Chapter 64

Lilian noticed Filip was silent, his gaze deep and thoughtful. She continued, "Besides, Cynthia wants a divorce. Now that she's with Jonathan, she doesn't care about being a Yates. She said she's dumping you for good so I can have you. She even signed a divorce agreement and gave it to me. I bet she's eager to be with Mr. Bennett."

She whispered, "You always knew what she was like. Given a better option, she'll ditch you again."

Lilian had her own theory about Jonathan's sudden appearance that night to announce Cynthia as his girlfriend. Cynthia was meticulous, and Filip was her childhood sweetheart. Although Filip had betrayed her, she still intended to marry him. She'd been with Filip abroad for years without seeking revenge, despite her temper. Lilian guessed Cynthia was waiting for Filip to change his mind, enduring the tension for fear of a complete break.

Cynthia had always been outspoken. The only reason she endured it was because she loved Filip too much and wouldn't cheat—or so Lilian thought.

As for Jonathan, perhaps he befriended Cynthia after their last interview. When he appeared that day, he likely saw Cynthia's distress and intervened out of chivalry.

Lilian didn't believe anything romantic was happening between Cynthia and Jonathan; they'd known each other less than a month.

Hearing Lilian's words, Filip sensed something was wrong. His gaze deepened. He released Lilian's hand and asked, his face drawn, "You said Cynthia signed a divorce agreement and gave it to you?"

Immediately, Lilian produced the document from her bag. She'd been preparing for this moment since talking to Cynthia. Her opportunity had finally arrived.

Cynthia had told Lilian she would sign the agreement if Filip signed first. However, Lilian knew Filip wouldn't because Henry, Pamela, and Matthew were pressuring him; Cynthia knew this.

Lilian thought things might work if Filip believed Cynthia had signed, as his pride might push him to sign as well, despite potential regret.

So, Lilian imitated Cynthia's handwriting with a special erasable pen and forged Cynthia's signature. She'd wait for Filip to sign before giving the document to Cynthia. Then, there was a good chance Cynthia would sign it. That was her plan.

Fortunately, Lilian was excellent at imitating Cynthia's handwriting. A diary she'd forged that had fooled Filip was proof of this. That incident had led to Filip and Cynthia's separation.

Filip picked up the agreement and flipped to the last page, seeing Cynthia's signature. His heart pounded.

Cynthia couldn't have signed it; they weren't married, so no divorce was necessary. Moreover, she'd unilaterally ended the relationship and moved out of the Yates residence.

But Lilian was unaware of this. Only one possibility remained: Lilian had drafted the agreement and tried to force both of them to sign, achieving her goal of separating them. It was a clever deception. Had Filip and Cynthia been married, he would have wrongly assumed Cynthia had signed. Considering their pride, they both might have signed.

"Lilian's lying to me again!" Filip mused, clenching the agreement until it nearly crumpled. But that wasn't the most pressing issue.

He examined Cynthia's signature closely. Her signature was distinctive because she'd learned cursive from a renowned mentor. Her handwriting had an artistic, modern flair, making it easily recognizable.

Filip knew Cynthia's signature well. While it matched her style, including the tiny tick and angle, he knew she hadn't signed it.

Lilian saw Filip's grimace and the unpredictable emotions in his eyes. She was unsure if he'd sign, but there was no turning back.

"Filip, Cynthia already signed it. For our baby, please sign. Our baby needs a legitimate father," Lilian pleaded, tugging his arm.

Filip looked up at Lilian. His alienated gaze made her heart pound. She sensed his restrained fury. His cold voice cut through the air. "Are you sure Cynthia signed this herself, Lilian?"

Lilian froze. Why was he asking? She maintained a serious, innocent expression. "She signed it right in front of me," she said.

Filip looked at her intently, as if a revelation was about to occur. He remembered a past incident when he was drunk and mentioned the diary to Cynthia. She'd asked to see it. His memory of her forthrightness made him question when she'd learned to be deceptive. Now, it seemed she had been genuinely unaware.

If Lilian could forge Cynthia's signature so convincingly, it was highly likely that everything in the diary was a fabrication.

Filip's blood boiled, his heart raced, and pain threatened to overwhelm him. His temples throbbed as he looked at Lilian, who appeared innocent.

He felt foolish for being manipulated for years. She still looked fragile and tearful. Seeing her deceitful eyes, Filip…