The Humiliated Son-In-Law's Revenge

Chapter 7: Thankful

Daryl rushed home, his heart pounding with excitement. He couldn’t wait to tell his parents the results of his interview. The moment he stepped inside their house, his face lit up with a wide grin.

“Mom! Dad!” he called out. “Where are you?!”

Marissa emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel, while Henry stepped out from their room, his brow furrowed in concern. Both of them looked worried and surprised.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Marissa asked, her voice filled with anxiety.

“What’s the fuss, Son?” Henry added, his eyes scanning Daryl’s face.

Daryl took a deep breath, trying to steady his excitement. He waited until his parents were close before raising the paper in his hand. The couple exchanged a curious glance before Marissa carefully took the paper from him.

“What is this?” she asked, her brows knitting together in confusion.

But then her eyes widened as they scanned the words on the page. “I-Is this real?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

“What? What is it?” Henry asked, grabbing the paper from her hands. His eyes narrowed as he read, and when he got to the important part, his face changed. “Passed? What does this mean, Son?”

“I passed the interview!” Daryl burst out, his voice shaking with barely contained joy. “I got accepted into the police department!”

Marissa gasped, her hand flying to her chest. “Oh, my goodness! I’m so proud of you, Daryl!” she said, her eyes welling up with tears. Without another word, she pulled her son into a tight embrace.

Henry laughed — a deep, genuine sound that Daryl rarely heard. His father’s face broke into a wide smile, his pride shining through.

“That’s my boy! I knew you’d make it!” Henry said, his voice filled with approval. “My son — a policeman! I can’t believe it!”

Their small home was soon filled with laughter and congratulations. Marissa kept hugging him, while Henry patted his back so firmly it nearly knocked the air out of him. But Daryl didn’t mind. The joy of the moment was overwhelming — the feeling of finally achieving something he had worked so hard for.

“My prayers have been answered!” Marissa said with a delighted smile. “I’m cooking all your favorite dishes tonight!”

“Yes! And I’ll go to the market and buy everything you need,” Henry added enthusiastically.

Daryl could only nod, his heart swelling with happiness. For a long time, he had lost sight of moments like this — too consumed by his desire to be with Samantha and be accepted into her world. But now, he made a silent promise: from this day forward, all his efforts would be for his parents. They deserved this happiness more than anyone.

“Oh, right! Did you tell Mr. Williams yet?” Marissa suddenly asked. “You should let him know, Daryl! He’ll be so happy for you too!”

Daryl’s smile faltered just a little. The mention of the Mayor brought an uncomfortable feeling in his chest.

“I… I’ll tell him tomorrow,” he said, forcing a nod.

“Good! You should always be thankful, Daryl. I’m sure he’s the one who put in a good word for you with the interviewers,” Marissa added.

Daryl didn’t respond. He only excused himself and went to his room to change. If only his parents knew the truth, they wouldn’t be singing the Mayor’s praises. But Daryl kept his silence. He didn’t want to ruin their happiness.

Because if there was anyone he owed his gratitude to — it definitely wasn’t the Mayor.

—

The next day, Daryl set out to find Martin Anderson’s house. Fortunately, he still had Martin’s business card, and he knew exactly where to go. He didn’t want to just call — he wanted to thank the man in person. It was the least he could do.

When he arrived, he stood outside the gates of an exclusive community, his palms sweating as he faced the unsmiling guard stationed at the entrance. The towering walls and luxurious entrance only made him feel more out of place, and the way the guard’s eyes scanned his simple clothes made it even worse.

Still, Daryl approached with cautious politeness. “Hello, sir,” he said, keeping his voice steady. “I’m looking for Mr. Martin Anderson’s house. Can you please guide me inside? Or at least point me in the right direction, and I’ll find it myself.”

The guard’s expression hardened immediately. “Do you have an appointment?” he asked, his tone cold.

Daryl hesitated. “Ah… No, but—”

“Then you can’t enter,” the guard said sharply, already waving him off. “Leave now. This is an exclusive community. You can’t just walk in here.”

“I just need a few minutes,” Daryl insisted, trying to keep his frustration in check. “Can you at least call the house? Mr. Anderson knows me. Tell them it’s Daryl—”

But the guard cut him off with a loud, mocking laugh. “Listen, kid. I don’t know what scam you’re trying to pull, but people like you don’t belong in a place like this.”

Daryl’s jaw tightened. “People like me?” he repeated, his fists clenching at his sides.

“You heard me,” the guard sneered. “Now get lost before I call the police!”

Heat rose in Daryl’s face, but he forced himself to swallow his pride. Fighting with the guard wouldn’t get him inside. He took a deep breath and tried one last time.

“Please,” he said, his voice calmer. “I promise they know me. Just call them—”

But the guard cut him off again. “You really don’t know when to quit, do you?” he spat. “Look at you! Do you really think someone like you would know the Andersons? People like them don’t associate with people like you.”

Daryl’s fists clenched tighter. That wasn’t the Martin Anderson he knew. Martin never cared about status or wealth — he treated everyone with respect.

“Or maybe,” Daryl said slowly, his voice dangerously low, “you’re the one who just doesn’t want me to get inside. Do you realize it’s wrong to discriminate against people? Do you think Mr. Anderson would be happy if he knew how you were treating someone like this?”

The guard laughed again, and this time, two more guards joined him, their expressions just as mocking.

“We’re not discriminating,” one of them said with a smirk. “We’re just doing our job. And you? You look like you’re up to no good.”

“Exactly,” the other guard chimed in. “You’re probably here to steal. We can’t let someone like you in!”

Daryl couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Anger boiled in his veins.