Never Judge

Cedric was watching with Adrianna from the top of the grand staircase. He already knew that this would happen, he just didn't think that Jeremy Fan would find Ray that quickly.

"You knew?" Adrianna asked as she tried to read Cedric's expression.

Cedric kept a straight face, not wanting to break his composure. He still had a much bigger battle later on when grandpa Ortiz arrived.

Cedric simply nodded, acknowledging that he knew about Jeremy's involvement. 

"When Sister Emilia came to us, I gave Tony a call." Cedric explained to his wife. "I knew that without his brother and without his right hand man, it  shouldn't have been as hard trying to him. Clearly he had help locally."

"You asked Tony to investigate?" Adrianna asked. 

Cedric nodded.

"Tony soon uncovered the truth about Jeremy and Aiden helping each other." Cedric explained. "We later on found out about the international terrorist organization that Jeremy had assisted in attacking you and mom at the mall."

"I thought they were too good to be ordinary guns for hire." Adrianna said as she thought back to the attack.

Cedric nodded as they continued to watch the scene downstairs unfold. 

Soon enough, Jeremy Fan was panicking, he didn't know he had walked into a trap. Everyone who wanted to be his friend or was his friend now averted their eyes from him.

Suddenly Cedric spotted an old man enter the ballroom. Cedric grinned and nudged his wife, Grandpa Ortiz had arrived.

"I didn't, you are lying!" Cedric heard Jeremy Fan deny Tony's accusations, despite the fact that Tony had told everyone that he had proof.

Cedric watched as the old man inched closer to the crowd, listening in on the conversation. He clearly knew Jeremy.

"Jeremy Fan, you are just as guilty as Aiden Ortiz and you deserve to suffer the same fate as he did!" Tony said in a loud voice. 

Cedric smiled, he was sure the old man would not be able to hold his tongue any longer.

"How dare you accuse my grandson, Aiden, of any crime!" Grandpa Ortiz said in a loud voice, as the crowd parted, allowing him to walk over to Tony.

"You have no proof that my grandson was involved in any of this!" Grandpa Ortiz said, quick to defend his grandson, whom he had no idea was now dead.

"Let's go." Cedric told Adrianna as he held her hand and led her down the stairs.

"I have proof." Cedric said as he walked down the grand staircase. The couple, looking extremely elegant and intimidating.

"You!" Grandpa Ortiz said as he glared at Cedric. The old man walked forward till he was at the foot of the stairs.

Cedric intentionally stopped at least two steps above the floor, making sure that he looked down at the old man.

"You killed my grandson!" Grandpa Ortiz accused.

People began to whisper, they thought that the old man was referring to Aiden, not everyone had been aware that Aiden and Benedict were in fact brothers.

Benedict had always been quiet, following Aiden around everywhere. Naturally people thought that Benedict was a servant companion for Aiden, someone his age to play with.

"Not Aiden!" Grandpa Ortiz shouted at the crowd, earning him curious looks.

Cedric couldn't help but feel bad, the old man was right, he had killed one of his grandsons, but not the one he thought.

The guests began to whisper, wondering if the old man was telling the truth or if he had become delusional in his old age.

"Aiden had a brother." The old man began to explain. "That's right, the younger boy that followed Aiden around everywhere he went was his younger brother."

The guests were shocked at the revelation. As far as they had been aware, Benedict had never acted like some rich man's son. 

"The Reyes family is not as clean as they claim to be!" Grandpa Ortiz accused as he pointed a finger at Cedric, whose expression remained cold and neutral.

"Honey, why don't you go over to your parents while I fix this mess." Cedric told Adrianna lovingly as he planted a kiss on her lips.

Cedric finally released Adrianna's hand, letting her walk over gracefully to Gracia and Charles who had come over to join Emilio Reyes.

"What are you accusing us of?" Cedric asked the old man with a raised eyebrow.

"You and your men killed Benedict and took his body!" The old man shouted in a clear voice. Everyone in the room began to gossip as soon as they heard his accusation. "You didn't even return it to us!"

"Aiden attacked me and my family during my mother's funeral." Cedric said in a cold tone. "He attacked after he had my mother murdered and after he attempted to kidnap my son!" 

"He was only taking revenge for his sister and his parents!" Grandpa Ortiz shouted.

"Then the Lobo family should have a right to take revenge as well." Cedric said as he took out a gun and walked over to Amanda. 

Everyone was shocked with Cedric's actions, Adrianna included.

"Aiden Ortiz was behind the murder of Jam Lobo, he didn't kill Jam because of his association with me or my family, he had no idea." Cedric announced to the crowd. "Aiden Ortiz had Jam murdered as a way of getting closer to the Lobo family."

People began to whisper, wondering how it was possible. They all knew at one point Aiden had been engaged to Amanda, so why kill Jam.

"He thought that if he could get close enough to Adrianna, she could introduce him to my sister, Ayanna, and thus begin his plot for revenge." Cedric said in a clear voice. "If I follow your logic, old man. Then Amanda, can shoot a bullet right through that empty skull of yours."

Cedric placed the gun in Amanda's hand and raised it, pointing it directly at the old man.

"Your choice Amanda." Cedric said as he let go of Amanda's hand.

Everyone's eyes were on the young woman.

"Don't do this Amanda. You were going to be my granddaughter-in-law at one point." The old man said, attempting to intimidate her.

"Your grandson killed my brother!" Amanda shouted, shocking the guests. Amanda had always been a modest and timid woman.

"Amanda, what is your choice?" Cedric asked as he watched her.

Amanda glared at the old man that stood in front of her, Cedric could see how much she wanted to pull the trigger and kill him.

He and Aiden had caused so much pain and suffering to the Lobo family, killing him would not even make people frown at them.

People would understand that justice had been served.

"I'm not like them." Amanda said, dropping her arms to her side. "I am not like the old man and his grandson."

Cedric grinned as he took the gun from Amanda. 

"I knew you were better than them." Cedric said patting her on the shoulder.

Cedric looked at the old man who had clearly been afraid that Amanda would pull the trigger. Death often led people to do things they normally wouldn't.

"There is one more surprise I have for you old man." Cedric said with a grin as he looked to the doors of the library and nodded.