Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!-Chapter 322: Interviewing Shareholder Prospects

"Mr. Harlan Voss," Cheyenne whispered to Darren. "He's a tech venture capitalist from Silicon Valley."

Harlan was a lanky man in his forties with wire-rimmed glasses and a rumpled blazer. He exuded a very nervous energy as he shook hands.

"Mr. Steele, Ms. Bordeaux. It's an honor to be here. I've followed your Bitcoin plays; revolutionary. But of course, what I offer here is a level of AI expertise. My firm has backed three unicorns in predictive analytics already. I'll be an incredibly valuable board member."

Darren, studying the man, activated ┏Insight Protocol┛.

The system dinged.

┏Insight Protocol Complete: Information on Harlan Voss is as follows┛

┏Estimated Value: $180 million┛

┏Primary Business: Venture capital in AI startups; focuses on early-stage funding with high failure rates┛

┏Owner: Sole proprietor, but with pending lawsuits from failed investments┛

┏Current Status: Cash-strapped after a bad bet on quantum computing; seeking quick liquidity through board seats┛

┏Public Reception: ★★★☆☆┛

┏Tactics: Overpromises returns, networks aggressively but with hidden agendas like IP theft allegations┛

┏System's Advice: High risk. Potential for conflicts of interest; reject to avoid legal entanglements┛

Darren's thoughts processed it swiftly: 'The system is completely right. This guy is way too desperate and desperation can easily be manipulated. I can't risk a leech on the board.*

Cheyenne arched a brow, her ego shining as she interjected articulately. "Mr. Voss, your track record's impressive on paper, but those lawsuits you have are an undeniable liability. Mr. Steele is building a fortress here, not a house of cards. What makes you think you're worth the risk?"

Voss stammered, detailing his "connections," but Darren cut in politely. "Appreciate the pitch, Harlan, but we're going in a different direction. Thank you for your time."

"I… understand, Mr. Steele." Voss left deflated, the door closing with a soft thud.

Cheyenne looked at him with a playful side glance. "You didn't even give him a chance to explain."

Darren's expression remained stern. "The guy's a tool."

Cheyenne smiled like she was proud.

Next came Elena Ramirez, a sharp Latina entrepreneur in renewable energy, her presentation was polished and driven by data that she had presented perfectly.

The Investor System dinged:

┏Insight Protocol Complete: Information on Elena Ramirez is as follows┛

┏Estimated Value: $250 million┛

┏Primary Business: Solar tech innovations; sustainable energy solutions for corporations┛

┏Owner: CEO of GreenForge, with clean ethics record┛

┏Current Status: Expanding into AI-integrated grids, aligned with Trendteller's predictive tech┛

┏Public Reception: ★★★★☆┛

┏Tactics: Collaborative partnerships, low-risk growth strategies┛

┏System's Advice: Solid fit. Her company synergies with your portfolio; low betrayal risk due to shared values┛

'The alignment's perfect from what I'm seeing,' Darren thought. 'And her stability could balance my crypto volatility. I like her so far.'

Cheyenne nodded approvingly when Elena finished her pitch. She leaned forward and spoke to Darren as if they were in a bedroom.

"I like her fire. It almost reminds me of my early days. Though you should probe her on loyalty clauses."

Darren did just that. After a detailed back-and-forth on contracts and visions, Darren extended an offer: "Elena, welcome aboard. We'll formalize the shares at 2% vesting over two years."

It had taken almost an hour for him to decide on Ms. Ramirez. Darren made sure that there was nothing, absolutely nothing in her past, present or future that could come back to bite him in the worst way.

This was important.

And this was what he did for the rest of the interviews.

They rolled on, a marathon of egos and pitches.

A Wall Street banker was refused after the system flagged embezzlement whispers: ┏System's Advice: Avoid—high fraud risk┛.

Darren's polite dismissal left the man fuming.

An European investor promised global reach but reeked of ties to rivals; Cheyenne dismantled him with articulate questions on conflicts, her ego on full display: 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Darling, your 'connections' sound more like liabilities. We're not interested in divided loyalties."

But there was a surprise prospect.

Charles Nelson.

Darren was shocked to see his old friend and owner of Nelson Bank striding in with a warm handshake and a banker's crisp suit.

"Darren," Nelson said with his handsome smile and respectful gait. "It's good to see you. Been a really long time."

Darren didn't even know when he loosened up a little and started talking and laughing with Charles, especially about the school reunion where he had disgraced Tyler Mooney.

Cheyenne even felt a third wheel.

Having Charles as a member of his board of shareholders was a very obvious solid mode. Nelson Bank was already the official bank of his company, holding a chunk of your liquidity.

Why not formalize with shares?

Darren's system confirmed this as well.

┏Insight Protocol Complete: Information on Charles Nelson is as follows┛

┏Estimated Value: $1.2 billion┛

┏Primary Business: Private banking for high-net-worth clients; secure asset management┛

┏Owner: CEO of Nelson Bank and other institutions under the Nelson Umbrella┛

┏Current Status: Stable growth, no red flags; past relationships ensure trust┛

┏Public Reception: ★★★★★┛

┏Tactics: Conservative investments, loyalty-driven partnerships┛

┏System's Advice: Excellent risk! With your personal history, betrayal is minimized and this integrates for financial stability┛.

Darren's mind eased. 'Charles has had my back since the early days; his bank's integrity aligns perfectly. It's low risk, high reward.'

Finally, a deal he didn't have to think too much about.

Even Cheyenne liked him as she eyed him appraisingly, her voice seductive even as she proved him with questions.

After a robust discussion on diversification and buffers, Darren nodded. "Charles, you're in. 5% shares, vested immediately. You've done enough for me to deserve my trust."

Cheyenne was surprised herself that Darren felt that way for Charles Nelson. She didn't really have any bad things to say about the Nelson family, but Darren's sudden trust in him was so refreshing she felt like she should be worried.

More followed:

A media mogul was refused for volatility

The system said┏High scandal risk┛

A pharma executive was dismissed amid Morrison suspicions

Cheyenne was the one to even send him packing. "You're way too close to our enemies, darling. So pass".

They chose sparingly. So far, only three out of fifteen had been selected.

Elena Ramirez, Charles Nelson, and Andrew Dickson who owned Drew Capital.

Soon, as the list dwindled, Darren called for the next applicant.

The man by the door left once again and returned with a woman of breathtaking beauty.

She was in her late 20s, with cascading dark hair that framed her porcelain features like a masterpiece.

Her gown was a sleek black number, hugging her lithe yet curvaceous figure: the elegant swell of her breasts, the taper of her waist, and the gentle curve of her hips exuding starlet grace.

Darren recognized this woman.

She was Ava Monroe. The movie star.