Why Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez have 'decided to stay apart' despite still being in a relationship

Jeff Bezos and rumored mistress Lauren Sanchez are still "deeply in love," but they've allegedly agreed to stay physically apart until both of their respective divorces are finalized. They apparently haven't seen each other since January 9.

Page Six reports that, while Sanchez's divorce from Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell is "effectively sealed," the Amazon founder's divorce from estranged wife, MacKenzie, is still ongoing. The couple of 25 years announced their split at the beginning of January.

"Lauren and Jeff talk all the time, but she wants to stay low-key until their divorces are final, when they will be together," the outlet reports. "Lauren insists she and Jeff haven’t seen each other since the Enquirer story about their affair broke on Jan. 9, and that she and Jeff both decided to stay apart until their divorces were done, which could be within a few weeks. It’s mostly to protect the privacy of their children, but also because they felt it was the right thing to do."

Another source told Page Six that "a lot of this has to do with their decision to lay low and spend time with their kids, who didn’t get a warning about the Enquirer story and now have to deal with the intense public interest and the paparazzi in pursuit."

On Thursday, the Amazon CEO released a statement on Twitter praising his ex "for her support and her kindness in this process."

"I'm so grateful to all my friends and family for reaching out with encouragement and love. It means more than you know," he wrote. "MacKenzie most of all. I'm grateful for her support and for her kindness in this process and am very much looking forward to our new relationship as friends and co-parents. In all our work together, MacKenzie's abilities have been on full display. She has been an extraordinary partner, ally and mother. She is resourceful and brilliant and loving, and as our futures unroll, I know I'll always be learning from her."

The Page Six report comes as the couple is still attempting to uncover the truth behind the infamous leaked racy text messages between them. Last month, Sanchez's brother, Michael, admitted that he was paid $200,000 by the National Enquirer's parent company, AMI, in exchange for the X-rated messages. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the news.

Though Michael confessed to being involved, he claimed that he got involved in order to ultimately protect his sister and her children. In addition, he told Page Six that he wasn't responsible for leaking the more intimate shots involved in the leak.

"I would never sell out my sister. Everything I did was to protect Jeff and Lauren. I may have helped the Enquirer with their story," he told the outlet. "But I never had access to the penis selfies."

Because of his transgression, though, his sister is "no longer talking" to him.

"The situation is sad. Jeff actually liked Michael, although he only met him a few times," an insider explained. "Michael could have had the keys to the kingdom if he’d protected Lauren and Jeff, but he gave it up for $200,000."

"Now he’s threatening to write a book about her and Jeff," a source said.