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.

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

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Lindsey thought. ‘And now, her true colors are finally

“What act? Lindsey, is that how you talk to an elder like

me?”

a second like she was rolling it around in her mind. After a brief pause, she straightened up and said, deadpan, “Sorry, but you’re not one

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 cold and

Lindsey said, her voice low, “do you really think I’m still that little girl who

away, the force so strong that Ashley

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

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, seeking

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

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

completely detached almost as if she didn’t care about what was going on. Something about Lindsey’s calm demeanor

her opponent. Esther clenched her fists, anger bubbling up inside her. Why? Why does

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

contained frustration. “I’m her sister, but she’s giving that country girl a gift. Could she be trying to get in

stopped at the first part of her sentence, he might not have thought much

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

just that. His

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

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,

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

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.

fine that others look down on me, but how can my own daughter think the

eyes burned with rage as he pointed a finger at her, shouting, “Why did you

wasn’t intimidated by his outburst. She met his gaze without flinching, a knowing look in her eyes. With a

“Dad“, but she

met, she’d never once called him

confused. “What did you

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her phone. “Father. What’s

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

Lindsey leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs casually. She still

she glanced at Jim, her eyes icy, “If it weren’t for the fact that you

in her eyes

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

an eyebrow raised. “What? You want to defend him

was flushed with anger. “No matter what, he’s still our dad. Don’t

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

her voice

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.”

eyes cold as ice. “Tell me. Why did I only get a gift for Elysia and not

they hit hard. The air grew

head, unable to come

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

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

gaze hard and cold. “And you? You think you’re my sister? How ridiculous.”

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

when you were three. When my mom was still alive, your mom was

you really think you’re any

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

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

humiliate her.

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

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Chapter 373

all sweet and innocent?‘ Lindsey thought. ‘And

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

me?”

it around in her mind. After a brief pause, she straightened up and said, deadpan, “Sorry, but you’re not

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

voice low, “do you really think I’m still that little girl

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

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

Chapter 373

Chapter 373

the Hartley

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

thought. ‘Is he saying Lindsey didn’t do anything wrong? She’s actually in the

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

looking down at her opponent. Esther clenched her fists, anger bubbling up inside her. Why? Why does she

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,

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

part of her sentence, he might not have thought

He never understood why Fabian, despite being part of

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

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

and now it was impossible for him to ignore it. He wasn’t about to waste any

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

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