When my husband, Lucius Croft, and I were on a flight that was heading toward our honeymoon destination, his childhood friend, Belinda Todd, suddenly appeared before us while pregnant. She claimed that she had bought an economy-class ticket and that she wanted to go on a vacation with us.

Not only did Lucius not reject Belinda, but he also wanted me to give my first-class ticket away to her.

I turned his suggestion down. So, he helped Belinda occupy the first-class seat next to us.

When I realized that an old lady was the owner of that particular seat, I did everything I could to convince Lucius to return the seat to her.

Unexpectedly, Belinda was so mad that she got off the plane right away. On her way home, she got into an accident, which killed her and her unborn baby.

Lucius attended her funeral calmly. But on the day I was supposed to go into labor, he tied me up in the car and staged a car accident on purpose.

"This is all your fault! If it wasn't for you, Belinda never would've died! You deserve to make it up to her with your life!"

I could only watch the car drive into the tree in total despair. All I saw was a huge explosion and tongues of flame around me before I completely lost consciousness.

When I open my eyes again, I see Belinda standing before me with her belly jutting out.

This time, I no longer stop them.

What they don't know is that the inconspicuous-looking old lady is actually a member of the esteemed Howard family, also known as the global business powerhouse. She's also the grandmother of the richest man in the world, Ethan Howard.

"Haven't you made enough trouble, Zoe? You refused to give up your seat in first class earlier, and now you're sticking your nose into someone else's business too!" Lucius Croft, my husband, bellowed.

"It's alright, Lucius. I'm just suffering from a bit of a stomachache, but I don't want you guys fighting over me," Belinda Todd, the conniving mistress, murmured.

I finally realized that I had been reborn once I heard Lucius' accusations and Belinda's tearful sobbing.

I could still feel the agonizing pain and burning sensation from my past life, so I immediately withdrew my hand.

In my past life, I had helped Grace Reed, the elderly woman, and she reached out to me after the flight to introduce herself. In gratitude, she brokered a partnership for our company and helped us land several major contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Lucius expanded the company significantly through that connection, but rather than showing gratitude, he treated it as a matter of course and even repaid my kindness by causing my death.

Lucius and Belinda were so intent on destroying themselves in this life, so I had no intention of stopping them from seeking their own end this time.

Lucius shot me a harsh glare when he noticed me withdrawing my hand before turning to Grace with a look of blatant condescension. "I'll buy this seat from you, and I'll even pay you five times the fare. Now, go take Belinda's seat in economy!"

"It is not about the money, young man. You see, the economy seats are too narrow and crowded, and with my heart condition, I have trouble breathing in tight spaces.

"It was my grandson who specifically booked me a first-class seat so that I wouldn't have a medical emergency while flying alone…" Grace sounded completely at a loss, yet she was still trying to reason with them.

Lucius had no interest in her explanation and snapped at her. "You'd better not play the victim just because you're old! Haven't you noticed that Belinda is pregnant? Isn't she more entitled to this seat than you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Belinda grabbed her stomach and wailed on cue. "I-It hurts so much, Lucius…"

Lucius hurriedly reclined Belinda's seat so that she could lie down and rest. He sounded incredibly caring, which was a sharp contrast to his earlier behavior. "Where does it hurt? Have you been standing too long? Do you want me to take you to the hospital since the plane hasn't taken off yet?"

Belinda shook her head gently and replied in a frail voice, "It's fine. I'm probably just too exhausted. I wouldn't want to be the one to delay your honeymoon with Zoe…"

She deliberately brought up my name, which effectively drew another disgusted glare from Lucius.

I felt sick to my stomach witnessing the whole thing. Lucius and I were only in an arranged business marriage. He had pretended to be everything a woman could want—handsome, gentle, and well-mannered—during our courtship, which had convinced me to accept his proposal.

I later discovered that Lucius had a childhood sweetheart named Belinda Todd, with whom he had grown up. He became a completely different person whenever Belinda was involved—cold and irrational—making it seem like his previous kindness was nothing more than a scripted farce.

I had already made up my mind—the moment we landed, I would file for divorce. I wasn't willing to spend another moment in his presence.

Belinda, who was reclining in her seat, accidentally kicked the handbag Grace had left under her seat. She whined in her usual pampered tone, "Why is there still stuff under here? It's taking up so much space. It's making me so uncomfortable, Lucius."

Without any hesitation, Lucius grabbed the handbag and tossed it aside.

It wasn't zipped up properly, though, so the contents spilled out across the floor with a loud clatter. A pearl necklace that was inside skidded across the floor.

"Get your hands off my handbag! That necklace was a gift from my late husband—it's the most precious thing I own!" Grace cried out in despair.

That necklace landed under some other seat and was inadvertently stepped on, causing the chain to snap and the pearls to scatter across the floor.

Grace turned pale and tried desperately to bend down and gather the pearls, but her mobility was poor. She had just leaned over when she suddenly lost her balance and tumbled onto the floor, looking utterly disheveled and distressed.

"How could she treat such a pathetic trinket as a valuable possession? That only proves that the lower class lacks any true sophistication."

I caught the faint, mocking smirk on Belinda's face out of the corner of my eyes. She looked nothing like the sick woman she claimed to be. I felt a surge of inexplicable rage boil over, and, unable to watch any longer, I kneeled to help Grace gather her things.

It was then that a flight attendant nearby heard the commotion and hurried over to us.

Grace wiped away her tears and showed her boarding pass to Ms. Greene, the flight attendant. "You have to help me, Ms. Greene! These two are trying to force me into economy even though this is my assigned seat. They have even gone so far as to toss my belongings on the floor!"

Ms. Greene took the boarding pass, carefully verified Grace's information, and then turned to show Lucius the boarding pass. "It is confirmed that this seat rightfully belongs to this elderly passenger, so please return to your respective seats as the plane is preparing for takeoff."

Lucius snatched the boarding pass and ripped it to shreds. "I've told you already—I am paying five times the fare for this seat! Do you not see how much agony Belinda is in right now? You're a woman yourself! How can you not have any sympathy for a pregnant woman?"

"In accordance with the airline policy, seats can't be bought or sold once the tickets are issued. In addition, this passenger has not consented to a seat change. If you continue to occupy her seat by force, we will be forced to remove you and your companion from the flight."

Lucius scoffed, looking at Ms. Greene with total disdain. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

He then threw a business card at Ms. Greene. His title as CEO was displayed in plain sight. "I could make one call right now and have you fired from this airline by tomorrow morning!"

Taken aback by his commanding presence, Ms. Greene grew uncertain and hesitated for a moment.

I watched with a heavy heart, feeling a tightening in my chest. I had always known Lucius was a man of iron-fisted methods, and I knew Ms. Greene's career was genuinely at risk.

I, however, had never seen him use his status to bully a defenseless elderly woman and an ordinary employee. It seemed like the "gentleman" facade he usually maintained for the public was gone. It was replaced by a side of him that was utterly revolting.

In the meantime, Grace was still on her hands and knees, desperately trying to gather the pearls scattered across the floor. "It's been five years since my husband passed away. It was something he had given me as a symbol of our devotion; it's the only thing I have left of him now."

In the end, even the other passengers on the flight couldn't take it anymore.

"What's wrong with you? How could you harass an elderly woman? Do you think having money makes you better than everyone else?"

"I know, right? You guys should just settle this already! If we waste any more time, the flight is going to be delayed, and we have places to be!"

Annoyed by the murmurs around him, Lucius snapped. He whipped out a bank card from his wallet and tossed it to the ground. "You'd better stop the waterworks this instant! You're acting as if someone is dead here! I have 50 thousand dollars on that card. Take it for the seat and your necklace.

"You should stop holding everyone up. If you still won't cooperate, just get off the plane and change your ticket. That money is more than enough for ten round trips!"

Grace wiped her tears away and slowly rose to her feet. Her back was straight and unyielding. "I'm not short of money! I just want my seat!"

Lucius clicked his tongue in annoyance and flicked a second card right at her face. "Here's another 50 thousand dollars! That should be enough for you, right? You'd better not push your luck here!"

Grace was trembling with rage, but she still wouldn't budge.

In the meantime, the grumbling from the other passengers swelled into a roar of frustration, with some even shouting for the crew to just kick her off the flight.

I realized this couldn't go on forever, so I let out a sigh and stepped up. "How about I go down to economy with you, ma'am? That way you'll have company and can feel more at ease."

Grace's eyes were still brimming with tears as she turned to look at me, as if I were her savior. She managed a weak, appreciative smile despite her distress and said, "Thank you! I'll make sure my grandson rewards you for your kindness once we land!"

I supported Grace as we made our way to the economy-class seat that had originally been Belinda's. I then swapped seats with the passenger next to her, allowing that passenger to move to first class.

It wasn't long before the plane took off, and as soon as Grace sat down, she held my hand and thanked me.

"Thank you so much for earlier. I don't know what I would have done without you. I'm at an age where my health isn't what it used to be—especially my heart. I get so anxious and get palpitations in cramped, crowded spaces. I feel so much at ease with you by my side.

"You see, my grandson is quite well-off, so if there's anything you ever need, please don't hesitate to ask. If it's in our power, we'll make it happen."

I listened as Grace talked, eventually waving my hand to refuse her offer. "It's alright, ma'am. It was really no trouble at all. You shouldn't blame yourself. The blame lies entirely with those people and their lack of basic decency."

I then opened my hand to show her the pearls I had managed to gather from the floor earlier. "I found a few more for you. I'm actually quite handy with crafts, so I'll help you re-string the necklace in a bit."

Grace's eyes welled up with unshed tears again once she noticed the pearls in my hand. "Thank you so much. I truly have no idea how I'll ever be able to repay you for this…"

I took the rest of the pearls from her and changed the subject with a smile, but before long, the man who had swapped seats with me suddenly returned. "Your husband refuses to let me take your seat, so would you mind going over there and having a word with him?"

I was stunned. I went back to first class with the passenger and noticed Lucius occupying my seat with a dark, brooding expression.

Lucius glanced up as I approached. His voice dripped with irony as he said, "I honestly don't get you, Zoe. You're willing to give up your seat for a complete stranger, yet you refused to give it to Belinda, even though she's pregnant."

I had no idea what kind of game he was playing this time. "Isn't this my seat? I have every right to swap with anyone I please."

Lucius snapped, "I'm the one who paid for these tickets, so no one is taking this seat without my permission!"

I was beyond words at that point. I really couldn't be bothered to keep fighting him over this, so I just walked over to where Belinda was lying down. "You should take my seat if that's the case. I'm giving you both exactly what you want. Is that good enough for you?"

Belinda put on her panicked act again. "What's that supposed to mean, Zoe? Lucius and I are just friends. I have a husband and a baby on the way! Why do you insist on doubting me and making my life so miserable, Zoe?"

She burst into a fit of sobbing before I could get a word in. "You would always turn around and text me, calling me a shameless homewrecker if I so much as talk to Lucius. You would leave thumbtacks right in front of my door whenever Lucius gives me a ride home.

"You even poured oil on the floor when you saw him helping me up the stairs once. I nearly had a terrible fall because of you!"

Belinda was a wreck. Tears were streaming down her face in a hauntingly convincing performance. She was, however, framing me for things I hadn't even thought of doing, let alone actually carried out.

In the cabin, the other passengers started whispering among themselves, casting judgmental looks and pointing in my direction.

"It's no wonder she wouldn't give up her seat. It turns out she's just a spiteful person who's been bullying that poor woman on purpose."

"Isn't that poor woman already married and expecting? How could the other woman still act so paranoid and insecure about her husband? She's bound to develop persecutory delusions sooner or later!"

There was also a passenger who went as far as to pull out their phone, pointing the camera directly at my face. "Did you hear that, everyone? There's some piping hot tea today! I can't believe we've still got these kinds of toxic, entitled wives running around in this day and age!"

I was absolutely furious. I reached out for Belinda to confront her, but before I could, someone caught my forearm, stopping me dead in my tracks.

Without any hesitation, Lucius slapped me across the face. "I had no idea you were capable of this, Zoe! I had no idea you were doing all these horrible things to Belinda when I wasn't looking. I must have been blind to ever marry such a malicious woman like you!"

I was hurled to the floor by his sheer strength. I instinctively reached out to catch myself, but I only succeeded in sweeping the tableware off the stand. The tableware shattered when they fell, sending red wine splashing all over my clothes.

I was still dazed and lightheaded from the fall when I looked up to see an elderly silhouette positioning itself as a barrier before me. "I won't let you hurt her!"