I AM COMMANDER ZANDER: Your Good Villain

0005-The Guezz and Xanta Family

In the grand kitchen of Zander's mansion...

The aroma of cooking wafted through the air, mingling with the clinking of pans and the hushed murmurs of conversation.

In a quiet corner of the room, Leo, the new servant, stood awkwardly watching an older man with a stern face—Marcus—who was overseeing the kitchen with a sharp, discerning gaze.

Leo glanced left and right, ensuring no one was too close to overhear. He swallowed hard, summoning his courage, and approached Marcus, who was meticulously chopping vegetables with the precision of an artist.

“Mr. Marcus...” Leo’s voice was barely audible above the kitchen’s clamor.

Marcus didn’t look up, only slightly raising an eyebrow. “What is it?”

Leo hesitated for a moment, but the curiosity that had been gnawing at him refused to be silenced. “I heard... there was once a great war between the Guezz family and the Xanta family. Is that true?”

Marcus’s hand froze mid-chop. The knife he had been using was slowly placed down on the cutting board. He looked up, his sharp gaze assessing whether this young man was worthy of hearing the answer.

“It’s true,” he said at last, his voice flat but weighted with meaning. “That war wasn’t just great—it was brutal. Blood was spilled, cities fell, and families were destroyed.”

Leo stepped closer, his voice filled with both eagerness and trepidation. “They say it was more than just a business rivalry... that it involved the military?”

Marcus nodded slowly, his expression darkening. “It began when Mr. Joseph Guezz took control of the global elite network. He dismantled the corrupt system that had plagued the organization for decades. At the time, Mr. Xanta was deeply entrenched in that system.”

“And do you know what happens when someone shakes and reforms the foundations of an old, corrupt order?” Marcus asked, his voice heavy.

Leo shook his head slowly, his eyes wide with anticipation.

“Those who benefited from that order fight back,” Marcus continued. “And Mr. Xanta, the head of the family at the time, didn’t just fight back. He waged war—economic sabotage, political propaganda, even armed conflict.”

“But Mr. Joseph... he was too clever. Too strong. He defeated Mr. Xanta on every front until the war reached its peak.”

“How did it end?” Leo asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Marcus sighed deeply, his gaze distant as if reliving the past. “Mr. Xanta led the final assault himself. But it only led to his death. Mr. Joseph crushed him on the battlefield. The Xanta family, once one of the most powerful in the world... crumbled overnight.”

Leo stood silent, processing the weight of the story. “So... the Xanta family is gone?”

Marcus let out a faint snort. “Yes, they were destroyed. But… Mr. Xanta’s son, Hammo, managed to rebuild his family slowly while launching small attacks to destroy what Mr. Joseph had built.”

“Then why didn’t Mr. Joseph finish them off completely?” Leo asked, confused.

“Because Mr. Joseph wasn’t a killer,” Marcus replied firmly. “He believed in justice, not vengeance. He thought sparing Venua—the last bastion of the Xantas—would end the cycle of violence. But hatred like the Xantas’... doesn’t just fade away.”

Leo bit his lip, his voice dropping. “And... Young Master Zander? I heard he once fell in love with someone from the Xanta family?”

Marcus stiffened. His gaze became sharper than the knife he had been using. “Biella Xanta,” he muttered softly.

“Yes. She was the only granddaughter of the Xanta family. Fate brought them together at an international business conference. They fell in love before they knew each other’s identities.”

“What happened when they found out?” Leo asked, his voice trembling.

“Chaos,” Marcus replied curtly. “The Xanta family saw Zander as a threat, someone who might exploit Biella to destroy them. The Guezz family saw Biella as a danger, a spy sent to finish what her grandfather started. And then... the greatest tragedy struck.”

Marcus paused as if debating whether to continue. “Madam Katty, Young Master Zander’s mother, was found dead in her office. Poisoned. The culprit was never proven, but all evidence pointed to the Xanta family.”

“Mr. Joseph fell into a deep depression after his wife’s death. He spent years in intensive care at the hospital, unable to investigate her murder further.”

Leo held his breath, feeling a chill creep up his spine.

Marcus continued, “Young Master Zander swore to uncover the truth. But not recklessly.”

“He left for seven years, training himself to become a true warrior. He has returned, not just for vengeance but to ensure the truth comes to light.”

***

In The Xanta Family Home...

In the main hall of the Xanta home, tension ran high.

Mr. Hammo Xanta stood in the center, his eyes blazing with fury. Facing him was Ganza, his second son, standing stiffly under his father’s searing gaze.

“This is the greatest disgrace to our family!” Hammo’s voice thundered, his clenched fists trembling with rage. “The entire world sees us as racist buffoons because of you, Ganza!”

“Dad, listen to me!” Ganza interjected defensively, his tone desperate. “It wasn’t my fault! Zander started everything! He deliberately provoked me.”

Mr. Hammo stepped closer, forcing Ganza to retreat slightly. “Your foolish reaction has tarnished our family’s name! The media now calls us savages with no sense of decency!”

From the corner of the room, Darren, Hammo’s eldest son, finally spoke up. His tone was calm but carried a razor-sharp edge.

“That’s enough, Dad. We all know Zander is the real threat here. This is part of his plan to destroy us. If he’s allowed to stay in Venua, everything we’ve built will crumble.”

Mr. Hammo turned to Darren, his fiery expression softening slightly, though his anger remained evident.

Darren pressed on, his voice dropping to a chilling tone. “Zander won’t stop. He’ll keep attacking us, dredging up the past, and tarnishing our name. Especially if he finds out…” Darren paused momentarily, then continued in a whisper, “…what we did to Biella.”

Mr. Hammo flinched, his expression darkening. The mention of Biella was a sore point even within the family.

“We need to teach Zander a lesson, Dad,” Darren said coldly.

Mr. Hammo nodded slowly, his face hardening as he accepted his eldest son’s reasoning.

Just then, the heavy doors to the hall swung open. Anton, the family’s secretary, entered hurriedly, his face pale with distress.

“Sorry, Sir,” Anton said in a strained voice. “I’ve just received reports—ten major investors have already severed ties with our company… and the number may increase.”

“What?!” Mr. Hammo roared, his voice reverberating like cannon fire. “Zander! This is all his doing!”

Anton lowered his head, avoiding direct eye contact. Darren, however, remained silent, letting his father vent his rage.

Mr. Hammo turned sharply toward Darren, his eyes blazing with resolve. "You’re right. Zander must be eliminated before he can destroy us further."

"Contact Mr. Death. Tell him to make Zander disappear!"