Chapter 1603: I hope she knows

[Back to the Bennet Mansion]

"I once imagined a future with her. Yes, I did."

Charles sat at his desk, Haines’s words looping in his mind like a broken record. He had never once heard of Haines being in a relationship.

What did he mean he once imagined a life with that woman?

The question gnawed at him, pushing aside even his curiosity about the photo found in Slater’s belongings. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. He shoved himself up from his seat.

"Screw it," he muttered. "Allison might know."

Without hesitation, Charles grabbed his blazer and rushed out of the room.

As he crossed the entryway, Butler Jen had just entered the house and looked as though he was about to say something.

"Sir, have you—" Butler Jen’s words trailed off as Charles stormed past him, not bothering to stop.

The butler blinked, watching him go, and tilted his head in confusion.

"I wonder what’s happening," he murmured. "Even Sir Haines stormed out earlier."

The only difference was that Haines had limped slightly, relying on his cane.

Still, Butler Jen didn’t dwell too much on it. He knew that even if Haines and Charles argued, they always found a way to resolve things. This family had seen both sunshine and storms.

But the bad days always passed.

---

Charles could only think of Allison. His wife always knew everything — that much, he never doubted. Since the start of their marriage, Allison had always been right. And she shared a good relationship with Haines.

If Haines didn’t confide in Charles, he was sure he’d confide in her.

So Charles drove to the restaurant.

At Mama, Charles entered the bustling space. Unsurprisingly, the place was packed — it was nearing dinner time, after all.

"Ahem!" Charles cleared his throat to get his wife’s attention.

Allison, mid-order, turned at the familiar sound. She smiled at the sight of him but didn’t speak. Instead, she finished taking the order and then walked toward him.

"I’m busy, Charles," she said as she brushed past him. "But good thing you’re here."

Charles frowned and followed. "Ali —"

"Help me take some orders — or never mind. You’d probably just mess it up," she added, making him frown deeper.

He sighed and followed her to the counter, watching as she handed off orders through the kitchen window, then moved straight to the cashier to punch in more tickets.

Standing by, Charles lingered like he was waiting for the right moment to speak.

"What is it, Charles?" she asked without looking up. "I’m busy. If you’re not going to help, don’t distract me."

"Allison, did you know Haines used to have a girlfriend?"

"What? You mean the younger woman he recently confessed to be dating?"

"No — I mean in the past. Did he ever mention having a lover before?"

Allison paused this time and gave him a look. "A lover in the past?"

"Yes! Did he ever say anything about her to you?"

She didn’t answer right away, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Was he asking out of jealousy? Or just confusion? He looked genuinely desperate.

Seeing her expression, Charles sighed heavily. "Allison, please. Just answer."

"Charles, if you’re thinking Haines betrayed you first — no, he didn’t. At least, not as far as I know," she said dryly as she resumed her work. "You betrayed him first... by marrying your mistress. Me."

"Allison—"

She chuckled. "Why? Did you just find out Haines had a past relationship?"

"Doesn’t that surprise you?"

"Haines is still a good-looking man. But knowing how he looked in his younger years, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a few relationships he kept from you," she replied lightly — though she meant every word. "You were the jealous type, remember?"

"Anyway, you’re early..." She turned back to the counter, only to find Charles already walking away.

Allison shook her head with a quiet sigh. "Good thing Haines is a good person. Otherwise, this marriage might start to feel crowded."

She let out a soft laugh. Like Butler Jen, she didn’t linger on it. For her, it was just another episode in the usual antics between Charles and Haines.

They always made up. They’d had worse before — but nothing had ever broken their bond.

What else could happen that would break Haines and Charles’s brotherhood at this point?

---

Charles had hoped Allison might know something about Haines’s mysterious past relationship, but it seemed even she had been kept in the dark. Still, her words echoed in his mind — not just for confirmation, but for a different kind of clarity.

A clarity that offered a better explanation than the one Charles feared:

That he had unintentionally caused Haines’s heartbreak.

Anything but that.

So, Charles kept searching.

He even stopped by Atlas’s office — despite not wanting to see him after recent rumors — only to catch his eldest son sneaking up behind Zoren with a noose in hand. But Haines wasn’t there.

Next, he went to Prime Group. Penny, perhaps, might be someone Haines would turn to. He’d been involved with the company once, and in some ways, still was. But Penny wasn’t there. Her employees, on the other hand, were too busy crying to Yugi over the "new cars" their father had given them.

Charles even checked the usual street where Hugo occasionally hung around like a homeless man. Haines wouldn’t be there — it wasn’t his style to wallow in public — but Charles checked anyway. Still, nothing.

Slater, meanwhile, was out of town for a show. So Charles called James, just in case. But no, Haines wasn’t with him either.

With no other leads, Charles eventually found himself pulling up in front of a modest house.

He looked at it and exhaled slowly.

"I hope she knows," he muttered. "He’s been seeing Mildred more often. I hope he told her."

He stepped out of the car and made his way through the small gate. When he reached the front door, he rang the bell and waited.

A few seconds passed, and then the door opened.

But instead of the person he was expecting, Charles frowned.

"Miss Sandford?"