Chapter 53: I hope

Nina didn’t calm down as she cried so much until she fell asleep. The couple stayed with her, feeling sorry that they couldn’t do anything but stay with her throughout this process.

"I feel horrible," Allison expressed quietly while stroking Nina’s hair. "She seems very scared."

Charles pressed his lips, staring at Nina apologetically. "There’s nothing we can do."

The couple looked at each other and sighed.

If the choice was theirs, they would happily take care of the two girls. However, they knew deep in their hearts that no matter how they loved Nina, they had no right because they weren’t her real parents. They could only hope Jessa and Nina would get along, just like how Jessa and Penny got along very well.

The couple left Nina’s room with a heavy heart. But Charles only took his wife to their room before telling her he had to meet Haines. In times like this, the couple always needed some time alone and thus, Allison let her husband stay with Haines for a while.

When Charles entered the study, Haines was standing in front of the stand while pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

"We told her," was Charles’ greeting remarks, throwing himself on the couch. "I feel horrible."

Haines walked back to the set of couches with two glasses in his hand. "You did the right thing," was all he said as he slid one glass to Charles.

"She cried so much she ended up falling asleep."

"Mhm."

Another deep sigh escaped Charles as he reached for the glass, chugging the drink in one go. Hissing after gulping the alcohol down, he massaged his forehead to ease her headache.

"She didn’t want to go and Allison was also very reluctant," he continued dejectedly. "But knowing Jessa Cortez, she wouldn’t let it go if we try to give her another proposal."

"If this will make you feel better, then giving Nina to the Cortez Household during weekdays is much better. After all, Nina would be in school almost all day. It’ll help her adjust to the new environment while keeping the old one."

Charles glanced up at Haines but didn’t say anything for a while. "Haines, you’re really okay with this? Don’t you feel sorry for Nina?"

"A little."

"Haines, how can you say you only feel sorry for her a little?" Charles frowned. "Nina is also your niece. You two used to get along. Did that change just because she’s not a Bennet?"

"We never got along, but I did see her as a nice kid," Haines was blunt despite knowing this might disappoint Charles. "I just don’t worry about her because if she’s truly a nice kid, she’ll eventually melt Jessa Cortez’s heart just like how Penny did."

"I can’t say I understand you since I’m not a parent, but from my perspective, everyone will realize this decision was the best. Not just to the adults, but also for Nina," he added.

Charles opened his mouth, but he ended up shutting them again. He knew Haines the most and thus, there was no point in arguing. It wasn’t like Haines wasn’t making any sense.

"Anyway." Charles cleared his throat and changed the topic. "How’s the investigation about Nina’s mother? I told you that Jessa Cortez didn’t seem to have any idea of the matter."

After meeting Jessa multiple times now, Charles was sure Jessa knew nothing about the baby switching. If Jessa only knew, she wouldn’t even ask for Nina’s custody and let her niece continue living a life of comfort and luxury.

This time, Haines sighed. "Sadly, the investigation met with a dead end. No one’s willing to talk and most evidences are not enough for a conclusion. Everything is clean, which also tells me this is a meticulous plan concocted by someone."

"Damn it." Charles hissed as his grip on the glass tightened. If not for the baby swapping, their family wouldn’t be in so much dilemma. Penny didn’t have to live in another household and they wouldn’t have to go through breaking Nina’s heart.

"Though, I found out why Jessa Cortez hated Nina’s mother." This remark earned Charles’s attention again. "It is not that detailed, but you’d still get a grasp of the family dynamic."

"The Reed Family used to be upper middle class, having only two children: Jessa and her older brother, Joey. Their parents worked themselves day and night to prepare for their children’s future. After all, they had Joey and Jessa at a later stage. Two years after their son Joey entered college, he suddenly came home with his pregnant girlfriend," Haines explained.

"Since Joey’s girlfriend is already pregnant, the parents had no choice but to welcome her into the house. At first, everything was going well and peaceful for the family until Joey’s girlfriend had a miscarriage. Even so, the Reed Family were kind enough to let her stay in the household."

"The Reed Couple were kind enough to send her back to school since she was no longer pregnant. However, just one year after that, things kept missing in the household and soon, even money started missing."

Charles furrowed his brows. "She stole from them?"

"It’s not sure if she’s the only one or if Joey was in it too, but from what I heard, Joey got involved with some bad crowd. I also heard, when the older couple found out that Nina’s mother wasn’t even going to school and Joey got involved with gambling, his mother had a heart attack because of anger," Haines continued. "Because she’s old then, she died only a few days later. Jessa was left to take care of their father but because of his wife’s loss, he quickly followed."

"Joey is the oldest, and he was naturally left in charge of the household. With a gambling addiction and a woman who supported it, both of them soon depleted the late couple’s savings. From what I heard, Nina’s mother even stole Jessa’s college funds, which caused a huge fight in the family. But with the money gone, Jessa had no choice but to stop and find a job to sustain herself."

While saying all this, Haines felt a little sorry for Jessa. When he heard about this, he sort of realized why Jessa was the way she was.

"Only a year after the late couple died, even the house they treasured and worked hard to build was sold. Their children, who used to have a bright future, had taken a different path. Joey harassed his little sister for money until Jessa found a man who would protect her."

Silence quickly followed Haines’s voice after telling Charles the story.

"Then why did Jessa hate Nina’s mother so much? Was it just the college fund?" from everything he heard, Nina’s mother’s participation in all of these was too little compared to Joey’s.

"Because it was Nina’s mother who manipulated Joey. She’s the one whispering in his ears and even the very person who stole from the family. Or so, what allegedly the truth." Haines shrugged. "This is not confirmed, but people who knew the family said she’s actually the one with the gambling addiction and Joey simply covered for her because he felt sorry for causing her first miscarriage."

"She sounds... horrible," Charles blurted out under his breath. "But Nina isn’t like that."

Haines refrained from leaving unnecessary comments. "I hope..." she would prove Haines wrong, because if Haines was right, then Charles and Allison would be hurt.