CHAPTER 14

A HEAVY BURDEN

The weeks following the wedding were bittersweet. Grace cherished every moment as Ethan's wife, but her body reminded her daily of the cost of her decision to keep the baby. Her pregnancy, once a source of joy and hope, had become a test of her strength and willpower.

By this time Grace's health had deteriorated significantly. Her doctors had warned her from the start that carrying the baby to term would accelerate the progression of her cancer, but Grace had made her choice. "If I'm going to leave this world," she had said, "I want to leave it giving life."

But the price was higher than anyone had anticipated.

Grace's nights were the hardest. She often woke up drenched in sweat, her breathing labored and her body wracked with pain. Ethan would sit beside her, his hands trembling as he wiped her forehead with a damp cloth.

"I'm fine," she would whisper, though her voice was weak.

"You're not," Ethan would reply, his eyes red from lack of sleep and the constant fear gnawing at his heart. "Grace, please. Let's go to the hospital."

But she would shake her head every time. "I can't, Ethan. I'm doing this for her. For our baby."

Ethan felt powerless. He wanted to argue, to beg her to reconsider, but he knew it would only cause her more distress. Instead, he held her through the long nights, whispering words of love and encouragement as she clung to him, her tears soaking his shirt.

As Grace's belly grew, so did the strain on her body. Simple tasks became monumental challenges. One morning, while Ethan was preparing breakfast, he heard a crash from the bathroom.

"Grace?" he called out, panic rising in his chest.

There was no response. He dropped the spatula and sprinted down the hall, finding her crumpled on the floor, unconscious. Her face was pale, her breathing shallow.

"Grace!" he shouted, dropping to his knees beside her. He gently shook her shoulders, his hands trembling. "Wake up, please!"

After what felt like an eternity, her eyes fluttered open. She looked at him, dazed and confused. "Ethan…"

"You fainted," he said, his voice breaking. "I'm calling an ambulance."

"No," she whispered, gripping his arm weakly. "I'm fine. Just…help me up."

"You're not fine!" he snapped, the fear and frustration boiling over. "Grace, this isn't just about you anymore. You're risking your life, and I—" His voice caught, and he looked away, tears streaming down his face.

Grace reached up to touch his cheek, her fingers cold and fragile. "Ethan, I know this is killing you too. But I need you to be strong. For me. For her."

He stared at her, torn between his love for her and his desperation to save her. Finally, he nodded, helping her to her feet and carrying her to the couch. But the incident left him shaken, a grim reminder of how close he was to losing her.