“This aircraft belongs to my company.”
Claire stood rigidly.
Gavin's face changed.
First confusion.
Then disbelief.
Then a familiar arrogant smile returned.
“You expect me to believe that?”
Noelle didn't answer.
Instead, she looked toward Claire.
“Please have the captain confirm the aircraft ownership and my passenger assignment through operations.”
Claire immediately reached for the communication panel.
Gavin scoffed.
“This is ridiculous.”
The attendant spoke quietly into the intercom.
A brief exchange followed.
Then she looked up.
Her expression was horrified.
“Captain Mercer confirms your identity, ma'am.”
Noelle nodded.
“Thank you.”
Gavin stared.
Claire swallowed.
Then she continued.
“And he says Flight 907 is registered to Ashford Executive Aviation's operating fleet.”
For a moment, Gavin seemed to forget how to speak.
Then he forced a laugh.
“So you own the airline. Wonderful.”
He glanced toward the leather seat.
“That doesn't mean you can kick out a paying customer.”
Noelle's expression became colder.
“Ordinarily, I'd agree that every passenger deserves fair treatment under the terms of carriage.”
She paused.
“But you aren't an ordinary authorized customer.”
Gavin frowned.
“What?”
Noelle opened another screen.
Her eyes narrowed.
For a moment, she seemed almost surprised.
Then she looked toward the attendant.
“Claire, did operations give you any information about a restricted-passenger review?”
The woman shook her head.
“No, ma'am.”
Noelle exhaled slowly.
Then turned toward Gavin.
“Mr. Royce, eighteen months ago, you were permanently prohibited from traveling aboard aircraft operated by Ashford Executive Aviation.”
The billionaire froze.
Claire stared.
Noelle continued.
“Not because of a disagreement about seats.”
She stepped closer.
“Because of what happened to a member of our cabin crew on a flight departing Geneva.”
Gavin's face went pale.
For one brief instant, he looked genuinely frightened.
Then he recovered.
“That matter was settled.”
Noelle studied him.
“Your personal claim was resolved. Our internal safety restriction was not lifted.”
He swallowed.
She looked toward the manifest on her phone.
“And now I'd very much like to know who overrode that restriction and placed you in my seat.”
Gavin's jaw tightened.
For the first time since Noelle entered the cabin, he stopped chewing his gum.
Then he said something that made her entire body go still.
“You might want to think carefully before you start asking questions, Ms. Ashford.”
She looked toward him.
“Why?”
He smiled.
“Because by midnight, you may not own this company anymore.”
Three months earlier, Noelle Ashford had been sitting alone in her office overlooking Manhattan, reading a report she wished she'd never needed to receive.