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Chapter 265
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 266
The moment Chris saw Lucien, he froze.Lucien was already past fifty, but he hardly looked it. His impeccably tailored British-style suit exuded quiet luxury—an unmistakable old-money elegance. His jet-black hair was neatly combed, not a strand out of place.The Lucases had a natural air of nobility. Just being around them made the Xander family feel like they were hosting royalty.“You must be Mr. Xander’s eldest son, Chris, correct?” Lucien said with a warm smile.Snapping out of his daze, Chris quickly stepped forward. “Yes, that’s me. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lucas.”“You’re handsome and well-mannered. Not bad at all,” Lucien said, giving Chris a friendly pat on the shoulder. “You’ve got the makings of someone who can stand on his own someday.”Chris scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. “You flatter me. Someone like you—that’s what I’d call truly accomplished.”Lucien let out a light laugh. “I’m getting old. The future belongs to your generation.”He g
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 267
Lucien sounded completely sincere. “If your family ever needs anything, don’t hesitate to reach out. Consider it the Lucas family making things right.”Hearing his offer, Mr. Xander couldn’t help but grow a little excited.A promise like that from Lucien could take the Xander family’s business to a whole new level.Lucien noticed the gleam of greed in Mr. Xander’s eyes and smiled inwardly.Families like this were always the easiest to manage. A little generosity was all it took to win them over and keep them useful.After a few more minutes of polite conversation, Lucien decided it was enough and excused himself with a gracious farewell.Chris walked him downstairs.The moment they were gone, Shane rushed to Mr. Xander’s bedside, almost giddy. “Dad! Mr. Lucas practically treats you like an older brother!“The Xander family is saved!”His excitement bubbled over. “What a turnaround! Layla thought she could bring us down, but look at this—now the Lucases owe us a massiv
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 268
“I tried to visit Layla at the hospital before, but I wasn’t allowed in. I honestly don’t understand why Mr. Lucas is keeping her from her family. We’re all very worried about her.“We haven’t been able to contact Layla at all. Mr. Lucas had her discharged and moved without notifying anyone. Now, we don’t even know where she is.“We didn’t want to take it this far, but we had no choice. We’re reporting this to the police in hopes they can help us confirm Layla’s safety.”In the video, Chris appeared calm and sincere as he answered questions from reporters. Beside him, Mrs. Xander wiped at her tears, looking every bit the image of a heartbroken, concerned mother.As soon as the video hit the internet, it sparked a wave of public discussion:“Yeah, the Xanders were awful before, but at least they’re trying to make amends now. Can’t they all just sit down and talk this out like family?” “Imagine someone taking your daughter without saying a word. I get why they’re upset.” “Anyo
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 269
“Lucien, you’re the eldest. You’ll take the lead on implementing the executive rotation plan within the company. Work with your two brothers on the details, then submit the final proposal to me.“Once the holiday is over, I’ll personally return to the office to oversee the rollout.”As Mr. Lucas Sr. gave out orders, Scarlett’s heart twisted with regret. She never should have let William go. Lucien nodded respectfully. “Of course, Dad. I’ll follow your lead.”His face remained calm, his eyes lowered just enough to hide the flicker of satisfaction beneath. The Xander family turned out to be more useful than expected. Sharp enough to catch on, and quick to act. This had worked out perfectly.*Meanwhile, William hadn’t even finished watching the video before handing the phone back to Levi.Levi, on the other hand, was clearly panicked. “The Xanders have gone to the police. The internet’s blowing up. Everyone’s saying you kidnapped someone’s daughter and you seriously ha
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 270
“Miss Xander, right now nothing matters more than your surgery. I’m sure that’s exactly what William would say, too,” Levi said gently, meeting her eyes.“Even if he were standing here right now, he wouldn’t want you getting involved in this.”Layla’s voice was already choked with emotion.“Mr. Lucas has done so much for me. And now he’s under all this public pressure because of me. If I don’t do something, I won’t be able to go into surgery with a clear conscience.“If I die on that operating table, the Xanders will use it as an excuse to stir up more trouble. They’ll say it was Mr. Lucas’s fault. They’ll say he killed me.“Dr. Young… if I die and this isn’t cleared up, I won’t be able to rest in peace.”Still holding out her hand, Layla pressed on, her tone stubborn but calm. “Please give me the phone.”Levi watched a single tear roll down her cheek, and it tugged at him hard.“Miss Xander,” he pleaded, “please listen to me. Let it go. Trust that William can handle this.”
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 271
“So... you knew William had taken Layla away this whole time?”“Yeah.”Sean leaned into the crook of Kiera’s neck, breathing in her scent like he was trying to fill some empty space inside himself.But no matter how tightly he held her, he couldn’t shake the image of William sliding a ring onto Layla’s finger.And then, as if on cue, Layla’s voice echoed in his mind—clear as day.“Sean Perry, I don’t love you anymore. I haven’t loved you in a long time!”A sudden surge of rage and jealousy crashed over him, swallowing him whole. How could she say that so easily? How could she just turn around and promise herself to someone else?He couldn’t accept it. And for a brief, terrifying moment, an awful thought crossed his mind. Maybe it would be better if she died in William’s hands. If he couldn’t have her, no one should.Kiera felt his arms tightening around her and let out a soft gasp. “Sean… you’re holding me too tight.”Snapped out of it, Sean quickly let go. “
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 272
At 2:30 p.m. the day before Thanksgiving, Layla was wheeled into the operating room. Around the corner in the hallway, Levi stood beside William.“Try not to worry,” Levi said softly. “She’s in the hands of a miracle doctor.”“The success rate is only thirty percent,” William replied flatly.He had asked Yuna directly. That was the most optimistic number she had given.He had nearly backed out right then until Yuna doused him with a cold, hard truth.“If she doesn’t have the surgery, her chance of survival is zero.”Now, her words still echoed in his ears.William’s expression darkened further as he stared at the tightly shut doors of the OR. He didn’t want to say another word.Levi sighed. “No matter what, at least she still has a chance.”He gave William’s shoulder a firm pat. “I’m heading in to get ready.”*Inside the operating room, Yuna stood beside Layla.“How are you feeling?” she asked.“Pretty calm,” Layla answered honestly.“You’re about to have your skull op
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 273
“Things are way better this year without her, aren’t they? Before Layla came back to the Xander family, this is exactly how we used to celebrate.”In Shane’s mind, Layla had always been a bug in the system—a glitch in the Xander family. Now that the bug was finally “fixed,” everything felt back to how it was supposed to be.Feeling good, he knocked back three more drinks in a row.The alcohol made him even more fired up.“I hope she never comes back! She’s seriously ill anyway, probably won’t make it much longer...”“That’s enough,” Mrs. Xander cut in, frowning. “Don’t say such unlucky things on a holiday.”“Come on, Mom, drop the act. We all should. Who at this table actually wants Layla to survive?”Shane let out a loud belch. “Sure, we’re related by blood, but she’s never truly been one of us—not once.“If she dies, it’ll be just like it was fourteen years ago. Back when Xena was twelve. We were doing just fine.”“You’re drunk.”Chris snapped, clearly annoyed, and shot
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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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 451
“It’s really a boy?” Sean asked.“Mhm. I even brought the report with me.” Xena turned and pulled a folder from her bag. Unfolding the paternity test results, she handed it to Sean, her lips curling into a proud smile. “I had it done at one of the best labs. No chance of a mistake.”Sean glanced at the report, satisfaction flashing across his face. “Good. A son’s good.”Xena leaned closer, her voice sweet and coy. “So… what are you planning to do? In another month, there’s no way I’ll be able to hide this bump.”Like a bucket of cold water, her words instantly doused the small flicker of joy that had just risen in Sean’s heart.“We’ll talk about it later.”Sean folded the report neatly and handed it back to her. “Kiera’s still overseas. We’ll have to wait until she’s back.”Xena had expected this. She wasn’t planning to press him now anyway. She just showed a hint of disappointment. “Okay, I’ll do whatever you say.”Sean gave a quiet hum of approval.Her obedience earned he
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 450
Right on time, Xena showed up at Sean’s villa, holding a shopping bag in one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other. She pressed the doorbell without hesitation.When Sean opened the door, the first thing he saw was the bright red roses and Xena’s radiant, smiling face framed perfectly behind them.“Sean!” Xena threw herself straight into his arms, acting sweet and clingy like a spoiled girlfriend. “I missed you so much.”Sean hesitated for a second before raising a hand to lightly rest on her shoulder. “Didn’t you say you had something to talk to me about? Let’s talk first.”“What’s the rush?”Xena held up the bag in her hand. “I bought some things and I’ve been learning how to cook from videos online. Tonight, I want you to try my cooking. We can eat and talk at the same time.”Before Sean could respond, Xena was already happily skipping toward the kitchen, casually setting the bouquet down on the island counter.Sean followed her to the doorway, watching her busy figure
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 449
Chris had actually been thinking about this for a while. He just hadn’t found the right opportunity to bring it up. Now that Mr. Xander had asked him directly, he decided to go with it.“I want to represent the Xander family and apologize to her. See where she stands.”Mr. Xander fell silent.If Chris had brought this up a while ago, Mr. Xander would have scolded him on the spot without hesitation.But now, things were different.He had just seen Layla shine at the recent charity gala. And after that night, he had given it a lot of thought.If Layla was willing to come back to the Xander family, it would absolutely be a good thing for them.“Alright,” Mr. Xander finally said, making his decision. “Go see how she feels. Now that William’s been kicked out of the Lucas Corporation, if she knows what’s good for her, she should realize that coming back to the Xanders is the smart move.”Hearing this, Shane immediately jumped in. “Chris, I want to go too!”Chris gave him a look. “
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
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 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
