Nepotism is one of the most frustrating things in the world. It doesn't just affect casting for Hollywood movies; it affects literally every industry under the sun at every level. One of my best friends got his first job not because he was uniquely qualified for it, but because his cousin's boyfriend worked there. Luckily, he quit the job before his cousin broke up with her boyfriend, so he didn't get fired for nepotism reasons.
If you've lost out on a job opportunity because somebody's son wanted the job, you can at least be reassured that you didn't lose out on the job because of anything to do with your skills. That truth could make you feel better or worse. It doesn't feel good to work hard and put everything you have into a business just to play second fiddle to a niece who didn't have to prove her loyalty to the company through any kind of labor. The bright side of this situation is that your work ethic is translatable to any workplace you go to. You can't nepotism your way into becoming a doctor or a lawyer if you don't have the skills to back it up.
The employee in this story has been nothing if not hardworking at the restaurant where he has worked for the past four years. They recently cut his hours to give the owners' nephews more hours, but now that the nephews are floundering in their newfound position of power, they need this stalwart to come back. Luckily, he's learned that he's more valuable than the owners once thought, and knows that his skill set translates to different workplaces. Hopefully he'll have the confidence to go where he is wanted.