The Feline Informant

Marcus had never thought of himself as a corporate spy until the moment Elena's iPhone lit up on her desk. They'd been working together three years, sharing coffee breaks and the occasional complaint about management. He'd told himself he was just being thorough when he glanced at the incoming message: 'Tonight. Usual place. Bring the drive.'

His palm went slick against his own phone. Elena had been stealing proprietary code for months, selling it to their biggest competitor. The betrayal settled in his chest like lead weights, heavier for the evenings they'd spent analyzing quarterly projections over takeout, for the way she'd defended him when management questioned his project timelines.

Her cat—a haughty Russian Blue named Igor—appeared in the doorway of her cubicle, meowing imperiously. The animal had been Elena's constant companion since her divorce, her emotional support system in a lonely city. Marcus had cat-sat for her last Christmas. He'd bought Igor premium treats.

'You're working late again,' Marcus said, his voice steady despite the racing pulse beneath his skin.

Elena looked up, eyes shadowed with exhaustion. 'Just finishing up. Same old grind.' She scratched Igor behind the ears, the cat purring against her leg.

'Your phone,' Marcus said. 'It buzzed.'

She stiffened. Just for a second. Then she laughed, but the sound was hollow. 'Wrong number, probably.' But she pocketed the device quickly.

Marcus walked away without confronting her. Instead, he went to HR and reported what he'd seen—not with triumph, but with a hollow sort of grief. Corporate security met her at her desk the next morning. She didn't look surprised when they led her away. She looked at Marcus across the open-plan office, her expression unreadable, and he understood she'd known all along he would choose the company over her.

That night, Igor appeared at Marcus's apartment door, meowing to be let in. Someone had surrendered the cat to a shelter, and Marcus had been her emergency contact. He fed Igor the expensive treats, the cat purring against his palm, and wondered if corporate loyalty or human connection mattered more in the end. The answer changed every time he thought about it.