When rich, ruthless domineering husband Robert feels his reporter wife Meredith isn't submissive enough anymore, she fears to be beaten to dead but won't stand a chance against his small army of divorce lawyers. Warned by an expert she can run with their also terrorized children but has no legal way out, she contemplates his 'hypothetical' alternative, a hit-man contract, and considers allowing her sympathizing newspaper boss Neal to hire one while assuming a new identity.