Three months later, she quit.
Claire knew.
Everybody did.
Not details.
Outcome.
The lesson traveled informally:
Reporting powerful passengers costs you.
Simone read the file at 1:14 in the morning.
David sat across from her in a private-terminal conference room.
“You knew?”
She asked.
“Not this case.”
“You knew complaints existed.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t I get this before closing?”
“It was coded client-specific service dispute.”
Simone closed eyes.
There it was again.
Classification.
She had seen that in other businesses.
Change the label.
Change what executives see.
“Who coded it?”
“Service leadership.”
“Name.”
David looked at tablet.
“Caroline West recommended initial classification.”
Simone looked up.
“And approved?”
“Regional cabin director.”
“Who?”
“Nathan Geller.”
Simone knew the name.
He had been with SkyLuxe twelve years.
He had sat across from her at acquisition meetings.
Polished.
Helpful.
Repeatedly described turnover as “post-pandemic labor instability.”
Simone felt cold.
“Call him.”
“At one fourteen?”
“Yes.”
David almost smiled.
Then saw she was serious.
Nathan joined by video twelve minutes later.
Hair flattened on one side.
He looked terrified.
“Simone.”
She hated first-name familiarity from people who used it only after acquisition.
“Mr. Geller.”
He straightened.
“What can I clarify?”
Simone slid Tasha’s complaint into camera view.
“Why was this coded service dispute?”
Nathan’s eyes changed.
“I’d need to review.”
“You approved it.”
“I approve hundreds.”
“So review now.”
He scrolled.
Silence.
Then:
“The passenger disputed characterization.”
“That does not answer classification.”
“We didn’t have corroboration.”
“Were there witnesses?”
Nathan hesitated.
“One crew member said she saw physical contact but could not determine intent.”
“Who?”
He checked.
“Caroline.”
Simone looked toward David.
That complicated.
Not cover-up alone.
Caroline had partially corroborated.
“What happened to Tasha’s schedule?”
Nathan looked uncomfortable.
“We separated her from the client.”
“Why did total hours decrease?”
“Availability.”
“Her availability records show no change.”
Nathan said nothing.
Simone continued.
“Performance concerns?”
“She had some.”
“Before complaint?”
He searched.
“No formal.”
“After?”