten up by the head of the Dean Family Mafia while the King of the Underworld and his second-inmand watches?"

    "I knew you were slow, Hendrick, but don''t tell me you couldn''t figure even this one out?" Al chuckled.

    When his father had allowed them to be alone with Hendrick, he knew that the man wouldn''t be punished.

    He had joined enough meetings to know that his father never let a man he wanted dead any leniency.

    "Aldrich!" Emilio hissed as he red at his cousin.

    "What?" Al questioned. "With all themotion from earlier Hendrick should have picked up who we really are. Plus we were hounded by the press this morning, I doubt he hasn''t seen our faces stered all over the news and social media."

    Hendrick frowned at Al''s words, confirming that he had indeed managed to connect the dots and knew exactly who they were.

    "I''d like to get confirmation from both of you." Herndrick said as he looked them in the eyes.

    "You should fear us." Al said with a grin. "If you knew who we were you should fear offending us."

    "Drop it Al, he''s in this mess because of you too." Emilio scolded his cousin.

    Al rolled his eyes in annoyance as he crossed his arms on his chest and leaned back on his father''s throne-like seat.

    "You exin then." Al said, pushing the responsibility to his cousin.

    Emilio shook his head and sighed.

    "As you can probably figure out, I am Emilio Reyes IV, son of Cedric Reyes and Adrianna Hernandez, I am also the heir to the Reyes Family fortune." Emilio exined to Hendrick who still seemed shock despite having figured out the truth.

    "I haven''t seen the news today." Hendrick confessed. "The people from the Dean family mafia picked me up quite early."

    "Probably as soon as dad found out I was in the mafia." Al sighed.

    Emilio nodded in agreement with Al''s words, it was highly probable that as soon as his Uncle Ray found out they were quickly able to trace Hendrick.

    "As you probably know Al is the son of Raymond Laurence and Ayanna Reyes, making us cousins. He is also the future king of the underworld if he takes the job." Al exined to his friend.

    "I don''t understand." Hendrick said as he gave Al a confused look.

    "I''m sure you''re not that slow." Al rolled his eyes, annoyed that Hendrick couldn''t fully grasp what Emilio was saying. "Sometimes I don''t know if your are just ying dumb. I doubt you are truly stupid though, you got into the Reeys Group, they don''t hire stupid people there."

    Hendrick grinned and smiled.

    "Of course I''m not stupid."

 Chapter 1034 1034

    "You''re out to prove something, aren''t you?" Hendrick said as he red at Al.

    He no longer had a hint of fear in his eyes. It was probably because he already knew the two people before him and realized that they weren''t any different from how he truly knew them.

    Al frowned as Hendrick mentioned his desire to prove something to his father.

    "Hendrick, don''t shock my cousin too much." Emilio said with a grin, he clearly knew that Hendrick was much smarter than he led on.

    "Fine." Henrick said as he backed down. "I''ll let the princeling exin then."

    Al red at Hendrick, the air in the room was tense as Al refused to admit that Hendrick had managed to agitate him and caught him off guard.

    "Al give it up." Emilio grumbled as he gave his cousin a stern look.

    "You knew he wasn''t a bumbling idiot?" Al questioned Emilio.

    Emilio sighed and nodded, he knew that Al was not going to let this go.

    Most times, people forgot that Al was only fifteen. He acted way older than his actual age and his height didn''t help either.

    Al was already almost an inch shy of Emilio''s height, his aura was already quite close to that of the future head or the Reyes family.

    "Yes, I knew Al. Why do you think we were friends? Do you think I can be friends with someone I can''t stand. You know well enough that I don''t like stupid people." Emilio chuckled.

    Al epted his cousins answer, but turned his attention to Hendrick.

    "Why did you pretend to be stupid?" Al questioned him.

    "I asked my question first." Herndrick stubbornly answered.

    "You''re in my father''s home at the mercy of my family right now, Hendrick. My cousin might be your best friend, but he cannot protect you from me all the time.

    Hendrick gave Emilio a nervous look, it was clear that Al''s threat had gotten to him.

    "I''d just answer Al if I were you Hendrick, it''s not like you will be able to keep it from him." Emilio said with a shrug as he stayed out of their argument.

    Hendrick sighed knowing that he couldn''t possibly win against someone like Al in his own turf.

    "Fine." Hendrick said in surrender. "I pretended to simply be the minimum amount of intelligence I needed because I didn''t want all the expectations and pressures I grew up with. I also wanted to make friends with people who wouldn''t see me as a threat, ordinary people."

    "You clearly didn''t achieve your goal." Al teased as heughed at Herndrick. "As far as I know, my cousin is your only friend, and I wouldn''t call him ordinary."

    Herndrick rolled his eyes at Al, annoyed at how right the younger man was.

    "It''s not like I knew that Emilio was the Reyes Heir. Do you know how many people have named their sons Emilio in the hopes that he would be as sessful as your grandfather?" Hendrick questioned Al.

    "People have gone as far as trying to change their family names." Emilio added on the side.

    "Sess doesn''te from the name." Al told Hendrick. "Those people are stupid. So what kind of pressure are you hiding from? What is your secret, Hendrick Chua?"

    Hendrick frowned as he noticed that both cousins were not eager to hear what he had to say. It was a story that he hadn''t told anyone, not even Emilio.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "It''s a night for secrets toe out." Emilio shrugged. "We are honestly more than willing to tell you our truths."

    "Hurry up, dad mighte back demanding his office back." Al rushed.

    "Do you remember a few years ago there was this medical and scientific prodigy that graduated university at thirteen, medical school at sixteen, and people were saying that he would soon rece your uncle Miguel?" Hendrick asked as he looked down, avoiding the two men''s stares.

    "That was you?" Al asked, shocked that Hendrick was actually a hidden genius.

    Hendrick slowly nodded, unable to deny the truth.

    "I was an apprentice under Dr. Miguel Chan when I just felt like it wasn''t the life I wanted." Hendrick shrugged. "He tried getting me to work with your other aunt, Natalia, butb work wasn''t my thing either."

    "So you left?" Emilio asked as he processed what his friend had just said.

    "I ran with the help of Dr. Chan''s son, Dominic." Hendrick told the pair, much to their shock. "I guess if they saw me again they would recognize me."

    Emilio sighed and nodded.

    "It makes sense that Dominic would help him." Al chuckled. "Hi might not be Uncle Miguel''s biological son, but he gets enough pressure from being rted to him."

    "Your secret will be safe with us." Emilio told Hendrick. "But not for long. My father and mother will want to invite you over since you''re my only friend outside our group, so be prepared."

    Hendrick nodded and smiled.

    "The Chans never pressured me, the real pressure came from my own family. I am actually grateful for your uncle and aunts, they helped me cope. They extended my childhood and your cousin helped me run." Herndrick said with a genuine smile on his face.

    "I guess we need to tell you our stories now, not that Emilio has much to tell." Alughed as he looked at Emilio, who was scowling at him.

    Hendrick simply smiled as he tried tobine their true identities to the people he knew the cousins as.

    "You are right, you know." Al said as his expression and demeanor turned serious. "I did join the mafia to prove myself."

    Hendrick nodded as he listened patiently to the younger man.

    "My dad and his cousin, our uncle Alexander Sebastian, both joined the mafia at eighteen and they thrived. They quickly became notable members and when the time came my father easily took over the position of king of the underworld." Al said as he recounted his father and uncle''s history.

    "The senator Alexander Sebastian?" Hendrick asked, surprised about something.

    "Are you shocked he is my uncle or by the fact that he was part of the mafia?" Al asked, confused by Hendrick''s reaction.

    "Obviously by the fact that he was part of the mafia! He''s been a government official for years, he''s supposed to uphold thew, not break it." Hendrick pointed out as if he was trying to remind Al that he was a genius and not an idiot.

    "Right, yeah, it''s part of being a Lawrence and he is a Lawrence through his mother. It was his obligation to apany dad." Al exined. "So I simply wanted to prove that I was better."

    Hendrick''s jaw dropped at Al''s exnation.

    "And I think my son has proven that he is." Ray Lawrence said as he entered the room, this time he had morepanions than when they had left.

 Chapter 1035 1035

    "Sorry about ruining your heart to heart talk, kids, but we need the room, and you two, stay." Ray said in a stern tone as his son and nephew stood up and moved to their proper seats.

    "Uncle."

    "Father."

    Al and Emilio both greeted as Cedric Reyes entered the room with his best friend and brother-inw.

    "You should have told me you wereing here." Cedric said with a chuckle. "That way we wouldn''t have needed two cars."

    Hendrick''s jaw dropped when he realized that the other man with them was the famous Cedric Reyes, CEO of the Reyes Group, Head of the Reyes family, and the most powerful man in the capital.

    "The matter hadn''t been settled, I thought you would stay at home till the traitor was found." Emilio told his dad in a more serious tone.

    "You will head to work on Monday as usual, as if nothing had happened." Cedric told his son.

    "And I can return to the apartment?" Emilio already knew that this would be impossible. He had actually enjoyed his freedom while under poverty training and understood why his father missed the simpler days.

    "Packed up, you''re moving back home." Cedric tly told his son, much to Emilio''s dislike.

    "What if I got a ce and moved into an apartment. Somewhere close to R Tower?" Emilio suggested.

    "Have you saved enough to live in a secure building that can fend off paparazzi and assassins?" Cedric questioned as he narrowed his eyes at his son.

    "No, but-"

    "You aren''t just anyone Yoyo." Cedric reminded him. "There will always be people after you."

    "Don''t be too harsh on him, Cedric." Ray said, taking Emilio''s side. "I can give him an apartment. Couldn''t give him avish gift on his birthday so this could be it. He is my godson after all."

    "You spoil him." Cedric told Ray, rolling his eyes.

    "He''s old enough, Cedric. At his age you were already married." Ray reminded his friend as heughed. "And Emilio has more hidden undertakings than you do."

    Emilio looked at his uncle in shock.

    He had established a few smallpanies for the future, but he didn''t know that his uncle was aware of them.

    "There is very little that escapes me." Ray reminded everyone in the room.

    "Except your son joining the Mafia." Ian coughed making everyone but Ray and Hendrickugh.

    The poor young man was so confused by the interaction. He thought the King of the Underworld would be furious when he returned, but now they wereughing and teasing one another as if they were normal people.

    "You''re scaring Hendrick." Al pointed out as he grinned at Emilio''s friend.

    "Right, right, on to business." Ray said as he sat behind his desk.

    Cedric chose to remain standing as he leaned against the wall.

    "You are lucky." Ray said as he looked at Hendrick, who straightened himself as soon as he noticed Ray Laurence''s attention on him. "You are not just my nephew''s friend, but also quite an asset for the mafia, if I''m not mistaken."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Thank you, sir." Hendrick said as he bowed his head slightly.

    "Rx, Hendrick. You''re not in any trouble." Seth chuckled.

    Hendrick didn''t quite believe the older man since just a few moments ago he was bowing too.

    Sensing Hendrick''s hesitation, Al spoke to him.

    "Rx, my dad isn''t mad. If he were truly mad at you, he would have you jailed and tortured by now." Al said with a smile.

    Hendrick slowly nodded. Hearing that the man before him could quickly shift from kind fatherly figure to murderous king of the Underworld was still unsettling.

    "Seth has confirmed that it has been a practice for many Mafia Families to hire young men to do menial tasks and that this was the first where a big mission was given to someone so young." Ray said in the hopes that Hendrick''s fear will be eased.

    "You have to admit, dad, my actions still saved us a lot of time and resources." Al pointed out as he crossed his arms on his chest. There was no way he was going to let his dad forget that what he did was a big help.

    "It still ced you in danger and crossed a bottom line, we never go after minors." Ray told his son. His tone was dangerous, as if sending a warning to young Al.

    "Fine. Yeah it did." Al admitted.

    "But yes, it also probably saved a lot of lives, but from now on no missions until you are eighteen. For now you can help with administrative work and sit in on meetings, when the timees I will give you the freedom to join a mafia or a gang if you choose to do so." Ray said, admitting that what his son had done had helped them a lot.

    "But dad, I''ve shown that I''m capable-"

    Aldrich was stopped mid sentence when his father red at him and raised his hand, telling him to stop speaking.

    "Alrdich Perseus Lawrence, you will listen to me and you will follow what I say." Ray practicaly shouted at his son, much to everyone''s surprise. "This mission might have been a sess but if they found out who you are you weren''t capable of defending yourself or escaping."

    Al bowed his head and nodded.

    "Yes, dad."

    "And you made the biggest mistake of getting attached to your target, you know that is wrong." Ray told his son.

    Al had nothing to say in his own defense.

    All he could do was nod and agree with his father''s words.

    "Unfortunately we need to use that attachment of yours now." Ray said with a sigh as he looked at Ian and nodded for him to exin further.

    "We''ve taken Cara and her father into custody, they will be moved here tomorrow." Ian informed Al.

    "Here?! Are you serious?!" Al asked, shocked that his father would let a possible spy into their home.

    "I want to show them that we aren''t the enemies, Al, that we can help them." Ray said in a much kinder voice.

    "You do know that when Cara finds out that I used her, that our friendship was all a lie, she will hate me? Right?" Al asked.

    "She doesn''t have to know that you''re the reason they got found out." Ray told his son. "And really Al, we all know it wasn''t fake."

 Chapter 1036 1036

    Hendrick looked around nervously as he felt he was witnessing a discussion he shouldn''t be part of.

    "Don''t worry, you belong here now, kid." Ian chuckled as if he could read Hendrick''s mind.

    Cedric grinned at the young man before speaking.

    "It is tradition for us to choose and groom the Reyes Heir''s assistants before the Reyes Heir takes his ce in thepany." Cedric exined to Hendrick and the others in the room who were not aware.

    "In our time it was I and a woman that now goes by the name Cami Ming, wife of one of the richest men in China and a CEO by her own right." Ian exined. "The role isn''t one you will take on forever, but you will be needed to help out every so often."

    "Are you asking Hendrick to be one of my assistants?" Emilio asked, shocked by his father''s offer. "You still haven''t found one?"

    Cedric smiled and shook his head.

    "No, not yet. No one seemed to fit. Everyone that applied was just so desperate for the role, it was as if they knew we were searching." Cedric exined to his son.

    "Sir, I don''t think I''d be a fit for the role." Hendrick said in a small voice as he looked down.

    "Hendric Chua, did you really think that we never knew the truth about you?" Cedric asked as he smiled at the confused young man.

    Hendrick frowned and nced at Emilio as if he was begging for help.

    Emilio simply responded with a shrug and shook his head.

    "I think you''re forgetting how powerful thebined resources in this room actually are." Rayughed as he enjoyed how confused and lost Hendrick looked.

    He had been thrown in the center of a very powerful family drama and now he was being offered a permanent ce.

    "I spoke to Miguel and he told me that your biggest issue was the fact that everyone was pressuring you to seed." Cedric said as he gave the man a sympathetic look.

    Hendrick nodded slowly in response. It was clear that he was still quite wary of the powerful man.

    "I can''t promise you that there will be no pressure in this line of work.:" Cedric began to say.

    "Dad, I don''t think this is the best way to convince him." Emilio grumbled as he heard the first part of his father''s speech.

    "Let me finish." Cedric Reyes said as he red at his son, making the younger Reyes back down.

    "As I was saying." Cedric Reyes cleared his throat and regained his train of thought. "The job is still a high pressure one, but you won''t be alone." Cedric exined. "You won''t be the one under the microscope either, it will always be the Reyes Heir or the CEO when he does take the position."

    "Plus people will always underestimate you with the title Assistant." Ian added with a wink.

    "The role isn''t an assistant in the traditional sense, it''s more like the Reyes Heir''s Vice President for everything, his right hand man, the person who will get the job done." Cedric further exined. "You will grow into your role with my son, you will work with everypany under the Reyes Group under a discreet program."

    Hendrick nodded as he considered his options.

    Emilio could see that his friend was seriously considering the offer.

    "What happens after?" Hendrick asked as he looked at Ian. He was clearly directing the question to his predecessor.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Cedric nodded, encouraging his friend to answer the question.

    "Well, for starters your future will be up to you." Ian said with a smile. "I had one goal when I took Emilio''s grandfather''s offer, and that was revenge. The Reyes family promised me the support I needed, and after that I decided to continue to grow my own family''s legacy."

    "So how did you end up working with Al''s dad?" Hendrick asked as he nced at the king of the underworld.

    He couldn''t help but wonder how the terrifying man seemed so kind at that moment.

    "I have always been part of the Dean family mafia. Seth was my friend in the Reyes Group and I joined the Mafia to support him and to strengthen my connections." Ian exined. "When the Mafias encountered some problems, Ray offered me the position as his right hand man and I epted."

    "So you work for both of them now?" Hendrick asked.

    "Yes." Ian answered with a nod. "You won''t be forced to quit the Mafia if you''re Emilio''s assistant. It bes more of an asset than a liability, although I see you coursing all help needed through the princeling over here."

    "Stop calling me that." Al grumbled.

    "You don''t have to decide now." Cedric reminded the young man before him. "We don''t want to pressure you into the decision. Ian can walk you through the benefits since he lived with it."

    Ian nodded, agreeing that he would.

    "Okay." Hendrick said as he promised to consider the offer.

    "Good, now, let''s move on." Cedric dered as he walked over to the door and opened. Mae came marching in with aptop and ced it on a desk to the side.

    "He''s the potential recruit?" Mae asked as she looked at Hendrick, assessing him.

    "You can interview himter." Ian chuckled. "Get on with what you found out."

    Mae smiled and pressed a button on theptop, triggering a projector toe out of the ceiling.

    "As far as we know, Emilio''s identity has been revealed. He used himself to shield Al as they rushed from the entrance of the mall towards the car." Mae exined. "There will be no denying his identity or hiding the truth."

    Cedric frowned at the news, he had hoped that the photos of his son had not been clear enough.

    "What of Al?" Ray asked as he looked nervously at the projected images.

    "His identity is intact, but those that knew he was cousins with Emilio will figure out who he is." Mae informed Ray as she produced a sheet of paper and handed it to him. "As far as we could tell, these are the people."

    "They are mostly tenants at the apartment or Emilio''s friends." Ray said as Al stood up and was handed the document by his father.

    Al reviewed the list and nodded in agreement as he gave it to Emilio for confirmation.

    "My friends never met Emilio, I was careful." Al told his father.

    "I guess now we just need to gather them up." Ray said with a grin.

 Chapter 1037 1037

    When Al woke up on Sunday morning, he thought it would be anotherzy morning before heading out to work with his father.

    The underworld did not rest, and between Laurence Holdings and the Underworld, Ray Laurence had a lot of work to do.

    "Get dressed, we have guests." Ayanna Laurence, Al''s mother said as she turned her son around and ushered him back to his room.

    It was clear that she was annoyed about the unannounced visitors, but it must have been some very important people for her not to put up a fit.

    Ray spoiled his wife, if she wanted something, she got it. It didn''t help that she had her own means of getting what she wanted. She just like asking her husband for it.

    "Formal?" Al asked as he tried to figure out what clothes to wear.

    "Something casual that screams intimidating." Ayanna said with a smile. "I''ll go warn Andres, he can''t avoid this one."

    Al chuckled at the thought of his younger brother trying to escape through the back door again.

    If Al hated dealing with public events, Andres hated dealing with people.

    "Good morning, brother." Al''s sister, Angelica Laurence greeted him as she walked elegantly down the hall, already dressed and ready, as if she knew they were having guests.

    "Did you know?" Al asked her as he looked at how she had dressed, making sure that nothing was out of ce.

    "When I went out for my morning run I heard the maids talking about some guests arriving, so I made myself presentable." She said with a smile.

    Angelica was five years younger than Al, but she was the one that took her training for the mafia most seriously.

    As early as now Al could already tell that his sister would be at his side when he took his ce as king, while Andres would help him deal with Laurence Holdings.

    "Mom isn''t going to be happy." Angelica giggled as she continued to walk away, making Alugh. She was right, their mother was not happy.

    Al quickly changed and rushed down, only to be surprised by a familiarugh as he rushed down the stairs making him stop in his tracks.

    "You''re so nice." Cara cooed as Al slowed his steps.

    "You should meet my brothers, they are nice too. I''m happy that there will be another girl in the house, even if you''re older." Angelica said in a sweet tone.

    She had already mastered how to manipte people into doing what she wanted. She would be very dangerous when she grew up, an asset to the family and to Al.

    "Angel, why don''t you give Cara a tourter with Andres?" Ray suggested as Al finally made it to the bottom of the staircase.

    He heard a gasp that was definitely from Cara as he turned and smiled.

    "Al?" Cara and her father both asked in chorus.

    "Cara, Mr. Jao." Al said as he didn''t show a hint of surprise when he saw them.

    "Why aren''t you shocked to see us here?" Cara asked as she eyed Al. "Why are you here?"

    "It''s nice to see that you are acquainted with my eldest son, Aldrich Laurence." Ray said as a form of introduction between Al and the Jao family.

    "No, no, no, his name is Al Reyes, he''s my ssmate!" She said in shock, shaking her head.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Dad, can I speak to Cara alone?" Al asked his father, he needed to exin things to her so that she didn''t hate him.

    "After we speak with her father. Your mom, Angelica, and Andres can give them a tour around the property. They will be staying with us for a while." Ray told his son as he gestured for Al to sit down next to him.

    Al did as his father asked as Cara continued to re at him. He desperately wanted to exin why he had kept his identity a secret, but his father refused to let him, an act that confused the young man.

    He thought that they had agreed that he needed to patch things up with Cara, but now it seemed Ray was stopping him.

    "So you know my big brother?" Angelica asked Cara as she moved to sit next to the young woman.

    Cara nced at Al and nodded slowly.

    "Are you friends?" Angelica asked, acting like a curious ten year old.

    "Yes. We are." Al said, answering before Cara could.

    She red at him but said nothing more.

    "Ah my beautiful wife, Ayanna Laurence and my second son Andres Laurence." Ray said as he saw Ayanna and Andres walking down the stairs.

    Al resisted the urge tough as he saw the scowl on his brother''s face.

    "Darling, this is Peter Jao and his lovely daughter Cara." Ray said as Ayanna smiled and greeted them. "Cara is, coincidentally, Al''s friend from school."

    "Oh, that''s surprising, Al barely has friends he actually likes." Andresmented, making Alugh and shake his head. What Andres said was true, the only person he liked in his school was Cara. Everyone else was quite annoying to him.

    "Wait, was it Cara''s and Peter''s house that you went tost weekend?" Ayanna asked as she feigned a shocked expression.

    Al was sure that his mother had been fully briefed about the Jaos and why they needed to stay at their home.

    "Yes mom." Al nodded. "Cara is probably the only friend in school I actually like, the others just want to be my friend."

    "And they don''t know who you are yet." Andres added with a grin. "Imagine if they knew you were Ray Laurence''s son, Cedric Reyes'' nephew, they would all be tripping over each other to be your friend."

    "That''s what happens to you in school, right Andres?" Angelica giggled as she threw sharp words at her brother.

    Andres simply red at his little sister but eventually brushed thement off.

    "We''ll continue this conversationter. For now, Aldrich and I will speak with Peter, give Cara a tour of her house for the next few days." Ray said as he stood up and gestured for Peter to walk with him to his office.

    Al gave Cara a longing nce as he watch his mother and sister usher her away.

    "Can I join you?" Andres asked Al.

    "I thought you preferred the legal side of things." Al asked as he raised an eyebrow at his brother.

    "I''d like to give the other side a try as well." Andres said.

    Al simply nodded, if Andres wasn''t allowed, their father would send him away.

 Chapter 1038 1038

    To Al''s surprise Ray didn''t stop Andres from joining them. He simply raised a curious eyebrow but let his other son sit in.

    "Please be seated Mr. Jao." Al said as he gestured for Cara''s father to sit in front of his dad.

    Ray sat behind his desk, on a throne-like chair that made him even more intimidating than normal.

    "Mr. Jao, do you know why you are here?" Ray asked as he looked Peter Jao in the eyes.

    Al walked to his father''s side, as he turned to face Peter Jao, he saw in the other man''s eyes his fear.

    "Sir, please, you can hurt me but not my daughter. I''m begging you, she''s innocent. Her only crime is that she is mine." Peter Jao began to sob as he desperately begged for Cara''s life.

    Ray didn''t say a word as Peter Jao got on his knees and begged.

    "Was he good to you when you visited?" Ray asked Al as he looked at his eldest son.

    "He was." Al said as he nodded at his father.

    He indeed believed that Peter Jao would do anything and everything for his daughter. He would change sides just to protect her, he would be a puppet for the king of the underworld if that''s what Ray Laurence demanded.

    "You know about my bottom line, don''t you Mr. Jao?" Ray asked as he looked down at the man.

    Al couldn''t help but wonder what his father was thinking at that moment. He knew his father would never harm a minor, especially one like Cara that was innocent and had a genuine heart.

    "Sir, yes, your majesty. I know that you don''t involve minors. My Cara is innocent in all of this, I swear." Peter sobbed as he remained on his knees.

    The man that looked so tough when Al first met him now looked so fragile and breakable.

    Al knew that all he had to do was reach out and harm Cara and the man would fall into pieces.

    "Your daughter is safe, but I will need you to cooperate with me and answer a few of my questions." Ray said as he leaned forward and looked at the man. "Is that understood?" Ray asked as his voice echoed across the room.

    "Y- y- y- yes sir." Mr. Jao said, his tone more hopeful than fearful this time.

    "Aldrich, Andres, help the man up." Ray ordered his sons.

    The two boys were quick to act, not wanting to make their father wait. They also didn''t want to send the wrong message to Peter Jao.

    "Mr. Jao, you and your daughter will reside here indefinitely. I want to be able to keep an eye on you both." Ray said in a stern tone showing that there was no space forpromise.

    "Yes, sir." Peter Jao nodded, agreeing to the first term.

    "I know about your son." Ray said as he waited for Peter Jao''s reaction.

    The man was shocked, he tried to look at Al to see if the prince of the underworld was responsible for telling his father.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Aldrich didn''t know about your involvement with the Mafia." Ray practically shouted, forcing Peter to look directly at him. "My son told me about his friend, her father, and her brother, but when it registered that you were the same person I found it quite ironic."

    Rayughed at the situation, as if it were purely coincidental, which it was not.

    Al was sent to spy on Cara, his information was what brought the father and daughter duo to their home.

    "My people have been watching your son, I have friends in Marina City, friends that you would fear too." Ray said as he smiled.

    Peter nodded and looked down in defeat, he knew there was nothing he could do at that point. He had lost. His only way to survive was to do as Ray wanted.

    "You will stay in contact with your son, but you will tell him you have gone into hiding and that he shouldn''t try to find you just yet." Ray instructed. "You will give him information we feed you."

    Peter looked at Ray and Al could tell that he wanted to say something.

    "Speak." Ray said, giving him permission to voice whatever worry was on his mind.

    "My son will be able to tell that I''m feeding him false information. There is no way for me to infiltrate any of the Mafia or gangs." Peter told Ray.

    Ray nodded as he considered what to do next.

    "You''re actually smart, it''s sad that you have a son like Colin." Ray said, sympathizing with the man. "I''ll have one of your old loyal informants released by ident, he will contact you, feed you the information."

    Peter nodded as he epted Ray''s n.

    Ray sighed and leaned back, they would be living with Peter and Cara in the same building for the next few weeks, maybe months.

    "Sir, I never wanted to betray you." Peter said as he anxiously yed with his fingers like a child. "I have been loyal to the Dean Family for years, but my son is my son and I cannot just watch him suffer and die."

    "Your son chose his fate, you are allowing him to drag you and Cara down by not cutting him off." Ray lectured. "I hope you aren''t a bad man, Mr. Jao, there is still hope for you to return to your old life if you prove to be loyal."

    Peter Jao nodded as Ray stood up and led them back out.

    "Walk with dad." Al told Andres as he pushed his younger brother ahead of them.

    Al walked next to Peter Jao with his head held high while Cara''s father looked down at the floor.

    "Do you care about Cara?" Peter asked Al.

    "She is my only friend that isn''t family at the moment." Al answered.

    "Please protect her, I am willing to pay with my life just to keep her safe." Peter swore as they returned to the living room where Cara was waiting with Al''s mother and sister.

 Chapter 1039 1039

    "You can talk to Cara in your room, it''s fine. I trust you." Ray said as he nudged his son towards Cara.

    Al couldn''t figure out why his father insisted on him joining the meeting with Peter before speaking with Cara. But after sitting in on so many of his father''s meetings and watching him act as king over a business empire and the underworld, Al chose to simply trust his decisions.

    He was sure that his father would speak to himter on. Ray never failed to give Al an exnation for things that he noticed bothered his son.

    "Cara, can we talk?" Al asked in a sad voice as he offered her his hand.

    Cara didn''t smile or frown, but she took his hand as he led her upstairs.

    There was an awkward silence about them as they climbed the stairs. Al would steal a nce every so often as he tried to read what Cara was thinking, but her expression remained calm, not giving much away.

    "What do you think of my sister and mom? I''m sorry if they were too much." Al said as he broke the silence, hoping that Cara would be more at ease around him again.

    "They were nice." Cara simply answered.

    "My sister seems to like you." Al told her as they reached the top of the stairs and Al guided Cara towards the wing of the mansion where his room was.

    "Angelica is a sweet girl, innocent. She wears her heart on her sleeves." Cara''s answer seemed too diplomatic, too adultlike.

    Al frowned, he couldn''t help but wonder if this was how Cara was treating him because of his real identity.

    He also found it slightly amusing that Cara thought Angelica was showing her true emotions. Out of them all, their sister was one that could hide them the best and fool people the most.

    "I think my mom is worried about you." Al said as they stopped by the door of his room. "My mom doesn''t like it when my dad''s work involves the innocent."

    Al gestured for Cara to enter his room.

    She did so, and the moment Al closed the door behind him, Cara''s hand came down, pping him on the cheek.

    Al raised his hand and touched where she had pped him, he didn''t know whether to be mad or amused.

    Cara had always been the silent type, so her doing something like this caught Al off guard.

    He was proud that she was learning to stand for herself, but it wasn''t as fun when he was on the receiving end.

    "Will you listen to my exnation?" Al asked her as he sighed and walked toward a couch and sat down.

    He patted the space next to him, asking her to sit.

    She hesitated for a moment, butter on gave in and sat next to Al.

    "You know about my cousin, right?" Al asked as he looked Cara in the eyes. "The heir to the Reyes fortune and his poverty training?"

    Cara nodded slowly as she listened to Al.

    "My father believed it was a brilliant idea, plus it would give Emilio somepany while he was flying under the radar." Al exined as he took a deep breath.

    It was the first time that he had to truly exin to anyone that hiding his identity was a way to guide him and protect him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He looked at Cara for a moment as he tried to get some idea into her thoughts, but Cara remained calm and unreadable, much to Al''s disappointment.

    "I didn''t want to lie to you Cara, trust me, I hated that you could invite me to meet your family but I couldn''t invite you to meet mine." Al sighed and shook his head.

    Cara nodded silently as she took in what Al tried to tell her, but it still didn''t seem to be enough.

    "Ask me anything." Al said as he held her hands and urged her to speak. "I''ll give you the truth." He promised.

    "Did you know who my dad was when I invited you over? Did you know that he had betrayed your dad and your people?" Cara asked, the look in her eyes was desperate.

    Al wanted to tell her the truth, he wanted to, he hated lying to his only friend, but if he told her the truth it would have worse consequences.

    They needed Peter''s cooperation, they needed Cara to remain calm to want to stay with the Laurence family.

    Al needed to think about the bigger picture.

    "I didn''t know." Al lied. "I had an idea that your dad might belong to the underworld when I saw how things were set up at your home."

    "So you didn''t tell your dad about mine?" Cara asked as she held her breath.

    "No." He said, lying again.

    Cara smiled and hugged Al.

    "I''m sorry." She cried out. "Dad''s always told me that people want to use me to get to him, and Colin, oh Colin, you''ve met my brother, he didn''t help when it came to trusting people."

    Al didn''t say a word he simply ced his hand on Cara''s back and gently patted her. He tried to calm her down as she continued to cry in his arms.

    "You''re my first real friend." Cara dered as she continued to cry. "I know I didn''t tell you the truth about my dad either, but I''m sure you understand why."

    "My dad is a very scary and dangerous person." Al chuckled as he tried to lighten the mood.

    But it was still the truth.

    Cara had to lie.

    Cara had to keep her distance from people because the king of the underworld was a very dangerous man and her father and brother had betrayed him.

    "Anything you want to ask, just ask. I''ll do my best to be honest with you." Al said as he smiled at Cara. "And to be honest you''re my only friend too."

    ? Cara giggled, making Al smile.

    All he could hope now was when the truth came out, Cara would forgive him, that she would understand that lying to her was not his choice.

    But a part of Al knew, that he would lose Cara the moment the truth came out.

 Chapter 1040 1040

    "So why our school?" Cara asked as she and Al walked down the hall back to joining his family and her father.

    Al was d that he had been allowed to tell Cara the truth she needed to hear in private. He was even surprised that his father had allowed him to bring her to his room.

    Under normal circumstances, if Cara was just an ordinary friend that knew about his identity, they wouldn''t be allowed to hang out in his room.

    He knew that his father cherished privacy, so allowing Cara into their more private living area was a show of trust towards Al.

    Ray knew that to Al, Cara might have started out as a mission, but she was more than that now.

    "It was far enough from home that I''d have to take public transportation to get there and home, it was close enough that in an emergency I could be easily secured." Al exined as he recalled the reason why that school in particr was chosen.

    "So we just so happened to study in the same one?" Cara asked, suspicious still about the circumstances.

    "The students and parents were also rich enough to be snobs, but not rich enough to know who I was." Alughed as he recalled one of the descriptions about the ce. "It was Emilio that pointed that bit out."

    Cara smiled and nodded, she couldn''t help but agree.

    "Why would your family want you to study in a ce like that? Most of the students looked down at me, I can''t help but imagine it could have been tough for you at the start." Cara sighed as they walked down the stairs. "It must have been hell not having your usual resources at your disposal."

    "Cara, that''s the purpose of the Reyes Family''s poverty training. We''re supposed to experience life without our name, we''re supposed to rely only on our own skill." Al calmly exined.

    Cara nodded as she listened to Al.

    "As you saw, I didn''t need my Laurence family connections to turn that school into my own little kingdom." Al said with a grin as he boasted to Cara.

    He had been itching to tell someone about how he didn''t need his father''s name to get people to follow and respect him. A sign that he was truly capable.

    "You have the Reyes name though." Cara teased him as they joined the rest of the family.

    "I see things are better between the two of you." Ayanna, Al''s mother said as she smiled at her son and his friend.

    "Al exined things to me, Mrs. Laurence." Cara said, suddenly turning shy in front of the adults.

    "Please, Cara, I''m not that old." Ayanna gave her a kind smile. "You can call me Aunt Ayanna or just Ayanna would do. You''re Al''s friend, plus you''ll be living here for quite a bit."

    Cara smiled and nodded.

    "Thanks, Ayanna."

    Angelica suddenly squealed as she pulled Cara''s arm.

    "Can I help you decorate your room?" Angelica asked, as he looked at Cara with excitement. "Dad said you could decorate your room! I wanna help."

    "Angelica." Al said sternly as he made eye contact with his willful younger sister.

    "It''s fine Al." Cara chuckled as they noted a pout on Angelica''s face. "Of course you can help."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Angelica smiled and stuck her tongue out at Al.

    Al rolled his eyes, he knew that Angelica was not that excited to be around Cara, that a big chunk of it was because they needed Cara to be happy at their home.

    "Angelica, why don''t you and Cara take one of the drivers, I''ll give you my card and you can shop for whatever they need." Ray suggested to his daughter and their guest.

    "Can Al and Andrese?" Angelica asked with a hopeful look in her eyes.

    "Andres may, but Al has to stay." Ray told his daughter. "We have business to discuss with Peter."

    "I''ll apany them, dear." Ayanna said with a sweet tone as she ced a hand on her husband''s arm. "It will be much easier to shop as well if we have the entire mall closed. Cara won''t have to be unnecessarily exposed to any risk."

    Cara''s jaw dropped at Ayanna''s suggestion. Al resisted the urge tough as this was actually a normal conversation in his home.

    "If you''re doing that, might as well get Adrianna and the others to join. She will be sad if she isn''t invited and Chrstina will get jealous if Angelica is there and she isn''t." Ray added with the most serious expression on his face as he thought of a way to appease his sister-inw.

    "Mom, Dad, I think you''re scaring Cara." Al chuckled as his friend red at him.

    "Oh." Ayanna gasped as she looked at the girl who did seem lost.

    "What if Emilio and I took Cara shopping with us?" Al suggested.

    "Not Emilio." Ray told his son as he shook his head. "News just broke out about his identity, people will be keeping an eye out for him."

    "What if Cara and I went alone?" Al asked as he gave his father a tentative look.

    "Cara needs more friends." Ayanna said with a frown as she looked at the young woman. It was clear that she had been isted from others for quite a while now.

    "Will Christina, Amanda, and E be eptablepany? They can wear disguises." Al suggested. "I''ll ask Eric too, he just got home and I bet he''s itching to get away from Auntie Katerina."

    Ayannaughed and nodded.

    "Won''t Christian get jealous?" Ray asked his son.

    "He has ns. We both do." Andres said as he answered for Al.

    "After we talk about business." Ray said as he nodded, agreeing to his son''s request. "You will take the driver and the bodyguards."

    Al sighed and epted his father''s terms.

    It was a valid request since there were so many of them going. Eric was with them as well and there a high chance of him getting recognized by the public.

    "You can rest for now Cara, we will just deal with business." Ray said as he, Peter, and Al left.

 Chapter 1041 1041

    The car ride from the Laurence family''s home to the headquarters of the king of the underworld was quite awkward.

    At one point, Ray had Al ce a blindfold on Peter and cover his head with a sack.

    Although Ray was fully aware of the fact that Peter was not a willing participant in the plot to take down his empire, he still didn''t trust the man.

    For now, Peter was cooperating because of Cara. Her safety and happiness came first for him, but if things changed, Ray was not willing to risk endangering the entire organization.

    When they finally pulled up to the driveway, Peter tried to remove the blindfold.

    "Not yet." Ray told him as the door opened and one of the bodyguards escorted Peter inside.

    Ray allowed Peter to walk ahead, making sure he and his son were out of earshot before speaking to Al.

    "I hope you know that I''m doing this not because I doubt your information." Ray exined as they slowly made their way to his office. "I trust it, I feel like Peter was not a voluntary participant in this plot, but I need to take precautions."

    As he processed his father''s words Al nodded. He was d that his father trusted his information.

    "People can still use Cara against him if we are reckless." Ray told his son. "Then there is a matter of his priorities shifting. We never know if he could suddenly love someone more than he does Cara, or maybe Cara falling out of her father''s favor."

    "Don''t worry dad, I understand." Al spoke the truth.

    He knew that there was still a risk of the Jao''s turning on them especially if Cara found out that he had gotten close to her because of her father.

    "Good." Ray said with a nod as they stopped in front of his office.

    Al was confused as to why his father suddenly stopped. Al was in somewhat of a rush since he wanted to take Cara shopping with his cousins and their other friends.

    He really wanted to make it up to Cara.

    Their friendship may have started under the pretense of him working for the Dean Family Mafia, but he finally admitted to his mistake. He got attached to his target.

    Ray took a deep breath and turned to his son, he frowned and hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

    "Today might be a little heavier than normal." Ray exined to his son as he looked at him with sad eyes. "We will have to be tough when ites to questioning Peter and those he had identified as traitors to us."

    Al nodded as his father spoke.

    Growing up, Al, his siblings, and his cousins were no strangers to how harsh the underworld was.

    It was a known fact that their fathers had done things that were not considered morally correct.

    Al knew that his uncle Cedric did his best to minimize the illegal activity of the Reyes family and the Reyes Group, but his father didn''t have that luxury.

    As king of the Underworld it was part of his job description to run the illegal world, all he did was keep it in check and make sure that it didn''t affect too many innocent people.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Dad, I''m not a child." Al said as he gave his father a smile. "I know what you do."

    "Oh Al, you are definitely a child in our eyes, wait till you and Emilio take over, then you''ll wish you had the option to bail out." Ray chuckled as he shook his head, probably reminiscing when he and his brother-inw, Cedric took over.

    "I''m sure I''ll always be a child in your eyes, dad." Al grinned as he thought of how his grandparents sometimes treated both his father and mother.

    "If your Grandma Prisci was still alive, then you would see your mom being treated like a real child." Ray added as heughed at the memory of his mother-inw. "But with all that being said, I want you to know that if it is too much in there for you, you can leave."

    Al nodded as he understood that his dad was giving him the option to dy the inevitable.

    Whether or not Al watched it now or in a few years, if he wanted to take over after his father, he needed to see the painful and disturbing workings of the Underworld.

    "Let''s go." Ray saidwith a nod when saw that his son understood his words.

    Inside, Ray''s office looked as pristine as ever, Peter stood to the right with two bodyguards nking him and another two standing by the door.

    "You can remove his blindfold." Raymanded as he sat down behind his desk.

    Al took his spot next to his father as one of the guards came over and poured Ray some whiskey.

    "On your knees." Ray said as Peter did not hesitate and did as he asked.

    Ray smiled as he looked at the man before him, he nced at his son to make sure that Al was fine with what his was witnessing.

    Al kept his eyes on Peter, as the man without question knelt before Ray and Al.

    From the start Al knew that his father was not done with Peter. The man had betrayed him and his people, there was no way he would get away so easily.

    Al had seen and heard enough to know that a man on his knees was bad news.

    The king of the underworld would demand penance for his actions, and it would not he light.

    "Just because I allowed you and your daughter to stay in my house means you have escaped the punishment you deserve." Ray said in a cold voice as he looked down at the man on his knees.

    "I am aware, my king." Peter said as he kept his head down.

    "Good." Ray said with a nod as he gestured for the bodyguard to take action.

    The man stood in front of Peter Jao and punched him in the gut.

    A king didn''t need to get his hands dirty when there were people to do it for him, but that didn''t mean Al could ck off. He knew his father took things into his own hands sometimes.

    "Now, before you pass out. Give me the names of some of the traitors and how to prove they did something wrong." Ray demanded with a grin as Peter nodded, ready to give Ray all he asked for.

 Chapter 1042 1042

    Peter Jao was very cooperative.

    He gave Ray a list of names, where in the Mafia and Gangs they worked and how to catch them. In total he gave up about twenty, which was much less than Al expected, but too much to rest peacefully.

    When all the names were given, Al watched as his father nodded at a bodyguard.

    The man quickly exited, probably to call on the heads of the different Mafias and Gangs.

    "Are any of the leaders traitors?" Ray asked as he looked Peter in the eyes.

    "I don''t know." Peter confessed.

    "Could there be someone that high up?" Ray asked as his tone calmed down for a bit.

    "It''s possible." Peter replied with a nod as he continued to look down at the floor.

    "May could be jealous of your power as king." Al added as he joined in on the conversation. "I don''t think it would be too much if we hid the source of our information."

    Ray nodded as he epted his son''s advice.

    "Take Mr. Jao to the safe room." Raymanded as the bodyguards helped him up.

    As they passed Ray, he raised up a hand, making them halt next to him.

    "Don''t think this is over, Mr. Jao." Ray hissed. "You are not done paying for your betrayal. I hate traitors and liars the most, it would do you good to remember this."

    Peter meekly nodded as he showed that he understood Ray''s words.

    "Take him away." Ray hissed as the guards walked Peter away.

    Al could see the confusion on their faces when Peter didn''t even fight them. He came with them peacefully despite Ray''s threat.

    When Peter was secured, Ray turned to Al and sighed.

    "The meeting could be dangerous." Ray warned his son as he looked Al over. "Some of the names that Peter gave were pretty high up in some groups. I want you to be ready."

    As he spoke, Ray opened his drawer and handed his son a gun.

    "Some may try to fight, I just want you to be prepared. Stand behind me if things get heated." Ray told his son as a knock came from the door.

    "Enter." Ray called out as he nodded at Al, signaling for him to behave.

    Ray had already asked all the leaders of the different Gangs and Mafias under hismand to join him at the headquarters, so gathering them didn''t take too long.

    The most intimidating men in the country slowly entered the room, bowing in front of Ray and Al as they passed.

    Al did his best to look as the future king of the underworld should. The men marching in would work for him in the future, if not them, then their heirs. So it was important that he had a respectable image in front of them.

    In time they would also be intimidated by him as they were of Al''s father.

    The door m shut behind them, with the bodyguards exiting the room to give the leaders some space.

    They all remained standing as Ray''s eyes scanned the group.

    It was quite a mix of personalities.

    There were some that stood elegantly like movie stars or businessmen, like Francesca Ri''s brother, Andres Ri for whom Al''s younger brother was named.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Then there were those like Seth Dean, who you wouldn''t even notice if you were walking down the street.

    He looked like any ordinary citizen, but in reality he controlled thergest Mafia in the country.

    Of course there were others that truly looked the part.

    One was a gang leader called T, interestingly his real name was John, quite in for the leader of one of the biggest gangs within the Capital.

    T was covered in tattoos and was quite buff, he had a dangerous aura about him as he scanned the room. He was probably assessing the other leaders around him.

    T was the newest leader to join the group, their former gang leader had handed him the role after being it that spot for ten years, a long time considering that most Gang Leaders usually left or died by their fifth year inmand.

    He was the one Al need to watch out for, he could already see T giving his father a questioning nce, one that didn''t settle well with Al.

    Another man that managed to stand out was Fredrico, a leader of a mafia family. He was an older manpared to everyone in the room.

    He was quite round and had a strong stench to him that Al attributed to whatever perfume he used.

    Like most of the mafia leaders, he had inherited his role from his father.

    The room remained silent as they waited for Ray to speak, no one even coughed as they were all clearly anxious.

    "There has been an attempt to take down our organization as a whole." Ray dered as he looked at each of the leaders.

    He didn''t invite them to sit, instead they all remained standing as they listened to his news.

    "Spies have been ced in most of the gangs and mafias." Ray dered as the leaders looked among themselves.

    None dared to speak.

    It was a very big blunder on their end to let someone untrustworthy to enter their organization.

    "How bad is it, sir?" Andres Ri asked as he addressed Ray formally.

    "You may need to sit for this one." Ray said a knock came from the door.

    While the leaders sat, one of Ray''s secretaries, a man, entered the room with a stack of documents. He ced it on the desk before bowing to Ray and Al before leaving.

    When the door closed behind the secretary, Ray spoke again.

    "Based on our sources, and we have quite a reliable source, these people have infiltrated leadership roles in your organizations." Ray announced, much to everyone''s surprise.

    Al could tell that they were all anxious. He couldn''t even figure out which leader had been aware of a traitor in their ranks and which ones were genuinely caught off guard.

    "If I may speak, sir." Andres Ri said as he waited for Ray to give him permission.

    Ray nodded and gestured for him to talk.

    "We have been investigating a few men, is there a way to find out if he is on the list?" Andres asked Ray.

    To everyone''s surprise, Rayughed and shook his head.

    "Not a he, Andres, she." Ray said with a frown. "It seems that many of you have underestimated what women are capable of finding out."

 Chapter 1043 1043

    "I doubt it''s my sister." Andres Ri quickly said as he erased whatever doubts the other leaders had against Francesca Ri.

    "Of course it''s not Francesca." Ray shook his head, amused that Andres thought he still needed to defend his sister against those that would question his choice to co-lead the Ri Family with his sister.

    "A woman, her name is Ana, I suggest you go looking for her." Ray said as he handed a file to Andres. "She''s been silently climbing thedder, she isn''t anyone exceptional."

    Andres nodded as he walked over and took the file.

    "I''ll look into whether she has any other allies among my people." Andres sighed as he flipped through the document. "I can''t believe we didn''t spot this."

    Ray sighed and shook his head.

    "Don''t worry, you aren''t the only one that let someone slip through the cracks." Ray announced as he began to call out the names of different gangs and mafias, informing them about which member was a traitor.

    When he finally got to thest two he looked up.

    "T, was it?" Ray asked as he pretended that the man''s name was no value to him.

    T nodded as he took a step forward.

    "It seems that they were only beginning to infiltrate your gang, but this one might hit quite close to home." Ray said with a frown as he flipped through the pages of the document.

    "Sir?" T asked, his tone was quite humbled, something that Al didn''t expect.

    "Her name is Nora, does it ring a bell?" Ray asked as he looked up from the document.

    T gulped and nodded.

    There was a guilty look in his eyes, Al knew that this couldn''t be good news. He looked pained and torn with what was happening.

    "Sir, I dated her a while back, I honestly had no idea." T said with a frown as he looked down with guilt.

    "Were you the one that brought her into the gang?" Ray asked as he asked questions that weren''t on the file.

    "No, sir." T said, shaking his head. "We met in the gang. So I didn''t do much of a background check since she was already on the inside."

    Ray nodded as he took out his pen and jotted something down on the file before handing it over to T.

    "I''d suggest finding out who brought her in and who were her friends at the beginning." Ray suggested as T took the folder with the file.

    T looked at the document, his eyes went wide with shock before calming down. It seemed that the file contained something that T didn''t expect.

    He quickly calmed down, and only Al and Ray could possibly have seen his reaction.

    Al gave his father a questioning look, but the older man ignored him. It must have been something quite serious for Ray not to give him an exnation.

    "Fredrico." Ray called out as thest man approached.

    He was clearly older than Ray with his balding head and white hair.

    "Sir." Fredrico said as he bowed to the King of the Underworld and his son.

    "It''s Nina." Ray said with a frown as he handed the man the document.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "It can''t be." Fredrico gasped as he tore through the files. His reaction showed how shocked he was when the name was mentioned.

    Fredrico shook his head as he read through the file, his was the thickest with probably the most evidence.

    "We had to get everything to be sure, I''m sorry. I know you adored her as a daughter-inw." Ray said, his eyes became softer for the first time as he was faced with Fredrico''s pain.

    "I don''t understand." Fredrico''s hands were shaking, he was clearly stunned by the new pieces of information he had seen. "I had her thoroughly checked. She was only dating Aman and I already had her background checked."

    Ray sighed and frowned.

    "She met a man named Colin on a ski trip with Aman." Ray began to say as Al suddenly looked at his father.

    "Colin?" Al asked, unable to control himself from asking.

    Ray slowly nodded as he confirmed that they were thinking of the same person.

    "This Colin, she''s been cheating on my son with him?" Fredrico asked, he was clearly furious as he looked through the evidence.

    Al didn''t know what was in it, but it was clear that there was proof of an extramarital affair based on Fredrico''s question.

    "She has." Ray confirmed with a nod. "This Colin seems to be the contact of other traitors and spies, we are hunting him down, but we need you to discreetly cut off those that have betrayed us."

    "Surely he will be suspicious if all his contacts vanish." Al asked his father as he looked at him, shocked that his father would order such a quick elimination.

    Ray nodded and looked proudly at his son as he questioned his father''s decision.

    "You''re right, Aldrich." Ray said, calling his son by his full name. "Nina can be the first to go." Ray looked at Fredrico as he spoke.

    "Thank you, sir." Fredrico said as he bowed.

    "I understand that the pain of this betrayal is worse, so you can use that as a reason to dispose of her. I give you free reign, but I would prefer her dead, one where there would be no room to question the motives." Ray instructed, to which Fredrico nodded.

    "Cheating on my son with some random man is more than enough." Fredrico said.

    Ray proceeded to mention several names including T''s, Andres'', and Seth''s.

    "Those that I mentioned, I''d like for you to stay. Those that I didn''t, you may go, I want your traitors investigated and gone in two months." Ray announced giving them a long enough timeline.

    Death was definitely not the only thing that the leaders had in mind for the traitors.

    They all would want not only to impress Ray, but they also wanted revenge. There people had made them look like idiots in front of the king of the Underworld, it was an unforgivable crime.

    "If we might ask, sir, how did you find out about these people?" One of the gang leaders asked as he dared to speak.

    "A new member of my own group, he''s a very good spy." Ray announced without ncing at his own son.

    In a way, Al did belong to what was the royal court of the underworld, he was it''s prince.

    "This person must be quite skilled to see what our people could not, sir." Another leader praised.

    "He is indeed," Ray said with a nod as he dismissed the first batch of leaders.

 Chapter 1044 1044

    When the room was cleared Al noticed that the men left were an assortment of the most powerful and least powerful Mafia and Gangs.

    Al couldn''t see a pattern, it confused him.

    "With the exclusion of Nina, your people are the ones we have the most evidence against." Ray exined as he looked at his men, all eager to do as the bossmanded. "I will set tests of loyalty, but unlike ordinary, this will be a test of their loyalty to me."

    All the leaders remained silent.

    It had always been assumed that if a person was loyal to their leader they were loyal to whomever that person was loyal to.

    "How will we know if it''s a test?" One of the gang leaders asked.

    "You won''t." Ray said with a grin. "You may all go."

    The leaders were stunned that Ray had just uttered a single order and dismissed them. Ray was never the type to simply give orders and dismiss people.

    "I suggest you all leave." Ian said as he walked into the room with a new stack of documents. He was followed closely by one of Ray''s assistants from Laurence Industries.

    Due to the rushed nature of the day''s events, it seemed that Al''s father had his assistants and secretary bring whatever work he needed toplete to the underworld headquarters.

    "Andres, Seth." Ray said as he looked up and nodded at them.

    When they saw his actions the two men stayed back and the other leaders didn''t question it. They knew that both men had proven their loyalty to Ray multiple times and that they knew him at a personal level.

    As the door mmed shut behind thest leader leaving, Ray finally rxed.

    He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened it again, gone was the harsh gaze that he gave the other leaders, he now had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

    "Did Seth or Ian tell you who my little spy was?" Ray asked as he grinned at Andres.

    Andres shook his head, eager to hear who had been so skilled that he was able to gather information that even their best people couldn''t.

    "He''ll probably be furious at me too!" Seth eximed as he poured himself a ss of whisky and drank it all in one gulp.

    "You''re looking at him." Ray chuckled as Andres gave Ray a confused look.

    "What do you mean, you''re the spy?" Andres asked as he tried to figure out what Ray meant.

    "No me, him." Ray pointed at Al who was looking down, a little bit embarrassed by the fact that he had betrayed Cara and her father.

    "Al?" Andres looked at the young man, shocked that Al was the spy. "I thought you had a rule, Ray, that the kid wouldn''t be involved too soon!"

    "I did." Ray said as he red at his son.

    Alughed and shrugged.

    "I went behind dad''s back, joined the Dean family mafia and got assigned a mission that only a minor could aplish." Al exined to his uncle Andres.

    "Really Al, I''m hurt." Andres said as he gave a pained expression. "Why did you have to choose those brutes over me? The Ri family would be more that happy to wee you."

    "Andres! He is a child!" Ray scolded the man as he shook his head.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "It''s not like hecks the capacity to be in the Mafia or Gang." Andres argued as he looked at Al and winked. "If hecked it, then he wouldn''t have managed to get the information you needed."

    "He got lucky." Ray hissed. "He made a big mistake, it was good I was there to clean it up."

    Andres chuckled and shook his head.

    "You act as if you were perfect from the start." Andres said as he pointed an usatory finger at the king of the underworld. "You made your mistakes too, what did Al do wrong?"

    "He got attached to the target and crossed my bottomline." Ray hissed.

    Andres went pale when he heard what Al had done, but he quickly brushed it off and countered Ray''s words.

    "He is learning, just like you once were, just as we all were at one point. At least this time his blunder could be saved and he had you. It''s better than if he made the mistaketer on." Andres said as he defended the young man.

    Ray frowned but chose not to argue further with his friends.

    He simply sighed and began work on the documents on his desk.

    "How did this evene about? How did you learn about traitors?" Andres asked, he was the only one in the group who had remained unaware of the truth.

    "Peter!" Al suddenly gasped as he looked at his father.

    In all the excitement it seemed that Ray had forgotten about the man hidden in the safe room. Now that only those that Ray trusted were left, he could be brought out again.

    "Calm down, I haven''t forgotten about him." Ray told his son as he continued to work without lifting his head.

    "Peter?" Andres asked as he raised an eyebrow at Seth, who was standing next to him.

    Seth gave him an awkward smile and nodded.

    "Peter Jao, the very man we''ve been trying to find." Seth confirmed.

    "The traitor?" Andres was clearly shocked to hear the very same man was being mentioned in their conversation.

    "He''s in the safe room." Ian added,ughing at the situation.

    "Why the hell is a man that betrayed us in the safe room? Shouldn''t he be tortured and killed?" Andres questioned, clearly furious with the situation.

    "Because his daughter is the one Al got too close to." Ian chuckled as the matter was now in the past.

    Al could recall the anger he saw in his uncle Ian''s eyes when he discovered that Al had be friends with Peter Jao''s child.

    "WHAT?!" Andres shouted, shocked with how things had developed.

    "Calm down." Ray said, rolling his eyes and putting the documents he had aside. "He will help us as long as his daughter is safe."

    "How sure are you that we can trust him?" Andres asked as he looked Ray in the eyes.

    "We aren''t." Ray said with a mischievous smile. "But as long as he is cooperating we will maximize it. Now, sit, I have a n to tell you."

 Chapter 1045 1045

    Al was slightly bothered by his father''s ns when Ray had ordered for Peter to be released from the safe room.

    "Peter Jao." Andres said, shaking his head with his Italian ent.

    Al knew that his uncle Andres faked the ent just so that he could sound more authentic. The Ri''s had long been removed from Italy and had settled in the Capital for over four generations, making them one of the oldest mafia families in the country.

    He kept the ent since it not only made people fear him more, but ording to him it also made thedies swoon.

    "Don Ri." Peter Jao said as he bowed to the other man.

    "I didn''t think I''d ever see you again, well I thought I''d see you bloody or in a coffin." Andres said with a grin. It was as if there was underlying tension between the two.

    "Now, now, aren''t those matters in the past?" Ray asked the two men as he nodded for the guards to let Peter sit.

    "He made Helene run!" Peter Jao hissed angrily as he red at Andres Ri. "She was safe and this world was hidden from her, but you stupidly got her involved and she ran!"

    "Helene?" Al asked as he nced at his uncle Ian. "Cara''s mother?"

    To his surprise Ian shook his head and sighed.

    "Peter and Andres go way back, they were almost brothers." Ian exined as he frowned.

    They watched as the two men continued to re at each other while Al processed this new bit of information.

    "Helene was Peter''s brother." Ray sighed as he finished processing the scenario before him. "I didn''t think that Peter Jao was the same man that was Helene''s brother. The one that charged on dinner one night and punched Andres."

    "We never heard the full story of that one." Ian frowned as he looked at Andres and Peter. "Andres was a changed man after she left. He never dated and he started to groom Alejandro to be his heir."

    "All we knew was that the man that had charged into the room was Peter Jao, Helene''s brother and that he was furious at Andres." Ray added.

    "How did someone escape Uncle Andres'' anger?" Al couldn''t help but question.

    Andres Ri was no ordinary man, an act as small as raising your voice at him could send you to prison or have you locked up and tortured.

    Al loved his uncles, but he was also well aware about how vicious and unforgiving they could all be.

    He knew that they needed it, that they had to be that way in order to maintain fear and respect from their people.

    "Seth saved his ass." Ray chuckled as he recalled what had happened.

    "I bet Seth was pissed when Peter betrayed him." Ian said with a frown as he noticed everyone starting to calm down.

    "Why are you keeping him alive, Ray?" Andres asked as he red at Peter.

    Al could see a different kind of anger in his eyes, one that he had never seen from his uncle. He was shocked that Andres didn''t pull out a gun and shoot the man.

    "Because he is our inside man." Ray said as he gave Peter a sympathetic look.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Ray proceeded to exin how Al was a friend to Peter''s daughter,pletely skipping the part where it was Al that gave them the information in the first ce.

    When he was done, the men were nodding as they carefully processed the information.

    "It''s the Dean family that has the most traitors among its ranks, but I want Colin and the people behind him to continue thinking our attention is on Peter." Ray exined his n.

    Al wanted to question his father, he opened his mouth slightly, only to shut it close again.

    His hesitation and actions did not go unnoticed, Ray might not have been looking directly at his son, but he could feel the hesitation.

    "What is it, Al?" Ray asked. "Don''t be afraid to ask questions, there might be things that we have missed out."

    Al nodded as he looked tentatively at his father, he didn''t expect to be encouraged to speak up.

    "Wouldn''t it be best to get rid of more spies? We don''t know if they can influence other people as well." Al said with a frown. "They will be dangerous especially if they tell people that they will have more power if they side with them."

    Ray nodded as he considered his son''s words.

    "You didn''t think of that, did you?" Ian grinned as he saw Ray''s expression.

    "He''ll be a good leader someday." Andres said as he looked impressed at Al. People will follow him out of respect and not just fear, much like you."

    "Suck up." Seth teased, making everyone in the roomugh, including Peter who wasn''t feeling quite weed by the group, and why would he, he betrayed them.

    "Build teams of people we trustpletely." Ray instructed as the aura turned serious again. "Make sure that no one in the team they are in can be swayed."

    "Add someone that they don''t know." Al suddenly added, speaking out of term.

    He suddenly covered his mouth when he realized what he had just done. He basicallymanded his Uncle Seth despite his father still giving out orders.

    "It''s fine, Al." Ray said in an attempt to calm his son down. "Mind telling us why you want someone they think they can sway?"

    "Not just one, maybe two or three." Al did his best to keep his voice steady, he knew that the men in the room all had more experience than he did and that he had no right to give out orders.

    "Why?" Andres asked with an amused smile on his face.

    "I''m assuming you already know why, Uncle Andres." Al said as he raised an eyebrow at his uncle.

    "It''s much more fun hearing it from you." He answered, grinning from ear to ear.

    "We want them to target those people. They need to be the ones they try to influence." Al exined as his father nodded.

    "I have the perfect people for the job." Ian said with a smile as he took out his phone and dialed a number.

    "Tristan, you should go shopping with Al today." Ian said as he spoke to his son as he gave Al a knowing wink.

 Chapter 1046 1046

    Al and his driver picked Tristan Lim, Arthur So, and Eric Chan.

    Ray and Ian had agreed that the three boys were not only old enough, but they were also quite low key enough to enter the mafia and help with the mission.

    Eric was the youngest being a few months younger than Al. But since Al was already involve, they knew that Eric wouldn''t want to be left behind.

    If his Aunt Katerina didn''t travel so much they were certain that Eric and Al would have been best friends. But they all understood why she needed to leave the country so often, it seemed that everything reminded her of Eric''s father.

    "Dad said you have something to brief us on?" Tristan asked as he sat next to Al.

    It was Arthur that took the seat next to the driver as he felt a little bit out of ce with the others who were technically his nephews.

    Al nodded as he did his best not to be nervous.

    Unlike the members of the mafia, his friends and family could reject his proposal and he would need to search for recements.

    "There are people on the outside that want to take down the underworld. They want to take power from my dad and his people." Al said as he exined the situation. "We managed to find the main link, the person working the most on the inside and we struck a deal with him."

    "Exciting." Eric said with a grin as he leaned forward to listen to Al. "What was the deal?"

    "We protect his daughter, find a way toe out of this unscathed, we give them a second chance." Al inly exined. "As a matter of fact, you''ll be meeting his daughterter. Her name is Cara and she''s my friend."

    "So where do wee in?" Tristan asked as he carried a serious expression on his face.

    Tristan looked more like his mother, he had her lightplexion and they had the same eyes, his hair however he got from his father, they had the same ck hair.

    If Tristan wasn''t the son of Ian Lim he could always find work as a model, but his hearty in the same ce as his father, working in the familypany.

    It had been thrown around that Aldrich should consider Tristan for the position as his right hand man just as Ray had taken on Ian.

    But Tristan didn''t have the same disposition as his father when it came to being second fiddle, and Al respected that.

    He knew that his childhood friend would do better as a leader on his own rather than taking orders from Al.

    "We''ve identified the traitors, but we need to know more. This has to be a well calcted move and nothing can be overlooked." Al exined as he looked the three other men in the eyes. "We will be surrounding them with people we can trust, but they will need targets, people they think they can use and manipte."

    "And you think we can be those people?" Arthur asked as he pointed at himself.

    Al nodded as he tried to get more based on their bodynguage.

    "Well I''m in." Eric said proudly, not even thinking twice about volunteering for the mission.

    "Wait a minute, you and Eric are minors, Al. What happened to your father''s rule of not involving minors?" Tristan questioned.

    He had grown up around the Underworld ruled by Raymond Laurence, he knew well enough that his uncle Ray never allowed minors to get involved.

    "It''s a special case, nothing too dangerous." Al said as inly as he could.

    Tristan frowned but didn''t disagree.<novelnext></novelnext>

    If he had any doubts or concerns, he didn''t tell Al, he simply epted that Ray and all the main members of his core group had allowed minors to participate.

    "I''m in then." Arthur said with a grin on his face. "We rarely get to do anything exciting, I''d like to finally be useful, cousin." Arthur winked, making Al smile and nod.

    Tristan sighed and shook his head.

    "You all know that it''s never safe work with the Underworld, right?" Tristan asked as the cautiously looked at the other men in the car.

    "We know, we''d be stupid to think it was an easy mission." Eric said,ughing and shaking his head.

    Among their group he was the most easy going.

    "Aren''t my dad and yours worried that we will be recognized?" Tristan asked as he looked tentatively at Al.

    "No, not really. We aren''t out in the public as much as Damien or Christopher." Al said with a shrug. "We aren''t the hottest piece of news like Emilio is. We will fly under the radar."

    Tristan nodded as he considered the situation.

    After a few minutes of silence, Tristan nodded.

    "I''ll do it." He said, smiling at Al. "We''ve grown up around the Mafia and the Gangs, it''s time we actually got involved."

    "I''m surprised you agreed." Al chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

    "Just because I don''t want to be second-inmand doesn''t automatically mean I don''t want to be involved." Tristan pointed out.

    "I just thought you''d end up scolding me." Al said, rolling his eyes at the older man.

    "I''m not that obnoxious." Tristan said as they neared the mall.

    "So we get to meet this friend of yours?" Eric teased as he raised his eyebrow at Al.

    "Yes, she was my target, I made the mistake of getting attached. She doesn''t know the truth so you guys have to shut it." Al said as he noticed they weren''t headed for the ordinary mall entrance.

    He couldn''t help but release an audible groan as they pulled up in the private entrance his family normally used.

    When he stepped out of the car, they were greeted by Leon, the Reyes family''s head of security.

    "Mom and Auntie Adrianna are inside, aren''t they?" Al asked as he sighed.

    "Yes, with your cousins and aunts. The mall was closed so you can all shop." Leon answered as he gave Al a sympathetic look.

    "Cara will be overwhelmed." He said, concerned about his friend.

    "She looked like she was getting along quite well with your sister and Christina. Who knows, maybe she was born to be part of this family." Leon teased, annoying Al even more.

    It was now or never, he knew Cara would have even more questions after she met the rest of his family.

 Chapter 1047 1047

    "Ah there they are!" Ayanna said as she waved at Al and his group as they arrived in the mall.

    "I thought we agreed not to close down the mall just to shop." Al groaned as he gave his mother a hug.

    "Well, we couldn''t let a youngdy be stuck with you picking out clothes and furniture, you have no taste." Christina mocked, making Al roll his eyes at his cousins.

    "This is too much." He grumbled as he stalked over to where Cara was standing.

    She was chatting with Emilio, Andres, and Angelica while Christopher walked up and nudged Al.

    "So what''s the deal between the two of you?" He whispered to his cousin.

    Their aunts were all too busy fawning over Eric, they hadn''t seen him in over a year since Katerina Chan''sst job took her far away.

    "We are just friends." Al hissed.

    "So she''s the target you got too close to? She''s cute." Christopher added as he ran up to his siblings,ughing.

    He knew Al wouldn''t dare do anything with Cara so near.

    It was obvious to everyone that Al cared about Cara and that he was willing to do anything to keep her happy and safe. It was just the extent of that care that they questioned.

    Al was quite young so the adults weren''t sure if he was just being friendly with Cara or he had other feelings.

    "Al!" Cara eximed as she gave him a genuine smile.

    She seemed at ease with his sister and cousins as they waved at him to join them.

    "I hope my aunts haven''t overwhelmed you." Al chuckled as he stood next to Cara, worried that his family had gone overboard and scared her.

    Cara smiled and shook her head, she seemed genuinely happy with her first interaction with his family and their friends.

    "Everyone is quite kind." Cara told Al. "Your aunt Adrianna is much nicer and much prettier in person." She praised.

    "Wait till you meet our dad." Christinaughed as she shook her head. "Everyone says he is much more in person."

    "Much more what?" Cara asked as she gave Christina a confused look.

    "More in every aspect." Emilio responded with a sigh.

    Al knew that his cousin had always been worried if he would be able to live up to what the head of the Reyes family symbolized.

    These years under poverty training was supposed to give him a reprieve and a way to build himself into the man he was expected to be, but it was cut short when someone betrayed them.

    "You''re doing fine." Al said as he gave his cousin aforting pat on the shoulder.

    "It''s just-" Emilio began to say before realizing that they were in public.

    As the future head of the Reyes family, Emilio had always been careful about how he was perceived in public and how much he let others know.

    He was generally a private person, even among their family and friends.

    "We can talkter." Al said with a nod as he returned his attention back to Cara.

    "Shall we?" He asked Cara as he offered her his arm.

    Cara smiled and nodded as she hooked her arm in his and they walked around the mall.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Most of the employees had been dismissed and only those that had a certain level of clearance were allowed to stay.

    They had taken a careful inventory of everything before leaving and the family would simply jot down what they had taken.

    No one ever questioned if they had lied, after all, there was no reason for them to steal when they were rich enough to buy everything they wanted.

    "Isn''t this too much?" Cara asked as she looked at the luxury bag that Christina had handed to her.

    "No, not really. It doesn''t even scream designer, there are no logos and only the truly rich can tell what brand it is." Christina exined.

    Her choice had been practical, if it was too loud Cara''s ssmates would ridicule her and call her a fake.

    "Based on what Al has told us about your school, no one is truly rich." Eric pointed out as he gave his cousin a smile.

    "If there were, then someone would have figured out who I was by now." Al said as he grinned and nodded.

    "So this really isn''t too much." Christina insisted.

    "Fine." Cara said as she gave in.

    As they continued shopping, Cara became more and more at ease around the other kids her age, making Al happy that she wasn''t awkward around his family.

    "So, mom said I can enroll in your school." Eric said as he ran up next to Al.

    "Won''t you be recognized?" Al questioned his cousin.

    Eric shook his head and grinned.

    "I''ll dye my hair, that should be enough to confuse people. I''ll also wear contacts, my eyes apparently catch too much attention." Eric shrugged.

    "You''ll be taking the bus with me and Cara home every day. Are you sure you want to live like that?" Al warned Eric.

    "There are worse ways to go to school." Eric chuckled. "I''m not as sheltered as everyone, I think you are forgetting that. I''m not like Christina and Christopher who need bodyguards just to get around. I''ve lived under the radar for years."

    Al was silent for a few moments as he considered what Eric wanted.

    "You''ll be the new kid, you''ll get bullied." Al pointed out. It was something both he and Cara had gone through.

    "Nothing new. Plus I''ll have you and Cara." Eric shrugged.

    "Fine, if you think you can handle it. It''s not like we can stop you." Al said as he gave up trying to discourage Eric.

    "Perfect! I hope we are ssmates. Oh and when do we go over the mission details? Did uncle Ray tell you I''ll be living at your ce for a while? Mom apparently needs to help Uncle Cedric settle some matters." Eric said as he dropped another bomb on Al.

    Al rolled his eyes at the thought of more people living at their ce.

    Eric and his Aunt Katerina normally lived in a differentmunity at the other end of the Capital.

    "We''ll talk about it after Cara gets settled. For now dad is having someone set up our HQ at home." Al exined to Eric.

    "Perfect, this is so exciting, like one of the movies dad used to act in!" He exined catching Al off guard.

    "I thought Aunt Katerina didn''t let you near those." Al pointed out.

    "I''m fifteen, not a child. I have my ways." Eric said with a wink, making Alugh.

 Chapter 1048 1048

    Monday rolled in pretty quickly as Al, Eric, and Cara, ran from where the car had dropped them off to get on a bus.

    Due to there being three of them now, Ray had heightened security around the bus stop and the school.

    No one knew that three very important people now attended their school.

    "Wait!" Al shouted as he spotted the bus about to leave.

    Luckily the bus driver already recognized him at that point and stopped for him and hispanions.

    They quickly hopped on, panting as they tried to catch their breath.

    "Friends of yours?" The bus driver asked, a little bit too nosy for Al''s tastes.

    "My cousin and my friend." Al said with a nod as he gestured for Cara to walk ahead and find a seat.

    "I told you those contacts looked more in." Cara called out, practically whispering as they found three empty seats at the end of the bus.

    "Yeah, you''re right, these attract less attention." Eric said as he looked at himself through the front camera of his phone.

    "You look very vain." Al chuckled as he noticed his cousin looking at himself from different angles.

    His hair had been dyed to a dark brown color and he now wore dark brown contacts to match it as well.

    "Smile!" Eric suddenly said as he turned the camera to catch Cara and Al in the frame.

    Cara was much faster to react as she smiled, while Al maintained his annoyed expression, unable to react in time.

    "You''re not allowed to post that." Al reminded Eric.

    He knew that his cousin maintained a few social media pages that showed a glimpse into his and his mother''s life.

    He rarely posted photos of his own face, but provided his father''s fans and his own a glimpse of how Erich Chan Sr.''s son and wife now lived.

    It made them happy to see that the mother and son were happy despite the sad and tragic end to Eric''s life.

    "I won''t, calm down. I''m just sending it to the family chats." Eric said with a grin as he sent the photos.

    He also snapped a few vague ones of the passing scenery, most likely for him to postter on.

    It didn''t show his face or the fact that he was in a bus, so he knew that Al wouldn''tin.

    ''Good luck boys!'' The first message came in, it was from Al''s father.

    ''Try not to break too many hearts.'' It was from Eric''s uncle Miguel this time.

    "Your family seems quite close." Caramented as she noticed Al''s and Eric''s phones continuously buzzing at all the messages.

    "They are just excited." Al said with a sigh as he nced at Eric.

    His cousin was now just watching the scenery go by, it was probably the first time Eric had been on a bus in the Capital.

    It was also probably the first time that he was getting some peace.

    "Eric hasn''t lived an ordinary life, he''s always been in the shadow of his own dad." Al exined as he leaned back in his seat.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Eric Chan, the actor?" Cara asked, rifying who his father was.

    "He''ll go by his mother''s maiden name in school, Sebastian. Eric Sebastian." Al exined as they began to chat about school.

    Eric had a lot of questions. He had to exin to Cara that he has never been to a normal school before.

    ? He always had private tutors or went to schools with much smaller ss sizes due to the fact that he and his mom moved around a lot.

    To Al''s surprise, Cara excitedly spoke about their school. It was as if she was never looked down at or bullied in school.

    She was so animated in telling her story that they almost missed their stop for school.

    It was the first time that Al actually felt nervous.

    He was worried that someone would be able to recognize Eric. That one of their teachers was a big fan of his father and would be able to see the simrity between the two.

    "You alright?" Eric asked Al as they walked from the bus stop to school.

    Cara was walking ahead of them with a spring in her step, clearly happy to be going to school with two friends.

    "Just worried." Al simply answered.

    "Calm down, if there was any danger with me going to school with you your dad would have stopped us." Eric told his cousin as he tried to calm Al down.

    Unable to rx, Al simply nodded, much to Eric''s disappointment.

    The walk from the bus stop to the school''s campus was a quiet one with Cara asionally telling Eric about school and Al nodding in agreement.

    Al couldn''t help but worry about what they were headed into. Eric was not like him or Emilio who had never been seen in public.

    Thest time photos of Al surfaced was when he was three.

    When they arrived at school it was clear that Al and Eric walking together caught almost every girl in school''s attention.

    "Seems like you''re popr." Eric teased as he tried his best not to look directly at any of the girls.

    He simply scanned his surroundings, observing the other students and the school.

    "More popr with you next to me, cousin." Al grinned as he ced his hands in his pockets and continued to walk.

    Al walked with a grim and dangerous aura around him, something that for some reason girls seemed to fawn over.

    Eric was quite the contrast standing next to him. He was smiling and clearly had a bubbly personality, as if he wanted to be everyone''s friend.

    "You guys are so slow." Carained as she called shouted back to Eric and Al, making both of them smile andugh.

    Cara couldn''t help but notice the jealous res of the girls watching them. It seemed that her being friends with both boys now made her the target of their jealousy.

    "Let''s take Eric to the principal''s office first." Al said as he dragged his cousin in a rush.

    As they quickly ran by, Al could see girls whispering and snapping photos of them. He knew that this was not going to end well.

 Chapter 1049 1049

    When Al, Eric, and Cara entered the principal''s office, they heard the secretary gasp as soon as she saw Eric.

    She quickly sent all the students and parents in the room out, iming that the principal had meetings and they couldn''t wait there.

    As they exited the office, some gave Al, Eric, and Cara pitiful looks, it seemed that they assumed the trio was in trouble.

    Some looks lingered on Eric, without a doubt many were confused since they had never seen him on campus.

    Al was a popr kid, everyone knew who hung out with him. Even his odd friendship with Cara was public knowledge and had caused other students to either be kinder to Cara or envy her, asionally resulting in mild bullying.

    He had made it clear, however, that if anyone hurt Cara it was like signing their own social death certificate.

    When the doors finally shut behind thest parent leaving, Al waited a few seconds before addressing the secretary.

    "Did my dad''s assistant call in advance?" He asked with an air of authority in his voice.

    The principal and her secretary were well aware of who Al was and now of who Eric was.

    The secretary gave Cara a nervous nce.

    She knew the girl was friends with Al, but she wasn''t sure if Cara was in on the secret.

    Al noticed the hesitation on the secretary''s face, it took a while for him to register that it was because of Cara that the secretary didn''t speak.

    "She''s a friend, it''s safe to speak around her." Al said as he saw the secretary rx.

    "Yes, sir. He called." The secretary said, confirming that the school had been informed about Eric''s enrollment and how his identity was to be kept a secret.

    "Eric will go by the name Eric Sebastian, he''s my cousin who recently moved to the capital from a province." Al exined as he took out a file from his bag and handed it to the secretary.

    It had all of Eric''s educational information as well as the falsified personal data that he used.

    "As you will see, Eric is quite smart." Al informed the assistant who quickly powered on herptop in order to assign him to the right ss. "We will be ssmates." Al demanded.

    To Eric''s and Cara''s surprise, the secretary simply nodded as she continued typing on theptop.

    "I expect his identity to remain a secret. I know you belonged to his father''s fan club, but should his photos in school leak to that page, I will hold you personally ountable." Al threatened making the secretary go pale.

    "Al." Eric groaned as he ced a hand on his cousin''s shoulder.

    Al looked at Eric, but he didn''t relent.

    Eric was well aware that this was all part of how Al was brought up. He was taught to takemon and to use fear and respect before kindness.

    Kindness would not look good on the king of the underworld, it would make him seem soft.

    "Mr. Laurence, Mr. Chan, Miss Jao." The Principal greeted as she walked out of her office.

    She seemed worried, probably because she wasn''t out there when Al and his group arrived. She was well aware of who he was and how dangerous it would be to offend him and his cousin.

    "You are aware of the situation?" Al asked the principal.

    The woman simply nodded in response.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Good, your secretary has arranged for everything. You know the consequences if information about Eric or I is leaked, yes?" Al asked.

    "Yes sir." The principal responded.

    "Good. We will get to our sses now. Oh and I want Cara moved to the same ss as us." Al ordered.

    To which the principal nodded and her assistant quickly got to work.

    Within seconds Cara''s and Eric''s schedules were printed out and handed to them.

    Eric''s student ID card was also given to him, he would need it to enter the campus.

    "ss starts soon." Eric said as he looked up at the clock.

    "Let''s get going. I''ll give you a tour of the campus after ss." Al told his cousin as he turned and led them out.

    Before exiting the office Al stopped and turned back to look at the principal and her secretary.

    "Thank you, for your assistance, and for keeping our identities a secret." Al said in a rare moment of kindness to them.

    They were stunned by his words and were unable to reply.

    By the time they had full absorbed what Al had said, he, Eric, and Cara were already out the door and headed to their ss.

    The halls had less students, most of whom were rushing so they wouldn''t bete for the first ss of the day.

    "It seems Eric has made it all over social media." Cara giggled as she showed her phone to the cousins.

    They each took turns looking at it, with Al carrying a concerned look while Eric seemed to be proud of himself.

    "I wouldn''t be my father''s son if I couldn''t catch the attention of a few highschool girls." Eric teased Cara and Al, making sure that no one could hear hisment.

    Al rolled his eyes while Caraughed at his joke.

    "Do you n to follow in his footsteps? Go into that career as well?" She asked Eric as they neared their ssroom.

    "I don''t know what I want just yet." Eric said with a shrug as they steps slowed, giving them more time to speak.

    "It''s the freedom our parents gave us, one that they didn''t exactly have." Al said as he joined in on the conversation, his tone was grave, something that confused both Cara and Eric.

    "At least we can choose, dad had to fight to do what he did for a living." Eric reminded his cousin.

    "I''m not saying it''s a bad thing, it''s just a difficult choice when you''re fifteen." Al sighed.

    "You''re right, at least I have more time than you." Eric said as he ced his hand on his cousin''s shoulder, reminding him that he wasn''t alone.

    They stood in silence till the bell rang, pulling them from their thoughts.

    "Let''s go face those highschool girls that probably have a crush on you on your first day." Cara giggled as she led their group into ss.

    Al smiled, at least for now they were just ordinary highschool students trying to pass their next ss.

 Chapter 1050 1050

    "Who''s the new kid?" Al''s friend, Fred asked as he ran up to Al after ss. He wasughing, as if plotting a way to bully Eric.

    Cara and Eric had gone ahead since Cara didn''t exactly get along well with Fred. She didn''t want to interact with him, so as soon as she saw Fred marching up to them, she left, dragging Eric along.

    "My cousin." Al answered in a threatening tone, making Fred shrink out of fear.

    "Chill man." Fred tried his best to make it seem like he wasn''t afraid of Al, but Al could see it, he could sense the fear and worry.

    "Pretty boy." Al said as he walked ahead, making Fred chase after him not wanting to be alienated by his friend.

    "Huh?" Fred asked as he tried to keep up with Al who''s pace was quite fast.

    Al was trying to get rid of Fred since his friend made Carafortable. He and the other popr kids had bullied Cara when she was new to school.

    Even until that day, Al knew that some of the mean girls picked on Cara.

    They didn''t do it publicly afraid that if Al saw them he would stop hanging out with them.

    Unfortunately, Al had always known that the bullying never stopped. That everyone continued to take jabs at her behind his back.

    He tried to get Cara to tell him, but she didn''t want him to find out that she was suffering.

    Al also tried to trick people into bullying her in front of him so that he could have a reason to punish them, unfortunately they were careful around him.

    "That''s the name you nned to use to bully him." Al said as he stopped and turned to face Fred. His voice was a little bit louder, making Eric turn and give his cousin a concerned look.

    "Take Eric to the cafeteria first, Cara. Fred and I need to talk." Al told her. He didn''t want them to witness the uing argument.

    From his peripheral vision Al could see Cara trying to pull his cousin away.

    Unfortunately for the much smaller girl, Eric didn''t want to move. He was nted firmly on the hallway as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    "Do you really want to wait here?" Al asked Eric.

    Eric didn''t say a word, but nodded.

    "Cara, you can go ahead if you want. We won''t be long." Al said with a smile, making Cara hesitate.

    She wanted to stay with them. She needed to see how Al was about to deal with Fred, but something told her that Al didn''t want her to be there.

    "I''ll go save us a table." Cara quickly rushed away so as not to waste Al''s time.

    When Cara was gone, Al suddenly grabbed Fred by the arm and dragged him out of the building.

    Eric was not far away at the time as Al threw Fred to the ground in a more private ce.

    "Woah, what''s with the aggression?" Fred asked as he tried to get up.

    "You wanted to say something?" Al asked as he red at Fred, making the young man hesitate.

    Fred hesitated as he looked up at the other man.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Something about Al seemed to have changed overnight and Fred couldn''t pinpoint what it was.

    He was a natural born leader, everyone respected him and wanted to be his friend, but now he seemed more intimidating.

    "Al." Eric sighed as he walked up next to his cousin. "Calm down."

    Al looked down at Fred and after a few moments took a step back.

    He understood that Fred wouldn''t speak honestly if he was intimidated by Al''s actions. Plus he didn''t want to cause trouble. He might be an ordinary student, but with the principal knowing his real identity it could pose a few risks.

    Fred stood up and fixed his uniform, making sure that it wasn''t wrinkled or that there wasn''t any dirt on it.

    He then looked Al in the eyes and sighed.

    "Out with it." Al said as he crossed his arms and observed Fred.

    At first Fred hesitated, ncing at Eric before looking back at Al. It was clear that he didn''t want to talk to Al in front of Eric, but he had no choice.

    "This isn''t just my opinion, this ising from a lot of people from the school." Fred said, clearly carefully picking out his words. He didn''t want to offend Al.

    Al raised an eyebrow as he waited for Fred to say more.

    "What''s your point, Fred?" Al asked.

    "You''ve gone soft." Fred''s tone became agitated, angry for some unknown reason to Al.

    "Gone soft?" Al asked as he looked Fred in the eyes, challenging him to say something more.

    "How could you be friends with someone like Cara? How could you protect her? She''s a nobody, you ditched all of us for some nobody that doesn''t have anything to add to our group." Fred scoffed.

    "He sounds like he''s in love with you, Al." Eric teased, making Al cringe at the thought.

    "What the fuck are you talking about, new kid?" Fred hissed,pletely forgetting that Eric and Al were cousins.

    "Don''t you dare insult my cousin." Al said in a low voice.

    He didn''t even need to touch Fred to threaten him, the other man simply shrank back and didn''t say a word. He knew he was wrong to say something bad about Al''s cousin.

    "So childish." Eric mocked as he looked at Fred. "Are these people really the friends you chose Al?"

    Al decided to ignore his cousin''sment. He had only been friends with them because he had a lot to benefit, just as he was only friends with Cara at first because he needed her for a mission.

    "Look, even for a highschool student you are all being immature." Al said calmly as he chose not to fight with Fred. "Cara is a good person, so what if she''s new or if she isn''t part of the cool group."

    Fred looked at Al, stunned that he had said those things to him.

    "Let''s go, I don''t want to deal with children anymore." Al said as he turned around with his cousinughing walking away right behind him.

 Chapter 1051 1051

    To Al''s surprise, even when Fred publicly dered that he was siding with Cara and the new kid, there was no oush against him.

    Rather, it backfired. They thought that since they were the popr group, everyone would gravitate to them.

    Fred and a few of the other guy''s parents were high ranking employees in severalpanies including the Reyes Group and Laurence Incorporated.

    Fred''s own father was a department head, he wasn''t high enough in the ranks to have seen Ray often, or else he would have recognized Al.

    "Shouldn''t you be attaching yourself to them?" Cara asked one boy that slid on to their table and sat with them.

    "No." The boy said as he offered his hand out to Al. "Ismail."

    "Al." He replied as he took the other boy''s hand and shook it. "This is my cousin, Eric Sebastian."

    Ismail nodded and smiled at Eric.

    "Ismail was one of my few friends before you came along." Cara said as she blushed. "He was the one I would have lunch with. We were also ssmates in most sses."

    Al nodded as he made a mental note to have Ismail''s schedule to match theirs if he proved to be someone they could add to their group.

    "Why didn''t you approach us before this?" Al asked, curious as to why he was only meeting the other young man today.

    Ismail smiled and scratched the back of his head.

    "To be honest, it''s because you''re quite intimidating." Ismail said with an awkwardugh. "We thought Cara was just an exemption, not the new rule."

    "New rule?" Eric asked as heughed at the other man''s terminology. "I didn''t know a person could be a rule."

    "Eric." Cara said as she elbowed Eric on the ribs, making him cough.

    Cara''s eyes went wide when she suddenly realized who she had hurt, it wasn''t just any ssmate, it was Eric Chan. Even without his face being seen he was popr.

    "Calm down." Eric said as her panic registered.

    "But-" Cara was about to say something when Al suddenly held her hand and tugged on it.

    Cara looked up and saw a pleading look in Al''s eyes. She didn''t know whether tough or feel touched by his expression.

    "Careful." Al warned.

    Cara simply nodded in response and changed the topic.

    "Al, you were always intimidating to everyone. They thought that if they approached us you would send them away or your friends would bully them too." Cara did her best to exin while Al simply nodded.

    "You can all join us then." Al announced.

    Since Al was now more epting of everyone, it seemed the tables had turned.

    Those that had been popr a while back were now at the bottom of the food chain.

    To Al''s surprise the rest of the day went peacefully.

    They managed to leave school without incident as he, Eric, and Cara happily chatted as they walked to the bus stop.

    When they got on, Eric gave his cousin a concerned look, making Al raise a questioning eyebrow at Eric.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "What''s with the look?" Al asked Eric in a low voice, careful that no one else would hear him.

    He knew that it was unlikely for someone they knew to be in the bus, but out of habit, Al chose to be quiet.

    "The day is over, Al, we''re headed home. You seem like shit''s about to hit the fan." Eric confronted his cousin, choosing not to filter his words.

    "I can''t help it." Al sighed. "But the day isn''t over, Tristan and Arthur are joining the other Mafia and Gangs today."

    "You''re worried they will get recognized?" Eric asked.

    Al nodded as he looked out the window.

    "We should talk about this at home, not here." Al said.

    Eric nodded and returned his attention to Cara.

    When they got home, Al''s driver was quick to take them to the headquarters of the Dean Family Mafia where Seth was waiting for them.

    "You''ll do it right this time." Seth told Al as he crossed his arms and observed the young man. "No more running missions I don''t know about."

    Al nodded.

    "I don''t like having minors among my ranks, but unfortunately, we need to do this. I expect both of you to be on your best behavior." Seth told Al and Eric.

    The two young men simply listened and nodded to his instructions.

    "Okay, your targets." Seth handed them a folder each.

    "Wait!" Eric said as he pointed at the document before him. "This guy isn''t in the Dean family mafia."

    "And so?" Seth asked. He sounded as if Eric and Al should have expected that they would be separated.

    "Nothing." Eric told Seth, embarrassed that he had assumed things about their mission. "I just thought Al and I would both be assigned to the Dean Family Mafia."

    Seth shook his head and sighed.

    Al knew that normally his uncle would be furious at the person before him, but this was Eric and Al. He knew their fathers.

    "You might be recognized here." Seth calmly exined to Eric. "Plus, we need to spread you four out, cover more ground."

    Eric and Al nodded, they chose not to question Seth, they knew that he would not make them do something that wasn''t important.

    "Eric, we''ll be sending you to the Ri family. Unfortunately, Andres is in a meeting and couldn''t on board you with the mission." Seth exined.

    He then turned to look at Al and sighed.

    "Your dad and uncle specifically requested that you stay here. Hendrick will also be on the same team as you." Seth told Al. "The teams are waiting in the two rooms outside."

    "Are the traitors out there with them?" Al asked as he nced at the door, ready to start his task.

    "No, not yet." Seth said, shaking his head. "Today, you get used to the team you have to work with. Tomorrow, we will re-introduce all of you to each other. Clear?"

    Al nodded and grinned, he was excited about getting back in the field.

 Chapter 1052 1052

    "Hey Hendrick!" Al excitedly greeted as he waved at his cousin''s friend and his recruiter to the Mafia.

    "Al." Hendrick said in a somber tone and a low voice as he nodded at the young man.

    Al couldn''t help but notice his sudden odd behavior. It was as if he was distancing himself from Al, treating him more like he would one of the bosses like Al''s uncles rather than as a friend.

    Al made a mental note to speak to Hendrickter on. He couldn''t keep going about like this, people would realize that his own recruiter treated him oddly and soon enough his identity would be revealed.

    Aside from that, Al didn''t want Herndrick to see him as the boss'' son. He was still the same person and they were still friends.

    He knew that Hendrick probably needed more time to adjust, especially now that he was suddenly thrust into two very important roles after discovering his best friend''s real identity.

    "You know the kid?"A man who looked like a bouncer at a club asked as he looked at Hernrick.

    "Yeah." Hendrick responded with a nod. "I recruited him."

    "He''s a minor!" One of the two women in the room gasped as she looked at Al. She was wearing simple jeans and a shirt, but she still looked quite pretty to Al.

    It was girls like those that Al learned to be careful of.

    He knew that despite their simple demeanor, they could be the most dangerous in the room.

    "That''s against the King of the Underworld''s bottom line." The girl hissed as she red at Hendrick.

    "Calm down Sora." Seth said as he entered the room.

    Al was surprised that Seth had joined them. He thought that Hendrick would have to brief everyone on the mission.

    "Boss." Everyone greeted him as soon as they saw Seth join them.

    "Please, sit." Seth gestured, making the people in the room hesitate.

    It was very out of character for the head of a Mafia family to treat their people so kindly. They ruled with intimidation and fear, not with kindness and respect.

    Everyone took their ce, many clearly worried that they had done something wrong and would be killed and tortured.

    Seth chuckled when it registered to him that the people in the room were worried that they were about to be dispatched by Seth himself.

    "You''re not in trouble." Seth calmly told them as he sat down and crossed his legs. "You are here for a special mission, one that''s from up top."

    "Like-?" A woman gasped as her eyes went wide with shock.

    It took all of Al''s self control not tough. He could see Seth re at him, warning him not to react.

    "Yes, from the king of the underworld himself." Seth confirmed, nodding as soon as he was sure that Al wouldn''t do something stupid.

    "So the kid being here ispletely legal?" Sora asked as she observed Al. "I don''t see anything special about him."

    Al rolled his eyes as Sora pointed her observation out.

    "Watch your attitude, kid." She scolded. "If you want tost here you''ll need to learn that."

    Sethughed, probably because Sora had no idea who she was taking on.

    He also knew that Al wouldn''t take Sora''sment personally. If he were anyone else it would bepletely appropriate.

    "You don''t look like much either, Sora." Herndrick said as he came to Al''s defense. "Sometimes those that we underestimate are the most dangerous."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Let me exin the mission first, Sora, before you suddenly go off and get pissed at the kid. He''s done nothing to you." Seth scolded the woman.

    Sora sank back in her seat and frowned. It seemed that only the head of the mafia family could keep her quiet.

    "It would be best if you listened to Hernrick, he''s in charge of the mission." Seth added as he nodded at the young man.

    "M- m- me?" Hendrick asked, shocked that he had been given such an important role.

    Seth nodded and smiled.

    "For the mission." Seth began as he ced a photo of the traitor on the board. "Luke Lopez, he''s not that highly ranked in our organization, but he is high enough to be a threat."

    "What is he?" Sora asked as she leaned forward to look at the man.

    "A traitor." Henrdick hissed. He already knew why Seth was giving them all the information on the man.

    Seth nodded and sighed.

    "How did you find him? Did he slip up? Are we supposed to chase him?" The other girl in the group asked, making Alugh.

    She was the total opposite of Sora.

    Where Sora was simple and looked like the type that wanted to work alone, this one seemed to be a social butterfly, She reminded Al of his own mother, who was always the center of everyone''s attention, whether she liked it or not.

    "Calm down Lianne." Seth chuckled. "Let me get through the entire mission before you berate us with questions."

    Lianne frowned and pulled her lips to a line. She seemed quite embarrassed that Seth had scolded her.

    "A spy managed to figure out for us that this man was passing over information to a group outside the country that wants aplete upheaval of the underworld." Seth exined.

    Al wasn''t expecting his uncle to tell them all the information, but it seemed that Seth had chosen honesty over discretion, which was usually the opposite in the mafia.

    "They''re after the kind and his people?" Hendrick asked as he realized how big the issue was at hand. His eyes quickly darted towards Al probably thinking that thest ce Al should be was at the center of a mission.

    "They are." Seth confirmed. "Not just the king''s people, but all of us who have worked for him and who are anyway loyal to him."

    "I thought we just got rid of a traitor in our ranks, then this?" Someone hissed. "Have we even caught that one by the way?"

    "No, not yet, but we''re working on that one. We have a very special team on him now." Seth promised.

    "So what''s the n?" Lianne asked as she leaned forward, excited to get started on the mission.

    "He''ll belong to your unit and you as a group will try to get as much information out of him without him suspecting. This has to go on for at least a year, the other side cannot be informed about this." Seth said in a serious tone.

    "Well, I''m in, this will be fun." Lianne said as she smiled at Sora. "You''re in too, right?"

    "What the heck, a challenge, sure." Sora nodded in agreement.

    It seemed that Sora and Lianne were actually good friends despite the contrast in their personalities.

    "You''ll have to follow Henrdick." Seth warned. "I will not allow you to go rogue on this one. Clear?"

    Everyone in the end agreed to work on the mission. No one hesitated, it was clear to Al why his uncle Seth had hand picked this team.

    "Oh and before I forget, the pivotal piece in this mission is Al. I''d like to introduce you all to Aldrich Lawrence, Prince of the Underworld." Seth said, making Al''s jaw drop. His identity was not supposed to be revealed.

 Chapter 1053 1053

    Everyone stared at Al as he red at Seth.

    "Your father told me to do it." Seth told the younger man knowing that he was already cing the me on the Mafia Don.

    "Did he tell you why?" Al asked as he crossed his arms on his chest as he no longer pretended to be a nobody. "Dad and I agreed, this was not supposed to happen. Are you outing the others as well?"

    "No, just you." Seth said as he shook his head.

    "Al, it might be for the best, if everyone knew who you are then we wouldn''t take crazy stupid risks." Herndrick said as he tried his best to exin to Al why his identity had to be revealed to the team.

    "So this is the little spoiled brat that will be leading us some day." Sora said in a mocking tone, her voice carrying over everyone else.

    The other members of the team turned pale as they gave her a warning look.

    To their surprise, Alughed and shook his head.

    "It''s good to see that I won''t be treated like a fragile vase by everyone." Hemented as he gave Sora a smile.

    Sor red at him, not happy with his reaction.

    "Would you rather I act like most spoiled nth generation heirs and demand that you be punished for insulting me?" Alughed as he observed Sora.

    He also kept an eye at the other members of the team.

    Sora didn''t say a word. She simply watched him as he watched her.

    "Let me tell you a secret." Al said as he gave his Uncle Seth a knowing smile. "There is a reason why the Lawerence and Reyes families have stayed on top all these years. Why generation after generation we have grown in power and wealth."

    Sora flinched as she saw the grin on Al''s face. It was not what she had expected.

    "Don''t scare her, Al, you actually want her on our side." Hendrick warned the younger man. To which Al simply smiled and nodded.

    "We don''t inherit our ces as you initially thought." Al said as he maintained eye contact with Sora. Something about the woman infuriated him, it was probably the fact that she assumed he was an entitled 2nd generation heir.

    "We earn it!" Al said, putting a little bit too much emphasis on his words. "My father earned his ce, so did my uncle Cedric. We are never handed things, we fight from the moment we are born."

    Everyone thought that Sora would stop and concede, but she did the exact opposite, challenging Al still.

    "You are here because daddy told you to be here." She hissed as she stood up and took a few steps towards Al.

    She wasn''t tall, roughly 165 cm in heightpared to Al''s 178 cm height, so she was forced to look up at him.

    "Don''t think that you are on the same level as all of us." She challenged him.

    Alughed at her words.

    "You can''t be further from the truth, my dad does not want me to be here, at least not yet." Al pointed out as he took a step closer to her. "I am here because I did earn my ce, you can ask Uncle Seth, he won''t lie to you."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Sora looked towards Seth''s direction and the boss simply nodded, confirming that what Al said was true.

    "You can even ask Hendrick, the moment my father learned that I was part of the Dean Family Mafia, Hendrick had every reason to fear for his life." Al pointed at Hendrick, who nodded in response.

    "Wait." Lianne asked as she looked at Al in shock. "You''ve been in the Dean Family Mafia for how long?"

    "A year."

    It was Hendrick that answered for him.

    "The child refused to ept no as an answer. I thought it would be fine since he was only asked to do clerical jobs but when-" Hendrick suddenly stopped mid sentence when he realized he was about to reveal something that the others shouldn''t know.

    "When?" Sora asked as she red at Hendrick, her gaze unrelenting.

    "When names for this mission popped up and Al was discovered, his father was furious." Hendrick''s quick thinking helped them a lot in that situation. His lie seemed believable as the people around them nodded.

    "Calm down, Sora." Seth sighed as he stepped in and intervened. "You actually have to work with Al, and I guarantee he is worth much more than you think. With or without his family name."

    Sora looked between Al and Seth.

    She simply shrugged and returned to her seat.

    Seth let out a breath of relief when Sora backed down. Al could tell that she was an important member of the team, everyone was.

    The team was hand picked by his Uncle Seth, only the most loyal and the best were part of it.

    "I''ll leave you all together to get settled as a group." Seth announced. "Tomorrow we''ll be re-introducing you all to one another. We will also be adding Luke Lopez into the mix. His target will be to influence Al since he is the youngest and least known in the group."

    Everyone nodded as they processed Seth''s instructions.

    "Al''s job is to find out what our enemies our nning so we can stay one step ahead." Seth added.

    "So we need to get him to think Al needs him." Herdrick told the group as he contemted what route to take.

    "A young man, new to a group of extremely loyal men to the mafia. If he thinks Al is isted and feels like everyone is against him, he should move faster." One of the men whose name Al didn''t catch said.

    "That''s exactly what we want to happen." Seth said with a nod.

    Everyone seemed to be on the same page, nodding as Al could see the gears start to turn in their heads.

    "I still have work to deal with." Seth said as he turned to leave. "Hendrick, I leave everything to you."

    With that the Mafia boss exited the room, leaving Al with everyone staring at him as if he were an artifact at the museum.

 Chapter 1054 1054

    "It could have been worse." Hendrick said as he patted Al on the shoulder. He was driving them back to Al''s house with Eric in the back seat.

    "That Sora, she''s something, isn''t she?" Al asked as he thought back to the feisty older woman in the meeting earlier that day.

    "Sora? I thought you already had Cara, are you building a harem cousin?" Eric teased as heughed from the back seat.

    Al rolled his eyes in annoyance as he ignored Eric''sment.

    "She''s a member of our team that was more angry at Al than respectful." Hendrick exined as heughed with Eric. "She''s older, much older."

    "Right, cause Al isn''t into older women." Eric added, making Hendrick burst intoughter.

    "This one is funny, why don''t you and Emilio hang out with him more?" Herndrick asked as Al shook his head, annoyed at how much the two were enjoying picking on him.

    "Mom doesn''t like staying in the Capital too much, reminds her of dad. Plus dad''s former fans always hound her. He''s been gone for sixteen years and they still chase after her." Eric sighed and shook his head.

    He had witnessed first hand when he was younger how his father''s crazy fans tried to snap photos of him and his mom.

    They used to live at the other end of the capital, but with the amount of people that were stalking theirmunity and their home, Katerina chose to move to another country.

    "Your dad?" Hendrick asked, making Al suddenly look at the man in the driver''s seat.

    "You didn''t know who he was?" Al asked.

    "You never introduced him." Henrick shrugged as they stopped at an intersection.

    "Hi, I''m Al''s cousin, Eric Chan II. My mom is Katerina Sebastian-Chan, renowned international women''s rightswyer, while my dad was Dr. Eric Chan I, Psychologist." Eric said with the trademark smirk that his mom said made him look just like his dad.

    "You forgot, nation''s husband and most popr artist ever to grace television in recent memory!" Henrdrick added, shocked by who was currently in his car.

    "Right, he was all that too, but mom always prefers to say my dad was a doctor. More low key, mom prefers low key. Though ording to all the stories dad just loved acting, it was his choice of career." Eric added as he thought of the stories he had been told of his father.

    Hendrick stared at Eric, clearly looking at his features, trying to connect him to his mother and father.

    Eric had witnessed it multiple times in the past, it happened when people learned who he actually was.

    "Hendrick, the light is green." Al pointed out, snapping Hendrick from his trance.

    Hendrick was so out of it that he identally stepped too hard on the gas pedal, almost causing a crash.

    Luckily he was able to step on the breaks, but not without injuring Al who hit the dashboard of the car.

    "That''s why Uncle Ray always tells you to wear a seatbelt Al." Eric chuckled as Al frowned and gestured to Hendrick to continue driving.

    The car was silent as Hendrick continued to drive them towards the direction of the Mountain Viewmunity.

    After a few awkward minutes of silence, it was Hendrick that first spoke.

    "My mom, she has an entire shrine to your parents." He said, clearing his throat, sounding a little bit embarrassed by the fact that his mother was a fan of the young man in the backseat.

    "A lot of moms are." Eric said as he smiled at Hendrick. "I''ve been told that my mom and dad inspired a lot of people not just with their rtionship, but with who they were as well."

    Al gave his cousin a sad smile, he knew how badly Eric wished he met his dad.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Emilio would tell him stories of how Eric''s father would spoil him when he was still alive.

    "My mom would flip if she knew that I met you." Hendrick chuckled as they spotted the gates to the Mountain View Communitying up.

    "Did my cousin give you security clearance already?" Al asked as he noticed the guard closing the gate.

    "No, not yet. Was he supposed to?" Hendrick asked, slightly confused by what Al meant.

    "He was." Al sighed as he took out his phone and made a few calls.

    They had to stop at the gate for a few minutes as Hendrick exined what was happening.

    As Al got off the phone, the guards suddenly recognized him.

    "Mr. Laurence, we didn''t see you there-" As the guard was about to let him in, another of hispanions quickly came running.

    "It''s Mr. Aldrich Laurence. Also the boss said to give that car permanent clearance." Hispanion called out.

    "We are so sorry for the inconvenience Mr. Laurence." The guard said apologetically as he waved them through.

    "They were nice." Hendrick said with a smile as he drove up the main road of the gatedmunity.

    "They are all ex-military." Eric told Hendrick, the shock evident in his eyes. "This entiremunity is owned by Uncle Cedric. The security here is so tight because of events before we were born."

    Hendrick nodded as they continued to drive deeper into themunity.

    They passed multiple mansions before stopping by another set of gates with heavily armed guards.

    The guards simply nodded at them, saluted and let them through.

    "Last time you were here you were brought against your will, so I''m sure you weren''t able to appreciate the ce." Al told Hendrick with a grin as they passed the gates.

    "As I said, Uncle Cedric is big on security." Eric told Hendrick as Al told him to turn right on the next street.

    "You would expect that the main road leads to the biggest house in themunity." Al said as he smiled. "You''ll need to remember the turns."

    Hendrick ended driving around themunity for a few more minutes before Al told him to stop.

    "That''s our house." Al said as he pointed at a cream colored wall with an open long driveway. "You''ll have toe over sometimes I guess, eventually. Let''s go."

    Henrick drove again, taking a few more turns before entering a driveway that was sheltered by a canopy of trees.

    "This is where Uncle Cedric''s property starts. It''s quite a long driveway." Al exined.

    "When we were younger we would race our bikes here." Eric chuckled. "I always won."

    Hendrick gasped as the property came into view,st time all he saw was Raymond Laurence''s home. He didn''t get the chance to see his friend''s.

    At the door, Emilio stood smiling and waving at them.

    "Don''t worry, you''ll always be in awe, I know I am." Al said as he hopped off the car.

 Chapter 1055 1055

    "You didn''t go to the office today?" Al asked Emilio as they walked into the Mountain View Mansion.

    "I did, but no formal announcement has been made yet, I think dad wants to get to the bottom of who exposed my identity first." Emilio told his cousin as he guided them to Cedric Reyes'' office. "They have a very important lead."

    Al nodded as their footsteps echoed across the hall.

    Hendrick walked behind them with Eric, he couldn''t help but keep looking around, amazed by how big the mansion was.

    "This is where you grew up?" Hendrick asked Emilio. "To think I was extremely impressed by Al''s parents'' house, yours is massive."

    Emilio simply smiled and nodded.

    "Did you ept the job Uncle Ced offered you?" Al asked as they finally arrived by the office door.

    ? "Mr. Reyes? Yes, I epted the job as Emilio''s assistant. Why?" Herndrick asked as he gave the young man a confused look.

    "Well, since you epted it, you need to get used to this ce. You''ll be here quite often. Somedays Uncle Cedric''s assistants brief him on matters before work and they head to the office together." Al exined.

    "I''ll be moving back home." Emilio exined. "It''s much more secure, although I have a unit at one of our high end luxury apartments, but the security doesn''t cut it."

    "We have properties in the more secured part of themunity as well, Emilio was supposed to wait before building a house there, but I guess you could start now. Right cousin?" Al asked Emilio.

    "I''ve already spoken with Aunt Veronica." Emilio said with a wink as a bodyguard opened the door to Cedric Reyes'' office for them.

    "I''m telling you Ray your tactics will not work with this matter!" Cedric Reyes'' raised voice greeted them as soon as they had entered.

    It was clear that the two men were fighting about how to address the matter at hand.

    "You man not just put your children at risk Cedric, but mine as well." Ray calmly argued, he was normally the more level headed of the two. "Al hangs out around Emilio, if people realize that there was a cousin around him, they will look for Al."

    "What do you suggest we do Ray?" Cedric asked as he raised an eyebrow at his best friend.

    "Good afternoon boys, take a seat, Ced and I were just discussing the leak on your identity." Ray said as he greeted the boys first.

    "Sounded more like fighting." Emiliomented as he looked at his dad cautiously.

    "You know your dad gets too passionate sometimes." Ray teased as he returned his attention back to the discussion at hand.

    Cedric shook his head and sighed as he leaned back on his seat.

    "Do we know who leaked Emilio''s information?" Al asked as he got the conversation back on topic.

    "We have a few suspects." Cedric said as he nodded to his nephew.

    Next to him, Hendrick was shocked as the two men regarded Emilio, Al, and Eric as adult enough to be part of the conversation and decision making.

    "Your uncle wants us to wait and see if the suspects do anything suspicious." Ray said, rolling his eyes.

    "And you want to extract the information from them dad, I''m assuming." Al guessed.

    Ray grinned at his son and smiled.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "What if none of them is actually guilty? You''ll be torturing my employees for nothing." Cedric was clearly annoyed by Ray''s idea, and Al could understand why.

    His father''s proposal was too extreme.

    "Ram already told us that he cannot guarantee that he can suppress the information. He may have an army of trolls and fake ounts to sway public opinion, but he cannot suppress something as big as their identities." Ray told Cedric.

    It now made more sense to Al why his father wanted to take such extreme measures.

    There was no way of stopping things if news got out.

    "It''s our fault for making their identities such a big deal." Cedric sighed and shook his head. "There was no mor like this back in our day."

    Ray frowned and stood up and walked to Cedric. He ced a hand on his brother-inw''s shoulder tofort him.

    "It''s not your fault, the public is just curious and seeing how exceptional the other kids are, they couldn''t help but be curious." Ray did his best to take the guilt from Cedric''s shoulders.

    "Maybe we can look at the list of suspects, dad," Emilio suggested as he looked at his father. "The person probably never interacted with Al but interacted with me."

    "We aren''t even sure about that." Cedric said with a sigh. "We''re worried that he or she is holding on to the information to use at the right time. Plus you boys are already overworked as it is."

    Cedric smirked at them, knowing that both Al and Eric were in the mafia trying to gain information while his own son was learning the ropes at the Reyes Group.

    "It''s just a list, dad." Emilio groaned.

    "Let them take a look. You have a lot of work on your hands too. The boys are old enough now." Ray said as he tried to convince Cedric to give the boys a little bit more work.

    "Fine." Cedric said, allowing them to be involved.

    "No cking on your studies or training, Al." Ray reminded his son in a stern tone.

    "Yes, dad." Al said excitedly, he was eager to work and learn more. He always wanted to prove himself.

    "Emilio, don''t expect me to lessen your workload and do not hand it over to Hendrick, he is learning too." Cedric warned his son as well.

    "You can all go, the files will be ready after Al''s training, before dinner. The driver will take Al and Eric home." Ray said as he dismissed his son and nephew.

    "Emilio and Hendrick will have to stay for now, we''ll start your work with the Reyes Group." Cedric said as he stopped the two older men from leaving.

    "Uncle." Eric said in a quiet voice.

    "Yes Eric?" Ray asked as he looked at Eric.

    "Can I join Al for his training? I want to learn to fight and with this mission we know that I could use all the possible skills." Eric said as he bravely made the request from his uncle.

    Ray and Cedric gave each other a knowing look and frowned.

    "As long as you don''t tell your mom." Ray said as he allowed his nephew.

    "Mom will be too busy with work, don''t worry Uncle Ray." Eric said with a grin as the two older men allowed them to leave.

 Chapter 1056 1056

    "Good, good." Al''s and Eric''s instructor said as he watched them spar against some of the Laurence family bodyguards.

    Al and Eric both smiled as they bowed to the instructor. The man was actually one of the most feared fighters in the underworld. He was one of Ray''s men and had epted the role of being the future king''s teacher.

    "You''re improving quite well, Al." The man praised.

    He was teaching them more than the traditional fighting styles. He was actually teaching them to survive on the streets in a real fight.

    "Thank you." Al said with a nod as he was handed a bottle of water by the bodyguard.

    "I thought he was going to beat me that time." The bodyguard chuckled, his anxiety clear on his face.

    If his charge was a better fighter than he, then what use would he be around Al.

    "He''s actually progressing way faster than I expected." The instructor said with a nod as he looked at Al. "If he spent more hours training with his street fighting, I have no doubt that he would be a master by now."

    "Runs in the blood." Emilio chuckled as he joined them.

    "Young Master Reyes." The instructor said with a respectful bow.

    The same man used to teach Emilio, Tristan, and Dominic. They hadn''t trained as hard as Al, but they knew enough to protect themselves in an event of an attack.

    "His father is a ferocious fighter, beat me a couple of times too." The instructor chuckled. "Your aunt, Miss Ayanna, fights just as well. I wouldn''t want to stand against her if I were the enemy."

    "Mom insisted that she learn to fight, she said they didn''t want to be damsels in distress." Al added, joining in on the conversation. "Plus she was jealous of how confident dad and Uncle Cedric were when it came to bringing aunt Katerina on a mission."

    "Your mom taught you the basics, didn''t she?" The instructor asked Eric, who nodded in response.

    "Mom''s been teaching me since I was a kid." He confirmed. "She didn''t want it to go beyond basic self defense since I always had a bodyguard with me anyway."

    "And you, of course, want to learn more?" The instructor asked as he noticed the next teacher arriving.

    "Yes, we are always in a foreign country, I want to be able to protect myself and my mother if needed." Eric told the man.

    "Well, our time is up, I should get going." The instructor said as he bowed to the young men and left.

    "What''s next?" Eric asked Al as he noticed a serious looking man standing by the door.

    "Guns." Al said as he smiled at his cousin.

    He knew that this was something that his Aunt Katerina never let Eric learn. It was also the reason his father and Uncle Cedric were worried.

    Eric''s father died after he was shot by an enemy.

    "I''ll be joining you, Hendrick too, he''s inside, kidnapped by Cara and Angelica." Emilio chuckled as they made their way back inside the house.

    Their instructor was a former military man that owed his life to Cedric and Ray.

    "So when are we driving out to the gun range?" Hendrick asked as he walked up to join them with Angelica and Cara in tow.

    "We don''t drive out, sir. It''s in the basement." The instructor said as he opened a hidden panel.

    The basement not only housed the shooting range, but a few other facilities as well including a bunker in case of attack.

    "B- b- basement?" Cara asked, shocked at how big the mansion actually was.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "How rich are your families?" Hendrick asked. He was equally surprised that there was a shooting range at the basement.

    "Do you really want to know?" Eric chuckled as he gestured for Cara and Angelica to enter as well. "You can always google it too, people have hundreds of theories on how rich our families are. It''s amusing."

    "Wait, the kid ising too? Is she allowed to even see guns?" Hendrick paused as he saw Angelica stepping into the elevator.

    "Hendrick is right, isn''t Angelica too young to watch you guys shoot?" Cara asked as she gave Angelica a worried look.

    Al and Emilio looked at each other andughed, confusing Hendrick and Cara.

    "What?" Cara asked, looking slightly annoyed by the cousins'' expression.

    "I''ve been shooting a gun for almost two years now." Angelica answered for her brother and cousin.

    "We all start young, except Eric, he''s never been allowed to shoot one." Emilio nonchntly exined as he urged them to enter the elevator.

    Cara and Hendrick both gave him a shocked look but got in as Angelica pulled Cara with her.

    The elevator was quiterge, it was meant to bring most members of the family down to the bunker in one go.

    "I thought Al only started to train to be in the Underworld recently." Hendrick said as he tried to piece together a proper timeline.

    "That doesn''t mean I didn''t know how to shoot a gun or fight." Al scoffed and shook his head. "My father would never allow us to be unable to defend ourselves."

    Emilio nodded in agreement.

    "Our families have suffered enough due to the fact that people couldn''t protect themselves, so we have been armed from a young age." Emilio shrugged as the elevator door opened to a hall bustling with people.

    As they stepped out they were greeted by the different employees of the Laurence family, many of whom neither Cara nor Hendrick had encountered in the past.

    "It''s like a whole different world down here." Cara gasped as she tried to process the underground facilities of the Laurence home.

    "The gym, bowling alley, and cinema is that way." Al pointed to a hallway to their right.

    "You have a bowling alley?" Hendrick gasped.

    Al nodded as if it was no big deal, even if he knew that it really as.

    "Mom loves to go to spas, so dad built her one here at home, it''s right down the hall." Al exined as they turned to a smaller hallway to the right.

    "You''d think the shooting range was down there." Hendrick said as he gave a nervousugh.

    "This way." Al said as he released a panel that led them down another flight of stairs.

    It opened up to a muchrger hall with metal doors on either side.

    Al entered through one.

    Cara and Hendrick looked at each other, clearly at a loss.

    "It''s the shooting range, don''t worry." Angelica said with a smile as she dragged both Cara and Hendrick in.

 Chapter 1057 1057

    Cara flinched at the sound of guns shooting.

    She hadn''t expected that in their group, she was the only one that wouldn''t take a gun and join in on target practice.

    The instructor seemed to be a strict man, they weren''t allowed to take breaks until he said so and he treated the young masters of the Reyes and Chan families as if they were soldiers.

    Even little Angelica carried a serious expression as she aimed her gun at the target.

    "She''s actually the most passionate about the underworld." Al said as he handed Cara a bottle of water and nodded towards Angelica.

    They had all been given permission to take a break, but Angelica remained on her spot shooting at the target.

    "But she''s so young." Cara gasped as she sighed as the adorable expression on Angelica''s face as she aimed at the target.

    Al simply shrugged as he stood up and went back to resume his target practice.

    Since there were more of them today, the instructor wanted them to do a small training session in the mock battle field in the next room.

    They would be using rubber bullets, a fact that shocked Cara.

    "What if Angelica gets hurt? She''s so small!" Cara said in a worried tone as Al helped his younger sister into her gear.

    "It''s fine Cara." Emilio sighed as he looked at the worried young woman. "We were all doing this exercise at her age. Imagine we were a couple of six year olds running around shooting each other."

    "Cara is much more mature than we were at her age, that''s for sure." Al said as he did the final checks on her fear.

    "Plus she won''t be dealing with immature children. We''re actually here to train." Eric pointed out.

    "Ready Cara?" Al asked as he smiled at his younger sister.

    "You will not be grouped into teams." The instructor said as soon as he saw that all of them were ready. "It will be each man or youngdy for themselves."

    The instructor gave Angelica a wink, surprising Cara. She thought the instructor was a stiff man incapable of showing any emotion.

    "You will only have a limited number of bullets, just like in real life." The instructor announced. "I will be giving you each your own starting points and when I blow the whistle you will begin."

    They all nodded as they listened to his instructions.

    "Since our goal is to imitate real life scenarios, you will be graded on your ability to survive till the end." The instructor added as he went through the different rules.

    "How many till we''re considered dead?" Eric asked as his hand shot up in the air.

    "Three shots, your gear will be able to recognize how many times you were shot and who shot you. Clear?" Everyone nodded as the instructor dismissed them.

    Cara joined him and some of the other bodyguards to watch from a mezzanine that gave the spectators a full view of the obstacle course.

    It was built to resemble a street in the Capital.

    It had small buildings, walls, parks, and even cars that could be used to hide out.

    The obstacle course had to take up at least a third of the entire floor, something that shocked Cara.

    On the other side, Al ran over to his designated spot and surveyed his surroundings.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This wasn''t his first time in the paintball field. They had done this kind of activity multiple times as children and even recently he had even gone against several bodyguards.

    He had lost, of course, but the goal was to improve the time he could survive.

    The odds were always set against them for those simtions. They were meant to prepare him for what his father, Ray, believed to be the inevitable.

    At one point of their lives, Raymond Laurence believed that his children would have to hold out against insurmountable odds, and he wanted them to survive long enough.

    In the beginning, Al only managed tost ten minutes against one team of bodyguards hunting him.

    Now, his current record was an hour.

    It wasn''t enough to get help, but he would eventually get there.

    "Begin, in 3, 2, 1." A buzzer sounded, prompting Al to quickly search out a strategic location in the field.

    One would think that after spending so much time there, training and preparing themselves for the worst, Al and the others would have memorized theyout.

    That was the thing. To keep all of them on their toes, theyout was changed after every use.

    Al spotted a two storey building and grinned. He quickly walked up to it and searched for another viable location.

    He knew that someone would spot it as well and consider it as a hide out.

    Al just needed to find a spot where he could wait for someone to stumble on it.

    There were no clocks around the paintball field, so Al had no way of figuring out how much time had passed until he spotted some movement in the distance.

    The area he was in resembled a row of boutique shops with a small park and several cars.

    Al was hidden in the park, behind a bench.

    He wasn''t sure who it was since the person was using the cars as a shield.

    All Al had to do was remain silent and patient, he knew that whoever was approaching would cross from the otherside of the street towards the two story building.

    The person''s movement was slow, Al assumed it was either Hendrick or Eric. Both men weren''t used to the paintball field and would be more cautious.

    He also knew that both Angelica and Emilio would have sprinted behind the cars in order to avoid the off chance that someone was close by.

    The person paused, seemingly scouting the area.

    When the person confirmed that the coast was clear, he popped his head out and ran.

    Al grinned as he saw Hendrick''s bulky form.

    He quickly shot three consecutive times, all hitting Hendrick squarely on the chest.

    "Hendrick, you''re out!" The instructor''s voice boomed as Al moved away.

    He knew that he would need to go in search of the others at this point.

 Chapter 1058 1058

    Al knew that the next easiest target would be Eric.

    His cousin had no true formal training with weapons, so he would be the most likely to fumble around a paintball gun.

    As Al entered an area of the paintball field that resembled a suburbanmunity, he quickly jumped into a building, using it as a hideout.

    Unlike the area where Al had been initially assigned as his starting point, there was much more detail in the buildings here.

    You could enter the houses and each home had a unique format, one that the staff also changed around.

    Al quickly searched the first house, making sure that no one was camping out in the building. He was silent, making sure not to push down any of the walls and alert those nearby of his presence.

    Clearing the first house, Al moved on to another one.

    He didn''t want to be a sitting duck on the fringe of the suburban area.

    He used the houses and cars to block any shots that mighte from the other side.

    Al weaved between houses, avoiding any chance of being shot from behind.

    When he was satisfied that no one was in the immediate surroundings, Al picked out the most unlikely house in the area.

    He crouched down and listened.

    He knew that despite the size of the paintball field, there was a high possibility of someoneing to this ce.

    This ce would be the most logical to make a stand against and opponent, especially if you were more nimble like Angelica.

    There were so many nooks and crannies that Al was sure he would lose if Angelica had been hiding out there.

    Luckily, it seemed that his sister had been assigned to a much further area and had not found her way to this one.

    Al waited for a few minutes, he began to wonder why no one had found this area yet.

    "Emilio, you''re out!" The instructor suddenly announced that Emilio was out, Al was caught off guard.

    Emilio was a very good marksman. He also was no pushover when it came to the paintball field. It seemed that he just had the bad fortune of encountering Angelica.

    The little girl was truly a prodigy, one that he knew would either enter the mafia or military. He just wasn''t sure which one their parents were more likely to approve of.

    Al continued to wait, he knew that it was only a matter of time till Angelica found this area.

    What surprised Al the most was the fact that Eric had not yet been counted out.

    It was possible that his cousin had found a really good hiding spot and was yet to be discovered.

    Al temporarily considered venturing out and searching for Eric.

    Eric would definitely be an easier target over Angelica. The little girl was so fast and so skilled with a gun that even Al hesitated to fight her on equal grounds.

    When he was about to make a move and change his ns, he heard someone approaching from the other end of the area.

    He knew it wasn''t Angelica.

    His sister would be much more stealthier, unless it was a trap and she wanted him to check out the sound.

    Al was silently hidden, when he heard paintball shots going off.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He couldn''t believe his luck. It seemed that Angelica was also in the area and that she would be getting rid of Eric, making the match one against the two of them.

    "Damnit!" He heard his younger sister curse from the next building.

    She was much closer than he had expected.

    "Since when have you been this good, Eric!" Angelica shouted, her voice echoing around the area.

    Al knew she was trying to figure out Eric''s location by getting him to answer her question.

    But Eric seemed to know that Angelica had nned to use sound to determine where his was and chose not to answer.

    Not long after Al heard another round of paintball shots being unleashed, this time a little bit further away from him.

    It seemed that this time it was Eric shooting at his sister.

    Based on what he could hear, Eric was quite conservative with his ammo, something he didn''t expect from his cousin.

    He''d thought that Eric would simply point and shoot, increasing his chances of hitting his target.

    "Fuck." Al heard Eric curse, giving away his location.

    Al knew that Angelica would soon be running towards Eric''s direction and quickly nting three shots on her mark.

    Al heard the sounds of people running through the course, he heard doors banging open and close as they went in and out of houses and cars.

    Someone was being pursued and someone was the pursuer.

    "Fuck, you''re fast cousin!" Angelica hissed, panting as she tried to catch her breath.

    They were now probably right outside the building Al was in.

    Al heard Ericughing, it seemed he wasn''t tired at all.

    That was when three shots were fired, and instead of the result Al had expected, the instructor announced something else.

    "Angelica, you''re out. Good job making it this far, kid" The instructor chuckled.

    It was not what Al had expected.

    He knew that Eric had no experience dealing with guns, was Eric so lucky that he could take out Angelica even in her own element?

    "One to go, good luck with my brother, you''ll need it." Angelica chuckled as she spoke with Eric outside the house Al was huddled at.

    "Any chance you could give me a clue as to where Alrdich might be hiding?" Eric asked in a smooth tone as he tried to get his cousin to speak.

    Angelica simplyughed, refusing to give him any insight.

    "Well, I guess I''m off to hunt Al down." Eric said as he epted the fact that Angelica was not about to rat out her brother.

    Suddenly the rm in the paintball field began to go off.

    Al quickly opened the door and pulled his cousin and sister inside, whatever the emergency was they needed to hide.

 Chapter 1059 1059

    "You were in here the whole time?" Eric asked as Al in a hushed voice.

    They had been brought up knowing the protocol for events like these. When the rm sounded you were supposed to find a safe location and hide until a bodyguard could get to you.

    "Al, Eric, Angelica." The instructor''s voice came from a radio on Al''s vest. "There has been an attack but not on the property. Make your way to the west exit of the paintball field, a deployment of bodyguards will meet you there."

    "Copy." Al responded.

    "Leave your vests, we don''t want anyone tracking you just in case the assant had assistance from the inside." The instructor told Al.

    "We''ll get on the move then." Al answered as he, Eric, and Angelica took off their vests.

    "Take the radios from them, if the vests are found by the wrong people and the radios are still on they will be able to listen in on our conversations." Al told his cousin and sister.

    His twopanions did as he instructed, taking the radios and picking up their gun.

    "They might just be paintball guns, but they can help." Al said as he led them out of the building and approached one of the pirs in the room.

    He quickly searched for a panel and tapped a code that only members of the family knew.

    A door opened and Al reached in to retrieve three guns before closing the door again.

    "Just in case." Al told his sister and cousin as he gestured for them to keep quiet and follow him.

    Eric took the rear while Angelica stayed between the two elder boys, alert in case of any sudden movement in the room.

    There should have only been the three of them and no one else, so any sound would be suspicious.

    They walked in a straight line for around five minutes before finally reaching the secured door.

    Al tapped on the inte and it came to life with a screen showing the bodyguards at the otherside.

    "Code?" Al asked, it was a way of confirming if the bodyguards were friend or foe.

    "rin." The team lead said.

    As Al heard the code word he breathed a sigh of relief as he opened the door, allowing the bodyguards to rush them out and move them to the safe room.

    Since Ray wasn''t at home and was at Cedric''s ce, only Al and those from his generation were in the Laurence home.

    "What is going on?" Al asked the head of security who was seated at themand center. "Where was the attack and what is the status of the rest of the family?"

    Al knew that his father and uncle would be taking charge from wherever they were, but in the Laurence Mansion, Al was in charge.

    "There was an attempt to kidnap your brother today." The head of security reported to Al.

    It seemed that Raymond and Cedric thought it was fine for their children and guests to know the truth.

    "Somehow, they found out about your brother''spetition in another town today. They tried to kidnap him in the venue, luckily young master Andres managed to activate his emergency kit and fend them off until the body guards arrived." The man exined.

    Al knew that Andres was in another town for a football match.

    They kept it low profile that he would be there and only their mother Ayanna had attended since Ray had work while Al and Angelica had ss.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "How did they get through the bodyguards?" Al asked, hoping that the security team would already have answers to his questions.

    The head of security frowned and sighed.

    "Your brother insisted that since the school had been scouted beforehand he didn''t need a security detail at all times, especially not in the locker room." The head of security informed Al.

    "Kind of makes sense, I wouldn''t want them there either. Plus since Andres was doing this as quietly as possible his teammates probably didn''t know who he was and neither did the other team." Al nodded as he understood his brother''s intentions.

    "It seemed that the attackers managed to get all the students out so they could corner your brother." The man continued to exin as Al listened.

    "Where are my brother and mother now?" Al questioned as nced at Angelica, who carried a clearly worried expression on her face.

    No matter how good she was at fighting or how much of a prodigy she was, Angelica was still a little child.

    She was afraid and worried, and even if it had been drilled on to them that there was a risk of attacks happening, nothing prepared you for the real event.

    "They have been secured and are on a chopper home." The man responded, pulling Al back from his thoughts.

    "If they are already safe and the assants have been captured, why are we being kept in a safe room?" Al questioned, not fully understanding why they also had to be locked down there.

    The safe room had enough supplies and materials, but the security team had more equipment upstairs in the different offices that were probably now on lockdown.

    "We have reason to believe that there may be traitors that managed to weed their way into the house. Maybe as part of the staff." The man exined.

    A beeping sound suddenly came from anotherputer, catching everyone''s attention.

    One of the windows was erged to cover the entire screen. Al couldn''t help but frown at what they saw.

    "It''s the paintball field!" Cara gasped as a couple of men in construction uniforms crept through the maze with guns.

    "They are using the tracker." Emilio pointed out as he noticed them looking at a phone in one person''s hand.

    "It''s good we left the vests there then." Al said with a relieved smile. "Send the men to apprehend them. I want them alive."

    The head of security nodded and gave out the orders.

    Within a few minutes all the men lurking around the mansion were apprehended and ced in cells in another building.

    Al''s phone began to ring after a few minutes, to his surprise it was his father.

    "Dad?" Al asked as he picked up the call.

    "Are you well? How is Angelica and all your cousins and Cara?" Ray asked as he tried to keep his tone as calm as possible, but Al could hear the worry in his father''s voice.

    "We''re fine dad, the team got us to the safe room quickly." Al told his father in order to calm the older man.

    "Good, you did well son, I''m proud of you." Ray praised as Al was full of pride with his father''s words.

    "Get everyone out then head on to Mountain View Mansion. The teams will give us all the information." Ray instructed.

    Al sighed and frowned, it seemed that the day was not yet over.

 Chapter 1060 1060

    "Is this normal?" Cara asked as she tried to keep up with Al as he rushed through the hall, towards the elevator.

    "No, but it''s not like people never make attempts on our lives." Al told Cara as he gave her a weak smile.

    "What?!" Cara asked, shocked that people wanted Al and his family dead.

    When they entered the elevator, Emilio leaned back against the wall and sighed. He shook his head andughed as he looked at Cara.

    "My father is the richest and possibly the most powerful man in the country, did you really think that no one wanted any of us dead?" Emilio questioned as he looked her in the eyes, wondering if she really was so naive.

    "I mean, it''s possible, right?" Cara asked. "You guys are so powerful that people would be afraid to touch you."

    This time it was Eric that reacted to Cara''s statement.

    "What is up with you guys? I''m just genuinely confused with the situation!" Cara was clearly not happy with how the cousins were reacting to her questions.

    Everyone stopped talking and looked at Al. It was clear that he needed to speak with Cara.

    "I''ll deal with her." Al finally sighed, pulling her out of the elevator as soon as it reached the ground floor of the mansion.

    "Where are you taking me?!" Cara shouted as Al dragged her to the guest room that Cara had been using.

    He closed the door firmly behind them, gesturing for two guards to keep watch.

    He needed them there to keep Cara inside.

    "Cara, did you really think we had it that easy?" Al was practically shouting at her as he paced across the room. "Even your own brother wants me and my family dead. Do you know how dangerous it is for us keeping you here?"

    "Are you really asking me that?" Cara shouted. "Dangerous for you, but what about me and my dad?! Your father can have me killed at any time, I know I''m the leverage that you and your father have been using against dad, I''m not stupid."

    Al red at her, refusing to let her see how shocked he was that she knew.

    "For your safety you will stay here until I get back. If we can''t resolve this by tomorrow, you''ll be stuck in here Cara." Al didn''t like being tough on his friend, but his first priority would have to be the underworld and his family.

    If Cara was already doubting the reason she was there, then there was a chance she was also questioning why she and Al were even friends in the first ce.

    "You can''t do this!" Cara shouted as she ran after Al and tried to pull him back.

    "I can''t do what?!" Al asked as he tried his best not to hurt Cara while getting her grip off of him.

    "You can''t turn me into a prisoner!" Cara continued to grip Al''s arm, clinging on to him.

    "Cara, either you let go of me or I will force you off!" Al said in a stern tone as she red at her.

    Never had he wanted to treat her that way, but he had to, at this point it was for her safety and his family''s.

    Cara looked him in the eyes, she was clearly determined not to let go.

    "One." Al began to count, treating Cara like a child. He was hoping and praying that he wouldn''t have to force her off.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Fine." Cara said as soon as she realized that Al was serious.

    "Cara, I''m sorry, but we''ll settle this when I get back." Al told her as she stalked off into the bathroom, mming the door behind her.

    Al sighed and shook his head and left the room.

    He could only hope that by the time he came back Cara would have calmed down.

    "I want two guards at the door and another two by her window. I think she will try to escape." Al told the bodyguards who nodded in response and radioed in for back up.

    "What if her father wants to see her?" The bodyguard asked as he waited for further instructions.

    "Allow him in but one of you has to be present." Al said with a sigh. He didn''t want Cara to hate him. She just needed to cool down so that they could discuss things properly.

    She was one of his best friends, he didn''t want to lose her, especially not this way.

    "We will try our best to make sure that she isfortable, sir." The bodyguard said with a nod.

    They all understood how important Cara was to Al.

    Over the past few days they had seen them interact and there were even suspicions that there was more than just friendship between the two teenagers.

    Al sighed and left, he found Eric and Emilio waiting for him.

    "Where is Hendrick?" He asked, noticing the mafia man''s absence.

    "With Angelica, I sent him to watch over her." Emilio said with a nod. "She might be a target too and I trust him more than anyone else here."

    "Thanks." Al told his cousin as they walked out of the house and one of the cars pulled up for them to get on.

    They all got in and rode in silence.

    The drive was short since the two mansions were close to each other.

    Emilio didn''t want to bother his cousin, but he knew that Al was suffering mentally and emotionally because of what he had to do to Cara.

    "Do you love her?" Emilio finally asked.

    Eric looked at Emilio, his eyes wide with shock. No one ever dared to ask Al the question in such a straightforward manner.

    "I don''t know." Al answered with a shrug as the car pulled up to the door of Mountain View Mansion. "I care about her, but aren''t I too young to know what love is like?"

    "I don''t think so." Eric grinned. "My mom and dad fell in love when mom was fifteen, but since they didn''t act on their feelings, it took them a while to get together."

    "I just don''t know." Al said as he opened the door and walked away from his cousins.

    Emilio simply shook his head and followed Al''s lead, exiting the car and heading towards the house.

 Chapter 1061 1061

    "Are you sure it''s the same people?" Cedric asked his brother-inw as hebed his hands through his hair, clearly frustrated with the fact that his leak had caused his sister and nephew to be ced in danger.

    Ray nodded as he poured Cedric a ss of whisky and handed it to him.

    "Calm your nerves." Ray said as dragged Cedric to sit back down.

    "Information about Andres'' match today should have been a secret, only a select group were aware of it." Emilio pointed out as he reviewed the file. "Are there any that ovep with those that knew my identity and those that knew Andres'' schedule?"

    Cedric stood up once more and paced across the room, anxious as he couldn''t figure out where the information leak was.

    "That''s the thing, your identity wasn''t as tightly sealed as mine was. There are hundreds of suspects in your case." Cedric exined to his son.

    "But less people knew of Andres'' location yesterday." Al pointed out as he looked at the list that was attached to the file.

    Eric quickly picked up the list of those that knew of Emilio''s identity and those that knew of Andres'' location.

    He quickly scanned them, shaking his head the more he read through the list.

    "Ten, there are ten of them." Eric sighed as he picked up a piece of paper and jotted the names down. "There weren''t that many people that knew about Andres''petition."

    Cedric nodded as he took the piece of paper from Eric.

    "Thanks." Cedric told him, making Eric smile up at the older man.

    Cedric reviewed the list and nodded as he handed it off to Ray. Most of the men belonged to their shared security team.

    Since Ray had married Cedric''s sister, Cedric felt a responsibility to keep her and her family safe, so they decided tobine both security teams.

    "We still cannot discount the possibility that this could be a group of people. What did you learn from those that were arrested at your home?" Cedric asked Ray.

    The other man nced at his son.

    It was to Al that the head of security on the Laurence mansion side had reported to.

    "They were employees, mostly hired in the past few months. All were vetted through the proper process, most of whom had never seen me or Emilio. They were looking for someone they had never seen earlier." Al responded with a shrug as he recalled what he had been told.

    The head of security had given him a quick report as he walked from Cara''s room to the door.

    "I''ll go back and interrogate them myself once we are done here." Ray told Cedric as he ced the list back on the table. "I''m sure you want to be involved in this."

    Cedric nodded in response.

    "I want to help too, dad." Al told Ray, making the man frown.

    "You already have so much on your te, Al." Ray told his son with a sigh. "Work on patching things up with Cara first."

    Al nodded and frowned, he was tempted to ask his father how he knew about the issue with Cara, but then he realized how silly the question was.

    All the employees were his father''s employees, they would have told him if something bad had happened, including the fight between Al and Cara.

    "By the way dad, where is Peter Jao?" Al remembered that Cara''s father was neither in their home nor at the Reyes Mansion.

    He couldn''t help but worry that the man had escaped.

    "He''s at the headquarters, don''t worry." Ray informed his son.

    Al sighed a breath of relief as he heard that the man''s location had been known to his father the entire time.

    "Now, let''s get you back home. Your uncle Cedric and I will investigate the matter, while you focus on your current tasks and fixing things with Cara." Ray said with a concerned look in his eyes.

    Al didn''t want to further bother his dad, so he simply nodded and allowed himself and his cousins to be escorted out.

    "I''ll see you tomorrow." Cedric told Ray as he sent off Ray, Al, and Eric.

    The car ride home was a silent and quite tension filled one.

    Ray knew that his son wanted to do more, but he already had too much on his te.

    When the group arrived back at home, Ray received a call from his wife.

    He gave his son a look telling him to behave before finally disappearing towards his office.

    "So, Cara, what did you do to her?" Eric asked his cousin as they sat down in the living room.

    Al knew that his father would still want to have a word with them and found it pointless to return to his room only to be summoned again.

    "I locked her in her room. I didn''t know what to do." Al said with a shrug as he thought of how bad it sounded.

    "She''s going to be so pissed at you." Eric warned his cousin. "I''m not sure if your friendship will be able to survive what you did."

    Al sighed and frowned as he nced up at the stairwell that led to the guest rooms where Cara and her father were staying.

    "I know." Al said, shaking his head."But I ced the family and the underworld first. I made the same decision my father would have."

    Eric chuckled and gave his friend a curious look.

    "Aren''t we too young to think logically?" Eric asked as he looked at a distance, clearly lost in thought.

    "You''re one to say that." Al teased as he nudged his cousin. "You''ve been thinking logically since you were young. Speaking of which, how were you able to beat Angelica in the paintball field?"

    "I''ve been ying paintball with my bodyguards since I was a kid." Eric shrugged. "Mom might have banned me from learning how to shoot a gun, but she seemed to be fine with me ying paintball."

    Alughed at his cousin''s reasoning.

    Truly if you really wanted something and ced your heart to it, nothing could stop you.

 Chapter 1062 1062

    Ray eventually joined Al and Eric in the living room.

    He was surprised to find Al much calmer as heughed with his cousin.

    "That was your mom." Ray informed his son. "She told us not to worry, she and Andres will head home tomorrow. They are booked at a very secure hotel outside of the city. She doesn''t want to push their luck tonight."

    Al nodded as he let out a breath of relief. He had been worried about his mother''s and brother''s condition since he heard the news.

    "You can go head on to bed. You still have ss tomorrow and you''ll be meeting the traitor in your team, if I''m not mistaken." Ray said as he gestured for his son and nephew to head to their rooms. "I''ll speak to your sister."

    "Dad, if you don''t mind. Can I speak to Cara tonight? I want to try to fix things." Al said as he awkwardly fidgeted with his hands.

    Ray gave his son a sad smile, but still nodded nheless.

    "I''m not sure if it''ll help a lot to try and speak to her tonight. You had her locked in her rooms." Ray frowned.

    "I did it to protect everyone, dad, even herself." Al tried to reason. "You know this."

    "But Cara doesn''t, and I doubt she would truly believe you." Ray exined to his son.

    "Then what do you suggest?" Al asked as he threw his hands in the air, exhausted by how his day had gone.

    "Fine, speak to her." Ray counseled his son. "But talk to Peter Jao as well. If anyone can get to her, it will be her own father."

    Alughed and gave his father a questioning look.

    Ray simply responded to his son with a shrug.

    "Why would her father speak to her on my behalf? He too is practically a prisoner in our house!" Al tried his best not to shout at his father.

    "You won''t know until you try, Al." Ray said with a smile as he turned to leave. "Good night, Al, Eric."

    With that the king of the underworld headed up to speak to his daughter.

    "Will you still speak to her?" Eric asked his cousin as he stayed by Al''s side.

    Al nodded.

    "I don''t want to go to bed knowing I didn''t try."

    "Let me walk you to her door." Eric offered as he and Al walked in silence.

    Eric knew better than to attempt small talk with Al. It was clear that he was running what he would say to Cara in his head.

    When they finally reached her door, Al was surprised to see Peter Jao leaving his daughter''s room.

    "Young Master Laurence." Peter Jao said as he gave a slight bow.

    "Mr. Jao." Al respectfully replied to his father''s friend.

    There were a few seconds of awkward silence before Al decided to bring up the dilemma he was facing with Cara.

    "Has your daughter mentioned what happened?" Al asked as he searched the older man''s expression for an answer.

    Of course as someone that has worked with the mafia for so long, Peter Jao was not so easy to read.

    "She did, sir." Peter confirmed, nodding at Al as he avoided eye contact with the younger man.

    "Cara, she''s my friend, and I hope you understand that I would never do anything to intentionally harm her." Al knew that if Peter Jao was anyone else he wouldn''t owe the man an exnation, but as Cara''s father Al wanted him to hear both sides of the story.

    "Sir, I know you wouldn''t do anything out of impulse or anger." Peter Jao told Al. "You might be quite young, but you are much more maturepared to other people out there. I am sure that you didn''t lock my daughter up for a shallow reason."

    Al nodded and felt relieved that Peter understood the situation.

    "I''ve even tried to get Cara to understand the situation." Peter''s words made Al smile. He didn''t expect that Peter would go as far as exining things to his daughter. "I know it doesn''t seem like it, but I''m sure things will get better soon."

    "Thank you." Al said with a genuine smile. "I won''t keep you for long, I''ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Jao."

    "Good night, sir." Peter said as he left Al and Eric standing by Cara''s door.

    When the man entered his room and closed the door, Eric finally spoke.

    "That was nice of him." Ericmented.

    "Yeah, I didn''t expect that." Al nodded in agreement.

    "It kinda makes sense to me, just think about it. The only way he can keep his daughter truly safe is if she is here." Eric exined. "If Cara were to remain pissed off with you, she would probably demand from her dad that they leave."

    "Peter knows my father will never let him leave till things have been corrected." Al said with a sigh. "I wish I could have be friends with Cara the normal way."

    Eric patted his cousin on the back and smiled.

    They all understood how difficult Al''s situation with Cara was mainly because of how they met and who their fathers were.

    "Well, I''ll leave you to talk to Cara. Good night and good luck Al." Eric said as he turned and left.

    "Will you enter, sir?" One of the two bodyguards by the door asked as they looked at the young man who was simply staring at the door they were guarding.

    "Did she attempt to leave?" Al asked. He knew Cara wouldn''t go down quietly.

    "Unfortunately, multiple times, sir. We had to resort to locking the door so that she stayed in there." The other guard reported.

    "She wasn''t hurt, was she?" Al was clearly more concerned about Cara''s well-being over the possibility of her escaping.

    His concern made the two guards look at each other and smile.

    "She wasn''t sir. We didn''t touch her, she didn''t give us a reason to." The first guard informed Al.

    "Very well, I''ll speak to her. Thank you for keeping her in there." Al said with a thankful nod as the guards bowed their heads and opened the doors for Al to enter.

    "You fucking bastard!" Cara shouted as she saw Al enter the room.

 Chapter 1063 1063

    ?

    Al quickly stepped aside, allowing his instinct and reflexes to take over.

    Cara had thrown a vase at him. Luckily he was already expecting the worst and had managed to dodge it.

    "I''m sure I''m not a bastard Cara." Al teased as he tried to lighten the situation.

    His joke clearly didn''t work as Cara walked up to him and gave him a p on the cheek.

    Al knew he could have avoided it, but what was the point? It would have only made her possibly more mad and that was not Al''s goal in visiting her tonight.

    "You have the guts to show up here after you sent my dad to reason with me on your behalf? How pathetic are you?" Cara spat as Al slowly closed the door behind him.

    He didn''t want the entire house waking up, nor did he want Cara to try and run away.

    "The only time today that I saw your father was outside your door less than five minutes ago." Al said as he tried to defend himself and Peter Jao.

    He was honestly surprised that Cara thought he had spoken to her father to convince her to forgive Al.

    "You''re lying!" She shouted at Al.

    "I really didn''t ask him to speak on my behalf, Cara. But I am here to try to reason with you." Al confessed as he made his way to pour them a drink.

    "That''s mine." Cara said as she red at Al.

    "Well, technically, you''re in my house so. . ." Al said, his voice trailing off as he decided against continuing his sentence.

    "Shut up." Cara told him as she sat on the couch and leaned back.

    Al smiled to himself as he realized that Cara had not told him to leave the room yet. He couldn''t help but think that it was a sign that she was willing to hear him out.

    "Cara, I came here to exin myself and my actions, I hope you will hear me out." Al said as he approached her and sat next to her.

    Cara turned her back on him, acting as if she wasn''t willing to listen, but Al knew otherwise.

    As long as he was still in her room, it meant that she was going to hear him out.

    "It was a difficult high intensity situation earlier today." Al began his exnation, not waiting for Cara to confirm that she would hear him out.

    "And that gives you the right to manhandle me and lock me in my room?" Cara questioned as she turned to re at Al.

    "You refused to listen, to understand!" Al argued back. "Your questions and stubbornness were reaching a dangerous point, I did it for not just your safety but everyone else''s."

    Cara let out a scream of frustration as she stomped away from Al.

    Not being one to simply let Cara have her way, Al stood up and chased after her.

    She walked towards the balcony and threw the doors open, stepping out.

    "All I wanted was the truth, to understand what was happening, then you go and talk about me and my father as if we wanted Colin to betray your family!" Cara shouted at Al as her voice carried over the silent night sky outside.

    Al was sure that everyone could now hear her getting mad at him, and as much as he wanted to pull her back into the room, he knew that it would only make things worse.

    "I know that you didn''t want Colin to do that, I know you and your father had no control over his actions. Will you just listen to me Cara." Al answered calmly.

    Cara didn''t answer him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    She simply turned her back and looked out at the night sky.

    Al took the opportunity to close the gap between them. He stepped out of the room and joined her on the balcony, standing shoulder to shoulder with her.

    It was silent outside.

    Everyone in the mansion was now in their rooms, even Ray who was probably done exining the situation to Angelica.

    Al took a deep breath as he hoped Cara would finally calm down and listen to him.

    "You know, it breaks my heart that we are fighting like this." Al bravely confessed. "You''re someone I really care about and I think everyone else sees that."

    Cara didn''t say a word, she just continued to look out of the balcony, taking deep breaths as they enjoyed the cool breeze.

    "Did you ask my dad to talk to me?" Cara finally spoke without turning to face Al. "I want the truth, not some well-said lie. I hate it when people lie to me. They think I''m innocent and naive, I''m not."

    Al nodded even if Cara couldn''t see him.

    "What I told you earlier was the truth, I didn''t ask your dad to speak to you. I haven''t seen him all day." Al admitted.

    It was the truth, he hadn''t seen Peter Jao that day.

    "But, I have to confess, I was already nning on asking for his help if you would be stubborn tonight." Alughed awkwardly, unsure of how Cara would take it.

    He noticed as the side of her lips curled up, giving him a small smile.

    Al couldn''t put into words how relieved he was that Cara was smiling.

    "Fine. I''ll forgive you, but I need to know something Al. The truth please." Cara pleaded as her eyes met his.

    Al nodded as he promised himself to tell her the truth no matter what she asked.

    "I''ll start with an easy one." Cara told him with a sad look in her eyes. "How are your mother and brother?"

    "They are safe." Al told Cara.

    He was touched that Cara was actually concerned about the condition of his mother and brother.

    "That''s good, I didn''t get to interact with Andres much, but your mom is so nice and such an angel." Cara said, smiling as she spoke about Al''s family.

    "She''ll be ttered to hear that." Al teased, making Cara blush.

    Cara then straightened herself and looked Al in the eyes with a serious expression.

    "Tell me, Al, are we friends because you actually found me interesting is school or are we friends because of what my father and brother did?" Cara asked, catching all off guard.

    He didn''t think she would ask that question.

    By the time he processed what she asked, it was toote.

    Cara was furious as she walked out of the balcony and away from Al.

    His silence was the answer she needed.

 Chapter 1064 1064

    ?

    "I can''t believe you!" Cara shouted as she turned and threw amp at him.

    Al dodged themp and heard as it crashed to the ground below.

    "Sorry." Al called out knowing that there was a bodyguard lurking around the corner, keeping watch so that Cara wouldn''t escape.

    "You had a bodyguard stand by the balcony!!!" Cara shouted, furious that she was so tightly watched.

    "Yes. Because it was for your safety." Al said as he chose not to waver on the matter. "I already exined to you my actions! It was for the greater good!"

    "And you also admitted that we are only friends because of who my father and brother are! You used me Al!" Cara cried out as she threw a pillow at Al.

    "Cara, we are friends because I enjoy being around you." Al was practically begging for her to understand him. "My family opened their doors to yours because we are friends, don''t doubt that fact."

    Cara shook her head and sat on the bed, turning her back on Al.

    "Cara, please." Al begged as he walked towards her, only for Cara to hold out a hand telling him to stop.

    "Out!" Cara shouted. "Leave me alone."

    Al sighed and frowned, but he didn''t leave.

    "You can''t make me." Al told her. "This is still my family''s home, the people here work for my father."

    "And if your father was as wise as everyone says, he will do as I want if he wants my father to stay and help him." Cara threatened Al as she looked him in the eyes.

    Al didn''t respond.

    He just watched Cara, annoyed that she was using the underworld as a threat.

    "People can die if you act because we fought." Al reminded her. "A lot of innocent people."

    "Do you think I care?" Cara asked as she raised an eyebrow at Al.

    Al frowned but didn''t attempt to take a step forward.

    "Cara, we both know that this isn''t you. You are letting your anger get the best of you." Al said in a calm tone as he tried to get Cara to rx. "You care about people and you don''t like it when people get hurt."

    "No! This is me, you don''t get to dictate who I am Aldrich Lawrence!" Cara shouted. "Get out!"

    As much as he didn''t want to leave, Al worried that staying would make things worse for him and Cara, so he turned and walked out of the room.

    He could tell that Cara was watching him go, making sure that he left her alone rather than tricked her.

    When he reached the door, Al stopped and turned to look at his friend.

    "Cara, I hope you know that I truly care about you and I never wanted to hurt you." Al said as he kept eye contact with her. "You are my friend because I like you, not because my dad needs your father and brother. Please I hope you know that."

    "Leave." Cara said in a stern tone as she threw a pillow. This one hitting Al at the back of his head.

    Al sighed and frowned, but he did nothing to retaliate.

    He simply closed the door behind him and left.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Any new instructions, sir?" The bodyguard asked as soon as the doors were closed behind Al.

    "No. Just keep her in there, make sure she is safe. Give her anything she asks for." Al told the bodyguard as he continued to look ahead and left.

    Al couldn''t help but hope that things would be better the next day.

    Maybe a good night''s sleep was all they all needed, after all, today had been quite eventful.

    When Al woke up, his first thoughts were on Cara. He wondered if anything had happenedst night, if she had slept well.

    He quickly took his phone and asked the security team to connect him to the body guards stationed at her door.

    "Were there any incidentsst night?" Al asked.

    "No sir. Miss Cara slept quite soundly." He informed Al.

    "Has breakfast been sent up to her?" Al was anxious, he wanted Cara to still be treated properly.

    "Yes, sir. Your sister joined the maids as they sent the food up. They spoke for a bit but the young miss seemed quite distressed when she left." The bodyguard informed Al, much to his disappointment.

    "Thank you for informing me. Has she asked if she was going to school today? Has her dad spoken to her today?" Al asked the bodyguard.

    "Mr. Jao hasn''te to visit his daughter, but he has gone down for breakfast." The bodyguard reported.

    "I''ll speak to Peter. Thank you." Al ended the call and quickly ran down the stairs, hoping that he would catch Peter at breakfast.

    "Woah, slow down Al, you''ll trip!" Al heard his mom''s soothing voice, making him stop in his tracks and run over to give her a hug.

    "Mom! You''re home!" He said excitedly.

    "I wanted to get back as soon as possible after I heard about your fight with Cara." Ayanna Lawrence told her son as she frowned at him.

    "I tried not to fight with her, but she doesn''t understand mom. She thinks that I''m just using her." Alined.

    Ayanna nodded as she listened to her son.

    "I''ll try talking to her. Will she be going to school today?" Ayanna asked her son.

    "It''s not up to me, or at least I don''t think it is." Al told his mom, unsure about what to do.

    "I think your dad will leave this one up to you." Ayanna said as she smiled at Al. "Go, he''s having breakfast with Peter Jao. I''ll just freshen up then speak to your friend."

    Al nodded and rushed down the stairs once more, happy to find his father and Cara''s at the dining table.

    "Dad, Peter, good morning." Al greeted as he took his seat to his father''s right.

    "Al, Mr. Jao has a favor to ask you." Ray Lawrence told his son as he nodded for Peter to speak.

    "Al, don''t let my daughter leave her room just yet. If you let her go to school she will run and put not just herself in danger but everyone as well."

    He was shocked when he heard what Peter had to say, wasn''t this man supposed to beg him to release his daughter?

 Chapter 1065 1065

    ?

    "Mr. Jao, I had no ns of letting Cara leave until we''ve made up." Al told Peter Jao.

    Peter Jao smiled and nodded at Al.

    "It''s good to hear that we are on the same page." Peter told Al. "I know that my daughter might not fully understand the situation at the moment, but she will eventually. I''ll speak to her."

    Al nodded and smiled, d that Peter Jao hadn''t insisted on letting Cara go.

    "Al, did we ever tell you the story of Mr. Jao''s sister?" Ray Lawrence asked his son.

    "No dad. I was curious but I didn''t want to press the topic. Uncle Andres mentioned her when we were in your office." Al confessed to the two men.

    Peter smiled and sighed, as if recalling a good but sad memory.

    "The Jao family has been in the service of the Dean Family Mafia for generations, I wasn''t the first nor was I meant to be thest." Peter Jao exined to Al. "But it has always been our practice to keep the women as far away from the underworld as possible."

    "And what if they wanted to join?" Al asked as his thoughts went to his younger sister, Angelica, who was much more interested in the underworldpared to their brother Andres.

    "They could be allowed to, it depends on the head of the family to be honest." Peter exined to Al.

    "Different families have different practices." Ray said, nodding in agreement.

    "What happened to your sister? What was her name? Where is she now?" Al aske, curious about the woman who seemed to be behind the reason why his Uncle Andres was single until now.

    Peter and Ray bothughed at Al''s curiosity.

    "Her name was Pandora, she was five years younger than me and she was beautiful." Peter said, smiling at the memory of his sister. "We may have tried our best to keep her out of the Underworld, but that didn''t mean she wouldn''t cross paths with people from it."

    "She met Uncle Andres outside of the Mafia?" Al asked, shocked that his uncle had let someone outside the mafia close enough to him.

    Peter smiled and nodded.

    "People said it was love at first sight." Ray sighed. "I saw them, of course, when their rtionship was just starting, it was truly love."

    "Eventually when their rtionship started to get serious, Andres investigated her family background and discovered that we were involved with the Mafia." Peter exined.

    He took a deep breath and shook his head.

    "Wanting to set things right, Andres told us that Pandora had every right to know about her family and their involvement in the Mafia. Our father refused." Peter told Al with a pained expression.

    "How serious was their rtionship?" Al couldn''t help but ask out loud.

    "Andres was already nning on proposing." Ray told his son, grinning from ear to ear.

    "Andres asked my father for Pandora''s hand in marriage, but my dad had a condition." Peter recounted with a frown. "He could marry my sister, if she wouldn''t find out about our involvement in the Maifa."

    "That would be impossible." Al said, shocked by the terms set by Peter''s father. "Pandora would be the wife of a Mafia Don, she would know about your involvement especially since the Ri and Dean families are allies."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "That''s exactly what Andres said, and my father told him that if he couldn''t meet those terms then he couldn''t marry Pandora." Peter exined.

    "I''m assuming Uncle Andres was not happy about that." Almented.

    "No, he was not happy. He believed that Pandora had a right to know whether or not they were getting married, so he told her the truth." Peter told Al with a shrug.

    "How much of the truth?" Al questioned.

    "All of it." Peter grinned as he shook his head. "Of course my little sister was furious with Andres for not telling her, but she was more pissed off with my father and I. We lied to her our entire life."

    "Is that why you med Uncle Andres for her leaving?" Al asked as he realized that Peter had also been furious at Andres Ri when they met.

    "We were both to me, but I didn''t realize that until you had a fight with my daughter." Peter exined to Al. "I unknowingly stuck to our old traditions when it came to Cara to the point that she doesn''t even understand that what you''re doing is for her safety."

    "I did go overboard a little though." Al confessed, scratching the back of his head.

    "I don''t want my daughter to be a repeat of my sister." Peter told Al. "Pandora never got over Andres, I think she still loves him. I haven''t spoken to her in decades and I only reached out yesterday after what happened to Cara."

    "Oh, I hope she''s happy wherever she is now." Al said, thinking of how Cara could run over to her aunt if she really hated Al. Maybe Pandora would allow the Lawrence family to provide them with a security detail even.

    "She misses the country, she''s in Marina City now. But she told me that if I needed a ce for Cara, her home would always be open for her niece." Peter said with a sad smile.

    Al nodded, not exactly happy with that idea, even if he himself had thought of the same thing.

    "I don''t want Cara to be like my sister, losing everything because of lies and our inability to tell the truth." Peter confessed to Al and Ray.

    "I promise to do everything to get Cara to understand, Peter. But I will need your help and possibly Pandora''s as well." Al told the older man.

    Peter nodded, promising to help.

    "I suggest you speak to her before you leave for school." Ray told his son as he sipped his coffee. "She''s still a young woman and they need to know that you are trying."

    Al nodded as he began to n his next moves.

    He quickly finished his meal and went right up to speak to Cara before leaving for school.

    To Al''s surprise, he found Eric pacing outside of Cara''s room.

    "Did you want to speak to her?" Al asked his cousin as he leaned against the wall.

    "I''d like to. I''m just not sure on what to say." Eric said with a shrug.

    "Let''s go in together, maybe that will help." Al said with a smile as he nodded for the guards to open the door so that they could speak with Cara.

 Chapter 1066 1066

    ?

    "What are you doing here?" Cara asked as she red at Al. "Did he drag you along to help me understand what I did wrong too?"

    Cara looked angrily at Eric as she used him of siding with Al.

    "Believe it or not, I''m actually here because I was worried about you." Eric said with a smile that made Cara blush.

    "Eric." Al said in a stern tone.

    "What? You guys are fighting so I thought I might as well flirt with her. You don''t mind right, Cara?" Eric winked at Cara, making her giggle.

    It was the first time Al saw her smile since their fight.

    "Are you really worried about her or are you just checking to see if your charm works on her?" Al asked, his annoyance clear with the tone of his voice.

    "Calm down." Eric said, rolling his eyes.

    Cara seemed to havee to her senses in their exchange, when Al turned to look at her, she was no longer smiling and carried a scowl on her face.

    "Will you let me go to school today?" Cara asked Al, shifting the topic.

    "Have you calmed down and do you now understand why I had to lock you up in here?" Al asked Cara.

    He knew there was a possibility that she would lie to them, but he knew Cara, her pride wouldn''t let her do that.

    "No." Cara said as she looked Al directly in the eyes. "You still had no right to treat me that way. So if you won''t be letting me go to school, out! Both you and Eric!"

    Cara pointed to the door, much to Al''s disappointment.

    He wanted to argue with her, but they would bete for ss.

    "My mom will visit you, he arrived this morning and told me she wanted to see you." Al said as he dragged Eric out of the room to gather their school things.

    In the car to the bus stop Eric sighed and shook his head.

    "You know this is all a big mimunication, right?" Eric pointed out to Al.

    "I know." Al nodded. He wasn''t stupid. "It''s still too fresh for either of us to understand what the other is trying to say."

    "Oh,e on Al, we might be fifteen but you are smarter and more mature than how you look." Eric rolled his eyes as he turned his back on his cousin.

    "Drop it Eric." Al hissed.

    Eric knew not to bring up the topic again when his cousin was angry.

    For the rest of the day Al and Eric pretended that nothing was wrong.

    When asked where Cara was, they simply said she was sick. Peter Jao had also called in to inform the school so that Cara would be excused.

    At the end of the day Al and Eric stood at the bus stop, waiting for two different buses.

    Al would be going to the Dean family mafia headquarters, while Eric would go to the Ri family mafia headquarters at the other end of the city.

    "Good luck." Al told his cousin as he looked down. "It won''t be an easy mission and this could go on for months, or maybe even longer."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I know." Eric said with a nod. "I''m sure mom won''t make us move until this whole issue is wrapped up and tucked away."

    "My bus is here, I''ll see you at home." Al nodded as the bus came to a halt and he got on.

    Eric was smiling and waving as the bus pulled away.

    Themute to the Dean Family Mafia Headquarters took Al thirty minutes.

    When he got there, he rushed to the designated room where they were all supposed to meet up. He was sure he would be thest to arrive since he wasing from school.

    "You''rete." Endrick hissed as soon as Al entered.

    "Sorry, sir. The bus took a while to arrive." Al said, panting as he bowed toward Hendrick.

    "Sit." Hendrick instructed.

    Unfortunately the only seat left avable was next to Sora. Al couldn''t believe his luck as he sat down next to the woman who clearly hated him.

    "You can''t be legal." Sora said as she gave Al a disgusted look.

    She then turned to face the front before calling Henrick''s attention.

    "Since when has the Dean Family Mafia been allowing children into our ranks? This one is clearly a minor." Sorained.

    Al watched as everyone nodded, he sank in his seat and scanned the room. He knew everyone there, everyone except one man, the traitor.

    Luke Lopez looked nothing like most of the goons in the underworld.

    He was well dressed, his features were quite sharp, he didn''t look like an ordinary member of the Mafia.

    Most men in the Mafia or Gangs had a roughed up look about them, Luke was the total opposite.

    He seemed more suited for small modeling gigs than being ackey in the Mafia if Al was being honest.

    Al couldn''t help but wonder if that was the reason Luke chose to betray them, he wanted out of the Mafia and he wanted to live a life different from what he had now.

    The Underworld was never known for letting people go so easily. Even Francesca Ri couldn''t shake her Mafia family, but then again, it was by choice that she was still involved.

    "Hey kid, I''m talking to you. Get your head out of your ass." Hendrick told Al, snapping his fingers, pulling Al from his thoughts.

    "Oh, sorry, just a bit out of it today." Al said, shaking his head. "What did you ask?"

    "How long have you been in the Dean Family Mafia?" Hendrick repeated himself.

    "A year." Al answered confidently.

    It was the truth, Luke could ask around and they would tell him that Al had been around for over a year at that point.

    "So the Dean Family is going against the king''s bottomline?" Someone asked. "Aren''t the king and the Don friends?"

    "I guess sometimes, they disagree on things." Hendrick said with a shrug not wanting to delve into the matter.

 Chapter 1067 1067

    ?

    "Was that part of some n?" Al asked as he leaned against a wall in the Dean Family Mafia Headquarters.

    He didn''t like the fact that there were things happening in the mission that he didn''t know about.

    "It was your Uncle Seth''s idea." Hendrick nodded. "That''s what you call him right, Uncle?"

    Al nodded and sighed.

    "So we are now making the n even moreplex by adding ayer of the Dean Family not agreeingpletely with my father?" Al questioned.

    He didn''t like the n, but he couldn''t help but admit that it made sense.

    If Luke had reason to believe that the Dean Family Mafia had something to hide, he would tell Colin.

    He would also end up targeting the entire group, giving them a better chance of catching and manipting him.

    "I''ll have a word with dad." Al sighed. "Are youing along?"

    "Yeah, I still have work to do with Emilio." Hendrick said as they walked out of the building together.

    "How is that going by the way?" Al asked as headed towards the closest bus stop.

    "It''s a lot more work than I expected and it''s a lot moreplicated than I thought." Hendrick confessed as they waited for the bus.

    Al was careful as he looked around, making sure that no one was watching them.

    He knew it was possible that Luke had some friends in the Mafia that could stalk them. People that wkere possibly working with him.

    "He probably won''t make a move on the first day," Hendrick pointed out as the bus came to a stop before them. "He''ll be careful and earn our trust first."

    Al nodded as they climbed up on the bus.

    Despite Hendrick''s words, Al was still cautious. He knew that it would do them no harm if he was wary.

    However, it seemed that Hendrick was right since Al did not spot any suspicious movements around them.

    They sat in the bus silently.

    "How are things between you and Cara?" Herndrick asked as he recalled the state of the two friends when he left the Lawrence Mansion the night before.

    He had kept Al''s little sisterpany while the security team made sure everything was truly safe.

    "She''s still pretty pissed." Al confessed. "I mean, she had the right to be, but at the same time I wish she understood the situation better. It''s not like I wanted to do what I did."

    "Ah, young love." Hendrick teased,ughing at Al.

    "I don''t see her that way." Al rolled his eyes and ignored the other man.

    "Whatever you say, Al." Hendrick chuckled as he looked ahead, choosing not to antagonize the young man any further.

    As always, Al and Hendrick got off at the designated bus stop and walked a little bit further before stopping and waiting for the car.

    Within a few minutes, the entire area was blocked off and Al and Henrick rode the car.

    "Aren''t you worried that Luke will check into your background and discover that you are the assistant to the Reyes Heir?" Al asked as soon as the door closed behind them.

    "My position isn''t public knowledge, to people I''m a management trainee who is being brought around to see where I fit in the Reyes Group." Hendrick told Al. "Plus I use different names in the Mafia and in the Reyes Group. You forget, I''ve been trying to hide from my family for years."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Henrick winked at Al, making the younger manugh.

    They first dropped Al off in his home before the driver took Hendrick to the Reyes Mansion.

    "You got backter than I did." Ericmented as soon as he saw his cousin entering the mansion.

    "I''m guessing it went smoothly on your end as well? The introduction I mean." Al asked his cousin as he walked towards the kitchen to ask for a snack.

    He was quite famished after the long day.

    "It did. The man questioned my presence, but otherwise I don''t think he suspected a thing." Eric shrugged.

    Al nodded as he considered their next moves.

    They all knew that the traitors needed to identify them as the most vulnerable ones in the group.

    Different scenarios had been nned for them to be targeted, but after that they were more or less on their own.

    "You know that none of us would betray you, right?" Eric teased Al as he noticed the pensive look on his cousin''s face.

    Al smiled and shook his head.

    "I don''t think Colin or the people he works with could offer you anything more than what you guys already have." Al pointed out as a maid served him a sandwich.

    "Let''s list it down shall we." Eric grinned while Al stuffed his mouth with food and nodded.

    "There is Tristan, whose father is the right hand man of the King of the Underworld." Eric said as he picked at each of them. "I mean the only way they could get him on their side is if they made Tristan the King, which I doubt they would. Why go to all this effort just to hand the crown to a child?"

    Alughed and shook his head at the thought of Colin approaching Tristan with a pitiful offer.

    "Then, of course, there is me." Eric said with a grin. "I honestly don''t think there is anything they can offer me. I''m the nephew of the sitting king, my father was an internationally acimed actor, and my mother is the bestwyer in the country."

    "They could offer you freedom from all of this." Al shrugged as he realized that none of them knew what Eric truly wanted.

    "No." Eric shook his head. "There is no way you can escape something like this. Something we have been born into. Honestly I think I''d like to stick around, if you get what I mean."

    "Be my right hand man in the future or something?" Al asked, surprised that a life in the underworld was something his cousin wanted.

    "Behind the scenes, of course. I n to be like my dad." Eric said with a mischievous grin. "I''ll talk to Uncle Ram when I turn eighteen."

    "I didn''t think you wanted that." Al said as he shook his head. Surprised that Eric wanted to enter the very industry his mother had been protecting him from.

    "No one ever asked." Eric smiled.

    "Then we have Arthur, who is also a member of the Reyes family. That speaks as much in itself." Al added. "It''s not like he would want to be the head of the Reyes family, because that''s the only higher he can actually go."

    Eric nodded in agreement.

    "Then of course there is yourself." Eric pointed out. "Future King of the Underworld, Nephew to Cedric Reyes and Alexander Sebastian."

    Al gave his cousin a smile and simply nodded.

    "I think I''ll go visit Cara." Al announced as he left his cousin in the kitchen, sighing and shaking his head.

 Chapter 1068 1068

    ?

    "Are you here to tell me I can go?" Cara asked as crossed her arms on her chest and red at Al.

    When he had knocked on her door, he was surprised that she had let him in.

    He had expected an unwee visitor in her room again today, but it seemed she was willing to speak to him.

    "Depends, will you run if I let you out?" He asked Cara in a stern tone.

    Caraughed and shook her head.

    "If you think I will willingly stay in this house any longer, then you are stupid and delusional." Cara told him, rolling her eyes.

    Al frowned at her words, he didn''t want her to leave mainly because it would be quite dangerous for her.

    He also didn''t want to lose the chance of fixing their now broken friendship.

    "Where would you go if I let you leave?" Al asked Cara.

    "I don''t think that''s any of your business." Cara coldly responded to Al.

    "It is, Cara. Because whether or not you choose to believe me, I care about you and your safety." Al reminded her.

    "You care about my safety because it can be used against my dad!" She shouted at Al, furious that he would keep lying to her.

    "That is true, but that''s not the entire reason." Al said, trying his best to be honest.

    "But it is part of the reason!" Cara shouted at Al.

    "Cara, even if your dad wasn''t involved in this mess or even if you weren''t the terms for him to cooperate I would still want you to be safe." Al told Cara as he stood up and sat next to her.

    He ced his hands on hers and looked her in the eyes.

    "Cara, please, I want you to understand, I''ve always thought of you as one of my best friends. Please, hear me out, understand me." Al begged her, hoping that things would change. That his words would at least move her.

    At first when Cara didn''t move, Al felt hopeful.

    He couldn''t help but think that she might be considering hearing him out. That everyone speaking to her had gotten her to see sense.

    But he was wrong. He couldn''t be further from the truth.

    Cara pulled her hands away, but she was still smiling, confusing Al.

    "Get out." She said with a smile. "Get out of my room."

    Al frowned and sighed.

    "Please, Cara." He begged.

    He had no idea how many times in the past few days he had begged her. Al was never the type to beg for anything, why would he?

    He was the son of Raymond Lawrence, the nephew of Cedric Reyes, even those that had no idea who he was tended to give him what he wanted.

    "No Al." Cara said, shaking her head as she pointed at her door. "Out."

    Al frowned but did as she asked.

    "I don''t want you to visit me anymore, Al." Cara said, making Al stop in his tracks.

    "I won''t stop, Cara." Al sighed as he turned to face her. "You can''t stop me from visiting you."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Al, I need space from you." Cara told him. "I''m in this position because of you! Can''t you see, I need time away from you."

    Al red at her but he didn''t say a word.

    "Don''t be dramatic." Cara said.

    "One week, I will leave you alone for a week." Al said as he marched out of the room.

    "Al!" Cara shouted, trying to get him toe back so that she could argue with him on his terms, but Al didn''t budge.

    He mmed the door behind him, furious that Cara wanted to stop him from visiting.

    "What''s wrong?" Ray asked his son as he saw Al angrily marching out of the guest wing.

    "Cara." Al told his father, unwilling to exin.

    Al ignored his father as he made his way to his room.

    "Al, let''s talk." Ray said as they stopped by his son''s door.

    "Can''t, I have lessons." Al said with a shrug as he entered his room.

    He knew that his father would follow, so he didn''t bother closing his door.

    "I''ll have your lessons for today canceled. Eric can attend them if he still wants to. It''ll do him good to get some one-on-one attention with the instructors." Ray told his son as he dialed a number on his phone and made a call.

    Al walked over and closed the door behind his dad. He knew there was no escaping Ray Lawrence when he was on dad mode.

    As dedicated as the man was as a business magnate and the king of the underworld, he always made it a point to put his family first all the time.

    "So what did you want to talk about, dad?" Al asked as he gestured for his father to sit on the couch.

    Each room was more like a suite, with its own entertainment space, bedroom, and study.

    Ray looked around and smiled at his son.

    "You know,most people would have this room as their entire home." Raymented.

    "I know, dad. I''m not like my siblings or cousins, I''ve actually been out there." Al told his father.

    "Yes, right, right, back on topic." Ray said, shaking his head. "How are things with you and Cara?"

    "She still hates me." Al frowned as the thought of theirst conversation came into mind. "She''s asked me not to visit her, so I gave her a week. She wants to leave, but I don''t think that''s a smart choice especially with everything that''s going on."

    "It isn''t a smart choice, but I think she''s right about you giving her space." Ray said, nodding as he considered his son''s options.

    "Dad, are you on her side or mine on this?" Al asked, raising an eyebrow at the older man.

    "I know more about women than you do Al." Ray teased his son, making Alugh and nod.

    He had heard the stories about his parents'' past.

    "I''ll consider it dad." Al said, smiling at his father.

    "Good, now, let''s go out for some father and son time. We haven''t done that in a long time." Ray said with a grin as he stood up.

 Chapter 1069 1069

    ?

    During the week, Al found different ways to distract himself.

    He would spend more time with his instructors, they oftenined to Ray that Al was pushing himself too far. Ray exined to them that his son was merely keeping his mind off other matters.

    By the time a week rolled by, Al was called into Ray''s office, unsure about what his father wanted to discuss.

    "Yes dad?" Al asked as he entered.

    He was surprised to find that Peter Jao was also in attendance.

    Al had a bad feeling about it when he sat down.

    "How has your week been, son?" Ray asked.

    "I''ve been trying to keep myself busy with school, work, and training." Al answered. "I miss Cara, of course, but it''s only a week."

    Ray gave him a sad smile before ncing at Peter.

    "Dad, what did you want to talk about?" Al asked, dreading the worst.

    "Al, we understand that Cara needs to be under guard at all times, but she also needs to go to school." Peter told Al with a frown.

    Al could tell that Peter really felt bad about breaking this news. He understood that both men were only thinking about what was best for both Al and Cara.

    "So we let her go to school thene home." Al said with a shrug agreeing to what his father and Peter were saying.

    "She will be under guard at all times." Ray Lawrence told Peter, as if warning him that if his daughterined there would be consequences.

    "She should be allowed other friends too." Al told his father. "She will feel restricted if it''s just me and Eric."

    Ray was silent as he considered the option.

    "She can have more friends but Eric needs to be with her at all times. Someone needs to keep watch and make sure she doesn''t say anything dangerous." Peter suggested.

    Al was honestly surprised that the man was more than willing to have someone invade his daughter''s private life.

    "Those terms should be eptable." Al nodded as he looked to his father, hoping that the man would be fine with what Peter suggested.

    "It will do, for now." Ray told Al.

    "Can I tell her?" Al asked.

    "Not tonight." Ray warned his son.

    "I''ll talk to her first, and mention how you''ve been trying to get the boss here to let her go." Peter said as he grinned at Al.

    Alughed and nodded.

    "Will you really paint my dad as the bad guy just so that Cara would forgive me?" Al questioned Peter, surprised at how much the man was willing to do to patch up his friendship with Cara.

    Rayughed and shook his head.

    "It''s fine Al. I''m more than happy to be the bad guy if it means you and Cara patching things up." Ray told his son.

    "Great, thanks Dad, Mr. Jao." Al said excitedly. "I''ll talk to Eric and talk to him about the n. Is that all?"

    "Al, how is everything with your goal to be targeted as the vulnerable member of the group?" Ray asked.

    It was the real reason he had called his son in and simply added the matter of Cara into the conversation.

    "It''s doing quite well, at least for me and Eric. I''ll be calling for a meeting with Anthony and Tristanter this week." Al informed his father.

    "Good, good." Ray said with a nod. "Once you are done speaking with Eric, join me downstairs. There is a side of the Underworld that I believe you need to see as early as now."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Ray''s tone was somber, but Al didn''t want to put too much meaning in the way his father spoke.

    He simply nodded and agreed.

    "Is there anything else, dad?" Al asked.

    "No, that''s it. You may go." Ray dismissed his son, sending Al running through the mansion and knocking at Eric''s door.

    "What?" Eric asked as he yanked open his door, drying his hair.

    "Training done already?" Al asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yeah, surprisingly Andres joined us today. Did you know that Angelica shoots better than Andres?" Eric asked, chuckling as he walked away.

    Al smiled and nodded as he entered and closed the door behind him.

    "If I didn''t train as much, Angelica would be better than me too. That kid''s a natural, as if she was born to be part of the Underworld." Almented as he sat down on one of Eric''s couches.

    "Sure, make yourselffortable, cousin." Eric told Al as he rolled his eyes.

    "My dad''s house." Al pointed out.

    "Still not yours." Eric said with a shrug. "So I doubt you are here to hangout, what''s up?"

    Al smiled as he began to exin the situation.

    "We will allow Cara to go to school." Al proudly announced as if it was his idea.

    "That''s great, Al. But we? What do you mean?" Eric asked, cautious of what Al meant.

    "I negotiated with dad that Cara should be allowed to have friends other than us." Al said, not exactly answering Eric''s question.

    "Isn''t that dangerous? What if she gets mad at you and suddenly decides to expose your identity, isn''t that a big risk?" Eric questioned.

    "It is, yes." Al nodded. "That''s why Mr. Jao suggested that you need to be there at all times."

    "Like a baby sitter?" Eric raised a questioning eyebrow.

    "Yeah, kind of." Al scratched the back of his head.

    "She won''t be happy with that." Eric pointed out.

    "I know she won''t be, but this is the best option till we patch things up and she understands our side, our concerns." Al exined to his cousin.

    "When do you n on setting her free?" Eric asked as he leaned forward and considered the n.

    "We tell her tomorrow, she''ll be eager to go to school again." Al exined.

    "What if she doesn''t agree?" Eric had a worried look on his face.

    "Then she stays in her room, there is no room for negotiation on this." Al told Eric.

    "Fine, I''ll do it. I''m sure she''ll take the offer by the way. So will you tell her it was your idea?" Eric questioned his cousin.

    "Mr. Jao is already trying to set it up that way." Al confirmed.

    "You do know that if she realizes that Uncle Ray or Mr. Jao had anything to do with this n, she will be even more mad." Eric pointed out, not caring to filter his words.

    "It''s the best I can do for her for now." Al said with a nod.

    "Alright. I''ll go with you tomorrow when you speak to her." Eric agreed, making Al very happy.

 Chapter 1070 1070

    ?

    "This way sir." One of this father''s men told Al as he descended to the basement.

    This floor was normally used to hold prisoners who were too important to be kept at the headquarters of the king of the underworld.

    Usually these people were the most dangerous ones, and the ones Ray wanted to keep within arm''s length for information.

    Al had been quite suspicious when his father said he wanted to show Al a side of the underworld that needed to be witnessed before it was toote.

    "You seem happy." Ianmented as he walked up to Al. "I''m guessing that the matter your father mentioned went well?"

    "Half of it, the more difficult half wille tomorrow." Al said with a nod as Ian dismissed the man who had apanied Al.

    "Good, good." Ian said as he led Al to a room.

    He opened the door and gestured for Al to enter.

    "Dad." Al greeted Ray. "Mr. Jao." He said as he acknowledged Cara''s father.

    "Did Eric agree?" Ray asked as he waved for his son to stand next to him in front of what Al assumed to be a one way mirror.

    "Yes, he said he''ll apany me when we speak with Cara before school." Al stood next to his dad and was shocked to find a familiar face before him.

    "He''s the man that gave Andres'' and your mother''s location to the attackers." Ray calmly told his son.

    Al nodded, unsure of what he should say in response.

    "I visited Cara." Peter Jao informed Al. "I told her that you were currently arguing with your father to let her go. She looked hopeful for a moment then she changed to shout curses at you."

    Al chuckled and shook his head.

    "So there is some improvement." Al grinned, to which Peter Jao nodded in response.

    "I think it meant a lot to her that I said you wanted her freed." Peter Jao informed Al. "She''ll be expecting a visit from you tomorrow, I''m sure."

    Al nodded but didn''t respond. He didn''t want to be too hopeful that the bridge between him and Cara would be mended anytime soon.

    "Now that that matter is settled, there is something I need to tell you and show you." Ray drew Al''s attention to the man in the other room. "Do you know who he is?"

    Al nodded.

    "He''s one of the new guards at the gate." Al told his father.

    He recognized the man as the one that called out for Hendrick''s car to be allowed on the first day Hendrick drove them home.

    "Good memory." Ray praised as he patted his son on the back. "He was hired a few weeks prior to the attack on your brother and mother. From what we''ve gathered he isn''t the brains behind all this."

    "Has he spoken?" Al asked as he observed the man.

    He already looked quite defeated, as if at any moment he would crack.

    "All we have done is lock him up in a cell." Ian chuckled. "We haven''t even started to extract information from him."

    "Oh." Al was surprised that the man looked so bad despite no one having tortured him yet.

    "Sorry about this Ray." Ian told the king of the underworld. "I know you were hoping for something more exciting during Al''s first session, but this one is half broken already."

    Ray sighed and nodded in response.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "It''s fine. We''ll find another chance." Ray said as he handed Al a file.

    "This is everything we have on him?" Al asked his father as he opened it and read through the information.

    "That is what we managed to gather. There is no telling how much of it is factual and how much is lies. We need to get that information out of him as effectively as possible." Ray told his son in an emotionless tone.

    Al read through it, discovering that the guard before him had no family, had afortable life, and it seemed like he had nothing to want.

    "It''s suspicious." Almented as he read through the file.

    "He got it right away!" Ian praised as he patted Al on the back with a proud smile.

    "He;s my son, of course he''ll figure it out right away." Ray winked at his son as he took the document back.

    "What do you have nned for him?" Al knew that his father wasn''t going to take whatever information was on the document. He would want the truth and possibly more.

    "Not me, you." Ray said with a shrug. "Someday you will have to torture someone and possibly kill them, now your mom would disagee but I think there is no sense in dying it."

    Ian shook his head, clearly disagreeing with Ray.

    "I was younger than him when my father first asked me to torture someone. I had much less preparation for it too." Ray exined to Al.

    "It''s fine, dad." Al said as he smiled at his father. "I''m ready and I expected this."

    Ray smiled back at his son and nodded.

    "I''ll be with you the entire time, telling you what to do." Ray told his son. "What''s important is you don''t show them that it bothers you."

    Al nodded at his father''s words.

    He had seen some bloody events in the past and he hoped that all the preparation he had done was enough for this.

    "In there I''m not your father, I''m the king of the underworld, you will see a side of me that you never have. Be prepared." Ray warned Al.

    "Yes dad." Al responded.

    "Let''s go then." Ray ushered his son out of the room to the next one, as they passed the door it was as if Ray became a different person and Al tried to mimic it.

    He knew this wouldn''t be easy, but he had to do it, it was part of the job.

    ��---

    Hello my awesome readers! Thank you so much for sticking with me this far.

    I want you all to know how much I appreciate you guys.

    First of all, I want to know where you guys are from, what country? Leave it in the paragraphments (don''t embarrass me and ignore) I''m from the PHILIPPINES by the way for those that didn''t know.

    Secondly, I''m considering giving a hard copy of the free chapters to readers that gift me a castle during the first 3 months of 2023. Tell me in thements if you''re interested!

    Happy New Year to everyone!

    (This was published on Jan 02, 2023)

    ��------

 Chapter 1071 1071

    ?

    Al entered the room right behind his father.

    A man followed them with a tray of different instruments that Al presumed was used for torturing people.

    He was surprised to find that the room was tiled all white, it looked more like an operating room rather than a torture chamber used by the Mafia.

    "Troy." Ray said, making Al look towards his father as he stood before the guard that had betrayed them. "Do you know who I am?"

    Troy, the guard, slowly nodded as he confirmed he knew who Ray was.

    "Good, good, it would be such a pain if you had no idea who you had betrayed." Ray chuckled, hisugh echoing through the practically empty chamber.

    Al had a feeling that even how his father''s voice echoed in the room had been taken into consideration when the ce was being built.

    While Ray spoke, the man before him looked scared and defeated.

    It was obvious that the moment he had been caught the man had given up. Al couldn''t help but wonder how this man could have been so confident in opposing his family and yet look so defeated at the moment.

    "Do you know who this young man is?" Ray said as Al took a step forward with a cocky smile on his lips.

    It wasn''t time to show how new he was at this.

    The guard only stood at the gate, the most he ever saw of Al was from a distance.

    Troy slowly nodded as a look of fear crossed his eyes.

    Al couldn''t help but feel proud that the man already feared him without him even lifting so much as a finger.

    "Say who he is, Troy." Ray leaned forward and grabbed Troy by the chin lifting him up slightly, pulling against his restraints. "Use your tongue Troy, you still have it, for now."

    Ray threw the man back and crossed his arms on his chest, waiting for Troy to speak.

    "Y- y- y- young m- m- m- master L- Lawrence." Troy managed to stutter out.

    Al grined as the man spoke, he had already probably wet himself out of fear at this point, a result highly favorable to Al and his father.

    "Good you know he''s my son." Ray nodded as he walked over to the tray and looked through the numerous torture devices that had beenid out for them.

    "You betrayed us, Troy." Ray said as he picked up a knife and handed it to Al. "First we will give you your punishment."

    Ray leaned close to Al and whispered in his ear.

    "Can you do it?" He asked his son.

    "Yes." Al confidently answered.

    Ray smiled as he let go of the knife in Al''s hand and returned his attention to Troy.

    "First, we will punish you." Ray told the man. "A finger for each child in this household that you endangered. Tell me Al, who was here and in your uncle''s house during the attack."

    "Me, Cara, Eric, Angelica, Emilio. Christina, Christopher, and Daniel." Al recited. He wasn''t sure if the twins had been in the mansion, but they usually were. "Eight dad."

    "Leave his thumbs, I want the rest cut off." Ray ordered his son.

    Al nodded as he took a step forward.

    Troy began to scream begging to be let go.

    "No, please, I''ll tell you everything." Troy sobbed as another bodyguard entered the room to hold him down while another took his hand and ced it firmly on the table.

    "Which finger do you think we should leave, Troy?" Al asked the man as he smiled menacingly. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Deep down, Al wasn''t quite sure if he could do it. He had never seen his father torture a man, nor had he done it himself.

    "No, no, I''m begging you." Troy shouted. "I''ll tell you everything you want to know, the truth, I swear."

    Al smiled. He had a n forming in his head.

    "Do you really have no family?" Al asked, much to Ray''s surprise.

    The older man didn''t say a thing, he simply watched and observed, he knew his son had a n. And even if Al couldn''t cut the man''s fingers off, Ray could easily order one of his men to do it or do it himself.

    "A wife and two daughters." Troy sobbed, confessing to Al.

    Al quickly chopped off his middle finger spraying blood across the table.

    The man shouted in pain and shock as he lost his first finger.

    "That''s for the lie you wrote when you applied to work for the Lawrence family. Do you understand now that your lies have consequences?" Al questioned the man as he looked him directly in the eyes, not bothered with the blood that had now sttered on his white shirt.

    "Y- y- yes sir." Troy managed to say in a weak voice.

    "Now, tell me, have you been loyal to my family, to the job we hired you to do?" Al asked as the man''s eyes went wide with shock.

    It was clear that Al was setting him up.

    "No, sir." The man confidently said as Al brought the knife down again, chopping off another finger.

    "It''s nice to see you learning to be honest. That''s a very good trait that will help you in the future." Al mockingly dered.

    Rayughed at his son''s words, shaking his head.

    It was actually more entertaining than he had expected to watch his son torture and maim a man.

    Ray took out his phone and snapped several pictures, he checked them and sent them to his group chat with his friends.

    He knew the others would be quite impressed with Al.

    Before Al could ask his third question, Ray''s phone began to buzz with messages from his friends.

    Cedric: So soon? How''s the boy taking it?

    Ian: It''s quite entertaining to watch, who knew the timid pretty boy Al had it in him, he looks like he could be king already.

    Alexi: That''s my nephew!

    Ray grinned at the messages, he was d his friends approved.

    Miguel: Your wife will not be happy with this, but I see why he has to start now. I just hope he is cutting in all the right ces so the man doesn''t bleed out.

    Ray: I have doctors on standby. Can''t have this man dying before I get the information.

    Cedric: Good luck with my sister when she finds out. Those blood stains will note off easily. I suggest taking her on a shopping trip to Mn tomorrow.

    Ray smiled as he ced his phone back in his pocket and returned his attention to the matter on hand.

    Al had already cut off six fingers with only two remaining.

    "Please sir." Troy begged.

    "Very well." Al responded as he quickly chopped off the two remaining fingers, leaving the man shouting in agony.

 Chapter 1072 1072

    ?

    Ray patted his son on the shoulder, Al smiled and looked up at his father, proud that he had survived cutting off eight fingers from the man.

    "Bandage him up." Ray ordered as the guard quickly let in a doctor to stop the bleeding, making sure that the man wouldn''t die before they got the information needed out of him.

    Ray led his son out of the room temporarily, taking him to the next one to speak.

    "How do you feel?" Ray asked his son as he searched the young man for signs of trauma.

    "Shocked that I could do that, but I''m otherwise fine." Al answered his father. He wasn''t smiling, but he wasn''t sad either.

    "Good, that was the easier part. Can you go on?" Ray asked, he wanted to make sure that his son could take what was yet toe.

    "I can. I''m just worried about mom''s reaction when she realizes that this isn''t catsup." Al smiled as he scratched at the stains on his shirt, as if he was trying to rub them off.

    Rayughed and shook his head.

    "That''s exactly what your Uncle Cedric said, don''t worry, we''ll just burn that shirt." Ray smiled as he prepared to exin to his son what needed to be done next.

    Al nodded and smiled proudly at his father.

    He was d that it wasn''t difficult at all doing what his father had asked him to do to the man. He was also worried that his father would be mad about him improvising, but Ray seemed to approve of it.

    "You''ll need to extract information from him next." Ray told his son. I''ll tell you what to do. If at any time you feel like it''s too much, signal to me."

    Al nodded, understanding what his father had asked.

    "How do you do it dad?" Al asked. "I mean I can do it, but it''s not like I fully enjoy torturing the man."

    "It''s a matter of having to do it." Ray exined. "These people will harm our family, others go out and harm innocent people. Remember, the entire underworld, by extension, is your family."

    Al nodded, understanding his father''s words.

    "Was it too difficult?" Ray asked his son.

    "No, not really." Al shrugged.

    Ray sighed, confusing Al. He thought his father would have wanted him to befortable with dealing out tortures and deaths.

    "Is something wrong, dad?" Al asked.

    "It''s not in the nature of humans to hurt others the way we do." Ray told his son. "I''m just shocked that it doesn''t bother you."

    Al nodded as he considered his situation and carefully assessed why it didn''t seem to bother him as much as it should.

    "It''s probably because you''ve grown up expecting all of this in your future." Ray told his son. "Before your grandfather threw me into all of this I had no idea that we were involved in the underworld."

    "So what did he tell you the family business was?" Al asked his father as he tilted his head slightly to the side.

    "Lawrence Group." Ray shrugged. "When I was young, he''d bring me to the office, to meetings, topany events. As I got older, after I found out about the underworld and our involvement, things started to make more sense."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Such as?" Al had never seen his father this candid about his past, normally the elder Lawerence chose to focus on the future or on others, never himself.

    "The kind of people who would attend Christmass and New Years parties at home. The way people addressed him as Don, and even the kind of influence he had over others. It made much more sense." Ray exined to his curious son.

    "How did you feel when he told you about the Underworld, dad?" Al asked.

    "Shocked, somewhat disappointed. I always thought we were on the right side of things, all of a sudden we ruled the illegal world." Ray said.

    "Order to Chaos." Al said, repeating the words that had been engraved in his mind since childhood.

    Ray nodded in response.

    "To bring order to the chaotic Underworld. To do what must be done to strike bnce and protect the innocent people that are not involved in our world." Ray exined.

    Al silently absorbed his father''s words.

    Everyone believed that the Mafia and Gangs only caused chaos. That all they did was deal with the illegal businesses and activities. But their role was much more than just that.

    Ray cleared his throat, pulling Al back from his thoughts.

    "Let''s go. We still need to extract information from that man, but don''t worry, I doubt it will be difficult." Ray told his son as he checked his expression.

    Ray wanted to be sure that his son was ready for what was toe.

    "I promise to tell you if it gets too much for me." Al smiled at his father.

    "Good." Ray nodded as they exited the room and returned to the one where Troy was being kept.

    To Al''s surprise the man no longer sat behind a desk with his hands and feet chained down.

    Troy was now chained against the wall as the chair and table were pushed to the side.

    More items Al recognized as those used for torture wasin out on the table.

    "I see that my doctors have patched you up quite well." Al said as he observed the man.

    "Our doctors are quite impressive, your Uncle Miguel trained them personally. The army has been trying to get their hands on them, but they can''t match what we offer." Ray said with a sinister smile.

    He picked up a whip that was called a cat-o-nine-tails, it was used to inflict the most damage on its victims.

    Ray walked over and viciously whipped Troy on his chest, making the man scream out.

    "I''m assuming you understand how this will go?" Ray asked the chained man as the guards nearby turned him around so that his back was facing Ray and Al. "You will tell us the truth and only the truth. If we discover you are lying, then it won''t just be you that pays the price."

    Troy nodded as he was forced on his knees.

    Ray handed the whip to his son, who delivered the first blow.

 Chapter 1073 1073

    ?

    "One for every man that betrayed us." Al announced as he delivered ten more blows.

    After the first two strikes red specks began to appear on Troy''s shirt, Al knew he had broken skin.

    Hemanded the guards to strip the man of his shirt and continued to whip Troy.

    With every impact, as much as Al tried to deny it, he resisted the urge to flinch, the urge to feel.

    Once all ten blows were delivered, the floor was red with Troy''s blood as the man groaned.

    A doctor was quick to check if the man could handle more or if he was about to die.

    "He can still take more." The doctor confirmed with a nod as he quickly moved aside.

    "Pour ice cold water on him, I think he needs to wake up a little." Ray said with a grin as he waved for a guard to approach and do as hemanded.

    A bucket of ice cold water was poured on Troy, making the man jump in jock, waking him from the pain induced trance.

    "Now, Troy, will you tell us who gave you orders to infiltrate my family?" Al asked the man as he walked up and lifted his head to look Al directly in the eyes.

    "I didn''t know the person." Troy said in a shaky voice.

    "Are you sure, Troy? I''m sure he gave you a name." Al told the man as he took a step back and whipped him again.

    "Do you remember a name yet, Troy?" Al asked in a cold voice.

    "Joanna, she said her name was Joanna." Troy shouted as Al let another strike fall on his back.

    "And this Joanna, was she just a middle man or did she call the shots?" It was Ray that asked the question this time.

    "I''m not sure." Troy answered, prompting Al to whip him again.

    "I think we made it clear from the start, Troy, we don''t like liars. So answer my father''s question." Al demanded the man.

    "She was just the middleman." Troy confessed. "She dealt with everything we needed. She did the documents and made sure we had what we needed."

    "Was she your handler?" Al asked, this time he chose not to harm the man, maybe a more positive reinforcement would help.

    Troy shook his head.

    "A name, traitor." Ray spat.

    "Renzo." Troy said.

    "I need ast name." Al dered as he whipped Troy, deciding that the man needed more incentive to speak.

    "Renzo Chia." Troy said in a weak voice.

    "Do you know who was in charge? Who was Renzo''s boss?" Ray questioned the man as he walked over to the table.

    "No, we never spoke to anyone higher than Renzo." Troy desperately told Ray as he saw the King of the underworld pick up a knife. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Hmmmm. . . Are you sure?" Ray hummed as he walked up to Troy. "I really don''t like repeating my questions, it''s such a waste of time."

    "I swear sir, that''s all I know." Troy sobbed.

    Ray squatted next to the man and ced the cold de against the man''s cheek and pulled it towards himself, slowly gliding over Troy''s skin.

    Where the de passed, skin broke and blood dribbled out of the wound.

    "Sharp." Ray said with a grin. "Do you know what we use this de for, Troy?"

    The man shook his head, not minding the pain from his torture.

    "We use it to skin animals, but mostly we use it to skin uncooperative prisoners." Ray said with a grin as he pulled the man''s hand towards himself.

    "No! Please! No!" Troy shouted, crying as he spoke.

    It was at that point that Al turned away for a moment. He was thankful that the man''s attention was purely on his father and had his back turned on Al.

    "I swear, I''ve told you everything I know!" Troy begged. "Please enough!"

    "I don''t think it''s enough Troy. You''ve been working for me for a few months now and you must know how much my family means to me." Ray said in a cold tone that sent chills up Al''s spine.

    It was the first time he had seen his father in the act like this.

    He had seen the king of the underworld work in a business sense, sending out orders to the different leaders of the Mafias and Gangs. But Al had never seen his father extract information from a man.

    The king rarely had to do so, but ording to some of Ray''s men, Ray had always been the best.

    "Don''t embarrass me Troy, it''s my son''s first extraction. Tell us what we need to know and you will be able to rest in your cold cell." Ray told the man.

    "I really don''t know, and Renzo probably knows by now that the group has been taken, there is no way for you to reach him. He''s probably killed Joanna." Troy dered.

    Ray nodded as he listened to what Troy had to say.

    "You can try, but you''d be stupid to try." Troy chuckled. "You can get all the information you need to contact him in my apartment. But I''m sure he has people watching that ce, making sure that no one from your side approaches."

    Troy began tough like a mad man, as a response, Ray punched the man in the gut, causing him to fall to the ground, grunting.

    "So noisy." Ray scoffed.

    "What did my family do to you for you to want to harm us so bad?" Al couldn''t help but ask.

    Surely there was more to why the man had helped try to kill Al''s brother.

    Troyughed even if he was on the ground bleeding.

    "You people think you can be in power forever." Troy said in a mocking tone. "You too will fall someday, and I am happy to have been part of it."

    "Send him to his cell. Give him only enough to live." Ray dered as he guided his son out of the room, clearly bothered by Troy''s parting words.

 Chapter 1074 1074

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    "You have the real information on him! Now go do your fucking jobs!" Al heard his father''s voice echo through the hall as Ian walked him towards the elevator.

    Ray had dismissed him and asked Ian to make sure that his son ate his dinner and went to bed.

    "Don''t worry, Uncle Ian, I understand." Al said with a nod.

    He was sure that his Uncle would be worried that Ray''s image would diminish in front of the young man. But Al understood, it seemed that his father''s men didn''t anticipate the urgency of the matter.

    Add to it the fact that they had clearly missed out something big in their investigation.

    The next day, when Al woke up, he moved quickly.

    He was very excited to speak to Cara.

    In all honesty, he wanted his friend to be free, but he had to consider other factors. If it had just been on their friendship and on Al''s feelings towards her, Cara would have long been released.

    "Young Master, your father said you should have breakfast first before speaking to Miss Cara." One of the maids said as Al skipped happily through the hall.

    "Alright." Al was in too good a mood to be distracted from his goal that day.

    When Al arrived at the dinning room, he wasn''t surprised to find his father in deep conversation with his mother.

    Based on her expression, she wasn''t too happy.

    "Good Morning, Aldrich." His mom greeted him, making Al straighten his back and nce at his father.

    The only time his mother addressed him as Aldrich was whenever he was in trouble, and clearly he was in trouble now.

    Ray gave his son a sad smile and gestured for him to sit next to Ray.

    "Good morning Mom, Dad." Al nodded as a maid served Al''s favorite breakfast food before him.

    Something was off and Al couldn''t put his finger on it.

    "Your mom found out aboutst night." Ray sighed as soon as the maid was out of range.

    "I told you Raymond Lawrence, your son is too young for this!" Ayanna Lawrence hissed, taking care not to wake the whole house up. "I understand showing him the inner workings of the Mafia and Gangs, but making him maim and torture another person!"

    "Mom! Dad didn''t make me do anything!" Al said as he defended his father. "He told me that if I couldn''t do it, I could say no at any time."

    "Son." Ayanna said as she looked her son in the eyes. "The fact that your father even thought you were old enough to even watch the torture of another person is already too much."

    "Mom, I don''t need you to keep treating me like a child." Al argued.

    "But you still are. You''re fifteen, Al. You are supposed to be enjoying your childhood and teenage years, not being groomed by your own father to be a merciless killer." Ayanna hissed as she red at her husband.

    "Mom, I''m old enough!" Al raised his voice.

    "No you are not!" Ayanna answered her son in a stern tone.

    "Enough!" Ray said, mming his hand on the table, silencing both mother and son. "It''s done, Ayanna, we cannot turn back time and I''m sorry I didn''t consult you on this darling."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Ayanna said nothing as she red at her husband.

    "The truth to the matter is, Al needs to know these things, he cannot keep following the path we set when he was a child. He needs to be ready." Ray told his wife.

    "Next time, at least tell me about it." Ayanna said, dropping the matter.

    Al smiled at his father as he returned his attention to the breakfast that was served before him.

    It wasn''t long till Eric came downstairs followed by his mother. It seemed Al''s aunt Katerina had stayed in her room in the mansion.

    "Good morning, Ray, Ayanna, Al." Katerina greeted as she and her son joined them at the table. "I see you''re done fighting your husband." She teased Ayanna who simply red at her.

    Al wasn''t surprised that Katerina was aware of what was happening in the household.

    She was Ray''swyer for both his legal and illegal affairs.

    It wasn''t publicly known, but as far as checking all the contracts and deals went, it was his aunt Kat that saw to them.

    "Are youing with me to talk to Cara, Eric?" Al asked as he shifted the topic. He knew that his mom would not be too happy to discuss the argument.

    "Yes, let''s go, I''ll eat after we get Cara down." Eric told Al with a nod.

    Al quickly finished his food and stood up to join Eric.

    "Al!" Ayanna called out before her son and his cousin could leave the room.

    "Yes mom?" Al asked as he turned and smiled.

    "Don''t forget, she''s just a girl. She thinks with her emotions right now." Ayanna reminded him before letting Al and Eric rush off to speak with Cara.

    Al and Eric were running up the stairs when they bumped into Cara''s father, Peter Jao.

    "Woah, in a rush for something boys?" Peter teased them, making Al smile.

    "We''re off to talk to Cara. Do you think she will take the news well?" Al asked, eager to hear good news.

    "I think it will not be as bad as the past few days. Anyway, good luck." Peter told Al, not keeping them any longer.

    When they reached Cara''s room, Al paused and took a deep breath.

    "Are you sure you can do this?" Eric asked his cousin, genuinely concerned if Al was ready to speak to Cara again.

    "I''m sure." Al said with a nod. "I just need to gather myposure." He said with a wink.

    He didn''t want Cara to think he was desperate for a good oue.

    "You know, all you have to do is to be honest. I''m sure if you start telling her the truth things will be much better." Eric told his cousin.

    "In our world, the truth is more dangerous than lies." Al sighed as he knocked on the door, waiting for Cara to invite them in.

 Chapter 1075 1075

    ?

    "Exactly one week, as promised." Al said as he smiled at Cara.

    The corner of her lip twitched as if to smile, but she turned away.

    "Cara, can we talk?" Al asked as he reached out and grabbed her by the arm, stopping Cara from walking away.

    Cara looked at Al tentatively then at Eric, as if asking him if she needed to be wary of his cousin or not.

    "It''s fine, actually I think you''ll be happy with what Al has to say." Eric assured Cara as he grinned at her. "Don''t worry, if he does something stupid, I''ll drag him right out of the room."

    Cara nodded and waved for them to enter.

    "Sit." She told Al as she gestured towards the couch across her. "So what did you want to talk about?"

    "I''ve been trying to negotiate with my dad." Al began.

    "I know, my dad let me know that you were constantly trying to get your dad to let me out." Cara said.

    She didn''t show any hint that she was happy about Al''s actions.

    It frustrated Al, but he figured it was one of the reasons why he liked Cara so much. She wasn''t an open book. She wasn''t predictable like most people.

    "So what did your dad say?" Cara asked, clearing her throat.

    Of course she would want her freedom, who wouldn''t?

    "He said you can leave and go to school, but you would always have to be with me or Al. Those were his terms." Al said as he looked down.

    Eric knew it was all part of his cousin''s act.

    Eric might not like the fact that Al was lying to Cara, but he understood where Al and his Uncle Cedric wereing from.

    "I''m assuming he didn''t agree." Cara said with a sigh as she looked down at her hands.

    She was broken by the fact that she was still trapped in her room.

    "Did he really try?" Cara asked as she looked up at Eric.

    She knew that between the two cousins, Eric would be more honest.

    He didn''t have to protect the Underworld like Al did.

    "He did." Eric lied for his cousin. "You should have seen him beg Uncle Ray."

    Cara looked at the cousins suspiciously.

    Her father had told her that Al was doing what he could to have her released, and now Eric was saying he begged his father.

    Cara couldn''t help but wonder if she was really worth all that effort to Al.

    "Look, let him finish what he has to say." Eric said as he smiled at Cara. He had a yful glint in his eyes, making Cara turn to Al.

    She raised an eyebrow at him.

    Al in turn simply sighed and shook his head.

    "Calm down, Eric." He scolded his cousin as crossed his arms over his chest and crossed his legs.

    Al took a deep breath and spoke.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "He might not have agreed to give youplete freedom, but he agreed to let you go to school" Al told Cara. "I don''t have to be with you at all times, but Eric does."

    Cara was shocked that Al had managed to get his dad to let her go.

    It was very unlike the King of the Underworld to negotiate, she doubted that he negotiated much with his son either.

    "I know that you still don''t trust me." Al confessed. "I know you won''t want to be around me much, but I think Eric will be more manageable for you."

    Cara nodded.

    Al desperately wished that she would feelfortable around him again, but he knew better than to rush things.

    "Are you okay with this arrangement, Cara?" Al asked with a concerned look on his face.

    "It''s not like we can get a better deal from your dad." Cara shrugged.

    She was smiling, at least she was smiling again. She hadn''t smiled at Al since they fought and Al locked her in her room.

    "Okay, go get dressed, get your school bag and we''ll head to school." Al excitedly said as he stood up and walked over to drag Cara deeper into the room.

    "Waitm, what? I can go today?" Cara asked in shock as she stared at Al who was dragging her to her closet.

    "Yes, today." Al chuckled. "Soe on. People at school miss you."

    "Really, they miss me?" Cara questioned as she searched through her closet for something appropriate to wear.

    "He''s not lying. They have been asking us why you haven''t been in school." Eric told Cara as he leaned against the wall.

    Al on the other hand had made himselffortable on Cara''s bed.

    "That one! The navy shirt and white skirt!" Al called out as she stopped and pulled out the outfit he had mentioned.

    "Your mom picked this out for me, she said it was cute." Cara blushed as she remembered the gorgeous Ayanna Lawrence praising her and telling her how she wished she had Cara''s proportions.

    "I''m sure it will look good on you." Al said with a smile as Cara walked into her bathroom and changed.

    It didn''t take her long to step back out with a blush on her face.

    "You look gorgeous." Al suddenly said, making him cover his mouth as he realized he spoke his thoughts.

    "Al''s right Cara, you look good." Eric added as he tried to defuse the situation.

    "Thanks guys." Cara smiled as she walked over to her school bag.

    Al was quickly by her side, helping her pack her notebook andptop to take to school.

    A notebook identally opened as Cara tried to put it in her bag.

    It had curse words written next to Al''s name, making her panic and quickly close the notebook, but it was toote. Al had already seen it and frowned in response.

    "It''s fine, I know I''ve been an ass." Al said silently, not wanting to make things awkward with Cara.

    "Are you guys done? I''m hungry." Eric grumbled as he tried to peek at what they were doing.

    "I''m done!" Cara saidughing as she grabbed Al by the wrist and led him and his cousin out of the room.

 Chapter 1076 1076

    ?

    "Thank you, sir." Cara said shyly as she took her seat around the table, in between Al and Eric.

    "No worries, Cara." Ray said with a benevolent smile. "As long as you can prove that we can trust you, I see no issue in letting you go around without apanion. Al was quite persuasive."

    Ericughed and shook his head as he began to devour his breakfast.

    "We will go ahead. I''m needed in the office quite early today and so is my wife." Ray said as he and Ayanna moved to get up and leave.

    "I''m always early at work, you''re the only one in this household that doesn''t like getting up early." Ayanna teased her husband, making him pull her close and nt a chaste kiss on her lips.

    "Gross mom, dad. We have guests." Alined looking away from the sweet couple.

    Despite his reaction, Al was d to see that his parents were still madly in love with each other.

    He had seen how many rich and powerful couples saw their rtionship crumble within a few years, his parents however had been married for twenty one years.

    "I think they are cute." Cara giggled as Ayanna smiled at the young woman.

    "They used to be much worse, you know." Katerina told the children as she dabbed her napkin on her lips.

    "Oh please, you and Eric were much worse." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes at her friend. "You guys burned quite hot when the cameras were not around."

    Al noticed Eric smiling as his parents'' rtionship was discussed.

    They had all noticed how the older generation avoided speaking about the elder Eric Chan.

    It seemed that even after fifteen years, the pain of his passing still hurt.

    "It was Eric''s fault!" Katerina said, blushing as she thought of herte husband.

    "How were they as a couple, Aunt Ayanna? My mom and dad I mean." Eric said, always eager to hear more.

    "Well, they had a very interesting love story." Ayanna giggled. "It took them a while to be an actual couple, even longer to let the public know that they were in love."

    "Your dad was always in the public''s eyes, and he had lots of fans that would have hated me if we went about things the wrong way." Katerina said with a sad smile.

    "His fans at the start were much less mature, eventually they realized that their idol needed to be happy too." Ray exined to the young adults on the table.

    "Though they fell in love much earlier than people think. Right, Katerina?" Ayanna said as she looked at Katerina who was now deep in thought.

    "Yeah, Eric said he was fifteen when he first realized he loved me." Katerina said as she wiped a stray tear before it could drop. She cleared her throat and shook her head.

    "Enough of this, we have a lot of work today. Reminiscing right now is just a waste of time." Katerina said as she ced her hand on her chest, as if reaching out for something.

    "Right, we will see you tonight kids. We have a small celebration." Ray told them as he winked at Al. "Happy birthday son."

    Al smiled while Cara simply looked at him, stunned by the king of the Underworld''s words.

    "Thanks dad." Al replied as the elders all left them alone in the dining room.

    "You didn''t say it was your birthday!" Cara gasped as she had a panicked look on her face. "I didn''t know, I don''t even have a gift for you."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Al smiled and shook his head.

    He normally didn''t make a big fuss about his birthday, usually it was just a small celebration with their family and friends.

    Both he and Emilio were not used to big celebrations since their identities were a secret, though he doubted that his cousin would have a small celebration this year.

    "If you forgive me, that would be the best gift." Al said with a wink as he pushed his chair back. "I know not to rush it, Cara, don''t worry. I''ll go get my things."

    As Al made it to their wing of the mansion, his younger sister Angelica came running across the hall and jumped into his arms.

    "Happy birthday!" She shouted as she hugged him tight.

    She had always been the most excited to celebrate her brothers'' birthdays.

    "Thanks, kid." Al said as he slowly lowered Angelica to the ground.

    "Happy Birthday, Al!" Andres greeted with his bag slung over his shoulder while carrying Angelica''s school bag in another hand.

    "Thanks Andres." Al said with a nod as he took Angelica''s bag from his younger brother. "Why do you two insist on doing everything on your own. We have maids and bodyguards, and butlers to help you out."

    Al sighed and shook his head.

    "Give me a minute, I need to get my bag too." Al said as he walked to his room which was at the end of the hall.

    "Who do you think we get it from?" Andres chuckled as Al shook his head and quickly retrieved his bag from his room.

    Unlike Al, Andres and Angelica went to one of the most prestigious and most secured schools in the country.

    Both younger siblings had thrown a fit when they found out they wouldn''t be going to the same school as their younger brother and Andres constantly tried to get Ray to let him go to school with Al.

    "Are you guys going to try to sneak into my school again?" Al asked as he noticed that neither of his siblings were in their school uniforms.

    "Yup." Angelica said confidently.

    "Dad won''t allow it." Al sighed as they made their way to the foyer of the mansion where Cara and Eric were waiting for them.

    "Angelica, why didn''t you tell me it was your brother''s birthday today?" Cara frowned as she looked at the little girl.

    "You two were still fighting yesterday, I''m guessing you made up because you''reing to school with us." Angelica giggled.

    "Coming to school with us? What? Since when do we go to school with your siblings?" Cara asked.

    "Are they trying to sneak into our school again?" Eric grinned as he looked knowingly at Andres.

    Of course Ray and Ayanna constantlyined about their younger children trying to go to whichever school Al went to.

    "Yes." Al groaned. "Dad''s gonna catch you two, no the bodyguards won''t even let you in the car."

    "Not if we disguise ourselves and bribe the guards." Andres scoffed.

 Chapter 1077 1077

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    "But dad. . ." Angelica whined as Ray stood by the doorway with his arms crossed on his chest.

    "You are too predictable." Ray sighed as he shook his head, annoyed that his two younger children made an attempt once more to go to school with Al.

    "I told them it wouldn''t work." Al pointed out as Angelica cried.

    Al knew this was all an attempt from his younger sister to thaw their father''s heart so that he would allow them to go to school with him.

    "Angelica Lawrence, stop that drama now." Ayanna told her daughter in a stern tone. "Your father and I need to get to work and he is only thinking of your safety."

    "But mom, how will Andres and I know about the real world if we never get to experience it?" Angelica pouted.

    "She has a point, mom." Al couldn''t help but side with his sister.

    Their parents always wanted them to remain grounded and to understand theplexity of the real world, but unlike Al, Andres and Angelica never got the chance to experience it.

    "Mom, Dad, what if they came along to school today, just one day as new kids." Al suggested. "I won''t even pretend to know them. They will get the full experience."

    Ray gave his son a worried look. He knew what Al meant by the full experience.

    There was a chance that Andres and Angelica would experience getting bullied while at Al''s school.

    "Are you sure you want this?" Ray asked his younger son and daughter.

    Both Andres and Angelica nodded vigorously. They always wanted to go to school with their brother.

    Ray looked at his wife and sighed.

    "Go get your contacts, maybe wear a wig, Andres." Ray suggested, much to the younger children''s excitement.

    Both Angelica and Andres quickly dashed up the stairs to get ready.

    "Borrow a car from one of the staff, the worst one possible." Ray instructed the head of security. "Drive Andres and Angelica to school. Al and the others will take the usual route."

    "But sir, we''re supposed to be in your security detail." The head of security reminded him.

    "Look, it''s a choice between our children and us, the priority will always be the children." Katerina said in a cold tone, making the head of security shrink back.

    He had heard stories about how Katerina Chan could take on a well trained ex-army man on her own during training, he had no intentions of angering her.

    "Yes, sir, ma''am." The head of security said as he quickly dashed off to do as Ray ordered.

    "Will you really pretend not to know them?" Eric asked his cousin as they waited for Andres and Angelica to return. "We have no idea what kind of treatment they will get at school."

    "Andres and Angelica said they wanted to see what the real world is like. I get one chance to show them the reality, I''m not about to show them rainbows and butterflies." Al scoffed as Andres and Angelica came running down the stairs.

    "We''re ready." Andres dered.

    "You get one chance, learn everything you can." Al told his siblings as he bid goodbye to his parents and aunt.

    Al told Andres and Angelica about how things would go before leaving with Cara and Eric.

    They made their way to school as they always did, getting dropped off in an isted area near a bus stop. Then taking the bus to school.

    When they did arrive, many people excitedly came up to Cara, checking up on her.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Cara was shocked that so many people had been concerned about her wellbeing.

    "New kids." Eric whispered to Al as they walked to their lockers with Cara.

    Al spotted his siblings as they looked around school with their schedules in hand.

    It wasn''t a big school. The elementary students, like Angelica, were mixed with the highschool students such as Andres and Al.

    "Wow, you two look lost." Fred, one of Al''s old friends said as he approached the two new kids.

    "Sorry, we''re new." Angelica said in a squeaky voice, clearly ted to be in the same school as her eldest brother.

    "Well, I think," Fred began to say as he waved over some of the former popr kids. "We should give you two a proper wee."

    Fred moved to grab Angelica, but Andres was quick to push the older boy''s hand away.

    "It''s not nice to touch people without their consent." Angelica told Fred, sticking out her tongue.

    "Consent! Wow, such a big word." Fred said in a mocking tone. "Whatever."

    Fred pushed Andres away and picked Angelica up.

    "Let go of my sister!" Andres shouted as he tried to get to Angelica.

    Unfortunately for him Fred''s friends pulled him back, with one even punching him squarely in the gut.

    "Are you really not going to help them?" Cara hissed as she stood next to Al.

    When Al didn''t respond immediately, Cara made a move to stop the bullies, but Al grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her.

    "I will, just give it some time." Al said with a sigh as he held on tightly. "As I said, I don''t want to waste their one chance."

    "Don''t worry." Eric hummed as he stood beside Cara. "Al would never let his siblings get hurt. He''s a softie for them."

    "Andres help! Andres!" Angelica shouted as Fred dragged the poor little girl away.

    As if sensing Al''s presence, Andres'' eyes shifted to his older brother, pleading for help.

    Al shrugged, telling his brother to find a way to solve his problem.

    Andres suddenly turned and punched his attacker, he was no helpless boy. He had years of defense training under his belt, he could take on two highschoolers easily.

    Seeing her brother attack the two older boys that tackled him, Angelica suddenly bit down on Fred''s hand.

    "You fucking bitch!" Fred shouted as he let go of Angelica.

    As soon as he realized what she had done, he raised a hand to p her, only for it to be held midair.

    He turned to see Al, grinning at him.

    "Are you so pathetic that you would hurt a child?" Al asked as he pushed Fred to the ground.

 Chapter 1078 1078

    ?

    "What do you care, you used to enjoy this with us." Fred spat at Al.

    Angered by his former friend''s action, Al picked him up by the cor and flung him across the room.

    "Fred!" One of the popr girls screamed as Fred mmed against the wall.

    "She''s clearly a first grader." Al growled as he kicked Fred in the guts.

    "Al, Al." Cara cried out as she pulled on Al''s shirt, practically sobbing. "Enough, you''ll kill him!"

    Al stopped and grinned.

    "Trust me, it takes more to kill a man." Al told no one in particr as he delivered one final punch on Fred''s face, knocking him unconscious.

    "Take him to the clinic." Al hissed.

    Fred''s two friends stumbled from where Andres had practically beaten them up.

    They tried to carry Fred, but they themselves were too weak after the younger boy had fought them.

    In the end all they could do was drag the unconscious Fred through the hall.

    "Come." Al said in a stern tone as he led Andres, Angelica, Eric, and Cara through the hall towards the principal''s office.

    When they entered the secretary jumped in fright.

    Al rarely went there, he only went to the principal''s office when he really needed something.

    Luckily the office was still empty and there was barely anyone else in it.

    "I need an office to speak with my siblings." Al told the secretary, who''s eyes quickly went to Andres and Angelica.

    She had processed their documents earlier and knew that they were his younger siblings and were only there for the day.

    "Yes, sir." The woman said as she quickly opened the door to a spare office. "I''ll make sure you aren''t disturbed."

    "Inform the principal that a few students bullied Andres and Angelica Lawerence." Al told the secretary. "They are currently in the clinic recuperating."

    "Yes, sir." The secretary said as she bowed out of the room, giving Al and his group their privacy.

    "So how did you like your first day?" Al asked and chuckled as he got two bottles of water and tossed it to his siblings. "Not as easy as you thought."

    Andres and Angelica both nodded in unison as Cara rolled her eyes, annoyed at how Al was dealing with the matter.

    "It was definitely different starting from the bottom of the food chain." Andres said as he analyzed their experience.

    Cara''s jaw dropped in shock as she heard what Andres had to say. It was not what she expected to hear from a teenager.

    "It''s not something you would have experienced with your identity." Eric chuckled.

    "Are you guys serious right now?!" Cara raised her voice in disbelief, shocked at how casually they were treating the incident.

    "What?" Angelica asked the older girl. "It was fun." She said with a giggle.

    "You should be mad at your brother for putting you in that situation!" Cara red at Al as she spoke. "He clearly could have stopped things earlier on, but he allowed those people to hurt you."

    "But they didn''t." Angelica said as she looked at Cara with innocent eyes, making Cara blink in disbelief.

    "Cara, there is a reason why we learn to protect ourselves. We simply hesitated, we didn''t know if we were allowed to use it in that instance." Andres exined to Cara. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "They did catch us off guard though." Angelica admitted, sounding much more mature than her age. "I didn''t think that people would bully you in school just because you were new. None of that happens in our school."

    "That''s because the cool kids in your school aren''t bullies." Al chuckled.

    "The cool kids? Sounds cringy." Andres grimaced.

    "Well the kids that everyone wants to be friends with. You two, Christina, Christopher, Dominic, none of you want people to be bullied so they don''t bully as much." Al exined to his siblings.

    "Although I presume there are still bullies in that school, just much less." Eric added.

    Al nodded in agreement.

    "You guys are crazy." Cara grumbled as she sat down and leaned back against her seat and sighed.

    Alughed and shook his head at Cara''s reaction.

    He knew that most people would find the way they dealt with life as odd and out of ce.

    Their reality was skewed and their value for money was quite messed up, that''s why he and Emilio had this whole poverty training. To keep the heirs in check.

    "You get one chance." Al reminded his siblings as he became more serious. "By the end of the day someone will realize that you aren''t ordinary students, that you are someone else."

    Andres and Angelica both nodded.

    "It''s not just your identities that are being risked here, ours too. Don''t you know how much Andres and I look alike?" Al asked his brother and sister.

    Andres grinned proudly and nodded.

    While most siblings would be ashamed of that fact or find it annoying that people said they looked alike, Andres and Al took it with pride.

    After all, who wouldn''t want to be the best mix of the Lawrence and Reyes families.

    "Okay, let''s get to ss. I don''t want to bete." Al announced as they quickly left the spare office.

    "Sir." The principal bowed as Al and his group passed him.

    "Warn me if their identities are about to be exposed, I don''t want my siblings to be in danger." Al told the man, who nodded in response.

    Andres and Angelica quickly went their own way as they left the principal''s office.

    Al, Eric, and Cara headed towards their ss as Al''s phone rang.

    He saw that it was his dad and picked up the call. He waved for Eric and Cara to go ahead without him.

    "Dad?" Al answered.

    "I heard that your siblings encountered an incident as soon as they arrived." Ray Lawrence told his son. His voice was not angry, rather it was as if he was struggling to hold back a chuckle.

    "Yes, one of the former popr kids thought it would be amusing to take out his anger on the new kids." Al told his father. "It was the principal that informed you?"

    "It was." Ray confirmed. "Don''t worry about the boy that got beaten up. He''s at a Saints hospital, he will be shipped away and told the truth about who he messed with."

    "Me or Andres and Angelica?" Al asked.

    "Both." Ray told his son. "I will not tolerate bullies, he will receive the same punishment he should have if he knew who you three were."

    Al didn''t fully agree with his father''s decision, but he understood why it had been made.

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    "So I''m allowed to go out after school with other friends?" Cara asked, making Al nce at Eric.

    He didn''t know if his cousin had ns and didn''t want to force him to change his schedule.

    "Don''t worry, I don''t have anywhere to go." Eric said as he smiled at his cousin. He knew that Al wanted to give Cara space to trust him and that he could only achieve that if he let Cara hangout with her other friends.

    "Actually." Cara said tentatively as she looked down at her feet. "I was wondering if you would bothe along."

    Al raised an eyebrow.

    He was shocked that Cara invited him. Was she really so quick to forgive him?

    "Are you sure?" Al asked her as he waited for Cara to take back her offer.

    Cara looked around, making sure that no one was nearby to hear their conversation.

    "Look, I''m pretty sure you''ve never had a normal childhood." She told both Al and Eric. "You probably barely had friends cause it''s dangerous for you. You probably didn''t normally hangout with other kids."

    Both Al and Eric nodded in unison.

    Everyone had to be kept at arm''s length.

    If people got too close there was a risk of them finding out Al''s identity. In Eric''s case, they were often too intimidated by the bodyguards that followed him everywhere.

    "See, so do you want to do a normal hangout with Ismail and the others? I was thinking we can go bowling or watch a movie. Nothing too big." Cara shrugged.

    Al smiled and nodded.

    "Of course I''d be more than happy toe along." Al looked at Eric, checking to see if he wanted toe as well.

    "Why not?" Eric grinned.

    "Should we invite Andres and Angelica as well?" Cara asked, worried that Al''s siblings wouldn''t be happy that they weren''t invited toe along.

    "If their identities aren''t revealed by the end of the day, sure." Al said with a nod, thinking that his siblings could benefit from going to a mall without it being closed down for them.

    "Great!" Cara said excitedly.

    "I just have to warn you, there is a high chance that by the end of the day everyone in this school will know that they are the children of Raymond Lawrence and Ayanna Reyes." Al said in a serious tone.

    Cara nodded, understanding that there was a chance things could get quite scandalous in their schoolter that day.

    "Even if news doesn''t break about their identities, we have to be careful. Sooner orter someone will recognize them." Al reminded Cara.

    "If people ask, Andres and Angelica were kids we met in school." Eric exined, knowing that Cara might need more information than Al was giving her. "We invited them because we felt bad they were being bullied."

    "I got it." Cara said as the lunch bell rang. "I''ll go over and invite Ismail and the others to hangoutter. Come on Eric!"

    Al nodded, letting his cousin go with Cara to the others.

    He on the other hand made his way to the clinic.

    "Sir." A bodyguard greeted Al as he stood watch outside.

    Al knew this man, he was among Raymond Lawrence''s personal details. It only meant one thing, his father was in school.

    "When did he get here?" Al asked.

    He was sure that no one was nearby if his father was here. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Ray would have done everything to avoid interfering with his children''s lives. He wanted them to experience more than he did, and this was one way.

    "We arrived five minutes ago, sir. The principal just entered." The bodyguard responded.

    Al nodded as he entered the room.

    "Master Lawrence." Al heard the principal greet.

    It seemed he hadn''t been that far behind from the principal.

    "Are these the boys?" Ray asked in an icy tone, one that made the hair on the arms of Fred and his friends stand.

    "Yes sir." The principal said.

    "How did it start?" Ray asked.

    "They saw Andres and Angelica looking like new kids in the hallway." Al told his father as he made his presence known.

    Fred and his friends were shocked when Al entered the room.

    "Al, be careful, don''t you know who he is?" Fred spoke, worried that Raymond Lawrence would get even more mad with the way Al was speaking.

    Al ced his hands in his pockets and shrugged.

    "I didn''t know you wereing over, dad." Al told Ray as he took a seat and watched the shock on Fred''s face.

    "I told you I''d deal with it." Ray told his son, ignoring everyone else in the room.

    "I thought you''d just send Uncle Ian. Honestly even Hendrick could have handled this, you didn''t need toe." Al told his father, putting up an act that the powerful man had gone out of his way to punish those that offended his children.

    "I don''t like it when people think they can bully members of the Lawrence family, but good job in protecting your siblings." Ray praised as he took a step closer to Fred and pinched the young man''s chin.

    He studied the bruises on Fred''s face.

    "You did a number on this one." Ray chuckled as he noticed the bite mark on Fred.

    "That''s from Angelica. I knew she could manage on her own." Al told his father proudly.

    "And I''m guessing Andres did the damage to those two?" Ray asked as he looked at Fred''spanions.

    Al nodded and smiled proudly.

    "Sir, I will make sure they are severely punished." The principal said, perfectly ying his part.

    "No, I don''t think they will be punished enough." Ray said, his tone suddenly shifting to a murderous one.

    Alughed and shook his head as he noticed the look of fear cross the eyes of Fred and hispanions.

    "Dad, I still have ss to go to." Al informed Ray, pulling his attention away from Fred and the others.

    "Enjoy and learn something." Ray told his son with a smile.

    "Oh, before I forget, Cara wanted to go out with some friends. Eric and I will be tagging along. If Andres and Angelica aren''t exposed by then, we''ll bring them along." Al informed his father.

    "I''ll send a detachment to make sure you guys are protected, say hi to Cara and Eric for me." Ray said with a nod as he dismissed his son.

    Al smiled and walked away, he knew that Fred and his friends would never be seen in that school again.

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    Al was surprised when Andres and Angelica''s identities remained hidden even after ss ended.

    "Dad said we could go?" Andres asked as he tried to keep in step with Al as they walked away from the school building.

    "Keep your voice down." Al whispered as he walked faster.

    "But dad said yes?" Andres asked again.

    "Yes. He was in the clinic earlier, dealing out judgment on Fred and his friends." Al exined to his younger brother.

    "You didn''t tell us he wasing." Andres told Al.

    "I didn''t know either. He told me he would deal with the matter, I thought he would send his assistants or Uncle Ian at most." Al told his brother. "Look, stop dwelling on it, dad isn''t mad."

    Andres nodded, of course Al knew that Andres was worried that his father would be mad, what child wouldn''t.

    Al stopped and sighed.

    He turned to face Andres and he ced his hands on his younger brother''s shoulders.

    Andres wasn''t as tall as Al yet, he was a few inches shorter, but Al could tell that they would be the same height eventually.

    He nced to see if he could be overheard by the others, when he was Cara and Eric dying them, he looked his brother in the eyes and sighed.

    "Andres, dad was proud." Al told Andres as honestly as he could.

    "Proud?" Andres asked. "We got bullied."

    "You got bullied because those guys were assholes." Al chuckled, Ray knew his children weren''t to me, that much was clear to Al. "Dad was so happy when he heard me say Angelica bit Fred and that you beat up his two friends, so rx."

    Andres nodded as he processed his brother''s words.

    "Look, let''s go out, enjoy being normal kids for today." Al told his brother. "We only get one chance to do this."

    Andres smiled and nodded as everyone else caught up to them.

    "What were you two talking about?" Ismail asked as he looked at the odd pair.

    "Oh we were getting too ahead of you guys so we decided to stop and wait." Al said with a shrug. "Plus Andres was asking what happened to Fred and his friends."

    "Oh I heard a nasty rumor about that." One of Ismail''s friends whispered. "I heard they were expelled."

    "I doubt they would be expelled, they bullied us before too." Cara pointed out. "That''s just an exaggeration."

    "Well, some students saw them being walked out of the building by the security guards and some teachers." The girl told Cara. "If it were true, then that is great news! Fred and his friends have done nothing but bully us."

    "They were Al''s friends too." Ismail pointed out as he looked cautiously at Al.

    "I was friends with them just so that I wouldn''t be bullied. I didn''t know that they physically abused people." Sighed as they came to the bus stop. "Had I know, I wouldn''t have been friends with them from the start."

    No one in their group had a driver or was old enough to drive yet, so they would have to take the bus to the closest mall.

    Andres and Angelica, who had never taken public transportation in their lives, were excited to get on the bus.

    Al shook his head as saw the biggest smiles on their faces as they all climbed up on the bus.

    Their father had given him extra money to spend on his siblings, but it wasn''t too much. Ray wanted his children to appreciate its value.

    When Al split it between his siblings they were surprised to see how little it was.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Afterall, most of the shopping trips they had been on were with their mother and aunts, all of whom could rack up hundreds of thousands in one shopping trip.

    It was a ten minute bus ride to the closest mall, which just so happened to be owned by the Reyes family as well.

    As a matter of fact, this was the very mall that the family visited most often.

    It was the gship Elisia Mall with the most shops and the best amenities. Because of this there were also much more people.

    Al was hoping that because of the sheer amount of people, none of the staff would recognize them.

    Even if the staff of the mall were trained to not react when they saw Al or Emilio, seeing Eric, Angelica, or Andres woulde as a shock to them.

    "What should we do first?" Cara asked.

    Al thought of where they were least likely to be recognized.

    "Movie!" Al eximed.

    He knew that no one there would recognize them. They never went to the movie houses there, it was pointless since they had their own at home.

    "Alright." Ismail said, nodding in agreement.

    The cinemas were at the top of the building, Al was shocked to find multiple executives of the Reyes Group gathered outside the cinema.

    "This way please." An usher said as they were guided to the side.

    "What''s going on?" One of the girls asked.

    "It''s an inspection by the Reyes Heir, of course all the executives wanted to be here." The usher exined, clearly unhappy about the inspection.

    Al quickly pulled his siblings and Eric as far as possible from the executives.

    They all knew how they looked, they had to. It would be a crime not to know the CEO''s nephews and nieces.

    Their mother also still worked at the Reyes Group and was the secondrgest stakeholder in Elisia Malls.

    "How do you like it, sir? Mrs. Lawrence always insists that we only have the highest quality here in the gship mall." Al heard one of the executives say, probably speaking to Emilio.

    "Seven tickets." Cara told the person in the counter as the group of executives began to walk towards their direction.

    "Turn around." Al hissed.

    Luckily his siblings and Eric managed to turn away.

    "This is the ticket booth, we try to make transactions as fast as possible. Our current turnaround time is an average of two minutes."

    "Which seats, miss?" The woman at the counter asked Cara.

    "Just pick them, we have to get in." Al whispered.

    "Those seven." Cara quickly pointed out the middle back row.

    "Ah, there is an ongoing transaction right now, hello young man, you aren''t skipping school are you?" Al heard the executive ask him.

    Al sighed and turned around.

    The executive''s eye went wide with shock, while Emilio, who was standing behind the executive suppressed the urge tough.

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    "No, no, sir." Al said, cing an emphasis on calling the executive sir. "We just came from school and decided that a movie was what we needed after a long day."

    "Well, that''s verymendable." Emilio said with a grin.

    "Sir, your aunt has arrived." Hendrick said as he walked up to Emilio.

    Emilio smiled and secretly signaled for Hendrick to turn and face Al.

    "Would you and your friends like to meet our vice president?" One of the executives asked, this one seemed to be newly promoted because he didn''t recognize Al or his siblings.

    "I don''t think that would be-" The first executive said as he tried to lessen the inconvenience to Al.

    "Nonsense!" Emilio suddenly eximed as Al resisted the urge to re at his cousin. "I''m sure they would love to meet my Auntie Ayanna!"

    "Please, introduce yourselves and your friends." The second executive said as he waved the group over.

    Eric walked up to Al, giving him a concerned look, before turning to Emilio who was carrying a mischievous smile.

    It seemed that Emilio wanted to mess with Al today.

    "Guys, these are the executives from the Reyes Group, thepany that owns Elisia Malls." Al introduced, shocking the second executive and a few others.

    No one had mentioned who they were or what group they belonged to.

    It also wasn''tmon knowledge that the Reyes Group owned Elisia Malls.

    "Nice to meet you, sirs." Ismail said as he nodded towards the executives.

    "We were just conducting a routine check of our gship mall." Emilio told the group of students.

    Routine check? Al wanted to scoff.

    What kind of routine check included the CEO''s son and sister?

    "What do you think of our facilities?" Emilio added as he looked towards Cara.

    "Oh, sir ummm. . . Reyes, Mr. Reyes, it''s very nice. Everything is so tastefully done." Cara fumbled with her words as she tried to figure out how to address Al''s cousin.

    "Miss, I don''t think our boss introduced himself." The second executive said as he gave Cara a confused look.

    "We''ve seen his photo on the inte." Eric quickly answered. "His identity was recently revealed, yes?"

    The second executive was taken aback by Eric''s answer. He was stunned but nodded anyway.

    What Eric said was true, Emilio''s photos were all over social media.

    People were quick to stalk and investigate small information on Emilio, he was after all the heir to the biggest conglomerate in the country and the most eligible bachelor.

    "Vice President Lawrence!" One of the executives greeted, making everyone turn to see Al''s mother, walking up to them in a very intimidating manner.

    Even after having three children and being in her forties, Ayanna Lawrence still looked like she was in herte twenties.

    She carried herself with a unique grace, one that her children actually could imitate.

    "Ah, Emilio, have they finished showing you around the cinema? This is my favorite part! It was built to mirror the one we have at home, the one you and your cousins absolutely adore!" Ayanna eximed as her eyesnded on her son and nephew.

    Al was not surprised when his mother was able to hold back whatever expression or words she wanted to show when she saw her children in the mall, hanging out with their friends.

    "It''s gorgeous, Auntie Ayanna." Emilio told her with a charming smile, making the other girls in Al''s group swoon.

    "And who are these young people?" Ayanna asked as she looked at Al and his friends.

    "Ah, Vice President Lawrence, these are some students we bumped into while inspecting the cinemas." One of the executives who were unaware of who Al and the others were, exined. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "I hope you are enjoying the ce?" Ayanna said.

    To Al''s surprise it was one of Ismail''s and Cara''s female friends that replied.

    "Yes! It''s fabulous! My parents and I alwayse here. I really adore you Madam Lawrence!" She eximed, clearly excited to meet Al''s mother.

    Al made a mental note to introduce them to one another in the future, when Al''s identity was revealed to the public.

    It wouldn''t take long now anyway, Al was guessing that the longer they waited the harder it would be to keep who he was a secret.

    He would probably go through university, work for a bit, then his father would introduce him to the public.

    His poverty training would not be as strict as Emilio''s was meant to be.

    "Would you like a further tour?" One of the executives asked the excited young woman.

    "Actually, we might miss our movie." Eric suddenly said, as he tried to end the meeting before anyone''s real identities got revealed.

    "Don''t be such a party pooper, man." One of the other guys in their group grumbled. He was clearly enjoying interacting with the richest and most sessful people in the country.

    "No, no, he is right." Emilio said. "It was great meeting you all, but we still have meetings and we still need to inspect other areas."

    "Thank you for patronizing Elisia Malls." Ayanna said as she winked at her son.

    Emilio whispered something to Hendrick. The man nodded and rushed off to do whatever Emilio asked him.

    Al raised an eyebrow at his cousin, who only smiled in response.

    "Enjoy." Emilio added as he and Ayanna led their group away.

    "Oh my gosh I''m so starstruck!" One of the girls said as she fanned herself. "That was Emilio Reyes and his Aunt, holy shit!"

    "Why are you acting as if you''ve seen the hottest man alive?" Cara asked in an annoyed tone.

    "He isn''t just handsome and charming, but he''s fucking rich too!" The girl eximed. "Don''t tell me you aren''t impressed by the Reyes Heir, Cara."

    "He''s alright, I guess." Cara said with a shrug as she walked next to Al.

    "Please, don''t pretend like you are above someone like him!" The girl said in a mocking tone. "There are very few men who can hold a candle to him. Most of them are his rtives and we don''t even stand a chance of meeting them."

    Cara looked up at Al and grinned.

    The girl didn''t know that three of those men that she was talking about were standing around her.

    "Let''s just enjoy the movie." Eric said with a smile as they entered the cinema.

    "It''s oddly empty." Almented as he looked around.

    There were a few attendants, but no other movie goers.

    "Is it supposed to be full?" Angelica whispered to him as she held his hand.

    "Not full, but not empty either." Al exined.

    "Maybe because it''s still early?" Ismail thought out loud.

    "No sir." One of the attendants said. "Mr. Reyes asked his assistant to book this cinema privately for you and your group. You can order anything and everything you want. Mr. Reyes will pay for it."

    Everyone''s jaw dropped in shock, who knew they would be so lucky.

    While Al on the other hand rolled his eyes, annoyed at his cousin''s actions.

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    "Wow, I''ve never watched a movie that good!" Ismail eximed as they walked out of the cinema. "And we got to watch it with a VIP service all thanks to the Reyes Heir."

    "Al must be our lucky charm." Cara teased knowing full well that he was one of four reasons why they got the special treatment.

    "I think it was because Mrs. Lawerence was impressed that I was a fan." One of the girls said as she flipped her hair, making Ericugh.

    "What?" The girl asked Eric with a blush on her face.

    Regardless of everything Eric was good looking, he, just like his father, could capture the hearts of women.

    "I doubt that''s the reason." Eric said with a smile as he looked around.

    Al too was observing their surroundings, he knew many of the other mall goers were actually body guards his father and aunt Katerina probably sent.

    Sometimes he could tell which were bodyguards and which were ordinary people.

    The bodyguards were more alert about their surroundings, they would look around, observe and not really stay too far from Al and his group.

    Some acted like couples, holding hands and flirting as they walked, but looking around for any threats.

    "Where should we go next?" Al asked with a sigh. He wanted to make the most out of the day.

    "Let''s go look around the mall, shop a bit." Ismail suggested.

    Al nodded as he allowed the others to take the lead.

    He was d that it didn''t seem like his family had closed down the mall or limited the amount of people.

    Al had been half worried that his mom would do that after seeing her children earlier.

    As they walked around, Al began to notice curious nces from the store attendants and a few bystanders.

    He quickly took Angelica''s hand and held her closely. He didn''t want anything bad to happen that could result in them getting separated.

    "Andres." He whispered to his brother who was standing next to him.

    "Yeah?" Andres asked as they looked around a hobby shop that the young boy was normally not allowed into by the adults.

    "Stay close to me and Eric." He told his younger brother. "I have a bad feeling."

    "You too?" Eric asked as he overheard the conversation. "Is it like people are staring too much?"

    Al nodded, that''s exactly how he felt.

    He took a careful look at his siblings, they looked a little bit different from normal at first nce.

    If you didn''t see them everyday, you wouldn''t be able to recognize them. Most of the public didn''t see the Lawrence siblings often, especiallypared to Cedric''s children or their Uncle Ram''s.

    "Fuck." Eric cursed out loud as he looked around.

    "Why?" Al asked.

    "What day is it?" Eric asked his cousin.

    "Friday, why?" Al was confused why Eric looked so flustered as he pulled out a pair of sses and a facemask from his bag.

    "March 3?" Eric asked.

    "Yes." Al responded before he gasped as they rounded a corner that led to an events area at the center of the mall.

    "Shit." Eric cursed again as he did his best to hide behind Al. "It''s dad''s public death anniversary. I forgot."

    "Woah, there''s an event over there!" Ismail eximed as they saw the stage with a woman standing making a speech.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Auntie Kat?" Angelica asked as she looked up.

    "Shh." Al told his sister as they moved to the edge of the crowd, Eric even more careful now.

    "My husband would have been ttered to see all of you celebrating his life even after his death." Katerina said, her voice breaking as she spoke.

    Al found it quite interesting how his aunt could be so cold and strong when dealing with business matters and cases, but look so vulnerable now.

    His father had once exined to him that when his Uncle Eric had died, it was not just his Aunt Katerina that lost a husband. It was and idea that confused him, but as he grew up and saw how fans acted he began to understand.

    "Oh, it''s Eric Chan''s death anniversary!" One of the boys with them eximed. "My mom is such a fan until now, oh my gosh, so embarrassing, there she is."

    He was pointing at a middle aged woman who was wiping her tears.

    "My mom is a fan too." Eric said, smiling from behind his mask.

    Angelica reached out and held her older cousin''s hand and smiled up at him. She could tell he was sad.

    "I''m sorry that our son couldn''t be here today." Katerina announced on stage as her eyes scanned the crowd.

    No doubt Al''s mother had already informed one of her best friends that Eric was in the mall as well.

    When Katerina spotted their group, she paused for a moment but continued to look away.

    "Believe it or not, Eric got his study habits from me and not his father. He is currently in ss and thanks you all as well." The crowd pped in response to Katerina''s words.

    "Is he really the splitting image of his father?" A reporter asked, making everyone look to a giant poster of the elder Eric Chan when he was Eric''s age.

    "We should go." Eric said as he tugged on Al''s shirt.

    "Alright." Al nodded.

    "Wait." One of the girls gasped as she turned to look at Eric, catching everyone''s attention.

    "Don''t." Al said as he grabbed the girl by the wrist and threatened with a menacing tone.

    She looked at him, her eyes wide with shock as a realization dawned upon her.

    She looked at Andres and Angelica, registering how simr the three looked.

    "Al." Cara whispered. "You''re hurting her and people are starting to look."

    "He does look very much like his father." Katerina said as the tensions continued to rise at the back of the crowd.

    "Any chance we will see him?" A fan shouted.

    Katerinaughed and shook her head.

    "That''s all up to my son." She admitted. "I think he is enjoying being an ordinary person for now."

    "I doubt Eric Chan''s and Katerina Sebastian''s child can be ordinary." Another fanmented, making everyoneugh.

    "You''re his son!" Someone shouted from the back, catching everyone''s attention.

    One of the girlsunched herself toward a young man and ripped off his mask and eyesses.

    "Run." Another boy hissed as he pulled a little girl and a young woman with him.

    "Oh my gosh! It''s the younger Eric Chan!" Someone shouted as chaos erupted in the mall.

 Chapter 1083 1083

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    "Ray, calm down, it would have been much worse if Al wasn''t there!" Katerina shouted at her cousin as he paced the room. "Your pacing is starting to get on my nerves. It''s no one''s fault."

    "I promised your husband that I''d make sure you and Eric never got hurt. Now he and my children were chased across the mall by his fans and several of my own." Al grumbled as he sat down.

    Ayanna and Katerina looked at each other and frowned.

    Ayanna walked up behind Ray and slowly massaged his shoulder.

    "Darling, I understand you''re under a lot of pressure now, especially with everything going on." Ayanna said and sighed. "But it was all coincidental."

    "I shouldn''t have let Al convince me into letting Cara hang out with others." Ray hissed. "Imagine if it was just Eric with Cara and her friends."

    "But Al went with them, Andres and Angelica too. That''s why they had enough security around them to get away." Ayanna told her husband.

    "If I hadn''t allowed it, they wouldn''t even be in Elisia Mall in the first ce. Even I forgot it was the public anniversary." Ray grumbled.

    "Now don''t go ming poor Cara." Katerina scolded her cousin.

    "Yeah, Ray, if I''m not mistaken it was you who decided that she should be allowed out of her room. Al didn''t even have to ask you." Ayanna scolded her husband.

    At the other side of the door Cara gasped as she red at Al and Eric.

    They had opened the door to Ray''s office slightly in order to listen in on their parents'' discussion.

    "Cara I-" Al tried to exin what she just heard but Cara pped him, shocking both Al and Eric.

    "You both lied to me!" She shouted.

    Her voice carried into the office and across the hall, alerting the adults to the eavesdropping children outside.

    "Shit." Ray cursed as he stood up and opened the door.

    "How dare you?!" Cara shouted at Al as she turned and ran away.

    Al was quick to follow, while Eric looked at the parents.

    "I''m sorry, we just wanted to know what was happening." He said, before running after Cara and Al.

    "Oh my, the poor girl." Ayanna said with a sigh as she pulled her husband and Katerina to follow. "She''s just a little girl and my son has broken her heart so many times."

    Meanwhile, Cara sprinted up the stairs, passing her father.

    "Cara, why are you in such a rush?" He asked as he caught her arm, making her stop.

    "Let go of me!" She shouted at her father as she tried to break free. "You''re just like the rest of them, you all lied to me!"

    "What are you talking about?" Peter asked his daughter, refusing to let go.

    "You said Al wanted me to be released from my room!" She sobbed. "You said he was talking to his dad so that he could set me free!"

    "He did." Peter told his daughter, not knowing that she was already aware of the truth.

    "Until now you lie! I thought you loved me dad? I thought you cared about me! But you''ve always been on their side!" Cara shouted as she bit down on her father''s arm, making him let go.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Managing to break free, Cara ran once more as Al climbed up the stairs.

    "Al, what''s going on?" Peter asked the young man.

    "She knows, she heard my parents speaking." Al panted. "I need to talk to her." He said as he left Peter by the stairs only to be passed by Eric.

    Cara pushed open her door and was about to m it shut, when Al stepped between the door stopping it from closing.

    Having been too upied with taking out clothes from her closet and dumping it into an open luggage, Cara didn''t notice that Al had entered her room.

    "Cara, please, I''m sorry." Al said as he approached her, shocked to see what she was doing.

    "How did you get in?!" Cara shouted in disbelief. "Get out!"

    "Cara, where would you go? Please let''s talk about this." Al begged.

    "I said out!" She shouted, as she threw a pillow at Al.

    "Cara, don''t get mad at my cousin, he really did want to let you out of your room." Eric said, joining them.

    "What the fuck are you doing here?!" She shouted at both Al and Eric. "Ever since I met you my life has turned into shit!" She said, pointing at Al.

    "Cara. . ." Peter groaned as he entered the room with Ray, Ayanna, and Katerina.

    "Dad! You too! You took their side, helped in their lies!" Cara was furiously packing as Ayanna went up to both Al and Eric.

    "Let''s let them have a moment." She told the two boys as she tried to guide them out of the room.

    "But Aunt Ayanna-" Eric began to say as his aunt red at him, shutting him up.

    "Cara please, just stay." Al begged as he let his mom pull him out of the room.

    Ray then entered and ced a hand on Peter''s shoulder.

    "She''s Al''s friend and it''s clear to us that they care about each other." He sighed.

    Even if Peter had betrayed them in the past few weeks they had be fast friends.

    "If Cara needs to go away, I know a ce, but she will need to have a security detail on her at all times." Ray told Peter.

    "She might not like that." Peter said with a frown.

    "We both know that letting her leave would be a big mistake. I would have to lock her back up in here, but that would definitely ruin our rtionships with our children." Ray shrugged.

    "Colin wille after her if he finds out." Peter sighed.

    "Her safety has always been the priority, she''s just too young to understand that." Ray told the man.

    "I''ll talk to her. Can we trust the person you would be sending her to?" Peter asked Ray.

    "I don''t know, you tell me, can we trust your sister?"

 Chapter 1084 1084

    ?

    "Where is Al?" Ayanna asked as they waited at the foyer for Cara toe down.

    "He still hasn''t left his room." Ray frowned as he pulled his wife into a hug.

    "He must want to say goodbye to her." Ayanna frowned as she looked up the stairs.

    "Ayanna. . ." Ray sighed as he heard amotion upstairs.

    They both looked up, worried that something bad had happened.

    "I''ll go check it out." Ray offered as he climbed up the stairs.

    "Alrich Lawrence, open this fucking door and say good bye to me!" Cara''s voice echoed through the hall.

    Ray could hear her sobs even from where he stood.

    "Cara, he hasn''te out in two days." Ray heard Eric sigh as he stood next to the young woman. "Uncle Ray has tried everything to get him toe out, but he won''t."

    "I''m leaving today." She cried out. "How can he not say goodbye?"

    Eric pulled Cara in his arms and slowly patted her back as she cried.

    "I think he''s in denial. If he doesn''t see you leave then it''s like you never left." Eric sighed. "I promise, I''ll talk to him, then maybe we can visit you."

    "Cara?" A small voice said as Angelica stepped out of her room.

    "Angelica." Cara sobbed as she stretched out her arms, offering Angelica a hug.

    The young girl quickly ran up to her and jumped into her arms, hugging her tightly.

    "Please don''t go." Angelica cried. "Al will be so sad."

    "I think he''s already sad, Angelica. And mad, probably hates me right now." The young woman told the little girl as she carried her in her arms.

    "He doesn''t hate you." Angelica cried as she buried her head in Cara''s shoulder. "I think my brother loves you."

    Cara blushed at Angelica''s words.

    Ray on the other hand couldn''t help but smile.

    They all assumed that the two youngsters had developed feelings for one another, they either just didn''t understand what it was or they didn''t want to admit it.

    Either way, only time could probably tell.

    "I think your brother deserves someone better than me." Cara said with a sigh as she ced Angelica back down. "He''s so smart and strong, and I''m stupid and weak."

    "You''re not." Andres said as he fully opened the door to his room.

    Cara looked up at her friend''s brother and gave him a concerned look.

    "You''re not stupid. I''ve seen you in school. Plus Al always said you were smart." Andres told Cara as he scratched the back of his head. "Are you really leaving? It was kinda nice having another sister around."

    "Another sister?" Cara asked.

    "Yeah, you''ve be like a sister to us." Andres shugged.

    "And if Al marries you, you''ll really be our sister." Angelica dered.

    Ray couldn''t help butugh at his daughter''s words.

    "Don''t be silly." Cara said, shaking her head.

    She stood up straight and looked back at Al''s door.

    She gave it a firm knock and pressed her head on the door.

    "Al, please." She pleaded, hoping he could hear her. "I''m leaving in a few minutes, I just wanted to say goodbye properly."

    She stood for a few moments, hoping Al would open the door, but it didn''t.

    "Cara. . ." Eric sighed. "I''ll tell him you came by, give him your number, your address, I''ll even take him to you if we can go."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Cara shook her head and knocked again.

    "Aldrich Lawrence, you''re my best friend. You are probably the most important person to me and I hate that you are ignoring me!" She shouted. "Open the door and say goodbye properly!" She cried out.

    "He won''t open it." Ray said from behind Cara. "You have to go."

    Cara frowned as tears began to fall from her eyes.

    Ray reached out and pulled her into a hug.

    "Cara, you were the one that asked to leave, remember?" He reminded the young woman. "When you are ready, give us a call and you cane back. Your dad will still live here or he''ll be set up somewhere else, but you will always have a home here."

    Cara nodded as Ray released her from his hug.

    "Get her bags." He told the maids who quickly sprang into action, some taking the bag she had been pulling with her through the halls, while the others checked her room.

    "Let''s go." Eric nudged Cara as they walked down the hall.

    Ray looked back to check if his son showed any signs ofing out of his room, but the door remained firmly closed.

    He sighed and shook his head.

    He knew his son was making a huge mistake by not saying goodbye to Cara, but Ray wanted his children to make their own mistakes.

    They had to find their way in the world.

    Everyone was already downstairs ready to say goodbye to Cara by the time Ray got down.

    "All set?" He asked as he looked at his wife who was hugging the young woman tightly.

    "Wait, I have something for Cara." Eric told them as he produced a box. "It''s actually from Al, not from me." He blushed.

    Ray smiled knowing that his son had asked his cousin to do him a favor.

    "Open it." Eric said as he gave the gift to Cara.

    "Why couldn''t he have given it to me himself." Cara sighed as she took the box from Eric.

    She gasped as she saw the contents.

    "He''s crazy." Cara gasped as she took out the ne with an emerald ring hanging on it.

    "Let me put it on you." Ayanna offered as she took the ne from Cara and helped her put it around her neck. "I''m sure he''ll miss you and he''ll regret not saying goodbye."

    Cara nodded as she began to tear up.

    She looked up the stairs hoping that Al would suddenly show up, but he wasn''t there.

    She had said her goodbyes to everyone and yet Al was still nowhere to be found.

    "We should go." Peter said as he cleared his throat. "The maids have taken the bags to the car."

    "You''ll see that she arrives safe?" Ray asked Peter.

    "Of course, she''s my daughter after all." Peter said with a sad smile on his face. "I''ll get to see my sister too, which is nice."

    "Half of the security team will fly with you, another half was hired locally. Get back as soon as possible, we still have work to be done." Ray told Peter who simply nodded.

    As the car pulled out of the driveway, Cara continued to look out the window, hoping that Al woulde out to say goodbye.

    She was hoping he would chase after her, telling her not to leave.

    Even until thest moment, when they boarded the Lawrence family''s private ne, she kept hoping to see Al.

    But as the ne took off her heart broke.

    Al never showed up.

    He never said goodbye.

 Chapter 1085 1085

    ?

    Six monthster

    "Fuck!" Al hissed as hended on the hard cement ground.

    "What''s happening Al?" Ray asked his son over the radio. "Constant updates, remember." He reminded his son.

    Al ran, stepping on puddles as he heard people catching up to him.

    "Ten people on my tail." Al reported as he took out his gun and switched off the safety. "They are armed but I don''t think they are too familiar with the area."

    "Good. There is an ally to your right, you can lose them there." Ray guided his son.

    "Hey dad, if I capture them, can I get that car I wanted?" He teased as he ducked into the ally his father had mentioned.

    "We''ll talk about it when you get home." Ray told his son. "Focus."

    Al cocked his gun and waited.

    He could hear steps approaching.

    "They''re near, dad. I might have to fight my way out of this. Again." Al grumbled.

    "This is thest group Al, if we bring them in it will all be over." Ray told his son over the radio. "Backup is already in the alley next to you."

    "Perfect." Al said as he stepped out of the building and raised his gun, stopping his pursuers in their tracks before they could enter the alley he was holed out in.

    "Gentlemen, ah and ady, hello." Al said with a grin as he pulled out a second gun and took a step forward. "I think I should introduce myself to you first."

    "We don''t care kid!" One of the men shouted at Al. "We''re here to take you back to our boss so you can be tortured and interrogated."

    "I don''t think I''ll be tortured or interrogated." Al chuckled. "As a matter of fact I think the opposite will happen. Do you guys want to make a bet?"

    The men in the bigger alleyughed as they heard Al''s threat.

    "Kid, there is one of you and ten of us." The woman with them dered in a mocking tone. "Do you really think you can take us down?"

    "What if I win, I get to keep all your guns?" Al asked, "You had a nice collection back in your headquarters. How many of you are left? Twenty? Thirty?"

    "It doesn''t matter kid, if you don''t die here, you die there!" One of the men shouted.

    "Enough!" Ray told his son over the radio. "Trigger the assault. Our men have already captured their headquarters."

    Al sighed and shook his head.

    "Dad said it''s time to stop having fun and work." Al frowned.

    "What the fuck are you talking about, kid?" The leader of his pursuers asked. "Get the kid, let''s go back."

    At hismand three of his men attacked Al.

    "Take them down." Al said through the radio as he shot three bullets in session, disabling his attackers.

    At the same time, men and women swarmed the alley taking down the remaining seven men.

    "I won the bet!" Al said victoriously as he walked up to the leader. "I get to keep your weapons!"

    Al turned to the back up that had arrived and ordered them to collect all the guns they had found.

    "Angelica will love these!" He eximed as he took a closer look at some of the guns.

    "Who are you?" The man asked in shock as he looked at the young man. "You had so many men, you were ying us for fools the entire time!" <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Young Master Lawrence." One of the men greeted Al as he approached.

    The man on the ground looked at Al in shock.

    "No way." The man''s jaw dropped as soon as he heard what Stephen had been addressed as.

    "What is it?" Al grumbled as he looked at one of his bodyguards.

    Al was asionally frustrated when his father sent bodyguards to watch over him.

    After the incident with Emilio and Andres happening in quick session, Al was rarely allowed out without a bodyguard.

    Even at school they were always nearby.

    "Your father is here." The bodyguard informed Al.

    "I guess he wants to inspect the headquarters together." Al said with a victorious smile.

    After months of trying to take down those that wished his family ill, they were finally at the end.

    Soon he would ask his dad''s permission to visit Cara so that he could patch things up with her.

    "Lock this one up good, he knows who I am now." Al said in a more serious tone as he pointed at the leader who was down on the ground.

    "We''ll dispose of him ordingly after the interrogation is done." One of their team members said as they picked the man up and dragged him away.

    "No, no, what do you mean dispose of me!" The man shouted as he was pulled towards the other end of the alley, where Al was sure he would be loaded into a van and brought to the headquarters for interrogation.

    Al looked around and watched as the rest of the team inspected their prisoners.

    "Good job, Al." Hendrick''s familiar voice said,ing over the radio. "Sorry about your dad, I think he was worried. As soon as he heard we sent you on another mission he came charging in here demanding to be given the reins."

    Al chuckled and shook his head.

    "I wish you or Eric could be in the field with me." Al sighed as he remembered the early days of their mission.

    It had only been seven months ago, but it felt like years had passed. Too much change had happened.

    "You know we can''t go. We are too easily recognized, and soon enough you will too." Hendrick reminded Al.

    "Yeah, I''m trying to talk dad into dying the announcement. So many things to do." He said with a sigh.

    "And one girl to chase." Hendrick teased over the radio.

    "Oh shut up." Al said as he switched off his earpiece and frowned.

    "Hendrick?" Sora asked as she came up next to him.

    Despite having a rough start with Sora in the group, they quickly became friends as soon as she realized he wasn''t some spoiled heir.

    "Yeah, nagging me about Cara." Everyone in their team knew about Cara.

    After she had left Al had done nothing but work. Eventually Hendrick had to tell everyone about what had happened so that they would give the kid some space.

    "Well, you can go after her now." Sora said with a kind smile.

    "If we catch her brother and whoever is pulling the strings behind him." Al sighed as he walked away, not even bothering to say goodbye to everyone.

 Chapter 1086 1086

    ?

    At the end of the alley stood a luxury ck sedan surrounded by bodyguards that stood at attention.

    There were no other cars or people in the area, just them.

    Normally it would look worrying or suspicious, but not to Al.

    It was normal for his father''s car to be the only one on the road while his fleet of security vehicles barricaded the area.

    "Sir." A bodyguard greeted as he opened the door, allowing Al to get into his father''s car.

    "Aldrich." Ray greeted his son as he gestured to his driver that they could go. "Good job out there."

    "Thanks dad." Al said with a smile, genuinely appreciative of his father''s praise. "Do you think this is the end?"

    Ray knew how important it was to his son to get to the end of their mission.

    After Cara had left, he swore that once it was safe for her toe back and for things to be fixed as normally as possible, without the lies, he would find her.

    "Hopefully." Ray sighed.

    "Do you think I can go get her?" He asked his father.

    "Well, we will see. If this mission leads to her brother Colin and the people backing him, then yes." Ray told his son.

    Al nodded as he considered his situation.

    When Cara had left he didn''t even have it in him to say goodbye.

    He locked himself up in his room like a pathetic child and let her leave.

    "You know, you don''t need to catch her brother and eliminate that threat to bring her home, right?" Ray asked his son with a raised eyebrow.

    "I know, dad." Al grumbled.

    Ray had been insisting almost weekly for Al to speak to Cara, patch things up, and bring her home.

    He knew that his son was a different person since she left.

    Even her father, Peter Jao, had spoken to Al multiple times in an attempt to get him to speak to his daughter.

    Peter had tried to convince Cara toe back, but unfortunately it wasn''t his voice she needed to hear.

    "Dad, if I ask her toe back now and this mission regarding her brother is not yet settled, I will still have to lie to her." Al confessed his worry.

    "Al, we work in the underworld, there will always be lies." Ray reminded his son.

    "But not to the people we care about." Al told his father.

    Ray nodded and looked at his son.

    He knew this should have been brought up months ago, but everyone had been careful not to say anything to trigger Al.

    "Son, tell me, what is Cara to you?" Ray asked.

    Al looked at him with a sad look on his face.

    "I don''t know dad." He managed to confess. "I know I like her more than a friend, but if you ask me if I love her, I''m not sure."

    Ray nodded, understanding his son''s predicament.

    "Where to now, dad?" Al asked as he noticed the driver wasn''t taking them home.

    Normally after a mission, his father wanted them to go straight home. ording to Ray Lawrence, it kept them grounded and reminded them about what mattered. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Unfortunately, since we want this over as soon as possible, we have to go to the headquarters first." Ray said with a sigh. "Peter is already there waiting."

    "To identify Colin?" Al asked.

    "Yes, hopefully he is among the men we captured." Ray nodded.

    "And if he isn''t?" Al asked,

    "Then you stay hidden until we find him." Ray exined to his son. "Then you don''t go to Cara''s aunt to bring both of them back."

    "Both of them?" Al asked, surprised that Cara''s aunt was willing to return to the country.

    Ray sighed and nodded.

    "I spoke to her a month after Cara was ced in her care." Ray exined. "It seems that when she heard for Cara that your Uncle Andres had remained single after they broke up, it melted her heart."

    Al smiled andughed.

    "She wants to give it a shot with Uncle Andres again?" Al curiously asked.

    Ray nodded.

    "She does, but she won''t leave Cara there." Ray told his son. "Andres doesn''t know yet, so I hope you can keep this a secret until the women return."

    Al agreed and smiled.

    He was d that his Uncle Andres was finally getting his happy ever after, or at least he was going to get another chance at love with Cara''s aunt.

    "We''re here, sirs." The driver said as they stopped by one of the secret entrances to the headquarters.

    A bodyguard opened the door for Al and Ray to step out.

    "Have they arrived?" Al asked as he fixed his hair.

    His shirt was still bloody from the assault, but he could change his shirt inside.

    "Yes, sir." The bodyguard reported as they walked into the building. "They are in the holding cells. Mr. Jao is waiting in your father''s office."

    "Let''s go then." Ray said as he appeared next to Al.

    They walked through the maze of halls until they reached Al''s office.

    "Do you think they got him?" Peter asked as he anxiously paced across the room.

    "I saw him there." Al said with a nod. "I''m just not sure if he was still there when we attacked. It was enough time for him to get away."

    Peter nodded and smiled at the young man.

    "Thank you, for doing this Al." Peter said as he looked Al in the eyes. "I know this mess was partially made by me, then my son decided to make it worse."

    "It''s fine, Peter." Al told the older man. "If it weren''t for Colin and his backers, I''d never meet Cara."

    "Who knows, you might have met her at one of the Mafia events." Ray teased his son.

    "But I would have been Uncle Seth''s nephew or your son, she would never have spoken to me." Al smiled at the thought of Cara being shy in a corner.

    "I still think you would have found each other somehow." Ray said as he smiled at his son.

    Ray then nced at the clock and noticed the time.

    "We should go to the holding cells, if he was among the men we took, he will be there." Ray told Peter as they walked out of the room, side by side.

 Chapter 1087 1087

    ?

    "Not there, but I recognize that man as my son''s second inmand." Peter said as they checked the first cell.

    "That''s a good sign then." Ray pointed out as he gestured for the second inmon to be separated from the others.

    "Hopefully." Peter said as they moved on to the next cell.

    "Did Colin see you?" Ray asked his son as they moved on.

    "No. I was well hidden when I spotted him in the hideout." Al told his father.

    "Not here." Peter sighed, shaking his head as they moved on to the third cell.

    "That''s good." Ray said as they followed Peter as he checked the other five cells.

    "None, he isn''t in any of them." Peter said with a disappointed look on his face.

    Al frowned as he looked around the room, he didn''t see Colin in any of the cells either.

    "I find it ridiculous that he managed to slip away in the small time frame between Al seeing him and our attack." Peter sighed as they walked back to Ray''s office.

    Al stooped in his tracks and mumbled something.

    "What was that, Al?" Ray asked his son as he gave him a curious look.

    "We have his second inmand." Al repeated a little bit louder this time.

    "We do, do you want to talk to him?" Ray asked.

    Al speaking to the second inmand wouldn''t just be speaking. He would be trying to get the information out of the man with any means necessary.

    "I can just watch." Al told his father as he changed directions and headed towards the interrogation rooms.

    Ray was honestly surprised with his son''s decision.

    Normally Al would be more than willing to extract information out of the prisoners they had managed to capture.

    "Are you alright?" Ray asked his son as he and Peter walked behind the young man.

    "I just don''t think this guy will speak if I did the interrogation." Al confessed. "It might be better if Hendrick did it."

    "I''ll have him brought over." Ray told his son as he gestured for one of their bodyguards to get Hendrick over.

    Luckily, Hendrick didn''t have work with Emilio that day.

    As a matter of fact, Emilio was with him in the underworld headquarters appreciating his uncle''s and cousin''s work when they were called to the interrogation room.

    "What are you doing here?" Al asked Emilio as they entered the observation room.

    "We didn''t have work so I decided to tag along with Hendrick." Emilio told his cousin as he made himselffortable on a couch. "He told me you were on a mission and he wasing over to support."

    "So you watched that." Al grinned.

    He knew that his cousin was envious of the missions and risks he could take since his identity was still a secret.

    "Yeah, you have to teach me to shoot like that." Emilio smiled. "It coulde in handy."

    Al nodded and promised to work with his cousin when they got home.

    Through the one way mirror, they could see Colin Jao''s second inmand being dragged into the interrogation room.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    He looked a little bit roughed up, but nothing too bad.

    "He fought our men, almost killed a few, but our people are better trained." Ian Lim said as he entered the room, joining Ray, Al, and the rest.

    "Has he said anything?" Ray asked Ian as he observed the man through the ss.

    "No, he''s been silent the entire time while the others are begging to be let out." Ian told Ray.

    "Hendrick." Al called out.

    Hendrick was quick to walk to Al side as they looked at the man.

    "He is a loyal one, I doubt he has anyone we can use to threaten him with." Al told Hendrick.

    "We actually got his information, he has no one." Hendrick informed Al.

    "A perfect second for Colin." Al nodded. "What is his motivation?"

    "His entire family was killed by the Ri Family Mafia. He wants revenge." Hendrick reported.

    "Always revenge." Al sighed. "You think you can crack this one?"

    "Probably." Hendrick nodded.

    "Have a go at it." Ian said as he gestured for Hendrick to go to the other room and extract information from Colin''s second.

    Hendrick smiled and nodded.

    He quickly prepared the tools he needed on a tray and asked one of the men to ce it in the other room.

    Instead of immediately going there, Hendrick let the man stare at the tools.

    They were all blunt and guaranteed to hurt. He was ying a mental game with the man as they all observed his anxious ces between the tools and the one way mirror.

    "Do you think he is wondering who is on the other side?" Emilio asked his cousin as they watched Hendrick prepare more items.

    "He probably is." Al nodded. "No one knows who the king of the underworld is, he isn''t high enough to know, neither was Colin."

    "Has your son tried to contact you?" Ray asked Peter as Hendrick left the room, ready to begin the interrogation.

    "A few times. I told him we wereying low that he shouldn''t visit just yet." Peter exined to Ray. "I may need your help to set up a false safehouse for me soon. I know my son will want to visit."

    "And what if he looks for Cara?" Al asked.

    "I will tell him the truth, that I sent Cara to my sister. She is safer there." Peter said.

    Al nodded. He knew that Colin had no idea where his aunt or Cara were located, and even if he did find them, he would be blocked by several bodyguards of the Lawrence family.

    It would be easy to simply tell him Al''s real identity and confess that Peter had asked for the Lawrence family''s help.

    "He''s beginning." Ian pointed out as they watched Hendrick circle the man like a predator circled his prey.

    "Do you know who I am?" Hendrick asked.

    "This is going to be fun to watch." Emilio chuckled as he leaned back and rxed.

 Chapter 1088 1088

    ?

    "Trevor, why don''t you just tell us where Colin Jao is?" Hendrick asked as he mmed the bloodied man''s face on the table once more.

    Trevor had been shocked when Hendrick first mentioned Colin Jao''s name. It was clear that they hadn''t expected their enemies to know so much.

    "I''ll never tell you." Trevor hissed as he red at Hendrick.

    "Look, Trevor, I''m level one among all the interrogators here." Hendrick told him. "Now, you don''t want to reach level two, much more level ten or twenty or thirty. So just tell us where Colin is."

    Trevor looked up at Hendrick, as if he was about to say something, when he suddenly spat at the man.

    "I will never betray my boss." Trevor hissed.

    Hendrick punched the man in anger, allowing his temper to get the best of him.

    Hendrick walked away and took a deep breath, collecting himself.

    "See what you made me do Trevor?" Hendrick asked as he looked at the man. "Okay, let''s not mention Colin then, who do you work for?"

    "People much better and much more powerful than the idiots you report to." As Trevor spoke he looked at the one way mirror.

    It was as if he knew that the king of the underworld was watching.

    "What are you looking at, Trevor?" Hendrick said as heughed at Trevor.

    Mind games, that''s what Hendrick was good at.

    "Trevor, have you lost your mind, why are you staring at the one way mirror?" Hendrick didn''t even try to hide the fact that it was indeed used to observe interrogations that were happening.

    Hendrick tilted his head as he continued to look confused.

    He then gasped andughed, his voice echoing across the room.

    "Did you think they would actually watch this?" Hendrick asked as heughed at the man. "Do you think that the king of the underworld would deem you important enough to watch your torture?"

    A shocked look momentarily crossed Trevor''s face.

    "Trevor, Trevor, Trevor. The king runs an empire, do you really think your boss is the biggest threat to him?" Hendrickughed as he shook his head.

    Trevor''s eyes were downcast, making Hendrick smile.

    Most would have taken that as a victory, but Hendrick knew better. He knew that there was still a chance that this was all part of an borate act set up by Colin and Tevor.

    Hendrick suddenly picked Tevor up and threw him against the wall.

    "You see, if they were there, I couldn''t even do that to you." Hendrick chuckled.

    Hendrick looked down at the man and saw that Trevor was clearly exhausted.

    "We''ll resume tomorrow." Hendrick said with a smile as he walked to the door and knocked.

    Unexpectedly, Trevor summoned whatever strength he had and tried to attack Hendrick.

    Luckily for Hendrick, the door opened and a few men stepped in.

    They were supposed to drag the weakened Trevor back to his cell.

    The men quickly caught him and tackled him to the ground.

    "It seems you haven''t had enough for today." Hendrick chuckled. "But that''s not how I work."

    Hendrick grinned and turned towards hispanions.

    "Lock him in his cell, don''t give him food or water. We''ll resume thister." Hendrick told them as they dragged him out and forced a pill down his throat.

    "What the fuck was that?!" Trevor shouted as he tried to vomit the pill back out.

    Unfortunately he already started to feel the effects and was weakened.

    "Is that it for today?" Peter asked Hendrick as he returned to the room and picked up his bag.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Nope." Hendrick chuckled as he pulled out a fresh set of clothes. "It''s a new technique we are testing out."

    Al grinned as Hendrick looked at himself in the mirror and did some subtle changes, cing wax on his hair and washing his face.

    "Trevor will think that the boss doesn''t care at all." Hendrick exined. "The pill we gave him is actually an invention of mine."

    "It not just knocks him out but also makes him feel exhausted." Emilio added.

    He knew about Hendrick''s experiments.

    At first he even volunteered to be the guinea pig himself, but Hendrick wouldn''t allow it. It was even worse after Hendrick found out he was the Reyes Heir, by all ounts Emilio was to be protected.

    "How many days do n to make it seem like?" Al asked Hendrick.

    "Four days." Hendrick said with a smile as he nced at his bag.

    "You came prepared?" Ray asked.

    Hendrick nodded.

    "I thought we would have Colin, so I thought, might as well have some fun if you would let me, but this works too." Hendrick said with a shrug as he looked at his watch.

    "I''ll just give some orders to the guards. We spoke about it before Trevor was dragged out here." Hendrick exined.

    "That''s probably why he was ced in a solitary prison." Al said as he analyzed the situation.

    They only waited another thirty minutes before a new set of guards dragged Trevor back into the interrogation room.

    "Day two." Emilio said as he leaned forward and observed what his friend was about to do.

    Just like the so-called previous day, Hendrick tortured Trefor for information and Trevor insisted that he knew nothing.

    But Al could see in his eyes that he was faltering.

    He felt like he hadn''t eaten or drank water in over a day. He was weak and he felt as if Hendrick was serious about letting him die.

    After Trevor was tortured they repeated the same process, he was brought to a solitary prison.

    "Do you think he will crack?" Al asked as Hendrick changed clothes again, this time he looked as if he had gone to the office.

    The shirt was slightly crumpled with a few stains on it.

    His necktie was loosened to make it seem like he had just left R Tower and had gone straight to the headquarters to torture Trevor.

    "I n to tell him today that he can have a drink if he tells us where Colin is. It may work." Hendrick told the young mafia leader.

    "It should." Al said with a nod as two new men brought Trevor to the other room.

    "Day three." Hendrick said as he walked out of the room and into the new one.

    "So Trevor, are you ready to talk?" Hendrick asked.

    "You don''t even feed me or give me anything to drink!" Trevor shouted with what strength he had left.

    "Fine, tell me where Colin is and I will let you have a meal and a drink." Hendrick said, grinning at Trevor.

    "You asshole." Trevor hissed, his voice was barely a whisper.

    "What?" Hendrick asked as he walked closer.

    "I said you fucking asshole! You''ll never get information from me, even if I have to die to keep it!" Trevor shouted.

    By the time it registered with Hendrick what Trevor was about to do, the prisoner had mmed his head so hard on the corner of the table that blood sttered across the room.

    Hendrick stared in shock as he realized it was over.

    "Well, shit." Ray groaned as they looked at the shattered skull across the one way ss.

 Chapter 1089 1089

    ?

    "He just. . ." Emilio said in shock as they sat in Ray''s office.

    Everyone was stunned by what the man had done just to keep Colin''s location a secret.

    "Has this ever happened, dad?" Al looked down at his hands and he was shaking. He had never seen a man take his own life.

    Trevor''s death had been so bloody that only Ian and Ray didn''t seem bothered about what had happened.

    "A few times, we''ve seen and done worse, but it''s never easy." Ray sighed and shook his head.

    Ray observed his son and noticed how visibly bothered the young man was. Al could also sense how witnessing what had happened somewhat traumatized him.

    "What does this mean for the investigation?" Hendrick asked as he wiped some stray blood from his face.

    Hendrick had done his best to clean up, but he still missed some stter and was only noticing them now.

    "We will need to figure out another way to find Colin." Ray admitted, disappointed that they were back at the beginning.

    "Do you think he ever discovered that we had infiltrated his ranks?" Al asked his father as he looked up from where he was seated.

    Ray nodded and sighed.

    "Most likely." Ray told his son. "They will probably investigate backgrounds more to ensure that whoever joins them is reliable."

    "So my daughter, she can''t return yet?" Peter asked as he looked at Al.

    "She can return, Peter, no one ever stopped her from returning." Ray told his new friend.

    "We all know that my daughter will only probably return if your son fetches her." Peter said as he nced at Al.

    "I don''t think that would be a smart move." Cedric Reyes said as he suddenly entered Ray''s office.

    "What are you doing here dad?" Emilio asked as he sat upright.

    Al could tell that his cousin had told his father he had gone somewhere that was not the Underworld Headquarters.

    "We will talk when you get home." Cedric said as he red at his son.

    He quickly regained hisposure and turned to his brother inw with a sad look on his face.

    "I know you wanted to dy Al''s identity from leaking, but. . ." Cedric hesitated, but in the end, he handed a tablet to Ray.

    Al quickly walked up behind his father to get a better look of what his uncle was showing Ray.

    He didn''t expect that it would actually be a social media feed that his uncle was showing his father.

    There were multiple photos of Aling from school, taking the bus, then eventually getting on one of their cars.

    From the angle the photos were taken you could even see the namete on his uniform, Al Reyes.

    There were even photos of some of his school documents confirming that his registered name was Al Reyes. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Al couldn''t help but wonder why people were emphasizing his name, that was until he saw the caption on the post.

    Heir to the Lawrence Fortune or Illegitimate Reyes Child, that was the caption.

    It made sense now to Al why they needed to show the name he was using.

    The public knew that the name of Ray''s eldest child was Aldrich Lawrence, but they had not seen Al in years.

    They had no idea that he was affectionately called Al at home, nor had they seen any photos of him. So there was no way of confirming if Al was indeed Aldrich Lawrence or an illegitimate cousin.

    "Can''t Uncle Ram suppress this?" Al asked as he looked at his Uncle Cedric.

    "Unfortunately, he can''t." Cedric sighed as Ray continued to scroll through the posts.

    "It''s gone viral." Ray said in a pained voice. "Even if we could take them all down, people have already seen it, they will get suspicious."

    Cedric nodded as Ray tapped on thements, reading what people had to say.

    ''See, I don''t believe that a man like Cedric Reyes could be faithful! It might have taken decades, but he f***ed another woman that kid is the result!''

    ''If that''s actually Aldrich Lawrence he looks really good. I hope he''s single, cause I am too.''

    Al blushed as he saw thestment. No one other than his family had ever called him good looking or praised his appearance.

    ''That''s probably an illegitimate son, why would they send Aldrich Lawrence to a public school like that and allow him to take the bus?''

    ''I know that school! That''s the same school Eric Chan''s son was rumored to have gone. If it''s the same one, then I''m sure that young man is actually the heir to the Lawrence fortune. You are all idiots for saying he is illegitimate.''

    "Damn, they even know what school Eric went to." Al hissed.

    "Erci''s father had borderline crazy fans." Cedric told his nephew.

    "Borderline? From what I heard from mom they were fanatics!" Emilio eximed, joining in on the conversation. "They still celebrate his death anniversary and birthday. From what I hear they leave gifts and flowers at the entrance of the building where he used to live."

    "Fine, they are obsessed, and since Eric looks so much like his father and seems to have inherited the best from both parents, they try to know as much as possible about him." Cedric shrugged.

    "I guess I can''t go back to school now." Al said with a frown.

    "Unfortunately we''ve run out of time." Ray surrendered. "I had hoped that you would have a few more years, Al."

    "Will you make a statement about this one, or will the Reyes Group do it?" Cedric asked Ray as he looked at Ray with a frown.

    "Together, we make the announcement together. My son is a member of both the Lawrence and Reyes families, so it only stands to reason that we make the announcement as one family." Ray dered.

    "I''ll have it arranged." Ian said as he slipped back into his dutiful assistant role.

    Al knew his uncle wouldn''t let anyone else handle this press conference, this was just as big as the one they had to hold when Emilio''s identity became public.

 Chapter 1090 1090

    ?

    "So where were you supposed to be?" Al asked his cousin as Emilio drove them home.

    Their father''s had both gone ahead to R Tower in order to n out the press conference that had been called for.

    Al and Emilio on the other hand were sent home to make themselves presentable.

    Al was still dressed in his muddy and bloody clothes after he had the fight in the alley with Colin''s people.

    "I didn''t exactly lie. I told dad I''d be hanging out with you and Hendrick." Emilio shrugged.

    "But you didn''t say we were on a mission, did you?" Al chuckled as his cousin gave him a guilty smile.

    "Dad would never have let me meet up with you or Hendrick if he knew you were on a mission." Emilio exined to his cousin. "He thinks that I would probably try to save you if you got into trouble."

    "Is he wrong though?" Al asked as he gave his older cousin a knowing smile.

    "Of course not." Emilioughed as he gently stepped on the breaks, pulling their convoy to a halt.

    Emilio loved driving, and in exchange for his identity getting out, Cedric Reyes allowed his son to drive his own car. That was provided he would have a fleet of security vehicles surrounding them.

    "I wonder if Auntie Adrianna will scold you too." Al chuckled.

    Adrianna Reyes spoiled her son to no end. It was probably because he had less materiallypared to his brothers and sisters.

    "She will probably be pissed at me too." Emilio told his cousin as the light turned green. "Anyway, did your dad tell you the n yet?"

    "No. I''m in the dark. He just said to get everyone dressed then head to R Tower." Al told his cousin.

    Al spotted several people snapping photos of Emilio''s car and motorcade as they drove through the bustling city.

    When they got home, Al did as his father asked and told his mom and siblings to prepare for a presscon.

    "Did something happen, Al?" Ayanna Lawrence asked her son.

    Al nodded and frowned as he gestured for his mom to take a seat on the couch.

    "My identity got leaked." Al revealed to his mother. "They followed me from school and saw me getting into our car. Then they also got a hold of my school documents."

    "So your dad will do a press conference in front of R Tower?" Ayanna asked, suspicious of why it would be done in front of her family''s building instead of the Lawrence family offices.

    "Mom, since I used the name Reyes in school, there is now a debate online on who I am." Al exined to his mother.

    "Oh my gosh, they think you''re Cedric''s kid." Ayanna gasped. "No wonder the press conference will be in front of R Tower. Don''t worry, I''ll be ready as quickly as possible."

    Ayanna nted a kiss on her son''s forehead as she quickly ascended the stairs and called out to the maids, giving instructions on what to prepare.

    Al smiled as he went up to his room to change too.

    He not only needed to change clothes, but he needed a bath.

    While he was soaking in the tub he couldn''t help but think back to the mission.

    Where had they made a mistake?

    He had infiltrated the hideout and waited for weeks for Colin to show himself.

    Peter had called him home on the pretense that they had learned more information on who the King of the Underworld was.

    Colin had gone to the hideout to n a new infiltration of the gangs and mafia when Al saw him walking in the hall.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Al couldn''t help but wonder if he had moved too fast, should he have waited? Did that trigger them?

    "Young Master Lawrence?" A butler called from outside his bathroom, most likely sent by his mother to check up on him.

    "Yes?" Al called out to signify that he was alright.

    "The madam asked us to inform you that your father asked them to leave ahead. You will be taking a separate car to R Tower." The butler informed Al.

    "Very well. I''m almost done." Al answered.

    "We''veid out your clothes on your bed, your father asked us to prepare a suit for you." The butler informed him.

    "Is that all?" Al asked, seeking a little bit more privacy.

    "Young Master, your father also said that you should be there in the next hour." The butler informed Al.

    "Alright, I''ll get out and dry up. Thank you for informing me." Al said with a sigh as he reluctantly got out of the tub.

    By the time Al was done and ready, Emilio had already informed him that they were already on the way to R Tower.

    Al took a deep breath as he fixed his hair and looked at his reflection.

    Gone was the ordinary young man that would wear jeans and a in shirt.

    He was now dressed to look like the heir to one of the biggestpanies in the country.

    As he observed himself in the mirror, he couldn''t help but think that he looked more like a younger version of his father.

    He had seen his father''s photos when he was Al''s age, and they did look very simr.

    Al did a final check to see everything was perfect before taking a deep breath and leaving his room.

    Outside their home, one of his father''s favorite luxury sedans was waiting for him.

    "Young Master Lawrence." Al''s bodyguard greeted as he opened the door for Al.

    Al nodded as he made his way to the car.

    Before getting in, he paused and spoke to the bodyguard.

    "I guess after today you won''t need to be hidden at all times." Al said with a sad smile.

    "Unfortunately, sir." The bodyguard said with a nod. "I quite enjoyed being your teacher."

    "You can still be one of my tutors, you have the background for it." Al shrugged.

    "We will see what your father wants, young master. I don''t even think you need to go to high school anymore." The bodyguard said with a proud smile on his face. "I know you''re trying to dy, sir."

    Al smiled and shook his head as he slipped into the car and closed his eyes.

    He heard the door close as his bodyguard moved to the front seat.

    "You are the heir to the Lawrence family, the prince of the underworld, the son of mafia, this is just a press conference." Al repeatedly said to himself as he tried to gather his courage.

    Today was definitely going to be a long day.

 Chapter 1091 1091

    ?

    "What do you think is going on?" A young female reporter asked herpanion.

    All the news reporters were standing outside R Tower. Jessica was lucky that she worked with Abad News Network, her boss'' boss'' boss was friends with both Raymond Lawrence and Cedric Reyes, the brother-inws involved in the issue.

    "They said the press conference will start in a few minutes." Her boss said as she looked at her phone to check the time. "Don''t worry, the Reyes Group is always punctual, look Mr. Ian Lim is already stepping on stage."

    Jessica nodded as she looked at the handsome man who had taken the stage.

    He was by no means young and was old enough to be her father. But something about Ian Lim just seemed to draw her attention.

    "I know, good looking, right?" Her boss chuckled and sighed. "Too bad he''s painfully loyal."

    Jessica couldn''t help butugh at her boss.

    Yeah, sure, her boss was closer to Mr. Lim''s age, but Jessica was way too young to crush on him that way.

    "Don''t worry, his son is single and very handsome too." The cameraman they brought with them teased. "Even the Reyes Heir is good looking, I bet Raymond Lawerence''s son is also good looking. Just look at Miss Ayana and his brother Andres."

    "You seem extra interested in their looks, Luke." Jessica''s boss teased.

    "I just can''t help but wonder how they got so lucky in the genes department." Luke answered, shaking his head. "I''m happy with my girlfriend, she''s nice and simple."

    "And a bitch." Jessica groaned.

    Luke gave her a sad smile.

    She and Luke had been on multiple assignments together, and everytime Luke''s girlfriend would jealousy charge in and shout profanities at Jessica.

    "It''s starting, you guys can settle thatter." Jessica''s boss said as Ian Lim cleared his throat, catching everyone''s attention.

    The crowd silenced as they all focused on the man standing on the stage.

    "Thank you all foring today." Ian Lim said as he scanned the throng of reporters that stood in front of R Tower. "I know that there have been rumors circting about a young man that has been spotted around the city."

    The reporters nodded and buzzed among themselves, whispering about their theories.

    "I bet he''s Cedric Reyes'' illegitimate son." Jessica''s boss said with a grin. "That would make perfect drama. Imagine the Reyes Heir haspetition and the perfect Cedric Reyes has a w."

    "You were always one for drama Miss Ida." Jessica smiled. "I think he''s the son of Raymond Lawrence and Ayana Reyes. I''ve seen the photos, he looks like his dad."

    Jessica was thinking logically while her boss was simply thinking about which would make for a better story.

    "What if we make this official?" Miss Ida asked as she winked at Jessica. "If you''re right, I''ll rmend you for that promotion you wanted. I was going to anyway, but this just moves it up by a few months."

    Jessica looked at the older woman in shock. She never expected that she would get the promotion so soon.

    She''s always wanted to be an international reporter, and this promotion would put her first when it came to breaking news.

    No more gossip headlines such as these. She''d work on the real news.

    "And if I lose?" Jessica asked as she leaned forward with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

    "You tell Jessica''s bitch of a boyfriend to fuck off and stop bugging all the female staff he works with." Miss Ida said as sheughed at Luke who had turned pale at what she had said.

    "Deal!" Jessica said with a smile as they returned their attention to the man on the stage.

    Ian Lim had been saying something about Raymond Lawrence and Cedric Reyes making the announcement themselves with their family.

    When he had said this Jessice felt more confident that the young man was indeed the heir to the Lawrence family fortune and not the illegitimate son of Cedric Reyes.

    "He''s making the announcement with his family to show that they have a united front." Miss Ida said as she continued to try and convince everyone that her theory was the truth.

    "If he was Cedric Reyes'' illegitimate son, I''m sure they would have either long announced it or kept him better hidden." Luke told Miss Ida as he winked at Jessica.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    It seemed she and the cameraman shared the same opinion.

    "Miss Ida, Miss Ida." Anky man said as heughed at Miss Ida. He probably overheard her theory.

    "Eddie, what are you doing here? I thought you''ve made it big inedy and decided to drop being a reporter." Miss Ida said as she looked at the man from head to toe.

    Eddie was dressed simply and was known among the reporters as someone who could make themugh at any asion.

    "Just passing by." He said with a wink. "By the way miss, I think you might be right. Ida here loves drama, she''s just hoping for more news, but we know these families, they don''t do drama. Anyway, I should go, I have a show tonight."

    Eddie walked away, smiling and teasing everyone he passed.

    "I miss having him around when ites to long waits." Luke sighed as he watched the man vanish in the distance.

    "It''s okay, he''s on to better things. He is happier." Miss Ida said as there was new movement up front.

    The doors to the lobby of R Tower swung open.

    Cedric Reyes and Raymond Lawrence stepped out with their respective wives on their arms.

    Adrianna Reyes and Ayanna Lawrence smiled at the crowd, making them feel like they were part of the family.

    Behind the two couples were their children.

    Emilio Reyes, the Reyes Heir, walked alone, while his siblings marched out with Andres Lawerence and the two youngest came out with nannies walking beside them.

    Cedric Reyes stepped up on the podium and smiled as everyone except Raymond Lawrence took their seats.

    "I know everyone is eager to hear why you have all gathered here." Cedric Reyes said as he scanned the audience. "There have been rumors and photos circting online, firstly I''d like to warn everyone, I will not allow people to hurt or harm my family in any way."

    Jessica could feel the hairs on her arms stand as the most powerful man in the country threatened those that had spread the rumors.

    "Secondly," Cedric said as a smile formed on his face. "I do not have any illegitimate children. I have been loyal to my wife all these years and the only children I have are by her."

    "I guess someone is getting that promotion." Luke whispered to Jessica, making the young reporter smile.

    Cedric Reyes had stepped aside, allowing his brother-inw and best friend to take the stage.

    "The young man in the photos is not Cedric''s illegitimate son, rather he is my legitimate son. My eldest and my heir." Raymond Lawrenced announced proudly.

    "He looks relieved." Someone said from behind Jessica. She turned to find the most handsome man she''d seen.

    "You were right in your bet, I overheard you guys." The man said as he shed Jessica a smile. "I wonder, are you busy after this."

    "Ummm. . .yes." Jessica replied, stunned that this man was speaking to her.

    "Too bad, do you mind if I get your number?" He asked her as he handed her his phone.

    Jessica nodded and typed her number and saved it on the phone. She guessed it was safe, everyone there were reporters, so he wouldn''t be some random in the street.

    "Thanks, the name''s Tristan by the way. What''s yours?" He asked her.

    "Jessica." She said with a confident smile.

    "I''ll call you." Tristan said as Jessica could hear her boss calling her attention.

    "Over there!" Luke said as he pointed his camera towards a car that had just pulled up at the end of the red carpet.

    It seemed that the Heir to the Lawrence family was making an entrance in style.

 Chapter 1092 1092

    ?

    Al sat in the car anxiously waiting for it to move again.

    "Rx, you''ll do fine." Tristan Lim told him as he patted Al on the back.

    "What am I even supposed to do?" Al asked as heughed nervously. "I''m not even eighteen yet!"

    "All you have to do is attend events and don''t screw up your life." Tristan said with a shrug.

    Tristan, unlike Al, never had his identity truly hidden.

    He attended events with his father and mother, he was asionally on the news when he was dating someone new.

    The thing that set Tristan and Al apart was the fact that the public saw the Lim family as the poorer friends.

    "When I was hidden I at least knew I was supposed to learn as much as possible about the real world, but now, I don''t know anymore." Al frowned as he looked out into the practically empty parking lot.

    "Just study hard, try not to end up in any scandal, and people won''t be disappointed in you." Tristan said as he patted Al on the shoulder.

    "Thanks." Al smiled.

    "Now, if you will excuse me, I think I''d like to hear for myself what the reporters are saying." Tristan winked at Al as he slipped out of the car and headed up the stairs.

    Al was once more alone, gued by his demons and fears.

    His father had called with the n. They would first announce that his Uncle Cedric has never cheated on his Aunt Adrianna, then his father, Raymond Laurence would announce Al.

    "Sir, they are in front of the crowd, we''ve been told to drive up." Al''s bodyguard informed him.

    Al tried to speak, but he was so nervous to say anything. All he could do was gulp and nod.

    His bodyguard however, knew Al well enough that he understood the young man was dealing with his nerves.

    "Alright, sir." The bodyguard quickly said as he told the driver to take the car out of the basement parking.

    When Al saw the size of the crowd he froze.

    There were more reporters than he had expected.

    He didn''t think that news about his family would draw this much attention.

    "It''s probably because they thought it was a scandal." Al mumbled to himself as he spotted his cousin walking away from the front of the crowd back towards the parking lot.

    "Sir, even if they knew it wasn''t a scandal, the Reyes and Lawrence families can easily draw out these many reporters." His bodyguard informed him.

    "My cousin''s didn''t have this many people." Al pointed out as he looked at the crowd.

    "With all due respect sir, you weren''t really there." The bodyguard chuckled as they came to a halt.

    For the first time Al noticed that the car windows were slightly opened so he could hear what was going on.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my honor and my pride, to introduce to you our eldest son." He heard his father say as a bodyguard stood by his door.

    "I can do this." Al said to himself.

    "Aldrich Lawrence." As his father announced his name the car door swung open and Al changed his expression.

    He ced on the mask he was trained to wear.

    He smiled, but it wasn''t a friendly one.

    Rather it looked quite intimidating, he knew he looked as if he was plotting something evil. Like his ns had ns behind them.

    It was the persona he had decided to take when the time came.

    Al ignored the reporters that were shouting questions as fifty bodyguards lined the path he was supposed to walk to join his family.

    He didn''t let his fear or worry show.

    He walked steadily with his chin up and a smile on his face.

    He didn''t let his legs shake even if he worried that he wouldn''t even make it up on the stage.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    And when Al finally made it up to the podium, his father pulled him in a hug and held him tight.

    "Finally." Ray said.

    The businessman and king of the underworld sounded relieved.

    It was clear from Ray''s smile that he had long wanted to introduce his son to the public. He was only letting Al live a normal life for Al''s sake, but now, that was no longer an option.

    "Finally I made it on stage, dad?" Al teased as he smiled at his father.

    At least here, with his family, Al didn''t feel as nervous anymore. He didn''t feel alone.

    "A moment." Ray said as he turned to face the crowd.

    "I know you all have many questions and my son and I will do our best to answer them. We have marshalls ready to hand you a mic so that you can ask what''s on your mind." Ray announced as he nudged for his son to step forward.

    "Pick one." He whispered to Al, encouraging him to answer questions as well.

    Al spotted a woman that he noticed Tristan was looking at from the back. He pointed at her and she nodded.

    A marshal handed her a microphone and looked up at Al.

    "Mr. Lawrence, how long have you been studying in public schools and what do you think of the experience?" She asked.

    Al smiled, thankful that it wasn''t a question about his love life. He was sure one of the reporters would soon ask if he was single.

    "I hope you mean me." Al teased as he shed the woman a smile.

    He noticed Tristan re at him from the back.

    Clearly his friend was interested in this woman.

    She blushed as Al teased her.

    "Yes, sir." She answered.

    "Well, I''ve been in the public school system for over six years." Al announced, much to everyone''s shock. "It''s actually quite interesting to see the difference between this world that my family moves in and the world everyone else does."

    "Do you think it will help you in your future roles in the Lawerence family?" Normally reporters were only allowed one question. But Al liked this woman, so he allowed it.

    "I think my experience will keep me grounded. It also ensures everyone that I am in touch with what the everyday man strives for." Al said proudly.

    "Thank you, sir." The woman said as she handed the microphone back to the marshal.

    "Tristan seems to like that one." Raymented as he switched the microphone off, making sure that they weren''t overheard.

    Alughed and shook his head.

    He ignored his father''sment and pointed to another person in the audience.

    "Mr. Lawrence, is there a special woman in your heart?" The reporter asked, making the crowd whisper among themselves.

    None of the heirs of their generation had gotten married and none had expressed interest in a particr woman yet.

    "I don''t think my son should answer that." Ray said as he tried to deflect the question.

    "It''s fine, dad." Al smiled at his father as he took the microphone and lifted it.

    He gave the reporters a charming smile before he spoke.

    "Yes, there is a woman I believe I love, but she is out of my reach unfortunately." With Al''s words the crowd of reporters erupted and the entire family had to be ushered back into the building.

    As they entered, Emilioughed at his cousin and shook his head.

    "So you''ve finally admitted you love her." Emilio pointed out.

    "Unfortunately there is no way she heard that." Al sighed as he walked away, exhausted by the day''s events.

 Chapter 1093 1093

    ?

    Two yearster

    In a vi in Marina City, Cara Jao looked out at the waves as they came crashing into the cliff below.

    She sighed as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

    It had been two years and six months.

    Two years and six painful months since she left Capital City. She she couldn''t deny that she missed her father but most of all she missed the man that had sent her running to Marina City.

    She had heard two years ago that Aldrich Lawrence had been forced to reveal his identity to the world.

    If rumors were to be believed, he had a new woman on his arm every month, not letting any of them stay long enough.

    Her heart broke the first time she heard that, but still, she didn''t go running back to him.

    As a matter of fact it made Cara even more stubborn, choosing to stay in Marina City.

    Her father told her once that Al woulde get her when it was safe.

    It seemed safe now.

    Her brother had practically vanished and Al was out in public dating hundreds of women.

    "Cara!" She heard her aunt call out, pulling Cara out of her thoughts.

    "What is it Auntie Pandora?" Cara asked as she turned from their vi''s balcony.

    "I need to talk to you." Pandora said as Cara entered the living room.

    Cara was caught off guard when she saw her aunt with a man.

    He looked at her lovingly, as if the world revolved around her. Cara couldn''t help but feel slightly jealous, she wanted someone to look at her that way as well.

    The man was around her aunt''s age, he was handsome with european features but had tanned skin.

    He smiled at Cara, looking at her as if he already knew everything about her.

    "Please be seated, Cara." Pandora said as she gestured for Cara to sit across from them.

    Cara eyes them suspiciously. Her aunt was too calm for a woman introducing a man to her family.

    "Who is this?" Cara asked. She frowned as she realized she might have been a little bit too rude to her aunt''s guest.

    "Cara." Pandora said, smiling at her niece. "This is my fiance, Andres Ri."

    "Ri?" Cara asked, shocked at the man''s name. "Andres Ri, Francesca Ri''s brother, the head of the Ri Family. The man that sent my aunt running?"

    Andresughed and shook his head.

    "No wonder young Aldrich is so captivated by her." He said as he smiled at Cara. "Yes, the one and only."

    "Why are you marrying him? Don''t you hate him or something?" She asked her Aunt Pandora. "If I''m not mistaken, dad told me he was the reason why you left Capital City. He was the very person that broke your heart and tore you from everyone you loved."

    Cara''s voice began to crack as she spoke of her aunt''s pain in the past.

    To her surprise, Pandora simply gave her a warm smile and shook her head.

    "Cara, I was young and stupid." Pandora said. "I didn''t run because of Andres, I ran because of the lies my father and the rest of the family had fed me and I mistakenly poured my anger and hate on Andres."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "We''ve spoken about the past." Andres said as he looked lovingly at Cara''s aunt.

    Cara couldn''t deny that it was clear that Andres Ri was still in love with her aunt.

    "I n to go home and marry Andres." Pandora suddenly dered, catching Cara off guard.

    "Does my father know?" Cara asked. "Does he know you are leaving me here, alone in Marina city."

    Pandoraughed and shook her head.

    "Your father knows." Pandora told her niece. "He gave his blessing, the king of the underworld is aware as well."

    "What about Al?" Cara couldn''t stop the question from slipping from her thoughts to actual words.

    Pandora smiled sweetly at her niece.

    "He is aware." It was Andres that answered Cara this time. "As a matter of fact, I believe he ns to visit and speak to you before you and Pandora fly home."

    "You aren''t going with us?" Cara asked, surprised that Andres Ri would let his fiance travel home without him.

    Andresughed and shook his head.

    "I''m sure you will be safer with Aldrich Lawrence around." Andres exined. "The young man has been working twice as hard now, especially since your brother has not been heard from."

    "I thought that would mean things have settled down." Cara gasped.

    "No, it''s quite the opposite." Andres said with a frown. "Al said I should tell you the truth. I wanted to keep it from you and your aunt, but Al told me you deserved the truth."

    Cara nodded.

    She knew that she had issues with Al''s lies in the past.

    "We have all been trying to locate your brother and his associates, but Ray and Al both agree that our lives cannot be put on hold because of Colin and his allies." Andres dered.

    "When do we go home?" Cara asked her aunt. "And where does dad live now? Will I live with him? And what about university?"

    "Your father lives in an apartment set up for him by the Lawrence family. He also is working legally in the Reyes Group." Andres exined.

    "He left the underworld?" Cara was surprised her father left the mafia. It was all he had done his life.

    He had been educated to live and thrive in the underworld.

    "He dabbles from time to time, but only if Ray asks him to. Otherwise he avoids it." Andres told Cara.

    "So when does Aldrich Lawrence get here?" Cara asked in a cold tone.

    She needed to mentally prepare herself.

    She waited years for him to show up and apologize but he did neither.

    "He just has to attend a charity event for the Reyes Group in two days then he will fly here to collect you." Andres informed her.

    "Fine." Cara said as she stood up and left the couple.

    She needed to be alone.

 Chapter 1094 1094

    ?

    "So you''re finally going to go get her?" Eric Chan said as he leaned against the door frame of his cousin''s room.

    "Whatever." Al said as he waved his hand.

    He was busy packing for the trip and preparing for the annual celebration for the Reyes Group.

    Since his identity was made public years before, Al had been forced to attend every event with his father.

    As the heir there were certain behaviors expected from him.

    Al even went as far as dating a few girls, but he would change every month to make sure that none of them built enough feelings totch on to him.

    "When will you admit that you still love Cara Jao?" Eric chuckled as he walked into the room and fixed his tie in the mirror.

    He too would be attending the event.

    As a matter of fact it would be the first time that Eric Chan would be attending the event as a performer rather than as a family friend.

    Two years ago he spoke to their uncle Ram to train him and prepare him to be a performer. He wanted to be an actor and a singer, he had the talent for it and just needed the training to truly shine.

    Ramon Abad was reluctant at first, but when Eric wouldn''t back down he finally let Eric train under the condition that his mother allowed him.

    Eric grumbled saying he was almost eighteen anyway, but Ram refused.

    After just six months, Eric had finished his training and was deemed a sessful graduate of the Abad family''stest agency, EC.

    Eric had tried to speak to his mother and convince her to let him debut, but Katerina Chan refused. She pointed out that he should enjoy his youth as ordinarily as possible.

    A year ago he managed to convince his mother to allow him to follow in his father''s path and be an actor.

    "Yes, I love her, fine." Al said as he threw a pillow at his cousin, who caught it andughed.

    "It''s amazing to hear you say that in person." Eric teased Al as he walked over and helped him pack. "So when do you leave?"

    "Tomorrow morning." Al answered as he did a final check, making sure that he had everything packed. "Uncle Andres gave me a call and said that he told Cara everything."

    "How did she take it?" Eric asked his cousin.

    "Better than I expected, I guess." Al said with a shrug as he sipped up the bag and closed it. "At least she let him speak. I thought she would m the door on his face."

    "She was probably doing it for Pandora." Eric teased, making Al roll his eyes in annoyance.

    "Let''s go." Al said as he dragged his cousin out of his room.

    His father, mother, and siblings were already waiting at the foyer when they arrived.

    "You boys ready?" Ray asked as he checked if the two young men had actually dressed up properly.

    There had been some events where Al had intentionally messed up his clothes in order to bete or for his father to tell him not to go.

    "I wouldn''t mess this one up." Al grinned at his dad as he walked over to his car.

    "I''m riding with Al!" Eric volunteered as he quickly chased after his cousin.

    "Really?" Al grumbled as a driver tossed him the keys to his sports car.

    He rarely brought this one out, but since it was a special asion he decided that it was fine to be shy every once in a while.

    "Hey, I want to arrive in the nicest car, I need it for my star power." Eric winked at his cousin as he got into the car.

    The first two cars before them drove off. The first one probably had Al''s parents and the second had his siblings.

    Al and Eric were thest to leave.

    Al made sure that there was a significant distance between him and his family, he wanted to stretch the legs of his car since it was rarely used.

    "This is too shy for you." Eric teased as they finally entered the city.

    "That''s why it only gets brought out on special asions. I regret asking dad to buy it for me." Al answered Eric as they drove up to the hotel.

    There was a line of cars, Al could see his parents step out of theirs as his siblings'' pulled up behind them.

    "You trust the valet with this?" Eric teased Al.

    "Of course, the Valet is Leon." Al chuckled as it was their turn to make an entrance.

    "Ready?" Al teased as a wave of shed came at them, trying to capture the moment the cousins stepped out.

    Eric took a deep breath as he looked out the window.

    Normally when he made appearances there weren''t these many members of the press, but today was a unique event.

    "Ready." Eric said with a nod.

    "Just think of it as your debut all over again." Al teased.

    "My debut wasn''t this big. Let''s get this over with." Eric said as he smiled his most charming smile.

    Al nodded, killed the engine, and stepped out of the car.

    He tossed the keys to Leon, who nodded a greeting.

    "Mr. Lawrence! Mr. Chan!" The members of the media shouted as they tried to get the two young men''s attention.

    Al walked to the red carpet and smiled at the media.

    He could see as his cousin Emilio''s car drove up and the Reyes Heir stepped out, drawing another wave of shes.

    "Couldn''t you have waited?" Al teased Emilio who winked at his cousin.

    "I don''t want to walk this carpet alone, you know that." He pointed out.

    Normally Emilio rode with Al, but Eric took that spot this year.

    "Mr. Lawrence, why are you going stag tonight? Normally you have yourtest girlfriend on your arms!" A reporter asked catching Al''s attention.

    "What are you going to do?" Eric whispered to his cousin.

    "Answering his question." Al said as he shrugged Eric off.

    "Trust him." Emilio said with a smile as they watched Al approach the line of reporters.

    Al smiled and waved for the man to approach.

    "Repeat your question." Al said slowly.

    "Mr. Lawrence, why are you going stag tonight? Normally you have yourtest girlfriend on your arms." The man said, his voice trembling.

    "Let me make things clear, I''ve never had a girlfriend." Al announced, much to everyone''s shock as reporters gasped and whispered among themselves.

    Behind him, both Eric and Emilio grinned from ear to ear.

    "My heart has belonged to only one woman over the years, and I hope you will meet her soon." Al said with a smile as he turned and left, leaving everyone shocked at his revtion.

 Chapter 1095 1095

    ?

    "Do you think it was smart to let everyone know that you''ve been using all those women?" Emilio asked his cousin as they walked into the venue.

    "It''s the truth." Al said as he shrugged. "It would be a lie to say I loved any of them. They all knew that entering the rtionship with me. I never even touched any of them."

    "Not even a kiss?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow, unable to believe that his cousin had never kissed a woman.

    "Not even." Al replied, grinning.

    He loved Cara too much to be able to even show any affection towards the girls he dated.

    "Why did you even date, Al?" Emilio questioned his cousin. "I''m sure Cara has heard about you having a different woman on your arm every month. She won''t appreciate that."

    Al sighed and frowned.

    "I''m not proud of the reason." He confessed.

    "It''s not like you have a lot to hide from us." Eric pointed out.

    What Eric said was true, out of their generation it was the three of them that were the closest. Eric and Emilio both knew about Al''s true feelings, especially towards Cara.

    That''s why it had always puzzled them why Al dated so much.

    They knew how much he loved the woman who got away, they knew how desperate Al was to get her back.

    They had seen over the years how much Al wanted to be with Cara. How hard he worked just to find Cara''s brother, Colin, so that she coulde back.

    Unfortunately for Al, the people Colin worked with were always a step ahead.

    Ray wanted to help, but ruling the underworld and running the Lawrence family businesses took quite a lot of time and effort.

    Al had all his father''s resources at his disposal, but he still had a long way to go.

    "During the first few years I was so desperate for Cara to return but my pride was to high to speak to her, so I thought making her jealous was the way." Al admitted.

    Emilio and Eric both burst outughing as they stood by the entrance of the event hall.

    "Are you really that stupid?" Emilio asked. "I mean it''s onlymon sense that that won''t work."

    Al shrugged as he entered the hall, greeting several distinguished members of the business world who had been invited to the party.

    Emilio and Eric also both mingled with a few people.

    "Your former teammates are all in good positions now, yes?" Al asked Emilio as they made their way to the table reserved for them.

    "They got those promotions because they were a capable group, not because they worked with me." Emilio said as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    He had heard from his friends about how some employees spoke behind their backs, talking about how all of them were now managers.

    "I know they did." Al shrugged.

    "So how long did it take you to realize how stupid it was to try and get Cara jealous?" Eric asked as he spoke in a low enough voice so that others wouldn''t hear.

    "It took around three months." Al admitted as he looked around, checking if his parents wereing up to scold him.

    He knew he had gone off script with what he had said and it was sure to cause a scandal, his father hated scandals and his mother hated being part of it.

    "So three girls?" Emilio asked, to which Al simply responded by nodding.

    "Why did you keep dating even after that?" Eric questioned. "You already knew that it wouldn''t work, as a matter of fact I think it even made things worse for you. Cara probably now thinks that you''re some yboy."

    Al sighed and looked down.

    He really didn''t understand why he continued to date, but he knew all those rtionships were empty.

    As a matter of fact, every time one of the girls started to get attached he would make sure to dump them.

    "At first I said it was because my dad wanted me to attend so many events that I needed a date to keep me entertained." Al confessed.

    "But you never paid them much attention either." Emilio smirked.

    "It was a lie I kept telling myself in order to justify what I was doing." Al nodded. "In truth, I was just dating women to hide how lonely I was without Cara."

    Emilio nodded, understanding how much guilt now coursed through his cousin.

    It was the first time Al was attending an event without a woman on his arms.

    As a matter of fact they had noticed that Al had stopped dating three months ago, something they all found odd.

    When he had heard that Al was leaving the country after the party to fetch Cara, it all made sense.

    Al wanted to make sure that Cara could see he was with no one. That he was single and he was ready for her.

    "It''s not going to be easy to win her back. I don''t even know if she wille with you when you pick her up. Women are interesting creatures." Emilio said,ughing as he thought of his own rtionship.

    He had been dating one of his friends for a few months, but she surprisingly broke things off all of a sudden.

    Emilio was still trying to figure out what had gone wrong in his own rtionship.

    "And now I have a feeling, the fact that you kept dating wille to bite you in the ass." Eric chuckled as he spoke to his cousin.

    "Of course you would know that, Eric." Al said as he rolled his eyes at Eric.

    Emilio could tell that there was something Al knew that Eric thought he didn''t.

    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Eric grumbled, looking a little bit nervous.

    "Don''t pretend not to know, Eric." Al grinned at his cousin, making a shiver crawl up his spine. Al was born to be in the underworld, that was for sure.

    "I really don''t know what you are trying to say." Eric managed to say as he tried to hide his fear of his own cousin.

    "Eric, I know she still talks to you." Al said smiling at Eric, clearly jealous of the attention the actor was getting from the woman he loved.

 Chapter 1096 1096

    ?

    "Wh- wh- wh- what are you talking about Al?" Eric said as he stumbled on his words.

    Al knew that Eric was never this distressed, telling him that his cousin had indeed been speaking to Cara.

    "What have you been telling her?" Al asked as he leaned closer to his cousin, looking him in the eyes.

    "Aldrich Lawrence, what are you trying to do to your cousin?" Al heard his mother ask from behind him.

    Al frowned as his mother and his aunts came up to them.

    "I knew you were up to no good again." She said, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "Why did you have to date all those girls if you still loved her?"

    Of course Ayanna Lawrence knew exactly who the woman who had captivated her son''s heart was.

    "Auntie Ayanna, why don''t you scold him about trying to scare me?" Ericined as he crossed his arms on his chest and pouted at his aunt.

    "You''re old enough to be able to handle whatever Al throws at you, Eric." Ayanna teased her nephew. "Plus, I doubt you were flirting with Cara. If anything you were probably trying to convince her toe home."

    Eric looked guilty as he shook his head.

    "It''s none of your business, mom." Al hissed, angry at his mother as she tried to investigate his actions.

    "You do know that you have numerous aunts and female cousins that you can ask for advice, right?" His Aunt Katerina asked with her hands on her hips, shaking her head. "You didn''t even ask Emilio or Eric, did you?"

    "Why do you all have to be up in my business?" Al grumbled as he turned away from everyone. "I''m meeting with Cara soon. I''ll win her back, don''t worry."

    "They just don''t want you to screw up, Aldrich." His Aunt Nicole said as she ced a hand on his shoulder. "They care about you and your happiness and they also havee to care about Cara."

    Al sighed and nodded.

    "Mom, Aunties, I''m neen, I''m sure I''m old enough to win her heart the right way." Al said as he winked at his mom.

    "Right, cause your father even at his age still makes a ton of mistakes." Ayanna pointed out. "We''ll leave it to you then."

    As Ayanna said this she left the three boys alone and made her way to the table where the other parents were seated.

    Soon, Al, Emilio, and Eric were no longer alone on their table.

    The others from their generation joined them including Al''s siblings and Emilio''s siblings.

    The girls were all quick to offer Al advice on how to win back Cara''s heart.

    "Flowers definitely appear there with flowers!" Christina eximed. "Whenever my boyfriend messes up that''s one thing he always forgets!"

    Christina was currently dating John Co, the heir to one of the biggest processed meat suppliers in the country.

    Everyone had been so shocked when they first met John, he didn''t seem to be the son of one of the richest families in the country.

    He was simple but smart.

    "Oh, bring her the pastries our chef cooks that she loved!" Angel eximed as she thought of the small things Cara enjoyed while she still lived with them.

    "Don''t worry girls." Al chuckled as several waiters came over to serve them their food. "I''ve got this covered." He said, winking at them.

    "Didn''t your mom just remind you that you have a bunch of females around Cara''s age that you should listen to." Tristan pointed out, making everyone on the tableugh.

    "Don''t worry, Tristan." Al said with a mischievous grin on his lips. "I have a secret weapon, someone to whom Cara has been ranting to for two years now."

    He ced an arm around Eric''s shoulders and smiled.

    "You''re riding home with me, cousin." Al spoke as if the car ride itself was a threat. "And on the way home you will tell me every single dream andin Cara has told you."

    Eric turned pale at his cousin''s words.

    "Shouldn''t you figure that on your own, Al?" Eric said with a nervousugh.

    "Well, why would I want to do that, cousin." Al said with a smile. "You''ve been speaking to her and know exactly what I should do. Unless. . ."

    Al''s voice trailed away as the girls giggled.

    Everyone knew what Al was trying to say and found it quite amusing that Eric was his victim.

    The two young men were as thick as thieves and rarely fought, but Eric still understood the extent of Al''s influence and abilities.

    Some even debated that Al was probably more powerful than Emilio, although Emilio would eventually be much richer.

    "Oh look, they are calling me, it''s my turn to perform soon!" Eric eximed as he slipped from Al''s grasps and ran off to the backstage.

    Everyoneughed as Eric ran as fast as he could, looking back to make sure that Al wasn''t following him.

    "You don''t seriously think he could be flirting with Cara, right brother?" Andres asked as he looked up at his older brother.

    Al chuckled and shook his head.

    "No, of course not." Al responded,ughing at the ridiculous thought that Eric was flirting with Cara.

    "Even if he did, I doubt he would be able to win her heart from Al." Angel said, smiling as she recalled her conversations with Cara.

    "You know something." Al said as he red at his sister.

    "Of course I do. She''s my sister and I hope someday she will be my sister inw." Angel teased Al, making him shrink back in embarrassment.

    The night passed on quickly as Eric performed and speeches were made.

    Cedric and Emilio awarded several employees for their dedication to thepany as well as the top performers.

    "I should go." Al said as he looked at his watch.

    "You could always take the ne and not have to be pressed for time." Tristan pointed out knowing how stubborn Al actually was.

    Al was neverfortable taking the private jet when he could flymercial, he simply asked for first ss tickets from his dad.

    "It''s a waste if I took a private ne, this way is easier." Al told Tristan as he waved for Eric to hurry up. He was serious about questioning his cousin on the way home.

    "Do I really have to go with you?" Eric grumbled.

    He knew he didn''t have a choice, so he left with Al while everyone continued to enjoy the night.

    Emilio remained with the rest of the family and was actually obliged to see the event till the end.

    He suddenly saw his Uncle Ian rushing out of the venue. He was pale and had a worried look on his face.

    Very little could bother Ian Lim this way, it was just not normal.

    Something told Emilio that he had to follow.

    He quickly pulled Tristan with him, making sure that no one noticed that they had followed Ian Lim out.

    "Are you sure?" They heard Ian ask someone, his voice was harsh, Emilio had never heard him speak that way.

    "Sir, yes. They found Eric Chan Jr. badly injured, but it seems that Aldrich Lawrence fell off the cliff with his car."

 Chapter 1097 1097

    ?

    "Ugh!!!!" Cara shouted as she mmed her luggage shut.

    She couldn''t believe that for the third time in her life a member of the Lawrence family had made her uproot everything and lose everyone just because it suited them.

    "Cara, are you alright?" Her only friend, Natalie, asked as she peeked into Cara''s room from the hallway.

    "Yeah, I''m fine, just keep cooking, I''ll be right out." Cara called out.

    She found it quite funny that even after living in another country for two years the only friend she managed to make was Natalie.

    The other girl had just been so annoying that Cara couldn''t help but ept her as a friend.

    During her first few months in her new school, Natalie would keep inviting her for lunch or keep trying to talk to her.

    At first, Cara found Natalie to be quite annoying as she would find a way to insert herself in everything Cara did.

    Eventually the annoyance turned into amusement and Cara and Natalie became best friends.

    "What I don''t understand is why you and your Aunt Pandora are moving back there." Natalie asked as Cara entered the kitchen.

    Natalie loved cooking in Cara''s and Pandora''s house. The kitchen was as big as her family''s apartment.

    "I mean you moved because your parents died, I don''t see why you should go back there." Natalie said as she switched off the stove and began ting the food.

    When Cara had made her first friend and Natalie asked why they had moved, Cara didn''t want to tell her the truth.

    Cara had a choice, either tell Natalie that she moved because her father and mother passed away, which was a half truth, or to tell Natalie the truth.

    "We have some things we need to settle back in Capital City." Cara told Natalie as she stared absentmindedly out the window. "My father left me some things that I need to im."

    It was a good thing that Peter couldn''t meet Natalie for safety reasons.

    He would often arrive under a false name at night.

    Natalie never had the chance to meet Peter so it worked in Cara''s favor.

    "You''ll be back soon right?" Natalie asked as she ced the meal she had prepared on the table.

    "I''m not sure how long it will take, but I promise to visit." Cara told Natalie as she took a bite of the food Natalie had prepared.

    "Alright." Natalie said with a frown.

    Cara looked up and raised an eyebrow. Natalie was acting weird, but she credited that to the fact that she was leaving, that''s probably why Natalie was acting out of the ordinary.

    "Mmmmm, delicious." Cara praised.

    Natalie had always been a good cook, her food was one of the things that Cara would miss the most.

    "Have you packed everything?" Natalie asked as she took a bite of her own cooking.

    Cara sighed and nodded.

    She really didn''t want to leave, but she didn''t have a choice either.

    "What will happen to this house?" Natalie asked as she looked around.

    "It will probably sit here and Aunt Pandora will turn it into a vacation home, why?" Cara asked her friend.

    "Oh, just curious." Natalie said with a shrug. "Hey, what if I tagged along and came with you to Capital City, that way we wouldn''t have to be apart?"

    "No." Cara said a little bit forcefully, shocking Natalie.

    "I thought we were friends." Natalie said as tears began to form in her eyes. "I just wanted to go with you, why are you pushing me away?"

    "Natalie, I''m not trying to push you away." Cara sighed.

    Suddenly Natalie walked out of the kitchen, making Cara chase after her.

    "Natalie!" Cara called out as she followed Natalie into the living room.

    Her friend picked up her bag and was making her way towards the door.

    "Natalie, I just don''t want you to sacrifice so much just to go with me. You have a life here, plus it''s not exactly cheap to uproot your life, your family needs the money." Cara tried her best to exin why she had refused her friend''s offer toe along.

    "No Cara, you just don''t want me around." Natalie said as he walked out of the house, mming the door behind her.

    Cara opened the door and tried to chase after Natalie, but her friend had already gotten on a cab and was too far for her to catch.

    Cara could feel her heart breaking into a thousand pieces as she walked back to the house.

    She was crying when she got back.

    Her aunt Pandora wouldn''t be home untilter that night since she was having farewell parties with her friends.

    Cara decided to just climb into bed and sleep. Everything was packed and when Al arrived the next day, all they would have to do was to hull all her things into the car and leave.

    She had packed up two years of her life just to go back to the world she was trying to escape.

    As shey on her bed, Cara slowly fell asleep, hoping to have a dreamless sleep, at least one more peaceful night until she had to go back to the chaos of Capital City.

    "Cara. . ." A frantic voice said in the dark.

    "Cara, wake up." The woman was practically sobbing as Cara could feel the darkness around her shaking.

    How could darkness shake?

    The confusing circumstance made Cara open her eyes to a tearful Pandora who was shaking her awake.

    "Aunt Pandora? Why are you crying?" Cara asked as she slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Did something happen to you? Did you and Andres fight?"

    Pandora shook her head as she began to cry.

    She wiped her tears and gently stroked Cara''s hair.

    "Cara I have bad news." Pandora told her niece.

    Cara looked out the window and was surprised to see that the sun was still out.

    It seemed that she had not been asleep for long when her aunt woke her up.

    "What happened Aunt Pandora?" Cara asked as she her aunt suddenly hugged her tight.

    "I know that you pretended not to care. I know that you were faking it the entire time." Pandora cried out.

    "Aunt Pandora I have no idea what you are talking about." Cara said as she let her aunt continue to hug her.

    "Oh Cara, I don''t know how to tell you." Pandora sobbed. "Such a young life lost."

    Cara had an odd feeling of dreade over her as she heard her aunt''s words.

    What young life? Cara wondered.

    She couldn''t help but think of Natalie who had gotten into a cab haphazardly not even caring to send her a photo of the te.

    "Aunt Pandora, what are you saying? Is it Natalie?" Cara asked as her aunt hugged her tighter.

    "No, no Cara." Pandora said.

    Pandora released Cara from her death grip of a hug and looked her in the eyes.

    "Cara, I know that you came here to run from Aldrich Lawrence, you came here to escape your growing feelings for him." Pandora told her niece. "I should never have let youe."

    "Aunt Pandora, stop speaking in riddles!" Cara said angrily.

    She was getting frustrated by the way her aunt was beating around the bush while stopping herself from crying.

    "Cara, Aldrich Lawrence is dead." Pandora suddenly said.

    The world around Cara seemed to suddenly vanish as she felt her heart drop.

    "Cara?" Pandora called out, but Cara was gone.

    Her world had crumbled.

    Pandora was right, she might have tried to run away from Al but she loved him, she truly loved him and now he was gone.

    "Please. . ." Cara managed to say as her voice broke and tears began to fall from her eyes.

    "What is it Cara?" Pandora asked as she held Cara''s hand.

    "Please tell me this is one of Aldrich''s sick jokes." Cara cried out as she felt all her emotions flooding her. "Aunt Pandora please tell me this is a joke, that this is a prank and that Al is waiting outside to take me home."

    "I''m sorry Cara." Pandora said. "But I just heard the news from Andres, they have been searching for him all night. They think his body sank to the bottom of the sea."

    "No this can''t be true." Cara cried out.

    Pandora hugged her, letting Cara cry in her arms.

    Every sob from Cara broke Pandora''s heart.

    She could see how much her niece loved Aldrich Lawrence, how badly she truly felt that he was gone.

    Cara was crying for a few hours, the sun had even set behind them when Pandora''s phone began to ring.

    "Yes?" Pandora said as she answered the call.

    Cara curled herself into a ball and cried.

    "Okay, we''re packed and ready to go." Pandora said to the person at the other end of the line. "Has there been news?"

    There was a long silence before Pandora spoke again.

    "I''ll tell her." Pandora said as she ended the call and looked at her niece.

    "Who was it?" Cara asked in a weak voice.

    "It was Raymond Lawrence." Cara suddenly sat up at the mention of Al''s father''s name.

    "What did he say?" She asked, hopeful that there was good news.

    "He sent the ne, he said Al would want you to be there." Pandora said, unable to look Cara in the eyes.

    "Th- th- th-" Cara was unable to continue her statement as she took a deep breath and shook her head.

    She closed her eyes and gathered her strength before speaking again.

    "Did they find a body?" Cara asked.

    "They did." Pandora said with a nod. "I''m so sorry, Cara."

    "When do we leave?"

    "Tonight."

 Chapter 1098 1098

    ?

    The sun was shining brightly when the nended in Capital city.

    The weather, aplete opposite of the mood of everyone. Even the crew on the ne were aware of who their passenger was.

    How could they not be, their young master was about to fly out to pick her up.

    The ne that was meant to be amercial flight wasmandeered by Raymond Lawrence in order to bring the youngdy home.

    "We''re here." Pandora''s gentle voice said as she woke Cara up.

    Cara didn''t talk, she hadn''t spoken since she found out about Al''s death.

    She didn''t know what to say. Every time she tried to speak she ended up crying, her heart breaking at the thought of a world where Al was gone.

    The world seemed sadder, it seemed less exciting, and there seemed to be less to look forward to.

    The crew all bowed their heads as Cara passed, she was now dressed in all white. Despite her pain she wanted to remember how Al was the light in her dreary life.

    "Cara!" She heard a voice call out as soon as she stepped on the tarmac.

    Cara looked up to see Angel running up to her, the young girl''s eyes were red, clearly from crying.

    "Angel." Cara managed to say as a small sob escaped her lips.

    The young girl quickly wrapped her arms around Cara and cried.

    "Cara don''t believe what everyone is saying, Al loved you." Angel cried out as she hugged Cara.

    "Angel. . ." Cara sighed as she looked down at the little girl who had grown so much since shest saw her.

    "Cara I''ve seen what the media has to say about my brother, I''ve heard what the rumors are." Angel sobbed. "They didn''t know him like I did."

    "Angel, I know." Cara said with a sigh as she knelt on the ground to be at the same height as Angel. "You brother and I were in denial about our feelings, and because of that-"

    Cara couldn''t continue what she was saying.

    A lump began to form on her throat.

    How different would things have been if she had not left?

    When everyone thought she was sleeping she heard them talk about how Al had died.

    It was a night meant to celebrate the sess of the Reyes Family, the sess of the Reyes Group.

    Eric had also performed for the first time in front of his friends and family, but Al couldn''t stay.

    Al had to leave because he wanted to get to her, to Cara.

    She heard the crew gossiping about how Al was driving like a mad man just to make the flight. How he sped through the roads around Capital City so that he could get his bags from home.

    ''Why didn''t he ask for a driver?'' One member of the cabin crew asked as they stood behind Cara waiting for her to wake up and ask for anything.

    ''There was only room for two, Eric Chan Jr. was his passenger, luckily he managed to jump out of the car in time.''

    Cara''s heart broke a second time when she heard that Eric had been injured too.

    She heard from them that he was in aa when they left, the doctors feared the worst.

    Cara took a deep breath and looked Angel in the eyes and hugged her.

    "Angel, if you love someone, tell them." Cara told the little girl. "Tell them everyday how much they mean to you because you never know what will happen next."

    Angel remained silent as she leaned into Cara.

    "I love you, Cara." Angel said as she hugged Cara back.

    "I love you too, my little Angel." Cara said as she held each other,forting one another.

    They stayed there for a while before Cara finally let go of Angel.

    She had been so absorbed with her conversation with Angel that she didn''t notice Al''s parents and brother standing in front of them.

    "Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence, Andres." Cara said in a small voice.

    She had no idea how to face these people.

    She was to me, it was her fault that Al was rushing home.

    "Wee home, Cara." Raymond Lawrence said as he gave her a kind smile.

    Beside him, his wife didn''t speak.

    It was clear that like Cara, she couldn''t speak without crying. The pain of Al''s death was just too much.

    "Thank you, sir." Cara said with a nod.

    "Cara, didn''t we tell you to stop with the formalities?" Raymond Lawrence told her, his eyes were sad but he still smiled.

    "I didn''t know where I stood, I''m the reason-"

    "Don''t ever say that dear." Ayanna Lawrence said as tears began to fall from her eyes. "It''s not your fault. No one mes you, don''t listen to those stupid gossip mongers."

    "Mom, Dad, I think we should talk somewhere more private." Andres said as he gestured for everyone to get into the waiting cars.

    Cara looked around and saw that reporters started to appear, some were already snapping photos of her.

    By instinct Cara hid her face.

    "Ride with us." Ayanna said as she took Cara''s hand and guided the young woman towards the biggest and fanciest of the cars on the tarmac.

    "I''ll ride with Angel and Aunt Pandora." Andres told his parents.

    He looked at Cara and gave her a smile, the same smile that Al always had on his face when he saw Cara.

    "He would be happy to see you home." Andres suddenly said. "You belong here with us, not half way across the world. Wee home sis." Andres said with a wink before rushing off to join Pandora and Angel.

    Raymond red at the media, making them shrink and go away.

    They feared him.

    They knew that if they got too close or crossed a line, Raymond Lawrence could easily have them crushed.

    He didn''t need to use his identity as the King of the Underworld to do that, as the CEO of Lawrence Industries he was more than capable.

    When he was satisfied, he opened the door for Cara and his wife, making sure that both women got into the car before walking over to the other side and getting in as well.

    Inside, Cara was silent as she looked down at her hands.

    She didn''t know how to behave or to act around Al''s parents.

    "Cara, please look at me." Ayanna said in a kind tone, making Cara look up into the woman''s eyes.

    There was pain, there was sadness, but there was no anger or hate as she looked at Cara.

    "You don''t me me?" Cara managed to ask as tears fell from her eyes and she began to shake.

    "Of course not Cara. We would never me you." Ayanna said as she pulled the young woman into her arms.

    "How I wish Al could see you right now." Raymond Lawrence sighed next to her. "Even in your sadness you are still a very beautiful young woman."

    Cara gave him a sad smile as she continued to cry. At this point she was no longer able to control her emotions.

    She was in a private space with people she had considered family despite living with them for only a short amount of time.

    After letting Cara release her emotions, Raymond handed both women handkerchiefs.

    Cara muttered her thanks as he gave her a bottle of water as well.

    "There is another reason why we needed to get you in private." Raymond said as the barrier between the passenger and driver went up.

    The staff of the Lawrence family were well trained, they knew how to behave and what to do without their bosses saying anything.

    Raymond waited for the barrier to go up full before speaking again. It seemed that whatever he had to say was very important.

    "Al''s death wasn''t an ident." Ayanna Lawrence said as her eyes burned with a new anger. "It was a set up."

    Someone had wanted Al dead? Cara didn''t know what Al had been up to while she was gone, so in her mind he was simply studying and working, he couldn''t have had any enemies.

    "Those bastards will pay!" Raymond said as his aura turned cold, making Cara flinch and move closer to Ayanna.

    "Don''t worry, he will find them." Ayanna said in a kind tone as she hugged the young woman. "We will make the people who did this pay, they will regret crossing both the Lawrence and Reyes families."

    Cara nodded, she was still trying to grasp who could be behind Al''s death when she remembered what she heard about Eric being in the same car too.

    "Aunt Ayanna is Eric. . ." Cara couldn''t bring herself to ask if her other friend had survived or not.

    She cared about Eric too, but in a different way. She didn''t want Al''s parents to think that she had moved on from Al so quickly.

    "They told you?!" Raymond Lawrence asked angrily. "I told them not to tell you just yet."

    Noticing Cara flinch, Ayanna ced aforting hand on Cara''s shoulder.

    "We just didn''t want you to worry." Ayanna exined to Cara.

    "I heard the cabin crew talking about it when they thought I was asleep. No one told me, they were very careful around me." Cara exined to Ayanna and Raymond.

    Raymond sighed and shook his head, clearly disappointed with how things had turned out.

    "It''s fine, Cara." Raymond said as he calmed down.

    He opened the divider between the driver and the passenger and gave out instructions.

    "Take us to Saints Hospital first, there is someone we need to visit." Raymond said as Cara felt the car change directions.

    She closed her eyes and hoped that Eric was well, she couldn''t take losing someone else, it was just too much.

 Chapter 1099 1099

    ?

    "Why didn''t my dade to meet me?" Cara asked as they drove towards Saints Hospital.

    Her Aunt Pandora had told her that her father would be waiting for them at the airport when they arrived, but he was nowhere in sight.

    "I asked him to do something for me." Ray said as he looked out the window, avoiding eye contact with Cara.

    As the king of the underworld Ray could lie to almost anyone, but at that moment he couldn''t look Cara in the eyes to tell her where her father really was.

    Not wanting to push her luck or Ray''s patience, Cara decided to simply ept his answer and trust that Ray had her best interest in mind.

    She knew it was a lie, but she also knew he wouldn''t lie without good reason.

    It was one of the things she came to terms with while she was away.

    The men of the Lawrence family had to lie to protect those they loved and if you loved them, you would trust that they had your best interests at heart and would eventually tell you the truth.

    It wasn''t long till Cara saw the sign pointing towards the drive way of Saints Hospital.

    Saints Hospital waspound of multiple medical facilities.

    Over the years Miguel and Nicole Chan had managed to grow the business at least ten timespared to what it was when they first took over.

    The driver dropped Ray, Ayanna, and Cara off at the entrance and their army of bodyguards quickly cleared a path for them without disturbing the services the hospital offered.

    Noticing that an elevator was closing, Ray quickly chased after it and ced his hand in between the two doors so that they could get in.

    "Ray, what are you doing here?" Nicole Lim asked as Ray stopped the elevator she was in from closing its doors. "I thought you went to pick up Cara."

    "Hi Aunt Nicole." Cara said as she tried her best to smile at the doctor in front of her.

    "Oh my!" Nicole eximed, surprised to see Cara. "Get in, quickly!"

    Nicole knew how badly the press wanted to snap photos of the woman Al had dered his love for before he died.

    Nicole also hoped that Cara had not yet heard the rumors circting about her and Al''s death.

    "How are you holding up, Cara?" Nicole asked as the elevator doors closed.

    "If I''m being honest, Aunt Nicole, not well." Cara confessed.

    She didn''t see the need to lie to these people. They were there for her and they understood what she was feeling.

    An awkward silence engulfed the entire elevator ride as Cara didn''t know what else to say.

    Eventually the elevator dinged and the door opened to the VIP floor of Saints Hospital.

    "This way." Nicole said as she led them through the hall.

    "I''m sorry if our visit bothered you, Nicole." Ayanna told her friend as their footsteps echoed through the empty hallways.

    It seemed that Eric was the only patient here.

    It made sense to Cara that they would empty out the ce for him, as it was, there were several news vans waiting outside the hospital.

    If anyone managed to get through they could hinder the treatment of the other patients.

    "It''s fine, Ayanna. I was already on my way here to check up on Eric." Nicole exined. "Miguel and I are working in shifts, he doesn''t want anyone else handling Eric''s treatment."

    "How is Eric?" Cara finally managed to ask.

    She had been so afraid of the answer to that question that she hesitated to ask it.

    "Why don''t you ask him yourself?" Nicole said, smiling at Cara as she opened the door to Eric''s ward.

    "Cara?!" A familiar voice asked, making Cara smile.

    Eric sounded weak, but he also sounded happy to see her.

    "Hey Eric, how are you?" Cara asked as she walked into the room.

    She noticed that Nicole, Ayanna, and Ray decided to give them some privacy as Nicole closed the door after Cara had entered.

    "I''m doing better." Eric said with a forced smile. "I was in aa for a while, but I woke up a few hours ago and I''ve been recovering."

    Cara nodded as she looked at her friend.

    She didn''t know what to say or how to continue a conversation with him.

    She was happy that Eric was doing better, but her heart was still in pain due to Al''s death.

    "It''s not your fault." Eric suddenly said, making Cara look up with a confused expression.

    Eric smiled and ced his hand on her''s.

    "I know that you are probably still ming yourself even if Aunt Ayanna and Uncle Ray have told you multiple times that it''s not your fault." Eric said with a knowing smile on his lips. "Al wouldn''t want you to me yourself."

    "Eric, how can you say that?" Cara asked as her voice trembled.

    "Al and I knew that someone was after him, as a matter of fact I suspect that Al was trying to get the person targeting him to show up." Eric told Cara in a nonchnt tone.

    "Why would someone go after Al?" Cara asked, confused by Eric''s statement. "Is it because of some business matter?"

    Eric squinted and looked at Cara curiously.

    "Didn''t anyone tell you?" He asked her.

    "Tell me what?" Cara asked.

    "Cara, after you left, Al went all in with the underworld." Eric exined. "He was running missions that he shouldn''t just to find your brother so he could bring you back safely."

    She was shocked at the news.

    Before she left, Al was running a mission, she knew that. She also knew that his father had set up enough guardrails to ensure that Al wasn''t in any danger.

    She went pale at the news that Al was risking more than she thought.

    Two dayster

    Cara stood before Al''s cremated remains.

    ording to Raymond Lawrence, Al''s body had been in such a bad state that they had to have his body cremated as soon as they confirmed that it was him.

    She looked at the simple ck and gold urn as it stood on a pedestal, surrounded by photos of Al.

    "Are you her?" A woman around Cara''s age asked as she stood next to Cara.

    "Sorry, but are you asking me?" Cara tilted her head to the side as she observed the woman.

    She was dressed in a tight ck dress with her face fully made up. She looked more like a model or an actress attending an event rather than a mourner at a burial.

    "Who else would I be talking to? The urn?" The woman asked as she ced her hand on her hip.

    "I''m sorry, but I don''t understand what you''re asking." Cara confessed she was utterly confused by what the woman was saying.

    The woman tucked her long blonde hair behind her ear as she looked up at the urn and at the photos of Al.

    "All those photos, they said that they were taken when he was with that woman." She said with a bitter tone. "No wonder he''s smiling so brightly in all of them, he never smiled like that with us."

    Cara nodded, she assumed that the woman was one of Al''s girlfriends, bitter at the fact that Al never loved any of them.

    "You know, he never even kissed any of us." She grumbled. "I really can''t understand what that bitch has that I don''t. I am gorgeous, I am rich, I am talented. What kind of woman could hold a candle to me?"

    Cara resisted the urge tough at the woman''s vanity.

    "You are indeed all of those." Cara said as she looked at the woman.

    From what Cara could see the woman wasn''t lying, she was indeed pretty with her full lips and hourss figure.

    She looked rich based on the clothes and jewelry she wore. Cara could only assume that the woman was some sort of celebrity based on the way she carried herself.

    "Who are you?" The woman suddenly asked Cara, pulling her from her thoughts. "You aren''t a rtive, are you?"

    "Cara!" Katerina Chan called out as she waved Cara toe over and join her.

    Katerina was pushing Eric who was in a wheelchair, the handsome young man smiled at Cara and waved as well.

    Cara was thankful for their timely appearance, at least she wouldn''t have to suffer holding a conversation with the woman next to her.

    "I''m sorry, but I have to go, my aunt and cousin are calling me." Cara said as she somehow indirectly answered the woman''s question.

    Cara quickly walked over to Katerina and Eric, trying to put as much space between her and Al''s ex.

    "Are you alright?" Eric asked as his eyes darted between Cara and the woman.

    "I am, who was that?" Cara asked as she looked back to see the woman on the ground, crying.

    "One of Al''s exes." Eric answered with an awkward expression. "I''m sure one of them will try to im that they are pregnant."

    Katerina, who was standing behind her son,ughed.

    "That''s for sure." She said as she nodded in agreement. "Let''s go sit down, I''m sure the ceremony will begin and the guests will try to find the girl Al spoke about before he passed."

    Cara nodded as she allowed Katerina to lead them away, she didn''t want to be the center of attention, she never wanted that.

    All she wanted was to be with Al and her stubbornness became a hindrance to their happiness.

    Not far away, the guests whispered and gossiped among themselves as they watched multiple women in ck pass by the urn.

    Some were betterposed, others were sobbing, a few even fainted from their so-called grief.

    "Do you think they loved him or they loved his money?" Anky young man with long ck hair asked hispanion.

    These two men seemed quite out of ce among the finery and the well dressed guests.

    "Money." His friend said as he scanned the crowd looking for someone.

    "And the girl, which one is she?" The first man asked.

    "The one in white, the one that isn''t showing her pain." The second man said as he ran his fingers through his blonde hair.

    "The one with the family?" His friend asked.

    The man simply nodded.

    "Won''t you talk to her?" The first man asked.

    "No, not yet." He said, shaking his head, slightly annoyed at how nosy his friend was.

    They stood in silence as the blonde man watched the girl in white with a pained expression. It was obvious that he truly cared about her.

    "Let''s go, there is nothing else to see here." The blonde man said as he turned and left the church, leaving behind his old life to start a new one.

 Chapter 1100 1100

    ?

    Al couldn''t turn back.

    He knew that if he looked back, if he stayed longer he would run up to Cara and hug her.

    He would hold her in his arms and never let go.

    He was doing this for her, for them.

    "Angelo, let''s go." Al said as hispanion remained standing, watching as women continued to say goodbye to the man they believed died.

    At that same moment, Cara looked at Al''s direction and their eyes made contact Cara froze and

    "But Max!" The man called out as he hesitated. "I mean, how often do I get allowed to go to events like these?"

    "Angelo." Al, now called Max, said in a stern tone as he walked away.

    He had to leave now. He didn''t know how long he could resist the urge to go back to his family, to abandon this mission and be with the person he loved.

    "Coming." Angelo called out as they got into a waiting cab.

    Angelo and Al/Max were quiet the entire time, both lost in their own thoughts.

    Al kept reying images of Cara in his head.

    He thought of how sad she seemed, he couldn''t help but wonder if Cara mourned him.

    He wasn''t surprised when she didn''t recognize him, it was only natural since the ident did some damage on Al, allowing him to effectively transform into Max.

    "How could you just leave a life like that?" Angelo finally asked when they neared their destination.

    "I had to go for the people I love." Al responded in a gruff voice.

    "Is it because of that guy?" Angelo had been briefed by Al before the ident on why he needed a new identity.

    "Yes." Al said with a nod as they pulled up to a government funded housingplex.

    Max and Angelo were brothers on paper.

    They were waiters in a nearby restaurant trying to make ends meet as they strived to save money for university.

    Of course, this wasn''t the real story.

    Max and Angelo Cortez were made up names, identities that Al had prepared for him and a friend he had made in the underworld.

    The apartment was small, but half of it was already dedicated to investigating and chasing down a man that had eluded Al, his father, and all the people they had sent, Colin Jao.

    "My sister said she is sending a new package." Angelo told Al as they entered their apartment. "She also said to watch your back, it seems that Colin has sent more people toe after your father''s identity."

    Al nodded as he walked up to hisptop.

    The package Angelo was referring to was not a physical item, it was a big drop of information that people in the underworld sent to Al and Angelo.

    "Pass my thanks to Sora." Al said as he scrolled through the files.

    "Will do." Angelo said as he quickly sent a message on one of their burner phones. "She said that your father hasn''t shown up in the headquarters since your death, do you think it is wise not to tell the king about this?"

    Al closed his eyes and nodded.

    He had considered reaching out to his father multiple times, but he knew that if he wanted this n to seed Colin had to believe he was truly gone.

    "We can''t." Al told Angelo. "We need to keep the group small. Plus I don''t want my dad to look for me and try to convince me that he can find Colin. We''ve tried everything, Colin is keeping a close watch on the underworld and our actions. The closest we''ve ever gotten to finding him was back when I could go undercover, after my identity was exposed, no one could get near him."

    Angelo nodded as he kept the rest of his opinion to himself.

    Al closed his eyes and leaned back on his seat.

    He recalled what had happened when he and Eric learned about Colin''stest movements.

    Three months ago

    Al sat behind his desk in Lawrence Industries, struggling to understand the document in front of him.

    Aside from University, he was also working part time in the family business.

    His father wanted him to learn as much as he could as fast as possible.

    Raymond Lawrence was worried that Colin Jao and the people backing him would discover his identity ande after the Lawrence family soon.

    "You need time off from this ce." Ericmented as he entered the room, looking around as he observed Al''s luggage and school bag that littered the room.

    It was clear that Al had practically been living in his office.

    "Did my dad send you over?" Al asked without even lifting his head from the documents on his desk.

    "No, but everyone is worried." Eric told Al. "You''ve barely been home, cousin."

    "I have work, school, and the underworld, I honestly have no idea how my dad managed to do this." Al said as ced his hands on his head, frustrated by the amount of work before him and hisck of ability to manage it.

    "You need a break." Eric pointed out as he took the documents from Al''s desk and read through them.

    "What are you doing?" Al asked as he looked at his cousin.

    "Yeah, I can''t understand this." Eric said, dumping the documents back on Al''s desk.

    Al was about to respond when someone knocked on his door.

    His assistant peaked inside and announced that Hendrick wanted to speak to him.

    Al told his assistant to let Hendrick in, he also quickly mentioned that Hendrick was his cousins'' assistant and should be let in at any time as long as Al wasn''t busy.

    "Al." Hendrick greeted with a nod as he entered the room.

    He nced at Eric, nodded to the other young man as well before standing in silence, waiting for the door to close.

    It was clear that he carried confidential news with him and chose not to speak until he was certain no one else would hear.

    "I was going to tell the boss, but I thought you would prefer it if I came to you first." Hendrick said.

    "Is it about Cara or Colin?" Al asked as he leaned forward and gave his entire attention to Hendrick.

    "Both." Hendrick said as he walked up to stand before Al.

    "And?" Al asked as he drummed his fingers on the table, anxious to hear what news Hendrick had that involved both Jao siblings.

    "Colin may have discovered where Cara and her Aunt Pandora are hiding." Hendrick informed Al.

    He watched as all turned white as a sheet.

    What he had feared the most was about to happen.

    Colin would find his sister and aunt and use both of them to manipte Peter Jao and indirectly manipte Al and his Uncle Andres Ri.

    "Are you certain?" Al asked, hoping that it was just a mistake.

    Mistakes were rare, but they still happened.

    "Unfortunately, our sources are quite definite that it is Colin." Hendrick frowned.

    He was among the few that knew how important Cara''s safety was to Al.

    Al frowned as he became pensive, thinking of a way to get Cara out safely.

    "They found his men watching the estate your father purchased for Cara and Pandora. They''ve been driving by for weeks." Hendrick further exined. "Yesterday, Colin''s new right hand man was the one that tried to confirm if Cara and Pandora lived there."

    "Did he seed?" Eric asked, joining in on the conversation.

    He didn''t tell Al, but he still spoke to Cara and Cara was constantly asking about Al''s condition.

    Cara never mentioned that she or her aunt were being followed, nor did she mention any suspicious individuals lurking around the area they lived at.

    "We were already worried that Colin would send someone higher up to check if Cara and Pandora were there. We told Pandora that she and Cara were to stay indoors as much as possible, so no, the man didn''t see them." Hendrick informed Al, allowing the younger man to rx.

    "They can''t hide in there forever." Al said. "I''lle up with something, don''t tell my dad."

    "Are you sure?" Hendrick was surprised that Al didn''t want his father to find out about Colin discovering where Cara and Pandora were.

    "I''ve had my suspicions, but I think there is a chance that we have a leak somewhere." Al frowned.

    "But if there was a spy among your father''s people, wouldn''t he give Colin the identity of the King of the Underworld by now?" Eric asked.

    This was another part of the puzzle that truly confused Al. He had some theories, but there was no way of confirming things.

    "The person might be afraid of telling Colin because of how powerful my father still is without the underworld, or he might just be a subordinate that doesn''t know who dad is." Al said as he informed them of his two strongest theories.

    "What are you nning, Al?" Eric asked as he looked at his cousin suspiciously.

    "I might need to deal with this myself." Al said in a cold tone as he looked out the window slowly nning and plotting his next moves.

    Al opened his eyes as he sat in the present, looking at the screen in front of him. It beeped as it informed him the process he had made it run was over.

    At the same time, his phone began to ring.

    It was an unknown number, but very few people knew this number.

    "Hello?" Al said as he answered the call.

    "Did you really have to break her heart like that?" Eric asked in a very disappointed tone.

    "Don''t worry, she has you, she''ll be fine." Al said as he smiled bitterly. He was sure that without him around Cara would fall in love with his cousin.

 Chapter 1101 1101

    ?

    "I know you''re still mad that she was speaking to me but not to you." Eric sighed over the phone.

    Al didn''t respond to his cousin''s words, he simply grunted and rolled his eyes.

    As much as he didn''t want to admit it, Eric was right, he was still mad. Al just didn''t like the fact that he was reacting that way. It was irrational and out of character for him.

    Jealousy was a weakness, and in this case, it was a weakness that could tear apart the strong bond between cousins.

    Realizing that his cousin wasn''t going to respond to his words, Eric decided to move on and give him an update.

    "It was a beautiful service by the way, several women imed to be pregnant with your child." Eric chuckled.

    "It''s to be expected." Al really wasn''t surprised that this had happened.

    ording to his elders'' stories, the same thing had happened after Eric Chan Sr.''s death.

    Women kept iming to be pregnant with his child.

    It was funny to hear because they took the richest and most influential people in the country as fools.

    Of course proof was demanded, and when that time came some even desperately tried to get proof.

    There were multiple attempts to get DNA from Eric Chan Jr. as well as to kidnap the young boy himself.

    "They are pretty stupid." Ericmented.

    "It shouldn''t be a problem to the family." Al replied.

    "Of course not, but someone was very hurt." Eric sounded sad and pained. Of course he didn''t want his friend to be hurt.

    "The truth wille out soon enough." Al answered, pretending not to care.

    "I know you''re worried about what she thinks." Eric told Al, clearly worried for him. "Don''t worry, she knows that you''ve never slept with anyone."

    "Why did you call, Eric?" Al grumbled, annoyed at his cousin''s cheery attitude. "Shouldn''t you be trying to recover, you were in aa for a few days after the ident."

    Eric chuckled at the other end of the line.

    He was currently sitting in his bedroom in the Lawrence Family mansion.

    His mother and his aunt and uncle decided that this was still the safest and best ce for him to stay.

    There were probably people out there searching for him, people who thought he knew more about the ident.

    Katerina Chan also decided to move into the Lawrence family home in order to apany her son and to care for him.

    "Don''t you want an update on what''s happening here?" Eric asked his cousin in a more serious tone. "I''m sure you''re worried about everyone."

    Al didn''t need to respond, his cousin already knew the answer.

    "The most torn up is your father, I can see it in his eyes. He doesn''t show it but it''s clear that he is beating himself up after your death." Eric told Al.

    "I''m sure he will try to investigate things, don''t tell him anything." Al instructed his cousin.

    "Sure, I won''t tell him that weeks before your death you captured the person that was set up to rig your car to explode." Eric said in a sarcastic tone.

    "Eric." Al warned.

    He knew that his cousin would never betray him unless it was for Al''s own safety.

    "And I won''t tell him that you sabotaged your own car right after we left the party." Eric pointed out. "I won''t tell Uncle Ray that all his worrying should be worse because he thinks you are dead when in fact you are still alive chasing death."

    "I know you aren''t happy about my decision Eric, but this is how things have to be." Al told his cousin over the phone.

    "Aunt Ayanna is in tears every night, Cara fainted once already out of grief, Angel isn''t eating, and Andres has been to the underworld headquarters multiple times this week." Eric told Al.

    "I''ll have Colin soon." Al said. "You won''t have to worry about keeping what you know a secret for too long."

    "Idiot." Eric scoffed. "I''m not worried about keeping your secret, I''ve been keeping your secrets since we were kids. Our strength is in our resources and the people around us, Al, when will you realize this."

    Al shook his head and sighed.

    Eric wasn''t wrong, their families were stronger when they all helped each other conquering all aspects of strength and influence in the country.

    But this was a unique instance.

    "Unfortunately, Eric, this is one of those times where our reach and connections actually work against ups." Al told his cousin.

    Eric frowned as he looked out at the distance.

    There was a silence over the line as Eric carefully considered his cousin''s words.

    He knew that Al wouldn''t do something like this lightly.

    "Eric, they knew that there somehow was a rtionship between the King of the Underworld and our family. I was targeted for a reason, they are getting closer." Al said, warning his cousin. "I don''t need to tell you how dangerous it would be if everyone knew who the king of the Underworld is."

    "I know." Eric said.

    "Colin''s side has already rxed, they aren''t as tight lipped as they used to be." Al told his cousin.

    Eric was silent as he considered his cousin''s words.

    "What do you n to do next? Have you gathered new information?" Eric questioned.

    "I have, Sora just sent me a new package and it seems that I need to reach out to one of our fathers'' old friends." Al said as he looked at the document on the screen.

    "Oh?" Eric asked. "Which one?"

    "Uncle Guan Ming." Al said as he grinned at the personal profile on his screen.

    "What does a Chinese businessman have to do with Colin Jao and his organization?" Eric questioned.

    "Uncle Ming isn''t just a Chinese businessman." Alughed.

    Their Uncle Ming didn''t look like it, but he was truly dangerous and much more influential behind closed doors.

    "Don''t tell me he is like Uncle Ray too!" Eric said, shocked by this new piece of information.

    "Why do you think that when Uncle Cedric couldn''t solve a problem with his resources here he contacted Uncle Ming?" Al asked his cousin.

    "It was a threat from his country, I thought Uncle Cedric called him in because of that." Eric had of course heard of the dilemma that had eventually led to his father''s death.

    Katerina Chan and Cedric Reyes never hid the truth from the children.

    The adults all firmly believed that their own experiences could help the next generation, so no matter how painful the memories were, they told the children these stories.

    As Al and Eric grew older, their parents told them more details, they had still kept the worst from them when they were younger.

    "Don''t tell me you n on contacting him, he won''t believe you." Eric pointed out.

    Al had slowly changed some of his features, his eyes were a different color now, his hair was also different.

    He wore prosthetics to change the shape of his nose and he had also done things to slightly alter the color of his skin.

    "I would need your help for it." Al said, admitting that his new identity had some drawbacks to it.

    "What do you need?" Eric asked.

    Eric was more than eager to help. The sooner Al managed to capture Colin the sooner he could return to his old life.

    "I need you to contact Uncle Ming and tell him about your friends Angelo and Max Crotez, tell him that we are Aldric Lawrence''s people that he sent to investigate threats on his life." Al instructed.

    He had carefully crafted an identity for situations such as these.

    "When will you arrive?" Eric asked. He knew that Guan Ming wouldn''t ept his words without details.

    "A week, there are some things here that I need to settle." Al said as he looked towards one of the rooms in the apartment.

    "Like torturing the spy?" Eric asked.

    "Yes. So will you help me?" Al asked his cousin.

    "Of course, Max, it''s the least I owe myte cousin." Eric teased.

    Al smiled at Eric''s yful tone, he was d he had already recovered. Eric being injured to that extent was not something they had nned.

    They had miscalcted the speed at which the car was going and it resulted in a grave injury on Eric''s part.

    "Eric, how are you feeling?" Al asked. "What''s your condition? You were in a wheelchair during the funeral."

    "I''m fine, Al. You don''t need to worry about me." Eric answered confidently.

    "No, seriously Eric, don''t lie. You know I will find out the truth eventually." Al told his cousin in a stern tone.

    He knew there was a chance that Eric was downying the matter in order to save Al from worrying about him.

    "I''ll recover, don''t worry." Eric said over the phone. "I have to go, Angel and Cara wanted to shop and your dad doesn''t want them to go out without apanion."

    "Take care of my girls for me." Al said.

    "I will." Eric promised as he ended the call, leaving Al in the silence of the apartment all alone.

    Al stood up and moved from his desk to the door of the spare room.

    He couldn''t help but feel anger and hate for the person who stood behind it. This person was the reason why Colin had gotten so close into learning about his father''s identity.

    It was all because Al had gotten involved with that person that he was in this situation.

    But there was always a bright side to it, at least now they knew more and he actually had a chance of getting closer to capturing Colin in years.

 Chapter 1102 1102

    ?

    He didn''t know how long he had been standing there, but he was pulled from his thoughts when Angelo spoke behind him.

    "Are you up for it?" He asked Al.

    "I am. I''ve tortured people in the past." He said as he walked back to his desk to collect a few items he would use to extract information.

    "Not people whom you trusted." Angelo said as he waited for Al to enter the room that they had converted into a torture chamber and holding cell for their guest.

    "I didn''t trust her, I never trusted any of my exes. They were just distractions." Al added as he pushed the door open and entered the room.

    Inside was a young woman, around neen years in age.

    She had bright red hair and her fair skin was full of cuts, bruises and scars.

    "So you''ve finallye to visit me." The woman said as she managed tough, mocking Al and Angelo.

    Angelo lifted his hand and pped her on her cheek, drawing blood as his long nails broke skin.

    Instead of crying out in pain, sheughed. Making Al look at her in disgust.

    "He got her, didn''t he." She said, mocking Al. "Who knew that you and my boss wanted the same pitiful woman who couldn''t even protect herself?"

    Sheughed once more as she lifted her head to look Al in the eyes as she tried to hurt him with her words.

    But her expression dropped as soon as looked at Al.

    When she noticed that Al and Angelo''s expressions remained unchanged, the joy in her eyes were gone. She knew something was wrong.

    "Tell me, Annabeth, what was the mission Colin set you to aplish?" Al asked as he ran his fingers through the different torture devices on the the table.

    Annabeth was silent, as her brown eyes went wide, surprised that Al knew her boss''s name, no one knew his name.

    A grin formed on Al''s lips as he noticed her expression, it seemed that what he had said was not what she was expecting.

    "Colin Jao, his father is Peter Jao a former member of the Dean Family Mafia." Al went on as he recited from heart Colin''s personal information.

    "Peter Jao betrayed not just the Dean Family Mafia but the king of the underworld as well, making him the biggest fish to ever escape the underworld." Al exined.

    Annabeth began to thrash as she realized that Al was not just some pretty rich boy who changed his face for the purpose of vanity.

    "You must be confused and worried because I know these things." Al picked up a thin de and examined it.

    The way he held it and prepared it told Annabeth that Al knew how to use the de, that he wasn''t just trying to scare her.

    This part might be a mental game, but she knew what woulde next would only inflict pain and permanent physical damage to her.

    "You see, Annabeth, you were so close to your goal." Al chuckled as he walked up to Annabeth.

    He grabbed her by the dog cor fastened on her neck and ced the cold steel de against her cheek, drawing blood.

    "Colin sent you to find out if I or my father knew who the king of the underworld was and how much he knew about Colin and his associates." Al could see from Annabeth''s eyes that he was right.

    Her mission had been to capture Al''s heart and make her way into the Lawrence family to discover how they were connected to the underworld.

    It wasmon knowledge that the Lawrence family were the least upright among the elite of the city.

    People believed that they had made a deal with the kings of the underworld to protect them in exchange for assistance. So it was only normal for Colin to target Al and his father.

    "You see, people were right." Al said as he shed Annabeth''s cheek.

    He could see in her eyes as she resisted the urge to cry out in pain.

    The de he had wasn''t just an ordinary sharp de. It was dipped in a toxin that caused immense pain to open wounds and stopped such wounds from healing.

    "The Lawrence family is the leastw abiding family among the five big families of Capital City." Al told Annabeth as he moved his de to her other cheek. "But there was one part where they were gravely mistaken."

    "Are you sure you should tell her this?" Angelo questioned as he cautiously watched Al.

    Alughed and shook his head.

    "I''m not some viin in a show that will tell her all my ns and then allow her to escape." Al never took the de away from Annabeth''s other cheek, nor did he move his eyes away.

    Annbeth used whatever strength she had to pull her face away, causing the de to wound her, making Alugh.

    "Not so smart are we, Annabeth?" He asked as he looked down at the woman before him.

    Annabeth let out a small sob as she still fought the urge to cry out in pain.

    Alughed at the pain she experienced, this was only a fraction of what he had nned for Annabeth.

    After he was done with her she would wish that she never met Al, that she never worked for Colin.

    "You see Annabeth, the Lawrence family isn''t friends with the king of the underworld." He told her. "The king of the underworld belongs to the Lawrence family."

    Annabeth''s eyes went wide with shock as she realized how close she was to finding out one of the best kept secrets in their country.

    Unfortunately for her, Al held all the cards at all times.

    Colin choosing him as a target for her simply gave Al another change to capture the man.

    "And that girl you keep saying we both wanted, that was Colin''s younger sister. Cara Jao." Al finally revealed to Annabeth. "You see all you girls were, were a cover up so that the public wouldn''t look towards Cara. You were there to protect her."

    "What does she have to do with you?" Annabeth finally asked.

    "I see you still have a voice." Al chuckled. "You''ll need that voice."

    Annabeth took advantage of the situation and spat at Al, making him flinch in disgust.

    "I can''t believe you dated that?" Angelo asked in a mocking tone.

    "It''s good I dated that, she moved up our ns." Al said with a t expression on his face. It was clear to Annabeth now that he never felt anything for her.

    Al pinched her by the chin, making her look him in the eyes.

    "Cara Jao and her father, Peter Jao have been under the protection of the Lawrence family for the past three years." Al said as he smiled at Annabeth.

    He could see as the cogs in her head began to turn, it wasn''t that hard to connect the dots, but in her situation he could understand why it was such a struggle.

    "The king of the underworld has always had Colin''s father on his side, and everytime Colin contacted his father, it was the king pulling the strings." Al informed Annabeth.

    Annabeth smiled and chuckled.

    "That still means despite all your resources, you still couldn''t find Colin." She said proudly.

    Al shook his head, her words were not true.

    "We''ve found Colin multiple times, but the thing is he always escaped." Al told Annabeth.

    "The fire downtown." Annabeth gasped as she realized what the real cause of the fire was.

    "It''s it quite miraculous that the only casualties were members of Colin''s group?" Angelo asked her as he watched from the sidelines.

    Unlike Al, torture wasn''t exactly something he did well.

    Annabeth frowned, her eyes clearly in pain from the memory.

    She probably had some friend that died from the incident, after that time Colin''s crew was cut in half.

    Many of his well trained people actually died there, some by Al and Angelo''s hands.

    Raymond Lawrence didn''t permit it, but Al joined the mission, it was the same day he met Angelo as they tore through Colin''s men.

    After that time, Colin became more desperate as he tried to convince his father to draw attention to himself.

    He knew that if a person had evaded the king as long as his father, the king was bound to deal with the matter himself.

    Unfortunately for Colin, Peter Jao continuously refused, and without Cara or his Aunt Pandora as leverage, there was nothing Colin could do to force his father''s hand.

    That''s why he had been so desperately looking for Cara and Pandora the past year, because he needed to use them.

    He didn''t want to find them because they were family, he needed them so that his father would do what he wanted.

    "Now Annabeth, don''t cry." Al told the woman before him as he saw a stray tear fall from her cheek. "Tears won''t bring back the dead."

    "Do you expect me to tell you what I know about Colin Jao after you just revealed to me that you caused the deaths of my brothers and my boyfriend?!" Annabeth shouted, it was clear that the pain she felt from their deaths was still there.

    Over the years the people from Colin''s side thought that Colin had killed his own people.

    Many left and many med him.

    People like Annabeth couldn''t leave because of what Colin had on them.

    "Oh, I never expected you to speak after learning that." Al said as he nodded towards Angelo.

    The other man quickly unfastened Annabeth''s chains, only to make her stand and to hang her by her arms.

    "You see, Annabeth, you will never leave this room alive. You will simply be a corpse thrown away when you leave this ce." Al said, sending chills up Annabeth''s spine.

    The woman began to sob even harder as she heard that he had no intention of letting her live.

    "But I will allow you onest mercy." Al said as he looked at the woman he once dated. "You get to choose how long you will live."

    "H- h- how long I will live?" Annabeth asked, shaking in fear and in pain.

    "Yes, Annabeth." Al told her as he walked around her. "Did you really think that after betraying me and using me, I would let you simply walk away?"

    Annabeth shook her head.

    She was worried that if she said anything else Al would take away the chance

    "The longer you live, the more pain we will inflict through torture." Al exined to Annabeth. "But if you tell us everything we will give you a swift death."

    Annabeth gasped in shock as she heard Al''s ultimatum.

    "We will give you a day to decide." Al said as he ced the knife back on the table with the other torture devices.

    Angelo walked to the door and was about to open it when Al stopped him.

    Al turned and looked at Annabeth and smiled.

    "Don''t even think of lying to me, because you might be gone, but others that you care about that are also involved will end up paying the price for you."

    With that Al and Angelo left the room.

 Chapter 1103 1103

    ?

    "Do you know what Annabeth''sst name is?" Al asked Angelo as they scanned through thetest info dump that Angelo''s sister, Sora had just sent.

    "No. I never bothered since you dealt with everything." Angelo said with a shrug as he studied one of the documents carefully.

    Everything in front of them was taken from the lead organization, the king''s group.

    After working together, Al and Sora became good friends and he asked for her to be transferred from the Dean family mafia to his father''s group.

    Seth Dean had no objections and allowed for the transfer.

    Now Sora had ess to every database in the underworld, she could even ess those that were being hidden from Ray with her hacking skills.

    "Don''t you read the documents your sister sends us?" Al questioned. He was certain it was there.

    "Not unless it''s relevant to me." Angelo said with a shrug.

    "So you didn''t read the information on your new identity?" Al asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Angelo looked at him, shocked by what he had just said.

    "You didn''t, did you?" Al asked again, this time his tone was even more intimidating.

    "I was going to." Angelo grumbled.

    He was five years older than Al but he acted like he was younger than Al most times.

    "Cortez, her family name is Cortez." Al said as he waited for Angelo to realize what it meant.

    When Angelo just carried a confused look on his face, Al sighed and shook his head, slightly annoyed at the fact that Angelo ignored relevant information.

    "Your new name is Angelo Cortez, twenty six years old." Al told him, rolling his eyes at the other man. "You are Annabeth Cortez''s older brother."

    "I thought her brothers all died in the fire?" Angelo asked Al.

    "Again, you should really read the files." Al rolled his eyes. "Our lives and the lives of others are on the line."

    "I''ll read all the packages, I''m sorry boss." Angelo said as he bowed his head in submission, admitting that he was wrong.

    Al sighed and nodded.

    He couldn''t do anything now, at least Angelo was willing to do better.

    The man was a great fighter and he was good undercover, he just tended to bezy and ended up leaving a few loose ends in the past.

    "Angelo and Max Cortez didn''t die." Al exined to his friend and partner on the mission. "They tried to escape but our people managed to capture them on their way out of the building. They have been in our custody ever since."

    "Did Annabeth know that they were still alive?" Angelo asked.

    Annabeth had mentioned that the people she loved all died in the fire, it was only logical for Angelo to ask.

    "I don''t think she knew." Al admitted.

    "Will you tell her?" Angelo knew that Al not only tortured the body but the mind as well when it came to these matters.

    "Eventually." Al said with a suspicious grin. "I think she deserves to know the truth."

    Angelo nodded but didn''t say another word.

    The rest of the day went more quietly than Al had expected.

    As promised, Angelo was now studying all the package drops his sister, Sora, had sent them.

    "Day two." Al said with a wink as he came out of his room newly showered and in different clothes.

    His n was to make it seem to Annabeth that days had gone by.

    "She''ll figure it out." Angelo warned Al.

    Al smiled and chuckled at Angelo.

    He took out a bottle of pills and showed it to his friend.

    "Specially made for torture meathods such as these. It makes her think that a day has passed when it''s only been a few hours." Al knew that Annabeth wouldn''t take the pills willingly, so he had a backup injectable version of the drug.

    He had less of the injectable version so he didn''t want to use it too much.

    Al entered the room to find Annabeth waking up.

    "What do you want, asshole?" She asked, raising her head to re at Al.

    "Still stubborn?" Al asked as he threw the te by her feet. "Now if you ask nicely I''ll feed this to you."

    Annabeth red at Al.

    He knew that her will would still be strong, so he needed to break her down little by little.

    "I told you, your suffering will be up to you." Al said as he walked over to the table where the torture devices were lined up.

    He picked one of the cat o'' nine tails, this one was one of the simpler ones, it didn''t have metal or hooked tips.

    "You won''t beg?" Al questioned as Annabeth continued to re at him.

    He grinned as she showed no signs of breaking.

    Al walked up towards Annabeth, dragging the ends of the whip behind him.

    "Last chance, whore." Al spat as he snapped the whip against the wall.

    Annabeth flinched as she realized Al was serious, but still she didn''t beg.

    Al raised the whip and struck her, she cried out in pain, clearly not used to being hurt physically.

    This was also how Al gauged how far and how fast he would need to go to get what he needed from Annabeth.

    He struck her a few more times before stopping.

    "Please, Al, please." She finally said, giving in to the pain and her hunger.

    Al grinned as he walked back to the table and ced that cat o'' nine tails back on the table with the other torture devices.

    He then looked at Annabeth and examined her.

    She was no longer the well dressed and proper woman who would follow him back when they were dating.

    Her hair was disheveled as it dropped on her face, through her mop of hair Al could see that her mascara now ran along her cheeks, probably from crying.

    Her lipstick was also smudged, most likely from her multiple attempts to break the chains.

    Al walked up to Annabeth and took a piece of bread from her te.

    It was to show her that her food wasn''t poisoned.

    "I thought you would hold up longer." Al said in a condescending tone as he looked down at Annabeth.

    He then kicked the tray closer to her and released the chains that kept her arms hanging, making her fall with a thud on the ground.

    He watched as she quickly ate her food, clearly starving from the two days she had not eaten.

    "I hope you learn a lesson from this." Al said as he continued to watch her, vignt that she wouldn''t attempt to attack him.

    He had seen many people desperately attack their captors, it often didn''t end well for the prisoner, but there was still a chance he could be caught off guard.

    When Annabeth finished the food in front of her and didn''t try anything, Stephen pulled the tray towards him.

    He then pulled out a pill and forced Annabeth to swallow it.

    At first the woman tried to fight him off, but eventually she gave in. She couldn''t win against him and drank the pill.

    "Next time, don''t fight me." Al said as he picked up the tray and walked back out of the room.

    He headed towards the monitor and watched Annabeth slowly passing out.

    "Day 2 done." Al said with a grin as his phone began to ring, shing Eric''s name.

 Chapter 1104 1104

    ?

    "I hope you have good news for me." Al said as he continued to monitor Annabeth''s condition through the screen in front of him.

    She was still passed out, but that wouldn''tst long.

    He estimated that by the end of the call, Annabeth would be concious and ready for the third day of torture.

    "I''ve reached out to Uncle Ming." Eric started to say, making Al smile.

    The fact that Eric managed to contact Guan Ming so quickly was a good sign.

    Al actually expected it to take Eric a few days to contact their Uncle Guan Ming, the man was a busy one.

    "Did he respond?" Al asked.

    "He has." Eric replied. "He asked me if the person I was sending was a reliable one. I promised him that you were and that he would have to interrogate you himself."

    Al nodded, he understood that Guan Ming would be careful of the people who knew he ruled the underworld in his own country.

    His secret was even better kept than Al''s father''s.

    "I''m sure he will torture us to get the truth." Al confidently answered.

    "Will you tell him who you truly are?" Eric asked, worried that their Uncle Guan Ming would regret extracting the truth from Al.

    "If I can speak to him alone, I will." Al told his cousin. "If not then we will have to settle for our cover story, that one will still hold water."

    "Alright." Eric told his cousin over the phone. "There is a downside, however."

    "What?" Al asked.

    "You have to be there in three days, Uncle Ming said he has urgent business to settle." Eric informed Al.

    "I think Aunt Cami might be pushing for him toe here." Al answered. "She and my mother were always close, with my death she will want to be there for her friend."

    "And just like your father and Uncle Cedric, Uncle Ming is probably just as over protective." Eric chuckled.

    Eric couldn''t imagine what it would be like always worrying about the safety of the woman he woulde to love.

    For one''s mind to always be tied to thinking about one person, it was a life he couldn''t imagine for himself.

    "What do we know about Uncle Ming and Aunt Cami? They haven''t visited in so long I don''t think either of them will recognize me if they did see me." Al told his cousin.

    "They have one child, Guan Zeng. He''s a year younger than us but is supposed to be some sort of genius." Eric told Al.

    "I wouldn''t be surprised, both Uncle Ming and Aunt Cami are brilliant." Al chuckled. "But I don''t really remember Guan Zeng looks like."

    "He was quiet and shy, but he did look up to you a lot, so try not to disappoint him when you meet him again." Eric told Al.

    "I doubt I''ll get to meet him, but I''ll keep that in mind." Al said, nodding as he watched Annabeth slowly stir.

    He would have to drop the call soon, but he wanted to finish the conversation with Eric first.

    It would do no harm to let Annabeth stare into space in her cell.

    "Is there anything else?" Al asked.

    "Ummm. . ." Eric hummed over the phone, making Al frown.

    Al could sense the hesitation in Eric''s tone, he sighed and shook his head. He had no choice but to insist Eric told him everything.

    "Out with it Eric." Al hissed, annoyed that his cousin would even hesitate to tell him something.

    "It''s Cara." Eric said in a sad tone.

    "What about Cara?" Al asked, pushing his cousin to say more.

    "Al, are you sure you want to keep the truth from her? From the family?" Eric questioned, his tone was clearly pained.

    It was a heavy burden to know that someone was alive while everyone around him was in pain, mourning someone they loved.

    "What happened, Eric?" Al asked in a stern tone.

    He wanted his cousin to give him the unfiltered truth.

    "She hasn''t left her room since she arrived, the only time she went out was during your funeral." Eric told his cousin. "She''s barely eating and she won''t talk to anyone, not even Angel."

    Al could tell that his cousin''s heart was breaking for their friend.

    But the less Cara knew, the safer she would be, the same applied to their family.

    "Eric, you know we can''t tell them. It''s to keep them safe." Al reminded his cousin.

    "And what about your dad? Your mom? Aunt Ayanna''s eyes have been swollen since that night." Eric told Al. "What about Andres? Your younger brother suddenly has to step up to your position when he doesn''t really have to."

    "It''s only temporary." Al reminded Eric.

    "Al we have no idea how long this will take!" Eric''s tone was frustrated as he tried to keep his voice down.

    "I won''t draw it out, I will end this as soon as I can." Al told his cousin as he watched Annabeth pull on the chains, trying to free herself.

    "What about me, Al?" Eric asked. "I have to sit here, pretending that you are fucking dead!"

    "You volunteered to do this!" Al answered back in a raised tone. "Don''t forget that this was your n too."

    "I didn''t think you would keep this from everyone!" Eric hissed. "At least let your father or Uncle Cedric know."

    "We can''t." Al insisted. "If they know they will do everything in their power to get me back home."

    "At least tell Uncle Cedric." Eric told his cousin.

    "I''ll think about it, depending on how the meeting with Uncle Ming goes." Al said as he gave in to his cousin''s request.

    "Good." Eric''s tone was much lighter, clearly relieved by the idea that Al could possibly reach out to their Uncle Cedric. "He will understand."

    "Yeah, he did a lot of stupid things to keep his family safe too." Al chuckled as he recalled the stories his father and mother told him.

    "Stay safe Al." Eric told his cousin in a tender tone.

    "You too Eric." Al said. "Oh and Eric."

    "Yeah?" Eric asked.

    "Take care of Cara for me." Al said in a sincere tone.

    "Of course, I''ll protect her with my life." Eric swore as they ended the call and Al returned his attention to the woman in the room.

    Al swore that by the next day he would have all the information he needed.

    He wanted to get back to Cara and his family as soon as possible, and breaking Annabeth was key.

 Chapter 1105 1105

    ?

    "It''s done." Al said over the phone as Angelo loaded their bags into a cab they had hailed.

    "I still don''t understand how effectively you can deal with torture and disposing the evidence." Angelo groaned as they checked and made sure they had everything. "Weren''t you the son of you know who? Shouldn''t you be used to just ordering people around?"

    Al chuckled and shook his head.

    It amused him how people thought he couldn''t get his hands dirty and do the job.

    "My father always believed that the leaders should be able to do even the dirtiest and smallest jobs." Al exined as he thought of his father.

    Al couldn''t help but feel guilty about what he had done.

    He knew that his father was probably using every resource in his power to get to the bottom of Al''s death.

    Raymond Lawrence was probably not allowing himself to properly grieve his son''s death until he got revenge.

    "People are more likely to respect their leaders if they can do what they do and understand the lives they live." Al pointed out as he mmed the trunk shut.

    He looked back at the apartment building.

    They might have only lived a week in that ce but it had already grown on him.

    "We are nevering back here, are we?" Angelo asked as he stood next to Al.

    "In about a month''s time Capital city will be shaken by a scandal." Al said as he painted a picture to Angelo. "A young actress, brutally murdered by her brothers."

    "But I thought her brothers are with your father''s people?" Angelo asked, confused with how Al nned to execute his n.

    Al grinned and nodded.

    "Things have been arranged." Al simply answered as he got into the cab and they drove off to the airport.

    A few hourster, the pairnded in China.

    "Do you know where we are going?" Angelo asked as he looked around. The airport was muchrger than that which they had at home.

    "I do, my uncle Guan Ming sent someone to meet us." Al said, grinning as he recalled hisst call with his cousin, Eric.

    Two days ago. . .

    "It''s all set." Eric told Al over the phone as he whispered, careful that no one else would overhear their conversation.

    "Thank you." Al responded to his cousin. "I know that my dad will be furious at you when he finds out."

    "And when do you think he will find out the truth?" Eric asked as he mentally prepared himself for the confrontation with his uncle.

    "If Uncle Ming acts like Uncle Miguel, my dad will find out as soon as Uncle Mingys eyes on me." Al frowned as he thought of all his ns going up in smoke because of how much his family cared.

    "And if Uncle Ming doesn''t?" Eric questioned.

    "Then we can proceed as nned and hopefully in a few months I''ll be home with Cara pissed off at me for lying." Al chuckled.

    In the past he would have been annoyed if Cara or his mother scolded him, but now he missed it.

    He couldn''t help but dream of the day when his mother and the woman he loved would scold him.

    "Do you really think you can settle this matter in a month?" Eric asked.

    "I can and I will." Al told his cousin. "I don''t n on allowing my siblings to suffer the pressure of my death for too long. I don''t want my mom to continue mourning, and most of all, I want to be with Cara."

    "Damn you''re in love." Eric teased. "I''ll be ready to wee you home in a month then."

    As Al blinked he was pulled from his thoughts.

    Angelo was nudging him with his elbow as he tried to get the other man''s attention.

    "What is it?" Al was clearly annoyed by Angelo''s insistence.

    "I think that''s the person that''s supposed to meet us." Angelo pointed towards a chauffeur that was holding up a sign that read ''Mr. Max Cortez''.

    Al was wary at first, worried that it was a trap.

    He then realized that it was unlikely since no one knew who Max Cortez was aside from Guan Ming and his people.

    "Let''s go." Al walked ahead as he pulled his luggage and Angelo pushed the cart behind him.

    "Mr. Cortez?" The chauffeur was clearly profiling Al the moment he stepped up to him.

    ''He isn''t an ordinary man.'' Al thought to himself as he nodded, pretending not to notice the simple actions of the chauffeur.

    "The boss asked me to take you to his office as soon as you arrived, this way please." The chauffeur said as he took Al''s bags.

    ''It seemed he thinks that Angelo works for me.'' Al noticed.

    "Could you help my brother instead?" Al wanted the man to realize that Angelo was not his subordinate.

    "Ah, my apologies." The man said, clearly embarrassed by the fact that he thought Al was the boss.

    Al was surprised to find a luxury sedan waiting out front for them.

    The chauffeur opened the door and gestured for Al and Angelo to take a seat as he opened the trunk to load their bags.

    As they drove off, Al couldn''t resist the urge to ask the man some questions.

    "Are we really going to Master Guan''s office?" Al asked as he yed the part of the eager guest.

    "We are, Master Guan wanted to meet with you as soon as possible." The man replied with a nod as they entered the city.

    "Is Master Guan as intimidating as they all say?" Al had heard stories from his parents.

    They said that his Uncle Ming was a kind man to the people he liked, but dangerous to those that offended him.

    "He isn''t someone you want to mess with." The chauffeur answered as he nced at Al through the rear view mirror.

    Al was about to ask another question, but the chauffeur spoke before he could.

    "That''s Guan Enterprises." The chauffeur said as he pointed at a cluster of buildings.

    "It looks more like a small city than just onepany!" Angelo gasped.

    Even the Reyes Group did not hold a candle in sizepared to Guan Enterprises.

    When the car drove up to the entrance of the building, several bodyguards rushed to shield Al and Angelo from the public eye.

    ''I wonder if they are here to protect us or to keep us in line?'' Al thought as he climbed out of the car.

    "I will take your bags to the residence Master Guan has prepared for you. I''ll be here after you meet with him, sir." The chauffeur informed Al before driving off.

    Al looked up at the building before him and took a deep breath.

    This meeting would determine if he could continue going after Colin or not.

 Chapter 1106 1106

    ?

    "You must be Mr. Eric Chan''s friends." A secretary said in English as she smiled at Al and Angelo.

    "We are." Al confirmed with the woman as he tried to hide how nervous he was. "Mr. Chan said that Master Guan Ming has agreed to meet with us."

    "You can call me Miss Xue, I''m Mr. Guan''s secretary." She said as she gestured for Al and Angelo to follow her. "I was honestly surprised when Mr. Guan agreed to meet with you. He normally does not speak with strangers."

    Al couldn''t help but smile as he nced and nodded at Angelo.

    He had not expected that it would be a challenge getting an appointment with his Uncle Guan Ming.

    "He is currently in his office, I''ll take you there." Miss Xue said as they walked through the carpeted halls of the main building.

    Al couldn''t help but marvel at the ce, it was a lot more extravagant than his family''s office back at Capital City.

    They were soon met by tworge imposing doors that simply screamed CEO''s office.

    "Through here." Miss Xue said as she pushed open the doors and gestured for them to follow.

    "Mr. Guan, your appointment is here." Miss Xue said as she pushed Al and Angelo to stand in front of her.

    "Thank you Xue, you may leave us." A deep voice from behind the turned office chair said.

    "Very well, sir." Miss Xue said bowing.

    She turned to Al and winked at him before leaving and shutting the door behind her.

    Al couldn''t help but feel nervous as the chair seemingly turned to face them.

    "Would you care to exin to me why you are standing in my office when justst week I flew all the way to Capital City to mourn you?" Guan Ming said as he red at Al.

    He was nothing like Al had expected.

    Unlike his father, Guan Ming showed his age and the stress he had been under.

    Al could see that Guan Ming had been quite a good looking man in his youth with his ck hair that now has silver streaks on them and piercing eyes.

    "Y- y- you know who I am?" Al stuttered as he tried to speak with his uncle.

    Guan Mingughed and shook his head.

    He stood up and walked towards where Al and Angelo stood.

    He was a little bit shorter than Al, but his aura made Al take a step back. The older man had an intense presence that Al couldn''t ce.

    "Of course I know who you are." Guan Ming said in a deep voice as he looked Al in the eyes and grinned.

    Al was nervous, if Guan Ming knew who he was, then there was a chance his father already knew he was alive.

    Everything was on the line at the moment.

    Everything relied on the fact that Raymond Lawrence''s son had died and that Al was now Max Cortez.

    "Sit." Guan Ming instructed the two young men as he walked over to the couch.

    Al and Angelo had no choice but to follow as the older man asked.

    "Your Aunt Cami and your mother will be very disappointed when they find out what changes you''ve made to your looks." Guan Ming said as he studied Al.

    "Nothing irreversible, Mr. Guan." Al answered calmly.

    Guan Ming raised a questioning eyebrow as he tried to figure out what Al meant.

    "Shouldn''t you call me Uncle Ming?" Guan Ming told the young man. "We are practically family."

    Al nodded in response.

    "So what did you do that isn''t permanent?" Guan Ming asked.

    "My hair is dyed, my eyes have contact lenses in them, I wear a mouthpiece to slightly change my face''s shape." Al quickly exined. "The tattoos are fake as well."

    Guan Ming nodded as he observed the young man before him.

    "You still look like you." Guan Ming said as he passed several photos to Al. "Your Uncle Cedric would try to bait me to visit with photos of you and your cousins, he said that I was missing out on spending time with family."

    "It would have been nice to meet you, Uncle Ming." Al confessed.

    "I have too much work to do and I would bring too much danger to your family." Guan Ming answered with a frown. "Things turned out for the best, don''t worry."

    Al nodded, unsure of what to say.

    "Don''t worry, I haven''t contacted your parents. I wanted to be sure it was you and I wanted to hear you out first." Guan Ming told Al.

    "Thank you." Al smiled at the man, happy that he still had a chance.

    "ording to your father and uncles you aren''t some green young man that hasn''t experienced the world." Guan Ming told Al. "They told me about your form of poverty training and your work with the underworld, I''m sure you didn''t do this on a whim."

    Al shook his head and sighed.

    "Did you meet Cara?" Al asked his uncle.

    "I did. She''s such a bright young woman, it hurt me to see her in so much emotional pain, but she will recover. She seems like a strong one." Guan Ming smiled as he tried his best tofort Al.

    "Her brother is working with an organization that seeks to destroy and take over the Underworld my father leads." Al began as he exined the situation. "The furthest we''ve ever gotten was when I was on mission, but when my identity was revealed to the public, we made no progress."

    Guan Ming nodded as he understood Al''s predicament.

    "I won''t tell your dad unless you are in grave danger, but tell me, Aldrich, why did youe to me?" Guan Ming asked as he crossed his arms on his chest.

    "Uncle Ming, in all honesty we need your help. We have information that is telling us that some of Colin''s backers are from this country, from your rival gang." Al exined to his uncle. "I need your help to get to him and to get to his allies."

    Guan Ming nodded as the room fell silent.

    Al couldn''t help but feel nervous.

    Would his uncle reject his plea for help or would he get sent home?

    After a long wait, Guan Ming finally spoke.

    "I''ll help you, but you have to do things my way." Guan Ming said as hey down a condition for Al, one that Al was more than willing to ept.

 Chapter 1107 1107

    ?

    "I''ll be fine with that, Uncle Ming." Al said with a smile, he was more than happy to do things his Uncle''s way.

    It would also help him learn new techniques, things that no matter how well they did things in Capital City he couldn''t learn there.

    "Good, perfect. Let''s head home." Guan Ming walked out of the room, leaving a confused Al and Angelo with no choice but to follow them out.

    Outside, Miss Xue bowed and smiled at Al.

    It seemed that she had an idea that he was an important person.

    "Cancel all my meetings for the rest of the day." Guan Ming suddenly sounded annoyed for some reason as he didn''t even look at Miss Xue. "Tell my driver to meet us at the lobby."

    "Yes sir." Miss Xue said as she visibly backed away.

    It seemed that the way Guan Ming spoke was more than enough to send a message to his assistant.

    It didn''t escape Al''s attention that Miss Xue avoided looking at them as they left.

    When they entered the elevator, Al noticed that a different person apanied them and not Miss Xue.

    He looked at his Uncle Ming and raised an eyebrow.

    The older manughed and shook his head as the door closed.

    "This is Yu Zimo." Guan Ming said as he introduced the man who seemed to be a few years older than Al. "He''s one of my best assistants here and in the underworld, I''m assigning him to you."

    "An honor to meet you Mr. Lawrence." Yu Zimo said as he bowed to Al.

    "Oh, I don''t think I''ve introduced my friend, this is Angelo Cortez, my brother on paper." Al smiled as he gestured towards Angelo.

    "And his real name?" Guan Ming asked.

    "I can''t tell you." Angelo''s real identity would put him in danger, that''s why Al chose not to give his uncle Angelo''s real name.

    "I''ll respect your choice to keep his real name a secret." Guan Ming said as the elevator doors opened and they walked through therge lobby.

    The entire area seemed to have been vacated just for Guan Ming and his group to pass.

    Al and Angelo followed closely behind until they reached the waiting car on the driveway as well as the convoy of security vehicles.

    "We will ride that one." Guan Ming said as he pointed towards one of the security cars. "Yu Zimo will drive."

    Al nodded as he followed his uncle and got into the backseat of the vehicle that was practically a tank, while Angelo rode up front.

    Inside Al could see the weapons that were readily avable in case they were attacked, as well as amunication system for the cars.

    Guan Ming took one of the microphones and gave the signal that they could leave.

    "I know that you have questions about what happened with Miss Xue." Guan Ming said as the cars drove off.

    "I do, but I don''t want to ask if you aren''t willing to answer." Al told his uncle. He knew it wasn''t in his ce to interfere with how Guan Ming ran his business.

    Guan Ming sighed and shook his head.

    "My wife told me she had a feeling that girl was a social climber trying to get a rich husband among my guests." Guan Ming exined. "I''ll have her moved."

    "It''s a pity, boss, she was efficient." Yu Zimomented.

    "She was, why don''t I just assign her to you." Guan Ming said in a yful tone, making Yu Zimo groan.

    "Please don''t. I don''t want another one hitting on me." Yu Zimo grumbled.

    Al couldn''t help but feel that there was more to Yu Zimo than that which was on the surface.

    The man had a different confidence to him, it wasn''t something that could be easily learned.

    "I''m thinking of sending her to another department, my wife willugh when she hears how hard that woman was trying to get your attention." Guan Mingughed even louder.

    As Yu Zimo drove, Guan Ming asked Al questions about his parents and the situation in Capital City.

    Al could tell that his Uncle Ming wished he could visit more, but there was something holding him back.

    "It was nice seeing all of them again." Guan Ming said as they exited the city. "I had hoped the circumstances were better, but it was good nheless."

    Al nodded as he saw the sadness in Guan Ming''s eyes. He had also mourned with his friends.

    "Uncle Ming, after I''m done in your city, can I ask a favor from you?" Al asked his uncle as he looked at the man who sat next to him.

    Guan Ming no longer looked like the powerful intimidating business leader from earlier, he just looked like a friend saddened by how things had turned out.

    "Sure." Guan Ming said as he agreed.

    Al took a deep breath and gathered his courage.

    What he was going to ask from Guan Ming was no small favor. As a matter of fact he already knew how things would unfold when it happened.

    "When I finish what I have to do here and move to where my mission takes me, please tell my parents that I''m alive and well." Guan Ming was stunned by Al''s request.

    Very few things could catch him off guard and this was one of them.

    "Won''t they search for you?" Guan Ming asked.

    "I n to change my identity." Al informed is uncle.

    "You know they won''t be happy about this." Guan Ming warned him.

    "I know, but by then I should be closer to finding Colin." Al said with a shrug. "I don''t want them to worry too much and I wanted the entire thing to be believable."

    Guan Ming nodded, he clearly understood Al''s reasoning.

    "Alright. I''ll do that for you." Guan Ming promised.

    As they spoke, the car pulled up in front of avish mansion much bigger than the Lawerence Family home in Capital City.

 Chapter 1108 1108

    ?

    "Guan Ming who the fuck is this?!" Cami Guan, Guan Ming''s wife asked as Al and Angelo stood behind Guan Ming.

    "Cami, love, please calm down, I can exin." Guan Ming spoke in a guilty tone.

    Both Al and Angelo looked at each other and grinned.

    Who knew that the powerful and intimidating Guan Ming could be brought to his knees by this woman?

    "You bring two men that I don''t know into my home and you simply expect me to give them a home to live in?" Cami questioned her husband.

    "Uncle Ming, you can tell her," Al said in a quiet voice, hoping that only Guan Ming would hear him.

    Guan Ming looked at the young man and frowned.

    "Are you sure?"

    "I am," Al said with a nod as he looked at the angry woman before them.

    "What the fuck are you talking about?" Cami asked them.

    Al took a step forward and offer the woman his hand to shake.

    "Good morning, Mrs. Guan." Al said with a bright smile on his face. "My mother spoke only good things about you, I''m Aldrich Lawerence."

    Al watched as Cami Guan turned pale at his words.

    It was an expected reaction, he was supposed to be dead. She and her family had attended his funeral, so someone iming to be the dead son of her friend

    "Impossible." Cami walked up to Al and touched his face.

    "Can you see the simrities?" Guan Ming asked his wife as he stood behind her, looking at Al.

    "How are you certain that this man is Aldrich Lawrence and not an impostor?" Cami didn''t even look at her husband.

    Instead, she continued to study the young man before her.

    "Eric Chan called." Guan Ming told his wife.

    "Eric is dead," Cami answered in a grim tone. "If you fucking tell me he survived too I will leave you."

    "I meant Eric''s son, Eric Chan II." Guan Ming ced a hand on his wife''s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

    "And you epted his ims just like that?" Cami questioned her husband as she quickly turned to face him.

    "What reason would Eric and Katerina''s son have to lie?" Guan Ming asked as he looked at his wife with loving eyes. "He can also tell you things that only the real Aldrich Lawrence knows."

    "Aunt Cami, Uncle Ming, if you would like I can do a DNA test." Al offered.

    He knew based on his father''s and mother''s stories his Aunt Cami would be the harder to convince.

    His father had also told him that his Uncle Ming had their DNA stored in case someone imed to be the child of one of his friends.

    It was an odd thing to have, but to Ray, Cedric, and the rest of their group it wasn''t as far-fetched as one would think.

    "How-" Cami began to ask as she stared at Al in shock.

    "As I said, love, he knows things that only the real Aldrich Lawrence would." Guan Ming said as he gave Al an apologetic smile.

    Al understood his Uncle Ming''s struggle to get his wife to see reason, but it really wasn''t a bother for him to prove who he truly was.

    "Let''s sit in my office," Guan Ming said as he gestured for Al and Angelo to follow him while he held his wife''s hand and led her away. "Zimo, ask a maid to bring us food and refreshments, I''m sure Al and Angelo have not eaten since leaving Capital City."

    Yu Zimo bowed a quickly vanished to do his boss'' bidding.

    In the meantime, Al and Angelo were led by the couple through their mansion, up a flight of stairs, and towards the end of a practically empty hall.

    "My private office, no one will hear us in here." Guan Ming ced his hand on a wall that activated a secret panel, revealing a hidden door.

    "Nice, I should get dad to install one of those when I get back." Al chuckled as they entered therge office.

    "I told Ming that this ce was too big for all of us," Cami grumbled as he husband pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the top of her head.

    "I want to give you and our children nothing but the best, Cami." Guan Ming told his wife as he finally let her sit.

    "Still, too much." She grumbled as Guan Ming gestured for Al and Angelo to take their seats as well.

    Meanwhile, Guan Ming walked over to a shelf and pulled out a box.

    He took a deep breath and looked down at the box in his hand.

    Al couldn''t help but wonder what his uncle was looking at, but he didn''t need to be curious for too long.

    Guan Ming turned around and walked over to them with the box, which he ced on the table at the center.

    He opened it and handed Al an envelope that seemed to contain something other than documents.

    "It''s a test kit." Guan Ming exined. "Saliva, blood, hair, take your pick. Any of those will be enough to prove if you are Raymond Lawrence''s son."

    Al noticed that there was a syringe as well that he could use to draw blood.

    He chose the most direct way to prove who he was.

    "Give me a hand," Al told Angelo as he handed his friend the syringe.

    "Seriously? You want me to draw your blood?" Angelo asked as he looked at the syringe and container Al was handing over to him.

    "We both know you know how to draw blood, just do it and get it over with," Al grumbled.

    "Fine." Angelo said as he took the items and drew Al''s blood.

    He then ced it in the test tube-like container and sealed it.

    Al ced it in the envelope, sealed the envelope, and signed as a precaution that it wouldn''t be tampered with.

    "Happy?" Guan Ming asked his wife as he took the envelope from Al.

    "For now." She said with a nod.

    Cami then looked at Al and red at him.

    "So tell me, why are you alive and why did I have tofort my friend over the death of her son?"

 Chapter 1109 1109

    Chapter 11091109

    By the time Al finished exining to Cami why he had to fake his own death, the woman had finally managed to calm down.

    Zimo had also returned with refreshments and some snacks for them.

    "No wonder you had Zimo with you today," Cami said as she looked at the young assistant and thanked him.

    Zimo nodded and smiled at Cami.

    "I still don''t fully trust you, by the way," Cami added as she red at Al.

    "I understand Auntie Cami." Al knew that with the number of changes he had undergone over the past month, it would be difficult to recognize him, especially for Cami who hadn''t seen him in years.

    "I have a weing gift for you." Guan Ming said as he waved for Yu Zimo to approach.

    The young man came over and handed his boss a thick folder.

    Guan Ming nodded and thanked his assistant, before turning to Al and handing him the folder.

    "I know that what you need the most right now is information," Guan Ming said as Al opened the folder and studied its contents.

    He was shocked to find information on Colin and his allies in China.

    It had detailed profiles containing theirst known locations, all rtionships that Al could use to his advantage, background information, as well as the name of the people Guan Ming assigned to monitor them.

    "You''re lucky your cousin called when he did." Guan Mingmented as he watched Al go through the documents. "I was nning to fly back to Capital City and personally hand this information to your father."

    "You knew?" Al asked as he looked up and red angrily at Guan Ming.

    How could this man sit on such valuable information? Al had always been under the impression that Guan Ming was a loyal friend to his father and his friends.

    Guan Ming sighed and shook his head.

    "Don''t misinterpret me, young man. You have no idea what your father and I have been through together." Guan Ming said as he red intimidatingly at Al.

    Al couldn''t help but admit that he felt embarrassed for judging Guan Ming so hastily. The man had offered to help and Al jumped into conclusions that he was sitting on valuable information the entire time.

    "Your father never mentioned the issue of Colin to me," Guan Ming exined. "He said he had nned to send you over to exin to me what had happened, unfortunately, you died."

    "My husband started to gather the information after we returned home." Cami exined in a calm tone.

    Al was surprised that she knew about Guan Ming''s underworld business. She seemed to be more involved than his own mother was.

    Then again, Ayanna Lawrence already had too much on her te as the Vice President of Reyes Group.

    She was actually ecstatic when his cousin, Emilio, finally started to learn the ropes. It meant that she could hand over more of the work to him and spend more time with her friends and family.

    "I know it''s different." Cami said as she smiled kindly at Al. Her demeanor towards him had suddenly changed, Al suspected that it was because of how he had reacted to Guan Ming having the information.

    "My mother did not involve herself with dad''s underworld dealings," Al exined as he handed the documents over to Angelo.

    "It''s Ayanna''s preference," Cami said with a nod. "The thing is, I was her brother''s assistant for a long time. I was involved with some of the underworld dealings and I honestly enjoy it."

    "Yeah, I don''t see my mom getting her hands dirty with these things," Al said with a shrug.

    "But that girl, Cara, she was more than willing to jump into the fray for you." Cami gave him a teasing smile.

    "Aunt Cami, I''m twenty one years old, marriage is not in my ns just yet," Al sighed and shook his head.

    Cami Ming was just like his other aunts, a little bit too interested in his rtionships and how he managed to screw them up.

    For the first time since his false death Al frowned.

    "You miss them, don''t you?" Guan Ming asked as he remembered that Al had never been separated from his family like this.

    He might have undergone his own form of poverty training, but unlike Emilio, Al still went home, Al still spent time with his family.

    It was Al''s real first time away from them.

    Cami frowned and simply nodded.

    "I do," Al admitted. "I wish that I didn''t have to do this, but we''ve tried everything, Aunt Cami."

    Cami frowned and simply nodded.

    She had worked long enough with the members of the Reyes family to understand the pain that they go through.

    They might be the richest and one of the most popr families around, but she knew that they had a heavy burden on their shoulders. It was especially difficult for the eldest children of those families.

    So much relied on Emilio, Al, and Tristan, and everyone expected them to step up and take responsibility. Everyone expected them to be better than the generation before them.

    "My husband and I will do everything to help you," Cami swore as she reached out and held Guan Ming''s hand.

    To Al''s surprise, Guan Ming smiled at Al and nodded.

    "You have all my resources at your disposal, I''m sure you will need them," Guan Ming promised his friend''s son. "I''m sure you still have people back home working for you. I will give them permission to tap into the database we have here."

    "Thank you, Uncle Ming!" Al said as he smiled at the older man. "This is way more than I expected."

    "I want you to be home with the people you love by the end of the year."

    Al couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed by everything.

    He never thought that contacting Guan Ming would get him this much support. He had actually believed that the man would immediately send him home as soon as he realized who Al was.

    "Thank you, I''ll solve this as quickly as I can." Al swore as he smiled brightly at Guan Ming and Cami.

 Chapter 1110 1110

    Chapter 11101110

    "This way sir." Yu Zimo said as he guided Al and Andrew to another building at the back of the main mansion.

    It was a detached two story house that could be a luxurious vi all on it''s own.

    "This residence has multiple rooms, you can use them as you wish." Yu Zimo informed Al and Angelo as he gave them a quick tour. "If you need anything, there are servants assigned to this residence, but they stay off site for your privacy."

    Al nodded as he analyzed what Yu Zimo was telling him.

    He was d that Guan Ming had taken into consideration everything that they needed.

    The residence was private and he could use it as he saw fit for his investigation.

    "How soon can we set a meeting with the first target Ilya Pavlov?" Al walked into the residence with Angelo and Yu Zimo following closely behind.

    Despite being in deep discussion with the two other men, he managed to notice that his and Angelo''s bags had already been brought to the residence.

    Guan Ming''s staff were tuly efficient.

    "Ilya works for a gang that likes to pretend that they don''t operate in the city." Yi Zimo exined. "We can call him in to meet with a representative from our side at anytime. He wouldn''t dare reject an invitation."

    Al nodded as he absorbed the new piece of information.

    "The boss said you will attend as his representative so that you can do the interrogation yourself." Yu Zimo added when he noticed that Al did not respond to what he had just said.

    "As his representative?" Al asked, confused by Guan Ming''s sudden offer of power and position to him.

    "He told me that it was something you were more than capable of handling." Yu Zimo said in a suspicious tone.

    Al nodded but didn''t confirm anything.

    Instead, he waved for Angelo toyout on the table Ilya Pavlov.

    He looked through the information as everyone remained silet, waiting for him to say more.

    "In two days," Al dered. "I want to meet him in two days."

    Al had already calcted that that timeline would give him ample opportunities to learn more about the man.

    He was someone that liked to be prepared, and even if he had less resources now, it didn''t mean that he would skimp on his preparation.

    "Very well, Mr. Lawrence," Yu Zimo said, addressing Al by his true name.

    Al frowned as he looked at the man.

    He was a little bit older and in all honesty Al didn''t think that Yu Zimo was the type to belong to an underground organization.

    The man before him looked way too clean.

    He seemed more like someone that would be working at an office rather that for some mafia don.

    "Yu Zimo, who are you truly?" Al finally asked, breaking the awkward silence.

    "Sir?" Yu Zimo asked as he tried his best to feign ignorance.

    Al chuckled as he spotted the panic in Yu Zimo''s eyes. He was actually quite impressed with the man because if Al hadn''t been trained for these kinds of interactions he wouldn''t have spotted the change in the man''s demeanor.

    "I doubt Uncle Ming would trust just anyone with this task." Al grinned from ear to ear.

    "No, the boss would only give this to his most trusted, yes." Yu Zimo nodded, trying his best to keep his calm disposition.

    "Indeed," Al said, nodding. "You''re his nephew aren''t you."

    Yu Zimo seemed to be shocked that Al had managed to piece together what information he hadid out before him and figure out the truth.

    "H��how did you��"

    "It doesn''t take a genius to figure it out," Angelo said, joining in on the conversation.

    "You too?" Yu Zimo asked, shocked that even Angelo had figured out who he actually was to Guan Ming.

    "Only family is kept this close." Al smiled as he offered Yu Zimo a ss of wine. "So how are you rted to him?"

    Yu Zimo was silent and didn''t say a word.

    He seemed to be contemting if he could trust Al or not.

    After a while, he finally gave in and spoke.

    "My mother is his half-sister." He said as he decided that Al and Angelo were trustworthy enough.

    "You''re uncle��"

    "My mother''s full brother." Yu Zimo said, frowning at Al. "Just like you, my family dynamics can be prettyplicated. That''s why I''ve taken my father''s family name rather than my mother''s. I''ve also chosen to work with my uncle to protect myself."

    Al couldn''t help but chuckle at how intertwined their lives were.

    Yu Zimo''s uncle had once attacked his family and now Yu Zimo was helping him.

    "What else do you do for Guan Ming?" Al questioned the man. "I doubt that this is your first task. Uncle Ming isn''t quick to trust, but he wouldn''t hand me over to aplete newbie."

    Yu Zimo chuckled and shook his head.

    He was still amazed at how quickly Al infered things about him and how urate the other man could be.

    "No, I was pulled from my ordinary tasks." Yu Zimo admitted.

    "Are you his right hand man?" Angelo prodded.

    Yu Zimo smiled and shook his head.

    "I''m not capable enough, but maybe someday I''ll be his or my cousin''s right hand man." Yu Zimo admitted. "For now, I just do veri specific jobs and handle the most troublesome factions of my uncle''s organization."

    Al nodded.

    Yu Zimo might not currently be the right hand man to Guan Ming, but he was definitly being groomed for the role.

    The simrity in leadership style between Guan Ming and Al''s own father, Raymond Lawrence astounded Al.

    Yu Zimo was undergoing the exact same training that Tristan was.

    In the recent years Tristan Lim had been exposed to the underworld and decided that it was something he wanted to continue doing.

    His father, Raymond Lawerence''s second inmand, Ian Lim was more than willing to give his son the reins someday.

    "I guess we will be working together much more in the future." Al said with a grin.

 Chapter 1111 1111

    Chapter 11111111

    "What now?" Angelo asked Al as they sat in a room that they had converted into an office.

    Al stood in front of a wall where they had pinned up all the information they had on Colin Jao and his organization.

    "We take it one step at a time, a day at a time," Al told hispanion. "Did your sister send anything new?"

    "A message, that''s it," Angelo said with a frown as he took out a sealed envelope and handed it over to Al.

    Al nodded and didn''t show the slightest reaction to there only being a message and not another package of information.

    "Aren''t you worried that the information is drying up, that we are hitting a dead end?" Angelo couldn''t help question as he watched Al open the envelope.

    Al didn''t look up at Angelo but he continued speaking to the man.

    "Why would I be worried when we just got a massive dump of information from Uncle Ming?" Al asked with a raised eyebrow as he took out the piece of paper containing the message. "I doubt we can even sort through all that information in the time we have. We need to go about it wisely."

    "Right, right," Angelo said with a nod as he turned around to continue sorting the documents Guan Ming had given them.

    Al wanted to be as prepared as possible for when he faced Ilya Pavlov, he wasn''t going to waste an opportunity such as this.

    Al sighed as he read the message.

    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before reaching for the lighter in his pocket.

    It would be dangerous if a message such as this got out.

    "What is it?" Angelo asked as he noticed the ufortable expression on Al''s face.

    Al clicked the lighter and burned the piece of paper together with the message written on it.

    "Your sister, Sora, sent me an update," Al sighed.

    "All is well?" Angelo questioned. He already knew the answer, but he felt the need to ask.

    Al''s unfiltered reaction told him everything.

    "No." Al grimaced.

    Al leaned back and closed his eyes, taking deep and steady breaths.

    "My mother isn''t taking it too well," Al confessed. "While Cara has been trying to get my father to allow her into the Mafia to avenge my death."

    "Damn," Angelo whispered.

    "That''s only the tip of the iceberg. My brother is insistent on taking over as the next Prince of the Underworld, but Eric is doing his best to stop him." Al shook his head as he frowned.

    This was not what he wanted to happen.

    He expected them to mourn and go back to how things were, not try to take over the spots he had left behind.

    "I need to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible." Al hissed as he recovered from his initial sadness. "Eric can try his best to dy things back at home, but things will only go back to normal after I return."

    "Do you n to go back after we finish matters here in China?" Angelo asked.

    "No," Al said, shaking his head. "I will return when I have Colin Jao in my hands. China should speed things up drastically, don''t worry."

    Anelo nodded as he listened to his boss''s words.

    "After Ilya, I''m sure we will know where Colin is hiding," Al said as he looked at a photo of Colin on the wall.

    "And what if Ilya can''t provide us with that information?" Angelo asked, worried that his question would set Al off in anger.

    Al simply shrugged and smiled.

    "Then we continue," He said as he stood up and walked over to a map where they had pinned Colin''sst known whereabouts over the years. "We continue to search for him until we find him."

    Al reached out and touched a spot that was filled with red pins, signifying that it was the city that Colin was most frequently found to be in Capital City.

    He sighed and shook his head.

    With all the resources that the Lawerence Family had and all the resources that their allies and friends had, they still couldn''t find Colin when he had been living in their own backyard.

    "Do you think he is still in Capital City?" Angelo fared to ask.

    "I do," Al replied with a nod. "Unfortunately we can''t be certain without getting solid information. We also need to enter through a less stringent method. If we are from Capital City they will think we work for my father."

    "From where will we join their ranks?" Angelo asked as Al slowly told him about his n.

    "I want to enter through Marina City, my Uncle Cedric has a friend there, someone I met a long time ago," Al said with a grin. "We will tear his organization from its core. I know he is Cara''s brother, but all he has done is harm her."

    Angelo nodded as he listened to Al''s n.

    "Is there anything else you found on Ilya Pavlov?" Al asked as he shifted the topic back on their target.

    He knew that he couldn''t get too distracted now.

    Al had personally nned in advance, but he knew well enough that new pieces of information would eventually pop up and it would change his ns.

    So far nothing had affected it so drastically.

    The biggest change had instead sped up the process and worked in their favor.

    "A weakness," Angelo said with a grin as he took out a document from the file they had initially been given. "He has people he cares about that are caught in the crossfire. If my hunch is right, Ilya Pavlov doesn''t even want to be involved in all of this."

    "A family?" Al asked as he leaned forward.

    "A child," Angelo said as he grinned from ear to ear. "It''s not explicitly written in the information about him, but some of his actions line up."

    Al nodded as he looked at the documents before him.

    It was a list of his activities as well as different purchases over the years.

    Based on what Al could see, it definitely could mean he had a secret child.

    "Look into it, ask Yu Zimo for help," Al said as he gave Angelo to pursue the matter. "And I want it done by tomorrow."

 Chapter 1112 1112

    Chapter 11121112

    Angelo walked up to the main house and asked a maid to inform Yu Zimo that he needed to speak to him.

    With much fewer people and resources Al and Angelo had to split most of the work between themselves, there was only so much that the people at home could support them with.

    "Mr. Angelo," Yu Zimo greeted as he came out to meet Angelo. "Please, follow me."

    Yu Zimo led Angelo through the mansion towards the lower levels of the house.

    Just like the Lawerence Mansion, this ce was filled with people, both those that worked in the underworld and the staff of the mansion dwelt here.

    "My office is this way," Yu Zimo gestured as he and Angelo walked through the maze of corridors.

    "To confuse intruders?" Angelo asked as they rounded a final corner and Yu Zimo pushed open an unmarked door.

    "Many people would like to see my family fall, of course, we would take the appropriate precautions, does your boss not do the same?" Yu Zimo couldn''t help but ask.

    "They do," Angelo responded with a nod as they entered the office.

    Angelo had expected it to be a small office with a simple desk.

    Instead, he was greeted by arge one that probably took up at least a good chunk of the area they were in.

    The room was not empty either.

    There were several men and women hard at work on theirptops.

    Angelo shouldn''t have been surprised. As the man being groomed to be the next right-hand, Yu Zimo was bound to have a big team under him.

    "You seem surprised." Yu Zimo said, raising an eyebrow as he walked over to a bookshelf.

    "It''s just that you seemed so simple and unassuming when we met that I forgot you were so high up in the ranks," Angelo said with an apologetic smile.

    Yu Zimoughed and shook his head as he activated a hidden door in the bookshelf.

    "My office," Yu Zimo told his guest as he stepped in ahead of Angelo.

    He gestured for Angelo to sit across from him as the door closed and locked behind them.

    "I value my privacy, so I don''t keep staff with me when I have meetings with people I trust," Yu Zimo exined.

    "You''re quite simr to Al and the man that will be his right hand," Angelo chuckled as he recalled Tristan Lim and his own mannerisms.

    Yu Zimo chuckled and shook his head as he sat back and waited for Angelo to speak.

    "The boss�CI mean, Al wanted me to follow up on something I noticed from the report," Angelo exined.

    "And that is?" Yu Zimo asked as he leaned forward.

    Angelo took out the document and handed it over to Yu Zimo for him to read.

    "Ilya Pavlov''s behavior tells us that he might actually be protecting something important to him or someone," Angelo told Yu Zimo.

    Yu Zimo sighed and shook his head.

    "You figured out that he had a kid," Yu Zimo said as he handed the document back to Angelo.

    Angelo gave Yu Zimo a confused look.

    The Guan Ming and Yu Zimo had told Al that they would do everything to help them, and yet the man admitted to withholding information from him.

    Yu Zimo seemed to have registered Angelo''s confusion and surprise, making him react and exin the situation.

    "We knew that the Lawrence family didn''t like harming children," Yu Zimo quickly exined. "We kept it off the file since we thought it wasn''t relevant."

    Angelo slowly nodded.

    He understood what they had done in a way, but at the same time, it confused him.

    "Al won''t harm the child," Angelo said as he realized that Yu Zimo was now worried that Al would use the child to get what he wanted.

    "He won''t?" Yu Zimo was clearly shocked with Angelo''s answer.

    It was Angelo''s turn tough and shake his head.

    "Al might want to do everything in his power to get information on Colin Jao, but he would never hurt someone that was innocent," Angelo said, smiling at Yu Zimo.

    The man before him rxed andbed his hand through his hair.

    "What does he n to do with the information then? Will he threaten Ilya Pavlov?" Yu Zimo asked thinking that was the next most logical step.

    Angelo shook his head and gave a knowing smile.

    "Al will want to offer the man protection," Angelo exined. "He can guarantee that Colin Jao and his men nevery a finger on the child by sending them to his family."

    "I thought he was undercover because he couldn''t protect someone he loves?" Yu Zimo dared to ask.

    "He can protect her, but he doesn''t want them living their lives having to watch their backs because of her own brother," Angelo spat. "So will you help me or not?"

    "What do you want to know?" Yu Zimo asked Angelo.

    "Everything about this child. We need to know what we have to offer in order to get Ilya to consider working with us," Angelo exined.

    Yu Zimo nodded as he stood up and grabbed his coat.

    "Come, let''s visit them," Yu Zimo said as he waved Angelo to follow.

    Confused but not deterred, Angelo stood up and followed Yu Zimo.

    On their way out, someone handed him a ck coat as they made their way to the expansive garage under the mansion.

    "Wait, where are we going?" Angelo asked Yu Zimo as he chased the man.

    "To visit Ilya and his son," Yu Zimo said as he picked out a car. "Get it."

    Angelo didn''t even question the man. He hopped into the car as they drove out of the mansion''s garage, through a dark tunnel, and out to a bustling street.

    It was clear that they had driven a long way in the tunnel. It was meant to make people think that the only people living in that manion was Guan Ming''s family and not his entire organization.

    "They live in one of my apartments," Yu Zimo exined as they drove through the city.

    "And they will be fine with us jut dropping by?" Angelo asked.

    "Of course, the child''s mother was my best friend."

 Chapter 1113 1113

    Chapter 11131113

    "Wh�Cwh�Cwhat?" Angelo asked as he gave Yu Zimo a confused look.

    They pulled up into the driveway of a luxurious apartmentplex

    "It''s aplicated story, I didn''t know that Ilya was involved with Colin Jao until recently." Yu Zimo answered with a shrug as he led Angelo through the apartmentplex.

    The apartment Ilya stayed at was on the fifth floor in one of the inner buildings.

    Angelo was ceratin that this was a safe house that Yu Zimo had initially prepared for himself or his loved ones since it seemed to have many potential escape routes and and was quite well hidden.

    They stood in silence before of a non-descript door.

    Yu Zimo raised his hand to knock but hesitated.

    "He won''t harm a child." Angelo said as he realized that Yu Zimo was most likely worried about Ilya''s kid.

    "That''s not what I''m worried about." Yu Zimo said with a sigh as he gathered his courage and knocked on the door.

    "A moment Zimo!" A man with a thick Russian ent called out from the otherside of the door.

    Angelo raised his eyebrow at Yu Zimo, but didn''t say a word.

    "Uncle Zimo is here! Uncle Zimo is here!" A young boy''s voice cheered.

    "Not so loud, Niki, we don''t want the neighbors toin in his early thirties wearing a shirt and an apron.

    In his arms was a little boy that shared the same blue eyes and again." Angelo heard Ilya telling his son as he unlocked the door and opened it to greet Yu Zimo and Angelo.

    As the door opened, Angelo and Yu Zimo were greeted by a tall man in his early thirties wearing a shirt and an apron.

    In his arms was a little boy that shared the same blue eyes and caucasian skin as his. The only difference between them was that the father, Ilya, had light brown hair and the child''s was ck.

    "Yu Zimo, this is a surprise, and you brough a friend,e in,e in." Ilya said as he invited the pair inside.

    Angelo felt quite awkward as he knew the next day he and Al would have to interrogate this man.

    "An!" Yu Zimo called out, pulling Angelo from his thoughts. He knew that hispanion was referring to him as they had previously agreed not to use Angelo''s real name.

    "Coming, sorry about that." Angelo said as he entered the apartment, closing the door firmly behind him.

    Angelo was stopped in his tracks as the little boy, Niki, looked up at him with his eyes wide with curiosity.

    "Are you Uncle Zimo''s friend?" Niki asked in a small voice, full of wonder and curiosity.

    "I am, yes." Angelo said with a nod. "You can call me Uncle An."

    Nici nodded and smiled before running up to Angelo and hugging his leg.

    "I think I like you Uncle An!" The child bravely dered, making Angelo frown even more.

    In front of him, Yu Zimo and Ilya looked at each other with a confused expression. It seemed that what Niki was doing now was out of the ordinary.

    "Why?" Angelo asked as he looked at the two men before him.

    "Niki generally don''t like new people." Ilya exined as he carefully watched his son who refused to let go of Angelo''s leg.

    "Generally?" Yu Zimo asked with a hearthyugh. "He hates people. He didn''t even like me when we first met."

    "Maybe he is growing up?" Angelo suggested as he picked Niki up into his arms.

    The little boy continued to hug him, refusing to let go.

    "Odd indeed." Ilyamented as he slowly turned away and led them to the living room.

    "I like you!" Niki bravely dered.

    "I like you to kiddo." Angelo replied with a guilty smile as he sat on one of the couches with the child in his arms.

    "Why are you here, Zimo?" Ilya asked as he kept a close watch on Angelo and his son.

    "I was in the area with my friend, An." Zimo exined. "I thought I''d drop by to check on you guys. It''s been a while since I visited since I''m busy with work. You know how much I love that kid."

    Ilya wordlessly nodded.

    He seemed to buy whatever Zimo told him. It was clear that Ilya had no idea who Yu Zimo truly was.

    "Actually you dropped by at the best time possible!" Ilya dered as he tured to look at Yu Zimo.

    "We did?" Yu Zimo asked as he preteneded not to know that Ilya had a very dangerous meeting the next day.

    Ilya''s expression turned serious as he began to exin what he wanted today.

    "I have to go on a business trip tomorrow, I don''t know how long I''ll be gone." Ilya told Yu Zimo, making Angelo look at the other man.

    Angelo was surprised to see Yu Zimo looking unbothered by the news, as if this was a normal urrence for them.

    "You want Niki to stay with me I''m guessing," Yu Zimo said as he looked at the child.

    "You''re the only one I trust."

    Most people would feel guilty if someone had just handed their son so willingly to the enemy, but Angelo felt none of that.

    It was most likely due to the fact that he knew Yu Zimo would care for the child.

    It was also due to his exposure to the Lawrence family, there were some things they did that would truly break a person''s will.

    "When do I pick him up?" Yu Zimo asked Ilya as he feigned innocence.

    "Can you take him with you now?" Ilya asked as he gave his son a loving nce. "I don''t think he will throw a tantrum, he seems to like your friend."

    Ilya emphasized the word friend as if he was trying to suggest that Angelo and Yu Zimo were more than that, making Angleo frown.

    He didn''t think Yu Zimo was gay, but it was possible. As the nephew of the head of an underworld organization, Yu Zimo needed to act the part, and being perceived as soft could undermine his authority.

 Chapter 1114 1114

    <h4>Chapter 1114 Chapter 1114</h4>

    "Behave for you Uncle Zimo and his friend." Ilya told his son, Niki as he made sure his son was dressed properly.

    Angelo and Yu Zimo patiently stood by the door as they watch a father say goodbye to his son.

    To any passer by it would seem like this was your average farewell as a little boy was off to spend the night with his uncle, but beneath the surface there was much more going on.

    Angelo knew that there was a chance that Ilya would never get to see his son again.

    "I will papa." Niki promised as he hugged his father and ran over to Angelo and Yu Zimo who were each carrying one of Niki''s bags.

    "Don''t worry, Ilya, I''ll watch over him." Yu Zimo promised as Niki walked over to them, holding his hand tight.

    Ilya looked at the two men and the young boy and gave them a sad smile.

    It was as if he knew the results of tomorrow''s meeting already.

    "Thank you." Ilya said as he silently walked with Angelo, Yu Zimo, and Niki to the car.

    As they stood by the car door, Ilya seemed to want to say something.

    It was clear from the look on his eyes that there was something he feared and wanted to talk to Yu Zimo about.

    "Why don''t you get Niki settled in the car." Yu Zimo said as he tossed Angelo his car keys. "I think Ilya and I need to have a word."

    Angelo silently nodded as he opened the trunk of Yu Zimo''s car and piled up Niki''s belongings.

    "Mr. An, my dad seems extra sad today." Niki told the older man as Angelo looked back at the two men who were speaking at a distance.

    "I''m sure he''s just sad to be away from you." Angelo told Niki as he mmed the trunk and led Niki to the back seat of the car.

    He looked up and saw that Yu Zimo and Ilya seemed nowhere near ending their conversation, so he decided to speak to the child a little more.

    Maybe it could help them turn Ilya against Colin Jao.

    "So do you stay at Uncle Zimo''s ce often?" Angelo asked as he slid into the backseat with Niki.

    "Mmmm, a bit." Niki said as he thought carefully before answering Angelo''s question. "But I like spending time with Uncle Zimo, we y games and he takes me to amusement parks and malls. I also like Uncle Zimo''s ce, it''s much nicer than ours."

    Angelo nodded as he realized that Ilya seemed to often be in precarious situations due to the work he did for Collin Jao.

    "Do you stay long with Uncle Zimo?" Angelo further questioned.

    "Nope, usually it''s just a day or two, Dad never packed me these many things." Nikil said as a worried look crossed his young face. "Do you think Dad will take long? I like Uncle Zimo, but I like spending time with Dad more."

    Angelo caught himself as he was about to frown.

    He was certain that Ilya wouldn''t be gone for just a day or two.

    Based on his experience, it took much longer to crack a man like y.

    "I''m sure time will pass quickly since you''ll be having fun with Uncle Zimo." Angelo told Niki as he tried to deviate from the truth.

    "Uncle Zimo and you! I like you, you''re nice and you have a nice face." Niki pointed out.

    "Thanks." Angelo said with an awkward smile, not knowing what to tell the child.

    Just as he was about to continue asking Niki questions, Yu Zimo and Ilya returned. It was clear that whatever discussion they had was a heavy one, because both men didn''t seem to be relieved by their discussion.

    "Remember to behave, I''ll call you when I''m on my way home." Ilya told his son as he gave the child onest hug before letting Angelo and Yu Zimo leave with his son.

    As they drove off, Yu Zimo asked Angelo to fish something out of his glovepartment. It was a small juice packet, most likely something prepared by Yu Zimo for instances such as there.

    "Here Niki, do you want some?" Yu Zimo asked Niki as he handed the juice packet to the boy.

    "Yes, thank you Uncle Zimo!" Niki said as he excitedly took the drink and quickly consumed it.

    They hadn''t driven far when Angelo noticed that Niki had fallen sound asleep in the backseat of the car.

    "It''s fine, we can talk now." Yu Zimo said as he looked at the clock in the car. "I had to put some medication in his drink."

    "Why is it that Ilya kept trying to imply that we," Angelo said as he gestured between him and Yu Zimo. "Are more than just friends?"

    Yu Zimo chuckled and shook his head.

    "Because Ilya is a painfully jealous boyfriend and the only way I could see my best friend, Niki''s mother is if I pretended to be gay."

    "And you have now dragged me into this mess?" Angelo asked with a sigh. "Even the child thinks we might be more than friends."

    "He won''t for long." Yu Zimo said with a sigh as they neared Guan Ming''s residence.

    "You are seriously taking him here? Not to one of your empty apartments?" Angelo asked.

    He had managed to figure out based on what Niki told him that Yu Zimo would take the child to one of his empty apartments in the city.

    "No, not this time." Yu Zimo said, shaking his head. "The stakes are too high and I will not allow that child to be harmed."

    Angelo nodded in understanding.

    Yu Zimo clearly cared about Niki as if he was his own, something that made Angelo suspicious, but he chose not to say anything else.

    When they arrived, Yu Zimo ordered the staff to take Niki''s things to the neighboring guest house, a residence Angelo came to learn was actually where Yu Zimo lived.

    As they walked back to the residence they bumped into Al who looked at Niki curiously.

    "Let me put him to bed, then we will talk." Yu Zimo simply said as he walked past the two men with a child in his arms.

 Chapter 1115 1115

    <h4>Chapter 1115 Chapter 1115</h4>

    "Did you get the information?" Al asked as he walked back to the residence with Angelo.

    For some reason, Angelo was acting out of character after returning with Yu Zimo and the child in Yu Zimo''s arms.

    Al didn''t want to pry, but the child seemed rtively valuable.

    Zimo didn''t even allow anyone to see the boy''s face, nor did he let the child walk as he carried him to his house.

    "That was the information." Angelo sighed.

    "That''s Ilya''s child?!" Al asked, shocked that they had taken an innocent child. "We don''t touch children, Angelo!"

    "No, don''t misunderstand." Angelo said as he vigorously shook his head.

    Angelo paced across the room as Al watched him and waited for his exnation.

    "I can''t wait forever." Al hissed as he sat down on the couch, crossed his arms, and red at his friend.

    "Okay, okay." Angelo said as he stopped pacing and sat on a chair opposite Al. "Yu Zimo is connected to that child and Ilya."

    "Niki, that child''s mother was my best friend and the woman I loved." Yu Zimo said as he suddenly appeared in the house.

    He walked over to a hidden cab and took out a bottle of whisky and a ss for each of them.

    "Wait, earlier you told me that she was your best friend, now she''s the woman you loved?" Angelo asked as he looked at Yu Zimo in shock.

    Al on the other hand was the most confused person in the room.

    He massaged his temples as he could feel a headache building.

    "Can you please tell me what''s going on?" Al asked as he mmed his hand on the table. "I understand that we are here under your uncle''s good graces, but we won''t achieve anything if we keep secrets from one another."

    Yu Zimo sighed and nodded. Agreeing with Al as he poured each of them a drink.

    "This isn''tced, is it?" Angelo asked as he gave a suspicious look towards Yu Zimo making Al wonder what had transpired between the pair.

    "I''d never." Yu Zimo said as he gave Al a ss as well.

    "You just put a kid, whom you im to love like your own, to sleep with drugs. I don''t trust you with drinks." Angelo grumbled.

    "It was necessary." Yu Zimo said in a sad tone. It was clear to Al that whatever Yu Zimo did to the child he did so unwillingly.

    Al sighed, but took the ss and drank. It seemed like it was going to be a long night as he watch Yu Zimo''s pained expression.

    "Her name was Ren, we were childhood friends and she was part of the underworld just like me." Yu Zimo sighed as he looked at his drink and took a big gulp.

    Everyone was silent as they waited for him to say more.

    "She was part of my uncle''s organization just as her parents were, and her grandparents before them, and so many generations before our time. Just like me, she grew up with violence and turbulence being a normal part of life." Yu Zimo exined.

    "Did your uncle know about her?" Al asked as he recalled how his father insisted that Cara be kept safe when he found out Al cared about her.

    "He did, of course he did." Yu Zimo chuckled. "He loved Ren, she was his best agent from a young age, and together we were possibly the most powerful couple in my uncle''s organization."

    "So you were together?" Angelo asked, shocked by the sudden turn of events.

    "We dated and we were arranged to marry." Yu Zimo said with a nod. "We weren''t against the arrangement since we loved each other and we already nned on spending the rest of our lives together."

    "What happened?" Al asked. "And how does Ilyae into the picture?"

    "Growing up we were taught that no mission is routine, that circumstances could change at any moment and that we should be prepared for it." Yu Zimo sighed. "We were young, cocky, we had never failed a mission."

    Yu Zimo looked down and closed his eyes.

    It was silent again as the man gathered his thoughts before emptying his ss and filling it up again.

    "We thought it would be a routine mission. We''d get the information and get out, just like we always did." Yu Zimo exined. "It was all going well until it wasn''t."

    Al frowned at Yu Zimo''s words.

    He knew a lot of people who failed their missions due to overconfidence, it was a mistake he consciously made an effort not to make.

    "She was supposed to simply listen in on a conversation, but she was made." Yu Zimo told them. "Her drink was drugged and I lost contact with her. She only surfaced the next day in the bed of the target."

    "Ilya." Al hissed as it all made sense.

    Yu Zimo nodded and drank again. Al and Angelo gave each other a worried look, it would be bad if Yu Zimo got drunk tonight. They had a difficult and important meeting the next day and this man couldn''t bepromised.

    "No woman in her right mind would reject Ilya Pavlov, back then he was handsome, rich, and popr." Yu Zimo exined to them. "He asked Ren to marry him and if she rejected her cover would have been blown."

    "So she married him for the sake of the mission?" Angelo asked.

    "She did, a few weekster she discovered that she was pregnant, she introduced me as her gay best friend to Ilya so we could still be around each other." Yu Zimo told the two men.

    "What happened to her? Did she�C" Al asked before he was cut midsentence by Yu Zimo.

    "Die?" Yu ZImo asked as heughed hysterically. "On paper, yes, Ren Pavlov is dead, but in reality my uncle sent her far away, to a ce she can''t distract me."

    "Where?" Al asked.

    "Capital city." Yu Zimo said with a grin, catching Al off guard.

 Chapter 1116 1116

    <h4>Chapter 1116 Chapter 1116</h4>

    "What exactly is she doing in my home city?" Al asked as he looked unfazed by the news of an unknown agent residing in his city.

    "She was part of a gift." Yu Zimo exined. "From my Uncle to your father."

    All of a sudden, Al burst outughing and shaking his head.

    "When was thest time you spoke to her?" He asked as he tried to catch his breath and calm himself back down.

    "Before she left." Yu Zimo said as he tilted his head to the side, confused by Al''s reaction. "She told me that Uncle was sending her and a few other female agents to work for your father. She asked me to do everything to take her son away from his father."

    "And you only acted now?" Angelo asked, injecting himself in the conversation.

    "There wasn''t an opportunity to do so before this." Yu Zimo said a little bit too defensively. "You have no idea how badly I''ve wanted to take Niki away from Ilya, but I couldn''t. If I simply took him Ilya could charge me for kidnapping."

    "Wait!" Al said as he stood, making both men stop arguing. "Shut up for a few minutes the both of you."

    Angelo and Yu Zimo looked at each other and didn''t utter another word after Al had spoken.

    "Let''s settle things one dilemma at a time." Al told them.

    He sat back down and sighed, he took a drink from his ss before putting it back down and gesturing for Yu Zimo to refill it.

    "Ren and her unit don''t work for my father." He dered, much to Yu Zimo''s surprise, causing him to spill the drink on the table.

    "Shocker, no?" Al chuckled as he watched Yu Zimo wipe the table.

    "She didn''t know where she was headed?" Yu Zimo asked.

    "No, she didn''t but don''t worry it wasn''t anywhere bad." Al chuckled. "She''s part of a group that now calls themselves that Valkiries."

    "Shit." Angelo cursed under his breath, making Al grin.

    Of course Angelo knew the Valkiries were, his sister aspired to be one of them. As a matter of fact most female members of the underworld wanted to be one.

    "I''m guessing the Valkiries are a big deal." Yu Zimo inferred based on Angelo''s reaction.

    Al nodded and smiled.

    "The Valkiries are an elite all female group, their existence isn''t a secre, but their identities are." Al exined.

    "What do they do?" Yu Zimo asked, curious about what his friend and lover was up to now.

    "Anything, everything." Angelo chuckled.

    "They work for the most demanding bosses around." Al added as heughed and shook his head. "My mom and aunts."

    Yu Zimo was surprised to hear this.

    All this time he was under the impression that Ren had been working in the underworld for Raymund Lawrence and his organization.

    "The Valkiries were a gift from Aunt Cami to my Aunts and my mom." Al continued to exin. "I''m pretty sure I''ve met Ren, and I can tell you she is healthy and safe."

    He could see as a look of relief crossed Yu Zimo''s face. He was d to bring at least this to his new friend.

    "Now, on to the next matter." Al said as he decided that the matter of Ren could be put to rest. "Why didn''t you simply take the boy? Uncle Guan Ming is influential enough to protect you and based on what you have told me you are skilled enough."

    "It''s because of Ilya Palvov." Yu Zimo hissed.

    "How can a man that''s been leeching off of you be so threatening?" Angelo asked. "He literally needs you to put a roof over his head."

    "Ilya Palvov was not always as pathetic as he is now." Yu Zimo spat. "There is a reason why we ended up the way we did, it''s because Ilya was once influential enough to draw out our enemies."

    "Ilya used to work for Uncle Ming?" Al asked as he tried to piece together the puzzle in his head.

    "No, but Ren and I managed to manipte him enough that he could draw people out for us. That''s why Ren was at that bar that night." Yu Zimo said as he balled his hands into fists. "Ilya was being difficult and normally Ren was more effective when it came to influencing him."

    "Ilya had a thing for her?" Angelo asked, curious as to the methods that both Ren and Zimo had used on Ilya Palvov.

    "He was in love with her the moment heid his eyes on her." Yu Zimo answered bitterly.

    It was clear to Al and Angelo that Zimo had been suffering for years just being near Ilya. His hate for the man was beyond anything they expected or could predict.

    It was a far cry from how calm and collected he had been earlier in the day.

    Something about Ilya Pavlov and Ren triggered him.

    "We acted desperately, we rushed things that''s why I had to use Ren that night." Zimo admitted. "Over the years he was only able to maintain his poprity and influence because of Ren, without her he would have fallen much sooner."

    Al nodded as he slowly understood the situation.

    "His supporters slowly vanished, but I was caught off guard when a few years back he seemed to be gaining influence once more." Yu Zimo exined.

    "Colin Jao." Al dered.

    "Yes, that is about the time I believe he started working for Colin Jao." Zimo said as he nodded in agreement. "Things have been getting better and more lucrative for him, just a month ago he informed me that he was looking for a new ce for him and Niki."

    "So we picked the child up in time." Angelo said with a victorious smile on his lips.

    "The timing of your arrival couldn''t be better." Yu Zimo said as he smiled at the two men.

    "What do you n on doing to Ilya Pavlov?" Al asked as he leaned forward.

    "I believe he is behind Ren''s drugging that night." Yu Zimo bravely dered.

    Al looked to Angelo and Angelo simply nodded back. They had bothe to the same conclusion as well.

    "I have evidence that points towards Ilya Pavlov drugging her, but due to the fact that he had a backer I couldn''t use it so easily." Zimo said as he took out a folder and handed it to Angelo.

    The other man quickly read through it and smiled.

    "It''s airtight." He confirmed.

    "Is that enough to use agains Ilya?" Yu Zimo asked.

    "We''ll get your revenge, I promise." Al said as he finished the contents of his ss.

 Chapter 1117 1117

    <h4>Chapter 1117 Chapter 1117</h4>

    "It seems both your mother and father trained you well." Cami chuckled as Al arrived at the mansion''s parlor.

    "He looks the part and behaves the part." Guan Ming said with a nod as he agreed with his wife. "I''m sure he is also smart enough to take over after his father. Although he still has a long way to go."

    "Ming!" Cami scolded her husband, making Alugh and shake his head.

    Not far behind him were Angelo and Zimo holding a little boy''s hand as the child tried to run up to his now favorite Uncle Al.

    "What did you give this kid?" Angelo asked as he held Niki''s hand tightly making sure that the boy didn''t suddenly run out of the house.

    "Nothing, we just yed this morning." Al said with a shrug as Angelo and Zimo stopped next to him.

    "A, who is this cute little child?" Cami asked as she stretched out her arms signaling to Niki that he could approach her.

    Niki gave a tentative nce to the adults next to him as they let go oh his hand.

    "She''s my aunt, go on, say hi." Zimo said as he encouraged Niki to go to Cami.

    "She''s a nicedy, don''t be scared." Angelo added in the hopes of convincing the boy.

    After a few awkward seconds, Nikloai shyly walked up to Cami.

    As he stood in front of the regaldy, she pulled him into a hug and held him tight.

    "We can''t keep him." Guan Ming groaned, making Al, Angelo, and Yu Zimough. They all knew that Cami wanted more children around the house, and having Niki around, partially fulfilled her wish.

    "You didn''t kidnap him, did you?" Guan Ming asked knowing full well who the young boy was.

    "No, his father handed him willingly, I even have this." Yu Zimo boasted as he handed Guan Ming some documents that even Al and Angelo were seeing for the first time.

    Guan Ming took it and his eyes went wide with shock as he read through them.

    "Adoption papers?" Guan Ming asked as he looked up at Yu Zimo with a smile.

    He knew how important getting Niki as far as possible from Ilya was to his nephew. This was a good thing, it was the perfect way to finally get rid of Ilya.

    "I''ve already started the process." Zimo said proudly.

    "Aren''t you worried that Ily Pavlov will stop you?" Angelo asked.

    They still didn''t have the man in their custody so things could still go south.

    "I''m already having him followed. He''s too busy to even notice that his son''s documents are being changed." Yu Zimo told Angelo. "Also, the person processing the documents are in our pockets, they are loyal."

    Al and Angelo nodded, relieved that Niki would be safe.

    After everything they had learned about Ilya Pavlovst night, they were certain that Niki needed to be kept as far away from that man as possible.

    "Do you have everything you need against that man?" Guan Ming said as his tone became serious.

    At the same time, Cami stood from her seat and led the child away.

    She knew that it was time for them to talk business, and this was no ce for a child.

    "We do." Al said with a nod as he waited for Cami and Niki to leave.

    It didn''t take long as Cami took the child to the second floor of the mansion where a yroom had been set up for the children of their many guests.

    "Thank you for doing this to help me, uncle." Al said as be gave his uncle a small bos as a sign of respect.

    "It''s the least I can do, you are practically family." Guan Ming told him. "I''m just sad that I couldn''t see all of you growing up. We will try to visit more." He promised.

    "I''m sure my parents will like that." Al said as he smiled.

    He couldn''t help but think of his parents. He knew that his father and mother would be worried sick. It had only been a month and yet he felt like a lifetime had already passed.

    "So what will you try getting from Ilya Pavlov first?" Guan Ming asked Al.

    "Information on Colin Jao then I will get revenge for Zimo." Al promised as his gaze hardened.

    "Sir, your guests are here." A butler said as he walked into the living room.

    Guan Ming nodded before turning to Al.

    "There are spaces below for you to conduct your business." Guan Ming informed him as the butler stoof and waited for instructions. "Zimo, what room would best suit Al''s purposes?"

    Zimo grinned and chuckled.

    "The rainbow room." He said, making it sound like it was some children''s y room.

    Al knew better.

    He was certain that it was called that out of more sinister reasons.

    "We''ll meet with him there then." Al nodded as Guan Ming gave the butler instructions to take the guest to the Rainbow room.

    As Al made a move to leave, Guan Ming stopped him momentarily.

    "Don''t waste this opportunity." Guan Ming said. "Don''t let your anger get the better of you. I''ve made that mistake, trust me you don''t want to fall into that trap."

    Al nodded, acknowledging what his uncle had just said.

    He had heard the story, they all did.

    Guan Ming dismissed them, allowing the three men to make their way down to thebyrinth of halls thaty beneath the mansion.

    "Through here." Yu Zimo said as he pointed towards an empty hallway.

    It was clear that those that were normally there had vacated it for their purposes.

    They stood before two elegant doors, but as Al was about to open it he turned to Yu Zimo.

    "Are you ready? Are you sure about this?" Al asked. "We cannot return Niki to his father after this."

    "I''m Niki''s father." Yu Zimo bravely dered. To which Al simply responded with a nod, pushing the doors open and walking in.

 Chapter 1118 1118

    <h4>Chapter 1118 Chapter 1118</h4>

    "Zimo? An?" Ilya Pavlov asked in his thick Russian ent when he saw the three men enter the meeting room.

    "Hello, Ilya," Yu Zimo greeted with a malicious grin, his aura and expression quickly changing from its ordinary one to that which he used as Guan Ming''s right-hand man in training.

    "You work for these bastards?" Ilya spat, making Al shake his head and sigh.

    Al walked up to Yu Zimo and gave his shoulder a tight squeeze.

    "Deal with this." Al said, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

    "I trusted you with my son! You fucking cunt!" Ilya shouted everything he had learned and trained for thrown out the window as he was faced with the man he trusted the most. "Where is my son? Give him back!"

    "So annoying." Angelo groaned as he took out a gun and cocked it. "Can I deal with him, boss?"

    "No." Al said, his single answer sending chills up everyone''s spine including their allies.

    "Who are you?" Ilya said as he turned his attention to Al who stood at the back of the room, leaning against the wall.

    Al didn''t want to be involved so soon, he wanted to y it out. It was all part of his game.

    "You will not speak to him unless he addresses you." Angelo said as he lifted the gun and pointed it directly at Ilya.

    "Now, now, Angelo��" Yu Zimo said as he tried to calm his friend down. "It will be a pain to clean this room."

    Angelo shrugged and put the gun away.

    They all knew that Ilya and his men had no chance against Yu Zimo''s group. Everyone was armed and even behind them stood guards ready to kill should Al or Yu Zimo so much as decide that the discussion was over.

    "Please, sit." Yu Zimo gestured as he took a seat and Angelo quickly followed suit.

    Behind them Al remained standing, watching the scene unfold, assessing Ilya and his men, trying to think where the threaty.

    He also began to plot on how best to break Ilya and his men.

    Cautiously, Ilya waved for his men to the same, two sitting while the others stood.

    A seat was left empty between Yu Zimo and Angelo, signifying that the boss was either Al or someone who was yet to join them.

    Ilya could only assume that the man that stood with amanding presence was the person pulling all the strings.

    "You work for the Guan Family?" Ilya asked.

    Yu Zimo grinned and chuckled. The men across them wouldn''t make it out anyway, so he didn''t lie.

    "I am part of the Guan Family." Yu Zimo dered full of pride.

    To everyone''s surprise, Ilyaughed at Yu Zimo giving him a malicious smile.

    "Hmmmm?" Yu Zimo hummed.

    "Did you really just hand me the greatest weapon against the Guan Family?" Ilya asked, mocking Yu Zimo, who simply raised his eyebrow at Ilya.

    After a few moments of everyone remaining in confused silence and Ilyaughing non-stop, enjoying what he thought was a victory, a realization hit Angelo.

    "I think he thinks you''re actually gay."

    "What?" It was Al''s turn to react andugh, shaking his head as he put the pieces of the puzzle together.

    To Al and Angelo and the rest of the men and women employed by the Guan family, it seemed silly to think that Yu Zimo was gay. After all, they had seen how madly in love he was with Ren.

    "I guess I''m an incredible actor." Yu Zimo scoffed.

    "Y�Cy�Cyou aren''t?" y asked, shocked at how wrong he had been.

    "No." Yu Zimo answered with a more serious expression.

    "Lies! I have proof! Photos of you with men!" Ily argued.

    "Men who are my friends, men who apanied me to visit a boy I considered my own the moment he was born." Yu Zimo said as he red at Ilya. "You were merely a sperm donor. A hup in mine and Ren''s ns. You are irrelevant."

    Yu Zimo''s words sliced through the air like a de, everyone could see the pain in Ilya''s face as a grave insult was thrown his way.

    "I''d watch your words if I were you." Angelo warned. "You''re in Guan family territory."

    Ilya red at both Yu Zimo and Angelo. Clearly, the man wanted to say more, to retaliate, but Angelo''s warning had hit home, he was not at an advantage here.

    Even if he could overpower both Angelo and Yu Zimo, there were at least ten other men in the room.

    And then there was Al.

    He might have remained standing at a distance, but something told him that Al could be the deadliest of them all.

    "As much as I enjoy this topic," Al said as he walked closer, keeping eye contact with Ilya before he stood behind his seat. "I do believe that we have other matters to discuss."

    Yu Zimo and Angelo rxed, their shoulders visibly dropping as they calmed down.

    "Tell me, Ilya Pavlov, do you know who I am?" Al asked as he continued to hold Ilya''s gaze.

    "No." Ilya answered definitively.

    "Are you sure?" Al asked him again as a smile yed on his lips.

    "I really don''t know who you are." Ilya answered as he tried his best to recall who Al was.

    "We''ve never met, but I''m sure your boss is quite familiar with me." Al said, grinning from ear to ear.

    "Who are you exactly?" Ilya dared to ask.

    "Aldrich Lawrence." At the mention of Al''s name, Ilya''s eyes went wide with shock.

    "Y�Cy�Cyou''re supposed to be dead!" Ilya gasped as he looked at the man that was very much alive as he stood before Ilya, grinning deviously.

    Al felt a victorious feeling building in his chest, too bad Colin wouldn''t find out until it was way toote.

    "Tell me, Ilya," Al said as he leaned forward and smiled. "How furious would your boss be if he found out that someone failed to kill me?"

 Chapter 1119 1119

    <h4>Chapter 1119 Chapter 1119</h4>

    "The boss said�C" Ilya began to stutter as he Al looked into his eyes with a burning intensity.

    "He said I was dealt with." Alpleted his sentence for him with a malicious grin on his lips. Of course, all that Colin knew was that Al was dead.

    "It''s interesting how little you actually know, Ilya." Yu Zimo clicked his tongue and shook his head, he leaned back and watched the other man, waiting for Ilya to react.

    Ilya and hispanions were silent for a while.

    No one moved, no one said a word.

    They just watched and waited for Al and his group to do something, to say something, but they knew that the other side had the advantage.

    "What do you want?" Ilya finally asked as he epted that there was no way he was walking out of this room alive without doing what Al wanted.

    "Really, you''ll give me everything I want?" Al asked with a raised eyebrow.

    He knew that things were never these easy. It was obvious that Ilya nned to lie to them.

    "Of course." Ilya said with a confident nod. "We all know that you chose this location so that we have no other option."

    "You have options. Everyone always has a choice." Angelo said as he grinned at Ilya''s men.

    Most of them stood frozen as they tried to hide the fear in their eyes. They knew, they all knew that there was a chance that they wouldn''t walk out of that meeting alive.

    "Let my men leave and I''ll give you everything you want." Ilya boldly dered.

    Al sat back down and scanned the room. Ilya had arrived with seven others, all important members of Colin''s organization.

    He knew that it would be suspicious if none of them returned, but he already nned for that.

    "Before any of you came here we already knew who you were and who you held close to your heart."Al said as he looked them in the eyes. "You will work for me, you will work for the Guan family or I will use what information against you."

    The men quickly turned pale as they tried to maintain theirposure.

    But slowly, one at a time they began to break. They nodded in understanding.

    It was either work for the Guan family and work for Aldrich Lawrence or lose everyone and everything they valued.

    "Deal with them." Al said as he waved for Angelo and some of Guan Ming''s men to take them to another room.

    He was prepared.

    He spoke to his Uncle Ming while Yu Zimo and Angelo were out. These men would be valuable resources not just to Guan Ming, but to Al as well.

    They would help keep them a step ahead of Colin and his organization, as well as those that supported him.

    It didn''t take long for the room to empty, the only people left were Al, Yu Zimo, Ilya, and a handful of guards that stood watch.

    "You won''t ask for your son back?" Al was surprised that Ilya only bargained for his men''s release.

    Ilyaughed and shook his head.

    He looked like a madman.

    "I don''t think I''ll get my son back even if I wanted to." He red at Yu Zimo. He knew exactly who would keep his son.

    "You won''t." Yu Zimo inly answered. "But you might just be able to walk out of here with your life."

    Al smiled as he watched the interaction between the two men.

    He had nned for Yu Zimo to use whatever friendship they once had against Ilya. They were both aware that despite the calm demeanor that Ilya showed them, he was going crazy deep down.

    "Will you really spare me?" Ilya asked as he raised an eyebrow.

    Al could see that the man didn''t fear what fatey before him. He was well aware that Al wouldn''t let him leave.

    He had made peace with his death. The only question now was if Ilya would give them the information they needed or if he would lie and take his secrets to the grave.

    "What does Colin have on you?" Al couldn''t help but ask as he watched Ilya carefully. "What would make a man such as yourself so loyal to that bastard and the people who support him?"

    "Maybe it''s because he isn''t like you." Ilya said with a shrug as he kept his silence, giving iplete answers.

    "Not like me?" Al asked in a cold and indifferent tone.

    Suddenly Yu Zimo stood and pped Ilya across his face, catching the man off guard.

    He knew that they would torture him, but not this soon. His n to simply wait and y the long game was slightly rattled.

    It was obvious that Al and Yu Zimo was trying to get him to react, they were trying to get on his nerves so that he would break.

    Ilya mocked them in his head, but Al already expected this. It was all part of his n.

    Most would have used his son by now, but Al followed his father''s rules, his family''s rules. He would never use a child or harm a child to achieve what he needed.

    On top of that Al knew how much Niki mattered to Yu Zimo and Ren.

    He would never harm that child, he was innocent and Al wanted to protect that innocence for as long as possible. It would be foolish to think that Niki would not be part of this business in the future.

    "He isn''t an entitled prick born with a silver spoon!" Ilya shouted as soon as he recovered from the p Yu Zimo had given him. "He worked hard just like all of us!"

    Ilya''s statement made Alugh.

    He shook his head confusing Ilya.

    "Is that what he told you?" He asked as a smirk yed on his lips.

    Ilya went pale at the realization that the man he hade to worship and was prepared to give his life to had lied to him.

 Chapter 1120 1120

    <h4>Chapter 1120 Chapter 1120</h4>

    "Did none of you even look up his family?" Al asked with a raised eyebrow, he hadn''t realized that it would be much simpler to break Ilya''s trust in Colin.

    Ilya hung his head, defeated by the thought that he had been manipted by Colin.

    "Did he really tell you that he climbed his way up the ranks?" Alughed maniacally. "Tell me, Ilya, what did he tell you about himself?"

    Ilya looked away, ashamed that he had given up everything to follow and help a man that had done nothing but manipte him and his people.

    "I feel bad now." Al hummed as he kept his eyes on Ilya.

    "About what?" Yu Zimo asked ying his role perfectly helping Al manipte Ilya into doing exactly as Al wanted.

    Al didn''t answer, instead, he stood up and made his way to Ilya''s side.

    The other man noticed that Al had moved, he lifted his head and followed Al''s movements with his eyes.

    Everyone in the room was shocked when Al stood next to Ilya and squatted on the floor.

    One of the Guan Family''s men was quick to react, he moved behind Ilya and bound his wrists, making sure that Ilya didn''t try to harm Al.

    "It''s fine." Al said, stunning everyone in the room.

    "Sir?" The man who had bound Ilya asked Yu Zimo in Mandarin.

    Al continued to pretend that he couldn''t understand him, it was another skill that his mother thought would best suit him. One of the manynguages he had learned in his youth and continued to use with his Uncle Ian and Tristan until he left.

    "Do as he asks." Yu Zimo answered in Mandarin, undoubtedly wondering if Al could understand them or not.

    He was no stranger to the sheer number of skills Al had in his arsenal and he was certain that the so-called son of Mafia had a lot more hidden.

    Al watched as Ilya''s eyes flickered in recognition, clearly, he could understand Mandarin while Al pretended that he couldn''t.

    The man hesitated but eventually did as Yu Zimo said and removed the bindings from Ilya''s wrists.

    "Don''t try anything stupid." The man threatened in Mandarin as Al continued to act as if he didn''t understand.

    "I''m not stupid." Ilya hissed back in the samenguage.

    "Sounds threatening." Al chuckled as he nced at Yu Zimo, as if asking for a trantion.

    Yu Zimo obliged, gave him a weak smile and spoke, "I hope you''re not offended."

    He was tentative in his answer as if he was worried that Al would actually take offense in them speaking anothernguage in his presence.

    Even Yu Zimo struggled sometimes to remember that Al was the one that needed their help and not the other way around.

    Something about Al just made him stand out, made him seem more threatening than an entire underground organizationbined.

    "I''m not." Al answered as he looked back at Ilya.

    Yu Zimo knew better than to not tell Al what had been said. "He told Ilya not to do anything stupid, and Ilya simply said he wasn''t stupid in reply."

    "I wouldn''t be surprised if the great Aldrich Lawrence could understand what we said." Ilya scoffed. "We know a lot of things about you."

    Al raised an eyebrow and stood up.

    "I''m younger than you, I can''t be that skilled." Al simply replied with a shrug.

    "He spoke more about you than he did about himself." Ilya told Al.

    "What did Colin tell you?" Al asked as he looked at Ilya with a fire burning in his eyes.

    "He told us about how spoiled you were, how your family had taken everything from him." Ilya told Al.

    Al couldn''t help butugh as this new information came to light.

    "He lost everything because he sold his family out for power." Al hissed. "His family lived happily without his sister having to be involved in the underworld until he decided that he wanted to be King of the Underworld."

    "He didn''t want to be king!" Ilya shouted in Colin''s defense. "He just wanted to even the ying field! He wanted one of his friends to be King!"

    Al grinned as Ilya slipped and made a mistake.

    ''So Colin isn''t working alone.'' Al thought to himself.

    Ilya froze, shocked by what he had said, and let slip. He didn''t intend to let his emotions get the better of him, but something Al said and had triggered him.

    "Tell me, Mr. Pavlov," Al said as he he slowly got up and leaned forward. "Which of the men who have sworn allegiance to my own father has betrayed him for Colin Jao?"

    Al knew exactly what Ilya would do next, he quickly moved to the side as Ilya spat at him, dodging the disgusting disy of dirserspect towards him and his family.

    "You do understand that whoever Colin has allied himself with has also betrayed him, right?" Al asked as he moved back to his seat and sat down. "Whoever Colin decided to trust had kept vital information from him."

    "What?" Ilya asked, confused by what Al had said.

    "My face is no mystery to those small Lords of our Underworld." Al said as Ilya became more and more confused by his words.

    Al grinned as he enjoyed the confusion on Ilya''s face. This was all part of his n to break the man before him.

    He grew up around his father and uncles who, despite their kind hearts, were skilled when it came to manipting and breaking people.

    "Colin Jao and I have one more connection that he doesn''t know about, or maybe he does now." Al chuckled.

    Ilya still seemed like he hadn''t realized what Al was referring to, telling Al that Colin didn''t trust people enough to tell them about his sister.

    "On my death, or rather fake death, Colin''s sister mourned like a? widow." Al''s eyes burned with an anger. It was different if Colin simply came after him, but Colin''s ns hurt Cara as well and for that Al could never forgive him.

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