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 surveince 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 heid


    eyes on her,forting her with the promise that as long as he was there, everything would be alright.


    It wasn’t that Cameronpletelycked 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.


    Aftering to terms with this revtion, Eleanor had her closure. Some people were just dealt a


    rough hand in life, deprived of paternal love-an unfortunate but not umon 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 ufortable 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 nced up at the camera with a


    look of betrayal and managed to utter, “Why?” before a robotic arm lunged out with incredible speedThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    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 y 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…


    Before he could say more, a snake slithered into his open mouth. After a couple of desperate gulps,


    Cameron was gone.


    Eleanor, witnessing this, felt her heart stop. Tears streamed down her cheeks for reasons she couldn’t


    quite grasp-shock, understanding Cameron’sst words, or perhaps pity for a man betrayed by the


    daughter he adored. Did Cameron regret his past actions? Did he rue the day he chose Sophie over


    Eleanor and her mother, leaving them behind?


    But regrets were meaningless now. Cameron was dead, and with him, the end of their feud. As for


    Sophie…


    After muttering a few hollow apologies, she backed away from the Grim Door, slumped against the cold


    white wall, and sat down, hugging herself tightly.


    “me Eleanor, Dad. If she hadn’t forced us into this game, you’d still be alive. It’s her fault. Make sure


    you haunt her as a vengeful ghost!”


    Sophie wrapped her arms around herself tighter, her face devoid of any regret. She med Eleanor for


    everything, as if she wasn’t the one who had just condemned Cameron to a grisly fate.