Instantly, Lilian turned pale, anxiety flickering across her face. She quickly apologized, “I’m really sorry, Cynthia! This is all just a mistake.”

Lilian’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, making it seem as if Cynthia which struck Cynthia as quite funny.

He was the one who’d committed a terrible wrong.

Still, her smile remained warm and bright. “Well, congratulations to both of you.”

To everyone watching, it looked like Cynthia was truly happy for them, but she knew just how ironic it really was. Three years had passed, and she wasn’t the same person she used to be.

“Cynthia, I… can I really keep this baby?” Lilian’s voice was hesitant, almost pleading, and as expected, that hit hard with Filip.

“Lilian, let’s not waste time. This child is ours, and you don’t need her approval to keep it.” Filip said, shooting a fierce glare at Cynthia, as if she had bullied Lilian, while all Cynthia had done was offer her congratulations.

Cynthia sneered, “Yeah, we’re family, aren’t we? Back in the day, having a concubine to bear more children was seen as a blessing. Once the kid is born, they’ll call me ‘Mom, right?”

“Cynthia, what nonsense are you talking about?” Filip snapped, furious.

Cynthia just laughed even more. “Oh come on, I’m just kidding. No need to be so serious! Grandpa Matthew asked me to pick you up for the Yates residence. Are you coming with me or staying with her?”

Filip fell silent for a moment, then started putting his suitcase in the trunk of Cynthia’s car. “First, take us to the Betrico Hotel.”

Cynthia nodded and drove them there. After about thirty minutes of chaos, Filip finally got Lilian settled. He climbed back into the backseat of the car, keeping a noticeable distance from her.

As they merged back into the city traffic, Cynthia remarked, “If you’re so into her, why let her stay in a hotel? She’s pregnant. Shouldn’t you be treating her better, maybe even getting her a few villas to stay?”

“Cynthia, are you saying this on purpose?” Filip’s voice was cold, laced with suppressed frustration.

Cynthia giggled wildly. “Oh, sorry! I just forgot you don’t actually own any property.”

Since everyone thought Cynthia was marrying into the Yates family, all the properties Filip had been given since kindergarten were in her name. That included over a hundred properties, dozens of villas, and countless storefronts. Meanwhile, Filip, the only son of the Yates family, owned just his shares in the family business.

From the moment they got in the car, Filip had been watching Cynthia closely. Her smile was unwavering, but he could sense the resentment simmering beneath her cheerful facade. They had grown up together, and no one understood her as he did.

He assumed that seeing Lilian pregnant must have been eating Cynthia alive, pushing her to make snarky comments. Maybe she was trying to use the Yates family fortune to get to him.

Filip shot her a disdainful look. “Cynthia, don’t take it out on Lilian and don’t think about getting me back to you. What did the Yates family give you? I’m not going to fight you for it. Consider it my way of settling things. But if you’re expecting more, I’ll reclaim the title of Mrs. Yates.”

Cynthia’s expression changed, a serious note creeping in. “Filip, let’s get a divorce.” It felt more like they were breaking up rather than just ending a marriage.