Hypnotic Desire: Land The Perfect Kiss

Queenie Dong sat before her large dressing table, lost in thought. The woman looking back at her in the mirror had bright, beautiful eyes, an exquisitely shaped nose, and irresistibly kissable lips. She was stunningly beautiful, and her breathless anticipation for what awaited her later that evening added a pretty blush to her lovely cheeks. She pursed her cherry-red lips together to even out the lipstick.

She leaned back in her chair to consider her reflection in the mirror. The woman she saw was beautiful, confident, and dignified. She smiled.

It was her wedding day. She would soon be married to Ivan Han, though she barely knew him. It was an arranged marriage, but she was neither worried nor afraid. Her father had been the one to arrange it, and she knew he always had her best interests at heart.

As a member of the distinguished and wealthy Dong family, she understood the necessity of arranged marriages. She accepted her fate gracefully, without complaint.

"Miss Dong...no... I'll have to address you as Mrs. Han from now on." Yael, the maid, stuck her tongue out cheekily before smiling warmly at Queenie Dong. Queenie Dong smiled at the shy adoration on Yael's face. Yael had been her maid ever since she was just a little girl, and now that she was getting married, Yael seemed ready to burst with vicarious joy and excitement.

"Mrs. Han, I can't believe it. You're finally getting married! You look absolutely stunning today." Yael gazed reverently at Queenie Dong's reflection in the mirror. Her eyes shone with open admiration as she took in her elegant beauty and impeccable grace. Without realizing what she was doing, she put a hand on Queenie Dong's shoulder, as though afraid she would dissolve into a dream.

Queenie Dong reached for Yael's hand and gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. She said softly, "Bring me my diamond jewelry set."

Yael snapped out of her reverie. She walked over to the safe, opened it, and carefully removed the case containing the set of extravagant diamond jewelry from it.

She undid the latch on the case, and the lid opened to reveal a diamond jewelry set that glittered brilliantly in the light. It was dazzling to look at, and Yael could hardly wait to see Queenie Dong wear them.

She returned to Queenie Dong and stood reverently before her with the open case in her hands. "Here is your jewelry, Mrs. Han."

Queenie picked up an earring with her slender fingers and carefully put it on. The earring shone and twinkled like a star. Queenie Dong gingerly lifted the remaining earring from the case and fixed it onto her other ear. The exquisite diamond earrings shone with a dazzling brilliance as they caught the light and reflected it in a thousand directions. They made Queenie Dong look like her namesake: a regal Queen.

She admired her reflection in the mirror, her eyes bright with breathless delight. She lifted the diamond necklace and carefully placed it around her slender neck. Yael deftly stepped behind her to fasten the clasp for her.

The necklace completed the outfit. As soon as it was in place, Queenie Dong glittered brilliantly from head to toe. Yael gasped. Queenie was so beautiful, she was certain every head would turn to look at her wherever she went tonight.

"Mrs. Han, you're absolutely gorgeous!" Unable to contain her excitement, Yael clapped her hands and let out a few excited squeals.

Queenie Dong smiled affectionately at her. Yael was the first to see her in her full wedding outfit tonight, and her sincere expressions of awe and delight warmed her heart. She rose from her chair. The skirt of her extravagant wedding dress swayed and swept the floor. The Han family had hired a world-famous Italian stylist to design the wedding dress. The intricate dress, with 368 exquisite crystals embroidered on it, had required more than 400 labor-intensive steps to complete.

Queenie Dong moved to the full-length mirror and checked her appearance. She gave a little twirl, and her heart leapt in delight at the way she sparkled from head to toe. She smiled. Everything was perfect.

In the banquet hall, the guests mingled among themselves as they waited for the wedding to begin. There were representatives from every media outlet in attendance, eager to provide their readers and viewers with comprehensive coverage of the wedding. The Han family and the Dong family were the two most distinguished families in the city, and everyone knew that this would be the wedding of the century.

It was going to be a night to remember, and the guests were already in high spirits. The hall had been lavishly decorated, and the atmosphere was so romantic and dream-like the guests felt as though they had been transported into a fairy tale.

A sudden hush fell over the crowd as a few taps sounded over the speakers. It was finally time for the wedding to begin. The music started, the lights dimmed, and the emcee of the wedding bounded onto the stage to announce the entrance of the young couple. A spotlight circled dramatically around the hall before stopping at the foot of the stairs to reveal Queenie Dong in all her glory.

There were a few audible gasps from the guests as they marveled at the stunning sight of Queenie Dong in her sparkling wedding dress. She smiled and nodded graciously at her guests. As per wedding custom, she would wait here for her father to escort her towards the wedding banquet, where Ivan Han, her husband-to-be, waited. The exchange of the wedding vows and rings would be the climax of the wedding.

She could feel butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't help it; her engagement had been so unusual most people would think she was lying if she told them the truth. She was about to marry a man she had met only once.

The marriage had been decided upon when she was just a little girl. She had grown up with the understanding that she would marry into the Han family one day.

Her parents had teased her about the marriage for as long as she could remember. She could still recall the way they used to joke about it over dinner. "Queenie, don't forget to visit us after marrying into the Han family. We're still your parents, you know." And yet, despite the constant teasing and reminders, she had never interacted with the man who would be her husband.

The engagement party had been the only opportunity for them to meet before the wedding, but Ivan Han had arrived at the last possible moment and only stayed for as long as he was required to.

He had excused himself as soon as he could with an expression of a man who found the party to be insufferable.

Unable to approach him, Queenie Dong had been forced to look at her future husband from afar. She had been able to make out his single-fold eyelids, his shapely nose, and an almost imperceptible bad-boy smirk on his lips.

His beautiful eyes were full of profound intelligence, and Queenie Dong thought she could see an undercurrent of affection and warmth lurking in their depths. She had a feeling that his gaze would be electrifying on her, if he ever looked her way.

But that had been all she could see of him during the party. She had watched him with interest and curiosity, but he clearly hadn't felt the same way about her. The expression on his face at the party could only be described as the look of a prisoner in an execution chamber, instead of a man celebrating his engagement. It had been obvious from the thinly-disguised look of suffering and impatience on his face that his mind had wandered elsewhere during the party. His eyes had roved about the room impatiently, but for some odd reason his restless gaze never found its way to Queenie Dong.

She had taken his apparent lack of interest in her in stride. She was confident she would be able to win the heart of any man she wanted. Not even the world's most jaded womanizer would be able to resist her charms.

After the party, Queenie Dong was sure she had her future husband figured out. In her mind, the handsome man was the stoic type who preferred his own company. A man of few words. She was so sure of this she had immediately forgiven him for not talking to her during the engagement.

There was a sudden drum roll from the speakers, and Queenie Dong snapped out of her recollections. She remembered to smile graciously as she sparkled in the spotlight. His father walked up to her and gave her his arm. Together, they made their way towards Ivan Han, who stood alone in another spotlight at the other end of the red carpet.

Dressed smartly in a tailor-made suit, Ivan Han watched them with an expression of complete disinterest. There was no sign of pleasure or joy in his face.

From afar, Ivan Han appeared to be looking at Queenie Dong as she made her way towards him. But his mind had wandered, and he looked at her without actually seeing her.

In his eyes, she was nothing more than another prop on an elaborate stage.

Queenie Dong lifted her head to steal a bashful look at the man she was about to marry. There he was: the handsome Ivan, standing in the spotlight with his shoulders thrown back and his chin held high. She almost forgot to breathe; at that very moment, she decided that he would be her God, and she would worship him forever. She blushed; she couldn't help it. Like all the other girls, she had dreamed of a fairy-tale wedding, and now her dream had finally come true.

The spotlight followed her as she moved majestically across the hall, surrounded by twinkling camera flashlights. This was an important event, and the guests were all eager to photograph and record it for posterity.

Her father smiled at her with pride and joy. The Han family was just as wealthy and distinguished as the Dong family, and he was confident he had found the best match for Queenie Dong.

He patted the delicate hand on his arm, and she smiled back at him bashfully.

Her crystal shoes sparkled with every step as she gracefully closed the distance between herself and her husband-to-be.

Queenie reached the end of the red carpet and stepped gracefully into the circle of light around Ivan. They stood there for a moment, looking at each other.

The emcee said something, but Queenie didn't hear him. Now that she was finally face-to-face with Ivan, nothing else seemed to matter. Her surroundings melted away as she looked searchingly into his eyes.

His eyes were entirely devoid of emotion. Queenie's blood ran cold as she considered the implications.

The man she was about to marry had never shown any interest in her. Even now, moments before they were to be officially married, he looked at her without truly seeing her. Queenie steadied herself. Her heart continued to hammer uneasily against her chest, but she did her best to ignore it. She had placed Ivan on a pedestal ever since the day her parents told her about the arranged marriage. Nothing would change that now.

The emcee's cheerful voice interrupted her uneasy thoughts. "And now, it's time for the lovely couple to exchange their wedding rings!"

It was then that their eyes finally met. Queenie looked at Ivan, her hopeful eyes bright with emotion. Ivan returned her passionate look with one of icy indifference.

He lifted her hand and slid the ring onto her slender finger.

Queenie blushed as her gaze instinctively dropped to her hand in his. She had never felt the warmth of his touch before this, and she had to remind herself that this was really happening. She was marrying the man standing before her. Queenie looked at Ivan again, and this time, her eyes were full of love and devotion.

She didn't know the man she was marrying, but she was optimistic about their future together. She trusted in her ability to be the perfect wife, regardless of who she married.

She had learned to trust her parents' decisions from an early age. Her parents would never arrange for her to marry into a family unworthy of her.

They had her best interests at heart, and the arranged marriage with Ivan was the result of careful planning and consideration. Even so, Queenie was shrewd enough to understand that her family stood to gain from the marriage as well. Her parents had crunched the numbers, and picked the man they considered worthy of her beauty and the Dong family's connections.

At its core the marriage was essentially a business transaction, but Queenie's devotion to Ivan was entirely sincere. She had been waiting to marry him for nearly twenty years. Ever since she was a little girl, she had thought of herself as his future bride.

But Queenie realized now that Ivan didn't feel the same way about her. There had been a brief moment of warmth from him when he held her hand, but he had let go as soon as the ring was on her finger.

Ivan's frosty indifference was disappointing, but the sight of the exquisite wedding ring glistening on her finger made Queenie's heart bloom with joy and hope. This was the moment she had dreamed of her entire life!

Queenie looked affectionately at the tall, handsome man standing before her. She reached for his hand, and carefully slid the ring that represented her wedding vows onto his ring finger.

They were now husband and wife, bound by their duty to each other. They would love and help each other through health and sickness, until their dying breath.

Queenie looked up at Ivan. Her beautiful eyes shone with her unspoken love for him. But there was nothing in Ivan's eyes. His face remained blank, empty of all expression. The complete lack of emotion on his handsome face was frightening to look at. It suffocated her.

This was a man made of ice and stone.

Queenie stared at Ivan like a deer caught in headlights, unsure of what to do. After a moment of awkward silence, she heard the emcee say, "The wedding rings have been exchanged. The groom will now kiss the bride."

The emcee winked at Ivan. He had noticed Ivan's obvious reluctance to embrace his bride, and immediately jumped to the conclusion that the groom was shy and needed a push in the right direction.

But Ivan refused to take the hint. He remained motionless, even as Queenie looked at him with an expectant blush on her face. The guests, oblivious to the tension on stage, began to whistle and cheer. Their demands grew so loud and boisterous it became obvious to Ivan that he would have to do something to placate them.

He leaned in, and Queenie instinctively closed her eyes as she waited for his kiss on her lips. She could smell his pleasant scent drawing closer, close enough to envelope her, but he did not kiss her on the lips. Instead, he put his arms around her bare shoulders and gave her a chaste, symbolic kiss on the cheek.

Queenie's eyes flew open in surprise. A gentleman's kiss on her cheek wasn't the wedding kiss she had been expecting. For a split second, the gnawing feeling of unease within her threatened to overwhelm her.

But Ivan's arms were still around her, and all rational thought fled her mind. All she could think of was his scent. She closed her eyes as she breathed in his alluring scent. She could still feel the warmth of his lips on her cheek.

The sudden intimacy sent her heart racing. She had never been in such close contact with a man.

A rosy blush spread across her face as she wondered whether Ivan could hear the rapid hammering in her chest. Queenie lowered her head shyly. But that was apparently all Ivan was willing to do. He pulled away, and nonchalantly straightened his tie.

The guests waited in expectant silence, but after a few minutes, it became evident that the groom had no intention of giving the bride a real kiss. The photographers and cameramen exchanged disappointed looks. The kiss was supposed to be the highlight of the wedding, the moment everyone had been waiting for, but the newlyweds were apparently too shy to do it in front of a crowd.

Ivan merely smiled. It was an odd, cryptic smile that didn't seem to reach his eyes. Queenie stared at him in helpless confusion. There was something lurking behind his smile, but she couldn't figure it out.

Fortunately for her, the emcee noticed the awkward silence and came to her rescue. He said, a little too loudly, "Now let's all wish the newlyweds a happy marriage and many healthy babies!"

The guests cheered and whistled in response. Someone popped a champagne bottle.

Now that the ceremony was over, the guests dutifully turned their attention to the food and drink. Laughter rippled across the hall in waves as the guests began to toast each other. Queenie looked expectantly at Ivan. According to wedding custom, it was now time for Ivan to escort her around the hall. The newlyweds were expected to drink with the guests in a toast to their marriage.

The nonchalant smile was still on Ivan's face. Queenie bit her lip. She had the odd feeling that his smile was just a mask he had carefully chosen for the occasion. But before she could give it any more thought, Ivan opened his mouth to speak, and her eyes lit up with excitement. She had often wondered what his first words to her would be.

"Excuse me, I have to go to the restroom." The excitement in Queenie's eyes vanished, and her heart sank with bitter disappointment.

"Okay." Her first word to him was shy and bashful. She knew she would be sharing her bed with Ivan tonight, and the thought alone was enough to make her blush.

Queenie smiled serenely to herself. She told herself that as soon as Ivan returned, they would walk around the hall together to receive the traditional wedding toasts and blessings from the guests.

She waited patiently on the stage for what seemed like forever. Her calves began to throb with the strain of keeping her balance in her 5-inch crystal heels. She looked around, but Ivan was nowhere to be seen.

A look of profound loneliness crept into her eyes as it slowly dawned upon her that she was now standing on an empty stage, all alone.

She could see her father and father-in-law down below, mingling with the guests. A few of the guests looked at her in confusion as they waited for Ivan and Queenie to start the customary wedding toasts.

"Mr. Dong, you're so lucky to have a son-in-law like Ivan. He's such a capable young man, I'm sure he'll be invaluable to your family business. You've hit the jackpot!" The guests lifted their glasses to toast Mr. Dong.

Mr. Dong laughed heartily.

"With this marriage, the Han and Dong families are now unstoppable. Don't forget to throw the rest of us a bone now and then, eh?" A voice called out to Mr. Han teasingly.

"Yes, of course. Don't worry." Mr. Dong and Mr. Han exchanged a look. This was their cue to introduce Ivan and Queenie to the guests.

"What's taking them so long?" The two men exchanged another puzzled look before turning to look behind them.

Queenie stood alone on the empty stage, awkwardly dabbing at the sweat on her brow with a handkerchief. Both men frowned.

As she stood helplessly on the stage, Queenie finally realized that something was wrong. Ivan had been pretending the entire wedding. The man she married did not care about her at all. She saw now that his mind had been elsewhere throughout the ceremony.

Queenie knew she had to get to the bottom of this. She gestured stealthily to Ashley, one of the bodyguards, and said something to her. Ashley nodded and left.

She returned a few minutes later. "Ma'am, I can't find him."

"What?" The suspicion and dread that had been eating away at Queenie's insides surged onto her face, clouding her beautiful features.

She could hardly believe it. How was it possible for the bridegroom to vanish into thin air during a wedding, and without anyone noticing? It didn't seem possible.

Queenie sat heavily in a chair another bodyguard had helpfully brought her as she tried to make sense of the situation. She sat in silence, her shapely eyebrows knitted together in a slight frown. But she wasn't the type to sit around and wait for someone to save her. A minute later, she rose majestically from her chair and walked down the steps with her chin held high. She called for a glass of champagne and lifted it in a toast with the guests.

Queenie smiled brightly. It was a dazzling smile that radiated pure joy and happiness.

She knew her smile had the effect of charming everyone who saw it, and she used it now as a weapon.

She had to distract the guests and keep them from noticing Ivan's absence. If they discovered that the groom had disappeared before the wedding was over, they would never let the Dong and Han families live it down. The wedding would be the laughingstock of the entire city. She had to remain calm and keep her wits about her. It was up to her now to see the banquet through to the end.

The reputations of the Dong and Han families rested upon her shoulders, and she wasn't about to let them down.

"Hello, I'm so glad to see all of you here tonight." Queenie lifted her glass in a toast to the guests and smiled her sweet, charming smile. The guests burst into approving cheers, and began to congratulate Mr. Han on the latest addition to the Han family.

Mr. Han grinned from ear to ear. It pleased him to hear his guests praise his new daughter-in-law.

With her champagne glass in hand, Queenie flitted gracefully to every table in the hall like a pretty butterfly, winning the heart of everyone she met with her charming smile and elegant manners.

A few of the guests had been snickering behind their hands when they noticed the groom had disappeared, but Queenie's stunning display of grace and charm shut them up. It was impossible not to be won over by her smile and lively spirit.

Queenie's smile was infectious, and soon the entire banquet hall was full of merry laughter. No one tried to ask about the missing groom. It was an insensitive question at best, and downright rude at worst.

The guests jostled to bask in the presence of the lovely bride. They were having such a good time it was clear that no one would remember the missing groom by the end of the party.

It seemed like an eternity before Queenie finally found a quiet moment to rest and have a drink of water. She let out a sigh of relief. She had succeeded in saving the wedding.

There was a moment of silence as she considered what had happened, and what it would mean for her future.

Ashley hurried over. "Ma'am, everything is ready."

Queenie listened to Ashley's report with steely determination in her eyes. Ivan had forced her hand. There would be no regrets. She nodded.

Just then, Rainy Dong called out to Queenie, her elder sister, in a loud, obnoxious voice.

"Oh my God, look at your makeup! What a mess! You should fix it. I hope you haven't been mingling with the guests looking like that." Her voice dripped with exaggerated concern.

Queenie smiled, but said nothing to that.

Rainy Dong fumed to herself when she saw that Queenie hadn't taken the bait.

She decided to try something else. "Queenie, I'm impressed. It's your big day, and yet here you are, working yourself to the bone to cover for your husband. What was my brother-in-law thinking? He should have known better than to disappear during the wedding. You must be so worried."

Rainy Dong smirked. She was certain she had landed a hit on her sister's only sore spot. She had expected to see Queenie's expression of serene benevolence dissolve into an ugly scowl, but Queenie merely looked at her with complete indifference.

Rainy Dong's face darkened. Queenie's calm composure made her look like a ridiculous clown in comparison.

"Only a complete scumbag would run out of his own wedding and leave his bride behind. What's next? I bet he's going to divorce you the next time he sees you." Rainy Dong put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes dramatically.

Once again, Queenie smiled her confident, self-assured smile and said nothing. Deep down, Rainy Dong's biting remarks were beginning to annoy her, but she knew better than to let it show. She had to pretend that she didn't care. It would be fatal for her to show any sign of weakness.

The lack of any kind of response from Queenie grated on Rainy Dong's nerves. She forced a smile, and walked off to nurse her injured pride.

"Baby, open up. It's me." Inside the extravagant presidential suite, a woman in a silk robe sat on the bed, leaning comfortably into the luxurious pillows.

She was waiting for someone. Her eyes lit up at the sudden knock on the door and the masculine voice that followed. She quickly fluffed her hair, cast off her silk robe, and adjusted her silk lingerie to reveal more of her ample bosom.

As soon as she was sure she was ready, she said, "Coming."

Isabel Tang rose from the bed and opened the door for the man she had been thinking of the entire day. Ivan stood before her in a suit, looking devastatingly handsome as always. He stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and picked her up.

"What took you so long?" Isabel Tang draped her arms around Ivan's neck and began planting butterfly kisses on her lover's face. When she reached his earlobe, she nibbled on it seductively.

"Baby, I've missed you so much." Ivan returned her feathery kisses with a hungry kiss on her lips.

Her gaze fell upon the flower on his lapel. She said softly, "It's your big day today, isn't it? I didn't think you'd come." Her voice was gentle, yet seductive.

"I don't care about the wedding. Baby, you're all I want. You know that." Ivan dropped her on the bed and eagerly removed his suit.

He had been dying to get out of the uncomfortable suit the entire evening. He plucked the flower from his lapel and tossed it with his suit to the floor. Out of sight, out of mind. He wanted to forget all about the wedding and focus on the woman lying before him on the bed. Isabel Tang was his one and only love, the woman he couldn't stop thinking about during his waking moments.

Isabel Tang arranged herself seductively on the bed with a come-hither look on her face. The intense desire in her eyes sent an electrifying jolt through Ivan.

It was too much for him. He tore off the rest of his clothes, unable to contain his excitement. He had promised her weeks ago that he would see her tonight. He had been distracted throughout the wedding with thoughts of Isabel Tang and all the "fun" he would be having with her.

The last of Ivan's inhibitions fell away at the sight of her beautiful face and voluptuous curves waiting for him on the bed. He could no longer think straight.

Like a ravenous tiger, he threw himself onto the bed and pinned Isabel Tang down with his body.

Just as he was about to devour her lips, the door slammed against its frame, as though someone outside had tried to kick it down. There was the sudden clamor of reporters shouting questions and the unmistakable clicks of camera shutters beyond the door.

Ivan and Isabel Tang froze. The lust coursing through their veins vanished, replaced by feelings of shock and dread. They stared blankly at the door. It was several seconds before Ivan finally came to his senses.

He realized with sudden horror that he had forgotten to lock the door.