Chapter 358 Did Jenny Do It?

Chapter 358 Did Jenny Do It?
Upon hearing James ask to contact his family, Robert shot him a sideways glance, then looked over at Laura before letting out a low chuckle.
“You want to tell David where you are now? James, I only said I’d consider what you said—I didn’t say I believed you. And you’re already asking me to let you go? Bit premature, don’t you think?”
James rolled his eyes, annoyance rising. “Whatever. Sitting here arguing with me isn’t going to solve anything. If you actually want to catch the real culprit, maybe stop wasting time. You’ve made such a dramatic move—what if they slip away while you’re playing hostage games?”
Robert smiled faintly, his tone unreadable. “You already know who the real culprit is, don’t you? So why not just tell me?”
That smile—it was unsettlingly familiar. The ghost of the old Will flashed across Robert’s face, soft and sensitive. James’s chest tightened.
“How do you know I know?” James asked warily.
“Just tell me—am I right or not?”
Before he could answer, Robert’s phone buzzed. He checked the screen, smiled cryptically, and slipped it back into his pocket.
James narrowed his eyes. “You’re clearly not stupid. If you know what I know, then why the hell are we doing this? Why haven’t you investigated? Are you just toying with me now?”
Robert’s expression didn’t shift. “Don’t be so grumpy, James. I only realized you were investigating after I brought you here. You faked being seriously injured to lure me out, and meanwhile sent David and Michael to poke around behind the scenes, right?”
That took the wind out of James’s sails a little. His tone cooled, but the frustration remained. “If you figured all that out, why didn’t you stop us? Or help? Why hide here like you’re watching a damn play?”
“Is that what you think of me?” Robert smirked, shifting lazily in his chair. “I only learned what your little team was up to after you showed up. I didn’t have time to stop them. As for helping… well, if you were digging, then something had to smell fishy. Wouldn’t I be helping the bad guy by interfering?”
James barked back, “If you suspected something was off, then why did you still insist I was the one who did it?”
“I never insisted,” Robert said innocently, spreading his hands. “I was just dragging it out. Buying time. What if you were trying to lie your way out? I had to act skeptical to see if you’d slip.”
James clenched his jaw, but kept his voice even. “Then what made you believe me in the end? You already knew something, didn’t you?”
Robert’s face darkened. His gaze drifted over James’s shoulder to some far-off point—cold and distant.
Then he laughed. A low, bitter sound.
“David’s team found something,” he said quietly. “Something important. They discovered that someone else besides you had access to the text I sent.”
“What?”
Even James and Laura exclaimed in unison, completely thrown.
James leaned forward. “Who?!”
Robert’s expression stayed calm, but his words cut sharp.
“Think back to that afternoon. You were playing basketball, weren’t you? And who kept your stuff for you?”
James’s face dropped.
“Jenny,” he said.
Robert didn’t respond—he just smiled faintly, eyes narrowing.
James’s expression turned ice cold. “We’ll see what excuse she gives. Where are David and the others?”
“They’ve already gone to find Jenny,” Robert said slowly. “Probably worried I’d lose control and kill you before the truth came out. They’re trying to buy time—with facts.”
He looked at James again, this time with something closer to regret.
“James… you really didn’t do anything to me, did you?”
James didn’t hesitate. “I didn’t. I’ve never hurt you. You were my friend.”
Robert’s hand twitched, just slightly. But he nodded.
“Alright. I’ll wait.” His voice was tight. “But you’re staying here for now. Don’t worry—I’ll tell David where we are. Once they get Jenny, they’ll come.”
He pulled out his phone, sent a message to David with their location, and told him to bring Jenny over. He also included a line for James’s family: James was safe, and everything was under control.
Once that was done, Robert leaned back, suddenly looking exhausted. He pressed a hand to his forehead and said nothing more.
James understood. He didn’t speak either, letting him process.
Instead, he turned to Laura, who had been watching everything with quiet worry. She met his eyes, and he gave her a reassuring nod—then, with some effort, stretched out his hand and gently squeezed hers.
Laura gasped. “You can move?!”
Before James could answer, Robert cut in grimly, “Don’t get too excited. The anesthetic’s strong. It’ll take another ten hours to wear off. Right now, he can barely move his hands. There’s no way he’s getting up.”
Laura sighed and glanced at the wires tangled around her. “What about me? If I move, will I get electrocuted or something?”
Robert gave a short laugh. “You’re about the same. You can talk, maybe twitch your fingers. That’s it. Don’t try anything else—I won’t be responsible for the consequences.”
Laura scowled but didn’t dare test it. “Fine, fine, I won’t move. Can you at least give James some water? His lips look like desert sandpaper.”
Robert glanced at James. Sure enough, his lips were dry and cracked.
He poured a cup of water and held it out. “Here. Drink. Laura really cares about you.”
James grinned. “Thanks. But unless you’re gonna undo the anesthetic, you’ll have to feed me. I can’t even lift a cup.”