I’ve heard the most common marital pattern in heterosexual romantic relationships is for a wife to threaten to leave over and over again, but the husband to laugh it off. When she leaves, he is inevitably shocked. He didn’t believe she was really serious.

A quick word: it is not possible to be a good husband, but simultaneously emotionally abuse your life. This is an overly flattering view. It is possible to be well-intentioned, but treat someone badly. If you treat your wife badly, you are a bad husband.

If you emotionally abuse your wife, you are an abuser.