The room fell into a chilling silence once more, and I suddenly felt a lump in my throat, tears betraying me as they slipped down my cheeks. I stood up to gather my things from the bedroom and called the driver to take me to another apartment.

It was a place I had bought before our marriage. When we were tying the knot, I had intended to put Asher’s name on the deed too, but he took my hand earnestly and said, “Ellie, life is too long; I don’t want to test human nature. I can’t guarantee anything, but I just want to make sure you have a safety net.”...