Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!-Chapter 87: The Pendulum (1)
"Dance with me in the ocean, let the waves sing a song of our pain..." ♪♫
"The water mirrors our emotion, oh I wish that it would rain..." ♪♫
The rich, honeyed voice of the singer wrapped around the room like velvet.
She was standing at the podium at the end of the large room, bathed in the lights of the orange chandeliers. As she sang, she swayed gently, her silhouette poised and elegant.
Her crimson lips barely moved when the lyrics left her mouth, but her eyes, deep pools of dark ink, glimmered with emotion.
A subtle, absent stroke of her fingers against the microphone stand betrayed a quiet confidence. The guests at The Pendulum barely spoke, caught in the spell of her voice.
Darren Steele, however, wasn't one of them. His gaze swept over the room, observing, analyzing, thinking.
The hall was one of opulent architecture. Tall marble columns with gold inlays had greeted them in the entrance, and the restaurant's name was illuminated on the ceiling high above with golden and silver bulbs.
The space was lavishly decorated with many crystal chandeliers. There were velvet booths lining the walls, and the main dining area was filled with elegantly set tables.
As the song played behind Darren's thoughts, a waiter approached him and bowed slightly. "This way, Mr. Steele."
Darren glanced at Amelia beside him, then followed, moving past white-clothed tables where expensive wine swirled in crystal glasses, past conversations spoken in hushed, sophisticated tones, and momentarily blocking the view of some who just wanted to watch the woman sing.
The scent of aged wood, truffle, and exquisite dishes of uncountable ethnicities hung in the air.
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All of it was fairly overwhelming. The Pendulum was basically the most posh place Darren had been to. Compared to the Golden Hay Casino, this was much more suffocating.
Darren had to do his best to look like he belonged. He might not have known, but it was actually easier than he thought, given his appearance.
Soon, they arrived. A table that was more exquisite than the others. And sitting on this table, was the CEO of Moon Wealth Management Offices, Ryan Anders.
There was no problem in the world that could trouble this man from the way he sat. His composure was effortless, his shoulders were high and firm, his smile was proud and cunning, resting on a terrifyingly pretty face.
A face way too pretty for a man.
He had dark brown hair, slicked back with a precision that spoke of routine. Only a strand fell, right at the center of his brows, and the rest of it framed his sharp, symmetrical features.
His brown eyes carried a quiet calculation, the kind that came from a man who rarely found himself surprised. If this were a fantasy world, with knights and kings, this man would be the quiet manipulator behind the throne, the man who pulled strings while wearing an unassuming smile.
Darren didn't know a lot about him, which worried him a fair bit.
All he did know was from what Amelia had told him earlier and from the way MWMO functioned.
But at least, Darren knew Ryan Anders was a very smart and capable man. Someone who knew how people behaved and manipulated their behavior to secure success for his company and the companies of those he managed.
However, Darren was desperate for an edge. So, to get a better knowledge of this man, he asked the system for a Personal Insight Protocol.
The system replied moments after and the purple interface appeared before him.
┏Personal Insight Protocol is complete┛
┏Information on subject is as follows┛
┏Full Name: Ryan Alexander Anders
Age: 38
Occupation: CEO, Moon Wealth Management Offices
Education: Brookfield University of Business and Literature
Achievements: Forbes Top 40 Under 40, Architect of Three Fortune 500 Mergers, Economic Strategist Award (2010)
Net Worth: $2.7 Billion
Personality: Charismatic, Calculative, Manipulative, Patient
Motivation: Power Consolidation, Influence Expansion, Psychological Control
Traits: Highly Persuasive, Emotionally Detached, Strategically Ruthless
Address: 15 Sterling Heights, Los Alverez, CA 10007
Phone Number: (212) 555-0198┛
┏System Advice: Precaution is mandatory. Ryan Anders is a likely rival, but could be an ally in certain cases. However, avoid direct partnership, be careful with information shared.┛
Darren's gaze flicked up at him, unaffected.
He thought of the three techniques that Ryan Anders most likely lived his life and managed his business by.
Power consolidation.
Influence expansion.
Psychological control.
From what the system had given him, Ryan Anders was exactly what he expected.
'This time it also included Personality, Motivation, Traits and System Advice? Could it be because Ryan Anders is a more influential person? A rival?'
"Good evening, Mr. Steele," Ryan greeted, his voice smooth and dreamy, like an AI narrator that helped people go to bed.
"Mr. Anders," Darren replied firmly. "Good evening."
Amelia walked past Darren and leaned in slightly, whispering something to Ryan before straightening.
Darren glanced at her, then back at Ryan. "Your secretary stands while you sit? Is this going to be a short meeting?"
Ryan's lips twitched in amusement. "I didn't intend it to be, and I had no idea Amelia had a problem with standing." He turned slightly. "Do you, Amelia?"
The woman felt a hitch in her throat, cheeks reddening and her fingers curling against her palm before she quickly shook her head. "No, sir. I'm perfectly fine as I am."
Ryan turned back to Darren, his smile never slipping. "You see? She doesn't mind."
Darren didn't relent. "Still though. Don't you think it would be better if she just sat down?"
Ryan wanted to frown, but his smile remained intact, suppressing his frustration. 'Another feeble man who cares for the lesser creatures. Disappointing.'
Then he said, "If that makes you more comfortable, then of course."
He gestured for Amelia to take a seat at the table beside them. She obeyed, her cheeks subtly flushed, avoiding Darren's gaze.
Darren watched her for a moment before a voice pulled his attention back.
A waiter poured wine into their glasses, and Ryan leaned back slightly, exhaling with content.
"Beautiful place, isn't it?" Ryan mused. "The Pendulum?"
Darren inclined his head. "It is."
"Do you know its history?"
Darren's brows raised.
Ryan rested an elbow against the table, his fingers lightly tapping against his glass. "Back in World War II, there was an underground bunker just beneath this very building. It was an intelligence hub, where messages were decoded and—"
"—where a pendulum clock was used to measure Morse code timings," Darren interrupted smoothly.
Ryan's tapping paused for the briefest second.
Darren leaned back. "The original owner was part of that intelligence network. After the war, he kept the location and repurposed it into a private club before his grandson eventually turned it into The Pendulum we see today."
Darren couldn't let Ryan take control of the conversation by doing things like showboating knowledge.
It was a tactic he was very versed on in business and deal making. So, he had quickly done an Insight Protocol for the restaurant, and gotten the information from its history.
Ryan raised a brow, an excited and pleased look on his face.
"Ah. So you do know about the history."
Darren was indifferent. "I do. But even as fascinating as it is, I'm more interested in why the top wealth management company in the state has called for me. Can I know why that is?"
Ryan's eyes held his for a moment before he smiled.
He picked up his wine glass, twirling the liquid lazily.
"Yes, you can," he said. "But first, have a taste of the wine."
He paused the glass on his lips and added,
"It's the Château Margaux, 2009."
