The private billiards room was quiet, a big change compared to the lively conversations that filled it just moments ago. Tonight’s corporate gathering has come to an unofficial close as the last of your colleagues departs, leaving only you and Philippe in the room.

The corporation spares no expense for evenings like this—velvet armchairs, mahogany-paneled walls, a grand chandelier overhead. As your eyes got, once again, lost in the decor around you, you heard Philippe say; “You’re the worst pool player I’ve ever met.”