Never Judge

It didn't take long for Ayanna's security detail to clear out the crowd to let the car pass. 

"It seems your brother had someone call in advance." Ray said as their car sped through the city.

"More like Leon anticipated what kind of a mess an issue like this would bring." Ayanna said with a smile. "I'm glad dad hired him to be Cedric's head of security rather than stay as my bodyguard."

"It was all you, darling." Ray told Ayanna as he planted a kiss on her head. "So what's Cedric's plan now?"

"He just said that he will do a counter attack tomorrow and punish someone." Ayanna said as she tried to recall her conversation with her brother. "He invited us to come over, saying you might want to be there since Ram, Alexi, and Miguel are probably already on their way."

"What about you?" Ray asked as he gave his wife a concerned look.

"I don't want to leave the capital, plus me leaving would send a bad message." Ayanna said with a frown.

"Don't go to the office tomorrow." Ray said as he gave his wife a concerned look. "I'm worried that if Cedric retaliates, the politicians who tried blackmailing him will come after you and Adrianna."

"They wouldn't dare." Ayanna said, shaking her head. "But I understand your concern, I can work from my brother's home office, I guess. It will be easier to keep an eye on all of us if we were in Mountain View all together."

"Will Yoyo still go to school?" Ray asked as he thought of the little boy.

Ayanna nodded. 

"I don't see why not. People don't know who he is so he is safe. It will only look suspicious if he misses class tomorrow." Ayanna told Ray.

No one spoke for a while as they exited the capital's boundaries. As they saw the mausoleum in the distance Ayanna turned to look at her husband.

"So you'll go with them?" She asked her husband.

"Yes." Ray said with a nod. "I'll take the chopper, I should be in and out quickly. I'm pretty sure your brother has set up some sort of accommodations for us."

"Will you bring men from both sides?" Ayanna asked.

She was referring to the two sides that her husband managed, the legal Lau Co. from which he had multiple bodyguards that were visible, and the underworld that he ruled. His men from the underworld were not the most honest and they rarely followed the law.

It was through them that he could move freely, not needing to follow all the protocols necessary with the legal system.

Since he was the king of the underworld he had protection against those that didn't abide by the law either. His men from that world often lingered in the shadows, unseen. 

"I've sent some ahead already. They will be waiting for me when I get there." He told his wife with a nod. He knew Ayanna was worried about him, whenever the boys all got together for a plot like this it was rarely safe.

Ayanna nodded and didn't say a word as they pulled up in front of the mausoleum.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Ray offered.

"No, I want to talk to my mom privately." Ayanna said as she opened the door and stepped out.

"Take all the time you need, I know you miss her." Ray called out, to which she simply nodded and walked into the grand structure.

The Reyes Family mausoleum was simple, but huge. It was large enough that it could not only house generations of the dead, but even the living could survive quite comfortably inside.

There were four guards that stood watch at all times. Despite this place being the final resting place for the dead, many would still want to defile the graves of members of the Reyes Family.

Some were enemies that they had taken down, others were people who considered the Reyes Family the ultimate symbol of the socio-economic divide, and there were those that were simply thrill seekers that wanted to say I did this to the most powerful family in the country. 

As Ayanna entered, the guards nodded at her and opened the large doors that led to the crypt. 

She walked slowly inside as she looked around at the names of her dead relatives, many had walked the path she walked now. Sisters, brothers, cousins, all of them having gone through the same trials as members of one of the richest families in the country. 

As Ayanna approached one of the simple markers in the mausoleum she felt a stray tear escape as she stood in front of her mother's grave.

It read:

Priscilla Clarin - Reyes

Wife, Mother, Grandmother

She who cared for all

Ayanna smiled at the simple words on her mother's grave. It was true, her mother loved everyone and she couldn't think of a soul that hated her mother.

The former matriarch of the Reyes Family always had a warm and welcoming aura around her. She not only cared for everyone, but she also helped everyone in need.

"Hey mom." Ayanna said as she knelt on the cold marble floor of the mausoleum touching her mother's grave marker. "Guess what, your son is causing havoc out there again." 

Ayanna laughed as she imagined her mother's annoyed look if she heard Cedric was causing a mess again.

As children, Cedric had always been the naughty kid. He was always around any accidents or mishaps at home. He often said it wasn't him but all the maids and his parents knew that Cedric always had something to do with it.

He was the total opposite of his son, Yoyo was very mature for his age, sometimes too mature a fact that bothered Ayanna a lot.

"Mom, I guess you don't know this yet, but Cedric and Adri are expecting twins, don't you think that's amazing?" She asked as she smiled at the memory of how excited Priscilla had been when Cedric announced that Adri was pregnant with Yoyo.

"It would have been awesome if you were around to see them mom." Ayanna said as she gently touched her mom's name.

"Mom, I would have been so happy if you were here to meet my first baby too." Ayanna said as she touched her flat belly as the tears began to fall from her eyes. She missed her mother so much.