Lauren cried hard, but her resolve remained unshaken. She declared firmly, "No. If I choose to comply now, that's when I'll truly regret it. I've told the family countless times—Andrew isn't ordinary. He's a hidden gem, and he deserves not just me, but any exceptional woman!"

The momentary softness in Tiana's eyes vanished instantly. "So you're still blindly obsessed with him?" she asked coldly.

Lauren trembled as she felt the invisible barrier between mother and daughter, which had briefly narrowed, suddenly grew wider than ever.

She slowly wiped away her tears and said expressionlessly, "Call it a blind obsession or say I'm degrading myself—either way, it has to be Andrew."

Tiana sneered. "Fine. You've always made this boy sound extraordinary. Let's see how exceptional he really is. Do you think he's better than Joe?"

Lauren scoffed. "Joe has his family's backing, of course, people look up to him. But when it comes to true excellence, he doesn't even deserve to be compared