My in-laws insist I sign a document forfeiting property rights

At 40, I have been married for 12 years and am a father to two boys. I come from another province, while my wife was born in Hanoi. Although her parents accepted our union, I sensed their caution and mistrust towards me.

Both over 60 and possessing multiple properties, my in-laws recently announced their decision to gift my wife two 60-square-meter homes, conditional upon my signing away my rights, thus making her the sole owner. Their unstated fear, as revealed by my wife, is that I might divorce, take the properties, and then remarry.

As a sentimental man who left my home for Hanoi and regards my in-laws as family, this requirement feels like a rejection, exacerbating my sense of alienation despite years of being their son-in-law. My modest career and a salary of just above VND10 million (US$409) might be the reason they underestimate me.

My wife suggests we overlook this, focusing on the financial benefits for our children’s future and our retirement that my in-laws’ decision brings. Yet, the hurt lingers, causing me to avoid her parents.

How can I overcome these feelings of wounded pride and disappointment?