High above the clouds in the business class section of a commercial flight, I moved down the aisle with the practiced grace that came from years of experience as a flight attendant. My uniform was crisp, my posture impeccable, and my mind focused on ensuring a smooth flight for the passengers.
I paused by a couple seated by the window, completely wrapped up in their private world. The man, dressed in an immaculately tailored suit, held a small velvet box in his hand. The woman’s eyes widened with delight, shimmering as brightly as the diamonds inside.
I couldn’t help but take a second to appreciate the moment.
“May I, my gorgeous Isabella?” the man asked, his voice soft and intimate.
The woman—Isabella, I now knew—nodded eagerly, her cheeks flushed with excitement. She lifted her hair, allowing him to clasp the necklace around her neck.
“That’s a lovely shade of lipstick,” Isabella said suddenly, turning her attention to me. Her warm smile caught me off guard.
My fingers brushed my lips in reflex. “Oh—thank you. It’s my favorite,” I stammered, flustered at being caught snooping.
The man looked up at me then, smiling, and reached into his pocket. He handed me a generous tip. “Thank you for making this flight special.”
I blinked in surprise before returning his smile. “It’s my pleasure. Enjoy your journey together.”
As I walked away, their happiness stayed with me. It was the kind of moment that made my job worthwhile.
***
The next day was my only day off that weekend, and I had promised to visit my mom. As soon as I stepped through the door, she grabbed my arm, her face glowing with excitement.
“I want you to meet someone,” she said, practically dragging me forward.
I turned—and my heart nearly stopped.
Standing there, smiling as though we were strangers, was the same man from the plane. The one who had gifted Isabella that stunning necklace just yesterday.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kristi,” he said smoothly, extending his hand. “Your mother has told me so much about you.”
I stared at him, willing my expression to remain neutral as I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too,” I said carefully.
“This is Edwin,” my mom beamed. “My fiancé.”
Fiancé?
I fought to keep my shock from showing. My mother was engaged to this man? The same man I had watched propose a romantic gesture to another woman barely twenty-four hours ago?
Edwin, meanwhile, acted as though we had never met.
As if nothing had happened on that flight.
Edwin took over the kitchen with effortless ease, cooking with the confidence of a seasoned chef.
“It’s my way of showing care,” he explained as he plated an elaborate dish.
As we ate, he entertained us with stories from his travels. He had the charm of a man who knew exactly what to say and when to say it. But every time I asked something personal—where he was from, how he met my mom—his answers were vague. Evasive.
I tried to push down my unease. Maybe I had misunderstood what I saw on the plane. Maybe there was an explanation.
Or maybe my mother was being deceived.
After dinner, I decided I needed to talk to her alone.
***
The cool night air wrapped around us as we stepped onto the terrace. I turned to her, taking a deep breath.
“Mom, what do you really know about Edwin?” I asked carefully.
Her eyes sparkled. “He’s wonderful. He’s a billionaire! His father was a diamond tycoon. He’s shown me such a glamorous life.” She paused, smiling wistfully. “We’re getting married in just a few days.”
A chill ran down my spine.
“Mom, I know this is going to sound strange, but I swear I saw him on a recent flight. With another woman. He gave her a diamond necklace.”
My mother frowned. “Why are you lying? Can’t you be happy for me? Edwin loves me. You just don’t want me to move on after your father.”
“That’s not it!” I insisted. “Doesn’t this feel rushed? Suspicious?”
“Suspicious? No! It’s romantic,” she said dismissively. “You’re too young to understand.”
I sighed. “Mom, please think about this. He could be a scammer. That act on the plane—he’s like a Casanova.”
“Scammer? Kristi, that’s ridiculous. Edwin is a good man.”
I exhaled sharply. “I just don’t want to see you lose everything to a man we barely know.”
At that moment, Edwin reappeared with two glasses in his hands. “Ladies, let’s celebrate.”
“I’ll be right back,” my mom said as she left us alone.
I turned to him, lowering my voice. “I know what you’re doing.”
Edwin’s smile barely wavered. “Kristi, I only want your mother’s happiness.”
I scoffed. Without thinking, I grabbed my drink and dumped it over his head.
“You think you’re clever,” I said, my voice shaking with anger. “But I see through you. You’re a fraud.”
Just then, my mother reappeared. Her eyes widened in horror as she looked at Edwin.
“Kristi! How could you?”
Edwin dabbed at his face with a napkin.
“It’s alright,” he said smoothly. “Let’s not let this ruin our evening.”
I clenched my fists. My mom wasn’t going to believe me tonight. But I wasn’t giving up.
I was going to prove the truth.
***
The next morning, I marched into my airline’s office, heart pounding.
“I need to see the passenger list from my last flight,” I told the receptionist.
She frowned. “That’s confidential.”
“A passenger lost something valuable,” I said. “I want to help return it.”
I told the receptionist I’d heard Isabella say that she’d lost her ring on the flight. And that was true.
I’d indeed heard her say that to Edwin while she was leaving.
A few minutes later, I had Isabella’s contact information. I called her immediately.
We arranged to meet in a hotel restaurant over coffee.
At the hotel lobby, Isabella recognized me at once.
“You were my flight attendant!” she exclaimed.
“Yes,” I said. “And I have something to tell you.”
I wasted no time and told her everything about Edwin. I also shared my suspicions and what I had recently uncovered. As I spoke, her expression shifted from curiosity to frustration.
“I knew something was off,” Isabella admitted, leaning back and crossing her arms. “Edwin asked me for a large sum of money for an emergency. I trusted him, and I’m supposed to meet him soon to give it to him.”
That was all the confirmation I needed.
“This is our chance to expose him,” I said firmly. “We can set up a scenario to catch him. We’ll record everything. I’ll disguise myself. He won’t recognize me.”
Isabella’s lips pressed together before she nodded. “Let’s do it.”
We spent the next hour carefully devising our plan, going over every possible detail and reaction Edwin might have.
As I walked out of the coffee shop, nerves twisted in my stomach, but my resolve was stronger. The plan was set. Together, we were going to save my mother.
***
Later that evening, in a dimly lit upscale restaurant, Isabella sat at a table and waited for Edwin.
Meanwhile, I moved around the room unnoticed, disguised as a waitress. My heart pounded as I watched Edwin stroll in. He greeted Isabella with the same smooth charm I had seen him use before.
“Isabella, my dear, sorry to keep you waiting,” he said, sliding into his seat.
I approached their table, pretending to take their order. Isabella didn’t miss a beat, smiling as she suggested they celebrate with a bottle of red wine.
“Excellent choice,” Edwin agreed, his focus entirely on her.
I quickly brought the wine, my hands steady despite the rush of adrenaline surging through me.
“That’ll be all, thank you,” Edwin said dismissively, barely sparing me a glance before turning his attention back to Isabella.
Perfect. He had no idea who I was.
As they sipped their wine, Isabella played her part flawlessly. She leaned forward slightly, her tone casual. “Instead of giving you money, why don’t I give you something more tangible? Maybe jewelry? You were so generous to gift me diamonds, after all.”
Edwin’s eyes gleamed with interest. Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and scrolled through options. He showed her Cartier watches and designer clothes.
That was my cue.
I moved closer, pretending to refill their glasses, and at just the right moment, I “accidentally” spilled wine all over his pristine shirt.
“Damn it! My shirt!” he exclaimed, jumping up in irritation.
I widened my eyes, feigning distress. “I’m so sorry! Let me grab some club soda and napkins.”
“It’s just an accident, Edwin. Let’s not make a scene,” Isabella interjected smoothly, giving me a discreet nod.
I hurried away, but instead of getting cleaning supplies, I clutched Edwin’s real phone. My decoy still lay on the table where I had swapped them in the commotion.
Rushing into the restroom, I locked myself inside a stall and immediately began searching through his phone. My fingers flew across the screen.
It didn’t take long before I found his active dating profile.
He had sent messages to multiple women, all with the same flirty charm he had used on my mother. It wasn’t concrete proof of fraud, but it was more than enough to prove he was deceiving multiple women at once.
I exhaled, about to take a screenshot, when a loud knock made me jump.
“I know you’re in there with my phone! Come out now!” Edwin’s voice thundered through the door.
My stomach dropped.
“I’m calling the police!” he shouted, his voice sharp and urgent.
I swallowed hard, gripping the phone. My pulse hammered in my ears.
With no other choice, I squared my shoulders and opened the stall door. Edwin stood there, fury twisting his expression.
He lunged for the phone.
I dodged him.
“Stay back!” I warned him.
“Give me my phone, or you’ll regret it,” he growled, stepping closer.
And he took it away.
***
The harsh fluorescent lights of the police station buzzed overhead as I sat in a cold metal chair.
“You’re lucky Mr. Edwin hasn’t pressed charges,” a stern officer warned. “Consider this your only warning.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”
The officer scoffed. “Good intentions don’t always lead to good actions.”
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Just then, the station doors swung open, and my mother stormed in. She looked disappointed.
“This isn’t the daughter I raised,” she declared.
“Mom, I was trying to protect you from Edwin,” I said, my gaze dropping to the floor.
“Protect me by breaking the law?” she snapped, her voice sharper than I’d ever heard it. “You’ve gone too far.”
Before I could say another word, an officer stepped in. “Mr. Edwin has filed a restraining order. Any further actions will lead to arrest.”
I shut my eyes for a brief moment, willing myself to stay calm.
But my mother wasn’t done.
“I don’t want to see you anymore,” she said, finality in her tone. “Learn from this. Goodbye, Kristi.”
And just like that, she turned and walked away.
***
Later that evening, I found myself back at the same hotel where I had first met Isabella. I sat at the lobby bar, thinking about everything that had happened.
Isabella slid onto the stool next to me.
“I heard about what happened. I’m sorry,” she sighed.
“Thanks,” I said, giving her a half-smile. “But I have something to tell you… before everything went down, I changed Edwin’s password on the dating site.”
Isabella’s eyes widened with intrigue.
“That’s brilliant,” she said. “We can use that. Let’s warn the other women.”
A small, bitter laugh escaped me as we pulled out my laptop. Together, we logged into Edwin’s profile, crafting messages to alert his potential targets.
Beware of Edwin. He’s not who he claims to be. Protect your heart and your wallet, I typed.
At first, we chuckled, but as we scrolled through the long list of women Edwin had been stringing along, our laughter faded.
This man had ruined lives.
“Just think what we can do now,” Isabella said. “What we’ve started tonight is only the beginning. Edwin has no idea what’s coming for him.”
“You’re right,” I said, closing the laptop.
“Let’s make him wait until the wedding,” she said as a plan formed in her mind. “We’ll make sure it’s going to be an unforgettable day for him.”
***
The morning sun cast a golden glow over the city chapel, its grand entrance decorated with pristine white flowers. Inside, Edwin stood at the altar in a sharp black tuxedo, waiting to marry my mother.
But he had no idea that today was the last time he’d ever get away with his Casanova scam.
Hidden among the trees, I watched as the ceremony began. A murmur rippled through the guests, growing louder with every passing second.
Then came the sharp clicks echoing against the chapel floor as one woman, then another, then dozens more entered the room.
Women Edwin had deceived.
A woman in a bright red dress stepped forward, her voice slicing through the ceremony like a knife.
“Scammer!” she shouted.
Edwin’s smile faltered. His eyes darted around the room, confusion quickly turning to horror as he recognized familiar faces.
“He’s a liar!” another woman yelled.
“You won’t get away with this!” a third added, her voice laced with fury.
And just like that, the ceremony collapsed into chaos.
Before Edwin could react, someone hurled a slice of wedding cake at him, the thick cream splattering across his face. He stumbled back in shock.
Then he did the only thing he could. He ran.
Or at least, he tried.
As he bolted down the aisle, a guest stuck out their foot, and Edwin landed face-first into a decorative flower bed.
The women swarmed him, wielding handbags, shoes, and anything else within reach as they shouted accusations.
According to our plan, the police arrived a few moments later and dragged Edwin away. His tuxedo was torn and his hair was a mess.
The chapel buzzed with hushed conversations as the guests saw the police take him away.
That’s when I stepped out from my hiding spot and faced my mother. She was crying, and didn’t say a word.
She just shook her head at me before getting into a car and driving away.
I let out a slow breath, watching her leave.
She was too proud to admit she had been wrong. But I knew she would, eventually.
And in the meantime, I would make sure Edwin faced the full extent of the law.
warmly. “Come on in.”