Marcus opened his tablet again.
A report from the company's operations department appeared on the screen.
It contained information about customer satisfaction, employee retention, aircraft punctuality, and service quality.
He reviewed several figures before noticing a message from his executive assistant.
The message asked whether he had arrived safely and whether the morning's travel arrangements had gone according to plan.
Marcus typed a brief response.
Everything is fine. Continue with the scheduled afternoon meeting.
He then returned to the report.
Across the aisle, Aurelia was staring at the small screen in front of her.
She had tried watching a movie but could not concentrate.
Her mind kept returning to the confrontation.
She replayed every sentence.
The way she had pointed at Marcus.
The way she had spoken to Sarah.
The way she had assumed that a young man in a hoodie could not possibly belong in first class.
She felt increasingly uncomfortable.
Eventually, she turned toward Marcus.
"Mr. Sterling?"
Marcus looked up.
"Yes, Mrs. Vance?"
"May I ask you something?"
"Certainly."
She hesitated.
"Why do you dress like that?"
Marcus glanced down at his hoodie.
Then he smiled slightly.
"Because it's comfortable."
Aurelia looked surprised.
"That's all?"
"That's all."
"But don't you think people might misunderstand?"
"Some people might."
"Doesn't that bother you?"
Marcus considered the question.
"Not particularly."
He placed his tablet aside.
"Why should I spend my life dressing to satisfy strangers?"
Aurelia looked toward the window.
"I suppose you have a point."
Marcus continued.
"I attend formal events when necessary. I meet investors in business attire. I wear appropriate clothing for the occasion. But when I am traveling privately, comfort matters more to me than making an impression."
Aurelia nodded slowly.
"I've always believed that appearance matters."
"It can matter," Marcus replied. "But there is a difference between presenting yourself appropriately and judging another person based on what they wear."
Aurelia looked down at her white designer suit.
She had spent several thousand dollars on it.
That morning, she had felt proud of every detail.
Now she wondered why she had been so concerned about the clothing of a stranger.
Marcus continued.
"I have met people wearing ordinary clothes who have built extraordinary businesses. I have met people wearing expensive suits who treat everyone around them terribly. Clothing tells you something about someone's preferences. It tells you very little about their character."
Aurelia was quiet.
After a moment, she asked another question.
"Do you always travel like this?"
"Whenever I can."
"Without telling anyone who you are?"
"Usually."
"Why?"
Marcus leaned back.
"Because I don't want people to behave differently simply because they recognize my name."
He looked around the cabin.
"When executives visit a company office, employees often prepare for weeks. Reports are polished. Managers become unusually attentive. Everyone wants to show the best possible version of the business."
Aurelia listened.
"But real operations happen on ordinary days. Real customers travel when the CEO isn't present. Real employees deal with difficult situations when nobody from headquarters is watching."
He paused.
"If I only observe the company during carefully arranged visits, I learn very little."
Aurelia looked genuinely interested now.
"Has that approach actually helped you?"
"More than I can explain."
Marcus told her about one of his earlier unannounced inspections.
Several months after becoming CEO, he had boarded a domestic flight wearing a plain jacket and carrying an old backpack.
During that trip, he noticed that an elderly passenger was struggling to lift a suitcase into the overhead compartment.