Frozen Hearts

An Unknown Foreign Beauty

Chapter 17- Frozen Hearts

"Whoa…I know it is you." A voice spoke, startling the couple. Both Elsa and Hans blushed and moved apart. It was a young brunette dressed in a beautiful lavender gown standing behind them. She walked towards them, and gave Elsa a fierce hug.

"Rapunzel!" Elsa immediately recognized her cousin, "What are you doing here?"

"I was invited, dear cousin." She giggled happily, "So, is my husband." She gestured towards another young man at the entrance. Elsa recognized the young brunette with short goatee, Eugene Fitzherbert. They got married three years ago after a terrible fiasco. He was currently surrounded by his admiring fans.

"Quite charmer he is." Elsa smiled looking her cousin, "You have to fight hard keep all the girls away from him."

"Yes, but he is loyal. What about yours? He looks quite handsome too." Rapunzel eyed Hans, and giggled. "Why don't you introduce him with me?"

"Actually, I…" Elsa blushed deeper for being caught by her cousin like this, and gazed up at Hans guiltily, who also looked a bit embarrassed with the awkwardness.

"Let me introduce myself." Hans decided to ease the tension, "Hans Westergard, currently Miss Kingsley's business partner."

"Oh, really!" Rapunzel exclaimed gazing up at him, and recognized him immediately. "I heard about you from Eugene. You two were together at university, right?"

Hans nodded smilingly, as he recognized his best friend's wife. "Yes, now I can guess whom Eugene was dating secretly." He added jokingly.

"But you missed our wedding!" Rapunzel let Elsa go and raised her eyebrows playfully, "You must make amends, Hans. You owe me a dance." She giggled, and turned her attention to her cousin, "What do you think, Elsa?"

"I…" Elsa actually didn't know what to do. Tension of the evening still hung in the air, and she was worried about Hans. To avoid further embarrassment, Hans quickly offered his arm to Rapunzel, flushing her charming smile. "I'll happily accompany you, my lady." Rapunzel giggled happily, and slipped her arm into his. Don't worry; I won't kiss your boyfriend." She said Elsa with a conspiratorial grin. Elsa smiled back uneasily.

Boyfriend? How odd it sounded.

"Don't worry, I'll see you in dinner." Hans leaned forward, and whispered in Elsa's ears before leaving with Rapunzel.

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But Hans didn't turn up after finishing his dance with Rapunzel. Elsa tugged at the hem of her dress after she finished another dance with one of the guests. Elsa, however, was surrounded by a sea of wealthy businessmen, all of whom seemed to appraise her with a dark hunger in their eyes, leaving her feeling exposed and on edge. Elsa felt out of her element at a large gala like this. So, she decided to retire in the nearest table.

Across the conference room, she spotted Rapunzel dancing with her husband Eugene. Rapunzel giggled happily as he twirled her. Elsa smiled fondly, lifting a hand to gain a waiter's attention to freshen her drink; she'd need a lot of them to survive this afternoon. When the drink was served, she lifted the black straw to her lips, and took a long sip from her drink as she let her eyes drift across the crowd. She couldn't see Hans. He had finished dancing with Rapunzel long ago. It had been a while since she had seen him, which was odd, since he rarely left her alone for long at these sorts of functions. He was usually at her side, his mouth poised closely to ear, while they singled out particularly interesting looking party guests from the bunch. Then he would make up a story for them, murmuring it in her ear.

Elsa moved to a corner, and leaned against a pillar. The diamond jewelries she wore, were feeling so uncomfortable against her skin. She took off the diamond necklace. Gerda had also provided her with a gorgeous, brown leather handbag to tuck her jewelries in. She gracelessly allowed the strap to slip to the crook of her elbow, causing her to nearly drop her drink in the process and she darted forward to prevent it from spilling.

"Need a hand?"

She jumped in startle and swept a hand through her hair to regain her composure.

"I'm fine, thank you," she said breathlessly. Pulling her purse back over her shoulder, she resigned from her hunt and met the eye of her aide. She immediately recognized him. After all it was not their first meeting, and their previous meeting was not so pleasant at all. "Mr. Westergard," she greeted coldly.

"Henry Westergard." He narrowed his eyes, as he ran his eyes from Elsa's head to toe. "So you have hooked up with my baby brother soon after your sister's death?"

Elsa was clearly offended by his words. Now she understood why Hans always despised his brothers. They were arrogant and proud like hell. "We are partners." She said, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Oh, really!" Elsa saw a wry smile ghosted his lips, but she decided to ignore. "You two grew close very quickly."

"He was my sister's fiancé. I knew him for a very long time." She smiled tightly.

"He was always the black sheep of the family." Henry raised his glass to his lips, taking a sip from his wine, "No wonder he loses his girlfriends one after another."

"He didn't lose my sister." Elsa swallowed the growing anger inside her, and spoke, "It was an accident."

"I see." Henry raised his eyebrows, and gazed into Elsa's eyes. His eyes were so cold that made Elsa shiver, "Little Hansy is quite a charmer. He certainly knows how to keep his secrets."

"Secrets?" Elsa said, her eyes darting between the glass in his hand and his imploring eyes.

"Can't you see?" Henry drained the glass, and placed it back on the table, "How can you be so blind, Miss Kingsley?"

"I'm not blind." Elsa protested. "If I was, then I would have let Anna sign the contract with you that day."
"Yes you are." Henry let out a stiff laugh, and looked at his watch, "Tell him that I am watching over him."

"He can take care of himself." And if you are so concerned why don't you tell him yourself?" Elsa was clearly angry.

"Perhaps I've an important meeting." He winked.

"Missing a party like this?" Elsa waved her hand at the festivities.

"Oh there are far more interesting events on the horizon," he said with a wink before he excused himself and walked away.

Elsa watched after him, trying to ignore the shiver that ran down her spine. She couldn't pinpoint exactly, what made her so suspicious of Henry Westergard, but she knew he was not here only to enjoy parties. Her anxiety was piqued when she felt a familiar hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to meet Eugene's bright chocolate eyes. He looked quite happy from getting rid of his fangirls.

"Alone at last." He said, taking a big gulp from the wine glass from the table. Elsa smiled as she looked at her cousin's husband. He looked exhausted from entertaining girls, especially his wife, Rapunzel. "Wish to have a dance?" He grinned, "You look quite gorgeous." But getting no response, he moved closer, and inspected her closely, "What's wrong with you, Elsa?"

"Have you seen Hans?" She said, unamused.

Eugene smirked and his eyes lit up. Leaning forward, he paused when their lips were mere inches apart. "What? Worried he'll get jealous?"

Unintentionally, her gaze dropped to his lips, but she didn't lose her composure in the way most women would at this proximity to him. "Hardly," she laughed, watching her cousin's husband returning to his former Flynn Rider persona. "I don't know how Rapunzel tolerates you, Eugene. Have you seen Hans?"

"She is getting used to it." His eyebrows lifted and his forehead crinkled in result. "As for Hans, I've seen him leaving the party with Duke Weaslton. I guess he is trying to get rid of his annoying big brother. Have you met him yet?"

'Yes. Several times." Elsa nodded, "Quite a creepy character. Now I understand why Hans dislikes him so much."

"Did he tell you anything?" Eugene looked at her with much concern. "Anything about Hans?"

"Yes." she said, trying to sound disinterested as she lifted her straw back to her lips. "Something about his ex- girlfriend Sofia and something about Hans' secret."

"Secret?" Eugene frowned, looking worried.

"I guess so." Elsa threw him a concerned gaze, "Do you know anything about this? I heard you two were good friends."

"Yes, we were." Eugene chuckled, looking at his wife's cousin, "We were very good friends. I was with him when his brothers disowned him. I attended his mother's funeral when none of his brothers bothered to come. I was there when his Henry lured Sofia away on their wedding day. I was with him when he faced public humiliation. I knew how he felt."

Elsa's eyes widened as she listened Hans' history from Eugene. Even after being together for a while, she knew nothing about his time between he left home and was sent to Denmark. She used to see him as a kind, sweet hearted person, but now she could feel he was just as scarred as she was.

"That's why he is so detached from his family." Elsa murmured softly. Eugene held her arm and patted softly. " Hans' mother was a simple Danish girl, less educated and was from a lowly family. She was nothing comparing to Mr. Westergard's first wife. But he divorced his previous wife for Hans' mother. All of his twelve sons were either small children or young teens. They never welcomed Hans' mother as their new mother." Elsa's eyes widened with the news, and Eugene continued. "They hated her from the beginning. They hated Hans too for being her child. No wonder why he was so eager to prove himself. But then he made a mistake. A big one…"

Elsa drained her glass and was able to swap it for a flute of champagne when the next server passed; her eyes settled on the door that the waiters filed in and out of, as if it may suddenly become transparent and offer her a glimpse. "What kind of mistake?" She asked over the rim of her glass.

Eugene had taken a glass as well, and his eyes turned teasing as he took a sip. "Didn't you know?" He said his voice incredulous although it was obvious he was only pretending. "He was with you since Anna's untimely death, but he didn't tell you?"

Elsa shook her head. Hans was a very much secretive person, a bit vulnerable of course, but she never asked for the reason behind it. But if the mistake was terrible…

"Is it a dangerous one? If it is…"she trailed off, unable to finish her thought. She shrugged her shoulders as if it implied the rest of her inquiry. Eugene grinned, and his amber eyes sparkled. "Do you love him?" he asked, though his tone suggested that he had already known the truth.

"Don't be obtuse Eugene," she said with a roll of her eyes, though she tried to calm down her wildly beating heart.

"I always thought you found me at least a little acute," he winked.

"You know what I mean."

He placed a hand on his chest and took a step back. "Do you know the story of The Snow Queen?" He asked.

Elsa was surprised with the sudden change of topic, but she nodded. "I read it when I was little."

"There was a boy who had his heart frozen. He saw every good thing as ugly ones." Eugene gazed deep into Elsa's eyes, who looked completely puzzled, "And the girl who loved him thawed his heart."

"It is just a fairytale." Elsa said shortly.

"Life is stranger than fiction, Elsa," he said and wrapped an arm around her shoulder to draw her close. Elsa wanted to run and find Hans to ask what he was hiding from her, but made no move to leave. "You must have noticed this by now."

Elsa looked at him inquiringly, "But who has a frozen heart here?"

Eugene shook his head sadly, "Sorry, Elsa, I've no right to say. But one thing I can say that love will thaw a frozen heart."

Love will thaw…Elsa watched him as he left to join Rapunzel at the dinner table. She welcomed her husband with a passionate hug, and he kissed her back. Elsa wondered how much love could change a man. She was aware of Eugene's criminal past, and she was amazed to see the changed man now.

May be he was right. Love really thaws frozen hearts.

But the question was who had his heart frozen?

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Hans traced random patterns against the cool walls, his eyes occasionally flitting towards the dancing couples and random songs. His companion settled himself on the stone bench in the garden, and crossed his legs. Hans watched the little weasel with cold eyes, as he reached for his briefcase, and pulled out some old newspapers, and threw them towards him. Hans caught them with a swift motion, and looked at the headlines in the front page.

"What about them?" He finally spoke, raising his eyes from the headlines.

"Police is thinking that Sofia is actually murdered. Your brother Henry is bringing charge against you." Duke said in a steady voice, though an odd smirk was ghosting the corner of his lips.

"Why should I bother?" Hans' voice turned cold, as he balled his fists. He wanted punch this bald headed man in white wig. He took a deep breath to keep himself calm. "This is none of your problem."

A wry smile crossed Duke's lips, as he took a quick glance at the young man's face, "As a good wisher, I advise you not to mess things up."

"Thank you for your concern." Hans folded the newspapers, and turned to leave. "And I'm not ending this game before the ice hotel project is finished."

"I thought you have a well mapped plan." Duke's laughed, "But now it seems you are getting ice crazy like her." His voice dipped sarcasm. Hans turned. His face was red with anger, and he had to dig his nails into his palm just to keep the straight face he wore. "I know my game. I know how to play it." He deadpanned.

"Oh, really!" The little man smirked, running his eyes from his head to toe, his priggish mustache frowning along with his mouth. "I can see that, Mr. Westergard Junior. But I wonder why you can't just have the whole thing signed in your name?"

"What do you mean?" Hans gritted his teeth. He always despised this little weasel besides his brothers. He was now really tempted to punch him square in the jaw. But he kept himself calm.

"I mean why don't you have the whole company in our name rather than making your account fat? Why don't you let her opponents take over her? Why are you protecting her?" Duke gazed deep into Hans' green eyes, trying to find the truth, "Can you explain this Mr. Westergard?"

Hans didn't answer. He had actually nothing to answer. In one sense Duke was right. With his wit and intelligence he had to have the company in his name by now. But why he was delaying his game? What was bothering him? Duke watched his silence for a moment, and smiled, "I know you can't answer, young man. You are in love with that little bitch, aren't you?"

And then Hans' resistance broke. He turned, and grabbed his collars, "Don't dare to call her that." He hissed. Duke saw the fire in his eyes, and nodded. Letting a sigh to escape, Hans released his collar, "I know my game well, Duke. I don't need any advice from you." He said, turning quickly on his heels, heading towards the ball room.

"I know you don't need my advice." Duke coughed as he tried to straighten his crumpled collar, "But you are losing yourself in this game." Hans could feel the sarcasm practically dripping from his voice.

"Let me handle that." Hans growled, and turned, leaving Duke standing alone in the cold night.

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Hans found Elsa in the dining hall engaged in some sort of conversation with Eugene. Her smile was easy and her eyes were bright as she spoke. She trusted people so easily in this world, he realized, that it seemed silly playing this romance game with her.

Elsa was aware of his presence and lifted her hand in a small wave to acknowledge him. He grinned back as best he could and approached her. Almost naturally, she slipped her hand into his when he reached her. "Is the event of this evening is still bothering you?" She whispered into his ear, a concerned frown creasing her lips.

"No," Hans said with a short nod.

"But your hand is as cold as ice." Elsa was still concerned. She took his hand, and kissed it gently, "Are you sure that you are alright?" she said.

"Yes, I am." Hans said. His eyes lingered to her for a while. He didn't let go when Elsa took his hand, instead he let it slip in hers, and they fitted perfectly together. Probably that the little weasel was right. He was falling for her. He dismissed any thoughts of this quickly and let her hand slip from his, covering it by turning his eyes towards the dancing couples in the middle of the room.

"Fancy a dance?" He asked, keeping much distance between them.

"No, I had enough." Elsa yawned, moving close to him, placing a hand on his arms to keep herself steady, "My feet are aching."

Hans tried to ignore the feeling, that a simple touch made him to feel, and asked, "Do you need a ride back to hotel?"

"Please," she said. They excused themselves and Hans escorted her across the garden, her hand tucked in the crook of his elbow. He helped her into his car, noting that Elsa was still watching him with her careful eyes.

"You look troubled," Elsa said as he pulled the car out of the lot. Hans adjusted the speed as he drove the car to the main road. "Oh, yeah?" He said, still avoiding Elsa's eyes, "You've a nice observational power, Elsa."

"I was talking with Eugene about your days in Denmark." She said keeping her eyes on him, "You never told me that you two were so close."

"Sorry." He sighed, making a sharp U-turn, "I thought Rapunzel told you all about us."

"I never asked her," was all she had to say for him to understand. There was a brief silence. "What was it about? What you were hiding from me by not telling your past? What is between you and Henry? Why is he threatening you?"

Hans turned his eyes to look at Elsa. He saw the desperation in her eyes. "There's nothing much." Then he leaned forward and gazed into Elsa's eyes, "But why we are talking about these now? We never talk about our pasts.'

"You always make me to forget the pain of my past, Hans." Elsa said, shifting close to him, and placing a soft kiss on his mouth, "Let me help you now."

In the dim light of the street light, he could still see her startling beauty as she leaned close to him, draped in an icy blue silk gown that provided him with an erotic glimpse of her full breasts above her bodice. Her face had been turned up to his, inviting his kiss, but as he'd bent over her, he hesitated. Cold reason and hard logic went to battle against his desire, and they won out over everything else, just as they always did with Hans. Regretfully but resolutely, he'd whispered, "No"; then he'd started to draw back.

Her hand lifted, sliding over his shoulder and behind his nape, her fingers gliding into the short hair above his open shirt collar, and he looked into eyes as blue as ice and as vulnerable as a hurt child's.

"No," he repeated, but he heard the hesitation and regret in his voice. So had Elsa.

"Don't hold back yourself." Elsa whispered as he melted in her lips, "Once you told me that there isn't any more secret between us."

Hans broke the kiss, and looked into her icy blue eyes. He parked the car in the sidewalk, and absently laid one hand on her thigh, the other wrapped around her waist tight. Her company always made him to feel comfortable, but now it made him curving for more and more.

"You won't like it." He said in a low voice, "It is not pretty". In the answer he heard Elsa's low pitched laughter, which made him to stare at her with wonder. "None of us have pretty stories." She said, curving her hand around his nape and eagerly brought his lips against her own. "But we must face our pasts someday…" She whispered, kissing him again. At first the kiss was a gentle, tentative greeting between two lovers, but the longer it continued the more pleasurable it became for both of them, and the tighter they clung to each other, seeking more.

Hans let out a sigh as he laid his head on her lap, "There is nothing special. Deadbeat mom trying to overcome drug addiction and abusive relationships, while the son was trying find his place in the world, alone. Then jealous siblings and abusive brothers made the whole thing complicated. It was pretty depressing."

Much as Elsa knew how this would turn out, this insight felt rather refreshing. She hadn't known about any of this, that he was alone, that all he wanted to feel was something other than failure… She only held to him tighter. His hands opened her gown, tugging down her undergarments; he buried his head in her breasts. "Please, hold me, Elsa…" Pain of his past washed over him like powerful waves, and he shuddered. Elsa ran her soothing fingers through his auburn locks as he continued shaking in her embrace. She had never seen him being so much vulnerable, so she held him close, letting her warmth filtering through his ice cold body. He was as much scarred as she was, and she wanted to do anything to make him to feel comfortable. So she stroked his hair gently, whispering soft words into his ears. "I can feel your pain, Hans. I once feel the same. We are the same."

Her words startled him. He raised his face from her breasts, and said "But if it ever turns out that I'm not the man you believe I am, or not the man I believe I am, will you still stay with me, Elsa?"

"I will, Hans." Elsa huffed out a breath and shook her head. Relief painted Hans's face, but to be surer, he pulled Elsa closer, down his lap.

"Really?" He asked eagerly, kissing her lips.

"Yes…" She shuddered out a moan as he kissed the tops of her breasts, then he lifted his head and kissed her again. "Hans…" Elsa tried to say, but Hans' tongue sensuously parted her lips, slipped between them for one sweet, arousing taste, and withdrew… then hungrily, urgently, plunged again, and desire exploded between them.

The stirring wheel remained forgotten as they fell into the backseat together. Passion was raging through Elsa's entire nerve stream by the time he finally removed their clothes and stretched out beside her, leaning up on his forearm. "I can't get enough of you," he whispered achingly, his eyes molten with desire as they gazed into hers while his lips continued teasing her bare beauty. He reached up to her neck and kissed her again. Hot, convulsive waves were racing through Elsa in a trembling fury, and finally she moaned aloud, her hands running up and down the muscles of his arms, then she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned into him.

Tearing her mouth from his heated kiss, she slid her fingers into the sides of his hair and whispered brokenly, "It's lonely this way, without you beside me—"

And when it was over, he held her in his arms, filled with a joy that was almost past bearing as he gazed at the raging blizzard outside. Inch by inch he was wining her soul, her body, her money…..everything. The game was really on. And it was really getting too complex now.

"What are you thinking?" Elsa softly asked.

"It is hard not to fall for you," he teased. It was a lie. A big fat lie, he grinned victoriously, but his grin faded as he looked down into her beautiful face and thought, Or have I just told the truth?

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Anna was back in her old room in Kristoff's flat. She had been there since Kristoff refused to break the engagement and brought her home. She was shuffling through the fake pictures in Kristoff's laptop when he entered with a bowl of hot soup. As soon as she realized the truth about Kristina, her anger was replaced by a pleasant curiosity.

"Eat it." He said gently, placing the bowl on the table.

"No…" She shook her head violently. "Not until you answer my questions."

"You have to ask questions now," he said, smiling at her fierce expression. She was wet, she was cold and shivering. She was not in any position to ask questions, but he saw no reason to point that out to her.

"What do you want to know?"

"Oh, usual things." She said very seriously, "Have you really slept with Kristina?"

"No…" He laughed out loudly, "Never. I make up those pictures just to make you jealous."

"Oh!" Anna relaxed a little as she continued examining the fake pictures that Olaf gave her. "I can see that now." She pointed at one of the photos which was edited very badly.

Kristoff's defenses collapsed, leaving him torn between the wild urge to laugh at her wonderful, courageous sense of humor and the wilder urge to pull in a kiss, shove his hands into that mass of gleaming hair and bury his lips in hers. She was as enticing as she was sweet, and was enough to torture her by a simple touch. Guilt abruptly doused Kristoff's pleasurable contemplation of her appealing assets, and shame ate at him like acid. He was not only taking advantage of her illness, but also he was lusting after her.

His attraction to her was obscene! It was insane!

Her quiet voice jerked him from his furious self-reproach, but his feelings of revulsion lingered. "That picture," she said half-seriously, clicking open one of the edited photos."That was badly edited, though you look very sexy there." She grinned.

Kristoff's gaze snapped back to her face. She was leaning so close that he could count every freckle on her cheeks. Her hot breath was brushing his skin…. Kristoff shivered as his eyes met hers. She looked like she was looking into his soul. She kept watching him, her gaze never wavered for a second as she asked, "Were we very much in love Kristoff?"

His hands automatically slipped from her shoulder. Swearing silently, he realized that no matter what he told her now, she was going to feel duped when she recovered her memory. When she learned that he was not the man to whom she was really engaged, she was going to hate him thoroughly when this was over. But not as much as he hated himself for everything, including what he was about to do. But he was ready to do anything to bring her back home. Left with no choice, he answered in a way that he knew would destroy any good opinion she had of him.

"Do you doubt me?" He said, furious with himself and with fate because he was in this untenable situation. He pushed her away, rose from the bed, and turned around to leave.

"Kristoff—" she cried from behind, and he felt another stab of unbearable guilt as she had to believe in his lies, "Why are you avoiding me? What I ever do to you?"

"Enough, Anna…" He said, keeping up the act, heading towards the door. "You have been trying to seduce me for long. But I have an assignment to work on."

She looked as if he'd slapped her, and Kristoff flung open the door with more force than he'd intended. "I hope I haven't upset you with my bluntness," he said, feeling like a complete bastard. "It's getting late, and you need your rest."

He gave her a slight nod to indicate the conversation was over, and then saw her standing up. He carefully looked away when the dressing robe parted to reveal a glimpse of shapely calf. He already had his hand on the door handle, when she finally spoke.

"Kristoff?"

"Yes?" he said without turning.

"Did we ever do that?"

"Did what?"

"Have we ever made love?"

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