Perhaps a promise that everything would return to normal.
But Isaiah said nothing else.
He stepped into the aisle.
Then he walked toward the aircraft door.
The two airport officers followed.
Passengers watched him leave.
Daniel Foster stood near his seat.
"Mr. Carter?"
Isaiah turned.
Daniel extended his hand.
"I hope you make things right."
Isaiah shook it.
"I intend to."
Margaret Collins smiled.
"Take care of yourself."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Then Isaiah stepped onto the jet bridge.
Behind him, Victoria remained standing in the cabin.
She had spent eighteen years believing that her position gave her authority.
Now she was beginning to understand that authority without accountability was simply arrogance wearing a uniform.
But her problems were only beginning.
Because when Isaiah reached the terminal, Marcus was waiting with a folder containing the preliminary investigation.
And the first page revealed that the champagne incident was only one part of a much larger corporate scandal.
Marcus did not greet Isaiah with the usual corporate formalities.
The moment Isaiah stepped out of the jet bridge, Marcus approached him.
"Are you all right?"
Isaiah nodded.
"Just wet."
Marcus looked at the plastic bag containing the damaged hoodie.
"I saw the video."
"Then you know what happened."
"I do. And I've reviewed the first batch of reports."
Isaiah stopped walking.
"What did you find?"
Marcus opened the folder.
"Seventeen complaints involving Victoria Hayes in six months. Several were closed without proper investigation. Richard Coleman approved some of them."
Isaiah's expression changed.
"Richard?"
"Yes."
"How many?"
"At least five directly. There may be more."
Isaiah looked at the folder.
"Who reviewed the others?"
"Paul Whitaker and two regional managers."
"Do they have connections to Richard?"
"That's what Elaine is checking."
Isaiah was silent for a moment.
Then he asked, "Have you spoken to the passengers?"
"Not all of them. We have statements from several people on the flight."
"What about the people who complained before?"
"We're locating them."
"Good."
Marcus closed the folder.
"There's another issue. The video is spreading online."
Isaiah sighed.
"I expected that."
"The public relations team wants to know whether they should issue a statement confirming your identity."
Isaiah shook his head.
"Why?"
"People are asking who you are."
"Then tell them the truth about the incident."
"Without mentioning your position?"
"Especially without using my position to make the incident sound more important."
Marcus looked at him.
"You're the CEO."
"And the passengers on that aircraft were customers. Their complaints should have mattered before I ever boarded."
Marcus nodded.
"Understood."
Isaiah continued walking toward the executive lounge.
A few airport employees recognized him.
One approached cautiously.
"Mr. Carter?"
Isaiah stopped.
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry about what happened on your flight."
"Thank you."
The employee glanced toward the bag in Isaiah's hand.
"Are you going to be okay?"
Isaiah smiled.
"I'll be fine."
The employee nodded.
"Good luck, sir."
Isaiah continued walking.
When they reached the lounge, Marcus handed him a clean jacket.
"Your car is ready."
"I don't want to leave yet."
Marcus frowned.
"Why?"
"Because I want to speak with the crew."
"They're being interviewed."
"I know. I want to make sure nobody pressures them into changing their statements."
Marcus understood immediately.
"I'll arrange it."
The first interview took place in a small conference room inside the airport operations building.
Emily Parker sat at one end of the table.
She looked exhausted.
A paper cup of coffee rested between her hands.
Across from her were Elaine Brooks and an independent investigator named Samuel Grant.
Samuel was a former aviation compliance officer who had spent twenty years investigating airline safety and workplace misconduct.
Isaiah entered quietly.
Emily immediately stood.
"Mr. Carter."
"Please sit down."
She looked nervous.
"Am I in trouble?"
Isaiah shook his head.
"No. You're here because we want to understand what happened."
Samuel introduced himself.
"We'll ask you to describe the incident in your own words. You don't need to speculate about anyone's motives. Just tell us what you saw and heard."
Emily nodded.
She took a breath.
"Before boarding, Ms. Hayes told us that the first-class cabin had to be managed carefully because several passengers had special reservations."
Samuel wrote something down.
"Did she explain what that meant?"
"She said we should be alert for people who might be using corporate booking arrangements."
Elaine looked up.
"Did she mention Mr. Carter specifically?"
"No."
Emily continued.
"When Mr. Carter boarded, she looked at his clothes and asked whether he was in the correct cabin."
Samuel paused.
"Did you hear the entire conversation?"
"Most of it."
"What happened next?"
"She asked for his boarding pass. Then his identification. He showed both. She returned his ID, but she continued questioning him."
"Did he raise his voice?"
Emily shook her head.
"No. He was calm."
"Did he threaten her?"
"No."
"Did he use abusive language?"
"No."
"Then what happened?"
Emily looked down.
"She told me to bring the champagne bottle."
"Did she explain why?"
"No."
"What did you think she intended to do?"
Emily hesitated.
"I thought she wanted to serve him a drink."
Elaine leaned forward.
"Did you suspect she might pour it over him?"
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
"Not until she lifted the bottle."
"Did you attempt to stop her?"
"I told her we should contact the purser."
Samuel looked up.
"And her response?"
"She told me to return to my station."
Emily's voice became quieter.
"I didn't know what else to do."
Isaiah listened without interrupting.
Samuel asked several more questions.
Then he requested that Emily review her written statement.
She read it carefully and signed it.
When the interview ended, Isaiah remained in the room.
"Emily."
She looked up.
"Yes?"
"You did the right thing by giving an honest account."
She nodded.
"But I need to ask you something."
"Of course."
"Have you ever witnessed Ms. Hayes treating other passengers differently because of their appearance?"
Emily looked toward Elaine.
Then back at Isaiah.
"Yes."
"Can you describe it?"
"Sometimes she would ask certain passengers to show their boarding passes more than once. Other passengers wouldn't be questioned at all."