“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
“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!
“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
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 tumor in your brain is growing rapidly, and its location is quite problematic. The chances of a successful surgery are very low.“If you don’t undergo surgery, you may have less than a year left.” The doctor’s words echoed endlessly in her ears. Layla Xander stumbled out of the hospital in a daze. By the time she got into a cab, the medical report in her hand was already crumpled from her grip. Finally, it dawned on her. She needed to tell her fiancé, Sean Perry, about this. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she pulled out her phone and typed a message with great difficulty: “Sean, come home early. I have something to tell you.” Suddenly, a loud crash jolted the car, sending it shaking violently. The impact threw her forward, her head hitting the seat in front of her. Pain shot through her skull, and her vision went black for a moment. Chaotic noises erupted all around her. Before she could process what was happening, the car door was yanked open, and
An hour later, Sean stormed in, his voice sharp and accusatory. “Layla, what nonsense are you pulling now?” His gaze quickly landed on her head, and he froze for a moment. “You’re hurt?” “Yeah.” Layla looked at Sean, her expression calm and detached. “I was in a rear-end collision yesterday and ended up in the hospital.” Guilt flickered in Sean’s eyes for a brief second before he quickly sat down beside her. “Was it serious? Is that what you wanted to talk to me about yesterday?” “Just a minor injury.” Without a word, Layla shifted slightly away from him and spoke slowly. “I’m serious about breaking off the engagement. And about the company shares—I want my portion back.” Outsiders might not know, but Sean was well aware. The Perry family had never thought much of him, a mere illegitimate child. His entrepreneurial success over the years was largely thanks to Layla’s initial funding and behind-the-scenes support. To help him project the image of a capable and
The engagement banquet went ahead as planned. Since Mr. Perry Sr. was particularly fond of Layla, the event was lavishly organized, with many prominent families and close friends in attendance. The banquet hall was brimming with glittering jewels, cheerful laughter, and a vibrant atmosphere. Sean stood at the entrance, greeting guests with a polite smile, though his heart was restless with worry. Time was ticking, and Layla still hadn’t arrived. Mr. Perry Sr. approached with a stern expression. “Did you get into another fight with Layla?” Sean quickly denied it. “No, Grandpa, don’t jump to conclusions.” “It better be true,” Mr. Perry Sr. snapped, shooting him a glare. “Layla is the granddaughter-in-law I’ve chosen. If anything goes wrong with today’s engagement banquet, you might as well not come back to the Perry family!” “Don’t worry, there won’t be any problems.” As they were speaking, Mr. Perry Sr. suddenly lit up with a smile. “Layla!” Sean followed h
“I can’t believe it! She’s actually the bride-to-be at this engagement banquet!” Carter stared at the stage in disbelief, his eyes shining with excitement. “She’s incredible! The Perry family threw this grand event, and she just destroyed it like it was nothing!“Uncle William, we really came to the right event today!” Lost in his excitement, Carter didn’t notice that William’s gaze was fixed intently on Layla. Beneath the shadows of the lights, an unreadable depth stirred in his dark eyes, emotions surging quietly but intensely. On stage, Sean strode quickly toward Layla, an awkward smile plastered across his face. He forcefully pulled her into his arm. “Apologies, everyone. Layla was just joking around, trying to liven up the atmosphere,” he said with a strained grin. “Isn’t that right, Layla?” The words were practically forced through his teeth, dripping with menace. Layla remained expressionless as her voice rang out, loud and firm. “I’m not joking.” The cr
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
“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
“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!
“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
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.”
“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?”
“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
“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
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.