The boarding pass touched the counter.
Monica Hayes placed it carefully beneath the bright airport light.
Emily Parker picked it up.
She barely looked at it.
Her eyes moved across the paper for less than two seconds before her expression hardened.
โMaโam, this ticket is fake. You're wasting my time.โ
She pushed it back.
Monica didn't move.
The airport around them seemed strangely distant.
She looked at the boarding pass.
Then at Emily.
โYou barely checked it.โ
Emily gave a small, impatient smile.
โI know what I'm looking at.โ
Monica slowly straightened.
Her fingers rested beside the ticket.
โThen check again.โ
Emily sighed.
She glanced at Monica's deep-plum coat, modest navy handbag and simple wristwatch.
Then she looked back at the boarding pass.
โYou're holding up the business-class line.โ
Monica's eyes narrowed slightly.
โI'm standing exactly where my ticket says I should be.โ
Emily pushed the ticket toward her.
โThen prove it.โ
Monica stared at her.
She didn't raise her voice.
She didn't argue immediately.
She simply held Emily's gaze.
There was something unusual about her calmness.
Emily didn't notice.
She had already decided what she was looking at.
And she was certain she was right.