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?”

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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.

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

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sweet and innocent?‘ Lindsey thought. ‘And now, her true colors are finally showing

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

me?”

in her mind. After a brief pause, she straightened up and said, deadpan,

look off Lindsey’s face. But before she could make a move, Lindsey grabbed

voice low, “do you really think I’m still that little girl who just lets you slap and insult

Lindsey jerked Ashley’s hand away, the force so strong that Ashley felt a sharp pain

her eyes, but Lindsey wasn’t done. She calmly reached

Chapter 373

Chapter 373

Hartley residence. Her makeup, once flawless,

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

he mean by that?‘ she thought. ‘Is he saying Lindsey didn’t do anything wrong?

stole a glance at Lindsey, who was sitting across the room on the couch. The older girl appeared completely detached almost as

the winner, smugly looking down at her opponent. Esther clenched her fists, anger bubbling up inside her. Why?

crossed her mind, and Esther couldn’t help but give a small, almost imperceptible smirk. Though tears still threatened to fall, she

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

the first part of her sentence, he might not have thought much of it. But the second

always felt inferior to Fabian’s family. He never understood why Fabian, despite being part

done just that. His frustration shifted, and his

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

now it was impossible for him to ignore it. He wasn’t about to waste any more time arguing with Esther, so

something felt off. Lindsey hadn’t gotten a gift

huh?‘ Jim thought, his blood boiling. His anger flared hotter as

that others look down on me, but how can my own daughter think the same way?‘ he

as he pointed a

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

call him “Dad“, but

met, she’d

“What did

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didn’t even look up from her phone.

in his voice. “You really think that’s okay? Seriously, go ask

back in her chair, crossing her legs casually. She still didn’t look at him. “Have

her eyes icy, “If it weren’t for the fact

her eyes caught

that?” Esther shouted, glaring at her. Her hands were clenched into fists,

to Esther, an eyebrow raised.

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?”

“Crossing the line?” She chuckled softly. “Esther, are you

her voice rising

anything, because the truth isn’t pretty. But you’re

eyes cold as ice. “Tell me. Why did I only get

air grew

her head, unable to

“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

eyes turned toward Jim, her jaw clenched. “That’s what being a father means

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

it kindly–you’re Jim’s second daughter.

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

woman who wormed her way into this family. Do you really think you’re any better

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

Lindsey knew it. The fact that

humiliate her.

smirked, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “What’s wrong, Ashley? Can’t

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pretending to be all sweet and innocent?‘ Lindsey thought. ‘And now, her true colors are finally showing

composed. “What act? Lindsey, is that

me?”

second like she was rolling it around in her mind. After a brief

boiled. She jumped to her feet, her hand already raised, ready to slap the smug look off Lindsey’s face. But before she could make a move, Lindsey grabbed her wrist, her grip

Lindsey said, her voice low, “do you really think I’m still that little girl who just lets you slap and insult

force so strong that Ashley felt a sharp pain shoot

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

Chapter 373

Chapter 373

Esther clung to his arm, her voice shaky as she recounted what had happened at the Hartley

already furrowed, deepened in anger. He said in a low,

a beat. What does he mean by that?‘ she thought. ‘Is

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

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

imperceptible smirk. Though tears still threatened to fall, she managed to say in a voice full of

barely contained frustration. “I’m her sister, but she’s giving that country girl a gift. Could

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

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

him–had done just that. His frustration shifted, and his mind started racing.

thought. ‘Doesn’t he want to protect Lindsey? I can’t believe he’s

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

off. Lindsey hadn’t gotten a gift for Esther–only for

Jim thought, his blood boiling. His anger flared hotter as