Lust System: Harem in Modern World

Ryan's tone carried a hint of skepticism. "Really, Mom?"

Olivia, still holding onto him, immediately retorted, her impatient nature flaring. "Nonsense! Do I look like a fool who doesn't know better?"

"Liam having money is his parents' business. He himself is idle and does nothing but live off them. Whatever he leeches off them doesn't get spent on me or your elder sister."

"But you, my son-in-law—you're different. You cherish your wife, you're considerate, and even though you work hard to earn money, you still think about honoring me. On top of that, you take care of your little sister-in-law's matters too. You're more dependable than my own daughters!"

"Ryan, it was my fault before. I was foolish and blind, making you suffer."

The more Olivia spoke, the more agitated she became. Her voice trembled, and she even ground her teeth in frustration. "Even if Liam were truly a billionaire, so what? He wouldn't spend a single cent on me. Only my second son-in-law is genuinely filial to me!"

"I won't be foolish again. Don't blame me for how I treated you in the past—I'll make it up to you tenfold from now on."

Ryan couldn't believe it. His mother-in-law had actually reached such a high level of clarity. It seemed that his straightforward financial show of loyalty had finally made her realize that Liam was full of empty promises.

Money, indeed, was the ultimate sincerity. It had sharpened her wit and opened her eyes to the truth. Ah, the omnipotence and wickedness of wealth.

As these thoughts stirred his mind, Ryan's gaze darkened with a flicker of mischief. Watching his mother-in-law, who was still moved and emotional, he wondered if he should seize the moment and test the waters for some sort of… intimate compensation.

Just as the idea crossed his mind, her phone rang again.

Neither of them noticed the figure lurking at the staircase, peering wide-eyed in disbelief.

Vera's bright eyes were filled with astonishment, even horror, as she watched the scene unfold: her mother, locked in an embrace with her brother-in-law, who was dressed only in his underwear. Though she couldn't hear what they were saying, their closeness spoke volumes.

Her brain felt like it had short-circuited. Her breathing quickened, and she struggled to process what she was seeing.

The moment the phone rang and the two separated, Vera's legs felt weak, but she forced herself to retreat upstairs as quickly as she could.

She hadn't meant to eavesdrop—it was just that their mother's strictness had instilled in everyone a habit of walking softly and quietly in her presence.

Olivia would often scold anyone who made too much noise on the stairs, comparing them to monkeys in a mountain.

As a result, whenever their "tiger mom" was home, the family would tiptoe around the house. Vera, following this ingrained habit, had quietly come downstairs—only to stumble upon a scene so shocking it felt as though her world had exploded.

"What's up, you old hag? We are missing one person for cards?"

"I told you, my little daughter is at home these days. She's busy getting ready for school."

"What nonsense are you spouting now? Just tell that you don't have any money?"

"Give me ten minutes. I'll come, I'll take off your underwear today."

The relationship between mother-in-law and this best friend is very strange. They are both sarcastic and weird to each other, but they can stay together every day without quarreling with each other. I can only say that birds of a feather flock together. It's a bit confusing what kind of chemical reaction there is.

Women truly are weird creatures. After hanging up, Olivia adopted a serious expression, thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Forget it, I shouldn't go. The money you gave me is for family expenses, not gambling."

Her feigned sincerity was laughable, her guilty, wandering eyes betraying her true intent. Anyone who believed her now would be a fool.

Ryan grinned but didn't expose her. Instead, he grabbed her bag and walked to the wardrobe, asking, "Mom, which outfit do you want to wear?"

"I-I'll pick it myself…"

Olivia panicked slightly.

Her wardrobe was rather messy, and her lingerie was stored in a visible drawer—currently open.

Before she could stop him, Ryan swiftly selected a sleeveless floral dress she often wore and, with nimble hands, grabbed a matching set of red underwear and bra, which he promptly handed to her.

Olivia blushed furiously, clutching the clothes. She hadn't expected her son-in-law to rifle through her lingerie.

Worse, Ryan cheekily examined the bra size before teasing, "34G? Mom, your bra seems too small. If it's too tight, you might have trouble breathing. How about I take you shopping for new ones in a couple of days?"

That was pure mischief. Seeing Olivia's face darken, Ryan quickly added, "Trust me, Mom. Wear this today, and you'll dominate the table, leaving those old hags in ruins!"

"Stop talking nonsense and get out! I need to change."

Olivia, both amused and embarrassed, glared at him sharply.

Realizing he'd pushed far enough, Ryan decided to retreat. After all, teasing his mother-in-law had left him undeniably aroused, his erection forming an unmistakable bulge in his pants.

Noticing Olivia's growing unease, Ryan tactfully exited to the living room, lighting a cigarette to calm himself.

Ding…

Mature and voluptuous mother-in-law's favorability fluctuating...

Ryan was startled, sitting up straight. Frowning, he wondered, Can the favorability score go up and then drop? Is this calculated on a fluctuating basis?

If that were the case, the difficulty level would skyrocket. The mission line hadn't even officially started, and already there was trouble brewing. Once it was triggered, wouldn't the difficulty multiply?

Feeling a mix of frustration and resignation, Ryan covered his forehead and let out a long sigh.

This sigh didn't go unnoticed by Olivia, who was already feeling uneasy. She quietly opened her door and crept toward the living room, hoping to avoid any awkwardness by sneaking out if her son-in-law was still upstairs.

But as she stepped into the living room, she saw Ryan sitting there, his expression shifting unpredictably. His sigh of frustration and his pained look startled her, making her heart skip a beat.

Taking a deep breath, Olivia walked over, her tone soft. "Son-in-law, why the sigh?"

"Mom, you look stunning. See, I told you I have a good eye for picking clothes," Ryan said absentmindedly. His thoughts were elsewhere, so his voice carried a tinge of distraction. "It's nothing. Don't worry, Mom. Go ahead and win big."

When he said this, his tone carried a faint sense of helplessness. Staring at his beautiful mother-in-law yet unable to act, he truly felt conflicted.

"Son-in-law, don't keep things bottled up. If it's something you can't tell Lily, you can talk to me."

Olivia grew more concerned, sitting down beside him and proactively taking his hand. "You just said we're family."

Ryan was momentarily taken aback by this rare tenderness from his usually sharp-tongued mother-in-law. Overwhelmed, he immediately clasped her hand, stroking it gently as he murmured, "Mom, don't worry. It's just work stress, that's all."

The touch was a bit inappropriate, but Olivia didn't mind this time. Instead, she said with concern, "If it's stress, find ways to relieve it. I won't press if you don't want to talk, so you don't think I'm old and nagging."

"Mom, old? You're as youthful and radiant as a young girl. If we go out together, people will definitely call us a golden couple."

"Your sweet talk is getting out of hand. Are you trying to take advantage of me?"

Olivia couldn't help but laugh, but she subconsciously glanced at the time. Ryan noticed this and thoughtfully said, "Mom, you should get going. Don't worry about anything else—I'll handle Little Sister's matters."

"Thank you for that!"

Blushing slightly, Olivia withdrew her hand. As she stood, she hesitated for a moment before asking, "Son-in-law, about the 20,000 dollars you gave me... does Lily know?"

Lately, everyone in the family had changed, but Lily's transformation was the most noticeable. She used to be a submissive, quiet woman who wouldn't talk back, her personality overly reserved.

Now, with her husband thriving, Lily held her head high, exuding newfound confidence and cheerfulness. Her demeanor had become more assertive, and even Olivia hesitated to lecture her these days.

Ryan suddenly pulled her into a hug again, savoring the soft, mature curves of her body and the intoxicating scent she exuded. His arousal grew painfully obvious once more.

This time, Olivia felt it. Her face reddened as she was about to push him away with a light scolding.

But Ryan spoke first, his voice filled with emotion. "Mom, I'm the only man in this family now. Taking care of all of you is my responsibility."

"I know all about Dad's issues, and I understand how hard it's been for you to raise Lily and her sisters on your own all these years. Now that I'm the man of the house, it's only right for me to shoulder the burden."

"Mom, I'll take Dad's place in looking after you all. Trust me."

The words were touching but carried a subtle ambiguity that was hard to ignore. Olivia's eyes glistened with unshed tears, her flushed face hinting at her conflicting emotions as she became aware of something amiss.