Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!-Chapter 178: Long Game

The glass doors of Golden Hay Empire slid shut behind them, and the wind welcomed Darren with a sharper bite than before.

Darren walked ahead, calm and unbothered, Daisy still at his side, eyes ahead, and Rachel, going through the documents one last time.

The adrenaline from the boardroom confrontation still lingered in the air, but Darren's expression had already returned to stillness.

Ding!

┏You have an earned a Character Bonus!┛

Darren looked at the notification. 'That's good but when will I unlock a Feature then? I'm going to need one to help with this whole nonsense, I feel.'

As they approached the black SUV, Daisy checked her phone one last time — then paused.

Darren noticed. "Are you not coming?"

Daisy hesitated, then looked up. "Where are we going?" she asked.

Darren understood what the problem could be. "The contract signing is to be done at Sagomoto Offices," he replied. "I need a legal representative there and you're the closest one right now."

"Oh," she said anxiously. "To finalize the Delverate signing." She took a slow breath. "If you don't mind… can I assign another representative, they will meet with you at the building."

Darren raised a brow at her request. "You still haven't settled things with your father?"

She lowered her voice, glancing at Rachel. "Yes… and I don't think... meeting like this would be the best way to see after all this time."

Darren's eyes narrowed slightly in understanding. "You know he desperately wants to see you, right?"

"I know," she murmured. "It's... complicated."

Darren gave a slow nod. "Then don't come. Just get a rep from our counsel office. You've done more than enough today."

Daisy gave a grateful smile. "Thanks, Darren."

He nodded once, then turned to Rachel. "Let's move."

They entered the car and drove to Sagomoto Wealth Offices. As soon as they arrived, just as Daisy had promised, a legal representative arrived, a young man with blonde hair and gray suit.

He obediently followed Darren into the building.

The elevator ride was smooth, silent — the kind of silence that only expensive buildings managed to achieve. On the top floor, as the doors slid open, a young, clumsy-looking assistant nearly tripped trying to greet them.

"Nashville!" Darren greeted, a rare warmth in his voice.

"Mr. Steele! Oh, wow, I wasn't expecting— uh—" Nashville nearly dropped his files, fumbling to tuck it under his arm. "You're early!"

"Still as clumsy as ever, eh?" Darren replied dryly.

Inside the office, Jonah and Ethan were already seated on a plush couch near the large windows, sipping matcha and chatting casually. They straightened the moment Darren stepped in.

"Mr. Steele," Jonah greeted with a practiced smile.

"Always a pleasure," Ethan added, though his voice held a trace of caution.

Before Darren could respond, a door opened with a gentle chime and out came Mr. Sagomoto — the stout Chinese man with snowy white hair, a glinting gold ring, and a booming laugh that filled the office before he even said a word.

"Darren!" he cried. "Still sharper than a sword and dressed better than my grandkids! Come here!"

Darren shook his hand firmly. "You look younger than when I saw you last."

Sagomoto roared with laughter. "Flattery before a deal? You have changed."

He noticed the representative and his eyes softened. "It seems my daughter didn't come with you," he said. "Is she well?"

Darren's smile faded a little. "She's doing well. Don't worry, she'll talk to you when the time is right."

Sagomoto's eyes clouded for a moment, then he exhaled through his nose and patted Darren on the arm. "I understand. Some things take time. Come! Come! Let me finalize this deal for you!"

He motioned for everyone to take their seats at the polished circular negotiation table.

Rachel handed over the latest term sheet, while Sagomoto began to lead the conversation with the calm energy of a seasoned moderator. Jonah and Ethan presented their updated terms for Delverate's valuation, product scope, and the required capital injection.

Darren listened — then leaned forward, and that was when everything began to shift.

"There's one thing I believe Delverate has that most startups don't," he began. His voice was steady but carried weight. "You're not just building code — you're touching future infrastructure. If you pivot right, this won't just be analytics. It'll be the brain of every retail chain from coast to coast."

Jonah blinked. "You… you really think that?"

Darren nodded. "You've got a skeleton here, but your platform lacks scalability. You're focused on solving yesterday's data problems. Let's aim for tomorrow's."

He started sketching ideas. These ideas included deployment frameworks, smart integrations, predictive dashboards, modular UX. As he talked, his Passive skill, the Command Aura kicked in and it started taking effect.

Jonah leaned in, genuinely intrigued.

Ethan's crossed arms loosened. "That's… not a bad approach, actually."

Rachel took notes silently, watching the shift.

Even Sagomoto was intrigued by the young Investor's ideas.

By the end of the hour, terms were settled.

Delverate would receive $8 million in initial capital for 26% equity, with Darren's firm given first right of refusal on any future investment round. An executive advisor clause was added — giving Darren direct influence on product evolution.

Sagomoto registered the deal formally through his firm. "It's done."

As Jonah and Ethan stood, Jonah hesitated. "You know… this feels different than I expected."

"It is," Darren said, offering a thin smile. "That's how it always is working with me."

He shook both their hands.

"Welcome to Steele Investments."

After nodding and exchanging final greetings, they left quietly, almost respectfully, walking with less swagger than they'd come in with.

Darren stood by the door, watching them disappear down the hallway.

Sagomoto sealed the documents with a practiced motion and rose from his seat. "You've got something, Darren. You always did. We both know there's something fishy about those boys and their contract cancellation with Sinclair Group. Why are you going ahead with the deal?"

Darren turned to him. "The deal? What deal?"

Sagomoto chuckled. "You are such a wild man!" He shook his hand. "Keep an eye on my daughter for me."

Darren nodded once. "I'll try my best, Mr. Sagomoto," then he left.

Rachel, the legal representative and the security guard followed him.

As the doors shut and the vehicle pulled out, Rachel glanced at Darren.

"You told Amelia and me those two were lying. That they were sent to sabotage you, so why are you going through with it?"

Darren adjusted his cufflinks, eyes locked on the skyline outside.

"Rachel. Even a poisoned tree can bear fruit," he said. "Just because they tried to trick me, doesn't mean I can't still lock in this investment."

He leaned back into the leather seat, calm and composed.

"I'm playing the long game."

The car rolled forward — and the city, none the wiser, carried on. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

"Delverate isn't necessarily... an enemy."