Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!-Chapter 328: Ava’s Offer

Darren leaned back on the leather, watching the streetlamps and the joyful nightlife as Ava’s chauffeur drove them through the vibrant city.

He could feel Ava looking at him, probably still smiling, then looking away. It almost felt surreal to him that he was in a car with one of the most popular actresses, even in the former timeline.

He turned his head slightly, breaking the silence.

"You know, I’ve never had a woman open a door for me before," he said, shrugging his lips. "To be honest, it was a uniquely nice feeling."

Ava giggled. She turned to face him, her eyes looked like they were dancing. "So, the great Darren Steele likes to be pampered by a woman?"

She leaned in teasingly. "Is that your secret?"

Darren shook his head. "Not necessarily. My mother did enough of that growing up."

He shifted, resting his arm on the center console. "What about you? You opened the door with quite a bit of confidence. Do you like taking charge over a man?"

Ava thought for a moment, her expression softening into something more contemplative. She gave a small, elegant shrug. "No. Actually, I prefer being taken care of."

Darren looked at her, studying the way the shadows played across her features. "It amazes me," he said quietly. "How even the most successful, powerful women still want to be treated like a girl."

Ava laughed. She couldn’t control this one and almost even snorted. "Last time I checked, I’m older than you, Darren Steele. I’ve got a few years on you."

"Maybe," Darren countered, his grin widening. "But you’re the girl."

Ava laughed hard again, and Darren noticed it wasn’t her media-trained laugh. It was endearing. Real.

"Well, aren’t you full of surprises," she said. "I didn’t expect you to be so chatty. Or funny. From what I’ve seen in the papers and at the club, you’re almost always gloomy. Serious. Like everyday is a bad hair day for you."

Darren let out a short breath, feigning defeat. "I guess you did it, Ava Monroe. You broke me. I’m no longer the stone-faced billionaire because of you."

Ava smiled, staring at him with an intense smile. "Did I?"

"Eh, don’t let it get to your head," Darren looked at her, then looked away. "It was bound to happen at some point. I’m not naturally an apathetic dude. It’s just... things have happened that made me act this way."

They fell silent for a while. A pause that was awkward and comfortable at the same time. The kind usually shared by people who had known each other for years, not hours.

"Well," Ava murmured, breaking the quiet. "I must be doing something right, because first chat and Darren Steele is already getting personal with me."

Darren rolled his eyes playfully. "Yeah, you must be." He turned to the window to hide his chuckle before turning back to her.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk about? It’s time to get to the point, don’t you think?"

Ava’s demeanor shifted instantly. The playfulness remained, but a more serious layer slid underneath it. She reached into her clutch and pulled out her phone, pressing a few buttons before handing it to him.

"I’m in a bit of a pickle," she said.

"Financial?" Darren asked, taking the phone.

"No. Personal. A matter of public image."

Darren looked at the screen. It was a photo of a man with a chiseled jaw, blonde hair, and an expensive smile.

"I recognize him," Darren said. "Daniel Storm. The action star."

He handed the phone back. "I don’t think that ’Storm’ is his real name."

"It’s Gary," Ava deadpanned. "Gary Polanski."

Darren snorted. "Right. Isn’t he your boyfriend?"

"Ex-boyfriend," she corrected sharply. "And that’s the problem."

She sighed, leaning her head back against the headrest. "We had a messy breakup three months ago. He cheated, I found out, I ended it. Standard Hollywood drama. But he... he won’t let go. I’ve had to file restraining orders, Darren. Twice."

Darren didn’t say anything.

"He shows up at my sets. He sends hundreds of flowers to my house, and my mother’s house. He parks outside the studio gates."

Her voice tightened. "But that’s not the worst part. He’s launched a smear campaign against me. He’s playing the heartbroken victim to the press, leaking stories that I’m the one obsessed with him. That I’m ’unstable’ and ’can’t accept it’s over.’"

She gestured frustratedly. "He goes on talk shows and says things like, ’She just can’t get over us, but I’ll be there waiting for her when she’s done lying to herself, because I know I’m still the right one.’"

Darren tried to hold back a laugh. "You seem infuriated."

Ava’s brows raised. "I seem? I am infuriated, Darren. And funny enough, people are really buying this shit he’s saying. My approval ratings are dipping. My PR team is in full panic mode. They say I look ’desperate’ and ’erratic.’"

Darren’s eyes narrowed. He hated manipulation, but he didn’t really know what any of this had to do with him.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Ava stopped to take a deep breath. "I need a nuclear option. I need to show the world, definitively, that I don’t give a fuck about Danny Storm."

Darren looked at her. "And how do you plan to do that?"

"By dating someone else," she said simply. "Someone who makes Daniel look like a child. The best way to kill the rumor that I’m obsessed with my ex is if I was seen dating the hottest bachelor in the city."

Darren blinked. "Who’s that?"

Ava stared at him, raising her eyebrows dramatically, eyes widened.

"Oh," Darren pointed to himself. "Me?"

Ava laughed. "I didn’t know that you were oblivious."

"I’m not," Darren said flatly. "I just... Wait, me? Really?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"Oh, stop being humble," she teased. "Darren, look at the optics. You’re young, you’re a billionaire, you’re self-made, and you’re a mystery."

"If the world thinks I’ve moved on to you, the narrative flips overnight. Daniel becomes the pathetic ex trying to cling to the past, and I become the woman who upgraded."

She leaned in slightly. "And it helps you, too. Think about it. You’re about to go to war with these ’Empire Companies,’ right? You need armor. Having a Hollywood icon on your arm makes you a pop culture figure, not just a finance guy."

"I think I’m kinda fine being just a finance guy, though." Darren said.

Ava sighed, pressing into the leather seat. "Oh come on! Think about it. This softens your image to the public but makes you look untouchable to your rivals. Plus..." she smirked, "it keeps the gold diggers away. If you’re taken by Ava Monroe, the pests tend to clear out."

The car slowed, turning smoothly through the heavy iron gates of the Greenbaby estate. They wound through the manicured streets until the Aston Martin purred to a halt in front of a massive, modern mansion that Darren recognized as hers.

The engine cut out, leaving them in silence again.

"It’s a unique offer," Darren admitted. "I’ve never done a pretend relationship before."

"It happens all the time in Hollywood," Ava said with a shrug. "We practically invented it."

"Of course you did."

Darren looked at her. The moonlight filtered through the windshield, catching the hope in her eyes.

It wasn’t just business for her; she really wanted to be free of this guy. And honestly, Darren could use the distraction. But the benefits for him weren’t looking at all convincing. If he was going to fake a relationship, it would have to be for bigger things than just Hollywood flex

"I’ll think about it," he told her. "I’ll let you know what I decide."

They gazed at each other for a long moment, the air charged with a strange, comfortable electricity.

"It was nice talking to you, Darren," she said softly.

"Funny enough," Darren replied, a genuine warmth in his voice. "I feel the same way."

He reached for the door handle, but before he pulled it, the rear door opened from the outside. His driver, having trailed them and parked behind, stood ready.

Darren stepped out into the cool night air. He buttoned his suit jacket, gave Ava one last nod through the window, and walked toward his own sedan.

As he slid into the backseat of his car and they drove off toward his own estate down the road, Darren looked back at the rearview mirror. Ava was still sitting there in her car, watching him go.

A pretend relationship with a movie star. He shook his head, a small laugh escaping him.

His life really had become a novelkiss.