Never Judge

"Are you telling me that you, one of the largest land owning families in our province want to just give away your wealth?" Ivan Lobo asked with a shocked expression. 

"Yes, as compensation." Clemente Ortiz said, nodding at Ivan Lobo.

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"You can never put a value on a life." Ivan Lobo said, shaking his head. "If you think properties will make up for what your grandson did, then you are mistaken."

"Don\'t you want the properties?" Clemente Ortiz asked. "Just months ago you were trying to convince me to sell them to you."

"That is different." Ivan Lobo said, shaking his head.

"These properties will go into waste if you don\'t take them." Clemente Ortiz argued back.

"How so?" Emilio Reyes asked, joining into the conversation.

"My grandchildren have given me an option. Either stay here, or start a new life with them in the capital." Clemente Ortiz explained. "I have chosen to go with them, I am an old man and they are the only family I have left."

"So have someone oversee those properties." Ivan Lobo said with a shrug. "I just won\'t take them as payment for my son\'s life."

"The deal was for me to forget everything here. To drop the past and simply move on, and that is something I intend to do." Clemente Ortiz said with a stubborn look in his eyes.

"I have a suggestion." Tony Tamano said, joining in as well.

He had been listening the whole time and he felt that it was not in his place to speak. But as someone who had a lot invested in the province, he felt that he needed to intervene in the matter.

"What?" Emilio Reyes asked, curious as to what this man would say. 

Cedric praised Tony quite highly, something that shocked Emilio. It took a lot to impress his son, and it was even harder for Tony since at one point he and Cedric were love rivals, not that Tony had any chance at all.

"I don\'t think it\'s proper for the Ortiz family to completely give up their stake in the province." Tony said, earning him a curious look from Camilla and Benedict.

"I understand your need and desire to move on from everything that has happened, we all want that. But this province needs the Ortiz family, you are part of our heritage." Tony explained.

"The Ortiz family would have died out a generation ago. The only reason I carry my mother\'s maiden name was to hide my identity, there is no use for that now." Benedict said with a shrug.

"And yet, here you are. You and Camilla." Tony said with a shrug. "I know you don\'t trust people easily, but I\'m sure you trust the Reyeses."

"We do, but what do they have to do with grandpa\'s properties?" Camilla asked. She never considered the Ortiz family properties to be hers. She was technically an outsider.

"Our properties." Her grandfather corrected, shaking his head.

"Cedric and I have been working on a project here." Tony said with a shrug. "It\'s supposed to be a surprise for Adrianna, but we haven\'t found the right property to place it at. We thought of your properties but at the time we were still at odds with you."

"What kind of a project is it?" Benedict asked. "If we will be investing our properties in it, we should at least know what you will do with it."

"Don\'t ask anymore Benedict." His grandfather scolded. "It doesn\'t matter, as long as the Reyeses will manage it, it will do well."

"You have too much confidence in us." Emilio Reyes said with a laugh. "We have had our fair share of bad investments."

"I know what this project is." Camilla said with a knowing smile. "It\'s worth it brother." 

"Then it\'s settled?" Tony asked Clemente Ortiz.

The old man looked up at his grandchildren, he was clearly unsure as to what his answer should be.

"Don\'t worry, grandpa." Camilla said with a sweet smile. "You can take this deal and we will accept it. Tony makes a fair point, this province might need it\'s heritage too."

"We won\'t get mad if you accept it grandpa." Benedict added. "The Reyeses are trustworthy, and if my sister says this is a good deal, then let\'s go for it."

"My grandchildren are now my everything, honestly they have been for quite some time." Clemente Ortiz said. "I just went wrong when it came to Adien."

"Grandpa, those were Aiden\'s choices, not yours." Camilla said. "You never told him to kill, you never told him to seek vengeance. You are allowed to feel grandpa. You are allowed to hurt. The only one at fault was Aiden."

Clement Ortiz nodded and smiled at Camilla.

"I\'ll take the deal. When do we draw up the paperwork?" Clemente Ortiz asked.

"When my lazy son wakes up." Emilio Reyes teased. 

"Cedric isn\'t here?" A voice asked, coming from the stairs. 

It was Adrianna. She was already dressed and several maids were already following her with her luggage.

"Adrianna, we aren\'t leaving till after lunch." Ayanna said, giving her sister in law a confused look. "And what do you mean my brother isn\'t here? He hasn\'t come down yet today."

"That\'s not possible." Adrianna said as she walked up to them. "When I woke up he wasn\'t in bed anymore and his bags were already packed."

"Maybe he went out early to visit Alexi?" Camilla asked. 

"Yeah, maybe. I\'ll give Ray a call." Ayanna suggested as she took out her phone and dialed her husband\'s number. "He left a bit earlier too, he said he was going to go with Miguel to check up on Alexi."

"Darling." Ayanna suddenly said as Ray picked up the phone. "Is Cedric there with you?"

"Oh, well he isn\'t here." Ayanna told Ray. It seemed like Cedric wasn\'t at the hospital either. "Do you think he could be with Ian?"

"Well, Adrianna said he was gone when she woke up and his bags were packed." Ayanna explained.

"No nothing happened -" Ayanna suddenly stopped speaking as a look of horror crossed her face.

"No, it\'s not possible. My brother wouldn\'t leave just because of that." Ayanna told her husband over the phone. "Help us find him, please."