CHAPTER 2: ZANDRO

"ALL FOR MY DEAREST"

WATCHING the luminous Luna up in the night sky used to be Alezzandro's pastime when he was looking for something to blame for the troubles coming into his life. The thick clouds around her seemed like protecting their muse from the dagger look that his eyes have been throwing since he leaned on the railing of the balcony outside his penthouse while drinking his favorite red wine.

To escape the sudden rise of hell in his mansion was his plan, only to be ruined by the memories of what happened hours ago. They keep on flashing inside his head and it's making him go through the roof. What Zandro feels towards that damn monster is something beyond fury, the word is too shallow to describe the fire blazing hotter in his chest for a decade now. It didn't just burn him alive but it ruined everything inside him that Zandro actually lived in the dark for the rest of his life.

And that ineffable wrath used to multiply like a virus every time he sees her delightful heart-shaped face, plus that damn sweet smile owned by Blythe... or would it be more proper to call as his wife now?

The thought drew a smirk despite the anger on his face. Zandro is halfway done with his plan now, he just needs to pull more strings and exert a little bit more patience to avoid exploding like a bomb. Unleashing the vengeful beast inside him would only scare the prey away, and he can't let that happen. It took him a very long time of waiting for this break, this should never go for naught.

Zandro is in the middle of exploring every way he has of executing his next plan when his phone from the glass-top cocktail table next to him suddenly snaps him out of his reverie, the fire in his eyes blazes more as he shifts his gaze in its direction. Somebody's calling him in the wee hours of the morning? The nerves of this caller must burst if his reason is not as important as his plans!

But on second thought, he realized that he doesn't need to hope for it anymore because Zandro is certain that this guy's nerves already exploded more than he wants. . .that if he really has nerves.

The grin on his face broke wider as he placed the speaker next to his ear and his brother's string of profanities exploded like firecrackers on the speaker. It was supposed to hurt his ear, but his reaction went differently— chuckles came out of his mouth instead and they got even louder as Dimas continues.

"Geez! What a nice greeting from my brother," he said teasing Dimas while the latter was panting with anger on the other line. "I appreciate it a lot."

"You're nothing but a bastard, Zandro! You dirty player, you better keep your face away from me because I will really slash that until you can smile no more!" After the curses, Dimas barks like a dog next. "I've warned you not to associate yourself with my business, but here you are sticking your damn nose on it again, you son of a b*tch!"

But Zandro was never shaken by his anger, it brought him joy and satisfaction instead. The anger between Dimas' curses was music to Zandro's ear, while the threat that the former gave somewhat made the latter night more. To have a cranky brother like this ravenous dog, who wouldn't be?

"Can you calm down first, my brother? You're raving like a lunatic animal— oh wait!— don't tell me you are—"

"Shut it, bastard! You never really learn your lesson, brute! You keep on wanting to experience death, huh?"

Zandro failed to control it and he barked with laughter again, it triggered his brother to get angrier and it brought him more fun. He's laughing while listening to Dimas' tone of frustration... as their father used to say, this guy is a walking shit!

Zandro closed his eyes and toned his voice down just to comfort his troubled sibling. "So, tell me what made you call? Which of my successes causes you to howl at me this early, huh?"

Although Zandro already has a hint, he still wants to hear it from his brother's frustrated voice. He wanted to hear how his victory affects him to call this early and entertain his boredom at the moment.

"Come on, brother dear! Don't be shy and tell me..."

But Dimas is not Dimas when his ego is not as big as his head. What came was his loud breathing and some sharp indistinct sounds. The answer he's anticipating to hear didn't come, instead, Dimas repeated his threats before he cut the line.

"Stop testing my patience, Zandro. Both of us knew your standing in this family, I could kill you without blinking— if that is what it takes to permanently shut your goddamn mouth." The stress is in every word. "I'm a man of my word."

And so is Zandro that's why he fulfilled his promise to those poor farmers to help them regarding their problem on his brother's wide plantation of illegal stuff. As soon as he could, Zandro investigated the said farm and filed the appropriate lawsuit for its different violations and all. Dimas's threats never terrify him into backing down, he has promised to the poor farmers that's why he made sure to burn all that his brother has got instead.

The result came just in two weeks— the farmers had their farm back, plus the investigation they had executed directed them towards this hidden factory where they process illegal drugs and Zandro was sure as hell that his brother owns it. That alone explains his wrath pretty well.

"Well, looks like someone is popping a champagne's cork here..."

Zandro turned his head on the glass door connected to his room, his brow tugged up when he found Antonette— his most trusted secretary and also a childhood friend— with her sexy smile standing over there.

He straightened his back as he lazily threw his phone back on the table. "Nah! It's my favorite wine, not a bottle of champagne."

"Oh, yeah. So, Funny..." She sneered at Zandro while filling the empty glass in her hand. Antonette moved closer and leaned on the railing next to Zandro. "I thought you were very frustrated right now, that's why I came. Then what? I would find you here celebrating like this. Have you gone nuts, Zandro?"

“Nope,” he answered fast. “But Dimas is making me so damn high.”

"I heard about you winning the case against his illegal farm and such... You once again routed his sanctuary, I would bet your brother is as livid as an erupting volcano by now. Dimas won't let this slide like that."

"Yeah, but I don't care whatever he's feeling as of the moment. Die in a heart attack if he wants..." Sipping more from his glass, his shining golden green eyes sharpened right away after finding Luna above once again. "Anyway, I haven't seen you at the ceremony earlier. Did you really take it very seriously when you told me that you don't wanna see me get wed to her?"

Antonette's pink lips twitched a bit. "Well, that's part of the factor. Of all the bullshit you have done so far, this was the worst. Why marry if we can just kill the evil?"

Zandro put his wine glass down when he felt like he had too much of his comfort liquid, he puffed a breath as he strangled the metal of the railing with his long fingers. The extraordinary force he exerted caused it to buckle a little.

"Look, Zandro,” Antonette continued with her nags like a broken record again. “The victory is waving at us, all that we need to do is slash her neck with—"

"Antonette..." he silently growled her name. "We already talked about this, killing without any suffering is not my thing. That’s gonna be really easy and I don't want the easy way for her... her highness surely won't enjoy it."

Glass left hanging near her lips, she stared at Zandro who was then looking up at the dark sky with his beautiful eyes tightly shut.

"So, what will be the next plan?" she asked.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and they shimmered together with the light coming from the bright and perfectly round moon.

"Gonna be a blast," he said in his husky whisper.

"It's still for Cassidy, right?"

"All for my dearest..."