Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!-Chapter 34: Icecream Talk

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows along the sidewalk.

The golden glow made the bustling street appear delightful at this time of day. Cars hummed past, some sleek and new, others rattling with age.

A street musician strummed a guitar a few feet away, his melody blending into the symphony of city life — the chatter of pedestrians, the occasional honk of a horn, the hum of conversation spilling from café patios.

Darren and Alison walked side by side, each holding a cup of ice cream. Each time their tongue took scoops of the delicacy, the cold, creamy treat melted, a welcome contrast to the summer heat.

Alison stole a glance at him between spoonfuls, her mind running in circles.

What was the deal with Darren Steele?

She couldn't stop comparing him to how he was back in college.

Back then, he had been a complete underdog, ambitious but always shadowed by guys like Tyler Mooney, Jaxon Daniels and Terry Wilson.

But somehow he'd actually made it.

Or had he?

She wasn't so sure.

He was mysterious, confident, somehow different yet the same.

First of all, he had paid off his school loans, something no one did unless they were stinkingly rich.

Yet, he didn't even arrive in a personal car.

His clothes were masculine and simple, the kind that suggested quiet wealth, yet they weren't extravagant. Nothing about him screamed 'rich man,' yet nothing about him suggested he was anywhere near struggling either.

She couldn't figure him out.

And she didn't like that.

She needed to talk to Lily. Lily had been closer to him in the past — she had dated him, after all. Maybe she had some insight.

Shaking the thoughts away, she decided to focus on the moment. "It's weird, you know," she said. "Seeing you here again. Feels like college all over again."

Darren thought about it. "I don't know about that. You and I never went on walks back in college, and I'm not drowning in assignments."

"That's true," she laughed. "I on the other hand, l still am, though — just on the other side now. I'm the one giving the assignments." She sighed dramatically. "I don't know what possessed me to become a professor here of all places."

"Could've been worse."

"Oh yeah?"

"You could be stuck working in some cubicle, waiting for retirement," he quipped.

Alison chuckled. "True. At least here, I get to reminisce about old times. Like Olivia. Remember her?"

Darren nodded, licking his spoon. "The queen of our year."

"She's starting her own business now. Stepping away from her family's empire. Wants to prove she can make it on her own."

"Respectable."

"And Lily's working with her dad. Making sure their family company thrives."

"Mhm."

Alison sighed, looking at her half-eaten ice cream. "And me? I'm still here. Teaching."

Darren glanced at her. "There's nothing wrong with that."

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"No, I guess not," she admitted. "But it's funny, isn't it? How things turn out. The three of us were inseparable. And now, we're each doing our own thing."

"Life moves on, Alison. Stop thinking about it that way."

She turned to him, admiring his chiseled face with a gleam in her eyes. "And you? What are you doing, Darren?"

He wiped a drop of melted ice cream off his thumb and replied simply, "Business."

She raised an eyebrow. "Business?"

"Yes."

"That's all you're giving me?"

"That's all there is to say."

She narrowed her eyes playfully. "I thought you got a job in Lily's father's company."

"We broke up," Darren said.

"Huh? You said that already. Why did you have to..."

Darren looked at her.

"Oh. I guess it would be awkward working for your ex's dad."

A few beats of silence passed before Alison, unable to resist, brought up a name from the past. "You remember Tyler Mooney?"

Darren's lips twitched.

Did Alison invite him here just to punish him with bad memories?

"How could I forget? Son of Archibald Mooney. Richest man in the state. My biggest fan."

Alison laughed at that. "At least you're still sarcastic."

He shrugged. "I don't see any sarcasm. He spent a lot of time thinking about me. Who else does that if not a fan?"

She shook her head, smiling. "Stop it, Darren. You see this what you used to do back then. You were persistent, though. You'd make me laugh. Kept trying to get my attention."

"And you kept rejecting me," Darren said plainly, not even affected by it.

Alison looked up at him, squeezing her lips. They were silent for a while before she then said;

"Who knew you'd end up with Lily instead?"

Darren hummed, saying nothing.

Alison sighed, swirling her spoon in her melting ice cream. "You know, looking back, maybe I—" She stopped herself. No, she wasn't going to say it outright. But the thought was there, loud and clear.

And as if reading her mind, Darren's system notification appeared in his vision.

┏This person is regretful of how she treated you before.┛

He didn't react outwardly, but inside, he found it amusing.

Very amusing.

Alison looked up at him once more, thought of it for a while, then found the courage to speak.

"Maybe it's fate, you know? That we ran into each other again. Or maybe just luck."

Darren remained quiet, waiting for her to get to her point.

"You and Lily break up and somehow we run into each other again."

'Somehow?' Darren thought. 'I didn't just slip into the college. I went to pay my student loan.'

She smiled as she spoke, a hint of something more behind her eyes. "Maybe we should give it a try."

He glanced at her before looking forward. "Give what a try?"

"Dating."

Darren barely hesitated. "No."

Alison blinked, caught off guard. "No?"

"I don't mean to come out as rude but I'm simply not interested." He said with a cool and firm tone.

"Besides, if I were to accept after all those rejections years ago, that would make me an idiot."

Then he turned to her, his blue eyes almost darkening, his voice lowering slightly.

"I'm not an idiot, Alison."

Alison felt her stomach drop.

Those words were destructively blunt, cutting through any illusion she had built in her head. She swallowed, forcing a small, awkward smile. "Fair enough. I kinda deserve that."

Silence stretched between them for a moment before she cleared her throat, trying to regain some normalcy. "Well, in that case... I'm having a small get-together next Friday. Just some old friends from college, nothing big. You should come."

Darren studied her. "I'll think about it."

Just then, a soft chime from his system alerted him.

┏Bitcoin price has slightly fallen. Advised time period to purchase more has arrived.┛

His expression didn't change, but internally, he knew what he needed to do next.

He pretended to check the time on his watch and turned back to Alison. "I have to go. Business stuff."

She nodded, trying to mask any disappointment. "Okay."

"I'll get you a cab." Darren stepped forward and outstretched his hand, his confidence effortless. A cab immediately slowed to a stop in front of them.

Alison glanced at him before stepping in. "Goodbye, Darren."

He gave a small nod, slipping his hands into his pockets as he watched the cab drive away.

And as soon as she was out of sight, his face instantly turned resolute and he outstretched his hand once more

Another cab stopped instantly.

It was time to get to work.