Pampered By Power: The True Heiress Returns

By Pow

Chapter 373

Chapter 373

At Jim’s house, Esther clung to his arm, her voice shaky as she recounted what had happened at the Hartley residence. Her makeup, once flawless, was now smeared by tears, and she unconsciously leaned closer to him, seeking comfort.

Jim noticed her distressed state, but as he looked at her tear–streaked face, his frustration only grew. His brows, already furrowed, deepened in anger. He said in a low, serious tone. “It’s nice when cousins get along, Esther. When did you become so jealous?”

Esther’s heart skipped a beat. What does he mean by that?‘ she thought. ‘Is he saying Lindsey didn’t do anything wrong? She’s actually in the right?‘

She stole a glance at Lindsey, who was sitting across the room on the couch. The older girl appeared completely detached almost as if she didn’t care about what was going on. Something about Lindsey’s calm demeanor made Esther’s irritation grow even stronger.

It felt like Lindsey was the winner, smugly looking down at her opponent. Esther clenched her fists, anger bubbling up inside her. Why? Why does she get to act like that?‘ Esther thought.

A sudden thought crossed her mind, and Esther couldn’t help but give a small, almost imperceptible smirk. Though tears still threatened to fall, she managed to say in a voice full of hurt, “Dad, what do you think my sister is really up to?”

She took a breath before continuing, her words laced with barely contained frustration. “I’m her sister, but she’s giving that country girl a gift. Could she be trying to get in with Edward’s family? Trying to use them for their power?”

Jim froze. If Esther had only stopped at the first part of her sentence, he might not have thought much of it. But the second part hit a nerve.

Jim had always felt inferior to Fabian’s family. He never understood why Fabian, despite being part of the Evans family, always seemed to have the upper hand.

Esther’s words–meant to provoke him–had done just that. His frustration shifted, and his mind started racing.

‘Wasn’t Dad just saying it’s good when cousins get along?‘ Esther bitterly thought. ‘Doesn’t he want to protect Lindsey? I can’t believe he’s still siding with her after all this.‘

Sure enough, Jim’s anger flared. He hadn’t considered this angle before, and now it was impossible for him to ignore it. He wasn’t about to waste any more time arguing with Esther, so naturally, he took Lindsey’s side.

But as the anger built inside him, something felt off. Lindsey hadn’t gotten a gift for Esther–only for Elysia.

‘So, she’s trying to get close to Edward’s family, huh?‘ Jim thought, his blood boiling. His anger flared hotter as his mind clouded with rage. He couldn’t think clearly, but he needed answers.

‘It’s fine that others look down on me, but how can my own daughter think the same way?‘ he wondered. The thought only made him angrier.

He turned his furious gaze toward Lindsey. His eyes burned with rage as he pointed a finger at her, shouting, “Why did you do this?”

Lindsey, however, wasn’t intimidated by his outburst. She met his gaze without flinching, a knowing look in her eyes. With a teasing tone, she replied, “Father, didn’t you just say that it’s a good thing when cousins get along?”

She didn’t call him “Dad“, but she used “Father.”

Since the moment they’d met, she’d never once called him “Dad.”

Jim furrowed his brows, clearly confused. “What did you just call me?”

1/3

92%

Chapter 8781

Lindsey didn’t even look up from her phone. “Father. What’s wrong with that?”

Jim’s frustration was evident in his voice. “You really think that’s okay? Seriously, go ask anyone. What family calls their dad Father‘? Doesn’t that feel… distant to you?”

“Distant?” Lindsey leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs casually. She still didn’t look at him. “Have we ever been close?”

A sly smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she glanced at Jim, her eyes icy, “If it weren’t for the fact that you gave me life. I’d call you Mr. Evans, not Father”

Jim froze at her words. The coldness in her voice and the mockery in her eyes caught him off guard. For a moment, he didn’t even recognize this daughter of his.

“Lindsey, how can you talk to Dad like that?” Esther shouted, glaring at her. Her hands were clenched into fists, full of defiance.

Lindsey’s gaze flicked to Esther, an eyebrow raised. “What? You want to defend him now?”

Esther’s face was flushed with anger. “No matter what, he’s still our dad. Don’t you think you’re crossing the line with how you’re speaking to him?”

Lindsey’s lips twisted into a smirk. “Crossing the line?” She chuckled softly. “Esther, are you for real?”

“You” Esther started, her voice rising in frustration.

“What’s your problem now?” Lindsey stood up, her tone sharp. “I wasn’t planning to explain anything, because the truth isn’t pretty. But you’re so stubborn, you won’t stop until I throw it in your face. Fine. Have it your way.”

She turned to face Esther, her eyes cold as ice. “Tell me. Why did I only get a gift for Elysia and not for you? Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

Her words were sweet, almost too sweet, but they hit hard. The air grew heavy, and the hairs on the back of everyone’s necks stood up.

Esther’s anger quickly deflated. She lowered her head, unable to come up with an answer.

Lindsey let out a bitter laugh. “When Mom had barely been gone, Jim brought Ashley home. I was eleven that year. Jim knew everything Ashley did to me, but what did he do? Nothing. He let her treat me however she wanted.”

Her eyes turned toward Jim, her jaw clenched. “That’s what being a father means to you?”

She turned back to Esther, her gaze hard and cold. “And you? You think you’re my sister? How ridiculous.”

Lindsey’s voice turned cutting. “Let’s put it kindly–you’re Jim’s second daughter. But if we’re being honest, you’re just a bastard.”

Lindsey’s gaze didn’t leave her. “You came to the Evans family when you were three. When my mom was still alive, your mom was just his mistress. And you? You’re the product of that affair.”

“As for now? She’s just the third woman who wormed her way into this family. Do you really think you’re any better than anyone else?” Her words struck like a slap, cold and unforgiving.

“Enough!” Ashley snapped, her patience finally running out. She’d been holding it in for a while, but hearing Lindsey call her a mistress again was the last straw.

She hated being called a “homewrecker,” and Lindsey knew it. The fact that she kept repeating it was clearly meant t

humiliate her.

twinkling with amusement. “What’s wrong, Ashley? Can’t keep up the

2/3

92%

Chapter 373

sweet and innocent?‘ Lindsey

clenched, her jaw tight as she tried to stay composed. “What act? Lindsey, is that how you

me?”

a second like she was rolling it around in her mind. After a brief pause, she straightened up and said, deadpan, “Sorry,

off Lindsey’s face. But before she could make a move, Lindsey grabbed her wrist, her grip cold and firm.

you really think I’m still that little girl who

force so strong that Ashley felt a sharp

glared at her, fury in her eyes, but Lindsey wasn’t done. She calmly reached for a piece of paper

Chapter 373

Chapter 373

voice shaky as she recounted what had happened at the Hartley residence. Her makeup, once flawless, was now smeared by tears, and she unconsciously leaned closer to him,

at her tear–streaked face, his frustration only grew. His brows, already furrowed, deepened in anger. He said in a low,

a beat. What does he mean by that?‘ she thought. ‘Is he saying Lindsey didn’t do anything wrong? She’s actually

glance at Lindsey, who was sitting across the room on the couch. The older girl appeared completely detached almost as if she didn’t care about what was going

Lindsey was the winner, smugly looking down at her opponent. Esther clenched her fists, anger

and Esther couldn’t help but give a small, almost imperceptible smirk. Though tears still threatened to fall, she managed to say in a voice full of hurt,

before continuing, her words laced with barely contained frustration. “I’m her sister, but she’s giving that country girl

froze. If Esther had only stopped at the first part of her sentence, he might not have

never understood why Fabian, despite being part of the Evans family, always seemed to have the

words–meant to provoke him–had done just that. His frustration shifted, and

along?‘ Esther bitterly thought. ‘Doesn’t he want to

Jim’s anger flared. He hadn’t considered this angle before, and now it was impossible for him to ignore it. He wasn’t about to waste any more time arguing with Esther,

the anger built inside him, something felt off. Lindsey hadn’t gotten a gift for Esther–only for

blood boiling. His anger flared hotter as his mind clouded with rage. He couldn’t think clearly, but he

but how can my own daughter think the same

furious gaze toward Lindsey. His eyes burned with rage as he pointed a finger at her, shouting,

With a

“Dad“, but she

they’d met, she’d never once called

his brows, clearly confused. “What did you just call

1/3

92%

Chapter 8781

look up from her phone. “Father.

was evident in his voice. “You really think that’s okay? Seriously, go ask anyone. What family calls their dad Father‘? Doesn’t that feel…

She still didn’t look at him.

glanced at Jim, her eyes icy, “If it weren’t for the fact that you gave me life. I’d call you Mr. Evans, not Father”

voice and the mockery in her eyes caught him off guard. For

how can you talk to Dad like that?” Esther shouted, glaring at her. Her hands were clenched into fists,

raised. “What? You want to

anger. “No matter what, he’s still our dad. Don’t you think

twisted into a smirk. “Crossing the line?” She chuckled softly. “Esther,

her voice rising in

pretty. But you’re so stubborn, you won’t stop

ice. “Tell me. Why did I only get a gift

almost too sweet, but they hit hard. The air grew heavy, and the hairs on the back of everyone’s necks

anger quickly deflated. She lowered her head, unable to come up

gone, Jim brought Ashley home. I was eleven that year. Jim knew everything Ashley did to me, but what did he do? Nothing. He let her treat me however she

her jaw clenched. “That’s what being a

her gaze hard and cold. “And you? You think you’re my sister?

cutting. “Let’s put it kindly–you’re Jim’s second daughter. But

didn’t leave her. “You came to the Evans family when you were three. When my mom was still alive, your mom was just his mistress. And you? You’re the product of

Do you really think

finally running out. She’d been holding it in for a while, but hearing Lindsey call

knew it. The

humiliate her.

with amusement. “What’s wrong, Ashley? Can’t keep up

2/3

92%

Chapter 373

be all sweet and innocent?‘ Lindsey thought. ‘And now, her

clenched, her jaw tight as she tried to stay composed. “What act? Lindsey, is that how you talk to an

me?”

let the word “elder” linger for a second like she was rolling it around in her mind. After a brief pause, she straightened

Lindsey’s face. But before she could

really think I’m still that little girl who just lets you slap and insult her?”

Lindsey jerked Ashley’s hand away, the force so strong that

wasn’t done. She calmly reached for a

Chapter 373

Chapter 373

what had happened at the Hartley residence. Her makeup, once flawless, was now smeared

furrowed, deepened in anger. He said in a low, serious tone. “It’s nice when

she thought. ‘Is he saying Lindsey

room on the couch. The older girl appeared completely detached almost as if

down at her opponent. Esther clenched her fists, anger bubbling up inside her. Why? Why does she get to act like that?‘ Esther

couldn’t help but give a small, almost imperceptible smirk. Though tears still threatened to fall, she managed to say in a voice full of hurt, “Dad, what do you think my sister is

before continuing, her words laced with barely contained frustration. “I’m her sister, but she’s giving that country girl a gift. Could she be trying to get in with Edward’s family? Trying to use

her sentence, he

He never understood why Fabian, despite being

done just that. His frustration

it’s good when cousins get along?‘ Esther bitterly thought. ‘Doesn’t he want

and now it was impossible for him to ignore

inside him, something felt off. Lindsey

to Edward’s family, huh?‘ Jim thought, his blood boiling. His anger