Laura found the documents by accident, folded behind utility bills she meant to throw away. It contained valuations, closing dates, and a realtor’s name she did not know. The house they shared—legally Brett’s—was being prepared for sale, deliberately, without her knowledge or consent. It felt irreversible, a decision already made.

Her first thought was not money or legality. She was angry. It seemed he was packing his life into signatures and exits, choosing an ending she had not agreed to. The room seemed smaller as fear settled in, sharp and personal, reshaping every ordinary object around her, including the walls she once trusted.

She stood very still, waiting for him to return from work, heart pounding. Thirteen years of marriage rearranged themselves in her mind, suddenly fragile. She wondered how long she had been living inside a plan that did not include her, and when the leaving had begun, without warning, explanation, or her choice…

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