What is the ruling on a man telling his mother, "Be patient until the dowry is returned," in the context of his discussion about threatening his wife with khulʿ, knowing that the wife has not filed a khulʿ lawsuit, nor has he uttered the formula of khulʿ or received compensation?

The conversation mentioned between the questioner and her mother has no consequence. It is neither an explicit nor an implicit statement of khulʿ (divorce at the wife's instance), and therefore, it does not affect the marital bond. The expressions of khulʿ are divided into explicit (such as: "I have divorced myself from you," "I have ransomed myself from you," "I have annulled your marriage") and implicit (such as: "I have separated from you," "I have absolved myself from you," "I have become distinct from you"). An explicit statement effects khulʿ without the need for intention.