They Bumped the Passenger Who Was Saving Lives

During my vacation, I received an urgent message asking me to return for overtime work.

My job is highly specialized, and all my assignments are classified.

I immediately booked a first-class ticket on the nearest available flight.

But when I tried to board, I was stopped.

I'm sorry, ma'am, the flight is overbooked, so you'll have to take the next flight. We'll compensate you five hundred dollars.

The airport staff member was polite and gentle as she changed my flight information for me.

I disagreed and voiced my refusal, but they acted as if they couldn't hear me.

I called the person who had booked my ticket for me. He said he had used a special channel to purchase it.

No one had the authority to prevent me from boarding.

The plane was taking off in forty minutes, and my flight information had already been changed.

But dozens of lives at my destination were waiting for me.

The airport staff member handed me the new boarding pass with both hands.

Looking at the sixteen-hour wait until the next boarding time, by the time I arrived, it would probably be too late for everything.

I tried to communicate again. "Sir, could you please check once more? How could first class be overbooked?"

"I'm in first class, not economy." I emphasized.

The other person rolled their eyes impatiently, their tone maintaining professional gentleness.

But the words dripped with sarcasm. "We know, ma'am. We all know you gritted your teeth to buy a first-class ticket."

"First time flying it, right? Couldn't bear to leave the first-class lounge, which is why you're so late."

"You only have yourself to blame for not watching the time."

Hearing this, I knew something was wrong. Just a moment ago, they said it was because the flight was overbooked that they wouldn't let me board.

Now their words implied I was late, which was why I couldn't board.

But the boarding pass stated that the gate closed forty minutes before departure, and I had arrived forty-five minutes before takeoff.

"When I arrived, the gate was still open. Economy passengers were still rushing over. There were even people boarding after me."

"How am I late?"

"Moreover, did you see me lingering in the first-class lounge?"

I tried to control my anger and anxiety, attempting to reason with them.

"In any case, I don't agree to the rebooking. You must let me board."

"You also have no authority to rebook a first-class passenger who can board at any moment."

"Alright, alright, stop emphasizing that you're in first class."

The airport staff member said impatiently.

"As if you're afraid people won't know you're flying first class. This is probably the only time in your life you'll get to do it, so you can't wait to announce it to everyone."

"How embarrassing."

He muttered under his breath, but I still heard him.

I pointed at him angrily. "How can you be so rude!"

Our argument attracted other waiting passengers.

"What's wrong? Which flight can't take off?" someone asked.

The staff member at the gate immediately put on a wronged expression.

"This passenger arrived late, and we've already closed the boarding gate."

"She insists on boarding and wants the entire plane to wait for her."

"She keeps emphasizing she's in first class, saying we can't let the plane take off without her, and she's going to file a complaint against us."

"We've been trying to convince her for ages. We're rebooking her for free and giving her five hundred dollars in compensation, but she still won't agree."

"We pooled that money ourselves."

Hearing this, the gathering crowd looked at me with condemning eyes.

"They're just working folks, it's not easy for them."

"Exactly. They work hard too, and their salaries aren't high. You're flying first class and you're haggling over five hundred dollars?"

"Which princess escaped from home? Do you really think the whole world revolves around you?"

I took a deep breath. "I arrived at the gate on time and wasn't late."

"They first said first class was overbooked and forcibly prevented me from boarding, then changed my flight information without my consent."

"Then they accused me of not having money, of pretending to be rich and not wanting to leave the first-class lounge, which is why I was late."

"I'm just defending my rights. How am I making the world revolve around me?"

The onlookers exchanged glances.

Still, someone spoke up. "Well, you don't need to make things difficult for them."

"Whether you can board or not isn't up to them. Who knows what your situation really is?"

"Exactly. Would the staff refuse to let you board for no reason?"

"And what's wrong with taking the next flight? They're giving you compensation. Causing a disturbance here and bothering otherswhat a shrew."

Several men spoke righteously, muttering under their breath, "Who knows where she got the money for first class."

I was about to lose my temper when someone said, "The supervisor is here."

A man in a navy blue suit approached with several people.

He spoke authoritatively. "What's going on here? Hasn't this gate already stopped boarding?"

"Why are so many people still gathered here?"

Seeing a supervisor arrive, my heart settled down a bit.

"Hello, supervisor. I'm a passenger on this flight. I arrived at the gate before it closed for check-in."

"But for some reason, the staff here found various excuses not to let me board and forcibly changed my flight."

"I only have one requirement. I'm in a hurry and must take this flight. Please investigate and let me board as soon as possible."

I calmly described the problem I encountered and stated my request.

I couldn't help thinking that if this operation hadn't been sudden and top secret, I would suspect this staff member was sent by the enemy.

Hearing my words, the supervisor adjusted his glasses.

I had a strange feeling about the way he looked at me.

"Ma'am, give me your passport. I'll look into this."

Upon hearing this, I handed him my passport and anxiously checked the time on my phone.

After about three or four minutes, the supervisor spoke.

"Ma'am, my system shows you obtained your boarding pass five minutes before the gate closed."

"For you to get through security and arrive here, it would take at least eight minutes, not to mention this is peak holiday season."

"It really wouldn't be possible to arrive within the designated time. I'm very sorry, ma'am, but our airport staff made no error."

I shook my head in disbelief. "How is that possible?"

My voice was somewhat shrill from agitation.

The supervisor maintained his gentle smile. "I'm very sorry, ma'am, but those are the facts. You can only take the next flight."

"Even the supervisor says she was late, and she still wants to argue."

"She'll probably go crazy soon. Does whoever makes the most noise win? That's how women are."

"Don't say that. Not all of us women are like her. She's really an embarrassment."

I refused to give up and confirmed the time with him repeatedly, but the answer was always, "I'm very sorry, ma'am."

The feeling of punching cotton made my stomach burn with anger.

I didn't want to use my authority to pressure them, but the situation was now urgent.

I picked up my phone and had just dialed when someone roughly bumped my arm.

The phone slipped from my hand and was kicked toward the gate by someone.

An airport staff member carrying a chair seemed to want to step over the phone but didn't stand steady.

The chair crashed down hard on the phone. The screen went black and shattered.

The female airport staff member who had bumped me and the one carrying the chair rushed to stand in front of me.

Their faces were full of panic. "Ma'am, we're truly sorry. Please don't file a complaint against us."

"We're willing to compensate you for your phone. Please don't tell anyone else."

Their words caused a stir among the surrounding people. "What do they mean?"

"Tell anyone else? Could this woman be someone's mistress?"

"No wonder she's so arrogant."

"But this mistress isn't doing very well. That broken phone is obviously a garbage brand."

"She probably doesn't know any better. Her sugar daddy buys her a fake and she doesn't even realize it."

"I don't think so." Suddenly someone spoke as if defending me. "She doesn't seem like that type."

"She's not wearing a single valuable thing. She couldn't possibly be kept by someone."

"I bet she starved herself for several months to buy a first-class ticket, hoping to find a sugar daddy."

"Otherwise, why would she be so anxious and keep emphasizing she's in first class?"

As this person spoke, everyone laughed.

A gleam of triumph flashed in the supervisor's eyes. He was definitely suspicious.

I shouted angrily, "Call the police!"

"Since we have a dispute, call the police and have them check the surveillance footage."

"And I'm saying this right now! If I don't get on that plane today, it's not taking off!"

None of the onlookers around me helped me call the police.

They all believed I was an emotionally unstable crazy woman.

I was waiting. Now that the gate had closed and the plane was about to take off, the people at my destination would surely confirm with the airport whether I had boarded.

At that point, all obstacles would naturally disappear.

But I didn't expect someone would lie about this.

Some people in the crowd started livestreaming on their phones with the title:

[Princess Causes Scene in Airport Lounge.]

The topic, full of gender antagonism, immediately attracted countless viewers.

Multiple phones were held high, pointed at my face.

"You're violating my image rights. Turn off the livestream immediately, or I'll sue you."

I couldn't expose my identity, so I could only hope they would fear the law and restrain themselves.

But the livestreamers just laughed and didn't take my words seriously.

They interacted with their livestream audience. "See that? The princess is throwing a fit."

"Protect me, guys. I'm risking being sued to livestream this for you."

[Don't worry, streamer. Let her sue. We'll pay the fine.]

[Don't be afraid. We want to see how this princess's tantrum ends.]

[This is hilarious. She says if she doesn't board, the plane can't fly. She really thinks she's a princess.]

[Women like this are just spoiled. Slap her once and she'll behave.]

Their cameras got closer and closer, while others blocked me from retrieving my phone.

My fingers clenched tightly. My breathing became rapid, and my chest felt stuffy.

On one hand, I worried about the situation at my destination. On the other, I feared this place had already been infiltrated.

For no reason, I was being prevented from boarding.

I suppressed my emotions and begged the women in the crowd to help me call the police.

Their eyes darted away, and only one person spoke.

"It's not that we won't help you, but given your current state, we're afraid of being backstabbed."

"Right, what if you falsely accuse us of making a fake police report? Our own travel plans would be delayed too."

Someone added quietly, with some disgust in their eyes.

"Gold-digging like this is never good. People should rely on their own efforts." Someone else kindly advised.

I didn't defend myself and continued to beg desperately. "You can record a video proving I asked you to call the police. Any problems are mine."

"If your travel plans are delayed even slightly and you suffer any losses, I'll compensate you ten times over."

Seeing that the women on my side were softening.

The supervisor's walkie-talkie crackled. He said a few words.

Under my constant persuasion, a woman finally took out her phone to record a video and help me call the police.

But then two teams of people in black uniforms came running over.

My heart lifted with joy. I was about to say there was no need to call the police when I saw the large words on their chests.

"Security."

"Security, over here. Someone is disturbing airport order and obstructing flight departure." The supervisor shouted loudly.

Another team in black uniforms also approached. This time it was the police.

The supervisor's face paled, but after they spoke, he looked at me triumphantly again.

"Arrest her."

"Hello, we received orders to protect the last first-class passenger to board."

"May I ask what that woman's name is?"

The airport supervisor paused, operated the computer for a moment, then turned the monitor toward the lead police officer.

"Hello, officers. This is the last first-class passenger to board. Her name is Anna."

"Thank you. We need to ensure her flight takes off smoothly. Is there a problem?"

"It's her!" The supervisor pointed at me. "This Ms. Juliet keeps saying if she doesn't board, the plane can't take off."

"She's been disrupting airport order and delaying the normal departure of the flight."

I looked at the police officers walking toward me.

Something was wrong. Weren't they supposed to be sent to protect me?

Why? Oh, right. They didn't want to leak my information prematurely.

Odom probably thought I had already boarded. This is a misunderstanding. I need to explain quickly.

Thinking this, I spoke. "Officers, this is all a misunderstanding."

"Now she says it's a misunderstanding. Who knows who was so arrogant just now, clamoring that if she didn't board, the plane couldn't take off."

"Now she's scared. The princess is about to get what's coming to her. Send some more gifts so we can celebrate."

His interruption cut off what I was about to say. I was about to continue when the police officer saluted.

"Ma'am, please come with us to the station to assist with the investigation. If we confirm you're innocent, we'll clear your name."

They moved to grab my arms and escort me out of the airport.

A surge of blood rushed to my head. I felt my whole face tighten. Anger made me shout.

"Forget the damn station! I need to get on that plane. Call your superior and ask who exactly you're supposed to be protecting!"

"I need to get to Washington to save lives, do you understand? If I don't go, many people will die!"

"I'm begging you, can you please figure out what orders you actually received?!"

"And make them turn off those livestreams. Does police work need to be a public spectacle?"

I was so angry I was speaking without thinking.

The entire police team's faces darkened. I had not only questioned their professionalism but also their intelligence.

"We're very clear about what orders we received."

"However, this colleague is right about one thing. Please turn off all livestreams and video recordings."

After speaking, two officers behind them went to check the phones of the onlookers.

The airport supervisor sidled over. "Don't be angry, officers."

"This Ms. Juliet is just like thisunreasonable. She probably has some mental problems and thinks the whole Earth belongs to her family."

"We can just take her in for criticism and education."

Then he turned to me.

"Ms. Juliet, the plane is taking off in just over ten minutes. You see, there's no way you're boarding that plane today."

"So tell me, is this plane taking off or not?"

He smiled smugly at me.

I glanced at his name tag. "Wood, Supervisor Wood."

Hearing the plane was about to take off, I actually calmed down instead.

I sat in a chair behind me, leaning against the backrest with my legs crossed.

"I said this plane can't take off. Even if it takes off, it will have to fly back for me."

"Officer, I sincerely advise you to confirm once more the name of the person you're supposed to protect."

"And check what relationship this Ms. Anna has with Supervisor Wood here."

Sure enough, hearing this, Wood's expression changed slightly.

When I heard him tell the police that the last person to board was Anna, all the airport staff members' faces changed, and their eyes all fell on Wood.

The two of them were definitely connected. I also understood why I had been prevented from boarding.

A supervisor wanted to pull strings for an acquaintance and thought he'd found a soft target.

My sudden change in tone and relaxed state made the police officer waver slightly.

But thinking of the urgent orders from above and their serious tone, he still had his team surround me. "Ma'am, you've now committed a criminal offenseobstructing flight safety. We will arrest you in accordance with the law."

Two officers lifted me from my chair, and silver handcuffs were fastened around my wrists.

They planned to drag me out of the airport by force.

A burst of more orderly, rapid footsteps approached from afar.

"Holy crap, that team is even carrying guns!"