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Chapter 379
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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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 387
William’s answer was straightforward.Layla let out a small breath of relief. “So… I just slept the whole way?”“No,” William replied flatly. “You were causing a scene for half the ride.”“Causing a scene?” Layla’s throat tightened. “What kind of scene?”William looked at her, a faint, lazy smile flickering in his eyes. His tone was casual. “You said you wanted to make money. A lot of money. That you were gonna be your own damn rich family.”Layla exhaled again. “That sounds like me… I am pretty shallow.“You said you wanted to marry me.”Layla stared at him, completely dumbfounded. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard.“I said that?”“Yep.”She was rendered speechless.Whatever hope she had left just died—completely gone, without a trace.Her mind went totally blank. Then she heard William let out a low chuckle and that only made her more annoyed.“Are you messing with me?” she snapped. “Why would I ever say something like that?”“Mike was in the car too,” Willia
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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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 511
“Who exactly was hiding something?” Kiera only muttered the words in her heart. On the surface, she kept her tone casual and said, “I was watching a promotional video Miss Xander produced. I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea if you saw it.“If you don’t believe me, take a look for yourself.”As she spoke, Kiera handed her phone to Sean, her expression calm and composed.Sean frowned slightly. “Layla Xander? Isn’t her studio the one Mr. Lucas Sr. basically shut down?”“You seem pretty up to date on her situation,” Kiera said with a half-smile. “Here I thought you didn’t know anything.”“I just... heard about it. Everyone in the circle has,” Sean said, clearly uncomfortable, avoiding her gaze. “She crossed the Lucas family. Of course she was going to end up like this. When she first came back, everyone was talking about her, but in the end, all it took was one word from Mr. Lucas Sr. and her studio couldn’t land a single project.”“Is that so?” Kiera tightened her grip on
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 510
Kiera had always played the part of the gentle, obedient wife.But right now, the cold sarcasm in her eyes made Sean feel like he was looking at a stranger.Sean sobered up a little in an instant. “What the hell are you talking about?” he snapped. “All I did was ask you to play the harp. Do you really have to twist it into something so ugly?”He huffed and continued, “Mr. Zimmer has sent us quite a few projects over the years. I know he’s into classical music, so I thought bringing you tonight might give you two something to talk about.“How was I supposed to know that asking you to play one song would feel like pulling teeth? You refused to drink, which was fine, but then you just sat there with that sour face. Who would even dare start a conversation with you like that? Anyone watching would have thought I treat you like garbage at home.”Grumbling, Sean let go of her arm and leaned back against the car door, putting distance between them.To his surprise, Kiera didn’t move clo
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 509
“I’ve heard Mrs. Perry plays the harp,” someone across the round table suddenly said. It was Mr. Zimmer, one of the business partners. “There happens to be one here tonight. Mrs. Perry, would you mind playing a piece for us?”“This…” Kiera hesitated, but before she could reply, Sean jumped in with a smile, “Of course not. My wife plays beautifully. Tonight’s the perfect chance for everyone to enjoy it.”Hearing that, Kiera’s heart sank.It was rare for Sean to ask her to attend a business dinner. In all their time married, this was the first time he had willingly brought her into one of his work events.If she didn’t already know better, she might have been flattered, maybe even excited to join him.But she knew too much. She could see right through him. When something felt this out of the ordinary, there was always a hidden reason. Still, she smiled and nodded. “Sure, I’d be happy to.”A few minutes later, the restaurant staff wheeled in a harp and set it up in the private di
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
