That was why he noticed the Doberman’s posture immediately. He understood rejection better than anyone. Fear was being mistaken for weakness. Silence was being mistaken for failure. The dog wasn’t defiant or stupid. It was bracing itself, holding together under a judgment that had already been passed.
The feeling settled deep in Sam’s chest before he could name it. He had seen this before. He had lived it. The moment when context was ignored, and labels replaced understanding, sealing outcomes long before anyone bothered to look closer.