Rise Of The Disgraced Heir

By the time Ian found the chance to return to the party the crowd was gone, and the only people in the room were the servants of the Reyes family.

"Assistant Ian!" A butler said in a worried tone as he spotted Ian. "We were worried that something had happened to you. The boss was about to send out a search party for you."

"I'm sorry, I got stuck outside." Ian said with a frown. He hadn't intended to stay hidden for so long, but as soon as the two men went in more people would come out.

Fortunately for Ian, it meant getting the juiciest gossip of the night, which was what he was supposed to be doing.

"They are all in Mr. Reyes' office. I'll have someone bring up some food and coffee for you." The butler said as he quickly guided Ian out of the room and back along the hallway of portraits and up the stairs.

When Ian and the butler finally stood outside of Mr. Reyes' office.

The butler knocked and announced that he had found Ian.

As they entered Ian was surprised to find everyone smiling as if a huge weight had been lifted from their chest.

"Ian, where have you been? We were so worried!" Priscilla Reyes said as she rushed up to check on Ian if he had been harmed.

Ian was shocked at the woman's reaction. They had only met earlier that night and yet she treated him like he was family.

"I'm fine auntie." Ian said with a warm smile. "I just got stuck on the balcony for a bit. But I guess you could say it was a blessing in disguise. I got a lot of information people wouldn't dare talk about inside the hall."

"We actually thought that Mr. Sison's friends had somehow managed to get you." Ayanna said as she looked up at Ian. "We were worried. You were only helping me and you could have gotten into so much trouble because of me."

"Uncle, I couldn't find him." Raymund Laurence said as he burst into the room. "No one has spotted - oh wait, you're here." He said as he realized that Ian was standing in the room.

"It seems he got stuck doing his job a little bit too well." Emilio Reyes said with a laugh.

"Well now that we've found Ian, you can all go home and rest." Priscilla Reyes told everyone with a smile.

"Wait, you don't want me to report on what I heard or anything?" Ian asked as he gave them a concerned look.

Earlier he had been more worried about the Reyeses being angry because he had gone missing and wasn't immediately able to help them with their deals.

"Ian, wasn't it tiring staying on the balcony outside?" Emilio Reyes asked the young man.

"I am, but don't you need me to tell you about the things I learned?" Ian asked.

"If you think you will forget everything, just put it in a journal." Priscilla Reyes told him. "You need your rest Ian, we all need to rest." The woman said in a motherly tone.

"Not what you expected?" Hank asked him with a laugh. Clearly Hank understood why Ian was so confused.

Ian shook his head as he told Hank that it wasn't at all what he expected.

"The Reyes family has an image of being cold, strict, and cruel." Ayanna said with a sigh. "That's because our family has many enemies, people that want the world to think the worst of us."

"And you never bothered to correct them?" Camilla asked as she tilted her head curiously.

"What's the point?" Ayanna responded with a laugh. "If we defend ourselves, we will just look guilty and it will make things worse for us."

"So you choose to just take that image?" Ian asked them.

"It's an image that has helped us in some way as well." Marie Mendiola said with a shrug. "It's driven many people that we don't want around away. It's also made us look much stronger than we actually are. So it has worked in our favor."

Ian and Camilla both wordlessly nodded as they listened to what the Reyeses explained to them.

"It's getting late, and if I'm not mistaken you have plans tomorrow." Emilio Reyes said with a grin.

"Plans?" Ian asked, confused as to what the CEO meant.

"Shopping?" Emilio Reyes said with a smile.

"Oh right, yes, we do." Camilla said as she nodded.

"Ohhhhh Shopping, can I come?" Ayanna asked in an excited tone as she began to jump up and down like a little child.

"No." Her dad said in a stern tone. "You will make them uncomfortable and you will end up dictating your style on them."

"Fine." Ayanna grumbled as she walked back to her seat.

"I can take you shopping tomorrow, Ayanna." Raymund Laurence said as he sat next to the angry woman.

"Can Nicole and Katerina and Natalia come along too?" Ayanna asked as her eyes lit up.

Ian simply assumed that the other three girls were her friends.

"Sure, why not, just don't nag Ian and Camilla tomorrow and I'll keep you occupied." Raymund Laurence said with a smile.

"Perfect." She said with a grin.

"You guys can go." Emilio Reyes said as he dismissed Ian and Camilla.

"It was nice meeting you Auntie Priscilla." Ian said with a slight bow.

"So formal." The woman said as she walked over and gave him a hug. "At least it isn't madam anymore." She said with a laugh.

She turned to Camilla and gave her a hug as well, catching the young woman by surprise.

"It was nice having you around earlier. Things weren't as boring as they normally are." Priscilla Reyes said with a smile as she released Camilla from her hug.

"It was nice meeting you again, Ian." Raymund Laurence said as he suck out his hand for Ian to shake.

"Likewise, Mr. Laurence." Ian said with a nod as he moved to shake the man's hand.

He was surprised when Raymund Luanrence suddenly pulled his hand away.

"Just call me Ray." Raymund Laurence said as he shook his head. "Saying my full name is such a mouthful, even just my last name." He said with a laugh.

"Isn't that a bit disrespectful?" Ian asked as he gave the man a confused look.

"No, not really." Raymund Laurence said as he shook his head. "We went to school together, we were classmates a few times, and my dad knows your dad, so no, it's not disrespectful."

"Alright then, Ray." Ian said with a grin as he shook the man's hand.

"Plus you helped Ayanna, anyone who is willing to save Ayanna is a good person to me." Ray said as he flashed a grin at Ian.

"You didn't have to throw yourself under the bus to help me, Ian." Ayanna said with a frown. "But thank you." She said.

"I'd do it again, you're my boss' kid and my future boss' sister. You guys have already done so much for me, it's the least I could do." Ian explained.

"I'm sorry about the things Mr. Sison said about you." Ayanna said in a sad tone. "You don't deserve people treating you that way."

"It's fine. I'm used to it at this point." Ian said as he shook his head.

"Okay, I should be sending these two home." Marco told the group as he dragged Ian and Camilla out of the CEO's home office and down the stairs.

"Thank you." Camilla said as she looked up at Marco. "I'm really exhausted and I really wanted to just go home."

Marco laughed at Camilla's reaction.

"The Reyeses are a chatty bunch, the safest way to be around any of them is to stay quiet." Marco explained as he shook his head. "The two of you, get some rest. It's been a long night."

Ian and Camilla both bid Marco goodnight as they climbed into Ian's waiting car at drive way.

"Where to?" John teased as they closed the door behind them.

Ian laughed at the man's question, but Camilla simply grumbled.

"Such a cranky woman." John said with a laugh, making Ian shake his head.

"Are you really picking on her?" Ian asked as he pointed at Camilla who was now slumped against the door, slowly falling asleep.

"It's more fun when they are cranky." John said with a laugh as he drove them home.