His wife was six months pregnant and refused to get out of bed. The husband lifted the blanket in suspicion and the sight made him tremble…
Ethan and Grace had been married for three years before they had the good news. Since he found out his wife was pregnant, Ethan had taken care of Grace every little thing. She was six months pregnant and her belly was getting bigger and bigger. But recently, she had become strange: she had been lying on the bed in the small rented apartment, hardly going out. No matter how Ethan tried to encourage her, she would just smile awkwardly and say she was tired.

At first, Ethan thought his wife was just having morning sickness or was feeling sick because she was pregnant, but he found it more and more strange. At mealtimes, Grace would just eat a little and then lie down. Even when she needed to go to the bathroom, she would hold it in. Ethan was worried and urged her many times:

— You can’t keep lying down like this, it will affect the baby.

Grace just shook her head slightly, her eyes red. The way she clutched the thin blanket made Ethan even more uneasy.

One night, Ethan came home late after his shift. He opened the door to the room and saw his wife still in the same position: lying on her side, the blanket covering her from her chest to her feet. The strange atmosphere made his heart beat faster. Ethan approached, sat down beside her, and called softly:

— Grace… are you hiding something from me?

Grace was silent, her shoulders trembling slightly. In that moment, invisible fear welled up. Ethan reached out to touch the edge of the blanket.

— I’m sorry… but I have to know.

Saying that, Ethan tremblingly lifted the blanket.

The scene before his eyes left him speechless. Grace’s legs were swollen, her skin pale, and covered with bruises. Her feet were cracked and red, so much so that even a light touch would make her groan in pain. Ethan was stunned, unable to believe this was true.

— Oh my god… why didn’t you tell me? — Ethan choked, tears welling up.

Grace turned her face away, sobbing:

— I don’t want you to worry… I’m afraid you’ll be tired, afraid you’ll be sad. So I hid it…

It turned out that for the past few months, Grace had been suffering from complications of leg swelling during pregnancy. Her legs were getting more and more painful, making her unable to walk. But because she felt sorry for her husband working hard in the US, she gritted her teeth and endured, hiding all the pain under the blanket.

Ethan hugged his wife, his heart filled with pity. He blamed himself for being too busy with work to notice the changes in his wife.

Early the next morning, Ethan took Grace to the hospital near their home. Hearing the obstetrician explain that this was a warning sign of preeclampsia — a dangerous complication that could affect both mother and fetus — Ethan’s heart tightened. If it wasn’t detected in time, the consequences would be unpredictable.

In the hospital room, while the nurse injected anti-inflammatory drugs and the doctor closely monitored her blood pressure, Grace held her husband’s hand tightly, tears rolling down her face. Ethan whispered:

— From now on, don’t hide anything from me anymore. No matter what, we have to get through this together.

Grace nodded, choking up. At that moment, Ethan realized: true love is not just sweet words, but also facing pain and fear together.

In the following days, Ethan took a long leave to stay by his wife’s side. He learned to cook, massaged Grace’s feet every night, and helped her walk slowly around the hospital yard as instructed by the doctor. Many passersby smiled and were moved by the scene.

Three months later, Grace gave birth to a healthy baby girl. When the baby’s cry rang out in the delivery room, Ethan burst into tears like a child. He held his wife’s hand, kissed her forehead, and whispered:

— Thank you… for being strong for this family.

And in Ethan’s heart, the image of that evening — the moment he tremblingly lifted the blanket and saw his wife’s swollen feet — will forever be a milestone. That was when he understood more deeply than ever: love is sharing, is never letting the person you love suffer alone.