"He was abandoned?" Eveline asked, her voice laced with disbelief.
The old lady, Martha, nodded solemnly. "Yes. After that day, we never saw anyone come for him—except for once, after he was adopted."
Ella's thoughts spiraled, but Martha's words piqued her curiosity. "Who came for him?" she pressed.
Martha furrowed her brows, as if trying to pull the memory from the depths of her mind. "A woman. But before we could question her, she turned and walked away."
Eveline leaned forward, urgency in her voice. "Do you remember anything about her? How she looked? Anything that could help us find her?"
Martha sighed in disappointment, shaking her head. "Technology wasn't as advanced back then, and my memory of her face is blurry. I barely remember what she looked like."
A heavy silence settled between them. Eveline exhaled, a quiet sigh of defeat escaping her lips. She knew digging deeper into the mystery woman would be nearly impossible.