Tristan Thompson appeared to shade Khloe Kardashian after news broke they're expecting their second child via surrogate.
The baby was conceived in November - before the Good American founder, 38, discovered the father-of-three had been unfaithful and had secretly fathered a child with fitness model Maralee Nichols.
Tristan, 31, is yet to comment on the news, but he did post a cryptic comment on Instagram accompanied by a pensive looking shot on a staircase.
Staring studiously at the floor, he wrote: "You can't fall if you don't climb. No happiness in living your life on the ground. Keep climbing, step by step."
But many fans took umbrage with the cryptic quote accusing the basketball player of disrespecting Khloe.
One said: ""Can’t climb back to [Khloe] though."
While another quipped: "As long as those are not Koko's stairs, climb all you want."
Tristan's post comes after The Kardashians star appeared to make reference to the fact she is expecting a baby with her cheating ex-boyfriend while sunning herself in Turks and Caicos with her family.
Sharing a striking picture of her looking out to sea on Instagram, Khloe mused: "There’s no point in looking back."
The former couple already share daughter True, four.
Khloe and Tristan have had an on-off romance for six years, but split last year when it was revealed that Tristan had fathered a child with another woman, Maralee Nichols.
However, it has now been revealed that the pair are expanding their family via a surrogate.
A representative for Khloe told the Mirror: "We can confirm True will have a sibling who was conceived in November.
"Khloe is incredibly grateful to the extraordinary surrogate for such a beautiful blessing. We’d like to ask for kindness and privacy so that Khloe can focus on her family."
A source also told us: "The baby was conceived via surrogate before it was revealed to Khloe and the public that Tristan was having a baby with someone else in December."
It's understood that Khloe and Tristan are not back together and haven't spoken about anything other than co-parenting for the sake of their daughter True since they called it quits in December.
The moment Khloe found out about Tristan's misdemeanours aired on Hulu earlier this year.
Commenting on the emotional episode, the mum-of-one said: "Take ur moment, cry/scream but remain composed & remember that Love heals & teaches more than anger ever will."
As well as Tristan's children with Khloe and Maralee, he has a third child, Prince, with his ex Jordan Craig.
Mirror Online has contacted Tristan's representatives for comment.
