Heartstrings on Fire novel Chapter 1164

Agnes couldn't wrap her mind around it all. She fixed her gaze on Kearney, confusion evident in her eyes. "You must be mistaken," she asserted, "My godfather would never do such a thing. He could never harm his own brother for his own gain."

Kearney erupted in laughter, his voice reverberating through the room. "Nothing is impossible in this world, Agnes. If he weren't ruthless, he wouldn't have founded Albert’s Arms. It wasn't just him; it was a collective effort. My father, Phenix's father, and others fought side by side, risking their lives for what Albert’s Arms is today. Among them, Reggie was the youngest, yet everyone agreed to let him lead. But that wasn't enough for him. As they say, 'Those who outshine their leaders often meet grim fates.' He allied himself with The Obsidian Order, luring my father into a trap where he was tortured. Then, he deceived our uncles into a rescue mission, only for them to be gunned down. Since then, The Obsidian Order was under his sole control. You call me cruel and inhumane, but did Reggie ever show remorse for his actions? I was only three, and Phenix was just a newborn."

With a smirk turning cold, Kearney continued, "What goes around comes around. My life's mission has been to avenge my father. I've bided my time, playing the dutiful son to a man I despised, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It took me twenty years to gain Reggie's complete trust, to have the reins of Albert’s Arms handed to me. Only then did I see a chance to avenge my father."

Agnes felt something was terribly off. Everything Kearney said contradicted Reggie's story. According to Reggie, it was The Obsidian Order that had corrupted Lyman, using Kearney as leverage. But Reggie managed to rescue Kearney, albeit suffering grave injuries and waking up three days later to a changed Albert’s Arms. Lyman, thinking Reggie and Kearney were dead, confronted The Obsidian Order's leader, Blacktalon, in a suicide attack. Nichol and Shipley, trying to save Lyman, were ambushed and killed. And amidst all this, The Obsidian Order had a mole within Albert’s Arms. Why were Reggie's and Kearney's stories so different?

"No, you've got it all wrong," Agnes insisted. "There must be some misunderstanding. My godfather would never do such a thing. He tried to save you; it was just too late to prevent the tragedy. If you must hold a grudge, direct it towards The Obsidian Order, not my godfather. He risked his life to save you. How can you repay his kindness with hatred?"

Agnes decided to share everything Reggie had told her about the past, believing in his version of the story. Reggie might seem cold and heartless, but Agnes saw him as a man of deep integrity and devotion, especially towards his own family. And Agnes trusted her gut feeling.

Kearney, however, seemed utterly unmoved by her words, not even a flicker of change in his expression.