Kristi took care of an affluent couple in business class who were very close to one another. She was astonished to learn the same man was engaged to her mother the next day. Although Kristi felt she had to take action, she was unaware of what she was going to do.
Elevated over the clouds within the business class section of a commercial aircraft, Kristi, attired in her immaculate flight attendant outfit, glided down the aisle with a deft touch.
She passed a couple who were curled up by the window, lost in thought. With his well-tailored suit, the guy gave the woman a tiny velvet box, and her eyes gleamed like fireworks.
A dainty necklace glittered as he opened it, the stones strewing kaleidoscopic hues across their seats. Kristi stopped her rounds for a moment as her eyes grew wide.
With a hint of eagerness in his voice, the guy murmured to his partner, “May I, my gorgeous Isabella?” With a nod, she raised her hair to allow him to fasten the necklace, her cheeks flushing.
“Kristi, how lovely is that lipstick shade?” the woman exclaimed, beaming warmly at Kristi.
Kristi brushed her lips, looking affected and flustered. “Thank you, it’s my favorite,” she stammered in response to being discovered to be prying.
With a broad smile, the man extended his tip to Kristi. He truly added, “Thank you for making this flight special.”
“I enjoy it. Enjoy your trip together,” Kristi said, her heart thumping with each step as she continued, the happiness of the pair still fresh in her memory.
***
Her sole day off that weekend was the next day, and Kristi had made a commitment to see her mother. The elder woman welcomed her to Edwin, her new fiancé, and took her arm upon arrival.
But he was the same man on the airline who had handed a stunning diamond jewelry to a younger woman. Although Kristi’s amazement stopped her, she controlled her face.
“Kristi, it’s a joy to meet you. “I’ve heard so much about you from your mother,” Edwin began with a casual wave of his hand, as though they had never met.
She nodded warily, playing along for her mother’s sake. “Nice to meet you too,” she said.
Then Edwin took charge of the kitchen and prepared a dinner with all the flare of an experienced cook. He served food with ease, explaining, “It’s my way of showing care.”
While they dined, Edwin entertained them with tales from his adventures; nevertheless, he just gave a hazy response when Kristi delved more into his background.
She wasn’t sure what to say to her mother, but that simply made matters worse. Could her assessment of him be off?
In an attempt to help her mother decompress, Kristi took her outside after supper.
***
She needed the refreshing wind from the patio to prepare herself for some challenging inquiries. “Mom, what do you really know about Edwin?” Kristi thoroughly questioned.
“He’s amazing. The son of a diamond tycoon and billionaire. Her mother said, “He’s shown me such a glamorous life,” her eyes gleaming. “We’re getting married in 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 said.
Her mom scowled. “What makes you telling lies? Would you not be pleased for me? Edwin adores me. Simply put, you don’t want me to date anybody else after your father passed away.”
“That’s not the case! Isn’t his sudden movement strange? Kristi got into a fight.
“Weird? No, it’s sentimental. You’re not old enough to comprehend. “Love is Edwin’s main focus,” her mother shook her head.
Kristi let out a sigh. “Mom, please consider this. He may be a con artist. He’s like a Casanova, that act on the plane.”
“Trailer? That’s ludicrous, Kristi. Edwin is a decent man. Her mom stood up for her.
Desperate to make her understand, Kristi added, “I just don’t want to see you lose everything to a man we barely know.”
But just then, Edwin showed up with a drink in his hand.He said, “Ladies, let’s celebrate,” and Kristi’s mother momentarily excused herself.
Once alone, Kristi couldn’t contain her annoyance and scowled at Edwin.
She exposed what she witnessed him doing on the aircraft, demanding to know “how can you manipulate my mother’s feelings?”
Edwin’s lip curled slightly. “Kristi, all I want is the best for your mother. There’s no need to be hostile.”
With a sneer, she doused his head with alcohol. You believe you are smart, but I can see right through you. I’ll make sure you don’t harm my mom,” she adamantly said. “You’re not real!”
Her eyes widened at the orange slice still dripping from Edwin’s face when her mother finally showed up. “How could you, Kristi? I’m terribly sorry, Edwin.”
Edwin gave her comfort. It’s okay. Let’s try not to let this spoil our night.
Kristi’s scowl grew as her mother attended to the con artist, realizing she would not be victorious that evening. But she understood that in order to keep her mother safe, she had to show Edwin’s true colors.
All it would take is some time.
At that moment, she recalled something crucial from the day of the flight: she had seen Edwin—and Isabella.
***
After gathering her confidence, Kristi paced outside the airline office and went inside. A kind agent met her at the front desk. “Happy morning! How may I help you right now?”
“I require access to my most recent flight’s passenger list. It’s significant “Kristi stammered through her sentence.
“That is private information. Why do you need that, may I ask?” The agent enquired, her brow wrinkled.
“A passenger left something valuable,” Kristi replied, trying not to show her anxiety. To help return it, please.
The person led Kristi to a private office and said, “Okay, I can’t show you the list, but I can help if you give me more details.”
Once seated, Kristi said that as they exited, a lady by the name of Isabella was lamenting about having misplaced her jewels.
The agent attested that the jewelry had really been located by the Lost & Found division, which had received Isabella’s complaint of a missing item.
Could I give it back to her on my own? Coming from someone who was on the airplane, it may signify more,” Kristi enquired.
Isabella’s jewelry and contact information were sent to Kristi following her signature on a release form. After making plans to meet in a hotel lobby the next day, she gave the odd woman a call.
***
In a gorgeous hotel coffee shop, Kristi walked up to Isabella, the same lady Edwin had been kissing on her last trip, and she knew right once.
“You were the flight attendant on my last trip, weren’t you?” Startled, Isabella enquired.
“Yeah, I did that. “The world is small.”
Kristi immediately launched into it, filling her in on Edwin, her suspicions, and all of her other knowledge. The youthful lady scowled, annoyed.
“I sensed there was a problem. Edwin requested a big payment from me in case of an emergency. “I gave it to him because I trusted him,” Isabella said, bending back and crossing her arms. “I’m supposed to meet him soon.”
That was their moment to expose him, Kristi informed her. “We can arrange for him to be caught. Everything will be recorded. “I’ll hide so he won’t know who I am,” she prepared.
Isabella nodded, and over the next hour they worked out their plan, considering every angle and Edwin’s possible response.
Kristi felt anxious yet determined as she walked out of the coffee shop. They had a plan in place, and they were going to save her mother together.
***
The young woman waited, swirling her wine glass, at a darkly lit posh restaurant where Isabella had made arrangements to meet Edwin and pay him the money he requested.
While Edwin boldly entered and welcomed Isabella, Kristi, posing as a waiter, observed from across the room.
He sat down and said, “Isabella, my dear, sorry to keep you waiting.”
Isabella played along admirably when Kristi came to their table to take their order and suggested they celebrate with red wine.
“Well done,” Edwin said, maintaining eye contact with Isabella. Kristi delivered the wine swiftly, her pulse pounding with every step.
With a fleeting glance at Kristi, Edwin remarked, “That’ll be all, thank you.” To acknowledge her identity was insufficient. His focus swiftly returned to his date.
As they sipped their wine, Isabella proposed that since he had been so kind as to give her diamonds, she should offer him a present instead of cash. Perhaps something more substantial, like jewelry.
Drawn in, Edwin took out his phone to provide her with a few alternatives, ranging from expensive clothing to Cartier and Rolex watches.
Kristi noticed her opportunity as soon as his phone was on the table. She spilled some wine over Edwin’s shirt while feigning to refill their wine cups.
“Oh no! My shirt!” he yelled, leaping to his feet in annoyance.
Edwin, it’s simply an accident. With a subtle look toward Kristi, Isabella reassured him, “Let’s not create a scene.
After apologizing profusely, Kristi raced off, saying she had to go get napkins and club soda.
During the chaos, she had replaced Edwin’s unlocked phone with a temporary dummy and hurried to the bathroom to check the actual one.
After spending many minutes looking, Kristi found Edwin’s live dating page and seductive messages that resembled the ones he’d written to her mother.
Though not the indisputable evidence she had hoped for, it was nonetheless concerning. Thus, in a desperate attempt to catch Edwin, Kristi began to type a message.
Then she was startled by a knock. “I’m aware that you’re inside with my phone! Leave right away!” Edwin bellowed from outdoors.
With a firm and urgent tone, he exclaimed, “I’m calling the police!”
Kristi got up, holding her phone, her pulse racing. She pulled open the stall door, putting Edwin in a tight situation. As he reached at the phone, Kristi sidestepped him.
With her back to the chilly bathroom wall, she yelled, “Stay back!”
“Give me my phone, or you’ll regret it!” Edwin rounded on her, his hand out. Kristi wailed, waiting for help to arrive and anticipating what may happen next.
***
Kristi sat beneath the icy glare of fluorescent lights in a sterile police station.
“Lucky you!” “Because Mr. Edwin hasn’t filed charges, this is your only warning,” a stern officer said.
Kristi nodded, speaking in a low tone. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”
The police officer said, “Good intentions don’t always lead to good actions,” and turned to go.
Her mother suddenly barged through the doors, displeasure written all over her face. She spoke the words, “Kristi, this isn’t the daughter I raised,” with much passion.
Kristi said, “Mom, I was trying to protect you from Edwin,” as she bowed.
Her mother furiously said, “Protect me by breaking the law?” “You’ve gone too far.”
A policeman stepped in. “A restraining order had been sought by Mr. Edwin. “Any additional actions will result in an arrest.”
Kristi closed her eyes, but she received no comfort from her mother.
“I wish not to see you in the future. Take this to heart. “Goodbye, Kristi,” murmured the elderly woman as she walked out.
***
Kristi went back to the hotel where she and Isabella had first met, and she sat at the bar in the lobby. Isabella snuggled beside her and nursed a hard drink.
“I was informed of the events. She linked her fingers on the bar’s surface and moaned, “I’m sorry.
With a faint smile, Kristi responded, “Thanks.” “But before everything went down, I changed Edwin’s password on the dating site.”
“That’s brilliant,” a curious Isabella said in response. “That’s useful to us. Let us caution the other females.
Together, Kristi and Edwin created many messages on Edwin’s dating site in an attempt to notify his prospects as they laughed.
“Watch out for Edwin. He’s not the person he says he is. Keep your wallet and your heart safe,” Kristi firmly wrote.
Upon realizing how far this man would go to con ladies out of their one, their first laughing eventually became to a determined quiet.
Isabella clasped Kristi’s hand and closed her laptop, realizing it was late at night.
And remember, this is only the beginning of what we’ve started tonight. Edwin is unaware of what is ahead for him. Await the nuptials—it promises to be a spectacular occasion.”
***
Edwin was getting ready to marry Kristi’s mother at the municipal chapel under a golden glow created by the rising sun. Edwin was wearing a fine black tuxedo.
He was unaware, though, that this was the final time he would ever get away with pulling off his Casanova trick.
As the ceremony started, Kristi was watching from the woods, her heart racing. Abruptly, a strange whisper swept across the assembly.
As the first woman arrived at the chapel, followed by many more, heels began clicking on the ground. They were all ladies Edwin had tricked.
A brilliant red-dressed woman cried out, “Scammer!” Her words broke the seriousness of the event.
Edwin scowled when he recognized her and the others, his uncertainty turning to terror.
Another said, “He’s a liar!”
A third person said, “You won’t get away with this!”
There was pandemonium during the ceremony. Edwin was covered in cream when a woman smashed a piece of wedding cake into his face.
As he began to run down the aisle, one of the guests tripped him, causing him to fall into a flower bed.
The ladies descended in droves, yelling accusations and enacting retribution with purses, shoes, and flower arrangements.
Eventually, the cops broke up the gathering and escorted a disheveled Edwin out. The chapel hummed with whispered talks and sporadic cries as peace restored.
As her mother was leaving the chapel with tears streaming down her cheeks, Kristi emerged from her hiding place. Shaking her head, the elderly woman got into a car.
She was too arrogant to acknowledge her own mistakes. Kristi, though, would hold off and allow her enough time to mourn. She would make sure Edwin understood the entire impact of the law in the interim.