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Chapter 188
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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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 194
The Haven City promotional event had dominated online discussions all day, but the real shock came when Layla took the stage to give her speech. Everyone had heard about it. And now, Sean’s sudden appearance at the event? No one even had to guess why he was there. A heavy silence filled the room. No one dared to breathe too loudly. Xena and Kiera had just been here fighting over him, only to find out that Sean had actually gone to Haven City to see Layla. They had turned into fools. And Layla? She had won. Who could have seen this coming? Xena shot up from her seat, snatching the phone out of the guest’s hand. “That can’t be Sean! There’s no way he’d go see—” Her voice faltered. Up close, there was no mistaking the man in the photo. That was Sean. Her chest tightened with rage. She spun toward Kiera and snapped, “What the hell is wrong with you? How did you not know where he was?“You claim you’re dating him, but he ran off without telling you, a
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 195
Xena stepped forward and picked up the phone, scrolling through the trending topics. With every post she read, her face grew paler. How did this happen in just a few hours? The spotlight had completely shifted to her. Several well-known photography influencers had posted detailed analyses, comparing images from Xena’s past photography exhibition to the landscapes Layla had just showcased at the Haven City event. Their conclusions? The photos were likely taken by the same person. Even though these were just speculations, the comment section was overwhelmingly one-sided—the internet had already convicted her. People were furious, accusing Xena of stealing Layla’s photography, stealing her career, stealing her life. And now that Layla had publicly revealed her illness, sympathy for her was at an all-time high. Netizens were outraged, and their fury was only growing. At this point, even a stray dog would probably stop to mark its territory on Xena just out of shee
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 196
By morning, the online outrage against Xena hadn't died down. If anything, it had only intensified. When Layla woke up, she instinctively reached for her phone, only to be met with an onslaught of notifications. Her inbox was flooded with messages from netizens, nearly all of them urging her to speak up and tell the truth. Fully awake now, she sat up and scrolled through the trending topics, quickly piecing together what had happened overnight. She had gone to bed early the night before, drained from the day’s events. But while she was sleeping, dozens of photography experts and influencers had come forward, analyzing and comparing her work to the photos from Xena’s past exhibition. The discussion had snowballed into a full-blown public reckoning. Xena’s name was still dominating the trending list, and based on the sheer scale of this online storm, Layla knew this wasn’t just organic outrage. Someone was deliberately fanning the flames. And only one name immediatel
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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
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
