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Chapter 265
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 266
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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 267
Lucien sounded completely sincere. “If your family ever needs anything, don’t hesitate to reach out. Consider it the Lucas family making things right.”Hearing his offer, Mr. Xander couldn’t help but grow a little excited.A promise like that from Lucien could take the Xander family’s business to a whole new level.Lucien noticed the gleam of greed in Mr. Xander’s eyes and smiled inwardly.Families like this were always the easiest to manage. A little generosity was all it took to win them over and keep them useful.After a few more minutes of polite conversation, Lucien decided it was enough and excused himself with a gracious farewell.Chris walked him downstairs.The moment they were gone, Shane rushed to Mr. Xander’s bedside, almost giddy. “Dad! Mr. Lucas practically treats you like an older brother!“The Xander family is saved!”His excitement bubbled over. “What a turnaround! Layla thought she could bring us down, but look at this—now the Lucases owe us a massiv
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 268
“I tried to visit Layla at the hospital before, but I wasn’t allowed in. I honestly don’t understand why Mr. Lucas is keeping her from her family. We’re all very worried about her.“We haven’t been able to contact Layla at all. Mr. Lucas had her discharged and moved without notifying anyone. Now, we don’t even know where she is.“We didn’t want to take it this far, but we had no choice. We’re reporting this to the police in hopes they can help us confirm Layla’s safety.”In the video, Chris appeared calm and sincere as he answered questions from reporters. Beside him, Mrs. Xander wiped at her tears, looking every bit the image of a heartbroken, concerned mother.As soon as the video hit the internet, it sparked a wave of public discussion:“Yeah, the Xanders were awful before, but at least they’re trying to make amends now. Can’t they all just sit down and talk this out like family?” “Imagine someone taking your daughter without saying a word. I get why they’re upset.” “Anyo
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 269
“Lucien, you’re the eldest. You’ll take the lead on implementing the executive rotation plan within the company. Work with your two brothers on the details, then submit the final proposal to me.“Once the holiday is over, I’ll personally return to the office to oversee the rollout.”As Mr. Lucas Sr. gave out orders, Scarlett’s heart twisted with regret. She never should have let William go. Lucien nodded respectfully. “Of course, Dad. I’ll follow your lead.”His face remained calm, his eyes lowered just enough to hide the flicker of satisfaction beneath. The Xander family turned out to be more useful than expected. Sharp enough to catch on, and quick to act. This had worked out perfectly.*Meanwhile, William hadn’t even finished watching the video before handing the phone back to Levi.Levi, on the other hand, was clearly panicked. “The Xanders have gone to the police. The internet’s blowing up. Everyone’s saying you kidnapped someone’s daughter and you seriously ha
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 270
“Miss Xander, right now nothing matters more than your surgery. I’m sure that’s exactly what William would say, too,” Levi said gently, meeting her eyes.“Even if he were standing here right now, he wouldn’t want you getting involved in this.”Layla’s voice was already choked with emotion.“Mr. Lucas has done so much for me. And now he’s under all this public pressure because of me. If I don’t do something, I won’t be able to go into surgery with a clear conscience.“If I die on that operating table, the Xanders will use it as an excuse to stir up more trouble. They’ll say it was Mr. Lucas’s fault. They’ll say he killed me.“Dr. Young… if I die and this isn’t cleared up, I won’t be able to rest in peace.”Still holding out her hand, Layla pressed on, her tone stubborn but calm. “Please give me the phone.”Levi watched a single tear roll down her cheek, and it tugged at him hard.“Miss Xander,” he pleaded, “please listen to me. Let it go. Trust that William can handle this.”
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 271
“So... you knew William had taken Layla away this whole time?”“Yeah.”Sean leaned into the crook of Kiera’s neck, breathing in her scent like he was trying to fill some empty space inside himself.But no matter how tightly he held her, he couldn’t shake the image of William sliding a ring onto Layla’s finger.And then, as if on cue, Layla’s voice echoed in his mind—clear as day.“Sean Perry, I don’t love you anymore. I haven’t loved you in a long time!”A sudden surge of rage and jealousy crashed over him, swallowing him whole. How could she say that so easily? How could she just turn around and promise herself to someone else?He couldn’t accept it. And for a brief, terrifying moment, an awful thought crossed his mind. Maybe it would be better if she died in William’s hands. If he couldn’t have her, no one should.Kiera felt his arms tightening around her and let out a soft gasp. “Sean… you’re holding me too tight.”Snapped out of it, Sean quickly let go. “
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 272
At 2:30 p.m. the day before Thanksgiving, Layla was wheeled into the operating room. Around the corner in the hallway, Levi stood beside William.“Try not to worry,” Levi said softly. “She’s in the hands of a miracle doctor.”“The success rate is only thirty percent,” William replied flatly.He had asked Yuna directly. That was the most optimistic number she had given.He had nearly backed out right then until Yuna doused him with a cold, hard truth.“If she doesn’t have the surgery, her chance of survival is zero.”Now, her words still echoed in his ears.William’s expression darkened further as he stared at the tightly shut doors of the OR. He didn’t want to say another word.Levi sighed. “No matter what, at least she still has a chance.”He gave William’s shoulder a firm pat. “I’m heading in to get ready.”*Inside the operating room, Yuna stood beside Layla.“How are you feeling?” she asked.“Pretty calm,” Layla answered honestly.“You’re about to have your skull op
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 273
“Things are way better this year without her, aren’t they? Before Layla came back to the Xander family, this is exactly how we used to celebrate.”In Shane’s mind, Layla had always been a bug in the system—a glitch in the Xander family. Now that the bug was finally “fixed,” everything felt back to how it was supposed to be.Feeling good, he knocked back three more drinks in a row.The alcohol made him even more fired up.“I hope she never comes back! She’s seriously ill anyway, probably won’t make it much longer...”“That’s enough,” Mrs. Xander cut in, frowning. “Don’t say such unlucky things on a holiday.”“Come on, Mom, drop the act. We all should. Who at this table actually wants Layla to survive?”Shane let out a loud belch. “Sure, we’re related by blood, but she’s never truly been one of us—not once.“If she dies, it’ll be just like it was fourteen years ago. Back when Xena was twelve. We were doing just fine.”“You’re drunk.”Chris snapped, clearly annoyed, and shot
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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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 517
Everyone was both shocked and thrilled. They kept asking Layla over and over, needing to be sure it was really true.“Wow! Things are finally turning around! Who cares about those commercial gigs? A commission from a legendary artist is the real prize!”“Who would’ve thought? Just last month, we didn’t have a single job, and now we’ve been personally invited by Mr. Zeppelin Mason. Not even in our wildest dreams!”“It’s all thanks to Layla’s connections! Back when we first opened, so many big names showed up to support her. How did we not think to reach out to them last month?”The chatter kept going until Layla cleared her throat and spoke up firmly.“We didn’t get here because of connections. We got here through hard work. Step by step. There were no shortcuts. Every opportunity we have now, we earned.”She paused, her voice steady. “And for every project going forward, I want us to put in the same heart and effort we did with the small-town promotional video. Let’s aim to deliv
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 516
Thanks to the rising popularity of the small-town promotional video, the studio had been flooded with appointment requests over the past week. Although they still had not secured any major commercial contracts yet, the overall atmosphere in the studio had lifted significantly. Some team members even started dreaming big, vowing to create the best city promotional videos in the world and put every hidden gem on the global map.However, shooting city promotional videos meant a lot of traveling and a lot more manpower. After the previous wave of departures, the studio was seriously understaffed, and the HR department had to scramble to start emergency hiring.Seeing the studio slowly getting back on its feet, Layla found herself busier than ever, to the point where she wished she could clone herself just to keep up.In the middle of the chaos, she received a phone call.“Layla, have you had time to think about the offer I mentioned last time?” The voice on the other end wa
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 515
Before long, Mrs. Jenkins reached Kiera's side. Only then did she notice Layla standing at the end of the hall. Her expression immediately darkened.“What are you two doing here?” she demanded.“Nothing,” Kiera said quickly, grabbing her mother’s arm. “We just ran into each other and chatted for a bit.”“What could you possibly have to talk about?” Mrs. Jenkins shot Layla a look of pure disdain, but her warning was directed sharply at Kiera. “You stay away from her. That woman is nothing but shameless—”“Mom!” Kiera cut her off in a panic, rushing to say goodbye to Layla. “Miss Xander, sorry to bother you. We'll be going now.”Before Layla could even respond, Kiera tugged her mother away.As she watched the mother and daughter disappear down the hallway, Layla couldn't help but feel puzzled. “What was going on with Kiera?” Layla wondered.Outside the private dining room, Mrs. Jenkins yanked her hand free and turned on Kiera, her face thunderous.“Why didn’t you let
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
