I AM COMMANDER ZANDER: Your Good Villain

0006-Planning to Eliminate Him

Darren exhaled deeply, trying to remain calm. He knew his father was nearly impossible to reason with when angry.

“Dad…” Darren began, his voice firm but respectful. “I can’t speak directly to Mr. Death. In fact, I’ve never even met him.”

Mr. Hammo narrowed his eyes, displeased with the answer. “What do you mean? You’re my eldest son! You’re responsible for this family’s safety!”

“Mr. Death isn’t someone who can be contacted carelessly,” Darren replied. “Our partnership with V-Tech happened through his mediation, but Mr. Dom was the one who handled everything.”

Mr. Hammo frowned, confusion and anger battling on his face. “So, what are you saying? That we should beg Dom for help now?”

“That’s the issue,” Darren continued. “Asking for help through Mr. Dom could strain the business relationship we’ve built. If we appear desperate or reckless, he might pull out. You know how crucial our relationship with Dom is for the family’s business, Dad.”

Mr. Hammo stepped closer, his eyes blazing with fury. “You’re giving Dom too much respect! You’re embarrassing me, Darren. Don’t act like a coward!”

Darren tried to reason further. “This is about strategy. We can’t be hasty. If our relationship with Dom fractures, the fallout will destroy our family, Dad.”

“We both know Mr. Dom is an honest man,” Darren added. “He’s never been involved in illegal activities. If we ask him to approach Mr. Death to eliminate Zander, he won’t help us.”

But his explanation didn’t land. Mr. Hammo raised his hand, pointing at Darren with a trembling finger, his rage unabated.

“Listen to me!” he shouted, his voice quivering. “Don’t revere Dom too much! Dom is no greater than us. His wealth is on par with our family’s, nothing more!”

Darren held his breath, trying not to rise to his father’s provocations. Deep down, he knew that wasn’t true.

Mr. Hammo turned away, facing the large portrait of the Xanta family hanging on the wall. He spoke in a low tone, almost as if to himself.

“If only our family hadn’t gone bankrupt decades ago because of Joseph Guezz,” he said with a tone of regret, “we’d be the richest family in Venua today. Even Dom would bow to us!”

Darren remained silent, knowing that dredging up the past would only worsen the situation.

Standing tall, Darren locked eyes with his father. His voice was low but resolute. “Dad, listen to me. I’ll handle Zander my own way. I’ll make sure he leaves Venua, or if necessary…” Darren paused, taking a deep breath, “…I’ll kill him.”

Mr. Hammo stared at his son for a long moment, searching his face for certainty. After a lengthy pause, he gave a slow nod.

“Don’t fail,” he said, his tone more warning than encouragement.

“I won’t,” Darren replied firmly.

Without another word, Mr. Hammo turned and left the room.

Ever since Zander Guezz’s sudden appearance at yesterday’s party, the entire Xanta family had been on edge. No one had expected the son of Joseph Guezz, who had vanished for seven years, to suddenly show up at an event meant to showcase the Xanta family’s prestige.

Zander didn’t just arrive—he brought an air of menace with him. Every member of the Xanta family felt threatened. They knew Zander wasn’t just dangerous because of his intelligence, but because of his unwavering determination to avenge what had happened to his family in the past.

No one knew what Zander’s next move would be, but everyone understood one thing: his presence was a real and undeniable threat.

With renewed determination, Darren began planning his next steps to eliminate Zander.