Jennifer Aniston, the iconic Friends star, has long been a subject of tabloid fascination, but a fresh wave of speculation is sweeping the internet: Did she secretly have a child years ago? For decades, the 56-year-old actress has dodged questions about her personal life, particularly regarding motherhood. Now, a peculiar moment caught on camera has reignited rumors that Aniston may have been pregnant in the past—and kept the child hidden from the public eye.

The whispers began last week when Aniston was spotted leaving a Los Angeles café, cradling what appeared to be a well-worn stuffed teddy bear. Fans noted her tender grip on the toy, with one onlooker telling a local outlet, “She held it like it meant something—like it wasn’t just a random prop.” The sighting sent X into a tailspin, with amateur sleuths dissecting the moment. “That’s no ordinary teddy,” one user posted. “Could it be a keepsake from a kid she’s never told us about?”

The theory isn’t entirely new. Back in the early 2000s, during her high-profile marriage to Brad Pitt, tabloids relentlessly claimed Aniston was expecting, only for her to shut down the rumors with a firm, “I’m not pregnant.” Yet, insiders have long hinted there’s more to the story. A supposed friend from her Friends days recently told a gossip magazine, “Jen went through something big back then—something she didn’t want the world to know. It wasn’t just a miscarriage rumor; it was deeper.” The source alleged that Aniston quietly welcomed a child around 2003, possibly via surrogate, and chose to shield them from fame’s harsh spotlight.

Fueling the fire, Aniston’s recent behavior has fans connecting dots. Beyond the teddy bear incident, she was seen last month lingering outside a private school in Santa Monica, chatting with a teacher before slipping away unnoticed—or so she thought. Paparazzi snapped blurry shots, and though no child was visible, the internet exploded with theories. “Is she visiting someone special?” one fan tweeted. “Jen’s too private to flaunt a kid, but the signs are there!”

Aniston’s love for children is no secret. She’s godmother to Courteney Cox’s daughter, Coco, and has spoken warmly about kids in her life, once saying, “I’ve always felt maternal, whether I had my own or not.” Could this hint at a hidden chapter? Some speculate the child—now possibly a young adult—lives a quiet life away from Hollywood, perhaps in a rural spot like Montana, where Aniston recently made headlines for donating $2 million to orphanages (a separate, confirmed story). “Maybe she’s supporting kids because she knows what it’s like to protect one,” a fan mused on X.

Her inner circle remains tight-lipped. A rep for Aniston dismissed the latest buzz as “creative fiction,” stating, “Jennifer’s life is her own, and she’s not here to feed speculation.” But that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill. Old interviews are being combed for clues, with one 2010 clip resurfacing where Aniston pauses mid-sentence when asked about regrets, her eyes flickering with what some now call “a mother’s guilt.”

Whether there’s truth to the tale or it’s just wishful thinking from fans who adore her Rachel Green charm, the mystery has gripped the public. On X, #JenSecretChild is trending, with posts ranging from “She deserves her privacy” to “Spill the tea, Jen!” For now, Aniston continues her life unbothered—or so it seems—leaving us wondering if that teddy bear was just a toy, or a tender link to a past she’s kept locked away. Only time, or perhaps an accidental slip, might reveal the full story.