Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!

'Right, of course she would act that way. Why didn't I consider the possibility that she had no idea who FuglyDuckling even was?'

"Who's FuglyDuckling? That's a very comical name." Then she looked down in thought. "Although saying it out loud. It does sound somewhat familiar. Like I've heard it somewhere recently."

Darren suddenly grabbed her by the waist, "Oh," and sat her down.

"I'll explain it to you like this."

His eyes gleamed with intensity, his voice unwavering as he detailed his past, his financial moves, and his grand vision for Darren Investments.

He explained it all to her. From when he left the company and decided to put his financial acumen and mathematical knowledge into Bitcoin.

Rachel watched him closely, her fingers gripping the armrest of the couch.

He told her he took out a loan from the Red Fang, when Rachel pointed out how risky that was, he told her he was the one he sent them to jail. And he told her how he did it.

He explained to her how his knowledge on how to invest using numbers and analysis had led him to make massive earnings in Bitcoin because of it.

To prove it, he showed her his phone and his digital wallet. The numbers flashed on the screen, the staggering figures, proof of his foresight. Then he pulled up his portfolio and showed her that as well.

"But this," Darren continued, appearing like a mad scientist speaking about his life's work, "this is just the beginning. Darren Investments isn't just about crypto. I'm building something bigger. We're building something bigger. A financial empire."

His voice shifted, taking on a sharp, passionate edge.

"Think about it. Cryptocurrency is an entirely new system. A decentralized world. A power shift. The banks? The corporations? They'll have to play by my rules soon enough. I'll control markets before they even realize what's happening. I know this. I see the numbers in front of me like a magic screen. Trust me, Rachel, this isn't gambling. It's numbers. Trends. Data. Every movement, every investment is calculated."

His voice was a blade, sharp and unrelenting, carving the air with precision. He spoke of decentralized finance, of blockchain's untapped potential, of a world where currency bowed to algorithms instead of governments. His hands moved as if conducting an invisible orchestra — charts, projections, risk assessments spilling from him like scripture.

Rachel sat transfixed.

It wasn't like he was explaining. He was evangelizing.

His eyes burned with the fervor of a man who saw numbers as living, breathing entities. "The market isn't random, Rachel. It's a language. And I speak it."

She swallowed. Hard.

There was something terrifying about him at that moment. It was kind of beautiful. The way his mind worked, the sheer certainty in his calculations.

It didn't feel like simple intelligence. It was madness. A glorious, unchecked obsession with the game.

And God help her, she was falling for it.

Darren exhaled, suddenly aware he had lost himself in the moment. He ran a hand through his hair and smirked.

"So... what do you think?"

That question snapped her back into reality.

Rachel bit her lip, suppressing the emotions stirring inside her.

"I think I know why Gareth wanted to lock you down as his idea puppet," she murmured. "You're some kind of number whiz. A financial analyst. No wonder you graduated so young. And no wonder Gareth knew you could do great things if you left."

Darren's eyes darkened slightly. "He said that?"

"Yes, a few times." Rachel hesitated, then added, "I also overheard him telling Lily to make sure to lock you down. He was scared of you giving your ideas to other companies. Maybe even… creating your own."

She watched his expression change and immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry. I don't know if you already knew that."

Darren's face was unreadable, then he simply shrugged. "It's fine. I do."

Rachel stood up, smoothing out her towel. "Thanks for telling me all this. I always knew you were hiding something, but I waited. I figured you'd tell me when you were ready."

Darren felt a small wave of relief at that.

She chuckled softly. "I remember now. Where I heard that name. FuglyDuckling."

She chuckled more. "It's funny… that man the other day, the headhunter. He was searching for the mystery investor when it was you he was talking to all along."

Darren smirked. "Yeah, that is funny, isn't it?"

Rachel laughed for a bit longer, and Darren just watched her with a smile on her face. 'Darn. She's so pretty when she's like this. Especially when you know what she's usually like.'

He held her by the chin. "Come on, dress up. I want you to meet someone and see how far we've reached in the company's growth."

Rachel nodded. "Okay."

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They both left the hotel and arrived at Kara's apartment some moments later.

The door swung open.

"Hey! Hey! Ho—" Kara paused, her playful greeting dying on her lips as she took in Rachel.

Rachel stood poised, wearing a sharp purple blouse and a fitted pencil skirt, holding a file in one hand. Her gaze, partially obscured by her long hair, was as frozen as ice.

Darren's eyes looked down at Kara's clothes. She was undressed.

"You forgot, didn't you?" he asked, unimpressed.

Kara gave a sheepish smile. "Maybe."

Darren sighed. "Rachel, this is Kara DeAndre, the head of my IT department. Kara, this Rachel Teschmacher, she's my secretary, managing assistant and consultant."

Kara's brow lifted slightly. "Oohhh, fancy." She studied Rachel a little too intently.

Rachel turned to Darren. "Did you say head of IT?"

"Yes."

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Unconventional. But then again, that's your style, sir."

"Sir?" Kara snorted teasingly. "So you go by sir now, Mr. D?"

Rachel glanced at them both. "Hopefully that D stands for Darren… or Duckling."

Darren pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let's just go inside."

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The Office Setup & Investments

Inside, the three sat in Kara's workspace as she pulled up her data.

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A/N: Please readers! We're so close to reaching the second privilege tier in the Win/Win competitions. Please purchase privilege! If we hit it, then a ten chapter mass release comes on the 5th!