Sophia

Beta sat on the suite's living-room sofa, water still dripping from his freshly washed hair.

He had casually thrown on a loose shirt. A few reddish hickeys, left by Ashley before she departed, were faintly visible beneath the collar. The blue light from his laptop reflected off his somewhat tired face as encrypted messages flickered across the screen.

Matilda's bedroom door clicked open. The little girl came over and sat on the sofa with Paddington Bear in her arms, looking distinctly displeased. "You two should keep it down."

Beta tapped away at the keyboard, replying to the second message from earlier. It was from @123.

The message from @123 was brief: France. Three million euros. Reply to accept the job.

Beta replied: Date, target, half upfront and half on completion.

Just then, Matilda's voice came from behind him. "Shouldn't we have dinner? It's already seven. I've only had some of the biscuits in the room to tide me over."

Beta kept his eyes fixed on the screen and pointed at the phone on the table without turning around. "Use the phone to order something."

He took a gold coin from his pocket and handed it to Matilda. "Order whatever you like. Use this to pay when the delivery person gets here."

"Ding!"

A new message popped up on the screen from @123. It read: See attached for details.

Beta opened the file.

The screen flashed, and a detailed dossier appeared. The photo showed an Indian businessman, with information ranging from his height and weight to his personal background. It even included his exact travel schedule and a series of operational details.

Beta rubbed his chin, considering the job.

"Ding!"

A notification sounded: Retainer received. Complete the job by the 25th of next month, then pay the balance.

Beta replied: Received.

Beta took out his phone and logged into his offshore banking platform.

The funds were routed through proxy banks and split among shell companies in three different jurisdictions. Using front-company accounts and a series of small, broken-up payment orders, the 1.5 million euros was funneled into several linked accounts and laundered within seconds, arriving safely.

Meanwhile, Matilda turned on the TV, switching channels idly as she waited for the delivery person.

Beta leaned back on the sofa, frowning slightly.

There was still one thing he had to deal with: how had Ashley found out he'd come to Casablanca? He hoped it wasn't some phone-tracking app. If it was, he'd have to have a serious talk with Ashley. People shouldn't spy on each other in a relationship.

With that in mind, he picked up the room phone and called the front desk. "I'd like to schedule a meeting with your manager."

The receptionist's polite, mechanical voice came through the phone. "May I have the third, tenth, and eleventh digits of your identification code?"

Beta answered, "3, 67, 01."

"Certainly, sir," the receptionist confirmed. "You're scheduled to meet with the manager at 8 p.m."

Beta hung up, changed into a well-tailored gray suit, and slipped his gun into its holster.

He turned to Matilda. "I'm going to meet the hotel manager. She's quite the formidable businesswoman. Want to come meet her?"

Matilda turned off the TV, hesitating slightly. "What about our dinner?"

"Just call and cancel. They won't charge us."

He straightened his collar, sounding confident. "Once the manager meets me, I'm sure she'll be happy to treat us to a lavish dinner."

With Matilda in tow, Beta knocked right at eight on the walnut door of the Casablanca hotel manager's office.

"Come in."

The woman behind the desk slowly looked up. Her face had the distinctive features of an Arab-European mix, with deep-set eyes blending perfectly with her soft features.

She looked to be around thirty-seven or thirty-eight, with sleek, shoulder-length black hair falling neatly around her ears. She wore a black, semi-sheer blouse over a fitted, low-cut black dress. Her ivory-smooth skin showed through the sheer fabric. A necklace made of gold coins draped just right across her chest, accentuating her curves while remaining tasteful.

When Sophia saw Beta enter, the professional sternness on her face melted away. She relaxed against the leather chair and raised an eyebrow. "What brings you here?"

Her gaze swept over Matilda. "Is this your daughter?"

Then she snorted. "Where's that bastard John Wick? Didn't he come with you?"

Beta sat down opposite her and crossed his legs casually. "Just passing through and stopping for a rest."

He nodded toward Matilda. "A friend's kid."

His tone darkened at the mention of John. "He's in New York. He's got his hands full with Helen's funeral."

Sophia was silent for a moment, then said softly, "My condolences, Salong."

Beta gave a slight nod, his gaze dimming. "Thanks. But... maybe it's for the best."

He paused, his voice low and calm. "At least Helen doesn't have to suffer anymore. Cancer made those last days unbearably painful for her."

Sophia leaned forward slightly. "So, you secretly checked into my hotel and went out of your way to meet with me. What exactly do you want?"

Beta looked at her. "Do you know Antonio's female bodyguard well?"

"That woman?" Sophia raised an eyebrow. "Of course. Why?"

She had no idea about the special relationship between Ashley and Beta. It had always been a secret.

"How did she know I was staying here?" Beta asked.

Sophia chuckled. "Antonio's at the hotel. As a core member of the Round Table Council, he has access to everything happening in the entire hotel. It's only natural that his bodyguard would know."

Beta nodded thoughtfully. "I see."

Then he changed the subject. "How are your two precious dogs?"

"They're asleep in the lounge," Sophia replied.

Sophia lifted her coffee cup and turned her gaze to Ashley. "Aren't you going to introduce me to this young lady?"

Beta tapped his fingers lightly against his knee, hesitating as he continued, "Since Antonio's here... is Gianna here too?"

Sophia set down her cup and gave Beta a meaningful look. "You want to see her?" Her voice rose slightly at the end, curiosity in her tone.

Beta met her gaze and nodded openly. "If she's here."

Sophia sighed softly, rubbing her fingertip along the rim of her coffee cup. "As a member of the Round Table, she can't let anyone find a weakness to exploit. And you, of all people, are her greatest weakness."

The coffee in her cup rippled slightly as Sophia spoke. "She insists on not seeing you. When it comes down to it... she just wants to keep you safe."

"But we can't really keep avoiding each other, can we? Is she at the hotel now?" Beta pressed.

Sophia nodded slightly. "She is. As a member of the Round Table Council, she has access to all the information at every Continental Hotel branch. She specifically asked to take a different flight from Antonio. Maybe..."

Sophia paused. "Maybe she's waiting to see you too."