Kristi looked after a wealthy, affectionate business couple. The next day, she was shocked to see the same man engaged to her mother. Kristi felt she had to act but didn’t know what she would unleash.

Kristi, dressed in her flight attendant costume, gracefully strolled the aisle in business class.

She stopped at a couple enjoying their privacy by the window. The woman’s eyes lit up like the 4th of July when the man in a sharply tailored suit delivered a little velvet box.

A delicate necklace caught his eye, its stones throwing prismatic colors across their chairs. Kristi paused her rounds as her eyes expanded.

“May I, my gorgeous Isabella?” he whispered, excited. She nodded, blushing, as she lifted her hair for him to clasp the necklace.

“That’s a lovely shade of lipstick,” she replied, smiling at Kristi.

Kristi stroked her lips, flustered. She stammered, “Thank you, it’s my favorite,” embarrassed by being discovered snooping.

Man smiled at Kristi and gave her a large gratuity. He gratefully thanked them for making the flight special.

It’s my joy. Enjoy your journey together,” Kristi said, her heart fluttering as she walked on, remembering the couple’s delight.

***

Kristi vowed to see her mother on her one weekend day off. Once there, the older woman took her arm and introduced her to Edwin, her new fiancé.

Except he was the aircraft passenger who gave a younger woman a magnificent diamond jewelry. Her sh..o.ck froze her, but she controlled her expression.

Hi Kristi, nice to meet you. Edwin remarked calmly, offering his hand as if they had never met, “Your mother has told me so much about you.”

She timidly said, “Nice to meet you too,” for her mother.

Edwin then took over the kitchen and cooked like a pro. “It’s my way of showing care,” he said, serving plates easily.

Edwin told anecdotes from his trips while they ate, but when Kristi delved deeper, he simply responded vaguely.

It made matters worse, but she didn’t know what to tell her mother. Can she be wrong about him?

Kristi took her mother outside after supper to clear her head.

***

A fresh terrace air was just what she needed before asking harsh questions. “What do you know about Edwin, Mom?” Kristi inquired attentively.

He’s great. A diamond tycoon’s millionaire son. He showed me such a glamorous life,” her mother said, beaming. “Just a few days until our wedding!”

Kristi insisted, “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.”

Her mother frowned. “Why lie? Aren’t you glad for me? My Edwin adores me. You don’t want me with another man after your father’s death.”

Not that! Doesn’t his rapid motion seem odd? Kristi argued.

“Odd? It’s romantic. You’re too young to comprehend. Mother shook her head. Edwin is about love.

Kristi sighed. “Please consider, Mom. He may be crook. He resembles Casanova in his plane act.

“Scammer? Kristi, that’s crazy. Good dude Edwin!” her mother defended.

Kristi urgently tried to explain, “I just don’t want to see you lose everything to a man we barely know.”

Edwin arrived with beverages at that moment.“Ladies, let’s celebrate,” he remarked happily, and Kristi’s mother excused herself.

Kristi frowned at Edwin when they were alone and couldn’t hold back.

She asked, “How can you manipulate my mother’s feelings?” describing what he did on the plane.

A smile fell from Edwin. I only want your mother’s happiness, Kristi. No need for hostility.”

She mocked and drank over him. You think you’re smart, but I see through you. She vowed not to let you damage my mother. You’re fake!

Edwin’s orange slice was still leaking when her mother appeared, bulging her eyes. “How could Kristi? I apologize, Edwin.

Edwin comforted her. It’s OK. This shouldn’t ruin our evening.”

Kristi frowned as her mother treated the scammer and understood she would never win that night. She knew she had to prove Edwin’s true nature to save her mother.

It would take time.

She recalled a crucial event from the flight, where she saw Edwin and Isabella.

***

Kristi gathered her courage outside the airline office before entering. A friendly employee met her at the front desk. “Good morning! How may I help today?

“I need my last flight’s passenger list. “It’s important,” Kristi stammered.

“That’s private. Why do you need it? The agent questioned, frowning.

Kristi responded, “A passenger left something valuable,” trying to mask her uneasiness. Let me help return it.”

“Okay, I can’t show you the list, but I can help if you give me more details,” the agent told Kristi, escorting her to a private office.

Kristi told passengers that Isabella misplaced her jewelry and was talking about it as they disembarked.

The operator said the Lost & Found department received Isabella’s missing item report and found the jewelry.

Could I give it back to her? It may imply more from a flight passenger, Kristi wondered.

Kristi received Isabella’s jewelry and contact info after signing a release. She called the mysterious woman to meet in a hotel lobby the next day.

***

Kristi was immediately recognized by Isabella, the woman Edwin was friendly with on her last journey, in a gorgeous hotel coffee shop.

Are you the flight attendant from my last trip? Surprised, Isabella asked.

“That was me. The world is small.”

Kristi immediately told her about Edwin, her concerns, and everything else. The dissatisfied girl frowned.

“I sensed trouble. For an emergency, Edwin requested a significant sum. Isabella leaning back and crossing her arms said, “I trusted him, and I’m supposed to meet him soon to give him it.”

Kristi said that was their chance to expose him. We can build up a trap for him. We’ll videotape everything. She wanted to disguise herself so he wouldn’t recognize me.

Isabella agreed, and they spent an hour planning their strategy, considering every aspect and Edwin’s reaction.

Kristi left the coffee shop scared yet determined. They would save her mother together.

***

Twirling her wine glass, Isabella waited in a darkly lit fancy restaurant to meet Edwin and pay him the money he requested.

Kristi, disguised as a waitress, observed Edwin confidently welcome Isabella from across the room.

“Isabella, my dear, sorry to keep you waiting,” he sat.

Isabella played along well when Kristi took their order and suggested red wine to celebrate.

“Excellent choice,” Edwin said, watching Isabella. Walking hurriedly, Kristi delivered the wine, her heart thumping.

Edwin responded, “That’ll be all, thank you,” gazing momentarily at Kristi. It wasn’t enough to recognize her. He suddenly focused on his date.

Isabella recommended giving him jewelry instead of money as they sipped wine as he had given her diamonds.

Edwin showed her luxury clothes and Cartier and Rolex watches on his phone, intrigued.

Once his phone was on the table, Kristi sensed her chance. When she feigned to replenish their wine glasses, she poured on Edwin’s shirt.

Damn it! Jumping in anger, he said, “My shirt!”

Edwin, it’s an accident. Let’s not fight,” Isabella told him, nodding to Kristi.

Kristi apologised profusely and ran off to get club soda and napkins.

She ran to the restroom to check Edwin’s unlocked phone after swapping it with a decoy during the hubbub.

Kristi found Edwin’s dating page and seductive messages like those he sent her mother after a few minutes.

Not the definitive proof she wanted, but disturbing. As a last resort, Kristi typed a message to trap Edwin.

She was startled by a knock. “I know you have my phone! Come out!” Edwin yelled outdoors.

“I’m calling the police!” he shouted.

Kristi stood, phone in hand, pulse racing. She opened the stall door to a heated standoff with Edwin. Kristi dodged his phone grab.

With her back against the cold restroom wall, she warned, “Stay back!”

Give me my phone or you’ll regret it! Edwin cornered her, reaching out. Kristi shouted, praying for help and preparing for the worst.

***

Fluorescent lights glared at Kristi in a sterile police station.

“You’re lucky Mr. Edwin hasn’t pressed charges,” a stern officer said, “Consider this your only warning.”

Small-voiced Kristi nodded. “I thought I was doing right.”

“Good intentions don’t always lead to good actions,” the cop said, leaving.

She was disappointed when her mother rushed through the doors. “Kristi, this isn’t the daughter I raised,” she said, emotional.

“Mom, I was trying to protect you from Edwin,” Kristi said, looking down.

Protect me by breaching the law? Her mother snapped. “You’ve overstepped.”

A cop intervened. Mr. Edwin requested a restraining order. Any additional action will result in arrest.”

Kristi closed her eyes, but her mother didn’t stop.

“I’m done seeing you. Learn from this. Before leaving, the elderly woman bid goodbye to Kristi.

***

Kristi sat at the lobby bar at the hotel where she met Isabella. Isabella slid behind her while drinking a hard drink.

“I was informed. I’m sorry,” she sighed, touching the bar.

“Thanks,” Kristi half-smiled. “But before everything went down, I changed Edwin’s dating site password.”

“That’s brilliant,” Isabella said, curious. “We can use that. We should warn other women.”

They chuckled as Kristi entered onto Edwin’s dating profile and wrote multiple messages to alert his targets.

Watch out for Edwin. He’s not who he claims. Protect your heart and wallet, Kristi typed carefully.

As they saw how far this man would go to defraud women, their laughter turned to stillness.

Isabella gripped Kristi’s hand and closed her laptop late at night.

“And remember, tonight is just the beginning. Edwin has no idea what awaits him. The wedding will be unforgettable!”

***

Edwin, dressed in a black tuxedo, prepared to marry Kristi’s mother at the city chapel as the rising sun illuminated it.

He had no idea that today was his last chance to pull off his Casanova scheme.

As the ceremony began, Kristi watched from the trees, her pulse racing. A strange murmur erupted throughout the throng.

One woman, then another, and many more arrived at the chapel with clicking heels. All were ladies Edwin lied to.

A bright red-dressed woman shouted, “Scammer!” She broke the ceremony’s seriousness.

As Edwin recognized her and others, his uncertainty turned to dread.

“He’s a liar!” exclaimed another.

“You won’t get away with this!” added a third.

The ceremony turned chaotic. One woman slammed one piece of wedding cake into Edwin’s face, coating him in cream.

He ran down the aisle, but a guest tripped him and he fell into a flower bed.

Women swarmed, yelling accusations and using handbags, shoes, and flowers for revenge.

After clearing the gathering, cops dragged a disheveled Edwin away. The chapel buzzed with quiet talks and sobs as peace returned.

Kristi emerged from her hiding place as her mother left the chapel, crying. She shook her head and got in a car.

Her mother was too proud to apologize. Kristi waited to let her grieve. She would ensure Edwin felt the full law in the interim.