Chapter 14 Regan & François
Regan asking Regan whether he should order the turbot or blue lobster medallions at the three-Michelin-star restaurant Le Cinq—he finally relented and told Regan he’d teach her how to make some money, too.
Via text (they never spoke or video-chatted), he walked her through using something called Tether to transform three hundred dollars from her checking account into Bitcoin, sending her screenshots to help.
When Regan opened an account on Kraken Futures, an online trading platform, Francois wrote: I’m proud of you. There is nothing sexier than an independent woman.
Don’t get too excited! Regan responded, though it did give her a thrill to see three hundred dollars of Bitcoin in her Tether wallet.
I love a sugar mama, joked Francois. I’ve never liked Matt controlling you.
Regan frowned. It was true that Matt handled their investments, dismissing her questions and telling her to focus on being a mother.
But Francois explained everything so clearly in his messages, treating Regan as if she were as smart as he, an equal.
He wrote about museum exhibits he visited on the weekend; he taught her how the algorithms he created were able to trade on the millisecond.
Francois was fascinated by Regan’s desire to create art.
He told her about a book by the producer of the Beastie Boys’ music called The Creative Act.
A copy arrived, sent from a local English-language bookshop, and Regan and Francois read chapters together, Francois asking Regan about her collage art, encouraging her to visit Athenian exhibits and report back.
No one had ever respected Regan’s mind before; it was wholly intoxicating.
Regan’s heart raced as Francois showed her how to place her first trade, a “time to trade” bet on Bitcoin movement. Francois gave her inside intel from another math wonk at his job, and Regan placed the bet.
She made a cup of tea in her kitchen to have something to do while she waited. Outside her kitchen window, she could glimpse the Acropolis, which still seemed like an impossible miracle. But she had pulled it off.
In fifteen minutes, Regan was up $160.
How do you feel? wrote Francois.
Amazing! Is this what gambling feels like?
This is skilled trading, Regan. Gambling is for fools. You have natural talent.
Francois conveyed how to transfer the money back to her bank account. All night, as she cooked, cleaned, did laundry, folded clothes, she checked her bank app. The profit was still there. Real money. Her money. Not Matt’s.