Chapter 404 Utilization or True Feelings?

Jeffrey muttered to himself, "This is bad. Anne might be under Nicholas' control."

I couldn't figure out why Jeffrey would think that.

He turned to me, gently placing his hands on my shoulders, and said earnestly, "Diana, no matter what happens, you need to protect yourself. I won't let anything happen to you."

His eyes were intense and filled with a deep emotion that I could no longer ignore.

"Let's not panic," I said, trying to avoid Jeffrey's gaze. "What could happen to me? Our priority right now is to find Anne. No matter what issues you, Anne, and Nicholas have, she's the key."

Jeffrey nodded, "I know. I'll get more people to look for her, even if we have to search every inch of this place."

He stood up, his eyes revealing a firm resolve. "This time, I'll handle things properly. We can't keep being so passive. I need to keep you safe."

Jeffrey turned to leave but suddenly seemed to remember something and quickly looked back at me. His eyes were filled with a complex emotion.

"Diana, once this is over, let's find some time to talk, just the two of us."

Jeffrey's voice was low and gentle, as if he was expressing a cautious hope.

My heart tightened. I hadn't expected him to have such thoughts, and his direct invitation left me a bit flustered. I lowered my head slightly, my fingers unconsciously fiddling with the hem of my shirt, trying to calm myself.

"Jeffrey, I don't think this is the time to consider these things. Anne is missing, and regardless of everything, she has feelings for you. Our immediate task is to resolve all these issues."

I tried to keep my tone steady and calm, using the current crisis to gently sidestep his emotional topic.

"But I don't have feelings for her!" Jeffrey said, sounding a bit frustrated. "Years ago, when I first met you at The Ends of the Earth, I was drawn to you. I never expected to meet you again after all these years. I don't want to miss this chance."

Jeffrey's eyes showed a hint of sadness but quickly regained their determination. He stepped closer to me, his gaze locked onto mine. 

"I know the situation is urgent, but my feelings for you aren't a fleeting impulse. I'm a person with strong goals, and I know what I want."

I avoided his intense gaze, feeling increasingly agitated. "Jeffrey, I understand your feelings, but in this situation, I can't calm down to think about romance."

I took a deep breath, trying to clear my chaotic thoughts. "Anne is also a big issue. Her feelings for you are obvious. And I have a daughter now; I can't prioritize love. I don't want my decisions to bring more harm to everyone and make an already complicated situation worse."

Jeffrey listened quietly, his brows furrowed slightly, as if digesting every word I said. 

After a while, he spoke, "Diana, I understand your concerns, but I really can't wait. I'm afraid if I miss this chance, I'll never have another."

His voice carried a hint of urgency. "I'm under a lot of pressure right now. You might have heard that I'm the sole heir of my family, but my cousins have been eyeing the position. If they take it, I'll be exiled to a desolate place and might never return."

I hadn't realized Jeffrey was facing such a huge problem. I frowned and asked, "So you want to team up with Anne to create some commotion?"

Jeffrey nodded sincerely. "But haven't you considered that Anne isn't trustworthy? Her promises might be empty. And the Griffin Group and Nicholas aren't easy to deal with."

Jeffrey sighed, "I have my concerns too. But I need to prove myself. This opportunity is like a lifeline for me. If the plan is thorough, it might succeed."

"But you made a mistake. This isn't just about your position in the family; it affects the future of the entire business circle. If you keep insisting on this, you might end up ruining everything."

Jeffrey was silent for a moment, then said, "I know I might not have a chance to turn things around. So I persuaded Anne to give you the information she gathered, hoping it would help you and that you could help me."

"So you want to work with us to expose Fiona and Nicholas' schemes, and use the Wilson Group and Edward's company to build your reputation in the family?"

Jeffrey shook his head helplessly. "The Wilson Group and Edward's company are too small. I need your Cooper Group and Howard Group. Only by uniting all of you can I possibly stand against my cousins."

My face instantly turned cold, and anger surged within me. 

I had tried hard to keep the Cooper Group and Howard Group out of this dangerous conflict, but Jeffrey had calculated it all along.

I stepped back, putting some distance between us, my voice rising involuntarily. 

"Jeffrey, you planned to involve my companies from the start! I've been trying to keep the Cooper Group and Howard Group out of this mess, and you..."

My hands trembled slightly with anger, and I had to brace myself against the table to stay balanced. I stared at him, my eyes full of questions. 

"You say you have feelings for me, but what is this? Using me and my companies as pawns to achieve your goals?"

Thinking about the huge risks the Cooper Group and Howard Group might face, my eyes started to well up. 

"Do you know how hard I've worked to maintain these two companies? I can't let them fall into ruin because of your selfish desires."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm down and reassess the person I once admired.

Jeffrey hurriedly explained, "No, I won't harm you or your companies."

I smiled bitterly and shook my head, feeling a deep sense of bitterness. 

"And what about Anne? Didn't you use her too? You took advantage of her feelings for you, made her do dangerous things to gather information, and now she's missing. How can you be so heartless?"

At this moment, my heart was filled with conflict and struggle. I knew it would be hard to extricate myself from the current situation.

I bit my lip, holding back the tears that were about to fall, and said to Jeffrey, "You've really disappointed me."

"Diana, I understand your concerns. People do change at different stages. I just hope that when all this is over, you'll seriously consider the possibility between us. I'll respect your decision, no matter the outcome."

With that, he gave me a deep, lingering look, filled with affection and reluctance, before hurriedly leaving.
Marital Turmoil: Back Off, First Love!
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