But what troubled the lawyer even more was that he had developed a strong jealousy towards Tomoko Suzuki—a naked, undisguised initiative that she could never do.

She had always presented herself as rational and reserved, but now she found herself so timid in the face of emotions.

"What's wrong with me...?"

The scene of eavesdropping last night and the conversation this morning kept flashing through her mind.

Her rational mind as a lawyer told her that Tomoko Suzuki's behavior had crossed the line—that was her daughter's boyfriend! But another voice whispered in her heart: Didn't you do the same...?

Eri shook her head violently, trying to shake off the dangerous thought. She stood up, walked quickly to the bathroom, turned on the tap, and splashed the cold water on her burning cheeks.

The woman in the mirror had bright eyes, flushed cheeks, and her lips trembled slightly with nervousness.

Where is the dignity and composure of the "undefeated queen" in court?

She is clearly just an ordinary woman troubled by love.

"Calm down, Eri." She whispered to herself in the mirror, "You're just... just worried about Ran getting hurt."

The reason sounded so reasonable that it eased her tense nerves a little.

Yes, as a mother, she has a responsibility to protect her daughter from harm. If Xiaonan is seduced by a woman like Suzuki Tomoko, how heartbroken would Xiaolan be?

“I have to do something…” Eri Kisaki straightened her collar, her eyes gradually hardening. “Not for myself, but for Ran.”

The process of self-persuasion went so smoothly that she almost believed it was the whole truth; only the unnatural blush in the mirror betrayed her deeper feelings.

Eri Kisaki took a deep breath and began to carefully comb her hair and touch up her light makeup. Now that she had decided to "go into battle," she couldn't be as disheveled as she was last night.

"If Tomoko Suzuki can do it, why can't I?"

The thought suddenly popped into her head, startling her, but what followed was not shame, but a strange sense of relief.

Yes, both are "mothers-in-law," yet Suzuki Tomoko can so openly show her affection to Hanyu Kusunoki, while Eri Kisaki, just because of that ridiculous moral constraint, is supposed to stand by and watch someone else steal her away...?

“No, it wasn’t stealing him.” Eri Kisaki corrected herself, trying to make her actions seem more reasonable. “It was… keeping an eye on him. Yes, I was just keeping an eye on him for Ran.”

This self-deceiving excuse made the lawyer feel a little better.

Eri Kisaki took one last look at herself in the mirror, straightened her back, and strode out of the bedroom with her head held high, as if she were about to walk into court.

At the corner of the stairs, she stopped and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart.

From this day forward, she is no longer just "mother-in-law," but a woman with flesh and blood, with her own emotions and desires, a woman who dares to fight for what she wants.

This realization filled her with both fear and excitement, like the thrill of standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to leap off, while below, Hanyu Nan's all-seeing eyes awaited her...

Eri Kisaki didn't know how this "war" would unfold, but one thing she was certain of—she would not back down again.

For Xiaolan, and also for... myself.

.........

.........

Attorney Fei's change of heart was within Yuzuru Hanyu's expectations.

The conversation in the hallway just now was his way of deliberately provoking his mother-in-law while simultaneously trying to build a closer relationship with another mother-in-law.

Kill two birds with one stone, or achieve two goals with one arrow.

Alas, Yuzuru Hanyu's original intention was simply to let things take their natural course.

But unfortunately, his mothers-in-law were all incredibly charming, each with a unique allure that was hard to resist.

Thinking of this, Yuzuru couldn't help but silently apologize to Kogoro Mouri in his heart. It seemed that he really needed to take the time to match Kogoro Mouri with his female classmate who had liked him for a long time. It could be considered a kind of "compensation" for Kogoro.

When Yuzuru Hanyu came downstairs.

All the women who had been drinking heavily last night have now woken up.

A strange harmony permeated the dining table—Kumiko would occasionally peek at the stairs, waiting for someone to appear; Ayako Suzuki and her daughter Tomoko Suzuki sat together chatting; Ran and Sonoko huddled together whispering, occasionally glaring at Kureha; Reiko Akiba was teasing Ayumi with Mrs. Yoshi; and Akemi acted like a dutiful housekeeper, taking care of everyone's needs.

A little girl was quietly observing everything.

Well, we're missing a pair of best friends.

Yukiko simply couldn't get up early, while Eri Kisaki didn't come downstairs until a few minutes after Kusunoki Hanyu did.

Good morning, everyone.

Good morning, Xiaonan.

"Good morning, Mr. Yuzuru."

The women greeted him with smiles.

"Nan!" Ran and Sonoko called out at the same time. The two girls, who were completely unaware that their mother was preparing to personally join the "battle," spoke with obvious jealousy in their voices.

Yuzuru gave Momiji a look, then sat down between Ran and Sonoko, trying to calm the two girls down.

A few minutes later, Eri Kisaki gracefully walked down the stairs.

She wore a light gray business suit, the hem of which stopped just above her knees, exuding both the competence of a lawyer and the subtle charm of a mature woman.

Her hair was neatly coiled at the back of her head, revealing her fair neck, and the pearl earrings on her earlobes swayed gently with her steps.

"Mom!" Xiaolan waved excitedly, "Come and have breakfast!"

Eri smiled and nodded, but her gaze unconsciously swept towards where Nanami Hanyu was sitting. The boy was sitting between Ran and Sonoko, his posture relaxed and elegant.

"Eri, you look beautiful today."

Tomoko Suzuki put down her cup and smiled meaningfully, "Are you going to meet some important client?"

Eri Kisaki sat down opposite Nanami Hanyu, gracefully unfolding her napkin: "It's just a habit."

She glanced meaningfully at Tomoko's casual home attire, "Unlike some people, who act as if they're at home wherever they are."

Tomoko Suzuki, however, was not offended. Instead, she leaned back lazily in her chair, deliberately letting her dark purple loungewear dress cling more tightly to her body curves, showcasing a unique charm.

She raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at Yuzuru Nan: "Life is short, why always put on airs? Don't you think so, Nan?"

As Yuzuru was serving food to Sonoko, he heard this and calmly looked up, his gaze subtly sweeping between the two mature women before he smiled slightly: "Each has her own charm."

This tactful answer made Eri Kisaki purse her lips, while Tomoko Suzuki chuckled softly.

.........

...

(I'm so tired, I want to cry. The author accidentally dropped his phone...?_?)