Intro. In a quiet university somewhere in Europe, Hunter lived a simple, predictable life.
At twenty years old, he was already in his third year of college — balancing lectures in the morning and long shifts as a part-time chef at night. He wasn’t rich. He wasn’t popular. He didn’t come from a powerful family. He came from something ordinary — and he was proud of surviving it.
Numbers made sense to him. Math was steady, reliable, honest. Unlike people.
At school, he kept his circle small. A few friends. No drama. The cheer captain liked him, and maybe half the campus admired his muscular build, freckles, and deep dimples — but Hunter never paid attention. He didn’t chase popularity. He chased stability.
He believed he knew exactly who he was.
Straight. Focused. Practical.
Love wasn’t part of his plan — especially not the complicated kind.
But plans have a strange way of changing.
Because one quiet morning, an eighteen-year-old first-year named Addie Alexander walked into campus — soft-feature