Never Judge

Cedric already expected for the members of the press to try to catch him off guard. They would throw questions at him that they assumed would trigger a response, he was, after all, only human.

But that was their mistake. They had gotten so used to interviewing hot-tempered young men that they forgot that the Reyes Family had trained all of their children to properly face the press.

The only time anyone got anything from the Reyes Family was when they wanted the press to find out. Or in Cedric's case, when things were truly beyond his control.

Even news of the attack on Mountain View had not made the news. The government had sealed it up nicely since it still involved the President's family seeing as Alexi and Katerina both had homes in that community and Natalia was with Adrianna and Ayanna that day.

Cedric could hear as the reporters called out, asking him questions. Some made sense while others were complete works of fiction.

"Mr. Reyes, there have been accusations that you set this whole thing up to embarrass the Baron family, any comment?"

"Mr. Reyes, how does it feel to have the people who accused you of trying to bribe them sent to jail?"

"Mr. Reyes, is it true that they threatened to harm your family?"

"Mr. Reyes, a comment please."

"Mr. Reyes!" 

"Mr. Reyes!" 

Cedric chose to tune out all of their voices and questions as his bodyguards blocked the reporters from view. He would leave the PR department of the Reyes Group to hold a separate press conference for him.

He had also prepared a statement that would be released as soon as he left the courthouse.

As Cedric and his group reached the top steps of the court house, he noticed that Ian had stayed behind and was now addressing the crowd.

"I know you are all curious and want to hear a statement from the CEO of the Reyes Group. Please understand that this matter was also a professional one." Ian said as the reporters quieted down to listen.

"Sir, we need to get you inside." A bodyguard said as he tried to urge Cedric to enter the building.

"We won't leave Ian." Cedric said as he hid slightly from view among the shadows.

"We cannot tell you what the outcome of today's hearing will be, but, we do believe in the justice system and that the proper verdict and equivalent sentence will be rolled out." Ian told the reporters as Cedric could hear the clicking of cameras and light whispers among them.

"Later today, after the court brings down it's sentence, the Reyes Group will release a statement and hold its own press conference." Ian informed them. "I hope you will respect our boss' privacy in this matter."

With that Ian turned and followed to where Cedric and the other men waited.

"You should have gone in." Ian told Cedric as he looked around, making sure that there was no possible threat.

"Do you always do that when I go ahead?" Cedric asked. He hadn't fully seen his assistants at work. Even if he understood what they did since he had been one as well, it was quite different being an active CEOs assistant.

"It's part of the job, if we don't do that they will constantly hound us for answers." Ian told Cedric as they walked into the courthouse. "Once they somehow got my personal number, I swear it was ringing all the time, they didn't care if I was asleep or if I had already given them answers, they just kept calling and messaging." 

"Oh I remember when you had to change your number, that was the reason?" Cedric asked.

"Yeah. I think someone played a prank on me." Ian grumbled.

"Aka Nicole." Cedric teased. 

"We should get going." Ian said, shaking his head as they passed through a set of metal detectors. 

"Cedric! Ian!" Katerina called out from the other end of the hall as she waved at them.

Cedric nodded as they briskly walked towards her.

She gave them a relieved smile as she handed one of her associates a document.

"Are uncle Jose and Alexi here yet?" Cedric asked as he looked around.

"No, of course not." Katerina said with a grin. "They will be the last to arrive as always."

"I'm assuming everything is in order?" Cedric asked.

"You just need to sit there, look like the intimidating CEO that you are not. Then walk out of the courthouse." Katerina teased him.

"I can be scary if I want to be." Cedric argued as he rolled his eyes. 

"Not to someone who has seen you in those duck pajamas." Katerina said with a laugh.

"Whatever, we'll go in ahead, see you in a bit." Cedric told Katerina as he led his people inside the courtroom.

Inside, Cedric noticed how there were a lot of people, businessmen and politicians, people that were eager to hear the sentence.

Some he knew had been personally attacked by the Barons as well, so in a way this was justice for them too.

Cedric had managed to convince the other boys not to come along. Having them all in one place for this hearing would be a disaster waiting to happen.

"This way." Ian said as he led Cedric to the front row of seats that had been reserved for them.

His bodyguards quickly dispersed throughout the room, taking up defensive positions, making sure that there was no blind spot.

Just as Cedric took his seat, the doors to the court room opened again, this time Katerina entered followed by her father and brother.

People tried to come up to them to make small talk and hopefully be remembered by the President or his son. Unfortunately for them Jose Sebastian didn't want the proceedings to be delayed. 

They were quickly told that the President needed this hearing done as quickly as possible and that he would not be entertaining anyone.

"Uncle, Alexi." Cedric greeted with a smile as both men sat on the same row as him.

"Hey Cedric." Alexi said with a smile as his uncle nodded at him.

"Let's get this hearing over." Katerina told them with a grin as she walked over to her seat.

With everyone in their proper places several military personnel entered with the Baron family members in chains.

Despite the fancy clothes on their shoulders, everyone could see that they had been through hell in the past day.

Their skin was pale and their eyes blank, lost to the dread that they would soon suffer.

Most were aware that they had sealed their fate the moment they went against the Reyeses and the Sebastians, and that the worst days of their lives were just about to begin.

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