"What are you doing here?" A disgusted tone suddenly said from behind Cedric.
Behind Cedric stood Carlo Juan, one of his bullies from University. The man hadn't changed from their university days. He was still as good looking and fit as he used to be, and his attitude was just as rotten. He continued to glare at Cedric as he observed their group.
?
Carlo was known for being a womanizer, it was no secret that he had married as per his family's arrangement and he wasn't happy with his wife. So as a result he had a mistress or two on the side, even with his mistresses it didn't stop him from sleeping with other women either. At the moment he had a young aspiring model clinging onto his arm, her clothes left very little to the imagination. The girl looked like she was barely out of high school and still a University student, she was probably a new employee or a young actress or model looking for a patron.
"Isn't this a public venue?" Cedric asked as he eyed his former bully.
"Pests like you shouldn't be allowed here. Who even let you in?" Carlo asked.
"Be careful of what you say." Cedric threatened.
"Or what? You're just the assistant to the Reyes Heir. From what I hear you got that role by peddling Adrianna. Is her child even yours?" Carlo asked as he shoved Cedric backward making Cedric lose his balance and almost fall over.
Luckily, Ian was behind Cedric at the time and caught him. Ian glared at Carlo, if people didn't put too much value on Cedric, everyone knew that Ian was the new CEO's most trusted employee. Ian could open or shut doors for people, add to that the fact that he was born into an old influential family, people did not easily cross him. Despite Ian's presence Carlo ignored him and continued to belittle Cedric.
"I never knew that Adrianna was such as whore." Carlo chuckled. "Had I known I would have slept with her back in university. Who knew that the once proud Arianna Hernandez would sleep with a man just for money and power."
Cedric noticed Ian take a step forward, Adrianna had become a close friend to him as well and he couldn't stand someone insulting Adrianna either. Cedric also spotted Leon in the crowd reacting to the incident, he didn't want his identity getting revealed just because someone like Carlo Juan insulted his wife.
"Calm down." Cedric instructed. Ian could do nothing but follow. Seeing Cedric and Ian calm down, Leon stood down and blended back into the crowd.
"Ha, so weak." Carlo said as he passed by Cedric, pushing him again.This time Cedric was ready for it, taking Carlo by surprise. This time it was Carlo that lost his balance and fell on his bottom.
The woman with him panicked and tried to help him up.
"Don't f--king touch me." Carlo cursed at the woman as he stood up. It was already embarrassing that as he shoved Cedric it was he instead that fell, but this woman was making it worse by trying to help him stand, making it seem like he was too weak to get up on his own.
Carlo's reaction suddenly changed when he noticed a group of very important people approaching.
He fixed himself and ran over to introduce himself to Ram and Ray. Carlo Juan ignored the women with them as he believed that only the men had a say in business. Despite all of Ayanna's contributions people like Carlo still thought that Ayanna was simply a figure head and that she didn't do anything in the company at all.
"Mr. Abad, Mr. Laurence, it's an honor to meet you!" Carlo said as he walked over, raising his hand to shake thiers. In the past he was afraid to approach Ray and Alexi due to what they had done to him and his friends, but since there was now a mutual benefit he didn't think that Ray would treat him badly.
However, the group did not stop and continued to walk, ignoring Carlo Juan. As the group passed him Carlo was red with embarrassment, but he decided not to stop there.
"Mr. Abad, Mr. Laurence, my family does business with your friend, Mr. Reyes." Carlo called out as he chased after the group.
Ray suddenly stopped making everyone look at his direction. Cedric eyed him suspiciously as he looked at Carlo Juan.
"You dare use my brother-in-law and ignore my wife?" Ray said angrily, everyone knew that Raymund Laurence was extremely protective of his wife.
"Sir, I didn't mean to ignore her. I just meant that we have a common interest." Carlo said as he tried to save himself, he realized that he had made a misstep.
"Then why not say your family does business with my wife? Do you think she is incapable of doing business?" Ray asked as he glared at the man, he had beaten up Carlo and his friends back in university and he was not afraid to do it again.
"Just apologize." The woman beside him said as she tried to avoid conflict.
"Do you even do anything in your so-called family business? This woman next to you isn't even your wife." Ray said, belittling the man.
"Ray, stop wasting our time." Ayanna called out.
"You're lucky my wife is here." Ray said as he turned and left.
Carlo was so worried about what had happened he quickly rushed to his seat, almost leaving his mistress behind. He was afraid he had offended the Reyes family through Ray, so he called his father to inform him about what had happened.
At the other end of the hall, Cedric was chatting happily with his companions when his phone began to ring, it was Paolo Juan, Carlo Juan's illegitimate brother.
"Yes Paolo?" Cedric asked as he answered the phone.
"Sir, my brother just called. It seems that he had a run in with your brother-in-law just now." Paolo explained.
"Don't worry." Cedric said with a sigh. "I can't blame you for your brother's actions." Cedric said right before dropping the call.
"I want to move up with the plans." Cedric told Ian.
"Which one?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow.
"The bullies." Cedric simply said.
Ian nodded in reply and made a few calls.
"Stop making him work." Nicole hissed.
Cedric knew that Nicole's comment was directed at him. In the past, Ian's workaholic nature and even her own had become a point of contention between the couple.
"Calm down Nicole. In a few months he won't be working for me." Cedric sighed.
Mae and Dave, were quite surprised. They were having a hard time getting used to Cedric speaking so casually to the likes of Nicole Chan. Even if he was speaking to Nicole as the CEO of the Reyes Group, they wouldn't have thought that he would talk so casually to the Vice President of Saints Hospital.
"Could the two of you stop bickering." Ayanna complained."The show's about to start." Ayanna pointed out as the lights had begun to dim.
The show was ready to start over thirty minutes ago, but they were waiting for Eric and his guests to arrive. The organizers were surprised to see two of the five princes as well as some of the sisters in attendance with Eric.
They had initially sent out an invite to Ayanna, but they had gotten no response from her end.
"I've arranged for it." Ian told Cedric with a nod.
At the same time the fashion show began.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel