Chapter 624 Caught In Between

"Are you the owner of this restaurant?" A cold smile matched the darkness in Nathan's eyes.

"Yes. It's been two years," Daniel answered, his deep baritone voice flowing smoothly.

Nathan was not one to rake up the remains of the past, but the sight of Daniel was kindling to the embers of his fury. Memories from four years ago—Mandy lying on a hospital bed with her eyes closed—brought back an old enmity.

That time, Mandy had kept the fact that she was with Daniel from him. Nathan found out the truth later on, and it was a resentment that he had kept at the back of his mind like a festering wound. Mandy had been in danger, and for such a contemptible man.

"Mr. Zhao, do you have time now? My wife and I would be delighted to have your company. We haven't seen each other for a long time. It would be great to catch up, wouldn't you agree?" Nathan said cordially, but his dark eyes narrowed, and the cold smile was still on his lips.

"Yes, I'm free now." Daniel's gaze lingered at Mandy's turned figure. Shadows of longing crossed over his deep eyes.

Nathan followed his eyes and grit his teeth, inwardly cursing the man as he ogled Mandy. His anger burned hotter. At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to gouge Daniel's eyes out.

It was the closest he had ever been to losing his cool.

But he held back the reins of his temper. The lamplight fell upon his face, making his features even more prominent. "Honey, come here and greet an old acquaintance."

Mandy sighed, perfectly understanding what was going on in Nathan's mind. He could be such a possessive man. But why was Daniel taking his bait? Nothing but friendly words had been exchanged between the two men, but the air was thick with tension, as if their breaths were ticking time bombs waiting to detonate.

Daniel accepted Nathan's invitation solely from the desire to see Mandy's face. It had been four years.

It was mere taunting at first. Nathan had wanted to rile him up, but he did

h her secretly.

His eyes followed her lithe fingers as they pressed the piano keys. She played beautifully. It was the first time he had seen someone play complicated scores one after another.

The music room's door was made of wood, but a transparent rectangle of glass was set at the top. Daniel had always been tall, so he could watch from outside with ease. He noticed that Mandy seldom looked at the scores while playing. It was a sign that she knew the pieces by heart.

Every day, Daniel would quietly watch as Mandy played different pieces. She was an incredible pianist—playing the piece as soon as she got the scores. Mistakes were rare, and the notes flowed beautifully into a harmonious arrangement. It was a joy to behold.

"Truly, Mr. Jin. Mand is priceless." His gaze was fixed on Mandy, his emotions clear in his eyes.

Nathan seethed inwardly. "Are you still single?"

"Yes," Daniel replied.

"Hmmm… So you haven't met the right woman yet." Nathan put his arm around Mandy's waist as he spoke.

"I met a woman in the past. That's enough for me. I can never forget her." Daniel looked down and smiled wistfully, his eyes full of yearning.

Nathan's face darkened at the sight. 'You fool, ' he spat inwardly. 'Why are you being sentimental now? Just because you were Mandy's first love?'