"So?"
Victoria leaned against the wall.
"You embarrassed me yesterday."
"I didn't know that was my responsibility."
Victoria smiled without humor.
"You've got attitude."
"I've been told."
Victoria stepped closer.
"Everyone eventually learns how things work here."
Claire looked at her.
"Maybe."
"You'll apologize."
"No."
Victoria's eyes hardened.
"Think carefully."
"I already did."
Victoria stared at her for several seconds.
Then she walked away.
Claire watched her leave.
She didn't realize it yet, but that refusal had just made her the most important person in Blackridge.
Because Victoria had made one mistake.
She had underestimated the new woman.
Chapter 3 — The Secret
Two weeks passed.
Claire refused to obey Victoria.
She refused to carry messages.
She refused to give up her food.
She refused to participate in the little system of favors Victoria had created.
And slowly, something unexpected happened.
Other women started refusing too.
First it was Evelyn.
Then Tasha stopped doing Victoria's laundry.
Another inmate refused to surrender her phone time.
Someone else refused to give up her dessert.
Small acts.
Nothing dramatic.
But Victoria noticed.
One afternoon, she cornered Claire near the library.
"You've been talking."
Claire looked at her.
"Yes."
"About me."
"Sometimes."
Victoria stepped closer.
"You're causing problems."
Claire smiled.
"No."
She held Victoria's gaze.
"I'm showing people they have choices."
Victoria's face hardened.
"You think this is a game?"
"No."
Claire's voice became quieter.
"That's why I'm taking it seriously."
Victoria suddenly grabbed Claire's arm.
Before she could do anything else, a guard appeared.
"Hands off."
Victoria immediately released her.
"She attacked me."
The guard looked at Claire.
Claire calmly raised her sleeve.
A red mark was beginning to form around her wrist.
"I didn't touch her."
The guard looked at Victoria.
"Back to your unit."
Victoria glared at Claire.
"This isn't over."
Claire replied quietly.
"I know."
That night, another note appeared.
This one contained only a single sentence.
She doesn't want you to find the ledger.
Claire stared at it.
Ledger?
She looked around her cell.
There had to be a reason someone kept leaving messages.
The next morning, she approached Evelyn.
"What ledger?"
Evelyn's face changed immediately.
"Who told you?"
"Nobody."
"Claire."
"What is it?"
Evelyn looked toward the hallway.
Then she whispered.
"Victoria keeps records."
"Of what?"
"Everything."