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Chapter 326
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 327
“Alright,” Layla replied as she took the stack of résumés and made her way to the center seat at the long table. She flipped through them briefly, her fingers pausing on one particular name.Carly Lucas?There weren’t many people in North City with the surname Lucas. Add to that an impeccable résumé that screamed elite upbringing, and it didn’t take much to figure out that this had to be someone from the Lucas family.What was this? Was she just stopping by out of curiosity, like a secret royal visit? Or was there another motive?Why her studio, of all places?“Miss Xander, should we start?” her assistant asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.Layla blinked, nodded lightly, and shuffled the papers back into place. “Yes. Bring in the first candidate.”The interviews began.One résumé after another passed through her hands, and one candidate after another came and went. Unfortunately, none of them stood out.Her expectations were high. With the studio just getting off the grou
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 328
“The best way to shatter the illusion,” Carly said, looking Layla straight in the eye, “is to own it. That’s why I’m here—to apply for the job.”Her gaze was steady, clear, and unwavering.Ever since discovering that her favorite photographer, Begonia, was actually Layla, Carly had locked herself in her room, staring at her collection of Begonia’s work, spiraling into deep self-doubt.She had adored Begonia’s photography but she couldn’t stand Layla.How could those two feelings coexist in the same person?The contradiction had tormented her for days. Then she saw the job listing for Layla Studio. After thinking it through, she sent in her résumé.She had told herself that maybe, once she worked under Layla, she would see Begonia for who she really was. Maybe even realize she wasn’t all that special. And when that moment came, she could finally move on.But now, standing in front of Layla, Carly wasn’t so sure.She had barged in boldly, yet Layla had responded with patience and
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 329
“You like it, that’s all that matters.” Gwen noticed Carly had makeup on and was dressed rather formally, so she asked curiously, “Did you have an interview today?”“You could tell?” Carly looked a little surprised.“I overheard Mrs. Lucas mention that you graduated last year and started job hunting this year,” Gwen said with a warm smile, sounding every bit like a thoughtful older sister. “How did it go? Was it smooth?”“Yeah, I got the job. I start at the end of the month.”“Oh?” Gwen’s face lit up. “And which lucky company landed someone as talented as you?”Carly went quiet.She had zero plans to tell anyone—especially not Gwen—that she was going to work at Layla Studio. If her grandfather found out, he would probably lock her at home.Gwen assumed it was just a little secret and didn’t push. “Well, no matter where you’re working, I know you’ll do amazing things. When the time comes, you owe me a celebratory dinner.”Carly was grateful for Gwen’s thoughtfulness and smile
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 330
“Gwen, you grew up with William. You know exactly what he wants.“Love is fleeting. Sure, she has him now—but feelings come and go. One day she holds on tight, the next he’s gone. But interests—mutual benefits—those are solid. That’s what lasts.“In families like ours, marriages are built on alliances. It may not be all romance and passion, but it’s solid and unshakable. When two people are tied together by responsibility, by what they stand to gain or lose—they go farther. They hold on.“You’re not kids anymore. It’s time to think about your families. Miss this chance, and there won’t be another one.”That day, Mr. Lucas Sr. spoke at length over the phone, his voice heavy with meaning.At some point, Gwen had stopped hearing the words clearly. Instead, a quiet voice echoed from deep within her.“Try. Even if it doesn’t work out, at least you’ll have tried.”So, she came home to give her years of silent love a proper ending.“Gwen?” Carly called softly.Gwen snapped out of her
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 331
“Pfft.” Wilson rolled his eyes. “Privacy, my ass. And I wasn’t snooping. I was looking fair and square.” He leaned in, eyeing Ivan with mock suspicion. “Look at you now, acting all supportive of Layla and William. Didn’t you get kicked back to North City three years ago because you tried to mess with them? Weren’t you the one dead set against them being together?” He handed Ivan a glass of whiskey, clearly settling in to hear the story. “So what gives? Why the sudden change of heart?” Ivan waved him off. “Don’t ask. Let’s just say... I regret it.”He raised his glass but didn’t drink right away, lost for a moment in the memory. William had punched him like a lion in a blind rage. Back then, Ivan had been pissed that William was throwing away friendship over a woman. But thinking back on it now—if a woman could drive William to that kind of fury, she had to mean everything to him. And him, as the so-called friend? He hadn’t supported William at all. Hell, he had alm
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 332
“Mr. Lucas, what are you standing there for? Come eat,” Layla called out as she waved William over.Seeing someone his height—nearly six foot three—looking awkward sitting at her low coffee table, she let out an embarrassed chuckle. “Uh… want to move to the dining table instead?”“No need,” he said, leaning back against the couch. But his eyes briefly swept over the takeout spread on the table, and his brows furrowed slightly.Layla caught it. She had gotten a little carried away ordering junk food and totally forgot that someone like William might not be used to this kind of thing.She tried again, a little sheepishly. “I can cook something else for you real quick, if you want?”“No need,” William repeated, this time with the look of a man resigned to his fate. If she could eat it, he could too.“Alright then, try it first. If you really don’t like it, I’ll make something,” Layla said—though honestly, she had zero intention of getting back up. It was just a polite offer.She
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 333
“If you’re short on money, you can come to me,” William said casually.“That’s really kind of you, Mr. Lucas. I appreciate it.”Layla was clearly tipsy now, all her usual boundaries forgotten. William, who used to feel so distant and out of reach, suddenly seemed much closer—like she could reach out and touch him.She did exactly that, giving his shoulder a light pat.“Thanks, Mr. Lucas!”In the soft glow of the room, her eyes sparkled with the warmth of alcohol—like ripples on a quiet lake. There was something beautiful and a little dangerous about it.For a moment, William could almost feel those ripples brushing against his heart. It stirred something deep inside him, something he couldn’t quite name.His gaze darkened. He caught her wrist. “You’ve had too much to drink.”“Just a little,” Layla mumbled, pulling her hand back before perking up like a child with a secret. “Oh! Guess who I saw at Mrs. Young’s birthday party? Xena and Sean.“You wanna hear some scandal that’ll
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 334
The next morning, Layla woke up in bed with a pounding head.She sat up, rubbing her temples. Suddenly, bits of last night came flooding back. In an instant, she was wide awake.Wait a second—Did she really lean in that close and whisper that whole scandal about Sean into William’s ear last night?And in that position?That close?Saying that kind of gossip?Oh god.Layla slapped her cheeks in frustration, practically on the verge of tears.“Alcohol ruins lives! Of all the times to spill that story, why did I have to do it then?”She flopped back with a dramatic sigh. “Congratulations, Layla. You’ve officially embarrassed yourself.”After mentally preparing herself to face the world or at least pretend to have blacked out the whole thing, she finally got out of bed.When she walked into the living room, she was surprised to find everything from last night already cleaned up—takeout boxes gone, beer bottles cleared, pillows neatly back in place.Layla couldn’t help but fee
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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
