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Chapter 161
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 162
As soon as Xena got into the car, Chris asked, “How did it go?” She shook her head. “Chris, I don’t want to see Felix again. I’ll wait for Sean to return from the old manor, and then I’ll ask him for help.” Chris frowned. “Why? You and Sean are impossible now. He—” “Chris, just drop it.” Xena buckled her seatbelt firmly. “I’m not going to Felix again. If the Perry family comes after us for the debt, I’ll take full responsibility.” Seeing how stubborn she was, Chris hesitated, then let out a silent sigh. His sister had always been spoiled. She acted recklessly, never thinking ahead. Maybe this time, after learning her lesson, she would finally grow up. After all, the Xander family couldn’t keep cleaning up her mess forever. With that thought, Chris shifted his gaze back to the road. “Forget it. I’ll take you home first.” *The moment William and Layla stepped into Luxe Villa, a rich scent of roses filled the air. Layla glanced up—the entire living room
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 163
After that, William had Mike take Layla back to her room to rest. Now, only Carter and William remained in the living room, locked in a silent stare-down. “Uncle William, I get it. The less Sis knows about the Lucas family affairs, the better.” Carter lounged lazily with his hands in his pockets. “But I heard something interesting. Grandma Scarlett went straight to Grandpa and told him you’re skipping Thanksgiving. He got so mad he said you might as well never come home again.“If you really don’t go back this year, this might actually be the first time the whole Lucas family shows up in full.” Ever since William took over as head of the family, his uncles had always found excuses to avoid Thanksgiving gatherings. Not once had they all been in the same room together. Mr. Lucas Sr. had mentioned it plenty of times, saying it was the only way the others could express their dissatisfaction—by refusing to sit at the same table as William. But now that William had taken t
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 164
By the time their plane landed, night had fallen. As they stepped out of the airport, a light evening breeze greeted them—cool but not harsh. Layla settled into the car and lowered the window halfway, letting the fresh air brush against her face and fill the space inside. After weeks of being cooped up in North City with the heat constantly blasting, it felt stifling to never have the windows open. Now, finally, she could enjoy the breeze without worrying about the cold. She closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the feeling. “No wonder Dr. Young recommended I spend the winter down south. The moment I stepped off the plane, I could already feel the difference.” “Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll take you out.” William glanced at his phone and added casually, “The high is going to be 77 degrees. Perfect for going out.” “That’s amazing!” Layla lit up, her excitement resembling a kid on a field trip. Just like that, she had left behind all the unpleasant mem
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 165
They had arrived at the villa late last night, only knowing that it had a great location—right by the ocean. Now, in the bright morning light, the view was breathtaking. The sea shimmered under the sun, waves rolling gently toward the shore, while dozens of seagulls glided low over the water. Layla was completely mesmerized. She was so lost in the beauty of the moment that when a camera was suddenly placed in front of her, it took her a second to react. “If you like it, capture it in pictures.” William’s voice was low and steady. Layla blinked in surprise. “You brought my camera?” She hadn’t expected that. “It’d be a shame to take a trip like this and not take a few photos.” More than that, he knew how much photography meant to her. Doing something she loved, in a place she had never been before—it would make her feel better. That was why, without a word, he had made sure to bring her camera along. Layla held it carefully, like a treasured possession, h
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 166
While the days in Haven City remained sunny and bright, North City was covered in snow for days, the skies gray and heavy. It took Susan a lot of effort to get permission to visit the old manor. Carrying bags full of supplies, she stepped inside and found Sean, confined to the study, forced to endure hours of solitude.Her heart twisted with pain. “My poor boy! How could they make you suffer like this?!” Hearing her voice, Sean turned to see her rushing toward him. “Mom? What are you doing here?” Susan didn’t waste a second. She grabbed his arm and tried to pull him up. “Come home with me. I’ll talk to your grandfather. If he wants to take his anger out on someone, let him take it out on me!” “Mom, stop this.” Sean pulled his arm free. “Grandfather is furious this time. Do you really think you can take that on? Besides, he sent me up here on purpose. He’s not going to let me leave that easily.” As he spoke, Sean lifted his gaze to the surveillance camera in the corne
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 167
Sean snatched the phone out of Susan’s hand and hurled it to the ground, his voice raw with fury. “She’s just using William to get a rise out of me! I’m the only one she loves!” Tears streamed down Susan’s face. “Sean, why won’t you listen to me? Layla isn’t worth it.” “She is.” Sean sounded almost possessed, whispering the words over and over. “I love her. That makes her worth everything.” Seeing him like this, Susan’s heart ached. She cried silently for a moment before finally pulling herself together and standing up with effort. “Sean, staying here is pointless.“Are you really going to just sit back and let Felix take everything from you?” She didn’t wait for a response. Instead, she turned to leave, but before she could step out the door, Sean’s voice rang out behind her. “Mom, pick out a gift for Kiera. Something nice. Consider it my apology for last time.” He paused for a beat. “Whether she forgives me or not, at least she’ll know I meant it.” Hear
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 168
The call was from Haven City’s Tourism Board. They were reaching out to request permission to use Layla’s photos on their official tourism page. They also extended an invitation for her to attend a promotional event at the end of the month. Layla was in a great mood, so she agreed without hesitation. But after hanging up, she realized something—was she even fit to be in front of a camera? William immediately saw through her hesitation. “Since when is being sick something to be ashamed of?” “That’s not it.” Layla furrowed her brows. “I just don’t want people thinking I’m trying to gain sympathy. I want them to focus on my work, not me.” She exhaled softly, as if convincing herself. “Whatever. I’ll just take it one step at a time. If I really don’t feel up to it, I can always come up with an excuse.” William didn’t say anything right away. He studied her in silence, his gaze thoughtful. *Her sudden online fame barely changed her daily routine. She still spent he
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 169
Meanwhile, Keira sat in her car, still staring at her phone. She had been waiting for Layla’s proper reply, but it never came.With a quiet sigh, she finally lowered her phone and turned to look out the window. When she had sent that message, she had already been parked outside the Perry family’s old manor. She had driven all this way, yet now she hesitated. Should she really go in? Indecision gnawed at her, which was why she had reached out to Layla in the first place. But Layla hadn’t given her an answer. Keira knew her question must have left Layla speechless. She knew she was lowering herself by even considering this. But after coming all this way, could she really just turn around and leave? She clenched her hands slightly, as if steeling herself. Then, before she could change her mind, she unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. She walked toward the old manor. The sound of approaching footsteps echoed in the quiet space. Sean assumed
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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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 511
“Who exactly was hiding something?” Kiera only muttered the words in her heart. On the surface, she kept her tone casual and said, “I was watching a promotional video Miss Xander produced. I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea if you saw it.“If you don’t believe me, take a look for yourself.”As she spoke, Kiera handed her phone to Sean, her expression calm and composed.Sean frowned slightly. “Layla Xander? Isn’t her studio the one Mr. Lucas Sr. basically shut down?”“You seem pretty up to date on her situation,” Kiera said with a half-smile. “Here I thought you didn’t know anything.”“I just... heard about it. Everyone in the circle has,” Sean said, clearly uncomfortable, avoiding her gaze. “She crossed the Lucas family. Of course she was going to end up like this. When she first came back, everyone was talking about her, but in the end, all it took was one word from Mr. Lucas Sr. and her studio couldn’t land a single project.”“Is that so?” Kiera tightened her grip on
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 510
Kiera had always played the part of the gentle, obedient wife.But right now, the cold sarcasm in her eyes made Sean feel like he was looking at a stranger.Sean sobered up a little in an instant. “What the hell are you talking about?” he snapped. “All I did was ask you to play the harp. Do you really have to twist it into something so ugly?”He huffed and continued, “Mr. Zimmer has sent us quite a few projects over the years. I know he’s into classical music, so I thought bringing you tonight might give you two something to talk about.“How was I supposed to know that asking you to play one song would feel like pulling teeth? You refused to drink, which was fine, but then you just sat there with that sour face. Who would even dare start a conversation with you like that? Anyone watching would have thought I treat you like garbage at home.”Grumbling, Sean let go of her arm and leaned back against the car door, putting distance between them.To his surprise, Kiera didn’t move clo
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 509
“I’ve heard Mrs. Perry plays the harp,” someone across the round table suddenly said. It was Mr. Zimmer, one of the business partners. “There happens to be one here tonight. Mrs. Perry, would you mind playing a piece for us?”“This…” Kiera hesitated, but before she could reply, Sean jumped in with a smile, “Of course not. My wife plays beautifully. Tonight’s the perfect chance for everyone to enjoy it.”Hearing that, Kiera’s heart sank.It was rare for Sean to ask her to attend a business dinner. In all their time married, this was the first time he had willingly brought her into one of his work events.If she didn’t already know better, she might have been flattered, maybe even excited to join him.But she knew too much. She could see right through him. When something felt this out of the ordinary, there was always a hidden reason. Still, she smiled and nodded. “Sure, I’d be happy to.”A few minutes later, the restaurant staff wheeled in a harp and set it up in the private di
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
