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Chapter 424
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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
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 427
Lucien fell silent.The atmosphere in the car grew heavy, and even Zion quietly shut his mouth.It took nearly two hours for the entire Lucas family convoy to finally arrive at their countryside estate.Scarlett, who had been carsick the whole ride, perked up the moment she spotted Gwen and Mrs. Harris Sr. waiting outside the villa.As soon as the car stopped, Scarlett hurried over with a bright smile. “Mrs. Harris Sr., you came all this way too? Gwen didn’t mention a word about it to me.”Mrs. Harris Sr. kept her usual stern expression. “We’re just here to take a look. No need to make a fuss about it.”She paused, then added, “I heard William was in an accident. I should have come sooner, but these days… age catches up with me. My health isn’t what it used to be.”Scarlett’s smile grew even more earnest. “Just having you here means so much to us. William’s lucky to have elders like you who care about him.”She quickly turned to call William over. “William, come thank Mrs. Harr
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 428
Hearing that, Scarlett’s heart sank a little. “Mrs. Harris Sr., may I ask who did you invite?”“Who else? The hottest photographer in town these days — Begonia,” Mrs. Harris Sr. replied calmly. “It’s not every day the whole family gets together like this. I figured it’d be nice to have her come by and take some photos for everyone to remember the day.”“Grandma, why would you…” One sharp look from Mrs. Harris Sr., and Gwen immediately shut her mouth.The other Lucas family ladies exchanged glances. It was obvious to everyone now that Mrs. Harris Sr. came fully prepared.Scarlett’s face twitched slightly, but she forced a light laugh. “Mrs. Harris Sr., it’s just a few photos for memory’s sake. There’s really no need to trouble a professional photographer. We’ve got plenty of staff here who can help take pictures.”“That’s way too casual.”Mrs. Harris Sr. took a slow sip of tea, her every move relaxed and effortless, yet her quiet dominance filled the air and pressed down on ever
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 429
“That’s actually a pretty good idea.” Lucien met William’s gaze head-on. “Didn’t expect you to not only let it go but actually want to help the guy. Very generous of you.” The last few words came out with just the slightest edge, his emphasis unmistakable.William smiled faintly, his expression unreadable. “There’s one more thing that’s been bothering me. I had planned to help his kid get treatment, but unfortunately, I haven’t been able to track down the mother and child.”He paused before adding casually, “Word is, someone arranged for them to go overseas for medical treatment. Makes me wonder if that car accident really was just an accident.”“What?” Mr. Lucas Sr.'s voice sharpened instantly. “You think someone was behind it?”“Just a theory,” William replied calmly, his gaze never leaving Lucien’s face. “What do you think, Lucien?”“If someone really orchestrated that crash, then you should definitely get to the bottom of it,” Lucien answered smoothly, his tone open and dir
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 430
Since Layla hadn’t brought her camera, she could only wait for her assistant to bring it over.But during that wait, Mrs. Harris Sr. didn’t offer her a seat or even acknowledge her presence. She was left standing there like an afterthought, no different from the household staff hovering nearby.Feeling increasingly awkward, Gwen finally spoke up. “Miss Xander, why don’t you have a seat?”“There’s no seat left,” Scarlett cut in sharply, making it clear she was more than happy to play along with Mrs. Harris Sr.’s little power move.Layla didn’t mind. Honestly, standing suited her better than squeezing herself into that shark tank of a seating arrangement.Just then, Maggie stood up with a gentle smile. “I was about to head to the kitchen to make some snacks. I could use an extra pair of hands. Miss Xander, would you mind helping me?”Maggie was Carter’s mom, which already made Layla feel a little more at ease. At least she didn’t seem hostile.“Sure,” Layla agreed, following her t
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 431
“A misunderstanding?” Maggie blinked in surprise, her hand pausing mid-air as she poured flour into the mixing bowl. She lifted her gaze toward Layla. “You mean... they misunderstood your relationship with William?”Layla nodded, calm and straightforward. “Yeah.”Maggie stared at her, momentarily at a loss for words.Everyone in the Lucas family knew William had gone toe-to-toe with Mr. Lucas Sr., risking his position as heir, all for Layla. He had made it so obvious and yet Layla still thought this was all just a misunderstanding?Did that mean Layla didn’t feel the same way? Had this whole thing been one-sided from the start? Just William chasing after her on his own?That was completely beyond what Maggie had expected.Realizing Maggie had gone quiet, Layla asked, curious, “Is something wrong?”“No, no...” Maggie quickly shook her head and returned to her task, adding more flour into the bowl.Maggie had survived this long in the Lucas family because she never asked too m
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 432
Just then, Maggie’s voice called from outside the storage room. “Layla, did you get the flour? Gwen’s here too. She’s going to help.”Layla reacted quickly. She raised her voice and called out, “Got it! I’ll be right there.”Without missing a beat, she turned on her phone flashlight, grabbed a bag of flour from the shelf, and stepped around William to leave. As she passed him, his low voice rumbled behind her.“This isn’t your problem. Stay out of it.”Layla didn’t answer. She simply pushed open the door and walked out, leaving William standing alone in the dark.She carried the flour back to the kitchen island, casually positioning herself just enough to block Gwen’s view of the storage room.“Miss Harris, what are you doing here?” Layla asked, her voice light. “Shouldn’t you be waiting in the pavilion?”Gwen smiled like nothing was out of the ordinary. “It was getting boring just sitting there. Thought I’d look around and find something to do.”As she spoke, her eyes lande
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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
