"Excuse me," Richard said, his voice loud enough to cut through the low murmur of the cabin.

Maya lowered her book. "Yes?"

"I think you're in the wrong seat," he said, not as a question, but as a statement of fact.

Maya offered a tight, polite smile. "I can assure you, I am not."

"Look," Richard sighed, running a hand through his thinning hair. "My colleague is supposed to be sitting there. We have a very important merger to discuss on this flight. I’m going to need you to gather your things and head back to Economy where you belong. I’m sure there’s been a ticketing error."

Maya’s smile vanished. The sheer audacity of his demand was staggering. "Sir, I have a confirmed ticket for Seat 2A. If your colleague is missing, I suggest you speak with the gate agent. I will not be moving."

Richard’s face reddened. "Do you know who I am? I fly hundreds of thousands of miles with this airline. I'm a Diamond Elite member. You need to move, now."