Lauren's words caught Andrew off guard, and he stammered, "W-What? No, you…"

He had assumed Lauren had uncovered some hidden truth or had some brilliant insight. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect her to come up with such an absurd and melodramatic theory.

Meanwhile, Lauren looked utterly confident, her face glowing with satisfaction. "Mr. Yates is nearly 60 now and has never married—that's no secret in Jayrodale's elite circles! Everyone finds it strange that a man with such immense wealth hasn't taken a wife, or even had a mistress, second wife, or a random fling."

She leaned in conspiratorially. "There's been plenty of speculation that Mr. Yates must've had a secret family hidden away somewhere. But because he's never said anything publicly, no one dares to gossip too much."

Lauren paused dramatically and grinned. "I used to think Mr. Yates was just really good at keeping his private life private. But after getting to know you, and the more I've learned about you…"