Martha had always found her neighbor Nelly strange, especially after rumors

of a missing baby. When Martha tried to approach Nelly, the woman reacted

with fear, heightening Martha’s suspicions. Her husband, Evan, dismissed

her concerns, but another neighbor, Mrs. Freddie, also noticed something

was off.After Mrs. Freddie was turned away while delivering a pie,

Martha felt something was definitely wrong. Days later, she saw a boy

with a familiar birthmark through Nelly’s window—and fainted from the shock.

It turned out the boy, Tommy, was Evan’s son from an affair with Nelly.

Nelly had moved in next door to stay close but hidden. Martha, heartbroken by the betrayal,

confronted Evan when he returned from a trip and handed him divorce papers.

The sight of Tommy, caught in the middle, broke her heart.In the aftermath,

Evan’s parents offered Martha half their business to help her move forward.

Though bittersweet, it provided security for her sons.As Nelly, and Tommy

moved away, Martha focused on raising her boys with the honesty and

decency their father lacked. In that, she found hope for a better future—and the strength to create it.