Whether it was five of fifty minutes later when she made her escape, she wasn’t sure. She had fled to the break room—thankfully empty, at that hour—poured a cup of coffee with shaking hands, and paced while she consumed it. Her thoughts might have been a series of aircrafts in a crowded flight plan, buzzing around overhead, so flustered was she; her veins felt filled with ice water, and she was light-headed from her irregular breaths.

What were the chances?

She plunked herself down at the rickety table, head in hands, trying to remember how the conversation had ensued after that first ghastly moment of recognition.

Medical treatment must necessarily come first; she could not deal with the personal aspect of her surprise meeting with Chip Griffin until she had determined just what was going on. Blood pressure readings, pulses, monitors, this check and that one; information immediately detailed to the attending physician who had just made an appearance.

After a thorough examination, Dr. Nelson had given the opinion that this was probably not a heart attack but anxiety, heartburn, or both. A lot going on? Ah. Celebrating a wedding anniversary, eh? And a supposed retirement, as well? Possibly this was just the result of too much partying. But the pain had eased for the present, yes? Well, good. He wanted Mr. Griffin kept in bed, and he would return a little later to follow up, after the patient had had time to rest.

And that was when Chip Griffin had ripped into her.

“What the hell!” he’d roared.

Hallie winced, now, remembering his expression and his tone.

“Please, Mr. Griffin—Chip—it isn’t what you think,” she’d tried to plead, all the while attempting to quiet his fury and keep his condition—whatever it might have been—from worsening.

“You don’t know at all what I’m thinkin’, young lady,” he had snarled back at her. “A nurse? You’re a nurse in this hospital? Can you kindly explain your position?”

“I’m—well, yes, I’m a nurse, in this hospital, actually, and I’ve—”

“And what about Karim Al Ahsan? And your position as a society wife? Are you married to him, or ain’t you?”

Closing her eyes in despair, Hallie had swallowed hard and tried to answer.

“Well, I’m not exactly what you—”

“Ha!” He’d pounced. Figuratively, of course. Were it possible, and he physically able, she’d feared he might have leaped over the rails and attacked her, so purple was he with rage.

“A lie. That whole show you put on Saturday night was a lie!”

“Sir, please don’t get yourself upset. You’re here for medical care, and we’re doing our best to provide it, but you mustn’t—”

“From right here in this bed, things are not lookin’ too damn good for you and your—and your—exactly what title should I give that lying snake you passed off as a husband, anyway?”

The curtain surrounding his hospital bed had provided a semblance of physical privacy. But sound carried, and she’d known everyone who could was probably listening with avid interest to every word.

“Oh, don’t be that way, I beg you!”

Poor Hallie had been miserable. Supposedly, the contract had been signed, the deal was done. But what if…? Oh, dear Lord, what if?

The old mind might have been clairvoyant, reading her mind to yank every swirling thought right out of her brain so he could pore over and dissect them to his satisfaction.

“Everything has been signed, Hallie Whatever-Your-Real-Name-Is. It’s true that we’ve finished our business, the Sheikh and I.” Griffin had leered in a manner that had struck terror into her wobbly heart. “But only to a point. You ever hear of the right of rescission? Yeah? Then you know I’ve got me three days—three whole days—to cancel the whole damned shebang.”

“But, Chip—Mr. Griffin—you can’t blame Karim for this mess. I beg you to reconsider.” She had wrung her hands until they were nearly red.

“Well, who the hell should I blame, missy? You?” the patient had demanded. “No, he lied to me all the way through, claimin’ he was such a family man, all gung-ho about buyin’ my company and doin’ somethin’ good with his project. Well, he ain’t pullin’ the wool over my eyes any longer. I have had it with such rotten cheap tricks. I’m done, do you hear me? Done! Consider the sale canceled, for all and good!”

She had caught her breath on a deep surge of pain. All that Karim had worked for, all that he had hoped, snatched away at the very last second, all because of one basically harmless falsehood which should have had no impact in the midst of some business transaction, anyway.

Hallie had tried to tell him that. He had refused to listen. Turning his head away, he’d merely clutched the sheet up over his chest and ignored her imploring words.

“Oh, don’t use this threat again!” she’d finally cried. “It isn’t fair. Where is Annemarie? Is she coming here? She’d understand. She wouldn’t let you do this!”

His cold blue gaze had shifted back to her, glaring like a hawk.

“She’s my wife; she’ll take my side on anything I decide. Which you can’t affect any more, because you’re as much a liar as he is. You must’ve had a lotta fun, laughin’ at me behind my back. Well, no more. Not in this lifetime. Now, go away, and send me someone else.”

And there it had been left.

Now, here she was, slumped in utter defeat in the break room, wishing some miracle might be worked to save this awful situation.

“Man,” said Tony, entering suddenly on a mission for food. “Sure a ruckus out there. Any idea what was goin’ on, Hallie?”

She was staring bleakly down at her empty cup on the table, unable to find enough energy even to move. The world she knew had just crashed down around her, and lay at her feet like a heap of dead ashes.

“Not a clue.”