Chapter 169. Her Last Plea

Cynthia’s POV

I never expected it to come to this.

Not like this.

The sound of Alexander’s fist slamming into James’s face echoes in my ears, over and over again, like a cruel rhythm that won’t stop. James just takes it—every hit, every blow—without flinching or raising a hand to defend himself. And that stirs something in me.

Maybe it’s guilt. Maybe it’s something deeper.

I look toward the double doors of the theater, my heart squeezing. My daughter is in there, fighting for her life, and here’s her father—her real father—taking hits in silence because he knows he can’t afford to lash out. Because somewhere inside, he’s accepted the truth too.

She’s his.

And Alexander… he’s not just hitting James because of the truth ab