On the morning after their wedding anniversary, Mack lavishes Katherine with gifts in a bid to hold onto her. After yet one more night of loveless sex, Katherine packs a few things into a case and - saying nothing - leaves the marital home for ever. When Mack discovers her half-empty closet, he realises that his marriage has finally disintegrated. But there is worse to come. As if losing his wife were not bad enough, Mack now risks losing the second most important thing in his life - the factory.

The deeds to the factory building are in Katherine's name and, wanting to make a clean break from her marriage, she asks Mack to buy her out. But by keeping her financially dependent on him, he prevented her from leaving him in the past. If he bought back the building now, he would be severing any remaining connection.

Mack's refusal forces Katherine to give him an ultimatum: he has 24 hours to sign the contract, or she offers the premises to his main competitor. Mack calls her bluff and the b

Martin and Trudy are together and very happy. Martin's relationship with Mack, however, is not so good. Mack is jealous that Trudy, who was always devoted to him, has settled for Martin and, as transport manager, Martin gets the blame when the insurance company refuse to renew the policy on the Mackintosh trucks.

Trudy, however, suggests that she and Martin take over running the haulage as an independent company. Things go well, they get married, and Trudy cuts the final cord with Mack after he pushes her too far, leaving him with the realisation that he needs her a lot more than she needs him.

Then Martin's sister-in-law Sue (Alison Swann) turns up, eight months pregnant and with her husband, Martin's wayward brother Stuart, in jail with no hope of release. Martin had a relationship with Sue before Trudy and it's not long before Trudy realises that the baby is not Stuart's but Martin's. Sue swears she will never tell Martin but Trudy knows this is a secret she cannot live with.

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