Chapter 280

The upscale Italian restaurant they chose had an ambiance of understated elegance, with soft jazz playing in the background.

Initially, Nathan Prescott and Julian Montgomery had been at odds, but after winning that high-profile lawsuit together, they'd formed an unexpected bond.

"Mr. Montgomery, let me propose a toast." Nathan raised his wine ss with a grin. "Without your brilliant defense, I'd be facing my father's wrath right now. He might've actually disowned me this time."

Julian, ever mindful of his boss Vivian Lockhart, quickly deflected the praise. "Don't thank me. I'm just following Ms. Lockhart's directives. None of this would've happened without her approval."

"Exactly! A toast to Vivian!"

Julian turned to Vivian with a playful smirk. "I won't underestimate you as just some young socialite anymore. How about I call you Viv from now on?"

He began humming a tune under his breath. "Viv, my shining star... lighting up my darkest night..."

Vivian's face lit up with genuine delight, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

"That was lovely, Nathan. I had no idea you could sing like that."

"Of course!" Nathan puffed up with pride. "Back in college, I was known as the romance ballad king. Women swooned over my voice. I even wrote songs for a platinum-selling artist. Isn't that right, Ethan?"

He nudged Ethan Blackwood who sat beside him, meticulously cutting his steak with precise, elegant movements. The CEO's expression remained icy, his aristocratic features giving nothing away.

The knife clinked sharply against the plate as Ethan replied without looking up, "With that mouth, you should've been a radio host."

"Ethan, come on—" Nathan's smile faltered. "Since when did my chattiness bother you? What's got you in such a mood?"

"I'm not in a mood."

The way Ethan sawed through his steak suggested otherwise. The usually tender cut seemed particularly tough tonight.

"Clearly you are." Nathan persisted. "Jealous I'm getting along so well with Viv?"

Ethan's glacial re made Nathan instinctively lean back. The unspoken threat was clear: One more word and the steak knife might find a new target.

Vivian quickly took a sip of her sparkling water to hide her flustered expression. Could Ethan actually be jealous? No, that couldn't be...

Setting down his utensils with deliberate calm, Ethan wiped his mouth and fixed Nathan with a look. "Weren't you the one who found her insufferable? What's with the sudden change of heart?"

"That's not fair," Nathan protested. "Viv and I understand each other now. We're kindred spirits—right, Viv?"

"Absolutely." Vivian played along with an amused nod. "That coffee you bought me sealed our friendship. Consider us bonded for life."

What really mattered was Nathan's unexpected generosity—leasing her that prime 1,500 sq ft commercial space at well below market rate. In this cutthroat business world, such genuine kindness was rare indeed.