After my rebirth, I replaced my ex-husband's first love

On the streets of City A, bustling with traffic.

I had been sitting in a café named "Encounter" for two hours, at a spot in the corner facing the counter. A young girl in a sky-blue apron was busily preparing various drinks. She was about 1.6 meters tall, weighing no more than 90 pounds, slender and pale, always smiling. Her thick black hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her crescent-moon eyes were infectious when she smiled.

"Ma'am, would you like another cup?" she asked, approaching me with a radiant smile.

I was caught off guard, having been entranced by this young girl. Thankfully, I am a woman; otherwise, I might have been mistaken for a pervert or a creep.

"Yes, black coffee again, please," I replied with a polite smile, my voice soft.

Soon, she brought me another cup of bitter black coffee. She didn't leave immediately but hesitated before offering unsolicited advice, "Ma'am, you've had two cups of black coffee already. It's invigorating, but too much can be harmful. Maybe come back another time?"

She was kind-hearted and extroverted, her voice clear and melodious like wind chimes, delightful to the ears.

I glanced at the black coffee on the table, then picked up my bag to leave. "Okay, let's settle the bill."

She was happy I took her advice and quickly went to check me out, then told me, "Ma'am, your total today is 87 yuan. Would you like to pay with cash or mobile payment?"

I paid silently and quickly left the café.

"Madam," Xiao Li greeted me respectfully as I came out and opened the car door for me.

"Let's go home," I said with a slight smile, instructing him.

The car started smoothly, and I closed my eyes to rest in the back seat. The image of the young girl in the café, her youthful and radiant face, kept appearing in my mind.

Was she the one? The girl who, a year later, would cause Pei Heng to break ties with his family and pay a great price to divorce me.

I never imagined that the first thing I would do after being reborn was to find her current workplace and watch her like a stalker.

I was too curious. What kind of girl could take away the man I loved for ten years?

In my previous life, I never even saw her face, just found a name and a few photos. Pei Heng protected her like a rare treasure. I was utterly defeated, yet my rival never showed her face.

Young, beautiful, pure, kind, cheerful... all these positive adjectives suited that girl.

Her only weakness was having no family background, a vast disparity from Pei Heng's status.

Suddenly, Xiao Li spoke up, "Madam, today is your wedding anniversary with Mr. Pei."

I slowly opened my eyes, feeling a moment of disorientation.

Counting the years, this year marked my fifth anniversary with Pei Heng. Each anniversary, I would be busy all day, preparing a candlelight dinner and wedding gifts.

This year, I am 27, and he is 29.

"I know," I said, massaging my slightly aching temples. "No need to remind me."

Xiao Li must have sensed something different about me this year to remind me.

But why has it always been me who gave everything? Why did I have to love that man? In my last moments in my previous life, I pondered this question. For Pei Heng, I ended up ruined and destitute, meeting a tragic end.

Lost in thought, the car stopped in front of the house Pei Heng and I shared. It was a wedding gift from our parents, a luxurious and grand estate villa, spanning over a thousand square meters.

To my surprise, Pei Heng's car was also parked outside. He had returned.

My emotions were complex. What kind of expression should a person who has died once and been reborn wear when facing the cause of their downfall?

I thought I would hate Pei Heng. For a woman, he drove the wife who shared his bed for five years to a dead end, mercilessly dealing with my parents who had treated him exceedingly well. My family was utterly ruined by his hands.

But when I saw him again, I realized my hatred wasn't as intense as I thought it would be. Instead, I felt more of a sense of release.

In my previous life, Pei Heng gave me a chance to divorce amicably. He offered me a part of the Pei Corporation's shares, enough to live lavishly for a lifetime. But I refused. It took me ten years to not earn even a sliver of his love, yet another woman managed to captivate him in just one year, making him defy everyone.

So, I used every means possible to win him back, step by step heading towards a confrontation, a life-and-death struggle.

Now, these events have yet to happen. Rather than hatred, I prefer to change that self-destructive ending.

"What are you standing there for?" Pei Heng was sitting in the living room, casually crossing his long legs. The cigarette between his fingers had burned down. He flicked it into the ashtray, then looked up at me, his gaze as indifferent as ever.

On our wedding day, Pei Heng made it clear that our relationship was just a partnership, long-term roommates. He had no feelings for me.

"Nothing, I just didn't expect you to be home." I bent down to change into slippers. The Hermès elephant grey slippers were simple in design and color. Aside from being comfortable, there was nothing particularly attractive about them.

I thought about the girl in the café with the blue apron, adorned with a red flower smiley face. No one else had that on their apron, only she did.

In contrast, all my clothes were expensive yet monotonous, unvaryingly simple and dull.

Suddenly, I detested these slippers and threw them aside, walking barefoot into the living room.

Pei Heng noticed my bare feet, his brows furrowing slightly, a flash of surprise in his eyes. "Not wearing shoes?"

"Yeah, if I don't feel like wearing them, I won't." I sat down opposite him, replying nonchalantly.

"Quite unusual, did something upset you?" Pei Heng actually chuckled, asking me in a surprisingly light tone.

Stimulated by your future true love, I thought.

I looked down at my pale feet, appearing somewhat dry due to being overly thin.

It was different for Wei Lan. Although she was thin, her skin was firm and elastic, unlike mine, which was purely skin and bones.

Five years of a lonely marriage had taken a toll on my body, and I had no interest in food, hence becoming thinner and more skeletal.

"Pei Heng."

"Hmm?" Pei Heng was looking at his phone, not lifting his head.

He wore a black shirt and trousers, of excellent texture. His tall, slender physique and perfect proportions gave him a striking handsomeness. With his smooth facial contours and fine, deep features, he was the dream of countless girls.

I withdrew my gaze from my feet, staring at the man opposite me. My voice was a bit hoarse, "Let's get a divorce."

As soon as I said this, I heard Pei Heng scoff.

He threw his phone onto the sofa, looking at me with a familiar and cold gaze, asking, "Xu Zhiyi, what game are you playing now?"

"I'm serious," I sat upright, meeting those oppressive eyes, "It's been five years. Since you'll never love me, let's set each other free."

In a month, a large-scale business symposium would be held in City A, where Pei Heng would meet Wei Lan, who was working part-time as a receptionist. He would fall in love at first sight, determined to possess her at any cost.

Such an intense story, and I no longer wished to be the collateral damage in their legendary love affair.

I had done what I could, should, and wanted to do in my previous life, and received my final outcome. In this life, I would not make a fool of myself again, nor would I push the Xu family into an abyss.

Perhaps it was the seriousness in my eyes that made Pei Heng's expression darken. He had a bad temper and was ruthless with anyone who annoyed him.

"Heh, so now Pei Heng is just a toy for others?" He laughed, but his eyes were icy cold,