Never Judge

"Breaking news on the fatal five, Attorney Katerina Sebastian has just filed multiple cases versus all of them on accounts of labor malpractices as well as insider trading. We go to our reporter on the ground for details." Cedric grinned as he heard the news anchor's voice ringing out in his office. 

A few moments ago, Ian and Camilla came in and switched on the TV. Ram's assistant had called them to say that Katerina had filed the charges and there was going to be a flash report for it. 

"Have all five come begging for our support yet?" Cedric asked as the news continued in the background.

"We're still waiting for one more. It seems they aren't desperate enough to beg yet." Ian reported.

"They should come calling with this new development." Cedric said as he pointed at the TV. 

"Sir will we still push through with the other plans?" Camilla asked.

Cedric thought for a while, would it be too much to truly drive those companies to the ground? 

"Yes, nothing changes. Even if they are all begging tomorrow, keep attacking them, but don't let them go under. Let them suffer." Cedric said with a grin.

"Very well, sir." Camilla said, leaving Ian alone with Cedric.

"I know you'll say this is petty." Cedric sighed.

"No, not really. I understand." Ian said with a laugh. "I've been through a lot too so I know where you are coming from."

"How's Camilla these days? I heard things are getting worse for her family." Cedic asked as he turned his attention to the documents Ian was waiting for him to sign.

"She's soldiering on. I find it odd that she hasn't asked for your help on this." Ian said, giving Cedric his opinion on Camilla's actions.

"You should look at a mirror." Cedric said with a laugh. "Plus a lot of people want that satisfaction of being able to have completed things on their own."

At a famous restaurant, Adrianna sat waiting for her friends Julia, Natasha, and Sofia. They had planned to have lunch together today since they hadn't hung out since Cedric dealt with the Hernandez family and handed Island's Inc. over to her. 

She was munching on some appetizers she ordered when the discussion of the table next to her caught her interest.

"My dad is friends with one of the CEOs of the fatal five companies, he said they are going crazy over there." A woman told her companion.

"But this isn't some grudge is it? I mean if it were, wouldn't the vengeful CEO take the companies down in a day?" Another woman with her asked.

"You've been reading too many novels. The real world doesn't work that way." A man, who seemed to be the first woman's boyfriend, said.

"So they just all happen to be unlucky together?" His girlfriend asked.

"Of course not." The man said with a laugh. "I just said things don't happen that fast, not that they don't happen. They probably offended someone extremely powerful and influential."

"Then what do you think they should do?" The other girl asked.

"Go to someone more powerful. At this rate they should head to the top, see if the Reyes Group can help them. They all have dealings with them anyway." The man said in a confident tone.

"Whoever did this must have been greatly offended. The fatal five must have done something so horrible to receive such vicious treatment." The girlfriend said.

Adrianna wanted to laugh, the fatal five didn't do something shockingly morbid, they just pissed off her incredibly petty husband. 

"Adri! We hope you didn't have to wait long. Traffic was really bad." Julia said as they sat down.

"Oh it's alright." Adrianna said with a smile.

"Have you heard about what's happening? This whole fatal five business? It's all anyone can talk about." Natasha immediately asked.

"Of course she would know Natasha, don't be so daft." Sofia teased.

"Is it true that the only way they will survive is if they go to you know who?" Julia asked in a low voice.

Adrianna grinned. "That's exactly what he wants. For them to go to him." Adrianna laughed as she thought of the idea that everyone was floating around, that the only way for the fatal five to survive was to approach the very man who had organized their downfall.

"He's behind this?" Julia gasped.

"What do you think those five companies all have in common? This is all because of his pettiness." Adrianna said, shaking her head.

"Wait, didn't he apply for all of them?" Natasha suddenly realized. "If I remember correctly you told us that he already had job offers from them. I always wondered why he ended up in a small company like Mor Co. when he got offers from giants like those."

"They all decided to hire children from rich families because the companies needed the connections." Adrianna explained. "On top of that, each one of them were people who Cedric knew. I'm not sure if he was on friendly terms with them or not, but he and countless others lost opportunities like that because they chose to look at the last name over the skills."

"If I didn't know that part I'd say the Reyes Heir was petty." Julia laughed. "Come on, let's eat!" 

A week later.

Cedric was waiting in his office when Ayanna entered followed by multiple lawyers and assistants, all of whom were within the confidential circle that was entrusted with Cedric's identity.

"Do you really need to bring this many people?" Cedric asked as he stood and put on his coat.

"A little show of force never hurt anyone." Ayanna said with a shrug. "Our guests are in Nouveau, according to my sources they came in complaining about how all of their locations have suddenly had an influx of gang members and gang conflicts outside." As Ayanna said this, of course she laughed, it was all Ray's doing after all.

"Are the documents all in order?" Cedric asked their chief legal counsel as he placed on his facemask. 

"Yes sir. Everything is in order." The legal counsel said. "We even sent Attorney Katerina a copy."

"Good. Go on ahead to the meeting. Ayanna and I will follow." Cedric instructed.

When everyone had left Ayanna began to complain. "I wanted to march in there with all of them behind us. It would be so bad ass, like in a movie!" 

"Sending them there first will make the CEOs of the fatal five nervous." Cedric said with a grin. He checked his reflection in the mirror and made sure to fix himself. 

Ayanna rolled her eyes as she saw Cedric practicing his posture in front of the mirror.

"You look intimidating as it is. You don't need to practice that." She scolded her brother. "Is dad even aware of your plans?"

"Of course he is. He's in the next room if you want to ask." Cedric said as he kept looking in the mirror.

"Nevermind. I guess I trust you." Ayanna said.

"If you're bored you can call Ian in, he came in late today." Cedric said with a laugh.

"No, it's fine. I've teased Nicole enough." Ayanna said with a giggle. "She stops replying after a certain time."

"I never thought that sweet innocent girl had it in her." Cedric joked.

"Can we go now?" Ayanna complained.

Cedric looked at his watch. It seemed enough time had passed and their guests should be nervous enough now. "Alright, come on." Cedric said as he walked out. 

When Ian and Camilla noticed the door to their boss' office opening they quickly took their tablets and went to the elevator to open it for him.

When they got to Nouveau's floor it was empty. Cedric had the whole floor emptied out in order to execute his plan. The only occupied table was the one near the window where the CEO's of the fatal five companies were waiting anxiously.

Cedric walked over with so much confidence that it made everyone else uneasy, especially Ayanna, Ian, and Camilla. It was a wonder how Cedric could just switch on his CEO aura whenever it suited him.

When Cedric arrived, everyone stood and tried to greet him. They were all met with a grunt as he passed. Cedric sat with the sun behind him, to their guests it seemed like the Reyes Heir was shining in the sunlight.

"Sir, please we need your backing. We don't know what we did wrong, why are your friends targeting us?" One of the CEO's finally spoke up.

"The documents." Cedric told the chief legal counsel.

An assistant appeared behind each CEO and handed them a copy of the documents.

"From today onwards, the Reyes Group is cancelling all of our contracts and partnerships with you. We are also pulling out any and all investments we have made. On top of that you are all blacklisted." Ayanna said confidently.

The five CEOs were in shock. They had come on the premise of getting help from the most powerful company in the country, instead they got handed their death sentence.

"Why?" Was all one CEO could ask.

Cedric laughed. This made the CEOs all nervous. 

"Simple, you all cancelled your job offers to me because some rich man's child wanted the job." Cedric said as he stood up to leave. "By midnight tonight, all your companies will be gone."

"Sir, all these for one small problem?" A CEO managed to say as Cedric walked away.

"To you it's a small matter, but to others, it's the difference between life and death. That's all you will get." Cedric said as he walked out followed by his sister and two assistants.

The legal counsel and Ayanna's assistants and secretaries together with some bodyguards remained in order to escort the CEOs out of R Tower.