Twisted Love Chapter 10 – Alex: Summary & Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Chapter 10 is told entirely from Alex Volkov’s point of view. It opens with a phone call from Andrew Gruppmann, the CEO of Gruppmann Enterprises, who begs Alex to stop a hostile takeover. Alex dismisses him coldly, reminding Andrew that he is the CEO while Alex is merely a board member. Andrew pleads for his family, but Alex replies that business is business. After hanging up, Alex blocks Andrew’s number and decides to fire his assistant for letting the call through—the final straw after a series of mistakes.

Alex then reflects on his past. He recalls his first birthday after his family was murdered, when he turned twelve. His uncle Ivan took him to an arcade to cheer him up, but Alex refused to play. He sat and remembered the day his parents and sister were killed. When Ivan asked what he wanted, Alex replied, “To get revenge.” He has held onto that goal ever since. Alex explains that he saw multiple therapists after the tragedy, but none could reach him. He rejects the idea of healing: he wants to “burn” and “bleed,” and he plans to make the person responsible suffer a hundred times over.

The chapter ends with Alex returning to the present, his resolve unshaken.

Key Events

Alex receives a desperate call from Andrew Gruppmann, who asks him to abandon the hostile takeover of his company.
Alex refuses and fires his assistant for leaking his personal number.
Alex recalls the murder of his family and his first orphaned birthday at age twelve.
During a trip to an arcade with his uncle Ivan, Alex declares his desire for revenge.
Alex describes his years of failed therapy and his choice to embrace pain rather than healing.

Character Development

This chapter is a critical turning point for Alex’s characterization. Up to now, readers have seen him as cold, calculating, and ruthless. Chapter 10 provides the traumatic backstory that explains that exterior. We learn that Alex lost everyone he loved at age twelve and has since channeled his grief into an obsession with vengeance. He does not want to move on; he wants to make his enemies suffer. Alex’s rejection of therapy and his description of his “gift” (a premonition-like ability to foresee danger) show how deeply the trauma has shaped his worldview. He views emotions as weak and sees the world in terms of predators and prey. This backstory adds complexity to his character: beneath the billionaire CEO is a wounded child who never processed his loss.

Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

Revenge as a Driving Force
Revenge is the central theme of this chapter. Alex openly states that finding out who killed his family gave him a reason to live. His entire business empire and his cold demeanor are weapons aimed at one target.

Trauma and Unprocessed Grief
Alex’s refusal to heal is a motif that defines him. He deliberately relives the memory of his family’s death every day, using it as fuel. This contrasts with traditional narratives of recovery and raises questions about whether revenge can ever bring closure.

Power and Control
Alex’s interaction with Andrew shows how he wields power. He controls the phone call, decides the fate of the takeover, and summarily fires his assistant. Control is his only way to feel safe after the helplessness of his childhood.

Symbolism of the Artery Watch
Alex’s Patek Philippe watch, bought with proceeds from his first business at fourteen, symbolizes his early financial independence and his need to mark his achievements. It also highlights his preoccupation with time—perhaps a reminder of the time stolen from him.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 10 is the emotional core of Alex’s arc in Twisted Love. It reveals the origin of his obsession with power and revenge, making his later relationship with Ava more poignant. Understanding Alex’s past is essential to appreciating his character growth throughout the novel. This chapter also deepens the novel’s exploration of how trauma can either heal or consume a person. Without this backstory, Alex’s actions might seem purely villainous; with it, they become tragic.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Alex refuse to show mercy to Andrew, even after Andrew mentions his family?
Alex believes that business is business and that personal pleas have no place in corporate dealings. He also knows that Andrew settled sexual harassment accusations quietly, which Alex views as a sign of character. For Alex, mercy is a weakness, and he will not risk his own plans.
How does Alex’s childhood trauma shape his adult behavior?
Alex channels his grief into a single-minded pursuit of revenge. He rejects therapy and vulnerability, instead building a business empire as a means to gain power and control. His trauma also feeds his distrust of others and his need to be at the top of the food chain.
What does Alex mean when he says, “I don’t want to heal, I want to burn”?
Alex is rejecting the conventional path of recovery. He does not want to move past the pain of losing his family; he wants to use that pain as a weapon. The “burning” refers to his desire for intense emotion and eventual vengeance, which he sees as the only way to find peace.