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Chapter 164
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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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 170
“I will.” Kiera nodded, her face glowing with barely contained joy. “Sean, as long as you turn back, I’ll always be right here, waiting for you.” A flicker of satisfaction passed through Sean’s eyes. He knew it—his charm was still intact. Winning Kiera over was effortless. “Kiera, thank you for still believing in me.” “You don’t have to thank me.”Without hesitation, Kiera threw her arms around Sean, completely unaware of how his body tensed for a moment. “Once I get back, I’ll tell my mom that we should go see your grandfather together and plead your case. You shouldn’t have to spend Thanksgiving up here alone in the cold.“No matter how upset he is, he’ll have to give the Jenkins family some face. He’ll let you come home. I know he will.” Hearing this, Sean hesitated for a moment before reluctantly raising his arms to return the hug. “You’re doing so much for me… how can I ever repay you?” “I already told you—there’s no need for that.” Kiera lifted her he
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 171
“Uncle William, come on, I’m your actual nephew. Where’s the sense of occasion? Not even a tiny bit of a welcome-home gesture?“If it were me picking someone up, I’d definitely—” A cup of chilled coconut pudding suddenly appeared in front of Carter’s face. Layla barely held back a laugh. “No fancy welcome sign, but I’ve got food. Will that do?” Carter took the pudding and put on an exaggerated expression. “Alright, I see you haven’t completely forgotten me. A little underwhelming, but I guess it’s better than nothing.” “If you don’t want it, I’ll take it back.” Layla made a move to snatch it from his hands. Carter dodged like his life depended on it. “Hey, hey! You already gave it to me—no take-backs! I was just saying.” With that, he popped the lid, scooped up a big spoonful, and stuffed it into his mouth. “Too late! I’m eating it!” Layla chuckled. “Go ahead, no one’s fighting you for it.” Carter ate a few more bites, then suddenly remembered something. He spo
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 172
As night fell, a small bonfire crackled on the beach, casting a warm, golden glow. Layla sat cross-legged on the sand, camera in hand, flipping through the photos she had just taken. Suddenly, a grilled sausage appeared in front of her. “Sis, put the camera down for a second and eat something.” Carter plopped down beside her, glancing at the camera screen with curiosity. “Hey, I saw a photo set go viral the other day. That was yours, wasn’t it?“I even shared it! Did you see?” Layla chuckled. “Really? There were so many reposts—I wouldn’t even know if yours was in there.” Carter was momentarily speechless. Ouch. But, well… fair enough. “I told you, you’ve got real talent. If you stick with photography, you’ll be a big-time photographer one day. People will be lining up, begging you to take their pictures!“Once you get better, I’ll be your first model. And don’t worry, I’ll hype you up all over the internet!” Layla didn’t respond right away. She simply smiled—a s
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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
