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Chapter 371
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 372
“I—I didn’t! How could I be following you?” Shane stammered, quickly thinking on his feet. He gave her an awkward smile. “I was just dropping Xena off. She came to borrow some jewelry from Mrs. Jackson for an event. Then I got word that Layla was here.“I saw you nearby, and you didn’t look happy… so naturally, I thought maybe you’d run into her. You’ve told me more than once that you can’t stand her.“With all those coincidences lining up, of course that was my first thought.”Carly stared at him for a long moment, skeptical, but eventually relented. “Fine. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt—just this once.”Shane quietly let out a breath of relief, then pushed on, “So… I was right, wasn’t I? She upset you? What happened exactly?”Carly’s expression remained cold. “Even if you're right, it’s none of your business. Shane, I’ve said it before—I’m not interested in you. Can you please leave me alone?”“Carly, don’t always shut people out like this!”He reached for her hand,
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 373
“You’d better mean that,” Carly said sharply before turning on her heel.Her footsteps picked up speed with every stride, a silent reminder to Shane of just how badly she wanted to get away from him.As soon as she disappeared, Xena appeared behind him.“She’s already gone. What are you still staring after her for?”“None of your business,” Shane snapped, shooting her a glare. “Is Layla still upstairs?”“Yeah. Didn’t Carly just join her studio? Strange she’s not by her side,” Xena said with a tilt of her head.“Keep your voice down!” Shane immediately reached out and clamped a hand over her mouth, lowering his voice. “Carly can’t know that we all know she’s working at Layla Studio. If she starts digging into that night, she’ll find out I was the one who called those thugs to trash the place!“If she finds out, I’m done. She’ll never give me another chance.”Xena pulled his hand off her face and blinked innocently. “So, Shane… are you really going to just let her stay at Layla S
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 374
“Miss Xander, could you come take a look?”The call snapped Layla out of her drifting thoughts. The memory that had seemed so close—right at her fingertips—vanished without a trace.She furrowed her brows. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recall where she had seen that ring before.Then again… how could she have seen it?Shaking off the thought, Layla returned Mrs. Jackson’s phone with a polite smile. “You’re welcome to head out now. Once we finish up and organize the raw shots, someone will contact you to come by the studio and select your images.”“Perfect,” Mrs. Jackson said cheerfully. “Watching you work has been a treat. I know I’m in good hands!”After seeing her off, Layla threw herself back into the shoot.Before they knew it, the sun had dipped below the horizon. The day’s work was finally done.When the team returned to the studio, they assumed everyone else had already gone home. But to their surprise, the lights were still on and a delicious smell lingered
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 375
The rest of the team raised their glasses as well. “Cheers!”Caught off guard by their enthusiasm, Carly hesitated, her lips pressed into a thin line, not quite sure what to do.Lily simply shoved a drink into her hand, then grabbed her wrist and raised both their glasses high. “We’re a team now!”Laughter and cheers filled the room as everyone took a sip.Carly followed along, taking a small drink. Her heart was unexpectedly full. These bright, energetic faces were the ones who helped Begonia bring every masterpiece to life.And in that moment, for the first time, she felt a real desire to be part of this team—not just in name, but in spirit.The joyful atmosphere didn’t last long. As the night grew late, team members began to trickle out.Carly volunteered to stay behind and help clean up. Carrying out a bag of trash, she paused on her way back and noticed that the light in Layla’s upstairs office was still on.After tossing the trash, she made her way upstairs and knocked on
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 376
From Ivan, Layla learned the full story behind Shane’s so-called “pursuit” of Carly.It had always been one-sided—Shane clinging like a persistent shadow, while Carly avoided him at all costs. And yet, she still hadn’t managed to shake him off.After hanging up, Layla couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy. “Of all people, why did Carly have to be the one to catch his attention?” she thought.And Shane? He was absolutely delusional. Even if he somehow “won” Carly’s heart, did he really think the Lucas family would let their heiress marry into the Xander family?The gap between the two families was a canyon—wide and impossible to cross.Without meaning to, her mind wandered to William’s face.Now that she thought about it, it had been a long time since she had seen him.She had been so busy lately—out early, back late—that she hadn’t even had the time to glance next door. She didn’t even know if he had already moved out.Her gaze drifted to the corner of her laptop screen.
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 377
“Alright, wait for me.”Layla quickly made a U-turn at the next light and entered the address Jenny had sent her into the GPS.Less than twenty minutes later, she arrived at the venue and followed a staff member who offered to guide her.This tea gathering had been arranged by Jenny herself—not only to thank their friends for showing up in support of Layla, but also to help Layla build deeper connections within the circle.Through the door of the private room, Layla could already hear the cheerful chatter and laughter. She took a deep breath, mentally preparing to apologize for being late.That was when a cold voice rang out behind her.“What are you doing here?”Layla paused mid-step and turned around—only to see Gwen standing arm-in-arm with Scarlett. The two of them looked like the perfect mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo.Scarlett frowned, sizing Layla up from head to toe. “Even a no-name photographer can get into this place now? The bar’s really dropped. Maybe next ti
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 378
Gwen looked visibly embarrassed. “Mrs. Lucas, I’m sure Miss Jasper didn’t mean it like that…”“She absolutely did!”Scarlett, still fuming, made a move to march over and bang on the door again—only for Gwen to quickly grab her arm and stop her.“Mrs. Lucas, don’t you have another gathering to attend? It's getting late. You really shouldn’t waste your time getting worked up over something like this.”Her voice was gentle and coaxing as she slowly guided Scarlett toward their reserved private room.Once inside, Scarlett still looked furious. She sat stiffly in the main seat and didn’t say a word for a long while.One of the other ladies leaned over and whispered to Gwen, “What’s wrong with Mrs. Lucas?”“It’s nothing, really. She’ll be fine in a bit,” Gwen replied with a polite smile. “You all go ahead and eat, chat as you like.”Seeing she didn’t want to elaborate, the women exchanged subtle glances but didn’t press further. The conversation eventually turned toward Gwen.“I hea
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 379
In their memory, Scarlett used to talk endlessly about fine art. She would go on and on like an expert, often expressing admiration and even awe for the great masters.So how was it that now, when she actually had the chance to mingle with the masters, she suddenly looked down on them?The other women in the room were all wondering the same thing.Only Gwen knew the real reason behind it all. She stood up to smooth things over.“Mrs. Lucas just meant… it might be a bit abrupt for us to drop in uninvited.“After all, it’s a private gathering of masters. They’ve always preferred a quiet setting. I doubt they want outsiders barging in.”After hearing that explanation, the ladies slowly nodded in agreement. “That’s true…”*Inside the other room, Jenny was still fuming.“That Mrs. Lucas really looks down on people! She actually had the nerve to insult my student!“If it weren’t for the past ties I had with Mr. Lucas, I wouldn’t have been so polite just now.”She turned to the ot
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 508
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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 507
“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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 506
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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 505
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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 503
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
