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Chapter 378
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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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 380
Compared to the studio’s launch party, this gathering felt even more relaxed. With a few glasses of wine in their system, the room was full of laughter and easy chatter.It was so lively that Layla almost didn’t hear her phone ringing. She only noticed when her screen lit up and saw it was her assistant calling.“Excuse me, I’ll just step out and take this,” she said to Jenny before slipping out of the room.But as soon as she stepped into the hallway, the call ended. She was just about to call back when a voice stopped her.“Miss Xander, I’ve been waiting for you to come out.”Gwen stood there, her tone overly polite. “I just wanted to apologize on Mrs. Lucas’s behalf. Please don’t take what she said earlier to heart. She’s just… a little blunt sometimes. She doesn’t mean anything by it—”“Are you apologizing as her future daughter-in-law?” Layla suddenly cut her off.Gwen froze. “Does that matter?”“You’re right,” Layla gave a bitter smile. “It doesn’t matter at all.”What G
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 381
Even now, Gwen couldn’t help wondering—if she had confessed her feelings earlier, would she have made it into William’s heart before Layla?But life didn’t work like that. There were no what-ifs. She had already lost, long ago.By the time Gwen snapped out of her thoughts, Layla had already walked off, her steps light and unsteady.“Miss Harris, why bother saying so much to her?” A soft voice drifted from behind.Gwen turned to see Kiera. “What are you doing here?”“You’d been gone a while. Mrs. Lucas asked me to look for you. I happened to overhear your conversation with Miss Xander.”Kiera’s voice was calm, her smile gentle and refined, exuding an easy warmth. “I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop. But if it makes you uncomfortable, I can pretend I didn’t hear anything.“Before that, though, I just want to say a few words. You're from the Harris family. That alone puts you far above most people. Let’s not even talk about someone like Miss Xander.“Mr. Lucas was born into the Lu
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 382
Since William couldn’t peel Layla’s hands off, he had no choice but to let her sit on his lap. He stayed seated in the back of the car, holding her the whole time—back straight, posture impeccable, radiating gentlemanly restraint.“Stupid rich families… screw your stupid rich families…“So what if you’ve got money? You’re not giving any to me! Acting like you’re some big shot? Go ahead, throw your money at me—see if it knocks me out!”She sniffled, rubbing her teary eyes on his suit jacket. “I’m gonna make money… a lot of money…“I’ll be my own damn rich family…”Then she looked up at him, eyes red and watery, and stared straight at William. “Why don’t you marry into my family?”William was rendered speechless.In the front seat, Mike had been holding back his laughter for ages. When he caught a glimpse of William’s exasperated face in the mirror, he couldn’t hold it anymore. A snort escaped.He had followed William for years but had never seen a woman this bold, this gutsy.
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 383
Online, netizens were practically analyzing the photos under a microscope, adding their own imagination into the mix. Before long, the comments had turned into a full-blown soap opera about two heiresses fighting for love in a wealthy family.“Gwen Harris is clearly full of herself just because she comes from a powerful family! That arrogant attitude is practically dripping off the screen. Why are all rich girls the same?”“Let’s be real—she is born superior. She’s the Harris family heiress, and she’s set to marry into the Lucas family. If she looks down on people, honestly, who can blame her?”“Layla Xander isn’t some nobody either, okay? When she launched her studio, a ton of major figures from the art world showed up to support her. You think that kind of backing comes without talent?”“Why are we pitting women against each other? If anyone has a say in this, it’s William Lucas. Let him step up and say who he actually wants!”Just as Gwen was scrolling halfway through the heate
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 384
“Tell Gwen to step out of the car,” William said coldly.Scarlett’s expression darkened. “So you really did come here for Layla Xander. What did she say to you? I bet she didn’t mention how her dear mentor, Jenny Jasper, insulted me in front of everyone, did she?“Your own mother had her face trampled on by an outsider, and you just stand by, saying nothing? Worse, you're actually taking her side?“William Lucas, you’ve really let that woman mess with your head! You’ve lost all sense of right and wrong!”Scarlett stepped forward, planting herself in front of him with her hands on her hips. “If you’re mad about Gwen going to talk to Layla, then blame me. I told her to go. I asked her to stand up for me.“I’m your mother! I raised you for decades! And now you’re telling me that some woman you met halfway through life matters more than I do? Fine. Show me today just what kind of son I raised.”Scarlett’s voice rose with every word, full of heartbreak and accusation.But William rem
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 385
“William,” Gwen said softly, meeting his eyes. “I know that since I came back, all the kindness you've shown me has just been to provoke Layla. You wanted to make her jealous.“Even if I was just a tool,” she added with a sad smile, “I was willing to let you use me…”“You don’t need to be,” William interrupted coldly. “I’ve changed my mind. From now on, I’ll be keeping my distance.”It was clear that he had seen through her.At first, he had treated Gwen like an old friend. He thought she was still the same naive girl from years ago. But when she repeatedly went behind his back to confront Layla, she showed him she wasn’t as innocent as she seemed. More importantly, she wasn’t someone he could control.A woman like that? He couldn’t risk using her again.“And one more thing,” he added. “You’d better stay away from Miss Xander. Don’t appear in front of her again.”It wasn’t a suggestion. It was an order and it didn’t require a response.William turned to leave, but Gwen sudden
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 386
The next morning, Layla woke up in the sunlight, her head pounding like crazy. She gasped and winced. “Ugh…”She raised a hand to rub her temples and blindly reached for her phone with the other. When she turned on the screen, she saw several missed calls and messages from Jenny.It was already 10:30 a.m.She had been out cold for nearly twenty-four hours!Layla was stunned. How could those sweet homemade wines hit so hard? She had completely blacked out. The last thing she remembered was stepping out of the private room and having a brief conversation with Gwen.She didn’t even remember what they talked about.And how had she gotten home? She had zero memory of it.Still foggy-headed, Layla scratched at her hair in frustration, then quickly called Jenny back, hoping to piece things together.Jenny answered almost instantly. “Layla, you're finally up! You scared the hell out of me. You've never even had sweet wine before. Why would you down so much of it your first time?“Than
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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
