Chapter 1396
Eleanor never bothered to meet with Cameron, the man who was supposed to be her father. In her eyes, he never earned that title, nor deserved her time. Yet through the surveillance feed, she witnessed the moment Cameron reunited with Sophie at the lower district.
Cameron was surprisingly affectionate with Sophie, rushing over to embrace her the moment he laid eyes on her, comforting her with the promise that as long as he was there, everything would be alright.
It wasn’t that Cameron completely lacked the image of a father; he just never showed that side to Emilia or Eleanor. It seemed that in his heart, Sophie was his only child.
After coming to terms with this revelation, Eleanor had her closure. Some people were just dealt a rough hand in life, deprived of paternal love-an unfortunate but not uncommon fate.
The game in the lower district was about to start, and mysteriously, the pair breezed through the levels without so much as a scratch. They embraced tearfully after each victory, acting as if their lives were sacred, while Eleanor’s was expendable.
The more Eleanor watched, the more uncomfortable she felt. Just as she was about to turn away, Sophie’s scream pierced through the monitor. “How could this happen? How could I choose wrong? It’s not possible!”
They were at the seventh stage of District A’s game, where a wrong choice meant falling into a pit of snakes. Instead of a trapdoor beneath their feet, this game featured a “Grim Door” that opened to seal one’s fate.
Sophie’s disbelief was palpable as the Grim Door swung open. She glanced up at the camera with a look of betrayal and managed to utter, “Why?” before a robotic arm lunged out with incredible speed towards her.
Frozen in panic, she couldn’t confront Yates; instead, she dashed towards Cameron, pleading, “Dad, please, you have to save me!”
Cameron hesitated, fearfully stepping back as Sophie approached, “Sophie,,…”
Sophie’s disappointment was crushing. “Dad, I’m your daughter, the one you’ve cherished all my life. Why won’t you save me?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Cameron grabbed Sophie and ran, looking up at the camera, “Eleanor, I was the one who went back to save you that day. Please, for the sake of me saving you, spare us. I’m begging you.”
Eleanor was torn, her eyes welling up with the memories of Vanya and Emilia’s tragic lives. “Let’s just scare them a bit more, then throw them back into the sea. Let’s not play this cruel game anymore.”
But as Eleanor believed the game would pause, the guard, perhaps misunderstanding, hit the fast-forward button.
The robotic arm extended instantly, reaching out towards the running Cameron and Sophie with terrifying velocity.
Sophie, after a brief internal struggle, released Cameron’s grip and, mustering all her strength, pushed her father towards the robotic
menace.
As Cameron looked on in disbelief, the robot seized his shoulders and hoisted him into the air, depositing him into the snake pit. The hissing of serpents filled the air.
Shaking with fear and regret, Sophie stumbled backward, managing to find the words, “Dad, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to kill you, I was forced.”
Cameron, strangled by snakes, saw the malice in his daughter’s eyes. As regret washed over him, he thought of Eleanor’s gentle face. He mouthed a silent apology to the camera, “Elena, I’m sorry…
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: A Second Chance At Forever novel (Eleanor and Bernard)
Loved the story, many times caught in so much actually crying with the situation. Wish had more chapters to a better ending....
It's weird that the story went from narrative to slang use. Good story so far though...