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!"

I noticed that it was actually Grace, who should have been back in economy. Though her legs were shaking and her voice faltered, Grace stood firmly in front of me, looking up at Lucius, who was much taller than she was.

Grace said, "I heard a huge commotion back here and rushed over as fast as I could. You're not hurt, are you?"

I rose to my feet with Grace's help and was overcome by a wave of emotion that I couldn't quite put into words.

Lucius shot her a venomous glare. "You'd better stay out of this, you old hag! You already took my money, so scurry back to your seat and stay out of my way!"

Grace gestured toward the two bank cards on the floor. "I never intended to take your money to begin with. I would never take such filthy money from a man who thinks wealth gives him the right to bully people and strike his own wife! I would feel utterly disgusted if I took it!"

Lucius took a step forward. "What did you just say? You ought to know that I have every right to put her in her place! You can go ahead and ask the passengers around here about the horrible things this woman did to Belinda!"

It was then that someone chimed in. "That's right! That woman has been tormenting that pregnant lady—putting thumbtacks outside her house and nearly causing a miscarriage! She did all of that because she can't handle another woman being near her husband!"

I retorted loudly, "Do you have any evidence if you're accusing me of bullying you, Belinda?"

Belinda's gaze shifted uncomfortably at the mention of evidence before quickly finding an excuse. "You know exactly why there isn't any evidence, Zoe. You forced me to delete all the evidence every time you bullied me, threatening to kill my unborn child if I didn't. I was terrified, so I had to delete it all!"

Belinda's explanation, delivered with such a heartbreakingly vulnerable expression, won over the crowd; most of the passengers firmly took her side.

Grace alone remained unmoved. "I believe Zoe is a good person! She went out of her way to help me so much earlier, so there's no way she is capable of doing the things you're saying!"

Lucius let out a derisive sneer. "I couldn't care less what you believe. If you persist in sticking your nose into our private business, then I'll put you in your place right alongside her!"

I couldn't take it anymore. I lunged at him, shoved him aside, and struck him across the face. "Haven't you had enough, Lucius? You've already laid a hand on me, and now you're threatening an innocent old lady!"

Lucius was visibly stunned. He stared at me in utter disbelief. "How dare you hit me over some stranger, Zoe Miller!"

"I'm doing more than just hitting you. I'm telling you right now that the moment we land, I am filing for divorce."

"You actually want to divorce me over such a trivial matter?"

"I've finally seen you for who you really are. You think your money gives you the right to harass whoever you want, but the truth is, you're pathetic. You don't know the first thing about marriage."

Lucius, who was furious, grabbed me by the collar. Seeing the situation, Grace immediately stepped in to stop him.

Ms. Greene also rushed over to assist me. "I'd like to ask you to stop making a scene right now, sir, as we are beginning our final descent. Please return to your seat right now!"

In the middle of the scuffle, Grace unexpectedly lost her balance and fell. She hit her head against a seat, and her arm was badly cut by the shattered plates on the floor. She was bleeding heavily.

I was so frightened that I quickly rushed over to check on her. "Is there a doctor on board? I need help over here. She has passed out!"

Lucius panicked after seeing the situation, but he quickly went on the defensive. "That woman tripped and fell on her own! I have nothing to do with it!"

I didn't waste a second on him; instead, I called out to Ms. Greene to bring an emergency medical kit immediately. It was also then that one of the passengers, a doctor, hurried over to stem the bleeding from Grace's wound.

In the midst of it all, a sharp beeping noise erupted from Grace's watch. I couldn't spare a moment to look at it. My eyes were fixed frantically on Grace as I held her.

Just then, the overhead broadcast broke through the chaos, notifying the passengers that the plane was on its final approach for landing.

I looked out the window to discover the ground flooded with a fleet of matching black Hummers, while the rotors of several helicopters whipped the air into a frenzy.

In the very next moment, as soon as the cabin door was thrown open, a unit of doctors in specialized medical uniforms swarmed the plane. "Mrs. Howard Senior!"

It was then that the sharp, rhythmic click of leather shoes sounded against the cabin floor, and a tall man dressed in a black bespoke suit, standing at well over six-foot-three, strode inside. Ethan Howard asked, "What happened here?"