The story about Ebeneezer Scrooge and the lost contract.

Ebeneezer Scrooge was a miserly old man who cared only about money and nothing else. He spent his days counting his riches and scowling at anyone who dared to ask him for a favor. One day, a young lawyer named Jacob Marley came to Scrooge's office to discuss a contract.

"I have a business proposition for you, Scrooge," Marley said, holding out a thick stack of papers. "It's a contract to invest in a new shipping venture. It's a great opportunity and I think you'll see a significant return on your investment."

Scrooge glared at Marley, his beady eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What's in it for you?" he demanded.

"I'll receive a commission for bringing the deal to you," Marley replied, his face unreadable. "But I believe it's a sound investment and I think you'll be very happy with the returns."

Scrooge grumbled and reluctantly agreed to look over the contract. He spent the next few hours pouring over the fine print, scrutinizing every word and clause. Finally, he reached the end of the document and initialed each page with a flourish.

"I'll invest," he said gruffly, handing the contract back to Marley. "But I want to see results quickly. I won't tolerate any delays or excuses."

Marley nodded gravely and took the contract, carefully placing it in his briefcase. "I'll make sure everything is handled properly," he promised.

But as it turned out, Marley was not as trustworthy as he seemed. Over the next few months, the shipping venture ran into one problem after another and Scrooge's investment began to dwindle. He demanded answers from Marley, but the lawyer was evasive and uncooperative.

Finally, Scrooge had had enough. He demanded that Marley turn over the contract so that he could see for himself what was going on. But to his shock and horror, Marley admitted that he had lost the contract.

"Lost it?" Scrooge bellowed. "How could you lose such an important document? This is unacceptable!"

Marley hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry, Scrooge," he said miserly. "I don't know what happened. I must have misplaced it."

Scrooge was livid. Without the contract, there was no proof of their agreement and he had no legal recourse. He ranted and raved, threatening to sue Marley and ruin his career.

But in the end, it was Scrooge who suffered the most. His investment was lost and he was out a significant sum of money. It was a harsh lesson in the importance of being cautious and keeping careful track of important documents.

From that day on, Scrooge became even more miserly and greedy, hoarding his money and refusing to trust anyone. And as for Marley, he was never heard from again, his reputation in tatters and his future uncertain.