“Mrs. Lucas!” Sean called out, but Scarlett didn’t stop. He clenched his jaw in frustration, teeth grinding. He couldn’t let Layla stay with the Lucases—not a chance. *As night fell, Scarlett arrived at Layla’s room with a full medical team behind her. She nodded to the guards at the door, who promptly opened it.“Layla, it’s time to go.”But when she stepped inside, her eyes immediately scanned the room and froze. Layla was gone.“Layla Xander!”Scarlett stormed around the room, checking every corner, then spun around and shouted at the guards outside. “Where is she?! Where did she go?!”One of the guards looked completely panicked. “She… wasn’t she in the room this whole time?”“Open your damn eyes! Do you see her anywhere? What, you think a terminally ill woman just vanished into thin air?!” Scarlett was fuming.Then the guard slapped his forehead like he just remembered something. “Right! It must’ve been Mr. Perry!”“What?!”“About half an hour ago, h
Under everyone’s stunned gaze, William took out a diamond ring and slipped it onto Layla’s left ring finger.Scarlett was the first to react. She snapped, “William, have you lost your mind?!”She muttered under her breath, “Proposing to someone who's dying? Are you seriously planning to throw your whole life away?”William stood up slowly and said, “I’ve never been more clearheaded.”That night when Layla broke down and sobbed that she wanted to die, he had never felt so terrified in his life. In that moment, he had made up his mind. No matter life or death, he would marry her.He turned to Scarlett, his voice calm and steady. “She reached out to you a while ago to ask for your help leaving, didn’t she?”His gaze was sharp and composed, like a strategist revealing the final move in a game he had been controlling from the very start.Scarlett’s eyes widened. “You knew?”A realization struck her, and her fury rose again. “I knew she wasn’t up to anything good! I ju
When Sean heard those words, everything finally clicked.William had known from the very beginning that Scarlett was planning to take Layla away and that Sean would try something. He had deliberately waited until the airport to show up, just so he could shut them both down in front of everyone, once and for all.No matter what they had done, it had all happened under William’s watch and in the end, they had only helped him get exactly what he wanted.As William raised his hand, signaling for his men to take Layla away, Sean thrashed wildly and screamed, “Give Layla back to me!”“Shut him up!” Scarlett barked. This was an international airport. If he kept yelling, there was no way tonight’s incident would stay under wraps.One of the guards clamped a hand over Sean’s mouth. His furious shouts turned into muffled, broken sobs.Scarlett grabbed William’s arm. “William, please. I’m begging you—don’t do this…”William pulled his arm away. “Mom, my whole life, I’ve done every
“No idea,” Levi shrugged. “It was already on your hand when you were brought in.”Layla frowned. Could it have been that lunatic Sean who put it on her? Disgusted, she yanked off the diamond ring. Just as she was about to toss it out the window, Levi quickly snatched it from her hand. “Miss Xander, that ring is probably worth a fortune. You can’t just throw it out!”“It’s useless to me.” Seeing how carefully he held it, Layla said offhandedly, “If you like it that much, it’s yours.”“Huh?” Levi blinked, his expression suddenly awkward. That was William’s engagement ring. What would it mean if it ended up in his hands?“I haven’t done anything to deserve a gift like this,” he said with a faint, polite smile. Worried she might still try to throw it away, he quickly slipped it into his pocket. “Tell you what—I'll hold onto it for now. When you’re better, I’ll give it back.“You should rest. If you need anything, just call me.” He helped Layla back into bed a
Just then, a sharp whistle pierced the air and the kids scattered in all directions.A moment later, a figure in a black hoodie stepped out from the shadows.“That’s her, Yuna,” Levi said, pausing before adding deliberately, “She’s a girl.”Only then did William take a closer look.Despite the close-cropped buzz cut, she had a gentle, feminine face, with soft, refined features.The contrast was jarring.This was Yuna? A top-tier operative in a world-renowned international organization? She looked barely twenty—like a sharp, androgynous teenage girl, not someone with a fearsome reputation.“And what’s your relationship to the patient?” Yuna asked casually, hands stuffed in her pockets.“Her fiancé,” William replied without hesitation.“Oh?” Yuna gave him a once-over, her gaze amused and teasing. “You look like you’re worth quite a bit. All this trouble for a woman? You really willing to throw your fortune away?”“I am.”William met her eyes head-on. “If you can save
The next morning, Layla stirred awake, groggy and disoriented. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a small figure sitting at her bedside and nearly jumped in surprise.“Who are you?”“I’m the doctor Levi brought in for you. Just call me Yuna,” Yuna replied, closing the patient chart in her hands. She crossed one leg over the other and said bluntly, “Miss Xander, your condition’s not great. If we go through with the surgery, there’s a very real chance you could die on the table. You’re aware of that, right?”Layla said nothing.In the sunlight, the girl across from her looked no older than twenty—nothing like the expert Levi had spoken so highly of. But she definitely had a presence.She was pretty, with delicate features—yet she had gone and shaved her head into a close buzz cut.“What?” Yuna caught the flicker of doubt in Layla’s eyes and seemed completely unfazed. She reached up and rubbed her prickly scalp. “Let me guess—someone like me doesn’t look like a doct
“Shane!” Chris’s expression hardened. “What kind of brother wishes for his own sister to die?”Shane scoffed. “Come on, Chris. Xena’s the only sister I recognize. Layla caused everything that’s happened to this family. And in the end, it’s Xena who’s stepping up to clean up the mess. Can’t you see who actually cares about this family?”There was a sharp disdain in his voice. “Don’t tell me you saw William’s little public confession and suddenly think Layla’s your golden ticket into the Lucas family?“You’re forgetting something. She cut ties with the Xander family a long time ago. Layla has nothing to do with us anymore. Even if she somehow manages to latch onto William, it won’t bring us any benefits.”“I’m not thinking that far ahead,” Chris snapped. “All I’m saying is, we should have a basic sense of decency. Wishing death on someone—no matter who they are—is just wrong.”“How is it wishing death?” Shane rolled his eyes. “I’m just stating facts. Isn’t she term
The moment Chris saw Lucien, he froze.Lucien was already past fifty, but he hardly looked it. His impeccably tailored British-style suit exuded quiet luxury—an unmistakable old-money elegance. His jet-black hair was neatly combed, not a strand out of place.The Lucases had a natural air of nobility. Just being around them made the Xander family feel like they were hosting royalty.“You must be Mr. Xander’s eldest son, Chris, correct?” Lucien said with a warm smile.Snapping out of his daze, Chris quickly stepped forward. “Yes, that’s me. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lucas.”“You’re handsome and well-mannered. Not bad at all,” Lucien said, giving Chris a friendly pat on the shoulder. “You’ve got the makings of someone who can stand on his own someday.”Chris scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. “You flatter me. Someone like you—that’s what I’d call truly accomplished.”Lucien let out a light laugh. “I’m getting old. The future belongs to your generation.”He g
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
“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
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
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 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
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
“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
“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
“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