Pakistan, June 26 -- As Brad Pitt looks ahead to what could be the nest major chapter of his life, one person has quietly become the center of it all: Ines De Ramon.

For years, the Oscar winner has been locked in a painful standoff with ex-wife Angelina Jolie and several of their children. But as twins Knox and Vivienne prepare to turn 18, effectively closing the final chapter of the former couple's custody arrangements, attention is shifting toward the woman standing beside him through it all.

According to Heat magazine, Ines has become far more than Brad's girlfriend. She has reportedly been his emotional anchor during one of the most difficult periods of his life, helping him navigate the ongoing estrangement from his children while ...