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Chapter 440
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 441
Layla pressed her hands against William’s back, struggling to catch her breath. Her face was so red, it looked like she might just burst into flames. She was gasping for air, barely able to speak.“Put me down,” she panted softly. “I can walk on my own...”William didn’t even slow down. “I’m worried you won’t be fast enough.”By the time William carried her down the stairs, the entire Lucas family was already gathered in the living room. There was no sign of Mrs. Harris Sr. or Gwen.Mr. Lucas Sr.'s face darkened with fury. “William Lucas! What on earth do you think you’re doing?!”Scarlett was so shocked by the scene in front of her, she nearly fainted on the spot. If Maggie hadn’t reached out to steady her in time, she probably would have.Maggie didn’t dare look or speak. In her mind, it felt like the sky above the Lucas family was about to cave in.Even Carter stood frozen, staring blankly as William strode toward the front door with Layla slung over his shoulder. Deep down,
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 442
Back at the Harris estate, the moment Gwen stepped into her room, she locked the door behind her with a sharp click. No matter how many times Mrs. Harris Sr. called out to her from the hallway, Gwen refused to open the door.The commotion woke Wilson, who stepped out of his room, yawning. “Weren’t you guys supposed to stay over at the Lucas place tonight? What—”“Shut up!” Mrs. Harris Sr. snapped, her voice sharp enough to jolt him fully awake.“From now on, I don’t want to hear another word about the Lucas family! Not a single one of them is any good!” She was livid, her voice rising with every word. “And you! I don’t want you going anywhere near William Lucas again. He... that bastard!”Her furious yelling echoed down the entire hallway.Wilson blinked, stunned. “Wait... can someone tell me what happened first? At least let me hear both sides. If William really did something wrong, of course I’ll stand up for Gwen.”Mrs. Harris Sr.’s face twisted, like she didn’t even know wher
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 443
Levi struggled for a long moment before finally forcing out a response. His voice was low and a little awkward. “Well… let’s just say Gwen might’ve walked in on something highly inappropriate and definitely not suitable for kids.”“What?” Wilson’s voice shot up an octave. Without thinking, he grabbed Levi by the collar. “Where’s William?” “Right here.” William’s calm voice cut through the tension. Wilson turned sharply, stalking over with long, furious strides. “I know you don’t like Gwen, but you didn’t have to hurt her like that!” Wilson’s chest rose and fell heavily, anger practically rolling off him in waves. “What you did last night… that was just cruel.” He jabbed a finger in William’s face. “I always thought you’d at least have boundaries. That’s why I never interfered between you and Gwen. But this—this is crossing the line.” Wilson clenched his jaw, words choking in his throat. “If anything happens to Gwen because of this, you and I are done. I
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 444
“What?” Layla whipped around to face William, staring at him in shock. She practically blurted out, “Your plan was to ruin the engagement, hand over your position at the company, and let Lucien get exactly what he wanted?” For some reason, William thought she looked incredibly cute when she was angry like this. Suppressing a smile, he gave a casual nod. “Yeah.” Layla was practically fuming. “Are you out of your mind, or did I just hear that wrong? Do you even know what you’re saying right now?” “I do.” William slowly walked toward her. “This morning, my dad went straight to the company and announced that Lucien would be taking over as acting CEO. Starting today, I’m officially out of a job.” Layla stared at him, dumbfounded. For a second, she seriously considered pinching herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. William’s voice dropped lower, his eyes steady on her. “So, Miss Xander, now that I’m unemployed... would you be willing to take me in?” “Take you
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 445
“Next time, don’t just eat whatever people give you,” Levi warned seriously.Layla nodded. “I got it.”Even Levi had gone out of his way to remind her like this. It made Layla’s heart grow heavier.Last night, when Lucien handed her that cocktail with his usual harmless smile, if she hadn’t already been suspicious, she never would have guessed there was anything wrong with it. But even with her guard up, she hadn’t expected the drug in that drink to hit so hard. It was like he didn’t care if it killed her as long as his plan worked.Thinking back now, Layla felt a chill run down her spine. Lucien was a smiling snake—a predator hiding behind that gentle face. He was far more dangerous than she had thought.“William already left,” Levi’s voice cut through her thoughts. “I’m just about to get off work too. Wait here. I’ll drive you home.”Layla snapped out of it and looked up at him. “Alright. Thank you, Dr. Young.”*At the Lucas Corporation headquarters, as soon as Lucien saw
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 446
Half an hour later, William walked out of the office with Mike following close behind.His suit jacket was gone. The sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up, revealing the lean, muscular lines of his forearms.William had always been known for being precise and put-together. He was always calm and composed. But right now, there was nothing calm about him. He carried a dangerous, almost violent edge that sent chills down anyone watching.The secretaries from the Executive Office stood quietly, watching the two men leave without daring to say a word.Outside the Lucas Corporation building, William had just gotten into the car when his phone started to buzz. He glanced at the caller ID, frowning slightly.Not surprisingly, the moment he answered, a man’s gloating voice came through.“Word is, you got kicked out of Lucas Corporation? Damn, looks like the old man finally lost it for real this time!”The man laughed even harder. “Man, this is the best news I’ve heard in forever. Hur
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 447
“If that’s the choice he’s made, then so be it!” Mr. Lucas Sr. said coldly. “As long as he refuses to admit his mistake, he can forget about ever coming back to the Lucas family! From this moment on, I don’t have a son like him!”“Honey, you can’t—” Scarlett tried to plead.But one sharp look from Mr. Lucas Sr. stopped her cold.Facing his overwhelming fury, Scarlett froze in place.Her own son was being kicked out of the family. Her husband was blaming her too. And for the first time ever in this house, Scarlett felt completely alone.She could only stand there helplessly, watching Mr. Lucas Sr. storm off. It wasn’t until Hazel called her name several times that she finally snapped out of it.Scarlett turned to Lucien, guilt filling her heart.“I’m sorry, Lucien. On William’s behalf, I apologize. Focus on recovering. If you need anything, just let me know.”With that, she turned and walked away like a woman who had lost her soul.Zion, of course, didn’t miss the chance to kis
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 448
Outside the door, Layla hesitated, unsure if she should ring the bell.Suddenly, the door swung open.She froze for a second when she came face-to-face with William.“You need something?” he asked.Snapping out of it, Layla cleared her throat. “Uh… I just wanted to check if you’ve eaten. I made a little too much food tonight.”“I haven’t eaten yet. Let’s go.”Without waiting for her response, William walked right past her and headed straight into the apartment next door like it was the most natural thing in the world.Layla followed behind, feeling more and more puzzled. Why did it feel like William was getting way too comfortable around here? He didn’t even bother with the usual polite small talk anymore.She watched him sit down at the dining table like he owned the place. After hesitating for a moment, she sat across from him and casually served him a bowl of soup.Then, almost without thinking, she started, “I don’t know what your plan is, but if—”“Let’s eat first.”Wil
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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
