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Chapter 473
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 474
“My son Paul said it himself!” Mrs. Lawson stood with her hands on her hips, furious. “You think he’d lie to us?“That little brat Ryan’s been bullying him forever. You all know that! He’s just jealous Paul has parents who love him.“You kept telling me not to stoop to a kid’s level, and I listened. I let it go again and again. And now look what happened! He pushed my Paul into a pond!“This time, I’m not backing down. I don’t care what you say. That kid’s not getting away with this.”Fabian hesitated. Ryan was indeed wild and hard to handle but pushing another kid into a pond? That didn’t sound like him.Still, with Paul saying it and Mrs. Lawson fired up, nothing he said would change her mind now.“Alright,” Fabian said carefully. “Let me find Ryan first. For now, I’ll go to the hospital with you and talk to Paul myself. Let me hear what he says directly. Is that okay?”Mrs. Lawson didn’t even blink. “Fine. But if you hear anything about that little brat, you tell me first thi
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 475
“Mister?” Layla blinked, confused, as a few of the kids came running over and pulled her into the small house. And that was when she saw William. He was completely surrounded by the kids, like he was their favorite person in the world.So this was where he had disappeared to.Neither of them had said a word about their plans. But somehow, they had both ended up in the exact same place, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.“Pretty lady, why did you buy so much stuff?” A little girl tilted her head up, her big round eyes blinking curiously at Layla. Layla smiled, finally snapping out of her thoughts. “These are for you guys. Go ahead and share them.” “Wow! You’re the best, pretty lady!” “Thank you, miss!” One by one, the kids swarmed her like bees to honey. In no time at all, the snacks and toys she brought were divided up and gone. As the kids scattered, Layla watched William walk over. She couldn’t help but laugh softly. “I have to admit, I didn’t p
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 476
“I don't know!” The little boy shouted at the top of his lungs, stubborn as could be, thrashing around with all his strength. “Let me go!”But William didn’t so much as budge. Instead, he calmly hit him with another line, deliberately poking at his pride. “So what? You want to be his accomplice?”“I am not!” The boy practically exploded. “Ryan would never do something like that! He’s not a murderer!”“Yeah! Ryan’s a good person!” “He’s always the one looking out for us!” “He’s never hurt anyone!” One voice after another chimed in, loud and clear, echoing through the small, shabby house. The little girl tugged at Layla’s sleeve, her big eyes full of sincerity. “Pretty lady, Ryan is really a good person. It’s always that other kid, Paul, bragging and showing off. That’s the only reason Ryan ever fought with him.“Ryan would never push Paul into the pond.” She lowered her voice, glancing around nervously. “Paul’s mom is really scary. She’s like a tiger.” Layla smi
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 477
“The town isn’t that big. There aren’t many places a kid could hide,” William said with a slight frown. “What worries me is him being out there all alone. It’s not safe.”“I don’t think Ryan really pushed Paul into the water. There’s probably more to the story,” Layla let out a quiet sigh. “Tomorrow, I’m meeting with Fabian and the others to go over the video project anyway. I’ll check in then, see if they learned anything new from visiting Paul.”*The next day, Layla met up with Fabian and the others and gave them a quick rundown of what they had discussed in the video call.Fabian was stunned. “You guys are really willing to make a promo video for our little town?”Layla gave a small nod. “Yeah. My team will be here tomorrow. We should have a script ready within two days. After that, we’ll schedule a meeting with your publicity office to go over the details.”“That’s amazing!”Fabian was over the moon for a second, then scratched his head a little awkwardly. “It’s just… our b
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 478
That night, Layla received a text from William.“We found Ryan. Come to the house.”When she arrived at the little house, the place was already packed with people. And even in the middle of all the chatter, Mrs. Lawson’s voice easily rose above the noise.“You people really gonna keep covering for that little murderer?”“My Paul already told me clear as day. It was him who pushed my boy into the water! A kid that young, already that nasty? What’s he gonna be like when he grows up? Nothing but trouble, that’s what!“He might’ve been born, but clearly nobody raised him right. Well, lucky for him, I’m happy to do the job! Somebody’s gotta teach him a lesson before he hurts somebody else!”Her voice got louder and sharper with every word. Somewhere in the back, a child’s muffled sobbing broke through the commotion.Then came a low, cold voice that cut through everything like a knife.“Are you done?”The room fell dead silent.Layla finally squeezed her way to the front of the cro
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 479
Just then, a small but firm voice spoke up.“I didn’t push him! He tried to hit me, and I dodged. He fell in all by himself!”Layla immediately turned back to Paul, her voice steady but clear. “Is that the truth?”“I…” Paul didn’t even dare lift his head. He clung tightly to Mrs. Lawson’s leg, clearly terrified.“That Ryan kid is nothing but trouble! He’s a wild child. You can’t trust a word that comes out of his mouth,” Mrs. Lawson snapped, hands on her hips as she pointed at Ryan. “My Paul would never hit him. It was that little troublemaker who went after my son!”“That’s not true! Ryan would never do that!”“It’s always Paul picking on us first! Ryan only fought back because of that!”One by one, the kids began to speak up, their voices small but unwavering. Their faces were young and innocent, but their courage was unmistakable.And just then, Fabian’s voice cut through the crowd from outside.“Alright, alright, I’m here.”He walked in with four other kids trailing behin
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 480
Mrs. Lawson froze for a second, like someone had just hit a switch in her brain. Then, without any more hesitation, she turned to the kids and gave a deep bow.“I’m sorry, kids. I jumped to conclusions and scared all of you without knowing the full story. To make it up to you, anytime you come to my restaurant from now on, your meals are on the house. Eat as much as you want, and I hope you can forgive me and forgive Paul.”“For real?” Ryan looked at her suspiciously.“Of course it’s for real!” Mrs. Lawson promised immediately. “Eat as much as you like. If I so much as blink, Paul’s gonna gain ten pounds!”Paul, still sniffling, wailed even louder. It was like he couldn’t believe his own mom would swear on something that backfired directly onto him.Mrs. Lawson shot him a side-eye. “Quit crying already. You did something wrong and you’re still crying? Look at Ryan—he was the one getting blamed and he didn’t shed a single tear. You could stand to learn a thing or two from him.”He
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 481
Still, Ryan’s pride wasn’t about to let him back down that easily. He lifted his chin, stubborn as ever. “That’s only because you caught me off guard. Next time, I won’t let you catch me.”William barely reacted. “Is that so? Then you’d better keep practicing.”“You—!” Ryan glared at him, practically fuming.Layla couldn’t help but laugh quietly, her eyes lingering on William a little longer than they should.She had noticed the change in him ever since he cut ties with the Lucas family. But it wasn’t until now that she finally figured out what it was.He felt different. He was somehow softer and more human.He was not that cold, distant man who always seemed out of reach but someone real and present.Fabian’s voice cut in, breaking the moment. “Honestly, tonight wouldn’t have gone half as smoothly without Mr. Lucas.”He turned to Layla, adding with a grin, “He’s the one who told me to track down those four kids. With their side of the story, Paul had no choice but to tell the
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“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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 517
Everyone was both shocked and thrilled. They kept asking Layla over and over, needing to be sure it was really true.“Wow! Things are finally turning around! Who cares about those commercial gigs? A commission from a legendary artist is the real prize!”“Who would’ve thought? Just last month, we didn’t have a single job, and now we’ve been personally invited by Mr. Zeppelin Mason. Not even in our wildest dreams!”“It’s all thanks to Layla’s connections! Back when we first opened, so many big names showed up to support her. How did we not think to reach out to them last month?”The chatter kept going until Layla cleared her throat and spoke up firmly.“We didn’t get here because of connections. We got here through hard work. Step by step. There were no shortcuts. Every opportunity we have now, we earned.”She paused, her voice steady. “And for every project going forward, I want us to put in the same heart and effort we did with the small-town promotional video. Let’s aim to deliv
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 516
Thanks to the rising popularity of the small-town promotional video, the studio had been flooded with appointment requests over the past week. Although they still had not secured any major commercial contracts yet, the overall atmosphere in the studio had lifted significantly. Some team members even started dreaming big, vowing to create the best city promotional videos in the world and put every hidden gem on the global map.However, shooting city promotional videos meant a lot of traveling and a lot more manpower. After the previous wave of departures, the studio was seriously understaffed, and the HR department had to scramble to start emergency hiring.Seeing the studio slowly getting back on its feet, Layla found herself busier than ever, to the point where she wished she could clone herself just to keep up.In the middle of the chaos, she received a phone call.“Layla, have you had time to think about the offer I mentioned last time?” The voice on the other end wa
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 515
Before long, Mrs. Jenkins reached Kiera's side. Only then did she notice Layla standing at the end of the hall. Her expression immediately darkened.“What are you two doing here?” she demanded.“Nothing,” Kiera said quickly, grabbing her mother’s arm. “We just ran into each other and chatted for a bit.”“What could you possibly have to talk about?” Mrs. Jenkins shot Layla a look of pure disdain, but her warning was directed sharply at Kiera. “You stay away from her. That woman is nothing but shameless—”“Mom!” Kiera cut her off in a panic, rushing to say goodbye to Layla. “Miss Xander, sorry to bother you. We'll be going now.”Before Layla could even respond, Kiera tugged her mother away.As she watched the mother and daughter disappear down the hallway, Layla couldn't help but feel puzzled. “What was going on with Kiera?” Layla wondered.Outside the private dining room, Mrs. Jenkins yanked her hand free and turned on Kiera, her face thunderous.“Why didn’t you let
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
