Y&R’S CHRISTEL KHALIL HEADS OFF SCREEN AS LILY LEAVES TOWN

Young and the Restless star Christel Khalil has officially begun her maternity leave. Lily said goodbye to Genoa City on January 7th, leaving Cane heartbroken and fans wondering what’s next.

Lily’s Leaving Town

Young and the Restless fans knew this day was coming, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

Christel Khalil has officially begun her maternity leave from the CBS soap. In the January 7th episode, Lily told Cane she was heading out of town to spend some time with their daughter Mattie, with no return date in sight. While the timing works perfectly for Khalil to welcome her third child, it couldn’t be worse for Cane, who has been desperately trying to win back his ex-wife.

Baby Number Three

Khalil never made a formal announcement about her pregnancy, but eagle-eyed fans spotted her baby bump back in late October. The actress appeared in a video posted to social media on October 27th, dancing with her Y&R castmates and showing off her growing belly.

This will be the third child for Khalil and second with her husband Sam Restagno. The couple welcomed their son Remy in late 2023 or early 2024, and Khalil also has a 15-year-old son, Michael Caden, from a previous marriage. Sharp-eyed viewers had noticed for months that Lily was wearing looser clothing and carrying larger bags as the show worked to conceal Khalil’s pregnancy, since Lily herself is not expecting.

History Repeating

This isn’t Khalil’s first maternity leave rodeo. When she was pregnant with Remy, she took about three months off from the soap. In that storyline, Lily also left town to be with Mattie, departing in December 2023 and returning to screens in March 2024. If history repeats itself, fans can expect Lily back in Genoa City sometime this spring.

What About Cane?

The timing of Lily’s exit leaves her love life in an interesting place. She’s been single ever since her budding romance with Damian fizzled out back in July 2025, and Cane has been working overtime to win her back. He even managed to steal a kiss on New Year’s Eve, but Lily insisted it was just a moment of weakness.

When Cane offered to back off if she’d reconsider leaving, Lily refused. He accused her of running away, and honestly? He might not be wrong. That kiss was clearly still on her mind as she packed her bags, which means it meant more to her than she’s letting on.

The real question is what kind of Cane will Lily come home to. With Phyllis whispering in his ear and playing devil on his shoulder, Lily’s rejection could send him spiraling. Will his dark side come out to play while she’s gone? Fans will have to wait and see.