One Kiss Less

As Melissa Shen walked into the darkened room, she saw Colin Ling sitting in the chair by the desk with his fingers crossed pensively before his face. There was only a dim lamp shining to the side, which plunged his handsome face into a chiaroscuro effect of half light and shadow. He was like a devil as he leaned forward out of the darkness behind the desk, but he was so charming that it could suffocate anyone watching him. He said, "Come here!"

Melissa Shen walked towards him, and he pulled her into his strong arms. Squinting at her, he said coldly, "You're finally back! I told you that after sleeping with me, other men would never again satisfy you. But you still wanted to leave me. Do you regret that choice now?"

Melissa Shen shivered and gritted her teeth before saying, "Colin, I will never forget how you have treated me, no matter what you do. I will never fall in love with you, even if you try every means at your disposal!"

Colin Ling sneered, "Then give me your body. Your body will always be more honest than your heart. Don't forget that I can make you a popular international movie queen. But, I can also oppress you and keep you by my side like a bird with broken wings. Melissa, everything of you belongs to me, only to me! Thoughts of other men are just delusions!" After saying that, he violently pushed her over the desk, pressed her under him and kissed her fiercely. Then he held her down and gave her another round of impassioned abuse.

His aggression was pervading around the room when their lips and teeth were constantly intertwined. However, he could not get her love by any means!

Five years ago

Neon lights flashed in the nightclub and in the bright flashing red and yellow lights people were dancing with wild abandon to the ear-splitting music. A group of men and women were cavorting wildly on the dance floor. Young people were slumped on the stools at the bar, drinking like old time alcoholics. There were also various couples madly groping each other in the shady corners. This was a world of debauchery and vileness.

Standing at the door, Melissa Shen felt lost. In her short 20 years, she had never thought that the private life of a star could be so messy and jaded. So far, she had managed to avoid such messy entanglements.

The nightclub was called "Heaven Night". It was reported to be elegant and sacred. Who knew what was really happening inside?

Held by Colin Ling, the nightclub was a famous entertainment venue among those in the film and television circle. It was only open to the stars as a venue where they didn't have to hide anything. They took off their public polished masks and showed their primitive desires here, looking crazed and depraved as they engaged in their dark needs.

There was a rumor among the public that the man in the corner, known as the Movie King, was a respectable man who loved his wife and was always responsible for his family–yet here he was! Melissa Shen had never thought that such an elegant man would cheat on his wife and seduced another female star! And to the side was a famous actress, Junia Zhou, who was considered to be innocent and sweet. It was said that she was deeply admired by many young men.

All of these sights shocked Melissa Shen and shattered her illusions. Were all the stars of the world double faced? She thought that this was utterly ridiculous. It was Zack, her agent, who had invited her to a party here. He told her that it was just a normal party, that she would come to meet directors and get acquainted with some people. It was supposed to be some simple social activities for her to broaden her personal connections in the film and television industry. But she had never expected that she would come to such a hedonistic place.

Seeing all this, she began to shrink back. She turned around and said to her agent, "Zack, can I go now? My father doesn't allow me to come such places! He will blame me if he knows!"

Her agent, Zack, giggled and said, "It seems that you really are just a child. You are already 20 years old, but you still listen to your father? Do you know that Junia Zhou has come to this kind of place since she was only 17 years old? How else could she have become so popular? Since you are already here, there is no reason to go back, is there? Come on in. Many directors and investors are waiting to meet you. How can you shoot the movie without seeing them?"

"I don't want to. I'm not desperate for money. Acting is just my hobby, and even if I can't act anymore, I don't want to be in a place like this!" Melissa Shen retorted

Zack at once said coldly, "If you don't go, you'll be breaking our contract, won't you? What did you say when you signed the contract with me? You said you had a dream to be famous and wanted to shoot some movies but now you back off at the first step?"

Melissa Shen had no reply to that. When she had joined the film and television company, those had been her words. Her dream had been very simple and naive at that time. She had only paid attention to acting and hoped to shoot something amazing. Her mother had been a famous dance artist, who had achieved great fame in the industry. Melissa had been greatly influenced by her mother since her early childhood. She had followed a pursuit of art like her mother, but she had never thought that it would require social engagements like nightclubs!

After Zack scolded her, he laughed and comforted her, "Don't worry. I will take care of everything. Besides, not all the people here act like that. Look at the other guests! Aren't there many who come here just to simply relax? Besides, no one will interrupt us when we get into the private room! You can rest assured. I will protect you. After all, I brought you here. When have I ever lied to you? Let's go! Let's go!" Zack pushed her onwards.

Although Melissa Shen was not willing to, she was relieved by his words, and she entered the venue with some trepidation.

They walked around the dance floor and headed towards the room at the other end of the corridor. Along the way, Melissa Shen kept her head down, not daring to look around. She was afraid that her eyes and mind would be stained by something unclean. Likewise, she was unwilling to be caught by her parents for being here.

In fact, her family education had been very strict. Her mother was a dance artist, and her father was a high-ranking official in the G City. She came from a strong background, so she hadn't really pursued fame or money. What she was interested in was only acting. At the beginning, her parents didn't approve of her choice at all when she wanted to be enrolled at the most famous Harvey Film and Television School. Later, she had finally convinced them, but she had been instructed to keep herself away from any ugly or illicit things that tended to be prevalent in the entertainment circle. However, hardly a year after starting her career as a star, she had entered a nightclub. She could hardly image what her parents would do if they knew this. Would her father teach her a lesson in fury? Melissa Shen shuddered at the thought of that punishment.

She didn't know that when she walked towards the corridor with her agent she was being watched. In a private room on the second floor, a man was holding a goblet and tasting a deep red wine by sipping slowly. He stood by the floor to ceiling window and looked at the dance floor below him. His handsome face had a devilish quality, like he came straight from hell. His face was so evil and arrogant that no male star on the dance floor was more beautiful than him!

With an elegant smile hanging at the corners of his mouth, he asked the man behind him, "Who is the girl who just walked into the corridor? Find out for me!"

Quintin Lu, Colin Ling's male secretary, immediately nodded and said, "Yes!" Then Quintin Lu sent someone to investigate. The man returned after a moment and said, "Boss, her name is Melissa Shen. She's starring in the popular ancient costume drama, The Empress Woman. She seems to be a new actress and has not graduated from the Harvey movie academy yet."

"Is she the pure lamb at the company's celebration party? The one even knew nothing about how to serve the superiors wine?"

"Yes!"

Hearing that, Colin Ling suddenly burst into laughter, his face full of schemes. He took a sip of wine and said lazily, "It seems that I've found my most interesting prey this year. I don't know what will happen if a little sheep becomes a seductive woman? Hum, go and see which room she is in. I'm going to meet her!" he said gracefully, issuing an order that had the power to change someone's life!