The sky was darkening as Hunter Jackson stood before the tall gates that separated him from the house of his past—a place that now felt like a stranger. The modern colonial home loomed with elegance in the center of a wide yard, its manicured gardens flawless and cold. Once, he had called this place home. But ever since he left with Shopia Joy, it had become a monument to everything he had thrown away.

Hunter took a deep breath. His shirt was wrinkled, his pants faded. His once-polished leather shoes had lost their shine. Everything he owned vanished when Shopia left, and with her, so did his wealth.

Now, he...