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Chapter 218
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 219
After handling the situation at the company, Mr. Xander and Chris returned to the hotel. But as they approached the room, they heard Mrs. Xander’s shocked voice from inside. “Mr. Felix Perry, how can your family do this to us?!” Chris and Mr. Xander exchanged glances. Why was Felix here, of all times? Without hesitation, Mr. Xander pushed the door open and strode in. His voice was steady, but there was a sharpness to it. “Well, well—what brings you here today?” Felix turned, flashing a smirk. “Ah, Mr. Xander, you’re finally back. I was just explaining things to Mrs. Xander, but she wasn’t quite getting it, so I figured I’d wait for you.” Mrs. Xander rushed to her husband, looking flustered. “The Perry family is demanding we repay the birthday gift compensation immediately!“We’re already struggling enough. Where are we supposed to get that kind of money?” Mr. Xander’s expression darkened, though he forced a smile as he turned to Felix. “Is this your grandfat
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 220
Xena recoiled as if she had just been dealt the greatest insult, shoving Felix away with all her strength. Her tear-filled eyes burned with fury as she glared at him. Felix, however, was utterly amused. He liked her best when she acted like a feisty little wildcat. Mrs. Xander quickly scolded, “Xena, you can’t be so rude to Mr. Perry!” “It’s fine, Mrs. Xander,” Felix said smoothly, turning to face Mr. Xander. “She’s just upset. I understand why she wouldn’t want anyone getting too close.” Then, as if he had all the time in the world, Felix added, “I’ve delivered my grandfather’s message. How you choose to handle the repayment is up to you. That’s your family’s problem, not mine. And with that, I’ll take my leave.” Before leaving, he cast one last lingering look at Xena—his expression brimming with arrogant certainty, as if she were already his. A shudder ran down Xena’s spine. Her hands clenched into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms. For the first time
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 221
“No, you don’t have to do anything! Just say yes to hosting the exhibit, and I’ll handle the rest. No—not just me, Uncle William and Ivan will help too!” Carter was getting anxious now. He turned to William and Ivan, seeking backup. “Right? You guys would do everything you could to help her put on the exhibit!” Ivan immediately jumped in. “If Layla wants to do it, I’ll take care of all the promotions and venue arrangements. You can count on me.” William, however, remained silent. Instead, he studied Layla for a long moment before asking, “What’s holding you back?” “No, I just feel... tired.”Layla lowered her gaze, pushing down the bitterness rising in her chest. Only she knew the truth about her condition. An exhibit wasn’t something that could be put together overnight. It required time, energy, and commitment—things she wasn’t sure she had enough of.Would she even make it to the day of the exhibition?“Honestly... whether I hold a photography exhibit or not doesn’
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 222
Xena followed Chris into the hospital room, only to learn that Mr. Xander had suffered a stroke and was still unconscious. Mrs. Xander sat by the bed, weeping uncontrollably. “Our family was fine… How… how did it come to this?” “I’m going to make Layla pay for this!” Shane roared, storming toward the door. “Stop right there!” Chris, already exhausted, snapped. “Shane, haven’t you done enough? Do you want things to get even worse?” “Chris, this is all Layla’s fault!” Shane gritted his teeth furiously. “I won’t let her get away with it!” “If you want to tear this family apart completely, then go right ahead.” Chris didn’t even bother looking at him. “What have you ever done for this family besides running your mouth and stirring up trouble?“Dad’s already down. That means it’s on the two of us to hold this family together. I’ve said my piece. If you still want to go after Layla, then do it.” Shane clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. His rage
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Seeing the calm indifference in Chris’s eyes, Xena felt like all the strength had been drained from her body. Her hands slowly dropped to her sides, and for a long while, she said nothing. She had finally become disposable. “I understand, Chris.” Her voice was quiet, but deep inside, hatred twisted and coiled like vines, growing unchecked. *Three days later, Xena’s apology video was uploaded. She appeared barefaced on camera, barely holding back tears as she read the carefully prepared statement Chris had given her. At the end, she bowed deeply, staying in that position for a long time. No matter how pitiful she tried to act, the internet wasn’t buying it. “Oh please, the modern-day fake innocent villainess. Who actually believes this apology is sincere?” “You didn’t even spare your own critically ill sister. That alone makes you irredeemable.” “Ugh, just stop. The sight of you is disgusting.” The sheer flood of hate was unbearable. Xena didn’t even dare
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Following the location Felix sent, Xena arrived at the private club right on time. She smoothed down her dress, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. “Come in,” Felix called out. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside. Felix greeted her with a grin, moving forward eagerly. “Miss Xander, I’m really glad you finally came around.” She instinctively avoided his outstretched hand. “I came to see you because I need to know—how exactly are you going to help me?” “What’s the rush?” Felix’s gaze raked over her, clearly noting the effort she had put into her appearance. That pleased him. “Come, sit down. Let’s talk properly.” He led her to a seat, then poured a glass of red wine and slid it in front of her. “Thanks, but I don’t really drink,” Xena said, raising a hand to decline. Felix ignored her refusal, pressing the glass into her hand. “A little won’t hurt. Besides, how can we discuss business if you don’t drink?” With the pressure obvious, Xe
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As expected, Xena calmed down and stopped struggling. Felix raised a brow, his hand sliding up her thigh, over the sheer black stockings. “Xena, Sean can’t give you a proper title but I can.” Xena stiffened, his touch sending a cold shudder down her spine. Yet, just as his hand slipped beneath the hem of her dress— The door swung open. The moment she focused her vision, she froze in panic at the sight of Sean’s furious face. “Sean—” “What the hell are you two doing?!” Sean strode forward and shoved Xena aside before grabbing Felix by the collar. Without hesitation, he swung a punch, landing it square on Felix’s face. Felix spat blood onto the floor, then wiped his mouth, clicking his tongue in amusement. He caught Sean’s wrist before the next strike could land. “What’s your problem? Xena came to me on her own. Why the hell are you hitting me?” “What?” Sean’s jaw clenched. He turned to Xena, his voice dangerously low. “Is that true?” “I…” Felix’s word
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 226
“Layla!” William bolted into the room, his voice sharp with urgency. The only response was the steady sound of water running. The bathroom door was slightly ajar. He pushed it open, and a wave of steam hit him, thick and humid. Through the mist, he saw her—collapsed on the floor. His chest tightened. Rushing forward, he ignored the water that drenched his clothes, grabbed a towel, and quickly wrapped it around her. Then, without hesitation, he lifted her into his arms. Her body was limp, weightless. Her damp face was frighteningly pale, drained of all color. William strode out with long, hurried strides, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.So much so that when Carter and Ivan approached him head-on, he didn’t even register their presence.“Uncle William, what happened to Sis?” “William, where are you taking her?” Their voices barely registered. He didn’t stop. He didn’t answer. The only thing that mattered was getting her to the hospi
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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
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“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
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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
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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
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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
