Never Judge

William Trent was a man that Ian was very familiar with.

His father was a good friend of Ian's grandfather and Uncle William was his father's best friend. When Ian saw his Uncle William in the room when he arrived, he was actually surprised.

The man was known for avoiding all forms of social gatherings, politics, and any confrontation or argument. The only person he was clearly comfortable around were the Lims.

He was the eldest son of his family, and yet he wasn't at the helm of it. Rather, it was his younger brother, Edward Trent, that was managing the family business.

"You really are your grandfather's grandchild." William Trent kept a straight face, refusing to allow Ian a glimpse of his emotions and thoughts.

"Thank you for the praise, Uncle." Ian grinned. He wanted to show the Rajas that he was confident, and if needed, over confident. He wanted them to underestimate him, something he found would be a challenge with the Ortegas and his Uncle William in the picture.

"You can't be impressed with him, Mr. Trent!" Bernard Juan shouted in disbelief.

The way he addressed William Trent confirmed Ian's suspicions, he was indeed the leader of the Rajas.

William Trent shook his head and sighed.

He immediately knew that Bernard Juan had exposed the fact that he was their leader. He was also smart enough to know that Ian had picked up on the subtle clue that Bernard Juan had just dropped.

"You're an idiot." William Trent said as he crossed his arms on his chest, closed his eyes, and leaned back on his seat.

It took a while for Bernard Juan to realize his mistake. When it did dawn upon him, he turned pale in fear of the repercussions of what was to come.

"Everyone out. I think I need to speak to this boy alone." William Trent said as he dismissed the other leaders of the Rajas.

As everyone stood up, Ian carried a confused look on his face, making Jasmine Ortega stop in her tracks and observe him.

"Is something wrong, Ian?" Jasmine asked in the sweetest tone she could muster, a tone that made Ian want to laugh.

"Were you really convinced by just that?" Ian asked in an innocent tone.

He was genuinely surprised that his Uncle William had already sent everyone out of the room. He was expecting more of a challenge than this.

"I know how capable you are, boy." William Trent said as he laughed at Ian's stunned expression.

"Thank you for the praise, Uncle William, but I think some of your co-leaders among the Rajas still doubt my ability." Ian looked at two men whom he did not know and at Bernard Juan who was still scowling at him.

"Showing them your ability will only do more bad than good for the Rajas, let them go Ian." William Trent said in a stern tone, making Ian sigh and shake his head as he relaxed on his seat.

"Leave us." William Trent ordered everyone once more, this time no one stopped.

They all quickly left him and Ian alone to speak.

"Your grandfather clearly saw something in you that he did not see in your father." William Trent praised as he lifted a glass of wine to his lips and took a sip. "Not that your father isn't smart, he just isn't hmmm. . . I'm not sure what to call it."

"My father is too kind." Ian said, completing the statement for his Uncle William.

"Ah, there it is! Kindness is the true weakness in a person." William said as he shook his head. "He would have led the Rajas well, if he weren't too kind."

"So you knew?" Ian asked as he waited for the older man to respond.

"I knew that your grandfather was a crucial member of the Rajas, yes. I knew that he wanted his grandson to take his place, yes." William said with a nod as he shallowly answered Ian's questions.

"Then why didn't you tell me anything? You were always around the house except for those few years that you had to leave. Why did you remain silent?" Ian questioned, nagging him like a child that had lost his favorite toy and was looking for an explanation.

"I left because the Sebastians were coming close to discovering who I was." William said as his expression grew frigid. "I had to leave to cover my tracks, when I finally returned your grandfather was gone and your family had fallen."

"And I was working for the Reyeses." Ian added as he realized the timing of William Trent's return to the country.

"I had been so devastated when your grandfather was sick, but he gave his orders. The Rajas must be protected at all costs. So I stayed away until the scent of my involvement was gone." William explained to Ian. "I had been itching to tell you of your heritage, but when I returned you were already in their clutches."

"You thought I was on their side? After knowing me since I was a child you thought I would choose the Reyeses and their friends over my birthright? Over all the atrocities against our group? Do you think so little of me, Uncle William?" Ian asked as he glared at his uncle, daring him to answer.

"You had been raised by your father, I didn't know what kind of man you would turn out to be, so I waited." William calmly explained.

"My father did not raise me." Ian curtly replied, making William observe him closely. "If anyone raised me, it was my grandfather. The Reyeses are merely a stepping stone to get to where I want to be."

"And your wife?" William asked, bringing Nicole into the picture.

"The Chans can easily be swayed." Ian answered confidently.

"I guess I was wrong to think that your loyalties lay elsewhere." William Trent said as he shook his head and frowned.

"You still have time to correct your wrongs, Uncle." Ian told William Trent. "Don't forget, anything and everything I say will be trusted not just by the Reyeses, but by their friends as well. The choice, as always, is yours."

With that Ian stood up and left the room.

He decided to walk on the beach and take a breath of fresh air. Acting this way never felt right to him.