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Chapter 151
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 152
Seeing that neither Sean nor Xena spoke up, Mr. Perry Sr. let out a furious laugh. “Oh? Oh, I see how it is! If neither of you want to take responsibility, then you’ll both pay for it!” He turned to William. “Tell me, how much did that gift cost? Whatever it is, they’ll compensate you.” William’s gaze lingered on the shattered jade pieces. His voice remained calm. “Mr. Perry Sr., you’re letting your anger cloud your judgment. Since the gift was for you, it belongs to you now. If anyone should be reimbursed, it’s you.” His tone was light, but he sighed faintly. “It’s just a shame… Layla spent so much time picking out this jade bonsai for you. She put a lot of thought into it. We should make sure she never finds out—it would only upset her.” Hearing this, Mr. Perry Sr. felt a pang of guilt and frustration. “Absolutely. Layla must never know. I’ll have these two buy an identical replacement so she doesn’t suspect anything.” William gave a slight nod. “You always think ah
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 153
Before the banquet, William had already discussed with Mr. Perry Sr. how to set up Xena. That jade bonsai? He was the one who had shattered it first—then carefully had it pieced back together. No matter how Sean and Xena tried to defend themselves, the blame would land squarely on them. Luckily, even fate seemed to be on their side. The two had pushed the gift over themselves, making its destruction seem completely natural. Sean’s reputation was in shambles, and now he carried a massive debt on his shoulders—one that he would ultimately take out on Xena. Her dream of marrying Sean? Dead. The only regret? Layla hadn’t been there to witness the show herself. “Mr. Perry Sr., sorry for disrupting your birthday celebration tonight. And thank you for playing along.” “No need for thanks.” Mr. Perry Sr. looked up at the night sky, his aged eyes filled with deep contemplation. “I once wanted Layla to marry Sean. I thought she could help him and guide him. I genuinely int
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 154
William gently lowered Layla into the wheelchair beside the bed. She froze for a moment before awkwardly retracting her hands. For a split second, an odd sense of disappointment flashed through her. Wait—no! Was she seriously expecting William to carry her all the way like some kind of princess? She shook off that dangerous thought immediately, straightened her posture, and let him wheel her out of the hospital room. *Outside, the night was silent except for the soft whisper of falling snow. The wheelchair rolled over a thin layer of fresh snow, leaving behind two clear tracks—along with a set of steady footprints following closely behind. William pushed Layla toward the gazebo in the center of the hospital’s small garden. Once they reached it, he took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. It was still warm from his body heat. Layla glanced at him, about to refuse—but in the end, she swallowed the words. Forget it. He was just being a gentlem
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 155
After saying that, Layla pulled out her phone and snapped several pictures of the snowball from different angles. “The more I look at it, the more it really does look like a rabbit.” She picked her favorite shot and uploaded it to social media with a simple caption: “A precious gift, fleeting but unforgettable.” It had been a long time since she last logged into her social accounts. She didn’t know why, but tonight, she felt a strong urge to capture the moment. After posting, she looked up at William and smiled warmly. “Thank you, Mr. Lucas.” A strange ripple passed through William’s chest. He quickly looked away, a little uneasy. “Let’s get you back inside.” *While Layla was enjoying the quiet beauty of the night, chaos had erupted in the Xander estate. From the moment Xena stepped through the door, she hadn’t stopped crying. Meanwhile, Chris had already filled their father in on everything he had learned. After hearing the full story, Mr. Xander slammed his
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 156
Chris stepped forward, placing both hands on Xena’s shoulders, his tone serious. “I’ve already told you the best way out of this.“After everything that happened tonight, there’s no way Sean will see you again.“And I also heard that Mr. Perry Sr. was furious. He’s sending Sean to the old manor tonight. He won’t even be allowed back home for Thanksgiving.“You’re smart. Don’t you see what that means?” Chris let out a sigh. “If I had to guess, Sean’s company will be handed over to Felix.” Xena froze. “But… that company is Sean’s blood, sweat, and tears…” “So what? His last name is Perry. Even if he built it from the ground up, to outsiders, it still belongs to the Perry family. Mr. Perry Sr. has every right to take control.“By the time Sean returns, the Perry family will already have moved on without him.” Chris patted her shoulder. “Think about it. After the mess you made tonight, do you really think Sean will ever forgive you?” Without waiting for a reply, he wa
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 157
There was a sliver of hope—but not much. William’s mood didn’t improve. If anything, he felt even more frustrated, and the tension around him was impossible to ignore. Carter sensed it right away. Without wasting another second, he shot to his feet. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll get going. Uncle William, take good care of Sis.” With that, he bolted out the door like he was running for his life. As the sound of the door clicking shut echoed through the room, Layla finally spoke up. “Mr. Lucas, if you were going to give such an expensive gift, you should have told me first. I—” “I never planned on making you cover half the cost.” William cut her off effortlessly, his tone calm and indifferent. “You have to use bait if you want to catch a big fish.” Layla paused, then quickly caught on. “You’re trying to force Xena to turn to her backers for help again?” “Mm.” William lowered his gaze slightly, a hint of cold amusement flickering in his eyes. “Stay out of th
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 158
“I didn’t go see her.” Scarlett lowered her head, bracing herself for the storm she knew was coming. “I just… I feel bad for her. The Xander family doesn’t even treat her like one of their own. If she goes back, she’s as good as dead…” Her voice grew quieter. “Last time they took her away, they nearly killed her. I had a part in that, so I… I just felt responsible.” “Are you getting soft?” Mr. Lucas Sr.’s voice cut through the room like a blade. He slammed his glass onto the table with a loud thud, making Scarlett jump. “Oh, come on!” She clutched her chest, exasperated. “Can’t we just talk like normal people? Do you have to scare me half to death?” “If I don’t make myself clear, you’ll think I’m joking.” His glare darkened. “You pity Layla—what about William? Are you really going to stand by and let him waste his time on a dying woman?” The frustration in his voice grew. “Your so-called kindness is going to destroy him.”“You’re being too dramatic,” S
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 159
“No, you—” “Go back and tell Dad I haven’t changed my mind. If he wants to take away my position, he can have it. But he needs to stay out of my business.” “You—” Scarlett panicked as William turned away. Her frustration boiled over, and she snapped, “It’s just a woman! How can she possibly compare to your position as head of the Lucas family?“William, you’ve lost your mind! You’re throwing away your future for Layla! Do you have any idea how much your father and I have sacrificed to get you here? Is this how you repay us?” William’s gaze turned icy. His patience had clearly run thin. “Don’t use your standards to judge my choices.” His voice was calm but firm. “Since you’re here, I might as well tell you—I won’t be coming home for Thanksgiving. You and Dad can enjoy your perfect family gathering without me.” Scarlett froze. She watched in disbelief as William walked away, only snapping back to her senses when he was almost out of sight. “You’re not even com
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 508
From the moment Mr. Xander stepped through the door, his face was clouded with anger. He didn’t even bother putting on a friendly face for Felix like he normally would.It wasn’t until Felix left after dinner that Xena finally approached her father. “Dad, did you go see my sister today?”“She’s no sister of yours! There’s no place in this family for someone as heartless as her!”Furious, Mr. Xander slammed his hand against the table, the loud thud making Xena flinch.Mrs. Xander rushed over to shield her daughter. “Easy, don’t scare her. She’s pregnant, remember?”“I’m fine, Mom.” Xena lowered her gaze, looking guilty. “Dad only lost his temper because of me. Maybe we should just drop it. I’ll talk to Felix myself. I’ll keep the baby, and we’ll figure the rest out later.”“What are you saying? You can’t have that baby now!”Mrs. Xander immediately objected. “Even if you two get married afterward, people will still talk! If the baby comes before the wedding, everyone will trea
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 507
“If you don’t like it here,” William said coolly, “the elevator’s just to the right.”Scarlett was fuming. Just a few words in and she was already being shown the door? Was she not even allowed to speak?And she hadn’t even said anything bad about Layla. She was just feeling protective of her precious son. Was that so wrong?For the rest of the time, Scarlett sat stiffly on the couch, clutching her glass of water and sipping from it every now and then. William sat across from her on another sofa, silently scrolling through his phone.Neither of them spoke. The only sound in the apartment came from the kitchen, where the soft clatter of cooking echoed faintly.Soon, the scent of food filled the air.Scarlett couldn’t help glancing toward the kitchen. Through the frosted glass, she could only make out the blur of Layla’s figure. Doubts crept into her mind. “Could Layla’s cooking actually be edible?” she wondered.After all, she was still a woman who had grown up with a silver sp
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 506
Layla braced herself as she welcomed William and Scarlett into her apartment. After a quick round of small talk, she headed into the kitchen with the groceries.She had just started unpacking when she heard William call from behind, “Need a hand with anything?”“No, I—”She was about to turn him down, but then thought of Mr. Xander and hesitated. Instead, she handed him a bag of snap peas. “Help me trim these.”“Sure.”William stepped up beside her without hesitation. As he got to work, she lowered her voice. “How’s Grandpa Perry doing?”“He’s fine,” William replied, eyeing her curiously. “Why are you suddenly asking about him?”“Gerald Xander came to see me today. He wants to meet with Grandpa Perry.”Layla said her father’s name without a trace of emotion, as if she were talking about a stranger.William glanced over at her. “Did he give you any trouble?”“Not really. He can barely walk straight, can’t argue, and definitely can’t catch up to me. What else is he going to do
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 505
Inside the car, Layla caught a glimpse of Mr. Xander through the rearview mirror, hurling his cane several feet in a fit of rage. A cold smirk tugged at her lips.The Xander family really hadn’t changed one bit. They only showed kindness to people they could use. They acted like their condescension was generosity, then expected gratitude in return.But to her, this so-called “Xander bloodline” was nothing but bad luck.Shaking off the thought, she turned up the volume on the stereo, letting the music drown out the lingering irritation. If anything, she felt even more satisfied than before.Humming along to the tune, she swung by the market and picked up groceries before heading home.When she got off the elevator, she walked over and rang the doorbell to William’s apartment.Just as the door opened, a woman’s voice called from inside, “William, I ordered food from Stonebridge Bistro. Let’s have dinner together tonight!”William gave a quick explanation, “That’s my mom.”He glan
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 504
The internal review meeting wrapped up smoothly, and everyone left the conference room full of confidence.That afternoon, the finalized promo video was handed over to Fabian, who would submit it to the local publicity office for the final round of approval.With nothing left to do until feedback came in, Layla gave the whole team a well-deserved break.By the time the workday ended, the office had completely emptied out.Layla stayed behind to chat with Fabian after receiving a message from him, and as a result, she ended up being the last one to leave the studio.After locking the front door, she headed toward her car out of habit, thinking about stopping by the market on the way home. She was planning to cook dinner and invite William over.She didn’t notice the stern figure getting out of a nearby car—her father.“Layla Xander.”She turned at the sound of his voice and met his displeased gaze, her brow twitching slightly.With a cane in hand, Mr. Xander approached her, his
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 503
After thinking it over, William figured the whole thing felt more like a guilt-trip performance. It seemed like Scarlett was putting on an emotional act to pressure him into going back to the Lucas family. The only question was how long she planned to keep it up.Still, Scarlett had been pampered all her life. Living in his place, with no one to wait on her hand and foot, she probably wouldn’t last long. Sooner or later, she would give up and leave.With that in mind, William didn’t bother chasing her out. He simply gave her a cold warning. “You can stay. But don’t cause trouble for Layla.”“No problem at all!”Scarlett agreed far too quickly. “I already made up my mind before I came. I won’t interfere in your love life ever again. You can count on that.”William was rendered speechless and frowned. Now he was even more certain. Something about her behavior just wasn’t right.*Meanwhile, Layla had left early that morning. The roads were clear, and after a smooth half-hour drive
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 502
“No, thanks.”Layla gave a tired smile and gently turned down William’s offer. “I have an early meeting tomorrow, and eating late messes with my sleep.“Mr. Lucas, you should get some rest too. Good night.”With that, she walked past him and returned to her apartment, closing the door behind her without hesitation.The sound of the door clicking shut made William frown slightly. Something felt off.Meanwhile, Layla stood in the entryway, slipping off her shoes as her mind wandered.“Layla Xander, you ruined him. You ruined the Lucas family,” she thought to herself.Gwen’s harsh words echoed suddenly in her mind, stirring the emotions she had tried to bury.All this time, she had avoided thinking too deeply about William’s choices. She was afraid that if she read too much into them, she would just end up fooling herself.But after seeing Gwen today, it finally hit her.William had stepped down from his pedestal for her. And she was still pretending not to see it.If the dista
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 501
“You’re a perfectly decent young woman. Why do you have to go and steal someone else’s man?”“Hannah,” Layla gently tugged on Hannah’s sleeve, giving her a look to stop.As Gwen walked toward the lounge door, Layla spoke up calmly, “The matching engagement ring—the woman’s one. You don’t have it, do you?”Gwen paused for a second at the doorway but didn’t reply. Without looking back, she walked out.That was all the answer Layla needed.She had suspected for a while that Gwen didn’t have the ring.William had always worn the man’s band. And knowing how much Gwen loved him, there was no way she would have hidden the woman’s ring if it had truly been hers.Now it seemed clear that he had never given that ring to anyone. Not yet.“What was that question about?” Hannah asked, suspicious.Layla snapped out of her thoughts. “Oh… nothing. I was just curious.”Hannah rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Seriously? That’s all you had to say after everything Gwen just threw at you? Y
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 500
“I know William went south with you this past month. He stayed by your side the entire time. He’s shown, through his actions, that his heart and eyes are only on you.”Gwen stared straight at Layla, her voice dry and strained. “You told me yourself that you had feelings for him. And now that he’s gone this far for you, you must be proud of yourself, aren’t you?”But she didn’t give Layla a chance to respond. Instead, she pressed on.“Because of you, William was kicked out of the Lucas family. He was forced out of Lucas Corporation. His mom and Mr. Lucas Sr., a couple who’d been loving and devoted for decades, had their worst fight ever. She even moved back in with her family.“If Mr. Lucas Sr. hadn’t landed in the hospital from the stress, she still wouldn’t have forgiven him. The entire Lucas family is in chaos—all because of you.“The William I knew was always calm, reliable, never made his parents worry.“He’s the most capable man I’ve ever met. He was meant to lead Lucas Corp
