Cordy blinked and a tear inadvertently trickled out of the corner of her eye.

But even as it fell to the floor, her lips were curled upward-she was at once relieved and heartbroken.

Patrick took her hand right then and left without hesitation.

John watched as the two figures went further and further away...

With Patrick with her, the security guard at the entrance did not dare to stop them.

In the end, the so-called rule was only enforced depending on the person.

With that, Cordy got into Patrick's car, and they headed to the airport.

They were silent along the journey.

Patrick glanced at Cordy's cool, beautiful face just then.

If she had been emotionally affected at the ballroom before, she was calm and unfettered now.

"Aren't you curious what William summoned me for?" he suddenly asked, breaking the silence just then.

He was not sure what she was thinking, but was also suddenly reluctant to see her being so aloof as if she could not get interested in anything.

She should be aglow with dazzling radiance instead of folding and keeping her ample wings in a cupboard.

"Nope. Because it's that predictable," Cordy said, coming to her senses and turning away from the window to look at Patrick.

"Really?" Patrick sounded skeptical, but he was already convinced she knew.

Cordy was that smart anyway.

"Firstly, he would ask you about your grandfather and try to lure you into revealing information about him."

Patrick smiled in silent admission.

"Secondly, he would ask you about us. He's probably eager to have us hook up and cut off John's way out."

Patrick nodded, impressed.

"Last but not least, to stall us so that I could witness John and Jessica's love."

She only thought of the last one after the fact.

After all, the Stuarts had to go all out just so that she would attend this charity ball.

How could they let her leave before the climax?

"I just realized that being too smart is sometimes nothing good." Patrick sighed. "It's just so stressful. I wondered how it'd have gone instead if you were a little irrational and emotional and eloped with John righ under the Stuarts' noses. I'm sure the man wouldn't be able to say no when you're the one initiating."

Cordy smiled, but in spite of what Patrick said, she knew that adults were never allowed to be capricious.

Being smart and rational was the only way out.

After all, she could not take the risk, just as John would never be able to protect her.

And now, they would live out their own separate lives and bloom beautifully.

There was certainly nothing wrong with that.

The car turned silent again... until it suddenly bumped violently as it sped forward.

It shook so hard for an instant that both Cordy and Patrick became anxious.

"What's wrong?" Patrick asked the chauffeur.

"I think someone's chasing us, sir!" The chauffeur's expression was grim.

Patrick and Cordy promptly turned to see several cars streaking wildly toward them, their high-beams flashing.

"Drive faster!" Patrick quickly snapped.

"Yes, sir!" the chauffeur replied and floored the gas pedal.

Both Patrick and Cordy were shoved against their seats by inertia, held in place by their seatbelts.

There were not many cars at night in Rocktown and the city was quiet.

The revving of engines out of the blue seemed like it would wake the entire city.

Patrick whipped out his phone right then to make a call.

He tried repeatedly but failed to dial the number he wanted.

"Help me," he quickly said to Cordy, who obviously sensed something wrong with him!

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