Chapter 2

"Excuse me, could you please recheck the airline's backend system?" I said.

I took a deep breath, forced myself to calm down, and handed my phone to a bewildered Lawrence. He took the phone and looked at Raine's ticket again with an uncertain expression.

He contacted the ground crew via the internal communication device, and a few seconds later, he looked up at me with a conflicted gaze.

"Ma'am, the system does show Ms. Gilmore's name."

Raine let out a shrill burst of laughter and looked at me triumphantly.

"Stumped, aren't you? Let me tell you, this is an internal family ticket my husband bought for me! My husband is the captain of this very plane, Klaus Peterson!

"I was just showing you some courtesy earlier by not exposing you for occupying someone else's seat. Now that you've brought this on yourself, I'll oblige."

She deliberately raised her voice, ensuring everyone in the first-class cabin could hear.

However, a bomb had been set off in my mind.

Wasn't Klaus Peterson my husband of five years? Who was this arrogant woman before me?

The moment Lawrence heard the captain's name, his attitude took a complete turn. He returned the phone to me with a polite smile.

"Ma'am, perhaps you should return to your seat in economy class. Let's not delay the scheduled takeoff, okay?"

I was still reeling in chaos, and I couldn't stay calm at all.

"I am not going to economy class. I paid for a first-class seat, and my payment record can prove that this ticket is mine."

Raine acted as if she'd heard the joke of the century. She crossed her arms and looked me up and down.

"Whoa, were you so desperate for first class that you even forged a ticket? Technology is so advanced now that Photoshop is easy, right? I mean, you're so young—why such a strong desire for vanity?

"Is there no one in your family who could pay for this? You can't even afford a first-class ticket, so you have to resort to such low-life tactics?"

The surrounding passengers immediately began whispering and pointing fingers at me.

"Goodness! She actually forged a ticket? How brazen!"

"And she even stole a child's seat? How shameful. Did she think a child was an easy target?"

"Now she's bitten off more than she can chew. That lady's husband is the captain! Let's see how she gets out of this!"

Seeing this, Raine became even more smug. She lifted her hand to adjust her hair, and a necklace around her neck swung into my view.

My pupils constricted abruptly.

I had found this necklace the day before my business trip, in the pocket of Klaus' jacket hanging in the cloakroom.

At the time, I thought it was the five-year wedding anniversary gift he was preparing for me.

It made me feel touched for a long time. I thought of finishing this business trip early and returning to surprise him.

It turned out the surprise had already been given to someone else. And I, like a fool, was kept completely in the dark.

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails almost dug into my palms.

"Mr. Pratt, I'm asking you one last time. Are you truly unable to resolve this matter?" I asked icily.

Raine seized the opportunity to interject, saying, "Hey, why are you making things difficult for the staff? They're just trying to do their job. You got caught with a fake ticket, and now you're feeling guilty, so you want to solve things by complaining? Well, I'll be!

"Not only do you lack respect for the elderly and children, but you don't even have basic respect for service staff! Where are your manners?"

Lawrence's expression had darkened completely, and his tone became stiff. "Ma'am, I advise you to take a step back for the sake of peace. Don't make things hard for us workers."

I sneered coldly. Ignoring them, I stepped forward directly and reached out to unbuckle the unruly boy's seatbelt.

"How dare you touch my son!"

Raine let out a sharp scream, raised her hand, and slapped me hard across the face with a resounding smack.

I staggered from the blow, and my cheek burned with pain.

The entire cabin fell silent instantly.

"You actually dared to hit my son! Guards! Air marshals! There's an assailant on the plane!" Raine screamed shrilly.

Lawrence's expression shifted dramatically, and he immediately called for the air marshals via the intercom.