Chapter 363 Of course it's me!

Chapter 363 Of course it's me!
James gave a tired smile. “Robert, have you ever noticed? Whether you’re Will or Robert, people remember you the moment they see you. You’ve always had that presence. Even Laura thought you were unique the first time she met you.”
Robert glanced at her and chuckled. “So I made an impression, did I? You seemed especially curious about me when we first met…”
Laura rolled her eyes. “Please. Don’t flatter yourself. You’re the one who stopped me in the middle of the road and asked why I thought you looked like a phoenix rising from the ashes.”
Robert paused—then laughed. “You’re right. I was curious about you. From the beginning. I knew James cared for you, and I figured… if I was going to go after him, I might as well start with the person he valued most. Hurting you would hit him where it hurt.”
James let out a long sigh. Things that had puzzled him for so long were finally starting to make sense. “Tell me something—those two assassins at the Manhattan Hotel. Edward Green and Andrew Green. You sent them, didn’t you?”
Robert didn’t even blink. “Of course I did. Back then, I’d just completed training under the previous Syndicate leader. I didn’t fully understand your abilities yet. Edward and Andrew were sent to test you.”
James nodded slowly, then pressed on. “So… you already knew I was the leader of the Demon Eye. That’s not something you just stumbled onto, is it?”
“Of course not,” Robert said plainly. “You’re my enemy. As the leader of the Blood Shadow Syndicate, it’s my job to know everything about you—where you are, what you’re doing, who you’re with. I’ve always kept an eye on you. I could’ve killed you at any time. But I didn’t. I wanted you to feel what it’s like to lose.”
James gave a wry smile. “That explains a lot. Edward and Andrew had guns—but the rounds were loaded with tranquilizers. You never intended to kill me. You just wanted to take me down without bloodshed… and make your entrance.”
Robert nodded. “Exactly. If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have sent them. But accidents happen. I couldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t mess it up, so I made sure they couldn’t kill you even if they tried.”
At the mention of tranquilizers, something clicked in James’ mind. His expression changed. He lunged forward and grabbed Robert’s shoulders.
“You were the one who sabotaged Moon Soul—weren’t you?”
Robert didn’t flinch. He actually looked amused. “Yes. That was me.”
He stepped back casually and went on. “Edward and Andrew were never going to pull it off. You’re too careful—of course they’d be discovered. So I gave Edward a promise: I’d ‘help’ at the right moment. I leaked the list of agents embedded in Moon Soul, knowing full well you’d panic the second you got the call. It worked exactly as planned… except for one thing.”
He looked at Laura. “You mattered more than I expected.”
James squeezed her hand. “That’s right. If it weren’t for Laura that day, I wouldn’t have made it out.”
He turned back to Robert. “But do you even know why we were at the Manhattan Hotel that day?”
Robert shook his head. “Didn’t really care. I can track your movements, but I try not to get too deep into people’s personal business. I figured you were sneaking off with another woman. Honestly? I thought you’d become just like every other scumbag.”
James shot him a glare. “The Moon Soul was supposed to be top secret. There’s no way you had access to that kind of classified information. You were the one who sent the anonymous tip to the undercover team, weren’t you?”
Robert grinned. “You got it. I wanted revenge, yes—but I didn’t want innocent people caught in the crossfire. I leaked the agent list to rattle you and buy Edward time, but I also made sure the agents were warned. Told them to evacuate and not risk their lives.”
He added, almost casually, “Oh, and I’m the one who sent you the evidence against Antai Pharmaceutical. Figured you’d need it after the Moon Soul op went up in smoke. As much as I hated you, the mission itself was righteous. I wasn’t about to let my grudge destroy everything.”
James exhaled, his shoulders relaxing just slightly. “That explains it. Michael and I kept wondering who was behind all of it. Someone clearly wanted me to fall—not Kenneth, not the Demon Eye. It didn’t make sense… until now.”
Robert let out a dry laugh. “I’m the one pulling strings, remember? Being the Syndicate leader has taught me one thing—it’s damn hard to build something from scratch. I’ve worked too hard to burn it all down over a personal vendetta.”
He looked James in the eye. “The Demon Eye… it’s not perfect, but you’re doing real good. And you’re smart about it. Ruthless, but fair. You’re not my kind of enemy anymore. You’re someone I can respect.”
James stayed quiet, sorting through the wave of information, trying to process the new shape of the past.