Does a divorce take effect if the wife affirms it and the husband denies it, with no witnesses present?

If the husband denies the occurrence of divorce, and the wife claims it happened without proof, then the husband's statement is given precedence because the original state is the continuation of the marital bond. Some scholars have favored believing the husband with his oath. However, if the wife is certain that her husband has divorced her three times, then she is not permitted to allow him intimacy and must distance herself from him as much as she can, and seek an annulment (khul') if she finds a way to do so.