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Chapter 403
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 604
“Get her out of here!” At Scarlett’s command, the bodyguards stepped forward.Ivan quickly moved to shield Layla, turning to plead with Scarlett. “Aunt Scarlett, can’t you just ask her to leave? There’s no need to get physical. I’ll walk Miss Xander out, okay?”As he spoke, he gently nudged Layla’s arm. “Miss Xander, come with me.”Layla’s mind was still spinning. She couldn’t make sense of anything.William had been in that car accident because of her and now he didn’t even want to see her? How could that possibly make sense?Seeing her frozen in place, Scarlett snapped impatiently, “Letting you leave on your own is already me being generous. You, more than anyone, should know why William’s in the hospital right now.“He’s done so much for you, and all you’ve ever done is hurt him. Do you even have a conscience?“Let me be clear today. William and Gwen will absolutely end up together. Our families will see to it. They’re the perfect match.“You, on the other hand—you’re jus
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 405
With that final remark, Scarlett shoved Ivan aside and marched off toward the inpatient wing, a crowd trailing behind her.The hospital lobby was bustling with people coming and going, and no one noticed the quiet couple standing in the distance, watching everything unfold. Kiera tugged gently on Sean’s sleeve and whispered, “Sean, we’re almost at our appointment time.”Only then did Sean snap out of it. “Right.”The two of them quietly turned and made their way to the floor where the gastroenterology department was located.Lately, Sean’s stomach problems had been flaring up more and more frequently, and Kiera was growing increasingly worried. Before they left the country, she had booked an appointment with a specialist to get Sean checked out one more time and pick up some meds for the road.She hadn’t expected to stumble into such a dramatic scene along the way.Once they were in the elevator and alone, Kiera finally spoke, testing the waters. “From the look of things jus
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 406
Just as Sean was struggling to find the right words to deal with Xena, a familiar voice called out from the hallway.“Sean!”It was Kiera.Sean seized the moment to brush things off. “Xena, I really do want to handle this as soon as possible, but now’s just not the right time, okay? Please, be patient a little longer.“I’ve got something else I need to take care of. Let’s talk later.”With that, Sean ended the call and turned back to find Kiera.Meanwhile, on the other end of the line, Xena slowly lowered the phone, her lips parting in disbelief before she pressed them together in frustration.“Here we go again… just more waiting,” she muttered.When would the timing finally be right? Was she supposed to wait until everything just magically fell into place?Xena clenched her jaw, her eyes turning sharp with resentment. “You think I’ll just wait because you say so? I’m not the same Xena from three years ago.”As she spoke, she gripped the test report tighter, as if it were a
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 407
It was clear that Gwen wasn’t going to open the door without a real answer. With no way out, Wilson finally gave in after some hesitation and told her everything he had learned from Ivan.From beginning to end, Gwen said nothing. But the light in her eyes slowly dimmed.Wilson grew concerned and gently rested a hand on her shoulder. “Gwen, are you okay?”“He really risked his life for her?” she murmured, eyes cast downward. Her voice was hoarse, thick with disbelief. “Is she really worth that?”“Whether she’s worth it or not isn’t for us to decide,” Wilson said with a sigh. “I’m only being honest with you because I want you to understand that William’s already made his choice. That’s not something he’s going to change easily.“You know how he is. Once he sets his mind on someone or something, there’s no convincing him otherwise. The only chance would be if Miss Xander didn’t feel the same…”Even as he said it, Wilson didn’t sound convinced.Layla might be in the dark for now,
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 408
A full week had passed, and Layla still hadn’t shown up at the hospital. There was not even a single message asking about him.By the time William was ready for discharge, he was in a foul mood, surrounded by an air of cold hostility that warned everyone to stay away.Inside the hospital room, the atmosphere was tense. No one dared speak, as if even the slightest noise might set off a ticking time bomb.Suddenly, a voice broke through the silence.“Uncle William!”Carter came rushing in, dragging a suitcase behind him. Completely unaware of the dark look on William’s face, he immediately launched into a rant.“You guys are way too good at keeping secrets! Seriously, am I not part of this family?“If I hadn’t called my mom after getting back and heard her accidentally let it slip, how much longer were you planning on keeping me in the dark about the accident?“I was abroad for work, not on another planet! You could’ve told me. It’s my uncle we’re talking about here! What kind of
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 409
Out in the hallway, Ivan had just finished telling Carter about the accident when they saw William walking out of the ICU. The two immediately stepped forward.But before they could ask anything, William brushed right past them without a word.They exchanged a glance and instantly understood that he hadn't gotten any answers.Once outside, William got into the car. Mike turned slightly and asked in a low voice, “Mr. Lucas, we’ve found the driver’s home address. Should we head there now?”Because the driver had been using an unregistered plate, it took a lot of digging for Mike to uncover his real identity.“Does he have family?” William asked.“Yes, a wife and kid.”“Let’s go see them.”With that, William rested his elbow against the car window and pressed his fingers to his temple. His eyes lowered slightly, his expression unreadable, hidden in shadow.The car ride was silent.Mike drove them through the bustling city and out toward the suburbs. Nearly an hour later, they pu
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 410
Layla took a steady breath. “I just spoke with the old lady downstairs. She said the family across from her in Unit 802 hasn’t been around for over two weeks.“Before I came, I also talked to the landlord. He said the apartment was rented by a family of three. The husband worked as a security guard for one of the Lucas Corporation’s subsidiaries, the wife stayed home full-time to care for their child, and the kid apparently has some health issues and goes to the hospital frequently.”She pulled a folded sheet of paper from her pocket and held it out to William. “Here’s their information. You can track their whereabouts by checking which hospital the child visited most recently.“Since you’re already here, why don’t you go talk to Dr. Young and look into the kid’s medical records? That should lead you to them pretty quickly.”Despite the intensity of William’s stare, Layla remained composed, meeting his eyes with calm certainty.When he didn’t respond, she raised a brow slightly. “
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 411
“I’m guessing the reason that driver refused to say anything was all because of his kid. Whoever’s behind this must’ve used the promise of sending his wife and child overseas as leverage. That’s his biggest weakness,” Levi added.“Yeah.” William lifted his gaze toward the night sky, his voice calm and deliberate. “I’ve decided to go back to the Lucas estate to recover.”Levi was caught off guard. “Why all of a sudden? You—”Halfway through his sentence, a chilling thought hit him. His stomach dropped. “Wait... you think someone in your own family is involved?”William didn’t respond.But when he really thought about it, who would have the most to lose if he went through with marrying Gwen? And who had the ability to quietly reach someone working for the Lucas Corporation?The answer was almost painfully obvious. However, it was just a guess without proof.At this point, there was only one way to get to the bottom of it. He had to step right into the game himself.After all,
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 466
This was the first job offer to come their way in an entire week.The call came from a small town’s tourism office. The town was tucked away in the mountains of a southern coastal region. It was surrounded by lush scenery, but not exactly famous. It had only recently been included in a cultural tourism development project, and was still relatively unknown.At first, the person on the other end of the call sounded genuinely surprised. A studio like Layla Studio was actually willing to take on such a small, thankless project? They even wondered if it might be some kind of scam.To show her sincerity, Layla offered to visit the town in person the very next day.Once she made up her mind, she didn’t waste any time. After wrapping up her meeting, she clocked out early and headed home to pack.That night, as usual, William dropped by for dinner. The first thing he noticed when he walked in was the suitcase sitting next to the couch.“You’re going somewhere?” he asked.“Yeah,” Layla an
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 465
“Fine! Looks like you’ve really grown a backbone! From now on, don’t expect us to treat you like Layla Xander anymore. Our daughter... has been dead for a long time.”Two separate recordings echoed through the office, every word harsh and ugly, cutting through the air like a slap to the face.Shane's expression twisted between green and pale. His voice shook as he stammered, “How... how did you get that recording?”That first recording was from right after news of Layla’s death had spread.Shane had gone out drinking at a club, drowning himself in booze, and even jumped up on stage to announce he was buying drinks for the whole place.Back then, it never crossed his mind that one drunken outburst would one day become the very thing Layla would use against him.As for the recording itself? That came from Levi.He had casually told Layla that a friend happened to be at the club that night and just so happened to catch Shane’s little performance on video.Layla had extracted the a
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 464
“Miss Xander…” The assistant hesitated, about to speak, but saw Layla lift her hand slightly, signaling for her to leave first.“If you need anything, just call me.”With that, the assistant turned and glanced pointedly at Chris. “Go on in.”The moment Chris stepped inside, the assistant closed the door behind him hard. The breeze from the shut door practically slammed into Shane’s back like a silent warning.Shane scowled. “Seriously? Your assistant’s just like you. She has no manners at all.”“Manners?” Layla let out a cold laugh, still sitting lazily in her chair, not bothering to get up. She stared at Shane from across the room. “Coming from you, that word sounds like a joke.“After all,” she added lightly, “nothing decent’s ever come out of that mouth of yours.”“You—!”Shane shot to his feet, glaring at her like he wanted to start a fight. “Do you even realize what situation you’re in right now? Once this studio goes under, let’s see who still gives a damn about you!
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 463
“What’s the big deal if Carly stays in bed for a few days?” Camila argued. “It’s still better than her working at that studio.”Zion frowned and brushed her hand off his arm. “What studio?”Camila glanced around cautiously before leaning in and whispering right next to his ear. “Layla Xander’s studio.”“What?!” Zion’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at her. “She actually went and worked for—”“I only found out a few days ago myself.” Camila sighed helplessly. “If it wasn’t for the way she’s been acting after losing her job, I wouldn’t have even thought to look into where she’d been working.“This girl’s really grown up, huh? She’s got her own ideas now. She actually dared to hide this from us. Thank God your dad didn’t find out, or she’d never hear the end of it.”Camila glanced at Carly’s bedroom door. “I’m guessing the whole thing with Layla disappointed her too. She quit on her own. And honestly, she hasn’t been in a great headspace since.”“What’s so great about Layla
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 462
A week went by.Mr. Lucas Sr. was still fuming. He called Zion into his study and asked, “What’s the situation with that studio now?”“With your word out, no one dares to work with her,” Zion replied respectfully.“I heard they haven’t had a single client reach out all week. Give it another month and Layla will come crawling back to apologize for sure.”“Good.” Mr. Lucas Sr.’s expression darkened. “She’s just a photographer. Crushing her is no harder than crushing an ant. This is the perfect chance to show William exactly what kind of woman Layla Xander really is — pretty face, but absolutely useless.”“Exactly, Dad.” Zion laughed flatteringly. “If it weren’t for your generosity, she wouldn’t have lasted this long. She really thought you wouldn’t dare touch her. That’s why she’s gotten so arrogant.”Mr. Lucas Sr. shot him a look. “Alright, enough flattery. You should start using your brain for once. Stick close to your brother these days and learn something from him. Now go.”
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 461
“What’s with that attitude? I’m still your brother, you know... I’m talking to you!” “Let go!” Hannah snapped, shaking Stanley’s hand off with all her strength.Stanley stumbled backward, landing flat on the floor with a loud thud. His expression darkened instantly, rage surging up. “What the hell is wrong with you, Hannah? Out there messing around with some guy, and now you come home and take it out on me?”“What’s all this shouting about in the middle of the night?” Their father, Steven Stone, stepped out of his room. Their mother, Nancy Stone, followed right behind, pulling a coat over her shoulders.“Dad, she came home and just started yelling at me!” Stanley shouted, playing the victim as he sat on the cold floor.Seeing him sitting there, Nancy rushed over to help him up. “The floor’s cold. Get up, quick.”Steven, however, turned his sharp gaze on Hannah, his voice stern and unforgiving. “What is wrong with you? A young woman like you, coming home at this hour?”
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.
