Chapter 56 - THE DAY AIRA LAUGHED OUT LOUD

📢 Special Update from PhoenixQ

Hey my lovely readers 🌸

First of all, I want to say sorry for missing the last two updates. Things got a little busy, and I couldn't post according to schedule. I truly appreciate your patience and understanding 💕

To make it up to you, I've uploaded one extra chapter today as a small gift 🎁✨Thank you so much for always supporting, commenting, voting, and staying with me through every part of this story—it really means the world to me.

Let's keep flying higher together, just like a phoenix that never stops rising 🔥🕊️

—With flames of creativity,PhoenixQ

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Family war begins... now.

Mr. Everett stood in the middle of the living room, arms crossed, a plastic board game in one hand and deadly seriousness in his voice. His eyes narrowed like a general preparing for battle.

Valentina, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, waved her hand dramatically as if dismissing the court before hearing the trial. "Not again, Dad. You're gonna lose like last time!"

Kai, sprawled lazily opposite her, pointed a finger at Valentina. "Correction. You cheated last time, and I just let you win because you started fake crying."

Valentina gasped, clutching her chest in mock offense. "Fake crying? Those were real tears of righteous victory!"

Mr. Everett puffed his chest. "Ha! You two couldn't even beat me on a good day."

Mrs. Everett peeked from the kitchen, stirring sauce with a wooden spoon. Her voice was sweet and sharp at the same time. "And yet, the last good day was in 2025, wasn't it, darling?"

Mr. Everett froze mid-boast, turning his head slowly toward her like she'd just thrown a dagger through his ego. "You wound me, woman."

Mrs. Everett smirked. "Truth hurts."

Valentina laughed so hard she nearly fell off the couch. "Mom's got receipts!"

They were loud. Ridiculously loud. The kind of loud that filled every corner of the Everett mansion with warmth instead of chaos.

Aira sat quietly at the edge of the room, legs tucked under her, watching them with curious eyes. It felt foreign—this laughter, this teasing, this sense of home that didn't come with pain or shouting. She tried to hide the tiny smile forming on her lips.

Mr. Everett slammed the board on the coffee table. "Uno. Battle of honor. House rules."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "You mean Dad's rules, which make no sense."

Valentina rolled her eyes. "Last time he tried to reverse on himself."

Mr. Everett's jaw dropped. "Strategic maneuver!"

Mrs. Everett muttered under her breath, "Strategic nonsense."

Kai suddenly turned toward Aira with a grin that spelled trouble. "You're on my team."

Aira blinked. "…What?"

Valentina whipped around. "Excuse me? She's clearly on my team!"

Kai pointed at her. "You can't just claim people!"

Valentina smirked. "I just did."

Mr. Everett clapped his hands loudly like a referee. "Order! Aira, pick your champion. May the best child win."

Aira looked between the twins—Valentina with her smug grin, Kai with his puppy eyes—and then toward Mr. Everett, who stood with his arms crossed like some retired gladiator.

Her lips twitched. "I'll join the team with the least chance of losing."

She stood, walked past the twins, and sat beside Mr. Everett. "Which clearly isn't either of them."

There was a stunned silence. Then Valentina threw her hands up. "She's got sass! I love her!"

Kai dramatically collapsed on the couch. "You betrayed me. You betrayed me, Aira!" he said, clutching his chest like a tragic hero.

Mrs. Everett laughed from the kitchen. "Poor thing, you've been replaced."

Mr. Everett grinned victoriously, sitting straighter. "Finally, someone in this house with good judgment."

Mrs. Everett turned up the volume on the music playing from her phone—something upbeat and loud. The kitchen filled with the smell of garlic and butter as she started plating snacks.

Valentina, ever the menace, leaped up, grabbed Aira's hand, and spun her around. "Let's go, Miss Sass!"

Aira stumbled. "I don't dance."

Kai peeked around the corner, sipping his soda. "She says that, but we all saw her toe tapping earlier."

Valentina gasped dramatically. "HA! Busted!"

Aira tried to keep a straight face, but her lips quivered. "It was the music, not me."

Mr. Everett entered holding a spatula like a microphone and bellowed, completely off-key, "YOUUUUU RAISE ME UUUUUUP—"

Aira covered her ears, snorting. "Please stop, you're hurting the atmosphere."

Valentina groaned loudly. "We're going to go viral for elder abuse."

Kai attempted to beatbox, tripped over a stool, and fell flat on his back with a loud thud. He groaned dramatically. "That did it. My spine left the chat."

Aira blinked… and then she laughed.

Not a small chuckle. A real, genuine laugh—soft at first, then bubbling up uncontrollably until her eyes watered.

Everyone froze.

Even Mr. Everett paused mid-song, holding his imaginary microphone like a sacred relic.

Kai, still lying on the floor, whispered dramatically, "Did… did she just laugh?"

Mrs. Everett dropped her spatula, eyes wide. "It's happening!"

Valentina jumped on the couch. "MISSION COMPLETE!"

Mr. Everett saluted. "Play the anthem, boys!"

Aira laughed even harder, clutching her stomach. It felt strange—foreign—but good. It made her chest ache in the best way possible.

Dinner was chaotic. Kai and Valentina fought over garlic bread. Mr. Everett accused Valentina of swapping his cards mid-game. Mrs. Everett confiscated the Uno deck halfway through, saying she was "retiring the battlefield before blood was spilled."

Dessert was even worse. Kai dropped whipped cream on Valentina's hair, who retaliated by smearing chocolate pudding on his face. Mr. Everett tried to break them apart but ended up getting splattered himself.

Aira watched it all—her laughter blending with theirs. For once, she didn't feel like an outsider looking in.

By the time everyone collapsed on the couch, the living room looked like a war zone. Pillows everywhere, popcorn in the corners, and the smell of burnt caramel in the air.

Aira found herself nestled between Mr. Everett and Valentina, her head resting lightly on a pillow. Kai was sitting on the floor, throwing popcorn at the TV in defeat.

Mr. Everett ruffled her hair gently. "You've got a dangerous tongue on you, kid. I like it."

Mrs. Everett pointed from her single armchair, smiling softly. "She fits right in."

Aira looked up, her voice quiet but steady. "…Thank you. For everything."

Valentina flopped onto her lap dramatically. "You can thank me with ice cream."

Kai waved dismissively. "She already picked her favorite parent. Sorry."

Aira turned her head toward Mr. Everett and said calmly, "You don't cheat."

Mr. Everett grinned proudly. "Justice prevails!"

Kai's jaw dropped. "You're siding with him again? Unbelievable!"

He stood up, walked dramatically to the corner, and sat facing the wall. "I have been betrayed twice in one day."

Mrs. Everett sipped her tea. "You'll live, sweetheart."

Everyone laughed again, and this time, Aira didn't hold back.

Later that night, the house quieted down. The stars shimmered faintly through the big windows, and the sound of distant laughter still lingered in the halls.

Before heading to her room, Aira found Mr. and Mrs. Everett sitting quietly in the living room, warm cups of tea in their hands. The glow from the lamp softened their faces.

Aira walked toward them and, without a word, hugged them from behind. Her voice trembled but was full of warmth. "This is the happiest I've been in… a very long time."

Mrs. Everett stood and hugged her tightly. "Then we'll make sure it lasts, sweetheart."

Mr. Everett smiled softly. "Your seat at the table is permanent now."

Aira looked at them both—at the home that finally felt like hers—and smiled.

A real one.

Not because she was forced.Not because someone told her to.

But because, for once… she wanted to.