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Chapter 196
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 197
“Think about how to handle the Xander family and whatever counterattack Xena might throw at you.”William’s lips curved slightly. “But first, the most important thing is for you to go freshen up and come downstairs for breakfast. You’ll need energy if you want your brain to function properly.” Despite the heavy topic, he deliberately lightened the tone at the end, clearly making an effort to keep her from feeling too overwhelmed. Something inside Layla softened.Without realizing it, she smiled along with him. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”*Everything was progressing smoothly, which put Carter in an excellent mood. He even declared that watching Xena suffer was his new favorite pastime and that such a joyous occasion deserved a celebration. Ivan took the opportunity to claim credit for his part in fueling the scandal and shamelessly demanded Carter treat him to an extravagant meal. Seeing how everyone was so pleased with the situation, Layla felt a little less burd
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 198
Chris completely missed the sarcasm in Layla’s words. His expression remained serious as he said, “We need to handle this as soon as possible. If we let public opinion spiral any further, it won’t just ruin Xena. It’ll drag the Xander family’s name through the mud too.” “Do I look like I care?” Layla’s calm yet icy voice cut him off before he could finish. Chris fell silent, unable to respond. Shane, however, immediately lost his temper. “Layla, you’re still a Xander! If the family goes down, do you really think you’ll have a good life either?“People only give you respect because of the Xander name. Once you have no one backing you up, you’ll be nothing!” “I don’t have a future anymore.” “Who says she has no one backing her up?” Layla and William spoke at the same time. She hesitated, glancing at him—a silent message, telling him not to interfere. William ignored it completely. His cold gaze landed on Shane. “Respect is something you earn for yourse
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 199
But Layla wasn’t after fame or fortune—she was chasing the person she used to be. And more than anything, she refused to leave behind even the tiniest bit of benefit for Xena. What was hers, she would take back in full. Her voice was calm, but the words cut deep. “Back then, I listened to all of you. I gave up my achievements and handed Xena an easy, open road to success. And what did I get in return?” A cold, mocking smile tugged at her lips. “And now you expect me to give her a way out? What do you think I am, some kind of saint?” Chris faltered, visibly uneasy. “We… we did treat you unfairly back then. But you agreed to it, didn’t you? And now—” “Agreed?” Layla’s voice sharpened, her volume rising. “If I had refused to give up my award back then, would I have even been able to stay in the Xander family?” Her gaze bore into him, unyielding. “Have you forgotten? Mr. Xander, in all his wisdom, told me—if I wanted to be a Xander, I had to ‘support and help my
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 200
Layla nodded. Just as she was about to speak, she caught something out of the corner of her eye.Carter and Ivan were walking toward them, grinning. Panic surged through her. She jerked her wrist out of William’s grasp, so fast that the movement knocked over her cup, spilling water all over the table. So, by the time Carter walked up, the first thing he saw was Layla frantically wiping the table, her ears burning red. His face tensed. “Sis, what’s wrong? Did Chris say something to you? Tell me, and I’ll go deal with him right now!” “No.” Layla quickly glanced at their soaked clothes, seizing the opportunity to change the subject. “You’re both drenched. Go home and change before you catch a cold.” “Pfft, this?” Carter waved dismissively, beaming with satisfaction. “Totally worth it. I only wish I had my phone on me. I should’ve recorded the whole thing so you could see Shane’s pathetic face! It was priceless!” He laughed as he recounted the scene. “We o
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 201
“Enough.” Chris’s expression darkened. “No matter what, Layla is still our sister. Can you stop bringing up death like it’s nothing? What, are you actually hoping something happens to her?” Shane huffed, rubbing his nose irritably. “Bro, I felt bad for her at first too. I genuinely wanted her to come home. And what happened? You saw it yourself—Layla’s heart is made of stone. No matter what we do, she’ll never soften toward us.“She treats us like enemies. If we’re not willing to die with her, it’s like we’re in the wrong. Tell me, have you ever seen a family member like that?” Another loud sneeze interrupted his rant. He sniffled and mumbled under his breath. “She doesn’t care about us, so why should we care about her? We don’t owe her anything.” Chris remained silent. He didn’t want to admit it, but he couldn’t argue with Shane’s words. Layla was beyond saving. This trip had been a complete waste of time. Just then, his phone rang. Chris picked up immediat
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 202
The number one trending topic was none other than “Xena Xander’s Suicide Attempt”! Carter stared in shock. “Holy crap. Is this real? Did she make it or not?” “She survived,” Ivan replied, clicking his tongue a few times. “They got her to the hospital in time, so she’s out of danger. The place is swarming with reporters now.” News of her attempt spread fast. In less than an hour, public opinion had already started shifting in her favor. Many netizens began attacking the photographers and influencers who had previously spoken up against Xena, accusing them of spreading baseless rumors and pushing her into depression. Some even suggested the entire scandal had been orchestrated—that Layla was behind it all, hell-bent on destroying her sister. “I’ve never seen a dying person so full of energy. Layla just can’t stand seeing her own sister happy, huh?” “Where are all of Layla’s supporters now? Shouldn’t you be rushing to defend your precious Layla? Take a good look—this
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 203
Right at that moment, Kiera stepped out of her house. “Sean, as long as you promise to cut ties with the Xanders, I’ll give you one last chance.” To stop her from leaving, he swore an oath on the spot—one so vicious that breaking it would curse his own bloodline.Kiera believed him. She smiled and threw herself into his arms, holding on tightly. Even now, Sean could still feel the strength of that embrace. “Sean, you’re here!” A voice snapped him back to reality. Mrs. Xander’s excited tone rang out as she grabbed his arm, practically dragging him toward the hospital room. “It’s so good that you came! Xena has been running a high fever all day. She’s been so out of it, but she keeps calling your name!“I just brought her some soup from home. Now that you’re here, she’ll be so happy—maybe she’ll actually eat something!” She kept talking as she led him forward, not noticing the discomfort on Sean’s face. Inside the hospital room, she beamed as if presenting a
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 204
“Sean, anything Kiera can give you, I can give you too.”Xena forced herself to sit up, her voice trembling with desperation. “I’m the one who loves you most. Why can’t you see that?” Sean frowned, his gaze flicking to the bandage on her wrist, where fresh blood had already seeped through. Instinctively, he reached out to steady her by the shoulder. “Don’t move.” But Xena took the opportunity to grab his hand. “Sean, don’t force yourself to be with someone you don’t love. You’ll regret it.” “You have no right to interfere in my life.” Irritation flashed across Sean’s face. “Xena, don’t make me regret coming here tonight.” Xena froze. She could only watch as he pulled his hand away, unable to stop him. Mrs. Xander couldn’t hold back any longer. She scowled at Sean. “Sean, how can you be so heartless? You’ve ruined both of my daughters—you’ll get what’s coming to you!” Sean ignored her, his eyes lingering on Xena’s injured wrist for a moment longer. It hurt to
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 526
When William got home and pushed open the door, he immediately saw Scarlett sitting on the sofa, stewing in anger. The living room lights weren’t even on.Even from a distance, he could feel the heavy cloud of resentment surrounding her.He casually flipped on the lights and walked over. “You really didn’t eat tonight?”Scarlett huffed, puffing up like an angry cat. “I was going to, but your father pissed me off so much I’m full of rage instead.”“Oh?” William raised an eyebrow with interest. “He came by?”“He was skulking around like a thief. I ran into him outside.”Scarlett turned to him, her eyes sharp. “Be honest with me—over the years, you’ve seen how I treated your father, haven’t you? I was good to him, right? I did everything he said!”William thought for a moment, taking the question quite seriously. “I guess you could say that.”“What do you mean, ‘guess’?” Scarlett shot him a glare. “It’s a fact! Back when I was at the Dixon family home, I got anything I wante
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 525
“Don’t get involved in her business anymore.” William picked up his utensils and bowl, clearly signaling he wanted to end the conversation.Layla hesitated, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she just lowered her gaze, hiding the flicker of thought in her eyes.*Meanwhile, Scarlett was tossing and turning in bed, completely unable to sleep. Her stomach growled loudly, and eventually, she gave up and got out of bed, heading to the kitchen to raid the fridge.Inside, there was only half a bag of sad-looking whole wheat bread and a few eggs.Scarlett shut the door with a hopeless look, instantly regretting her earlier stubbornness. Why had she refused dinner?Clenching her teeth, she downed a glass of warm water, threw on a jacket, and headed out the door.She figured, after years of being spoiled with gourmet food, just a few meals of Layla’s home cooking had completely won her over. There had to be some home-style restaurant nearby that could satisfy
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 524
That evening, William knocked on the door next door.When Layla opened it, she didn’t see Scarlett anywhere and couldn’t help but ask, “Where’s Mrs. Lucas?”“She’s not coming. Probably ate enough at the gathering today.”After a brief explanation, William stepped inside, speaking casually, “I saw today’s trending topics.”“I actually invited you over to talk about that!” Layla followed behind him, her face lit up with excitement. “I really didn’t expect the promotional video to attract such a major corporation! Fabian told me the kids will soon have a brand-new space to play and learn. They’re all thrilled!“I didn’t know much about YT Corporation before this, but after hearing about everything they’ve done, I was really impressed. They’ve been committed to children’s charities for years—building schools, sponsoring education for kids in the mountains.“For a company to care so much about children’s welfare, the CEO must have a really kind heart.“He even asked Fabian for
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 523
Unexpectedly, Scarlett didn’t react the way Mrs. Jenkins had hoped. Instead, she seemed distracted.“She...” Scarlett frowned, forcing out a stiff response. “She’s definitely not a good person.”But... she didn’t seem that bad either.The second half of her thought, Scarlett kept to herself.After all, in this setting, if she dared to speak up for Layla, she would only make herself stand out and not in a good way.Besides, it was her own son that Layla had "harmed."And yet, after watching quietly these past few days, Scarlett had seen a side of Layla she had never seen before.Since the promotional video’s success, Layla had been leaving early and coming back late, throwing herself completely into her work. She didn’t even bother cooking anymore, much less looking for opportunities to see William.This didn’t look like a woman desperate to cling to someone rich. It looked more like a woman determined to become someone successful on her own.Back at the round table
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 522
“Yeah.”Just a soft, low response.Ivan was caught off guard for a moment before bursting into loud laughter. “Nice! All that hard work wasn’t for nothing. You two are finally making progress!”William had always been steady and cautious. If something didn’t fully meet his expectations, he wouldn’t give a definite answer. So even without any detailed explanation, just that one word was enough.“By the way...” Ivan suddenly thought of something, his eyes lighting up with a teasing glint. “Was it because of that kiss the other night?”A cold glare shot his way.But Ivan just laughed even harder. “What’s the big deal? We’re all adults here. It was just a kiss. You don’t have to be so uptight about it!”He leaned in with a mischievous grin. “But seriously... under those circumstances, you still managed to stop at just a kiss? Are you sure you’re... fully functional?”As he spoke, Ivan deliberately gave William a once-over, grinning wickedly.“Are you looking to die toda
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 521
Hearing this, Layla agreed. “All right. Please go ahead and give him my contact information.”“Got it!”*At that moment, Xavier was on the phone, proudly reporting his success.“How about it? I came through for you, didn’t I? I got your girl trending at the top of the hot search list!“Spending thirty million for a good cause and earning a huge favor from you—this is hands down the best money I’ve ever spent!”Listening to the smug laughter on the other end of the line, William remained quiet for a few seconds before giving a flat reply. “Good job.”Xavier immediately felt frustrated. “That’s it? Nothing else?”“Yeah.”Standing by the tall window, sunlight in his eyes, William asked casually, “Has Zion come after you again?”“It’s been two days since he last contacted me. But now that the news is out today, you can bet he’s not going to leave me alone.”Xavier sighed heavily. “I sacrificed a lot for your woman, you know. If I end up traumatized from all this, yo
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 520
“The first time I watched the promotional video, I was blown away by the scenery. The second time, I realized there was a deeper meaning. Layla Xander filmed those children who had been left behind, showing their everyday lives. She clearly wanted to draw attention to their reality!” “I grew up as a left-behind kid myself. I know exactly how hard it is. Thank you, Miss Xander, for letting people see them! From now on, if anyone dares to bash her, I'll be the first to stand up and fight back!” “If it weren't for how beautifully she shot the promotional video, YT Corporation would never have noticed the town or the children. Layla truly did something incredible.” “Beauty, kindness, and talent—Layla Xander is the full package!” At the top of the trending page, an account called “LittleDianaHere” (who claimed to be a local) shared another piece of information:“Miss Xander is personally sponsoring every child who appeared in the promotional video, covering their education all
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 519
“Mr. Zion, Mr. Lucien is getting impatient...” the secretary reminded him quietly.Zion snapped back to attention, scowling. “Fine. Let’s go.”When they arrived outside the CEO’s office, Zion knocked lightly on the door. A sharp, furious voice came from inside.“Get in here!”Zion hurriedly pushed the door open. “Lucien, what happened? Who got you so worked up?”“You mean you still don't know?”Lucien’s temper flared even hotter. He slammed his palm against the desk several times, making the whole table shake.“I told you to get in touch with Xavier Taylor. Did you handle it?”Zion panicked. “I... I'm still working on it. His side keeps giving excuses, saying he's too busy lately. I didn’t want to bother him...”“Busy?”Lucien waved him closer with an icy smile. “Come here. Take a good look at what he’s so busy with.”Zion did as he was told and stepped closer.The next second, Lucien grabbed him by the back of the neck and forced him to bend over, his hands instinctively b
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 518
“I’m talking to you about something serious, and you’re still glued to your phone?” Zion’s voice was full of irritation.Only then did Carly finally put her phone away, looking at him with a hint of impatience.“You've repeated yourself three times already. I’m not stupid.”“I just don’t want you brushing it off,” Zion said, frowning. He then narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the pocket where Carly had stashed her phone. “Don't tell me you're still thinking about Layla Xander’s studio.” Carly's heart sank. “How did you know?” “Your mom told me.” Zion stepped closer, his expression serious. “Look, Carly, I'm willing to chalk up what you did before to immaturity. But if you even think about pulling something like that again—” “You’re spying on me?” Carly’s face turned cold. “I’m an adult. Can’t I even have a little privacy?” “You’re our daughter. As your parents, we have every right to know what you’re up to! It's a good thing you realized you were heading down
