Cindy instantly put on the look of a victim. Her voice turned soft and pitiful. "Is this how you treat your passengers? I'll be filing a complaint against all of you. I've had training before, and I know too many complaints can ground you for good."

I drew a deep breath, forcing my anger back down. Then, I slowly bent into a half-squat before her.

With the wine glass in hand, I wore the perfect professional smile and spoke evenly. "Of course, ma'am. We'll serve you."

Cindy's face brightened like she'd just won a glorious battle. She let out a shrill peal of laughter. "During training, you kept telling me I wasn't fit and didn't meet the standards. But looking at you now, I realize you fit the job better than I do."

She suddenly leaned forward. Her gaze was sharp, and her grin dripped with scorn as she spat, "You're only fit to kneel and serve me!"

My fingers tightened on the glass, and I was about to respond, but she moved faster.

"Oh my! I'm sorry. My hand slipped."

The wine splashed over me, soaking into my hair and uniform. It trickled down my temple and to my face like threads of blood, cold and cloying. Each drop was a sting of humiliation that cut to the bone.

I couldn't keep it in anymore. I spun around and sprinted for the restroom.

My hand wouldn't stop trembling as the door slammed shut behind me. In the mirror, I caught sight of my drenched uniform and a disheveled figure staring back at me.

Meanwhile, Cindy's mocking laughter pierced through the walls from outside, and each giggle drove into my ears like nails.

…

Cindy was gone from her seat when I came out with water still dripping from my hair.

The crew exchanged nervous glances. Their gazes were filled with a mixture of emotions.

"What happened?" I asked, instantly on guard.

Just then, the co-pilot stepped out of his cockpit, and he seemed uneasy. "Nothing happened. It's just that Cindy's inside, and Mr. Crowley asked me to come out."

One of the attendants mumbled beneath her breath, unable to keep her anger back anymore, "Ms. Henson, he doesn't respect you at all. You're working yourself up for this flight, yet he…"

"Don't let people like him interfere with our work," I cut her off with a sharp whisper while digging my nails hard into my palm.

I took a deep breath and braced myself. We were only halfway through the flight, so we couldn't afford chaos now.

When meal service came around, I pushed the food cart to the cockpit as per procedure.

The moment the door opened, I heard a burst of flirtatious laughter.

Cindy sat on the co-pilot's seat, wrapped in Edward's jacket and posing dramatically for pictures.

When she spotted me, she waved with a smile. "I know the rules, Ms. Henson. I'll ask the co-pilot to return very soon. I just wanted to experience being a co-pilot for a while."

Edward leaned back in his seat, and his expression was cold. "Don't act so self-righteous. Are you going to report to the higher-ups again? If you really want to marry me, you should stop playing petty games."

Then, he stood up and walked toward me. His voice dropped to a mocking whisper as he warned, "I'll treat you well if you behave. But if you dare target Cindy like before, I won't let you off!"

I wanted to fling the meal tray at his head for a split second. The words 'I don't want to marry you anymore' nearly escaped my throat, but rationality pulled me back. Hundreds of passengers were on this plane, and I couldn't let him jeopardize their safety.

"I understand," I answered through clenched teeth.

Edward was satisfied with my response and smiled. "That's more like it. Since you understand, stand guard at the door and do not let anyone in."

So I stood outside the cockpit and listened to the murmurs and soft laughter within. The thick air of intimacy seeped out, piercing my chest one needle at a time.

Memories of when we first took the entrance exam for flight school surfaced in my head.

I still remembered Edward scribbling in his flight log and sneaking smiles at me in the training room. But after he became captain, all he seemed to care about was his career and his gains.

It was like I had become nothing more than an obstacle to his dream. I always believed others had misled him into hating me, but today, I realized the kindness he once showed me was never truly mine.

After a long time, the door finally opened.

Cindy walked out with flushed cheeks and weak legs but acted nonchalantly. "Excuse me, I need to freshen up in the restroom."

When she walked by, her face carried the smugness of a victor.

I looked toward the cockpit and saw Edward fastening the buttons of his uniform with practiced ease. There was no hint of shame on his face, only satisfaction.

…

Wrecked with heartache, I endured it until the plane touched down. I stood at the cabin door, overseeing the passengers as they disembarked.

Cindy walked toward me in her high heels and swung her handbag with a smirk on her face.

I raised a hand to stop her.

Her face darkened, and her tone sharpened. "What are you doing? Are you picking on me on purpose?"

"Please hold on, ma'am. You're not allowed to leave the aircraft yet, as we need to do some verification with you," I informed her with a neutral expression.

Upon hearing this, she blew up instantly. "Who do you think you are! Do you think you're some big shot just because you've been a flight attendant for years?"

The commotion drew curious glances from nearby passengers.

Just then, Edward emerged from the crowd. His lips curled into a sneer. "I thought you'd finally come to your senses, Jade. But it seems like you're still holding to your fantasies."

I disregarded his remarks and repeated firmly, "She cannot disembark yet. Please cooperate with us."

"Cooperate?" His gaze turned ice cold as he stepped closer, and his voice dripped with contempt. "You're just the lead flight attendant. What gives you the right to order me around? I call the shots here, not you!"

As Edward spoke, he reached out to pull Cindy out of the plane.

I instantly stepped forward to stop them, and he suddenly swung his hand hard across my face.

"Don't push your luck!" he hissed as fury burned in his eyes. "I'll file a report against your petty tricks the moment we get off the plane. By then, you and your entire crew can forget about ever flying again!"

My cheek burned, and a sharp ringing echoed in my ears. Through the blur, I heard hurried footsteps at the cabin door.

Several uniformed security and civil aviation inspectors charged in. The lead inspector flashed his badge as his cold tone cut through Edward's tirade. "Cindy Austin, according to a verified report, you are suspected of possessing contraband. You are ordered to disembark immediately and cooperate with our investigation."

When Cindy heard this, her face turned ashen, and she froze.

"I don't know anything!" she screamed in a panic. She scrambled to hide behind Edward.

Edward shielded her protectively behind him while glaring at the officials. "This must be a mistake. There's no contraband here. Can we discuss this once we're out of the plane?"

Before he could finish speaking, two security officers grabbed him firmly from either side and twisted his arms, pinning them behind his back in one swift motion.

"What are you doing? I'm the captain!" His face drained of color, and his eyes went wide.

"You're exactly the person we're here to arrest! Edward Crowley, you're being investigated for transporting contraband, abandoning your post, and endangering flight safety. You are required to cooperate with us immediately."