Office Playpen

Chapter 17

As I laughed into my hand, tears were coming out of my eyes uncontrollably, while my stomach was starting to ache.

All I can think about is how tired I am, so tired that I'm laughing at a genuine question that Chopard is asking.

Why would he ask this question in the middle of the night? I have no idea, and that's saying something.

When someone asks something or says something that they think is so innovative that they have to share it with me, I always know what their intention is. No matter what their intention is, good or bad, I always know.

I can read people clearly, it's almost like a superpower but instead of "taking down evil", I instead use it to my advantage.

People might be saying it's bad that I use people for my personal growth or advantages, but I think it's a blessing in disguise. Just thinking about it, why not take the opportunity to get the upper hand when someone else is trying to cutthroat you?

I gain something without working hard towards it.

A win-win for me, and a loss for the other person.

But what Chopard asked, I can't decide why he would ask that, in the dark of night out of all times.

Maybe because he generally wants to know if we can go sightseeing, and can't wait for the meeting to end and we have nothing left to do, and if I respond to his question now, then he would want to look forward to it.

Or maybe, he's trying to keep me awake and distract me from focusing on the this important meeting, yeah yeah, that's it–He's trying to keep me up so that I would not have to sleep at all, and that way, I would be so tired and exhausted to even concentrate in the meeting room.

And If that happens, I would lose the possible gain that would help me and my company jumpstart to greater length, and I would leave New York with a loss.

Chopard thinks he's one step ahead of me, but I'm many steps ahead of him.

All this thinking is just making me more tired than ever and I really need to go to sleep.

What Chopard was asking wasn't even funny, I don't know why I busted out laughing.

I might be losing my mind.

Yeah–I'm losing it for sure.

"We just need to sleep then" Chopard responds as he whispers.

Shit, I thought, did I say that out loud? I mean, I was sure that I was thinking it in my head.

"Yeah" I respond, not really giving an effort to say anything more.

I yawned as I stared up at the bland ceiling, my eyes fighting to stay awake and go to sleep at the same time, almost like I want to pull an all-nighter and hear the soft breathing of the man next to me, feeling the warmth and comfort he provides with his presence.

But at the same time, I want to fall asleep, I want to fall asleep to the comfort that Chopard is right besides me in this bed and going to sleep happily knowing he will be here in the morning–

I stop that thought out of embarrassment, what the hell am I even thinking? I just need to stop thinking altogether.

As I quickly rubbed my forehead out of habit, I returned to just thinking about nothing as I stared up at the ceiling–I took a quick glance at Chopard, just to see if he's asleep so that I can finally relax and he's not.

He's staring up at the ceiling as well, his silhouette giving it away. I wonder what he's thinking about–probably thinking about ways to sabbage the meeting, and making it look like it's not his fault.