After Rebirth, I Replaced My Ex-Husband's True Love-Chapter 133: The Real Hunter Is Her

In the evening, I mentioned what Henry Preston said in the group of four.

Crystal Dawson and the others transformed into detectives and started analyzing for me.

Crystal Dawson: Zoe, didn’t you say you saw Henry Preston asking someone for Azure Vaughn’s contact info? Doesn’t that mean he was the one pursuing actively?

Leah Lane: Not necessarily, asking for a number doesn’t mean he had to pursue. I feel like Henry Preston is a bit of a jerk but not to the extent of deceiving Zoe.

Crystal Dawson: Damn, what tricks are these two playing, it’s giving me a headache!

Tiana O’Connell: Anyway, from my perspective, Azure Vaughn is not a simple character...

Crystal Dawson: Exactly, people who seem harmless are the best at scheming when they do. Zoe, you’re divorced now, don’t worry too much, it’s best not to meet Azure Vaughn or Henry Preston again, you and these two don’t get along!

While I read their analysis, Ivan Underwood’s figure floated in my mind. Maybe he knows something?

I made a call to Ivan Underwood, and he answered quickly.

"When are you available? I want to ask something." I said. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"I’m free now, want to meet and talk?" Ivan Underwood didn’t ask what it was about.

"Okay, I’ll come to you. It’s not convenient for you to come here." I picked up the car keys and headed out, "Where are you?"

Half an hour later, Ivan Underwood and I met at a restaurant.

I had a bunch of questions, hoping to sort them out with him, and hopefully, he’d be able to answer some and resolve my doubts immediately.

"Ivan Underwood, did Henry Preston ever tell you how he started pursuing Azure Vaughn?" I asked directly.

"What’s up?" Ivan Underwood’s expression was a bit complicated, "Why are you asking about this all of a sudden?"

I took a sip of water, "Just curious, did Henry Preston ever tell you?"

Ivan Underwood pondered for a moment, then shook his head, "He never specifically said."

Apparently, Ivan Underwood didn’t know either. He looked at me quizzically and tentatively asked, "Did Henry Preston say something to you?"

In the past, I thought Ivan Underwood might also fall for Azure Vaughn, so I shared the whole Henry Preston and Azure Vaughn situation with him.

But that’s not the case now. Obviously, he’s interested in me, and I didn’t want to reveal too much about Henry Preston.

I still shook my head, "No, it just came up as a random thought."

Though I said that, I was actually quite curious; it hadn’t dissipated at all.

Just then, my phone vibrated. It was a message from Crystal Dawson: OMG, Zoe, I dug up some unknown secrets from Silas Lockwood!

My eyelid twitched, and I quickly replied: What did you find out?

Crystal Dawson sent me a voice call request, which I declined because Ivan Underwood was sitting across from me. I asked her to text instead.

Soon, Crystal Dawson sent a bunch of messages: Remember how Silas Lockwood used to help Henry Preston with all kinds of advice on pursuing girls? So he knows the most about things between Henry Preston and Azure Vaughn. The things Azure has done are unbelievable, she’s amazing!

As I read between the lines of Crystal Dawson’s texts, I finally understood what Henry Preston meant by what he said in the elevator.

He did ask for Azure Vaughn’s contact because at first glance, he thought Azure looked a lot like Winter Tate.

However, it wasn’t Henry Preston who contacted Azure Vaughn first, it was Azure who got his number from some manager.

Azure sent a message asking Henry Preston why he asked for her contact from the manager.

This was where their connection officially began.

Crystal Dawson: Impressive, a high-level hunter indeed, making an entrance as the prey! That’s what Silas Lockwood told me. When I asked how Henry Preston specifically pursued Azure, he wouldn’t say more. I’ll try and squeeze more out of him, and let you know right away if there’s any new info!

I stayed silent and turned off the screen.

But at that moment, waves surged in my heart.

The initial encounter between Henry Preston and Azure Vaughn should remain unchanged in both my past and present lives, so Azure must have reached out to Henry first in the past life as well.

But because of my rebirth, things changed after they intersected.

In the past, Azure did successfully get close to Henry, ultimately making him fall in love with her.

But in this life, due to some of my actions, Henry changed, and as of now, it doesn’t seem to be love.

"What are you thinking?" Ivan Underwood asked softly, as I had been silent for too long.

He gazed at me, and his expression was uncommonly gentle.

I looked at Ivan Underwood’s charming face, and a wave of sympathy rose in my heart.

I seemed to know how he fell for Azure in the past life. Likely it was when Azure fabricated a story about being coerced by Henry Preston, making Ivan go from empathy to affection.

Because he once told me about Azure, in his words, she was a weak, helpless, pitiful girl, and it was Henry Preston’s schemes that forced her to succumb.

Moreover, Azure’s striking resemblance to Winter Tate made it impossible for Ivan to remain indifferent.

And my understanding of the story between Henry Preston and Azure mostly came from Ivan Underwood, so I subconsciously believed it was Henry forcing his way through.

It’s absurd, I was deceived by Azure twice, and for whatever reason, Henry never explained it to me.

Azure’s advanced maneuvers indeed blew my mind.

"I’m thinking about what kind of person Azure really is." I tugged at the corner of my mouth, "Do you think she was really forced to submit by Henry? Or from the beginning, did she know Henry’s identity, and even mine?"

That’s really a bit frightening, goosebumps spread across my back.

After my rebirth, when I went to the cafe, did she already know who I was? And when we met at the big conference, was she acting like she didn’t notice the relationship between me and Henry?

Later when I rode with her to meet Joel Sutton for a meal, did she text Henry beforehand?

And during our meal, when she received a reply from Henry, was her unease and worry just a show for me?

Scary, truly scary.

"I don’t know, but she’s definitely not simple." Ivan Underwood replied calmly, "Originally, I didn’t care about these things, but after you talked to me, I consciously observed her, she’s quite good at acting."

Turns out I unintentionally changed Ivan Underwood’s impression of Azure, otherwise she’d still be acting like an innocent flower in front of him, easily playing with two rich handsome men using a face strikingly similar to Winter Tate.

And she purposely made Ivan feel sorry for her, love her, perhaps to solidify her position with Henry, because competition creates pressure.

I wanted to applaud her; if I had half of Azure’s wits, would I have spent ten years without winning Henry’s heart?

"I’m convinced of my defeat to her." I didn’t want to say more; I had lost my appetite, stood up with a bitter smile, "Alright, I’m heading back."

"I’ll go with you." Ivan Underwood also stood up.

"You’re coming with me?" I was a bit confused.

"Yeah, I didn’t drive. If it’s convenient for you, could you give me a ride back?" Ivan Underwood naturally made a request.