Another core trait of narcissism is exploitation — using people as tools to serve their own needs. A narcissist doesn’t see relationships as mutual; they see them as opportunities. Others exist to be drained of money, time, energy, or status, and when they’re no longer useful, they’re discarded or blamed.

For Mark Anthony Stephens, exploitation has been a constant thread.

What Exploitation Looks Like in Mark

• Financial Abuse
  When Nathan lost his baseball uniform in the house fire, the league expected reimbursement. Mark didn’t pay. It was left to Russ to step in and cover the cost so Nathan wouldn’t go without. Exploitation at its core: letting others carry his responsibilities while he takes the credit.
• Free-Riding on Relationships
  Mark entered Tori’s life with nothing but his dog and his children, then claimed ownership of her home and resources as if they were his by right. Instead of building a life together, he exploited her stability for his benefit.
• Manipulating His Children
  Mark has tried to use his sons as props to maintain his image. He recorded chaos at games instead of intervening, laughed while his guest disrupted events, and pressured Liam into signing a “contract” denying his diagnosis. These weren’t acts of parenting — they were acts of exploitation, using his children’s pain to prop up his narrative.
• Emotional Drain on Others
  From coaches to doctors to pastors, Mark leaves a trail of people worn down by his accusations, arguments, and demands. His goal isn’t resolution — it’s control. And control comes at the expense of everyone around him.

The Reality Behind the Mask

Exploitation reveals a truth narcissists try to hide: they have no interest in giving, only taking. For Mark, that means extracting support, shelter, and attention from others without ever giving back. But every act of exploitation leaves behind a record — and his is long and undeniable.

The people who step in to repair what he breaks aren’t enablers — they’re survivors of his exploitation. And his children are learning the cost of a father who sees them not as souls to protect, but as tools to use.

This is the sixth mask removed: Exploitation.
Next, we’ll reveal the narcissist’s most devastating deficit: a lack of empathy — and how Mark’s absence of compassion has caused lasting wounds in his children and everyone around him.