Sarah stared at her computer screen in the bustling tech office, her fingers flying over the keyboard. It was late, and the city lights twinkled outside the glass windows. As a software engineer, she often stayed after hours to fix bugs in the company’s new app. Tonight, something felt wrong.
While debugging the code, Sarah found a hidden file. It wasn’t supposed to be there. Curious, she opened it. Lines of strange commands appeared, linking to bank accounts and secret transfers. Her heart raced. This looked like a plan to steal millions from the company.
“Who put this here?” she whispered. The office was empty, but she heard a faint click from the hallway. Footsteps approached. Sarah quickly closed the file and pretended to work on something else.
The door opened. It was Mark, her boss. He smiled, but his eyes were cold. “Working late again, Sarah? Dedication like yours is rare.” He lingered, watching her screen.
Sarah forced a smile. “Just finishing up.” As he left, she noticed his phone buzzing with a message: “Delete the code tonight.”
Panic surged through her. Mark was involved? She remembered rumours about missing funds last year. What if he knew she had seen it?
She grabbed her phone to call the police, but the signal was dead. The office Wi-Fi flickered off. Someone had cut the connections. Sarah’s breath quickened. She had to escape and get help.
Quietly, she slipped into the dark corridor. Elevators were too risky. She took the stairs, her heels echoing softly. Halfway down, she heard the stairwell door above slam open. Footsteps descended fast.
“Sarah!” Mark’s voice echoed. “I know what you found. Come back… we can talk.”
She ran, her mind spinning. At the ground floor, she burst into the lobby. The security guard was gone. Outside, rain poured on the empty streets.
Mark caught up, grabbing her arm. “You shouldn’t have looked,” he snarled. In his hand, a flash drive… the evidence.
Sarah twisted free, kicking his knee. He stumbled. She dashed into the rain, waving at a passing taxi. “Police station, hurry!”
The driver sped off. Through the rear window, she saw Mark vanish into shadows.
At the station, detectives listened. They raided the office that night. Mark was arrested, along with two accomplices. The hidden code revealed a massive fraud scheme. Sarah’s quick thinking saved the company.
Weeks later, Sarah returned to work, promoted. The office felt safe again. But she always double-checked her files now, knowing secrets could hide anywhere.
Vocabulary Notes
Curious (Adjective)
Definition: Eager to know or learn something; inquisitive.
Example from the Story: “Curious, she opened it.”
New Example Sentence: The curious student asked the teacher many questions about the science experiment.
Similar Words: Inquisitive, interested, nosy, eager.
Panic (Noun)
Definition: A sudden feeling of fear or anxiety that makes you act quickly or without thinking clearly.
Example from the Story: “Panic surged through her.”
New Example Sentence: When the fire alarm rang, panic spread through the crowded room.
Similar Words: Fear, alarm, anxiety, terror.
Flicker (Verb)
Definition: To shine or burn unsteadily, often turning on and off quickly; can also refer to brief interruptions.
Example from the Story: “The office Wi-Fi flickered off.”
New Example Sentence: The candle flickered in the wind, casting shadows on the wall.
Similar Words: Flash, blink, glimmer, waver.
Snarl (Verb)
Definition: To speak or say something in an angry, aggressive way, often with a low, rough voice.
Example from the Story: “You shouldn’t have looked,’ he snarled.”
New Example Sentence: The angry customer snarled at the cashier for the long wait.
Similar Words: Growl, snap, bark, hiss.
Scheme (Noun)
Definition: A plan, especially a secret or dishonest one, to achieve a particular goal.
Example from the Story: “The hidden code revealed a massive fraud scheme.”
New Example Sentence: The thieves created a clever scheme to trick people into sharing their passwords.
Similar Words: Plan, plot, conspiracy, strategy.
Story written by Grok AI
Image created by Grok AI
CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads
Reading Short Stories/Content for English Learners 
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