American variety show: Sniper Elite

Chapter 173 How Husband and Wife Get Along

Rome, Italy.

In the offices of the Antonio family castle, a flat-screen TV was playing BBC news: "The shortlist of candidates for the position of Chief Superintendent of Scotland Yard has been internally released. According to anonymous officials, two of the candidates..."

As Gianna Antonio walked in, wearing high heels, the news anchor was saying, "A female candidate is from MI6."

She looked at the two uninvited guests on the sofa: John Wick and the little girl named Matilda.

"Promoted from within MI6."

Jaina completely ignored John's presence.

Her gaze softened, and she opened her arms to Matilda: "Come here, darling. Are you settling in well at the castle?"

The leather swivel chair spun slightly, and she pulled the girl into her arms.

Matilda leaned against her chest and whispered, "It's nice here, but I can't understand Italian. And their English accents are so heavy."

Jaina chuckled softly and pulled open the ebony drawer with her left hand.

Under the girl's astonished gaze, she took out a Colt pistol with a mother-of-pearl handle. The click of the hammer snapped open, and her fingers, painted with scarlet nail polish, gripped the ornate handle firmly.

She pulled the trigger, pointing the bullet at the television screen. The bullet pierced the news anchor's forehead, cracking the LCD screen and filling the air with the smell of burnt plastic.

Jaina spun her chair, wisps of smoke curling from the muzzle of her gun: "Don't you think the TV is noisy, Mr. Wick?"

John remained quietly seated on the sofa.

The office door was flung open, and two bodyguards in grey uniforms rushed in, guns drawn. Gianna didn't turn around, only waving her hand, still reeking of gunpowder. The bodyguards quickly scanned the scene, bowed, and withdrew.

Gianna turned to John, her eyes filled with undisguised disgust: "Speak, what is it? To be honest, I really don't want to see your face; it always makes me want to vomit."

Matilda lifted her head from her embrace: "Actually, Mr. Wick is quite handsome."

Gianna chuckled, put the safety off the gun, and put Colt back in the drawer.

“That’s right, darling.” She pinched the girl’s cheek: “Thirty years ago, I was completely fooled by this ugly face. Back then, he could even smile.”

Matilda's gaze shifted between John and Gianna before she changed the subject: "Actually, I came today to ask for your help."

Gianna smiled slightly: "What can I do for you, darling?"

“Leon insists that I go to school. He says that no matter what I do in the future, I must first receive a good education. So I'd like to ask if there are any schools that teach in English? It might be too late to learn Italian now.”

Gianna tapped her fingertips lightly on the table: "Starting to learn Italian from scratch at thirteen, she definitely can't keep up with the pace of a regular school."

She pressed the intercom: "The Antonio family has an investment in an international school in Rome. I'll have them arrange for you to enroll."

“Thank you,” Matilda hesitated for a moment, “Aunt Gianna… Sister Gianna.”

Gianna chuckled, gently stroking the girl's hair with her fingers: "Just call me Auntie."

The fine lines at the corners of her eyes resembled blooming irises in the sunlight: "I never shy away from my age. After all, I've already been young, and now is the perfect time to age gracefully."

John remained silent, staring at the smashed television, while the chimes of Rome echoed through the courtyard.

John's deep voice broke the silence: "Would you like to have lunch together, Gianna?" Gianna slowly raised her eyes: "What do you think?"

“I think it’s okay,” John said calmly.

Jaina turned to Matilda, lightly tapping the girl's chin with her fingertip: "Darling, do you think a man who betrayed me and started a new family deserves my kindness?"

Matilda's gaze shifted between the two men.

She took a deep breath: "What if I invited you? Consider it a thank you for helping me get into school?"

The icy look in Jaina's eyes gradually melted: "I accept your invitation."

She deliberately ignored John's presence.

“It’s on you two!” Matilda added, holding up two fingers: “Both of you!”
-
New York, USA.

Beta sat behind his desk, flipping through a thick stack of documents.

These papers record things New York doesn't know. At the top are legal customs declarations for imports and exports at the docks, below them are the turnover records of underground casinos in nightclubs, and further down are ledgers for arms deals. Notebook papers are mixed with ordinary printer paper, and penmanship and machine-printed text alternate.

Beta categorized and reviewed the reports, trusting the raw data more than carefully crafted presentations from his subordinates. When he saw a report about unusual activity in the port warehouse, he drew a question mark on the edge with a red pen.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting his shadow against the backdrop of the New York skyline.

Ashley leaned back on the leather sofa, bathed in the soft glow of the morning light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. She wore off-white wide-leg trousers, the hems covering the tips of her light brown high heels, and the collar of her silk blouse was slightly open, revealing a pearl necklace adorning her collarbone. The Jaeger-LeCoultre watch on her wrist reflected light as she turned the pages.

Her fingers lightly traced the haute couture gown images in the magazine; this daily morning reading had become an unwavering ritual. Just as Gianna had taught her, as the future mistress of the Antonio family, she needed not only to be adept at political maneuvering but also to incorporate aristocratic elegance into every detail.

As the pages turned, her pearl earring swayed gently against her cheek.

Katalia stood in front of the coffee machine, picking up coffee beans with her fingers and smelling them carefully. After a while, the grinder made a crisp, crackling sound, and then the steam wand hummed as it spewed out white steam.

Before long, three cups of coffee were made, steaming hot.

Today she wore a black silk open-collar blouse, the hem casually tucked into loose, wide-legged trousers. The trouser legs swayed gently with her steps, and her flat, soft leather shoes made barely audible sounds on the floor. Her silver bracelet jingled as she operated the coffee machine.

Compared to Ashley, she's like the difference between black coffee and a latte—completely different, yet both possessing the allure of caffeine.

While tidying up the tray, Katalia glanced at Ashley discreetly.

She neatly arranged three steaming cups of black coffee, added just the right amount of sugar cubes to two of them, and deliberately kept the last cup plain, even adding two extra spoonfuls of instant coffee powder. After quickly stirring with a silver spoon until completely dissolved, she placed this cup on the outermost side of the tray.

She carried the tray to the sofa and handed it to Ashley.

Ashley, focused, didn't even look up, her hand naturally reaching for the nearest coffee cup. But just as her fingertips touched the handle, Ashley suddenly looked up, her gaze fixed on Katalia, then casually withdrew her hand and took the cup closest to Katalia instead.

Catalia remained calm and turned to place the remaining cup of coffee on the tray next to Beta.

Beta looked up at her from the documents and smiled gently.

Catalia picked up the last cup of coffee, the rim of the cup covering the slightly upturned corners of her lips, and took a gentle sip.

(End of this chapter)