LOGINShare
Chapter 416
Related chapters
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 417
“You’re already discouraged and the show hasn’t even aired yet? That’s so not like you.” As Layla spoke, something else occurred to her. “By the way, why didn’t you and the Best Actor shoot your promo photos together?”Carter’s expression darkened immediately at the mention of it. “He wanted to hire Eason Lopez.”Just saying the name had Carter grumbling under his breath. “His whole pitch was that this drama’s supposed to be a huge hit, so of course the promo photos had to be done by some big-shot photographer to set the tone right from the start.“Everyone knows I don’t get along with Eason, so of course I didn’t agree. After a few rounds of meetings, the producers finally compromised and let us shoot separately.”Layla nodded thoughtfully. “I see.”Carter frowned. “Sis, how are you not mad about this at all? They were basically looking down on your studio.”“Everyone has their own choices,” Layla replied calmly. “Maybe he just thinks Eason’s style suits him better.”She smil
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 418
Outside the studio, Carter climbed into the passenger seat of Layla’s car, only to realize there was already someone sitting in the back.He turned and immediately groaned. “Sis, why’d you bring her along?”Carly, sitting comfortably in the backseat, rolled her eyes at him. Without saying a word, she popped in her wireless earbuds and crossed her arms. She leaned back and promptly closed her eyes to nap.Seeing that only made Carter even more annoyed. “Hey, I’m still technically your older cousin, you know. Ever heard of basic manners?”“She’s been working all day. Let her rest for a bit,” Layla said casually as she started the car. “Besides, she’s coming with me to check out the photo display at the gala tonight. It’ll be a good learning experience for her.”Carter stared at the two of them, back and forth, looking deeply troubled. “Wait... you guys aren’t seriously planning to show up to the gala dressed like this, are you?”Layla didn’t answer. She just smiled faintly.Carter
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 419
For a brief moment, the air grew awkward and tense. No one at the scene had expected Layla to be this blunt.Carter, on the other hand, was absolutely loving it. “That’s how you shut down fake people,” he silently remarked. No way was he letting that little fake angel act of Xena’s get any screen time tonight.Layla couldn’t be bothered to waste another word on the Xander family. She turned back to Mrs. Jackson and asked calmly, “Would it be alright if I took another look at the photos?”Snapping out of her daze, Mrs. Jackson nodded quickly. “Of course! I’ll have someone take you over right now.”Layla gave a polite nod. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”As Layla and her group walked away, Mr. Xander fumed behind them.“Look at her attitude,” he muttered bitterly. “Are we really supposed to keep lowering ourselves just to talk to her?”“Dad, maybe she’s just in a bad mood…” Xena chimed in softly, playing the pitiful daughter role to perfection. “Now that the Lucas and Harris famil
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 420
Hearing that, both Mr. and Mrs. Xander's expressions turned a little stiff.Fortunately, the guest had only been making polite conversation and didn’t press further. Before long, he was pulled away by friends to talk about the auction items.Mrs. Xander stared at the photos still playing across the large screen, her voice low and thoughtful. “Honey, if Layla were still our daughter, don’t you think we’d be basking in her success tonight instead of standing here, hoping no one remembers we’re even related to her?”Now, here they were, standing awkwardly on the sidelines, doing everything they could to avoid attention. The last thing they wanted was for anyone to remember they were Layla’s family. Even worse was the fear that someone might recall just how foolishly they had cut ties with her in the first place.The more Mrs. Xander thought about it, the worse she felt. Eventually, all of that frustration and regret built up into a long, heavy sigh.Mr. Xander still had not said a wo
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 421
As the group laughed and joked among themselves, the first auction item was brought to the stage, officially kicking off the bidding. Naturally, all attention shifted to the front of the room.While the auctioneer began introducing the piece, Felix’s hand slowly slid to Xena’s waist, his fingers casually kneading her side. “Put on a prettier smile,” he murmured in her ear. “I’ll buy you something nice.”Xena’s entire body stiffened. Disgust and nausea rose in her throat, making her stomach churn. She clenched her teeth, fighting the urge to recoil.Without saying a word, she brushed his hand away and turned, heading straight toward the restroom.“Where are you going?” Felix called after her, frowning as she disappeared into the crowd without looking back.This little scene happened to catch Carter’s eye.Unable to resist, he leaned over to Layla, barely hiding his amusement. “Sis, looks like Xena and Felix just had a fight. She bolted out of there like her life depended on it.”
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 422
As the evening drew to a close, Mrs. Jackson took the stage to thank all the guests who had participated in the charity auction.“And before we wrap up,” she added with a warm smile, “there’s one more person I’d like to thank — Begonia.”The spotlight shifted, landing directly on Layla.She stood there in simple business attire, her hair loosely tied up in a messy bun. Even without elaborate makeup or fancy clothes, her understated elegance still stood out effortlessly. If anything, her casual look only added to her calm, artist’s charm.Bathed in the light, with all eyes on her, Layla looked calm and composed.“I was truly honored to have Miss Xander photograph my collection,” Mrs. Jackson continued. “Every photo she took was made with heart, and every single one is worth treasuring.“This charity gala turned out to be even more successful than I could have hoped, and it’s all thanks to Miss Xander’s incredible work. Her photos brought out the beauty of these pieces in a way tha
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 423
Mrs. Jackson reached out her hand with a warm smile. “It’s truly been a pleasure working with you, Miss Xander. I hope we’ll have the chance to collaborate again.”Layla shook her hand but didn’t let go right away.“Would you mind passing along a message for me?” Layla said calmly. “Please thank whoever it was that gave me such a huge honor tonight.”She paused, her voice steady. “But I don’t like taking credit for something I didn’t do. I don’t want to owe anyone, and I definitely don’t want to benefit from someone else’s generosity. When the donation goes through, please make sure my name isn’t mentioned.”Layla hadn’t brought it up earlier because she didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere of the charity event. But in private, she wasn’t about to let things stay unclear.Mrs. Jackson was slightly surprised. “Miss Xander, there’s really no need to—”Layla cut her off politely but firmly. “Please, Mrs. Jackson.”Finally, she let go of Mrs. Jackson’s hand and turned to leave. “It’s
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 424
Mrs. Xander turned to look at Mr. Xander, her voice full of worry. “Felix was clearly upset tonight. Do you think he’s going to come after our family again?”“He won’t,” Mr. Xander replied, his expression dark and grim. “If he was willing to come crawling back and make peace before, that means someone behind the scenes must have warned him. Right now isn’t the time for him to burn bridges with the Xander family.”As he spoke, Mr. Xander turned to Xena. “You’d better watch yourself these days. Keep him happy. Don’t give him any reason to lose his temper again. We don’t need any more trouble.”“Dad!” Xena stared at him in disbelief. “It’s not even my fault he’s mad. Why should I be the one to put up with this and take the blame?”“Xena, that’s not what your father meant,” Mrs. Xander quickly stepped in, pulling her daughter’s hand gently. “He just wants you and Felix to get along. If you can marry into the Perry family, it’ll be a huge advantage for us.”Mr. Xander’s tone hardened.
Latest chapter
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 526
When William got home and pushed open the door, he immediately saw Scarlett sitting on the sofa, stewing in anger. The living room lights weren’t even on.Even from a distance, he could feel the heavy cloud of resentment surrounding her.He casually flipped on the lights and walked over. “You really didn’t eat tonight?”Scarlett huffed, puffing up like an angry cat. “I was going to, but your father pissed me off so much I’m full of rage instead.”“Oh?” William raised an eyebrow with interest. “He came by?”“He was skulking around like a thief. I ran into him outside.”Scarlett turned to him, her eyes sharp. “Be honest with me—over the years, you’ve seen how I treated your father, haven’t you? I was good to him, right? I did everything he said!”William thought for a moment, taking the question quite seriously. “I guess you could say that.”“What do you mean, ‘guess’?” Scarlett shot him a glare. “It’s a fact! Back when I was at the Dixon family home, I got anything I wante
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 525
“Don’t get involved in her business anymore.” William picked up his utensils and bowl, clearly signaling he wanted to end the conversation.Layla hesitated, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she just lowered her gaze, hiding the flicker of thought in her eyes.*Meanwhile, Scarlett was tossing and turning in bed, completely unable to sleep. Her stomach growled loudly, and eventually, she gave up and got out of bed, heading to the kitchen to raid the fridge.Inside, there was only half a bag of sad-looking whole wheat bread and a few eggs.Scarlett shut the door with a hopeless look, instantly regretting her earlier stubbornness. Why had she refused dinner?Clenching her teeth, she downed a glass of warm water, threw on a jacket, and headed out the door.She figured, after years of being spoiled with gourmet food, just a few meals of Layla’s home cooking had completely won her over. There had to be some home-style restaurant nearby that could satisfy
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 524
That evening, William knocked on the door next door.When Layla opened it, she didn’t see Scarlett anywhere and couldn’t help but ask, “Where’s Mrs. Lucas?”“She’s not coming. Probably ate enough at the gathering today.”After a brief explanation, William stepped inside, speaking casually, “I saw today’s trending topics.”“I actually invited you over to talk about that!” Layla followed behind him, her face lit up with excitement. “I really didn’t expect the promotional video to attract such a major corporation! Fabian told me the kids will soon have a brand-new space to play and learn. They’re all thrilled!“I didn’t know much about YT Corporation before this, but after hearing about everything they’ve done, I was really impressed. They’ve been committed to children’s charities for years—building schools, sponsoring education for kids in the mountains.“For a company to care so much about children’s welfare, the CEO must have a really kind heart.“He even asked Fabian for
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 523
Unexpectedly, Scarlett didn’t react the way Mrs. Jenkins had hoped. Instead, she seemed distracted.“She...” Scarlett frowned, forcing out a stiff response. “She’s definitely not a good person.”But... she didn’t seem that bad either.The second half of her thought, Scarlett kept to herself.After all, in this setting, if she dared to speak up for Layla, she would only make herself stand out and not in a good way.Besides, it was her own son that Layla had "harmed."And yet, after watching quietly these past few days, Scarlett had seen a side of Layla she had never seen before.Since the promotional video’s success, Layla had been leaving early and coming back late, throwing herself completely into her work. She didn’t even bother cooking anymore, much less looking for opportunities to see William.This didn’t look like a woman desperate to cling to someone rich. It looked more like a woman determined to become someone successful on her own.Back at the round table
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 522
“Yeah.”Just a soft, low response.Ivan was caught off guard for a moment before bursting into loud laughter. “Nice! All that hard work wasn’t for nothing. You two are finally making progress!”William had always been steady and cautious. If something didn’t fully meet his expectations, he wouldn’t give a definite answer. So even without any detailed explanation, just that one word was enough.“By the way...” Ivan suddenly thought of something, his eyes lighting up with a teasing glint. “Was it because of that kiss the other night?”A cold glare shot his way.But Ivan just laughed even harder. “What’s the big deal? We’re all adults here. It was just a kiss. You don’t have to be so uptight about it!”He leaned in with a mischievous grin. “But seriously... under those circumstances, you still managed to stop at just a kiss? Are you sure you’re... fully functional?”As he spoke, Ivan deliberately gave William a once-over, grinning wickedly.“Are you looking to die toda
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 521
Hearing this, Layla agreed. “All right. Please go ahead and give him my contact information.”“Got it!”*At that moment, Xavier was on the phone, proudly reporting his success.“How about it? I came through for you, didn’t I? I got your girl trending at the top of the hot search list!“Spending thirty million for a good cause and earning a huge favor from you—this is hands down the best money I’ve ever spent!”Listening to the smug laughter on the other end of the line, William remained quiet for a few seconds before giving a flat reply. “Good job.”Xavier immediately felt frustrated. “That’s it? Nothing else?”“Yeah.”Standing by the tall window, sunlight in his eyes, William asked casually, “Has Zion come after you again?”“It’s been two days since he last contacted me. But now that the news is out today, you can bet he’s not going to leave me alone.”Xavier sighed heavily. “I sacrificed a lot for your woman, you know. If I end up traumatized from all this, yo
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
