3

Chapter 3

Zoe clutched her lightly twisted wrist, playing her role with exaggerated tremors. “Mike… my wrist still hurts… she practically assaulted me… I might need compensation for medical bills… and emotional trauma…”

Michael straightened his cuffs and approached me like a judge delivering a sentence. “Eliana Carter, you refuse to apologize and you dare lay hands on someone? You will apologize to Zoe, right now.”

He paused, then added sharply, “And you will pay whatever she demands.”

Zoe perked up instantly. “Medical bills aren’t cheap. And maybe something extra for psychological stress. Let’s start with… one hundred thousand dollars?”

Passengers gasped audibly.

“That’s insane—”

“She can’t afford that—”

“No one survives angering the Hayes family.”

Zoe, thrilled by the attention, raised her chin. “Apologize. If you don’t, we’ll make sure you don’t get off this plane.”

At that moment, a uniformed airline officer hurried over. The badge on his chest read Flight Services Captain.

“Please, everyone calm down. We received a report of a passenger conflict—”

Michael cut him off coldly. “No need to investigate. Just remove her.”

He pointed at me. “Clear her out. Empty this first-class seat for me.”

The officer hesitated. “Sir… she does have a valid first-class ticket—”

Michael stepped closer. “I don’t care. Refund her. Then blacklist her—from this flight, and from all future Hayes Air flights. Forever.”

“Forever?”

Several passengers stared, stunned.

Zoe smirked, arms crossed. “Some people don’t know their place. Being banned from Hayes Air is a favor.”

A man leaned toward me and whispered, “Just apologize… You really can’t fight them.”

I looked at the chaotic, arrogant spectacle in front of me and let out a soft, amused laugh.

Michael frowned. “What are you laughing at?”

“Just thinking,” I said, meeting his eyes. “If Hayes Air can treat me like this… then I can also make this plane stop flying.”

Zoe burst out laughing. “You? Stop a plane? Who do you think you are, the President?”

Michael smirked. “Go ahead. Try.”

I dialed a number. The call connected after one ring.

A stern, commanding voice filled the cabin through the speaker. “Agent Carter? Have you boarded? TSA is waiting to confirm your identity.”

“I’ve encountered a problem,” I said calmly.

“What problem?”

I looked straight at Michael and Zoe. “Someone tried to take my assigned first-class seat and threatened to blacklist me permanently from their airline. I’d like to know how you want me to handle that.”