American variety show: Sniper Elite

Chapter 177 Troublesome Things Are Always Plenty

Beta never has a day of idleness. Just two days after the CIA saga, new trouble has come knocking.

Beta was awakened by the noise of his subordinates. He slowly sat up, gently moved Ashley's arm away from his waist, tucked her in, and then got up and walked to the wardrobe.

After getting dressed, he stepped out of the bedroom and found that Ashley was already awake.

Morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a soft glow upon her. The blanket slipped from her shoulders, revealing the graceful curve of her back, one smooth shoulder, and her slender waist.

She lay half-turned, gazing at him sleepily, a strand of hair falling beside her cheek.

"What happened?" Her voice was still hoarse from the early morning.

Beta walked to the bedside, leaned down and kissed her forehead: "The Frank family has sent someone, saying they have important matters to discuss."

Ashley nodded groggily, sinking back into the soft down pillow. She hastily pulled the blanket around her chest, revealing a glimpse of her smooth calves and slender ankles, muttering, "Okay, go ahead... let me sleep a little longer..."

Beta stood by the bed, and suddenly leaned down, gently taking her fair ankle in his hand.

Ashley instinctively tried to pull her foot back, but he held it firmly. Beta's fingertips traced circles on the sole of her foot, starting with gentle touches and gradually increasing the pressure.

"No...Saron!" Ashley couldn't help but laugh out loud, writhing on the bed like a fish. Her laughter, which started as a soft hum, turned into an uncontrollable roar, completely dispelling her sleepiness.

The blanket slipped off during the struggle, revealing her slightly reddened skin.

Beta, seeing her smiling with tears welling in her eyes, finally let go of her hand with satisfaction.

"Awake now?" he said with a triumphant air, then turned and strode away.

Ashley watched his departing figure, wiping away tears of laughter while unable to suppress a helpless laugh.

Beta walked into the conference room, which was filled with the aroma of cigars and cologne.

His gaze swept across the entire room.

Madame Frank sat upright in an armchair. Three meters to her right, the burly man, Bruce, was embedded in the chair, his nearly two-meter-tall frame stretching his suit taut.

Beta walked to the head of the table: "What happened? Has something happened in New York City that I don't even know about?"

The facelift left Mrs. Frank's skin unnaturally taut: "Mr. Wick, I shouldn't be bothering you with something like this. But this matter needs to be dealt with immediately, so I had to come in person."

Beta turned her gaze to Blue: "And what about you?"

Blue leaned forward, the leather seat creaking slightly. "I think I might be able to offer some help with this."

Beta nodded slowly: "So, what exactly is it?"

Mrs. Frank took a deep breath: "My son has disappeared, just yesterday."

Beta looked at Mrs. Frank: "Which one? As far as I know, you not only have several sons, but you even treat your dog as a son."

Mrs. Frank whispered, "It's my youngest son."

Beta nodded: "Tell me the details."

Mrs. Frank took a photograph out of her handbag and pushed it in front of Beta.

The photo shows a young man with a flamboyant smile, his collar loosely open, and his eyes filled with the arrogance typical of young people with connections.

“Antonio went to the ‘Rosemary’ club with some friends last night. It’s that newly opened money pit in the south of the city. On the surface, it’s a high-end club, but in reality…” She paused, “You know those kinds of places. Young people go there to seek thrills. Some of the programs are on the edge of the law, but usually nothing goes wrong.”

Beta picked up the photo, nodded slightly, and gestured for her to continue.

“He went with the Fabio kid from Philadelphia, and they stayed at the club until late at night. But my youngest son never came back. I wanted to find that Fabio kid and get to the bottom of it, but he fled back to Philadelphia that very night.” Beta tapped his finger lightly on the table: “What are people from Philadelphia doing in New York? Fentanyl?”

Blue replied in a deep voice, "Yes. New York is now a distribution center, and there are also processing plants here."

Beta turned to Mrs. Frank: "So, what is your demand?"

“I just want to find my son and find out the truth.” Mrs. Frank clenched her hands. “But the Frank family cannot arbitrarily cross the line to investigate. And the only person with the authority to bring the Frank and Fabio families to a meeting and to uphold justice is you, Mr. Wick.”

Beta picked up the photo and gently ran her fingertips along the edge of the photographic paper.

He stared at the young man's defiant smile: "This matter needs time to clarify."

His fingertips tapped lightly on the table: "Give me a few hours."

Mrs. Frank nodded: "I'm counting on you, Mr. Wick."

Beta slowly got up.

“Give me four hours. You all get everything ready. Since the Frank family is the Antonio family’s designated agent in New York, and as the future head of the Antonio family,” he paused for a moment, “I will naturally take charge of this matter.”

Beta pushed open the conference room door and handed the photo to his subordinate waiting outside: "Did you understand the conversation just now?"

The subordinate bowed slightly and took the photo with both hands: "I heard you clearly, sir."

“Let our people find out. I need to know exactly what happened at the club last night.” He tapped the photograph lightly with his fingertip: “We can’t just rely on her side of the story.”

The subordinate put the photo into his suit's inner pocket: "Arrange an investigation immediately."
-
Beta pushed open the office door and was greeted by the familiar scent of cedar and vanilla.

Morning light streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on the carpet. Ashley's usual sofa was empty, while his office chair slowly spun around.

Katalia curled up in the large leather chair like a cat, the back of the chair perfectly accentuating the graceful curve of her neck.

A fitted black dress hugged her slender figure, and the deep V-neck was adorned with tiny black crystals that shimmered slightly with her breath.

As a mixed-race individual of Latin and Black descent, her honey-colored skin shimmered with a velvety sheen in the morning light.

Her long, slender legs were revealed by the slit in her skirt, and they were casually crossed on his desk.

The feet, clad in black stiletto sandals, were swaying gently, the crystal-studded straps hanging loosely.

One sandal dangled precariously from the toe of her cherry-colored nail polished foot, while the other lay carelessly tossed on the Persian carpet, with several reports scattered beside its heel.

"Is the meeting over?" Katalia twirled a strand of curly black hair between her fingers, sunlight streaming just past her ankles.

She said with a smile, her sandals swaying slightly, "I hope you don't mind that I've borrowed your throne."

Beta leaned against the office doorframe, a smug smile in his eyes as he watched Katalia.

These days, Ashley has increasingly shown the qualities of a supportive wife. She manages everything impeccably, with a gentle yet undeniable strength.

Katalia, on the other hand, transforms in the opposite direction, increasingly unleashing her true nature, like a mischievous imp who never grows up, a stark contrast to Ashley's dignified composure.

But Beta just happens to love Katalia just the way she is.

With Ashley, he enjoyed a perfect sense of comfort, and many things were handled well without his personal involvement; while with Katalia, he found the joy of a soulmate connection.

Their tacit understanding, built from childhood acquaintances, ensures that every joke receives a response and every glance is accurately interpreted. This carefree playfulness and understanding is a precious quality that no one can replace.

(End of this chapter)