Even before marrying Wayne Cooper, I knew he had a fierce sister-in-law. He would always tell me to never get into a fight with her.

After we marry, we spend Christmas Eve at his parents' house for the first time. I'm forced to bustle around in the kitchen as I prepare a feast for over a dozen people.

Meanwhile, Wayne's family lounges in the living room. They chatter away while enjoying the fruits I've washed and sliced.

As I place the last dish on the table, Wayne's brother and sister-in-law, Kyle Cooper and Lucy Wren, arrive.

When I want to take my seat, I discover there isn't one for me. That's when Lucy snorts and says sarcastically, "I heard you're a good wife who's obedient and easygoing, Melanie. I have to say that your cooking is… mediocre, though."

This infuriates me. I'm about to retort when she turns to my mother-in-law. She says, "I think you should do the cooking from now on, Gloria. Your food is delicious…"

The moment my sister-in-law, Lucy Wren, finished speaking, my mother-in-law, Gloria Perkins, wore a look like a thunderstorm had just rolled in. I stood there, unsure what had just happened.

The vibe got uncomfortable, but Lucy sipped her drink as if nothing had happened.

Finally, my father-in-law, Michael Cooper, gave Gloria's sleeve a tug.

Gloria pursed her lips and said, "Mel's from Hummingdale. She was talking about making some of her hometown dishes for us."

I raised an eyebrow. My impression of Gloria took a dive. I hadn't said anything like that since I walked in.

Wayne Cooper and I had just gotten married, and this was my first time celebrating the holidays at the Cooper residence.

Mom always taught me to treat others how I wanted to be treated. Everyone said getting along with in-laws could be tricky, but I was willing to make the first move and show my sincerity for Wayne's sake.

I thought that by being nice, the Coopers would show the same in return, so I offered to pitch in. But I didn't expect Gloria to dump all the kitchen work on me.

She kept coming up with reasons, saying her back hurt or that she had to pick up her daughter, Emily Cooper, to bring her home for Christmas Eve.

Wayne and I had agreed to have each other's backs, but Gloria kept whisking him away. Eventually, it seemed like he had completely forgotten I was handling all the work in the kitchen.

So, there I was, rinsing vegetables, chopping them up, preparing salad, roasting the meat, and baking cinnamon rolls. While I worked, I decided that this would be my first and last time doing so much.

After a whole day of running myself ragged, I couldn't believe the Cooper family hadn't even saved me a spot at the table!

I was moments away from walking out when Lucy's voice broke the tension. "Why are you standing, Mel? Don't you have a seat? Looks like Gloria's picking on you."

Her words jabbed at everyone like a needle, and they froze and exchanged uncomfortable looks. Gloria felt awkward.

Wayne finally caught on. He got up, grabbed a stool, and placed it next to him.

"Babe," he said, "come sit beside me."

My heart sank when I saw the cheap blue plastic stool. Everyone else had a proper chair, and there I was, stuck with something that looked straight out of a dollar store.

Wayne came over and draped his arm around my shoulders, murmuring, "I'm sorry, babe. I never meant for you to be treated like this. You can take my seat."

I gazed at the man I loved with all my heart and swallowed the bitterness rising within me.

A small hiccup like this wasn't going to ruin Christmas Eve, though. The Coopers carried on eating happily, while Lucy seemed detached, almost as if she didn't have a care in the world.

Gloria cleared her throat, took out a gift from her pocket, and handed it to me. "Michael and I got you this because it's your first time at our place, Mel. We hope you'll like it.

"But just so you know, we don't normally give gifts to our daughters-in-law. That's just how our family works. Once you and Wayne have a baby, we'll start giving gifts to the grandkids instead. Lucy hasn't had a gift in ages, either."

She slid the gift toward me. It should have been a heartfelt moment, but her words stung, leaving me unsure if I should take it.

Just then, Lucy burst out laughing. "Seriously, Gloria? Who are you trying to fool?"

Kyle Cooper, Wayne's older brother, gently nudged Lucy's elbow, but she simply flicked him off with a glance and continued, "If you're not giving me a gift, just say so. Don't drag me into this."

My heart dropped, and I couldn't bring myself to reach for the gift.

Gloria slammed the gift down on the table. "What's your problem? Are you jealous now? Mel's thoughtful. She cares about Michael and me and actually does stuff to help us out.

"Of course, I'd get her something. But you? You come home just to eat and laze around. You honestly think I'd give you a gift?"

Gloria was unraveling, and it was clear she had a deep-seated grudge against Lucy.

Lucy shrugged nonchalantly and remained silent.

I forced a smile. "There's no need for a gift, Gloria. You're Wayne's mom. It's only right that I help out."

I noticed Lucy letting out a soft sigh out of the corner of my eye.

Gloria broke into a hearty laugh, took my hand in hers, and praised me endlessly for being such a thoughtful daughter-in-law. She smoothly returned the small gift to her pocket.

Suddenly, Emily, who'd been silently eating, cried out, "Why are there pickles in my salad?"

She spat the chewed-up salad onto the table. "I said no pickles! I hate them! Mom, didn't you tell Melanie?"

"I did! I don't know how they ended up in there," Gloria blurted out.

Emily's glare shifted to me.

I waved my hands frantically. "I didn't know. Gloria never said anything..."

My voice trailed off as Wayne pinched my arm to silence me.

Gloria's face darkened. "I never told you? I told you earlier that Emily doesn't eat pickles and asked you to leave them out. How could you forget?"

A lump formed in my throat. I wanted Wayne to say something on my behalf, but all he did was shake his head.

Emily slammed her utensils onto the table. "Forget it, I'm not eating! How am I supposed to enjoy Christmas Eve like this?"

Gloria gently ran her fingers through Emily's hair, soothing her. "Calm down, it's Christmas Eve. Don't let it ruin your mood. I'll have Melanie make a few more dishes without pickles. Mel, go make something else, and no pickles this time."

She ordered me around as though it were nothing. I was so stunned that I couldn't even respond.

Emily was two years younger than me but had gotten married two years ago. She had done next to nothing since arriving at the Cooper residence. Gloria and Michael practically waited on her hand and foot.

And now, Gloria was expecting me, the new daughter-in-law, to head back into the kitchen and whip up more food for Emily. I was never spoiled like Emily, not even when I was at home with Mom and Dad!

Noticing I was still sitting, Gloria urged, "Get going! What are you waiting for, Mel?"

Wayne leaned in close and whispered, "Why don't you just make a few new dishes? Emily's not a fan of pickles."

But it wasn't about the pickles at all!

I frowned at Wayne, unsure of what he was trying to do. Was Gloria actually picking on me like Lucy claimed?

Wayne seemed torn, his fingers tugging at my sleeve. "Babe, just think of it as doing this for me, okay?"

I remembered Mom's advice—treat others the way I wanted to be treated. I had to give a little of myself first, and others would recognize my kindness in time.

Things were spiraling out of control. Emily looked like she was on the verge of tears, and Wayne was practically begging me with his eyes.

I swallowed my frustration and headed back to the kitchen to prepare two more dishes.

After I placed the dishes on the table, Emily poked at them with her fork.

"Who even eats this on Christmas Eve? Are you trying to mess with me, Melanie Stone? I barely make it home for Christmas Eve, and I don't even get to taste any meat, huh? Have I lost my place in this family just because I'm married?"

Her voice rose with each word, and before I knew it, she dropped her fork and started crying.

Gloria quickly stepped in to comfort her. "Absolutely not. You'll always be our little princess. Kyle, Wayne, your dad, and I would never let you suffer."

Then she turned to me. "Mel, go make a honey-glazed ham. Emily loves it."

I couldn't hold back any longer. I pointed at the smoked ham on the table and said, "It's right here. I didn't put any pickles on it."

Gloria paused, clearly surprised by my defiance. She cocked her head, her gaze lingering on me.

"Did you not get what I said? Smoked ham isn't the same as honey-glazed. I told you to make a honey-glazed ham, so do it. What's with all the questions?"

She only said a few words, but it felt like she had turned into someone else entirely. Just moments ago, she had been so warm and kind. Now, she was practically unrecognizable.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. No one had ever spoken to me like that before! I shot a furious look at Wayne. He gently squeezed my hand, trying to calm me down.

"Mel made dishes without pickles, Mom," he said. "And look, we do have ham on the table. It's Christmas Eve. Let's just eat."

I thought that would finally put an end to it, but it only made Gloria blow up even more.

"How useless!" she screamed. "What, are you becoming like Kyle, forgetting all about me and Emily the second you found a wife? What kind of brother would side with an outsider to hurt his sister?"

"No, no, I didn't!" Wayne answered hurriedly. He was trying to reach a compromise.

My heart sank. I could see where this was heading. Sure enough, he turned to me with those pleading eyes and said, "Babe… Maybe you could—"

"Wayne," I cut in, my voice sharp. "Do you even hear yourself? Did you forget what we agreed on?"

He had promised to stand by me, so we could protect each other as husband and wife. I remember how those words had filled me with warmth back then.

People often said that conflicts with in-laws were usually tied to the husband's involvement, but I believed that with Wayne acting as a mediator and me doing my best to get along with Gloria, we'd manage just fine.

Before stepping into the Cooper residence, I had expected harmony in their family life. But instead, I found this.

I looked at Wayne, who seemed meek and apologetic. It was then that I realized just how hollow his promises had been. When he saw my face darken, he knew I was mad. Still, Gloria wasn't done.

"Melanie, what's with that tone toward Wayne?" she asked sharply. "We're just asking you to make a few dishes for Emily. Why are you getting so defensive? And now you're taking it out on Wayne.

"He told me your parents are well-educated, but I'm not seeing much of that in you! Didn't they teach you to show respect to your in-laws?"

"Mom, please stop," Wayne said.

"Who are you to criticize my parents?" I shot to my feet, rage surging inside me.