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Chapter 479

작가: Eli Sole
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
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  • 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

  • The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die   Chapter 482

    Once Layla’s crew arrived in town, the promo shoot finally started moving forward step by step.Layla was so busy she barely had time to catch her breath, let alone chat with William. Most nights, the moment her head hit the pillow, she was out cold.As for William, he spent his days quietly hanging around the edge of the filming site, keeping his presence as low-key as possible.But even so, that didn’t stop her crew from whispering among themselves.“Hey, do you think Mr. Lucas and Miss Xander are a thing?”“Who knows? But I gotta say, look at Mr. Lucas showing up here every single day. That level of dedication? Tell me that’s not romantic.”“Pfft. That’s such a double standard. If he’s handsome, it’s romantic. If he’s ugly, it’s creepy.”“True, true.”Bits and pieces of gossip drifted into Layla’s ears, but with so much work to juggle and such a tight deadline, she really didn’t have the energy to care.Besides, deep down, she knew perfectly well that she was already gettin

  • The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die   Chapter 483

    These kids had spent their whole lives being overlooked. But now, for the first time, being part of this video shoot made them feel needed. Every single one of them threw themselves into it with everything they had.And Ryan noticed it all.He didn’t say much, but deep down, he had already accepted Layla and William. Maybe even liked them a little. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered coming over and striking up conversation like this.“Got it,” Ryan replied casually. Then he glanced at William and added, “I’m gonna head over. If you get bored, come hang out with us.”With that, he ran off with the other little boy, disappearing into the distance.William watched them go, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket. The caller ID showed it was Mike.William pressed the phone to his ear. “What is it?”“Mr. Lucas, Felix showed up at the nursing home today. He wants to see Mr. Perry Sr.,” Mike reported. “He says he’s got good news. A

  • The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die   Chapter 484

    At the Perry estate, Felix stormed back from the nursing home, still fuming with anger. Wilfred, who had heard enough of his ranting over the years, was already growing impatient.“Alright, enough already. If you’ve got the guts, go yell at William Lucas instead,” Wilfred said flatly.“Dad, don’t think I won’t!” Felix snapped, still riding his temper. “William’s not even the president of Lucas Corporation anymore! For all we know, the Lucas family might’ve already cut him off. To me, he’s nothing now!“I’m gonna find out exactly where he’s hiding, and I’ll go confront him myself! Who does he think he is, locking up Grandpa like that? Refusing to let us see him? That’s illegal!”Wilfred shot him an unimpressed look. “Did you forget Grandpa left with him willingly? If you go kicking up a fuss and Grandpa ends up defending him, aren’t you just making a fool of yourself?”Felix snorted, completely unconvinced. “This time’s different! I’ve got something big to tell Grandpa. He’s going

  • The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die   Chapter 485

    Sean didn’t even spare Felix a glance. Instead, he shot Kiera an irritated look. “Since you love chatting so much, go right ahead.”With that, Sean turned and walked off, clearly fuming. Watching his retreating back, Kiera only felt an overwhelming emptiness settle over her heart.Felix, however, wasn’t done running his mouth. “What’s the matter, Sean? Leaving already? Not even gonna congratulate me?”He deliberately raised his voice, calling after Sean, “Getting mad won’t change anything. What matters is having kids!”“That’s enough.” Wilfred finally cut in, his tone sharp. Then, turning to Kiera, he softened a little. “You must be tired after the long flight. Go get some rest.”“Okay.” Kiera nodded politely before heading upstairs.But before she even reached the room, she could already hear Susan’s voice behind the closed door.“Did you see him? Felix is practically glowing with pride. If Xena really has that baby, there won’t be a place left for us in this family.”“Mom, ke

  • The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die   Chapter 486

    At the Xander estate, Xena stared at her phone, almost able to picture Sean fuming on the other end of the line. The faint curve of her lips betrayed her satisfaction.“Xena, stop staring at your phone. It’s not good for the baby,” Mrs. Xander said, her eyes glued to Xena’s belly like it was the most precious thing in the world. She looked both thrilled and content.Earlier today, it was Felix who had personally driven Xena back to the Xander estate. Even before heading to the nursing home, he had reminded her over and over to take good care of herself. The way he fussed over her was something Mrs. Xander had never seen before.Clearly, that baby meant everything to Felix. And with that child, Xena marrying into the Perry family was practically guaranteed.“Mom, the radiation from a phone is not going to hurt the baby. Don’t overthink it,” Xena replied with a soft chuckle.“Still, you need to take better care of yourself. A healthy baby means a happy relationship with Felic, remem

  • The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die   Chapter 487

    “After I found out I was pregnant, I really thought maybe I’d get to have you back,” Xena whispered. “But look at you… you’ve been dragging your feet about the divorce this whole time. Sure, you can wait for the perfect timing, wait for the right excuse to leave her…“But me? I can’t wait. My belly’s getting bigger every day. Sooner or later, people are going to notice. And when that happens, what am I supposed to do?”She sniffled quietly, sounding fragile and heartbroken but her eyes were completely dry, filled with nothing but calculation.Sean sat there, only hearing the tears in her voice, guilt instantly softening his tone. “Xena, I told you… I’m not going to let you down again. I’m just waiting for Kiera to come back.”“And once she’s back, you’ll divorce her?” Xena pressed.“I will. I swear I will,” Sean replied, hesitating just a little. “But divorce takes time. It’s not something I can just snap my fingers and do overnight, you know that.”“Fine then.” Xena let out a

최신 챕터

  • 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

  • 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

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