‘I’ll leave her homeless; she’s …

“What about the house?” the other voice asked. I still could not see who it was, but I was getting a full education in financial betrayal. “She bought it before we got married,” Ryan said, “but she added my name to the deed like the trusting little wife she is.

I convinced her it was romantic, that we should own everything together. Really, it was just smart planning on my part.”

The sound of their laughter made my stomach lurch. Nothing quite like discovering your marriage is actually a long-term theft operation.

“You know the best part?” Ryan continued. And oh, there was more. “She has no idea what’s coming.

I’ve been moving my own money around for months, setting up accounts she doesn’t know about. When this hits, I’ll walk away with everything I came in with, plus half of hers. She’ll be left with basically nothing.”

“Dude, that’s cold, even for you,” Marcus replied.

“She seems like a nice girl.”