The Women in My Stepmother’s Circle

Lucas Hardmore had long stopped caring about the world. The screen filled his vision—muzzle flashes, health bars, experience points climbing with each enemy that fell. The game was a single-player shooter layered with progression systems, skills, and levels. Every kill was calculated. Every decision mattered. The world inside the screen rewarded focus and punished hesitation. It was the only place where his hatred could exist freely. In the game, no one knew his name. No one asked questions. No one judged him for staying awake until dawn or disappearing for days at a time. He could unload every ounce of anger into digital enemies without consequence, without recognition, without explanation. Reality offered him none of that mercy. He despised it—the expectations, the silence, the house that felt too large and too empty at the same time. He despised the way life continued as if nothing sacred had been broken. The resentment inside him peaked three months ago. That was when his father, Leon Hardmore—the only family he had left—got married again. To Lucas, it was unforgivable. His mother had been gone for years, but to him, her absence was not an excuse to move on. He believed loyalty should not expire with time. That marriage felt like a betrayal not just to memory, but to principle. Yet Lucas had no power to stop it. Leon Hardmore was a man of authority and absolute resolve. When his decision was made, there was no room for argument. Lucas had neither the strength nor the right to oppose him. The game timer blinked. 2:00 a.m. Lucas didn’t even notice when the hour changed. His hands moved on instinct, clearing another stage, unlocking another upgrade. Only when his throat burned dry and his stomach tightened, did he finally pause. He removed his headset and stood. The mansion was silent as he went downstairs. The servants’ quarters were dark. He could have called someone, but the thought annoyed him. Waking them would take longer than doing it himself. He headed to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator, pulled out leftover food, and placed it into the microwave. While waiting, he poured himself a glass of water. With nothing else to occupy his mind, he wandered toward the family room. That room used to belong to memories. It was where he used to sit with his mother—watching television, arguing over trivial things, laughing without reason. The furniture was the same. The atmosphere was not. Someone was sleeping on the couch. Lucas stopped. A woman lay there, fast asleep beneath the dim light of the room. Devina. His new mother. Devina Hardmore. He stood there, unmoving, watching a presence that did not belong to his past but now occupied his present. Lucas stared at her with hatred, but suddenly another feeling appeared. Seeing Devina asleep in an open nightgown, her perfect curves, flawless skin, and beautiful face, she looked more suitable to be his older sister—or even his girlfriend. However, Lucas threw those thoughts far away and returned to the kitchen to take his food. Lucas didn’t linger. He turned away from the living room and went back into the kitchen before the microwave beeped. He retrieved the warmed food and ate standing up, barely registering the taste. Hunger disappeared, but the restlessness remained. When he was done, he washed the plate, placed it back where it belonged, and left the kitchen exactly as he had found it. Like nothing ever happened there. He avoided looking toward the couch again. The house felt heavier as he climbed the stairs back to his room. The silence pressed in on him, thick and uncomfortable. Once inside, he shut the door and leaned against it for a brief moment, exhaling slowly. Then he returned to the only place that made sense. The game resumed instantly. His character stood where he had left him—armed, upgraded, waiting. In that world, loyalty was simple. Progress was visible. Enemies were clear. Lucas put the headset back on, fingers tightening around the controls. If the real world insisted on disappointing him, then he would conquer another one instead. ... Back in the living room, Devina was actually waiting for Leon to return, even though she knew that Leon most likely would not come home that night. Leon was a very busy and important man. It was not something new for Leon to stay out without informing anyone. However, because she felt too lonely, Devina decided to watch television in the family room so she would not feel alone, until she fell asleep—or perhaps pretended to fall asleep. When Lucas looked at her from the upper part of the house near the kitchen, Devina was asleep. And when Lucas left, unbeknownst to him, Devina, who was sleeping soundly, slightly smiled. "Doesn't look like a kid to me"