英文原文(English Original)
It was a cold winter night. The streets were empty, and the only sound was the wind howling through the alleys.
Mr. Carter walked quickly, his coat pulled tightly around him. He had just left the bank where he worked as a manager.
Suddenly, a figure stepped out from the shadows.
“Good evening, Mr. Carter,” said the man in a low voice. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
Carter froze. He recognized the voice—it belonged to Duke, a former employee who had been fired for stealing.
“What do you want?” Carter asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
“I want money,” Duke replied. “And if you don’t give it to me, I’ll tell everyone about the missing funds from last month.
You know what they’ll think… that you took them.”
Carter’s heart pounded. He hadn’t taken the money, but without proof, no one would believe him.
He was being blackmailed.