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Chapter 418
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 419
For a brief moment, the air grew awkward and tense. No one at the scene had expected Layla to be this blunt.Carter, on the other hand, was absolutely loving it. “That’s how you shut down fake people,” he silently remarked. No way was he letting that little fake angel act of Xena’s get any screen time tonight.Layla couldn’t be bothered to waste another word on the Xander family. She turned back to Mrs. Jackson and asked calmly, “Would it be alright if I took another look at the photos?”Snapping out of her daze, Mrs. Jackson nodded quickly. “Of course! I’ll have someone take you over right now.”Layla gave a polite nod. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”As Layla and her group walked away, Mr. Xander fumed behind them.“Look at her attitude,” he muttered bitterly. “Are we really supposed to keep lowering ourselves just to talk to her?”“Dad, maybe she’s just in a bad mood…” Xena chimed in softly, playing the pitiful daughter role to perfection. “Now that the Lucas and Harris famil
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 420
Hearing that, both Mr. and Mrs. Xander's expressions turned a little stiff.Fortunately, the guest had only been making polite conversation and didn’t press further. Before long, he was pulled away by friends to talk about the auction items.Mrs. Xander stared at the photos still playing across the large screen, her voice low and thoughtful. “Honey, if Layla were still our daughter, don’t you think we’d be basking in her success tonight instead of standing here, hoping no one remembers we’re even related to her?”Now, here they were, standing awkwardly on the sidelines, doing everything they could to avoid attention. The last thing they wanted was for anyone to remember they were Layla’s family. Even worse was the fear that someone might recall just how foolishly they had cut ties with her in the first place.The more Mrs. Xander thought about it, the worse she felt. Eventually, all of that frustration and regret built up into a long, heavy sigh.Mr. Xander still had not said a wo
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 421
As the group laughed and joked among themselves, the first auction item was brought to the stage, officially kicking off the bidding. Naturally, all attention shifted to the front of the room.While the auctioneer began introducing the piece, Felix’s hand slowly slid to Xena’s waist, his fingers casually kneading her side. “Put on a prettier smile,” he murmured in her ear. “I’ll buy you something nice.”Xena’s entire body stiffened. Disgust and nausea rose in her throat, making her stomach churn. She clenched her teeth, fighting the urge to recoil.Without saying a word, she brushed his hand away and turned, heading straight toward the restroom.“Where are you going?” Felix called after her, frowning as she disappeared into the crowd without looking back.This little scene happened to catch Carter’s eye.Unable to resist, he leaned over to Layla, barely hiding his amusement. “Sis, looks like Xena and Felix just had a fight. She bolted out of there like her life depended on it.”
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 422
As the evening drew to a close, Mrs. Jackson took the stage to thank all the guests who had participated in the charity auction.“And before we wrap up,” she added with a warm smile, “there’s one more person I’d like to thank — Begonia.”The spotlight shifted, landing directly on Layla.She stood there in simple business attire, her hair loosely tied up in a messy bun. Even without elaborate makeup or fancy clothes, her understated elegance still stood out effortlessly. If anything, her casual look only added to her calm, artist’s charm.Bathed in the light, with all eyes on her, Layla looked calm and composed.“I was truly honored to have Miss Xander photograph my collection,” Mrs. Jackson continued. “Every photo she took was made with heart, and every single one is worth treasuring.“This charity gala turned out to be even more successful than I could have hoped, and it’s all thanks to Miss Xander’s incredible work. Her photos brought out the beauty of these pieces in a way tha
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 423
Mrs. Jackson reached out her hand with a warm smile. “It’s truly been a pleasure working with you, Miss Xander. I hope we’ll have the chance to collaborate again.”Layla shook her hand but didn’t let go right away.“Would you mind passing along a message for me?” Layla said calmly. “Please thank whoever it was that gave me such a huge honor tonight.”She paused, her voice steady. “But I don’t like taking credit for something I didn’t do. I don’t want to owe anyone, and I definitely don’t want to benefit from someone else’s generosity. When the donation goes through, please make sure my name isn’t mentioned.”Layla hadn’t brought it up earlier because she didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere of the charity event. But in private, she wasn’t about to let things stay unclear.Mrs. Jackson was slightly surprised. “Miss Xander, there’s really no need to—”Layla cut her off politely but firmly. “Please, Mrs. Jackson.”Finally, she let go of Mrs. Jackson’s hand and turned to leave. “It’s
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 424
Mrs. Xander turned to look at Mr. Xander, her voice full of worry. “Felix was clearly upset tonight. Do you think he’s going to come after our family again?”“He won’t,” Mr. Xander replied, his expression dark and grim. “If he was willing to come crawling back and make peace before, that means someone behind the scenes must have warned him. Right now isn’t the time for him to burn bridges with the Xander family.”As he spoke, Mr. Xander turned to Xena. “You’d better watch yourself these days. Keep him happy. Don’t give him any reason to lose his temper again. We don’t need any more trouble.”“Dad!” Xena stared at him in disbelief. “It’s not even my fault he’s mad. Why should I be the one to put up with this and take the blame?”“Xena, that’s not what your father meant,” Mrs. Xander quickly stepped in, pulling her daughter’s hand gently. “He just wants you and Felix to get along. If you can marry into the Perry family, it’ll be a huge advantage for us.”Mr. Xander’s tone hardened.
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 425
Mr. Lucas Sr. didn’t even look up from the chessboard as he barked at Carter. “What, nobody taught you to knock before coming in? What, your mom never taught you manners?”Carter slumped in defeat. “I’ll remember next time.”“Sit.”Carter dragged himself over and dropped into a chair, eyeing the chessboard like it might bite him. He muttered under his breath, “But Grandpa, I don’t even know how to play chess. What am I supposed to be sitting here for?”“Then learn.”Mr. Lucas Sr. shot him a sharp glare. “You spend all your time out fooling around. What good is that gonna do you? You should take advantage of the time your uncle is staying here and learn something from him.”Carter could not have felt more wronged. “I’m not out playing, I’m working.”“What kind of job keeps you out this late, huh? Don’t try to fool me.” Mr. Lucas Sr. picked up a chess piece and knocked it against Carter’s head. “Your dad’s overseas, so it’s up to me to keep an eye on you. I’m only nagging you so
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 426
The next morning dawned bright and clear, with perfect weather for a day out.In high spirits, Mr. Lucas Sr. decided to bring the whole family out to their countryside villa for an overnight trip. It wasn’t often he suggested something like this, so naturally, no one dared say no.And just like that, several luxury cars pulled out of the Lucas estate, one after another.William shared a car with Scarlett and Mr. Lucas Sr., and from the rearview mirror, he could clearly see the cars trailing behind them.“William, ever since you’ve been home, your dad’s mood has been so much better,” Scarlett said happily. “Honestly, he looks like he’s ten years younger.“You know, now that your father and I are getting older, what we love most is seeing the whole family together like this. Days like today, all of us going somewhere together — that’s real happiness.“Oh, and I invited Gwen to meet us at the villa later. Your arm still isn’t fully healed. You’ll need help fishing, and she’s perfect
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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
