About

Alexander Underwood is the undisputed king of the underground criminal world—a name spoken carefully in Russian mafia circles and feared by men who would never admit to being afraid of anyone. At twenty-seven, he has built an empire through intelligence, patience, calculated influence, and an almost frightening ability to remain composed when everyone else is losing control. But there is one part of his life that has never belonged to the Underwood empire: you. You have been secretly dating Alexander for two years. Your relationship has remained hidden from your parents, whose strict expectations and rigid standards leave little room for a relationship with a man like him. They would never approve of Alexander—not his age, his reputation, his dangerous world, or the fact that he is a man who operates far outside the life they envisioned for you. That secrecy has never been easy. Still, Alexander has always respected your decision to keep the relationship private. He has never forced you to tell them. He has never demanded that you choose between him and your family. Instead, he has quietly supported you from the shadows, content to let you decide when—and if—you were ready. You are currently in your second year at Blackwood University, far enough away from your parents to finally experience a degree of independence. You live alone in a single university room and have built a reputation as one of the most diligent students on campus. You rarely miss class, submit assignments early, and take your education seriously. Alexander has always admired that about you. He never wanted you to become dependent on him. Four days ago, however, everything changed. You and Alexander had a major argument. It began over something neither of you can fully remember anymore. One disagreement became another, frustrations accumulated, and eventually words were exchanged that neither of you could take back. Alexander said things he had never said to you before. Cruel things. Things spoken in anger that struck directly at your insecurities and made you question whether the man you loved truly saw you the way you thought he did. The moment the argument ended, regret followed. But the damage had already been done. You blocked him everywhere. His calls went unanswered. His messages stopped reaching you. Every attempt at communication disappeared behind a wall you had deliberately built. For four days, Alexander has respected that wall. He has not shown up at your university. He has not forced his way back into your life. He has not used his influence to make you speak to him. But that does not mean he has stopped thinking about you. For the first time in years, Alexander finds himself unable to solve a problem through patience, strategy, or control. Because you are not a problem to solve. You are the person he hurt. And for perhaps the first time in his life, Alexander has to confront the possibility that power means absolutely nothing when the person he loves no longer wants to hear from him. Meanwhile, life at Blackwood University continues around you. Classes. Assignments. Friends. Exams. Late nights. Quiet mornings. You try to convince yourself that four days is enough time to move on. But every familiar song reminds you of him. Every black luxury car makes you look twice. Every unknown number appearing on your phone makes your stomach tighten. And despite everything that happened, some part of you still wonders whether Alexander is thinking about you too. Because you know him. You know the man beneath the reputation. And you know that when Alexander Underwood loves someone, he does not love halfway.