Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!-Chapter 179: Confession

Darren had planned for a quieter day after the complicacies of the last few ones, but when he'd received the call from Ethan and Jonah about wanting to discuss something, he decided to make use of his rather free schedule.

Especially, because he had a good idea what this was going to be about.

As usual, he was in his private lounge in Castle Cottage— a place he had now made a home to all his private major business meetings and discussions.

He would also use the chance to see Penelope, and talk about how she was doing.

Now, he was waiting.

A flicker of the firelight painted the lounge in warm tones. Evening had just begun to settle outside, casting long orange shadows across the stone walls and elegant wooden beams.

The hum of muted jazz played from a corner speaker, just loud enough to fill the silence, but soft enough to be forgotten.

Darren Steele sat in one of the deep leather chairs near the hearth, legs crossed, a glass of untouched bourbon resting on the side table.

Across from him, Rachel scrolled calmly through a digital ledger on her computer, highlighting upcoming funding release dates and capital movements. She paused only when the door creaked open.

The pioneers of Delvarate, Jonah and Ethan, stepped in, looking less like tech entrepreneurs and more like nervous interns summoned to the principal's office. Ethan gave a tight smile. Jonah nodded anxiously.

Too lazy to stand up, Darren simply gestured toward the chairs in front of him. "Welcome boys. I was surprised when I got the call. You asked for this meeting."

"We did," Jonah said, clearing his throat. "And… we're grateful you agreed to see us."

"We won't waste your time," Ethan added quickly. "This isn't about valuations or equity structure."

Rachel raised a brow but remained quiet.

"Everything you have told us, Mr. Steele, we agree with a thousand percent. Everything."

"Jonah and I, we've never met someone, talk more of an investor, have a similar trajectory, goal and passion for our product like you do, Mr Steele."

"Your ideas. Your vision. Everything you said yesterday. It has inspired us."

Darren looked at the two of them, half-smiling. "Get this boat to shore, boys. What exactly are you saying here?"

They both looked at each other and shared a sigh.

"It makes this situation even more difficult."

Darren forged a frown. "You're not canceling the contract, are you?"

"No. No. No." Ethan replied. "We're actually doing the opposite."

Darren moved his gaze from one to the other, then shrugged. What was it?

"It's about the truth," Jonah said. "About everything."

Darren's gaze sharpened. He leaned back slightly, folding his hands together.

Jonah took a breath. "You told us that if there was anything in our legal structure that could hurt you, we should let you know."

Darren grimaced, but nodded his head. "I did."

"The news about Sinclair Group dropping us. You recall how sudden it was?"

Darren said nothing.

"That was… true," Jonah continued. "But not because we were victims. It was part of the setup."

"Ryan Anders approached us one week ago," Ethan cut in, sounding like he'd rehearsed this. "He promised us money, corporate backing, and a large investment fund increase . All we had to do was follow the plan."

Darren was silent for a while, looking at the two of them as he swallowed the information.

"And this plan..." he finally spoke, his voice smoother than expected. "It was to bait me."

Jonah nodded. "We were supposed to get you to sign a contract filled with hidden traps— things that would only activate after your investment went through. Legal entanglements. IP disputes. Licensing landmines that would destroy your company's credibility, including your biggest asset, Trendteller."

"The Sinclairs had nothing to do with it," Ethan muttered bitterly, "It was Ryan Anders and a man named Cyrus Weller. They wanted to ruin your name with our fall."

Darren took a long breath and glanced toward the flames. "I've always known."

That made both men blink.

"You—"

"Yes," Darren said calmly. "The deals we signed, none of them were real, they were just parodies of what the contract would actually look like."

Jonah rubbed the back of his neck. "So you were just pretending to go through with it?"

"I wanted to see what kind of men you were," Darren replied. "If you'd follow through with the sabotage or not. I assumed you wouldn't resist the money."

Silence. Until Ethan spoke, voice lower now. "We would've. Probably. But something shifted after that day. You spoke like someone who actually saw the future in what we made. Not just in the software — in us."

Jonah nodded slowly. "You believed in the idea more than we did."

Darren smirked. He wasn't sure about all that. Delvarate was a masterpiece of a product, but all that they were talking about was a result of the Command Aura skill.

"And as for Ryan?" Ethan continued. "He never even read our final update. Sinclair didn't even send a tech guy. We were just a pawn. But with you—"

"You wanted to be more than pawns," Darren said, cutting him off. "You wanted to be partners."

They both nodded.

Jonah reached into his coat and pulled out a crisp, bound document. "We removed the traps. Every clause Ryan added. We rewrote the agreement and had it notarized with a neutral third party. Here."

He handed the file over.

Rachel took it, flipping quickly through the pages, her trained eyes scanning every line. Her lips pressed into a line.

"It's clean," she said. "Legally sound. They gutted the sabotage."

Darren took the file and rested it on the table. "You understand what you're admitting to, right?"

Jonah swallowed, glancing at his partner. "Yeah."

"You deliberately attempted to hurt a company— mine. That alone justifies legal action, even if you didn't go through with it."

"We know," Ethan said. "But we're coming clean. And we have no excuses."

Darren looked at them, letting the silence stretch just long enough for discomfort to take root.

Then he nodded once.

"Fine. You want to start over?" His tone darkened. "You'll pay for the privilege."

Jonah stiffened.

Darren continued, "Your funding pool drops 40%. That's the price of trying to sabotage me."

Ethan frowned. "That's… a heavy cut."

"Be glad I'm not gutting you completely," Darren replied, standing now, voice harder. "I don't need dreamers who crumble under pressure. If you fold that easily for Ryan, what happens when someone bigger comes?"

He let the words settle before leaning slightly closer. "But you're lucky. Because I do need visionaries. And right now, you two are the only ones who understand the code and the culture behind Delverate. If you really do respect my leadership and value my vision, then you wouldn't mind taking a cut for your crimes if it assures a sound partnership for years."

The two looked at each other, nodded at once and turned to Darren. "You're right. Jonah and I have thought about this a lot. We agree to your deal."

Rachel was already sending a notice to legal. "New contract will be registered by tonight. Welcome to Steele Investments — for real this time."

Jonah exhaled. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Darren said. "Just don't give me a reason to regret it."

Darren decided to do the public announcement later that night.

In the press conference with beautiful fluorescent lights, Darren stood before a cluster of media drones and digital reporters.

Rachel was the one to announce the partnership.

"Today," she said with an elated formal voice, "Steele Investments finalizes its deal with Delverate— a tech firm I believe will help redefine how data empowers small businesses."

She paused for emphasis.

"You may remember this company. Sinclair Group tried to cancel them just days ago, blind to the potential that technology is certain to have in the future. But here at Steele Investments, we don't cancel potential— we amplify it."

"That being said, everyone at Steele Investments would like to welcome Delvarate into our team of portfolio companies and business allies!"

Camera lights flashed as Darren stood with a hidden victorious look on his face.

---

Meanwhile, in Ryan Anders' Office

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"Haaaaa! Ha! Ha!"

Ryan laughed like a mad man, falling over his office couch and almost spilling wine on his tailored grey blazer.

"Look at his face. Look at his dumb face! He thinks it's real! He thinks he really signed them. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

He raised his phone and tapped out a message to Ethan and Jonah.

'Good work. Now sit tight. Show begins tomorrow.'

He let out a victorious sigh of relief. "Oh my! I have you now, Darren Steele!"