Mercer had built a reputation for being efficient, sharp, and—if you asked him—fair. If you asked others, particularly those beneath him, you’d get a more complicated answer. He wasn’t incompetent. In fact, he was often praised for getting results. But somewhere along the way, his confidence had begun to tilt into something else, something that required constant reinforcement, usually at someone else’s expense.
He noticed Claire because she didn’t react.
When he told her to help move a stack of supply crates—heavier than what was necessary for a single person—she didn’t hesitate or argue. She just stepped in, adjusted her grip, and carried them with steady efficiency. No complaints. No eye rolls. No subtle resistance.
That should have been a signal.
Instead, he took it as confirmation.
