While Angelina Jolie made it clear that her marriage to Brad Pitt was no great love affair, the actor is now running back to first wife Jennifer Aniston. Nearly 13 years after Brad, 53, and the Friends star, 48, shocked the world and announced they were splitting, Brad is hoping to forge a new relationship with his ex — and Angelina is “furious.”

In fact, a source told In Touch, “Jen’s always been Angelina’s greatest rival when it comes to Brad. She hates the way that she has always been depicted as the evil femme fatale and Jen as the girl-next-door victim in the famous love triangle.” But Jen’s husband, Justin Theroux, needn’t worry. “Brad wouldn’t dream of breaking up Jen’s marriage,” said the source. “Brad’s leaning on her as a confidante now. His renewed relationship with Jen has been a huge source of support and comfort through the toughest year of his life.”

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Jen, meanwhile, takes delight in Angelina’s anger. “She’s getting her well-deserved revenge,” said the source. “Jen feels Angelina lorded her relationship with Brad over her all these years.” In 2006, Angelina bragged to Vogue that she and Brad fell in love on the set Mr. & Mrs. Smith, which they filmed when he was still married to the Horrible Bosses star. “That stuff about how she couldn’t wait to get to work every day?” Jen later said. “That was really uncool.” Now, the source explained, “Jen’s having the last laugh. She loves the fact she has become his confidante.”

Two emotional conversations cemented their newfound friendship. As part of Brad’s new lifestyle (“I was boozing too much,” he told GQ earlier this year), he has stopped drinking and started apologizing to those he wronged. And Jen “was the person highest on his apology list,” said the source. So he called her in June and expressed his sorrow. “Brad flat-out apologized for all the heartache and pain he caused by leaving her for Angelina. He came off as genuinely sorry, and Jen was deeply touched. She was completely won over.”

Brad, however, wasn’t satisfied. While Justin was out of town recently, he reached out to Jen again. “They did some major catching up,” said a second source. During the talk, Brad didn’t hold back. He opened up to Jen about the infamous plane incident last September when he allegedly got drunk and got physical with Maddox, the split from Angelina, and the subsequent custody battle that still rages on today.

“He soberly spoke about hitting rock bottom,” said the source, “and how he made the climb out.” He then offered another mea culpa. “He launched into a grand apology. He apologized for being an absentee husband in the marriage — being stoned and bored much of the time. He also made amends for being an avoider, getting lost and in a serious drinking-and-getting-high phase when he fell for Angelina while making Mr. & Mrs. Smith.”

The rekindled friendship has had a positive effect on Brad. “Jen has a way of calming and encouraging Brad, which he needs in his hectic life right now,” the source shared. And now that he’s not drinking, “he’s in a great place mentally and physically. He’s in touch with his emotions and his true self like never before. He is closer to the kids than he has been in months, and he’s shown tremendous maturity and patience with Angelina concerning the divorce.” Having a loyal friend like Jen back in his life is a bonus and a blessing. “He hopes to count on her for a long time to come.”