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Chapter 284
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 285
Watching Layla walk away, William’s gaze darkened.If he hadn’t been worried about scaring her off, he would have dragged her into the car and taken her away right then and there.He was barely hanging on to the last shred of rationality and gentlemanly restraint, telling himself, “She’s back. There’s time. Yeah, right.”William’s voice was low as he ordered, “Pull up the listings for that building. I want everything on that complex.”*Unaware that she was already a marked target, Layla rolled her suitcase into her new apartment and casually dialed Carter’s number.As soon as the call connected, Carter’s chipper voice came through. “Sis! Did Uncle William pick you up? Was he—”“You’ve got some nerve,” Layla cut him off, clearly annoyed. “Weren’t you supposed to pick me up? How did it suddenly become Mr. Lucas, and you didn’t even bother to give me a heads-up? Do you know how awkward that car ride was? I nearly curled my toes so hard, I could’ve carved out a whole three-bedroom
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 286
One week after Thanksgiving, the Xander family piled into the car, dressed neatly for their annual cemetery visit.From the moment Shane climbed in, though, he was already grumbling.“I’m exhausted. Couldn’t you have let me sleep a little longer? It’s not like visiting Layla’s grave is some huge deal. What’s the harm in going a bit later?” he yawned as he spoke.“We already told the reporters what time to meet us,” Chris said, clearly irritated. “You want to keep the press waiting?”“Fine, fine. Got it,” Shane muttered half-heartedly, then turned to Mrs. Xander. “Hey, Mom—when are you getting me those tickets to the Begonia exhibit?”“Wait, you mean Begonia’s photography show?” Xena, chimed in.Shane raised his eyebrows proudly. “That’s the one. Mom said she could get them for me.”“For real, Mom?” Xena’s eyes lit up. “I want to go too! If I could meet Begonia in person, maybe I could even book a shoot with her!”She had already brought it up with Felix a few times, but he had
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 287
That strange mix of familiarity and distance made Mr. Xander feel momentarily disoriented. “You… are you Layla?”Layla let out a soft laugh, twirling her sunglasses in one hand before pointing to the gravestone. “Isn’t your Layla right there?”“No… you… you’re my sister…” Xena finally spoke, her voice low and uncertain. But behind her wide eyes, something darker stirred—resentment. Layla wasn’t dead after all.That was when Mrs. Xander snapped out of her shock and rushed forward in tears. “Thank God, you’re alive!”But Layla smoothly stepped aside, letting her fall to the ground with nothing but a cold glance.Mr. Xander’s expression turned dark. “You’ve got some nerve showing your face here, Layla.”“Don’t be like this,” Mrs. Xander scrambled up awkwardly, her voice trembling through tears. “It doesn’t matter. She’s alive, that’s all that matters.”Mr. Xander’s jaw clenched. “Alive? What good is that? What were the last three years to us? Some joke to entertain
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 288
“Why are you even trying to keep her around?” Shane grumbled. “All you’re doing is feeding her ego. She—”“Shut up!” Chris snapped, turning on him with such fury that it made Shane jump.Shane had never seen his brother lose his temper like that. Stung, he muttered, “You’re yelling at me over Layla?”“That’s enough,” Mr. Xander cut in, waving a trembling hand. His whole body was shaking—Layla had clearly rattled him.Xena stepped forward to steady him. “Dad, you’re in this condition, and she still had the nerve to upset you. That’s just too much.”“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” Mr. Xander’s voice softened slightly as he patted her hand.One daughter had just tried to drive him to an early grave. The other was caring and considerate. The contrast only deepened his resentment toward Layla.“Layla Xander is dead. As far as we’re concerned, today never happened.”With that, he turned and walked away, leaning on his cane, his back stiff with anger.Shane scoffed. “Hear that? Dad
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 289
And Carter honestly wasn’t sure which was worse.He watched as William followed behind her into the apartment and let out a quiet sigh. “Uncle William’s path to winning her back... is going to be a long one,” he muttered softly.Since both of them happened to be there, Layla took the initiative and offered to cook them a nice meal.While she was busy in the kitchen, Carter slipped over to William’s side. “Uncle William, aren’t you worried Grandpa will find out you moved in here? That’s a pretty bold move.”“He’ll find out eventually,” William replied casually, as if it didn’t bother him in the slightest.Carter raised an impressed eyebrow. “You’re the only one in the entire Lucas family who dares go head-to-head with him.”Then William asked, “She went to the cemetery today?”“Yeah! Didn’t you notice there wasn’t a single press release about the Xanders mourning her this year?”Carter pulled out his phone and scrolled through the trending topics. “Every year, right aro
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 290
“Not enough! Another round!” Carter suddenly shouted, raising his hand.Layla jumped and instinctively let go of William’s wrist, quickly sitting up straight in her chair like nothing had happened.When she turned to look at Carter, she realized that he was still facedown on the table, eyes shut. Speechless, Layla could only roll her eyes, her heart still racing like she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t.Under the lights, her earlobes were flushed a telltale red.William’s lips curved into the faintest smile, but he casually set his glass back down as if nothing had happened.“So now that you’re back in North City,” he said smoothly, “what’s next for you, Miss Xander?”Layla steadied herself. “First, I want to see the photography exhibition through. After that, I’m planning to open my own studio.”“So you're putting down roots here?” William’s gaze lingered on her. There was something unreadable in his eyes, but beneath it, a trace of hope seemed to shine thro
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 291
After hanging up the call, Layla returned to the dining table, clearly a little distracted.“Something wrong?” William asked.Layla shook her head lightly. “Nothing serious. Just a small issue.”But her thoughts were spinning. She couldn’t help but wonder—did William know that it was Scarlett who had sent her away back then?She had left so suddenly, without a word. Had he been angry? Did he feel abandoned?A flood of questions rose to the surface, but facing William now, she didn’t even know where to begin.It wasn’t until after the meal that her tangled emotions finally began to settle.He probably wasn’t angry. After all, three years of silence speaks for itself. She was just a passing chapter in his life. If she read too much into it now, it would only make her look foolish.Snapping out of it, she glanced over and saw William staring down at Carter, who was passed out drunk across the table, looking thoroughly unimpressed.Layla stifled a laugh and offered, “W
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 292
Mrs. Xander had just gotten the good news and couldn’t wait to share it with Shane and Xena.“Really? That’s amazing!” Shane threw his arms around her in excitement. “Mom, you’re the best! My love life is finally looking up!”Xena beamed. “Seriously, Mom—what would we do without you?”“It was nothing,” Mrs. Xander replied modestly, though a note of pride slipped into her voice. “I’ve been connected with the society ladies for a few years now. I’ve built up some relationships that can help open doors for the two of you. If you ever need anything, just let me know.”Across the room, Mr. Xander looked up from the documents in his hand and let out a cold snort.“You really think it was all you? If it weren’t for the Xander family behind you, do you honestly believe you could’ve pulled that off? You’ve been hanging around those society wives too long—you’re starting to forget who you really are.”His words landed hard.Ever since Mrs. Xander started attending those high-society ga
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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
