Chapter 365 Letting Go of the Past

Chapter 365 Letting Go of the Past
“Of course,” Robert nodded. “James isn’t the kind of man you can take down easily. If I hadn’t taught you a few tricks, you wouldn’t have even gotten close to him. That’s why I spent three years training you—teaching you how to hide your emotions, how to keep your gaze unreadable. Only then did James let his guard down. But—”
“We’re not even close to being on the same level,” Laura cut in. “I couldn’t hide anything. Once I got to know James, I realized he wasn’t the kind of person who’d hurt Alexander.”
Robert chuckled. “I told you from the start—this plan was never that airtight. I figured once you saw James again, you’d carry out my instructions without hesitation. It should’ve ended quickly. What I didn’t expect was… how you’d start feeling about him.”
James and Laura exchanged a glance. A moment passed before James quirked a brow and asked, “If you knew she wasn’t ready—still too inexperienced—why send her back to me at all? Why not keep training her until she was… cold enough to pull the trigger?”
Robert shrugged. “Because I didn’t want to waste any more time. I’ve got bigger things to deal with. And more importantly—I didn’t want her to become someone like me. I never intended to turn Laura into a killer. I just taught her some basics—enough to protect herself, nothing more.”
James nodded slowly. At last, it all fit together.
Laura exhaled, starting to close her eyes to rest, when her fingers brushed against the pendant at her neck. A thought struck her. “Robert… when did you put a listening device in this pendant?”
Robert replied casually, “Relax. It wasn’t in there long. I didn’t hear all the juicy secrets you think I did. It was that time you passed out on the way back—I found you, and on the drive to James, I had Isabella install it.”
Laura’s face paled slightly as the memory resurfaced. “Seriously… what kind of person even thinks of that? Robert, you’re disturbingly good at choosing your moments.”
He’d planned to say Emily ordered it—but at the last second, he changed his mind. Emily had lost everything. She’d vanished without a trace. The past was past. Laura hadn’t been hurt in the end.
Then, James suddenly asked, “Hey, by the way—is there something going on between you and Isabella? I noticed how she looked at you.”
Robert’s expression softened instantly. A rare warmth appeared in his eyes. “She knows everything about me. Never judged me. No secrets between us. I love her.”
After all the chaos and vengeance, Robert had finally found someone who understood him. James and Laura genuinely felt happy for him.
James was just about to speak when Robert’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen and picked up. “Hello?”
His face darkened. “What?!”
The sheer shock in his voice made both James and Laura tense.
Hanging up, Robert’s tone turned grave. “It was David. Jenny woke up in the hospital, realized she was still alive—and tried to kill herself again. She used a needle to cut her wrists. They found her too late. She’s in critical condition.”
James’s blood ran cold. Without another word, he bolted for the door. “I’m going back.”
“Wait!” Robert tossed him his car keys. “Take mine!”
James caught them and grabbed Laura’s hand, dragging her with him.
As the door slammed shut behind them, Robert sat back down. His heart was filled with complicated emotions—relief, guilt, maybe even peace.
A soft sound came from the side room. Isabella stepped out quietly, her footsteps light.
“Mr. Robert,” she asked softly, “is everything settled?”
Robert looked up and saw her standing there—gentle, steady. After everything, she was still there.
He smiled, a rare smile that reached his eyes. “Come here.”
Blushing faintly, Isabella walked over and curled up beside him, resting against his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her as if anchoring himself to reality.
“I’ve been tired for so long,” Robert murmured. “I can finally let it go now.”
Isabella nodded, and without another word, held him close.
At the hospital.
James arrived at the emergency ward in a rush. David and Michael were already waiting outside.
He strode over, voice low but urgent. “How is she?”
David shook his head. “Not good. The doctor said she lost too much blood. It doesn’t look hopeful.”
James stiffened. He turned to look at the emergency room door but said nothing.
Just then, the doctor stepped out. His expression said it all. “I’m sorry. We did everything we could.”
The breath left James’s lungs. He swayed slightly and had to steady himself with deep, sharp inhales.
David, equally shaken, placed a hand on his shoulder. “James… you and Laura should go home for now. Michael and I will take care of everything—her parents, the police, the arrangements. We’ve got it.”