Never Judge

Cedric walked up Aiden and his men as confidently as he could. He was definitely nervous and worried, at any moment Aiden could have him killed with him out in the open like this.

"Relax Cedric, I won't kill you." Aiden said, as if reading Cedric's mind. "I actually like you, and I think we could end things at a mutual benefit." Aiden said as he approached.

"Tell me what you meant earlier." Cedric demanded as he struggled to keep a blank expression.

"What's the rush Cedric?" Aiden asked as he glared at Cedric. "Your men aren't here yet."

"So you knew all along?" Cedric asked with a smirk.

"Of course I knew you were delaying." Aiden laughed. "You need the time for your men to arrive, I still outnumber you." 

"So why won't you answer my question?" Cedric asked. "What do you mean my uncles didn't know?"

"Because the brat faked her kidnapping." Aiden said angrily. "My mom and dad helped her. She was crying on the side of the street and they picked her up."

"That doesn't mean they didn't hold her for ransom." Cedric quickly said. He soon regretted opening his mouth as Aiden pointed a gun at him.

"You dare claim that my parents were bad people?" Aiden asked. "Your judgement has been too heavily influenced by those old fats!"

"Prove that they were innocent." Cedric said bravely.

"Did your elders show you any proof that Katerina was held for ransom?" Adrian asked with a grin. 

"No, but I believe them." Cedric said.

"You are a fool to believe their words." Aiden scoffed. "If they told you to jump out of a building, will you blindly do so?"

"Of course not, and they would never ask me to do that." Cedric responded in an angry tone. "This isn't the first time they have lied to you either. They lied about Ram's parentage, they lied about your mom's illness."

"How did you know about my mom?" Cedric asked in shock. He was surprised Aiden knew something he had just recently learned. 

"Cedric, I know more than you." Aiden said with a laugh. "And that's not all they lied about, I suggest you look into Miguel Chan's surviving child."

"Uncle Miguel?" Cedric asked, he was sure his friend didn't have a child so he thought of his friend's uncle instead whom the miracle doctor was named after. "You know about his child?"

"I know someone left a message about the missing child, that the child is alive and well." Aiden said with a grin. "You see Cedric, they have done nothing but lie to you."

"You can't fool me Aiden, I know you are trying to trick me." Cedric hissed.

"Cedric, Cedric, Cedric, you are too trusting of them." Aiden said as he shook his head. "The fact of the matter is, Katerina Sebastian ran from home. Her father overreacted and dragged the Laurences along. There were no kidnapping demands sent, but they simply assumed that Katerina was taken for money."

"Then how would you explain them finding out where Katerina was?" Cedric felt like the story didn't add up.

"My parents called them to say where Katerina could be found, it was that simple." Aiden frowned as he said this. "Their goodwill was misinterpreted!" He added angrily.

"Then why did they leave?" Cedric asked. "Why didn't they wait for uncle Jose and uncle Benedicto to arrive?" 

"My father owed someone money, they hired the Laurences gang to get my dad to pay up. Of course my dad would avoid them." Aiden explained in a calm tone that somewhat worried Cedric.

"I still don't believe you." Cedric said, shaking his head. 

"You are so daft Cedric!" Aiden said with a sigh. 

"They have no reason to lie to me." Cedric insisted again. 

"Suit yourself -" As Aiden spoke a gunshot ran in the air and Cedric saw a spark as the bullet seemed to hit something behind Aiden.

"Ah, my cue to leave." Aiden said as his men raised their guns and pointed it at Cedric. "How stupid are you people?" Aiden asked.

"I hope you got your girlfriend." Cedric grinned. He knew that Aiden would assume that Jen was at the Reyes Mansion so he had her moved to a safehouse at the other end of the city.

"I knew she wasn't at the Reyes Mansion, Cedric." Aiden said with a smile. "I'm no fool." 

Cedric glared as he waited for Aiden to reveal if he had figured out where Cedric had moved Jen.

"I needed you to move your people so I could get to her." Aiden said with a smile. "Plus points to you for thinking outside of the box, she wasn't at my first few guesses, but my last one paid off. I hope you enjoy burying the bodies I left."

"You maniac." Cedric said angrily, he knew what Aiden meant, his men probably killed everyone in each location, or at least all of the guards.

"You are weak." Aiden said with a laugh. "You attach yourself to every single person that works for you when they should be laying down their lives for you! At least your uncles and your father had the guts to kill."

"Caring is not a weakness." Cedric said angrily. "Even you have someone you care about." As he said this Cedric smiled knowing he had hit a nerve.

To Cedric's surprise Aiden simply laughed at him as if he was a crazy man.

"That bitch?" Aiden asked with a grin. "I just needed to tie some loose ends. I couldn't have her talking to you any further." 

Cedric was stunned at Aiden's words, he thought Aiden would at least save Jen even if he didn't care about her. But if Aiden meant what Cedric was thinking then it seemed like the man before him had no heart.

"That's right." Aiden said with a devilish grin. "That whore Selina knows her family right?" Aiden asked Cedric.

Cedric was too shocked to respond.

"Give her body to her parents, I'm sure they will not be happy to hear that you tortured and killed their child." Aiden said with a laugh.

"You're a monster." Cedric said angrily. He did not like Jen but he didn't feel like she deserved to die at her lover's hands.

"No Cedric. You are just weak." Aiden said with a grin as he boarded his helicopter. "I won't kill you yet Cedric Reyes. We have a lot to catch up on when we meet again."