"There's a way out through the back door. Follow me!"
Stepping from the cramped, winding interior into the bright, sunny outdoors, Eloise quickly resumed her thief-like stance. Lowering her voice, she muttered that one sentence, then crouched, sneaking through the grass like a little mouse.
Isidore watched her sneaking about in such a somewhat sordid manner, his lips twitching. To his own surprise, he mimicked her, bending his strong, sturdy back, and followed her at a slow, cautious pace.
On the way, Eloise caught sight of Lucienne and her group's cars, parked in perfect alignment in the parking lot. It reminded her of the reason she had come all this way to follow them.
She wanted to ask Isidore how the photos had turned out, but then immediately dismissed the thought—today, she didn't want to care about anything! She flicked her head, ready to keep moving forward, when Isidore, behind her, tugged at the corner of her shirt and whispered, "There's a security guard ahead."
The loud noises from the back kitchen indicated the possibility of an intruder in the villa. True to its status as a top-tier club, the response was swift—security was immediately heightened in all corners, including the paths leading to the so-called "weak management points" that Eloise had mentioned.
But she wasn't one to be easily caught off guard. Her quick thinking kicked in, and with a squint, she reached into the grass, pulling out a handy stone. Weighing it in her hand, she shot a wicked look at the security guard. "Wait here, I'll go knock him out."
Isidore chuckled softly. "No need, that would be too much trouble. Just act tough, and the one who's nervous will be him." Eloise didn't quite understand what he meant, but she watched as he stood up from the grass, brushed off the leaves and debris on him, and then strode forward with long steps.
Eloise grabbed his pant leg, urgently saying, "What are you doing? He'll spot you!" Isidore gave her a calm look and smiled, "Just follow me."
The security guard, not blind, had already spotted them. With a loud shout, he raised his arm in an aggressive manner and started running toward them. Eloise had no choice but to quickly stand up and nervously hide behind him.
Isidore remained calm and leisurely. As the security guard neared, he effortlessly raised his foot with such speed that it was impossible to see how he did it, and in an instant, the man was tripped and sent sprawling onto the grass, Isidore pinning him down with a knee.
He tilted his chin and questioned the security guard in an interrogation tone, "Who are you, and how did you sneak in?"
He was tall and broad, and when he deliberately lowered his voice, it carried an imposing authority. The security guard, now nervous and afraid that he might not be believed, hastily insisted. "I'm security here. Something happened inside, and I was patrolling to check if any strangers snuck in!"
Isidore pressed further, "Where's your ID?" The security guard hurriedly fumbled and took it out to show him. After "inspecting" it, Isidore released his hold on the man and tossed his work badge onto the grass in front of him. "You can go. We'll go check over there."
Eloise was utterly stunned. This was the first time she had seen someone combine "shift the blame'" with "first strikes" so skillfully!
He walked with calm composure, while Eloise followed behind like a well-behaved lady, eyes lowered and not daring to speak a word. She realized that her mental fortitude and shamelessness were far inferior to that of the man in front of her.
After they had moved out of the security guard's sight, Isidore called out without looking back, "Hurry up!" Eloise, confused, asked, "Why?"
"Afraid he'll figure it out."
"Ah?" A commotion of footsteps and angry shouts rang from behind, just as he had anticipated. The security guard who "figured it out" called over a few more guards, and they angrily chased after them, looking vengeful.
Eloise let out a scream as Isidore grabbed her arm and pulled her forward in a mad dash. "Where's the place you said we could sneak out from?" he asked while running. Eloise pointed at a section of the wall ahead that was missing a chunk, breathing heavily. "There, there!"
Though the distance wasn't far, her heart raced anxiously, unsure if she could successfully climb over with someone chasing her. When they reached the base of the wall, her nerves were taut, ready to snap. Behind her, the guards loomed like monstrous beasts, their fiery and venomous presence bearing down on her.
"Hold on tight!" Isidore slightly shifted his body, and with a swift motion, his long arm scooped her into his embrace. His other hand effortlessly caught the edge of the wall more than two meters high. Eloise could feel his muscles tense beneath her touch, the sinews of his arms and chest tightening in an instant. Before she could fully react, the wind was whooshing past her ears, and in a heartbeat, she found herself successfully on the other side of the wall.
It all happened so quickly. Isidore bent his index finger and flicked it gently on the stunned Eloise's forehead. "Where's your car?"
"Oh, it's over there!" Eloise ran towards it, but in her panic, she couldn't get the car started. After a while, Isidore placed his hand on the back of her hand. "Don't rush, take it slow."
Eloise looked up and saw his calm gaze. Miraculously, the car started. But as soon as they pulled out, a line of cars followed, seemingly determined to capture them at all costs due to the guests' identities being so important.
The cars closed in, but Eloise felt no more panic. Instead, her anger grew. "Damn it, looks like they're not letting us go!" Alright then, let's go all in! Her eyes burned with determination, and she slammed the accelerator to the floor.
However, though her emotions were on point, her driving skills were not. After a few turns, the cars behind were getting closer. Eloise anxiously groaned in frustration, while Isidore, amused, asked, "Hey, are you afraid of roller coasters?"
The question came abruptly, and Eloise managed to respond briefly, "No!" "Alright, let me shake them off," Isidore said, extending his arms to grip the roof of the car on the passenger side. Under Isidore's stunned gaze, his body slipped out of the window with the grace of a fish gliding through water.
