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Chapter 138
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 139
“Let it go.” In a moment of desperation, Layla grasped William’s hand. “You’ve already done more than enough for me.” Under the soft glow of the lamp, her amber eyes remained clear, yet deep within them, traces of fear and worry lingered. The unspoken concern in her gaze struck William unexpectedly, as if her emotions had reached out and wrapped around his heart.She was worried about him.Realizing this, an inexplicable warmth crept into William’s chest. He swallowed, his Adam’s apple shifting slightly as he forced his voice to stay even. “Alright. I’ll listen to you.”“Mm.” Layla exhaled softly, only then realizing their hands were still entwined. As if scalded, she quickly pulled away. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep.” “It’s fine.” William slowly retracted his hand, his fingers absentmindedly brushing against his palm, as if trying to hold onto the fleeting warmth she left behind.As Layla settled back under the covers, his gaze darkened. This matter might
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 138
“I…” Xena bit her lip, fear creeping into her voice. “I thought everything was going smoothly. I didn’t expect to fall into their trap. You have to help me.” “Layla is already as good as dead.” The man’s voice was low and cold. “All you had to do was wait. She’ll be gone soon enough. And you couldn’t even manage that? Pathetic.” Xena scrambled to explain. “I know I was too impatient! But help me this once, and I promise—I’ll listen to you from now on. I’ll do whatever you say.” Silence. Xena’s heart pounded in her chest, her grip tightening around the phone. If he refused, she had no one else left to turn to. Then, finally, he spoke. “He’s already taken care of.” The man's voice was low and chilling, like something straight out of hell.“Don't ever make me clean up your mess again. You're a damn nuisance.”The call ended abruptly.Xena clutched her phone, frozen for a moment before realization sank in. Then, her lips curled into a slow, triumphant smile.Relief
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 141
“We live in a lawful society.” Chris sighed, shaking his head. “No matter how powerful William is, even he can’t just take lives like they’re nothing.” “But…” Shane swallowed hard. “That guy is really dead.” “Enough.” Mrs. Xander finally snapped, unable to listen any longer. “Stop talking about death. It’s giving me chills.” Her gaze fell on Xena, eyes brimming with concern. “No matter what happens, we have to protect you. We can’t let you suffer any more harm. If Layla—” She caught herself, remembering how heartlessly Layla had severed ties with them. Her expression turned cold. “If Layla dares to slander you again, I’ll be the first to make her pay!” “Mom…” Xena’s eyes shimmered with emotion as she reached for her mother’s hand. “As long as you all believe in me, I don’t care what anyone else says.” “That’s your problem, Xena! You’re too soft. That’s why Layla walks all over you!” Shane huffed, his frustration evident. Xena shook her head, placing a gentle
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 142
Fighting back the nausea, Layla forced herself to take a closer look at the body, carefully confirming the suspect’s identity.Once the police had recorded her statement, they dismissed her, telling her to go home and wait for further updates.Back at the hospital, Layla ran right into Xena, who was getting discharged. The Xander family crowded around her, fussing over her like attendants catering to a queen.The image was so ridiculous that Layla almost burst out laughing.“Layla Xander! You actually have the nerve to show up here?” Shane was the first to spot her, immediately stepping in front of Xena like a human shield. “What now? Trying to throw more dirt on Xena?“Didn’t you swear up and down that you had evidence? And now? Nothing. Just baseless accusations. Do you think the law bends to your will?” Layla shot him a look—one reserved for the truly dim-witted. “You’ve been here for days, and you still haven’t gotten your head checked? What a waste of a hospital stay
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 143
Layla answered each of Mr. Perry Sr.'s questions, casually mentioning that her father had already declared their ties severed and that she no longer had anything to do with the Xander family. Mr. Perry Sr. let out a pleased chuckle. “They were never worthy of being your family. From now on, you don’t need to waste another second worrying about them.“I wasn’t planning to invite them to my birthday celebration anyway.” He smoothly shifted the conversation. “But you must come.” Layla hesitated. “I don’t think I can make it. My chemo starts in a couple of days. I can’t leave the hospital.” “This…” Mr. Perry Sr. sounded genuinely disappointed. “That’s such a shame…” After a brief pause, he forced a lighthearted laugh. “No worries! Once you recover, you can come to my birthday party every year.” Then, his voice softened with a rare seriousness. “Layla, you have to get better.” She could hear the sincerity in his words—the deep, unspoken concern behind them. Not want
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 144
“Go ahead and set your things down. Whatever you have to say, take a seat and say it.” Layla gestured for Kiera to sit, hoping to steer the conversation away from unwanted questions. For some reason, that question just now had made her heart beat a little faster. She had always thought her relationship with William was straightforward, yet the moment it was brought up, a strange sense of unease crept in. Thankfully, Kiera didn’t seem too eager to pry. After placing the gift bag on the table, she took a seat in a separate armchair. Her gaze landed on Layla’s knitted beanie, and a hint of pity flashed in her eyes. “Miss Xander, you’re so young. It’s just not fair that you have to go through this.” Layla chuckled lightly. “The world’s too crowded for luck to keep tabs on everyone. A few getting overlooked is just how it goes.”Seeing her still in the mood to joke, Kiera relaxed a little. “Don’t overthink things. Just focus on getting better.” “At this stage, it’s the
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 145
Kiera looked at Layla, her eyes shining as if she could see her past self reflected in her. “Now that I finally have a chance to be with him, I don’t want to give up. I believe he’s still the same boy I remember. Deep down, he’s not a bad person.” For a moment, Layla was almost convinced. Back then, Sean had indeed been dazzling—full of ambition and charm. She had once clung to that same illusion, hopelessly devoted to him. Until the day she finally woke up and realized that the man Sean had become was nothing special. A filter was just a filter—it was bound to crack one day. Some people were better left in memories. “Have you ever heard of the suspension bridge effect?” Layla suddenly thought of the psychological theory and blurted out the question. “Huh?” Kiera looked confused. “The suspension bridge effect is when someone in a tense or dangerous situation mistakes their heightened emotions for attraction to a person nearby,” Layla explained seriously. “Bas
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 146
Layla was lost in thought, so much so that she didn’t even notice William standing at her bedroom door for quite some time. “What are you thinking about?” The sudden voice startled her. She sat up in a hurry, looking toward him. “When did you get here?” “I’ve been here for a while.” William walked over to the hospital bed and casually asked, “What did Kiera want from you?” “She seems to think Sean still has feelings for me, so she came asking me to put in a good word for her. She wants me to tell him to move on so they can get engaged smoothly.” Layla let out a mocking laugh. “Miss Jenkins is certainly… naïve. Imagine asking your boyfriend’s ex to help you win him over. Honestly, it’s a miracle I didn’t slap Sean when I saw him. “She wants me to play matchmaker? I was this close to telling her I’d rather curse Sean to never know love and die alone.“Besides, I don’t even think he still has feelings for me.” Layla paused, lost in thought for a moment. “It’s just
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 520
“The first time I watched the promotional video, I was blown away by the scenery. The second time, I realized there was a deeper meaning. Layla Xander filmed those children who had been left behind, showing their everyday lives. She clearly wanted to draw attention to their reality!” “I grew up as a left-behind kid myself. I know exactly how hard it is. Thank you, Miss Xander, for letting people see them! From now on, if anyone dares to bash her, I'll be the first to stand up and fight back!” “If it weren't for how beautifully she shot the promotional video, YT Corporation would never have noticed the town or the children. Layla truly did something incredible.” “Beauty, kindness, and talent—Layla Xander is the full package!” At the top of the trending page, an account called “LittleDianaHere” (who claimed to be a local) shared another piece of information:“Miss Xander is personally sponsoring every child who appeared in the promotional video, covering their education all
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 519
“Mr. Zion, Mr. Lucien is getting impatient...” the secretary reminded him quietly.Zion snapped back to attention, scowling. “Fine. Let’s go.”When they arrived outside the CEO’s office, Zion knocked lightly on the door. A sharp, furious voice came from inside.“Get in here!”Zion hurriedly pushed the door open. “Lucien, what happened? Who got you so worked up?”“You mean you still don't know?”Lucien’s temper flared even hotter. He slammed his palm against the desk several times, making the whole table shake.“I told you to get in touch with Xavier Taylor. Did you handle it?”Zion panicked. “I... I'm still working on it. His side keeps giving excuses, saying he's too busy lately. I didn’t want to bother him...”“Busy?”Lucien waved him closer with an icy smile. “Come here. Take a good look at what he’s so busy with.”Zion did as he was told and stepped closer.The next second, Lucien grabbed him by the back of the neck and forced him to bend over, his hands instinctively b
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 518
“I’m talking to you about something serious, and you’re still glued to your phone?” Zion’s voice was full of irritation.Only then did Carly finally put her phone away, looking at him with a hint of impatience.“You've repeated yourself three times already. I’m not stupid.”“I just don’t want you brushing it off,” Zion said, frowning. He then narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the pocket where Carly had stashed her phone. “Don't tell me you're still thinking about Layla Xander’s studio.” Carly's heart sank. “How did you know?” “Your mom told me.” Zion stepped closer, his expression serious. “Look, Carly, I'm willing to chalk up what you did before to immaturity. But if you even think about pulling something like that again—” “You’re spying on me?” Carly’s face turned cold. “I’m an adult. Can’t I even have a little privacy?” “You’re our daughter. As your parents, we have every right to know what you’re up to! It's a good thing you realized you were heading down
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 517
Everyone was both shocked and thrilled. They kept asking Layla over and over, needing to be sure it was really true.“Wow! Things are finally turning around! Who cares about those commercial gigs? A commission from a legendary artist is the real prize!”“Who would’ve thought? Just last month, we didn’t have a single job, and now we’ve been personally invited by Mr. Zeppelin Mason. Not even in our wildest dreams!”“It’s all thanks to Layla’s connections! Back when we first opened, so many big names showed up to support her. How did we not think to reach out to them last month?”The chatter kept going until Layla cleared her throat and spoke up firmly.“We didn’t get here because of connections. We got here through hard work. Step by step. There were no shortcuts. Every opportunity we have now, we earned.”She paused, her voice steady. “And for every project going forward, I want us to put in the same heart and effort we did with the small-town promotional video. Let’s aim to deliv
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 516
Thanks to the rising popularity of the small-town promotional video, the studio had been flooded with appointment requests over the past week. Although they still had not secured any major commercial contracts yet, the overall atmosphere in the studio had lifted significantly. Some team members even started dreaming big, vowing to create the best city promotional videos in the world and put every hidden gem on the global map.However, shooting city promotional videos meant a lot of traveling and a lot more manpower. After the previous wave of departures, the studio was seriously understaffed, and the HR department had to scramble to start emergency hiring.Seeing the studio slowly getting back on its feet, Layla found herself busier than ever, to the point where she wished she could clone herself just to keep up.In the middle of the chaos, she received a phone call.“Layla, have you had time to think about the offer I mentioned last time?” The voice on the other end wa
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 515
Before long, Mrs. Jenkins reached Kiera's side. Only then did she notice Layla standing at the end of the hall. Her expression immediately darkened.“What are you two doing here?” she demanded.“Nothing,” Kiera said quickly, grabbing her mother’s arm. “We just ran into each other and chatted for a bit.”“What could you possibly have to talk about?” Mrs. Jenkins shot Layla a look of pure disdain, but her warning was directed sharply at Kiera. “You stay away from her. That woman is nothing but shameless—”“Mom!” Kiera cut her off in a panic, rushing to say goodbye to Layla. “Miss Xander, sorry to bother you. We'll be going now.”Before Layla could even respond, Kiera tugged her mother away.As she watched the mother and daughter disappear down the hallway, Layla couldn't help but feel puzzled. “What was going on with Kiera?” Layla wondered.Outside the private dining room, Mrs. Jenkins yanked her hand free and turned on Kiera, her face thunderous.“Why didn’t you let
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 514
During the celebration dinner, Layla received a call from Jenny.Since it was too noisy inside, Layla grabbed her phone and stepped out into the hallway, finding a quieter corner before answering. “Miss Jasper.”“Did you forget you even have a mentor?” Jenny half-scolded. “Something this big happens, and you didn’t even think to tell me? I had to find out online!“If I don't mean anything to you anymore, then stop thinking of me as your mentor,” she huffed.“Don’t say that,” Layla said quickly, her voice warm and coaxing. “I just didn’t want you to worry. And honestly, it’s a complicated situation. I didn’t want you getting dragged into it.“Besides, it’s not that serious. I’ve been handling it fine. If I ever hit a wall, you’d be the first person I’d call.“You’re not just my mentor. You’re my safety net. You’re my strength.”“Alright, enough,” Jenny said, laughing despite herself. “That silver tongue of yours—how am I supposed to stay mad at you?”She had stormed into the con
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 513
Fabian muttered under his breath, “Weren't you crushing on Mr. Lucas before?”“Nope! I’m all about Miss Xander now!” Diana declared, purposely raising her voice so Layla could hear her loud and clear. “Smart, capable women are the real deal! Who wouldn’t be smitten?”Layla chuckled. “I’ll gladly accept your admiration.”“Aaah! She accepted it! Did you hear that? I knew it! Women really are the best!” Diana squealed in excitement, practically bouncing in place. Fabian could only shake his head and gently push her away, then hurried to wrap up the call with Layla.*As the promotional video’s popularity exploded, the calls started pouring in that very afternoon.Most of them came from the mentors, artists, and family friends that Jenny had once introduced to her. They had only just found out about the troubles Layla’s studio had been facing, after seeing the video hit the trending charts.Normally, those artists lived in their own world, blissfully detached from outside news.
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 512
Scarlett was curled up on the sofa, scrolling through her phone. She had just finished watching the entire promotional video when she muttered, “Looks like a great place to walk around.”“Not bad,” William replied without even looking up.Scarlett shot him a look and said, a little sharply, “Your dad ended up in the hospital because you ran off with Layla to the south.“I’m not saying you can’t go travel and clear your head, but you can’t be following a woman around like that. It doesn't sound good if people start talking, you know?”William furrowed his brows and was about to respond when Scarlett added, “How about this? Next time you want to follow her somewhere, bring me along. If people see a mother and son traveling together, it’ll look a whole lot better than making it seem like you're chasing after her.”Feeling quite pleased with her own cleverness, Scarlett nodded in satisfaction. “I usually only travel abroad, but clearly, there are plenty of beautiful places right here
