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Chapter 69
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 70
Layla stopped five steps away, her eyes sweeping across the group in front of her. Without exception, every face reflected guilt. The sight made her laugh. Her lips twisted into a mocking smile. “What’s with the crocodile tears?“If I die, shouldn’t you be happy? Isn’t that what you’ve all been waiting for?” Her voice turned sharper, each word laced with sarcasm. “When I’m gone, the Xander family will finally have one daughter, one precious little sister. Just one. Isn’t that exactly what you wanted?” “No…it’s not like that…” Mrs. Xander burst into tears and took a shaky step forward, only to be stopped by the bodyguards forming a wall in front of Layla. She stretched out a trembling hand toward her daughter. “Layla, please…come home with me, okay? I was wrong. I swear I’ll make it up to you.” Chris stepped beside his mother, his tone low and conciliatory. “Layla, no matter what’s happened, we’re still family. We should face this together.“The past is the past.
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 71
Layla watched her mother fall to her knees, and for a moment, her chest tightened with a familiar ache. But that didn’t change the fact that the person she hated most in this world was the woman kneeling before her. “I’ll call you ‘Mom’ one last time—only because you gave birth to me.” Her voice was calm, but the icy coldness of it cut through the air. “You remember, don’t you? Every time I tried to back away, you were the one who guilt-tripped me with that ‘motherly sacrifice.’ If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have ended up like this.” Her lips curved into a bitter smile. “Mom, if I had a choice, I never would’ve wanted to be born to you.” Mrs. Xander broke down into heart-wrenching sobs. “No…my Layla…please… I really know I was wrong…” But Layla didn’t even spare her another glance. She turned around, voice indifferent. “Go home. And leave me in peace.” As Layla walked away, her mother collapsed completely, sitting there on the cold floor, sobbing until she
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 72
After Layla’s second round of chemotherapy, she was in even worse shape than before. She looked as if a strong breeze could knock her over. She changed out of her hospital gown and stood alone by the window, watching birds circle in the sky. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice William approaching from behind. “You’re being discharged.” “Okay.” Layla turned around, but before she could take a step, her vision blurred, and the next thing she knew, her body gave out, collapsing straight into William’s arms. “Sorry…I must’ve been standing too long…” Before she could finish her sentence, her feet suddenly left the ground. She gasped in surprise, instinctively clutching onto his suit as he effortlessly carried her out of the room. The moment they stepped into the hallway, heads turned. The sudden attention made Layla’s ears burn. She squirmed in his arms. “I can walk on my own, Mr. Lucas. Put me down.” “You’re a patient. You should be taken care
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 73
“I…” Shane opened his mouth but had nothing to say. They went to the same prestigious high school. Layla was in a lower grade, but she always ranked at the top. Compared to her, he looked like a complete slacker, and that pissed him off. That was why he had his guys find chances to pick on her. But Layla was tough. No matter what they did, she never made a sound. The more she resisted, the more frustrated he got. And the more he hated her. “I’ve been back in the Xander family for fourteen years. Haven’t I given enough chances? But did any of you ever care?” Layla clenched her fists, forcing down the emotions churning inside her. She kept her voice as steady as possible. Year after year, she had hoped, only to be let down. She had humbled herself to the point of nothing, yet she never got a shred of love in return. Now that it was right in front of her, she couldn’t even be bothered. The Xanders had been relentless these past few days, and she was sick of it.
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 74
In the consultation room, the doctor finished examining Xena and called in the family to explain the situation. “This young lady has signs of a threatened miscarriage. She also has a body type that makes it hard to conceive. If you want to keep this baby, you’ll need to be extremely careful.“She should stay in the hospital for observation for now. By the way, where’s the baby’s father?” “He…” Mrs. Xander’s expression stiffened. After a brief hesitation, she said, “He’s busy with work.” The doctor shook his head. “What could be more important than his child? Never mind, I’ll write up the admission slip. Go pay the fees and get her admitted.” Shane followed the doctor out, while the others stayed behind by Xena’s bedside. Xena’s face was deathly pale. She held her abdomen tightly but said nothing. Mrs. Xander placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Xena,” she said softly, “you saw it yourself… Sean didn’t even come after you. He’s made it clear—he doesn’t want t
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 75
Layla would never forgive her family. She was never coming back.The thought weighed heavily on Chris. He rubbed his temples and muttered, “I’m going for a walk.” *Carter and Mike arrived at the Luxe Villa in a separate car, ten minutes later than Layla. The moment he walked through the door, Carter made a beeline for her. “Sis! Right after you left, Xena ended up in the hospital. Looks pretty bad,” he said, his voice brimming with excitement. “Honestly, I gotta say—Sean’s a piece of work. But watching him nearly drive Xena up the wall? That was so satisfying.“She thought getting knocked up would guarantee her a spot in the Perry family. Joke’s on her—Sean doesn’t give a damn. Hell, he turned around and proposed to you!” The more Carter spoke, the more fired up he got—completely oblivious to the dark cloud settling in William’s eyes. “When Sean proposed, you didn’t say a word. I was this close to thinking you’d gone soft again…” He leaned in, eyes sparkling wi
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 76
“Why not?” Carter looked puzzled. “Don’t you love photography? Jenny Jasper is a huge name in street photography…” “I know.” Layla knew Jenny better than anyone. She was the dream Layla once chased. “You know her. You like her. So go.” William, casually picking up the tickets from her hand, added lightly, “I’ll go with you.” Layla froze. “That’s not—” “What’s wrong?” William’s gaze lowered slightly, his tone calm but cool. “You turning me down?” Layla was rendered speechless.Was this… an invitation? Why did it feel more like a threat? Layla sighed. There was no winning against him. Especially when he was the most powerful man in North City. “Well, since Mr. Lucas is interested,” she relented, “let’s go have a look.” Carter, watching from the side, rolled his eyes. Artistic sense? His uncle had none. A photography exhibit? Yeah, right. No way Uncle William actually cared about that. No… Carter’s gaze flicked between the two of them. Wh
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 77
Suddenly, Sean remembered that this photo was the one Layla had asked a friend to buy for her at a photography exhibit. When she first got it, she treated it like a treasure, staring at it every chance she had, as if she couldn’t admire it enough. She used to drag him over, excitedly explaining the composition and the techniques behind the shot. He had always brushed her off, irritated, thinking, “It’s just a photo—what’s there to analyze?” Even now, as he stared at the picture, he couldn’t understand why she loved it so much. Mrs. Lincoln rushed over, snatching the frame from his hands as if afraid he would break it in a fit of anger. “Miss Xander used to wipe this frame clean every single day. She cherished it more than anything,” she said, her voice tight with emotion. “Really?” Sean’s voice came out low, laced with a sudden, hollow ache. How had he never known that? “Yeah,” Mrs. Lincoln said, carefully wiping the photo frame, “Miss Xander told me this was
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The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 124
After hearing about Layla’s accident, Mr. Perry Sr. had called Sean to the family estate to get the full story. At the time, Sean had insisted that he had to earn Layla’s forgiveness. But it was far too late for that. Xena’s pregnancy had completely shattered Mr. Perry Sr.’s faith in him. There was no way he would allow Sean to disturb Layla ever again. So, right then and there, Mr. Perry Sr. had locked Sean in the house, forcing him to stay put. Over the past few days, Sean had gone on and on about how sorry he was, repeating his regrets so many times that Mr. Perry Sr. was sick of hearing them. Thinking about it now, Mr. Perry Sr. felt a headache coming on. “That foolish boy only learned to cherish what he lost after it was already gone. What’s the use of that?” Worried that Layla might overthink things, he quickly added, “I’m not telling you this to ask for forgiveness on his behalf. Frankly, I don’t even have the face to do that anymore.” Layla simply smiled
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 123
“Although the suspect still hasn’t been caught, the police managed to track down a group of young people who were camping on the mountain that night. One of them is absolutely certain they saw someone at the scene.“After examining the area, the police found footprints and were able to estimate the driver’s height and weight. They’ve put together a fairly complete profile, but unfortunately, there’s no match in the national database.“There’s a high chance he’s an undocumented immigrant, which makes tracking him down extremely difficult.” As William spoke, a peeled orange segment appeared in front of him. He paused, glancing up. Layla smiled. “Mr. Lucas, you must be thirsty.” William took the orange without much thought and asked casually, “You’re really not worried?” “What’s the point of worrying? Even the police can’t find him—what, am I supposed to think I can?” Leaning back against the headboard, Layla continued, “I’m just curious. How did Xena even find that drive
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 122
After a week, the nationwide search warrant for the driver had turned up nothing, and Xena was finally released back to the Xander family. To ward off bad energy, Mrs. Xander had burned sage at the entrance, insisting that Xena walk through the smoke before coming inside.“My dear Xena, you’ve suffered so much.” Tears welled in Mrs. Xander’s eyes as she reached out to touch her daughter’s face. “You’ve lost weight these past few days.” “I’m fine.” Xena smiled and shook her head. But Shane wasn’t as forgiving. “She put you through hell in that police station, and you’re still saying you’re fine? Even after everything, you’re still defending that cold-blooded woman?” “Shane, don’t talk about my sister like that.” Xena placed a hand over her stomach, lowering her gaze with guilt. “It’s true that getting pregnant with Sean’s child was an unforgivable mistake. If this makes my sister feel better, then I have no complaints.” “You—” Shane was furious. “This isn’t somethi
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 121
Levi narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Aunt Scarlett, you had nothing to do with this, right?” “Of course not!” Scarlett denied it immediately. “I may have wanted her to go back to the Xander house, but I’d never go as far as putting her life in danger!” Levi stroked his chin, thinking for a moment. Then, as if casually, he said, “So, you were involved in getting Miss Xander back to the family, but after that, you had no idea what happened?” “That’s… exactly it,” Scarlett responded instinctively. But the second she said it, she realized she had slipped. Too late to take it back now. Levi let out a sigh. “Aunt Scarlett, if William finds out about this, he’s definitely going to be pissed at you.” “I know…” Scarlett lowered her head, feeling wronged. “I just didn’t expect the Xander family to be this outrageous. They couldn’t even keep an eye on her properly!” “You probably thought Miss Xander left the family just because she was throwing a tantrum, didn’t you?” Levi aske
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 120
After thinking it over, Layla still couldn’t bring herself to ask.Instead, she nodded again. “No matter what, thank you, Mr. Lucas.”All she could say was thank you—over and over again.For some reason, William felt irritated. He stood up abruptly. “Get some rest.”With that, he turned and left the hospital room.Layla frowned in confusion. Since when did saying thank you make someone angry?Meanwhile, William shut the door behind him and spoke quietly to Mike. “You’re in charge here. From now on, you’ll stay by Miss Xander’s side. If anything happens to her, you know what the consequences will be.”Mike lowered his head. “Understood.”Just a word, but his tone was solemn.From this moment on, Layla’s life was more important than his own.William didn’t say anything else. He glanced up and met Levi’s amused gaze.Walking toward him, William asked, “What is it?”“Nothing. Just curious.” Levi slipped his hands into the pockets of his white coat and grinned as he leaned in. “
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 119
“Layla, your brother is right. You need to rest now.” Sean’s voice was gentle, but his gaze subtly flicked toward William, his hostility unmistakable. Layla found it laughable. Even now, Sean still had the energy to be jealous. “Get out.” Sean’s face froze in disbelief. “You’re telling me to leave?” “What else?” Layla snapped impatiently. Sean pointed at William, unwilling to accept it. “What about him?” “Not your business.” Layla’s patience wore thin. Just looking at him made her head hurt. She rubbed her temples, trying to ease the pain. Levi took the hint and spoke up. “Mr. Perry, you should listen to Miss Xander. What she needs most right now is rest.” Sean knew exactly who Levi was—one of William’s closest associates. And since Levi was speaking as a doctor, staying any longer would only make him seem inconsiderate. With no choice, Sean reluctantly backed down. “Fine, I’ll go for now.” He looked at Layla with deep affection, hi
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 118
Following Layla’s request, William had the police called in. By the time officers arrived, he had already prepared all the necessary documents—medical reports, evidence, and statements. Levi, Layla’s attending physician, had also shown up early to assist with the investigation. Watching everything unfold so smoothly and efficiently, Layla felt a quiet shock ripple through her. “So, while I was unconscious, William had already planned for this,” she silently remarked. Her gaze shifted toward him, a flicker of gratitude rising in her chest. With the officers' assistance, Layla gave a detailed description of the driver. Moments later, the police produced a sketch. The lifelike face on the white paper startled her. It was exactly him. Xena only stole a brief glance before subtly furrowing her brows. A perfect match. Layla’s memory was annoyingly sharp. Once she nodded in confirmation, the officers carefully put the sketch away. “We’ll do everything
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 117
Mrs. Xander rushed forward anxiously. “Xena, are you okay? Did they hurt you?” Xena shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “I was just scared… I don’t even know what I did wrong…” Mr. Xander’s expression darkened as he turned to William.“Mr. Lucas, you’ve already found Layla. Can we take Xena home now?”“Don’t you all want to know what she’s done?”Layla forced herself to sit up, her body still weak.Without a word, William reached out to steady her, his grip firm but natural.Then, he lowered his voice just enough for her to hear.“Say whatever you want—I’ve got your back.”Layla froze for a moment, instinctively glancing at him.A warmth spread through her chest, and her confidence grew.Before she could speak, Xena abruptly cut in, panic flickering across her face.“Layla, you begged me to let you go! And I was the one who told Mr. Lucas where to find you!“What are you trying to say now? Are you blaming me for setting you free? Did I force you to run
The CEO’s Obsession: Layla, You’re Not Allowed to Die Chapter 116
At the hospital, Layla slowly opened her eyes, momentarily disoriented by the stark white walls.For a moment, it felt like a dream—like she couldn't tell what was real anymore.“Where… am I?” Her voice was hoarse and scratchy. “You’re awake?” William’s hand instantly gripped hers, his voice urgent. “Do you feel any discomfort?” “I…” Layla instinctively tried to move—only to suck in a sharp breath of pain. “Ahh—” “Don’t move.” William gently pressed her down, his voice soft yet firm. “You have two fractured bones and a stab wound in your abdomen. You need complete rest.” Layla’s brows furrowed slightly as she murmured, “So it wasn’t a dream. Xena really tried to kill me.” William didn’t catch her words. “What?” Before she could answer, a chaotic commotion erupted outside. The door was pushed open, and a group of people forced their way into the room despite the guards’ attempts to stop them. Sean rushed straight to her bedside, his face fu
