Heartstrings on Fire novel Chapter 1161

Maggie roared, "But you killed a person, and you dare talk about humanity? Does a devil even know what humanity is?"

Circling the cage, Darren responded, "What I mean is, in a harsh world like ours, survival of the fittest is a natural law. Just like you said before, those who are gone don't suffer. It's the living who bear all the pain."

Those words were indeed Maggie's, spoken in an attempt to comfort Darren during a vulnerable moment. Now, they seemed both ironic and tragic to her.

Maggie had no interest in debating morals with a demon. All she wanted now was the truth. "Darren, if I'm not mistaken, your real target wasn't my brother, was it? You had plenty of chances to kill him. You were after Uncle Jack, using Phoenix's wedding as a cover for a terror attack. Your target was Sean, but those goons were after Uncle Jack. Killing two birds with one stone, how cruel you are."

Darren didn't deny it, his gaze on Maggie even held a hint of admiration. "Septima, you know? You've always been smart and courageous. Probably, you're the only one bold enough to confront me like this."

Maggie was no longer just suspicious; she was almost certain. "Uncle Jack has been so good to you, practically handing over the reins of Albert's Arms to you. Why would you do this?"

Many reasons crossed her mind, but none made sense. Darren seemed in no hurry to reveal the truth. "Why do you think I did it?" he prompted.

"Because you wanted power. You're involved in drug trafficking, something Uncle Jack would never approve of. So, you plotted to eliminate him and take over Albert's Arms yourself, to do whatever you pleased," Maggie deduced.

"Why would I need to deal in drugs when I have plenty of legitimate businesses, a fortune at my fingertips?" Darren challenged.

Maggie frowned, puzzled. Was that not the reason? Then it struck her, "Was the drug case actually meant to frame the Tim Group and Jared?"

Darren's pleased expression told Maggie she had guessed right. "Why Jared? He's done nothing to you," Maggie continued.

Before Darren could answer, Maggie realized, "Because you knew Jared was Uncle Jack's biological son. Were you afraid Uncle Jack would hand Albert's Arms over to him?"

That seemed to be the only logical explanation to Maggie. "Uncle Jack adores you so much he couldn't bear to involve you in Albert's Arms, let alone his own son. Do you think Uncle Jack doesn't want to acknowledge his son? He's afraid that once Jared is associated with him, his enemies would target Jared, putting him in danger."

Maggie paused, taken aback. She had considered this possibility but dismissed it due to Jack's apparent indifference towards Jared. If there was no concern over the control of Albert's Arms, then why?

Maggie's head throbbed with confusion. Then she remembered something Ryder had said: someone wanted to destroy Jared, the Tim Group, and Albert's Arms.

Yes, twenty years ago, Albert's Arms might have been part of the underworld, but it had nearly gone legit over the years. Most of its business was above board, with only a few gray areas. In recent years, the name Albert's Arms had become synonymous with discretion, to the point where some thought it was a charity, especially since Jack donated generously to the capital's orphanages every year.

The drug scandal dragged Albert's Arms back into the public eye, tarnishing its reputation overnight. "You wanted to destroy Jared, the Tim Group, and Albert's Arms all at once. Your real target was still Uncle Jack, aiming to ruin him completely!"