We spent the next few days in London trying to focus on the positive. Mia and Lucas were thrilled by the landmarks we visited—the Tower of London, the London Eye, the streets of Covent Garden. Sarah and I took turns holding the kids’ hands, watching their eyes light up with every new adventure. For those few days, it was easy to forget the chaos of the airport lounge incident, the stress from American Airlines, and most of all, Karen’s manipulations.
But I knew it wouldn’t last forever. Once we returned to the States, the fight would continue, and I wasn’t sure if I was prepared for it.
The evening before we were set to fly back to Dallas, Sarah and I were in our hotel room, packing up our things when I got another message. This time, it was from an unfamiliar number, and the words that appeared on my screen made my stomach churn.
“Hello, Mr. Miller,
This is Karen Sullivan. I wanted to inform you that I have already reached out to corporate at American Airlines regarding the incident in the lounge. They’ve assured me that the matter is being reviewed internally. I would also like to inform you that I have filed a formal complaint against you and your family for harassment. I expect this to be handled swiftly, and I will not be deterred.”
Regards,
Karen Sullivan
The message hit me like a slap to the face. I had suspected that Karen wouldn’t just walk away from this, but seeing her threats so blatantly laid out made my blood boil. Harassment? She had the audacity to claim I harassed her after she’d humiliated my family, tried to take our reserved seats, and manipulated airport staff with false accusations?
Sarah walked over to me, reading the message over my shoulder, her eyes widening with disbelief. “Is she serious? She’s filing a complaint against us?”
I nodded, feeling the rage bubbling up. “She’s trying to make us out to be the bad guys. She’s already contacted corporate. This isn’t just about the lounge anymore. She’s out for revenge, Sarah.”
Sarah’s face twisted in frustration. “This is insane. You’re right. She’s going to use whatever power she thinks she has to make us look bad. I’m not letting her get away with this.”
I was quiet for a moment, thinking. “I’m done being quiet. I’m done letting her run the narrative. I’m going to make sure this backfires in the most public way possible.”
Sarah placed a hand on my shoulder, her expression serious. “You’ve got this, but I think we need to be smart about it. Don’t let her make you look crazy. Get your lawyer involved. Let them handle it. We’ll fight this the right way.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “You’re right. I’m just so tired of this.”
We spent the rest of the evening making preparations to head home, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of impending conflict. Karen wasn’t going to let up. She was determined to make this a fight, and she wasn’t backing down.
When we arrived back in Dallas, the first thing I did was contact Patricia, my lawyer. I forwarded her Karen’s message and outlined everything that had transpired since the incident at the airport lounge. I knew Karen would go to any length to get what she wanted, but I was determined to stand my ground. We weren’t going to let her use our family as a pawn in her entitled game.
Patricia reviewed the information, then called me a few hours later. “Okay, Alana. Here’s the plan. First of all, we’re going to make sure Karen’s complaint about harassment goes nowhere. She’s trying to spin this as an issue of you being in the wrong, but we have all the evidence we need. You have your reservation, her actions in the lounge were caught on security footage, and you’ve documented everything.”
“Thanks,” I said, feeling a little better hearing her calm tone. “What about her threats of contacting American Airlines again?”
“Let her,” Patricia replied. “She’s already made her intentions clear. And we’ll make sure that American Airlines knows exactly what’s going on. As far as I’m concerned, she’s just digging herself deeper into a hole. But you need to stay focused. The more you engage with her, the more she’s going to try to escalate things. The best way to handle her now is to document, keep communication clear, and let me do the talking.”
I exhaled. “Got it. I just don’t want her to win, Patricia. She’s not going to destroy us like this.”
“I don’t think she can,” Patricia said with a reassuring chuckle. “We’ve got her cornered.”
The next few days were tense but manageable. I spent time with Sarah and the kids, trying to reclaim our peace and take a break from all the chaos. Bradley, now back from his work trip to London, was completely unaware of the mess that Karen had stirred up. He reached out a few times to check in on us and ask how the trip went. But I kept things cordial, focusing on the kids and avoiding any unnecessary conversations with him. There was no reason to reopen old wounds.
But when I received another message from Karen, I felt the tension return in full force.
“I’ve spoken with my lawyer, Alana. You have no idea what you’re up against. You’ve made this personal, and I’m not going to let it slide. You will regret this.”
This time, Karen’s message wasn’t just entitled; it was a threat. And that was the moment I knew the gloves were coming off. There was no way I was going to let her continue with this smear campaign, not when it was clear she had crossed every line imaginable.
I contacted Patricia again, and after a brief conversation, we made a decision. We would send a cease and desist letter to Karen, demanding that she stop contacting me directly. This was no longer a personal issue. This was about protecting our family’s privacy, our dignity, and making sure that Karen understood there were consequences for her actions.
The letter was ready the next day. It was clear, professional, and left no room for negotiation.
The following morning, I took a deep breath as I clicked ‘send’ on the email to Karen’s lawyer. The letter was formal, direct, and non-negotiable. I had had enough of her games, her manipulation, and her attempts to make us out to be the bad guys.
The letter read:
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