Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!
Chapter 238 - 238: A Girl for Sale

The silence in the Lotus Triad's lair was brought to all by Darren's alarm words—

"Five point five million, and I take the woman with me"

Surely this boy's audacity has no limits.

For a moment, no one knew what to say to it. The words themselves hung in the air, while their reactions amused Darren.

His face remained a mask of calm, his Command Aura pulsing invisibly, lending his voice the magnetic pull that held the room captive.

Rachel's brows were frozen. Ever since they'd come here, things had only gone from confusing to more confusing.

The Romanian girl's green gaze was locked onto Darren, a storm of emotions flickering across her sharp, pale face. The scarred man beside her stiffened, his sneer twisting into something darker.

Viktor Dragomir leaned forward in his throne-like chair, his gray eyes narrowing to slits, the silver lotus pin on his lapel glinting like a warning.

Then his lips curled, a dry, humorless chuckle breaking the silence. "A brothel, you think this is?" he said. "You cannot buy a woman for half a million dollars, American. This is the Lotus Triad, not some street market."

Darren pursed his lips. "A million, then," he said. "Five million for the wallet, one million for her. Six million total."

The room paused, the tension so thick it felt like the air itself might crack. The gunmen shifted, their eyes flicking between Darren and Viktor. The scarred man beside the girl let out a low growl, his hand twitching toward the gun at his hip, his dead eyes burning with barely contained rage.

Rachel's mind has not stopped reeling. 'What is Darren thinking?' she thought, her heart pounding. She stared at him, his calm infuriating, almost alien in this room of guns and menace.

At the moment, her fear mingled with confusion, her trust in Darren warring with the chaos of the moment. She bit her lip, forcing herself to stay silent, but her cuffed hands clenched, nails digging into her palms.

The Romanian girl's reaction was raw, unguarded, a storm breaking across her face. Her green eyes tightened, her lips parting slightly, a flush creeping up her pale cheeks.

Though one thing remained: She couldn't stop looking at the daring American man.

Viktor leaned back, his ringed finger tapping the arm of his chair, the sound a metronome in the quiet. "Why her?" he asked. "What do you want with her?"

Darren's gaze didn't waver, his Command Aura holding the room's attention. He glanced at the girl again, her eyes meeting his, a silent conversation passing between them.

"Well, what is she to you?" he countered. "You're ready to sell the wallet, but not her? From the looks of things, you'd sell any of these men—" he nodded toward the hardened gunmen— "if I named a price. So what makes her different?"

Viktor's lips thinned, but he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he tilted his head, studying Darren like a chess opponent.

"We call her Sentry," he said finally, his accent softening the syllables. "She is… valuable. She knows the black market, digital currencies, the dark pools where money vanishes. She builds systems and codes. That's all that's special about her."

He grunted. "She was close to Skinner— his protégé, almost."

"Then she deserves a share of his Bitcoins," Darren decreed. "What's her name?"

"Ileana," Viktor said with hesitation.

Darren turned to her. "Ileana," he said, capturing her attention. "If you come with me, I'll set up 200,000 Bitcoins in a separate wallet, just for you. You'll have your own office. A home. In America of course. And I'll even get the green card paperwork started." He flashed a small, wry smile, the joke cutting through the tension like a spark in the dark.

Rachel's jaw dropped, a muttered "What the hell are you doing, Darren?" slipping out before she could stop it.

Her eyes darted between him and Ileana, her fear now laced with exasperation. 'Is he being serious right now.'

Ileana's reaction was visceral, her breath catching audibly. Her hands clenched into fists, her knuckles white, as if anchoring herself against the pull of his words.

Her lips trembled, and she blinked rapidly, fighting to keep her composure. The promise of 200,000 Bitcoins— $800,000—was staggering, but the offer of a home, a life beyond the Triad's shadows, hit her like a tidal wave.

Her gaze locked onto Darren's, searching for a lie, but finding only steady resolve. Her shoulders shook slightly, a crack in her defiant facade, and for a moment, she looked younger, vulnerable, like a girl who'd forgotten what freedom felt like.

The scarred man beside her exploded, his voice a snarl. "What are we doing? We should just kill this fucker!" he spat, stepping forward, his hand on his gun, his scarred face twisted with rage. "He's mocking us! Take the wallet and gut him!"

Ileana flinched, her eyes flicking to the man, fear flashing, but she didn't move. The gunmen tensed, their rifles rising, waiting for Viktor's word.

Darren didn't look at the scarred man, his gaze fixed on Viktor, his Command Aura unwavering. "The offer's on the table," he said, his voice low, urgent, a ticking clock. "Six million for the wallet... and for Ileana. I think it's best we form a partnership rather than become enemies. But what do you think, Mr. Dragomir?"

The room was a powder keg, every breath heavy, every glance loaded. The gunmen's eyes darted to Viktor, their fingers twitching on triggers. Rachel's heart pounded, just as loud as Ileana's who stood frozen, yet to look away from Darren.

The scarred man's snarl lingered, his hand still on his gun, but he didn't move. He wouldn't dare without Viktor 's orders.

After a long tense moment, Victor's lips finally parted. "My decision is…"

--------

"Get in there!"

Mercedes' leather seats creaked as Darren and Rachel were shoved inside, blindfolds once again biting into their skin.

The cuffs were gone, but their wrists ached, raw from the metal. Darren's chest was tight, though now relieved after what had just happened.

He could hear Rachel's breathing beside him. He could feel her questions, her fear abd her confusion, but the blindfolds and the Triad's presence kept them silent.

Then, the door opened again with a click, and a new presence entered, the seat creaking softly. Darren knew it was Ileana.

The silence remained for a while, the only noise coming from outside the vehicle.

Rachel's breathing slowed, but her tension lingered. Darren too, remained silent.

Then, Ileana took a deep breath, and when she spoke, her voice was soft even though raw. "Why?" she asked, barely above a whisper. "Why did you… buy me?"

Darren exhaled, and replied as gently as she could. "Because of the same tragic reason that you could be bought."

She fell silent, her breath uneven, the words sinking in. He could almost feel her thinking, wrestling with what he'd said, with the life she'd known and the one he'd promised.

After a moment, she spoke again, her voice quieter, almost hesitant. "Should I thank you now?"

Darren leaned back, the blindfold's fabric rough against his skin. "You should sit back and relax," he said. "America's very far from here."