Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!-Chapter 152: Like a Vault, This One

Her suggestion had caught him off guard, and he didn't want to question what the intent behind it was. He preferred being oblivious or pretending to be oblivious.

Speaking of the nervousness. He wasn't sure if that was exactly what he was feeling. Maybe he was more anxious or just frightened for whatever reason.

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What he was sure of was that the feeling was new, and it was because of her.

The car turned into the private drive of his mansion. The gates parted silently, and the car ascended a winding ramp, the streetlights falling away below them.

Penelope pressed her face to the window, her breath fogging the glass. "This is your house?" she whispered, eyes wide. "Wow."

Darren glanced at her and smiled, parking close to the fountain. "You like?" he asked.

"You're asking like you're going to give it to me," she said through a laugh. "But yes, it's like a castle in the sky."

"Castle?" Darren asked. "I see what you did there."

"There was no pun intended!"

"Okay. Okay. Whatever you say, Miss Castle."

They stepped out, and Darren led her to the front door. Once they were close to it, Penelope fidgeted, her excitement mingling with a sudden shyness. "I hope I'm not, like, intruding," she said, glancing at him. "I just... I really wanted to see more of you. Your world, I mean."

Darren's heart gave an unfamiliar lurch. He met her gaze, her blue eyes sparkling with sincerity, and for a moment, he forgot how to respond. "You're not intruding," he said finally, his voice low. "I'm... glad you're here."

Penelope lit up.

He opened the door to reveal the grand foyer of his mansion. Marble floors stretched beneath a soaring ceiling, where a chandelier cast prisms of light across the walls.

There was modern art — for that time — hanging in tasteful frames, and beautiful furniture of high value arranged across the room.

Penelope stepped forward, her sandals clicking softly. "Wow," she breathed, spinning to take it all in. "It's so... beautiful. Do you live here alone, Mr Darren? ... it's so quiet."

Before Darren could respond, a warm, melodic voice echoed from the stairs. "Darren? Is that you, darling?"

Penelope froze, and Darren's shoulders tensed.

A woman appeared, her dark and silver hair swept into an elegant bun, her silk blouse and tailored pants exuding effortless grace. Pamela Steele, Darren's mother, had the same sharp blue eyes as her son, but hers sparkled with mischief and delight as they landed on Penelope.

Penelope was just about to assume the worse, when—

"Oh my goodness!" Pamela clapped her hands, her smile wide. "Darren, you brought a girl home? And such a lovely one!"

Penelope's face flushed scarlet, and she gave a nervous wave. "H-Hi! I'm Penelope. It's nice to meet you!"

Darren sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Mom, don't start. Penelope's just... visiting."

Pamela waved a dismissive hand, already circling Penelope like an excited curator admiring a rare artifact. "Nonsense! You never bring anyone here, darling. When you do, it's all about work this and work that. This is a moment." She turned to Penelope, her tone conspiratorial. "Tell me, dear, how did you manage to get my stoic son to open up? He's like a vault, this one."

Penelope giggled, glancing at Darren, who was glaring at his mother with mock exasperation. "Um, I don't think I've completely achieved that yet. He's still shut tight, I" she said, her voice teasing.

Pamela laughed, a rich, infectious sound. "Oh, I like her already. Come, come, you must tell me everything. Are you hungry? I have some pastries in the kitchen—"

"Mom," Darren interrupted, his tone firm but fond. "We're fine. Give us a minute, yeah?"

Pamela pouted playfully but relented, her eyes twinkling. She understood that her son needed his time with the girl. Pamela was going once so she got it.

With a smile, she replied, "Fine, fine. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. But Penelope, you're welcome here anytime." She winked, then glided out of the room, her laughter echoing down the hall. "I'm always lonely here. Would be nice to see another woman around here."

Penelope smiled. "Thank you, Mrs Steele."

When Pamela disappeared back up the stairs and it was them both left alone again, Penelope covered her face with her hands, peeking through her fingers at Darren. "Your mom is amazing. And she looks great! I'm happy she got better."

Darren snorted, loosening his tie as he led her to the living room, where a plush gray sofa faced the city view. "Now she's spending every energy she's replenished on tormenting me. She's a force of nature. Sorry about that."

"Don't be," Penelope said, settling onto the sofa, her dress fanning around her. "She's sweet. And... it's nice to know you have someone like her."

Darren sat beside her, a careful distance between them, his arm draped over the back of the couch. "Yeah, she's my rock," he admitted, his voice softer. "Always has been."

Penelope tilted her head, studying him. The chandelier's light caught the gold in her hair, making her look almost ethereal. "You don't talk about your family much," she said gently. "Or... anything personal, really."

He exhaled, his gaze drifting to the skyline. "Not much to tell. My dad died a few years ago. I have an uncle who's pretty much forgotten about us. I have 2 cousins from him and... yeah. That's pretty much it.

She shifted closer, her knee brushing his, sending a quiet spark through him.