Never Judge

"Actually, we have something quite interesting." Camilla said with a grin as she gave her brother a nudge.

"I think he might be trusting us a little bit more." Benedict said with a sly smile. "He's asked us over to discuss some of his future plans. Something about picking Camilla's mind since she's worked for you."

"And he thinks you will easily betray me?" Cedric asked the siblings.

"We told him that you killed our brother, that's why we hate you." Camilla said with a shrug. "I mean that sounds like reason enough to hate a person and betray them."

"A brother you barely knew, someone who was out to get you as well." Cedric reminded Camilla. "I wouldn't think he would trust you so quickly." 

"What else do you want us to do Cedric?" Camilla asked. "I can't think of anything that would make him trust us any more."

"I just think that he could still find all of this suspicious." Cedric said with a shrug. "I mean everything from the timing to your avoidance of me, it could all be chalked up to a plan."

"A plan like what we are doing exactly?" Camilla asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I just think Lucius is smarter than we think." Cedric said as he scratched his chin. "He doesn't seem like someone that acts on impulse, I feel like he is meticulous."

"Why not have Camilla betray you?" Ayanna asked her brother. "I mean like a real betrayal, one that will really hurt Mor Co.?"

"It would be too obvious that it came from me." Camilla said, shaking her head. 

"There has to be a project that isn't as confidential but will still hurt Mor Co. significantly." Ayanna explained. "One that if it got leaked or if something happened it couldn't be traced directly to you."

"I have one in mind." Ian said, lifting his head. 

"What?" Camilla asked. "All of Mor Co.'s latest projects have been discussed under the highest confidentiality, very few people outside this room know about it."

"I'm not talking about something new Camilla." Ian said, shaking his head. "I'm talking about something old and incredibly valuable."

"The industrial park." Cedric suddenly said when he realized what Ian was talking about. "It's been attacked before so everyone knows how valuable it is to us. It's not exactly our most secure investment so if someone were to do something to ruin it, it would affect Mor Co. greatly."

"But how?" Camilla asked.

"You know every weakness of that place, think which is the easiest to disrupt." Cedric told his former assistant.

"The land it's on?" Benedict asked.

"No, all the documents to that place were well taken care of, we didn't cut any corners. Alexi didn't even need to help us with that." Cedric said, shaking his head. 

"The community around it?" Dave asked. 

"Not that either, they benefit way too much from the industrial compound being there. It closing down would affect them the most." Cedric explained.

"Wait, if you plan on disrupting the industrial complex, what about the people that depend on that place for their income." Ian asked. "And what about the community surrounding it?"

"We'll give them jobs and compensate them. As for the community, we will put something to replace the compound temporarily." Cedric explained.

"So you aren't closing the place down for good?" Ayanna asked her brother.

"No, I couldn't." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I worked too hard for that place and it brings good things to people, I could never do that."

"The workers." Camilla suddenly said over the call.

Cedric smiled and nodded, he knew that it would be Camilla to realize what they could easily disrupt.

"What about them?" Ian asked, scratching his head. "They are as loyal to the Reyes Group as me and you. They would never go against Cedric."

"Well, not if everything that matters to them is threatened and Cedric just lets it be." Camilla said with a shrug.

"And how is that?" Ian asked.

"The area where the residences are placed, behind it is a mountain perfect for mining." Camilla explained with a grin.

"We could hurt people." Mae said with a look of worry on her face.

"Mae, it's as if you don't know the Reyes Group, we would never do that." Ayanna said with a sad smile.

"We can just make it out to be a front. It doesn't have to be a full scale mining operation." Cedric explained.

"You already thought about this." Camilla suddenly said as her eyes snapped to Cedric.

"A little." Cedric said with a shrug. "I had an idea forming while you were trying to guess our vulnerability." 

"Why do you even need us here?" Ian grumbled. 

"No one is perfect, no one can do it alone. I don't even think this plan will work." Cedric told Ian as he shook his head and sighed. "It's all good as an idea, but when we actually execute it, things could go wrong."

"Then we need something bigger." Ayanna said as she stood up and walked to stand by Cedric's floor length window. "Something that we are willing to risk to really push Lucius into trusting Camilla and Benedict."

"My reputation." Cedric suddenly said in a grim tone.

"What are you talking about?" Ayanna asked as she quickly turned to face Cedric. "Your reputation is very important to this company, our value rises and falls with your name."

"The Reyes Group can take a hit for a few months, heck we can take a few years." Cedric told his sister as he stood up and walked over to her. "What Lucius is planning will not hurt us for just a few years, he wants to get rid of us, and if we take a hit for a few months, then that's fine."

"What are you even planning, Cedric?" Ayanna asked her brother.

"It isn't something that can't be repaired." Cedric said with a shrug.

"No, don't you dare do that." Ayanna warned, realizing what her brother was planning. 

"Ayanna, my name can always be cleared." Cedric argued back. 

"People will think we paid the judges or that Alexi or Uncle Jose pulled some strings, do that and your reputation will never bounce back." Ayanna told her brother, practically shouting at him.

"There will be enough proof to clear my name." Cedric told his sister.

"And what will you do if they demand more, if it impacts us for more than just a few years, what then?" Ayanna asked her brother.

"Then I will step down and you can lead the company." Cedric said with a shrug.

"That is not how we do things and we both know I am nothing compared to you." Ayanna told her brother. "Ced, why? Why do we have to do something this risky?" 

"For the future, for my children, for your children, for our friends." Cedric explained. "Lucius Ting is dangerous, my gut tells me he is a difficult man to go against."

"Wait, what is the boss planning?" Dave asked.

"My brother is stupidly planning to let everyone know that he killed Aiden Ortiz, his good friend's older brother." Ayanna said as she kept her eyes on her brother, angry at his decision.