KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 16 -- "Aiya, wait, wait, I forgot to change," Teh said in a rush.

The 51-year-old beckoned me into her home in Bangsar, dressed in a typically Malaysian errand-running outfit of a crumpled shirt, baggy shorts, and flip-flops.

"I went to get an espresso and then." she continued, her voice trailing off as she turned a corner.

Born and raised in Lucky Garden, Bangsar, Madeline Teh spent most of her adult life running a successful nail and wax salon with multiple locations in Kuala Lumpur, all while raising a family and splitting her time between Malaysia and the United States.

She, like many others, had followed the path laid out for her, reaching her station in life as a mother, wife, and entrepreneur.

Just then, Teh...