The private terminal had fallen completely silent.
Richard Hayes stood beside the aircraft, staring at the security officers who had just informed him that the entire incident had been recorded.
Victoria Bennett remained beside her daughter, holding her injured hand.
"Captain Hayes," Victoria said, "you will remain here until our investigation is complete."
Richard shook his head.
"This is ridiculous! I've flown for your company for fifteen years. You can't destroy my career over one mistake!"
Victoria looked at him steadily.
"Fifteen years of service doesn't give you permission to humiliate another human being."
Richard glanced at Olivia.
"Miss Bennett, please. I didn't recognize you. I thought you were trying to board without authorization. I'm sorry."
Olivia looked at him quietly.
"You had my boarding pass. You never even checked it."
Richard didn't answer.
"You didn't ask me a single question before pushing me. You decided I didn't belong there simply because of how I looked."
His face turned red.
Victoria turned to the operations manager.
"Show me the passenger manifest and the boarding authorization."
The manager immediately opened his tablet.
Within seconds, Olivia's name appeared on the official passenger list. Her reservation had been confirmed three weeks earlier, and the aircraft's ownership records clearly showed that the flight was scheduled for Victoria's family.
But something else caught the manager's attention.
"Madam, there's a problem with the digital passenger log."