Around the corner lies a sparsely-furnished house, vacant and waiting to be sold off. The owner of the house was Madam Lim. She was an old woman in her eighties with wrinkly skin and snow white hair who had just passed away the day before in a hospital. She had died of a broken heart.

Madam Lim used to make delicious New Year cookies and mooncakes for her neighbours, my family included. Though poor, she was a generous old soul. In return, we would pool our money to purchase daily necessities for her to ensure that she would not go hungry. She was extremely grateful.

Madam Lim's husband had died defending Singapore against the Japanese during World War II. She had a hard time bringing up her only daughter during those turbulent times. When it seemed that all her sacrifices were to be rewarded, fate...