I boarded the plane on a weary afternoon after a long business trip.

Honestly, I wasn’t feeling my best — a mild fever had left me weak and a little sweaty. All I wanted was to sit quietly, close my eyes, and rest until we landed.

My seat was next to a middle-aged woman, elegantly dressed, with an air of superiority that was hard to ignore. The moment I settled in, I dabbed my forehead with a tissue. That tiny gesture seemed to offend her. She wrinkled her nose, pressed the call button, and pointed straight at me when the flight attendant arrived.

“He’s making me uncomfortable,” she snapped. “He doesn’t look healthy, and I refuse to sit next to him for the entire flight!”

I was taken aback, about to explain that I was fine and not contagious, but the attendant remained professional and composed.

“For the safety and comfort of everyone,” the attendant said evenly, “we’d like to resolve this in the most considerate way. If necessary, we can arrange a seat change.”

The woman’s face turned red, her voice sharp.

“I’m not moving because of him! I paid for this seat!”

The attendant turned toward me, lowering her voice kindly.

“We can move you if you’re okay with it. There is one free seat available.”

I sighed softly and nodded.

“Alright. If it helps, I don’t mind.”

The woman’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.

“Of course! Move him! I don’t want to deal with this for the whole flight!”

“Perfect,” the attendant replied. “The only free seat is in business class. There you’ll be able to relax, and we’ll serve dinner and drinks. Please follow me.”

For a moment, the cabin went silent. I rose from my seat, lifted my bag, and followed the attendant. As I walked past the woman, I caught a glimpse of her face — at first frozen in disbelief, then twisted with envy and anger. She muttered something under her breath, but no one was paying attention anymore.

In business class, a wide, comfortable seat awaited me. A chilled drink was placed at my side almost immediately. As I leaned back, I couldn’t help but smile. Sometimes arrogance and selfishness backfire in the most ironic of ways, turning into lessons no one forgets.

Meanwhile, back in economy, I could only imagine the woman sitting stiffly in her seat — her earlier triumph replaced with a gnawing mix of regret and resentment.