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Chapter 185
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 186
As soon as the call connected, Kiera’s cheerful voice came through the line. “Sean!” “What is it?” Sean asked, his tone indifferent. “I just… I missed you.” There was a hint of shyness in her voice. Hearing the noise in the background, she casually asked, “Where are you? It sounds so loud.” “I’m out with a client.” Sean’s eyes remained locked on the stage, his tone flat and emotionless. “I’m busy today.” Hearing that, Kiera immediately apologized. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I hope I’m not bothering you? I’ll wait for you to text me when you’re free.” “Alright.” Sean hung up just as Layla stepped off the stage. Slipping his phone into his pocket, he bypassed the crowd and headed straight toward the backstage area. From a distance, he saw Layla engaged in conversation with the event staff. Just as he was about to step forward, William blocked his path. “Don’t ruin Miss Xander’s moment.” William’s voice was calm but laced with clear irritation. “M
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 187
“Sure! There's nothing else going on here anyway.” Layla agreed without hesitation. “Um…” The staff member hesitated before carefully asking, “Miss Xander, aren’t you going to do any interviews?” “No, thanks. I’ve already said everything I wanted to on stage.” With a polite smile, Layla declined, then took William’s arm and walked away. But the moment they stepped out of the backstage area, a swarm of reporters closed in on them. Fortunately, Carter and Ivan arrived just in time. Ivan was an expert at handling situations like this. Taking the lead, he quickly dismissed the journalists.“You all work in this industry. I don’t think I need to remind you what should and shouldn’t be written, right?” Ivan’s tone was casual, but the weight behind his words was unmistakable. No matter how much those reporters wanted a scoop, they weren’t about to cross him. Offending Ivan meant losing any chance of survival in the entertainment and media world. As the journalists slunk
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 188
“After I’m gone, please help me contact Miss Jasper and give her all the photos I’ve left behind.” Layla trusted Jenny. She was the only one who truly understood her work, and leaving her photos with Jenny felt like giving them a proper home. It was better than having them buried with her. “I’m not agreeing to that.” William rejected her request without a second thought, his resistance clear. “If you really have what it takes, then stay alive. You’ll see Miss Jasper again, and when that time comes, you can give her the photos yourself.”With that, he strode forward, widening the distance between them, making it obvious that he had no intention of continuing this conversation. Layla let out a frustrated sigh, watching his tall figure ahead. The shift in his mood was obvious. His entire aura had turned cold. It seemed like she would have to find another time to bring it up. He was the only one she had trusted to handle this, and she hadn’t been about to change her mind
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 189
Just as Sean lunged forward, Ivan casually stuck out his foot, tripping him. Sean fell face-first onto the stone steps in front of the restaurant, his forehead slamming into the edge. Blood immediately gushed from the wound. Carter doubled over laughing. “Damn, someone’s in a hurry!” “Let’s go. No need to waste time on someone like him.” Layla didn’t spare Sean a single glance. Without hesitation, she stepped over him and walked into the restaurant. “Layla!” Sean shouted after her, watching helplessly as she and her group disappeared inside. Frustrated, he clenched his fist and slammed it against the step. *Inside, Ivan walked alongside Carter, shooting him a curious look. “Did you really send that recording to your mom? You reacted pretty fast.” “Of course not. I was just messing with him.” Carter found the whole thing hilarious. “Sean’s guilty as hell. Just a few words were enough to scare him.” He scoffed. “From the way he panicked, it’s obvious he doesn
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 190
Layla took the iPad, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease. She tapped on the trending topic and started scrolling. Halfway through, her vision blurred with tears. The official Haven City tourism account had posted a video of her speech, dedicated solely to her. It had been shared over a million times, and the comment section was buzzing with activity. “Wow, who would’ve thought? These photos were actually taken by Layla Xander! She just proved to everyone that she’s far from worthless.” “From now on, I’m officially her online defender! If anyone dares to badmouth her, I’m grabbing my keyboard and charging in!” “Layla is seriously talented. How is she only getting noticed now? I feel like I vaguely remember… didn’t she hold a photography exhibition before?” “Ugh, get your facts straight. The one who held the exhibition was Xena Xander.” “Wait, both Xander sisters are photographers? That’s… quite the coincidence. Just curious—who’s actually better?” The comment
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 191
Carter finally noticed the two people on the couch and immediately felt awkward. “Uncle William, Sis… you’re here? Why’s it so dark?” Before he could process the situation, a sharp smack landed on the back of his head. “Ouch! Ivan, what was that for?” Carter winced, rubbing the sore spot. Ivan rolled his eyes. “I keep saying your brain is empty, and you just keep proving me right.” A man and a woman alone in a dark room—what else could it mean? Realization dawned on Carter’s face. He quickly glanced at William, then turned to Ivan. He didn’t dare to voice out and instead mouthed a question to Ivan—“Did I just ruin Uncle’s moment?”Ivan sighed and shook his head. “Do you even need to ask?” Their wordless exchange only made the atmosphere even more awkward. William stood up, his expression unreadable. “Miss Xander fell asleep on the couch, so I didn’t turn on the lights.” “Oh… I see.” Ivan nodded, but his smile carried a deeper meaning. “Say whatever you want—
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 192
Ivan frowned. “This is nothing short of leeching off Miss Xander.” “Exactly! My sister is already seriously ill, and all the Xander family cares about is how she can help them! I’ve never seen people so shameless!” Carter was fuming, his teeth practically grinding in anger. “And the worst of them all is Xena! Every time something happens, she puts on this sob story, acting all weak and helpless when she’s the one pulling all the dirty tricks. It’s disgusting!“And those brainless Xander family members actually buy into it! The moment Xena sheds a few tears, they lose all common sense!” “Calm down.” Ivan patted Carter’s shoulder. “No matter how loud you yell, they’re miles away and won’t hear you. You’re just working yourself up for nothing.” He smirked. “Besides, this is just a theory from William. What if you’re ranting at the wrong people?” “It’s not a theory.” William’s voice was cold and firm. “I’ve wanted to deal with this for a long time, but I never had the
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 193
The room fell into an awkward silence as everyone exchanged glances. But Kiera was, after all, a daughter of high society. She quickly composed herself, adjusting her expression into a polite, composed smile. “I just wasn’t expecting to see Miss Xander here. If I remember correctly, you weren’t on the guest list.” “You remember correctly.” Xena leaned back leisurely, crossing her legs. She showed no sign of embarrassment for showing up uninvited. “I came here specifically to see you, Miss Jenkins. We briefly met outside Sean’s house the other night, but it was late, and we didn’t get a chance to have a proper conversation.” The moment those words left her lips, the entire room tensed. The atmosphere shifted as eyes discreetly turned toward Kiera. Kiera was at Sean’s house late at night? That was a big revelation. Everyone knew that Xena had already thrown her reputation away once with her pregnancy scandal, but Kiera was different. The Jenkins family was k
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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
