Never Judge

"Ced?" Ayanna asked as she picked up the phone. She was currently seated at the back seat of her car on the way to pick her husband up after a meeting.

"Hey, Ayanna. Have I ever told you how you are the best sister in the world?" Cedric asked in a gentle tone.

"What did you fuck up this time?" Ayanna asked as she rolled her eyes. She knew her brother wouldn't see her but he was being annoying at the moment.

"So I forgot to tell you about a plan I had last night." Cedric said slowly as he tried to break the news as gently and as calmly as possible.

"What plan and how soon does it take effect?" Ayanna asked her brother in a more serious tone, this was business they were talking about after all.

"Well. . ." Cedric began to say as his voice trailed away.

"Miss Ayanna." Her assistant called out from the front seat.

"A moment, it's my brother on the phone." She called out as she lifted a hand signaling her assistant to wait.

"Cedric, just tell me." Ayanna said in an annoyed tone. She knew her brother had messed up big time the moment he hesitated telling her.

"The news should be out that I tried bribing a government official to buy a piece of property." Cedric spoke so quickly that Ayanna was barely able to catch what he said. It was a good thing that she had anticipated him speaking  so fast.

"You did what?!" Ayanna shouted in shock. "Why would you even need to do that? This is a joke right?" She asked her brother.

"Nope. Go on, check." Cedric told her.

"What's the latest news about my brother?" Ayanna quickly asked her assistant.

"That's what I wanted to tell you about Miss Ayanna. Mr. Reyes has just been implicated in an attempt at bribery. An official of the province he is staying at just released a video of them talking about Mr. Reyes paying a bribe for a parcel of land." The assistant quickly told Ayanna. 

"Ced, please tell me this isn't true." Ayanna groaned as she returned her attention back to her all with her brother.

"I didn't bribe the official, they offered to get the property and sell it to me instead for a price." Cedric explained. "Don't worry sister, this is all part of my plan."

"Yeah, while you are plotting there I will need to deal with all the gossip and swarming reporters here at the capital." Ayanna complained. "Why couldn't you have called me in advance? Why do I have to find out after everyone else?" 

"Look, it all happened faster than I anticipated." Cedric tried to explain. "I was supposed to call you last night but I was exhausted. Then this morning we found out something big."

"Care to share?" Ayanna asked her brother. 

"Mien, the lawyer from Singapore, is Fernando Benitez's son." Cedric quickly revealed as he tried his best to divert his sister's attention.

"You're joking right?" Ayanna asked as she suddenly sat up.

"Nope, we just need a DNA test to further prove it." Cedric told his sister.

"Well, that's news." Ayanna said as she tried to wrap her mind around the coincidence.

"Another thing, Fernando had written a letter to his brother and mother right before he died. It confirms that Andrew Chan did survive and that Lucius Ting is not a Chan." Cedric explained to his sister over the phone.

"So what are we waiting for, let's take this information and take it to the elders of the Chan family." Ayanna told her brother.

"It's not that simple." Cedric said with a sigh. "Fernando was supposed to be dead, but somehow he survived for another twenty years. The proof itself is questionable"

"But it should be enough to push the Chans into running a DNA test." Ayanna said as she tried to convince her brother.

"I'll talk to the siblings when I get back, this isn't something for us to decide." Cedric said, giving in to his sister's insistence.

"Good, now on the matter of your latest scandal, how do you want it handled?" Ayanna asked, returning them to the previous topic.

"Ignore them for now." Cedric told his sister.

"People will boycott our products." Ayanna reminded her brother.

"We can survive missing a day of sales. I know what you will say next, what about the employees that depend on sales. Compensate them for the lost sales today, but only after my announcement." Cedric told Ayanna.

"Alright. So we stay silent, do we avoid the public as well?" She asked. 

"They will hound you for answers. I suggest you stay at home or go to the office in a different car tomorrow." Cedric told his sister. "I'm having Ayanna and Nicole kept at home till I get back, I don't want to risk anything happening."

"I guess I could keep them company, is Ray going to join you?" Ayanna asked her brother.

"I haven't spoken to your husband just yet, but Ram, Alexi, and Miguel are." Cedric old his sister.

"Then I'm guessing he will want to tag along too. I'll talk to him when I see him."  Ayanna said with a frown.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Ayanna." Cedric apologized once more.

"No, no, it's fine. I understand. I've just been missing Ray a lot since I spend so much time in the office because of work." She explained. 

"I'll give everyone some time off after this, I promise." Cedric said in a sincere tone. 

"Thanks big brother." Ayanna teased. "I guess I have to start working on your latest scandal now. I'll call you tonight." 

"Stay safe." Cedric told her as he dropped the call.

"Get all the department and company heads to meet with me at home tonight." Ayanna told her assistant. "Also call my housekeeper to prepare the place for a big meeting."

"Yes, Miss Ayanna." Her assistant said as she sprang into action.

With her orders given out and the ball rolling, Ayanna focused her attention to the next matter at hand, speaking to her husband.