Last night, I woke up to get a glass of water and accidentally nudged my husband’s phone. The screen lit up, revealing a bank notification: 100 million VND had been withdrawn from our account. Curious, I opened it and discovered he had transferred the funds to his mother.
I immediately woke him up. Reluctantly, he confessed:
“My mother needed money. My brother wanted to buy a car but was short 100 million, so she asked for my help.”
Hearing this, a surge of anger overwhelmed me. That 100 million was our hard-earned savings, set aside for emergencies. We’re still paying off our apartment loan, and I’ve been unemployed for over a month since being laid off.
I confronted him angrily:
“That’s our family’s savings! How could you give it away without discussing it with me? Why should we prioritize your brother’s car purchase?”
He simply lowered his head in silence and stepped out to the balcony for a smoke. Sleep evaded me for the rest of the night.
I reflected on my time as a daughter-in-law. When I gave birth, my mother-in-law traveled from the countryside to care for me. She woke up early to prepare porridge and soup, and whenever the baby cried, she was the first to respond. Neighbors often commented on my good fortune in having such a kind mother-in-law. Yet, for her younger son, she readily took our savings without a word of notice.
I accidentally discovered my husband transferred 100 million to his mother. (Illustrative image)
The next morning, my mother-in-law left for the market as usual. As soon as the door closed, I went to her room.
Initially, I planned to pack her belongings and ask her to return to the countryside. However, upon opening the last drawer of her bedside table, I found a folder wrapped in multiple layers of plastic.
Assuming it was a savings book, I opened it, only to find a stack of medical records. Instinctively, I checked the patient’s name: it was my husband’s. My heart raced as I read the diagnosis: end-stage chronic kidney failure. The examination date was exactly one month prior.
My hands trembled as I held the folder, and a piece of paper slipped to the floor. It was a kidney transplant compatibility test. The potential donor was… my mother-in-law. The result clearly stated: Compatible.
Stunned, I flipped through the folder further and discovered a contract for the sale of a house in the countryside. That house was the sole asset left by my father-in-law after his passing. Just last week, my mother-in-law sold it for over 700 million VND.
At the bottom lay a crumpled handwritten note:
“Don’t tell your wife. She’s already burdened by job loss, and knowing this would only add to her suffering. I’ve sold the house in the countryside. If necessary, I’ll donate one of my kidneys to save my son. I’m old, but I only wish for him to live and care for his family.”
Tears streamed down my face. It became clear that my husband had lied to shield me from despair. The 100 million wasn’t for his brother’s car but for his own treatment. She had even sold her retirement home and prepared to donate a kidney to save him.
And I… that morning, I had deliberately knocked over a bowl of soup and treated her coldly. Just then, the door opened. My mother-in-law returned from the market, carrying bags of my favorite food.
I grasped the folder and rushed to her, kneeling before her. She dropped the vegetables in shock:
“What are you doing? Get up!”
Choking back tears, I held the papers before her:
“Mom, why did you and he hide this from me? Why didn’t you let me share the burden?”
Upon seeing the folder, my mother-in-law burst into tears. She held my hands tightly:
“He didn’t allow me to tell you. He said you’re already stressed from job loss, crying in the bathroom every night. He just didn’t want you to suffer more.”
I embraced her tightly. For the first time, I felt the fragility of her body.
I hugged my mother-in-law tightly upon learning the truth. (Illustrative image)
That evening, my husband returned from work. As soon as he entered, I burst into tears and clung to his shoulder:
“From now on, no matter what happens, you must tell me. No matter how difficult, we’ll face it together.”
The three of us stayed up late, sharing everything openly.
The next day, my husband and I decided to sell our car and list our apartment for sale, moving to a smaller rental. The proceeds from selling my mother-in-law’s house, combined with our savings and the car sale, were sufficient for the initial treatment phase.
After a follow-up examination, the doctor refused to allow my mother-in-law to donate a kidney due to her age and health. We registered for the kidney transplant waiting list.
Now, every morning I bring food to my husband at the hospital. My mother-in-law remains at home to care for our child and manage everything, allowing me to focus.
Each time she places a bowl of hot soup before me, I recall the morning I carelessly knocked over that bowl, blinded by misunderstanding.
Some loved ones choose silence to bear pain alone. Only when the truth is revealed do we realize the most precious aspect of family isn’t money, but the love and silent sacrifices we make for one another.
