Pampered By Power: The True Heiress Returns

Chapter 368
i indery duw a quick glance at Elysia and then at Zane standing next to her. A playful smile crept across her face. Looks like
you’ve with Wet your future mother–in–law, Elystar
Her teasing tone made Elycine checke turn bright red Lindsey?
Flyers did her a look that exid, “Watch it Finally managing to hold back her laughter, Lindsey watched Elysia make her way to the
stage. Can you believe it At her age, the still gets shy so exsity; she thought.
Meanwhile, Zane had somehow found a better spot, making him the perfect audience for the action about to unfold.
Standing proudly in the center of the stage, Elysix felt nervous excitement as focelyn wrapped her arms around her. radiating
happiness. “This birthday is really special for me. So, I want this special person to cut the cake with me and share in my joy
Then she turned to Elysia, her simile growing more genuine. “Elysia, will you join me in cutting the cake?”
Looking into Jocelyn’s sparkling eyes, Elysia understood what Jocelyn was trying to do,
By calling her a “special person” Jocelyn was being careful to keep their family ties under wraps.
If she had introduced Elysia as the daughter of the Evans family, the crowd would surely jump to conclusions about a possible
marriage between their families.
But that kind of talk hadn’t been officially discussed yet. If misunderstandings arose, it could put the Evans family in a tough spot.
Whatever the outcome, the Evans family wouldn’t benefit from such assumptions.
Deep down, Elysia knew that even without revealing her identity on stage, the guests probably had their suspicions.
But now that Jocelyn had mentioned it, everything had changed. Even if people were guessing about the Hartley family and
Evans family, at least half their doubts would vanish.
Sure enough, someone in the crowd thought, ‘Could Ms. Evans have come with Mr. Hartley because she has a strong bond with
Mrs. Jocelyn Hartley?
As everyone watched the two on stage, they saw Jocelyn holding Elysia’s hand, poised to make the first cut.

The audience leaned in, convinced that Zane and Elysia were together solely because of Jocelyn’s influence.
Meanwhile, down below, Esther glared at Elysia, who was clearly basking in the spotlight. Anger simmered inside her.
Ashley noticed the crease in Esther’s brow and the frown on her face. She gently tugged at Esther’s sleeve, trying to break
through her dark mood.

“Hey, smile,” she whispered, worried that with so many important people around, someone might misunderstand the situation.
Hearing Ashley’s words, Esther felt a wave of anger rising within her. It was tough to hold back her fr tion. Thankfully, a small part
of her still had sense. If not, she might have launched into a screaming match with Ashley right there.
“Why am I the only one you’re picking on right now?” Esther said, lowering her voice to keep it under wraps. Her annoyance was
clear. “Am I even your daughter?”
Ashley let out a heavy sigh, feeling helpless. If Esther wasn’t her daughter, she would probably just ignore her complaints.
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“Look, Ashley said, trying to stay calm, “even if you’re angry, you have to keep it together. There are so many people around. If
anyone sees how upset you are, you know they’ll start spreading rumors
Esther’s frown softened a bit, but she still felt cornered. “But I can’t help it! Why does that country girl get to grab all the attention
while I just stand here? No one even sees met*
Suddenly, an idea sparked in her mind, Grabbing Ashley’s wrist, her face lit up with excitement. “Mom, since no one is giving us
a chance, let’s create our own opportunity
She leaned in closer. “When Mrs. Jocelyn Hartley comes down, you can take me over to say hello. Just a quick chat. Who
knows? She might like me more than that village girl!”
Ashley hesitated at Esther’s wild plan. She almost wanted to say no, but then she noticed Esther glance over at Zane standing
nearby. “If I can catch Mrs. Jocelyn Hartley’s interest, maybe Mr. Hartley will notice me too,” Esther said.

“Once we’re connected to the Hartley family, you won’t have to deal with Grandma or Uncle’s judgment anymore,” Esther added,
beaming with optimism.
Ashley felt a tug of temptation. She knew it was a long shot, but maybe it was worth a try.
She glanced between Esther’s eager face and Elysia up on stage, narrowing her eyes slightly. Sure, Elysia seemed to have the
upper hand, but Ashley thought, ‘What if Esther’s plan actually works?
Just as excitement filled her, she opened her mouth to agree when Lindsey’s voice cut through the air like a knife. “Wow, talk
about wishful thinking! What are you two dreaming about?”
Startled, both Esther and Ashley whirled to face Lindsey, their hearts racing with the fear that their conversation had been
overheard. But upon realizing it was just Lindsey, they sighed in relief. Still, the smiles on their faces slowly began to fade.

Ashley’s face turned serious in an instant, but she tried not to let it show too much. “When did you come back?”
Lindsey smirked, a playful spark in her eye. “When did I come back? Why should I tell you, Ashley?”
“Seriously? I’m the older one here. Is this how you talk to your elders?” Ashley said, her voice low, struggling to keep her anger
in check.
“Older? You’ve got to be joking. I don’t see it,” Lindsey said, glancing Ashley up and down with a sarcastic smirk. “You hardly
seem like an elder to me.”
“Lindsey, how can you talk to my mom like that?” Esther burst out, her frustration boiling over. She momentarily forgot where
they were and raised her voice, surprised by her own reaction.
Heads turned toward them instantly.
Lindsey shrugged casually. “Esther, did I say something wrong? Did Jim teach you to yell at people? That’s just wild.” “It’s... It’s
because you’re being rude to my mom!” Esther snapped back, fists clenching at her sides.
“Rude? That’s an interesting way to put it. Why don’t you explain how I’ve been rude to your mother?” Lindsey raised an
eyebrow, challenging her.
Esther felt trapped. It seemed like Lindsey wanted her to admit that she and Ashley were trying to butter up Jocelyn to get closer
to Zane. There was no way she could say that out loud.

“Struggling to find the words? Let me assist,” Lindsey said with a smug smile as if she had it all figured out. Esther’s heart raced,
and she scrambled to think of a reply just as Jim’s voice boomed, “Enough!”
He strode over to them, serious and tense, with a deep frown. When he got close, he leaned in and whispered sharply to Esther,
“Is this how you learned to act?”
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Seeing Jim’s dark expression sent a wave of frustration through Esther. Why am I the only one he’s mad at?‘ she thought.
“Dad, Esther started to say, but Jim’s cold glare silenced her, freezing the words in her throat.
Ashley noticed the tension and quickly grabbed Esther’s arm, signaling her to stay quiet.
Jim was clearly fuming. If Esther pushed back, things would only be worse for her.
Now that Esther had fallen silent, Jim shifted his focus to Lindsey. His irritation eased a fraction, but his tone was still firm. “And
you. Can’t you see this isn’t the right place for childish games?”
Lindsey simply smiled, unfazed as if everything was just a joke to her. “Oh, lighten up! If she wants to steal the spotlight, who’s
really going to stop her?”
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