Jerry grabbed the old couch cushion by the corner and flipped it up into the air. It turned over twice, then landed on the floor next to the others.

“Dammit!”

She thrust her head back, took a deep breath and closed her eyes: “Where, where, where…” She whispered in a breathy voice as she tried to materialize the location of the lipstick in her mind. She could see the black case with gold accents. The lipstick itself was a vivid red, burned into her mind, but where had she left it?

Tonight was the charity gala, and her floor length crimson gown would not do without that lipstick. The whole reason she’d chosen the dress was to match the lipstick, she couldn’t leave without it.

She knew this was her last chance… everything had to be perfect.

She turned and plopped down onto the couch, dropping her head into her hands. Then, it came to her - the purse he’d bought her on their trip to Italy.

She ran into the small bedroom and pulled down a box from the closet. Inside was a bunch of old junk, and the purse. Sure enough, inside the purse was the small black lipstick case she’d been looking for. She gripped the cylinder and squeezed, “Thank you, Jesus!”

The gala was packed wall to wall with rich people hoping to show the world how generous they were. Charles was stunning up on that stage, he had always glowed in the spotlight. She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pain in her chest as she listened to him speak about the money they’d raised for the orphanage. His face was so genuine and every smile touched his caring blue eyes, he thrived on attention. His dark hair was peppered with gray and sharply trimmed. The tuxedo he wore fit him perfectly, hugging his masculine curves in all the right places. She could feel the warmth he radiated across the crowd, they loved him.

Beside him stood a slim woman in a glistening silver gown. Her warm skin contrasted beautifully with the color of the dress. Every curve was perfectly proportioned, and her smile, genuine. The two of them could have graced the cover of entertainment weekly.

Jerry wondered what the woman knew. Was she aware of the deception, or had he conned her as well? That was possible.

When his speech had ended, he raised his glass of champagne, then hesitated. His smile faltered for a moment, but only for a moment, as he looked out at her in the crowd. Jerry smiled as her eyes locked with his, the bright red lipstick no doubt sticking in the back of his mind. This had been his favorite shade, and she’d wanted to make sure it was the last thing he remembered. He’d always said red was her color.

He regained his composure, finished raising his glass to toast, and the room quieted as the crowd sipped the expensive champagne.

His eyes once again fell on her as the spotlight waned and people began to talk amongst themselves. A rumble of murmuring voices overtook the crowd, as they congratulated each other on the money they’d raised and bragged about how much they’d each contributed.

Charles was no longer the center of attention, and now he focused his attention on Jerry. He turned, as if to exit the stage. Maybe to warn her that her presence wasn’t welcome? She didn’t know, and she probably never would.

Before reaching the edge of the stage, his knees gave out, and he fell to the ground, gasping. His hands clutched his throat, but the gorgeous woman in the silver dress just stood there, mortified. She grasped her throat as if she were the one choking, then pointed down at him, shrieking for someone to help.

The whole scene almost made Jerry chuckle, but she maintained a look of fright and confusion in order to fit in with the crowd. Everyone was so concerned about the saintly man dying on stage, so she needed to be also.

As men and women rushed to his aid, her view was obstructed and she took that as her cue to leave. She could hear the fire engines roaring in the distance, and help would soon arrive - but not soon enough. She left the envelope on the table before leaving, she didn’t need to see the rest.

The next morning the news headline was perfection. Things couldn’t have gone any better, and she prided herself on her perfect planning. She’d certainly spent a lot of years figuring out how she was going to settle the score. Charles had announced he was leaving the country next month, and she’d known the gala was her last chance to bring her plan to life.

Growing up, Jerry hadn’t had parents, she’d lived in the orphanage, so she’d always just blamed her actions on poor parenting. None of this behavior was her fault, right? Maybe if the bastard had kept his hands to himself she wouldn’t have grown into such a bitch of a person. He deserved it, and she wasn’t sorry.

Jerry drank her coffee, and began reading the juicy headlined article, “Philanthropist dies leaving behind evidence of child trafficking.”