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.

“What’s wrong, Ashley? Can’t keep up

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

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

me?”

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

before she could make a move, Lindsey grabbed her wrist, her grip cold and firm. There was a sharpness in her

Lindsey said, her voice low, “do you really think I’m still

Ashley’s hand away, the force so strong that Ashley felt

fury in her eyes, but Lindsey wasn’t done. She calmly reached for a piece of paper on the table and started

Chapter 373

Chapter 373

Jim’s house, Esther clung to his arm, her voice shaky as she recounted what had happened at the Hartley residence.

only grew. His brows, already furrowed, deepened in

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

couch. The older girl appeared completely detached almost as if she didn’t care about

down at her opponent. Esther clenched her fists, anger bubbling up inside

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

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

first part of her sentence, he might not

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

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

‘Doesn’t he want to protect

He hadn’t considered this angle before, and now it was impossible for him to ignore it. He wasn’t about to waste

inside him, something felt off. Lindsey hadn’t gotten a gift for

Edward’s family, huh?‘ Jim thought, his blood boiling. His anger flared hotter as his mind clouded with rage. He couldn’t

but how can my own daughter think the

burned with rage as he pointed a finger at her, shouting, “Why did you do this?”

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

didn’t call him “Dad“, but she used

the moment they’d met, she’d never

furrowed his brows, clearly confused. “What did you

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look up from her phone.

okay? Seriously, go ask anyone. What family calls their dad Father‘?

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

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

eyes caught

Esther shouted, glaring at her. Her hands were

Esther, an eyebrow raised. “What? You want to defend him now?”

he’s still our dad. Don’t you think you’re crossing the line

smirk. “Crossing the line?” She chuckled softly.

her voice rising

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

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.”

hard. The air grew heavy, and the hairs

deflated. She lowered her head,

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

her jaw clenched. “That’s what being a father means to you?”

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

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

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

her way into this family. Do you really think you’re any better than

it in for a while, but hearing Lindsey

“homewrecker,” and Lindsey knew it. The fact that she kept repeating it was clearly meant

humiliate her.

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

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Chapter 373

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

tried to stay composed. “What act? Lindsey, is that how

me?”

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

smug look off Lindsey’s face. But before she could

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

hand away, the force so strong that Ashley felt

calmly reached for a piece

Chapter 373

Chapter 373

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

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

skipped a beat. What does he mean by that?‘ she thought. ‘Is he saying Lindsey didn’t do

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

her fists, anger bubbling up inside her. Why? Why does

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

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

sentence, he might not have

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

just that. His frustration

along?‘ Esther bitterly thought. ‘Doesn’t he want to protect Lindsey? I can’t believe he’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.

him, something felt off. Lindsey hadn’t gotten

his blood boiling. His anger flared hotter as his mind clouded with rage. He