Kate, an accountant at a small firm, valued stability and the simple comforts of home. Mark, by contrast, was a man of boundless ambition. A charismatic sales manager, he was always striving for the next peak, the next big success.

One evening, over tea, he first broached the subject that would change everything.

“Kate, honey, I’ve been thinking,” he began, his eyes searching hers. “What if we sold your apartment?”