C1 English Reading – Short Story & Grammar Quiz
Leo had wanted revenge against Marcus for years. Marcus, his former business partner, is supposed to have stolen his new design, a revolutionary idea that could have brought huge success. Leo had gotten accustomed to doing nothing but planning Marcus’s ruin. He spent endless hours thinking about the spectacle of Marcus’s fall, and the public sensation it would create.
One day, Leo decided to get his plan done. He had to have a private investigator retrieve important papers. It seems that Marcus was now a prominent person, so showing him up would need a careful tactic. Leo even thought about trying to get Marcus’s old workers to do something that would help his cause.
As the investigator started to compile the evidence, Leo found himself wondering if this was truly worth all the effort. The first excitement of vengeance slowly turned into an empty feeling. He saw Marcus at a public event. He looked older, maybe even a bit tired. The man who is supposed to have caused him so much pain now just looked like a regular person. The revelation was deep: chasing revenge felt like a sacred duty, but it was really just using up his own life. The papers were found, and the evidence was strong. Yet, Leo felt no triumph. He understood that the real cost of his fixation wasn’t just money or time; it was his peace. He decided to let the evidence stay secret. The vanity of his search became very clear.