**Journal Entry 30th October**
*”Get back to the kitchen!”* he snapped at his wife. Little did he know how this would end.
*”Katherine, have you seen my navy-blue tie?”* came the voice from the bedroom where Daniel was getting ready for work.
Katherine stood by the stove, stirring porridge. Seven years of marriage, and every morning was the same. He rushed off to the office chasing money and success, while she moved between the stove, saucepans, and the washing machine.
*”Check the second shelf in the wardrobe!”* she called back.
*”Its not there! Kat, are you sure?”*
She sighed, wiped her hands, and walked to the bedroom. In the pocket of his suit jacket from yesterday, her fingers brushed against something colda key. An ordinary flat key, but not one she recognised.
*”Daniel, wheres this from?”* She held it out to him.
For a split second, surprise flickered across his face. Then he collected himself and barked, *”Get back to the kitchen! Stop digging through my pockets! Its a work keyfor the archive room.”*
He had no idea what was coming.
At breakfast, Daniel tapped away on his phone, grinning, even chuckling under his breath once or twice.
*”Whos messaging you?”* Katherine asked carefully.
*”Colleagues. Discussing a project,”* he muttered without looking up.
But shed already caught a glimpse of the screenflashing hearts and emojis, not files or reports.
*”Ill be late tonight. Presentation, then dinner with clients. Dont wait up.”*
*”Dinner on a Saturday?”*
*”Business doesnt take weekends, love.”*
He pecked her cheek and left, the scent of expensive cologne lingering behind.
Katherine cleared the table, sat with a cooling cup of coffee. Seven years ago, shed graduated top of her class in economics, worked at a bank, built a career. Then came marriage.
*”Why do you need a job?”* Daniel had persuaded her. *”Ill take care of everything. Focus on home. Well have children soon”*
But years passed, and no children came. Instead, Katherine knew every cashier at the supermarket by face and every soap opera plot by heart.
Yet this morning, something inside her shifted. The strange key, the emojis on his phone, the new cologne, *”work meetings”* on weekends
She opened her laptop and searched: *”vacancies Horizon Business Centre.”* Thats where Daniel workedseventh floor, *”Progress Ltd.”*
A few clicks later, she found it. *”Clean Office Services”* was hiring evening cleaners for the Horizon. Perfect. Employees left; cleaners arrived. But some *”stayed late to work.”*
She dialled the number.
*”Hello, Im calling about the cleaner position at Horizon”*
The next day, she sat across from Nina, the supervisor.
*”Any experience?”*
*”Seven years of keeping house,”* Katherine admitted.
*”Why Horizon? Weve got sites closer to home.”*
*”The hours suit me. And Im divorcing. Evenings are bestmy husband has our child.”*
Nina gave her a sympathetic nod. *”Understood. Youre hired. What name shall I put down?”*
*”Valerie Peterson,”* Katherine answered without hesitation.
Three days later, Katherine Daniels became Valerie Peterson, the new cleaner at Horizon. She was given a uniform, supplies, and brief instructions:
*”Stay invisible. No talking, no unnecessary movements. Work quickly and quietly. Your floors the seventhIT firm Progress Ltd. And one more thingthe office with D.A. Daniels on the door.”*
*”Could I take the seventh?”* Katherine asked. *”Ive heard its quietergood for learning.”*
*”Fine. The last girl quitfound it too much. Do what you can.”*
That evening, Katherine stood outside her husbands office, mop in hand. The building was dark, nearly 8 PM. The workday was over, but voices carried from inside.
Her plan was in motion.
Two weeks as a cleaner in Daniels office revealed plenty. His *”late nights”* had nothing to do with work. He wasnt staying for projectshe was staying for Emma Kramer, the young marketer from his team.
The key in his pocket didnt open an archiveit opened Emmas flat in a new build.
*”Dan, Im tired of hiding,”* Emma whispered one evening as Katherine mopped the neighbouring office. *”When can we be together properly?”*
*”Soon, love,”* Daniel murmured. *”The solicitor says we must do this right. Rush it, and I lose half the flat.”*
Katherine clenched her teeth. Not just a cheata schemer, too.
But the worst came days earlier. While cleaning, her mop knocked over a stack of papers. As she gathered them, she noticed odd notes in the margins. Her old training kicked inthese werent reports. They were internal financial strategies.
On the desk sat a work phone. A message flashed from *”Laura S.”*
The office was empty. She opened the chat.
*”Dan, need the Northern report. Usual payment.”*
*”Price has changed. Full package£50k.”*
*”Fine. But hurry. Presentations Tuesday.”*
Katherines hands turned cold. Laura Simmonsdeputy director at *”Vector,”* their biggest competitor. And her husband was selling company secrets.
She photographed everything. At home, she confirmed itlosses ran into hundreds of thousands.
*”How was work?”* she asked that night, serving dinner.
*”Busy. Big new projectvery promising,”* Daniel muttered, eyes on his phone.
*”Promising,”* Katherine thought. *”The one youve already sold.”*
At first, she planned to hand everything to management and file for divorce. Then she reconsideredhe deserved a public fall.
Progress Ltd.s quarterly party was coming. Daniel prepped for weeksnew suit, rehearsed speech, practised smiles.
*”Whatll you say about me?”* Emma asked the day before.
*”Nothing. Soon we wont need secrets.”*
*”What if your wife shows up?”*
*”She wont. Too shy for these things. Not her crowd.”*
Katherine smiled. He had no idea his *”shy”* wife had been watching all along.
On the night, she arrived as usualbut instead of her uniform, her bag held a sleek black dress. And in her folderproof of every betrayal.
At 7 PM, as glasses clinked in the conference room, Katherine changed in the staff loo. Touched up her makeup, smoothed her hair.
Through the glass, she saw Daniel in his new suit, laughing with Emma. The CEO, Paul Richardson, held a microphone.
Perfect timing.
*”Excuse memay I have a moment?”* Katherine stepped inside.
The room fell silent. Daniel spun around, eyes wide.
*”Im Katherine Daniels. His wife,”* she announced. *”For the last two weeks, Ive worked here as Valerie Petersonyour evening cleaner.”*
*”What the hell are you doing?!”* Daniel hissed, stepping toward her.
*”Gathering evidence, darling. Of your infidelity and more.”* Her voice was calm, clear.
The silence was electric.
*”Paul,”* she turned to the CEO, *”your employees been selling confidential data to Vector. Heres his correspondence with Laura Simmons, their deputy director.”*
She handed over the folder.
*”This is slander! Shes lying about our affair!”* Daniel blurted.
*”Bank transfers, photos of documents from his officeall documented,”* Katherine added quietly.
Paul flipped through the pages, his face darkening.
*”One more thing.”* She pulled out another folder. *”Security footage. His office wasnt just for work.”*
When the screen showed Emma kissing Daniel, she gasped and bolted.
*”Daniel Daniels, youre fired,”* Paul said coldly. *”And youll face legal consequences. Security!”*
As guards escorted Daniel out, the room stayed dead silent. Paul approached Katherine.
*”Thank you. Weve been hunting this leak for six months.”*
*”I just wanted to know who my husband really was. Found more than I expected.”*
*”You studied economics?”*
*”Yes. But I havent worked in years.”*
Paul studied her. *”Weve an opening in security analytics. Need someone who sees what others miss. Interested?”*
Katherine almost smiled. *”Very.”*
A month later, her life had changed completely. She was Progress Ltd.s new data security specialistearning triple Daniels old salary.
As for Daniel? He vanished. After the scandal, no agency
