After My Rebirth, I Divorced the Hockey Star

For a moment, nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Ryan sat on one side of the table.

Sophia sat on the other.

Emma stood beside them holding her purse.

The scene would've looked completely normal to anyone else.

Three friends meeting for lunch.

A husband.

A wife.

A best friend.

But Emma knew exactly what she was looking at.

Two cheaters.

And one woman they thought was stupid.

Sophia recovered first.

She stood up with a bright smile and pulled Emma into a hug.

"Thank God you're here. I was worried you wouldn't come."

Emma smiled back.

"Why wouldn't I come?"

Sophia's expression froze for the smallest fraction of a second.

Because she didn't have an answer.

Ryan pulled out a chair.

"Sit down."

Emma took the seat beside her husband.

Across from Sophia.

A waiter approached.

They ordered drinks.

The moment he left, Sophia immediately started talking.

That was another thing Emma had only recognized after her rebirth.

Sophia hated silence.

Because silence gave other people time to think.

"So," Sophia said brightly, "are you excited for tonight?"

Emma looked up from the menu.

"The gala?"

"Of course the gala."

Ryan took a sip of water.

"My coach said half the league will be there."

"That's great."

Sophia leaned forward.

"And you'll be wearing the navy dress, right?"

There it was again.

The obsession.

Emma smiled.

"Why do you keep asking?"

Sophia laughed.

"I don't know. I was just curious."

"No, you weren't."

Ryan looked between them.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing."

Emma picked up her menu.

"Sophia just seems very invested in my wardrobe choices."

Sophia's smile tightened.

"You're imagining things."

"Maybe."

Emma lowered the menu.

"Then what are you wearing tonight?"

Sophia hesitated.

Just long enough.

Then she answered.

"A silver dress."

Emma almost laughed.

Of course.

The exact same dress.

Just like before.

The same silver dress Sophia had worn in Emma's previous life.

The one that looked almost identical to Emma's navy gown under ballroom lighting.

Back then Emma thought it was coincidence.

Now she knew better.

Sophia wasn't competing with Emma.

She was replacing her.

Lunch arrived before anyone could continue.

For a few minutes the conversation shifted toward hockey.

Ryan talked about sponsorship deals.

Sophia listened like every word was fascinating.

Emma noticed something she'd missed before.

Sophia barely looked at her.

Almost every glance went to Ryan.

Every smile.

Every laugh.

Every touch.

Even now Sophia's fingers brushed Ryan's wrist while reaching for a bread basket.

The contact lasted less than a second.

But it happened.

Ryan didn't move away.

Emma watched the interaction calmly.

Then she asked,

"Ryan, how much are they paying you for the new campaign?"

Ryan looked up.

"What?"

"The sports drink campaign."

"Oh."

He relaxed.

"Three million."

Sophia nearly choked on her water.

Emma noticed.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Ryan frowned.

"You okay?"

Sophia laughed nervously.

"Wrong pipe."

Emma smiled.

Because now she knew something else.

Sophia didn't know about that contract.

Meaning Ryan hadn't told her everything.

Good.

That might become useful later.

After lunch ended, Ryan left first for training.

Sophia insisted on walking Emma to her car.

Emma almost declined.

Then changed her mind.

Sometimes the best way to catch a liar was to let them talk.

The afternoon sun reflected off nearby buildings as they walked down the sidewalk.

Sophia hooked her arm through Emma's.

Just like always.

The gesture used to feel comforting.

Now it felt disgusting.

"You seem different lately."

Emma glanced at her.

"Different how?"

"I don't know."

Sophia shrugged.

"You seem distant."

Emma smiled.

"Maybe I'm growing up."

Sophia laughed.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm starting to pay attention."

The smile slowly disappeared from Sophia's face.

"What exactly are you paying attention to?"

Emma stopped beside her car.

For one second.

Just one.

She considered telling the truth.

I know you're sleeping with my husband.

I know he's paying your bills.

I know you've been lying to me for years.

Instead she unlocked her car.

"Everything."

Then she got inside and drove away.

At six o'clock that evening, Emma stood in front of her bedroom mirror.

The navy dress fit perfectly.

Sophisticated.

Elegant.

Expensive.

Not because Ryan bought it.

Because Emma had bought it herself.

Years ago.

Back when she still had her own income.

Her own dreams.

Her own identity.

The woman staring back from the mirror looked stronger than the woman who had died.

That was enough.

Ryan appeared in the doorway.

For a moment he simply stared.

"Damn."

Emma raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You look incredible."

The compliment would've meant everything once.

Now it meant almost nothing.

"Thanks."

Ryan stepped closer.

His expression softened.

"Seriously. You look amazing."

Emma reached for her earrings.

"We should go."

Something flickered across Ryan's face.

Disappointment.

Maybe he expected her to blush.

Maybe he expected gratitude.

Instead he got indifference.

And he clearly didn't know what to do with it.

The charity gala occupied one of Manhattan's most luxurious hotels.

Photographers crowded the entrance.

Flashbulbs exploded everywhere.

Ryan immediately transformed.

The public version of Ryan Carter appeared.

The charming smile.

The easy confidence.

The perfect husband image.

His hand settled on Emma's waist as they entered.

To anyone watching, they looked happy.

Emma almost admired the performance.

Inside the ballroom, hundreds of guests mingled beneath crystal chandeliers.

Ryan was quickly pulled away by sponsors.

Leaving Emma alone.

Exactly as she'd expected.

Ten minutes later Sophia appeared.

Silver dress.

Just as predicted.

She looked beautiful.

And she knew it.

Several guests immediately complimented her appearance.

Sophia soaked up the attention.

Then she approached Emma.

"Do I look okay?"

Emma nearly laughed.

That question was always a trap.

"No."

Sophia blinked.

"What?"

Emma smiled sweetly.

"I'm kidding."

Sophia forced a laugh.

For a moment neither woman spoke.

Then Sophia leaned closer.

"People keep mistaking me for Ryan's wife."

Emma stared at her.

There it was.

The challenge.

Finally.

Sophia wanted a reaction.

Jealousy.

Anger.

Pain.

Anything.

Instead Emma smiled.

"That must be embarrassing."

Sophia's smile froze.

"What?"

Emma took a sip of champagne.

"Being mistaken for someone you're not."

Several nearby guests glanced over.

Sophia's face tightened.

Emma continued.

"Although I suppose mistakes happen."

A few people chuckled.

Sophia's cheeks reddened.

For the first time all night, Emma saw genuine anger flash across her face.

Good.

Let her be angry.

Sophia had earned it.

Before she could respond, a familiar voice interrupted.

"Emma?"

Emma turned.

A tall woman approached.

Olivia Avery.

The designer she'd met earlier that day.

Sophia immediately recognized the name.

Everyone in New York's design industry knew Olivia Avery.

Olivia smiled.

"I've been looking for you."

Emma returned the smile.

"Really?"

"Of course."

Olivia placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm very excited about our project."

Nearby conversations suddenly quieted.

Sophia looked confused.

Ryan had just returned.

He frowned.

"What project?"

Olivia blinked.

"You didn't tell your husband?"

Emma smiled.

"No. It slipped my mind."

Ryan stared.

"What project?"

Olivia answered for her.

"Emma will be leading the redesign of the Westbridge Luxury Hotel."

Several people nearby reacted immediately.

That project was famous.

Huge budget.

Huge publicity.

Huge opportunity.

Ryan looked genuinely shocked.

"You got that project?"

Emma nodded.

"Looks like it."

Sophia's smile completely disappeared.

Because for the first time all evening.

The attention wasn't on her.

It wasn't even on Ryan.

It was on Emma.

And Sophia hated it.

Absolutely hated it.

The rest of the conversation blurred together.

People approached Emma.

Complimented her work.

Asked questions.

Requested meetings.

By the time the crowd finally dispersed, Ryan looked irritated.

Sophia looked furious.

And Emma felt something she hadn't felt in years.

Power.

Not borrowed from Ryan's fame.

Not attached to his career.

Her own.

As the gala began winding down, Emma excused herself and headed toward the women's restroom.

Halfway there, her phone buzzed.

A message from the private investigator.

Emma opened it.

Then stopped walking.

The attached file was a video.

Hotel surveillance footage.

The timestamp was from two nights ago.

Emma pressed play.

The grainy footage showed Ryan stepping out of an elevator.

A few seconds later Sophia appeared.

Laughing.

Touching his chest.

Then Ryan grabbed her.

And kissed her.

Not a friendly kiss.

Not a drunken mistake.

A kiss that lasted long enough to destroy a marriage.

Emma stared at the screen.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then she saved the video.

Backed it up.

And uploaded it to three separate cloud accounts.

When she finally looked up, her reflection stared back from a nearby mirror.

Calm.

For the first time since her rebirth, Emma had undeniable proof.

Not suspicion.

Not intuition.

Not memories from another life.

Real evidence.

The kind that could destroy careers.

Destroy reputations.

Destroy marriages.

Her phone buzzed again.

A second message appeared.

The investigator had sent only one sentence.

There are more videos.

Emma slowly smiled.

Because Ryan Carter had no idea his life was about to fall apart.