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Chapter 177
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 178
“What else could it mean?” Ivan let out a long sigh. “Obviously, she sent me as a watchdog. That kid Carter is clearly on Layla’s side, and Aunt Scarlett doesn’t trust him.“She’s worried about you being alone with Layla—afraid you’ll get in too deep. So she sat me down for a little talk and sent me over to keep an eye on things… maybe even talk some sense into you.” Ivan crossed his arms, looking thoroughly resigned. “Honestly, she’s giving me way too much credit. Since when have I ever been able to change your mind?“So yeah, I agreed just to put her at ease. That’s all.” As he spoke, he carefully studied William’s expression, testing the waters. “Aunt Scarlett sounded genuinely concerned. Are you really planning to go against your dad over Layla?” From childhood to adulthood, William had always been the levelheaded one. Sure, he was cold, but he never acted out. That was why Scarlett always bragged about how lucky she was—her son was exceptional and easy to manage.
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 179
“Miss Xander, don’t be so pessimistic. Until the very last moment, you never know—a miracle could happen.” Layla responded with a faint smile but said nothing as she reached for her camera. Ivan watched her take it back, a lingering sense of regret flashing in his eyes. “Miss Xander, just focus on your recovery. Once you get better, Dixon Entertainment will always have a place for you.” “Thank you.” Compared to Ivan’s heartfelt sincerity, Layla remained indifferent. She had already made peace with her fate. Opportunities meant nothing when she wasn’t even sure how much time she had left. While Layla busied herself reviewing her photos, Ivan finished his beer, but his gaze kept drifting toward her. For a moment, he saw a shadow of someone familiar—someone long buried in his memory. His eyes softened unconsciously. “Ivan! Help me out here!” Carter’s voice snapped him back to reality. Ivan quickly stood up. “Coming, coming! What, did you hook a sea monster?”
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 180
Xena was ushered into the car without delay. She barely looked surprised when she saw Sean sitting in the backseat, as if she had expected this all along. “Sean, you finally came to see me.” She slid in beside him, a soft smile playing on her lips. “So? What’s the occasion? Did you miss me?” “What’s going on between you and Felix?” Sean cut straight to the point. Ever since that night when he saw Felix standing by her side, the thought had nagged at him. His gut told him something was off. Xena feigned innocence. “What do you mean? What could possibly be going on between us?” “Drop the act.” Sean grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer, his tone sharp. “I’m a man too—I know when another man is interested.“Stay away from him, Xena. If you don’t, you’ll be the one paying the price.” She met his gaze with a knowing smile. “Sean, are you jealous?” “Xena Xander!” Sean clenched his jaw, his patience wearing thin. “This is a warning. Don’t twist my words into
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 181
As the car door slammed shut, Xena walked away.Sean clenched his fist and punched the seat beside him, his eyes burning with fury.Felix had certainly grown shrewd after years by Wilfred’s side—smart enough to use Xena as leverage.Trying to take advantage of the situation? Not a chance.Sean had worked too hard for too long to let Felix ruin everything.*Meanwhile, Xena stepped into her home with a lighthearted stride, only to run straight into Chris.“Where’d you go?” Chris asked with a hint of concern. “It’s best if you stay in these days. Dad’s still furious. Don’t go looking for trouble and walking straight into his line of fire.”Xena smiled. “Chris, I just went out to take the trash. Do you really need to be this tense?”She was about to walk past him when he grabbed her wrist.“Don’t think I don’t know where you went that night.”His voice dropped lower. “The Perry and Jenkins families are already in serious discussions. Stay out of trouble. And for God’s sake, fig
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 182
“I’ll be there on time.” After sending the message to the event organizers, Layla set her phone down and stared blankly at the ceiling.For a moment, all she could see was the way William had looked at her. Without realizing it, her heartbeat quickened.Back on the deck, standing in front of him, she had already felt a little flustered. That was why she had made an excuse to leave early.She hadn’t expected that even now, in the quiet of her room, she still couldn’t shake the memory.Frowning, Layla forced herself to clear her mind.“What am I even thinking? William isn’t someone I should be getting caught up with,” she muttered to herself.But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that if she could keep spending time with William and still maintain her composure, her self-control must be extraordinary.Because William was like a spell—effortlessly captivating. Every glance, every movement had a way of stirring emotions, pulling people in before they even realized
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 183
“Carter, please! It’s the middle of the day—have some dignity! Don’t embarrass us like this!”“Not even a fan, just a casual observer, but idols this carefree are a rare species! If you’re a fan of his, consider yourselves lucky!” Aside from the jokes, some netizens started focusing on the three people standing at the dock. “If I’m not mistaken, that’s Mr. Dixon, right? Is he about to sign Carter?”“Makes sense if he does. Look who’s standing next to Carter—that’s his uncle! No way Mr. Dixon wouldn’t support him because of that.”“Why is no one asking the real question—who is William holding the umbrella for? If he’s the one holding the umbrella, then whoever’s under it must be the real boss!”“Her face is covered, but from the silhouette, it looks like a woman. I’m guessing William is hiding his secret lover!”The discussion quickly went off the rails, and theories about the mystery woman began to flood the comments. *At the villa, Carter read the trending post out lou
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 184
The promotional event in Haven City kicked off right on schedule, set against the backdrop of the sea. A stage had been built along the waterfront, surrounded by dozens of small booths displaying traditional handicrafts, local delicacies, and interactive experiences. The event was spearheaded by the local government, with extensive media coverage ensuring maximum exposure. Thanks to the pre-event buzz, the venue was already packed with people, creating a lively and energetic atmosphere. As Layla arrived at the scene, she glanced at the overwhelming crowd. The thought of stepping onto the stage for her speech made her stomach tighten. The last time she had been on stage was at her engagement party—the night she called off the wedding. Back then, she had been in a nothing left to lose mindset, which was the only reason she had been able to face all those eyes without hesitation. But today was different. This time, she was stepping onto the stage with her own work, re
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 185
“That’s not what I meant…” The staff member hesitated, wanting to say more, but when they caught sight of the sudden chill in William’s gaze, their nerves got the best of them. Their mind blanked under the pressure, and for a moment, they forgot what they were even trying to say. “Just follow the original plan.” Layla spoke softly. “No need to make special arrangements for me.” The staff member hesitated for a second before nodding. “Alright, we’ll do as you say.” With that, they proceeded to assign Layla and William to separate areas—one heading backstage to prepare, the other escorted to the VIP section. Layla was scheduled to go on stage early in the event. It didn’t take long before a staff member came to usher her forward. The walk from backstage to the stage wasn’t far. But to Layla, every step felt unbearably heavy. She had always known that the moment she stepped onto the stage, her illness would become public knowledge. No matter how good her work was,
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 460
“I used to think I knew her pretty well,” Layla said as she leaned casually against the doorframe, crossing her arms loosely over her chest. She tilted her head slightly to look at William. “But people change, don’t they?”William lowered his gaze, only to meet the teasing glint in her eyes. For a moment, his heart skipped a beat.“I’ve actually heard a few things about Hannah Stone,” Carter chimed in, stepping closer. “She’s the youngest daughter of the Stone family. She’s got an older brother, Stanley Stone. He’s a total screw-up. A couple of years ago, he got hooked on online gambling, lost a ton of money, and even had loan sharks show up at their door.”Carter shook his head, clicking his tongue. “If someone like that existed in the Lucas family, Grandpa would’ve kicked him out of the family tree ages ago.“But Hannah’s dad? He’s a different story. Not only did he pay off all of Stanley’s debts, he even forced him into the family business and had Hannah work under him as his
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 459
“I already ate...” Hannah said, standing awkwardly by the table. She couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy. “Layla, I didn’t know you had company tonight. Am I interrupting?”“It’s fine.” Layla smiled easily. “Mr. Lucas and Carter are both friends of mine. No need to feel so nervous.”Just then, Carter suddenly smacked his forehead like he had just remembered something. He pointed at Hannah in surprise. “Wait a second... you’re the General Manager of QS Entertainment!”Hannah gave a sheepish smile. “Yeah, that’s me. I’m Hannah Stone.”“You know Layla?” Carter looked at Layla, full of curiosity. “How come I didn’t know about this? When did you two meet?”“We met overseas,” Layla replied casually.She reached out, pulling Hannah toward the table with a smile. “You’re a guest. Come on, have a seat.”Hannah sat down obediently, though she still felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was quietly sizing her up.She glanced around a
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 458
Night had fallen by the time Layla finally dragged her exhausted body home. The moment she stepped out of the elevator, she heard Carter’s excited voice.“Sis! You’re back!”She looked over when she heard his voice and saw Carter and William standing outside her door, seemingly about to ring the doorbell.“Why are you back so late? Didn’t Grandpa already put the word out not to—”Halfway through his sentence, Carter suddenly realized he had said too much. He quickly cut himself off, looking embarrassed.“Sorry, Sis. I didn’t mean that.”“It’s fine.” Layla walked toward them and caught sight of the takeout box in Carter’s hands. One glance and she instantly recognized the packaging. It was from a Michelin-starred restaurant in North City.Carter immediately lifted the box like he was showing off a treasure. “You haven’t eaten yet, right? Perfect timing! Uncle William told me to bring you dinner so we could eat together. The head chef at this place is notoriously hard to book.
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 457
After waiting for five minutes and seeing that no one else stood up to leave, Layla finally spoke up in a clear, steady voice.“Thank you, everyone, for trusting me. Now, let’s get down to business and discuss how we’re going to move forward with the new operating plan.”*Meanwhile, Mike was reporting everything his team had found straight to William.William frowned. “Why is Eason Lopez looking for her at a time like this?”“I’m guessing he heard about Miss Xander’s studio running into trouble and went to check in on her,” Mike offered cautiously.“When did they get to know each other?” William asked coldly.Mike scratched the back of his head, a little unsure. “Eason came by with a gift when Miss Xander’s studio first opened. But… before that, I don’t think they had any real connection.”“Don’t think?” Catching the cold look in William’s eyes, Mike immediately lowered his head. “I’ll arrange for someone to look into it thoroughly.”At that moment, Mr. Perry Sr., who had
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 456
The atmosphere inside the conference room felt heavy.The studio had just been established, and now it was facing a massive wave of cancellations. Losing money was bad enough but the damage to morale was far worse.Gone was the excitement and drive from just a few weeks ago. Now, everyone sat around the table looking discouraged, their energy completely deflated.It wasn’t until Layla and her assistant walked into the room that everyone straightened up a little and greeted her in unison, though their voices lacked their usual enthusiasm.“Miss Xander.”Layla walked to the head of the table and bowed slightly. “I’m truly sorry,” she said slowly. “It was my personal matters that ended up affecting the studio. I’ve dragged all of you into this with me, and for that, I owe you an apology.”“Miss Xander, don’t say that! We all believe in you. This can’t possibly be your fault!” “No matter what happens, we’re willing to stick with you and get through this together!”“That’s righ
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 455
Layla looked completely serious. “Once I get the chance to set him straight, I’ll make sure he apologizes to you in person.”“Good,” Eason replied lazily. “That way, I can finally find out who the photographer was that re-shot his portfolio back then.”His tone was casual, almost indifferent, but his words made Layla’s heart skip a beat.So he was here for her.“Or…” Eason added casually, narrowing his eyes, “do you happen to know who it was?”“I—How would I know?” Layla instinctively denied it, a little too quickly. She was terrified Eason would start questioning her on the spot, and then their senior-junior relationship would be over before she knew it.If it had just been a simple technical disagreement, that would have been one thing. But given the situation back then, Layla had deliberately stepped in to shoot Carter’s photos. In the photography world, that was basically slapping Eason’s reputation in the face.Anyone would hold a grudge over something like that. No wond
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 454
Watching Carly turn and leave without looking back, Layla’s assistant was still fuming. She instinctively took a step to chase after her, wanting to argue. However, Layla reached out and stopped her.“Miss Xander, that was way out of line! Total ungrateful brat!” The assistant couldn’t help venting. “Did she forget how much you’ve done for her since she started here?“If it weren’t for you giving her so many chances, would a fresh grad like her even have gotten to go out on assignments with us?”“It’s fine,” Layla patted her assistant’s shoulder lightly. “Guess I misjudged her.”“But…” The assistant could only sigh in frustration. “Whatever. Right now, the most important thing is figuring out how to fill all these canceled bookings. If this keeps up, she might actually end up being right.”Layla frowned slightly. “You’re not going to ask me…”The assistant gave her an exasperated look. “I’ve worked with you long enough to know what kind of person you are, Miss Xander.”Layla
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 453
“You looking for me?” “Where are you going?” They both spoke at the same time.For a second, the moment felt awkward. Layla quickly explained, “Something came up at the studio. I need to head over and deal with it.”“What happened?” William asked, his voice low and serious.“It’s nothing major.”As she spoke, Layla tried to walk past him but William reached out and caught her wrist.“Does it have something to do with the Lucas family?”Layla paused but didn’t look back at him. After a beat of silence, she replied softly, “I’m not sure yet. But even if it does, I’ll take it.“This whole thing is partly my responsibility anyway. Since I chose to get involved from the very beginning, I should’ve been prepared to deal with the fallout. Consider it paying you back for saving me that night — for taking the hit from that car.“Besides,” she added, “you lost your position at Lucas Corporation because of all this. Compared to that, me losing a few client appointments really isn’t
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 452
“Miss Jenkins?”The nurse called out to Kiera several times, but she didn’t respond at all. Finally, the nurse reached out and gently tapped her on the shoulder.Kiera snapped back to reality, her tear-reddened eyes turning toward the nurse, making her flinch in shock.“Miss Jenkins, are you okay?” the nurse asked with concern.“I... I’m fine...” Kiera hurriedly put her phone away and wiped at her tears with the back of her hand, not even caring how messy it looked. “Did you need something?”“Your test results are ready. The doctor wants to see you,” the nurse explained. “Also, didn’t you have another report you wanted the doctor to check? If you give it to me, I can help you book the appointment with the right department.”Seeing the nurse reach her hand out, Kiera hesitated for a second. Then she shook her head.“No need. I don’t want it checked anymore.”She looked up at the nurse with a faint smile. Her eyes, still glistening from tears, looked clearer than ever. Along w
