Rise Of Undervalued Son-In-Law

At the Whitmore Family home... In the kitchen, Ethan was busy washing, chopping, and cooking vegetables. His movements were swift, showcasing his expertise in cooking. From the living room, bursts of laughter could be heard from time to time. Ethan’s father-in-law and mother-in-law were chatting with their other prospective son-in-law. Ethan himself was the son-in-law of the Whitmore Family, but he was always looked down upon and belittled by them. He had no stable job or strong family background, making his presence in the Whitmore household nearly insignificant. In this house, he was responsible for almost all the household chores—washing, cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the house’s cleanliness. However, despite doing so much, his in-laws were never satisfied with him. In the living room, Mr. Dammo, Ethan’s father-in-law, smiled and said, "Damian, we have essentially agreed to your marriage with Sarah. When we meet your parents someday, we can discuss the details further." Sarah was Ethan’s sister-in-law. Today, Sarah’s boyfriend, Damian, had come to visit her parents. Their relationship was still new—only two months since they had met—but discussions of marriage had already begun. Damian nodded and replied, "Okay, Uncle. That depends on your and Aunt’s availability. My parents are free anytime." At the same time, Ethan had finished preparing dinner—Grilled Salmon—and brought it to the dining table. "Mom, Dad, the food is ready," Ethan said politely. Damian, who was seeing Ethan for the first time, curiously asked, "Sarah, who is he?" Sarah sneered and said in a mocking tone, "Oh, him? He’s Ethan, my sister’s husband." "He’s a parasite who doesn’t have a stable job, completely dependent on my sister, and lives in our house without making any meaningful contribution," Sarah continued. Hearing those words, Ethan frowned. Even though he was Sarah’s brother-in-law, she still belittled him in front of others. In this family, Ethan had no right to speak. His in-laws pampered Sarah immensely. Moreover, today was an important day for Sarah. Ethan didn’t want to cause a commotion that could embarrass his wife, Sophia, when she returned later. So, Ethan remained silent and did not respond. Suddenly, Sarah glanced at the clock and asked, "What time is it? Why isn’t my sister home yet?" "Mom, didn’t you tell her that I was bringing my boyfriend today?" Sarah asked her mother. Just then, the door opened. Sophia stepped inside, dressed in an elegant black business suit. "Sorry, I’m late. I just finished meeting with a client," she said. Damian’s eyes lit up at the sight of her. "Sarah, is this your sister? You’re already very beautiful, but I didn’t expect your sister to be stunning as well." Sophia gave a slight smile and replied, "Oh, hello.” At 26 years old, Sophia had a tall and well-proportioned figure. With her long legs and graceful posture, she exuded a rare beauty. Mr. Dammo then said, "Since Sophia is home and the food is ready, let’s eat and talk at the table." Everyone sat at the dining table. Ethan sat next to Sophia and handed her a piece of grilled salmon. "Sophia, I cooked this. Try it," Ethan said. However, before Sophia could taste it, Sarah grabbed a piece of grilled salmon, put it in her mouth, and immediately spat it out with a disgusted expression. "Ugh, this is disgusting!” “Ethan, was the salmon you bought dead for a long time? It’s not fresh at all!" Sarah mocked. Sophia tasted it and found nothing wrong with its flavor or smell. "Sarah, what are you talking about? The salmon is fresh," Sophia said calmly. However, Sarah didn’t seem satisfied. She picked up a mint leaf, chewed it briefly, and spat it out. "This mint leaf is also too old and tough to chew!" Sarah complained. With pride, she then said, "Dad, have you ever heard of Westno Hotel? It belongs to Damian’s family! Their hotel is a four-star establishment, and their chef trained at a fine dining restaurant abroad. Their food is way better than this!" Damian smiled and said, "Uncle, Aunt, how about we eat out today? I can ask the hotel’s chef to prepare some special dishes for you to try." Ethan’s expression shifted slightly, revealing his displeasure. He knew that Sarah was deliberately trying to humiliate him today. Sophia quickly mediated, "Ethan has already cooked plenty for dinner. It wouldn’t be right to waste it. I think we should eat out another time. For now, let’s just enjoy what we have." Madam Sonia, Ethan’s mother-in-law, scoffed in annoyance. She felt embarrassed in front of Damian and said, "Ethan, look at yourself! No job, and you can’t even cook properly. What’s the use of having you around?" Damian took a bite of the grilled salmon, then commented condescendingly, "It really doesn’t taste good." "Since we’re going to be family from now on, if Ethan is interested in cooking, I can arrange for him to intern in our hotel’s kitchen. He can learn some culinary skills and earn a salary of a thousand dollars a month. That should help with household expenses, right?" Damian added. Madam Sonia shot Ethan a sharp glance and said, "Damian is being so generous to you. Why haven’t you thanked him yet?" Ethan clenched his fists in anger. He knew Damian wasn’t genuinely offering help—he just wanted to humiliate him. Under the table, Sophia discreetly patted Ethan’s hand, signaling him to stay calm. Slowly, Ethan loosened his grip and replied in a flat tone, "Thank you, but I’m not interested in becoming a chef." While washing the dishes, Ethan’s phone suddenly vibrated. A text message appeared: "Mr. Ethan, your three-year sentence has ended. The family’s restrictions on you have been lifted."