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Chapter 70
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 71
Layla watched her mother fall to her knees, and for a moment, her chest tightened with a familiar ache. But that didn’t change the fact that the person she hated most in this world was the woman kneeling before her. “I’ll call you ‘Mom’ one last time—only because you gave birth to me.” Her voice was calm, but the icy coldness of it cut through the air. “You remember, don’t you? Every time I tried to back away, you were the one who guilt-tripped me with that ‘motherly sacrifice.’ If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have ended up like this.” Her lips curved into a bitter smile. “Mom, if I had a choice, I never would’ve wanted to be born to you.” Mrs. Xander broke down into heart-wrenching sobs. “No…my Layla…please… I really know I was wrong…” But Layla didn’t even spare her another glance. She turned around, voice indifferent. “Go home. And leave me in peace.” As Layla walked away, her mother collapsed completely, sitting there on the cold floor, sobbing until she
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 72
After Layla’s second round of chemotherapy, she was in even worse shape than before. She looked as if a strong breeze could knock her over. She changed out of her hospital gown and stood alone by the window, watching birds circle in the sky. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice William approaching from behind. “You’re being discharged.” “Okay.” Layla turned around, but before she could take a step, her vision blurred, and the next thing she knew, her body gave out, collapsing straight into William’s arms. “Sorry…I must’ve been standing too long…” Before she could finish her sentence, her feet suddenly left the ground. She gasped in surprise, instinctively clutching onto his suit as he effortlessly carried her out of the room. The moment they stepped into the hallway, heads turned. The sudden attention made Layla’s ears burn. She squirmed in his arms. “I can walk on my own, Mr. Lucas. Put me down.” “You’re a patient. You should be taken care
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 73
“I…” Shane opened his mouth but had nothing to say. They went to the same prestigious high school. Layla was in a lower grade, but she always ranked at the top. Compared to her, he looked like a complete slacker, and that pissed him off. That was why he had his guys find chances to pick on her. But Layla was tough. No matter what they did, she never made a sound. The more she resisted, the more frustrated he got. And the more he hated her. “I’ve been back in the Xander family for fourteen years. Haven’t I given enough chances? But did any of you ever care?” Layla clenched her fists, forcing down the emotions churning inside her. She kept her voice as steady as possible. Year after year, she had hoped, only to be let down. She had humbled herself to the point of nothing, yet she never got a shred of love in return. Now that it was right in front of her, she couldn’t even be bothered. The Xanders had been relentless these past few days, and she was sick of it.
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 74
In the consultation room, the doctor finished examining Xena and called in the family to explain the situation. “This young lady has signs of a threatened miscarriage. She also has a body type that makes it hard to conceive. If you want to keep this baby, you’ll need to be extremely careful.“She should stay in the hospital for observation for now. By the way, where’s the baby’s father?” “He…” Mrs. Xander’s expression stiffened. After a brief hesitation, she said, “He’s busy with work.” The doctor shook his head. “What could be more important than his child? Never mind, I’ll write up the admission slip. Go pay the fees and get her admitted.” Shane followed the doctor out, while the others stayed behind by Xena’s bedside. Xena’s face was deathly pale. She held her abdomen tightly but said nothing. Mrs. Xander placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Xena,” she said softly, “you saw it yourself… Sean didn’t even come after you. He’s made it clear—he doesn’t want t
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 75
Layla would never forgive her family. She was never coming back.The thought weighed heavily on Chris. He rubbed his temples and muttered, “I’m going for a walk.” *Carter and Mike arrived at the Luxe Villa in a separate car, ten minutes later than Layla. The moment he walked through the door, Carter made a beeline for her. “Sis! Right after you left, Xena ended up in the hospital. Looks pretty bad,” he said, his voice brimming with excitement. “Honestly, I gotta say—Sean’s a piece of work. But watching him nearly drive Xena up the wall? That was so satisfying.“She thought getting knocked up would guarantee her a spot in the Perry family. Joke’s on her—Sean doesn’t give a damn. Hell, he turned around and proposed to you!” The more Carter spoke, the more fired up he got—completely oblivious to the dark cloud settling in William’s eyes. “When Sean proposed, you didn’t say a word. I was this close to thinking you’d gone soft again…” He leaned in, eyes sparkling wi
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 76
“Why not?” Carter looked puzzled. “Don’t you love photography? Jenny Jasper is a huge name in street photography…” “I know.” Layla knew Jenny better than anyone. She was the dream Layla once chased. “You know her. You like her. So go.” William, casually picking up the tickets from her hand, added lightly, “I’ll go with you.” Layla froze. “That’s not—” “What’s wrong?” William’s gaze lowered slightly, his tone calm but cool. “You turning me down?” Layla was rendered speechless.Was this… an invitation? Why did it feel more like a threat? Layla sighed. There was no winning against him. Especially when he was the most powerful man in North City. “Well, since Mr. Lucas is interested,” she relented, “let’s go have a look.” Carter, watching from the side, rolled his eyes. Artistic sense? His uncle had none. A photography exhibit? Yeah, right. No way Uncle William actually cared about that. No… Carter’s gaze flicked between the two of them. Wh
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 77
Suddenly, Sean remembered that this photo was the one Layla had asked a friend to buy for her at a photography exhibit. When she first got it, she treated it like a treasure, staring at it every chance she had, as if she couldn’t admire it enough. She used to drag him over, excitedly explaining the composition and the techniques behind the shot. He had always brushed her off, irritated, thinking, “It’s just a photo—what’s there to analyze?” Even now, as he stared at the picture, he couldn’t understand why she loved it so much. Mrs. Lincoln rushed over, snatching the frame from his hands as if afraid he would break it in a fit of anger. “Miss Xander used to wipe this frame clean every single day. She cherished it more than anything,” she said, her voice tight with emotion. “Really?” Sean’s voice came out low, laced with a sudden, hollow ache. How had he never known that? “Yeah,” Mrs. Lincoln said, carefully wiping the photo frame, “Miss Xander told me this was
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 78
The exhibit hall spanned two floors, showcasing thousands of Jenny's photographs. Layla guided William through the gallery, her voice filled with passion as she explained each piece in detail. Her eyes sparkled, and a satisfied, joyful smile lit up her face. William, though uninterested in the art itself, kept his attention firmly on Layla. He barely registered her words, but he never looked away from her. The soft indoor lighting cast a gentle glow on her face, bringing color to her cheeks and making her look more vibrant than he had seen in a long time. Since her illness, it had been rare to see her so full of life. It was clear that this was pure, genuine happiness. A subtle smile tugged at William’s lips. “That brat Carter actually did something right for once,” he thought.Midway through the exhibit, Layla stopped in front of a photograph and couldn’t seem to move on. Her almond-shaped eyes shone with fascination. Following her gaze, William saw the image: A
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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
