‘OBSESSED’: Socialite Lauren Silverman, pregnant with Simon Cowell’s baby, steps out of her Hamptons home yesterday. (Aaron St. Clair/Splash News)
“Gold digger” Lauren Silverman is the reason Simon Cowell’s fiancée dumped him — and now the pregnant social climber wants the “X-Factor” mogul to make an honest woman of her, sources told The Post.
“He promised to marry her after learning she was pregnant, and she is trying to make sure she keeps his promise to take care of them both,” a source told The Post yesterday.
Leggy beauty Mezhgan Hussainy was still blissfully planning her wedding to Cowell when the married Lauren began bedding the TV star, friends said.
“Lauren has been telling friends she has been sleeping with Simon since the end of 2011, or the start of 2012,” a source said.
“She slept with Simon when he was engaged, which is why he and Mezhgan broke off their engagement,” another said.
Another said, “She says she is in love with Simon and would do anything to keep him. She is obsessed with him.”
Another source said, “There was a long time between when he broke up with Mezhgan and got together with Lauren.”
Now that she’s pregnant with 53-year-old Cowell’s child, Silverman, 36 — who is still married to Manhattan real-estate developer Andrew Silverman — wants to tie the knot and has demanded the notoriously altar-shy star come through.
“She’s been bragging about it for months — that she and Simon are in love and that they are getting married, ” another source said.
Last spring, Lauren boldly posted an Instagram photo of herself in a skimpy bikini, snuggling with Cowell on his yacht with the caption, “Me and my little Simey monster.”
When The Post’s Page Six asked Lauren in May whether the two were having an affair, she burst into tears and said, “Simon is my best friend, but please don’t write we are having an affair . . . It would destroy my family and my son.”
Many of the duo’s mutual friends believe Cowell won’t marry his baby mama.
Cowell — who once observed that “the truth is you get married and in a year or two they clean you out” — called his engagement to Hussainy a “big mistake” after confirming their breakup in 2012.
“He likes his freedom too much. But he is always very generous to his girlfriends and ex-girlfriends,” said a source in the Cowell camp, noting he bought Hussainy a $5 million house when they split.
“He is happy about being a father and will do the right thing. He wants to get things straightened out as soon as possible for the sake of the child, although, of course, Lauren is still married.”
Lauren’s furious, cuckolded husband is gearing up for a nasty divorce battle after naming Cowell as a co-respondent in court papers filed July 15.
Friends yesterday said Lauren has a $3million to $4 million prenup — but the pregnancy could change that.
The Silvermans and Cowell have been friends since 2004, when Lauren spotted the star producer in Barbados and got his attention by parading by his room in her bikini, a source said.
Cowell and the couple soon became fast friends, vacationing together with a bevy of Cowell beauties, including his ex-girlfriends, TV presenter Terri Seymour and pop star Sinitta.
“Simon likes having a harem of women on his boat who compete for his attention.” a source said.
Another source said, “Friends assume [Andrew] knew they were sleeping together but turned a blind eye because he was star-struck by Simon and loved going on a free vacation on his massive yacht.
“Now Andrew thinks he can go after Simon’s money by naming him in the divorce papers.”
But pals of Andrew said he was clueless.
“Andrew factually did not know this was going on, or at least didn’t believe it,” one said. “He thought everyone was just jealous of her. And she made it seem like Simon was just her best friend.”
Lauren and Andrew, 37, who have a little boy, had been trying to have another child, family pals say.
“She has been trying to get pregnant again for so long. What happens if she miscarries and Simon owes her nothing? Then she is left with nothing.” one mused. “But maybe Simon is in love with her.”
Lauren is riding out the scandal in the Hamptons with her son and mom. Last night, she released a statement that said, “I am committed to sorting things out with Andrew as amicably as possible.”
When asked about the situation at a TV-industry event in LA last night, Cowell said, “I haven’t read the newspapers. Am I missing anything?” then added he couldn’t comment, saying, “There are a lot of things I will eventually clear up.”
Andrew issued a statement yesterday saying, “My top priority is protecting my 7-year-old son while working to resolve all outstanding issues with my wife.”