High above the clouds in the business class part of a commercial plane, Kristi, in her crisp flight attendant uniform, walked the aisle with practiced grace.

She stopped by a couple nestled by the window, absorbed in their private world. The man, in a sharply tailored suit, presented a small velvet box to the woman, whose eyes lit up like the 4th of July.

As he opened it, a delicate necklace gleamed, its stones scattering prismatic colors across their seats. Kristi’s eyes widened, and she paused her rounds for a second.

“May I, my gorgeous Isabella?” the man whispered to his companion, excitement coloring his voice. The woman nodded, her cheeks blushing as she lifted her hair for him to clasp the necklace.

“That’s a lovely shade of lipstick,” the woman said, turning her attention to Kristi with a warm smile.

Flustered and touched, Kristi touched her lips. “Thank you, it’s my favorite,” she replied, stuttering at being caught snooping.

The man smiled up at Kristi, offering her a generous tip. “Thank you for making this flight special,” he said sincerely.

“It’s my pleasure. Enjoy your journey together,” Kristi responded, her heart fluttering as she moved on, the couple’s joy lingering in her mind.

***

The next day was her only day off that weekend, and Kristi had promised to visit her mother. Upon arriving, the older woman grabbed her arm and introduced her to Edwin, her new fiancé.

Except, he was none other than the man from the plane who had given another, younger woman a beautiful diamond necklace. Kristi’s shock froze her, but she schooled her expression.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kristi. Your mother has told me so much about you,” Edwin said smoothly, offering his hand as if they had never met.

“Nice to meet you too,” she replied cautiously, playing along for her mother’s sake.

Edwin then took over the kitchen, whipping up a meal with the flair of a seasoned chef. “It’s my way of showing care,” he explained, serving dishes with ease.

As they ate, Edwin regaled them with stories from his travels, yet he only responded vaguely when Kristi probed further into his past.

It only made things worse, but she wasn’t sure what to say to her mother. Could she be wrong about him?

After dinner, Kristi decided to take her mother outside, hoping the air would clear her mind.

***

The cool breeze of the terrace was exactly what she needed before asking some tough questions. “Mom, what do you really know about Edwin?” Kristi asked carefully.

“He’s wonderful. A billionaire, a diamond tycoon’s son. He’s shown me such a glamorous life,” her mother replied, eyes shining. “We’ll be married in just a few days!”

“Mom, I know this is going to sound strange, but I swear I saw him on a recent flight with another woman, now suddenly he’s with you and getting married,” Kristi pressed.

Her mother frowned. “Why are you lying? Can’t you be happy for me? Edwin loves me. You just don’t want me to be with another man after your father’s death.”

“That’s not it! Doesn’t his quick move seem odd?” Kristi argued.

“Odd? No, it’s romantic. You’re too young to understand. Edwin is all about love,” her mother shook her head.

Kristi sighed. “Mom, please think about it. He could be a scammer. That act on the plane… he’s like a Casanova.”

“Scammer? Kristi, that’s ridiculous. Edwin is a good man!” her mother defended.

“I just don’t want to see you lose everything to a man we barely know,” Kristi said, desperately trying to make her understand.

But at that moment, Edwin appeared, drinks in hand.“Ladies, let’s celebrate,” he said cheerfully, and Kristi’s mother excused herself for a second.

Kristi frowned at Edwin once they were alone and couldn’t hold back any longer.

“How can you manipulate my mother’s feelings?” she demanded, exposing everything she saw him doing on the plane.

Edwin’s smile faltered. “Kristi, I only want your mother’s happiness. No need for hostility.”

She scoffed and poured a drink over his head. “You think you’re clever, but I see through you. I won’t let you hurt my mother,” she declared firmly. “You’re a fraud!”

Her mother appeared, and her eyes bulged at the orange slice that was still dripping from Edwin’s face. “Kristi, how could you? Edwin, I’m so sorry…”

Edwin reassured her. “It’s alright. Let’s not let this ruin our evening.”

Kristi’s frown deepened as her mother tended to the scammer, and she realized there was no way to win that night. Still, she knew she had to prove Edwin’s true nature to protect her mother.

It would just take some time.

That’s when she remembered an important detail from the day of the flight where she saw Edwin…and Isabella.

***

Kristi paced outside the airline office, gathering her courage before entering. At the front desk, a cheerful representative greeted her. “Good morning! How can I assist you today?”

“I need to see the passenger list from my last flight. It’s important,” Kristi said, stumbling over her words.

“That’s confidential. May I ask why you need it?” the representative asked, her brow furrowing.

Kristi tried to hide her nervousness as she said, “A passenger left something valuable. I want to help return it.”

“Okay, I can’t show you the list, but I can help if you give me more details,” the representative said, leading Kristi to a private office.

Once seated, Kristi explained that a passenger named Isabella lost her jewelry and was talking about it as they disembarked.

The representative confirmed the Lost & Found department had received Isabella’s missing item report, and they had, in fact, found the jewelry.

“Could I return it to her myself? It might mean more coming from someone who was on the flight,” Kristi asked.

After signing a release form, Kristi received Isabella’s jewelry and contact details. She called the strange woman, arranging to meet the next day in a hotel lobby.

***

Kristi approached Isabella, the same woman Edwin was affectionate with on her last flight, in a beautiful hotel coffee shop and was recognized immediately.

“You were the flight attendant on my last trip, weren’t you?” Isabella asked, surprised.

“Yes, that was me. It’s a small world.”

Kristi went right into it, telling her about Edwin, her suspicions, and everything else she knew. The young woman frowned, frustrated.

“I knew something was off. Edwin asked me for a large sum of money for an emergency. I trusted him, and I’m supposed to meet him soon to give it to him,” Isabella revealed, leaning back and crossing her arms.

Kristi told her that was their chance to expose him. “We can set up a scenario to catch him. We’ll record everything. I’ll disguise myself; he won’t recognize me,” she planned.

Isabella agreed, and they spent the next hour devising their strategy, focusing on every detail and potential reaction from Edwin.

As Kristi left the coffee shop, she felt nervous but resolved. The plan was set, and together, they were going to save her mother.

***

In a dimly lit upscale restaurant where Isabella had arranged to meet Edwin and give him the money he asked for, the young woman waited, twirling her wine glass.

Meanwhile, Kristi was disguised as a waitress and watched from across the room as Edwin entered confidently and greeted Isabella.

“Isabella, my dear, sorry to keep you waiting,” he said, sitting down.

Kristi approached their table to take their order, and Isabella played along perfectly, suggesting they celebrate with red wine.

“Excellent choice,” Edwin agreed, keeping his eyes on Isabella. Kristi quickly brought the wine, her heart racing with each step.

“That’ll be all, thank you,” Edwin said, looking only briefly at Kristi. It wasn’t enough to notice who she was. His attention quickly turned back to his date.

As they sipped their wine, Isabella suggested that instead of giving him money, she could give him a gift, something more tangible like jewelry as he had been so generous to give her diamonds.

Intrigued, Edwin pulled out his phone to show her some options, from Cartier and Rolex watches to designer clothes.

As soon as his phone was on the table, Kristi saw her chance. She pretended to refill their wine glasses and accidentally spilled some on Edwin’s shirt.

“Damn it! My shirt!” he exclaimed, jumping up in irritation.

“It’s just an accident, Edwin. Let’s not make a scene,” Isabella calmed him, giving Kristi a discreet nod.

Kristi apologized profusely, then hurried away, claiming she needed to fetch club soda and napkins.

She had swapped Edwin’s unlocked phone during the commotion with a temporary decoy, and rushed to the restroom to check the real phone.

After searching for a few minutes, Kristi discovered Edwin’s active dating profile and flirtatious messages similar to those he’d sent her mother.

Not the undeniable proof she hoped for, but troubling all the same. Therefore, Kristi started typing a message, making a last-ditch effort to trap Edwin.

Suddenly, a knock startled her. “I know you’re in there with my phone! Come out now!” Edwin shouted from outside.

“I’m calling the police!” he declared, his voice stern and urgent.

Kristi stood, phone in hand, heart pounding. She opened the stall door to face Edwin in a tense standoff. He lunged for the phone, but Kristi dodged him.

“Stay back!” she warned, her back against the cold restroom wall.

“Give me my phone, or you’ll regret it!” Edwin cornered her, his hand reaching out. Kristi screamed, hoping someone would come to her aid and bracing for what might happen next.

***

In a sterile police station, Kristi sat under the cold glare of fluorescent lights.

“You’re lucky Mr. Edwin hasn’t pressed charges,” a stern officer warned, “Consider this your only warning.”

Kristi nodded, her voice small. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”

“Good intentions don’t always lead to good actions,” the cop replied before walking away.

Just then, her mother burst through the doors, her face etched with disappointment. “Kristi, this isn’t the daughter I raised,” she declared, her voice thick with emotion.

“Mom, I was trying to protect you from Edwin,” Kristi explained, looking down.

“Protect me by breaking the law?” her mother retorted sharply. “You’ve gone too far.”

An officer intervened. “Mr. Edwin had filed a restraining order. Any further actions will lead to arrest.”

Kristi closed her eyes, but her mother didn’t give her any reprieve.

“I don’t want to see you anymore. Learn from this. Goodbye, Kristi,” the older woman said before leaving.

***

Kristi returned to the same hotel where she had met Isabella and sat at the lobby bar. While nursing a stiff drink, Isabella slid next to her.

“I heard about what happened. I’m sorry,” she sighed, linking her fingers on the bar surface.

“Thanks,” Kristi said, half-smiling. “But before everything went down, I changed Edwin’s password on the dating site.”

“That’s brilliant,” Isabella responded, intrigued. “We can use that. Let’s warn the other women.”