I don’t feel sorry for him, but I tend to agree that if his mother were alive, there’s no way in hell he marries this badly. I suspect it’s are man for whom a thumbs-down on a woman from mom doesn’t carry a lot of weight. Warnings from brother in law, sister in law, stepmother et al. aren’t the same thing. And, as you say, Chuck is useless.
Meant to say: “... a rare man...”
no way! Diana would have been all in for this Halfrican addition to the firm.