Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!-Chapter 213: Darren Vs Archibald (Round 2!)

"You’ve said everything you want, Mooney. Now it’s my turn to talk. And your turn to listen."

Archibald’s fingers stopped tapping. Olivia’s brows lifted ever so slightly, her breath caught. No one had ever spoken to Archibald like that— not in this city or the entire state.

The guards looked at each other uneasily, Archibald’s narrowed their eyes in defense but refrained from any action unless told otherwise by Archibald himself.

At this point, Darren’s posture was straight, unyielding. His eyes were locked on Archibald’s and no one else while his face was stern and ruthless.

"Let’s start with what I don’t want. I don’t want a leash dressed up as a crown. A disguise of power. A facade of authority. What you’re offering to me right this moment is autonomy wrapped in velvet chains, Mr. Mooney, and you call that a partnership."

He creased his brows. "I feel insulted that you thought that I would fall for it. What did I come off as? Did I look desperate, Mr. Mooney? Gullible? Impressionable?"

There was no answer.

"Surely there had to have been something that made you think it was okay to offer me such a ridiculous deal."

Ding!

┏This person’s anger is increasing┛

Ding!

┏This person’s dislike for you is rapidly growing!┛

"What are you playing here, boy. I’m giving you the keys to the kingdom."

"It’s not the keys of the locks guarded by security. What use are the keys when I have to ask for permission to use them?"

He placed both palms on the table, his words precise as a scalpel. "And I’m not a ’boy’ so let’s stop with the condescending words. However, you are right that I do want expansion."

The silence in the lounge was grave. Everyone was listening, and they were all influenced by the power of his words and the bravery at which he spoke them.

"But I don’t want it to be conditional. I don’t want it to be filtered through an empire built on fear and favors. I want my algorithms untouched, my IP sovereign, and my people protected. I didn’t pull Trendteller, Delverate, and Castle Cottage from the dirt just to see them kneel to a name."

Archibald scoffed. "The Mooney name is the strongest in this state. One of the strongest in the entire world. Any subsidiary of ours... as long as it has the Moon brand, is destined for success." His expression was granite.

"Yet I don’t want it." Darren responded. "This so-called success is fleeting. I’d only relish in it for what? A second? Soon, I’ll realize the walls closing in around me and then the success all but disappears. Gone in a moment."

He leaned forward, adjusting his legs. "But do you know what is permanent? A contract. The one that grants you all my data. Because that’s what you want isn’t it?"

Ding!

┏This person is becoming defensive┛

"You want my data. However, there’s also something you need." Darren smirked. "Relevance."

"Pfft! Ha! Ha!" Archibald chuckled dryly. "That’s ridiculous. Relevance? I am Archibald Mooney, I am always relevant."

"Yeah, yeah, but stay with me here, why don’t you?" His eyes became more knowing. Taunting. "In order for a person to maintain a certain lifestyle, they’re going to require the same assets that grant them that lifestyle. It just logically follows, don’t you think?"

He shrugged. Archibald didn’t answer, and so Darren continued.

"So... For a man of your caliber to maintain his status — his great throne of relevancy, you need to remain relevant."

Ding!

┏This person is being introspective due to your words.┛

"But the problem is that right now, you stand on a collapsing mountain of legacy companies and still look like a pioneer. So you call in the boy king — one of the most talked about entities in the city — to lend your brand a heartbeat. But let’s be clear, Mooney; I didn’t come here to carry your empire or be a part of it. I came here to expand mine."

The words echoed, slow and sharp. Olivia’s gaze was locked on Darren now, something new behind her eyes; respect, awe, admiration.

Perhaps it wasn’t even new at all. Perhaps she had always felt this way and couldn’t ignore it in the moment no matter how she tried. However, the emotion she always knew was present was even more blaring now:

Affection.

Darren exhaled. "You said timing makes kings. You’re right. And your timing is late. I control the new frontier. Not because I inherited it. But because I built it, line by line, deal by deal, when you were in Russia and Dubai, leaving the business economy in the hands of criminals like Ryan Anders and Gareth Smithers."

A long pause took control as Darren and Archibald locked on with each other. The command aura still pulsed.

"So here’s my pitch to you. I want access to Moon Enterprises’ international infrastructure. I want expansion rights and priority selection for my digital products in Bidding Gates. I don’t want any ownership from you or oversight. In return, you can integrate select Trendteller+ analytics into your non-strategic sectors. You can also have first stakeholder rights for new assets. We keep it arm’s-length. We become allies this way."

Darren leaned in, resting his jaw and his crossed fingers. "You get relevance. I get reach. Nobody bows."

The silence that followed was profound. The only sound was the subtle shift of the fireplace behind them.

Archibald leaned back slowly, folding his hands.

Then he smiled. Not out of amusement. But as one predator seeing another.

Perhaps they were both panthers.

"Let me make something clear, Mr. Steele," he said, his voice colder now. No more ’boy.’ "This is not a negotiation. This was an evaluation. And while your confidence is admirable, your ignorance is almost poetic."

He stood.

"If I decide you’re an obstacle, I won’t compete with you. I’ll erase you. Your licenses will be tied up in red tape until your assets die of old age. Your warehouses will mysteriously fail inspection. Your partners will lose banking privileges. Your marketing accounts will be flagged by regulators for ’data sensitivity’ reviews. Your very name will be associated with instability: a boy who rose too fast, too soon, and threatened the balance."

He leaned closer.

"You don’t understand how fragile public trust is. I do. Because I built it. And I know how to break it." freeweɓnovel.cøm

The words landed like hammers. Darren felt his heart squeeze a little bit, knowing every single thing Archibald just said was true. He was the god of the business world in Los Alverez.

But Darren caught himself before he could trip, regaining his courage and soaking the room once again in his passive skill.

He got on his feet as well. Matching Archibald eye for eye.

"Then maybe you should think about this, Archibald," Darren said, tone razor-sharp. "Everything you described; I’ve already survived some version of it. I’m still standing. Anders failed. Henderson failed. Smithers failed. And I’m still here. Perhaps starting a war is your second strategy to maintain relevance. But you own the biggest company in the state, coming for me only means you’re testing your chances of falling just like the others. And as big as you are, you’re going to fall the hardest."

Another pause.

"Because if you try to bury me, Mr. Archibald Mooney, you better not miss."

Archibald stared at him.

Then gave a quiet nod. "So be it, Darren Steele."

Irrespective of the animosity and tension, the meeting ended without a handshake.