Moments later, the man in 3B, a white business traveler, requested champagne. Rebecca poured without hesitation. Angela’s chest tightened as she watched the bubbles rise in his glass. The sting wasn’t about alcohol—it was about being dismissed, made to feel she didn’t belong.

Angela turned to the window, her thoughts racing. Was this really happening in 2023?

She had faced bias in courtrooms, restaurants, even boardrooms. Now it followed her thirty thousand feet above the ground.

Rebecca moved on, convincing herself it was a trivial choice. But unease prickled. She glanced back. Angela’s calm, steady gaze cut through her composure, and regret flickered.

Half an hour later, the cabin quieted. The man beside Angela enjoyed a second glass of champagne, while Angela’s untouched water sat on the tray. She replayed the refusal in her mind. Angela wasn’t only an attorney—she was a civil rights advocate who had spent her career defending fairness. Staying silent gnawed at her dignity.