{Martha's POV}
Her lashes fluttered as she waited for my response, her sharp gaze fixed on me. I froze; my tongue felt heavy, and I struggled to find the right words. As a stranger in the house, I didn’t know how to explain myself. My throat was dry, and I swallowed hard, avoiding her expectant stare.
“I’m a friend of Nathan,” I finally mumbled, the words tumbling out awkwardly. My voice sounded strange even to my own ears, and beads of sweat gathered on my forehead, threatening to roll down.
Her expression hardened instantly, her eyes narrowing with a judgmental glare. It was the kind of look I’d seen so many times before, a look that said I didn’t belong, that I wasn’t good enough to be here.
But she didn’t press further. Instead, she placed her small handbag on the couch and began t
