My Billionaire Stepmother and Seven Sisters

The morning sunlight poured through the mansion's enormous windows, casting a golden glow over the grand dining table where my sisters and mother sat. I was still feeling a little shy around them, but their warmth and constant attention made it hard for me to keep my guard up.

As I was finishing my breakfast, Emily, my fourth sister, suddenly clapped her hands together. "Alright, little one! Today is your special day with me! We're going to my lab!"

I blinked at her, confused. "Lab?"

Emily's emerald eyes sparkled with excitement as she leaned closer. "Yes! My research lab! It's filled with amazing inventions, cool machines, and even robots! You'll love it!"

I didn't know much about what a research lab was, but the mention of robots made me curious. I hesitated, glancing at my mother. She smiled gently. "Don't worry, sweetheart. Emily will take care of you. You'll have fun."

Seeing my mother's reassuring smile, I nodded slowly. "Okay…"

Emily grinned and stood up. "Great! Let's go!" She lifted me into her arms with surprising ease and carried me toward the entrance. The moment we stepped outside, a sleek, futuristic black car with tinted windows was already waiting for us.

The driver opened the door, and Emily gently placed me inside before sliding in next to me. As the car moved, she started talking excitedly about all the cool things in her lab. "You'll see artificial intelligence robots, 3D holograms, and even an invention that controls things with just your thoughts! Doesn't that sound fun?"

I listened quietly, still unsure what to expect.

After a short ride, we arrived at a massive glass building with the words "Starlight Research Institute" displayed on top. The building looked futuristic, with automatic sliding doors and security drones hovering near the entrance.

As soon as we stepped inside, a group of scientists and researchers in white lab coats turned their heads. The moment they saw Emily, they immediately bowed slightly. "Good morning, Dr. Emily. Welcome back."

Then, they all noticed me.

A soft gasp rippled through the group. "Oh my, is this—?" one scientist whispered.

"Yes, this is my little brother," Emily said proudly, ruffling my hair. "Everyone, meet our Young Master!"

The way they all looked at me with admiration and respect made me feel a little nervous. They bowed politely. "Welcome, Young Master! It is an honor to have you here!"

I swallowed hard, not used to so many people treating me this way. Emily noticed my hesitation and gently squeezed my hand. "It's okay, sweetheart. They're just happy to meet you."

She led me deeper into the lab, where strange machines whirred, screens displayed flashing data, and robotic arms moved with precision. I stared in awe as a floating spherical robot hovered nearby, its metallic body gleaming under the bright lights.

"This is Orb-7," Emily said, tapping the floating bot. "Say hello."

The robot's blue lights blinked as it spoke in a friendly, childlike voice. "Hello, Young Master! Welcome to the lab!"

I took a small step back, unsure what to do. Emily chuckled. "Don't be scared. Here, try holding out your hand."

Hesitantly, I raised my small hand, and the robot gently hovered closer, pressing a cool metallic surface against my palm. It tickled, making me giggle.

Emily's eyes softened at the sound. "See? He likes you."

As we moved through the lab, Emily showed me some of her favorite projects. She demonstrated a color-changing chemical reaction that looked like magic, let me wear a special VR headset that showed me a 3D model of the universe, and even let me touch a tiny AI robot dog that barked happily whenever I petted it.

"This one is for you," Emily suddenly said, holding out a small metallic device. It was shaped like a tiny cube with glowing blue lines.

I looked up at her in confusion. "For me?"

Emily nodded with a soft smile. "I made it just for you. Press this button."

I pressed the glowing button, and suddenly, the cube unfolded into a tiny mechanical robot cat! It meowed and nuzzled my hand, making me gasp in surprise.

"It's your own little friend," Emily said warmly. "He'll always be with you, even when I'm not around."

I felt something warm in my chest. No one had ever given me something like this before. I hugged the little robot cat to my chest. "Thank you…"

Emily's eyes widened slightly before she quickly pulled me into a tight hug. "You're welcome, sweetheart."

The rest of the day passed with Emily excitedly showing me more of her inventions, and I slowly started to feel more comfortable with her. By the time we left the lab, I was holding onto her hand tightly, no longer feeling as scared.

As we got into the car, Emily gently brushed my hair back. "Did you have fun today?"

I nodded slowly. "Yes… it was fun."

Emily's face lit up with joy. "I'm so glad. Next time, we'll do even more fun things together, okay?"

For the first time, I found myself wanting to spend more time with her. Maybe… just maybe… my new family wasn't so bad after all.