The mother sputtered. “Are you kidding me? You’re siding with her? She’s being difficult on purpose!”

Captain Mitchell straightened up, his voice firm. “No, ma’am. I’m enforcing the rules. This is her assigned seat. If you want to change seats, you’ll need to ask another passenger politely or request a paid upgrade. But you will not harass other passengers who are simply sitting where they’re supposed to be.”

Murmurs rippled through the cabin. Some passengers even clapped quietly, though they stopped when the woman turned and glared.

But the captain wasn’t finished. “I’ll make this very clear: either you sit in the seats you purchased, or you’ll be removed from the aircraft. The choice is yours.”

For the first time, the entitled mom faltered. Her son tugged her sleeve, whispering, “Mom, it’s fine, let’s just go.”

She huffed dramatically, muttering under her breath about “rude people,” and stomped toward Row 17. The boy followed silently.

Captain Mitchell gave Naomi a reassuring nod. “You’re fine here. Sorry for the disruption.” Then he turned back toward the cockpit as a wave of relief spread through the plane.

Once the tension eased, Naomi exhaled, realizing she had been holding her breath. The businessman in 12C leaned toward her with a half-smile. “Good for you. Some people think the rules don’t apply to them.”