The Closer (18+) ✓

| 11.3 | a partnership proposal

❝Haven't had a dream in a long time
see, the life I've had
can make a good man bad
So for once in my life
let me get what I want
Lord knows it would be the first time❞

Chapter Eleven:
A Partnership Proposal
(cont'd)

"My father used to bring me here every summer."

Hans' eyes were focused over the city, his arms leaning against the railing. I noticed that that a couple of his soft, black strands had fallen astray in front of his eyes but he made no move to push them away as he spoke, voice slightly dreamy.

"It was his way of trying to make things right with me. It almost worked too. Every time we came here, I felt like just another kid for once. Dad would dress up in shorts and a regular khaki shirt, and not be the CEO I've always seen him as. We would spend an entire weekend, going around the fairs, restaurants and shops, just having fun like a normal father and son."

Hans stopped, eyes blinking away the memories as a shadow washed over them. His next words were awfully low, and the hurt in his voice made me want to reach out and grab his hand.

"And then the weekend would end. Things would go back to how they always were. All I would do is wait for the next time he'd bring me here, just so I could trick myself into believing the feeling that we were actually family."

A wistful smile curled his lips and Hans shook his head before straightening his posture, his hands tightening around the metal railing.

"I come here to get away from it all. It's my escape."

Hans' eyes finally met my own. Seriousness morphed his face and robbed it entirely of the glimpses of peace I had seen before. His voice was low in his throat as he spoke again, concentrating on me fully.

"I know you think that I'm an imposter, Tris. That I've been fooling you and playing you all this time but that isn't what it is. I was afraid."

"Afraid?" My voice cracked and I had to take a second to gulp away the uncertainty when I spoke again. "You were afraid? Do you know how ashamed I felt when I realized just how long you've known me?"

"Ashamed?" Confusion struck Hans square in the eye. He hadn't been expecting that at all.

"Yes, Hans. Ashamed. My past was my secret, it's the only thing I've ever had since moving here to Washington that was entirely my own. I didn't want people to class me as some pathetic loser so I took this as a chance to start with a clean slate but as it turns out," my lips turned in, and I had to bite back the venom as I spat, "you've always known."

"Pathetic loser?" Hans repeated, staring at me with increasingly narrowing eyes. "Is that what you think of yourself?" I was surprised with the amount of frustration in his voice as he stepped forward, reaching forward with a hand that soon cupped the side of my face.

"I'm not the girl I was back then," I whispered, eyes closing in shame. The tears were gone but my words spoke volumes for the misery inside of my chest. "Jacob destroyed me. You of all people know that I'm nothing like the girl I was before."

"You're right. You're nothing like her."

His confirmation of my worst fears was like a slap in the face. I flinched back, eyes flashing open at his words. I started to take a step away from him when Hans cupped my entire face in both his hands, whispering close enough for me to see every bit of sincerity in his words.

"You're better."

Hans smiled as he felt me freeze in shock beneath his touch. His thumb skirted over my lips before resting on my cheek, tracing circles there. "You're stronger. You're independent. You're hard working, and committed, and you stand up for yourself. You're the best version of yourself I've ever seen you be."