For example, a daughter-in-law might naturally feel closer to her own mother than to her mother-in-law. That's completely understandable, but telling her mother-in-law, “I'm closer to my own mother,” probably wouldn't make anyone feel better.
When her formidable house mother, Ester Dean—a ruthless pseudo-noble who clawed her way to local supremacy—refuses to let anyone outside the family inherit her empire, Willow is forcefully thrust onto the throne.