The Devil's Favourite Obsession

”You saw—everything?” The question was more to herself than to Cassian.

’Can he really see me?’ She could not quite understand how this worked. Was it really a two-way connection, rather than just one-sided? And every time she looked at him, did that mean he was aware of her watching?

Even when she saw him for the first time in the mirror with some women delighting him... was he blissfully aware that she was watching them?

That would be highly disturbing if he let that woman do her job despite knowing of her presence.

Before she could confirm anything from him, Cassian’s gaze had already moved away from her, resuming his previous position as if that brief eye contact had been a coincidence.

”Everything? I am not the one in love, Lousy Kisser,” he said lazily, mockingly. ”It is not I who would be seeing your face everywhere and in everything.” He chuckled throatily. ”I am beginning to be genuinely concerned about your mental well-being. Why not schedule a visit with a psychiatrist before it becomes urgent?”

Cixi’s jaw fell open in outrage. ”Stop insulting me! You are the Crazy one between us!” she snapped at him. ”Insult me one more time, and I will disconnect the call and never phone you again.” It was half threat and half wounded impulse. Even to her own ears, it lacked force.

To her dismay, Cassian did not sound particularly shaken or threatened. ”Given the kissing agreement you want me to sign, your actions will violate it!”

Cixi bit her inner lip so hard that she hissed. He knew how to press her buttons as well as how to make her chew her own words. ”Well...” Her voice dropped, taking on an unhappy softness before she could stop it. ”I said I would stop calling. I never said I would not meet you.”

The silence descended between the two individuals, who were connected in the most bizarre way. One was enjoying the other, while the other was regretting calling him.

Then Cixi heard Cassian clear his throat lightly. ”Why did you call me?” he finally asked the right question.

”To check something,” came the quick and soft reply.

”And did you get your confirmation?”

”Yes.” That was all she gave him, because if she said anything more, he might start to think she was calling to check on him, whether he was with any women or not. And soon a word called jealousy would be added to the many adjectives Cassian had already given her.

She had called to test the mirror, and instead, he had insulted her and somehow made her feel twelve things at once, none of which were dignified. However, what still baffled her was that she could see him through the mirror. That thrilled her...

How?

How was that even possible?

Cixi quickly decided that she would ask the Grim Reaper.

”I am hanging up now. Bye!”

And he laughed, which made her scowl immediately. ”Oh, I see,” she said sharply. ”So you are happy that I am ending the call. You really did not have to make it this obvious.”

”No.” His amusement only heightened. ”I am laughing because you are so easy to provoke.”

Cixi’s lips parted in disbelief once more. ”Well, of course I am reacting. Any woman would react if she had to deal with someone as pesky as you. I wonder how many women fled in the other direction just at the sight of you.”

Truly, she could not understand why women flocked to him so eagerly. Good Lord, the man was unbearable.

Cassian’s next reply was something that nearly stole her voice. ”None, including You!” Cixi rolled her eyes. ”But it is only you whom I want to incite!”

For a moment, Cixi forgot how to breathe. What does he mean by that? Is he flirting with her?

And why the hell did he have to speak such manner this to her? Taking her breath away moment by moment.

Now she knew why women were crazy about him. However, she quickly forced herself to recover. ”You disconnected my call again and again. That only proves you were not interested in speaking to me, let alone getting a reaction.”

”Not receiving a call also prompts a response from you, such as repeatedly calling me because of your hurt pride.” Then he chuckled again.

”Pride cannot exist where there is love,” Cixi replied with a cheesy line when what she truly wanted to say was, ”Get lost.”

”Thanks for reminding me.” He smirked, and the way he said it indicated that he did not believe her words. ”But, I would rather enjoy my smoking time by myself than trust a scammer.”

”Yes, I get it,” she said coldly. ”Your cigarette is more important to you than any human being.”

And before he could answer, she ended the call. The moment the line disconnected, Cassian’s image vanished from the mirror.

Taking a deep breath, she muttered in annoyance, ”Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. I call him only to confirm whether I am losing my mind, and instead he calls me crazy, insults me, and practically tells me his cigarette matters more to him than people do.”

Cixi stamped her foot in frustration and then stamped another foot. She kept stomping until a sudden knocking sound came from below.

She stopped at once.

The person living in the apartment beneath hers was banging on the ceiling with what sounded like a long cleaning pole, clearly warning her to stop making noise. The sound came again, harder this time, and Cixi pressed her lips together and said sorry loudly, hoping the person could hear her.

Still fuming, she turned away from the mirror and walked to her bedroom.

Unlike her previous apartment, this place had a separate bedroom. It was not particularly large, yet it was more than enough for one person.

She placed her phone on the bedside table, then went into the bathroom to take a shower to calm herself.

Under the stream of warm water, she closed her eyes and tipped her head back, letting the heat run over her skin in hopes it would wash away Cassian’s touch.

It did not.

If anything, it only gave her more space to think of his voice.... Of the way he had laughed... Of the infuriating comfort with which he had turned every word back on her. Scowling to herself, she muttered under her breath, ”Lousy kisser? Narcissistic bastard.”